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Bear Creek executive: Charter schools aren’t private schools By Michael P. Buffer / Published: August 14, 2019 Gov. Tom Wolf’s announcement on Tuesday about charter schools is “disingenuous on many fronts,” the top executive at Bear Creek Community Charter School said in a written response. “Governor Wolf perpetuates the falsehood that charter schools are private schools, when clearly they are not,” Chief Executive Officer Jim Smith wrote. “He perpetuates the idea that charter schools are somehow siphoning money away from traditional school districts, when in fact a portion of the funding follows the student to the public school actually incurring the costs to educate the student. He argues that charter schools are rogue entities, with no accountability or transparency when in fact there is clearly defined transparency through audits, oversight by the chartering school districts, and oversight by the Pennsylvania Department of Education.” Wolf on Tuesday directed his Education Department to develop regulations to limit enrollment for underperforming charter schools and revamp admissions standards. Wolf also wants charter schools to meet stricter transparency, ethics and financial management standards and to prevent them from overcharging public schools for their services. “More and more parents are becoming disenfranchised with the traditional public school system and are seeking alternative public education options for their children,” Smith said. “Most public charter schools maintain significant waiting lists of students who applied but were unable to secure a seat. Public charter school enrollment is growing because there is a demand for the services public charter schools offer. Supply and demand. Plain and simple.” Bear Creek Community Charter School has an enrollment of 468 students with a waiting list of 378, Smith said. The school has roughly 60 employees and educates students in kindergarten through eighth grade. Annual expenditures are roughly $6.8 million. mbuffer@citizensvoice.com 570-821-2073, @cvmikebuffer

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Cameron Boyce's Parents Speak Out About His Tragic Death posted by Hayden Brooks - Jul 10, 2019 Cameron Boyce's parents have released a statement about the life and legacy of their son after his sudden death on Saturday (July 6). He was 20. On Wednesday, Libby and Victor Boyce shared a statement via PEOPLE, showing their appreciation for the "outpouring of love and support" from their friends and family. "There are no words to describe how moved we are by the tremendous outpouring of love and support from our family, friends, and the world. Thank you, everyone, for encircling us with your love and respect of Cameron and concern for our family," they said. "He was the very definition of human kindness, and a light that will forever shine as his spirit lives on in all who knew and loved him. He was the rock of our family and he always had a positive, heartwarming, insightful and caring outlook on everything and everyone." Boyce died in his sleep after suffering from a seizure and it's very clear that the loss has impacted his parents in a way that can't be put into words. "The pain we have endured and are continuing to endure is indescribable, but we are making every effort to move forward and ensure that Cameron’s legacy and all that he stood for is honored," the statement continued. "He was and is, so cherished and we will hold him in our hearts forever. He is our shooting star.” Boyce was "found unresponsive in his home" on Saturday afternoon and pronounced dead on the scene after authorities were called.

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Art department, Video game production staff, Emmy Award nominees Laura Richarz Laura Richarz was the set decorator on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. She also decorated sets for the video game Star Trek: Klingon. Richarz earned three Emmy Award nominations for her work on DS9, all shared with production designer Herman Zimmerman and art director Randy McIlvain. The three episodes she was nominated for were "Trials and Tribble-ations", "Far Beyond the Stars" and "Prodigal Daughter". She was also a set decorator on Three's Company, Three's a Crowd, Married... with Children, Cheers, Seinfeld, The Parkers, Reno 911!, True Blood, and Jessie and the spinoff Bunk'd. Laura Richarz at the Internet Movie Database Retrieved from "https://memory-alpha.fandom.com/wiki/Laura_Richarz?oldid=2385801" Video game production staff Emmy Award nominees

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Category: Vol. 94, Iss. 7: 2015-16 2015-16: Vol. 94, Iss. 1-7 by McK Review Mar 31, 20168:56 AM 2016-08-25 [2015-2016] Vol. 94, Iss.7 The Review Crew Vol. 94, Iss. 7 Editors Lauren Reeves Editor-in-Chief Anna Belmonte Assistant Editor Editing Team Lauren Reeves Anna Belmonte Teagan Schwab In This Issue Cory McCormick Logyn Norris Nicole Fung Calleja Teagan Schwab Anna Belmonte Lauren […] Leditor from the editor Welcome to another edition of the McKendree Review! We are proud to release this issue. Our writers are passionate about their work and would like your feedback. Please feel free to leave comments and questions. Continue reading Leditor from the editor Articles by McK Review Mar 31, 20168:54 AM 2016-10-18 Dangers of the digital age: protect yourself against identity theft BY ANNA BELMONTE Approximately 15 million Americans become victims of identity theft each year, according to statistics gathered by Identity Theft and Scam Prevention Services. Additionally, 100 million people’s personal information is put at risk. Identity theft costs these millions of people a total of $15 billion in losses each year. In 2014, Insurance Information Institute found that every two seconds another person became a victim of identity fraud. What’s even more disconcerting is that, according to Financial Times Press (FTP), college students are five times more likely to have their identity stolen. Continue reading Dangers of the digital age: protect yourself against identity theft Undocumented: a look into the life of an illegal Mexican immigrant living in the U.S. BY CORY McCORMICK Your sixteenth birthday is supposed to be a monumental milestone in your life: finally, you get to be in the driver’s seat of the car without your mom screaming at you from the passenger’s seat. However, what if, instead of waking up to your very own car in the driveway, you woke up to your parents telling you that you weren’t a citizen of the United States? Honestly, this probably happens way more than you would think, as there are an estimated 11.3 million unauthorized immigrants living in the United States as of 2014, which accounts for 3.5 percent of the total population, and of that number, about half of them are Mexicans (49 percent). These immigrants also make up about 5.1 percent of the labor force in the United States. Continue reading Undocumented: a look into the life of an illegal Mexican immigrant living in the U.S. BY LAUREN REEVES Music has been around since the age of man and continues to inspire everyone who comes into contact with it. You can listen to music anytime and anywhere, but if you are from the St. Louis metropolitan area or just in the area for a short time, consider checking out some local concert venues because you may never know which music artist is in town. Continue reading Feel the music Seeking validation: the world of likes BY NICOLE FUNG CALLEJA It’s not a secret how heavily connected most college students feel to various social media platforms. This includes Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Snapchat. Some people use social media on a constant basis, but the question is, is this kind of social media use beneficial? Continue reading Seeking validation: the world of likes Going for the win: the men’s volleyball team hits the net The McKendree University men’s volleyball team would like to keep their winning streak going. The team had a three game winning streak behind them as they topped Barton College in five sets. However, the McKendree University men’s volleyball team fell 3-1 to Ball State University last Saturday evening in Muncie, IN. The loss moves McKendree to 9-10 overall on the season and 4-8 in the Midwestern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association. Continue reading Going for the win: the men’s volleyball team hits the net

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Games preview: Nintendo’s Wii line-up David JenkinsMonday 2 Aug 2010 7:43 pm GameCentral looks at Nintendo’s Wii offerings for the rest of the year, including Metroid: Other M, Kirby’s Epic Yarn, Donkey Kong Country Returns, and Wii Party. Metroid: Other M – the break in the chain? Although it’s used to being underestimated, the Wii really is going to have a lot of trouble being noticed this Christmas. Even if the 3DS isn’t released in Europe this year, the marketing blitz from Kinect and Move will be doing their level best to make the Wii seem old hat. Hopefully they won’t succeed though, as this year’s line-up of Wii titles is one of the most interesting the format has seen and certainly the most heavily skewed towards core gamers. There’s no Wii Fit or Animal Crossing equivalent this year, but instead a much more traditional home console line-up. We recently got to play all of the upcoming games, although because it was only games that were due out this year The Legend Of Zelda: Skyward Sword was not present. Whether it would’ve been anyway, given its unconvincing E3 showing , we can only guess. Kirby’s Epic Yarn This 2D platformer was one game that definitely did go down well at E3, despite it being part of a series that generally finds little favour outside a few nostalgic Americans. The initial appeal here is solely down to the beguiling visuals, where everything in the game world is made out of lengths of yarn. In gameplay terms this maintains many of the basic features of a normal Kirby game, except the little pink blob can no longer inhale enemies and steal their powers. Instead he simply transforms into other objects as the need arises, from a parachute and car to a giant missile-spewing tank when the way is blocked by giant obstacles. All your enemies are made of wool as well, while the backdrops have various fabric motifs. This allows you to grab zips and loose bits of string to pull the background and open up secret areas, or make jumps easier by folding platforms towards you. It’s a theme Nintendo have played with before, most notably in Yoshi’s Story on the Nintendo 64, but the game world has never been as interactive as this before. Bosses are particularly fun, as you slowly unravel them, and there’s also a co-op mode where two players can grab each other and hurl themselves upwards to reach higher areas. The only question mark over the game is the difficultly, which is usually pointlessly low in Kirby games. That’s not something we can really judge from the first couple of levels, which were going to be very easy whatever happened, but we hope the final game can offer a real challenge. After the success last year of New Super Mario Bros. Wii it’s clearly been proven that there is still a market for 2D platformers. With this and Kirby’s Epic Yarn Nintendo have two lined up for this year, with this one aimed more at older fans. In pure gameplay terms the originals are not particularly well thought of by many (even Shigeru Miyamoto has had a pop at them over the years) but they certainly were a milestone in pre-rendered graphics. This reboot can’t hope to be as significant, but it does do a good impression of the older games nevertheless. Weirdly Metroid Prime developers Retro Studios are behind it all, which seems a bit of a waste of their talents, but they seem to be enjoying themselves nonetheless. Player one controls Donkey Kong himself, holding the remote horizontally as in Kirby’s Epic Yarn and using a small range of extra motion control moves – such as slapping the ground in DK’s trademark fashion. The platforming is barely any more complex than Kirby (and well below the level of Super Mario Bros.) but it is noticeably more difficult. Although it’s hard to say how much of this is due simply to the less generous checkpoints. There is also a co-op mode, with the second player playing as a jetpack-equipped Diddy Kong. He’s also present if you’re only playing on your own, essentially doubling the size of your health bar when riding along on Donkey Kong’s back. Wii Party We’ve always been advocates of the Mario Party series, even though the original concept has never been evolved in the way we expected. Until recently it was Nintendo’s only yearly updated sequel, but there hasn’t been a new one since Mario Party 8 in 2007. Now it seems there never will be, as Mario and co. have been booted off the franchise and Miis brought in to replace them. Thankfully it’s not just a straight swap though and the opportunity has been taken to revamp the whole concept. The main menu features over nine different play modes and we were able to play two of them. Board Game Island was the most similar to Mario Party, in that it takes the form of a faux board game where you roll a dice to advance and then play a four-player mini-game at the end of every round. Unlike Mario Party 8 (which was originally envisioned as a GameCube title) the mini-games here all make proper use of the Wii remote. One has you competing in a horse race with the remote acting as the whip, another has you sorting through fruit by titling the remote and another involves using the remote like a lightgun. There were four other game modes list as Party Games, but apparently they feature more than just other game boards. The other main mode is meant for just two players, with Balance Boat being the one we were able to play. Here a series of co-operative mini-games are offered up and if you complete them you are given two equally sized Miis to place on the rigging of a sailboat. The idea is to keep the ship stable by placing the Miis evenly, something that is made much more difficult if you lose a mini-game, as you’re then given a purposefully mis-matched couple. It’s all very silly but the oohing and aahing that results from watching the Jenga-like tipping of the boat is all great fun. Metroid: Other M The was the only game we weren’t impressed with from Nintendo’s line-up, even though it was the one we were most looking forwards to. Metroid has always been one of our favourite series and the thought of a home console sequel returning to the 2D roots of the franchise was very exciting. We immediately became suspicious when Team Ninja (makers of Ninja Gaiden – although now without studio head Tomonobu Itagaki and many other key staff) were announced as making the game, but the biggest concern has always been the peculiar control system and awkward mix of third and first person combat. Having now spent over an hour with what appeared to be an almost finished version of the game all our worst fears are confirmed. New ones were created too as the game is peppered with so many overlong cut scenes it almost feels like Metal Gear Solid in space. The dialogue is atrocious too, turning Samus from a laconic bounty hunter to an insecure blabbermouth. The real problem though is the controls, which force you to hold the remote horizontally as if you’re playing a 2D platformer like Donkey Kong. But you’re not. Although many of the scenes are viewed from the side Samus can move 360 degrees in all directions and trying to do so using the digital input of the D-pad alone is horribly clumsy and imprecise. It’s not quite as bad as PokéPark Wii , but it’s the same basic problem. Why there’s no option to use the nunchuck’s analogue stick, which would solve the problem instantly, is a mystery and we hope Nintendo relent at the last minute and add it in. We very much doubt it though, as the game’s workaround for the problem is a more complex combat system than usual for the series – one largely based on counters and dodging. This limits the amount you have to move around directly, but such a long-winded fix wouldn’t be necessary if the controls worked properly in the first place. Although even then there’s the awkward first person element, where you point the remote at the screen and then become rooted to the spot while you look and shoot – only able to move again when you switch back to the third person view. We’ve a laundry list of other complaints too, including the ridiculous running animation that makes Samus look like she’s stuck on fast forward even though she only moves at normal speed. The initial derelict space station setting is also horribly derivative and lacking any cohesive atmosphere or interesting enemies. Even the boss battles seem poor compare to the series’ usual high standards. The game’s out in under a month now, so we can only hope there have been a lot of last minute changes. NintendoWii Super Smash Bros. Ultimate - 6 Fire Emblem characters that NEED to be DLC The Wii U exclusives that need to be on Nintendo Switch Deaf man sues Pornhub over lack of sexy subtitles in its videos A top-secret Russian military satellite has ‘exploded in space’, astronomer says Why does WhatsApp say WhatsApp from Facebook? The ‘blowjob emoji’ has arrived and people are getting very excited about it Oceans warming at a rate of 5 Hiroshima nuclear blasts every second, scientists warn Home › News › Tech

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Tag: christmas tree Published on December 22, 2014 December 10, 2015 by milliethom17 Comments Long before the advent of Christianity, people celebrated the winter solstice (December 21-22 in the northern hemisphere) with festivals. These were intended to brighten up the darkest time of year and prevent people from sinking into deep depression. They would bring lots of greenery indoors – branches of evergreens in particular, including spruce, fir and pine and, of course, holly and ivy. The evergreen tree was seen as a symbol of life in the midst of winter, many people believing that evergreens would keep away witches, ghosts, evil spirits and illness. In some ancient civilisations, the sun was revered as a god. To the ancient Egyptians, for example, Ra was the Sun God. In the cold winter months the god would become weak and sick, and the solstice, the shortest day of the year, represented the turning point. After that time the days would gradually lengthen and the god would start to grow well again. Many traditions we have today came from ancient civilisations which were later converted to Christianity. Such traditions include gift-giving from the Roman Saturnalia, and burning the Yule log and enjoying a variety of foods from Norse and Germanic feasts. Scandinavians today still call Christmas, Jul. To many people, Christmas would not be the same without the resinous smell of pine or fir trees inside their homes. Although lots of people opt for artificial trees nowadays -whether for environmental reasons, the mess of dropped needles, or the cost of buying anther tree every year – the sale of ‘real’ trees is still booming. But where did this tradition come from? There are several stories about the earliest use of whole fir trees at Christmas. One story tells us that, in the early 8th Century, Saint Boniface travelled from Britain across Germany to convert the pagans to Christianity. Coming across a group of pagans about to sacrifice a young man beneath Odin’s sacred oak, he valiantly rescued the young man and cut down the tree. Some legends have it that in place of the oak, a single fir tree grew. Other legends tell us that Boniface himself planted the fir. Whichever version is true, it seems that that the following year the converted Germans decorated the young fir (irrespective of the miniscule size that a year-old fir would be!) Boniface cutting down the oak – Wikimedia Commons One of the earliest references to whole trees actually being brought indoors comes from Germany in the 16th Century. One story holds that the Protestant reformer, Martin Luther, was the first to add lighted candles in an attempt to replicate the brilliance of stars twinkling amidst the evergreens. Queen Charlotte Wikimedia Commons Although Prince Albert , the German husband of Queen Victoria, is generally given credit for introducing the Christmas tree into English homes, it was actually Queen Charlotte, the German wife of George III, who set up the first Christmas tree at Queen’s Lodge, Windsor, in 840. In Victorian times, trees were decorated with sweets and cakes hung with ribbon, and candles as a reminder of the stars in the sky on the night of Christ’s birth. Today, candles have been replaced by coloured lights, and cakes by a variety of ornaments and baubles. Giant Norway Spruce in Trafalgar Square The most famous tree in Britain stands in Trafalgar Square – a giant Norway Spruce , which is a yearly gift from Norway. It is sent to the British people in thanks for the help given to King Haakon VII, who was exiled to Britain after the German occupation of Norway during WW2. In the US, trees were not accepted until a little later, despite the many German settlers in Pennsylvania. As late as 1840, Christmas trees were still seen as a pagan symbol by most Americans, and many of the New England Puritans tried to stamp out what they called the ‘pagan mockery of the observance’. It was not until the influx of German and Irish immigrants that this puritan legacy was abandoned. In the US today, perhaps the most famous tree stand in the Rockefeller Center in New York. The first tree being erected in the Rockefeller Center in 1931. Wikimedia Commons This custom dates back to the Depression Era days, and the tallest tree was in 1948, a Norway Spruce standing 100 foot tall. It came from Killingworth in Conneticut. In our house we always have a real tree – and always a Norway Spruce. The smell is just amazing. We always buy from a regular ‘Christmas Tree Farm’, so I don’t feel at all guilty about damaging the environment. There is an ongoing system whereby all cut trees are replaced by newly planted ones. We go to the large estate at Doddington Hall, about five miles away. Doddington is a small, stately hall with an enormous estate on which the trees are grown (as well as wonderful fields of strawberries for ‘pick your own’ in June and July). They have different species on offer, including Norway Spruce and Nordman Fir – which has stiffer needles than the spruce, so it doesn’t drop as readily, but which doesn’t have the right smell for me. Doddington Hall, Lincolnshire, UK Nordman Fir Sign at Doddington Hall with the old church behind Our tree goes in the conservatory which is off our lounge so we just have the connecting doors open over Christmas. The floor in there is wooden, so the needles are easier to sweep up, and the outside door means it goes out that way when it’s dropping needles like crazy after Christmas. We have a seven-footer this year. On the top is a fairy (or it could be an angel – it’s hard to tell!). It was made years ago at school by our youngest son when he was six, and the tree wouldn’t be the same without it. Categories Customs and Traditions•Tags christmas, christmas tree, midwinter festival, norway spruce, pagan customs, real trees, st. boniface, yule

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Home » NEWS » Law & Accounting » Memphis law firm expands services into Mississippi Memphis law firm expands services into Mississippi Posted by: MBJ Staff in Law & Accounting, Newsmakers 08/24/2018 Rebecca Adelman, a former founder of Hagwood Adelman Tipton, announced she resumed full operation of her firm, Adelman Law Firm, which was originally founded in 2001. The firm will serve Arkansas, Mississippi and Tennessee. Adelman Law Firm’s team of legal professionals will serve the public in the areas of medical malpractice, long-term care and aging services, professional liability, general litigation, insurance defense, government tort liability, public entity defense and risk reduction and loss avoidance. As a woman-owned business, Adelman Law Firm seeks to lead and mentor women in the business, insurance and health care sectors. Adelman is a mother, entrepreneur, influencer, thought leader and founder of Adelman Law Firm. With more than 30 years of experience, she has established herself as an expert in the legal field, as well as entrepreneurship, and has received numerous awards, including the inaugural American Assisted Living Nursing Association Ethel Mitty Heart Award and was a finalist for the Claims and Litigation Management Alliance Professional of the Year – Outside Counsel award. Locally, Adelman was named to Super Women in Business, Women to Watch, Top 10 Women in Business and Top 40 Under 40 by the Memphis Business Journal. She was also named a Memphis Power Player in Defense Litigation by Inside Memphis Business. Adelman and her colleagues at Adelman Law Firm are servant leaders and supporters of various nonprofit organizations dedicated to the health and well-being of children through sports and education. Sixteen years ago, Adelman founded a nonprofit Montessori school to provide alternative education to children in rural Colorado. … we’d like to ask for your support. More people are reading the Mississippi Business Journal than ever before, but advertising revenues for all conventional media are falling fast. Unlike many, we do not use a pay wall, because we want to continue providing Mississippi’s most comprehensive business news each and every day. But that takes time, money and hard work. We do it because it is important to us … and equally important to you, if you value the flow of trustworthy news and information which have always kept America strong and free for more than 200 years. If those who read our content will help fund it, we can continue to bring you the very best in news and information. Please consider joining us as a valued member, or if you prefer, make a one-time contribution. Adelman Law Firm Rebecca Adelman 2018-08-24 MBJ Staff Tagged with: Adelman Law Firm Rebecca Adelman Previous: August 24, 2018 E-Edition Next: Jackson Eye Associates adds Atkinson to Clinton office About MBJ Staff

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Playing with Heart & Soul At the Mount, we compete ferociously. In addition to our 22 Division I athletic programs and numerous club sports, we feature two premier sports: men's rugby and eSports. Learn more about how you can get take your game to the next level. Established in 1973, Mount St. Mary's men's rugby captured the 2016 National Small College Rugby Organization (NSCRO) National Championship lead by Head Coach Jay Myles. The Mount then moved to DI-AA, where it competes in the Chesapeake Collegiate Rugby Conference (CCRC). Learn about men's rugby Mount St. Mary’s University has announced the introduction of esports, one of the fastest growing sports in the world, to its athletic offerings. Esports will have a dedicated playing space with the latest equipment and technology to support players at the highest level of competition. The program is expected to begin in academic year 2020-21 with between 15 and 25 student-athletes for the first year of competition, including a core group of current students and at least 10 newly recruited students. Games likely to be played include League of Legends, Rocket League, Super Smash Brothers, NBA and FIFA. Learn more about eSports

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MurrayCampbell.net Ideas about & for Melbourne Proposed Victorian Bill is likely to harm not help women July 27, 2019 December 10, 2019 / MurrayCampbell / 4 Comments The State of Victoria wishes to be at the vanguard of the sexual devolution. Sadly, Victoria is already becoming an unsafe place for vulnerable children who struggle with gender dysphoria. Just as with the recent passing of euthanasia laws, concerns expressed by the medical fraternity were overlooked in favour of radical political and gender theorists from institutions such as Latrobe University. It is not only children who will suffer from these radical and non-scientific agendas but also women. I know of one situation where a young woman was forced to play football (AFL) against a male who identified as a female. She feared for her safety which is understandable given the physical difference between the average male and female. As a growing number of women are now indicating if the transgender agenda continues it is likely that women’s sport may cease to exist in a few years time. A story emerged from the United Kingdom this week concerning a group of less than impressed boys. In an age when we are recognising how big the issue of pornography is among boys, a not so smart teacher decided to take a group of school boys on an art exhibition to see ‘feminist art’. The boys weren’t so much exposed to art as they were to bare-breasted middle-aged women! In normal circumstances, authorities would be called and the adults charged with sex offences, but apparently, this is ok. We live in astonishing times. In their latest effort, the Victorian Government has decided that transgender women are being discriminated against under current laws. At the moment if anyone wishes to change the gender on their birth certificate, sex reassignment surgery is required. According to the Attorney General, Jill Hennessy, “Everyone deserves to live their life as they choose, and that includes having a birth certificate that reflects their true identity.” The proposed legislation will eliminate the need for women to have vaginas and so forth, and men (sorry, women) with penises can be legally recognised as women. You can imagine the social problems that will arise from such a decision. In a piece in the Weekend Australian, Ms Rayner, a former state and federal human rights commissioner and University of Melbourne philosopher Holly Lawford-Smith, express grave concerns over the Bill and are asking for it to be rejected. “Sex should not be a matter of belief…If progressives want to disincentivise sex-reassignment surgery, they should protect gender expression, or gender identity, or trans status, separately — rather than trying to shoehorn it into sex.” Dr Lawford-Smith said. They have likened the Bill to last week’s story coming out of Canada where a transgender woman is taking a woman to court for refusing to wax his testicles. That’s right. Once again, in a normal world when a man demands a woman to touch his privates she is entitled to say no and to be protected by law, but in today’s Canada, he is the victim and she the perpetrator. Indeed, should the Victorian Bill be adopted, we can expect to see all manner of confusion and also litigation against religious groups who insist upon recognising biological gender rather than one’s self-assuming gender. Indeed, it is not only religious organisations that may find themselves in trouble with the law but also sporting clubs and schools and secular organsations. It is telling that Dr. Lawford-Smith, a self-identifying lesbian, is calling for the Bill to be rejected. This isn’t about justice, this is about redefining the fundamental nature of women and men. It is the insane devolution of humanity at its most basic form. Biology no longer determines what is a man and what is a woman. Chromosomes, hormones, reproductive parts and sexual appendages now have no bearing on what constitutes male and female. The only factor that matters is how the self defines themselves. As Ben Shapiro astutely remarked last week, is female a set of stereotypes or is it biological? We are being told that it cannot be biological because a woman can have a penis just as men can give birth to children. Therefore, femaleness must be definable by social stereotypes, a criteria of observable non-physical differences from males. But of course, the dilemma is that we are not permitted to suggest that men and women have any differences beyond the biological. So which is it, is a woman defined by biology or by stereotypes? I write this as a leader in the Victorian community. I also understand that because I’m a Christian, my concerns will be automatically binned by some; I appreciate why. Churches have lost almost all their moral impetus after facing scandal after scandal. The sexual sins uncovered inside some churches and religious organisations is beyond evil, if that is at all possible. And yet, how can one stand by and be silent in the face of such unhealthy legislation. This is profoundly sad and harmful, both for Victorians wanting to change their gender and for people around them. I have had the opportunity to speak to the issue of gender dysphoria before, not as a medical expert, but as a community leader who values all people and who is deeply concerned about the radical and unscientific approach being adopted by our political leaders. Victorians struggling with gender dysphoria deserve our care and loving support, but as most clinical psychologists will explain, the majority of people wrestling with dysphoria will return to and be content with their biological sex. Those who continue to identify with the opposite gender need our affirmation of their dignity, but not a confirmation of their self-misconceptions. We don’t tell people with other disorders that their feelings are right and true. Do we agree with teenage girls suffering from eating disorders that they are overweight? It would be cruel to do so. The sexual revolution knows no boundaries. It is one steep descent with nothing but jagged rocks at the bottom. From time to time, the next redefinition and social regression slows down because of hairpin corners (i.e. commonsense, scientific fact, or moral integrity), and then it’s off at speed again until the next hairpin. But what is left? There are few turns left on this destructive road. “There is a way that appears to be right, but in the end it leads to death.” (Proverbs 14:12) I trust that common sense will prevail, but in Victoria, we have little hope of that. In the midst of growing mistakes, the good news of God offers hurting and confused Victorians are better hope than the misleading efforts of our moral deconstructionists. The years ahead are going to create such confusion about what it means to be human. We need an example to show people, we need a Saviour who is good enough and loves us enough to redeem and restore. Thank God there is one better than ourselves to whom we can point our fellow Victorians: “For there is one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus” (1 Timothy 2:5) (I made a small edit on July 29th) New Victorian sex law a gender headache by Bernad Lane A law put up by Victoria’s Andrews government could expose women offering intimate services such as pubic waxing or underwear fitting to discrimination complaints if they reject trans women customers who still have penises, veteran human rights lawyer Moira Rayner has warned. The new law would allow self-declared trans women, who possess a penis and have not undergone any sex-reassignment treatment, to change the sex that appears on their birth certificate, giving them access as women to equal opportunity protection. Ms Rayner, a former state and federal human rights commissioner, said that, if enacted, the legislation could allow a Down Under version of Canada’s Jessica Yaniv case, in which a trans woman has lodged anti-discrimination complaints against 16 beauticians who did not want to handle her penis and testicles in order to grant her wish for a brazilian wax… What is happening to my beloved State of Victoria? October 19, 2017 / MurrayCampbell / 1 Comment In so many ways she is the envy of the world, with our tremendous prosperity, sport, food, and lifestyle. And yet an out of control ideology is driving Victoria to a place that we ought not visit. Vehicle number plates are soon to be changed from, “stay alive” and “the place to be”, to “the place to die”. The centrepiece of the economy is a casino. Our favourite public holiday is all about gambling and drinking. Best education practice has been overturned by one of the most dangerous social engineering projects we’ve ever seen in this country. Opt-in Religious Instruction classes are almost impossible to hold, while parents are refused permission to opt-out their children from non-scientific and ideologically heavy sex programs. No, I’m not entering the nutty world of wowserism, but I’m searching for reasonableness and compassion where both are fast exiting north along the Hume Highway. The Victorian Parliament is about to decide whether to legalise euthanasia. The Bill is being debated this week, and it will almost certainly pass in both houses. Daniel Andrews has called this legislation, “conservative assisted dying”, as though adding an obtuse adjective makes killing people somehow ok. Let us be clear, there is nothing conservative about handing out poison to human beings so that they can commit suicide. The fact that this is even being considered, demonstrates how warped we’ve become in our rationalisation. Despite some of the dishonest rhetoric accompanying arguments for euthanasia, I have been informed by sources inside Spring Street that the intention is to soften and broaden the parameters for euthanasia down the track. Medical experts have called for the Parliament to reject this legislation. Over 100 palliative care specialists have pleaded that Victorians Parliamentary members stop this legislation from becoming law. Over 100 oncologists informed the Government that assisted suicide is dangerous and should not be permitted. “Physician assisted death is not, by definition, medical treatment. It is not palliative care. We as doctors and medical specialists do not want to intentionally end the lives of our patients, or provide them with the direct means to do so. Assisted suicide is in conflict with the basic ethical principles and integrity of medical practice and undermines trust in the medical profession. We strive to eliminate suffering but not the sufferers themselves. Where cure of cancer is not possible, we seek optimal palliative care services to support and care for patients and their families at the end of life. Without easy access to quality palliative care, some may request physician assisted dying as they feel they have no other choice. This is especially so for people who live in rural, regional and remote areas and for people from culturally and linguistically diverse communities who have less access to palliative care services. We are very disappointed that discussion of the Voluntary Assisted Dying Bill has dominated the agenda to improve end of life care in Victoria. We are dismayed that the multiple recommendations made by the Victorian Parliamentary Inquiry into End of Life Choices (June 2016) to strengthen palliative care have not been actioned. Until this is addressed, discussing physician assisted dying is premature.” Pharmacists have warned that they will be placed in an intolerable position, whereby they will be forced to subscribe poison to Victorians, with the aim of killing them. Palliative care experts have called on the Government to provide a more compassionate and human alternative to euthanasia, namely, providing proper funding for palliative care. Victoria isn’t losing its soul, we are actively killing the soul in order to win the prize of becoming the most socially progressive society in the nation. Sure, we’re winning the praise of many inner-surbanites, favourable editorials in The Age, and the adulations of those who want to be like Peter Singer, but is sacrificing our humanity worth it? When the warnings of hundreds of medical professionals are ignored, and when common sense becomes a liability in framing law, we know that we’ve jumped into the murky depths of the Yarra river. Do Victorians truly want the State to justify killing its own citizens? What is more human, to kill the sick or to ensure they receive proper palliative care? I am reminded of the words of Jesus, “What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul?” (Mark 8:36-37) Our Rubicon River November 7, 2016 / MurrayCampbell / 5 Comments Should a cricket club have freedom to appoint persons who share the values of their club? Should a political party have liberty to pre-select individuals who support and will promote their policies? Should not a corporation employ professionals who will abide by the values and vision of that institution? For most of our nation’s history Churches and Governments have enjoyed a mutually beneficial relationship; understanding their distinct roles while together serving for the good of society. Both have had their failings as well as making enormous contributions to building our society, but Australians have always been careful not to confuse the two. Tomorrow (Tuesday 8th November) this judicious relationship may come to an end as the Victorian Government proposes a hostile takeover of all religious organisations. The Victorian Legislative Council will tomorrow debate and vote on the proposed Inherent Requirements test. The purpose of this amendment to the Equal Opportunity Act is to require religious organisations to demonstrate that their employees must necessarily subscribe to the beliefs and values of that church, school, or charity. Religious organisations currently have freedom to employ persons who affirm the beliefs and practices shared by that organisation; this is only sensible. Should this legislation pass, a tribunal will be appointed by the Government who will determine what constitutes inherent requirements for all religions across the State. In other words, the Government is posturing itself as a teacher and arbiter of theology, with power to inform Churches, Synagogues, and religious schools whom they are to employ. The Government has presented the amendment as a natural extension in the fight for equality, but the reality is quite different. Labor wants sameness not equality. This Bill will inevitably work against a pluralist and diverse society, and instead demand that Victorians fall into line with a rigid and historically dubious view of secularism. Dr Michael Bird was right when he called out the inherent requirement test as an example of Secularized Erastianism, a philosophy which asserts that the State shapes and controls religious belief and practice. I can imagine some secularists will be ecstatic at hearing the Government’s plan to further diminish religious freedom in Victoria, but is there not an air of hypocrisy in all this? Do atheistic humanists really want the Government functioning as bishops over churches, religious schools, and charities? Do nonbelievers genuinely think they have the academic credentials, expertise, and the right to define the theological parameters for synagogues and churches, explicating what is inherently required of that religion or not? As Dr Bird notes, the problem is that “demonstrate a necessary connection” between beliefs and roles is notoriously subjective. There are no objective criteria here since beliefs and roles will vary from religion to religion and from organization to organization. So who is going to decide when a “necessary connection” exists between beliefs and roles and exactly how they will decide?’ The ‘inherent requirement’ test is all the more ironic, given how the Andrews’ Government has spent the last two years introducing several policies designed to push out Christian involvement from the public square, and now they are intent on invading religious spaces. I cannot speak for all religious organisations, but when it comes to Christian Churches they are, for the most part, welcoming of anyone from any cultural, religious, sexual orientation background. I am not denying that there are appropriate rules and requirements for those who would serve in a formal capacity, and neither am I ignoring that associations can sometimes get it wrong. But the Christian Gospel is all about welcoming men and women who have no rights on God, no inherent claims on him, and yet in Jesus Christ we are lovingly forgiven and welcomed. This conviction has forged a tradition throughout the world of Christians starting not only churches, but also schools and hospitals and aged-care facilities, without which both our Government and society would collapse. Former Victorian Crown Counsel, Mark Sneddon, recently offered this caution against the Bill, “The proposed bill amending the Equal Opportunity Act will not encourage Victorians to get along with each other. It won’t enable Victorians to live and let live. In fact, it is more likely to exacerbate division by creating legal weapons for forcing some voluntary associations to host or endorse views with which they deeply disagree. Deep differences of moral vision will not be resolved by trying to legislate one view to supremacy and squashing others. Rather, we should accept that there are different views, and defend each other’s rights to hold and live out different views. Importantly, we should also commit to respectful communication so we can understand each other and agree how to live together peacefully with our differences.” All the good that this Government may achieve is being swallowed up by their rigid and aggressive social agenda. This legislation is not only nonsensical, it is dangerous; they have reached the Rubicon and are intent on crossing it, and Victorians have no assurances that the Government will stop there. As our representatives vote, I trust common sense will prevail and that freedom of association and religion will remain after November 8. Petition to Uphold Freedom of Association and Freedom of Belief in Victoria September 4, 2016 / MurrayCampbell / 1 Comment I’m not usually one for signing petitions, but if you are concerned for religious freedoms in Victoria, please consider signing this petition “The petition of citizens of the State of Victoria and Australia draws to the attention of the Victorian Parliament our objection to the moves by the Victorian Government under the Equal Opportunity Amendment (Religious Exceptions) Bill 2016 to remove or restrict the freedom of faith-based schools and other organisations to employ staff who uphold the values of the organisation and to force faith-based organisations to hire staff who are fundamentally opposed to what the organisation stands for, thereby:- (i) denying those organisations the freedom to operate in accordance with their beliefs and principles; (ii) denying parents the ability to choose to send their children to schools that are able to give them the values based education their parents are looking for; and (iii) undermining Victoria’s diverse, pluralist, multicultural society, which supports the right of people of many different faiths to establish institutions in accordance with their faith.” Click on the link to sign the petition: https://www.gopetition.com/petitions/petition-to-uphold-freedom-of-association-and-freedom-of-belief-in-victoria.html Incoherent ‘inherent requirement’ test September 2, 2016 September 6, 2016 / MurrayCampbell / 6 Comments Two months ago I sat in a packed room where Mr Tim Wilson MP and Rev Dr Michael Bird addressed the topic, ‘Freedom of Speech in Australia today’. During the conversation Mike Bird said that the next issue facing Victorians will be in relation to religious schools and discrimination policies. This week my non-prophetic friend was proven to be right: the Victorian Government announced that it will reintroduce the ‘inherent requirement’ test, impacting whom religious organisations may and may not employ. The test was originally introduced by the previous Labor Government in 2010, but was removed in 2011 by the Coalition Government. This explanation is offered on the Premier’s website: “The test was scrapped by the former Coalition Government in 2011, which left many Victorians vulnerable to discrimination when seeking employment with religious bodies or schools, particularly because of their sexual orientation or gender identity. The inherent requirements test will limit the ability of a religious body or school to rely on a religious defence to discriminate in the area of employment because of a person’s sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status or differing religious beliefs. The defence will be limited to circumstances where religious beliefs are an inherent requirement of a job, and an employee or job applicant does not meet the requirement because of a specific personal attribute. The test will not force religious bodies or schools to employ people with attributes that conflict with its religious beliefs and principles. However, it will require them to demonstrate a necessary connection between their religious beliefs and the requirements of a specific role.” This latest move from the Victorian Government is disturbing, although not surprising. I appreciate and at times laud the Government’s move to ensure particular social minority groups are protected, including LGBTI people. But one may be forgiven for concluding that some of the extreme measures have less to do with the principle of inclusion, and more about exclusion. For example, removing SRI from schools had nothing to do with advocating sexual equality. Indeed, the list of anti-religious of measures is growing, and one can only wonder where and if Mr Andrews’ will draw the line. Over the last two years many Victorian families have come to feel as though they are being pushed away from public schools, and now it appears as though the same Government is set on invading the religious school space also, and that of any religious organisation. It is yet unclear whether Churches will be protected from this test or not. The inherent requirement test is a deeply flawed concept: First, the notion of ‘inherent requirement’ depends upon imposing a secularist view of religion. The test presumes a separation between what is considered spiritual work and what is not. It is surmising, for example, that a gardener or an office administrator is not doing specifically Christian work because they are not teaching the Bible, etc. This is a false dichotomy that does not exist in Christian faith, nor in many other religions. Every role is an expression of commitment to God and is a valuable part of the whole which serves a common purpose. Second, this test wrongly assumes that because a particular role does not have a direct theological or spiritual teaching component, it therefore does not matter whether the employee agrees with the organisation’s ethos, beliefs, and vision. This is purely illogical. Why would any organisation or company employ a person who does not support the basic values and vision of that association? Equal Opportunity doesn’t mean sameness. I’m not doubting the Victorian Government’s commitment to ‘equal opportunity’, but their paradigm of equal opportunity is flawed, and represents an ethic that is not ultimately about diversity, but about conformity. During that cold July night when Michael Bird pre-empted Mr Andrews’ announcement this week, Tim Wilson offered an idea which deserves consideration as the Victorian Parliament wrestles with this legislation. Mr Wilson believes that the question of whom religious organisations employ is better dealt with through contracts rather than through law. He said, “In terms of hiring and firing people, I don’t think it’s best dealt with through law. I fully accept that religious institutions have a right to preserve the environment and the value systems of people who embody those value systems.” “It is the right of children and parents, to raise their children in the culture, traditions and customs to which they hold dear.” Finally, the question needs to be asked, is it reasonable for a Government to determine what constitutes required religious adherence or not? Is it the Government’s role to dictate theology and ministry practice? Does the Government have the necessary skills and knowledge required to adequately understand theology and therefore make the right judgement regarding the question of what is inherent? Respectful Relationships? April 15, 2016 April 16, 2016 / MurrayCampbell / 1 Comment I agree with Daniel Andrews’ recent comments about the evils of domestic violence in our society, and I laud the Victorian Government for adopting strong measures to support victims and convict perpetrators. Domestic violence is a dreadful, dreadful thing: Sexual, physical, emotional, and material abuse is never justified. In August 2015, Daniel Andrews announced that the program replacing SRI in schools would be Respectful Relationships, which has been introduced into secondary schools, and will be compulsory from kindergarten to year 10 in 2017. There are many things to like in the curriculum, but oddly, a significant portion of the material has little to do with domestic violence, but is teaching children how to find partners and have sex. For example, year 8 students are asked to write an ad, describing what qualities they would like to find in a partner. Is it appropriate to ask 12 and 13 year old children what kind of sexual relationship that would like to have? Is it healthy for children to be directed to online dating sites, and given examples, such as these found in the curriculum?: ‘hot gay gal 19 yo seeks outgoing fem 18-25 into nature, sport and nightlife for friendship and relationship’ ‘lustful, sexually generous funny and (sometimes shy) Tiger1962 seeking sexy freak out with similar intentioned woman.’ Not only are young teenagers taught about what to look for in a partner, they are taught what to seek in sex, and they are taught what to believe about sexuality, even to explore and affirm alternative sexual orientations. As one of the year 8 sessions explains, it is designed to, “enable students to explore the concept of gender and the associated notions and expectations that have an impact on sexuality. It also provides them with the opportunity to connect issues of gender to different positions of power central to adolescent sexual behaviour. The activity also aims to extend their understanding of gender by exploring traditional notions of gender in a case study that examines the experience of a young transsexual person.” Much of the ensuing material explores broadening the horizons of sexual relationships, with the determination of deconstructing the “narrow” view of gender. It may surprise some people to learn that children can legally have sex in Victoria from the age of 12 (younger in some States), so long as it is consensual and the other person(s) is within the legal age bracket. This may be lawful, but I suspect many parents would be shocked to learn that schools teach our children it is okay for them to engage in sexual intercourse at such a young age. We are fooling ourselves if we think that exposing children to these ideas will not result in influencing sexual and social behaviour. The fact that Respectful Relationships makes consent unequivocal (a vital point) does not mean the activity is therefore good and okay for the child. Also astonishing is what is missing. In a curriculum teaching relationships and sex, marriage receives almost no mention. Why is that? Marriage is mentioned on a ‘character card’ where Stephen, a 16 year old Christian attending a Christian college, believes sex should only take place within marriage between a man and woman (got to love the pastiche Christian example!). And there is Maria, a 15 year old girl who doesn’t want to wait for marriage before experiencing sex. Otherwise, marriage is only mentioned as a power structure behind which domestic violence occurs. What a sad and miserable view of marriage. I understand there are marriages where appalling abuse happens, and in my work I have ministered to victims from such circumstances. But marriage is designed to be, and often is, a beautiful thing, and it remains the best model for loving and caring intimate relationships in society. Is it not a wonderful thing when a couple covenant together for life, ‘for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and health, to love and to cherish’? There is much sensible and good advice offered in Respectful Relationships, which could be easily taught without the intrusion of particular views on sexuality and without exposing young children to ideas that blemish their innocence. It is a travesty that the issue of domestic violence has been taken captive by sexual libertarian ideology. Is it the role of Government to absolutise onto children a theory about gender that is disputable and widely contentious? James Merlino has made it clear that this curriculum is to be compulsory in Victorian schools; I wonder, is forcing explicit sexual language and ideas onto children, moral or even legal? Far from solving the unspeakable horrors of domestic violence, it is ultimately presenting a different version of the me-centric vision of the world. Author, Tim Keller writes, ‘It is possible to feel you are “madly in love” with someone, when it is really just an attraction to someone who can meet your needs and address the insecurities and doubts you have about yourself. In that kind of relationship, you will demand and control rather than serve and give.’ Instead of leaning on a failed sexual revolution in order to find a way forward on domestic violence, would we not serve our children better if we considered a paradigm of sacrifice and service, and where living for the good of others is esteemed more highly than our own gratification? The good & not so good from the Safe Schools Review March 18, 2016 March 19, 2016 / MurrayCampbell / 2 Comments First of all, I want to thank Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull for calling the review of Safe Schools, and Education Minister, Simon Birmingham for his role in overseeing the process. I know many people are grateful to these and other members of Parliament who have listened to the concerns expressed by the public. The proposed changes are indeed positive and welcomed, however there remain a number of serious concerns, especially for Victorians. I have copied the Minister’s report below, but to summarise the more significant amendments. Parents will now have more access to the program, be included in the process if and when a school considers using Safe Schools, and be given the right to have their children opt-out of the program. Third-party websites will removed except for “organisations funded by state, territory or Commonwealth governments for the provision of mental health or counselling services.” The content from some lessons will be either removed or reconfigured to be less affronting and to be more age appropriate. There will be tighter controls on what materials can be used and distributed in classes and in schools. 1. The Network Provider in Victoria is La Trobe University, the very group who authored the program. According to the findings of the review, the La Trobe university team have been found to have written material unsuitable for young teens, and using the program to promote political ideologies. It is therefore surely untenable to have La Trobe university acting as Network Provider for the State of Victoria. Their reputation has been diminished, and trust significantly eroded, if not altogether. What guarantees do we have that Roz Ward and her colleagues will desist from using school children as a means to further their ideological agenda? If this were any other education program, they would surely be removed from such an influential position of power over schools and children. 2. What guarantee is there for Victorian families that children will be given permission to opt-out of the program? While the Federal Government are making this guarantee, the Victorian Government have repeated their policy that the program will be mandatory. What are Victorian families to expect when our Education Minister, James Merlino, refers to the Federal Government as “caving into bigots”? Where does that leave 100,000s of Victorians who are against bullying but do not support Safe Schools? The possibility of any genuine dialogue with the Andrews’ Government is doubtful, and no wonder there are people using social media to lash out at concerned persons, when we are hearing Government ministers resorting to such malicious rhetoric. 3. The fact remains that Safe Schools teaches gender fluidity (as though it is the new norm), and it encourages children to question their own sexual orientation and practices. It is ironic that this imbedded doctrine of gender fluidity remains so intolerant towards anyone who doesn’t fit within its parameters. Teaching children to doubt or ignore biology, and to create their sense of sexuality will inevitably lead to confusion, experimentation and harm. At this stage, children who believe in heteronormacy will still be labelled as ‘sexists’, and children with unwanted same-sex attraction are given little choice other than to believe that it is inevitable, permanent, and to be embraced. Like with Autumn the leaves fall from their branches so Safe Schools has been pruned, but its roots remain unchanged. The revisions are a good start, but they do not go far enough. Safe Schools remains a social engineering program that is wired to change the way children view themselves and each other. With the revisions announced today it is certainly a more sensible program, but the wisest course would have been to put Safe Schools to rest and introduce a new and better program which teaches respect, kindness and resilience. There is a story in John’s Gospel where Jesus broke the cultural expectations of his day by speaking to a Samaritan woman. At that time Samaritans were considered social outcasts, and often discriminated against. Jesus’ conversation is all the more outrageous because the person before him was a woman and she was then living with a man to whom she was not married. To our culture of anything goes this may not sound particularly shocking, but at that time this woman was guilty of triple-headed social evil. However, it didn’t stop Jesus. The text tells us how Jesus understood her heart and her past, and yet he struck up a conversation with her, showed her kindness, and even offered this astonishing word, “whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” In other words, Jesus did not agree with her lifestyle and yet he loved her and broke down cultural barriers to express kindness to her. In contrast, many advocates for Safe Schools are repeatedly slandering, and throwing around derogatory names toward anyone getting in the way of this program. Which of the two examples demonstrates greater tolerance? Which of these two illustrations is more attractive? Augustine once wrote, “I have read in Plato and Cicero sayings that are wise and very beautiful; but I have never read in either of them: Come to me all who are weary and burdened and I will give you rest.” Safe Schools may get a few things rights, but its blind commitment to a particular gender theory is setting the stage for a generation of confused children and a society that will grow less tolerant by the day. We need better. We must do better. We can do better. Here are the stated changed announced by Simon Birmingham: 1. Fix the content of the programme resources by: a. Having the lesson plans for Lessons 2, 6 and 7 of the All of Us resource amended to remove those activities identified by the review as potentially unsuitable for some students. b. Having the content of Lesson 5 of the All of Us resource redesigned to ensure that the content aligns with the curriculum content for biology appropriate for the target age group. c. Requiring that the amended resources and any further resources be peer reviewed and approved by a panel of qualified educators appointed by the Department of Education and Training. 2. Address concerns about third party links, advocacy and materials in resources by: a. Having all third party organisation branding removed from all official resources. b. Having reference to any third parties limited to organisations funded by state, territory or Commonwealth governments for the provision of mental health or counselling services. c. Requiring that national and local programme managers not bring the programme into disrepute, or engage in political advocacy in a way that represents their views as being endorsed by the programme. d. Requiring that the resources for the programme not be used for political advocacy. 3. Limit the distribution of certain materials by: a. Requiring local programme managers to ensure the distribution and promotion of Safe Schools Coalition Australia programme materials is restricted to secondary school settings only. b. Restricting the use and distribution of the OMG I’m Queer, OMG My Friend’s Queer and Stand Out resources, which were not developed as classroom resources, to one-on-one discussions between students and key qualified staff. 4. Align the location of resources with other inclusion, support, tolerance and anti-bullying measures by housing official resources only on the official Australian Government Safe Schools Hub website, which contains other inclusion and anti-bullying resources for schools, teachers, parents and students in areas such as racism, domestic violence and disabilities. The Safe Schools Coalition Australia website will not have any resources, advice or links and will limit operations to programme coordination and direct users to the Safe Schools Hub for access to official programme resources only. 5. Ensure parents are appropriately empowered and engaged by: a. Requiring agreement of relevant parent bodies for schools to participate in the Safe Schools Coalition Australia programme, including the extent of participation and any associated changes to school policies. b. Requiring parental consent for student participation in programme lessons or activities, while maintaining the rights of all students to seek counselling services. c. Having an official fact sheet for the Safe Schools Coalition Australia programme for parents about the programme developed so they have access to full and consistent information of its content and the resources that may be used in schools. d. Having an official resource for parents of students dealing with questions of sexual identity developed, and distributed only by key qualified staff. Australia is giving herself a nosebleed January 10, 2020 Responding to the Australian Bush Fire Crisis January 8, 2020 President Trump is wrong about Evangelicals but he is not to blame December 21, 2019 Through the Looking Glass and out the other end December 20, 2019 Bethel causing greater grief December 18, 2019 Linda Pascal on Responding to the Australian B… Australia is giving… on Responding to the Australian B… MurrayCampbell on Australia is giving herself a… Eclipse Now on Australia is giving herself a… Mentone Baptist Church

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Tri-Institutional Molecular Mycology and Pathogenesis Training Program (Tri-I MMPTP) Welcome to the Tri-I MMPTP The Tri-Institutional Molecular Mycology and Pathogenesis Training Program (Tri-I MMPTP) is a multidisciplinary program spanning three major research universities that was created to recruit, support, and train promising postdoctoral scientists and physicians to develop productive research careers in molecular mycology and pathogenesis. CCRP Research Involves 11 NC State Faculty The new $30 million Collaborative Crop Resilience Program brings together investigators from NC State University and three Danish institutions to discover … Jinks-Robertson elected to National Academy of Sciences Jinks-Robertson elected to the U.S. National Academy of Sciences. Sue Jinks-Robertson, Professor and co-Vice Chair in the Department of Molecular Genetics … Alspaugh appointed Vice Chair for Academic Affairs Andrew Alspaugh, MD, Professor in Medicine (Infectious Diseases), agreed to serve as Vice Chair for Academic Affairs in the Department … The Tri-Institutional MMPTP aims to select committed trainees with outstanding potential, regardless of their prior area of research, and provide rigorous research training that involves clinical or basic mycology. Trainees will be nurtured to develop independent research programs utilizing pathogenic fungi or non-pathogenic fungi as model systems. To tap the regional talent in mycology, we have enlisted mentoring scientists from three proximal institutions — Duke University,the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC-CH), and North Carolina State University (NCSU). Trainees may elect to use well-characterized fungal model species or medically/agriculturally-relevant pathogens to investigate questions of eukaryotic biology, and/or to explore the host-fungus dynamics of human or plant diseases. In addition, we have expertise in fungal systematics, phylogeny, evolution, and genomics. Many research projects will bridge one or more of these areas. Furthermore, it is relatively common (and often encouraged) for trainees to move from one laboratory to another, combining these conceptual domains. © 2004-2020 Duke University Health System Tri-Institutional Molecular Mycology and Pathogenesis Training Program (Tri-I MMPTP) is powered by WordPress at Duke WordPress Sites. Please read the Duke Wordpress Policies. Contact the Duke WordPress team.

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Waterloo-based OpenText to purchase cloud security firm Carbonite The company's shares surged after it made the announcement By Aisha Malik@AiishaMalik1 Waterloo-based software company OpenText Corp, announced that it plans to purchase Carbonite in a $1.4 billion USD (approximately 1.8 billion CAD) deal. Carbonite is a Boston-based cloud backup solutions company that offers software to protect both personal and business data. OpenText’s shares surged once the company made the announcement. It hopes that its purchase will strengthen its projects and help it to advance in the cloud-based software industry. Through the acquisition, OpenText will be able to leverage Carbonite’s focus in cloud-based subscription data protection, disaster recovery, and backup. It will also allow the company to enhance its current security offerings. This is the ninth purchase that OpenText has made towards cloud-computing. The deal is expected to be finalized within 90 days. Source: CBC News OpenText launches AI assistant to help business analysts with decision making, task automation

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Jane Lynch Gives an Update on ‘Glee’'s Spring Return Jane Lynch Gives an Update on Glee's Spring Return in Interviews While out promoting her animated guest appearance in this week's upcoming episode of The Cleveland Show, Jane Lynch spoke about Sue Sylvester's immanent return to the popular Fox series Glee. The Golden Globe nominated comedian did reveal that she will be singing her own show stopping tune before season's end, but she was quite tight lipped about her particular song choice. Here is what she had to say about the show's April return: Today is the Glee kids first day back on set. Are you excited to get back to work with them? It's been quite awhile since you guys shot on those soundstages. Jane Lynch: Yes, it's been since July. I started work yesterday. I worked this morning, too. All of the kids were there. It was great to see them. They were still enjoying victory from the People's Choice Awards last night, which they won for best show. All of the kids went up to accept, so they were all really happy. RELATED: Glee Star Cory Monteith Passes Away at Age 31 How are you prepping for the Golden Globes? Jane Lynch: The hardest part has been the anxiety around the dress. Almost immediately, I went to a designer. He had one on a mannequin that I ended up choosing. Right now, it's all about relaxing and having a good time. I will tell you this. I will not be wearing a tracksuit. And I do not have a speech ready. Not at all. What has the increased media attention been like since the popularity of Glee took off? Jane Lynch: It's been lovely. I do a lot of these conference call things. And then there's the whole Golden Globes thing. Its like I have a second job doing publicity and interviews. But I love it. It's been great. It is a lot of attention. When you are in it, its almost like you can't feel it. When I was home for Christmas, my family was beside themselves in delight. They were thrilled that they have a family member on television. When I see how excited they are, it kicks in for me. When you are in it, it's overwhelming. For me, I just choose not to feel anything at all. You've revealed that Sue will be singing in an upcoming episode of Glee. Are you excited about that challenge? Jane Lynch: I am. I am very excited about it. I can't tell you what I will be singing, because its top secret. But I have recorded already. I have had several dance rehearsals. It's going to be funny. Laying down the track was fantastic. It's really a dream come true, because I love to sing. I got sing in A Mighty Wind, which was a dream come true as well. I really enjoyed that experience. Its not as easy as one thinks. You have to be right on tone wise, and right on pitch wise. I used to think I was very good at those things. According to Adam, I am not. He had to direct me several times. Will you be singing in the upcoming Madonna episode? Jane Lynch: I am always told, "Top secret, Jane! Top Secret!" Have you faced any new challenges during the second half of this season? Jane Lynch: Dancing. That's it. Everything else is easy. With dancing I have to work ten times harder than everyone else. Everything else is more of the same, with new twists and new problems. The agenda stays the same, but the tactics change a little bit. I don't quite know what is going to happen by the end of the season, or if I will be singing and dancing more. I have only read the first three scripts. That's all. We saw a hint of Sue's nice side last year. Is that the last we will see of that? Jane Lynch: I think that will always come back. There is a decency to Sue. I think she just really enjoys being an off person. She gets great glee out of being a terrible person. I think there were three or four moments in the last couple of episodes were you saw a decency and a rationality that wasn't there before. I think she really enjoys shocking people. Do you think you will direct a episode of Glee in the near future? Jane Lynch: That is a great question. I would like to. I want to do that. I haven't spoken to anyone about that. But I love directing. And I love calling the shots. I think Glee would be a great place to do it. The writers and directors that we get are just so amazing. And our DP is so great. You have to have a great DP if you want to be a good director. I am learning at the feet of many masters. Glee returns in April. You can catch Jane in an all-new episode of The Cleveland Show this Sunday, January 10th at 9:30/8:30 c, only on Fox. Topics: Glee Glee Star Mark Salling Gets Prison Time for Child Porn Charges Glee Star Mark Salling Faces Prison Time for Child Porn Indictment Glee Star Mark Salling Arrested for Possession of Child Porn COMIC-CON 2012: Glee Season 4 Panel and Video Interviews

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Home/Movies/Angelina Jolie’s War Drama “Unbroken” Launches With $850,000 Angelina Jolie’s War Drama “Unbroken” Launches With $850,000 “Unbroken” Angelina Jolie’s war drama has launched respectably with $850,000 in Christmas Eve showings at 1,979 North American theaters. Universal Pictures expects “Unbroken” to gross approximately $17 million to $19 million at the box office by the end of the Christmas weekend and thus is expanding “Unbroken” into 3,131 locations on Christmas Day amid serious competition from four new films — including Sony’s “The Interview” — and holdover “The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies.” “Unbroken” depicts the life of Olympian and war hero Louis Zamperini, portrayed by Jack O’Connell. Zamperini, who died in July at the age of 97, survived in a raft for 47 days after his bomber was downed in WWII, and was sent to a series of prisoner-of-war camps. Universal has been estimating that “Unbroken,” will finish the four-day Christmas weekend in the $17 million to $19 million range. The film, co-produced by Legendary Entertainment, faces a trio of other wide releases — Disney’s “Into the Woods” at 2,440 sites, Paramount’s “The Gambler” at 2,478 and The Weinstein Co.’s “Big Eyes” — and Sony’s opening of “The Interview” at more than 300 independent theaters. Wiz Khalifa Just Released ‘You and Your Friends’ Video with Snoop Dogg, Ty Dolla $ign: Watch 15 of the Greatest Christmas Movies That Are Just As Awesome As You Remember Watch The TAKEN 3 Trailer # 2 (Christmas Trailer) ‘Horrible Bosses 2′ Review – It’s Truly Horrible – Contains Spoilers! Sony To Release ‘The Interview’ Movie For Free on Crackle Watch the new ‘The Cobbler’ Trailer: Adam Sandler Walks in Everyone’s Shoes Watch The First Official Trailer of Diamond Tongues Official Trailer Dracula Untold – The Netloid Review! Spectre 2015 Pictures: (James Bond) Daniel Craig and Bond Girl Léa Seydoux in the Austrian Alps Watch the New Blackhat Trailer Here

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Survey finds mixed levels of early voting preparedness By State House News Service | August 5, 2016, 6:30 EDT Printed from: https://newbostonpost.com/2016/08/05/survey-finds-mixed-levels-of-early-voting-preparedness/ (AP Photo/Jay LaPrete) STATE HOUSE — Election reform advocates are finding mixed levels of preparedness for the state’s first experiment with early voting, which begins in 81 days. According to survey results released Thursday by the Massachusetts Election Modernization Commission, 138 cities and towns — nearly 40 percent of the state’s municipalities — are in the final stages of planning for their implementation of early voting while 13 percent, or 49 communities, had not yet started planning. Another 126 communities have begun the planning process. Officials in the remaining 38 cities and towns could not be reached for the survey, which was conducted in June and July by Common Cause, MASSPIRG and the League of Women Voters. “Many communities all around the commonwealth are making decisions now that are going to expand ballot access and make sure voters have every possible opportunity to exercise their right to vote in November,” said Gavi Wolfe, legislative counsel for the ACLU of Massachusetts. “But many other municipalities have not yet developed concrete plans for early voting, and we’re here to ask them today to step up.” After a package of election law reforms passed in 2014, this fall’s general election will be the first time Massachusetts voters will be able to cast their ballots before Election Day. Unlike with absentee ballots cast by people unable to vote during regular polling hours, voters will not need an excuse to vote early. Every city and town in the state is required to offer early voting at at least one location during business hours, beginning on Oct. 24 and running until Nov. 4. Common Cause Massachusetts assistant director Eric Kashdan said the survey results show “excellent progress” in the leadup to the launch of the inaugural early voting period. Of the state’s 25 most populous municipalities, 11 have draft or final early voting plans ready, nine have ideas toward a plan, and five — Brookline, Cambridge, Chicopee, Malden and Taunton — reported having no implementation plans for early voting, survey results show. Eight of the 43 most populous communities — those with more than 35,000 residents — have concrete plans, Wolfe said. Coalition members said municipalities’ plans may have changed or progressed since they replied to the phone survey, which ran from June 9 until July 20. At least 13 cities and towns — Boston, Easton, Holyoke, Lancaster, Lenox, Marshfield, Milton, New Bedford, Peru, Rehoboth, Salem, Waltham and Worcester — plan to offer early voting at multiple locations. Of the communities that have some sort of early voting plan developed, at least 175 are likely to have evening hours and 83 are likely to have weekend hours, according to the survey. According to the coalition, evening and weekend voting hours are crucial to accommodate all voters. “Last year, I was doorknocking in Springfield, and it’s heartbreaking and it’s hard to really get that feeling when you talk to the elder woman and say have you voted, and she says ‘No, I am not feeling well and the line is too long . . . ” said Neighbor to Neighbor organizing director Jose Palma. “It is hard when you are doorknocking in the city of Lynn and ask for the person who is registered to vote and they say ‘No, he is not here, he is working two jobs.” Cities and towns are required to submit their early voting plans to Secretary of State William Galvin in October, Common Cause director Pam Wilmot said. Galvin’s office in May released a set of regulations governing the early voting process, calling or early voting to be set up in municipal offices or other centrally located buildings that are large enough to accommodate voters and accessible to people with disabilities. Galvin has said the law left cities and towns with a “great deal of autonomy” for how they wish to administer early voting and that his office encourages municipalities to open multiple early polling places. Wilmot said that communities have significant flexibility in how they staff the polling sites and that paying election workers makes up the bulk of the cost for implementing early voting. “Smaller communities can have just their regular staff — their clerk, the people that are working in the office — handle it,” she said. “With multiple sites, you need more staffing, but it does not need to be the full complement of poll workers that you would have to have by law in an election. It’s very flexible. You can have whatever staffing is needed. Communities have gone everywhere from appropriating almost no money for it to quite a bit.” The Legislature on July 23 overrode a series of Gov. Charlie Baker vetoes to the budget for Galvin’s office, restoring $4,000 to an account dedicated to early voting. Senators said during debate that Baker had slashed a total of $1.2 million from early voting funding through various accounts, money that lawmakers ultimately restored. Sen. Benjamin Downing said that allowing the vetoes to stand would have shifted the cost burden onto municipalities. — Written by Katie Lannan

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Posts Tagged ‘Black History Month’ Martin Luther King III Inspires SUNY Canton Global change starts at a local and personal level, according to Martin Luther King III. “The journey of a thousand miles begins with a first step,” King said to the collected SUNY Canton audience. “We can be part of the change or we can choose not to be a part of it.” SUNY Canton President Joseph L. Kennedy, Student Cooperative Alliance President Jennifer P. Bernadotte, and Martin Luther King III prepare for a dinner together at SUNY Canton. King met with student and College officials before his public presentation. King, the eldest son of famed civil rights icon Martin Luther King Jr., was the featured speaker for Black History Month at the College. His inspirational speech advocated education, affordable health care, and high qualities of life while encouraging a modest lifestyle in order to obtain personal satisfaction. “We spend our time learning how to make a living, but if we spent our time making a life we would have no trouble making a living,” he said. He mentioned his father’s vision and referenced the famed “I have a dream” speech delivered August 28, 1963 on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington D.C. According to King, there are three evils that the nation must overcome: poverty, racism, and militarism. He said despite tremendous strides, that his father’s vision and his dream had not yet been fulfilled. His lecture resonated with college students and the greater community alike. Student Cooperative Alliance President Jennifer P. Bernadotte said that hearing King speak profoundly impacted her view on her personal life. “He encouraged me to stride for more accomplishments in my own life, to be my best.” she said. “It was the experience of a lifetime.” King also advocated social involvement and support for global efforts, including relief for Haiti. “I don’t know that we’ve seen a tragedy in this hemisphere quite like the one in Haiti,” he said. “Yet somehow you see Haitian people overcoming these incredible odds. It is amazing to see these people, who basically have nothing, and yet somehow are so thankful that they were somehow spared even though they have to start all over again. It should really be an inspiration to all of us.” As the founding president and chief executive officer of Realizing the Dream, Inc., King strives to continue the work started by his parents. His presentation at SUNY Canton was an outreach effort to continue his family’s legacy and vision. Tags: Black History Month, Guest Speaker, Jennifer Bernadotte, Martin Luther King III Posted in Community, Student Affairs | Comments Off on Martin Luther King III Inspires SUNY Canton Martin Luther King III to Continue the Dream at SUNY Canton, Feb. 23rd The eldest son of civil rights icon Martin Luther King Jr. will be continuing his father’s dream by advocating social justice and equity at SUNY Canton. Martin Luther King III is scheduled to speak at 8 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 23, in SUNY Canton’s Chaney Dining Center. This event is free and open to the public. “In this day and age, we’ve broken many of the barriers that divided previous generations, but we still have a long way to go,” said Student Activities and College Association Executive Director Michael J. Perry, who helped orchestrate the event. “At every juncture there is an opportunity for social change and another opportunity to make the King family’s dream a reality.” Much like his father, King is a human rights advocate, community activist, and a political leader. He has been actively involved in significant policy initiatives to maintain the fair and equitable treatment in the United States and abroad. His messages and initiatives all support nonviolent conflict resolution. “My father’s dream is a profound, eloquent and unequivocal expression of a world where the dignity and worth of all human personality are its ideals,” King said in a speech special to The Washington Times on the day of U.S. President Barack Obama’s inauguration. “It is a dream of a nation where men of all races, colors and creeds ‘live together as brothers’ he added, ‘or perish as fools.’” In 1986, Mr. King was elected to political office as an at-large representative of over 700,000 residents of Fulton County, Georgia. King is CEO and President of the King Center. He serves as the founding president and chief executive officer of Realizing the Dream, Inc. a national nonprofit organization with an international vision to carry on the important work embodied in the legacies of his parents. Through Realizing the Dream, Mr. King has launched Poverty in America, a national initiative rooted in the legacy of his father’s Poor People’s Campaign. King’s presentation will be a part of the College’s celebration of Black History Month. To keep up with all of the latest student activities, visit www.roosnewz.com. For more information, contact the Student Activities Office at 315.386.7315 or email roosnewz@canton.edu. Tags: Black History Month, civil rights, Martin Luther King III, Michael Perry Posted in Community, Student Affairs | Comments Off on Martin Luther King III to Continue the Dream at SUNY Canton, Feb. 23rd

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How does fake news spread on Facebook? Northeastern researchers are working to determine how fake news ends up in the news feeds of Facebook users. Photo by Adam Glanzman/Northeastern University He’s training computers to find new molecules with the machine learning algorithms used by… A lawyer’s guide to navigating the clickbait era To solve the world’s problems, start small Instagram ‘likes’ are disappearing. You might like it. Twitter has banned political ads. Is Facebook next? Here’s what you might have missed during Mark Zuckerberg’s congressional hearing At the intersection of technology and Democracy, you’ll find David Lazer Your smart TV is talking to Netflix about you behind your back Make sense of the Democratic presidential race in real time The persistence of fake news and misinformation is creating chaos across the globe. It’s affecting elections in the United States and India, and fueling protests in Sudan. But how does fake news spread? One common theory posits that fake news spreads from person to person on social media, which prevents reputable media organizations from vetting the accuracy of the information before it’s made public. Now, for the first time, researchers at Northeastern University will be able to test the theory. Northeastern professor David Lazer explains how to fix democracy at the Robert D. Klein Lecture Four Northeastern professors are among the first group of researchers who will be given access to closely guarded Facebook data—data that could reveal key information about the way people share fake news on social media. They’ll have access to three datasets from Facebook. The first dataset will include information from public accounts on Facebook and Instagram (a social media platform owned by Facebook) that will enable the researchers to track the popularity of news items across the two platforms. The second set will include data on political advertisements that ran on Facebook in the U.S., U.K., Brazil, India, Ukraine, Israel, and the EU. And the third set will include information about specific URLs that have been shared by at least 100 unique Facebook users. The researchers will use this Facebook data to build a map that will trace back fake news posts to their origins. “It’s very exciting,” says Nick Beauchamp, an assistant professor of political science at Northeastern, who’s leading the project for the university. “Facebook is the 800-pound gorilla, and the opportunity to work with their data in a way that’s ethical and secure is an exciting one.” Beauchamp is working with an interdisciplinary group of researchers in the fields of political science, economics, and computer science—including Northeastern faculty members David Lazer, Donghee Jo, and Lu Wang, as well as Kenneth Joseph, an assistant professor at State University of New York at Buffalo. They’re trying to figure out how fake news ends up in the news feeds of Facebook users, because, they say, the answer will provide important insight into the fake news phenomenon. Social media echo chambers aren’t making the US more politically polarized. So what is? There are generally two ways it happens, Beauchamp says: Either media companies publish fake news stories on their own Facebook accounts, which are displayed in front of users, or users share fake news stories with their online social circles. The researchers might discover that fake, misleading, or ideologically extreme news from established media companies is being pushed onto people’s social media feeds—either by media companies themselves or via Facebook’s algorithm—which would suggest that these companies are at the root of the problem, Beauchamp says. Or they could find that fake news spreads when friends share it on social media, which would provide compelling evidence that reputable media organizations are no longer at the helm of what constitutes news, Beauchamp says. “We know there’s a problem with fake news,” Beauchamp says. “What we don’t know is whether it’s a problem of the institutions and the moment in which we’re living, or if it’s a problem that evolved from peer-sharing.” In 2018, Facebook made a major change to its news feed, shifting the focus to prioritize posts from friends rather than media companies. Users now see more of their friends’ posts, and fewer posts from news publishers and businesses. This means that Beauchamp and his colleagues can analyze how much fake news was being shared before and after Facebook prioritized posts by friends. If fake news spread just as widely after Facebook emphasized posts from friends, it would mean that it’s people, not algorithms, causing the glut of misinformation. This algorithm can predict who will win a debate. It might also help save democracy. Their research is funded by a grant program from the Social Science Research Council and Social Science One that’s designed to help scholars study Facebook’s impact on democracy worldwide. Facebook has come under fierce scrutiny recently for allowing the political firm Cambridge Analytica to access the private data of millions of Facebook users, and for failing to block hundreds of fake accounts from running ads meant to influence the 2016 and 2018 U.S. elections. Beauchamp says that Facebook’s willingness to share some of its data with researchers could help quell the spread of fake news. “From my point of view, the content on Facebook tends to be rich and robust, and speaks to the actual demographics of the U.S.,” Beauchamp says. “It’s always been something that’s interested us; we just haven’t had access to it until now.” For media inquiries, please contact Mike Woeste at m.woeste@northeastern.edu or 617-373-5718. Research 2016 election 2018 election Cambridge Analytica David Lazer Donghee Jo facebook Fake news gatekeeping Kenneth Joseph Lu Wang misinformation Nick Beauchamp Russian trolls Social Science One social-media the Social Science Research Council Molly Callahan. Nicholas Beauchamp n.beauchamp@neu.edu David Lazer d.lazer@neu.edu Distinguished Professor of Political Science and Computer and Information Science

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A-Laser Expands Facility, Announces Appointment of New Operations Manager A-Laser Jun 09, 2015 A-Laser, an FCT Companies business, today announced that it has doubled the size of its precision laser and marking facility to accommodate growing demand for its services. Simultaneously, the company has appointed optics, photonics and global inventory specialist, Fred Schumacher, to the position of Operations Manager. Together, these moves will position A-Laser for continued growth and success. With over 25 years of optics and photonics experience, as well as an extensive background in operations and global inventory management, Schumacher's broad knowledge of manufacturing efficiency and laser systems is ideally suited to the role at A-Laser. Prior to joining A-Laser, Schumacher held notable positions including OEM Manager for Spectra Physics Lasers and Global Inventory Control Manager for Apple. "In the short time that Fred has been with A-Laser, we have already seen tremendous improvement in operational efficiency and staff engagement," says Josh Saunders, who is President of A-Laser and identified the need for this new role. "We anticipate substantive business growth in several market sectors and Fred's oversight and involvement are integral to the continued progress of A-Laser." Among Schumacher's top priorities are reorganizing the manufacturing flow for optimal efficiency, progressing continuous improvement and quality control programs, cross-training staff and developing a route for professional advancement for A-Laser employees. Over the longer term, Schumacher looks forward to helping the business achieve substantial growth. "I think 15% to 20% growth year over year for the near term is achievable," confidently states Schumacher. "With the additional floor space we now have, we've been able to organize the facility for maximum productivity and we are increasing employee skill sets on a daily basis. To be able to grow production output and revenues without adding significant headcount is the primary objective and I have every confidence that we will do this." Headquartered in Milpitas, California, A-Laser's state-of-the-art facility has 12 lasers eight for UV and marking processes and four for precision cutting applications. The recent expansion of A-Laser has increased total square feet to just over 11,000 and has afforded a more streamlined set-up to accommodate the increasing quantity of customer jobs, with the ultimate objective of moving from the current two full shifts to a 24/7 operation. "For customers, the addition of Fred and the expansion of the facility mean increased throughput, improved service and on-time delivery of quality products," says Saunders in conclusion. "Our full-service approach from development and engineering to ramp up and full production continues to be a differentiator and we look forward to expanding on this with our additional resource."

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Tulane study points to natural cause for arsenic-tainted water A Tulane study looks at arsenic levels in groundwater in western Louisiana. Health, News Releases, Research in Real Time Study finds topsoil is key harbinger of lead exposure risks for children Tracking lead levels in soil over time is critical for cities to determine lead contamination risks for their youngest and most vulnerable residents, according to a new Tulane University study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. News Releases, NOLA Tulane hosts ‘400 Years of Inequality’ in observance of slavery’s impact Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine will bring together scholars, activists and community members for a day-long event observing the 400-year anniversary of the beginning of slavery in America and exploring its lasting impact on inequalities for communities across the country. News Releases, NOLA, Research in Real Time Tulane University releases first report benchmarking New Orleans startup activity Tulane University’s A. B. Freeman School of Business released the results of the 2019 Greater New Orleans Startup Report, the first comprehensive overview of the region’s entrepreneurial ecosystem. Cancer cells turn to cannibalism to survive chemotherapy Researchers from the Tulane University School of Medicine have discovered that some cancer cells survive chemotherapy by eating their neighboring tumor cells. The study, which was published in the Journal of Cell Biology, suggests that this act of cannibalism provides these cancer cells with the energy they need to stay alive and initiate tumor relapse after the course of treatment is completed. Tulane University student spends summer conducting brain tumor research in Switzerland Tulane University senior James Rogers has been charting a course in the name of research since he arrived on campus in the fall of 2016. Rogers’ journey has led him from New Orleans to Bethesda, Md., and across the Atlantic Ocean to Scotland and, most recently, Switzerland, where he spent this past summer as a visiting research scholar in the Brain Tumor Center at the University Hospital Zürich (USZ). Life@Tulane, News Releases Scholars network to host free media training workshop for faculty Oct. 3 The Scholars Strategy Network will host a free media training workshop at Tulane for faculty at area universities on Thursday, Oct. 3. The national organization supports university-based scholars who are committed to using research to improve policy and strengthen democracy. Tulane, Blue Cross Foundation launch free programs to help new parents and babies Becoming a parent can be exciting but overwhelming, and new programs through Tulane University aim to give new moms and dads the tools they need to bond with their babies. The programs, Tulane Building Early Relationships (TBEARS) and NOLA STRONG (Strengthening Resources for Nurturing and Growth) for Moms are offered through a collaboration between the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Medicine and the Department of Global Environmental Health at Tulane University. The programs are being funded through a new grant from Blue Cross Blue Shield of Louisiana Foundation. Tulane Cancer Center to Host Free Prostate Cancer Seminar Dr. Oliver Sartor will provide a Prostate Cancer Seminar on Tuesday, Sept. 17, at 5:30 p.m. in the first-floor conference room of the Louisiana Cancer Research Center, 1700 Tulane Ave. (corner of Tulane and S. Claiborne). Advanced technology, research contribute to Tulane Professional Athlete Care Team’s championship year The New England Patriots weren't the only team to have a championship season last year. The Tulane University Professional Athlete Care Team (PACT) had its most successful year in 2018-19, as well, completing over 600 patient screenings, including a record 139 former players at Super Bowl LIII in Atlanta. Featured Story, News Releases Tulane rises in latest US News Best Colleges rankings Tulane University rose to No. 40 among the country’s top national universities in the latest edition of the U.S. News & World Report Best Colleges rankings, which were released Monday. The annual publication also ranks Tulane’s undergraduate business program 43rd in the nation and places Tulane No. 3 in Service Learning, No. 18 on its list of Best College for Veterans and No. 42 among the Most Innovative Schools. Culture, News Releases, World Major gift launches First Amendment clinic at Tulane Tulane Law School planning to launch a First Amendment Clinic Tulane University moves closer to fundraising goal with another record year For the third straight year, Tulane University has posted a record-setting fundraising pace, inspiring an unprecedented 25,221 donors to give more than $130 million in the fiscal year 2018-19, second only to last year’s total of $150 million. Keck Foundation awards Tulane University $1 million to study why women have stronger immune systems than men Do women have an extra line of defense in their immune systems that gives them an advantage over men in fighting infections? That’s one of the questions Tulane University researchers hope to answer using a $1 million grant from the W. M. Keck Foundation to study how sex differences shape disparate immune responses in men and women. The goal is to learn more about how immune systems evolved differently in the two sexes and to use this information to eventually create more precise treatments for men and women against various diseases. Tulane researcher receives national honor for work in energy materials A Tulane University materials physics and engineering scientist is one of only 10 scientists being honored nationally by the U.S. Department of Energy.

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Man Reports Gun Stolen During Weekend Orgy Glock went missing after victim hosted “anonymous sex” party AUGUST 8–In the midst of a weekend-long orgy, a 9mm handgun was stolen from the host’s bedroom, according to Florida police who are not confident in catching the thief since guests at the gathering were encouraged to use fake names. As detailed in a Volusia County Sheriff’s Office report, the 63-year-old victim told deputies that his Glock pistol turned up missing after last month’s “open house party” at his residence in Deltona, a city 30 miles north of Orlando. The retired man told cops that the loaded weapon was in a holster atop a nightstand in his bedroom in the home, which he shares with a male roommate. The victim, whose name is redacted from the police report, said that he hosted the orgy at the Deltona residence (seen below) from July 19 to July 21. The man added that the party was “advertised on a gay social media site” and that the “theme of the party was ‘anonymous sex.’” Guests, the man said, were “encouraged to come and go as they pleased” during the weekend and were told to “bring along any friends or acquaintances they desired, and guests were encouraged to utilize fictitious names, or use no name at all.” The host estimated that 20 guests visited his home during the sex party, and that he “only knew five or six personally.” In a TSG interview, the victim, a retired corrections officer, said he thought it was “pretty low that somebody that I knew stole a gun out of my house.” The man said he purchased the Glock two years ago for $440 and has regularly carried it with him (thanks to a concealed carry permit). The man disputed the police report’s contention that he “advertised” the sex party, saying that he simply invited men he had met through the Grindr and Adam4Adam apps. Last month’s bash, which included frolicking in the backyard pool, was not the first such sex party at the victim’s home. “I entertain quite a bit,” the man said. With no leads to follow, the status of the larceny case has been classified by cops as “suspended/inactive.” http://www.thesmokinggun.com/documents/bizarre/gun-stolen-during-weekend-gathering-274938 I'm Going To Narnia Previous NBC’s Universal Pictures plans to release ‘The Hunt’ despite backlash Next Alexandria Occasional-Cortex claims Trump is ‘radicalizing stadiums of people’

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by Elijah in Culture, International, Music, Review Helicopter Megaphone The new Deerhunter album, Halcyon Digest, was released this week and I seized the opportunity to purchase it at Avalanche during a quick trip to Edinburgh on Monday. The album as a whole is excellent and it will surely find a place near the top of my favourite records released this year. The artwork is intriguing, with the fold-out insert designed in the fashion of an underground newspaper or zine. All of the lyrics to the individual tracks are written on this insert with an additional bit before the eighth track, ‘Helicopter’. Before the lyrics this short article appears, reprinted in the album artwork with permission from Dennis Cooper: Dima (real name Dimitry Marakov) was born in 1986 in the town of Nalchik, Russia. From a young age, he dreamed of working in the fashion industry as a designer. Lacking the moral or financial support of his parents, he actively sought out contacts within the industry through the internet. At the age of 14, he became acquainted with a successful fashion photographer in St. Petersburg who invited the boy to come live with him and work as his assistant. Dima accepted the offer and moved in with the photographer. According to friends of Dima, he became the older man’s lover for approximately the next year. He eventually grew dissatisfied with the lack of benefits he had been promised would result from the arrangement. He left the photographer to become live-in lovers with a wealthy man who provided the financial backing for a conglomerate of pornographic gay websites. It was at this point that Dimitry adopted the stage name Dima and, with the help of false documents that corrected his age to the legal 18, began a successful career modeling naked and starring in hardcore sex videos on the gay websites financed by his lover. Between the age of 15 and 18, Dima was a highly sought after pornographic model and performer. He saved the money he made from modeling to pay for the tuition at a leading college of fashion that he hoped to attend when he reached 18. At a certain point, Dima began supplementing his income by renting himself out as an escort within his lover’s circle of associates and acquaintances. According to friends of Dima, they included several leading figures in the entertainment industry as well as one of the most powerful men in Russia’s world of organized crime. Dima began to express concern to his friends that the organized crime figure had become obsessed with him, but he refused to accept their advice to stop seeing the man because of the large amount of money these dates were earning him. Sometime in 2005, Dima abruptly left his lover, gave up his modeling career, cut off all communication with his friends, and moved in with the organized crime figure. The last public Dima sighting was late that year when his friend Ignat Lebedev, who was also working as a male escort at the time, accompanied a client to a private sex club where he claims to have witnessed a very thin and confused looking Dima being forcibly sodomized by a group of perhaps ten to fifteen men. Lebedev claims his client identified one of the men as the organized crime figure and dissuaded him from speaking to Dima for his own protection. Lebedev claims he described what he’d seen to Dima’s former lover and was told Dima had been killed the previous week and that he shouldn’t speak of this again. Lebedev reported both incidents to the police, but after interviewing the lover and being told Lebedev had made the story up, they declined to investigate the matter. In 2006, Lebedev persuaded a prominent Russian gay journalist to write an article on Dima’s disappearance, but during the course of investigating the story, the writer was abducted by unknown assailants, beaten, and told he would be murdered if he wrote the story. Dima has not been seen or reliably heard from in three years, although in early 2007 another organized crime figure, Evgeny Ershova, who was awaiting trial on an unrelated murder charge, claimed that in late 2005 he witnessed a young male prostitute matching Dima’s description be pushed out of a helicopter over a remote forest in the north of Russia. Before Dima’s ex-lover died of lung cancer in late 2007, he reportedly confessed to friends that Dima was sold as a sex slave to a man in the Ukraine in late 2005 and had lived until late 2006 when he’d committed suicide. The actual song—shared in the video below, which was released earlier this month—contains heartbreaking lyrics from the perspective of Dima. Principle songwriter Bradford Cox beautifully delivers these sorrowful words of exploitation, abuse, helplessness, isolation and loneliness, which prove to be all the more sobering when heard in light of the article above. Dima’s story is incredibly heartbreaking, and while he lost his life at the hands of those who would oppress, Deerhunter reminds us of the unfathomable struggle faced by those around the world that presently experience the horror of human trafficking. Thank you Deerhunter for speaking for those who have no voice and for doing so in such a creative and effective manner. May we all be challenged to do the same and to seek to protect all people. Tags: Deerhunter, Dima, Halcyon Digest, Helicopter, human trafficking My name is Elijah. My interests include life in active community, writing, performing and partaking of music, collecting vinyl records, hiking/outdoors, urban exploration, Celtic FC and the Detroit Tigers. View all posts by Elijah » 9 responses to “Helicopter Megaphone” Grant Morgan says : 2 October 2010 at 6:08 AM This is a heartbreaking story and a beautiful song. When I was living in Russia I experienced a few encounters with prostitutes trying to solicit me. Every time it broke my heart and I had no clue what to do besides be polite to them and decline. It’s amazing that there is a world out there that many of us never experience. We are fortunate to enjoy certain freedoms and hopefully we can make a difference in others lives in a way that stops this type of injustice. Thank you for bringing this specific story to my attention. Sean says : 3 October 2010 at 11:38 PM Thank you for sharing this, Eli…the story is a difficult one to stomach for me, but it brings to light something that we should know about and be praying about…I don’t know why, but I fell in love with this song and video the moment I started watching it… Matt Huffine says : 20 October 2010 at 4:26 AM I just recently got into this song and album. What a true work of art. That said, I appreciate the context you’ve shared and sort of glad that I heard the song before reading this! I don’t think I could have approached it the same way otherwise. This brought to the forefront of my mind the sad and despearte situations of those connected to and devastated by the sex/human trafficking industry. I felt conviction in my heart for not doing what I could be doing to make a difference in this area. helicopter says : 30 October 2010 at 9:19 PM dude, the lyrics are included rright after the spew. check the top of the page…..c’mon…..open your eyes. Elijah says : 30 October 2010 at 11:28 PM Ah yes, thank you for the correction, but I think the content of my post is still relevant. saddening says : 6 November 2010 at 8:36 PM I made the mistake of reading that story before I heard the song. Was really sad for a couple of days. Deerhunter – Helicopter « Agent blade and friends - 22 October 2010 Two Years of Lost in the Cloud « Lost in the Cloud - 24 January 2012 Cozinhando Discografias: Deerhunter | Miojo Indie - 16 February 2015 Leave a Reply to Grant Morgan Cancel reply

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ancient pueblo arawaks black hawk war casa grande ruins national monument cathars doomsday book freemasons gila river gila river basin grand lodges grattan massacre hohokam hohokam culture intelligent design masonic native american tribes navajos old testament susquehannocks yucatán peninsula 8.6 Neo Creationism Neo-Creationists intentionally distance themselves from other forms of creationism. Their goal is to restate creationism in terms more likely to be well received by the public, education policy makers and the scientific community. It aims to re-frame the debate over the origins of life in non-religious terms and without appeals to scripture, and to bring the debate before the public. Neo-creationists may be either Young Earth or Old Earth Creationists, and hold a range of underlying theological viewpoints. Neo-Creationism currently exists in the form of the Intelligent Design movement. One of its principal claims is that orthodox science, with a foundation in naturalism, is a dogmatically atheistic religion. Its proponents argue that the scientific method excludes certain explanations of phenomena, particularly where they point towards supernatural elements, thus effectively excluding religious insight from contributing to understanding the universe. This leads to an open and often hostile opposition to what they term “Darwinism”, which refer to evolution, but may include abiogenesis, stellar evolution and the Big Bang theory. Various neo-creationist groups claim to run scientific enterprises that conduct legitimate scientific research. Notable examples are the “Discovery Institute” and its “Centre for Science and Culture”. Neo-creationists have yet to establish a recognized line of legitimate scientific research and thus far lack scientific and academic legitimacy. The main form of neo-creationism is “Intelligent Design”. A second form, “Abrupt Appearance Theory”, claims that first life and the universe appeared abruptly and that plants and animals appeared abruptly in complex form. 8.6.1 Motivations The neo-creationist movement is motivated by the fear that religion is under attack by the study of evolution. According to neo-creationists, society has suffered “devastating cultural consequences” from adopting materialism, and that science is the cause of this decay into materialism since science seeks only natural explanations. They believe that the theory of evolution implies that humans have no spiritual nature, no moral purpose, and no intrinsic meaning, and thus that acceptance of evolution devalues human life. The movement’s proponents seek to “defeat the materialist world view” represented by the theory of evolution in favour of “a science consonant with Christian and theistic convictions”. 8.6.2 Tactics Much of the effort of neo-creationists in response to science consists of polemics highlighting gaps in understanding or minor inconsistencies in the literature of biology, then making statements about what can and cannot happen in biological systems. Critics of neo-creationism suggest that neo-creationist science consists of quote-mining the biological literature for minor slips, inconsistencies or polemically promising examples of internal arguments. These internal disagreements, fundamental to the working of all natural science, are then presented dramatically to lay audiences as evidence of the fraudulence and impending collapse of “Darwinism”. Neo-creationists identify themselves to their non-scientific audience as conducting valid science. This is rejected by the vast majority of actual scientists. Nevertheless neo-creationists profess to present and conduct valid science which is equal, or superior to, the theory of evolution. However, the preponderance of neo-creationist works are publications aimed at the general public and lawmakers and policymakers. Much of that published work is polemical in nature, disputing and controverting what they see as a “scientific orthodoxy” which shields and protects “Darwinism” while attacking and ridiculing alleged alternatives like Intelligent Design.

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Why did the Romans Hate the Christians? By Brian Foster We learn as children that the Romans fed the Christians to the lions. This seemed normal to us, after all the Christians were good and the Romans bad. We thought they must have not wanted to be good. The truth is more complicated. Why would the Romans try to stamp out the Christians? After all, they absorbed many religions, and were quite tolerant of almost every sect. But the Christians, along with the Druids, were different, for both they engaged in a centuries long struggle of extermination. As the Romans evolved from a Republic to an Empire, controlling their conquests became paramoun t for their ruling class. Starting wars over religions was not in their best interest. In fact, the Romans attempted to absorb many religions and cults into the Empire and actually allow the building of temples and other edifices in the greatest city in the world at that time, Rome. Why should they deliberately rouse the people, when their full aim was to keep them docile and able to pay their taxes? Therefore, a careful reading of Roman history shows their attitude toward Christianity and the Druids to be atypical; “As the Romans extended their dominance throughout the Mediterranean world, their policy in general was to absorb the deities and cults of other peoples rather than try to eradicate them, since they believed that preserving tradition promoted social stability. One way that Rome incorporated diverse peoples was by supporting their religious heritage, building temples to local deities that framed their theology within the hierarchy of Roman religion. Inscriptions throughout the Empire record the side-by-side worship of local and Roman deities, including dedications made by Romans to local gods. By the height of the Empire, numerous international deities were cultivated at Rome and had been carried to even the most remote provinces, among them Cybele, Isis, Epona, and gods of solar monism such as Mithras and Sol Invictus, found as far north as Roman Britain. Because Romans had never been obligated to cultivate one god or one cult only, religious tolerance was not an issue in the sense that it is for competing monotheistic systems. The monotheistic rigor of Judaism posed difficulties for Roman policy that led at times to compromise and the granting of special exemptions, but sometimes to intractable conflict.” [1] Was it just the belief in one God? No, for they tried hard to allow the Jews their religious place and the Druids were not monotheists. So what did cause the Romans to react so violently against what we, in the modern age, would see as a small group of pacifists, who would gladly render unto Caesar what is Caesar’s. How could they have posed a threat to the might of Imperial Rome? Hail Christ! – The Book My interest in this subject was ignited by the book, Hail Christ!, psychographed by Francisco C. Xavier, and dictated by the spirit Emmanuel. It is set in the period of around 200 years after Christ, during one of the times of Christian persecution by the Roman authorities. Emmanuel writes about the early Christians; “Everywhere, the evangelical organization prayed to serve and give instead of praying to be served and to take. Christians were known by their capacity for personal sacrifice for the sake of all, for their goodwill, sincere humility, cooperation and fraternal care, and for their diligence in perfecting themselves. Afire with faith in the immortality of the souls, they did not fear death. Their martyred comrades, who left behind families they were meant to protect and educate, departed like soldiers of Jesus.”[2] These early Christians sound like ideal neighbors and citizens. The Christians during that era concentrated on helping others, educating themselves to become better souls, with an emphasis on giving instead of taking from the populace, all laudable traits. Could they have believed in something so onerous as to horrify the Romans? According to the book, the early Christians knew about our immortal souls and how we travel through many lives in order to improve ourselves. One of the wise Christians, in the book, Corvinus, tells us; “Jesus did not just speak to the human being who passes away, but rather to the imperishable spirit. In one step of his sublime teachings, he warns, ‘It is better to enter life maimed than, have two hands, to go into the lower regions.’ [Mk 9:43] Christ is referring to the world as a school where we seek our own improvement. We come to the earth with the problems we need. Trials are a salutary remedy. Difficulties are steps upward on the great ascent. Our ancestors, the Druids, taught that we find ourselves in a world of travels or in a field of repeated experiences so that later on we can reach the stars of divine light to be one with God, our Father. We create suffering by defying the universal laws, and we endure it so we can return to harmonious communion with them. Justice is perfect. Nobody weeps unnecessarily. The stone bears the pressure of the tool that polishes it so that it can shine supremely. The beast is led to confinement to be tamed. Humankind suffers and struggles to learn and relearn in order to grow more and more. Earth is not the only theater of life. Did not the Lord himself — whom we aspire to serve — say ‘There are many dwellings in my Father’s house?’ Toil is the ladder of light to other spheres, where we will meet again like birds, which, after losing each other in winter’s gusts, regroup again in the blessed spring sunshine.”[3] Hence, during the first budding of Christianity, they too knew that reincarnation was the doctrine of Christ. That all of us must suffer during our time here on earth in order to learn valuable lessons. They also realized that with reincarnation, there must be a spirit world for those not in a physical body, to exists while awaiting their next life. Corvinus speaks of the early church’s communication with the spirit realm; “Heed the Master’s teaching and a new light will shine in your soul. In Lyon, many of our brothers and sisters communicate with the dead, who are simply those living in eternity. They communicate with us and support us every day in our duties… In many instances of martyrdom. I have seen companions who preceded us receiving those who were put to death… Consequently, I know that you and I will continue to be together. The church, for me is nothing but the Spirit of Christ in communion with men and women…” [4] Therefore, early Christianity, similar to the Druid belief that we are here temporarily, and in between physical lives, our souls live in what the Druids calls the “Otherworld”.[5] As an extension to this belief is the realization that we are all equal. All transition between two worlds, all must learn and all have occasional failures. Thus, the material world and all of its trappings, power, glory and riches become less relevant. The positions of the elite and the rulers lose their aura. This brings us to the greatest fear of the Romans; slaves. In the book, Hail Christ!, a Roman Judge is berating a Christian prisoner; “You’re all just an old gang of liars! What kind of fraternity could an unknown Galilean teach you, one who died nearly two hundred years ago? What service can you offer society by preaching rebellion to slaves with misleading promises of a heavenly kingdom? What kindness do you exercise by leading women and children to the bloody spectacle of the circuses? And what forgiveness do you exemplify, when your heroism is nothing but shame and humiliation?” [6] The fear of a slave rebellion was a constant factor in Rome, after the year’s long marches up and down the Italian peninsula by Spartacus, the threat of having your throat slit by those who live in your house involuntarily became all too real. Whereas, other deities, religions and cults reinforced the fragility of your life here on earth, meaning that you should respect the power that could exterminate you for any offense; Christianity removed that barrier, leaving the believer with the certainty, that his or her own soul could never be touched by any display of human power. This was completely unacceptable to the Romans. To add insult to injury, the Christians did not share the Roman’s pride of power and conquest. In the book, a Roman Patrician exclaims, “I cannot accept a faith that annuals pride and valor!”[7] From the Roman point of view, Christianity was no mere cult attracting the dregs of society. Too many Roman elites, along with slaves and freedmen, became members of a religion that not only rejected the basic tenants of Roman society, love of power, importance of ancestors in social standing, glory of combat, but additionally considerably raised the possibility of a massive slave revolt. The force of the ideals of Christianity was a real threat to the Empire. This is why for three hundred years, the entire might of the Roman government sporadically made repeated attempts to crush the early Christians. Only in 313 AD, with the Edict of Milan issued by Emperors Constantine the Great and Licinius, was Christianity legalized.[8] Constantine the Great wasn’t satisfied to just allow the doctrine of Christianity to flow freely, he called the First Council of Nicaea in 325, at which the Nicene Creed was professed by Christians.[9] The papacy, the Bishop of Rome, claimed temporal power using Constantine’s ascension to Emperor. Therefore, the Church began its phase of slowly corrupting the doctrine of serving and started to take on the mantle of expecting to be served by the people, with a cohort of officials with ready hands to deal with the cash. Hence, over time, the Church became an extension of the Empire and not a potential adversary. If you wish to learn about Spiritism, and how we are all immortal souls who reincarnate through many lives, read Spiritism 101 – The Third Revelation. Explore the spirit realm in depth, read the first book of a series of three about the numerous revelations spirits told the Rev. G. Vale Owen in England in the early 1900’s. What you will discover will change your outlook on life – Heaven and Below – Book 1 of Spiritism – The Spirit World Revealed to an Anglican Vicar. Brian Foster has a BSCS degree and a MBA. He has worked in R&D for medical device corporations and in IT for large financial institutions. Brian Foster has a blog at http://www.nwspiritism.com. Druidry.org. (2014, July 24). Druid Beliefs. Retrieved from Druidy.org: http://www.druidry.org/druid-way/druid-beliefs Wikipedia. (2014, July 25). Wikipedia – Constantine the Great. Retrieved from Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Constantine_the_Great Wikipedia. (2014, July 25). Wikipedia – Persecution of Christians in the Roman Empire. Retrieved from Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Persecution_of_Christians_in_the_Roman_Empire Wikipedia. (2014, July 25). Wikipedia – Religion in Ancient Rome. Retrieved from Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Religion_in_ancient_Rome Xavier, F. C. (2012). Hail Christ! Brasilia (DF), Brazil: International Spiritist Council. [1] Wikipedia, “Religion in Ancient Rome”, n.d., http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Religion_in_ancient_Rome, (accessed July 25, 2014) [2] XAVIER, Francisco C. Hail Christ!, EDICEI, p. 73 [3] XAVIER, Francisco C. Hail Christ!, EDICEI, pp. 47-48 [5] Druidry.org, “Druid Beliefs”, n.d., http://www.druidry.org/druid-way/druid-beliefs, (accessed July 25, 2014) [6] XAVIER, Francisco C. Hail Christ!, EDICEI, p. 157 [8] Wikipedia, “Persecution of Christians in the Roman Empire”, n.d., http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Persecution_of_Christians_in_the_Roman_Empire, (accessed July 25, 2014) [9] Wikipedia, “Constantine the Great”, n.d., http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Constantine_the_Great, (accessed July 25, 2014) Heather August 29, 2014 at 10:17 am Brian August 29, 2014 at 6:30 pm myth buster April 2, 2018 at 8:52 am Christians do not believe in reincarnation, and never have. What we believe in is the resurrection of the dead. mkiuytreytra September 24, 2018 at 1:13 pm The whole persecution myth is largely Christian propaganda. Rome persecuted those who were disruptive of their version of law and order. And no their version was not some Nazi version as shown in the MGM bible movies. The Romans were surprisingly even handed in their treatment of subject people. The persecution of Christians by Nero is classic misinformation. He supposedly blamed them unjustly for the 64 AD Fire of Rome. But we are not told by apologists what was happening OUTSIDE of Rome during that time. Judea and the area around it were hotbeds of revolt and religiously driven murder and arson by Jewish fanatics. Many of the leaders were declared ‘Christos’ by their followers which simply means Messiah which means a prophetic war leader that would lead the Jews to victory against non-Jews. Claudius who preceded Nero had to expel Jews from Rome because of rioting caused by friction between them and other groups. So if Nero blamed followers of the Christos for the fire it wasn’t necessarily the Christos who preached loving your enemies and turning the other cheek. It’s interesting that though the fire occurred in 64 AD the persecution supposedly started in 67 AD, the very year the First Jewish Revolt started in Judea with massive death of non-Jews and burning of homes and temples of pagans and even Jews who favored peace. Think of an ancient version of ISIS terrorists. Fear of Christianity? Understandable. – The West in the Pre-Modern World October 16, 2018 at 8:25 pm […] https://nwspiritism.com/spiritist-knowledge/why-did-the-romans-hate-the-christians/ […] Christianity Prevailed Anyway – 1001 HH215 The West in the Pre-Modern World October 15, 2019 at 1:02 am […] Why did the Romans Hate the Christians? http://faculty.georgetown.edu/jod/texts/pliny.html […]

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Lapis Lazuli Meaning, Etymology and Secrets An incredible stone found in human history since the beginning of time. Lapis Lazuli is a deep blue semi precious stone. Lapis is defined as a rock geologically speaking. I also found out that it appears in the most ancient civilizations known to man. Furthermore it was of utmost importance because it was a stone used to revere gods and God. Its spiritual journey through the Silk Route to acquire the Lapis Lazuli for temples and churches superseded primitive quests. I give you a summary of the most interesting facts of the beautiful Lapis Lazuli… Enjoy! In this post you will find 1 Lapis Lazuli Meaning – Etymology 2 Lapis Lazuli Composition 3 Lapis Lazuli Color 4 Lapis Lazuli Mines 4.2 Other Mines 5 Ancient Civilizations 5.1 Egyptians 6 Lapis Lazuli during Renaissance 7 Lapis Lazuli in Religion 7.1 Christianism 7.2 Buddhism 8 Lapis Lazuli Healing 8.1 Physical Healing 8.2 Spiritually 8.3 Emotionally 8.4 Mentally 9 Lapis Lazuli Fakes 9.1 Primary Test 9.2 Secondary Test 10 Lapis Lazuli Pigment Formula 11 Lapis Lazuli in Modern World 12 Caring for Lapis Lazuli 13 Lapis Lazuli Today Lapis Lazuli Meaning – Etymology Lapis is the Latin word for “stone” and lazuli comes from the Medieval Latin lazulum. It had such an impact in history that the English meaning of the word azure came from the name and color of lapis lazuli. It had such an impact in history that the English meaning of the word azure, French azur, Italian azzurro, Polish Iazur, Romanian azur and azuriu, Portuguese and Spanish azul, and Hungarian azur all came from the name and color of lapis lazuli. Lapis Lazuli Composition Let’s talk a little about the chemical part (a little boring for my taste, but necessary) of lapis. I promise I will be quick. Lapis Lazuli is composed mostly by Lazurite (25% – 40%), Sodalite (blue), calcite (white) and pyrite (metallic yellow). This beautiful rocks formula is: (Na, Ca)8 (AISiO4)6 (S, SO4, Cl)1-2. The intense blue color is due to the presence of the trifulsur radical anion in the crystal. It also has a translucent and uneven fracture. Lapis Lazuli is formed in crystalline marble due to an increase in temperature caused by the intrusion of magma into cooler rocks. This process is called contact metamorphism. The best quality material contains less calcite and pyrite. You can look for this quality at in Nammu.com. El color azul fuerte proviene de la lazurita, la calculación es responsable de las vetas blancas y el brillo metálico junto a los puntos de color amarillo se deben a la pirita. Para poder ser llamado “lapislázuli” la roca debe tener un color distintivo azul y contener al menos el 25% de lazurita. Lapis Lazuli Color Its color goes from deep blue, purplish blue to greenish blue. When it has too much pyrite it may cause the stone to have a dull greenish tint. Lapis Lazuli Mines The incredible Blue Mountain is the mountain where the lapis mines are. This mysterious mountain is situated along the right bank of the Kokcha River in the Badakshan Province. They are in the mountains northeastern part of Afghanistan. Badakshan is an inhospitable group of bare mountains. It consists mainly of metamorphic and plutonic rocks. Lapis Lazulis mayor deposits are found in the Sar-e-Sang mines. . People have been mining Sar-e-Sang mine for more than 6,000 years. As incredible as it sounds, the same mines are still being mined today. The access to the ancient mines which are actually caves high above a valley floor is very dangerous. Home to the most poisonous snake in the world, the Krait, the mountain terrain is treacherous. Scorpions are common. Whether Mujahidin rebels are at the mines to acquire the chunks of lapis to trade for arms in Germany, Kaffir bandits or other local tribesmen, the conclusion is the same. The message is to stay away or die. Afghanistan has the most expensive and precious lapis. It has a rich uniform deep blue color and little to no white calcite veining and also a few flecks of glittering pyrite. The white calcite veining will diminish the value. Other Mines Lapis is also extracted in the Andes (near Ovalle Cordillera, Coquimbo, Chile). To the west of Lake Baikal in Siberia, at the Tultui Lazurite deposit and the Pamir Mountains near Khorog, in Russia. Lapis Lazuli is mined in smaller amounts in Angola; Argentina; Upper Burma near Morgok. In Pakistan; Baffin Island, Canada; Ariccia, Peperino and Monte Somma, Vesuvius, Italy, Ragavapooram, Masulipatum, India. It is also found in the United States in San Bernardino County California and in Gunnison County, Colorado. Chilean lapis and Russian lapis are of a lesser quality. Lapis from these regions is a topic I will talk about later. The lapis mined from these regions have a strong whitish or gray color and like I told you before distinguished readers, this diminishes its value. In the past the principal technique of mining was the use of fire to split the rock. After this they poured water to cool the rock. This process made the rocks crack, allowing access to the minerals. The technique used today is blasting. This is a very dangerous practice with no safety protocols what so ever. Historians believe the link between lapis lazuli and human beliefs dates back over 6,500 years. Ancient civilizations, including Egyptian, Mesopotamian, Chinese, Roman and Greek, valued highly this stone. Neolithic men were the first who created the first jewelry. They would bore a small hole through the Lapis Lazuli and string the pebbles of blue with a thread. 4,000 years ago, artists created objects like cylinder seals, necklaces. They also made amulets, animal statuettes and inlay on important statues, mostly in the eyes where it absorbs all attention to the figure. It had such an importance in life as well in the after life. Prove of that is that Lapis Lazuli was also found in Neolithic tombs in Mauritania and in the Caucasus. The wealthiest tombs of the first dynasties had lapis. The Egyptians listed it in their funeral items and also used it at the tomb of Pharaoh Tutankhamen. Ancient kings demanded lapis for royal workshops which fashioned many pieces for daily living in lapis including parches boards and talismans as symbols of truth. The Egyptians saw in the Lapis Lazuli (lapis for short) stone a connection between its dark blue color with the night of the skies and the stars with the gold pyrite flecks, in other words, an image of the heavens. They saw life in the deep blue color of water and the divine in the immense blue of the sky. For all of this they used Lapis to portray it all. Artists represented the Nile, the most important river of Ancient Egypt in blue. Blue was also the background color of the paintings portraying the royal graves in the Valley of the Kings. Kings used head kerchiefs painted in blue and gold. Tutankhamen used jewelry of gold and lapis. The Egyptians also utilized this stone in artwork, amulets, jewelry and cosmetics but their use on the hair and adornments of the heavenly Goddess Isis shows how much their culture cared for the metaphysical powers of lapis. Pharaoh Tutankhamen One of the most recognized objects made by man with lapis lazuli is the incredible gold death facemask of Pharaoh Tutankhamun (also known as King Tut, 1332-1232 B.C.). Exhibited in the Egyptian museum, it remains a national symbol. The mask was stripped with horizontal pieces of lapis. The lapis was also inset into harps, lyres and decorative boxes holding the organs of the mummified person. Egyptian lapidaries preferred silver and lapis to gold and used it as eye shadow and pigment. Lapis Lazuli during Renaissance In the Renaissance it was more expensive than gold. Michelangelo, Da Vinci, Fra Angelico and other master artists also wanted the mineral for pigment. Michelangelo also used pulverized Lapis Lazuli for the Sistine Chapel (1475-1564) . I discovered that it is by far one of the most exquisite uses of Lapis Lazuli as pigment for the blues of heaven therefore the best stones were used. Artisans and painters reserved lapis for the cloaks of Christ, angels and specially the Virgin Mary. In the mid 1800s artists and chemists began developing synthetic blue pigments for use as alternatives to ultramarine blue made from Lapis Lazuli. In 1824, The Societe d’Encouragement offered a prize of six thousand francs to anyone who could produce synthetic variety. After four years they gave the prize to Jean Baptiste Guimet who submitted a process he had developed in 1826. Lapis Lazuli in Religion Christianism Priests bordered Ecclesiastic Manuscripts with crushed pigment. Artisan painters also used Lapis for religious shrines and decorative elements on the altars of churches. Tablets of the Law One of the most incredible uses for lapis in history was in the Tablets of the Law given to Moses. It is written that the Law given to Moses on the Mount was engraved on tablets of sapphire. Here we should translate the word sapphire for lapis lazuli. First because the sapphire we know now was not yet discovered and second because there does not exist sapphires as big as the Law Tablets. The First Breastplate Aaron acted as the High Priest of the Twelve Tribes of Israel assigned by Moses. He was commanded to make a jeweled breastplate with twelve stones which represented the Twelve Tribes of Israel. Lapis Lazuli was the fifth stone representing the tribe of Issachar. In the 1 century B.C the Buddhist religion migrated from China to the Bamiyan Valley of Afghanistan. They built two Buddhas on a vertical sandstone cliff. One of 170 feet high and the second 115 feet high. These Buddha’s represent the importance of this lapis valley to the Chinese. Yungang Grottoes The Yungang Grottoes are ancient Chinese Buddhist Temples grottoes or caves near the city of Datong in the province of Shanxi. It is on the valley of the Shi River at the base of the Wuzhou Shan Mountains. It is one of the three most famous ancient Buddhist sculptural sites of China. The Temple complex was built from 1406 to 1420 in the southeastern part of central Beijing during the reign of the Yongle Emperor. The Yongle Emperor also constructed the Forbidden City in Beijing. He used abundant Lapis Lazuli in the construction of this magnificent complex regarded as a Taoist Temple. They made the famous Chinese fish,the carp. This exquisite fish amulet is a prize you can acquire in your favorite Nammu.com store. The Chinese artistic and cultural richness of the Chinese ritualistic traditions combined with the skills of the craftsmen lead to magical lapis Lazuli pieces. The perfect combination of ancient Chinese culture and modern art. Lapis Lazuli Healing Physical Healing Lapis Lazuli affects positively over our nervous system, speech, hearing, pituitary, reduce pain and also inflammation. It lowers blood pressure and aids the respiratory system. The exquisite lapis has a direct link with our head. That is the reason why it relieves headaches, especially migraines and epilepsy. The use of this blue mineral rock can be very helpful for people that have Asperger’s syndrome or autism. Lapis Lazuli is one of the oldest spiritual stones known to man, used by healers, priests and also royalty, for power, wisdom and to stimulate psychic abilities and also inner vision. It releases stress. It stimulates enlightment and enhancing dreamwork. As a protection stone, it also recognizes psychic attacks and blocks it, returning the energy back to its source. It helps us be ourselves and liberates us from compromises and holding back, with lapis you can be the ruler in your own (spiritual) kingdom. Emotionally Lapis lazuli is a crystal of truth. It encourages self awareness, dignity, honesty and uprightness. Lapis also makes us enjoy contact with others and also helps us convey feelings and emotions clearly. It reveals inner truth. Allows self-expression without holding back or compromising. It encourages dignify in friendship and social ability. It helps us face and accept that we are confronted with, while at the same time allowing us to also express our own opinion. It also helps us to contain conflicts. Lapis activates the psychic centers at the Third Eye and balance the energies of the Throat Chakra. The Brow Chakra also called the Third Eye is the center of our perception and command. It balances the important and the unimportant, sorting meaning from data and impressions. The throat chakra is the voice of the body. Lapis Lazuli Fakes Imitation Lapis Lazuli is very common. In more recent times large volumes of synthetically produced lapis have flooded the market place. The imitation techniques are getting better each day. Some of it is such a good quality that it is hard to tell apart from the real thing. Many cheap minerals and gemstones can be dyed to imitate lapis. Poor quality jasper, white howlite, spinel, sodalite or calcite can be used for this purpose. Primary Test Magnification will reveal a totally unnatural appearance to this material. Here is where you’ll see the perfect golden specks patterns the fakes have. The flat blue and the white streaks when scratched will also be present. Secondary Test Natural Lapis Lazuli will have a reaction to the Chelsea Filter. The Chelsea Filter is a dichromatic filter. It can only transmit light in 2 regions of the spectrum, deep red and yellow-green. Genuine Lapis Lazuli will react with a weak brownish red and the synthe tic lapis will react with a bright red color. Lapis Lazuli Pigment Formula There are numerous medieval recipes for the making of lapis pigment. One formula was the one from, the Benedictine monk Theophilus in the twelfth century. Another formula which is also used today is the one from Italian Cennino Cennini in the fourteenth to fifteenth century. Cennino Cennini Cennini wrote, “Ultramarine is a colour illustrious, beautiful and most perfect, beyond all other colours; on could not say anything about it or do anything with it, that its quality would not still surpass.” He continues, “Choose a good stone and ensure you have the correct quantities of all ingredients ”. Which means A LOT of lapis lazuli. Lapis Lazuli in Modern World The incredible workshops of Peter Carl Faberge in Russia also had access to Lapis Lazuli and fashioned one of the 58 grand Imperial Eggs for Czar Nicholas II in that material. It was a gift to his wife, the Czarina Alexandra Feodorovna on Easter Day 1912. The image of their eight year old son Alexis was the surprise inside the egg. The frame was on top of a Lapis Lazuli base. It’s on display at the Virginia Museum of Art in Richmond. The most recent sell of an Imperial Egg was in 2007 at Christies for 18.5 million dollars. Salvador Dali also designed sculptured jewels in artistic forms with Lapis Lazuli. Experts in Idar-Oberstein use lasers to cut beautiful pieces. Lapis is also used for cuff links, pendants, and earrings, rings. Lapis is also set into watch faces, and inlaid onto clocks or for marquetry on fine woods. Carvings can also be found in fine stones particularly in Hong Kong and mainland China where they are worked more exquisitely than anywhere in the world. Caring for Lapis Lazuli Lapis Lazuli is a porous rock so it should never come in contact with chemicals and solvents. Mild, warm and soapy water is the best way to clean this delicate stone. It should always be protected from rubbing and scratching against harder stones and surfaces like other jewelry. This is due to lapis having a hardness of 5.0 to 5.5. Remember, you should always have a special care with lapis. Keep in mind that it has been with us since the beginning of human history and be sure it will be here long after we’ve left. The beautiful and enigmatic stone, Lapis Lazuli. Lapis Lazuli Today Today it is calculated at 9000kg (10tons) per year of production. From the sale of lapis to the manufacturers at least $5 million is returned to the Afghans. The afghan gemstone wealth is undetermined and also mostly undiscovered. Afghanistan per se is a gemstone in its own. A vast and also a rich country, beautiful and also magical. The world’s oldest known commercial source of gemstone… Mankind has used Lapis for the arts, for religion, for healing mind and body and since the most ancient cultures, for representing and worshiping gods. In other words Lapis has been a part of our lives since the beginning. Lapis Lazuli had, has and will keep having a significant importance in human life. I know it and I know you know it too. Nammu Store is the best place to find beautiful Lapis Lazuli Jewelry. August 19, 2018 - Anastasia Niesheva

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Category Archives: berlin berlin, prague, Trains, Travel In America, where high speed rail is more of a pipe dream than anything else, I’m used to people gushing over the European rail system. And up until now, I had no complaints. I’ve enjoyed the train from Paris to Brussels, through Holland, and through Spain. But the train ride from Berlin to Prague was a rude awakening. The standard comfortable train car has two rows of two seats each on either side of the train with an aisle down the middle. Comfort level may range from how cushy the seats are to how much legroom you have, but at a minimum, you only have one person next to you. The Berlin-Prague train featured mini compartments with SIX seats jammed together, with three seats facing the other three. Leg room was non-existent. Oh my God. As soon as I saw our seats, my heart sank. I had high hopes for sleeping/doing work on the four and a half hour ride. Instead, we spent the ride smushed together with four strangers, thinking: Are we there yet? Are we there yet? ARE WE THERE YET? Pictures from Seat 61 I blame myself for not researching the train ride more, though it never even occurred to me that any long-distance European train would be anything other than the standard two-by-two layout. Had I known what we were dealing with, I would have happily paid extra for first class seats and saved ourselves the four-and-a-half hours in train hell. The moral of this story: Always check what kind of train you are getting. Tagged berlin, prague, Trains berlin, Germany, Hotels, Miles/Points, Travel Berlin Part 8: Review – Hilton Berlin Berlin Part 5: The Jewish Quarter Berlin Part 6: Museum Island Berlin Part 7: View From Above I picked the Hilton Berlin for two reasons: 1) Location and 2) my Hilton diamond status. Location: Centrally located in Mitte, we were walking distance to most major sites. Berlin is huge, but our location just south of Unter den Linden meant we could easily get to Potsdammer Platz, Brandenburg Gate, Museum Island, the Jewish Quarter, the Jewish Museum, Checkpoint Charlie, etc. all under 30 minutes. There is also a subway stop right at the corner. Pretty Hotel: It’s a pretty hotel with nicely appointed rooms and modern interiors. The lounge/breakfast: As a Diamond member, we had access to the Lounge which provided breakfast, snacks, drinks, and evening appetizers. We also were able to get breakfast in the main dining room (more tourists, but much bigger spread). Most importantly, I had ongoing access to free diet cokes throughout our stay. Price: Berlin in general is fairly cheap. I booked five nights for 139,000 points in the off-season. That comes out to approximately 28,000 points a night for hotel in the middle of a major European city! Wifi: Wifi worked well in the room (especially compared to our next hotel). Upgrade: As a diamond member, I have received some substantial upgrades in the past (I’m still dreaming about the suite in Barcelona). I pointed out that there were plenty of suites available in the hotel, but they argued that someone could still book those rooms over the course of our five night stay. They “upgraded” us to a room with a view of the Dom across the street. The room itself was fine, but the upgrade was disappointing. As you can see, I was pretty happy with our stay at Hilton Berlin. Tagged berlin, Germany, hilton, hotels, review berlin, Germany, Travel After Brandenburg Gate, the Reichstag is one of the most famous buildings in Berlin. It is also a symbol of Berlin as a city: The modern mixing with the old, one foot in the future and one foot into its tumultuous past. The Reichstag was badly burned in 1933, and left to die on the ash heap of history during Communist control of East Berlin. With the reunification of Berlin, architect Norman Foster designed a gleaming domed rooftop for the home of the German government. Tours of the dome are free, but require booking in advance online. We planned for an early morning visit, and were lucky enough to catch a glimpse of blue sky that morning. Tagged architecture, berlin, Germany, Reichstag berlin, Travel While M museum hopped, managing to hit all five museums on Museum Island in two days, I wandered and took photos. I joined M for a trip to the top of Dom Berlin and found a great place to nap in the Bode Museum – but that’s about as much as my patience could stand. Needless to say, M had a great time on the inside, and I had a great time on the outside. The Dom Cathedral reflected in a puddle. The Dom Cathedral is certainly impressive. And the views of Berlin are awesome! I stepped inside the Bode to meet up with M. The lobby is very beautiful. And the beanbags in the children’s room is extremely comfortable! Tagged berlin, bode, dom cathedral, museum, museum island, pergamon, views We’ve gotten our vacation division of labor down to a science. M spends hours in museums. I spend hours doing anything but spend hours in museums. So far, it’s working outs splendidly for us. That’s how I found myself wandering around Berlin’s Jewish quarter one evening. East of Museum Island on the other side of the Spree River, the neighborhood is a hodgepodge of hip restaurants and shops, important Jewish sites, small galleries and residential housing. Today, this area is home to two Jewish synagogues, a couple of Jewish restaurants, the remains of the old Jewish cemetery, and the ever-present stumbling stones that remind us of the people who use to walk these streets. As I walked down Rosenthaler Strauss, I popped into what Berlin calls Berliner Hinterhöfe” or backyards.” This one in particular – Hause Schwarzenberg – is home to two small museums, one dedicated to Anne Frank and one to Otto Weidt – the owner of a workshop for the blind and deaf who fought to protect his Jewish workers. It is also filled with interesting street art. Another “backyard” with awesome architecture. I made my way to the old Jewish cemetery. During the 17th and 18th centuries, the area was crowded with thousands of Jewish graves, but in 1943, it was destroyed by the Gestapo. Today, there are few relics and a gravestone memorializing Moses Mendelssohn (it is not the original). Finally, I made my way to the New Synagogue. Built in 1865, it was largely destroyed during World War II. After the war, the community rebuilt the synagogue to look like the original. Unfortunately, I couldn’t tour the interior because it was closed for renovation. Tagged berlin, jewish quarter Berlin Part 2: Berlin is…Complicated Confession: I am obsessed with the Berlin Wall and Communist era history. I was intent on seeing as much of the Berlin Wall as possible – and M dutifully followed me around. Berlin has many reminders of the Berlin Wall’s 28 year history. Throughout the city, there are plaques marking where the wall used to stand, as well as bits and pieces of the actual wall. There are a couple of key spots to really appreciate the wall and what it meant for Berlin. (1) Potsdamer Platz: Today, Potsdamer Platz is a bustling area with modern skyscrapers, cinemas, museums, hotels, and restaurants. In 1989, when the wall came tumbling down though, Potsdamer Platz was a wasteland. For 28 years, it operated as a death strip where Soviet guards would shoot down desperate East Berliners trying to make the escape to freedom. Today, you can touch pieces of the wall, and read about its history while you gaze up at the closest thing Berlin has to a skyline. M relaxing at a Starbucks in Potsdamer Platz Slabs of the Berlin Wall covered in gum A piece of the Berlin Wall covered in graffiti A reflection of the old subway sign at Potsdamer Platz – a stop that was completely vacant during the split A map of the wall and the remaining pieces (2) Checkpoint Charlie: Checkpoint Charlie was the entry and exit point between East and West Berlin, used primarily by foreigners. Today, there is a mediocre museum and some replicas that are great for tourist pictures. While the museum is not particularly done well, it tells an important story abut the toll the wall took, the people who risked their lives to flee and help others flee, and the unrelenting hope for freedom. While Checkpoint Charlie was not the largest checkpoint, it became a symbol of the Cold War, serving as the site of a major showdown between America and the Soviet Union in October 1961. An outdoor exhibit gives you a sense of what this spot used to look like There are plenty of original wall pieces to marvel at Pictures of the crossing A replica of the original checkpoint for tourists to take pictures The original sign that used to stand at Checkpoint Charlie can now be seen inside the museum Thousands of Berliners watched as the original checkpoint booth is airlifted out of the spot where it sat for nearly 30 years On September 9, 1948, 300,000 Berliners gathered to protest the division of the city After WWII, the Soviets set up “special camps,” often repurposing the Nazi’s concentration camps, to house thousands of people who were indiscriminately arrested. Between 1945 and 1950, 43,000 detainees — out of approximately 123,000 — died in the camps. The German Red Cross organized a list of those people and you can now search through the binders at the museum From June 24 1948 until May 12 1949, the Soviet Union blocked the Western allies access to West Berlin. In response, the allies organized the Berlin Airlift to bring food, medicine, and other supplies to the people of West Berlin. It was a massive undertaking that required building a brand new airport in only 90 days A Cold War-era map of Berlin The ground floor of the museum This car shows how people used to carve out stowage space to hide East Berliners in the trunks of their cars as they crossed the East-West border The many passport pages of John P. Ireland – an American studying in West Berlin who had the genius idea of modifying a Cadillac to hide East Berliners in the trunk. Ireland ferried 10 people to freedom, usually via Czechoslovakia and Hungary where the border checks were less aggressive than East Berlin An example of what it was like to hide in a car in an effort escape to West Berlin A replica of a hot air balloon constructed by electrician Peter Strelzyk. On September 1, 1979, two families launched themselves into the night sky, landing in West Berlin at 2:40 a.m. They hugged the police officers when they were told “You’re in the West.” (2) Brandenburg Gate: There aren’t actually pieces of the wall at Brandenburng Gate because the Gate itself served as a dividing line between East and West Berlin. In the early years of the Cold War, Brandenburg Gate was a checkpoint between the two sides. After 1961, the Gate was closed and became a major site of pro-freedom protests on the West Berlin side. It was famously, the site of John F. Kennedy’s visit to Berlin – requiring the Soviet-run GDR to put up curtains on the East Berlin side of the Gate so no one would catch a glimpse of JFK. On November 9, 1989, thousands of Berliners gathered at Brandenburg Gate to celebrate the fall of the wall. (3) East Side Gallery: East Side Gallery is a 4,317-foot strip of the Berlin Wall located between the Berlin Ostbahnhof and Warschauer Strauss train stops. The gallery contains 105 paintings by artists in 1990 after the fall of the wall. Sadly, today, many of the paintings are covered in graffiti and required heavy restoration. Some were entirely repainted by the original artists. The artist of this painting actually painted it three times as indicated by the date at the bottom. This is my favorite piece of art from East Side Gallery. This painting, entitled “My God, Help Me to Survive This Deadly Love,” is probably the most famous of the East Side Gallery paintings. Painted by Dmitri Vrubel, it reenacts a famous moment between Russian General Secretary Leonid Brezhnev and GDR head Erich Honecker in 1979. (4) Topography of Terror: The Topography of Terror stands in the spot of Hitler’s Gestapo, which was razed to the ground after the war. Today, it is a free museum that retells the history of Nazi Germany from its rise to its fall. I’ll talk about the museum later, but outside the museum, you can walk a long a long strip of the Berlin Wall as well as small piece of the basement wall from the Gestapo building. There are several other places to see remnants of the Berlin Wall including Mauerpark and the Berlin Wall Memorial, which we did not have time to get to. Seeing the Berlin Wall was on my to-do list for a long time, and I highly recommend at least one of these stops if you’re in Berlin. Tagged berlin, berlin wall, Germany Berlin is… complicated. So it should come as no surprise that my feelings about Germany’s capitol city are similarly complicated. The history of Berlin during the 20th century is a story of many things – much of it horrific. The century began with a jubilant rush to war that ended in bloodshed and devastation. The Weimer Republic then gave way to Hitler’s Third Reich and his bloody tentacles spread across Europe; the fall of Berlin saw half the city plunged into captivity under the Iron Curtain. Berlin in the 20th century is a story about the worst parts of humanity – a story that is deeply personal for me. My maternal grandparents were one of the lucky few who managed to escape Poland in 1941 with visas for Curacao via Japan. They spent the war years in Shanghai’s Jewish ghetto, while most of their relatives were slaughtered at Hitler’s hands. It is hard to walk down the streets of Berlin and not feel angry. The city is teeming with history – for better and for worse. Everywhere you look, everywhere you walk, it smacks you across your face. It is not subtle, but intentional. Germany does not whitewash the past. It embraces it in all of its horribleness. Some of the history is horrific; some euphoric; some sobering. Berlin is a city that murdered six million Jews; a city that brought down Communism; a city that insisted its way to freedom; a city that is a living breathing cautionary tale; a city that rose from the ashes of hatred into a modern international metropolis. We can’t change the horrible things that happened, but we can internalize them, witness them, learn from them. A sign marking the spot of Hitler’s bunker A piece of the Berlin Wall outside the Topography of Terror museum Berlin is also ugly. And that is part of its complicated history. Bombed to a pulp during World War II, Berlin was then cruelly ripped in half – the east governed by the Soviet Union and the west by the Allied powers. Now, nearly 30 years after the fall of the Berlin Wall, the city is united, but the reminders of its destruction and subsequent separation are everywhere. It is a city cobbled together with the pieces of mismatched lego sets – soaring modern buildings, next to monolithic Soviet-style boxes, next to restored baroque museums, next to plaques that remind visitors of the buildings that once were. Example of ugly Communist-style architecture The former and famous Checkpoint Charlie – an entry-exit point between East and West Berlin A marker indicating where the Berlin Wall used to stand. You can find these all around the city A piece of the Berlin Wall Brandenburg Gate was rebuilt after World War II. It stood as a dividing line between East and West Berlin Reminders of the city’s ugly past are ubiquitous: Stolperstein (literally stumbling stones) mark the spots where murdered Jews used to live; graffitied pieces of the Berlin Wall decorate bustling streets; memorials to countless victims dot the sprawling city; and the cheerful ampelmannchen adorn the city’s traffic lights – one of the few lighthearted remnants of Communist East Berlin. Stumbling stones remind us of the Jews who were wiped out Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe designed by Peter Eisenman A piece of the Berlin Wall at Potsdamer Platz – a bustling area that used to be a wasteland and a death strip under Communist rule Berlin’s famous ampelmannchen – traffic men An external basement wall of Hitler’s Gestapo – all that remains outside the Topography of Terror museum Throughout our four and half days in Berlin, I found myself at once furious, sad, hopeful, joyous, tickled, and provoked. Not all trips are like that, but some trips should be. Berlin is not for everyone. It is not wrapped up in a nice package with the flourish of a pretty bow. It requires unpacking the corse layers, giving in to the anger, celebrating the heroes who fought for freedom, hoping that the Jenga pices of this historical city make us better as human beings and as a society. Tagged berlin, communism, Germany, holocaust, World War II Airplanes, berlin, Lounges, Miles/Points, Travel We flew United business class from Washington D.C. to Dublin, and then economy Aer Lingus from Dublin to Berlin. There are no direct flights from D.C. to Berlin, and while there are better business class options – flying United cost 57,500 miles versus the pricier 70,000 mils required for United partners. First, the United lounge in Dulles airport. Dulles is not slated to get a new Polaris lounge until 2018 or 2019. The current version is not the best lounge, but also not the worst. Comfortable, free wifi, plentiful snacks… it’s hard to complain. United’s Boeing 757-200 doesn’t have the fancy new Polaris hard product that some planes do, but at least we didn’t get stuck with United’s terrible 2-4-2 business class configuration. With a 2-2 configuration, the seats were perfect for traveling couples like us, with lie-flat seats and plenty of space to get comfy. The service was friendly and accommodating. The new Saks Fifth Avenue blankets and pillows worked great (though I’m not exactly picky), and we managed to sleep for a couple of hours. Once in Dublin, we settled into the Dublin Airport Executive Lounge thanks to our Priority Pass card. I was exhausted so I curled up into a ball and fell asleep. But first, I took some pictures. Tagged berlin, business class, lounge, priority pass, united Austria, berlin, Germany, Hotels, Miles/Points, prague, Travel, vienna What’s Next: Central Europe The traveling circus is off to Europe again in two weeks, making this our third trip to Europe this year. Not that I’m complaining. This trip began like a lot of our trips: me playing around on the computer, randomly looking up flights, and saying “Hey babe, you want to go to Berlin?” Basically, there was a ton of United award availability to central Europe and we had replenished our points accounts since Amsterdam. So Berlin, Prague, and Vienna – here we come. Flights: I splurged on business class tickets to Berlin in the hopes that we will arrive well-rested and can hit the ground running (fingers crossed). We will fly United Polaris (sadly not the fancy new United hard product) to Berlin with a stopover in Dublin. There are no direct flights from D.C. to Berlin, and flying United requires less miles than United partners like, say, Austrian Air. Total IAD – TXL for two people: 115,000 United miles and $16.80. On the way back, we’ll be flying economy from Vienna to D.C. for 30,000 United miles each. Business class would have been nice, but at 70,000 miles per person it was too much. At least, the flight is non-stop. Total VIE – IAD for two people: 60,000 United miles and $178.32. Hotel – Berlin: Picking hotel rooms is my favorite part of traveling. I know, some people like the sightseeing, the food…whatever. I love the hotel analysis. It takes all kinds, right? Since I have diamond status at Hilton, my heart always gravitates there, and I had racked up a ton of points thanks to work travel. Berlin was easy. The Hilton Berlin is smack in the middle of the city, with easy access to major sites. I booked five nights, taking advantage of Hilton’s five for the price of four deal. Total Hilton Berlin for five nights: 161,000 Hilton points. UPDATE: I occasionally check on my already-booked hotels to see if prices have gone down. Lucky me, the Hilton Berlin was going for 139,000 points for the same five nights. I chatted Hilton and they immediately redeposited 22,000 points into my account! The Hilton Berlin is the red icon, just a few blocks south of Berlin’s main drag, Unter den Linden. Hotel – Prague: I had a free IHG night I needed to use before it expired in November so it made the Intercontinental Prague an easy pick. It’s not the best value for my free night, but it’s better than not using it all. In the end, because prices were relatively cheap, I paid for two nights with cash, one night with points, and one night with a free night award. Total Intercontinental Prague for four nights: 40,000 IHG points and $302.56. The Intercontinental Prague in the city’s old town. Super excited about the location and the proximity to the Jewish sites. Hotel Vienna: This was a tough one. Vienna hotel pries are more western Europe than eastern Europe, and we were fresh out of Hilton points. It came down to Starwood vs. Marriott. Starwood offered a slightly better location, but my gold status with Marriott gives us more bang for our buck. So I transferred a bunch of SPG points to Marriott at a 1:3 ratio and booked the Vienna Marriott, where we got five nights for the price of four. Total Vienna Marriott for five nights: 160,000 Marriott points. Most of the key attractions in Vienna are located inside or around the ring. The Marriott is directly on the ring road. Looking forward to the lounge here. Trains: We booked two trains from Berlin to Prague and from Prague to Vienna. Thanks to Seat 61 (the best website for anyone attempting train travel), I was able to find cheap prices on the Czech Republic train site. Total Berlin – Prague for two people: $65.63. Total Prague – Vienna for two people: $53.72. So that’s how you do two weeks in central Europe on the cheap without slumming it. Tagged Austria, berlin, czech republic, Germany, hilton, IHG, marriott, prague, vienna

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Mar 9, 2016 | 2 comments On International Women’s Day, I’m thankful for all the women I’ve met, and cried with, and lived with, during our years in Nepal and India… and then while gathering stories for ‘The Plum Tree in the Desert.’ I could tell you about all of them… but here’s Iris. She’s a Chennai raised Indian who has spent 40 years doing medical and gospel work in the jungle of Malkangiri. For the first 15 years, Iris and her husband Paul lived in the village, with limited water and electricity, and they spent all day treating patients and sharing their faith. It was hard. For the first 15 years, they made good friends and shared stories, but nobody from the local tribal people came to faith in Jesus or asked to be baptised. Iris and Paul felt like giving up. They had used up all their money and sold all of Iris’ jewellery. Then Paul became very sick. The family went south to Vellore Hospital. Paul had an operation and died in the middle of it. Iris was 42 and they had four children. The youngest was nine months old. Friends said to her, ‘Don’t go back to Malkangiri. Stay here in Chennai. Set up a medical practice’. But nine days later, Iris and the children got in a jeep and returned to the village and the people in Malkangiri. Iris went back to seeing patients from sunrise till sunset. The local people noticed and said to each other, “You see, she loves us. She came back. The God she loves must be real.” Within six months, 36 people came to Iris and asked to be baptised. Now there are 5,000 believers in Malkangiri. Rates of vaccination and literacy and crop production have all increased. Violent crime and alcoholism has greatly reduced. And Iris said to me, “It doesn’t feel like 40 years. I wish I could do it again,” Lord, today, in the place where you have us… teach us to love. Lyn on March 11, 2016 at 6:51 pm Thank you, Naomi for sharing the story of Iris and her husband. What love they had for the Lord and his people! It made me cry, thinking of them and how I’m often not prepared to endure such privations, often thinking more of myself than others. Naomi Reed on April 18, 2016 at 10:00 am Thanks Lyn, lovely to hear from you.

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Tag: John Curwen Norwich’s Pioneer in Music Education. The English Tonic Sol-fa System originated in Norwich, Norfolk in the 1830’s and was known at the time as the ‘Norwich Sol-fa’ notation system. Although credit for its development has frequently been given to John Curwen, it was Sarah Ann Glover who originated its theory. She was also the author of the subsequent book on the subject “Scheme to Render Psalmody Congregational” in which it details simplified notation for sol-fa syllables and rhythms. This system and its accompanying teaching strategies were discovered in 1841 by John Curwen who subsequently popularised and adapted them. Conflict arose between Sarah Glover and John Curwen regarding the modifications Curwen made to Sarah’s system, yet the impact of her work on Curwen and, eventually, on music education in general, cannot be disputed. (The above extract and the following narrative is based on P.D. Bennett (1984) “Sarah Glover: A Forgotten Pioneer in Music Education” and her own extracts from B ernard Rainbow’s:…..”Musical Education in England 1800 to 1860″, Novello Copyright 1967). SARAH ANN GLOVER (1786 – 1867): A BACKGROUND. Sarah Ann Glover was born in 1786 at Cathedral Close, Norwich and baptised on 18 November 1786 in ‘St Mary in the Marsh, Norwich, the Parish Church for the Cathedral Close. Sarah, the eldest daughter of the Rector of St Lawrence Church, Norwich, had her first formal music lesson in her sixth year. This early training was not unusual at the time when young women were encouraged to study music to ensure a position for themselves socially, as well as for family entertainment and church teaching. Although she did become an accomplished pianist, nothing more is known of her career until, in her late twenties, she was given responsibility for music at her father’s church; this may have been around 1811 when her father became Curate of St Lawrence Church and also when she and her sister, Christiana, began to run the Sunday School. At the time, when church choirs were particularly noisy and incompetent, Sarah’s children’s choirs were respected for the quality of their singing and St Lawrence became well known and enthusiastically attended for its musical performances. Inquiries began to surface as to ‘the method of teaching’ that enabled the children to sing so well. Apparently, young women from other parts of the country were soon being sent to Sarah Glover for training. Black Boy Yard (off Colgate), Norwich. Photo: George Plunkett. Although Sarah’s initial concern was to improve congregational singing, her sights were also reaching towards a reform of the teaching of music reading skills; to do this, a simplified notation system for teaching singing was needed. By 1827, Sarah Ann Glover had drawn up a complete method in which, simply speaking, DOH is always the first note of a scale, RAY the second – and so forth. This was called the ‘Norwich Sol-fa’ and she was to use it as part of her teaching of girls in a school she founded in Black Boy Yard, off Colgate Street, Norwich where she used her system with marked success. From her early choirs, Sarah’s influence gradually spread through those who studied with her and into the homes of the poor working class, as well as the affluent. In 1835, her system was first published by Jarrold & Sons of Norwich and went on to produce four other editions. However, as popular as her methods were with some music educators, The Norwich Sol-fa system remained in relative obscurity until that chance discovery, in 1841, by John Curwen. SARAH GLOVER’S ‘HARMONICON’ ‘Harmonicon. Norfolk Museum Service. Sarah’s pupils learned to sing by means of sol-fa notes and the use of the ‘Harmonicon’. This was an instrument, invented by her and manufactured in Norwich, which consisted of a long narrow mahogany box containing a drumstick and a number of pieces of glass, the latter attached to two pieces of string to enable them to produce various musical notes when struck. She designed it to help her teach her Sol-fa system in conjunction with her book “Scheme for Rendering Psalmody Congregational” comprising a key to the sol-fa notation of music and directions for instructing a school. JOHN CURWEN (1816 – 1880): HIS INVOLVEMENT WITH TONIC SOL-FA. John Curwen. Photo: Wikipedia. In the Spring of 1841, the Reverend John Curwen was charged by a conference of teachers at the Sunday School Union with recommending a suitable way to teach music in Sunday School. Curwen was already known as a brilliant teacher and the author of a highly successful children’s story entitled “The History of Nelly Vanner” but he was “completely without musical skill” (Rainbow, p.53). Already having experienced the difficulty of teaching large groups of children how to sing, Curwen had little confidence in his ability to fulfil the conference’s request. It was by sheer chance that a friend called Curwen’s attention to the work of Sarah Ann Glover and gave him a copy of her “Scheme to Render Psalmody Congregational” book. It was from this publication that Curwen produced his own adaption that was to become known as the Tonic Sol-fa System of notation. JOHN CURWEN Verses SARAH ANN GLOVER John Curwen has often been credited with being the originator of the Tonic Sol-fa System of notation but there has always been some controversy surrounding his adaption and popularisation of Sarah Glover’s ideas. As Curwen studied her treatise he began to realise why his earlier attempts to learn (from Ford’s ‘Elements’) to read music had failed. He had learned “off by heart” its various symbols and their meanings but, he had learned nothing of the symbol’s musical significance – this he discovered from Sarah’s method. Delighted with his discovery, Curwen experimented with teaching her method to a child living at his lodgings and found, as a result and within a fortnight, he was himself able to read a tune written in sol-fa notation (Rainbow, p.142). As Curwen’s enthusiasm for Sarah’s method increased he apparently forgot that the system was not something of his own devising. Only after he had been carried too far on the crest of his enthusiasm did it occur to him to write to Sarah Glover herself. This was in 1841 when, having detailed the merits of his changes, he sought to obtain her agreement and an opportunity to meet her; it would appear that at no time did he actual ask for her explicit approval for what he was doing. John Curwen (1816-1880), by Swinstead, George Hillyard. National Museum Wales. By the time Sarah Glover had received John Curwen’s 1841 letter, he was in her mid-fifties and already with an established and successful, if not celebrated, career; she, emphatically, was not prepared to accept modifications to her successful system by a “bold, assuming young man”. Her letter of response to him no longer exists but it is known that for over twenty years Sarah “resisted Curwen’s attempts to secure her endorsement of his modifications” (Rainbow p.143). Although correspondence between them continued until her death in 1867, theirs was a strained relationship. The principles of the Tonic Sol-fa System are long lived and still valued in the teaching of music. Invented to aid young students in sight reading, hearing and writing music is still recognised in many classrooms. The circumstances surrounding the popularisation and publication of Sarah Glover’s method have obscured her real contribution to music education. That hers has been a neglected story is proven by the limited number od sources giving accurate information on her work. Certainly, in the history of music education, Sarah Ann Glover deserves considerable recognition for her unique contribution. Sarah moved away from Norwich in later life = first to Cromer, then Reading and then Malvern in Herefordshire where she retired to live of his modifications” with her sister, Christiana. Sarah died of a stroke at Malvern on 20 October 1867 and is buried there. In 1891, a brass plate was erected in St Lawrence Church, Norwich to mark the jubilee year of the Tonic Sol-fa Association which was paid for by the London Branch. The plate states (wrongly) that her father was Rector of St Lawrence. The notation over the last two lines is the tune ‘Rockingham’ in Norwich Sol-fa. The Tonic Sol-fa concept became well known in popular culture after it was featured in a song from the stage and film musical ‘The Sound of Music’. Around about 100 years later, Blue Plaques were mounted at various places in Norwich which had connections with Sarah Ann Glover, such as: Colgate, St Benedicts, Pottergate. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sarah_Ann_Glover http://www.norwich-heritage.co.uk/monuments/Sarah%20Ann%20Glover/sarah_ann_glover.shtm https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.2307/3345280?journalCode=jrma Photos: Those by George Plunkett are shown by kind permission of Jonathan Plunkett. Author norfolktalesmythsPosted on March 22, 2019 Categories 19th Century, east anglia, Historic Tale, Norfolk, StoriesTags John Curwen, Music, Sarah Glover, St Lawrence ChurchLeave a comment on Norwich’s Pioneer in Music Education.

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NewsWise.net by Editor Updated : Jan 13, 2020 in Research Articles John Theurer Cancer Center Investigators Report Effectiveness of New Treatment for Refractory Multiple Myeloma User Views: 5 Triple-drug regimen shown to be superior to conventional treatment in major multicenter study presented at American Society of Hematology annual meeting HACKENSACK, N.J., JANUARY 10, 2020 — Investigators at John Theurer Cancer Center at Hackensack University Medical Center in New Jersey were part of the CANDOR global phase III clinical trial for patients with refractory (persistent) multiple myeloma. The study was selected as the prestigious plenary presentation at the 61st American Society of Hematology (ASH) Annual Meeting, the world’s leading conference for hematologic cancers and blood disorders, held in Orlando in December. The CANDOR study showed that the addition of the anti-CD38 monoclonal antibody daratumumab to treatment with carfilzomib and dexamethasone was more effective than conventional carfilzomib and dexamethasone. Patients receiving the three-drug regimen experienced a 37% reduction in the risk of disease progression or death, establishing a new standard of care. Patients in the CANDOR trial had been heavily pretreated and most had failed to respond to lenalidomide, an immunomodulating drug that forms the backbone of most multiple myeloma treatment regimens. “In this population, we have had limited choices. This study shows that we can safely combine what are arguably the most active drugs for the treatment of myeloma,” explained David Siegel, M.D., Ph.D., founding director of John Theurer Cancer Center’s Multiple Myeloma Institute, who led John Theurer Cancer Center’s involvement in the study. “Treatment with daratumumab, carfilzomib, and dexamethasone represents a new effective regimen for patients with recurrent or persistent multiple myeloma, especially those whose disease came back or continues to grow after lenalidomide therapy.” The phase III CANDOR study included 466 patients with multiple myeloma that persisted despite one to three prior regimens of therapy. Patients were randomly assigned 2:1 to receive either daratumumab, carfilzomib, and dexamethasone or carfilzomib and dexamethasone. After a median follow-up of 17 months, the median progression-free survival was not yet reached in the three-drug combination group, versus 16 months in patients receiving the standard therapy. Patients receiving three drugs had a better overall response rate (84.3% versus 74.7%) and a better rate of complete response or better (28.5% versus 10.4%), and the achievement of undetectable disease was nearly ten times higher (12.5% versus 1.3%). It was too early to detect any differences in overall survival. Side effects were generally manageable and the incidence of treatment discontinuation was similar in both groups. For additional information, please contact Mary McGeever with the Communications & Public Relations Department at 551-996-1730 or [email protected] About John Theurer Cancer Center at Hackensack University Medical Center John Theurer Cancer Center at Hackensack University Medical Center is New Jersey’s largest and most comprehensive center dedicated to the diagnosis, treatment, management, research, screenings, and preventive care as well as survivorship of patients with all types of cancers. The 14 specialized divisions covering the complete spectrum of cancer care have developed a close-knit team of medical, research, nursing, and support staff with specialized expertise that translates into more advanced, focused care for all patients. Each year, more people in the New Jersey/New York metropolitan area turn to John Theurer Cancer Center for cancer care than to any other facility in New Jersey. John Theurer Cancer Center is a member of the Georgetown Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center Consortium, one of just 16 NCI-approved cancer research consortia based at the nation’s most prestigious institutions. Housed within a 775-bed not-for-profit teaching, tertiary care, and research hospital, John Theurer Cancer Center provides state-of-the-art technological advances, compassionate care, research innovations, medical expertise, and a full range of aftercare services that distinguish John Theurer Cancer Center from other facilities. For additional information, please visit www.jtcancercenter.org. 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Next Ooze Writers crossing genres by next ooze A couple of years ago I stumbled on a column in a writer’s magazine that touted the belief that writers should find the genre that is their niche and stick to it. The theory was that you are best served establishing yourself as one kind of writer (children’s writer, history writer, self-help book writer…) and market your brand firmly in that genre. I had a moment of panic while reading that because it felt so deflating. I had already published in the children’s literature world, but I was just beginning to research a non-fiction book about an American history topic that I was passionate about. I also had written (but not yet had published) a non-fiction book about stingrays, had ideas for a mystery novel, and had a small stack of screenplays that I had written years before and was thinking of dusting off. If the author of that article truly had the correct insight, I was going to have to consider abandoning a long list of interesting projects and stick to the genre in which I had my initial success. Since that time I realized that that theory is the outlier because there were already long lists of “exceptions to the rule.” James Patterson established himself as a writer of crime dramas but also introduced an extremely successful line of young adult novels. John Grisham is known for his legal thrillers but has also published short stories and a couple of fiction books in which not a single lawyer makes an appearance. Patricia Cornwell is mostly known for her medical examiner thrillers but she recently researched and wrote an investigative piece aimed at exposing the real identity of Jack the Ripper. And think of all of the authors who have written articles for newspapers and magazines in addition to that best-selling novel. So phooey on the notion that one must stick to one genre in order to establish your credentials. “I’m most worried about writers who refuse to stretch their wings and fly over the fences.” Greg Bear, who wrote Mariposa and City at the End of Time said the above when asked about his interesting foray into multiple genres. He thinks of genres as “neighborhoods of imaginative literature” and has personally wandered into many neighborhoods, including scientific papers, science fiction novels, an FBI/Terrorism thriller and much more. One tip for jumping genres is to start small. If you’ve been writing an automotive column for your local newspaper but long to try your hand at the “great-American novel,” think about starting with short stories and submitting them to literary magazines. But be careful not to mistake “starting small” as the equivalent to “easy.” On the contrary, writing short stories requires an extreme level of focus and a keen editor’s eye. Telling a really good story in a format that sets a cap on word count can be daunting, but starting with short stories gives you the opportunity to produce a beginning, middle and ending, thoroughly edited and rewritten, before you tackle a much longer project that can be overwhelming in its scope. If you have written a couple of cookbooks but you dream of writing a comprehensive book about the role of women in colonial days, start by writing a few articles on certain aspects of the topic and submitting them to magazines that appeal to that market. Got that urge to write a horror story? Don’t let the fact that you’ve been publishing eBooks on knitting stop you. Check out the Horror Writers Association and research the market, look at their tips, and get a feel for what is happening in that genre right now. Just about every genre has an Association or Society with a corresponding website that will guide you into a territory that may be a little unfamiliar. In addition to the Horror Writer’s Association listed above, these may be of help: Poetry Society of America Society of Children’s Book Writers & Illustrators Outdoor Writers Association of America Society of American Travel Writers Use these and similar resources to find out what is new in the industry, which publishers are looking for material, where to go for research or photographs, information about other authors in the genre, etc. Writers tend to be extremely creative beings so it is not surprising that they like to explore a wide variety of interests. The cold reality of the business is that you may have found an agent that will represent your children’s books but has no interest in marketing non-fiction. Or you may have worked with an editor at a publishing house that will look at one genre but not another on your playlist. But if you address these hurdles as they rise in front of you there is no reason you can’t spread those creative wings. GDC 2012: Create new genres (and stop wasting your life in the clone factories) Review: Will the ‘The Hunger Games’ be a gateway film to other genres for kids? Crossing ‘Rainbow Bridge’: When it’s time to say goodbye Crossing the Great Divide, Part Two of Two Crossing the plateau DHS released false and misleading border crossing data © 2020 Next Ooze · Contact · Privacy

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Steven Brill is keeping his hands off the content of Brill’s Content By Gabriel Snyder • 07/03/00 12:00am The cover of the July-August issue of Brill’s Content made a good point about the two-year old media magazine: It has become neither–Brill’s nor content. The cover–the third issue under editor in chief David Kuhn, a former editor at Talk and Vanity Fair –goes to Ilya Anopolsky, 13. The corresponding piece, “The Rise of a Teen Guru,” is a good sociological feature by contributing editor Austin Bunn about how computer-savvy teenagers’ authority over the family PC can disrupt parental authority over them. And it suggests how far Brill’s Content has moved from its conception. “The Rise of a Teen Guru” does not represent in any form the definition of “content” given in the first issue by the magazine’s founder, Steven Brill, as “all that purports to be nonfiction.” It is, instead, an interesting story in a new magazine. What’s happened to the self-appointed watchdog of all media? Mr. Brill, founder of Court TV and The American Lawyer –who himself once wrote, “We believe that journalists should hold themselves as accountable as they hold those they report about”–declined to come to the telephone to talk about his publication. And his editor in chief, Mr. Kuhn, declined to talk about the magazine as well, deciding, according to sources, he’d let the three issues he’s edited speak for themselves. That seemed fair, if not necessarily something the old Brill’s would stand for. The magazine that speaks for itself is a very different from the one that showed up in July 1998 at the peak of the Clinton-Lewinsky-Starr scandals. Since Mr. Kuhn took over, the tough, hard-news, journalism-ethics tone that Mr. Brill set then has been mixed with something else, like cough medicine with strawberry syrup. And even though the prosecutorial media analysis of the first months of Brill’s –remember the bus ads promising that the media’s free ride was ending?–was sometimes self-righteous, it did create a strong identity for the magazine. Initially, Brill’s Content took the tough tone of Mr. Brill’s earlier, memorable creation, The American Lawyer –whose strong standards launched some of the best journalists of the 80’s, from James Stewart to Jill Abramson. Brill’s first incarnation suggested the special independent counsel of media journalism: It assumed the general seaminess of an arrogant, powerful profession, depended heavily on the public’s mistrust of journalists and rummaged through many trivial media crimes looking for felonious lapses of journalistic ethics. Mr. Kuhn’s Content is much more readable, although he has sculpted Brill’s into a magazine that takes the media as its launching point in the way Premiere takes the movies and Wired takes technology. “The whole point of having David is to broaden the audience of the magazine,” said Mr. Bunn . While his Ilya Anopolsky story is billed in Mr. Kuhn’s editor’s note as charting the “reinvention of … modern media,” it consists of mainly profiles of teenagers like Mr. Anopolsky and the ways they interact with their families. This, Mr. Bunn said, was Mr. Kuhn’s idea. “David gave the O.K. to make it a story about personalities.” Mr. Bunn argued that Mr. Kuhn’s efforts have made the magazine more approachable. “The only evidence I have is my mom,” he said. “I’ve written for the Village Voice , Salon and Wired and this is the first place I’ve written where she can read me.” Mr. Brill doesn’t have much to do with hands-on editing of Brill’s Content anymore. According to insiders, since Mr. Kuhn took over, Mr. Brill has agreed not to speak to any editors and writers at the magazine about editorial matters. Rather, he can–and frequently does–consult directly with Mr. Kuhn and editor Eric Effron. While Mr. Brill may still take a keen interest in the editorial affairs of the magazine, at one time every draft was submitted by writers directly to Mr. Brill, often to be returned with extensive notes. “Eric and David are his team,” one writer said of Mr. Effron and Mr. Kuhn’s relationship with Mr. Brill. “They work very closely together, but,” the writer said, Mr. Brill has “the Contentville thing that requires a lot of time.” Mr. Brill’s Contentville.com venture, which is due to launch on July 5, plans to sell books, reprints of magazine articles, television show transcripts among other offerings. Mr. Brill stepped down as editor in chief of his magazine and appointed Mr. Kuhn to the position after Mr. Brill announced partnerships on Feb. 2 between Contentville and CBS, NBC, Primedia and other media companies. The deals attracted criticism that those partnerships represented a conflict of interest for a magazine that covered the media. The result has been that Mr. Kuhn has been left to run the magazine practically on his own. “That actually seems to be a relief to David,” the writer said. Almost as soon as Mr. Kuhn took over, he defined the term “content” much more broadly than Mr. Brill had in the first issue of the magazine. Mr. Kuhn, it appears, has been including more of the fiction- and style-producing media in his magazine, sprinkling in articles about movies, fashion photography and technology into the mix. The cover story for the issue on the stands when Mr. Kuhn was appointed was a look at the NBC television series The West Wing , packaged with a difficult-to-swallow argument that the producers and writers of that fictional drama had done a better job of covering the presidency than the Washington press corps. At the time, Mr. Kuhn told Off the Record, “The piece was acknowledging that it’s a television show and that’s media, and this is a magazine that covers media. And it is a television show about Washington and politics and the interface between politics and the presentation of politics which has to do with the press … So it may be a story that wouldn’t have been there eight months ago, but when you think about, it’s sort of like, duh, that’s a good Content story.” Mr. Kuhn’s writers have been listening. “The mandate has expanded to include information in all its varied forms,” said senior writer Seth Mnookin, who is covering the presidential campaign for Brill’s . “Certainly the central component of that remains the press, but I think David Kuhn has an expanded view of what else that includes.” Asked who he thinks of as a Brill’s Content reader, Mr. Mnookin gave an answer common among the nine current and recently departed staffers interviewed: “People who don’t live in New York or D.C. or some other hypersaturated media capital. People who don’t read Jim Romenesko first thing every morning,” Mr. Mnookin said, referring to the Medianews.org Web site that compiles media news and gossip. Mr. Kuhn has hired members of his own staff, and while he hasn’t fired anyone to date, many hired earlier by Mr. Brill left. Turnover at the magazine was high even before Mr. Kuhn arrived. Just 12 names from the masthead in the premier August 1998 issue are on the masthead in the July-August 2000 issue. However, of those 12, two of those original staffers have since departed, including managing editor Anick Pleven, who has taken a job at The New York Times Magazine and senior writer Katherine Rosman, whom Mr. Brill has threatened to sue for breach of contract if she takes another job in the next five months. Also in that 12 are Calvin Trillin, a contributing editor, and Bill Kovach, whose non-renewable term as ombudsman expired with the current issue. That leaves eight people who have stuck it out since the start. Several staff members who left recently said that staff hired before Mr. Kuhn began to feel marginalized by their new editor. One member of the staff who predated Mr. Kuhn said that a staff consensus that the magazine is getting better has been “complicated” for Mr. Brill, who isn’t used to giving up control. But if the soufflé version of Brill’s works better than the brussel sprouts version, he may have to live with it. “When Content does what it think it should be doing,” one writer said, “that’s when it’s at its worst. “To say the magazine is better under David, [Mr. Brill] had to say there was something wrong with the way he did it,” the staff member said. “It’s weird for it to take a turn for the positive because it involves shitting on his tenure.” One writer laid the blame for the more uncommercial aspects of Brill’s Content solely on its founder. “Steve would say, ‘Let’s look at Consumer Reports and no matter what we find, we’ll run it,” a writer said, referring to a 5,500-word feature in the September 1999 issue which examined whether Consumer Reports ‘ product testing was fair and free of any conflicts of interest. “That’s a good intention but you can’t make a magazine out of that,” the staff member said. “If we did find something it wasn’t really a story and if we did find something we had to scream and make a big deal out of something. Ultimately, we were going after things people didn’t care about.” So far the transition of Mr. Brill out of the editor’s role has been bumpy. He has violated the agreement to not talk to anyone other than Mssrs. Kuhn and Effron about editorial matters on occasion, insiders say, requiring that boundaries be restated every so often. In the current issue, Bill Kovach, the ombudsman at Brill’s Content –the Nieman Foundation head, former Washington bureau chief of The New York Times and editor of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution who fields and rules on Brill’s reader complaints–weighed in on whether Mr. Brill’s Contentville deals with NBC, CBS, Primedia, and others threaten the integrity of Brill’s Content . Mr. Kovach concluded, “I believe … that it would best serve the interests of the journalism of Brill’s Content if [Mr. Brill] were to separate himself completely from direct involvement in assigning, selecting, and editing articles.” Mr. Brill has said that he takes the ombudsman role very seriously at Brill’s Content . The ombudsman, Mr. Brill wrote recently, represents “structured accountability” that keeps Brill’s Content free of corruption. But, in his reply to Mr. Kovach, Mr. Brill sternly rejected the thought of letting go of the editorial reins, suggesting that the editorial affairs of the magazine are still dear to his own heart. “Were I to separate myself completely,” Mr. Brill wrote, “from editorial decisions related to the magazine (which I have no intention of doing because the most important part of our business is our editorial quality, to which I think I can and should contribute and, more important, because I believe deeply in the mission of this magazine)…” Brill’s Content is still a start-up magazine with many issues to work out. The most recent Audit Bureau of Circulations statement for the magazine, covering the six months ending December 31, 1999 (before Mr. Kuhn took over) gives a circulation of 225,116. Mr. Brill’s stated circulation goal was half a million. Of that, newsstand sales account for 18,421 of issues sold. Advertising is another issue. The current issue has 24 ad pages in it. The July-August issue last year had 37. There is also the issue of lead time in a very fast business. To date, Brill’s Content has been a news peg-driven magazine. Though the July issue appeared to have closed in early June, most of the media events written about–including the Elián raid, the dispute between Time Warner and Disney over carrying ABC on Time Warner Cable, and the folding of Mirabella –all occurred in April and early May. These are difficult hurdles in a news-driven magazine. But that’s not anything Mr. Kuhn didn’t think about before he dropped into the editor’s chair of the magazine that has its founder’s name in its logo and which is, apparently, determined to speak for itself. Time Inc. had the reputation as a raucous place in Henry Luce’s early days, when liquor carts were pushed through the halls during closing nights and Fortune writer James Agee, late author of Let Us Now Praise Famous Men , pounded out his stories into the morning, fueled by bourbon and loud 78 rpm records. Today, though, 1271 Avenue of the Americas is a pretty staid place, where nice, smart Ivy Leaguers put out nice magazines and live nice, well-perked lives. When editors and writers from Time and Fortune headed off to Hawaii for a retreat earlier this year, they spent lots of time in early morning meetings addressing their magazines’ future. So it was a relief to hear that the editorial staff of Entertainment Weekly , which just got back from an four-day, all-expenses-paid trip to Puerto Rico, managed to live up to their Time Inc. forebears. The trip was a special treat in honor of the magazine’s 10th anniversary. “It was the best morale booster,” spokesman Sandy Drayton said of the trip. “There was good clean fun had every day.” Put up in the Wyndham El Conquistador Resort & Country Club, EW staffers begged off from organized activities like an outing to the rainforest and shopping in Old San Juan in favor of laying by the pool, drinking (their bar tabs were covered, thank you), and losing money (their own, not Time Inc.’s) at blackjack tables in a nearby casino. And in the spirit of the good time had by all, several staffers–from an editorial assistant to managing editor Jim Seymore–spent some quality time in a hotel hot tub during the junket’s last night. “He was calling for more bourbon,” one writer said of Mr. Seymore. According to another writer who took part in the fun in the hot tub, “When I was on my way in, I saw another member of the staff with his head looking skyward … and shots were being poured down his throat.” The writer said he “wasn’t allowed” to enter the hot tub “unless I had five drinks with me.” Given the free supply of alcohol and hotel rooms, one might speculate that some EW employees may have, ahem, developed a closer working relationship with one, or more, colleagues. “That was probably a sort of disappointment,” said a staffer. “There wasn’t a whole lot of rampant swinging … but it was a big place, so who knows?” We think a young Mr. Luce would be proud. At first glance, Newsweek’s July 3 cover on childhood obesity seems to be trauma-inducing, sure to be a contributor to future therapist bills. A boy on the heavy side, who looks to be in or approaching the troubled junior high school period, stands holding a melting, chocolate-dipped, rainbow-sprinkled ice cream cone, with the cover line asking, “Fat For Life?” Why would anybody pose for such a picture? According to a Newsweek spokesman, the youngster got paid to be on the cover. “It was a standard modeling job, like any other back-of-the-book cover,” the spokesman said. Did the cover boy know how the photo would be used? “His parents attended the shoot and knew what it was for,” he said. So how much does Newsweek pay to label a pre-teen “fat for life” on every newsstand in the nation? Newsweek isn’t telling. Filed Under: Media, Off the Record, Newsweek, Time Inc., Steven Brill, David Kuhn SEE ALSO: The Morning-After Outfit

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Capone, Alphonse “Scarface” Famous Ghosts» Alphonse “Scarface” Capone (1899–1947) One of America’s most famous and violent gangsters who rose to power during the Prohibition era of the 1920s. Alphonse, or Al, Capone has entered ghost lore as both a haunting presence himself and as an experiencer of ghosts while alive. Capone was born on January 17, 1899, in Brooklyn, New York, to Italian immigrant parents. He exhibited an aggressive personality early—in the sixth grade he beat a female teacher, an incident that forced him out of school. He gravitated to gang life and crime, which offered a more glamorous and lucrative life than he could obtain through low-paying jobs. He made a reputation for himself with the notorious Five Points gang run by Johnny Torrio and Lucky Luciano, of which several of his cousins were members. Capone was a thug in the truest sense—brutal and rough. He had two parallel scars running down his left cheek, earned in a knife fight, which gave rise to his gang nickname of Scarface. Other gangsters knew him as Scarface Al Brown. Torrio moved to Chicago and became the bodyguard of Jim Colosimo, who controlled prostitution on the southside of town. In 1918, Capone argued with a man in a bar and killed him. He appealed to Torrio for help to evade arrest and fled to Chicago in 1919. He became Torrio’s first lieutenant and chief gunman. His temper remained legendary; he once kicked the mayor of Cicero, Illinois, down the steps of a courthouse while police officers looked on and did nothing. On January 16, 1920, the Prohibition Act became law, and illegal bootlegging and drinking exploded. Torrio wanted a piece of the action, but Colosimo refused to get into the business. On May 11, 1920, Colosimo was murdered, gunned down by Capone on the orders of Torrio. With Colosimo gone, Torrio and Capone solidified their power in southside Chicago in the illegal alcohol market. The northside of Chicago was controlled by mostly Irish gangs, the strongest of which was run by Dion O’Bannion. In 1922, the south and north gangs began battling for turf. In 1923, Torrio had O’Bannion murdered, and all-out gang war erupted. In 1924, the Irish, led by Hymie Weiss and George “Bugs” Moran, attempted to assassinate Torrio, but he recovered from the bullet wounds to his chest and neck. In 1925, Torrio was sent to prison for nine months on Prohibition violations. When he was released, he turned his gang operations over to Capone and went to live in Naples, Italy. At age 25, Capone found himself at the head of a major gang empire, running bootlegging, speakeasy, gambling, and prostitution operations. Politicians and law enforcement officials were on his payroll. He was at the height of his violent career at a time when law enforcement was lax. Once he even killed two of his own men who displeased him, beating them to death with a club or bat. He lived in grand style. In 1927, he appeared in the Guinness Book of World Records for acquiring $105 million, the highest gross income ever acquired by a private citizen in a single year. He had popular appeal. Ruthless to the core, he ordered the deaths of more than 500 men; about 1,000 people died during his reign of terror. Meanwhile, serious warfare with the northside Irish gangs continued. Weiss tried unsuccessfully to kill Capone; Capone eventually succeeded in having Weiss murdered, which made Moran the top northside gang leader. On February 14, 1929, the bloodiest gangland hit in the history of Prohibition was carried out—the ST. VALENTINE’S DAY MASSACRE. Seven of Moran’s men were brutally gunned down in Moran’s garage headquarters. Moran himself only escaped by arriving late. Capone, who was in Florida at the time, was widely believed to be responsible for the hit, but no charges were ever filed against him. In May 1929, Capone and his bodyguard, Frankie Rio, were arrested in Philadelphia on charges of carrying concealed weapons. They were convicted and sent to EASTERN STATE PENITENTIARY in Philadelphia for a year. In jail, Capone lived in high style. His cell was furnished with his own possessions, including a radio, easy chair, and elegant lamp. He continued to conduct his business, making phone calls from the warden’s office. He was a model prisoner and was released two months early. Upon returning to Chicago, Capone, Public Enemy Number One, discovered that the gangland scene had changed dramatically. Law enforcement was far less tolerant and was moving aggressively to put illegal operations out of business. In fact, Capone’s home was surrounded by policemen, who had orders to arrest him as soon as he arrived. Capone managed to evade them by going to Cicero. There was no actual warrant for his arrest, and so Capone was able to resume an open life from his headquarters at the Lexington Hotel, although with constant police surveillance. Officers followed him everywhere. Capone never regained his old power. He was further undermined by the involvement of federal Treasury officers, “the Untouchables” led by Elliott Ness, who were determined to put an end to his crime empire. The Internal Revenue Service turned one of Capone’s men, Eddie O’Hare, who ran Capone’s dog and track operations. The end for Capone finally came on October 6, 1931, when he was arrested for income tax evasion. He was convicted on five counts and was sentenced to serve 11 years in federal prison in Leavenworth. In addition, he was fined $50,000, $215,000 in back taxes, and $7,692 in court costs. In 1934, he was transferred to ALCATRAZ, on a tiny “escape-proof” island in San Francisco Bay. At Alcatraz, Capone was known as “the wop with the mop” because he was assigned to be a cellhouse sweep, one of the lowest jobs. He suffered physically and mentally, as did most prisoners. Conditions were harsh, beatings were routine, and prisoners killed each other. Once while out in the prison yard, Capone was attacked by a knife-wielding inmate and was nearly stabbed to death. After that, he became reclusive, staying mostly in his cell, playing a banjo given to him by his wife. He exhibited signs of psychosis, making and remaking his bunk for hours. He served three stretches in “the hole,” the ultimate punishment for inmate infractions. The hole was a dark, dank dungeon where prisoners were forced to endure solitary confinement naked on the cold stone floors, fed only bread and water. Capone was sentenced to the hole twice for speaking and once for trying to bribe a guard. His deteriorating condition was probably exacerbated by the fact that he had contracted syphilis, which by the time he went to Alcatraz was in a late stage. His last days in the prison were spent in the hospital ward. He was released in 1939 after serving seven years of his sentence. He was a broken man. Immediately upon leaving prison, Capone entered a hospital in Baltimore to undergo brain treatment. He never recovered his health, but he was able to exact revenge on O’Hare, having him murdered. He retired to his mansion in Miami Beach, riding a mental health roller coaster. Capone died of heart failure on January 25, 1947, after suffering a stroke and contracting pneumonia. He was buried in Mount Carmel Cemetery in Hillside, outside of Chicago. Haunting Phenomena Capone’s first known ghost experiences occurred while he was serving time in Eastern State Penitentiary. Although he had an easy jail life, he found himself plunged into a personal hell. He was tormented frequently by the ghost of James Clark, the brother-in-law of Moran, and one of the victims of the St. Valentine’s Day Massacre. His screams begging Jimmy to leave him alone resounded through the concrete halls of the prison. Release from prison did not release him from harassment by the ghost. Clark followed him wherever he went. Capone’s men often heard Capone begging the ghost to leave him in peace. Several times, his bodyguards thought he was under genuine attack and broke into his room. A distraught Capone told them about Clark’s ghost. Once his personal valet, Hymie Cornish, entered Capone’s apartment lounge and saw a tall man standing by the window. The man vanished; Cornish believed he, too, had seen the ghost of James Clark. Desperate for relief, Capone consulted Medium Alice Britt. Britt held a Séance to try to banish the ghost, but her efforts failed. Capone once gloomily opined that the ghost of Clark would literally follow him to his own grave. Capone’s own ghostly presence is said to linger at Eastern State Penitentiary and at Alcatraz. At his cell at Eastern State Penitentiary, paranormal investigators have photographed ORBS and other anomalies and have recorded Electronic Voice Phenomena there. A stronger haunting presence is reported at Alcatraz, where ghostly banjo music floats from the shower room and voices are heard in Block D where the “hole” cells were located. FURTHER READING : Taylor, Troy. Haunted Chicago: History & Hauntings of the Windy City. Alton, Ill.: White Chapel Press Productions, 2002. The Encyclopedia of Ghosts and Spirits– Written by Rosemary Ellen Guiley – September 1, 2007 Please get in touch with us if you have questions about our Demon Expert Training - Wicca Training - Voodoo-Deal - Candle Burning Service - the Black Magick Training or our Regular Membership. I have a question about : Black Magick Training Demon Expert Training Wicca Journey Training Voodoo Deal Candle Burning Service Divinations Magick & Spells © 2003 - 2019 Occult World

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Naveen writes to union culture ministry for ASI office at Puri Edited By Odishatv Bureau Published By Odishatv Bureau On May 23, 2013 - 8:19 AM Bhubaneswar: In a bid to ensure better conservation and restoration of Puri temple, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Wednesday asked the union ministry of culture to open a supporting office of Archeological Survey of India (ASI) which has been entrusted with the task of maintenance of the 12th century shrine in Puri. In a letter to the union culture minister Chandresh Kumari Katoch, Naveen said the ASI does not have a dedicated unit office at Puri to look after the day to day upkeep of the monuments. He further said that the Director General of the ASI had assured him to station a senior archeologist to co-ordinate the conservation work of the temple. “While discussing with the Director General of the ASI in February, 2012, I was assured that a senior officer in the rank of Deputy Superintending Archeologist will be stationed at Puri to supervise and co-ordinate the conservation work of Sri Jagannath Temple”, Naveen said in his letter. Further, the temple managing committee had also written to the ASI to open an office in Puri consisting of a Deputy Superintending Archeological Engineer along with other supporting staff, the letter said. Naveen requested Katoch to take immediate step in this regard before the famous Nabakalebara festival-2015. In view of the Technical Expert Committee report, he also asked the union minister to give similar priorities on the conservation of the subsidiary shrines of the main temple.

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My Night ShowMy Night Show Beyoncé Releases New Song ‘Spirit,’ Planning ‘Lion King’-Inspired Album Jacklyn Krol Beyoncé released a new song, "Spirit," inspired by her role of Nala in Disney's The Lion King remake. "Spirit" is featured on the official soundtrack for the film and is also the first song from the upcoming album Beyoncé produced and curated, The Lion King: The Gift. The new track was written by IIya Salmanzadeh, Timothy McKenzie and Beyoncé and was produced by Beyoncé, Salmanzadeh and Labrinth. Beyoncé gathered African artists for the album to bring the authentic sounds of African music. “This is sonic cinema,” Beyoncé said in a press release. “This is a new experience of storytelling. I wanted to do more than find a collection of songs that were inspired by the film. It is a mixture of genres and collaboration that isn’t one sound. It is influenced by everything from R&B, pop, hip hop and Afro Beat.” Beyoncé explained that she wanted to tie the film into the music. “I wanted to put everyone on their own journey to link the storyline,” she continued. “Each song was written to reflect the film’s storytelling that gives the listener a chance to imagine their own imagery, while listening to a new contemporary interpretation. It was important that the music was not only performed by the most interesting and talented artists but also produced by the best African producers. Authenticity and heart were important to me.” The track list and featured artists on the album will be announced at a later date. Donald Glover and Beyoncé's duet from the film, "Can You Feel The Love," will appear on the motion picture's soundtrack. The film's soundtrack will release on July 11, while The Lion King: The Gift will release on July 19. The Lion King film hits theaters on July 19. Listen to Beyonce's new song, "Spirit," below: Source: Beyoncé Releases New Song ‘Spirit,’ Planning ‘Lion King’-Inspired Album Filed Under: Beyonce

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Tag Archives: John Michael Montgomery Classic Rewind: Scotty McCreery covers JMM – ‘Letters From Home’ Leave a comment Posted by Occasional Hope on February 28, 2019 Classic Rewind, Spotlight Artist John Michael Montgomery, Scotty McCreery Album Review: John Michael Montgomery – ‘Time Flies’ After he was dropped by Warner Brothers. JMM released one further album, 2008’s Time Flies, on independent label Stringtown Records. Recorded in his brother Eddie’s home studio, it was produced by Byron Gallimore with, for the most part, his trademark sheen and lack of subtlety. The lead single (or at least the first song released, as it did not chart), ‘Mad Cowboy Disease’, is a tongue in cheek country rocker written by Jamey Johnson, Jon Maddox and Jeremy Popoff. JMM sings it with a commitment which carries off a sometimes silly lyric, and there’s even a fun nod to Mel Tillis in the song. Next up was ‘If You Ever Went Away’, an emotional ballad written by Randy Houser and Daryl Burgess. It is a nice song which JMM sings well, but a bit over-produced. ‘Forever’, which was an actual radio single and made it into the top 30, is a very boring AC song. Jamey Johnson contributed another pair of songs. ‘What Did I Do?’ (written with George Teren) is a rocking love song – not bad but over-produced. ‘Let’s Get Lost’ is quite a pleasant ballad which Johnson wrote with Arlis Albritton and Jeremy Popoff. ‘Loving And Letting Go’, written by Greg Barnhill and Gary Hannan, is a rather dull AC ballad. ‘Fly On’ is better, a wistful ballad about loss. Luke Bryan’s own career has led to considerable (and often justified) disdain from more traditional country fans, but his cowrite with Kelley Lovelace and Lee Thomas Miller included here, ‘With My Shirt On’ is actually rather good, with a wryly amusing lyric about noticing the ravages of middle age: Remember Key West spring break We were 21, in perfect shape We stayed oiled up and half naked all week long But that was 10 years and 20 pounds ago Girl, you’re still a 10 but I’m somewhere below So tonight can I make love with my shirt on? Now you say our love has grown beyond the physical And you tell me that you think I’m irresistible Today I had a salad but I gave in and ate a roll So tonight can I make love with my shirt on The best tracks all cluster at the end of the set, with Gallimore reining it back a bit. The best is ‘Drunkard’s Prayer’, a powerful Chris Stapleton song which Stapleton himself finally recorded in 2017. JMM’s vocal is much less intense but it is a pretty good performance of a great song which feels believable, and there is a tasteful steel-laced arrangement. ‘All In A Day’ is a warmly sung song about the passage of time as a beloved grandfather comes to the end of his life, set to a soothing melody. Written by Daryl Burgess and Dan Denny, it provides he album’s title. JMM co-wrote the charming autobiographical ‘Brothers Til The End’, about growing up playing country music in a family band with his parents and brother Eddie, and thein their rival country music careers, “chasing each other up and down the charts”. Album Reviews, Retro Reviews, Spotlight Artist Arlis Albritton, Byron Gallimore, Chris Stapleton, Dan Denny, Daryl Burgess, Eddie Montgomery, Gary Hanan, George Teren, Greg Barnhill, Jamey Johnson, Jeremy Popoff, John Michael Montgomery, Jon Maddox, Kelley Lovelace, Lee Thomas Miller, Luke Bryan, Mel Tillis, Randy Houser Album Review: John Michael Montgomery – ‘Letters Fom Home’ Leave a comment Posted by Paul W. Dennis on February 25, 2019 Letters From Home was John Michael Montgomery’s [“JMM”] ninth studio album, and his third released on the Warner Brothers label. Released in April 2004, JMM’s career its downhill slide. Although the album charted reasonably well (#3 country /#31 all-genres), sales were tepid and the album received no RIAA certifications. There would be one more studio album (released in 2008) that charted poorly. In the wake of 9/11 there were many patriotic songs released, a few quite good and many being little more than jingoistic flag wavers. This album features one of the better such songs in the title track, Tony Lane and David Lee’s “Letters From Home”. This song transcends the politics of the moment with a timeless, understated, but emotionally moving portrayal of a soldier at war, whose soul scorching daily grind is eased by news from family and friends back home. The song does not mention any politicians or villains by name, so in a sense it is a universal song that could apply to any soldier at any time in our nation’s history. The song soared to #2 country and would rise to #24 on the pop charts (the best showing ever for a JMM single) and its rise on the charts is commensurate with its quality. My dearest son, it’s almost June I hope this letter catches up with you And finds you well It’s been dry But they’re callin’ for rain And everything’s the same old same In Johnsonville Your stubborn old daddy Ain’t said too much But I’m sure you know He sends his love And she goes on In a letter from home I hold it up and show my buddies Like we ain’t scared And our boots ain’t muddy And they all laugh Like there’s something funny ‘Bout the way I talk When I say, “Mamma sends her best, y’all” I fold it up and put it in my shirt Pick up my gun and get back to work And it keeps me drivin’ on Waitin’ on letters from home Only one more single would be released from the album, “Goes Good with Beer” which peaked at #51. The song undoubtedly would have been a bigger hit had it been released during JMM’s heyday. As it was, it barely received any airplay in my part of the country. Flat tire on the interstate Too many nights of workin’ too late Had a run in with an old memory No, it ain’t been the best of weeks But it goes good with beer and the Friday night atmosphere Of this cross-town bar where the cars all get steered to And it goes hand in hand with my Crazy buddies and this three-piece band And the pretty girls and the games we play and the smoke and mirrors Yeah, troubles come, but they go good with beer, yeah, they do, yeah I think that the mid-tempo ballad “That Changes Everything” would have made a good single, but I also think that the label regarded the title track as a fluke hit (or last hurrah), and had lost interest in JMM by this time. Moreover, JMM’s sound and production were getting more country at a time when country radio was viewing acts like Rascal Flatts and Jason Aldean as representing the epitome of country music. Billy Currington also recorded the song as an album track but I like JMM’s version better. I said, “I know a shrimp boat captain out of Galveston” I’ve been thinkin’ I’d go down and work for a spell Oh, you never can tell it just might suit me fine Spend some time out on the bay But then there’s always cowboy work in Colorado And I was thinkin’ that that just might be the thing Make a little pocket change I figure what the heck Ain’t nothin’ standin’ in my way But then she smiled at me Looked a while at me And that changes everything That’s a whole “nother deal That puts a brand new spin On this ole rollin’ wheel That’s some powerful stuff That’s a girl in love And that’s one thing That changes everything This is a pretty decent album, which I would give a B+. The production by Byron Gallimore and JMM features Tom Bukovac on electric guitar, Mark Casstevens on banjo, Stuart Duncan & Larry Frankin on fiddle, mandolin, Paul Franklin on steel guitar, dobro, and Glen Worf on bass among the many fine musicians utilized on the album. “Good Ground” (Bill Luther, Bob Regan, Naoise Sheridan) – 4:09 “Letters from Home” (Tony Lane, David Lee) – 4:27 “That’s What I’m Talking About” (Paul Nelson, Tom Shapiro) – 3:24 “Look at Me Now” (Mike Geiger, Vicky McGehee, D. Vincent Williams) – 3:22 “Goes Good with Beer” (Casey Beathard, Ed Hill) – 4:26 “Cool” (Harley Allen, Brice Long) – 3:38 “It Rocked” (Marty Dodson, Paul Overstreet) – 3:50 “That Changes Everything” (Lane, Lee) – 3:57 “Break This Chain” (Jim Collins, Billy Yates) – 2:52 “Little Devil” (Blair Daly, Danny Orton) – 3:47 Album Reviews, Retro Reviews, Spotlight Artist Billy Currington, Byron Gallimore, David Lee, Glen Worf, Jason Aldean, John Michael Montgomery, Larry Franklin, Mark Casstevens, Paul Franklin, Rascal Flatts, Stuart Duncan, Tom Bukovac, Tony Lane Classic Rewind: John Michael Montgomery – ‘The Little Girl’ Classic Rewind, Spotlight Artist John Michael Montgomery Classic Rewind: John Michael Montgomery – ‘Ain’t Got Nothin’ On Us’ Album Review: John Michael Montgomery — ‘Pictures’ Leave a comment Posted by Jonathan Pappalardo on February 22, 2019 The promotional cycle for John Michael Montgomery’s Brand New Me had come to an end when Atlantic Records closed their Nashville division in 2001. They weren’t ready to give up on him just yet, so Montgomery moved to their parent label Warner Bros. Nashville, where he reunited with Scott Hendricks for 2002’s Pictures. The album charted three singles. “‘Till Nothin’ Comes Between Us” is a slick mid-tempo pop ballad, which features a smoothed over vocal from Montgomery. “Country Thang” is typical country-rock, beaming with southern pride. “Four-Wheel Drive” is the best of the bunch, with a nice steel and fiddle based melody, reminiscent of Brad Paisley’s work from the time period. The tracks peaked at #19, #45, and #52, respectively. Harley Allen, who revived Montgomery’s career with “The Little Girl” appears here, as co-writer, along with Paul Overstreet, of “I Wanna Be There,” a contemporary ballad about a father’s prayer for his child as he or she goes through the phases of life — first words, first date, first heartbreak, etc. John Rich co-wrote “Believe In Me,” a mid-tempo promise of loyalty from a man to his woman. Rivers Rutherford, a prominent songwriter during this era, was a co-writer of “Love and Alcohol,” an uptempo cautionary tale where a man is warning a woman he’s been drinking so he’s not quite himself. “Love Changes Everything” is a charming but clichéd story of young love during the summer months on a farm. Montgomery is in a grateful mood on the upbeat “Got You To Thank For That,” which has a nice energy. There’s nothing particularly interesting about the title track, which traces the love story of a couple through photographs and the memories they conjure up, all the while looking ahead to the memories yet to be made. “It Goes Like This,” which features Sixwire, a group that at the time had released their debut album, is an early sign of bro-country with the way it objectives the woman as nothing more than an object of desire. I wouldn’t characterize Pictures as a bad album, but it is very generic and lacks even one song I could pull out as essential listening. It’s very typical of early-21st century commercial country music and I could hear shades of what Lonestar was cooking up during this time period. Pictures came on the back end of Montgomery’s career, where he was fighting to remain relevant ten years out from Life’s A Dance. Radio had mostly moved on, actually to his brother and Troy Gentry, who were hitting their stride with “My Town” and “Hell Yeah.” No one was missing anything with Pictures, so this album’s lack of success was only a loss to his record label. Album Reviews, Retro Reviews, Spotlight Artist Brad Paisley, Eddie Montgomery, Harley Allen, John Michael Montgomery, John Rich, Lonestar, Montgomery Gentry, Paul Overstreet, Rivers Rutherford, Scott Hendricks, Sixwire, Troy Gentry Album Review: John Michael Montgomery – ‘Brand New Me’ The last couple of singles from Home To You had not got the new millennium off to a good start for John Michael Montgomery, but later in 2000 he came up with his biggest hit for years. ‘The Little Girl’, written by Harley Allen, is a story song allegedly based on a true story about a neglected child who witnesses the fatal culmination of her father’s domestic violence, and later tells her loving foster parents she recognises a picture of Jesus as the one who protected her on the night her father killed her mother and herself. A gently soothing melody and harmonies from Alison Krauss and Dan Tyminski make this a very pretty sounding song. It topped the Billboard country charts for three weeks. The two other singles from JMM’s gold-selling 2000 album Brand New Me fell short in comparison. The up-tempo and rather rowdy country-pop ‘That’s What I Like About You’ was probably too much of a contrast in tone to do well while ‘The Little Girl’ was still getting a lot of radio play, and it isn’t a strong enough song to stand on its own. ‘Even Then’ (written by Pat Bunch and Shane Teeters) is better, a smooth AC-leaning love song which plays to JMM’s vocal strengths. However, neither song cracked the top 40. ‘That’s Not Her Picture’ is a beautiful pure country ballad written by Bill Anderson and Gary Burr, which was also recorded in 2000 by Jason Sellers, ex-husband of Lee Ann Womack, who was an aspiring artist at the time. A tasteful steel-led arrangement is perfect for the song and JMM sounds great on the poignant song abot a man who has torn up his ex’s real photos (presumably in anger or grief) and kept a standard shot sold with his wallet purely because it looks a little like her. Another highlight is ‘Thanks For The G Chord’, written by Byron Hill and Mark Narmore, a tribute to a loving father who taught him music with other life advice. Also very good is ‘Bus To Birmingham’, an emotional song written by Jess Brown and Tony Lane about a man watching his loved one leaving, thinking he has done the right thing driving her away: I know she missed her mama ‘Cause that’s the kinda life she comes from Ain’t no kinda life I’m ever gonna have She said she’d call me from the station But I’ll be gone before she gets there And I’ll see her every time I’m lookin’ back Heaven knows I ain’t no angel And I don’t always do the right thing And right now I know that she don’t understand But I’ll sleep better knowin’ The only thing I ever loved Is on that bus to Birmingham Tonight I’ll slip back in the shadows And I’ll sip a glass of whiskey And I’ll try to keep from whispering her name But there’s some highways I ain’t driven And there’s some towns that I ain’t lived in And there’s some times that I can’t get out of the rain And Lord I can’t bear to break another promise that I made her So I made out like I wanted her to go And I’m better off believin’ that she’s better off without me ‘Cause I don’t want her to see me do her wrong ‘Weekend Superstar’ is a fun honky tonker with some nice fiddle about letting loose as a release from a hard week’s work. The title track, which opens proceedings, is an upbeat song about survival, written by Kris Bergnes and Lee Thomas Miller. ‘Real Love’ (from the pens of Kent Blazy and Neil Thrasher) is a mid-paced country pop love song which is fairly forgettable. The closing ‘I Love It All’, co-written by JMM himself with Blair Daly is a tribute =e to his love of his career as a musician, and is pretty good. Overall, a pretty strong album which is worth finding, esecially if you like JMM. Album Reviews, Retro Reviews, Spotlight Artist Alison Krauss, Bill Anderson, Blair Daly, Byron Hill, Dan Tyminski, Gary Burr, Harley Allen, Jason Sellers, Jess Brown, John Michael Montgomery, Kent Blazy, Kris Bergsnes, Lee Ann Womack, Lee Thomas Miller, Mark Narmore, Neil Thrasher, Pat Bunch, Shane Teeters, Tony Lane Classic Rewind: Keith Urban and Chris Janson cover JMM – ‘Sold (The Grundy County Auction)’ Classic Rewind, Spotlight Artist Chris Janson, John Michael Montgomery, Keith Urban Album Review: John Michael Montgomery — ‘Home To You’ By the time Home To You, John Michael Montgomery’s [“JMM”] sixth studio album release for Atlantic, was released in May 1999, JMM’s career was on the downslide. Although the album received generally favorable reviews, the marketplace told a different story as the album would only reach #16 on Billboard’s country albums chart (and #135 on the all-genres chart) and would fail to reach even gold certification. None of the singles were blockbuster hits and two of the four singles released from the album (“Nothing Catches Jesus By Surprise” and “You Are”) failed to crack the top forty. The album opens with “Love Made Me Do It”, a generic up-tempo rocker. This is followed by another generic up-tempo rocker in “Hello L.O.V.E.”, which was the first single off the album – it reached #15 and was an okay song but nothing special. The next song “Home To You” would prove to be the biggest single released from the album, reaching #2 and also placing on the Hot 100. I get up and battle the day Things don’t always go my way It might rain but that’s okay I get to come home to you Sometimes life may get me down And I get tired of getting kicked around I feel lost in this maddening crowd But I get to come home to you You are my best friend And you are where my heart is And I know at the day’s end I can’t quite put my finger on it, but most of this album feels like JMM has ‘mailed it in’. The ballads mostly are rather bland and unexciting and the vocals are unconvincing, perhaps residual effects of prior throat problems. JMM’s phrasing seems to be a problem throughout the album and the production is too slick and glossy. I would regard “When Your Arms Were Around” as the best song on the album, certainly the best ballad: I was stone cold convinced You were holding me down I could chase my wildest dreams With you not around But I was crazy to think That I could hold my own Cause I started to crumble The minute you were gone When your arms were around They held my world together They kept me safe and sound Right through the roughest weather I guess I just lost touch With the man in me you found I was strong as I could be I also found the Waylon Jennings-penned “Nothing Catches Jesus By Surprise” notable for its interesting lyrics: Catching Babe Ruth, catching Roger Maris The way you caught my eye in Paris, Tennessee Fell in seduction; well I’m seduced You sell a war then we sell the truth. It’s the truth So baby just close your eyes nothing catches Jesus by surprise Confusin’ love for heated passion, Got what I want, but no satisfaction. Ain’t it funny how things can change. We’re amazed how they stay the same. I liked JMM’s earlier albums; however, the trend was for the albums to become increasingly more formulaic as time progressed, with ever slicker production. I purchased the album when it initially was released but in today’s environment, I would likely only purchase the three songs highlighted above. I would give this album a C+ Album Reviews, Retro Reviews, Spotlight Artist John Michael Montgomery, Waylon Jennings Classic Rewind: John Michael Montgomery and All4One – ‘I Swear’ Classic Rewind, Spotlight Artist All 4 One, John Michael Montgomery Album Review: John Michael Montgomery — ‘Leave A Mark’ By the late 1990s, John Michael Montgomery was still plugging away with solid radio singles. Atlantic followed What I Do Best with his first Greatest Hits package, which featured the single “Angel In My Eyes.” The ballad, which is in line with the sound of his most previous work, hit #4 in 1997. Like most artists at the time, Montgomery had to adjust his sound to fit within the pop invasion that had overtaken the genre. He released his fifth album, Leave The Mark, in 1998, just as Shania Twain was beginning her dominance with Come On Over. To my ears, at least as far as the singles were concerned, the changes resulted in some of his most paired down work to date. The album’s first single “Love Workin’ On You,” which stalled at #14, is a lightweight uptempo ditty. He would hit the artistic jackpot, at least as far as mainstream songs are concerned, with the album’s other two singles, both of which featured ample steel guitar and peaked inside the top 5. The mid-tempo “Cover You In Kisses” and the romantic “Hold On To Me” have aged beautifully, with the latter being among the strongest love songs of his career, easily eclipsing his signature hits. As for the album tracks, “Little Cowboy Cries” details a broken home through the eyes of a boy who believes his daddy’s leaving is his fault. “I Don’t Want This Song to End” is Hallmark schmaltz, but tender and sincere. “I Couldn’t Dream” and “It Gets Me Every Time” are sexualized love songs on both ends of the spectrum. The former is a ac-leaning ballad, while the latter is horrid up-tempo pop. The uptempo “You’re The Ticket” isn’t horrible, the arrangement has the redeeming qualities of ample fiddle and steel guitar, but the lyric leaves much to be desired. A chance meeting between exes is at the heart of “I Never Stopped Loving You,” an above average ballad co-written by Mark Willis. Montgomery handles it was ease, committing a strong vocal to the track. The album concludes with the title track, a reflective ballad doused in dobro. I was quite expecting a horrible uptempo rocker, but this one is actually very good. It would’ve worked well as a single. Leave A Mark is a mixed bag of an album that misses more than it hits. I do like most of Csaba Petocz production choices throughout, he co-produced the album with Montgomery, although the lyrical content is lazy and weak at best on most of the songs. But Leave A Mark gave Montgomery two more top 5 hits, one of which is among his finest singles, and went gold, so all wasn’t a total loss. Album Reviews, Retro Reviews, Spotlight Artist Csaba Petocz, John Michael Montgomery, Mark Wills, Shania Twain Album Review: John Michael Montgomery – ‘What I Do The Best’ JMM’s career started to take a downturn in the mid 1990s. ‘Ain’t Got Nothin’ On Us’, the lead single from his fourth album, was a sad disappointment, peaking at #15, his lowest charting single ever. It’s a shame, because it is a rather charming jazzy western swing number with some very nice fiddle. It was written by Jim Robinson and Wendell Mobley. My favorite song on the album was rather more successful. ‘Friends’, written by Jerry Holland, reached #2. It is a beautiful sounding ballad with a pained Montgomery facing the loss of love and an ex who wants to keep him around in a non-romantic way: You say you want to be friends That’s a newly sharpened blade That’s a dagger to the heart Of the promises we made That’s a chapter full of pain A season full of rain A dark and stormy night Spent all alone Friends get scattered by the wind Tossed upon the waves Lost for years on end Friends slowly drift apart They give away their hearts Maybe call you now and then But you wanna be “just friends” You say you love me very much And you’ll always hold me dear Those are the sweetest words I never wanna hear What’s a love without desire A flame without a fire Can’t warm me late at night When I need you most A subdued opening builds in emotion and power through the song. ‘I Miss You A Little’, a rare JMM co-write, was the third single, and was anther top 10 hit. It is a downbeat song about loss which is very good. The final single from the album was ‘How Was I To Know’, which just missed the top spot but is a rather bland adult contemporary tune. He also wrote ‘A Few Cents Short’, a very nice midpaced song about someone too hardpressed financially to contact his loved one: Lookin’ for spare change to put gas in my car But what I’ve found won’t get me very far Seems lately the low times have hit me pretty hard ‘Cause I’m a few cents short from gettin’ to where you are I’m a few cents short of holding you in my arms And a few cents short of keepin’ us from falling apart Ain’t it funny how the money can change our lives ‘Cause I’m a few cents short from losing you tonight So I walked to a pay phone down the road But a few dimes and a nickel is all I hold The operator wants more money to place my call But I’m a few cents short Some lovely fiddle ornaments the song. My favorite of the remaining tracks is the vibrant and very retro shuffle ‘Lucky Arms’, envying his ex’s new love. The title track is a very nice mid paced love song. ‘I Can Prove You Wrong’ is a tender ballad offering true love to a woman who has been hurt in the past. In the quirky ‘Cloud 8’, written by Byron Hill and Tony Martin, the protagonist has lost in love and compares himself to those still happily on Cloud 9. ‘Paint The Town Redneck’ is quite an entertaining song about letting loose on a Friday night after a hard week’s work. The album was certified platinum, which was a significant reduction from his previous efforts. However, it is a solid effort which I enjyed a lot. Album Reviews, Retro Reviews, Spotlight Artist Byron Hill, Jerry Holland, Jim Robinson, John Michael Montgomery, Tony Martin, Wendell Mobley Classic Rewind: Oak Ridge Boys – ‘Life’s Railway To Heaven’ A performance dedicated to the memories of country legend Don Williams and John Michael Montgomery’s brother Eddie Montgomery. Classic Rewind Don Williams, Eddie Montgomery, John Michael Montgomery, Oak Ridge Boys Classic Rewind: John Michael Montgomery – ‘Beer And Bones’ Leave a comment Posted by Occasional Hope on February 9, 2019 Album Review: John Michael Montgomery — ‘John Michael Montgomery’ Leave a comment Posted by Jonathan Pappalardo on February 8, 2019 John Michael Montgomery was under pressure when he and Scott Hendricks entered the studio to record his third album in 1994. The monster success of “I Swear” was so impactful he not only won ACM and CMA honors, but he also performed the song at the Grammy Awards. It pushed sales of Kickin’ It Up past 4 million units and cemented his place in country love song history. He was also coming off of two consecutive #1s when Atlantic released “I Can Love You Like That” to country radio in February 1995. The romantic ballad, a companion piece of sorts to “I Swear,” hit #1 and was also covered by the R&B group All-4-One. It’s one of my favorite contemporary country songs of the 1990s. Montgomery switched gears completely in May, with the release of the breakneck-paced “Sold (The Grundy County Auction Incident).” The song tells the story of a guy who attends an auction in Grundy County, Tennessee. While there he lays eyes on a woman named Heather, who consumes his thoughts, and becomes his big prize. “Sold” is an excellent record with superb instrumentation that allowed Montgomery to diversify and showcase a playful charm he wasn’t able to display on his signature ballads. The audiences loved the song so much it also hit #1 and was named Billboard’s biggest country single of the year, a feat that wasn’t even bestowed upon “I Swear.” The album’s first two singles were such memorable hits, it left little room for “No Man’s Land” to make a significant impact. The mid-tempo ballad, about a woman adjusting to a life ‘nothin’ like she had planned,’ is a competent yet unremarkable story song in the vein of Toby Keith’s superior “Upstairs Downtown.” It performed well at radio, hitting #3, but it was forgotten as soon as it fell from the charts. “Cowboy Love,” which hit #4, is an attempt at rekindling the charm of “Be My Baby Tonight,” and while it was moderately successful at the time, it has aged horrendously. Both songs unfortunately represent the very worst of 1990s country, a time when honky-tonk had been brought to the dance floor by people in cutoff t-shirts with denim for days. The whole aesthetic is a parody of the genre’s best traditions. The quality of the singles only got worse with “Long As I Live,” which is a feeble attempt at adding another romantic ballad to his repertoire. The ballad is embarrassingly awful, with a cliché Hallmark lyric. It hit #4, which is a testament to Montgomery’s power with country radio at the time. The most notable album track, “Holdin’ Onto Something,” was recorded by Jeff Carson the same year and released as a single in 1996, where it peaked at #6. Carson’s record holds significant nostalgic value for me, which clouds my judgement on its quality. Montgomery does well with the song, but Hendricks fails him with a very generic arrangement. Listening now, I can easily hear Tim McGraw singing this song during this time period, possibly bringing it to #1. “High School Heart” is typical of contemporary ballads from the time period. It’s cheesy, but the track does still have its merits. It tells the story of a man reminiscing on his romantic past, specifically his high school days, and all that’s changed in the years since then. The twist in the chorus is the girl he loved back then is his wife today, still loving him with a high school heart. Montgomery sells the story competently, but I would very much like to hear it with a far more dynamic vocalist and a more memorable arrangement. “Just Like A Rodeo” is so bad, it’s hard to believe it even exists, especially during this time period, when the gatekeepers knew better. In the lyric, a man is in throws of sexual intercourse comparing riding his girl to a cowboy riding a bull. It’s even more horrid than “She Thinks My Tractors Sexy” but has only been matched or eclipsed by the bro-country era, where honestly, it would probably fit right in. “Heaven Sent Me You” has the arrangement, filled with steel, and the committed vocal from Montgomery to be a sure-fire hit. It was likely buried because the lyric is second-rate, especially as his romantic ballads are concerned. “It’s What I Am” never really saw the light of day, but it is a watershed moment for what was to come within the next ten to twelve years. The track has Montgomery wearing his southern pride on his sleeve, singing: I got my first guitar when I was just a boy I was playing the blues instead of playing with toys Listening to the Opry and dreaming of the neon lights So it was late to bed and early to rise I worked the field all day and the crowd all night My finger on the trigger and Nashville in my sights I’m the real thing and I sing songs about real life And I never heard a fiddle called a violin Never really worried if I fit in Country ain’t what I sing it’s what I am This hat ain’t something I wear for style These boots have been around a while I learned to drive on a dirt road Cruised the strip on rock and roll And drove around on “Miles and Miles of Texas” And as I grew Daddy showed me now To earn a living by the sweat of my brow But he never made me follow in his steps He said work hard and let the good Lord do the rest Montgomery and Hendricks needn’t worry, as this album matched Kickin’ It Up and was also certified quadruple platinum. If I had to guess, it was “Sold” and not “I Can Love You Like That” that contributed more to the sales. The album itself is of very varying quality, with the two songs I just mentioned being the only real standouts. Album Reviews, Retro Reviews, Spotlight Artist All 4 One, Jeff Carson, John Michael Montgomery, Scott Hendricks, Tim McGraw, Toby Keith Classic Rewind: John Michael Montgomery – ‘I Love The Way You Love Me’ Album Review: John Michael Montgomery — ‘Kickin’ It Up’ Leave a comment Posted by Paul W. Dennis on February 6, 2019 Released in January 1994, Kickin’ It Up was JMM’s second album release for Atlantic, and would prove to be John Michael Montgomery’s [“JMM”] most successful album release reaching #1 on Billboard’s country and all-genres charts. The album’s success was fueled by the first single was the romantic ballad “I Swear” which reached #1 country/#42 pop and it was the number one country song of the year per Billboard. This single was followed by “Rope the Moon” (#4), “Be My Baby Tonight” (#1) and “If You’ve Got Love” (#1). The album opens with “Be My Baby Tonight” a spritely up-tempo number that was the third single on the album. Could ya would ya ain’t ya gonna if I asked you Would ya wanna be my baby tonight Yeah I’d take a chance slow dance make a little romance Honey it’ll be alright Girl you got me wishin’ we were huggin’ and a kissin’ and a holdin’ each other tight So could ya would ya ain’t ya gonna if I asked you This is followed by “Full-Time Love”, a mid-tempo ballad. Gary Baker & Frank Myers, a pair of singer/songwriters who were put together as a duo by MCG/Curb Records. The pair released an album the following year as Baker & Myers with limited success; however, both continued to have success as songwriters, together and apart, but nothing else ever reached the success of “I Swear”. In addition to JMM’s huge hit, the song would be covered later by an R&B group All-4-One and also would be covered by other artists in languages other than English. The various versions of the song would sell in excess of 20 million copies. ‘ll give you everything I can I’ll build your dreams with these two hands We’ll hang some memories on the wall And when there’s silver in your hair You won’t have to ask if I still care ‘Cause as time turns the page My love won’t age at all By the moon and stars in the sky Like the shadow that’s by your side Next up is “She Don’t Need a Band To Dance,” a rather generic mid-tempo ballad that JMM performs well. This is followed by “All In My Heart,” a nice ballad of longing in which the protagonist imagines a love as he wishes it to be. I think that “All In My Heart” would have made a nice single for someone: I sit here tonight And look in your eyes For that old familiar flame That love that burns Makes my wolrd turn Two hearts beating the same Is it all in my mind Or is it harder to find I feel like I’m in the dark I thought it was real But I’m starting to feel Like it must be all in my heart I’m a fool for believing But I just keep dreaming While we just keep drifting apart Trying to make something Where there’s really nothing I guess it’s all in my heart “Friday at Noon” is up-tempo filler probably designed for line dancing – it’s pleasant but nothing exceptional. “Rope The Moon” was the second single off the album and a really outstanding ballad. This is followed by another outstanding ballad “If You’ve Got Love”, the final single released from the album. The album closes with a nice ballad “Oh How She Shines” and “Kick It Up” which was likely a dance floor favorite. JMM’s sound would become more solidly country over time but this album features pretty solid country production with the likes of Stuart Duncan on fiddle and mandolin, Paul Franklin on steel guitar, Brent Mason on electric guitar, Glen Worf on bass and John Wesley Ryles on harmony vocals (except on “I Swear” and “Rope The Moon where ‘Handsome Harry’ Stinson provides the harmony vocals). While this album is only slightly better than its predecessor, the presence of four big hits, including the mega-hit “I Swear”, propelled this album to quadruple platinum status and greatly increased his sales profile in Canada. I would give this album an A- Album Reviews, Retro Reviews, Spotlight Artist All 4 One, Brent Mason, Frank Myers, Gary Baker, Glen Worf, Harry Stinson, John Michael Montgomery, John Wesley Ryles, Paul Franklin, Stuart Duncan Album Review: John Michael Montgomery – ‘Life’s A Dance’ John Michael Montgomery’s debut album was released in October 1992. It sold 3 million copies, launching him as a bona fide star, although it does not sound particularly distinctive. At the time I personally was not blown away, and to be perfectly honest it still sounds rather generic to me, but since that era of country music was a strong one, Montgomery has a decent voice and there are some good songs, it sounds much better set against today’s music. The title track and lead single, ‘Life’s A Dance’ was a promising start for the newcomer, launching him to a #4 hit. Written by Allen Shamblin and Steve Seskin, it is a simple mid paced tune about finding your path In life by accepting whatever comes. It is agreeable listening but not all that memorable. The follow up, ‘I Love The Way you Love Me’, written by Victoria Shaw and Chuck Cannon, was JMM’s first chart topper. It played to his greatest strengths vocally as a smoothly crooned romantic ballad, leaning in the AC direction, with instrumentation which sounds a bit dated now. A pop cover of the song by Irish boyband Boyzone was a big hit in Europe in 1998. Finally, ‘Beer And Bones’ was less successful, peaking just outside the top 20. Written by country songwriting legend Sanger D Shafer and Lonnie Williams, it is the most hardcore honky tonk song on the album, with raw vocals. The singles, and three other tracks, were produced by Doug Johnson. ‘When Your Baby Ain’t Around’ is pleasant mid-tempo filler. ‘Line On Love’ is quite a nice if rather generic song about life lessons learnt from growing up in the country. ‘Dream On Texas Ladies’ is a very pretty waltz which is a cover of a minor hit for Rex Allen Jr in 1984. The remaining four tracks were produced by Wyatt Easterling. ‘A Great Memory’ is an excellent Dean Dillon/Trey Bruce song on which JMM sounds like fellow-Kentuckian Keith Whitley. Whitley’s influence is also evident on ‘Nickels And Dimes And Love’, a tender memoir of love in poverty which was later cut by Vern Gosdin. It was written by Johnny MacRae and Steve Clark, who also contributed ‘Every Time I Fall (It Breaks Her Heart)’, a tribute to a woman standing by a flawed man. Finally, ‘Taking Off The Edge’, written by Larry Cordle and Larry Shell, is an enjoyable and rather sexy up-tempo number. John Michael Montgomery had not quite found his own voice on this album, but it is a generally enjoyable record. Album Reviews, Retro Reviews, Spotlight Artist Allen Shamblin, Boyzone, Chuck Cannon, Dean Dillon, John Michael Montgomery, Johnny MacRae, Larry Cordle, Larry Shell, Lonnie Williams, Rex Allen Jr., Sanger D Shafer, Steve Clark, Steve Seskin, Trey Bruce, Vern Gosdin, Victoria Shaw Classic Rewind: John Michael Montgomery – ‘Life’s A Dance’ Spotlight Artist: John Michael Montgomery Thank you for sticking with us these past few months, as we’ve done our best to bring you fresh content each week. The content will be more regular this month since our Spotlight Artist series is back. Although it seems we’ve covered just about every major country singer on the planet, at least as it relates to country music from 1980-present, there’s always someone who has escaped our clutches, flying just under the radar. This month it’s John Michael Montgomery, the Kentuckian who made his mark during the boom years with romantic ballads that remain wedding staples more than 25 years since they first climbed the charts. Montgomery was born, January 20, 1965, in Danville, Kentucky to musician parents. His father was a regional country singer and his mother played drums in his band. He learned to play guitar from his dad, who had him performing on stage by age 5. By the time he was in his teens, Montgomery was performing regularly in the local area, forming a band with his dad and brother while still in high school. After graduation, he was a regular on the local honky-tonk circuit, where he was discovered. Montgomery signed his record deal with Atlantic Records in 1991 and released his debut album Life’s A Dance in October 1992. His songs were a commercial success out of the gate, with the title track peaking at #4 and “I Love The Way You Love Me” hitting #1. The success of the ac-leaning romantic ballad, which was co-written by Victoria Shaw and Chuck Cannon, became the blueprint for his career. When it was time to pick a lead single for his sophomore album in late 1993, Atlantic went with “I Swear,” which became a wedding staple upon release. The song would go on to top the country charts for four consecutive weeks in early 1994. Montgomery took home Single of the Year honors from both the Academy of Country Music and the Country Music Association, while the ACM awarded the song’s writers, Gary Baker and Frank J. Meyers, their Song of the Year trophy. The success of “I Swear” cannot be overstated. In 1995, Pop/R&B group All-4-One covered the song, where it topped the Billboard Hot 100 and hit #1 in nine other countries worldwide. As for Montgomery, the song’s parent album, Kickin’ It Up, hit #1 and sold 4 million copies. Although he stalled at #4 with the excellent follow-up single “Rope The Moon,” Montgomery didn’t lose any momentum in the wake of “I Swear.” Four consecutive #1s followed “Rope The Moon” including another romantic ballad, “I Can Love You Like That,” which also went mainstream with a cover version by All-4-One. His other big hit during this period was the charming “Sold (The Grundy County Auction Incident),” a decidedly uptempo love song that still endears today. His eponymous third album, which featured those hits, also went multi-platinum. Montgomery’s career had shifted by 1996 when he went decidedly more country on his fourth album, What I Do The Best. Lead single “Ain’t Got Nothin’ On Us” stalled at #15, breaking his winning streak. The album is anchored by the #2 hits “Friends” and “How Was I To Know” and the #6 “I Miss You A Little.” By the late 1990s, Montgomery’s albums were no longer essential blockbusters, but he remained a presence on radio, despite the pop invasion by Faith Hill, Shania Twain, LeAnn Rimes and Dixie Chicks. A Greatest Hits album would bring the top 5 ballad “Angel In My Eyes” and he would enjoy more radio success with “Cover You in Kisses,” “Hold On To Me” and “Home To You.” By 2000 his brother Eddie was enjoying success with Montgomery Gentry, scoring big radio hits with “Hillbilly Shoes,” “Lonely and Gone,” and “She Couldn’t Change Me.” Brooks & Dunn were coming off of the commercial failure Tight Rope, which allowed the duo to send shockwaves through the industry when the CMA crowned them Duo of the Year, breaking Brooks & Dunn’s eight-year winning streak. Montgomery was still on the charts himself in 2000, enjoying his seventh and final #1 to date, “The Little Girl,” Harley Allen’s controversial and polarizing tale of a child who witnesses the murder-suicide of her parents. He would have one final #2, the military-themed “Letters From Home” in 2004. Montgomery released his most recent album, Time Flies, in 2008. Please enjoy our coverage throughout the month. Spotlight Artist All 4 One, Brooks & Dunn, Chuck Cannon, Dixie Chicks, Eddie Montgomery, Faith Hill, Frank J. Myers, Gary Baker, Harley Allen, John Michael Montgomery, LeAnn Rimes, Montgomery Gentry, Shania Twain, Troy Gentry, Victoria Shaw

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Tag Archives: Tim Krekel Album Review: Crystal Gayle – ‘Cage The Songbird’ 6 Comments Posted by Jonathan Pappalardo on January 25, 2017 The mid-1980s found Crystal Gayle shifting record labels yet again. Elektra shuttered in 1982 during the chart reign of True Love, which Razor X reviewed earlier this week. Another significant shift was the addition of Jimmy Bowen, who shared a producer credit with Allen Reynolds. By the time Cage The Songbird came along in October 1983, Gayle was recording for Warner Bros. exclusively with Bowen, who had officially taken over for Reynolds after ten albums. The resulting record was squarely within the trends of the era, following the likes of Rosanne Cash and Emmylou Harris by featuring a Rodney Crowell song, which by this time had become one of the hottest songwriters in Nashville. The album also featured cuts by Elton John and Hugh Prestwood among others, and while it maintained a glossy sheen, Cage The Songbird was loaded with well-chosen material. The Prestwood cut, which opened the album, was issued as the lead single. “The Sound of Goodbye” is an excellent and bright uptempo contemporary number that ranks among my favorites of hers. It hit #1, as did the album’s third single, Tim Krekel’s lightweight rocker “Turning Away.” Gayle just missed the top spot with “I Don’t Wanna Lose Your Love,” an adult contemporary-leaning piano ballad by Joey Carbone. The fourth and final single, “Me Against The Night,” a nice mid-tempo ballad, peaked at #4. Crowell, who was Gayle’s labelmate at the time, contributed “Victim or a Fool,” a ballad he recorded on his eponymous album two years earlier. Gayle brought an urgency to her version, courtesy of the electric guitars and driving tempo, that contrasted with the sadness Crowell highlighted with his interpretation. Both recordings are interesting although you can’t ignore Gayle’s commercial sheen – the lyric is all but buried beneath the noise. John supplied the title track, a ballad he wrote with Bernie Taupin and Davey Johnstone. The lyric, which recounts a celebrity’s tragic life and death, was a reimagining of Édith Piaf’s passing as if she had committed suicide. The tone may be grim, but Gayle delivers a gorgeous performance of a spectacular song. “Take Me Home” was lifted from the soundtrack of a Francis Ford Coppola movie of the same name. The album consisted of duets and solo performances by Gayle and Tom Waits, who composed the songs himself. The ballad is stunning and excused from not being country at all, thanks to its origin. Norman Saleet, another composer far outside the country realm, shows up on Cage The Songbird with “On Our Way To Love,” a ballad outside of my tastes. Saleet is best known for writing Air Supply’s “Here I Am (Just When I Thought I Was Over You)” and you can hear that influence in the melody here as well. Of the prominent producers in country music through the years, I probably like Bowen’s work the least. He’s not distasteful to his artists, but his bland tendencies have marred his work significantly. His choices aren’t in the least bit country, either, which probably aids in my overall dissatisfaction. To that end, I really wanted to enjoy Cage The Songbird and I do find many of the album’s tracks, especially “The Sound of Goodbye” very appealing. But while I can mostly appreciate the crossover aspects, the majority of the ballads just don’t hold my attention. Album Reviews, Retro Reviews, Spotlight Artist Air Supply, Allen Reynolds, Bernie Taupin, Crystal Gayle, Davey Johnstone, Elton John, Emmylou Harris, Francis Ford Coppola, Hugh Prestwood, Jimmy Bowen, Rodney Crowell, Rosanne Cash, Tim Krekel, Tom Waits Album Review: Martina McBride – ‘Wild Angels’ Martina McBride is one of the most technically gifted vocalists in country music, and her style was ideally suited to the 90s with its mix of contemporary shine and more traditional elements (although the latter tended to reduce over time), good songs, and great vocals. Her third album, 1995’s Wild Angels, would seal her star status. Martina took a co-production credit this time alongside Paul Worley and Ed Seay, who had helmed her earlier work. Her vocals are superb throughout this album, and almost every song sounds as though it could have been a successful single. Bookending the set by opening with a baby’s cry and ending with studio chatter, however, is pretentious, self-indulgent and pointless. The lead single, the charmingly hopeful ‘Safe In The Arms Of Love’, dreams about the prospects of true love some time in the future. A pretty arrangement with an almost Celtic feel and airy backing vocals from co-writers Mary Ann Kennedy and Pam Rose (the third writer was Pat Bunch) contrast nicely with Martina’s powerful lead vocal. It was a cover of a song which was originally recorded by Baillie & The Boys and had been a Canadian country hit for Michelle Wright, but Martina’s version is my favorite. Peaking at #4 on Billboard, it was her second biggest hit to date. The sunny title track was the second single, and while the efficiently glossy surface of this well-written contemporary country song (written by Matraca Berg, Gary Harrison and Harry Stinson) somehow sounds a little soulless to me, it was very radio-friendly and became Martina’s first #1 hit. Surprisingly, the last couple of singles failed to repeat this success, even though they are siginifiantly better songs. ‘Phones Are Ringing All Over Town’ is a dramatic ballad (written by Marc Beeson, Kim Vassy and David McKechnie) about a complacent cheating husband’s discovery that he has crossed one line too many and the marriage is over with “nothing to be said”. It was only just a top 30 hit despite the excellence of both song and vocal. ‘Swingin’ Doors’ only just crept into the top 40, but deserved much better. Written by Chapin Hartford, Bobby Boyd and Jim Foster, it is a ballsy, sardonic response to a man the protagonist realizes has been stringing her along with empty promises. The doors to her heart are about to be closed to him. Banked harmonies help to sell the song’s defiance. The final single (and my favourite), ‘Cry On The Shoulder Of The Road’ peaked at 26. It is in fact one of my favorite Martina McBride recordings ever. It was written by Matraca Berg and Tim Krekel, and portrays a woman whose marriage has reached such a desperate state she just leaves with no destination in mind: Rollin’ out of Bakersfield My own private hell on wheels But this time I’m gone for good… It makes me feel a little low Steel guitar on the radio when its kind of scary teh way these truckers fly So this is how leaving feels Drinking coffee and making deals With the One above to get me through the night Cause there ain’t no telling what I’ll find But I might as well move on down the line There ain’t no comfort to be found in your zip code I’d rather break down on the highway With no one to share my load Cry on the shoulder of the road Levon Helm’s harmony lends a California country-rock feel to the chorus, while Martina’s full blooded vocal makes her sound vulnerable but determined to make her way, and a tasteful arrangement with steel guitar. The contemporary sounding mid-tempo ‘A Great Disguise’ has Martina hiding her heartbreak behind “smoke and ice”, with a big emotional chorus. ‘Beyond The Blue’ is quite a pretty song about looking forward to getting past the sorrow of a breakup, and both are quite good. ‘All The Things We’ve Never Done’ (written by Craig Bickhardt and Jeff Pennig) is a gentle love song comparing possible missed opportunities in life with a supportive love. The similarly themed ‘You’ve Been Driving All The Time’ was overtly dedicated to Martina’s husband, whose support had been so instrumental in building her career; it is a sweet if slightly sentimental love song which affirms, It takes a real man to take a back seat to a woman. Another love song from the Bunch/Rose/Kennedy writing team, ‘Born To Give My Love To You’ is quite pretty with a string arrangement and multitrack harmonies from Rose and Martina herself. An energetic cover of ‘Two More Bottles Of Wine’, the Delbert McClinton song best known by Emmylou Harris, is pretty good with a rocking vocal, some fabulous honky tonk piano from John Hobbs, and proves Martina wasn’t just a great balladeer. This album exemplifies pop-country at its best – good, sometimes great songs, great vocals, and a production which while glossy, is not pretending to be a rock band. The overall mood is of female self-confidence and survival. Even the breakup songs focus on the woman moving on, and this positive image of being a strong woman may have been key to Martina’s success at a time when women in country music were doing better as a group than ever before. Album Reviews, Retro Reviews, Spotlight Artist Baillie & The Boys, Bobby Boyd, Chapin Hartford, Craig Bickhardt, David McKechnie, Delbert McClinton, Ed Seay, Emmylou Harris, Gary Harrison, Harry Stinson, Jeff Pennig, Jim Foster, John Hobbs, Kim Vassy, Levon Helm, Marc Beeson, Martina McBride, Mary Ann Kennedy, Matraca Berg, Michelle Wright, Pam Rose, Pat Bunch, Paul Worley, Tim Krekel Album Review: Vern Gosdin – ‘Time Stood Still’ Leave a comment Posted by Occasional Hope on April 20, 2012 Vern’s final studio album for Compleat was released in 1985. Produced by Vern with Robert John Jones, a songwriter probably best known for the Kendalls’ big hit ‘Thank God For The Radio’, the sound is more subtle and less dated than his previous albums. There are still some string arrangements, but far less prominent than before, while Vince Gill and Beverly Gosdin (who was, I believe, Vern’s wife at the time) provide backing vocals. Sadly, Time Stood Still was not nearly as successful as its predecessors. The lead single, an emotive and completely convincing cover of the heartbreak honky tonk classic ‘Dim Lights, Thick Smoke (And Loud, Loud Music)’ with great harmonies and piercing fiddle, peaked at a disappointing #20. Country radio was just beginning to be more receptive to traditional sounds than it had been in the past few years, but this record may have come just a little too soon. The mid-tempo ‘I Know The Way To You By Heart’ was the record’s only other top 40 hit. It is a drifter’s wistful reminiscence and decision to go home (possibly addressed to mother rather than lover), and is a good song if not in Vern’s trademark style: I’ve slept in some cars and I’ve slept in some bars And I’ve slept in the arms of some fast falling stars But there ain’t been one dream that’s come true Since I left home, since I left you In the cold just one memory is warm And in the dark just one light comes on Though I’m lost there’s one thing I’ve found I know the way to you I know the way to you by heart I know what I’m feeling for you is real Like the palm of my hand on this old steering wheel And I’m still on the road I’ve come down But thanks to you I’m homeward bound While it wasn’t a big hit, the single did make Billboard writer Edward Morris’s list of the ten best of that year. The three last singles all performed dismally and well below their deserts, perhaps because Vern was about to jump ship and the label to fold. The simple but beautifully interpreted ballad ‘It’s Only Love Again’ is something of a hidden gem, written by Tim Krekel. ‘Was It Just The Wine’ has Vern anxiously questioning whether his new love was just a drunken fling or rebound, and is another superb vocal on an excellent song, written by Vern with Buddy Cannon. Was it just a memory of someone before you telling me we’re through? Did I hold your body close to mine? Did we make promises till the end of time? Did we fall in love? Or was it just the wine? Finally, the absolutely lovely title track (penned by co-producer Jones) has an understated vocal and perfectly judged phrasing about the complete devastation of true love turned to heartbreak: You made my heart complete Then broke it at my feet Time stood still When you said goodbye And now the seasons don’t change The days have no names Today’s like yesterday I lean on the wine But your memory, like time, Baby, won’t slip away To get you off my mind Just takes a little time Baby, time stood still Beverly comes in effectively echoing Vern in the last chorus in the same style as Janie Fricke’s work with him. This is a stunning performance which stands up well against Vern’s classics and really didn’t deserve to be ignored by country radio. ‘For A Minute There’ is another excellent song with a melancholic feel song along the same lines as his later ‘Alone’, if not quite as intense. Written by Max D Barnes with Beverly, it has the protagonist briefly imagining losing a lover, with a beautifully measured, precise vocal: For a minute there I thought my world was ending For a minute there I thought you said goodbye ‘What A Price I’ve Paid’ is even better, a mournful, steel-laced lost love ballad written by Vern and Max D Barnes which stands comparison with Vern’s best work. A lovelorn Vern just can’t take his friends’ advice to move on: If time does the healing It ain’t done a thing for me yet They say that love is life And I guess they’re right this time I nearly lost my mind when I lost you And I was so afraid I’d never find my way God, what a price I’ve paid to love you ‘Rainbows And Roses’ is a pretty sounding but lyrically unremarkable and slightly old fashioned love song, written by Max D Barnes and Rayburn Anthony. The mid-tempo ‘Two Lonely Hearts (Out Of Hand)’, written by Vern with Buddy Cannon and producer Robert John Jones, is about a couple falling in love with a girl met in a bar room, dancing to the jukebox, and Vern has a bit of a growl adding bite. The hymn ‘Jesus Hold My Hand was repeated from If Jesus Comes Tomorrow ( What Then)?, Vern’s Christian album released on Compleat in 1984. It’s not as good as the title track of the latter, and feels a bit out of place here, but is a pleasant enough listening experience with solid piano-led backing and churchy backing vocals. Vern’s relative lack of commercial success at this time was countered by the respect of his peers and the industry. He may have been in his fifties and have enjoyed a relatively low-level career to date, but he was soon to get a new opportunity with Columbia. Time Stood Still has been overlooked as it produced no big hits, and is overshadowed by its successor, which was to bring Vern an unexpected late career boost and some of the finest country music ever recorded. However, on its own merits there is some great stuff here. It was re-released on American Harvest and later on Vern’s own VGM Records in 1998, so is easy to find. Album Reviews, Retro Reviews, Spotlight Artist Beverly Gosdin, Buddy Cannon, Edward Morris, Janie Fricke, Max D Barnes, Rayburn Anthony, Robert John Jones, The Kendalls, Tim Krekel, Vern Gosdin, Vince Gill

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Phoenix Mercury vs Washington Mystics - July 30, 2019 Recap Mercury Mercury 10-9 July 30, 2019 - Final Mystics Mystics 13-6 Mercury 13 25 23 32 93 Mystics 21 27 30 21 99 Delle Donne Griner Mercury-Mystics Preview The Phoenix Mercury have every reason to be optimistic coming out of the All-Star break considering they closed out the first half of the season with three straight victories. Those good vibes, though, will be immediately challenged Tuesday night when they open a difficult two-game road swing against the Washington Mystics. The Mercury (10-8) have played all but one game without the league's all-time leading scorer Diana Taurasi, whose return from a back injury is not expected any time soon. All-Stars Brittney Griner and DeWanna Bonner have shouldered the offensive load for Phoenix, ranking first and second in the WNBA in scoring at 19.1 and 18.7 points per game, respectively. Add a much-improved defense which is tied with Seattle for the fewest points allowed per game (73.4), and it is clear why the Mercury see their glass as half-full. "We kind of hang our hats on our defense right now, especially when the ball isn't going in the basket," Bonner told The Athletic after heading into the break on a 95-77 win over Indiana. "(Tuesday) we did both, and some people needed to see that as a confidence builder. When we do both we're a pretty dangerous team, and I think everybody sees that and everybody knows that, but we'll take this one. "We'll take these last three wins. They were a grind, but it was a lot of fun." The Mercury - who will wrap up this trip Thursday at Connecticut - can also draw strength from their first trip to the nation's capital, storming to a 91-68 victory as Griner had 25 points and eight rebounds while Bonner contributed 22 points, seven rebounds and five assists. Phoenix pulled away in the second half by holding Washington to 24 points, including 10 in the fourth quarter. Elena Delle Donne did not play in that game for the Mystics (12-6) due to a nasal fracture, but the All-Star captain powered Washington to a three-game winning streak into the break upon her return. She averaged 22.3 points and 9.3 rebounds in that run to help Washington move one-half game behind Connecticut and Las Vegas for the league's best record. Delle Donne also reached 3,500 points in her 176th game, the second-fastest in league history and just behind Taurasi (174) in Wednesday's 79-71 victory over Minnesota. She credited a workout session with her father in regaining her shooting touch and has averaged 18.6 points on 52 percent shooting in her last nine games. "I needed to get my mechanics back," said Delle Donne, whose season average of 17.1 points ranks fifth in the league, to The Washington Post. "My dad has taught me how to shoot my whole life from when I was 5 years old, and there's nobody that knows my shot better than him." Washington continues to pace the WNBA offensively, averaging league bests of 83.7 points and 8.4 3-pointers. Fellow All-Star Kristi Toliver, who had a season-best 32 points in the win over the Lynx, has averaged 17.0 points and 6.5 assists in her last four games. One player the Mystics are counting on to help balance their scoring is forward Emma Meeseman, who has played just seven games this season due to representing Belgium in the EuroBasket tournament. Meeseman, who did not play in the loss to the Mercury earlier this month, scored in double figures in her first five games but had a combined four in the last two. More from WNBA Elena Delle Donne has herniated disk in back How will Elena Delle Donne's injury impact rest of WNBA Finals? EDD injured, Jonquel Jones shines as Sun even series Elena Delle Donne exits Game 2 with back spasms Elena Delle Donne Q&A: On the WNBA Finals, her MVP season

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Wizards Unite in Overlooking Ingress November 18, 2017 | By Paul Mackenzie Ross | Filed in: games. One latest buzz doing the rounds is the news that a new game, Harry Potter Wizards Unite, is in the making. The difference with this one is that it is not just a mobile game but an Augmented Reality (AR) game. If you don’t know what an AR game is then here’s a quick rundown. AR uses your geographical location as part of the play. So, if you have to be within 50 metres of a specific location in order to perform a game task then you have to get up off your arse and go there. For example; in the AR game Ingress, the world map is dotted with features called “portals”. Players have to interact with these portals in order to win them for their team, take them off the enemy and interact with them to “hack” for new kit that they will require during game-play or to link portals together, triangulating them to build fields over populated areas and win points for themselves and their team. Does that sound a bit complicated and jargon filled? Well yes it is. And no. When I first started playing Ingress nearly four years ago it was a lot to take in. But you soon get the hang of it and here I am still playing it on a daily basis. Pokémon Go is the same concept. In fact, it’s the same platform (as Ingress). The details are different but the game relies on you being at a particular place in order to, again, acquire kit but also to battle monsters. One reward of AR games is that you score points and win awards for the amount of ground you’ve covered. So, in nearly four years of Ingress gaming, I’ve walked and cycled nearly 2,500km. Some of my friends have already done that in less time. But the idea is that it gets bums off couches. Another in-game reward, in both Ingress and Pokémon Go, is earning awards for the number of different places you go to. So, AR games encourage people to get up, go out and explore. Pokémon Go was released in July 2016 so there were millions of people out on the streets and in parks across the world playing this crazy new AR game at the time. With Harry Potter Wizards Unite, we’ll probably see a very similar style of gameplay. After all, it is being developed by Niantic Labs, an independent games lab and former Google offshoot. And the reason I titled this blog post Wizards Unite in Overlooking Ingress is that in the articles about the upcoming game title that I’ve seen so far, they all mention Niantic and Pokémon Go. Talking about Pokémon Go is fine because it was and still is a worldwide phenomenon. But having played Ingress for over two years years before PG was launched, the populist journalism I’ve read so far really does overlook Ingress’ contribution to the new game here. The main issue is that every gym and poké stop in PG is in the same location as a portal that exists in the Ingress world. Those portals were user-submitted by us Ingress players and the photographs we took of them are also used in PG. So we made the map, we laid out the landscape and Niantic used the User-Generated Content (UGC) for both games. The location of all those portals is the fundamental basis of gameplay in both Ingress and Pokémon Go, so to talk about the forthcoming Wizards Unite without mentioning Ingress does a huge disservice to a cult game that laid the groundwork for both PG and HPWU. It’s OK, I don’t mind, I just believe in credit where credit’s due. Niantic have done a great job and so have all the millions of players worldwide who have contributed too, both in terms of gameplay, feedback and even financial contributions. Yes, you can download and play for free but there are things you can do in both AR games that require payment too. So, I wish journos would do a better job of looking into the history of this latest upcoming AR game’s path and not just go back to Pokémon Go but head back another couple of years to where this development really started. I’m sure Harry Potter Wizards Unite will be a roaring success. I’m really looking forward to the team play aspect. In Ingress we belong to one of two warring factions; The Enlightened and The Resistance, the green and blue teams respectively. In PG we are one of three teams; Instinct, Mystic and Valo(u)r. Yes, they sound like teams from The Apprentice. But as any fan of JK Rowling’s universe knows, we have four wizarding houses at Hogwarts to be represented; Griffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravensclaw and Slytherin. Will we be able to choose which house we play for or will there be a Sorting Hat? I’ve also read that, as well as battle mythical beasts, probably at Key Ports based on our portal and pokestop/gym locations, we’ll be able to cast spells too! I’m hoping that this aspect alone will add a great new dimension to gameplay but then we do have to bear in mind that as well as us more mature players, we’ll have many kids playing too, so it can’t be too complicated. I’m looking forward to the new Harry Potter game, I’m sure, with the backing of Warner Brothers massive clout and resources, we’ll see a fantastic new development that will bring new players in and create yet another long moment of human unity across the globe. Even better, is that I hope that Niantic look after the Ingress ecosystem better and bring some innovations in. PG has had new monsters added to the Pokedex, on at least a couple of occasions. They’ve also had the recent weather aspects added, meaning that more of certain type of monster appears when it’s raining, cloudy, windy etc. By comparison Ingress has seen little obvious improvement. There have been anti-spoofing measures and they reintroduced portal submissions and the seer badge. But these were necessary and aren’t nearly as much of an evolution as we see in PG. I’ve no doubt HPWU will have the same demands and updates that we see in PG. So please, Niantic, let’s see some love for Ingress and it’s loyal contingent. We helped you build the system to what it is today and allowed you to expand into populist territories to your great credit. But let’s have some new levels, new weapons, new mods, maybe even a new faction or two. Tags: AR, Augmented Reality, Harry Potter, Ingress, Niantic, Pokémon Go, Wizards Unite « Go See Blade Runner 2049 Ready Player One: The References »

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Susanne Yelin Quantum optics is my main research interest, that is, quantum coherence and interference effects in the interaction if light with atoms or solid state materials. Our recent investigation of information storage and transfer between light and matter (“light stopping”) leads to the present studies on implementing similar quantum and nonlinear techniques in gases and semiconductor nano-structures, such as quantum wells, quantum dots, and excitons. In related work, we study the effects of optically very dense media on a light field. We are interested in complex problems such as super- and subradiance using a novel formalism. We are also working on the theoretical part of a project creating a quantum cryptographical multi-user fiber setup, employing a novel time-frequency coding technique. Ph.D. (Dr.rer.nat.), Physics, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universitaet Muenchen, Germany 1998 M.Sc. (Diplom), Physics, University of Stuttgart, Germany 1994 2010-present: Senior Research Associate, Department of Physics, Harvard University 2002-present: Professor, Department of Physics, University of Connecticut 1999-2002: Postdoctoral Fellow, Institute for Theoretical Atomic, Molecular, and Optical Physics, Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics 1998-1999: Postdoctoral Fellow, Research Laboratory of Electronics, MIT 1994-1998: Research Assistant, Department of Physics, Texas A&M University 2013 Willis E. Lamb Award for Laser Science and Quantum Optics 2009 Visiting Professor, Max-Planck-Institute for Quantum Optics, Munich, Germany 2009-2011 Member, Editorial Board, Physical Review A 2009 Program committee for Division of Atomic, Molecular, and Optical Physics of the American Physics Society 1999-2000 Feodor Lynen Fellowship from the Alexander von Humboldt-Foundation 1997-1998 Doctoral Fellowship from German Scholarship Foundation susanne.yelin@uconn.edu Dept. of Physics, University of Connecticut unit 3046, 196 Auditorium Road, Storrs, CT 06269-3046

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Mumbai’s Bandra Station Is The 7th Cleanest Railway Station In India Bandra Terminus in suburban Mumbai has been adjudged the seventh cleanest railway station in a survey that covered 407 stations across the country. Bandra Terminus, which comes under the Western Railway, is the only station from Mumbai to feature in the top 10 list of the ‘Swachh Rail-Swachch Bharat Survey’, result of which was released on Monday. The survey ranked cleanliness position of 407 stations across the country. According to the survey, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT) Mumbai stood at 13 position, Mumbai Central at 40, Dadar (Central Railway) at 49, Thane at 57 and Kalyan was ranked 74. A senior official of the Western Railway expressed happiness over Bandra Terminus’s ranking and said efforts will be made to improve its position and that of other stations in the next round of the survey. “For the second consecutive year, we (the WR) have bagged the fifth spot among 16 zonal railways,” he said. Though none of the Central Railway’s (CR) stations could make it to the top 10, a few of them made quantum jump in ranking. According to the survey, CSMT Mumbai’s ranking improved to 13 from last year’s 44, while Dadar jumped to 49th position from 70 a year ago. A CR spokesperson said, “The performance of CR stations in the survey has been impressive because we took sustained efforts to ensure their cleanliness.” According to the survey conducted by the IRCTC, Jodhpur secured the first spot followed by Jaipur and Tirupati stations at second and third spots, respectively. Category: Indian Railways News Previous Post: Hyderabad Woman’s Body, Wrapped In A Bag, Dumped Outside Railway Station Next Post: Girl Found Dead In Railway Station In Jharkhand, Villagers Protest

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Comm Center Send an Anonymous Tip Back to County Site Warrant Arrest January 16, 2020 by lynn On 1/15/2020 at 8:30 p.m., The Palo Alto County Sheriff’s Office served an arrest warrant on Troy Dean Petersen, age 22 of Graettinger, on a valid Palo Alto County warrant charging him with: On-Going Criminal Activity (Unlawful Activity), Forgery, Identity Theft (under $1500) and Theft 3rd Degree. Petersen was transferred from the custody of the Milford Police Department to the Palo Alto County Sheriff’s Office where he was transported to the Palo Alto County Jail and held until his initial appearance before a magistrate judge. A criminal charge is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law. On 01/15/2020 at 11:30 a.m. the Palo Alto County Sheriff’s Office arrested Matthew Wayne Van Maanen, 37, of Ruthven on a valid Palo Alto County Mittimus. The mittimus requires that Van Maanen serve 48 hours in the Palo Alto County Jail following a conviction for Domestic Abuse Assault causing bodily injury, a serious misdemeanor. On 1-14-2020 at 12:48 p.m., the Palo Alto County Sheriff’s Office served a Probation Revocation warrant on Joanie C Simms, age 26 from Algona. The original charge was Possession of Controled Substance, 2nd Offense. Simms was able to post the $2,000.00 cash/surety bond and was released. Additional Charges Pursuant to a search warrant investigation on 1/10/20, the Palo Alto County Sheriff’s Office charged Travis William Roberts (32) of Rodman with an additional charge of Dominion/Control of Firearm by Domestic Abuse Offender, a Class D Felony. Roberts was served the arrest warrant while in jail on the previous charges and awaits his initial appearance for the new charge. On January 13, 2020, at 11:28 p.m., the Palo Alto County Sheriff’s Office received a report of a single vehicle accident at the intersection of N-28 and Highway 18. Upon investigation it was determined a 2004 Ford Excursion owned by Mosquito Park Enterprises LLC, operated by Jonathon Collins (32) of Milford, IA., was northbound on N-28 approaching the stop sign intersecting with Highway 18. The Ford was pulling a 29-foot boat and trailer when Collins lost control. The Ford slid across the southbound lane and entered the west ditch which caused the trailer to jackknife causing an estimated $25,000 in damage to the Ford and Sea Ray Boat. No injuries were reported at the scene. Collins was issued a citation for failure to reduce speed to reasonable and proper rate. On Monday, January 13, 2020, at 5:00 pm, the Palo Alto County Sheriff’s Office arrested Christopher Hamre (52), of Wallingford, on a valid Palo Alto County warrant for violation of a no contact order, which is a simple misdemeanor. Bond was set in the amount of $500.00 cash only. Hamre was transported, without incident, to the Palo Alto County Jail. Hamre was able to post bond and was subsequently released and given a court date to appear at a later date. On Monday, January 13, 2020, at 03:45 pm, the Palo Alto County Sheriff’s Office arrested Aaron Krusen (31) of Mallard on a valid Palo Alto County warrant for violation of a no contact order, which is a simple misdemeanor. Bond was set in the amount of $500.00 cash only. Krusen was transported, without incident, to the Palo Alto County Jail. Krusen was able to post bond and was subsequently released from jail and provided a court date to appear at a later date. Single Vehicle Accident On 1/13/2020 at 5:11 a.m., the Palo Alto County Sheriff’s Office investigated a vehicle accident which occurred in the 4100 block of 460th Avenue. According to the investigation, a 2009 Chevy Cobalt, owned and driven by Troy Joseph Satern, age 48 of Emmetsburg, was traveling south on 460th Avenue. Satern failed to maintain control of his vehicle, crossed the centerline of the undivided highway and entered the east ditch. The Satern vehicle sustained an estimated $500.00 worth of damages. There were no reported injuries as a result of the accident. Satern was issued a citation for failure to maintain control. Car Deer Accident On 1/13/2020 at 4:14 a.m., The Palo Alto County Sheriff’s Office investigated a single vehicle deer accident which occurred in the 5200 block of 370th St. According to the investigation, a 2009 Chevy Equinox owned by David Hatch and driven by Kristine Marie Frerichs, age 39 of Emmetsburg, was traveling east on 370th Street. when a deer emerged from the south ditch and struck the Hatch vehicle. The Chevy sustained $3500.00 in damages. There were no reported injuries as a result of the collision. No-Contact Order Violation On 01/12/2020 the Palo Alto County Sheriff’s Office was called to the 300 block of South St. in Mallard, IA to the report of a violation of a no contact order. Upon investigation Aaron Krusen (31) of Mallard was placed under arrest for violating a no contact order. Aaron was transported without incident to the Palo Alto County Jail where he was booked in to await his appearance before a judge. Website by Blue Lake Websites

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SAN ISIDRO PARKING San Isidro Car Park History Parking San Isidro was founded in December 1987. Its founder José Vázquez started up his wonderful venture, considered a madness by some, in his own house, turning one of the rooms into an office and working alone along with his family 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. With effort and dedication, the business grew from strength to strength. In 1998, after 11 years running the business from home, he decided to move to a much larger premises more than 10,000 m2 in size. During this time the business’s customer base was expanding and it ultimately became the principal car park in the area, employing 12 staff. Rumours began to circulate about a compulsory purchase by Malaga Airport and this eventually took place in 2008, which caused the owner and his family to consider whether they should continue with the business in another location or close down after 21 years. However, they retained their energy and drive thanks to the excellent customer base built up over the years. Ultimately, it was decided that Parking San Isidro would move to Comandante García Morato Avenue, the main access road to Malaga Airport. After a couple of relocation years where the company endured high rents and other insecurities, Parking San Isidro succeeded in creating a space for itself in this sought-after area, acquiring a small parking company that would eventually provide consolidation for parking in the area. All this was possible thanks to the workers and thousands of loyal customers who retained their faith in this company which, after all these years, is still a family business. Now, 30 years later, José Vázquez Pino can look on with pride at how the next generation is carrying on his vision and bringing innovation through new technology, adapting the business to the modern world with the same energy and enthusiasm with which he began his great venture/madness 30 years ago. We would like to conclude by thanking every single customer who started and who continue with us, allowing us to grow, improve and learn. As a British writer once said, “the adventures may be mad, but the adventurers must be sane”. Are you looking for parking where you can leave your car during a long stay? Do you regularly use a car park near Malaga Airport and the daily prices are not profitable? Parking San Isidro has the solution! For those customers who need to leave their car in a long-stay car park, or who use their car regularly, we offer 6 and 12-month contracts with a fixed price.

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All posts tagged Abdera Chronicle 17*. “We Don’t Need No Thought Control!” Posted in: Once Upon a... Wave. Tagged: 1984, Abdera, Academy of Gundishapur, Actia, Aegae, Aeolipile, Agathias, Alexander, Alexander’s tomb, Alexandre Grandazzi, Alexandria, Alexandros Giannios, Ambrose, Ammianus Marcellinus, Amun, Anatolia, Andalusia, Andrew Chugg, Andy Warhol, Antioch, Aphrodite, Apollo, Arabic, Archimedes, Archipelago, Arianism, Aristarchus, Artemis, Artemius, Asia Minor, Athanasius, Athena, Athos, Atomism, Augustus, Babylon, Baghdad, Basilica, Bernat Martorell, Big Brother, Burning of books and burying of scholars, Byzantine Empire, Caesareum of Alexandria, Cairo, Caligula, Cappadocia, Caracalla, Carl Sagan, Carthage, Censorship, Charlatan, Charles Darwin, Charles William Mitchell, Chi Rho, China, Christianization, Cilicia, Classics of Poetry and History, Cleopatra, Codex Justinianus, Colonialism, Common Era, Concentration camp, Conformism, Constantine, Constantinople, Constantius, Copts, Crimes against humanity, Crusades, Ctesibius, Ctesiphon, Cyril, Declaration of Human Rights, Delphi, Democritus, Diocletian, Diocletianic persecution, Diodorus, Dion, Doctor of the Church, Doge, Dogma, Donatus, Dorotheus, Edessa, Edict of Milan, Edward Gibbon, Eleusinian mysteries, Eleusis, Ephesus, Epicurus, Epiphanius, Eratosthenes, Etruscan, Euclid, Eugène Delacroix, Eunapius, Eusebius, Eutychius, Excommunication, Freedom of religion, Freedom of speech, Freedom of thought, Gaea, Galerius, Gaul, Gaza, Gentile, Geocentric, George, George Orwell, George Sandys, Georgius, Germanic, Geta, Greek military junta of 1967–1974, Greeks, Gundeshapur, Hagiography, Harran, Helena, Heliocentrism, Hellenes, Hellenism, Hellenistic period, Henosis, Hero, Hipparchus, Hippodrome, Holy Land, Holy See, Holy Sepulchre, House of Wisdom, Human capital flight, Hydraulis, Hypatia, Iamblichus, Iberia, Ideology, Inquisition, Isis, Isthmian Games, Jerusalem, Jews, John Chrysostom, John Malalas, John of Ephesus, John Toland, Jovian, Julian, Julius Caesar, Justinian, Khosrow, Labarum, Leo Africanus, Levant, Libanius, Library of Alexandria, Library of Antioch, Lydda, Macedonia, Marc Antony, Mark the Evangelist, Martin of Tours, Mary, Massacre of Thessalonica, Materia medica, Mausoleum, Maximus, Mesopotamia, Michales Loukovikas, Milan, Mithraeum, Mithraism, Mohammedan, Monotheism, Muhammad, Musaeum, Muse, Mysteries, Mysticism, Napoleon, Natural selection, Neoplatonism, Nestorianism, Nusaybin, Obscurantism, Octavian Augustus, Olympia, Olympian Games, Olympians, Omphalos, Orestes, Oribasius, Origen, Orthodox Church, Ostraka, Paganism, Pahlavi, Palestine, Palimpsest, Pan, Paphlagonia, Parallel Lives, Parthenon, Paul, Pax Romana, Pedanius Dioscorides, Periplus, Persecution of Christians, Philip, Philostorgius, Pierre Peytier, Pink Floyd, Pipe organ, Plato, Platonic Academy, Pneumatics, Pompey, Pompey's Pillar, Prince of Darkness, Ptolemy Philopator, Ptolemy Soter, Pythia, Pythian Games, Qin, Raphael, Reader Peter, Roger Waters, Roman Empire, Rome, Rudolf Steiner, Salamis, Sassanids, Schism, School of Athens, School of Nisibis, Scythopolis, Serapeum, Serapis, Severus, Simonides, Simplicius, Siwa, Socrates Scholasticus, Sopater, Sophist, Sozomen, St Mark, Sturmabteilung, Sufism, Sulla, Syriac language, Tenochtitlan, The Wall, Theodoret, Theodosius, Theophanes of Byzantium, Theophilus, Thessalonica, Theurgy, Thrace, Upper Mesopotamia, Valens, Valentinian, Venice, Vergina, Witch-hunt, Zeno, Zeus. Leave a comment Chronicle 7*. “We Don’t Need No Thought Control”… /ΕΛΛΗΝΙΚΑ/ Χρονικό 7*. “We Don’t Need No Thought Control”… ● Big Brother ● “Burning Books, Burying Scholars” ● Hellenic Genocide by Christians ● Massacre of Thessalonica ● Delphi in Ruins ● Libraries Burned ● Alexander’s Desecration ● Hypatia’s Assassination ● Crusades ● Colonialism and Slave Trade ● American Indian Genocide by Michales Loukovikas “WE DON’T NEED NO THOUGHT [OR SPEECH] CONTROL”… “In the early Middle Ages, in the time of Valens, Valentinian and Theodosius, there was a genuine ‘Inquisition’ established in the East, whose atrocities, persecutions and massacres were in no way inferior to those of the Spanish Inquisitors, who just persecuted people for sinister faith, while the Orthodox ‘penalizers’ in the East intended to eliminate en masse anyone who was Hellenizing or philosophizing on the face of the earth.” (Emmanuel Rhoides) NATURAL SELECTION, Charles Darwin’s revolutionary evolutionary theory, already a cornerstone of biology, does not apply to man-made creations which are instead “artificially selected” (censored), on the basis of ideological prejudice against non-conformist ideas. It seems that Big Brother has been omnipresent long before George Orwell’s 1984, burning not only libraries and books, but on many occasions the authors themselves, while “purifying” society and rewriting “history”. The motives of such crimes against humanity are rarely outright politico-economical; as a rule, they are disguised behind a religious mask – especially when this religion is monotheistic, that is, antagonistic to the other religions, authoritarian and, of course, power-hungry. Note that, among the monotheistic religions, Christianism is the unchallenged champion of such crimes. Here is a short list of the first phase: “Βurning of books and burying of scholars”: late dynastic painting The “burning of books and burying of scholars” campaign (213–210 BCE) during the Qin Dynasty of ancient China epitomizes this “war against freedom of thought and speech” that is still raging: all Chronicles except those by the Qin historians, the Classics of Poetry and History, and works of different schools, should be burned; and anyone discussing these books be executed. More than 460 scholars, or almost 1200 according to another count, were buried alive. Soon the campaign led to revolutions and war resulting to further damages of historical texts: the capital was sacked and burned in 207 BCE destroying also the officially sanctioned works which had been retained in the imperial library. Epicurus’ book Established beliefs was burned in a Paphlagonian marketplace by order of a charlatan prophet (ca 160 CE). It was a first glimpse of what would follow as soon as the charlatans climbed to the highest echelons of power… The Edict of Milan on Freedom of Religion, which Constantine the “Great” and “Saint” adopted in 313, was introduced to protect the Christians, but as it turned out it seems it concerned only them! Following Galerius’ initiative, who had adopted similar measures two years before, the emperor aimed at consolidating peace (Pax Romana) within the empire, something that had not been achieved through the persecution of Christians. But he was rather a… mama’s boy (his mother, Helena, was a fanatical Christian). Therefore, instead of imposing the strict implementation of religious freedom, he was anything but impartial: e.g. the ancient gods on his coinage were replaced by Christian symbols, especially the XP monogram, which he had also on his labarum. Thus it was obvious the persecutions would go on; there was just a change of roles: the formerly persecuted were now the persecutors. It was also obvious the new persecutions would be much more brutal and bloody, widespread and long-lasting (lasting for centuries), for the simple reason that the Christian leaders, who found themselves in a dominant position, confronted the vast majority of the empire’s subjects who remained faithful to their traditional gods. Besides, it was even more ironic that the persecutions were further multiplied because, as soon as the Christian priesthood was legalized, infighting broke out! As early as 313, the year of the edict, until 317, bishops threw brickbats against bishops in Carthage until they asked for Constantine’s arbitration. There were three ecclesiastical councils and two trials before one faction (that of Donatus) was judged schismatic, with the result that its property was confiscated and the clergy banished. In 325-326 the emperor ordered a temple of Aphrodite in Jerusalem to be demolished for the construction of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre there. In the meantime, all the Hellenic sanctuaries on Athos were destroyed, while in the following years, more ancient temples were burned and torn down, and Christian churches erected on the ruins. Due to poor harvesting in 335, dozens of gentiles (pagans) were executed as they were thought to be sorcerers of the evil; among them was the philosopher Sopater of Apamea, a disciple of the Neoplatonist Iamblichus, despite the favour and personal friendship of Constantine he had enjoyed. According to the Greek historian and sophist Eunapius, the emperor was convinced by some adviser that the pagan philosopher had detained by magical arts a fleet laden with grain! The serpent of Christian obscurantism had been hatched… Constantine’s son, Constantius II, proceeded further and constructed a concentration camp in Scythopolis, Palestine, where Hellenes,(a) other gentiles and those who were thought to be “enemies” of the empire, singled out by vile royal counselors, were tortured and killed. Relevant information is given by the Greek gentile historian Ammianus Marcellinus. (a) A Hellene for the early Christian Church was a gentile, a pagan; the word retained that meaning until the end of the millennium. The Greeks distinguished themselves from the others according to cultural standards; the Jews did so according to religious standards. It is more than obvious what the ideals of each people were and what their particular contribution to civilization. In his Epistles, Paul (Saul) uses Hellene almost always juxtaposed to Hebrew, and in disregard of all other ethnicities (Romans, Syrians, Egyptians, etc) living in the area at the time. It is more than obvious who he considered an enemy! Another “softer” interpretation is that a Hellene for him was a polytheist, while a Hebrew was a monotheist. Note that a gentile is first of all a non-Jew (not a non-Christian). The name Hellene meaning pagan has persisted into modern times. Many persons advocating a revival of the Olympian gods’ worship call themselves Hellenic Polytheists, while the religion is called Hellenismos. Such persons outside of Greece are careful not to imply that they consider themselves Greek nationals. Victory column of Diocletian (it is wrongly referred to as Pompey’s pillar) erected at the Serapeum of Alexandria in 297 CE after suppressing a revolt in Egypt. It’s a granite monolith 20.46 m high, with a total height of 26.85 m. Ammianus is said to have attributed the idea of establishing the concentration camp to Georgius of Cappadocia, bishop of Alexandria, whose end was as bad as his life, as soon as Julian, the “Philosopher” or “Apostate” (depending on the religious outlook that reveals the priorities of each creed) ascended the throne. The last Roman Emperor who rejected Christianism, promoting Neoplatonic Hellenism instead, was a complex personality: “military commander, theosophist, social reformer, and man of letters.” However, he could not bring his work to an end for he was killed in battle before he completed three years in power (“a work of God,” the blissful Christians would say, praising the “Lord”). As for Georgius, according to Julian himself, Ammianus, as well as Christian historians (e.g. Sozomenus, Theodoret, and Socrates Scholasticus of Constantinople): “… he manifested his anti-pagan zeal in excess with arbitrary acts and insulting speeches, exacting onerous taxes, procuring the banishment of Zeno, a prominent pagan physician, preventing the pagans from offering sacrifices and celebrating their gentile feasts, and bringing Artemius, duke of Egypt, whom the Alexandrians dreaded, for he was much given to the destruction of idols: he invaded with an armed force into the superb temple of Serapis [Serapeum], which was forthwith stripped of images, votive offerings, and ornaments… The news of Julian’s accession arrived at Alexandria on November 30, 361. Georgius was at the height of his pride and power: he had persecuted and mocked the pagans, who now… felt that the gods could at last be avenged”… He was thrown into prison with two others who had overthrown a pagan altar; but “in the morning of December 24, the pagan mob again assembled, dragged them forth with horrible shouts of triumph, and kicked them to death.” Then they led the bodies through every part of the city and “eventually burned the remains on the shore, casting the ashes into the sea.” Alexandria, the glorious centre of Hellenistic civilization, sank gradually into the abyss… St. George Killing the Dragon, by Bernat Martorell (1434-35) But who was that “duke of Egypt”, Artemius? According to the Orthodox Church, he was none other than the “martyr” and “saint” Artemius of Antioch, where he was tried and beheaded in 362 for abuse of power and maladministration of his province, having demolished temples and broken down their idols – on his own will or instigated by Georgius. The Church apparently felt that his work was god-blessed… Indeed, it may be that in Julian’s years the “saint martyrs” were two: Artemius and Georgius. Some scholars, you see, such as the English historian Edward Gibbon, identify George of Cappadocia, the bishop, with… George of Lydda, the “saint”! The former was an Arian (i.e. heretic), therefore a “black sheep”. The latter, on the contrary, was the hero of a legend that, in several variations, fascinated even the Muslims. That’s why he should be preserved. The disinformation operation was thus put into motion (keep in mind that what information we have now has passed through… a thousand censoring “sieves”)! George the “saint” was supposedly martyred in 303 during the Diocletianic persecution. The technology of the era, however, did not allow a non-existent person to acquire flesh and bone. That’s why we know nothing about the “saint”, nor is there any proof that he ever existed. Whatever we know is according to… tradition. The oldest text referring to the legend, but without naming George and with no details, is Eusebius’ Church History in the 4th century. The oldest text preserving fragments of the legend is in a Greek hagiography, a palimpsest of the 5th century. His compiler, however, just like Gibbon, also identifies the martyr with his namesake bishop! The Christian emperor Jovian, who was given the “purple” (the crown, as they used to say of later kings) in 363 due to a misunderstanding, reestablished Christianism as the official religion, ending the brief revival of paganism under his predecessor, Julian. Being under the influence of “saint” Athanasius of Alexandria, he moved from tolerance to bigotry “as if by magic”, subjecting those who worshiped ancestral gods to death and ordering the Library of Antioch to be burned down. But he was unable to complete his “mission”: he died (or was killed) half a year later. This task would be undertaken in a while by Theodosius I. The “witch-hunt”, in the meantime, continued with even greater intensity after Julian’s short reign (361-363): Hellenic philosophical and scientific treatises were burned in public, while hundreds of Greeks or other gentiles accused of sorcery were being pilloried, imprisoned, tortured, executed, and their properties were confiscated. Among them was another philosopher, Simonides, who was burned alive. Such accusations of sorcery arose from the practice of theurgy, performed by several Neoplatonic philosophers. It is “man’s conscious participation in the divine work,” which is accomplished by rituals invoking god or gods with the goal of achieving henosis (union with the divine) and perfecting oneself – what the mystics are after so far, e.g. the Sufis, with music and poetry, singing and dancing. Julian’s instructor in philosophy and theurgy, Maximus, was accused in 364 of causing a lengthy illness in the new emperors Valentinian and Valens, but was acquitted due to lack of evidence. However, in 365-366 he was again arrested for illegitimate enrichment. A heavy fine was imposed and he was tortured because he was not able to pay. Around 370, his name was implicated in some rumours about an oracle on who the next emperor would be. Valens reacted unleashing a massacre, and thus made himself detestable to his subjects. Maximus was tortured and beheaded in 372 although, according to Eunapius, he had no involvement in this plot. Omphalos of Gaea (navel of the Earth): Delphi with the Temple of Apollo (reconstruction) Another case of a “miraculous” metamorphosis was Theodosius. His policy of tolerance in the beginning of his reign (379–395) gave way to bigotry. The turning point was probably the order to his troops to commit the abominable massacre of Thessalonica in 390, slaughtering at least 7,000 citizens in the Hippodrome, after they had rebelled against his Germanic mercenary garrison (see Chronicle 3). Ambrose, the archbishop of Milan, was quick to capitalize on this opportunity: he excommunicated Theodosius and thereby turned him into his obedient instrument. The emperor submitted himself completely to the Church and agreed to do public penance, promising to adopt a new role as the champion of the Christian faith. The result was the so-called “Theodosian decrees”, breaking up pagan institutions and destroying their temples. The first act of his “penance” was perhaps the ruination of the Temple of Apollo and most of the statues and works of art in Delphi in the name of Christianism in the same year (390).(b) The sacred site was completely destroyed by Christian zealots in an attempt to obliterate all traces of paganism, which was already proscribed, a “religio illicit”: gentiles would be sought out by Christian informers, brought to court and in many cases executed. This “war on the infidels” was transferred to Alexandria the next year. (b) In fact, Delphi was already in a desolate state, with its treasures plundered and shattered: Oribasius, Julian’s personal physician, visited the oracle in 362 on behalf of the emperor, receiving one of Pythia’s last ‘prophecies’, according to the Christian historian Philostorgius: Tell the emperor, the splendid hall fell to the ground. Phoebus no longer has a house, nor the prophesying laurel, nor the speaking spring; the speaking water evaporated as well. A scholar on a sarcophagus, 180-200 CE In 391 the enormous Serapeum together with what was left out of the Great Library of Alexandria were looted and burned by troops and Christian fanatics, at the decrees of Theodosius and the archbishop Theophilus, whom Edward Gibbon describes in The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire as “the perpetual enemy of peace and virtue, a bold, bad man, whose hands were alternately polluted with gold and with blood.” Theophilus had discovered a hidden temple of gentiles and, together with his followers, mockingly displayed their sacred artifacts offending them enough to provoke an attack on the Christians. The latter counter-attacked, forcing the gentiles to retreat to the Serapeum. Theodosius gave Theophilus the go-ahead to destroy, and just asked him to avoid another massacre. The contemporary Christian historiographer, Socrates of Constantinople, states in his Ecclesiastical History that Theophilus “caused the Mithraeum to be cleaned out… Then he destroyed the Serapeum… The heathen temples… were therefore razed to the ground, and the images of their gods molten into pots and other convenient utensils for the use of the Alexandrian church.” The temples that were thus demolished could be declared “abandoned”, as the archbishop immediately noted in applying for permission to convert them into Christian churches – an act that must have received general sanction, for cave-like mithraea turned into crypts and temples forming the foundations of 5th century churches appear throughout the Roman Empire. (Note that we know almost nothing about Mithraism, a religion contemporary with – and rival of – Christianism, practiced from about the 1st to 4th centuries CE). Standing triumphantly among the ruins, Theophilus looked around in search of his next victim, turning against the followers of Origen and embarking on a paranoid campaign that killed 10,000 monks (the massacre was unavoidable, after all)… City plan of ancient Alexandria with the four flashpoints framed in red: the Museum and the Library, the Serapeum, and somewhere between the “Soma” of Alexander The destruction of the Serapeum was seen by many authors as representative of the triumph of Christianism over other religions (or the victory of a Jewish god over Hellenic, Roman, Egyptian, Persian, and other gods – hence other cultures); while that of the Library of Alexandria symbolized “knowledge and culture ruined”. The library held over 700,000 documents from Hellas, Egypt, Assyria, Persia, India, and many other countries, being part of a larger research institute, an ancient university, called the Musaeum (House of the Muses), where many of the most famous thinkers of the ancient world studied and worked, such as: Archimedes, the greatest genius of antiquity; Ctesibius, the father of pneumatics and inventor of the hydraulis or water organ, the precursor of the pipe organ; Euclid, the father of geometry; Hipparchus, the father of astronomy and founder of trigonometry; Hero, a follower of the Atomists, the father of mechanics and inventor of the first steam engine (aeolipile); Eratosthenes, who argued for a spherical earth and calculated its circumference, as well as the tilt of its axis, to near-accuracy; Aristarchus, who proposed the first heliocentric system of the universe. His case is an excellent example: his only extant work, On sizes and distances of the Sun and the Moon, is based on the geocentric model. The other book, where he proposed the alternative hypothesis of heliocentrism, is known only through citations by other scientists, such as Archimedes. Is this just a coincidence? Absolutely not! In Cyprus, “saint” Epiphanius, the bishop of Salamis, christianized gentiles en masse with the threat of slaughter and fire, destroying all sanctuaries. In 392, Theodosius banned the mysteries of Aphrodite. The next year, the emperor extended the ban to all Pan-Hellenic artistic and athletic festivals and games, such as the Olympian, Pythian and Isthmian, as well as the Roman Actia. Given the opportunity, the sanctuaries in Olympia were plundered. In 395, Christian atrocities spread all over Greece, including sites that were symbols – not only Olympia, but also Dion, Delphi (again), and Eleusis, where the ancient sanctuary was set to fire and all the priests were killed because they had tried to revive the Eleusinian Mysteries. Violence reigned supreme in the late 4th century with ancient temples destroyed and turned into Christian churches, their statues, altars, sanctuaries carried around and mocked in public before they were destroyed, gentile priests killed, and more libraries burned. Surviving texts describe this widespread catastrophe in the Orient and Occident, referring among others to: the destruction of holy sites that extended rapidly throughout Egypt; the leveling of all temples in Gaza; the destruction of temples and idols in Syria and in the area of Carthage; Martin of Tours’ attacks on holy sites in Gaul… Reconstruction of the procession carrying Alexander’s body based on Diodorus‘ description In this atmosphere of chaos and polarization, utmost decay and moral degradation, proclaimed as “the triumph of Christianity against idolatry”, the symbolism of a “Victorious Jesus” could in no way be overwhelming without the ‘defeat’ and ‘conquest’ of the invincible conqueror Alexander. The great king had died (probably poisoned) in Babylon in 323 BCE. His body was en route to Macedonia when it was hijacked by Ptolemy Soter for the prestige of having Alexander’s tomb in Egypt. The deceased, who had been declared “the son of Amun” by the god’s oracle at Siwa Oasis, asked shortly before his death to be buried there, in the temple of Zeus Amun, rather than alongside his actual father, Philip, at Aegae. Ptolemy Philopator built a magnificent mausoleum in Alexandria, inside a huge sacred precinct, known as Soma (Body), which became one of the most famous and sacred sanctuaries of the ancient world, for Alexander was worshiped as a god in the Macedonian and the Roman Empires – especially in the city he had founded, where he was like a patron. A large number of rulers and politicians, officers and officials, both Hellenes and Romans, paid their respects to Alexander visiting the mausoleum. Julius Caesar was the first Roman leader to go to the Soma, as a pilgrimage to the grave of his hero. Many others followed, from Augustus to Severus. However, the tomb was also looted by villains like Caligula, who removed the breastplate, and Caracalla, who took the tunic, ring, and belt in 215, while his troops were looting Alexandria for several days, slaughtering over 20,000 citizens, mainly young people, because of a satire produced in the city mocking his claims that he had killed his brother and co-emperor Geta in self-defense. The Library in its heyday… However, even during such a bloodbath and plunder, with the sole exception of those “pickpockets” wearing the imperial purple, there was no real threat to Alexander’s Soma. Such a threat appeared in the next century. Ammianus Marcellinus relates that bishop Georgius, passing by the Soma in 361, wondered aloud in front of the people of Alexandria about the great and magnificent temple of the city’s genius: “How long will this tomb stand?”, he asked. By genius Ammianus meant the tutelary deity of the city, i.e. Alexander. Shortly, “Georgius was killed for repeated acts of pointed outrage, insult, and pillage of the most sacred treasures of the city.” However, Georgius was not alone. In 391 Theodosius declared illegal the veneration of Alexander, as well, together with all the other pagan gods, and then, according to Alexandre Grandazzi’s Historia, “a violent Christian and anti-pagan riot exploded leading to the destruction of the great temple of Serapis, and possibly reached… the Soma: an allusion… in a speech by the orator Libanius indicates that the body was removed from the tomb to be exposed publicly for the last time.” It seems that the body was hijacked for a second time and buried in a Christian manner because, according to the new dogma, it was to be interred, while the preceding practice of entombment was thought to be idolatrous. Everything referring to paganism was then destroyed, while the burial of important, illustrious personages was no longer done in mausoleums but in Christian basilicas and underground. It is the time when the remains of Alexander “mysteriously” vanish. Already at the turn of the 4th and 5th centuries, John Chrysostom, another “enemy” of Theophilus, said in a sermon that the Macedonian king’s tomb was “unknown to his own people”, in other words, to the Alexandrian pagans, at that time. Some decades later Theodoret included Alexander in a list of famous men whose graves were lost.(c) Alexander the Great, several versions, by Andy Warhol (1982) (c) There are a couple of references to a mosque or tomb of Alexander in Arabic texts dating from the 9th and 10th centuries. They probably allude to a mosque that was reconstructed from ancient architectural elements in the 11th century, where the empty sarcophagus of Alexander was found by Napoleon’s forces in 1798. Leo Africanus, who visited Alexandria around 1517, wrote: “In the midst of the ruins of Alexandria, there still remains a small edifice, built like a chapel, worthy of notice on account of a remarkable tomb held in high honour by the Mohammedans; in which sepulchre, they assert, is preserved the body of Alexander the Great… An immense crowd of strangers come thither, even from distant countries, for the sake of worshipping and doing homage to the tomb, on which they likewise frequently bestow considerable donations.” George Sandys, who visited Alexandria in 1611, was shown a sepulchre there, venerated as Alexander’s resting place. Whatever the fate of the tomb that was “mysteriously” lost again, these testimonies constitute a double defeat on Christianism: a) Alexander’s veneration continued either with or even without his body, despite its desecration; b) a comparison between the two monotheistic religions on this issue ends up overwhelmingly against Christianism. Alexander the Great, mosaic, by Alexandros Giannios According to 21st century historians, among them Andrew Chugg, author of four books on Alexander, one entitled Alexander the Great, the Lost Tomb, there is a possibility that the embalmed body of the great Macedonian might be preserved in St Mark’s Basilica in Venice, where it has been mistakenly venerated as that of Mark the Evangelist! Mark had gone to Alexandria in 49 and founded the Church there, becoming its first bishop. However, there were Alexandrian pagans who resented his efforts to turn them away from the worship of their traditional gods. In 68 they placed a rope around his neck and dragged him through the streets until he was dead (the mobs, you see, were not a Christian invention: they have been an essential and indispensable “tool” of every ideology and doctrine). When two Venetian merchants brought the mummy from Muslim Alexandria to Venice in the 9th century, the doge ordered the so-called Chiesa d’Oro (Church of Gold) to be built next to his palace. The possession of a truly important relic would have serious political consequences. With a supposed evangelist on its territory, Venice acquired a status almost equal to that of Rome itself. During the construction of a new basilica in 1063, the relics “mysteriously” disappeared. According to tradition, “Mark” himself revealed the location of his remains in 1094 by extending his arm from a pillar to the doge of the time… Since 1811 this mummy rests in a crypt under the altar of the church inside a marble sarcophagus on which there are also several Macedonian symbols. Copts, on the contrary, believe that Mark’s head remains in a church named after him in Alexandria, parts of his relics are in St Mark’s Cairo Cathedral, and the rest are in Venice. Nevertheless, there is one “little” detail: early Christian writers such as Dorotheus, Eutychius, and the author of the Chronicón Paschale say that Mark’s body was burned by the pagans… A scientific study on these remains would reveal the secret of their origin. Radiocarbon dating would establish whether the body is old enough to match to that of Alexander. Likewise, it would be possible to reconstruct his facial features from the skull (wherever it is), and inspect the bones for signs of multiple injuries, particularly the one inflicted on Alexander’s chest when an arrow penetrated into his sternum… Do you really think there will be any Church officials who would ever allow such a study, putting at risk the Church’s history for History’s sake? Hypatia, by Charles William Mitchell, brutally murdered by a mob of fanatic monks inside the church that was… “Saint” Cyril’s headquarters! The Great Terror in Alexandria culminated in 415 with the brutal murder of the great philosopher, mathematician and astronomer Hypatia, “a most beautiful, most vertuous, most learned, and every way accomplish’d Lady; who was torn to pieces by the Clergy of Alexandria, to gratify the pride, emulation, and cruelty of their Archbishop, commonly, but undeservedly, stil’d St. Cyril”, according to the philosopher John Toland. The astronomer Carl Sagan linked Hypatia’s death with the demise of the celebrated library. The assassination, symbolizing the end of Alexandria as a centre of wisdom and scholarship, was instigated by Theophilus’ nephew and successor, Cyril, the so-called “pillar of faith”, proclaimed as a “doctor of the Church”, and also canonized as a… “saint” (of all Christian denominations, while his uncle has been treated as a “saint” only by the Copts). Emperor Theodosius II, instead, described Cyril as a “proud Pharaoh”. Waging a power struggle with Orestes, governor of Alexandria, Cyril agitated a mob of 500 monks – a “Sturmabteilung” of fanatics – possessed “by a fierce and bigoted zeal, whose ringleader was a reader [a minor cleric] named Peter”, Socrates Scholasticus testified. They “waylaid [Hypatia] returning home and, dragging her from her carriage, they took her to the church called Caesareum, where they completely stripped her, and then murdered her with ostraka [potsherds]. After tearing her body in pieces, they took her mangled limbs to a place called Cinaron, and there burnt them”… Of course, nothing was left from Hypatia’s writings. The Caesareum was not just like any other church: it was “Saint” Cyril’s headquarters! And, of course, it was not a church but an ancient temple that was “sanctified” at the end of the 4th century, when the Christians started appropriating the other religions’ property to obliterate all traces of them all around the world. The Caesareum was conceived by Cleopatra who wished to dedicate it to her lover, Marc Antony. It was finished by the man who “finished” them, Octavian Augustus, who dedicated it to… himself, after he obliterated all traces of Marc Antony not only in the temple but all around Alexandria… Etrusca Disciplina, the Etruscan books of cult and divination, untouched by all ancient cultures, were collected and burned in the 5th century, almost a millennium after the Etruscans had ceased to exist as a tribe… Parthenon in ruins and Ottoman mosque built after 1715, by Pierre Peytier (early 1830s) The Parthenon was plundered in 429, accompanied by a widespread persecution of the Hellenes who were considered demon followers. The temple of Athena survived for nearly one thousand years until Theodosius II decreed in 435 that all ancient temples throughout the Empire be closed. In the last decade of the sixth century it was converted into a church of Virgin Mary. Parthenon, disguised as “Parthenos” (“Virgin”), became the fourth most important Christian pilgrimage destination in Byzantium after Constantinople, Ephesus, and Thessalonica. In 529, a date often cited as the end of Antiquity, Justinian decided to shut down the Platonic Academy that had been revived in 410 as a centre for Neoplatonism and mysticism. The old Academy was probably destroyed by the Roman dictator Sulla in 86 BCE. According to the Greek poet and historian Agathias, the faculty members looked for protection under the Sassanid king Khosrow (Khosrau) I (531-579), known to the Hellenes and Romans as Chosroes, in his capital at Ctesiphon, carrying with them precious scrolls of literature, philosophy, and science. After his exile, Simplicius of Cilicia (and perhaps some others) may have gone to Harran (Carrhae or Hellenopolis), near Edessa, Upper Mesopotamia, founding an Academy-in-exile. The school must have survived into the 9th century, facilitating a revival of the Neoplatonist tradition in Baghdad, with the foundation of the House of Wisdom in 832. Two of the major centres of learning in the intervening period (5th to 8th centuries) were the School of Nisibis (Nusaybin, close to Harran) in Asia Minor, then under Persian rule, and the Academy of Gundishapur, founded by Khosrau. According to the Austrian philosopher and educator Rudolf Steiner, the culture of Gondishapur (also home of a medical school-hospital and a library) was a premature efflorescence which was – necessarily – destroyed by the Islamic troops in the 7th century (Parallel Lives of religions). The “brain drain” started in 489, when the Nestorian Christian theological and scientific centre in Edessa was ordered closed by the emperor Zeno, and was transferred and absorbed into the School of Nisibis. Its scholars, together with Hellenistic philosophers banished from the Academy of Athens, carried out in this school important research in medicine, astronomy, and mathematics. The Academy of Gondeshapur became known for medicine and learning. Khosrau gave refuge to various Greek philosophers and Syriac-speaking Nestorian Christians fleeing religious persecution by the Byzantines, and commissioned the refugees to translate Hellenic and Syriac texts (on medicine, astronomy, philosophy, and useful crafts) into Pahlavi (Middle Persian). Conclusion: while the Hellenes were being barbarized, the “barbarians” were being “Hellenized”! The School of Athens (1510-1511), του Raffaello Sanzio da Urbino (Raphael) The Codex Justinianus was completed in 529, the same year the emperor closed down the Neoplatonic Academy as paganism, strangling this school of Hellenistic philosophy. It may have been Theodosius who initiated the adoption of laws and the signing of decrees against paganism, but he who sparked the persecution of gentiles on a massive scale was none other than Justinian with the codification and reform of the law. As he was convinced that the unity of the Empire presupposed unity of faith, it appeared to him obvious that this faith could only be the “orthodox”. Those of a different belief were subjected to persecution, which imperial legislation had effected from the time of Constantius and would now vigorously continue. The Corpus Juris Civilis contained two statutes that decreed the total eradication of Hellenism even in civic, private life; these laws were zealously enforced. Contemporary sources (John Malalas, Theophanes of Byzantium, John of Ephesus) tell of severe persecutions, even against high officials, experiencing strict inquisition, exile and threat of capital punishment, with executions carried out even in the emperor’s very presence: some by burning, others by drowning. The alternative, the only way out for anyone to escape, was Christianization. Thus these Byzantine Crusades went on and on. In Asia Minor alone, John of Ephesus reported to have converted 70,000 gentiles. Other peoples under Byzantine rule were also christianized. The worship of Amun in Libya was abolished; and so were the remnants of the worship of Isis in Egypt. The state suppression of paganism made all non-Christians a public threat. The word Hellene was no longer just an insult, but a deadly accusation. With this legal arsenal on hand, which was supplemented by new provisions, the emperors, in complete accord with the Church, continued the Genocide of the Greeks… When legal loopholes were detected, or if something escaped the attention of the ever-vigilant bishops, the Christian “commoners” took action: in the mid-530s they started burning or cutting the forests of Hellas because they were… dwellings of demons! Blind fanaticism destroyed the oak forests of Zeus, the fir forests of Artemis and Pan, the olive groves of Athena. The results were devastating since all this deforestation caused the drying up of rivers and springs and the complete disruption of the country’s ecosystem. This is how the first millennium of Christianism went on and concluded… This has been the “unbroken continuity” of ancient Hellenic and Byzantine civilizations, having as a malignant appendix that inarticulate fascist shriek: “Hellas of Greek Christians”!(d) (d) One of the main slogans of the military dictatorship of 1967-1974 in Hellas (when it was turned into… Hell-ass!) The Entry of the Crusaders into Constantinople, by Eugène Delacroix (1840) The Crusades were conducted under the sanction of the “Holy See” after the East – West Schism. Pope Urban II proclaimed the First Crusade in 1095 with the declared goal of restoring Christian access to the Jerusalem area. There followed six major Crusades against Muslim territories in the East and many minor ones as part of a 200-year struggle for control of the “Holy Land” that finally failed. After the fall of the last Christian stronghold in 1291, the Vatican mounted no further coherent response in the East. Many historians give equal importance to comparable, Papal-blessed military campaigns against “pagans”, “heretics”, and “excommunicated” people, undertaken for a variety of economic, political, and religious reasons, such as the Albigensian Crusade, the Aragonese Crusade, the Northern Crusades, and the Iberian Reconquista. The “burning of books and heretics or infidels” was, of course, in the agenda of all Crusades. The conduct of the Crusaders was shocking not only to modern sensibilities but to European contemporaries, as well, for the Crusaders pillaged the countries they passed through and there was at least one case of cannibalism in the Levant! In the Rhineland the First Crusade resulted in the massacre of 8,000 Jews in the first of Europe’s pogroms. It also resulted in the slaughter of 70,000 citizens in the fall of Jerusalem. The nobles carved up the territory that they had gained rather than return it to the Byzantines, as they had vowed to do. Even worse, the Fourth Crusade resulted in the conquest and sacking of Constantinople, and the partition of the Byzantine Empire. Materia medica (Περὶ ὕλης ἰατρικῆς), by the Greek physician, pharmacologist and botanist Pedanius Dioscorides, translated into Arabic Nalanda, an ancient centre of higher learning with a great library in Bihar, India, was sacked by Turkic Muslim invaders from today’s southern Afghanistan in 1193. The university was so vast that it is reported to have burned for three months after the invaders set it on fire. The House of Wisdom was a library, translation institute and research centre in Abbasid-era Baghdad. The scholars, primarily Persians and Greeks, translated all available Hellenic texts – scientific, philosophic, and many more. Note that a great part of ancient Greek literature survived and became known to Europe thanks to these translations into Arabic. The House and all other libraries in the city were destroyed by the pro-Christian Mongol ruler Hulagu in 1258. They say that the waters of the Tigris ran black for six months with ink from the enormous quantities of books flung into the river! The Slave Market, by Gustave Boulanger (ca 1882), of the Roman era and thus “non-racist” (the “merchandise” is multi-racial…) Pope Nicholas V may have tried to revive the spirit of the old Crusades in the East in 1452, one year before the Fall of Constantinople to the Ottomans, as his nephew, Loukas Notaras, was the Byzantine Megas Doux (Grand Duke). However, the Europeans’ attention was already focused on the more promising opportunities opening up in the West. Thus, Nicholas’ papal bull, renewed repeatedly by future Pontiffs, granted Portugal (and later Spain) “full and free permission to invade, search out, capture, and subjugate the Saracens and pagans and any other unbelievers and enemies of Christ wherever they may be, as well as their kingdoms… and other property… and to reduce their persons into perpetual slavery.” Effectively, these “geographically unlimited” bulls extended the Crusades’ legacy all over the world justifying European colonialism and, at the same time, “ushered in the West African slave trade”. This trade was about to take off very soon with the transport of African slaves to America, and the Vatican would continue “granting permissions” to guarantee its share. During the 15th century, Arabic Muslim books were burned wholesale by Catholic Spain. About 5,000 Arabic poetic manuscripts were consumed by flames in the public square at Granada in 1499 on the orders of the Archbishop of Toledo. At the same time a number of Hebrew Bibles and other Jewish books were burned at the behest of the Spanish Inquisition. Aztec Calendar The Aztec emperor Itzcoatl, ruling from 1427-28 to 1440, ordered the burning of all historical codices for it was “not wise that all the people should know”… This allowed the development of a state-sanctioned “history” and mythos – but did not prevent the conquest of Mexico by Hernán Cortés in 1521. It was the starting point of a new era of genocides committed by Christians holding the sword in one hand and the cross in the other. The new crusaders and slave traders, together with the inquisitors, had new challenges to face, new frontiers to cross, new “books to burn and infidels to bury” in the “New World”, under the sanction and arbitration of the “good, old Holy See” – with profit in mind, as always… THIS EXTRA “CHRONICLE within a Chronicle”, I remind you, had Abdera of Andalusia as a starting point, during the revival of an ancient Periplus of Iberia in the previous Chronicle. We then voyaged to Abdera of Thrace and met its most celebrated citizen, Democritus. Plato’s hostility towards the atomist philosopher and his appeal to his students to destroy any Democritean work they could find, combined with the fact that no such work has survived, were more than a challenge for a “Periplus in the Archipelagos”, sailing in seas the Big Brothers have tried to erase from the maps. Oceans of abuses are hidden there; I’ve just gleaned some information on the initial period (until the time the first Spanish caravels crossed the Atlantic), limiting myself to cases of intentional crimes that came to my attention. A study in depth would reveal the Prince of Darkness himself… What conclusions can we draw? An naïve person would expect to find the first traces of the idea of human rights in religions, especially the monotheistic ones, which should uphold the sanctity of human existence. In reality, the history of human rights finds traces of them in some legal codes of antiquity (Mesopotamia, Persia, India, Hellas, Rome), but not in the Bible, skipping Judaism and Christianism. The reason is that the ones who cared about such rights were the philosophers and not the prophets (with the exception of Muhammad who was obliged to deal with the subject). The kings who wanted to conquer the world, and the priests who wanted to conquer the mind, infringed as a rule on human rights. I think that if the Declaration of Human Rights and freedom of religion had been adopted and observed in the beginning of the Common Era (AD), the only monotheists in the world today might be the Jews! >> Chronicle 8. “CARTHAGO DELENDA EST” << Chronicle 7. AN IBERIAN PERIPLUS REVIVAL Just have a look at Tenochtitlan (reconstructed above): with a population of almost 300.000, it is believed it was then the largest city in the world, the capital of an empire of almost 5 million people. Compared to Europe, only Paris, Venice and Constantinople might have rivaled it. It was five times the size of the contemporary London. Entering the city, the Spaniards thought they saw a dream. These were the “savages” that had to be christianized and “civilized”… Chronicle 7. AN IBERIAN PERIPLUS REVIVAL Posted in: Once Upon a... Wave. Tagged: Abdera, Abderus, Achaea, Adra, Aegean, Agde, Agora, Agustí Querol, Akra Leuké, Aléria, Algeciras, Alicante, Aljaraque, Almuñécar, Alonis, Amalthea, Amazons, Anatolia, Anaxarchus, Andalusia, Antaeus, Antibes, Apollonius of Rhodes, Argonautica, Argonautica Orphica, Argonauts, Aristotle, Artemis, Asclepius, Assyrian, Athenian democracy, Athens, Atlantis, Atom, Atomic theory, Avienus, Azov, Évenos, Babylon, Badajoz, Baelo, Baltic, Barcelona, Bastetani, Berber, Bireme, Bolonia, Book burning, Brittany, Bronze Age, Bronze Age collapse, Burgundy, Cadiz, Caesar, Callípolis, Canaan, Cartagena, Carteia, Carthage, Caspian Sea, Castilians, Catalonia, Celts, Ceuta, Chaldean, Channel, Charles Ebel, Cicero, Claudius, Colchis, Commonwealth, Contestani, Cornucopia, Cornwall, Corsica, Costa Daurada, Crete, Cyrus, Dénia, Democritus, Determinism, Diomedes, Don, Dorians, Elche, Empúries, Emporium, Epicurus, Etruria, Euxenus, Extremadura, Freedom of speech, Freedom of thought, Friedrich Nietzsche, Fundamentalism, Gaia, Galicia, Gaul, Geography (Ptolemy), Geryon, Gibraltar, Greco-Iberian alphabet, Greece, Greeks, Guadalete, Gustave Moreau, Gyptis, Hamilcar Barca, Hannibal, Hecataeus, Helen, Helice, Helike, Hellas, Hellenistic period, Hellenization, Helvetii, Heraclea Pontica, Heracles, Herodorus, Hesperides, Hippodamus, Hippolyta, Homer, Huelva, Hylas, Hēmeroskopeion, Iberia, Iberian sculpture, Iberians, Idealism, Indigetes, Iolcus, Ionia, Iran, Istres, Jason, Klazomenai, Kura, Labours of Hercules, Lady of Elche, Laietani, Leucippus, Ligures, Livy, Lucentum, Lyric poetry, Macedonians, Maeotis, Magi, Magna Graecia, Mainake, Marseille, Martigues, Massalia, Massaliote Periplus, Mastia, Materialism, Málaga, Medellín, Mediterranean, Melqart, Menestheus, Michales Loukovikas, Miletus, Minoan, Monaco, Monopoly, Montgó, Moors, Murcia, Mycenaean, Nestos, Nice, Oceanus, Ode, Odyssey, Orpheus, Paco de Lucía, Pausanias, Peloponnese, Periplus, Petta, Phasis, Phocaea, Phoenicia, Phrygia, Pierre Gassendi, Pierre Puvis de Chavannes, Pillars of Hercules, Pindar, Planisphere, Plato, Pliny, Plutarch, Portus Menesthei, Poseidon, Protagoras, Protis, Provence, Ptolemaic Egypt, Ptolemy, Puerto de Santa María, Punic Wars, Punics, Pytheas, Pythian Games, Quintus Sertorius, Red Sea, René Descartes, Rhodes, Rhone, Rioni, Rome, Roses, Saône, Sagunto, Salou, Santa Pola, Sea of Marmara, Sea peoples, Second Punic War, Seine, Sexi, Sicily, Silver, Siren, Smyrna, Strabo, Stymphalian birds, Syria, Tanais, Tangier, Taormina, Tarifa, Tarraco, Tarragona, Tartessos, Tauromenium, Teleology, Teos, Thasos, The Republic, Theseus, Thrace, Thracians, Timaeus, Timosthenes, Tin, Toulon, Trojan War, Tyrian purple, Urban planning, Valencia, Valencian, Velia, Villajoyosa, Villaricos, Vinalopó, Volga, Xanthi, Zakynthos. 2 Comments /ΕΛΛΗΝΙΚΑ/ Χρονικό 7. ΑΝΑΒΙΩΣΗ ΠΕΡΙΠΛΟΥ ΤΗΣ ΙΒΗΡΙΑΣ ● Tartessos ● Colonies in Iberia, Maurusia and Provence ● Tin and Silver Routes Through Gaul and Iberia ● Abdera, Democritus, Plato ● Hellenic Awakening from the Lethargic “Dark Ages” THE PHOENICIANS started building their trading monopoly in the 11th century BCE, after the Sea Peoples‘ raids and the Bronze Age collapse, enjoying a free hand while their antagonists were passing through a “Dark Age”. Arriving at the other side of the Mediterranean, they became trading ‘partners’ with the ‘silver’ Tartessians. Profiting from the wealth of the region and also from the hospitality of the locals, a few Phoenicians settled in their cities. This was implied by Strabo when he wrote that “the best cities of Tartessos were inhabited by the Phoenicians”. Phoenician gold ring with two dolphins, one of the symbols of Gadir Later they obtained a harbour of their own nearby. It was Gadir, the ‘walled city’, called Gadeira by the Greeks and Gades by the Romans (modern Cádiz).(a) Its founding is dated traditionally to 1104 BCE although no archaeological strata there can be dated earlier than the 9th century. Thus we assume that in its earliest days it was merely a small seasonal trading post. According to Hellenic legend, the city was founded by Heracles on Erytheia, Geryon‘s island, after killing him. One of its notable features in antiquity was the temple dedicated to the Phoenician god Melqart, associated with Heracles by the Greeks. It was still standing during the 1st century, and some historians, based in part on this information, believe that the columns of this temple were the origin of the myth of the Pillars of Heracles. (a) Gadir means wall, fort, and this in turn means that the walls were the distinctive feature of the city in an area and era when cities were probably not walled. It also implies that the Phoenicians felt the need of such protective walls. Consequently, their relations with the locals were based on anything but in good faith since the beginning. Soon the entire coastline around this strategic area on both seas, the Mediterranean and the Atlantic, as well as on both continents, Europe and Africa, was full of Phoenician settlements. However, they were more densely concentrated there in the south than further up the coast. Thus the Hellenes, when they finally re-appeared on the scene, were able to establish their own trading emporia along the northeastern coast before venturing into the Phoenician zone. Encouraged by the Tartessians, who probably desired to end the Phoenician economic monopoly, the Greeks founded Mainake (or Maenaca), very close to the Phoenician Malaca, on the coast of Málaga. The Massaliote Periplus, which gives an account of a sea voyage in the 6th century BCE, places Mainake under the aegis and in the dominion of Tartessos: Iberia was far too important for anyone to ignore… Tartessos, with Phoenician and Greek colonies: its core area is shown in green, with its sphere of influence spreading in the entire southern Iberia. Regarding the uncertainty on the whereabouts of Mainake, Strabo in his Geographica pointed out that its ruins, close to Malaca, could still be seen in his time (64 BCE – 24 CE); and collated the regular Greek urban plan versus the haphazard Semitic layout of the Phoenician site, whose location suggests it was a more dense and irregular urban cluster than neighbouring Mainake.(b) However, even if we are still puzzled about the latter’s exact site and life span, the Hellenic cities on the Mediterranean coast of Iberia probably appeared on the map after the foundation of Massalia (modern Marseille) ca 600 BCE by Phocaeans from Ionia in Asia Minor – something that the Punics had tried but failed to prevent. Massalia became a thriving trading centre and a major rival of Carthage for the Iberian markets and especially the tin trade through Gaul. (b) The ‘father’ of urban planning was Hippodamus (Ἱππόδαμος, 498-408 BCE), an urban planner, architect, mathematician, physician, meteorologist and philosopher from Miletus, hence the Hippodamian plan of city layouts. What is most impressive in his plan is a wide central area that was kept unsettled and in time evolved to the ‘agora’, the centre of both the city and the citizens. The Greek Colony of Marseille, by Pierre Puvis de Chavannes (1869) The Phocaeans then founded Alalia in Corsica ca 566 BCE, and later moved towards Iberia. There are certain popular theories that at least one of their settlements, Rhode (today’s Roses) at the northeastern tip of Iberia, goes back to the 8th century BCE, and that the colonists were from the Aegean island of Rhodes; but it seems more probable that it was founded in the 5th century BCE by Massaliotes, perhaps with an admixture of colonists from nearby Emporion (modern Empúries). Maybe, as in the case of the Phoenician settlement in Gadir, Rhode was nothing more than a small seasonal trading post in the 8th century; or perhaps the colonists that settled there three centuries later were mainly Rhodians serving in the Massaliote army, along with Cretans, in a special force charged with surveying the Carthaginian movements in southern Iberia. Hellenic colonies in Provence and Corsica Popular theories should not be discredited without serious thought and research just because they are ‘popular’; those about Rhode certainly were not born without a reason. Sailing towards Provence, we learn that traders from Rhodes were visiting the coast in the 7th century BCE. Rhodian pottery from that century has been found in the area of Marseille, near Istres and Martigues, and at Évenos, near Toulon. The Rhône (Greek Rhodanós), the main river of Provence, and the ancient town of Rhodanousia were named after the island of Rhodes. There is still a problem of a time gap of one century with the supposed Iberian settlement of Rhode; but at any rate the Rhodian traces in Provence precede those of the Phocaeans, the founders of Massalia. Hellenes from other cities of Ionia also traded in the western Mediterranean as far as Iberia, but very little remains from that period. It is obvious that the Phocaeans had arrived there not just to trade but also to settle. A foundation myth reported by Aristotle in the 4th century BCE as well as by Latin authors symbolizes the intermarriage between Hellenes and locals, recounting how a Phocaean named Protis (or Euxenus) married a local princess called Gyptis (or Petta), thus giving him the right to receive a piece of land where he could found a city. Contacts developed undisputedly from 600 BCE onwards between Celts, Ligures and Greeks in Massalia and other colonies such as Agde, Nice, Antibes, Monaco, Emporion and Rhode. The Vix Krater, an imported Greek wine-mixing metal vessel, the largest known from antiquity (1.63 m in height), found in the famous grave of the Celt “Lady of Vix”; ca 500 BCE According to Charles Ebel writing in the 1960s, “Massalia was not an isolated Greek city, but had developed an Empire of its own along the coast of southern Gaul by the 4th century”. This idea of a Massalian Empire, nevertheless, is no longer accepted by several skeptical scholars in the light of recent archaeological evidence, which shows that Massalia’s chora (agricultural territory under its direct control) was never large enough. The same skeptics also dispute the idea of a Hellenization of southern France due to Massalia. However, its influence was felt all through France to Brittany because of the Massaliotes’ trade relations with the Celts, especially for the transport of tin from Brittany and even Cornwall. It seems that a Tin Route, indispensable for the manufacture of bronze, was established at that time from Cornwall, through the Channel, along the Seine valley, Burgundy and the Rhône-Saône valleys to Massalia. During his conquest of Gaul, Caesar reported that the Helvetii were in possession of documents in Hellenic, and all Gaulish coins used the Greek script until about 50 BCE. By that time the Massaliote coinage circulated freely in Gaul, influencing coinage as far afield as Britain. Hellenic Marseille eventually became a centre of culture which drew several Roman parents to send their children there to be educated. A Tin Route, indispensable for the manufacture of bronze, was established from Cornwall through the Channel, along the Seine valley, Burgundy and the Rhône-Saône valleys to Massalia. In memory of the Zákantha citizens who determined to die rather than fall into Punic hands in 218-19 BCE, by Agustín Querol In our Massaliote Periplus revival, we set sail from Massalia, leaving Rhode and Emporion behind, and drop anchor between Barcinón and Callípolis. Legends say that Barcinón, modern Barcelona, was founded either by Heracles in the middle of the 12th century BCE,(c) or Hamilcar Barca, Hannibal’s father, in the second half of the 3rd century BCE. At the same time, the Laietani, a Thracian–Iberian people, settled in the area where since the 6th century there had already been the small Greek colony of Callípolis, referred to by Avienus in his Ora maritima, and sometimes identified with Barcinón. However, Callípolis should have been at some distance off, between Tàrraco (Tarragona) and the Hellenic port of Salauris (Salou), in the Costa Daurada (Golden Coast) of Catalonia. Sailing on while keeping a steady southwestward course, we arrive at Zákantha or Arse, founded by Greeks from the island of Zákynthos in the 7th century BCE. It was captured and destroyed by Hannibal in 219 BCE during the Second Punic War after eight months of heroic resistance related by Livy, and was rebuilt by the Romans who transcribed it as Saguntum, hence its current name of Sagunto. The Argonauts’ route according to Apollonius: they never got close to Iberia… (c) The legend about Heracles founding Barcelona is not linked to his colonizing effort in Andalusia that followed two of his labours there (the 10th and 11th: Geryon and the Hesperides). His passage from Catalonia is linked to a different version of the myth of the Argonauts in which Jason’s expedition involved not only the Argo but nine ships in all. One of them was lost during a storm off the Catalan coast, and Heracles eventually found it wrecked by a small hill, but with the crew saved. These Argonauts were so taken by the beauty of the place that they founded the city of Barca Nona (“Ninth Boat”). Well, it is not only that the city’s name resembles that of Barcelona only in Latin; one also needs to remember that Heracles deserted the Argonauts (or else… they deserted him) while he was searching for his companion, Hylas, in the beginning of the expedition, when the Argo was still in the Sea of Marmara. Others say that Heracles went as far as Colchis with the Argonauts, got the Girdle of the Queen of the Amazons, Hippolyta, and then slew the Stymphalian Birds (his 9th and 6th labours, respectively, organized not in a chronological order). Whatever the case, he could not build Barcelona because he was not among the Argonauts when they fled from Colchis wandering afterwards in the Mediterranean.(*) (*) There have been several versions of the Argonaut’s expedition – about their route, even the crew. There is unanimity on the way they voyaged to Colchis; but colossal differences about their way back. Pindar (c. 522 – c. 443 BCE) e.g., the celebrated lyric poet, wrote in his 4th Pythian ode that Jason went eastwards (not westwards) and, through the Phasis and Cyrus rivers (Rioni and Kura), sailed out to the Caspian Sea and, based on the geographic knowledge of the time, to the Oceanus River encircling the earth. Then he turned south and west, voyaging as far as the Red Sea and thus returning to the Mediterranean. Herodorus of Heraclea (between the 6th and 4th centuries BCE) adopted a more realistic approach that the Argonauts used the same route back home. The historian Timaeus of Tauromenium (modern Taormina in Sicily, c. 345 – c. 250 BCE), maybe inspired by the great European periplus of his contemporary Pytheas of Massalia (c. 350 – c. 285 BCE, see Chronicle 1. Sailing Around / Periplus), gave a wider scope to the Argonautic nostos. Through the Maeotis lake and Tanais river (Azov and Don), he claimed, Jason found his way up to the Baltic Sea and then, sailing by Europe, he returned to Iolcus. The Argonautica by Apollonius of Rhodes (3rd century BCE), the only surviving Hellenistic epic, is far more detailed and adventurous (see the map above), but never goes beyond Italy. Finally, the Argonautica Orphica, written several centuries later (5th–6th centuries CE) but in the name of Orpheus who was one of the Argonauts (ca 1300 BCE), borrows from all the above, but emphasizes the role of the Thracian musician, poet, and prophet. The narration is more mythological, probably because of the unknown author’s everyday life in a hostile Christian environment, after the old gods were violently thrown out (see our next additional Chronicle). In the beginning he adopts the Pindaric version, but as soon as he finds himself in the Caspian waters, he follows in Timaeus’ steps and turns north, not south: the river now is not Don but the even longer Volga, and the result, of course, is another periplus of Europe. The secret of the Orphic song was not loudness: just one male voice against so many Sirens could never prevail. The secret was its quality, a kind of music they had never listened before, that drowned out their song and eventually the Sirens themselves. Back from the European to our Iberian periplus. After Valentia (Valencia), our course turns to the Southeast due to a land projection along the coast of Iberia. Sailing past this peninsula formed by Montgó Massif, we visit the first port marked on the map of Tartessos, Hēmeroskopeion, located in modern Dénia, in the Valencian province of Alicante. Its name means Watchtower in Hellenic and it reflects the first use of the lofty promontory as such. According to Strabo, the town was also called Artemisium, from the cape where it was situated, together with a temple of Artemis. It was another colony of the Massaliote Greeks along with two more small settlements in the area, the names of which have not survived. The Romans called it Dianium, whence the modern name, from Diana, as Artemis was called in Latin. Apart from its strategic location, the city was equally important for some iron mines nearby. Next stop is Akra Leuké, also founded by the Massaliotes ca 325 BCE on a White Promontory or Acropolis as its name indicates. The city passed to the Carthaginians who used it as a military base and trade post. Its Punic name is not known, but the Romans called it Castrum Album, which means almost the same. Most archaeologists agree that the Roman Lucentum (Luminous city) is Akra Leuké and also the modern city of Alicante. Lady of Elche Helice, modern Elche (Elx in Valencian), was founded around 600 BCE near Akra Leuké to the South. The Achaean settlers named it after their native city.(d) Destroyed by Hannibal, it was rebuilt by the Romans as Ilici. A small walled coastal settlement, the Roman Portus Ilicitanus, or Harbour of Elche, cited by Claudius Ptolemy in his Geography, is today’s Santa Pola. It was constructed with a regular layout in the Greek tradition near the Vinalopó River in the 4th century BCE, and served as an emporion oriented to Greek-Iberian exchange. But it had a brief life (around 80 years), which is inconsistent with the hypothesis that the Massaliote colony Alonai or Alonis was there. So, despite Ptolemy’s mention that creates more confusion, attention was recently turned to the nearby town of La Vila Joiosa as a possible location of this colony. Anyway, the increasing amount of archaeological evidence for a Greek presence in Santa Pola, combined with the Graeco-Iberian script used in Alicante and Murcia, confirm the long direct contact between Greeks and Iberians in the region. The celebrated Lady of Elche, a once polychrome stone bust of a woman, is the most important find. It is considered as an example of Iberian sculpture with strong Hellenic influences. Bronze coin with the patron Poseidon and the inscription ELIK(e), and a trident flanked by dolphins on the reverse (d) Helice or Helike (Ἑλίκη) was an ancient Greek city in Achaea, in the north of the Peloponnese, which disappeared a winter night in 373 BCE. It was thought to be a legend like Tartessos until 2001, when it was rediscovered in the Helice delta. The catastrophe is attributed to an earthquake and accompanying tsunami, causing the area to sink into the earth and be covered by the sea. All the inhabitants perished without a trace, despite a search and rescue effort involving 2000 men. The only thing that was left there were a few building tops projecting from the sea. Around 174 CE Pausanias reported that the walls of the ancient city were still visible under the water. Others said that Roman ‘tourists’ frequently sailed over the site, admiring the city’s statuary. As time passed the site silted over and the location sank into oblivion. Modern scholars argue that the submergence of Helice might have inspired Plato to write his story about Atlantis. Mastia > Qart Hadasht > Cartago Nova > Cartagena The trading contacts of southeastern Iberia with Tartessos, Hellas, Magna Graecia and Phoenicia, with the influences absorbed, gave rise to an Iberian culture called the Contestani by Pliny and Strabo. Cartagena, originally named Mastia or Massia, was in this territory. Mastia (or Massia) was also the name of an Iberian tribe allied to the Tartessian confederation. The first description of the city of Mastia with high walls appears in the Massaliote Periplus and then in Avienus’ Ora maritima. There is also a reference to Mastia in a treaty between Rome and Carthage in 348 BCE, marking the boundary between them in Iberia. Its mineral wealth, fisheries, agriculture, and harbour, one of the best in the Western Mediterranean, attracted the Punics who re-founded it in 228 BCE as Qart Hadasht (‘New City’), identically named to its metropolis. The Romans renamed it as Carthago Nova in order to distinguish it from the mother city. The importance the Punics attached to this “new city” to serve as their Iberian capital and a springboard for the conquest of the peninsula proves that Gadir could not serve this purpose, also because of their antagonism with the Phoenician Gaditanian aristocracy that would explode later in open hostility. Serapis or Asclepius, Hellenistic sculpture found in a temple of Emporion. Entering the Punic sphere, we come to realize the way the Phoenician colonial network was created: through infiltration of already existing settlements that soon passed under their full control – without excluding the use of violence in case the locals resisted. By contrast, the Hellenes, especially the Ionians such as the Phocaeans and the Massaliotes, contrary to the tactics of the Dorians, had a quite different approach. Referring to the foundation of Emporion, Strabo wrote: “The Emporians lived before on an islet off the coast that now is called Palaiápolis [old city], for they live now on the mainland. Emporion is a double city, being divided by a wall, having before, as neighbours, some Indigetes [an indigenous tribe]… For they became united after some time in a single state, consisting of barbarian and Hellenic laws, as it also happened in many other cities.” Therefore, there were three phases of colonization: a) a separate settlement; b) peaceful coexistence as neighbours after a spirit of mutual trust had been established through cooperation; c) a commonwealth. The Greeks and the natives “became united after some time in a single state, consisting of barbarian and Hellenic laws, as it also happened in many other cities.” (Strabo) The Contestani’s neighbours to the Southwest were the Bastetani or Bastuli. Their main towns, Baria, Abdera, Sexi, Malaca, Carteia, and Bailo, are mostly mentioned as Phoenician colonies. Baria, the present-day fishing village of Villaricos, is said to have financed Hannibal’s campaigns from the local silver mines. As for Abdera (today’s Adra), it was a seaport town used by the Carthaginians as an emporium. Very few present it as a former Greek colony.(e) Ex or Sexi is modern Almuñécar; some of its inhabitants still call themselves sexitanos. The Phoenician colony was planted there in about 800 BCE. Diomedes Devoured by His Horses, by Gustave Moreau (e) It is not the first time that places allegedly connected with Phoenicians or Punics are known by Hellenic names. We can see that in the case of Abdera in either Thrace or Andalusia. According to myth, both cities were founded by Heracles in memory of his companion, Abderus, who was devoured by either Diomedes’ mares or Geryon’s cattle during the 8th or 10th Heraclean labours respectively. Historically, Abdera (Ἄβδηρα), a city-state on the coast of Thrace, 17 km northeast of the mouth of the Nestos River and almost opposite Thasos, in the present-day region of Xanthe, was founded as a colony of Clazomenae in 654 BCE. Its prosperity, however, dates from 544 BCE, when most of the people of Teos (including the poet Anacreon) migrated to Abdera to escape the Persian yoke. Clazomenae and Teos were Ionian cities in Asia Minor in the Smyrna area. Abdera became a wealthy city, the second richest among the allies of Athens, due to its status as a prime port for trade with the interior of Thrace. A valuable prize, the city was repeatedly sacked by Thracians, Macedonians (of different areas: Macedon, Thrace, Syria, Egypt, and Asia Minor) and Romans. The result was a decline after the middle of the 4th century BCE. The air of Abdera, Cicero wrote, was proverbial in Athens as causing stupidity. However, among its citizens we find philosophers such as Democritus, Protagoras, Anaxarchus, and Hecataeus of Abdera, who was also a historian. Anacreon stayed there for some time and yet showed no signs of idiocy… Democritus, the “father of modern science”, was ignored in Athens; Plato, though he never mentioned him, is said to have disliked Democritus so much that he asked from his pupils to burn all his books! Democritus on an old Greek banknote of 100 drachmas Democritus (Δημόκριτος, “chosen of the people”, ca 460-ca 370 BCE), the “father of modern science”, was ignored in Athens; Plato, though he never mentioned him (on the contrary, he devoted a dialogue on Protagoras), is said to have disliked Democritus so much that he asked from his pupils to burn all his books! They proved to be effective: we know just citations of his works, since most of them did not survive the Dark Middle Ages.(*) Democritus and his master, Leucippus, from Miletus or from Abdera, were those that formulated an atomic theory of the universe – the idea that everything is composed of various imperishable, indivisible elements called atoms. He travelled extensively spending the money his rich father left him. He praised the Egyptian mathematicians and became acquainted with the Chaldean magi. He was cheerful, and always ready to see the comical side of life, which later writers took to mean that he laughed at the foolishness of men. The popularly known terms the laughing philosopher, Abderitan (i.e. incessant) laughter, and Abderite, meaning a scoffer, or mocker, are derived from him. Even the Athenian stupidity about the Abderitan air must have jumped from Plato’s mind into Cicero’s writings because of Democritus. The scientist philosopher was a determinist and materialist, believing everything to be the result of natural laws. Unlike Aristotle or Plato, he tried to explain the world without reasoning to a purpose, or final cause. The idealists became pre-occupied for centuries with the teleological question that hindered progress. Democritus, together with Leucippus and Epicurus, proposed the earliest views on the shapes and connectivity of atoms. Therefore, their theories appear to be more aligned with those of modern science than any other theories of antiquity. However, the so-called “exile of atomism”, after its rejection by authorities such as Aristotle and Plato, lasted too long, until the 17th century when it was resurrected by Gassendi and Descartes. In the meantime, all the writings by Leucippus and Democritus, and most of Epicurus, were “lost”. The loss is irreplaceable if we take into account the vast scope of the Democritean work dealing with ethics, natural science, nature, mathematics, technical works, literature, and commentaries. Suffice it to say that among the works of this traveller scientist philosopher there was one entitled Periplus of the Ocean… Other titles we will never read: Pythagoras, The Horn of Amalthea, On the Planets, On Nature, On the Mind, Planispheres, On the Rhythms and Harmony, On Poetry, On Homer, On Song, On Painting, On History, On the Sacred Writings of Babylon, Chaldaean Account, Phrygian Account… Book burning: the favourite “sport” of the Christian Church… (*) No wonder that Plato, who rejected Athenian democracy as prone to anarchy, is included among the leading advocates of anti-democratic thought, along with: Friedrich Nietzsche (German philosopher who discarded “the democratic movement [as] Christianity’s heir”), Charles Maurras (French writer, monarchist and fascist, who went so far as to ask for the assassination of his opponents – so, Democritus was rather lucky!), Hubert Lagardelle (French syndicalist who moved from Proudhon to fascism), Robert Michels (German-Italian sociologist who also passed from socialism and revolutionary syndicalism to fascism), Oswald Spengler (German historian, critical supporter of Hitler, although he considered him vulgar), Carl Schmitt and Martin Heidegger (German Nazi philosophers), Elazar Shach (Israeli fundamentalist Rabbi, who championed Judaic law and condemned democracy). Within this framework and “company”, what is the real meaning and worth of the Platonic Republic? See the next additional Chronicle We Don’t Need No Thought [or Speech] Control on the crucial fight for Freedom of Thought and Speech. The Rock of Gibraltar at sunset The Bay of Gibraltar: Algeciras (W), Calpe (E) and Carteia (in the middle?) Sailing past the Greek Mainake and the Phoenician Malaca, we arrive at the Bay of Gibraltar. Carteia was established at the most northerly point of the bay, about halfway between the modern cities of Algeciras and Gibraltar, overlooking the sea on elevated ground at the confluence of two rivers. According to Strabo, the colony was founded ca 940 BCE as the trading settlement of K’rt, meaning ‘City’ in Phoenician (compare Qart Hadasht, that is, Carthage, ‘New City’). The area had much to offer a trader; the hinterland behind Carteia was rich in wood, agricultural products, lead, iron, copper, and silver. Dyes were another much sought-after commodity, especially those from the murex shellfish, used to make the prized Tyrian purple. Due to its strategic location, the city played a significant role in the Punic Wars. In the Battle of Carteia in 206 BCE, the Punic fleet was defeated by the Romans, who captured the colony ca 190. Gulf of Gadir > Gades > Cádiz; all three ancient islets bear Greek (not Phoenician) names: Erytheia, Kotinoussa, Antípolis Sailing through the Straits into the Atlantic, we are surprised to hear that the town of Bailo was none other than Gadir. The report, however, cannot be verified, and the closest to the name ‘Bailo’ one can find is Baelo, near the present-day village of Bolonia, in the area of Tarifa, the southernmost point of Europe, which is rather far from Gadir. The town served as a trade link with northern Africa (Strabo: “hence the crossings to Tingis of Maurusia”), but was finally abandoned because of earthquakes. Then we realize we are sailing in an area colonized by Heracles: not only Abdera (or Abderos) and Carteia (Carpeia, Carpaea or Carthaea), but also Bailo-Baelo or Belón seems to be linked to Heracles and, therefore, to the Mycenaeans. Carteia, says Strabo citing Timosthenes of Rhodes, was previously called Heraclea, after its founder. Some identify it with Algeciras, Paco de Lucía’s hometown, on the west side of the bay, others say on the contrary it was located on the east side, on Calpe, that is, the Rock of Gibraltar, while some connect it to Tartessos, noting that once the latter disappeared, many confused it with Carteia. Other settlements associated with the Herculean colonizing “labours” were Mellaria or Melouria (modern Tarifa) and, as we have seen, Gadir, while sometimes even Tartessos is included in the list. The Strait of Gibraltar with the Pillars of Heracles As for the Pillars of Heracles, the northern one on European soil is Calpe or Alybe (Gibraltar), small in size but rising sharply to a great height and looking like an island from afar, while the southern one, Abyle (Ceuta), is rather low. Their peculiarity is that nowadays their sovereignty is exercised by foreign powers: Gibraltar, on Spanish territory, is controlled by Britain, while Ceuta, on Moroccan soil, by Spain. The Phoenician Abyla, founded there in the 7th century BCE, passed under the control of the Phocaeans who renamed it as Hepta Adelphoi (‘Seven Brothers’). As usual, the Romans transcribed the Greek toponym into Latin as Septa, hence the current name, and used Ceuta almost exclusively as a military post. The strategic importance of the Straits was obvious to everyone. Outside the Pillars there is another settlement, presented as a Punic colony of the early 5th century BCE, possibly with a prior Phoenician presence, called Tingis (or Tingenis, today’s Tangier). Taking advantage of Carthage’s crashing defeat in Sicily in 480 BCE, the Phocaeans should have taken control of this city, as well, dominating entirely in this area of strategic importance during the Punics’ long isolationist period after their defeat, before they recovered and imposed a blockade on the Straits. Like so many other settlements, Tingis was neither Phoenician, nor Greek, but, in this particular case, Berber. According to a Graeco-Roman mythological tradition, cited by Plutarch, Tingis was the wife of the giant Antaeus, king of Libya and son of Poseidon and Gaea, who was killed by Heracles. In Berber mythology, the founder of the city was Syfax, son of Tingis and Heracles. The tomb of Antaeus with his giant skeleton was discovered in Tangiers by the Roman Quintus Sertorius in the 1st century BCE, while the “cave of Heracles”, where the hero supposedly slept before he stole the apples of the Hesperides, is located 14 kilometers far from the city to the west. Main Hellenic colonies before Punic conquests (c. 300 BCE): Rhode, Emporion, Callípolis, Salauris, Hēmeroskopeion, Alonis, Akra Leuké, La Picola (Portus Ilicitanus), Abdera (presented as a former Greek colony), Mainake, Portus Menesthei, and Kalathousa. Proto-Aeolic or Proto-Ionic capital with oriental influences from the Santuary of Baal Hamón in Gadir (7th century BCE) The colonizing activity apparently continued even after the Trojan War, since we are informed that, despite the many reports to the contrary, there were Hellenic (later Roman) settlements even beyond the Pillars of Heracles. One of them was between Gadir and the city of Tartessos, at the mouth of the Río Guadalete: it was Portus Menesthei (ὁ Μενεσθέως Λιμήν) and is probably the present-day Puerto de Santa María.(f) According to Strabo, even the Phoenician Gaditans offered sacrifices in the oracle of Menestheus, one of the suitors of Helen who fought in the Trojan War. Afterwards, according to Homer’s Odyssey, he was expelled from Athens by Theseus’ descendants and found refuge with his entourage in Iberia. Another settlement was next to Huelva to the West: it was Kalathousa, today’s Aljaraque. (f) The word “port” is preserved in the toponym throughout its history: in 711 CE the Arabs (Moors) invaded Iberia and renamed the port to Alcante or Alcanatif, meaning Port of Salt, due to the local salt production since the time of the Phoenicians. Finally in 1260, the Castilians, who occupied the city, renamed it to Santa María del Puerto. Portus Menesthei, in “historical terms”, may not be that old, because the Greeks of the Homeric era – or their products at least – arrived at Iberian ports in the 8th century BCE. Those that transported the Hellenic ware and other goods might very well have been the Phoenicians and the reason was their artistic quality that the Canaanites were unable to achieve. One such excellent ceramic, an Attic kylix, a type of wine-drinking vessel, was found in Medellin of Badajoz, in Spanish Extremadura. The presence of this beautiful cup so far from the coastline is explained by the so-called Silver Route that most probably crossed western Iberia from north to south to facilitate the transport of the mineral wealth from Galicia to Tartessian harbours. The Lioness of Baena (Córdoba) with Greek and oriental influences (6th century BCE) What the Phoenician ships could not transport and, therefore, made the Greek presence absolutely necessary in Iberia, was Hellenic culture, art, ideas, architectural models, burial habits, and so on. Taking into account that the Minoans were probably not Greeks, it seems that the first period Iberia received Hellenic influences was during the time of the Mycenaeans. This, however, is half-true and therefore (at least) half a lie, given that the Mycenaeans were civilized thanks to the Minoans. Thus the Minoan and the Mycenaean influences on Iberian cultures were very similar, if not identical. At that time, of course, there was no Tartessos. The Minoans and the Mycenaeans inseminated the local cultures they found there and the Tartessian civilization germinated some time later, when there were no Greeks around anymore. It took them at least half a millennium to wake up from their lethargic “Dark Ages” and reappear in the peninsula. The rich rewards were in the meantime reaped by the Phoenicians… What the Phoenician ships could not transport and, therefore, made the Greek presence absolutely necessary in Iberia, was Hellenic culture, art, ideas, architectural models, burial habits, and so on… >> Chronicle 7*. “We Don’t Need No Thought Control” << Chronicle 6. IBERIAN “EL DORADO” Phoenician bireme

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Press Briefing by Press Secretary Jay Carney, 9/15/2011 James S. Brady Press Briefing Room See below for an answer to a question (marked with an asterisk) posed in the briefing that required follow up. *White House officials contacted Speaker Boehner’s office to inform him of the President’s plan to travel to the Brent Spence Bridge shortly before the trip was publicly announced. MR. CARNEY: Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen. Thanks for coming to the briefing today. Before I take your questions, I have a quick announcement. On Thursday, September 22nd, the President will travel to Cincinnati, Ohio, to deliver remarks at the Brent-Spence Bridge, urging Congress to pass the American Jobs Act now, so that we can make much-needed investments in infrastructure projects across the country and put more Americans back to work. The Brent-Spence Bridge is on one of the busiest trucking routes in North America, yet it is considered “functionally obsolete” because it is in need of so many significant repairs. If Congress passes the American Jobs Act, we can put more Americans back to work, while getting repairs like this one done. We’ll have more details for you as they become available. With that – Q You haven’t arranged for it to collapse during the event, have you? (Laughter.) MR. CARNEY: Certainly not. Q Jay, thanks. I have three topics, so I will go quickly; try to. On foreign affairs, the Palestinians said today that they plan to press ahead with their bid for statehood at the Security Council, rebuffing efforts by the U.S. and others to prevent that, for reasons that you all laid out before. Is the White House now conceding that that’s the state of play? Or is there a view that there’s still some time to change minds? MR. CARNEY: Ben, as you know, we have two envoys in the region, as we speak, who are engaged in concerted diplomacy to try to get both parties to — down the road again, and together again, at least on the path towards direct negotiations. Because the President firmly believes — and, in fact, we believe it is self-evident — that the only way to resolve the issues between the Palestinians and the Israelis and to ultimately create a Palestinian state is through direct negotiations. The Palestinians will not, and cannot, achieve statehood through a declaration at the United Nations. It is a distraction, and, in fact, it’s counterproductive. That remains our position. We continue to be focused with great intensity on the need to get Israelis and Palestinians together again in direct negotiations, because that is the path towards a two-state solution and Palestinian statehood. Q On the economic front here, you guys have made clear that Social Security is not going to be part of the President’s recommendations to the super committee. Previously, as part of the default debate, the President had talked about being willing to make changes to Medicare, raising the eligibility in the future and also deeper means testing. Are those now scrapped as well, or is it possible that they could be part of this package? MR. CARNEY: What I want to make clear is the — on Social Security, the President, from the beginning, has stated that we need to take measures to strengthen Social Security for the long term, but it is not a driver of our near-term deficit problems, and it can be pursued on a parallel track. As to the other programs that are contributors to our deficit and debt issues, that are a focus of negotiations to find a substantial package of proposals that will deal with our deficit and long-term debt, the President discussed that in his speech last week to Congress, and he will be putting forward a series of proposals on Monday that will deal with a number of areas that are essential to be dealt with if we want to get our deficits and debt under control. Q Does that include – MR. CARNEY: Well, I’m not going to – Q But you're not waving us off – MR. CARNEY: — negotiate a way — I mean, I’m not going to discuss the details of that proposal. I’ll let the President do that on Monday. The point is — the distinction here is that Social Security we have never seen as a driving factor in terms of our near-term deficit problems. And that's why it is separate from the other entitlement programs and other issues that are a part of that, including spending through our tax code. Q I had one question for you on Solyndra. I know you've talked about how the White House is cooperating with investigations, and yesterday you took questions about it and said it was a matter of scheduling. But I guess my question is perhaps bigger picture — is the President at all chagrined or embarrassed by this? I mean, this is something of a mess here, regardless of the cooperation with the investigation. What are his personal feelings about this story? MR. CARNEY: The President is absolutely committed to the idea that the United States must compete in the cutting-edge technologies of the 21st century. We have a choice to make as a nation — because we will be buying renewable energy products, whether it's wind, biofuel, solar, advanced battery technology — we're going to be buying that stuff. Do we want to buy it with a stamp on it that says, "Made in America," or are we going to buy it from the Chinese or from other countries? We have to be aggressive in competing in the global economy. And high-tech, clean-energy industries are going to be key to winning this century economically. So he is absolutely committed to doing that. The necessity of doing that, the necessity of having the federal government involved in that, was seen even by the previous administration. What we did is increase our commitment through the Recovery Act to that same goal, because it is just indisputable, if you look at what other nations are doing — the nations that are likely to be most competitive economically in the 21st century — even with the investments we're making and committed to make are, in the case of the Chinese, investing twice what we are in this. So we will not cede those industries to our global competitors. Q Does he agree that legitimate questions are being raised, or does he think this is politics? MR. CARNEY: Well, I haven’t — I think there’s always an element of politics in these things. I haven’t discussed with him this particular issue, but I know his commitment to clean-energy technologies, cutting-edge technologies, the need for the United States to compete, the fact that if we do, we will, as with the advanced battery industry, quickly move up and get a bigger and bigger share of the marketplace. We’re on track to go from just a 2 percent slice of the advanced battery market to a 40 percent slice by 2015. We’re on track to double our renewable energy production by 2012. These are important achievements that will ensure that the United States is a global economic power — a dominant global economic power in the 21st century. Q So with Social Security reform excluded from the package of recommendations the President will be making to the deficit panel next week, is it still possible in the administration's — in the President’s view, to get to the $3 trillion or more savings? Is that still a goal, the grand bargain? MR. CARNEY: The goal is to do substantial deficit reduction and debt control. I’m not going to throw out numbers about what that figure will look like because I don't think it’s a good idea to have everything my President — this President wants to say on Monday out before he says it. So I will leave it to the President on Monday to give you the details. And he will do that with a broad array of proposals that he believes the Congress and the committee could use to substantially reduce our deficit and debt. Q And you mentioned the two U.S. envoys who are in the Middle East now holding meetings, Hale and Ross. Can you give us a sense of what, if any, progress has been made in these meetings they’ve had with both sides, and are they looking at fallback options that would counter the Palestinians’ intent on taking their statehood bid to the United Nations? MR. CARNEY: It wouldn’t be productive or helpful for me to give you a status update of diplomatic efforts that are ongoing, so I’m not going to do that. I just can assure you that we are focused on, as we have been from the beginning, on the need for direct negotiations between the Israelis and Palestinians because that's the only way for them to resolve the issues that remain unresolved and for them to reach a two-state solution. Q The President, Prime Minister Netanyahu, President Abbas will all be at the United Nations next week. Is there any thought being given to a meeting — either bilaterals with the President, even a three-way meeting — either in New York or in Washington? MR. CARNEY: I don't have an update on the schedule yet for the President's visit to the U.N. General Assembly next week. We will do that for you tomorrow, so I don't have specifics in terms of the various meetings, bilaterals as well as group meetings he might have. Q You say the only way the administration believes to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian situation is through direct negotiations and can't achieve statehood through the U.N. Can you explain why the administration thinks Palestinians should back down from their position, given that negotiations seemed stalled? MR. CARNEY: Because not only will they not achieve statehood through a declaration by the United Nations, the effort itself will be counterproductive to the goal, which is to return to direct negotiations between the two parties. Q Congressman Eliot Engel said that President Obama has a problem with Jewish voters in his Bronx, New York district. Why do you think — or why does the administration think there's a perception problem? MR. CARNEY: Well, I would disagree with that. I don't know about the congressman's district itself. I think as recently as last week or the week before, the Prime Minister of Israel made an incredibly strong statement about the remarkable commitment, unshakeable commitment, that this President has to Israel's security, and the unprecedented assistance that this President has provided Israel. Both — he has said this when I was with the Vice President in Israel and visiting with the Prime Minister, with regards to our overall — this administration's overall efforts and commitment to Israeli security, and he said it again just in recent days with regard to President Obama's specific assistance to the Prime Minister of late. So this President's absolute commitment to Israel's security is, I think, demonstrated and unshakeable. The fact is that he is committed to the process of trying to get the two parties to negotiate, get the two parties to go back to direct talks, because he believes it's in the interest of Israel and in the interests of the Palestinian people for them to reach peace in a way that ensures Israel's security and allows them to resolve their issues. That, in the end, will ensure that the Jewish state of Israel survives and prospers. Q Is the administration concerned that you've let it get to this point, that we're on the cusp of UNGA and they may be facing a statehood vote? MR. CARNEY: Well, we've been talking about this off and on for weeks and months that — if this problem were not complex and difficult it would have been solved a long time ago. Many administrations have made significant efforts to deal with it. And we are completely focused on it, committed to it. And we are convinced that the only way that Israelis and Palestinians can reach the goal that they share is through direct negotiations. So we will keep on that. Q The House subcommittee has looked into the Solyndra matter to a degree. I'm just wondering, is it normal for the White House to show such interest in a Department of Energy loan? Is that a regular –1637 MR. CARNEY: I'm not sure what — you're referring to the – Q All the emails back and forth – MR. CARNEY: The emails, as have been amply demonstrated because we provided them as part of our cooperation, had to do with trying to schedule whether or not the Vice President was going to make an announcement. And it was a scheduling issue. That was the focus of the White House's interest in this. Q Well, I mean — okay, I understand that. But it does seem like the White House – MR. CARNEY: If you're asking me is the White House interested in the overall program and making investments – Q Well, is it normal, is it standard operating procedure for the White House to get so involved in a loan that the Department of Energy is – MR. CARNEY: Well, I have to correct you because there's no evidence that the White House was involved in the loan. This was the White House involved — because they weren’t. The White House was involved in trying to find out when a decision would be made so they could make — staff here could make a decision about the Vice President having an event. And, yes, as you know, and anybody who travels with us or understands the sort of complexity of scheduling White House events involving the two principals, the President and the Vice President, that process engages a lot of people and there's just a whole series of decisions that have to be made regarding scheduling, whatever the nature of the event. Q Just a few days before the loan was approved, the chief investor, George Kaiser met with Rouse, Jarrett, and Goolsby. The White House has said that they think that meeting was largely about some of his charitable work. Have you determined what entirely the meeting was about and whether or not the loan was brought up or discussed? MR. CARNEY: I would point you simply to what George Kaiser himself has said, that he did not lobby or discuss — he did not lobby administration officials with regard to this, with Solyndra. He was involved in a lot of charitable efforts and it's our understanding that, while we haven't looked into every meeting that he might have had here, that that was the focus of his conversations, generally speaking, at the White House. Q Do you reject the suggestion that the emails seem to imply that the visit by the Vice President — which I guess ultimately was a satellite visit and not an in-person visit — but that that played a role in whether or not the loan was approved? You have an OMB official saying that the announcement should be postponed — "this is the first loan guarantee; we should have four of you with all hands on deck to make sure we get it right" — but the announcement was not postponed. MR. CARNEY: Well, again, if you look at the emails, the issue that involved the Vice President having this event did not drive the loan process. The loan was made — the loan guarantee was made on a merit-based — as a result of a merit-based process by career professionals over at the DOE. The same process has been used, has been in place for all of these investments. Q So it did not — it did not play a role? MR. CARNEY: Correct. Q Okay. And then, lastly, on the jobs plan, the Speaker’s office says there has not been any outreach to them, even though — from the White House on the jobs bill, even though last week they requested a meeting. Is that true? And, if so, why hasn’t there been? MR. CARNEY: Well, first of all, the President spoke a week ago. There will be ample time going forward for continued consultations with leadership and rank-and-file members of Congress as Congress takes up the American Jobs Act and hopefully passes it, so that we can do the things we need to do to grow the economy and create jobs. I don’t have any specific – Q He said “pass this bill now” more than a hundred times in the last week – MR. CARNEY: Yes. Well, that’s because it’s so urgent. He is reflecting – Q Not urgent enough to call the Speaker, though. MR. CARNEY: He is reflecting the urgency that the American people feel. And there will be, I’m sure, conversations between the White House and the leadership about this as we progress. But what we have — what you know about how Congress works and how Washington works is you need to keep people focused on the task at hand — because there’s so many other issues that can distract attention from the main, which, in this case, are the things we need to do to grow the economy and create jobs. And I’m sure the President will be, and members of his staff will be engaged very directly with Democrats and Republicans in the House and the Senate as this process moves forward. Q Don’t you think he should call the Speaker before he reaches, say, 200? MR. CARNEY: I didn’t know you were working for the Speaker on his scheduling. The fact is — he will talk to the Speaker, but it is — the President has put forward a detailed piece of legislation. The elements of that plan are very clear. The Congress can and should act on it very quickly. It’s not complicated. The proposals are very simple. And they reflect — they are the kinds of proposals that have gained bipartisan support in the past. So it’s not – Q I understand — this is your thing now that when a reporter asks a question you impugn whether or not they have a political motive. But if the President – MR. CARNEY: No, no, no, no, no. And I apologize. I simply meant – Q The President goes out there — the President goes out there and says 100 times, “Pass this bill.” I’m asking has he called the man in charge of passing the bill in the House? It seems like a reasonable question – MR. CARNEY: The President – Q — and not one that is Republican-motivated. MR. CARNEY: Jake, the President spoke with the Speaker on the day that he delivered his speech. I’m sure they will be speaking many times in the coming weeks and months about this and many other issues. It doesn’t – Q But he doesn’t want it passed in weeks and months. He wants it passed now. MR. CARNEY: He does. And it doesn’t require – Q And he still hasn’t called the Speaker. MR. CARNEY: Congress doesn’t need a phone call from the President to vote on legislation. That’s a myth. I mean, you know that this is — going back to these questions, the insistence about why isn’t he meeting with the Speaker beforehand, when I hadn’t noticed anybody asking Republican leaders why they hadn’t invited administration officials or the President in to negotiate the details of the Ryan budget, or to negotiate any of the Republican proposals that they’ve put forward. We put forward our plan. It should be debated, and, we hope, voted on in the House and the Senate, and turned into law. Because that’s what the American people want. They want Congress to take action. And we welcome — as the Speaker has said about considering the ideas the President has put forward in the American Jobs Act — we welcome other ideas, other proposals. We will certainly — we’re looking for the answers that will get the economy growing and creating jobs. And we welcome Republican ideas; we welcome Democratic ideas. The President has put his ideas forward. They happen to be ideas that have traditionally enjoyed bipartisan support, and we hope and expect Congress will act on them. Yes, Norah. Q The President says the jobs plan should be passed immediately. Does he have a sense that the Democrats in the Senate agree with him? MR. CARNEY: He has a sense — and it’s amply demonstrated by all the statements of support that have come out since the President spoke — that Democrats broadly support the American Jobs Act, yes. Q And why are Gene Sperling and David Plouffe briefing the Democratic caucus today? Was that something previously scheduled, or has it been in response to some of the criticism that the White House has received from Democratic senators? MR. CARNEY: Members of the White House go up and brief senators and members of Congress, members of the House, all the time on our initiatives — going to the exchange I just had with Jake. It’s part of communicating with Congress about what action we hope they’ll take, and why our priorities are what they are. So that’s a normal part of the process. Q The reason I asked about whether the Democrats agree, I mean, you know Leader Reid has some other more immediate and pressing items that he’s going to bring up. Senator Casey today – MR. CARNEY: Let’s be clear about the fact that on transportation and FEMA, these are issues that have to be resolved within a matter of days so there’s not an expiration of funding. So that’s completely understandable. But go ahead. Q Will you specifically address Senator Casey’s criticism that people are skeptical of big pieces of legislation, so that his preference would be to break this up? MR. CARNEY: Well, I don't know about people being skeptical of big pieces of legislation. We have enormous regard for Senator Casey and if — that may be the case. As I was just saying to Jake, the elements of this American Jobs Act are very clear. This is not a complex piece of legislation. They’re pretty simple: Cut the payroll tax in half for all Americans who receive a paycheck. Cut it in half for small businesses, the employers' side, for those businesses up to — 98 percent of all businesses up to $5 million in payroll. Provide money to states that will allow them to rehire teachers. Launch initiatives that will speed up infrastructure projects, get construction workers back to work. An initiative to incentivize businesses to hire veterans — so many of our returning heroes from Iraq and Afghanistan who fought bravely for this country who shouldn't have to be fighting to get a job. These are all — this is pretty straightforward stuff. So we think it could be acted on in its entirety, and that’s certainly what we would like to see happen. As I’ve said — and let me make clear, because Congress gets to legislate, if they sent us one part of that — funding for teachers, for example — the President obviously would not veto that. He would sign it, and then he would say, okay, send me the rest. And that would be true if it came in two pieces or four pieces, or one — if he got it all at once, then that would be. But that’s our approach. Q Okay. Final question. You announced at the top of the briefing about the President’s trip next Thursday — this bridge that is in Speaker Boehner’s backyard. It also happens to go into Kentucky, the home state of the Republican leader in the Senate. I assume it was intentional to choose a bridge in the Speaker’s district — yes? MR. CARNEY: It’s a bridge that’s in great need of repair. It’s a bridge that’s relatively easy to get to from Washington. It’s a bridge that goes between – Q Why that bridge? MR. CARNEY: Well, first of all, I think the President made a reference to it before – Q And why the Speaker’s district? MR. CARNEY: — and I think it’s a good way to highlight the urgent need. When you have a bridge that’s described as "functionally obsolete," it’s pretty clear that this bridge could benefit from a little repair and renovation. So I think that bridge because I think it helps highlight the urgent need in this country for us to improve our infrastructure. Q Did the Speaker thank you for helping to fix this bridge? MR. CARNEY: Well, we haven’t helped him fix it yet. We hope that he, together with us, will take action to help us fix it, to help the construction workers go and fix it. And this is just — we’re trying to highlight an urgent need here, and we certainly think this is a good way to do it. The President yesterday focused on — in North Carolina, focused on the provisions within the American Jobs Act that help small businesses grow and hire. He went — before that, he focused on the assistance the American Jobs Act gives to renovate schools, repair schools, modernize schools, hire back teachers. Now we want to draw some attention to the element of the American Jobs Act that focuses on the need to repair our infrastructure. Q Jay, the Solyndra bankruptcy and loan guarantee really dominated the Senate hearing today, involving three Department of Energy nominees who probably won’t even be confirmed before 15 other loans have to be acted on by the end of the month. Is there any urgency, A, to review or to get those loans passed? Senator Murkowski says the bankruptcy calls into question past and future loan guarantees. Are you relooking at those loans, or is there an urgency to get them done before the spending – MR. CARNEY: There is a merit-based process by which these applications for loan guarantees are reviewed and either rejected or approved, or sent back for further — requesting further information. That process is ongoing. And as I said, the President remains absolutely committed to the program and to the idea that we cannot cede these industries to our competitors globally. That’s not an option — as I see it, and as the President sees it, most importantly. Q Are you looking at the process itself? MR. CARNEY: I think the process — again, the process itself is merit-based, done by career employees at the Department of Energy, and that process continues. It’s a — my understanding is it’s a rigorous process, and has been and will be. Q So the Solyndra bankruptcy doesn’t raise questions about the process to you — it’s just Solyndra went belly up? MR. CARNEY: Look, again, I would refer you to the Department of – Q Bad luck? MR. CARNEY: I would refer you to the Department of Energy about the specifics of the process that — of the review that leads to these loan guarantees being issued. I would make clear, in terms of your last question, that the reason why fledgling, cutting-edge industries need this kind of assistance is because they can be high risk as well as high reward. We never thought, and the Department of Energy never thought, that every investment would succeed. But that is not a reason to simply throw up your hands and say, never mind, let’s let the Chinese own this industry, this field — or the Indians, or the Europeans — and we’ll just buy their products. That’s not the way this administration, this President, views our economic needs for the 21st century. So the process needs to be rigorous. It needs to be merit-based. It will continue to be. The need to focus our energy and our — the need to focus on these clean-energy technologies, these cutting-edge technologies remains as strong today as it was when the President took office. Q Senator Murkowski questions whether the government should be more focused on clean energy or cheap energy. Which would you say? MR. CARNEY: I think, as you know, the President’s energy strategy is broad and inclusive. It includes taking measures to ensure that we can produce more oil and gas here at home. It includes nuclear energy. It includes renewables, biofuels, et cetera. It is an all-inclusive approach to growing our capacity to produce our own energy so that we do not rely on other countries for our energy security. That’s the right approach. And his interest is in securing our energy future and doing it in a way that leads to industries being created and industries growing here in the United States, industries that hire people here in the United States and that have the benefit of improving our energy security. Q Did anybody at the White House, or the President call Speaker Boehner to let him know that you guys are going to be paying a friendly visit to his neighborhood next week? MR. CARNEY: I have to take that question. I don’t know.* Q This is sort of — it's going to be interpreted — to follow on what was the earlier question — as sort of a push-back, chin-music – MR. CARNEY: I don’t think it’s a mystery, Mike, that we are out there, loudly and with great intensity, arguing that we in Washington need to do the bidding of the American people and take action on the economy. So, yes, he’s traveling, as he promised — the President did in his speech to Congress — across the country to highlight this urgent need, and to engage the American people in calling on their members of Congress, their senators, to pass the bill — to take action to grow the economy, to take action to incentivize the private sector to hire more workers. This is the number-one priority of the American people, and it also happens to be the number-one priority of this President. So, if you’re asking me if, by going to this bridge, are we hoping to draw some attention to this urgent need, the answer is, unequivocally, yes. Q Politics — we haven’t seen you on camera since the New York 9 race. The economy, obviously, isn’t very good. That does not portend well for the President’s own political prospects. The man who had coined the phrase, “It’s the economy, stupid,” for Democrats, the architect of a winning presidential campaign, says that the President should fire a lot of people now — he had a number of other recommendations. Norah already referred to Senator Casey. There’s also Senator Landrieu, Senator Manchin raising questions about the President’s legislative strategy on jobs. Is the President concerned at all about his political prospects at this point? MR. CARNEY: Look, the President is focused on the things he needs to do as President, which, primarily — as the top priority, is getting our economy going and creating jobs. The dual priority obviously is the security of the American people and Americans abroad, and our interests. The President firmly believes that the American people know that he is doing everything he can to grow the economy, doing everything he can to work with Congress to create jobs, and he will continue at that. He is a long way away from having — from an election that doesn’t take place for another 14 months. So his focus is not on his political standing or his standing in the polls. It’s on the need to get Congress to focus, get Washington to focus, and take action on the economy and jobs. Because, as you point out, the American people are upset about the state of the economy and the state of unemployment, as they should be — 9.1 percent is too high. They are also very upset at their accurate perception that this summer Washington not only didn’t help, but hurt the economy, through the brinkmanship that we saw over the debt ceiling crisis. There is an absolute, measurable impact on confidence that that circus had on the economy — on business confidence and consumer confidence. And that is a very unfortunate thing. Americans — the vast majority of the American people who aren’t political partisans on the far side of the spectrum, on either side, simply want their elected leaders to come together and take action for them. They don’t care who wins the political games. They don’t care who has the best line on a cable TV show. They just want their elected members of Congress, their President, to work together to get the economy going. That’s what the President is focused on. Q On the U.N. General Assembly next week, would it be preferable for the Palestinians to bring their request to the General Assembly versus to the Security Council, as far as the U.S. is concerned? MR. CARNEY: Well, we don’t know what the Palestinians are going to do, so I’m not going to express a preference beyond the thing we’ve made very clear, which we do not believe it is constructive or productive for the Palestinians to pursue a declaration of statehood through the United Nations because it will not achieve their goal for them. In fact, it is counterproductive, because — this President has a very clear principle that both parties need to take steps that bring them closer to negotiations and closer to resolution. And he supports each party when they take those steps. Both parties need to refrain from taking steps and doing things — pursuing things that bring — move them further apart. And we believe that this is not constructive or productive. Q Going to the General Assembly is not exactly a declaration of statehood in the same way as going to the Security Council is. So I’m just wondering if you – MR. CARNEY: Well, I was referring to, obviously, the suggestion that they could pursue a declaration of statehood through the Security Council. Again, what they’re going to do, I think we’ll have to see. So I don’t want to prejudge other things they might do. We would certainly — as we’ve made clear, we certainly think they should not pursue a declaration of statehood. Q So the comments that you just made were all in reference to going to the Security Council for a declaration of statehood — were not meant to apply to some other action through the General Assembly? MR. CARNEY: When I referred to declarations of statehood, that’s correct. Broadly speaking, in a variety of arenas far from New York — in fact, in the region — whatever steps — and we’ve been clear about this on both sides. We want the — we want each country to take steps toward resolving their differences, toward a lasting and enduring peace that allows for the creation of a Palestinian state and a secure and Jewish state of Israel. So we’re for those steps that bring them together; we’re against those steps that move them further apart. Q Would going to the General Assembly be a step that pulls them further apart? MR. CARNEY: I’m not going to get into speculating about what they may or may not do. Q So you don’t want to comment on that – Q — I’m not asking what they may or may not do. But you don’t want to comment on that option at all, really, right now? MR. CARNEY: Well, because it’s pure speculation. Right? Q Okay. Q Well, so is going to the Security Council is pure speculation, you could say, because they haven’t done that either. But you made some very strong comments – MR. CARNEY: But I don’t know what — again — speculate about what an alternative involving the General Assembly, what that would be. Q — observer status? MR. CARNEY: Going to the U.N. Security — U.N. Security Council resolution to declare a state is pretty clear, and we’re opposed to that. Q Do you also oppose observer status? MR. CARNEY: I’m not getting into the details because we don’t even know — the Palestinians have made clear that they might do this at the Security Council. I’m not going to get into details about what they may or may not do outside of that. Q I have one other question on this topic, and that is — so the President — slightly different way of looking at this — the President has taken, arguably, some pretty tough political risks on his own to try to be tough on Israel, to try to move this process forward in a way that you could argue should be helpful to the Palestinians. Is there any — I’m talking about not related to this U.N. situation, but over the last two and half years. Is there any sense that the Palestinians are sort of not showing much appreciation for the President’s efforts to condemn the settlements and to be tough on a close ally like Israel by essentially going — potentially going in the face of the United States to take this action? MR. CARNEY: Look, we think that, again, each side needs to take constructive steps towards direct negotiations. Actions that make that harder are not helpful. Actions that make it easier we support. And that’s been true — the principle this President has applied since he took office and focused very early on, a lot of effort and attention to this problem. So he believes it’s in the interest of the Israeli people and the Palestinian people that they — that a peace is reached, that allows for a secure Jewish state of Israel and a Palestinian state that can exercise true self-determination. It’s in not just in the interests of those people; it’s in the region’s interest, it’s in the United States’ interest. Q What I was trying to say is, is the United States annoyed that the Palestinians are potentially doing this, given what the President has done for them? MR. CARNEY: We’re not — this is not about feelings. It’s about taking whatever actions we can, diplomatically, to help the process move forward, to help bring the Israelis and Palestinians to the negotiating table, into direct negotiations that will ultimately lead to a resolution that meets the objectives of both sides. Q Just want to clarify — are you saying that the White House is satisfied with Senator Reid’s timetable for bringing up a jobs bill when he says they might get to it next work period? MR. CARNEY: Well, we certainly hope and expect that Congress will act as soon as possible. We want this bill passed now. And by "now" we mean as soon as Congress can take it up and pass it. In response to Norah’s question, I simply am stating what is I think obvious to all of you, which is that there are some things that Congress needs to move very quickly on before expiration dates are reached in terms of the surface transportation bill and FEMA and other things. So we understand that. But we obviously are urging Congress to move quickly. Q And also, in response to Norah, were you saying that it is accurate for us to say that the selection of the Brent-Spence Bridge is not a coincidence? MR. CARNEY: It’s not a coincidence in that it’s a bridge that is one we can get to and highlight from the White House on a day trip that absolutely illustrates the problem we have with infrastructure in this country — roads, bridges, and other forms of infrastructure. Q Once the President unveils his recommendations to the super committee, to what extent will he be involved publicly in trying to push those specific measures? Will he be talking about it at events where he’s also pushing the jobs bill? MR. CARNEY: That’s a scheduling question that I don't have an answer to for you, if you’re talking about in the weeks and months beyond Monday. He will continue to talk about it because it is part of his overall economic vision here, which he believes requires Washington to take action to address our short-term economic challenges, and that is represented by the American Jobs Act, and it also requires us to take action to address our medium- and long-term deficit and debt problems. Q But as he talks about the American Jobs Act, he talks about specifics there. When he’s — once he unveils the super committee recommendations, will he talk about the specifics as he’s out there also talking about the specifics of the American Jobs Act? MR. CARNEY: I think he will talk about it within the context of the need to get our economy going. And he believes that getting our deficits and debt under control are part of that, about a part of getting our foundation strong for future growth and future job creation. And he believes that our urgent task right now is to take measures that — including tax cuts and tax incentives, as well as infrastructure investment and putting teachers back to work — that get the economy growing and people back to work in the near term. So both — these are component parts of a broader economic vision. They happen to reflect the testimony of the director of the Congressional Budget Office. The other day when he was asked, what’s the right recipe for economic policy right now, what do we need to do — short term investments, tax cuts and spending to get our economy growing, to get people back to work; medium- and long-term efforts to get our deficits and debt under control. That’s the President’s approach as well. Q And just — I want to see if you can react to something that Speaker Boehner said in his speech today. He said, “Tax increases I think are off the table, and I don't think they’re a viable option for the joint committee.” Do you have any response to that? MR. CARNEY: Well, look, we will see what the joint committee does. The public overwhelmingly — overwhelmingly — agrees with the President that to get our long-term fiscal house in order we need to approach it in a balanced way. If the answer is the Ryan budget, we know what the — how Americans feel about that. They do not believe that we need to end Medicare as we know it to get our deficits and debt under control — because we don't. We think that — I mean, these are about choices. These are about choices. We don't have unlimited resources. We’re a great and powerful country with enormous resources, but they are not unlimited. And you have to make choices about do we provide tax breaks to the wealthiest Americans, who over the past 10 to 12 years have done far better than any other segment in society, or do we make sure that responsibility for solving this problem is shared and that we have a balanced approach? The President feels that we have to take a balanced approach. The American public feels the same way. I would simply note that the Speaker of the House made clear that in the negotiations he had with the President, he put, in his words, “revenues on the table.” We believe revenues have to be on the table if we’re going to solve our deficit and debt problems. We believe it; scores of prominent Republicans believe it; the members of the Gang of Six, the members of the Simpson-Bowles commission, Domenici-Rivlin commission. I mean, this is not — again, these are not all that — it’s just not that hard, because there aren’t that many options. You can’t pull new stuff out of the sky. We know what the problems are in terms of our deficits and debt, and we know what the answers are. Q Just to follow up on that — when the President proposed his job bill he did something new — not necessarily unprecedented, but pretty unusual, which is he laid out the specific detailed piece of legislation. On Monday, when he sends up his recommendations, how specific is he going to be about entitlements, for instance? Or is he going to lay out broad principles? MR. CARNEY: I will simply cite the President’s words back to you, which is he said he would put out detailed proposals. So he will. Q And that means specifics on entitlements as well as tax reform? MR. CARNEY: The whole thing will be specific proposals, to quote the President. Q In terms of the President going to Ohio again for his jobs bill, is it just also a coincidence that the first — the four trips that he’s making outside the city on behalf of the jobs bill happen to be the swing states that he won in 2008 but that George Bush had won in 2004? Or is that intentionally considered – MR. CARNEY: I can assure you — first of all, this bridge spans Ohio and Kentucky, so if we were flying into Kentucky and driving to it from the other side, would that render your question moot? Because the bridge is where it is, okay? And it’s — although we certainly hope to win Kentucky in 2012, but we concede that it’s a steep climb. (Laughter.) The point is he’s focused on the problem. And you know as well as I do that presidential travel is — a lot of logistics involved in it, and we go places that are reasonably easy to reach, that can accept the presidential aircraft and all the things that come along with presidential travel. And we obviously are interested in focusing people’s attention on the urgent need to take action to grow the economy and create jobs. Q Can I – MR. CARNEY: Sure. Q Does the President favor cutting aid to the Palestinian state, especially if there is a declared Palestinian state? MR. CARNEY: Again, that’s a speculation about what may or may not happen, so I don’t have a response. Q Do you have a tally on how much aid this administration has given to the Palestinians? MR. CARNEY: I’m sure somebody does. I don’t have it on the top of my — in my book here or tip of my tongue. Q And on the Iranian situation, can the U.S. forbid the Iranian President from coming to the U.S. if those two hostages are not released? MR. CARNEY: I haven’t heard any discussion of that. We’re obviously focused on the need to get those hikers released and home. Q Any update on that? MR. CARNEY: I don’t have an update on that. Q A couple of quick things. Republicans on the Hill are very interested in regulations and reducing the regulatory burden. Obviously, the Speaker has talked about that. The President obviously has done his look-back. He’s interested in putting a hold on the smog rule. What does the President believe is wrong-headed about the conservatives’ concept of having Congress review the most expensive rules? Are they heading in the wrong direction? MR. CARNEY: Well, I think the concept — whoever — putting aside who reviews them, because I’m not — I don’t know the answer to that specifically — the concept of reviewing rules and deciding whether they’re obsolete rules or ones that unnecessarily hamper business growth and job creation I think is one the President agrees with, as demonstrated by his own look-back. I would note that the cost of the regulations in the first two years of this administration are less than the cost of the regulations in the last two years of the Bush administration. Secondly — going back to the broader picture here — the President shares that goal. As long as we ensure that we are not compromising the safety of the American people, or safety of our children, the air that we breathe, the water that we drink, we need to be wise and prudent about regulation. And as the Speaker has said about the President’s jobs plan, we look forward to examining and considering the ideas that the Speaker puts forward, or that any other members of Congress put forward. I would simply say that it’s important when we’re looking at the task at hand, which is growing the economy and creating jobs, that the same standard be applied. We made clear that we felt the proposals we would put forward would be judged by independent analysts and economists to, if passed, have a quick, positive impact on the economy and job creation. Those same economists — the independent economists should be asked to judge others' proposals and to see what impact they may have on the near term. Because we have a near-term need. We’re very interested, too, in taking measures that solidify the foundation of this country’s economy for the years going out. And this President is committed to the measures that he has already put in place and will announce on Monday to building that foundation. But we also have a task now, which is to get this economy growing at a faster pace, get it producing jobs at a faster pace. So we hope that whatever proposals or ideas that others have are looked at through that lens, because that’s what the American people are asking us to do — justifiably. They are not — they are interested in, of course, measures that will help us in the long term, and we are very interested in — the President is very interested in that. But he also has made clear that we have a short-term need that we need to address. Q I have a quick clarification. On Social Security, if the President, on Monday, is not going to speak to that directly, that shouldn't be interpreted that he won’t weigh in later on, as the super committee gets further ahead in its work, right? MR. CARNEY: Speaking to Social Security? Well, that’s making an assumption that the super committee will address Social Security. I mean, we will obviously have something to say about whatever approach the super committee takes and product that it puts forward. And the President will, I’m sure, speak to that, as will others. Q So are you suggesting that you’re anticipating the super committee won’t go near Social Security? MR. CARNEY: No. I’m not presupposing anything about what the super committee will do. I’m simply saying that you’re assuming that it will, and if they — whatever product they come up with, we will be, I’m sure, engaged and commenting on. Q Okay. So, on Monday, the President will obviously put forward his ideas, but in what format? A speech here? MR. CARNEY: We’ll have an announcement on that, I'm sure, before the end of the week. Christi. Q Jay, it’s been more than two years now since the President gave his speech in Cairo, and I wonder how you analyze the change, if there is a change, in the U.S. relationship with Muslims around the world. Is it better? Is it worse? Can you tell? MR. CARNEY: I wouldn’t want to claim myself as an expert on this. What I know — because I know there's polling data and other things by which you can judge this — what I do know is that, broadly speaking, around the globe, this President, when he took office, engaged in a process by which he sought to — and we believe has succeeded in — strengthening America’s position around the world by improving its relations around the world. And that’s not specific to one region, necessarily, or one people, but globally. And it includes our allies, as well as others around the world. We think that our ability to affect change in a positive way, globally, is enhanced when we have strengthened our ties with our allies, strengthened our ties around the globe, and increased our influence. Q And you’re saying — wait a minute, so wait, was that yes? (Laughter.) MR. CARNEY: Again, I don't have a measure for it. We believe that to be the case. Q That relations with U.S. allies is stronger? MR. CARNEY: We believe that the approach the President has taken has strengthened our position, has enhanced our stature, and increased our ability to act collectively, around the world, in ways that protect and enhance U.S. interests. Q Okay. And, so, specifically to — since the President did — I mean, there was a big spotlight on this speech and the intent of it was clear — it was mostly directed to Muslims around the world, as he said. What do you think is the likely effect of casting a veto at the national — at the Security Council? MR. CARNEY: We have made clear our position on that. And we have taken the position we’ve taken because we do not believe it is ultimately in the interest of Middle East peace — of the process. It doesn't bring the two sides closer together. It doesn't bring the — it would not bring the Palestinians any closer to statehood. And we believe it would be counterproductive to that goal. So our approach is one that we think is in the interests of helping the Palestinians reach their ultimate goal, and the only way they’re going to reach that goal is through direct negotiations with the Israelis. Q Just a quick question about Solyndra. Has the President been briefed about what has developed on that? Just has he been briefed at all about the questions being raised, or just what his administration – MR. CARNEY: I think he’s probably read some news accounts of it. I’m not aware that he’s been briefed. I mean, what happened here is an investment did not pan out. There are a variety of reasons for that that have to do with the international marketplace and the price — the cost of solar panels, and the Chinese pricing of their competitive products. And beyond that, it’s a story that has to do with an inquiry by the Hill. So there’s not a lot to brief him on. Yes, I'll take one more. And then, Chris, I'll take you, too. Q Following on Christi's question on threatening the veto. The Palestinians have accused the United States of appealing to Israeli interests abroad and here in pursuing the veto — or threatening the veto. Are you worried at all about losing the U.S. standing in the region, or as an honest broker in the region? MR. CARNEY: This President, this administration, is focused on the long-term goal here. The reason why we oppose an effort to have statehood declared by the U.N. is because it’s counterproductive and it won’t bring them any close to statehood. We believe that the Palestinians and the Israelis need to reach an agreement through direct negotiations. So it is in support of those aspirations that we have taken the stand that we’ve taken. Sam. I’m sorry — Sam and Chris. Chris and Sam. Chris. And then I’ll go, because Ben has told me I need to go. Q Back in 2008, during the debate over Proposition 8 in California, both sides of the debate utilized various elements of what they saw as the President’s position on marriage equality in their campaign literature. North Carolina decided earlier this week that they’re going to be having a marriage amendment on the ballot in May 2012. When asked for a comment on it, the White House only talked about the fact that the President has long opposed similar measures in the past. Does the White House have a position on the North Carolina amendment specifically? MR. CARNEY: Well, I’m going to disappoint you here because I haven’t — and I’ll take this question — but I think our position on similar amendments has been clear. I don’t have a specific one on this, but I think you can — our position is clear on this, the President’s position is clear on this. But I can take your question for greater clarification. Q As a follow-up, does the President have any plans to, in any way, memorialize the end of “don’t ask, don’t tell” on September 20th? MR. CARNEY: I don’t have a scheduling update for you on that. Sam, and then I've got to go. Q Another state policy-related question. Yesterday, a lot of news reports about Pennsylvania’s plans to divvy up the electoral college votes from the state. Obviously the President is running for reelection; this could affect his path forward. What does the White House think of this proposal? MR. CARNEY: I don’t have an answer. Q Can you get – MR. CARNEY: I can get back to you. Q Since you don’t have an answer on that one, can I ask a different question, then, which is that — (laughter) — Senator John – Q — to someone else. Q No. Senator John — (laughter) — Senator John Kerry has decided to forego fundraising during his time on the super committee. Others have not made that choice, obviously. This White House has always, in the past, applauded sort of transparency and lack of conflict of interest. I’m wondering if they would appreciate other members of the committee to make that same pledge. MR. CARNEY: I certainly commend Senator Kerry on his stand, but I think the issue here is the members of that committee are obligated to fulfill the mandate that Congress gave them. And we certainly believe that they will only be able to do that if they take an approach that is essential to reaching the kind of resolution that will get support in Congress and become law, which is an open-minded approach, an inclusive, balanced approach, that acknowledges that we need to — the only we can get our fiscal house in order is if we ensure that the responsibility for that and the burden for that is fairly shared across the spectrum. Q You don't think fundraising might complicate that goal? MR. CARNEY: Again, I think that members of Congress need to focus on the tasks that they were, in this case, appointed to perform. Tags: Office of the Press Secretary, Press Briefings, United States, Whitehouse Statement by President Obama on Governor John Lynch’s Retirement Statement from the Press Secretary on Speaker Boehner's Speech President Obama Signs New Jersey Disaster Declaration Presidential Memorandum--Major Illicit Drug Transit Presidential Nominations Sent to the Senate President Obama to Travel to Cincinnati, Deliver Remarks at Brent Spence Bridge Presidential Proclamation -- National POW/MIA Recognition Day, 2011 Presidential Proclamation--National Hispanic Heritage Month, 2011 Remarks by the President Awarding the Medal of Honor to Sergeant Dakota Meyer Memorandum Regarding Pelly Certification and Icelandic Whaling Message from the President to Congress Remarks by the First Lady at a "Let's Move" Restaurant Announcement Fact Sheet: Implementing Missile Defense in Europe Remarks by the President to the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute 34th Annual Awards Gala Presidential Nomination Sent to the Senate Background on the President's Remarks at the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute's 34th Annual Awards Gala Reformed sales tax bill tabled in Pakistan Senate ISLAMABAD - Despite stiff opposition from allied parties and the opposition, the Pakistan government... 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Toonz starts Canadian operations THIRUVANANTHAPURAM - Animation major Toonz Tuesday announced that it has set up its new production u... University employees to hold rally in Delhi BHUBANESWAR - Thousands of employees from about 200 universities across the country will gather at N...

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Michael E Wechsler, MD, MMSc Director, The Cohen Family Asthma Institute Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care & Sleep Medicine Michael E Wechsler, MD, MMSc, is Director of the National Jewish Health (NJH) Cohen Family Asthma Institute and Professor of Medicine in the Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine at National Jewish Health in Denver, Colorado. Professor Wechsler's research focuses on clinical and translational asthma, with emphasis on clinical trials in asthma, novel asthma therapies, bronchial thermoplasty, asthma pharmacogenomics, and management of eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis (Churg-Strauss Syndrome, or CSS). He has led studies focusing on novel biologic agents for asthma and related diseases, including benralizumab, dupilumab, mepolizumab, reslizumab, and tezepelumab. He has published more than 185 peer-reviewed manuscripts relating to asthma, CSS, and eosinophilic lung diseases in multiple journals, including NEJM, JAMA, Lancet, AJRCCM, Chest, and JACI. He is a Steering Committee member and site Principal Investigator of the NIH-sponsored Asthma Clinical Research Network (ACRN, now called AsthmaNet), a multi-center asthma clinical trials consortium, and of the Precision Intervention in Severe/Exacerbating Asthma (PRECISE) network. A member of the American Society of Clinical Investigation, he has participated in many different task forces related to the study of eosinophilic lung diseases that were sponsored by the NIH, the FDA, the European Respiratory Society, and the International Eosinophil Society. He is currently Associate Editor of the journal Chest, and is on the editorial board of the European Journal of Clinical Investigation. He has previously served as Associate Editor of the journal Allergy. Dr Wechsler received AB and MMSc degrees from Harvard University in Boston, MA and an MD degree from McGill University in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. He completed medical training at Beth Israel Hospital in Boston, MA and as part of the Harvard Combined Pulmonary and Critical Care Fellowship Training Program. A member of the American Society for Clinical Investigation, he has received the AAAAI ARTrust and Dr William and Judith H Busse Lectureship: Investing Together in Our Future Award, an American Lung Association Clinical Research Award, a Merck Respiratory Young Investigator Special Project Award, an American College of Chest Physicians Chest Foundation Clinical Research Investigator Award, and a NIH Mentored Career Investigator Award. Transforming Pediatric Asthma Care Through Family-Centered and Systems-Integrated Strategies Precision-Based Medicine for Type 2 Inflammation in Asthma: Are We There Yet? Case-based Strategies to Overcome Barriers and Engage Asthma Patients in Their Care Personalized Approaches for the Difficult-to-Control Asthma Patient Asthma Pocket Guide for Primary Care

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Home » News » Traumatic Brain Injury Tied to Parkinson’s But Not Alzheimer’s Traumatic Brain Injury Tied to Parkinson’s But Not Alzheimer’s Traumatic brain injury (TBI) with a loss of consciousness (LOC) may be linked to later development of Parkinson’s disease but not Alzheimer’s disease, according to researchers at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai and the University of Washington School of Medicine. The new study contradicts findings from other high-profile studies showing a link between TBI and future Alzheimer’s disease. With more than 1.3 million Americans visiting an emergency department each year with TBI, there is great interest in the long-term effects of these injuries and the widespread public health implications. In the largest study to date on this subject, the researchers analyzed head injury data from 7,130 older adults. The research was part of three prospective studies that included annual or biennial cognitive and clinical testing. Of this group, 865 people had suffered TBI with LOC at some point before the study began; 142 of these individuals had been unconscious for more than one hour. The researchers looked for any associations between TBI and late-life clinical outcomes, such as dementia, Alzheimer’s disease, mild cognitive impairment, Parkinson’s disease, and change in parkinsonian signs. The findings showed a strong association between TBI with LOC greater than an hour and Parkinson’s disease (117 cases during the study). No statistically significant link was found between TBI with LOC and dementia risk when the group with TBI with LOC was compared with the 1,537 patients who developed dementia during the study. Results for Alzheimer’s disease (diagnosed in 1,322 study participants) were similar. Furthermore, based on 1,652 autopsy findings, no association was found between TBI with LOC and beta amyloid plaques or neurofibrillary tangles, the hallmark indicators of Alzheimer’s disease. However, the autopsies did find an increased risk for Lewy bodies (abnormal aggregates of protein) in TBI with LOC less than an hour and an increased risk of cerebral microinfarcts (microscopic stroke) in TBI with LOC more than an hour. “The results of this study suggest that some individuals with a history of TBI are at risk for late-life neurodegeneration but not Alzheimer’s disease,” said Kristen Dams-O’Connor, Ph.D., co-director of the Brain Injury Research Center and associate professor in the Department of Rehabilitative Medicine at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. “We want to identify and treat post-TBI neurodegeneration while people are still alive, but to do this, we need to first understand the disease. Prospective TBI brain donation studies can help us characterize post-TBI neurodegeneration, identify risk factors, and develop effective treatments,” she said. The findings also suggest that clinicians may be misdiagnosing late-life TBI-related neurodegeneration as Alzheimer’s disease, resulting in ineffective treatment approaches. Further work is needed to characterize post-TBI neurodegeneration. The study is published in the journal JAMA Neurology. Source: Mount Sinai Health System Pedersen, T. (2018). Traumatic Brain Injury Tied to Parkinson’s But Not Alzheimer’s. Psych Central. Retrieved on January 20, 2020, from https://psychcentral.com/news/2016/07/13/traumatic-brain-injury-tied-to-parkinsons-but-not-alzheimers/107077.html Last updated: 8 Aug 2018 (Originally: 13 Jul 2016) Diagnosis & Treatment Dementia & Depression Medical & Surgical Treatments Parkinson's Psychosis

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Interview: Roger Piqueras Jover Real-Time Cyber Threat Detection and Mitigation Instituto Politécnico da Universidade de Nova Iorque Curso 3 de 4 no Introduction to Cyber Security Programa de cursos integrados This course introduces real-time cyber security techniques and methods in the context of the TCP/IP protocol suites. Explanation of some basic TCP/IP security hacks is used to introduce the need for network security solutions such as stateless and stateful firewalls. Learners will be introduced to the techniques used to design and configure firewall solutions such as packet filters and proxies to protect enterprise assets. Perimeter solutions such as firewalls and intrusion prevention systems are shown to have significant drawbacks in common enterprise environments. The result of such weakness is shown to often exist as advanced persistent threats (APTs) from nation-state actors. Such attacks, as well as DDOS and third-party attacks, are shown to have potential solutions for modern enterprise. I used this course a refresh for established cyber skills, its been a welcome change to have such an enthusiastic lecturer and revisit some of the cornerstones of cyber. This incredible course makes me learn a lot about all the threat we deal in the recent times. The teacher and videos are really enjoyable and very detailed. More Advanced Network Security Technologies This module introduces packet filters, firewall rule sets, proxies, and additional network security methods. Packet Filtering7:22 Sample Packet Filtering and Reference Architecture5:33 Default Firewall Block4:41 Firewall Rules to Allow Outbound Web Browsing4:40 Firewall Rules to Allow Telnet and Other TCP Services3:21 Establishing Corporate Policy Rules4:10 FTP Protocol6:17 Firewall Rules for FTP3:43 Application Proxy Filtering6:28 Forward and Reverse Proxies4:57 Interview: Roger Piqueras Jover11:16 Selecionar um idiomaInglês Hi, everybody, Ed Amoroso here, and for today's video interview, I have a long time friend and colleague of mine. His name is Roger Piqueras Jover, did I say that right? >> Yes, yes, very good. >> Roger is a cyber security researcher and security architect at Bloomberg. >> Yep. >> That's a great job wow! >> Yeah, it's pretty cool. >> It's two different jobs, same jobs or? >> Yeah, I kind of do like both things. I do researcher like kind of open-ended projects and also I do things that are more like close-ended like specific like security architecture. >> Now lets go all the way back. Tell us a little bit about how if you got interested in technology, and how did you get to the point you're at now? >> Well my grandfather would say that when I was a kid I was very interested in like machines. Trains and cars and trucks, the bigger it was and the more noise it made, the more I liked it. And I also started playing with Legos very, very young. My parents were afraid that I would actually swallow the little pieces because they recommend. There's an age on the box that says like 3 to 7 years and I was away playing with ones for 12 year old. But technology itself I would like to say, you have to fast forward a bit to when I was an undergrad, I was never a teenager. There wasn't teenagers that I heard and learned coding, Then one day at 15, I was not like that, I was playing soccer and video games. But when I went to undergrad, didn't really know what to study, I knew I wanted to do engineering but I didn't know what type. I ended up going for electrical engineering and I remember one day that changed my life. That is the day, so the first year of my undergrad was mostly like math, physics, very basic math and physics. But on the second year, I started having more specific things like wireless communications, like things like that. I remember the day that I learned the Fourier transform. And I understood how a radio in the car works and those numbers on the radio of the car. And how you can separate things or plug things in frequency as opposed to in time. And that kind of like blew my mind, and that day I knew I was in the right place. And ever since then I've been very happy in terms of technology and what not. >> That's fantastic, wireless has been an area you've been particularly interested in. >> Yeah, you're correct. >> Did you ever predict that it would become as important? This mobility's going to change the world the last ten years from now. >> Yeah I know, when I was an undergrad. So when I started as an undergrad, people say I look young, but I'm not that young. When I started as an undergrad, a friend and I did not have a cell phone, which would be unthinkable today. I think I had my first cell phone when I was in my third year of undergrad. So people would make fun of me because I was learning how to cell phones work but I didn't have a cell phone myself. But now back then I was not even aware how I wouldn't even imagined that a cell phone would be something that would be so. You cannot walk out of your apartment without your phone. Back then actually when I got my first cell phone, I didn't really want to carry it sometimes I would leave it at home. And my girlfriend at the time and also my mom, they were complaining because they couldn't reach me. But now, if I leave my phone at home, I literally freak out. So no I would have never expected things to end up the way that they did. But I'm happy that I ended up in the right place yeah. >> kind of data security, the intersection of wireless, and mobility, and security has been particularly fruitful, right? And we've been look at those threats a long time. >> Yeah, that was pure chance, my background has always been wireless communications, processing, networking, things like that. And then, fast forward a few years, and I got an offer to go to work for AT&T at a security research lab. And they just told me you know very well how cell phones work and cellular networks work, can you come with ways to make it not work? And I was like I guess I could do that and that's how I got into security. But it was pure chance, I was not really ever thinking about working security. And again,same story again it just the right place to be because now mobility and security are two of the biggest things happening right now. >> Do you worry about threats and mobility? Do you think that it's a maybe a potentially consequential area? >> So I've done a lot of work on mobile security and I've seen a lot of things so people ask me, should I be afraid of using online banking on my phone, things like that. So I always think that I'm like a nobody, so I shouldn't be to concerned about what's going to happen to my phone. But for example I don't do mobile banking on my phone really. No, maybe I would, but I definitely would not do it on my phone in GSM, for example. That's what I tell everybody. The only moment you should really be concerned is in terms of somebody, intercepting your traffic or like doing something other than blocking the cell service. If you're concerned about somebody stealing something from you, I would just say be careful when you're going to the GSM. Other than that I'm not too concerned but again, it's because I'm a nobody. If I was the President of the US, I will definitely not use an Android phone. >> [LAUGH] >> Like I've heard he's using but that's a different topic. >> I've heard as well. [LAUGH] So the progression kind of from early generation mobility. >> Mm-hm. >> 1G, 2G through GSM and other, say 2G, 3G kind of progressions to LT and 5G. It seems like the security literarly ramps up with each generation, am I reading that right? >> Well so whenever I give a talk about my research, I always have the same slide at the beginning that kind of gives a timeline of security. >> Getting better each step. >> in the line I work. >> Yeah. >> And I have a thing that highlights in the first generation of mobile networks. There was not even support for encryption so I always argue that we were not off to a good start. In 2G there was encryption, but the G is very well known, there was only authentication from the network to your phone. So you claim that you are any provider, and the phone believes you, and you can do a lot of bad things. And then it became very well known that you could do instant caching and other things on GSM. 3G so bad, there's mutual authentication, strong encryption, same with LT. And then, although it's much better, and it's definitely been getting better, I always kind of like, what one of the. I have a slide that kind of quotes myself, that's a funny story. >> [LAUGH] >> Because once I gave a talk and I made a statement, and somebody told me, you should actually quote yourself on that. So now in my talks I always quote myself on that, which is something, I forgot the specific quote. But it's something like that, although people assume that in LT all these problems don't happen. That you won't have instant caching, you can have railway stations, you actually can. You cannot really do a full man in the middle connection. But essentially any LTE device will exchange a substantial amount of messages with anything that came through an LTE based station. And although eventually there will be an authentication handshake, and there you will see, no, that's not a railway station. Until that moment it's about messages going back and forth, and you can scoop them, tweak them, change them, do lots of things. You can denial the service on a phone. >> Denial of service, clearly. >> You can block the phone and you can cache the entries. You don't need to be in GSM to do any of the caching. So definitely security has gotten much, much, much better, but I always say, and I've been talking with some folks at the FCC. I always tell them that I still believe there's a lot of work to do. >> Do you have confidence that encryption can't be defeated, do you think that's okay? >> I'm not a cryptographer myself, and I don't know that there's been any partial breaks of the encryption. >> That's rarely the weakness, right? >> Yeah. >> It's usually the protocols around thngs. >> Yeah, so now I've been working security for almost eight years. And my experience tells me that crypto is usually what does not break. >> Right. >> It's like really, really smart people working many, many hours on designing things that I barely understand. I always get to the slide with Alice and Barbara and once they go past that it's like okay whatever. I trust you, but usually that's the part that stands, that doesn't really break, usually it's other things. In this case, for example, I'll go into the same example. Encryption is very strong, but the problem is before you do encryption, the phone will blindly trust anything that comes from the network. So you have to, before we actually started as an encryption between you and I, we have to introduce each other. You say you're Ed, and I say I'm Roger. Well you, if you were an LP point, if I tell them my name is, I don't know, Michael Jackson, you will be, okay and you'll believe me. And that's the problem, before you actually do the crypto, which hasn't been broken, that's when they should ask. >> That's interesting, we have a lot of young people who are part of our learning community here. What advice would you have for them? They're probably watching, saying wow I would love to be a security researcher at Bloomberg. If you were sitting with them right now, what advice would you have? Say for somebody maybe in high school or early college years, what would you tell them? >> Well from high school, I think that I would say is that when I was in high school, I had a lot of good friends that were classic stories. Somebody who drums off high school because they think it's not going to be useful, and whatnot. I have to say, as of now, I'm still grateful and lucky that I worked hard in high school. You can work hard in high school and still play soccer in the evening, I play video game. I played a lot of video games. And that definitely helped me to do a good job in undergrad and definitely going to college. If you want to work in technology, going to college is very, very important. I'm not saying that you cannot learn things on your own. I actually today I'm learning a lot of things I never learned by just reading books. But college is definitely something that is very important that prepares you for a job in technology. And I would also encourage people to go to grad school. Because that exposes you a little bit to research. In college or in high school you have a class, you learn a topic. And then you have an exam and everything. You have a lot of like, everything is well-directed, you know what you have to do. In grad school, once you get involved in research, it's more like, well this topic, there's this area. There might be issues that you can find something to do. So it gives you more, you learn to be independent and to like single out and analyze world problems. And I think, although this might sound contradictory, I think that when you're in college and grad school. And you're done with your classes where you're learning things, that's when you learn to learn things the best. Like you're facing a problem, a new area, you don't know about something, you have to get a book, read related papers and learn things. So I would definitely encourage people to do that. I'm happy that that's like the path that I like, so. And everything for me was like out of chance. When I was finishing undergrad back home in Barcelona, I was not [INAUDIBLE] to go to grad school. But a friend of mine who I'm still friends with, he lives in New York. He told me that he thought it would be a good idea for me to apply for a scholarship, do some grad school. And so I applied, and actually I got the scholarship, and that's what brought me here to the US. So I don't know, I would say you should try to think what you want to do and find things that are fun to do. One thing that I'm very happy is that I really enjoy my job. >> Mm-hm. >> And it's not a common thing, but I feel that I've reached that point because I kind of explored the path. I went to college, then grad school, I tried different things and I don't know, eventually things worked out. >> It's a great story, great advice, thanks on behalf of our whole group, our whole learning period. Thanks for stopping by NYU here. >> You're welcome, no problem, I love coming here. >> It was great to see you Roger. >> Great to see you. >> Thank you very much. >> No problem. >> We'll see you next time.

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Put a ring on it Blake Shelton and Gwen Stefani’s newest duet sounds like wedding bells Blake Shelton and Gwen Stefani's latest single, 'Nobody But You,' was released on Dec. 13. Kevin Mazur/CountryLiving Emily DiSalvo, Staff Writer For anyone wondering how country bumpkin Blake Shelton’s relationship with the punk rocker Gwen Stefani works so well, I point to their newest duet, “Nobody But You,” as a perfect explanation. While the two aren’t married, this song sounds like a lyrical engagement, a musical proposal and an intertwining of not only voices, but souls. They might not be ready to put a ring on it, but let me tell you, this duet has a beautiful ring to it. This isn’t the couple’s first duet, however. The duo’s 2016 duet, “Go Ahead and Break My Heart,” is a precursor to “Nobody But You.” The first duet was an experiment — the new couple wrote the song together, sending each other lyrics back and forth. Their voices alternated and taunted each other to break one another’s hearts. The two started dating a year ago at that point, and Stefani’s uncertainty with the new relationship was evident. She sings, “But I’m so scared, I don’t know what to do. How did you get me so into you?” Now though, there’s no doubt. Shelton and Stefani are no longer an experiment — they’re an establishment. Shelton opens the song with these thoughtful lyrics: “I don’t want to look back in 30 years and wonder who you’re married to.” The normally witty and fun-loving Shelton known for lyrics like, “She put the S.O.B. in sober,” sounds serious. He sounds sober. Then Stefani’s voice joins his, and it’s like it was there all along. She matches his country twang in such a way that makes me thing she’s been crooning rather than belting about bananas for the last several decades. The union of their voices brought tears to my eyes, sort of like when two newlyweds walk down the aisle after completing their vows. The chorus, “I don’t want to live without you; I don’t want to even breathe. I don’t want to dream about you; I want you to wake up next to me,” is some of the most genuine lyrics I have heard in country music. So much of country music is about casual love — one night stands, beautiful girls across the bar, a summer fling, the one that got away. This song is permanent. It represents a love much greater than the flirtatious couple that fell in love while coaching on The Voice. It sounds like soul mates singing with one voice about a shared life plan that includes only one another. Nobody but you. The chorus continues as the two chant in unison, “Looking at you right now, if I had to die now, I don’t want to love nobody but you.” These aren’t lyrics anyone can take lightly, especially from two singers in a serious romantic relationship. They sound like wedding vows. After the first chorus, the two reflect on the past. Both Shelton and Stefani were previously married before finding one another. In “Go Ahead and Break My Heart,” the lyrics hinted that they originally may have started dating to help one another heal. In “Nobody But You” they sing, “All the wasted days, all the wasted nights. I blame it all on being young. Got no regrets because it got me here, but I don’t want to waste another one.” These lines make me feel proud of Shelton and how far he has come and how he has healed and learned to love again. I have been following his musical progression since his divorce with country star Miranda Lambert in July 2015. At first, his music was angry and sarcastic. Then it was contemplative. Then it was swooning and full of awe at his new relationship with Stefani. Most recently, in “God’s Country” it was spiritual and patriotic. Now, it’s matured, and it’s truly magical. I want to be invited to their inevitable wedding, so I can watch them dance to this song. Shelton and Stefani can’t release a song like this and break up, right? blakeshelton gwenstefani Emily DiSalvo, News Editor Country and Catholicism ‘Marriage Story’ is a tragic look at love, family and priorities Nicktoons unite ‘Everyday life’ comes alive ‘Flawless’ Frozen The Bieb branches out Hunting for answers

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Win Winstock 2020 Tickets Curt St. John Paisley Dunn Alexa, Play Quick Country Concerts Heard On Air Submit Your Community Calendar Event Contests and Perks Winstock Tickets Hitchville JT & The Gunslingers The Plott Hounds GB Leighton Devon Worley Band Corey Koehler Band Trace Adkins Tickets Rochester's #1 For New CountryRochester's #1 For New Country Luke Bryan: Fans Can’t Help But Love ‘Knockin’ Boots’ Luke Bryan's newest No. 1 hit "Knockin' Boots" has fans dancing in the aisles, even if they don't want to. The singer says what he finds most intriguing about "Knockin' Boots" is how catchy it is. "I’ve had fans go, 'You know, I really don’t like that song but I can’t stop singing it,'" Bryan tells Taste of Country. "I look in the aisles and husbands and wives are out there twirling and dancing. It's kind of a nice little fun dance song, too." It's arguably the song of the summer, although Bryan concedes that Blake Shelton's "God's Country" could give him a run for that title. "Knockin' Boots" is the first single from Bryan's upcoming seventh studio album, which is still very much TBD. In fact, even he's not sure when fans will get his next album. See 14 Country Stars You Forgot Did Reality TV: "I think it's a fun time in music. Even with 'Knockin' Boots,' we were like — we didn't really have a song picked," the longtime hitmaker says. "I went in and recorded a couple songs and we were like, 'We like it, it's summertime, let's put it out.' I think the freedom of kind of put a song out when you want to is pretty nice." The 43-year-old talked to Taste of Country before his set at Hometown Rising in Louisville, Ky,. on Sept. 15. During the interview (seen above) he also gave fans a little insight into what his next album may include. "I'm not gonna have some album with every track is gonna have steel guitar on it, but do I have steel guitar on this album? Yeah," he says. See Photos of Luke Bryan from Hometown Rising: Source: Luke Bryan: Fans Can’t Help But Love ‘Knockin’ Boots’ Categories: Country Exclusive, Country Music News 2020 Quick Country 96.5 is part of the Taste Of Country Network, Townsquare Media, Inc. All rights reserved.

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Bold Relief Edwin Amenta Bold Relief: Institutional Politics and the Origins of Modern American Social Policy 19 halftones, 7 charts, 19 tables According to conventional wisdom, American social policy has always been exceptional — exceptionally stingy and backwards. But Edwin Amenta reminds us here that sixty years ago the United States led the world in spending on social provision. He combines history and political theory to account for this surprising fact — and to explain why the country’s leading role was short-lived. The orthodox view is that American social policy began in the 1930s as a two-track system of miserly “welfare” for the unemployed and generous “social security” for the elderly. However, Amenta shows that the New Deal was in fact a bold program of relief, committed to providing jobs and income support for the unemployed. Social security was, by comparison, a policy afterthought. By the late 1930s, he shows, the U.S. pledged more of its gross national product to relief programs than did any other major industrial country. Amenta develops and uses an institutional politics theory to explain how social policy expansion was driven by northern Democrats, state-based reformers, and political outsiders. And he shows that retrenchment in the 1940s was led by politicians from areas where beneficiaries of relief were barred from voting. He also considers why some programs were nationalized, why some states had far-reaching “little New Deals,” and why Britain — otherwise so similar to the United States — adopted more generous social programs. Bold Relief will transform our understanding of the roots of American social policy and of the institutional and political dynamics that will shape its future. Co-Winner of the 1999 Distinguished Publication Award, Political Sociology Section of the American Sociological Association One of Choice's Outstanding Academic Titles for 1998 Edwin Amenta is Associate Professor of Sociology at New York University. "In Bold Relief, Edwin Amenta brings welcome attention to the wide range of social services promulgated in the mid- and late 1930s.... Bold Relief offers a useful and insightful overview of the origin and limits to US social policy."—Political Science Quarterly "With convincing evidence, Bold Relief limns a bold new vision of federal social policy from the New Deal through the 1940s."—Reviews in American History "Amenta insists that [social insurance and assistance programs] were constructed around the public provision of work for those in need.... The argument is impressive, and it offers a political reminder that providing work was, for a time, thought a legitimate and desirable role for governments."—The Times Higher Education Supplement "Bold Relief restores an important dimension to the history of American social policy.... One hopes that the book will inspire advocates of all kinds of policy to be bolder—and better informed—about creating the political and administrative preconditions necessary for new social policies."—Social Service Reviews Democratic Capitalism at the Crossroads Carles Boix Darkness by Design Walter Mattli The Price of Rights Martin Ruhs The Oil Curse Michael L. Ross Japan's Financial Crisis Jennifer Amyx

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The Student News Site of Redwood High School Haunted house at Drake shut down due to controversial doll Gregory Block A student-built haunted house at Drake High School was shut down Friday after a controversial doll was found hanging from the ceiling. The doll, which had a black head and a white body, was hanging from a noose. The doll was intended to look charred, fitting with the haunted house’s theme of “Haunted Hospital,” according to district Superintendent David Yoshihara. Controversy arose after people believed the doll looked like an African-American child, Yoshihara said. COMACAD students get in costume for the Haunted Hospital. The haunted house was shut down after an offensive doll was found hanging from the ceiling. According to Drake junior Zoe Brouillet, who is a member of the class that designed and built the haunted house, the doll was not intended to be racially offensive. “Our intention was not to offend anyone or to be racist. We didn’t mean to hurt anyone and we deeply apologize,” Brouillet said. The class that designed the haunted house was not a typical one-period class. Known as COMACAD (Communication Academy), students in the class take English, history, and digital communications in a three-period core style class, and sometimes work on larger projects. According to Brouillet, students in COMACAD had been working on the haunted house since the first day of school, spending time outside of school as well as in class. Brouillet also said that students spent their own money to help create the haunted house and were waiting for the administration to refund them––they are now unsure whether they will receive reimbursement. According to Brouillet, although students understood the circumstances, the decision to take down the haunted house was a difficult one for all of them. “I know personally I walked into the room while they were tearing it down and it made me really sad to the point of crying,” Brouillet said. “I saw other COMACAD members crying because we worked really hard on this.” The district shut down the haunted house out of fear of community outroar, according to Yoshihara. Yoshihara acknowledged that although students put significant time and effort into creating the house, the house needed to be shut down in order to avoid even more conflict and to address safety concerns. Although Yoshihara was not on site when the decision was made, he said he would have responded in a similar way. “On the one hand you have a very public image. You have some of the community who are very angry that this occurred. You have others who also know that students put a lot of hard work into this,” Yoshihara said. “I think that the way that the situation played out as it did, I probably would have done the exact same thing.” According to Yoshihara, the next step in the process of dealing with the incident is for district staff to talk with people who were affected and people who were interested in what happened, including staff, parents, and other members of the community. Yoshihara said that if the media had not been involved, decisions may have been handled differently. However, he sees the situation as a learning moment for the district in order to avoid future conflicts regarding race, religion, and other cultural differences. “This is just an example of a racial one, but there certainly are religious ones that could be very sensitive to people and there certainly could be other instances where there is sensitivity to race and culture,” Yoshihara said. “Certainly it is unfortunate and I do regret that, but I think having conversations [with students and staff] will help.” Brouillet believes that the incident highlights a lack of student awareness about race in Marin. “I think it’s something that needs to be looked at more and something that needs to be considered more because it was something that I guess we just didn’t notice,” Brouillet said. “It was unintentional and it’s a sensitive topic to many people.” Drake principal Liz Seabury was unavailable for comment. COMACAD Yoshihara Gregory Block, Author Snapshot No. 59 Snapchat No. 57 That’s a wrap! New addition of World Wrapps in the CEA ends quickly Making a house a home: Family House San Francisco provides care for families battling cancer Drugs, Death and Discussion: Time to talk about overdose in Marin TUHSD plans to install vape detectors on school campuses Trump’s impeachment, explained The drama department debuts its second annual One Act Festival North American bird populations are vanishing according to recent studies Students Organized for Anti-Racism awarded for exemplary efforts in encouraging conversations Photo Gallery: Advanced Performance Workshop fall concerts Veterans Day service held at the Marin Civic Center reminds attendants of the day’s significance

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Morgan quits after losing Duke beat in McClatchy consolidation by R.L. Bynum | Jun 22, 2017 | Media, Sports | 0 comments There are no News and Observer reporters who lost more when The McClatchy Company acquired The Herald-Sun in December than Jessika Morgan. That reality led Morgan to resign Monday after two years at The N&O. Last August, The N&O named Morgan to replace Laura Keeley as Duke beat writer. She began on the beat in October after maternity leave but only had the beat to herself for less than three months. With Steve Wiseman, the sports editor of The Herald-Sun, also covering Duke, it was obvious that both wouldn’t remain on the beat. She covered Duke sporadically beginning in January, and she didn’t cover the ACC tournament. Although she covered Duke in the first two rounds of the NCAA tournament in Greenville, S.C., while Wiseman was at an AP Sports Editors event, Wiseman would have covered later games had the Blue Devils advanced. “From January on, I expressed my frustrations with my manager pretty often,” Morgan said. “I was officially taken off the beat on May 22, but unofficially way before then because a lot of my assignments kept going to Durham’s beat writer and I was kind of just in limbo.” She had only been covering Duke since October while Wiseman has been on the beat since August 2010. A meeting last week sealed her decision. “There was a meeting that happened,” said Morgan, who didn’t want to get into many details of the meeting. “But I just really wasn’t pleased with it and I think a lot of people were disappointed, my managers included, by how this kind of turned out. But I just wanted to step away from the situation just for the better.” Without McClatchy’s purchase of The Herald-Sun, she no doubt still would be on the Duke beat. “Apparently, nobody saw it coming, so it’s no fault of anyone,” Morgan said. “I don’t have any animosity toward anyone. It was just what was best for me. It was unfortunate. I didn’t see it coming. I didn’t want it to happen and it did, and I had to make a decision from there.” People frequently get caught in the middle when there are corporate consolidations. There was a conflict on UNC coverage — with Andrew Carter on the beat for The N&O and John McCann for The Herald-Sun — until McCann left after 14 years at the newspaper late January to become the public relations coordinator for the Chatham County Schools. Rachael Riley arrived at The Herald-Sun in September to cover Durham. She was laid off in March because Virginia Bridges already was a veteran of the beat. Riley started at The Daily Dispatch of Henderson on April 5. But nobody was likely more frustrated than Morgan. She ascended from being sports editor of the Kinston Free Press to sports editor of the Midtown Raleigh News and the North Raleigh News (jobs that no longer exist) in June 2015 to taking over one of the top sports beats in the country. Then she had the beat, prestigious because it includes Duke men’s basketball, to herself for a short time. “I’m disappointed, of course,” Morgan said. “It was frustrating for me and Steve Wiseman. It was a frustrating last few months. … That was kind of what I got promoted to do last summer and I was no longer doing that, so that left me having to make some decisions. Obviously, the Durham purchase made things complicated a little bit and I think the paper and I were just going in different directions. It was best for me to kind of step out of the situation because I wasn’t happy with it.” Added to the frustration for Morgan is that she didn’t know what would have been ahead for her at The N&O. “They really didn’t have a role for me, so that was another thing,” Morgan said. “I talked to my managers about this — if I had a future there basically and it didn’t really seem like it. I know the paper is going through this reinvention thing, so maybe after July or August there would have been some clarity. But I just really didn’t want to be stuck not knowing what my future would be for that amount of time.” Her last story for The N&O, on June 15, was about how four former Duke stars are doing in the WNBA. “I’m at peace with the decision,” she said. “I thought long and hard about it.” The fact that her husband has a job with benefits gave her the flexibility to quit and begin looking for another job. “We talked about it for a couple of months that if it came down to me having to leave, what we would do? And we had a good plan,” Morgan said. “So we talked and he’s on board, so I have support there.” She said that as a writer who loves sports, she hopes to find a job that will include both. “I have a couple of opportunities, so we’ll see how things pan out,” she said. In the meantime, she will be able to spend more time with her young daughter. R.L. Bynum @RL_Bynum R.L. Bynum spent 27 years in the newspaper business as a copy editor, and also was a sports writer for many years. He has completed 43 marathons, is a hopeless politics junkie and is happy to finally see the Cubs win the World Series without having to watch a movie. More from this contributor Our Company time is sadly ending R.L. Bynum | Personal Stories, Sports Led by Maye, UNC’s big men impressive in opener R.L. Bynum | Sports Heels come up big going small at jamboree

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Venezuela – The Anatomy Of A Coup By Renegade Inc Uncategorized | Bookmark to dashboard After learning nothing from epic failures in resource-rich countries like Iraq and Libya the US neocons are at it again. Condemnation of a democratically elected president, gaslighting from the international community, sanctions, meddling with supply chains and threatening the lives of Generals. These are all hallmarks of a regime in search of yet more resources. But after a catalogue of military catastrophes and a wider public understanding of the well-worn neocon narrative, could Venezuela be the stumbling block that holds an overstretched American war machine? Renegade Inc. met up with the head of Latin American Studies Research Group at Middlesex University, Dr. Francisco Dominguez and the Professor of Human Rights at Birkbeck, Professor Oscar Guardiola-Rivera to discuss what’s really going on in Venezuela. The Latin-American 9/11 Dr Dominguez related the experiences of the first 9-11 of 1973 in Chile under socialist President Allende to the current events unfolding in Venezuela: “Chile had a vigorous European style democracy since about 1920”, says Dominguez. “Ever since the election of Allende in 1970, the United States, threw everything at us including the kitchen sink. By 1973 the economy was completely destroyed. The coup formally began at 5 o’clock in the morning. By about 7am the presidential palace was surrounded and the military forces were moving around the country taking over things and assassinating people on the spot. By about 8 o’clock the president made a desperate appeal to the population to help defend the Palace.” Noam Chomsky talks about the first 9/11 in Chile (part of Four Horsemen documentary) Dominguez was one individual among many who responded to the Presidents request, only to discover that the palace had already been surrounded by opposition troops, with Allende, his aides and ministers inside. The researcher described the unfolding deaths including that of the president and other horrors. He described how anybody resisting what was being done to them were under the immediate threat of execution. “People I knew – my friends – were being executed on the spot”, he says. By the early afternoon a second communique was issued: “They were banning everything. They closed down Congress and stopped elections indefinitely. No political parties could exist, no trade unions, no nothing. The democracy that it took us so many struggles to build over 50 something years was destroyed by 3 o’clock that day”, said Dominguez. Terrorism of the kind outlined above enacted by the West against official enemies is never described as such. It is only regarded as terrorism when “they” attack “us”. Noam Chomsky reaffirms this central truism: The Venezuela context The current situation unfolding in Venezuela is best viewed in the context of Chile and other regional coups. Dominguez points to the examples of the former and Argentina: “In Chile the military assassinated…5000 people…In Argentina the military junta – also supported by the US – between 1976 and 1982/83 – assassinated 32,000”, said Dominguez. The researcher continued: “If one looks at the scale, looks at the level of hatred and intensity the United States has against us and had against the poor people of Argentina, you can imagine the way they feel about [the Venezuelan government] that lasted 20 years and they haven’t been able to destroy. Nevertheless, this hasn’t stopped them trying over the course of two decades to wreck the country: “They never stop”, posits Dominguez. “They will purge society. As the head General in charge of the Air Force in the military junta of Chile, said, ‘We have to extricate this Marxist concept from society, and the best Marxist is a dead Marxist.’ Professor Guardiola-Rivera referenced a more recent example of US imperialist aggression – in his home neighbouring country of Colombia. The scale of the atrocities, reflected in the numbers, is staggering: “Seven million people were forcibly displaced by the military and the paramilitary working together with the US government. More than 40,000 disappeared – just in one country. That is to say, far more than those who were disappeared in all of the dictatorships of the southern cone combined”, exclaimed Guardiola-Rivera. Those allied to the United States who committed the atrocities, not only got away with them, they remain in power in Colombia, having recently won another election. Without the assistance of the local paramilitary and military groups inside Colombia, the US would not have been able to carry out their regime change operation in Venezuela. “When people like Colombia’s new President, his political mentor and others tell us that they have the humanitarian interest of Venezuelans at heart, we Colombians know better”, says Guardiola-Rivera. “These are people who [are prepared to] kill over 250,000 of their own citizens…If we allow a humanitarian crisis in Venezuela – in which 2.4 million have left [the country] – to continue, it will be absolutely horrendous”, he adds. Neoliberal ‘Shock Therapy’ – making the economy scream is the price for exporting ‘democracy’ & ‘freedom’. The US benchmark for regime change in Venezuela, was crystallized in reforms that underpinned the economic ‘shock doctrine’ of neoliberalism whose leading exponent was Milton Friedman. Chile in the early 1970s was South America’s testing ground for these reforms, which was the price to be paid for exporting the US versions of democracy and freedom. The implementation of shock therapy in Chile, in other words, became the US economic blueprint for the rest of South America. “The blueprint began to be implemented in ’74, right away”, claims Dominguez. “They went through several experiments [before arriving] at a coherent strategy from a right-wing neoliberal point of view. Soon after, Friedman came to Chile to evaluate how his experiment was going.” Dominguez elaborates: “He [Friedman] came to monitor the thing. He was interviewed on television. The whole country saw it. He was asked about whether the level of economic liberalisation – which at the time was much worse than anything that anybody knew anywhere in the world – was being brutally implemented. He said that as far as he was concerned, the levels were not sufficient and much more had to be done. He was tremendously vigorous about it.” Dominguez continued: “Immediately after that – around the time the regime assassinated most of the people and the worst brutalities and atrocities were committed – journalists on television asked him about the question of political liberalisation. And in ’75 he said that many more restrictions had to be implemented. And the reason he said this was because in his view the remaining freedoms that he saw there would have complicated the implementation of the neoliberal paradigm.” Dominguez added: “So that gives you an idea of how far they were prepared to go.” Guardiola-Rivera interjected: “Notice how Francisco was referring to Friedman as coming to Chile to check how they were doing. Now ‘they’ are the so-called Chicago boys. Chilean young leaders – student leaders and politicians who had already imbibed these ideas of hatred towards any sort of political dissent. This is very important because those young Chileans….are the exact equivalent in today‘s Venezuela… In fact when you look at Juan Guaido…and….the members of the so-called Popular Will Party who ended up proclaiming themselves as the interim presidency of Venezuela. You have the exact same career path.” Guardiola-Rivera remarked on the toxic mixture and backgrounds of the various individuals involved: “They were educated in elite business schools in Caracas. They were educated precisely in the neoliberal dogma. Then they emerged…during the student protest 2007/2014. And then they are – we now know – trained and funded by US aid – by the Endowment for Democracy – in programs that used to be covert. One of them is being run in Serbia. They were trained in how to use street mobilizations in order to destabilise a democratic country. And now those programs…are overt, run by the Department of Justice. This is where these guys….and others were prepped, funded and trained. This is also when and why they get to meet people who moved in those circles in the United States – in intelligence services and so on and so forth. That is to say people like Mike Pompeo or John Bolton or the very notorious Elliot Abrams. Guardiola-Rivera outlined the broader context: “This, of course, not only evokes what happened in Chile in the 1970s, but what was repeated thereafter during my time in Panama in the ’80s then in Haiti and, more recently, Honduras, Paraguay, culminating last year in the coup d’etat in Brazil. This follows the exact same script. Number 1: Make the economy scream so that whatever popular support this regime has is undermined [and eroded]. Number 2: Try and divide the military – which is what they did in Chile….Number 3: If that doesn’t work then you rain hell from above on that country. And that’s of course what not only Chavez supporters in Venezuela but also people who are critical of Maduro want to avoid. They fear most the possibility of all-out war in Venezuela. A phenomenon contained in one country will be a regional conflagration that very quickly could spill over into a global one.” Humanitarian intervention as propaganda It’s somewhat ironical that President Trump, who lost the popular vote in the US and therefore whose concepts of democracy and freedom are skewed, is willing to export them through a form of political-economic and military coercion. As Dr Dominguez points out, in the case of Venezuela, this is being done through the auspices of humanitarian aid as a form of propaganda: “The United States could easily help but rather than doing that it’s militarizing what they call humanitarian aid in order to try to come in with guns blazing”, says Dominguez. This is a point, similarly picked up on by Dr. Marcus Papadopoulos who, in a tweet, argued: “The delivery of humanitarian aid by the US to the Colombian/Venezuelan border is a sickening component of Washington’s propaganda war against Venezuela. If the US really wants to help the Venezuelan people then it should lift the sanctions it has placed on them.” Guardiola-Rivera added: “Look they [the US administration] might fool some of the people but you cannot fool all of the people all of the time. You cannot believe that [John] Bolton, whom we all remember from the Iraq war and human rights champion Elliott Abrams whom we all remember for having lied to its own congress – a convicted war criminal, and so on – have the humanitarian interests of Venezuelans inside their hearts.” Recently President Trump offered Venezuela’s military officers a choice – work for a democratic future for all Venezuelans or see the financial circle closed for their families and loved ones. This kind of imperialist-colonialist mentality is not merely pernicious but, in the view of Dominguez: “It’s bullying. The intention is to split the armed forces in Venezuela to facilitate what they’re trying to do. They’ve been calling on the Armed Forces in Venezuela to split and to abandon the government and their constitution since 2017. So far very little has happened. That’s why there’s going to be more of those very soon again.” The critical eye & the ‘mainstream’ cacophony Guardiola-Rivera has written numerous critiques of the US role in Venezuela. The human rights professor says the reaction to his work has been mixed. He notes, however, that the majority of people appear to be able to analyse what’s presented to them with a critical eye: “You get people calling you a Putin puppet or they ask you how much do they pay you for saying these lies and so forth”, he says, but adds, “For the most part what I’ve got is the following reaction, ‘Thanks for writing an article that actually tries to paint a truthful picture of what is happening, it’s very difficult to find it in the mainstream media.’ You have to go….elsewhere because in the mainstream media what you have is a cacophony of very much the same stories that we heard back in 2001 during the run-up to Iraq.” The imperialist right-wing propaganda of the one per cent is inculcated in the cacophony of anti-Maduro/pro Western establishment voices. One such figure is Richard Branson, who Guardiola-Rivera claims “behaves as if he was God for the poor suffering Latin Americans.” According to Guardiola-Rivera, “people have got wiser” with regards to understanding what the real motives of the imperialists are around the world. But specifically, in terms of Venezuela, the professor is: “very concerned about the fact that nobody is asking the real question. The question is. Why now? The changes in leadership in Latin America, particularly in Venezuela’s most important neighbouring countries, Colombia and Brazil.” “Colombia used to be ruled by a liberal who had just got the Nobel Prize for Peace. That guy was not going to roll over for this kind of US adventurism. So he was replaced by a puppet. And then in Brazil, you have neo-fascist, Bolsonaro. I tell you these two leaders would be more than happy to commit their own troops to this kind of exercise. In propaganda terms, such proxies would likely be more devastating for the region than would be the case if Trump decided to commit his own troops to the ground in Venezuela. As Guardiola-Rivera attests, what American presidents fear the most are “the media depicting coffins coming back. But if you have these proxies – and this is my fear – we may not see a sort of all out invention but a sort of war by proxy. The kind of thing that we have already been seeing in Syria.” Dr Dominguez interjected: “It seems to me there is a very interesting dimension here. Nothing legitimizes US foreign policy internationally more than the support it gets from the European Union. The European Union capitulates and.. sometimes…[this capitulation involves]….taking decisions against it’s own interests….Countries such as China, Russia India – just to mention a few – are quite substantial economically – already been very strong [defending Venezuela]….[In terms of}…the whole African Union, there’s this statement defending Maduro and opposing what is being done to them and so on. It seems to me that the difficulty…Trump/Bolton, Rubio, Abrahms etc, have is this: The Venezuelan opposition has been pretty useless to be able to get the job done. Every time they mess it up – and there is a very peculiar twist in this – the United States seems to be very frustrated with them because they don’t get things done. The trouble is, the Venezuelan opposition is not independent and as a result of this they follow what they are told from Washington.” “And the opposition is very discredited. Very very discredited. With this, you know if this fails – and there are chances that it does – I think the opposition is going to find it impossible to recover.” The geopolitical angle In the view of Guardiola-Rivera: “There are two aspects to the Venezuelan crisis from a world geopolitical perspective. One of which was made clear by an American historian whose knows Latin America very well, Greg Grandin. He posted a tweet saying, ‘The road to Tehran seems to pass through Caracas.’ Readers of Bob Woodward’s book on the Trump administration – Fear -would surely remember Chapter 14 where we’re told this very weird story about an NSA operative who may have persuaded Donald Trump’s son in law – Jared Kushner – that the next war was coming from Iran – specifically Hezbollah – and that Hezbollah had operatives in Latin America.” Guardiola-Rivera referenced terrorism and an additional economic-political dimension: “We’ve heard Mike Pence but also Mike Pompeo and others saying that the threat posed by Venezuela is not just corruption of human rights but terrorism. He’s already hinting at alleged presence of Hezbollah in Venezuela. The other aspect is the economic political aspect. Clearly this is a move to oust China. China has important [predominantly infrastructure] investments in the region as a whole – not just Venezuela.” “During the last decade and a half the world has became more multipolar. This is what the Trump administration is trying to rollback”, says Guadiola-Rivera. How is this all likely to pan out? For Guardiola-Rivera, the US strategy in Venezuela is widely viewed as a: “show of strength by the United States”, but “actually it is the very opposite. They are running out of time. They know that the days of their far right-wing allies in the region are counted. So this can only pan out in one of two ways. Either the United States manages to produce a division within the Venezuelan army which then leads to a military coup. But that road ends in violence. Or else by weaponising humanitarian aid and human rights along the Venezuela/Colombia border they provoke a heavier handed response by the Venezuelan army. This could possibly result in people being killed in the very act of trying to get some aid which would provide the sort of moral justification for a humanitarian intervention, perhaps with the approval of the Organization of American States. But that road also ends in violence. The only way this would work for the United States is the worst possible scenario for Venezuelan people, Latin American and the whole world. Which is why so many people inside Venezuela and outside are opposing, very firmly, this possibility.” In the view of Dominguez, the endpoint is indicative of Pompeo’s perceived failings in terms of his ability to secure votes at the United Nations Security Council and the Organization of American States during the emergency meetings their. “This is what made them so desperate”, claims Dominguez. “That’s why they’re going to go for war. That’s what they’re trying to do. And they know the complications. This is not an easy thing. And although the danger is supreme, time is working against them….There is something new in the picture: Mexico’s initiative to actually engage in dialogue and try to get Venezuelans to sort themselves out. This is getting a lot of traction. So the more wider phase and the more the United States is unable to do these things, the more chances there are that no war takes place. Crucially: “What is at stake is the national sovereignty of Venezuela and the whole of Latin America because if they get away with this, they can get away with it anywhere in the world. Not just in Latin America.” Renegade Inc. is a new mainstream media platform which creates and broadcasts content aimed at those who think differently.Its mission is to inform, illuminate and inspire, focusing initially on three sectors: entrepreneurship, self-learning and the arts. Latest posts by Renegade Inc (see all) Our Spectator Democracy Costs The Earth - December 21, 2019 Privatised Planet - December 10, 2019 The State Of British Banking - December 7, 2019 On the continued weaponization of ‘identity’ Our Spectator Democracy Costs The Earth Renegade Inc Could it be that the word and the idea ‘Democracy’ need to ... Privatised Planet Renegade Inc With only a few days into a new right-wing UK ... The State Of British Banking Renegade Inc What are the factors that underline a British banking crisis mired in ... Lies, Damn Lies And Climate Statistics Renegade Inc We travel to the Kakanomics festival to understand the extent to which ... The bizarre world of Peter Hitchens Author and journalist, Peter Hitchens, is probably the most enigmatic and controversial public figure currently working in the corporate mainstream media today. Daniel Margrain shows you why...

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BREAKING News Out Of BOSTON… HE ADMITTED TO IT!!! GUESS WHERE HE’S HEADING NOW! Posted By: Dean James May 23, 2018 MS-13 Member Admits Responsibility for Murder of 16-Year-Old East Boston Boy and Pleads Guilty to RICO Conspiracy Involving Murder Defendant 48th person to be convicted in case BOSTON – An MS-13 member pleaded guilty today in federal court in Boston to racketeering conspiracy involving the murder of a 16-year-old boy in East Boston. Jairo Perez, a/k/a “Seco,” 27, a Salvadoran national, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to conduct enterprise affairs through a pattern of racketeering activity, more commonly referred to as RICO or racketeering conspiracy. Perez admitted that his racketeering activity involved the Jan. 10, 2016, murder of a 16-year-old boy in East Boston. Under the terms of the proposed plea agreement, Perez will be sentenced to 35 years in prison. At today’s hearing, the Court accepted the defendant’s guilty plea but deferred acceptance of the plea agreement until the sentencing hearing. Perez will be subject to deportation proceedings upon completion of his sentence. U.S. District Court Judge F. Dennis Saylor IV scheduled sentencing for Sept. 11, 2018. The investigation revealed that Perez was a member of MS-13’s Trece Loco Salvatrucha (TLS) clique. Evidence showed that on Jan. 10, 2016, Perez and other MS-13 members murdered a 16-year-old boy whom they believed to be a member of the rival 18th Street gang. The victim was stabbed and shot multiple times. A few days after the murder, Perez was caught on tape admitting to stabbing the victim multiple times, and he was arrested soon thereafter. Perez was also recorded burying the knives used to murder the victim in a park on Deer Island in Winthrop. After a multi-year investigation, Perez was one of dozens of alleged leaders, members, and associates of MS-13 named in a superseding indictment unsealed in January 2016 that targeted MS-13’s criminal activities in Massachusetts. Perez is the 48th defendant to be convicted as part of that ongoing prosecution by the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Massachusetts. To date, all eight defendants who have gone to trial have been convicted, and 40 other defendants have pleaded guilty. United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling; Harold H. Shaw, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division; Peter Fitzhugh, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Boston; Colonel Kerry A. Gilpin, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police; Commissioner Thomas Turco of the Massachusetts Department of Corrections; Essex County Sheriff Kevin F. Coppinger; Suffolk County Sheriff Steven W. Thompkins; Suffolk County District Attorney Daniel F. Conley; Middlesex County District Attorney Marian T. Ryan; Essex County District Attorney Jonathan Blodgett; Boston Police Commissioner William Evans; Chelsea Police Chief Brian A. Kyes; Everett Police Chief Steven A. Mazzie; Lynn Police Chief Michael Mageary; Revere Police Chief James Guido; and Somerville Police Chief David Fallon made the announcement. The remaining defendants are presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. SOURCE – U.S. Attorney’s Office District of Massachusetts

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The Late Victorian Folksong Revival The Persistence of English Melody, 1878-1903 E. David Gregory In The Late Victorian Folksong Revival: The Persistence of English Melody, 1878-1903, E. David Gregory provides a reliable and comprehensive history of the birth and early development of the first English folksong revival. Continuing where Victorian Songhunters, his first book, left off, Gregory systematically explores what the Late Victorian folksong collectors discovered in the field and what they published for posterity, identifying differences between the songs noted from oral tradition and those published in print. In doing so, he determines the extent to which the collectors distorted what they found when publishing the results of their research in an era when some folksong texts were deemed unsuitable for "polite ears." The book provides a reliable overall survey of the birth of a movement, tracing the genesis and development of the first English folksong revival. It discusses the work of more than a dozen song-collectors, focusing in particular on three key figures: the pioneer folklorist in the English west country, Reverend Sabine Baring-Gould; Frank Kidson, who greatly increased the known corpus of Yorkshire song; and Lucy Broadwood, who collected mainly in the counties of Sussex and Surrey, and with Kidson and others, was instrumental in founding the Folk Song Society in the late 1890s. The book includes copious examples of the song tunes and texts collected, including transcriptions of nearly 300 traditional ballads, broadside ballads, folk lyrics, occupational songs, carols, shanties, and "national songs," demonstrating the abundance and high quality of the songs recovered by these early collectors. Pages: 600 • Trim: 9 x 11½ 978-0-8108-6988-2 • Hardback • April 2010 • $116.00 • (£75.00) 978-0-8108-6989-9 • eBook • April 2010 • $110.00 • (£75.00) Subjects: Music / Instruction & Study / Appreciation, Music / Genres & Styles / Folk & Traditional E. David Gregory is professor of history and humanities and chair of the Centre for Global & Social Analysis at Athabasca University in Northern Alberta, Canada. He is the author of Victorian Songhunters: The Recovery and Editing of English Vernacular Ballads and Folk Lyrics, 1820-1883 (Scarecrow Press, 2006). A welcome follow-up to Gregory's Victorian Songhunters: The Recovery and Editing of English Vernacular Ballads and Folk Lyrics, 1820-1833 (2006), this book presents tunes and texts for hundreds of songs from the published works of British folksong collectors of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, in particular Sabine Baring-Gould, Frank Kidson, and Lucy Broadwood. Active before sound-recording technology was generally available, these collectors listened to singers and transcribed what they heard into musical notation. Though the collectors may have made subtle changes to suit their own agendas, the value of their collections is immense. To further the assessment and enjoyment of this legacy, Gregory (history, Athabasca Univ., Canada) provides insightful commentaries on the world in which the collectors worked and on the music they found. He identifies himself as a cultural historian rather than an ethnomusicologist, but he makes significant contributions to both fields with this work. This book will please informed amateurs and academics interested in the history, culture, and music of the British Isles. Summing Up: Recommended.

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December 5, 2013 - Updated on January 20, 2016 Impunity wins out as suspect in journalist’s murder is freed on bail Reporters Without Borders is dismayed at the release on bail of Fermín Marcelino Calderon (photo), one of those charged over the 2011 abduction and murder of the journalist Jose Agustin Silvestre, also known as “Gajo”. He was bailed on the orders of Judge Haydeliza Henriquez in the eastern city of San Pedro de Macorís on 29 November. The prosecution has said it will appeal against the decision. “In view of the seriousness of the charges against Fermin Marcelino Calderon in the Silvestre case, his release on bail appears a strange act of clemency,” the press freedom organization said. “What guarantees have been given to ensure the accused will appear at his trial? What reasons prompted Judge Henriquez to take such action? It is the second time that a suspect in the murder of a journalist has been freed while an investigation is in progress. The decision casts doubt over a legal system where freedom can be bought, even in the most serious cases. Besides his alleged involvement in Silvestre’s murder, Marcelino Calderon is also accused of money laundering on behalf of Matias Avelino Castro, suspected to be the man who ordered Silvestre’s murder. “This episode occurs at a time when Dominican journalists are increasingly the target of defamation suits, often accompanied by large-scale demands for reparations. Reporters Without Borders believes that the reform of the criminal code currently under way is very limited, merely reducing the penalties for press offences without decriminalizing them.” There are several worrying examples, such as the defamation suits brought by Senator Felix Bautista against the journalist Juan Taveras Hernandez of the radio station Z-101, the station’s owner Bienvenido Rodriguez and its manager, Willy Rodriguez. The senator is claiming 1.16 million dollars in compensation. A verdict is expected on 15 January 2014. Similarly, the editor of the news site Ciudadoriental.org, Robert Vargas, and one of its journalists, Julio Benzant, are also the subjects of defamation cases brought by the member of Parliament Alfredo Martínez. For their part, the journalists Luis Eduardo “Huchi” Lora of Teleantillas, and Juan Bolivar Diaz of Telesistema have been accused of being traitors to their country by the nationalist group National Sovereignty Defense Network for criticizing the Constitutional Court’s decision to withdraw Dominican citizenship from people of Haitian descent. The journalists have been the targets of a hate campaign. Help by sharing this information Follow the news on Dominican Republic to go further Dominican Republic: News presenter and producer gunned down in mid-broadcast February 15, 2017 Find out more Hostile climate for Dominican media since start of 2015 June 25, 2015 Find out more Journalists wounded while covering street clashes in Santo Domingo September 22, 2014 Find out more Subscribe to the newsletter: Dominican Republic

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Science Trends Sign up for our science newsletter Get breaking science news from deadly earthquakes to latest cancer drugs ✓ Fact Checked Science Trends Fact Checked Article Science Trends is committed to providing the highest quality scientific information based on scientific consensus and rigorous fact-checking. This article was reviewed by Science Trends' founder and Ph.D. Trevor Nace. Science Trends relies on peer-reviewed scientific journals and authoritative science publications for references. In addition, the majority of content on Science Trends is written by the primary author of the peer-reviewed research in which they are writing. Meditation Can Actually Lead To Growth In Certain Regions Of The Brain By: Daniel Nelson on October 16, 2017Leave a comment 💭 The Prefrontal cortex contains regions thoughts to be responsible for social interaction. Photo: By Polygon data were generated by Database Center for Life Science(DBCLS)[2]. - Polygon data are from BodyParts3D[1], CC BY-SA 2.1 jp, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=32490636. (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/) A growing interest in the practice of meditation has also spurred a growing body of research on the topic. Recent research done by the Max Planck Institute of Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, and published in the journal Science Advances, implies that different forms of meditation can improve your brain in different ways. Meditation seems to have a variety of different positive effects such as increasing your empathy, increasing your ability to stay calm, and improving your overall attention span. The study in the journal Science Advances seems to indicate that the different effects were due to different areas of the brain changing in structure. The study examined over 300 different people, assigning them to three different meditation regimens, with each regiment focusing on a different kind of meditation. The training regimens were done over a three month time period. 1 Three Types of Meditation 2 Rethinking Mindfulness Training 3 Practicing Mindful Skepticism Three Types of Meditation One of the types of meditation was the classic “mindfulness meditation”, used to help people focus their attention on the current moment. This is the kind of meditation that is often accomplished by paying attention to breathing techniques. The subjects in this training regimen were asked to practice for 30 minutes a day, six days a week. The other meditation variants were focused on social activities. One of the two methods encourage people to adopt different perspectives such as being a “curious child” or being a “worried mother”, to increase their compassion. The final method of meditation focused on having people express their feelings to a stranger about everyday things that annoyed them, taking note of the emotions they were feeling. After the study participants ran through the training regimens, a number of tests were given to them. They were put through a psychosocial stress test as well as a behavioral test, and analyzed with an MRI scan as well. The researchers found that certain regions of the subjects’ brains showed increased thickness, dependent upon which training regimens the subject completed. For instance, those who had engaged in mindfulness training were found to exhibit thickening in the prefrontal cortex and the anterior cingulate cortex, which are usually associated with attention and deep thinking. During a follow-up study, it was reported that every member of the three groups who used the meditation techniques reported that there was less stress in their daily lives. Interestingly enough, only the subjects who had completed the more socially focused meditation regimens show signs of reduced physical stress, in addition to reduced psychological stress. Those who underwent the social meditation showed around a 50% drop in the hormone cortisol, a hormone linked with stress, in comparison with experimental controls. Sofie Valk, one of the authors of the study, says that the two social modules which focused on either socio-cognitive or socio-affective competencies displayed “selective behavioral improvements” regarding both perspective-taking and general compassion. Valk says that the behavioral changes their test subjects showed corresponded with demonstrations of brain plasticity in the associated regions of the cortex. Rethinking Mindfulness Training Professor Tania Singer, the project’s principal investigator, says that the results of the study imply that with daily mental practice social intelligence can be increased. “Even though brain plasticity, in general, has long been studied in neuroscience, until now little was known about the plasticity of the social brain. Our results provide impressive evidence for brain plasticity in adults through brief and concentrated daily mental practice, leading to an increase in social intelligence,” says Singer. Drawing an analogy to sports, Singer argues that meditation courses could benefit from a redesign that focuses on specific types of training to hone specific skills. For instance, the question “What does sports do to your body?” is far too vague to be useful, as a fitness expert would need to clarify if you mean swimming or soccer. Both types of sports train different groups of muscles, and similarly different types of meditation training would train different cognitive skills. Singer argues that being able to effectively train the two kinds of social intelligences is especially important because most of the stress people experience in modern life, worries about not living up to others’ expectations or being judged harshly, is social stress. This kind of stress could be better managed with the different types of meditation, Singer states. Cognitive neuroscientist Roi Cohen Kadosh, from the University of Oxford, is a little skeptical but open to the possibility that the findings are very significant. “We still have to see how it affects everyday life. But if there are changes in real life, that could be pretty significant,” says Kadosh. Kadosh notes that all volunteers engaged in a least a little mindfulness training before completing their assigned training regimen, so it could be that the effects seen in the study come as a result of this basic attention training. Practicing Mindful Skepticism Photo: Pexels via Pixabay, CC0 Kadosh is not the only person to show some skepticism about the effects meditation can have on our brains. A recent paper published in the journal Perspectives on Psychological Science argues for caution regarding mindfulness training and meditation, asserting that much of the scientific data on mindfulness is lacking. The authors say that many of the studies which allegedly support the benefits of mindfulness suffer from poor experimental design. There are very rarely control groups in these studies, and the authors say a larger problem comes from the fact that there isn’t even an agreed upon definition regarding what mindfulness is. The authors of the paper cite a 2015 issue of American Psychologist which reported that only around 9% of all research into mindfulness based treatments had included a control group in their clinical trials. Furthermore, a substantial placebo-controlled meta-analysis found that the efficacy of mindfulness training was often unimpressive. Nicholas Van Dam, the report’s lead author and clinical psychologist at the University of Melbourne, says the report shouldn’t be taken as evidence that mindfulness is useless. However, he emphasizes that “the scientific rigor just isn’t there yet to be making these big claims.” Van Dam does say that there is some compelling evidence that mindfulness can benefit those who suffer from depression, pain, and anxiety. Van Dam says there are many areas where mindfulness-based programs seem to be promising, but that good scientists should insist upon larger scale, randomized controlled trials before making impressive sounding conclusions. As for the two studies run by Singer and colleagues, Van Dam thinks the research methods are sound. ☹️ That's great to hear! Want more Science Trends? Sign up for our science newsletter! We're sorry to hear that! We love feedback :-) and want your input on how to make Science Trends even better. Send Us Your Thoughts! Speak Your Mind! Cancel reply Reading The Quantum Properties Of The Dark Matter In The Sky Published by Ion Vasile Vancea Grupo de Física Teórica e Física Matemática, Departamento de Física, Universidade Federal Rural do Rio […] How Science Helped Detect The Powerful Explosive TATP In Unidentified Objects Triacetone triperoxide (TATP) is a powerful explosive without military use because it is very sensitive to mechanical shock and so […] Investigating The Impact-induced Magnetic Fabric In The Allende Chondritic Meteorite Meteorites can record ancient magnetic fields when they form. These recordings of ancient magnetic fields can be retained for billions […] Alternative Routes Of Learning In The Brain It is interesting to see how the popularization of neuroscience has led to the use of funny expressions like, “This […] Functional Genomics Approach To Identify New Combination Therapies For Cancer Treatment The harnessing of the immune system to fight cancer is not a new concept. William Coley, a surgeon in the […] Measuring The Residence Time And Distribution Of Materials In A Pilot-Scale Torrefier Rotating screws are widely used to transport many kinds of solids through heaters, coolers, dryers, torrefiers, gasifiers, and other reactor […] LNG Tanker Makes History By Crossing The Arctic In Winter Without An Icebreaker Escort When ships have to cross the Arctic in winter times, it is expected that the ice that forms from the […] Important Strategies To Help Healthcare Providers Support Patients With Diabetes Duck-Billed Dinosaurs Uncovered In Aniakchak, Alaska Cryptic Diversity In Vietnam’s Limestone Karst Habitats Genes Keep You On A Long Leash With Your Dog Studying The Link Between Increased BMI And Late-Onset Preeclampsia In Pregnant Women Improving Tools For Quality Improvement: Crossings, Runs, And Crossrun © 2017-2019 Science Trends LLC. All Rights Reserved. ISSN: 2639-1538 (online) This website uses cookies. 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Home » NEXT READS » Graphic Novels The most critically acclaimed titles The Best Graphic Novels & Comics! The Eisner Awards are widely regarded as the highest critical achievement for graphic novels and comics, equivalent to the Oscars in the film industry. Listed below are the winners and nominees from this and previous years. Simply click on a cover image to be brought to our catalogue where you can see further details such as the age-appropriateness (click on Full Display) and to instantly request titles today. If you are new to the world of graphic novels and comics, these lists are a great place to start! 2017 Eisner Awards & Nominees Guide PDF Children's Graphic Novels Canadian Graphic Novels

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Nuggets Archive See Hear Podcast Episode 16 - You’re Gonna Miss Me: The Roky Erickson Story It’s taken a little longer than anticipated, but still within the confines of April, we bring you episode 16 of See Hear Podcast. On this episode, Bernie, Tim and Maurice cover the first of our listener requests for 2015 (Wendi was at a Wolf Cop fan convention). James Curley requested we discuss the 2005 released documentary “You’re Gonna Miss Me: The Roky Erickson Story”. Roky was most famously the amazing lead singer for The 13th Floor Elevators. He spent time in and out of institutions with dangerous people. He suffered from paranoid schizophrenia, but was treated poorly at the hands of the doctors in the Austin State Hospital and Rusk Institution receiving EST for a misdiagnosed condition. The film is a fly on the wall account of his life, and documents the custody battle between his brother Sumner and their mother to look after him following his departure from the hospitals. He is definitely a damaged soul, but his family is full of delicate individuals. In the end, though, the film contains hope and is not as bleak in the end as it could have been. We had a really interesting discussion about mental health, musical brilliance, and fragility. Please join us. Once again, our thanks to James for suggesting this film. If you dig what we do, could you please rate us at iTunes or even better, spread the word that the show exists so more folks can tune in. You can download the show by searching for See Hear podcast on iTunes or download from http://seehear.podbean.com. Go through our archives. Send us feedback via email at seehearpodcast@gmail.com. Join the facebook group at http://facebook.com/groups/seehearpodcast Filed under Screamin' Jay Hawkins, Brian Wilson, roky erickson, You're Gonna Miss Me, the 13th floor elevators, The psychedelic sounds of the 13th floor elevators, Keven Mcalester, Sumner Erickson, Bob Dylan, Radio Birdman, Robert Crumb, David Lynch, Terry Zwigoff, Nuggets, The Soinics, I Just Wasn't Made for these Times, Tommy Hall, Electric Jug, It's All Over Now Baby Blue Permalink · Comments

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Natural history museums (14) Historical museums (11) Mammalogy (11) National Museum of Natural History (U.S.) (10) Smithsonian Institution (8) National Museum of American History. Office of the Director (6) Smithsonian Institution. Office of Telecommunications (6) Lipchitz, Jacques (5) National Academy of Design (U.S.) (5) National Museum of Natural History. Department of Botany (5) Smithsonian Institution, Traveling Exhibition Service (5) Burchfield, Charles Ephraim (4) Museum of Modern Art (New York, N.Y.) (4) National Museum of Natural History (U.S.). Department of Anthropology (4) National Museum of Natural History. Office of the Director (4) New York World's Fair (1939-1940) (4) Phillips, Duncan (4) Smithsonian Institution, Assistant Secretary for History and Art (4) Smithsonian Institution. Bureau of American Ethnology (4) Kiowa Indians (4) Pima Indians (3) Biloxi Indians (2) Haida Indians (2) Indians of Central America (2) Query: National Museum of Natural History (U.S.). -- Exhibitions 480 records — Page 1 of 48 Saquet, Janette (exhibit creator and possible photographer) 1 Print (silver gelatin) NAA.PhotoLot.81-53 Image of exhibit summarizing the anthropological work of John Wesley Powell. The exhibit was installed in a single case in the north entry hall of the National Museum of Natural History. The photograph was taken in spring 1981, probably by Saquet. Department of Anthropology photographs of specimens and exhibits National Museum of Natural History (U.S.). Department of Anthropology 400 Prints (circa, silver gelatin (including contact prints)) The collection largely consists of photographs of specimens and artifacts, some of which were once in the collections of the Department of Anthropology, as well as images of anthropological exhibits in the National Museum of Natural History, circa 1950s and 1960s. Specimens and artifacts that are depicted include the Waverly Tablet from Waverly, Oh... William W. Fitzhugh photograph collection of opening of "Inua" exhibit Fitzhugh, William W., 1943- 8 prints (silver gelatin) 7 color prints Photographs documenting a reception following the opening of the "Inua" exhibit at the National Museum of Natural History. They include images of performers, Smithsonian staff and visitors viewing the new exhibit and socializing. There are also images of Eskimo dancers from Gambell on St. Lawrence Island, who formed a part of the exhibit. Color p... Department of Anthropology photograph collection of anthropological exhibits 14 Prints (silver gelatin) 7 Prints (albumen) NAA.PhotoLot.4 The collection consists of images of exhibits of anthropological material. These include Oceanic and African implements and artifacts exhibited at the Field Columbian Museum; a William Henry Holmes-designed diorama in Piney Branch (1895); costumed mannequins and busts at the United States National Museum; the Smithsonian Exhibit at the World Columb... MS 2011-26 Tour of Eskimo collections on exhibit at National Museum of Natural History Collins, Henry B. (Henry Bascom), 1899-1987 1 Sound cassette (analog) NAA.MS2011-36 Recording of Henry B. Collins, at the time archaeologist emeritus at the Smithsonian Institution, leading a tour of the Eskimo collections on exhibit at the National Museum of Natural History in September, 1975. MS 7502 A brief illustrated history of the manikins, statues, lay-figures, and life-groups illustrating American Ethnology in the National Museum of Natural History Kavanagh, Thomas W., 1949- The text is in the form of brief notes and footnotes. Most of the manuscript is made up of photographs of the figures, some groups showing the changes made in exhibiting them. The coverage is to 1955. Ocean Planet Exhibition Records National Museum of Natural History, Environmental Awareness Program 3 cu. ft. (3 record storage boxes) The "Ocean Planet" exhibition opened in April 1995 at the National Museum of Natural History, and is scheduled to travel in twelve cities through 1999. These records consist primarily of script drafts and reviews by Smithsonian employees, government officials, and national experts on environmental issues. The Rockefeller files contain bro... Website Records This accession consists of three departmental websites as they existed in 2007. All were replaced by redesigned websites during the spring and summer of 2007. It is unknown when any of the three websites were first made available to the public. The Department of Invertebrate Zoology website features information about staff research, departmen... Joseph C. Farber photographs of American Indian life Farber, Joseph C., 1903- 6,000 contact prints (circa 6000 contact prints (proof sheets)) 6,000 acetate negatives (circa) 8 color transparencies 1,000 items (circa 1000 enlarged prints: silver gelatin (some mounted for exhibition)) NAA.PhotoLot.78-1 Photographs made as part of Joseph C. Farber's project to document modern American Indian everyday life. Represented tribes include the Acoma, Apache, Blackfoot, Chehalis, Cherokee, Cheyenne, Chippewa, Cocopa, Dakota, Eskimo, Haida, Kiowa, Kutenai, Lummi, Mohave, Mohawk, Navaho, Northern Athabascan, Onandaga, Pima, Pueblo, Quinalt, Seminole, Taos,... National Museum of Natural History. Office of Exhibits 5 cu. ft. (5 record storage boxes) (7 folders oversize material) The records offer primary documentation of natural history exhibition production at the Smithsonian. Exhibits include "Ainu: Spirit of a Northern People," "Spiders!," "Japanese Ceramics Today: Masterworks from the Kikuchi Collection," "5000 Years of Korean Art," "Seeds of Change," "Ocean Planet," "Crossroads of Continents: Cultures of Siberia ...

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Rattner, Abraham (7) Albers, Josef (6) Art Students League (New York, N.Y.) (6) Bishop, Isabel (6) Davis, Stuart (6) Nevelson, Louise (6) Stieglitz, Alfred (6) Cuban Americans (4) Latin Americans (3) Omaha Indians (3) Potawatomi Indians (3) Yoruba (African people) (3) Asian Americans (2) Caddo Indians (2) Cochiti Indians (2) Barro Colorado Island (Panama) (2) Bermuda Islands (2) Query: Authors -- Washington (D.C.) Wortman, Denys, 1887-1958 AAA.wortdeny The papers of cartoonist Denys Wortman measure 2.0 linear feet and date from 1887 to 1980. The collection includes biographical material, correspondence, personal business records, writings, interviews, artwork, printed material, and photographs. Jim Kuhn collection on Harpers Ferry Kuhn, Jim, d. 2003 This collection, which dates from circa 1853-1996, contains material documenting the history of Harpers Ferry, West Virginia, including the Harpers Ferry Armory, the Harpers Ferry National Historical Park, and the incorporation of Murphy Farm into the Historical Park. A highlight of the collection is a framed copyprint of members of the Colored Women's League on the Murphy Farm after their annual meeting in Washington, D.C., July 1896. Also contains several issues of Gleason's Pictorial, dating from circa 1853. Materials include newspapers, videorecordings, photographic prints, booklets, brochures, correspondence, maps and postcards. Ex Libris records Cohen, Arthur Allen, 1928-1986 Cohen, Elaine Lustig, 1927- Ex Libris (Firm) AAA.exlibr The records of Ex Libris measure 2.0 linear feet and date from 1973-2007. Ex Libris was a New York City based antiquarian establishment that dealt in rare 20th century avant-garde books and periodicals, and was founded by Elaine Lustig Cohen and her husband Arthur A. Cohen. The records include professional files, sales records, printed material, and photographic material. MS 7173 George J. Gibbs Letterbook Gibbs, George J. (George Judson), approximately 1833- Baird, Spencer Fullerton, 1823-1887 Evans, John Henry, Joseph, 1797-1878 Copies of correspondence between George J. Gibbs and others on a variety of topics, especially anthropological, ornithological, and geneological. Included is corresponsence with Spencer Baird and Joseph Henry of the Smithsonian Institution; John Evans; Joseph Hutchings; W.R. Inglis, "late" president of the Turks and Caicos Islands; J.H. Lefroy, "fo... Ellen Hulda Johnson papers Johnson, Ellen H. AAA.johnelle The papers of art historian, art critic, author, librarian and educator Ellen Hulda Johnson measure 55.3 linear feet and date from 1872-1994, with the bulk of the material dating from 1921-1992. The papers include biographical materials; personal and family files; personal, professional, and business correspondence; extensive research and writing files; teaching files; subject files; professional and curatorial files; and artists' files. Johnson's papers reflect the full range of her career, interests, and close relationships with many artists. Julian Hinds Collection Mechanical and Civil Engineering, Division of Hinds, Julian, 1881-1975 (civil engineer) 14.2 Cubic feet (41 boxes) A letter dated August 4, 1971 from the Executive Director, American Society of Civil Engineers, New York, NY, to Julian Hinds stated: "This is addressed to you as an Honorary Member of the Society at the request of the ASCE Committee on the History and Heritage of American Civil Engineering to bring attention to the possibility that you may wish to... Sullivan family papers The Sullivan Family papers, which date from 1880 to 1994 and measure 2.25 linear feet, document the personal lives of four generations in the Sullivan Family. The papers are comprised of personal correspondence, school materials, legal documents, financial records, clippings, books, posters, and photographs. T.D. (Thomas Dale) Stewart Interviews Stewart, T. D,(Thomas Dale),1901- interviewee 14 audiotapes (reference tapes). 27 digital .mp3 files (reference copies). The Smithsonian Institution Archives began its Oral History Program in 1973. The purpose of the program is to supplement the written documentation of the Archives' record and manuscript collections with an Oral History Collection, focusing on the history of the Institution, research by its scholars, and contributions of its staff. Program ... Henry Stephens Washington Papers Washington, Henry S. (Henry Stephens), 1867-1934 1 cu. ft. (1 record storage box) This accession consists of the correspondence of Henry Stephens Washington, a noted geochemist, who, along with Whitman Cross, Joseph Paxson Iddings, and Louis V. Pirsson, created a system of normative nomenclature for the classification of igneous rocks, which became known as the CIPW Norm. Notable correspondents include James Furman Kemp and... John B. Reeside, Jr, Papers Reeside, John B,(John Bernard),1889-1958 0.7 linear meter. The 1879 act establishing the United States Geological Survey (USGS) declares "And all collections of rocks, minerals, soils, and fossils, and objects of natural history, archaeology, and ethnology, made by the Coast and Interior Survey, the Geological Survey, or by any other parties for the Government of the United States, when no longer need...

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Bus Line 549 Started 25/10/2018 Go to Bus Line 549's website Show project details Bus line 549 is a full service line operated by Nobina for the transport administration Stockholm County Council - SL Public Transport Authority (PTA) in Stockholm. It comes every 15 minutes from 6:00 to 19:00 on weekdays and a lighter schedule on weekends. It has four station based stops and follows a fixed route. The shuttle is wheelchair accessible and on its route it encounters mixed traffic on public streets. No end date to the project has been planned so far. The goal is to extend the length of the existing line by 2019, and going from 3 to 6 vehicles. By 2021 another line should be added and an on-demand service will be offered during low traffic hours (if the technology allows it). By 2025 the aim is to only have on-demand vehicles in the entire area. The main objective of this project is to learn about the first/last mile context in a live environment with public usage. The priority at the moment is to test new possibilities through technology. It started with piloting small buses and then putting them in traffic. Depending on the public usage, the next step is to have these buses serve more and longer routes and to eventually create an on-demand service. It is hoped that it will be possible to use big buses in the future. © Transport administration Stockholm County Council. Bus Line 549. The project is financed by Vinnova, Stockholm County Council and Nobina. The transport administration Stockholm County Council (SL) pays €100,000 per month for the line operation (fleet management, host/driver staff on board etc.) to its contractor, Nobina. For an AV project to be tested, regulations procedures require an application for permit and a host onboard of the AV. If the traffic permit is issued, it is considered as valid in the entire Barkarbystaden city area. © Transport administration Stockholm County Council. Bus Line 549 - Route The biggest challenge before the start of the pilot was getting all the necessary permits from road and transport authorities. A common challenge encountered at this stage of development in the autonomy technology are double parked cars on the streets as well as litter obstructing the road. Results & Evaluation 150 passengers on average have been transported on the line each day (about three per trip) and an average distance of 700km is covered per week at an operational speed of 15km/h. The average speed of the vehicle is currently 15km/h but is expected to rise to 20km/h soon. The vehicle is considered as highly reliable and customers have overall been satisfied with this project. Some comments have however been made about the vehicle not going very fast. Before the start of the pilot there was also some concern on how complicated it would be to use the service but this was addressed by taking a day to explain how it worked to the people who were interested. There haven’t been any accidents but there have been some unexpected stops because of objects obstructing the road. An associated research on customer behaviour and acceptance is currently ongoing. 3 electric easymile vehicles with SAE level 5 and a capacity of 11 passengers. GPS sensors Communication with back-office (for central monitoring) Communication through 4G All public transport data is open to the public and timetables are available Scheduling, planning, operation, passenger information and ticketing are integrated with the public transport system. Buses and shuttles/on-demand buses are involved in the AV fleet. Authority: Stockholm County Council Public Transport Company: SL System operations: Nobina Vehicles: Easymile Fleet management: Nobina Maintenance: Nobina Kongsberg Test Arena Kongsberg, Norway

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Before SoHo Was SoHo The corner of Broadway and Grand Street Today's guest post comes from Linda Chiu at New York History Walks, a "history buff who loves exploring the city on foot." Her blog takes you on historic meanderings throughout the city, a must read for anyone interested in our city's past. The following post is about the history of SoHo as it revolves around the Haughwout Building at Broadway and Broome streets. Hell's Hundred Acres by Linda Chiu Soho has undergone many transformations throughout its history, and was not always the hub of trendy boutiques and chains that it is today. At the end of the Revolutionary War, Soho development earnestly began when Collect Pond was filled and its water diverted to the Hudson River. Middle-class families inhabited Federal-style rowhomes and by the 1800s, Soho had become a popular commercial district with theaters and retailers such as Lord and Taylor, Tiffany & Co., and the long-gone Haughwout Emporium. Collect Pond looking south towards New York City in 1798. Lower Manhattan's topography was hillier and some of the dirt from Mount Bayard on the left was used to fill in Collect Pond. Niblo's Garden was a popular 19th-century theater in Soho The Haughwout Emporium, owned by Eder V. Haughwout, was opened for business on March 23, 1857 and a manufacturer/purveyor of fine china, cut glass, silverware and chandeliers. The New York Times described it as “the greatest china and porcelain house in the city” in the 1850s. The Haughwout Building also boasted the first commercial elevator designed and installed by Elisha Graves Otis for $300. The elevator moved at .67 feet per second and had an automatic safety device. The building’s first three floors were designated for retail and the 4th and 5th floors held its manufacturing operations. The Houghwout Building in 1859. Courtesy of Library of Congress Haughwout Emporium's interior The building stands on land originally bought by John Jacob Astor in 1802. After his death, Astor gave the land to one of his grandsons, Walter Langdon, Jr. His real estate advisor, Abner Ely, correctly predicted its location on Broadway and Broome would soon be part of an important commercial area and proposed a building on the lot years before Soho emerged as the city’s center of commerce in the years after the Civil War. While Soho was the place for upper-class New Yorkers to shop during the early 1800s, the area had deteriorated into New York City’s first red light district by the time the Haughwout building was built, with brothels mostly found along Houston and Mercer Streets. Admirers checking out the offerings in the window of a Soho brothel. Illustration from National Police Gazette,1880 Haughwout’s success established a new commercial housewares strip near Broome Street. Its most famous client was Mary Todd Lincoln, wife of Abraham. Dissatisfied with the mismatched and chipped White House china, Mary purchased a new set of serviceware with an American eagle design and wide mauve border. One can imagine the husband-and-wife quarrel that ensued over the $3,000 bill, an amount Abraham thought was exorbitant. Langdon’s estate sold the building in 1895 for $375,000. A number of textile and notions manufacturers and dealers occupied the building as the neighborhood shifted towards industry. In September of 1936, the Broadway Manufacturers Supply Company signed a lease for the entire building. By the 1950s, the textile industry had moved South and overseas; Soho became home to many printing plants and empty warehouses spaces. Rents were less than 50 cents per square foot and many spaces could be had for less than $100 per month (!). Around this time, Soho became a depressed commercial slum known as “Hell’s Hundred Acres”. Artists began to move into the neighborhood to take advantage of the cheap rents and spacious lofts flooded with sunlight. [caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="403"] The cornice of the Haughwout Building in 1967 Haughwout Building interior entrance Had Robert Moses had his way, there would have been a downtown ten-lane elevated highway connecting the East River with the Hudson River. Moses’ proposal included the leveling of fourteen blocks along Broome Street. 1,972 families and 804 businesses would have been displaced, and the Haughwout Building would not have been spared. Around this time, the Landmarks Preservation Commission began to fight for the Haughwout’s designation as a historical landmark. Thankfully, Moses’ plans were defeated. Lower Manhattan could have looked like this if Robert Moses had gotten his way. Credit: Triborough Bridge and Tunnel Authority[/caption] Despite the victory, the Haughwout building was still in need of restoration. The building was sullied with dirt and grime, and many of Soho’s cast iron columns had become rusted. The Haughwout Building ca. 1980s The Kaufman family, owners of the building since the 1930s, spent $175,000 in 1995 for Joseph Pell Lombardi to strip and repaint the building for its new commercial tenant, Staples. A cream color reminiscent of the building’s original hue was applied to the cast iron to cover up the black paint that had been used during its industrial days. Haughwout’s elevator, replaced in the 1890s, was removed in 2001 and a modern one took its place. The upper stories have been converted to loft space and clothing retailer Bebe moved in during 2011. The Haughwout Building can be considered one of New York City’s finest examples of 19th-century cast-iron construction. Its presence through Soho’s phases of growth, depression, and rebirth illustrate its importance as a neighborhood landmark and residents’ willingness to preserve a piece of architectural history. If you walk inside today, it can be difficult to picture its past with its renovated interior, but walk across the street and gaze at the building; you can begin to imagine the sights and sounds of a more genteel era in New York City history. This post originally appeared on the New York History Walks blog on June 25, 2012. Linda Chiu is a self-proclamined history buff who loves exploring the city on foot. by Yukie Ohta Haughwout Building Lord and Taylor E.V. Haughwout Building Mercer Street Surveyor's Map 1881 SoHo Independent Retail: What's in Store for Michele Varian? After almost twenty years in SoHo, designer Michele Varian’s namesake interior design and décor store has relocated to Brooklyn. As it was one of the few remaining truly independent stores in the neighborhood, I was saddened by the store's departure, but not surprised. I had a chance to chat with Michele before she took off to the County of Kings. Here's her SoHo story. SoHo People SoHo Memories Revisited It’s been quite a while since I did a straight-up SoHo memory post. This past year I covered a SoHo artist’s story, SoHo zoning, SoHo in YA literature, and a proposed SoHo museum. So I thought it would be nice to end the year by going back to our roots with a compilation of SoHo memories from readers and from yours truly. In the photo above, my sister and I play in front of the freight elevator in our very messy loft, ca. 1972. Read on for my memories of the elevator, along with remembrances of SoHo from friends and family. Imagining a SoHo Memory Museum What would a physical manifestation of SoHo Memory Project look like? From time to time, I have wondered if SoHo will ever have a brick and mortar museum or historical society, a hub where our community can celebrate SoHo, past, present, and future. It has never had one, but it certainly deserves one. Read more>> SoHo as Concept

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TIMOTHY SHANAHAN Timothy Shanahan is Distinguished Professor Emeritus at the University of Illinois at Chi­cago where he was Founding Di­rector of the UIC Center for Literacy. Previously, he was director of reading for the Chicago Public Schools. He is author/editor of more than 200 publications on literacy education. His research emphasizes the connections between reading and writing, literacy in the disciplines, and improvement of reading achievement. Tim is past president of the International Literacy Association. He served as a member of the Advisory Board of the National Institute for Literacy under Presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama, and he helped lead the National Reading Panel, convened at the request of Congress to evaluate research on the teaching reading, a major influence on reading education. He chaired two other federal research review panels: the National Literacy Panel for Language Minority Children and Youth, and the National Early Literacy Panel, and helped write the Common Core State Standards. He was inducted to the Reading Hall of Fame in 2007, and is a former first-grade teacher. Download cv Contact Visiting Professorship and Expert Witness Helped Author Common Core State Standards Researcher of the Year Illinois Reading Council Hall of Fame *Distinguished Professor Emeritus, University of Illinois at Chicago *Chair, William S. Gray Award Committee, International Literacy Association. *Literacy Advisor, What Works Clearinghouse, Institute of Education Science *Principal Member, Institute of Education Science, Grant Proposal Review Panel *Member, Scientific Advisory Board, Knowledge Matters Campaign *Member, Board of Advisors, Reading is Fundamental *Member, Professional Advisory Board, Center for Development & Learning, New Orleans, LA *Member, Board of Visitors, Learning Research & Development Center, University of Pittsburgh *Member, Editorial Review Board, Review of Educational Research *Member, Editorial Review Board, Journal of Educational Psychology *Member, Editorial Review Board, Scientific Studies in Reading *Member, Editorial Review Board, Reading Research Quarterly *Member, Editorial Review Board, Reading & Writing Quarterly *Member, Editorial Review Board, Reading Psychology *Member, Editorial Review Board, The Reading Teacher *Author, Wonders (K-6) Reading Program, McGraw-Hill *Author, StudySync (Grades 6-12), McGraw-Hill *Author, Amplify Atlas Assessment *Author, Amplify The Last Readers Close Reading *Timothy and Cynthia Shanahan were awarded the P. David Pearson Award for Scholarly Influence by the Literacy Research Association for their work on disciplinary literacy *ILA Timothy and Cynthia Shanahan Outstanding Dissertation Award instituted Served as Visiting Research Professor, Queens University, Belfast, Northern Ireland. Provided expert testimony in legal case, Governor Bobby Jindal v. U.S. Department of Education. Case is adjudicated on the basis of Shanahan’s analysis. Shanahan article, “The Common Core Ate My Baby,” receives Distinguished Achievement Award for Learned Article from the Association of Educational Publications. Inductee, University of Delaware Wall of Fame Receives William S. Gray Citation of Merit, International Literacy Association Literacy Award from LEADER (ILA Special Interest Group) Receives Distinguished Professor designation from the University of Illinois at Chicago Common Core State Standards are issued and are eventually adopted as the basis of K-12 education in more than 40 states. Shanahan served on the English Language Arts Work Team and helped write the standards. Researcher of the Year in the Humanities and Social Sciences, University of Illinois at Chicago Early Childhood Literacy, the report of the National Early Literacy Panel, is issued. Shanahan chaired the panel. Inducted into the Reading Hall of Fame Elected President of the International Literacy Association, a professional group with more than 50,000 members worldwide. Developing Literacy in Second-Language Learners, the report of the National Literacy Panel for Language Minority Children and Youth. Shanahan chaired the panel. Shanahan’s research and testimony are cited in federal case law (Memisovski v. Maram, No. 92 C 1982), a case lauded by the American Academy of Pediatrics as “an enormous victory” for children’s health care). Inducted to the Illinois Reading Council Hall of Fame Hired as Director of Reading, Chicago Public Schools, and spearheads effective school improvement efforts in 600 schools. “Report of the National Reading Panel” is published; Shanahan led the research methodology and fluency committees. Report becomes basis of $5 billion in reading programs through No Child Left Behind law. Receives Albert J. Harris Award for Outstanding Research on Reading Disability from the International Literacy Association for his critical analysis of Reading Recovery. Project FLAME, a family literacy program for Spanish-speaking immigrants developed by Tim Shanahan, receives Academic Excellence Award from the U.S. Department of Education. Creates the UIC Center for Literacy, which develops and delivers innovative programs in schools, workplaces, homes, and healthcare. Center attracts $60 million in funding under Shanahan’s leadership. Receives the Milton D. Jacobson Readability Research Award from the Readability Special Interest Group (ILA) for research on cloze testing. Receives Silver Circle Award for Teaching, University of Illinois at Chicago. Receives PhD in Education from the University of Delaware Partners and Affiliations One of the world’s premier literacy educators. He studies reading and writing across all ages and abilities. Feel free to contact him. Timothy Shanahan is one of the world’s premier literacy educators. He studies the teaching of reading and writing across all ages and abilities. He was inducted to the Reading Hall of Fame in 2007, and is a former first-grade teacher. Read more Find your way. 208 W Washington St. #711 shanahan@uic.edu Copyright © 2020 Shanahan on Literacy. All rights reserved. Web Development by Dog and Rooster, Inc.

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Issue 213: 2019 09 05: Moon Rock Where’s it gone? By Neil Tidmarsh Fifty years ago, the US president sent samples of moon rock (gathered by the Apollo 11 astronauts) as diplomatic gifts to every country on earth, to indicate that NASA was undertaking its space mission on behalf of all mankind and not just the USA. A fine and touching gesture, inviting everyone around the globe to celebrate that giant leap as a triumph for the whole of our species. The sample gifted to the UK is one of many artefacts currently on display in the National Maritime Museum’s magnificent Moon exhibition. There it is, in its wooden case decorated with the Union Flag (the actual flag which went into space on board Apollo 11 along with the flags of every other country on earth), the small print along the bottom of the display label declaring “lent by Downing Street”. Interestingly and ironically, this presidential apostle of the brotherhood of man was none other than Richard Nixon. Even more interesting is the fact that over half of those goodwill gifts are missing today. A total of 280 samples were sent out from the White House but as many as 170 of them have since disappeared, either lost, stolen or sold over the intervening half century. Which countries have lost their samples? Which nations have had their lunar gifts looted, and how, and by whom? Sadly, the exhibition doesn’t tell us. Some disappearances have been explained. Malta’s was stolen while on display in the Museum of Natural History at Mdina in 2004, for instance. Ireland’s was accidentally dumped in a landfill site with debris from a fire in the Dunsilk Observatory in Dublin where it was on display in 1977. Spain’s was allegedly pocketed by a member of Franco’s family. There were rumours that Romania’s was secretly auctioned off by the dictator Nicolae Ceauşescu in the 1970’s. But most remain a mystery. Warfare, violent regime change, geopolitical turmoil, greed and corruption are constants of human history, and the last fifty years haven’t been immune to them. Some countries have disappeared altogether in that time, of course. Where is East Germany’s moon rock, for instance? (Is it typical of today’s united, highly-productive but prone-to-hoarding Germany that it possibly has not one but two of them?) And where is Czechoslovakia’s? (Do Slovakia and the Czech Republic have half each?) And Yugoslavia’s? (Ground to a finer dust and blown away by the winds of war, no doubt, as Slovenia, Serbia, Croatia, Montenegro, Bosnia, etc fought it out between them). And South Vietnam’s? (And did Nixon really send one to the communist North, at the height of the Vietnam war?) Some may have simply been misplaced, but the suspicion remains that others have been filched by dishonest civil servants or outgoing presidents and subsequently flogged off to augment a pension or privately displayed as an illicit souvenir. When President Yahya Jammeh was ousted from Gambia two years ago, could the stash loaded onto the airplane in which he fled the country (three vehicles from his collection of Bentleys, Rolls and Hummer stretch limos plus – allegedly – £11 million in cash or gold stolen from his people) have included a cache of moon rock? Could the three tractor-loads of loot ($1 billion in banknotes) liberated from Iraq’s central bank by Saddam Hussein’s son Qusay just before the US invasion in 2003 have included his country’s moon rock? This week it was reported that members of the Assad family of Syria are squabbling over the clan’s wealth. President Bashar, apparently scrabbling around for the cash to pay the bill which Russia seems to have presented for winning his war for him, has expropriated the assets of an immensely rich cousin. Many commentators allege that those assets were themselves appropriated from the country and its people years ago and that the cousin is simply the family treasurer now reluctant to relinquish his grasp on them. Could they include Nixon’s lunar gift? This week saw the conclusion of the first trial of Najib Razak, the former prime minister of Malaysia accused of corruption, embezzlement, money laundering and abuse of power. He allegedly embezzled billions of dollars of government funds from the state investment fund IMDB. Police raids on his home revealed and seized hundreds of designer handbags owned by his wife, a famously champion’s league shopper. Will further raids find lost samples of moon rock? Will the forthcoming trials find him guilty of stealing President Nixon’s heavenly gift to Malaysia, too? It’s clear that the human race is squandering the resources of its own planet. The Earth is groaning under the onslaught of human greed, stupidity and carelessness. We all know this. But we aren’t stopping there. In those missing moon rocks, we’ve already begun to squander the resources of our Moon as well. No sooner did we return from our first visit there than many of us began to treat in the most cavalier fashion the invaluable matter we harvested from its pristine surface. We can’t be trusted to look after our Earth’s stuff and we can’t be trusted to look after our Moon’s stuff either. The fate of most of Nixon’s noble goodwill gifts is damning proof of our inadequacy as responsible guardians of anything. For fifty years the Moon must have been looking down on us with sadness and bewilderment. Now that the race to the Moon is on again, with the USA, Russia, China, India and Japan (not to mention Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos) lining up on the starting grid, the Moon must be looking down on us with fear and dismay as well. Follow the Shaw Sheet on « Issue 213: 2019 09 05: Foreign Aid Issue 213: 2019 09 05: The Role of Speaker »

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M3XX D4MIAN – Tell Me Dance/House artist M3XX D4MIAN drops hot new single ‘Tell Me’ GERMANY – If you like to find interesting new artists on YouTube who are creating truly unique sounds, then you might have heard of M3XX D4MIAN. Hailing from Germany, the young artist has developed a strong career simply by uploading mashup and remixes onto YouTube and Soundcloud, and along the way his producing skills have developed so that he has become one of the most in-demand Dance/House artists in Europe. His soul-touching hooks and brain-nesting melodies have been inspired by greats such as David Guetta, ZHU, Porter Robinson, Calvin Harris and Martin Garrix. But his sound is different than any of those and uniquely his own. And with his new release “Tell Me,” he’s ready for a wider audience to start getting a taste of what he brings to the table. “I think the combination of many different melodic elements in my songs, and the catchiness, makes my sound unique and lets me stand out of the crowd,” he said. “I started at the age of 13 DJ-ing in my bedroom, and then later I tried creating remixes, too. I saw electronic artists on TV and I told myself that I wanted to create my own songs like that, too.” The more he experimented with new sounds and new songs, the larger his audience grew online. And now with the groovy, melodic dance hit “Tell Me,” he hopes a more global audience will become interested in what he has to offer. It’s a song about two people who fell in love but something changed their minds and they parted ways. The single is slated to release on all digital distribution sites on Nov. 30. M3XX said he’s also working hard on more singles and an EP that he wants to release early next year. To listen to M3XX D4MIAN’s music or to follow him on social media, please visit: https://www.instagram.com/m3xxd4mianofficial/ https://www.facebook.com/m3xxd4mian/ https://twitter.com/m3xxd4mian https://www.youtube.com/user/mexxdamian JB has a hot new video “Breakfast In Paris” on Youtube |@TheRealJB919 Philly’s Own Carl Madison Releases New Project “I’m Da Producer, He’s Da Rapper”

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courtesy Golden Nugget Lake Charles Attendees are Game for Meetings at Casino Resorts By Rachel Carter Casinos offer guests much more than gambling. They’re full-on resorts with spas, golf courses, pool complexes, nightclubs and live entertainment — the whole package for meeting planners and attendees. Casino resorts also provide full packages for meetings. In addition to dedicated event space, these properties offer a slate of “off-site” meeting venues all on-site: private dining rooms, chic cabarets, comedy clubs, luxurious lounges and game-packed arcades. Golden Nugget Lake Charles Hotel Casino Resort The Golden Nugget Lake Charles Hotel Casino Resort in southwest Louisiana is a melding of two worlds, where Las Vegas glitz meets Southern heritage. “It’s in a part of the country that is very rich in culture,” said executive director of sales Brett Forshag. “There’s a real soul here.” The resort fronts Bayou Contraband, which connects to Lake Charles. On the private beach, guests can gather around fire pits, relax on beach chairs and play beach volleyball. The resort’s private marina allows groups to charter boats for catered cruises and on-the-water receptions. The Golden Nugget has 1,100 guest rooms, an 18-hole golf course, a spa and a two-acre pool complex with an adult-only area, a swim-up bar, a lazy river and poolside gaming. The casino boasts over 1,600 slot machines and 72 table games, including poker, blackjack and craps. Because it’s part of Landry’s Inc., “we’re a very foodcentric resort,” with over 10 dining options, Forshag said. The Chart House on the resort’s golf course overlooks the Interstate 210 bridge, delivering what locals say is the best view in the city. The resort has over 30,000 square feet of meeting space, including the 18,000-square-foot Grand Event Center, where acts like Keith Sweat and the Doobie Brothers perform nearly every weekend. The center will also host the 2020 U.S. Olympic Team Trials for Boxing Finals on December 15. Groups can change the atmosphere of their meetings by using various areas of the resort: private dinners at restaurants, events at the outdoor concert venue, crawfish boils or gumbo cook-offs. goldennugget.com/lake-charles The new guitar at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Hollywood, Florida, is meant to look like the one Led Zeppelin’s Jimmy Page played, but this one is 450 feet tall and houses over 600 guest rooms. The guitar-shaped hotel tower opened October 24, and “it’s mobbed; the reception has been unbelievable,” said director of sales Mark Tascione. At night, lights outline the tower, and two light shows play on the guitar face every night. The new addition is part of the Seminole Tribe’s $1.5 billion resort remodel and expansion. The project included the new Hard Rock Live, a 7,000-capacity entertainment venue that marked its grand opening with a concert by Maroon 5 on October 25. The new pool complex includes a pool right in front of the guitar tower that’s about three football fields long and 10 feet deep. Groups can participate in watersports like relays and kayak races. The Seminole Hard Rock now has 120,000 square feet of meeting space that includes a 38,000-square-foot exhibit hall that doubles as a ballroom with chandeliers that can be lowered. The 7,600-square-foot Terrace Ballroom connects to an outdoor patio that leads to an event lawn. Planners bring meetings to the resort because “people like the music, they like the fun — there’s so many things to do here [and] it’s all under one roof,” Tascione said. “You never have to leave.” The massive expansion project also included retail, restaurants and the 42,000-square-foot Rock Spa. The resort’s expanded casino now has over 3,000 slot machines and 190 table games. seminolehardrockhollywood.com Harrah’s Cherokee Casino Resort Cherokee, North Carolina Harrah’s Cherokee Hotel and Casino has come a long way in the 20 years since the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians opened its facility in Cherokee, North Carolina, an hour’s drive west of Asheville, North Carolina. When the casino opened in 1997, video poker was the only gaming option. Today, the resort has more than 1,100 guest rooms in three towers, nearly 33,000 square feet of flexible meeting space, several dining options and a casino with 4,000 slot machines, table games and a renowned World Series of Poker room. And Harrah’s Cherokee is growing again. The resort is in the midst of a $250 million expansion that will add a new hotel tower, a new conference center and a new parking garage. The hotel tower is slated to house 725 guest rooms, including 70 suites, as well as a pool terrace and several dining options, one of which will be a full-service restaurant. The new two-story conference center will have 100,000 square feet of meeting and event space and will attach to the main casino by skybridge. The center will more than triple Harrah’s existing meeting space, which includes the flexible 13,000-square-foot Council Fires Ballroom and the 3,000-person event center. Harrah’s is also adding about 160,000 square feet of retail and restaurant space and building a 2,000-space parking garage. The entire project is slated to be complete in early 2021. In addition to gambling at the casino, groups can play in the UltraStar Multi-tainment Center, where they’ll find 24 bowling lanes, a large arcade and a sports bar. caesars.com/harrahs-cherokee Uncasville, Connecticut Mohegan Sun casino resort in Uncasville, Connecticut, is “independently owned by a family — and that family is the Mohegan Tribe,” said John Washko, vice president of expo and convention sales. The resort uses the tribe’s history and culture “as our North Star,” and that starts with the core values of the Spirit of Aquai: welcoming, mutual respect, providing service and building long-term relationships. Mohegan Sun has 1,600 hotel rooms and 275,000 total square feet of meeting space. The resort opened the new 175,000-square-foot Earth Expo and Convention Center in June 2018. The center has 125,000 square feet of contiguous, column-free exhibit space and a 20,000-square-foot ballroom, as well as 15 additional meeting rooms and prefunction areas. The center joins the existing Sky Convention Center, anchored by the 37,000-square-foot Uncas Ballroom that can be divided into 10 separate rooms. The resort also has the 10,000-seat Mohegan Sun Arena. “We found that we usually ran out of meeting space before we ran out of guest rooms,” Washko said. “Now we have the ability to activate two groups at the same time in the two convention centers.” In addition to the dedicated meeting space, groups have about 15 other venues options throughout the property, including three new ones that opened in the past year. Game On is an arcade with bowling, shuffleboard and karaoke, and Novelle is a chic nightspot. Comix Roadhouse is a Western-style bar with a mechanical bull that makes for an easy theme night. mohegansun.com Ho-Chunk Gaming Wisconsin Dells Wisconsin Dells is known as the Waterpark Capital of the World, but the area also offers plenty of ways to play for adults. The Ho-Chunk Nation of Wisconsin owns Ho-Chunk Gaming Wisconsin Dells, a casino resort in the town of Baraboo, 13 miles south of the Dells. The 302-guest-room resort has nearly 30,000 square feet of meeting and event space. The Lower Dells Ballroom and the Upper Dells Ballroom each measure 13,300 square feet, and both offer flexible layouts. The lower ballroom breaks into nine smaller rooms, and the upper ballroom can become five separate spaces. The resort has five dining options, including Standrock Buffet and the Copper Oak Steak House and Lounge. The casino features over 1,300 slots and 20 table games, including blackjack, craps and roulette; live poker, off-track betting and bingo are also offered. Meanwhile, the Ho-Chunk Nation is moving forward with a major expansion at its casino-only property in Madison, Wisconsin, that would add a hotel, a conference center and a heritage center. Current plans for the 40-acre property include renovating the existing casino and adding nearly 90,000 square feet of gaming, building a five-story hotel with a spa and restaurant space, and constructing a 40,000-square-foot conference center. The project must move through several regulatory approvals and would break ground in 2021 at the earliest. ho-chunkgaming.com/wisconsindells New in the Heartland Heartland Waterfronts Historic Heartland Venues Cities on the Rise

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AEP Ohio Rolls Out EV Infrastructure Incentives AEP Rolls Out $10M Ohio EV Infrastructure Incentive Program AEP Ohio has rolled out an EV infrastructure incentive program to provide $10 million for up to 375 EV public charging stations. The program provides incentives to offset a portion of the charging equipment and installation costs, primarily for local businesses, apartment complexes and municipalities. Non-government applicants must be commercial or industrial customers. For local governments, AEP said there could be no cost at all. The Utility Industry Marvels at the ‘Profound’ Impact of Economy-Wide Electrification The shift toward the electrification of everything is "going to be profound" for the utility industry. That's according to Mike Howard, President & CEO of the EPRI, which is holding its first-ever international electrification conference this week. “The value of electricity is more important today than it’s ever been. The value of electricity, even 10 years from now, and what it does to help all of us, is going to be profound," he said. Georgia Power, Georgia Tech Team to Make “Quantum Leap” in Microgrid Research Two well-known Atlanta, Ga. institutions – Georgia Power and the Georgia Institute of Technology – are teaming to build a $10-15 million research microgrid to achieve a “quantum leap” in understanding the technology. Owned by Georgia Power, the 1.4 MW microgrid will serve several buildings at Georgia Tech’s 400-acre campus in midtown Atlanta. Xcel Colorado Adds 240 MW Solar Net Metering Project Xcel Energy Colorado filed an agreement Thursday to build a customer-sited 240 MW solar plant on the property of EVRAZ Rocky Mountain Steel. The landmark behind-the-meter construction is part of a 22-year power purchase agreement, meant to allow the steel mill to expand operations in the state while the utility retires 660 MW of coal-fired generation in the surrounding area. Midwest Utilities Contemplate a Future Less Reliant on Coal The Midwest has long been a wind energy hub. Now, an increasing number of the region’s utilities are turning away from baseload coal and contemplating a future that relies heavily on clean energy. Utilities in states such as Iowa, Kansas, Wisconsin and Michigan have recently announced goals to pivot toward cleaner resources. EVs Will Not Boost Demand Substantially Through 2030: Report A new report from McKinsey & Co. finds that the growth of electric vehicles will not lead to substantial increases in demand for electric power through 2030. The spread of electric vehicles will add only about one percent to total demand on the grid, requiring about 5 GW of new generation capacity, and by 2050 EV penetration could grow to about four percent, requiring about 20 GW of new generation. South Australia Reaffirms Its Love for Tesla Big Batteries South Australia has reaffirmed its love for big Tesla battery projects with an AUD $5 million (USD $3.7 million) grant for a 25-megawatt, 52-megawatt-hour plant. The funding, which is being matched by an equal amount from the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA), will go towards the AUD $38 million (USD $28 million) cost of developing a Tesla Powerpack-based energy storage system for Infigen Energy. Central Hudson Gas & Electric Program Provides One Million LED Light Bulbs In an effort to lower energy bills and reduce emissions, a program offered by Central Hudson Gas & Electric Corporation has either encouraged customers to purchase or provided them with one million LED light bulbs since 2016. “LED light bulbs have come a long way in helping our customers manage their energy use while improving lighting at home and in the workplace,” Charles Freni, SVP of Customer Services and Transmission & Distribution Operations at Central Hudson, said.

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HomeCLIMATE CHANGE/GLOBAL WARMING CLIMATE CHANGE/GLOBAL WARMING Three Simple Rules for Climate-Safe Living 09/07/2017 Stephen CLIMATE CHANGE/GLOBAL WARMING, Energy, ENVIRONMENT, Global Issues and Perspectives, OCEAN, Pollution and Toxics, Science, sustainability climate, climate change, global warming R.E.D. Guide to Climate-safe Living 1. Reduce. Reduce your personal fossil fuel consumption (oil, coal, gas) every way you can. 2. Eliminate. Eliminate all non-essential activities and products that involve the burning of fossil fuels. 3. Demand. Demand that business and government provide transport, activities and products without or minimal fossil fuel use. Reduce. Eliminate. Demand. R.E.D. Climate Change Explained in 165 Words 16/05/2017 02/06/2017 Stephen 1 Must Read, CLIMATE CHANGE/GLOBAL WARMING, ECOLOGY, ENVIRONMENT, Global Issues and Perspectives, global warming, News, Science climate, co2, coal, Earth, fossil fuel, gas, hot, models, moon, oil The moon has no atmosphere so it is scorching hot (+100C) during the day and bitterly cold (-150C) at night. The Earth has an atmosphere made up of oxygen, nitrogen, carbon dioxide (CO2) and other gases. Over 150 years ago scientists proved that CO2 traps heat from the sun. We also know without any doubt that burning fossil fuels like oil, gas and coal emits CO2. Measurements, not computer models or theories, measurements show that there is now 46% more CO2 in the atmosphere than 150 years ago before massive use of fossil fuels. That extra CO2 is like putting another blanket on at night even though you are already nice and warm. The Earth is now 1.0 C hotter on average according to the latest measurements. Heat is a form of energy and with so much more energy in our atmosphere our weather system is becoming supercharged resulting in stronger storms, worse heat waves, major changes in when and where rain falls and more. [See also Why the Paris Agreement is Historic in 60 Words] A Carbon Law to Protect the Climate 27/03/2017 25/03/2017 Stephen 1 Must Read, arctic, CANADA, CLIMATE CHANGE/GLOBAL WARMING, developing world, Energy, ENVIRONMENT, Global Issues and Perspectives, global warming, News, Pollution and Toxics, Science climate, Climate Risk, coal, fossil energy, fossil fuel, gas, oil $600 billion in annual subsidies to fossil fuel industries must be eliminated by 2020. Credit: Bigstock UXBRIDGE, Canada, Mar 24 2017 (IPS) The Carbon Law says human carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions must be reduced by half each decade starting in 2020. By following this “law” humanity can achieve net-zero CO2 emissions by mid-century to protect the global climate for current and future generations. A “carbon law” is a new concept unveiled March 23 in the journal Science. It is part of a decarbonization roadmap that shows how the global economy can rapidly reduce carbon emissions, said co-author Owen Gaffney of the Stockholm Resilience Centre, one of international team of climate experts. “Coal power plants under construction and proposed in India alone would account for roughly half of the remaining carbon budget.” –Steven Davis To keep the global temperature rise to well below 2°C, emissions from burning fossil fuels (oil, gas and coal) must peak by 2020 at the latest and fall to around zero by 2050. This is what the world’s nations agreed to at the UN’s Paris Agreement in 2015. Global temperatures have already increased 1.1 degrees C. “After the Paris agreement we began to work on a science-based roadmap to stay well below 2C,” Gaffney told IPS. The “carbon law” is modelled on Moore’s Law, a prediction that computer processing power doubles every 24 months. Like Moore’s, the carbon law isn’t a scientific or legal law but a projection of what could happen. Gordon Moore’s 1965 prediction ended up becoming the tech industry’s biannual goal. A “carbon law” approach ensures that the greatest efforts to reduce emissions happen sooner not later, which reduces the risk of blowing the remaining global carbon budget, Gaffney said. This means global CO2 emissions must peak by 2020 and then be cut in half by 2030. Emissions in 2016 were 38 billion tonnes (Gt), about the same as the previous two years. If emissions peak at 40 Gt by 2020, they need to fall to 20 Gt by 2030 under the carbon law. And then halve again in 2040 and 2050. “Global emissions have stalled the last three years, but it’s too soon to say if they have peaked due largely to China’s incredible efforts,” he said. The Science paper, “A roadmap for rapid decarbonization”, notes that China’s coal use swung from a 3.7 percent increase in 2013 to a 3.7 percent decline in 2015. Although not noted in the paper, China’s wind energy capacity went from 400 megawatts (Mw) in 2004 to an astonishing 145,000 Mw in 2016. “In the last decade, the share of renewables in the energy sector has doubled every 5.5 years. If doubling continues at this pace fossil fuels will exit the energy sector well before 2050,” says lead author Johan Rockström, director of the Stockholm Resilience Centre. The authors pinpoint the end of coal in 2030-2035 and oil between 2040-2045 according to their “carbon law”. They propose that to remain on this trajectory, all sectors of the economy need decadal carbon roadmaps that follow this rule of thumb. “We identify concrete steps towards full decarbonization by 2050. Businesses who try to avoid those steps and keep on tiptoeing will miss the next industrial revolution and thereby their best opportunity for a profitable future,” said Hans Joachim Schellnhuber, director of the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research in Germany. Elements of these roadmaps include doubling renewables in the energy sector every 5-7 years, ramping up technologies to remove carbon from the atmosphere, and rapidly reducing emissions from agriculture and deforestation. The immediate must-do “no-brainer” actions to be completed by 2020 include the elimination of an estimated 600 billion dollars in annual subsidies to the fossil fuel industries and a moratorium on investments in coal. Decarbonization plans must be in place for all cities and major corporations in the industrialized world. Rapidly growing economies in India, Indonesia and elsewhere should receive help to take a green path to prosperity. They cannot use coal as China did because CO2 emissions are cumulative and there is little room left in the global carbon budget, said Gaffney. This is an extremely urgent issue. India is already on the brink of taking the dirty carbon path. “Coal power plants under construction and proposed in India alone would account for roughly half of the remaining carbon budget,” said Steven Davis of the University of California, Irvine about his new study that will be published shortly. Davis, who was not involved in the carbon law paper, agrees that rapid decarbonization to near-zero emissions is possible. Cost breakthroughs in electrolysis, batteries, carbon capture, alternative processes for cement and steel manufacture and more will be needed, he told IPS. All of this will require “herculean efforts” from all sectors, including the political realm, where a cost on carbon must soon be in place. Failure to succeed opens the door to decades of climate catastrophe. “Humanity must embark on a decisive transformation towards complete decarbonization. The ‘Carbon law’ is a powerful strategy and roadmap for ramping down emissions to zero,” said Nebojsa Nakicenovic of the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA) in Austria. What Really Kickstarted China’s Green Energy Revolution? 23/03/2017 22/03/2017 Stephen CLIMATE CHANGE/GLOBAL WARMING, developing world, economics, Energy, ENVIRONMENT, Global Issues and Perspectives, global warming, Health, Pollution and Toxics, Science/Tech, sustainability air pollution, china, Chinese, coal, Diesel, electricity, fossil fuels, Nuclear power, solar, solar power, wind energy I wrote this in 2004 for WIRED when China first announced it was moving away from coal as its primary energy source to green energy. Fascinating to look back and see that China had just 400 Mw of wind energy then. Today it’s world leader with 145 Gw or 145,000 Mw (a Gigawatt is 1,000 Megawatts). Interesting to see climate concerns were not the main reason for this build out. Enjoy. STEPHEN LEAHY SCIENCE 10.04.04 12:00 PM CHANGE IN THE CHINESE WIND THE WORLD’S LARGEST wind power project will begin construction this month near Beijing, bringing green energy and cleaner air to the 2008 Summer Olympics and city residents coping with some of the worst air pollution in the world. The new wind power plant, located 60 miles outside Beijing in Guangting, will generate 400 megawatts when at full capacity, nearly doubling the electrical energy China currently obtains from wind. But that’s just the beginning. Last summer at a climate change conference in Bonn, Germany, China surprised many by announcing it will generate 12 percent of its energy from renewable sources such as wind by 2020. Pollution is part of the driving force behind China’s newfound passion for green energy, said Yu Jie of Greenpeace China‘s office in Beijing. “Acid rain blankets 70 percent of the country,” Jie said, cutting crop yields, damaging trees and making rivers and lakes too acidic to support fish. The country’s galloping economic growth over the past 20 years has meant enormous increases in electrical power demands, 75 percent of which come from coal. China is the world’s largest coal-consuming country and home to 16 of the world’s 20 most polluted cities on the planet, according to the World Bank. At least 400,000 people in China die each year from air-pollution-related illnesses, the World Bank reports. Pollution is not China’s only energy problem. It is also plagued by frequent and widespread power failures because its generating capacity cannot keep pace with industrial and consumer demands. The country leads the world in purchases of TV sets and other appliances. While China has low-quality coal in abundance, its transportation infrastructure cannot ship enough coal from the mines in the west to the cities in the east, said Jie. Electrical energy self-sufficiency is a crucial goal for the Chinese leadership, especially as oil imports soar to provide gasoline for the 14,000 new motor vehicles being added to its streets every day. These factors have pushed China to invite Western energy experts, including environmental groups like Greenpeace and the National Resources Defense Council, to help China become more energy-efficient and figure out how to produce 20,000 megawatts from wind by 2020. A megawatt is a million watts, sufficient power to light 10,000 100-watt bulbs, or enough daily electricity for 600 to 1,000 households, depending on energy use. Germany currently leads the world, generating 12,000 megawatts from wind, with the United States well behind at 5,000 megawatts. China is looking to Germany and Denmark to supply the technology and the policy models upon which to base a new renewable-energy law, said Jie. “This is the first time China has asked outsiders to comment on a proposed law.” “China’s wind power potential is huge — 500,000, perhaps 600,000 megawatts — but it needs the proper legal framework,” said Corin Millais, executive director of the Brussels-based European Wind Energy Association. The association has contributed input on the Chinese renewable-energy law. China has a complex mix of state, local and private energy generators, with multiple levels of subsidies and often conflicting regulations. “Changes in state and federal laws are needed, along with clear rules about who sets the price and who owns the wind power farms; otherwise the wind-energy boom won’t happen,” said Millais. The Chinese want to pursue private-public partnerships with European companies, but because up to 80 percent of the total cost of a wind farm is building it, companies need a reliable price structure for the power they sell, he said. The new law is expected to be in place by next summer, and if it has the right ingredients, the Chinese landscape will soon blossom with fields of 2- and 3-megawatt wind turbines. Another reason China is looking to wind is because it is now as cheap as coal, said Kyle Datta, managing director at Colorado’s Rocky Mountain Institute, a leading independent energy research center. And if the health costs associated with coal burning are considered, wind is actually a lot cheaper, said Datta, who researched the Chinese energy market while co-authoring a book, Winning the Oil Endgame: American Innovation for Profits, Jobs and Security. “People in Chinese cities would also prefer it (wind energy) to all those diesel generators they needed last summer just to keep the lights on some of the time,” Datta said. Solving China’s pollution problems while meeting its energy needs will be difficult and will require a mix of power-generation technologies, including biomass, solar and hydro, he added. Although China has little interest in nuclear power because of its high cost and security concerns, a few more nuclear plants will also be built, Datta said. We now have less than 2 years to stop building any new stuff that uses fossil fuels 22/03/2017 22/03/2017 Stephen CLIMATE CHANGE/GLOBAL WARMING, ECOLOGY, economics, Energy, ENVIRONMENT, Global Issues and Perspectives, global warming, News, Pollution and Toxics, Science, Science/Tech, sustainability climate, electricity, extreme weather, nature, Science, Security The original headline of the article said we had 5 years but now it’s less than 2 years to stop building any new stuff that uses fossil fuels. Here’s lightly updated repost. [Authors note: One of the most difficult and important articles I’ve written in 20 years of environmental journalism. Originally published Sept 6 2014 @Vice Motherboard] Here’s the frightening implication of a landmark study on CO2 emissions: By 2018, no new cars, homes, schools, factories, or electrical power plants should be built anywhere in the world, ever again, unless they’re either replacements for old ones or carbon neutral. Otherwise greenhouse gas emissions will push global warming past 2˚C of temperature rise worldwide, threatening the survival of many people currently living on the planet. Every climate expert will tell you we’re on a tight carbon budget as it is—that only so many tons of carbon dioxide (CO2) can be pumped into the atmosphere before the global climate will overheat. We’ve already warmed temperatures 0.85˚C from pre-industrial levels, and the number rises every year. While no one thinks 2˚ C is safe, per… “In a warmer world, there will be more fire. That’s a virtual certainty.” 04/05/2016 05/05/2016 Stephen 1 Must Read, CANADA, CLIMATE CHANGE/GLOBAL WARMING, Energy, Forests, global warming, News, Science Alberta, carbon, carbon bomb, co2, drought, fire, forest fires, Fort McMurray, fossil fuel May 4, 2016 – NASA The northern forest a “carbon bomb” – Global Fire Monitoring Center By Stephen Leahy [First published Feb 27 2012 (IPS)] Rising temperatures are drying out northern forests and peatlands, producing bigger and more intense fires. And this will only get much worse as the planet heats up from the use of ever larger amounts of fossil fuels, scientists warned last week at the end of a major science meeting in Vancouver. “In a warmer world, there will be more fire. That’s a virtual certainty,” said Mike Flannigan, a forest researcher at the University of Alberta, Canada. “I’d say a doubling or even tripling of fire events is a conservative estimate,” Flannigan told IPS. While Flannigan’s research reveals forest fire risk may triple in future, a similar increase in peat fires will be far more dangerous. There are millions of square kilometres of tundra and peatlands in the northern hemisphere and they hold more than enough carbon to ramp up global temperatures high enough to render most of the planet uninhabitable if they burn. A forest fire in Indonesia that ignited peatlands in 1997 smouldered for months, releasing the equivalent of 20 to 40 percent of the worldwide fossil fuel emissions for the entire year, he said. “There is the potential for significant releases of carbon and other greenhouse gases (from future peat fires),” Flannigan said. If peat fires release large amounts of carbon, then temperatures will rise faster and higher, leading to further drying of forests and peat, and increasing the likelihood of fires in what is called a positive feedback, he said. When the increased fire from global warming was first detected in 2006, Johann Goldammer of the Global Fire Monitoring Center at Germany’s Freiburg University called the northern forest a “carbon bomb”. “It’s sitting there waiting to be ignited, and there is already ignition going on,” Goldammer said according to media reports in 2006. Flannigan’s research is based on climate projections for 2070 to 2090. Forests will be drier and there will be more lightning with rising temperatures. Around the world, most fires are caused by humans, except in remote regions like boreal forest and treeless tundra, he said. Lightning sparked the 1,000-square-kilometre tundra fire fuelled by peat in Alaska’s Anaktuvuk River region in 2007. Lightning, once nearly unknown in the far north, is becoming more common as the region is now two to three degrees C warmer. Until the past decade, fire had largely been absent from the tundra over the past 12,000 years. The Anaktuvuk River peat fire burned for nearly three months, releasing about two million tonnes of CO2 before it was extinguished by snow. That’s about half of the annual emissions of a country like Nepal or Uganda. Surprisingly, the severely burned tundra continued to release CO2 in the following years. Peat can grow several metres deep beneath the ground. In fact, some peat fires burn right through winter, beneath the snow, then pick up again in the spring, said Flannigan. About half the world’s soil carbon is locked in northern permafrost and peatland soils, said Merritt Turetsky, an ecologist at Canada’s University of Guelph. This carbon has been accumulating for thousands of years, but fires can release much of this into the atmosphere rapidly, Turetsky said in a release. Over the past 10 years, fires are burning far more boreal forest than ever before. Longer snow-free seasons, melting permafrost and rising temperatures are large-scale changes underway in the north, Turetsky and colleagues have found. Other researchers have shown that the average size of forest fires in the boreal zone of western Canada has tripled since the 1980s. Much of Canada’s vast forest region is approaching a tipping point, warned researchers at the Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research, Germany’s largest research organisation. This “drastic change” in normal fire pattern has occurred with a only a small increase in temperatures relative to future temperatures, the German researchers concluded in a study published in the December 2011 issue of The American Naturalist. Worldwide, fires burn an estimated 350 to 450 million ha of forest and grasslands every year. That’s an area larger than the size of India. The first-ever assessment of forest and bush fires’ impact on human health estimated that 339,000 people die per year from respiratory and other fire-related illness. “I was surprised the number was this high,” said Fay Johnston, co-author and researcher at University of Tasmania, Hobart, Australia. Half of the deaths were in Africa and 100,000 in Southeast Asia. Deforestation fires in the tropics are the worst when it comes to human health impacts, she said. Heavy smoke contains high volumes of tiny particles that are very damaging to the lungs and cardiovascular system and can produce heart attacks. “It takes humans to burn a rainforest. This would be the easiest to stop compared to other fires,” Johnston told IPS. Forest and bush fires result in many billions of dollars in material losses every year. Last year, fires in drought-stricken Texas resulted in at least five billion dollars in losses, while the Slave Lake, Alberta fire was Canada’s second worst disaster at 750 million dollars. Future fires will be bigger and more intense and largely beyond our abilities to control or suppress, said Flannigan. “Virtually all of Russia, Canada, the U.S.” will be impacted, he said 28/04/2016 13/12/2016 Stephen 1 Must Read, Biodiversity, CLIMATE CHANGE/GLOBAL WARMING, ECOLOGY, Energy, Global Issues and Perspectives, global warming, OCEAN, Pollution and Toxics, Science, WILDLIFE carbon, climate, co2, fossil fuel, Greenhouse gas, oil A number of marine diatom cells [Originally published Jul 31, 2010 for the Inter Press Service (IPS)] The oceans are the lifeblood of our planet and plankton its red blood cells. Those vital “red blood cells” have declined more than 40 percent since 1950 and the rate of decline is increasing due to climate change, scientists reported this week. (Update Dec 2016: New analysis show this is an overestimate. See my comment below.) “Phytoplankton are a critical part of our planetary life support system. They produce half of the oxygen we breathe, draw down surface CO2, and ultimately support all of our fisheries,” said Boris Worm of Canadas Dalhousie University and one of the worlds leading experts on the global oceans. “An ocean with less phytoplankton will function differently,” said Worm, the co-author of a new study on plankton published this week in Nature. Plankton are the equivalent of grass, trees and other plants that make land green, says study co-author Marlon Lewis, an oceanographer at Dalhousie. “It is frightening to realise we have lost nearly half of the oceans’ green plants,” Lewis told IPS. “It looks like the rate of decline is increasing,” he said. A large phytoplankton bloom in the Northeast Atlantic -NASA Earth Observatory Collection. [See also my series of articles on ocean acidification] Independent environmental journalism now depends on public support, learn more about how this works and how you can help, click here. Climate change is warming the oceans about 0.2C per decade on average. This warmer water tends to stay on top because it is lighter and essentially sits on top of a layer of colder water. This layering, or stratification, is a problem for light-loving plankton because they can only live in the top 100 to 200 meters. Eventually they run out of nutrients to feed on unless the cold, deeper waters mix with those near the surface. Ocean stratification has been widely observed in the past decade and is occurring in more and larger areas of the world’s oceans. Continue reading →

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About the SEP How to Cite the SEP Support SEP Support the SEP PDFs for SEP Friends SEPIA for Libraries Entry Navigation Entry Contents Friends PDF Preview Author and Citation Info First published Thu Sep 5, 2002; substantive revision Mon Jan 28, 2019 Libertarianism is a family of views in political philosophy. Libertarians strongly value individual freedom and see this as justifying strong protections for individual freedom. Thus, libertarians insist that justice poses stringent limits to coercion. While people can be justifiably forced to do certain things (most obviously, to refrain from violating the rights of others) they cannot be coerced to serve the overall good of society, or even their own personal good. As a result, libertarians endorse strong rights to individual liberty and private property; defend civil liberties like equal rights for homosexuals; endorse drug decriminalization, open borders, and oppose most military interventions. Libertarian positions are most controversial in the realm of distributive justice. In this context, libertarians typically endorse something like a free-market economy: an economic order based on private property and voluntary market relationships among agents. Libertarians usually see the kind of large-scale, coercive wealth redistribution in which contemporary welfare states engage as involving unjustified coercion. The same is true of many forms of economic regulation, including licensing laws. Just as people have strong rights to individual freedom in their personal and social affairs, libertarians argue, they also have strong rights to freedom in their economic affairs. Thus, rights of freedom of contract and exchange, freedom of occupation, and private property are taken very seriously. In these respects, libertarian theory is closely related to (indeed, at times practically indistinguishable from) the classical liberal tradition, as embodied by John Locke, David Hume, Adam Smith, and Immanuel Kant. It affirms a strong distinction between the public and the private spheres of life; insists on the status of individuals as morally free and equal, something it interprets as implying a strong requirement of individuals sovereignty; and believes that a respect for this status requires treating people as right-holders, including as holders of rights in property. It is popular to label libertarianism as a right-wing doctrine. But this is mistaken. For one, on social (rather than economic) issues, libertarianism implies what are commonly considered left-wing views. And second, there is a subset of so-called “left-libertarian” theories. While all libertarians endorse similar rights over the person, left-libertarians differ from other libertarians with respect to how much people can appropriate in terms of unowned natural resources (land, air, water, minerals, etc.). While virtually all libertarians hold that there is some constraint on how resources can be appropriated, left-libertarians insist that this constraint has a distinctively egalitarian character. It might require, for instance, that people who appropriate natural resources make payments to others in proportion to the value of their possessions. As a result, left-libertarianism can imply certain kinds of egalitarian redistribution. 1. Self-Ownership 2. Other Routes to Libertarianism 3. The Power to Appropriate 4. Libertarianism, Left and Right 5. Anarchism and the Minimal State Other Internet Resources The family of views making up libertarianism includes many different members. Philosophically most distinctive, perhaps, offers a particular moral theory. This theory is organized around the view that agents initially fully own themselves and have certain moral powers to acquire property rights in external things. This theory sees libertarian policy conclusions as the result of not merely empirical truths or real-world feasibility constraints, but as following from the only defensible (and restrictive) moral principles. Some libertarians of this kind consider freedom the paramount value. They hold, for example, that each person has a right to maximum equal negative liberty, which is understood as the absence of forcible interference from other agents (e.g., Narveson 1988; Steiner 1994; Narveson & Sterba 2010). This is sometimes called “Spencerian Libertarianism” (after Herbert Spencer). Most, however, focus more on the idea of self-ownership. Famously, this view is attributed to Robert Nozick (Cohen 1995; but see the discussion below). On this view, the key libertarian starting point is that people have a very stringent (perhaps the most stringent possible) set of rights over their persons, giving them the kind of control over themselves that one might have over possessions they own. This includes (1) rights to control the use of the entity: including a liberty-right to use it as well as a claim-right that others not use it without one's consent, (2) rights to transfer these rights to others (by sale, rental, gift, or loan), (3) immunities to the non-consensual loss of these rights, (4) compensation rights in case others use the entity without one’s consent, and (5) enforcement rights (e.g. rights to restrain persons about to violate these rights). The idea of self-ownership is attractive for many reasons. We recognize people as self-owners when we recognize that there are things that may not be done to a person without their consent, but which may be done with consent. Thus, we consider rape wrong because it involves a body being used against the will of the person to whom it belongs, but not because there’s something inherently wrong with sexual intercourse. We consider assault wrong for similar reasons, but allow voluntary boxing matches. There are also more theoretical reasons for self-ownership’s attraction. The principle is a strong endorsement of the moral importance and sovereignty of the individual, and it expresses the refusal to treat people as mere things to use or trade off against each other. Some libertarians hold that people enjoy full self-ownership. We can define full self-ownership as a logically strongest set of ownership rights one might have over oneself. The notion has some indeterminacy, as there can be more than one strongest set of such rights. Still, there is a determinate core set of rights. Central to this idea are full control rights, the right to determine the use of one’s person. Control rights are central to self-ownership in order to distinguish between certain things (like physical contact) that may be done to a person with, and may not be done to a person without her consent. Full-self ownership, in other words, offers protections against others doing things to us against our will. Obviously, full self-ownership offers the strongest possible version of the benefits of self-ownership more generally. And in many contexts, this is highly attractive. Full self-ownership, for instance, offers a straightforward and unequivocal defense of women’s rights over their bodies, including the right to terminate unwanted pregnancies. It explains why it’s wrong to sacrifice the rights and freedoms of minorities (even a minority of one) for the sake of protecting the interests of the majority. It offers a principled objection to clearly objectionable forms of paternalism or legal moralism. And so on. At the same time, full self-ownership does can out other moral considerations, including ones that are often thought relevant to justice. Consider the view, made famous (or infamous) by Robert Nozick (1974), that people have a right against being forced to assist others, except as a result of their agreement or wrongdoing. Such a view rules out redistributive taxation aimed at reducing material inequality or raising the standards of living for the poor. Since taxation siphons off part of people’s earnings, which represent people’s labor, and people initially have the right not to be forced to work for certain ends, Nozick argued, redistributive taxation is morally on a par with forced labor. Nozick’s point was that theories of justice face a choice. One can (a) respect people as the primary controllers of their lives, labor, and bodies. But in that case, people must also be free to work, and not work, as they choose (so long as they don’t violate the rights of others). This means working for whomever they want, on the terms they want, and keeping the gains. Recognizing this leaves little room for redistributive taxation. Or one can (b) endorse the enforcement of certain distributions. But in that case, the theory must endorse taking what people innocently produce through their own labor, redirecting their work to purposes they did not freely choose. This latter option is unacceptable to anyone endorsing the idea of full self-ownership. As Nozick wrote, it involves claiming a kind of control over the lives of others that is similar to a claim of ownership in them. And this is unacceptable (1974, p. 172). In part because it seems to lead to conclusions like these, the idea of full self-ownership is very controversial. And it’s undeniable that full self-ownership has counter-intuitive implications. A related, but different, worry concerns not duties of assistance, but cases in which a person in extreme need can be greatly benefitted as a result of using another person. Even if one has no duty to assist in those cases, may others use one’s person, without consent, to assist someone in need? Suppose, to use an extreme example, we can save ten innocent lives by gently pushing an innocent person to the ground. Full self-ownership asserts that this would not be permissible. Again, the idea is roughly that since individuals are normatively separate, they cannot permissibly be used to benefit others without their consent. A third worry is that full self-ownership may permit voluntary enslavement. Just as people have, on this view, the right to control uses of their persons, they also have the right to transfer their rights over their persons to others, for example through sale or git. However, this is controversial among libertarians, some of whom deny that these kinds of transfers are possible because it's morally impossible for others to control one’s will (Rothbard 1982; Barnett 1998, pp. 78–82), because such transfers undermine our autonomy (Grunebaum 1987), or because of theological reasons (Locke 1690). Theorists who endorse the possibility usually argue that libertarian self-ownership is about giving people control over the permissible uses of their person, not about the necessity of some psychological capacity to control their person. As a result, the right to exercise one’s autonomy is what matters here, even if one exercises it in (otherwise) problematic ways, not the protection or promotion of autonomy. (See e.g. Vallentyne 1998; Steiner 1994.) A fourth concern about the counter-intuitive nature of full self-ownership points out its restrictive implications. Full self-ownership might seem to condemn as wrongful even very minor infringements of the personal sphere, such as when tiny bits of pollution fall upon an unconsenting person. Prohibiting all acts that can lead to such minor infringements poses an unacceptable limit to our liberty. But from the point of view of self-ownership, there is no principled difference between minor infringements and major infringements. Thus, this objection goes, self-ownership theory must be rejected (Railton 2003; Sobel 2012).[1] This objection, however, is of dubious force as it presupposes an (even more) implausible conception of full self-ownership than its defenders have reason to endorse. Suppose we understand the moral benefits that self-ownership confers along two dimensions: protections from unwanted uses of our bodies, and liberties to use our bodies. As the objection points out, it is not possible to simultaneously maximize the value of both dimensions: our protections restrict our liberties by restricting the possible uses of one’s body, and vice versa. Since maximizing the protection-dimension implausibly restricts the use-dimension, the correct response is not to reject self-ownership, but rather to loosen the protection-dimension somewhat in order to enhance the use-dimension. Doing this would allow minor infringements for the sake of self-ownership. As Eric Mack (2015) puts it, a good theory of self-ownership offers people some “elbow room.” (For more discussion, see Brennan & Van der Vossen 2017) Nevertheless, many libertarians do reject full self-ownership. It’s possible to weaken the principle along any of the dimensions above in order to avoid the objections, while holding on to the general spirit of the self-ownership view. Thus, one could accept limited non-consensual duties of assistance, say, and accept some reduction in the control-dimension of self-ownership. Others, as we have already seen, reject the idea that self-owners have the power of transfer themselves into (voluntary) slavery. Either way, the result will not be a theory of full self-ownership, but one that approximates that idea. Weakened conceptions of self-ownership, however, raise important questions. For one, if self-ownership turns out to have multiple dimensions that can be weakened in light of competing considerations, it loses some of its theoretic appeal. After all, part of that appeal was the idea’s relative simplicity, which seemed to make it a good starting point for a theory of justice. Once we start trading off the idea against other considerations, those considerations are thereby admitted into the libertarian moral universe. This raises complicated questions about their relative weights, appropriate trade-off rules, and so on. Moreover, if trade-offs are possible between these dimensions, we will want to know why we should sacrifice one in favor of the other. And in order to answer that question, we may need to invoke some further, underlying value. This threatens the status of self-ownership as a foundational principle in libertarian theory. Presumably, foundational principles are not based on underlying values. For many libertarians, this is not much of a concession, however. If few endorse full self-ownership, even fewer endorse it as a foundational principle. Such a move would also avoid a final kind of objection, this one more theoretical in nature. This objection holds that, upon inspection, the idea of self-ownership is neither as simple nor as clear-cut as it initially appeared. One version of this objection points to the indeterminacy of the idea of ownership. Positive law recognizes a wide variety of ownership arrangements, including ones that consist of very different kinds of rights than the self-ownership theorist defends. There may be no clear general notion of ownership to which one can appeal to defend self-ownership. Instead, ownership claims may be conclusions of intricate moral (or legal) arguments (Fried 2004, 2005). However, if self-ownership is understood to be importantly analogous to ownership in general, this poses no objection. Instead, it shows a more fruitful way for theorizing our rights over our persons are more fruitfully (Russell 2018). While Nozick (1974) is typically read as someone who treats full self-ownership as a premise or foundational principle (see especially the influential discussion in Cohen 1995), it is far from clear that this is correct. One obvious problem is that Nozick invokes the idea of self-ownership only once in Anarchy, State, and Utopia. And while that passage is oft-quoted, in terms of his arguments, the idea as such does little work in the book. Part II of Anarchy, State, and Utopia develops a large number of arguments against redistributive conceptions of justice which do not invoke or rely on the idea of full self-ownership. Nozick also invoked ideas that contradict reading him as a proponent of full self-ownership as a foundational principle. He argued that self-ownership is an expression of the Kantian requirement that we treat people only as ends in themselves (suggesting that the Kantian idea, and not self-ownership as such, is foundational). And he didn’t wish to rule out that any plausible theory of rights must allow that they can be overridden in order to prevent “catastrophic moral horror” (Nozick 1974, p. 30). It seems, then, that self-ownership is the view at which Nozick arrives, on the combined strength of all the arguments that he provides (Brennan & Van der Vossen 2017). That said, it’s important to note that not all libertarians accept that the idea of full self-ownership should be weakened or treated as non- foundational. Some remain committed to the idea and have offered responses to all the objections above. For one prominent reply to worries about indeterminacy and related theoretical objections, see Vallentyne, Steiner, & Otsuka 2005. Just as Nozick may have seen libertarianism as the best way to express a host of moral considerations in the realm of justice, so too many other libertarians embrace different principles as the foundation of their theories. Such authors seek to honor people as rights-holders or sovereign individuals, whom we need to treat as the primary claimants of their lives and bodies. But they also seek to avoid some of the implausible elements of full self-ownership. Views like this treat self-ownership neither as necessary maximally strong, nor as self-evident or foundational. Libertarian theory can thus be defended in many different ways. This is true both of theories that give pride of place to self-ownership and of theories that don’t. Examples of the former include Eric Mack (2002, 2010) who sees self-ownership rights as among several natural rights grounded in our nature as purposive beings. In Mack’s view, the protections and freedoms offered by the idea are justified in order to grant to all individuals a separate sphere in which they can act in accordance to their self-chosen purposes. Similarly, Loren Lomasky (1987) derives rights from a related, although slightly different, conception of people as project pursuers. John Tomasi (2012) argues that strong rights over our bodies are required by the ideal of democratic legitimacy. According to Daniel Russell (2018), self-ownership rights provide the only way that people who live together can all genuinely live their own lives. Many libertarian theories invoke insights from economics. An influential strand of thinking in this tradition, closely related to F. A. Hayek and Ludwig von Mises, argues that libertarian or classical liberal political conclusions follow from human epistemic limitations. Free societies, and in particular free market systems, best utilize the available information in society by allowing and incentivizing individuals to act on the partial information they possess, including information about their local circumstances, needs, and desires, as well as their productive abilities and the trade-offs that those might present. Any society that wants to deviate from the decentralized decision-making represented by market exchange, the argument goes, will have to collect, process, and fully understand all this dispersed and complex information, aggregate it into some kind of social welfare function, and assign goods accordingly. This latter process is simply beyond our capabilities. Free societies thus will predictably outperform other societies on important metrics (Hayek 1960, 1973; Von Mises 1949). Another example follows the work of Adam Smith, claiming that libertarian ideas are inherent in our ordinary moral psychology. Smith famously considered justice to be strictly negative in nature: something we satisfy simply through abstaining from theft, coercion, and other violations of libertarian rights. Thus, in The Theory of Moral Sentiments, Smith wrote that the rules that “call loudest for vengeance and punishment are the laws which guard the life and person of our neighbour; the next are those which guard his property and possessions; and last of all come those which guard what are called his personal rights, or what is due to him from the promises of others” (Smith 1759 [1976], p. 84). These are the only acts that are generally disapproved of in a way calling for punishment (1759 [1976], p. 78). Human rule following of this kind is desirable because it’s conducive to the stability and effectiveness of society (1976 [1759], p. 86). None of this means that people don’t have obligations to assist others. Smith grounds his view in a deeply social view of moral psychology. Thus, benevolence along with justice is a pillar of society. However, we cannot expect or force people to care for distant strangers in the same way as they care for themselves. And trying to organize a society along these lines would lead to disaster. Smith was extremely skeptical about government officials, writing about how they seek fame and power, think themselves morally superior, and are more than willing to serve their own interests and those of well-connected businessmen rather than the public good (Smith 1776 [1976], pp. 266–7). And, perhaps foreshadowing Hayek, Smith argued that governments are generally incapable of knowing enough to guide large numbers of people. Human beings make their own decisions and respond to circumstances, thus thwarting any systematic plans the government might lay out for them. Thus, as a rule, it’s more promising to appeal to people’s self-interest through market exchange than to use state coercion. Libertarian arguments of this kind cast the state as an arbitrator, an impartial agent that makes fair and productive cooperation between citizens possible, much like a referee enables fair play by administering the rules of the game. It’s crucial, then, for the state to remain impartial and not choose sides in society or the economy. Once governments begin benefiting one party over another, whether this be certain groups in society or business interests, such involvement is in principle off-limits and likely to backfire as it will favor whoever is politically well-connected or favored at the time. The minimal state, then, is the only state capable of structuring complex and deeply interdependent societies in ways that are mutually beneficial. Of course, this discussion still omits many other members of the libertarian or classical liberal family of views. Some theorists depart from consequentialist or teleological principles, which they see as best served by these policies (Epstein 1995, 1998; Friedman 1962; Rasmussen & Den Uyl 2005; Shapiro 2007). Others adopt a Rawlsian framework, either claiming that the spirit of John Rawls’ theory of justice (particularly a concern for the least well off) calls for a far greater respect for individual freedom than is usually thought (Tomasi 2012). Yet others see classically liberal requirements flowing from a public reason or justificatory approach (Gaus 2010, 2012).[2] Libertarian and classical liberal theories conceive of distributive justice as largely (sometimes exclusively) historical in nature. To ask whether justice obtains in the world is mainly to ask whether people have been justly treated, principally whether their rights to their persons and possessions have been respected. Even though distributional issues can be relevant for assessing the justice of a society (see the next section), libertarians generally see people’s rightful possessions as whatever they acquired in legitimate (i.e., rights-respecting) ways. As a result, they reject theories that look merely at outcomes or end-state distributions. The most common mode of just acquisition is through the legitimate transfer of prior just holdings. This is why libertarians generally defend noncoerced, nondeceptive market relations as just. Of course, not all modes of legitimate acquisition can depend on prior just holdings—there must be a starting point, an original acquisition. In Nozick’s “entitlement theory” distributive justice consists entirely of these two modes of acquisition and a principle of rectification for their violation. The broader point is that libertarians generally accept that individuals can carry out such acts of original acquisition. More precisely, they accept that individuals can acquire unowned goods unilaterally, without having to ask the consent of approval of other people, some governing body, or anything else. The argument for not needing the permission of others to use and appropriate the external world is relatively straightforward. The moral benefits of private ownership are important, and if there is a good justification for having a system of private property, it should be possible to derive a justification for acts that begin to bring about such rights as well. Any view that would require the consent of others, or some kind of government legitimation, creates barriers to acquisition and thus threatens these moral benefits (Van der Vossen 2009, 2015; Mack 2010). The most famous account of how unilateral original acquisition is possible remains Locke’s labor theory. According to Locke, when people work on previously unowned objects, subject to certain provisos, they turn those objects into their private property. The precise nature of Locke’s argument, the relation between labor and acquisition, as well as the nature of the provisos, are hotly contested. The most famous interpretation, again, seeks to ground property in the (prior) rights of self-ownership. On this view, when people labor they quite literally extend their claims of self-ownership over external objects, thus drawing them into their rights-protected sphere. As Locke (1690 [1988], chapter V) put it, since laboring mixes one’s labor, which one owns, with something that is unowned, the previously unowned thing becomes owned. This argument suffers from well-known problems. For instance, since laboring is an activity, the idea of mixing it with an object seems at best a metaphor for something else. But in that case, the argument is incomplete: we still need to know what really grounds property rights (Waldron 1988). More importantly, it simply is not true that mixing something owned with something unowned is sufficient for appropriation. As Nozick pointed out, if I pour a can of tomato juice that I own into the unowned ocean, I lose my tomato juice—I do not gain an ocean (Nozick 1974, pp. 174–5). Third, if labor-mixing really were sufficient for generating claims in objects, why should this be restricted to unowned goods? Why not say that mixing my labor with something already owned generates a claim of coownership (Thomson 1990, pp. 326–327)? In light of these and other objections, many have offered different defenses of private property. These justifications depend neither on accepting a prior thesis of self-ownership, nor on the affiliated thesis that self-ownership rights can be extended outwardly through labor. Instead, these arguments point to the moral importance of people having security over external resources, whether this is understood in terms of support for political and civil liberties (Gaus 2010), our ability to be project pursuers or purposive agents (Lomasky 1987; Mack 2010), or the ability to be the authors of our lives (Tomasi 2012). An influential line of argument ties the justification of property to the material prosperity and well-being that it brings about. Rights of private property serve to divide the external world into a number of discrete, individual parts, each exclusively controlled by its particular owner. Organizing the social world in this way is preferable to collective use or ownership because it helps avoid collective action problems. When things remain held in open-access commons, we all have an incentive to use as much as we can, leading to a general pattern of use that ends up depleting the resource, to everyone’s detriment. Rights to private property not only avoid such a “tragedy of the commons,” they also incentivize people to preserve their parts, increase their productivity, and exchange what they own with others on mutually beneficial terms (Schmidtz 1994; Buchanan 1993). Since these justifications of property do not rest on a prior principle of self-ownership, they are not committed to seeing property rights as in any way absolute, immune to just regulation, or even precluding any and all forms of taxation. Despite what is sometimes suggested (Freeman 2001), virtually all libertarians that reject self-ownership as a starting point also accept that property rights need specification, can be instantiated in quite different, yet morally acceptable forms, and might be overridden by other moral considerations. Such views do not entail the impossibility of unilateral original appropriation either. Libertarians and their critics are concerned with the issue of original appropriation primarily because it demarcates a major fault line in political philosophy. The libertarian’s historical conception of justice, and the accompanying insistence that governments refrain from redistributive projects, require that property rights do not depend on the government, positive law, or the consent of others for their moral validity. Such a view is viable if one can establish the possibility of unilateral appropriation, without essential reference to the existence of the state or law. Libertarianism is committed to a strong guarantee of basic liberty of action. However, even views that endorse the strongest possible form of self-ownership do not guarantee such liberty. For if the rest of the world (natural resources and artifacts) is fully owned by others, one is not permitted to do anything without their consent—since that would involve the use of their property. Since agents must use natural resources (occupy space, breathe air, etc.), free people require rights to use parts of the external world. The question arises, then, what constraints (if any) exist on ownership and appropriation. Libertarian theories can be put on a continuum from right-libertarianism to left-libertarianism, depending on the stance taken on how natural resources can be owned. Simply stated, a libertarian theory moves from “right” to “left” the more it insists on constraints aimed at preserving some kind of equality. At one end of the spectrum sits the maximally permissive view of original appropriation. This view denies there are any constraints on use or appropriation (Rothbard 1978, 1982; Narveson 1988, ch. 7, 1999; Feser 2005). Thus, agents may appropriate, use, or even destroy whatever resources they want (assuming, of course, that they violate no one’s self-ownership in the process). As a result, this view sees natural resources as initially unprotected. However, this is not a very popular view, as it simply ignores the problem above: property relations can threaten people’s liberty and even self-ownership, irrespective of their own voluntary choices or wrongdoing. Such a theory does not live up to libertarian ideals very well. Most libertarians, then, accept something like what’s come to be known as the Lockean proviso. This proviso holds that appropriation is permissible if “enough and as good” be left for others. There’s an extensive debate over how exactly this proviso is to be understood. Nozick interprets the proviso to require that no one can be made worse off as a result of use or appropriation, compared with a baseline of non-use or non-appropriation. But this interpretation is problematic for at least two reasons. First, this such a welfare-based constraint on the exercise of people’s natural right to appropriate seems ill-motivated within Nozick’s theory. In general, the exercise of our rights isn’t usually constrained by a non-worsening requirement. Second, Nozick’s proviso is vulnerable to the objection (raised by Cohen 1995) that, as long as property owners compensate non-owners only slightly over the pre-appropriation baseline (which is likely quite low), non-owners are not wronged. This would be true even if the owners extracted almost all of the benefits of cooperation, and that seems unfair. Others interpret the Lockean proviso as requiring something like a sufficientarian requirement, such that people must have access to an adequate share of natural resources (Lomasky 1987; Wendt 2017). This view might invoke differing conceptions of adequacy, such as well-being or the ability to be self-governing (as in Simmons 1992, 1993). Or one might see the proviso as ensuring the ability to exercise one’s rights of self-ownership (Mack 1995). At the other end of the spectrum, left-libertarians think it implausible that people who first use or claim natural resources thereby become entitled to unequal benefits. Since natural resources are not created or produced as such, left-libertarians claim that the value of these resources belongs in some sense to everyone, This common ownership of the world supports some egalitarian constraints on appropriation and use. What we might call equal share left-libertarianism—advocated by Henry George (1879) and Hillel Steiner (1994), for example—interprets the Lockean proviso as requiring equally valuable shares of natural resources for everyone. Thus, while individuals are morally free to use or appropriate natural resources, those who thereby acquire more than their share (understood in terms of per capita value) owe compensation to others. This constraint is enduring significance. It applies at the moment of appropriation, and encumbers subsequent through time. Others claim that the equality requirement is supposed to also compensate for disadvantages that result from different natural abilities (such as the effects of genetic differences). Thus, Otsuka (2003) claims that the Lockean proviso prohibits appropriations that diminish the opportunities of others for well-being beyond the opportunity obtained by appropriating or using a natural resource. As an interpretation of Locke’s requirement that appropriators leave “enough and as good”, however, left-libertarian views are implausible. In his discussion of appropriation, Locke invokes the idea of distributive shares only three times (sections 31, 37, and 46). All appear in the context of the (quite different) prohibition on letting things spoil. In these cases, and in these cases alone, Locke sees appropriation as taking what belongs to others. His point is clear: when we take but don’t use, we remove things for others to take and use—which was the point of allowing unilateral appropriation in the first place. At this point, left-libertarians often claim intuitive support for an egalitarian proviso. When multiple people are presented with a previously undivided resource, equal division is the intuitively fair approach. An objection, however, is that such intuitions apply only to circumstances that ignore relevant conditions. For instance, while Otsuka (2018) is correct to claim that if two persons are stranded together on an island, equal division is the intuitive solution, this may not be true if one person arrived earlier, already cultivated, say, two-thirds of the island, while leaving more than enough for the second person to independently make a living, is willing to cooperate, trade, and so on. In that case, the latecomer insisting that she has a right to half the island is not only counter-intuitive, but probably just wrong. The intuition of equal division becomes even less appealing if we imagine more than two parties, capable of production, trade, and cooperation, arriving at different times. It remains true, of course, that such latecomers will be entitled to something like an equally good shot at making use of the world’s resources. What such an equally good shot comes to, however, is much less clear. Whatever interpretation of the proviso one accepts, however, libertarians left and right agree that once persons enjoy legitimate rights over their property, these are more or less immune to other claims of distributive justice. There is little room in the theory for thinking that certain distributions or material outcomes are morally significant as such. To the libertarian, concerns such as material equality are inconsistent with an appropriate concern for people’s equality. (See, e.g., Schmidtz 2006.) Thus, Nozick (1974) argues in his famous discussion How Liberty Upsets Patterns that because any system of property must allow gifts and other voluntary transfers, and because these will significantly upset whatever distribution is put in place, there is very limited room for concerns with distributional equality. Since treating people as moral equals means respecting them as the holders of these rights, and since such rights will be exercised in ways that will not equalize material outcomes, forced redistribution counts as unjust. None of this is to say that libertarians are not concerned with outcomes at all. John Tomasi (2012, p. 127) argues that many libertarians and classical liberals are committed to a kind of distributive condition requiring that societies must be expected to work to the benefit of the least well-off. This seems to overstate the matter considerably, but it is certainly true that many libertarians see their policies as promoting the general good, and this plays an important role in their justification. Hence, libertarians are wont to point out that being poor in a free society is much better than being poor elsewhere, that markets in general do not work to the detriment of the poor, and so on. Libertarians are highly skeptical of political authority and state legitimacy. Since people are, quite simply, independent and equal beings, with none naturally subordinated to any other, states (like all other agents) ought to respect the moral rights of individuals, including their rights over their persons and their legitimate possessions. For this reason, libertarians typically require something like voluntary consent or acceptance for legitimate state authority. Unfortunately, all states fail to satisfy this requirement for many of their subjects. As a result, they use massive amounts of force in ways that are morally impermissible. States violate the rights of citizens by punishing people for self-regarding conduct (e.g. taking drugs, refusing to purchase health insurance, or engaging in consensual sex in private). Similarly, states violate the rights of their subjects by forcibly transferring their legitimate possessions to preferred others (e.g. to bail out large companies, to provide for pensions, or pay for public parks). States violate the rights of citizens when they forcibly prevent them from innocently contracting and associating with others, exercising their religion, occupy certain professions because of their ethnic background, gender, or sexual orientation, and much, much more. A standard objection here is that, since so much of modern life seems to require a state, libertarianism’s anarchist stance is problematic. In reply, libertarians typically argue that many of the effects of states are extremely negative. States wage devastating wars abroad, restrict migration with devastating results for the world’s poor, and oppress and violate the rights of many of their own citizens. Moreover, many of the positive effects that states can bring about can also be obtained through voluntary mechanisms. Libertarians tend to be more hopeful about the possibility of anarchic provision of order, public goods, as well as charitable giving. (See, e.g., Huemer 2012; Chartier 2012.) Even though libertarians are generally quite hostile to state authority, this does not mean that the state cannot permissibly undertake certain minimal activities. This includes most obviously the enforcement of individual rights and freedoms. These activities do not presuppose state authority since such activities are permissible with or without people’s prior consent (unless, of course, such activities involve the violation of rights themselves). Some theorists, such as Hayek (1960), argue that it can be permissible for people to be forced to pay for basic police services. But this argument seems problematic within libertarian theory. If people do not agree to their legitimate possessions being used for these purposes, it would be unjust to force them to pay for these services, even if they clearly benefit a benefit as a result. After all, libertarians generally deny that merely receiving a benefit suffices to justify enforceable requirements to pay. Some left-libertarians endorse further “state-like” activities for the state, which other libertarians would reject. Since most left-libertarians recognize enforceable duties to compensate others in proportion to the value of the natural resources they possess, the state might forcibly collect and disburse these payments. Some hold that even various public goods can be forcibly provided, including basic police services, national defense, a basic system of roads, etc. The underlying justification here is that the provision of these public goods will increase the value of natural resources, making the taxed amounts a case of self-financing. (Vallentyne 2007) One popular argument for state authority holds that states can be legitimate if they are democratic. Libertarians tend to be very skeptical about this view. A large body of empirical findings has shown that voters tend to be radically uninformed, ignorant, and indeed biased about political issues. And democratic deliberation does little, if anything, to improve this. Indeed, it seems like it is rational for people to remain ignorant about politics. Given that one’s causal influence on the quality of political decisions is negligible, and it is costly in terms of time and effort to become informed, it is rational for people to remain ignorant. Most people thus vote in ways that have more to do with signaling their ideological allegiance or virtues, and less with the merits of the issues (Caplan 2008; Somin 2016; Brennan 2016; Pincione & Tesón 2011). In addition to voter ignorance, many libertarians fear the more general dynamics of state power. Public choice theory points out that since the best way to understand the behavior of political agents is along roughly maximizing lines, there is little reason to think that the state will generally behave in the public interest (Tullock & Buchanan 1962). 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Cohen’s Self-Ownership, Freedom, and Equality,” Canadian Journal of Philosophy, 28: 609–626. –––, 2007, “Libertarianism and the State,” Social Philosophy and Policy, 24: 187–205. Vallentyne, P., Steiner, H., Otsuka, M., 2005, “Why Left-Libertarianism Is Not Incoherent, Indeterminate, or Irrelevant: A reply to Fried”, Philosophy and Public Affairs, 33: 201–215. Van der Vossen, B., 2009, “What Counts As Original Appropriation?” Politics, Philosophy, & Economics, 8: 355–373. –––, 2015, “Imposing Duties and Original Appropriation”, Journal of Political Philosophy 23: 64–85. Von Mises, L., 1949, Human Action: A treatise on economics, New Haven: Yale University Press. Waldron, J., 1988, The Right to Private Property, Oxford: Clarendon Press. Wall, S., 2009. “Self-Ownership and Paternalism,” Journal of Political Philosophy, 17: 399–417. Wendt, F., 2017. “The Sufficiency Proviso,” in J. Brennan, B. Van der Vossen, and D. Schmidtz (eds.), The Routledge Handbook of Libertarianism, London: Routledge, pp. 169–183. How to cite this entry. Preview the PDF version of this entry at the Friends of the SEP Society. Look up this entry topic at the Indiana Philosophy Ontology Project (InPhO). Enhanced bibliography for this entry at PhilPapers, with links to its database. Libertarianism, entry in Wikipedia. Libertarianism, entry in Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy. Vallentyne, Peter. “Libertarianism,” The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy (2014), Edward N. Zalta (ed.), URL = <https://plato.stanford.edu/archives/sum2014/entries/libertarianism/>. [This was the previous entry on libertarianism in the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy — see the version history.] anarchism | liberalism | liberty: positive and negative | Locke, John | Nozick, Robert: political philosophy | property and ownership | rights The editors note that as of the January 2019 update, no content by the original author, Peter Vallentyne, remains in this entry. So he is no longer listed as an author. Bas van der Vossen <bvanderv@chapman.edu> Open access to the SEP is made possible by a world-wide funding initiative. The Encyclopedia Now Needs Your Support Please Read How You Can Help Keep the Encyclopedia Free View this site from another server: USA (Main Site) CSLI, Stanford University Info about mirror sites The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy is copyright © 2016 by The Metaphysics Research Lab, Center for the Study of Language and Information (CSLI), Stanford University Library of Congress Catalog Data: ISSN 1095-5054

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image credits (ID:80242) There is a total of 12 images Beginning of works: Function / usage: Arlington County, Virginia, USA Above of: Pentagon Metro Station (1977) 38° 52' 15.55" N 77° 3' 21.44" W Show coordinates on a map cost of construction United States dollar 83 000 000 Groundbreaking ceremony. A hijacked Boeing 757 slams into a section of the Pentagon in an apparent terrorist attack that also destroyed the World Trade Center in New York entirely and at roughly the same time. Ceremony marks the reconstruction of the façade of the Pentagon's damaged section. The interior structure is still being reconstructed. U. S. Department of Defense George Bergstrom (architect) John McShain, Inc. Relevant Web Sites archINFORM: Pentagon Great Buildings Online: The Pentagon National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States Washington Post: Slide Show of Pentagon Attack Photos Relevant Publications The 9/11 Commission Report. Final Report of the National Commission on Terrorist Attacks upon the United States. W.W. Norton, New York (USA), 2004, pp. 567. Ichniowski, Tom (2001): Bush Proposes $6.3 Billion for New York City, $925 Million to Rebuild Pentagon. In: Engineering News Record (18 October 2001). Mlakar, Paul F. / Dusenberry, Donald O. / Harris, James R. / Haynes, Gerald / Phan, Long T. / Sozen, Mete A. (2005): Conclusions and Recommendations from the Pentagon Crash. In: Journal of Performance of Constructed Facilities (ASCE), v. 19, n. 3 (August 2005), pp. 220-221. https://doi.org/10.1061/(asce)0887-3828(2005)19:3(220) Mlakar, Paul F. / Dusenberry, Donald O. / Harris, James R. / Haynes, Gerald / Phan, Long T. / Sozen, Mete A. (2005): Description of Structural Damage Caused by the Terrorist Attack on the Pentagon. In: Journal of Performance of Constructed Facilities (ASCE), v. 19, n. 3 (August 2005), pp. 197-205. Brown, Jeff L. (2002): Landmarks in American Civil Engineering History. In: Civil Engineering Magazine, v. 72, n. 11-12 (November - December 2002). More publications... Structure-ID Contribute or Correct Data Do you have additional data or would like to see a correction made to this page? Then please use the following form to submit your information: Please register for My Structurae to use this form. My Structurae Login

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Uganda is part of the 2020 Voluntary National Review of the High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development Letter from Permanent Mission of Uganda Review Report on Uganda’s Readiness for the Implementation of Agenda 2030 Following the expiration of the Millennium Development Goals development framework and the adoption of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development in September 2015, Uganda has embraced the principles for sustainable development, namely; people, planet, prosperity, peace, and partnerships, to ensure that “No One is Left Behind”. Accordingly, Uganda is among the first countries to localize the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and has volunteered to conduct a National review under the auspices of the first High Level Political Forum in July 2016. Uganda actively pursued the sustainable development agenda since the early 90’s when it gained ascendancy as a development paradigm. This pursuit has unfolded in three distinct transition phases: post war reconstruction (1986 – 1997); poverty eradication (1997 – 2009); and social economic transformation (2010 -2020). Nearly three decades on from the first United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development in 1992, Uganda remains steady in its commitment to sustainable development. Results from the 2014 National Population and Housing Census reconfirm that this commitment is yielding desirable results. Between 1991 and 2014, life expectancy rose from 48.1 to 63.3 years; infant and under-five mortality rates dropped from 122 and 203 deaths per 1,000 live births to 53 and 80 respectively; orphan hood levels dropped from 11.6 to 8.0 per cent; literacy levels rose from 54.0 to 72.2 per cent; income poverty declined from 56 to 19 per cent; access to electricity – a factor that impacts heavily on the environment in Uganda – increased from 5.6 to 20.4 per cent; and the proportion of the national budget that is funded from domestic sources has increased, from 64.7 per cent (FY 1991/92) to 82 per cent (FY 2014/15). Despite the above progress, Uganda still has significant room for improvement in the sustainable development agenda. The economy is still heavily reliant on natural resources and agriculture; the current demographic structure implies a high dependency ratio and low domestic savings; there is continued pressure on the forest cover because of limited access to modern forms of energy; inequality though falling remains high; vulnerability among different segments of the population is also still significant; and the economy remains in need of deeper and broader economic integration, especially at regional level. Leadership and Ownership Uganda has accordingly sustained active commitment to development cooperation at regional and international levels. The most recent manifestation of this commitment was the leadership role in shaping the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development adopted in September 2015 and the adoption of the Addis Ababa Action Agenda in July 2015, which provided the framework for financing of the agenda, under Uganda’s Presidency of the 69th Session of the United Nations General Assembly. Uganda’s leadership at both political and technical levels embraced sustainable development right from the time of promulgation of the National Constitution which integrates key principles of balanced and sustainable development. The leadership of the country further demonstrated commitment to sustainable development through its strong support and approval of Uganda’s Vision 2040, the East African Community’s Vision 2050 and Africa’s Agenda 2063 – all of which strongly feature within Uganda’s second and current National Development Plan (2015/16 to 2019/20) whose overall goal is to transition Uganda into a lower middle-income country by 2020, through strengthening Uganda’s competitiveness for sustainable wealth creation, employment and inclusive growth. Localization of the Agenda for Uganda is accordingly being cascaded to sector and local government planning and implementation frameworks. The Manifesto of Uganda’s newly re-elected Government whose term of office runs from 2016 to 2021, is aligned to the second NDP and has also embraced the principles of Agenda 2030. The second NDP’s preparation coincided with the deliberations and adoption of Agenda 2030 which resulted into the country being the first in the world to mainstream the SDGs into the national planning frameworks. In recognition of the importance of review and follow-up mechanisms, Uganda’s leadership is working to strengthen the implementation and communication strategy for the current NDP and the Sustainable Development Goals mainstreamed in it. Key efforts in this regard include national and local level consultations on localization of the 2030 Agenda; National Information, Education and Communication campaigns; high-level policy dialogue engagements; institutional capacity development; and revitalised engagement with the private sector. Principles, Policies, Planning, and Programming The adoption of 2030 Agenda has nationally been interpreted as embracing principles of sustainable development that promote prosperity for all people and protect the planet from degradation so that it supports the needs of the current and future generations. The localization of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development requires innovative approaches and adaptive programming of its interventions. On this note, Government of Uganda has commenced implementation of a range of new social programmes based on enhanced targeting capabilities with the aim of ensuring that no one is left behind. Notable among them are: Operation Wealth Creation; Universal Primary and Secondary Education; the Youth Livelihood Program; the Higher Education Students Loan Scheme; the Social Assistance Grant for Empowerment for the elderly; the Legal Aid Programme, the Women Entrepreneurship Program; Community Tree Planting Project; and the Skilling Uganda Program. National Capacity Over the years, Uganda has made efforts to enhance its national capacity to formulate and implement development policies, plans and programmes. However, the ambitious and comprehensive nature of the 2030 Agenda requires further enhancement of national capacity on how best to steer inclusive development across time, sector, and regions of the country. Key among these are: strengthening institutions; financing mechanisms; rallying the private sector, civil society, citizens and other partners towards implementation; and public private partnerships. Uganda has developed a National Standard Indicator Framework to track progress towards attainment of middle-income status by 2020. This framework builds on the National Monitoring and Evaluation Policy and the Integrated Monitoring and Evaluation Strategy. Through these instruments the implementation of SDGs will be monitored, evaluated, and reported on. Already, Uganda has established that out of 230 indicators in the global indicator framework for SDGs, only 80 indicators have data readily available in its current national statistical framework. There are efforts however, to develop and integrate other indicators that cover all the relevant SDG targets. The existing legal, policy, and institutional frameworks provide an enabling environment for the implementation of the 2030Agenda. For example, Uganda has introduced a number of reforms and pieces of legislations that will facilitate the implementation of the 2030 Agenda. Chief among them is the Public Finance Management Act (2015), the Public Private Partnership Act (2015), Public Procurement and Disposal Act (2014) the Financial Institutions Amendment Act (2015), and the Registration of Persons Act (2015). Furthermore, Uganda has prioritized increasing domestic revenues as a proportion of GDP, investment in public infrastructure, efficiency in service delivery, use of technology and innovation, reforming the public procurement, debt management, and partnerships with development partners, private sector, academia and citizens. To strengthen implementation and improve institutional functionality, Uganda has undertaken a number of reforms; including, the establishment of the A Prime Minister’s Delivery Unit, the Government Evaluation Facility, institutional coordination mechanisms, the issuance of certificates of compliance of the national and budgets to the NDP, certificate of compliance to gender and equity, and is gradually shifting from output-based to programme-based budgeting. The Government of Uganda re-affirms its commitment to the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for sustainable development and recognizes the remaining challenges that require concerted efforts and partnerships to facilitate attainment of the desired development goals and targets. Uganda intends to partner with the international community in delivering this global development agenda. Uganda was part of the 2016 Voluntary National Review of the High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development Review Report on Uganda’s Readiness for the Implementation of Agenda 2030 (Executive Summary) Review Report on Uganda’s Readiness for the Implementation of Agenda 2030 (Full report) Uganda Beijing+20 national report submitted at the 59th CSW Mrs. Christine Guwatudde Kintu Permanent Secretary , Office of the Prime Minister, National Report - Uganda Rio+20; The below is a listing of all partnership initiatives and voluntary commitments where Uganda is listed as a partner or lead entity in the Partnerships for SDGs online platform Global LPG Partnership Global LPG Partnership: Accelerate transition to LPG for cooking by engaging public and private sectors in holistic policy, investment and end-user engagement. Governments of Ghana, Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda; OPEC Fund for International Development (Under Discussion); World Bank; New Ventures Fund. Sustainable Energy for All (SE4All) Global Partnership for Effective Development Co-operation (GPEDC) The Global Partnership for Effective Development Co-operation is a multi-stakeholder platform to advance the effectiveness of development efforts by all actors, to deliver results that are long-lasting and contribute to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The work of the Global Partnership is based on four principles of effective development co-operation including country ownership, a focus on results, inclusive partnerships, and transparency and mutual accountability. These principles were agreed in 2011 by more than 160 countries and 50+ organisations in the Busan...[more] The Busan Partnership for Effective Development Co-operation, giving birth to the Global Partnership, was endorsed by 161 countries and heads of multilateral and bilateral institutions, and representatives of public, civil society, private, parliamentary, local and regional stakeholders. From 2017-2018, the Global Partnership is led by 3 ministerial-level co-chairs from the Finance Ministry of Ba...[more] Saving Mothers, Giving Life Saving Mothers, Giving Life (SMGL) is a five-year initiative to rapidly reduce maternal and newborn mortality in low-resource, high-burden sub-Saharan Africa countries. Launched by Secretary of State Clinton in 2012, this public-private partnership strengthens health services by increasing demand, facilitating access to quality, lifesaving care for the most vulnerable women, and strengthening health systems at the district level. The initiative was given the ambitious goals of reducing maternal mortality by 50% and perinatal morality by 30% in 8 pilot districts in Uganda and Zambia, and then s...[more] Founding partners: USG (USAID, CDC, OGAC, DoD, Peace Corps), Government of Norway, Government of Zambia, Government of Uganda, Government of Nigeria, American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, Every Mother Counts, Merck for Mothers, Project C.U.R.E. Other stakeholders: Swedish Sida, Lafarge Foundation Zambia Zamnet, ELMA Philanthropies Uganda Organic Agriculture Standards and Policies The Ugandan government has taken several important steps in transforming conventional agricultural production into an organic farming system which prohibits the use of synthetic inputs, such as drugs, fertilizers and pesticides. For example, in 2004, Uganda adopted the Uganda Organic Standard. Source: World Resources Institute (2011) A Compilation of Green Economy Policies, Programs, and Initiatives from Around the World. The Green Economy in Practice: Interactive Workshop 1, February 11th, 2011 The Ugandan government has taken several important steps in transforming conventional agricultura...[more] YOUNG AFRICAN LEADERS INITIATIVE - RLC EA Africa's large youth population presents a complex problem that requires strategic investments in education, health, energy, skills, economic reforms and good governance. At a time when sub-Saharan Africa is going through significant changes in economic, social and political, technological and environmental frontiers, some youth across Africa are being left out. YALI is set out to equip the next generation of skilled young African leaders. The objective in this partnership is to proactively engage, develop, and support the young leaders, exposing them to leadership tools, models and diversit...[more] USAID, MasterCard Foundation, Kenyatta University, Deloitte East Africa, Kenya Commercial Bank Group, Microsoft, Dow, Citi Group, Burundi, Central African Republic, Republic of the Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Tanzania, and Uganda. Youth for SDGs Ms. Jane Sanyu Mpagi, Ministry of Gender Labour and Social Development, Uganda Expert Group Meeting: Enhancing MGoS Engagement in National Level Reviews Seminar on Mainstreaming Energy for Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), Targets and Indicators into Statistical Programmes in Select African Countries Post-2015 intergovernmental negotiations (Sustainable development goals and targets) Eleventh session of the Open Working Group on Sustainable Development Goals Eighth session of the Open Working Group on Sustainable Development Goals Fourth session of the Open Working Group on Sustainable Development Goals

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Browse commitments & partnerships Share an update Action Networks #SDGAction33918 Sweden’s goal – becoming the world’s first fossil-free welfare state Description of Acceleration Action SDGs & Targets Resources mobilized Sweden remains committed to continue taking a leading role on climate action. With the Government’s overarching goal of becoming the world’s first fossil-free welfare state, Sweden wants to showcase a prosperous, inclusive and equal society without greenhouse gas emissions. To succeed with the transition, the Swedish Parliament decided by a large political majority to introduce a climate policy framework in 2017. The framework consists of a climate act, a climate policy council and new climate targets, including to reach net-zero emissions by 2045 at the latest, and thereafter negative emissions. This framework is the most important climate reform in Sweden’s history and sets out Sweden’s implementation of the Paris Agreement while providing long-term conditions for business and society in the transition. Sweden encourage all countries to adopt similar institutional arrangements in their own national settings. The Swedish Government is now speeding up its efforts. In the four-party policy agreement from January, the Government has committed to many new ambitious climate reforms. This fall, the Government will appoint an inquiry to review all relevant legislation to make sure it is in accordance with our climate policy framework, and another inquiry will investigate how to fully phase out fossil fuels and forbid fossil-driven cars in the transport sector. An inquiry on how negative emissions can be incentivized will deliver its report in January 2020, and a new investment support scheme has been created in order to get started negative emissions started already now. The Government is also introducing numerous policies for the transition towards a fossil-free transport sector, including a sharpening of biofuel blending in diesel and gasoline, investments in charging infrastructure. Thirteen different industry sectors have themselves have committed themselves in action plans to become fossil free within the government’s initiative “Fossil Free Sweden”, which shows that the business side is also driving the transition in Sweden. Even regional and local actors are moving forward. In the Budget Bill for 2020, additional investments have been announced. We have now doubled our support for the Industry Leap initiative, which for example help fund the HYBRIT-project of creating fossil-free steel. We have also added valuable assets to the Climate Leap, funding regional and local initiatives to reduce greenhouse gas emission, making the transition possible across the country. This fall, Sweden’s first Climate Action Plan, as regulated in our climate act, will be presented to the parliament. In the Action Plan the Swedish Government intends to present ambitious policies that take us towards our goal of net zero emissions by 2045 at the latest. Sweden’s goal of becoming the world’s first fossil-free welfare state, reaching net zero emissions by 2045 at the latest, responds directly to SDG 13. Nevertheless, the global shift from carbon-intensive to carbon-neutral development that is needed, will also contribute to the implementation of the whole Agenda 2030 – notably SDGs 7, 9, 11,12. This major societal change starts with a profound shift in systems and technology to achieve cleaner air, better urban environment and safer energy supply. Financing needs to be redirected from fossil-based energy production to investments in renewable energy, energy efficiency improvements and an energy and resource-efficient infrastructure and buildings with carbon-neutral materials. Other, please specify a Climate Action Plan to be presented in 2019 Start: 12 July, 2017 Completion: 31 December, 2045 Government of Sweden (Government) The Government of Sweden including all entities, the private sector, municipalities, citizens Other beneficiaries Désirée Hermann, Desk Officer, Global Agenda Department, Ministry for Foreign Affairs, desiree.hermann@gov.se, 0738003524

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SUV News Request Loan Chinese Startup Could Introduce SUV to U.S. by 2020 Published March 23, 2017 by Elizabeth Jeneault NIO, the Chinese-backed startup formerly known as NextEV in the United States, is looking to introduce autonomous electric vehicles in the U.S. by 2020. The company announced its plan to do so not at an auto show, but at the South by Southwest (SXSW) festival in Austin, Texas. While NIO did not announce what type of vehicles it will be introducing, many believe that the first vehicle NIO will bring to the U.S. will be an SUV. That’s because NIO has hinted in the past that an electric SUV will be its first vehicle to hit the U.S. market. Late last year, NextEV co-founder Jack Cheng said in an interview that the NIO electric SUV will have a range and performance comparable to the Tesla Model X, but at “a Toyota price.” While the majority of NIO’s offices are located in China, it also has offices in Oxford, London, Munich, San Francisco and San Jose. The San Jose office is NIO’s North American headquarters and global software development center. It’s an 85,000 square foot facility that currently has about 300 employees. So while many might question NIO’s ability to bring vehicles to the U.S. because it’s a startup, it already has roots here. It’s also important to note that in October, NIO USA announced that it was issued an Autonomous Vehicle Testing Permit by the California DMV and that it would begin testing on public roads under Autonomous Vehicle Tester Program guidelines. Aside from all that, the startup also has money to back it up. Some of NIO’s investors include Tencent, Temasek, Sequoia Capital, Lenovo and TPG. And as for partners, the company’s U.S. CEO Padmasree Warrior announced at SXSW that NIO is partnering with Mobileye, NVIDIA and NXP. “We’re excited about having autonomous electric cars for U.S. consumers in 2020,” said Warrior at Nio’s event during SXSW on March 10. “In 2015, commuters in the U.S. spent over 8 billion hours in their cars commuting,” he continued. “NIO's autonomous electric cars will make your journey safe, productive and enjoyable. Our cars will be your companion and will know your needs, they will be a welcoming living space that moves you. We look forward to producing the first of the next generation of cars for the U.S. consumer. We know you will be delighted by NIO.” Now apart from reports that suggest the first vehicle from NIO in the U.S. will be an SUV, Fortune reports that the vehicle will have Level 4 autonomy (based on the Society of Automotive Engineers’ autonomy scale of 1 to 5). That means the vehicle will be able to drive itself independently in most conditions, even if the driver doesn’t respond when asked to take control. Fortune reports, however, that the vehicle will still have a steering wheel and pedals for the driver to take over if they so choose. NIO is reportedly targeting commuters with its vehicles. Specifically, people who spend more than 25 minutes traveling to and from work each day. "The problem we're trying to solve with autonomy is that as we say 'giving people time back,'" Warrior told Fortune. "We’re addressing those people whose commute is a big issue." While several other companies designing vehicles with Level 4 or 5 autonomy plan to use them as part of a ride-hailing service, Fortune reports that’s not what NIO plans to do. Instead, its vehicle will reportedly be affordable enough for a family to purchase. "We think most people target Level 4 and Level 5 autonomy for ride-share because they don't know how to make it cost effective," Warrior told Fortune. "We feel we have some unique innovations that allow us to make a car to be quite affordable." No price estimate has been released. Warrior did tell Fortune, however, that the vehicle will first be introduced to the U.S. and then to Europe. NIO EVE Concept Now aside from announcing its plan for introducing vehicles to the U.S. at SXSW, NIO also unveiled its NIO Eve concept which the company says is the embodiment of their vision for the future of autonomous cars. So, we could expect the vehicles NIO will introduce in the U.S. to draw from the concept. “NIO EVE, our vision car, showcases the future of autonomous driving. From daily commuting to road trips, from school runs to nights out, EVE constantly learns about its occupants and their preferences. It is a digital companion, a robot on wheels,” writes the company. By getting rid of conventional A and B pillars and using optimized door cuts, the spacious interior of the concept vehicle is accessed through a wide forward-sliding door. In the rear, there’s lounge-like seating and a folding table that provides passengers with a space for work or play. The forward two seats, meanwhile, enjoy an enhanced panoramic view with digital displays provided on the active glass when needed to support non-autonomous driving. NIO says at the heart of its concept vehicle is NOMI. It’s a voice-activated artificial intelligence engine with an intuitive human interface, “providing verbal and visual connections both within the vehicle and with the outside world.” The company says it uses the vehicle’s active glass to “provide an augmented vision for occupants and for new kinds of entertainment.” It will personalize your driving based on road conditions and activities. NIO E9 Supercar People at SXSW also had a chance to view NIO’s E9 supercar. The E9 supercar was originally unveiled when the NIO brand was launched in November of last year. According to Fortune, it will have a limited production run of just six. NIO calls it the fastest electric car in the world. It drove autonomously without any interventions in February, recording a lap time of 2 minutes, 40.33 seconds at a top speed of 160 miles per hour. That same day, the vehicle also beat the fastest lap time for a production car at the Circuit of the Americas racetrack in Austin, Texas. It achieved a lap time of 2 minutes, 11.30 seconds, reaching a top speed of 170 mph. Whether or not NIO is able to introduce autonomous electric vehicles to the U.S. by 2020 is left to be seen. It does seem, however, that the startup company is on the right track. And as for what type of vehicles it will introduce, we definitely hope that, as rumored, it will start with an SUV. Useful SUV Links Used SUVs Near Me Used SUV Financing Used SUV Reviews Recommended SUV News & Reviews The SUVs with the Best Resale Value After 5 Years 2 Minute Review Videos 2020 Ford Explorer ST - 2 Minute Review Monthly Most Popular Ferrari Taking SUV Plunge, Confirms Purosangue SUV The Top 5 SUVS of 2019 The SUVs with the Best Resale Value After 5 Years 2020 Ford Explorer ST - 2 Minute Review 2019 Mazda CX-3 - 2 Minute Review SUVS.COM ©2020 1401 Lavaca St #690 Shop SUV News SUV Reviews SUV Videos Financing DMCA Marketing Opt-Out Privacy Policy Do Not Sell My Info Contact Us

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Meet the Team: Patrick Kuyokwa and Life on Malawian Farms Every Autumn, our social feeds fill up with pumpkin picking on picturesque farms and falling autumn leaves. In Malawi, Patrick Kuyokwa is often visiting local farms, but not for that same perfect capture… Our Agriculture and Forestry Co-ordinator, Patrick works with communities to improve their farming. Having grown up in northern Malawi, Patrick understands the challenges and struggles faced by families who live there. 90% of which are subsistence farmers who depend on the land for their survival. The communities are vulnerable to extreme weather, like floods and droughts, making it hard to grow crops throughout the year. Cutting down forests to sell the wood has increased flooding and has damaged the soil. Moreover, the villages are far from the markets, which stops the farmers earning money. This is why Patrick (below) joined Temwa in 2017. Driven by a passion for community development, he says “I wanted to contribute to the change of people’s livelihoods”. Patrick uses his expertise and determination to see change to oversee the Agriculture and Forestry Project. His role involves working closely with the community to run farmer trainings and coordinate events with local decision-makers. He makes regular visits to follow-up on progress and provide help where needed. Back in the office, Patrick reports on the progress of the project, capturing key lessons and plans new activities. For Patrick, development must focus on making communities self-sufficient. This goal is what he likes most about working for Temwa and loves being part of a team who are all focused on the same goal. He sees the importance of working with communities to ensure that impact continues beyond a project. Even more so, he loves the knowledge he gains by working directly with them on new solutions. For the communities to overcome the challenges they face, Patrick believes in using a holistic approach. Transformation is most likely to occur when you address many issues at the same time. In Agriculture and Forestry, Patrick has seen the resilience of farmers increase using this approach. Temwa’s project provides farmers with better tools to adapt to environmental changes. For example, the farmers learn not to use one method but now have different options for growing crops on their farms. This means that they improve their families’ nutrition, are more resilient to weather changes, and increase their income. While training farmers, the team works with the community to protect the land and plant more trees. In doing so, the project helps communities to stop some of the causes and the effects of climate change in the area. We want to thank Patrick for all his hard work! You too can be part of transforming the lives of remote communities, join our family of supporters today. Never too old: Alister’s Story Just Add Water: William’s Story A little help from my friend Gracious.

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« On tonight’s ‘Leah Remini,’ reality star Mimi Faust takes on Scientology’s harm to family David Miscavige is gambling on Birmingham for Scientology success, and who knows why » Crashing a ‘Mace-Kingsley’ event in Pasadena to get some answers about Scientology and kids By Tony Ortega | October 16, 2017 [Saddest bookstore ever at the Pasadena org, selling only one author] Marcy Sargeant of the Mace-Kingsley Family Center in Clearwater, Florida, held a seminar at Scientology’s Pasadena “Ideal Org” on Sunday. The timing is interesting, because just last week, Leah Remini’s A&E series, Scientology and the Aftermath, interviewed Tara Reile and Nathan Rich, two former students at the notoriously abusive “Mace-Kingsley” ranches operated by Scientologists in California and New Mexico. Co-star Mike Rinder explained that the ranch had been shut down in 2002, but that Mace-Kingsley (named after two high-level Scientologists) still ran as a center for auditing children in Clearwater. Erin Hodges Plumb, the brave Southern California resident who had taken a copy of Karen Pressley’s new book to a mixer at Scientology’s Int Base three weeks ago, signed up for a spot in the seminar, which was supposed to be open only to Scientologists. Erin, a middle school teacher of special needs students, brought along some books again, but more importantly, she spent considerable time talking to Scientology officials, including Marcy Sargeant herself. But at first, she tells us, she faced obstacles. “I was made to watch a video ‘to help me understand,’ they said. it was annoying. One quote from the video made me laugh out loud: ‘Some infants are born insane and some addicted to drugs.'” She was then assigned to someone who was supposed to help her understand Scientology terminology. “I kept insisting on going to the seminar. He said I wouldn’t understand, and when I heard a term I don’t know, my brain would freeze and no longer comprehend what was being said. I told him I was a college educated woman with a master’s degree. I can figure it out. He tried to sell me a line of books that cover what was covered in the seminar and I said, why, when I can just go to the seminar? I insisted, and he finally took me to the seminar but told me no cameras and I had a person assigned to me to help me with any questions.” The seminar itself started with an announcement that they would be watching a video, which didn’t thrill Erin. But that didn’t happen, and Marcy Sargeant of Mace-Kingsley began speaking. Erin says there were about 25 people in attendance. “She passed out the book that she said was The Way to Happiness for children, called How to Make Good Choices. And we were encouraged to write in the book and pay for it at the break, only $5. I declined.” Sargeant said that the Mace-Kingsley center has 32 staff, and 15 are auditors, servicing 60 to 70 children. “She quoted Hubbard, that a child is a man or woman who has not attained full growth, and she said that you are the same person as an adult as a baby. But she did not say that children are young adults. She talked about in the 50s and 60s everybody went to church and that’s where we learned our morals, and as there was a decrease of people going to churches there was a decreasing morals — but she didn’t mention that we were sitting in a so-called church.” Also, Erin says that Sargeant seemed to go off the Hubbard script at times. “She said that children require love, compassion, good control, nourishment, a bed, moral guidance and education. She repeated that so we could write it down but stated it was not LRH. She also said that a family is a group with a common goal for the group survival and advancement — which again she said was not from Hubbard.” But there was a pretty heavy pitch for Scientology products. [Typical Mace-Kingsley flier] “She recommended that everyone needs to be educated in the basics of Scientology and in Study Tech. She recommended Study Tech and the Communication Course for children, and I asked what age is appropriate for that. She said they need to be reading, and in order to take the courses they should be like 7 years old.” (Mace-Kingsley advertises that it provides auditing for infants, but Erin says nothing was said at the seminar about infants or toddlers in the morning session.) In general, Erin got the impression of a group that had some genuine concerns and some unconventional solutions. “I had wanted to see what they were saying about children. I got the feeling that they were actually trying to help, but they were also trying to sell these courses. And it felt like there are a lot of single moms going to Mace-Kingsley, and the draw is that it provides them with all the answers.” Erin got a chance to speak with Sargeant after her presentation. “I told her that what she was saying seemed to come from her experience as a mother of five children and five grandchildren. I said she wasn’t really speaking from the teachings of L. Ron Hubbard. She disagreed and tried to say that everything she learned or was teaching was from her Hubbard training but I told her that the experiences she was sharing with us were about how she had raised her own children. I mentioned that Hubbard didn’t raise his own children. She disagreed, saying that Hubbard had had seven children and she had personally known some of them. I said yes, but he was not instrumental in raising them. At that point she asked me what I’d been reading. “I asked about the use of 50-year-old material by Hubbard when current studies show the brain develops until our 20s. She asked why I was saying the teaching is 50 years old, and I replied that Hubbard had died more than 30 years ago. She said she would go into more specifics from the courses after lunch but I felt I had enough and had said my piece.” [Erin, preparing for her mission.] Nashville, Tennessee, 2009… Dublin, Ireland, 2017… Brian Sheen has not seen his grandson Leo in 50 days. Skip Young has not seen his daughters Megan and Alexis for 1,470 days. Posted by Tony Ortega on October 16, 2017 at 07:00 October 16th, 2017 | Category: Leah Remini

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LEFEVRE, ARTHUR Arthur Lefevre, Jr. LEFEVRE, ARTHUR (1863–1928). Arthur Lefevre, teacher, administrator, and author, son of Jacob and Catherine Louisa (Sauerwein) Lefevre, was born at Baltimore, Maryland, on June 4, 1863. He graduated from Baltimore City College in 1882, attended the University of Virginia from 1882 to 1885, and received a degree in civil engineering from the University of Texas in 1895. He married Adela Beale Yerby of Baltimore on November 1, 1887; they had three children. Lefevre moved to Texas in 1890, taught in Galveston (1890–92), was superintendent of schools at Gonzales (1892–94), taught mathematics at the University of Texas (1894–99), and served as superintendent of schools at Victoria (1899–1901). He was state superintendent of public instruction from 1901 to 1905, when he returned to Victoria; there he served as superintendent until he moved to Dallas in 1908. He was secretary of the committee that did research on the organization and enlargement of Texas institutions of higher learning from 1911 to 1913. He served as regent of the College of Industrial Arts (later Texas Woman's University) at Denton and was a fellow of the Texas Academy of Science. His speeches on problems of Texas education, including "Public Education in Texas" (1904), "The Rural Schools of Texas" (1903), and "The Proper Relation of the American High School to the American University" (1911), were published in various school journals. His published books were Number and Its Algebra (1896) and The Organization and Administration of a State's Institutions of Higher Education (1914). Lefevre moved to Houston in 1913 and edited the Texaco Star until his death on March 4, 1928. Houston Post-Dispatch, March 5, 1928. Texaco Star, February 1928. Vertical Files, Dolph Briscoe Center for American History, University of Texas at Austin. Who Was Who in America, Vol. 1. Textbook and Educational Writers University Presidents and School Administrators Handbook of Texas Online, Arthur Lefevre, Jr., "LEFEVRE, ARTHUR," accessed January 19, 2020, http://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/fle21. Uploaded on June 15, 2010. Modified on November 15, 2019. Published by the Texas State Historical Association.

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President Trump Named Alexander Acosta as New Labor Secretary Nominee By Ryan Teague Beckwith Updated: February 16, 2017 12:20 PM ET President Trump named Alexander Acosta as his new nominee to be Secretary of Labor Thursday, one day after the withdrawal of his first pick, Andrew Puzder. Acosta, who served as assistant attorney general for the Civil Rights Division under President George W. Bush, most recently served as dean of Florida International University College of Law. If confirmed, he would be the first Hispanic in Trump’s Cabinet. “He’s going to be a tremendous Secretary of Labor,” Trump told reporters in the East Room of the White House, noting that Acosta had been confirmed by the Senate for three previous jobs. Puzder was forced to withdraw his nomination after some Senate Republicans balked at accusations of abuse directed at him by his ex-wife. His outspoken comments against the minimum wage, as well as concerns that he had hired a household employee in the U.S. illegally without payment also contributed to his ouster.

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UNICEF and partners launch Education Access Initiative in Somaliland by UN IMage credits: @UNICEF/Twitter. [email protected] and its partners have launched an education access programme in Somaliland New York: UNICEF and its partners have launched an education access programme in Somaliland, where more than half of all children are out of school. According to the UN, access to education in Somaliland is extremely limited. In an effort to address the problem, the UN children’s fund, UNICEF, has partnered with the government, and the global fund Education Cannot Wait, to launch a programme designed to help children affected by ongoing crises in the country. A UNICEF statement explained that the aim is to “achieve improved learning outcomes for school-aged children who are affected by emergencies”, by increasing access to quality, inclusive, gender-sensitive, child-friendly and sustainable education. The programme, which will run for three years, has a budget of $64 million, with initial seed money of $6.7 million provided by Education Cannot Wait. The remaining $57.3 million is being sought from additional donors. The programme is expected to provide more than 54,000 children with an education. “In our collective quest to reach the Global Goals, it is unacceptable that one in every two children in Somaliland doesn’t have the opportunity of an education”, said Yasmine Sherif, Director of Education Cannot Wait. “With the launch of this programme, we firmly stand with these children and youth. We stand with the Government and all our education partners”. Drought, food insecurity, poverty and inequality are some of the challenges that hinder efforts to get more Somaliland children and youth in schools. The education prospects for children in rural areas, and school age Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Somaliland are particularly poor: only 26 per cent of children in rural communities, and 16 per cent of IDP children, are enrolled in primary schools. No airspace restrictions between Pakistan and India Duterte vows to improve Philippines' prison infrastructure

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Supreme Court justices cast doubt on mandatory union fees By Lydia Wheeler - 01/11/16 01:09 PM EST Conservative justices on the Supreme Court on Monday appeared deeply skeptical of requiring public employees to pay union dues as a condition of their employment. Justice Anthony Kennedy, who could cast the critical vote in the case — known as Friedrichs v. California Teachers Association — expressed doubt about a law in California that requires public sector workers to opt out of paying union fees for collective bargaining. Unions say such laws are necessary to avoid a “free rider” problem in which nonmembers benefit from deals negotiated on their behalf. But Kennedy said that under that logic, there would be nothing to stop California from requiring every state employee to donate 1 percent of his or her salary to the governor’s election campaign. “No one thinks, realistically, that's a voluntary decision to give money,” he said. “There's only one purpose behind that kind of requirement, which is to inflate the governor's political war chest, just like the only purpose behind this is to, through inadvertence and neglect, inflate the union's war chest by people who really have not made a voluntary decision to do so.” The lawsuit before the high court — filed by 10 teachers in California, including Rebecca Friedrichs, and the Center for Individual Rights — poses a major threat to the political power of labor unions, which have long been allies of Democrats. Union membership is heavily concentrated in the public sector, giving the labor movement a stronghold of support. Should the high court rule against fee requirements, the financial power of unions could rapidly erode. The plaintiffs in the case specifically argue that requiring every public schoolteacher in California to annually renew, in writing, his or her objection to subsidizing the political agenda of the California Teachers Association violates their First Amendment rights. “As to requiring people to give money ... they don't wish to give, Thomas Jefferson said that was sinful and tyrannical. James Madison famously said requiring three pence is the thing,” said Friedrichs’s attorney, Michael Carvin. “So it's not at all something that we've invented.” Chief Justice John Roberts appeared to agree with Carvin, who argued that the court should at least require unions to have employees affirmatively consent to union fees instead of requiring them affirmatively opt out of them. David Frederick, the attorney representing the teachers association, argued it’s easy for a person to check a box opting out of union fees, but, Roberts countered, “It’s also easier for a person to check a box to say they opt in.” The problem before the court, Roberts said, is whether individuals can be compelled to support political views that they disagree with. Though unions have argued they will lose membership if employees are forced to opt in rather than out, Kennedy said the unions should be able to convince employees to join. Liberals on the court, meanwhile, appeared to have qualms about overruling a 1977 decision known as Abood v. Detroit Board of Education, which upheld requiring nonunion members to pay fees for collective bargaining activities. Justice Elena Kagan told Carvin that he carries a heavy burden in asking the court to overrule Abood. “What special justification are you offering here?” she asked. Carvin responded that Abood should be overruled because it’s erroneous, drawing a sharp response from liberal Justice Stephen Breyer. “I can't find a basic principle there that's erroneous, as in these major cases that we have overruled,” he said. Though the California Teachers Association has argued that it could not survive without these union fees from nonmembers, the union’s attorney, California Solicitor General Edward Dumont, acknowledged during oral arguments that he could not prove that to be the case. “So there's a presumption in the question posed, which is that it can survive, but we don't know that factually?” Justice Sonia Sotomayor, a member of the court's liberal wing, asked Dumont. Dumont said the state would prefer not to take the risk. But Justice Antonin Scalia said it’s the job of the opponents to show that they need the nonmember fees to survive. “You're the one that's saying we need to do this because otherwise it won't survive,” Scalia said. “It seems to me the burden is on you to say why that’s so.” In a statement following the 80-minute arguments Monday, the National Consumers League said the case was “handpicked by special, powerful anti-worker interests” who want the court to overrule the longstanding precedent of Abood. “The National Consumers League believes that Abood is based on the constitutional principle that those covered by a union contract should be required to pay their share of fees,” the organization said. “When employees elect a union to represent them, everyone who benefits from a negotiated contract should contribute to the costs of securing that contract, even those who might not agree with every union position.” The Small Business Legal Center, however, disagreed. “The First Amendment protects freedom of association,” Executive Director Karen Harned said in a statement. “Forcing an employee to associate with a union and surrender part of her income to support its political activities is a clear violation of that constitutional protection.” Updated at 2:13 p.m.

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3 Stories That Prove the Markets Have Changed Forever We're in a new reality, and unless we get to work making it into a reality we actually want to live in we're going to be in a lot of trouble. James Corbett | February 13, 2016 Toto, I have a feeling we're not in Kansas anymore. Heck, we're not even on the map. In case you haven't noticed, things are starting to get crazy out there. Not just economically (with another global contraction already well under way) or financially (with teetering European banks leading global stocks into volatile territory) or monetarily (with the global currency war reaching a rate-slashing crescendo) or geopolitically (with new Iranian/Iraqi/Russian cooperation in Syria throwing the NATO powers off balance), but even socially (with a sea change taking place in the American electorate, not to mention Europe, Latin America and elsewhere). Let's take a look at three stories that show clearly that this craziness isn't just a bit of turbulence, but a sign that we're moving into a new paradigm altogether. 1) Negative interest rates This week Sweden's Riksbank became the latest central bank to surprise people with a negative interest rate slash. But this time, they weren't going from a positive rate to a negative rate, but from a negative rate (-0.35%) to an EVEN MORE negative rate (-0.5%). Welcome to the new normal, where banks have to pay money to park their reserves at the central bank. And where Japan can assure the world that they have no plans to go negative...right before going negative. And where a Spanish bank which had pegged its mortgages to the (now negative) Swiss Libor had to pay customers for borrowing from them. Or where the Fed insists they're not planning to go negative...even while secretly stress testing banks for the possibility and confronting the (il)legality of such a move. For those still trying to wrap their heads around this idea, here's the skinny: central banks lower rates to encourage people to borrow (and money to circulate) when the economy is stagnating or contracting. So what do you do when you've been at or near zero percent interest for years (or, in Japan's case, decades) and you're still stagnating? Well there's only one way to go: negative! Or at least that's the official line. But as you might have guessed there is a deeper agenda at work here, and you don't have to dig very hard to find it. As Washington's Blog recently pointed out, Richard Werner, the economist who coined the term and the concept of quantitative easing, argues that negative rates are about driving small banks out of business and eliminating cash: As readers know, we have been arguing that the ECB has been waging war on the ‘good’ banks in the eurozone, the several thousand small community banks, mainly in Germany, which are operated not for profit, but for co-operative members or the public good (such as the Sparkassen public savings banks or the Volksbank people’s banks). The ECB and the EU have significantly increased regulatory reporting burdens, thus personnel costs, so that many community banks are forced to merge, while having to close down many branches. This has been coupled with the ECB’s policy of flattening the yield curve (lowering short rates and also pushing down long rates via so-called ‘quantitative easing’). As a result banks that mainly engage in traditional banking, i.e. lending to firms for investment, have come under major pressure, while this type of ‘QE’ has produced profits for those large financial institutions engaged mainly in financial speculation and its funding. The policy of negative interest rates is thus consistent with the agenda to drive small banks out of business and consolidate banking sectors in industrialised countries, increasing concentration and control in the banking sector. It also serves to provide a (false) further justification for abolishing cash. Conspiracy theory? Nope, just conspiracy fact. As Zerohedge notes, Morgan Stanley' s head of EMEA equity, Huw van Steenis, recently gave a presentation which contained the following quotation attributed to an unnamed "policy-maker" at Davos this year: "We should move quickly to a cashless society so that we could introduce negative rates well below 1%." Cripple the banksters' competition and stop the difficult-to-track and hard-to-control cash economy all in one step? You betcha. Hence we have central bank after central bank turning rates negative or about to turn them negative for the first time in history. 2) End of the petrodollar I've been talking about the breakdown of the petrodollar system for some time at The Corbett Report, both in the pages of this column and in my various interviews and radio appearances. But it's one thing to hear it from me, it's another to hear it from the (Rothschilds') horse's mouth: the revered Financial Times. "The petrodollar age is no more but with it go old certainties" blares the dramatic headline over top of a no less dramatic op-ed from Philip Stephens, associate editor and chief political commentator for the City of London's favorite salmon pink news rag. In it, Stephens points out that not only has conventional wisdom about the economic boon of falling oil prices and turmoil in the Middle East propping up prices been upended in the current downturn, but a third rule (that prices may fluctuate but will always trend upwards) is also being broken: The accumulating evidence points to a structural shift that will keep prices relatively low. During the century before the great price shock of the early 1970s the real cost of a barrel of oil was between $10 to $40. Economists at Llewellyn Consulting in London make a convincing case that this trading range offers a rough template for the future. What is happening with this current oil price plunge, many argue, is no mere blip on the radar, but a fundamental shift that is taking place in the oil markets now. And as we've talked about before, that's not merely significant for the oil companies but the entire monetary system, which for the last few decades has been propping up the international monetary order via the "petrodollar." With America moving from a net importer to a net producer of oil and the Saudi-American axis in the Middle East showing signs of strain, it is entirely possible that we are about to see a severing of the Saudi petrodollar recycling system that has helped to undergird the US dollar since Nixon took the country off the gold standard. So what does this mean, exactly? No one knows...yet. But given the machinations that Kissinger undertook (at the behest of his boss, David Rockefeller) to create the petrodollar system in the first place, it would be naive to think that some new system isn't being devised right now. It would also be naive to think that whatever system comes along to take its place will be founded on peace, harmony and happiness. So the average Joe Sixpack and Jane Soccermom may have no idea what's going on in the international oil markets or its relation to geopolitics, but they do know something's wrong, which means... 3) The old political order is collapsing That we are heading into a new political order should not be surprising to followers of this column. Heck, it's becoming difficult for even the most brainwashed of the brainwashed to deny that a fundamental sea change is taking place in American politics, or European politics, or Latin American politics, or East Asian politics, or... But once again it's one thing to hear about this change from James Corbett of The Corbett Report, it's quite another to hear it straight from the horse's mouth. Or the horse's pollsters, as it were. Last week The Huffington Post published a remarkable piece by Patrick Caddell, a top Democratic pollster and strategist, and Bob Perkins, a top Republican strategist. The subject of their post? The results of the Iowa caucuses. You might be able to guess that old establishment party hacks would be a bit confused, perhaps even perturbed by the rise of populist forces in this election cycle and the dead-on-the-vine nature of "presumed nominees" Jeb "cold tuna sandwich" Bush and Hillary "exciting as a glass of warm water" Clinton, but that doesn't even begin to explain the tone of this piece. They start by quoting an exchange between Louis XVI and one of his ministers where the king asks if the storming of the Bastile is a revolt and the minister replies it is a revolution. Things only get gloomier from there. "Gloomy" from the perspective of the two-party duopolists, that is: "The upheaval and the explosion of discontent that have provided a launch-pad for outsider candidates from Donald Trump and Ted Cruz to Bernie Sanders are not, as so many establishment pundits suggest, just another episode in the long history of ad-hoc populist moments of discontent sure to fade away. Our survey data shows that the United States is in the midst of an evolving political revolution of historic proportions. In fact, this election could mark the beginning of the end of two-party duopoly in the United States." They then go on to back up that assertion with a series of data from a half dozen surveys that have taken place over the last three years. The result of those surveys a nothing short of startling: 84% of Americans believe political leaders are more interested in protecting their power and privilege than doing what is right 75% believe that powerful interests, from Wall Street to unions to interest groups, have used campaign and lobbying money to rig the system for themselves. 72% blame the stagnation of the American economy on corruption and crony capitalism in Washington 67% hold that the US government is not working in the interests of the people 78% agree that both parties are too controlled by special interests to create meaningful change 75% agree that the two party system is flawed and it's time to vote in new political parties with new ideas Now, none of these statements should be at all surprising or controversial to my regular readers. If anything, they're a bit weak in their critique of the current system. But the startling thing is that this is not a poll of International Forecaster readers or alternative media acolytes. This is a poll of Americans of all stripes across the meaningless left/right party lines. It is becoming more and more apparent by the day that the lie that we've been sold for decades -- that we're a marginalized, fringe minority and will never be taken seriously -- is just another lie that's been sold to the public through the PR vehicle of the mainstream news. In fact, the vast majority of Americans are completely fed up and are looking for fundamental change. Suddenly Sanders and Trump don't seem like minor blips on the political radar so much as the expression of a growing resolve by the American people to change the way the game is played. And this is by no means a solely American phenomenon. The migration crisis in Europe is causing a similar seismic shift in political discourse and sentiment across the continent. Merkel has gone from "Person of the Year" to fighting for her political life in record time. The inevitable reaction to political correctness and enforced pan-European multiculturalism is taking place right now and unleashing populist forces that are threatening to decimate the political order in Europe and perhaps the European Union itself. Latin America has likewise seen a profound shift taking place in recent months with the disintegration of what was left of the Chavez regime in the Venezuelan meltdown, the swing to the right in the Argentinian presidential election and the destabilization of Rouseff in Brazil. In fact, with the Middle East even more of a tinderbox than usual and the Asia-Pacific continuing to heat up along new economic and political fault lines, it's difficult to find an area of the globe where the political order is not at risk of being upended. Now this in and of itself is neither good news nor bad news. When the towers of the existing political order are toppled, revolutions tend to revolve back to the same spot one way or another and the "populist" forces that are being released have more than a slight stink of authoritarianism to them. All it takes is the right strong man to come along and galvanize public opinion for the political order to coalesce into something even more tyrannical. And in such revolutionary moments there is always the specter of the New World Order from chaos which has always been part of the plan of the globalists. But that this revolutionary moment is here is becoming more and more difficult to deny. The old political order is dissolving. The only question is what will take its place. No, we're not in Kansas anymore, but we're not over the rainbow, either. There's no Good Witch of the North to help us on our way and no Ruby slippers to whisk us back home. We're in a new reality, and unless we get to work making it into a reality we actually want to live in we're going to be in a lot of trouble.

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GM Moves Into China GM moves into China... free trade means free reign for elitists... Neocon travel notes.... a who's who... making the rest of the world hate the US... airbases in Azerbaijan.... Bob Chapman | May 22, 2005 What if we told you General Motors’ demise was planned years ago, would you believe us? GM sold 30,000 plus cars in China in the first quarter. Since 2001 it has spent $3.5 billion to build manufacturing plants in China. GM last year bought $6 billion in Chinese auto parts and at the same time laid off 37,500 US workers. In 1985, GM started building transmissions in China. In 1990, it began to establish a light truck plant in Shenyang and it began building a $1 billion factory to produce 100,000 Buick sedans a year. In 1992, GM shut down its Buick plant in Flint, Michigan. This past April GM announced plans to build a $400 million engine and power drive plant in Russia, as it announced layoffs at US plants. It has a deal to build Russian-engineered cars to sell for $5,000. That deal is 40% underwritten by the European Bank for Reconstruction, which gets 10% of its funding from the US government, which is you and us. They sell the Niva sports utility vehicle that sells for $8,000 in Russia and for $11,000 in Europe and Mexico under the Chevy brand. In the late 1980s GM built a $150 million Hungarian auto factory and in the early 1990s built a plant in the Czech Republic. GM has a long record of offshoring and outsourcing. Making it even more insulting to American autoworkers, one of the chief conduits of this corrupt corporate welfare is the Export-Import Bank, which provides $15.5 billion in taxpayer-subsidized loans or loan guarantees annually. Since 1985, communist China has become the largest Asian beneficiary of Eximbank loans and guarantees. This is not only GM moving its business offshore, but we taxpayers are helping to finance the loss of our own jobs. Since 2000, GM has received over $500 million in direct loans and loan guarantees from the Export-Import Bank. The result has been GM has reduced its workforce from 559,000 to 314,000. GM has just announced it will close three major plants in the US. The 1994 passage of NAFTA was a boon to GM and other manufacturers. We predicted a massive loss of US manufacturing jobs, but we were one of only a few lone voices in the wilderness. In 1999, Mexico was running an $11.9 billion trade surplus in autos, supplying the US with 560,000 cars while importing only 46,000. Soon we won’t export Mexico any cars as cheap Russian imports flood the Mexican market, thanks to GM. Free trade and globalization is the tactic being used to implement world government. Part of the groundwork of which was laid in 1965 in the Canada-US Auto Agreement. This was a precursor to NAFTA. Next are CAFTA and FTAA designed to bring about economic and political merging? GM is the largest private employer in the world and has been a symbol of American prosperity and personal and social mobility. We expect, as was done in 1979 with Chrysler, as GM’s situation gets worse there will be a call for a similar bailout at taxpayers’ expense. This is an example of planned destruction and resurrection to advance free trade and globalization and to further destroy the American economy. Free trade is the furtherance of elitist international cartels. It embraces many forms of government intervention that makes free trade not free, but robber baron globalization. In the process, government finances corporate welfare for the elitist insiders. The Fortune 500 and other major corporations are the major beneficiaries. Almost all of these corporations are being partially financed by the Eximbank, the European Bank for Reconstruction, the IMF and the World Bank. It’s a gravy train for rich corporations. Large orders for US goods are expedited often by retiring debt of the buying country owed to the US. The Eximbank has $260 billion at its disposal currently to subsidize the business of major transnational corporations. When deals do not work we get to pay for them. Not only does our government subsidize and bail out elitist corporations, but it also bails out countries that are customers. In recent years our government has bailed out Mexico, part of Asia, Japan and Long Term Capital Management, LTCM. There is no reason for these bailouts. They are pure corporatist fascism and not the province of our government. These bailouts are part of America’s imperial reach supposedly for our economic well being and our safety. They are the reflection that laissez-faire capitalism does not work and that isn’t so, it does work. Toady’s free trade doesn’t apply under that heading because the end product is destined to be the deliberate destruction of the US economy. Anyone who cannot see that is just plain dumb or opportunistic. Markets are no longer allowed to correct because our government wants to manage them all. That is government by regulation or fascism. It is your taxes and the debt you are responsible for that is bailing all these entities out. Whether it’s Mexico, LTCM or the investment markets. Almost all economic problems stem from government intervention. A good part of that is free trade. Another example of which is OPIC, the Overseas Private Investment Corp., which is an export subsidy program, and another form of corporate welfare. The subsidies are given out to US transnational corporations to do business in foreign countries to then undercut US domestic businesses. OPIC in 32 years has supported $150 billion worth of foreign investments that have helped foreign countries generate 700,000 jobs, most of which were at the expense of American workers. These policies by all these government agencies are championed by denizens of both political parties, because most of them are controlled by the same elitists behind the scenes. Both socialist and fascists love free trade and globalization. Needless to say, corporate fat cats and self-serving politicians love it as well. The wealthy get richer and the poor and middle class are forced to struggle harder. Internationalism is a state of mind, promulgated officially for the elitists via the Council on Foreign Relations, the Trilateral Commission and the Bilderberger group. They tell Americans it is good to be inter-dependent – it will lead to a better life, when in fact, it will lead to economic slavery under either socialism or fascism. Part of this game is the end of sovereignty and the amalgamation of nations into a New World Order. Free trade and globalization is the vehicle to take us there. If individuals in other countries disagree with elitist philosophy and goals they murder them and if they cannot do that they invade them, kill the populace and occupy their nation. You have recently seen that in Afghanistan and Iraq. Free trade makes America dependent on other nations. It steals America’s freedom and independence. That is why we have free trade agreements and production sharing. We also have it to create monopolies and cartels. We do not like being dependent or interdependent. We do not want NAFTA, WTO, CAFTA and FTAA. They all subject us eventually to tyranny. At home our fascist government has Patriot Acts I and II, and now a National ID card. Don’t you people get it, you are being enslaved. We have just received the attendee list from the Bilderberger meetings in Rottach-Egern, Germany on May 5-8, 2005. We also received a number of pictures of attendees and also pictures of CIA and US Special Forces personnel. All at our expense, of course. The meeting was secret as usual and much of the elitists world press attended, but no one reported on the events because they are forbidden to do so. Some of the more notable attendees, Franco Bernabe, Vice Chairman, Rothschild, David Rockefeller, Henry Kissinger, Martin Feldstein, Timothy Guthner, President Federal Reserve Bank of New York, Richard Haass, President CFR, Richard Holbrooke, Vernon Jordon, Henry Kravis and his wife, Michael Ledeen, Richard Perle and Paul Wolfowitz. In a Star-Tribune poll, Minnesotans said President Bush’s job approval rating is 42%, an all-time low; 55% said the country was pretty seriously off on the wrong track. That is a drop of 6% in four months. The President is down 9% in four months. The biggest drop in approval was from those under 44 years old. Soon the Gestapo at our airports will be strip-searching you with their new ex-ray machine. Screeners will get a clear picture of what is under passengers’ clothing. They see you nude. They are already being used at 12 airports to screen passengers suspected of carrying drugs. Desperate, the US Army will allow recruits to sign up for just 15 months of active-duty service, rather than the typical four years. Fiscal 2006 will be tough after only getting 42% of needed estimated recruits last month. It has only met 18% of its yearly goal thus far. Touching off renewed talk about stagflation, US wholesale prices rose at an accelerated clip in April, while industrial output was surprisingly weak. The Producer Price Index (PPI) was up 0.6% in April. This is after the BLS hedonics; goodness knows what the real figure is. Whatever, this will cause higher inflation and cut corporate profits. The year-on-year PPI increase is 4.8%. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld has visited Azerbaijan twice in the last four months. The only conclusion can be that the US will increase its military presence there. That is a mobile Army base for local uses as well as to re-deploy US troops in Europe and Asia. The excuse for stationing troops there is the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline and its protection. We do hope the oil companies are paying for this protection. Our government is ready to assign not less than $100 million during the coming 10 years for the development of a so-called Caspian Guard, which is now 1-1/2 years old. They and US troops will guard the pipeline so the elitist international consortium can get richer. The pipeline goes into operation this year. The neocons are also in negotiations with Azerbaijan for airbases, from which the US could attack Iran. Russia does not like the arrangement at all in Azerbaijan nor in Georgia, but they have remained quiet about the matter. Millions of Muslims have been protesting from Gaza to Pakistan to Indonesia regarding the desecration of the Koran by American interrogators at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. Many people were killed when protests turned into riots. Violence also flared up in Uzbekistan in what essentially is an internal matter. Close to 1,000 people were killed. Uzbekistan is just north of Afghanistan. Talk to foreigners in their home countries and you discover that George W. Bush and his neocons have ruined America’s reputation. Either the death of the President or impeachment would restore the world’s confidence in our country. These people have caused the deaths of hundreds of thousands of people justified by a lie and Congress refuses to initiate impeachment proceedings. They have devastated two countries and have several more lined up for destruction. Hundreds of millions of Muslims hate us. Worse yet, he has created a fascist police state at home. We have anti-American riots spread all over the world. It is difficult to believe that Americans were dumb enough to put this lunatic and his band of crazies back in the White House. Next Tuesday George and the neocons will either anger China by accusing it of manipulating its exchange rate to gain an unfair trade advantage, or it will anger Congress by giving China a clean bill of health. This comes as Congressmen from both parties are clamoring for trade restrictions on Chinese imports, as well as expressing skepticism about trade-opening deals in general. Bush has to do something or Congress will pass trade tariffs. If China devalues, US inflation will rise even higher, as will interest rates as China stops buying US Treasuries. Our guess is that Bush will not confront China and the problem will go to the IMF and be solved over the next three years. This would be but another joke. As economic problems start to show their ugly faces later this year, we will be fighting a new war for the neocon version of democracy in Iran or North Korea. As the tensions of the draft, layoffs, financial failure become ominous and living standards fall, there will be greater repression of Americans under Patriot I and II as our citizens shout their questions at government. Oil is being pumped at capacity well above amounts needed for commerce to suppress prices to try to temper rising inflation. They also need all the oil they can get in case of major destruction of Iran’s oil facilities. War will be blamed for economic failure and the morons in our society who voted for Bush will go right along with the subterfuge. These old Republican idiots will not even notice the collateral damage. Incidentally, we say that as lifelong republicans and real right-wingers. By the end of the year the invasions will have begun. Americans are about to experience their worst nightmare. The new world order thinks they know best how you should live and where you should work. We are about to experience darkness and evil as we have never known it before. We will win but because Americans have not been vigilant, they will pay a terrible cost. You can bet once action begins in Iran, Iraq will explode in escalating violence. We are essentially bankrupt and that becomes more evident as time moves on. There will be great difficulty ahead. Our elitists in Washington turned a blind eye to extensive sanctions busting big fellow elitists in the pre-war sale of Iraqi oil according to a new Senate investigation. We are glad the Senate is taking notice. We reported on this over a year ago. US oil purchases accounted for 52% of the kickbacks paid to the regime in return for cheap oil. On occasion our government even facilitated the illicit sales. It was also found that the US Attorney refused to take action against a Texas oil company, BayOil, which was then a conduit for payment to Saddam Hussein. The State Department gave a tacit green light for shipments of nearly eight million barrels bought by Jordan, a stooge for the US government. When UN monitors asked for information on BayOil, the US Treasury refused to comply. Our government assisted the theft of $11 billion and they will cover it all up.

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Phil Collins reissuing two live albums Buddy Iahn | December 6, 2018 | Notable Releases, Pop News Serious Hits…Live and A Hot Night in Paris get reissued on Feb 1st Phil Collins continues his successful reissue campaign with remastered versions of two classic live albums. Serious Hits…Live! and A Hot Night in Paris will both be released on February 1st via Atlantic/Rhino. The two albums follow a rediscovery and re-evaluation of his back catalog with the high profile “Take A Look At Me Now” reissue campaign. He subsequently released The Singles collection and delved into the archives for his collaborations compilation Plays Well With Others. Phil Collins is proving as popular as ever in the live arena too. Having just completed a successful North American tour, his Not Dead Yet Live! show heads to Australia and New Zealand in mid-January. One of the most successful live albums of all-time, Serious Hits…Live! was released in 1990 and has been certified 4x platinum by the RIAA in recognition of over four million copies sold. The album was recorded at various stadium and arena shows throughout his seven-month Seriously, Live! World Tour. It includes performances of many of his huge hits including “In The Air Tonight,” “You Can’t Hurry Love,” “Against All Odds (Take A Look At Me Now),” “Easy Lover” (with Philip Bailey) and “Another Day In Paradise.” In contrast, 1999’s A Hot Night In Paris focused on jazzy instrumental performances of select songs from his solo discography as well as his work with Genesis. With Collins on drums, the album also finds The Phil Collins Big Band playing select covers such as Miles Davis’s “Milestones” and an extended jam of The Average White Band’s “Pick Up The Pieces.” Both albums will be released on CD, digital and vinyl formats, with A Hot Night in Paris making its vinyl debut. Serious Hits…Live – CD | 2 LP 1. Something Happened On The Way To Heaven 2. Against All Odds (Take A Look At Me Now) 3. Who Said I Would 4. One More Night 5. Don’t Lose My Number 6. Do You Remember? 7. Another Day In Paradise 8. Separate Lives 9. In The Air Tonight 10. You Can’t Hurry Love 11. Two Hearts 12. Sussudio 13. A Groovy Kind of Love 14. Easy Lover 15. Take Me Home A Hot Night in Paris – CD | 2 LP 1. Sussudio 2. That’s All 3. Invisible Touch 4. Chips & Salsa 5. Hold On My Heart 6. I Don’t Care Anymore 7. Milestones 8. Against All Odds 9. Pick Up The Pieces 10. The Los Endos Suite ABKCO announces three more Rolling Stones clear vinyl releases JoJo makes Atlantic Records debut with simultaneous release of three new singles Paula Abdul, Jason Derulo sign to judge ‘So You Think You Can Dance’ Celine Dion’s husband Rene Angelil dies from cancer

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Everything You Need To Know About Sydney Sweeney by Kate Marin – on Aug 27, 2019 in Untold Sydney Sweeney knew from a young age that she was destined to be a top actor. She knew that the only way she could get there was through fearlessness and hard work. Fearlessness is the main reason why Sydney has made it to the top. She had to be bold to get her opportunity in Hollywood, and she continues to be bold even today. She is unapologetically real, and this has made her one of the most promising acting gems in Hollywood. Sydney might be bold and fearless, but she is also quite charming. Her gorgeous smile and infectious personality have made her a fan favorite. Sydney Sweeney has quite an interesting story. Keep reading to find out more about her. She convinced her parents to move to Los Angeles Sydney grew up in Washington State. She was always interested in acting, and she started her career when she auditioned for a film that passed through her hometown of Spokane. Her experience with the film gave her the confidence she needed to ask her parents to move to Los Angeles to give her more acting opportunities. Sweeney knew that convincing her parents wouldn’t be easy, and so she came up with a 5-year business plan that covered her life in LA. She presented her plan via a detailed PowerPoint presentation. Her parents saw it as a very mature way of presenting herself and her ambitions. She didn’t know it then, but famous actor, Emma Stone, also did the same thing to convince her parents to move to LA. Sydney’s parents agreed, and the family moved to Los Angeles. However, the same set of rules that applied in Washington also applied in LA. For instance, school was still the number one priority. School still remains a priority for Sweeney as she hopes to complete her course at the school of business. She talked to Her Campus about balancing her acting career and college; “It gets tough sometimes, but I’ve always actually enjoyed school, so I think that helps…I have many all nighters getting it all done (like tonight), but education has always been number 1 for me, and I thank my parents for that.” Sweeney is very busy at the moment, and she mostly uses the school’s online portal to study. She is a talented actress Sydney Sweeney (Photo by Rodin Eckenroth/Getty Images) Sweeney didn’t waste any time when she got to Los Angeles. She set about booking as many shows as she could. Sydney started out by guest-starring in shows such as Grey’s Anatomy, 90210, Pretty Little Liars, and In the Vault. She then went on to star in the Netflix series Everything Sucks! as Emaline Addario. The show gave Sweeney her big break, and she told In Style that she was disappointed when it got canceled; “There was still so much to tell and a beautiful relationship to grow…” Sweeney then starred in the HBO miniseries, Sharp Objects. She played the role of Alice alongside Amy Adams. Sweeney originally had a minor role to play in the series. However, her acting impressed the directors so much that they kept bringing her back for more scenes. Sweeney prepared for her role in the mini-series by visiting and talking to patients who were victims of self-harm. Sydney then appeared in the second season of The Handmaids Tale. Her performance earned her a Screen Actors Guild Award nomination for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series. She told In Style that she enjoyed playing the role of Eden; “I’m so sad Eden had to have the ending that she did, because right now, I’m seeing all the season three Handmaid’s Tale stuff and I’m like, ‘I miss that script so much.’” Sweeney then went on to star in the thriller, Under The Silver Lake. She also played the role of Cassie in the series Euphoria, alongside Zendaya, Barbie Ferreira, and Hunter Schafer. Sweeney also appeared in the film, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood alongside Leonardo DiCaprio, Margot Robbie, and Brad Pitt. She enjoyed her time filming Euphoria Since its debut, Euphoria has become a hugely popular show. The show has become a major hit because of its message, and how the actors portray the different characters. The show’s production was hard work and it involved contributions from the cast. Actresses such as Barbie Ferreira and Hunter Schafer added part of their real life stories to the plot. Sydney’s character, Cassie, is a vulnerable girl with daddy issues that falls in love with every man that comes into her life. She ends up being used by most of these men. Sydney didn’t get to tell her life story in the show. In fact, she told W Magazine that she is quite different from Cassie; “I’m not one to go out, I’m more of a homebody. I’ve never done drugs. I’ve never smoked weed, I don’t drink.” However, she played a role in determining the path that her character would take. When Sydney booked the show, she talked extensively with the show’s director, Sam Levinson, about different storylines about her character. Cassie goes through a lot of hard times during the film. Sydney told HuffPost that she hopes that Cassie’s story can serve as an inspiration for viewers; “I always look for characters that will hopefully develop into a more powerful symbol. I hope that as Cassie’s storyline progresses, she becomes that symbol for people” Sydney is set to return as Cassie when Euphoria returns for a second season. She is set to appear in more films and shows After close to a decade in the industry, people are finally beginning to appreciate Sydney’s incredible talent. A big part of her success has been due to her work ethic. At the beginning of her career, she constantly auditioned for roles even when she knew it was unlikely that she would book the roles. Sydney seems to have found her acting niche in playing young girls that are in the process of drastic change. She told Collider; “As an actress and as an art form, the dark, deeper, more emotional stuff really draws me in. I feel fulfilled when I’m doing those types of scenes. I enjoy that challenge.” She enjoys being the voice of change in the characters she plays. She told The Last Magazine that she admires actresses who preach the message of change; “…like Amy Adams and Elizabeth Moss, who are advocates for change. I hope that I can be a voice – if I’m not yet – but I am still trying to see what I believe.” Sweeney has plenty of upcoming opportunities to be the voice of change. She is set to star in the comedy, Big Time Adolescence, alongside Pete Davidson. She is also set to play the role of Ashley in Tell Me Your Name. Sydney has so many shows to film that she is temporarily homeless. She sold her condo in LA because she is never around to stay in it. She was rumored to be dating Michael Fitzgerald Unlike most public figures, Sydney prefers to keep her personal life private. However, in 2018, she shared a deleted Instagram video of herself getting cozy with Michael Fitzgerald. She captioned the video; “You’ve been my best friend since I was 13. Someone should’ve told me falling for you would be this amazing sooner.” However, the post was deleted, and there were no further posts about the relationship. Recently, Radar Online reported that Sweeney and her Once Upon A Time in Hollywood co-star, Brad Pitt, could start dating. The source told Radar Online that Brad and the director, Quentin Tarantino, were very impressed with Sydney’s acting. However, the source explained that Brad seemed a bit more interested in Sweeney; “She’s absolutely made an impression on him during their time together on the movie, and he’s been sweet on her ever since…it’s been intensely friendly between them. Nobody would be surprised if he asked her out on a date, even though there is a huge age difference.” Neither Brad nor Sydney have confirmed the rumors. She loves being out and about Sydney is not the type to sit at home binge-watching movies during her free time. She grew up decorating houses with her parents, and she has now taken up the activity with her friends. She gets the ideas from housing shows and apps such as Houzz. Her family also collects vintage pinball machines, and she spends her free time sharpening her pinball skills. Sweeney is also trained in mixed martial arts. She started at 14, and by the time she was 18, she was pretty good at it. Sydney told Marie Claire that when she was 18, she came out first at a grappling competition; “It was a grappling competition against all guys a weight category above me, and I got first place. Those guys were probably saying, ‘Oh, we didn’t want to hurt her,’ but they were definitely trying. Everyone broke a sweat!” Sydney told Her Campus that she still loves sports; “I love sports, or hiking, you’ll always find me outside doing something.” Also Read: The Untold Truth Of Barbie Ferreira The Untold Truth Of Lori Harvey The untold truth of Henry Golding’s wife Everything You Need To Know About Ncuti Gatwa The untold truth of Emma Mackey Young Actors Under 25 Who Have Chances Of Winning An Oscar The Untold Truth Of Jamie Dornan’s Wife, Amelia Warner All About Chris Pine’s Dating Life The R&L The truth about Jesse Watters’ Wife Follow TheNetline on Facebook Follow TheNetline on Twitter Follow TheNetline on Youtube Follow TheNetline on Instagram Copyright © 2020 TheNetline.com

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Ma Jian: China’s ex-intelligence chief jailed for life FOREIGN NEWS WORLD NEWS December 27, 2018 December 27, 2018 Tnin tninLeave a Comment on Ma Jian: China’s ex-intelligence chief jailed for life BBC news reports that China’s ex-intelligence chief Ma Jian has been sentenced to life in prison for crimes including taking bribes and insider trading, a court says. Ma had been put under investigation in 2015 and expelled from the Communist Party one year later. He pleaded guilty and would not appeal, a court in the north-eastern Liaoning province said. Many high-ranking officials have been toppled as part of President Xi Jinping’s vast anti-corruption drive. Ma Jian was vice-minister in the powerful ministry of state security, which oversees foreign and counterintelligence operations. His case is linked to that of one of China’s most-wanted fugitives, exiled property tycoon Guo Wengui, who has published a series of allegations of corruption among top members of the Communist Party. Ma used his position to help Guo Wengui, who now lives in New York, further his business interests, the Dalian Intermediate People’s Court said in a statement. He took more than 100m yuan (£11.4m; $14.5m) in bribes and profited by trading stocks based on insider information, it added. “The defendant Ma Jian’s bribery amount was extremely large, and the national and people’s interests suffered a particularly heavy loss, which seriously infringed on the integrity of civil servants.” Ma Jian and Guo Wengui could not be reached for comment. More than one million officials have been punished in the anti-corruption drive started by Mr Xi when he took power in 2012, the government says. The campaign has been described by some as a massive internal purge of opponents, on a scale not seen since the days of Mao Zedong, in whose Cultural Revolution many top officials were purged. Corrupt Enrichment: Answer Atiku Now, PDP Tells Buhari …Says President Lacks Integrity To Seek Re-election Uyo Rally: APC Diverted N478m NDDC Fund To Rent Crowd for Buhari – PDP. Greek PM: Athens to seek world court if talks with Turkey fail December 30, 2019 December 30, 2019 Tnin tnin Visiting foreigners must have $200 minimum – Buhari’s aide Ballon d’Or 2018 – Nominees December 3, 2018 Tnin tnin

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4 Killed in Shootout After Police Chase Outside Miami, F.B.I. Says Four people were killed on Thursday during a televised shootout on a traffic-choked roadway outside Miami after an attempt to rob a jewelry store ended in the hijacking of a UPS truck, the kidnapping of its driver and a police chase across two densely populated South Florida counties. The exchange of gunfire in Miramar, Fla., killed the UPS driver as well as the two carjackers who kidnapped him, according to George Piro, the special agent in charge of the F.B.I.’s Miami field office, who spoke at a news conference on Thursday. He said the fourth person killed was a bystander. Video of the shootout, which pitted more than a dozen law enforcement officers against the carjackers, who fired from inside the stolen truck, was broadcast by television networks in South Florida and circulated widely online. The video shows occupants of other vehicles scrambling as gunfire erupts around them during the afternoon rush in Broward County. Law enforcement officials declined to publicly identify the deceased or to provide information about the weapons used in either the shootout in Miramar or an earlier exchange of gunfire between the carjackers and the owner of the jewelry store they tried to rob in Coral Gables. “It is very early in the investigative process,” the special agent said. “There are a lot of questions that are still unanswered, and we will be working throughout the night as we not only process the crime scenes but also try to identify all the evidence and facts associated with this robbery.” The episode began shortly after 4 p.m., when the two carjackers burst into Regent Jewelers, a shop on “Miracle Mile,” an upscale shopping destination in Coral Gables, in Miami-Dade County, Chief Edward J. Hudak Jr. of the Coral Gables Police Department said at a news conference. Police officers responded to reports of the robbery within a minute and a half, but by that time the robbers and the shopkeeper had opened fire on each other and the robbers had fled. The chief said that at least two employees, a man and a woman, were in the store at the time of the robbery, and that the woman was injured. He said it was not clear if the suspects had succeeded in stealing anything from the store before they fled. The melee continued as the robbers fled the store, with gunfire striking a window at City Hall, which is across the street from the jewelry store, according to Chief Hudak. The suspects left the area in a truck but soon abandoned it and hijacked the UPS truck at gunpoint, kidnapping its driver as well, he said. “The only thing we know is that the UPS driver, we believe, was doing a delivery here in Coral Gables,” the chief said. “The getaway truck that was used was found in that location and has been secured by the Coral Gables Police Department.” UPS confirmed the death of the driver in a statement, but did not release his name. “We are deeply saddened to learn a UPS service provider was a victim of this senseless act of violence,” the company said. “We extend our condolences to the family and friends of our employee and the other innocent victims involved in the incident. We appreciate law enforcement’s service and will cooperate with the authorities as they continue the investigation.” International Pickpockets Ride New York’s Subway, Pilfering and Profiting Hamilton police release photo of suspect in attempted vehicle theft investigation Brazil police say one arrested in US$29 million airport gold robbery case Man Is Charged With Stealing Truck of New Hampshire Couple Killed in Texas Posted in AmericasTagged Kidnapping and Hostage, ROBBERY Armed and dangerous pair wanted in connection with Brantford shooting: police YouTube removes US neo-Nazi group Atomwaffen Division's channel How Clint Eastwood’s Mule was inspired by war veteran smuggling ton of cocaine Anti-vaxxer arrested as Samoa battles measles epidemic School Cuts search tool shows starkly how Tories ‘will hit’ your child’s class

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Pete Buttigieg: If You Eat Burgers Or Use Straws You Are “Part of The Problem.” By Elaine Williams September 5, 2019 Democrat presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg told CNN host Alisyn Camerota that people who eat burgers and use plastic straws are “part of the problem.” Camerata said, “I think that it makes a lot of people feel very helpless. Because yes, we can all do away with our plastic straws, and I haven’t drank out of a straw for the past six months because I’m so worried about what’s happening in the ocean, but people feel helpless when it’s something that existential. So what do you do about that?” ”Right, and that’s one of the things: I think the downside to us facing just how colossal of a challenge this is, is it can feel paralyzing,” Buttigieg replied. “But we can rise to meet this and be proud of it. That’s part of what my climate plan is about. It’s not only about all of the things we’ve got to do technologically and with regulation and so on. It’s about summoning the energies of this country to do something unbelievably hard.” He added, “If you look at the moments when this country rose to a major challenge, overcoming the Great Depression, winning World War II, going to the moon, it required something out of all of us. And I think we could be standing taller.” “See, right now we’re in a mode where we’re thinking of it mostly through the perspective of guilt, from using a straw to eating a burger. Am I part of the problem? In a certain way, yes. But the most exciting thing is that we can all be part of the solution,” said Buttigieg. Liberal Triggering Goodness Read our Privacy Policy before joining. Your info is never shared, and you can unsubscribe at anytime. Guess Who Was Right?! Puerto Rico Warehouse Discovered Filled with Unused Hurricane Aid From 2017 left-news AOC Says People Her Age Have Anxiety About Having Children Because of Climate Crisis NY Released 7,500 Criminal Illegal Aliens Back Into Society in 2019 gun-control Virginia City Councilman Brought His AR-15 To Public Meeting on 2nd Amendment Vote The Patriot Hill © 2020. All Rights Reserved. Protected by copyright of the United States and international treaties. Any reproduction, copying, or redistribution (electronic or otherwise, including the world wide web), of content from this webpage, in whole or in part, is strictly prohibited without the express written permission of The Patriot Hill. The Patriot Hill Bullion Prices Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We didn't pass it to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same.

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Flight Review: Asiana Airlines (A380) First Class from Seoul to New York TO THE POINT: Asiana’s A380 first class is a phenomenal award option to Asia. The pros: award availability for 4+ passengers, a fantastic crew, incredible food and drinks, a 32-inch monitor and sliding doors for ultimate privacy. The cons: a limited in-flight entertainment selection, only one first-class lavatory and no Wi-Fi. On my way home from last month’s Singapore A350 delivery flight, I decided to fly in first class on Korean Air’s 777-300ER from Singapore to Seoul, and in first class on Asiana’s A380 from Seoul to New York (JFK). I had originally planned to fly on this aircraft back in February before moving to Lufthansa due to a blizzard in NYC — so I was very eager to try it out. Spoiler alert: Asiana’s A380 did not disappoint — this ended up being one of the best flights of my life. Booking Asiana First Class Since Asiana is a member of Star Alliance, you have a few options for booking award travel. I opted to redeem 105,000 Aeroplan miles (plus about $40) for the one-way first-class flight, but you can use 120,000 United miles instead if you wish. Aeroplan is an Amex Membership Rewards transfer partner, and since we value MR points at a bit less than Chase Ultimate Rewards (which I would have needed to use if booking via United), Aeroplan seemed like the best bet. Asiana first-class award availability is exceptional, with 4+ seats available on many dates from both JFK and LAX. Here’s a sampling from next summer (note that some dates with premium-cabin availability only have 4+ seats open in business class): If I had paid in cash, the one-way first-class flight would have cost about $4,600, giving me a redemption value of about 4.4 cents. Looking at the seat map prior to check-in, I was a bit concerned that the flight would be nearly full. Fortunately, only five of the 12 first-class suites were occupied. Asiana also allows you to pre-order a meal by emailing pscus@flyasiana.com. The process is a bit cumbersome, but I found the agent on the other end of that mailbox to be responsive during US business hours. Below are the pre-order options that were available for my flight: I ended up ordering the Galbi Jjim (braised short ribs), which were exceptional, as you’ll see below. Bibimbap is another good choice, but Asiana had loaded that for my flight so you may not need to order it in advance. Airport and Lounge After a quick transfer from my Korean Air flight, I headed into the departures terminal at Incheon Airport (ICN). Fortunately, I had been able to check in for this Asiana flight ahead of time online, and the PDF boarding pass on my phone was sufficient for passing through the security checkpoint — I was also able to get a printed version of my boarding pass in just a few seconds before entering the first-class lounge. Asiana’s first-class lounge is definitely a huge step up from its incredibly crowded business-class lounge, but it’s still not worth arriving at the airport extra early just to visit. The majority of the lounge consists of one large room, with dividers throughout breaking up the different seating areas. There’s more than enough seating — even though things look like they can get a bit cozy, there were only a dozen or so other passengers there during my visit. There are plenty of different options, too, such as these single chairs positioned around a grand piano. There’s also a private relaxation room, with cushy leather chairs and ottomans. You can work from the business center if you’d like, where you’ll find a few laptops and a printer. Finally, passengers can sit in the dining area — there are a handful of tables set up there, each with four chairs around them. The lounge food wasn’t anything to write home about — expect fresh fruit and salad items during breakfast hours, in addition to a couple of hot dishes. There’s also a decent (though limited) alcohol selection. You’ll find much better food and beverage on board a long-haul Asiana flight, though, so I’d save some room for that, instead. The First-Class Cabin on Asiana’s A380 After a few minutes in the lounge, I headed to the gate just a few feet away. Boarding had already begun so I was able to walk right onboard — there’s even a jet bridge just for first class. The first-class cabin consists of 12 suites spread between three rows in a 1-2-1 configuration. The first-class section is at the forward section of the lower deck, which is considerably wider than Deck 2. Suites are quite wide, with privacy partitions and sliding doors. If you’re traveling with a companion, the center seats are a very good option — even with the suite doors closed you’ll still be able to chat and enjoy each other’s company. The suites are very private — I had to raise my camera quite high to capture this overhead view. There’s a large lavatory at the front of the cabin. While it isn’t as gigantic as the ones you’ll typically find on the upper deck, it was certainly big enough. There aren’t any special amenities on board, unfortunately, such as a shower or even a bar (which Korean Air does offer on its A380). It was a bit tough to shoot, but the lav has a long seat covering the toilet. There’s also an automated sink. Asiana also offers a few amenities in the lavatory, including a facial mist, lotion and fragrances, among other items. This lav also offers a window — don’t forget to lower the shade when you’re on the ground! With only one lavatory, I did find that it was occupied a few times when I went to use it, even though we only had five passengers in the cabin. Instead of waiting around, I just walked upstairs to use the business-class lavs. The final cabin feature is a very slick starry night mode, which the crew activated for much of the flight. I spent a few minutes staring at the stars from my bed. As I mentioned, Asiana’s A380s have a total of 12 seats. Each suite measures 25.2 inches wide and has 84 inches of pitch — in other words, they’re relatively gigantic. Each suite also has a 32-inch monitor, which is just about as large as they come on a commercial flight. I selected 3A, a window seat in the last row. All seats are equally fantastic, though, with a sizable ledge and decent storage space — there’s enough room for a carry-on bag underneath the ottoman. There’s also a large storage compartment to the side of the display. And a smaller compartment to the side of the seat, which is also where you’ll find the USB port and headphone jack. Then, on the aisle side of the monitor is a slide-out clothing rack, and a small mirror. Many of the seat features can be controlled using a wired touchscreen remote. You can jump right into a reclined or bed mode, or make granular adjustments to each section of the seat. As you’d expect, the seat goes completely flat. In lie-flat mode, it feels almost as wide as a twin-size bed. Of course there’s plenty of privacy when you’re sleeping. You can easily open and close the doors during the flight — they’re fairly quiet, so you won’t have to worry about waking your neighbor. A pillow, comforter and slippers were already at my seat when I arrived, while a flight attendant appeared a few moments later with an amenity kit, pajamas and a duffel bag to carry everything home in (which I very much appreciated!). The pajamas were very comfortable, high-quality and they fit perfectly. The crew also provided Bose noise-canceling headphones (not yours to keep). The Salvatore Ferragamo amenity kit had an assortment of high-quality items, ranging from an eye mask and earplugs to a sizable hand cream. And there’s that 32-inch screen again. It’s difficult to capture just how big the monitor is, but the Bose headphones should give you a clue. I keep mentioning the 32-inch high-definition screen, so there must be a bunch of great content to go along with it, right? Wrong. This is one area where Asiana has really dropped the ball. I’ve had better options on just about every other long-haul flight I’ve ever taken. Before we dig into the content, let’s take a look at the gear. Since the screen is so far away from the seat, you’ll need to control it with this touchscreen remote, which is hidden under a side panel. The remote was fairly straightforward and responsive, and the touchscreen makes it easy to do things that you wouldn’t be able to with a traditional controller, like browse content or skip to a specific spot in a video. Speaking of content, there aren’t many TV shows to speak of, so we’ll focus on Hollywood flicks. There are a total of 20 Hollywood films to choose from. Not specifically new releases (although the majority were recent films), but 20 movies in the entire Hollywood category. Here’s page 1: Page 2: And page 4: As I mentioned, there wasn’t any notable TV content, though you could catch up on 30 minutes of CNN or other news programs if you wished. The CNN option was a recent 30-minute clip. It wasn’t particularly high-quality (in terms of content or resolution). And, annoyingly, most of the videos had bright yellow subtitles below that I couldn’t find a way to turn off. At the very end of the flight, the crew activated an in-flight exercise video, so I tried some of those. While I’m not really sure whether or not they made any difference, I think the video would have been more effective if it was shown to us at the beginning of the flight instead of just before landing. Finally, there’s a forward-facing camera, which I really enjoyed watching as we approached JFK. Now this is an area where Asiana really shines. If only every airline could offer catering this good… After boarding, I was offered a warm towel. And then some very slick-looking menus (which were later collected). In first class, you can eat whatever you want whenever you want, though I decided to stick to the outlined order. Asiana serves Pol Roger Cuvée Sir Winston Churchill Champagne, which I enjoyed. It retails for about $150 a bottle on the ground. The flight attendants present the bottle each time before pouring, which more than anything seemed to emphasize just how many pours I had 🙂 This was served with a small bowl of peanuts. Just after takeoff, I was served a small amuse-bouche of various mushrooms rolled up and held together with a toothpick. The menu included several cocktails, so I requested a Manhattan. It was delicious, but tiny. If that sword were to scale with a larger glass, it could do some serious damage. A flight attendant then began to set my table for the main meal — note the rose! I selected caviar for my appetizer, but it seemed like I could choose as many items from the menu as I wished. As you’ll see, there was more than enough food anyway. The caviar spread was very nice, with toasted bread and very thin blinis, along with a porcelain spoon and the usual accompaniments of chopped onions, egg and sour cream. I was then served a second appetizer that I hadn’t spotted on the menu. I’m not sure what this dish is called, but it was essentially a do-it-yourself Korean taco setup. Delicious. Seriously — so much flavor in such a tiny package. I then ordered some red wine — since I had spotted the Francis Ford Coppola winery during BottleRock a few months earlier, I was really excited to try the Director’s Cut Cabernet Sauvignon. I was even more pleased to discover that it’ll only run you $20 a bottle on the ground, so I’ll likely be stocking up on this. I then had another appetizer that I don’t believe I actually ordered — a delicious sweet potato porridge. Finally, it was time for the main event. As I mentioned, I had pre-ordered the Galbi Jjim (braised short ribs), but once on the flight I really wanted to try the bibimbap. The flight attendant suggested that she could prepare (what sounded like) a smaller version of both, which sounded fantastic. Instead, I received what appeared to be full versions of both entrées on a gigantic tray, consisting of 11 bowls and two plates of food. Everything was insanely delicious. I managed to eat roughly a third of what was provided, and I was beyond stuffed. But wait — there’s more! After all of this, I was served a small plate of fruit, which was fresh and delicious. I could have eaten again later in the flight, but as you can imagine, that absolutely wasn’t necessary. So I waited for breakfast. Breakfast was served roughly two hours before landing — the first course (below) consisted of pastries and more delicious fresh fruit. I also ordered a Bloody Mary, which was perfect. The pastries were very good, but I’m not sure I would have been so impressed on the ground. The fruit, of course, was of excellent quality. I also ordered a cappuccino, which was perfect as well. And then some strawberry yogurt. I didn’t need this course, but I wanted to see if it would be served in a proper bowl (which of course it was). For the entrée, I selected the omelet, which was served with sausage, bacon, smoked salmon, potatoes, veggies and sun-dried tomatoes. Also, given that Asiana can prepare fresh eggs on board, I asked for scrambled eggs with tomato instead of the omelet, which was a very good decision. Everything on this plate was outstanding. I was so impressed with the catering, but the service was even better. The flight attendants were so incredibly polite and professional, but also managed to be a bit casual after picking up on my personality. There’s not a single thing I could fault them for. As much as I wanted to be home, I was sad to see this flight come to an end. I could probably spend the rest of my life flying Asiana first class, but I’d be very fat and a bit bored, having run out of appealing in-flight entertainment content about four hours in. This was easily one of the best flights of my life — in terms of the overall experience, I’d say it’s a tie with the Etihad Apartment. The food was far better on Asiana, and the bed was much more comfortable, but the Apartment is considerably larger, very unique and offers an in-flight shower. The service was comparable, too. That said, at least four first-class award seats are very frequently available on Asiana’s US A380 routes (New York and Los Angeles), so if you have the miles to spare, this is easily a product that the entire family can experience at once. Etihad’s A380 Apartment, meanwhile, can be very challenging to book, though availability does pop up from time to time. If you’re flying to Asia, though, there’s no question that Asiana’s A380 is the way to go. Have you flown first class on Asiana’s A380? Tell us about your experience, below.

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SBS / FOX Sports in broadcasting deal with FFA November 19th, 2012 By David Knox 11 commentsFiled under: News, Pay TV, Football Federation Australia has signed a joint $160m broadcasting deal with FOX Sports and SBS for the next 4 years. FOX Sports will have Live coverage of every Socceroos and A-League match, while SBS enjoys exclusive free-to-air TV rights for the A-League matches, including one live match on Friday nights. FOX Sports Live coverage includes all finals matches and the Grand Final, plus exclusive Live coverage of every Socceroos World Cup Qualifier and international fixture. All games will be in HD with coverage also available on tablet devices. FOX Sports CEO, Patrick Delany, said: “FOX Sports and Foxtel has invested over $160 million in Australian football over the past eight years and, with FFA, our long-term commitment has been fundamental in building the Hyundai A-League from its foundations to where it stands today as one of the most interesting and emerging competitions in Australian sport. It is wholesome family entertainment and is attracting interest like we’ve never seen before. “We see football as an essential part of the FOX Sports summer offering and our vision, together with Foxtel and FFA, is for football to become part of Australia’s summer fabric, whether it’s going to watch an A-League game or kicking the ball around in a park or on the beach. Foxtel CEO, Richard Freudenstein, added: “In 2005 we backed FOX Sports and FFA to build a new vision for football and its broadcast in Australia. Eight years later we are seeing the fruits of a new summer sport with great young talent and international superstars – its young, cool and gathering interest from Australian families like never before.” SBS’s coverage of the A-League will commence from the 2013-14 season and will be the first time the A-League is broadcast on free-to-air TV since the competition’s inception. SBS rights include: One Live Hyundai A-League match per week on a Friday night; All Hyundai A-League Finals Series matches on a one hour delay; The Hyundai A-League Grand Final on a one hour delay; A weekly highlights show; Online and mobile rights including simultaneous streaming and highlights; and Radio rights. It also includes Socceroos FIFA World Cup Qualifiers on a one hour delay (effective immediately). SBS will broadcast the next Qualifier against Oman in Sydney from 8:00pm Tuesday 26 March 2013 on SBS ONE. SBS Managing Director Michael Ebeid said: “SBS has always championed the sports which unite communities and the world and with football being the world’s biggest game it is fitting that the A-League and Socceroos will now have a free-to-air presence on SBS, building on our strong football pedigree. “This agreement is exciting news for football fans across the country and will give all Australians access to the A-League and the Socceroos. We are proud to be part of this new partnership which will help take the domestic game in Australia to the next level. “The broadcast of the Socceroos will complement SBS’s FIFA World Cup coverage which SBS has the rights to all editions up to and including 2022.” SBS Head of Sport Ken Shipp added, “SBS is the spiritual home of football in Australia and our passion, dedication and football expertise is unrivalled. We are excited to continue to grow the game in Australia through this new partnership and deliver the high standard of coverage for which SBS is known across all our platforms, including on-air, online and mobile devices.” The new broadcast agreement will take effect on July 1, 2013, with FOX Sports remaining as the exclusive broadcaster of the Hyundai A-League for the 2012/13 season. Tags: A-League, FIFA World Cup, The World Game, World Cup BigJMATHEWS November 20, 2012 11:13 am Not the greatest of deals that could have been done. I would have thought that SBS seeing as though they’ve paid money that they should have as they were the only FTA to put foward the intention and I refer you to a click on YouTube Clip where Paul Murray put out a view I agree with. youtube.com/watch?v=M_Hx-d_KuqM joey69 November 19, 2012 7:59 pm Wow! it seems to me that Fox Sports has a endless pit of money that it is able to pay for the rights to every major sports code in Australia. something is wrong when people need to pay to watch sports on tv in Aus! FTA Sports rights will be a thing of the past in 10 years time. Sad day when it happens considering ordinary people will not be able to afford it! cnrmlj November 19, 2012 6:50 pm Great news for Soccer fans. It’s a shame the ‘leaders’ at the NRL don’t have the same vision too show its finals on subscribsion tv live and ad free and in HD. emurray November 19, 2012 6:10 pm This is certainly a good deal for soccer in Australia but will be interesting to see how it plays out particularly with how Western Australia is treated considering the three hour daylight saving difference. Will they show game live at 430 or delay it for prime time. Qld also an issue I suppose unless they use sbs 2. HardcorePrawn November 19, 2012 4:51 pm @victweety, I think you’re being a bit harsh on SBS, they do have to share coverage with Foxtel, and could probably have quite easily been left with no live games. It’s certainly interesting to see that they’re committing to broadcast a live game on Fridays when Nine haven’t ever bothered doing the same for NRL outside of NSW & QLD. Personally I think this is a great result for all parties: the cash-strapped SBS, football fans, Foxtel (who’ll probably get a few more subscriptions as a result of the A-League’s increased coverage on FTA) and the game itself. victweety November 19, 2012 3:20 pm Wow only 1 game live on a Friday night. What a waste of time SBS. jimbo k November 19, 2012 3:19 pm With the A-League – i am so happy that SBS has been given access to it, having the Friday night games live. It is a shame though that the Finals games are all delayed by an hour. Surely, Fox Sports and SBS could ahve come to an agreement here (could’ve split the games up between them?) And happy with a new A-League type highlights show too. Hopefully, this will be in addition to the World Game show, that airs on Moday nights live on SBS2 (and replayed soon after on sbs1). Socceroos matches remain live on Fox Sports. Bummer!.Wish more were live on sbs, instead of a delay. But it’s better than nothing, i suppose. ricoz November 19, 2012 2:51 pm There will be people who will winge its still not enough on free-to-air but Foxtel have been good to Football in this country. It’s a business in the end and thank goodness Channel 7 didn’t buy the rights and do a butcher job on it! kimbeth November 19, 2012 2:34 pm Great to see a-league on FTA but surely they could arrange to have the biggest game of the season, the GF, live? Viewer November 19, 2012 1:36 pm Whos gonna watch it delayed by an hour of FTA? Bella November 19, 2012 1:32 pm That’s great news for FTA! Now all we need is David Beckham.

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New 'Peace Flotilla' to set sail from Sicily for Gaza (Sicily) Currently, hundreds of thousands of people are sailing up to 17 miles off the coast of Libya in which to get picked up by EU ships in which to be transported to the Italian mainland in search of a new life. The subject is a bone of contention with every EU state and is still being played out. Meanwhile in Sicily, another flotilla of boats is getting ready to make the journey in the opposite direction. Yes, it's that time of year when the liberals of the world who remain silent on Hamas, Boko Haram, ISIS, the Taliban, Al Qaeda and the rest on their murderous ways in which to have a dig at Israel. So in order to do so, they have put together a motley collection of small boats in which to break the blockade on Gaza. Oh, hang on, did I say break the blockade? Here is what the 'Rear Admiral' of this flotilla has to say on the matter of taking aid to Gaza: Activist Kalle Ohlsson said the flotilla's main objective was not to bring aid, but to open Gaza's port to allow freedom of movement and trade. Hang on, did I read that right? Maybe Kalle should read the news more often, as this is what happened between Gaza and Israel only 2 days ago. Israel allows 660 trucks into Gaza Not only that but Kalle has this to say as well: "Our aim is to end the siege of Gaza. We want the Palestinians to know that we haven't forgotten about them. There are many crises in the world, but the situation in Gaza is also really bad, and we do remember them." Really, as here is what was happening between Israel and Hamas also 2 days ago: Israel, Hamas hold indirect talks for long-term truce I did love reading about the group's concerns for their safety: Ohlsson says there are also concerns about how the Israeli military will react once the boats reach international waters. "We're very concerned about safety. We have a strict non-violence policy. We're hoping Israel won't use violence against us." Let's hope they don't get caught by any jihadists who, I'm sure you'll agree, would be more than happy to make a home video with these so called peace loving idiots. You know, those videos that begin with an "Allahu Akbar" and end with a scream. Funny enough, as bad as these people make out the Jews are, I've yet to see anybody made into a film star in such a way at the hands of the IDF. Labels: Media, Political Correctness Media|Political Correctness|

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Results for "x-ray" About 920 Result(s) Found (0.71 seconds) X-rays, Gamma Rays, and Cancer Risk When talking about radiation and cancer risk, it is often x-rays and gamma rays that people think about. https://www.cancer.org/cancer/cancer-causes/radiation-exposure/x-rays-gamma-rays.html How are people exposed to x-rays and gamma rays? | American Cancer Society Exposure to x-rays and gamma rays can come from several sources. Learn more here. https://www.cancer.org/cancer/cancer-causes/radiation-exposure/x-rays-gamma-rays/how-are-people-exposed.html Do x-rays and gamma rays cause cancer? | American Cancer Society X-rays and gamma rays are known human carcinogens (cancer-causing agents). Learn more here. https://www.cancer.org/cancer/cancer-causes/radiation-exposure/x-rays-gamma-rays/do-xrays-and-gamma-rays-cause-cancer.html What are x-rays and gamma rays? | American Cancer Society X-rays and gamma rays are both types of high energy (high frequency) electromagnetic radiation. Learn more here. https://www.cancer.org/cancer/cancer-causes/radiation-exposure/x-rays-gamma-rays/what-are-xrays-and-gamma-rays.html X-rays and Other Radiographic Tests for Cancer X-rays and other radiographic tests help doctors look for cancer in different parts of the body including bones, and organs like the stomach and kidneys. https://www.cancer.org/treatment/understanding-your-diagnosis/tests/x-rays-and-other-radiographic-tests.html Cervical Cancer Radiation Therapy | Cervical Cancer Radiation Treatment Radiation therapy uses high energy x-rays to kill cancer cells. https://www.cancer.org/cancer/cervical-cancer/treating/radiation.html References | American Cancer Society The following sources were used in preparing this information about x-rays, gamma rays, and cancer risk. https://www.cancer.org/cancer/cancer-causes/radiation-exposure/x-rays-gamma-rays/references.html Can I avoid exposure to radiation from x-rays and gamma rays? | American Cancer Society You can't completely avoid radiation, but there are ways to limit your exposure to x-rays and gamma rays. Learn more here. https://www.cancer.org/cancer/cancer-causes/radiation-exposure/x-rays-gamma-rays/avoiding-exposure.html Do x-rays and gamma rays cause any other health problems? | American Cancer Society X-rays and gamma rays can cause a number of other problems besides cancer. Learn more here. https://www.cancer.org/cancer/cancer-causes/radiation-exposure/x-rays-gamma-rays/other-health-problems.html Medical radiation | American Cancer Society X-rays, gamma rays, and other forms of ionizing radiation are used to diagnose and treat some medical conditions. Learn more here. https://www.cancer.org/cancer/cancer-causes/radiation-exposure/x-rays-gamma-rays/medical-radiation.html Searches related to x-ray What are x-rays and gamma rays? American Cancer Society How Do I Protect Myself from Ultraviolet (UV) Rays? How are people exposed to x-rays and gamma rays? American Cancer Society Do x-rays and gamma rays cause cancer? American Cancer Society Do x-rays and gamma rays cause any other health problems? American Cancer Society Can I avoid exposure to radiation from x-rays and gamma rays? American Cancer Society 0129.78 - T3 - Cobrand Mens Cancer PAED 8.5 x 11.indd

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On Scarlett Johansson, Androids, and Whitewashing in Hollywood by Ally Benitez Posted on May 16, 2016 by theeastexpress in Arts and Entertainment, Global News // 0 Comments Scarlett Johansson has stirred up quite a fuss recently about her casting in the 2017 live-action adaptation of the Japanese manga “Ghost in the Shell”. When Paramount Pictures and Dreamworks Productions announced the cast earlier in April, they sparked criticism and outcry online over their decision to cast a white actress for the role of Major Mokoto Kusanagi. It’s not a total surprise that studios wanted to cast Johansson as the lead in an action film. With Johansson’s performances as the Black Widow in the Marvel Cinematic Universe and as the eponymous character in Lucy, she’s proven that she can hold her own in the genre and that her name has currency with audiences. Despite this, accusations of “whitewashing” (the casting of white actors in non-white roles) have been abounding since her casting. The outrage is understandable and accurate to an extent, since whitewashing is often committed in order to make films more “marketable” by injecting white actors or actresses into roles meant for people of color. Comic book writer Jon Tsuei released a particularly resonant thread protesting the casting decision. He argued that the imposed Westernization of the film eliminated the Japanese essence of the story. Tsuei, Jon. (jontsuei). “Ok, I have some thoughts. Bear with me if you would.” 15 April 2016, 10:38AM. Tweet. While it may be a comforting thought to some that more people seem to be “woke”, or aware of racism or other social injustices, it is also necessary to recognize that much of the protesting against the casting move is being done in West. On the flipside, the Japanese online community doesn’t seem too surprised with the casting. Reading Japanese bulletin boards reveal that they might have already accepted Hollywood’s whitewashing as a fact of life. Translations of the comments in the forums reveal statements like “20 years earlier, this would have been Milla Jovovich”, “Yep, this is a Hollywood film”, and “I thought it was okay they didn’t use a Japanese person” largely outnumbering the number of commenters complaining about the casting. (The author’s favorite is the one that suggests that “Taylor Swift would have been better”.) Ghost in the Shell. Dir. Mamoru Oshii. Production I.G, 1995. Film. Whitewashing has been undeniably present throughout film history through film adaptations or with plain racist intentions. For example, in D.W. Griffith’s extremely racist Birth of a Nation (1915), white actors play African-American characters with the help of blackface. This only served to further the derogatory message that it was preaching about the black community. Charlton Heston was also cast as not just one, but multiple characters of color, from Moses in The Ten Commandments (1956) to Mike Vargas in Touch of Evil (1948) to the titular character in El Cid (1961). In the same year as El Cid, Mickey Rooney also portrayed the ultra-stereotypical Mr. Yunioshi in Breakfast at Tiffany’s. For a more recent example, take M. Night Shyamalan’s live-action adaptation of The Last Airbender (2010). An indefensible catastrophe on its own, its failure is only exacerbated by its casting of lighter-skinned characters instead of the Asian characters that the original animation had. Even more recently Aloha (2015) received similar backlash over casting Emma Watson to play a character who is originally one-quarter Chinese and one-quarter Hawaiian. The context in which earlier films were produced do allow us to understand what warranted the whitewashing, but given that we are supposedly living in a more progressive idea that is not making the mistakes of the past, whitewashing should and must be avoided whenever possible. It’s saddening that those so often affected have already accepted it, but that doesn’t mean that we can’t become more aware of this occurrence and more active in the the fight for its prevention. One comment simply says “Putting race on a cyborg…” Given the complexity of a story like Ghost in the Shell and how it discusses its themes of identity and humanity in a world where “virtual” and “real” are nearly indistinguishable, how important is the discussion of the character’s race? Perhaps, for this story in particular, the message of the narrative now extends past Japan, as technology evolves at dizzying speeds and becomes increasingly ubiquitous. Maybe the world of Ghost in the Shell isn’t as far as we think it is. Featured image credit: Paramount Pictures Ghost in the Shell. Mamoru Oshii. Production I.G, 1995. Film.

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Moana: A New Kind of Disney Heroine By Christine Aye Posted on March 13, 2017 by theeastexpress in Arts and Entertainment // 0 Comments Credit: Walt Disney Pictures Walt Disney Animation Studios has created yet another computer animated musical film that is expected to sweep the charts and take the industry by storm. The film is directed by world renowned John Musker and Ron Clements – directors of The Little Mermaid (1986), Aladdin (1992), The Princess and The Frog (2009) and much more, so, you can expect another great Disney film,. Set to debut in US theatres on November 23rd this year, Moana will have heavy emphasis on South Pacific myths and culture. The film takes place on a mystic island in Polynesia. Moana, the young princess of her tribe on the Montui Island, was a born navigator. Her name, which means ‘the ocean’ in her native language, somehow enables her to connect with many different aspects of the ocean. She ventures out into the ocean to prevent the annihilation of her family and tribe. She does this with the help of Maui, a “shapeshifter, demigod of the wind and the sea”. As a high spirited teenager, Moana just doesn’t know how to give up. She battles through a whole ocean of terror to save her beloved family. Because of this, she is the hero in the legend told to the tribe. Moana is voiced by breakthrough actress Auli’i Cravalho, who was born and raised in Hawaii . She wasn’t initially going to audition for the role but, when an agent found her, he urged her to audition for the part. Disney says that she was the last person to audition for the role, but was absolutely perfect for it. Additionally, voicing the demigod Maui, is Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson. He has starred in the Fast and Furious series, and is well known for his roles in countless hit movies. Disney has made Moana the ultimate anti-princess. Unlike the other Disney princesses, she doesn’t accept that she is one. The demigod Maui says, “if you wear a dress and have an animal sidekick, you’re a princess.” However, Moana-resists the rules of her kingdom and instead sets off to navigate the oceans with her dim-witted chicken. This film also isn’t just about finding love, it’s about self-discovery. The movie also features a new kind of characters,which all have a foundational folklore and a culture – a completely new concept for Disney. Trailer here: Moana Official Trailer

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thesephist.com posts projects contact tweets Dieting and education In a recent TED talk, Sir Ken Robinson, a well-known speaker on education and creativity, compared the idea of education to the idea of dieting. He says, and I'm paraphrasing here, that education and learning are not the same thing, in the same way that dieting and losing weight aren't. Learning is the ultimate goal of education, just as losing weight is the goal of dieting. But I could be dieting without losing any weight, just as a school or a nation could be working on education, without really getting anyone to learn. There is a lot of truth to this analogy. There's a difference between focusing on education and focusing on learning, and for a society's education systems to thrive, it needs to shift its focus from improving education to improving learning. Before I go into the topic in too much detail, let me first explain what I mean when I say that education isn't the same as learning. Learning is something that happens from self-motivation, to an individual. If Brian's sitting in a classroom or reading a book, he's learning. In other words, he's taking in information and processing it, understanding it and making the information his own, fitting the new knowledge in with what he already knows. But education is something quite different. So Brian's still sitting in a class, this time, it's a teacher that's educating Brian. She's pulling out pieces of information and presenting it to Brian for him to process and understand. But the key here is that even if there's some education going on from the teacher's point of view, Brian might not necessarily be learning. The information may just be bouncing out, either because he's not interested or it's not relevant to him. Dozens or hundreds of students could be each individually learning, or in the same situation, one teacher could be educating dozens or hundreds of students at once. Are you getting the picture? Learning is inherently an individual, internal process for each person, whereas education is an emissive, group process aimed at a large number of people. Learning is something that's motivated internally, initiated by the individual. Education is something that's initiated from an external source, coerced upon Education is just an initiative to get people to learn, not an end in itself. And that's where the problems come in. The United States spends more on education than any other developed country in the world. For what purpose? It would seem obvious that the purpose of education is to get people to learn. That's what schools are for. But as Ken Robinson put it, you can talk an awful lot about education without ever talking about learning. Things like budget considerations, education politics, and the simple gap between scientific research on the subject and the practice prevent educators from really tackling the core problem of the issue, and just more finances and more testing aren't going to solve the problem. There seems to be a general consensus over the policy-makers, the government, and the general public that says that for some ridiculous reason, the issue of producing better, more informed people is nothing different than producing high-quality, functional machines at a factory. The politicians and the public seem to think that as long as we keep track of things with a gigantic, overwhelming, and outdated pile of data through monolithic testing, and as long as we keep getting rid of the occasional defects through punishment, it'll somehow produce perfect, flawless, and high-performance “citizens” that chug along, making money in the society. If the sole goal of a country were to continue increasing its average per-capita income and neglect any human measure of success, why, that would be a fantastic choice! But as long as people have emotions*, economics is not the measure of success by any stretch of imagination. It's just a tool. Measuring the success of a society by how much money it has is akin to measuring the skills of an engineer by how many calculators he uses, or how many buttons his calculators have. The economics of a commmunity doesn't come near to determining its success, just as the number of colors an artist uses in a painting isn't an accurate measure of his expertise. What's important in education is not that people that come out of the system earn a lot of money or are all college professors**, but that they learned useful, practical knowledge that will improve the quality of their life in general. As long as a society concerns itself not with whether or not people are learning, but instead with whether or not their education policy is successful, their education policies, whatever they are, won't be successful. Not by a long shot. Learning is a human process, whereas education is an industrial process. Just because we throw books, videos, lectures, and charts of information at them doesn't mean they'll get absorbed, let alone make meaningful impacts on the lives of the everyday students. If a society really wants to ensure that its education system is robust, it needs to ensure first that each student is learning useful and meaningful knowledge to him or her, and that this learning is having an impact in the student's life. The United States right now is concerned with how effective its dieting plan is. It's concerned too much with how little it can eat and how much it can work out, and doesn't seem to care whether or not it's actually losing weight. Similarly, just because there's education happening doesn't mean its most fundamental goals are being met. And in this particular case, at this particular time, they're not being met. Information is being given out, tests are being taken, and people are graduating, but are schools and education policies really delivering on the promise to change people's lives? If we really care about learning, I think that's the question we need to answer first. * And from what I've seen, it's going to be that way for a while, so don't hold your breaths ** Though in a good system, a decent fraction of them will be well-funded and rather intelligent If you enjoyed this piece, you might also enjoy my next post, The evolution of communication. Have a comment or response? You can email me. - Linus, MMXX

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Over 50 students participated in this year's Tale Back the Night walk for domestic violence awareness and attended the candle light vigil held at Market Square. Emily Dahl Emily Dahl, Staff Writer Nearly 50 students from Southeastern Oklahoma State University, including dozens of members of PLC, marched in “Take Back the Night” from Paul Laird Field to Market Square in downtown Durant in support of domestic violence victims on Monday, October 1. Once students arrived at Market Square, they participated in a candlelight vigil meant to educate the public on what domestic violence looks like, as well as pay respect to victims and survivors. Eileen Meadows, Victims Advocate and Outreach Advocate at the Crisis Control Center of Durant, began the ceremony and introduced Mayor Jerry Tomlinson. Eileen Meadows, Victims Advocate and Outreach Advocate at the Crisis Control Center of Durant, began the ceremony by introducing Mayor Jerry Tomlinson. Tomlinson acknowledged how honored he was to be at this event, but also how sad he was that there is even a need for it. He read the City of Durant’s Proclamation that October is domestic violence awareness month and that the city supports all efforts made in the prevention of domestic violence. Tomlinson alluded to a movie he had seen in which a character said that, “love means never having to say that you’re sorry.” He disagreed with this and said, “If you truly love someone, you have to be able to say I’m sorry.” Meadows took the stage again to talk about how things seem on the outside, may not reflect the domestic violence happening inside of a family. She read a Facebook post in which a domestic abuse survivor gave all the reasons that, “That’s not love,” and stated, “He is strong, but you are stronger.” Don Hyde, police chief of Calera, Oklahoma stated that, “Domestic violence is a preventable crime.” He went on to ask the crowd if there were any valid reasons to strike a woman, or vice versa; no one raised their voice. Chief Hyde also encouraged the gentlemen of the crowd to take a stand and speak out against domestic violence. This annual event shows those in the Durant community that they have support and resources if they need them in case of a domestic violence situation. “A Little Bit Stronger” by Sara Evans was sang by the daughter of a Crisis Control Center advocate, a poem entitled “The Beauty and the Beast” was read, and a domestic violence survivor gave her testimony, thanking the Crisis Control Center for all their help. Take Back the Night and the Candlelight Vigil came to a conclusion as the crowd lit candles and held a moment of silence in honor and remembrance of victims and their families who suffered such loss. Emily Dahl, News Editor/Photographer Favorite Food: Pasta and pie - but not pasta pie, that would be weird Favorite book: Infinite Home by Kathleen Alcott Favorite music: Panic! at the... PSA from Campus Police Bi-weekly video game tournament at The Monterey Dr. Barbara McClanahan of Southeastern receives service award from national literacy organization Dr. Teresa Golden named Vice President for Academic Affairs; Dr. Brad Ludrick is Associate VP for Tribal Relations and Academic Affairs Homeless shelter on the way for Durant locals Who will take home the 2019 Great American Trophy? 2019-2020 men’s basketball breakdown Career Fair attracts 43 businesses

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Read Next: Gaumont Clinches Deals on French-Korean Romcom '#iamhere' (EXCLUSIVE) August 23, 2016 9:09AM PT Jennifer Lawrence Ranked World’s Highest-Paid Actress for Second Year By Maane Khatchatourian Maane Khatchatourian News Editor, Variety.com @https://twitter.com/MaaneKhat FOLLOW Maane's Most Recent Stories Brad Pitt References Quentin Tarantino’s Foot Fetish, His Marriages in SAG Awards Speech Harry Hains, ‘American Horror Story’ and ‘The OA’ Actor, Dies at 27 Concert Review: Twenty One Pilots Light Up Night Two of KROQ’s Almost Acoustic Christmas CREDIT: James Gourley/REX/Shutterstock Jennifer Lawrence is still the girl on fire. “The Hunger Games” heroine has been named the world’s highest-paid actress by Forbes for the second year in a row. Lawrence topped the annual ranking with $46 million — the pre-tax income was down $6 million (11.5%) from last year — thanks primarily to the final installment of her blockbuster franchise, “Mockingjay — Part 2,” which hauled $653.4 million worldwide, and a hefty advance for her role in the upcoming space adventure “Passengers” opposite Chris Pratt. Lawrence, 26 (the youngest actor on the list), came in second place on the Forbes ranking in 2014. Melissa McCarthy was runner-up on the list with $33 million — a $10 million spike (43.5%) from last year — making her the “biggest dollar gainer year over year.” “The Boss” star, who turns 46 this week, traded places with Scarlett Johansson, 31, who reeled in $25 million to land in third. McCarthy reportedly scored an eight-figure paycheck for the female “Ghostbusters” reboot. Johansson, who’s income is down nearly 30% from 2015, is said to have landed a $17.5 million deal to star in the upcoming adaptation of the Japanese magna “Ghost in the Shell.” The world’s 10 highest-paid actresses earned a cumulative $205 million between June 1, 2015, and June 1, 2016, before agent fees and taxes, with four women pulling in more than $20 million — up one from last year — according to Forbes. Charlize Theron rejoined the list for the first time in three years, while Bollywood star Deepika Padukone is the only newcomer in the issue. The 10 highest-paid actresses of 2016: 1. Jennifer Lawrence – $46 million 2. Melissa McCarthy – $33 million 3. Scarlett Johansson – $25 million 4. Jennifer Aniston – $21 million 5. Fan Bingbing – $17 million 6. Charlize Theron – $16.5 million 7. Amy Adams – $13.5 million 8. Julia Roberts – $12 million 9. Mila Kunis – $11 million 10. Deepika Padukone – $10 million SAG Awards 2020: Biggest Snubs and Surprises SAG Awards 2020: ‘Parasite,’ ‘The Crown,’ ‘Mrs. Maisel’ Win Top Prizes SAG Awards 2020: 'Parasite,' 'The Crown,' 'Mrs. Maisel' Win Top Prizes Neon’s “Parasite” won best motion picture cast at the 26th Screen Actors Guild Awards on Sunday, becoming the first foreign language film to pick up the top prize. Netflix’s “The Crown” was named best TV drama and Amazon’s “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel” earned the prize for best TV comedy in a strong showing for streaming [...] Korean thriller “Parasite” made history at the 26th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards on Sunday, becoming the first foreign-language film to win best motion picture cast. Netflix’s “The Crown” was named best TV drama and Amazon’s “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel” nabbed best TV comedy. In a repeat of the Golden Globes, Renee Zellweger (“Judy”) and [...]

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Rasmussen Poll Shows More Voters Favoring Deportation American voters are mostly sensible people who understand that rewarding a bad behavior (e.g. border jumping) cannot be eradicated by rewarding it (amnesty with work permits and benefits). Now there’s a new survey finding that 62 percent of US voters think the government isn’t doing enough deporting, a number up 10 percent from a year ago. Maybe the public has noticed that the administration magnet for illegal immigration is still highly engaged. “Deport” is still one of my favorite verbs, though “Self-deport” remains numero uno because of its financial benefit to taxpayers. Most Voters Want More Aggressive Deportation Policies, Rasmussen Reports, April 6, 2015 More voters than ever feel the United States is not aggressive enough in deporting those who are here illegally, even as President Obama continues to push his plan to make up to five million illegal immigrants safe from deportation. Just 16% of Likely U.S. Voters think the U.S. government is too aggressive in deporting those who are in the country illegally. A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 62% believe the government is not aggressive enough in deporting these illegal immigrants, up from 52% a year ago and 56% in November. Fifteen percent (15%) feel the current number of deportations is about right. (To see survey question wording, click here.) Thirty-two percent (32%) believe illegal immigrants who have American-born children should be exempt from deportation, an element of Obama’s plan, but 51% now disagree. In November, voters were much more closely divided: 38% said they should be exempt from deportation, and only 42% disagreed. Seventeen percent (17%) remain undecided. But then most voters (54%) continue to feel that a child born to an illegal immigrant mother in the United States should not automatically become a U.S. citizen, as is now the case. Thirty-eight percent (38%) favor the current policy of automatic citizenship for these children. Opposition has ranged from 51% to 65% in surveys since April 2006. Support has been in the 28% to 41% range in that same period. An overwhelming 83% of voters think someone should be required to prove they are legally allowed in the United States before receiving local, state or federal government services. Just 12% disagree. These findings have changed little over the past four years. Still, 54% are concerned that efforts to identify and deport illegal immigrants will also end up violating the civil rights of some U.S. citizens. Forty-three percent (43%) don’t have that concern. This includes 25% who are Very Concerned about possible civil rights violations and 12% who are Not at All Concerned. This, too, is consistent with past surveying. [. . .] The survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on April 1-2, 2015 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 3 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology. Most voters continue to believe federal government policies encourage illegal immigration. Most voters in nearly every demographic category agree that the federal government is not aggressive enough in its deportation policies. Most also believe very strongly that someone should have to prove they are a U.S. citizen before obtaining government benefits. Most women and men agree that a child born to an illegal immigrant in this country should not automatically become a U.S. citizen. Voters under 40 are only slightly less supportive than their elders of more aggressive deportation policies. But they are much more likely than those 40 and over to think that a child born to an illegal alien in this country should automatically become a U.S. citizen. Sixty percent (60%) of whites oppose automatic citizenship; 51% of blacks and 56% of other minority voters favor it. Eighty-one percent (81%) of Republicans and 68% of voters not affiliated with either major party think the government is not aggressive enough in deporting illegal immigrants. Just 40% of Democrats agree. But then Democrats are far more concerned than the others that deportation efforts may end up violating the civil rights of some U.S. citizens. Democrats by a 51% to 33% margin believe illegals who have American-born children should be exempt from deportation. Sixty-two percent (62%) of GOP voters and 60% of unaffiliateds disagree. Most voters continue to believe that securing the border is more important than legalizing the status of undocumented workers already here and think plans to offer legal status to such individuals will just encourage more illegal immigration. More than half of voters remain opposed to Obama’s new plan that will allow nearly five million illegal immigrants to remain in this country legally and apply for jobs. Forty-seven percent (47%) think Congress should try to find ways to stop the president’s plan, while 41% believe Congress should allow this decision to stand. Voters also continue to strongly support voter ID laws and don’t consider them discriminatory.

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Home / News / Sam Johnson releases new single ‘Medicine For My Brain’ Sam Johnson releases new single ‘Medicine For My Brain’ Sam Johnson releases new single ‘Medicine For My Brain’ through Made Records. Listen to ‘Medicine For My Brain’ here – http://samjohnson.lnk.to/medicine https://soundcloud.com/hellosamjohnson/medicine-for-my-brain Medicine For My Brain’, his impossibly catchy calling card and first single from Sam’s forthcoming debut EP, is a witty kiss-off to the music industry, with a dazzling guitar accompaniment reminiscent of his heroes John Martyn and Ben Howard: “You say you don’t want my name / Well hell, I don’t need your fame / I’m happy to use my pain / It’s medicine for my brain.” “I was very jaded at one point,” says Sam, who cut his teeth on the open mic scenes near his childhood home in Shropshire. “I wanted to write a chorus which is basically saying I don’t give a damn about the industry – which is ironic because that’s the very song that got me signed.” Johnson’s songs acknowledge a darker kind of emotional turmoil – the “black dog calling my name”, as he puts it in Medicine – but he writes with a propulsive energy that suggests a sense of life-lessons constantly learned, and a feeling that music can ease your greatest challenges. It’s a potent combination: a voice as big as George Ezra, and a sense of emotional resonance that has more in common with Justin Vernon of Bon Iver. Sam Johnson‘s upcoming debut EP, produced with multi-instrumentalist Elliot James, is the product of a period rather more intense than most people go through in their early twenties: the end of a six year relationship, and the passing away of a beloved father. Far from being a record of sadness, his thoughtful, ebullient debut captures a young man’s growing sense of who he is, vulnerability and all. Sam is confirmed to support Buzzard Buzzard Buzzard at the Big Indie Summer Sessions in conjunction with The Line Of Best Fit on 31st July at Pop Brixton and ahead of that will be performing at Barn On The Farm festival Sat 6th July. Previous Skunk Anansie release brand new single ‘What You Do For Love’ Next HATTER Releases “Check In”

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Companies, Tom and Jerry, Non-WarnerMedia, Acquired media Miscellaneous Companies Companies disestablished in 1970 MGM Animation/Visual Arts Turner Entertainment Warner Archive Collection Non-WarnerMedia companies Animated Feature and short Films Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer cartoon studio Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Animation Warner Bros. Animation (library only) Les Goldman Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (1962-1970) Turner Entertainment (library only) MGM Animation/Visual Arts was an American animation studio established in 1962 by animation director/producer Chuck Jones and producer Les Goldman as Sib Tower 12 Productions. It is noted for productions such as the last series of Tom and Jerry theatrical shorts, the TV specials Horton Hears a Who and How the Grinch Stole Christmas!, and the feature film The Phantom Tollbooth, all released by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. The studio began as "SIB Productions" which evolved into "Sib-Tower. 12, Inc." The studio was founded after Chuck Jones was fired from Warner Bros. Cartoons, where he had served for over 30 years, directing the Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies series, Sib Tower 12 Productions received a contract from Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer to produce a new series of Tom and Jerry cartoons, with a number of animators who had worked under Jones during his Warner Bros. career following him to Sib Tower 12, notably Michael Maltese and Mel Blanc. These shorts proved successful, and MGM purchased the Sib Tower 12 studio and renamed it MGM Animation/Visual Arts in 1964. This studio continued with Jones' Tom and Jerry shorts until 1967. In addition to the Tom and Jerry cartoons, Jones worked on one other short. The Dot and the Line (1965), was an abstract piece based upon a children's book by Norton Juster. It won the 1965 Academy Award for Animated Short Film. The studio also turned to television, producing two highly acclaimed TV specials. The first was a 1966 adaptation of Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas!. The second was another Seuss adaptation, Horton Hears a Who!, which first aired in 1970. The studio's most ambitious work was its 1970 feature film The Phantom Tollbooth, adapted from another Norton Juster book. Until 1970 when MGM Animation/Visual Arts was discontinued, Warner Bros. Animation and Warner’s in-name-only unit, Turner Entertainment now owns the pre-1991 MGM Animation/Visual Arts and MGM Cartoon Studio libraries. Theatrical cartoon shorts Tom and Jerry (1963–1967) The Dot and the Line (1965) The Bear That Wasn't (1967) Off to See the Wizard (1967–1968) How the Grinch Stole Christmas! (1966) The Pogo Special Birthday Special (1969) Horton Hears a Who! (1970) The Phantom Tollbooth (1970) Animated shorts: Tom and Jerry Television series: The Tom and Jerry Show (1975) | The Tom and Jerry Comedy Show | Tom & Jerry Kids | Tom and Jerry Tales | The Tom and Jerry Show (2014) Specials: Hanna-Barbera's 50th: A Yabba Dabba Doo Celebration | Tom and Jerry: The Mansion Cat | Tom and Jerry: Santa's Little Helpers Films: Tom and Jerry: The Movie | Tom and Jerry: The Magic Ring | Tom and Jerry: Blast Off to Mars | Tom and Jerry: The Fast and the Furry | Tom and Jerry: Shiver Me Whiskers | Tom and Jerry: A Nutcracker Tale | Tom and Jerry Meet Sherlock Holmes | Tom and Jerry and the Wizard of Oz | Tom and Jerry: Robin Hood and His Merry Mouse | Tom and Jerry's Giant Adventure | Tom and Jerry: The Lost Dragon | Tom and Jerry: Spy Quest | Tom and Jerry: Back to Oz | Tom and Jerry: Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory Tom Cat | Jerry Mouse Spike Bulldog | Tyke Bulldog | Mammy Two Shoes | Butch Cat | Toodles Galore | Nibbles Mouse | Jerry's Mother | Droopy | Barney Bear | Tuffy Mouse | Tim Cat | George and Joan | George and Joan's Baby | Toots (The Zoot Cat) | Toots (Puss n' Toots) | Toots (mouse) | Screwy Squirrel The Alley Cat Gang | Straycatchers | Dr. Applecheek | Pristine Figg | Lickboot | Ferdinand Guest/Crossovers characters Video games: Companies and Distributors Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer | Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer cartoon studio | MGM Animation/Visual Arts | Turner Entertainment | Hanna-Barbera | Warner Bros. | Miramax Films | Warner Bros. Animation | Warner Bros. Television | Warner Home Video | Warner Archive Collection | Taft Broadcasting | Worldvision Enterprises | MGM Television | Turner Program Services | Filmation Retrieved from "https://warnerbros.fandom.com/wiki/MGM_Animation/Visual_Arts?oldid=81240" Non-WarnerMedia

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Edmonds makes a deal Edmonds Enterprise Services Inc., has acquired Logistics Applications Inc., a Defense Department contractor. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. Edmonds Enterprise Services is headed by Albert Edmonds, a retired Air Force general and former president of EDS Corp.'s government business. He founded the Alexandria, Va., company in September. The deal for Logistics Applications is Edmonds' first. LAI founder William Walker will remain president and then transition to a consulting role, Edmonds said.

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adventuring bibliophile, book reviews, books, travel Book Review: “1984” by George Orwell December 12, 2019 December 12, 2019 by wayfaringflaneur Finding English books in South Korea isn’t always the easiest. I thought when I moved to Korea I’d just try and only read books on my Nook, only for after a year and a half for books to no longer download onto my device without getting an error. It only works now if I’m back in the states, so every time I go home I have to load up. Because of that, I promised myself that I’d only buy books I didn’t mind leaving behind, because as a bookworm I tend to hoard books in a giant TBR pile and then go to the library for a book to read right now. But I couldn’t do that in South Korea where I knew my stay wasn’t permanent, and where there wasn’t a library near me with English books. So I tried finding as many used books and classics to read as possible. That way I’d be okay letting them go when I was finished. It truly feels like I’ve spent the last 5 years doing the equivalent of eating my literary vegetables, by reading what are considered classics. The book 1984 was on my to read list when it became a hot topic around when I moved due to the shifting political climate. (Though I have a feeling it pops up) “Orwellian” kept coming up in news stories and articles so I figured I’d keep an eye out for it while in used bookstores in the hopes of finding a cheap copy to read through and understand the source material and what people meant when they said “Orwellian”. Turns out it’s a very dark disheartening dystopian novel. I had figured it would be a dystopian novel based on context, but the disheartening part was a bit of a shock. I want books to at least have a solution to the problems they put forth. 1984 mentioned possible solutions but no steps were ever taken to get there. I also struggled to get into 1984 for awhile. It felt a little reminiscence of the Halloween I spent reading American Psycho where I absolutely hated the main character who was steeped in misogyny, privilege and a sense of entitlement. They’re vastly different characters and stories but having a main character fantasize about beheading and sexually assaulting one of the only female characters in the book pushes it towards the grosser depths of American Psycho. Not to mention the actual torture that does occur throughout 1984. I suppose the idea is that 1984 is suppose to be so shocking that it hopes to curb society away from it’s destructive path in the way The Jungle is accredited with changes in the meatpacking industry. A path where the government watches everything, everyone rats everyone else out to save their own skin, where love and familial bonds do not exist, where children spy on their own parents, and the government itself is worshiped and feared like a cult. With propaganda that is so detailed and perfect that everything available even in archives that no one ever sees is edited to reflect whatever the current government truth is. It’s in depth and no one besides Winston Smith seems to care about the actual truth. And he believes himself to be better than everyone else because he’s a cog in the system that has seen more of the actual system and is aware of it but not strong enough to create a revolution himself. He rebels in minor ways: by keeping a diary, by going to areas he’s not supposed to, by having an affair (he’s married) with a young woman (the one he fantasized about attacking and murdering) and by trying to become something better than himself, a foot soldier in the revolution, without knowing how to truly go about it. It feels like he hasn’t changed since when the world was free-er and he would steal food from his baby sister and scream at his mother until she’d relent and let him eat her food too, letting them both starve and die, essentially no better then the children of the current regime. Does anyone actually like this character? I feel like he’s not meant to be liked. But the book is cold and cruel and while characters change, not much of the world behind them changes in the course of the book, except maybe to get darker and crueler. It’s never going to be one of my favorite books. It’s unsettling and crawls under your skin with whispers of the negative side of humanity in a way similar to The Lord of the Flies. But it’s become ingrained so much in pop-culture that words made up for the book are words we use, idioms and quotes that we use also come from this book, especially in relation to government surveillance and censorship, and that I found fascinating, I knew “Big Brother” came from it but other things like “thought crime” and “thought police” I didn’t realize were from the book. Another interesting thing, which is always fun with older science fiction novels, is to see what sort of technology the author thought of that ended up actually happening. 1984 was published in 1949, though the vast majority of piece was completed in 1944, inspired by World War II and the Tehran Conference. (Where three main world powers decided what to do with the world which corresponds heavily with the political climate in the book.) He wrote about Telescreens, two way TV’s, something we can now do with our phones and computers to talk with people from anywhere. If you’re really into sci-fi, horror, or dark dystopian novels you might enjoy it if you haven’t gotten around to reading it yet. But if you’re not in the right head space for it, this book can get very very depressing. So I suggest something nicer and lighter after the book that will remind you of the good in humanity, because with the way the news is right now and has been it’s difficult to get out of that downward spiral. (May I suggest Bored Panda’s illustrations of good news this year?) The strange apparatus behind the book that looks vaguely like a flamingo is a camera that follows and films anything that moves near it. What’s a classic that you keep hearing about that you’ve read that you did not enjoy? 1984 by george orwell adventuring bibliophile book reviews books Jenjudan 珍煮丹 Crush Brunch and Cafe 誇許早午餐

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