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Arts Alumni Awards Do you know an outstanding Arts alumnus making a difference locally or internationally? Nominate an alumnus for the 2020 Awards now AboutNominateCurrent recipientsPast recipients About the Arts Alumni Awards The Faculty of Arts is committed to recognising alumni who have achieved excellence in their chosen field, and who have made a considerable contribution to the Faculty, the University and / or their communities through their endeavours. With a community of over 80,000 around the world, alumni of this Faculty reflect our important legacy. The Arts Alumni Awards program raises awareness of our alumni and honours their outstanding contribution to our society. These contributions have been made across a wide range of fields, including government, business, the arts and media, community and not-for-profit organisations. The Arts Alumni Awards are presented annually. Nominations are assessed by a panel that includes the Associate Dean of Engagement and Advancement (Faculty of Arts), members of the Melbourne Humanities Foundation Board, previous Arts Alumni Award recipients, and members of the Alumni Council (The University of Melbourne). Previous Arts Alumni Award recipients include: Professor Peter Singer AC Professor Gary Foley Dr Nadera Hayat Burhani Emeritus Professor Chris Wallace-Crabbe AM Dr Helen Szoke AO Sir James Gobbo AC Jason Ball Emerita Professor Margaret Manion AO See the full list of past recipients Recognising alumni who have achieved excellence Do you know an outstanding Arts alumnus making a difference locally or internationally? The annual Arts Alumni Awards recognise and honour alumni who have achieved excellence in their chosen field, contributing to the Faculty, the University or their communities through their endeavours. Whether it be a high profile candidate on the world stage or a quiet achiever making a difference locally, we look forward to hearing about what our Arts Alumni have been up to since graduating. Rising Star Award for Young Alumni An individual who is 30 years of age or under and has demonstrated an outstanding level of professional achievement and community involvement since graduating from the University of Melbourne and/or has been recognised by colleagues and peers for their outstanding leadership and impact as a global citizen. Contribution to the Faculty and University Award An individual who has made a significant and sustained contribution to the Faculty and University through outstanding leadership, impact on students, and/or engagement with the University and broader community. *Please note this award is to reward contribution beyond an individual's employment at the University. An individual who has made an outstanding, long-term and internationally-recognised contribution to their field of endeavour. An individual who has demonstrated outstanding leadership in their field of endeavour. The Faculty of Arts recognises alumni who have achieved excellence in their chosen field, and who have made a considerable contribution to the Faculty, the University and their communities, both locally and globally. The Awards are presented annually and are chosen by calling on all our alumni to nominate those who have achieved distinction in one of four areas. Celebrating our 2019 Arts Alumni Award recipients Each year the Arts Alumni Awards event is an opportunity to celebrate Faculty of Arts alumni making a difference locally and internationally. Awards recognise excellence in a recipient's chosen field, their contribution to the Faculty, the University or in their communities. In the opening address at the presentation of the awards, Dean of the Faculty of Arts Russell Goulbourne spoke of the far-reaching impact students have on society. "You only need to look at the shelves in our best book stores, or the boards of our nation's top corporations or not for profit enterprises, at government or public service and community sectors, in federal and state parliaments, or at media, film and television to realise the great and diverse array of achievements of students with a Bachelor of Arts degree from Melbourne." Arts Alumni Awards are presented in four categories: The Rising Star Award for Young Alumni Left to right: 2019 Faculty of Arts Alumni Award recipients Dr Ted Gott, Dirgayuza Setiawan, Kon Karapanagiotidis OAM, Joanna Murray-Smith and Mohamed Khairat. Photo by David Hanna. Dirgayuza (Yuza) Setiawan BA - Media and Communications, Political Science, 2011 When Dirgayuza (Yuza) Setiawan was still at high school, he and some of his friends refurbished used computers and distributed them to community organisations and orphanages so that they could use them to run computer literacy classes. What began as a school project planted the seeds for his passion for sharing with others the life-changing potential of computer and internet literacy. Yuza completed his Bachelor of Arts at the University of Melbourne in 2011 and in 2016 graduated from Oxford University’s Internet Institute Master of Social Science program in Social Science of the Internet. He has authored 11 books on technology for Indonesian audiences, including "how to" guides for people new to using Facebook and Mac operating systems. For the past three years, Yuza has been part of the NextGen@ICANN program, which brings together people interested in shaping the future of global internet policy. He is also an Adjunct Fellow at the Center for Digital Society in Indonesia, Universitas Gadjah Mada's research centre on the study of modern digital societies. Mohamed Khairat BA - Media and Communications, Politics and International Studies, 2014 Juris Doctor (JD) 2016 Mohamed Khairat was still a Bachelor of Arts student when he founded Egyptian Streets, an independent English language media organisation in Egypt. During a visit to Egypt in 2012, Mohamed perceived that there were major gaps in the kind of events and issues media outlets were reporting, and saw a need for change. His goal in establishing Egyptian Streets was to share stories that mattered, with a focus on driving social and cultural change by tackling key - and often sensitive - social and cultural issues. What began as a blog in 2012 has in just a few years become one of Egypt's most important independent voices, with five permanent staff, over 30 contributors, and readership all over the world. In addition to reporting on and sharing social and cultural stories, Mohamed has ensured that Egyptian Streets is actively involved in the community through partnerships with local non-government organisations, in local campaigns, and in fundraising for various social causes. In 2018, Mohamed was named '30 Under 30 in Media & Marketing' by Forbes Europe and '30 Under 30 Arab' by Forbes Middle East for his role in founding Egyptian Streets. He is currently a lawyer in the Projects & Development team at Allens, Melbourne. For an individual who has made a significant and sustained contribution to the Faculty and University through outstanding leadership, impact on students, research and teaching, engagement or philanthropy. Dr Ted Gott BA Hons - Classics and Archaeology, Fine Arts, 1981 PhD, 1987 Dr Ted Gott is Senior Curator of International Art at the National Gallery of Victoria and an Honorary Senior Fellow in the School of Culture and Communication at the University of Melbourne. He began his Bachelor of Arts studies intending to be a French teacher, but emerged with a passion for classics and art history, and subsequently completed a PhD on French symbolist painter Odilon Redon. Ted has made a significant contribution to Australia's cultural life over the past 30 years. Having held curatorial positions at the National Gallery of Victoria, the National Gallery of Australia, and the Heide Museum of Modern Art, he has curated and co-curated over 25 exhibitions. In 1994 he curated the exhibition Don't Leave Me This Way: Art in the Age of AIDS at the National Gallery of Australia. At a time when fear of AIDS was at its peak, it was - and still is - the first exhibition on the subject to be held at a national gallery anywhere in the world, and drew an audience of 140,000 people. The gallery had expected less than a tenth of that number to attend the exhibition; but in Ted’s own words, "what [the exhibition] turned out to be was an incredible touch point that gave everyone who had been touched by the disease a place to go and express their emotion, and to find a cathartic outlet to express what they had gone through. It became an extraordinary phenomenon." A writer and researcher, Ted has published widely on Australian, British and French art in books, catalogues, and journals, and has been actively involved in the mentoring of developing curators. A generous and enthusiastic speaker, he has given public lectures around the country in both metropolitan and regional areas. The International Council of Museums Australia has praised Ted as "Australia’s pre-eminent curator in international art", whose "experience, attention to detail, knowledge of art and history, scholarly approach and easy communication style has seen many significant exhibitions developed and presented to Australian audiences that have enchanted and enlightened academic and general audiences alike." In 2016, he was awarded a Knighthood from the French government, L'Ordre des Arts et des Lettres (Order of Arts and Letters), in recognition of his significant contribution to the field of art. As an Honorary Senior Fellow in the School of Culture and Communication, Ted has also been an active contributor to the Faculty of Arts, the University and its alumni community. Over the past five years, he has been a regular volunteer guest speaker at University events, has delivered public lectures, and has contributed to numerous University and Faculty of Arts publications. For an individual who has made an outstanding, long-term and internationally-recognised contribution to their field of endeavour. Joanna Murray-Smith BA Hons - English and Fine Arts, 1985 Joanna Murray-Smith is the 2019 recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award for her outstanding contribution to the arts community as Australia's most successfully produced female playwright. Over the past 30 years, Joanna has forged a hugely successful writing career working across multiple genres including theatre, screen, opera and prose. Joanna’s stage works have been regularly performed by many Australian companies - the Melbourne, Sydney and Queensland Theatre Companies, Black Swan State Theatre Company, Opera Australia, Malthouse Theatre, Red Stitch and La Mama, to name a few - but have also found audiences around the world. Her plays appear regularly on the West End, have been staged at the National Theatre in London and on Broadway, and have been performed in over two dozen languages. Joanna has been recognised by numerous prestigious Australian literary awards, including the Commonwealth Medal for Services to Playwriting, the Victorian Premier's Literary Award, the NSW Premier's Literary Award, Braille Book of the Year, and the inaugural Mona Brand Award for Screen and Stage Writing. She has won Green Room Awards and AWGIE (Australian Writers' Guild) Awards, been long-listed for the Miles Franklin Award, nominated for an Oliver Award, AFI Awards, the International IMPAC Dublin Literary Award, and the International Susan Blackburn Play Award. Joanna contributes to writing communities locally and internationally by sharing her knowledge with aspiring writers through workshops and masterclasses. She has lectured at UCLA and at the New York Stage and Screen Festival, and closer to home, speaks frequently to school students studying her plays as part of the high school curriculum. In 2012, Joanna was made a Vice Chancellor's Fellow at the University of Melbourne in recognition of her standing in the arts community. As part of this position, Joanna addressed aspiring writers, performers and directors at the University of Melbourne about creative responsibility, ethics, discipline and resilience, as well as on the fundamentals of creative writing. She also mentored students on their individual writing projects. For an individual who has demonstrated outstanding leadership in business, community or government. Kon Karapanagiotidis OAM Master of Development Studies 2009 Kon Karapanagiotidis Kon Karapanagiotidis OAM is the CEO and founder of the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre (ASRC) and a fierce advocate for rights of people seeking asylum, refugees and Indigenous Australians. He is also a human rights lawyer, teacher, social worker, and philanthropist. Growing up in a small Victorian country town in the 70s and 80s as part of a Greek working-class family, Kon experienced racism first-hand. These early experiences - and learning about his grandparents’ experiences as refugees fleeing the Pontic genocide in Anatolia - ignited in Kon a passion for human rights. Kon founded the not-for-profit Asylum Seeker Resource Centre at the age of 28. Then a TAFE teacher of welfare studies, Kon had discovered that asylum seekers in the community were living without basic support. With 40 of his students, he started a new charity as part of an educational project - a student-run food bank, launched from a small Footscray shopfront with food donated from local businesses. The ASRC started that same year, in 2001. In Kon’s own words: "I started with a simple vision: I wanted to create a place of hope and welcome where no one was turned away. A centre that stood for justice, that was willing to be at the coalface when and where it mattered for people. Where dreams of freedom burned brightly in the hearts of all who entered." Eighteen years later, the ASRC is the largest independent human rights organisation for refugees and people seeking asylum in Australia providing not only food and material aid, but support services, primary health services, and education and employment programs. Without any government funding, each year it advocates for, supports and empowers over 4,600 people seeking asylum. Past Arts Alumni Award recipients 2018 Arts Alumni Award recipients Left to right: 2018 Faculty of Arts Alumni Award recipients, Jenna Davey-Burns, Fayaz Hayatullah accepting the award on behalf of his mother Dr Nadera Hayat Burhani, Dean of the Faculty of Arts Professor Denise Varney, Stephanie Alexander, Linh Do For individuals who are under 35 years of age and who have demonstrated an outstanding level of professional achievement and community involvement since graduating from the University of Melbourne and /or have been recognised by colleagues and peers for their outstanding leadership and impact as global citizens. Jenna Davey-Burns BA 2006, DipML 2006, M.Int.Pol. 2011 Jenna Davey-Burns is passionate about creating change. Since graduating from the University of Melbourne in 2011 Jenna has worked across not-for-profit and government sectors as a gender and human rights policy specialist. Some of the many important projects Jenna has been involved in include, working with Christine Nixon to assist women affected by the 2009 Black Saturday Bushfires, inter-governmental policy work with the United Nations Inter-Agency project on anti-human trafficking in Bangkok and most recently, advising on the implementation of the Royal Commission into Family Violence with Djirra. Jenna has been a Director on the board of Cambodian Kids Can since 2014, an organisation dedicated to improving educational opportunities for young women in Cambodia, and on the board of the Queen Victoria Women's Centre since 2016. "Sometimes the biggest life lessons come when you least expect them. 12 months ago, I was hiking in Nepal when tragedy struck. Despite my efforts at CPR, a young woman who was hiking with us died. Three days after that trip my brother called and told me our father had passed away. It was that week that crystalized life's lessons for me. Simply put, those life lessons are finding resilience, embracing the community and speaking the truth. The biggest thing I've embraced in the last 12 months, is to take every precious moment of life and savour it. To this room full of inspiring people, I wish you all the best and to continue to take every opportunity life offers and to make it count." Linh Do Linh Do has worked tirelessly on environmental issues for the past decade. She is passionate about social change and reducing inequality. Linh's environmental advocacy has seen her connect with a wide range of stakeholders, from high school students to the United Nations and the Reuters Foundation. She led the Australian Conservation Foundation's community organising program and has worked with Climate Action Network International. In 2010 Linh co-founded the online community engagement platform, OurSay. Most recently, Linh served as publisher and editor-in-chief of newswire service, The Verb, where she worked with an international team to localise and humanise stories from the UN Climate Change negotiations. Linh's work has been featured in a wide variety on publications including Al Jazeera, Vogue, the Huffington Post and the Washington Post. In 2013, Linh was named a World Economic Forum Global Shaper, Australian Geographic Young Conservationist of the Year, and one of Junior Chamber International's Outstanding Young Persons of the World. "My Bachelor of Arts degree has given me the ability to embrace a world full of complexities, where I may not always have the answer but certainly always the desire to ask myself 'how am I going to make a positive impact today'. To the current students in the room, I hope that once you graduate you start to figure out the answer to the question of how you are going to use your Arts degree to make a difference in this world." Emerita Professor Patricia Grimshaw AO PhD 1987 Awarded for contribution to the Faculty and University that has been outstanding in both scope and influence across many years, Professor Patricia Grimshaw has demonstrated scholarships in the field of women's history and tireless commitment to the promotion of history among women in Australia and internationally. Professor Patricia Grimshaw has made an extraordinary contribution to women's history, academia and the wider community in her long career. Amongst an extensive list of achievements, Professor Grimshaw has been recognised as a Fellow of both the Australian Academy for Social Sciences and Australian Academy for the Humanities, served as Head of the University's Department of History and Deputy Dean of the Faculty of Arts. Professor Grimshaw was President of the International Federation for Research in Women's History and, as a Director of the National Foundation for Australian Women, was instrumental in establishing the Australian Women's Archives Project, a register of Australian women who have contributed to Australia. Professor Grimshaw developed a pioneering course on women's history, Changing Concepts of Women's Place, an initiative which led to the creation of a centre for the history of women. In March 2008, Professor Grimshaw was inducted into the Victorian Honour Roll of Women for pioneering women's history. In the same week, the University of Melbourne launched the Patricia Grimshaw Mentor Excellence Awards to honour her contribution as a mentor of students and colleagues. Master of Public Policy and Management (MPPM) 2015 Dr Nadera Hayat Burhani is an internationally-educated medical doctor, specialized in obstetrics and gyneacology. Dr Nadera was Deputy Ministers of Reproductive Health and Mother and Child Health and the Health Care Service Provision in the Ministry of Public Health in Afghanistan (2005 - 2012). A ceaseless campaigner for women's rights, and a member of the Women Rights Defense Association, she was an elected representative of Afghan women in three Grand Assembles. Dr Nadera is responsible for the health program of Radio Rabia Balkhi that broadcasted for women awareness in Balkh province of Afghanistan. In 2015, Dr Nadera obtained two graduate degrees, one in Public Policy and Management from the University of Melbourne, and the other in International Public Health from Liverpool University of United Kingdom studied via correspondence. Dr Nadera also holds a Diploma in International Health Regulation and an Advance Certificate after conducting a research from Geneva Medical University. Currently, she is working as a Health Delegate/ Primary Health Care, Doctor in Ukraine and representing the Australian Red Cross through the Geneva International Committee of Red Cross. Dr Nadera's award was accepted on her behalf by her son Fayaz Hayatullah. "My mother started her journey from a mud house in a war-torn region of Afghanistan. She went on to become a doctor, senator and deputy minister and returned to study, she now holds multiple master's degrees in a variety of fields. My mother says, 'Tonight's ceremony is a very auspicious moment for me, I want to say that I am truly grateful for this honor." Stephanie Alexander AO Stephanie Alexander is a prolific and bestselling author and food writer and an internationally renowned chef. Her book the Cook's Companion has sold more than 500,000 copies and is often referred to as 'the bible'. Stephanie has always had a commitment to training and mentoring young people. She was awarded an Order of Australia (OAM) in 1994 for her services to the hospitality industry, to tourism, and for encouraging young apprentices. Since 2001 Stephanie has been devoted to the development of the Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden Foundation. She believes that the earlier children learn about food and where it comes from, the better their food choices will be. "My years at the University of Melbourne were extremely significant in my life chiefly because of the friendships I made. Although my achievements have not been in the academic field, I still regard myself as an educator. 14 years ago, I started the not for profit Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden Foundation. Concerned about the prevalence of obesity and its link to diabetes and other chronic diseases, I saw little if anything being offered to young children that might positively influence their food choices. I knew it had to be a program that involved pleasure, not prohibition. How we choose to eat can contribute joy as well as good health and can promote tolerance, confidence, environmental understanding and protection of our food security." Professor Mark Considine with the 2017 Award Recipients An individual who is under 35 years of age and has demonstrated an outstanding level of professional achievement and community involvement since graduating from the University of Melbourne and/or has been recognised by colleagues and peers for their outstanding leadership and impact as a global citizen. Mr Tarang Chawla BA (Media & Communications) 2011, LLB, DipArts (Gender Studies) Professor Mark Considine presents Mr Tarang Chawla with the Rising Star Award for Young Alumni Tarang Chawla was presented with the Rising Star Award for his leadership and contribution to community advocacy against domestic violence in Australia. A 2017 Young Australian of the Year finalist, Tarang founded "Not One More Niki," a campaign to end violence against women and children in memory of his sister. Tarang is a frequent speaker on violence against women, gender and diversity, and a role-model for young men to adopt non-violence and healthy masculinity. He is an Ambassador for Victoria Against Violence, White Ribbon, Our Watch, Safe Steps, InTouch and the AFL Multicultural Program. He works as an independent advisor to governments, businesses and organisations on their efforts to end domestic and family violence and is a Board Member of the Victim Survivors Advisory Council (VSAC), the Diversity and Intersectionality Working Group and the Ministerial Taskforce on the Prevention of Violence Against Women. Upon receiving his award, Tarang said, 'I applaud you all for making that choice today [to study an Arts degree], to further critical reasoning, which in today's world is so much more vital than ever. It's such a pervasive belief in some of our communities that these fields don't lend themselves to money, so why should we bother with them? Ultimately, I'm glad I did this degree from the University of Melbourne because it's the grounding by which I think I might make a difference in years to come. I hope that when all is said and done, I can make my late 23-year old sister Niki very proud of her older brother. For current students, I encourage you to enjoy your time here, to make the most of it, to be emboldened by unconventional ideas and to have the confidence to express your own. Because when we do that, together, we create a better future for all of us.' Ms Morgan Koegel Professor Mark Considine presents Ms Morgan Koegal with the Rising Star Award for Young Alumni Morgan Koegel was presented with the Rising Star Award for her outstanding contribution to the fields of social advocacy and education, particularly in her role as CEO of One Girl. One Girl is an organisation on a mission to educate 1 million girls across the developing world. Following the completion of her Arts degree, Morgan took up the post of CEO at the age of 24 after working as the CEO of Engage Education, a not-for-profit focused on keeping Australian students in the classroom. Morgan's roles in the charity sector have seen her in classrooms across Australia, in prisons providing legal education and now with One Girl, travelling across West and Central Africa. She is a passionate believer in the power of education and the capacity for young people to do anything they set their mind to. Upon receiving her award, Morgan said, 'When the chair of the board [of One Girl] called me to offer me the role, he told me that I was actually the youngest person who had applied for it. And that surprised me. But what he said next surprised me even more. He said from your background, from the way you spoke, from your application that you handed in, we can see that you are someone who is creative, who thinks confidently, who thinks outside of the box when challenged by things you haven't heard before. Perhaps that was the first time that I saw the skills that I developed in this degree, from arguing with my classmates, from submitting papers, to having the opportunity to engage with my professors.' An individual who has demonstrated outstanding leadership in business, community or government Mr Jack Heath BA (Hons) 1984, LLB Professor Mark Considine presents Jack Heath with the Leadership Award Jack Heath was presented with the Leadership Award for his outstanding leadership in government and community sectors, particularly his contribution to mental health awareness and advocacy as the CEO of SANE Australia. Jack has been working to build better lives and give voice to the challenges and achievements of Australians affected by mental illness for close to two decades. In 1997, following the suicide of his 20-year-old cousin, Jack founded the Inspire Foundation, with the idea of using the internet to prevent youth suicide. The Inspire Foundation, which runs the ReachOut.com youth mental health service, brought to life Jack's vision of using technology to enable young people to stay connected and get the help they need, where and when they need it. Prior to Inspire, Jack spent 10 years working in government as a diplomat, public servant and senior adviser to Prime Minister Paul Keating. After returning from the United States, where he ran the Inspire USA Foundation in 2010 and 2011, he worked with Foreign Minister Kevin Rudd and then moved back to working in mental health. In 2012, inspired by people with mental illness, and driven by his personal experience, Jack seized the opportunity to become the CEO of SANE Australia, an organisation that strives to help and support people with complex mental illness to live better and safer lives. Upon receiving his award, Jack said, 'I got approached to run SANE and I did not want the job. And I did not want the job because of my cousin who had had schizophrenia and died of suicide, because of my mother who at that time was his primary carer and ended up at the Melbourne clinic in Richmond, and also because of an aunt who had paranoid schizophrenia as well … [But] every time I tried pushing against the door and saying, I don't want this, no I don't want this, the door kept on opening. And what happened was when I walked into SANE I came across people who are living with complex mental illness, about 700,000 of us who live with that on an annual basis, people with bipolar or schizophrenia are holding down full-time or part-time jobs, and despite having worked in mental health for over 15 years I had no idea that people could live with these terrible conditions and still show up for work and do amazing things … What I know from my work is that there can be a hunger to learn, or a hunger for hope and without benefactors and supporter, nothing happens. I want to wish each and every one of the students here the very best, and for those of us who are dealing with very difficult mental health issues or know someone who is, know that there’s hope and that we can build a better future for everyone.' An individual who has made a significant and sustained contribution to the Faculty and University through outstanding leadership, impact on students, research and teaching, engagement or philanthropy. Professor Emeritus Margaret M. Manion AO MA Bed, PhD (Bryn Mawr) Llitt D (HON) FACE FAHA Professor Mark Considine presents Professor Margaret Manion with the Contribution to the Faculty and University Award Professor Margaret Manion was presented with the Contribution to the Faculty and University Award for her outstanding and ongoing contribution to the Faculty and University, in particular, her extraordinary international influence in the field of art history. Professor Manion is one of Australia's pre-eminent art historians, whose scholarship on Medieval and Renaissance art is acclaimed internationally. As Herald Chair of Fine Arts at the University of Melbourne from 1979 to 1995, Professor Manion set directions in the teaching of art history that have had far reaching consequences. She brought passion, generosity, dedication and creativity to her work as a scholar and teacher; and the art history program which she fostered at Melbourne has equipped generations of students, many of whom now hold positions as directors, curators and academics in major art institutions in Australia and around the world. She was the first woman to be appointed to an established Chair at the University and the first woman to chair the Academic Board. She served as Deputy Dean and Acting Dean in the Faculty of Arts, and Associate Dean for Research. Her leadership in these roles included the development of supportive programs for staff and postgraduate research, with other key achievements across the University including her major role in the establishment of the Ian Potter Museum of Art. Professor Manion has also played a highly significant role in many organisations, particularly the National Gallery of Victoria, which has made her a Trustee Emeritus in line with her outstanding contribution to the life of that institution over many years. Margaret was made an Officer of the Order of Australia for her contribution to the arts and education in 1988, received a Centenary Medal in 2001, an honorary Doctor of Letters in 2007, and the Tucker Medal in 2016. Professor Manion's publications include ground-breaking studies of Medieval and Renaissance Art; she has curated major exhibitions; and she continues to be at the forefront of research and publications on medieval illuminated manuscripts in particular. Upon receiving her award, Margaret said, 'I have very affectionate and long standing memories of the University of Melbourne, which was quite a foreign place for me when I arrived from Sydney. My commitment in the Herald Chair was to promote the principle of the arts in the wider community. It's been a wonderful experience to be honoured to teach and I think if you look at the arts, they're not separate and contained. The Arts faculty has a long tradition, not only of learning, but also of being engaged in [the wider community] and this can [lead graduates] to all sorts of unexpected places.' Sir James Gobbo AC CVO KSJ QC BA (Hons) 1952, LLD Professor Mark Considine presents Sir James Gobbo AC CVO KSJ QC with the Lifetime Achievement Award Sir James Gobbo was presented with the Lifetime Achievement Award for his outstanding contribution to government, community, the arts, literature, history, law, international relations and the Italian community in Melbourne, and particularly for his role as Governor of Victoria and service on many community boards. Sir James Gobbo graduated with a Bachelor of Arts (Hons) in 1952 and was admitted to practice law in 1956. After a year as a solicitor, he went to the Bar where he practiced for 21 years. He took silk in 1971 and was appointed a Judge of the Supreme Court of Victoria in 1978. He retired from the Court in 1994 and in 1995 was appointed Lieutenant Governor of Victoria and served as Governor of Victoria between 1997 and 2000. Sir James has maintained a long interest in Italian Community affairs, as reflected in his former Presidency of Co.As.It. (Italian assistance organisation). Since 1975, Sir James has served on advisory bodies to the Federal Government in connection with immigration and refugee affairs. He was a founding member in 1960 of the Immigration Reform Group, which played a key role in ending the White Australia Policy, and he was the Founding Chairman of the Australia Council of Multicultural Affairs in 1989. Among his many community commitments, Sir James has served on the Catholic Archdiocese Finance Advisory Council and was Chairman of Mercy Private Hospital, Chairman of the Council of Caritas Christi Hospital and Board Member of Mercy Maternity Hospital. Sir James was President of the Scout Association (Victoria) from 1987 to 1997. He has also served as Chairman of the Council of the National Library of Australia and of the Council of the Order of Australia. In 1990, Sir James co-founded the International Specialised Skills Institute, he has held positions as a Victorian Commissioner to Italy, and in 1998 was conferred the highest honour bestowed by the Republic of Italy, the Order of Grand Merit of the Republic of Italy. A member also of our Melbourne Humanities Foundation Board, Sir James continues to work to provide wise counsel to the University and to develop opportunities for students to understand the richness and depth of their multicultural heritage and promote cross-cultural understanding. Upon receiving his award, James said, 'My history teacher Kathleen Fitzpatrick once said to me, "If I'm not mistaken, you're of Italian origin" and I nodded, because I'd come here when I was seven years of age. She said, "you know Italians are very talented people, and what's more, they have the industry to use their talents." Up until then had this feeling that to be Italian was a disability. I danced out of that room on wings of eagles because I realized from that moment on that being Italian was a great asset.’ A warm congratulations to our Arts Alumni Awards recipients from the Faculty of Arts. BA (Hons), PhD Professor Mark Considine, Dean, Faculty of Arts with Professor Gary Foley, recipient of the 2016 Lifetime Achievement Award Professor Gary Foley was presented with the Lifetime Achievement Award for his outstanding contribution to Aboriginal Australian advocacy, welfare and rights. Gary was a co-founder of the Aboriginal Tent Embassy in Canberra in 1972, played a pivotal role in organising protests against the Springbok tour in 1971, and was involved in the formation of the Aboriginal Legal Service in Redfern and the Aboriginal Medical Service in Melbourne and Sydney. He co-wrote and appeared in the first Aboriginal stage production in 1972, Basically Black, helped to establish the National Black Theatre, and he has starred in films such as Backroads and Dogs in Space, as well as being the first director of the Aboriginal Arts Board of the Australia Council. Gary organised protests to highlight Indigenous issues at the Brisbane Commonwealth Games and, during the Bicentenary, was a consultant to the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody. He also campaigned successfully against the closure of Northland Secondary College in 1993. From 2001- 2005 Gary was the Senior Curator for South Eastern Australia at Museum Victoria. Gary was awarded the Chancellor's Medal for this PhD thesis at the University of Melbourne on the development of the Black Power movement within the Aboriginal community, and is the author of a forthcoming book on this topic. He has also been published in numerous journals including Griffith Law Review and the Australian Journal of Human Rights. Gary is now Professor at the Moondani Balluk Indigenous Academic Unit at Victoria University. The Faculty of Arts is proud to acknowledge Gary's dedication and contribution to academic writing and research, to advocacy and activism, to film and acting, and particularly to Aboriginal health, welfare and rights. Gary has made an extraordinary mark on the history not only of this campus and its students, but also on a world in which the role of activism and advocacy remains critical. I got thrown out of school when I was 15 years old on the North coast of New South Wales by a racist headmaster who dismissed me with these words; "We don't want your kind here". Those words demolished my self-esteem, my self-confidence for 30 years. I came to the University almost at the age of 50, so it's a little bit of a concern to get a Lifetime Achievement Award at this age because sort of implies that I'm getting towards the end of my life. I think there's a few bites left in this old dog yet, mate! I want to pay particular tribute to Professor Nikos Papastergiadis, who was my PhD supervisor… he played a key role in helping me discipline my mind and achieve the award I received for my PhD. I also want to pay particular tribute to Dr Tony Birch, who was the first Aboriginal historian to graduate from this University … he was a role-model and a mentor for me. One other person that I'd like to pay tribute to is Dr Steven Welch, who was really one of the truly inspirational historians I studied under at this University. It was a fantastic experience… Rising Star Award for Young Alumni Award Jason Ball, recipient of the 2016 Rising Star Award for Young Alumni Jason Ball was presented with the Rising Star Award for his commendable leadership and outstanding contribution in the fields of anti-discrimination and LGBTIQ advocacy. After publicly coming out in 2012 as the first openly gay Australian Rules footballer at any level of competition, Jason launched a national campaign to challenge homophobia in sport, starting a petition calling on the Australian Football League (AFL) to play 'No To Homophobia' ads on the big screen of the 2012 AFL Grand Final and to commit to a Pride Round the following year. The petition received almost 30,000 signatures and gained national and international media coverage leading to major advances in the AFL's commitment to creating a more inclusive environment for all players and supporters. Jason led the 18th Pride March Victoria with his teammates from the Yarra Glen Football Club, and he initiated the annual Pride Cup, a country football match to celebrate diversity and promote LGBTIQ inclusion. In 2013 Jason was appointed an ambassador for beyondblue to speak about issues of mental health, in schools, sporting clubs and conferences around Australia. An outspoken political activist, Jason is standing as the Australian Greens candidate for the 2016 federal election in the division of Higgins. There's a bit of a stereotype that an Arts degree doesn't give you the workplace-ready, job skills that you need in the community… My Bachelor of Arts developed my abilities to communicate clearly and reach people from a variety of walks in life. Not only that, but it gave me the confidence to stand up for what matters most to me and that is equality. Lucy Thomas BCA(Hons), PGradDipPsych Professor Mark Considine, Dean, Faculty of Arts with Lucy Thomas, recipient of the 2016 Rising Star Award for Young Alumni. Lucy Thomas was presented with the Rising Star Award for being an outstanding innovator and contributor in the fields of social advocacy and education. Cofounder of PROJECT ROCKIT, Australia's largest youth driven anti-bullying movement combatting hate and prejudice, Lucy has been passionate and tireless in her campaign to fight bullying. Launched in 2006 by Lucy and her sister Rosie, PROJECT ROCKIT has united hundreds of thousands of young people around Australia over the past decade, helping them to feel confident to take a stand against bullying. Lucy and Rosie have served as spokespeople and consultants on cybersafety campaigns lead by research centre Young and Well CRC, headspace, Telstra, Microsoft and the Australian Communications and Media Authority. In 2015 Lucy became an inaugural member of Twitter's global Trust and Safety Council and took up the post of Australian delegate in Facebook's compassion research summit. Lucy is also a committed LGBTIQ campaigner and sits on the board of Minus18, supporting same sex attracted and gender diverse teens. In 2014 Lucy and her sister were appointed by Unicef as one of 12 Digital Champions around the world for Children's Rights in the Digital Age. Lucy frequently lends her expertise to consult on issues related to young people and technology contributing to programs such as ABC's Compass, Triple J's Hack, The Herald Sun and Dolly and Cleo magazines. I'm just going to quickly share an idea; this is the idea on which PROJECT ROCKIT was founded, and I think the University of Melbourne is a great petri dish for ideas. The idea is simple, it's not very original, but it's really powerful: imagine a world where kindness and respect thrive over bullying, hate, and prejudice. I think our task is to take the grit of our every day; the horrors, the struggles, and the boringness of our lives and transform them into something really valuable for others. And that's what I think we all need to do to make this world a kinder place for everyone, so thank you. BA, MA, DLitt Emeritus Professor Chris Wallace-Crabbe AM, recipient of the 2016 Award for Contribution to Faculty and University with Professor Mark Considine, Dean, Faculty of Arts Emeritus Professor Chris Wallace-Crabbe was presented with the Contribution to the Faculty and University Award for his extraordinary support for poetry, scholarship and education over many years. Chris is a celebrated poet and academic who,alongside a long career at the University of Melbourne, also held the posts of Visiting Professor of Australian Studies at Harvard University and at the University of Venice, Ca'Foscari. He is the founding director of the Australian Centre and currently the Chair of Australian Poetry Limited. A celebrated poet, essayist and critic, Chris has dedicated much of his life to teaching the next generation of creative writers at Melbourne. Chris's academic, creative and intellectual leadership across the disciplines of English, Creative Writing and Australian Studies are widely acknowledged and have benefited innumerable students and staff over his years at the University. The role Chris played in the creation of the Australian Centre in particular has left a significant legacy. Chris was recently acknowledged by the judges of The Melbourne Prize for his outstanding contribution to Australian literature, cultural and intellectual life. The distinction of his poetry has rightly been recognised by numerous awards, and alumni have commented warmly on his remarkable teaching and supervision of students, his role as a mentor for students and staff, and his generosity in continuing to contribute creatively and intellectually to this institution. My father, who was a journalist, said: 'There's one thing kid - you've gotta be interested in everything…' What I've found with the University community is an encouragement to be interested in everything, an encouragement to communicate, and I've loved the way in which generation after generation of successive students has come up different and eager to do this… Lily Yulianti GradDipArts (GS), MA (Gen&Dev), PhD Professor Mark Considine, Dean, Faculty of Arts with Dr Lily Yulianti, recipient of the 2016 Award for Leadership Lily Yulianti was presented with the Leadership Award for her community and organisational development in the field of media and communications in both Indonesia and Australia. Lily began her career in writing and journalism working for various Indonesian, Japanese and Australian media outlets. After completing her Masters degree at the University of Melbourne, Lily founded Indonesia's first citizen journalism web site, Panyingkul, which provides free writing courses for emerging writers of any background in her home-town Makassar, South Sulawesi Indonesia. Lily spearheaded the "Makkunrai Project", a program raising gender awareness through literature and stage performance. Lily is also the founder of Rumata' Artspace, an independent creative arts centre producing local opportunities and a centre for excellence in culture and arts in the city of Makassar. She is the initiator and director of the "Makassar International Writers Festival." Lily's strong belief in the transformative power of the written word has seen her publishing her own work and frequently presenting at literary festivals around the world. I do believe there's beauty in the way people at the grassroots can communicate and connect with each other. I feel connected across both Australia and Indonesia. That's why every time when people ask 'So where do you live now, Lily?,' I say I live in Makassar and Melbourne. Professor Peter Singer BA (Hons) 1968, MA 1969 The Arts Alumni Lifetime Achievement Award is presented to an individual who has made an outstanding, long-term and internationally-recognised contribution to their field of endeavour. The Faculty of Arts was thrilled to award a Lifetime Achievement Award to Peter Singer in 2015. Peter is an internationally recognised moral philosopher and proponent of effective altruism. Often described as the world’s most influential living philosopher, Professor Peter Singer, AC completed both a Bachelor and Master of Arts at the University of Melbourne. He is an Ira W. DeCamp Professor of Bioethics at Princeton University, and Laureate Professor at our own School of Historical and Philosophical Studies. A moral philosopher, Peter has authored countless articles and more than twenty books. In 2004 Peter was recognised as the Australian Humanist of the Year by the Council of Australian Humanist Societies, in 2006 he was voted one of Australia's ten most influential public intellectuals, and on 11 June 2012, he was named a Companion of the Order of Australia for “eminent service to philosophy and bioethics as a leader of public debate and communicator of ideas in the areas of global poverty, animal welfare and the human condition.” Mr Michael Bartlett BA 1976, GDipEd 1977 The Contribution to the Faculty and University Award is bestowed upon an individual who has made a significant and sustained contribution to the Faculty and University through outstanding leadership, impact on students, research and teaching, engagement or philanthropy. The 2015 Contribution to the Faculty and University Award was awarded to Michael Bartlett, in recognition of his tireless commitment to the study of Classics at the University of Melbourne. Educated at the University of Melbourne and Cambridge University, Michael’s passion for the classical world continues to this day. In collaboration with staff in the Classics and Archaeology program at the University of Melbourne, in 2008 Michael established the series, 'Classics in the city', which offers a number of seminars across the year on topics devoted to various aspects of antiquity including ancient philosophy, literature, history, music, mythology and archaeology. Since 2013 a key priority of the Melbourne Humanities Foundation Board has been to build support for a Chair in Classics at the University of Melbourne. Championing all things classical on the Melbourne Humanities Foundation Board, Michael chaired the dedicated group raising funds to support the teaching of Classics and Ancient World Studies. The group’s goal has been to see the Chair of Classics - one of the first chairs established by the University in 1854 - fully funded in perpetuity in order to ensure that the legacy of the ancient world endures for future generations. In April 2013, in his role as Chairman, Michael was able to see the first stage of this task come to fruition following a gift of $20,000 for the purpose of establishing the 'Classics Trust Fund'. The Fund supports not only the establishment and endowment of a chair of Classics, but also teaching and research, and purchase of equipment and facilities for the support of general Classics initiatives. With the assistance of over fifty gifts, including generous support from alumni Mrs Elizabeth and Professor James Tatoulis, the Faculty is delighted that it is now close to Michael's goal. Ms Erika Feller BA/LLB (Hons) 1972 The Leadership Award is awarded to an individual who has demonstrated outstanding leadership in business, community or government. In 2015, the Faculty of Arts proudly presented Ms Erika Feller with this award, for her inspiring leadership in the field of refugee advocacy and humanitarianism. Erika Feller is a Fellow of the Australian Institute of International Affairs and a Vice Chancellor’s Fellow at the Univeristy of Melbourne. From 2005 to 2013 Erika held the post of Assistant High Commissioner (Protection), one of the four top management positions with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. In this capacity she was responsible for overseeing the protection of 34 million refugees, internally displaced and stateless people. With more than 40 years of experience in international human rights and refugee law, Erika is at the forefront of the development of UN policies, law procedures and frameworks, monitoring the movement and treatment of refugees around the world, including in Australia. Ms Stephanie Cousins BA 2005, BPPM (Hons) 2006, MPub&IntLaw 2014 Awarded for her demonstrated excellence in advocacy, campaigning, capacity building, not for profit leadership, program management, Ms Stephanie Cousins received the 2015 Rising Star Award for Young Alumni. A recognized expert in humanitarian and human rights policy, Stephanie is currently Amnesty International's Government Relations Manager, having previously led Oxfam's Public Policy & Advocacy team. Among her many achievements, Stephanie counts input into Australia’s strategy, priorities and agenda on the UN Security Council and the establishment of the Pacific Small Arms Action Group. As Chair of the Pacific Small Arms Action Group, Stephanie oversaw the group’s contribution to the establishment of the legally binding international Arms Trade Treaty in 2013. She has trained Indonesian Defence Force personnel on the protection of civilians and prevention of sexual violence in emergencies, as well as working on secondment as a Humanitarian Policy Advisor with Oxfam International to support international advocacy and UN representation on humanitarian and human rights issues. In 2007 Stephanie established and directed the first ever refugee camp simulation - Oxfam’s Refugee Realities. This program was designed to educate Australians about the experiences and rights of refugees around the world. Initially located in Melbourne, the simulation involved the coordination of over 200 volunteers, ran for four weeks, and was attended by more than 7,000 people. Partners such as the UNHCR, the Australian Red Cross and the Refugee Council of Australia partnered in the project, which was subsequently funded by AusAID and offered in Canberra and three additional regional locations in 2009 and 2010. As a passionate campaigner for global justice, Stephanie is tireless in her attempts to make the world a fairer and more equal place. Mr Thomas Woodroofe MIR 2012 The Rising Star Award for Young Alumni recognising outstanding leadership and impact as a global citizen was also awarded to Mr Thomas Woodroofe in 2015. Thom founded Left Right Think-Tank in 2009, for which he was recognised as the Young Victorian of the Year. In 2011 while he was completing his honours thesis on Australia's campaign for the UN Security Council, Thom grasped the opportunity to help galvanise public support behind the campaign. Through his writing, Thom outlined the case for Australia’s bid, culminating in a joint op-ed piece with Kevin Rudd, Alexander Downer and Gareth Evans. Since helping to build the bipartisan case for supporting Australia's bid, Thom has consulted with a number of different countries about how they can best structure their own campaigns for the UN Security Council. In 2011, Thom also began work to establish Global Voices, which now provides Australia's leading opportunity for young people to attend international diplomatic events. Through Global Voices programs, almost 150 young people have now travelled overseas, fully-funded to events such as the G20, APEC and various UN meetings. Since graduating from a Master of International Relations in late 2012, Thom has worked with Independent Diplomat, the world's first non-profit diplomatic advisory group. He is currently supporting the Republic of the Marshall Islands, one of the lowest lying atoll nations, as they build their diplomatic capacity to influence negotiations for a new global deal on climate change. Working closely with the President, Foreign Minister and Senior Officials as they structure their diplomatic efforts, the Marshall Islands have become one of the most vocal vulnerable countries on climate change during this period. As a 2014 Rhodes Scholar, Thom has moved to Oxford and now completes this work part-time while he writes a thesis on the role of small states in international diplomacy. Mr Alex Miller The 2014 Lifetime Achievement Award went to Mr Alex Miller for his outstanding contribution to the field of Australian literature. Mr Miller's impressive body of work has received global recognition, which is reflected by his many awards and prizes. Mr Miller is a two-time recipient of The Miles Franklin Award for his works The Ancestor Game (1993) and Journey to the Stone Country (2003). His other accolades include the New South Wales Premier's Literary Award, the Christina Stead Prize for Fiction (2001; 2011); the Commonwealth Writer's Prize (1993), the Age Book of the Year Award (2007), the Melbourne Prize for Literature (2012), and the Victorian Premier's Award for Literature (2014). Professor Peter McPhee AM BA (Hons) 1969, MA 1973, PhD 1977, LLD 2009 Professor Peter McPhee was awarded the 2014 Contribution to the Faculty and University Award. His contribution to the Faculty and University has been outstanding in both scope and influence across many years, with positions of academic leadership including Deputy Dean of the School of Graduate Studies, Head of the Department of History, President of the University's Academic Board, Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic) and the University’s first Provost. Widely acknowledged as an outstanding teacher, Professor McPhee's involvement in the planning and introduction of the University's 'Melbourne Model' leaves a significant legacy at the University. In 2012 Professor McPhee was awarded a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) for his service to tertiary education administration, to the discipline of history as an academic and author, and to professional associations. Dr Helen Szoke PGDipPPM 1992, PhD 2004 Dr Helen Szoke was the recipient of the 2014 Leadership Award. Dr Szoke received the Leadership Award for her commendable leadership and outstanding contribution to the fields of race discrimination, equal opportunity, human rights and global poverty. She is recognised for her contributions to community development, organizational development and regulation in the education, health and NGO sectors. Most notably, Dr Szoke is commended for her leadership in the expansion of the Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission’s functions under the Charter of Human Rights Act, and the modernisation of the Equal Opportunity Act in Victoria. She is currently the Chief Executive of Oxfam Austalia, Co-Chair of 'Play by the Rules' (a collaboration to prevent discrimination, harassment and child safety issues in sport), a Board Member of Multicultural Arts Victoria, and a member of the Advisory Committee for the Centre for International Mental Health, School of Population Health University of Melbourne. Ms Jenny Taing BA 2006, LLB (Hons) 2006 Awarded for her outstanding contribution and leadership to the community in a wide variety of fields, in particular multiculturalism, journalism and public health initiatives, Ms Jenny Taing received the 2014 Rising Star Award for Young Alumni. Alongside her work as a lawyer for the Australian Securities and Investments Commission, Ms Taing has served as a member of the board of the Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital, as a Commissioner of the Victorian Multicultural Commission, on the advisory board for the University of Melbourne's Centre for Advancing Journalism and was also named among INTHEBLACK Magazine's 40 Young Business Leaders for 2013. Dr Toby Ord BA/BSc (Hons) 2002 UMelb, BPhil 2005, DPhil 2009 Oxford The Rising Star Award for Young Alumni recognising outstanding leadership and impact as a global citizen was also presented to Dr Toby Ord. Dr Ord has achieved global recognition for his academic and humanitarian achievements in the fields of Ethics, Global Poverty and Philanthropy. In 2009, Dr Ord launched Giving What We Can, an international society whose members pledge to donate at least 10% of their income to anti-poverty charities. Through his work with Giving What We Can, Dr Ord has helped raise more than a quarter of a billion dollars. He has multiple academic publications, has been featured in the media over 100 times, and actively disseminates information and evidence from his area of expertise to bodies such as the World Health Organisation and the World Bank. Inaugural Rising Star Award Ms Ellen Sandell BA, BSc 2008 Professor Mark Considine presents the Inaugural Rising Star Award to Ms Ellen Sandell Ms Ellen Sandell was the inaugural recipient of the Rising Star Award. Ms Sandell graduated from the University of Melbourne in 2008 with a Bachelor of Arts, majoring in Spanish and Linguistics and a Bachelor of Science, majoring in Genetics. She was National Director of the Australian Youth Climate Coalition (AYCC) from 2010 to 2012, and has become one of Australia's leading commentators and campaigners on the issue of climate change. Prior to being National Director, she was also General Manager and Victorian Director of the AYCC. In 2009 Ms Sandell was awarded the Environment Minister's Young Environmentalist of the Year award, and was also recognised as Melbourne's leading environmentalist, winning the Melbourne Awards for Individual Contribution to the Environment 2009. She was featured in The Age Melbourne Magazine as one of the top 100 influential Melburnians of 2009, and is a regular speaker and commentator on climate change and non-profit issues in the media, including publications in The Age, the National Times, ABC's Unleashed, Peppermint Magazine and more. In 2014 Ms Sandell was elected as State MP for Melbourne, giving the Australian Greens their first ever lower house state seat.

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ASIABLOG Asia Inside Out Podcast: President Trump's Twin Nuclear Dilemmas People watch a TV showing a file image of a North Korean missile launch at the Seoul Railway Station on October 02, 2019 in Seoul, South Korea. (Chung Sung-Jun/Getty Images) Subscribe in iTunes ∙ RSS Feed ∙ Download ∙ Full Episode Archive The United States is facing simultaneous nuclear breakout problems — one in North Korea, another in Iran — that have consumed a large part of Trump administration’s foreign policy agenda. In 2017, North Korea demonstrated for the first time the capability to strike long-range targets such as the United States. Since then, Washington has attempted, with little success so far, to convince Pyongyang to dismantle its program through engagement at the leaders' level. With respect to Iran, the Trump administration walked out of the Iran nuclear deal (JCPOA) and has redoubled a sanctions-backed pressure campaign on the country, creating questions over what happens to Tehran’s JCPOA commitments. In this episode of Asia Inside Out, James Acton, the co-director of the Nuclear Policy Program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, talks to Lindsey Ford about the current state of play of both nuclear programs. Acton analyzes the impact of the Trump administration’s policies on each and describes some realistic pathways to freeze and ultimately roll back Iran’s enrichment and North Korea’s nuclear arsenal. This episode was recorded over the summer in Singapore at the sidelines of the Asia Society Policy Institute’s conference with the Middle East Institute on Asia-Middle East security relations. It was recorded as part of ASPI’s new initiative, Asia’s New Pivot, which is aimed at examining the strategic implications of emerging ties between Asia and the Middle East. Ford, who is now a David M. Rubenstein Fellow at the Brookings Institution, was then a director with the Asia Society Policy Institute. asia inside out asia society podcasts north korea nuclear program james acton lindsey ford Anubhav Gupta is Associate Director for the Asia Society Policy Institute. He is based in New York. @AndyGupta21

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The band fulfils more than one role in the church. It provides accompaniment for hymns and songs at the monthly All Age Worship service (third Sunday each month), not only to support the choir and aid the congregational singing but also to give this particular service an additional spiritual lift through instrumental music. It also exists, not only to allow players of all ages and standards to play together in a joyous atmosphere, but also particularly to encourage young people to further develop their skills on their chosen instrument and experience the pleasure of playing together in a group. The band, or individual members of it, often contribute a voluntary at the end of a service or play for a communion hymn. Occasionally, in the past, the band has given a short concert at the end of a service. We are always looking for new ways to develop how we can contribute to spirituality and enjoyment of worship. Background to the Band Instrumental music has been a feature of worship at St. James’ for many years, from informal groups playing ad hoc at services and on other occasions, even at weddings. In more recent times, over the past twenty years or so, it has existed in a more formal way. The number of players in it has varied widely over the years. Currently, it stands at about 10-12 players on the list (it has been over 20!) but the number at any one service can be from one to the maximum. We welcome anyone of any age and ability to come and swell our numbers. You don’t have to be a member of our church community to join in. We like to think it is quite good fun as well as making a contribution to the worshipping life of St. James’. There are no specific entry requirements for playing in the band other than being able to get a sequence of notes out of an instrument and, preferably, to be able to have some rudimentary knowledge of reading music. I can usually write simplified parts for young or inexperienced players to help them get started. The hope is that we all learn from each other. We rehearse at 10am before the 11am service and the parts are sent out a week or two prior to the service. If you like the idea and would like to join or find out more about it, contact me by phoning 01423 770412 or send me an e-mail to johnm2107@talktalk.net. John Mitchell, Band Director

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Disability Employment Japan Mental Health Over 500 Employees in Japan Suffer Work-Caused Mental Illness “The number of employees in Japan who were officially recognized as suffering from work-caused depression and other mental disorders exceeded 500 for the first time ever in fiscal 2017, the labor ministry said Friday.” From Jiji Press Tokyo – The number of employees in Japan who were officially recognized as suffering from work-caused depression and other mental disorders exceeded 500 for the first time ever in fiscal 2017, the labor ministry said Friday. The total stood at 506, up eight from the preceding year, the ministry said in a report on compensation for work-related injuries in fiscal 2017, which ended in March. Of the total, those who committed or attempted to commit suicide numbered 98, up 14 from fiscal 2016 and the next highest to 99 in fiscal 2014, the ministry said. The number of people who attributed work quality and quantity, such as long work hours, to their disorders rose by five to 154 and that of those blaming workplace personal relations, including harassment by bosses, increased by 12 to 112. “Countermeasures should be taken now,” a ministry official in charge of work-related diseases said. 0 comments on “Over 500 Employees in Japan Suffer Work-Caused Mental Illness”

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Scar: The Lion Martin Luther King Disney has made a lot of beloved animated films. All over the developed world, kids grow up with them. There is something that has long bothered me about them, however–they have long presented children with morally uncomplicated, black and white, hero versus villain narratives. In this way, these movies contribute to our moral socialization as children, normalizing deontological moral beliefs–the notion that actions are right or wrong in themselves, regardless of the outcomes they produce. There is also an anti-intellectual thread running through many of these films–the villain is typically a clever schemer, while the hero is typically an every-man who happens to have unusual physical abilities. Today I’d like to highlight this issue in our culture by taking the plot of the beloved film The Lion King and morally reconstructing it so as to make Scar sympathetic. So, in the ordinary version of The Lion King, we are told the story from the perspective of Simba, the heir to the throne of the lion kingdom. Simba visits an elephant graveyard, in which hostile hyenas attempt to assassinate him. These hyenas form an alliance with Simba’s uncle, Scar, who is portrayed as a malicious schemer. Scar assassinates Simba’s father, Mufasa, and manipulates Simba into going into exile. Scar attempts to have Simba killed on his way out of the lion kingdom, but is unsuccessful. Simba is taken in by two eccentrics, Timon and Pumba, who raise him to adulthood. Simba is eventually located by an old friend, Nala, who persuades him to return in an attempt to dethrone Scar, who has permitted the hyenas to move into lion territory. Simba successfully defeats Scar, learning of Scar’s nefarious role in his father’s death on the way. When cornered, Scar attempts to betray the hyenas to save his own skin. In the end, Simba allows the hyenas to tear Scar to shreds. This version of the story is very limited. It’s good entertainment, but intellectually, it’s not much fun. At no point in this version of the story is the status quo presented at the beginning of the film ever questioned–Mufasa’s rule is portrayed as good in all respects, Scar’s as bad in all respects, and Simba’s as the restoration of Mufasa’s. The vision of life under Mufasa is too good to be true. All of Mufasa’s enemies are incoherently malevolent, everything Mufasa does is wise and just. The original version of the story presents a false narrative of how things work in politics. In politics, bad things happen not because some people are evil and some people are good, but because people have different conceptions of what is good in the first place. No man is evil in his own mind. No lion is either. What’s a more realistic narrative? The Lion King is a propaganda film for Simba’s regime. Simba is indoctrinated with speciesist beliefs that hyenas are of lesser intrinsic moral value than lions by his father, Mufasa, who is the head of a fascist state that systematically oppresses hyenas. The name itself is the first clue–this is the lion kingdom, not the animal kingdom. Mufasa’s dynasty gives lions precedence over other animals, refusing to show equal concern for the interests of all of its members. Mufasa means well, but he is under the delusion that hyenas are lesser creatures, a view he holds unreasonably and without adequate epistemic justifications. Keep in mind, under Mufasa, the hyenas are made to live in an elephant graveyard, an inhospitable environment. They are denied adequate nutrition and are kept in a state of perpetual poverty. This is not unlike the condition of the Jewish ghettos in Nazi Europe or the inferior living standards of blacks in South Africa under apartheid. Scar is a dissenter against Mufasa’s speciesist policies. He hates how the hyenas are kept apart through segregation and treated as inferior to the lions. He is also a victim of primogeniture, the practice in hereditary states of awarding titles to the first born purely on the basis of birth order. Because Scar was born second, Scar was denied the opportunity to govern the lion kingdom, and consequently Scar was denied the opportunity to extend to the hyenas equal status as citizens of the lion kingdom. After Mufasa has Simba, Mufasa’s lineage is secured. Mufasa takes Simba on walks in which Simba is indoctrinated with the beliefs held by his father. These beliefs include justifying the lions’ eating of their subjects on the grounds that when the lions themselves die, their bodies become the grass, an idea that the audience only accepts because the characters are lions. This would be akin to Hannibal Lecter arguing that it’s okay for him to eat people, because when he dies you can use his corpse for fertilizer. At this point, it becomes clear that Simba is going to grow up to be just like his father. In order to liberate the hyenas from their secondary status, it becomes necessary for Scar to eliminate Mufasa and his line from power, preferably sooner rather than later, lest Mufasa produce additional offspring. Scar devises a plan that is spectacularly light on bloodshed–only Mufasa is killed. He can’t bring himself to kill Simba, a small child, personally, so he sends him on his way, encouraged in his departure with the implication that he himself was involved in Mufasa’s demise. He immediately recognizes this folly and attempts to rectify it by sending the hyenas after Simba, but by then it is too late, and Simba escapes. It is a rare thing in human history for one individual to forcibly seize a crown from another with so little violence as happens here. This indicates Scar’s concern for the lives of his subjects, and his desire to bring everyone, even reactionary lions unlikely to support his policies, into the new era. Timon and Pumba are not merely kindly eccentrics, they are anarchists–they reject the notion that they have any duties to a state of any kind and attempt to live outside the purview of the lion kingdom. Their slogan, “Hakuna Matata”, which means “no worries” is really one of cold indifference to the other animals they live among. They are backwoods individualists who look out, first and foremost, for themselves. They also consume lots of strange insects, which may be hallucinogenic. They take Simba in first and foremost because they believe he might be useful as a guardian. In the meantime, Scar attempts to create a new society in which animals are judged not by the color of their fur but by the content of their character. In order to do this, he allows formerly marginalized species access to the lion kingdom. During the course of this process, a drought ensues, as evidenced by the decay in the vegetation (hyenas, as carnivores, would not have produced widespread plant death) and by the fire that rages late in the film. The resultant low food and water supplies are blamed by xenophobes on the hyena immigrants when in reality they were naturally caused. Nala is one such xenophobe. When she encounters Simba, she sees an opportunity to expel the migrants she views both as inferior and as the cause of the reduced food supply and persuades him to return to the lion kingdom by seduction. Scar rightly recognizes that Simba is a figure around which his political opponents, all of whom are speciesist, xenophobic crypto-fascists, can rally. He initially attempts to discredit Simba, and is very nearly successful, when hubris gets the best of him, and he foolishly tells Simba that he himself brought about Mufasa’s demise. This is a common theme in Disney movies–the intellectual villain’s own arrogance is his downfall. However, individuals who often act very justly in some areas of life are often unpleasant in others. Scar is a good ruler, albeit a somewhat conceited and unpleasant individual. This leads to an open brawl, in which Simba’s lions get the better of Scar’s hyenas. When cornered, Scar appears to sell out the hyenas, but it is shortly thereafter revealed that this is a stall tactic so that Scar can fling hot coals at Simba and gain an advantage in the subsequent physical encounter. Of course, as is the tendency with Disney movies, in a direct physical fight, the hero has the advantage, and Scar is unceremoniously kicked off a cliff. He manages to recover, only to be greeted by the hyenas. The hyenas are unable to recognize his words as a stall tactic. They are too used to lions mistreating them and are too ready to believe that Scar is like all the others. They tear to shreds the very lion who championed their interests, and so Simba restores the fascist regime of his father to power. If the ending were changed so that Scar prevailed, it would not be hard to tell a story like this in a way suitable for children, in which no character is outwardly malevolent, in which, instead of a black and white affair, mutual misunderstanding is the culprit . The most famous film of that variety is How to Train Your Dragon. I would like to see more films of that kind. The Lion King is a technically spectacular, heart-warming film, but it could have been better if was not merely emotionally engrossing, but intellectually stimulating. Many other films and shows for children are open to the same criticism. I hope one day that is no longer so. Tags: Aesthetics : Art : Equality : Fascism : Film : Martin Luther King : Philosophy : Racism : The Lion King 4 Comments to “Scar: The Lion Martin Luther King” Jafar: Agrabah’s Atatürk says: […] Previously, I wrote about how The Lion King, rightly interpreted, is really about Scar’s attempt to liberate the hyenas from a racist lion oligarchy. Today I’d like to do something similar with […] I’ve long thought of the Lion King as an allegory for apartheid Benjamin Studebaker says: I’m glad I’m not the only one who sees this side of it. Did you like Frozen or Maleficent? I’m glad Disney is seemingly trying to get away from the this black/white pattern, even if their motive is just to mix it up.

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Our People » Noel Buckley Room C0-066, Main Building, Department of Physics, University of Limerick. noel.buckley@ul.ie Physics, chemistry and technology of metal and semiconductor thin films and nanostructures for electronic and photonic applications; compound semiconductors; electrochemistry and electrodeposition; structural, electrical and optical characteristics of films and interfaces. Recent and current work is principally on gallium nitride and indium phosphide based semiconductors and electrodeposited copper metallization for damascene processes. PH4217: Integrated Optics PH4218: Optical Fibre Communications PH4403: Quantum Mechanics PH4805: Industrial Physics PH5062: Photonics Technology PH5081: Optical Fibre Systems Noel Buckley Prof. D. N. Buckley is Chair of Physics at the University of Limerick, Ireland. He is a Vice-President and Fellow of the Electrochemical Society and was formerly Chair of the Electronics Division of the Society. He has served as an editor of both The Journal of the Electrochemical Society (1994 – 2004) and Electrochemical and Solid State Letters (1998 – 2004). He is an internationally recognized leader in the application of physical science to state-of-the-art microelectronics and photonics technology with over 30 years of research experience including 17 years at Bell Laboratories (Murray Hill, NJ, USA). He has also held positions as Adjunct Professor at Cooper Union (New York) and College of St. Elizabeth (Morristown, NJ). His principal research interests and activities are in the areas of metal and semiconductor thin films and nanostructures for electronic and photonic applications; III-V semiconductors; electrochemistry and electrodeposition. He has organized over 20 international conferences, principally on compound semiconductors, and has over 70 research publications.

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Rethinking Infidelity – Is It Always Black and White? BSE / October 1, 2018 “When we select a partner, we commit to a story. Yet we remain forever curious: What other stories could we have been part of? Affairs offer us a window into those other lives, a peek at the stranger within. Adultery is often the revenge of the deserted possibilities.” Esther Perel leaves no stone unturned in her new book, The State of Affairs: Rethinking Infidelity. Happiness, which was once reserved for the afterlife, is now a mandate of modern marriage… at least in places where chances of survival do not decrease upon divorce. Our expectations around what our partner needs to provide us now extend beyond the first two tiers of Maslow’s hierarchy. “Today’s intimate commitment is predicated on love. The austerity of duty has been replaced by fluctuating emotions,” says Perel. Perel quotes Robert Johnson, a Jungian analyst, who wrote that love is “the single greatest energy system in the Western psyche. In our culture, it has supplanted religion as the arena in which men and women seek meaning, transcendence, wholeness, and ecstasy.” In our quest for the “soul mate,” Perel writes, “we have conflated the spiritual and the relational, as if they are one and the same. The perfection we long to experience in earthly love used to be sought only in the sanctuary of the divine. When we imbue our partner with godly attributes and we expect him or her to uplift us from the mundane to the sublime, we create, as Johnson puts it, an ‘unholy muddle of two holy loves’ that cannot help but disappoint… We expect one person to give us what once an entire village used to provide, and we live twice as long.” It reminds me of a comment Germaine Greer made when she expressed skepticism about the longevity of Prince Harry and Meghan Markel’s recent marriage: “The more you give up for the love the more pressure you put on the love, to be first class.” When love goes plural, the spell of oneness is broken Cultural and social norms influence our emotional responses. While in other parts of the world an initial reaction to an affair might be, “Why weren’t you more discreet?” Here in the West, betrayed lovers usually first feel and then express anger. Anger may make the person who has been cheated on “feel more powerful, temporarily,” says Perel, but as Steven Stosny observes,”‘if loss of power was the problem in intimate betrayal, then anger would be the solution. But the great pain in intimate betrayal has little to do with loss of power. Perceived loss of value is what causes your pain – you feel less lovable.'” “In the wake of betrayal,” Perel writes, We need to find ways to restore our own sense of self-worth – to separate our feelings about ourselves from the way the other person has made us feel. When it seems like your entire being has been hijacked and your self-definition rests in the hands of the person who did this to you, it is important to remember that there are other parts to who you are. You are not a reject, although part of you has been rejected. You are not a victim, although part of you has been abused. You are also loved, valued, honored, and cherished by others and even by your unfaithful partner, although you may not feel that in this moment. When you’re in a relationship with someone, the assumption is that they chose you. To no longer be the chosen one is hard enough without the added layers of deceit. It’s hard not to feel foolish if you are the deceived. Looking back, he asks himself, “How could I not see?” But it is human nature to cling to our sense of reality, to resist its possible shattering even in the face of irrefutable evidence. I assure him that his “cluelessness” is not something to be ashamed of. This kind of avoidance is not an act of idiocy but an act of self-preservation. It is actually a sophisticated self-protective mechanism known as trauma denial – a type of self-delusion that we employ when too much is at stake and we have too much to lose. The mind needs coherence, so it disposes of inconsistencies that threaten the structure of our lives. She touches again on the importance of our stories and why they must remain intact. Infidelity is a direct attack on one of our most important psychic structures: our memory of the past. It not only hijacks a couple’s hopes and plans but also draws a question mark over their history. If we can’t look back with any certainty and we can’t know what will happen tomorrow, where does that leave us? Psychologist Peter Fraenkel emphasizes how the betrayed partner is ‘rigidly stuck in the present, overwhelmed by the relentless progression of the disturbing facts about the affair.’ We are willing to concede that the future is unpredictable, but we expect the past to be dependable. Betrayed by our beloved, we suffer the loss of a coherent narrative – the ‘internal structures that help us predict and regulate future actions and feelings [creating] a stable sense of self,’ as psychiatrist Anna Felt defines it. In an article describing the corrosive effects of all kinds of relational betrayals, she reflects, ‘perhaps robbing someone of his or her story is the greatest betrayal of all.’ I’ll digress for just a moment. When I was working with Philip Zimbardo, the social psychologist, he was pioneering a new kind of behavioral therapy to treat PTSD with Richard and Rose Sword, called Time Perspective Therapy (TPT). The Swords were psychologists who treated Veterans with PTSD in Hawaii. They found that the Veterans who were least likely to commit suicide were the ones who were able to see a future for themselves whereas the ones who were most at risk for suicide had a difficult time imagining a future, instead re-living horrific events from the past over and over again in their minds. When the Swords started working with civilians who had suffered various kinds of severe trauma, they found the same thing: being able to imagine the possibility of a positive future was essential for overcoming trauma. Shades of betrayal In the West, the general thought is, when you truly find love you shouldn’t be attracted to others anymore. For the unfaithful party, the situation is often less black and white, and they might not even understand their own motivations completely. While there are those who purposely seek out something that is missing at home, many others “go looking elsewhere for things they don’t really want at home,” says Perel. People who lose interest in their partner may not be able to integrate closeness and sexual passion within themselves, and their outer behavior may be reflecting that inner divide between love and lust. When an individual’s emotional needs and erotic needs do not align and they don’t have the kind of vocabulary necessary to share their contradictory needs with their partner, it can feel too risky to unleash “the kinds of messy emotions associated with romantic passion or unbridled sex… with the person upon whom we depend for so much. In such cases, people’s extramarital adventures are not motivated by a disregard for what they have at home; quite the contrary, they value it so much that they don’t want to tamper with it… In outsourcing the need for passion and risk to a third party, the unfaithful gets to transcend the tedium of domesticity without giving it up entirely.” Marriage and parenthood can demand a level of selflessness that “is at odds with the inherent selfishness of desire.” The theme of autonomy is more pronounced in female infidelity, Perel notes, but both men and women often say their affair brought them a sense of connection, intensity, and aliveness, whether they went out searching for it, or it came and found them. Sometimes an affair has nothing to do with the betrayed, rather it is an extension of childhood wounds. Perel shares a story of a man named Garth, who is currently in his third marriage repeating the same pattern of cheating for the third time. “It starts out hot and heavy. But after about a year, I lose all interest. I can’t even get it up. This may sound strange, but it almost feels wrong to touch her,” he says, referring to his wife. “Very little in the erotic psyche is happenstance,” Perel says. In looking at Garth’s past, Perel learns that his father was an abusive alcoholic who beat him. “Garth chose to take the blows to protect his helpless mother and his younger brother,” which made him unhealthily emotionally enmeshed with his mother. It helps explain why Garth “feels so beholden to the women he loves, yet is unable to be aroused by them.” To Garth, infidelity actually felt less transgressive than sex at home, which had an almost incestuous feeling. “Finely attuned to the fragility of the one he loves, he carries a sense of burden that impedes the letting go necessary for erotic intimacy and pleasure.” What he sought out in affairs were women who did not remind him of his victimized mother or his overwhelmed wife. These were women whose outward sexual drives allowed him to safely let go and relieve the fear that he’s imposing his primitive urges, something he couldn’t do with a woman he loved and respected like his wife. For others still, the problem is not that they can’t sexualize their partners, it is that they can’t sexualize themselves in the context of the partnership or marriage that they’re in. It seems natural for humans to want to move towards a space where we can either feel like our best selves or explore a part of ourselves we wouldn’t otherwise know how to explore except in fantasy, free of the usual responsibilities and rules. And sometimes, Perel writes, “the victim of the affair is not always the victim of the marriage,” referring to the betrayed spouse, who withheld sexually or emotionally or was neglectful, cruel, or abusive to the spouse who cheated. “Being cheated on makes people feel insignificant, but feeling insignificant for years on end may lead people to cheat… when we haven’t been touched in years, we are more vulnerable to the kindness of strangers.” To suffer, to build, or to explore, can a fractured story go on? Affairs can make it impossible to want to stay in a relationship. The betrayed might be pointing to the door or the spouse who strayed may wish to leave. Other couples want to stay together – these are the couples that I think have the ability or imagination to envision a future together, instead of getting stuck in a trauma-driven feedback loop. When couples wish to move on together emotionally and erotically, Perel cautions the jilted party against needing to know all the details of an affair. For example, Perel advises the betrayed against asking Detective Questions, such as, “How many times did you sleep with him. Did you do it in our bed?” Detective questions add further scarring and are often retraumatizing, inviting comparisons in which you are always the loser… Investigative questions recognize that the truth often lies beyond the facts. They include: Help me understand what the affair has meant for you. Were you looking for it, or did it just happen? Why now? What was it like when you would come home? What did you experience there that you don’t have with me?… Do you think that you should be forgiven? Would you respect me less if I were to forgive you? Did you hope I would leave so you wouldn’t have to feel responsible for breaking up the family? The investigative approach asks more enlightening questions that probe the meaning of the affair and focuses on analysis rather than facts… Authentic curiosity creates a bridge – a first step toward renewed intimacy. We become collaborators in understanding and mending. Affairs are solo enterprises; making meaning is a joint venture. Easier said than done to be sure. Perel suggests couples create a “fresh emotional vocabulary,” so they can encounter “new selves in places they never expected.” Ultimately, there has to be a desire to reconnect, rather than punish. Infidelity needs to be seen not simply as a pathology or a dysfunction. We must lend a careful ear to the emotional resonance of transgressive experiences as well as to their fallout; otherwise we perpetuate the compartmentalization that undergirded the affair itself. We leave the couple at risk of sinking back into the status quo. Untangling the meanings of the affair sets the stage for all the decisions that will follow… As Pamela Haag observes, ‘We’ll break the marriage rules that don’t work so well anymore before we’ll condone revising them.’… Maybe some of these couples would still be together had they been willing to address their different sexual needs and what these might mean for the structure of their marriage… At their peak, affairs rarely lack imagination. Nor do they lack desire, abundance of attention, romance, and playfulness. Shared dreams, affection, passion, and endless curiosity – all these are natural ingredients found in the adulterous plot. They are also the ingredients of thriving relationships. It is no accident that many of the most erotic couples lift their marital strategies directly from the infidelity playbook. To move forward towards a more truthful relationship narrative there needs to be a willingness from both parties to be sexually honest with each other, accepting that the dilemma of our inner contradictions cannot be eliminated but also accepting that love and desire can occupy the same space. “Think of the trust game we play as kids, where we let ourselves fall back onto someone who catches us. So too in sex, you can let go only if you trust that the other is sturdy and will be able to receive the force of your desire.” Forgiveness is “a gift one gives oneself.” In understanding the nuances around why people stray and the differences between loyalty and fidelity, envy and jealousy, borders and boundaries, what I’ve recapped in this post is just the tip of the iceberg. The State of Affairs is the first book of its kind; it’s a very thoughtful look into Esther Perel’s conversations and therapy sessions with couples from around the world as well as insights from part-time lovers. I think everyone has been affected by an affair in some way and think you may be surprised when reading what comes up for you or what behaviors or suffering you might recognize in someone that you know. Her TED Talk on the topic is also worth a listen: Further reading: Relationship Rules – Don’t “Should” All Over Yourself October 1, 2018 in Articles. Tags: adultery, advice, affairs, after an affair, betrayal, BetterSexEd, Book, book review, borders, boundaries, cheating, childhood wounds, communication, conversation, cultural differences, deceit, desires, discussion, emotional infidelity, emotional needs, emotional withdrawal, esther perel, explanation, extramarital affairs, fidelity, foolish, forgiveness, future, healing, honest, honesty, how to forgive, how to heal, how to move on, infidelity, lies, lovers, loyalty, marriage, mistress, modern marriage, modern relationships, monogamy, moving on, needs, nuance, oneness, passion, past negative, past positive, perpetrator, personal stories, philip zimbardo, present, problems, psychology, PTSD, punish, reevaluating, relationship rules, relationships, revenge, Richard Sword, Rosemary Sword, secret lover, selfish, selfless, sexual needs, sexual withdrawal, space, stories, stray, struggles, TED talk, The State of Affairs: Rethinking Infidelity, therapist, time perspective, Time Perspective Therapy, trauma, understanding, understanding betrayal, understanding infidelity, unfaithful, victim, why do people stray, why people cheat, why people stray, withdrawal Sexual Fantasies – Sharing What Really Turns You On With Your Partner The Erotic Mind Michele Weiner-Davis: The Sex Starved Marriage & What To Do About It ← Relationship Rules – Don’t “Should” All Over Yourself The Erotic Art Of Veronica Blanco →

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SCLC Golden Asro Frinks: “The Great Agitator” Golden Asro Frinks (right) (1920-2004) Golden Asro Frinks (1920 – 2004) was a field secretary for the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) and a civil rights activist. Frinks was born in Wampee, North Carolina but lived mainly in Edenton, SC where he resided since the age of 17. He was named, “Golden” by his mother because of a “golden text” of scripture that was read at a church service she attended on the day of his birth. Frinks was an unsung hero of the civil rights movement for 30 years; leading countless youth and adults; many of whom were African American and Native American. He was arrested eighty-seven times for his civil rights activities. A veteran of the United States Army, he served during World War II as a staff sergeant at Fort McCullough, Alabama. After his military service, he returned to Edenton and married Ruth Holley. They had one daughter, Goldi Ann Frinks Wells. Frinks became involved in civil rights activism and organizing in 1956 in an effort to desegregate restaurants, theaters, stores, and other public spaces. He also led the fight to end Jim Crow practices. He used many of the same nonviolent tactics of civil disobedience used by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. such as sit ins, demonstrations, protests, and marches. Frinks was selected by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr to become Field Secretary for the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC); a position he held until 1977. His unorthodox style was extremely effective and earned him the nickname of “The Great Agitator”. Frinks lead over a dozen civil rights movements during his career as an activist; three of which were on par with movements led in Birmingham and Montgomery, Alabama. His activism was not limited only to North Carolina. A great deal of the organizing for the civil rights organizing in Selma, Alabama was conducted in in Frinks’ home. He also assisted with organizing the March on Washington. Leading efforts to advocate on behalf of individuals experiencing racial discrimination was also a hallmark of Frink’s activism. Joann Little was one such individual. She was an African American woman accused of killing the jailer who had assaulted her while she was in prison in the 1970’s. Frinks also advocated on behalf of the Tuscarora Indians in 1973; marching to the state capital to support the group in gaining tribal recognition as well as representation on the Robeson County School Board. Frinks is remembered as having some unorthodox ways; frequently dressing in a gold colored jumpsuit or sometimes a dashiki adorned with gold chains with a cross. To energize meetings, he might jump on a table. At one time, Frinks set a coop of chickens free around a courthouse building in Alabama to delay the start of a court hearing; a strategy he may have employed on more than one occasion. He also played an integral role in advocating on behalf of four black teenagers in 1993. The teens were arrested after a fight at a bowling alley in Hampton, Virginia. Frinks became involved on behalf of the NAACP over concerns that the charges against the teens were excessive. One of the youths being charged, was a local football and basketball standout, Allen Iverson. Iverson maintained his innocence; stating that he left the area as the fight started. Iverson felt he was being targeted because he was a “star”. He had been sentenced to five years in prison. Frinks involvement was instrumental in bringing national attention to Iverson and the incident. 60 Minutes covered the story and Governor Douglas Wilder would eventually commute his sentence. Iverson was then able to attend Georgetown University and play basketball. He went pro just two years later and experienced great success as shooting guard in the NBA. Frinks died in 2004. He was 84 years old. http://wakeforestgazette.com/golden-frinks-organizing-the-grassroots/ https://www.ncpedia.org/biography/frinks-golden Jimmie Lee Jackson: His Death Inspired The Selma To Montgomery March “Bloody Sunday” Jimmie Lee Jackson (1938 – 1965) Jimmie Lee Jackson (1938 – 1965) was born in Marion, Alabama. In February, 1965, Jackson was a 26 year old Vietnam veteran, a father, and the youngest deacon at his church. He worked as a laborer. Jackson was also an active supporter of voting rights. He had been working with other activists to advocate for voting rights in Selma and Marion, Alabama. When Dr. Martin Luther King arrived in Selma in 1965, Jackson had already attempted to register to vote several times. Dr. King decided to bring the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) to Selma because he was concerned about the police brutality being experienced by non-violent black activists. He hoped to get the attention of national media outlets to the violence that was occurring. He hoped this attention would put pressure on President Lyndon Johnson to pass voting rights legislation. Continue reading “Jimmie Lee Jackson: His Death Inspired The Selma To Montgomery March “Bloody Sunday”” → Poor People’s Campaign of 1968 Dr. Martin Luther, King Jr. shared the idea of the “Poor Peoples Campaign” at a Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) staff retreat in 1967. The campaign was to be a “middle ground” between violence and non-violence. The campaign would be launched with an initial group of 2,000 people who would travel to Washington DC, southern states, and northern states to advocate with government officials for jobs, unemployment insurance, a fair minimum wage and education for the poor. Continue reading “Poor People’s Campaign of 1968” → Operation Breadbasket: Economic Empowerment Program Of The Southern Christian Leadership Conference Operation Breadbasket was launched in 1962 by the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) in Atlanta, GA. Dr. Martin Luther King, jr., stated, “The fundamental premise of Breadbasket is a simple one. Negroes need not patronize a business which denies them jobs, or advancement or plain courtesy…..Many retail businesses and consumer goods industries deplete the ghetto by selling to Negroes without returning to the community any profits through fair hiring practices”. Operation Breadbasket’s first leader was Fred Bennette. Continue reading “Operation Breadbasket: Economic Empowerment Program Of The Southern Christian Leadership Conference” → 1963 Children’s March: Would You Have Allowed Your Children To Participate? Black Mail: Special Delivery!! On May 2, 1963 nearly a thousand elementary, middle and high school and college students in Birmingham, Alabama participated in The Children’s Crusade. SCLC staff member James Bevel proposed recruiting local students, arguing that while many adults may be reluctant to participate in demonstrations, for fear of losing their jobs, their children had less to lose. King initially had reservations, but after deliberation he agreed, On May 2, more than a thousand black students skipped their classes and gathered at Sixth Street Baptist Church. As they approached police lines, hundreds were arrested and carried off to jail. When hundreds more youth gathered the next day, commissioner Bull Connor directed the police and fire departments to use force to halt the demonstration. Images of children being blasted by high-pressure fire hoses, clubbed by police officers, and attacked by police dogs appeared on television and in newspapers and triggered outrage throughout the world. The Birmingham campaign ended on May 10 when the SCLC and local officials reached an agreement in which the city promised to desegregate downtown stores and release all protestors from jail if the SCLC would end the boycotts and demonstrations. While he faced criticism for exposing children to violence—most notably from Malcolm X, who said that “real men don’t put their children on the firing line”— King maintained that the demonstrations allowed children to develop “a sense of their own stake in freedom” Black Mail Readers: Would you have allowed your children to participate in march? Why or Why Not? Feel Free To Like/Comment/Share/Repost!

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Acton Institute Powerblog Archives Post Tagged 'MONSANTO COMPANY' Neil Young, Starbucks and the War on GMOs Our religious shareholder activist buddies in As You Sow and the Interfaith Center for Corporate Responsibility can welcome Neil Young in their ill-advised battle against genetically modified organisms. Seems ol’ Shakey – as Young is known to his friends, family and hardcore fans – has released a song that could’ve been written from all the GMO falsehoods and scare tactics spread by AYS and ICCR, including: More than 60 percent of all processed foods available today contain GE ingredients such as soy, corn, or canola; and because in the U.S. Continue Reading... Sucrose, Sucrose and the Anti-GMO Archies The left’s war against genetically modified foods continues apace. Last week, the nonprofit Green America outfit boasted a victory over The Hershey Company, which has agreed to use “simpler ingredients” in its addictive Hershey’s Kisses Milk Chocolates and Hershey’s Milk Chocolate Bars. Continue Reading... Monsanto and the Merits of Genetic Modification Writing over at the Live58 blog, Catherine Sinclair describes her transition from uncertainty regarding GMOs (genetically-modified organisms) to outright opposition: “After doing some more research, I’ve come to the conclusion that we should avoid GMO as much as possible.” Continue Reading... ICCR Shareholders vs. World Hunger Finding solutions for feeding the world’s poorest is about as non-controversial a mission as you could imagine for someone pursuing a religious vocation. Yet, the investors belonging to the Interfaith Center for Corporate Responsibility put politicized science ahead of that mission in their opposition to genetically modified organisms (GMOs). Continue Reading... Faith-Based Proxy Resolutions and GMOs The Dow Chemical Co., along with E.I. Du Pont de Nemours, has come under fire from the Adrian Dominicans and the Sisters of Charity due to the companies’ production of genetically modified organisms. Continue Reading...

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Tag: Kristian Young Familiar Face at Sheraton Erie Bayfront Hotel Named Executive Chef Kristian Young has called a handful of cities home. His journey has brought him across the country, landing in Erie as the Executive Chef for the Sheraton Erie Bayfront Hotel. He’s lived in Chicago, Oregon, Los Angeles and Scottsdale. Young says he’s now grown his own roots in the fourth largest city in Pennsylvania and doesn’t seem himself leaving anytime soon. The Bayfront Grille isn’t the first Erie restaurant he’s worked in though. Young started his career in Erie as a Sous Chef at the Avalon Hotel, then moved to the Erie Club as a Sous Chef and most recently working at the Sheraton as a Sous Chef since 2011. His talents are staying at the Sheraton Bayfront Grille, but will be used in a new capacity as the Executive Chef. He learned his craft at Scottsdale Culinary Institute in Arizona, remembering the sweltering heat while cooking during the summer months. Young now has four seasons to craft a menu around — summer, fall, winter and spring — each giving him the chance to show his creative side. “French Continental Fusion — French paired with American is my favorite to cook,” he says. Young’s unique style in the kitchen comes from his time spent in nearly every region of the U.S. That, he says, allows him to bring national and international influences into his recipes at Erie’s magnificent waterfront restaurant. During his time as a Sous Chef at the Sheraton, the Bayfront Grille was awarded the #1 status within the Sheraton brand for the last two years. “It would be foolish not to want to be [the Executive Chef],” Young said. “It’s one of the premier restaurant in the region and that’s why I want to be here.” It’s now up to Young to prove himself within the company and the region — a goal he says comes with his new title. Young’s first day in his new role will be November 22nd. He wants Erie residents who have yet to dine at the restaurant to stop in, reminding everyone that although the restaurant is located in a hotel, it’s not just for guests to enjoy. Young compares it to other local restaurants in the same price range saying, “You can go elsewhere, but you’ll only leave here full and satisfied.” Restaurant hours are Monday through Saturday 6:30 AM to 10:00 PM; Sunday 6:30 AM to 9:00 PM with hours extended Memorial Day through Labor Day.

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NYC on Foot from Marriott Vacation Club Pulse, New York City By: Bob C., Marriott Vacation Club Owner and paid contributor published April 22, 2019 May 3, 2019 You’ll find more to do within a mile radius of Marriott Vacation Club Pulse®, New York City, than in some entire cities. This is a testament to both the dynamic nature of Manhattan and the property’s fantastic Midtown location. Read on for my favorite activities and eateries within walking distance. Skyscrapers and Cityscapes Even as a native New Yorker, I think one of the city’s most memorable experiences is taking the express elevator to the 82nd and 102nd floor observation decks of the Empire State Building and enjoying the view. The landmark skyscraper is just three blocks from Marriott Vacation Club Pulse, New York City — and you can catch an unforgettable vista of the Art Deco tower from the property’s Top of the Strand rooftop bar. Another way to view the Empire State Building and surrounding skyline is from the Top of the Rock Observation Deck at Rockefeller Center, about a 15-minute walk from the property. Known as the home of “NBC News,” and television programs like “The Today Show” and “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon,” Rockefeller Center hosts a variety of outdoor concerts in the summer. It’s also a must-visit in the winter, when it displays the city’s infamous Christmas tree and a sunken skating rink that has been featured in countless New York-based films. Around the corner is Radio City Music Hall, where the renowned Rockettes perform in an annual Christmas Spectacular. Shopping, Sightseeing and Culture Just a 20-minute stroll away, you’ll find Fifth Avenue, one of the most famous (and expensive) shopping districts in America. Retailers include Saks Fifth Avenue (of course), Bergdorf Goodman, Louis Vuitton and Gucci — even if you’re on a budget, it can be fun to window shop. For an inspiring detour, turn onto west 53rd Street and visit the Museum of Modern Art. It’s arguably the greatest modern art museum in the world, showcasing diverse creative works spanning from the late 18th century to today. Or venture a few blocks to the west and south and soak up the bright lights and 24-hour spectacle of Times Square. A Walk in the Park (or the Library) The beloved Bryant Park is only a few blocks from Marriott Vacation Club Pulse, New York City. In warm weather, the park is known for its lush flowering gardens and sunny lawn. As the weather turns chilly, the park transforms into a Winter Village with a skating rink, Christmas tree, food hall and holiday shops. Adjacent to the park, you’ll find the New York Public Library on Fifth Avenue, flanked by its iconic twin lions. The Beaux-Arts main branch of the city’s vast public library system opened to the public in 1911. Visitors can go on free daily guided tours, peruse a special collection of books for children, attend public events or dine at the popular cafe serving breakfast and lunch. Grand Central Terminal and Beyond Another magnificent public building that’s well worth touring is Grand Central Terminal, which opened in 1913 as the terminus of the Grand Central Railroad. Today it’s filled with shops, restaurants and performance spaces. Both docent-led and self-guided audio tours are available, offering captivating details about the terminal’s celestial ceiling (which was painted backwards), hidden tennis courts and cocktail bar (the latter was once a private apartment), and the Tiffany clock on the façade — the largest such timepiece in the world. Still a transportation hub, Grand Central Terminal is served by the Metro-North Railroad and the 4, 5, 6, 7 and S subway lines. In fact, one of my favorite summer activities is to take the Metro-North train to the New York Botanical Garden; a 23-minute ride that transports you out of the city to a 250-acre urban oasis filled with greenhouses, waterfalls and a rare preserve of old-growth forest. East River Attractions Directly east of the hotel is the Murray Hill neighborhood, home of the Morgan Library & Museum (once the private library of J.P. Morgan). A bit to the north, along the East River, you’ll find the headquarters of the United Nations, where you can take a guided tour or book lunch reservations in the Delegates Dining Room. For a great view, take the Roosevelt Island Tramway from its station on 59th Street and 2nd Avenue in Manhattan to Tramway Plaza on Roosevelt Island. It’s only $4 round-trip and provides a scenic, off-the-beaten-path perspective of the New York City skyline. If all that exploring works up your appetite, one of my favorite eateries in the city is just two doors down from Marriott Vacation Club Pulse, New York City. Reichenbach Hall is Manhattan’s largest beer hall, where authentic Bavarian Pilsners go perfectly with plates of Jägerspätzle, bratwurst, and Jägerschnitzel. Also within walking distance, you can’t beat Keens Steakhouse for a clubby feast on mutton chops and prime steak, or the Grand Central Oyster Bar for fresh seafood under the arches of the train station’s lower concourse. And if you’re like me and can’t get enough of those lofty views of the city, consider a cocktail at the Top of the Strand rooftop bar right at Marriott Vacation Club Pulse, New York City, where your room key will get you to the front of the line even on a busy weekend night. Marriott Vacation Club PulseSM, New York City Bob C. is a Marriott Vacation Club owner and a professional travel writer.

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Follow Betsy Flak on Booksprout Be the first to hear about their new releases and deals. Download the Booksprout app and search for Betsy Flak today! Want to get to know Betsy? Join her readers group for regular updates on her books, activities, and even special offers like early sneak peeks, promotions, and giveaways! As a "thank you" for joining, you'll also get a free download of her interactive story The Impossible Adventure (The Clan Vampire Clash: Meet Your Misadventure #1). For details, go to http://www.betsyflak.com/join or text MISADVENTURE to 444999. Author Betsy Flak has always treasured compelling stories. As a child, she spent her free time lost in a book, whether upside down in a cozy armchair, in the bow of her family's fishing boat in Michigan, or on a bleacher during her brother's basketball games. As an adult, her ereader is her most trusted companion and almost never leaves her side, prepared for any spare moment. This love, or obsession, depending on the perspective, led her to declare her intentions of becoming an author at the ripe age of ten. After a few years of writing fantastical short stories, she accidentally took a brief fifteen-year hiatus to become an engineer. However, she never stopped creating her own unique adventures, filled with supernatural abilities, heart-stopping action, the battle between good and evil, and, of course, romantic interests galore. When her husband was offered his dream job in Los Angeles, she took a leap of faith, trading her career as a biomedical engineer for one as an independent writer. She would like to claim she's never looked back, but that would be a lie. It was the hardest decision of her life and, at first, even harder to stick with. Now, when she's not writing, editing, or reading, you can find her out on the flat track playing roller derby or curled up on a couch with her favorite purple blanket, husband, and two dogs.

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Boy Scouts Files Documents/Evidence Learn Your Options Ineligible Volunteer File on Gerald J. Hall In around 1920, soon after the Boy Scouts of America (“BSA”) was formed, the organization began keeping files on adult leaders and volunteers who were alleged to have committed various crimes and offenses. The files are known today as the “Ineligible Volunteer” or the “I.V. Files.” The I.V. Files are made up of six categories of offenses including Perversion, Morals, Financial, Leadership, Theft and Criminal. By far the largest category is the Perversion Files, or “P Files” as the BSA internally refers to them. The Perversion Files contain the names of adult leaders who have been accused of, or convicted in a criminal court of, molesting or otherwise sexually abusing Boy Scouts. Disclaimer: The information contained in each of the I.V. files was created solely by the Boy Scouts of America. The I.V. files for the period 1965 through 1985 were made public pursuant to a court order. By the terms of the court’s order, the names and contact information of persons identified as victims of sexual abuse and those that reported the abuse were redacted. If the person identified as the reporter of alleged abuse was a professional Scouter, i.e., an individual employed by the Boy Scouts of America or an affiliate, then the person’s name was not redacted. In 2012, the I.V. Files for the period 1986 through 1991 were made available to the public through the Los Angeles Times. The information in the Perversion Files concerns allegations of child sexual abuse. In a number of the cases, the allegations were later substantiated by court proceedings. However, in a great many cases no such substantiation ever occurred. The first page of each I.V. File is a “Confidential Record Sheet,” which provides basic background information on each individual. The information includes the individual’s date of birth, daytime job, and most importantly, his troop number and the basics of the allegations of abuse. The following information was taken directly from the Ineligible Volunteer file of Gerald J. Hall. If you continue to scroll down on this page, you will be able to view the entire file and/or download the entire file. If you have any problems downloading or viewing the file, please contact us. Gerald J. Hall Troop Number(s) Troop 376 (Denver, Colorado) Date Ineligible Volunteer File Opened Residence City: Denver Residence State: CO Residence Zip: 80231 Date of Birth: May 1, 1943 Approximate Age When File Created: 41 Occupation: Sixth Grade School Teacher For Denver Public Schools Weight: Unknown Approximate Location(s) where Gerald J. Hall Served View the Actual File on Gerald J. Hall Gerald J. Hall BSA IV File (PDF) Hall, Gerald J.2018-06-292019-01-03/wp-content/uploads/pcva_logo_full_gold.pngLawyers for Victims of Boy Scout Sexual Abuse/wp-content/uploads/pcva_logo_full_gold.png200px200px Email Us Confidentially Pfau Cochran Vertetis Amala PLLC, 403 Columbia St., Suite 500, Seattle, WA 98104, is responsible for the content on this website. ATTORNEY ADVERTISING. This website is attorney advertising that is intended to provide general information to survivors of childhood sexual abuse. Every case is different, so the general information on this website is not intended to provide legal advice and no attorney/client relationship exists as a result of the general information provided by this website. Copyright Pfau Cochran Vertetis Amala PLLC All Rights Reserved © 2019

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Kuniyoshi Toyoshima ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0002-5618-36571,2 & Ichiro Kusumi2 There is no consensus on effective treatment for laxative abuse in patients with eating disorders. Here, we report the case of a patient with laxative abuse who showed some improvement through an intervention based on the Matrix model. A woman diagnosed with anorexia nervosa-binge eating/purging type (AN-BP) steadfastly denied laxative abuse and would not admit to suffering from an eating disorder. This led to low motivation for undergoing conventional psychotherapy, psychoeducation, and cognitive behavioral therapy. These were ineffective and followed by repeated cycles of hospitalization and discharge. The patient’s general condition, as depicted by her laboratory and clinical parameters, deteriorated due to the medical complications resulting from laxative abuse. Focusing on laxative abuse, we considered an intervention for drug addiction. Because the patient could maintain a diet diary and acknowledged laxative abuse as a drug addiction, we introduced the Serigaya Methamphetamine Relapse Prevention Program (SMARPP) workbook as a self-administered treatment. The patient meticulously completed the treatment and experienced a gradual improvement in laxative abuse. She has not been re-hospitalized in 4 years, currently performs household chores, and demonstrates improved social function. In patients with AN-BP, the SMARPP workbook may be effective in treating laxative abuse. Anorexia Nervosa (AN) constitutes a debilitating and often fatal eating disorder, wherein the restraint of appetite and emotion occurs simultaneously with an obsessive-compulsive behavior in addition to a cognitive disposition that demonstrates significant attention to detail [1]. The compulsivity of AN has sometimes raised the notion that the condition may embed some degree of addictive behavior [2]. In AN patients with low body weight, their physiological systems are affected, resulting in conditions ranging from hypotension and osteopenia to life-threatening arrhythmias. The electrolyte anomalies that occur in patients with purging or frequent laxative abuse often necessitates rapid treatment [3]. Reportedly, family-based treatment is effective for adolescent patients with AN [4]. This may be due to the shorter duration of illness that adolescent patients experience in comparison to adult patients as well as their tendency to live around family members who can provide moral and emotional support that may disincentivize their use of laxatives. However, the efficacy of this approach remains unclear for middle-aged patients [5]. Recent evidence-based therapeutic advances for adult patients with AN include cognitive remediation therapy, exposure therapy, and non-invasive neuromodulation [6]. Although psychotherapy, in addition to cognitive behavioral therapy, is the fundamental treatment for AN, it has not been proven effective in several cases. In fact, patients with purging AN who exhibit both vomiting and laxative abuse manifested the poorest course [7]. This is part of the underlying reason for the proposal that purging behavior should be comprehensively evaluated in patients with eating disorders because it is usually not self-reported due to the associated shame [8]. Against this background, this paper reports the case of a woman with anorexia nervosa-binge eating/purging type (AN-BP), whose state of physical crisis deteriorated due to laxative abuse and led to her recurrent hospitalization. Adopting a drug addiction perspective, we attempted an intervention for laxative abuse using the Serigaya Methamphetamine Relapse Prevention Program (SMARPP) workbook. This is a form of cognitive behavioral therapy that correlates the features of an eating disorder with drug cravings and harm to both the brain and body. On this basis, we evaluated the efficacy of the SMARPP workbook for the aforementioned patient. A 49-year-old woman with anorexia nervosa-binge eating/purging type (AN-BP) and a simultaneous history of laxative abuse was admitted to our hospital for the second time. According to her medical history, she had initiated dieting after entering vocational school at the age of 18. Initially, she practiced only dietary restrictions but gradually began self-induced vomiting. Based on the medical history she provided, her weight (50 kg) decreased gradually and was 40 kg by the time she got married at 28. During this time, she had begun consuming a commercially available laxative. By age 35, her body weight was 35 kg. She was diagnosed with impaired renal function at 41 and renal failure occurred at 45; subsequently, hemodialysis was initiated. At this time, she was diagnosed with AN on a visit to a nearby mental clinic, but refused hospitalization. Throughout this period, the patient continued to restrict her diet and abuse laxatives. At the age of 46, her body weight decreased to < 30 kg, and dialysis became difficult because of the decrease in her blood pressure. She was advised to undergo hospitalization at a specialized medical institution, and in October of the same year, she was admitted to our facility. Her weight was 26.4 kg [body mass index (BMI), 11.9 kg/m2], and we confirmed her fear of obesity, body image distortion, and purging behavior, which included self-induced vomiting and laxative abuse. No questionnaire or semi-structured interview was employed to confirm an eating disorder. Rather, the patient was diagnosed with AN-BP using the fourth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Psychiatric Disorders (DSM-IV-TR) [9]. At the onset of her eating disorder, the patient exhibited binge eating and had begun vomiting via laxative use to compensate for her overconsumption. Clinical assessments Table 1 presents the values obtained via our clinical assessments. Cognitive behavioral therapy was administered to the patient using a column technique and nutritional therapy. Her weight increased to 38 kg in May at the age of 47, and she was discharged in August. As soon as she was discharged, she relapsed and resumed laxative abuse. The patient visited our hospital once a week, but her body weight gradually decreased to the 20-kg range. She was re-hospitalized in February at the age of 49. Upon admission, her weight was 33.7 kg (BMI, 15.2 kg/m2). Based on the following laboratory indices, serum creatinine (4.43 mg/dl ↑), serum sodium (Na 137 mEq/l ↓), serum potassium (3.0 mEq/l ↓) serum chlorine (102 mEq/l), and blood urea nitrogen (22 mg/dl); an internal medicine specialist made a diagnosis of pre-renal renal failure due to laxative abuse. This led to her placement under maintenance hemodialysis. In addition to systemic management using central venous nutrition, behavioral therapy was also administered, and her body weight gradually increased (+ 5.3 kg/3 months). By May, her body weight was 39 kg (BMI, 17.6 kg/m2) after dialysis. The patient was eating a 1600 KCal meal at this time; however, she expressed fear of obesity, body image distortion, and a desire to remain slim. Also, while we found no fecal storage in the X-ray performed each week, she insisted on using a laxative. As such, we surmised that while her original intent for abusing laxatives was to reduce weight, her intention had evolved such that her use of laxatives had become a top priority to eliminate anxiety. This prompted us to adopt a drug addiction intervention. Table 1 Clinical Assessments Clinical management via SMARPP workbook We introduced the SMARPP workbook and used it to conceptualize laxative abuse as an addiction. We chose this approach because at the heart of the phenomenon of addiction is the erosion of the desire to refrain from harmful behavior, which is caused by neuroplastic changes in the brain that limit the rational control of such harmful behavior [10]. A clinical examination of the attitude of a patient with AN toward laxative abuse in light of DSM supported our approach. We think this approach is preferable to the use of CBT, which conceptualizes the laxative abuse of AN as only a purging behavior. SMARPP is based on cognitive behavioral therapy and includes topics on the correlation of an eating disorder with drug cravings and harm to the brain and body. It comprises weekly group sessions, including motivational interviewing attitudes [11] and cognitive behavioral therapy for relapse prevention, following the Matrix model [12]. The SMARPP workbook utilizes the SMARPP principles. The Japanese version was published in 2011 as the “Recovery Support Workbook from Drug–Alcohol Addiction.” It comprises 28 chapters, which both patients and psychiatrists can read and complete together while adjusting to the patients’ pace. Each chapter required approximately 30 min for completion and the patient read the chapter for the first 15 min and answered questions during the next 15 min. Upon completion of each chapter, we evaluated the patient’s impressions. The whole exercise was performed once a week for 7 months in our hospital environment. During this period, the patient herself recognized her laxative abuse and admitted to having previously used approximately 30 tablets each night; she also confessed to using approximately 200 tablets. In fact, from August (at the age of 47) to February (at the age of 49), her laxative abuse gradually increased from 30 tablets to 200 tablets per day. The laxatives she used were commercially available (Bisacodyl; 5 mg, and Sennoside A・B; 5.27 mg, per tablet). In December, at the age of 49, she completed the table on the recurrence and reuse cycle in the last session (Fig. 1). In addition, at the conclusion of the SMARPP workbook, she stated, “I thought there was so much damage to my brain and my body.” Nonetheless, her weight continued to increase further, and she was discharged in December at the age of 49 years, once her body weight reached 45.5 kg (BMI, 20.5 kg/m2) after dialysis. We examined the effectiveness of the SMARPP workbook as shown in Fig. 2. The SMARPP workbook intervened in the laxative abuse, which resulted in appropriate laxative use and reduced compulsive and impulsive behaviors. SMARPP workbook. (The patient reviewed the cycle of recurrence, reuse, and ways to manage her disease) Mechanism of action of the SMARPP workbook In the cognitive functional battery conducted upon her discharge, the results of the Continuous Performance Test errors improved compared with that performed before her discharge. The Continuous Performance Test (CPT) was applied using a stimulus presentation software (A-X CPT) and lasted for 7 min. This test assesses the participant’s sustained attention and reaction time [13]. Post-discharge, she continued outpatient visits until March, when she reached the age of 53; she has not been re-hospitalized since. The prescription content of her laxative was Sennoside A・B, 48 mg; Sennoside A, B, 2 g; Lubiprostone, 48 μg; and Sodium Picosulfate Hydrate, 15 mg per day, whereas at the time of laxative abuse, it was Bisacodyl, 1000 mg and Sennoside A・B, 1054 mg per day. From Table 2, it can be seen that overall there were improvements in the blood pressure (from hypotension to normotension) and BMI of our patient with reference to her initial hospitalization, second hospitalization, and her conditions at discharge and follow-up. Though still elevated, her creatinine level was on a decline compared to her first hospitalization. Also, whereas her hemoglobin and albumin levels were still low, they were better at discharge (10.6 g/L and 3.2 g/L respectively) compared to when she was first hospitalized (6.2 g/L and 2.6 g/L respectively). Table 2 Laboratory & Clinical Findings Before the SMARPP workbook was adopted, the patient underreported the amount of laxative she used. However, once the workbook was implemented, she provided the correct laxative dose. She also admitted her laxative abuse to medical staff and family members. From that point, she began to work independently to prevent the recurrence of laxative abuse. Figure 3 presents the contents of the SMARPP workbook. In addition, her progress following the adoption of the workbook showed that her weight gain and food intake were stable. This is depicted in Fig. 4. Contents of the SMARPP workbook Progress chart following hospitalization. The patient’s progress following the adoption of the SMARPP workbook showed that her weight gain and food intake were stable. Abbreviations: a, SMARPP workbook started; b, SMARPP workbook finished It has been observed that AN with a bingeing component increases a patient’s vulnerability to a substance use disorder [1]. Seen against this background, the present case is significant, as it provides an empirical perspective on laxative abuse in the context of AN-BP. This reinforces the idea that a behavioral and neurobiological correlation exists between AN and addiction [14]. However, it is still a novel concept because the laxative abuse of patients with eating disorders is generally not considered a form of addiction [15, 16]. In this case, we found that the patient’s laxative abuse improved when the SMARPP workbook was used as a therapeutic tool. Because the patient’s serum potassium concentration normalized following the amelioration of laxative abuse, we excluded other differential diagnoses, such as renal tubular acidosis, which may be seen in autoimmune conditions, including Sjögren’s syndrome or hereditary renal tubular disorders [17, 18]. In the treatment of eating disorders, a referral for psychiatric treatment may sometimes help decrease the patient’s reliance on laxatives [15]. Although a correlation exists between laxatives and anxiety in bulimia nervosa (BN) [19], laxative misusers with AN tend to abuse laxatives more than those with BN [20]. However, compared to the number of reports on the effective treatment of laxative abuse for BN, few reports focus on an effective treatment for laxative abuse for those with AN [3]. Due to the effect of the associated low body weight, AN has a lower cognitive component compared to BN [21]. This suggests that a complicated psychological intervention for AN patients with low body weight is difficult. The SMARPP workbook appears quite easy to use and as such may be started from the low weight spectrum of AN. As noted earlier, laxative abuse by older adults may require more external intervention compared to adolescent abusers, who are likely to have others nearby who can provide moral and emotional support; thus, we believe that it may be better to formulate interventions for laxative abuse by middle-aged patients from a drug-dependence perspective. The combination of self-induced vomiting and laxative–diuretic abuse is more typical in males than in females [22]. The presentation of female AN patients with these symptoms may therefore suggest the need for a thorough clinical history as well as the possibility of employing an addiction intervention strategy, such as SMARPP. However, because this is a case report, this idea cannot be generalized. Nevertheless, the acknowledgment of laxative abuse as a drug addiction in the present case led to the patient’s motivation for treatment, which resulted in an excellent prognosis. Because aberrant cognitions related to eating and shape alter the functioning of central reward systems and reward processing, particularly in the context of illness-compatible cues, these may be exploited to develop treatment and preventive approaches to AN [23] and suggest the clinical value of the SMARPP workbook. This may also explain why the SMARPP workbook has been identified as a convenient tool for increasing patients’ awareness and motivation in the treatment of drug addiction [24]. It remains to be seen whether the recently reported web-based relapse prevention program “e-SMARPP” will exert this same effect [25]. Despite the fact that laxative abuse in AN-BP sufferers is a clinically serious problem, no effective evidence-based treatment has been established. This case report reveals that using the SMARPP workbook for the treatment of drug dependence could be effective in treating laxative abuse in patients with AN-BP (Table 2 and Fig. 4). We assert that if the duration of the illness is long, a dependence on laxatives has been formed or the patient’s cognitive function is declining; hence, the SMARPP workbook may be effective. Nevertheless, future study of similar cases to assess the efficacy of the SMARPP workbook on a larger scale is necessary. Whereas this may be the first report in which the SMARPP workbook is used to treat an eating disorder, and it is imperative to study more cases before generalizable conclusions can be drawn for its use in patients with AN-BP. In this case, the evidence of recovery from eating disorder pathology was limited because SCOFF is usually used for screening of eating disorders. However, the psychopathology of eating disorder cannot be measured by this tool. In future studies, further objective assessment should be performed to confirm whether the SMARPP workbook contributes to the improvement of eating disorder pathology. AN-BP: Anorexia nervosa-binge eating/purging type BN: SMARPP: Serigaya Methamphetamine Relapse Prevention Program Brooks SJ. A debate on working memory and cognitive control: can we learn about the treatment of substance use disorders from the neural correlates of anorexia nervosa? BMC Psychiatry. 2016;16:10. Godier LR, Park RJ. Does compulsive behavior in anorexia nervosa resemble an addiction? A qualitative investigation. Frontiers Psychol. 2015;6:1608. Harrington BC, Jimerson M, Haxton C, Jimerson DC. Initial evaluation, diagnosis, and treatment of anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa. Am Fam Physician. 2015;91:46–52. Couturier J, Kimber M, Szatmari P. Efficacy of family-based treatment for adolescents with eating disorders: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Int J Eat Disord. 2013;46:3–11. Neubauer K, Weigel A, Daubmann A, Wendt H, Rossi M, Löwe B, et al. Paths to first treatment and duration of untreated illness in anorexia nervosa: are there differences according to age of onset? Europ Eat Disord Rev. 2014;22:292–8. Brockmeyer T, Friederich HC, Schmidt U. Advances in the treatment of anorexia nervosa: a review of established and emerging interventions. Psychol Med. 2018;48:1228–56. Støving RK, Andries A, Brixen KT, Bilenberg N, Lichtenstein MB, Hørder K. Purging behavior in anorexia nervosa and eating disorder not otherwise specified: a retrospective cohort study. Psychiatry Res. 2012;198:253–8. Keifenheim KE, Giel KE, Leehr EJ, Becker S, Moerike K, Zipfel S, et al. Difficulties in addressing purging behavior in the treatment of a patient with anorexia nervosa. Dtsch Med Wochenschr. 2013;138:1670. American Psychiatric Association. Diagnostic and statistical manual of psychiatric disorders. 4th ed. Washington DC: American Psychiatric Association; 2000. Afolabi MOS, Sodeke SO. Reconciling competence and consent in opioid-dependence research: the value of vulnerability rhetoric. Am J Bioeth. 2017;17:48–50. Matsumoto T. A treatment for drug dependence not requiring specialists: a treatment program based on a workbook, the “SMARPP.”. Seishin Shinkeigaku Zasshi. 2015;117:655–62. Obert JL, McCann MJ, Marinelli-Casey P, Weiner A, Minsky S, Brethen P, et al. The matrix model of outpatient stimulant abuse treatment: history and description. J Psychoactive Drugs. 2000;32:157–64. Toyoshima K, Fujii Y, Mitsui N, Kako Y, Asakura S, Martinez-Aran A, et al. Validity and reliability of the cognitive complaints in bipolar disorder rating assessment (COBRA) in Japanese patients with bipolar disorder. Psychiatry Res. 2017;254:85–9. Godier LR, Park RJ. Compulsivity in anorexia nervosa: a transdiagnostic concept. Front Psychol. 2014;5:778. Roerig JL, Steffen KJ, Mitchell JE, Zunker C. Laxative abuse: epidemiology, diagnosis and management. Drugs. 2010;70:1487–503. Sato Y, Fukudo S. Gastrointestinal symptoms and disorders in patients with eating disorders. Clin J Gastroenterol. 2015;8:255–63. Mohee K, Kucharska-Pietura K, Karthigeyan A, Al N. Diagnostic and treatment dilemmas of persistent chronic hypokalaemia in a patient with anorexia nervosa: a case report. J Med Case Rep. 2014;8:294. NICE Clinical Guidelines, No. 9. Eating Disorders: Core Interventions in the Treatment and Management of Anorexia Nervosa, Bulimia Nervosa and Related Eating Disorders: National Collaborating Centre for Mental Health. London: British Psychological Society; 2004. Weltzin TE, Bulik CM, McConaha CW, Kaye WH. Laxative withdrawal and anxiety in bulimia nervosa. Int J Eat Disord. 1995;17:141–6. Elran-Barak R, Goldschmidt AB, Crow SJ, Peterson CB, Hill L, Crosby RD, et al. Is laxative misuse associated with binge eating? Examination of laxative misuse among individuals seeking treatment for eating disorders. Int J Eat Disord. 2017;50:1114–8. Zakzanis KK, Campbell Z, Polsinelli A. Quantitative evidence for distinct cognitive impairment in anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa. J Neuropsychol. 2010;4:89–106. Valente S, Di Girolamo G, Forlani M, Biondini A, Scudellari P, De Ronchi D, et al. Sex-specific issues in eating disorders: a clinical and psychopathological investigation. Eat Weight Disord. 2017;22:707–15. O’Hara CB, Campbell IC, Schmidt U. A reward-centred model of anorexia nervosa: a focussed narrative review of the neurological and psychophysiological literature. Neurosci Biobehav Rev. 2015;52:131–52. Matsuoto T, Chiba Y, Imamura F, Kobayashi O, Wada K. Possible effectiveness of intervention using a self-teaching workbook in adolescent drug abusers detained in a juvenile classification home. Psychiatry Clin Neurosci. 2011;65:576–83. Takano A, Miyamoto Y, Kawakami N, Matsumoto T, Shinozaki T, Sugimoto T. Web-based cognitive behavioral relapse prevention program with tailored feedback for people with methamphetamine and other drug use problems: protocol for a multicenter randomized controlled trial in Japan. BMC Psychiatry. 2016;16:87. We would like to thank Dr. Nobuki Kitagawa, Kouichi Ito, Yuki Kako, and their colleagues in the Psychopathology Clinical Conference and Hokkaido University for their collegial support, as well as our colleagues at Wakkanai City Hospital for their clinical support. This research did not receive any specific grant from funding agencies in the public, commercial, or non-profit sectors. Department of Psychiatry, Wakkanai City Hospital, Wakkanai, Japan Kuniyoshi Toyoshima Department of Psychiatry, Graduate School of Medicine, Hokkaido University, Kita 15, Nishi 7, Sapporo, 060-8638, Japan & Ichiro Kusumi Search for Kuniyoshi Toyoshima in: Search for Ichiro Kusumi in: KT wrote the case report and the initial draft of the manuscript. IK assisted in the preparation of the manuscript. All authors contributed to data collection and interpretation and critically reviewed the manuscript. All authors approved the final version of the manuscript,and agree to be accountable for all aspects of the work in ensuring that questions related to the accuracy or integrity of any part of the work are appropriately investigated and resolved. Correspondence to Kuniyoshi Toyoshima. The study was approved by the Local Ethics Committee of Wakkanai City Hospital (Ethics Approval Number: H30–3). Informed consent was obtained from the patient. We obtained consent for publication from the patient herself. Toyoshima, K., Kusumi, I. Controlling the laxative abuse of anorexia nervosa patients with the Serigaya Methamphetamine Relapse Prevention Program workbook: a case report. BioPsychoSocial Med 13, 23 (2019) doi:10.1186/s13030-019-0166-z DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s13030-019-0166-z Laxative abuse Matrix model SMARPP workbook

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Client Login Request a Demo Burrelles iMonitor Full-Service Media Monitoring Self-Service Media Monitoring Additional PR Support Home About Us Our Team Robert C. Waggoner Robert C. Waggoner is chairman of Burrelles. Mr. Waggoner is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations, a former chairman of the Harvard College Visiting Committee, and former member of the Harvard Business School Visiting Committee and the Dean’s Council at the Harvard School of Public Health. A life trustee and chairman emeritus of the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra, Mr. Waggoner is also a founder and director of the New Jersey Performing Arts Center. He holds an A.B. with honors from Harvard University and an M.B.A. from Harvard Business School. Chaz Waggoner Chaz Waggoner is President and CEO at Burrelles, responsible for delivery of media content to the large base of agency, corporate, government and non-profit clients. After earning a bachelor’s degree in economics from Southern Methodist University, Mr. Waggoner joined Burrelle’s full time in 1986. Over his career, he has served in a variety of key management positions. He has managed the company’s early-morning news delivery service as well as one of its largest production facilities. Cathy Del Colle Cathy Del Colle joined what was then Burrelle’s in 1987, after having earned a bachelor’s degree in marketing. She started as a sales associate, specializing in fashion and higher education. The following year, she was named regional sales manager for the Washington, DC, area. Del Colle has been directly involved in client services since 1996, when she returned to the company’s headquarters in Livingston, NJ. Immediately prior to taking on her current post, she was vice president-client services. Del Colle has an extensive working knowledge of PR professionals’ monitoring needs, and has developed a close relationship with many practitioners over the years. When she worked in the nation’s capital, Del Colle sat on the board of Washington Women in Public Relations, which she also served as membership coordinator and, in 1995, as president. She remains an honorary member of that organization. Becky Lawrence Since beginning her career with Burrelles in 1982, Becky Lawrence has worked in production, IT, training, and management positions. Her broad range of experience gives her a unique perspective and insight. She oversees all of the major production facilities and works with the various teams to help them best serve the needs of our clients. Industry Trends, Renewed Confidence, Partnerships: PR News’ Media Relations Conference Recap 5 Things You Need to Know About Audio Marketing How to Enhance Your Evaluation Efforts Measuring Trust PR News Media Relations Conference Washington Marriott Georgetown – Washington, D.C. Copyright © 2020 Burrelles | Site by SVM E-Marketing Solutions We use cookies to personalize content and ads, to provide social media features and to analyze traffic. We also share information about your use of our site with our social media, advertising and analytics partners. By continuing to browse this website you are agreeing to our use of cookies. Cookie Policy

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Tag: dc comics The Best Comic Book Runs of the 2010s Published on December 31, 2019 January 9, 2020 by Button PanelsLeave a comment As we near the end of the 2010s, for my final look back at the decade in comics, I’m going to be looking at the best comic runs of the 2010s. This decade had some of the best and worst comic series, but I’m here to celebrate the best runs. The 2010s had a lot of good runs that were somewhat unappreciated, that I feel deserve acknowledgement. This is the decade that I got into comics, so I followed a lot of these when they were ongoing. Yet, there is enough distance from most of these runs — most of which are complete — that I feel comfortable judging them as a whole. For comic runs, the amount of creators and issues varies, but the general idea should be obvious — a bunch of comics where at least one creator has a big presence in the creative process. To qualify for this list, the run needs to have had most of its issues released in the 2010s. That means Grant Morrison’s Batman and Geoff Johns’ Green Lantern, both of which started in the mid-2000s but ended in the 2010s, are out, but Jonathan Hickman’s Fantastic Four, which started in 2009 and ended in the 2010s, is allowed on. Essentially, the runs will have started in the 2010s, with a small handful of exceptions that had very few issues in the previous decade. The key part of it is that this is “runs” as opposed to a series — I’ll be copying a bit of CBR’s rules and say that miniseries do not count as “runs”, unless it’s a group of miniseries in some way; this is for the the best runs on a comic, not sprints. But it can be one ongoing series, something that had multiple series, or just a specific chunk of a series for whatever reason (maybe the creative team lost the artist or something). To keep things manageable, I’ll be focusing on writers and pencillers — not that inkers, colourists and letterers aren’t important, but it’s hard enough to get every artist down for some runs, and I’ll probably miss some, that this is just the compromise I have to make. Anyway, with all the rules out of the way, let’s get on with it. Here, arbitrarily ranked, are the best comic runs of the 2010s! (That I read). Continue reading “The Best Comic Book Runs of the 2010s” → Categories 2019 Comic Book Reviews, Comic Book Reviews, decade in review, Top 5/10 Comics Lists, Uncategorized•Tags 2010s, 2010s in review, aftershock comics, al ewing, alex + ada, andy kubert, animosity, annie wu, avengers, batman, batman and robin, bilque evely, brian k. vaughan, bryan lee o'malley, carlo pagulayan, chris samnee, christopher priest, comic books, comics, dan slott, daredevil, darth vader, david aja, dc comics, dc rebirth, deathstroke, decade in review, die, diogenes neves, donny cates, doug mahnke, ed brubaker, esad ribic, fantastic four, fernando pasarin, fiona staples, grant morrison, grayson, green lantern, greg rucka, hawkeye, house of x, hulk, iban coello, image comics, immortal hulk, javier rodriguez, jerome opena, joe bennett, joe henderson, jonathan hickman, jonathan luna, jorge jimenez, juan gideon, kano, khoi pham, kieron gillen, kill or be killed, lee garbett, leinil francis yu, leslie hung, liam sharp, marguerite bennett, mark bagley, mark waid, marvel, marvel comics, matt fraction, mike allred, mikel janin, nicola scott, paolo reveira, patrick gleason, pepe larraz, peter j tomasi, phil noto, powers of x, r. b. silva, rafael de latorre, reg tocchini, rick remender, ryan stegman, saga, salvador larroca, sarah vaughn, sean phillips, shawn steven struble, silver surfer, sina grace, skyward, snotgirl, spider-man, star wars, stefano casselli, stephanie hans, superman, the li'l depressed boy, tim seeley, tom king, tony moore, uncanny x-force, venom, wonder woman, x-force, x-men, xermanico The Best Comic Book Story Arcs of the 2010s As I’ve made clear in previous posts, the 2010s were a good time for comics. I’ve looked at the best comic runs, but now I’m taking it a step down and going into the best comic arcs. These aren’t entire series — unless it’s a miniseries or an ongoing that was cut short — or runs, but arcs. Naming these is a bit weird because some writers don’t really name their arcs, but luckily trades exist, and you can usually tell when something is an arc. To qualify, the first issue of the arc needs to have been released in the 2010s. That limits my options enough while setting strict rules. Hopefully this makes it fair. Also, this is more of a superhero comic thing, so be warned if that bugs you. Anyway, get your six (most likely) bag and boards ready, because we’re going to be looking at the best comic book story arcs of the 2010s! Continue reading “The Best Comic Book Story Arcs of the 2010s” → Categories 2019 Comic Book Reviews, Comic Book Reviews, decade in review, Top 5/10 Comics Lists, Uncategorized•Tags 2010s, 2010s in review, aftershock comics, andrea sorrentino, animosity, ario anindito, batman, batman and robin, belardino brabo, Black Panther, Brian Stelfreeze, butch guice, carlo pagulayan, christopher priest, comic books, comics, dan jurgens, daniel warren johnson, daredevil, dc comics, deathstroke, decade in review, donny cates, doom patrol, ed brisson, esad ribic, extermination, extremity, gabriel hernandez walta, gerard way, house of x, howard porter, idw publishing, image comics, james bennett, jason aaron, jason paz, javier rodriguez, jeff lemire, jeff loveness, jerome opena, joelle jones, jon davis-hunt, jonathan hickman, joshua williamson, juan doe, last stand of the wreckers, lee weeks, leonardo manco, marguerite bennett, mariko tamaki, mark morales, mark waid, marvel, marvel comics, michael walsh, mick gray, mike spicer, mitch gerads, nick derington, nick roche, nova, old man logan, oscar bazaldua, patrick gleason, pepe larraz, peter j tomasi, powers of x, r. b. silva, rafael de latorre, ramon perez, rick remender, rob schwager, ryan stegman, scott hanna, sergio cariello, shawn steven struble, sina grace, spider-man, supergirl, supergirl: being super, superman, superman: lois and clark, Ta-Nehisi Coates, the flash, the li'l depressed boy, the wild storm, thor, thor: god of thunder, tom king, transformers, trevor hutchison, venom, warren ellis, wildstorm, wolverine, x-men, young animal The Best Comic Book Moments of the 2010s Published on December 24, 2019 December 25, 2019 by Button Panels2 Comments So far, I’ve looked at the biggest shake-ups in comics status quos in the 2010s. Of course, I think those were important. They’re paradigm shifts that allow for different stories. But sometimes, you need to go smaller, and that’s what this is. This time, I’m going to be highlighting specific moments in comics that I feel were the best in the 2010s. These can range from a single scene to a single panel, but they’re what I consider the best the 2010s have to offer. They might stand on their own or be the payoff for years of storytelling, but these are the ones that had the biggest impact on me as a reader. As a rule: it can’t be an entire issue. I’m also trying to avoid placing similar scenes on this list. So yes, it’s a loose criterion, but it’s mine. Anyway, let’s see what we have for arbitrarily ranked my personal best comic book moments of the 2010s… Continue reading “The Best Comic Book Moments of the 2010s” → Categories decade in review, Top 5/10 Comics Lists, Uncategorized•Tags 2010s, 2010s in review, aftershock comics, animosity, batman, brad anderson, comic books, comics, cris peter, dan slott, dc black label, dc comics, dc rebirth, dc universe rebirth, dean white, decade in review, dee cunniffe, die, donny cates, doom patrol, doomsday clock, elizabeth breitweiser, esad ribic, fantastic four, ff, frank martin, gabe eltaeb, gary frank, geoff johns, gerard way, grayson, hellblazer, hi-fi, howard porter, image comics, ive svorcina, jerome opena, jeromy cox, jonathan hickman, joshua cassara, joshua williamson, kieron gillen, laura allred, lisandro estherren, marcio takara, marguerite bennett, marvel, marvel comics, mike allred, mikel janin, nick derington, nick dragotta, nightwing, phil jimenez, rafael de latorre, redneck, rick remender, ryan stegman, secret wars, secret wars 2015, silver surfer, simon spurrier, spider-man, stephanie hans, tamra bonvillain, the flash, tim seeley, tom king, uncanny x-force, venom, vertigo comics, watchmen, x-force, x-men, young animal The Best Comic Book Shake-Ups of the 2010s Published on December 1, 2019 December 28, 2019 by Button PanelsLeave a comment Superhero comics are said to be cyclical, stagnant, unchanging, and all manner of things meant to imply that they love their status quos. But the 2010s gave us a bunch of new ideas and shake-ups that ended up becoming some of the landmark moments for the superhero genre. Sure, the superhero genre loves its status quos, because that’s a part of the brands, but sometimes people shake things up in ways that open the door for great storytelling, adding to the gargantuan mythos of the genre. I’ve decided I’m going to draw attention to these status quo shifts. This is very broad, obviously, but I think it’s a good way to look back at what the 2010s did to shake things up a bit and innovate. Later, I’ll probably look at best moments, single issues story arcs and maybe even runs. But for now, here are the best comic book shake-ups of the 2010s. Continue reading “The Best Comic Book Shake-Ups of the 2010s” → Categories 2019 Comic Book Reviews, decade in review, Uncategorized•Tags 2010s, 2010s in review, 2010s retrospective, avengers, batman, christopher priest, comic books, comics, dan jurgens, dan slott, dc comics, dc rebirth, deathstroke, decade in review, decade retrospective, fantastic four, future foundation, g willow wilson, geoff johns, grayson, illuminati, jane foster, jason aaron, jonathan hickman, lady thor, marvel, marvel comics, ms. marvel, new avengers, nightwing, patrick gleason, peter j tomasi, rick remender, spider-man, superboy, superheroes, superman, thor, tim seeley, tom king, venom, x-men Legion of Super-Heroes: Millennium #1 Review — Disjointed, Unengaging and Uninteresting Published on September 9, 2019 September 16, 2019 by Button PanelsLeave a comment Written by Brian Michael Bendis Pencils by Jim Lee, Dustin Nguyen, Andrea Sorrentino and Andre Lima Araujo Inks by Scott Williams, Dustin Nguyen, Andrea Sorrentino and Andre Lima Araujo Colours by Alex Sinclair, John Kalisz, Dave Stewart and Jordie Bellaire Letters by Dave Sharpe Published by DC Comics Cover price: $4.99 USD The return of the Legion of Super-Heroes has been a rocky road. After a lacklustre series in the New 52, the team vanished, only making sporadic guest appearances every now and then. DC Rebirth promised the return of the team, who would be given a degree of importance in Geoff Johns’ still ongoing Doomsday Clock miniseries, with promises that the team’s return would be set up in Tom King’s Batman run and even hints at who the writer of their ongoing series would be. Instead, Brian Michael Bendis recently reintroduced the team over in his Superman title and will be writing their ongoing. If Legion of Super-Heroes: Millennium #1 is any indication, DC would have been better off sticking to whatever their original plan was, because this is a disjointed and boring mess of a comic only held up by its art. Continue reading “Legion of Super-Heroes: Millennium #1 Review — Disjointed, Unengaging and Uninteresting” → Categories 2019 Comic Book Reviews, Comic Book Reviews, Reviews, Uncategorized•Tags alex sinclair, andre lima araujo, andrea sorrentino, brian michael bendis, comic book review, Comic Book Reviews, comic books, comic review, comic reviews, comics, dave sharpe, dave stewart, dc comics, dustin nguyen, jim lee, john kalisz, jordie bellaire, legion of super-heroes, legion of super-heroes: millennium, review, Reviews, scott williams, superhero, superman Superdads — Fatherhood in Superhero Comics The 1st of September is Father’s Day in Australia. While I find it weird that we placed it so far away from the rest of the world’s usual date, it is what it is. So, in honour of Father’s Day, I want to take a look at fatherhood in superhero comics. The idea of characters being “aged” by younger characters around them is a concern of the comics industry. Indeed, a lot has been done to ensure that characters like Spider-Man and Batman remain at a vague age where they can be considered at least somewhat young. Many in the industry have spoken out against allowing characters to grow and age, in fear that this would also age their paternal figures — the most recent example I can recall would be X-Men editor Jordan D. White mentioning that the younger X-Men cannot be allowed to age, as this would make the core group of Cyclops, Wolverine, Rogue and the like older. I think this fundamentally misunderstands superhero comics and their appeal, the stories they can tell and some of the best works in the superhero genre, and how children are vehicles for further development of characters. While comics like Saga and Birthright have excellent portrayals of parenthood, superhero comics lend a greater weight to everyday struggles, to everyday emotions and relationships. For the purposes of this post, I’ll be looking at specific characters and specific runs on those characters (to a degree). This is just meant to look at the different kinds of fatherhood presented in superhero comics, while focusing on specific works where possible. Anyway, let’s have a look at our superdads. Continue reading “Superdads — Fatherhood in Superhero Comics” → Categories Between the Lines, Uncategorized•Tags alfred pennyworth, batman, batman and robin, batman and the outsiders, bruce wayne, clark kent, comic books, comics, dads, damian wayne, dc comics, dylan brock, eddie brock, fantastic four, father's day, fathers, franklin richards, jonathan kent, marvel, marvel comics, reed richards, robin, spider-man, superboy, superheroes, superman, valeria richards, venom What I’m Reading (25th of August, 2019) Published on August 25, 2019 August 30, 2019 by Button PanelsLeave a comment Lately I’ve had a lot of free time, thanks to now being a part-time student. Because of this I’ve spent a lot more time working out, updating this blog and, of course, reading. Because I’ve been reading a lot, and because I like writing about what I read, I’m going to give a quick run through on what comics I’ve been reading — at least the stuff I have anything to say about. This is just quick and dirty stuff, with no real structure going on, similar to when I used to tweet long tweet chains. This stuff is old enough to not really be current, but some stuff will be fairly recent. Continue reading “What I’m Reading (25th of August, 2019)” → Categories Uncategorized, What I'm Reading•Tags aquaman, carnage, comic book review, Comic Book Reviews, comic books, comic review, comic reviews, comics, dc comics, erik larsen, fourth world, g willow wilson, gerry conway, hellblazer, image comics, jack kirby, kelly sue deconnick, marvel, marvel comics, ms. marvel, new gods, peter milligan, rick remender, savage dragon, the wild storm, venom, vertigo, vertigo comics, wildstorm

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What Does Brexit Mean for the UK and the Rest of Europe? by Charlie May in Homepage, News On Thursday, the United Kingdom became the first country to ever leave the European Union. Britons voted on a national referendum that has been dubbed “Brexit” — or Britain’s exit from the European Union. By a narrow margin, the Leave campaign won. This will surely mean significant changes both within the United Kingdom, and to the EU itself. Prime Minister David Cameron, in favor of the Remain movement, is now significantly weakened, and his own conservative party will presumably see a noteworthy shift that leads them further to the right. It could also lead to a rise of the United Kingdom Independence Party (UKIP) led by Nigel Farage, a major proponent of the Leave movement. “Britain is witnessing the same phenomenon as in France, Germany, Holland, and other EU countries, with the growth of a new far-Right party, the UKIP. Those guys are very anti-EU, anti-immigrant, anti-Muslim, and sort of Tea Party-ish in general. And they’ve been taking votes from the Conservatives,” Sam Mustafa, professor, historian, and author told Bold. This may not be a step forward in the world of social acceptance for the United Kingdom, as Farage has made some controversial statements regarding employer discrimination toward foreigners. UKIP as a whole has even been known to be prejudiced against others. “Cameron thought he could score points and take some of those people back by promising the Brexit vote, but he bungled it. What has happened instead is that he is in the awkward position of being officially in favor of staying in the EU, while allowing the UKIP to benefit from the Brexit ‘debate,'” Mustafa said. Surprisingly, the assassination of Labour Party MP Jo Cox had not swayed any of the voters. The killer was a far-right lunatic who proclaimed “Death to traitors, freedom for Britain,” according to The Guardian. It was speculated that this act of extremism would convince some of the traditional conservative voters from wanting to proceed with Brexit. The process of withdrawing from the European Union could take anywhere from two to four years. Regardless, it will have an enormous impact in ways that can only be pondered for now. It is worth noting that Britain has the second-largest economy in the EU and the third-largest population. As the night went on, the British pound plummeted while financial markets began feeling the consequences of the referendum, which could lead to serious economic implications. “In the long term, British goods will become more expensive on the continent, which will hurt British business. And it will be harder for people to move from the UK to the EU and vice-versa (which is the whole goal of the ‘Leave’ movement). In the short term, that might help wages (fewer immigrants applying for jobs), but in the long term, it could cause inflation,” Mustafa told Bold. The stunning results of Brexit simply leave far more questions than answers at the moment. However, it plays to the familiar tune that politics of fear affects voters. There is no denying that the Syrian refugee crisis has had damaging economic impact to the European Union, but will the reverberations of the Brexit influence other European nations? And is the world witnessing the fall of much-needed allied Europe? What do the results say about the upcoming election in the United States? Donald Trump and his followers, who seem to only care about the prosperity of their own country, are at least somewhat synonymous with the nationalism rise currently seen in the UK. After all, the GOP nominee was supported by Farage. Charlie May recently graduated from the Ramapo College of New Jersey, receiving a Bachelor's Degree in Journalism. His main focus is politics, national security, foreign affairs, money in politics, and investigative pieces. He hopes to bring a fresh, unique perspective to Bold.

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An Interview with Jonny Quest Cartoons Considered For An Academy Award 1972 October 22, 2017 posted by James Parten Sing Me A Cartoon #15: Sailor Man Rhythm Believe it or not, songs were being written about Popeye even before the cartoons started coming out in 1933. Reader’s Digest version: Popeye first appeared in Elzie Segar’s “Thimble Theatre” comic strip in early 1929–and pretty much took it over. By 1931, the comoser Leon Flatow (a journeyman of Tin Pan Alley), and a lyricist named Kepell had a song ready for the publishing firm of Irving Berlin,Inc. As far as is known, the only recording of the song was cut on May 8 of the year at the studios of the American Record Company (1776 Broadway), and issued here on several of their “dime-store” labels. This side also cam out in the U.K., on the Filmophone record–a transparent celluloid disc, in one of a number of different colors. This issue was billed as “Al Dollar And His Ten Cents”–a name Filmophone used for American recordings on that label. A few weeks ago, we heard the record’s flip side, “Mickey Mouse (We All Love You So)”. Like that recording, “Popeye The Sailor Man” features Billy Murray (by then, the veritable Methuselah of recording artists). The band her gets a little more to do, and trumpet and saxophone soloists play hot variations on the theme. Again, we should all know the story by heart. Max Fleischer began the “Popeye” cartoon series in 1933, and almost immediately, the series rivaled the success of Mickey Mouse–so much so that at least one writer trid to put a political spin on the “rivalry” between the Sailor Man and the four-fingered rodent. Billy Costello did the voice of Popeye for two dozen shorts, then was unceremoniously given his walking-papers. About the time he left, Costello went over to the American Record Company’s studios, and, accompanied by a small orchestra featuring trombonist (and possible director) Russ Morgan, cut “I’m Popeye The Sailor Man” and “Blow the Man Down”. This record sold acceptably well, and there are several uploads of it on YouTube and other such sites. Costello would perform and record in England over the next few years, trading off his status as “the original Popeye’. Of these records, the scarcest is an “Official Popeye Club Record”, cut in London for issue only in South Africa. Meanwhile, we go back to the story we all should know. After using Floyd Buckley–the Popeye of the radio seriess going on at the time–for one cartoon (Be Kind To Aminals), Fleischer found somebody in-house who could do Popeye, and do it very well indeed. When Jack Mercer took over the voice work as Popeye, Max Fleischer lost a good in-betweener who was well on his way to becoming an animator in his own right. But they gained a good, all-around voice talent, who did a number of voices for Fleischer, Famous, and Paramount Studios cartoons, as well as for cartoons Paramount produced for other people. He was still hard at it in 1974,when he was the subject of a game of To Tell The Truth. And he was still at it when Hanna-Barbera produced a new batch of Popeye shorts for Saturday morning runs. Next Week: More Sailor Man Rhythm. Billy MurrayFleischerJack MercerPopeye Aaron Neathery October 22, 2017 1:16:18 am Popeye: Oh, Olive Oyl! Olive Oyl! Olive: Here I am, Popeye! Popeye: Where’s me spinach? Where’s me spinach?? Olive: My oh my, Popeye, but you’re eating too much spinach! Popeye: (laughs heartily) Well, blow me down! Olive: Is that right, Popeye? Eat all that spinach to make those big muscles?? Popeye: Nah, t’ain’t so! I yam what I yam on account of I eats me spinach! (laughs) There was a earlier version of the Popeye theme called “Strike Up the Band Here Comes Popeye the Sailor” that was on introductory Betty Boop cartoon Popeye the Sailor. This tune was based on another popular song “Strike Up The Band Here Comes a Sailor” which came out in 1900, 33 years before Betty Boop Meets Popeye the Sailor. J Lee Billy Murray’s ubiquity as a voice/singer in the early Fleischer sound cartoons makes his number here sound like something you might have heard in a Fleischer cartoon as an alternative song for Popeye (just as the studio tried out three different theme songs for Betty Boop before finally settling on “Sweet Betty” as the preferred one in 1935). William Costello, post-Fleischer but in Popeye voice, singing “The Merry-Go-Round Broke Down” remains the oddest juxtaposition of voice to song in terms of hearing one studio’s main character doing another studio’s signature theme. Craig D Poley McClintock, anyone? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f6q0TiYGj5c Eric Costello October 22, 2017 3:26:54 pm (1) I believe Mercer did double in brass, later, as a story man for Famous. (2) What’s interesting is hearing Poley McClintock at the very end of “I Say It’s Spinach (and the Hell With It)” from “Face the Music.” I don’t know (yet) if that’s what Craig D. is alluding to immediately above, but here’s a nice, clean version: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aPSlU7uKxJ0 (see 2:47 ff). The uploader helpfully put excerpts from a later Fleischer Popeye on that clip. Russell H “I say it’s spinach…” is a reference to a famous early cartoon in THE NEW YORKER that features a mother putting a plate of vegetables in front of her daughter and saying, “It’s broccoli, dear,” to which the little girl replies, “I say it’s spinach and I say the hell with it.” In what may be the earliest example of a “meme” (decades before the internet), “I say it’s spinach..” became a common catchphrase for calling BS on someone.

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Bill Order » Item 308 #6s Rental Subsidy Program Health and Human Resources Grants To Localities FY2015 $400,000 FY2016 ($400,000) GF Page 287, line 20, strike "$348,612,156" and insert "$349,012,156". (This amendment reverses an action in the introduced budget to move $400,000 from the general fund the first year to the second year. The Settlement Agreement with the U.S. Department of Justice required the Commonwealth to provide $800,000 for rental subsidies for current individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities receiving waiver services. One-half of the funding was moved to the second year to ensure the subsidies are on-going, however existing budget language already allows this funding to be carried forward into the second year for this purpose.) Grants To Localities Financial Assistance for Health Services (44500) $349,012,156 $348,612,156 $368,849,536 Community Substance Abuse Services (44501) FY2015 $96,277,019 FY2016 $96,277,019 Community Mental Health Services (44506) FY2015 $204,606,666 FY2016 $214,294,046 Community Developmental Disability Services (44507) FY2015 $48,128,471 $47,728,471 FY2016 $58,278,471 General FY2015 $287,332,709 $286,932,709 FY2016 $307,170,089 Federal Trust FY2015 $61,679,447 FY2016 $61,679,447 Authority: Title 37.2, Chapters 5 and 6; Title 2.2, Chapter 53, Code of Virginia. A. It is the intent of the General Assembly that community mental health, intellectual disability and substance abuse services are to be improved throughout the state. Funds provided in this Item shall not be used to supplant the funding effort provided by localities for services existing as of June 30, 1996. B. Further, it is the intent of the General Assembly that funds appropriated for this Item may be used by Community Services Boards to purchase, develop, lease, or otherwise obtain, in accordance with §§ 37.2-504 and 37.2-605, Code of Virginia, real property necessary to the provision of residential services funded by this Item. C. Out of the appropriation for this Item, funds are provided to Community Services Boards in an amount sufficient to reimburse the Virginia Housing Development Authority for principal and interest payments on residential projects for the mentally disabled financed by the Housing Authority. D. The Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services shall make payments to the Community Services Boards from this Item in twenty-four equal semimonthly installments, except for necessary budget revisions or the operational phase-in of new programs. E. Failure of a board to participate in Medicaid covered services and to meet all requirements for provider participation shall result in the termination of a like amount of state grant support. F. Community Services Boards may establish a line of credit loan for up to three months' operating expenses to assure adequate cash flow. G. Out of this appropriation $190,000 the first year and $190,000 the second year from the general fund shall be provided to Virginia Commonwealth University for the continued operation and expansion of the Virginia Autism Resource Center. H.1. Out of this appropriation, $13,203,366 the first year and $13,203,366 the second year from the general fund shall be provided for Virginia's Part C Early Intervention System for infants and toddlers with disabilities. 2. By October 1November 15 of each year, the department shall report to the Chairmen of the House Appropriations and Senate Finance Committees on the (a) total revenues used to support Part C services, (b) total expenses for all Part C services, (c) total number of infants, toddlers and families served using all Part C revenues, and (d) services provided to those infants, toddlers, and families. I. Out of this appropriation $6,148,128 the first year and $6,148,128 the second year from the general fund shall be provided for mental health services for children and adolescents with serious emotional disturbances and related disorders, with priority placed on those children who, absent services, are at-risk for custody relinquishment, as determined by the Family and Assessment Planning Team of the locality. The Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services shall provide these funds to Community Services Boards through the annual Performance Contract. These funds shall be used exclusively for children and adolescents, not mandated for services under the Comprehensive Services Act for At-Risk Youth, who are identified and assessed through the Family and Assessment Planning Teams and approved by the Community Policy and Management Teams of the localities. The department shall provide these funds to the Community Services Boards based on an individualized plan of care methodology. J. The Commissioner, Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services shall allocate $1,000,000 the first year and $1,000,000 the second year from the federal Community Mental Health Services Block Grant for two specialized geriatric mental health services programs. One program shall be located in Health Planning Region II and one shall be located in Health Planning Region V. The programs shall serve elderly populations with mental illness who are transitioning from state mental health geriatric units to the community or who are at risk of admission to state mental health geriatric units. The commissioner is authorized to reduce the allocation in each year in an amount proportionate to any reduction in the federal Community Mental Health Services Block Grant funds awarded to the Commonwealth. K. The Commissioner, Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services shall allocate $750,000 the first year and $750,000 the second year from the federal Community Mental Health Services Block Grant for consumer-directed programs offering specialized mental health services that promote wellness, recovery and improved self-management. The commissioner is authorized to reduce the allocation in each year in an amount proportionate to any reduction in the federal Community Mental Health Services Block Grant funds awarded to the Commonwealth. L. Out of this appropriation, $2,197,050 the first year and $2,197,050 the second year from the general fund shall be used for jail diversion and reentry services. Funds shall be distributed to community-based contractors based on need and community preparedness as determined by the commissioner. M. Out of this appropriation, $2,400,000 the first year and $2,400,000 the second year from the general fund shall be used for treatment and support services for substance use disorders. Funded services shall focus on recovery models and the use of best practices. N. Out of this appropriation, $2,780,645 the first year and $2,780,645 the second year from the general fund shall be used to provide outpatient clinician services to children with mental health needs. Each Community Services Board shall receive funding as determined by the commissioner to increase the availability of specialized mental health services for children. The department shall require that each Community Services Board receiving these funds agree to cooperate with Court Service Units in their catchment areas to provide services to mandated and nonmandated children, in their communities, who have been brought before Juvenile and Domestic Relations Courts and for whom treatment services are needed to reduce the risk these children pose to themselves and their communities or who have been referred for services through family assessment and planning teams through the Comprehensive Services Act for At-Risk Youth and Families. O. Out of this appropriation, $17,701,997 the first year and $17,701,997 the second year from the general fund shall be used to provide emergency services, crisis stabilization services, case management, and inpatient and outpatient mental health services for individuals who are in need of emergency mental health services or who meet the criteria for mental health treatment set forth pursuant to House Bill 559 and Senate Bill 246, 2008 Session of the General Assembly. Funding provided in this item also shall be used to offset the fiscal impact of (i) establishing and providing mandatory outpatient treatment, pursuant to House Bill 499 and Senate Bill 246, 2008 Session of the General Assembly; and (ii) attendance at involuntary commitment hearings by community services board staff who have completed the prescreening report, pursuant to House Bill 560 and Senate Bill 246, 2008 Session of the General Assembly. P. Out of this appropriation, $8,800,000 the first year and $8,800,000 the second year from the general fund shall be used to provide community crisis intervention services in each region for individuals with intellectual or developmental disabilities and co-occurring mental health or behavioral disorders. Q. Out of this appropriation, $1,900,000 the first year and $1,900,000 the second year from the general fund shall be used to expand community-based services in Health Planning Region V. These funds shall be used for services intended to delay or deter placement, or provide discharge assistance for patients in a state mental health facility. R. Out of this appropriation, $2,000,000 the first year and $2,000,000 the second year from the general fund shall be used to expand crisis stabilization and related services statewide intended to delay or deter placement in a state mental health facility. S. Out of this appropriation, $4,150,000 the first year and $4,650,000 the second year from the general fund shall be used to provide child psychiatry and children's crisis response services for children with mental health and behavioral disorders. These funds, divided among the health planning regions based on the current availability of the services, shall be used to hire or contract with child psychiatrists who can provide direct clinical services, including crisis response services, as well as training and consultation with other children's health care providers in the health planning region such as general practitioners, pediatricians, nurse practitioners, and community service boards staff, to increase their expertise in the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of children with mental health disorders. Funds may also be used to create new or enhance existing community-based crisis response services in a health planning region, including mobile crisis teams and crisis stabilization services, with the goal of diverting children from inpatient psychiatric hospitalization to less restrictive services in or near their communities. The Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services shall report on the use and impact of this funding to the Chairmen of the House Appropriations and Senate Finance Committees beginning on October 1, 2014 and each year thereafter. T. Out of this appropriation, $3,300,000 the first year and $8,700,000 the second year from the general fund shall be used for up to 32 drop-off centers to provide an alternative to incarceration for people with serious mental illness. Priority for new funding shall be given to programs that have implemented Crisis Intervention Teams pursuant to § 9.1-102 and § 9.1-187 et seq. of the Code of Virginia and have undergone planning to implement drop-off centers. U. Out of this appropriation, $1,250,000 the first year and $1,250,000 the second year from the general fund shall be used to develop and implement crisis services for children with intellectual or developmental disabilities. V. Out of this appropriation, $1,750,000 the first year and $2,000,000 the second year from the general fund shall be used to provide community-based services to individuals residing in state hospitals who have been determined clinically ready for discharge. W. Out of this appropriation, $600,000 the first year and $600,000 the second year from the general fund shall be used to provide mental health first aid training and certification to recognize and respond to mental or emotional distress. Funding shall be used to cover the cost of personnel dedicated to this activity, training and certification, and manuals and certification for all those receiving the training. X. Out of this appropriation, $1,132,620 the first year and $620,000 the second year from the general fund shall be used to expand access to telepsychiatry services. Y. Out of this appropriation, $950,000 the first year and $3,800,000 the second year from the general fund shall be used to implement four new Programs of Assertive Community Treatment (PACT). Z. Out of this appropriation, $3,500,000 the first year and $4,000,000 the second year from the general fund shall be used to increase availability of community-based mental health outpatient services for youth and young adults. AA. Out of this appropriation, $2,750,000 the first year from the general fund shall be used for the provision of services for individuals transitioning out of Northern Virginia Training Center into community settings. BB. Out of this appropriation, $250,000 the first year and $500,000 the second year from the general fund shall be used to increase mental health inpatient treatment purchased in community hospitals. Priority shall be given to regions that exhaust available resources before the end of the year in order to ensure treatment is provided in the community and do not result in more restrictive placements.

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EMU reform preferences: Is there a consensus between French and German MPs? Agreement between France and Germany is seen as a prerequisite for any substantial reform of Europe’s Economic and Monetary Union, but how feasible is it to find consensus positions between members of the French and German parliaments? Drawing on a new study, Sebastian Blesse, Pierre C. Boyer, Friedrich Heinemann, Eckhard Janeba and Anasuya Raj demonstrate that when it comes to the future of the EU and the Eurozone, ideological differences matter more than national differences between French and German representatives. However, for EMU-related policies and reform options, there is a strong and robust difference between parliamentarians of both countries even if they belong to the same party family. The dramatic years of the euro area debt crisis have yielded substantial learning effects. The verdict that the European Monetary Union (EMU) in its initial set-up resembles a “half-built house” has become a far-reaching consensus. After substantial reforms of fiscal rules, the set-up of the European Banking Union and the establishment of the permanent European Stability Mechanism, the political and academic reform debate remains intense and the future of the Eurozone unclear. When it comes to the political feasibility of EMU reforms, the existence of a French-German consensus is usually seen as one of the necessary (albeit not sufficient) conditions. Using an original survey of French and German members of national parliaments (henceforth abbreviated MPs) we provide novel insights on the extent to which this consensus exists. We consider three potential drivers of preferences: (a) nationality, (b) ideology, and (c) personal characteristics. We focus in particular on the need to disentangle the influences from nationality (i.e., the “cultural” Rhine divide) and ideology/party membership. The former would constitute a long-run obstacle to a German-French consensus, while the latter can change with elections. For policies like Eurobonds, the Fiscal Compact and the European Central Bank asset purchase programme we find a robust difference between MPs of both countries even if they belong to the same party family and controlling for individual characteristics. Based on our estimates, however, we predict agreement between German left-wingers and French conservatives even for ideological differences that are smaller than the current difference between the left and the right European party families. Our findings suggest that deeply-rooted national differences between countries do not impose a prohibitive obstacle to a German-French parliamentary consensus on European Monetary Union policies. National parliaments and survey description Our study is unique insofar as it is based on the first comparative survey of euro reform preferences in national parliaments in the euro area: France (covering both chambers, the Assemblée Nationale and the Sénat) and Germany (Deutscher Bundestag). German MPs in our survey were elected in late 2013 for four years in office. The Assemblée Nationale and the Sénat are the lower and the upper house of the legislative branch in France, respectively. While MPs in the Assemblée Nationale are elected by majority decisions in up to two rounds for five years (starting in our sample in 2012 for the legislative term ending in 2017), members of the Sénat are indirectly elected by elected officials of various tiers of government. Half of the senators are elected every three years for a six-year term, the last election preceding our survey being September 2014. We received 232 completed questionnaires from 1,552 national MPs in Germany and France in total (a response rate of 14.95 per cent). In what follows, we use the respective fraction membership in the European Parliament (EP) as the measure of the left-right position. Our baseline estimates consider MPs from the fractions of both Socialists and Democrats (S&D), Greens (Greens/EFA) as well as European United Left–Nordic Green Left (GUE/NGL) as left-leaning MPs, which we compare to the conservatives of the European People’s Party group (EPP), the Europe of Nations and Freedom (ENF) and the Liberals (ALDE). We look at the relative importance of ideology and nationality for EMU policy preferences. Figure 1 provides a scatter plot of the estimated marginal effects for both the national dummy (France) and the ideological dummy (left) together with the 45° lines where the absolute size of marginal effects of ideology and nationality is identical. Our regression results suggest that ideology matters more than nationality: positions within the shaded area indicate that the impact of ideology exceeds that of the national dummy for all included national and EMU-related reform issues. Since, for EMU issues, the sign of the estimated France dummy always corresponds to that of the left party family, EMU preferences tend to be most polarised between a German conservative and a French MP from the left. Conversely, a French conservative is more aligned to a German policy maker from the left, since the nationality and ideology effects counteract each other in this comparison. The descriptive evidence provides some support for the “Rhine divide” hypothesis. Significant differences between German and French politicians are found in key areas concerning the future of the Eurozone: the desirability of a strong ECB role, mutual guarantees through Eurobonds and fiscal constraints like those of the Fiscal Compact. Compared to their French colleagues, German members of the Bundestag are also more sceptical when it comes to a new stabilisation instrument like the European Unemployment Insurance (EUI), or common tax policy, although country polarisation is less pronounced for these two policies. However, no strong national cleavage can be detected for an important supply side issue like more labour market flexibility, for which only the partisan cleavage appears to be very strong. Distinct national differences – beyond those explained by ideological differences – are much less pronounced when it comes to national growth increasing policies. When in the same political camp, Germans and French MPs do not hold very different views in this regard. Figure 1: Marginal effects of ideology and nationality Note: This figure plots the magnitude of estimated coefficients of party ideology and nationality on all survey questions taken. The marginal effects for the France and the Left dummy are marked on the x- and the y-axis, respectively. The plot does not take statistical significance into account. The shaded area identifies the range where the marginal effect of ideology exceeds that of nationality. For more information, see the authors’ accompanying paper at European Union Politics. Discussion and outlook Our results indicate that ideological differences concerning the future of Europe and the Eurozone are quantitatively more important and more robust than national differences between the French and the Germans. However, for EMU-related policies and reform options we find a strong and robust difference between parliamentarians of both countries even if they belong to the same party family. Individual characteristics of members of parliament play only a minor role. Our results suggest that institutional reforms relating to economic policies in the Euro area may be backed by national parliaments when in both France and Germany the majorities in parliament share the same ideological position. However, even accounting for ideological differences, a “Rhine-divide” prevails in fiscal and monetary issues of the EMU. For more information, see the authors’ accompanying paper at European Union Politics Note: This article gives the views of the authors, not the position of EUROPP – European Politics and Policy or the London School of Economics. Featured image credit: La Moncloa – Gobierno de España (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0) Sebastian Blesse – ZEW / University of Frankfurt Sebastian Blesse joined ZEW’s Research Department “Corporate Taxation and Public Finance” as a researcher in June 2015. He is PhD candidate in Economics at the University of Frankfurt and a member of the SFB 884 “Political Economy of Reforms” in Mannheim. His research interests include fiscal federalism (e.g. administrative border reforms), empirical taxation, attitudes towards public policy and political economy as well as applied econometrics. Pierre C. Boyer – École Polytechnique Pierre C. Boyer is Professor at École polytechnique (Center for Research in Economics and Statistics). He is the Programme Director of the research group “Democracy and Institutions” at the Institut des Politiques Publiques (IPP) in Paris. He is Research Fellow at the CEPR (London) and the CESifo (Munich). His research interests include public economics, political economy, European integration, and banking regulation. Friedrich Heinemann – ZEW / University of Heidelberg Friedrich Heinemann is Head of the Department “Corporate Taxation and Public Finance” at the Leibniz Centre for European Economic Research (ZEW) in Mannheim as well as Professor of Economics at the University of Heidelberg. His research focuses on empirical public finance and political economy in the context of European integration. He has extensively contributed to the European Union reform debate with proposals on the future of the European budget and the institutional set-up of the euro area. Eckhard Janeba – University of Mannheim Eckhard Janeba is a Professor of Economics at the University of Mannheim (Germany) since 2004. He is a member of the Board of Academic Advisors to the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy, and from 2013 to 2018 he was the Chairman of the Independent Advisory Board to the German Stability Council. Eckhard Janeba’s research interests are in public economics and international trade. Anasuya Raj – École Polytechnique Anasuya Raj is PhD candidate at École Polytechnique (Center for Research in Economics and Statistics) and an affiliated PhD student at the Institut des Politiques Publiques (IPP) in Paris. Her work is mainly in public finance, with a focus on income taxation and political economy, and on European integration. September 27th, 2019|Anasuya Raj, current-affairs, Eckhard Janeba, EUP series, featured, Friedrich Heinemann, Pierre C. Boyer, Sebastian Blesse|0 Comments

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Weak government, strong parliament? A preview of Theresa May’s legislative challenges Being the first without a majority in the Commons or the Lords for 40 years, how will May’s minority government implement any part of their legislative agenda? How will committees function? Will the smaller parties in the Commons work together? Marc Geddes, Alexandra Meakin, and Louise Thompson offer a preview of how the 2017 Parliament may function. With the general election result coming as something of a surprise, our expectations about the way that the 2017 Parliament would work have been thrown into doubt. Without the large government majority that most expected, Parliament has arguably been empowered. Theresa May’s government must be far more receptive to the will of MPs and peers in order to ensure a majority vote on proposals. So: what lies ahead? Legislation and procedure The recent swearing in of MPs and Peers paves the way for the first, and crucial, item of business for the start of any parliamentary session – the Queen’s Speech. Most obvious will be the impact of the election on the content of the speech. Brexit Minister David Davis has already confirmed that elements of the Conservative manifesto will have to be ‘pruned’. This is partly the result of the Prime Minister’s small parliamentary majority, but it is also the result of her reliance on the DUP from now on. The party’s leader, Arlene Forster, has said it is ‘right and proper’ that her MPs support the Queen’s Speech, but all eyes will be on the speech itself – to see if any Northern Ireland issues are included – as well as on the vote – to see just how tight the numbers are. The 2015 speech passed by 326 votes to 279. The 2017 Queen’s Speech will pass by a much narrower margin, though it is unlikely that it will not be passed. More challenging will be the passage of the full legislative programme over the rest of the parliamentary session (something which may have influenced the government’s decision to cancel the 2018 Queen’s Speech). If, as forecast, the government operates on a “confidence and supply” basis with the DUP, rather than a full coalition agreement, we may see some difficulties with the behind-the-scenes procedure in the Commons. While the government retains control over the vast majority of time in the chamber, it still works within the “usual channels” – the network of the Government and Opposition Chief Whips, the Leader of the Commons, and the Private Secretary to the Government Chief Whip – to utilise this control. It is unclear whether the official opposition, having indicated a wish to use parliamentary procedure to attack the government, will continue to cooperate within the usual channels as before (for example, over decisions over the allocation of select committee chairs and scheduling of debates). An added twist is the role of the DUP, who as the fifth largest party would not normally have any role in key decisions, but may now seek such participation. With DUP support only committed on votes of confidence and certain finance votes, opposition parties may also decide to suspend pairing: the informal arrangement where the whips manage absence from MPs by pairing MPs from opposite parties to ensure their absences cancel each other out. Even the most routine votes may become far more difficult for the government to win. The status of the government means that opposition strategy will become even more important. The SNP made headlines in the last parliament for their highly cohesive and disciplined operation, often turning up to Commons debates en masse. Although they did work with Labour MPs, the two parties were often at odds with each other over their support for the government. Indeed, the SNP went so far as to claim that they were the ‘real opposition’ in the chamber. But where they did work together, they demonstrated that they could stop the government in its tracks. Most notable here was the party’s decision to flout the traditional EVEL policy and oppose the government’s fox hunting legislation. As a result, the government withdrew the measure before the Commons could even consider it. The SNP may be a much reduced force in the coming Parliament, but will want to ensure that their cohesion can be used to maximum effect. Committee scrutiny of bills Party balance is not only of concern on legislation. Oral questions, committee appointments, management and governance committees, speaking rights in the chamber, all proceed on the basis of the party balance. As a result, the governing party would usually hold the majority of committee positions and more of its MPs would be called to speak in debates. But in a minority government situation, this will no longer be guaranteed. Meg Russell has already noted that bill committees could become particularly contentious over the next few months. The committee stage of bills is generally considered by parliamentary observers to be ritualistic and uneventful; with a built in government majority, it only aids the speedy passage of legislation (the NHS reform bill was one brief exception, with a revised version being sent back to committee). Opposition amendments can – and do – pass, but usually only with the assent of the government minister. Government defeats are rare and usually opportunistic, with opposition MPs pushing amendments to a division if they realise that government MPs have stepped out of the room or failed to turn up in time. It is not yet clear what the party balance of MPs will be on committees, but if the government has a very slim – or indeed no – majority, this type of opportunism could become the norm. It is unlikely that we would see bills being defeated at committee stage, but it could mean that the government is forced to accept amendments or new clauses which it would otherwise have rejected. There has also been much speculation about the future of the English Votes for English Laws procedures. As the House of Commons library blog demonstrates, the Conservatives still retain a majority in each of the three EVEL constituencies. This means that it will be much harder for opposition parties to block measures in the Commons which proceed through the EVEL procedures – and this will also apply to committee stages. So we can expect to see smaller parties protesting about this. The SNP have said before that ‘English only’ issues affect Scotland, and that they are willing to vote on them. Select committee scrutiny As with public bill committees, there are questions over the make-up of select committees. The allocation and election of chairs will be especially important to watch. Allocations are decided by the usual channels and there might be calls from Labour to gain an extra chair (in 2015-17, the Conservatives held 12 chairs and Labour 10). In general, we can also make some wider assumptions: Public Accounts, Standards and Backbench Business are traditionally held by the opposition; Treasury and Foreign Affairs by the government. The SNP held two committee chairships in the last parliament but the reduction of the party, there might be questions over whether the number of chairs is also reduced. Beyond allocations, who will fill the roles? Policy scrutiny is hugely dependent on the relationships, reputations, and performance styles that chairs adopt. In the past, Andrew Tyrie was a big thorn in the government’s side, but his retirement leaves the chairship of the Treasury Committee (and Liaison Committee) open (Jacob Rees-Mogg has already announced his intention to stand). Neil Carmichael lost his seat at this election, meaning there will be a new chair for the Education Committee. In general, we do not know who will stand or re-stand because nominations have not opened yet. There are also questions about whether former Labour frontbenchers will return to the Shadow Cabinet at some point in the future (for example, although there were early rumours that Yvette Cooper could become Shadow Home Secretary, this has not happened). Will Hilary Benn seek election to chair the Brexit Committee? As a defining issue for British politics, and given the hung Parliament, this could be a pivotal brokering role despite the complications the committee has faced in the past. Can it build the much-desired cross-party consensus? Or could it be overshadowed by a cross-party commission? As with the Brexit Committee, committee success is dependent on size and make-up. Interestingly, it is not clear yet if select committees will have a government majority. Membership is supposed to reflect the balance of the House, so what will this mean for the standard 11-member committee make-up? Six Conservatives, four Labour and one from a third party might be difficult for the opposition to accept, so could we see an even split between the main parties? In any case, it is unlikely that committees will hit the ground running any time soon: elections for chairs are pencilled in for early- to mid-July, but membership is unknown and with parliamentary recess, we might not see any committee hearings until October. This could, of course, empower newly-elected chairs to set their agenda and build links to key stakeholders inside government and outside organisations. This brings us to the final point: what exactly will be on the agenda for committees? The threat of another general election and eight-year term limits on chairs (many of whom were elected in 2010) could keep agendas tightly focused on short-term issues, with wider implications for scrutiny. Any suggestion of suspending pairing, as mentioned above, might make overseas trips difficult for committees. Issues for the new Parliament As might be clear by this point, there are huge questions over the government’s ability to carry out an ambitious political programme. That said, there are huge issues that Parliament faces, including: security and terrorism; austerity and deepening social inequalities (as epitomised by the recent Grenfell disaster); power-sharing in Northern Ireland, especially as a result of ongoing talks between the Conservative Party and the DUP; and – a defining moment in British politics and history – continued negotiations over Brexit. The legislative agenda means that these are likely to be challenging times for our Parliament. What does seem clear, however, is that Parliament itself is unlikely to undergo major reforms. Restoration and renewal of the Palace of Westminster, already far behind schedule, is likely to be kicked into the long grass; the 2010 constituency boundaries look remarkably resilient despite an ongoing boundary review; and House of Lords reform is unlikely. Indeed, the battles between the Lords and the Commons are likely to continue: the new government is likely to face similar battles as its predecessor (which was defeated 98 times by Peers in two years), due to its lack of a majority in the second chamber. And unlike its predecessor, the position of the new government may be impeded by its lack of a majority in the Commons, raising issues around whether the Salisbury Convention applies if a mandate has not been secured for specific manifesto commitments. For years, Parliament was seen to be in decline: a trajectory that changed course in 2010 when a new House of Commons rebuilt its reputation after the expenses scandal. Over the last seven years, rejuvenated select committees and more topical debates in the chamber have reinstated Parliament at the heart of our representative democracy. Yet there is much we do not yet know about how MPs and Peers will view their roles; how committees will function; whether the smaller parties in the Commons will work together; and whether the Conservative-DUP arrangement can survive. The last two years in Parliament demonstrate the difficulty of predicting the future, but as the first government without a majority in the Commons or Lords for 40 years sets out its legislative agenda, it is likely that Parliament’s importance could increase even further. The question therefore becomes: will Parliament step up? Marc Geddes is Lecturer in British Politics at the University of Edinburgh. Alexandra Meakin is a PhD candidate in the Department of Politics at the University of Sheffield, and a Research Associate in the Crick Centre. Louise Thompson is Lecturer in British Politics at the University of Surrey. Image credit: Pixabay/Public Domain June 20th, 2017|Alexandra Meakin, British and Irish Politics and Policy, Featured, GE2017, Louise Thompson, Marc Geddes, Party politics and elections|3 Comments The Remainers who now chair select committees will harry the government over Brexit – PSA Parliaments Group July 26, 2017 at 9:30 am - Reply […] Conservatives’ poor performance in the General Election raises the prospect that the pendulum of power may have swung towards Parliament and against the government. With a shaky Commons majority, secured only through a semi-formal deal […] The Remainers who now chair select committees will harry the government over Brexit : Democratic Audit UK July 14, 2017 at 11:04 am - Reply Weak government, strong parliament? A preview of Theresa May’s legislative challenges – PSA Parliaments Group June 21, 2017 at 9:30 am - Reply […] function? Will the smaller parties in the Commons work together? In a blog originally posted on LSE British Politics and Policy, PSA Parliament exec members Marc Geddes, Alexandra Meakin, and Louise Thompson offer a preview of […] Get our latest articles in your inbox daily Flybe rescue: why the government may be putting the green revolution at risk How the UK’s migration regime negatively affects the lives of transnational couples Book Review | After Extinction The public’s climate change views: strong beliefs but low salience All articles posted on this blog give the views of the author(s), and not the position of LSE British Politics and Policy, nor of the London School of Economics and Political Science. Please read our comments policy before commenting.

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Home Movies 10 Bollywood Biopics To Be Released In 2016 | All You Want... 10 Bollywood Biopics To Be Released In 2016 | All You Want To Know About Them Kritika Murari 10 Most Anticipated Biopics To Be Released In 2016 Bollywood has learned to be original when it comes to film-making. They have now understood that there are many great untold stories in India that are just waiting to be told to the masses. 2016 will be the year of biopics as around twenty biopics, from Neerja to M.S. Dhoni are slated for release this year. So here are the details of 10 Bollywood biopics to be released in 2016. 10 Bollywood Biopics To Be Released In 2016 1. Neerja Bollywood Biopics To Be Released In 2016 – Neerja This film is based on the life of a flight attendant Neerja Bhanot, who saved 359 lives on a Pan Am plane hijacked in 1983. She was awarded bravery certificates from India, Pakistan and USA. You may be surprised to know that she was just 23 when it all happened. Sonam Kapoor will be portraying her role in the movie to released on 19 February. 2. Aligarh Manoj Bajpayee in Aligarh Aligarh is based on the on the real life incident of Dr. Shrinivas Ramchandra Siras, the professor of Marathi in the Aligarh Muslim University, who was suspended because of his sexual orientation. After successfully appealing his suspension, he died in suspicious circumstances. Manoj Bajpayee plays the role of Siras, the movie will hit the screens on 26 February. 3. Azhar Bollywood Biopics To Be Released In 2016 – Azhar Azhar is based on the life of the rather controversial former Indian Cricket captain Mohammad Azharuddin. The film will tell us all about the glorious on-field and off-field life of the cricketer, which was full of scandals. If you remember, he was also banned from cricket after reports of involvement in match-fixing. Emraan Hashmi will play Azhar’s role. The movie is slated to release on 13 May. 4. Sarbjit Sarbjit Poster The movie will tell us about Sarabjit Singh, who was convicted by a Pakistani court for spying and terrorism. His family kept fighting in order to prove Sarabjit’s innocence but suffered the brunt of troubled political relations between India & Pakistan. It stars Randeep Hooda as Sarabjit and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan playing his sister, Dalbir, will be released on 19 May. 5. Raees Bollywood Biopics To Be Released In 2016 – Raees This crime-drama film tells the story of the infamous Gujarati don and bootlegger Abdul Latif Shaikh, whose role will be played by none other than superstar Shah Rukh Khan. Raees is one of the most anticipated movies of 2016. It also stars Mahira Khan and Nawazuddin Siddiqui in lead roles. It will be released on the occasion of Eid. 6. Dhoni: The Untold Story First look of Dhoni: The Untold Story Captain of the Indian Cricket Team M.S. Dhoni’s life will be portrayed on the big screen in the form of an inspiring tale titled as M.S. Dhoni – The Untold Story. It will cover the cricketer’s journey from being a small-town boy to becoming the most successful Indian captain. Sushant Singh Rajput will be playing the lead role of Dhoni in the movie and it will release on 2 September. 7. Dangal Bollywood Biopics To Be Released In 2016 – Dangal Dangal is based on the life of wrestler Mahavir Singh Phogat played by Aamir Khan, who taught wrestling to his daughters Babita Kumari and Geeta Phogat. Geeta Phogat went on to become the first Indian female wrestler to win gold at the 2010 Commonwealth Games while Babita Kumari won the silver. The movie will hit screens on 23 December. 8. Haseena- The Queen of Mumbai Sonakshi Sinha in & as Haseena The movie titled Haseena- The Queen of Mumbai will tell us about one of Dawood Ibrahim’s 12 siblings- Haseena Parkar, who was at the seventh position and was supposedly the closest to Dawood. Sonakshi Sinha will be playing Haseena’s role in the movie and it will go on floors from February. 9. Daddy Arjun Rampal in Daddy In the political drama Daddy, Arjun Rampal will be seen as gangster-turned-politician Arun Gawli. He is even growing a beard in preparation for his character in the film. Gawli has been convicted of the murder and is currently imprisoned for life. The movie is expected to release this year only. 10. Rani Laxmi Bai Biopic (Yet Untitled) Kangana Ranaut to play Rani Laxmi Bai The biopic on Rani Lakshmi Bai aka Jhansi Ki Rani will be an Indo-British production and it will be made on a grand scale. Kangana Ranaut will be portraying the lead role, she will be training extensively in sword-fighting, horseback-riding, and other warfare skills to make the movie realistic. To be directed by Ketan Mehta, it will go on floors this year. 10 most awaited Bollywood movies of 2016 10 Bollywood clashes in 2016 Are you excited to see these epic stories on the big screen? Tell us what you feel below! Neerja Sarabjit Previous articleHot News : Brad Pitt and Deepika Padukone to work together very soon! Next article10 Biggest Bollywood Clashes of 2016 | It’s going to be an interesting year! https://www.facebook.com/kritika.murari.3 Kritika just loves writing about Bollywood. Reading is like oxygen and writing is food for her. She also loves to travel and explore. Most Watched Bollywood Movies In Cinemas, Highest Footfalls For Bollywood Movies Highest Opening Day Collection | Top Opening Day Grossers Of Bollywood Aamir Khan Upcoming Movies 2019 To 2022 With Release Date & Other Details Bollywood 300 Crore Club Movies, Actors, Actresses And Collection Details Amitabh Bachchan Upcoming Movies With Release Dates And Other Details Karan Johar’s Shiddat will feature Arjun Kapoor, Alia Bhatt and Varun... Special Screening of PK for Aamir Khan’s family Fan Vs Dilwale Vs Happy New Year Vs Chennai Express :...

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Anything but Football HBO: Game of Thrones Started by JHav, May 29, 2011 Danko/Manuel 15 Roster Player AF89, Billy Ocean, Goal Line D and 1 other like this Billy Ocean 30,821 The Tan Mamba Pure Football AF89 and Jimsmusic™ like this I haven't started reading the books yet, but this clearly has to be an error by whoever HBO got to write their synopsis for last night's episode. In the courtyard at Winterfell, Theon addresses the castle's residents, offering a grotesque message of what happens to those who defy him: the charred remains of the Stark boys. Maester Luwin lets out a bereaved howl, as even Theon is disgusted by what he's done. http://www.hbo.com/#...r/synopsis.html I never for a second that those 2 charred bodies were Bran and Rickon.. I thought it was clearly supposed to be those 2 orphans that Bran sent to live on that farm last week. We even saw them run into the farm house toward the middle of the episode before Theon sent Maester Luwin back to Winterfell. I do hope somebody stops Theon from committing anymore atrocities in Winterfell's courtyard soon though. mdrake34 62,948 AFMB Hall of Fame I finally started reading GOT tonight. So good. muskokas finest © 7,580 It isn't nearly so obvious in the books falcon_bob 2,462 Veteran Falcon not even close I refuse to click on any of these spoilers. Yall are deep into the books. Jimsmusic™ and AF89 like this Taking a big chance just coming into this thread. AF89 likes this Everyone here is respectful of the non-readers and puts things from the books in spoiler tags. The only real danger you run is missing an episode and coming in here. Well, almost everyone here is respectful. Captain ****-****-Fart-opotomus out in California thought he would be cool and drop the spoiler to end all spoilers in here. kane#7 and Billy Ocean like this Jimsmusic™ 1,819 dumbledor dies? F*CK The books are full of holy $hit moments and despite the best of intentions, accidents will happen. Heisenberg 423 I'm going to be really, really, really disappointed if Dagmer Cleftjaw ends up being Ramsay Snow. At first I thought it was stupid that people were coming to that conclusion, but the more I see of him the more the thought kinda starts creeping into my head too. Ramsay Snow's reveal in the book is in my opinion the biggest WTF moment in the entire series, and it's going to make absolutely zero sense if Dagmer ends up revealing himself as Ramsay, but he's taking all of Reek's lines and moments of being the devil on Theon's shoulder. Not to mention the fact that Dagmer looks way too old and it wouldn't make any sense for him to have been on Pyke in the first place. Goal Line D 2,787 BWAH HA HA HA HA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! <--------wipes off screen. Ewwwwwwww. Billy Ocean and mdrake34 like this Ohhhh boy. I Tee'd that one up huh? Like you were setting up on a par 5. Cappy doesn't post in this thread so this should be safe... You made it way too easy. A Sprite brain freeze will make ya say the darndest things! It's pretty amazing to think how successful the show has become. I doubt that even HBO believed that an epic fantasy series would appeal to such a wide audience. They're killing it in the Sunday 10:00PM ratings, and actually just cable ratings in general.. regardless of day/time. But when you factor in all the replays and pirating, the numbers are just crazy. ‘Game of Thrones’ again crowned cable ratings lord over ‘Mad Men,’ ‘Real Housewives’ Fantasy drama drew 3.7 million viewers and won the most 18- to 49-year-old viewers as well HBO's "Game of Thrones" delivered its weekly smackdown to everything else on cable TV Sunday night. The complex drama about a fantasy kingdom, which has not shied from ultra-violence this season, drew about 3.7 million viewers. That topped everything else in sight on cable, including "SpongeBob Squarepants" (3 million) and the Disney movie "Good Luck Charlie" (3.6 million). "Game of Thrones" also far outdistanced every other cable show among the advertiser-coveted 18- to 49-year-olds. The only show that came close was "Break," which follows "Thrones" on HBO. Audiences for other Sunday night cable shows, which were competing with finales of "Desperate Housewives" and "Survivor" on broadcast networks, included 2.27 million for Lifetime's "The Client List," 2.26 million for Bravo's "Real Housewives of New Jersey and 2.13 million for AMC's "Mad Men." Cable shows often add several million viewers with repeat showings and time-shifting. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Game Of Thrones Tops 2012 Piracy Charts, Copyright Wars Continue The second season of Game of Thrones is on track to be 2012's most pirated television show with more than 25 million downloads for the first six episodes since the series' debut on April 1. The show hit its highpoint after episode 5, "The Ghosts of Harrenhal," was downloaded more than 2.5 million times in a single day, according to Forbes citing numbers from media monitoring firm Big Champagne. It's not clear if you can legitimately count each download as a single viewer, but consider this: the season finale for Game of Thrones Season One had just 3 million viewers, according to Entertainment Weekly. So in a single day, a mid-season episode from season two gained almost as much attention from pirates, as the show's first season finale did from paying subscribers. This is just the latest sign of the ever widening gap between the desire of content producers to protect their content with digital rights management (DRM) and the desire of audiences to consume content on their terms and for free. This has prompted a seemingly never ending battle between pirates and Hollywood. Recent skirmishes include the addition of more unskippable piracy warnings on DVD and Blu-ray discs, while some Internet service providers block their customers from accessing torrent-related sites – namely ThePirateBay. There are even reports that a new service called Pirate Pay wants to resurrect the idea of using technical means to disrupt and shut down popular BitTorrent swarms, according to Torrent Freak. It's no surprise that popular shows from specialty channels such as HBO and Showtime consistently top piracy charts. Showtime's Dexter Season Six and Game of Thrones Season One, for example, were the two most-pirated shows of 2011, Torrent Freak said in a separate report. Not only do you need a cable television subscription to view these shows when they debut, but high-profile series from HBO and Showtime rarely see digital distribution soon after their initial broadcasts. Some HBO subscribers can use the HBO Go service to view their favorite shows online, but non-subscribers are left out in the cold waiting for shows to land on Amazon on Demand, Hulu, iTunes, Netflix, or DVD and Blu-ray. That leaves two choices: wait for the disc and digital release (more than seven months later, Dexter fans are still waiting for season six or choose piracy. Millions of people, it seems, are choosing the latter. Competing With Free So the solution is clear, right? Soon after their broadcast debuts release shows like Game of Thrones on Amazon and iTunes and all those pirates will disappear with the wildlings behind the Wall. Well, not necessarily. AMC sells the latest season of Mad Men on iTunes allowing you to download episodes the day after initial broadcast. And yet, Sunday's episode of Mad Men still made the Pirate Bay's top 200 torrents list on Monday morning. Chalk it up to impatience, a distaste for pre-roll video ads, the need to have DRM-free material, or international audiences that can't access the content any other way, but it's clear digital availability doesn't kill piracy. Even the recent trend of comedians such as Aziz Ansari, Louis C.K. and Jim Gaffigan releasing DRM-free comedy specials for the rock-bottom price of $5 hasn't stopped all pirating of their content. The alternative, however, is for content creators to lock down their content, wage war against viewers, and cling to still lucrative but antiquated contracts with national cable providers. It may not be time yet for content creators to embrace the future and go digital, but have no doubt: broadcast television's summertime youth is over and winter is coming. Hella apropos for this forum... "How do I feel about finding out who will win the White House?" - Couldn't care less. "How do I feel about finding out who will win the Iron Throne?" AF89, kane#7, Jimsmusic™ and 2 others like this Falconcheff 4,973 Oddly, I just recently read a news report that said most networks are befuddled at how to gain the all-impotant 18-49 demographic. In the coming seasons I suspect we will see everything from a "Hunger Games" series to a "World of Warcraft" series by the networks in an attempt to capture this swell, much as we did with the reality genre... Too bad they will all epically fail without HBO's brilliant production... Goal Line D, kane#7, Billy Ocean and 1 other like this Check Out Time's Magazine's Cover For This Month... Goal Line D, AF89, Jimsmusic™ and 2 others like this Go To Topic Listing Anything but Football

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Sean Sutherlin Jayden Martinez Seth Pinkney Josh Hopkins Rich Kelly Nick Guadarrama Sports College basketball Basketball College sports Men's college basketball Men's basketball Men's sports Quinnipiac MAAC New Hampshire America East Kelly propels Quinnipiac to 75-67 win over New Hampshire HAMDEN, Conn. (AP) — Rich Kelly poured in a season-high 36 points and sparked a late run as Quinnipiac defeated New Hampshire 75-67 on Saturday. Jayden Martinez buried a 3-pointer with 4:23 left in the game to give New Hampshire a 60-58 lead. Seth Pinkney’s dunk pulled the Bobcats (3-4) even at 60 and Kelly scored seven straight points to push the advantage to 67-60 with 1:20 remaining. The Wildcats (5-5) couldn’t get closer than three points from there. Kelly made 13 of 18 shots from the floor, including 5 of 6 from 3-point range, as Quinnipiac shot 56% overall, 47% from distance (8 of 17) and made 17 of 22 from the foul line. No other Bobcat scored more than seven. Josh Hopkins topped New Hampshire with 21 points on 6-of-7 shooting from beyond the arc. Sean Sutherlin and Martinez posted double-doubles for the Wildcats. Sutherlin had 12 points and 13 rebounds for his fifth double-double of the season. Martinez added 12 points and 11 boards for his fourth straight double-double and fifth of the season. Nick Guadarrama pitched in with 12 points, six rebounds and four assists. New Hampshire used just six players in the game.

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STATEMENT of the Committee of Representatives of the Orthodox Churches to the European Union on the Council of Europe Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence Against Women and Domestic Violence (Istanbul Convention). The Committee of the Representatives of the Orthodox Churches to the European Union (CROCEU) strongly condemns violence against women and domestic violence. The Orthodox Church sees all men and women equal in their dignity before God and equal in their rights within society. According to the teaching of the Orthodox Church man and woman are to treat each other with respect and honour. The Orthodox Church honours women in the person of the Mother of our Lord Jesus Christ, “ who is more honourable than the Cherubim, and beyond compare more glorious than the Seraphim”. Being aware of the fact that the protection of women from domestic violence and other forms of violence needs effective legal tools and measures to be dealt with, CROCEU welcomes the intention of the signing parties of the Convention to provide a legally binding document aimed to create a common comprehensive framework in this area. CROCEU takes into consideration that the Istanbul Convention entered in force on 1 August 2014 and had been signed by almost all member States of the Council of Europe and by the European Union. CROCEU, however, expresses serious concerns about the introduction into the text of the Convention of a new legal term, namely “gender” and other terms related to it. Ongoing public discussions about the true meaning of this term confirm the lack of the unified and unanimous approach to its interpretation among those who are supposed to implement the Convention into the legislation of their countries. There is a strong reason to believe that the Convention could be used as the first step towards future attempts to legalise the notions of “gender” and “gender identity” in the context, which would contradict the biblical teaching about men and women and relations between them (“slippery slope argument”). CROCEU invites the countries that have already signed and ratified the Convention to interpret its provisions, especially the term “gender” and terms related to it, within the understanding of “two sexes” as created by God, namely male and female. As Christians, we support all efforts on both international and national levels to protect women against violence. We do believe that legislation in this area has to be provided with legal terms and aiming to support family in which a man and a woman love and respect each other, building harmonious relations. Let us remember Saint Paul’s teaching about family: a holy union of a man and a woman created and blessed by God. We therefore call upon the European countries to work on a legal framework that will protect family as a social value. As Orthodox Christians, we call upon all those of good will to promote the sanctity of the institution of family and its importance for safeguarding the future of Europe.

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Languages: EnglishFrenchSpanishChinese Finance & Development, March 2008 Finance & Development International Monetary Fund. External Relations Dept. Commodity Boom: How Long Will It Last?" asks how economies will fare after the record-high prices of key raw materials posted in recent months, which build on dramatic increases from their lows of 2000. The lead article warns that the impact on headline inflation levels might persist throughout 2008, even without further commodity price hikes. It urges policymakers to ensure efficient functioning of market forces at the global level, and to move swiftly to protect the poorest. Another article addresses the effects of climate change on agriculture, warning that farm production will fall dramatically-especially in developing countries-if steps are not taken to curb carbon emissions. Other articles on this theme argue that policies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions need not hobble economies, and that financial markets can help address climate change. "People in Economics" profiles John Taylor; "Picture This" says the global energy system is on an increasingly unsustainable path; "Country Focus" spotlights South Africa; and "Straight Talk" examines early warnings provided by credit derivatives. Also in this issue, articles examine China's increasing economic engagement with Africa, and the outsourcing of service jobs to other countries. Finance&Development, March 2008 PEOPLE IN ECONOMICS Commodities Boom: Riding a Wave Climate Change and the Economy Global Warming and Agriculture Paying for Climate Change The Greening of Markets Financial markets can play a valuable role in addressing climate change Rising Temperatures, Rising Risksx Africa’s Burgeoning Ties with China Maximizing the benefits of China’s increasing economic engagement with Africa Jobs on Another Shore COUNTRY FOCUS SOUTH AFRICA Reducing GHG emissions Heavy EU trading Benefiting from innovations Active green trading Blowing hot and cold Weathering the storms IT IS not immediately obvious what role financial markets can play in addressing climate change. Climate change happens slowly and has a global impact on the physical environment, whereas financial markets react to news in fractions of a second and are almost liberated from specific physical locations. the low energy intensity of the financial sector means that reductions in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions would have little impact on the physical operations of financial markets and institutions (unlike, for instance, their effects on electricity production or transport). Nevertheless, financial markets potentially play two important roles in the policy response to climate change (see table). First, they foster mitigation strategies—that is, the steps taken to reduce GHG emissions for a given level of economic activity—by improving the efficiency of schemes to price and reduce emissions (for example, carbon permit trading) and the allocation of capital to cleaner technologies and producers. Second, financial markets can cut the costs of adaptation—that is, how economies respond to climate change—by reallocating capital to newly productive sectors and regions and hedging weather-related risks. In recent years, markets in carbon permit trading, weather derivatives, and catastrophe (CAT) bonds have seen sharp increases in activity and innovation, which bodes well for the future. But if a basic understanding of finance is not reflected in policy design, climate change policy can suffer setbacks. Hence, recognizing how financial markets will react to climate change initiatives, and how they can best promote mitigation and adaptation, will become crucial to shaping future policy and minimizing its costs. On the mitigation front, a large number of countries have committed, or are likely to commit, to targets to curb GHG emissions by 2012 under the Kyoto Protocol or its successor arrangement. In addition to regulatory restrictions, this policy goal can be achieved through either emissions taxes or schemes to cap emissions and allow trading of permits. In such an environment, financial markets can reinforce commercial pressures on firms to reduce emissions. One such mechanism is the “green” investment fund. Originally part of the movement for “socially responsible” or “ethical” investment, such funds were established in the 1980s to invest only in companies working to limit the environmental damage they caused. Since then, more specialist funds have been launched that invest in companies, projects, and technologies involved in reducing GHG emissions. In fact, some recently launched equity indices comprise only shares of companies that have low GHG emissions or are investing in abatement technologies. The amounts invested in green funds are as yet too small to have a significant impact on overall equity performance. But if the post-Kyoto settlement results in a significant tax on, or price for, GHG emissions, then companies with low current emissions or investments in abatement technologies should outperform the market. Indeed, this already seems to have been anticipated by equity investors. When launched in October 2007, the 300 stocks comprising the HSBC Global Climate Change Index had outperformed the MSCI World Index by 70 percent since 2004. Identifying the right tools Financial instruments can help minimize the costs of reducing greenhouse gas emissions and adapting to climate change. Climate change–related investments Market for catastrophe and weather risks Mitigation strategies Adaptation strategies Tradable emissions permits Investment funds in sectors that could profit from climate change (for example, water and nuclear) Catastrophe risk transfer instruments (for example, CAT bonds and swaps) Futures and options on emissions permits Investment funds dedicated to clean technologies Weather and crop insurance Funds investing in emission permits Projects earning carbon credits Derivatives for hedging weather risk Intended effects Minimization of costs of given level of reduction of greenhouse gas emissions Efficient reallocation of capital in response to climate change Risk sharing of natural catastrophe and weather-related risks Provision of new capital for financing climate change mitigation Maintenance of insurability of weather risks and reduction in premiums Provision of price signals of weather-related risks and costs Source: Deutsche Bank (adapted). More generally, as GHG emissions are taxed or rationed, to the extent that companies are unable fully to pass on these costs, the cost of capital for heavy emitters will suffer relative to their competitors. such price signals will reallocate capacity to sectors and regions in which production, investment, and research are most profitable, given a higher price for emitting GHGs. A second mechanism is the Kyoto Protocol’s Clean Development Mechanism (CDM), which allows cheaper emissions reductions in emerging markets and low-income countries to be certified by the UN and then sold as credits to offset emissions in cap-and-trade schemes in high-income countries. Substantial funds have been raised to invest in projects to benefit from certified emissions reductions under the CDM. Credits worth €12 billion were sold into the European Union’s Emissions Trading scheme (ETS) in 2007, and funds dedicated to carbon reduction projects now exceed €10 billion. However, the CDM’s effectiveness is limited by slow project accreditation and concerns about both project quality and whether they make any appreciable difference to GHG emissions growth in emerging economies. A third mechanism—and the clearest example of a financial market playing a central role in climate change mitigation policy—is carbon emissions trading. Following the precedent of the U.S. market for sulphur dioxide (SO2) permits—which reduced SO2 emissions at low cost—provision for permit trading was included in the Kyoto Protocol, and trading schemes have been developed in the European Union, Australia, and the United States. The European Union ETS is the largest such market, with €9.4 billion in EU allowances traded in 2005, €22.4 billion in 2006, and €28 billion in 2007. In volume terms, trading has grown considerably since 2005 (see Chart 1). The European Union ETS began in 2005 with a trial phase, and in early 2008 it moved into Phase II—which is designed to implement the European Union’s Kyoto Treaty emissions reduction target from 2008 to 2012. Futures trading in EU allowances started in 2004, and futures and spot EU allowances are now traded on five exchanges and by seven brokers, concentrated in London. Weekly turnover has grown to more than 20 million tonnes of carbon dioxide (CO2) equivalent, roughly 70 percent of which is traded through brokers. Liquidity has improved substantially, with instantaneous trades now possible at tight bid-offer spreads. Initially, energy companies were the primary market participants, but investment banks and hedge funds have also become active traders. Chart 1Active green trading Carbon trading in the European Union has been growing, despite price volatility. Source: European Climate Exchange (ECX). Note: Data as of February 5, 2008. Such cap-and-trade schemes are intended to minimize the cost of a given level of pollution abatement by creating property rights to emit, administratively limiting the supply of permits to the target level, distributing permits (either by auction or by direct allocation), and allowing them to be traded so that emitters short of permits are forced to buy them from those that are “long” because of abatement. Theoretically, this should result in the marginal cost of abatement equaling the price of a permit within the scheme, with emissions being cut by the most cost-efficient producers—a result that is equivalent to an optimal GHG emissions tax (see “Paying for Climate Change” in this issue). Has the European Union ETS proved successful? A liquid market for carbon has been created whose price has reflected changing market fundamentals. The significant price of emissions permits has generated some incentives toward abatement. Nevertheless, some lessons have been learned. First, price volatility has been higher than necessary. Most notably, permit prices in April 2006 dropped sharply because of rumors and selective publication of information by some EU members, indicating that permits had been overallocated in Phase I (see Chart 1). Subsequent confirmation that the scheme as a whole was net “long” resulted in the collapse of the Phase I price to close to zero. Allowing unused Phase I permits to be banked for use in Phase II would have limited price sensitivity and reduced reputational damage to the scheme. In addition, more frequent and careful release of market-sensitive data would have reduced unnecessary volatility and increased confidence in price reliability. Second, so far the European Union ETS has fostered trading of EU allowances with little impact on long-term investment. When the price of EU allowances was at the higher end of its range, some energy companies reportedly switched marginal production from dirtier coal to cleaner, gas-fired power stations. Some producers also say that a significant price for carbon is encouraging energy-saving investment. However, attention has focused on buying credits from outside the EU scheme (principally from China), where abatement costs are substantially lower. In addition, Phase II of the scheme is insufficiently long lived to provide credible incentives for investment in cleaner energy technologies. Consequently, the fall in EU carbon intensity has slowed, despite the ETS, and recent performance has been worse than in the United States. “Perhaps the clearest way in which financial markets can help with adaptation to climate change is through the increased ability to trade and hedge weather-related risk.” These lessons have prompted a comparison with the prerequisites for successful emissions trading and those for credible monetary policy. For a cap-and-trade scheme to develop long-term credibility, authority should be delegated to an independent central bank–type institution that is given a politically driven target to abate emissions at the lowest cost. This institution would be charged with the transparent and careful release of data, enforcement of long-term property rights, and discretion to change bankability and safety valve provisions to keep the price of permits within a set range to achieve its goal. On the adaptation front, financial markets can help to reduce the costs of climate change in several ways. First, markets should generate price signals to reallocate capital to newly productive sectors and regions. By shifting investment to sectors and countries with higher rates of return (for example, water and agricultural commodities), the costs of adaptation would be reduced below those that would arise from an inflexible capital stock. For instance, climate change is likely to change the dispersion and intensity of rainfall, leading to greater conservation investment in newly arid regions and in crops that use less water. The recent outperformance of companies specializing in water purification and distribution suggests that such factors are beginning to be reflected in equity prices. But perhaps the clearest way in which financial markets can help with adaptation to climate change is through the increased ability to trade and hedge weather-related risk, which, some meteorologists believe, will increase as a result of climate change. Weather derivatives offer producers whose revenue is vulnerable to short-term fluctuations in temperature or rainfall a way to hedge that exposure. Exchange-traded weather derivatives focus primarily on the number of days that are hotter or colder than the seasonal average within a defined future period. For instance, if there are more cold days than average over the contract period, those that have bought the “cooling degree day” future will enjoy a payout proportionate to the excess number of cold days. Futures enjoy low transaction costs and often relatively high liquidity. However, the parameter used to determine the futures contract payout may not be correlated exactly with a firm’s actual losses if extreme weather occurs. Hence, trading such derivatives often provides only an approximate hedge for firms’ weather-related exposures. After a slow start in the late 1990s, the exchange-traded weather derivatives and insurance markets have grown strongly in recent years (see Chart 2), with a reported turnover of weather contracts exceeding $19 billion in 2006–07, from $4–5 billion in 2001–04. Exchange-traded contracts have focused primarily on short-term trading of temperature in selected U.S. and European cities, with liquidity now concentrating in near-term contracts as hedge funds and investment banks take a larger share of turnover. Chart 2Blowing hot and cold The demand to trade contracts providing protection against excessive temperature and rainfall has grown considerably. Source: PricewaterhouseCoopers. 1 Reduction in notional value traded in 2006/07 is largely the result of a move to monthly, rather than seasonal, contracts on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange. Weather derivatives are complemented by weather swaps and insurance contracts that hedge adverse weather and agricultural outcomes. For instance, insurance contracts are being sold that pay out if temperature or rainfall in a specified area exceeds the seasonal average by a sufficient margin. Governments in some lower-income countries (for example, India and Mongolia) are offering crop and livestock insurance as a way to protect their most vulnerable farmers. Ethiopia pioneered drought insurance in 2006. Governments can assist in developing weather derivatives and insurance by providing reliable and independent data on weather patterns. These data enable market participants to model weather risk at a particular location with greater accuracy and so offer a lower price for insurance. Similarly, neutral tax, legal recognition, and regulatory treatment of weather derivatives and insurance are necessary to ensure that artificial barriers to the market do not arise unintentionally. Given that climate change is predicted to produce more extreme weather events, CAT bonds offer a new way for financial markets to disperse catastrophic weather risk (Hofman, 2007). At their simplest, CAT bonds entail the proceeds of the bond issue being held in an escrow account and surrendered to the issuer if a parameter(s) measuring an extreme natural catastrophe, such as a hurricane or an earthquake, breaches a specified trigger level. For this insurance, bond investors are paid a yield premium, and the principal is returned if the trigger is not breached by the time the bond matures. The results are potentially profound for the continuing supply (or extension) of weather catastrophe insurance and the protection of vulnerable sectors, such as agriculture and coastal property. They offer insurers many more flexible ways to access the global capital markets to undertake catastrophe risk, thus allowing insurance to continue to be provided despite climate change. CAT bonds were devised in the early 1990s, following the large payouts resulting from Hurricane Andrew in 1992, to enable reinsurance companies to divest themselves of extreme CAT risk and economize on capital. Until 2005, CAT bond issuance was less than $2 billion a year. But after Hurricane Katrina depleted industry capital, issuance has risen dramatically, with $4.9 billion in 2006 and $7.7 billion in 2007 (see Chart 3). Demand for CAT bonds has been strong from hedge funds and institutional investors looking for higher yields uncorrelated with other bond markets. Chart 3Weathering the storms Demand for catastrophe (CAT) bonds has accelerated in recent years as investors search for risks that aren’t correlated with other financial markets. Source: Swiss Re Capital Markets. Although CAT bonds and other innovative ways of raising capital for weather-related reinsurance constitute only about 10–15 percent of global reinsurance capacity for extreme weather risk, their establishment as a global asset class should ensure that, if weather catastrophes do deplete the capital of the reinsurance industry in the future, it can be replenished more rapidly through the global capital markets. Premiums for weather risk insurance are already more stable following extreme weather events, and future insurability should be maintained at a reasonable cost, even if climate change results in their greater intensity. How can governments respond to maintain insurability of weather-related risks despite climate change? First, authorities can restrict development in areas vulnerable to flooding or wind damage. Second, they can invest in flood defenses or water conservation measures to help private insurers continue to provide flood or drought coverage at a reasonable cost. Third, governments should refrain from subsidizing or capping flood or hurricane insurance premiums, because doing so encourages risky behavior and prevents the private insurance market from generating price signals to smooth adaptation to climate change. Higher premiums, or the withdrawal of insurance coverage, will provide incentives to curtail risky behavior and exposure to extreme weather. Permitting vulnerable property developments can make weather catastrophes an unnecessarily large fiscal threat—perhaps even for high-income countries. Governments could consider hedging their fiscal exposures to catastrophes by directly issuing CAT bonds (as Mexico did in 2006 to provide earthquake insurance) or by participating in collective schemes to pool their weather-related risks, such as of hurricanes (as 16 Caribbean countries did in conjunction with the World Bank in 2007 through the Caribbean Risk Insurance Facility—a $120 million regional disaster insurance facility). Demand for new CAT risks for diversification is exceptionally strong in the CAT bond market at present, so the insurance offered for new risks should be of relatively good value. Rating agencies could consider raising the credit ratings of low-income sovereign borrowers vulnerable to weather-related catastrophes if they cap their extreme fiscal risks through insurance. As with weather derivatives, providing longer runs of reliable and independent weather data enables insurance modelers to project weather patterns with greater confidence, thereby reducing the cost. It seems likely that financial markets will play an integral role in climate change mitigation and adaptation in the future. Securities markets will reward those companies that successfully develop or adopt cleaner technologies. Cap-and-trade seems to be becoming the mitigation policy of choice in high-income countries, in which case the global market in permits for GHG emissions is likely to become the largest global commodity market. Although weather derivatives and CAT bonds do not offer a complete panacea—as yet, only hedges against weather and catastrophe risks are available out to five years—recent rapid innovation and deepening in these markets prompt optimism that they will continue to innovate and further help adaptation to climate change. The growth of hedge funds and the appetite for risks that are uncorrelated with other financial markets mean that there is likely to be continuing demand for financial instruments that provide investors a premium to assume weather risk despite climate change. The ingredients for innovation exist, and governments should consider ways in which they can foster and take advantage of such innovations. Statement of Ownership, Management, and Circulation required by 39 USC 3685. 1. Title: Finance & Development. 2. Publication No. 123-250. 3. Date of filing: February 12, 2008. 4. Frequency: Quarterly. 5. Number of issues published annually: four. 6. Annual subscription price: NA. 7/8. Complete mailing address of known office of publication/publisher: Finance & Development, International Monetary Fund, 700 19th Street, N.W., Washington, DC 20431. 9. Full names and complete mailing address of the headquarters of general business offices of the publisher and editor: International Monetary Fund, Washington, DC 20431; Editor-in-Chief: Laura Wallace, same address. 10. Owner: International Monetary Fund, 700 19th Street, N.W., Washington, DC 20431. 11. Known bondholders, mortgagees, and other security holders owning or holding 1 percent or more of the total amount of bonds, mortgages, or other securities: None. 12. Tax status: has not changed during preceding 12 months. 13. Publication title: Finance & Development. 14. Issue date for circulation data below: December 2007. 15. Extent and nature of circulation Average no. of copies each issue in preceding 12 months Actual no. of copies of single issue published nearest to filing date (December 2007) A. Total number of copies 50,475 50,800 B. Legitimate paid and/or requested distribution 6,196 6,208 C. Total paid and/or requested Circulation 6,196 6,208 D. Nonrequested copies 9,810 9,659 E. Nonrequested copies distributed through the USPS by other classes of mail 625 632 F. Nonrequested copies distributed outside the mail 30,238 29,918 G. Total nonrequested distribution (sum of D, E, and F) 40,672 40,209 H. Total distribution (sum of C, D, E, and F) 46,868 46,417 I. Copies not distributed 3,607 4,383 J. Total (sum of H and I) 50,475 50,800 Percent paid and/or requested circulation 13.22 13.37 I certify that the statements made by me above are correct and complete. Laura Wallace, Editor-in-Chief Paul Mills is a Senior Economist in the IMF’s Monetary and Capital Markets Department. Hofman, David, 2007, “Time to Master Disaster,” Finance and Development, Vol. 44 (March), pp. 42–45. Hofman, David, 2007, “Time to Master Disaster,” Finance and Development, Vol. 44 (March), pp. 42–45.)| false

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Posts Tagged genocide Posted by cathannabel in Literature on November 28, 2017 These are the books that have made the most impression upon me, that have made me want to read everything by that author, tweet madly about how wonderful they are and press copies upon everyone I know, during 2017. Many, but not all, appeared during 2016/17. Earlier this year I undertook a challenge, to read 60 books in 60 days. Reader, I nailed it. I also blogged extensively about the books I read and I don’t intend to duplicate those reviews here, though I will list the books that make my ‘best of’ list which were part of that project. Quite a few, actually. One of the first books I read in 2017 was Clive James’ Cultural Amnesia. I commented at the time that this was likely to end up being one of my books of the year, and nothing has displaced it. He made me feel incredibly un-well-read, but without making me feel stupid, rather, inspired to go away and read the stuff he was talking about. It’s truly wide-ranging – people he loathes as well as people he admires, acerbically funny, which is not always easy to pull off whilst being erudite, and it’s a book that I will go back to again and again for enlightenment, for brilliantly pithy comments, and for the impetus to read stuff that I haven’t yet braved. As always, I found myself reading around various aspects of World War II. Anne Sebba’s Les Parisiennes: how the women of Paris lived, loved and died in the 1940s (2016) is a fascinating account, featuring collaborators and resisters and everyone in between, drawing on some sources that I was familiar with but many more that I wasn’t, and weaving them all into a rich tapestry which shows how life in Occupied Paris was both normal and entirely abnormal at the same time, depending on who and where you were. I thought often of Michel Butor’s comment, speaking of his own adolescence in the city, that it felt as though nothing was happening but that the nothing was bloody. Lara Feigel’s The Bitter Taste of Victory: in the ruins of the Reich (2016) again draws upon contemporary sources (with particular, but not exclusive, emphasis on some of the women writers, reporters and artists – Martha Gellhorn, Rebecca West, Lee Miller, Erika Mann) to paint a vivid picture of the devastation of Berlin and other German cities after the end of the War, and during the Nuremberg trials. I followed this up with Rebecca West’s near-contemporary first-hand account, A Train of Powder (1955). Philippe Sands’ East West Street (2016) covered this period too, but from the perspective of those who were developing the definitions of genocide and crimes against humanity which were so crucial to the judgments at Nuremberg and to our response to such crimes in the decades that followed. What makes his account particularly powerful is that he weaves his own family history into that of the architects of the legislation. He makes the connection with his grandfather’s home in Lemberg (aka Lwów or L’viv) which was also where Lauterpacht and Lemberg, the two Jewish lawyers who were so instrumental in giving us the legal framework, grew up and were educated – and who are Sands’ own antecedents too, in his life as an international human rights lawyer. Adding to this coincidence, I found myself reading in quick succession two other family histories, that of Eva Hoffman, born in Cracow at the end of the war but whose parents survived the war in the Ukraine, near Lwów (aka L’viv or Lemberg), emigrating post-war from Poland to Vancouver (Lost in Translation: Life in a New Language), and then that of Lisa Appignanesi (Losing the Dead: A Family Memoir), an account of how her parents passed for Aryan in occupied Poland before relocating to Quebec. Still in WWII but behind the Eastern Front, Nobel Laureate Svetlana Alexievich’s extraordinary oral history, The Unwomanly Face of War (2017) lets us hear the voices of the women who fought in the Red Army. Rather than the stereotypes perpetuated by Soviet propaganda or the opposing Western propaganda, we meet real women who did extraordinary things, who confronted not only opposing armies but prejudice from their comrades in arms and commanding officers, and from their families at home. And personal conflicts too – these often very young women fell in love, and mourned the loss of their femininity, and feared whether they would find husbands when the fighting was done. Alexievich’s book first came out in 1985 but has been expanded to bring in more recent interviews, and material from earlier interviews which could not be published previously. And another remarkable and compelling history from David Olusoga – Black & British: a forgotten history (2016). Alongside bits of history that I was familiar with there’s so much that was new, and ran counter to assumptions that I might have previously made. It also brought back some very early childhood memories, of visits to the forts on the Ghanaian coast, places where slaves were held before they were loaded into the ships to cross the Atlantic. I also thoroughly enjoyed Robert Webb’s How not to be a Boy, clearly a response to Caitlin Moran’s wonderful How to be a Woman/How to Build a Girl. It is extremely funny, and – as with Moran’s books – often very moving as well. Other outstanding non-fiction titles which were part of my 60 books challenge: Aminatta Forna – The Devil that Danced on the Water: A Daughter’s Quest (2003); Noo Saro-wiwa – Looking for Transwonderland: Travels in Nigeria (2012); David Grann – Killers of the Flower Moon: The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI (2017). When it comes to fiction I resent categorisations by genre, which always somehow end up marking some things as ‘literature’ and others as ‘crime’ or whatever. However, given the sheer number of crime/thriller/detective novels that I read, it makes sense to group them together. New discoveries this year include Ben Aaronovitch’s somewhat bonkers urban fantasy detective novel, Rivers of London (2011). This is the start of a series, which I have yet to follow up. I came across Helen Cadbury’s Sean Denton police procedurals, To Catch a Rabbit (2013) and Bones in the Nest (2015) set in South Yorkshire, gritty and gripping. I’d only just read them when I heard that she’d died, an awful loss. There’s one more Sean Denton novel just out, which I haven’t read yet. I’ve been binging on various series featuring women detectives and as a result I’ve run out of several of my current favourites: Jane Casey’s Maeve Kerrigan (Let the Dead Speak, 2017), Susie Steiner’s Manon Bradshaw (latest one is Persons Unknown, 2017), Sarah Hilary’s Marnie Rome (Quieter than Killing, 2017), and Valentina Giambanco’s Alice Madison (Sweet after Death, 2017). They all feature central women characters who are complicated and interesting, tight plotting, intriguing peripheral characters, and an overall plot arc which, whilst it doesn’t prevent each novel from being freestanding, gives a depth to the series if you read them consecutively. Fortunately, whilst I wait for Casey, Steiner, Giambanco and Hilary to come up with new titles (no pressure, but do hurry up!), I’ve got lots to read by Elly Griffiths, whose The Crossing Places (2009) and The Janus Stone (2010) features not a woman cop but a forensic archaeologist, Ruth Galloway. I’m looking forward to the rest of this series. Noah Hawley was new to me as a novelist, but I’d loved his writing for three TV series of Fargo, full of wit and heart and surprises. His 2016 novel, Before the Fall lived up to the expectations that Fargo had raised. It’s a thriller, about truth and lies, fame and reality. And a writer new to me but channelling (very convincingly) one of my all-time favourite detective novelists, Dorothy L Sayers. Four new Lord Peter Wimsey stories from Jill Paton Walsh, a delightful chance to reacquaint myself with Peter and Harriet and Bunter and (oh joy!) the Dowager Duchess, and to see them in the context of world events and radical changes in society. (Thrones, Dominations (1998)/A Presumption of Death (2002)/The Attenbury Emeralds (2010)/The Late Scholar (2013)) And some fantastic 2017 titles which were part of my 60 books challenge: Sam Bourne – To Kill the President, Jo Furniss – All the Little Children, Lesley Glaister – The Squeeze , Jane Harper – The Dry . Another terribly sad loss this year was that of Helen Dunmore. I’ve read most of her work over the years, this year alone I read three (The Lie (2014)/Exposure (2016)/The Betrayal (2010)). I’m grateful for all the pleasure her books have given me, and that there are a few more for me to look forward to reading, including her final novel, Birdcage Walk. This was the year I finally finished a ten-year project – to read all of Proust. In French. Le Temps retrouvé bit the dust in April, and I blogged about it here. Prompted by my University of Sheffield Book Group, I read Harper Lee’s Go Set a Watchman (2015). I suspect I’m not the only person with a deep fondness for To Kill a Mockingbird, and a tendency to idolise Atticus Finch, who’d kind of been putting this off, having read some of the reviews (and the controversy about whether Lee genuinely wanted this to be published and/or had the capacity to make that decision). I’m glad I did read it, but it’s complicated, and I will be pondering more about this separately, because reading it sent me off on so many different trains of thought. And finally, after reading another alt. US history (Philip Roth’s The Plot against America) I got round to Sinclair Lewis’s account of a demagogue, ‘vulgar, almost illiterate, a public liar easily detected, and in his “ideas” almost idiotic’, who wins the Democratic presidential nomination and then the Presidency. He wins support despite the vulgarity and the lies and the lack of content in his speeches by addressing the people as if ‘he was telling them the truths, the imperious and dangerous facts, that had been hidden from them.’ And he attacks the Press in very familiar terms: I know the Press only too well. Almost all editors hide away . . . plotting how they can put over their lies, and advance their own positions and fill their greedy pocketbooks by calumniating Statesmen who have given their all for the common good. It is impossible to read It Can’t Happen Here (1935) without seeing the current incumbent of the White House in the place of Buzz Windrip. In the run-up to his election, the Guardian analysed the similarities, and the Washington Post compared Trump not only to Windrip but to Philip Roth’s Charles Lindbergh. We are forewarned. As part of the 60 books challenge, I read more from long-term favourite writers Stevie Davies (Awakening, 2013), Patrick Gale (The Whole Day Through, 2009), Rose Tremain (The Gustav Sonata, 2016) and Livi Michael (Succession, 2014). I’ve already followed up Livi Michael’s excellent Wars of the Roses historical novel with the rest of the trilogy (Rebellion, and Accession). I finally read The Handmaid’s Tale and The Garden of the Finzi Continis. I discovered new writers: Sarah Moss, Nii Ayikwei Parkes, Per Petterson, and Andrew Michael Hurley, amongst others. This represents only a fraction of what I’ve read in 2017. The 60 books are fully documented, and outside of that project I’ve tried to keep a note as I go along, but I know I’ve forgotten some things (maybe justly, maybe not). And of course this list represents the best of what I’ve read, the stuff that, as I said earlier, I’ve been evangelical about getting other people to read, and have followed up or plan to follow up with more by the same writer. I have a policy of not mentioning the books I’ve read (completed or abandoned) which I’ve found tedious, or badly written, or just profoundly mediocre (although if I found something I was reading to be pernicious, dangerous, defamatory or whatever, I reserve the right to make a noise about that). Generally, though, let other pens dwell on clunky dialogue, cardboard characters and so forth – the world is full of books that give pleasure and enlightenment, that inform and move and delight, and I’d rather talk about them. Meantime, my ‘to read’ pile never seems to diminish, no matter how much and how fast I read. Priorities include finishing Anthony Beevor’s magisterial The Battle for Spain, which I put to one side during my 60 books challenge, and have not yet resumed, and others which I have still to acquire, Coulson Whitehead’s The Underground Railroad, Jon McGregor’s Reservoir 13, Maggie O’Farrell’s memoir, I am, I am, I am (as well as any of her novels I haven’t read yet), and lots more Ali Smith. Right, better get back to the books… https://cathannabel.blog/2017/08/13/60-books-in-60-days-reading-challenge-days-1-14/ https://cathannabel.blog/2017/08/27/60-books-in-60-days-reading-challenge-days-15-28/ https://cathannabel.blog/2017/09/30/60-books-in-60-days-reading-challenge-completed/ Anne Sebba, Ben Aaronovitch, Caitlin Moran, Clive James, David Olusoga, Dorothy L Sayers, Ellie Griffiths, genocide, Ghana, Harper Lee, Helen Cadbury, Helen Dunmore, Jane Casey, Jill Paton Walsh, Lara Feigel, Noah Hawley, Occupied Paris, Philippe Sands, Proust, Rebecca West, Robert Webb, Sarah HIlary, Sinclair Lewis, Susie Steiner, Svetlana Alexievich, Valentina Giambanco Rwanda: remember – unite – renew Posted by cathannabel in Genocide on April 5, 2014 It’s twenty years since we all blinked and failed to notice that hundreds of thousands of people were being hacked to death in a small country in Africa. Twenty years since we decided that the appropriate response to machete-wielding mobs on the streets, targeting anyone whose ID card gave the wrong ethnic origin, was to withdraw almost all the peace-keeping forces stationed there, and tell the rest they could not intervene. Twenty years since we waffled and fudged about ‘acts of genocide’ and muddled up Hutus and Tutsis, and showered emergency aid on killers, and muttered about tribalism, and ‘six of one…’. There are all sorts of excuses. The failed intervention in Somalia, the joyous distraction of the South African elections (for once, a good news story from Africa), and the general reluctance to commit troops and risk ‘our’ people’s lives in such a messy, chaotic and volatile situation. But it is inescapable that part of the reason that we didn’t stop it happening was because of where it was happening. Because, as Francois Mitterand actually said, more or less, in Africa massacres aren’t such a big deal. In many ways, genocides resemble one another more than they differ from each other. If we discount scale, as we must, since it is the intention to wipe out a race/group/community rather than the numbers involved, or the degree of success in that endeavour that defines genocide, there is a common trajectory that we can trace. The group marked for destruction must be isolated, vilified, made objects of fear as well as hatred. They may be identified as less than human – vermin, lice, cockroaches – since no one baulks at the death of such creatures. They must be classified, marked, labelled, listed, so that they can be tracked down. And once the killing starts, for the group marked for destruction there is the desperate search for safety, for shelter and protection, the knowledge that each person you encounter may denounce or protect you. Not only that, but the threat to those who did try to help that they too, and their families, would die if they were exposed. In fact, merely refraining from murder may be an act of resistance likely to be punished with death. There are things about Rwanda however, that are different. Firstly, the sheer speed of the events that engulfed that small country in Africa is staggering. There had been decades of sporadic massacres, which is why a Tutsi rebel army, composed mainly of refugees and children of refugees, was in the process of invading the country. And preparations had certainly been laid well in advance, lists drawn up and machetes stockpiled. But still, from the trigger of the shooting down of the President’s plane to the RPF victory only four months elapsed. Four months, and 800,000 people dead. Many more maimed, raped, traumatised, orphaned. So much destruction in such a short time. A tsunami of brutality, when everything was irrevocably changed in moments. There was no great machinery of bureaucracy to process the destruction of the Tutsi, who were killed, for the most part, by their own neighbours, or by the militia on the roadblocks who simply needed to ask for their ID to know whether they should die. There were no camps set up to process those captured and marked for death, just places where people sought refuge and instead found that their hoped-for sanctuary was in fact a trap where the killers waited until they were gathered together, before sweeping in to destroy. There was not even the pretence of any fate for the Tutsi other than death. And because of the speed, and because the victims, like their murderers, were in many cases rural people, not highly educated and literate, and if they hid it was in the bush, there is no Anne Frank, no Helene Berr from Rwanda, both murdered, but who left records of what it was like to have to hide, to live in fear, to be marked for death. The narratives of Rwanda are those of the survivors. Whole clans were wiped out, so that now it is as if, as a survivor put it, a page in the album of humanity has been torn out, and of many of those families and individuals there may be virtually no trace remaining. After all, that’s what genocide aims to do. It’s never enough to kill all the people, you have to kill their history, their culture. But that’s one of the odd things about the Rwandan genocide. The Hutu and Tutsi peoples were not distinguishable from each other by a language – even an accent – or a religion. They were – supposedly – different in physique, but in reality decades of intermarriage meant that one could not actually identify anyone reliably in this way. The mythology of their enmity was fostered by successive colonial governments, who favoured first one group and then the other, exploiting the tensions that this created. The different names existed, certainly, but the identities were not fixed. Because Hutu and Tutsi were associated with different modes of life, if your circumstances or occupation changed, your ‘ethnic’ identity could change too. It was the colonial governments who put in place the system of identity cards that stated which group one belonged to, and made that identity fixed and inescapable. Many, many ordinary people did extraordinary things to protect friends, neighbours or total strangers. And many of those who were there in an official capacity broke ranks to do what they could. Major Stefan Stec, with the UN Peacekeepers, faced down militia at the Hotel Mille Collines, attempting to evacuate some of the many Tutsi and moderate Hutu who had taken refuge there. He was so tormented by the events he witnessed, by his own sense of failure, and by the harsh judgement of many who weren’t there and had no choices to make, on the inadequacy of the UNAMIR response, that he died eleven years later, as a result of PTSD. Romeo Dallaire, who commanded those forces, suffers similarly, and attempted suicide six years after the genocide. And Mbaye Diagne, a Senegalese UN military observer, ferried people through roadblocks to the Mille Collines, bluffing and bribing his way past the militia until he was killed in a mortar attack in May 1994. Yolande Mukagasana’s world changed on 6 April 1994. Within days she had seen her husband killed. She had lost contact with her children. She had come close to death, and had seen people who she, as a nurse, had healed, ready to kill her or hand her over to be killed. She also encountered people who owed her nothing and yet who kept her safe, just because it was the right thing to do. She was tormented first by not knowing her children’s fate, and then by knowing it. Once safe, she threw herself into her old role of healer, but her own healing took a long time – to the simple guilt of having survived when so many didn’t, she added the guilt of having survived when her own children didn’t, and of knowing that others had died for refusing to hand her over, or because they were mistaken for her. She drew orphaned and lost children to her, and started an organisation called Nyamirambo Point d’appui, named after the area of Kigali where she lived with her family, and where she saw her neighbours become murderers. She started to rebuild, there, where she’d lost everything. Yolande writes ‘contre l’oubli’, so that the dead aren’t entirely lost, so that the truth isn’t buried with them. And that includes uncomfortable truths about the role of international bodies, and most particularly of the French government, both actively and passively enabling the genocide. But this duty of memory is not just for the past, but for the future. Surely if we remember what happened twenty years ago in that small African country, as we remember what happened over seventy years ago in Nazi occupied Europe, what happened almost forty years ago in Cambodia, we will see the signs next time before it’s too late? We will make the right choice about whether and when to intervene? Surely? http://www.jmv.hollowtomato.com/jmv/archivesjmv/Mukagasana.pdf http://aflit.arts.uwa.edu.au/AMINAMukagasana.html Yolande Mukagasana – N’aie pas peur de savoir (Robert Laffont, 1999) Rwanda pour memoire, Samba Felix N’Diaye (L’Afrique se filme, DVD, 2001-2003) http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/apr/04/20-years-genocide-rwanda-central-african-republic http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/special/2014/newsspec_6954/index.html http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jacqueline_Mukansonera http://www.freemedia.at/awards/andre-sibomana.html http://voicesofrwanda.org/ http://www.hmd.org.uk/news/remembering-rwanda-%E2%80%93-20-years http://www.kwibuka.rw/ Dallaire, Roméo (2005). Shake Hands with the Devil: The Failure of Humanity in Rwanda. London: Arrow Books. ISBN 978-0-09-947893-5. Des Forges, Alison (1999). Leave None to Tell the Story: Genocide in Rwanda (Report). New York, NY: Human Rights Watch. ISBN 1-56432-171-1. Gourevitch, Philip (2000). We Wish To Inform You That Tomorrow We Will Be Killed With Our Families (Reprint ed.). London; New York, N.Y.: Picador. ISBN 978-0-330-37120-9. Melvern, Linda (2000). A people betrayed: the role of the West in Rwanda’s genocide (8, illustrated, reprint ed.). London; New York, N.Y.: Zed Books. ISBN 978-1-85649-831-9. Melvern, Linda (2004). Conspiracy to Murder: The Rwandan Genocide. London and New York, NY: Verso. ISBN 978-1-85984-588-2. Prunier, Gérard (1998). The Rwanda Crisis, 1959–1994: History of a Genocide (2nd ed.). London: C. Hurst & Co. Publishers. ISBN 978-1-85065-372-1. Prunier, Gérard (1999). The Rwanda Crisis: History of a Genocide (2nd ed.). Kampala: Fountain Publishers Limited. ISBN 978-9970-02-089-8. genocide, Romeo Dallaire, Rwanda, Yolande Mukagasana Holocaust Memorial Day 2012 Posted by cathannabel in Genocide on January 26, 2012 When I was 9 years old, my family lived in Zaria, in Northern Nigeria. It was 1966, and a series of coups d’etat were hiking up tensions between the north and south, tensions which in May and September of that year resulted in mobs seeking out and killing on the streets, in the schools and hospitals and churches, anyone recognised as being of Igbo origin. I don’t know how many died. Probably no one does. Because of the civil war that followed, the pogroms in the north have received little attention – though Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie in her stunning novel Half of a Yellow Sun portrayed these events incredibly powerfully. I was a child, and my parents protected me and my younger siblings from the horror of what was happening. But even as a child I heard and saw enough – even when the adult conversations stopped abruptly in my presence – to be haunted by what I’d half overheard, seen out of the corner of my eye. I’ve needed to try to understand what happened, not just in Northern Nigeria in 1966, but whenever an attempt is made to wipe a group of people from the face of the earth. We’re told that we must remember the past in order not to relive it. It’s a lot more complicated than that of course. In order not to relive it we’d have to understand it. Memories aren’t necessarily trustworthy – after the Liberation, Michel Butor has spoken of how his parent’s generation said of the years of occupation, 1939-1945 was a nightmare, but it’s over, so we’ll forget all of that and pick up where we left off. His generation of writers has been preoccupied with memory, and how we revisit, rework and reshape as we try to master the past. The simple imperative to remember would seem to have done us little good in the generations since Auschwitz. It didn’t stop, or even slow down, the slaughter in Rwanda, the massacres in Srebenica, decades of pogroms in Nigeria, the devastation in Darfur, the killings in Cambodia. But remember we must. The important thing is that we remember right, and we remember well. I’m reminded, oddly perhaps in this context, of a song from South Pacific: ‘You’ve got to be taught To hate and fear. You’ve got to be taught from year to year. It’s got to be drummed in your dear little ear. You’ve got to be carefully taught.’ Frances McDormand’s character in Mississippi Burning echoes these words very closely: ‘Hatred isn’t something you’re born with. It gets taught. At school, they said segregation is what’s said in the Bible… At 7 years of age, you get told it enough times, you believe it. You believe the hatred. You live it… you breathe it. You marry it.’ And so we need to teach the opposite, for the sake of the future. And for the sake of the past. The perpetrators of genocide don’t start by taking lives. First they take everything else – name, livelihood, home, dignity, humanity. For it to be possible for society to collude in this, the victims have to become less than human – cockroaches, perhaps, or lice. Or less, even, than that – one of the most powerful Holocaust documents is a memo, addressing technical problems with vehicle stability. As one reads it, it takes a while before the nature of the destabilising ‘load’ becomes apparent: this load has a tendency to rush towards the light, which causes problems in getting the doors closed. This load may also scream. And so, for the sake of the past, we need to give back to the victims of genocide what we can – their names, their stories, their voices. Serge Klarsfeld reconstructed the convoy lists from the French internment camps and gave the people once herded onto cattle trucks a name, an address, sometimes a photograph, a letter. The photographs of the children – see them if you can bear it, and I think one has to bear it – in their best clothes or on summer holidays, looking solemn or smiling for the camera, tell you everything, in a way, about genocide. Sheffield’s wonderful Ensemble 360 performed music last spring by composers who were imprisoned at Terezin – music created in the midst of a nightmare, by composers who had barely begun to achieve their potential before they were silenced. Hélène Berr is one of the people I will be thinking of on Holocaust Memorial Day. She was 20 when Paris was occupied, from a thoroughly assimilated French Jewish family, a student at the Sorbonne. She was 21 when she started the journal in which, at first, the war and the Nazi persecution are almost background noise. She was almost 23 when she was arrested, a few months before Paris was liberated, and then deported to Auschwitz on one of the convoys from Drancy. It was her 23rd birthday when she was moved from Auschwitz to Bergen Belsen. She was 24 when she died, in Bergen Belsen, 5 days before the camp was liberated. Her journal, kept by surviving members of her family after the war, was finally published in 2008 and when I read it I loved her, and I grieved for the fate I already knew would be hers. Another voice that wasn’t quite silenced, after all. http://www.memorialdelashoah.org/upload/minisites/helene_berr/index.html Hélène Berr, Journal, 1942-1944 (Paris: Éditions Tallandier, 2008) http://gideonklein.cz/fruvod.htm Les 11400 enfants Juifs deportés de france (Mairie de Paris, 2007) http://www.holocaust-history.org/klarsfeld/French%20Children/html&graphics/T0423.shtml Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Half of a Yellow Sun (Harper, 2007) Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, genocide, Helene Berr, Holocaust, Northern Nigeria, West Africa Manifesto/Introduction Posted by cathannabel in Genocide, Literature, Michel Butor on January 22, 2012 My probably infrequent entries to this blog will, I anticipate, fall into three categories, potentially overlapping. Firstly, the work of Michel Butor, nouveau romancier, far less well known than he deserves, one of the most fascinating writers of the postwar era, and all of whose works are rich in allusion and reflection, ideas and passion, intellect and humanity. Secondly, I’ll occasionally write about what other things I’m reading (currently Proust and Stephen King), listening to or watching. And there may be events, anniversaries, and other sources of inspiration that prompt an entry from time to time. I’m an administrator at the University of Sheffield, where I’m also a part-time student, studying French Language & Cultures for my second undergraduate degree (the first, in English & Biblical Studies, was also with Sheffield, many decades ago). I grew up in West Africa, an experience which has been hugely influential on me, and which can be evidenced not only in my enthusiastic support for Ghana’s national football team (in contrast to my despairing loyalty to Nottingham Forest), but also in my interest in postcolonial African history and, because I lived in Northern Nigeria during the bloody preamble to the Civil War, in genocide and xenophobia wherever they manifest themselves. Alongside my work, and my studies, and my family life, I am passionate about music, literature and visual art. My entries to this blog have proved to be more frequent than I had anticipated. And the topics I’m covering have shifted too. I completed the degree referred to above, and am now a part-time PhD student, doing research on Michel Butor and W G Sebald, and that is absorbing all of my writing/thinking energy on those topics. What I’m reading, listening to or watching does inform my blogging, as do events and anniversaries. But if a theme has emerged over the years it has been more political than I anticipated with a strong focus, not just during Refugee Week, on the plight of those who flee war zones and persecution, and how we respond to their need for sanctuary. I retired from my post at the University of Sheffield at the end of 2015 and hope to have more time to think and write, some of the output of which may end up here. You have been warned. Anyone interested in finding out more about Butor – and it would delight me enormously if anyone was inspired to read him by this blog – should start with the novels, which is fine if you read French, a tad more tricky if not, as the English translations are not easy to track down, or rather expensive if you do. I’ll give details of both editions, where possible: Passage de Milan (Paris: Minuit, 1954) L’Emploi du Temps (Paris: Minuit, 1956)/ Passing Time La Modification (Paris: Minuit, 1957)/ A Change of Heart or Second Thoughts Degrés (Paris: Gallimard, 1960)/ Degrees Mobile: étude pour une représentation des États-Unis (Paris: Gallimard, 1962) / Mobile Portrait de l’artiste en jeune singe: capriccio (Paris: Gallimard, 1967) / Portrait of the Artist as a Young Ape Anthologie nomade (Paris: Gallimard, 2004) genocide, Michel Butor, West Africa @GirloftheN Just back from spending a night in a yurt in Derbyshire. 9 hours ago

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North Carolina’s prisons have become warehouses for the mentally ill. Incarcerating the mentally ill is ineffective and inefficient, because it increases their isolation without addressing their underlying problems. Appropriately responding to mental health issues with treatment will keep our communities safer by seeking remedies for the underlying psychiatric issues that drive antisocial behaviors. Perhaps the most immediate example of this issue is the current opioid epidemic. North Carolina, like the rest of the country, is in the midst of a public health crisis due to prescription opioid and heroin abuse. This year, Chief Justice Mark Martin specifically discussed this epidemic during the 2017 State of the Judiciary. The Judicial Branch has joined the fight against drug overdose and opioid addiction, which claimed the lives of almost 1,500 North Carolinians just last year. This epidemic has hit our state hard, and the statistics are staggering. Drug overdose deaths have increased by 350% since 1999. Heroin-related deaths have increased by 884% since 2010. And drug overdoses now cause more deaths than either firearms or motor vehicle accidents, and result in over 20,000 ER visits per year. According to a CBS report, four North Carolina towns— Wilmington, Fayetteville, Hickory, and Jacksonville—are among the nation’s top 20 areas that have been hardest hit by the opioid abuse epidemic. Many of you have witnessed the tragic consequences of this epidemic in your local communities. Now, the legal community must do its part to address this crisis… Our communities have too much at stake to remain passive in the face of this growing threat. Let’s do all that we can to protect all North Carolinians from drug overdoses and prescription drug abuse.” Response to this crisis must come from all sectors, including the criminal justice system, which has the authority to require treatment in a way that the medical system cannot. Decades of tough-on-crime practices employed by the “war on drugs” have led to a system that criminalizes addiction. Mandatory minimums intended to target large-scale drug dealers serve to compound this problem. NC currently imposes mandatory minimum sentencing for any type of heroin mixture, without allowing any room for judicial discretion. While the law’s intended purpose is to target large scare drug traffickers, mandatory minimums result in imposing harsh prison sentences on a person possessing as few as five pharmaceutical opiates. The result, as stated by the North Carolina Supreme Court, is that “small scale dealers and end users have been swept in by the broad language of the statute.” State v. Ellison (2013). NC’s legal system needs to make a concerted effort to ensure that sentences for drug possession are proportional and evidence-based. Saddling individuals with a lifelong criminal record for possessing a handful of pills is counterproductive, and ultimately increases the problems of overcrowded prisons and untreated addiction. Get occasional email updates from us:

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So that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind… -Ephesians 4:14 CiC Blog CiC Articles CiC Videos Ratio Christi Articles About RC RU RC RU Photos Videos About RC My Testimony & Call to Ministry My Sermons & Talks Invite Steve to Speak Financial Donation/Partnership Pray for Us! Join Prayer Team Is There Evidence of Jesus’ Existence Outside of the Bible? April 3, 2018 April 3, 2018 ~ Steve Diseb There are at least 10 ancient non-Christian sources that mention Jesus of Nazareth. All are dated after the New Testament (NT), so the NT is still our best source for learning about Jesus (which I’ll say more about later), but to have an opponent of Christianity confirm information that appears in the NT is significant. The one thing that becomes clear is that Christians considered Jesus God from early on, they were highly moral, and these Christians were willing to die for their belief that Christ rose from the dead. Here is some information these ancient non-Christian sources confirm, which are in harmony with the NT: Jesus lived during the time of Tiberius Caesar. He lived a virtuous life. He was considered a wonder-worker. He had a brother named James. He was acclaimed to be the Messiah. He was crucified under Pontius Pilate. He was crucified on the eve of the Jewish Passover. His disciples believed he rose from the dead. His disciples were willing to die for their belief. Christianity spread rapidly as far as Rome. His disciples denied the Roman gods and worshiped Jesus as God. After Jesus’ execution, Christianity disappeared from public view briefly, but then abruptly grew. (This list is adapted from the book I Don’t Have Enough Faith to Be an Atheist by Norman Geisler and Frank Turek. More in depth critiques of these ancient documents are in The Historical Jesus by Gary Habermas and The Jesus Legend by Paul Rhodes Eddy and Gregory A. Boyd.) Of these ancient non-Christian sources, the following 3 are considered the best because they’re the closest to the actual events and written by ancient historians who have been shown to be trustworthy: Josephus, Jewish historian (written about 90-95 AD) #1 – “At this time there was a wise man who was called Jesus. His conduct was good and he was known to be virtuous. And many people from among the Jews and the other nations became disciples. Pilate condemned him to be crucified and to die. But those who had become his disciples did not abandon his discipleship. They reported that he had appeared to them three days after his crucifixion, and that he was alive; accordingly he was perhaps the Messiah, concerning whom the prophets have recounted wonders.” #2 – “Upon [procurator] Festus’ death, Caesar sent Albinus to Judea as procurator. But before he arrived, King Agrippa had appointed Ananus to the priesthood… [He] was rash and followed the Sadducees, who are heartless when they sit judgment. Ananus thought that with Festus dead and Albinus still on the way, he would have his opportunity. Convening the judges of the Sanhedrin, he brought before them a man named James, the brother of Jesus, who was called Christ, and certain others. He accused them of having transgressed the law, and condemned them to be stoned to death.” Pliny, Roman senator (written about 111 AD) “I have asked them if they are Christians, and if they admit it, I repeat the question a second and third time, with a warning of the punishment awaiting them. If they persist, I order them to be led away for execution; for, whatever the nature of their admission, I am convinced that their stubbornness and unshakable obstinacy ought not go unpunished… They also declared that the sum total of their guilt or error amounted to no more than this: they had met regularly before dawn on a fixed day to chant verses alternately amongst themselves in honor of Christ as if to a god, and also to bind themselves by oath, not for any criminal purpose, but to abstain from theft, robbery, and adultery… This made me decide it was all the more necessary to extract the truth by torture from two slave-women, whom they called deaconesses. I found nothing but a degenerate sort of cult carried to extravagant lengths.” Cornelius Tacitus, Roman proconsul & historian (written in 115 AD) “Therefore, to stop the rumor [that the burning of Rome in 64 AD had taken place by his order], Nero fastened the guilt and inflicted the most exquisite tortures on a class hated for their abominations, called Christians by the populace. Christus [Christ], from whom the name had its origin, suffered the extreme penalty during the reign of Tiberius at the hands of one of our procurators, Pontius Pilatus, and a most mischievous superstition, thus checked for the moment, again broke out not only in Judaea, the first source of the evil, but even in Rome, where all things hideous and shameful from every part of the world find their center and become popular. Accordingly, an arrest was first made of all who pleaded guilty: then, upon their information, an immense multitude was convicted, not so much of the crime of firing the city as of hatred against mankind. Mockery of every sort was added to their deaths. Covered with the skins of beasts, they were torn by dogs and perished, or were nailed to crosses, or were doomed to the flames and burnt, to serve as a nightly illumination, when daylight had expired.” Interestingly, at one time there only existed manuscripts of Josephus with phrasing slightly different from the sections I quoted above that contained what seemed like additions that favored the Christian view of Jesus. Both Christian and non-Christian scholars were skeptical of specific words and phrases. Then, an earlier Arabic version was discovered without the questionable words and phrases, proving that scribes had added to the words of Josephus, but also confirming the authenticity of the Jesus passages. There has never been any ancient manuscript of these writings of Josephus discovered that don’t include the passages about Jesus or Jesus’ brother James (or John the Baptist, who only appears in Josephus and the NT). What’s also interesting is that Josephus and Tacitus mention Jesus being put to death by Pontius Pilate. Despite this, some skeptics in the past have even challenged the claim that Pilate ever existed, not just Jesus. But in 1961 archeologists found an inscription on a Roman building naming Pontius Pilate as the perfect (governor) of Judea. Tacitus, being part of the Roman elite himself, had easy access to records, and it would’ve been extremely sloppy historical writing for him to claim this Roman leader executed a make-believe Jew. Finally, let’s keep in mind that Jesus was a rabbi from the backwaters of the Roman Empire whose ministry only lasted 3 years. The fact that we know anything about him 2,000 years later is incredible. Despite Jesus not being the type of person ancient historians wrote about (they wrote primarily about rulers and conquerors), he has become the most famous and influential person in the history of the world. Whether a believer or a skeptic, that has to make you wonder about what sort of man he was. Furthermore, if Jesus hadn’t risen from the dead, what possible reason did his disciples have ­­– what did they possibly gain – by dying for this lie? Why would the disciples, as eyewitnesses (not fervent followers hundreds of years later), die for something they very well knew was a lie? Published by Steve Diseb Steve DiSebastian is a supported missionary, chapter director, and community apologist with Ratio Christi at Rutgers University. He is an elder at Point Community Church, a near-graduate of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary’s M.Div. program, and a former high school English teacher. Once an atheist, he became a Christian in 2005. View all posts by Steve Diseb ‹ PreviousWhy is God’s Presence So Obvious in the Bible But Not Today? Next ›How Does the New Testament Compare to Other Ancient Documents? 2 thoughts on “Is There Evidence of Jesus’ Existence Outside of the Bible?” Alex Sanfilippo says: Thank you for sharing your wisdom. I really enjoyed reading this. Steve Diseb says: Good to hear! Thank you!

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Tag: Triton NN An SDV goes Gävle On July 11, 2017 By Corporal FriskIn ASW, Sweden5 Comments So it seems that approximately once a year there is some kind of more serious unexplained underwater activity in Finnish or Swedish waters. On 29 June it was the port of Gävle’s turn to be at the centre of attention. Following dredging works in the main sea lane leading into the port, a hydrographic survey was made. As is usually the case when measuring small areas where high precision is needed, a measuring frame was pulled under the water at the correct depth (for simplicity, think of a welded frame being pulled at a constant depth, indicating if it hits something). At the very inlet of the port this indicated some kind of “anomaly”, and it was decided to scan the plot with a multibeam sonar. The area was then scanned between 11:00 and noon, after which followed a lunch break during which the scans were studied closer. It was then that the crew thought that the shape looked “boat like”, and after lunch the area was rescanned around 13:00. The “anomaly” was still there, and the survey vessel ran a few laps around it. The vessel then went to get divers, and when the divers arrived around 14:00 the anomaly wasn’t visible on the multibeam sonar any longer. The object is described as around 12 meters in length, and roughly 3 meters high. A rough skiss of the general dimensions of the anomaly based on the imagery released by SVT. The object seems to cast a shadow towards one of the sides, which according to my understanding is normal for this kind of sounding equipment. Source: Own work It does seem clear that it was some kind of a underwater vehicle. It was observed by professionals, using proper equipment, and observed numerous times before disappearing. It should also be noted that the location meant that if it had been there for any longer periods of time, it would have been hit by a passing merchant vessel. The obvious next question is what kind of a vessel it could have been. It does seem to feature a quite pronounced passenger bay, meaning that it is likely a ‘wet’ swimmer delivery vehicle, SDV, in which divers sit with their gear on, and not a ‘proper’ midget submarine. There are two (likely) operators of these in the Baltic Sea: Russia, and Sweden. Russia (probably) uses the Triton-NN, which rose to fame during the Swedish sub-hunt a few years back when it featured heavily in the speculations. Here there’s the obvious point that Gävle was mentioned by Gerasimov in April as part of a staging area, as discussed on the blog earlier, and as such it is likely the target of some form of intelligence gathering efforts. A more likely candidate, however, seems to be the Swedish JFD SEAL Carrier, which the company has confirmed it has delivered to the Swedish Defence Forces. The likely user is the combat divers Attackdykarna, thought within the Swedish Defence Forces there are also other potential operators under the surface, such as the special forces (SOG), underwater clearance teams (Röjdykare), and even certain army engineers practice diving. Compare the general dimensions of the SEAL Carrier to the skiss above. The vessel is 10,5 m long, with a width of 2,21 m. The stern is sloping (tumblehome, left side of the picture), while the bow is more sharply built with the crew/passenger compartment being the open bay close to the bow. Perhaps the most significant feature is the round object to the left of the centreline just aft of the passenger compartment. This location matches the location of the snorkel on the SEAL Carrier. As it happens, the Triton NN is more or less an mirror-image of this design, with a car-like bow and a passenger-compartment towards the (straight) stern. There is also a snorkel mounted on the right-side in front of the passenger compartment, but the proportions doesn’t seem to match as well. As such, my impression is that this is an example of the Swedish Navy’s combat divers being accidentally found during one of their unannounced exercises. As such, the outcome of the incident is probably not much worse than that someone has to buy someone else a round of drinks. Keep calm, and carry on! Points to @covertshores, who I believe was the first one to point out the similarities to the SEAL Carrier. Looks remarkably like a Swedish Special Forces SEAL Carrier SDV. https://t.co/nPrb0aZz0S — H I Sutton (@CovertShores) July 11, 2017 A BK-16 and a not-so-secret marina On January 3, 2016 By Corporal FriskIn Russia1 Comment An interesting picture came to my attention yesterday, showing Rybinsk Shipyard’s BK-16 fast assault craft in an undisclosed small naval marina. Extremely little footage of the BK-16 in service have appeared, so finding one at what looks like a makeshift base warrants a closer study. Hmmm…. pic.twitter.com/XgVu7xEgSC — Observationsplatsen (@oplatsen) January 2, 2016 A number of vessels, including possibly another BK-16 and a midget submarine, are also present under covers. After some time of looking at satellite maps of Russian and Crimean shores, a picture search, and some discussions with my wife regarding the vegetation around the Black Sea, Baltic Sea, and Russian inland, we managed to locate the likely spot. It seems to be situated in Sevastopol, on the Crimean peninsula. What is interesting is that an earlier picture of the area shows it seemingly being a civilian boat workshop. Now it is clearly in military use, as evident not only by the increased number of vessels, but also by the hoisted naval ensign and the dark green trucks parked between the two buildings. The likely location from where the picture was taken with some key identifying features marked. Satellite picture from Google Maps That Russia has taken to using former civilian facilities in Sevastopol, long the main base of the Black Sea Fleet and by extension the main logistical hub for the operations in the Mediterranean and Syria, is perhaps the most interesting fact here. The equipment seems to point towards a smaller unit of marine infantry, possibly a reconnaissance and/or special forces unit. Either there has been such a rapid expansion of units stationed in Crimea since the Russian occupation started that units with a smaller logistical footprint has had to move out of the main facilities, or then this is an attempt to keep the operations of this unit outside of the spotlight. Note that even the rusty fence in the foreground has not been mended since the first picture, meaning that the facilities seems to have been taken over ‘as is’. This might indicate the navy’s stay being only temporary, or it is another sign of the navy trying to keep a low profile (if so, not hoisting the St Andrew’s flag might have been a good idea). Another really interesting question is obviously if there really is a midget submarine under the tarpaulin, and if so, has it been used operationally in the Black Sea? Update on the Red October-incident On October 19, 2014 October 19, 2014 By Corporal FriskIn Naval, Sweden1 Comment Yesterday I published a brief text pointing out that not all submarines in the Baltic Sea are Russian, and that not all underwater activity is submarines. This will be a brief update on what has happened since. The major news was when Swedish newspaper Svenska Dagbladet reported that a signal emerging from the archipelago outside of Stockholm had been sent on a Russian Navy distress channel. When the search operation got underway, there was renewed traffic, which was encrypted, and a transmitter located in Russian Kaliningrad answered. This was the first evidence that decidedly pointed towards Russia as the country of origin. This could also explain the, in my opinion, rather strong and decisive response by the Swedish Navy when the first visual sightings occurred. Representatives of the Swedish Defence Forces have denied that they have received knowledge about a distress signal, although the exact wording leaves the possibility open that A) the info has been distributed on a strict need-to-know basis, and as such is not available to the officers involved in the operation, or B) the interpretation that a signal on a known foreign military channel used for distress signals does not equal a known distress signal. They have also clearly stated that they do not know the country of origin or exact nature of the underwater activity, and as such they will continue to refer to it simply as “foreign underwater activity”. Most importantly, it has been confirmed that three visual sightings have taken place, and that the operation will continue for a number of days. Imagery from one of the sightings has also been released. The picture is grainy, but could be interpreted to show some kind of a midget submarine, e.g. the Russian Triton NN. One of the pictures released by the Swedish Defence Forces, showing a man made object traveling on the surface, before vanishing under it. Source: http://www.forsvarsmakten.se The question of where the mother ship is located has been focused on the Russian-owned Liberian-flagged crude carrier NS Concord. The ship has been anchored outside of St Petersburg since the beginning of May, acting as a floating storage. Last week, it set sail and sailed to a position right outside the border of Swedish territorial waters, where it has since loitered. To begin with its AIS-data gave the destination as Danish Straits, but today this was changed to Primorsk. When the tanker suddenly found itself in the limelight, the Russian research/sea survey vessel Professor Logachev suddenly headed out to sea, destined for Las Palmas(?). It remains to be seen if this vessel will make a stop outside of Stockholm, but the timing seems somewhat suspicious. The Logachev also happened(?) to be traveling in the middle of the three-ship Dutch naval flotilla heading home from Tallinn, with the Walrus-class submarine HNLMS Bruinvis probably not far away either. In Finland Charly Salonius-Pasternak, Sr. Research Fellow at FIIA, noted that Finland’s stance on the issue will be noted in Sweden, and called for our politicians to make a clear statement in support of Sweden. Otherwise it will affect the possible deepening of Swedish-Finnish military co-operation. Ruotsalaiset punnitsevat sen mitä Suomalaiset poliitikot sanovat tänään ja huomenna kun harkitsevat sot yhteistyön syventämistä. #turpo — C Salonius-Pasternak (@charlyjsp) October 19, 2014 This in turn made Carl Haglund (SFP/RKP), Minister of Defence, answer that we will wait and see, and that if the allegations are true, this is “very serious”. On a direction question he said that we are currently not planning any assistance to the Swedish Navy, but if an official call for help comes, he would personally view it favorably. With regards to what kind of help we could send, he stated that options remains open, and would depend on what kind of assistance the Swedish authorities would be asking for. Salonius-Pasternak in turn noted that one can offer help even before someone asks for it, but this remark went unanswered. @charlyjsp @TimoHaapala Ruotsi ei ole pyytänyt apua. Itse myönteinen kädenojennukseen jos pyydetään — Carl Haglund (@Calle_Haglund) October 19, 2014 As a further note, the hashtag #redoctober has become widely used with regards to the incident.

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guns and elections There are no “accidents” with guns November 16, 2018 commongunsense"accidental shootings", access to guns, American gun culture, American gun laws, gun deaths and injuries, guns and elections, health care and gun violence, kids and guns, NRA, NRA attacks against doctors, public health and safety, public support for background checks It is not normal that American kids have such easy access to loaded, unlocked guns. When one can read articles like the two I just ran across in one day, there is something terribly wrong. The first one took place in my home state of Minnesota. Let’s take a look at the details: A father was arrested in Minnesota for allowing a child to get his hands on his firearm and shoot and injure himself: According to court documents, the child’s mother brought him to Sanford Bemidji with an injury to his leg that occurred on Monday. She said Bjerkness told her the child fell on a power tool when he was at Bjerkness’ house for the day. The injury was stitched, but the child was brought back to the hospital on Wednesday, Nov. 14, when the injury started to swell. That’s when the bullet was located. After an officer spoke with the child, the boy explained how he found the revolver “between his father’s bed and the wall,” the complaint said. He told the investigator he accidentally cocked the gun and that it fired while he was trying to uncock it. It fired into his left leg. The father lied, of course, knowing that what he did was reckless and irresponsible and then told his boys to also lie about this incident. Aren’t parents supposed to be role models for their children? Way too many gun owners are irresponsible with their guns. He was arrested as well he should have been. I would say there was absolutely no common sense in the brain of this father. If I had my way, every person who walked out of a federally licensed gun store would have required training and a waiting period before taking possession of that gun. Even then, there is no guarantee that said gun owner will treat a deadly weapon with the respect it deserves. But not doing anything is leading to injuries and deaths. The next incident I just ran across is about a toddler who found a gun under a pillow in his home and shot and killed himself: A two-year-old boy is dead after finding a handgun under a pillow at his home and accidentally shooting himself, according to police in Jonesboro, Georgia. There are no “accidents” with guns. Guns are lethal weapons designed to kill and kill they do. What about this do some gun owners not get. Most gun owners are responsible with their guns just as most drivers are responsible drivers. But we have laws to prevent accidents, injuries and deaths because we know that bad things can happen with just about any product. And that is why we also have insurance for drivers and for our homes, etc. Things happen. Why would we not want to protect as many people as possible from senseless injuries and deaths? We know the answer when it comes to guns- the NRA itself. The tide is changing though when it comes to listening to the deceptions, outright lies, fear and paranoia of the NRA. Elected leaders and candidates have started listening to their constituents who overwhelmingly want stronger gun laws. They understand the risks and they see the news about mass shootings, hate crimes, domestic shootings and they know people or have family members who have used a gun in a suicide. Gun deaths are increasing in recent years. Check out this very informative article from Vox.com. When there is research about guns and gun violence, we can actually attribute causes and effects- just what the gun lobby hates the most. Why? Because most research shows that more guns are not making us safer. There are some good charts and graphs contained in this article showing us what we really already know. From the article: First, America has uniquely weak gun laws. Other developed nations at the very least require one or more background checks and almost always something more rigorous beyond that to get a gun, from specific training courses to rules for locking up firearms to more arduous licensing requirements to specific justifications, besides self-defense, for owning a gun. In the US, even a background check isn’t a total requirement; the current federal law is riddled with loopholes and snared by poor enforcement, so there are many ways around even a basic background check. There are simply very few barriers, if any, to getting a gun in the US. Second, the US has a ton of guns. It has far more than not just other developed nations, but any other country period. Estimated for 2017, the number of civilian-owned firearms in the US was 120.5 guns per 100 residents, meaning there were more firearms than people. The world’s second-ranked country was Yemen, a quasi-failed state torn by civil war, where there were 52.8 guns per 100 residents, according to an analysis from the Small Arms Survey. More guns=more shootings. This is not rocket science. And have I written yet about the NRA’s attack on health care providers? The best thing about this is that the NRA picked the wrong “target”. They went after well educated and highly trained physicians whose “lane” is actually preventing deaths and treating gunshot injuries. They see the actual result of the bullets shot into someone’s body and they get to tell the families when their loved one has died or is injured seriously enough to leave them forever disabled. It’s not pretty but it is real. Let’s look at what happened: Those experiences fueled angry responses from her and other doctors in recent days to a tweet from the National Rifle Association aimed at their profession: “Someone should tell self-important anti-gun doctors to stay in their lane.” When Dr. Haughey saw it, she tapped out a reply on her cellphone. “I see no one from the @nra next to me in the trauma bay as I have cared for victims of gun violence for the past 25 years,” she wrote. “THAT must be MY lane. COME INTO MY LANE. Tell one mother her child is dead with me, then we can talk.” Since the N.R.A. posted its message on Nov. 7, the heavyweight gun rights group has been flooded with more than 21,000 responses. Some replies expressed support for the group, but the bulk resembled Dr. Haughey’s remarks, and many came from those in the medical community. Though the subject matter is serious, this makes me smile. It’s about time people fight back against the NRA’s insidious and ridiculous statements. Being married to a physician, this one is “in my lane” and “in the lane” of my family since my daughter also practices medicine. The NRA’s bloated vision of themselves took a big hit as well it should have. They “shot themselves in the foot” with this attack. Gun violence is a public health epidemic that requires treatment. The people who treat the victims are also supporting common sense gun laws. Since over 90% of Americans agree, the fix is coming and it likely will not involve the NRA. As I mentioned earlier, gun deaths are on the rise: Gun-related deaths are on the rise in the U.S., bucking a decade-long decline, according to a new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. During 2015-2016, the federal agency says there were 27,394 homicides involving firearms and another 44,955 gun suicides — the highest levels recorded since 2006-2007. In 2015-2016, the latest year available, homicide was the 16th leading cause of death among U.S. adults and the third leading cause for children between the ages of 10 and 19, according to the report. Guns were used in 74 percent of all recorded homicides, and used in 87 percent of homicides involving youth. This is simply outrageous. Doing nothing is not an option. But the times are changing. We are ready to go at last with elected Congress members and state legislatures who are not afraid anymore to take on the NRA and the uncommon wisdom that they should fear this extremist organization. I am hopeful. I believe we are on a trajectory to pass stronger gun laws and change the conversation about guns and gun violence in a positive way. Let’s get ready for change and a new era of saving lives and protecting innocent people from the devastation of gun violence. Guns and potato chips October 13, 2018 October 13, 2018 commongunsenseangry gun guys, angry mob, ASK campaign, Brady Campaign to prevent gun violence, Charlottesville rally, corporate gun lobby, domestic abusers and guns, End Family Fire, gun safes, guns and argumenets, guns and elections, guns for self defense, NRA, October National Domestic Violence Awareness month, President Trump and angry mob, Protect Minnesota, risks of guns in homes, Safe Haven shelter, safe storage, trigger locks, Wayne LaPierre I frequently run into stories about people getting shot in arguments about simple things or objects just because. I have written about arguments over lawn mowers, garbage cans, property ( that’s a more common cause for a shooting), dogs, etc. But here is a new reason for shooting someone- eating my potato chips. Yes. It’s true. A South Carolina man shot and seriously injured his cousin after said cousin ate the chips he told him not to eat. But the story started changing after the victim recovered enough for further questioning. The teen told investigators that Langdale shot him after warning him not to eat his salt and vinegar potato chips. “Do not touch my chips, or I’ll shoot you,” Langdale allegedly told the victim according to a sheriff’s incident report, obtained by the Charleston Post and Courier. People are killed for much more serious arguments actually. My sister is dead over a serious argument during a contentious divorce. No one should die because of that but a gun and several rounds of ammunition were available to my now dead estranged brother-in-law. And the result was 2 dead people. All because of money and a divorce. I really am not fond of vinegar flavored potato chips. They are sour tasting to me but many love them. I guess a man with a gun loved them a little too much and now he is arrested for attempted murder. It is about the guns after all. This man was presumably a “good guy with a gun” until he wasn’t. That’s the thing. It only takes seconds to make that very serious decision to use a loaded deadly weapon in the heat of the moment to seriously injure or kill someone. Each of us has the right to “life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness” in America. Too often that right is taken from us for reasons that are beyond our control- like disease, weather ( Hurricane Michael), war, poor health, poverty, no health care, etc. In our country, we can count on the daily carnage of gun violence as one way to take away life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Every day in our country is an American tragedy and yet we do nothing. When will we ever learn? It’s not for lack of trying of course because many people like myself have been sounding the alarm and asking for common sense for decades now. And for that we have been treated like an “angry mob” and those bad people who will take away the guns of all of those “good people” and “law abiding” armed citizens. The “angry mob” that our President and the GOP has now concocted as a reason not to vote for the Democrats is unarmed. The other angry mob walks around with AR15s strapped to their bodies and shows up in public places with loaded guns to intimidate the rest of us. Remember Charlottesville? This is dangerous rhetoric fomented by our very own President and assisted by the corporate gun lobby with the promotion of fear and paranoia. Remember Wayne LaPierre and the “guys with the guns make the rules”? No Mr. LaPierre. They don’t. Let’s hope the rules are not made by armed citizens. When that rhetoric is part of our national daily media, guys with guns get the idea that they just might be justified in shooting someone over potato chips or elections. Elections are coming up. It’s October with less than a month to go. Peaceful and fair elections have always been the American way. Without that, we are not a democracy. October is also Domestic Violence Awareness month. The statistics are chilling. When a gun is in the home, women are at great risk during domestic arguments. This week I attended the annual fund raiser for Safe Haven which is a shelter for abused women in Duluth. Every year, either a woman who has been abused and used the shelter tells her story to the audience or a film is shown with interviews of some of the women who have been abused. Out of the 3 stories told by the women interviewed for this year’s film, 2 of them had experienced the terror of their abuser holding a gun to her head or having a gun aimed at her during the abusers abusive tirades. They lived to tell their stories. A former District Court Judge was the keynote speaker for this event. He had seen a lot of domestic abuse cases over his years as a local attorney and then a judge. He spoke about seeing generations of men who had come before him as abusers- a grandfather, then his son and then his son. His message was that violence begets violence. Violence is not the way to win arguments or elections. But it can become the ultimate control over others. I am adding this new report by the Brady Campaign about domestic violence and guns: Every hour, 1,141 people become victims of domestic violence. About 3 people are shot and killed every single day by an intimate partner with a gun. Millions more are victimized, threatened, intimidated, or terrified into silence by the presence of one. They will survive with emotional (and sometimes physical) scars of the time that a person they loved hurt them. The stories of Sara, Kate, Rachael, and Kimberly are the voices of real people who have been affected by the intersection of domestic violence and guns in this country. Sara and Shelley didn’t survive their attacks. We owe a duty to them and to the survivors who lived. It is our job to call on Congress and state legislators to pass meaningful laws to prevent more men and women from becoming victims of domestic violence every year. There is much much more to the above linked report including the real stories of women who have survived domestic violence- or not. Loaded guns can become weapons of terror within seconds. The assumption is, or what I am told anyway by those who own guns for self protection, that a gun will be used to save the lives of one’s family during a robbery or an assault of some kind. But the thing is, owning a gun is risky business. Unless the owner is properly trained ( which many are not), stores guns securely in a safe away from the curious hands of a child or teen- or a burglar, they can be used to harm others. There are certain facts here. A gun in the home is more likely to be used to kill or injure oneself or someone in the home than it is to be used for self defense. There are real risks associated with gun ownership just like the risks of driving while drunk or smoking in public places. Check out the Brady Campaign’s End Family Fire site to learn more about the risks. And I will end with some observations I made while tabling a few days ago for Protect Minnesota at the St. Louis County Health and Human Services conference. This conference is attended by social workers and health care personnel from all over the state and is always full of people ready to learn. Our table was a popular one. Many stopped by to take information and have conversations. One woman took lots of our information about safe storage of guns, ASK, and talking points about gun violence prevention. She told me she was a social worker who went into many homes of families who needed services for one reason or another. In one home, a woman lived alone with her children after being abused by her spouse. She told the social worker that she kept a loaded gun in the dresser drawer next to her bed just in case he came calling. This horrified the social worker as she asked the woman if her children were also in that bedroom. She said that her 3 year old slept with her. So the social worker explained the risks of having this loaded gun around unsecured both to herself and her children. They went to a local Goodwill store and found a gun safe there for less than $10 and brought it home. The gun is now secured in this small safe hidden in the bedroom closet. That is common sense. Also at that 2 day conference, we gave away 200 trigger locks before 10:00 a.m. of the first day. People support what we do and what to be safe if they own guns. Had that South Carolina man had his gun safely stored and not at the ready in his hands, his cousin would not have suffered serious injuries over a dispute about potato chips and the shooter would not have been arrested. Both lives have been forever changed because of the gun. It doesn’t have to be this way. With some common sense and awareness about the risks of loaded guns we can save lives. With stronger gun laws, we can save lives. That is the bottom line. Guns and the midterm elections August 17, 2018 commongunsenseBrady background checks, corporate gun lobby, Democrats and gun issue, domestic shootings, Extreme Risk Protection Orders, fear and paranoia, gun trafficking laws, guns and elections, guns for self defense, Joe Radinovich, lapdog politicians, Maria Butina, midterm elections, Minnesota Governor race, Minnesota primary, NRA, NRA insurance program, Parkland students, Pete Stauber, Police Officer shootings, public support for background checks, Republicans and gun lobby, Russian influence in NRA, safe storage, Sandy Hook shooting, SenatorJoe Manchin, shootings over arguments The primary election in my state is history now. Many Democrats who have decided it is in their best interest to support reasonable gun safety reform were elected. I am happy about this. All over the country, (mostly) Democrats ran on the issue of guns safety reform or at the least decided not to run away from it: “To win campaigns you need to have candidates who are their district. And so candidates should most certainly talk about the economic issues that we face,” said Rep. Mike Thompson (D-Calif.), the head of the Democrats’ gun-violence prevention task force. “But they also need to talk about things that are important to the people they want to represent, and keeping your kids alive is certainly one of those issues.” Minnesota candidates for Governor in the primary election ran on the gun issue or changed their minds about their previous positions to get elected. The candidate who had the worst record on gun safety reform and an A rating from the NRA came in third- for many reasons but her A rating did not sit well with Minnesotans. From the article: “I’ve always gotten an F from the NRA, and Minnesotans need to know who is going to stand with them on this issue,” Murphy said in the final pre-primary ­debate this week. Walz has said he has evolved on the gun issue and always been a pro-labor liberal on other issues. “The NRA you see now is not the NRA when they were teaching us gun safety classes when we were growing up,” he told the state news website MinnPost last year. On the trail, he says his experience attracting votes in a part of the state that little resembles the urban center of Minneapolis will help him not just win, but build consensus when he does. The race heated up with the last-minute candidacy of Lori Swanson, the state’s longtime attorney general, who usually received positive NRA ratings. Dogged by accusations over whether she politicized her office, Swanson does not portray herself as a moderate; her final ad blitz includes one accusing Walz of failing to “stand up to Trump” by skipping House votes, and a super PAC supporting her campaign has sent out mail that pairs the years of Walz’s NRA endorsements with the years of deadly school shootings. Tim Walz won the primary. He will need to stand firm and have a spine. The Minnesota gun rights folks ran this dark ad against Joe Radinovich who won the 8th Congressional district DFL primary. It’s so full of bull puckey I hardly know where to start. But this is the fear and paranoia that the NRA is instilling in its’ members and the false attacks we can expect from now until November. Eek- a mouse! Run. Joe and his family have been touched by gun violence in a major way. He owns guns, he hunts but he understands that gun safety reform does not lead to gun confiscation and registration as is claimed because he has common sense. He also knows that gun safety reform and gun rights are not mutually exclusive. Joe’s opponent Pete Stauber, “having been grazed by a bullet in the head as a police officer” is running on gun rights. When Mr. Stauber was a police officer, he came to a vigil held by our chapter a few years ago. He rang the bell for officers who had been shot and injured or killed while in the line of duty. More guns have not made police officers feel safer. This year is no exception to the shootings of officers in the line of duty. Let’s see how much corporate money Mr. Stauber will take from the NRA. The thing is, officers would be safer if common sense gun laws were passed. Requiring Brady background checks on all gun sales would keep guns away from those who should not have them in the first place. Tightening up straw purchasing and trafficking laws would keep guns out of the hands of many who should not have them. Passing Extreme Risk Protection Orders would allow for law enforcement to temporarily remove guns from those who could be a danger to themselves or others ( including officers). Many deaths of officers come when answering calls about domestic abuse. These are among the most dangerous calls for officers, not to mention the women on the other side of that gun. Safe storage of guns is also a key ingredient to preventing shootings and keeping stolen guns from getting onto the streets of our communities. There is so much that can be done to save lives without stepping on the rights of people to own guns if they are responsible and law abiding. I wrote about this in my last post. It’s such a simple thing that can save lives and talking about this and the risk of guns in homes is not something from which to run but something that must be talked about in order to change the culture and the conversation. Candidates who speak honestly about keeping our kids and families safe will win elections. On election night I spoke with a group of Democrats about this and mentioned for how many decades I had personally been working to get the party to embrace what the majority of Minnesotans and American voters have said they want. Many thousands of us have been diligently working with our own elected leaders to give them a spine about the issue of gun safety reform. It is beginning to work. Republicans are running on opposing any gun safety reform life saving measures. If you think this seems perverse, you are right. Why would this be? What is the problem with life saving measures that will both keep us safe and allow law abiding Americans to have guns if they so choose? Oh yes, the NRA is the Republican party. The Republican party is afraid of the corporate gun lobby which is now enmeshed in the national scandal involving a Russian women, Maria Butina,, who infiltrated the NRA. Oh, and then there’s the issue of Russian money in the NRA coffers. Oh, and then there’s the problems with the NRA providing insurance to gun carriers ( Carry Guard) just in case, you know, a shooting happens while you are carrying a gun. And this is who some of our lawmakers fear? Get a spine. The corporate gun lobby hides behind the second amendment whenever a bill or a suggest measure comes before their leadership. They pretend they might support such measures as in 2013 when Senators Joe Manchin and Pat Toomey thought they had support for a watered down bill to require background checks on all gun sales. They were blind -sided by the fake NRA support of the bill and have been afraid to bring it up again because…….. lapdog politicians who have no spine. In the wake of the murder of 20 first graders and 6 educators at Sandy Hook elementary school, the Senate lacked the backbone to do the right thing. The cynicism and spineless fear of the NRA continues in the wake of the Parkland shooting that came on the heels of the Las Vegas and Sutherland, Texas church shooting. Trump uttered empty words and nothing happened. This is the country we have but not the country we want or deserve. This is the country that weakened our gun laws (spineless politicians) so just about anyone can carry a gun around wherever they go under the auspices of self protection. And yet, every day, irresponsible gun owners make deadly and serious decisions about how to use their guns. This is the country where a silly argument about Aretha Franklin ( after her death yesterday) can lead to a shooting. Without that gun, an argument would have been an argument. With that gun, an argument could have been deadly. Thanks NRA and spineless politicians. This is not who we are but at the moment, as long as certain of our elected leaders have no spine to stand up the corporate NRA and other gun rights groups, shootings will continue unabated. As long as certain of our elected leaders run away from what the majority of us want, we will see senseless and avoidable shootings. Common sense has been replaced by fear and complacency. I don’t think Americans are going to let this happen in the long term. The Trump Presidency has made spineless politicians look like the cowards and controlling people they are. But it has also brought new energy to the Democrats who are standing up strong and tall for what is right and good about our country. Carnage in Minnesota October 25, 2017 October 25, 2017 commongunsenseBirdell Beeks, Brady background checks, corporate gun lobby, Extreme Risk Protection Orders, gang shootings, Gun Violence Archive, guns and elections, guns and politicians, Minnesota gun deaths, NRA Blood money, The Trace, urban gun violence This past week-end was a stunning example of our urban gun violence epidemic. It happened in Minneapolis and St. Paul where 17 people were shot and 2 of them died of their gunshot injuries.: So far this year, 229 people have been struck by gunfire citywide — roughly 21 percent fewer than this time last year — most on the North Side. If the pace continues, Minneapolis will log 283 shootings this year. Many of the assaults have been attributed to gang disputes. In 2016, Minneapolis had 341 gunshot victims, after averaging 243 per year over the previous decade, according to department figures. The number of juvenile gunshot victims has also risen in each of the past five years. Four of the 14 people shot in Minneapolis last week were 18 or younger. Meanwhile, on a national level shootings continue unabated. Check out the Gun Violence Archive’s latest information. 2545 Americans have been shot since the Las Vegas massacre according to the Gun Violence Archive. As with other causes of death, injury or illness, we must deal with the evidence and the facts in order to understand what is happening. In Minnesota the facts are that urban gun violence is killing and injuring too many people. 772 have been killed. Why does this carnage not get the attention it deserves? Simple- the NRA and corporate gun lobby are extremist organizations that have a hold on our country and our leaders. Why in the world our leaders are afraid of a distinct minority of Americans is not a puzzle. Follow the money. Follow the influence. But the puzzle is solvable. Corporations, including that of the corporate gun lobby, are in control of our Democracy. They are eroding our freedoms, our dignity, our rights to be safe and to solve the most important problems facing us as a country. As long as we continue to elect people who are beholden to these minority interests, we will contribute to the demise of the country our founders envisioned. And those very people who are beholden and who influence our leaders blame everything on gangs. Yes, gangs are responsible for much of our urban gun violence. And black men account for 50% of homicide victims according to this 2015 report from The Trace. I recommend reading the linked article for other statistics about gun violence in the year 2015 since it addresses the issues I have mentioned as concerns and puzzles that we can solve if we make some new laws, improve old laws and change the culture and the conversation around gun violence in America. But to just cast blame and then claim that their lives don’t matter is cynical and mean. Much of the urban gun violence is due to gang activity. It is among people who know each other for the most part except when an innocent person gets caught in the crossfire like the Birdell Beeks whose daughter I have come to know. Domestic violence is also in urban areas as are suicides. Children find guns they shouldn’t find in urban areas as well as rural areas. The bottom line is the easy access to guns. That we can change by changing the conversation, getting involved with efforts to intervene in urban areas by offering services that will help our youth get out of poverty, make sure they have access to health care, education and other basic needs and to interrupt the cycle of violence. And we can pass stronger laws to make sure all gun sales have a background check, to strengthen straw purchasing, stolen guns and trafficking laws and Extreme Risk Protection Orders. Finally we can and should elect politicians who actually care about public safety and saving lives lost to gun violence. This is not a Republican or Democratic issue. This is an American public health epidemic being ignored by our leaders. Make the gun issue one of your issues. Demand answers from candidates about what they will do to prevent some of the gun violence in America. Don’t let them hide behind the second amendment. This is not about the second amendment and gun rights. This is about the rights of Americans to live free of insidious and devastating gun violence that affects dozens of families every day and it comes as a total shock. After the Las Vegas shooting it should be a no brainer to do something about the carnage. If candidates avoid the issue, you will have your answer. Vote for the other person or persist in asking the question. What will he/she do about urban gun violence? What will he/she do about gun suicides? What will he/she do about small children getting access to guns and shooting themselves or others? What will he/she do about stolen guns that contribute to crimes and violence? What will he/she do about easy access to guns on our streets? What will he/she do about assault weapons? What will he/she do about high capacity magazines and accessories like silencers and bump fire stocks? And then expect answers. Gun violence is destructive to families and communities. People should be able to sit in their cars, walk in the streets, go to work and school, play on playgrounds, go to public places and be in their homes without encountering bullets. It wouldn’t take too much common sense to change things. The current atmosphere, however, is far from common sense. As a country, we are better than this. Post election musings November 15, 2016 commongunsenseanti-semitism, Brady background checks, civility, Congressman Rick Nolan, corporate gun lobby, Donald Trump, election results, gun industry profits, Gun Violence Prevention, guns and elections, guns and racism, militia groups, NRA, reciprocity for gun permits, sales of guns and ammunition, Southern Poverty Law Center, Steve Bannon, threats with guns, white supremacists5 Comments Well, I am finally coming out of my post election funk- at least for a while. I was among millions who were shocked and feeling numb after the election of Donald Trump. I know I am in my own bubble as are most people. We tend to socialize and communicate with people who think like us. To say this is a game changer is putting it mildly. I need a reset in many ways. Not only did my candidate (s) lose, but I have been dealing with a major health crisis of a close family member. So I am feeling pretty out of sorts and in a fog after last week. All of that aside though, there are a few things I need to say. The NRA ( and corporate gun lobby) now have a seat in the White House. They spent a lot of money to get that seat. But then again, the NRA does not represent its’ own members. It represents the gun lobby and the gun industry. 74% of NRA members believe what I believe about background checks. But this is not about the people in spite of what Donald Trump fooled his supporters into believing. It’s about power and control and greed. Follow the money. The gun lobby did not win everywhere they spent money, however and several gun safety reform measures left to the voters to decide, passed. Washington state, Nevada and California passed stronger gun laws. In Nevada a referendum requiring Brady background checks on all gun sales passed (see linked article) and a similar measure almost passed in Maine. Most of the time when voters are asked directly they want stronger gun laws. Voters are not beholden to the corporate gun lobby. My own Congressman Rick Nolan won in spite of massive spending by the NRA against him. Others won re-election or election running unafraid of the gun lobby. Interestingly sales of guns and ammunition started dropping right after Trump was elected. What’s that about? No more need to hate the government and be prepared to fight against it? No more need for self defense from zombies that look like Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama? Confidence that guns will not be taken even if they wouldn’t have been anyway? No more fear of the “other”? Never mind common sense. Let’s look at the above linked article: Before the election, “there was a widespread expectation that Hillary would win and some gun retailers began to stock up, expecting strong demand surge from the prospect of tightening gun control under a Hillary Clinton administration,” said Rommel Dionisio, a gun industry analyst for Wunderlich Securites. “Obviously, that’s not going to happen,” he said. Now that Trump will be president and Republicans will control both houses of Congress, he said demand for guns will probably drop over the next year or two. Go figure. What’s good for the goose is evidently not so good for the gander. So far there have been no politically motivated shootings as were threatened if Hillary Clinton won the election. I wrote about this fear in my last post. But one anti-Trump protester did issue some threatening words. This is not OK. There should be no talk about using violence and threatening to kill people over elections from either side of the issue or the aisle. In America, because of the sheer number of guns and people with guns, it could actually happen. As much as I do not like Donald Trump, I urge people on both sides to put aside talk like this and think about their words. Words matter. Trump knows that because he used all kinds of incendiary words during the election. He made a lot of promises and stoked a lot of fear. Already, he is making noises about walking back some of his promises but the fear he stoked is now a part of our political culture in a way it never was before. The NRA was right there with him and have been for years in spite of Trump’s support for common sense gun legislation before he became a candidate and had to curry favor with the gun lobby. So now, Trump has joined with the corporate gun lobby in his statements during the campaign to incite fear and anger. This incendiary and fear filled language has made gun toting Americans afraid of their own shadows. This article from The Trace explains: It was a pitch that found a welcome audience among Americans primed by years of bilious NRA rhetoric. Rage at elites has long been the crucial context for the organization’s gun rights message, the force it has used to mobilize its membership. It’s not just that gun rights must be protected, NRA leaders argue — it’s that they must be defended from political leaders and journalists who have contempt for everyday people’s values and ideas of how America should look. “Something has gone terribly wrong in our country,” the group’s executive vice president, Wayne LaPierre, said at its 2012 annual meeting, held in St. Louis. “Almost every aspect of American freedom is in some state of decline.” The NRA alone, he declared, stood ready to lead the fight against tyranny imposed by the “global elitists and all their friends in the White House” who were conspiring to “hide the truth we all know in our gut.” Of course, LaPierre sniped, “No politician in any party will tell you that.” Don’t trust anyone. And since the NRA is well funded by the gun industry, they were able to spend a boat load of money in this election. More from the above article: What has gone less noticed is how the group has succeeding in stoking populist furor that spills well beyond the people on its email list. “Both the NRA and Trump promote a nostalgia for something that has been lost,” sociologist Scott Melzer, author of the 2012 book Gun Crusaders: The NRA’s Culture War, tells The Trace. The gun group and its candidate speak to “this white rural conservative population that feels left behind by economic shifts and cultural shifts. These changes pose a threat to their identity.” Melzer says the NRA has figured out how to mobilize people by fostering a sense that they are threatened by outsiders. “That makes them the most effective social force in conservatism, and they’ve done so with language that Trump used,” he said. The NRA seized on this rhetoric to fuel its interest group politics. Trump brought it to the larger arena of mainstream politics, then rode it to the Oval Office. (…) By the Friday before the election, Clinton was considered the overwhelming favorite to win the White House. That morning, the NRA issued a familiar call to its millions of members: Vote for Trump not just to protect gun rights, but to stick it to the establishment. Yup. The establishment. Who are they? If Donald Trump isn’t part of a certain kind of establishment, who is? Those who voted for Trump were fooled into believing lies and deceptions. Part of my healing after the election was to spend time with fellow grievers. I knew I would find some at my church. What I found were people concerned about issues of peace and justice, the environment, racism, GLBTQ, violence, intolerance and those things Christians ( at least the ones in my church) care about. I was reassured that many groups and individuals in my church and my community are still planning to work hard to make sure hate doesn’t trump love and tolerance. I am concerned about some local school students involved in racial slurs and hate speech. Who are the role models for our children? If we have a national bully sitting in the Oval Office, how can expect our children to aspire to better ways of doing thing and respecting their fellow students? If we have a President who surrounds himself with and listens to white nationalists and hate groups ( David Duke, KKK and others) how can we expect our kids and adults as well to respect their fellow human beings? Calls have been made for Trump to step up to a microphone and speak to the nation to calm the unrest and intolerance. Marches and protests are taking place all over America, including in my own small city. People need to be reassured that Trump’s administration will not operate like his campaign did. If it does the country will be less safe and more unstable. That never leads to good things. A friend in church who adopted a child from Tibet when she was a baby told me that her daughter, now a college student in Washington state, called home scared of how she would be treated. Her daughter thought maybe should buy some pepper spray for her safety since she was now fearing a backlash against students who look like her. These are frightening times for your youth and our children. The fear extends to adults as well. We are better than this. We must be for our children and grandchildren. And when fear is felt by both sides for different reasons, it may not lead to peace and civil order. But some students are joining the protests against a Trump presidency and what it will mean for their future. This gives me hope. We absolutely need common sense now more than ever. Gun violence prevention groups nationally and at the state level will be fighting battles to loosen gun laws that need to be strengthened instead. People will still be shot- Republicans and Democrats alike and our national public health epidemic will not get better if we don’t take measures to stem the tide of violence. Civility does not come at the end of a gun barrel so making it easier for anyone to access guns will not result in safer and more civil communities. The idea that armed citizens who are not trained to carry loaded guns on our streets and are barely vetted to do so should alarm us all. But in Trump country, this is what we will have. Please read this if you think we will all be safer. From the article: Advocates analogize their preferred system of “reciprocity” to drivers’ licenses, which are issued by individual states but accepted by all 50. But this comparison elides how disparate the standards for concealed-carry licenses are from state-to-state — and the fact that, in ten states, you can carry a gun with no license at all. It’s not clear whether a national reciprocity law would completely gut local gun restrictions. While the legislation would allow out-of-state visitors to flout local firearm laws, advocates for gun control remain hopeful that state governments would retain the power to enforce more stringent regulations on their own residents. The challenge there would be to block any workaround that might allow a New York City resident to take a trip to Virginia, secure a permit, and come home with a legal handgun in tow. If that isn’t enough for us all to digest, think about the fact that a man who is in charge of one of our nation’s most right wing publications, Breitbart News, will be whispering into the ear of our next President. When White nationalists, the Ku Klux Klan and other alt-right and militia type groups are in charge of our country, it’s time to think about who we are as a country. Groups concerned about anti-semitic sentiments are concerned as they should be. The Southern Poverty Law Center will be a watchdog and sounding the alarm if things go the way they are hoping it won’t. Read here: But it’s not just sieg-heiling Nazis and cross-burning Klansmen who should trouble Americans concerned about what a Trump victory portends. It’s also the more polite, suit-wearing extremists who move in mainstream political circles and already have their nose under the Trump tent. They’re people like Kris Kobach, the Kansas secretary of state who birthed the viciously discriminatory, unconstitutional anti-immigrant laws enacted by Arizona, Alabama and other states several years ago; and Ken Blackwell, the former Ohio secretary of state who is now a senior fellow at the rabidly anti-LGBT Family Research Council. Both are reportedly serving as key members of Trump’s transition team. As is customary, Trump has pledged to be a president “for all Americans.” Will we have a President who stands up to hate, extremism, fear mongering, violence and intolerance? This is not the country most people voted for. Hillary won the popular vote by almost 2 million votes. #Enough. Halloween frights, elections and violence October 30, 2016 October 30, 2016 commongunsenseAmerican gun culture, anti-Muslim rhetoric, Bill Moyers, corporate gun lobby, dangerous remarks by Donald Trump, Donald Trump, FBI email report, GOP rhetoric, gun ownership in America, guns and elections, guns and politicians, guns and racism, Halloween, hate groups, hate speech, Hillary Clinton and guns, Hillary Clinton campaign, insurrectionists and guns, Joe Walsh, militia groups, misogynistic rhetoric, NRA, polling places and fear, Sara Barreilles, Southern Poverty Law Center, This American Life, threats on blogs, white supremacists1 Comment Halloween is upon us. And it’s scary out there. In a few days, kids will be going door to door and hoping for lots of candy in their bags. Older kids like to scare people with their costumes and haunted houses and other haunted things are scaring people. This “older kid” was asked to remove his mask of a face with President Obama with a noose around his neck.He was attending a football game at the University of Wisconsin. Not funny. Scary and intimidating. We know what he meant. Last night we were at a movie theater which is near a haunted ore boat that dresses up every year with all kinds of haunting music and displays of “brains”, “eyeballs” and other such scares inside. It is very popular with residents and visitors alike. I am not so scared of things like that though I don’t particularly enjoy these kind of displays. I’m afraid of some of my fellow Americans. It’s just not funny or clever when hateful people display inappropriate halloween displays that mean something other than they look. Or maybe they do look exactly as intended. A Florida resident got himself into some trouble by hanging 2 dummies from a tree: There needs to be a hell of a lot of hate in your heart to think lynching people on Halloween is funny. And yet, here we are, Miami. A homeowner in Three Lakes, a small community in suburban Kendall, is celebrating the holiday by lynching two black-looking dummies in his or her yard. It’s also impossible to ignore what’s just in front of the display on the same lawn: A “Trump/Pence 2016” sign. The Trump sign just seems to go with the display doesn’t it? Donald Trump is one scary man whose frightening rhetoric has reduced our election to its’ lowest point in decades. I think it’s safe to say that this has been one of the craziest and mind blowing elections in modern memory. With 10 days to go, “bombs” are exploding all over the place with misinformation and total melt-down of some in the media and most on the Republican side of the aisle over a report issued by FBI Director James Comey. Reasonable people can argue about this but there are also facts. The scary thing is that Trump and his GOP buddies are distorting it out of all proportion and as we learn more we learn how wrong they have been. It’s downright scary that a lie can travel this quickly and that this late election cycle report happened in the first place. But there are a lot more scary things going on this election season. Trump says the election will be rigged with no evidence to support the allegations. This has led to some of his supporters believing they can resort to violence if their candidate doesn’t win. Or, as an aside, actual voter fraud by Trump supporters. An Iowa Republican voter tried to vote twice, fearing that her first vote would not be counted. She was arrested for fraud. Now that is a rigged election. But back to the potential for violence in this election. Some Americans are talking about taking up arms on election day and the day after they will start the revolution. And with so many militia and other hate groups already formed, that is certainly a possibility. Americans in general are heavily armed with some owning arsenals: Overall, Americans own an estimated 265 million guns – more than one gun for every American adult, according to the study by researchers at Harvard and Northeastern universities. Half of those guns – 133 million – were in the hands of just 3% of American adults, so-called “super owners” who possessed an average of 17 guns each, it showed. It is not difficult to imagine that those with hyped up fear of their own government are ready to fight against it or start a revolution when they don’t believe in the results of a democratic election. The corporate gun lobby has promoted this kind of fear and paranoia for years. And, militia groups and hate groups are at an all time high. Former Illinois Representative Joe Walsh, not known for his subtlety or common sense, said this past week that he would be taking up his musket the day after the election if Hillary Clinton wins. He tried to excuse his hyperbolic and threatening comments by saying this: The former Illinois congressman said he’s used the phrase “grab your musket” multiple times over the past several years but never meant that Donald Trump supporters should literally reach for their firearms. “If I wanted people to take up arms, why would I recommend people take up an antique like a musket?” Walsh asked. “That’s just silly.” We know what he meant. It was a not so subtle suggestion that he would take up arms and that he wanted others to do the same. There are no excuses for this kind of talk during an election. I wonder how closely he will be watched by law enforcement authorities? I’m just saying. I’m pretty sure this kind of public talk about violence and taking up arms during and after a democratic American election is not a first but its’ frequency and boldness is. And it has never been promoted by a major party candidate for President before. But Trump is no ordinary candidate. Which came first, Donald Trump’s paranoid and frightening rhetoric or the rhetoric of his supporters, some of them white supremacists and racists? What we are now seeing is encouragement of these types of groups and sentiments rising to the surface. It’s an ugly side of America that has the rest of the world worried. Other countries have seen the result of these kind of dangerous despots and “patriots”. According to the Southern Poverty Law Center, militia and insurrectionist groups are on the rise. Check out the hate map on their site. 894 hate groups are living amongst us. Just last week I came across this article about a group of folks fomenting fear and possible violence in my own state of Minnesota: “Are you prepared?” Guandolo called out. “Are you prepared for the two or three dozen jihadis in, pick a city in Minnesota, with mortars or shoulder-fired rockets? You don’t think they can get those in the United States?” North and central Minnesota have become fertile ground for traveling speakers who have built national careers spreading alarm about the danger they say Islam poses inside U.S. borders. At dozens of rural churches and schools, speakers have warned crowds about refugees and called on them to be prepared to oppose Muslims in Minnesota. This comes at a time of mounting political tension over immigration ahead of the contentious presidential election. Thanks to Donald Trump, the anti-Muslim fear has risen to the surface and been exaggerated to the point of possible violence. And more, from the article: “Islam is not a religion,” he said, highlighting one of his frequent talking points. “It’s a savage cult. Therefore, it is unconstitutional for a Muslim to practice Islam in America.” Dakdok argues for the mass deportation of Muslims from the United States. He wears a Donald Trump pin on his suit jacket. He warns of the end times. According to the Southern Poverty Law Center, Guandolo often works with ACT!, which they call the largest grassroots anti-Muslim group in America. Dakdok holds the bulk of his Minnesota events in small northern towns — places with few, if any Muslims. So does Guandolo, and he said that’s intentional. The Twin Cities, he told the Warroad crowd, are overrun with Muslims. Where is common sense? Why do Americans believe such hyperbole and fear? Without proselytizers like Trump and Dakdok, this would not bubble to the surface but be held at bey by those with integrity and the best interests of our democracy in their hearts and minds. But when hatred and venom against and fear of someone who could become the first woman President in a free and fair election take over hearts and minds, this is what some believe is justified. From the linked article by above: by Bill Moyers: A Democrat running for president is going to be smeared by the Republicans. This goes without saying. But a Democratic woman running for president gets extra layers of smear, though the smear required new material to work with. Clinton could still be viewedfavorably when she ran for the presidential nomination in 2007-08 — consistent, overall, with how she was viewed during the more than two decades between 1992 and 2014. Benghazi and emails were not yet in the picture. Now, should Clinton get to the White House, Rep. Jason Chaffetz (R-UT) will be ready: He’s sharpening his pencils and knives, planning “years” of hearings on Clinton depredations. (…) So much for the traditional political niceties. I suppose it’s remotely possible that a male potential president would be treated this way — but none has been. Ever. Moyers is right. No male candidate has been treated to the abuse that Hillary Clinton has endured. President Obama was certainly treated to racism and a fear of our first Black President in addition to the decision by Republican leadership to refuse to work with him. We will look back on this time period in our history and hang our heads in shame. Its no secret that I am a supporter of Hillary Clinton. I agree with her policy statements and her embrace of the gun violence issue to represent the majority of Americans who want stronger gun laws. I find what is happening now about Wikileaks and James Comey’s letter to Congress to be frightening for our democracy. This Washington Post article gets to the core of why the email “scandal” should be an eye opener to all of us and not because of anything Hillary did wrong but because of an invasion of privacy that could affect all of us. From the article: A question we need to ask is why the leaked emails have been embraced as acceptable contributions to public discourse, rather than shunned as stolen property, and what this means for how we think about politics and privacy. Richard Nixon faced impeachment as a result of his coverup of the Watergate break-in, a parallel attempt to steal private communications from an opponent’s campaign. Somehow, a physical break-in sparks visceral repugnance in a way that hacking into computer accounts does not. That should give us all pause, because it is a testament to a frightening new reality: That communication technology has steadily amplified the breakdown in the line between public and private. Without a zone of privacy in which we can talk freely to those who are close to us, no one is safe. That’s the sense in which WikiLeaks is a threat not only to the presidential campaign of a particular candidate, but to us all. I get this one. My computer has been hacked and there are people in the gun rights community who hate what I write and stand for. Some years ago, one of them threatened to post my home address. Someone tried to take over my blog as well. And I have been on the receiving end of some not so subtle comments intimating violence and threats. Many people working on gun violence prevention have had this experience. Why? Take a guess. This kind of invasion of privacy and intimidation is scary. There are actual trolls out there waiting to do harm and not just on Halloween. Social media has made all of this even scarier. There are obvious benefits to the use of social media and email to organize people and voters. But when it is used to intimidate and interfere with free and fair elections, that is scary. And speaking of scary, some elementary school polling places have canceled classes on election day because of fear of violence and whatever the far right element of our country have in mind for the day. Our kids and teachers should not have to be scared on election day. That is for third world un-democratized countries. And speaking of third world countries, some Americans have given notice that the revolution will begin if the vastly under qualified Donald Trump does not win. You can’t make this stuff up. But here, from the above linked article: Jared Halbrook, 25, of Green Bay, Wis., said that if Mr. Trump lost to Hillary Clinton, which he worried would happen through a stolen election, it could lead to “another Revolutionary War.” “People are going to march on the capitols,” said Mr. Halbrook, who works at a call center. “They’re going to do whatever needs to be done to get her out of office, because she does not belong there.” “If push comes to shove,” he added, and Mrs. Clinton “has to go by any means necessary, it will be done.” (…) No question about what Mr. Halbrook means here. These are the guys with the guns talking big and making threats. Their fear and paranoia, stoked by the NRA and the corporate gun lobby and now their very own candidate Donald Trump, have taken over any reasonable thinking about the issues of the country and what democracy means. It’s frightening stuff at the least. It doesn’t have to be this way. We are a democracy. Power is passed from one party and one President to another without violence or threats of violence. It has been since the birth of our democracy. What makes the people whose thoughts are so contorted believe that democracy includes this kind of violence? What makes them believe that our democratic election will be rigged causing them to want to overthrow the results? We know the answer to that. Donald Trump. His suggestions about voter intimidation and suppression have now been legally challenged by the Democratic National Committee. This is not what we do in a democracy. Why do they believe they can get away with this? Arrogance? Fear? Ignorance? Paranoia? Desperation? On this Halloween eve, let us all hope for non-violence and common sense. Working together towards peaceful and reasonable solutions is the way to solve our nation’s most pressing problems. We have been treated to some pretty scary tricks during this election season. Violent solutions would be frightening to say the least. This election can’t be over soon enough. But even after it is over, I am scared that threats against our first woman President and total obstruction to her agenda will lead to an inability to work together and make our country worse. I want my country back. After publishing this post, I ran across this amazing song written by Sara Barreilles and Leslie Odom, Jr. for This American Life. Please watch and listen: Under the gun- getting our heads out of the sand April 4, 2016 commongunsense"accidental shootings", #Enough, #gunsense, American gun culture, Brady background checks, causes of gun deaths and injuries, CDC research on gun violence, conceal and carry laws, Congress members and guns, corporate gun lobby, Florida law to prevent health care providers from talking about guns in the home, gun homicides, gun suicides, guns and elections, kids and guns, Military gun suicides, NRA, Physicians and guns, public support for background checks, The Trace When Congress and the gun lobby can decide for the nation that an agency that studies and makes recommendations about public health issues should not study gun violence, we have a serious problem. One wonders why it has taken so long for this national disgrace to get the attention it deserves? Why have we let this happen? Because this stuff flies under the radar and the public does not know or understand the extent to which the gun lobby has gone to get its’ way. After the Sandy Hook shooting in December of 2012, something changed in this country. The gun lobby has been under more well deserved scrutiny than ever before and that scrutiny is not complementary. I’m talking about the fear of retribution about even mentioning the idea that we should study the causes and effects of gun violence, of course. An article from The Trace examined what is going on at the CDC ( Centers for Disease Control) and found some known and unknown facts that should concern us very much if we care about saving lives and preventing the devastation of gun violence. From the article: “It was the leadership of CDC who stopped the agency from doing gun violence research,” Mark Rosenberg, a founder of the CDC’s National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, the division of the agency responsible for its work on the subject, tells The Trace. “Right now, there is nothing stopping them from addressing this life-and-death national problem.” How much latitude the CDC has to pursue gun violence research is hardly an academic argument. The CDC is the nation’s leading public health agency, with a yearly budget of more than $11 billion. The failure of the CDC to invest in studies of gun violence has greatly inhibited the ability of social scientists, law enforcement agencies, and policymakers to understand the scope and causes of shootings — while also limiting understanding of interventions that might save lives. How could this happen in a country that values research and being on the leading edge of solving public health problems? The CDC was one of the first agencies to study gun violence as a public health issue. In 1992, Rosenberg and five colleagues launched the Division of Violence Prevention at the Injury Center, operating out of a converted men’s room with a yearly budget of around $260,000. Without any political impediments, they began to focus on identifying the root causes of firearm deaths and the best methods to prevent them. One of the first studies that the division funded was “Gun Ownership as a Risk Factor for Homicide in the Home.” Published in the New England Journal of Medicine in 1993, the research found that the mere presence of a gun in a home increased the risk of a firearm-related death by 2.7 percent, and suicide fivefold — a “huge” increase, according to Rosenberg. The NRA was furious about the findings, which it viewed as biased. The gun organization launched a campaign to shut down the Injury Center, an effort soon joined by two conservative groups led by pro-gun medical professionals,Doctors for Responsible Gun Ownership and Doctors for Integrity and Policy Research. The latter famously called CDC investigators “liars masquerading in lab coats.” The NRA and the conservative doctors’ groups began pressuring members of Congress to stop the CDC’s gun violence research. By 1995, eight senators had signed on to the cause. The next year, 1996, Republican Representative Jay Dickey of Arkansas introduced the amendment bearing his name as a rider to an appropriations bill. Notably, the Dickey Amendment did not immediately lead to a total stoppage of gun violence research by the CDC, as Satcher kept a few existing initiatives alive. But when Satcher left the CDC in 1998, Rosenberg says, his departure marked the end of substantive gun research at the agency. The new director, Jeffrey Koplan, had little interest in continuing the agency’s work on gun violence prevention, Rosenberg says. Ah. Now it makes sense. Or not. More… In his 2017 budget request, President Obama requested $10 million specifically for gun violence research at the CDC — which works out to roughly 0.1 percent of the agency’s total funding allotment. Rosenberg believes that rather than waiting for a Republican-controlled Congress to grant Obama’s request, the CDC could immediately divert that sum from other programs to jumpstart new studies. “They could do that in the blink of an eye,” he says. Satcher, the CDC director who sought to shield gun research from cuts, says he understands Rosenberg’s viewpoint — but also knows firsthand how political realities can shape agency policy. “I think it could be feasible, but the question is, how would it affect their budget?” he asks. “How would Congress punish the CDC for that? It would be easy for me to criticize the CDC, and I’m tempted to do that. But I also know the kind of risks they’re facing.” Ok. Now we are getting at the truth of the matter. The CDC would be punished by Congress for using money in its’ budget for research into the causes and effects of gun violence. So it’s a risk to study gun violence? And if the research shows that it’s a risk to have loaded guns lying around at home, what does that mean for the public health and safety? What does that mean for the corporate gun lobby and gun manufacturers? What does that mean for the American gun culture? And most important of all, what does that mean for saving lives? Hmmm. Where is common sense? Why would one lobby group get to decide on vital national research into the causes of one of our nation’s most serious national public health epidemics. For what other cause takes the lives of 30,000 Americans and doesn’t get the attention and the concern it should have? And why is a lobby group so afraid of what the research would divulge if given a chance? What would be the result? Would Americans begin to take their heads out of the sand and see that guns in homes are an actual risk to their families and communities? How awful would that be? Perhaps only 20,000 Americans would lose their lives to bullets or suffer from fewer injuries that cost us all billions every year. Would that be so bad? We already know that the gun lobby does not like Physicians talking to their patients about the risks of guns in the home. They have done in Florida what they would like to do everywhere- punish Physicians for doing their jobs. From the article: When a Florida pediatrician asked the same question — “Do you have guns in the home?” — during a checkup in 2010, the reply from a mother of three was sharp: None of your business. She objected to the query as “very invasive,”complaining to her local newspaper, “Whether I have a gun has nothing to do with the health of my child.” And so began what’s come to be known as the Docs vs. Glocks dispute. In 2011, after a lobbying push by the National Rifle Association, Florida passed the Firearm Owners’ Privacy Act, restricting physicians from asking about gun ownership and from counseling about gun safety in routine appointments. Potential penalties include fines, suspension and loss of a medical license. A federal judge blocked the law as an unconstitutional restriction of doctors’ speech. Then an appeals court panel overturned the ruling, emphasizing patients’ rights to own guns and to privacy. This Florida case is just the latest example of how the politics of guns have affected physicians’ ability to bring science to bear on what experts can see plainly: That gun violence is a public health issue. The full U.S. Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit is now preparing to hear the case, and legislators in at least 12 states have expressed interest in similar bills. So it’s worth correcting what lawmakers and the court panel misunderstand about the doctor-patient relationship and about the relevance of firearms to pediatric care — in a country where more than 2 million children live in homes with unsecured guns. There are reasons for health care providers to discuss common safety and risk factors with their patients and patients’ families. More from the article ( written by a Pediatrician for the Washington Post): But beyond responding to immediate warning signs, responsible doctors need to be able to counsel patients on matters that pose the greatest statistical risks to their health and well-being. Heart disease is the leading cause of death in Americans 65 years and older, so doctors talk to their elderly patients about healthy eating habits, regular exercise and smoking cessation. For children between the ages of 1 and 14, the leading cause of death is unintentional injury, a category that includes car accidents, suffocation, burns, drowning and gunshot wounds. As pediatricians, we counsel parents about all of these issues. We explain how to properly install car seats. We caution against children playing with plastic bags. We teach about safe water temperature. We discuss safety around pools. Gun safety is no different from any of these topics. Comprehensive numbers on gun accidents are hard to come by, in part because National Rifle Association lobbying and limited funding has deterred the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention from conducting firearm research. But outside research found that in 2015, children accidentally shot themselves or someone else at least 278 times, averaging more than five times a week. By some estimates, keeping guns locked up and unloaded could prevent 70 percent of unintentional shooting deaths among children. Sometimes parents aren’t aware that their gun storage practices are unsafe. During one recent appointment at our clinic, a mother said she wasn’t sure if there were any guns in her home. Her father is a police officer, she said, and there might have been one or two in a closet. In a 2006 study published in the Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, nearly a quarter of parents who reported that their children had not handled a household gun were contradicted by their children. Would it be so bad to recognize that suicide by gun takes more lives than homicide by gun? Would it be so bad to admit that too many self proclaimed “law abiding” gun owners are leaving guns out for children and teens to access, causing avoidable and totally senseless loss of life? Would that be so bad? Until we make this one of our most important issues and the focus of attention and research, the devastation of gun violence will continue unabated. Until the corporate gun lobby comes forward to help do something about this public health and safety epidemic, they can’t be taken seriously when they claim that they teach safety with guns. In case you haven’t noticed, it isn’t working. Kids are still getting their hands on guns and killing or injuring themselves and others. Domestic abusers are still gaining access to guns and shooting intimate partners on a regular basis. Teens and older males are still shooting themselves in suicides that don’t have to be but continue because of easy access to guns- the method most often used and most effective for the taking of one’s own life. Our military members will still be shooting themselves because of lack of services, PTSD, depression and battle wounds. In this article about the Minnesota National Guard and the high number of suicides, this quote says what we know but don’t talk about often enough: Most have been men. The average age of victims was 26 — much younger than the middle-aged males in the general population who kill themselves. The most common cause of death — a self-inflicted gunshot. Can we talk about this openly without fear of being attacked by the gun lobby? Lives depend on the answer. Meanwhile, gangs will continue shooting at each other and often taking innocent lives in the process. Law enforcement will still shoot innocent people when it’s not necessary. Armed citizens will roam our streets with guns so law enforcement officers feel the need to protect themselves. People will still come up with ways to manufacture ever smaller, more concealable pistols for public use. The gun lobby will still convince elected leaders with their heads planted firmly in the sand and in the campaign money trough that guns should be carried everywhere we go. Researchers will still be fearful that if they dare consider the idea that we should have a better understanding of what causes most of our gun deaths and how we can prevent them, they will lose their funding or suffer from the offensive and vile vendettas against them from gun extremists. And those of us who are publicly writing, speaking and taking actions against the gun violence that is so obviously a public health epidemic will still be called names and suffer from the hateful comments from the gun extremists. But the majority of Americans are now on the side of common sense. That is little solace when their leaders refuse to act on behalf of victims and survivors and do the right thing. Elections are coming soon. Vote for #gunsense and make sure you know how your candidates stand on saving lives and supporting the public health and safety of their constituents. We can’t let the gun extremists win any longer. Threats of violence, fear of a minority of gun owners, attacking candidates who stand with the majority- not acceptable any more. Take your heads out of the sand. Lives depend on it. We have had #Enough of this nonsense in the name of profit and power. Let’s get to work and demand the change our country deserves.

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IET Hong Kong Network Groups Navigation Community Blog View Post The Election Of Ordinary Members For The Branch Committee And Section Committee In Session 2020 As the number of valid nominations is more than the number of vacancies, a poll for the election of Ordinary Members for the Branch Committee, Informatics and Control Technologies Section Committee, Manufacturing and Industrial Engineering Section Committee is scheduled for 5 December 2019. Biography of each candidate is given as below: Branch Committee Ms Heather W. Y. LAM BEng MSc MIET Design Support Engineer – Signalling and Electronic Control Engineering, Operation Division, MTR Corporation Limited Heather is currently the Organizing Committee of The International Conference on Railway Engineering 2020 (ICRE) for supporting Sponsorship and Publication; the Vice-Chairperson of The IET Hong Kong Young Woman Engineer of The Year Award Organizing Committee; the member of The IET Hong Kong S4G (STEM for Girls) and STEM Task Force for supporting Faraday Challenge Days. She was the Ordinary Member of the IET Community Resourceing Committee (CRC) in UK during 2016-19 which is the overarching group for leading the work of the IET’s volunteer communities around the world and facilitating communications between UK and all communities. She was Honorary Treasurer of Railway and Transport Section (RTS) in 2017-18 and the Chairlady of Younger Members Section (YMS) of Hong Kong Local Network (LN) in 2014-15. Heather works for the MTR Corporation in the positions of Design Support Engineer – Signalling and Electronic Control Engineering, providing technical support on the signalling modification works on existing operational urban railway lines in Hong Kong. She is also the member of Customer Service Support Team and the STEM Ambassador in MTR. Heather received her MSc with distinction from Department of Electrical Engineering of The Hong Kong Polytechnic University. She obtained IRSE Hewlett-Fisher Bursary Awards in 2015. Working in multidisciplinary engineering environment, Heather is confident to get along with engineers from different disciplines and inspire others. The Values of the IET “Integrity, Excellence and Teamwork” build the respectful and strong voluntary team striving for successful events. Heather has delivered this values by serving events for Members, Young Professionals, engineering students of LN and secondary students through oragnising various STEM school talks and visits, linking up Automotive and Road Transport Systems Network (TPN ARTS) and RTS co-organising event, supporting the 2016 Symposium by Management Section on Cost Management For Mega Project and “Asia Pacific Radio Spectrum Conference (APRSC)” 2010 and 2012, oragnising “Global Engineering Debate Hong Kong Section”, annual “Career Congress”, annual local heat of IET's Present Around the World (PATW) competition of Hong Kong LN and annual “The Future Engineers Project” for Secondary School Students. “I believe my enthusiasm and commitment would contribute to the IET Hong Kong.” She is looking forward to organising various IET Hong Kong branch committee (BC) events and the IET 150th Anniversary events; and conducting external liaison with industries and education institutions as well as exchanging views among BC and LNs. Mr John H.K. Chow is the Founding Chairman of Fortune Industrial Products Ltd since 1991. He has had rich experience in precision metal parts design, manufacturing and quality control. John is the current Chairman of Manufacturing and Industrial Engineering Section of IET Hong Kong, Ordinary Member (Section Committee) of Branch Committee of IET Hong Kong. He has contributed his knowledge and experience for Hong Kong Vocational Training field since 2013. He is the Vice Chairman of Manufacturing Technology Training Board of VTC HK, and he served as member of Plastic Training Board of VTC HK at session 2013-17. He keeps good connection with manufacturing industries and related organizations such as group 2, group 7 and group 14 of Federation of Hong Kong Industries (FHKI). Hong Kong Metal Manufacturers Association (HKMMA), Hong Kong Mold & Die Council (HKMDC), Hong Kong Foundry Association (HKFA), and The Institute of Purchasing & Supply of HK (IPSHK), etc. Mr TSANG, Mark Kai Yeung BEng BBA MSc CEng MIET Age 31, S 2009, M 2013 Engineer I, Power Systems - CLP Power (Hong Kong) Limited, Hong Kong SAR by Nomination Committee Mark Tsang started volunteering at IET Hong Kong since 2009, as Chairman of Students Section Hong Kong, while he was studying at the Hong Kong Polytechnic University, in a Dual Degree Programme of Business Administration & Electrical Engineering. Over 10 years of service in IET Hong Kong, Mark has led various training and students mentoring programmes, organised professional networking and technical events, delivered STEM talks and workshops, chaired Younger Members Section, and actively involved in 30th Anniversary Celebration Organising Committee of IET Hong Kong Branch in 2018. Mark was fully supported and nominated by members from the local Branch Committee and young IET members of Hong Kong. Mark holds himself energetic and self-motivated. If elected, he would keep supporting IET as a diversified, and multi-disciplinary community. With his proven volunteering records, network with local professional bodies, and his personal experience in registration as Chartered Engineer through IET in 2018, Mark believes he could bring across the message of engineering professional development to local engineers’ community and schools. He would also stand for members and engineering students in Hong Kong, enhancing the value of membership, supporting their career planning and professional registration. MR TSE LOK HIM received his BEng(Hon) degree and MEng degree in electronics in 2000, and his MSc degree in electronics and information in 2001 from the Hong Kong Polytechnic University. For the professional qualifications, Mr. TSE is a member of the Hong Kong Institution of Engineers. He has also obtianed professional membership for the Institution of Engineering and Technology, UK. For over 14 years’ working experinece, Mr TSE worked as Maintenance Engineer in Health Sector Divison, EMSD responsible for asset management of hopital equipment. From 2009 till 2013, Mr. TSE was posted to Transport, Security, Central Services Division, EMSD responible for design review of the signalling and train control system for the development of the high-speed rail for the Hong Kong Section of Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong Express Rail Link. Subsequently, he joined Railways Branchs, EMSD for regulating railway safety as the Railway Inspectorate for Tsuen Wan Line, Airport Express Line Disneyland Resort Line and Tung Chung Line For the professional servises, Mr. TSE currrently is the Committee Member, Railway & Transport Section Committee of The Institution of Engineering and Technology HK and Council Member of The Institution of Engineering and Technology, UK. He is also the co-opt member of the Electronics Division of The Institution of Hong Kong Engineers Ir Dr Tsang Kim-Fung, PhD, CEng, FHKIE, SMIEEE Ir Dr Tsang is an Associate Professor in the Department of Electronic Engineering, City University of Hong Kong. He has published more than 200 technical papers, a few patents, and four books/book chapter. KF’s research area is in IoT and Smartcity standards and compliance, 5G and IoT security, privacy, security and open standards, IoT protocol design, AI algorithms, blockchain and applications. He has been active in industry applications and contributed significantly to the design and development of mobile phone infrastructure, wireless home/office/building automation and energy management system, location tracking, healthcare, smart transportation, security, .... etc. KF won many prizes and was awarded the IoT Heros Award in 2016 by GS1 IoT Council (nominated by Cisco). KF is now devoting his effort to 5G and LPWAN IoT (LoRa, SigFox and NB IoT). He is developing a worldwide IEEE Standard P2668 for Maturity Index of Internet-of-things (IDex): Grading and ranking. Trials on the standard is being carried out with few Hong Kong Government units and supported by Hong Kong Science Park, Cyberport, Hong Kong Productivity Council, GS1 HK. KF holds the following positions: Chairman of NB IoT Work Group for IEEE P1451.5 smart sensors; a member of the IEEE1932.1 standard for License/Unlicensed Spectrum Interoperability in Wireless Mobile Networks Working Group; Technical Committee member of Industrial Wireless Guidelines for NIST, U.S. Department of Commerce, USA; Membership Champion of IEEE Industrial Electronics Society; Associate Editor of IEEE Transactions on Industrial Electronics; Associate Editor of IEEE Transactions on Industrial informatics; Associate Editor of IEEE Industrial Electronics Magazine; Editor of TSII Transaction. KF is a member of the Ad Hoc Technical Committee on Smart Lamppost , OCGIO; Chairman of the Consulative Expert Group of China Mobile HK 5G Alliance; Advisor of OFCA SSAC; Editor in Chief of SmartVision, Smart City Consortium, Past Chairman of Electronics Division, HKIE. Ir Lewis Choi CEng MIET Lewis is a Chartered Engineer with more than 20 years working experience in multi-national organizations / Fortune 500 / Global 100 including Hallmark, Mattel, Kodak & Hitachi. After work, he was an active volunteer in IET Hong Kong for 10 years until 2018. He is passionate about volunteering IET Hong Kong and hope to serve IET Hong Kong once again in coming future. He is currently the Regional Engineering Manager in Hallmark to lead the engineering team for new product development in both Hong Kong and China. Prior to Hallmark, He was the Senior Manager, Engineering, New Technology & Innovation in Mattel to develop electronic toys in high complexity focusing on the new technology including such as IT, wireless and multimedia applications. Prior to Mattel, he worked for Kodak as the Digital Products and Services Manager to develop new digital solutions on the Internet and any imaging services. In IET Hong Kong, his previous volunteer’s activities included coordinating ROV / FLL events, arranging seminars / technical visits, serving as mentors for different local university students as well as being a professional development mentor for IET (UK) to support Asian members since 2014. The following were his volunteer’s positions in IET Hong Kong: STEM Coordinator (Session 2017-2018), Branch Committee External Affairs and Communication Coordinator (Session 2015-2017), Branch Committee Chairman (Session 2014-2015), MIES Committee Vice Chairman (Session 2013-2014), MIES Committee Secretary (Session 2012-2013), MIES Committee Treasurer (Session 2011-2012), MIES Committee Committee Member (Session 2008-2011), MIES Committee He received his bachelor’s degree in electronic engineering technology from United States, MBA specialized in e-commerce from Charles Sturt University, MSc in Technology Management from the Hong Kong Polytechnic University, MSc in Engineering (Industrial Engineering and Logistics Management) and MSc in Engineering (Electrical and Electronic Engineering) both from the University of Hong Kong, and postgraduate certification in laws specialized in intellectual property laws from University of London. Informatics and Control Technologies Section Committee Mr Chu, Steve Yu For BEng Msc CEng MIET M 2010, Project Engineer –Airport System, Airport Authority Hong Kong, Nominated by Yeung Wai Keung and Jason Tang. Steve Chu obtained his BEng (Electronic Engineering) from the Hong Kong University of Science & Technology and MSc(Eng) from Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST). He is working on designing and implementing of communication and IT Systems in infrastructure projects. He has been an active volunteer for 9 years, and served as a helper and a coordinator in The Younger Members Section (YMS) and The Informatics and Control Technologies (ICT) of the IET Hong Kong. He had been a Coordinator of Young Professional, Future Engineer Project, Career Congress in Young Member Section from 2014 to 2018, and represented IET YMS to hold a jointed event Future Engineer Project with different engineering societies in 2017. Being heavily involved with the IET activities and events, Steve is very keen on: — Engaging professionals and institutions in the Hong Kong; — Encouraging collaborations of events organization among IET sections in Hong Kong, and other professional institutions. — Helping resolve any conflicts and issues of event and activities. — Promoting new information and communication technologies to different engineering disciplines and institutions; — Helping IET to recruit new members and encourage ex-members to re-join the IET; During the volunteer services in the IET Hong Kong, he collaborated with talents from different background, which enhanced his courage and enthusiasm on serving the members, not only in local section but also in the engineering societies in Hong Kong. Steve is willing to contribute himself to the members, and bring more inspiring suggestions to the IET Hong Kong. Miss WONG, Teresa Kai Man BEng MFA MIRSE MIET S 2007, A 2008, M 2009 Engineer, Pypun-kd & Associates Limited, Hong Kong SAR Teresa joined the IET in 2007 since she was a student and has been serving in IET YMS, and she became the member of IET Council and Knowledge Services Board in 2016-2019. She is currently the IET International Lifeskills Trainer for Hong Kong Network. Not only organizing local activities, she has chaired several overseas visits which successfully provide a platform for idea exchange among engineers from different Networks, including technical visit to Taiwan and Malaysia PATW technical visit. She is also committed to promoting STEM to female students and has been actively engaged with IET activities, including “Underwater Robot Challenge” (ROV), “First Lego League” (FLL), "STEM 4 Girls Programme" and the "IET Young Woman Engineer of the Year Award" (YWE) to encourage and foster more women engineers with potential and together to build a better society. As a multi-disciplinary engineer, she is not only an engineer; she is also a creative educator, who create a non-verbal theatre show “Bling Imagine” – with the combination of technology and music for children, the idea of STEAM. In 2019, she was the recipient of Hong Kong Professional Elite Ladies Award, for her contributions to engineering field, STEAM theatre production and education. “I have learned and benefited much through IET as well as personal and professional development, this is an opportunity to continue my contribution to IET. I believe I have capability and enthusiasm in serving Informatics and Control Technologies Section, and have confident in supporting the development of IET.” Ir Fong Yick-chung received the Bachelor and Master Degree in Electrical and Electronic Engineering from the University of Hong Kong. After having the Bachelor degree, he joined CLP Power Hong Kong Limited as a Graduate Trainee. With exposure and development in various engineering areas like telecommunications, telemetry and SCADA control systems, he is currently the Senior Process Control Manager in CLP Power Hong Kong Limited. He has over twenty years of solid engineering experience on the planning, design, implementation, installation, testing and commissioning of various Telecommunication Systems, Telemetry Systems and SCADA Control Sytems. He is a Corporate Member of the Hong Kong Institution of Engineers and Member of the Institution of Engineering and Technology. From 2015 to 2018, he was the Ordinary Member of IET ICT session and had supported various events like the IET ICT Conference. In 2018-2019, he continued his involvement in ICT session as Co-opted member. Mr CHAN, Victor Wing Ho. BSc MIET MBCS MHKCS CSSA CCA ITIL CCNA An active IET volunteer since 2011, Victor has served 8 years on both Younger Members Section and Informatics Control and Technologies Section. Victor has held numerous activities with the IET Hong Kong including several local and overseas seminars and technical visits over 2000 members attended including BIM forum, ICT Conference, One belt and Road technical visits & seminars, Presentation Around The World, Faraday challenge, ROV since 2011. Victor’s main aim is to utilise his governance experience from the Engineering Council, wealth of IET knowledge from his board involvement, to contribute to the IET strategy. Working in industry for 14 years; System Engineer, leaving after 2 years as the IT Analyst to be the Asia System Deployment Lead at Arup. Moving to HSBC as a System Control Officer for the global data center of the crisis and incident management, after a year, Victor worked as a project manager in Principle One as an IT Consultant to serve in financial sectors and offer to buy out from his client Point72 Asset management. Recent few years, moving to an investment bank Natixis, Victor is enjoying the life in engineering career and project management to deliver many Asia new offices such Taipei and Seoul, learning about management and influence skill. Victor is passionate about promoting engineering, doing this since he is interested to share his career. In 2007, Victor worked in Arup and understood what the engineering needs and later he worked in different countries in Asia for the IT projects, getting senior management appreciations to deploy infrastructure to Asia. Victor has also served many other committees and policy steering councils in the industry. This experience could bring inspirations to the IET and value members, volunteers and the Institution, with Engineering being held in as high regard as any profession to shape a better world. Manufacturing and Industrial Engineering Section Committee Dr. Steve, Wai Yin MUNG graduated from Higher Diploma in Electronic and Information Engineering in The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) in 2003. After graduation, he worked indifferent industrial electronic companies in the wireless and audio area as well as further part-time study in Department of Physics and Materials Science in City University of Hong Kong (CityU). In 2006, he received the B.Sc. (with first-class honor) in Applied Physics (part-time) and then started his research studyin 2007. He finally got the M.Phil. and Ph.D. degrees in Department of Electronic Engineering in CityU, in 2009 and 2012, respectively. He has more than 15 years of industrial experience and operations in the design and manufacturing of commercial and consumer electronic products. Currently, he is the Test and Operations Director in Sana Semiconductors Limited, which develops Power Amplifier Modules (PAMs) for mobile handsets and other wireless devices. He setup a first automated RF testing systemin Hong Kong with complete automated production flow for mobile 3G/4G power amplifiers in 2016.Apart from this, he is also a Consultant in Innovation Technology Co., Ltd. Apart from industrial experience, he still continues his research and teaching activities in different departments and universities. He has been visiting lecturer in Department of Mechanical Engineering in PolyU. He is now an Adjunct Assistant Professor in Department of Electronic and Information Engineering in PolyU. He is the co-founder of PolyU -Innovation Technology (HK) Audio and Speech Signal Processing Joint Laboratory. He has published more than twenty journals and conference papers, and has invented more than thirty patents. He has served as reviewer for several journals such as IEEE Transactions on Microwave Theory and Techniques (T-MTT), IEEE Microwave and Wireless Components Letters (MWCL), IEEE Transactions on Circuits and Systems (TCAS-I and II) and IET Electronics Letters (IET EL)and Microwave and Optical Technology Letters (MOTL). Research Interest: 1. Microwave, Millimeter-wave and Antenna Engineering 2. Speech and Audio signal processing and Acoustic engineering 3. Machine Learning for Microwave Engineering 4. Automation System Control and Data Analysis 5. Supply Chain and Quality Control 6. Packaging Assembly and Reliability Engineering Mr Yu Kwok Tung Kenneth I have over 20 years' experience in engineering, quality and manufacturing and are familiar with various manufacturing processes including plastic molding, tempo printing, vacuum plating, bonding assembly, SMT assembly, PCB assembly and product assembly. I have good knowledge in LEAN, Six Sigma, Theory of Constraints, Balanced Scorecard and Seven Habits of Highly Effective People. With this knowledge, I can improve quality, processes and cost reduction. I have served IET Manufacturing and Industrial Engineering Section for Section Committee for many years and have been IET mentors for a few years. Mr Wai Keung LEUNG received his Bachelor Degree of Science in Applied Computing from The Open University of Hong Kong in 2003 and a Diploma in Electronics and Communication Engineering in 1989. He has over 23 years of working experience in design & project development with manufacturing experience in Electronics, LCD and small Electrical consumer product field. Typical implementation experience from concept state to real product launch, different knowledge of technology, e.g. motor control, LCD design & application, MCU control, base band telecommunication with acoustic handset design requirement. Good relationship and network with external vendor at component & turnkey solution level. Over ten years of managerial level to lead HK & CN engineers and project team to follow up with company main customer such as Philip, Remington, Carol Group. Currently, he is working as Senior Project Manager in the Specialife Industrial Ltd. His duties including but not only daily communicate with customers, various departments, partner supplier in project development managements but also process management flow, improvement proposal to top management board. He was a Corporate member in 2014 and now is Ordinary Member in 2015 of The IET Hong Kong in the discipline of Manufacturing and & Industrial Engineering section. He is regularly attending activities organized by MIESC and taking part in the community service to support the activities at the same time in the past. He has been joined as Mentor for the “Youth Mentoring Programme 2015” program by IET HK. Ir Dr. MAK, Shu-lun Ir Dr. SL Mak is Assistant Professor in the School of Science and Technology, the Open University of Hong Kong. He received his M.Sc in Automation Systems & Management, B.Eng(Hons) in Manufacturing Engineering from City University of Hong Kong, Master of Electronic Commerce (MEC) and Doctor of Engineering (D.Eng) from The Open University of Hong Kong. He is the Chartered Engineer & Member of the Institution of Engineering and Technology (UK), Fellow of Institution of Mechanical Engineers (UK), Fellow of the Institute of Measurement and Control (UK), Registered Professional Engineer and member of HKIE. He was chairman of Manufacturing and Industrial Engineering Section (2013/14 session), chairman of IEEE – Product Safety Engineering Society, Hong Kong Chapter (2016-2017). He is the Vice Chairman off Institute of Measurement and Control, Hong Kong Section. Mr Eric CHENG KIN SHING is currently a Senior manager of Robotics Platform in Hong Kong Science & Technology Parks Corporation (HKSTP) to drive Robotics Technology into society. He received his BEng(Hons) in Mechanical Engineering from The University of Hong Kong in 2009 and got his master degree of Industrial Engineering from The Hong Kong Polytechnic University in 2012. Before joining HKSTP, he was the Senior Manager of Manufacturing Innovation (Global Operation) in adidas Group to initiate and deploy innovation manufacturing technology into the global supply chain. Before that, he had been working in different R&D institutes such as Hong Kong Research Institute of Textile and Apparel (HKRITA), Hong Kong Applied Science and Technology Research Institute (ASTRI) and Hong Kong Productivity Council (HKPC) to involve over 40 R&D projects implementation and management. Mr Kevin SHEA Tin-Hui BEng, MBA (City U) Mr. SHEA received his Bachelor Degree with honours in Manufacturing Engineering from City University of Hong Kong in 1993, and his degree of Master of Business Administration in 2010. He has been working in the manufacturing and trading sector since 1993, mainly with products sewn in different fabrics. He started his first job in a local manufacturer to handle the customers and the Hong Kong office, while to regularly work with the staffs in the China factory about the process, quality and production schedule. He also liaises with product and graphic designers, manufacturers and suppliers, to launch new products and to improve quality and capacity. He used to travel to overseas for trade fairs and to visit customers, suppliers and different markets, to look for business opportunities and market studies. During the recent 10 years, he holds Win Life Enterprise Ltd. and different Mainland Chinese manufacturers to develop and produce a variety of products in accordance to the customer requirements. Posted by Dodi Mak on Aug 22, 2018 8:28 AM Europe/London Log in to view Want to read the blog comments and post your own? Please Log in

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By Douglas French The Government Regulation That's Been Killing for 50 Years By the end of the week, 1,700 liberty lovers are expected to stop in at Roger’s Campground in Lancaster, N.H., to see what the Free States Project’s PorcFest is all about. The crowd is openly carrying side arms, rifles, and other weapons, while engaging in all sorts of commerce: accepting dollars, silver, and Bitcoins (leave your plastic at home). By the way, I can now say I’ve seen my first 3-D printed handgun and have some Bitcoins metaphorically jingling around in my Droid. There are plenty of talks from the likes of LFC business cycle guru Robert Murphy, David Friedman (son of Milton), Yuri Maltsev, and yours truly. And for the less theoretical, there are classes like Learn to Build Your Own Black-Powder Rifle. This morning, a friend told me of eating some bear meat last evening. As it happens, a car struck and killed a bear near the event, and an enterprising PorcFester was able to secure an available fire and grill late in the evening while the meat was still safe to cook and eat. This illustrates the kind of can-do of individuals attending PorcFest. It will not surprise you that a crowd like this has no illusions that Obamacare will make the nation healthier. Americans are dying at the hands of government, and Obama’s Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, as Dustin Hurst mentioned in his article the other day, will only make it worse. Physician Mary Ruwart told a PorcFest crowd just how bad government has mucked up health care in her talk, titled The ONLY Solution to the Health Care Crisis. Dr. Ruwart worked for pharmaceutical company Upjohn for 19 years. Her talk focused on how costs have accelerated due to government regulation. In her view, regulations are 50-90% of costs in the pharmaceutical area. The nation’s collective health took a turn for the worst with the Kefauver-Harris Amendment in 1962. Before then, drugmakers had to prove only that their products were safe. With the passage of Kefauver-Harris, drugmakers had to prove their drugs were not only safe, but that the drugs worked. Ruwart says what this did was expand the window to gain approval from the Federal Drug Administration (FDA) from an average of 4.5 years to 14-15 years. This tripling of approval time has forced drugmakers to shift costs from innovation to development. How many people have died because companies don’t create new lifesaving drugs? Who knows? As Frederic Bastiat explained in his “broken window fallacy” and Henry Hazlitt made clear in Economics in One Lesson, there are costs that are incurred and distortions created by government policies that are impossible to quantify, but should never be ignored. However, Dr. Ruwart takes a stab at what the 1962 amendment has wrought. She says it has killed 100 times more people than it has saved. In a 2005 piece for LewRockwell.com, Dr. Ruwart estimated, “The amendments might have saved, at best, 7,000 lives. In contrast, many more died waiting the extra 10 years for lifesaving drugs. According to my calculations, about 4.7 million people died over the last 40 years while the lifesaving drug they needed was tied up in regulatory red tape!” Eighty-five percent of pharmaceutical costs are due to Kefauver-Harris, she said. Which means that prescription you’re now paying $100 for would be $15 if not for the amendment. The good Dr. Ruwart says it has single-handedly doubled total health care costs and has made treatment, instead of prevention, the norm. If a drug isn’t a slam-dunk, like, say, Viagra, it won’t be developed. When a new drug is developed, a patent is obtained and then approval from the FDA is sought. But in many cases, the timeline for approval is too long, and the patent window will close before costs can be recovered. Just like everything else, life and death is an economic matter. While government thinks it is saving sick people from deadly drugs, many, many more are dying because breakthrough drugs are being kept from the market. Only government bureaucrats would think it makes sense to keep a potential lifesaving treatment from a sick person for fear the drug might kill them instead of the disease. Dr. Ruwart related a personal story about a drug she filed a patent on to treat fibrotic liver disease with prostaglandins. An FDA examiner called her personally. “You must encourage your company to develop this product,” he insisted. “We lose 100,000 people each year to fibrotic liver disease, and we have absolutely nothing to offer.” However, the Kefauver-Harris Amendment demanded especially long, difficult, and expensive studies. As she said, “If we guessed wrong the first time and had to repeat years and years of studies, our patent would run out and we’d never recoup our investment. In spite of the FDA’s support, we had to abandon this potentially lifesaving drug.” The health care crisis can be solved only with deregulation, but instead, 906 pages of Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act regulations are being thrust upon us. No doubt it will be even more damaging and will cost more lives than the Kefauver-Harris Amendment. Dr. Ruwart predicts Obamacare will be “a total disaster.” Even the law’s supporters are getting nervous. “I just see a huge train wreck coming down,” Montana Democratic Sen. Max Baucus, told Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Kathleen Sebelius. And just to add insult the injury, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) lists 47 new taxes and regulations that Obamacare requires the IRS to manage. Yes, the agency that is currently dealing with its own tea party discrimination scandal. You can move to New Hampshire to live free or die with libertarians as a part of the Free State Project. But Obamacare is still coming… Doug French Original article posted on Laissez Faire Today About Douglas French: Douglas French is a Senior Editor for Agora Financial. He received his master’s degree under the direction of Murray N. Rothbard at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, after many years in the business of banking. He is the author of two books, Early Speculative Bubbles & Increases in the Money Supply, the first major empirical study of the relationship between early bubbles and the money supply, and Walk Away, a monograph assessing the philosophy and morality of strategic default. He is founder and editor of LibertyWatch magazine.

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Young Alberta girl among 2 people killed in highway crash in southeastern B.C. Phil Heidenreich and Demi Knight GlobalNews.ca WATCH ABOVE: (From Aug. 14, 2019) A family from Fort Macleod, Alta., is mourning the loss of their four-year-old daughter after a crash on Highway 3 near Creston B.C. Tom Roulston reports. A four-year-old girl from Alberta is among two people who died after an SUV collided with an RV on a highway near Creston, B.C. on Monday night, according to the RCMP. In a news release issued Tuesday, police said officers responded to the crash on Highway 3 at about 10 p.m. local time. RCMP said investigators believe an SUV that was heading east on the highway crossed the centre line and collided head-on with the RV, which was travelling west. The RV was carrying a family of five from Alberta. Police said it went off the highway and came to a stop on its roof before catching fire. “Four of the five occupants of the RV were able to escape the burning vehicle,” the RCMP said. “A four-year-old girl who had been sleeping in the back of the RV perished in the crash.” Police said the 26-year-old man driving the SUV, who was the lone occupant of that vehicle, was also killed in the crash. They said he was from the region. Police said Highway 3 was closed for several hours but has since reopened. “At this time, there is evidence to suggest that the driver of the Saturn (SUV) was returning home after a late departure from the Shambhala Music Festival when this collision occurred,” the RCMP said. “Police have not ruled out the possibility that the driver was impaired.” Martina Van Hierden told Global News on Wednesday that she is a friend of the family involved in Monday’s collision. Van Hierden’s family was in the vehicle ahead of the Vanee family on Monday night. She said the Vanee family was travelling by motorhome from Alberta to a wedding in Chilliwack, B.C. The motorhome was carrying the groom’s brother, Marty Vanee, along with his wife and three children. Van Hierden said her family had pulled into a campground for the night and was waiting for the Vanee family to arrive at that same location but they never made it there. “We were waiting for them at the campground in Castlegar,” she said. “We were quite worried because they didn’t show up. “When the family tried to text them, no answer.” At around 11:30 p.m., Van Hierden said she received news of the crash. “We got the call from the hospital… and then Janine (Vanee) said that her husband was injured the two boys are fine, but the little girl was gone.” Van Hierden said the family is trying to remain strong at this difficult time, adding that a GoFundMe page has now been set up for the Vanee family. As of Wednesday afternoon, it had already raised more than $20,000. “For Marty and Janine, it’s the worst to lose a child,” Van Hierden said. “But through it all, they have very strong faith in God.” Anyone with information about or video of the crash is asked to call East Kootenay Traffic Services at 250-420-4244.

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We are very delighted that you have shown interest in our enterprise. Data protection is of a particularly high priority for the management of the Nimrod Trading Ltd. The use of the Internet pages of the Nimrod Trading Ltd is possible without any indication of personal data; however, if a data subject wants to use special enterprise services via our website, processing of personal data could become necessary. If the processing of personal data is necessary and there is no statutory basis for such processing, we generally obtain consent from the data subject. The processing of personal data, such as the name, address, e-mail address, or telephone number of a data subject shall always be in line with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), and in accordance with the country-specific data protection regulations applicable to the Nimrod Trading Ltd. By means of this data protection declaration, our enterprise would like to inform the general public of the nature, scope, and purpose of the personal data we collect, use and process. Furthermore, data subjects are informed, by means of this data protection declaration, of the rights to which they are entitled. As the controller, the Nimrod Trading Ltd has implemented numerous technical and organizational measures to ensure the most complete protection of personal data processed through this website. However, Internet-based data transmissions may in principle have security gaps, so absolute protection may not be guaranteed. For this reason, every data subject is free to transfer personal data to us via alternative means, e.g. by telephone. The data protection declaration of the Nimrod Trading Ltd is based on the terms used by the European legislator for the adoption of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). Our data protection declaration should be legible and understandable for the general public, as well as our customers and business partners. To ensure this, we would like to first explain the terminology used. Nimrod Trading Ltd Office Suite 2, Crusader House, Roman Way, Crusader Park, Warminster, Wiltshire, BA12 8SP Email: sales@countrymattersltd.com Website: https://countrymattersltd.com The Internet pages of the Nimrod Trading Ltd use cookies. Cookies are text files that are stored in a computer system via an Internet browser. Through the use of cookies, the Nimrod Trading Ltd can provide the users of this website with more user-friendly services that would not be possible without the cookie setting. The website of the Nimrod Trading Ltd collects a series of general data and information when a data subject or automated system calls up the website. This general data and information are stored in the server log files. Collected may be (1) the browser types and versions used, (2) the operating system used by the accessing system, (3) the website from which an accessing system reaches our website (so-called referrers), (4) the sub-websites, (5) the date and time of access to the Internet site, (6) an Internet protocol address (IP address), (7) the Internet service provider of the accessing system, and (8) any other similar data and information that may be used in the event of attacks on our information technology systems. When using these general data and information, the Nimrod Trading Ltd does not draw any conclusions about the data subject. Rather, this information is needed to (1) deliver the content of our website correctly, (2) optimize the content of our website as well as its advertisement, (3) ensure the long-term viability of our information technology systems and website technology, and (4) provide law enforcement authorities with the information necessary for criminal prosecution in case of a cyber-attack. Therefore, the Nimrod Trading Ltd analyzes anonymously collected data and information statistically, with the aim of increasing the data protection and data security of our enterprise, and to ensure an optimal level of protection for the personal data we process. The anonymous data of the server log files are stored separately from all personal data provided by a data subject. On the website of the Nimrod Trading Ltd, users are given the opportunity to subscribe to our enterprise's newsletter. The input mask used for this purpose determines what personal data are transmitted, as well as when the newsletter is ordered from the controller. The Nimrod Trading Ltd informs its customers and business partners regularly by means of a newsletter about enterprise offers. The enterprise's newsletter may only be received by the data subject if (1) the data subject has a valid e-mail address and (2) the data subject registers for the newsletter shipping. A confirmation e-mail will be sent to the e-mail address registered by a data subject for the first time for newsletter shipping, for legal reasons, in the double opt-in procedure. This confirmation e-mail is used to prove whether the owner of the e-mail address as the data subject is authorized to receive the newsletter. The newsletter of the Nimrod Trading Ltd contains so-called tracking pixels. A tracking pixel is a miniature graphic embedded in such e-mails, which are sent in HTML format to enable log file recording and analysis. This allows a statistical analysis of the success or failure of online marketing campaigns. Based on the embedded tracking pixel, the Nimrod Trading Ltd may see if and when an e-mail was opened by a data subject, and which links in the e-mail were called up by data subjects. Such personal data collected in the tracking pixels contained in the newsletters are stored and analyzed by the controller in order to optimize the shipping of the newsletter, as well as to adapt the content of future newsletters even better to the interests of the data subject. These personal data will not be passed on to third parties. Data subjects are at any time entitled to revoke the respective separate declaration of consent issued by means of the double-opt-in procedure. After a revocation, these personal data will be deleted by the controller. The Nimrod Trading Ltd automatically regards a withdrawal from the receipt of the newsletter as a revocation. The website of the Nimrod Trading Ltd contains information that enables a quick electronic contact to our enterprise, as well as direct communication with us, which also includes a general address of the so-called electronic mail (e-mail address). If a data subject contacts the controller by e-mail or via a contact form, the personal data transmitted by the data subject are automatically stored. Such personal data transmitted on a voluntary basis by a data subject to the data controller are stored for the purpose of processing or contacting the data subject. There is no transfer of this personal data to third parties. If one of the aforementioned reasons applies, and a data subject wishes to request the erasure of personal data stored by the Nimrod Trading Ltd, he or she may, at any time, contact any employee of the controller. An employee of Nimrod Trading Ltd shall promptly ensure that the erasure request is complied with immediately. Where the controller has made personal data public and is obliged pursuant to Article 17(1) to erase the personal data, the controller, taking account of available technology and the cost of implementation, shall take reasonable steps, including technical measures, to inform other controllers processing the personal data that the data subject has requested erasure by such controllers of any links to, or copy or replication of, those personal data, as far as processing is not required. An employees of the Nimrod Trading Ltd will arrange the necessary measures in individual cases. If one of the aforementioned conditions is met, and a data subject wishes to request the restriction of the processing of personal data stored by the Nimrod Trading Ltd, he or she may at any time contact any employee of the controller. The employee of the Nimrod Trading Ltd will arrange the restriction of the processing. In order to assert the right to data portability, the data subject may at any time contact any employee of the Nimrod Trading Ltd. The Nimrod Trading Ltd shall no longer process the personal data in the event of the objection, unless we can demonstrate compelling legitimate grounds for the processing which override the interests, rights and freedoms of the data subject, or for the establishment, exercise or defence of legal claims. If the Nimrod Trading Ltd processes personal data for direct marketing purposes, the data subject shall have the right to object at any time to processing of personal data concerning him or her for such marketing. This applies to profiling to the extent that it is related to such direct marketing. If the data subject objects to the Nimrod Trading Ltd to the processing for direct marketing purposes, the Nimrod Trading Ltd will no longer process the personal data for these purposes. In addition, the data subject has the right, on grounds relating to his or her particular situation, to object to processing of personal data concerning him or her by the Nimrod Trading Ltd for scientific or historical research purposes, or for statistical purposes pursuant to Article 89(1) of the GDPR, unless the processing is necessary for the performance of a task carried out for reasons of public interest. In order to exercise the right to object, the data subject may contact any employee of the Nimrod Trading Ltd. In addition, the data subject is free in the context of the use of information society services, and notwithstanding Directive 2002/58/EC, to use his or her right to object by automated means using technical specifications. If the decision (1) is necessary for entering into, or the performance of, a contract between the data subject and a data controller, or (2) it is based on the data subject's explicit consent, the Nimrod Trading Ltd shall implement suitable measures to safeguard the data subject's rights and freedoms and legitimate interests, at least the right to obtain human intervention on the part of the controller, to express his or her point of view and contest the decision. If the data subject wishes to exercise the rights concerning automated individual decision-making, he or she may, at any time, contact any employee of the Nimrod Trading Ltd. If the data subject wishes to exercise the right to withdraw the consent, he or she may, at any time, contact any employee of the Nimrod Trading Ltd. 12. Data protection provisions about the application and use of Google Remarketing On this website, the controller has integrated Google Remarketing services. Google Remarketing is a feature of Google AdWords, which allows an enterprise to display advertising to Internet users who have previously resided on the enterprise's Internet site. The integration of Google Remarketing therefore allows an enterprise to create user-based advertising and thus shows relevant advertisements to interested Internet users. The operating company of the Google Remarketing services is the Google Inc., 1600 Amphitheatre Pkwy, Mountain View, CA 94043-1351, United States. The purpose of Google Remarketing is the insertion of interest-relevant advertising. Google Remarketing allows us to display ads on the Google network or on other websites, which are based on individual needs and matched to the interests of Internet users. Google Remarketing sets a cookie on the information technology system of the data subject. The definition of cookies is explained above. With the setting of the cookie, Google enables a recognition of the visitor of our website if he calls up consecutive web pages, which are also a member of the Google advertising network. With each call-up to an Internet site on which the service has been integrated by Google Remarketing, the web browser of the data subject identifies automatically with Google. During the course of this technical procedure, Google receives personal information, such as the IP address or the surfing behaviour of the user, which Google uses, inter alia, for the insertion of interest relevant advertising. The cookie is used to store personal information, e.g. the Internet pages visited by the data subject. Each time we visit our Internet pages, personal data, including the IP address of the Internet access used by the data subject, is transmitted to Google in the United States of America. These personal data are stored by Google in the United States of America. Google may pass these personal data collected through the technical procedure to third parties. The data subject may, as stated above, prevent the setting of cookies through our website at any time by means of a corresponding adjustment of the web browser used and thus permanently deny the setting of cookies. Such an adjustment to the Internet browser used would also prevent Google from setting a cookie on the information technology system of the data subject. In addition, cookies already in use by Google may be deleted at any time via a web browser or other software programs. In addition, the data subject has the possibility of objecting to the interest-based advertising by Google. For this purpose, the data subject must call up the link to www.google.de/settings/ads and make the desired settings on each Internet browser used by the data subject. Further information and the actual data protection provisions of Google may be retrieved under https://www.google.com/intl/en/policies/privacy/. 13. Data protection provisions about the application and use of Google-AdWords The data subject has a possibility of objecting to the interest based advertisement of Google. Therefore, the data subject must access from each of the browsers in use the link www.google.de/settings/ads and set the desired settings. Further information and the applicable data protection provisions of Google may be retrieved under https://www.google.com/intl/en/policies/privacy/. Further information and the applicable data protection provisions of Instagram may be retrieved under https://help.instagram.com/155833707900388 and https://www.instagram.com/about/legal/privacy/. 17. Data protection provisions about the application and use of DoubleClick On this website, the controller has integrated components of DoubleClick by Google. DoubleClick is a trademark of Google, under which predominantly special online marketing solutions are marketed to advertising agencies and publishers. The operating company of DoubleClick by Google is Google Inc., 1600 Amphitheatre Pkwy, Mountain View, CA 94043-1351, UNITED STATES. DoubleClick by Google transmits data to the DoubleClick server with each impression, clicks, or other activity. Each of these data transfers triggers a cookie request to the data subject's browser. If the browser accepts this request, DoubleClick uses a cookie on the information technology system of the data subject. The definition of cookies is explained above. The purpose of the cookie is the optimization and display of advertising. The cookie is used, inter alia, to display and place user-relevant advertising as well as to create or improve reports on advertising campaigns. Furthermore, the cookie serves to avoid multiple display of the same advertisement. DoubleClick uses a cookie ID that is required to execute the technical process. For example, the cookie ID is required to display an advertisement in a browser. DoubleClick may also use the Cookie ID to record which advertisements have already been displayed in a browser in order to avoid duplications. It is also possible for DoubleClick to track conversions through the cookie ID. For instance, conversions are captured, when a user has previously been shown a DoubleClick advertising ad, and he or she subsequently makes a purchase on the advertiser's website using the same Internet browser. A cookie from DoubleClick does not contain any personal data. However, a DoubleClick cookie may contain additional campaign IDs. A campaign ID is used to identify campaigns that the user has already been in contact with. With each call-up to one of the individual pages of this website, which is operated by the controller and on which a DoubleClick component was integrated, the Internet browser on the information technology system of the data subject is automatically prompted by the respective DoubleClick component to send data for the purpose of online advertising and billing of commissions to Google. During the course of this technical procedure, Google gains knowledge of any data that Google may use to create commission calculations. Google may, inter alia, understand that the data subject has clicked on certain links on our website. Further information and the applicable data protection provisions of DoubleClick may be retrieved under DoubleClick by Google https://www.google.com/intl/en/policies/. 18. Payment Method: Data protection provisions about the use of PayPal as a payment processor About Country Matters We are always looking to expand into new and exciting products and looking for that great shot to add to the range to help keep our customers interested. We have lots of very exciting things in the pipeline, which we cannot wait to get to the market; please feel free to follow us on Facebook to see new products and designs. © 2020, Country Matters

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Trail Section: New Hope – Washington Crossing (Upper) Status: Complete, open and improved Distance: 2.1 In order to continue south on the D&L Trail from downtown New Hope, continue past the historic locktender’s house, dismount bicycles, and turn left to descend the stairs toward Main Street (Route 32). At the bottom of the stairs cross Main Street (Route 32) and head south along the sidewalk away from the downtown for about 300 feet. Enter the road to the left and continue south. Continue south parallel to the canal along the towpath, through the parking lot, turn left across the canal bridge at Lock 11, and continue south along the D&L Trail. This section of the D&L Trail connects the town of New Hope with Washington Crossing Historic Park (Upper Park). New Hope offers restaurants, shopping and B&B accommodations. Further south at the next trailhead, users can visit the upper part of Washington Crossing Historic Park including Thompson-Neely Homestead and Bowman’s Hill Tower. Near Bowman’s Hill Tower is Bowman’s Hill Wildflower Preserve, a non-profit that showcases a diverse collection of native plants on 100 acres of fenced forest with 2.5 miles of hiking trails. This section is part of over 50 miles of the D&L Trail designated as National Recreation Trail within Delaware Canal State Park from Easton to Bristol near Philadelphia. For more information specific to the D&L Trail along the Delaware Canal please refer to the Delaware Canal State Park and Friends of the Delaware Canal websites. Download a PDF map of this section Washington Crossing Thompson-Neely House Trailhead Bowman’s Hill Tower Rising 125 feet in the air atop Bowman’s Hill and offering a 14-mile view on a clear day, Bowman’s Hill Tower is a favorite stop for locals and tourists alike. The Tower is located near the corner of Rt. 32... More Bowman’s Hill Wildflower Preserve Bowman’s Hill Wildflower Preserve showcases an extraordinary diversity of plants native to Pennsylvania and the Delaware Valley region. The Preserve focuses exclusively on native plants, as distinguished from botanical gardens that may include natives in their collections. The Preserve cares... More Bucks County Children’s Museum The Bucks County Children’s Museum is a fun, interactive and educational environment for children, parents and schools with exhibits that reflects Bucks County’s unique history and culture. It is guided by three core principles, which are: Curiosity and imagination are the... More Delaware Canal State Park The Delaware Canal is the only remaining continuously intact canal of the great towpath canal building era of the early and mid-19th century. Mule- drawn canal boat rides and the Lock Tender’s House Visitor Center are at New Hope. Paralleling... More Fonthill Castle The concrete castle boasts 44 rooms, 18 fireplaces and more than 200 windows of varying sizes and shapes. The interior walls, floors and ceilings are elaborately adorned with an incredible array of Mercer’s original handcrafted tiles. Mercer incorporated his own... More Friends of the Delaware Canal – Locktender’s House The Friends of the Delaware Canal is an independent, non-profit organization working to restore, preserve, and improve the Delaware Canal and its surroundings. Their primary goals are to ensure that the Canal is fully watered and the towpath trail is... More Honey Hollow Environmental Education Center Bucks County Audubon Society (BCAS) operates the Honey Hollow Environmental Education Center on 110 acres in Solebury Township, Bucks County. Environmental Education programs are offered for children, adults and families, and special programs are available for school and other groups. Workshops,... More Parry Mansion & New Hope Historical Society Since its founding in 1958, the New Hope Historical Society has made a significant progress preserving historical and cultural aspects of New Hope. Efforts that began with the Parry Barn and the Parry Mansion Museum continue to go forward. The... More Washington Crossing Historic Park At Washington Crossing Historic Park, George Washington led his ragged troops cross the ice-choked Delaware River and assaulted the unsuspecting Hessians at Trenton. His victory bolstered sagging morale, changing the course of the American Revolution. The site of the crossing... More Adjacent Trails Washington Crossing (Upper) - Washington Crossing (Lower)(previous) Tinicum Park - Virginia Forrest Recreation Area(next)

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PRESS RELEASE – DELTA WIRES New Album “Born in Oakland” due June 30th by deltawires on May 28, 2017 in News San Fran Band, Delta Wires is “Born in Oakland” on June 30th Posted on May 24, 2017 by Mark Pucci Media Delta Wires Sets June 30 Release Date for New CD, Born In Oakland, on Mudslide Records San Francisco Bay Area Blues Band Delivers the Goods on 7th Album of High Energy Harmonica/Horn-Infused Music OAKLAND, CA – Seminal San Francisco Bay Area blues band, Delta Wires, announces a June 30 release date for their new CD, Born in Oakland, on Mudslide Records. The album, recorded and mixed at Brickwall Sound in Concord, California, and mastered by Bob Olhsson in Nashville, Tennessee, showcases 10 originals and unique covers of a wide assortment of blues styles. Delta Wires will celebrate the release of Born in Oakland with two special “Album Debut” performances on Friday, June 30, at San Francisco’s Biscuits & Blues (voted America’s #1 blues club by the Blues Foundation), with shows at 7:30 pm and 10:00 pm. For more info, visit http://www.biscuitsandblues.com/. On June 23, Delta Wires will also play the kick-off to the Fountain Blues Festival at San Pedro Square Market Place in downtown San Jose at 7:00 pm. Click here to listen to “Vacation,” a track from the new album: https://youtu.be/z27ZV5PEyu8 Delta Wires is a powerful harmonica and horns seven-piece band dedicated to modern blues, while paying tribute to the blues origins of the Mississippi Delta. Their name was derived from the image of a band with modern, electric instrumentation, playing a style of music born in the Mississippi Delta. What began as a college project and anthology of blues music from the Mississippi Delta to the South Side of Chicago, inevitably evolved into a band which has become known for its originality, versatility and crisp, tight, exciting, sound. Delta Wires is comprised of Ernie Pinata (harmonica, lead vocals), Tom Gerrits (bass, background vocals), Richard Healy (guitar), Tony Huszar (drums, congas, tambourine), Gerry Jonutz (tenor, alto, baritone saxes), David Bowman (trombone) and John Christensen (trumpet). A living history of the San Francisco West Coast blues, Delta Wires was truly born in Oakland over 30 years ago. The band started as band leader Ernie Pinata’s college project demonstrating the evolution of the blues from the cotton fields of the Mississippi Delta, to Chicago and ultimately, to the West Coast. The small band Ernie put together to play examples of this evolution grew into the high-powered seven-piece band that now calls itself Delta Wires. The band started by playing clubs in Oakland such as Esther’s Orbit Room and The Continental Club. Around this same time, legendary bluesman Lowell Fulson sat-in with Delta Wires at the New Orleans House in Berkeley and Ernie Pinata sat-in with the Freddie King Band at Mandrake’s in Berkeley. These were followed by a performance with Buddy Guy and Junior Wells at Keystone Berkeley. The Delta Wires then began to open shows for these blues greats, and continued to grow as musicians and as a band. Born in Oakland, their seventh album, demonstrates a further maturation of the group’s West Coast blues style, influenced by the ups and downs of city life – and of life, itself. It’s a sound that is truly original and un-typical of what fans might expect from a “blues band.” Both high-energy and moody, with intricate horn arrangements and harmonies, Delta Wires is justifiably proud of what it has accomplished, which includes being voted best band by the East Bay Express and Oakland Magazine, and being inducted into the California Blues Hall of Fame. They have performed at the San Francisco Blues Festival, Russian River Blues Festival and Monterey Bay Blues Festival, among others, and were 2008 International Blues Challenge finalists in Memphis, Tennessee. Delta Wires has toured or played with many noted artists, including Van Morrison, John Lee Hooker and Buddy Guy. In 2017, they were invited to perform at the prestigious Umbria Jazz Festival in Perugia, Italy. Download a hi-res band photo (credit: Dana Davis) here: http://www.markpuccimedia.com/Delta-Wires-Photo-1-by-Dana-Davis.jpg Additional Delta Wires Shows Armando’s – 8:00pm – 10:00pm, 707 Marina Vista – Martinez, CA Umbria Jazz Festival – Perugia, Italy Oakland Museum of California – Friday Nights @ OMCA – 7:00pm – 9:00pm – Oakland, CA Point Richmond Music Series – 5:30pm – 6:30pm – Richmond, CA Chouinard Vineyards Music Series – 4:30pm – 8:30pm – Under the trees – Castro Valley, CA Wednesday, Aug 23, 2017 Capitola Twilight Concerts – 6:00pm – 8:00pm – Esplanade Park, Capitola, CA Saturday, Sept 9| “Album Release Party” – The Uptown Nightclub – 8:30pm – Oakland, CA 94612 www.deltawires.com Review of “Born in Oakland” by Blues Matters Magazine, Great Britain “After 30 Years The Kings of Frisco Blues Still Swing Like a Swiss Watch.” – a recent review from Great Britain Review of “Born in Oakland” by American Blues Scene “Born in Oakland” Reviews 7/23/2017 – 9/18/2017 Reviews of DELTA WIRES’ – “Born in Oakland”

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Hotels in the centre of Kuala Lumpur The Ritz Carlton Kuala Lumpur 168, Jalan Imbi, 55100 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Kuala Lumpur, 906 m from the city centre. 168, Jalan Imbi See on map The Ritz-Carlton, Kuala Lumpur is in the heart of Kuala Lumpur, walking distance from Starhill Gallery and Fahrenheit 88 Shopping Mall.... JW Marriot Kuala Lumpur 183 Jalan Bukit Bintang, 55100 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Kuala Lumpur, 633 m from the city centre. 183 Jalan Bukit Bintang See on map Located along Bintang Walk in the Golden Triangle, JW Marriott Hotel, Kuala Lumpur offers accommodations within the hustle and bustle of... G Tower 199 Jalan Tun Razak, 50400 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Kuala Lumpur, 1.7 km from the city centre. 199 Jalan Tun Razak See on map A stay at GTower Hotel places you in the heart of Kuala Lumpur, minutes from Ampang Park and close to Petronas Twin Towers. This 5-star... Impiana KLCC Hotel & Spa 13, Jalan Pinang, 50450 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Kuala Lumpur, 605 m from the city centre. 13, Jalan Pinang See on map Impiana KLCC Hotel offers accommodations within the hustle and bustle of Kuala Lumpur's city center. It features an outdoor swimming pool... InterContinental Kuala Lumpur 165, Jalan Ampang, 50450 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Kuala Lumpur, 1.6 km from the city centre. 165, Jalan Ampang See on map InterContinental Kuala Lumpur offers accommodations within the hustle and bustle of the city center. It features an outdoor swimming pool... Hotel China Town 2 70-72 Jalan Petaling, 50000 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Kuala Lumpur, 1.3 km from the city centre. 70-72 Jalan Petaling See on map With a stay at Hotel China Town 2 Kuala Lumpur in Kuala Lumpur (Chinatown - Sentral), you'll be minutes from Petaling Street and Petaling... Doubletree By Hilton Hotel Kuala Lumpur The Intermark 348 Jalan Tun Razak, 50400 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Kuala Lumpur, 1.8 km from the city centre. The Intermark 348 Jalan Tun Razak See on map A part of Kuala Lumpur's Golden Triangle, Doubletree by Hilton Kuala Lumpur offers accommodations just 5 minutes' walk from Ampang Park... Swiss-Garden Hotel Bukit Bintang Kuala Lumpur 117, Jalan Pudu, 55100 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Kuala Lumpur, 716 m from the city centre. 117, Jalan Pudu See on map Deluxe Room (28sqm) comes with 2 types of beds combinations; 1 king size bed or 2 single beds. The room is designed with distinguished... Seri Pacific Kuala Lumpur Jalan Putra, P.O. Box 11468, 50746 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Kuala Lumpur, 2.5 km from the city centre. Jalan Putra, P.O. Box 11468 See on map Strategically located close to the 'n e', the hotel is perfectly suited for leisure or business travellers. The rooms are spacious and... 11 Jalan Sultan Ismail, 50250 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Kuala Lumpur, 462 m from the city centre. 11 Jalan Sultan Ismail See on map Shangri-La Hotel Kuala Lumpur offers accommodations in the city center, just a 5-minute walk to KL Tower and Petronas Twin Towers. It... Jalan Sultan Ismail, 50250 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Kuala Lumpur, 884 m from the city centre. Jalan Sultan Ismail See on map Located in the heart of Kuala Lumpur’s shopping belt, Parkroyal offers free parking. It has a luxurious spa and a restaurant with... Meliá Kuala Lumpur 16 Jalan Imbi, 55100 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Kuala Lumpur, 894 m from the city centre. 16 Jalan Imbi See on map This 4 star hotel is located in the city centre of Kuala Lumpur and was established in 1990. It is a short drive away from the Putra... 172, Jalan Imbi - Shopping District, 55100 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Kuala Lumpur, 1.1 km from the city centre. 172, Jalan Imbi - Shopping District See on map Dorsett Kuala Lumpur is a 5-minute walk from Pavilion and KL Convention Center. It offers free WiFi, a shared outdoor pool with... Pacific Regency Suites KH Tower, Jalan Punchak, Off Jalan P.Ramlee, 50250 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Kuala Lumpur, 383 m from the city centre. KH Tower, Jalan Punchak, Off Jalan P.Ramlee See on map Located 0.6 mi from KL Tower, Pacific Regency Hotel Suites offers fully furnished suites in Kuala Lumpur city center. Guests have access... Pullman Kuala Lumpur City Center Hotel & Residences No.4 Jalan Conlay, 50450 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Kuala Lumpur, 761 m from the city centre. No.4 Jalan Conlay See on map An elegant style, luxurious comfort and award-winning service come together to delight business and leisure guests alike at this... Istana Kuala Lumpur City Centre 73, Jalan Raja Chulan, 50200 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Kuala Lumpur, 254 m from the city centre. 73, Jalan Raja Chulan See on map Set 1640 feet from the lively Bukit Bintang area, Hotel Istana Kuala Lumpur City Center offers elegant accommodations with free WiFi... Ibis Styles Kuala Lumpur Fraser Business Park Jalan Metro Pudu 1, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Kuala Lumpur, 2.4 km from the city centre. Jalan Metro Pudu 1 See on map Conveniently located at the intersection of Jalan Tun Razak and Jalan Loke Yew in Kuala Lumpur, Ibis Styles Kuala Lumpur Fraser Business... Corus Hotel Kuala Lumpur Jalan Ampang, G.P.O. Box 22395, 50450 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Kuala Lumpur, 1.3 km from the city centre. Jalan Ampang, G.P.O. Box 22395 See on map Strategically located within walking distance to the city's landmarks, Corus Hotel Kuala Lumpur offers guest rooms with free WiFi. It... Royal Kuala Lumpur Jalan Walter Grenier, 55100 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Kuala Lumpur, 741 m from the city centre. Jalan Walter Grenier See on map Hotel Royal enjoys a central location in Kuala Lumpur’s Bukit Bintang Area. It features an indoor swimming pool and guests can enjoy... Jalan Ampang, 128, 50450 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Kuala Lumpur, 831 m from the city centre. Jalan Ampang, 128 See on map Superior Room East Wing have an average size of 30sqm/323sqft. with living/sitting area. Connecting rooms are available. TemptationS is... Visit Kuala Lumpur Our database has an extensive range of hotels in the centre of Kuala Lumpur so that you can make the most of your trip, without wasting time while you move around. Normally, the most interesting parts of a city are in the historic centre. For that reason we have created a filter that selects all the hotels in the centre of Kuala Lumpur from our database, in order to allow you to find the accommodation you are looking for at the best price. Our hotel search engine will show you the results available, ordered by price from the cheapest to the most expensive, using our filter, which can find the hotel in the centre of Kuala Lumpur that most interests you. If you want to find a hotel in the centre of Kuala Lumpur or one with a specific service, use the product filters in the column on the left. Thousands of hotels in the centre of Kuala Lumpur are waiting for you to select the one you like best. Hotels with spa in Kuala Lumpur Hotels with hot tubs in Kuala Lumpur Hotels with pool in Kuala Lumpur Luxury hotels in Kuala Lumpur Ho chi Minh Osaka Tokyo Bangkok Beijing Hanoi Shanghai Guangzhou Jakarta Kyoto Kuala Lumpur Malacca Johor Bahru Kota Kinabalu Penang Ipoh Petaling Jaya Kota Bharu Shah Alam Kuching

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Maximum logistics!!! I'd love to think that the person who came up with the name for this company was a Blake's 7 fan, given the way it almost-but-not-quite manages to blend the name of the Supreme Commander and a certain Space Commander (indeed, it'd be quite a decent portmanteau name for shipping the pair of 'em...). I suspect the sad reality is that it's just a coincidence... *shrug* Writer's Block: They had it coming They had it coming If you could drop a character from your favorite TV show, who would you off and how would it happen? Honestly? I wouldn't. I've mourned the loss of a few too many characters to think about offing any of them. Now there are some I wouldn't say no to bringing back to life. Including ( Collapse ). fandom, fiction, offed, television, tv, writer's block What I've been up to lately 19:15 #thingsyoucantbelievewere20yearsago Del Amitri - Nothing Ever Happens. # Oh, please... I mean, on the bright side, it's good news that those two asylum seekers had their deportation overturned. The judge's comments? Erm...less good. "Just as male hetero­sexuals are free to enjoy themselves playing rugby, drinking beer and talking about girls with their mates, so male homosexuals are to be free to enjoy themselves going to Kylie concerts, drinking exotically-coloured cocktails and talking about boys with their straight female mates." Right. How many stereotypes and clichés can you get into one sentence? Still, your heart's obviously in the right place. Conservative MP Philip Davies also loses points for his comments: "...it’s quite feasible that this could offer an ideal line of defence for someone who wants to try to avoid being kicked out of the country, whether it is true or not that they are gay. By its very nature, it’s very difficult to prove one way or another." Yeah, well, homosexuality was illegal in this country until the '60s. I'm guessing it was just as difficult then as it is now to prove that someone's gay, but that didn't stop people trying... But the thing that really really disturbs me about all this? Learning that there's an organisation called MigrationWatchUK. I mean, maybe I'm just too much of a bleeding-heart lefty liberal, but really? It just makes me feel faintly disgusted with the state of the world. [I would link to the source, but it's the Daily Express webpage and they don't need any more publicity...I've no doubt there was some equally disturbing reportage of this story in the Mail, but it didn't make the front page there...] Thursday 8th July 2010 Let me see. Had a late start, which was annoying, but made up for that by leaving work late. We had a conference call regarding the Luton project, on which (so far) I've done absolutely no work. Personal news - on the negative side, still no sign of that prescription. Sarah 'phoned up the surgery, and apparently the prescription request was separated from the SAE we enclosed with it, but they've said they'll send it out to us. Although we won't be able to do that again as we moved away from the area too long ago. Still, on the positive side, that may not be an issue - apparently, there's a real possibility of us having exchanged on Barking by the end of next week, and completion within a week after that. Still no word on a time frame for Hemel Hempstead, but as the guy there is apparently pretty eager to sell, hopefully that won't take too long. Had pizza for dinner tonight, which was nice. Didn't get round to having lunch at work, so I'll have that tomorrow. Still no word on whether or not Sarah will be going to Singapore, but that should mean that at least we get this weekend together, if nothing else, and the house sale/purchase can be done when she's out of the country - any documents she needs to sign can be emailed over to her. I did a bit more DVD burning tonight - Pulse (which I'm hoping I'll get round to watching at some point) and Doctor Who Season 5, Disc 1, with a few extras - trailers, interviews, etc. Unfortunately, despite the good news on the house front Sarah was in a bit of a bad mood with me tonight and we had a bit of a row, but that was cleared up by the time we went to bed. Indeed, she mentioned an episode of The A-Team which featured both Robert Vaughan and David McCallum, and I was so curious that, well, I had to d/l it before settling down to sleep for the night..!

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Common UK Frameworks after Brexit Author: Akash Paun PDF Published: Friday 02 Feb 2018 (SB 18-09) What are ‘common frameworks’ and why are they needed? Where did the idea of common frameworks come from? What has been agreed on creating new common frameworks? Where will common frameworks be needed? Will common frameworks represent a ‘recentralisation’ of power to Westminster? Will common frameworks require legislation? What new governance arrangements will be needed to make common frameworks work? Annex: Areas of intersection between EU law and devolved legislative competence Image: Where will common frameworks be needed? EurLex. (n.d.) Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union. Retrieved from http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/PDF/?uri=CELEX:12012E/TXT&from=EN [accessed 25 January 2018] Paun, A., Rutter, J., & Nicholl, A. (2016). Devolution as a policy laboratory. (n.p.): (n.p.). Thomas, N. (2016, July 15). ‘May pledges “UK-wide approach” to Brexit talks’. Retrieved from https://www.ft.com/content/ff1d0c72-4aa0-11e6-8d68-72e9211e86ab [accessed 25 January 2018] Paun, A., & Miller, G. (2016). [No description]. (n.p.): (n.p.). UK Government. (2017, January 17). ‘The government’s negotiating objectives for exiting the EU: PM speech’. Retrieved from https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/the-governments-negotiating-objectives-for-exiting-the-eu-pm-speech [accessed 25 January 2018] Scottish Government. (2016, December 20). Scotland's Place in Europe. Retrieved from http://www.gov.scot/Publications/2016/12/9234 [accessed 25 January 2018] Welsh Government. (2017, January 23). Securing Wales’ Future. Retrieved from https://beta.gov.wales/brexit [accessed 25 January 2018] UK Government. (2017, February 2). The United Kingdom’s exit from and new partnership with the European Union. Retrieved from https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-united-kingdoms-exit-from-and-new-partnership-with-the-european-union-white-paper [accessed 25 January 2018] UK Government. (2017, March 30). The Repeal Bill: White Paper. Retrieved from https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-repeal-bill-white-paper [accessed 25 January 2018] UK Government. (2017, October 16). Joint Ministerial Committee communiqué. Retrieved from https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/joint-ministerial-committee-communique-16-october-2017 [accessed 25 January 2018] Paun, A. (2017, October 18). Finally a Brexit breakthrough with the devolved nations. Retrieved from https://www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/blog/finally-brexit-breakthrough-devolved-nations [accessed 25 January 2018] Scottish Government. (2017, September 19). EU (Withdrawal) Bill: letter to Finance and Constitution Committee. Retrieved from https://beta.gov.scot/publications/eu-withdrawal-bill-letter-to-finance-and-constitution-committee/ [accessed 25 January 2018] Shipton, M. (2017, September 28). Who will be responsible for what after Brexit?. Northern Ireland Assembly. (n.d.) Policy Area/Powers returning from the EU which intersect with the devolution settlement in Northern Ireland. Retrieved from http://www.niassembly.gov.uk/globalassets/documents/brexit-brief/brexit-and-devolution/powers-returning-from-eu-that-intersect-with-the-devolution-settlement-in-ni.pdf [accessed 25 January 2018] UK Government. (n.d.) The Silk Commission, Empowerment and Responsibility: Legislative Powers to Strengthen Wales p.49. Retrieved from http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20140605075122/http:/commissionondevolutioninwales.independent.gov.uk/ [accessed 25 January 2018] Scottish Government. (2017, June 15). Scottish and Welsh Governments write to Brexit Secretary David Davis. Retrieved from https://beta.gov.scot/news/scottish-and-welsh-governments-write-to-brexit-secretary-david-davis/ [accessed 25 January 2018] UK Parliament. (2017, July 19). House of Lords European Union Committee 4th Report of Session 2017–19 Brexit: Devolution. Retrieved from https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/ld201719/ldselect/ldeucom/9/9.pdf [accessed 25 January 2018] UK Parliament. (2016, December 8). House of Commons Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee Sixth Report of Session 2016–17 The Future of the Union, part two: Inter-institutional relations in the UK. Retrieved from https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201617/cmselect/cmpubadm/839/839.pdf [accessed 25 January 2018] Ilott, O., Stelk, I., & Rutter, J. (2017, May 17). Taking back control of trade policy. Retrieved from https://www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/publications/taking-back-control-trade-policy [accessed 25 January 2018] Scottish Parliament. (2018, January 9). Finance and Constitution Committee 1st Report 2018 European Union (Withdrawal) Bill LCM - Interim Report. Retrieved from https://sp-bpr-en-prod-cdnep.azureedge.net/published/FCC/2018/1/9/European-Union--Withdrawal--Bill-LCM---Interim-Report/FCCS052018R1.pdf [accessed 25 January 2018] McEwen, N., Petersohn, B., & Brown Swan, C. (2015, September). Intergovernmental Relations & Parliamentary Scrutiny: A comparative overview, Report prepared for the Devolution (Further Powers) Committee,. Retrieved from http://www.parliament.scot/2015.09.30_IGR_External_Research_Report_FINAL.pdf [accessed 25 January 2018] Scottish Government. (2016, December 8). Scottish Government, Inter-Governmental Relations: Agreement between the Scottish Parliament and Scottish Government. Retrieved from https://beta.gov.scot/publications/igr-agr-scotparl-scotgov/ [accessed 25 January 2018] UK Parliament. (2017, October 12). House of Lords European Union Committee Interparliamentary Forum on Brexit. Retrieved from https://www.parliament.uk/documents/lords-committees/eu-select/2017-10-12-Final-statement-2.pdf [accessed 25 January 2018] UK Parliament. (2017, November 29). House of Commons Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Select Committee Devolution and Exiting the EU and Clause 11 of the European Union (Withdrawal) Bill: Issues for Consideration. Retrieved from https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201719/cmselect/cmpubadm/484/48405.htm#_idTextAnchor015 [accessed 25 January 2018]

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BY-LAWS OF THE EVANGELICAL CHURCH LIBRARY ASSOCIATION ARTICLE I — OFFICES This corporation shall maintain in the State of Illinois a registered office and a registered agent, at such office and may have other offices within or without the state. ARTICLE II — MEMBERS SECTION 1. MEMBERS Membership will be granted to persons, libraries, organizations and corporations who submit the annual dues and are interested in the promotion and growth of evangelical church libraries. The board retains the right to refuse membership to any applicant that seems incompatible with our purpose and/or Statement of Faith. SECTION 2 – TRANSFER OF MEMBERSHIP Membership in this corporation is not transferable. ARTICLE III — BOARD OF DIRECTORS SECTION 1. GENERAL POWERS The affairs of the corporation shall be managed by its board of directors. SECTION 2. NUMBER, TENURE AND QUALIFICATIONS The number of directors shall be no more than twelve and no less than five. Each director shall hold office until his/her successor has been elected and qualified. Directors may succeed themselves in office. Directors must be members of Evangelical Church Library Association and subscribe to the Statement of Faith. SECTION 3. MEETINGS Meetings will be called by or at the request of the president or any two directors. The place to be determined by consensus. Notices may be given in writing, by phone, or email and will specify place, date and time. SECTION 4. QUORUM and ACTION A majority of the board of directors shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business at any meeting of the board. The act of a majority of the directors present at a meeting at which a quorum is present shall be the act of the board of directors. SECTION 5. VACANCIES Any vacancy occurring in the board of directors is to be filled by the board of directors. SECTION 6 .COMPENSATION Directors shall not receive any compensation for their services as directors. ARTICLE IV — OFFICERS SECTION 1. OFFICERS The officers of the corporation shall be a president, vice president, treasurer, secretary and such other officers as may be elected by the board of directors. Officers whose authority and duties are not prescribed in these by-laws shall have the authority, and perform the duties prescribed, from time to time, by the board of directors. Any two or more offices may be held by the same person, except the office of president and secretary. SECTION 2. ELECTION OF OFFICERS The officers of the corporation shall be elected by the board of directors at a regular meeting of the board of directors. Vacancies may be filled or new offices created and filled at any meeting of the board of directors. Each officer shall hold office until his successor shall have been duly elected and qualified. SECTION 3. REMOVAL Any officer elected or appointed by the board of directors may be removed by the board of directors whenever in its judgment the best interests of the corporation would be served thereby. SECTION 4. PRESIDENT The president shall be the principal executive officer of the corporation. Subject to the direction and control of the board of directors, the president shall be in charge of the business and affairs of the corporation; the president shall over see that the resolutions and directives of the board of directors are carried into effect except in those instances in which that responsibility is assigned to some other person by the board of directors; and in general, the president shall discharge all duties incident to the office of president and such other duties as may be prescribed by the board of directors. The president shall preside at all meetings of the board of directors, except in those instances in which the authority to execute is expressly delegated to another officer. The vice president will assume the duties of the president when for any reason the president is unable to continue his/her duties. SECTION 5. VICE PRESIDENT The vice president(s) shall assist the president in the discharge of duties as the president may direct and shall perform such other duties as from time to time maybe assigned to the vice-president by the president or by the board of directors. In the absence of the president or in the event of the president’s inability or refusal to act, the vice president(s) shall perform the duties of the president and when so acting, shall have all the powers of and be subject to all the restrictions upon the president. SECTION 6. TREASURER The treasurer shall be the principal accounting and financial officer of the corporation. The treasurer shall: (a) have charge of and be responsible for the maintenance of adequate books of account for the corporation; (b) have charge and custody of all funds and securities of the corporation, and be responsible therefore, and for the receipt and disbursement thereof; and (c) perform all the duties incident to the office of treasurer and such other duties as from time to time may be assigned to him/her by the president or the board of directors. SECTION 7. SECRETARY The secretary shall see that all notices are duly given in accordance with the provisions of these bylaws or as required by law; be custodian of the corporate records and of the seal of the corporation; keep a register of the post office address of each member, and perform all duties incident to the office of secretary and such other duties as from time to time may be assigned to her by the president or by the board of directors. ARTICLE V — COMMITTEES The board of directors may designate standing committees and ad hoc committees as needed. Members of committees need not be on of the board of directors and will be selected by the president and/or the board of directors. ARTICLE VI — CONTRACTS, CHECKS, DEPOSITS & FUNDS SECTION 1. CONTRACTS The board of directors may authorize any officer or agent of the corporation to enter into any contract or execute and deliver any instrument in the name of and on behalf of the corporation and such authority may be general or confined to specific instances. SECTION 2. CHECKS, DRAFTS, ETC. All checks, drafts or other orders for the payment of money shall be signed by the treasurer. In the absence of the treasurer, a designated member or members of the board of directors, as designated by the board of directors, may sign such instruments. SECTION 3. DEPOSITS All funds of the corporation shall be deposited in a timely manner to the credit of the corporation in such banks, trust companies, or to other depositaries as the board of directors may select. SECTION 4. GIFTS The board of directors may accept on behalf of the corporation any contribution, gift, bequest or devise for the general purpose or for any special purpose of the corporation. ARTICLE VII — BOOKS AND RECORDS The corporation shall keep correct and complete books and records of account and shall also keep minutes of the proceedings of its members, board of directors, and committees having any of the authority of the board of directors and shall keep a record giving the names and addresses of the members entitled to vote. All the books and records of the corporation may be inspected by any member or his agent or attorney for any purpose at any reasonable time. The location of records shall be kept current by the secretary. ARTICLE VIII — FISCAL YEAR The fiscal year of the corporation shall be fixed by resolution of the board of directors. ARTICLE VIX — DUES SECTION 1. ANNUAL DUES The board of directors shall determine and announce the amount of membership fees before the change becomes effective. Membership dues are due annually. SECTION 2. DEFAULT AND TERMINATION OF MEMBERSHIP Members in default in the payment of dues for a period of 2 months, shall be dropped from membership of the corporation. Payment of dues will reinstate the former members to the corporation. ARTICLE X — DISSOLUTION CLAUSE A. All liabilities and obligations of the corporation must be paid, satisfied, and discharged, or adequate provision must be made otherwise. B. Assets held by the corporation upon condition requiring return, transfer, or conveyance, which condition occurs by reason of the dissolution, must be returned, transferred, or conveyed in accordance with such requirements. C. Assets held for a charitable, religious, benevolent, educational or similar purpose, but not held on a condition requiring return, transfer, or conveyance by reason of the dissolution, must be transferred or conveyed to one or more domestic or foreign corporations, societies, or corporations engaged in activities substantially similar to those of the dissolving corporation, pursuant to a plan of distribution adopted as provided in the statue. D. Other assets, if any, must be distributed in accordance with any provisions of the articles of incorporation or the bylaws which determine the distributive rights of members, or provide for distribution to others. E. Any remaining assets may be distributed to such persons, societies, corporation, or domestic or foreign corporation, whether for profit of not for profit, as may be provided under the statute. No comments yet... Be the first to leave a reply!

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DealBook | Santander Earnings Plunge 94% on Real Estate Woes Santander Earnings Plunge 94% on Real Estate Woes By Mark Scott October 25, 2012 4:00 am October 25, 2012 4:00 am Andy Rain/European Pressphoto AgencyA branch of Banco Santander in London. LONDON – Banco Santander of Spain reported on Thursday that net profit plummeted 94 percent in the third quarter, after the bank set aside money to cover potential losses in the Spanish real estate market. The bank has faced growing headwinds in its home market as the European debt crisis continues to weigh heavily on the Spanish economy. Santander’s international units, including those in Brazil and Britain, also reported subdued performance, a reflection of concerns about the global economy. As a buffer, Santander – one of Europe’s largest banks – said it had set aside 5 billion euros ($6.5 billion), including an additional 1 billion euros in the third quarter, to offset potential losses in the Spanish real estate market. The bank said it now had a total of 9.5 billion euros in reserve to cover bad loans. Graphic: Wall St. Earnings Calendar Santander, based in Madrid, said net income in the three months ended Sept. 30 fell to 100 million euros from 1.8 billion euros in the period a year earlier. The bank’s volume of bad real estate loans in Spain and abroad continued to rise. Santander reported that its percentage of so-called nonperforming loans in Spain stood at 6.4 percent, an increase of 1.2 percentage points from the period a year earlier. For its global operations, the figure increased to 4.3 percent. “The bank’s capacity to generate profit enables us to set aside hefty real estate provisions in Spain in 2012 and significantly increase nonperforming loan coverage,” Santander’s chairman, Emilio Botín, said in a statement. Shares in Banco Santander fell less than 1 percent in morning trading in Madrid on Thursday. Santander is reducing its lending in the Spanish real estate market. The bank said its exposure in the sector stood at 26.5 billion euros at the end of September, a reduction of 16 billion euros in the last four years. Santander’s global operations continue to play an important role in offsetting its domestic troubles. Latin American operations – including units in Brazil, Mexico and Chile – represented 50 percent of the bank’s profit in first nine months of the year, the company said. Yet even in these fast-growing markets, the bank reported that net income fell 6 percent, to 3.3 billion euros, for the nine-month period after Santander sold several businesses in the region. The bank raised about $4.2 billion last month through an initial public offering of its Mexican unit, Grupo Financiero Santander México. The dual listing in New York and Mexico was the third-largest initial public offering this year, after those of Facebook and Japan Airlines. The bank’s core Tier 1 ratio, a measure of its ability to weather financial shocks, rose to 10.4 percent at the end of the third quarter from 9.4 percent in the period a year earlier. Credit Suisse Profit Fell 63% in Third Quarter Bank of China Profit Rises 17% on Loan Growth

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About | Collections | Authors | Titles | Subjects | Geographic | K-12 | Facebook | Buy DocSouth Books Collections >> Titles by Samuel Eusebius McCorkle >> Samuel Eusebius McCorkle, 23 Aug. 1746-21 Jan. 1811 Source: From DICTIONARY OF NORTH CAROLINA BIOGRAPHY edited by William S. Powell. Copyright (c) 1979-1996 by the University of North Carolina Press. Used by permission of the publisher. www.uncpress.unc.edu Samuel Eusebius McCorkle, 23 Aug. 1746-21 Jan. 1811 Samuel Eusebius McCorkle (23 Aug. 1746-21 Jan. 1811), Presbyterian minister and educator, was born in Lancaster County, Pa., near Harris's Ferry (now Harrisburg), the son of Alexander and Nancy Agnes Montgomery McCorkle. Both of his parents were born in Northern Ireland and migrated with their families to Pennsylvania about 1730. Reared among the Scotch-Irish settlers, Samuel attended a grammar school from age four to ten; there he learned the basic five "Rs"—reading, writing, arithmetic, self-restraint, and religion. The oldest of ten children, Samuel knew his lessons by 1756, when the McCorkles departed for the new lands in western North Carolina. The family settled on a 300-acre farm about fifteen miles from Salisbury, and they became regulars at a meetinghouse later named Thyatira Church. There being no teacher in the neighborhood, young McCorkle taught his brothers, sisters, and neighbors for two years until he began classical studies under the Reverend Joseph Alexander at Crowfield Academy. He then completed further work with the Reverend David Caldwell. Deeply influenced by these Presbyterian teachers and by a religious revival, McCorkle left in 1768 to study for the ministry at the College of New Jersey. At Princeton he studied under a third Presbyterian minister, John Witherspoon. The youth absorbed the lessons in the classics, geography, history, languages, and science in addition to those in piety, love of learning, and religion. Witherspoon was decisive in disseminating moderate Calvinism (as opposed to the New Divinity and Edwardeanism) and instilling in McCorkle a confidence in reason and learning. He also taught him Scottish commonsense philosophy. The Witherspoon training guided McCorkle especially in education, where his emphasis, too, became to "Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it." McCorkle was graduated in the fall of 1772, having "grown in grace." Afterwards he taught school, studied for the ministry with an uncle who was a pastor in New Castle, Del., and in 1774 began itinerating as a Presbyterian probationer in western Virginia. In 1776 McCorkle answered a call to the pulpit of Thyatira Church in Rowan County, N.C., after having turned down a similar call in Virginia and suffering from a case of unrequited love. He was ordained on 2 Aug. 1777. McCorkle's pastoral charge extended from his pulpit to the classroom and to the university. His personal creed endorsed the sovereignty of God and the depravity of man, and he urged the members of his flock to be reborn so they might discern the pattern in the universe, the natural laws that God had established. He served as a trustee of Liberty Hall Academy in Charlotte, and after the Revolutionary War shut it down, he helped move the school to Salisbury, where in 1784 it was chartered as Salisbury Academy. McCorkle served as president and teacher for a few years until it closed in 1791. Meanwhile, in 1784 he drafted, in accordance with the provisions of the 1776 constitution of North Carolina, the first proposal to found a university in the state. For political reasons, the legislature rejected this proposal, and The University of North Carolina was not chartered until 1789. Nevertheless, believing that learning promoted diligence, happiness, and piety as it prevented ignorance, and that it would advance government, agriculture, and manufacturing, McCorkle steadily supported education. When the Salisbury Academy closed and there were no funds for a public school, he and his congregation founded Zion-Parnassus Academy in 1794. It continued until about 1798, when the second Salisbury Academy opened. As he trained boys for the university, McCorkle repeated the lessons that his Presbyterian mentors had taught him. For those who were not going to college, he taught an early normal (teacher training) course so they might themselves become schoolmasters and further promote piety and learning in the frontier society while supporting their families. He included the five "Rs" in his curriculum as well as classical languages, geography, and natural philosophy (science). McCorkle was one of twenty-three graduates of the College of New Jersey trained under John Witherspoon who went to North Carolina as Presbyterian ministers and educational leaders. Five of them became trustees of The University of North Carolina, two (McCorkle and William R. Davie) were principal founders, and two served as the first presidents. McCorkle had first suggested a university; he chaired the committee that planned the course of instruction; he wrote regulations concerning its curriculum (but they were rejected in favor of Davie's), the daily schedule, discipline, and attendance at religious services, duplicating the system at the College of New Jersey; and he delivered the address of the day in 1793 at the laying of the cornerstone of the first building. Yet he was denied a position as the university's acting president when Davie objected to the choice. After December 1799 McCorkle refused to continue in the service of the university because he believed its leaders were governed by the philosophical principles of French deism. Like other Presbyterian ministers, McCorkle supported the American Revolution, education, revivals in congregations, and outreach of ministries, and he opposed the rising French "infidelity" (deism). McCorkle even preached in support of the Revolution, and he published sermons on a variety of topics. Most advertised were A Charity Sermon (1795), in which he encouraged support of the new university, and Four Discourses on the General First Principles of Deism and Revelation Contrasted: Discourse I (1797), which challenged what McCorkle felt was false thinking. If reason was sufficient to assure human progress, as the deists maintained, why was evil continuing? Or could not reason distinguish between virtue and vice? He then demonstrated his belief that the ability to tell right from wrong came through revelation from God and not through mere human reason. Yet McCorkle viewed the revival of 1802 with ambivalence, wanting it to refresh his people but fearing the bodily exercises that made it a spectacle. In a third of a century of active pulpit leadership at Thyatira, McCorkle continually spoke out for education, trained forty-five young men for the ministry, published more sermons for his people than other Presbyterian ministers in the state, and led in synod and presbytery meetings. Desiring to diffuse knowledge as the cure for ignorance, the cause of most human difficulties, he geared his normal course to further both piety and learning. This goal was suggested by his choice of the name for his academy, Zion-Parnassus—two hills, one noted for religion and the other for learning. McCorkle received an honorary doctorate from Dickinson College, Carlisle, Pa., in 1792 and thereafter was referred to as Dr. McCorkle. On 29 June 1776 he married Margaret Gillespie, the daughter of Elizabeth Maxwell Gillespie Steele and the half sister of John Steele, a congressman and comptroller of the U.S. Treasury. Of the McCorkles' ten children, six survived—a boy and five girls. Alexander (Sandy), the son, was graduated from the University of Pennsylvania and became a small planter in the Rowan area. (Alexander apparently was sent to Pennsylvania because of McCorkle's dispute with the trustees in Chapel Hill.) There is no portrait of McCorkle, but he was described as six feet one inch tall with light hair and blue eyes, looking much like Thomas Jefferson, and as cheerful, mild, and dignified. (They supposedly once were introduced to each other in Philadelphia because of their marked resemblance.) McCorkle was infirm by 1801, although he lived another ten years, and was too frail for the pulpit by 1806. He died at Westfield, his 300-acre farm, at age sixty-four; after his funeral at Thyatira Church he was buried in the churchyard. His grave is still marked by a large stone slab with a somewhat cryptic epitaph: "The tall, the wise, the reverend head must lie as low as ours." Eli Caruthers, who had been a member of McCorkle's church as a boy, relates that McCorkle left detailed instructions for his funeral and interment and, in fact, selected the epitaph. SEE: Kemp P. Battle, History of the University of North Carolina, vol. 1 (1907); Eli W. Caruthers, "Samuel Eusebius McCorkle, D.D., 1774-1811," in Annals of the American Pulpit, ed. William B. Sprague (1859); R. D. W. Connor, A Documentary History of the University of North Carolina, 2 vols. (1953); William R. Enger, "Samuel Eusebius McCorkle: North Carolina Educator" (Ed.D. diss., Oklahoma State University, 1973); William Henry Foote, Sketches of North Carolina, Historical and Biographical: Illustrative of the Principles of a Portion of Her Early Settlers (1846); James Hall, A Narrative of a Most Extraordinary Work of Religion in North Carolina (1802); Richard A. Harrison, Princetonians, 1769-1775: A Biographical Dictionary (1980); James F. Hurley and Julia G. Eagen, The Prophet of Zion-Parnassus: Samuel Eusebius McCorkle (1934); Samuel E. McCorkle Manuscripts (Manuscript Department, Duke University Library, Durham, Southern Historical Collection, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, and Archives of the Presbyterian and Reformed Churches, Montreat [McCorkle's Journal]); Rowan and Iredell County Records (North Carolina State Archives, Raleigh); Thomas T. Taylor, "Essays on the Career and Thoughts of Samuel Eusebius McCorkle" (master's thesis, University of North Carolina at Greensboro, 1978) and "Samuel E. McCorkle and a Christian Republic, 1792-1802," American Presbyterians: Journal of Presbyterian History 63 (1985); H. M. Wagstaff, ed., The Papers of John Steele, 2 vols. (1924). William Randolph Enger Thomas T. Taylor Titles by Samuel Eusebius McCorkle available on this site: A Charity Sermon. First Delivered in Salisbury, July 28; and Afterwards in Other Places in Rowan, and the Counties Adjoining; Particularly at Sugar's Creek, in Mecklenburg County, at the Opening of the Synod of the Carolinas, October 2: and Last, at the Meeting of the Hon. The General Assembly of North-Carolina in Fayetteville, December, 1793. By the Rev. Samuel E. M'Corkle, D.D. Pastor of the Church at Thyatira and Salisbury in Rowan County, North-Carolina. Return to The North Carolina Experience Home Page Return to Documenting the American South Home Page Contact Us | FAQ | DocSouth Data | Home | UNC Library | UNC-Chapel Hill

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JenniferL About JenniferL Currently Viewing Topic: Perspective. Seeing the story in a new way over the years Balrog of Love Birthday December 3 False_Dragon -Matrim- myn0s James al'Dylan Bard29 Fievelgoespostal Kilivia Zorlon Cairos Jaimelai What happened to the FAQ? JenniferL replied to JrockNRolla's topic in Wheel of Time Books I will just ignore you. Rommel is Mat? JenniferL replied to Jsbrads2's topic in Wheel of Time Books Mat is likely an amalgamation of several historic generals. http://13depository.blogspot.com/2002/03/character-parallels-mat.html#warfare Get back in your cage. Nope. Not yet. DM News:Hugo Nomination Considerations JenniferL posted a topic in Off-Topic The 2020 Hugo Nomination period is now open. If you are a registered WorldCon member, you may be eligible to nominate notable written and dramatic works, as well as notable editors and other contributors in the field of science-fiction and fantasy. About the Hugos Awards The Hugos are the premier awards for science fiction & fantasy literature. Each year, awards are given in multiple categories such as Best Novel, Best Short Story, Best Series, and more. Written and dramatic works are awarded at the annual World Science Fiction Convention (“WorldCon”) by its members. Anybody can become a member whether you attend the convention or not. There are some notable benefits to becoming a WorldCon member, even if you don’t attend the actual convention. Not only will you have the chance to nominate your favorite written and dramatic works from the past year, but with your membership, you’ll also receive most of (if not all) of the nominated works. ie, You’ll get free books. (Good ones, too!) (NOTE: The Hugo Voters packet is entirely dependent on the generosity of the finalists (and their publishers). Some provide the entire work, others provide a sample, and some choose not to participate at all. To give you an idea, here's a breakdown of what was provided in the 2019 packet. Thanks to ElleKayEm for this info.) The Process There are several notable milestones for participating in the Hugos: Register by December 31, 2019 in order to nominate works. (Deadline past to nominate) Submit nominations (now through March 31) Nominees announced (early April) Voting begins (register now to become a voting member) Voting Ends Winners announced at the 2020 WorldCon in Wellington, New Zealand. (July 29 - August 2) It costs money to become a member, but remember that you will not only become of a proud tradition, but you’ll be able to nominate, vote, and participate in the 2020 and 2021’s awards, and you also receive all of the nominated books and stories in ebook format. That value alone pays for your membership. For Your Consideration Here, for your consideration, are eligible works related to The Wheel of Time, Dragonmount.com, and some of our associates. You should only nominate works and individuals if you feel they are notable and worthy of a prestigious Hugo Award. if you're not familiar with our recommendations, links are provided to where you can acquire them or learn more. Best Series: The Wheel of Time by Robert Jordan & Brandon Sanderson This is probably the last opportunity for The Wheel of Time to win a Hugo Award. The entire Best Series award was created in large part due to the impact of this series. Read more about how WoT is eligible this year. Best Related Work: Dragonmount.com (website, online community) For over 21 years, Dragonmount has provided news and community for WoT fans across the globe. This past year was one of our finest, where we dramatically increased our social media presence, increased our news coverage, crafted full book summaries and chapter recaps, brought on notable bloggers such as Adam Whitehead, launched a YouTube channel, and overall have helped prepared as many fans as possible for Amazon Prime's upcoming Wheel of Time TV show. Best Fan Writer: Adam Whitehead Adam Whitehead is a prolific fan writer and WoT TV show blogger. His bi-weekly column here on Drgonmount, Adam's Wheel of Television, has quickly become a notable blog providing insight into Amazon Prime's Wheel of Time TV show. In addition, Adam has been covering the Science-Fiction & Fantasy genre for years through his websites The Wertzone, and the Atlas of Ice and Fire. Best Fan Writer: Sylas K. Barrett Sylas K. Barrett is a Tor.com blogger writing a blog series called "Reading the Wheel of Time" where he recaps each chapter in the series and gives his first-time-reader impressions of the series as it goes. Best Editor (Short Form): Shawn Speakman Shawn is the mastermind behind multiple anthologies including Unfettered III, the collection of short stories that includes "A Fire Within the Ways", the latest (and perhaps last) written WoT content. You can get the anthology on Amazon (print or ebook), on audio as an Audible.com exclusive, Barnes & Noble (print and ebook), or The Book Depository (for international readers). Best Novelette: "The Stone Golem of Qual'Jom" by Jason Denzel Dragonmount founder Jason Denzel's story about a lonely stone creature that lives outside of time is available as part of the Unfettered III anthology. (Note: at 8,800 words long, this story is considered a novelette and not a short story). You can get the Unfettered III anthology on Amazon (print or ebook), on audio as an Audible.com exclusive, Barnes & Noble (print and ebook), or The Book Depository (for international readers). Thank you for your consideration. Just a reminder: only nominate works or people if you think they are top-notch and worthy of a Hugo Award. View full news item JenniferL posted a news item in Community & Events The 2020 Hugo Nomination period is now open. If you are a registered WorldCon member, you may be eligible to nominate notable written and dramatic works, as well as notable editors and other contributors in the field of science-fiction and fantasy. About the Hugos Awards The Hugos are the premier awards for science fiction & fantasy literature. Each year, awards are given in multiple categories such as Best Novel, Best Short Story, Best Series, and more. Written and dramatic works are awarded at the annual World Science Fiction Convention (“WorldCon”) by its members. Anybody can become a member whether you attend the convention or not. There are some notable benefits to becoming a WorldCon member, even if you don’t attend the actual convention. Not only will you have the chance to nominate your favorite written and dramatic works from the past year, but with your membership, you’ll also receive most of (if not all) of the nominated works. ie, You’ll get free books. (Good ones, too!) (NOTE: The Hugo Voters packet is entirely dependent on the generosity of the finalists (and their publishers). Some provide the entire work, others provide a sample, and some choose not to participate at all. To give you an idea, here's a breakdown of what was provided in the 2019 packet. Thanks to ElleKayEm for this info.) The Process There are several notable milestones for participating in the Hugos: Register by December 31, 2019 in order to nominate works. (Deadline past to nominate) Submit nominations (now through March 31) Nominees announced (early April) Voting begins (register now to become a voting member) Voting Ends Winners announced at the 2020 WorldCon in Wellington, New Zealand. (July 29 - August 2) It costs money to become a member, but remember that you will not only become of a proud tradition, but you’ll be able to nominate, vote, and participate in the 2020 and 2021’s awards, and you also receive all of the nominated books and stories in ebook format. That value alone pays for your membership. For Your Consideration Here, for your consideration, are eligible works related to The Wheel of Time, Robert Jordan, Dragonmount.com, and some of our associates. You should only nominate works and individuals if you feel they are notable and worthy of a prestigious Hugo Award. if you're not familiar with our recommendations, links are provided to where you can acquire them or learn more. Best Series: The Wheel of Time by Robert Jordan & Brandon Sanderson This is probably the last opportunity for The Wheel of Time to win a Hugo Award. The entire Best Series award was created in large part due to the impact of this series. Read more about how WoT is eligible this year. Best Novel: Warrior of the Altaii by Robert Jordan Robert Jordan's "first and last" novel was published this past year and is eligible for awards. Read more about this book here. It's available as an ebook through our online store, and also available on Amazon, Audible, Barnes & Noble, and your local independent bookseller. Best Related Work: Dragonmount.com (website, online community) For over 21 years, Dragonmount has provided news and community for WoT fans across the globe. This past year was one of our finest, where we dramatically increased our social media presence, increased our news coverage, crafted full book summaries and chapter recaps, brought on notable bloggers such as Adam Whitehead, launched a YouTube channel, and overall have helped prepared as many fans as possible for Amazon Prime's upcoming Wheel of Time TV show. Best Fan Writer: Adam Whitehead Adam Whitehead is a prolific fan writer and WoT TV show blogger. His bi-weekly column here on Drgonmount, Adam's Wheel of Television, has quickly become a notable blog providing insight into Amazon Prime's Wheel of Time TV show. In addition, Adam has been covering the Science-Fiction & Fantasy genre for years through his websites The Wertzone, and the Atlas of Ice and Fire. Best Fan Writer: Sylas K. Barrett Sylas K. Barrett is a Tor.com blogger writing a blog series called "Reading the Wheel of Time" where he recaps each chapter in the series and gives his first-time-reader impressions of the series as it goes. Best Editor (Short Form): Shawn Speakman Shawn is the mastermind behind multiple anthologies including Unfettered III, the collection of short stories that includes "A Fire Within the Ways", the latest (and perhaps last) written WoT content. You can get the anthology on Amazon (print or ebook), on audio as an Audible.com exclusive, Barnes & Noble (print and ebook), or The Book Depository (for international readers). Best Novelette: "The Stone Golem of Qual'Jom" by Jason Denzel Dragonmount founder Jason Denzel's story about a lonely stone creature that lives outside of time is available as part of the Unfettered III anthology. (Note: at 8,800 words long, this story is considered a novelette and not a short story). You can get the Unfettered III anthology on Amazon (print or ebook), on audio as an Audible.com exclusive, Barnes & Noble (print and ebook), or The Book Depository (for international readers). Thank you for your consideration. Just a reminder: only nominate works or people if you think they are top-notch and worthy of a Hugo Award. Today, December 31, 2019, is an important deadline for the 2020 Hugo Awards. You can have a unique impact in being part of its tradition, and also potentially help The Wheel of Time and other worthy stories, earn a prestigious award. About the Hugos Awards The Hugos are the premier awards for science fiction & fantasy literature. Each year, awards are given in multiple categories such as Best Novel, Best Short Story, Best Series, and more. Written and dramatic works are awarded at the annual World Science Fiction Convention (“WorldCon”) by its members. Anybody can become a member whether you attend the convention or not. There are some notable benefits to becoming a WorldCon member, even if you don’t attend the actual convention. Not only will you have the chance to nominate your favorite written and dramatic works from the past year, but with your membership you’ll also receive most of (if not all) of the nominated works. ie, You’ll get free books. (Good ones, too!) The Process There are several notable milestones for participating in the Hugos: Register by December 31, 2019 in order to nominate works. (TODAY) Submit nominations. (Sometime in January 2020) Nominees announced (Spring) Voting begins (Spring) Voting Ends Winners announced at the 2020 WorldCon in Wellington, New Zealand. (Summer) If you plan on nominating for the 2020 Hugo Awards, today is the last day to register for WorldCon and be eligible to vote. Wheel of Time’s last chance Despite its popularity and far-reaching impact on the fantasy genre, Robert Jordan and The Wheel of Time have never won a Hugo Award. In 2014 the entire WoT series was nominated for (but did not win) the “Best Novel” award. The "Best Series" category did not exist at the time. WoT’s nomination caused a controversial stir, as some people didn’t feel it was appropriate to consider the entire 15-book Wheel of Time series as one single work. This helped prompt the World Science Fiction Society, which awards the Hugos, to add a new category in 2017, the “Best Series” award. At the time, it didn’t mean much for The Wheel of Time, but it did enable several other long-running and popular series (including Brandon Sanderson’s Stormlight Archive) to be recognized with nominations and awards. And now The Wheel of Time will have one more chance to potentially earn a Hugo Award. Earlier this year, in 2019, Brandon Sanderson published “A Fire Within the Ways”, a short story that was included in the Unfettered III anthology from Grim Oaks Press. This written sequence contained a lng set of “deleted scenes” from A Memory of Light. With Harriet’s permission, the scenes were lightly edited and submitted for publication in the Unfettered III anthology, with proceeds going to support health care needs for writers in need. According to the WSFS bylaws, any new installment to a written series, regardless of length, makes The Wheel of Time eligible for the Best Series award. Therefore, A Fire Within the Ways makes WoT eligible for the first--and likely only--time. It’s unlikely that Harriet will ever authorize the publication of any further Wheel of Time stories. This could be our last opportunity to ensure that Robert Jordan’s work receives the recognition it’s due with one of the highest honors that can be bestowed upon a fantasy series. To nominate WoT, and any other work of eligible fiction from the past year, you need to become a member of the 2020 WorldCon to be held in Wellington, New Zealand this summer. While many of us will not be able to attend due to the distance and expense, but you can purchase a Supporting Membership. This gives you the right to participate in the Hugos, to nominated, vote, and receive convention publications. It also helps support WorldCon, which has a proud tradition of being one of the longest running fan conventions. It costs money to become a member, but remember that you will not only become of a proud tradition, but you’ll be able to nominate, vote, and participate in the 2020 and 2021’s awards, ad you also receive all of the nominated books and stories in ebook format. That value alone pays for your membership. What To Do Next If you want to be a part of this, here’s what you need to do: Register to become a WorldCon Member by the end of today, December 31, 2019. This will allow you to nominate WoT and other eligible works. Tell a friend! (Send them to this article for info) Submit your nominations when the submission windows open (sometime in January 2020). Vote! Optional: fly to New Zealand and attend the convention. Meet lots of amazing people and writers. What if I missed the December 31 deadline? No problem! You can still register for a membership and vote for the nominated works. You just won’t be able to submit nominations. If you’re a fan of The Wheel of Time, you know how big of an impact the series has had on the genre and on people’s lives. By becoming a Hugo Member, you can help WoT receive a special place in history, and also become part of a long-running tradition and receive some great books in return. The Tylin Thing (CoS Spoilers) JenniferL replied to Justice For Mat's topic in Wheel of Time Books Jordan intended for it to be a humorous interlude. And in the early nineties, when the book was published, male rape was certainly not taken seriously and the very idea of it was considered comical. That doesn’t mean he was right to do so, but the context of the time is important. I think the TV show will handle this with more sensitivity, if it depicts the Mat/Tylin relationship at all. JenniferL changed their profile photo December 14, 2019 Warrior of Altaii We should probably have a thread for this. I finished it yesterday. It’s fine. Not as good as Wheel of Time, but you can see Jordan playing with some of the ideas he’d later develop more fully in that series. It’s definitely a throwback to the fantasy of the late 70s when it was written, so some aspects feel quite dated now. I wouldn’t consider it essential reading if you’re a WoT fan, but it’s not a bad book, especially if you enjoy sword and sorcery, Conan the Barbarian style stories. Anyone else read read it Yet? Artist for Rand JenniferL replied to Jack Carter's topic in Wheel of Time Books I suggest going on Deviant Art and checking out fan art to see if there’s anything you like there. Then you can contact the artist and see if they are available to create something for you. Who is Michael McElhatton playing? JenniferL replied to JenniferL's topic in Wheel of Time TV Show They also need to make it somewhat plausible that Rand isn’t adopted. Who is Naana Agyei Ampadu playing? JenniferL posted a topic in Wheel of Time TV Show She was also spotted at the table read. http://thewertzone.blogspot.com/2019/10/some-more-wheel-of-time-casting-news.html He was spotted in the video released yesterday. https://thewertzone.blogspot.com/2019/10/michael-mcelhatton-cast-in-wheel-of.html WoT Wednesday is coming. What do you think it is this month? Looks like we got a video of the table read! Another casting announcement? More set pictures?

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Arts, City June 7, 2018 A new identity for a local art/party venue and boutique by MACKENZIE LAD St-Hubert Street space Artgang Montreal changes its moniker and mandate. An Artgang Montreal party Local favourite event venue, gallery and pop-up shop space Artgang Montreal is undergoing a major identity change. In its place, Ausgang Plaza — same venue, same ownership, same mandate for bringing together and celebrating the local arts and culture community, this time with a renewed drive to reflect the principles and practices central to the organization. Although no drastic physical renovations are planned to alter the interior, director of Ausgang Malick Touré said there will be one significant change: cutting ties with Artgang Montreal, the local brand that previously operated out of the venue. “They’ve moved to the St.-Laurent location,” says Touré. “We’re going to reuse the space. Half of the space will become part of the venue and the other half will be used as a pop-up gallery and boutique.” Touré said they still plan to sell art and other curated merchandise, “but in a very different way. It’s more focused on promoting local artists, so we’re not going to have Nike shoes in our boutique,” he says. “Ideally every month we change the focus, so it would be like a vernissage or a pop-up, or something new every month.” The commitment to local artists and the Montreal community has now moved to the forefront of the organization, reflected in the new name. According to Touré, Ausgang is a German word synonymous with ‘output,’ that can be interpreted to represent inclusiveness and collectivity in production and exhibition. “When you say ‘Ausgang,’ like, ‘aus,’ it means us, the people around us and everyone that is supporting us.” Touré explains that the name change was an effort to reinforce the organization’s new identity. “We wanted our name to reflect our activities. We’re a non-profit organization and we wanted to humanize our approach and our branding, so that’s why our new logo is now a written font.” The new logo was designed by local artist and ongoing collaborator (and sometimes Cult MTL cover illustrator) Nik Brovkin, who was inspired by the the old marquees that lined the streets of St-Hubert back in the 1960s. “The other thing is that we wanted to disassociate ourselves from the Artgang boutique, which is actually a company,” Touré adds. “So now we can focus all of our energy on the non-profit activities that support art and culture.” The first official vernissage in what is projected to be a series of monthly Ausgang artist residencies will feature local artist and fashion designer Marc Antoine. The event is set to take place this September and, Touré added, “we’ve got a couple artists lined up for the rest of the year.” In the meantime, Ausgang is laying the groundwork to become “less commercial and more about supporting local up-and-coming brands that need visibility,” Touré says. “We have a lot of artists that are around us and we’re trying to work with them as much as possible, which is why we have Nik with us.” ■ The venue will stay open during the renovations at 6524 St-Hubert. You can find more information about Ausgang on their new website. share on: Twitter Facebook Google+ Buffer LinkedIn Posted in Arts, Cityart gallery art venue Artgang Montreal Ausgang Plaza boutique Montreal art name change new name party venue

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Movies, Uncategorized Blame! (2017) Movie review July 25, 2018 Alexander V Woods Leave a comment For a more in-depth movie review, I highly recommend Neon Dystopia’s excellent Blame! review, but in my opinion this review is best read after watching the movie, since it describes all the acts of the movie and contains a bit of broad spoilers. For a spoiler-free review with the impressions from yours truly, please read on! Blame! is set in a dystopian future where nature is a thing of the past, and the world is now consumed by an endless stretch of metal city, going on as far as the eye can see. A small human village is the last visible remains of humanity, scouring for food and trying to survive the attacks of the city’s robotic safeguard, who see the humans as illegal residents. In comes the character Killy, who is looking for something and decides to briefly help the humans as he continues on his quest. The rest of the movie involves the humans working with Killy and another character, Cibo, in surviving the robot world and figuring out what happened to make the world the way it is. In the first few minutes of the movie, I was immediately reminded of scenes from the Matrix and Animatrix. The vast open industrial fields, devoid of any plant life or non-artificial life, were very similar although different. Also, the watchtowers that the humans had to hide from, felt very similar to hiding from the watchful eye of the Squids in the Matrix, and the exterminators also felt similar even though they were not airborne. The soundtrack to this movie does little to add or enhance the movie, which seems content on delivering the story and scenes by themselves. I should also add that the soundtrack is appropriately Japanese in sound, with the dramatic vocals and Asian-sounding stringed instruments. Where Blame! truly shines, however, are in the action scenes and the visuals of the setting. The plot runs at a steady pace with the right amount of suspense, as the viewer is constantly scared that this last vestige of humanity might be wiped out or seen by the deadly machines chasing them. It also masterfully keeps the viewer in the dark, and very little is formally explained to the viewer as they try to discover, along with the main characters of the story, how the world came to be the way it is. The action scenes contain a bit of CGI, but are masterfully interwoven with the anime in true action-packed anime form. I only had a couple issues with this great movie. The first, was that the dialogue felt very basic and at times outright painful with its simplicity. Killy is a master at silence, brooding, and looking cool while not caring what others think of him. The humans seem to be very simple in their thought process, and take a while to come to conclusions that the viewer may have already realized from scene to scene. This, however, is a complaint that I already have with most anime, so maybe it’s just me. The other issue I have with the movie is that although the pacing is great in general, sometimes the movie trips on itself in situations where they are running away from a pursuing enemy in one scene, and then all of a sudden stop to have a chat in the middle of what should be a fast-paced escape. This could have been remedied by having them talk while moving, or just limiting the at times asinine dialogues they have with each other completely. Aside from these two minor things, however, the movie is a delight for those who enjoy seeing a rich dystopian world, fast paced action, and a quick plot rich in suspense and mystery. Overall I would give it a solid 9/10. Review: The Matrix Trilogy The ones that started it all. My love and obsession for Cyberpunk began with the incredible Matrix Trilogy. But why was it so good? How did it have so much of an impact? I will be going in depth to explain my complete adoration for this trilogy, (specifically, the first two) but I am keeping all three together in this review, with an obvious 10/10. I will try to be objective, but here’s my completely biased review of The Matrix Trilogy. The less you know about the Matrix, the better it is when you watch it, but for the sake of this review I’ll have to spoil a little. I definitely recommend watching them in order, however, as I watched Matrix Reloaded (the 2nd one) before the original Matrix and was very confused. Even watching it in order can get pretty confusing at times. The Matrix is set in two different times: The first, which you are introduced to, is set in New York in the year 1999. The Second, which you are shown later, is set in the future in 2149. The story follows the journey of a Mr. Thomas Anderson, a software company employee by day and a black-market hacker by night. He wants to find out what The Matrix is, and soon enough he meets someone named Morpheus who is willing to give him the answer, even if it’s more than he ever expected. Read on for spoilers of the next two movies. The next line you see will be a general review of the themes and elements of all 3 movies, without spoilers. The reason why I am taking extra measures to provide a limit to the spoilers you read here is because of just how good it is for you to discover what the matrix is in the way that the movie delivers the answers. This is one of the reasons why I like this trilogy so much, especially the first and second one: they take their time in providing you the answers, and you can’t help getting pulled into the story and wanting to know what the matrix is as well, along with the main character. The story pulls you in for an incredible ride. Mr. Anderson discovers that the Matrix is a virtual reality system that almost all humans are a part of, unwittingly, which was built by machines as a system of control so that the machines can grow and harvest humans like cattle in order to live off of their bioelectrical energy. The machines decided humans would be the best source of energy, but to keep them alive, they need to be complacent, and this is why they are all connected via wires into the Matrix, where they can live a dream world and dream life. In this movie, Thomas Anderson, AKA Neo, must follow a preordained path of the One, which Morpheus has been told through the help of someone called the Oracle. If you’re getting lots of religious undertones here, that’s quite intentional. Most of the first movie involves Neo discovering what The Matrix is, and trying to come to terms with being The One who has to save all mankind from their slavery in the hands of the machines. In the second movie, Neo has accepted his role as the one, and the majority of the film revolves around him getting to “the source” in order to save the last human city of Zion and complete the prophecy as foretold by the Oracle. In the final movie, Zion is under attack by the machines, and Neo is caught in the Matrix. He must first leave the matrix, and then attempt one last effort to reach through to the machines to again save Zion from the machines. This also involves facing his arch-nemesis Smith. Alright, spoilers are done! Now to talk about some of the elements that make these movies so great. The Matrix movies are great because they appeal to a wide audience. They have a lot of action, including car chase scenes, shootouts, sword fighting, and Kung-Fu (legendary Martial Arts Choreographer Yuen Woo-Ping was hired for the action scenes. If you watch Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon, or Kung-Fu Hustle, you’ll recognize his fun wire-action style). It involves a bit of romance, although the romance present in the movies are pretty limited. It involves mystery, suspense, and a lot of thriller elements regarding the almost all-powerful machines and their counterpart agents in The Matrix. But finally, there is a lot of mysticism and Philosophy interwoven in the Matrix. And this last point is ultimately why I think The Matrix stands above most other movies. If you don’t like movies that make you think and ask questions about your reality, then perhaps a brain-dead movie of gratuitous action like The Expendables might be better for you. But if you want a movie that will free and blow your mind at the same time, then the Matrix is perfect. There are many different themes that the movies play with. Here are some of the major ones. The nature of reality. “What is real? How do you define real? If you’re talking about what you can feel, what you can smell, what you can taste and see, then real is simply electrical signals interpreted by your brain.” –Morpheus Due to what the Matrix is, a big part of the movie revolves around what counts as reality. Some consider the Matrix as one big lie, a dream that can’t be woken up from, infringing on our basic rights of choice and free will. Others think that the Matrix is better than actual reality, and therefore that ignorance is bliss, and the Matrix is a better reality than the alternative. Whatever you decide, it’s a fun question to ask. 2. Fate vs. Free will. Morpheus: Do you believe in Fate, Neo? Neo: No. Morpheus: Why not? Neo: Because I don’t like the idea that I’m not in control of my life. Are we in control of our lives, or have the decisions all been decided for us already? Because of the reliance on the Oracle to tell the humans what to do next, including the prophecy and fulfilling it, fate vs. free will has a big role in these movies. Morpheus, Neo, Agent Smith, The Oracle, The Architect, the Merovingian, these are all big characters in the movies that have their own thoughts on the subject, which they beautifully articulate in well-written dialogue pieces throughout the trilogy. In addition to these two big themes is a lot of symbolism. You’ll notice already the heavy-laden meaning behind names such as Neo (new), the One (Anagram of Neo, relating to a messiah from multiple religious texts, in particular Christianity), and Morpheus (interpreter of dreams for the gods in Greek mythology). There’s also the crew’s ship, the Nebuchadnezzar, (the old biblical king), as well as Trinity, referring to the holy trinity and Neo’s love interest. Another interesting thing to note is the preparation the actors had to do before even reading the script. Apparently, actors like Keanu Reeves and Lawrence Fishburne had to read three lofty texts: Evolutionary Psychology, Simulation and Simulacra (Modern French Philosophy on the nature of reality), and Out of Control, a predictive text on machines and control looking to the future as a cautionary tale. Phew! So far we’ve covered the setting and basic premises of the movies, and the symbolism, philosophy, and genre-bending aspects of the movies. Now it’s time to talk about the special effects, the direction, and the soundtrack. The special effects in 1999 were groundbreaking in and of itself. Something called “bullet time” became a household word, due to the scene where Neo is able to dodge bullets. In order to pull this off (again, this had never been done in this way before at the time), the special effects team set up a series of cameras surrounding the subject set up based on a simulation in order to take pictures in succession of something still or moving, in order to have a freeze-time or slow-motion effect while moving around the object around the same time. This began a new method of film-making that affected TV commercials, movies, TV series, and video-games, all adopting the popular special effect. Adding onto the incredible scenes from the original Matrix movie, Matrix Reloaded added an element of fluid CGI movements in addition to the live-action actors and special effects, most notably in the scene called Burly Brawl that almost seems ripped out of an anime movie or a modern-day video game. The incredible direction of the Wachowskis was crucial as well. Apparently they were very inspired by the bio-punk cyberpunk anime movie Akira (1988), and in fact used the anime as a way to explain their vision to Warner Brothers as a way to pitch their movie. They also hired people to draw storyboards of the scenes they had envisioned in their head, also very rich in special effects inspired from Akira or the Ghost in the Shell series. Usually a writer or director simply explains an idea with words, or maybe a few pictures. The Wachowskis had an entire comic made as a storyboard to show what they envisioned. That’s saying a lot. The Warner Brothers took a gamble in funding this high-cost film, but it obviously paid off big time. The Wachowskis never thought they’d be able to make a sequel, but when they were told the producers wanted a trilogy, they decided to make Reloaded (#2) and Revolutions (#3) at the same time, both released the same year in 2003. With a budget of $63 million for the first Matrix, it raked in $463 million at the box office. The subsequent movies, Reloaded and Revolutions, cost $150 million and $110 million, and took in $742 million and $427 million, respectively. Finally, we arrive at the soundtrack. I personally fell in love with most of the artists that collaborated on this phenomenal soundtrack, the main one being Don Davis. Davis focused on an orchestral score, classical in nature but grand as the movie deserved, for the first film. This was paired with music from other artists, such as The Prodigy, Rob Dougan, Rob Zombie, Marilyn Manson, and Rage Against the Machine. The second movie, Reloaded, was able to fuse more electronic artists into the style, and less of the hard rock and punk rock artists. Don Davis also collaborated with Juno Reactor and Rob Dougan to create some great musical pieces. Another noteworthy mention is Fluke, whose song Zion (which is the last human city Neo is trying to protect) is played while the entire human collective rocks out in one last dance party the night before their battle with the machines. There are just so many things that came together right in these movies, too many things to mention, but the incredible vision that the Wachowski brothers (now sisters) had is just mind-boggling, and I personally love the green-tinted virtual reality where anything can happen, as well as the nightmarish dystopian blue-tinted reality of Machines controlling the world and enslaving humanity. These films are simply very rich with all kinds of things. So if you like Cyberpunk, Kung-Fu, Virtual Reality, Questioning Reality, Symbolism, Philosophy, Car chases and slow motion and Blade fights and fast-paced orchestral music with drums beating and electronic symphonies, then these films are for you. 🙂 Favorite trilogy ever. 10+/10. Books, Uncategorized Neuromancer (1984): A Review If ever a book could be considered the father of Cyberpunk, Neuromancer would be it. Written in 1984 by William Gibson, Neuromancer tells the story of a punk hacker called Case who is down on his luck until a mysterious client gives him one last shot at redemption to complete a heist with a rag-tag team against an unknown wealthy entity. This book has a couple different settings with a couple different main characters. The two main characters are Henry Dorsett Case and Molly Millions, an augmented mercenary. Case is a ‘console cowboy’ who used to be good at hacking the virtual reality dataspace called “the Matrix” until he was infected with a toxin that left him unable to access the Matrix ever again. That is, until a persuasive benefactor offers to cure him in return for one last job, which of course he is unable to turn down. The benefactor, someone name Armitage, hires him along with Molly and a couple others to complete a series of hacking and heist jobs. This story takes place in a couple of different settings. The first is in Chiba City, Japan, in the underbelly of this dystopian world. The second is in Istanbul, Turkey. The third is in a cylindrical wealthy space habitat called Freeside. If this all sounds pretty confusing, that’s because it is. The plot and the settings are highly confusing, as are all the character’s backstory. And Gibson makes sure to throw the reader into all of this without explaining any of it. One of the things I loved about this book was in Gibson’s ability to describe these fantastical places, as well as his penchant for incredible gritty punk dialogue. He shines most in the Chiba City settings, so much so that it actually added to my already dying wish to visit Japan by adding Chiba City to the list. His description of the luxurious city of Freeside was also incredible, especially considering when the book was written. The problem with Gibson’s writing, though, is that he really needed to take some more time to explain what in the blazes is going on. It was so bad at times that I had to consult Wikipedia and different sources online to figure out what was happening in the story, where they were, what they were doing, and why it was important. In order for a book to be truly great, it should be able to stand on its own, and not confuse its reader such that they need external sources to explain what is happening. I think I may be in the minority here in being underwhelmed by the book, even though by the end I did thoroughly enjoy it. It simply wasn’t what I was expecting. I wish the plot were a little less complicated, or explained a bit more, and I would have also liked to see a more driving plotline. Although there is a sense of urgency as Case is on a pressing timeline for finishing the job in time, the sense of urgency is diminished a bit by the confusion of the whole story. Nonetheless, it was a great read, and the contributions the book made to the cyberpunk community can’t be stressed enough. I think if you take the book Neuromancer and combine it with the 1982 movie blade runner, you would have the seeds of all the main cyberpunk genre. While Phillip K Dick did have a lot of ideas and contributed to the genre, it didn’t exist before these two, and then when Snowcrash came along it was considered post-cyberpunk I believe. Gibson created the idea of the Matrix 15 years before the seminal 1999 movie came out, and I suspect it had a big influence on that movie. I am grateful to all that came after Neuromancer, but upon taking the book by itself at face value, there is a lot that could be improved. Overall, I would give the book 7.5 out of 10. P.S. The first line of the book is considered by some to be a work of art, so I figured I’d include it below so you get a small taste of Gibson’s incredible writing style. “The sky above the port was the color of television, tuned to a dead channel.” Snowcrash (1992): A review Well, it only took me about three months, but I finally finished Snowcrash (to be fair it’s long and I read slowly). Here’s my review of the novel. Published in 1992 by Neal Stephenson, Snowcrash is considered by many to be among the perennial novels in the cyberpunk genre. It is a relatively modern favorite, written in the 90’s instead of many of its older predecessors written in the 60s and 80s, and thus has a more modern flair. The story revolves around two main characters. The first is called Hiro Protagonist (no, I’m not kidding), a hacker extraordinaire that is also a skilled katana sword-wielder. He was also one of the original coders of big parts of the online virtual world called the Metaverse. The second main character is called Y.T., and is a courier in the real world, a line of work that involves Y.T. delivering packages using an advanced form of skateboard that she “poons’ cars with (attaches a suction cup connected to a strong retractable cable) in order to weave around the traffic on the highways. The story takes place in the future, where all governments have collapsed and corporations have become the de facto countries of the world, leading their own organizations with their own areas, security, and borders with passport control. The title “Snowcrash” refers to a new type of drug that can be transmitted via the blood, but also virtually, by looking at a specific screen online. This new scary drug is the main plot driver in the book, and the story revolves around learning more about Snowcrash, who is using it and why, how it came to be, and what it is meant to do in the future as a dangerous weapon. In terms of Cyberpunk stories, I liked this one a little more than Neuromancer and Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?, which were the first two cyberpunk novels I read before this one. The dialogue shines through in the story, with casual witty banter among the characters. The novel feels like a 20-something wrote it, or perhaps it was written for that age group, and with the deferential main character’s name the novel definitely feels a bit like a parody of other cyberpunk novels. Still, though, the fact that a dangerous drug is on the streets was not compelling enough of a plot point for the story to keep me reading. In addition to the fact that the novel is quite long, I found myself putting down the book many times and picking it back up. AS you read you see that things happen, but the pace feels somewhat slow, especially with nothing really to build up to until the very end. Even then, I felt that things were just happening in the story, and I was following along. Nonetheless, there were a lot of cool ideas that I picked up in this novel. The first is the idea of corporations ruling the world, instead of governments, as I feel the current reality is a mix of corporations and governments truly ruling. I also quite like the concept of loglo which was introduced in the book. Loglo is the lighting of logos on highways and the world in general. Another favorite was perhaps one of the most overpowered pseudo-villain of all time, Raven. In addition to being highly skilled with spears and knives, his enemies are afraid of killing him for reasons that I can’t explain without spoiling the book. One thing I didn’t like, however, is how much Stephenson likes to explain things to the reader. Early on Hiro explains aspects of his reality to the reader, as if he knows that you are reading. This was a stark contrast from reading Neuromancer, which read as if all the lingo was already common knowledge for the reader, which can be quite confusing. This wasn’t too bad, until I got to the artificial virtual character called the Librarian. This read like a teacher’s dream student scenario, with Hiro asking all the right questions and the Librarian happily supplying them, with me drearily reading the back and forth while never having wanted to know the questions or answers. A good chapter and a half is dedicated to the Librarian explaining archaic mythology and ideas from old civilizations, something that I suspect Stephenson loves knowing about but that didn’t quite fit with a cyberpunk novel. Despite its drawbacks, it’s a good read, just be prepared for a long novel and if you’re a fast reader it’ll be a quick read. I’d give it 8/10.

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Appleseed’s Roots & Branches Shows How Folk Changed the American Musical Landscape ROOTS & BRANCHES – APPLESEED RECORDINGS 21ST ANNIVERSARY. Various Artists, including Bruce Springsteen, John Wesley Harding, Tom Morello, Roger McGuinn and John Stewart. Appleseed Recordings. Cover courtesy of Appleseed Records. The Appleseed Recordings label is synonymous with the history of folk and roots music, as the imprint has dedicated itself to exposing these genres to a new audience through original and archival recordings for over 20 years. In turn, Roots & Branches casts a splendid 21st anniversary spotlight on this small Pennsylvania label,with some of the biggest names in folk and rock championing the cause. This 3-CD record features a staggering 57 cuts, and there’s something here for every kind of ear, without a throw-away track in the lot. Appleseed founder and president, Jim Musselman (who used to work as a lawyer with none other than Ralph Nader) has come up with a compelling and appropriate format to celebrate Appleseed’s 21st birthday: Each of the three discs highlights a separate aspect of the Appleseed mission. Disc one (“Let The Truth Be Told”) is about political consciousness (racism, gun violence, homelessness, immigration – with Bruce Springsteen’s previously unreleased version of “If I Had A Hammer” paying its respects to Bob Dylan, John Hammond, Pete Seeger, Allen Ginsberg and all the rest of the voices who made the E Street Band possible. Disc 2 (“The Wisdom Keepers”) celebrates the singer-songwriter (never more beautifully than via the wanton ache of the late John Stewart’s “The Wedding Song”). While Disc 3 (“Keeping The Songs Alive”) is all about the reason Appleseed was born – paying homage to the “roots and branches” of Folk and World Music (Donovan’s previously unreleased “Wild Mountain Thyme” is the gem on this disc – this song is a thing of beauty to behold and worth the price of this record alone). Other can’t miss tracks include The Kennedy’s “Give Me Back My Country” and Rambling Jack Elliott’s “Roving Gambler.” It’s 50 years and counting since the 1960s when Dylan stormed the Village. But the relevance of the music that these poets and minstrels created has not yet waned. Roots & Branches from Appleseed Recordings provides the living testament to the reason behind the why. This entry was posted on November 28, 2018 by Jacob Aiello in 2018, December 2018, In the Spotlight, Rat On Music and tagged Music, Music Review. https://wp.me/p3pEtH-1na

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Hell on Earth (Mobb Deep album) Hell on Earth is the third studio album by East Coast hip hop duo Mobb Deep, which was first released on November 19, 1996, on Loud and RCA Records. The album is largely a continuation of Mobb Deep's previous album, the critically acclaimed The Infamous. The album is produced by Mobb Deep and also features guest appearances by emcees Nas, Raekwon, Method Man, and frequent collaborator Big Noyd. The album stands out for its acclaimed singles "G.O.D. Pt. III" and "Hell on Earth (Front Lines)," as well as "Drop a Gem on 'Em," a response to 2Pac's diss track "Hit 'Em Up." A promotional single, "Still Shinin'", was released earlier that year and later added to the album. The album, one of the earliest enhanced CDs, also contains an additional track ("In the Long Run") that at the time, had to be unlocked with the use of a computer. East Coast hip hop, Hardcore hip hop 61:35 (North America) 65:47 (international) Mobb Deep chronology The Infamous (1995) Hell on Earth (1996) Murda Muzik Singles from Hell On Earth "Still Shinin'" "Drop a Gem on 'Em" "Front Lines (Hell on Earth)" "G.O.D. Pt. III" 6 Certifications Since most of the album was recorded during the height of the East Coast-West Coast rivalry, many fans considered the darker songs to be subliminal disses toward 2Pac and other West Coast emcees, but Prodigy sends shout-outs to a list of west coasts artists such as Snoop Dogg, Tha Dogg Pound, and Xzibit in the liner notes. MusicEdit Havoc experiments with a more atmospheric type of production, using more classic piano and soul samples. ReceptionEdit RapReviews 8.5/10[5] The Rolling Stone Album Guide The Source 4.5/5[7] Spin 8/10[8] Hell on Earth was met with widespread critical acclaim from music critics and is considered by many to be among the duo's best work. The album was included in Q Magazine's 50 Heaviest Albums of All Time. The album was certified Gold on April 9, 1997, by the RIAA. Track listingEdit All songs produced by Mobb Deep. 1. "Animal Instinct" (featuring Twin Gambino & Ty Nitty) 3:30 2. "Drop a Gem on 'Em" 4:17 3. "Bloodsport" 3:35 4. "Extortion" (featuring Method Man) 3:31 5. "More Trife Life" 3:45 6. "Man Down" (featuring Big Noyd) 5:03 7. "Can't Get Enough of It" (featuring Illa Ghee) 4:51 8. "Nighttime Vultures" (featuring Raekwon) 4:30 9. "G.O.D. Pt. III" 5:17 10. "Get Dealt With" 3:56 11. "Front Lines (Hell on Earth)" 4:34 12. "Give It Up Fast" (featuring Big Noyd & Nas) 3:58 13. "Still Shinin'" 4:11 14. "Apostle's Warning" 4:07 15. "In the Long Run" (featuring Ty Nitty & Money No) 2:38 Unreleased Tracks (Appeared On Pre Hell EP And The Infamous Archives) 16. "Reach" (featuring Chinky) 4:39 17. "Every Day Gun Play" 3:51 Track listing (74321-42558) [International Version] 1. "Animal Instinct" (featuring Twin Gambino, Ty Nitty) Mobb Deep 3:30 2. "Drop a Gem on 'Em" Mobb Deep 4:17 3. "Bloodsport" Mobb Deep 3:35 4. "Extortion" (featuring Method Man) Mobb Deep 3:31 5. "More Trife Life" Mobb Deep 3:45 6. "Man Down" (featuring Big Noyd & Money No) Mobb Deep 5:03 7. "Can't Get Enough of It" (featuring General G a.k.a. Illa Ghee) Mobb Deep 4:51 8. "Nighttime Vultures" (featuring Raekwon) Mobb Deep 4:30 9. "G.O.D. Pt. III" (featuring Godfather Pt.III) Mobb Deep 5:17 10. "Get Dealt With" Mobb Deep 3:56 11. "Shook Ones Pt. 1" Mobb Deep 4:12 12. "Front Lines (Hell on Earth)" Mobb Deep 4:34 13. "Give It Up Fast" (featuring Big Noyd & Nas) Mobb Deep 3:58 14. "Still Shinin'" Mobb Deep 4:11 15. "Apostle's Warning" Mobb Deep 4:07 ChartsEdit Weekly chartsEdit Swedish Albums (Sverigetopplistan)[9] UK Albums (OCC)[10] US Billboard 200[11] US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard)[12] Year-end chartsEdit US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums[14] CertificationsEdit *sales figures based on certification alone List of number-one R&B albums of 1996 (U.S.) ^ Allmusic review ^ "Mobb Deep: Hell on Earth". Entertainment Weekly: 138. November 1996. ^ "Los Angeles Times: Archives – POP MUSIC". pqasb.pqarchiver.com. ^ "Mobb Deep: Hell on Earth". Q: 126. June 2000. ^ "Mobb Deep :: Hell on Earth :: Loud/RCA". www.rapreviews.com. ^ Brackett, Nathan; Hoard, Christian David (20 June 2017). "The New Rolling Stone Album Guide". Simon and Schuster – via Google Books. ^ "Mobb Deep: Hell on Earth". The Source: 123. December 1996. ^ LLC, SPIN Media (1 January 1997). "SPIN". SPIN Media LLC – via Google Books. ^ "Swedishcharts.com – Mobb Deep – Hell on Earth". Hung Medien. ^ "Mobb Deep | Artist | Official Charts". UK Albums Chart. ^ "Mobb Deep Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. ^ "Mobb Deep Chart History (Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums)". Billboard. ^ "1997 Year-End Charts – Billboard 200 Albums". Billboard. Retrieved May 14, 2016. ^ "1997 Year-End Charts – Billboard R&B/Hip-Hop Albums". Billboard. Retrieved May 14, 2016. ^ "American album certifications – Mobb Deep – Hell on Earth". Recording Industry Association of America. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Album, then click SEARCH. http://www.discogs.com/viewimages?release=847467 Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Hell_on_Earth_(Mobb_Deep_album)&oldid=935976049"

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104 STAT. 5216 PROCLAMATION 6097—FEB. 16, 1990 Home health services offer comfort and dignity to patients recovering from illness or injury, to persons incapacitated by mental or physical handicaps, to the terminally ill, and to those suffering from chronically disabling diseases. By rendering such services. Visiting Nurse Associations are making an important difference in the lives of individuals and families across the country. In recognition of the efforts of those dedicated and hardworking men and women who make the work of Visiting Nurse Associations possible, the Congress, by Senate Joint Resolution 103, has designated the week beginning February 18, 1990, as "National Visiting Nurse Associations Week" and has authorized and requested the President to issue a proclamation in observance of this week. NOW, THEREFORE, I, GEORGE BUSH, President of the United States of America, do hereby proclaim February 18 through February 24, 1990, as National Visiting Nurse Associations Week. I urge all Americans to join me in observing this week with appropriate programs, ceremonies, and activities. IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this sixteenth day of February, in the year of our Lord nineteen hundred and ninety, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and fourteenth. 1 GEORGE BUSH Proclamation 6097 of February 16, 1990 258th Anniversary of the Birth of George Washington By the President of the United States of America A Proclamation A man who "knew no glory but his country's good," George Washington was not only indispensable to the founding of our Nation but also set a standard of public service that every President since has labored to uphold. Indeed, the free Republic planted on this soil more than 2 centuries ago could not have taken root and prospered without his leadership and example. As Commander of the Continental Army during the Revolutionary War, George Washington made an effective fighting force out of his hastily assembled and frequently ill-equipped troops. His actions during the war reflected consummate skill as a military leader—and unfailing confidence in the ideals enshrined in our Declaration of Independence. Indeed, it was personal loyalty to General Washington that held together the American troops at Valley Forge through the long, bitter winter of 1778. Having helped the American colonies gain their independence from the British Crown, George Washington later became a central figure in ef- forts to shape a government for the new Nation. After the Revolution, it became increasingly clear that the Articles of Confederation—which had loosely assembled the 13 States in a "league of friendship"— needed to be revised. The struggle for independence, the cause that

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For the rock musician, see Chris Bradford (rock musician). Aylesbury, England Adventure/Action, Children's, YA, Thriller, Historical Fiction Young Samurai www.chrisbradford.co.uk Chris Bradford is an award-winning author[1] and black belt martial artist,[2] best known for his children's fictional series, Young Samurai. The first Young Samurai book, The Way of the Warrior, was published by Puffin Books in 2008. Disney bought the rights in the same year and published in early 2009. Seven further books followed, with a ninth - The Return of the Warrior - being published for the series' tenth anniversary in 2018.[3] In 2013, Bradford published the first book in his Bodyguard series, Hostage.[4] The first book involves a young teenage bodyguard Connor Reeves assigned to protect the daughter of the US President. Note: in the US, the series is split into episodes i.e. book 1 HOSTAGE (UK edition) equals book 1 RECRUIT and book 2 HOSTAGE (USA editions). The second book, Ransom, was a Top Ten bestseller[5] in the UK and followed Connor on a mission protecting twin daughters on a super-luxury yacht against Somali pirates. At an event in Abingdon in 2013,[6] Bradford revealed that there are six books planned in the series, with an overarching conspiracy hinted at in the first book. Bradford has also written a number of books on the music business, including the critically acclaimed Heart & Soul: Revealing the Craft of Songwriting (Sanctuary, 2005). He regularly visits schools promoting literacy and giving martial arts demonstrations to students.[7] 1 Method writing 3 Martial arts 6.1 Young Samurai 6.2 Bodyguard (UK Editions) 6.3 Bodyguard (US Editions) 6.4 Bodyguard (France Editions) 6.5 Ninja 6.6 Bulletcatcher 6.7 Gamer 6.8 Music Method writing[edit] As an author, Bradford employs a technique he terms ‘method-writing’.[8] In an interview, Bradford explained, "This enables me to write very authentic and action packed novels. Furthermore, it allows me to create very dynamic and involving events around my books where I can demonstrate martial arts techniques and teach readers crucial bodyguard skills – just like the heroes and heroines of my books."[9] Touring[edit] Bradford stages events that involve samurai sword displays, martial arts demonstrations, bodyguard training and interactive multi-media reading. John Lloyd, Events Manager at Waterstones, Bath, considered Bradford's event as "One of the most unparalleled book events of the year."[10] Bradford tours over three months of the year and has visited more than 1500 schools, 50 book festivals and 25 countries. He performs two shows: "Bodyguard" and "Samurai".[11] Martial arts[edit] Bradford joined a judo club at the age of 8 years and has since trained in ten different styles of martial arts including Shotokan karate, Muay Thai, iaido and taijutsu in which he is a black belt.[12] His wide-ranging experience in martial arts has helped him write the Young Samurai books and create authentic fight scenes in his novels that have been praised for both their excitement and authenticity.[13] Before becoming a full-time author, Bradford was a professional songwriter, who worked with many successful musicians including Dave Calhoqoun (Ian Brown 'F.E.A.R.'); Ivor Novello winner Iain Archer (Snow Patrol); and Graham Gouldman (10cc). Bradford performed with James Blunt, at the Notting Hill Carnival and for Queen Elizabeth II.[14] Northern Ireland Book Award (2011),[15] Hampshire Book Award 2014[16] and the Brilliant Book Award 2014[17] Young Samurai: The Way of the Warrior was deemed one of Puffin’s 70 Best Ever Books.[18] Young Samurai[edit] Young Samurai: The Way of the Warrior (2008) Young Samurai: The Way of the Sword (2009) Young Samurai: The Way of the Dragon (2010) Young Samurai: The Way of Fire (2010 - short story) Young Samurai: The Ring of Earth (2010) Young Samurai: The Ring of Water (2011) Young Samurai: The Ring of Fire (2011) Young Samurai: The Ring of Wind (2012) Young Samurai: The Ring of Sky (2012) Young Samurai: The Return of the Warrior (2019) Bodyguard (UK Editions)[edit] Bodyguard 1: Hostage (2013) Bodyguard 2: Ransom (2014) Bodyguard 3: Ambush (2015) Bodyguard 4: Target (2016) Bodyguard 5: Assassin (2017) Bodyguard 6: Fugitive (2018) Bodyguard (US Editions)[edit] The publisher Philomel Books has taken the first 4 novels and split them into 2 each, so the original 1-4 books now number 1-8,[19] e.g. (UK) #1 Hostage = (USA) #1 Recruit + #2 Hostage.[20] Bodyguard 1: Recruit (2017) Bodyguard 3: Hijack (2017) Bodyguard 6: Survival (2017) Bodyguard 8: Traitor (2018) Bodyguard (France Editions)[edit] Bodyguard 1: L'otage Bodyguard 2: La rançon Bodyguard 3: L'embuscade Bodyguard 4: La cible Bodyguard 5: L'assassin Bodyguard 6: Le fugitif Ninja[edit] Ninja: First Mission (2011) Ninja: Death Touch (2012) Ninja: Assassin (2014) Shadow Warriors (2016) [omnibus edition with bonus story] Bulletcatcher[edit] Bulletcatcher (2015) Bulletcatcher: Sniper (2016) Bulletcatcher: Blowback (2017) Gamer[edit] Gamer: Virus (2018) Gamer: Killzone (2019) Heart & Soul: Revealing The Craft Of Songwriting (2005) Artist Management OUTLOUD (2006) Record Deals OUTLOUD (2006) Music Publishing OUTLOUD (2006) Crash Course Songwriting (2007) ^ info@hants.gov.uk, Hampshire County Council. The Castle, Winchester, Hampshire SO23 8UJ (22 March 2017). "Hampshire Book Award". www3.hants.gov.uk. Retrieved 22 March 2017. ^ Bradford, Chris. "About | Chris Bradford Author | Chris Bradford". www.chrisbradford.co.uk. Retrieved 22 March 2017. ^ "Puffin acquires ninth Young Samurai title". www.thebookseller.com. Retrieved 22 March 2017. ^ "Puffin acquires three Bodyguard titles". www.thebookseller.com. Retrieved 22 March 2017. ^ Bradford, Chris. "2: RANSOM (UK) | Chris Bradford Author | Chris Bradford". www.chrisbradford.co.uk. Retrieved 22 March 2017. ^ mostly books blog: Five Questions with Chris Bradford ^ "Chris Bradford, Author at Authors Abroad". Authors Abroad. Retrieved 22 March 2017. ^ "Author Interview: Chris Bradford - Meet the Man Behind the Samurai Sword..." se7en. 22 May 2015. Retrieved 22 March 2017. ^ "Author | Chris Bradford". www.youngsamurai.com. Retrieved 22 March 2017. ^ "Children's Book Review: Young Samurai: The Way of the Warrior by Chris Bradford". PublishersWeekly.com. Retrieved 22 March 2017. ^ www.intexta.com, Intexta Web Services. "Northern Ireland Book Award". www.nibookaward.org.uk. Retrieved 22 March 2017. ^ website, The Wavell School. "The Wavell School - Hampshire Book Award 2014". www.wavellschool.org.uk. Retrieved 22 March 2017. ^ "Past Winners of the Brilliant Book Award". brilliantbookaward.nottinghamshire.gov.uk. Retrieved 22 March 2017. ^ "In pictures: Puffin's 70 best books for children". the Guardian. 7 May 2010. Retrieved 22 March 2017. ^ "Bodyguard series by Chris Bradford". www.goodreads.com. Retrieved 8 April 2017. ^ "UK Site | BODYGUARD". www.bodyguard-books.com. Retrieved 8 April 2017. Official US Bodyguard website Official UK Bodyguard website Official Young Samurai website Bradford's page on AuthorsAbroad.com School Author Visits Children's literature portal BNF: cb16034244r (data) WorldCat Identities (via VIAF): 2082393 Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Chris_Bradford&oldid=932502025" English children's writers English male novelists Use dmy dates from July 2015 Use British English from July 2015

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Peter Kinderman This article is an orphan, as no other articles link to it. Please introduce links to this page from related articles; try the Find link tool for suggestions. (December 2013) Peter Kinderman (born 1965) is professor of Clinical Psychology at the University of Liverpool, and is a Chartered Clinical Psychologist. 1 Early life and education 3 Research interests, publications and courses 4 Roles and awards Early life and education[edit] Kinderman was born in Sussex, and attended Kings College, Cambridge as an undergraduate. He then worked at St James’ Hospital Leeds, before professional training in Clinical Psychology at the University of Leeds. He then worked in the National Health Service as a Clinical Psychologist before taking a job as a junior lecturer at the University of Liverpool, where he registered for a Ph.D. supervised by Richard Bentall. Soon after being awarded his doctorate, he moved to the University of Manchester, and then later returned to the University of Liverpool, where he became professor of Clinical Psychology. Research interests, publications and courses[edit] His research interests are in psychological processes underpinning well-being and mental health, and in particular psychotic phenomena such as delusions and hallucinations. In 2014 he launched a free, online, open-access course exploring our understanding of mental health and well-being.[1] Kinderman has published widely on the role of psychological factors as mediators between biological, social and circumstantial factors in mental health and well-being.[2] In his 2019 book, A Manifesto for Mental Health: Why We Need a Revolution in Mental Health Care, he critically examines the dominant ‘disease-model’ of mental health care and offers a contemporary, biopsychosocial, alternative. He highlights evidence that our mental health and wellbeing depend largely on the society in which we live, on the things happen to us, and on how we learn to make sense of and respond to those events. He is also interested in the application of such psychological science to public policy. Roles and awards[edit] In 2000, he received the British Psychological Society's Division of Clinical Psychology's 'May Davidson Award', an annual award for outstanding contributions to the field of clinical psychology, in the first ten years after qualifying. He served the British Psychological Society as President (2016-2017) and twice as elected Chair of the Society's Division of Clinical Psychology;[3] from 2004 to 2005, and again from 2010-2011. In that role, he worked with the UK Department of Health, the BBC, the Health Professions Council,[4] the European Union Fundamental Rights Agency[5] and the UK Office for National Statistics,[6] amongst others. In 2017, he resigned from being Vice-President of the British Psychological Society, citing the formation of the Association of Clinical Psychologists (UK) as a trigger,[7] Kinderman is a member of the Council for Evidence Based Psychiatry,[8] and a trustee of the Joanna Simpson Foundation,.[9] ^ "Mental Health and Well-being". FutureLearn. Retrieved 2014-09-03. ^ "Peter Kinderman - Institute of Psychology Health and Society - University of Liverpool". Liv.ac.uk. 2011-10-31. Retrieved 2013-12-09. ^ "Division of Clinical Psychology (DCP)". Dcp.bps.org.uk. 2013-07-15. Retrieved 2013-12-09. ^ "HCPC - Homepage (Health and Care Professions Council)". Hpc-uk.org. Retrieved 2013-12-09. ^ "European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights | Helping to make fundamental rights a reality for everyone in the European Union". Fra.europa.eu. Retrieved 2013-12-09. ^ "Office for National Statistics". ONS. Archived from the original on 2013-12-10. Retrieved 2013-12-09. ^ "Peter Kinderman's Blog". Blogspot.co.uk. Aug 2017. Retrieved 2018-03-15. ^ "Council for Evidence Based Psychiatry". CEP-UK. Retrieved 2017-02-08. ^ "Joanna Simpson Foundation". JSF. Retrieved 2017-02-08. This biography of a British psychologist is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Peter_Kinderman&oldid=922054015" British psychologists British psychologist stubs Orphaned articles from December 2013 All orphaned articles

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William Sleator Havre de Grace, Maryland August 3, 2011(2011-08-03) (aged 66) Bua Chet, Thailand novelist, young-adult writer, children's writer William Warner Sleator III (February 13, 1945 – August 3, 2011),[1][2] known as William Sleator, was an American science fiction author who wrote primarily young adult novels but also wrote for younger readers. His books typically deal with adolescents coming across a peculiar phenomenon related to an element of theoretical science, then trying to deal with the situation. The theme of family relationships, especially between siblings, is frequently intertwined with the science fiction plotline. Due to the suspenseful and often eerie nature of some of his works, Sleator has been compared to young-adult horror writer R. L. Stine (who has identified himself as a fan of Sleator's work).[3] Others cite a strong resemblance to the paranoid, dream-like style of Franz Kafka, which is most notable in House of Stairs, one of Sleator's more popular novels. 1.1 Early life, family and education 1.2 Career 1.3 Personal life Early life, family and education[edit] Sleator, the oldest of four siblings, was born in Havre de Grace, Maryland to William Warner Sleator, Jr., a professor of physiology and biophysics, and Esther Kaplan Sleator, a pediatrician who did pioneering research on attention deficit disorder (ADD).[1] The Sleator family moved to University City, Missouri, a suburb St. Louis, Missouri, when Billy (as the family called him) was three. His younger siblings are Vicky Wald, Tycho (Associate Professor of Physics at NYU), and Daniel (Professor of Computer Science at CMU). He attended University City High School, where he was known as a composer who wrote scores for school plays[4] and the orchestra. He graduated in 1963. He graduated from Harvard University[4] with a degree in English[1] in 1967. After college, Sleator moved to England, earning money by playing music in ballet schools.[1][3] Eventually, Sleator returned to the United States to write his first novel, Blackbriar, eventually published in 1972, which was based on real life experiences.[4] His first published book was a children's story called The Angry Moon, released in 1970. It won a Caldecott Honor citation.[3] Sleator's writing style has been described as clean and simple. His characters are reluctant teenage heroes, and Sleator's younger siblings and friends have often found themselves being written into his prose,[1] as in the semi-autobiographical story collection Oddballs.[5] Unlike the 'Golden Age' science fiction future-oriented model (one of Buck Rogers tomorrowlands), Sleator's work often includes a morbid or negative fixation on the past or includes visions of dystopian[3] or alternate worlds (future or otherwise) in which something has gone wrong. For example, Sleator's The Green Futures of Tycho takes place in the past in addition to the future; the world outside his House of Stairs is hinted to be dystopic; Interstellar Pig draws upon the supposed insanity of a long-dead prisoner. Elements of Thai culture also occasionally turn up in his stories. His 2009 short story "Lep" appears in the anthology How Beautiful the Ordinary: Twelve Stories of Identity and is from a young gay Thai man's perspective. Sleator struggled with alcoholism.[1] He split his time between homes in Boston, Massachusetts, and a small village in rural Thailand.[5] His companion Siang Chitsa-Ard had died in 2008, and his preceding partner Paul Peter Rhode had died in 1999.[1] He died on August 3, 2011,[2] in Bua Chet, Thailand.[3] The Angry Moon (1970) Blackbriar (1972) Run (1973) House of Stairs (1974) Among the Dolls (1975) Into the Dream (1979) Once, Said Darlene (1979) The Green Futures of Tycho (1981) That's Silly (1981) Interstellar Pig (1984) Singularity (1985) The Boy Who Reversed Himself (1986) The Duplicate (1988) Strange Attractors (1989) The Spirit House (1991) Others See Us (1993) Oddballs (1993) (story collection) The Elevator (1993) (story collection) Dangerous Wishes (1995) The Night the Heads Came (1996) The Beasties (1997) The Boxes (1998) Rewind (1999) Boltzmon! (1999) Unbalanced (2000) Marco's Millions (2001) Parasite Pig (2002) The Boy Who Couldn't Die (2004) The Last Universe (2005) Hell Phone (2006) Test (2008) The Phantom Limb (2011) ^ a b c d e f g Fox, Margalit (August 6, 2011). "William Sleator, Fantasy Writer for Young Adults, Dies at 66". The New York Times. Retrieved 2011-08-07. ^ a b Publishers Weekly [@PublishersWkly] (August 3, 2011). "Sad news: William Sleator, author of 'Interstellar Pig' and many other books for teens, died yesterday in Thailand, at age 66" (Tweet) – via Twitter. ^ a b c d e Barack, Lauren (August 4, 2011). "Science-Fiction Master William Sleator: 1945-2011". SchoolLibraryJournal.com. Archived from the original on September 2, 2012. Retrieved March 14, 2016. ^ a b c Sleator, William (2000). "Bio". Penguin Books USA. Retrieved March 13, 2016. ^ a b "Meet The Authors and Illustrators: William Sleator". rif.org. Reading is Fundamental. Archived from the original on June 10, 2009. William Warner Sleator III, maintained by his brother Daniel The complete text of Oddballs on Daniel Sleator's site William Sleator at the Internet Speculative Fiction Database William Sleator at Library of Congress Authorities, with 24 catalog records Works by William Sleator NLK: KAC201101370 SNAC: w6pz5f90 Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=William_Sleator&oldid=916529494" People from Havre de Grace, Maryland American science fiction writers American children's writers 20th-century American novelists 21st-century American novelists American male novelists Novelists from Missouri Novelists from Maryland Harvard University alumni Writers from Boston People from St. Louis County, Missouri 20th-century American male writers 21st-century American male writers Novelists from Massachusetts Wikipedia articles with NLK identifiers

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J. K Rowling | Article about J. K Rowling by The Free Dictionary https://encyclopedia2.thefreedictionary.com/J.+K+Rowling (redirected from J. K Rowling) (Joanne Kathleen Rowling) (rōl`ibreve;ing), 1965–, English author known for her popular children's books. While unemployed she completed Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (1996), the first in a series that vividly chronicles the coming-of-age adventures and perils of a young wizard and his friends at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Published in the United States as Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (1998, film 2001), it attracted a huge international readership. It was soon followed by Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (1998, film 2002), Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (1999, film 2004), Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (2000, film 2005), Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (2003, film 2007), Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (2005, film 2009), and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (2007, filmed in two parts 2010 and 2011), making Rowling one of the world's most successful and wealthiest authors. Her books, which appeal to both young and adult audiences, have been widely credited with reviving the practice of reading in many children. She also wrote the screenplay for Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (2016), a movie set earlier in the same world of magic, and for its sequel, Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald (2018). In 2012 Rowling published her first novel for an adult audience, The Casual Vacancy, a black comedy that reveals the conflicts beneath the surface of life in a contemporary English village. It was followed by four mysteries, The Cuckoo's Calling (2013), The Silkworm (2014), Career of Evil (2015), and Lethal White (2018), featuring the detective Cormoran Strike and his sidekick Robin Ellacott and published under the pseudonym Robert Galbraith. See biographies by S. Smith (2001), W. Compson (2003), C. A. Kirk (2003), C. C. Lovett (2003), and C. A. Sexton (2005); studies by J. Granger (2002), G. L. Anatol, ed. (2003), E. Heilman, ed. (2003), J. Houghton (2003), G. Wiener, ed. (2003), D. Baggett and S. E. Klein, ed. (2004), G. W. Beahm (2004), and M. Lackey, ed. (2006). <a href="https://encyclopedia2.thefreedictionary.com/J.+K+Rowling">J. K. Rowling</a> Izvolsky, Aleksandr Petrovich Izzat Klychev Izzat Nazarovich Klychev Izzat Sultan J antenna J bolt J box J display J factor J function J indicator J Michael Bishop J particle J scan J scope J Willard Gibbs J# J. Clark Salyer National Wildlife Refuge J. Edward Roush Lake J. K Rowling J. N. "Ding" Darling National Wildlife Refuge J. P. Morgan J. Presper Eckert J.D. Edwards J/Direct J/psi particle JA Skinner State Park Jaabaek, Søren Pedersen Jaafar Muhammad al- Nimery Jaafari, Ibrahim al- jaagsiekte Jaakobah J. Homer Bedlow J. Howard McGrath J. Howard Payne J. Huizinga J. Iron Steel Institute J. Isfred I. Hofbauer J. Iverson Riddle Developmental Center J. J. Audubon J. J. Berzelius J. J. Bodmer J. J. Hill J. J. Neilson Arboretum J. J. Rousseau J. J. Stocker Co. J. J. Sylvester J. J. Thomson J. J. Winckelmann J. Joly J. Jonah Jameson J. K. Galbraith J. K. Handloom Development Corporation J. K. Lavater J. K. Management Consultants Private Limited J. K. Paasikivi J. K. Rowlings J. Keats J. Koettstorfer J. L. Borges J. L. Heiberg J. L. Perez J. L. Runeberg J. Langston Hughes J. Larmor J. League Division 1 J. LO. J. Locke

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Al-Assad offers China six projects for Silk Road The President of the Syrian regime, Bashar al-Assad, in an interview with China’s Phoenix Television - 16 December 2019 (SANA) الأسد يقدم للصين ستة مشاريع من أجل طريق الحرير The President of the Syrian regime, Bashar al-Assad, announced that his government proposed six projects related to China’s Silk Road initiative. “We proposed six projects for the Chinese government that are commensurate with the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). We expect the Chinese government to choose one or more of the six projects that are consistent with the BRI,” al-Assad said in an interview with China’s Phoenix Television made today, 16 December. Al-Assad added that while the Silk Road is not passing through Syria for now, but that the dialogue was initiated with the Chinese government on how Syria can part of it. Al-Assad also talked about developing the infrastructure for the passage of the Silk Road in Syria in the future. As to the security situation in Syria, the al-Assad claimed that Syria is secure enough. Thus, the New Silk Road can go through Syria and hence the new dialogue with the Chinese government. The Silk Road is a vast trade network of interconnected sea and land trade routes, which were crossed by ships and caravans between China and Europe to trade silk, spices and perfumes. The length of the route is approximately 12,000 km. The land Silk Road stretches from China through Kazakhstan, Iran, Turkey, Russia and up to Germany, Italy and the Netherlands. On the other hand, the maritime Silk Road extends from China to Vietnam, Malaysia and India. There, it passes through Sri Lanka and Kenya, reaching Greece and Italy. The initiative would give China military, political and economic hegemony worldwide. Syrian official media outlets have been promoting the new Silk Road for years. They have also linked it to the importance of Syria in the ancient route, which used to pass through the Syrian city of Palmyra. The Syrian regime government also participated in the international conference on Belt and Road Initiative in the Chinese capital, Beijing, on 25 April, in which Buthaina Shaaban, advisor to Al-Assad, confirmed that this project comes to confront Western hegemony. Renewed shelling in rural Aleppo, amid ongoing wave of displacement

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Caring for People Far Away Does Not Make Up for Neglecting Those Close to Us Long ago, Charles Dickens wrote about telescopic charity, the idea of caring for others far away to the detriment of those nearby. This continues to be a problem in today's globalized world. David Breitenbeck - December 19, 2018 There is a memorable character in Charles Dickens’s Bleak House named Mrs. Jellyby. She is a very energetic, very charitable, and very dedicated woman who devotes every moment of her time to working on behalf of a community in Africa. Her house is in shambles, her children are neglected, her adult daughter has no opportunity either to have a social life or to develop any useful skills, and they’re on the verge of financial ruin, but at least Mrs. Jellyby is ensuring the poor children in Africa are taken care of—though she has never been there and the entire community may or may not even exist. Mrs. Jellyby is, in Dickens’s words, a “telescope philanthropist.” She spends all her time and energy in service to people on the other side of the world whom she has never met and never will meet and considers this to excuse her from basic responsibilities such as taking care of her own family. Meanwhile, those whom she actually does come into contact with have all the benefits of her self-righteousness, bad temper, and neglect. She is being ‘charitable’ and that, to her mind, excuses her from all other concerns. 21st Century Charity In our day, of course, telescopic charity has never been easier. We have television and the internet to bring us tales of want and injustices from all corners of the world to stir our heartstrings. Of course, sometimes this brings real help and attention to people who genuinely need it and who would never have received it otherwise. But there is another side to it, and it’s one that I think is too little addressed. The fact is that modern media creates an illusion of immediacy where none in fact exists. It has a tendency to fixate our attention, whether in sympathy or anger, on people thousands of miles away whom we have never met and whom we in fact have no contact with whatsoever. But, because we so often hear about them and hear them debated endlessly on the news, we can come to feel like we are involved, and that we must show ‘charity’ to one side or another. But such ‘charity’ typically doesn’t result in any concrete action for good or evil. As C.S. Lewis pointed out in one of The Screwtape Letters, love and hatred for distant public figures or the people we see on the news is largely imaginary; we do not know these people, they are “lay figures out of newspapers.” As private citizens, our scope for doing either good or ill to them is effectively non-existent. Outside those immediately present, not one person out of a thousand is actually going to have any effect on, say, missionary work in Africa or the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Nor does voting or campaigning change this; it may or may not be a good thing to do, but again any one person’s scope of action and consequent responsibility in these matters is so narrow as to not exist. How Charity Abroad Devolves Into Opinions on Policy That isn’t to say these aren’t important matters, or that those who have the opportunity shouldn’t do something about them. It is to say that, when it comes to issues affecting thousands or millions of people, the vast majority of us are not going to have the opportunity to do more than throw a donation to one side or the other. Thus, for most of us, our concern for them amounts to ‘telescope charity:’ charity directed at people we don’t know, only encounter when we wish to, and have very little scope to help in any case. Yet, telescopic charity is extremely pleasant, and partly for that very reason. There is more grandeur to conceiving of ourselves as champions of the poor in Africa or oppressed minorities in general than in reminding ourselves yet again to be patient with our nagging mother or rude co-worker, and it rarely if ever gets checked by reality if we don’t want it to. In fact, it provides an easy route to one of the greatest satisfactions known to man: the satisfaction of thinking well of ourselves. Again, this is not to say anything against anyone who actually does volunteer his time and effort in a far-off country, say with the Missionaries of Charity. I’m not talking about that. I’m talking about when we are sitting at home and arguing about what is the best policy, say, for dealing with illegal immigration (to take a topical example). My point is that we are too apt to think that our position on such an issue is itself an exercise in charity. It isn’t. Our opinion of what someone else should do regarding a third party a thousand miles away is not charity. Nor are our efforts to promote what we consider to be proper policy changes to that effect. It may or may not be correct, but it isn’t charity, or at most is a very minor form indeed. Making the Most Difference by Helping Those Nearby Charity is how we treat the people we actually meet and actually come into contact with. To continue with the same example, what we think ought to be done about the migrant mother we saw on the six o’clock news is ultimately far less important than how we treat the person in the ‘Make America Great Again’ hat who is sitting there disagreeing with us. The MAGA person may seem much less in need than the person on the news, but he’s the one God has actually put before us. He is the one whose life we have power to make easier or more difficult by how we respond, the one we have an opportunity to practice forbearance and patience and kindness towards. The person on the news is not. That we probably think one much more deserving than the other is irrelevant, since at present the good we can do is to be patient, polite, and charitable towards someone we disagree with. That, as a matter of simple fact, is our appointed cross and the duty assigned to us by Our Lord. Christ commanded us to love our neighbor, which means first and foremost the people we meet and live and work with every day. In the end, that will matter much more before God than what we think about questions being decided a thousand miles away by someone else. Culture charity MAGA David Breitenbeck David Breitenbeck is a professional writer, Catholic traditionalist, and fiction enthusiast. He is the author of several books, including The Ten Commandments of Murder and The Wisdom of Walt Disney. A Bad Defense of a Good Thing: A Response to "The Liberal Arts May Not Survive the 21st Century" liberal arts higher education the atlantic STEM Adam Harris University of Wisconsin at Stevens Point university Culture Christmas rape culture Culture Religion

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Mumford Farm House By Hakeem Barre, Alexander Brosh & Jinhyeok Lim Mumford Hall was designed by J.S. Searfross. Located in Urbana, the residential building was completed in 1870. Mumford House was built in 1871, making it the oldest surviving building on the campus of the University of Illinois, and served as a model farmhouse for the University's experimental farm. The first resident of this building was Professor Thomas J. Burrill. However, Professor Burrill only lived there for few years before the building was taken by Professor George E. Morrow, who helped to found the university's agricultural experiment station and became Dean of the College of Agriculture. After Professor Morrow, Dean Eugene Davenport occupied the house. Finally, after Dean Davenport retired, Dean Herbert W. Mumford, for whom the house is named, lived in the farmhouse for many years. After housing agriculture deans, the house was a home for the art professors who visited the University each year. The house is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, but fell into disrepair for many years due to a lack of upkeep by the University until 2010, when it underwent emergency restoration. BUILDING DESIGN INTENTIONS The original intention of the building was to represent a typical regional farmhouse through its appearance and serve as a learning tool for the School of Agriculture. However, as many Deans of Agriculture lived in this building through the years, it became famous as a Dean's House. In fact, Dean Herbert Mumford, the building's namesake, lived in the house for more than 30 years. In its later years, the house served as a place for faculty offices. Despite the building being a residential type, no one has lived in the house in over twenty years. Mumford House is one of the oldest buildings on campus, though it has been damaged as time went as a result of poor care by the University. It is locked almost all year, the only time it is not locked being when architecture students carry out an in-depth building study of the structure. The interior of the house is completely empty and has significantly deteriorated over time due to poor heating management. However, plans are on the table to potentially renovate Mumford House and use it to assimilate eco-friendly and sustainable earth education into the University. This specific project was designed by an architect named J.S. Searfross. The location or name of a firm is unknown. Seeing as the house was done in the late 1800s, it is reasonable to assume that J.S. Searfross was a sole practitioner. Searfross worked under the supervision of the University of Illinois's First President, John Milton Gregory. FIRM PHILOSOPHY / HISTORY J.S. Searfross built this farmhouse as a replica of an Experimental Farm House. Its architectural significance lies in the fact that it is an example of the nineteenth century practice of designing architecture from pattern books. It is built as a simplified Victorian Gothic design and that is seen as a reflection of Andrew Jackson Downing an architectural theorist and planner of the 1870s. One of the ideas that Downing preached and that Searfross put into action is that the many farmhouses of the time were lacking "sentiment" by being plain and rectangular. It is said, "the farmhouse is designed to afford a fair model for a farmer's house. It is tasteful in appearance, economical in cost, and compact and convenient in arrangement. We offer it as another contribution to rural architecture." Aside from the Mumford House, no records of J.S. Searfross or his work were found. Mumford House: Image courtesy Arch101: Fall 2013 students Plaque on Mumford House: Image courtesy Arch101: Fall 2013 students Mumford House, ca. 1965: Two young women walk in front of Mumford House on the University of Illinois campus. Image courtesy University of Illinois Archives. Please contact the Archives if you can help identify the copyright holder of this image. Mumford House, ca. 1900: Residence of the dean of the College of Agriculture, previously the farm house on the experimental farm and now known as Mumford House, showing the detail of the front of the house and the trees on the grounds of the house. Image courtesy University of Illinois Archives. Mumford House, 1889: View of the front of the Experiment Station Farm House (later named Mumford House) with a caption below that reads, "Residence of Professor of Agriculture." Image courtesy University of Illinois Archives Mumford House, 1939: Image courtesy University of Illinois Archives Front room with arched windows, ca. 1992: Image courtesy University of Illinois Archives. Please contact the Archives if you can help identify the copyright holder. Bay window and wood floor, ca. 1992: Image courtesy University of Illinois Archives. Please contact the Archives if you can help identify the copyright holder. 1301 West Gregory Drive, Urbana, IL 61801 Hakeem Barre, Alexander Brosh, and Jinhyeok Lim, “Mumford Farm House,” ExploreCU, accessed January 20, 2020, https://explorecu.org/items/show/272. historic residences Victorian Gothic Mumford House Red Folder Letter: "Illinois Historic Preservation Agency" November 15, 1989. University Archives File, 1963-, Record Series 35/36, [Mumford House], University of Illinois Archives "Campus of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 20 Nov. 2013. Web. 20 Nov. 2013 <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Campus_of_the_University_of_Illinois_at_Urbana-Champaign>. Drury, John. "Old Illinois Houses Mumford House, Urbana." Old Illinois Houses. Chicago, London: University of Chicago, 1977. 119-20. Old Illinois Houses Mumford House, Urbana. 10 Dec. 2007. Web. 16 Nov. 2013. <http://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Gazetteer/Places/America/United_States/Illinois/_Texts/DRUOIH/Central_Illinois/37*.html>. "Mumford House." CU WIKI. N.p., 28 Oct. 2013. Web. 21 Nov. 2013. <http://cuwiki.net/Mumford_House>. "Mumford House - University of Illinois Archives." University of Illinois Archives. N.p., 2011. Web. 19 Nov. 2013. <http://cooper.library.uiuc.edu/archives/archon/?p=digitallibrary/digitalcontent>.

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Landmark Athens Dodge Chrysler Jeep RAM - (706) 549-7555 Login / Re-access Get Pre-approved in Seconds! It's Quick, Easy, Hassle Free and Very Secure! Get Pre-Approved in Seconds! Pre-Approval Status Thank You Please complete the highlighted fields. SSN / ITIN MM Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec DD 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 YY 2002 2001 2000 1999 1998 1997 1996 1995 1994 1993 1992 1991 1990 1989 1988 1987 1986 1985 1984 1983 1982 1981 1980 1979 1978 1977 1976 1975 1974 1973 1972 1971 1970 1969 1968 1967 1966 1965 1964 1963 1962 1961 1960 1959 1958 1957 1956 1955 1954 1953 1952 1951 1950 1949 1948 1947 1946 1945 1944 1943 1942 1941 1940 1939 1938 1937 1936 1935 1934 1933 1932 1931 1930 1929 1928 1927 1926 1925 1924 1923 1922 1921 1920 Apt/Unit State State Alabama Alaska Arizona Arkansas California Colorado Connecticut Delaware District of Columbia Florida Georgia Hawaii Idaho Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maine Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Mississippi Missouri Montana Nebraska Nevada New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico New York North Carolina North Dakota Ohio Oklahoma Oregon Pennsylvania Puerto Rico Rhode Island South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Texas Utah Vermont Virginia Virgin Island Washington West Virginia Wisconsin Wyoming Make Available Makes Model Available Models Trim Available Trims By clicking ‘Accept’, you submit and certify that all of the statements in this form are true and are made for the purpose of obtaining credit and you further acknowledge having read the company’s Privacy Policy Notice (also displayed below). You authorize us to (i) begin a credit investigation, including obtaining your consumer credit report; (ii) forward, or allow direct electronic access to your personal information to lenders, financial institutions, or other third parties and to convert and process your personal information as a credit application; (iii) contact you via phone, text, and email. We may obtain information about you as described in the Privacy Policy Notice, which we handle as stated on the Privacy Policy Notice. This does not apply to information obtained in a non-financial transaction. I have read the Privacy Policy, agree with the consent statement above, and authorize you to contact me via phone, text and/or email. Accept/Submit You want to save time and know the finance terms while shopping online! Our Get Pre-approved in Seconds program has the biggest, best and most understanding lenders in the country. We safeguard your confidential information to the highest security standards. Complete the secured form and receive an instant credit decision. View Text Version Electronic Disclosure Federal Notices Powered by eLEND Solutions® U.S. Patent No. 8392294 Powered by eLEND Solutions® (U.S. Patent No. 8392294) Please verify your identity in order to view the Risk Based Pricing Notice and Credit Score Disclosure. We have sent an email to [Email Address] containing a numeric code. Please check your email and enter the code below.

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News Release 31-Oct-2019 Researchers discover universal mechanisms controlling terrestrial and astrophysical explosions Knowing the criteria behind the Big Bang explosion will be key for models scientists use to understand the origin of the universe IMAGE: Jessica Chambers, a doctoral student in the University of Central Florida's Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, and Kareem Ahmed, an assistant professor in UCF's Department of Mechanical and Aerospace... view more Credit: Karen Norum, UCF Office of Research Type Ia supernovae are thermonuclear explosions of white dwarf stars that release more energy than the Sun emits in a billion of years. The exact mechanism of these explosions has long been a mystery - until now. In a new study published in Science , researchers detail the mechanisms that control the transition from a slow subsonic burning to supersonic detonations for terrestrial gas explosions and thermonuclear supernovae. Astronomers study Type Ia supernovae in part as a tool used to improve estimates of the expansion rate and age of the universe. An earlier version of this story posted Nov. 1 incorrectly linked the research findings to the Big Bang. The research can potentially aid the understanding of certain kinds of supernovae. The researchers from the University of Central Florida, University of Connecticut, Texas A&M University, the Naval Research Laboratory, and the Air Force Research Laboratory offer details about the mechanisms that likely are involved in both Type Ia supernovae and hypersonic jet propulsion. "We defined the critical criteria where we can drive a flame to self-generate its own turbulence, spontaneously accelerate, and transition into detonation," says Kareem Ahmed, an assistant professor in UCF's Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering and co-author of the study. "We're using the turbulence to enhance the burning to the point where it transitions into a violent detonation. The same process is likely to occur in the thermonuclear detonation of supernovae, which are exploding stars in simple terms," Ahmed says. "In our lab, we're taking a relatively slow flame to where it's propagating five times the speed of sound." The researcher uncovered the universal criteria for a transition to detonation while exploring methods for hypersonic jet propulsion. "We explored this mechanism as we investigate supersonic burning regimes for propulsion," Ahmed says. "The mechanism is general enough to be applied to astrophysical explosions." The key is applying the right amount of turbulence to an unconfined flame until it starts to generate shocks and self-accelerate to produce a Mach 5 detonation wave, he says. Applications for the discovery could include faster air and space travel and improved power generation. The discovery was made by using a unique turbulent shock tube that allowed explosions to be created and analyzed in a contained environment. Ultra-high-speed lasers and cameras were used to measure the explosions and help indicate what factors were needed to reach the point where a flame transition to a detonation. The unique turbulent shock tube facility was developed at UCF's Propulsion and Energy Research Laboratory, for testing hypersonic combustion regimes. Co-authors of the study were Alexei Y. Poludnenko, an associate professor in the University of Connecticut's Department of Mechanical Engineering and the study's lead author; Jessica Chambers, a doctoral student in UCF's Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering; Vadim N. Gamezo, with the Naval Research Laboratory; and Brian D. Taylor, with the Air Force Research Laboratory. The research was supported with funding from the Air Force Office of Scientific Research. Computing resources were provided by the U.S. Department of Defense High Performance Computing Modernization Program under the Frontier project award, and by the Naval Research Laboratory. Ahmed earned his doctoral degree in mechanical engineering from University at Buffalo - The State University of New York. He worked at Pratt & Whitney Military Engines and Old Dominion University prior to joining UCF's Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, part of the College of Engineering and Computer Science, in 2015. He is a faculty member of The Center for Advanced Turbomachinery and Energy Research, associate fellow of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, AFRL Faculty Research Fellow, and a member of UCF's Energy Conversion and Propulsion Cluster. robert.wells@ucf.edu @UCF http://www.ucf.edu Air Force Office of Scientific Research, US Department of Defense High Performance Computing Modernization Program, Naval Research Laboratory SPACE/PLANETARY SCIENCE Researchers Have Uncovered the Mechanisms that Could Have Caused the Big Bang (IMAGE) More in Space & Planetary When David poses as Goliath University of Erlangen-Nuremberg NJIT scientists measure the evolving energy of a solar flare's explosive first minutes New Jersey Institute of Technology The core of massive dying galaxies already formed 1.5 billion years after the Big Bang University of Copenhagen Here and gone: Outbound comets are likely of alien origin National Institutes of Natural Sciences View all in Space & Planetary

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Everyday Abolition/Abolition Every Day amplifying our everyday resistance to the prison industrial complex Interview with Kruti Parekh LMA: Thank you so much for agreeing to participate in Everyday Abolition! I am so excited to get to include your voice and stories of the YJC. So, tell me, how are you? KP: I’m really good – just trying to stay grounded — in myself, in my role, and the organization. I feel like I am slowing down and thinking through what are we doing and why are we doing what we’re doing? And I feel like everyone is at the same place and ready to reflect. There is this rhythm, everyone wants to get strong and better. It’s beautiful. Of course it’s long and hard. I love that you’re talking about love because that’s a huge part of it, it’s the same stuff that causes the most heartache and the most euphoria, for us as individuals as well as a collective. It’s very interesting because last year I was like LOVE – if it happens – it does, if it doesn’t – it doesn’t. I walked away last year feeling like I really wanted something real and then this year, my son’s father and I are re-connecting. You know, I did not know that was going to happen. Having love in my life has helped me be my whole self. That is what love can do. LMA: How’s your son? KP: He’s so big now, he’s 4. He’s good. He’s a fun little person. And he’s a grouchy little person. And a really, like, curious little person. He’s going through the phase where he is understanding sounds and putting sounds together to read and he is just so much fun. It is great to watch. His dad is so different than me, my son is getting a lot of exposure. It will be interesting to see how he develops and how he thinks as he gets older. LMA: How is everybody? KP: Everybody is a transitioning body. We have been kind of needing a couple of bridges that can straddle the organizing YJC stuff and the school and right now we have that which is really exciting. It looks a lot like leadership development, a lot of people (including young people) helping young people – meeting them wherever they’re at and getting connected to the organizing. Really understanding what’s up and getting more active and out there. There are some new staff who have been connected to the YJC for some time who are with us full time and are helping a lot! One came in and volunteered for a couple of years and was really interested in doing something full time, she started out as a teacher and realized her role and niche was organizing and helping with fundraising. She is helping to take care of the school in a real way – both healing young people and helping to build up consciousness. We’re still struggling finding the appropriate credentialed teachers for the school. We’re going to take the summer off to plan that out better so we can be stronger next year. There has been a lot of turnover in terms of school staff because we’re organizers and we’re going to push the school staff to do some things they have never been asked to do. I really have to say that the teachers who have come on board have a lot of guts because never ever in the history of school system do you have an organizer right next door to a principal saying, “you have to find a solution”. You are going to have to find another creative way to handle it instead of kicking a student out of class or out of school. I am sure we have driven them out because unless you are about daily abolition, you are not going to work that hard to find solutions. But we have learned that we are going to have to raise our own teachers. We’ve known that and now we’re old enough where we’re seeing things come around. I’m thinking about 2 organizers who were volunteers and now they have their teaching credentials. They’ve been out there teaching for a minute and now they’re maybe ready to come in and help with the school. Exciting possibilities! And everything is in cycle, you know? People are coming through. YJC makes its 10th year this year. So, we’re thinking about reunions and getting people into it and the concept of grassroots fundraising. It’s our 10th year, donate 10 dollars a month and become a sustainer of the YJC. That’s how we’re doing it. And I just connected with an old friend and he remembered that the YJC came thru for this domestic violence conference and we came through serious. And I was like we’re still like that. We’re still going to role thru and speak truth, every opportunity we can get. If people want to support, they can go to our website. 100% of our staff and Board members are monthly sustainers of the YJC. LMA: That’s amazing! Congratulations. I’d love to contribute, I’ll figure it out on your website. So much resilience in 10 years. Speaking of fierce resilience, how is Henry? KP: Henry is doing much better physically. He is walking around, driving around. He got a new car and I can’t believe this life altering thing happened like four months ago. He’s organizing, going to school, so he’s doing great. But you know the reality of his life is he got shot because of a mistaken identity and the bullet was meant for someone else and it caught him. So he is always going to live in fear. It’s a miracle story, he’s gone through a lot of heartache and he’s a survivor. He’s doing it. The best thing that he can do is bring that truth into spaces that don’t see it and don’t feel it. I remember the day after, I was in the hospital with Henry’s mom and Jasmine and Kim. And the next day there was this meeting on like a bullets taskforce and there was a judge and other community groups meeting together specifically around schools and push out and attendance policies and truancy. And so many people around the table knew Henry, know Henry, and were concerned about Henry and I was like, “Henry is another young person that gets kicked out of a public school. And that is why we have to really put all supports around every young person because he is a beautiful young person that people love and respect. And he got shot. And a bullet landed in the walls of his heart.” It just makes it so real. This is how urgent it is. Let’s not waste any time. Let’s just change shit. LMA: Yes, Kruti, YES! That’s so phenomenal. Okay, let’s go there then, tell me, what does everyday abolition mean to you? KP: Everyday abolition – the first 2 things that came to mind are that you don’t give up on human potential. The 2nd thing is no cages. I work in a space that as soon as you walk in, you are committing yourself to transform. You know that the ideas and the people within the space are going to push you to think differently. Current day USA, the norm is not invested in finding solutions, the norm is invested in removing “problems” and putting them into a cage. Everyday abolition looks like you work with what you have, you figure it out, you communicate, and you find solutions. And you don’t give up. Giving up would mean putting somebody into a cage. Or pushing people out of school. Or pushing people out of your family, community, center. Ultimately for me, when you push people out or push people in a cage – it means not learning and not growing and not believing that people can learn or grow. LMA: Can you share some ways that you’re abolitionist politics inform your interactions with people? How do you not give up on people? KP: I’m going to give you an example of a student, we’ll call this student, student K. K enrolled into our school, he cannot sit in the classroom for too long without moving around. He has known the organization for maybe 4-5 years because his older sister went to FREE LA school when he was in another school and was suspended from his school and then was at our school because his sister was there. And now what I keep seeing again and again is that he is unable to sit in a classroom. When it comes to packet work, independent study work, he is de-motivated by paper that doesn’t mean anything. That is one part of his being. The other part is that he applied to be a LOBO (Leading Our Brothers and Sisters Out of the System). As a job, he wanted to be a youth organizer. We’ve known him for a long time and we couldn’t seen him being a serious employee. That’s not what people think about K, that he’s going to be serious. But he walks into the interview and we ask him the question why he wants to be a LOBO and he said, “Because I want to change the world and I believe the people here can change the world.” He got the job, because that was a great answer. And 6 months in, he’s at a LOBOS meeting and he’s struggling. Struggling sitting at a meeting, because we’re not moving coordinated enough, fast enough. And I was able to understand him to the point of letting him know that he’s brilliant and where he wants the world to go, I can’t wait for us to get there either. But if he wants to work with other people he is going to have to be patient with them, and organize them, and work with them to be able to move one step after the next step after the next step. And when he gets frustrated with leadership it’s because he believes we are the ones that can create the world that he wants to live in, or that he wants to help create and he just wants us to move faster. And it’s that understanding and getting to know exactly where K is at in order for him to really see the agent of change that we know he can be versus reacting to the fact that he can’t sit in the class room or reacting because he’s not a professional or that he’s not whatever society has deemed to be proper or great or able to work. And we just continue to work with him and understand that he is KEY to moving the work forward. LMA: What structures does YJC have that holds you all accountable to this? How do you support each other, have in place, esp staff and teachers, also young people, how do you make it go, especially when hard like with student k’s? KP: It’s hard. It’s about 3 things, really. It’s about a real commitment to transformative justice. Which means that people have the ability to grow and change no matter how old they are. It takes time, a lot of time invested in helping people to understand when they’ve caused harmed. The second is take on the responsibility and be really invested in the behavior modification that it’s going to look like to be sure that that harm isn’t going to be recreated. And the 3rd piece is healing. As individuals we suffer so many different traumas. When people need healing, if they are unable to heal in that space right now, then they may need to be out of the space. If their healing includes the space, and they are harming other people, it may mean that they need support if there isn’t enough in-house support to like figure out what healing looks like so people can be engaged in their own personal work in addition to being in the space. So for example we have pretty serious space guidelines and everybody who walks into the space, it’s a sign that is posted in the front. So every person that is in the space is free from oppression, free from substances, free from weapons. And folks often come to the space high. When we started our school, the philosophy was zero tolerance does not work and we are not doing zero tolerance. So around substance use for example we include and infuse the reality of drugs and have support to ask people how can you live a life that is not dependent on substances and also how are substances actually harming your relationships. So if you need to smoke during the day, you know you can’t come to school high, you can’t do it during school hours, but if after school you want to get high and it’s not interfering with your relationships, then you can do it. But if it’s impacting your relationships with your family members and your girlfriend or somebody else then you have to look at that. You have to choose the relationships over the substance. And that I feel like is one example that helps people start drawing those connections and if you continue to provide a supportive environment where people are healing then the natural response is that they will actually use substances less and less because they are not looking for the same thing they were looking for when they were still hurting. And if we handled everyone that had a chemical imbalance or were under the influence of a substance in that kind of way, imagine the population decrease with in lockup in, imagine the population decrease in terms of homelessness. LMA: Do you have staffing structures or staff practices or things that you do to sustain yourselves in this work? Keep selves accountable to be the allies that you want to be to these young people? KP: I feel like it really is a work in progress. There are things that is on the books and then there are things that is not quite on the books, right. For example, I have always known how hard Kim works and even before working at the YJC my role in her life was to take her out. So, we’d go to the movies or do something fun. Building in that community building time is so important. I’m recognizing that we need to do more of that because people don’t have it and a lot of the time when people do have it, it comes with breaking one of the space guidelines, like getting high or drinking alcohol. We need to create more ways to take care of each other, check-in with each other and debrief on difficult times. I think that’s a huge part of Chuco’s and community building itself. And so much of that is like, everyday abolition itself. Like, caring, literally caring for each other. Not being too busy to like care for each other. And the other piece is really healthy debrief. We try to debrief after every action, after every event. We’re trying to get better at evaluation, group evaluations on a regular basis, like at least twice a year so people are getting feedback. And then we have transformative justice circles all the time. So, if there is a power dynamic between two of the youth organizers, and they are really struggling, we pull them together and talk it out in relation to the systems that are in place that are operating underneath all of the difficult stuff. LMA: Can you tell me more about the Transformative Justice circles? KP: So, I’ll give you an example. Imagine a group of young people and LOBOS can be between the ages of 14-24. Imagine one of the LOBOS starting out about a year ago and really showing leadership and she’s 17 years old. And she increases her leadership so she is now a team leader. At the same time, you have other organizers who are more experienced and/or older having issues with the fact that this young woman is now their team leader. She’s getting paid a little more and she’s responsible for more things. This is happening while other team members are complaining that the 17 year old is abusing her power. There were multiple instances where other youth organizers complained that the 17 year old did not communicate with them properly. They were saying she was bossy and she was abusing her power. Through observation and some research, we realized a lot of the accusations were true and we had to hold this 17 year old organizer accountable. The way this situation was handled, was three allies brought the organizer to the table – each covered three different components. One was more of the person that was going to be her support so that the work that she had to do, she was going to make sure she followed through with it. One was the allies facilitated the process. And the 3rd was sort of coming from the organizational accountability place, like if this you may lose your job. We had one initial circle and a couple of weeks later a second circle. Fast forward 6 months, people have noticed extraordinary change in this young person. So she’s handling her end of it. Now the adultism that was happening in conjunction to the situation was rearing its head more clearly. We brought the whole team together to have a TJ circle to address the different issues that were coming up and allowed us to name it and address it with the team. And a lot of the time, I feel like it’s just addressing issues when they occur. It’s not like we have to do this all the time, everyday, or anything like that. It’s just like when it’s happening you figure out who needs to be there, who can facilitate the process, what is the most natural, like, consequence that can uplift, support and possible. And if people don’t follow-up and follow thru on their commitments, what are the next steps. The hardest thing really has been the following up and the following through on making sure that people’s commitment are honored. And again so much of it is around substance abuse also. You know, people are struggling, that’s why they’re getting high. But it’s like if a youth organizer comes in high, what do we do? Right now we’re starting with a verbal warning, a second verbal warning, and another warning and another warning and it’s like, it’s not a warning anymore. We’re pretty much allowing this to happen, basically. So, more recently – and if I’m the person that’s supposed to hold them accountable but I understand what’s happening in their life and that compassion is interfering with the accountability…I had used one of the transformative justice circles and said, “I’m an adult ally, this is what’s happening, what should I do?” And pretty much everyone around the table said follow the member’s rights and responsibilities, follow that protocol. I warn them that if I follow that protocol, people will get fired. And the way that I handled that one is that the two people that were really struggling with addiction, a team sat with both of them, individually and said here is a really good resource, you have a week to enroll into this program if you want to keep this job. We have to fine tune consequences so they are appropriate for the situation and person. For one person he couldn’t do it, didn’t want to do it and was being forced to do it. He wasn’t really following through and then we had to let him go. And for the other person, challenges and obstacles were coming up with that referral but they were putting in the effort, putting in the time, so they were able to stay. It’s key to set those limits and provide unconditional support. And no matter what, whether you’re working for the space or not, you’re still a part of the space and the movement that is happening here and if you need anything, we’re still here. What is important is very clear agreements and whatever agreements are made, to make sure those agreements are honored. LMA: That’s such a brilliant process. Thank you for the examples, such amazing work you are all doing at YJC. I could ask you a million more questions, but I know our time is coming to an end. Anything else, last beautiful Kruti wisdoms about everyday abolition you’d like to share? KP: I want to add one more thing. I feel like this comes up in our school and I think it comes up in organizations and in different spaces. Many of us have worked in spaces where we have seen injustice and sometimes are the sole voice that voices these injustices. And then we come into spaces where it’s about voicing those injustices all the time. But some are more critical and more analytical and are more conscious and less arrogant than others. And sometimes it comes to this battle of who is the better organizer or who is the most conscious one? And as soon as the battle starts we move into this really weird twisted competition and I feel like everyday abolition is without competition, trying to be the best selves that we can be and really supporting that so we can nurture that for each other. Thank you Kruti and all of the community at the Youth Justice Coalition! Kruti is one of the adult allies and organizers at YJC and graciously shared this interview with EA. The YJC is a unique collaboration of a radical “alternative” high school called FREE LA High School (Fight for the Revolution that will Empower and Educate L.A.) and a youth-led political organizing community called Chuco’s Justice Center. The Youth Justice Coalition (YJC) is working to build a youth, family and prisoner-led movement to challenge race, gender and class inequality in Los Angeles County’s and California’s juvenile injustice systems. Our goal is to dismantle policies and institutions that have ensured the massive lock-up of people of color; widespread police violence, corruption and distrust between police and communities; disregard of youth and communities’ Constitutional and human rights; the construction of a vicious school-to-jail track; and the build-up of the world’s largest network of juvenile halls, jails and prisons. The YJC uses direct action organizing, advocacy, political education, transformative justice and activist arts to mobilize system-involved youth, families and our allies – both in the community and within lock-ups – to bring about change. For more information, including ways that you can support YJC’s work – please visit their website at http://www.youth4justice.org This entry was posted on May 1, 2013 by everydayabolitionblog. https://wp.me/p32j7k-4q The Street Outreach Project – TORONTO RESISTS How drug users and street based folks are transforming harm into community On running a community-based murder investigation, resisting violence against Indigenous women, atomic bombs and burnout: An interview with Indigenous feminist Audrey Huntley We Don’t Cross Borders ; Borders Cross Us The Creative Spark of Injustice

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FBI, Secret Service must improve cybercrime training By Jason Miller GAO report on cybercrime The FBI, the Homeland Security Department and other federal agencies are underequipped and lack enough properly trained employees to combat cybercrime, according to a recent report by the Government Accountability Office. GAO found that staffing was one of four major challenges to addressing cybercrime. In a report for the House Homeland Security and Judiciary committees, auditors said law enforcement agencies can do more to improve their ability to combat cybercrime. Specifically, GAO recommended that the Secret Service and FBI modify their staff rotational policies to retain employees with key expertise in investigating and prosecuting cybercrimes. “Law enforcement organizations often have difficulty obtaining and retaining investigators, prosecutors and examiners with the specialized skills needed to address cybercrime,” GAO auditors wrote. “This is due in part to the staff rotation policies in place at certain law enforcement agencies.” The FBI and the Secret Service have begun to address the issue. In written comments to GAO, George Rogers, assistant director of the Secret Service’s Office of Inspection, said about 770 of the organization’s agents will have completed the Electronic Crimes Special Agency Program by Sept. 30. Shawn Henry, deputy assistant director of the FBI’s Cyber Division, said in written comments that the bureau is establishing new policies to ensure that more agents receive cybercrime training and field experience. Additionally, the FBI established a career path for agents who want to specialize in combating cybercrime. GAO also said the FBI, Secret Service and other law enforcement agencies have a hard time competing with the private sector for workers with these skills. Furthermore, the reports states that law enforcement agencies must “continuously upgrade technical equipment and software tools. Such equipment and tools are expensive, and agencies’ need for them does not always fall in the typical federal replacement cycle.” Law enforcement professionals also have trouble keeping up with new techniques and technologies, such as dealing with botnets and extracting forensic data from newer devices. Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.), chairman of the Homeland Security Committee, reacted to the GAO report by pointing out DHS’ cybersecurity woes. “In order to provide leadership to the private sector, the Department of Homeland Security must demonstrate control of its networks,” Thompson said in a statement. “Unfortunately, previous GAO engagement and our own investigations into the department have shown that information security has become an oxymoron. This is simply unacceptable.” GAO said implementing strong cybersecurity and raising awareness about appropriate practices are major challenges for the government. Auditors said agencies do not adequately protect their information systems because administrators often do not enable security features on hardware and software. Rep. Jim Langevin (D-R.I.), chairman of the Homeland Security Committee’s Emerging Threats, Cybersecurity, and Science and Technology Subcommittee, said the panel would identify incentives for the private sector to improve and invest in cybersecurity. Other major challenges include the lack of cybercrime reporting and the fact that such crimes occur in a borderless environment that involves multiple jurisdictions. GAO also pointed out that cyberthreats come from terrorist groups, organized crime and nations such as China. “There remains a lack of understanding about the precise magnitude of cybercrime and its impact because cybercrime is not always detected or reported,” auditors wrote.

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Jennifer Garner bio, Career, Early life, Personal life, Net worth, Facts Who is Jennifer Garner? Jennifer Anne Garner famed as Jennifer Garner is a worldwide popular American actress who rose into fame for her performance as CIA officer Sydney Bristow in the ABC spy-action thriller "Alias", which aired from 2001 to 2006. For this series, she won a Golden Globe Award and a SAG Award and received four Emmy Award nominations. Garner has appeared in many movies such as Catch Me If You Can, 13 Going on 30, Daredevil, Elektra, Juno, Love, Simon, and many more. In the Early Life of Jennifer Garner On 17th April 1972, Jennifer was born with a birth sign of Aries in Houston, Texas, the USA. She moved to Charleston, West Virginia, at the age of three. Her ethnicity is English, German, Swiss. She was born to William John Garner and Patricia Ann, her parents. Her father was a chemical engineer and her mother was a homemaker. She has an older sister named Melissa Wylie and a younger sister named Susannah Carpenter. Moving towards her education, she attended a local United Methodist Church every Sunday and went to Vacation Bible School. She completed her education from George Washington High School. In the year 1990, Garner enrolled at Denison University in Granville, Ohio and graduated from there. In the Career of Jennifer Garner Fig: Jennifer Garner in Alias Since she involved herself with the study of drama, Garner became more curious about acting and curiosity landed her roles in Atlanta productions of two Shakespeare plays, ‘The Merchant of Venice’ and ‘A Midsummer Night's Dream’ in 1994. In 1995, she became an understudy in the play ‘A Month in the Country’ for Roundabout Theatre Company. She soon landed a role in made-for-television movie ‘Zoya’ and briefly appeared in ‘Spin City’ and ‘Law &amp; Order’. Since Garner was now being noticed in the industry, she got her first big screen appearance in the movie, ‘Dude, Where’s My Car?’ in 2000 and the following year played a supporting character in ‘Pearl Harbor’. In 2001, J. J. Abrams approached Garner for the role of ‘Sydney Bristow’ in his new spy drama ‘Alias’. She was reluctant in the beginning as the role demanded her to be physically strong but she bagged the role. She did a cameo in Steven Spielberg’s movie ‘Catch Me if You Can’ along with Leonardo Di Caprio and Tom Hanks. In 2007, she made her Broadway debut with ‘Cyrano de Bergerac’, based on the play with the same title written by Edmond Rostand, opposite Kevin Kline at the Richard Rogers Theatre. She played the role of ‘Roxanne’. Garner acted in the romantic comedy, ‘Valentine’s Day’ in 2010 along with a huge star cast, like, Ashton Kutcher, Julia Roberts, Patrick Dempsey, Bradley Cooper, Jessica Alba, etc. She played the role of a woman caught in a loveless relationship. In 2011 and 2012, Garner appeared in movies like, ‘Arthur (2011)’ with Russell Brand, ‘The Odd Life of Timothy Green (2012)’ and ‘Butter (2012)’. The same year she joined the Academy of Motion Picture of Arts and Sciences. In 2013, she was seen alongside Matthew McConaughey in the biographical drama film 'Dallas Buyers Club'. In 2016, Jennifer Garner played the lead role opposite Kevin Spacey in the comedy film 'Nine Lives'. She was also seen in the Christian drama film 'Miracles from Heaven' in the same year. In 2017, she was seen in the movies 'Wakefield' and 'The Tribes of Palos Verdes'. How much is the net worth of Jennifer Garner? Fig: Jennifer Garner lifestyle The net worth of this famous actress is in millions. She is earning a considerable amount of money from her work. Her exact net worth is $40 Million as of 2019. Her main source of income is from her acting career. She is satisfied with her earning. The salary of Garner has not been revealed yet and will be updated soon. In the Personal Life of Jennifer Garner Fig: Jennifer Garner with her ex husband Ben Affleck Talking about Garner's personal life, Garner is a married woman and has been divorced twice in her lifetime. Currently, she has not been in a relationship and also she is not having any affairs. Previously, she was married to Scott Foley, American actor and filmmaker. The couple got married on 19th October 2000 and after 4 years of marriage, the couple got separated in March 2004. After that, she got married second time with Ben Affleck, American actor, and filmmaker on 29th June 2005. The couple was blessed with three children named Violet Affleck, Seraphina Rose Elizabeth Affleck, and Samuel Garner Affleck. After the 10 years of marriage, the couple divorced in June 2015. Facts of Jennifer Garner She is the world’s sexiest women of 2001, named by Maxim magazine. She can play the saxophone. Garner is a member of Pi Beta Phi national sorority. She has a cabinet full of chocolates in the kitchen. She is the ex-sister-in-law of Summer Phoenix and Casey Affleck. American actressBen AffleckJennifer GarnerJennifer Anne Garner Scott Foley

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Zack Snyder bio, Career, Early life, Personal life, Net worth, Facts Who is Zack Snyder? Zack Snyder is an American director known for his actions, superheroes, and science fiction films. He was known as a director and producer who directed the films ‘300’ and ‘DAWN OF THE DEAD’. In the Early life of Zack Snyder Zack Snyder was born on March 1, 1966, in Green Bay, Wisconsin, the United States as Zachary Edward Snyder. His mom, Marsha Manley, was a painter and a photography educator at Daycroft School, which he later went to. His dad, Charles Edward “Ed” Snyder, acted as an official recruiter. He was raised as a Christian Scientist. He went to ‘Camp Owatonna’ in Harrison, Maine, amid the mid-year months in his childhood. Snyder’s mom motivated him to study painting a year after secondary school at Heatherley School of Fine Art in England, in spite of the fact that he had as of now started filmmaking. Then Snyder went to Design College at the Art Center in Pasadena, California. In the career of Zack Snyder Fig: Zack Snyder as a director Zack Snyder began his career as a director with the 2004 action horror film ‘Dawn of the Dead’. The film was a remake of George Romero’s 1978 film of the same name. The film was a commercial success, earning over $100 million on a budget of $26 million. Critical reception was also mostly favorable. The film had actors such as Sarah Polley, Ving Rhames, Jake Weber, and Mekhi Phifer. His next film was the epic fantasy war film ‘300’ which released in 2006. The film was about King Leonidas, who leads 300 Spartans into battle against the Persian ‘God-King’ Xerxes and his invading army of 300,000 soldiers. Snyder was also a co-screenwriter along with Kurt Johnstad and Michael B Gordon. The film was a huge commercial success and earned multiple awards and nominations as well. In 2009, he directed the superhero film ‘Watchmen’. With actors such as Malin Akerman, Billy Crudup, Matthew Goode, and Carla Gugino, the film was based on a limited DC Comics series of the same name. The film was an average success commercially while its reviews were mixed. It won multiple awards, including the Saturn Award for Best Fantasy Film. In 2010, he directed ‘Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga’Hoole’. It was a commercial and critical success. In 2011, he wrote, directed, and produced ‘Sucker Punch’, which starred Emily Browning Cornish, Jena Malone, Jena Malone, and Vanessa Hudgens. The film didn’t do well commercially, earning only $90 million on an $82 million budget. Reviews were mostly negative as well. In 2013, his popularity rose after he directed the superhero film ‘Man of Steel’ which was based on the famed DC Comics superhero Superman. The film was a commercial success and reviews were mixed. He served as the producer and co-screenwriter for the movie ‘300: Rise of an Empire’ in 2014. It was the sequel to his movie ‘300’. The film was a commercial success, earning more than $330 million on a $110 million budget. It was met with mixed reviews. In 2016, he directed the superhero film ‘Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice’. The film was a commercial success while the reviews were mixed. The same year, he also served as the executive producer for the superhero film ‘Suicide Squad’. The film received negative reviews though it was a financial success and earned an Oscar nomination as well. In 2017, he was the producer of the superhero film ‘Wonder Woman’. Based on the popular DC Comics superhero of the same name, the film was directed by Patty Jenkins. It was a huge success commercially and critically and won numerous awards. The same year, he directed the film ‘Justice League’, which was a commercial success and was met with mixed reviews. In 2018, he served as the executive producer of the superhero film ‘Aquaman’. The film was a huge success at the box office, earning more than $1 billion on a budget of $200 million. The reviews were average. How much is the net worth of Zack Snyder? Fig: Zack Snyder with his Mercedes Zack Snyder is an American actor, producer, film director, and screenwriter who has a net worth of $40 million. In the Personal life of Zack Snyder Fig: Zack Snyder with his wife Deborah Snyder Jack Snyder has been married twice. His first wife was Denise Weber. The couple had four children, two biological and two adopted. He is currently married to Deborah Snyder, whom he wed in September 2004. The couple has two adopted children. He was previously in a relationship with Kirsten Elin, who was once his line producer on commercials. They had two sons. Facts of Zack Snyder Zack Snyder’s most important works include ’300,’ a 2006 epic war film. He was the director and co-screenwriter. The film starred actors, such as Gerard Butler, Lena Headley, David Wenham, and Dominic West. Made on a budget of $65 million, the film earned $456 million worldwide. Critical reception was mostly mixed. A sequel named ‘300: Rise of an Empire’ was also released in 2014. Another one of Zack Snyder’s well-known works is the 2013 superhero film ‘Man of Steel’ which was based on the famous DC Comics superhero Superman. The film starred Henry Cavill in the lead role, along with other actors, such as Amy Adams, Michael Shannon, and Kevin Costner. The film did well financially, earning $668 million on a budget of $225 million. Reviews were mixed. It also won multiple awards and nominations. He co-wrote the story and directed the 2017 superhero film ‘Justice League’. Based on the DC Comics superhero team of the same name, the film starred actors, such as Ben Affleck, Henry Cavill, Amy Adams, and Ezra Miller. The film was a huge success financially, earning more than $650 million on a $300 million budget. Reviews were mixed. American directorZack SnyderZachary Edward SnyderMarsha ManleyDenise WeberDeborah Snyder

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ShopNBC Evine online - lähetys netissä ShopNBC Evine Maa: Yhdysvallat Kategoria: Shopping tv ShopNBC Evine 4.5 alkaen 5 Evine is an American cable, satellite and broadcast television network. Owned by EVINE Live Inc., the channel is headquartered in Eden Prairie, Minnesota. The home shopping channel's main competitors are HSN and QVC. 13WMAZ Yhdysvallat - Paikallinen TV 13WMAZ is a television station in Central Georgia. The station signed on for the first time on September 27, 1953. It is the fourth-oldest station in 16 WAPT Yhdysvallat - Sää With its first broadcast in October 1970, WAPT became Jackson's first ABC affiliate. Today, the station features four daily newscasts and boasts KUSA, virtual and VHF digital channel 9, is an NBC-affiliated television station licensed to Denver, Colorado, United States. The station is owned by Yhdysvallat - Yleiset ABC News is the news division of the American Broadcasting Company, owned by the Disney Media Networks division of The Walt Disney Company. 3BTV 3BTV is broadcast by i2i Technology Ltd. 3BTV combines cutting edge Internet skills and technology with the highest quality production values. Yhdysvallat - Uutiset Cable News Network (CNN) is a U.S. cable news channel founded in 1980 by Ted Turner. Upon its launch, CNN was the first channel to provide 24-hour

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« September 2012 | Main | November 2012 » A Night at the Opera with Kia Soul's Latest Hamster Commercial ("In My Mind") One of the today's more memorable commercials is also one of the most puzzling. The new Kia Soul TV spot has been coming up in casual conversation with my friends, both in and outside of the ad business. The sheer weirdness of the commercial catches people's attention, but no one can figure out what it means (or what it has to do with selling cars). It features the brand's iconic hamsters and, as usual, it's driven by a funky sound track ("In My Mind"). But this time, the rodents and their favorite car appear on the stage of an 18th century opera house. As brand personalities, the hamsters have been incredibly successful. In fact, in July of this year, Kia's Executive VP of Marketing and Communications revealed to Ad Age that sales were "up 78% since 2008, thanks in part to the success of the campaign." But the dancing animals aren't really what's strange about the spot; we're used to them by now from other commercials (covered in a previous post). It's the opera house and the trip back in time (as if the car itself were a way-back machine) that's got people asking what it all means -- and prompts the desire to decipher. Now it could be that this juxtaposition of time-frames and styles is meant to be suggestive, but vague. I remember reading a review of The Hunger Games (I think in The Nation) that argued that the film was just ambiguous enough so that people could read anything into it. Nevertheless there's a specific meme being replicated here that pop-culture students will recognize. And that's the motif of (often cartoonish and always plebian) pop culture entertainers invading the highfalutin world of the opera house. Here's an earlier example of this scenario, in which Bugs Bunny torments an opera singer with his mad conducting: Both the Kia spot and the Bugs Bunny clip are playing a little with high and low. Both base their humor around a scenario where popular entertainers (stand-ins for the common folks) assume aesthetic control over the snobs. As the Kia brand copy about this commercial on YouTube puts it: "They're back. And this time they've gone way back in their time-traveling Kia Soul. That's right, the hamsters are bringing down the house, only it's an 18th century opera house. And they're showing a traditional upper-crust crowd how to party their britches off with Axwell's remix of 'In My Mind'"... This all fits with the brand. The positioning of the Kia Soul, as I understand it, certainly depends more on the appeal of cool than it does luxury, status or elegance. And it's a car sold to the younger crowd, so privileging contemporary pop over old school opera, of course, makes sense. It offers a classic generational appeal as old as "Roll Over Beethoven." And the nudge of the high by the low also rhymes with the contemporary mood, in that it suggests a wee bit of class (as well as generational) animosity. After all, we're living in a time when there's more popular awareness of the class dimension of social and economic problems -- as in the 99% 's relationship to the 1%. So even though the commercial's creators at David and Goliath probably didn't have this in mind when the put their concepts together, the spot may have picked up on this feature of the zeitgeist by osmosis. This might also explain the time travel. By displacing any implicit class irritation into the past, the commecial can play low vs. high without risking offense. Maybe that's why it reminds me of a dream or allegory, whose bizarre quality is the result of the fact that it cannot express its critical thoughts outright. In any case, the younger crowd ("Millennials", "Gen Y") for whom the spot is created have plenty of class-related issues confronting them -- from the scarcity of good jobs, to exorbitant debt from student loans. As the Daily Beast noted, many folks of this generation feel screwed by the system and doubt they will be able to achieve the middle-class standard-of-living their parents enjoyed. Thinking of all this colored how I interpreted the time/locale of the opera house in the spot. Adweek saw it as the world of Mozart, but for me it brought to mind the world of Louis the XVI, before the French revolution. Though in this version of history, of course, the conflict between high and low is resolved joyously, through pop culture -- its music, moves, products and brands. But maybe this bit of over-reading is all just, as the track in the spot puts it, "in my mind." Thoughts?

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Revealing the true numbers of modern slavery Professor Bales' research has advanced a new tool for estimating the true extent of modern slavery and trafficking across the world. His adaptation of the Multiple Systems Estimation (MSE) technique, first pioneered for slavery with Sir Bernard Silverman in 2014 for the UK, is helping to provide the first reliable estimates of modern slavery. National and global slavery estimates, including Walk Free's Global Slavery Index on which Professor Bales collaborates, are the baseline against which the United Nations can measure progress towards its Sustainable Development Goal of ending slavery by 2030. His ESRC/AHRC-funded work has enabled him to carry out further applications of MSE, particularly in a regional US context.

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FIREBIRDS WOOD FIRED GRILL HIRES DIRECTOR OF LEARNING Classic American Restaurant Creates New Corporate Position Charlotte, N.C. (April 20, 2016) – Firebirds Wood Fired Grill, a classic American restaurant with 38 restaurants across the country, has hired Tammy Calhoun to serve as Director of Learning in its corporate office. The polished-casual brand created this new position to further develop its talent and further grow results within the company. Calhoun’s responsibilities will include designing, building and implementing internal learning strategies. “We noticed a need for a more in-depth training program for our employees, so creating the Director of Learning position was a natural next step for us in order to continue to push the business forward,” said Vice President of Human Resources Charles Blankenship. “Tammy comes from an extensive background in training and development, specifically within the restaurant industry, so we knew she would be a perfect fit for the role.” Calhoun has been a member of CHART (Council of Hotel and Restaurant Trainers) since 2005 and was selected as conference director for CHART’s 92nd annual Hospitality Training Conference in July 2016. For four years, she has also participated in the WFF (Women’s Foodservice Forum), the premier leadership development community for collective insights and connections empowering women in the foodservice industry. For more information on Firebirds, visit www.firebirdsrestaurants.com. About Firebirds Wood Fired Grill – Firebirds Wood Fired Grill is a collection of 38 polished-casual restaurants known for its bold flavors, warm hospitality and inviting atmosphere. Specializing in classic American cuisine grilled over an authentic wood-fired grill, Firebirds heightens the guests’ experience with unexpected delights such as chilled salad plates, meticulous table manicuring and refreshed frozen martini glasses. Unique features, including stacked stone entryways, exclusive artwork and the award-winning FIREBAR® provide a full-spectrum dining experience. The FIREBAR® boasts a wide selection of artisan cocktails such as its signature Double Black Diamond Martini® and a robust wine list, including its own private label wines, served at proper cellar temperatures. Firebirds’ scratch kitchen features a variety of offerings infused with bold flavors, including items such as its Wood Grilled Salmon and Chile Rubbed Delmonico grilled over local hickory, oak or pecan wood. With its mission to “Serve, Enrich and Exceed,” Firebirds prides itself on providing real value to its guests. Consistent community involvement and partnerships with organizations such as Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation, with over a half million dollars donated to ALSF through the sales of fresh-squeezed lemonade, are also a large part of how Firebirds weaves itself into the fabric of the local communities it serves. Firebirds was listed as part of the FSR 50 – “Top 10 Fast-Growing Chains” and also received a Trip Advisor Certificate of Excellence, as well as other national awards. For more information or to find a location, visit firebirdsrestaurants.com, like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter at @FirebirdsGrill.

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Papelbon, three others file for arbitration by evan brunell | Jan 16, 2010 | Hideki Okajima, Jeremy Hermida, Jonathan Papelbon, Manny Corpas, Manny Delcarmen, Quick Post, Ramon Ramirez This year, four Red Sox are eligible for arbitration. The big name is closer Jonathan Papelbon while Manny Delcarmen, Ramon Ramirez (the original one) and Jeremy Hermida round out the other three. (Hideki Okajima recently avoided arbitration, signing for $2.75 million, a raise of $1 million from his 2009 salary.) Tim Lincecum is the star of the entire arbitration process and all eyes will be on him to see if he can beat the record for an arbitration award, set by Ryan Howard of the Phillies. Howard snagged $10 million in arbitration, while Lincecum could see that offer set as the base by the team, never mind the high point. Papelbon will not get $10 million in arbitration. It’s not going to happen. He was awarded $6.25 million after avoiding arbitration. My guess is that the Sox will feel he’s worth around $7.5 million via the arbitration process, whereas Papelbon will request $9 million and the middle point will be $8 million. I doubt that Theo will allow the process to get before a judge. How about the other three? This is Delcarmen’s first year of arbitration but is coming off a tough year. I wouldn’t rule out agreeing to a deal around or just under $1 million, especially in the first year of arbitration. In Baseball-Reference.com’s similar pitchers list, Manny Corpas shows up. Corpas inked a deal immediately after his rookie season so the salary is a bit skewed, but he has similar service time and is set to make $2.75 million in 2010, this after a 2009 salary of $750,000. Ramirez had a solid season for Boston, essentially proving himself as a late-inning option that struggles against lefties. This is also his first year of arbitration eligibility, and I would be surprised if he settled for less than Delcarmen. Hermida is entering his second year of arbitration after making $2.25 million. Hermida should see a slight raise, but not significant. I would say $3 million is a solid benchmark. Read more about what arbitration is and the Red Sox’s history in it right here.

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Knowledge. Action. Change. Sexy Hamburgers: A Feminist’s Guide to Halloween October 30, 2014 October 30, 2014 / kaitycooper2014 / Leave a comment It’s almost Sexy Costume Day! I mean, Halloween. My wife and I love Halloween because it gives us an excuse to pull out our glue gun and have a craft day. We usually make our costumes, but a few weeks ago we went to one of those pop-up Halloween shops to get some inspiration. I guess it had been a while since we’ve been in one, because we were pretty surprised by what we saw. For one, there was not one woman’s costume in the entire store that was not “sexy”. Even costumes that you would think should not be sexy, were sexy. Like sexy potato head, sexy minion, sexy Bert and Ernie and sexy hamburger. Seriously, there was a sexy hamburger. Don’t worry, I’m not going to use this is an excuse to post photos of scantily clad women dressed as sexy scrabble. I thought I’d let some dudes demonstrate instead. But these costumes are for adult women with agency, so no harm right? I’m not going to answer that just yet. I want to first tell you about our second observation in the Halloween store, this one in the kids’ section. In this store, there were little girl costumes and little boy costumes. But despite the fact that between the ages of 4 and 6, little girl bodies and little boy bodies are pretty much the same, the costumes were very different. The little girl costumes looked like miniature versions of sexy _______ (fill in the blank). You’ve probably read about the mom in Victoria who took her 4-year-old daughter shopping for a Halloween costume at Value Village. The little girl wanted to be a firefighter. Her mother found a cute firefighting costume in the boys’ section. It had an axe, a fire hat and a red jacket. She then found the equivalent costume in the girls’ section. It had a skin-tight black shiny dress and a fascinator in the place of a fire hat. The police officer costume was equally appalling. The little girl version was a dress with a short skirt. In real life, policewomen have not had to wear skirts as part of their uniform since 1990.[i] And this was a change women really fought for. “What those costumes tell me is that the boys can wear the real thing. They can be a real firefighter. The girls, on the other hand can’t. They can dress up pretty and pretend to be a firefighter, but they could never aspire to be the real thing.”[ii] This should be especially concerning when you consider that firefighting remains very male dominated and has traditionally been a hostile workplace for women. In 2006, allegations of severe sexual harassment were made by women firefighters from Richmond, BC. The alleged incidents included hard-core pornography being displayed in their presence, human feces being put in a woman’s boots and pants, a condom with the word “cunt” written on it being placed in a woman’s locker and water pressure being turned off as a woman battled a fire. [iii] Fortunately for the mother in this story, Value Village heard her complaints and decided to take down these gender specific costumes. But not all shops are so progressive. If the store I went to was any indication, there are sexy toddler costumes being sold all over Canada. I don’t think it is difficult to understand why sexualizing a 4-year-old is problematic. For one, it’s pedophilic. But more than that, it can have a very significant impact on how girls and women see themselves. In the documentary Miss Representation (which I highly encourage anyone with Netflix to watch), author Jean Kilbourne talks about the message these sexualized images send to young girls. “Girls get the message from very early on that what’s most important is how they look, that their value, their worth, depends on that. And boys get the message that this is what’s important about girls….So, no matter what else a woman does, no matter what else her achievements, their value still depends on how they look.”[iv] The documentary goes on to discuss how this sexualisation leads girls to self-objectify which has disastrous consequences. “The American Psychological Association has found in recent years that self-objectification has become a national epidemic, a national problem. The more women and girls self-objectify, the more likely they are to be depressed, to have eating disorders. They have lower confidence. They have lower ambition. They have lower cognitive functioning. They have lower GPAs.” [v] In Canada, women are not well represented in leadership positions. Only 17% of Conservative Members of Parliament are women. The percentages for the NDP and Liberals are 38% and 25% respectively. BC has the highest rate of women MLAs in Canada at 36%. The other provinces and territories range from 10% (Northwest Territories) to 35% (Ontario).[vi] Could there be a connection? Dr. Caroline Heldman, a professor of political science, says yes. Women who are high self-objectifiers have lower political efficacy. Political efficacy is the idea that your voice matters in politics and that you can bring about political change. As she sees it, if we have a whole generation of young people being raised with the message that the objectification of women is normal, we have a whole generation of women who are less likely to run for office and less likely to vote. So after 18 years of being told by advertising, films, television shows, pop-up Halloween stores, you name it, that our value as women lies in our bodies, how free is our choice to buy a sexy adult Halloween costume? Are we dressing as sexy a Girl Guide because we would feel awesome and empowered in that costume? Or have we been conditioned by marketing and social pressure? To be honest, these are very complicated questions that I do not have an answer to (Philosophy 101 was my only B in undergrad). But here is something I can answer. Is it possible to enjoy Halloween in a socially conscious way? The answer to that question is YES! Here are my Do’s and Don’ts for selecting a totally awesome, feminist Halloween costume. #1 Do celebrate women heroes There are so many women heroes in history, literature and modern day who have made a difference, fought the system, broken the glass ceiling, bent gender norms and kicked some serious ass. Why not celebrate one of them? There’s Katniss, Hermione, the Paper Bag Princess, Amelia Earhart and Rosie the Riveter, just to name a few. #2 Do not appropriate someone else’s culture I’ll admit, it took me an embarrassingly long time to understand that this is a problem. When I was a kid I once dressed up as Tiger Lily from Peter Pan. Another year, I wore my mother’s burqa from her days living in Saudi Arabia. It really didn’t occur to me that dressing up as someone else’s culture would be offensive. The way I reasoned it, I would not be offended if someone dressed up as a lumberjack or fur trader to represent a Canadian. Well, as I’ve learned, that is because this is not a proper analogy. “There are no pervasive stereotypes for whites on the same level that allow for them to be caricatured as a Halloween costume.” [vii] And Canadians are not a marginalized group. Students from Ohio University have launched a campaign to make revelers think twice before reducing a culture to a caricature. The message: We’re a culture, not a costume.[viii] When we dress up as another culture, we reduce sacred and culturally significant attire. We perpetuate inaccurate, stereotypical and often offensive portrayals of someone else’s heritage. We temporarily “play” an exotic other without experiencing any of the daily discrimination faced by them, like dressing up as a “sexy squaw” while being completely unaware of the horrific rates of sexual violence Aboriginal women face.[ix] #3 Do not dress as a famous oppressor This seems so obvious, but every year people dress in horrible costumes that glamorize violence and violations of human and civil rights. In 2005, Prince Harry dressed up for a costume party with a swastika on his arm. This year, men have been reported dressing up as Ray Rice, the football player who punched his then-fiancé in an elevator. This is incredibly disrespectful to women who have been victims of domestic violence. And there are a lot of us. One half of all Canadian women have experienced at least one incident of physical or sexual violence.[x] Dressing up as an oppressor trivializes real discrimination, persecution and violence. It can also re-victimize survivors. #4 Do not dress as a member of a marginalized group I think most people know that it is not ok for a white person to don blackface. Yet people dress as other marginalized groups all the time: Indian, hobo, illegal immigrant. This is what one Aboriginal woman had to say about people dressing as a Native person: “But you don’t understand what it feels like to be me. I am a Native person. You are (most likely) a white person. You walk through life everyday never having the fear of someone misrepresenting your people and your culture. You don’t have to worry about the vast majority of your people living in poverty, struggling with alcoholism, domestic violence, hunger, and unemployment caused by 500+ years of colonialism and federal policies aimed at erasing your existence. You don’t walk thought life everyday feeling invisible, because the only images the public sees of you are fictionalized stereotypes that don’t represent who you are at all. You don’t know what it is like to care about something so deeply and know at your core that it’s so wrong and have others in positions of power dismiss you like you’re some sort of over-sensitive freak.”[xi] #5 Do highlight your talents Halloween is an opportunity to get creative and think outside the box. It is also an opportunity to make a statement. A few Halloweens ago my wife and I went as Mrs. and Mrs. Potato Head. Not only was the costume a political statement about gay marriage, it had super awesome Velcro facial features that we could swap around all night. #6 Do not denigrate women who choose a sexy costume Some women find demonstrating their sexuality really empowering when they can do it safely and without pressure or judgment. Halloween is, for some women, one of the only days of the year that they feel comfortable really having their sexuality on display.[xii] That is great. These women do not deserve judgment. “Slut shaming” is a different side of the same sexist coin. Instead of assigning women value for being sexy, it strips women of value for being too sexy.[xiii] But ultimately, it is still determining a woman’s value based on her appearance. That is not ok. Bottom line, have a great time this Halloween, but don’t do it at someone else’s expense. Halloween is not an excuse to leave your feminism at the door. -Kaity [i] http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2012/08/17/female-mounties-wear-pants-boots_n_1797203.html [ii] http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/sexy-halloween-kids-costumes-at-value-village-anger-mom-1.2805428 [iii] http://www.canada.com/story.html?id=7817f631-f71c-4f55-8630-8589aebd718b [iv] http://www.springfieldspringfield.co.uk/movie_script.php?movie=miss-representation [v] http://www.springfieldspringfield.co.uk/movie_script.php?movie=miss-representation [vi] http://www.equalvoice.ca/assets/file/Fundamental%20Facts%20-%20Elected%20Women%20in%20Canada%20by%20the%20Numbers(1).pdf [vii] http://www.cnn.com/2011/10/26/living/halloween-ethnic-costumes/ [viii] http://www.cnn.com/2011/10/26/living/halloween-ethnic-costumes/ [ix] http://bitchmagazine.org/post/costume-cultural-appropriation [x] http://www.wavaw.ca/mythbusting/rape-myths/ [xi] http://nativeappropriations.com/2011/10/open-letter-to-the-pocahotties-and-indian-warriors-this-halloween.html [xii] http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/10/31/in-defense-of-sexy-halloween-costumes_n_4182233.html [xiii] http://thoughtcatalog.com/chloe-angyal/2013/10/youre-not-a-feminist-if-you-call-halloween-costumes-slutty/ The Jilted Ex-Girlfriend: The resurrection of rape myths in Canada October 28, 2014 October 28, 2014 / kaitycooper2014 / 1 Comment It is almost Halloween and to celebrate the occasion I had planned to write a post about Halloween costumes gone wrong. But then something much scarier happened that demanded my attention. Tens of thousands of people across Canada, some of whom my friends and family, took up the cause of an alleged abuser of women. You all know who I’m taking about. Jian Ghomeshi, the popular CBC radio host of ‘Q’ whose employment was recently terminated amid allegations about his sex life. Ghomeshi’s fans have voiced their support for him and their anger at CBC management for terminating his employment. They have proclaimed his innocence. They have attacked his accusers. And they have demand retribution for his firing. And with these passionate cries, they have given new life to age old rape myths. We all know the story. Man dates woman. Man breaks up with woman. Woman is upset. She decides to seek revenge by fabricating allegations of sexual assault to ruin man’s life. Man is branded as rapist and loses job, public respect, friends etc. even though he is innocent. “I’ve been fired from the CBC because of the risk of my private sex life being made public as a result of a campaign of false allegations pursued by a jilted ex girlfriend and a freelance writer…. Despite a strong connection between us it became clear to me that our on-and-off dating was unlikely to grow into a larger relationship and I ended things in the beginning of this year. She was upset by this and sent me messages indicating her disappointment that I would not commit to more, and her anger that I was seeing others. After this, in the early spring there began a campaign of harassment, vengeance and demonization against me that would lead to months of anxiety…. She found some sympathetic ears by painting herself as a victim and turned this into a campaign.” Since this post appeared on Ghomeshi’s Facebook page Sunday evening, it has been liked by 109,082 people and shared by 41,328 people. There is even a petition at Change.org to show support for the radio host. As a woman, I find this familiar narrative disturbing. But much more frightening to me is how quickly it has been accepted by the public without question or critical inquiry. I would hazard a guess that not many of the tens of thousands of people who have liked and shared Ghomeshi’s post have actually met him. And I would be willing to bet that not one of them knows what actually happened between Ghomeshi and his accusers. But here is what we do know. At this point, four women have come forward to allege sexual violence perpetrated by Ghomeshi. The allegations are serious. Three women say that Ghomeshi physically attacked them on dates without consent. They allege he struck them with a closed fist or open hand; bit them; choked them until they almost passed out; covered their nose and mouth so that they had difficulty breathing; and verbally abused them during and after sex.1 The fourth woman was Ghomeshi’s co-worker at the CBC. She says that Ghomeshi groped her from behind while at work and told her “I want to hate f— you.” The woman says she reported this behavior to a union representative but no real action was taken and she left the broadcaster shortly thereafter.1 Thanks to years of research, we also know quite a lot about sexual assault. Here are some highlights. #1 Sexual assault is terrifyingly common Statistics show that one in four Canadian women will be sexually assaulted during her lifetime. In British Columbia, that number is almost double at 47%.2 In 2009, there were 677,000 self-reported sexual assaults in Canada. #2 Sexual assault is very rarely reported Studies indicate that only 6-8% of sexual assaults are reported to police.3 The numbers for “date rape” are even worse, only 1-2% of these assaults are reported to police.4 Acquaintance sexual assault is the most underreported crime in Canada. #3 Women do not routinely fabricate allegations of sexual assault It is a common rape myth that women lie about being sexually assaulted to get revenge, for their own benefit, or because they feel guilty afterwards about having sex. The reality is that women rarely make false reports about sexual assault. False accusations of rape happen no more often than false reports of other types of crimes: about 2-4%. This means that 96-98% of sexual assault reports are true.2 #4 Women do not report sexual assault because of how we as a society treat victims Women choose not to report sexual assault for many reasons including re-victimization by the police and courts, low conviction rates, fear of the rapist, feelings of shame and guilt and fear of public harassment.2 More than half of the 1,609 women who responded to a poll carried out by the parenting website Mumsnet said they would not report a sexual assault because the legal system, media and society at large are unsympathetic to rape victims.5 None of the four women who have alleged violence by Ghomeshi have filed police complaints or agreed to go on the record. The reasons given include the fear that they would be sued or would be the object of internet retaliation. Can we blame them? Last year, a woman wrote about a bad date with a Canadian radio host some believe to be Ghomeshi. In the days following the post, the woman received hundreds of abusive messages and threats. An online video that has been viewed over 397,000 times called her a “scumbag of the internet.”1 #5 Rapists are often someone we know Sexual assault is not most often committed by strangers. In over 80% of sexual assaults, the perpetrator is someone known to the victim. In 38% of cases, the perpetrator is the woman’s husband, common-law partner or boyfriend.6 Studies of rapists show that they are not mentally ill or sexually starved, they are ordinary men. They come from every economic, ethnic, racial, age and social group. Similarly, women who are sexually assaulted are from every economic, ethnic, racial, age and social group.2 Sometimes, rapists are famous personalities loved by the public. Take the late BBC host Jimmy Savile as an example. It wasn’t until almost a year after his death that his victims were able to come forward. But when they did, the numbers were staggering. Savile has now been accused of sexually abusing 450 victims ranging from prepubescent girls and boys to adults.8 Or consider Australia’s Rolf Harris. It took more than 30 years before his victims were able to come forward.7 In June 2014 he was convicted of 12 counts of indecent assault between 1969 and 1986 on four victims who, at the time, were between the ages of 8 and 19.9 To be absolutely clear, I am not saying Ghomeshi is guilty of the sexual violence he is accused of. I don’t know that. What I am saying is neither do we know that he is not guilty. I’m saying we the public should not allow ourselves to re-victimize a potential victim of sexual assault. We need to think critically and not jump to conclusions based on a familiar narrative that has no basis in fact. The narrative of the jilted ex-girlfriend harms victims of violence who are abused all over again, this time by tens of thousands of people all over the world. And it harms all women, because every time a potential victim is viciously attacked on the internet the message to the rest of us, the one in four of us who will experience sexual assault, is to keep quiet. The narrative is false. The truth is he can ruin her life, far worse than she can ruin his. CBC fires Ghomeshi over sex allegations: Kevin Donovan and Jesse Brown http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2014/10/26/cbc_fires_jian_ghomeshi_over_sex_allegations.html Rape Myths: VAVAW http://www.wavaw.ca/mythbusting/rape-myths/ Statistics: VAVAW http://www.wavaw.ca/mythbusting/statistics/ Sexual Assault Statistics in Canada http://www.sexassault.ca/statistics.htm 80% of women don’t report rape or sexual assault, survey claims: Martin Beckford http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/crime/9134799/Sexual-assault-survey-80-of-women-dont-report-rape-or-sexual-assault-survey-claims.html Sexual Assault Statistics: SACHA http://sacha.ca/fact-sheets/statistics Liking ‘Q’ isn’t a good enough reason to side with Jian: Justine Beach http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/justin-beach/jian-ghomeshi-fired-cbc_b_6051938.html?utm_hp_ref=tw Jimmy Savile sexual abuse scandal: Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jimmy_Savile_sexual_abuse_scandal Rolf Harris: Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rolf_Harris#Charges Bad Math: The truth about poverty in British Columbia October 23, 2014 December 3, 2014 / kaitycooper2014 / 1 Comment What would your life look like if you had only $3 a day for food? With only $3 you wouldn’t be able to shop at Whole Foods, Choices, Nesters or even the Farmer’s Market. You certainly would not be able to buy organic, free range or cruelty free. You wouldn’t be able to buy $2 Starbucks coffees or ever go for take-out. You might not even be able to afford fresh produce. At my local Nesters, a non-organic red pepper costs $2. A non-organic apple costs $1. Looking at my own food bill for the last 30 days, I spent $312.19. That’s $10.41 per day, just for me. So what can you buy for $21 per week? Participants of the Welfare Food Challenge had to find out. Welfare Food Challenge The Welfare Food Challenge is a yearly campaign conducted by Raise the Rates to raise awareness about the reality of life on welfare and how much change is needed for people living in poverty. The Challenge has participants experience one aspect of what it means to be a recipient of welfare, lack of food security. The participants can only spend $21 on food for the week and they may not rely on food banks, friends or family or use any food products in their home like salt, pepper or hot sauce that they did not purchase with the $21. Here are some examples of what $21 can buy. Bif Naked used her $21 to buy: brown rice, 2 cans of chickpeas, 2 heads of (non-organic) iceberg lettuce, a pint of cherry tomatoes, six zucchinis, six bananas and a bag of (non-organic) spinach. Kate Kysow, another participant, used her $21 to buy: a can of peas and carrots, a can of maple beans, brown sugar, Quaker Oats, coconut oil, chickpeas, eggs, milk, rice, rice cakes and bananas. As a social justice lawyer, many of my clients are recipients of some sort of income assistance. And I can tell you from experience that many of my clients would be very happy if they had $21 for food each week. In reality, they often have a lot less. To fully appreciate what it is like to live on welfare, it is helpful to review the numbers. In British Columbia, the welfare rate is $610 per month for a single adult. This is made up of a maximum shelter allowance of $375 per month plus $235 for everything else. Welfare rates were last raised in April 2007. Allowing for inflation, a single person on welfare is $60 a month worse off than in 2007. By contrast, your MLA’s pay has gone up 34% since 2007.1 Since 2010, between 174,000 and 184,000 British Columbians have been on welfare every month. In 2013, 20% of welfare recipients were dependent children.2 Is it possible to live in British Columbia, safely and securely, for $610 a month? The resounding answer to that question is no. And here’s why. According to the Canada Mortgage Housing Corporation, the average rent for a bachelor suite in Greater Vancouver is $876 per month. In the lowest rent areas, the average is $630 per month.1 That is more than the monthly welfare rate. Single Room Occupancy (SRO) hotel rooms have traditionally been considered the housing of last resort before homelessness. These tiny hotel rooms do not have a private kitchen or bathroom and often have poor management, mice, rats, cockroaches and bedbugs. This year, the average rent for an SRO was $469 per month.3 Finding an SRO willing to accept someone on welfare is a different matter altogether. Increasingly, management of these accommodations are trying to get rid of tenants on income assistance and market the units to students and working people. The Carnegie Community Action Project’s 2013 report found that last year alone, 236 rooms were lost to low income people.3 And what about the cost of food. In 2011, the Dieticians of Canada put out a report entitled “Cost of Eating in BC.” This report set out the provincial average cost of nutritious food for families of various sizes. For a single man between the ages of 31-50, the cost per month for nutritious food is $243.59. For a woman of the same age, the cost is $206.00.4 So let’s do some simple addition. $469 for an average SRO, plus $206 for nutritious food is $675 per month. That is $65 more than the monthly welfare rate. And this does not include any other expenses. I looked at my visa bill to see what else I pay for in a month. I came up with the following list: bus pass, cellphone, internet, electricity, water, laundry, tenant’s insurance, car insurance, personal hygiene, clothing, student loans, medical and dental. And these are just what I consider my essentials, I also pay for haircuts, Netflix, a gym membership, field hockey dues, the occasional Starbucks coffee and going out for dinner or drinks with my friends and family. welfarefoodchallenge.org/2014/10/22/welfare-is-1000-below-the-poverty-line/ The poverty line is defined as the estimated minimum level of income needed to secure the necessities of life. One would think that welfare rates would meet this threshold. Not so. Estimates based on data from 2011 show that in BC, two-parent families with two children on income assistance will live $21,287 a year below the poverty line. Lone-parent families with one child will live $11,602 a year below the poverty line.5 Looking at the numbers, I understand why my clients often tell me that they have to choose between a roof over their head and a full stomach. The government’s math simply does not make sense. I guess that explains why every year BC food banks help about 100,000 people, the majority of whom are women and children.6 British Columbia’s Dirty Secret Having seen the numbers, it should come as no surprise that BC is the worst province in Canada when it comes to major measures of poverty. We have an overall provincial poverty rate of 15.6%. The highest rate in Canada. Our child poverty rate is 18.6%. We have had the worst child poverty rate for 10 of the last 11 years.6 We also have the most unequal distribution of income among rich and poor families with children and a shocking rate of poverty for children living in single mother-led families at 49.8%.6 Despite these statistics, the provincial government has refused to follow the lead of almost every other Canadian province and territory by implementing a comprehensive poverty reduction strategy. When such a plan was proposed by a member of the opposition in May 2014, Premier Christie Clark stated that her government does not believe such a strategy is necessary. At the same time, the government continues to support policies that keep families poor such as the child support claw back. Unlike other kids, children whose parents are on welfare do not benefit from child support paid by the non-custodial parent. The government deducts child support payments dollar for dollar from the mother’s welfare cheque. This means parents on welfare do not get to use this extra money for nutritious food, a more secure roof over their family’s head or other things that would improve their children’s quality of life like extra-curricular activities, books or toys. The government, it would seem, is intent on keeping the poorest British Columbians poor. The Cost of Poverty These policies should concern us. Not only out of compassion for the people on welfare who cannot afford both a roof over their head and nutritious food, but because they cost the rest of us a hell of a lot of money. In 2011, the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives (CCPA) put out a report entitled “The Cost of Poverty in BC.” In this report, the CCPA calculated the yearly cost of poverty in this province. Poverty is consistently linked to poor health, lower literacy, poor school performance for children, more crime and greater stress for family members. Society as a whole bears the costs of poverty through higher public health care costs, increased policing and crime costs, lost productivity and foregone economic activity. The estimates presented in the report are conservative and yet the estimated cost of poverty is $8.1 to $9.2 billion dollars a year. By contrast, the cost of a comprehensive poverty reduction plan in BC would be only $3 to $4 billion per year. The plan would include policies like investing in new social housing, increasing welfare or implementing universal access to child care. Sounds like a bargain to me.7 If you would like more information about these numbers, here is a short video that summarizes the report. Sadly, this research has been out since 2011 and the government is still denying that a poverty reduction strategy is necessary. Meanwhile, British Columbians continue to foot the bill for the government’s inaction. And so, every year, in an attempt to raise awareness and put public pressure on the government, Raise the Rates holds the Welfare Food Challenge. Were this year’s participants successful? Here is what some of them had to say: “Today was the worst. For the entire day I felt so helplessly tired, and like half of my brain was gone and the rest was washed out. I walked and moved slowly, took much longer to do the same tasks, forgot things, and made mistakes. The severe, sustained fatigue is something different from the attacks of restlessness, anxiety, and irritability I experienced from hunger. I am perhaps, on the sixth day, starting to see signs of prolonged or repeated hunger / malnutrition.” – Sieun Lee, Day 6 “I am irritable dizzy, wanting to isolate but feeling left out. My work duties are suffering and this is no fun. Conclusion = We as a society are punishing the less fortunate for having the courage to ask for help.” – Tammy Battersby, Day 5 And this was after just 5-6 days, with a whole $21, which is more than many welfare recipients will actually have for food. For some, this is reality. I can’t imagine what it would be like to have to choose between food and a home. No one should ever have to make that choice. So enough with apathy. It’s time to make fighting poverty a priority. It’s time we demand that our government stop neglecting our most vulnerable citizens and, for goodness’ sake, RAISE THE RATES. Raise the Rates Report of 2013: Raise the Rates http://raisetherates.org/ BC Employment and Assistance Summary Report: Ministry of Social Development and Social Innovation http://www.hsd.gov.bc.ca/research/14/09-aug2014.pdf Carnegie Community Action Project’s 2013 Hotel Survey and Housing Report: Rory Sutherland, Jean Swanson and Tamara Herman http://ccapvancouver.files.wordpress.com/2014/02/ccap-hotel-and-housing-report-2013.pdf Cost of Eating in BC: Dieticians of Canada http://www.dietitians.ca/downloadable-content/public/costofeatingbc2011_final.aspx West Coast LEAF 2014 CEDAW Report Card: West Coast LEAF http://www.westcoastleaf.org/userfiles/file/CEDAW%20Report%20Card%202014.pdf The Cost of Poverty in BC: Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives https://www.policyalternatives.ca/costofpovertybc Through My Grandma’s Eyes: Changing the world one cookie at a time My grandmother is not well. Last week, her doctor told her she had only a few days to live. My mom immediately hopped on a plane to be with her. She’s still here, and for that I am thankful, but the thought of losing her led me to reflect on the ways she has touched my life. Grandparents, I’m sure we can all agree, are pretty amazing. I have three sets so I consider myself pretty lucky in that department. The way I see it, the world would be a much better place if we saw each other the way our grandparents see us. This post is dedicated to my grandmother. If we saw people for who they really are My Oma and Opa are very Catholic. I remember going on camping trips with them and finding a nearby church on Sundays so we would not miss Mass. When I was ten, my Opa taught me prayers, in English and in German. You would think that very Catholic grandparents would have a hard time with a granddaughter who is gay. I certainly thought so. That is why I made my step-dad break the news without me. But my Oma and Opa surprised me. As my step-dad tells it, they didn’t even bat an eye. They said something like, “well that’s her business isn’t it” and then moved on. I don’t doubt that that is the truth because they have completely embraced by wife and tell everyone what nice young women we are after we visit. Unlike so many of us, my Oma and Opa didn’t see me as a collection of labels. They saw me as the girl they have known and loved for 21 years. And to them, being gay did not change who that girl was. The world would be a better place if we too could see people for who they really are, and not a collection of stereotypes. We all know that prejudice has a negative impact on those who experience it, so I won’t get into that. What I do want to share with you is a study that found that even “benevolent stereotypes” can cause harm. By benevolent stereotypes I mean the stereotypes that ascribe positive characteristics to certain people, like “poor but happy” or “women are nurturing and kind.” Researchers found that these positive stereotypes actually sustain the perception that inequality in society is fair and justified. For instance, after hearing positive gender stereotypes, women subjects were more likely to unconsciously justify gender inequality on the basis that each gender is “well-suited to specific roles.” In this way, benevolent stereotypes actually stifle social change and help maintain existing systems of inequality. Who knew?1 If we truly listened When I was 16, my parents got jobs in a new city. They planned to move the summer before my grade 12 year. For a 16 year old, this was the worst thing that could possibly happen. I had excelled at school and was highly involved in extra-curricular activities. I had a great group of friends and I was in love (high school is where I met my wife). I was also pretty shy back then so the thought of moving to a new school in a different city where no one knew who I was was terrifying. I was devastated to think that I would be eating alone in the cafeteria the year I should have been celebrating my graduation. That spring my grandmother came to visit. In the few days she was with us, I spent hours confiding in her about the move. I told her about my dreams of university and scholarships and how I didn’t know if they would come true in a new school. I told her about my sadness to leave my friends and community. I told her about my fear of eating alone in the cafeteria. And she listened. And then she went to my mother and made the case for me to stay behind. Ultimately, my mother agreed and I had a wonderful graduation year. My grandmother could have easily dismissed my concerns as silly or childish, but she didn’t. I will forever be grateful to my grandmother for listening to me without judgment. Not only do I have wonderful memories to thank her for, but I also have my wife who may not have stayed in my life had we not had that extra year together. The world would be a better place if we too could truly listen to each other without judgment. When we listen with an open mind we build trust and respect, reduce tension and create a safe environment that is conducive to collaboration and problem-solving. We increase the speaker’s self-esteem and confidence and we elicit openess.2 I don’t think it’s an exaggeration to say that listening is essential for community building and positive social change. If we were generous My other grandma, the one on my father’s side, is one of the most generous people I know. When my sister and I were kids, she would bake dozens of cookies before every visit in each of our favourite varieties. She would keep them in tins on the lowest shelf so that even as kids, we could always reach them. She and my grandpa would also stock their kitchen with all our favourite treats, even the gross ones that they would be stuck with after we went home. We never left their house without twice as much luggage as we came with, whether it be treats, canned goods, knitted clothes or crafts. My grandma is also generous with her time. She is the one who taught me how to knit three times and crochet twice because I kept forgetting the technique between visits. When my grandpa got dementia, she took care of him from home until the end, despite the toll it was taking on her own physical and mental health. The world would be a better place if we too could be so generous. The research is clear that generosity makes people happy. Giving has been linked to the release of oxytocin, a hormone that induces feelings of warmth, euphoria, and connection to others. It is also linked to the feeling of empathy toward others. And generosity is surprisingly contagious. Studies show that when one person behaves generously, it inspires observers to behave generously later, toward different people. This can spur a ripple effect of generosity through the community. Because of this effect, each person in a network can influence dozens or even hundreds of people, some of whom he or she does not know and has never met.3 A teacher in Coquitlam decided to test these theories in her classroom. The result was beyond her wildest dreams. The experiment is summed up in this short video. If you have a few minutes to spare, I highly recommend watching it. I cry every time. I still have five of my six grandparents and I know that makes me luckier than most. But lately I’ve been so involved in my own life that I’ve forgotten to be grateful. The news about my grandmother was an abrupt reminder that my grandparents won’t be around forever, so I need to appreciate them and learn as much as I can about the special way they see the world. I’m sure everyone has stories about how their grandparents have touched their lives, so please share, I’d love to hear them. Stereotypes Do Reinforce the Status Quo: Stanford GSB Staff: http://www.gsb.stanford.edu/insights/stereotypes-do-reinforce-status-quo Empathic Listening: Richard Salem http://www.beyondintractability.org/essay/empathic-listening 5 Ways Giving is Good for You: Jill Suttie and Jason Marsh http://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/5_w?ays_giving_is_good_for_you Stepping Out of Line: How wearing shorts became a punishable offence October 16, 2014 October 16, 2014 / kaitycooper2014 / 11 Comments The incident of September 27, 2014 has been described as a black cloud over the Vancouver Women’s Field Hockey League. A shocking event that lit up the channels of communication in the field hockey community like never before. A scandal for the League and a source of shame for my field hockey club. The outcome was an investigation to which only one side was invited, a harsh rebuke and a grave threat about future “misconduct”. So what actually happened that day? A few years ago, my wife and I decided that we would no longer play field hockey in a skirt. We were adults, we were playing in a beer league and we decided that it was time to openly reject the outdated and discriminatory beliefs about women’s sports that the skirt represents. So we went out and we bought shorts the same colour and approximately the same length as our teammates’ skirts. For while, we played without incident. And then September 27, 2014 happened. On that day, my wife and I took the field in our shorts, as had become our custom. And at first, the game proceeded like any other. At some point in the first half of the game, one of the referees noticed that I was wearing shorts. When she asked me why, I told her it was an ideological choice. At halftime, the referee spoke to my team captain and told her that she would have to make a notation on our game card that two of our players were out of uniform. This had happened before and so my captain agreed. However, after speaking to the mother of one of the opposing players, the referee changed her mind and decided that the penalty should be much harsher. She told my captain that no player wearing shorts would be allowed back on the field. This caught me and my team off-guard. Being thrown out of the game is a pretty extreme penalty for a uniform infraction in a recreational league. Uniform infractions, after all, are very common. Players often don’t have the right colour socks or skirts, sometimes players wear glasses or hats, and in winter almost all of us wear leggings and shirts in various colours to stay warm. None of us had ever heard of such a serious penalty for such a minor infraction. In fact, in my seven years of playing in this league, I have never seen such a serious penalty for any infraction. On top of everything, this penalty would have left our team short-handed. It was a call that likely would have cost us the game. As a team, and under our coach’s direction, we decided to take the field. All of us. As centre-forward, I stepped up to ball to wait for the referee’s whistle. As I did, the referee told me that she would not start the game until I left the field. I told her politely that I would wait. And so that is what we did. After a few minutes, the referee told us she was calling the game and that my team would forfeit. One of my teammates who had found the league constitution on her phone approached the referee and calmly advised her that the constitution did not provide for such a penalty. She told her that we have played in shorts for a long time and we had never been told that we might face such punishment. The referee told my teammate that she would discuss the matter with the other official. My teammate thanked her and then left her to confer. The referee ultimately decided to let us play with the issue to be referred later to the Games Committee. In the end, the game was a tie. We shook hands with the other team and my captain apologized to the referee so there would be no hard feelings. At no point in the game did anyone raise their voice, utter expletives or speak to the referee in anger. All my teammates and I did was express our disagreement with the skirt requirement and the unduly harsh penalty through respectful dialogue and peaceful resistance. We are a team of professional women after all and field hockey is something we do for fun. Ironically, there were other uniform infractions on the field that day that went unnoticed by the officials. One player on the other team was playing in eyeglasses. Unlike the skirt requirement, the prohibition on eyeglasses has a fairly rational purpose. It is to prevent glass from shattering into a player’s eyes if hit by a ball. The player with the eyeglasses actually did get hit in the face that game. But the referees said nothing. It was at that moment that I knew the referee’s reaction was not about my compliance with the strict letter of the constitution. It was about my rejection of the belief system represented by the skirt. It was about a woman stepping out of line. The Fallout Any hope that I had that this would blow over and my wife and I could continue playing the sport we love without incident was shattered on the evening of October 2, 2014. At 11pm that night, the women’s captain of my field hockey club forwarded to my whole team an email from the league president. Apparently, a complaint had been filed with the Games Committee about the incident of September 27, 2014. The Games Committee, made up of representatives of each field hockey club, deliberated on my team’s fate without ever giving us an opportunity to present our side of the dispute. It was recommended that our “poor conduct” on September 27, 2014 be punished with two of the harshest penalties available in this league: a red card for our captain with a suspension and fine and a forfeit of the last game for our team. The league executive decided that this time we would be given a formal warning, but that stepping out of line again would not be tolerated. In her email to our team captain, the league president, who herself was not present on September 27, said the following: Now that the reports have been reviewed by both the Games Committee and the League Executive, I am writing to inform you that this kind of blatant disregard for the league constitution and total disrespect of the officials will absolutely not be tolerated. … [The umpires] are there to uphold the rules of the league, FIH and FHBC and they are able to card a player who deliberately breaks any of these rules and are certainly permitted to red card any player who intentionally misbehaves in a serious manner towards another player, umpire or other match official. The league will not allow umpires to be subjected to the abuse, harassment and aggressive behaviour as was witnessed last weekend and you were all very fortunate not to have been given red cards there and then. Should you or your team mates repeat this type of behaviour, red cards, along with the game suspensions and fines that accompany them, will be issued. A few days later, at our next game, the president of my club took it upon himself to wade into the dispute. Without the permission of my coach, he decided that it would be appropriate to deliver a speech at halftime about how ashamed we should be of ourselves. This man has never known what it is like to be a victim of sexploitation. He has never had to choose between a sport he loves and his principles. He has no idea what it is like being a woman in sports. And yet here he was speaking to a group of professional women about how we had humiliated our club and tarnished its good name and how we best do everything in our power to repair the damage we had done. He told us that our conduct was inexcusable and shameful. He didn’t have time to finish his speech at halftime so he came back at our next practice to finish putting us in our place. When my teammate asked him what he had done as our representative to investigate the false allegations against us, he told us that it wasn’t his place to get involved. Feeling a little confused? You are not alone. My teammates and I racked our brains trying to remember what conduct on our part could be characterized as abusive, aggressive or harassing. We came up with nothing. We simply could not reconcile our collective recollection of the game with the conduct that had been ascribed to us. My teammates and I are not thugs. We are professional women in our mid-twenties to early fifties. We are nurses, pharmacists, accountants, lawyers, paramedics and scientists. Some of us are even mothers. The only thing we could come up with is that our rejection of the antiquated skirt rule was so offensive that any dialogue, no matter how respectful, was perceived as a threat. Of course, it doesn’t matter anyway, because no one in the League or even in our own club seems to care about what actually happened. It seems that everyone is content to perpetuate the rumours and misrepresentations that have been flying around the field hockey community. Content to attack the character of professional women who have to work and live in this city. The Silver Lining At a personal level, this controversy has taken its toll. In the last two weeks I have felt more sadness, outrage and disbelief than I usually feel in a year. I have been blown away by how strongly people feel about what I put on my body. I have even contemplated leaving this sport altogether. But it has not been all bad. I have also felt tremendous gratitude towards my teammates and coach who continue to stand beside me in this struggle. I have seen firsthand how strong, brave, insightful and passionate my teammates are, and it makes me hopeful for the future. My team is my silver lining. Buoyed by our teammates’ support and kind words, my wife and I decided that we will not be leaving field hockey. But neither will we give up the fight. The League has taken away our voice on the field, but they can’t take away our freedom off of it. It is our hope that we will be able to use this ugliness as an opportunity to make real, meaningful change. Not with anger or violence but with hope and principles and determination. The first step is raising awareness so please share our story with anyone who will listen. And if this is an issue you care about, please contact me. This is not over. We look forward to hearing from you. This is Part 3 of a series about Women in Sports. Find Part 1 here and Part 2 here. Fit for the Bedroom, Fit for the Field: My beef with women’s uniforms October 14, 2014 October 16, 2014 / kaitycooper2014 / 8 Comments What do lingerie, bikinis and miniskirts have in common? If you answered a teenage boy’s wet dream, you are only partially correct. These three articles of clothing are also all sporting uniforms worn by women athletes. Women have fought hard over the last hundred years for the freedom to play all the sports men play. And in large part, we have succeeded. The London 2012 Olympics were the first Olympics ever where women were permitted to compete in every sport contested by men. This is significant progress when you consider that in ancient Olympics a woman’s participation was punishable by death. Wouldn’t it be great if that were the end of sex discrimination in sports? How I wish I could end this post here and congratulate the human race on its considerable evolution. Sadly, equal participation does not mean equal respect. Women athletes continue to be differentiated from male athletes in terms of influence, resources and media coverage. But today I’m going to talk about another way women athletes are distinguished: uniforms. Let’s start with some examples. “LFL65” by Sevan Pulurian is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0 I’ll admit, when my co-worker told me about the Lingerie Football League, I thought she was pulling my leg. For those of you who don’t know about the Lingerie Football League, it is a full contact professional football league where women play wearing lingerie and the most basic of football pads. The women athletes are not paid, although the coaches and managers are. The league is marketed primarily to beer drinking male college students over the age of 21.1 The uniforms in this league may be outrageous, but the players are no joke. Women in this league are exceptional athletes who truly love the game. And they take it seriously, spending at least six hours a week practicing on the field, rehearsing and studying complicated plays. So why would they be willing to play in lingerie? Well for starters, this league is the only professional women’s football league. For these women, the choice is stark. The price of playing the game they love at a high level is to dress up like Victoria’s Secret models and risk having their tops or bottoms ripped right off. Yes, that sort of thing actually happens in this league.2 “Bump up” by Craig Maccubbin is licensed under CC BY 2.0 Until March 2012, the mandatory uniform for a female beach volleyball player was a bikini. And not just any bikini would do, the bikini could have a maximum side width of 7 cm. By contrast, men beach volleyball players wear shorts and a sleeveless shirt. Fortunately, this rule was changed heading into the 2012 London Olympics out of respect for the cultural beliefs of some participating countries.3 While this rule change is commendable, it is a little disappointing that the International Volleyball Federation did not recognize that the bikini might be problematic for reasons other than religion. Boxing, Badminton and Field Hockey With the addition of women’s boxing to the 2012 London Olympics, the Amateur International Boxing Association faced a major dilemma: how would the spectators tell the difference between the male and female boxers? To address this serious problem, it was proposed that female boxers be required to wear skirts.4 Badminton’s international governing body faced a different dilemma: how could they attract more fans? Looking to beach volleyball for inspiration, the body proposed that female badminton players be required to wear skirts rather than shorts to achieve a more “stylish presentation of the players”.4 In both cases, there was uproar. And in both cases, the skirt was made optional. “China vs S. Korea, Women’s Olympic Hockey” by Ben Freeman is licensed under CC BY-NC 2.0 Unfortunately, not all women athletes are so lucky. From beer leagues to international competitions, field hockey continues to require all female athletes to wear skirts. So much has been written about the wardrobes of female athletes. But the question of what women should wear when competing in sports has a very simple answer: why not the same uniforms as men? For the most part, the justification goes like this: in order for women’s sports to get media attention and funding, they need to attract an audience, and what better way to do that than to make it about sex. As the Lingerie Football League openly admits, sex sells. The other justification I’ve heard is that skirts honour tradition. Now I don’t know about you, but as a woman I am always a bit skeptical of any argument based on tradition. After all, I can think of a good number of traditions that do not deserve honour. Nonetheless, I decided to research the tradition of skirt wearing in field hockey (and by research, I mean I asked google). It might surprise you to know that the internet does not have an answer. The best I could find was an educated guess by a long-term field hockey player and coach. Her answer to the most commonly asked question about field hockey was: “I really don’t know. Wikipedia doesn’t even have a satisfactory answer so that must mean no one does. It might be a vestige of field hockey’s origins in the US. Constance Applebee, an Englishwoman, introduced America to the sport in the early 1900’s at women’s colleges like Vassar, Wellesley, Smith and Bryn Mawr. I imagine women didn’t have Nike tempo shorts back then, so they wore skirts and it stuck. I have no idea though.”5 Now to be clear, Constance Applebee did not wear a spandex miniskirt that is the modern day field hockey uniform. She wore a full length skirt. And not necessarily because she loved said skirt or thought it was a very practical uniform for field hockey, but because in the early 1900’s women were not permitted to wear anything else. Not out grocery shopping, not on an afternoon walk, not swimming and not to the ballot box (because of course another tradition of that time was that women were not allowed to vote). I shudder to think what my life would look like if other traditions from the 1900’s were as jealously guarded as the field hockey skirt. So why is mandating a feminine uniform such a big deal? The United Nations and the Australian Sports Commission say because it sexualizes women athletes. The sexualisation of women athletes is so pervasive it even has a name: sexploitation. Sexploitation is a serious problem for many reasons, but here are the top 6: It trivializes women’s sports. Feminine uniforms such as skirts draw attention away from the athlete’s skill and towards her body, suggesting that the value of women’s sports somehow derives from the appearance of the female athletes.6 Don’t believe me? A recent study found that sexualized images of female athletes in the media led viewers to see them as “less talented, less aggressive, and less heroic than athletes whose athleticism received more attention.”7 I think this comic makes my point. It lowers the self-esteem of girls and young women. Sexualized images of female athletes in the media prompt adolescent girls and young women to self-objectify and focus on outer beauty. Rather than empowering young athletes and having a positive influence on women’s sports, sexualized images actually lead women and girls to feel negatively about their own bodies and may result in lower self-esteem.7 It perpetuates stereotypes about women. Much of the freedom that girls and women feel when participating in sports is because it allows them to escape from the restrictions of traditional gender roles. However, sexploitation of female athletes reinforces gender stereotyping.8 Case in point, I came across a wikiHow article entitled, “How to be Ladylike (Teens)”. The article, which had been viewed 37,556 times, consists of 17 directions to teens who are “having trouble being ladylike.” Amid suggestions such as “dislike dirty things” and “don’t smile too much” is the following: Avoid sports, especially football, basketball and other manly sports. Being sporty and fit may be nice but sports does not make you seem particularly ladylike, though horse-back riding does. If you are interested in sports, field hockey is a classic women’s sport in the US and involves adorable skirts!”9 It discourages participation in sports. The sexualisation of women athletes creates a certain expectation about what an athlete should look like. Studies show that the pressure many female athletes experience to conform to that standard results in decreased body esteem, distracted playing and poor game time performance.7 And for some women and girls, a revealing uniform is reason enough to choose another sport or even no sport at all. Sexy uniforms may be culturally inappropriate for some women, they may be seen as sexist or embarrassing, they may make women feel more self-conscious about their bodies and they may alienate lesbians who don’t conform to the stereotypical heterosexual image.8 It promotes sexual harassment. The United Nations and the Australian Sports Commission have both found that sexploitation puts athletes at greater risk of harassment, exploitation and violence from persons within and outside their sport.8 In Canada, this is a real problem. In a survey of female athletes, 40-50 per cent reported harassment in sport.6 It is darn impractical. “Wedgie” by Nathan Rupert is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0 My wife refers to the field hockey skirt as the $40 wedgie. Anyone who has watched a field hockey game knows why. From what I have read, volleyball players have a similar problem. And then there’s the poor women of the Lingerie Football League who are seriously under-padded and who risk losing what little uniform they have altogether. I’m sure you can think of many more reasons why sexy or feminine uniforms are a problem, but the bottom line is despite the major strides women athletes have made, they continue to receive less respect, less dignity, less worth than male athletes. This is an issue I care about personally because field hockey, the sport that I love and have played for over 15 years, is one of the worst offenders. Believing, as I do, in equality and respect for women’s sports, I decided to challenge the antiquated skirt rule. What I was met with was anger, indignation, prejudice and, I’ll say it, hate. For my efforts I was chastised, shamed and threatened with the harshest penalties known to field hockey. And I’m dying to tell you all about it. In my next post. This is Part 2 of the Women & Sports series. Find Part 1 here. Pass, Run, Walk: Lingerie Football and Slut Walks: Melanie Persaud http://blog.ywcatoronto.org/pass-run-walk-lingerie-football-and-slutwalks/ Lingerie Football: So Sexy or Just Sexist? Female Players Say They Love the Game: Juju Chang and Allison Markowitz http://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/lingerie-football-sexy-sexist-female-players-love-game/story?id=20318487 Uniform change for all beach volleyball events: FIVB http://www.fivb.org/viewPressRelease.asp?No=33699&Language=en#.VDlhXn5ra00 At London Olympics, women’s athletes’ wardrobes are source of debate: Liz Clarke http://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/olympics/at-london-olympics-womens-athletes-wardrobes-are-source-of-debate/2012/07/26/gJQAPcrQCX_story.html Field Hockey FAQ: Jane Beall http://wlusidelines.wordpress.com/2012/04/18/field-hockey-faq/ Women, Gender Equality and Sport: United Nations, Division for the Advancement of Women, Department of Economic and Social Affairs http://www.un.org/womenwatch/daw/public/Women%20and%20Sport.pdf Media Coverage of Female Athletes and Its Effect on the Self-Esteem of Young Women: Scott Aligo http://ydi.tamu.edu/wp-content/uploads/researchBrief29_final.pdf Sexploitation: Australian Sports Commission http://fulltext.ausport.gov.au/fulltext/2000/ascweb/sexploitation.asp How to be Ladylike (Teens): wikiHow http://www.wikihow.com/Be-Ladylike-(Teens) Skirts, Grunts and Falling Uteruses: Women’s complicated relationship with sports October 8, 2014 October 15, 2014 / kaitycooper2014 / 2 Comments To say I wasn’t a very athletic kid would be a considerable understatement. My first attempt at monkey bars when I was 6 left me with a sprained arm. When I was 7, I was taunted by the kindergarteners for still having training wheels on my bike. My step-father, bless his heart, tried to introduce me to soccer when I was 8. My only real memory of my soccer days was the time I tripped over the ball in practice and wound up on my face. So it was a big surprise to my parents when I fell in love with field hockey in grade eight. Field hockey, after all, is a pretty challenging sport. Not only must you stickhandle with only one side of a very short stick, but the ball is comparable to a bocce ball in weight and has the tendency to soar when hit by a novice player. Anyone who has been hit with a field hockey ball knows that it can be a pretty dangerous sport. To start, I wasn’t very good. But after hours upon hours of stickhandling in our backyard I got the hang of it and started to excel. Some of my happiest memories from high school are tied to field hockey. It was the first time in my life I could identify as an athlete. That was a pretty big self-esteem boost for a nerdy kid. Being part of a team also lead to some amazing bonds with my teammates, many of whom became my closest friends. There was only one problem with field hockey. The uniform. As you may know, field hockey is the last remaining sport that requires its female athletes to wear a skirt. As an adult, I continue to play field hockey in a women’s league in Vancouver. Unfortunately, my love of the game has recently been overshadowed by controversy. The game I love and have played for over 15 years has come into direct conflict with my strong belief in women’s equality. But more on that later. Because of the controversy in my own life, I decided to explore the relationship between women and sports. As you might guess, it has been a difficult relationship marked by division and discrimination but also by accomplishment and empowerment. Sports started opening up to Canadian women by the end of the 19th century. However, at that time, women were encouraged to participate in sports such as horse riding, skating and golf, activities that were considered graceful and ladylike. More vigorous exercise, such as riding a bike, was discouraged by some doctors who were concerned it would cause damage to the uterus or, God forbid, would produce a female orgasm.1 The 1960s and 1970s witnessed the emergence of the women’s liberation movement in North America and with it increased participation in women’s sports.1 Today, the sporting world looks very different than that of the past. Across the country, women are participating in high numbers in sports including those traditionally seen as masculine or inappropriate for women.1 Women athletes such as Hayley Wickenheiser and Christine Sinclair have become national heroes. This is a very good thing, not only for women and girls but for society as a whole. Participation in sports may seem trivial but its outcomes are anything but. Studies show that participation in sport and physical activity can prevent a myriad of physical illnesses which account for over 60% of global deaths. Participation in sports can also promote psychological well-being through building confidence and self-esteem and reducing stress, anxiety and depression. This is especially important to adolescent girls who are significantly more likely than boys to have seriously considered suicide by the age of 15. Participation in sports can even lead to social change. The United Nations identified sport as a key vehicle to the promotion of gender equality. According to the UN, participation in sports expands opportunities for education and for the development of a range of essential life skills, including communication, leadership, teamwork and negotiation.2 Sadly, the positive outcomes of sport for women continue to be constrained by gender based discrimination in all areas and at all levels of sport and physical activity. Don’t believe me? Let’s look at some modern day headlines. “Grunting” Controversy Continues on Wimbledon’s Opening Day3 This headline is not a joke. It refers to the real controversy in women’s tennis about the players making unladylike “grunting” noises when they hit the ball. Some officials apparently find these noises so disturbing that players have been warned that they could be fined for making excessive noise. One tennis coach was of the opinion that a series of graduated penalties ranging from the loss of a point to the loss of a match should be implemented to cut down on excessive grunting. One former Wimbledon champion actually went so far as to claim that the role of female tennis players is as much about “selling sex” as their physical ability. He suggested the best way to reduce the amount of grunting in women’s tennis is to, “Just play it back to the women. It sounds disgusting, ugly, unsexy!” So why do tennis players grunt? Different explanations have been offered, but they include to help the player relax, to bring confidence, to apply maximum force to the ball, to increase core stability and strength and to intimidate the opposition.4 Notwithstanding of the legitimacy of these justifications, it would seem that many coaches, officials and spectators are willing to reduce women’s competitive advantage to preserve the sex appeal of tennis. The Outrageous Reason Why Women’s Ski Jumping Was Banned From The Olympics until Now5 Can you guess what that reason might be? I’ll give you a hint. It’s the same reason women were advised not to bicycle in the 1890s. That’s right, high ranking officials thought ski jumping might mess up your uterus. The president of the International Ski Federation in 2005 said, “Don’t forget, it’s like jumping down from, let’s say, about two meters on the ground about a thousand times a year, which seems not to be appropriate for ladies from a medical point of view.” The good news is women ski jumpers were finally permitted to compete in the Sochi Winter Olympics. So far, there have been no reports of falling uteruses. FIFA Women’s World Cup: gender discrimination allegations dog promotional efforts6 Kobe Bryant ✔ @kobebryant This is @DrinkBODYARMOR athlete @sydneyleroux after playing on turf! #ProtectTheAthlete #USWNT 3:24 PM – 13 Aug 2014 As you might know, Canada is set to host the 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup. However, Canada’s recent announcement that the tournament would be played on artificial turf rather than real grass has caused quite the uproar. The Men’s World Cup is played on grass because artificial turf is an inferior playing surface which leads to more physical injuries. Need proof? This picture, tweeted by Kobe Bryant, shows Sydney Leroux’s bloodied and bruised legs after playing on artificial turf. A group of elite international athletes have actually filed a lawsuit over the issue alleging gender discrimination. “They would never in a heartbeat think of putting anything less than grass for men,” said former Canadian national player Carrie Serwetnyk. “They’d protest. It would be a scandal.” And of course we cannot forget the issue that is in headlines again and again, the one the United Nations describes as a constant area of controversy and resistance, the one I have been waiting to speak publically about: women’s uniforms. But I’ll get to that. In my next post. -Kaity History of Canadian Women in Sport: Tabitha Marshall http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/the-history-of-canadian-women-in-sport/ “Grunting” Controversy Continues on Wimbledon’s Opening Day: Margaret Hartmann http://jezebel.com/5300061/grunting-controversy-continues-on-wimbledons-opening-day Wimbledon 2014: Why do women players grunt: Kathryn Dobinson http://www.telegraph.co.uk/women/womens-life/10919656/Wimbledon-2014-Why-do-women-players-grunt.html The Outrageous Reason Why Women’s Ski Jumping Was Banned From the Olympics Until Now: Tony Manfred http://www.businessinsider.com/why-womens-ski-jumping-was-banned-2014-1 FIFA Women’s World Cup: gender discrimination allegations dog promotional efforts: CBC News http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/fifa-women-s-world-cup-gender-discrimation-allegations-dog-promotional-efforts-1.2756465 Hi, I’m Kaity and this is my social justice blog. I decided to start writing this blog to draw attention to pervasive inequalities in Canada and to inspire positive social change. Feel free to read more about me on my About and My Story pages. Long live the troll-slayer: a tribute to Shauna Hunt and others like her May 14, 2015 Vote YES for Women in Metro Vancouver’s Transit Referendum May 7, 2015 Men give the field hockey skirt a go: on camera January 31, 2015 Cyber misogyny: the new frontier for hate December 19, 2014 In defence of the “F” word: why we need feminism now more than ever December 11, 2014 inequality in BC Follow F is for Feminist on WordPress.com Long live the troll-slayer: a tribute to Shauna Hunt and others like her Vote YES for Women in Metro Vancouver’s Transit Referendum Men give the field hockey skirt a go: on camera Cyber misogyny: the new frontier for hate In defence of the “F” word: why we need feminism now more than ever

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Diodon holocanthus Freckled Porcupinefish, Diodon holocanthus Linnaeus 1758 Other Names: Fine-spotted Porcupinefish, Fine-spotted Porcupine-fish, Freckled Porcupine-fish, Long-spined Porcupine Fish, Longspined Porcupinefish, Long-spined Porcupine-fish A Freckled Porcupinefish, Diodon holocanthus, in Jervis Bay, New South Wales, February 2015. Source: John Turnbull / Flickr. License: CC by Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike A pale greyish-brown porcupinefish becoming whitish below, with small black spots and large brown blotches and bars on the upper half of the body, and unspotted fins except for the base of the tail. Dianne J. Bray, Diodon holocanthus in Fishes of Australia, accessed 20 Jan 2020, http://136.154.202.208/home/species/475 Widespread in Australia from Fremantle in the west, around the north to Ulladulla, New South Wales. Elsewhere, the species is circumglobal in tropical waters. Diodon holocanthus Linnaeus, 1758. Systema Naturae 1: 335. Type locality: India. Dianne J. Bray Allen, G.R. & Erdmann, M.V. 2012. Reef fishes of the East Indies. Perth : Tropical Reef Research 3 vols, 1260 pp. Allen, G.R., Hoese, D.F., Paxton, J.R., Randall, J.E., Russell, B.C., Starck, W.A., Talbot, F.H. & Whitley, G.P. 1976. Annotated checklist of the fishes of Lord Howe Island. Records of the Australian Museum 30(15): 365-454 figs 1-2 Brainerd, E.L. 1994. Pufferfish inflation: functional morphology of postcranial structures in Diodon holocanthus (Tetraodontiformes). Journal of Morphology 220: 243-261. Francis, M. 1993. Checklist of the coastal fishes of Lord Howe, Norfolk, and Kermadec Islands, southwest Pacific Ocean. Pacific Science 47(2): 136-170 figs 1-2 Hutchins, B. 2004. Fishes of the Dampier Archipelago, Western Australia. Records of the Western Australian Museum, Supplement 66: 343–398. Hutchins, J.B. 1990. Fish survey of South Passage, Shark Bay, Western Australia. pp. 263-278 in Berry, P.F., Bradshaw, S.D. & Wilson, B.R. (eds). Research in Shark Bay: Report of the France-Australe Bicentenary Expedition Committee. Perth : Western Australian Museum. Hutchins, J.B. 1994. A survey of the nearshore reef fish fauna of Western Australia's west and south coasts — The Leeuwin Province. Records of the Western Australian Museum, Supplement 46: 1-66 figs 1-6 Hutchins, J.B. & Swainston, R. 1986. Sea Fishes of Southern Australia. Complete field guide for anglers and divers. Perth : Swainston Publishing 180 pp. Johnson, J.W. 2010. Fishes of the Moreton Bay Marine Park and adjacent continental shelf waters, Queensland, Australia. pp. 299-353 in Davie, P.J.F. & Phillips, J.A. Proceedings of the Thirteenth International Marine Biological Workshop, The Marine Fauna and Flora of Moreton Bay. Memoirs of the Queensland Museum 54(3) Kuiter, R.H. 1992. Tropical Reef-Fishes of the Western Pacific, Indonesia and Adjacent Waters. Jakarta : PT Gramedia Pustaka Utama 314 pp. pls. Kuiter, R.H. 1993. Coastal Fishes of South-eastern Australia. Bathurst : Crawford House Press 437 pp. Kuiter, R.H. 1996. Guide to Sea Fishes of Australia. A comprehensive reference for divers and fishermen. Sydney, NSW, Australia : New Holland Publishers xvii, 434 pp. Larson, H.K., Williams, R.S. & Hammer, M.P. 2013. An annotated checklist of the fishes of the Northern Territory, Australia. Zootaxa 3696(1): 1-293. Larson, H.K. & Williams, R.S. 1997. Darwin Harbour fishes: a survey and annotated checklist. pp. 339-380 in Hanley, H.R., Caswell, G., Megirian, D. & Larson, H.K. (eds). The Marine Flora and Fauna of Darwin Harbour, Northern Territory, Australia. Proceedings of the Sixth International Marine Biology Workshop. Darwin : Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory 466 pp. Leis, J.M. 1978. Systematics and zoogeography of the porcupinefishes (Diodon, Diodontidae, Tetraodontiformes), with comments on egg and larval development. Fishery Bulletin (U.S.) 76(3): 535-567 figs 1-28 Leis, J.M. 2001. Diodontidae. pp. 3958-3965 in Carpenter, K.E. & Niem, T.H. (eds). The Living Marine Resources of the Western Central Pacific. FAO Species Identification Guide for Fisheries Purposes. Rome : FAO Vol. 6 pp. 3381-4218. Leis, J.M. 2006. Nomenclature and distribution of the species of the Porcupinefish family Diodontidae (Pisces, Teleostei). Memoirs of Museum Victoria 63(1): 77-90. Linnaeus, C. 1758. Systema Naturae per Regna tria Naturae, secundem Classes, Ordines, Genera, Species, cum Characteribus, Differentis, Synonymis, Locis. Tom.1 Editio decima, reformata. Holmiae : Laurentii Salvii 824 pp. Marshall, T.C. 1964. Fishes of the Great Barrier Reef and Coastal Waters of Queensland. Sydney : Angus & Robertson 566 pp. 136 pls. Randall, J.E., Allen, G.R. & Steene, R. 1990. Fishes of the Great Barrier Reef and Coral Sea. Bathurst : Crawford House Press 507 pp. figs. Russell, B.C. 1983. Annotated checklist of the coral reef fishes in the Capricorn-Bunker group, Great Barrier Reef, Australia. Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority. Special Publication Series 1: 1-184 figs 1-2 Swainston, R. 2011. Swainston's Fishes of Australia: The complete illustrated guide. Camberwell, Victoria : Penguin Australia 836 pp. Thomson, J.M. 1978. A Field Guide to the Common Sea & Estuary Fishes of Non-tropical Australia. Sydney : Collins 144 pp. TETRAODONTIFORMES Puffer-fishes DIODONTIDAE Porcupinefishes Depth:3-100 m Max Size:50 cm TL

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Charge: The major purpose of the Committee is to provide faculty counsel to the Chancellor in accordance with the Promotion, Tenure, Academic Freedom, and Due Process Regulations (The Regulations) Section 4.B.iii.b. The Committee will also annually review The Regulations as mandated in The Regulations Section 10. Membership: The Chair of the Senate and six tenured Senators elected to two-year staggered terms by a majority vote of the Senate. Nonvoting and nonparticipating: the Associate Chair of the Senate. The Chair of the Senate shall serve as the chair of the Committee and shall be a voting member. No department may have more than one member on the Committee at the same time, with the exception of the Chair of the Senate. No member, other than the Chair of the Senate, may serve successive terms on the Committee. No faculty member who is a candidate for promotion may be a member of the Committee during their year of candidacy. In the event that there are not enough tenured faculty members on the Senate to serve on the Committee, nominations for the remaining members will be solicited by the Elections and Appointments Committee from the General Faculty and elected to the Committee by the Senate. Click here for Committee Resources (meeting minutes, reports, resolutions, etc.)

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KLAUS SCHULZE & PETE NAMLOOK 8 Titles SCHULZE & PETE NAMLOOK, KLAUS The Dark Side of the Moog Vol. 7 MOV 2479LP $31.00 LOW STOCK LEVEL "The collaboration between influential German artists Klaus Schulze and Pete Namlook led to the famous The Dark Side of the Moog series. The 7th episode, obscured by Klaus, is one of their most inspiring releases in the series. Namlook's rhythmic melodies and the Schulze soundscapes are coming together in some impressive synth sounds. They created a piece full of inspiration and beauty with multiple layers and upbeat parts. The pioneering composer Klaus Schulze created over 60 albums during his career, which started back in 1969. Pete Namlook is another German composer, who played an important role in the increasing popularity of electronic music." "The collaboration between influential German artists Klaus Schulze and Pete Namlook led to the famous The Dark Side of the Moog series. The eight part in the series Careful With the AKS Peter features, as the title suggests, the AKS synthesizer in its full glory. The improvisations, soundscapes and ambient music recreates their incredible live experience. This title from the series is entirely performed live in front of a crowd. Samples and vocals are mixed together with feedback from the audience. All together it's another great story in their collaboration series The Dark Side of the Moog. The pioneering composer Klaus Schulze created over 60 albums during his career, which started back in 1969. Pete Namlook is another German composer, who played an important role in the increasing popularity of electronic music." "The collaboration between influential German artists Klaus Schulze and Pete Namlook led to the famous The Dark Side of the Moog series. The fifth volume in the series consists of the song 'Psychedelic Brunch', split into 8 parts. It's one of the calmer albums, featuring Bill Laswell as an extra composer. It starts with a 14-second intro by the master, Robert Moog, himself. The sound design is amazing and offers everything from ambience, atmospheres and sequences. The mellotron and psychedelic parts showing the different perceptions of the composers. The pioneering composer Klaus Schulze created over 60 albums during his career, which started back in 1969. Pete Namlook is another German composer, who played an important role in the increasing popularity of electronic music. 180 gram vinyl. First time on vinyl." "The collaboration between influential German artists Klaus Schulze and Pete Namlook led to the famous The Dark Side of the Moog series. The sixth part in the series offers more of their breeding music, although it's one of the more experimental records from the series. The Final DAT starts with distorted text fragments and during the different parts of this recording an amount of techno is added to the musical layers. The volume shows the different directions the two composers headed two during their careers. The pioneering composer Klaus Schulze created over 60 albums during his career, which started back in 1969. Pete Namlook is another German composer, who played an important role in the increasing popularity of electronic music. 180 gram vinyl. First time on vinyl." "Klaus Schulze and Pete Namlook created their The Dark Side of the Moog series by combining different techniques and synth driven sounds to one. This album got a dark themed kind of feeling, but also got some upbeat melodic parts. The spooky drone sounds make up Part I, before entering the ambient on Part II. Part IV is the most interesting track with some deep beats from the Moog. The pioneering German music composer Klaus Schulze created over 60 albums during his career which started back in 1969. Pete Namlook is another German composer which played a big part in the way electronic music became popular." The Dark Side of the Moog Vol. 9-11 5CD BOX MIG 1402CD "Complex re-release of the most remarkable and worldwide sought after series The Dark Side Of The Moog by German electronic pioneers Klaus Schulze and Pete Namlook (aka Peter Kuhlmann) in three slip lid boxsets, each with 5 CDs, incl. bonus material and new linernotes. The third box contains Vol. 9 to Vol. 11 and two bonus CDs. The relationship between Klaus and Pete and the exchange of ideas was unorthodox from the beginning of their co-operation, in that they rarely met personally. The most remarkable contacts they had were outside of their studios, for instance their concert of April 1999 at the Jazz Festival in Hamburg, which was released as an edited version on Dark Side Of The Moog, Vol.8 - the interplay and chemistry between them is clearly evident, and it becomes even clearer on the un-edited version of the concert. The influence Namlook had on Klaus's music in the middle of the nineties should not be taken lightly, because although Klaus dearly loved those early-analogue elements from his own music, they had become, to an extent, lost. It was Pete who fortified him to go back to the analogue charm of his early albums and it was Pete who supported him in the modification of his analogue instruments, leading finally to the epoch-making Schulze album from 1996 - Are You Sequenced?. And so a legendary series of recordings was born. Dark Side Of The Moog grew more or less unplanned to a sprawling, stately-sized series of eleven volumes recorded between 1994 and 2008, only ending with the early, tragic death of Pete on November 8th 2012." The Dark Side of the Moog Vol. 5-8 "Complex re-release of the most remarkable and worldwide sought after series The Dark Side Of The Moog by German electronic pioneers Klaus Schulze and Pete Namlook (aka Peter Kuhlmann) in three slip lid boxsets, each with 5 CDs, incl. bonus material and new linernotes. The second box contains Vol. 5 to Vol. 8 and a bonus-CD with Klaus Schulze-tracks exclusively remixed by Pete Namlook. The relationship between Klaus and Pete and the exchange of ideas was unorthodox from the beginning of their co-operation, in that they rarely met personally. The most remarkable contacts they had were outside of their studios, for instance their concert of April 1999 at the Jazz Festival in Hamburg, which was released as an edited version on Dark Side Of The Moog, Vol.8- the interplay and chemistry between them is clearly evident. The influence Namlook had on Klaus's music in the middle of the nineties should not be taken lightly, because although Klaus dearly loved those early-analogue elements from his own music, they had become, to an extent, lost. It was Pete who fortified him to go back to the analogue charm of his early albums and it was Pete who supported him in the modification of his analogue instruments, leading finally to the epoch-making Schulze album from 1996 - Are You Sequenced?. And so a legendary series of recordings was born. Dark Side Of The Moog grew more or less unplanned to a sprawling, stately-sized series of eleven volumes recorded between 1994 and 2008, only ending with the early, tragic death of Pete on November 8th 2012."

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Bipartisan House Leaders Call for Extension of Honduras Anti-Corruption Commission Washington—House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Eliot L. Engel (D-NY) and Lead Republican Michael McCaul (R-TX), along with Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere, Civilian Security and Trade Chairman Albio Sires (D-NJ) and Ranking Member Francis Rooney (R-FL) issued the following statement regarding the need for an immediate and clean extension of the Mission to Support the Fight against Corruption and Impunity in Honduras (MACCIH) which expires in January 2020: “Endemic corruption in the Northern Triangle countries of Honduras, Guatemala and El Salvador continues to be a key driver of migration to the United States. That is why we strongly support international efforts to address corruption and impunity in the region. “For more than three years, the Mission to Support the Fight against Corruption and Impunity in Honduras has worked with the Honduran government to fight corruption. But much work remains to be done. MACCIH expires next month, and we urge the Honduran government to issue an immediate and clean extension of its mandate. The clock is ticking, and the citizens of Honduras deserve continued support to strengthen the rule of law and ensure accountability for corrupt actors.” Permalink: https://foreignaffairs.house.gov/2019/12/bipartisan-house-leaders-call-for-extension-of-honduras-anti-corruption-commission

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Engel Statement Putin’s Constitutional Changes Washington–Representative Eliot L. Engel, Chairman of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, today made the following statement: “What we saw in Russia today was a fully-fledged assault on its constitution and the rule of law. Make no mistake -- the changes put forth by President Vladimir Putin are nothing more than a codification of his desire to be dictator for life of Russia and its people. “Time and time again, President Putin has demonstrated that keeping a tight grip on the reins of power in Russia is his highest priority – regardless of whether he does so as President, prime minister, chairman of the State Council, or through unofficial governance as leader of a political party. It is also alarming that Putin proposed the demotion of international law in the Russian Constitution – which would free his regime from OSCE and Council of Europe obligations. “I implore the Russian people to think critically about President Putin’s proposed constitutional overhaul, and urge the Russian President and Russian government to start serving the people of Russia and stop serving themselves.” Permalink: https://foreignaffairs.house.gov/2020/1/engel-statement-putin-s-constitutional-changes

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Who Played The First Beatles Record In America? ... An Update re: WHO PLAYED THE FIRST BEATLES RECORD IN AMERICA?: Is it REALLY the TENTH ANNIVERSARY of our landmark Beatles series? Wow! Funny ... 'cause in some ways it seems SO much longer ... and in others it seems hard to believe that ten years have gone by. A few weeks back we told you about a posting that FH Reader (and researcher) Randy Price found online, posted by a listener to WIBG in Philadelphia who says he heard "Please Please Me" played in February of 1963 on the station. That puts us right around the same time frame as our findings for Dick Biondi first airing the song on WLS here in Chicago. After a couple of months of trying to track this guy down for more details, we FINALLY heard back from Alex McNeil today ... here's a copy of his email ... Hello Kent - I just saw the message Randy had sent me on the BSNPubs web site (even though he sent it to me two months ago); he had relayed to you my posting that "Please Please Me" had been played on Philadelphia's WIBG sometime in February, 1963. Let me add some more info. First, I'm awfully glad I saved my Top 99 lists! I use them quite a bit. I host the Friday edition of "Lost and Found" on WMBR-FM, 88.1, Cambridge MA//wmbr.org. The show runs weekdays from noon to 2, and we play lesser known music of the 60s and 70s, with a different host each day. The show has been a feature of WMBR (which is owned by MIT) for about 30 years now. As per the Digitial Millennium Copyright Act, shows are archived for two weeks on the wmbr.org web site. At the time, the Top 99 lists were compiled weekly, but published biweekly and distributed to record stores. I believe they were actually delivered to the stores on the "Effective Monday" date of each list, so the Feb. 11 list would have been available on Monday, February 11. I always enjoyed checking off all the listed songs that I had heard. Knowing that WIBG would play new records a week or two before listing them, I frequently jotted down the names of new artists or titles on the back of the current survey, and then checked my jottings against the records that would be listed for the first time on the next survey, or sometimes on the one after that. So, on the back of the February 11 survey, I wrote down about 40 artists or titles, of which "Please Please Me" is the last one, which suggests it was played late in the week of February 18, perhaps Friday, Feb. 22. [I doubt it would have been played on Sunday, Feb. 24, because WIBG had religious programming until 2 PM, current music from 2-7, then Hy Lit's oldies show from 7 to midnight.] I wrote down the title, rather than the artist, probably because the artist name was new to me and I didn't recognize it (or possibly because I didn't hear the entire song). Immediately above "Please Please Me" are such artists as Patti Page, Jay and the Americans (whose "Strangers Tomorrow" made the Feb. 25 Top 99 list), the Dutones ("The Bird" made the Feb. 25 Top 99), Jerry Butler ("You Won't Be Sorry" is on the March 11 Top 99), Earl Grant (whose "Yes Siree" made the Feb. 25 Top 99), and Johnny Thunder ("The Rosey Dance" is on the March 11 Top 99). "Please Please Me" was again played on WIBG, because I jotted down "The Beattles" on the back of the February 25 list, this time near the top. That suggests I heard "Please Please Me" again early in the week of February 25. The "Beattles" are listed just below the Duprees ("Gone with the Wind" made the March 11 Top 99), the Appalachians, and Timi Yuro ("Insult to Injury" is on the March 11 Top 99). I have to confess I have no specific memory of actually hearing "Please Please Me" at the time, nor do I have a specific memory of hearing "She Loves You" in the fall of 1963, even though I checked it off on the Top 99. My earliest actual memory of the Beatles is seeing a "The Beatles Are Coming" sticker or promo on the counter of a record store in December, 1963 (sometime before Christmas), asking the clerk "what's that?" and being told "they're a group from England." Hope this is of some interest. Alex McNeil Hi Alex! Great to hear from you! Many years ago, Forgotten Hits did a search trying to nail down with all certainty as to who was the very first radio station in America to play a Beatles tune. (You can read the whole article on my website: Click here: Forgotten Hits - Who Played The Very First Beatles Record In America? ) I've talked numerous time with Sam Lit, Hy's son, regarding WIBG possibly being the first station to play "Please Please Me" in 1963, but we've never been able to nail down conclusively the exact date (and, apparently, these records no longer exist at the station ... I had hoped there might be an old programming log or something that might help us establish the correct time stamp on this.) If you're thinking that you first heard this song somewhere between the 18th and 22nd of February, 1963, that puts us right around the same time frame as the WLS debut. As you mentioned in your note (about the station playing the songs BEFORE the new "street sheet" came out), WLS used to do much the same thing ... once a song hit their Top 40 Chart, in addition to showing the record's current chart position, they would also show how many weeks they had been playing it on the station ... so when "Please Please Me" debuted on the charts on March 8th, it showed that WLS had already been playing it for three weeks prior to its hitting the charts. (The WLS Silver Dollar Survey at that time had a Friday "street date" ... and March 8th WAS a Friday in 1964). Tracking back three weeks, that would mean that they first started playing the record the week of February 15th (three Fridays prior), which potentially means they could have started airing it ANYtime during that week. Ron Smith, who worked with Biondi for YEARS over at WJMK, reasoned it to be an even tighter timeframe ... Since it says on the March 8th survey that it had been played for three weeks, the chances are it had been played since at least the week of February 22. This corresponds with the release date of the song -- February 25, 1963. Vee Jay was headquartered in Chicago and it stands to reason they took a copy on that date or perhaps earlier directly to the station, who probably added it immediately. As we know, radio stations always received advance promo copies of songs prior to them being released to the public, the idea being to drum up some interest for the record by radio airplay so that by the time the record actually showed up in the stores, folks would flock in to pick up a copy. This wasn't the case with "Please Please Me" the first time around, however ... it totally flopped. Noted Beatles historian Bruce Spizer pulled sales records from Vee Jay, showing that the initial pressing released in February of 1963 (with The Beatles' name misspelled as "The Beattles") only sold 5650 copies during the first six months of 1963 ... hardly an attention-grabber. I think we're pretty close on the time frame here ... and I feel quite sure that WIBG, big as they were at breaking records nationally, ALSO received an advance copy of this "hot" new single. But I don't think they would have received it any sooner than WLS did. Vee Jay would have sent promo copies out to all of their target radio stations at exactly the same time. (And, being literally right down the street from the WLS studio, they theoretically could have walked over a copy faster than any other station would have received theirs in the mail.) The question now boils down to the actual first air date ... when was new music added to the play lists of any given station (which we may never officially determine ... this is the tenth anniversary of our series and we're still no closer to cold hard facts than we were ten years ago!). Yours is an interesting case to say the least. And as such, at the very least, we may have to officially declare a "tie" until more details show up! (kk) Thanks for your reply. I suppose we'll never know for sure who played 'em first in the USA. With Vee Jay being in Chicago, it would make sense that WLS would get the record promptly and play it, as they probably had a good relationship with the local labels. Just as WIBG did with the Philly labels such as Cameo / Parkway, Swan and Jamie. One (seemingly thorough) internet source says the 2/25/63 release date for PPM is "traditional," and he thinks the actual date was closer to 2/20. In any case, as you note, promo copies would have been in existence before 2/25. But I assume Vee Jay would have mailed their promos to Philadelphia (either directly to the station or to a local sales rep), which would mean it got to Philadelphia later than it would have gotten to a Chicago station. Has anyone ever seen a promo copy of PPM with a radio station date stamp on it? Also, just because I jotted it down doesn't mean that this was the first time that WIBG played it. But my best guess is that I made my notation on February 21 or 22, 1963, as I listened to WIBG just about every weekday in the afternoon after school and in the evening if I was doing homework. But I was less likely to listen on a Friday evening. I'm surprised it sold as much as 5600 copies. I've always wondered how many copies were sold of uncharted or low-charting records of that time. Actually, that's a good idea ... I wonder if anyone has ever happened across a DJ Promo Copy with a date stamp ... now THAT would be enlightening!!! (kk) We pass the baton on to Bruce Spizer and Sam Lit ... Bruce, have you EVER seen a "date-stamped" dee-jay promo copy of the first pressing of "Please Please Me". And Sam ... is there ANY chance in the world that WIBG programming logs still exist from 1963??? All of a sudden, things are getting interesting again! (kk) FROM SAM LIT: Nice to hear from you. You know my position on this. Vee Jay records had a Philadelphia office and the first Beatles airing in America was on WDAS AM in 1963 by a DJ named Georgie Woods. It was hand delivered to WDAS by Gerry Butler who was also recording for the label at the time. Philadelphia, as you know, was at the epicenter of new music exposure from the dawn of Rock & Roll in 1954 for a multitude of reasons. I don't say these matters of record except to clarify the facts. Hy Lit brings the Beatles to Philadelphia: http://hylitradio.com/productlogo/yo6 Sam Lit Hy Lit Radio Technologies Inc. www.HyLit.com See, and I just thought that you'd be happy to see us finally give Philly its due!!! (lol) But if you want to drudge up that whole Georgie Woods debate again, I will ... if only for the benefit of all of the new readers on the list who may have missed it the first three or four times we went through this! Your latest email indicates that Woods played the record in 1963 ... which makes sense. However, all previous communications (and the link you sent me to the "Legends Of Philadelphia Broadcasting" website claim that he first played "Please Please Me" in 1962 ... and, simply put, the timeline doesn't work ... which is why I was so quick to completely dismiss it. According to the "Legends Of Philadelphia Broadcasting" posting, submitted numerous times in the past as "evidence": A couple years later, George (Woods) nicknamed a recording artist “The Ice Man” because he was “so cool on stage.” That was Jerry Butler. In 1962, Georgie Woods started playing on WDAS a “new” group called “The Beatles.” The song was “Please, Please Me” on the African-American owned label, Vee-Jay (the same label Butler recorded for). That "bold" and "matter of fact" statement is what set me off. Woods COULDN'T have played "Please Please Me" in 1962 ... because it didn't EXIST yet in 1962!!! New documentation discovered since our series first ran ten years ago now shows that Vee Jay Records released "Please Please Me" here in The States for the very first time on February 7th, 1963 ... so Jerry Butler COULDN'T have "walked over a copy" in 1962 because the pressing simply didn't exist. When a statement like " first played 'Please Please Me' in 1962 is so BLATANTLY wrong and erroneous, it's difficult to give any credence to any of the other comments that come behind it. EMI / Parlophone, The Beatles' parent record label, did not release "Please Please Me" in Great Britain until January 11, 1963 ... This Philadelphia claim asks us to believe that BEFORE the record was even pressed for British distribution ... BEFORE it would have been presented to EMI's U.S. subsidiary, Capitol Records ... and been turned down by them ... before ANY of this happened (during which time EMI quickly scampered around trying to find another U.S. distributor to pick up the release) ... that Vee Jay Records stepped in ... MONTHS before they even had access to the master ... which they didn't receive until the end of January, 1963 ... and pressed up a special promo copy of this as-yet unreleased single, flew it out to Jerry Butler in Philadelphia, and asked him to get somebody on a Philly station to play the record on the air! The entire concept is PREPOSTEROUS (not to mention ridiculous and pure fabrication!!! Even a kid in kindergarten could shoot this story full of holes!) Nor would anybody have been able to tout The Beatles as the latest British sensation at this point ... although they were clearly establishing their following overseas, it wasn't UNTIL "Please Please Me" came out and topped the charts that true Beatlemania erupted. This was the record that helped MAKE that happen ... so there would have been no way to "pre-sell" the notion that they were the hottest thing happening on the music charts because it simply wasn't true ... because it hadn't happened yet. It was about to explode ... but that would be late January / early February of 1963 ... and NOT any time in 1962. (Their first British release, "Love Me Do" was far from a smash, ultimately peaking at #16 on The British Charts.) Fact is, NOBODY noticed "Please Please Me" the first time around ... it didn't stand out in ANYBODY'S mind ... and it COMPLETELY tanked here in The States. The point of our article was never to imply who first "discovered" The Beatles here in The States ... but rather to establish, once and for all, DEFINITIVELY, who PLAYED this record first in The States. Simply put, playing it had NO impact whatsoever in furthering The Beatles' careers at this point ... it is strictly for historical value that we pursued all of this in the first place. But to boldly claim that ANYBODY ... ANYWHERE ... played this record in 1962 is nothing short of ludicrous insanity!!! And they REALLY need to amend their website accordingly, lest anyone else see it any perceive it as "fact". (Then again, maybe that's exactly their intent!!!) kk March 29, 1964 ... ... one of the most important dates in Beatles History ... Because THAT'S the date (according to The Billboard Hot 100 Singles Chart) that The Beatles accomplished something that had NEVER been done before ... And has never been done since ... On March 29, 1964, The Beatles held down THE TOP FIVE POSITIONS on The Billboard Hot 100 Singles Chart! It was Beatlemania at its "in your face" utmost ... and, admittedly, The United States was a little bit late to the party ... but we wasted NO time catching up! After the release of "I Want To Hold Your Hand" ... and their appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show ... the floodgates opened ... The Beatles were EVERYWHERE ... and The British Invasion had officially begun. The Beatles hit #1 on The U.S. Singles Chart for the first time on January 26, 1964 when their U.S. break-through single "I Want To Hold Your Hand" reached the summit ... and they didn't give up that top spot on the charts until May 3rd, when the unlikely "Hello Dolly" by the nearly 63-year-old Louis Armstrong finally knocked them off their throne. "I Want To Hold Your Hand" hit #1 on January 26th ... and stayed there for an incredible seven consecutive weeks ... before it was knocked out of the top spot by "She Loves You", a Beatles single originally released here seven months earlier to deaf U.S. ears. "She Loves You" remained at #1 for two more weeks before it was replaced by The Beatles' brand new single "Can't Buy Me Love", which vaulted from #27 to the top of the charts in only its second week on the chart on March 29, 1964. It sat there for the next five consecutive weeks, giving The Beatles an incredible run of 14 straight weeks in the #1 position. The impact of Beatlemania was never more obvious than the chart issued for the week beginning March 29th ... coming in at #5 was "Please Please Me", a record that had already peaked at #3 a couple of weeks earlier. Still holding on at #4 was their first chart-topper, "I Want To Hold Your Hand", followed at #3 by the previous week's #1 Record, "She Loves You." Holding down the #2 spot was The Beatles' version of "Twist And Shout" (a record that actually reached #1 on many of the other U.S. Charts) ... followed by their latest global release (yes, America had finally caught up!), "Can't Buy Me Love", which managed to top the charts in only its second week on the list! Perhaps just a remarkable is the fact that The Beatles also held down the #31 spot ("I Saw Her Standing There"), the #41 spot ("From Me To You", a former British #1 Record ... but the B-Side of "Please Please Me" here in the States), the #46 spot ("Do You Want To Know A Secret?"), the #58 spot ("All My Lovin'" ... such was the demand for Beatles merchandise that even this single brought in from CANADA made our charts!), the #65 spot ("You Can't Do That"), the #68 spot ("Roll Over Beethoven", another Canadian single) and the #79 spot ("Thank You Girl"). In addition, records like "We Love You Beatles" by The Carefrees and "A Letter To The Beatles" by The Four Preps could also be found on the chart this week. So could new music by British Invasion acts like The Dave Clark Five ("Glad All Over", #10 and "Bits And Pieces", #48), The Searchers ("Needles And Pins", #15), The Swinging Blue Jeans ("Hippy Hippy Shake", #24) and Dusty Springfield ("Stay Awhile", #75). We again salute The Beatles for the incredible accomplishments. You'll find them in our Sound Advice column today, too ... and be sure to check back tomorrow for an update on our popular "Who Played The Very First Beatles Record In America" series. The Sunday Comments ( 03 - 25 - 12 ) re: MORE MARCH MADNESS RESULTS: The Beatles just beat Neil Diamond. Home team loses. Up next, Chicago vs. Billy Joel. Big Jay is here helping us with the March Music Match-up. More than a few upsets in the REAL March Madness Games, too!!! We saw two 15th Ranked Teams beat two 2nd Ranked Teams this weekend! (kk) Yikes! Chicago beats hometown favorite Billy Joel. Next hour it'll be Chicago vs. the Beatles. Got to go. Wild Wayne's Memory Machine is about to start. Big Jay just announced that the Beatles beat Chicago by 15 votes in the finals of the WCBS-FM March Music Match-up. Here's what the final Brackets look like: Click here: MUSIC MATCHUP 2012 Notice they're calling it the Vinyl Four instead of the Final Four. Clever, don't you think? Here's another match-up idea for you ... Let's see if I can explain this idea to you. Former group member vs. Group. Paul McCartney vs. the Beatles Brian Wilson vs. the Beach Boys Lionel Ritchie vs. the Commodores Ben E. King vs. Drifters Clyde McPhatter vs. the Drifters Clyde McPhatter vs. Billy Ward and the Dominos Jackie Wilson vs. Billy Ward and the Dominos Len Barry vs. the Dovells I'm sure you can think of more to add to the list. Oh yeah, we could probably come up with at least fifty more ... actually, that's not a bad idea really ... or at least a good excuse for a "Double Play Weekend" theme! (kk) Meanwhile The Drive's Album Madness continues ... they've had some GREAT match-ups this past week ... with lots more to come. You can check out their most recent brackets here: Click here: The Drive's Album Madness re: THE ROLLING STONES: Here's more on that upcoming Rolling Stones Documentary that we've been telling you about ... UNTITLED ROLLING STONES DOCUMENTARY FILM: A CINEMATIC JOURNEY THROUGH THE BAND’S EVOLUTION FROM 1963 Release to Coincide with Stones 50th Anniversary Director Brett Morgen / Eagle Rock Entertainment to Release New York, NY (March 21, 2012)– In celebration of the Rolling Stones’ 50th anniversary, Eagle Rock Entertainment is pleased to release a groundbreaking and eye-opening documentary, featuring remarkable revelations from the world’s most legendary band. This is the first film to ever trace the evolution of the Rolling Stones’ from 1963, making it the ultimate Stones experience. The film will be showcased in September as part of the Rolling Stones 50th anniversary celebrations. “We are thrilled to continue our relationship with the Rolling Stones and help to bring this extraordinary documentary film to millions of fans,” said Terry Shand, Eagle Rock chairman and CEO. The film is a cinematic journey through the incredible eye of director Brett Morgen, capturing hours of never-before-seen footage in a rare, uncensored format that reveals the band’s vivid stories told through their eyes and their voices. With paramount access to the band and their materials retrieved from vaults and personal archives, Morgen captures astonishing new interviews and footage. “For anyone who wants to experience the band, this is the film that will defy convention and create a sonic tapestry to transport viewers into the world of the Rolling Stones,” said Morgen, an Academy Award nominee who is known for esteemed work on The Kid Stays in the Picture among many other projects. “The film will deliver the original, bold, sexy and dangerous flavor of the iconic rock band.” Fans go on the road, in the studio, behind the scenes, and witness each band member’s personal, unfiltered perspective on the legendary life of the Rolling Stones – embarking on a journey through 50 years of sex, drugs, and rock and roll. The film is executive produced by the Rolling Stones, produced by Victoria Pearman, co-produced by Morgan Neville and directed by Brett Morgen. It has previously been announced that Thames & Hudson will release the only official and authorized book The Rolling Stones: 50 to celebrate the band’s 50th anniversary on July 12. The book has been possible by privileged access to superb reportage photography from the Daily Mirror ’s archive, the largest newspaper collection of Rolling Stones photography, most of it hitherto unseen. This photographic autobiography features images selected by the band accompanied by their own words. Eagle Rock Entertainment is the largest producer and distributor of music programming for DVD, Blu-Ray, TV, Audio and Digital Media in the world. Eagle works directly alongside talent to produce top quality, High Definition and 3D programs, both concerts and documentaries, including The Rolling Stones, Pink Floyd, The Who, Queen, The Doors, Jeff Beck, U2, Peter Gabriel, Paul McCartney and Ozzy Osbourne. Eagle is a Grammy Award winning company and has received over 30 multi-platinum, over 50 platinum and over 90 gold discs, worldwide. Eagle Rock Entertainment has offices in London, New York, Toronto, Paris and Hamburg. re: DAVY JONES: Still tons of Davy Jones tributes coming up ... here's a short list from our buddy Brad Waddell at Flexquarters: Official NYC Davy Jones Memorial - April 3, 2012 - UpdateWe have been asked who will be appearing at the Official memorial evening. The organizers are not confirming guests at this time. While several special guests are scheduled, it is important to make sure people understand this about David and memorializing his life. Cousin Brucie is the MC, and some of David's family will be there. The Davy Jones Band a/k/a the Monkees 2011 touring band, is the house band. There will be special surprise guests and multimedia tributes. It will be a very special, very intimate night with those who loved David and were a part of his life in music and elsewhere. There will also be very special event merchandise available, and all proceeds go to care of David's horses. All 16 of them. B.B. King's in New York City, the site of Davy Jones next to last concert, will be hosting a special tribute to Davy and the Monkees on Monday, April 9th at 8 pm featuring the Blue Meanies who have previously performed excellent tribute shows to the Monkees, the Beatles, the Kinks and other great 60's music. The Blue Meanies have performed at the Fest For Beatles Fans and will be at the upcoming Metro Fest that Micky Dolenz will be appearing at, which will mark Micky's first public appearance since Davy's passing. If things work out, it looks like I'll be introducing the Blue Meanies on the B.B. King's stage, which will be an honor to appear on the same stage Davy and many other greats like Mike Smith of the DC5 have performed on. You'll find details on the April 9th tribute on the B.B. King's website. http://www.bbkingblues.com/bio.php?id=1521 I hope many on the board here from the New York area will be able to attend the tribute concert. The Shorty Blackwells will perform a very special charity concert in London on April 14th playing the greatest hits and the best album tracks of The Monkees, in memory of Davy Jones. We're aiming to raise £300 for the Multiple Sclerosis Society, the charity that David was very involved with When: Sat April 14th 2012 @ 7.30pm Where: The Comedy Pub, 7 Oxendon St, Leicester Square, London SW1Y 4EE Cost: £5.50 (advance) £7 door. We've set up the event webpage at www.shortyblackwells.co.ukThere you'll find event details, and details of how to save over 20% on tickets for this great event, so click over there now and get in the mood If you're on facebook you'll have seen our event page also http://www.facebook.com/#!/events/399358310091077/ Please 'like' us, and feel free to tell / invite your friends along too. If there's a Monkees song you'd like to see in the set, do let us know via facebook or the website and we'll see what we can do. We're long term Monkees fans (look at our name!) and we'd love all the true Monkees fans in the UK to come together to honour David's memory at this special concert. ‘A Tribute to Davy Jones’ Arcada Theatre, 105 E. Main St., St. Charles IL Tickets, $29 - $55 Ron Onesti will host A Tribute to Davy Jones at his Arcada Theatre in St. Charles, IL on March 30, before the Bill Medley and the Righteous Brothers concert. “He was a very good friend,” Onesti said. “He loved St. Charles. When I first brought him in, he thought it was a very lovely, welcoming town. He literally walked the streets and people couldn’t believe it. He was just a really, really good guy and once you became his friend, you had a friend for life.” The tribute show will include the band The Pondhawks performing Monkees songs, and some common and rare video footage from the “The Monkees” TV show, as well as footage of Jones performing. “It’s classic Monkees video footage and a live music retrospective … Then I’ll come out and tell some stories we’ve shared together,” he said. “We’ll have a gentleman named Michael Bush who was a photographer and also Davy’s road manager on the comeback tour. He’ll have some stories as well.” The tribute will last about 40 minutes, and then the audience will be invited to sign a condolence card for his late wife, Jessica. http://napervillesun.suntimes.com/entertainment/11398429-421/arcada-owner-hosts-davy-jones-tribute.html On Friday night, March 30, in tribute to Davy Jones, Liverpool Productions will be presenting "An Evening of Monkees Memories" at Aldario's Restaurant, 240 Naugatuck Avenue in Milford, CT. The event is open to all ages and doors open at 7 pm. "An Evening of Monkees Memories" features the New Jersey pop-rock band "The Characters." The Characters were a backing band not only for Davy Jones, but also for Micky Dolenz and Peter Tork, and they appeared in The Monkees' video for their song "Heart and Soul." They will be headlining the evening with a full set of the Monkees' hits, along with a second set of favorites from the Monkees' era. There will also be trivia, giveaways and DJ entertainment by Charles F. Rosenay!!! Charles F. Rosenay!!!'s Liverpool Productions, organizers of the event, not only presented Beatles Conventions in Connecticut for four decades, but also produced Monkees Convention in the state in the 80s. Peter Tork was a special guest at two conventions, and Davy Jones was the special guest of honor at one of the events. Charles considered Davy Jones a friend, and they were working on a project together just before the time of Jones' death. The Friday night, March 30 "An Evening of Monkees Memories" tribute to Davy Jones at Aldario's Restaurant in Milford, CT is a dance party which will feature the live concerts by The Characters, DJ entertainment, special guests, a full all-you-can-eat dinner buffet plus open bar. Admission is $40 and reservation can be made at (203) 874-6096. For further info on the event, call Liverpool Productions at {203) 795-4737. http://www.stamfordplus.com/stm/information/nws1/publish/Entertainment_12/An-Evening-of-Monkees-Memories-coming-to-Milford-in-memory-of-Davy-Jones16185.shtml FYI, the latest issue of Rolling Stone (Bruce on the cover) has a nice 4-page tribute to Davy Jones. If I remember correctly, it is a more extensive piece than was posted on-line right after his death. http://nakedpersimmon.tumblr.com/post/19479306490/tribute-to-davy-jones-in-rolling-stone-magazine Editor: FYI: The rock and roll hall of fame is run by the editor of Rolling Stone Magazine ... A Tribute to Jones Rolling Stone surprised me this week with a nice story about the late Davy Jones, who fronted The Monkees for 46 years until he died from a heart attack Feb. 29 at age 66. When Rolling Stone began, it was partly as a reaction against bands like The Monkees, a prefabricated quartet of actors and musicians based on The Beatles. The Monkees were formed to star in a television show meant to satisfy a kid’s attention span and empty parents’ pockets — it was a perfect storm of marketing and music. But The Monkees’ disposable pop was the ideal gateway drug for a generation of kids who got addicted to music via “Last Train to Clarksville” and “(I’m Not Your) Steppin’ Stone.” The songs were good — they’re still good — and it was nice to see Davy’s 19-year-old baby face in all of its 1966 glory. http://www.courier-journal.com/article/20120323/SCENE04/303230010/Calipari-March-Madness-Monkees?odyssey=tab%7Ctopnews%7Ctext%7CEntertainmentAnybody out there still thinking that the press didn't give proper or sufficient coverage to Davy's passing simply isn't paying attention. Here it is ... nearly a full month later ... and we've STILL got all these tributes and events coming up. Davy was well-loved by MILLIONS ... and his fans and friends are STILL showing their love and affection. If any of our readers are able to attend any of these events, please let us know and we'll be happy to run follow-up reports. (kk) re: THE WRECKING CREW: On the suggestion of Forgotten Hits, I bought an e-copy of "The Wrecking Crew" by Kent Hartman (and see? I might have gotten a promo copy from The Beat, but I'd rather support a writer. Helluva a guy I am, huh? : )) I'm not through it yet, but I have to tell you, it's an incredible book. I haven't researched Mr. Hartman to see if he's written anything else, but I'll tell you - he should. The man was born to write. The book is orderly, fascinating and really breaks down each player's back story so it all perfectly makes sense. Informative and fun reading it is, and I highly recommend it to anyone with an interest in the legends involved in this era of music. Just one thing (there always is, right?): near the beginning he mentions that Columbia Records signed as their first rock act Paul Revere & the Raiders. If I am not mistaken (and I often am) my old band, The Rip Chords, were signed first, as "Hey Little Cobra" was recorded around October of '63, well before anyone on the National scene heard of the Raiders. This was followed by Terry Melcher's next production: The Byrds. A small point, to be sure, but as a former Rip I felt compelled to comment. Anyway, thanks for the recommendation, and best of luck and thank you to Mr. Hart. I'd love to get it written up for The Beat, so if you're in touch with the gentleman and if he's interested please give him my email address. All best regards. Yer bud, (Dr.) Bob Rush American Correspondent "The U.S. Beat with Dr. Robert" THE BEAT Magazine Doc_of_Rock@comcast.net I'm actually reading it myself right now, too ... and quite enjoying it. While I don't expect to learn a whole lot of new information, Hartman has done a GREAT job of pulling it all together and finally giving these folks some credit for all their efforts. It's a very enjoyable read and well-written. The short "back stories" on how some of these players all happened to come together are quite interesting. For the record, I have ALWAYS heard that Paul Revere and the Raiders were the first rock act signed by Columbia Records. While they didn't really break through in a major way until 1966, The Raiders began recording for Columbia in early 1963. (You may recall that they recorded THEIR version of "Louie Louie" in the very same studio ... during the very same WEEK! ... that The Kingsmen cut THEIR version of the tune!!!) Interesting, too, that Terry Melcher (long joined at the hip with The Rip Chords) went on to produce both Paul Revere and the Raiders and The Byrds, both of whom went on to greater chart success than his own band!) Wouldn't it have been great if Ken Hartman's book could have come out at the same time as Denny Tedesco's EXCELLENT "Wrecking Crew" documentary?!?! They could have each helped to springboard one another, drumming up FAR more national attention. Word of mouth has been good for both ... and we're BIG fans here in Forgotten Hits land. Thanks, Bob! (kk) Don't know if I missed your notice on this, but legendary guitarist Billy Strange passed away on February 22 at age 81. As Forgotten Hits has been discussing the Beach Boys and the Wrecking Crew, Strange's career included playing guitar on numerous Beach Boys hits including "Sloop John B" and on the Pet Sounds album as well as being part of the famed Wrecking Crew. As the story goes, Strange once took the kind of phone call that thousands of musicians receive on in their wildest dreams. "I was staying at a hotel in Nashville in 1965 when my telephone rang and this unmistakable voice said, 'Billy, this is Elvis. I'd like for you to stop by my studios and play some music with me.' I was absolutely thrilled, so I went along and he just sat at the piano playing gospel songs. We had a lot of fun; so much so that we never got around to recording anything that first day." His career spanned decades as a successful songwriter, arranger and recording artist. He contributed to records by Elvis Presley, the Beach Boys, Willie Nelson, Dean Martin, the Everly Brothers, the Partridge Family, et al. Best known as arranger for Nancy Sinatra's "These Boots Are Made For Walkin'" and her duet with father Frank on "Something Stupid." For more on Billy Strainge: http://www.billystrangemusic.com/ http://articles.latimes.com/2012/feb/24/local/la-me-billy-strange-20120224 Actually yes, we covered his passing quite extensively ... and even included testimonials from some of the artists he worked with over the years. (Scroll back to late-February to find the bulk of it ... but you'll find The Wrecking Crew comes up quite often here in Forgotten Hits!) The Wrecking Crew book mentioned above is worth reading for the Billy Strange / "Limbo Rock" story alone! Classic! This guy played with just about everybody who was anybody back in the day. Check out the Billy Strange discography list on the link above! (kk) re: THE MOB: Kent: Recently, Steve O'Brien (trumpet player and my section-mate in the Mauds) sent me this compilation of YouTube clips of the Mob ... certainly one of the best horn bands to come out of the late 60s and early 70s. Great musicianship, fabulous song writing, and incredible showmanship. While most of your audience was paying attention to the local teen club scene, these guys were tearing it up on the Show Lounge circuit. I'll never forget the first time I saw them. I was 19 and one of my friends snuck me in to George's Show Lounge at Milwaukee and Dempster. Thought you might want these for your archives. I think you have featured the Mob in past issues. Quent Lang http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NJf32mLQnZ8 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FNqlwyeISpY&feature=related http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FdfBmoNqVn8&feature=related http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FP4uaxWMbyM&feature=related http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Z11iOVn4gs&feature=related http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p5sLMsyt1hM&feature=related http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=23T89NqSjHs&feature=related http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wZDIsL37sM4&feature=related http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nTxCvUFBhrk&feature=related http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D4Bfm9AjLBc&feature=related http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ExEW8P_7Vss&feature=related http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zktYPAsjd1k&feature=related http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KseHEPtyu_8&feature=related http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qKM9fNBN6uI&feature=related Thanks, Quent ... will have to check these out. I guess The Mob are back together ... we ran a short blurb for them a couple of weeks back ... they've even launched a brand new website. Cool to see these guys making music again! You know when you mention Chicago ... and The Mob ... these guys are probably NOT the first ones you think of ... but they were pretty big on the local scene back in the late '60's and early '70's ... and even scored a Top 20 Hit Record here in Chi-Town with "I Dig Everything About You" back in 1971. Band member Jim Holvay wrote four of The Buckighams' biggest hits, too! (kk) Hi Kent ... It has been a long time in the making, and I am proud to announce, a great new website for a legendary band. Is your seat belt fastened? Ladies And Gentlemen ... Yes THHHEEEEE MOB! http://www.themobmusic.com Check out the site, look around ... Booking & Press Inquiries 312-675-8151 - Michele Sweeney-Abrams RockumentaryMedia.com Also on the local scene ... re: ROCK AND ROLL ROOTS ... LIVE!!!: In case you hadn't yet heard, I thought you'd enjoy knowing that your favorite Roots series has new life beyond Borders, the bookstores. BOB STROUD PRESENTS ROCK AND ROLL ROOTS of Chicago Live! with special guests, CARL GIAMMARESE AND JIM PETERIK Tickets are on sale now for “Rock and Roll Roots of Chicago Live!” Friday, May 4, at the Mayne Stage at 7:30 pm. Known for his popular radio show, “Rock and Roll Roots,” host Bob Stroud (97.1-FM “The Drive” radio) will present a journey through Chicago music, with guests Carl Giammarese and Jim Peterik. The comfortable setting of Chicago’s Mayne Stage provides excellent acoustics to enjoy live music with Chicago natives and beloved musicians and singers Giammarese and Peterik, along with Bob Stroud. This audience will be the first to enjoy this live presentation of the legendary radio show “Rock and Roll Roots,” which features Top 40 Hits from The Buckinghams, The Ides of March, and some surprises ... music that put Chicago Rock and Roll on the national charts, where it is remains on national radio, 45 years later and still going strong. All seats are reserved and must be purchased before the day of show. Tickets are $45 and may be purchased online, or by calling at (866) 468-3401. Patrons can dine before the show at the theatre’s Act One restaurant located in Rogers Park. Purchase tickets here: http://www.ticketweb.com/t3/sale/SaleEventDetail?dispatch=loadSelectionData&eventId=4436915&pl=mayne Dawn Lee Wakefield re: OTHER UPCOMING AND/OR RECENT SHOWS: ROCKABILLY GUITAR LEGEND CHARLIE GRACIE TO PERFORM AT THE BITTER END MARCH 30 New York - First generation rock and roll standard-bearer and Rockabilly Hall of Fame Inductee Charlie Gracie has set his first New York performance in over five years on Friday, March 30th at 7:30 PM at The Bitter End. Tickets are priced at $15. The New York appearance by South Philadelphia’s favorite son is in conjunction with the recent release by ABKCO of For The Love of Charlie, a new album milestone for the 75 year old legend. Ten of the album’s 12 tracks were produced by Al Kooper who has been a Charlie Gracie fan since his days in The Royal Teens of “Short Shorts” fame. For The Love of Charlie, which includes the track “Back To Philadelphia,” is the first newly recorded release to feature the Cameo Records trademark in more than forty years. The Cameo logo is a nod to the fact that Gracie was the label’s very first significant success: his hit “Butterfly” helped establish Cameo (and its Parkway sister label) as a major indie in the era preceding The British Invasion. “Butterfly,” despite the fact that it was covered by Andy Williams, went to #1 on the charts in 1957, putting Cameo/Parkway in the forefront of the teenage music boom of the era. Likewise, his follow-up, the aptly titled “Fabulous,” solidified Gracie’s legacy on both sides of the Atlantic. Cameo’s hit streak started with Gracie and continued with a string of smashes from Chubby Checker, Bobby Rydell, The Orlons, Dee Dee Sharp, The Dovells and others. Sir Paul McCartney recorded a version of “Fabulous” and other UK rockers have long celebrated Gracie’s spirit and sheer musicality. Van Morrison invited Gracie to tour with him and Jeff Beck and Eric Clapton are on-the-record admirers. For The Love of Charlie, includes vocal contributions from both Graham Nash (who saw Gracie perform even before the Hollies were founded) and Peter Noone of Herman’s Hermits, who named Charlie as one of the most important influences on his musical career. For his Bitter End appearance, Gracie will be backed by Richie Scarlet (guitar/piano) who has worked with Ace Frehley and Leslie West, Russ Wilson (drums), Lenny Lee (bass) and Raeya (background vocals, percussion). On March 29 Charlie Gracie will be broadcasting Live on WFUV at Noon in advance of his Bitter End performance date. Gracie’s early Cameo catalog is chronicled in ABKCO’s The Best of Charlie Gracie 1956-1958, a strong seller since its release five years ago. Additionally, "Baby Doll," a freestanding track by Gracie was the top selling single in Philadelphia shortly after its release earlier this year. It's the first time in over 50 ears that Charlie Gracie is charting on Billboard and headlining a New York date. Last month, Charlie Gracie was honored with a proclamation from Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter, commending “this accomplished musician and exceptional talent for the honor that he brings to our music-loving City and his past, current, and future contributions to the world of music and the lexicon of rock and roll. Fabulous, a documentary film chronicling Gracie’s remarkable life and career is currently airing on PBS stations nationally. More information about Charlie Gracie’s performance date at the Bitter End is available at http://www.bitterend.com/. How about a double bill of Kiss and Motley Crue?!?!? Click here: KISS & Mötley Crüe Announce ‘The Tour’ [Photos] And don't miss these great shows coming to The Arcada Theatre in St. Charles, IL: A Tribute To Davy Jones (featuring The Pond Hawks) ... and The Righteous Brothers, with Bill Medley ... Friday, March 30th Joan Rivers, Live ... Two Shows, Saturday, March 31st, at 7 and 9 pm. This will be a live television taping! The BoDeans ... Friday, April 20th A Night of Chicago with 25 or 6 to 4, featuring original Chicago Drummer Danny Seraphine! ...Saturday, May 5th Greg Lake of Emerson, Lake and Palmer ... Saturday, May 12th Blue Oyster Cult ... Friday, May 18th Three Dog Night ... September 14th Three Faces Of The King ... A Live Tribute To Elvis ... September 15th Kansas ... September 21st More shows are being added all the time ... visit the website at www.oshows.com re: SELLING BACK MY LIFE: A friend visited a yard / garage sale at Melanie's daughter's house recently. Melanie was there helping out and chatting with visitors. A good bit of Melanie's personal memorabilia was being sold. Howard Kaylan recently ran an online "garage sale", too, cleaning out some of HIS memorabilia collected over the years. I guess you hit a point where you realize you can't take it with you ... and, hopefully, it will be of far greater value to someone else who can cherish and appreciate it. Unfortunately in my case, I guess I always assumed that at this stage of my life I'd be in a position to finally add some of the "dream items" that had eluded me for so long ... not have to sell off that which is near and dear to me. (Then again I always thought life got EASIER as you got older, too ... I was wrong about THAT one, too!!!) There IS a value to all of this in the hands of the right collector ... I guess in the meantime I'll just wait it out to see if that person happens to come along! (kk) re: AT ANY SPEED: In regards to what some of your readers said commenting on the record by the Roosters being played at a different speed, the first thing I thought of was a record that came out in 1955 on Decca Records called OPEN UP YOUR HEART (AND LET THE SUNSHINE IN). It was by the Cowboy Church Sunday School. You played it at 45 rpm where the singers sounded like very young kids, but playing it at 33 rpm the singers sounded like the age they really were. Nothing was said on the label indicating to try to switch to 33 rpm. Hey, that gimmick worked pretty well for David Seville! (kk) Bought a 45 by Jan & Dean ... I believe it is "DRAG CITY". First sound is that of a dragster, revving two or three times ... then off she goes and you hear the gear change 3-4 times. That's a 45 ... AT 45 RPM. If you have that 45, put in on your turn table and put the speed to 33. SOUNDS like a huge MAC, taking off! re: COOL CLIPS: Greatest Rock & Roll opening riffs. Video is poor but the music is classic. Are we missing anything? http://www.wimp.com/rockroll/ Yeah, it's a little sloppily put together ... but their heart was definitely in the right place. Some all-time classics to be sure ... instantly recognizable. Seems like The Stones ALWAYS came up with a great guitar hook to kick off their songs. (And Paul Revere would argue that the first five notes of "Good Thing" belongs on this list, too! And, I'd have to cast my own vote for "Kicks"!) kk re: SOUND ADVICE: Probably my all time favorite foreign language song of the rock era has got to be SUKIYAKI, which you co-featured today on Sound Advice. I always did like his follow-up (and he did have one even though it wasn't a hit) a tune called CHINA NIGHTS. To this day I still don't know what he's singing. Speaking of foreign language songs from the rock era, I always did like a tune out of 1963 by Keith Colley called ENAMORADO. Remember that one? Again, didn't really know what he was singing but still liked it. Larry Keith Colley's record was a Top 20 Hit here in Chicago (despite only making it to #66 on the national charts.) And "Sukiyaki" has certainly proven to be a timeless classic (despite the risk it must have been when first releasing it back in 1963.) It has returned to The Top Ten TWICE since Kyu Sakamoto cut it and topped the charts with his version ... first for the "Boogie Oogie Oogie" group A Taste Of Honey in 1981 (#3) and then again for 4 PM, who scored A #8 Hit in 1995 with their version. It just goes to show you what a pretty melody can do! (kk) All that rolling around in the green and no one mentions Tom Jones’ “Green Green Grass of Home”? Love all the work you do ... thanks. Scott Schultz Actually, that was one of the first ones we featured. In fact, we coupled it with Gary Lewis and the Playboys' hit "Green Grass" to kick things off! (kk) Hi again Kent, I just listened to the song "Sandy" by Ronnie and the Daytonas. For what ever reason many times I can not get your daily Sound Advice selections to play. Then maybe the next day I can go back and they will and maybe they won't. Today was the first day this week that I was able to get them to play which makes it nice for me that you leave them up. I have no earthly idea why this happens but it's pretty much a crapshoot. Well ... my computer is nine years old ... anyway ... I have never heard "Sandy" before but I have to say I am a fan. What a lovely song. And on an unrelated topic ... Bela Fleck and the original Flecktones are performing here in Springfield Mo, next Wednesday. Our newspaper says that this is a reunion tour and possibly a farewell tour. After 17 years away ... Howard Levy ... harmonica player and pianist has rejoined the band. Fleck on banjo ... bassist Victor Wooten and percussionist Roy Wooten. Do you know this group? The article says that the band had three albums recorded from 1988 through 1992. They also have a new album "Rocket Science". Do you know this group? I've heard from other readers, too, about the sound clips not always playing the first go round ... and then they play fine on repeat visits. I myself haven't experienced (but Lord knows I've had countless OTHER problems with Blogger and DivShare!!!) I think a lot of this has to do what browser you use to view the site. Mozilla Firefox seems to work best for me ... some of the others seem to be hit or miss. I've been trying to leave the entire week up there so that folks who don't check the website every day (shame on you!) still have a chance to see which tracks we've featured. Also, some of the Internet DeeJays on the list are then playing ALL of the week's songs as part of their weekend programming, so that's working out nicely, too. "Sandy" by Ronny and the Daytonas is a beautiful track that's been forgotten by radio ... really shows the other side of the band's talents. (Another favorite is "Baby Let's Wait" by The Royal Guardsmen ... these guys got so wrapped up doing the Snoopy thing that a beautiful song like this one went virtually unnoticed.) I'm not familiar with The Flecktones ... a local group perhaps? I don't see that they've ever had a nationally charted hit, so I can't say for sure. Maybe one of our other readers can shed some light on these guys (???) kk Most of this year's Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame Inductors have been announced ... Click here: John Mellencamp, Little Steven Van Zandt, Smokey Robinson Lead Rock Hall Presenters The worst album titles of all time: http://xfinity.comcast.net/slideshow/music-worstalbumtitles/38/ I don't agree with a few of them ... seem fine to me ... like 'collie melon' The Closing of Clifton Music. The "End Of An Era". Click here: THE OFFICIAL "WILD" WAYNE WEBSITE Wow! 50 years since The Twist! Kinda makes ya feel old, doesn't it? I believe it remains the only single in the history of the Billboard chart that went all the way to #1 in two consecutive years! 1962 was the year I graduated from El Camino High School in Sacramento, CA. I ran for Commissioner of Entertainment for the second semester that year -- late winter - spring - early summer -- and my campaign theme was: Add A New Twist to 1962. Elect Fred Vail Your Commissioner of Entertainment. My campaign promise was if they elected me, I would bring big name entertainment to the high school for assemblies and dances. I won. I delivered: The Diamonds, Rusty Draper, Jan & Dean, Smokey Robinson and the Miracles, Bobby Freeman, Johnny Crawford (recording star of TV's Rifleman series), Birtha Tillman and Johnnie Morisette (AKA Johnny Two Voice, who's 1962 hit -- as Morisette -- Meet Me At The Twistin' Place, was one of the top selling and charting singles on Sam Cooke's SAR Records) All these artists appeared for free in exchange for me promoting their engagements at local hotel ballrooms and county fair venues. Those appearances also opened the door for me to start producing concerts and booking recording artists into all-night grad parties and teen clubs. Exactly one year later, May 24, 1963, I produced my first Beach Boys concert at the Sacramento Memorial Auditorium. I joined the band that night as their first advance man, marketing manager and emcee. I was 19. I finally met Chubby at a Country Radio Seminar here (Nashville) about eight years ago. I found him to be a very likeable guy who has aged remarkably well. Chubby's celebrating 50 years of "The Twist" in 2012 ... I say, Why Not Party! Fred Vail / Treasure Isle Recorders, Inc. Music City, USA Re: I'M DICKENS, HE'S FENSTER... I was lucky enough to have 'connections' that gave me 'watchable' vhs copies of several episodes of "I'm Dickens, He's Fenster" years ago ... Astin and Engels carried the show ... but from a very young age I was an EMMALINE HENRY fan ... she played Astin's wife ... SHE WAS HOT! Had that 'Dorothy Provine' thing going on! Later, still looking pretty good as Dr.Bellows' wife, Amanda on I DREAM OF JEANNIE. Died in '79, brain cancer, buried in Israel ... only 50 years old ... never married. Well, isn't arm-candy enough reason for watching a show? - RENFIELD (btw - the show is right at the 'edge' of my memory) BTW --- the only LUCK OF THE IRISH ever on around here is a modern one, not the 1930 - 40's Tyrone Power one ... and I must have been thinking of 'Luck of the Irish' being remade as IMDB shows Darby as only one made in 1959. Have Elvis doing SUCH A NIGHT ... original release? Listen to the drawn out drum finish ... then when the sound quiets down, you'll hear a distinct "WOO" ... likely the drummer. Herman's Hermits ... when their song Leaning on a Lamp was first played on radio, when they finished the line "I'm leaning on the lamp post at the corner of the street ... In case a certain little lady comes by ..." Then, as a back sound, someone doing a DO WOP thing ... "Do whackado whackado whackado whackado whackado whackado." On many plays on radio, only an instrumental sound is there. Wonder if the Roger Miller group had anything to do with the exclusion, due to his song DO-WHACKA-DO. Copywrite infringement!? Elvis adopted Freddy 'n' the Bell Boys' version of Hound Dog and closed his performances with it. Steve Sholes noticed he seemed to make no attempt to record it, and when he asked Elvis why not, Elvis said it was a piece of NON RECORDABLE fluff, for finishing the show. Sholes knew Elvis' temperament ... DON'T PUSH. After a short time of days or weeks, he agian approached Elvis and suggested that the audience EATS that song up. (ESPECIALLY THE GALS!) ... bet they'd like to come home from school and listen to it at their leisure. Elvis agreed to TRY IT. Elvis's one fanaticism ... "They, the fans, pay GOOD MONEY to hear me ... I HAVE to give them my BEST!" Even with a song he didn't think was recording material, he still did about 40 takes before he was HAPPY! Might bear double checking, however YOU do such, but I read that, years back. BUUUUUT then two poems he most despised ... SHOOTING OF DAN MCGREW / CREMATION OF SAM MCGEE ... ARE Robert Services' MOST FAMED poems. And, speaking of Elvis, check out THIS story!!! Who would have EVER thought that they'd still be discovering NEW Elvis material after all this time!!! First of all, that it would even EXIST ... and then be in a condition that something can be DONE with it! Simply amazing! The King's career continues. Click here: Rare Elvis Presley Acetate Recordings from His Hollywood Movies Have Been Discovered by The Rare Collections - PR. Bob Lefsetz just ran a piece featuring "behind the scenes" stories and recollections from Bob Cowsill of The Cowsills and Jim Yester of The Association ... AMAZING stuff!!! If you're not already on Bob's list, drop me a line and I'll forward you a copy of it! And, from that same issue, here's is a GREAT clip of Susan Cowsill absolutely KILLING It on "To Sir With Love" ... completely a cappella!!! Amazing!!! Click here: Susan Cowsill, French Quarter Festival 2011: To Sir, With Love - YouTube (kk) Good Morning Kent, Just in case no one has brought it to your attention yet, My Mother the Car is out on DVD. Unfortunately He and She still isn't from what I've found. I remember the show, but I never saw it. From what I saw looking around the net, lots of folks liked it and would like it to be released. It was interesting to find out that the creative team behind Get Smart for the first twp seasons left Get Smart to go and work on He and She which wound up lasting only one season. For some reason I remembered that it was only on for one season. I'm loving the fact that a lot of old and sometimes forgotten about shows are coming to DVD. A lot of these shows loom larger in our memories than they really were. Some simply haven't held up all that well over time ... but I definitely remember enjoying "He And She" when it was on. There was a genuine chemistry between then married couple Richard Benjamin and Paula Prentiss. (kk) Here's a link to a BBC radio programme with 'Boom Boom' talking about his hits and career. I thought you might like to pass it on to your readers (including Freddie himself!) It's only available until the 29th though, so you'll need to be quick! George Van Win http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b0084kjr/Suzi_Quatros_Heroes_Series_2_Episode_5/ We got a really good response to our recent piece on Robin Luke ... "Professor Luke" even sat down for a brief Forgotten Hits Interview ... Now comes this from FH Regular Frank B ... a photo of Robin Luke (with his sister, Susie Darlin'!!!) kk Did you know that Ringo was Joe Walsh's Brother-in-Law? Click here: Joe Walsh Announces First Solo Album in 20 Years Yep ... and he's been on most of Ringo's All-Star Band Tours, too. I heard him on the radio the other day talking about his new album ... hard to believe it's been twenty years. (Think about how long The Eagles have been back together now! Frannie and I watched "Hell Freezes Over" the other night ... and couldn't BELIEVE that that concert was staged eighteen years ago!!! Who'da thunk it?!?!? (By the way, Eagle Glen Frey ALSO has a brand new solo album about to be released. And there's talk of yet another world tour ... this time playing places the band has NEVER played before.) kk Just a quick note on the Horn bands: I saw Blood, Sweat and Tears again this weekend in Minneapolis. The band is still the best out there. Absolutely no reason that they and Chicago should not be in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. I think they need a new person in charge of that. Jason Paige is the new lead singer now (the voice of Pokémon of all things!). He is no David Clayton-Thomas but he brings his own style to the band and has just tons of energy in his show. The band is still top notch, never sounding better. A great show. Pete Heger Dear Friends and Fans of 60s Cinematic Pop, Gary Pig Gold's overview of ABKCO's soundtrack release on HERMAN'S HERMITS has just now appeared at the Roctober Reviews site (and in their print zine soon, too). Here is the virtual address, for one and all to read, reprint, re-post, quote from and / or link to ... http://roctoberreviews.blogspot.com/2012/03/hermans-hermits-hold-on-mrs-brown-youve.html Before his tragic death at the age of 25, Randy Rhoads was on a fast track to being hailed by critics and public alike as the greatest rock guitar player of all time. Over a short two-year period, Randy recorded two seminal multi-platinum albums with Ozzy Osbourne, which are heralded today as among the most noteworthy recordings in hard rock music history. Through his jaw-dropping six-string work on songs such as "Crazy Train", "Mr. Crowley" and "Flying High Again", Randy Rhoads achieved legendary status as a guitar icon and his artistic legacy continues to grow with each passing year. A brilliant guitar virtuoso, Randy's masterful ability of bridging rock and classical techniques helped him forge a groundbreaking style of guitar playing. In 1981, Guitar Player magazine honored Randy by selecting him as best new talent of the year. Humble and self-effacing, Randy refused to rest on his laurels. Instead, being bestowed with this prestigious award motivated him to strive for greater creative heights. Tragically, Randy's life ended much too soon when on the morning of March 19, 1982 he was killed in a small private plane that careened into the garage of a plantation home in Leesburg, Florida. Randy Rhoads' ascendancy to super-stardom was inevitable. Tirelessly honing his craft, he was a devoted student of his instrument, endlessly practicing and perfecting his skills. His days were spent as a guitar teacher and by night he solidified his rising reputation as the "next big thing" on the Hollywood club scene. His big break arrived when he assumed the lead guitar slot in Ozzy Osbourne's solo band. Soon the entire music world would be dazzled by his spectacular flights of fiery fretboard sizzle, swiftly recognizing the merits of this burgeoning guitar genius. With his dynamic six-string wizardry, Randy Rhoads invented an exciting and technically advanced style of explosive hard rock guitar playing that dominated the '80s music scene. Decades later, his massive influence continues to shape, educate and inspire first, second and third generation players and music fans that marvel at his extraordinary musicality and stunning instrumental prowess. Today, Randy's legendary status as a guitar hero is assured, joining the pantheon of rock's Mt. Olympus where he stands proudly alongside such revered guitar heroes as Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton, Jimmy Page, Jeff Beck, and Ritchie Blackmore. No one-trick pony, Randy was well versed in a multitude of musical genres seamlessly cross-navigating rock, blues and classical. In fact, his immense love of classical music continued to be a driving force in his life. Until his untimely death, he continued to take classical guitar lessons in an effort to break new ground as a player. Today, mythologized and immortalized, Randy Rhoads has become a veritable pop culture institution. Paying homage to his pioneering ability, Marshall Amplifiers created a custom amplifier that bears Randy's name and signature sound. Action figures and sculptures with Randy's likeness have become highly sought after collector's items, while Jackson Guitars have sold millions of Randy Rhoads model guitars, pleasing the late guitarist's loyal legion of dedicated followers. His image graces innumerable music magazine covers annually. Finally, after years of anticipation, comes the release of "Randy Rhoads", a biography written by Steven Rosen and Andrew Klein, which vividly documents Randy's life and career. Teeming with hundreds of rare photographs and memorabilia, the book chronicles an oral history of Randy's remarkable life through those who knew him best. Packed with countless emotional and poignant stories about the guitar icon, the book weaves a powerful tapestry of colorful memories about his life, which help provide deeper insight into Randy, the man, the myth, the legend. His life is a lasting testament to his supernatural talent and quiet humility. "Randy Rhoads" is being published by the Velocity Publishing Group, with exclusive distribution through Guitar World. Pre-orders for "Randy Rhoads" will be accepted starting around April 1 via GuitarWorld.com. (Information courtesy Blabbermouth - http://legacy.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=171355) -- Ken Voss And, speaking of new books, I got this from a FH Reader today, too! Hey Kent, My company, Iconoclassic Books, has just reissued two classic books about rock 'n' roll radio. Arnold Passman's 1971 release, The Deejays is available at http://www.amazon.com/The-Deejays-ebook/dp/B007HTKZ6Q and Wes Smith's Pied Pipers of Rock 'n' Roll: Radio Deejays of the '50s and '60s is available at www.amazon.com/Pied-Pipers-Rock-Roll-ebook/dp/B007NDL7W2/ It was a blast working with these authors...Arnie Passman even supplied some new material for The Deejays. We soon will be reprinting Geoffrey Stokes' Star-Making Machinery: Inside the Business of Rock and Roll, the 1976 account of the making and marketing of a Commander Cody and the Lost Planet Airman album. Keep up the great work with the blog! I'm lovin' it!! Rick Baverstock While perusing the survey on your website on WLS' Garage Bands of the 60's, when I saw listed IN THE MIDNIGHT HOUR at #25 by Michael & the Messengers (a group I am not familiar with), it reminded me immediately of the same song done by a group known as Kit and the Outlaws from early 1967 on Philips Records. Their version made it into our top 10 locally here in OKC. Don't know if you are familiar with that group or version or not. Also, a group known as Dick Whittington and his Cats had a cover version out at the same time which also made our local survey. Michael and the Messengers were a Wisconsin-based band who did pretty well on our local charts, scoring hits with their remakes of "In The Midnight Hour" (#5) and "(Just Like) Romeo And Juliet" (#12), both in 1967. I think at least one of these tracks has made the rounds on some of the "Nuggets" collections, thus giving the group a little bit more national exposure than they received during their hey-day. (kk) As a friend of legendary rock vocalist and guitarist Mark Farner, I wanted to make you aware of a documentary that's in the works regarding his life called, I'm Your Captain - The Mark Farner Story. Slated for release in September, 2013, to celebrate both Mark's 65th birthday and the 40th Anniversary of Grand Funk Railroad's "We're An American Band" hitting #1 on the Billboard charts, this movie should be a riveting ride. The producers of the film have a website where fans can participate in funding the project and investors can get involved to the help fund the film - http://www.indiegogo.com/Im-Your-Captain-The-Mark-Farner-Story. If you know anything about Mark's history with his band, Grand Funk Railroad, or his life in general, you know this has the makings to be an excellent documentary. I've had the pleasure of working with Mark over the past dozen years on various tours and benefit concerts, and you'd be hard-pressed to find a more genuine individual. Please help spread the word on the project and join the journey on getting this done. Cheers - Jeff Albright THE ALBRIGHT ENTERTAINMENT GROUP www.markfarner.com www.markfarnermovie.com Remembering Michael Davis of The MC5 ... Click here: Machine Gun Thompson's Blog: MACHINEGUN'S TRIBUTE FOR MICHAEL DAVIS I saw this story on our A.P. service this morning. More tv and movie creators should be like this. Phil - WRCO DUSTY SPRINGFIELD PULLED FROM "MAD MEN" NEW YORK (AP) - Dusty Springfield's song "The Look of Love" has been pulled from the season premiere of "Mad Men" because it's historically inaccurate. The show is a stickler for details, and the song came out in 1967, six months after the events of the episode take place. TV critics noticed. Show creator Matthew Weiner (WY'-nur) says in a statement he's replaced the song with one more suited to the time period. He says the show sometimes takes artistic license with the end-title music but they want to match the music in the show to the time period. "Mad Men" premieres Sunday on AMC. VERY cool indeed. This has been a real stickler point with me for ages now ... when these "time-sensitive" pieces run music material historically inaccurate for that timeframe. Kudos to Matt Weiner and AMC for having the chops to do this! (By the way, "Mad Men" returns ... after an exceptionally long hiatus ... tonight on AMC.) kk “Mad Men” will make its long awaited return on Sunday, March 25th, but is currently under fire from critics due to some historical inaccuracy. Show creator Matthew Weiner has pulled Dusty Springfield‘s 1967 hit “The Look of Love” from the show’s season five premiere because the events of the show took place six months prior to the song’s release. As reported by Rolling Stone, Weiner responded to television critics in a statement saying, “We have replaced this song with one more suited to the time period and you, along with our audience, will hear it for the first time during our March 25th broadcast.” The magazine notes that the wildly popular AMC series generally uses music suitable for the time frame of the show, typically from the 1960s or earlier. One notable instance where this wasn’t the case was during an episode called “Maidenform,” when Louisville rockers My Morning Jacket had their 2005 track “The Infanta” featured during a montage. “Although we take license for artistic purposes with the end-title music, we never want the source music to break from the time period we are trying to recreate,” Weiner continued. “As someone who has a deep appreciation for details, I want to thank you for bringing this to our attention.” -- courtesy of Frank B (and WCBS-FM, natch!) And Jerry Lee Lewis says that he's going to be tying the knot again ... for the SEVENTH time!!! (Don't a good percentage of his wives end up inexplicably dead?!?!?) The Killer strikes again. Click here: EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW: JERRY LEE LEWIS TO WED WIFE # 7 - The National Enquirer I've meant to send you this for the last couple weeks but just been forgetting to do it. When the classical based songs topic came up a couple weeks back this was one that I thought of. I don't think this was released as a single, but it's from the Innocent Man album and is sort of a tribute to both doo wop harmony and Beethoven. The chorus, I believe, is based on a Beethoven piece. "An Innocent Man" is my all-time favorite Billy Joel album ... so I'm quite familiar with this piece. Billy was certainly a classically trained pianist so he probably rehearsed this piece as a child. He actually credits LV Beethoven for the chorus in his liner notes! Yes, it's sometimes amazing how well these classics fit into some of our favorite, modern pieces. (kk) And, speaking of Billy Joel ... re: BILLY JOEL: Watch Billy Joel curse out the audience and go crazy. Click here: Billy Joel Rewind: 1987 Moscow Freak Out Go Crazy, yes ... but if you read the piece, you'll see that he's not cursing out the audience ... but rather the stage crew that keeps lighting up the audience! It is a bit of a flip-out ... but if you know Billy Joel, you know that he's sometimes tempted to "Go To Extremes"!!! (lol) Who Played The First Beatles Record In America? .....

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Rajasthan: IAS officers get charge of two more districts Secretary in-charge of a district have to visit two more districts to check the progress of work for rapid development The administrative reforms department (ARD), issuing a fresh order on Monday, empowered the secretary in-charge (an IAS officer) of a district to visit two or more districts in order to inspect the progress of work and implementation of the schemes of his own department. "According to a fresh order, the secretary in-charge of districts, along with the district of which he/she is in-charge, will also visit and inspect the progress of work of his respective department (of which he is the secretary/principal secretary) in two other districts," said Arun Prakash Sharma, joint secretary, ARD. "This has been done to ensure speedy progress in the implementation of the departmental schemes," he added. This will help in better monitoring of public grievance redressal in the districts. Chief minister Ashok Gehlot earlier suspended nine officials and charge-sheeted three others for showing negligence towards people's problems and for not ensuring public service delivery. He took this decision during a video conferencing with the collectors of all the districts on December 5. The chief minister had said lapses will not be tolerated in ensuring a sensitive, transparent and responsive governance, while stating that public service delivery will be one of the main parameters to evaluate the working of district collectors. He had also asked the officials to set up a cell at Chief Minister's Office (CMO) to monitor and ensure better service delivery by the departments directly impacting the people. Administrative Reforms Department

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Category Archives: Non-Tennis NO, THIS ISN’T TENNIS. But it Seemed Too Funny Not to Post Here. Life Imitating, Um, Art? My column on AOL Fanhouse “All right everybody, let’s hear it for Tropical Time and let’s hear it for Busch Bavarian. If you’re going to drink a beer, you might as well make it Busch Bavarian.” That’s how Jackie Moon, played by Will Ferrell in the movie Semi-Pro, made the introduction. You know how Ferrell movies are just too ridiculous? How they could never come true? Think again. “Ladies and Gentlemen,” he said. “I want you to welcome this man that’s going to attempt the impossible, the $10,000 free throw from the other side of the court. The moonshot.” That was the movie, about a fictional and fledgling team from the old ABA, running ridiculous stunts and promotions to try to stay alive. This is real life: On Saturday night, the Indianapolis Ice of the United States Hockey League held its own impossible-shot promotion. Shoot the puck the length of the ice into the far net, which was blocked off entirely except for a three-inch slot at the bottom. Richard Marsh, a 73-year old retiree who still plays in an amateur hockey league, had the shot. It was for $50,000, and he said beforehand that if he made it, he would donate the whole thing to St. Vincent’s Heart Center of Indiana, which fixed his heart in 2007. In the movie, the basketball fan’s name was Dukes. He needed the money because he was unemployed. “Well, we’ve got an especially dirty hippy here down on the court trying to sink an impossible shot.” That’s what the radio guy said. In the movie. Repeat: the movie. Back to real life, Marsh fired the puck, and you know what happened. He made it. The crowd went nuts. He celebrated. Fifty-thousand big ones for Marsh, Mr. Charitable, and, thus, the hospital. So what happened? Continue reading Leave a comment | posted in Non-Tennis

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Job Opportunites Associated Autoimmune Diseases People who have celiac disease or dermatitis herpetiformis (celiac disease which manifests as a skin rash) are at greater risk than the general population for developing one or more associated autoimmune diseases. These disorders share common genetic and immunological linkages with celiac disease. The prevalence of other autoimmune conditions in people with celiac disease is estimated to be up to 15%. The prevalence of autoimmune disease in the general population is about a third to half that, affecting 5 to 8% of the population. The autoimmune conditions most associated with celiac disease are type 1 diabetes and autoimmune thyroid disease. The tendency to develop autoimmune diseases is believed to be genetically influenced. For reasons that are not completely understood, approximately 75% of individuals with autoimmune diseases are women. In an autoimmune disorder, the cells of the immune system produce antibodies and other cellular products that begin to react against normal, healthy tissue, causing inflammation and damage. This is not a complete listing of autoimmune diseases associated with celiac disease. Anyone who has unexplained, persistent, or recurring symptoms should consult a qualified physician for an evaluation. Insulin Dependent Diabetes Mellitus (Type 1 Diabetes) A disease of the pancreas. The coincidence of type 1 diabetes and celiac disease is 8-10%. Often the second disease to develop is silent (having few symptoms). Symptoms can include excessive thirst, hunger, weakness, frequent urination, blurred vision, trembling, confusion, weight loss, and coma (if left untreated). There are two common forms of autoimmune thyroid disease commonly associated with celiac disease – Grave’s disease and Hashimoto’s disease. Grave’s Disease: An overactive thyroid. Symptoms may include weight loss, rapid pulse, protruding eyes, feeling too warm, restlessness, insomnia, diarrhea, irritability, palpitations. Hashimoto’s Disease: An underactive thyroid. Symptoms may include weight gain, slow pulse, red puffy eyes, feeling too cold, mental slowness, drowsiness, confusion, constipation, enlarged thyroid gland in the neck, thick and coarse hair. A rare disease involving the adrenal gland. The prevalence of celiac disease in people with Addison’s disease is significant. Symptoms of Addison’s may include weight loss, increasing fatigue, lack of appetite, anemia, darkening of the skin, increased sun sensitivity, low blood sugar, low blood pressure, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea or constipation, and dehydration. Autoimmune Chronic Active Hepatitis A disease of the liver that may be mistaken for alcoholic liver disease. Symptoms can include fatigue, abdominal discomfort, itching, nausea, vomiting, bloating, yellowing of the skin and whites of the eyes (jaundice), enlarged liver, tumors on the skin, aching, fever, mental confusion, and cirrhosis. A disease involving muscle function in which nerve impulses to the muscles are impaired. Symptoms can include rapid fatigue and muscle weakness, especially as the day progresses, high-pitched voice, difficulty swallowing, droopy eyelids, unsteady or waddling gait, double vision, enlarged thymus gland. Pernicious Anemia Also known as vitamin B-12 deficiency. In pernicious anemia the lining of the stomach is damaged, causing a deficiency of intrinsic factor. Intrinsic factor is required to absorb vitamin B-12. Symptoms can include fatigue, sore tongue, yellow skin, tingling hands and feet, depression, memory loss, difficulty with balance, shortness of breath, and occasionally heart palpitations. Often seen in combination with other autoimmune diseases, such as lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, or Sjogren’s. It affects the blood vessels. Symptoms may include abnormal sensitivity to the cold, hands or feet change colors from white, purple, or blue to red; and painful spasms with exposure to cold. Scleroderma can affect the skin, GI tract, muscles, lungs, or kidneys. It causes scar tissue (fibrosis) to form in skin and organs. Symptoms may include tight, leathery skin, red and swollen fingers, severe indigestion, heartburn, constipation, diarrhea, muscle pain, weakness and shortness of breath. A disease involving the mucus-secreting glands that causes a reduction of excretions. This can cause dryness of the eyes, mouth, vagina, skin, lungs, brain, sinuses, blood cells, blood vessels, digestive tract, bladder, kidneys, and joints. Symptoms may include painful dry eyes, dry mouth, sores in the mouth, on the tongue or throat, gum inflammation, tooth decay, tooth loss, dry skin, rashes, vaginal dryness, yeast infections, shortness of breath, pleuritis (inflammation of the lining of the lungs), pericarditis (swelling and irritation of the membrane which surrounds the heart), diarrhea, constipation, abdominal pain, chronic sinusitis, confusion, numbness or tingling in the hands or feet, seizures, stroke, kidney disease, fatigue, join and/or muscle pain, vasculitis or blood clots. Lupus can affect many organs and body systems: the skin, joints and muscles, kidneys, heart, brain, lungs, blood and blood vessels, intestines, hearing and balance. Symptoms vary depending on the organs involved, but may include fatigue, fever, anemia, rashes in sun-exposed areas, aching muscles, painful and stiff joints, confusion, seizures, inflammation around the heart or lungs, sores in the mouth, vasculitis, blood clots, and changes in the urine. Lauret E, Rodrigo L. Celiac Disease and Autoimmune-Associated Conditions. Biomed Res Int; 2013; 2013: 127589. Published online 2013 Jul 24. https://www.hindawi.com/journals/bmri/2013/127589/ Neuhausen SL, Steele L, Ryan S, et al. Co-occurrence of celiac disease and other autoimmune diseases in celiacs and their first-degree relatives. Journal of Autoimmunity. 2008; 31(2):160–165. [PMC free article][PubMed] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2630860/ Celiac Disease Centers – Resource List Getting Started on a Gluten-Free Diet Volunteer with GIG © Copyright 2020 - Gluten Intolerance Group Terms of Service Privacy Policy

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Ryder Cup Business Salesroom & Memorabilia Talk about advertising jobs About GBN.com Sandy Jones steps down as chairman of the PGAs of Europe 1.13pm 13th December 2018 - Corporate - This story was updated on Saturday, December 15th, 2018 Sandy Jones has stepped down as chairman of the Association of National PGAs, and will be succeeded by PGA of Holland Chief Executive Frank Kirsten. After 25 years at the helm of the PGAs of Europe, Jones passes on the chairmanship at an exciting time for the Association, where he had agreed a new vision with the Board of Directors that includes greater collaboration and the exploration of digital opportunities with the membership, which was shared with delegates at the recent Annual Congress. “I have thoroughly enjoyed my time as chairman of the PGAs of Europe across the past few decades,” said Jones. “To have been there from the beginning, and then from 1994 to have been chairman, and play my part in the success and growth of the Association has been a wonderful privilege. “Being present as the PGAs of Europe has become an established and influential body within world golf really has been an honour, and is testament to all of the efforts of everyone involved with PGAs across the Association’s membership. I look forward to watching the PGAs of Europe and its Member Country PGAs grow and grow, and wish all of my PGA organisation colleagues the very best for the future.” PGAs of Europe Chief Executive, Ian Randell, said. “On behalf of all the Member Countries of the PGAs of Europe we wish to thank Sandy for all his time and effort in working with the PGAs of Europe – it really has been a pleasure working with him. No individual has had a bigger influence on the Association than Sandy, and his dedication to the success of the PGAs of Europe has been invaluable to us all.” PGA of Holland chief executive Frank Kirsten will succeed Sandy Jones as chairman of the Association of National PGAs The Chairmanship of the Association has been passed to existing PGAs of Europe Board Director, and Chief Executive of the PGA of Holland, Frank Kirsten. He said: “I am very honoured to be following in the footsteps of two fantastic and inspiring leaders in the form of Sandy and Christer Lindberg. The Association continues to advance forward, and our work in uniting our Member Country PGAs more than ever is certainly better for having had these two gentleman as chairmen. I hope I can mirror their passion, efforts, and vigour with the future direction of the Association.” Kirsten has been a PGAs of Europe Director since 2005, having initially held the position of chairman of the PGA of Holland from 1999 to 2010, and the role of Chief Executive of the PGA of Holland since 2010, and is a PGA of Holland Member Professional himself. Jones stepped into the role as Chairman after the passing of the first Chairman of the Association, Christer Lindberg, in 1994. “It was an honour to have been asked to take over from Christer, and he has always been missed since his passing,” Jones added. “I had no idea at the time that I would be in this esteemed role for so long, but seeing the development of the Association and its Member Country PGAs over a number of years has been continually eye-opening and has fundamentally impacted my work with various organisations.” Jones became Chief Executive of the PGA of Great Britain & Ireland in December 1991 and played a significant role in the development of the Association, with initiatives that saw the creation of what is now The PGA National Training Academy, and the continued evolution of the Professional Education programmes and qualifications that PGA Professionals can now undertake in Great Britain and Ireland. Through his role with the PGAs of Europe his work has spread around the world with initiatives that have had a significant impact on golf across the globe. He has also played an incredibly significant role in the Ryder Cup, being instrumental in bringing the PGAs of Europe into the structure of Ryder Cup Europe, but also developing the matches themselves to become one of the largest sporting events in the world, and helping to secure Ryder Cups at the PGAs of Europe’s home, The Belfry, and at Gleneagles in Scotland. Ian Randell • PGAs of Europe • Ryder Cup • Sandy Jones Sign up for our free twice weekly golf industry news summary You can see the latest news letter here. Follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn. 5/7 High Street Dorchester-on-Thames Oxfordshire OX10 7HH publisher@golfbusinessnews.com GBN Archives © 1999-2020 e.GolfBusiness.com Limited | All Rights Reserved. | GBN Privacy Policy Stories Story Categories Directory Entries Directory Products/Services Use the tabs above to select the section(s) which you wish to search. Enter the name of the person, place, organisation or topic for which you are searching. Use as many words as required - there is no need to enclose them in quotation marks. Prefixing a search term with a hyphen/minus-sign will exclude results matching that term. For example 'artificial -turf' will return results containing 'artificial' but not 'turf'. In each month and year listed below every article that has ever appeared in golfbusinessnews is reproduced in reverse date order.

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» Peter Jurasik height and weight | How tall is Peter Jurasik Peter Jurasik Facts: Peter Jurasik height: 5 feet & 10.5 inches Weight: Not disclosed Age: 64 years (April 25, 1950) After working for a while as a stage actor, Peter Jurasik made his hands in television & films ventures. This grey headed actor is now running in his mid 60s though shows his activism in different big & small screen production. He seems to be very optimistic concerning his diets, hence prefer taking healthy meals, however the actor has not revealed about his daily workouts & exercises schedule, his recent body weight is still to be mentioned over his official web pages. Now, talking about his stature, Peter is reported to be approximately 5 feet & 10.5 inches tall in an average build. 64 years old Peter Jurasik was born & brought up in Queens, New York, United States. He is the 25th April, 1950 born child of his American parents. He is the 3rd among his 4 siblings. Now, he resides in North Carolina’s Wilmington together with his spouse & son & is renowned for his acting pro the camera coaching in the University of North Carolina’s Film Studies & Theatre Department. Peter formally participated in numbers of plays during his study at the University of New Hampshire. Amongst Peter Jurasik’s most note worthy guest starring are Dr. Oberon Geiger & an entomologist in 3 different episodes of the series “Sliders” & a single episode of the popular TV sitcom “MacGyver”. He is also praised for appearing as Captain Triplett, a CID inspector in a couple of episodes of well accepted television series “M*A*S*H”. He also landed a role of Mitch Kline in “Bay City Blues”, the 1983 short- lived CBS network sitcom & in the year 1989, he was seen portraying Dr. Simon in a single episode of series “Columbo: Sex and the Marriage Detective”. Peter’s movie roles count Crome & Roy in the 1982 released movie “Tron”, alongside Bruce Boxleitner, his future co- star of Babylon 5 & in the 1990 film “Problem Child”, respectively. He was picked as one of the main cast in the popular TV series “Hill Street Blues”, playing Sid Thurston aka Sid the Snitch from the year 1982 until 1987. He next main role was in the 1993- 1998 television sitcom “Babylon 5”, where Peter was noticed playing Londo Mollari, an ambassador. In the year 2000, the actor made his appearance in an audio venture of “Doctor Who” called “Winter for the Adept”. Moreover to acting, Peter Jurasik along with writer William H. Keith, Jr. wrote a sci- fi novel “Diplomatic Act”. The journal is quite parallel in story & tone to “Galaxy Quest”, the sitcom which was launched a year later. Since a few years, Peter is making his low appearances on both public & on-screen ventures but can be occasionally noticed on different charitable programs & award functions. Leonard Nimoy height and weight | How tall is Leonard Nimoy David Jason height and weight | How tall is David Jason Erick Avari height and weight | How tall is Erick Avari Daniel Bernhardt height and weight | How tall is Daniel Bernhardt Michael Pena height and weight | How tall is Michael Pena

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The Flight of Roger Williams There was a young Puritan minister, named Roger Williams, who lived with his wife and two children in the town of Salem, Massachusetts. His congregation was small, but his labors, especially the comfort he gave to those who were sick or in distress, made him greatly beloved. He at one time had preached at Plymouth, and had visited the Narragansett Indians. He slept in the wigwams, and ate the food of his Indian friends. He went fishing and hunting with them, and learned from them many secrets of Indian woodcraft. After awhile he could speak their language, and for hours would sit around their camp fires and hear them tell their stories. In this way the Indians became his firm friends, and he thus came to understand much about them he would not otherwise have known. When Roger Williams went to Salem to preach, he became very bold in his opposition to many of the doctrines of his Puritan brethren. For instance, it was the Puritan law that everybody had to go to meeting on Sunday, whether he wished to or not. At the beating of the drum, or the ringing of the bell, or the sounding of the horn, everybody, who was not sick in bed, had to march out and proceed to the meeting-house. In fact there was a captain who inspected the houses to see that nobody was in hiding. Roger Williams thought this was wrong. "We should not compel people to go to church. If their own consciences do not urge them to attend worship, let them stay at home," he said. When the Puritans heard of this, they were greatly shocked, and declared Roger Williams a dangerous member of society. To them it was a great crime to stay away from church. Another rule of the Puritans was that every man had to pay a tax for the support of the Church. No matter whether he was a good man or a wicked one, he had to go to church and had to pay for the preacher. Roger Williams thought this was wrong. "No man should pay for his religion unless he wishes to do so. His conscience and not the General Court should determine the amount," he said. When the Puritans heard of this they were still more surprised and shocked, for by this time Roger Williams was becoming so bold that there were threats of sending him out of the community. But this was not all, by any means. Roger Williams declared, "The King of England has no right to give away the lands in America. They do not belong to him, but they belong to the Indians. The Indians alone have a title to them, and it is from the Indians alone they can be bought." This was more than the Puritans could stand. "It is dangerous to have such a man in our colony. He must be sent back to England, or he will break up our religion," said the Puritan leaders, and they straightway ordered him before the General Court. Little mercy did they show the brave minister. "Back you go to England in six weeks, or else you must stop preaching those dangerous doctrines," was what they told him. "I shall not go to England. I came here to find freedom for my conscience and here I find nothing but persecution. You are trying to do in America the very thing for which we left England," replied Williams boldly. So he went on preaching his own doctrines and the Puritans decided to seize him, put him on board a ship, and send him to England. The kind Governor Winthrop secretly sent him word that he had better escape, or else he would be arrested. When Williams received the message, he hastily left his wife and children, and, taking a package of food and a heavy cane, committed himself to the wilderness. It was mid-winter when he started. The ground was covered with snow, and he had only a small pocket compass to guide him through the forest. Fearing that the officers of the General Court would try to overtake him, he traveled only at night, hiding by day in caves or in the deep shelter of the woods. Thus he wandered for fourteen weeks. At night he built a fire as best he could, and cooked the game he had caught in the snow. Oftentimes he had only acorns to eat. If it had not been for the wigwams of his Indian friends, which he found along his journey, he would have frozen to death; and but for their aid he would long since have starved. At length he came to Massasoit, one of his oldest friends, "I have come to live with you. My white friends have cast me out, and I am cold, hungry, and very tired," said he to the Indian Chief. Massasoit took him into his own wigwam, laid him down on a couch of skins, and covered him up so he might be warm. Then Williams slept long, while Massasoit wondered what this friend had done that he was cast out of Salem. When Williams awoke he was given food to eat, a pipe to smoke, and warm clothes to put on. When Massasoit heard his story he said, "Stay here until the snow has gone, and the spring has come. They shall not find you or hurt you." Williams stayed in the wigwam of Massasoit until spring. By this time, the Puritans decided to let him alone, provided he did not come back to them. Hearing this, Williams sent for his wife and children, and, with a few friends who joined him, journeyed to Narragansett Bay in the spring. He bought some land from Canonicus, and made a settlement. "We shall call this place Providence, for the Lord has provided for us," said he. And so it is called to this day.

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Into the Light (musical) Into the Light (Linda Andrews album) Into the Light may refer to: Into the Light (musical), musical from 1986 Into the Light (Chris de Burgh album), 1986 Into the Light (David Coverdale album), 2000 Into the Light (Gloria Estefan album), 1991 Into the Light (Fady Maalouf album), 2010 Into the Light (Phil Stacey album), 2009 Nuclear Blast All-Stars: Into the Light, a compilation album from Nuclear Blast Records Into the Light (Matthew West album), 2012 Into the Light, classical album by The Sixteen Into the Light (Linda Andrews album), 2009 "Into the Light", a song by Siouxsie and the Banshees from the album Juju (Siouxsie and the Banshees album) "Into the Light" (Fady Maalouf song), 2010 "Into the Light" (Rage song) "Into the Light", a song by Gareth Emery "Into the Light" (The Twilight Zone), an episode of The Twilight Zone Into the Light was a radio soap opera This page contains text from Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia - https://wn.com/Into_the_Light Into the Light is a short-lived musical about a physicist who attempts to determine the truth behind the Shroud of Turin. His quest for the truth eventually takes a toll on his relationships with his wife and son. James Prescott, a physicist from Los Alamos, is attempting to prove (or disprove) the truth of the Shroud of Turin. James' obsession with this task strains his relationship with his wife (Kate) and his young son (Matthew). Matthew, to compensate for the lack of his father, instead begins to trust a friend only he can see. Prologue: Poltergiests - Matthew, Kate Neat/Not Neat - James, Father Frank, Kate It Can All Be Explained - James, Father Frank The Data - James, The Team A Talk About Time - James, Kate Trading Solos - Father Frank, Matthew, Friend Let There Be Light - James, Don, Father Frank, Signor Bocciarelli, Archbishop Parisi Wishes - Matthew The Three of Us - Kate, James Rainbow Logic - James Opened at the Neil Simon Theatre on October 22, 1986 and closed on October 26, 1986 after playing 13 previews and 6 performances. It starred Dean Jones as James Prescott. This page contains text from Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia - https://wn.com/Into_the_Light_(musical) "Into the Light " is the debut album by Linda Andrews, winner of the second season of the Danish version of the X-Factor. It was released on June 16, 2009. http://www.allmusic.com/album/r1616529 This page contains text from Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia - https://wn.com/Into_the_Light_(Linda_Andrews_album) add to main playlist

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- Select a Country Report - Albania Armenia Azerbaijan Belarus Bosnia and Herzegovina Bulgaria Croatia Czech Republic Estonia Georgia Hungary Kazakhstan Kosovo Kyrgyzstan Latvia Lithuania Macedonia Moldova Montenegro Poland Romania Russia Serbia Slovakia Slovenia Tajikistan Turkmenistan Ukraine Uzbekistan NiT2016 Russia.pdf NiT2016 Russia_inRussian.pdf Regime Classification: Consolidated Authoritarian Regime Democracy Score: Each spoke of the spider graph represents one category of NIT rated from 1 to 7, with 1 representing the highest level of democratic progress and 7 the lowest. The NIT 2016 ratings reflect the period from 1 January through 31 December 2015. Nations in Transit Category and Democracy Scores National Democratic Governance 6.00 6.25 6.50 6.50 6.50 6.50 6.50 6.50 6.75 6.75 Electoral Process 6.50 6.75 6.75 6.75 6.75 6.75 6.75 6.75 6.75 6.75 Civil Society 5.25 5.50 5.75 5.75 5.50 5.25 5.50 5.75 6.00 6.25 Independent Media 6.25 6.25 6.25 6.25 6.25 6.25 6.25 6.25 6.50 6.50 Local Democratic Governance 5.75 5.75 5.75 5.75 6.00 6.00 6.00 6.00 6.25 6.25 Judicial Framework and Independence 5.25 5.25 5.50 5.50 5.75 6.00 6.00 6.00 6.25 6.25 Corruption 6.00 6.00 6.25 6.50 6.50 6.50 6.50 6.75 6.75 6.75 Democracy Score 5.86 5.96 6.11 6.14 6.18 6.18 6.21 6.29 6.46 6.50 NOTE: The ratings reflect the consensus of Freedom House, its academic advisers, and the author(s) of this report. If consensus cannot be reached, Freedom House is responsible for the final ratings. The ratings are based on a scale of 1 to 7, with 1 representing the highest level of democratic progress and 7 the lowest. The Democracy Score is an average of ratings for the categories tracked in a given year. The opinions expressed in this report are those of the author(s). The instrumental use of violence defined Russian politics in 2015. The year began with the assassination of prominent opposition leader Boris Nemtsov on 27 February in Moscow, just a few feet from the Kremlin walls. Nemtsov’s murder marked a sharp escalation in danger for those who disagree with official policy. The Russian government also relied on violence abroad, first in Ukraine and then in Syria, as a way of boosting nationalism and distracting its citizens from growing economic problems in the country. The increasingly unstable domestic situation, in which the political elite resorted to numerous undemocratic measures in order to stay in power, led to an aggressive foreign policy reflective of government propaganda. At home, the Kremlin took particular aim at Russia’s civil society organizations, placing 111 on the list of “foreign agents” and introducing a new category for “undesirable organizations,” which makes it possible to ban the work of foreign or international non-profit organizations in Russia. The Russian organizations designated as “foreign agents” faced numerous political and administrative barriers that made it extremely difficult for them to continue their activities inside the country. By year’s end, the Kremlin had designated the National Endowment for Democracy (NED), the Open Society Foundations, and the Open Society Institute Assistance Foundation as “undesirable organizations.” The Kremlin retained a tight grip on Russia’s media space, feeding audiences a steady narrative depicting a country surrounded by a coalition of enemies that seek to prevent Russia’s rise, and in which only the current leadership can secure the population’s safety. The authorities also extended their control over the internet by blocking access to popular opposition websites, undermining open dialogue through the use of state-sponsored trolls, and demanding that international companies with users in Russia place their servers on Russian territory, where they are more vulnerable to surveillance by the Federal Security Service (FSB). Elections still represent a threat to the Russian elite. Despite years of tightening repression, opposition actors have proven that elections can serve to mobilize popular disapproval of the status quo. Accordingly, the Kremlin goes to extraordinary lengths to manipulate Russia’s electoral system and minimize the chances of unwanted surprises through a variety of ever-changing approaches. During the gubernatorial, local, and regional elections in September 2015, the Kremlin's refusal to register opposition candidates in many cases, combined with fraud, ensured the president’s United Russia retained the governorship in 19 of 21 regions. While the authorities won almost every elective office in the September 2015 elections, regional and local voting results demonstrated that their support was not uniformly strong across the country. As international courts continued to rule against abuses in the Russian legal system, notably requiring the return to shareholders of $50 billion expropriated in the takeover of Yukos Oil in the mid-2000s, the Constitutional Court declared that Russia could selectively comply with the decisions of international courts, a decision later affirmed in legislation passed in December. These steps contravened Russia’s international treaty agreements, as well as Article 15 of the Russian Constitution, which places international treaty obligations above domestic law. Economic problems in the country caused leadership to take action against key members of the elite who had previously enjoyed skimming off lucrative state resources. The firing of Russian Railways head Vladimir Yakunin and the arrest of two governors of resource-rich regions did nothing to improve rule of law, but did free up resources they had previously monopolized, which could then be redirected to other pressing needs. The failure of the authorities to react to well-documented allegations of crime and corruption in the prosecutor general’s office and the release of a prominent defense official after she was convicted of corruption signaled that impunity for the inner circle would continue. With no effective public oversight or accountability mechanisms, the Russian system remains deeply corrupt. Score Changes: Civil Society rating declined from 6.00 to 6.25 due to the widening crackdown on “foreign agents” and the creation of the new category “undesirable organizations.” As a result, Russia’s Democracy Score declined from 6.46 to 6.50. Outlook for 2016: In 2016, the government will focus its political attention on ensuring that pro-Kremlin parties dominate the September parliamentary elections. Even though the authorities have powerful tools to manipulate voting results and ensure victory, they are not always able to guarantee the outcome. The elections thus remain a focal point for opposition efforts. Risky military operations in Ukraine and Syria, highly volatile oil prices, and Western sanctions have undermined the stability of the Russian economy and will hamper the Kremlin's measures for maintaining domestic control. Growing discontent and hardship in a shrinking economy, as well as the impunity of corrupt authorities, are likely to increase pressure for the kind of far-reaching systemic reform that the authorities have refused to provide. National Democratic Governance: There are no politicians of independent stature to rival President Vladimir Putin. Though Prime Minister Dmitriy Medvedev nominally remains Russia’s second-most important politician, he appears to have little authority. Russia’s system continues to be one of personalized authority, wholly dependent on the president to function in its current form. The political system maintains the rule of the incumbent leaders at all costs, even if it means sacrificing the economic modernization of the country.[1] Despite the population’s declining standard of living and economic difficulties, public opinion polls show that Putin remains popular, even as Russians understand their government is a “bizarre hierarchy of corrupt mafia clans,” as prominent sociologist Lev Gudkov has put it.[2] Other branches of government serve as a rubber stamp for the executive, with no dissent tolerated on important issues. On June 9, the Investigative Committee launched a fraud probe into Ilya Ponomarev, the only member of the State Duma to vote against the annexation of Crimea in 2014. The Duma had already voted to strip him of his immunity, even though he had fled the country.[3] On September 30, the Federation Council unanimously authorized the president to deploy military force in Syria in a surprise session that took place behind closed doors.[4] The murder of opposition leader Boris Nemtsov just outside the Kremlin walls on February 27 brought political violence to a new high, marking the first time a prominent politician had been killed in Russia since Putin came to power in 2000. In late December, the authorities filed murder charges against four men and named the mastermind behind the crime, Ruslan Mukhudinov, who remained at large. Mukhudinov is a member of the Sever battalion organized by the head of the Chechen Republic Ramzan Kadyrov. With his 1.7 million Instagram followers and flamboyant support for the most repressive features of Putin’s rule, Kadyrov is increasingly viewed as beyond Moscow’s control and in competition with other elite power groupings.[5] President Putin’s disappearance for 10 days shortly after Nemtsov’s murder led to speculation that there was a struggle for his support between Kadyrov and some members of the Federal Security Service.[6] Nemtsov’s relatives have asked that the authorities focus on Kadyrov and one of his senior lieutenants, who employed Mukhudinov as his driver.[7] The danger of engaging in opposition politics was underlined again in May when leading opposition figure Vladimir Kara-Murza was apparently poisoned while working for Mikhail Khodorkovsky’s Open Russia as a regional coordinator.[8] Kara-Murza fell ill one day after the release of Open Russia’s documentary “The Family,” which detailed the corruption of Kadyrov’s rule in Chechnya. While the exact cause of his poisoning remains unknown, Kara-Murza, who recovered, has pointed out that the government is ready to “use any means to preserve its power.”[9] The Russian economy declined in 2015 due to low oil prices and Western and self-imposed sanctions that compounded long-ignored structural problems. Retail sales fell by 10 percent nationwide as consumption shrunk.[10] The government has declined to introduce the kind of extensive structural reforms needed to reduce dependence on energy exports and to produce innovative goods and services that are competitive in world markets,[11] and the economy is growing increasingly isolated as a result. Economic links between Russia and Ukraine continued to disintegrate in 2015, and Russia has lost significant trade with the West over its actions in Ukraine. While the president repeatedly denied that Russian troops were fighting in Ukraine, social media evidence and desertion trials for Russian soldiers who refused to go proved otherwise.[12] The report on the war that Nemtsov had worked on, released in May after his death, claimed at least 220 Russian soldiers had died in Ukraine.[13] Putin finally admitted that Russian forces were operating there in his annual December press conference, while also denying that he had ever said otherwise.[14] As the economic situation deteriorates, the government has increasingly presented the country as a fortress undermined from within and besieged from without.[15] The Russian decision to join the war in Syria is partly explained by trying to distract the population from domestic problems through military action that validates the narrative of a Russia defiantly on its own. After Turkey shot down a Russian bomber that had crossed into Turkish airspace along the Syrian border in November, Russia added economic sanctions against Turkey, blocking the import of goods from that country and forbidding Russians to travel to Turkey’s popular tourist destinations.[16] Electoral Process: Although the government maintains a tight grip on power, Russia’s leadership still claims to rule on the basis of popular will. Elections represent one of the few opportunities for Russian citizens to express dissent. Accordingly, Russia’s top political leaders spend extraordinary resources to ensure a favorable outcome. In the September 13 gubernatorial, regional legislative, and local elections, the authorities’ candidates won almost every single race after removing most opposition candidates from the ballot and using state resources to back favored candidates. In 19 of 21 gubernatorial elections, candidates from Putin’s United Russia won in the first round, and a pro-government candidate from the Liberal Democratic Party of Russia (LDPR) won in the first round in Smolensk.[17] The only exception was in Irkutsk, where Communist Sergei Levchenko was able to push the gubernatorial election to two rounds and then prevailed in the runoff in a region where the communists traditionally have been strong.[18] Despite the fact that authorities cancelled the registration of Alexei Navalny’s Progress Party in April,[19] several small liberal parties united under the umbrella Democratic Coalition represented by the registered party Parnas, with Navalny as the leader. Yabloko, which has traditionally refused to collaborate with other democratic parties, did not participate. The new coalition tried to compete in four regions, Magadan, Kaluga, Novosibirsk, and Kostroma, but the authorities only registered the coalition in the depressed, rural Kostroma region. The coalition had little chance of success there under any conditions, and they were registered only three weeks before the vote. Opposition candidates faced harassment from the authorities[20] and ultimately won just two percent of the vote in Kostroma. In Novosibirsk, the electoral commission claimed that many of the signatures the group submitted were not valid, though Navalny and his team provided considerable evidence to the contrary.[21] Overall, the elections set a new record for screening out candidates in regional parliamentary elections: 39 percent of party lists nominated were not registered (the previous record was 34 percent from 2007). The elections demonstrated that the registration system is “manipulated,” creates “practically unlimited opportunities for administrative tyranny” and “is in no way connected to real electoral potential,” as the civil society monitor Committee for Civic Initiatives put it. The most serious opposition candidates and parties were removed from the ballot while those with no support were easily registered. Usually the authorities claimed that opposition candidates had not collected enough valid signatures to register. The “municipal filters” thus made it possible for incumbent governors to compete against unpopular candidates. Only 18 of the 77 losing gubernatorial candidates won more than 10 percent of the vote, while 44 received less than 5 percent.[22] Elections monitor Golos documented 1,736 violations by 11 p.m. on voting night, considerably more than it had found in the regional elections of 2014 and 2013. Among the abuses were previously filled-in ballots, voters shuttled from precinct to precinct in order to vote several times in so-called carousel voting, irregularities in the process of home voting, and vote buying. In Kostroma, the authorities registered a Parzas party, whose similar name to Parnas may have tricked some voters into supporting it.[23] Although the authorities won nearly all the elections, the results varied from region to region, indicating that in some regions, such as Novosibirsk and Omsk, there was demand for alternative leadership.[24] In many regions, United Russia is unpopular even if the president scores much higher in the same polls.[25] The same creativity authorities applied to controlling the 2015 polls appears to already be at work leading into parliamentary elections in 2016. A number of changes have been introduced, including moving the 2016 elections up from December to September.[26] The move pushes the campaign period into the summer, when fewer Russians are paying attention to politics,[27] and holding national parliamentary elections on the same day as regional and local elections will simplify the effort that authorities have to make to retain control. Additionally, according to the new legislation, for the 2016 single-member district elections, Russia’s cities will be divided into several districts with rural sectors added to the urban districts.[28] Putin’s supporters tend to skew rural, so the new electoral boundaries will help dilute potential opposition that concentrates in Russian cities. Civil Society: The campaign against civil society that authorities have waged since Vladimir Putin's return to the presidency intensified in 2015. By the end of the year, the Ministry of Justice had included 111 Russian organizations on its list of so-called foreign agents,[29] and the label had prompted a wave of closures and departures from the country. While being labelled a “foreign agent” does not formally close an organization, the label makes it nearly impossible for the groups to continue their work as before.[30] Different groups chose different strategies for dealing with the designation. Sakhalin Environment Watch (SEW), which had criticized Russia’s Arctic policies, chose to return grants from foreign funders such as the Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation and the Wild Salmon Center.[31] The environmental organization Bellona Murmansk dissolved in October, but said it planned to continue its activities under a different “bureaucratic structure.”[32] Yevgenia Chirikova, an environmental activist who campaigned to protect the Khimki forest, fled for Estonia in April.[33] She feared that the authorities would try to separate her from her children. Nadezhda Kutepova fled to France in July and shut down her organization, Planet of Hopes, which had helped victims of nuclear pollution in the closed city of Ozersk. Local media had accused her of being a spy after the organization was declared a “foreign agent.”[34] The Dynasty Foundation, a major funder of Russian science, ceased operations at the end of October.[35] Implementation of the law is uneven and sometimes arbitrary. Yevgeny Yasin’s Liberal Mission was included on the list in May, but its designation was lifted in September. Yasin was appointed to the Presidential Council for Civil Society and Human Rights in August, which may explain why the authorities did not continue to harass him with the designation.[36] Some other organizations have also been removed from the list. In the case of Svetlana Gannushkina’s Civic Assistance Committee, which assists refugees, the government placed it on the foreign agents list while also partially funding its activities.[37] The government further increased its pressure on civil society on May 23, when Putin signed a law granting the general prosecutor the right, in agreement with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, to declare a foreign firm or NGO “undesirable,” after which the group must close its offices in Russia.[38] “Undesirables” may also have their accounts frozen, and individuals associated with them can face administrative and criminal prosecution, leading to a multi-year prison term.[39] On July 29, the authorities declared the U.S.-based National Endowment for Democracy (NED) an “undesirable organization.” On November 30, the Open Society Foundations and the Open Society Institute (OSI) Assistance Foundation were also added to the list.[40] The Federation Council published a list of 12 organizations (including Freedom House) that it recommended for such a designation on a “patriotic stop list,”[41] in response to which the MacArthur Foundation announced the closure of its offices in Russia.[42] Russia’s crackdown on civil society is damaging efforts to internationalize its universities and make them globally competitive. Top-performing institutions have been encouraged to hire foreign faculty to boost their prestige. However, media outlets then question why the universities would give such spots to foreigners. Vice-Rector Kendrick White was fired from Nizhny Novgorod State University in July after a documentary on state TV questioned why an American would hold such a senior position, alleging he and a business partner were trying to subvert Russian values.[43] He was awkwardly given a different position at the university after an outcry. In September, Izvestiia claimed that Jack Goldstone, an expert on revolutions, may be trying to start one in Russia.[44] Dynasty’s closure also hurt independent funding of academic research in Russia’s most advanced universities.[45] Academics in Russia now have to submit their papers to Federal Security Service (FSB) review before attending conferences or publishing them, according to reports from professors at Moscow State University.[46] The regulations appear to be vaguely defined, publicly deniable, and only selectively enforced. Some protests during the year showed signs of affecting public policies. Russia’s long-distance truckers scored a tentative victory on November 20 when their protests forced the government to stop fining delinquents who refused to pay a new user fee for each kilometer driven on federal roads. The Ministry of Transport said that it had drafted legislation to remove fees for those who did not pay the taxes, but the fees remained in effect at year’s end.[47] The company collecting the user fee is operated by the son of Arkady Rotenburg, a close Putin associate.[48] Some truckers continued to protest at the end of the year. Penalties for protests with political implications remained steep and were harshly enforced. In December, Moscow’s Basmanny Court sentenced activist Ildar Dadin to three years in prison for violating a law adopted in 2014 that laid out much stiffer penalties for individuals sanctioned for illegal protest activities more than three times. The new law is seen as a signal warning citizens against engaging in protests, a particular concern for the regime as the economy worsens.[49] On December 22, a Moscow court sentenced Ivan Nepomnyashchiy to 2.5 years in prison for participating in the protests against the reelection of Putin in May 2012 on Bolotnaya Square.[50] The NGO Memorial declared Nepomnyashchiy one of the 49 political prisoners on its list.[51] On December 30, Putin signed a law that allows Russian security agents to open fire on crowds without warning if necessary.[52] In a case with disturbing implications regarding long-standing rumors of official cooperation with the radical right, a group of Russian ultranationalists including Yevgenia Khasis, Nikita Tikhonov, and Ilya Goryachev were convicted of killing 10 people, including civil rights and anti-fascist activists, between 2008 and 2010. During Goryachev’s trial, Tikhonov and Khasis claimed in court that they had held close ties to the presidential administration, specifically first Deputy Chief Vladislav Surkov.[53] Independent Media: Russia’s leadership continued to rely on propaganda to drill into the population that the country is on the right track. The authorities have imposed their narrative on Russian society by maintaining tight control over all major television networks and important publications, blocking access to popular alternative websites, and shutting down critical NGOs by branding them as “foreign agents.” According to a December Levada Center poll, 85 percent of Russians use television as their primary source of news, but only 41 percent believe what they see there.[54] Enforcing the government line about Russia’s military conflicts continued to be a point of special emphasis. On May 28, President Putin decreed that it was illegal to publish information about “personnel losses during war time and during the conduct of special operations during peace time.”[55] When the Dutch Safety Board concluded in October that the missile that shot down Malaysian Airlines Flight MH-17 in July 2014 was launched from a Russian-made Buk missile system,[56] Russian media provided an alternative theory that sought to shift blame from Russia to Ukraine.[57] Through September, the state media focused on the war with Ukraine, but then abruptly turned to Syria as Russia launched a military campaign to protect the government of Bashar al-Assad. Citizens who spoke out against the official narrative faced harsh punishment. In September, a Tatarstan court gave a three-year prison sentence to Tatar Public Center director Rafis Kashapov for criticizing Russian actions in Ukraine online.[58] In December, Darya Polyudova received two years for posts on social media in Krasnodar,[59] while Tomsk blogger Vadim Tyumentsev received five years.[60] In October, shop assistant Yekaterina Vologzheninova went on trial for “inciting hatred and enmity” against the Russian state through social media postings that were critical of Russia’s annexation of Crimea and fighting in eastern Ukraine. The postings were visible only to her friends.[61] The authorities have listed her as a supporter of terrorism.[62] The deepening political and economic crisis has taken a toll on Russia’s independent media outlets. The prominent Tomsk channel TV2, already forced from the airwaves, had to close its cable broadcasting in February and remains only online.[63] Independent newspaper Novaya Gazeta announced the end of its print edition in March. Dozhd TV, which is now confined to the internet, faced various intrusive and threatening inspections at the end of the year.[64] Legislation adopted in 2014 forcing foreign owners of media outlets to reduce their shares below 20 percent caused changes in media ownership in 2015. After Russian Artcom Media owner Aleksandr Fedotov bought the Russian edition of Forbes from Germany’s Axel Springer, he announced in October that the magazine would have less political content going forward and focus more on “economics and business.”[65] Demyan Kudryavtsev, a former business partner of deceased oligarch Boris Berezovsky, bought out the Finnish Sanoma’s share of Vedomosti and The Moscow Times.[66] Shortly after Kudryavtsev took over The Moscow Times, the editor of the newspaper resigned.[67] It now publishes online and a single weekly print edition. Journalist Oleg Kashin, who was badly beaten in 2010, argued in an open “Letter to the Leaders of the Russian Federation” that Pskov Governor Andrei Turchak ordered the attack on him.[68] The local newspaper Pskovskaya Gubernia, which is published by an opposition politician (see Local Democratic Governance), released information linking the governor to the beating.[69] However, Kashin claims that authorities refuse to arrest Turchak and put him on trial because he has close ties to Putin. On September 11, the man that Kashin claims to have hired the men who attacked him was released from pre-trial detention.[70] Novaya Gazeta’s Elena Milashina had to flee Chechnya after receiving threats for reporting that a 17-year-old girl was being forced to marry an older local police commander.[71] Milashina’s colleagues Anna Politkovskaya and Natalya Estemirova were murdered in 2006 and 2009, respectively, in likely retribution for their work on Chechnya. Overall, the Glasnost Defense Foundation reported 70 physical attacks on journalists in Russia in 2015, up from 58 in 2014, according to the group’s methodology.[72] On September 1, a law requiring data for Russian citizens to be stored on local servers came into effect. The purpose of the law is to give Russian authorities more tools to conduct surveillance of Russians’ internet use when they are using services provided by international companies like Google, Facebook, or Twitter. Companies that do not comply can have their sites blocked by Roskomnadzor.[73] The actual impact of the law remains unclear, as major companies have been reluctant to comply, and Roskomnadzor was reported to be delaying implementation.[74] At the end of the year, Russia was blocking access to 20,725 websites, according to the independent group Roskomsvoboda.[75] Despite the pressure, media still have some ability to channel public opinion to affect policy. Reports about the arrest of Svetlana Davydova, a mother of seven, for allegedly committing treason in support of Ukraine, generated a public outcry that led to her release and the charges being dropped. She had phoned the Ukrainian embassy to warn that Russian soldiers might be heading to the eastern part of the country.[76] Local Democratic Governance: Local politics is also a venue for contestation between opposition and the authorities. On September 24, the Pskov regional legislature expelled its only opposition member Lev Shlosberg, whose newspaper Pskovskaya Guberniya had published information about Russian soldiers fighting in Ukraine and allegations that the Pskov governor had ordered the beating of journalist Oleg Kashin (see Independent Media).[77] Shlosberg also said that the deputies removed him because he fought the designation of his NGO Vozrozhdenie as a foreign agent.[78] Petrozavodsk and Yekaterinburg are two cities where opposition mayors came to power in elections in 2013, spurring conflicts with city councils loyal to the center. When Petrozavodsk’s United Russia-dominated city council tried to cancel direct mayoral elections in August, Mayor Galina Shirshina vetoed the measure.[79] The council ultimately voted to remove her from power on December 25; Shirshina said that she would appeal the move.[80] Yekaterinburg’s city council also sought to remove Mayor Yevgeny Roizman, but the governor vetoed the effort after Roizman resisted.[81] Conditions in the North Caucasus remain unstable. An important part of the region’s Islamist insurgency announced affiliation with the Islamic State (IS) in June 2015,[82] rising in prominence as the al Qaeda-linked Caucasus Emirate faced continued setbacks.[83] Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov rules his republic by imposing tight control with the support of his armed militia and a flow of generous subsidies from Moscow. The reliance on Kadyrov’s personal rule, repression, arbitrariness, economic inequality, and impunity for abuses suggests that Chechnya is not as stable as it seems.[84] In April, he ordered his police to “shoot to kill” any Russian police operating in the republic without giving prior notice. Earlier, police from Stavropol had chased a Chechen suspected of committing a crime and killed him in Chechnya. Kadyrov had to retract the order when the Russian Investigative Committee intervened.[85] To keep control, Kadyrov publically intimidates individuals who criticize him and punishes the relatives of Chechens based in the West who protest his leadership.[86] In Dagestan, Moscow would like to bring the numerous informal fighting groups under the control of governor Ramazan Abdulatipov, but Kadyrov-style tactics have not proven to be effective in the republic, where the ethnic makeup of society is much more complex. The arrest and imprisonment of the once powerful Makhachkala mayor Said Amirov has not made it any easier for Moscow-allied groups to rule the region.[87] Regional governments face deep financial problems as Russia’s economy shrinks. Reduced revenue only exacerbates the ongoing issue of unfunded mandates, in which the federal government seeks to unload expenses and duties onto local governments, but does not provide them with enough subsidies or taxing power to pay for their new responsibilities. In particular, collectively the current debt load of regional governments is more than 100 percent of their annual income and poses a difficult problem for the authorities.[88] By the end of the year, regional and local debts reached nearly 3 trillion rubles ($46.6 billion).[89] The main cause of the problem are the decrees Putin made after returning to the presidency in May 2012, which greatly increased regional social responsibilities without providing additional sources of funding. Judicial Framework and Independence: In June, Belgium, France, and Austria froze Russian government accounts to force the payment of 2014’s $50 billion settlement by the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) in the Hague against Russia for improperly confiscating the property of the Yukos oil company in the mid-2000s. The freezing of accounts also affected the foreign property of the Russian state’s propaganda arm, Rossiya Segodnya (Russia Today).[90] The PCA ruling came just before a separate 2014 ruling from the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) that awarded $1.9 billion to shareholders.[91] These rulings may have led to the government’s decision to revoke its compliance with the ECHR. On July 14 the Constitutional Court ruled that Russia could comply selectively with the court’s decisions.[92] The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe noted that countries that have signed the European Convention on Human Rights are obliged to follow the court’s rulings. Nevertheless, on December 14, Putin signed a law allowing Russia to pick and choose which international rulings it will enforce.[93] Critics point out that this law violates Article 15.4 of the Russian Constitution, which states that international treaties take precedence over Russian law.[94] In a separate case, ECHR found in September that Russia violated the rights of three of the individuals arrested on Bolotnaya Square during the May 2012 protests over Putin’s inauguration to a third term as president. The court ruled that Russia violated their rights to a timely trial and the right to a speedy judicial review of the lawfulness of their detention.[95] The courts are often used as a tool of intimidation. The brother of opposition leader Alexei Navalny, Oleg Navalny, remains in prison after being convicted of fraud at the end of 2014. Alexei received a suspended sentence in the same case, but continues his opposition and anti-corruption efforts.[96] Nadiya Savchenko, a Ukrainian pilot accused of killing two Russian journalists in Ukraine, is also on trial in criminal court. Russia says she entered the country as a refugee, but Savchenko and the Ukrainian government insist she was kidnapped from inside Ukraine and illegally transferred onto Russian territory, and should therefore be entitled to prisoner of war status.[97] On August 25, a Russian court sentenced Ukrainian filmmaker Oleg Sentsov to 20 years in a prison camp for allegedly committing acts of terror in Crimea. His colleague, ecologist Alexander Kolchenko, received a 10-year sentence. The main witness recanted his testimony and claimed to have been tortured.[98] The Russian prosecutor general’s office announced on June 30 that it would review the legality of a decision by the Soviet Union’s State Council granting the Baltic states’ independence in 1991.[99] The announcement raised alarm in Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania, although the Kremlin ultimately distanced itself from the idea. On December 1 Alexei Navalny’s Anti-Corruption Foundation released a video showing a web of corruption centered on Prosecutor General Yuri Chaika.[100] The foundation claimed that Chaika’s son illegally took over a shipping company in Irkutsk and used the funds to build a luxury hotel in Greece and buy a villa in Switzerland. It also claimed that the wife of Chaika’s deputy general prosecutor, Olga Lopatina, had business dealings with wives of members of the Tsapok crime group, which was responsible for the murder of 12 people, including four children, on a farm in Kushchevskaia in Krasnodar Krai in 2010. Two first-instance courts rejected Navalny’s lawsuits charging Chaika with libel after the prosecutor general claimed that the US secret services and American financier William Browder were behind the film.[101] Putin said at his December 17 press conference that he did not want to talk about the case, although he added that did not mean it was not being examined.[102] Impunity also appeared to reign in the high-profile Oboronservis corruption case. Minister of Defense Anatoly Serdyukov was fired in November 2012 amid a scandal at the Defense Ministry-controlled Oboronservis, but returned to government work in October 2015 at the state corporation Rostec.[103] Serdyukov’s former aide and alleged romantic interest Yevgenia Vasilyeva was sentenced to five years in prison for fraud in May, but was released on August 25 after only four months presumably behind bars (although journalists could not locate her during her time of supposed incarceration).[104] Vladimir Yakunin, among the most powerful members of Putin’s inner team, resigned in August as head of Russian Railways, possibly under direct pressure from the president, who may have taken issue with Yakunin’s son’s use of Russian Railways resources to further his own business interests.[105] Though he has not been charged with a crime, Yakunin’s loss of this position was important because controlling key state companies provides individuals access to considerable funds.[106] Yakunin and Rosneft head Igor Sechin had resisted publishing their income statements in April, and only did so in May after Putin insisted they make the declarations.[107] The governors of two regions, Komi and Sakhalin, were arrested in 2015 in what could be a signal that rampant local corruption will not be tolerated, especially as resources are needed for pressing state concerns.[108] In Sakhalin, the governor was accused of corruption and mismanagement, though observers speculated that his removal was more likely a reflection of a desire to gain control of the energy income that Sakhalin produces.[109] In Komi, the authorities charged Governor Vyacheslav Gaizer with heading an organized crime group that includes top regional officials, including the speaker of the legislature and a vice-governor. The charges came as a surprise to many Russian observers because the Komi leaders had seemingly met all the previous requirements of Russia’s deeply corrupt political system: they were loyal to the Kremlin, delivered votes, and maintained stability.[110] Author: Robert W. Orttung Robert Orttung is the assistant director of the Institute for European, Russian, and Eurasian Studies at the George Washington University’s Elliott School of International Affairs, the president of the Resource Security Institute, and a nonresident scholar at the Center for Security Studies of the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, Zurich. He is a coeditor of the Russian Analytical Digest and managing editor of Demokratizatsiya: The Journal of Post-Soviet Democratization. [1] Kathryn Stoner and Michael McFaul, “Who Lost Russia (This Time)? Vladimir Putin,” Washington Quarterly, 3 August 2015, https://twq.elliott.gwu.edu/sites/twq.elliott.gwu.edu/files/downloads/St... Gennadii Gudkov, “Без дна” [The Abyss], 31 July 2015, echo.msk.ru/blog/gudkov/1595054-echo/ [2] Lev Gudkov, “Эпоха стабильности в России закончилась” [The era of stability in Russia has ended], Lenta.ru, 29 September 2015, http://lenta.ru/articles/2015/09/29/stabilnost/ [3] “Lone Russian Lawmaker to Oppose Crimean Annexation Faces Fraud Probe,” Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL), 9 June 2015, http://www.rferl.org/content/russia-ponomaryov-opposed-crimea-annexation... [4] Olga Nadykto, Svetlana Bocharova, and Maksim Glikin, “Совет Федерации единогласно одобрил использование войск в Сирии” [The Federation Council unanimously approved the use of force in Syria], RBC, 30 September 2015, http://www.rbc.ru/politics/30/09/2015/560b951e9a794749375f4bcf [5] Karena Avedissian, “Like Me, I’m an Autocrat,” Open Democracy, 13 November 2015, https://www.opendemocracy.net/od-russia/karena-avedissian/like-me-im-aut... [6] Brian Whitmore, “The Warlord Checkmates the Tsar,” RFE/RL, 18 March 2015, http://www.rferl.org/content/the-warlord-checkmates-the-tsar/26908144.html [7] “Final Charges in Nemtsov Murder,” RFE/RL, 29 December 2015, http://www.rferl.org/content/russian-investigators-indict-five-over-nemt... [8] “Prominent Kremlin Critic Hospitalized in Moscow,” RFE/RL, 27 May 2015, http://www.rferl.org/content/russia-opposition-activist-hospitalized/270... [9] Vladimir Kara-Murza, “The Kremlin’s Continued Attack on Dissent,” World Affairs, 20 November 2015, http://www.worldaffairsjournal.org/blog/vladimir-kara-murza/kremlins-con... [10] Bank of Finland Institute for Economies in Transition, “BOFIT Russia Statistics” page updated 3 February 2016, www.suomenpankki.fi/bofit_en/seuranta/venajatilastot/Pages/default.aspx [11] Vladislav Inozemtsov, “Ни бунта, ни реформ” [Neither rebellion nor reform], Gazeta.ru, 9 September 2015, http://www.gazeta.ru/column/vladislav_inozemcev/7743995.shtml [12] Maksymilian Czuperski, John Herbst, Eliot Higgins, Alina Polyakova, And Damon Wilson, “Hiding in Plain Sight: Putin’s War in Ukraine,” Atlantic Council, May 2015, http://www.atlanticcouncil.org/images/publications/Hiding_in_Plain_Sight... Roger McDermott, “Russian Military Reform: The Ukraine Conflict and Its Impact on Morale,” Eurasia Daily Monitor, 21 July 2015, http://www.jamestown.org/programs/edm/single/?tx_ttnews%5Btt_news%5D=441... [13] Ilia Iashin and Olga Shorina, eds., “Путин. Война” [Putin. War], Putin-itogi.ru, May 2015, http://www.putin-itogi.ru/putin-voina/ [14] “Большая пресс-конференция Владимира Путина” [Major Press Conference with Vladimir Putin], Kremlin.ru, 17 December 2015, http://kremlin.ru/events/president/news/50971 [15] “Расширенное заседание коллегии МВД” [Expanded meeting of the board of the Ministry of Internal Affairs], Kremlin.ru, 4 March 2015, http://www.kremlin.ru/news/47776 [16] “Указ о мерах по обеспечению национальной безопасности России и защите граждан России от преступных и иных противоправных действий и о применении специальных экономических мер в отношении Турции” [Decree on measures to defend the national security of Russia and defend citizens of Russia from criminal and other illegal actions and on the application of special economic measures against Turkey], Kremlin.ru, 28 November 2015, http://kremlin.ru/events/president/news/50805 [17] “Итоги выборов глав регионов 13 сентября 2015 года” [Results of the gubernatorial elections, 13 September 2015], Gazeta.ru, 14 September 2015, http://www.gazeta.ru/infographics/itogi_vyborov_glav_regionov_13_sentyab... [18] “Communist Party wins Governor’s Election in Irkutsk,” Moscow Times, 27 September 2015, http://www.themoscowtimes.com/news/article/communist-wins-second-round-o... [19] “Navalny’s Party of Progress Has Registration Annulled by Justice Ministry,” Moscow Times, 29 April 2015, http://www.themoscowtimes.com/news/article/navalnys-party-of-progress-ha... [20] Maxim Trudolyubov, “Russia’s Latest Fake Election,” The New York Times, 17 September 2015, http://www.nytimes.com/2015/09/17/opinion/maxim-trudolyubov-russias-late... [21] Will Wright, “Russia's Democratic Opposition on the Ropes,” Transitions Online, 19 August 2015, http://www.tol.org/client/article/24913-russias-democratic-opposition-on... [22] “Аналитический доклад № 6 по долгосрочному наблюдению выборов: Итоговая конкуренция, электоральная динамика и закономерности результатов избирательной кампании-2015” [Analytical report no. 6 on long-term election observations: final competition, electoral dynamics, and legality of the results of the 2015 election campaign,” Committee of Civic Initiatives, 13 September 2015, https://www.scribd.com/fullscreen/282275263?access_key=key-NnUUTPG2bSb59... [23] Tom Balmforth, “'Cruise' Voting, Mirror Parties, and a Missing Corpse: Spotting Russian Election Abuses,” RFE/RL, 14 September 2015, http://www.rferl.org/content/russia-spotting-election-abuses-in-kostroma... [24] Vladimir Milov, “Выборы: краткий обзор итогов” [Elections: a brief overview of results], Demokraticheskii vybor [Democratic choice], 14 September 2015, http://demvybor.livejournal.com/715665.html. [25] Regina Smyth, “Beyond United Russia: The Kremlin’s Efforts to Engineer Ruling Majorities,” PONARS Eurasia Policy Memo 302, September 2013, http://www.ponarseurasia.org/memo/beyond-united-russia-kremlin%E2%80%99s... [26] “Подписан закон о переносе выборов в Государственную Думу” [Law signed on postponing State Duma elections], Kremlin.ru, 15 July 2015, http://kremlin.ru/events/president/news/49988 [27] Tatiana Stanovaia, “Перенос выборов в Думу: Кремль утратил чувство меры” [Postponing of the Duma elections: the Kremlin has lost its sense of limits], Slon.ru, 1 July 2015, https://slon.ru/posts/53465?utm_source=slon.ru&utm_medium=internal&utm_c... [28] “Думские выборы совместили с региональными” [Duma and regional elections combined], Slon.ru, 4 November 2015, https://slon.ru/posts/59087 [29] “Сведения реестра НКО, выполняющих функции иностранного агента” [Details on the registry of NGOs acting as foreign agents], Ministry of Justice, http://unro.minjust.ru/NKOForeignAgent.aspx, accessed 13 January 2016. [30] Fred Weir, “Can Russia's only independent election monitor survive Kremlin pressure?” Christian Science Monitor, 27 August 2015, http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Europe/2015/0827/Can-Russia-s-only-indepe... [31] Carol J. Williams, “Activist Organizations Struggling to Survive Under Russian Restrictions,” Los Angeles Times, 14 October 2015, http://www.latimes.com/world/europe/la-fg-russia-activists-20151014-stor.... [32] Charles Digges, “Two Decades of Legal Harassment Dissolve Bellona Murmansk as a Russian NGO, But It Will Continue Its Work,” Bellona, 12 October 2015, http://bellona.org/news/russian-human-rights-issues/russian-ngo-law/2015... [33] Associated Press, “Russia's Leading Environmentalist Flees to Estonia,” The Guardian, 20 April 2015, http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2015/apr/20/russias-leading-envir... [34] Charles Digges, “Russian NGO Leader Flees to France Amid Possible Treason Charges,” Bellona, 22 September 2015, http://bellona.org/news/russian-human-rights-issues/russian-ngo-law/2015-09-russian-ngo-leader-flees-to-france-amid-possible-treason-charges; Ekaterina Selivanova, Nadezhda Konobeevskaia, and Iasha Kapitonov, “Моим детям стали задавать вопрос: твоя мама—агент?” [People have started to ask my children, ‘Is your mother an agent?’], Colta.ru, 4 August 2015, http://www.colta.ru/articles/shkola/8134 [35] “О прекращении деятельности Фонда «Династия»” [On the termination of operations of the Dynasty Foundation], Dynasty, http://www.dynastyfdn.com/news/1308 [36] “Russia's Liberal Mission NGO Excluded From Foreign Agents List,” TASS, 15 September 2015, http://tass.ru/en/politics/821222 [37] Carol J. Williams, “Activist organizations struggling to survive under Russian restrictions,” Los Angeles Times, 14 October 2015. [38] “Внесены изменения в отдельные законодательные акты” [Changes made to certain legislative acts], Kremlin.ru, 23 May 2015, http://kremlin.ru/acts/news/49511 [39] “Чем страшен закон о «нежелательных» организациях?” [What is concerning about the law on ‘undesirable’ organizations?], Meduza, 18 May 2015, https://meduza.io/cards/chem-strashen-zakon-o-nezhelatelnyh-organizatsiyah [40] “George Soros’ Pro-democracy Charity Banned in Russia for Being a Threat to State,” Telegraph, 30 November 2015, http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/globalbusiness/12026144/George-Soros-... [41] Natalia Raibman, “Сенаторы утвердили «патриотический стоп-лист» из 12 зарубежных НПО” [Senators have approved “patriotic stop list” of 12 foreign NGOs], Vedemosti, 8 July 2015, http://www.vedomosti.ru/politics/articles/2015/07/08/599744-senatori-usl... 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[70] Carl Schreck, “Russia Frees Alleged Organizer of Journalist's Beating From Jail,” RFE/RL, 11 September 2015, http://www.rferl.org/content/russia-kashin-gorbunov-released/27242828.html [71] “Russia ‘Forced Marriage’ Reporter Milashina Flees Chechnya,” British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), 14 May 2015, http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-32745569 [72] “Дайджест Фонда защиты гласности № 738” [Glasnost Defence Foundation Digest No. 738], Glasnost Defence Foundation, 11 January 2016, http://www.gdf.ru/digest/item/1/1342#gdf [73] Mike Eckel, “New Russian Internet Data Law Raises Questions about Privacy and Compliance,” RFE/RL, 2 September 2015, http://www.rferl.org/content/russia-internet-data-law-privacy-compliance... [74] “Messaging App Viber Reportedly Bows to Russian Data-Localization Law, Relocates User Data to New Servers,” Meduza, 19 October 2015, https://meduza.io/en/news/2015/10/19/messaging-app-viber-reportedly-bows... 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[80] “Deputies of Petrozavodsk City Council Dismiss Galina Shirshina,” Flashnord News Agency, 26 December 2015, http://flashnord.com/en/news/deputies-petrozavodsk-city-council-dismiss-... [81] Zhanel Kuandykova and Farida Rustamova, “Свердловский губернатор вернул Ройзману должность главы Екатеринбурга” [Sverdlovsk governor returned the position of mayor of Yekaterinburg to Roizman], RBC, 15 July 2015, http://www.rbc.ru/politics/15/07/2015/55a617fd9a79476dc194ce05 [82] Christopher Hawkins, “OSINT Summary: Islamic State Announces Formation of New Wilayaat in Russia’s North Caucasus,” IHS Jane’s 360, 21 June 2015, http://www.janes.com/article/52454/osint-summary-islamic-state-announces... [83] Mairbek Vatchagaev, “Dagestan Increasingly Resembles Chechnya,” Eurasia Daily Monitor, 11 September 2015, http://www.jamestown.org/single/?tx_ttnews%5Btt_news%5D=44360&tx_ttnews%... 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Letter to Squire Patton Boggs—Which Represents Nations That Violate Human Rights and Oppress Religious Freedom—Has Now Reached 5,000 on Capitol Hill 46 Civil Society Leaders Signed Letter to Urge Law Firm to Stop Promoting Interests of China, Qatar and Saudi Arabia WASHINGTON—Earlier this month, 46 civil society leaders representing Christians, Muslims, Falun Gong practitioners, Buddhists and other persecuted faith communities signed a joint letter asking prominent law firm Squire Patton Boggs, LLP, to stop promoting the interests of Communist China, Qatar and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia—countries known for gross violations of human rights and oppression of religious freedoms. Now, more than 5,000 on Capitol Hill, including Representatives, Senators, their staff and others, have also received the letter and have been informed about the accountability campaign to implore Squire Patton Boggs to stop its representation of these nations. Dede Laugesen, executive director of Save the Persecuted Christians, one of the organizers of the initiative, said more than 1,000 have opened the emailed correspondence so far. “We write to you as advocates for religious freedom out of a shared concern that foreign governments represented by your firm are among the world’s most aggressive persecutors of people of faith,” the letter to Squire Patton Boggs read. “It is deeply troubling to us that your prestigious firm and the many good people it employs are currently associated with and providing legal counsel, representation and other services to such nations.” On May 1, several signers to the letter and other civil society leaders gathered to announce the effort during a news conference at the National Press Club, where they communicated that at no time in history have religious minorities been more oppressed and systematically persecuted. The U.S. Department of State’s Office of International Religious Freedom reports more than 80 percent of the world’s population, in a record number of countries, face oppression directly related to belief and religious practices. Among the worst of the perpetrators of such crimes against humanity are regimes represented by Squire Patton Boggs, which includes, in addition to the PRC, Saudi Arabia and Qatar, the Palestinian Authority. Participating in the press conference was Hon. Frank Wolf—one of the most respected former members of Congress and the author of the International Religious Freedom Act—who said, “The world must speak out. And no law firm should represent a country that is taking Uyghur Muslim children and women and putting them in internment camps modeled after what Mao and Stalin did. … During the Carter administration and during the Reagan administration, no law firm or public relations group in this city would have ever represented the Soviet Union. There’s been a shift. “How could they not know? There’s a song by Simon and Garfunkel that says, ‘A man hears what he wants to hear and disregards the rest.’ How can you disregard what’s taking place in China to the Uyghurs? … So, we call on this law firm—and there are many good people in this law firm—we call on them to drop China, to drop Saudi Arabia and to drop Qatar as clients.” View the joint letter online here, and watch videos of the presenters at the May 1 press conference here.

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This is simply a relabled 2600 32-in-1 cartridge. The games are all 2600 versions. 3-D Tic-Tac-Toe Atari 2600 - Released - June 1, 1980 The game is similar to the traditional game of tic-tac-toe, but is played on four 4×4 grids stacked vertically; it is basically a computerized version of the board game Qubic using traditional tic-tac-toe notation and layout. To win, a player must place four of their symbols on four squares that line up vertically, horizontally, or diagonally, on a single grid, or spaced evenly over all four grids. This creates a total of 76 possible ways to win, in comparison to eight possible ways to win on a standard 3×3 board. The game has nine variations: it can be played by two players against each... Atari 800 - Released - December 1, 1979 3-D Tic-Tac-Toe is, as the name implies, a 3D version of Tic-Tac-Toe. The object of the game is to place four X's or four O's in a horizontal, vertical, or diagonal row on the 4x4x4 board. There are nine games of which the first eight games are for one human player against the computer. The numbers 1-8 represent the skill level. Game 9 is a two player game. In the DOS version there are only two difficulty settings and no two player game. Atari 2600 - Released - March 1, 1978 An evil magician has stolen the Enchanted Chalice and has hidden it somewhere in the Kingdom. The object of the game is to rescue the Enchanted Chalice and place it inside the Golden Castle where it belongs. This is no easy task, as the Evil Magician has created three Dragons to hinder you in your quest for the Golden Chalice. There is Yorgie, the Yellow Dragon, who is just plain mean; there is Grundle, the Green Dragon, who is mean and ferocious; and there is Rhindle, the Red Dragon, who is the most ferocious of all. Rhindle is also the fastest Dragon and is the most difficult to... AiRace Speed Nintendo 3DS - September 13, 2013 Race on 18 adrenaline-fueld tracks. Fly extreme speeds with 5 advanced jets. Take the ultimate 3D challenge. Let your Nintendo 3DS discover the true meaning of speed and adrenaline with AiRace Speed. Take the challenge and pilot the most advanced and powerful jets as you compete to beat your best time. Race on stunning high-speed tracks featuring extremlely difficult tunnels, spectacular halls and hidden shortcuts. Take speed to a whole new level and enjoy a frantic new gaming experience: Take the challenge - fly extreme speeds across 18 adrenaline-fueled tracks Stunning... Air-Sea Battle Atari 2600 - Released - September 11, 1977 Air-Sea Battle is basically a target shooting game. On most settings, you are positioned at the bottom of the screen and you shoot at targets at the top of the screen. The various settings provide different targets and weapons with different characteristics. In games 1-6, you are an anti-aircraft gun and you shoot, unsurprisingly, at aircraft. You are stationary. Your control is limited to selecting the time of firing, the angle at which your shot is fired and, on some settings, exertion of minor control over the direction of your missile. In games 7-12, you are a submarine and you shoot... Akka Arrh Arcade - Unreleased - 1982 Akka Arrh was a prototype produced by Atari in 1982. A space shooter where you must defend your spaceship from approaching enemies and prevent them from building a cannon. The game has two main views. One shows the overall area where you electrify zones with your cursor to destroy enemies and the other is a zoomed-in view of the center of the play area. Alpha Beam With Ernie The object of Alpha Beam is to help Sesame Street's Ernie pilot a small shuttle, collect fuel tanks (marked by a letter of the alphabet), and return them to his space ship so that he can return to Earth. The game was marketed as a family-friendly game that could teach children pre-reading skills such as identifying and matching letters. Alpha Beam was compatible with the Atari Kid's Controller, which was sold separately, although the regular keyboard controller is also compatible Anti-Aircraft Arcade - Released - June 6, 1975 Anti-Aircraft is a two-player arcade game by Atari, Inc, originally released in 1975. The game is sometimes referred to as Anti-Aircraft II, denoting the two-player aspect of the game. Arcade Classic 1: Asteroids / Missile Command Nintendo Game Boy - July 1, 1995 Asteroids Navigate a Speeding Spacecraft through Tumbling Debris! Blast a gleaming rocket through descending rocks and crashing rubble! Asteroids is the ultimate celestial obstacle course for unnerving space travel! Missile Command Annihilate Menacing Warheads and Save Civilization! Defend the famous cities from nuclear warheads raining down from the sky! Missile Command is the supreme test of pin-point precision, accurate aim and rapid response! - Two classic arcade super-hits on one Game Boy cartridge! - Programmed to take full advantage of Super Game Boy features! -... Arcade Classic 2: Centipede/Millipede Nintendo Game Boy - 1995 Centipede The Forest is Crawling with Critter Chaos! The forest is swarming with tormenting fleas, lethal scorpions and the dreaded Centipedes. Exterminate this insect battalion or they'll eat you for lunch! Millipede The Garden is Infested with Insect Insanity! A poisonous mushroom garden has been invaded by an army of creepy crawlers! Zap menacing Millipedes, jumping spiders, and nasty earwigs before they multiply into an insect epidemic! - Two classic insect-zapping games on one Game Boy cartridge! - The farther these bug-infested games advance, the faster the mania... Arcade Classic 3: Galaga/Galaxian Galaga The Galaga Military Front has Launched a Full Attack! Accompanied by an escort of evil Zakkos and Goei guards, the Boss Galagas attempt to lock you into their tractor beams. Beat the relentless aliens at their own cruel game by uncovering the secret of the Dual Fighter and unleashing your powered-up wrath on the swooping creatures. Test your aim and build up your ship reserves in the Challenging Stages, too! Galaxian Pilot the Galakship and Conquer the Alien Forces! You are a lone Galaxian warrior chosen for a mission to repel the evil Aliens. Your only defense is your trusty... Arcade Classics Atari Arcade Classics was created to celebrate 20 years of Atari and included new versions of Centipede and Missile Command called Super Centipede and Missile Command II. Both games were co-op games but this arcade game was never released. Arcade Classics: Super Breakout & Battlezone Nintendo Game Boy - Released - 1996 SUPER BREAKOUT In SUPER BREAKOUT, the addictive original game is enhanced with new levels of difficulty and faster action. Play classic, wall-smashing BreakOut, challenge the downward-scrolling intensity of Progressive, break the barriers with twice the intensity in Doubles, or try Cavity for multiple-ball mayhem! BATTLEZONE In BATTLEZONE, peer through the cockpit of your battletank into the world's first virtual landscape. Use visual and radar feedback to hunt and destroy fleets of enemy tanks, missiles and flying saucers. Plot your strategy carefully and keep moving - they're also... Atari 2600 - January 1, 1983 Join your two favorite Gauls-Asterix and Obelix-on a fast-paced treasure hunt for Roman bounty. You'll need quick reflexes to grab the treasure while avoiding the deadly lyres of Cacofonix, the village bard. And watch out! The longer you play, the faster the lyres speed toward you! Your space craft is dangerously situated among fast moving asteroids in an asteroid belt that can destroy your ship on contact. Armed with a front mounted weapon and the ability to hyperspace, you fly through the debris, destroying each rock one piece at a time. Alien saucers visit the playfield from time to time with an eye towards destroying your ship! The objective of Asteroids is to score as many points as possible by destroying asteroids and flying saucers. The player controls a triangular-shaped ship that can rotate left and right, fire shots straight forward, and thrust forward. As... Play the role of a spaceship pilot trapped in a gigantic asteroid cloud and pulverize incoming asteroids with the ship's photon cannon. When all asteroids are destroyed, the player can then move on to the next round. In addition to the asteroids, the player will also face an Alien Robot Saucer which shoots randomly across the screen. The player using the controller may rotate the ship (left or right) to any direction or move the ship forward. Shots will be fired according to the ship direction. The player has three reserved ships available to replace a destroyed spaceship. The spaceship is... Asteroids surround you. Trapped far from home your embattled spaceship hurls towards its doom. You are caught in the center of a gigantic cloud of asteroids. You have no choice. You must pulverize all the asteroids in your path with you photon cannon if you are ever to save yourself and your ship. You have more than enough photon power to destroy all the asteroids you can see, but you can only fire four shots into the asteroid field at one time. You can be hit four times before your ship is finally destroyed. Every 10,000 points you score will earn you another ship. Atari 5200 - May 11, 1982 Trapped in space somewhere between the planets Ortanus and Earth, your ship is suddenly surrounded by a field of massive asteroids. And, as if that weren't enough excitement for one day, a group of alien saucers stage a surprise attack. Quickly you take over the controls to save your ship from imminent doom. You must thrust away from the path of the oncoming asteroids. Put up shields to protect the ship. Hyperspace into thin air. Flip over and get the asteroids attacking from behind. It's all in your hands now. Good luck! Thought to have been planned to be a launch title for the Atari 5200... Asteroids Deluxe Pilot a spaceship equipped with shields and auto-fire as you blast through level after level of rotating asteroids. UFOs and multi-segmented Killer Satellites take chase, searching for an opportunity to destroy your ship. Asteroids Deluxe features modified gameplay intentionally designed to challenge players who had mastered the original Asteroids. Hyperspace was replaced with a new option called "shields", which creates a protective barrier around the players' ship. This barrier is only effective when the button is depressed and held unlike hyperspace, and depletes with use also unlike... Astro Grover Atari 5200 - August 8, 1983 Astro Grover (along with Muppet Go-Round and Big Bird’s Hide and Seek) was part of Atari’s planned children’s line of games for the Atari 5200. These titles would have utilized the 5200 Kid’s Controller, which was actually just a giant keypad that would have easy for children with small hands to use. However, while the 2600 children’s line was released (featuring completely different games), the 5200 games and controller never saw the light of day. The games were however eventually released by CBS on the Atari 8-bit computers and the Nintendo Entertainment System, although some were... Atari Anthology Sony Playstation 2 - November 22, 2004 Atari Anthology contains Atari 2600 games from the 1970's and 1980's. Over 85 games are reproduced, including arcade titles: Asteroids, Asteroids Deluxe, Battlezone, Black Widow, Centipede, Crystal Castles, Liberator, Lunar Lander, Gravitar, Major Havoc, Millipede, Missile Command, Pong, Red Baron, Space Duel, Super Breakout, Tempest, and Warlords. Also included are Atari 2600 titles: 3D Tic Tac Toe, Adventure, Air-Sea Battle, Asteroids, Atari Video Cube, Backgammon, Battlezone, Blackjack, Bowling, Breakout, Canyon Bomber, Casino, Centipede, Circus Atari, Combat, Crystal Castles, Demons to... Atari Baseball Arcade - June 1, 1979 A black and white 2-player baseball game. Atari Basketball Arcade - Released - May 1, 1979 One on one basketball between two players or one player and computer. Giant "Atari Trak Ball" (TM) and one button for control. "Sweet Georgia Brown" at tip-off. Crowd roars with every successful shot. Large cabinet with nearly a 30" x 30" footprint. Large control panel holds two trak ball controllers - players stand side by side during play. Atari Football Arcade - October 1, 1978 Atari Football is a 2-player 1978 arcade game.[2] It was developed and published by Atari, Inc.. In this game, the sport of American football is accurately emulated, with players represented by Xs and Os. The game was one of the most popular arcade games in its day. In 1979, Atari released a more challenging four-player version programmed by Dave Theurer the creator of Missile Command and Tempest. Atari Mini Golf Atari Mini Golf is an unreleased prototype game from 1978. It is a miniature golf game in shades of grey and black and white. Atari Soccer Arcade - Released - April 1, 1980 A top-view, two- or four-player soccer game. This game was programmed by Dave Theurer, who created the classics Missile Command and Tempest as well as I, Robot and APB. In France, Atari and a jukebox brand named 'electrokicker' built a special cabinet for Atari Soccer and renamed it to "Coupe du Monde". Atari Video Cube Help Hubie the Cube Master solve the magical Atari Video Cube. He picks up and drops colors at your command - and you have billions of possible combinations! Atari Video Cube is fast-paced fun for the whole family! The A-Team video game for the Atari 2600 basically consisted of you playing as BA Baracus's head. You would shoot at different enemies either above or below you as you move right or left. When you died The A-Team theme would play. Avalanche is a 2-D game of skill. You control a multi-storied platform with a spinner-knob. Your goal is to prevent the falling rocks from ever reaching the ground. There are six rows of rocks to deal with. You start with a 6-storied platform and you lose one platform per row of rocks cleared. You score points for those rocks you prevent from reaching the ground. Of course, the farther the row of rocks, the smaller and faster they become. Your ultimate goal is to get enough points so that you can continue your game should you lose your first one. Get your hard hat out and prepare to catch... Atari 2600 - June 1, 1979 While the BACKGAMMON Game Program contains instructional features for the beginner, it can also provide challenging gameplay for the most advanced player. It follows the full rules of the game and also contains Acey-Deucey, a variation of Backgammon. Nintendo Game Boy Advance - March 16, 2005 Atari's BACKYARD series is based around the idea of taking original kid characters and teaming them up with the biggest names in sports to play baseball, football, and several other sports. BACKYARD BASEBALL 2006 for the GBA teams player-created characters with Major League Baseball hard-hitters from all 30 MLB teams to compete in tournaments, exhibition games, and other challenges. As the name suggests, the games are mostly played on backyard lots, although some fields, like the Gater Flats swamp, probably don't exist in many kids' backyards. Players have the choice of creating custom... Backyard Sports Football: Rookie Rush Microsoft Xbox 360 - Released - October 26, 2010 The successful re-launch of Backyard Sports continues with the release of Backyard Sports: Rookie Rush in fall 2010. Fan favorite characters Pablo, Dmitri and Joey will play ball with new friends in this action-packed single and multiplayer Backyard Sports Football game which features 12 interactive fields and original turbo-charged power-ups. Expect non-stop fun with over 20+ hours of gameplay, 5 addicting new mini-games, family fun mode, season, tournament and an original story mode - all designed to keep you on your feet and on the field. Barnyard Blaster You and Grandpa are down on the farm. There are critters, bottles, and varmints everywhere -- in the barn, in the yard, and in the cornfield. Grandpa has given you an Atari light gun to help protect the farm. The moving targets are a challenge. Can you hit them? If not, try the veggies! They're fun to shoot at. In the barnyard, bottles and cans on the fence provide great practive for warming up the old shootin' iron. But perfect aim alone isn't enough. You'll need speed, too. In the cornfield, birds swoop from the sky and rabbits scamper among the stalks, Owls and other pests appear inside a... Barroom Baseball Barroom Baseball is an interesting prototype in that it was never intended for home use. As the name suggests Barroom Baseball was a special version of Realsports Baseball modified for use in 5200 arcade units. These special 5200's were modified to run off of a coin operated timer and were intended for use in bars and in Latin American countries where such machines were popular. It is unknown if any of these units were actually produced, but according to internal company memos at least one may have been field tested. To date no other specially modified games have been found. Baseball Heroes Atari Lynx - Released - 1992 The crowd roars as the Mighty Champ steps up to the plate. Wild Joe, the southpaw flamethrower, stares in to his catcher for what seems like minutes. He nods slowly and steps into his windup. He throws a heater right under the Champ's chin. The big man falls to the ground to avoid getting hit. He sits there a second, glaring at Wild Joe, then slowly rises to his feet. The tension is as thick as peanut butter as he steps back into the box. Wild Joe's next two pitches, breaking balls, shave the corners of the plate, bringing the count to I and 2. The Champ steps out of the box and peers at the... Basic Math is a math game for children. Each game gives the player a set of ten basic math problems (i.e. simple addition, subtraction, multiplication, or division) to solve. The player is presented with two numbers and a function, then inputs the answer by cycling through numbers with the joystick. A timer option is available to ramp up the difficulty. The game has eight primary game settings - basically two settings for each mathematical function. Games 1-4 allow the player to select one of the numbers the player will be working with, while 5-8 give random questions. Basketball is an Atari 2600 game loosely based on the sport of the same name. The game features a simple game of one-on-one basketball playable by one or two players, one of the few early Atari 2600 to have a true single player feature with an AI-controlled opponent. Basketbrawl Vinne and Slash are bleeding from knife wounds and the ref is out cold! No wonder the gang members nicknamed this game "Basketbrawl." To them, it's not a game -- it's a street fight. This premise kicks off Atari's action sports game for up to two players. The objective in Basketbrawl is to become the baddest gang in the town by winning the Basketbrawl tournament. To win, you must play three games against each of the five gangs in your city. Each time you move up to the next gang, you will play a team with more players and more dangerous weapons. Each game lasts six minutes -- out score you... Vinnie and Slash are bleeding from knife wounds and the ref is out cold! No wonder the gang members nicknamed this game "Basketbrawl." To them it's not a game--it's a street fight! Gotham City is in desperate trouble again. Catwoman and The Penguin have joined forces to terrorize the entire metropolis! Only you can help Batman foil their deadly scheme and save the city from their fiendish clutches. Atari 5200 - September 15, 1983 A port of the arcade game Battlezone for Atari 5200. Like the arcade game you drive a tank around and shoot enemy tanks while trying to avoid their fire in a 3d environment. It was unfortunately never released and only exists in prototype form. The prototype seems mostly finished but the hit detection seems off at times and not perfected. It also replaces some of the vector based graphics of the arcade with raster likely due to limitations of the Atari 5200. You can also play this with two joysticks which is said to help with controlling the game versus single if you get used to it. Arcade - Released - November 1, 1980 Commonly considered the earliest progenitor of first-person shooters (FPS), Battlezone is a 3D tank game initially released in the arcades, and later converted officially to many systems. Earth has been invaded, and you and your tank lead the defensive effort. You drive around the battlefield from a first-person view, targeting and firing at tanks, planes and UFOs. You have a radar to help you see where the enemies are in direction and distance. Objects can be used as strategic cover. Controls simulate the tracks of a tank realistically, so the direction and speed settings are varied -... A standard enemy tank is worth 1,000 points when destroyed; a supertank is worth 3,000 points; and the flying saucer is worth 5,000 points. The guided missile is worth 2,000 points when destroyed. Each of these targets can be destroyed with a single shot from the player's tank. One bonus tank (a bonus "life" or "man") is awarded when the player's score reaches 15,000 points; an additional tank is then awarded at 100,000 points. The player can hide behind the solids or maneuver in rapid turns once fired on to buy time with which to fire himself. Atari XEGS - November 1, 1980 Gameplay is on a plain with a mountainous horizon featuring a memorable erupting volcano, distant crescent moon, and various geometric solids (in vector outline) like pyramids and blocks. The player views the screen, which includes an overhead radar view to find and destroy the rather slow tanks, or the faster moving supertanks. Saucer-shaped UFOs and guided missiles occasionally appear for a bonus opportunity. The saucers differ from the tanks in that they do not fire upon the player, and do not appear on radar. The player can hide behind the solids or maneuver in rapid turns once fired on to... Atari 2600 - Released - August 1, 1982 The player controls a green stick-figure, representing a "humanoid." Using a joystick (and a firing button to activate a laser-like weapon), the player navigates a simple maze filled with many robots, who fire lasers back at the player character. A player can be killed by being shot, by running into a robot or an exploding robot, coming into contact with the electrified walls of the maze itself, or by being touched by the player's nemesis, "Evil Otto." Big Bird's Egg Catch Atari 2600 - October 1, 1983 Two chickens are laying eggs. You'll know one's about to drop when a chicken stands up. As they drop down the chutes, Farmer Big Bird moves back and forth to catch them. Different chute patterns make the game more difficult. This kids game is based on the classic Sesame Street character. It is intended for use with the kids controller, which is an oversized keyboard controller into which you insert the included overlay for this game. If you don't have a kids controller, the keyboard controller works fine, but you'll have to figure out what the buttons do Sony Playstation Vita - November 4, 2014 The Binding of Isaac is a randomly generated action RPG shooter with heavy Rogue-like elements. Following Isaac on his journey players will find bizarre treasures that change Isaac’s form giving him super human abilities and enabling him to fight off droves of mysterious creatures, discover secrets and fight his way to safety. This unreleased, unfinished game is similar to Broderbund's famous game, Karateka. Select your black belt level (difficulty level) and fight your way through eight rooms. The keypad is used to execute a variety of karate moves, although the game has no collision detection so you can't really fight your enemies. While the game looks promising, you cannot progress beyond eight rooms because you can't defeat your enemies. Black Widow is an arcade game where you control the titular spider trying to protect its web. You move the spider around the web with the left joystick, and use the right joystick to shoot in different directions. Your web is being attacked by other bugs. You must either shoot them or avoid them. Avoiding them means leaving them to the Bug Slayer, a creature that's harmless to you, but is invulnerable and competes with you. After it defeats a bug, you can go after its prey to steal its points. Blackjack is based on the casino card game of the same name. You can play alone or with up to 2 other players against the computer that takes the role of the dealer. The game follows the same basic rules as its casino counterpart. Each player starts the game with 200 chips and each can bet from 1 to 25 chips to get a hand. A player breaks the bank when he reaches 1000 chips and loses when he has no more chips to bet. In both cases, he is removed from the game. At any time, a player may quit or resume the game by using the game select switch. A player who went broke or who reached 1000 chips... As the name suggests, this arcade conversion updates the basic Asteroids gameplay. That means to say that the main gameplay consists of flying through single-screen wrap-around levels shooting at rocks, which split into smaller rocks when hit, eventually becoming small enough to disappear. In this case the Asteroids are protecting Mukor, an evil being who is poisoning planets under the Colonising Corp’s control. Each level is split into either 9 or 16 sub-levels, which are chosen through a square in which any remaining level which is adjacent to the last level completed can be selected.... As the name implies, Boogie is not a game but a music demo. This prototype displays the 5200 splash screen while continuously playing a "boogie" tune. The music is somewhat interesting, and shows off the 5200's music abilities fairly well. It's unknown whether this prototype was made simply as a learning tool, or if some kind of music game was being planned. Additional info: Boogie Demo, Atari, Music, 1982. Boogie demo was coded by Atari for internal use as a demonstration of the audio capabilities of the Atari 5200. The cartridge plays an impressive little boogie, then repeats. There is... Atari 2600 - Released - October 1, 1979 Your objective is to roll as high a score as possible, whether you're playing a one-player or a two-player game. There are ten "pins" to knock down. You have two tries (or rolls) to knock down the pins each time you're up. Each game consists of ten "frames" (or turns). If you succeed in knocking down all the pins on your first roll, it's called a "strike". A strike is marked with an "x" on the TV screen. If you leave pins standing, but "pick them up" on your second try, it's called a "spare". Spares are marked with a "/" on the screen. An "open frame" occurs when you fail to... Bradley Trainer This is the military version of Battlezone. You do not control the tank, just the turret. Enemy tanks do not fire at you. The only way to lose is to run out of ammo or shoot a friendly tank. This was designed to be more of a training tool for the US Armed forces than an actual game. In Brain Games one or two players attempt to earn as many points as possible by solving various puzzles presented by the computer. There are six different puzzles included, which are: •Touch Me: The computer will play a sequence of tones. Each button on the controller represents a different tone, and by pressing the correct button you need to recreate the same sequence. •Count Me: The computer will display a sequence of numbers. Using the controller, you need to press the numbered buttons in the same order the computer displayed them. •Picture Me: The computer will display a series of... In the game, a layer of bricks lines the top third of the screen. A ball travels across the screen, bouncing off the top and side walls of the screen. When a brick is hit, the ball bounces away and the brick is destroyed. The player loses a turn when the ball touches the bottom of the screen. To prevent this from happening, the player has a movable paddle to bounce the ball upward, keeping it in play. Arcade - Released - May 13, 1976 Breakout is an arcade game developed and published by Atari, Inc. It was conceptualized by Nolan Bushnell and Steve Bristow, influenced by the 1972 Atari arcade game Pong, and built by Steve Wozniak aided by Steve Jobs. The game was ported to multiple platforms and upgraded to video games such as Super Breakout. In addition, Breakout was the basis and inspiration for certain aspects of the Apple II personal computer. In the game, a layer of bricks lines the top third of the screen. A ball travels across the screen, bouncing off the top and side walls of the screen. When a brick is hit, the... California Speed Arcade - January 1, 1998 California Speed features racing through California, with a range of different and unique tracks based on the real life maps of the US state, with short-cuts and branching elements adding elements of strategy when racing to the finish line.The car pool includes the usual collection of fast cars, as well as F1 racers and golf-carts. Owen Rubin (first Atari coin-op game programmer) - Cannonball game story: I have been asked about the very first game I worked on at Atari and how my first creation took place. That would be the coin-op version of Cannon Ball. The game was one of the very early microprocessor games created at Atari in early 1976. I liked playing the game Stunt Cycle, a hardware only game where you jumped a motorcycle over an ever increasing array of buses, and wanted something that easy with increasing difficulty. At that time, video games were almost completely created by four people: The hardware engineer,... Canyon Bomber Two aircraft (yours and your opponent's) fly over a canyon filled with layers of colorful bricks, a la Breakout. Using the fire button on your paddle controller, you earn points by dropping bombs into the canyon and destroying as many blocks as possible. The player with the highest score at the end of the game wins. This game is extremely limited in that it is played using only the paddle controller's fire button. You do not control the movement of the planes and helicopters, but rather you must time your shots to do the most damage. The cartridge includes a secondary variation titled... CANYON BOMBER GAMES GAME 1: Canyon Bomber (One-Player) Test your skill against the computer. It's not an easy task. You've got six misses in which to match wits with the computer for a higher score. Each time the bricks in the canyon are hit, the remaining bricks "fall" to a lower level (rather than remaining stationary in their original position). Bricks that fall to a lower level are worth the points designated for that level. Keep an eye on the solid bar beneath your score on the upper right side of the screen. It is a "miss indicator" and gradually decreases in length each time... There are 3 card games available: Black Jack, Stud Poker and Poker Solitaire Catch was a prototype produced by Atari in 1977. Move a stack of paddles left and right to catch falling rocks. This was an early prototype version if 1978's Avalanche. Caverns of Mars An excellent arcade-style shooter, Caverns of Mars is a downward-scrolling game where players must pilot their craft through a series of five underground levels filled with alien ships, narrow passageways and a variety of obstacles, including blue diamonds, force field barriers and floating space mines. Fuel must be collected along the way, and at the bottom of the last level a Martian base must be destroyed. Horizontal sections provide variety, scrolling is smooth, and the fast paced, though methodical shooting action is intensely enjoyable, making this a truly addictive game. Caverns of Mars is a computer game for the Atari 8-bit computers, programmed by Greg Christensen and published by Atari Program Exchange (APX) in 1981. It became the best selling APX title of all time, eventually being released by Atari in game cartridge format. BBC Microcomputer System - Released - 1982 Superior Software's conversion of the Atari game. The BBC Micro conversion was by Richard Hanson. You have to shoot the sections of the centipede as it moves through the mushrooms, before it gets to the bottom of the screen and touches your ship. The player moves the character about the bottom area of the screen and fires laser shots at a centipede advancing from the top of the screen down through a field of mushrooms. Shooting any section of the centipede creates a mushroom; shooting one of the middle segments splits the centipede into two pieces at that point. Each piece then continues independently on its way down the board, with the first section of the rear piece becoming a new head. If the head is destroyed, the section behind it becomes the next head. A good port of the coin-op classic. The 7800 version also features competitive and cooperative 2-player modes. Nintendo Game Boy - December 1, 1992 The arcade smash with a hundred legs and a thousand thrills They make your skin crawl. And the hair go up on the back of your neck. Centipedes, spiders, fleas, scorpions swarming at you from behind eerie black toadstools. You've got to stop them with your bug blaster. Hurry. They're fast. They attack in waves. And they're coming for you. - Enjoy all the excitement of the coin-op version at home or on the go. - Challenge your skills with 4 different levels of difficulty from novice to expert. - Single player, two players alternating, or use Game Link to connect two Game Boys for... Championship Soccer Atari 2600 - Released - September 1, 1980 Soccer is a game of skill and strategy. It takes a lot of practice to play a winning game. And what's true on the field is true on your Atari Video Computer System. Championship Soccer challenges you every inch of the way. Passing. Dribbling. Kicking. Blocking. Attacking. Defending. You choose the level of difficulty you want to play. And with 54 separate games to choose from, even Pele finds plenty of challenge. It's more than a video game. It's a game of skill and strategy for the whole family. A rebranded version of Surround, published and sold under the Tele-Games name by Sears. Checkered Flag puts you in the driver's seat of a Formula 1 race car! Choose from 18 high-speed tracks, three different transmissions, and single-heat or tournament racing. For really tough wheeling, challenge up to five of your friends and get into big-time competition! Circus Atari Pop the balloons and score points. A wall of red, blue and white balloons will appear at the top of the screen. You must pop balloons by catching a clown on the teeter-totter and bouncing him up to the balloons. Use the controller to move the teeter-totter across the screen to catch the clowns. Each time a clown pops a balloon, the balloon will disappear and you score points. Each player receives five clowns or turns. If you fail to catch a clown on the teeter-totter he will crash and disappear from the playfield. Press the controller button and another clown will bounce off the trampoline... Cloak & Dagger is an arcade game released by Atari in 1983 The game is based on the film of the same name where it is critical to the plot. The game saw limited arcade release as a conversion kit for Robotron 2084 cabinets. The Cloak & Dagger game screens from the movie are mostly from the arcade version, and not the Atari 5200 game console as it would appear in the film. Although a 5200 version of the game was planned, it was never released due to the video game crash of 1983 and eventual sale of Atari. Because the Atari 5200 version of Cloak & Dagger wasn't complete during filming, the... Cloud 9 was an arcade prototype produced by Atari in 1983. A gallery shoot 'em up game where a shoot clouds in the sky. Avoid rain drops and other enemies. Try to destroy all clouds before your chamber is flooded. Atari Jaguar - Released - 1994 Sure, you've always wanted to blaze down the streets of San Francisco in a souped-up hot rod, just like in those action movies. But have you ever wanted to scramble across the living room floor playing tag in a minature racing car with a buddy? Or plow through an Old West town in a futuristic speed machine picking up randomly placed energy Powerballs? Strap in and join the 64-bit club! Cluedo Chronicles: Fatal Illusion Windows - Released Welcome to Fatal Illusion, Episode 1 of the Clue Chronicles Mystery Series; an expansive, richly detailed world where YOU actually solve the mystery! It's New Year's Eve 1938. On board the private yacht of the wealthy and eccentric Ian Masque, you find yourself part of a "select" group of guests invited to an "unusual" New Year's Eve party. Each guest has a story to tell, but their connection to you and to each other remains hidden. Something strange is bound to happen, and everyone is a suspect. Get ready to put your best deductive reasoning to work and unravel the true story behind this... Codebreaker This one's not for stupid people. The goal of codebreaker is to guess a 3 or 4 digit number in 12 tries. The computer lets you know when your on the right track with some vague clues. In the second game, NIM, you and your opponent strategically remove blocks in an attempt to be the one to remove the last block. Coke Wins Pepsi Invaders (also known as Coke Wins) is a video game for the Atari 2600 platform, based on the popular Space Invaders. It was commissioned by Coca-Cola for their 1983 sales convention, and developed by Atari as a modification of the original Space Invaders cartridge. The game is a modification of Space Invaders, with each row consisting of the letters P E P S I followed by an alien, instead of the original six aliens.[ Combat is an early video game by Atari for the Atari 2600. It was released as one of the nine launch titles for the system in October 1977, and was included in the box with the system from its introduction until 1982. Combat boasted having 27 games in one, which were all variations on the tank, biplane, and jet gameplay. Combat Two Combat 2 is video game for the Atari 2600. Originally announced in 1982, it was subsequently cancelled. Developed by Atari, the game was supposed to be the sequel to the classic Atari VCS game Combat, which was bundled with the system. In 2005 it finally saw release on the Atari Flashback 2 dedicated console, and has seen two subsequent releases, the first in the 2011 Nintendo DS compilation Atari's Greatest Hits Volume II and the second in the iPhone and Android app Atari Greatest Hits, initially released in 2012. Environments were an arena with a river in the middle with two bridges,... A Game of Concentration (also known simply as Concentration and Hunt & Score) is a video game produced by Atari, Inc. and released in 1978 for its Atari 2600 video game system. The game was programmed by Jim Huether, and is a video version of the classic memory game. Cops n' Robbers In Cops n' Robbers, 1 to 4 players play the parts of the police and criminals. The game always has either 2 or 4 players, and if there is an odd number of players, the computer controls the remaining players. Half the players control the cops, and the other half controls the robbers. The two sides are each on one side of the street in their car, shooting each other. Each side can move up and down their own lane. A beer truck moves up and down the center lane, which gets in the way of the shooters. Crash 'n Score Arcade - Released - October 15, 1975 A 1 or 2 player driving game where players steer their cars between barriers and oil slicks while getting the flashing flags to score points. This seems to be a european version of Crash 'n Score. This game is basically a target shooting game, with a twist. Armed with a crossbow you protect your "friends",who walk dumbly across the screen, from getting hit by the various things being hurled at them. Obstacles include animals, coconuts, volcanic fireballs, stalagtites, and a fire-breathing dragon. If all goes well, they will reach the dragon's treasure. Arcade - 1975 The game required two players, each with a “gun”, at opposite sides of the playfield. Each player had a vertical position knob (a potentiometer like Pong) and a fire button. Each gun could have one shot in the air at a time. There was a big ball, which started at the center, and there were small bumpers in the playfield that made the ball bounce. You tried to “push” the ball into your opponent’s goal line by shooting it. Each hit added a little energy and it took multiple hits to get the speed of the ball up, but then you had to watch out for rebounds off the bumpers. Crystal Castles: Diamond Plateaus in Space Crystal Castles is an arcade game developed by Atari. It was converted for the BBC Microcomputer by Peter Johnson and published by U.S. Gold. The game is played with an isometric view of the multi platformed castle. When Bentley Bear collects all of the gems on the current castle, he will move on to the next, more difficult castle. Wandering throughout the castles are a wide variety of dangerous creatures, which Bentley should avoid. From time to time, a magic hat will appear. If Bentley collects the hat, he will temporarily be invincible to the castles inhabitants. Acorn Electron - Released - 1986 Bentley Bear is trapped in the Crystal Castles. To get out, he will need to collect all of the gems located throughout the castle. The game is played with an isometric view of the multi platformed castle. When Bentley collects all of the gems on the current castle, he will move on to the next, more difficult castle. Wandering throughout the castles are a wide variety of dangerous creatures, which Bentley should avoid. From time to time, a magic hat will appear. If Bentley collects the hat, he will temporarily be invincible to the castles inhabitants. Defender 2000 Atari Jaguar - Released - February 1, 1996 You whomped the aliens from the Alpha Proximian Empire in classic Defender and sent them home to cry. Now they want the planets that Earth is mining for desperately needed, life-sustaining minerals. Your job is to protect the space miners as they perform their vital work. The aliens will try to capture them and use their life-energy to turn their ships into hyper-fast mutants. Rescure the captives and destroy the aliens or Earth is history! Desert Falcon Desert Falcon is an arcade style shooter. Many of the Pharaoh's great treasures are lost throughout the desert, and your goal is to steal as many as you can to earn points. The game features a scrolling, isometric point of view as you control your falcon through the various desert landscapes. The treasures you are after are guarded of course. Many desert creatures including vultures, warriors, flying fish, sphinxes and more will all attempt to stop you from succeeding in your task. Also, at the end of each level you will need to face a large, howling sphinx before you can continue on. Your... You are the royal Desert Falcon questing for precious gems and Egyptian heiroglyphs hidden in the endless desert. Invincibility, warp speed, and quick shots are only some of the many magical powers you'll gain on your search. Use them to capture a trove of treasures. But watch out for the evil ones! Mythical flying beasts, blazing firepots, and howling sphinxes guard the jewels you seek. Arcade - Released - October 1, 1977 A sea battle game where the player moves a destroyer back and forth along the surface of the water. The ship drops depth charges to destroy the submarines that are moving back and forth below. Atari Destroyer was a unique 1 player experience. With a combination of realistic controls, sound effects and the use of 3D cardboard graphics overlaying the monitor the game gave the player a feel of playing a realistic sea battle game. With sonar and explosion sounds from the left and right speakers the game had a fully immersed experience for 1977. Dodge 'Em You control a race car on a four lane track, and your goal is to collect all of the dots in order to earn points and advance to the next level! The race track is broken up into four quadrants; your racecar must remain in the lane it is in except where there is a break in the lanes between quadrants. Trying to stop you is a second car which travels in the opposite direction. This car will always be trying to get into the same lane as you, causing a crash, so you need to make sure you switch to any lane it isn't in! To help out, your racecar has the ability to travel at a fast or slow speed. You... Sony Playstation 3 - December 10, 2013 Doki-Doki Universe is a video game published and developed by HumaNature Studios for the PlayStation 4, PlayStation 3, and PlayStation Vita. The game is unique because it is essentially a large interactive personality test. The game starts with a robot named QT3 and a talking red balloon accidentally getting left on an asteroid by a human family traveling through space. Roughly forty years later Alien Jeff locates QT3 and informs him that his model is being discontinued for lacking humanity. Alien Jeff has been tasked with determining if QT3, an emotionless and obedient robot, is capable of... Arcade - Released - January 1, 1977 Atari's Dominos is a one, two or four-player video action game packaged in its own distinctively styled upright cabinet that rest directly on the floor. A 23-inch TV monitor is monted in the top front of the cabinet, with the monitor viewing screen tilted back from vertical. The TV monitor viewing screen is covered with plexiglas panel. Dominos came in an upright two-player cabinet as well as a four-player cocktail cabinet. All cabinets were produced in 1976 and originally released in 1977. Gameplay is a variation of the snake genre, in which players compete by surrounding each other with... Donald Duck's Speedboat Donald has entered the Duckburg boat race and has taken to the sea with his speedboat. The objective is to steer the boat away from the obstacles along the way to the finish line and do so as fast as possible without losing pressure on the throttle. The game takes place across multiple screens which each presents its own obstacle patterns and challenges. But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. 1 Corinthians 1:27 (NIV)

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Atari Corporation 32 In 1 Game Cartridge was released in 1988 in PAL format in Europe, Australia and New Zealand. It includes popular Atari 2600 games of the sports and shooter genres; a different game is selected every time the Atari 2600 or Atari 7800 is turned on. Most copies shipped as the pack-in game with the Atari 2600 in the UK and Atari 7800 in Australia and New Zealand, but it was also released as a boxed separate game for the Atari 2600. Alien Brigade The Plutoid Alien Zombie force has infiltrated the Army. They look like soldiers but are actually Aliens from outer space. You control a special task force to destroy the Aliens. As you shoot away at nasty enemies, you can earn powerful weapons, rescue hostages and most of all, stay alive. The challenge is there--beat the Aliens or you'll have to join them. Arena Football '95 Atari Jaguar - Unreleased - July 15, 2006 Arena Football '95 is an unreleased arena football video game that was in development by V-Real Interactive and planned to be published by Atari Corporation on a scheduled August 1995 release exclusively for the Atari Jaguar. If it had been released before Midway Games' Kurt Warner's Arena Football Unleashed, it would have been the first officially licensed indoor american football game by the Arena Football League. Adopting the more faster and frantic style of play from the sport compared to american football, players would have the choice of playing across any of the game modes available... Start blasting! It's your only way out of this cloud of hurtling astral bodies. Peripheral vision. Lightning reflexes. And cool control. That's what it takes to save your ship. And your life! - 8 waves of devastating asteroids. - For 1 or 2 players. - Competing player ships can appear on screen simultaneously. Atari ST - Released - 1986 Atari 800 - 1988 Atari 800 - Unreleased - 1989 There's plenty of reflection in this game, in both senses of the word. That's because this strategic puzzler involves using mirrors to direct a beam of light across a succession of 60 screens. Each mirror has 16 different angles it can be set at, each of which will send the beam around the screen in different ways. Before the exit is activated, all the mines on a screen must be cleared by running the beam over them. There are other devices built into the levels, including teleports and random angle-changers, as well as hazards to avoid (they cause the beam to overheat) and droids which go... Dukes of Hazzard is a driving game with an overhead perspective, based on the popular television series of the same name. Players take on the role of the Duke boys driving the infamous "General Lee," while trying to avoid the police and rescue their sister Daisy from Boss Hogg. While development of this game was reportedly complete, it was not commercially released (and thus it never recieved a packaging design, official instruction manual, etc). Atari 2600 - Unreleased Based off the 1984 movie, Dune was to be an action/adventure game along the same lines the classic 2600 game Adventure. Dune was originally started by veteran programmers Bruce Poehlman and Gary Stark before they began working on the 5200 game "The Last Starfighter" (which also went unreleased). Unfortunately Gary and Bruce had only gone through the brainstorming process when work was stopped. However it appears that another programmer may have been assigned to pick up and continue work on Dune. Unfortunately only preliminary coding had been started before Jack Tramiel shut down 2600 game... Fatal Run In this post-apocalyptic driving/racing game you must travel to various towns delivering medicine, while on your way to a missile base which houses a rocket that can save the world. While driving through the 32 levels, you'll meet countless enemies who want to stop you from achieving your goal. Your car boasts many weapons to help you out, including dynamite, rockets, oil slicks, smoke screens, and machine guns. You can also upgrade your vehicle within the city shops. Upgrading your gas tank provides better mileage while upgrading your bumper protects you during collisions. Atari XEGS - 1987 GATO is a real-time submarine simulator first published in 1984 by Spectrum HoloByte for MS-DOS. It simulates combat operations aboard the Gato-class submarine USS Growler (SS-215) in the Pacific Theater of World War II. GATO was later ported to the Apple IIe, Atari ST, and Macintosh. In 1987 Atari published a version on cartridge for the Atari 8-bit family, to coincide with the launch of the Atari XEGS GATO is a real-time 3D submarine simulation game, where the player is a commander of a United States submarine in the Pacific Ocean during World War II against Japanese warships. Gameplay consists of missions where the primary directive is to navigate the submarine to track and intercept (multiple) enemy warships (patrol boats, destroyers, etc.) on the randomly created map (which consists of randomly placed islands) and close in for the kill with torpedoes. Combat itself consists of a direct visual of enemy ships (via periscope) and firing torpedoes at the correct angle to ultimately sink... Hard Drivin' Hard Drivin' is a 3D arcade hit from Atari Games. You are in control of a high-performance sports car. Your objective is to race around the course as fast as possible and hit as many checkpoints as possible. If you hit a checkpoint you gain extra time to go farther. You will see traffic on the road both in your direction and coming down the opposite direction, so be careful when you pass... The course has two sections: speed track, and stunt track. Speed track is longer, but you can usually achieve higher speeds. Stunt track requires you to perform several stunts such as jumping bridges,... Into the Eagle's Nest Into the Eagle's Nest is a computer game developed by Pandora Software and released by Mindscape in 1986 for the Apple II and in 1987 for the Amiga, Amstrad CPC, Atari ST, Commodore 64, IBM PC and ZX Spectrum. The player character is an Allied soldier whose orders are to infiltrate the top-secret Nazi fortress called the Eagle's Nest (which consists of four castles), rescue three Allied saboteurs being held there, save art treasures the Nazis have stolen, and then destroy the Nest with explosives. In 1988 Atari Corporation released a version on cartridge for the Atari 8-bit family... Atari XEGS - Released - 1988 Released on Atari XE game cartridge in 1988, but originally created in 1984. A martial arts action game by Jordan Mechner, first released on the Apple II. The evil Akuma has destroyed the protagonist's homeland, killed many of his friends and kidnapped the princess Mariko. Fortunately, the hero is skilled in martial arts, so his inevitable quest to reach Akuma's palace and rescue Mariko has a chance of success. Karateka is viewed from the side and features a succession of increasingly difficult opponents. Three types of punches and kicks are available to both the player character and his... After Atari acquired the rights to The Last Starfighter (convinced it would be a hit), they set to work on developing games based on the movie for the 5200, 400/800, and 2600. The problem was that the game Alex played in the movie was impossible to reproduce on any home console of the time (in fact it was impossible to make a game like that at all in 1984, the one in the movie was just computer generated graphics), so programmers had to be creative in their approach. Although both games were finished in time for the movie, Atari canceled The Last Starfighter due to the collapsing market. Commodore 64 - Released - July 14, 1983 Mario and Luigi, the best plumbers in the world, have a real job on their hands. A host of characters have taken over the sewers, and the brothers must clear them out of the pipes. The platform puzzle which first introduced Luigi to the world has both single and multiplayer action with two differing game types, but with the same objective. Crabs, turtles and fighter flies must be cleared out by jumping underneath the platform they sit on, then kicking them away. Each level is cleared when a set number of coins is collected. For the two player mode, the first to collect the set amount of coins... 1988 Release of Mario Bros. for the Atari XE lineup. Cart was backwards compatible with XL and XE range. Mario Bros. features two plumbers, Mario and Luigi, having to investigate the sewers of New York after strange creatures have been appearing down there. The objective of the game is to defeat all of the enemies in each phase. The mechanics of Mario Bros. involve only running and jumping. Unlike future Mario games, players cannot jump on enemies and squash them, unless they were already turned on their back. Atari XEGS Necromancer is a 1982 computer game for the Atari 8-bit series created by Bill Williams and distributed by Synapse Software. A port to the Commodore 64 followed in 1983, and it was re-released by Atari in cartridge form for the Atari XEGS in 1987. The player controls the wizard Illuminar who attempts to grow an army of trees to attack Tetragorn the Necromancer and his evil minions who are attempting to take over a graveyard. The game is an arcade action title, but is unusual in that there are three distinct segments of gameplay, each of which affects the one following it. One on One Basketball Dr. J and Larry Bird Go One on One, commonly known as One on One, is a 1983 computer basketball game written by Eric Hammond for the Apple II and published by Electronic Arts. It was ported to the Atari 8-bit family, ColecoVision, Commodore 64, MS-DOS, Tandy Color Computer, and later to the Macintosh, Amiga, and Atari 7800. In Europe the publisher was Ariolasoft. Rereleased on Atari XEGS cart in 1987. Rescue on Fractalus! The game utilizes fractal technology to create the craggy mountains of an alien planet, where the visibility was drastically reduced by the dense atmosphere. The player controls a fictional "Valkyrie" space fighter (converted for search and rescue duty) from a first-person view, attempting to land and pick up downed Ethercorps pilots. Some of these mountains hold anti-aircraft guns, which have to be avoided or destroyed. Due to the varied terrain, the direction finder has to be used to locate the pilots, whose visual beacons are often masked by mountain ridges. At higher levels, the enemy... 1987 XE rerelease of Rescue on Fractalus! There are thirty levels you can choose from in this version instead of sixteen in the original release. The game uses fractal technology to create the craggy mountains of an alien planet, where the visilibility was drastically reduced by the dense atmosphere. The player controls a fictional "Valkyrie" space fighter (converted for search and rescue duty) from a first-person view, attempting to land and pick up downed Ethercorps pilots. Some of these mountains hold anti-aircraft guns, which have to be avoided or destroyed. Due to the varied terrain,... Road Runner is a variant of the platformer genre, based on the Wile E. Coyote and Road Runner shorts. It was developed and released by Atari Games in 1985. Sentinel is a side scrolling action game. Several worlds have fallen victim of an alien attack, and you need to free them. To do this, a glowing orb called the Sentinel has been sent which can absorb the alien energy. As the Sentinel floats above the various, scrolling landscapes, you need to protect it from attacks by using the light gun to destroy enemies and enemy fire. If you don't destroy an enemy, it will deplete the Sentinels energy supply which will eventually destroy it. There are four levels of increasing difficulty, each with a large boss at the end. To help out on your mission,... The Zylons are back, and are attempting another takeover of the galaxy! Your goal is to destroy all of the Zylon fighters you encounter, rescue cadets that are trapped on Zylon planets, and to find the planet Solaris to protect it from the Zylons. Your spaceship is equipped with a galactic map which can be used to warp to different sectors of the galaxy. The map shows the location of Zylon squadrons, Zylon planets, federation starbases, wormholes, clusters of stars, and Solaris when you find it. By warping to the correct sector, you can battle the numerous types of Zylon fighters to keep them... Sprintmaster Sprintmaster is an action racing game similar to Super Sprint. The game is played with an overhead view of the racetrack, and the first of two players to race around the track for the required number of laps wins! Occasionally a bonus will appear in the roadway; collect these to increase the traction capabilities of your car or gain a temporary speed boost. Other obstacles, such as oil slicks, may also appear in the roadway which will cause you to lose control and speed. There is a total of nine different tracks with varying levels of difficulty to race on, and you can choose either blacktop,... Star Raiders II The Zylons have returned to attack the Celos IV star system. In this 3D shoot-'em-up, the player takes control of the Liberty Star and must warp to threatened planets to battle the Zylon Fly Fighters and Destroyers. The Zylon Squadrons can also be attacked while in transit, and friendly Space Stations allow refueling. To achieve victory, the Zylon Attack Bases on their own planets must be destroyed. The game ends if the Liberty Star runs out of fuel, or if all cities are destroyed by Zylons. MS-DOS - Released - 1996 Tempest 2000 is a remake/upgrade of the popular Atari vector graphics-based shooter. Blast your way through over 100+ levels, shooting the creatures that come out from the other side of the web to drag you in. Collect power-ups (jump, AI robots and more) to trippy graphics and colorful explosions as a thumping techno-house soundtrack blasts in the background. Collect enough bonuses, and be subjected to two different types of bonus rounds as you navigate through rings, or try to ride a spiral tube. Also included in the gameplay is an intense two-player mode to team up with or go head...

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2015 June 12 - 13 Civil War & Militaria Signature Auction - DallasAuction #6141 Confederate Soldiers Colonel James Barbour Terrill and First Lieutenant Philip M. Terrill Autograph Letters Signed.... A Pair of Brothers Write to Family Shortly Before Their Deaths Confederate Soldiers Colonel James Barbour Terrill and First Lieutenant Philip M. Terrill Autograph Letters Signed. Representing two of four brothers who served during the war (three for the Confederacy, one as a general in the Union Army), these two letters were written shortly before each man was killed. The earliest, a three page letter, 5.5" x 9.25", written by Col. James B. Terrill to his father, Col. William Henry Terrill, from the headquarters of the 13th Virginia Infantry on April 12, 1864, discusses the upcoming Overland Campaign - "which is profound in its import to us all." Terrill writes, in part: "It is not yet generally understood whether the attack will be made by Lee or Grant; should the attack be made by Gen Grant it is more than probable that it will surpass in size anything of the kind in which the 'Army of Northern Va' has ever participated. Gen. Early has expressed his intentions to push my regiment 'in up to the hat band' We will all however have our full share of whatever may occur. My regiment will be at least (350) strong excluding recruits. The Engineer Corps is now busily engaged strengthening & increasing the defences [sic] of our present line. . . . It is rumored that a portion of Gen Polk's corps is in this vicinity, having recently arrived from the west." Col. Terrill was killed six weeks later at the Battle of Bethesda Church. He was posthumously promoted to brigadier general. The later letter, four integral pages, 5.25" x 8", written to by Lt. Philip M. Terrill to Dr. George P. Terrill (the brother of James and Philip and commander in a Confederate militia and home guard unit) from the camp of the 12th Virginia Cavalry near Forestville, Virginia, on October 22, 1864, discusses the army's recent defeats during Sheridan's Valley Campaign, particularly the recent Battle of Cedar Creek three days earlier, in part: "Since arriving here, we have scarcely had a day of rest, & have experienced nothing but reverses & disaster. You have doubtless heard of the rout of Early's Army on the 19th inst. [Cedar Creek] after successfully surprising the enemy & carrying everything before them 'till a late hour in the day. . . . This time there can be no question as to whom we should impute the fault. Genl. Early's place was admirable as the success in the morning proves. There was no giving way of the Cavalry on the flanks. It was the cowardice of the Infantry & nothing else that lost the day & with it, the fruits of the morning's victory. Our command was on the left of the army & performed its part. Our loss was very slight, principally from artillery fire - we were not closely engaged at any time during the day with the exception of a charge the 11th Regt. made upon one of the Enemy's Batteries. . . . This is the third engagement I have participated in since we came to the Valley - and though we have been unsuccessful . . . I still feel thankful that the hand of Providence has been outstretched to shield me from harm & that I am still spared to the service of my country in the hour of her sorest need." Unfortunately, time was running out for Philip Terrill. He was killed three weeks later near Winchester, Virginia. The fourth brother, mentioned above, was Union Gen. William R. Terrill, a career U.S. soldier who had served during the Seminole Wars and in Bleeding Kansas before the Civil War. He was the first of the brothers killed after sustaining a mortal wound from a shell fragment at the Battle of Perryville, October 8, 1862. Only George Terrill survived the war. Both letters show the expected folds and age toning.

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Community Association Representation Corporate & Business Practice Restructuring, Bankruptcy & Creditor Rights Advertising & Marketing Law Data Security & Privacy Law Partner Message Brandi J. Croffie Associate croffie@hooverslovacek.com Brandi Croffie has been an associate with Hoover Slovacek since her admission to the Bar in 2012. She has completed all requirements to mediate both general and family law matters. Her work with the firm began as a law clerk in 2011. Prior to joining the firm, Ms. Croffie interned with the Honorable Ann Claire Williams of the United State Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit. Prior to her graduation from the University of Houston Law School in 2012, served as Vice President of External Affairs for the Black Law Student Association. She received her B.S. in Psychology from Baylor University and her M.A. in Counseling from Sam Houston State University. Ms. Croffie is a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated. PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS AND MEMBERSHIPS: State Bar of Texas, Member Houston, Texas , Doctor of Jurisprudence, 2012 Huntsville, Texas, Master of Arts, 2008 Baylor University, Waco, Texas, Bachelor of Science, 2005 Galleria Tower II 5051 Westheimer, Suite 1200 Best Lawyers is ® Woodward White, Inc. Attorney Advertising. This web site is designed for general information only. The information presented at this site should not be construed to be formal legal advice nor the formation of a lawyer/client relationship. © 2014 Hoover Slovacek LLP. All rights reserved. | Website Design & Maintenance by Site Mender this is page.php

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Rock Ivy Rock Ivy is a most appropriate plant badge for the Gordons as it is well know for its ability to overwhelm anything and everything around it. In the Celtic calendar it was the sacred wood of the 11th month (Sept 30th- Oct 27th) and interestingly the Ogham assigned as its code was Gort, the letter “G.” Ivy grows along the ground, up trees, walls, rocks and can overcome any obstacle in its growth path. It was valued anciently for its tenacity, It was a symbol of strength and determination due to its virtual indestructibility being able to recoup from even the worst damage and quickly regrow from just a small root piece. Its roots were considered ancient and its vibrant evergreen leaves indicated its everlasting nature, the five points on the lower leaves signifying unity of the elements with one bonding energy…a strong symbol of protection. Its propensity to interweave in its growth and connect the ground, the rocks, and the trees spiraling up to the open sky came to symbolize the stubborn and enduring connection of friends and family, and also of an implacable enemy able to strangle out even the mightiest of trees; it became known as a plant of death, rebirth, fertility, good luck, connection and protection. All of these attributes accurately portray those of the Gordon Clan! What better plant to choose for our plant badge. Rock Ivy (hedera helix) is an evergreen climbing plant, growing to 20–30 m (66–98 ft) high where suitable surfaces (trees, cliffs, walls) are available, and also growing as ground cover where there are no vertical surfaces. It climbs by means of aerial rootlets with matted pads which cling strongly to the substrate. The leaves are alternate, 50–100 mm long, with a 15–20 mm petiole; they are of two types, with palmately five-lobed juvenile leaves on creeping and climbing stems, and unlobed cordate adult leaves on fertile flowering stems exposed to full sun, usually high in the crowns of trees or the top of rock faces. The flowers are produced from late summer until late autumn, individually small, in 3–5 cm diameter umbels, greenish-yellow, and very rich in nectar, an important late autumn food source for bees and other insects. The fruit are purple-black to orange-yellow berries 6–8 mm diameter, ripening in late winter, and are an important food for many birds, though somewhat poisonous to humans. There are one to five seeds in each berry, which are dispersed by birds eating the berries.

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Abai Qunanbaiuli Waiting for the Kazakh dictator It was a few days ago that Vladimir Putin met with his counterparts from Kazakhstan and Belarus in the Kazakh capital, Astana, to form the Eurasian Economic Union as a counterweight to the European Union and the United States. The provisions of the union will give freedom of movement and employment across the three countries. They will also collaborate on issues of energy, technology, industry, agriculture, and transport. What does the formation of the Eurasian Economic Union have to do with Hungary, a member of the European Union? Directly not much, but one must not forget that one of the cornerstones of Viktor Orbán’s foreign policy initiatives is the “Opening to the East.” In the last three or four years he has developed good relations with all three countries. There has been a lot of discussion here and elsewhere in the media about Russian-Hungarian cooperation in the Southern Stream gas pipe project and the recent European Union efforts to block its construction, fearing that Gazprom will not abide by the Union’s competition rules. Even more time was spent on the Russian loan to Hungary for Rosatom to build two additional nuclear reactors in Paks. What we hear less about are the quiet but very friendly relations between Kazakhstan and Hungary. The same is true about Belarus. It seems that Viktor Orbán enjoys the company of dictators. In May 2012 Viktor Orbán visited Kazakhstan and gushed over the great achievements of Nursultan Nazarbayev, the president and dictator of the country. He emphasized “the historical and cultural ties that unite our peoples.” He admired the new capital, Astana, which he described as a “symbol of humanity’s new phase of development.” Orbán’s servile performance was disgusting then but now, two years later, Hungarian servility toward Nazarbayev has reached new lows. Back in March, a journalist from 168 Óra discovered that in Városliget, Budapest’s city park, one of the roads was renamed Astana Road. After some research the journalist discovered that the decision to name a street after the Kazakh capital had been reached already in 2013. Originally, it was to be somewhere in District VIII, a poor section of Pest, but apparently the Budapest city council decided that the district is not elegant enough for the very special relations that apparently exist between the two countries. By the end of April the same city council (naturally with Fidesz majority) voted to erect a statue of Abai Qunanbaiuli or Kunanbayev, the great 19th-century Kazakh poet. Kunanbayev is much admired in Kazakhstan, where many statues commemorate his person and his work. Outside of Kazakhstan he has only one statue, in Moscow. But soon enough there will a second one which Nursultan Nazarbayev himself will unveil on June 4 in Budapest. The statue is a present from the people of Kazakhstan. It is a bust that stands on a three-meter-high platform. There are other signs of the excellent relationship between Hungary and Kazakhstan. The mayor of Astana offered a piece of real estate gratis to the Hungarian state. The Budapest government can build a structure on the site in which Hungary could hold exhibits about the country and its people. Apparently, this is a very generous offer because real estate prices in Astana are sky high: millions of dollars. Nursultan Nazarbayev, dictator of Kazakhstan Meanwhile, the fawning over the Kazakh dictator seems to have no limits. At the end of April, before invited guests in the building of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences of all places, Sándor Fazekas, minister of agriculture and rural development, and János Horváth, the oldest member of parliament and a US-Hungarian citizen, introduced the Hungarian translation of Nazarbayev’s book about his childhood and youth. Zoltán Balog, minister of human resources, was in the audience. Naturally, the book was a bestseller in Kazakhstan, though I doubt that it will fly off the shelves in Hungary. Fazekas referred to the Kazakh dictator as “an internationally respected statesman” whose autobiography will help Hungarians learn more about the history of Kazakhstan. János Horváth went even further. According to him, the fantastic achievements of Nazarbayev’s agricultural reform “will one day be taught at universities.” In his opinion, “it is appropriate (helyénvaló) for the leader of a Soviet-type government to behave like a dictator, but Nazarbayev wants to move away from the practice.” The problem with this claim is that there has been absolutely no sign of Nazarbayev giving up power and contemplating the introduction of democracy. In fact, just lately he got himself reelected with 95% of the votes. Naturally, the Kazakh ambassador to Hungary was present; he compared the Kazakh president’s autobiography to biographies of Gandhi and George Washington. It was quite a gathering. And last Monday Duna TV showed a Kazakh film, with Hungarian subtitles, based on Nazarbayev’s autobiography. As Cink, a popular blog, reported, “The Stalinist Duna World is showing a film about the Kazakh dictator tonight.” This is how low Viktor Orbán has sunk in his quest for friendship with countries outside of the European Union. Posted in Hungary, Kazakhstan and tagged Abai Kunanbayev, Abai Qunanbaiuli, Astana, Belarus, Eurasian Economic Union, European Union, Gazprom, János Horváth, Nursultan Nazarbayev, Sándor Fazekas, Southern Stream, Viktor Orbán, Vladimir Putin on May 31, 2014 by Eva S. Balogh. 20 Comments

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Ian Thomas Malone A Connecticut Yogi in King Joffrey's Court The Dialogues A Trip Down Reality Lane Courting Mrs. McCarthy IOIAF ASOBAW Downton World The Transgender Manifesto The Princess and the Clown - IOIAF - Pop Culture - Celebrity Apprentice - Downton Abbey - Social Issues - ASOBAW - Downton World Monthly Archive: August 2015 Game of Clickbait: A Song of “Journalists” and Thieves Written by Ian Thomas Malone, Posted in Blog, Game of Thrones, Pop Culture I saw something unfortunate on Twitter this morning as I looked through my friends’ tweets. The Huffington Post’s Bill Bradley put out an article on Wednesday claiming to have a “new” Game of Thrones theory regarding the parentage of Jon Snow and Meera Reed. Given that A Clash of Kings, the first book to feature Meera, was released in 1998 and that this series can be called a worldwide phenomenon since at least 2005, when A Feast For Crows hit #1 on the New York Times bestseller list (a rare feat for a fantasy novel), it is more than safe to say that this theory is anything but new. If you google “Jon Meera twins,” tons of posts come up that are earlier than Wednesday. Without even clicking on a single link, I see one from asoiaf.westeros.org from 2012. I doubt that’s the oldest either. It’s embarrassing that HuffPo calls this journalism. The site has been praised by many for ushering in the modern day era of the news. While there’s plenty of truth to that, things like this thievery aren’t just a disgrace, they’re sad. It’s sad because there are countless ASOIAF/GOT fans who have put in thousands of hours of research and discussion who then go uncredited by major news websites. This goes even beyond that. You have a guy who pretends they don’t even exist and that he’s the first to make this groundbreaking revelation. We know why. Game of Thrones has over a hundred million fans. Articles like these are cash cows, especially when the research only takes a three-word Google search. It’s free money. Dishonest money. I’m lucky to consider many of the top ASOIAF commentators to be friends. I’ve featured many of them here in my “Interviews of Ice and Fire” feature. I haven’t featured Bill Bradley and don’t plan to. I wouldn’t want to go through the trouble of finding someone to answer his questions for him. The people who work hard to produce new content whether it’s articles, podcasts, or even just posts on the subrebbit or other the forums play a crucial role in Game of Thrones’ worldwide popularity. They’re the reason why genuinely new theories are still being discovered years after the last book in the main series was released. Without them, Huffington Post and Buzzfeed would have no one to steal from. Here’s the thing that really bugs me and the reason I decided to write this. The top commentators in the ASOIAF/GOT fandom are good people. Beyond that, they’re not difficult to get ahold of. If they answer my tweets and e-mails, I imagine they’d respond to requests for paid freelance work. I imagine this article will be discovered by a crony of one of the clickbait websites at some point in time. If you feel ashamed reading this, good. You should be ashamed. There used to be a code that journalists abided by. Just because you’re behind a computer writing for an online publication rather than a print newspaper doesn’t mean there shouldn’t be integrity in your work. For you, the reader, check out the work of this expansive fandom. It’s good stuff and you won’t have to wait years for mainstream media to find it. Interviews of Ice and Fire: Ashaya of History of Westeros Podcast Written by Ian Thomas Malone, Posted in Blog, Game of Thrones, IOIAF, Pop Culture It is a pleasure to welcome Ashaya of History of Westeros Podcast to the site. History of Westeros is one of the most in depth ASOIAF resources available; creating episodes that piece together the series’ confusing timeline along with commentary on the houses, theories, reviews of Game of Thrones, and just about anything else imaginable. HoW recently wrapped up an in-depth series on Summerhall. You can support HoW through their Patreon campaign. HoW just wrapped up two podcasts on the Tragedy of Summerhall, one of the series’ strangest mysteries and certainly one that’s overlooked by casual fans. Given how little information there is on the topic, can you tell us a little bit about how you approached it? In terms of difficulty, how did it compare to some of your other series? The episodes in our Religion & Magic series are generally the hardest to put together, specifically the episodes on weirwoods. The possibilities of magic are just so wide open, and that tends to make it harder to decide how to frame the narrative of the episode, and how to organize and present everything. The Tragedy of Summerhall episodes weren’t part of that series, but they obviously deal with magic as well, and so they did have some extra difficulty. We speculated about the magical aspect of it a bit, but more so focused on the role of prophecy and on the impact Summerhall had on characters like Aerys, Rhaella, and Rhaegar (and the realm). One thing that’s stuck with me since listening is the potential involvement of the pyromancers and how Jaime had a particular hatred of them. Given that they had seemingly no friends in court during Robert’s reign and plenty of people who don’t seem like they would be particularly fond of their line of work (Robert, Jon Arryn, Stannis), why do you think they were kept around at all? I don’t think Robert or Jon Arryn would have felt any particular motivation to outright end the Alchemists’ Guild, which is a rather drastic course of action. If we’d had Jaime in a position of power, he likely would have, though! That said, their power has waned and waxed over time, so they weren’t as prominent during Robert’s time as they are currently in the series or (obviously) during Aerys’ reign. One thing you mentioned that I’ve never even thought about was Aerys II’s lack of known bastards. Do you think that is an oversight on GRRM’s part or could something larger be at play? Questions like these are difficult because well, I do often find myself debating whether something can be explained sufficiently in-universe or whether the Doylist method is more appropriate. I know that there are a lot of fans who are pretty firmly Watsonian, but I enjoy both types of explanation, though I favor the Watsonian view overall. So often obscure things in A Song of Ice and Fire make perfect sense, and you don’t have to look at things from an out-of-universe perspective. My answer, then, is that while I think it’s possible that it was an oversight, I think there are a number of in-universe explanations, namely a) Aerys had issues with fertility (my pick) or b) Varys dealt with his bastards. One more Summerhall question as you mentioned Shiera Seastar and she’s one of my favorite tertiary characters. I’ve often viewed her as a parallel character to Bloodraven. As unanswerable as this is, does her being Quaithe preclude her from being somehow involved in Summerhall? No, though I personally don’t subscribe to that theory myself. My favorite HoW episodes are the ones you did on the Battle of Ice. Granted, the two are completely different but have any of your thoughts changed since season 5? The landscape (hah get it) of the show is indeed entirely different from the books; for instance, we theorized about the ice lakes (now you get it) having a role in the battle, with Stannis laying a trap for the Freys (we also theorized that it might backfire and get the Manderlys, but let’s ignore that). I would say that it had an effect on me, but I strongly feel that if Stannis is going to be the one to burn Shireen in the books, it will be for something far direr, and so I still don’t think that the Battle of Ice is the end for Stannis in the books. In the podcast, I said I thought that Stannis would win, and I still feel that way (with a touch more doubt, admittedly). Since Euron = Daario seems to be unanswerable, I shall ask, how do you feel about that theory in general? Do you think there are too many identity theories floating around? There are definitely too many identity theories! Why, I’ve even seen theories that Amin of A Podcast of Ice and Fire is my very own Aziz of History of Westeros. I try to be diplomatic about most theories, but I can’t do it for theories about Euron being Daario, Rhaegar being Mance, Arthur being Mance, etc. If you could pick the topic for the next The Princess and the Queen or The Rogue Prince style novella, what would you pick? Fun question! My answer for this is different than what it would be if it were for a more traditional style rather than the masterly historical style of those novellas. I would love to read an account of the Rhoynar migration and find out more specifics about the people Nymeria traveled with and so on…that might be a bit large for a novella, though, even in the history style. Alternatively, the Conquest of Dorne. What is the craziest theory you think might actually be true. I’m not a big theorist, especially not crazy theories, but I’m fond of the Citadel Conspiracy theory, Jojenpaste, and, (our own idea), the theory (more of a hypothesis really) that weirwoods have some sort of connection to genetics, with family looks sticking for thousands of years due to their influence. In the case of the Citadel theory, I don’t think there’s a mass conspiracy, but I think their bias is clear and should always be considered in analysis. In the case of Jojenpaste, I just like it and think it’s (deliciously) dark. The third is pretty crazy for us, but given the length of time that the appearances of these families have remained in stasis, and that we know magic is involved in the genetics, I still find myself liking the idea. I know HoW has been to many fan conventions over the years. Can you think of a highlight that you’d like to share? Not as many as I’d like! Though we have plans to go to Mysticon and Balticon next year, so soon there will be more under our belt. It was a huge honor to meet George, talk to him, give him our card, etc., but I think hearing him read the History of the Westerlands from The World of Ice and Fire was the highlight for me. This was prior to the release of the book, and so we were particularly hoping for material from TWOIAF. When we met GRRM the day before and told him that our podcast was titled ‘History of Westeros’, he told us that we should be excited for the reading the next day, then, so we knew in advance that we would for sure be getting new material. Let me just say…it was so hard to sleep! But then at least it was very easy to get up early due to my excitement. We frantically took notes at the reading, and were able to publish it on our website, which brought us some good publicity, which was a nice bonus. But! The day got even better, because during the Q&A after the reading, GRRM picked me to ask him a question….I was able to ask a long-burning question (what is the Unnamed Princess of Dorne’s name?), which was a dream, even if he didn’t have an answer (boo). One day I’ll have a name for her! What shocked you the most about season 5? That Tyene used the phrase “bad pussy”, which is, by the way, a non-canon piece of slang that has never been used in A Song of Ice and Fire, save for once in the term “pussy willows” in The Mystery Knight. How many times a day do you get asked if Jon Snow is still alive? Me, personally? Hardly ever. How many times a day do I have to read other people speculating based on things like his hair? Often. As an aside – it’s always the wrong question, anyway, he’s obviously dead, the question is whether Jon Snow will be brought back to life. Will HoW do book to show episodes next season? Definitely! They were a lot of fun, and it was great to have more opportunities to have guests like Radio Westeros on. I myself will likely be in the first few and then drop out for the rest of the season, as I did this past season. I like talking about the characters when they are first introduced, and speculating on where the season will take us, but, at least last season, I quickly got burnt out and frustrated. We’ll see, though, for all I know, I’m going to love every episode of next season! (I crack myself up) Generic question, but who is your favorite character? Is the same true for the show? I’ve actually done this great ASOIAF character sorter, which takes hours and hours, and I found that my number one is Sansa Stark for both A Song of Ice and Fire and Game of Thrones (the GoT sorter…yes I did both). It’s difficult to compare POV characters with minor characters, but some of my other favorites are Arianne Martell, Samwell Tarly, Maester Aemon, Varys, Wylla Manderly, Alys Karstark, and of course the usual suspects like Arya, Tyrion, and Jaime. I need a historical character sorter still, but I am particularly fond of Rohanne Webber, Egg/Aegon V, Nymeria of Ny Sar, and of course our patron saint, Septon Barth. What’s next for HoW? We are continuing our series on the Blackfyre Rebellions as well as preparing episodes on a few different houses like House Dayne and House Royce, and preparing an episode on Nymeria of the Rhoynar. We will also have live Q&A episodes more often as we are close to hitting that milestone on Patreon. Aqua Teen Hunger Force Is Difficult To Eulogize When It Doesn’t Feel Like The End Written by Ian Thomas Malone, Posted in Blog, Pop Culture Aqua Teen Hunger Force is supposed to end tomorrow. I should say, Aqua Teen Hunger Force is ending tomorrow since it is actually ending, but I can’t really bring myself to accept it. This is after all, a show that’s changed its own name four times. I shouldn’t say ending. It’s being cancelled, which is baffling. It even feels weird to type that blasphemy. Maybe it’s because it’s the last Adult Swim original to call it day, with a run that was longer than the other three combined (Sealab 2021, The Brak Show, and Harvey Birdman: Attorney at Law). ATHF is practically synonymous with the network itself, which ushered in a new era of animated excellence and for better or for worse, gave us more Family Guy (and Futurama, though that was mostly a good thing). It could be because popular, long running animated comedies don’t really end. The Simpsons, Family Guy, and South Park are older and still going strong in certain ways. The ones that did end, King of the Hill and Futurama, were cancelled. While it would be silly to suggest that ATHF ever reached the worldwide popularity of the first three mentioned, it is the flagship program of its own network, which certainly should mean that cancellation shouldn’t be an issue. Its fifth and final title, Aqua Teen Hunger Force Forever might seem ironic since it’s the last one, but it is rather appropriate. With co-creator Dave Willis remaining at Adult Swim, it seems plausible that the show could, and probably will, resurface at a later date, considering Adult Swim’s antics (Perfect Hair Forever anyone?) and the current trend in TV to bring old stuff back, which I doubt is going away anytime soon. Patti Smith has recorded a somber elegy for ATHF. I’m not sure what else should be said since I refuse to believe this is actually the end. Call it denial, but it’s more than that. We know at some point in time, Master Shake, Frylock, Meatwad, and Carl will show up. Whether it’s another season, movie, or an April Fool’s Day gag, we haven’t seen the last of anyone’s favorite cartoon “detectives.” I’m not even fully convinced we won’t see them next year with another season. I could point out that TV hasn’t always been kind to the surreal and the unconventional. Shows that dare to be different often get cancelled, though normally not after fifteen years. That’s what I can’t seem to wrap my head around. ATHF has never been an easy one to assess from a critical standpoint, making it hard to say whether or not it’s gone downhill in recent years. Adult Swim President Mike Lazzo said he was ready to move on. Was that for good reason? I’m going to go ahead and say no. Recent years have probably had more hit or miss episodes and the same is true for nearly every long running series. Aqua TV Show Show’s ninth episode “Piranha Germs” remains one of my favorite of the whole series. With humor like that and a will to continue, I think it’s safe to say ATHF had plenty left in the tank. So it ends. For now, or maybe not. Perhaps I’m wrong and we’ll never see those guys again. I hope not. I’ll end this “eulogy” with this, Aqua Teen Hunger Force is one of the greatest animated comedies of all time. I suppose some will disagree and I hope Master Shake throws those people on the ground before going back to his reclining chair. Why didn’t he have a bedroom? Wet Hot American Summer: First Day of Camp Succeeds Where Arrested Development Failed As someone who enjoyed Wet Hot American Summer, but not to the same degree as much of its cult fanbase, I was skeptical of how the Netflix prequel series was going to turn out. It’s highly doubtful that this would’ve been made had cast members like Amy Poehler, Bradley Cooper, and Paul Rudd not become huge stars fourteen years down the road, but that also presents a problem. Huge stars typically don’t have much time for projects like these. This was the problem with Arrested Development’s fourth season. Its cast was busy, so the show filmed around them which didn’t really work that well. It’s hard to recapture the magic when half the people who helped make it in the first pace are only in it for two seconds and rarely at the same time. WHAS: FDOC had a couple things going for it right from the start. Creators David Wain and Michael Showalter were obviously locks for every episode, but the series benefitted from the fact that a good chunk of the cast hadn’t necessarily gone on to “bigger better things.” In actors like Michael Ian Black and Ken Marino’s case, they were pretty much doing the same sort of stuff of Comedy Central and Adult Swim. Which isn’t to say that WHAS: FDOC solely relied on cast members that weren’t appearing in blockbuster films. Rudd, Poehler and Elizabeth Banks have ample amounts of screen time. Mad Men’s John Slattery was brought on to aid Poehler’s scenes in cases where Cooper wasn’t available and you don’t necessarily feel like anyone’s missing. The series also added numerous big stars to its cast. In addition to Slattery, Jon Hamm, Jason Scharztman, Chris Pine, Kristen Wiig, Josh Charles, Jordan Peele, and Michael Cera aid the show tremendously, giving the viewer the idea that this isn’t merely a harebrained scheme that Wain and Showalter managed to trick Netflix into funding. WHAS isn’t strictly back for nostalgic value, it also has something new to bring to the table. It’s hard to write this sentence about WHAS, but much of the humor in the series is actually pretty subtle. It’s filled with quotable moments, but the metahumor is what really sucked me in. Most of the cast looks phenomenal, but this is a prequel starring a cast that’s now a decade and a half older than when the first was made. Some of them do look pretty old, which definitely plays into the wackiness of the series as a whole. A lot has changed and yet much of it looks the same. Is it accessible for people who weren’t fans of the original film? Probably not, but it earns points for not trying to be. The show managed to have a pretty A list cast for a Netflix mini-series based off a box office bomb. I think it’s doing just fine. This could have been really terrible, which isn’t to say that it hits its mark 100% of the time. The show does fall flat a little bit in the middle episodes, but it’s never awful, unless you hated the show to begin with. We’re going to see a lot of revivals in the coming months. Even Coach is coming back. Many of these will suck, like Arrested Development’s fourth season and for many, that will tarnish the legacy of the source material. Wet Hot American Summer: First Day of Camp chose not to rest on its laurels. It’s a worthy successor that enhances one’s enjoyment of the original in many ways. I never went to summer camp, but I hope most of them are exactly like Camp Firewood, talking cans of vegetables and all. The Estradiol Illusions Podcast Hosted by author/transgender activist Ian Thomas Malone covering popular culture, politics, video games, LGBTQ issues, and Game of Thrones TTTE & Chill: Thomas Breaks the Rules Transgender Storytime: Post-Surgery Reflections Therese Plummer, Actor & Audiobook Narrator James Ellars, Democratic Candidate for CA-08 David Frei, Host of The National Dog Show Transgender Storytime: Thoughts Before Surgery Star Wars – Galaxy's Edge Get your Lazarus Pit ready for a trip to Earth-CW! The Arrowverse pulled off a crossover for the ages and Estradiol Illusions is here to talk about it. Join host Ian Thomas Malone and special guest Ed Carroll for an exciting discussion covering Crisis on Infinite Earths. Ian & Ed break down what worked, what didn’t, plus all those exciting cameos. We may not have seen Nicholas Cage finally don the Superman costume, but there were so many thrilling moments that made for one of the most ambitious events in television history. For more of Ed, follow him on Twitter @EdRevelator34 Sign Up For the Moans From Malone Newsletter 1917 Is a Masterpiece of Filmmaking Kevin Hart: Don’t F**k This Up Is a Shallow Series That Fails to Shed Light on Its Star The Mandalorian Season One Review: Chapter 8 Greta Gerwig’s Little Women Is an Absolute Delight Ted Naifeh on The Witcher Is Thoroughly Mediocre Apple’s ‘The Morning Show’ didn’t win a Golden Globe but it’s still the best show on TV right now - Apple RSS on The Morning Show Is an Elaborate Disaster Apple’s ‘The Morning Show’ didn’t win a Golden Globe but it’s still the best show on TV right now - IT News UG on The Morning Show Is an Elaborate Disaster Kenneth Somers on Mystify: Michael Hutchence Gives INXS Fans a Front Row Seat to a Tragic Story Never Miss an Article Subscribe and get new articles delivered straight to your inbox Ian Thomas Malone is proudly powered by WordPress

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Travis – The Man Who (20th anniversary edition) Travis – The Man Who (Craft Recordings) One of the finest albums of the late-Nineties gets the deluxe treatment 20 years ago, the Scottish band Travis issued their breakout album, The Man Who. At the time, it was a departure for the group, whose debut, Good Feeling, had been a rockin’ good time two years earlier. This new direction was darker, and more melodic. It also paved the way for many other UK bands, like Coldplay, who went on to even bigger fame, with their own spin on this style of middle of the road fare. The Man Who still stands up – full of jangly guitars and gentle hooks, courtesy of leader Fran Healey. There are times when he sings so softly, as on “Writing to Reach You,” that he sounds like he’s whispering. The gentle funk of “The Fear” – the chiming “Driftwood,” the Pepper-esque ballad “Last Laugh of the Laughter,” the slightly rocking “Turn” and the epic standout “Why Does It Always Rain On Me,” all contribute to an impressive song cycle. The music is mellow, but still really catchy. And the entire record is solid from start to finish. The original disc has unlisted bonus material at the end of “Slide Show,” track 10. After a 4 minute silence, the rocker “Blue Flashing Light” comes roaring in. Recorded during the sessions, but oddly out of step with the mellower material. The original American disc has two extra bonus cuts not here, “20” and “Only Molly Knows.” The second disc comes with 19 bonus tracks – b-sides, live cuts, etc. “Green Behind the Ears” is a great rocker, while “Only Molly Knows” is a gentle acoustic number that was a bonus cut on the US disc. “Coming Around” is a great, Byrds-esque flavored single that came right after the album. Some of the tracks rock like their first album, as on “Yeah Yeah Yeah” and “High as a Kite.” There are some odd covers – “Be My Baby” is, um, the Ronettes cover, slowed down. There are two Joni Mitchell songs – “Urge For Going” is buoyed by acoustic guitar and “River” is her “Christmas” song, on piano. “Baby One More Time” is the Britney Spears song (why?). And “The Weight” is their (not bad) version of The Band song. There’s a great acoustic rendition of “Driftwood” which is another highlight. Travis would go on to release many more albums. Some really good, like Ode to J. Smith, and some others, just sort of so-so. But, The Man Who is still Travis’ masterstroke. —Tony Peters 339 – Zev Feldman of Resonance Records – Wes Montgomery and Bill Evans archival releases June 19, 2019 Tony Peters No record label has done more for the genre of jazz over the last decade than Resonance Records. The California independent has unearthed gems from a who’s who of jazz, from John Coltrane and Jaco Pastorius, to multiple releases by piano great Bill Evans and guitar master Wes Montgomery. Those last two artists are the subject of Resonance most-recent projects. Evans in England features previously unheard live performances from 1969, while Back on Indiana Avenue culls a collection of studio and live tapes of Wes Montgomery right before he became famous. We chat with Zev Feldman, the co-president of the label, about the crazy stories that led to unearthing these releases by two of the legends of jazz. He also tells us what new project the company is working on for the Christmas holiday. James Taylor – One Man Band (review) June 7, 2019 Tony Peters James Taylor – One Man Band (vinyl edition) James Taylor – One Man Band (Craft Recordings) A very fine concert recording makes its debut on vinyl For an artist who’s been making music for over 50 years, James Taylor has very few live recordings under his belt. His best, One Man Band, was released in 2007, but has never been available on vinyl – until now, thanks to Craft Recordings. One of Taylor’s strengths is his warmth, and it comes through in waves on this 2-LP set. The title, One Man Band, might have you think that it’s a solo, acoustic thing, when actually it refers to the one accompanist, Larry Goldings, who plays piano, organ and bass throughout. Honestly, Goldings should be given equal billing, as many times the two musicians interlock, as on a very fine run through of “Country Road,” where Taylor’s voice is surprisingly strong as well. Unlike so many of his rock contemporaries (Roger Daltrey, Robert Plant, etc), James Taylor never screamed. Perhaps that’s why, unlike them, he’s still got his voice, fully intact, after all these years. Of the 19 total songs, most are familiar, but there are surprises too. Goldings shows off his boogie woogie chops on “Mean Old Man,” while “Chili Dog,” originally from One Man Dog, is good fun. There’s a “drum machine” (actually a real person) on the funky “Slap Leather,” while a backup choir joins things on “My Traveling Star.” Taylor is the ever-professional. Just think how many thousands of times he’s done “You’ve Got a Friend.” Yet, he still turns in a mesmerizing performance where his voice is clear, and his finger picking is as supple as ever. He’s always been an underrated guitarist, and he shows off his chops on electric guitar on “Steamroller Blues.” In fact, this may be the finest version of that song ever put to tape. With Taylor on electric and Goldings on Hammond, there’s lots of space for each musician to roam. The choir returns for the gospel-tinged “Shower the People,” before Taylor does a solo acoustic “Sweet Baby James.” He does tell a few stories, like the inspiration behind “Carolina in My Mind.” The mostly-acoustic instrumentation sounds fabulous in the vinyl format. The LP’s are quiet, and the music leaps out of the speakers. The gatefold jacket shows off a nice photo of the venue, The Colonial Theater in Pittsfield, Massachusetts. Taylor did release the album Live in 1993, and it sold millions of copies. Yet, that concert is a full band recording, which dulls some of his appeal. At his roots, James Taylor is one of the greatest songwriters of our time. One Man Band gives his talents a chance to fully shine. —Tony Peters 338 – Southern Avenue – Keep On – Second Album Blends Many Styles For a Unique, and Very Memphis, Sound May 17, 2019 Tony Peters Soul is an over-used term. What it’s supposed to describe is music that’s real, human and authentic. There’s a Memphis group that embodies that term, mixing elements of R&B, blues, rock and gospel into something that’s unique, and very much southern and from the streets – hence the appropriate name Southern Avenue. They’ve just issued their sophomore album, Keep On, on Concord Music. Recorded at Sam Phillips’ legendary studio, the record serves up a dozen examples of their potent approach to a classic sound. Led by Israeli-born guitar virtuoso, Ori Naftaly, and fiery singer Tierinii Jackson, the group is rounded out by Tierinii’s younger sister, Tikyra, who plays drums and sings backup, and keyboardist Jeremy Powell. They’re currently on a tour that will take them coast to coast in the US before heading overseas. We chat with Naftaly about what got him to relocate 6,500 miles from his home country and settle in the U.S. He tells us how growing up in the church gives the Jackson sisters a very authentic backbone for their music. He also sheds light on how the band hooked up with legendary soul man William Bell for one of the songs on their new album. Bill Evans – Evans in England (review) Bill Evans – Evans in England (Resonance Records) Previously-unreleased live recording of jazz giant in 1969 No label has done more for jazz in the last decade than Resonance Records. Their co-president, Zev Feldman, literally traverses the globe in search of rare recordings by legendary artists. Yet, it’s the label’s attention to detail that truly puts them in a class all their own. Each new release comes with an exhaustive booklet, featuring rare photos and extensive background notes, adding further detail to each recording, and, as a result, enhancing the legacy of jazz itself. Their latest project is a concert recording by Bill Evans from 1969 entitled Evans in England. The piano legend is joined by longtime bassist Eddie Gomez along with drummer Marty Morell, who had recently joined the trio at the time of these shows. The recordings were made by a fan of Evans’ for personal enjoyment, not commercial release, yet they are of surprisingly good quality. The venue, Ronnie Scott’s in London, was a favorite of Evans. It was a place he felt comfortable. And, this is an important factor: when an artist feels at ease, the performance becomes more than just a paid gig – it gives him a chance to be himself. The track listing for the two-disc set is impeccable, covering a lot of terrain, from standards like “Stella By Starlight” and “Our Love is Here to Stay,” to Evans’ classics like “Waltz For Debby.” But, the trio also tackle the Miles Davis classic “So What,” which Evans played on the original recording from Kind of Blue – it’s a thrill to hear this familiar classic reworked for the trio setting. There’s a buoyancy to these performances. Evans is one of the all-time great melodicists on piano – yet often in his career, there’s a shroud of sadness that lingers. Here, a lot of the music seems to be floating – as on the superb version of “Round Midnight.” “Elsa” is another song Evans tackled many times, but rarely at this fast of a tempo. “Stella By Starlight” is bouncier than the version he cut with Miles, and gives Gomez a chance to really shine. And there’s more here than just great piano playing – listen how all three musicians talk back and forth as on “Very Early.” The set closes with a gorgeous rendition of the standard, “Polka Dots and Moonbeams.” There are multiple essays in the accompanying booklet that go into how these rare tapes finally saw the light of day. Really, for a single microphone recording, you can hear all three musicians clearly. There are a handful of minor quibbles with the sound: from time to time, when all three players are really cooking, the music will distort (remember, this wasn’t intended for actual release). Also occasionally, the tape slows down (as if someone bumped up against one of the reels), like on the intro to “Waltz For Debby.” Yet, Evans is so joyful in these performances, it doesn’t matter. Don’t let the “previously unreleased” tag scare you off. Evans in England is a fantastic showcase of Bill Evans in his prime. —Tony Peters 337 – Toad of the Cryan Shames – “Sugar & Spice,” Advice From the Byrds, and Those Great Harmonies The Cryan Shames came out of Chicago in the mid-Sixties, scoring a minor national hit with “Sugar & Spice” in 1966. Yet, several of their other songs, including “It Could Be We’re in Love,” did very well in major cities around the country. The band was signed to Columbia records and released three albums that still hold up today. The Cryan Shames became known for their intricate harmonies melded over jangly melodies, reminiscent of bands like the Byrds and the Beatles. The group broke up in 1969, but has reunited several time over the years. We chat with lead singer, Toad, who remains active with the band. He tells us the origins of the group and their record contract. Plus, he reveals a piece of advice that Roger McGuinn of the Byrds gave him that helped steer the band in a different direction. 60s rockbyrds Dayton, Ohio guitarist Eric Jerardi has been honing his craft for decades. From his humble beginnings winning a Battle of the Bands back in 1989, to going solo a few years later, to a string of critically-acclaimed albums and hundreds of gigs all over the world – Eric has kept at it for over 30 years now. But, just because he’s been doing things a long time, doesn’t mean he can’t still surprise. His brand new album, Occupied takes the blues that he’s mastered so well and adds in a big helping of soul courtesy of Muscle Shoals – the result is hands-down his finest effort to date. He tells us what it was like recording with some of the legendary musicians that played on the record, plus what producer David Z brought to the project. Jerardi also talks about playing Icon Fetch host Tony Peters’ wedding, the one and only time he’s played in a church. bluesDaytonmuscle shoalsSoul 335 – Van Duren – Waiting – New Documentary & Soundtrack Van Duren emerged from the same fertile Memphis music scene that gave us cult heroes Big Star. In fact, Duren was one of the many artists interviewed in the 2012 Big Star documentary, Nothing Can Hurt Me. In an odd twist of fate, Van Duren has gone from being interviewed in a documentary to having a documentary made about him. Waiting: The Van Duren Story, debuted in Memphis last November. The origins of this film are about as crazy as you can get, involving fans from halfway around the world. In anticipation of the film being released publicly, Omnivore Recordings has assembled a fantastic, 12-track overview of Duren’s largely unknown career. Yet, the music on this disc shows an artist that needs to be heard. We chat the unlikely circumstances that led to this new documentary. Plus, he goes through some of the tracks on the film’s soundtrack, including songs recorded with former members of Big Star. Plus, he talks about the possibility of new music from him. #powerpopbigstarchrisbelldocsindie The Delines new album is mesmerizing The Delines – The Imperial The Delines – The Imperial (El Cortez Records) Incredibly evocative, this is music that draws you in The Imperial is the welcome return of Portland, Oregon’s The Delines. Their second studio album took a lot longer than planned, when singer Amy Boone was involved in a car accident back in 2016. She spent over a year in physical therapy, having to re-learn how to walk. Thankfully, her voice, a whiskey-soaked version of Bobby Gentry, is still intact. Guitarist Willy Vlautin has put together another ten songs that work as mini stories, based on losers, and those down on their luck, and Boone’s voice is the perfect vehicle. These tales are wrapped in a blend of gentle country-soul that’s deceptively magnetic. The album opens with “Cheer Up Charley.” With its horns on the chorus, it comes off like a psychobilly version of the Carpenters. But, then things really settle in with “The Imperial.” Boone evokes goosebumps as she asks “all those scars / what did they do to you” while the music gently swirls behind. I found myself turning out the lights and turning up the music – it’s been a long time since I just listened. “Let’s Be Us Again” is a poignant love song that smolders along as she sings “I can’t wait to be like I used to be.” “Roll Back My Life” crawls along at a dirge’s pace – there just aren’t too many singers that could command restraint to pull this off. “Side two” begins with the upbeat “Eddie & Polly,” but don’t let that fool you, the story of the doomed lovers is just as harrowing. Boone gives more of a matter-of-fact delivery on “Holly the Hustle,” the tale of a girl who had to grow up too soon. The gospel-tinged “He Don’t Burn For Me” compares couples breaking up to broken down cars left alongside the road. Like the run-down apartment building on the front cover, the music tucked inside doesn’t attempt to sugar coat things. No 5-star hotel, this is real life, where the only things free are the stains on the carpet. If you give them a chance, the Delines will mesmerize you. —Tony Peters Jewel’s Multi-Platinum debut is back on vinyl from Craft Recordings Jewel – Pieces of You – vinyl edition (Craft Recordings) Jewel’s path to success is so unique, they should make a movie out of it. Released over 20 years ago, her debut, Pieces of You, was a slow-moving juggernaut. At first, it bombed, yet eventually it sold over 12 million copies, yielding three huge singles. Craft Recordings has taken this landmark album, long out of print on vinyl, and reissued it with bonus tracks. Jewel was just 18 when she moved from her native Alaska to Southern California to try and break into the music business. Famously, she was living out of her van when Atlantic Records saw a live performance and gave her a record contract. Pieces of You was issued in February of 1995 to little fanfare. The album sold poorly at first. While most labels would have given up on this struggling artist, something kept them going. A year and a half later, “Who Will Save Your Soul” peaked at #11, and the parent album started to catch fire. An opening slot for Bob Dylan helped, and TV appearances started to happen. Then, she re-recorded “You Were Meant For Me,” and the more polished version struck a chord with radio and the record-buying public alike, eventually peaking at #2. Tucked away on the b-side of “You Were Meant For Me” was another ballad, “Foolish Games.” As the former song fell off the chart, the latter picked up steam, sending the now-two-sided single back up the list. Eventually, both songs racked up a combined (and largely unheard of) 65 weeks on the singles’ chart. The parent album, originally a flop, became one of the biggest-selling albums of all-time. Listening back to these recordings after over two decades, there’s an innocence to all of it. This is the world seen through the eyes of a girl barely out of high school. Our treatment of people less beautiful, or of minorities hasn’t changed much in 20 years, so “Pieces of You” still rings true, even if its approach is a little blunt. The cloying “Adrian,” a song about a boy in a coma, wears out its welcome at over seven minutes when its point was made at about 3 1/2. The slick hit singles notwithstanding, the remainder of her debut is largely under-produced. A lot of these are acoustic, in-concert renditions. While there’s an immediacy to the these tracks, her voice would benefit greatly from the better production she would receive on later albums. Yet, there is still plenty that still stands up here too. “Amen” sounds like it was sung by a much-older and wiser woman and is a gorgeous ballad. There’s a sassy tone to the original version of “You Were Meant For Me” that isn’t present on the redone one. “Who Will Save Your Soul” is Jewel backed by Neil Young’s Stray Gators, and it still packs a whollop. The vinyl format is perfect for the acoustic tunes. There’s a warmness to “Morning Song” (another great ballad) that just oozes from the grooves of the record. This does not sound like a teenagers’ romance. There were a lot of non-LP and b-side material recorded around this time, and side 4 of the vinyl grabs five of the best (although “God’s Gift to Women” is surprisingly absent). “Rocker Girl” and “Cold Song” are both quaint, but “Everything Breaks” is phenomenal, and one wonders why it was never included on a Jewel album. One of the benefits of the vinyl format is that you get all the photos and lyrics that originally came with the CD, but they’re much larger, so they’re legible! The gatefold cover opens with additional credits and a photo too. Pieces of You might be the most-unassuming best-selling album of all-time (it ranks at #45 all time). Yet, it blazed a trail for the many female performers that followed, and the album’s blend of coffee-house folk and teenage sass still stands up today. —Tony Peters ← Previous 1 2 3 4 … 111 Next → #185 – Kim Longacre of the Reivers – Second Story #295 – Chandler Travis Philharmonic – Waving Kissyhead vol. 2 &1 Various Artists – Thank You Friends – Big Star’s Third Live…And More! Classic Album – Rush – Moving Pictures (CD review) Concert Review – Goo Goo Dolls Frankie Avalon, Fabian & Bobby Rydell (concert review)

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Tag Archives: Classic Soul #228 – David Clayton Thomas – Soul Ballads https://iconfetch.com/podcast-player/852/show-228-david-clayton-thomas-pt-1-32715.mp3 David Clayton Thomas is one of the most recognizable voices in all of popular music. He led the hugely successful band Blood Sweat & Tears for around 30 years, having hits like “You’ve Made Me So Very Happy,” and “Spinning Wheel,” before embarking on a solo career in the early 2000’s. His latest project is a true labor of love, Soul Ballads (view entry on Amazon.com) comprises 12 classic R&B tracks, filtered through Clayton-Thomas’ deep resonating voice. In part one of our interview, we delve into this project, talking about his influences from Otis Redding to Sam Cooke. He also tells us why he was reluctant to record “Midnight Train to Georgia” at first. BloodClassic SoulDavid Clayton ThomaspodcastSweat & Tears #169 – Barbara Carr – Keep the Fire Burning October 14, 2012 Tony Peters https://iconfetch.com/podcast-player/588/barbara-carr-upcoming-interview.mp3 Singer Barbara Carr has had a long and interesting career, which began when she signed with the legendary Chess label in 1966, recording singles like “Don’t Knock Love.” But, when her career didn’t take off right away – she walked away to raise a family. But, the music called her back. She and her husband formed their own record label and began releasing albums on her own. A contract with Echo Records heated things up in the late Nineties, with a string of sexually bold singles like “Footprints on the Ceiling,” and “If You Can’t Cut the Mustard.” Now Barbara’s back with a brand new disc produced by Johnny Rawls called Keep the Fire Burning. Barbara CarrbluesClassic Soulpodcast #34 – Solomon Burke Tribute https://iconfetch.com/podcast-player/192/solomon-burke-tribute.mp3 Solomon Burke was one of the greatest soul singers of all time. Sadly, he passed away over the weekend at the age of 70. Icon Fetch had a chance to talk with Solomon back in May about his latest CD, “Nothing’s Impossible.” We’re going to re-air that interview, plus delve more into his classic music, as well as talk with some of the people that were influenced by his artistry. Click below to hear the tribute and to listen to the interview with Solomon Burke. https://iconfetch.com/wp-content/uploads/audio/show34solomontribute.mp3 Classic SoulpodcastSolomon BurkeTribute #17 – Delbert McClinton – Acquired Taste https://iconfetch.com/podcast-player/107/delbert-mcclinton-acquired-taste.mp3 Delbert McClinton has been playing his own mix of blues, country and rock n’ roll for almost 50 years with no sign of slowing down. His latest release, Acquired Taste, was a gritty collection of songs and another triumph. He talks with Icon Fetch about where he still gets inspiration for his songs (he co-wrote almost every song on the album), plus his upcoming Sandy Beaches 17, a cruise vacation that he started that’s in it’s, that’s right, seventeenth year. In addition, he sets to rest the rumor that he taught a young John Lennon how to play harmonica. Click below for the Delbert McClinton interview. https://iconfetch.com/wp-content/uploads/audio/show17delbertmcclinton.mp3 Acquired TastebluesClassic RockClassic SoulDelbert McClintonJohn Lennonpodcast #4 – Solomon Burke – Nothing’s Impossible & Robert Rodriguez – Fab Four FAQ 2.0 https://iconfetch.com/podcast-player/19/solomon-burke-robert-rodriguez.mp3 He is the King of Rock and Soul, Mr. Solomon Burke, and he’s just released his latest CD, “Nothing’s Impossible.” We’ll talk to Solomon about recording the new record with legendary producer Willie Mitchell, who weeks after wrapping up the sessions, passed away of heart failure. Mitchell was responsible for most of Al Green’s big hits and lends that same style to Burke’s disc. Solomon had a great string of R&B hits in the mid-60’s, but is probably best known for “Everybody Needs Somebody to Love,” a song covered by the Rolling Stones and featured prominently in the Blues Brothers movie. Burke’s other film credits include working alongside Dennis Quaid in “The Big Easy.” He won a Grammy in 2002 for his album “Don’t Give Up On Me.” Click below for the Solomon Burke interview. {mp3}show4solomonburke{/mp3} {enclose show4solomonburke.mp3} For more information on Solomon Burke, visit his official site (www.thekingsolomonburke.com) Also on the show is Robert Rodriguez, author of “Fab Four FAQ 2.0“. He talks to Icon Fetch about his new Beatles book, covering the solo years 1970-1980. Robert’s interview is at the end of our show with Solomon Burke. Click below for the Robert Rodriguez Beatles interview. Robert’s official site is: www.fabfourfaq2.com beatlesbookClassic SoulpodcastRob Rodrobert rodriguezSolomon Burke #2 – Darlene Love – Fame the Musical https://iconfetch.com/podcast-player/11/darlene-love-fame-musical.mp3 Singer is unsung hero of rock She’s one of the greatest singers in the history of music. Darlene Love has lent her voice to countless hit singles over the years, including “He’s a Rebel” by the Crystals, “You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feelin'” by the Righteous Brothers, and her own holiday classic “Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)”.She’s also had the opportunity to sing with many legends of music including Elvis,Sam Cooke, Aretha, Marvin Gaye, Cher, and even Cheech & Chong! Many others will remember her as Danny Glover’s wife in the Lethal Weapon movies. Darlene is currently gearing up for a run of “Fame the Musical” in Australia, where she stars as Miss Sherman, a no-nonsense teacher at the school for the arts. We’ll also discuss the new DVD release of “The T.A.M.I. Show”, which Darlene was a part of. You can find out more about Darlene, by going to her official site, www.darleneloveworld.com Singer Darlene Love has lent her voice to literally hundreds of recordings over the years. We’ve assembled a list of some of her “Greatest Hits” “Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)” – Darlene Love – One of Darlene’s greatest moments. A stone-cold holiday classic from Phil Spector’s A Christmas Gift to You. You can close your eyes and feel the snow falling on you. “He’s a Rebel” – credited to the Crystals, but it’s actually Darlene on lead vocals. Her first #1 hit. “Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah – Bob B. Soxx & the Blue Jeans – Darlene sings on this Disney classic turned inside-out. Extra points for Billy Strange’s guitar solo that sounds like it’s coming from another planet. “(Today I Met) The Boy I’m Gonna Marry” – Darlene Love – One of the few Spector tracks to actually sport Miss D’s name. Darlene reaches back to her days in the gospel choir for a gutty performance. Imagine her preaching to the congregation about her good news. “The Shoop Shoop Song (It’s in His Kiss)” – Betty Everett – Darlene and the Blossoms do the question-asking, like “Is it in his eyes”? sharing the lead vocalis with Betty. The vocal ascending that they do when Betty sings “Kiss him / and squeeze him tight” will send shivers. “Poor Side of Town” – Johnny Rivers – Darlene & the Blossoms show off their gentler side as they echo Johnny’s verses with sweet sophistication. “The Right Time” – Bobby Darin – Darlene duets with Bobby on this under-appreciated cut from a lost Darin LP called Bobby Darin Sings Ray Charles “Brown-Eyed Woman” – Bill Medley – The deep-voiced half of the Righteous Brothers testifies his love for Darlene, while she and her sisters turn up the heat. “Basketball Jones – Cheech and Chong – Showing that she truly is one of the most versatile of vocalists, Darlene lends her talents to C&C’s parody of the Brighter Side of Darkness “Love Jones.” 60s ArtistsClassic RockClassic SoulDarlene Lovepodcast #288 – Dennis Coffey – Hot Coffey in the D Frank Sinatra – A Voice on the Air (review) INXS – Kick30 (Deluxe Edition) (Rhino / Atlantic) Ray Luzier of Korn Concert For Sandy Relief (review)

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Dubious Twitter Claim Suggests Iran Is Struggling to Control Internet Communications Published: Thursday, 24 August 2017 Written by Edward Carney The Associated Press reports that on Tuesday, Iranian Communications Minister Mohammad Javad Azari Jahromi announced that Twitter was prepared to begin talks with the Iranian government about how to go about having blocks on the microblogging site lifted within the Islamic Republic. Jahromi was quoted as saying that Twitter had “officially announced readiness to talk with Iran for resolving the problems.” However, no such official statement appeared in global media at the time, and the AP reported that Twitter had not immediately responded to requests for comment. The internationally popular social media platforms Twitter and Facebook have both been officially blocked in the country since they were used as organizational tools in the midst of protests against the disputed presidential elections in 2009. But many Iranians use virtual proxy networks and other technical workarounds to access them anyway. This raises some questions regarding what incentives Twitter might have to work with the Iranian government for the sake of ending a block that is not effectively enforced. The official ban is not even enforced among Iranian officials, many of whom are active on Twitter or at least maintain infrequently used accounts. Last week, IranWire published an extensive list of some of the most influential Iranian figures who utilize the platform, and it includes various categories including hardline politicians, independent journalists, and exiled activists who are able to reach a domestic Iranian audience thanks to the frequent violations of the ban. The IranWire report begins by saying, “Twitter is banned in Iran but anybody who is anybody uses it.” Though preceding Jahromi’s announcement about Twitter’s supposed intentions to discuss the site’s future in Iran, the report preemptively cast doubt upon the notion that the ban would be lifted. Specifically, it quoted multiple hardline officials as saying that the ban is here to stay, and it also indicated that the judiciary had gone as far as to suggest that it would continue to enforce the ban even if the Supreme Council of Cyberspace decided that it should be lifted. That council, which is headed by the supposedly moderate President Hassan Rouhani and the Communications Ministry but also overseen by Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, has reportedly directed a working group to devise a plan for filtering the platform instead of blocking it outright. The internet as a whole is heavily filtered in Iran to exclude content considered morally objectionable or threatening to national security, and officials have variously announced plans to essentially wall off the global internet and create a “halalnet” that consists only of regime-approved content. Such plans are generally understood to be well beyond the country’s technical capabilities, but public statements have suggested that restrictions are becoming more extensive and effective. Of course, such statements are contradicted by the widespread popularity of Twitter and other platforms, including the instant messaging app Telegram. Although dozens of administrators of Telegram user groups were jailed in the run up to May’s national elections, the regime has apparently struggled to block content or to monitor the comparatively anonymous app. In a possible indication of frustration over this situation, Tehran has claimed that Telegram conceded to Iranian demands that local communications be housed on local servers. Telegram has vigorously denied these claims, however, and no evidence has been presented to contradict those denials. This makes it quite likely that the claims are part of a broader attempt by the Iranian regime to make internet communications within its borders seem more vulnerable than they are. As such, Jahromi’s announcement regarding Twitter may be another example of the same. As Iran Human Rights Monitor has pointed out, that announcement was preceded, on August 16, by a letter written to the Iranian parliament by the head of the Ministry of Intelligence. In it, Mahmoud Alawi promised to intensify the crackdown on internet communications. But if the Twitter announcement is indeed false, it may be an indication that the Communications Ministry is struggling to determine how to do this effectively. To be sure, free expression on the internet does indeed expose Iranian citizens to the possibility of punishment, which can be quite severe in many cases. The Intelligence Ministry and the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps actively monitor public online commentary and have made numerous arrests in the past. But this has not stopped social media platforms from being used to express dissent or organize protests, of which there have been hundreds throughout the country over the past year. In an interview with IranWire, the expatriate Iranian activist Masih Alinejad explained that social media has had a profound impact on the nature and extent of public dissent in the Islamic Republic: “In the past, if a member of a family was a political prisoner, or if a family member had been executed, the family would move a few villages away to isolate themselves. They would hide in the closet so that they would not have to talk about it because society was not understanding. But now we can see that the citizens are gaining power through social networks. They now feel that if they have a political prisoner in the family or if a family member has been sentenced to death, they have not been dishonored and must not feel shame. Instead, they point the finger back at the government.” It is not clear that the Iranian regime has a clear strategy for countering this trend, at least within cyberspace itself. However, one could easily conclude that the challenges posed by social media are part of the reason for the crackdown by security forces that has reportedly been ongoing since before the conclusion of nuclear negotiations in 2015. In this sense, direct attacks on known civil and political activists may be seen as a way of discouraging online communications, especially when arrests and other enforcement measures can be linked directly to online activities. The Center for Human Rights in Iran provided an example on Monday when it reported that the reformist journalist Sasan Aghaei had been arrested without a warrant on August 12 and detained in Evin Prison on suspicion of collaborating with Amad News, one of the most popular Iranian channels on Telegram. The report notes that the previous Communications Minister, Mahmoud Vaezi, attempted to block the channel but was stymied by Telegram’s refusal to cooperate. CHRI also reports that Aghaei’s family has had no contact with him in the two weeks since his arrest – a fact that apparently speaks to the regime’s intention to silence him not only online, but completely.

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Louis Komjathy A leading scholar-practitioner of Daoism (Taoism) with more than twenty-five years of experience with holistic and integrated Daoist training, Louis Komjathy, Xiujing, Wanrui, Ph.D. C.S.O., is an ordained Daoist priest of the Huashan lineage of Quanzhen Daoism, as well as founding co-director and senior teacher of the Daoist Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to fostering authentic Daoist study and practice and to preserving and transmitting traditional Daoist culture. He earned his Ph.D. in religious studies (Boston University; 2005) with an emphasis on Daoism and the academic study of religion. He currently works as associate professor of Chinese religions and comparative religious studies at the University of San Diego. He has particular interests in contemplative practice, embodiment, and mystical experience. He received ordination in the Huashan lineage in 2006, after which he lived as a visiting Daoist monk in the monasteries of Laoshan and Huashan. As a Daoist priest, Komjathy endeavors to help individuals develop a root in self-cultivation and a personal connection with the Dao and to facilitate a tradition-based Daoist sense of community. He has published nine books to date, including more recently The Daoist Tradition: An Introduction (Bloomsbury Academic, 2013), the edited volume Contemplative Literature: A Comparative Sourcebook on Meditation and Contemplative Prayer (State University of New York Press, 2015), Taming the Wild Horse: An Annotated Translation and Study of the Daoist Horse Taming Pictures (Columbia University Press, 2017), and Introducing Contemplative Studies (Wiley-Blackwell, 2017). His life and work has been featured in Dream Trippers: Global Daoism and the Predicament of Modern Spirituality (University of Chicago Press, 2017). His primary residence is a quasi-hermitage in Ravinia, Illinois, where he lives with his wife, Kate Townsend, and Siberian Husky companion, Takota. The Mind & Life Institute | 210 Ridge McIntire Road, Suite 325 | Charlottesville, VA 22903 Cancellation Policy | Privacy Notice www.mindandlife.org Proudly powered by WordPress | Theme: UnderStrap by understrap.com. (Version: 0.8.2)

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Tag: dyslexia Weekly Neuroscience Update Image: Bansal et al., PLOS Computational Biology, October 2018. Scientists are using computational models of the brain to simulate how the structure of the brain may impact brain activity and, ultimately, human behavior. The research focuses on interconnectivity, looking at how different regions are linked to and interact with one another. Using a green filter helps to increase reading speed for children with dyslexia, researchers report. Using three different training models, researchers report mental training, mindfulness and meditation can induce structural brain plasticity and reduce social stress. A new study reports sleep helps improve learning performance in predictable processes. A new brain imaging study reveals how the midbrain and striatum, two key areas of the dopamine system, become more active when a person updates their beliefs about the world around them. Researchers report deep brain stimulation has little benefit for those suffering from early onset Alzheimer’s disease. Finally this week, a decade worth of data reveals people who multitask with different forms of media at once are worse at completing simple memory tasks. Researchers have discovered differences in the brain’s emotional networks between those who do not meditate, novice meditators and those who have practiced meditation for a long time. According to researchers, people find it easier to lie in a foreign language than their native tongue. A new study could revolutionize understanding of how signal flow can be measured in the brain and could have an impact into the development of new artificial neural networks. Scientists in the US have announced they’ve developed an Artificial Intelligence (AI) system that can tell how smart a person is just by looking at a scan of their brain. Researchers have developed a new, non-surgical method to manipulate brain circuitry. The technique uses sound waves in combination with small bubble injections into the bloodstream that temporarily opens the blood-brain barrier. A new study reports disrupted transportation routes in nerve cells are a significant cause of Parkinson’s disease. According to researchers, vision and brain circuits perform regular background scans, making neurons available for focus based tasks. The process makes it possible for us to pay, and maintain attention. Researchers report high density of neurons in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex play a significant role in resilient dyslexia. Finally this week, a new study reports children who exhibit excessive self-control and have tendencies toward perfectionism are twice as likely to develop OCD by their teenage years. According to researchers, endurance runners appear to have greater functional connectivity in their brains that those who don’t exercise as much. New research reveals that children begin using olfactory information to help guide their responses to emotionally-expressive faces at about five years of age. The findings advance understanding of how children integrate different types of sensory information to direct their social behaviour. A new study explores how neurons adapt their function to respond to stimuli quickly. A distinctive neural signature found in the brains of people with dyslexia may explain why these individuals have difficulty learning to read, according to a new study from MIT neuroscientists. Brain connections that play a key role in complex thinking skills show the poorest health with advancing age, new research suggests. Researchers have identified immune cells in the membranes around the brain that could be a ‘missing link’ in the gut-brain axis. The immune cells also appear to have a positive impact on recovery following spinal cord injury. Therapeutic hypothermia following a Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) significantly improves survival rate, a new study reports. An enzyme found in the fluid around the brain and spine is giving researchers a snapshot of what happens inside the minds of Alzheimer’s patients and how that relates to cognitive decline. Finally this week,a new study looks at the way in which noise sensitivity is manifested due to changes in the way in which the brain processes auditory information. The salience network, highlighted here in two epilepsy patients, is thought to mediate our response to important internal or external signals, such as pain or the sound of a siren. Image: Parvizi et al. Neuron 2013 In a rare study involving direct brain stimulation researchers say they have uncovered direct evidence that a brain region known as the anterior midcingulate cortex and its surrounding network play a central role in motivation and a readiness to act. Many studies suggest that pushing your brain to multitask—writing emails, for instance, while watching the day’s latest news and eating breakfast—leads to poorer performance and lower productivity. But for at least one everyday task—visual sampling (the act of picking up bits of visual information through short glances)—multitasking is not a problem for the brain. A collaboration between researchers at the UC Santa Barbara and the University of Bristol in the UK has shown that during visual sampling, the brain can handle various visual functions simultaneously. Researchers report a detailed account of how speech sounds are identified by the human brain, offering an unprecedented insight into the basis of human language. The finding, they said, may add to our understanding of language disorders, including dyslexia. A new study correlating brain activity with how people make decisions suggests that when individuals engage in risky behavior, it’s probably not because their brains’ desire systems are too active, but because their self-control systems are not active enough. This might have implications for how health experts treat mental illness and addiction or how the legal system assesses a criminal’s likelihood of committing another crime. Pain sensitivity is controlled by a genetic “dimmer switch”, which can be re-set, UK scientists have discovered. The act of laughing at a joke is the result of a two-stage process in the brain, first detecting an incongruity before then resolving it with an expression of mirth. The brain actions involved in understanding humour differ between young boys and girls. These are the conclusions reached by a US-based scientist supported by the Swiss National Science Foundation. The structure of the brain shows the way in which we process numbers. People either do this spatially or non-spatially. A study by Florian Krause from the Donders Institute in Nijmegen shows for the first time that these individual differences have a structural basis in the brain. Pioneering research points to a promising avenue for the treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) utilising neurofeedback training to alter the plasticity of brain networks linked to the condition. Perseverance is a quality that plays a large role in the success or failure of many pursuits. It has never been entirely clear why this trait seems more apparent in some people than others, but a new piece of research may at least help explain where it comes from. A mechanism in the brain which controls tics in children with Tourette Syndrome (TS) has been discovered by scientists at The University of Nottingham. Dyslexia may be caused by impaired connections between auditory and speech centers of the brain, according to a recent study published in Science. The research could help to resolve conflicting theories about the root causes of the disorder, and lead to targeted interventions. Different brain areas are activated when we choose to suppress an emotion, compared to when we are instructed to inhibit an emotion, according to a new study. Researchers say signs of psychopathy could be detected as early as childhood. The conclusion was drawn from a study where psychologists scanned the brains of children with conduct problems. When the children were shown images of someone in pain, regions of the brain associated with empathy remained inactive. Using MRI, neuroscientists have found significant differences in brain anatomy when comparing men and women with dyslexia to their non-dyslexic control groups, suggesting that the disorder may have a different brain-based manifestation based on sex. Research into the comparative size of the frontal lobes in humans and other species has determined that they are not – as previously thought – disproportionately enlarged relative to other areas of the brain, according to the most accurate and conclusive study of this area of the brain. It concludes that the size of our frontal lobes cannot solely account for humans’ superior cognitive abilities. When the brain’s primary “learning center” is damaged, complex new neural circuits arise to compensate for the lost function, say researchers who have pinpointed the regions of the brain involved in creating those alternate pathways — often far from the damaged site. Your brain often works on autopilot when it comes to grammar. That theory has been around for years, but University of Oregon neuroscientists have captured elusive hard evidence that people indeed detect and process grammatical errors with no awareness of doing so. Image Credit: © Tryfonov / Fotolia Where Is Your Brain Taking You (Part II) ? What is the point about living our lives? Today I want to expand on a previous post – Is there an end point to us becoming more human or the fulfilment of its potential? As a neuroscientist who has studied the origins of learning and memory it has become obvious to me that the more we learn and remember the better we can predict the future. This question can be now be answered in the context that every single human being on the planet is unique because they posses a uniquely complex brain. In fact, the brain is so complex that in all of human history no two brains were the same. Furthermore, this unique combination of about 100 trillion tiny connections grows and changes through life – a work in progress from conception to death. In this way we each evolve as we journey through life. Neurodiversity is the key to our success The term ‘neurodiversity’ has been coined to extend the finding that every single human being is neurologically different, to view those with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, autism spectrum disorder, Asperger syndrome, dyscalculia, dyslexia, dyspraxia, Tourette syndrome, and others as just another variation of human brain wiring, rather than a disease – and that these differences in brain wiring are authentic forms of communication, self- expression and being. Vive la différence! Rather than focus on the need for a ‘cure’ what we actually need to do is to promote support- systems that allow those who are neurologically different to live their lives as they are, rather than attempting to conform to some clinical ideal – because it is these very individuals that give the rest of us unique insights and solutions by viewing the world in a different way. Take for example Albert Einstein – considered by many to have had Asperger syndrome – who single-handedly worked out the relationship between space and time and went on to model the structure of the universe as a whole. To bee or not to bee The advantages of neurodiversity can be seen elsewhere in nature for instance in the thermoregulation in honey bee nests. The temperature in the nest ranges between 32 and 36 degrees. If it is getting warmer the bees ventilate with their wings until the set point is reached again. However in genetically uniform colonies the bees tend to start with ventilation about the same time – causing even greater instability by producing more temperature fluctuations, whereas the nest temperature in genetically diverse colonies is more stable. Who is in the spotlight? Despite what some like to think – humankind is not the centre of the world but rather a very actively growing branch of the evolutionary tree. We are not destined to ‘lift ourselves above nature’ – but rather to dramatically raise the intelligence and complexity of this thing we call ‘life’ through our intellectual and spiritual evolution. So what’s the answer? The evolution of the human race is not going to proceed by trying to transcend it – rather we will move forward as a race by making room for each and every individual to express their personalities to the full. In this way the evolution of the human race has everything to do with our own personal development. In short, personality equals evolution. Conceptual scheme of controlled release of ODN from a hydrogel composed of a CyD-containing molecular network by mechanical compression. (Credit: Image courtesy of National Institute for Materials Science) A research group has succeeded in developing a gel material which is capable of releasing drugs in response to pressure applied by the patient. New findings about how the brain functions to suppress pain have been published in the leading journal in the field Pain, by National University of Ireland Galway (NUI Galway) researchers. For the first time, it has been shown that suppression of pain during times of fear involves complex interplay between marijuana-like chemicals and other neurotransmitters in a brain region called the amygdala. Researchers report that they have found a biological mechanism that appears to play a vital role in learning to read. This finding provides significant clues into the workings behind dyslexia — a collection of impairments unrelated to intelligence, hearing or vision that makes learning to read a struggle. A new study suggests neural ‘synchrony’ may be key to understanding how the human brain perceives. Sleep plays an important role in the brain’s ability to consolidate learning when two new potentially competing tasks are learned in the same day, research at the University of Chicago demonstrates. New research for the first time explains exactly how two brain regions interact to promote emotionally motivated behaviors associated with anxiety and reward. The findings could lead to new mental health therapies for disorders such as addiction, anxiety, and depression. Researchers have designed a decoded functional MRI neurofeedback method that induces a pre-recorded activation pattern in targeted early visual brain areas that could also produce the pattern through regular learning. A new study conducted by monitoring the brain waves of sleeping adolescents has found that remarkable changes occur in the brain as it prunes away neuronal connections and makes the major transition from childhood to adulthood. New research suggests that depression, even in children, can increase the risk of heart problems later in life. Teens who were depressed as children are far more likely than their peers to be obese, smoke cigarettes and lead sedentary lives, even if they no longer suffer from depression. Alcohol consumption affects the brain in multiple ways, ranging from acute changes in behavior to permanent molecular and functional alterations. The general consensus is that in the brain, alcohol targets mainly neurons. However, recent research suggests that other cells of the brain known as astrocytic glial cells or astrocytes are necessary for the rewarding effects of alcohol and the development of alcohol tolerance. New research published in The Journal of Neuroscience suggests that modifying signals sent by astrocytes, our star-shaped brain cells, may help to limit the spread of damage after an ischemic brain stroke. The prefrontal cortex is a region of the brain that acts like a filter, keeping any irrelevant thoughts, memories and perceptions from interfering with the task-at-hand. In a new study, researchers have shown that inhibiting this filter can enhance unfiltered, creative thinking. A new study suggests that depression results from a disturbance in the ability of brain cells to communicate with each other. The study indicates a major shift in our understanding of how depression is caused and how it should be treated. Image: Pixmac.com Gym-style exercise may improve not only general health in middle age, but also brain function, according to new research. Researchers at Oregon Health & Science University have discovered that blocking a certain enzyme in the brain can help repair the brain damage associated with multiple sclerosis and a range of other neurological disorders. Researchers at the University of Minnesota’s Center for Magnetic Resonance Research (CMRR) have found a small population of neurons that is involved in measuring time. Two proteins have a unique bond that enables brain receptors essential to learning and memory to not only get and stay where they’re needed, but to be hauled off when they aren’t, researchers say. Scientists have discovered that the brain circuits we engage when we think about social matters, such as considering other people’s views, or moral issues, inhibit the circuits that we use when we think about inanimate, analytical things, such as working on a physics problem or making sure the numbers add up when we balance our budget. And they say, the same happens the other way around: the analytic brain network inhibits the social network. Lund University researchers plan to use optogenetics to stimulate neurons to release more dopamine to combat Parkinson’s disease. A new finding could lead to strategies for treating speech loss after a stroke and helping children with dyslexia. New research links motor skills and perception, specifically as it relates to a second finding – a new understanding of what the left and right brain hemispheres “hear.” UCLA researchers have for the first time measured the activity of a brain region known to be involved in learning, memory and Alzheimer’s disease during sleep. They discovered that this region, called the entorhinal cortex, behaves as if it’s remembering something, even during anesthesia–induced sleep — a finding that counters conventional theories about sleep-time memory consolidation. In an attempt to put matter over mind, researchers are beginning to decipher what exactly is happening in our brains when we are making decisions. Historically, the dyslexia label has been assigned to children who whose high IQs mismatch their low reading scores, but a new brain-imaging study challenges this understanding of dyslexia. Twin studies have shown that people with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder have changes in gene activity caused by their environment. The finding provides the strongest evidence yet that such gene changes might cause the conditions. The famous dictum of Henry Ford “Whether you think you can or think you can’t – you’re right,” has been put to the test in new study, which finds that people who think they can learn from their mistakes have a different brain reaction to mistakes than people who think intelligence is fixed. Everybody has experienced a sense of “losing oneself” in an activity and now researchers have caught the brain in the act. The brains of autistic children have a distinctive topography that a team of Stanford University scientists was able to capture using new imaging techniques, with the hope of someday creating a template for the autistic brain that could be used to diagnose children at an early age. Finally, modern society’s increasing dependency on online tools for both work and recreation opens up unique opportunities for the study of social interactions. With this in mind, scientists at Indiana University have put Dunbar’s Number (a theoretical cognitive limit to the number of people with whom one can maintain stable social relationships) to the test by analyzing the Twitter activity of 1.7 million individuals. Their research offers support to Dunbar’s hypothesis of a biological limit to the number of relationships than can be simultaneously maintained by a single individual.

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You are here: Home / Technology / Target and Lowe’s Tech Execs Credit Talent, Culture for Insourcing Success – Wall Street Journal Target and Lowe’s Tech Execs Credit Talent, Culture for Insourcing Success – Wall Street Journal NEW YORK—Large retailers are finding that the right talent and the right company culture are critical to success as they bring more software development in-house to stay competitive. Executives from Lowe’s Cos . and Target Corp., who spoke Monday at the National Retail Federation conference, said they have been expanding internal technology teams to build everything from inventory-management systems to point-of-sale software. The idea is to be more hands-on in tailoring technology to their customers and employees—and to do it quickly—as they compete with the likes of Amazon.com Inc. in an increasingly digital retail landscape. “Two-thirds of growth is coming through digital,” said Target Chief Information Officer Michael McNamara, referring to same-store sales growth being boosted by initiatives such as Drive Up, which allows customers to pick up online orders without leaving their cars. “By and large that is all about technology, and you’ve got to be able to build that stuff yourself.” Not everything needs to be done in-house, but companies should opt to build technologies that are core to their businesses, said Seemantini Godbole, chief information officer at Lowe’s. “Wherever you have secret sauce that you want to put your fingerprints on, for your customer experience or for your own associates,” she said, “I’ve always believed that you should build your own technology.” Lowe’s over the past several years has developed more of its own applications and website features, including those related to inventory, pricing and customer reviews. Last year the company, which houses about 4,000 engineers, built 20 applications designed to help in-store associates better guide customers, including where products are located and best-selling items they might want to recommend. When hiring, it is important to identify prospective tech talent that can learn quickly, Ms. Godbole said. “[O]ne of the things we are always looking for is learning ability,” she said. “Because technology changes really fast, and today’s hard skill is not so hard two years from now.” At Target, the company’s 3,500-person engineering team develops its own technology, including supply-chain software, merchant tools, and point-of-sale commerce applications. Before Mr. McNamara’s arrival in 2015, those particular systems were developed externally. Shifting software development internally involved reducing reliance on third-party contractors. Mr. McNamara said when he arrived, the company’s engineering team was made up of 10,000 people, roughly 70% of whom were external contractors. Today, about 10% of the 3,500-person team are contractors. Mr. McNamara said instilling a culture of speed was key to developing technology in-house. To that end, he helped introduce agile practices—which involves quickly iterating and testing software features—and other methodologies. The result has been faster development cycles. For point-of-sale software built by Target’s technology team, for instance, releasing two or three product updates in a year used to be a heavy lift, Mr. McNamara said. Today, he said his team releases updates weekly, “and we could do it on a daily basis if we so chose.” “We can produce technology now at a speed that was unimaginable to me just a few years ago,” he said. “And that speed and that kind of culture of change is what really has accelerated over the last few years.” Write to Jared Council at [email protected] Filed Under: Technology Tagged With: Techlonogy news

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All Journal Articles Volume Index 2020 (Vol. 34-35) 2018 (Vols. 28-30) 2014 (Vols. 8-12) 2013 (Vols. 3-7) 2012 (Vols. 1 & 2) Other Journal Indexes Journal & Blog Submissions Annual Print Subscription Article Formats & Sources BLOG, NEWS & RESOURCES Foundation Conferences The Ruth M. Stephens Article Prize Come, Follow Me Book of Mormon (2020) — Resource Index — Recommended Aids — Individual Lessons — Study/Teaching Helps — Roundtables New Testament (2019) Reprint Series Science and Mormonism Article & Blog Indexes Doctrine & Covenants Interpreter Radio LDS Perspectives Come, Follow Me Videos Come Follow Me Book of Mormon Come, Follow Me New Testament Special Roundtables Email Subscription Updates Copyrights & Content “To Seal the Testimony” D&C 135 by Taylor Halverson | Aug 29, 2013 | 4 comments June 27, 1844 marks the date of one of the most tragic events in Mormon history—the day the Prophet Joseph Smith and his brother Patriarch Hyrum Smith became martyrs for the cause of truth at the Carthage, Illinois jail. After reviewing the events that led up to that dark day let us pause for a few moments to reflect upon the magnitude and meaning of the work of Joseph Smith, the Lord’s chosen servant. Exodus from Missouri to the Promised Land of Nauvoo The infamous extermination order issued by Governor Boggs on October 27, 1838 effectively drained the state of Missouri of all Mormons. Persecuted, driven and in despair they slowly made their way across the winter prairies of Missouri, over the Mississippi river to a temporary settlement in Quincy, Illinois. After many months in prison, the leading brethren were released from Liberty Jail and afforded the opportunity to return to their families. Soon the vigor of establishing Zion returned to Joseph and the saints. In the summer of 1839 a new gathering place was secured on the swampy shores of Commerce, Illinois, land was purchased, a city charter secured and a new name given—Nauvoo, ((Nauvoo is a transliteration from a rare Hebrew word found in the Old Testament that has several significant meanings when one considers what the city of Nauvoo represented for the persecuted saints. Here are several of the meanings, “to rest (as at home)…beauty…to celebrate (with praises):—keep at home, prepare an habitation…at home; hence (by impl. of satisfaction) lovely; also (noun) a home, of God (temple), men (residence), flocks (pasture), or wild animals (den):—comely, dwelling (place), fold, habitation, pleasant place.” Found in James Strong, The Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible (Peabody: Hendrickson Publishers)) the beautiful city. Nauvoo truly was a beautiful city unto the saints that found rest and repose from all their enemies. As they had done before in Kirtland, Independence and Far West the saints attempted to gather themselves together, to build a temple unto their God and establish the cause of Zion. Fearing a repeat of judicial problems that had vexed the saints everywhere they settled, Joseph Smith secured a provision in the city charter of Nauvoo that established a municipal court. Based on past experience with the judicial systems in regions that were less than friendly towards Mormons, the hope was to have recourse to a fair judicial review if ever lawsuits were brought against Joseph Smith, the church or any member of it. Prosperity and Persecutions in Nauvoo In a short time, no doubt due to the great faith and industrious nature of the early saints, the city of Nauvoo rose in prominence and prosperity. By June 1844 the city population was estimated to be 14,000 people strong, making it one of the largest cities in Illinois at the time. Its rapid growth and rise to prominence was both a blessing and a curse. Several other Illinois communities in the area such as Quincy, Warsaw and Carthage lost business and prestige because of growth at Nauvoo. Additionally, the land speculators and investors in these communities who sought to make money through speculation found their trade diminished as the Mormon church bought large sections of land and then sold them nearly at cost to the hundreds of newly arriving immigrants and settlers to Nauvoo. ((William Edwin Berrett, The Restored Church: A Brief History of the Growth and Doctrines of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 4th edition (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Company, 1944), pp. 227-228.)) Hence, the old cycle of jealousy and opposition against the Mormons began to grow. Other problems soon surfaced and vexed Joseph and the Church. Even though the Nauvoo charter provided for all religious groups to come and settle freely within the city and the First Presidency issued a statement in support of such diversity and tolerance ((The statement reads, “We wish it likewise to be distinctly understood that we claim no privileges but what we feel cheerfully disposed to share with our fellow citizens of every denomination, and every sentiment of religion; and therefore say, that so far from being restricted to our own faith, let all those who desire to locate in this place (Nauvoo) or the vicinity, come and we will hail them as citizens and friends, and shall feel it not only a duty, but a privilege to reciprocate the kindness we have received from the benevolent and kind-hearted citizens of the State of Illinois.” Found in Berrett, p. 226.)) the religious unity and insularity of the Mormons tended to make them an exclusive group. This had the same effect upon the citizens of Illinois as it did upon the citizens of Missouri, namely to incite suspicion and jealousy. These feelings were further complicated by other factors. The Mormons espoused a set of religious beliefs that were not in line with “mainstream Christianity.” As the missionary labors continued to expand and bring in numbers of converts, ministers from other denominations grew frustrated as their own congregations diminished. But more than just losing their congregations, these ministers believed that the Mormon doctrines led people astray. While all of these social circumstances were brewing in Illinois, Missouri sheriffs sought to capture or kidnap Joseph Smith and bring him back to Missouri for trial on old charges, most of them spurious. Thus, these difficulties often distracted Joseph Smith from church and family business, as he had to hide from time to time for the safety of his life. ((Berrett, pp. 236ff.)) The biggest problems, however, were not from outside the church but from within. It was those who had at one time professed loyalty and friendship to Joseph and the church that proved the most dangerous and ultimately responsible for the martyrdom of Joseph and Hyrum. Varied are the reasons that some early saints grew bitter, apostatized and then turned their efforts to persecute the church and see the downfall of Joseph. In the Nauvoo period much of the controversy and apostasy surrounded the rumors of plural marriage. From historical records it appears that Joseph Smith first learned of the principle of plural marriage in 1831, however he only shared the principle with but few of his associates. As the years passed, Joseph had deep reservations about introducing the principle among the people. This principle seemed to go against all the virtuous ideas espoused by Western civilized society. Not until 1840 was the principle practiced, and even then it was a small handful of people and this in secrecy. A few years later in 1843, the principle was more openly discussed among church leaders as the revelation of the marriage covenant was put into writing and shared with “the High Council at Nauvoo.” ((Berrett, p. 260)) But there were a few who abused the purity of the principle and used it to justify their lustful desires. One such individual was John C. Bennett who had served with Joseph Smith in the 1st Presidency. When Joseph discovered the moral wrongs that Bennett had committed, the latter was quickly excommunicated. Embittered by these circumstances, Bennett left Nauvoo and began to publish exposes against the prophet and the Mormons. However, the greatest threat came from those who opposed the prophet and yet remained in Nauvoo. Because of the secretive nature of the practice of polygamy the apostates had an easy argument against the church leaders of immorality. Such misrepresentations only bolstered the resentment felt by outsiders (whether due to economic or religious reasons) and caused much confusion among the saints of Nauvoo. About this same time a secret combination formed in Nauvoo based upon the intent to assassinate Joseph Smith. Among the prominent individuals in this secret combination were William Marks, Leonard Soby, Charles Foster, Wilson Law and William Law (another counselor to the prophet Joseph Smith!). Determined to destroy Joseph, several of these men pressed charges of adultery and perjury against the Prophet in Carthage late in May 1844. Then they established a printing press in Nauvoo called The Nauvoo Expositor, which advocated, “the unconditional repeal of the Nauvoo City Charter and to expose the immoral practices of the Church.” ((Berrett, p. 244.)) The City Council of Nauvoo deemed the press to be “a public nuisance” and so they had it destroyed. ((Berrett, p. 245.)) Anti-Mormons immediately claimed that their “freedom of the press” was denied. This so-called abuse of this guaranteed constitutional right caused a mighty uproar throughout the surrounding communities. Soon an arrest warrant was issued for Joseph and several other leaders of the church with charges of inciting a riot. Governor Ford of Illinois demanded that Joseph submit to the arrest. On June 24th, 1844, Joseph Smith turned himself over and the next day he was committed to the Carthage jail together with a few other prominent leaders of the church. During the next few days the Mormons sought every means to exonerate their captive leaders from false and misleading charges. Appeals were made to every level of government for mercy and for justice. However, the dark shadows from the valley of death could not be restrained from engulfing the small town of Carthage, Illinois. On June 27, 1844 a little after 5 o’clock in the evening, an armed mob stormed the jail, overran the few guards stationed to protect the Mormon prisoners and murdered Joseph Smith and his brother Hyrum in cold blood. To Seal the Testimony In modern times, as in ancient, the Lord has designated special servants to share saving truths and ordinances with others that they might know joy in this life and eternal salvation in the life to come. Unfortunately, these servants are often not well received and it has not been uncommon for their blood to witness of their final testimony. We have several designations for those who die for the sake of their testimony—testator or martyr. A testator is one who “dies leaving a will or testament in force.” ((Webster’s Ninth New Collegiate Dictionary (Springfield: Merriam-Webster Inc., 1988), p. 1219.)) A testament is defined as “tangible proof.” ((Ibid.)) Therefore, the death of the testator serves as tangible proof of the veracity of his testimony. The other word, martyr, has an English definition stated as “one who voluntarily suffers death as the penalty of witnessing to and refusing to renounce his religion…one who sacrifices his life or something of great value for the sake of principle.” ((Webster’s Ninth New Collegiate Dictionary, p. 730.)) Originally the word martyr derived from the Greek language and initially meant “a witness who bears a divine message.” ((Walter Bauer, A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature. Trans. by William F. Arndt and F. Wilbur Gingrich (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1979; second edition), p. 494.)) Over time, as those who bore divine witness were killed (such as Stephen in Acts 7:55-56; also Abinadi in Mosiah 17), martyr began to refer to one who was killed for the sake of the witness he bore. Joseph Smith fulfills the description of both testator and martyr. His brother Hyrum shares the same honor. This is quite significant for we have two witnesses who are martyrs to seal the opening of the last dispensation. The closing of the last dispensation will be sealed as well by the death of two martyrs. This powerful parallel becomes more significant when we remember that the two future prophets will seal their testimony with their deaths in Jerusalem—the Old City—and then we realize that the name Carthage means New City. ((The word Carthage derives from the Phoenician word qrthdsht (qiryat hodeshet), which means “New City/Town” (The Oxford Companion to Classical Civilization, ed. by Hornblower & Spawforth (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1998) p. 141). Ancient Phoenicia was located just north of Israel (what is now modern day Lebanon) and it had many important cities such as Tyre and Sidon. The Phoenicians were great sea-farers and colonizers. Between 800 BC – 600 BC many of them emigrated in order to establish flourishing trade settlements all over the Mediterranean basin. They had sites along North Africa, others on the island of Sicily, they even had settlements along the coast of Spain. In fact, the modern Spanish City called Cartegena was anciently a “new city” settlement of the Phoenicians. Today of course the Spaniards live in this)) In other words, the opening of the last dispensation was sealed by the blood of two martyrs in the New City while the closing of the last dispensation will be sealed by the blood of two martyrs in the Old City. Praise to the Man Apostle John Taylor who was an eyewitness of the martyrdom penned the stirring testimonial published as D&C 135. In this unique document Apostle Taylor testifies, “Joseph Smith, the Prophet…has done more, save Jesus only, for the salvation of men in this world, than any other man that ever lived in it.” Let us take a few moments to reviews the marvelous work accomplished by God through his servant Joseph. New Scripture The most monumental work that will stand the test of time is Joseph Smith’s translation of the Book of Mormon. Bold in every way for it was a “new” book of scripture to burst forth upon the scene in a culture that preached the infallibility and sufficiency of the Bible, the Book of Mormon continues today to flood the earth with the good news that Jesus is the very Christ, the Savior of the world. ((At the turn of the millennium “the Church passed the 100 million mark in printing copies of the Book of Mormon.” Additionally, the Book of Mormon or portions of it have been translated into 100 languages. Ensign, “Taking the Scriptures to the World” (July 2000).)) Personally, what I find amazing is the fact that this mighty task of translation that produced (in today’s current edition) 531 printed pages was completed in the matter of several months. ((In my academic studies I have experienced numerous moments where several lines or paragraphs of Hebrew or Greek text have required hours upon hours of translating effort before the task is complete. I marvel at what Joseph accomplished in such a short period of time without the aid of formal training.)) Joseph was 25 years young when the Book of Mormon was published. This is an accomplishment without parallel in world history. Other marvelous scriptures soon followed. Beginning in 1830 Joseph Smith worked on the Inspired Translation of the Old Testament. Only the martyrdom stopped Joseph from completing this great work and publishing it in full unto the world. Nevertheless, Joseph recorded hundreds of additional insights and corrections in the Old and New Testaments. Furthermore, he made record of various revelations received from June 1830 until February 1831 now known as the Book of Moses in the Pearl of Great Price. Then in 1835 Joseph made public the Book of Abraham, now published in the Pearl of Great Price. This small gem of a book throws greater light on the life and character of father Abraham while also exploring some of the most wondrous doctrines of astronomy, the nature of God, man’s purpose on the earth and eternal increase. Some of the most sublime doctrines to be found in any body of literature await us in the Pearl of Great Price, this small but invaluable book. Of course we cannot fail to mention the Doctrine & Covenants. This book compiles many of the revelations received by Joseph Smith during his lifetime. Of the 138 sections of this book, Joseph received a full 135 sections amounting to nearly 300 pages of additional scripture available for the feasting of a spiritually famished world. ((The other 3 sections (135, 136 & 138) are attributed to John Taylor, Brigham Young & Joseph F. Smith, respectively. Although section 102 is a record of the high council meeting from February 17, 1834 Joseph Smith reviewed, amended and approved the minutes taken by Oliver Cowdery and Orson Hyde.)) Bold Missionary Efforts By June 1844, missionaries had been called and sent forth on a regular basis for over a decade to the four corners of the United States of America. In addition, missionaries had also raised the standard of salvation in numerous other countries. The following lists many of them: Canada, England, Scotland, Wales, Germany, Israel (Palestine), Austria, Holland, Turkey, Italy, France, East Indies, Syria and Egypt. ((HC 4:540)) From these many nations thousands had flocked to the standard of truth and that number increases daily for the work does not cease (Moses 1:38). City and Temple Builder One of the lasting legacies that Joseph Smith left, which has ever after been the heritage of the saints, is to build cities and temples unto God. As early as 1831 Joseph Smith was establishing new cities and dedicating temple sites. The first was in Independence, Jackson County, Missouri (August 1831). In 1833 Joseph received a revelation to build a temple in Kirtland, which was dedicated on March 27, 1836 in the midst of spiritual outpouring and manifestations. Then in 1838 Far West, Missouri became the official headquarters of the Church and plans were set in place for a temple to be built. On July 4, 1838 a great cornerstone ceremony took place for a beautiful temple to be built. ((See HC 3:41ff)) Unfortunately, by the end of 1838 the Missourians had expelled the Mormons and forced them to leave their temple lying dormant in the ground to await a future day when it will be built to the glory of God. The greatest city and temple built during Joseph’s ministry was Nauvoo. In Nauvoo, Joseph established a city with a charter that provided for a university, a judicial system, a militia, prosperous business enterprises and of course the pearl of the city, the Nauvoo temple. Joseph served as Nauvoo mayor, general of the militia, prophet and president of the church all at the same time. Joseph, however, never lived to see the completion of the temple and eventually the persecuted saints had to abandon the sacred edifice not many weeks after it was dedicated. ((What a blessing it is to live in a day when the NauvooTemple is restored to its original location and glory.)) Temples are the House of the Lord, the sacred mountain that we ascend to receive our endowment ((The English word “endowment” derives from the Greek enduo, which means “to dress” or “to clothe someone.” Enduo can also have a figurative sense “of the taking on of characteristics, virtues, intentions, etc.” Walter Bauer, A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature. Trans. by William F. Arndt and F. Wilbur Gingrich (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1979; second edition), p. 264.)) in preparation to enter the salvation and presence of the Lord. It is through temple ordinances that the fulness of the Gospel Plan is revealed, administered and secured through faithfulness unto our salvation. It is the holy spot where all humanity is linked through unbreakable bonds of charity—the sealing power of the generations which binds the hearts of the children to the fathers and turns the hearts of the fathers to the children. Indeed, in temples is the Lord’s great Latter-day work of salvation perfected. Praise to the Man Reprise The purity of doctrines, the testimony of the reality of Jesus Christ as Savior, the power and authority of the Priesthood to administer ordinances of salvation, the continuing process of spreading the true word of God—all of these were revealed in the Latter-days through Joseph Smith. All of these things are necessary for our eternal salvation. Therefore, we are justified in testifying that Joseph Smith has done more for the salvation of man, save Jesus only, than any other man that has lived in it. And for these reasons we sing: Praise to the man who communed with Jehovah! Jesus anointed that Prophet and Seer. Blessed to open the last dispensation, Kings shall extol him, and nations revere. Hail to the Prophet, ascended to heaven! Traitors and tyrants now fight him in vain— Mingling with Gods, he can plan for his brethren; Death cannot conquer the hero again. Praise to his mem’ry, he died as a martyr Honored and blest be his ever great name! Long shall his blood, which was shed by assassins, Plead unto heav’n while the earth lauds his fame. Great is his glory and endless his priesthood. Ever and ever the keys he will hold. Faithful and true, he will enter his kingdom, Crowned in the midst of the prophets of old. Sacrifice brings forth the blessings of heaven; Earth must atone for the blood of that man. Wake up the world for the conflict of justice. Millions shall know “Brother Joseph” again. ((Hymn #27.)) About Taylor Halverson Taylor Halverson is a BYU Teaching and Learning Consultant, a member of the Book of Mormon Central executive committee, founder and co-director of the BYU Virtual Scriptures Group, a columnist for the Deseret News, founder and co-director of the BYU Creativity, Innovation, and Design group, a travel leader to Mesoamerica and the Holy Land, and the Chief Innovation Officer at Vereo Training. At BYU Taylor has taught Book of Mormon, Old Testament, History of Creativity, Innovation Boot Camp, Basic Entrepreneurship Skills, and an interdisciplinary design course called “Illuminating the Scriptures: Designing Innovative Study Tools.” His education includes: BA in Ancient Near Eastern Studies (BYU), MA in Biblical Studies (Yale University), MS in Instructional Systems Technology (Indiana University), PhD in Instructional Systems Technology (Indiana University), PhD in Judaism and Christianity in Antiquity (Indiana University). Taylor has published and presented widely on scripture, innovation, entrepreneurship, technology, teaching, and learning (more at taylorhalverson.com). View all papers by Taylor Halverson → peter on August 30, 2013 at 3:57 am I’m very curious to know the source for there being two martyrs in old Jerusalem to signify end of last dispensation. Taylor Halverson on August 30, 2013 at 11:35 pm Great question. Try Revelation 11 at http://www.lds.org/scriptures/nt/rev/11?lang=eng Gale on August 29, 2013 at 3:14 pm Great article, but you had better change the word “immortality” to “immorality” near the end of the seventh paragraph. Brant A. Gardner on August 29, 2013 at 4:40 pm Corrected. Thanks for catching it. ►Old Testament Resources (12) ►New Testament Resources (14) ►Book of Mormon Resources (11) ▼Doctrine and Covenants Resources (11) “Be Not Deceived, but Continue in Steadfastness” Doctrine & Covenants 26; 28; 43:1-7; 50; 52:14-19 “Being Good Citizens” D&C 58:21-22, 26-28; D&C 98:4-10; 134; Articles of Faith 1:12 “O God Where Art Thou?” D&C 121, 122 “Remember the New Covenant, Even the Book of Mormon” D&C 16-23 “The Desert Shall Rejoice, and Blossom as the Rose” “The Gathering of My People” D&C 29:1-8; 33:3-7; 37; 38:24-41; 52:2-5, 42-43; 57:1-3; 110:11 “The Kingdoms of Glory”: D&C 76; 131; 132:19-24; 137 “The Restoration of the Priesthood”: D&C 13; 20:38-67; 27:12-13; 84:6-30; 107:1-20; 110:11-16; Joseph Smith—History 1:66-73 “Thou Shalt…Offer Up Thy Sacraments upon My Holy Day” D&C 87-92 Finding Joy in Temple & Family History Work ►Pearl of Great Price Resources (1) Subscription Updates Copyrights | Responsibility for Content © 2020 The Interpreter Foundation.

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Jacob Furedi Turning the yoof into a political weapon Jacob Furedi May 17, 2017 Uncategorized Published by spiked on 17/05/17 Politicians’ efforts to engage with the yoof have a history of going wrong. In the 2015 General Election, then Labour leader Ed Miliband was ridiculed for trying to get down with the kids by doing an interview with pumpkin-spiced activist Russell Brand. In the run-up to the EU referendum, David Cameron tried to sex up the Remain campaign by creating a Tinder account that encouraged young people to get out and vote. And back when the Lib Dems were on the brink of electoral disaster, Nick Clegg spent an entire day filming a cover of Carly Rae Jepson’s I Really Like You – only to discover it was too crap to publish. Reluctant to break with tradition, politicians are doing their utmost to encourage young people to vote in the upcoming snap election. And it’s even worse this time round. Where previous pleas to the kidz tended to uphold the value of political participation, today’s appeals shamelessly seek to use young voters as a stage army for the political class’s own gain. Following the Brexit vote last June, embittered Remainers have been stirring up generational conflict. They take for granted that older voters are small-minded, racist and bigoted. In their mind, it is only the youth who can deliver a progressive future for Britain. Recent appeals to 18- to 24-year-olds to go out and vote have sought to exploit this alleged generational tension. Veteran Brexitphobe and Guardian columnist Paul Mason has released a video urging young people to ‘drag [their] friends to the polling station’ to ensure the ghastly Tories don’t win an earth-shattering majority. He even suggested that young voters ‘have a brunch’ or ‘a house party’ to mobilise fellow yoofs to get out and vote. Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn has taken time out of his hectic campaign to sit down with grime artist JME and discuss why, in JME’s words, ‘bare of us [young people] don’t vote’. In a strange turn of events, JME took over Corbyn’s Snapchat account to encourage support for Labour. With the help of fellow artist Stormzy, he has even set up the ‘Grime4Corbyn’ collective. The website features its very own ‘Corbyn Riddim’ tune, which bears little resemblance to the work of Jezza’s favourite band, The Animals. While it’s tempting to laugh off all these cringeworthy stunts, the fact is that bitterness about Brexit has given today’s youth-vote appeals an insidious tone. Morbidly pitting generations against each other, novelist Ian McEwan recently said his fellow Remoaners could find solace if a second referendum takes place in two years time because ‘1.5million oldsters, mostly Brexiters, [will be] freshly in their graves.’ McEwan’s comments highlighted how today’s call for young people to vote have little to do with any genuine passion for political participation, and rather stem from an aversion to old people and their allegedly nasty beliefs. The post-Brexit cultivation of generational conflict runs alongside a demand that 16- and 17-year-olds should be allowed to vote in the upcoming election. One Lib Dem spokesman branded the government’s reluctance to reduce the voting age part of Theresa May’s ‘damaging hard Brexit agenda’. This shows how anti-democratic are the calls to extend the franchise to under-18s: it’s about mobilising youth to the end of ‘softening’ Brexit. To the dismay of Remainers, the likelihood of getting all young voters out looks slim. Despite omnipresent virtue-signalling posts on social media and campaign initiatives urging young people to vote, voter turnout among 18- to 24-year-olds has failed to break the 60 per cent mark in recent years – a far cry from the 75.4 per cent of young people who voted in 1992. The reliance on young people to inspire a Conservative defeat also forgets that young people are hardly a homogenous group of lefty Remain voters. Yes, 75 per cent of 18- to 24-year-old voters in the referendum did vote Remain, but some believe the youth turnout could have been as low as 36 per cent. One only need look at the presidential election in France, where nearly half of young voters backed Le Pen, to see that lumping youth voters into one bracket just doesn’t add up. Behind Remainers’ pleas for young people to vote, there is a recognition that their dubiously named Progressive Alliance has simply lost the argument with older people. Embittered Remainers, Labour and the Lib Dems think any prospect of electoral success lies in sowing generational division. But history has shown that young people find these tactics patronising and uninspiring. The treatment of young voters as a political tool is very likely to irritate young voters. And all the grime music in the universe won’t change that. Brexit, Corbyn, election Previous Where is the 48 per cent? Next A day in the life of the 48%: Tim Farron*

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dental profession evidence-based dentistry pediatrics. public health University of Manitoba Alumni of Distinction Awards Cite this as: j can dent assoc 2010;76:a140 people / organizations / dental profession Mr. Ross McIntyre, executive director of the Manitoba Dental Association (MDA), received honorary membership to the University of Manitoba Dental Alumni Association at a ceremony held in Winnipeg in September. At the gala, Drs. Michael Lasko and Phil Poon of Winnipeg were co-recipients of the Alumni of Distinction award for dentistry, while Ms. Harriet Rosenbaum received an award for dental hygiene. (L. to r.) Mr. Ross McIntyre, Dr. Phil Poon and Dr. Michael Lasko. All award recipients have a long history of contributions to the local and national oral health care community. Mr. McIntyre has served as executive director of the MDA since 1968. Among the numerous awards that he has earned over his more than 40 years of service to the dental profession, Mr. McIntyre was the recipient of CDA’s Distinguished Service Award in 1992. Dr. Lasko also received the Distinguished Service Award from CDA in 2004. Dr. Poon has been actively involved with the national association and has served as chair of CDA’s Government Relations and Public Advocacy Committee since 2004. The Alumni Association, in conjunction with the faculty of dentistry and the school of dental hygiene, presented its awards during the university’s homecoming weekend celebrations. The alumni gala included a surprise announcement from Dr. Blake Sinclair, senior stick of the University of Manitoba Class of 1995, who pledged $123 000 as a legacy gift to the institution. “We decided that we wanted to say ‘thank you’ for the opportunities that the school has afforded us, for the excellent foundation of education and support,” said Dr. Sinclair. The faculty also announced the beginning of a major fundraising drive for the Ross McIntyre Digital Imaging Centre that will feature state-of-the-art technology for oral health imaging and patient records. For more information on the campaign, please email info_dent@umanitoba.ca Request reprint permission

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Below are answers to some frequently asked questions about CJEO: Q: What is CJEO? A: CJEO is an advisory committee that issues written opinions and gives advice on judicial ethics topics of interest to judicial officers, candidates for judicial office, and members of the public. For additional information, please visit our Background page. Q: Who can ask for advice? A: Judicial officers and candidates for judicial office may request an informal or formal written opinion or oral advice. Members of the public and representatives of entities, such as courts, may suggest topics for the committee to address in formal written opinions. You may request or suggest an opinion here. Q: What’s the difference between informal and formal opinions? A: Informal opinions are the committee’s written responses to requests for advice that are given only to the requesting judicial officer or candidate for judicial office. Formal opinions are the committee’s public responses to requests for advice from members of the judiciary and to suggestions for opinions from members of the public. Formal opinions are posted on the CJEO website for public comment in draft form, maintained on the website in final form when adopted by the committee, and distributed to interested parties. Q: Can I get copies of the committee’s formal opinions when they are distributed? A: Yes, by requesting placement on the CJEO distribution list. Q: If I make a request or submit a topic, will my name be kept confidential? A: Yes. The committee keeps all names and identifying information strictly confidential, within the committee during deliberations and outside of the committee in all circumstances, including its final opinions. Learn more about CJEO’s confidentiality policy here. Q: Can I waive confidentiality so that I can rely on the committee’s opinion in other proceedings? A: Yes. If you are a member of the judiciary and your conduct is the subject of an opinion request. Confidentiality can be waived in writing using CJEO forms. The confidentiality of all committee deliberations and records, however, cannot be waived. Q: Will the committee give me advice about conduct being investigated by the Commission on Judicial Performance (CJP)? A: No. The committee will not give opinions or advice on matters that are the subject of pending litigation or pending CJP or State Bar proceedings. Q: Can I file a complaint about a judge with the committee? A: No. The committee does not investigate or discipline misconduct. The Commission on Judicial Performance is the independent state agency responsible for investigating complaints of judicial misconduct and judicial incapacity and for disciplining judges, pursuant to article VI, section 18 of the California Constitution. Q: When I request an opinion, will the committee investigate the facts or hold hearings? A: No. The committee is not a fact-finding or adjudicatory body. The committee’s opinions are based on the premise that all relevant information has been disclosed and it provides guidance on only those facts. Q: When I submit my request, should I include evidence? A: No. The committee does not accept documentary evidence. Q: What is the committee’s relationship to the California Supreme Court? A: The committee is appointed and authorized by the California Supreme Court as part of the court’s constitutional responsibility to guide the conduct of judges and judicial candidates (Cal. Const., art. VI, § 18, subd. (m).) The committee’s work, however, is independent of the court, the CJP, the Judicial Council, the Administrative Office of the Courts, and other entities. Q: What is the committee’s relationship to the California Supreme Court Advisory Committee on the Code of Judicial Ethics? A: The advisory committee is also appointed and authorized by the California Supreme Court as part of the court’s constitutional responsibility to guide the conduct of judges and judicial candidates (Cal. Const., art. VI, § 18, subd. (m).) The advisory committee makes recommendations to the court regarding whether amendments to the California Code of Judicial Ethics are necessary or appropriate. The advisory committee also publishes commentary following each canon in the Code of Judicial Ethics. The advisory committee’s commentary, by explanation and example, provides guidance as to the purpose and meaning of the canons. CJEO provides written opinions and oral advice on proper judicial conduct under the Code of Judicial Ethics and other relevant authorities, so its work often interprets and applies the published advisory committee commentary. CJEO ’s work, however, is independent of the advisory committee and all other entities. Q: What is the committee’s relationship to the California Judges Association (CJA)? A: CJA is a private association of judges that has provided advice and guidance on judicial ethics to the California bench for over 50 years. CJEO is an advisory committee authorized and appointed by the California Supreme Court as part of the court’s constitutional responsibility to guide the conduct of judges and judicial candidates (Cal. Const., art. VI, § 18, subd. (m).) CJEO’s members are judges and justices from across the state who provide advice and written opinions on judicial ethics topics as guidance to the judiciary and the public. CJA was actively involved in the implementation of CJEO and CJA coordinates with CJEO on tracking issues for CJEO to address in written opinions. As part of that coordination, CJEO refers all requests for oral advice to the CJA judicial ethics hotline, which has a long history of providing oral advice to judges, without regard to membership in CJA. CJEO will consider giving oral advice when a judge does not want to contact CJA or when a CJEO opinion may provide an answer. If you have more questions, please contact us.

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