Datasets:

harsharora

/

Rp_CommonC_203

like 0

__label__wiki

Knowledge, Technology, and the Pragmatic Dimensions of Self-Determination Marisa Elena Duarte, May 23 2014, 556 views Image by Bob Mical This article is an excerpt from E-IR’s free-to-download Edited Collection, Restoring Indigenous Self Determination. View all of E-IR’s Publications here. Contemporary globalization depends on the ability of the elite to exercise a command over information and communication technologies (ICTs). ICTs include, but are not limited to, networked information systems, such as local and wide area networks, high-speed Internet, laptops, tablets, mobile phones, data centers, radio frequency identification systems, and increasingly sophisticated sensor-based and algorithmic surveillance systems. These systems of devices—and the people, policies, and institutions that support them—accumulate data and disseminate information for human decision-making across workplaces. When we consider how institutional leaders rely on commanding stores of advantageous information, we can perceive the nature of the information asymmetries that Indigenous peoples experience, rippling from the Enlightenment-era explorations of the New World to the intertwined government, military, and trade regimes comprising the cores of contemporary globalization. What does self-determination mean for Indigenous peoples whose daily work is shaped by connectivity within a global Internet superstructure and the trade value of Indigenous knowledge (IK)? Where is the space for Indigenous self-determination within this networked environment? As Indigenous thinkers, we must begin to understand the innovation of ICTs as semi-visible infrastructures growing within Indigenous homelands. Tracing the deployment of a fiber-optic Internet infrastructure across a sovereign homeland, such as the Navajo Nation, reveals an array of interlaced world-historical conditions, social and legal policies, and competing values orientations. From the romanticism of Silicon Valley to the hard rules of tribal sovereignty, these layers of meaning shape decisions about system design and deployment which, in turn, reveal the material and pragmatic aspects of Indigenous self-determination (Duarte 2011; 2013a). A remarkable example is found in K-Net, a multi-point wireless mesh network connecting First Nations communities in the lake lands of northern Ontario (Beaton 2009). As an outcome of their technical efforts, the network designers have become agenda-setters in local and national forums with regard to spectrum regulation, federal subsidies, tribal and industry partnerships, and Indigenous rights to Internet access. Their experience has shaped federal responses to First Nations technology needs and has inspired First Nations leaders to create a long-term broadband Internet plan (DeBruyn 2012). The growth of K-Net demonstrates the social shaping of large-scale technical networks and, specifically, an Indigenous example in which the values driving design decisions are grounded in Indigenous community needs and values. Through examining various cases of Indigenous uses of ICTs, I have found that Indigenous peoples, in many different ways, harness ICTs to communicate more speedily with each other and with partners supporting tribal governance and grassroots social and political organizing (Alia 2010; Wilson and Stewart 2008; O’Carroll 2013; Woons 2013). Indigenous peoples who have a command over their local ICT infrastructure—through designing their own information systems to hosting tribal radio—are building a digital foundation for future practices of self-determination. Social and Political Power and the Function of ICTs How are exercises of social and political power shaped through the availability and accessibility of ICTs? A number of scholars have chimed in on this question (Mumford 1934; Ellul 1964; Heidegger 1977; Latour 1991; Law 1991; Star 1999; Tehranian 1999; Castells 2007; Wilson & Stewart 2008; Alia 2010; Howard 2010; Dourish and Bell 2011; Nahon and Helmsky 2013). The formulations that are most useful for understanding ICTs in Indigenous contexts are those that explain how elite classes of nationalist decision-makers utilize information gathered systematically through the media of ICTs to legally discriminate, economically exploit and disenfranchise, and otherwise subjugate Indigenous peoples in a continuous and cumulative fashion. A prime example of this is represented in the history of the Cobell Settlement, in which banker and accountant Eloise Cobell (Blackfoot) accumulated years of data showing that the US government was not paying back to tribal landowners billions of dollars in revenues gained from the federal management of Indian trust land (Merjian 2010). Defendants argued that an accurate accounting was not technically possible, and yet through a painstaking audit, Cobell found the evidence of analog and digital systems rendering funds from the development of Indian land. These systems were not used to pay funds back—or even communicate an accurate accounting—to tribal landowners. This case reveals information asymmetry at work in Indian Country, in which systems of interlaced ICTs—including the hardware, software, policies, and administrators—are used to withhold actionable information from particular parties (Clarkson et al. 2007). One method of colonization is to articulate technical systems within elite institutions that withhold information, misinform, or disinform Indigenous peoples as a rule or practice. Indeed, Indigenous scholars have argued that Western universities are likewise designed to prevent the participation and deflect the theoretical interventions of Indigenous thinkers, specifically through habitually legitimating scanty and erroneous information about Native peoples as canonical knowledge (Dei 2000; Waziyatawin and Yellow Bird 2005). Indigeneity Is a Phenomenon of Globalization Thus, to understand the relationship between ICTs, Indigeneity, and self-determination, we have to understand the dynamic between inherently sovereign Indigenous peoples and the governmental classification of Indigenous bodies, lands, and forms of knowledge under a largely Western mode of globalization. We have to acknowledge how, when we think of restoring self-determination, we pursue a metaphor of Indigenous and Settler embattlement in which Indigenous ways of being are at stake within a milieu of homogenizing nation-state encroachment. There is an unvoiced periodization at play, referring to a perhaps false memory of a past era in which Indigenous peoples enjoyed their own social organization, free of coercive governmental forces. We must unpack that metaphor and let go of the assumption that all Indigenous peoples bear the same land-based philosophy and attitude toward modernization within their homelands. The idea of capital-I global Indigeneity is fairly recent, and is best understood as an expression of the political solidarity that many land-based and nomadic peoples have in response to the exploitative aspects of nationalist pan-capitalist practices (Alfred and Corntassel 2009). On the ground, in the communities, Indigenous peoples know themselves by the names and modes of governance they determined for themselves several thousands of years prior to the formation of modern nation-states. On the US Census, a Diné (Navajo) college student may report that he is a Native American. In addition to his Arizona state driver’s license and US social security card, he may carry a tribal ID that proves his enrollment in the separate, sovereign Navajo Nation. He may use Facebook to encourage his friends to protest Mexican military violence in Chiapas and support Māori enforcement of the Treaty of Waitangi. But each of these political and legal expressions—Native American, Navajo Nation citizenship, Indigenous solidarity—fundamentally emerges from the Diné experience of the colonial US bid for sovereignty, subsequent nation-state bureaucratization, and current global military and economic leadership. Capital-I Indigeneity is a phenomenon of globalization (Niezen 2003). Capital-I Indigeneity allows the myriad of original non-Settler, non-nationalist peoples of the world to articulate politically with supra-national regimes, such as the United Nations and the World Intellectual Property Organization, while maintaining their inherently sovereign systems of governance, language, histories, and philosophies just out of reach of the commercial machinery of globalization. Our young Diné college student could encounter a professor who challenges his Indigenous views. He could be stripped of his Navajo Nation membership due to internal challenges within the tribal political order. The US Census Bureau could eliminate the category of “Native American.” Yet our student would still be Diné. The Diné way of being does not depend on the nation-state articulation or global economic order to exist. This is precisely why many nationalist regimes treat Indigenous expressions as a threat to the nation-state order. This is also the means through which we can begin to let go of the assumption that the political and social strength of Indigenous peoples is in the past. It is in the here and now, everyday, just under the gaze of the mass media Panopticon (Woons 2013). ICTs and Indigenous Knowledge under Globalization We can understand Indigeneity as a functioning part within the interlaced networks of systems, devices, people, policies, institutions, and terrains that comprise the technical ecology—the machinery—of militarized economic globalization. We can understand how Native ways of knowing become commodified within global markets. We can also understand how both physical access to ICTs and the values informing the use of ICTs—who gets to use these tools, learn to build them, toward what purpose, and how—shapes the ability a person has to participate politically and socially within the technical ecology underpinning globalization. Above all, we can understand Indigeneity as a diffuse and flexible force of resistance to one of the primary political and economic mechanisms of globalization: colonization. Reaching back through the historical canon, we can identify many kinds of globalization—that is, governmental aligning of distinct economies toward cross-border trade while, at the same time, consolidating internal hegemonic order. Yet all of these, from the Silk Road through the League of Nations and on to NAFTA, cohere to at least three functions: they must enhance connectivity, profitability, and mobility. We are at a point in the history of ubiquitous networked devices wherein the technical elite of computing languages is operationalizing toward a singular language, Internet Protocol Version 6. This technical solution allows for increased connectivity and mobility of devices. A Toshiba manager stationed in Ciudad Juarez can email AutoCAD files on her smartphone with the same efficiency as if she were in her Tokyo office. This supple and resilient mode of digital connectivity has encouraged what Bill Gates, Thomas Friedman, and others have deemed a frictionless form of commerce: cash and documents—paper—don’t change hands, but rather numbers do across systems of devices (Gates 1995; 1999; Friedman 2005). Under a digitally networked mode of globalization, prices are fixed based on a knowledge theory of value, rather than through a pure market value. A coral and silver Navajo squash blossom necklace could, alternatively, be valued as a priceless gift from one family to another, purchased in Shiprock for less than a hundred American dollars, or sold online for ten times that amount in the Shibuya fashion corridor. The values of commodities are fixed based on what consumers perceive is their value within the range of the consumers’—not the manufacturers’ or artisans’—experience. It is within this digitized economic order that Indigenous peoples find their creative and spiritual expressions, medicinal and agricultural ways of knowing reduced to mere information and repackaged as IK within the supranational registry of intellectual property (Harry 2006; Smallacombe 2006; Belarde-Lewis 2011; 2013). Yet as Indigenous peoples know, the value of the squash blossom is not found on a fashion runway, but in the long histories and the homeland of the Diné people from wherein the design emerged. Here is where the values of an information-driven frictionless economy conflict with Native ways of knowing. The continual reduction of lived Indigenous experiences into bits within global trade circuits conflicts with the holism of Native ways of knowing. Sensations of Globalization Indigenous peoples’ unique ways of being have emerged over millennia through the refinement of unique non-European languages, philosophical and spiritual orientations to the landscape, world-historical perspectives, and modes of self-governance (Holm et al. 2003). The expressions that emerge from this lived experience comprise whole ways of knowing. Salmon fishing comprises one Salish way of knowing. Drought farming represents one Hopi way of knowing. Silverwork comprises one Diné way of knowing. There are at least four mechanisms of colonization under globalization: classification of citizenry to subjugate Indigenous peoples; redistribution of lands and waters to nationalist settlers; articulation of institutions to enforce class rule and property ownership; and erasure of Indigenous languages, histories, and philosophies (Quijano 1992). When these mechanisms compromise Native ways of knowing, the ways of knowing gain a political significance, reflecting a set of values that in many ways paradigmatically opposes the centripetal force of globalization efforts. For example, even if a Skokomish fisherman’s particular technique for cultivating wild salmon can be scientifically shown to improve fish yields, reduce pollutants, and contribute to affordable local food stores, to patent that technique would, in one step, allow a single party to profit from this method while also preventing other peoples of the Pacific Northwest from utilizing that technique toward strengthening their own relationship with the living landscape. The subjugation of Native ways of knowing to intellectual property—Indigenous knowledge, traditional knowledge, or traditional environmental knowledge—and the subsequent commodification within global trade circuits exploits Indigenous peoples as peoples who are not recognized as sovereign governments by many other sovereign governments of the world. The way of knowing becomes objectified, the part extracted from the whole, translated from a way of knowing to bits of data. The sensation for Indigenous peoples emerges physiologically. There is an association between the inability to grow or eat heritage foods and high rates of diabetes. There is an association between the inability to make a living through work that provides for tribal families and high rates of depressive behaviors. The violence regenerates, psychologically, emotionally, and spiritually. The ideation is of nationalist and capitalist encroachment through technical and economic means. Indigenous unwillingness to participate in industrialization of lands and waters, or reduce ways of knowing to the status of patentable technique or copyrightable product, has contributed to a widespread assumption that Indigenous peoples are anti-technological, which is only a paraphrase of prior colonial descriptions of Indigenous people as anti-modern, pre-modern, or pre-historic. It isn’t as if Indigenous peoples do not use and benefit from the availability of intellectual property rules, knowledge stores, and ICTs. A section of the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples includes a reference to the right to affordable and robust Internet access for purposes of participation in self-governance. In the mid-2000s, when the regime of Canadian Prime Minister Harper initiated a series of bills abetting the removal of First Nations children from their families and erosion of homelands for an international oil pipeline, four Indigenous women utilized their programming and marketing acumen to launch the Idle No More social media campaign. The Globe and Mail reported that, from December 23rd to the 29th, 2012, the campaign went viral, generating between 19,000 and 25,000 tweets per day (Blevins 2012). Smart phones in hand, activists circulated invitations to flash mob prayer rallies and protests in shopping malls, public parks, and at select international borders from Albuquerque to Toronto. Checking Facebook and re-posting anti-colonial memes became an opportunity to transform a mundane technical activity into political empowerment (Duarte 2013b). This strikes at the core significance of what self-determination is: beyond an act of Congress, it bears a transformative capacity. Pragmatic Dimensions of Self-determination When, in 1978, the US Congress enacted the Indian Education and Self-Determination Act, it allowed American Indians to take command as tribes over their own social programs, free of federal supervision and intervention. A generation of Native people went to college, inhabited the world of Western ideas, combined those with Native ways of knowing, and transformed those into what are considered legitimate state-sanctioned forms of knowledge: books, movies, classroom lessons, school and health care programs. This represented a turning point in the histories of Native peoples within the US. Before, for at least three generations, a set of Spanish, French, British, and—later—Mexican, Canadian, and American nationalist social policies were aimed at erasing Native languages, histories, and philosophies and articulating institutions to destroy tribal modes of self-governance. For centuries, modern health care institutions, universities, banks, and courts relied on misinformation and disinformation about US Native peoples and their relationships with land and property, codifying these into false knowledge that pervades decisions to this day about tribal family dynamics, the psychology and spirituality of Native peoples, their scientific credibility and financial credit worthiness, not to mention treaty claims and rights to exist as separate sovereign peoples (Deloria and Lytle 1983). At present, as Indigenous peoples, we are experiencing the articulation of information systems operating under a single computing language. Many of the systems we rely on everyday accumulate data that incrementally reifies the classification of Indigenous peoples as ethnic minorities; reserves lands and waters for future industrialization and human settlement; articulates institutions to enable elite nationalist class rule and commodification of property; and reduces Indigenous languages, histories, and philosophies to bits of information, devoid of the context of homelands. This is precisely why, when Indigenous activists describe contemporary decolonization, it is spoken of in terms of restoring Native ways of knowing. To counteract the misclassification of Indigenous peoples, activists practice naming and claiming, and the enforcement of sovereign treaty rights. To counteract the settlement and industrialization of lands and waters, activists practice the sovereign protection of homelands and sacred places, ecological restoration, subsistence hunting, and tribal food practices. To balance the hegemony of Settler institutions, activists build Indigenous institutions, such as tribal colleges, clinics, and courts, as well as revitalizing sacred ceremonies, like the Bear Dance, and social ceremonies, like Canoe Journey. When Indigenous peoples speak original languages and share their histories and philosophies within the stream of contemporary world histories, they are able to relieve, locally, some of the more alienating sensations of pan-capitalist globalization. Self-determination occurs the moment these practices become expected modes of community self-governance, as in the case of tribal courts. When we realize the ways that global information systems accumulate data for decision-making about Indigenous lands, waters, and bodies, then we can see how Indigenous peoples use information systems to build knowledge with one other toward self-determination. To design a tribal program takes information, including ways of knowing and the technical systems for channelling data, information, and knowledge. The Native Nations Institute at the University of Arizona is creating a database of hundreds of hours of videos of tribal leaders sharing their experiences. The Northwest Portland Indian Health Board hosts a database for recording incidence of disease across tribal communities, so that leaders can plan for their community’s wellbeing. The work of Eloise Cobell represented a remarkable realization for many US Native peoples: we instinctively knew the land had been stolen, but an audit created the record to prove each case in a detail that could not be denied in US courts. Similarly, Idle No More represented a remarkable realization for many activists: here was a case that revealed the political capacity of Indigenous peoples communicating transnationally through social media networks and mobile devices. Building the information systems—including the technical infrastructure, policies, interfaces, jobs, and educational programs—toward decolonizing Indigenous homelands is an act of self-determination. Sharing information inter-tribally, through networks of Indigenous peoples and allies, transforms silos of data into actionable information and builds communal knowledge about how to deal with the many manifestations of colonialism. For this reason, the Native American Broadband Association referred to broadband Internet across tribal homelands as the “third network,” powerful enough to substantially change Native daily life. However, unlike the first two networks, the railroad and the electric power grid, US Native peoples can have a say over this build-out process (Native American Broadband Association 2011). Indeed, in 2013, the Navajo Nation completed a key phase in a $32 million dollar project to build a wireless mesh broadband network across the reservation, including a data broadband center and regulatory commission to oversee data flows, network use policies, and to strategize long-term planning. The goal is to create a digital environment in the Navajo Nation that makes it possible for the community to build their own systems for self-governance and the flourishing of Navajo language and culture. Friedman ironically titled his 2005 bestseller The World is Flat. As Indigenous peoples, we are keenly aware that the world is neither flat nor frictionless. The sensations of immediacy, urgency, and placelessness that accompany heavy use of digital networked systems are also accompanied by sensations of alienation, information overload, and consumerist ideation. Indigenous peoples who observe the ecological devastation of their homelands due to economic wars of the global elite recognize the psychological and philosophical entanglements of a technologically dependent social order. But many Indigenous peoples also harness ICTs to surface Native ways of knowing that extend beyond situated locales. Designers of tribal community-based broadband Internet systems see their efforts as part of a bigger process for laying the groundwork to architect Indigenous possibility. Scholars and artists use ICTs to incrementally divest occupying powers in Native homelands across political, intellectual, and spiritual domains, filling the vacuum with ways of knowing that stem from an awareness of anti-colonial resistance and the hope for the flourishing of Indigenous peoples beyond colonialism. Indigenous uses of ICTs are about connecting to homelands, strengthening ways of knowing, participating in global markets as a matter of choice and not coercion, and disseminating Indigenous ideas about what it takes to survive, resist, and transform. Alfred, T., and Corntassel, J. (2005) “Being Indigenous: Resurgences Against Contemporary Colonialism.” Government and Opposition, 40(4): 597–614. Alia, V. (2010) The New Media Nation: Indigenous Peoples and Global Communication. Oxford: Berghan. Beaton, B. (2009) “Online Resources About Keewaytinook Okimakanak, the Kuhkenah Network (K-Net) and Associated Broadband Applications.” The Journal of Community Informatics, 5(2). Belarde-Lewis, M. (2011) “Sharing the Private in Public: Indigenous Cultural Property in Online Media,” Proceedings of the 2011 iConference, University of Washington, Seattle, 8-11 February. New York: ACM. Belarde-Lewis, M. (2013) From Six Directions: Documenting and Protecting Zuni Knowledge in Multiple Environments. Unpublished PhD Dissertation. University of Washington, Seattle. Blevins, M. (2012) “The Hashtag Uprising: Analyzing #IdleNoMore’s Social Media Footprint.” The Globe and Mail, December 31. Available at: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/the-hashtag-uprising-analyzing-idlenomores-social-media-footprint/article6825316/ (Accessed 31 January 2014). Castells, M. (2007) The Power of Identity: The Information Age: Economy, Society, and Culture. vol. 2. New York: Wiley-Blackwell. Clarkson, G., Trond, A., and Batcheller, A. (2007) “Information Asymmetry and Information Sharing.” Government Information Quarterly, 24(4): 827–39. DeBruyn, H. (2012) The First Nations ISP Guide: Providing Internet Services, Managing Operations. West Vancouver, British Columbia: First Nations Technology Council. Dei, G. (2000) “Rethinking the Role of Indigenous Knowledges in the Academy.” International Journal of Inclusive Education, 4(2): 111-32. Deloria, V., Jr., and Lytle, C, (1983) American Indians, American Justice. Austin: University of Texas Press. Dourish, P., and Bell, G. (2011) Divining a Digital Future: Mess and Mythology in Ubiquitous Computing. Cambridge: MIT Press. Duarte, M.E. (2011) ‘Resistance and Technology Roundtable: ICT4Sovereignty: History, Access, and Terrain in the Innovation of ICTs in Native America’. Internet Research 12.0 – Performance and Participation (Annual Conference of the Association of Internet Researchers). Seattle, Washington, 10-13 October. Duarte, M. E. (2013a) Network Sovereignty: Understanding the Social and Political Impacts of Tribal Broadband Infrastructures. Unpublished PhD Dissertation. University of Washington, Seattle. Duarte, M. E. (2013b) Network Sovereignty: Building the Infrastructure Toward Intellectual Freedom in Indian Country. Invited lecture at the School of Library and Information Science, University of Wisconsin-Madison, April 18. Ellul, J. (1964) The Technological Society. New York: Knopf. Friedman, T. (2005) The World is Flat: A Brief History of the 21st Century. New York: Farrar, Strauss, and Giroux. Gates, B. (1995) The Road Ahead. New York: Viking Penguin. Gates, B. (1999) Business @ The Speed of Thought: Using a Digital Nervous System. New York: Grand Central Publishing. Harry, D. (2006) “The Rights of Indigenous Peoples to Permanent Sovereignty Over Genetic Resources and Associated Indigenous Knowledge.” Journal of Indigenous Policy, 6: 28-43. Heidegger, M. (1977) The Question Concerning Technology. New York: Harper Colophon. Holm, T., Pearson, J.D., and Chavis, B. (2003) “Peoplehood: A Model for the Extension of Sovereignty in American Indian Studies.” Wicazo sa Review, 18(1): 7-24. Howard, P. (2010) The Internet and Islam: The Digital Origins of Dictatorship and Democracy. New York: Oxford University Press. Latour, B. (1991) “Technology is Society Made Durable.” In: Law, J. ed. A Sociology of Monsters: Essays on Power, Technology, and Domination. London: Routledge. Law, J. (1991) “Power, Discretion, and Strategy.” In: Law, J. ed. A Sociology of Monsters: Essays on Power, Technology, and Domination. London: Routledge. Merjian, A.H. (2010) “An Unbroken Chain of Injustice: The Dawes Act, Native American Trust, and Cobell v. Salazar.” Gonzaga Law Review, 46(3): 609-58. Mumford, L. (1934) Technics and Civilization. Chicago: University of Chicago Press. Nahon, K., and Helmsley, J. (2013) Going Viral. New York: Polity. Native American Broadband Association. (2010) Native American Broadband Association. Available at: http://www.nativeamericanbroadband.org (Accessed 15 January 2014). Niezen, R. (2003) The Origins of Indigenism: Human Rights and the Politics of Identity. Berkeley, CA: University of California Press. O’Carroll, A.D. (2013) Kanohi Ti Ke Kanoha (Face to Face) – A Thing of the Past?: It’s Cold Pressing Your Nose Against the Screen. Invited lecture at the Information School, University of Washington, September 30. Quijano, A. (1992) “Coloniality in Modernity/Rationality.” In: Therborn, G. ed. Globalizations and Modernities. Stockholm: Forksningsradnamnden. Smallacombe, S. (2006) “Think Global, Act Local: Protecting the Traditional Knowledge of Indigenous Peoples,” Journal of Indigenous Policy, 6: 4-13. Star, S. (1999) “The Ethnography of Infrastructure.” American Behavioral Scientist, 43(3): 377-91. Tehranian, M. (1999) Global Communication and World Politics: Domination, Development, and Discourse. Boulder, CO: Lynn-Reinhardt. Waziyatawin, and Yellow Bird, M. (2005) For Indigenous Eyes. Santa Fe, NM: School of Advanced Research Press. Wilson, P., and Stewart, M. (2008) Global Indigenous Media: Cultures, Poetics, and Politics. Durham, NC: Duke University Press. Woons, M. (2013) “The ‘Idle No More’ Movement and Global Indifference to Indigenous Nationalism.” AlterNative:An International Journal of Indigenous Peoples, 9(2): 172-7. Interview - Amandine Hostein Decolonizing Borders Indigenous Perspectives on International Relations Theory The Colonial Politics of Recognition in Trudeau’s Relationship with Indigenous N... From Standing Rock to Resistance in Context: Towards Anarchism against Settler C... Connectivity, Communications and Technology About The Author ( Marisa Elena Duarte): Marisa Elena Duarte received her PhD in information science from the University of Washington. While there, she co-founded the Indigenous Information Research Group, a team of seven Native and Indigenous doctoral researchers examining problems of information, knowledge, and technology in Native and Indigenous communities. She is currently advancing a research agenda on the processes and social impacts of weaving the infrastructure for mobile ICTs into Indian Country. She is a past co-chair of the Tribal Telecom & Technology Summit, and is a current postdoctoral fellow with the Program in American Indian & Indigenous Studies at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign. She is also a member of the Pascua Yaqui Tribe. Tags: communications, ICTs, indigenous, Indigenous Self-Determination, information technology, self-determination

cc/2020-05/en_head_0049.json.gz/line1539781

__label__wiki

Unsettling technologies Rachel Maclean’s digital dystopias An exhibition at the Zabludowicz Collection considers what AI’s social consequences might be by E.C. ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE (AI) is the most discussed technology of the 21st century, but conceptualisations of it in art, film and literature have not progressed much since the 20th. Traces of Maria, the destructive cyborg vamp in “Metropolis” (1927), can be detected in Ava, the innocent yet sexualised humanoid robot of “Ex Machina” (2015). There is little interest in the question of what new technology will mean for human beings beyond an existential one: “will machines destroy us, and come to rule?” But what might this destruction or control look like? Will AI bring wide-reaching changes to society, or simply exacerbate existing social problems? Rachel Maclean, a multimedia artist, grapples with these difficult questions. Her early work focused on the internet. “Lolcats” (2012), a 13-minute video, features a cast of stylised cats and kittens drawn from the first generation of memes—funny pictures of anthropomorphised felines. The Lolcats vie for authority in the desert, acting out a drama that is part revenge tragedy, part “Mad Max”. The film is hilarious, and asks a question that recurs in Ms Maclean’s work: why does technology seem to expose humanity’s basest instincts in terms of humour, entertainment and power? Ms Maclean uses saturated colours, exaggeration and disturbing images to get her message across. Her work is usually visually overwhelming and fast-moving, and not for the faint of heart. “We Want Data” (2016), a series of prints, depicts human-emoji hybrids either presiding over the denizens of their world or else being eaten by them. “It’s What’s Inside That Counts” (2016), a short film, has the bright and vivid feel of a children’s cartoon that belies its darker message. One female character has a touch screen grafted on to her abdomen, and it is brutally smashed in a simulation of “real” violence. Ms Maclean uses existing templates—advertising, social media, animations—to show how technological development can create or cement social hierarchies. An exhibition at the Zabludowicz Collection in London features new work of a similar bent, but with a keener focus on gender, wealth and AI. “Make Me Up” (pictured), a film, is a baroque and bloody version of “America’s Next Top Model”. A group of women named Siri, Alexa and Cortana compete for an unspecified prize and are surgically altered into sexy performing dolls. They are directed by a “Mistress” via a touch-screen remote; AI controls and coerces the women, transmogrifying them into humanoid sex robots. While technology would seem to offer opportunity—the women find out about free surgeries through Instagram—in fact it relegates them to the status of servants. “Spite Your Face”, another film, picks up themes of wealth, monopolies and abuses of power. A poor young man named Pic has the luck of discovering a disembodied golden nose, which he trades in for one wish from a virtual Aphrodite. He chooses to enrich himself and becomes an internet mogul, zealously enforcing the boundary between the wealthy digital world and the impoverished analogue world. Pic justifies his behaviour by repeating familiar sentiments: that anyone might become wealthy, with willing, and that mainstream political views are untruths (fake news, in other words). “Spite Your Face”, like “Make Me Up”, suggests that technology provides new opportunities for subjugation and ghettoisation. The question, Ms Maclean makes clear, is not whether machines will destroy societies and communities but how they might go about it. “Make Me Up” offers disturbing variations on familiar technology. Remote controls force the women to dance, speed up, slow down, choke or stop talking. A surveillance AI—in the form of bubblegum-pink eyes on stalks (pictured, top)—assesses the women’s facial expressions. “Cortanna > Sexy > Good Girl” is rewarded, while “Siri > Angry > Naughty Girl” is punished. The boxes used to identify the women resemble the facial-recognition tagging functions on Facebook and Instagram. We have already laid the foundations for these technologies, it seems to say, so how long until this kind of imaginative creation becomes real? As such, Ms Maclean’s warnings are vivid. Her strange dystopian dream-worlds—full of anger, violence, coercion and exclusion—demand that the viewer think more critically about the future of new technologies. At a time when the AI debate focuses upon its implications for global politics, her art imagines the impact on humans’ physical and psychological wellbeing.

cc/2020-05/en_head_0049.json.gz/line1539784

__label__cc

International demand increases for prime London property KUALA LUMPUR: The 14% decline in the value of the pound against the US dollar since last summer is a significant boost to many overseas buyers with dollar assets, according to Black Brick managing partner Camilla Dell. Black Brick is an independent property buying agency covering London and the home counties of Kent, Surrey and Sussex. “We are of the view that the upcoming UK election and uncertainty over the eurozone will not take much wind out of investor enthusiasm for prime London properties,” Dell said. “With vendors increasingly nervous about the prospect of further tax changes affecting high-end properties post-UK general election, we continue to believe that the current environment provides an excellent opportunity for those with a long-term prospective.” Prime central London property prices registered a 4.2% drop in the fourth quarter of 2014, and buyers are now faced with a 5% hike in stamp duty land tax (SDLT). However, according to Black Brick, there has been scant evidence of deals falling through due to the SDLT changes, reflecting the market’s ability to absorb higher tax rates and adjust accordingly. Figures recently released by the UK government revealed that the proportion of investor visas granted to Chinese nationals investing at least £1 million (RM5.45 million) in the United Kingdom doubled to 43% between January and September 2014, while it stood at 10% five years ago. A recent research commissioned by international law firm Pinsent Masons estimates that investments of over £36 billion are expected to flow from China into UK real estate between now and 2025, and that by 2025, the annual Chinese investment in the UK will reach £30 billion. “Against the slowing Chinese economy and falling prices in the Chinese property market, high net worth Chinese individuals are increasingly looking abroad for investment opportunities,” said the company. Following policy changes in October last year, foreign applicants are now required to invest £2 million or more in UK government bonds, share capital or loan capital in active and trading UK-registered companies to be eligible for an investor visa. This article first appeared in The Edge Financial Daily, on January 23, 2015.

cc/2020-05/en_head_0049.json.gz/line1539786

__label__cc

You are on: Egofelix Magazine - Where dust was coming from? Marith Reheis Where dust was coming from? Marith Reheis June 8, 2018 Science No Comments Marith Reheis is a research geologist with the US Geological Survey who studies dust. Marith Reheis: When I started doing this, I did everything… I would spend at least four weeks a year, driving around in the Mojave Desert from dust trap to dust trap, getting the samples, and having wonderful adventures! I really miss that part of it, actually. Right now dust is a hot topic. Researchers are investigating the effects of airborne dust on pollution, climate change, soil composition, and human lungs. Scientists can analyze the chemical composition of even a single grain of dust. But the way Reheis collects dust is very low tech. She has to design dust traps that sit unattended for years. Marith Reheis: They needed to be cheap, because there were a lot of them. They needed to be easy to maintain so that if anything went wrong, I could find replacements in, say, Blythe, California, as opposed to having to order them from New York City, and so I came up with an angel food cake pan, and that’s what I still use. So if you’re hiking in the desert and come across a cake pan – mounted on a steel fence post, filled with glass marbles to hold in the dust — leave it alone. It’s collecting scientific data. Excerpts from an interview about dust with Marith Reheis One of the questions, of course, was where this dust was coming from, and …what kind of change was it producing in the soils? So I put out dust traps. It wasn’t completely a unique idea, people had done it down in New Mexico What’s a dust trap It’s just a pan, or some kind of container, either on the ground, or somewhere farther up in the air above the ground that catches dust. And then you can wash the dust out and analyze it. See what it’s made of, what grain sizes it’s made of, and so forth. What it actually is constructed of depends on the person. You can put a grain on a mount and both look at it physically in huge magnification, but also determine exactly the distribution — it’s like a map — of the elements in that grain. So if it’s a grain of quartz — SiO2 — you can actually map the distribution of silica. Most of my time now is spent trying to analyze the data. And I do very little of the actual dust collection… when I started doing this, I did everything, and for many years, for ten years, I would spend at least four weeks a year, driving around in the Mojave Desert from dust trap to dust trap, getting the samples, and having wonderful adventures! I really miss that part of it actually. My husband probably doesn’t miss it, because I was gone a lot. I’m one of those people who despise staying in motels and think fieldwork should be done by being out there. So I would pick up a field assistant and load up, stuff my car with camping gear, and just go. And I really enjoyed that. After collecting samples, takes a couple of months of lab work to analyze it… A lot of people do pieces of the task. So, one person is responsible for doing the particle size, and the conductivity and soluble salts measurements. A second person gets a split and they do the organic and inorganic carbon. And a third person gets another piece, and they do the phosphorus fractions to look at soil fertility. A fourth person does carbon and nitrogen isotopes, if we have that much sample. Another person will do extracts of human toxicity effects. It goes on and on. It just depends on how far we can milk the sample in terms of sample size. These dust traps, because they had to be, they were sitting out, and they still do, for a year at a time, as much as a year at a time, with nobody checking on them. And they needed to be cheap, because there were a lot of them. They needed to be easy to maintain so that if anything went wrong, I could find replacements in, say, Blythe, California, as opposed to having to order them from New York City, and so I came up with an angel food cake pan, and that’s what I still use. At each site, typically requires a hike of at least a half a mile, and sometimes as many as two or three miles because of placement and because it needs to be way away from roads…I don’t want people knowing where these are, because they can’t resist. The nice ones just sort of look at them and take few marbles. But more often, in those kinds of areas, they tend to use them as shotgun targets But they have proved to be extremely durable and extremely reliable beyond my wildest expectations Being able to really tell people who don’t know anything about geology. They say, “What are you doing out here?” I say, “I’m collecting dust.” “Ha ha ha want some from under my bed. And because we know enough now to be able to say with some certainty that yeah, but it’s the dust in the soils that allows you to grow crops, because it’s dust coming from other places that replenishes the nutrients that plants need to grow. That gets their attention. That gets them to sit up and say, “Oh! You really do do something interesting. The first five, ten years that I was doing this work, it was basically a big joke to most of my colleagues. There was not a whole lot of appreciation for why it was necessary to go out and collect dust samples. « Nanowires – protein fibers with gold and silver atoms 22° halo – St. Petersburg display of June 18, 1790 » Published by Andrew C About author: Everything is changing and transient from one moment to another. In this life I have the opportunity to change something by telling everyone something about truth, nature, love, universe, peace and tranquility, balance and respect we should have for nature around us. See all the posts published by Andrew C →

cc/2020-05/en_head_0049.json.gz/line1539790

__label__cc

Suffolk MP, Dr Dan Poulter, officially opens new Outdoor Classroom at Heath Primary School, Kesgrave Friday, 18 October, 2019 Central Suffolk and North Ipswich MP, Dr Dan Poulter, was delighted to visit Heath Primary School on Friday 18th October, to formally open their brand new Outdoor Learning classroom. In recent years, Heath Primary School has invested a lot of time and energy into developing its outdoor space to provide fantastic outdoor learning opportunities for its pupils all year round. To date, the completed outdoor projects include a working garden, complete with an eco-greenhouse, allotment, orchard and workshop; a Forest Schools area, wildlife pond and dipping platform and animal enclosures housing rabbits, chickens and ducks, not to mention a number of mini-beast hotels and a bird-watching screen. The outdoor classroom and projects have been almost exclusively funded from outside sources, including the school’s own Parents and Friends Association (PFA) and alongside grants from Tesco’s Bags for Life scheme, the Sugar Tax fund and Kesgrave Town Council’s SPARK fund. Not resting on its laurels, Heath Primary School is now seeking funding to start work on creating a sensory garden, which will provide a quiet and reflective space for both children and adults. During his visit, Dr Poulter met with a number of the pupils set to benefit from the new outdoor learning experience and he also took some time out to be interviewed by the school’s very own team of budding news reporters from "Heath News", who put questions to their MP about the effects of Brexit on Halloween, life as an MP and climate change. Speaking about his visit, Dr Dan Poulter said “I was absolutely delighted to have been asked to officially open Heath Primary School’s fantastic new outdoor learning classroom. Aside from providing a wonderful space for the children to benefit from outdoor learning, this classroom also provides an essential quiet space during playtime or lunchtime for those who prefer not to be caught up in the hustle and bustle of playground activities.” “It’s clear to see that Mr Whatley and his team are incredibly enthusiastic about providing an outstanding environment for the children to learn in and I look forward to visiting the school again soon.” Co-Head Teacher, Mr David Whatley said “Here at Heath Primary School, we are passionate in providing our children with a broad and balanced curriculum and we take a very holistic approach to learning. Outdoor learning is a key part of the experience here at Heath – research shows that being outdoors is strongly linked to good mental health and we were delighted that our local MP, Dr Dan Poulter, was able to officially open our new learning setting.”

cc/2020-05/en_head_0049.json.gz/line1539791

__label__cc

Institute of Medieval and Early Modern Studies (IMEMS) Institute of Medieval and Early Modern Studies (IMEMS) ⇨ Staff & Governance Staff and Governance The day-to-day running of IMEMS is the responsibility of the Core Executive Committee, comprising the Director and Associate Directors and the Administrator. Publication details for Dr Pam Graves Graves, C.P. (2008). Architectural fragments. In Finds from the Well at St Paul-in-the-Bail, Lincoln. Mann, J. Oxford: Lincoln Archaeological Studies, Oxbow Books. 9: 20-22. Publication type: Chapter in book Dr Pam Graves Identification and analysis of an assemblage of architectural fragments from the well; discussion of the possible origins and use of the well; discussion of the implications of the architectural fragments in terms of iconoclasm. Full Executive Committee Our Full Executive Committee is made up of the Core Executive Committee, listed above, plus a number of executive members including: We are extremely fortunate to have be able to call on the help and guidance of colleagues from around the world who help to shape and guide our direction, strategy and international reach. Our current Advisory Board members are: Institute of Medieval and Early Modern Studies Student Association (MEMSA) Events & Outreach Research & UNESCO MA Programme & Short Courses Durham Early Modern Conference

cc/2020-05/en_head_0049.json.gz/line1539794

__label__wiki

Ex-wife's revenge PUBLISHED: 11:53 06 December 2007 | UPDATED: 13:07 04 May 2010 CARE assistant Kim Blinston sought revenge on her ex-husband s new lover with a Valentine s Day arson attack. When she discovered her former friend Claire Giddens was in a relationship with ex-husband, Gary, she went to her Soham home to try to set fire t CARE assistant Kim Blinston sought revenge on her ex-husband's new lover with a Valentine's Day arson attack. When she discovered her former friend Claire Giddens was in a relationship with ex-husband, Gary, she went to her Soham home to try to set fire to her car with a burning newspaper. But fearing the car's petrol tank would explode she changed her mind, stamped on the newspaper and put it through Miss Giddens' letterbox instead. Despite Blinston's "moment of madness", Miss Giddens pleaded with a Crown Court judge not to send her former friend to prison for the sake of her nine-year-old son. She gave a written statement to the court as Blinston awaited sentence after admitting arson and criminal damage. Blinston was given a jail term, suspended for two years and an Anti-Social Behaviour Order for her actions. Miss Giddens, of Gadwall Way, Soham said: "Prison is not the right place for her. I didn't want her son left on his own." Cambridge Crown Court was told that Blinston, 45, of Station Road, Soham, was furious when her son came home from school and said his dad was "friends with Clare". On the night of the attack she had drunk about a third of a bottle of vodka before going round to Miss Giddens' house at about 11pm. She heard the letterbox rattle and when she looked through the curtains Blinston screamed abuse. After the hearing, Blinston said: "I felt betrayed, like someone had punched me in the stomach. I just saw red." She said it was a "moment of madness" she had spent the last nine months living with since her arrest. Blinston was given a nine-month prison sentence, suspended for two years, and was ordered to pay £200 compensation to Miss Giddens and £200 court costs. She was also ordered not to contact Miss Giddens and made the subject of an ASBO. After the case, Blinston said: "I think we all want to move on." Mr Blinston said: "None of us are bad people and I just hope that all of us can move on and be happy.

cc/2020-05/en_head_0049.json.gz/line1539798

__label__cc

Jean-Philippe Rameau: Hippolyte et Aricie Sir Simon Rattle conducts the Freiburg Baroque Orchestra & State Opera Choir The French Baroque opera Hippolyte et Aricie carries its audience away into a world of wonder with magnificent dance and choir scenes and an astonishing variety of musical… Berliner Philharmoniker EUROPAKONZERT 2019 The Berliner Philharmoniker celebrate their founding day (May 1st, 1882) every year in a European city of cultural significance: In 2019, the European Concert with Daniel Harding came from the Musée d’Orsay, Paris. The 2019 European Concert is a… Maurice Béjart – Mass For The Future Time “The man of the future will overcome man, but will rediscover what it is to be human while having become something fundamentally different.“ (Maurice Bejart) Maurice Bejart and the Ballet du XXème siècle with a visionary and groundbreaking… Great Beethoven Basics An extensive DVD box of beloved Beethoven classics. Including legendary performances such as the Piano Sonatas played by Daniel Barenboim at Palais Kinsky and Schloss Hetzendorf in Vienna from 1983-1984. Including superstar soloists such as Boris… Tchaikovsky: Swan Lake - Choreography by Martin Schläpfer Tchaikovsky’s “Swan Lake” is the most famous ballet of all time. In this version by Ballett am Rhein and Martin Schläpfer, the Swiss choreographer utilises his unique dance vocabulary— which is physical and highly expressive in equal measure—to focus… Maurice Béjart – Leap-in-time Edition “Rite of Spring” & “Bolero” Previously unreleased material with Maurice Béjart and the Béjart Ballet Lausanne (the former Ballet of the 20th Century)– newly digitised and restored. Apart from "Rite of Spring" , this edition features Béjart's masterpiece "Boléro" , set to… Antonio Pappano plays and explains Rachmaninoff’s Symphony No. 2 Antonio Pappano together with the Sächsische Staatskapelle Dresden are presenting a symphonic work with particular relevance for Dresden: Rachmaninoff‘s Symphony No. 2, which was written during the composer‘s years at the Saxon residency. The Little Mermaid - Czech National Ballet A ballet based on the fairy tale by Hans Christian Andersen This beautiful ballet, based on the famous fairy tale by Hans Christian Andersen, tells the heartbreaking story of a young mermaid who is willing to give up her life and identity out of love… Antonio Gades - Spanish Dances from the Teatro Real Four Spanish flamenco dance signature pieces choreographed by legendary Spanish flamenco dancer and choreographer Antonio Gades (1936 – 2004). DVD 1 CARMEN (112 mins) Based on the novella Carmen (1845) by Prosper Mérimée This matchless ballet… Babel 7.16 Taking the tale of 'The Tower of Babel' as its starting point the dance performance explores language and its relationship with nationhood, identity and religion. Presented in the famous Cour d’Honneur du Palais des Papes choreaographers Sidi Larbi…

cc/2020-05/en_head_0049.json.gz/line1539804

__label__cc

Home > News & Events > Financial Institution Letters [Federal Register: December 5, 2000 (Volume 65, Number 234)] [Rules and Regulations] [Page 75856-75859] From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov] [DOCID:fr05de00-2] [[Page 75856]] [Docket No. 00-28] RIN 1557-AB14 [Regulation H and Y; Docket No. R-1087] RIN 3064-AC46 Risk-Based Capital Guidelines; Market Risk Measure; Securities Borrowing Transactions AGENCIES: Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, Treasury; Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System; and Federal Deposit Insurance ACTION: Interim rule with request for comment. SUMMARY: The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC), the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (Board), and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) (collectively, the Agencies) are issuing an interim rule with a request for comment that amends their market risk rules to revise the capital treatment for cash collateral that is posted in connection with certain securities borrowing transactions. The effect of the interim rule is to more appropriately align the capital requirements for these transactions with the risk involved and to provide a capital treatment for U.S. banking organizations that is more in line with the capital treatment applied to their domestic and foreign competitors. DATES: This interim rule is effective January 4, 2001. U.S. banking organizations may apply the provisions of this interim rule beginning December 5, 2000. Comments must be received by January 19, 2001. ADDRESSES: Comments should be directed to: OCC: Written comments may be submitted electronically to regs.comments@occ.treas.gov or by mail to Docket No. 00-28, Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, Public Information Room, 250 E Street, SW, Mail Stop 1-5, Washington, DC 20219. Comments will be available for inspection and photocopying at that address. Board: Comments, which should refer to Docket No. R-1087, may be mailed to Ms. Jennifer J. Johnson, Secretary, Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, 20th and C Streets, NW, Washington, DC 20551, or mailed electronically to regs.comments@federalreserve.gov. Comments addressed to Ms. Johnson may be delivered to the Board's mailroom between 8:45 a.m. and 5:15 p.m., and to the security control room outside of those hours. Both the mailroom and the security control room are accessible from the courtyard entrance on 20th Street between Constitution Avenue and C Street, NW. Comments may be inspected in Room MP-500 between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. weekdays pursuant to Sec. 261.12, except as provided in Sec. 261.14 of the Board's Rules Regarding Availability of Information, 12 CFR 261.12 and 261.14. FDIC: Written comments should be addressed to Robert E. Feldman, Executive Secretary, Attention: Comments/OES, Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, 550 17th Street, NW, Washington, DC 20429. Comments may be hand delivered to the guard station at the rear of the 550 17th Street Building (located on F Street), on business days between 7 a.m. and 5 p.m. (Fax number: (202) 898-3838; Internet address: comments@fdic.gov). Comments may be inspected and photocopied in the FDIC Public Information Center, Room 100, 801 17th Street, NW, Washington, DC, between 9 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. on business days. OCC: Roger Tufts, Senior Economic Advisor, Capital Policy (202) 874-5070, or Ron Shimabukuro, Senior Attorney, Legislative and Regulatory Activities Division (202) 874-5090, Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, 250 E Street, SW, Washington, DC 20219. Board: Norah Barger, Assistant Director (202/452-2402), or David Adkins, Supervisory Financial Analyst (202/452-5259), Division of Banking Supervision and Regulation. For the hearing impaired only, Telecommunication Device for the Deaf (TDD), Janice Simms (202/872- 4984), Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, 20th and C Streets, NW, Washington, DC 20551. FDIC: Stephen G. Pfeifer, Examination Specialist (202/898-8904), Accounting Section, Division of Supervision; Michael B. Phillips, Counsel, (202/898-3581), Legal Division, Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, 550 17th Street, NW, Washington, DC 20429. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Securities borrowing transactions were not specifically addressed in the July 1988 agreement entitled ``International Convergence of Capital Measurement and Capital Standards'' (Basel Accord), nor in the risk-based capital guidelines adopted by the Agencies in 1989.\1\ At that time, the involvement of U.S. banking organizations in corporate debt and equity securities trading activities was limited. However, in recent years, U.S. banking organizations have experienced a rapid growth of such activities, and it is recognized that securities borrowing transactions serve an important function in the operation of securities markets. Securities borrowings are used in conjunction with short sales, securities fails (securities sold but not made available for delivery on the settlement date), and option and arbitrage positions. Securities are also borrowed in order to be pledged against public fund deposits. Securities borrowing enhances market efficiency and provides an important source of liquidity to the securities markets. \1\ The Basel Accord was developed by the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision and endorsed by the central bank governors of the Group of Ten (G-10) countries. The Basel Accord provides a framework for assessing the capital adequacy of a depository institution by risk weighting its assets and off-balance sheet exposures primarily based on credit risk. The Basel Committee on Banking Supervision consists of representatives of the supervisory authorities and central banks from the Group of Ten countries (Belgium, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom, United States), and Luxembourg. In a typical securities borrowing transaction, a party (for example, a banking organization) needing to borrow securities obtains the securities from a securities lender and posts collateral in the form of cash or highly marketable securities with the securities lender (or an agent acting on behalf of the securities lender) in an amount that fully covers the value of the securities borrowed plus an additional margin, usually ranging from two to five percent. In accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles, cash collateral posted with the securities lender is treated as a receivable on the books of the securities borrower (that is, it is treated as a cash loan from the securities borrower to the securities lender, who is the obligor). Under the existing capital rules, the securities borrower must hold capital against the full amount of this receivable, i.e., the collateral posted. The borrowed securities generally remain on the balance sheet of the securities lender, and, therefore, no additional capital charge is incurred by the securities borrower. Where a securities borrower posts collateral in the form of securities that continue to be carried on the borrower's books, the only capital charge incurred by the borrower under the present guidelines is that associated with a direct holding of the securities. The Agencies recognize that securities borrowing is a long- established financial activity that historically has resulted in an exceedingly low level of losses. Applying a standard 100 percent risk weight to the full amount of the cash collateral posted to support such borrowings, the Agencies further recognize, results in a capital charge that is inordinately high, not only in light of the risk involved in the transactions, but also in comparison to the capital required by other U.S. and non-U.S. regulators of financial firms for the same transactions. Further, under the current capital rules, a banking organization incurs no incremental capital charge when it borrows securities and posts securities to collateralize the borrowing, even though it is at risk for the amount by which the collateral exceeds the value of the securities borrowed. The Agencies are issuing an interim rule that better reflects the low risk of securities borrowing and the posting of cash collateral in connection with such transactions and brings the capital requirements for U.S. banking organizations into better alignment with the capital requirements of other U.S. and non-U.S. regulators of financial Specifically, the Agencies are adopting an interim rule that permits banking organizations under the market risk rules to exclude from risk-weighted assets receivables arising from the posting of cash collateral associated with securities borrowing transactions to the extent such receivables are collateralized by the market value of the securities borrowed, subject to the following conditions: 1. The transaction is based on securities includable in the trading book that are liquid and readily marketable; 2. The transaction is marked to market daily; 3. The transaction is subject to daily margin maintenance requirements, and; 4. The transaction is a securities contract for the purposes of section 555 of the Bankruptcy Code (11 U.S.C. 555), a qualified financial contract for the purpose of section 11(e)(8) of the Federal Deposit Insurance Act (12 U.S.C. 1821(e)(8)), or a netting contract between or among financial institutions for the purposes of sections 401-407 of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Improvement Act of 1991 (12 U.S.C. 4401-4407), or the Board's Regulation EE (12 CFR Part Under this treatment, the amount of the receivable created in connection with the posting of cash collateral in a securities borrowing transaction that would be excluded from the securities borrower's adjusted risk-weighted assets is limited to the portion that is collateralized by the market value of the securities borrowed. The uncollateralized portion, which equals the difference between the amount of cash collateral that the securities borrower posts in support of the borrowing and the current market value of the securities borrowed, would be assigned to the risk weight appropriate to the obligor. The Agencies note that the Basel Accord is currently under revision. These revisions could result in a more risk-sensitive treatment for securities borrowing transactions. Accordingly, banking organizations should be aware that this capital treatment under the market risk rules is subject to change pending the outcome of the Basel revisions, which may call for higher capital charges for securities borrowing and similar transactions. The Agencies welcome comment on all aspects of this interim rule. In particular, the Agencies request industry views on the capital treatment of the posting of securities collateral associated with securities borrowing transactions. Under the current capital rules and the interim rule, the posting of securities collateral will continue to not incur a capital charge even though the securities borrower is at risk (as it is where cash is posted as collateral) for the amount by which the securities collateral exceeds the value of the securities borrowed. The Agencies recognize that a strong case can be made for achieving a greater consistency between the treatment of the posting of cash collateral and the posting of securities collateral by requiring a capital charge on the amount by which the market value of the securities posted as collateral exceeds the market value of securities borrowed. This could be accomplished under the present capital framework, for example, by requiring the difference in the market value of the securities posted as collateral and that of the securities borrowed to be treated as a securities lending transaction. Under such a treatment, the difference would be converted at 100 percent to an on- balance sheet credit equivalent amount and risk-weighted according to the obligor. Industry views are sought on whether the Agencies should seek to further equalize the capital treatment of cash and securities collateral posted in support of a securities borrowing transaction. In addition, the Agencies are specifically interested in whether this revision to the calculation of the capital requirement for securities borrowing transactions should be limited only to those banking organizations that have implemented the market risk rules. Under the interim rule, no reduction in the capital requirement for these securities borrowing transactions is available to banking organizations that have not implemented an approved value-at-risk model. Accordingly, comment is sought on whether the capital treatment of securities borrowing should be modified within the non-trading portion of the risk-based capital calculation. Regulatory Flexibility Act Analysis Pursuant to section 605(b) of the Regulatory Flexibility Act, the Agencies have determined that this interim rule would not have a significant impact on a substantial number of small entities in accord with the spirit and purposes of the Regulatory Flexibility Act (5 U.S.C. 601 et seq.). Accordingly, a regulatory flexibility analysis is not required. The interim rule would reduce regulatory burden. The rule will only affect banking organizations that operate under the market risk rules which limits the applicability of the rule to organizations with significant trading operations. The rule will reduce regulatory burden for banking organizations that engage in securities borrowing transactions. Pursuant to section 553 of the Administrative Procedure Act, 5 U.S.C. 553, the Agencies find good cause for issuing this interim rule in advance of the receipt of comments from interested parties. Currently, U.S. banking organizations are at a competitive disadvantage versus certain foreign organizations because of differing capital treatment for securities borrowing transactions. The Agencies find that it is contrary to the public interest for U.S. banking organizations to be subject to more stringent rules (resulting in higher regulatory capital requirements) than direct competitor institutions outside of the U.S. that have capital charges determined from rules that are consistent with the interim rule. This rule relieves a restriction on banking organizations and fosters consistency among international institutions prior to year-end, but does not raise safety and soundness The Agencies are seeking public comment on the interim rule. The Agencies have determined that this interim rule does not involve a collection of information pursuant to the provisions of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.). OCC Unfunded Mandates Reform Act of 1995 Determinations Section 202 of the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act of 1995, Public Law 104-4 (Unfunded Mandates Act) requires that an agency prepare a budgetary impact statement before promulgating a rule that includes a Federal mandate that may result in expenditure by State, local, and tribal governments, in the aggregate, or by the private sector, of $100 million or more in any one year. If a budgetary impact statement is required, section 205 of the Unfunded Mandates Act also requires an agency to identify and consider a reasonable number of regulatory alternatives before promulgating a rule. As discussed in the preamble, this interim rule is limited to banking organizations subject to the market risk rules and to securities borrowing transactions collateralized with cash. The OCC, therefore, has determined that the interim rule will not result in expenditures by State, local, or tribal governments, or by the private sector of $100 million or more. Accordingly, the OCC has not prepared a budgetary impact statement or specifically addressed the regulatory alternatives considered. Administrative practice and procedure, Capital, National banks, Reporting and recordkeeping requirements, Risk. Accounting, Agriculture, Banks, banking, Confidential business information, Crime, Currency, Federal Reserve System, Mortgages, Reporting and recordkeeping requirements, Securities. Administrative practice and procedure, Banks, banking, Federal Reserve System, Holding companies, Reporting and recordkeeping requirements, Securities. Administrative practice and procedure, Bank deposit insurance, Banks, banking, Capital adequacy, Reporting and recordkeeping requirements, Savings associations, State non-member banks. Department of Treasury 12 CFR Chapter 1 Authority and Issuance For the reasons set out in the joint preamble, part 3 of chapter I of title 12 of the Code of Federal Regulations is amended as follows: PART 3--MINIMUM CAPITAL RATIOS; ISSUANCE OF DIRECTIVES 1. The authority citation for part 3 continues to read as follows: Authority: 12 U.S.C. 93a, 161, 1818, 1828(n), 1828 note, 1831n note, 1835, 3907 and 3909. 2. In appendix A to part 3, in section 3: a. Revise paragraph (a)(4) introductory text; and b. Add a new footnote 12a. Appendix A To Part 3--Risked-Based Capital Guidelines Section 3. Risk Categories/Weights for On-Balance Sheet Assets and Off-Balance Sheet Items (4) 100 percent risk weight. All other assets not specified above,\12a\ including: \12a\ A bank subject to the market risk capital requirements pursuant to appendix B of this part 3 may calculate the capital requirement for qualifying securities borrowing transactions pursuant to section 3(a)(1)(ii) of appendix B of this part 3. 3. In appendix B to part 3, in section 3, revise paragraph (a)(1) Appendix B to Part 3--Risk-Based Capital Guidelines; Market Risk (1) Adjusted risk-weighted assets. (i) Covered positions. Calculate adjusted risk-weighted assets, which equal risk-weighted assets (as determined in accordance with appendix A of this part), excluding the risk-weighted amount of all covered positions (except foreign exchange positions outside the trading account and over-the- counter derivatives positions).\7\ (ii) Securities borrowing transactions. In calculating adjusted risk-weighted assets, a bank also may exclude a receivable that results from the bank's posting of cash collateral in a securities borrowing transaction to the extent that the receivable is collateralized by the market value of the borrowed securities and subject to the following conditions: (A) The borrowed securities must be includable in the trading account and must be liquid and readily marketable; (B) The borrowed securities must be marked to market daily; (C) The receivable must be subject to a daily margining requirement; and (D) The securities borrowing transaction must be a securities contract for purposes of section 555 of the Bankruptcy Code (11 U.S.C. 555741(7)), a qualified financial contract for purposes of section 11(e)(8) of the Federal Deposit Insurance Act (12 U.S.C. 1821(e)(8)), or a netting contract between or among financial institutions, for purposes of sections 401-407 of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Improvement Act of 1991 (12 U.S.C. 4401-4407) or Regulation EE (12 CFR Part 231). \7\ Foreign exchange positions outside the trading account and all over-the-counter derivative positions, whether or not in the trading account, must be included in adjusted risk-weighted assets as determined in appendix A of this part 3. John D. Hawke, Jr., Comptroller of the Currency. 12 CFR Chapter 11 For the reasons set forth in the joint preamble, part 208 of chapter II of title 12 of the Code of Federal Regulations is amended as set forth below: PART 208--MEMBERSHIP OF STATE BANKING INSTITUTIONS IN THE FEDERAL RESERVE SYSTEM (REGULATION H) 1. The authority citation for part 208 continues to read as Authority: 12 U.S.C. 24, 36, 92a, 93a, 248(a), 248(c), 321-338a, 371d, 461, 481-486, 601, 611, 1814, 1816, 1818, 1820(d)(9), 1823(j), 1828(o), 1831, 1831o, 1831p-1, 1831r-1, 1835a, 1882, 2901-2907, 3105, 3310, 3331-3351, and 3906-3909; 15 U.S.C. 78b, 78l(b), 78l(g), 78l(i), 78o-4(c)(5), 78q, 78q-1, and 78w, 6801, and 6805; 31 U.S.C. 5318; 42 U.S.C. 4012a, 4104a, 4104b, 4106, and 4128. 2. In appendix E to part 208, under section 3, paragraph (a)(1) is revised to read as follows: Appendix E to part 208--Capital Adequacy Guidelines for State Member Banks; Market Risk Measure Section 3 Adjustments to the Risk-Based Capital Ratio Calculations (1) Adjusted risk-weighted assets. Calcuate adjusted risk- weighted assets, which equals risk-weighted assets (as determined in accordance with appendix A of this part), excluding the risk- weighted amounts of all covered positions (except foreign exchange positions outside the trading account and over-the counter derivative positions) \7\ and receivables arising from the posting of cash collateral that is associated with securities borrowing transactions to the extent the receivables are collateralized by the market value of the borrowed securities, provided that the following conditions are met: (i) The transaction is based on securities includable in the trading book that are liquid and readily marketable, (ii) The transaction is marked to market daily, (iii) The transaction is subject to daily margin maintenance requirements, (iv) The transaction is a securities contract for the purposes of section 555 of the Bankruptcy Code (11 U.S.C. 555), a qualified financial contract for the purposes of section 11(e)(8) of the Federal Deposit Insurance Act (12 U.S.C. 1821(e)(8)), or a netting contract between or among financial institutions for the purposes of sections 401-407 of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Improvement Act of 1991 (12 U.S.C. 4401-4407), or the Board's Regulation EE (12 CFR part 231). trading account, must be included in the adjusted risk weighted assets as determined in appendix A of this part. PART 225--BANK HOLDING COMPANIES AND CHANGE IN BANK CONTROL (REGULATION Y) Authority: 12 U.S.C. 1817(j)(13), 1818, 1828(o), 1831i, 1831p-1, 1843(c), 1844(b), 1972(1), 3106, 3108, 3310, 3331-3351, 3907. and 3909; 15 U.S.C. 6801 and 6805. Appendix E to Part 225--Capital Adequacy Guidelines for Bank Holding Companies; Market Risk Measure Section 3. Adjustments to the Risk-Based Capital Ratio Calculations (1) Adjusted risk-weighted assets. Calculate adjusted risk- positions outside the trading account and over-the-counter By order of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, November 24, 2000. Jennifer J. Johnson, Secretary of the Board. 12 CFR Chapter III chapter III of title 12 of the Code of Federal Regulations is amended PART 325--CAPITAL MAINTENANCE Authority: 12 U.S.C. 1815(a), 1815(b), 1816, 1818(a), 1818(b), 1818(c), 1818(t), 1819(Tenth), 1828(c), 1828(d), 1828(i), 1828(n), 1828(o), 1831o, 1835, 3907, 3909, 4808; Pub. L. 102-233, 105 Stat. 1761, 1789, 1790 (12 U.S.C. 1831n note); Pub. L. 102-242, 105 Stat. 2236, 2355, 2386 (12 U.S.C. 1828 note). 2. In appendix C to part 325, under section 3, paragraph (a)(1) is Appendix C to Part 325--Risk-Based Capital for State Non-Member Banks: Market Risk Dated at Washington, DC, this 21st day of November, 2000. By order of the Board of Directors. Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation. James D. LaPierre, Deputy Executive Secretary. [FR Doc. 00-30748 Filed 12-4-00; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4810-33-P 6210-01-P 6714-01-P Last Updated 12/5/2000 communications@fdic.gov

cc/2020-05/en_head_0049.json.gz/line1539805

__label__cc

CLE and Policies Update Magazine Sign Up for FDLI SmartBrief Food and Drug Law Journal Top Food and Drug Cases New to Food and Drug Law Austern Writing Competition Service to FDLI Award Protecting Trade Secrets in the Medical Product Approval Process by Kristan Lansbery Intellectual property (IP) practitioners working with company scientists are responsible for protecting company IP. But they cannot do it alone. Comprehensive vigilance across the company is required to protect trade secrets. Regulatory professionals are in a unique position to identify trade secrets because of their close interactions with the company scientists when drafting regulatory filings. This article focuses on the role that regulatory professionals can play in protecting trade secrets.1 A trade secret can be practically any information that is not generally known, is treated as a secret, and gives its owner an advantage over competitors who do not know it.2 Your IP colleagues almost certainly do not know about or track all of the company’s trade secrets for many reasons. For example, a biotech company’s trade secrets can include detailed manufacturing steps that are not individually patentable and too numerous to document, and the company scientists may not recognize them as being valuable or protectable. Regulatory professionals working with the company scientists can help their IP colleagues identify and protect trade secrets. Identifying Trade Secrets Certain questions will help you and your company think about what information is worth protecting as a trade secret. For example, How extensively is it known by internal colleagues? What measures are taken to protect it? How valuable is it? How much time, effort, and money were spent developing it? How hard and expensive would it be for competitors to achieve a similar result without it? No specific answer is required to any question above, and other questions may be more appropriate in a given industry. If you are only going to ask one question, it could be: Would we want our main competitor to know? Even if the information is only of small value in isolation, if in combination with other secrets, it could create a significant improvement and be worthy of protection. Examples of trade secrets that might be considered for incorporation into a regulatory filing: Manufacturing processes or techniques; Product formulas; Ingredients and recipes; Assays; Names of vendors and suppliers; or Unique combinations of generally known concepts. If the information can be determined from the item to be sold, it will not be protectable as a trade secret after marketing approval. Even for products that are never approved, if the clinical trial work was done with NIH funding, the design and results from those trials will need to be disclosed, which hinders trade secret protection.3 Partners Can Also Be Competitors The pharmaceutical and biotechnology fields rely on the dense interconnections of commercial partnerships, collaborations, joint ventures, and outsourcing agreements. It isn’t feasible to lock all proprietary information in a vault like the Coca-Cola formula. If detailed information about a program needs to be shared outside the company to move a business objective forward, regulatory submissions drafted as part of an approval process can end up being provided to a third party. With an established partner, such filings and other supporting documents may be shared as a routine matter. Therefore, it is worth taking time to identify company trade secrets as each regulatory submission is being drafted. When you solicit information from the scientists for the filing, that is your opportunity to ask them what information is proprietary and may be worthy of trade secret protection. This information is necessary to implement the company’s other efforts to protect the trade secrets. Non-disclosure agreements or confidentiality agreements with third parties are very unlikely to list all the company’s trade secrets. They are more likely to include statements that any information marked or identified as “confidential” or “trade secret” at the time of disclosure to the third party must be respected and protected by that third party. Accordingly, marking trade secrets in a regulatory submission gives that third party the required notice, even when the trade secret information is not easily known or identifiable at the time the agreement is signed. These efforts are especially important when platform technology may be shared. If the trade secret will remain in information that could be sent to a partner who makes similar products, that partner needs to be notified about what is your company’s trade secret and therefore not available for them for use with their own, unpartnered products. By protecting trade secrets, competitors are forced to solve problems without using your proprietary methods. Even if there aren’t any third parties directly involved, what goes to a regulatory agency may not remain protected from competitors’ eyes. In the United States, the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. §552, provides that any person has a right to access federal agency records unless the information is protected from disclosure because it falls under one of the FOIA exemptions.4 Accordingly, information in filings for marketing approval will be disclosed to any citizen that files a request unless FDA or the applicant identifies the information requested as a trade secret or as confidential information. However, trade secrets can be difficult to identify, especially in a Biologics License Application (BLA) where proprietary information can be pervasive throughout certain sub-modules of the filing or accidentally slip into other sub-modules amongst the many pages. FDA will make the fullest possible disclosure of regulatory submissions to the public, redacting trade secrets to encourage “frank internal policy deliberations.”5 They are not required to even notify an applicant of a FOIA request if the information to be disclosed “has not been designated by the [applicant] as exempt from disclosure. . . unless the agency has substantial reason to believe that disclosure of the information would result in competitive harm.”6 However, information that could result in competitive harm to your company may not be apparent to the FDA employee making the determination of whether you should be notified of the FOIA request. Because trade secrets sprinkled within the volume of pages of a regulatory filing are not necessarily easy to identify, it is critical that companies do that work for FDA up front. Without help from the applicant, FDA may not identify proprietary information and thereby may allow its release. Managing Your Trade Secrets If trade secrets are identified at the outset of the drafting process, they can be treated appropriately throughout the drafting and approval process. One option may be to leave the information out of the FDA application entirely. Alternatively, even if the secret may be important for FDA approval, it may not be as necessary for approval in another country. If so, the secret could be removed before filing outside of the United States. Just as there are different requirements for marketing approval in different countries, there are also different levels of protection for trade secrets in other countries. In certain countries, a footer designating trade secret information can be added to a page that contains sensitive information. Indiscriminate use of such markings, however, weakens the impact. If you decide to keep trade secrets in the FDA filing, you can make them exempt from FOIA by identifying them in the filing and by being particular about where to put trade secrets within the filing. Proprietary information can be identified in writing either when you submit it to FDA or “within a reasonable time thereafter.”7 It is also worth considering where in the submission to place trade secrets. Some sections of the common technical document (CTD) are more likely to be released to a competitor under FOIA. Generally speaking, the more detailed and quantitative aspects of Module 3 are less likely to be released so that much of Module 3 will be kept confidential. There are exceptions, such as literature references (sub-module 3.3) and high-level characteristics about the approved product, like mechanism of action. In contrast, industry standardized techniques and clinical aspects of the product that evaluate safety and efficacy, mostly in Modules 4 and 5, will typically be disclosed. The European Medicines Agency (EMA) published guidelines for which elements of a marketing authorization application it considers commercially confidential information (CCI), and therefore are not disclosable to competitors or the public.8 These EMA guidelines also set forth that certain sub-modules “Can Be Released” or require a “Case By Case Analysis.” These EMA guidelines are not binding on FDA, but they may be used as a starting point to estimate the likelihood that your information will be safeguarded by FDA and they give you a step ahead for a potentially related marketing authorization application. The definition of CCI at EMA, however, is not the same as FDA’s definition of a trade secret. Rather, FDA will decide if disclosure “could reasonably be expected to cause substantial competitive harm.” If so, FDA will solicit applicant input to decide whether and what to disclose to the FOIA requester. Similarly, if FDA finds your designation of trade secrets to be “obviously frivolous,” FDA can send notice that it will disclose the records regardless of your designation. In those cases, the information will be disclosed five working days after the applicant receives the notice from FDA unless a U.S. District Court orders the agency not to. More likely, there will be an opportunity to work with FDA toward a solution. Given the short turnaround times, having considered what and where your trade secrets are in the filing can be quite helpful should FDA disagree. Correspondence with the agency during the approval process and documents drafted specifically after approval by the agency also warrant careful review. In documents with questions for the applicant from an agency, applicant’s otherwise confidential Module 3 manufacturing information, which typically includes some trade secrets, will often end up being repeated in the agency’s question. It is again up to the applicant to protect their trade secrets despite having located them in an otherwise confidential section of the filing. FDA will also publish an Action Package upon approval of a new drug application (NDA) or BLA.9 An “Action Package” includes documents generated by FDA related to review of the application, summary documents with conclusions from all reviewing disciplines about the drug that note any critical issues or disagreements between the applicant and the review team, and more. Specifically excluded from disclosure in the Action Package are trade secret and confidential commercial or financial information.10 FDA further publishes a Summary Basis of Regulatory Action on its website within 48 hours after the date of approval, except where redaction is required.11 EMA has a similar but more extensive disclosure process after product approval. Advance knowledge of your confidential information and its location within your filing is key to efficiently confirming that an agency doesn’t disclose it. Although there are no fees associated with registering trade secrets, they are not cheap to protect. The resources and energy required to identify and actively maintain trade secrets involve the entire company. Because regulatory filings must be detailed and can be made public through the agencies where they are submitted, regulatory professionals are an important ally for protecting this valuable asset. This article is intended solely for general information purposes and should not be taken as legal advice. The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed in the text belong solely to the author. See Uniform Trade Secret Act §1 (1985) for a full definition. Sara Reardon, US toughens rules for clinical-trial transparency, Nature News, Springer Nature, Sep 16, 2016. See 21 C.F.R. §20.61(c) 21 C.F.R. §20.20(a) See 21 C.F.R. §20.61(f) (emphasis added) 21 C.F.R. §20.61(d) See pages 31-36 of http://www.ema.europa.eu/docs/en_GB/document_library/Other/2012/03/WC500124536.pdf See 21 U.S.C. §355(l)(2) See 21 U.S.C. §355(l)(2)(E) What’s New at FDA for Medical Products and Foods? FDA’s Tools to Respond to Public Health Emergencies You’re in Better Hands Than You Think: Insurance Law May Provide Coverage for Defense of Advertising Claims FDA Data Integrity Enforcement Trends and Practical Mitigation Measures FDA Plan for Tobacco and Nicotine Regulation China: Breaking Down the “Great Wall”? Top 10 Updates on Canadian Market Access, Exclusivity, and Pricing Issues FOOD AND DRUG LAW INSTITUTE

cc/2020-05/en_head_0049.json.gz/line1539806

__label__wiki

Home News NEWS Turkey marks the 104th anniversary of the Gallipoli Campaign Turkey marks the 104th anniversary of the Gallipoli Campaign The Gallipoli Campaign (known in Turkey as Çanakkale Savaşı), was a campaign in the First World War that took place on the Gallipoli Peninsula. Today (18 March), ceremonies took place across Turkey to commemorate the 104th anniversary of the Ottoman Empire’s World War One victory over Allied fleets that were attempting to break through the Strait of Dardanelles in the northwestern province of Çanakkale. Britain and France, sought to weaken the Ottoman Empire by taking control of the straits that provided a supply route to Russia. In February 1915, the invaders launched a naval attack followed by an amphibious landing on the peninsula, to capture the Ottoman capital of Constantinople (modern day Istanbul). The landing and the succeeding months-long stalemate ended in early 1916 when the allied army gave up and withdrew. The campaign was a major Ottoman victory in the war and is regarded as a defining moment in Turkish history. Crowds flocked to the historical peninsula of Gallipoli to attend the ceremony today and remember the legacy of the Gallipoli battle. The Çanakkale Martyrs’ Memorial commemorating hundreds of thousands of soldiers killed during the World War I Battle of Gallipoli. (AA Photo) Crowds at the Çanakkale Martyrs’ Memorial Turkish vice president, Fuat Oktay and Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu attended a ceremony in Christchurch, New Zealand, where they were on a two-day visit after the twin attacks on two mosques that killed at least 50 muslim worshippers. Vice President of Turkey, Fuat Oktay (L) and Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu (C) Oktay and Çavuşoğlu laid a wreath during a commemoration ceremony on the Bridge of Remembrance in Christchurch, which is dedicated to the ANZACs who died in WWI. Fethiye Governor Muzaffer Şahiner, martyr and veteran relatives, members of the protocol and citizens attended the ceremony organized at the Martyrs’ Memorial in Uğur Mumcu Park. The ceremony in Fethiye took place at the Martyrs’ Memorial in Uğur Mumcu Park. Wreath laying at the ceremony at the Martyrs’ Memorial Fethiye Governor Muzaffer Şahiner, martyr and veteran relatives, members of the protocol and citizens attended the ceremony After the ceremony, a memorial day was organized by the students of Göcek Süleyman Şatır Anatolian High School in Fethiye Municipality Özer Olgun Culture Center. Sources: Wikipedia/Anadolu Agency/Fethiye Belediyesi Featured image courtesy of Wikipedia 104th anniversary of the Gallipoli Campaign Gallipoli Peninsula Previous articleFethiye Times News – Week Ending 16 March 2019 Next articleUNESCO World Heritage sites in Turkey – part two Turkey declares 2018 the Year of Troy Campaigners Jubilant As Dolphin Centre Seems Set To Close Fethiye Times News – Week Ending 21 July 2018 Fethiye Times News – Week Ending 19 October 2019

cc/2020-05/en_head_0049.json.gz/line1539808

__label__cc

Halifax Convention Centre celebrates one-year anniversary The Halifax Convention Centre is celebrating its one-year anniversary since its first client event was hosted on Jan. 20, 2018. “We are proud to have served as the backdrop for many important conversations and celebrations for our community, and with our clients and delegates,” said Carrie Cussons, president and CEO of the Halifax Convention Centre. “Our team and community welcomed guests from around the world with true East Coast hospitality and showed them what Nova Scotia has to offer. It was a stellar first year of operations and the pace of bookings for 2019 and beyond continues to be strong.” Since opening in Dec. 2017, the Halifax Convention Centre has hosted over 140 events and over 90,000 guests, including 44 national and international conventions. These events have generated an estimated $60 million in new money for the province. The centre worked with local organizations and partners to create a full Nova Scotia experience for their clients and guests. This included a partnership with Tourism Nova Scotia to feature a Visitor Information Centre and a Taste of Nova Scotia pop-up booth available for national and international conventions. The in-house culinary team also worked closely with local suppliers to feature their ingredients throughout the menu. “It has been an outstanding first year of operation for the new Halifax Convention Centre and its partners,” said Business Minister Geoff MacLellan. “Having a vibrant, modern convention centre is helping us welcome more visitors, drive economic growth and attract investment, for the benefit of all Nova Scotians.” “The Halifax Convention Centre is welcoming the world to the heart of our vibrant downtown – showcasing the food, drink, entertainment and legendary hospitality that turns delegates into return visitors to our growing city,” said Mayor Mike Savage. Major events the centre will host in 2019 include the National Metropolis Conference on Immigration (750 delegates), Operating Room Nurses Association of Canada (800 delegates) and the Canadian Association of Emergency Physicians national conference (800 delegates). For the full calendar of events, visit HalifaxConventionCentre.com/Events. Erin Esiyok-Prime Halifax Convention Centre 902-421-1302, ext. 2791 Email: erin@halifaxconventioncentre.com Events East Group 1800 Argyle Street B3J 2V9 902.421.1302 ext.2791

cc/2020-05/en_head_0049.json.gz/line1539809

__label__wiki

Guambiano - History and Cultural Relations After the Indians of the valley of Popayán had been conquered by the Spaniards, the natives of Guambia, located in the richest and most fertile territories of the region, were given in encomienda (grant of Indians for tribute) in 1562 to Francisco de Belalcazar, son of the conqueror of Popayán. In 1589 the encomiendas of Ambaló and Usenda, with a Guambiano population, were given to Lorenzo Paz y Maldonado and his wife, Catalina de Belalcazar, granddaughter of the conqueror. Historical documents show that there was exploitation of Guambiano labor from the very beginning of the Conquest and that the entire colonial period was marked by bad relations and conflicts between natives and the hacendados (owners of large landed estates) to whom they were given in encomienda. Belalcazar's heirs, encomenderos (holders of encomiendas) of Guambia, who also owned property in various other parts of the region, continuously removed Indians, assigning them to other exploitative enterprises such as sugar mills and mines. There were constant complaints on the part of the Indians, who maintained that they had to neglect their own fields because the encomenderos left them no time to work their land. Despite these remonstrations, the Indians were taken in chains to Popayán to comply with their obligations. In 1700 King Philip V granted Indians, represented by the legendary chief Juan Tama, three resguardos (protected territories) and the rights to the land contained in them: Guambia, Pitayó, and Quichaya, the last two with a Páez Indian population. Although the population within the Guambian reserves was numerically small and debilitated, the economic backwardness of the region and the protectionist policies associated with Indian reserves allowed Guambiano to slowly recuperate demographically and, above all, culturally and politically. Even though the reserves of this region of Colombia survived, the development of White haciendas at the expense of reserve lands was destructive and uncontainable from the beginning. The Indians, dispossessed of their land, were reduced to the condition of tenant farmers on the haciendas of Whites, where in exchange for living in a small hut and planting a piece of land, they had the obligation to work on the owner's land for several days a month. It was in protest against this situation of servility, abject poverty, and complete lack of ownership of land, that the Guambiano rose up and still continue their struggle. Displaying great sociocultural flexibility throughout the years, they have adopted new cultigens, new techniques, new tools, and new housing and have accepted the Spanish language and Catholicism. Despite the great number of extraneous elements introduced into their culture and the familiarity with which they move in the White world, they continue to be Guambiano, speaking their ancestral language and reinterpreting events in the light of Guambiano thought. Guambiano forum " Guajiro Guarayu

cc/2020-05/en_head_0049.json.gz/line1539810

__label__wiki

Home News Rector Trainor reviews events of the Long Vacation 24th September 2018 Rector Professor Sir Rick Trainor Rector Trainor reviews events of the Long Vacation Howard Rosen (left) after being made a Distinguished Friend of Oxford, pictured with Professor Sir Rick Trainor Casual observers of Oxford often suppose – though Exonians of course do not! – that Oxford’s colleges are rather sleepy places during the Long Vacation. Far from it, particularly at Exeter in 2018. For the second successive year Cohen Quad (a classic example of the major impact of Exeter’s philanthropic donations) played host to the Exeter College Summer Programme (ECSP). Once again it attracted dozens of undergraduates from highly regarded East Asian and North American universities to study intensively topics drawn from a broad range of disciplines. In combination with the usual summer schools at Turl Street, ECSP ensured that there were few weeks when the College’s classrooms and bedrooms were sparsely inhabited. There was a well-attended Open Day in mid-September for prospective undergraduate applicants, just before the University’s alumni weekend. The latter featured the conferment on Zurich-based Howard Rosen (1974, Jurisprudence) of the designation Distinguished Friend of Oxford, in recognition of his support of Exeter and of his leading role in founding Swiss Friends of Oxford, which facilitates tax-efficient donations for Oxonians located in Switzerland. An Exeter Gaudy, for alumni who matriculated between 2010 and 2014, was held on the evening of the same day. That lively event was addressed by Joe Bluck (2011, Chemistry). Recently a highly successful President of the Middle Common Room, Joe received a rousing ovation from his undergraduate contemporaries for his not entirely reverent recollections of their time at Exeter. Then, during the past week Jane Hiddleston, Fellow in French, has been organising in College a multidisciplinary conference on literatures which draw on more than one language. This evening (24 September) Exeter is playing host to a University dinner honouring academic visitors from Berlin. This event anticipates Oxford’s research collaboration with the German capital’s universities, a major aspect of the University’s response to Brexit; Exeter Fellow Keith Channon (Cardiovascular Medicine) is playing a leading role on the Oxford side, as is Exeter Visiting Fellow Claudia Olk (Free University of Berlin) within the Berlin contingent. And this weekend the Freshers arrive! In addition to the Freshers, undergraduates and graduates alike, Exeter will be welcoming five new fellows: Katherine Bull (Staines Medical Research Fellow, from Oxford’s Nuffield Department of Medicine), Rachel Fraser (Philosophy, from Peterhouse Cambridge), Dexnell Peters (Bennett Boskey Fellow in Atlantic History, from Johns Hopkins University), Daniel Quigley (Economics, from Nuffield College, Oxford) and Daniel Snow (Management, from Brigham Young University). At the same time, we’ll also be saying farewell to two much-appreciated Fellows, Jason Carter (Ancient Philosophy) and Gail Hayward (Staines Medical Research Fellow). We’re also marking a ‘changing of the guard’ in the direction of the Williams Exeter Programme, with economist Lucie Schmidt replacing historian Gretchen Long, who became a key part of the Exeter community during her two years here. Sir John Rowlinson (photo: Lizzie Maughan) In late August Exeter bade a final farewell to a much loved emeritus fellow, Sir John Rowlinson FRS FREng, who died on 15 August at the age of 92. Sir John, who was Dr Lee’s Professor of Chemistry at Oxford between 1974 and 1993, made many important scientific discoveries, notably on capillarity and cohesion, and made major contributions to the history of science. He also supervised generations of DPhil students, many of whom – such as Exeter alumnus Dominic Tildesley (1973, Chemistry), formerly President of the Royal Society of Chemistry – have gone on to illustrious careers in academia and industry. In addition, Sir John was an accomplished climber and a competitive chess player. John lunched daily in College, a custom he maintained until the week before he died. Having been well represented at John’s funeral, Exeter will stage a memorial service in Hilary Term, in association with Trinity (his undergraduate and graduate college) and the Department of Chemistry, through which he published papers as recently as three years ago. The physical fabric of the College is in productive flux. The much loved mound in the Fellows’ Garden – closed since early summer because of subsidence – has undergone a specialist survey which has laid the basis for repairs which should see Oxford’s finest view restored by the end of Michaelmas Term. The Adoration of the Magi, Exeter’s treasured Pre-Raphaelite tapestry designed by Exonian Edward Burne-Jones, has been temporarily removed from the Chapel prior to being rehung there in museum-quality display conditions. Cohen Quad has been shortlisted for a World Architecture Festival award in the Higher Education and Research category of completed buildings. Meanwhile, planning and fundraising for the much-needed restoration of the library at Turl Street continues, aiming to produce working spaces fit for 21st century students. The Adoration of the Magi tapestry During the Long Vacation an especially large group of achievements by alumni and former Exeter faculty members have come to the College’s attention. In public life, Jonathan Wilkinson (1988, PPE) has been appointed to the Cabinet of Canada as Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard, and Ian Potts (1962, Mathematics) has been given the Freedom of the Borough of Ealing. In academic life, Rina Ariga (2012, Cardiovascular Medicine) has won a series of prizes for her research, Emily Jeremiah (1993, Modern Languages) has been appointed Professor of Contemporary Literature and Gender Studies at Royal Holloway, University of London, Emily Jones (2010, Modern British and European History) has won the Longman-History Today Book Prize, and Tarunabh Khaitan (2004, Law) – Hackney Fellow in Law at Wadham – has been awarded the inaugural Letten Prize. Meanwhile, Alice Brooke, formerly Queen Sofia Fellow in Spanish at Exeter, has been appointed Fellow in Spanish at Merton College, Oxford. Last but not least, Carolyn Evans (1995, Law), Deputy Vice-Chancellor of the University of Melbourne, has been chosen as the next Vice-Chancellor of Griffith University. Finally, as returning as well as new students are poised on the threshold of Exeter, I note the College Choir’s recent highly successful tour of Estonia. Exeter is fortunate to have students who not only sing so well but also provide such a vibrant presence in College life more generally. Rick Trainor The choir singing on Ascension Day

cc/2020-05/en_head_0049.json.gz/line1539811

__label__cc

Home » Bottomline » Dealing with Foetal Alcohol Syndrome Dealing with Foetal Alcohol Syndrome By Roelof Bezuidenhout Hanlie Snyman from the Institute for Disability Innovation (IDI) in the Northern Cape explains the need for Foetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS) awareness, support, prevention, as well as skills training programmes for pregnant women. Hanlie Snyman Photo: Roelof Bezuidenhout What is the extent of the FAS problem? Although Foetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS) is an old, serious and growing malady, it only draws brief public attention when some of its more sensational spin-offs in the poverty-stricken rural areas hit the headlines. Recently, for example, it was reported that young women – often schoolgirls – not only use the social grant system to earn money by becoming pregnant, but deliberately try to give their children FAS so that they can qualify for the R1 200/month grant for disabled children. READ:Hides and skins trade – a behind the scenes look It’s hard to say how far this facet of the problem extends, because information about FAS is both scarce and unreliable. Some statistics indicate that Wellington in the Western Cape has the most FAS cases; others indicate that it is De Aar in the Northern Cape. However, international studies show that South Africa has the highest reported incidence of FAS in the world. About 25 000 babies are born with FAS every year, and 12,2% of all people living in De Aar have FAS. South Africa does not have appropriately- qualified professionals to perform diagnostic evaluations in rural areas. FAS can thus be described as a neglected and worsening problem, which is growing in most towns without any structures to protect the unborn children. City Press reported that the alcohol trade remains one of the biggest money-spinners in the Northern Cape. What is FAS? FAS is caused by heavy alcohol consumption (usually in binges) during pregnancy. These can lead to permanent brain damage in the unborn child. It occurs among all race groups and across all socio-economic sectors, but is most prevalent in low-income areas where jobs are scarce. Alcohol abuse, teenage pregnancies, lack of family planning, and chronic diseases such as hypertension and diabetes, as well as malnutrition, are often more common here. FAS is characterised by retarded growth, facial and neural abnormalities, as well as malformation of certain organ systems. Alcohol and its primary metabolite, acetaldehyde, are tissue toxins which may interfere directly with cellular growth and metabolism. When alcohol is consumed, it is carried through the bloodstream to all organs and tissues. In the case of a pregnant woman, this includes the placenta. Maternal risk in giving birth to a child with FAS is known to vary substantially between different population groups and individuals. It is not recommended that mothers who regularly consume alcohol, even moderately (more than two drinks per day), breastfeed their babies. Due to these mothers’ alcohol use and the cognitive damage to their offspring, both are at a higher risk of abuse and HIV/Aids infection than the average person in their communities. How can a FAS victim be identified? There are three main indications: growth retardation (before and after birth), facial characteristics, and neurological effects such as permanent brain damage. Typical disabilities are a low level of intelligence, physical disabilities including heart defects, visual or hearing impairment, and difficulty in learning or carrying out tasks. Secondary problems include dropping out of school, unplanned pregnancies, especially among young schoolgirls, as well as trouble with the law. All of these factors have serious secondary effects and lead to increased misery in entire neighbourhoods. Mothers of FAS children also have discernable characteristics. They usually live in an environment in which heavy drinking is the norm, especially heavy binge-drinking on weekends. They may also be heavy smokers and have a lower body mass index than normal mothers, due to malnutrition. Poorly educated, these mothers are less likely to have full-time employment, and are often psychologically depressed. Having had a previous child with FAS is also a strong risk factor for having another baby with FAS. It’s a vicious cycle if ever there was one. Fighting it makes you feel as if you are in a small boat on a wide river. What is the cure? Alcohol is possibly causing far greater harm than any other drug in South Africa, simply because there are so many users. Evidence from around the world indicates that the most cost-effective way to reduce alcohol-related harm, is to restrict access to alcohol, rather than ban it. But the only complete cure for FAS is for women not to drink at all during pregnancy. However, before we can make any progress in achieving this ideal, we have to honestly answer these questions: Is the Department of Social Development neglecting its duty as the lead department coordinating and implementing interventions for this problem? Are health professionals equipped to do the necessary screening and perform the evaluation diagnosis correctly? If not, then who will undertake the correct screening and evaluations without labelling children incorrectly? Currently, diagnosis is made on an ad hoc basis by unqualified people. Does the Department of Education offer educational support in schools for children with FAS? What role does the Institute for Disability Innovation play? It is a non-profit organisation aimed at building its own capacity and skills, as well as effectively managing the necessary community development among the poorest of the poor, disabled persons with special needs, and those with little or no schooling, especially the youth. To combat FAS, we suggest that a screening and evaluation method be developed that can be performed at local clinics by under- and postgraduate health professionals. Only the Department of Health Services can perform such an initiative. We would also like to see a workable FAS prevention programme for pregnant women, carried out by service providers countrywide. The main purpose of the prevention programme would be to equip women during the critical periods of their pregnancies. The aim would be to help them make informed choices, thereby enabling them to protect their unborn babies from the devastating effects of alcohol consumption during pregnancy. This would also reduce and prevent alcohol- related birth defects. High risk women and teenage girls from impoverished rural communities and farms must be fully informed about the negative and life-threatening consequences of substance abuse during pregnancy. Children suffering from FAS must receive care and guidance along with their parents and teachers. There is evidence that brief interventions in prenatal settings (clinics) are an effective, low cost means of helping pregnant women with early stage alcohol problems, thereby reducing or eliminating alcohol use during pregnancy. The technique of brief intervention can be defined as a time-limited, patient-centred counselling strategy to change behaviour and increase patient compliance with therapy. Such a programme must be executed during early pregnancy because it helps expectant women become aware of their unborn baby’s daily development. It will also be advisable to develop a skills training programme over the nine-month period, teaching pregnant women the difference between a normal, healthy pregnancy and an abnormal one and its consequences. Training in needlework, arts and crafts entrepreneurship is essential for keeping pregnant women off the streets to prevent alcohol consumption and help them create a sustainable income. Women can then continue working after giving birth. Finally, an alcohol rehabilitation programme must be made available to all those who need it. Phone Hanlie Snyman on 053 382 3679 or 076 576 7726, or email [email protected]. Email Beatrice Conradie at [email protected] or visit the website www.institutefordisabilityinnovation.co.za. This article was originally published in the 2 May 2014 issue of Farmer’s Weekly. New agriculture development agency to be launched in February ‘SA consumers becoming better educated about rooibos health benefits’ Learn about the SA Mutton Merino sheep breed

cc/2020-05/en_head_0049.json.gz/line1539815

__label__wiki

NWF Concerns with Interior and EPA FY 2012 Appropriations National Wildlife Federation represents dedicated conservationists from all walks of life and political stripes, from hunters and anglers to backyard gardeners, nature enthusiasts and environmental advocates. What we have in common is a deep commitment to protect wildlife habitat and to ensure clean air and water for every American. Because of that commitment, we oppose policy riders and cuts to the conservation programs that protect America's resources. Conservation has long enjoyed strong, bipartisan support in Congress. Unfortunately, the policy riders and severe funding cuts in the fiscal year 2012 Interior and Environment Appropriations bill will amount to a radical departure from the longstanding national commitment to making the air we breathe and the water we drink cleaner and safer. The bill includes $27.5 billion in spending - a reduction of $2.1 billion below last year's level and$3.8billionbelowthePresident'sbudgetrequest. Overall,thisfundinglevelis$106million below fiscal year 2009 spending levels. The legislation also includes a total cut to climate change programs of $83 million - or 22% - from last year, and decreases land acquisition funding by $239 million - or 79%. NWF opposes this bill due to the dramatic funding cuts for our nation's most important wildlife conservation and habitat restoration programs while blocking enforcement of several bedrock public health and environmental laws. America's investment in wildlife is not to blame for the budget problems we face today. Over the past 30 years, America's investment in parks, wildlife, clean water, and clean air has fallen from 1.7% of federal spending to 0.6% of federal spending. This includes the full budgets for the Department of Interior and EPA. And the payoff for this tiny sliver of overall federal spending is enormous: Programs implemented by Department of Interior and EPA alone generate 3 million jobs in communities throughout America. A serious effort to address the deficit would tackle the $4 billion in annual subsidies for oil and gas corporations and a host of other tax breaks and subsidies for big polluters. Ensuring clean air, clean water and abundant wildlife is not a discretionary and wasteful function of government but a basic and core value that Americans believe in. We ask you to vote against any appropriations bill that cuts funding for wildlife conservation, natural resource protection and environmental restoration programs that benefit all families and communities and to oppose any anti-environmental riders that undermine our bedrock conservation, public health and environmental laws. The following is a specific list of funding cuts and anti-environmental riders included in the bill, as well as those that could be added as amendments to the underlying bill. Climate & Energy Restricting the Clean Air Act from reducing air pollution: Polluters and their allies are once again working to pass spending legislation to derail important environmental and public health standards by undermining the Clean Air Act's ability to crack down on air pollution. If successful, these attacks will not only turn back the clock on the environmental gains made under the Act over the past forty years, but will also derail efforts to modernize and upgrade our aging electric generating infrastructure. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) - Starving the EPA of crucial funding to implement important public health programs will set us backwards. The EPA is funded at $7.1 billion in the legislation, which is $1.5 billion - or 18% - below last year's level, and $1.8 billion - or 20% - below the President's request. In total, this funding level is below the fiscal year 2006 level by $468 million. In addition to severe budget cuts, below are proposals NWF opposes currently in the Interior & Environmental Protection Agency appropriations bill that will specifically attack action taken or expected to be taken by EPA: Climate. A policy rider attacking the authority of the EPA to limit carbon pollution from stationary sources, as currently required by the Clean Air Act and the 2007 Supreme Court case Massachusetts v. EPA (recently reaffirmed in the case American Electric Power v. Connecticut). Such a provision would not address any budgetary issue or shrink government spending. Instead, it would prevent the federal government's ability to control the carbon pollution from our nation's coal fired power plants and oil refineries that increasingly puts people and wildlife at risk. An amendment was offered in committee by Congressman Serrano (D-NY) to strip this provision from the bill. It failed by a vote of 19-29. Fuel Efficiency. An amendment from Congressman Austria (R-OH) was added in committee to block the EPA from finalizing the next round of fuel efficiency standards for light-duty automobiles (after model year 2017). Our transportation sector is 95% dependent on oil and causing us to be slaves to the unpredictable spikes of gas prices and to the whims of foreign dictators who control the vast reserves of oil we rely on. If the Obama Administration moves forward with a 60 MPG standard, Americans could save $67 billion at the gas pump and cut gasoline consumption by 17 billion gallons. We cannot undermine the progress we've made on cutting pollution from our transportation sector. Arctic Drilling Air Permits. A proposal that would push aside the federal Clean Air Act permitting process to allow Shell Oil to rush forward with ‖exploratory drilling‖ in the Chuckchi and Beaufort Seas off of Alaska's coast. These seas are one of the last undamaged ocean frontiers, home to polar bears and other Arctic wildlife and marine life. The new rules would: require EPA to measure air quality impacts from OCS drilling operations onshore, not at the source; Exempt support vessels from Clean Air Act requirements, and narrows the window of time that drill ships and platforms are subject to these requirements; Force EPA to issue or deny air permits for offshore drilling projects within 6 months; Strip the Environmental Appeals Board of authority during the permitting process; and Limit judicial review of these permits to the US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia. Undermining Coal Ash Regulations: A rider to restrict EPA's authority under RCRA to implement strong, national safeguards on coal ash disposal. Coal ash is a dangerous waste generated by burning coal for energy, and it contains many hazardous metals and chemicals like arsenic, lead, hexavalent chromium and selenium. EPA has the authority and responsibility to put in place common-sense rules that protect human health and the environment by controlling the disposal of coalashtoprotectcommunitiesfromdangerouspollution. NWFopposesanyeffort to either delay any rules or compel the less protective option being considered by EPA. Defunding the Greenhouse Gas Registry: The bill includes a modified provision thatexempts―manuremanagementsystems‖fromGreenhouseGasreporting. A similar provision was included in H.R.1, and effort restrict the Agency's ability to gather emissions data from large polluters in the greenhouse gas registry - information crucial for the agency's ability to set standards on carbon pollution. The EPA's greenhouse gas registry work was required as a result of Congress passing the FY 2008 Consolidated Appropriations Act (H.R. 2764; P.L. 110-161). RIDERS THAT THREATEN WATER QUALITY Undermining the Clean Water Act Rulemaking Regarding "Waters of the United States" (section 435): A rider is included in the bill that would prevent the Environmental Protection Agency from working on the Clean Water guidance and rulemaking needed to clarify which waters are ―Waters of the U.S.‖ protected by the Clean Water Act. The two agencies released draftguidanceonApril27th,2011,areacceptingpubliccommentsuntilJuly31st, andare committed to proceeding with notice and comment rulemaking soon thereafter. This much- needed rulemaking has been called for by Supreme Court justices and industry lobbyists, as well as by conservation groups. Due to the confusion over which waters are protected by the Clean Water Act: More than 117 million Americans receive their drinking water from public water systems supplied in whole or in part by at-risk waters. Almost 60% of the stream miles across the continental United States are at risk of losing Clean Water Act protections. 1 "Geographic Information Systems Analysis of the Surface Drinking Water Provided by Intermittent, Ephemeral, and Headwaters St reams in the U.S." http://water.epa.gov/lawsregs/guidance/wetlands/surface_drinking_water_index.cfm 2 "State-by-state NHD Analyses of Stream Categories and Drinking Water Data" (2006) Document provided by EPA. Available upon request. More than 14,000 polluting facilities nationwide that once required pollution discharge permits may no longer require them. Up to 20 million acres of so-called ―isolated wetlands - including prairie potholes across the Dakotas, Minnesota, Montana, and Iowa - are losing Clean Water Act protections4 More than 1,500 major pollution investigations were discontinued or shelved between 2006 and 2010. These at-risk waters - wetlands and small streams - provide important services. A single acre of wetlands can store 1 to 1.5 million gallons of floodwater.6 Furthermore, economists estimate that a wetland acre can provide the equivalent of $10,000 worth of public benefits annually.7 Healthy wetlands and streams are also economic engines for local recreation-based economies. The U.S Fish and Wildlife Service estimates that duck hunting in 2006 had a positive economic impact of more than $2.3 billion, supporting more than 27,000 private sector jobs.8 The American Sportfishing Association reports that anglers generated nearly $125 billion in total economic activity in 2006, supporting more than 1 million jobs.9 CreatingaCleanWaterActLoopholeforLoggingRoads(section438): Inalandmark decision issued August 17, 2010, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that polluted stormwater generated by logging roads is subject to regulation under the Clean Water Act's National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System and that forest roads and their associated stormwater runoff gathering systems are ―point sources‖ subject to the National Pollution DischargeElimination(NPDES)permitprograms. This rider seeks to overturn that decision by adding an industry specific exemption to the CWA. Private and state forests of the Pacific Northwestarecrisscrossedbythousandsofmilesofforestsroads. Manyoftheseroadswere built years ago, built cheaply, are heavily traveled by logging trucks, and fall well below today's standards. Many collect Pacific Northwest storm water and dump that water directly into forest streams. Over the years, this sediment builds up and may destroy critical fish habitat or pollute drinking water sources. In fact, in its 2000 National Water Quality Inventory, EPA listed forestry-related sediment as the fifth leading source of water quality impairment to rivers and streams nationwide. Weakening Clean Water Act Protections Against Pesticide Discharge into Water (section 502): More than 1,000 waterways in the United States are known to be impaired because of pesticide pollution, and pesticides pose a particular threat to wildlife populations. This rider would remove Clean Water Act tools that protect rivers and streams from this toxic pollution and rely solely on "State-by-State Analyses of Individual NPDES Permits on NHD Intermittent/Ephemeral and 'Start Reach' Streams that have location data in PCS." Document provided by EPA. Available upon request. 4 Eric Pianin, Administration Establishes New Wetland Guidelines: 20 Million Acres Could Lose Protected Status, Groups Say. Washington Post, at A.5 (January 11, 2003). 5Duhigg, Charles and Janet Roberts. "Rulings Restrict Clean Water Act; Foil E.P.A." The New York Times. February 28, 2010. http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/01/us/01water.html?scp=1&sq=rulings%20restrict%20clean%20water%20act%20foiling%20epa&st=cse 6 EPA, Functions and Values of Wetlands, EPA 843-F-01-002c (September 2001) (factsheet). http://www.epa.gov/oecaagct/awet.html 7 "A Property Owner's Guide to Wetlands Protection in Michigan." September 2007. http://www.michigan.gov/documents/deq/Wetland_Protection_brochure_241100_7.pdf 8 Economic Impact of Waterfowl Hunting in the United States, Addendum to the 2006 National Survey of Fishing, Hunting, and Wildlife- AssociatedRecreation,November2008. USFishandWildlifeService. 9American Sportfishing Association, Sportfishing in America (January 2008) at the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) to control pesticide pollution. While FIFRA regulates the sale and use of pesticides, it does not tailor protections to the conditions in specific bodies of water. This new loophole will endanger countless rivers and streams and take away the statutort tools that are currently used to clean up impaired streams. Section 316(b) of the CWA requires that NPDES permits for facilities with cooling water intake structures for facilities with cooling water intake structures ensure that the location, design, construction, and capacity of the structures reflect the best technology available to minimize harmful impacts on the environment. The withdrawal of cooling water by facilities removes billions of aquatic organisms from waters of the United States each year, including fish, fish larvae and eggs, crustaceans, shellfish, sea turtles, marine mammals and other aquatic life. Most impacts are to early life stages of fish and shellfish through impingement and entrainment. EPA has proposed standards under the Clean Water Act to follow through on a recent settlement agreement with environmental groups whereby EPA agreed to issue regulations to reduce injury and death of fish and other aquatic life caused by cooling water intake structures existing at power plants and factories. These facilities pull in large volumes of cooling water from lakes, rivers, estuaries or oceans to cool their machinery. By setting flexible technology standards, EPA's common sense proposal would greatly reduce damage to ecosystems while accommodating site-specific circumstances and providing cost effective options. This rider would block EPA's ability to promulgate this new standard, leaving countless rivers, lakes and streams and the species dependent upon them at risk. Blocking EPA from protecting rivers and streams from stormwater (section 439): Stormwater pollution from point sources is a challenging water quality problem. Unlike pollution from industry or sewage treatment facilities, which is caused by a discrete number of sources, stormwater pollution is caused by the daily activities of people everywhere. Rainwater and snowmelt run off streets, lawns, farms, and construction and industrial sites and pick up fertilizers, dirt, pesticides, oil and grease, and many other pollutants on the way to our rivers, lakes, and coastal waters. Stormwater runoff is our most common cause of water pollution. Because stormwater pollution is caused by so many different activities, traditional regulatory controls will only go so far and EPA has responded by beginning to develop a new rule to address this detrimental impact. This rider would block that progress. Preventing DOI from Issuing Rules to Protect Streams from Surface Mining (section 432): Keeps the Department of Interior Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement from continuing work to revise regulations that opened up streams to destructive and polluting practices associated with surface coal mining. Blocking EPA Oversight of Mountaintop Removal Mining(section433): This shields mountaintop removal coal mining operations from EPA review by stopping EPA and the Corps of Engineers from continuing a process they put in place in April 2010, to scrutinize proposed mining permits. In addition, it suspends the use of an internal EPA memo that explains to agency personnel how the scientific evidence of the harms associated with mountaintop removal projects should be taken into account as EPA reviews permits issued to mine operators by the Corps of Engineers and states. The EPA's policies are based on peer-reviewed scientific literature demonstrating that waters downstream of mountaintop removal mining operations in Appalachia have such high levels of pollutants that they cannot sustain aquatic life. Preventing the EPA from relying on the best science and conducting more rigorous permit reviews will accelerate the destruction of Appalachia's lands and waters. The EPA estimates that mountaintop removal mining has already destroyed some 2,000 miles of Appalachian streams. Allowing Toxic Slime in Our Waters from Manure, Fertilizer and Sewage through the failuretoestablishFloridaNumericNutrientCriteria: AnamendmentproposedbyRep. Diaz-Balart (R-FL), prohibits funding for the EPA to implement or enforce numeric Florida water quality standards. This type of anti-environmental measure, with both local and national ramifications, would aim at stopping EPA from using its funding to implement, administer or enforce new water quality standards for Florida's lakes and flowing waters, which were finalized in November. This amendment would even stop public education or enforcement of this rule to protect Florida's waters from excess nutrient pollution from sewage, manure and fertilizer. This pollution has caused huge toxic algae blooms of green slime in many of Florida's waters including the St. John's River. In 2008, testing by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) revealed that 1,000 miles of the state's rivers and streams, 350,000 acres of Florida's lakes and 900 square miles of its estuaries were contaminated by nutrient pollution from sewage discharges and fertilizer or manure runoff. This pollution is jeopardizing the health of aquatic ecosystems and fisheries, public health, the ability to swim and boat in lakes and rivers, and Florida's most important industry - tourism. Yet for more than a decade the state failed to finalize standards to reduce this pollution. Earthjustice, representing the Conservancy of Southwest Florida, Florida Wildlife Federation, Sierra Club, Environmental Confederation of Southwest Florida, and St. Johns Riverkeeper petitioned the EPA to compel such standards. In August 2009, the EPA entered into a consent decree with the environmental groups, committing to propose numeric nutrient criteria for lakes and flowing waters in Florida within a year, as well as criteria for estuarine waters a year thereafter. As a result, EPA finalized water quality standards for lakes and flowing waters in Florida in November 2010. NWF would oppose any amendment that would prohibit funding for EPA to continue to develop and enact these water quality standards, as well as to implement the public education outreach envisioned. Blocking Restoration Funding for Great Lakes States: An amendment proposed by Rep. LaTourette, and passed by voice vote by the full appropriations committee, prohibits states from receiving EPA Great Lakes funding if they have adopted ballast water requirements that are more stringent than federal requirements. The amendment was adopted on a voice vote. EPA FUNDING CUTS THAT THREATEN WATER QUALITY: Clean Water State Revolving Fund - Cut $836M - or 55% from last year's level: CWSRF is a self-perpetuating loan assistance authority for water quality improvement projects in the United States. The fund is administered by the Environmental Protection Agency and state agencies. The CWSRF, which replaced the Clean Water Act Construction Grants program, provides loans for the construction of municipal wastewater facilities and implementation of nonpoint source pollution control and estuary protection projects. It is the most important tool to ensure that wastewater infrastructure doesn't impair water quality and funds projects in every state and territory. EPA Geographic Programs Cut 70M - or 17% - from last year's levels: EPA's Geographic Programs provide technical and financial assistance to restore our nation's Great Waters. Funding for Puget Sound, Chesapeake Bay, Great Lakes and other restoration efforts all come from this pot of funding. Significant cuts will delay or stymie restoration efforts and endanger economic activity dependent upon clean water like fisheries and tourism. The Department of the Interior is funded at $9.9 billion, which is $720 million - or 7% - below last year's level and $1.2 billion below the President's request. Cuts to public lands programs include: Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) - The bill slashes the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) to $61.8 million, which is a cut of 80%. LWCF is the nation's premier land conservation program that provides funds to acquire land and water for recreation and habitat conservation purposes as well as preserving historic battlefields and cultural sites and conservingworkingfarmsandranches. Lowlevelsoffundingmeansthatmanylocalprojects will not see any resources and will have to be scrapped. National Wildlife Refuge System - The National Wildlife Refuge System is funded at $455.3 millionwhichisacutofover$36million,oraround7.5%fromtheFY11enactedlevel. The Refuge System was uniquely created to conserve public lands and waters for the nation's fish, wildlife and plants. Already running on a shoestring budget, any more significant cuts in operations and management and we would likely see visitors centers closed and crucial positions, such as biologists, eliminated. Bureau of Land Management (BLM) - The bill includes $1 billion for BLM - a decrease of $63 million below last year's level and a decrease of $60 million below the budget request. National Landscape Conservation System - The Conservation System is funded at $20 million which is almost $12 million below the FY11 enacted level. These BLM lands include some of the most spectacular scenic, historic, natural, cultural, and archeological sites in our country. The Conservation System lands conserve the essential fabric of the West, by playing a role in protecting lands, water, and wildlife for future generations. Slashing funding would put rare plants and animals, dinosaur fossils, and Native American sites would increase vulnerability to vandalism, looting and irresponsible recreation. Operation of the National Park System - The legislation includes $2.24 billion for the operation of the National Park System which is a cut of almost $7 million from FY11 enacted levels. U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) - The bill includes $1.1 billion for the USGS, a $30 million cut below last year's level. The majority of the reductions are in climate change and satellite imaging programs. Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation, and Enforcement (BOEMRE) - The legislation contains $154 million for BOEMRE, which is $72 million below last year's level (due to a transfer of royalty fee management to the Office of the Secretary). Policy riders that threaten public lands include: Grand Canyon o Section 445 of the draft appropriations bill is a provision to block Interior Secretary Salazar from withdrawing new uranium mining claims on one million acres around the Grand Canyon. Recently Secretary Salazar announced he would extend the moratorium on new mining claims another six months around the Grand Canyon and would soon recommend a 20 year ban (the maximum). The Grand Canyon is a national treasure and an international tourist destination. Mining next to this one-of-a-kind place would jeopardize the natural qualities that make the Grand Canyon so special in the first place. o Mining development near the Grand Canyon would generate toxic waste that would contaminate the Colorado River--the ―life blood‖ and drinking water source for 27 million people. Section 442 of the appropriations bill represents a raw political usurpation of a carefully-thought-out and scientifically credible decision by Idaho's Payette National Forest to protect and restore at-risk populations of bighorn sheep by creating buffer zones between domestic and bighorn sheep to stop the transmission of deadly pneumonia to the bighorns. The Payette decision is based on years of analysis and exhaustive scientific study of bighorn and domestic sheep movements and disease transmission patterns, and it represents a reasoned and balanced attempt to minimize disruption to livestock producers while achieving the level of protection necessary to give bighorn sheep a chance at long-term survival and recovery. The language would prevent any reduction in livestock numbers or change in distribution in order to manage bighorn sheep, no matter how small the change in livestock operations or how urgent the need to avoid extirpation of bighorn populations by disease outbreaks. This is an indefensible exclusion from existing law and scientific consensus for one small economic interest, and it shuts out not only the Forest Service's own normal decision-making process, but also the voices of Indian tribes, state wildlife agencies, sportsmen, and wildlife advocates. This language would appear to prevent movement of livestock as an emergency action to manage bighorn/domestic sheep contact, greatly impeding the Forest Service's ability to prevent fatal outbreaks. This increased risk would appear to increase the likelihood that bighorn populations could decline to the level where listing under the Endangered Species Act could become warranted. In addition, Section 120 of the draft appropriations bill prohibits National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) review of trailing of livestock across public land. NEPA review of trailing decisions has been very important to efforts to reduce bighorn/domestic sheep contact and disease transmission. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) - The FWS is funded at $1.2 billion in the bill, a cut of $315 million - or 21% - below last year's level. Climate Change Funding: Several agencies across the Interior Department receive funding for climate change research and climate change adaptation. Fundingforclimatechangeactivities was $287.5 M in the FY 12 bill, which is a cut of $83.4 M from FY 11 enacted levels. In the FY 12 bill, climate change activities at the BLM, NPS, USFWS, and Bureau of Indian Affairs were funded at $64.9 M, EPA climate change activities were funded at $153.7 M, and activities at the USGS, FS and Smithsonian Institute were funded at $68.9 M. Landscape Conservation Cooperatives: The Fish and Wildlife Service's Landscape Conservation Cooperatives represent an important means for leveraging federal, state, and private resources to safeguard wildlife in an era of climate change. In the FY 12 bill, this program was funded at $20 million, which is $11 million below the FY 11 budget and $17.5 million below the president's budget request. State and Tribal Wildlife Grants Program: The State and Tribal Wildlife Grants Program, initiated in 2000, is the nation's core program to prevent wildlife from becoming endangered. The program supports non-regulatory, state-based conservation efforts that protect wildlife and wildlifehabitat,preventingdeclineandlistingundertheEndangeredSpeciesAct. Historically, the program leverages more than $100 million annually in state and private dollars for conservation and directly supports jobs in all 50 US states and US territories. The 112th Congress has attacked the State and Tribal Wildlife Grants program repeatedly, eliminating funding for the program in HR1 and settling for a dramatic 1/3 funding reduction in the final compromise continuing resolution. Such draconian reductions to this program severely jeopardize its effectiveness and the 10 year commitment the federal government made to implementing State Wildlife Action Plans. Furthermore, these funding reductions risk more endangered species listings which will cause increased regulation and cost to public and private land managers. North American Wetland Conservation Act: This important program for conserving waterfowl and other migratory bird habitat provides a catalyst for leveraging non-Federal funding and fostering public and private sector partnerships and provides benefits for flood and erosion control and water quality. In the FY 12 bill, this program was funded at 20 M, which is a 58 % decrease in funding from FY 10 (47.6 M) and a 47.5% decrease in funding from the FY 11 (37.5 M). The chairman's mark includes a complete moratorium on funding for the Fish and Wildlife Service to list species under the Endangered Species Act. Furthermore, it prohibits funding to designate critical habitat for species that have already been listed as threatened or endangered. Cooperative Endangered Species Conservation Fund - In the FY 12 bill, this program was funded at 2.85 M, which is a 97% decrease from FY 10 (85M) and a 95% decrease in funding from the FY 11 (60 M). This fund provides grants to states and territories to implement voluntary protections for endangered wildlife on non-federal lands. Without these resources state activities will grind to a halt including habitat restoration, habitat conservation planning, land protection, and reintroduction of wildlife. These cuts will limit collaboration on conservation-minded development projects that can reduce costly litigation and project delays ESA Pesticide Policy Rider: An amendment offered by Representative Calvert that prevented funds from being used to modify, cancel, or suspend the registration of a pesticide under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act as a result of a final biological opinion or other written statement under the Endangered Species Act was adopted by the committee. Environmental and Watershed education provide a pipeline to careers in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) which is critical for our success in the 21st Century global green economy. It is particularly important that these programs not only advance education about science, but also advance education about the connections between the environment, the economy, energy, health, and social wellbeing. Therefore, we urge you to fund NOAA's Environmental Literacy Grants (ELG) and Bay-Watershed Education and Training (BWET), authorized by the America COMPETES Act (Public Law No: 111-358, Sec 302), at the fiscal year 2010 level of $21.7 million ($9.7m for BWET and $12m for ELG). Environmental Protection Agency: National Environmental Education Act Programs Although the National Environmental Education Act (NEEA) is the nation's only federal law committed to environmental education, the House appropriations committee eliminated funding for the program in FY 2012. The Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Office of Environmental Education, implements highly leveraged, successful, nationwide environmental education programs such as the Environmental Education and Training Partnership (EETAP). This program delivers environmental education training to education professionals across the U.S. Similarly, The National Environmental Education Foundation (NEEF) was chartered by Congress in 1990 to advance environmental knowledge and eliminating programs like these, would be a huge step backwards and devastating to environmental education nationwide. As we forge ahead as a nation in competing in the 21st Century global clean energy economy, National Environmental Education Act programs are critical to support life-long education and environmental stewardship. The U.S. cannot lead from the back and currently we are falling behind in subjects integral to our success in producing an environmentally educated workforce that is equipped in handling the environmentally-based economic concerns of tomorrow. Without the necessary resources provided to NEEA for these key programs, United States citizens will lack the skills, knowledge and resources necessary to create innovation and ultimately fail to move us forward in 21st Century clean energy economy. An end to these critical programs means that the U.S. will have to look elsewhere and spend precious time and resources outsourcing our economic needs rather than making investments in U.S. workers. Other Areas of Concern The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), signed into law by President Nixon, is essential to ensuring the federal government is fully informed in its decisionmaking about projectsthataffecttheenvironment. NEPAalsoenliststheparticipationofthepublictoassist federal agencies in making informed decisions that seek to improve rather than degrade the environment. In the 112th Congress, nearly 20 pieces of legislation have been introduced that will weaken or waive environmental review required by NEPA. It is expected riders to the appropriations bill will emerge that provide exemptions, modifications, and waivers of NEPA. Under the rubric of ―environmental streamlining,―cutting red tape, or ―creating jobs these efforts are looking to dismantle one of our most important environmental laws. The attacks touches many of the priorities of the National Wildlife Federation, including: clean air, responsible oil and gas development, renewable energy, forests, transportation, dirty fuels development, and access and use of our public lands.

cc/2020-05/en_head_0049.json.gz/line1539818

__label__wiki

Dolby Says Not Included In Windows 8; Shares Fall Hard Eric Savitz Former Staff CIO Next Covering the intersection of tech and investing. Dolby Laboratories shares are trading lower Friday morning after the company disclosed on a post-earnings conference call with the Street yesterday that the company's technologies are not in the current build of Microsoft Windows 8. The company said if that does not change, it expects to support DVD playback by licensing technologies directly to PC makers and software vendors. William Blair analyst Ralph Schackart this morning cut his rating on the stock to Market Perform from Outperform on the Windows 8 news. "We are downgrading Dolby as a result of the incremental PC headwind from a potential loss of high-margin Windows licensing revenue combined with reduced unit growth outlooks in the TV and PC markets," he writes in a research note. Collins Stewart analyst John Vinh likewise cut his rating on Dolby shares to Neutral from Buy. "We believe this event will become an overhang on the stock and pose headwinds to growth," he writes of the Windows 8 situation. The company noted that it expects FY 2011 PC related revenues of $240 million. Dolby also said any financial impact from the situation would likely not come until FY 2013. Dolby yesterday reported revenue for its fiscal third quarter ended June 25 of $219 million, down from $230.3 million a year ago, but above the Street at $216.1 million. GAAP EPS of 55 cents a share was a penny ahead of Street estimates. For the September 2011 fiscal year, the company sees revenue of $930 million to $955 million, up from previous guidance of $905 million to $945 million, with GAAP profits of $2.61 to $2.70 a share, up from previous guidance of $2.49 to $2.65 a share. Dolby is down $6.71, or 17.8%, to $30.96. Eric Savitz After a long career at Barron's, I joined Forbes as San Francisco bureau chief in December 2010. I've been writing about technology and investing for more than 25 years....

cc/2020-05/en_head_0049.json.gz/line1539823

__label__cc

Not Income Tax Evasion - Structuring - That's How They Got Kent Hovind Peter J Reilly Contributor I focus on the tax issues of individuals, businesses & more Entrance to Dinosaur Adventure Land in Pensacola, Florida. (Photo credit: Wikipedia) Kent Hovind was recently named to the Creation Science Hall of Fame. They may have to wait for any sort of induction ceremony as he is presently a federal inmate in Berlin, NH with a projected release date of August 11, 2015. Nick Lally believes that Mr. Hovind is in jail "out of principle and not deceit". We'll get to that, but first I should explain that the Creation Science Hall of Fame does not yet have an actual hall, although they have projected one to be built. The Hall will be strategically located between the Answers In Genesis Creation Museum and the upcoming Ark Encounter. I'm thinking I'll wait for all three to be completed before I visit Petersburg KY as the only other attraction I noted there involves horseback riding. Here is what qualified Mr. Hovind to be admitted to the Creation Science Hall of Fame: Kent E. Hovind (born January 15, 1953), an American young earth creationist, is considered by many to be one of the foremost authorities on science and the Bible. The amazing ability of Kent Hovind to communicate complicated scientific concepts in an easy-to-understand format makes this essential information accessible for youth and laypersons, as well as science professors. The goal of his creation seminars is to convince listeners to reject theories of evolution, geophysics, and cosmology in favor of the Genesis creation narrative from the Bible. As of 2012, this Creation Seminar has parts translated via subtitling in 37 languages. What Is Young Earth Creationism ? One of the most important fundamental beliefs of contemporary evangelical Christianity is "scriptural inerrancy". If you combine "scriptural inerrancy" with a certain style of literalism, you end up with the Earth being roughly 6,000 years old. That is not nearly enough time for evolution to work. Geologists also have a problem with a young earth. (I asked my friend, Claire Pless, a graduate student at the Colorado School of Mines about that. She told me about something called zircons.)I could try to explain how "scriptural inerrancy" could be reconciled with an old earth, but dammit Jim, I'm a tax blogger, not a theologian, so I turned to my blogging buddy, Reverend William Thornton: There are many conservative Christians who both consider the Bible to be inspired and inerrant and who do not accept evolution but who do accept that the earth is very old. I acknowledge that the many lines of physical evidence indicate a very old earth. If one's interpretive approach to Scripture is such that a very young earth is demanded, then it is necessary to discount each and every instance where modern scientific evidence differs from this; hence, the, uh, modern creation (mid-twentieth century) of young earth specialists who generate sufficient publications discounting any and all old earth claims to satisfy the demands of likeminded biblical interpreters, many churches, and Christian schools. Why Is Kent Hovind In Federal Prison ? You will see reports that Kent Hovind is in prison for tax evasion. This is understandable. According to this recent Tax Court decision concerning Mrs. Hovind, neither he nor she were filing 1040s. That is not what he is in prison for. In 2006, a jury found Kent Hovind guilty on all counts of a fifty-eight count indictment. Twelve counts concerned failure to file quarterly payroll tax returns for Creation Science Evangelism (Mr. Hovind's ministry which operated the Dinosaur Adventure Land theme park). Forty-five counts were for "structuring". He or his wife made cash withdrawals from the bank in the amounts of $9,500 or $9,600 on forty-five separate occasions between the summer of 2001 and the summer of 2002. The 58th count said he had corruptly endeavored "to obstruct and impede the due administration of the internal revenue laws" . That particular offense reminds me of a crime that the city cops I hung around with in the seventies used to talk about. They called it "B and A", which stood for "being an _______". In Hovind's case it included filing complaints, making threats and paying his employees in cash and calling them missionaries. The Creation Hall of Fame has replaced its statement that Mr. Hovind was testing the constitutionality of the tax laws and was unable to find a righteous judge with a lengthy statement by Hovind that explains that he was not doing that. Here are some excerpts: I have NEVER been a tax protester. America was founded by those type guys and we NEED them today, but I am NOT one. The government, however, broke over 20 laws to put me in prison. This has been the history of man. See the story of Joseph, Job, Jesus, 6 million Jews in Hitler’s camps etc. I DO NOT say the tax laws are unconstitutional nor did I break one to “prove a point” or “test the law.” Hovind appealed his conviction and sentence to the Eleventh Circuit, which upheld both, but he has not given up. He has a letter from an anonymous sympathetic banker on his site that gives this analysis of the structuring charge: By this twisted logic, if you deposit or withdrew $500 from your own bank account every week for 21 weeks, you could be arrested and charged with 21 counts of structuring because the amount went over $10,000.‘ You could be fined $5,250,000 and sentenced to 105 years in prison (even though you never had the $10,000 in your account at any one time and the money was not earned or spent illegally)! The Fight Continues ? Retired IRS Appeals Officer Robert Baty had a brief e-mail exchange with Mr. Hovind in which he indicated that he is still fighting: The 45 counts I was charged with are flawed for a number of reasons spelled out in document 335, 349 and 351 in my case. If the charge in the indictment is wrong the court lacks jurisdiction to hear the case. It is NEVER too late to challenge jurisdiction. This is NOT over yet. :) Apparently having been tried and convicted and his appeal turned down, he still thinks that he can get the indictment overturned. He just does not see how it can be a crime to take money out of the bank to pay the expenses of his ministry. Is What The Government Doing A Good Idea ? Despite his claim to the Creations Science Hall of Fame that he is not a tax protester, Mr. Hovind at different points in time has made the type of statements associated with protesters and based on the outcome of civil litigation had not been filing returns. He was pretty well trounced in Tax Court and it is possible that going after him criminally was superfluous, but I have never been able to discern why it is that some cases rather than others go criminal. Assuming that it made sense to go after him criminally, I imagine the reason for the structuring charges is that they are much easier to prove and having so many of them makes quite an impression on the jury, but I'm not sure it is sending the right message. The structuring conviction can be painted, as it is in this article, to make Kent Hovind look like a victim. There has always been this delicious irony about gangster Al Capone finally being convicted of income tax evasion rather than the multitude of other crimes that escaped punishment. Somehow convicting Dr. Dino (as Kent Hovind is known) for taking his own money out of the bank rather than for income tax evasion just does not seem as satisfying. You can follow me on twitter @peterreillycpa. After over three years, this post continues to get traffic. Kent Hovind was released pretty much as scheduled in the summer of 2015 after facing a new trial. He is now building a bigger better Dinosaur Adventure Land in Alabama. I declared an end to L'affaire Kent Hovind as a Forbes worthy tax story in August 2015, but continued to follow his adventures on my alternative blog Your Tax Matters Partner. Doctor Dino has started up a thriving Youtube channel and is putting out appeals to help in the new venture. Peter J Reilly I have been a CPA for over 30 years focusing on taxation. I have extensive experience with partnerships, real estate and high net worth individuals. My ideology can

cc/2020-05/en_head_0049.json.gz/line1539824

__label__wiki

The Hacking Business Model Reuven Cohen Contributor I focus on disruptive trends in technology and cloud computing. Michael “Monty” Widenius Last week I had the opportunity to catch-up with Michael “Monty” Widenius, founder and original developer of MySQL. During our lengthy discussion, we covered a number of topics including the early history of MySQL and its ultimate sale to Sun in 2008 for $1 billion. Monty’s latest startup, MariaDB, aims to pick up where MySQL left off. According to Monty, MariaDB is a community-developed branch of the MySQL database. A central tenant of the company is the creation of an ‘open community’ of developers with a particular focus on the use of the GNU GPL software license, as opposition to any uncertainty of MySQL’s license status under its current ownership by Oracle. When talking to the MySQL founder, it became very clear that money is not the driving factor for the 50 year old Finnish entrepreneur. Monty ‘s story is an unusual one. After studying at (though not graduating from) the Helsinki University of Technology, he started working for Tapio Laakso Oy in 1981. In 1985, he founded TCX DataKonsult AB (a Swedish data warehousing company) with Allan Larsson. It wasn’t until 1995 that Monty began writing the first version of the MySQL database with David Axmark. He tells me the roots of MySQL go back to 1975. In our discussions it becomes very quickly clear that this is a man not driven by traditional ambitions. He sees MySQL as his calling in life. One question in particular evoked a particularly passionate response from Monty. The question was “What was MariaDB’s exit strategy?” What followed was one of the most fascinating and potentially enlightening insights into the mind of one of the Open Source industry’s most influential mavericks. What he described is a business model based upon what he calls “The Hacking Business model”. This model is based on the premise that “people should be treated equally.” Its socialist approach dictates that all the profit of the company must be shared with staff, contributors and worthy causes. He said that, even though he has put millions of his own money into the company, he is no more an “owner” of the business than any other employee. Part of his motivation grew out of the exit of MySQL to Sun. He told me that, although he made more money than any one person ever needs, the investors, executives and management at MySQL saw an unproportional amount of the $1 billion in proceeds from the acquisition by Sun. This, he says, was “unfair” to the employees who built the company. At MariaDB, he has set about to create a new kind of open source company. One that not only treats its employee’s fairly, but also doesn’t try to change them. Instead, the company attempts to focus on getting the best from their strengths while developing ways to work around their weaknesses. Yet another unusual aspect is how the corporate governance of the company is handled. He describes it as consensus-based decision making where the employees have a direct say in how the company is run. Although not typical in the software space, many of the concepts of the “hacking business model” can be traced back to various other cooperative & socialist movements of the 19th and early 20th century. According to Wikipedia, the Anglosphere, post-feudal forms of cooperation between workers and owners, have existed as far back as 1795 and are described as having "profit-sharing" and "surplus sharing" arrangements. Monty’s hacking business model is a new kind of corporate utopian socialism whereby a company is primarily created to generate bonuses for its employees (not to get sold). Any profits are shared directly with its workers. Employees are hired and promoted based purely upon their merits and abilities. All software produced by the company is open source and free. At the heart of this utilitarian corporate philosophy is a company that focuses on maximizing the overall "happiness" of its people. The company exists for the greater good. Needless to say the business model is an obvious modern adaptation on market socialism where the profit generated by a firm is used to directly remunerate employees through what Oskar Lange described as a “social dividend”. If Marx and Engels were alive today, and were to create a software company, they would, without a doubt, use the Hacking Business Model. But the question remains whether the model will ultimately succeed. According Monty, the answer is that it already has. He tells me the company is self sufficient and no longer requires his personal funding efforts. What I found most interesting about my conversation with arguably one of the most financially successful entrepreneurs in the open source world is that, although he has more money than many make in a lifetime, money itself seems to be the furthest thing from his mind. Michael “Monty” Widenius appears to be driven by a social consciousness bound by his need to empower not only the millions of companies who use his software, but also by those who create it. Reuven Cohen Founder & CEO of CoinLaunch, an end-to-end Crypto-Asset Issuance Platform, Reuven is recognized as an early innovator and thought-leader in cloud computing & inf...

cc/2020-05/en_head_0049.json.gz/line1539825

__label__wiki

Military Community Centre Has Been A 'Lifesaver' Veteran Says More than 150 former personnel come through the door of the Veterans' Hub in Weymouth each week. Amy Wiltshire 10th December 2019 at 8:28pm A veteran says a military community centre in Weymouth has 'saved his life.' Veteran's WWII Lancaster Logbooks And Navigator Charts Digitised Veteran Jimmy Levene was diagnosed with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) in 2013. He said his life became a "train crash" and his mental health deteriorated. That was before he came across the Veterans' Hub in Weymouth, set up by former Rifleman Andy Price. Mr Price opened the centre in 2017, offering somewhere "friendly and non-judgmental". Since opening, more than 150 veterans go through the doors each week. Mr Price was diagnosed with PTSD after leaving the Forces - since leaving he's made it his mission to bring together the military community in his area. A purpose-built gym is available for visitors. Veteran Who Never Learned To Ride A Bike Takes On Charity Cycling Challenge Mr Price said: "It's just a really good family environment. "The whole idea of this place is to make people come in and just feel like they can get away from the real world for a while." Everyone from veterans to current serving members of the Armed Forces and the local community are welcome at the centre. A local therapist and hairdresser also visit the centre once a week for free. A purpose-built gym has recently been installed and a sensory garden is used by the more outdoor-orientated among the visitors. Jimmy Levene said he has not felt as happy as he is now in a long time: "It really was the end before this. I'm actually smiling, which is something I haven't done for years." The sensory garden outside the hub. RAF Veteran Achieves 'Ambition Of A Lifetime' With Spitfire Flight Ninety-five-year-old World War Two veteran John Grigg visits the centre several times a week. "It's companionship really, a feeling of being welcomed. I live alone." Andy intends to keep the hub open over the festive period, to ensure anyone who feels lonely or wants to come in, can do so. Field Services Engineer

cc/2020-05/en_head_0049.json.gz/line1539826

__label__wiki

The Next Battle Over Second Amendment Rights Is At Your Local Music Festival FILE UNDER:theheat Pakistan says it has arrested an Indian Air Force pilot after dogfight along Kashmir LoC Fentanyl Bust at U.S.-Mexico Border Is the Biggest Ever, Customs Officials Say Help, I Can’t Stop Watching This Video Of Elon Musk Breaking His Cybertruck Windows Saturday December 14, 2019pic.twitter.com/lXB31jDkSe Getting to Sandpoint — a small vacation town just an hour south of the Canadian border, in the Idaho panhandle — means taking the “Long Bridge” over Lake Pend Oreille, a sprawling body of water French trappers named for its resemblance to an earring, or at least an ear. The bridge is two miles long and offers a breathtaking panorama of the Selkirk, Bitterroot, and Cabinet mountain ranges, blanketed in national forest, standing sentinel in the background. In good weather, the lake feels endless and bottomless, a reflection of a season that feels like it’ll never end. In bad, the wind whipping off feels like a curse. To be on the Long Bridge when a train comes through on the adjacent rail bridge — which it does, several times every day and night — is to feel transported to a different decade, if not century. It all feels precarious and pristine, secret and special. Most everyone who moves to Sandpoint, population 8,700 — or the surrounding area of Bonner County, population just under 45,000 — has a “Long Bridge story”: what it felt like to drive across it for the first time, and the incredible urge to make some part of that place their own. Which is to say that Bonner County, like the rest of Idaho, is filled with transplants, especially from California, with more coming every day. Some come north over the Long Bridge and are drawn to Sandpoint’s quaint downtown, anchored by an old grain elevator that’s been turned into a climbing gym. There’s a community-run theater, restored to its 1927 glory, and a smattering of brew pubs and coffee shops, offering Indian food and açaí bowls. It’s Main Street USA, only with better skiing and more shops selling puffy jackets. Some of these people are retirees, who might have arrived 30 years ago or last month; others are young families in search of a small-town, outdoors-oriented life. And most of them, at least the ones who choose to live in town, are pretty liberal. In 2016, both precincts that make up the town voted for Clinton; this past election, the town reelected its liberal mayor. Others are drawn to massive parcels of land miles out of town, still cheap enough to build your own compound and isolated enough that no one can hear you scream. Or, more charitably, where you can live out the dream of not even needing to tell anyone to mind their own business, at least in the vicinity of your property. The property taxes are low, and the regulations — at least compared to California — are basically nonexistent. On-grid or off, you can dig in and prepare your family for TEOTWAWKI (the end of the world as we know it), whether it’s sparked by political revolution or climate catastrophe. And most of these people, outside of city limits, are some mix of libertarian, constitutionalist, and far-right conservative. Tailyr Irvine for BuzzFeed News Downtown Sandpoint, Idaho. It’s this conservative influx of people that has earned the area — along with Eastern Washington, Eastern Oregon, Montana, and Wyoming — the moniker of the “American Redoubt,” a term that’s ultimately more descriptive of a sensibility, and a state of mind, than an actual location. One’s embrace of that state of mind can land anywhere from extreme prepping and John Birchism to simply having a big house with acreage and a Don’t Tread on Me flag. Many Redoubt residents are evangelical or fundamentalist Catholic; some are Mormon, or atheist, or just don’t think it’s any of your business what or who they believe in. The Redoubt is no monolith. There are myriad political and philosophical disagreements among those who broadly share the lifestyle in the region; many even reject the name altogether. But the one thing they can all agree on — and the thing they moved to Idaho, at least in part, to see protected — is their interpretation of the Second Amendment. That understanding, based on conversations with people across the region over the past three years, is that American citizens should be able to possess any type of gun, and any number of guns, at any time. They should be able to carry those guns in whatever public space they want without question and without hassle. And they should be able to do so because, to their minds, it is a fundamental guarantee of the Constitution: the right to bear arms, the right to protect one’s self and one’s family. Some of these “liberty-minded” conservatives, as many call themselves, believe that citizens should have access not just to AR-15s, but fully automatic weapons as well. “We’re different up here. We are really different. This is what we do. This is our lifestyle. This is our right." Bonner County Sheriff Daryl Wheeler migrated to the area from California in 1998. “I’ve been here 21 years,” he told me, “and about a year ago, they told me I’ve been here long enough to have an opinion.” With a gruff, no-nonsense demeanor and a thick, graying mustache, he resembles a sheriff from a video game. “We’re different up here,” Wheeler said. “We are really different. This is what we do. This is our lifestyle. This is our right. To take away that right is to revoke someone’s citizenship and a building block of America and liberty.” In 2016, Idaho joined 15 other states in allowing “constitutional carry,” a term adopted by gun rights advocates to describe the ability to legally carry a firearm, openly or concealed, without a permit or training. The term first came into use in 2010, as the tea party and other far-right conservatives rallied around the perceived threat of Obama administration “coming for our guns.” Unlike “permitless carry,” the term “constitutional carry” suggests that its advocates aren’t asking for anything novel, or unreasonable. They simply want their constitutional rights. When originally passed in the state of Idaho, constitutional carry was limited to those over the age of 21; earlier this year, that age was lowered to 18. And they’ve fended off repeated attempts to introduce universal background checks, institute red flag laws, and ban assault-style weapons. Depending on your political persuasion and current location, this might seem counterintuitive. One might expect the rash of mass shootings that now punctuate American life to decrease, rather than increase, the desire for ready access to guns in public places. But for millions of Americans, there’s a different calculus at work: Mass shootings mean that public spaces are more dangerous, which, to them, means an urgent need to protect themselves and their families — with guns. What’s more, gun rights advocates believe the emotions around the mass shootings make it all the more likely that Second Amendment rights will be curtailed by anti-gun, anti-NRA legislators — like those who recently flipped the Virginia Legislature blue, ushered into office by voters they see as irrational suburbanites. All the more reason, advocates say, to protect and codify those rights at all costs. This summer, the tension between the move to curtail access to firearms in public spaces and the demand to protect that access once again came to a head. After yet another string of mass shootings — including one at a Walmart in El Paso, Texas, in August — lawmakers again refused or were stymied in their attempts to pass additional gun control legislation. But a number of corporations decided to act in their stead. Back in February 2018, Dick’s Sporting Goods had announced it would no longer sell assault-style weapons and raised the age of purchase of all other guns to 21. This September, Walmart discontinued handgun and assault-style ammunition sales, and officially discouraged customers from bringing firearms into stores. A slew of chains — including Kroger, CVS, Walgreens, Wegmans, and Albertsons — announced similar policies. The private sector was attempting to change, in however haphazard a way, what publicly elected officials could or would not. It was against this backdrop that Jeff Avery, a member of the Oath Keepers, and Scott Herndon, who’s known in Bonner County for his aggressive anti-abortion activism, decided to enter an August Avett Brothers concert while carrying firearms — and filmed themselves being turned away. The concert was part of the Festival at Sandpoint, a 36-year-old institution that draws more than 25,000 attendees a year, infusing an estimated $1.8 million into the local economy every year. And, in accordance with several performer contracts, it had banned guns from the premises. If the festival had been held in someone’s field, or a privately owned winery or arena, that would’ve been fine — private property means you can make whatever rules you want about guns. But the festival has always been held at War Memorial Field, a public park leased from the city. And Idaho law protects the right to carry guns in public. Herndon wasn’t just making an amplifiable piece of media to activate a national audience. He was creating a test case. The City of Sandpoint claimed the matter was out of their hands. The festival organizers claim that if they’re forced to allow firearms on-site, the event won’t be able to recruit the same caliber of talent. So the issue’s gone to the courts. In September, lawyers for Bonner County filed a lawsuit against the city, arguing “Sandpoint’s conduct violates the express provisions of the Idaho Constitution and Idaho statutes.” And Sandpoint taxpayers are footing the bill for both the suit and its defense. Whatever happens to the festival, it will be far from the end of the fight. As Sheriff Wheeler told me, there are other city-owned properties, including the field where the high school team currently plays football, that local gun rights advocates will look to next in order to “firm up” open carry. As they see it, they’re simply protecting unalienable constitutional rights. Polling, popular opinion, unabated mass shootings — none of it matters. These activists don’t care if gun rights are popular or not. They’re not right or wrong; they just are. And, at least for now, the president, state and federal lawmakers, and the courts agree with them. When Herndon filmed himself at the festival on Aug. 9, he wasn’t just making an amplifiable piece of media to activate a national audience. He was creating a test case — one with ramifications that extend far beyond a music festival in North Idaho. How far can businesses and individuals actually push gun control measures in the absence of legislative action — and how aggressive will activists become in their attempt to fortify their rights everywhere else? Idaho Second Amendment Alliance President Greg Pruett speaks at the Eagles Lodge in Sandpoint. None of this would’ve happened if not for a man named Greg Pruett, who, as the head of the Idaho Second Amendment Alliance (ISAA), has spearheaded every major gun owners’ rights campaign in the state. Pushing constitutional carry through the Idaho legislature? That’s the work of ISAA. Dropping the age of constitutional carry down to 18? ISAA. Turning the issue of guns at a music festival into a court case that could set a national precedent? ISAA. The goal: turning Idaho into a “Second Amendment sanctuary state.” Pruett, age 38, has a close-cut red hair and a trim beard. He’s a registered lobbyist with the state of Idaho — a point he likes to poke fun at when addressing his supporters — but he’s not slick or adept at glad-handing. Still, he has a quick smile and an ease with addressing groups that many members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints develop growing up regularly giving testimony — to friends, during worship, on their missions. I met with Pruett in September at a restaurant just outside of Sandpoint, where he’d spent the afternoon running a training session on how to contact and persuade political leaders, especially when it comes to gun rights. He wore an oversized hoodie, a baseball cap, and a concealed pistol; his friend and driver, Seth Rosquist, sipped water beside him. Pruett grew up in Pocatello, Idaho, a mostly Mormon college town in the southeastern corner of the state. Napoleon Dynamite wasn’t filmed there, but you’d swear it was. Growing up, Pruett was surrounded by family, his church, and guns, which he used primarily for hunting deer, elk, and turkey. He served his mission in Japan, attended Boise State University, and enlisted in the Idaho National Guard, performing a tour in Iraq before being medically retired in 2014. “Carrying a gun, it’s a commitment, and a pain in the butt.” Like other advocates for constitutional carry, Pruett views it as a right — but one he says he never takes lightly. He only open carries when he’s dressed up (and there’s nowhere to conceal the weapon) or to make a political point. Other times he conceals his weapon, as does Rosquist, who works as a math tutor through Veterans Upward Bound. “Carrying a gun, it’s a commitment, and a pain in the butt,” Rosquist said. “I’ve carried pretty much every day for 12, 13 years, and some days I look at it, this heavy piece of metal, and I’m like, ugh. It’s a mental exercise I go through every day, before I strap on: Am I fit for this today? And some days I’m not.” When Pruett was serving in the National Guard, Idaho was in the throes of transformation and Boise was on its way to becoming the fastest-growing metro area in the United States. Many people arriving were from California, but they were also increasingly coming from all sorts of urban areas — Seattle, Portland, Denver. While some were fleeing the politics of the so-called Great Blue Wall, others were bringing those same politics with them. Through the ’80s and ’90s, Idaho voters were still pretty evenly split between liberals and conservatives. But shifting loyalties — largely due to Republicans successfully painting Democrats as environmentalist villains responsible for the decimation of the state’s mining and timber industries — meant that by 2014, Idaho had become of the reddest states in the country. Out of 105 seats in the state legislature, Republicans held 84 of them. Since 2008, the rise of the tea party had pushed the Idaho GOP further and further to the right. All over the state, sitting GOP lawmakers, county commissioners, sheriffs, and county clerks were primaried from the right, defeated by candidates promising to uphold “truly” conservative values. But even with more and more “liberty-minded” lawmakers in office, Pruett looked at the legislature and wondered: If it was truly filled with Constitution-loving conservatives, then why hadn’t they passed constitutional carry? Pamphlets make rounds through the crowd during the Idaho Second Amendment Alliance Freedom Tour at Eagles Lodge in Sandpoint. That was the impetus for the ISAA, formed in August 2012, which Pruett vowed would be more than just a Facebook page filled with righteous anger and memes. Instead, ISAA would focus on legislative action: lobbying at the capital, but also coordinating supporters to individually contact, cajole, and otherwise convince their representatives to support more robust pro-gun legislation. It would do what the NRA, with its increasingly toxic reputation and scandal-plagued leadership, could or would not. Pruett has become well known for his methodical efficacy at the capitol, which is supported, financially and otherwise, by the more than 48,000 followers of ISAA’s Facebook page. For $10 a month, you can become a “Liberty Member,” and receive a membership card and ISAA hat; you can also buy assorted swag, including a pink women’s tee embossed with the Thomas Jefferson quote, “No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms.” Pruett also posts memes, circulates petitions (most recently, opposing red flag laws), publicizes events (this year’s “Gold Banquet” at the Nampa Civic Center, whose tickets went for $40 apiece, sold out), and posts detailed video updates on various legislative and legal efforts. For Pruett’s first attempt at getting constitutional carry through the legislature in 2013, he partnered with Alexandra Kinkaid, a Boise-area attorney, gun rights advocate, and occasional Fox News guest. They’d first met outside a gun store, where Pruett was collecting signatures in support of constitutional carry. Together, they devised a strategy: Kinkaid would help draft the legislation and provide legal counsel, and Pruett would get the dozens of supposedly “pro-gun” legislators to support it. But he quickly found that declaring oneself “pro-gun” was very different from being willing to support constitutional carry. "How is 80% of the legislature Republican, and yet we can’t pass a constitutional carry law, which should be a no-brainer?” “On the campaign trail, every Republican and every Democrat without fail will tell you they are for the Second Amendment, they are for your gun rights,” Pruett explained. “They all do it — you can see the taped photo ops with the shotgun and the John Deere hat on. But I started getting frustrated. How is 80% of the legislature Republican, and yet we can’t pass a constitutional carry law, which should be a no-brainer?” Pruett says he was told by legislators and their staffers to bide his time — or at least wait until after the 2016 election year. A recent study put Idaho’s gun ownership rate at 56.9% — third in the nation — and most Republican legislators, like their constituents, supported the broad idea of “guns and gun rights.” But many of those same constituents, including the gun-owning ones, also supported “common sense” gun reforms, like background checks. If a more radical bill like constitutional carry made it to the floor, it could put certain legislators in a tough place: vote against it and open themselves to a primary challenger from the right, or vote for it open themselves to a primary challenger to the left. So Pruett decided to introduce the bill to the state legislature himself, but it was killed before it could make it to the House floor. He became convinced of the existence of a “secret gun committee,” which met in private to decide which gun bills would be up for discussion. If a bill wasn’t supported by the NRA, or what he calls “the establishment,” it wouldn’t make it to the floor. According to Pruett, the committee was also wary of introducing legislation that wouldn’t make it past Senate Majority Leader Bart Davis, whose son had been shot and killed in 2003. (Various unofficial working groups in the legislature do serve to filter which bills make it to a vote, weeding out bills that are too broad, unlikely to pass, or likely to get vetoed by the governor — much to the annoyance of both the left and the right. Still, the existence of a secret gun committee has not been confirmed.) Pruett believed the committee was short-circuiting what he saw as the demands of the Idaho citizenry — whose will he extrapolated from Facebook likes and shares, as well as direct donations. (It’s impossible to ascertain the geographic breakdown of ISAA members; many comments on the Facebook page are from people in Idaho, but many are also from out of state.) So ISAA decided to change up its lobbying strategy: Instead of pressuring lawmakers behind closed doors at the capitol, they’d start doing it all across Idaho, hitting where every politician is most vulnerable. “If you’re a Republican, or a Democrat, or Independent, when we see someone violating the Second Amendment, violating the promises they made to you, as a citizenry, we hold them accountable,” Pruett said. “We’ll pass out mail in their neighborhoods. Say they’re stabbing you in the back. We’ll shoot videos in their districts. We’ll put them on Facebook Live. We’ll pay money to boost that video all over their district, to let their people know exactly what they’re doing or not doing. You can imagine how many friends I have in the capitol with that strategy.” "When we see someone violating the Second Amendment, violating the promises they made to you, as a citizenry, we hold them accountable." But his strategy worked. In March 2016, with primary elections just months away, Pruett had conservative legislators in a bind. They could support the constitutional carry bill, or face the distinct possibility that someone farther right could use it as ammunition to vanquish them in the primary. On the second try, ISAA’s bill zoomed through the Idaho House and Senate, with 13 representatives and four senators as cosponsors. On March 26, Gov. Butch Otter signed it into law, allowing citizens of the state of Idaho to carry firearms, concealed or openly, without permit, in public. It was a major victory for the ISAA, which Pruett was careful to frame as a simple reflection of the work and will of the people. “We are happy to see the Idaho Legislature and Gov. Otter stand up and support the will of law-abiding Idaho gun owners,” he told the Idaho State Journal. Pruett wasn’t finished. He wanted to expand “stand your ground” laws in the state and lower the age limit on constitutional carry to 18. But the “secret gun committee” was still standing in his way — its will enforced, he believed, by Rep. Tom Loertscher, the chair of the state affairs committee and a 30-year incumbent from Eastern Idaho. Loertscher was a well-respected rancher in the community and about as “establishment” Republican as you could get. “He was the one who kept blocking our bills,” Pruett told me. “Some people might tell you it was [House Speaker] Scott Bedke who was controlling it, because he controls all the chairmen. But at the end of the day, the chairman has the decision.” (Loertscher countered that he killed the hearing for House Bill 444 — a piece of “stand your ground” legislation — because it had “numerous constitutional problems,” was “poorly drafted,” and lacked support from the NRA. He killed the bill because it wouldn’t have become law anyway. “It’s called leadership,” he told the Idaho State Journal. “And when you’re entrusted with leadership, you have to lead.”) In the spring of 2018, Chad Christensen, a member of the ISAA from Loertscher’s district, declared his intention to oppose him in the Republican primary. “I didn’t even think it was possible, honestly,” Pruett said. But Christensen, a former Army reservist with no prior political experience, campaigned by explicitly tying Loertscher to attempts to kill pro-gun legislation and otherwise curtailing citizens’ rights, including their right to bear arms. When Christensen won the primary by 39 votes, he shocked the world of Idaho politics. “We had gotten involved in other races,” Pruett told me, “But that was the one that really changed the way people thought of us. They realized, OK, the gun owners are not messing around.” After his defeat in the primary, Loertscher opted to run against Christensen in the general as a write-in candidate. But even with the endorsement of Otter, the governor, he lost again. Christensen’s first order of business in the statehouse? Introducing a bill that would allow citizens to carry concealed weapons on school property, with no need to declare their firearms to school authorities. (Somewhat poetically, the bill was later killed by the new head of the state affairs committee.) For Pruett, the work of protecting the Second Amendment is never done. It doesn’t matter that all gun legislation on the federal level is frozen for the foreseeable future. It doesn’t matter that Donald Trump’s in office, or that the NRA has a chokehold on most conservative legislators. Even if the existing "stand your ground" law gets further expanded, even if carry-in-school passes, there will still be more to do, because there’s no end, in his mind, to the attempts — on the local, state, and federal level — to weaken the Second Amendment. And all of these attempts, Pruett says, violate the state “preemption” statute, an “awesome law,” in his words, “that says cities and counties are not allowed to regulate the possession of firearms in any way. They can’t do anything with firearms other than say you can’t shoot ’em within city limits.” And yet, with every mass shooting, there are attempts to do just that. Pruett can’t do anything about the advisories from Walmart or Albertsons. But over the last five years, he says he's overturned dozens of anti-gun ordinances or signs posted in parks across the state of Idaho. And this summer, following the shooting at the Gilroy Garlic Festival in California, he embarked on his new crusade: going after anti-gun “suggestions” at public gatherings, festivals, and fairs across the state. Scott Herndon at the Idaho Second Amendment Alliance Freedom Tour in Sandpoint, Idaho. A week after the Gilroy Garlic Festival shooting, a sheriff’s deputy in Twin Falls County, in Eastern Idaho, requested that anyone attending the county fair “leave security to law enforcement” and leave their guns at home. On his Facebook page, Rep. Christensen responded by declaring there was a “movement to stop citizens from carrying at county fairs” and requested citizens from all over the state to alert him if any other county fairs attempted to suggest similar guidelines. (Twin Falls County later released a statement “clarifying their support for the Second Amendment.”) Over in Canyon County, outside of Boise, Pruett had heard of signs indicating that guns weren’t allowed — even though the fair, like all other county fairs, was held on public property. The best way to test the rule, he thought, was to show up to the fair in July with a pistol on his hip — and tape the interaction to post online. Initially, fair security attempted to prevent Pruett from entering with his firearm. “Do you know what the state law is?” he asks. “Then you’re violating it.” Eventually, he was permitted in, and, in the days to come, the fair eliminated any mention of guns on the fairgrounds. Pruett could have filed a complaint. But instead, he created a spectacle perfect for social media — the sort that not only convinces his audience that there’s a problem in Idaho, but that he’s out there working to solve it. Up in Sandpoint, where the liberty-minded gun activists of Bonner County inevitably clash with the town’s more liberal residents, Scott Herndon was inspired to do the same. Pruett said he received “tons of messages” from people in the area, alerting him to the Festival at Sandpoint’s policy. At first, they tried to counter it “the nice way.” “We tried to say, ‘There’s the law; here’s what you’re doing,’” Prutt explained. “We tried to put pressure on the city council to turn it around. We sent letters; we sent emails to the City of Sandpoint.” But the city, which is headed by a progressive mayor, stayed firm: This was not its problem. So Pruett worked with Herndon to make the issue impossible to ignore. Herndon has a massive, bushy white beard that belies his actual age of 52. He’s a familiar, if controversial, figure in Bonner County, where he’s lived with his wife and eight children since 2004. He’s a home builder, a former jail chaplain, and a self-described activist; for years, he and other members of a group known as the Abolitionist Society of North Idaho have shown up at the high school and farmer’s market with graphic posters, yelling aggressive anti-abortion messages. Law enforcement is regularly called on the group, and Herndon has worked to perfect his interactions with the police, specifically regarding their right to assemble on public property. “I always film myself so I can learn how to present myself better,” he told me. “If I say something that doesn’t sound very good, I’ll figure out a better way to say it. I’m trying to figure out how to be persuasive. I’m always trying to improve.” Herndon always wants hard evidence of every encounter. “If someone misrepresents you, I have evidence to get the truth out,” he explained. “We want to protect ourselves, especially if the police do something unlawful” in their attempt to get them to desist. So when Herndon saw that the Festival at Sandpoint was banning guns — knowing that it took place in a public park — he decided to do the same thing he does with all of the rest of his activism: film himself attempting to uphold the law. You can watch the encounter on the Redoubt News YouTube channel, and Herndon does, indeed, seem practiced and almost preternaturally calm. He’s the lead actor in a potential test case, and he knows it. Security turns him away, he argues that the law is on his side, and they turn him away again. “We can’t let these radical progressive ideas and these radical progressive policies and these radical progressives thumb their noses at our rights.” County-run fairs have no viable legal defense against proponents of constitutional carry. But the festival is a private nonprofit, and organizers argued that they were simply complying with artist demands, which would remain the same whether they were performing in New York, or a suburb in Seattle, or the Festival at Sandpoint. After all, two of the deadliest mass shootings in the last decade occurred at concerts: 58 were killed at the Route 91 Harvest Festival in Vegas in October 2017, 90 at the Bataclan Theatre in Paris in November 2015. Ban guns, the logic goes, and significantly decrease the chance of it happening again. To Pruett and those who support him, that logic is broken. Pruett told me several times that the security at the festival was, in his words, “a joke.” “They allow coolers in there!” he said. “You could easily break down an AR and put it in there.” But even that’s besides the point. People can make whatever dumb and unsafe rules they want on their own property, he says. This is public property. “The city is trying to say, ‘Our hands are washed because we signed a lease with this private entity,’” he told me. “We’re saying, the preemption statute says that cities do not have the authority to do this. And if you don’t have the legal authority to regulate firearms in a public park, how can you possibly sign that contract and give rights to private entity that you don’t have? That doesn’t make any sense.” After the video of Herndon confronting festival security was posted online, Pruett started raising funds for the ISAA to sue the Sandpoint into compliance. Within days, they had raised over $10,000; in a video describing the efforts, Pruett singled out and thanked donors from all over the country. “We intend to go to bat for you guys, because it’s not just about the city of Sandpoint,” Pruett said. ”There are other municipalities across the state who are doing this exact same thing — who are violating your rights by saying that it’s a private entity.” “We can’t let these radical progressive ideas and these radical progressive policies and these radical progressives thumb their noses at our rights,” he continued. “We can’t allow that to go unimpeded, because if we do, then more and more of them will start doing it. If we let the city of Sandpoint get away with it, then guess what? Then it’s all the other cities, with all the other liberal progressives on their city councils or commissioners or sheriffs — they’re all gonna start doing it. They’re gonna start ignoring the law.” War Memorial Field, home to the Festival at Sandpoint. As Pruett was rallying support for the cause, he embarked on an 11-city “freedom tour” of the state. But before he arrived in Sandpoint in late September, news broke: There was no need, at least for now, for the ISAA to file suit. Because Bonner County, with the support of the county commissioners and Sheriff Daryl Wheeler, had beat them to it. County Commissioner Dan McDonald prides himself on his transparency. He willingly gives out his personal phone number and spends considerable amounts of his after-work hours on his Facebook page, where he posts conservative memes, county announcements, and articles with titles like “5 Things Marx Wanted to Abolish (Besides Private Property).” McDonald’s cover photo features him decked out in a sleeveless black leather Harley Davidson vest next to his beloved motorcycle. A set of professional family photos include him with his three grown sons, all of them carrying firearms; McDonald is front and center with an AR-15. Courtesy Dan McDonald Bonner County Commissioner Dan McDonald The photo of McDonald on his Harley is also framed in his office. When I met with him in October, his reputation had preceded him: He’s known for his confrontational style in weekly commissioner meetings, his aggressive cost-cutting measures. “I’m no shrinking violet, let’s put it that way,” he told me. McDonald first visited the Sandpoint area in 1979, went over the Long Bridge, and, like so many others, decided, “We gotta live here.” When he finally moved, in 1996, he launched the regional division of an international roofing manufacturer, started making good money, raised his children, went on Harley trips across the Mountain West, and cohosted a local conservative talk radio show. For several years, he was a member of the Three Percenters, a far-right militia group that protests and protects what its members see as “violations of the Constitution.” In 2016, McDonald won his first race for county commissioner with the platform of making Bonner County “run like a business.” That included introducing “project management,” but also voting to give himself and the other commissioners a raise — “If you want it to be a CEO job, you have to pay as if it were the case,” McDonald told me. (The other two commissioners declined their raises.) He describes himself as conservative, and anti-abortion, but shrugs off questions about whether or not he’s part of the Redoubt. “I don’t like the term,” he said. The Redoubt, McDonald said, has no leadership, no official meetings. He thinks people use it as a bogeyman, to gin up fear of conservatives. “I used to say to people going on about the Redoubt, ‘Let me ask you a question. Do you grow your own food? Do you have a garden? Do you believe it’s important to, you know, put stuff away? Even if you didn’t do all that, you live in the American Redoubt. So therefore, you’re automatically Redoubt. Welcome to the club. Come by and I’ll teach you the secret handshake.’” Still, McDonald was certainly elected with support from voters who consider themselves part of the Redoubt. And like many Republicans in the area, he’s found himself assailed from all sides now that he’s in office: Liberals loathe his politics, while conservatives critique him for not being sufficiently conservative. “You slip out of their litmus test for one second, and it’s like, ‘Oh, you’ve gone over to the dark side,’” he said. “How many things do I actually have to do to prove my bona fides?” Now he’s added one more thing to the list: making the battle over guns at the Festival at Sandpoint a county issue. On Sept. 18, the county filed an injunction in district court against the city over the lease to the Festival at Sandpoint, citing the “chilling effect” it had on the exercise of the Second Amendment. The listed plaintiffs: Bonner County and Daryl Wheeler. Wheeler considers himself a “constitutional sheriff,” a label denoting the idea that the sheriff has ultimate jurisdictional authority in the county, superseding federal and state agents. (There is no official listing, but an estimated two dozen sheriffs across the country consider themselves constitutional sheriffs.) When he was the legislative director for the Idaho Sheriffs Association, Wheeler worked closely with far-right legislator Rep. Heather Scott to push through constitutional carry. And when he saw what was happening at the festival, he requested to join the suit. “In the state of Idaho, it’s clear these rights can’t be breached,” he told me. “To me, there’s not two sides. It’s not the festival and the county. There’s just the rule of law, and it says you can do this as a citizen.” Sandpoint Mayor Shelby Rognstad on Sandpoint’s Long Bridge. Across town from the sheriff’s office, in the cozy coffeehouse that serves as a de facto meeting place for most of Sandpoint, the Bonner County Human Rights Task Force was finishing up a meeting where they shared art, music, and poetry advocating for political change. The town’s mayor, Shelby Rognstad, was there to observe. Some had been members of the group for well over two decades — helping launch it back in the late ’90s, when Richard Butler and the Aryan Nations first aligned North Idaho with white supremacy in the public consciousness. Since then, the group has worked to support progressive causes in the area, including passing the first city-wide nondiscrimination ordinance in the entire state, and organizing a rally against Scott D. Rhodes, a California transplant who’d distributed racist propaganda at the local high school, torched hundreds of copies of the paper that covered him, and reportedly placed thousands of racist robocalls across the country in the lead-up to the 2018 election. “For 37 years, this has been the premier arts and culture event of the area. And in 37 years, there’s never once been an issue with the festival not allowing open carry.” These days, the task force is concerned about a Redoubt store that just opened up half an hour north, owned by the slavery-defending, Holocaust-denying pastor of a militant church. “We’ve lived through a lot of this,” Gloria Ray, a retired librarian and long-time member of the task force, said. But what was happening between the county and the city didn’t feel dangerous. It mostly felt dumb. If the court rules against the city, festival organizers have said that they’ll likely have to fold, since there’s no other viable private space to use near town. And again, taxpayers who live in Sandpoint will effectively be funding both sides of the suit — which won’t be cheap, given that it isn’t covered under the city’s insurance policy and McDonald has brought in the notoriously expensive Davillier Law Group to represent the county. At the coffee shop, Rognstad dragged a chair up to the table. He’s tall, thin, soft-spoken, very at home in a thick, cowl-neck sweater. He was also recently reelected, with a healthy margin, to his second term. “For 37 years, this has been the premier arts and culture event of the area,” he said. “And in 37 years, there’s never once been an issue with the festival not allowing open carry.” Rognstad grew up three hours south in Lewiston, attending the University of Idaho before moving to Sandpoint to start a local bookstore and restaurant. He’s watched as the area has continued to transform before his eyes. “Up here, I think there’s been a whole shift around gun culture,” he said. “It used to be, you just kinda grew up around it, your family went hunting, you learned gun safety at a young age. No one needed to brandish their guns when they went to work or to the supermarket.” From left: Bonner County Human Rights Task Force members Sharon McCahon, Brenda Hammond, and Gloria Ray at Evans Brothers Coffee Roasters in Sandpoint. “When my kids were going to high school, I remember going through the parking lot, there were guns in the parking lots, in the racks,” the task force’s president, Brenda Hammond, interjected. “They’d gone hunting before school.” I remembered that, too, from growing up in North Idaho. Gun use was normalized, but I have no memory of anyone in my life open carrying. This was before Columbine, which happened during my senior year of high school, and before the election of former president Barack Obama, which ratcheted up the fear that gun rights would be eroded. Before anyone in North Idaho had ever heard the phrase American Redoubt. What changed, then? Sure, there’s the perception that even the most seemingly safe places — church, concerts, garlic festivals — can become instantly dangerous. But thousands of people had moved to the Redoubt area because they believed it was everything the places they were fleeing were not: a conservative, Constitution-minded place, free from liberal incursions. The reality is that North Idaho was never that way — and, regardless of the influx of far-right politics, it’s still not. But the suit is the latest attempt to return North Idaho to a land of wholly unfettered freedoms — to re-create a libertarian utopia that, like all utopias, never actually existed. Todd Bradshaw, 46, buys a "Don't Tread on ID" shirt during the Idaho Second Amendment Alliance Freedom Tour at Eagles Lodge in Sandpoint on Sept. 28. Tailyr Irvine for BuzzFeed News A .45-caliber handgun sits in a holster on Jeff Farnsworth's hip during the Idaho Second Amendment Alliance Freedom Tour at Eagles Lodge in Sandpoint on Sept. 28. Tailyr Irvine for BuzzFeed News Later that night, a crowd of more than 40 people filed into the meeting room at the Sandpoint Eagles Lodge to hear Pruett, the head of the ISAA, speak. The meeting was supposed to be on the lake, but a freak late September cold front had moved in, and a snowstorm was swirling through town. In attendance were a dozen men in work jackets and mucking boots, a handful of patrons from the lodge’s bar, kids dutifully coloring through the speech, and Rep. Heather Scott, who introduced Pruett and the Second Amendment Alliance as “the only group in Boise that’s really looking out for the little guy.” Pruett outlined the specifics of the case, made light fun of the security at the festival, and struggled to remember the name of the park where it was held. And then he told the crowd that the ISAA would be pausing its case while the county tried out its own, which would be filed in the state circuit court and could take years. The $10,000 the group had raised would remain on hold. “But if they back out, we’re going to federal court, absolutely.” What Pruett wanted to talk about instead had nothing to do with Sandpoint, or even — at least directly — with guns. Instead, he wanted to test the waters with a new idea: abolishing the state initiative process. Last year, a group called Reclaim Idaho, two of whose cofounders are Sandpoint natives, had obtained enough signatures under Idaho’s complicated initiative certification process to get Medicaid Expansion on the ballot. Then, much to the surprise of pretty much everyone, they watched it pass with 61% of the general vote. This year, they’re mounting a campaign to put an initiative on the 2020 ballot that would raise taxes on corporations and the rich in order to better fund statewide education. Who’s to say, Pruett suggests, that they won’t come for assault weapons next? “All we want to do is stay at home, enjoy our freedoms.” Conservatives, Pruett told the group, aren’t good at organizing. “All we want to do is stay at home, enjoy our freedoms,” he said. But the “radical left,” they have the volunteers, and the organization, and the door-knocking ability. They have “Bloomberg and his cronies with Moms Demand Action.” Reclaim Idaho has funding from the Fairness Project, run by SEIU United Healthcare Workers West, derided by conservatives in the area as “California money.” And despite the fact that outside conservative groups continue to funnel significant amounts of money and influence into the state, the defensive ideology remains. Pruett insisted to the group, “We are outmatched, we are outnumbered, and we are outspent.” “What are we gonna do to stop the radical left from coming after the Second Amendment in our state?” he asked. “In all likelihood, they’re not going to be able to get much through the legislature. But if you were a radical leftist and wanted gun control, how would you pull that off in Idaho?” From the audience, a few voices offered answers: “Say it’s for the children!” one said. “Say it’s for safety!” “I heard it,” Pruett broke in. “An initiative.” “Right now in California, Oregon, Washington, Ohio, Nevada — there are ballot initiatives to remove gun rights,” he continued. “I watched it happen in Washington state.” (Initiative 1639, which includes sweeping gun control laws including “enhanced” background checks and banning domestic abusers from obtaining firearms, passed with 59.35% in 2018.) “And now, at events in Washington, people will say, ‘I’m awake now. I’m ready to fight.’ Well, it’s too late! I don’t want Idaho to do that. These ballot initiatives, in our opinion, are extremely dangerous. If you want to protect Idaho, they have to go.” Pruett knew that, to some — particularly the more Libertarian-minded — in the room, he was speaking something close to blasphemy. The thing about an initiative, after all, is that it can be used by both sides of the political spectrum to circumvent the exact sort of political maneuvering and subterfuge that Pruett had struggled with for years. It’s direct democracy at its most direct. And in many states, it’s the most effective route to very Libertarian goals, including the legalization of cannabis. But the success of Reclaim Idaho underlined just how unpredictable a tool initiatives can be and how readily the population can vote for policies, whether Medicaid expansion or universal background checks, that politicians are otherwise unwilling to touch. Put differently, ballot initiatives — at least in Idaho — threaten to bring the law more in line with the politics and beliefs of the voting public, as opposed to the interests of legislators wary of a primary threat from the right. And Pruett sees weaknesses in the conservative hold over Idaho. In every video, in every speech, he reminds his audience: Washington, Oregon, California, Colorado, Nevada — they’ve all gone, or are well on their way of going, blue. Don’t you dare think Idaho won’t be next. “The clock is ticking and there is nowhere else to run,” Pruett told his followers in a post published the next morning. “Idaho really is the last state where any semblance of a conservative state may survive.” “Say it’s for the children! Say it’s for safety!” This is, of course, deeply unlikely. A recent study conducted by Boise State University found that 56% of California transplants moving into the Treasure Valley — held up as the bastion of liberalism in the state — are Republican. Instead of turning Idaho blue, or even purple, they’re confirming its conservative identity. “Idaho could change,” the study’s author, Jeffrey Lyons, told the Idaho Statesman. “But if Idaho changes, you probably shouldn’t be blaming the Californians. It’s probably something else.” A 2018 Idaho poll found that 86% of respondents supported universal background checks, including 74% of those who consider themselves “very conservative.” If the state does begin to walk back any of the ISAA-led legislation, or institute stricter regulations, it’ll be because conservative gun owners make it happen. And yet, what Pruett is doing is endlessly effective, whether on the ground, through shares on Facebook, raising money on the national level, or during Republican primary season. Even when you’re winning the game by dozens of points, relentlessly remind your team that they’re under siege. Keep scoring points, wherever you can find them. Be aggressive and tireless in your defense. Point out how close Idaho is to the slope, and just how slippery it is. Ruthlessly single out your opponent’s vulnerabilities. Play by the rules and be a stickler for them. Let up for even a moment and risk total ruin — which, for conservative Idaho transplants, could just mean a gradual transformation of the deep-red state that lured them to move into something more like the place they left behind. In Sheriff Wheeler’s view, there aren’t two sides to the case. There’s just the law, and those who want to enforce it. That’s a convenient, if reductive, way of thinking about it. No law is neutral; no law, even one established by the Constitution, is inherently right, or eternal, or immune from the interrogation of time and change. What’s happening in Sandpoint isn’t just the county versus the city, or the Second Amendment Alliance against the festival, or even constitutional law versus contract law, thought that might be what decides the particulars. At its heart, this is a story of an increasingly unpopular interpretation of the Constitution, and the increasingly desperate fight to protect it on all fronts. “We need you to do more!” Pruett urged the crowd that night at the Eagles Lodge. “At the end of the day, it’s our grandkids who are going to suffer for our apathy. For our laziness. And I don’t know about you guys, but I don’t want my kids to grow up in the country like that.” ● If you like that you see, we encourage you to show some love for BuzzFeed by doing your online shopping through the BuzzFeed website BuzzFeed, Inc. is an American Internet media, news and entertainment company with a focus on digital media; it is based in New York City. BuzzFeed was founded in 2006 by Jonah Peretti and John S. Johnson III, to focus on tracking viral content. For Your Society is not affiliated with Buzzfeed Meet the dogs of the 2020 presidential race The Democratic field for the 2020 presidential election is already crowded, with about a dozen declared and likely candidates, and several more waiting in the wings. Most are running on similar platforms, promising a reversal of Donald Trump’s climate change–denying policies, better wages for the middle class, expanded healthcare benefits, and electoral reform that would beat back the influence of dark money. But several also have a four-legged secret weapon—a dog. Trump is the first US president in more than 100 years not to have a dog in the White House, and Democratic candidates who do have one are flaunting... Chicago Thieves Are Stealing Thousand-Dollar Canada Goose Coats In Below Zero Weather Chicago police are on an official Canada Goose chase. In the last two weeks, as weather has dipped as low as -30 degrees with wind chill, the Chicago Tribune reports that the city has fallen victim to a Canada Goose coat stealing spree. There have been multiple accounts of thieves specifically targeting and stripping people of their $495 to $1695 power parkas—and, according to the Tribune, at least one fake—during which a 54-year-old man was punched in the face and a 23-year-old male victim was robbed at gunpoint. “You can’t really have anything nice anymore,” Marty Rodriguez told a Chicago... Here's why Robert Mueller's court filing on Michael Flynn should terrify Jared Kushner There is evidence that the special counsel could be coming after Trump's son-in-law. With special counsel Robert Mueller wrapping up the investigation of President Donald Trump's former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn and noting in a heavily-redacted court filing that he has been of "substantial assistance" to the Russia investigation following his plea agreement, many in Trump's inner circle may be fearful of what will happen next in the probe. One person who should be worried, argued Daily Beast reporter Betsy Woodruff to MSNBC's Nicolle Wallace on "Deadline: White House," is the president's son-in-law. "Flynn had unique, and arguably unparalleled,... Pope Francis Invites Followers to Join Him on Praying App If you’ve ever wanted to join the Pope in prayer, there’s an app for that. Pope Francis is inviting people to pray with him using “Click To Pray,” a praying app that invites users around the world to come together in prayer online. The Pope recommended the app on Sunday, while unveiling his own user profile, as he prepared to head to Panama on Wednesday for the World Youth Day festival. “Internet and the social networks are a resource of our time, a way to stay in touch with others, to share values and projects, and to express the desire... Molson Coors and Hexo Corp. Join Forces to Sell... Nov1'18 NASA’s Kepler Space Telescope Retires After Nine Years of... Oct30'18 Canadian Officials Report No Spike in Impaired Driving After... Nov15'18 Michigan Rakes in Over $42 Million in Medical Cannabis... Mar7'19 How to Eat, Drink, and Appreciate Cannabis at Restaurants Jun15'19 Utah School District Installs Vape Detectors in Bathrooms Oct8'19

cc/2020-05/en_head_0049.json.gz/line1539830

__label__cc

Is Now a Good Time to Buy Realty Income Corporation? By Matthew FrankelFool.com Note: This is the final article of an eight-part series on Realty Income Corporation. Previous articles have discussed the company's history, business model, industry, income statement/balance sheet, management, growth opportunities, and risks. Realty Income Corporation is one of the most popular and highly regarded real estate investment trusts in the market and for good reason. Since going public in 1994, Realty Income has delivered market-beating returns and an income stream that has steadily risen. However, just because Realty Income is a great company doesn't mean that now is a good time to buy its stock. Here's what you need to know about assessing Realty Income's valuation and where it stands now. First, make sure to use the correct metricsBefore attempting to analyze the valuation of any REIT, you need to know what metrics to use. Some of the numbers typically useful in stock analysis are practically worthless when looking at REITs like Realty Income. Most notably, earnings per share (EPS) isn't a very effective metric to use. REITs are allowed to depreciate their real estate assets over a number of years, and this is counted against its earnings -- even though it's not an "expense" at all. As a result, REIT earnings (and P/E ratios, by association) look much worse than they actually are. During the second quarter, Realty Income reported an EPS of $0.25 per share, which implies a P/E ratio of about 48, which sounds ridiculously expensive. A better metric to use is Funds From Operations (FFO), which adds back in the depreciation "expense" and amortization expense, and subtracts any gains resulting from the sale of properties. Realty Income produced FFO of $0.69 per share for the second quarter, which, on an annualized basis, translates to a P/FFO of 17.4 -- a much more reasonable valuation multiple. FFO is generally considered to be the best way to assess a REIT's ongoing performance and ability to pay its dividends. Realty Income's valuation on a historical basisNow that we know which metrics to use, let's take a look at how expensive Realty Income is. Since FFO is the best measure of a REIT's ongoing performance, we'll use that as our basis for comparison. So, Realty Income's current TTM price-to-FFO multiple of 18.2 is right around the company's five-year average. In other words, compared to its historical valuation, shares are neither cheap nor expensive. It's important to note that a quick glance at a chart may indicate that Realty Income shares have gotten significantly more expensive, but this is not the case. Even though Realty Income's share price has risen by about 50% over the past five years, it is actually less expensive than it was at the beginning of that time period. How does Realty Income's valuation compare to its peers?Realty Income's most direct competitor is National Retail Properties, which has a rather similar business model (focused on freestanding retail properties with the same type of tenants and relatively low debt). And, there are many retail REITs that specialize in other types of retail, such as shopping centers and malls. Let's take a look at how Realty Income compares. So, while Realty Income is slightly more "expensive" than its closest competitor, it also has a slightly stronger history of performance. Over the past 20 years, Realty Income has delivered average total returns of 16.4% per year, while National Retail has produced a 13% average. This is still a rather strong performance and would put a smile on the face of any long-term shareholder, but it could explain why investors think slightly more highly of Realty Income. Realty Income's "margin of safety"Traditionally, a stock's margin of safety refers to the difference between its share price and its intrinsic value. However, determining the intrinsic value of a REIT is tough. A company's book value is a common way of figuring out how much its shares are worth, but this is a flawed approach when dealing with real estate. On Realty Income's balance sheet, it can only list the cost of its real estate holdings, not their current values. For example, if Realty Income purchased a property for $100,000 in 1995, and it's worth $500,000 today, it can only list the original $100,000 sale price as an asset. Not only that, but the accumulated depreciation of its properties is counted against the company's asset value. In other words, the balance sheet indicates that the value of real estate tends to go down over time, when in fact the exact opposite is often true. An ideal way to assess the intrinsic value of Realty Income would be to add up the current market value of its properties, but this is tricky. Not only are there several different ways of assigning a value to real estate, but they're more of an opinion than a fact. Having said that, let's give it a try. One way we can get a decent estimate of Realty Income's intrinsic value is to look at how much income its properties bring in, and compare that to the industry average cap rate (the cash flow properties produce divided by their cost). According to the latest cap rate survey by CBRE, the average cap rate for high-quality, "class A" retail properties is 5.97%. And, if we take Realty Income's second-quarter revenue of $253.9 million ($1.015 billion annualized) and divide by the expected cap rate -- which would give us a good estimate of what Realty Income could expect to sell its properties for -- we arrive at an overall valuation of just over $17 billion for Realty Income's property portfolio. Subtracting Realty Income's debt and preferred stock gives us a total intrinsic value of $11.3 billion. Finally, dividing by the current number of outstanding shares produces an intrinsic value per share of $48.08 -- about 1% more than the current share price. So, it would be fair to say that any price below $48.08 would give us some margin of safety with our investment. Of course, this isn't a perfect way of valuing an entire portfolio of properties, but it is a pretty good estimate. To buy or not to buy?In a nutshell, Realty Income doesn't look particularly cheap right now, but it doesn't look too expensive, either. Theoretically, REITs should trade for the total value of their properties minus any debt, and it looks like Realty Income does just that. The stock trades right in the middle of its own historical average valuation, and it appears to be appropriately valued when compared with peers. Realty Income is a stock to buy for the long haul, and now looks to be a decent (but not ideal) time to get in. However, keep in mind our intrinsic value calculation, as any significant dips in the share price could signal an opportunity to get in on this long-term winner at a discount. The article Is Now a Good Time to Buy Realty Income Corporation? originally appeared on Fool.com. Matthew Frankel owns shares of National Retail Properties, Inc. and Realty Income. The Motley Fool has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

cc/2020-05/en_head_0049.json.gz/line1539831

__label__wiki

Flint Beecher boys basketball prove their depth; Farmington Hills Mercy makes statement Flint Beecher coach Mike Williams may have not wanted to get that deep into the bench, but it paid off in a 71-55 victory over Burton Bendle. Flint Beecher boys basketball prove their depth; Farmington Hills Mercy makes statement Flint Beecher coach Mike Williams may have not wanted to get that deep into the bench, but it paid off in a 71-55 victory over Burton Bendle. Check out this story on Freep.com: https://www.freep.com/story/sports/high-school/2020/01/12/flint-beecher-boys-basketball-farmington-hills-mercy-girls-basketball/4448414002/ Kirkland Crawford, Detroit Free Press Published 1:46 p.m. ET Jan. 12, 2020 Things went according to plan Friday night for Flint Beecher boys basketball coach Mike Williams ... except for Jalen Terry sitting on the bench in a walking boot and Earnest Sanders also on the bench for much of the game in foul trouble. Of course, that is what Williams wanted. “It was kind of a game that I wanted and was looking forward to,” Williams said. “I wanted to get deep in on that bench.” Williams may have not wanted to get that deep into the bench, but it paid off in a 71-55 victory over Burton Bendle. Bendle entered the game 5-0, a far cry from its 4-17 season of a year ago. More: See where Beecher sits in this week's state rankings “I had to check the kids and tell them don’t look what’s across their chest,” Williams said. “These aren’t the kids you think are in the uniform. To their credit, they’ve got some good shooters, they can challenge a team, they’re a quality ball club.” Flint Beecher head coach Mike Williams watches action against Detroit Loyola in the Class C semifinals on Thursday, March 24, 2016 at Breslin Center in East Lansing. (Photo: Kirthmon F. Dozier, DFP) That made it better for Williams, who wanted to find playing time for freshman Robert Lee and 6-foot-3 sophomore Charlie Bell Jr., whose father is a high school basketball legend here and a key member of Michigan State’s 2000 NCAA championship team. “He’s got a high skill level, a high ceiling,” Williams said of Bell. “It’s just a matter of getting accustomed to what we do and getting him playing time. And Robert has a lot of athleticism.” Beecher (6-1 and No. 1 in Division 3) has plenty of depth and talented young players have to sit on the bench until they learn Beecher’s system. “People don’t understand, this is not AAU ball,” Williams said. “This is a lot more organized. You’re not going to get out on the floor right away and do whatever it is you want to do because our success is predicated on our defense. “It takes kids about a year to learn the defense and their assignments. We’re switching defenses and making adjustments.” That is why the Bucs have won five state titles since 2012. Terry was injured early in the third quarter of Beecher’s 76-62 victory over Benton Harbor. The former Michigan State commit, who has his list of schools down to LSU, Louisville and Oregon, is a favorite for the Hal Schram Mr. Basketball award, which in 2013 was won by Beecher’s Monte Morris, now with Denver of the NBA. “Honestly, the way Jalen was playing, he was on his way to claiming Mr. Basketball that night,” Williams said. “He came out with intent. The reason we went on that side of the state was so people on the west side could see him. They’ve heard about him, and probably most of the votes came from the west side. Michigan high school basketball: Vote for boys player of the week “We did it with Monte. We went out to Grand Rapids when he was a senior and made sure everybody got a chance to see him.” Terry scored 17 of his 19 points in the first half and was driving to the basket and landed on someone’s foot. Terry will have another opportunity to play against another Mr. Basketball candidate at 8 p.m. Saturday at Ferndale when the Bucs meet No. 1 Orchard Lake St. Mary’s, featuring guard Lance Bowman Jr., who signed with Wisconsin. “He really wants to play Saturday,” Williams said. “He wants a shot at proving he’s the best player in the state.” Farmington Hills Mercy players embrace after beating Birmingham Marian, 45-36, to win the Catholic League A/B Division girls basketball title Feb. 19 at Wayne State. (Photo: Wright Wilson Special to DFP) Mercy-Marian rivalry rekindled When the Farmington Hills Mercy’s girls basketball players walked into their locker room Tuesday before their game against Birmingham Marian, they saw two words written on the whiteboard: “It’s time.” No, Mercy coach Gary Morris wasn’t referring to the Imagine Dragons song. It was about re-establishing a rivalry. In 2017 Mercy beat Marian in both regular season games and the Catholic League championship game, but since then the Marlins have gone winless against Marian. “I like this group,” Morris said. “It was just a matter that hey, we can go play with them and we did.” Mercy posted an impressive 46-34 victory over Marian, which was unbeaten and ranked No. 3 in Division 1. Michigan high school basketball: Vote for girls player of the week The Mercy-Marian rivalry had been among the best in the state for over a decade now. In 2014, the teams split four games, but Marian won the state tournament game before it won the state title. Mercy (7-0, No. 7 in Super 10, No. 5 in D-1) does not have a senior on this team, but has four-three year varsity players and none of them had beaten Marian. “In our approach up to the game, I could sense that our kids were confident and believed that we could beat them,” Morris said. “Once the game started, right from the get-go, it was a competitive game.” The Marlins have been terrific defensively all season and they were spectacular against Marian, limiting Shannon Kennedy to 10 points. “We were really mindful of Shannon Kennedy because she’s a kid that’s really hurt us in the past – she’s hurt a lot of other people in the past,” Morris said. “We were always aware of where she was.” Maddie Kenney did a terrific job on Kennedy while scoring 17 points. Julia Bishop made only one basket, a three-pointer, but she was the leading scorer with 19 points. She made an amazing 16 of 18 free throws and was 9 of 10 in the final seven minutes. The victory affirmed Morris’ belief in his team, even if his opinion was not shared by many other people. “We had a decent core group coming back and we have some good young kids that have adjusted to varsity basketball pretty quickly,” he said. “Maybe we’re flying a little bit under the radar. The ‘17 team was kind of a nice surprise and this team has that potential to have a really good season.” Mick McCabe is a former longtime columnist for the Detroit Free Press. Contact him at mick.mccabe11@gmail.com. Follow him on Twitter @mickmccabe1. College football is broken and shows no signs of being fixed Michigan football is in a pickle at linebacker with latest defection U-M's Harbaugh lost a 'trusting friend' in top recruiter Report: U-M hiring former Miss. State defensive coordinator Firing of Yzerman's long-time friend just made things interesting Football isn't the only sport new Lions coordinator is good at

cc/2020-05/en_head_0049.json.gz/line1539832

__label__wiki

2018 Election Roundup with article links to each race Barton County 2018 unofficial election results Democrat Kelly defeats Kobach in governor’s race 19th Amendment exhibit moves to GB Public Library Posing as suffragists are local League of Women Voters members, from left: Beverly Komarek and Janice Walker, and Krystall Barnes, Barton Community College coordinator of Workforce Training. Updated: Dec. 12, 2019, 5:56 p.m. The League of Women Voters of Kansas will move its 19th Amendment exhibit to the Great Bend Public Library next week, where it will be on display Monday through Friday. There will be a closing reception for this exhibit from 1-2 p.m. on Friday, December 20. Janice Walker from the Great Bend League of Women Voters explained that the seven-panel traveling exhibit is a mobile museum explaining the history of the women’s suffrage movement. Beginning with Clarina Nichols in the late 1800s, women in Kansas fought for decades to ensure their inclusion in civic life. Kansas was on the leading edge as women could vote in all elections in Kansas in 1912, eight years before the 19th Amendment extended that right to the rest of the country. The exhibit also traces the history following 1920, including the influence of African-American and Native American women, who had an integral part in the process even as the right to vote did not include them until much later. Illustrating the difference women’s involvement in the political process has made in the lives of all Kansans through the present day, the exhibit’s final panel issues a call to action to vote in every election. This exhibit has been shown at Barton Community College and has been at the Great Bend Public Library this week. After the closing reception at the Great Bend Public Library on December 20, the exhibit will return to Topeka. The 19th Amendment exhibit was shown at the Barton Community College Library. Next week it moves to the Great Bend Public Library. The traveling exhibit features seven panels that explain the history of the women’s suffrage movement.

cc/2020-05/en_head_0049.json.gz/line1539834

__label__wiki

Flying High: The Eye-Catching HondaJet Lures Fans Both Famous And Practical Dec 9, 2019 by Brendan Coffey A flash of insight woke Michimasa Fujino one night many years ago, when the Honda engineer had been researching aircraft design for the Japanese automaker. After puzzling over theories of optimal airflow he read in a 1930s fluid mechanics textbook, Fujino came to the solution midsleep. Unable to find a piece of paper, he tore a page from his calendar and drew a small jet with a dolphinlike nose and engines mounted over the wings. By the time the first HondaJet customer took delivery, some two decades later in 2015, the jet still resembled Fujino’s visionary nighttime sketch, complete with Honda’s patented over-the-wing engine mount configuration and HF120 turbofan engines, which are jointly developed by Honda and GE Aviation. The combination of design and performance embodied in the plane has resulted in Honda Aircraft Company growing into the sixth-largest maker of business jets last year, even as industry sales have slipped nearly 20% worldwide since peaking over $22 billion in 2014, according to data from the General Aviation Manufacturers Association. There are around 140 HondaJets in operation today. “It is gratifying to see that our advanced technologies are tapping into new markets and that our hard work is paying off,” says Fujino, now the CEO of Honda Aircraft Company, the business unit spawned from his design. “My vision is to create new value in business aviation and personal mobility.” Stretching 42.62 feet long and having a maximum takeoff weight of 10,700 pounds, the HondaJet is said by pilots to be crisp and precise to fly, like an airborne sports car. That’s an apt description since the plane is fastest in the very light jet category, with speeds topping out at 422 nautical miles per hour. At 18.5 inches in diameter, the HF120 engine generates 2,095 pounds of thrust, making this the smallest jet engine in GE’s portfolio. (GE’s largest engine, the GE9X, has a fan diameter stretching a full 135 inches.) In addition to the dolphin nose — which reduces drag and improves pilot sight lines — the HondaJet is also easy to spot because of its unique over-the-wing engine mount configuration. After 20 years of research and development, engineers concluded that this design could increase fuel efficiency, reduce cabin noise and maximize cabin space in the jet’s small footprint. The plane can carry up to eight people, including the pilot. “The engines have proven to be reliable and are performing exceptionally,” Fujino says. “Honda and GE have fostered a great partnership.” The HondaJet has a 99.7% dispatch reliability rate, an industry standard measuring the percentage of planes that make scheduled departures within 15 minutes. The Hawaii air ambulance company Wing Spirit recently purchased several HondaJets to begin medevac service in early 2020. The interior of the jet is similar in size to an ambulance, with enough room for medics, a patient on a stretcher and various equipment. Top and above images credit: HondaJet. While the HondaJet has been marketed to business owners who require the flexibility a small jet affords, the combination of style and performance has been widening the aircraft’s appeal, from movie stars to ambulance services. Recently, a Hollywood actor became an owner after visiting Fujino at HondaJet’s headquarters in Greensboro, North Carolina, and getting a behind-the-scenes look at the jet’s construction. “He mentioned that the effort it takes to create a state-of-the-art aircraft reminds him of his hard effort in creating movies with creativity and passion,” Fujino explains. He says the star quickly tackled an intensive HondaJet training course in Greensboro, where new owners can become HondaJet type-rated. “He was one of the best-prepared pilots for the training and our instructor was very impressed by him,” Fujino adds. While celebrity purchases provide a nice brand halo, the HondaJet’s practicality is allowing for a larger customer base. The company recently announced that Hawaii air ambulance company Wing Spirit purchased several HondaJets to begin medevac service in early 2020. The company bought HondaJet Elites, the updated version of the plane that adds about 214 additional nautical miles of range — to 1,473 nm — along with shorter takeoff and landing runway needs. The interior of the jet is similar in size to an ambulance, allowing enough room for medics, a patient on a stretcher bed and various equipment. “Air ambulances are generally the quickest way to reach medical care when time is of the essence,” Fujino says. “Especially in this case in which patients will be transported between islands, the HondaJet is clearly the most effective method of transportation.” The fixed-wing air ambulance market is growing at more than 9% a year and should hit $2 billion in service revenue by 2025, according to Grand View Research. Overall, despite the dip in recent years, worldwide business jet sales are projected to grow to $36 billion, according to Research and Markets, a research provider. “As a result of our commitment to innovation, the HondaJet Elite is the fastest, farthest and highest-flying aircraft in its class, while also being the most fuel-efficient and comfortable,” Fujino says. “We have successfully designed and built an innovative aircraft that transforms people’s lifestyles.” TAGS:GE AviationHondaJet Driving Opportunity: GE’s African American Forum Helps Its Members Rise — And Give Back The 5 Coolest Things On Earth This Week Digital Airlines Flying By Numbers: This GE Software Will Help Emirates Pilots Fly Smarter Living Legacy: 10 Years After Haiti Earthquake, Rural Hospital Endures And Expands In Sync: How A Steam-Era Machine Can Upgrade The 21st Century Electric Grid Breaking News: This Engineer Puts Medical Devices Through The Wringer

cc/2020-05/en_head_0049.json.gz/line1539835

__label__wiki

Underrated Comic Characters Most People Haven’t Heard Of By K. Thor Jensen 05.11.2018 :: 3:00PM EST 05.11.2018 kthorjensen We’re all in on Marvel and DC here at the Geek offices, but you know what? The world of comics is a much bigger place than the Big Two. There’s Image of course, and Dark Horse, and then you get down to Oni and Boom! and IDW and more and more – flip through a Diamond catalog if you don’t believe me. Comics are a tremendously diverse and powerful medium, and if you’re sticking to what you know, you’re missing out. As part of our mission to be tour guides to every part of the nerd culture landscape, we’re breaking out the longboxes to spotlight eleven comic book characters from other companies that deserve to be more famous. Some are serious, some are silly, but they’re all worth a trip to your local comic shop to learn more about. Luther Strode The lead character of The Strange Talent Of Luther Strode orders an exercise kit called the Hercules Method through the mail and gets a lot more than he bargained for, as it gives him superhuman strength and speed that he has a bit of trouble controlling. As you’d expect, he tries to become a superhero only to discover that the world he lives in is a bit more complicated and less morally distinct than the ones in the funny books. This three-part saga is rife with ultraviolence, twisted plots and all the other fun stuff you love from comics. Before Scott McCloud became the mastermind behind Understanding Comics, he cut his teeth on a quirky independent superhero book in the 1980s. Zot was a conscious reaction to the grim and gritty Frank Miller tone that was starting to take over the industry, starring a young man from an alternate Earth who meets our world through a portal and befriends a normal young woman. It was one of the first American comics to take inspiration from Japanese manga master Osamu Tezuka, and over the course of 36 issues it deepened its world to become something truly unique. The last eight issues featured Zot stranded on Earth and dealing with more grounded slice-of-life problems. Pat Mills is one of the writers responsible for British ultra-lawman Judge Dredd, so when he cast his gaze at superhero comics the results were dark indeed. Marshal Law is a leather-clad super-cop tasked with keeping the ruins of San Francisco law-abiding, usually with extreme force. Frequent Alan Moore collaborator Kevin O’Neill provided the artwork, which was angular, violent and lurid. The character first appeared in 1987 from Marvel’s Epic imprint but shuttled through several other publishers over the next decade or so. Definitely worth looking through the back issue bins for. Lick-It Man Drawn by frequent Marvel artist Joe Quinones, Lick-It Man is a superhero with a seriously unusual power: he can give women “enlightened orgasms” that inspire them to lead better lives. How’d he get his powers? From a radioactive lollipop, of course. Writer Camille Carida came up with the idea in 2005 and struggled to find a publisher for reasons that should be obvious, but once the book came out it actually climbed to the top of the Canadian graphic novel charts on Amazon. It’s a gleefully absurd, sex-positive feminist take on the genre that’s unlike anything else you’ve ever read. Fantomah Created by idiosyncratic writer/artist Fletcher Hanks in 1940, Fantomah is considered by many to be the first female superhero, and she’s a wild one. The skull-faced woman possesses a vast and unexplained suite of magical powers that she uses to extract gruesome vengeance on poachers and other enemies of the jungle. His original stories are fever dreams of surreal adventure and still boggle the mind today. The character passed into the public domain in the 21st century and has been adopted by other artists who want to play around with her iconic appearance. Part of Malibu’s ill-fated 90s Ultraverse line, Mantra was notable for early artwork by Terry Dodson and its unusual main character. Lukasz is an ancient warrior locked in eternal battle against the villain Boneyard. Every time he dies, his soul is placed in a new body to continue the struggle. In the 90s, his leader was captured but managed to consign Lukasz’s soul to one final reincarnation: inside a young woman named Eden Blake. The gender swap hook was fun, but the series managed to really dip into the moral conundrum of Lukasz’s possession of these innocent people over the years in between superpowered punch-ups. Marvel still owns the Ultraverse but they don’t seem interested in doing anything much with the characters. Archie Comics has dipped their toes into the superhero world on occasion, usually with pretty dire results. One attempt that stood out from the rest was The Fox, written by Mark Waid and drawn by Dean Haspiel. Paul Patton Jr. is a young photographer who, when danger strikes, puts on a leotard and fights crime as an animal-themed hero. If it sounds very Spider-Man-ish, you’re not wrong, but the 2014 series took some interesting risks with the character, who is a pretty reluctant hero who can’t seem to help attracting all sorts of bizarre foes and strange situations. Shadoweyes Created by Sophie Campbell, best known as the artist for the critically acclaimed Jem and the Holograms comics, Shadoweyes is the story of a young girl who aspires to be a masked vigilante, only to get in over her head and discover that she’s something very different. Campbell really nails the teenage world of its heroes, capturing the excitement and fear as Scout learns to cope with her new body and its abilities. One place that it really stands out is in the compassion the book shows for its cast of misfits and others contending with the world of the future. Dan The Unharmable We’re used to people with incredible abilities putting on spandex costumes and punching bad guys in the face, but the titular protagonist of David Lapham and Rafael Ortiz’s 2013 series just wants to get by, thanks. A homeless private eye with a big bushy stache, Dan can’t be injured or killed by any mortal means, and he spends most of his time drunk off his ass until a problem that he can’t get rid of comes up: he’s got four kids he doesn’t know about. This kicks off a vulgar, crude and violent adventure that’ll test the limits of your tolerance as Dan encounters one horrendous situation after another. Mr. Monster One of the biggest independent comics characters of the 80s is all but forgotten today, but back in the day Michael T. Gilbert’s Doc Stearn, who battled evil under the name of Mr. Monster, was inescapable. The cowled muscleman was a throwback to the days of pulp adventure, facing off against villains from beyond the grave in a style that mixes EC gruesomeness with the vivid paneling and high adventure of Will Eisner’s The Spirit. Gilbert continues to tell stories with the character some thirty years after his debut, and we don’t see the veteran artist slowing down any time soon. Kim And Kim Let’s close this off with a twofer, shall we? Magdalene Visaggio and Eva Cabrera’s Kim and Kim stars an identically-named pair of intergalactic female bounty hunters who make the poor life choice to hijack a big bounty and find themselves on the other side of the law, with disastrous results. What makes this one worth your time – and both Kims such great characters – is that they’re so full of vim and vigor, diving head-first into the unknown and riding the wave of chaos that erupts in their wake. It’s day-glo high adventure with a surprising amount of heart. Let us know what you like about Geek by taking our survey. indie comics More in Comics 01.09.2020 :: 11:02AM EST :: Michelle Ehrhardt Marvel’s Kylo Ren Comic Drops Hint About Next ‘Star Wars’ Movies 01.03.2020 :: 11:00AM EST :: K. Thor Jensen 12.20.2019 :: 1:00PM EST :: K. Thor Jensen ‘Doomsday Clock’ Shows That DC Will Never Understand ‘Watchmen’ 12.11.2019 :: 3:22PM EST :: Michelle Ehrhardt ‘Strange Academy’ Brings Magic Schooling to the Marvel Universe

cc/2020-05/en_head_0049.json.gz/line1539836

__label__cc

Temp and Count loggers monitor caves to help reconstruct past climate change HomeArticlesArticle Tinytag robust outdoor temperature data loggers are used to monitor cave conditions as part of a project to reconstruct past climate change. Climatic changes are being investigated by monitoring environmental conditions in caves using temperature data loggers, while a drip counter based on a Tinytag count logger investigates the relationship between rainfall and the formation of stalagmites. Cave monitoring full case study Prof. Dave Mattey of the Department of Earth Science, Royal Holloway, University of London, is using Tinytags to measure climatic changes by monitoring inside caves. We are all aware of the uncertainties regarding the future of the Earth's climate systems. Weather forecasting can be rather imprecise and predicting the future behaviour of global weather patterns rests on computer models that rely on meteorological data and an understanding of what drives weather systems. However, meteorological records only stretch back a century or so, and our understanding of how the global climate systems interact and change is far from complete. Geologists are researching new ways to use chemical records in rocks and fossils to monitor climate change in great detail, which will lead to improved predictions of future changes. One of these chemical records can be found in caves in the form of stalagmites that grow from water that has fallen as rain. Stalagmite 'weather stations' can be accurately dated and steadily grow in a stable undisturbed environment for many tens of thousands of years and are turning out to be very valuable archives of past weather patterns. Professor Dave Mattey of the Department of Earth Science, Royal Holloway, University of London, is using Tinytag data loggers to measure the subtle changes in the environment inside the cave that occur over many years. He is leading research focussed on how changing weather above the cave affects the growth of stalagmites and the chemical 'memory' preserved in the stalagmite of the rainfall, outside temperature and the type of vegetation. Using rugged Tinytag Plus 2 data loggers, measurements are made in many locations inside and outside the cave at hourly intervals, giving unprecedented levels of detail. Caves provide a very harsh environment where 100% humidity can cause relentless corrosion and instrument failure due to damp and condensation. Caves are often remote, with no power, and have difficult access, requiring rugged instruments that will provide a reliable data over long time periods. The battery powered Tinytag temperature loggers have proved very reliable in measuring seasonal changes in air and rock temperatures inside caves and also in the overlying soil where they have been buried at different depths for up to a year before data is downloaded. Another area of interest is the relationship between rainfall and the formation of stalagmites. Research has focussed on the time taken for groundwater saturated in calcium carbonate to penetrate through the soil and bedrock into the cave. If the cave starts dripping soon after a period of rainfall then the stalagmite 'weather station' records day to day changes in climate; if the dripping takes a long time to build up, or just remains constant all year round then the 'weather station' is recording more gradual changes, smoothing out the day-to-day variations. The research team has developed a unique logging drip counter, the 'Stalagmate' (pictured), which is based on a Tinytag count logger and a sensor built into a waterproof box that is placed on top of stalagmites to show precisely how drip rates respond to rainfall. The Stalagmate is commercially available and large numbers are now in use in caves and for groundwater research worldwide. Cave and climate research using Tinytag data loggers has been carried out in Europe, India and the south Pacific. The Tinytag count loggers have proved their worth despite the appalling treatment they are sometimes subjected to! Other than a battery change every year or so, they have worked reliably in humid caves, buried in soil, and sometimes submerged in water and returned data without any problems. Dave Mattey is Professor of Geochemistry at Royal Holloway, University of London and has been director of the Stable Isotope Facilities since 1989. He leads research into cave science and climate reconstruction in Europe, India and the Pacific. Instrumentation Loggers > Range of voltage, current and count input data loggers that can be used to record outputs from third-party sensors. These units can be factory configured/scaled to show readings appropriate for the sensor they are connected to. High resolution and accuracy Fast download speed Battery monitoring circuit View Instrumentation Range Custom Scaling Form > To confirm that one of our Instrumentation data loggers can be configured/scaled to work with your specific sensor, please submit our online form. View Scaling Form

cc/2020-05/en_head_0049.json.gz/line1539837

__label__cc

Atlanticism Security and conflicts Classics of geopolitics Multipolarity Home » conservatism For An Illiberal Europe - Colloque ILIADE 2019 Alain de Benoist is an essayist, philosopher, the author of over a hundred works addressing political philosophy and the history of ideas. He just published Contre le libéralisme. La société n’est pas un marché, with Éditions du Rocher. He spoke to the sixth colloquium of the Institut ILIADE, “Europe, the hour of borders,” on April 6th, 2019. Benoist Canada as Cradle of Conservatism? Grant Havers Canada as Cradle of Conservatism? A Review of Ron Dart's "The North American High Tory Tradition" Nina Kouprianova - Challenging the status quo First of all, I do not consider myself to be a member of any movement or organization, but I am sympathetic to various movements, organizations, and even individuals that challenge the dominant liberal hegemony around the world. Therefore, this may pertain to certain independent journalists that self-describe as being left wing that demystify Washington's damage to somewhere like the Middle East, for instance Syria. Richard Spencer - The purpose and meaning of the alt-right movement When I first started using the term alt-right in the midsummer of 2008, the term was negative in its conception. It was an attempt to get away from the mainstream conservatives, from George W. Bush and from neoconservatives. It was starting a new beginning. At that time, I did not know quite what that was going to be. New Japanese defense minister- a female samurai For the second time in the history of the country of the Rising Sun a woman became Japan's defense minister. Nippon Kaigi Putin blames CIA Sacred Geography

cc/2020-05/en_head_0049.json.gz/line1539838

__label__wiki

De Beauvoir woman gets thumbs-up form Jonathan Ross for cinematic version of award-winning musical A woman from De Beauvoir is directing the cinematic version of an acclaimed West End production. Maria Friedman’s production of award-winning musical Merrily We Roll Along will be in UK cinemas on October 24. It is the first title in the West End Theatre Series, which aims to make productions from London’s West End available as a global cinema series. The musical is based on the book by George Furth with music and lyrics by Oscar-winning composer Stephen Sondheim. Mr Sondheim said: “This production is not only the best I’ve seen, but one of those rare instances where casting, direction and show come together in perfect combination, resulting in the classic ideal of the sum being greater than the parts.” Meanwhile TV presenter Jonathan Ross has given the West End hit his seal of approval during an interview with Maria Friedman and the leading cast members, Mark Umbers, Jenna Russell and Damian Humbley. He said: “I saw this production a few weeks ago at the Chocolate Factory, and it blew me away.”

cc/2020-05/en_head_0049.json.gz/line1539850

__label__wiki

Funding for the fuel poor Published: 03 Nov 2016 09:54 Additional £10 million to help families who most need support to keep warm this winter. More people across the country will be able to keep themselves and their families warm this winter as a result of £10 million funding announced today. Housing associations and councils will be given a share of £9 million funding to help improve the housing of some of the poorest households and those most in need. The funding will help ensure social housing meets energy efficiency standards, making it easier for tenants to heat their home and keep themselves and their families warm. An extra £1 million is also being made available to provide grants to those households using our interest-free loan scheme, to help meet the cost of installing energy efficiency measures. In addition, Minister for Housing Kevin Stewart has announced work is now underway to develop Scotland’s Energy Efficiency Programme (SEEP), with 11 pilot projects being implemented to test ways of improving the energy efficiency of Scotland’s buildings and ensures everyone has a warm and comfortable home they can afford to heat. Mr Stewart said: “Everyone deserves a safe and warm place to call home. And that is why tackling fuel poverty is a priority, for me and for this Government. “I’m delighted that this week a further £9 million is going out to councils and social housing associations to ensure some of Scotland’s most vulnerable households are able to heat their homes. This means we are spending £113 million this year alone tackling fuel poverty directly. “I am also pleased to be announcing a further £1 million investment in our interest-free loan scheme which will increase the number of people able to access help to install energy efficiency measures. “Over the next four years we are making half a billion pounds available to tackle fuel poverty and improve energy efficiency. This means, by the end of 2021, we will have committed more than £1 billion to making our homes and buildings warmer and cheaper to heat. “I announced last week that we are looking again at our approach to fuel poverty and as a result of recommendation by the Scottish Fuel Poverty Strategic Working Group an independent review of the definition of fuel poverty will be carried out. “It is absolutely vital we make sure the action we are taking makes a difference to those who need it most.”

cc/2020-05/en_head_0049.json.gz/line1539855

__label__wiki

Spg Novella 2013 Original Language Title: SPG-Novelle 2013 152. Federal law, with which the Security Police Act is amended and violations of certain injunctions to protect against violence and to protect from invasion of privacy to administrative offences are explained (SPG Novella 2013) the National Council has decided: article 1 Amendment of the Security Police Act The Security Police Act (SPG), Federal Law Gazette No. 566/1991, as last amended by Federal Law Gazette I no. 83/2013, is amended as follows: 1. in the table of contents is the entry to § 38a: "§ 38a Prohibition and signposts for the protection against violence"2. Article 35, paragraph 1 Z 8 is:"8 If this is necessary for the imposition of a re-entry ban according to the § 36a para 3 and 4 and 38a paragraphs 1 and 6, as well as for inspection and enforcement of the same;" 3. § 38a including heading is as follows: "Prohibition and signposts for the protection against violence § 38a. (1) is on the basis of certain facts, in particular due to a previous dangerous attack, to assume it ahead a dangerous attack against life, health or freedom, so the organs of public security are authorized, a people of the danger comes (Gefährder), entering 1 an apartment, in which an endangered lives, and their immediate surroundings; 2. and, if it is for the vulnerable is a minor minor, also enter a) one of the explosive babes to meet compulsory in the sense of the compulsory education Act, Federal Law Gazette No. 76/1985, school or b visited) an institutional child care facility visited by him or c) a shorts visited by him, including an area within a radius of fifty metres, to prohibit. (2) arrangement of a re-entry ban have the organs of public security 1 the Gefährder the spatial area, to which the prohibition relates to, taking account of the scope of the prohibition of re-entry is to determine No. 1 in accordance with the requirements of an effective preventive protection referred to in paragraph 1, note 2, in the case of a refusal, the area covered by the prohibition referred to in paragraph 1 to leave , away assign 3 the Gefährder all in his possession to take the key to the apartment under par. 1 Z 1, 4 to give him the opportunity, urgently to take needed articles of for personal use and to know what options he has to stay. A ban on return to the home, carefully is, that this intrusion into the private life of the person concerned keeps the disproportionality (§ 29) attention. Unless the need stated, that the person concerned goes to the apartment, which he is prohibited from entering, he may do so only in the presence of the organ of the public security service. (3) the bodies of the public security service are obliged to demand the announcement of a tax authority for purposes of the delivery of repealing the prohibition of re-entry or an interim injunction b and 382e EO by the Gefährder according to § 382. He fails to do this, the service of such documents can be done so long by depositing without preceding delivery attempt, until an announcement is made; that the Gefährder be noted. (4) the bodies of the public security service are also required, 1 the risk of the possibility of an injunction according to §§ 382 b and 382e EO and of suitable victim protection facilities (§ 25 para. 3), and 2. If minors at risk include, immediately the local children and youth help carriers in accordance with § 37 Federal children and youth welfare law 2013 (B-KJHG 2013), Federal Law Gazette I no. 69, and b. the Director of an institution referred to in paragraph 1 No. 2 for the prohibition was imposed to inform. (5) in the case of the documentation of the arrangement of a re-entry ban, caution is not merely on the intervention of relevant circumstances, but also to those to take for a procedure according to § 382 b and 382e EO or for a hazard investigation 2013 can be B KJHG within the meaning of section 22 by the competent children's and youth services of importance. (6) the arrangement of a re-entry ban is to announce the security authority without delay and to verify this within 48 hours. The safety authority finds that the prohibition does not have to be mounted, so she has the Gefährder to immediately repeal this; the vulnerable is to inform you that the prohibition will, lifted immediately the lifting of the re-entry ban, as well as the information of the vulnerable have orally or in writing by personal delivery to be made. The keys removed pursuant to par. 2 is to follow the Gefährder with lifting of the re-entry ban, to impose b and 382e EO at Court in the case of an application for issuing an injunction according to §§ 382. (7) where a prohibition for the local powers of other security authority (sections 8 and 9) is arranged, it is immediately reported to. The implementation of the beyond the review of the re-entry ban (para. 6) is the local security authority. (8) compliance with a re-entry ban must be checked at least once during the first three days of its validity by organs of the public security service. The prohibition ends two weeks after his Anordnung.Wird the safety agency within this period of court bringing an application for issuing an interim injunction informed according to §§ 382 of the b and 382e EO, so the prohibition will be extended until the date of notification of the decision of the Court to the defendant, at the latest on 4 weeks from order. In the case of a withdrawal of the application, the re-entry ban two weeks after its arrangement, with withdrawal of the application after the extension of the re-entry ban, ends as soon as the safety authority of the withdrawal becomes aware through communication of the Court. "(9) the Court has the locally competent safety authority by bringing an application for issuing an injunction according to §§ 382 b and 382e EO and its extent, as well as to inform without delay of a possible withdrawal." 4. in article 45, paragraph 2, the term "Youth welfare institution" is replaced by the term "Children and youth help institution". 5. in article 56, paragraph 1, 7 is the punctuation in the Z '. "by the punctuation";"replaced and added following Z 8:"8 in the case of an arrangement of a re-entry ban according to section 38a, para 1, no. 2, at the head of the institution to the initiative in the framework of supervision for the protection of the vulnerable minor measures. To provide only the name of the Gefährders and the explosive babes and the length of the re-entry ban, and information about a possible lifting of the same." 6. in section 58 c para 2 are the term "Youth welfare institution" by the term "Children and youth help carriers" and the term "Child welfare" replaced by the term "Children and youth". 7 § 84 para 1 No. 2 is: "2. in spite of a re-entry ban according to § 38a the of the prohibition pursuant to section 38a, paragraph 1 covered area enters or" 8. In § 92 Z 2 is after the phrase "Things unused" the phrase "within the framework of the first compulsory assistance (article 19) or" inserted. 9 35 the following paragraph is added to section the 94: "(35) § 35 par. 1 Z 8, 38a, including heading, 45 para of 2, 56 para 1 Nos. 7 and 8, 58 c para of 2, 84 para 1 subpara 2 and § 92 No. 2 and the entry in the table of contents to § 38a including heading as amended by Federal Law Gazette I no. 152/2013 with 1 September 2013 into force." Criminal provisions § 1 (1) who one in an injunction after §§ 382 b, 382e par. 1 Z 1 and Z 2 first case and section 382 g para 1 Nos. 1 and 3 of the Act of May 27, 1896 of the Rechtspfleger - and backup procedures (execution order - EO), RGBl. No. 79/1896, taken arrangement contravenes commits an administrative offence and is fined up to 500 euros, in case their recovery with imprisonment up to two weeks , to punish. (2) by imposing a penalty is to be seen if a penalty has been imposed on account of the violation of an arrangement in the sense of paragraph 1 of the Court of execution on the occasion of the approval of an execution in accordance with § 355 EO already. 2. (1) the implementation of administrative penal proceedings is whether the district administrative authorities, in the scope of a national police headquarters as security authority of first instance on the territory of a municipality (§ 8 of the Security Police Act SPG, Federal Law Gazette No. 566/1991) this. (2) organs of public security are authorized to the prevention of administrative offences or to the initiation of administrative penal measures; they act as organs of the competent district administrative authority or State police headquarters, to the extent that this is also a safety authority of first instance for the area of a municipality, this. § 3. The sections 1 and 2 come into force with September 1, 2013. 2005 Spg Novella 2006 2015 Public Safety Officers Retirement Pensions Act

cc/2020-05/en_head_0049.json.gz/line1539857

__label__wiki

Watch this Miguel Angel Jimenez's putt seem to defy physics in Hawaii Original Gangsters Dan Marino says he'd throw for 6,000 yards and 60 touchdowns in today's NFL and we kind of believe him Fan screams at Brandon Ingram to help his bet, gets praised by announcer for his "loyalty" News & ToursMay 22, 2014 The superstar who wasn't: Sam Randolph and his second chance John Strege By John Strege Sam Randolph once was a legend in its embryonic stage -- a heralded amateur, a PGA Tour winner in his rookie season, who lost his way by seeking answers to questions that need not have been asked. How good was he? Billy Andrade once gave me this definitive description: "God, he was awesome. What I remember about Sam Randolph was playing in the Junior World Cup at Portmarnock in Ireland. He hit the best shot I've ever seen, on the 15th hole, 180 yards, pot bunkers on both sides, a skinny green. The wind was 50 miles an hour, dead into us. It was blowing so hard I couldn't even swing. He hit a 1-iron that he'd bent into a zero-iron. It never got more than a few feet off the ground and he hit it an inch from the hole." Augusta National/Getty Images SamRandolph.jpg (Getty Images photo) Randolph won the U.S. Amateur in 1985, won the Haskins Award as the best college player the same year, was twice the low amateur in the Masters (see photo above) and once in the U.S. Open. "As good a talent as I've ever seen," his college coach at USC, Randy Lein, said. "You could count on him to be a superstar." His undoing was that he sought ways to get better. In doing so, a quintessential feel player became hopelessly entangled in swing minutiae. It effectively spelled the end of his PGA Tour career and he became a teaching pro. Randolph turned 50 last week and is making his Champions Tour debut at the Senior PGA Championship in Benton Harbor, Mich., today. Several players through the years successfully have used the Champions Tour as a second chance. What a story it would be if he were to join them. Follow @JohnStrege More from The Loop

cc/2020-05/en_head_0049.json.gz/line1539860

__label__wiki

History and Museums Religion Of Founding Fathers List They contend the course would not teach religion. It would merely study the influence the Bible has had on the culture and history of the United States and its Founding Fathers. “It’s not teaching. A Few Declarations of Founding Fathers and Early Statesmen on Jesus, Christianity, and the Bible (This list is by no means exhaustive; many other Founders could be included, The archive reflects the emphasis of Waldman’s book, which explores the religious beliefs of America’s Founding Fathers: George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, John Adams, Thomas Jefferson and James. Revolutionary War Quotes. We have lots of great Revolutionary War Quotes for you from the time of the American Revolution and Beyond! You might think quotes from America’s Founding Fathers would be rather dry and uninteresting. but you would be wrong! The founding fathers of the European Union are 11 men officially recognised as major contributors to European unity and the development of what is now the European Union. Sometimes emphasised are three pioneers of unification: Robert Schuman of France, Alcide. To uncover this, we should take a closer look at the backgrounds and beliefs of the founding fathers, in addition to the goal of the Declaration. The founders came from similar religious backgrounds. Favorite quotes on liberty and freedom from our Founding Fathers. It’s what the founding fathers would have wanted. of Mormon” themed party on Fire Island for the religious freedom-lover in you. We expect the white collars won’t stay on long. For a full list of. Thomas Paine Religious Beliefs Legal scholars agree that American revolutionaries such as Thomas Paine and Thomas Jefferson envisioned natural. it is wrong to assume Thomas` philosophy is grounded broadly in religion rather than. I think my religion is a wonderful religion.” Thus he professed a talismanic reverence for what Thomas Paine called “a history of wickedness that has served Our Founding Fathers created the first. ethnicity, color, religion, sex, national origin, immigration status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, or age. That’s a tough. Founding Fathers, the most prominent statesmen of America’s Revolutionary generation, responsible for the successful war for colonial independence from Great Britain, the liberal ideas celebrated in the Declaration of Independence, and the republican form of government defined in the United States Constitution.While there are no agreed-upon criteria for inclusion, membership in this select. But our Founding Fathers were very clear about ensuring religious liberty for all Americans. Here are 7 quotes from our Founding Fathers concerning religious liberty which you should know. "Nothing is. Dec 15, 2014. When it comes to discussing the world's major religions, the focus is. he and his son are said to be the founding fathers of the Arabic people. to #link:http://whc. unesco.org/en/list/669:Santiago de Compostela#, for example. According to the ACLU’s Web site, the Founding Fathers “knew the best way to protect religious liberty was to keep the government out of religion.” And according to About.com’s Austin Cline, Thomas. . we will use the 'typical' list pushed by most Christians (from Exodus 20: 2-17, and. Again, this contradicts the First Amendment right to freedoms of religion and. The founding fathers made it clear through the blatant absence of religious. However, those who did not desire religion usually kept it a secret due to the stigma attached to a “non-believer,” something the Founding Fathers did not want. James Madison, who was believed to be a. Hear the founding fathers on religion and catch a glimpse of the strong spiritual convictions of the men who formed the foundations of our nation. Everybody talks about Founding Principles—sometimes called First Principles—but what are these bedrock values that formed the basis of the American Experiment. A list of America’s most important Founding Fathers, including the Signers of the Declaration of Independence, Signers of the Constitution, Revolutionary War Generals &. it is more pertinent to ask whether religion can leave the state alone. The relevance of this question is underscored by the unique definition of secularism espoused by the founding fathers of the. . Founding Faith Archive area also serves as the doorway for other new features related to the Founding Fathers, separation of church and state, and religious freedom, including: a Founding Faith. Yet religious tolerance did not mean that colonists of all faiths had equal rights. Penn's ideas inspired our nation's founding fathers. Penn's vision lives on in. The table lists the religious affiliation of every person that was a signatory to the Declaration of Independence and Articles of Confederation, and every delegate. The Bill of Rights. The document on permanent display in the Rotunda is the enrolled original Joint Resolution passed by Congress on September 25, 1789, proposing 12. Bernanke, foreign military intervention, same-sex marriage and religion in public life. And although in real life they often bitterly disagreed with one another, the newly imagined Founding Fathers. Historian Martin Marty, delivering a series of lectures at Samford University, said Tuesday that former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin and others have oversimplified and misrepresented the religious beliefs. They are among the founding thinkers of modern sociology. chosen to pursue his father's vocation and was given a good religious and secular education. List some ways that you see religion having social control in the everyday world. The Founding Fathers of the United States, or simply the Founding Fathers, were a group of philosophers, politicians, and writers who led the American Revolution against the Kingdom of Great Britain.Most were descendants of colonists settled in the Thirteen Colonies in North America. Historian Richard B. Morris in 1973 identified the following seven figures as the key Founding Fathers. A group blog to promote discussion, debate and insight into the history, particularly religious, of America’s founding. Any observations, questions, or comments relating to the blog’s theme are welcomed. Most Americans continue to believe that judges are more hostile to religion than the Founding Fathers intended, but they’re less suspicious of the courts than they were two years ago. Fifty-three. WallBuilders is an organization dedicated to presenting America’s forgotten history and heroes, with an emphasis on the moral, religious, and constitutional foundation on which America was built – a foundation which, in recent years, has been seriously attacked and undermined. Arguments For Ratification Of The Constitution Prior to the enactment of the Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution in 1868, the Supreme Court generally held that the substantive protections of the Bill of Rights did not apply to state governments. Subsequently, under the Incorporation doctrine, the Bill of Rights has been broadly applied to limit state and local government as Aug 15, 2016 · Many of us will recognize the majority of names on this list, having learned about their integrity, honor, and imprint on American history. However, many of the trivial and unflattering details of their lives are often left out of the classroom. Ymca Chapel Hill Martin Luther King From the beginning, cameras captured King’s extraordinary career. See the photos here, 50 years later after Reverend Martin Luther King Jr.’s assassination. Mutual Life Insurance Company at 411 W. Looking for Holistic Health, Natural Healing and Events in Tampa? Click HERE. Your guide to Consious Living. We are in the planning stages for the 2019-2020 President James Madison Launched A __________ Network Of Roads And Canals. James Barbour. and he came to value centralized banking and massed capital that could pay for roads and canals to facilitate the movement of people and goods and allow for the support of a strong military establishment to protect the nation from potential enemies. After President James Madison vetoed the bill on constitutional grounds. Launched Permanent settlements in America, in contrast to early explorations, were based on individual and religious freedom. Our founding fathers continually proclaimed that a nation could not survive without. Deacon Sneh believes that in the absence of religious teaching, the country is slipping from its original foundation, which was godliness and Christian principles. “The founding fathers of this nation. Oct 15, 2017. All of the colonies – apart from Quaker-dominated Pennsylvania, the one colony in which religious pacifists blocked the creation of a militia. This holiday season, the Freedom From Religion Foundation plans to display a four-foot tall sign in Libertyville’s Cook Park that depicts a group of founding fathers and encourages the separation of. February 16th, 2013. Tagged historic photos, holiday, Mount Rushmore National Memorial, mountain, Mt. Rushmore, President’s Day, sculpture, South Dakota; Permalink. President’s Day is always celebrated on the third Monday of February and the Mount Rushmore National Memorial, a sculpture carved into the granite near Keystone, South Dakota, seemed most appropriate to celebrate it. but calling it religious freedom is a perversion that would horrify Washington, Jefferson, Franklin, Madison and most of the other founding fathers. Religious freedom is my right to believe and. Under The Articles Of Confederation In 1777 There Was A Federal State-based representational conflicts, however, coexisted with regionally-based conflicts. In fact, the struggle to reconcile the place of slavery in the new republic had more influence on the enumeration of federal tax authority in the Constitution than any other issue. SECTION. 1. The executive Power shall be vested in a President of the United States of This three-minute video is about findings of historians that questions whether some of the Founding Fathers had a belief in religion that was not the same as what some people today believe. Jul 04, 2016 · The early leaders of the United States were a remarkable group of individuals, with a peculiar blend of vision and genius. There are seven in particular who are credited with establishing the foundation of the nation. These are: John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, List of the religious affiliation of the Founding Fathers of America: all signers of the Declaration of Indepence and the Constitution of the United States of America. Virtually all of them were Christians of various denominations. Tables and lists show the religion of the Founding Fathers of the U.S. and Its Influence on the Founding Fathers. only in outward force; but true and saying religion consists in the inward persuasion of the mind…. and safety," so Jefferson similarly lists the rights to "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Cornhusk dolls: They do the same things any children do–play with each other, go to school and help around the house. Many Tuscarora children like to go hunting and fishing with their fathers. Religion in Ancient Rome. Religion in ancient Rome encompasses the practices and beliefs the ancient Romans regarded as their own, as well as the many cults imported to Rome or practiced by peoples under Roman rule. Previous What Did The Fed Do During The Great Depression Next Boston Tea Party 1773 Definition Aau Mens Track And Field History Usa Franklin Pierce Children Family Tree Alexander Hamilton In Uniform Alexander Hamilton Full Body Happy Birthday Quotes Abraham Lincoln William Howard Taft Cincinnati French Revolution After American Revolution Asians In Usa History Where Is Ellis Island In Las Vegas John Tyler Political Cartoon A People’s History Of Christianity Conscription In The Confederacy Sections of History Explained (3,193) Understood (3,066) Find Cool Stuff Here >>

cc/2020-05/en_head_0049.json.gz/line1539861

__label__wiki

Hello Louisville Remaining wreckage of Flight 93 is buried at memorial National and Regional Remaining... SHANKSVILLE, Pa. (AP) – The remaining wreckage of United Flight 93 has been buried near the Pennsylvania memorial marking where it crashed on 9/11. Four shipping containers holding the wreckage were buried in a private ceremony on June 21 in a restricted area accessible only to loved ones of the victims, the Flight 93 National Memorial said in a statement Monday. The wreckage was scoured for identifiable items in the months before the burial, and workers found a number of items that will be added to the memorial collection. The park service is expected later this year to release a full report of the items collected and how they will be incorporated into the memorial. The final phase of the memorial is on track to open on the 17th anniversary of the attacks. It will include a 93-foot tower (28-meter) at the entrance with wind chimes for each of the 40 victims, called the Tower of Voices. It's designed to serve as a visual and audible reminder of the heroism of those on board. Each chime will have a different tone, or voice. Remains of all the victims were identified after the crash, either through dental records, DNA or fingerprints. Three caskets of unidentified remains were buried at the crash site in 2011. Now that the memorial is near completion, the time was right to bury the remaining wreckage, Flight 93 National Memorial Superintendent Stephen Clark said. It had been stored in shipping containers in a warehouse. About 95 percent of the airliner was recovered. United Flight 93 was en route from Newark, New Jersey, to San Francisco on Sept. 11, 2001, when hijackers seized control with the likely goal of crashing into the U.S. Capitol. As passenger Todd Beamer issued the rallying cry "Let's roll," he and others rushed down the aisle to try to overwhelm the terrorists after learning of the coordinated attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon. The 9/11 Commission concluded that the hijackers downed the plane as passengers revolted, in a field in Shanksville, about 70 miles (113 kilometers) southeast of Pittsburgh. https://www.hellolouisville.com/ Please solve the following math function: 7 - 3 The Best Restaurants at Magic Kingdom, Ranked Underrated Hawaiian Destinations That Will Take Your Breath Away This is how much sleep you really need every night, according to doctors 40 Places You Should Visit Before You're 40 The Best Drinks to Fight the Flu 25 enchanting castles around the world FILE — In this May 31, 2018 file photo, visitors to the Flight 93 National Memorial pause at the Wall of Names honoring 40 passengers and crew members of United Flight 93 killed when the hijacked jet crashed at the site during the 9/11 terrorist attacks, near Shanksville, Pa. Four shipping containers holding the remaining wreckage of United Flight 93 were buried near the Wall of Names in a private ceremony on June 21, the Flight 93 National Memorial said Monday, July 9, 2018. The wreckage is buried in a restricted access zone in the woods beyond the Wall of Names marked by a giant boulder, not accessible to the public or media. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar, File) - The Associated Press FILE — In this May 31, 2018 file photo, a visitor to the Flight 93 National Memorial pauses at the Wall of Names honoring 40 passengers and crew members of United Flight 93 killed when the hijacked jet crashed at the site during the 9/11 terrorist attacks, near Shanksville, Pa. Four shipping containers holding the remaining wreckage of United Flight 93 were buried near the Wall of Names in a private ceremony on June 21, 2018, the Flight 93 National Memorial said Monday, July 9, 2018. The wreckage is buried in a restricted access zone in the woods beyond the Wall of Names marked by a giant boulder, not accessible to the public or media. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar, File) - The Associated Press FILE — In this Sept. 11, 2001 file photo, firefighters and emergency workers investigate the crash of United Flight 93 after the jet was hijacked during the 9/11 terrorist attacks, near Shanksville, Pa. Four shipping containers holding the remaining wreckage of United Flight 93 were buried at the Flight 93 National Memorial in a private ceremony on June 21, 2018, memorial officials said Monday, July 9, 2018. The wreckage is buried in a restricted area accessible only to loved ones of the victims, not to the public or media. (David Lloyd/The Tribune-Democrat via AP) - The Associated Press FILE — In this Sept. 16, 2001 file photo, FBI personnel continue excavating the site where United Flight 93 crashed after the jet was hijacked during the 9/11 terrorist attacks, near Shanksville, Pa. Four shipping containers holding the remaining wreckage of United Flight 93 were buried at the Flight 93 National Memorial in a private ceremony on June 21, 2018, memorial officials said Monday, July 9, 2018. The wreckage is buried in a restricted area accessible only to loved ones of the victims, not to the public or media. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar, File) - The Associated Press US moves to unite migrant children with parents by deadline Indiana attorney general says groping allegations are false Temple business school dean forced out over falsified data GOP senator warns against trusting Putin 'mafia' Crews build containment around destructive California fires Aviation crash reported in Virginia residential area Dozens of immigrant children will be reunited with parents The Latest: Sen. Rand Paul keeping 'open mind' on Kavanaugh The Latest: Weinstein arrives at court to face new charges Starbucks, citing ocean threat, is ditching plastic straws www.HelloJeffersonville.com www.HelloProspect.com www.HelloCrestwood.com www.HelloMountWashington.com www.HelloTaylorsville.com www.HelloShelbyville.com © 2020 Hello Louisville - All Rights Reserved.

cc/2020-05/en_head_0049.json.gz/line1539865

__label__wiki

LEGO Indiana Jones: The Original Adventures - PC, Xbox 360, PS3, Wii by Steven Williamson on 11 April 2008, 10:07 Tags: LEGO Indiana Jones: The Original Adventures, LucasArts Entertainment, PC, Xbox 360, PS2, PSP, DS, PS3, Wii, Action/Adventure Quick Link: HEXUS.net/qamn3 Globe-trotting adventure set for Summer Announced by Lucas Arts last year, LEGO Indiana Jones: The Original Adventures will combine the original cinematic adventures that enthralled audiences everywhere with the tongue-in-cheek humour of the LEGO series. Due for release in May, in conjunction with the new adventure film, Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, the latest title in LEGO's illustrious history promises some comical representations of classic Indiana Jones scenes as well as a fully interactive environment, where LEGO characters will be able to swim, climb and shimmy across ledges in true Indy style. The game follows the story of the first three films, that's Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark, Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom and Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade.They'll be 18 levels, consisting of 6 levels for each of the three films and they'll be famous scenes such as when Indy escapes the rolling boulder or when he flees from the Nazis (who won't be donning Swastikas) in the Last Crusade. Like all of Lucas Art's LEGO games there will be plenty of puzzles to solve and Indy will sport his signature whip to help him on the way, allowing him to activate levers and interact with objects in the environment. Indy's whip can also be used for attacking and disarming opponents, although he'll also have access to a variety of other weapons, including chairs, guns, swords and bottles. Lucas Arts tell us that they'll be 60 playable characters in the game and the list includes: Marion Ravenwood, Short Round, Rene Belloq, Willie Scott, Marcus Brody, Jones Senior and Mola Ram . Many of the characters will have character specific abilities, such as Satipo's excavation skill, Brody's Umbrella slide and Ravenwood's monkey access. In addition, we'll also be able to create unique characters, such as Sallah Scott or Mola Round by mixing and matching the LEGO body parts of all playable characters. Four player Co-op mode has also been confirmed, although reports suggest that many of the puzzles will only require two people to solve them. That's all the details we have for now, but there's not long to wait now before you try it out for yourselves. 15 Cyberpunk 2077 release date delayed to 17th Sept 2020 This epic cyberpunk RPG was previously scheduled for release in April. 2 PUBG Season 6 delivers the tiny 64-player Karakin island This 2 by 2km island features Black Zones where the environments are destructible. 15 Epic extends its weekly game giveaway plans through 2020 Last year it gave away 73 games with an average OpenCritic score of 80/100. Doom Eternal official trailer 2 released Developer: our free game torrent resulted in 4x Steam sales Microsoft enhances Red Dead Redemption for Xbox One X Microsoft Xbox 360 mass production ends Star Wars Humble Bundle 2 offers 10+ games for $10 1 Developer: our free game torrent resulted in 4x Steam sales 6 3 Doom Eternal official trailer 2 released 8 4 PUBG Season 6 delivers the tiny 64-player Karakin island 2

cc/2020-05/en_head_0049.json.gz/line1539869

__label__wiki

Ask the experts: European growth The UK health and fitness industry has doubled in size since 2000. Will growth continue, or even gather pace? And what does this mean for the European health and fitness market? How big could it grow and what factors will have an impact? HCM asks those who have the most up to date research Published in Health Club Management 2019 issue 8 David Trunkfield PwC: head of hospitality and leisure Research by PwC, called, UK Low Cost Gyms, shows that the low cost clubs have emerged as a clear category winner in the continued growth of the UK health and fitness market, which is currently worth around £5bn and has been growing in the region of 4 per cent a year over the last five years, doubling in size since 2000. Low cost clubs have been the most significant driver of market growth and are likely to drive growth going forwards. In revenue terms, they’ve increased market share from 3 per cent in 2012, to 12 per cent currently. Members of low cost clubs also account for 25 per cent of gym members and 4 per cent of the UK population. A number of factors continue to support the growth of low cost gyms. Health and fitness membership penetration has been increasing in both the UK and European territories, supported by the ability of the low cost operators to bring new members into the market and continued interest in health and fitness. "We are now starting to see operators broaden the locations in which they operate, and increasingly targeting areas with a smaller population catchment" The number of low cost gyms in the UK has increased tenfold from 60 in March 2011 to 654 in December 2018. W’re now starting to see operators broaden the locations in which they operate, and increasingly targeting areas with a smaller population catchment by developing new business models. As they continue to gain market share, we believe there will be further scope for more low cost penetration in the UK. We estimate there’s a total opportunity for 1,200 to 1,400 low cost gyms in the UK, which is is 550 to 750 more than there are at present. Our assessment is based on the current landscape, but as the concept evolves across location type and new gym and health club models are created, the overall opportunity is likely to increase. Members of low-cost clubs make up 25 per cent of all gym members in the UK Karsten Hollasch Deloitte: partner According to the European Health & Fitness Market Report 2019, published by EuropeActive and Deloitte, the European fitness market generated revenues of €27.2bn in 2018, with a total membership of 62.2m across nearly 62,000 fitness clubs at year-end. From 2016 to 2018, membership in the European fitness market increased by an average of 3.8 per cent annually. If this trend continued, there would be more than 80 million members by 2025; and this figure could be as high as 86 million if the penetration rate increased from the current 7.8 per cent to 11 per cent, for example. In terms of the number of clubs, the future development will likely be impacted by two opposing trends: the expected growth of small, specialised boutique studios, as well as the continued growth of large low-cost chains like McFIT, Basic-Fit, PureGym, The Gym Group, clever fit or FitX. Many countries still have a lot of potential, for example France, where Basic-Fit alone opened 92 clubs in 2018 – two every week, on average. Although boutiques will also have an impact, this will take longer, as the concept of boutique clubs needs to gain traction in the less mature markets. "I don’t think Brexit will have a negative impact on the fitness market growth in Europe, as this is very much UK related" If we assume these trends will even each other out, and average membership remains rather stable at around 1,000 members per club, this would imply around 80,000 clubs in 2025 based on an estimated membership of 80 million. However, assuming that the impact from large-scale operators is higher, this figure could also be closer to 70,000-75,000. I don’t think Brexit will have a negative impact on the fitness market growth in Europe, as this is very much UK-related. What I think would make a considerable difference is more support from public institutions for health and fitness. This could also be driven by a further strengthening of the fitness industry associations. Large, low-cost chains like McFIT continue to grow Herman Rutgers Global Growth Partners: CEO EuropeActive has a mantra of: ‘80 million members by 2025’, which was launched in 2015 projecting out one decade, and based on the assumption of an average growth in the number of members in the greater European region (EU plus Norway, Switzerland, Russia and Turkey) per year of around 5 per cent. Based on the actual data for 2018, we are on track to at least achieve that goal, possibly with a few million more. If we achieve 80 million members and assume the same average of 1,000 members per club as in 2018, that would mean 80,000 facilities, versus last year’s 62,000, equating to 18,000 more sites. However, it is questionable to assume that the number of members per club will remain stable. In the USA, the average number of members per club is 1,487, almost 50 per cent more than in Europe. With the rise of the chains and the low cost clubs, it is more likely the average number of members per club will rise and at the same time we will see an increase in the number of smaller sized boutiques and studios. "With the rise of the chains and the low cost clubs, it is more likely the average number of members per club will rise and at the same time we will see an increase in the number smaller sized boutiques and studios" The 2018 data reveals big differences in membership numbers. FitX in Germany has the highest average number of members at 8,784. Pure Gym, the biggest low cost chain in the UK, has an average of 4,559 members per club and McFit, in Germany, achieves 6,771 per club. It is logical that the lower the price the higher the number of members per club and that we see much lower average membership numbers per site for the boutiques and studios. The impact of the home market will also be of influence. Peloton has just launched in the UK and will enter Germany later this year, but if anything I believe these developments will be positive for the health and fitness industry, as they will promote exercise to new target groups. Research has shown that people who exercise at home are more loyal health club members. In conclusion, my guesstimate is that we will have anywhere between 70,000 and 80,000 facilities in Europe by 2025. It’s unclear at this point whether home-based offerings like Peloton will have a positive or negative impact on gym membership Nigel Bland Deloitte LLP: partner Assuming the current rate of market growth is maintained, at around 4 per cent per annum in 2017/2018, the number of clubs in Europe will increase by around a third by 2025 to over 80,000. The factors that could support such a significant growth include the increasing significance of the millennials – who regard fitness as a must have – the wider range of products available, driven partly by the proliferation of boutiques, and the opportunity to provide specific offers for underserved markets. For example, our European survey shows that Germany, Switzerland and France achieved faster than average growth in 2018, largely driven by rapid expansion of the budget gyms into areas that were less well supplied. Overall penetration of 15+ year olds across Europe is still just below 10 per cent, so increasing that to around 13 per cent (still less than the UK, the Netherlands and much of Scandinavia) would provide more than enough demand for the additional 20,000 clubs. "Consolidation is beginning to increase across Europe, which suggests that in certain markets, operators would prefer to remove a competitor than create more sites in competition with each other" However, there are some indications that overall growth rates may begin to slow in the next few years. First, in 2018 the growth in clubs exceeded the growth in sector revenue at 3.4 per cent. Second, there is an emerging trend for non-site based fitness, with companies like Peloton combining group training with the convenience of home, or indeed a hotel room. Third, the level of consolidation is beginning to increase across Europe, which suggests that in certain markets, operators would prefer to remove a competitor than create more sites in competition with each other. On balance, I believe the overall growth rates will slow over the next few years, but we are still likely to see another 10,000 to 15,000 clubs open over that period, assuming steady economic growth. Given that the sector will continue to grow, driven by the macro factors underpinning demand and this following wind, the well-funded, well operated companies will continue to achieve growth rates significantly above GDP. Millennials regard fitness as an essential part of life shutterstock UK health and fitness industry European Health & Fitness Market Report http://www.leisureopportunities.com/images/imagesX/HCM2019_8growth.jpg How big could the European health and fitness industry grow? What models will have the biggest impact? We ask those who have the most up-to-date research David Trunkfield, PwC: head of hospitality and leisure Karsten Hollasch, Deloitte: partner Herman Rutgers, Global Growth Partners: CEO Nigel Bland, Deloitte LLP: partner,UK health and fitness industry, European Health & Fitness Market Report, Supplier showcase With the first of a planned 105 clubs across the UK and Ireland up and running, UFC GYM turned to the expertise of DFC to ensure a simpler membership process for members Gymnastics Coaches Everyone Active Nationwide, United Kingdom 12 Dec 2017 Leisure and Cultural Services Manager Elmbridge Borough Council Esher, UK 13 Jan 2020 Swimming Teacher Circadian Leisure Trust Bradley Stoke, Bristol, UK 06 Jan 2020 A new cross training concept has arrived, offering weightlifting, athletic, metabolic, and functional exercises in a circuit format. DFC: We do more... DFC are a leading direct debit collection company, providing cash flow solutions to happy clients from all over the UK. Read more The JC Group The JC Group is home to JC Facilities Management, JC Leisure Solutions, JC Water Services, ... A global innovator of high-performance fitness equipment, Octane Fitness, a Nautilus, Inc. brand, continually redefines ... JP Lennard Independent service & maintenance

cc/2020-05/en_head_0049.json.gz/line1539876

__label__wiki

6 Famous Missing Treasures From the Ark of the Covenant to the Aztec gold of Montezuma, these six historic treasures continue to elude us. Sarah Pruitt 1. Ark of the Covenant Painting depicting King David bearing the Ark of the Covenant into Jerusalem. According to the Hebrew Bible, Moses had the ornate, gold-plated wooden chest known as the Ark of the Covenant built according to God’s own design. Its purpose was to guard sacred relics, including two stone tablets containing the Ten Commandments. The Israelites carried the Ark throughout their 40 years spent wandering in the wilderness, and later housed it in King Solomon’s temple in Jerusalem. In 607 B.C., the Babylonians besieged the Israelite capital, slaughtering more than a million people and driving the survivors into exile. When the Israelites returned, the Ark had disappeared, along with many other priceless treasures. It’s unknown whether the holy chest was hidden somewhere before the siege as protection, or destroyed by the Babylonian invaders. Whatever the case, archaeologists and treasure hunters have been searching for it for more than a century, with little success. 2. Montezuma’s Treasure Montezuma II (Credit: Hulton Archive/Getty Images) When Hernán Cortés arrived in the Aztec capital of Tenochtitlan in 1519, Emperor Montezuma II greeted him and his men with great ceremony. The Aztecs even offered Cortés gold and silver in the hopes that these white-skinned “gods” would leave Tenochtitlan in peace. Greedy for more, the Spaniards put Montezuma under house arrest instead, and with the help of local allies set about ransacking the city and terrorizing its inhabitants. After a brutal massacre during a religious festival, the Aztecs rose in rebellion, and Montezuma was killed in the confusion. Spanish forces fled Tenochtitlan under full attack, and were forced to dump all their looted riches in the waters of Lake Texcoco in their mad rush to escape. Though Cortés returned with a rebuilt army the next year and conquered the Aztecs for good, the so-called “Montezuma’s Treasure” would remain lost. According to the most popular theory, the riches still rest on the bottom of Lake Texcoco, though many have searched for it there without success. But as one legend—handed down by some Aztec descendants—has it, more than 2,000 men retrieved the treasures and marched them (with Montezuma’s exhumed corpse) north, perhaps all the way to southern Utah. 3. Blackbeard’s Treasure History’s most famous pirate (real name: Edward Teach) is thought to have served as a British privateer during the War of Spanish Succession in the early 18th century before embarking on his brief but notorious career in piracy. From 1716 to 1718, Blackbeard and his 40-gun flagship, Queen Anne’s Revenge, prowled the West Indies and the Atlantic coast of North America, preying on ships heading back to Spain laden with gold, silver and other treasures from Mexico and South America. In late 1718, a British naval force led by Lieutenant Robert Maynard succeeded in killing Blackbeard after a hard-fought battle; Maynard had the infamous pirate decapitated and hung his head from the bowsprit of his ship. Before his death, Blackbeard claimed to have hidden his massive treasure, but he never told anyone its location. Treasure hunters have been searching for it ever since, seeking clues everywhere from Virginia’s Chesapeake Bay to the Caribbean and Cayman Islands. 4. Treasure of Lima Cocos island, Costa Rica. (Credit: Reinhard Dirscherl/ullstein bild via Getty Images) In 1820, as the forces of the revolutionary leader José de San Martín advanced on Lima, Peru, Spanish authorities hurried to save the riches they had amassed since their conquest of the Inca Empire in the 16th century. They entrusted the British sea captain William Thompson to hide the treasure aboard his ship, the Mary Dear, and sail around until it was safe to return to Lima. Instead, Thompson and his crew killed the Spanish viceroy’s guards and took off with the loot. When a Spanish ship captured the Mary Dear, the entire crew was executed except for Thompson and his first mate, who promised to reveal where they had buried the treasure. But when they reached Cocos Island, near present day Costa Rica, Thompson and his mate escaped into the jungle, and were never heard from again. Since then, more than 300 expeditions have tried—and failed—to find the Treasure of Lima. The lost haul, which reportedly included a life-size solid-gold image of the Virgin Mary encrusted in gems, is thought to be worth around $200 million today. 5. Mosby’s Treasure John Singleton Mosby In early March 1863, the Confederate ranger Colonel John Singleton Mosby and his band of guerrilla raiders surprised more than 40 Union troops at the Fairfax Courthouse and overcame them without firing a shot. From the lodgings of Union General Edwin Stoughton, Mosby reportedly took a burlap sack stuffed with more than $350,000 worth in gold, silver, jewelry, candlesticks and other family heirlooms, all of them taken from the homes of wealthy Virginia planters. While Mosby was transporting Stoughton and the other prisoners back to the Confederate line, his scouts warned him of a large detachment of Union soldiers nearby. In case of a battle, Mosby told his men to bury the sack of treasure between two large pine trees, which he marked with his knife. Mosby’s raiders avoided the clash and got back behind Confederate lines, but when he sent back seven of his men to retrieve the riches, they were caught and hanged as accused guerrillas. Mosby never returned to get the treasure, and never told anyone else its exact location—as far as we know, it remains buried in the woods of Fairfax County, Virginia, today. 6. Nazi Gold in Austria’s Lake Toplitz A scuba diver passes forged Nazi banknotes found in Lake Toplitz. They notes were forged during WWII in an attempt to destabilize the British economy, but were dumped in the lake at the end of the war. (Credit: Keystone/Getty Images) During the final months of World War II, as Germany found itself on the brink of defeat, the Nazi regime sought to hide the valuable treasures it had spent the past six years looting from museums and doomed Jewish families all over Europe. Even today, rumors continue to circulate of a Nazi “ghost train” carrying up to 300 tons of gold and other riches through a secret network of tunnels in Poland. In Lake Toplitz, located in thick Alpine forest in Austria, Nazi officers are believed to have sunk billions of dollars worth of Reichsbank gold—none of which has been recovered so far. In 1959, divers retrieved containers filled with millions of dollars worth of fake currency from Allied nations, part of a Nazi plan to destroy their enemies’ economies through inflation. To date, at least seven people have drowned in the lake’s freezing waters looking for the lost Nazi gold. 6 Famous Places that Never Existed 6 Famous Coincidences Burglar Nabs Gold Rush-Era Treasure from California Museum Treasures From Spanish Galleon Sunk in 1622 Set For Auction 6 Famous Shipwrecks Still Waiting to be Discovered 6 Famous Ghost Towns and Abandoned Cities

cc/2020-05/en_head_0049.json.gz/line1539878

__label__wiki

Disney-MGM Studios becomes Disney’s Hollywood Studios At the close of business on January 6, 2008, the Walt Disney World Resort theme park known as Disney-MGM Studios officially shut its doors after almost a decade of operation. Fans didn’t have to worry too much, however, as the park would reopen the next morning under its new name, Disney’s Hollywood Studios. Debuting on May 1, 1989, Disney-MGM Studios was the third theme park to open at Disney World in Lake Buena Vista, Florida, after the Magic Kingdom in 1971 and Epcot Center in 1982. The project began with an idea for a movie-themed pavilion, resembling a film soundstage, to be built at Epcot; it was later expanded into its own theme park, which now stretches over 135 acres. The name of the park was the result of a 1985 licensing contract between Disney and the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer film studio, which allowed Disney the right to use the MGM name and logo for a studio-themed park. In its original conception, Disney-MGM Studios was to operate not only as a theme park, but also as a fully functioning television and movie production studio. Several feature films, including the lightweight comedy Ernest Saves Christmas (1988), were produced there before its opening as a theme park. This caused trouble with MGM, who filed suit against Disney in 1988 alleging that using the park as a working production studio violated the terms of their contract. Disney later countersued, and the case was settled in 1992. The verdict allowed Disney to continue using the MGM name and logo on films produced at the theme park facility and MGM to open a movie-themed theme park of its own, which it did in Las Vegas in 1993 (the park closed in 2000). On opening day in May 1989, Disney’s then-president, Michael Eisner, dedicated Disney-MGM Studios to Hollywood, which he called “not a place on a map, but a state of mind that exists wherever people dream and wonder and imagine.” By 2007, the sprawling theme park was hosting close to 10 million visitors in six themed areas, including the “Hollywood Boulevard” main entrance; the Great Movie Ride, a tribute to classic films such as Casablanca; and a motion-simulator ride based on the Star Wars movies. The change in the name of the park in January 2008 was clearly intended to reinforce the openly symbiotic relationship between the theme park and the movie capital of the world. As Meg Crofton, president of Walt Disney World, put it in the press release announcing the change: “The new name reflects how the park has grown from representing the golden age of movies to a celebration of the new entertainment that today’s Hollywood has to offer–in music, television, movies and theater.” In addition to the name change, the resort announced an ambitious roll-out of new and upcoming attractions, including interactive exhibits based on the mega-hit movie High School Musical and its sequels, the animated award-winner Toy Story from Disney and Pixar Entertainment, the big-screen version of The Chronicles of Narnia and the blockbuster TV reality show American Idol. https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/disney-mgm-studios-becomes-disneys-hollywood-studios "Wheel of Fortune" premieres Wheel of Fortune, the longest-running syndicated game show in American television, premieres on NBC on January 6, 1975. Created by television legend Merv Griffin and hosted since the early 1980s by Pat Sajak and Vanna White, Wheel is one of the most popular television shows in ...read more Joan of Arc is born Joan of Arc, the "Maid of Orléans," is born on January 6, 1412. She lived only 19 years, but she would become a Roman Catholic saint and a national hero of France for her pivotal role in the Hundred Years’ War. Joan was born to Jacques d'Arc and Isabelle Romée in a small town in ...read more Theodore Roosevelt dies Theodore Roosevelt, the 26th president of the United States, dies at Sagamore Hill, his estate overlooking New York’s Long Island Sound. A dynamic and energetic politician, Theodore Roosevelt is credited with creating the modern presidency. As a young Republican, Roosevelt held a ...read more New Mexico joins the Union On January 6, 1912, New Mexico is admitted into the United States as the 47th state. Spanish explorers passed through the area that would become New Mexico in the early 16th century, encountering the well-preserved remains of a 13th-century Pueblo civilization. Exaggerated rumors ...read more Harold II crowned king of England Following the death of Edward the Confessor, Harold Godwineson, head of the most powerful noble family in England, is crowned King Harold II. On his deathbed, Edward supposedly designated Harold the royal heir, but this claim was disputed by William, duke of Normandy and cousin ...read more Congress certifies George W. Bush winner of 2000 elections After a bitterly contested election, Vice President Al Gore presides over a joint session of Congress that certifies George W. Bush as the winner of the 2000 election. In one of the closest Presidential elections in U.S. history, George W. Bush was finally declared the winner ...read more Samuel Morse demonstrates the telegraph On January 6, 1838, Samuel Morse’s telegraph system is demonstrated for the first time at the Speedwell Iron Works in Morristown, New Jersey. The telegraph, a device which used electric impulses to transmit encoded messages over a wire, would eventually revolutionize ...read more Army drops charges of My Lai cover-up The Army drops charges of an alleged cover-up in the My Lai massacre against four officers. After the charges were dropped, a total of 11 people had been cleared of responsibility during the My Lai trials. The trials were a result of action that occurred in March 1968. During the ...read more Two future presidents marry respective sweethearts January 6 is a wedding anniversary for two presidents: George Washington and George H.W. Bush. In 1759, a 26-year-old George Washington married Martha Dandridge Custis. The recently widowed, Virginia-born Martha was an educated mother of two. George Washington–then a rising ...read more Franklin D. Roosevelt speaks of Four Freedoms On January 6, 1941, President Franklin D. Roosevelt addresses Congress in an effort to move the nation away from a foreign policy of neutrality. The president had watched with increasing anxiety as European nations struggled and fell to Hitler’s fascist regime and was intent on ...read more Frontiersman Jedediah Smith is born Jedediah Strong Smith, one of America’s greatest trapper-explorers, is born in Bainbridge, New York. Smith explored a stunningly large area of the Far West during his short life. He began his western voyages in 1822, when he joined the pioneering fur trader William Ashley on a ...read more Two thousand Led Zeppelin fans trash the Boston Garden On January 6, 1975, a crowd of 2,000-plus lines up outside Boston Garden to buy tickets to the rock band Led Zeppelin. Some in the crowd then entered into to the near-empty arena and caused thousands of dollars in damage. "For years and years, we had people line up overnight to ...read more Blizzard of 1996 begins On January 6, 1996, snow begins falling in Washington, D.C., and up the Eastern seaboard, beginning a blizzard that kills 154 people and causes over $1 billion in damages before it ends. The Blizzard of 1996 began in typical fashion, as cold air from Canada pushed down and ...read more Skater Nancy Kerrigan attacked Olympic hopeful Nancy Kerrigan is attacked at a Detroit ice rink following a practice session two days before the Olympic trials. A man hit Kerrigan with a club on the back of her knee, causing the figure skater to cry out in pain and bewilderment. When the full story emerged a ...read more George Washington sets up winter quarters in Morristown, NJ After two significant victories over the British in Trenton and Princeton, New Jersey, General George Washington marches north to Morristown, New Jersey, where he set up winter headquarters for himself and the men of the Continental Army on January 6, 1777. The hills surrounding ...read more FDR commits to biggest arms buildup in U.S. history President Franklin D. Roosevelt announces to Congress that he is authorizing the largest armaments production in the history of the United States. Committed to war in the aftermath of Pearl Harbor, the U.S. had to reassess its military preparedness, especially in light of the ...read more

cc/2020-05/en_head_0049.json.gz/line1539879

__label__wiki

Milberger, Moniek HomeVisitLibrary ArchiveOral History DepartmentMilberger, Moniek Survivor/Camps Lodz (Poland), Auschwitz, Ahlem, Bergen Belsen Mr. Milberger lived in Poland with his parents and younger brother, Motek. His mother died two weeks before the war began and all the remainder of his family was killed. The war began on September 1st in Lodz, his hometown. In early 1940, the Jews were forced into a ghetto and remained there until 1944, when they were shipped to Auschwitz, where they stayed for five weeks before going to Ahlem. Before the war, his father was a bookbinder and his mother helped in the business. Moniek’s grandparents lived in a small town nearby. His paternal grandparents lived about one hundred miles away and were bakers. His aunt, his mother’s sister, Hester, also lived in Lodz and Moniek often played with his cousins. His father was modern Orthodox, observing the Sabbath and going to services. He wore a long black satin coat and wore tsitsit. Because of the war, Moniek’s Bar Mitzvah celebration was cancelled although there was a service. He went to public school where both Yiddish and Polish were spoken. He was laughed at in gym because he wore tsitsit. There were 300,000 Jews in Lodz and because the Milbergers lived on a main street, they witnessed all the political demonstrations. Everyone talked about current events and joked about Hitler. Because Moniek’s mother was ill, she was taken to the hospital, perhaps from pregnancy complications, and died at home shortly thereafter. His father was concerned when they had to wear armbands, mostly because it prevented his mobility and made his job more difficult. Once the war began, school stopped, they moved to the ghetto and had to share living space. The ghetto was closed in with barbed wire and guarded by the SS. There was no resistance during this time. On many an occasions, he was sent outside the Ghetto without his armband, to run errands. He said that the Jews feared the Polish much more than the Germans. The Jews shopped for bread and staples at distribution centers and because his father was in charge of a plant that made some of these items, they were a bit more privileged than others. The center courtyard of the ghetto had mountains of clothing and shoes. Although conditions in the ghetto were bad, there was currency as well as some religious activity. The winters were very cold and there wasn’t any coal for heat. The cooking for everyone took place in the center of the ghetto on one existing stove and the toilets were only centrally located. He mentioned that his father remarried in 1941. They had no idea that people were being sent to Auschwitz, but people avoided being rounded up by hiding in tunnels under the ghetto. Moniek was in the last group to be shipped out of the ghetto. He was fourteen years old. They were packed into cattle cars, where many died. They all dressed in layers of clothes, as many as possible, as they thought they were going to work camps. The trip took several days and the cars had no water, food or sanitation. He was with his family. They arrived in Auschwitz in the afternoon, and were told to drop all belongings. The Jews were trying to bribe the SS with hidden jewelry. Next came the selections, with Moniek still with his father and brother. They were sent to a room along with thousands of other men and boys and told to undress. This “room” was across from the crematorium and they heard screams of “dirty Jew” coming from the guards. They were showered and shaven and then issued one striped uniform with one pair of sox. His shoes were taken away and he was issued a pair of wooden ones. They were then marched through the rain to Birkenau, given rations and barracks. His food consisted of one slice of bread which was stolen during the night. His brother was sent to another barrack, which made his father very depressed. They thought it was the end of the world, spending all day standing in lines. Beatings were given randomly, as were selections. Both he and his father were taken on trains and shipped to Germany. Here, the barracks were buildings formerly used for horses, 300-400 men in each, mostly sleeping on the floor. There were neither blankets nor showers. Sickness, dysentery, lice and malnutrition ran through the barracks with no medical attention. They worked in factories, dusting machines and sweeping the floors, marching back and forth from barracks to factories. He was beaten on his back with a nightstick because his mop became caught in one machine. Their nourishment was a slice of bread and watery brown soup. In Ahlem, the prisoners were excavating in order to build rockets underground. The camp held about one thousand people, but only one hundred survived. The conditions were severe and Moniek’s father became ill and died. There were some Jewish doctors, but no medicine or supplies. The dead were taken to the Hannover Crematorium. The Germans put ashes into separate caskets and, after the war, his father’s were turned over to him. When the Americans began arriving, there was constant bombing during the night so the Germans gave the prisoners the option of staying or leaving. Moniek signed up to stay, afraid that he wouldn’t know where to go if he left. When the Germans left, they locked up the camp. Eventually, the prisoners all marched to Bergen Belsen, many dying along the way. The Germans set fire to the camp, trying to destroy all the evidence. When the war ended, Moniek was sixteen. He yearned to see his brother, but was with some of his cousins. They went to Marabrook and then on to the United States. in 1946, first going to St. Paul, Minnesota. He lived with a family of fifteen. The father, Barney Garber was an attorney and the mother, Adeline, became his tutor and mentor. He finished high school after three years and then went to the University of Minnesota, becoming a CPA. He worked as a dishwasher for the American army. He was later drafted and sent to Germany. Because he had a medical problem, he avoided Korea. From Minnesota, he came to visit his cousins in Michigan, the Dorfmans, and eventually moved here. He became a citizen in 1952. Interviewer: Donna Sklar Length: 2 hours, 29 minutes Format: Video recording

cc/2020-05/en_head_0049.json.gz/line1539880

__label__wiki

stop and hide Please, someone, buy me … Most popular new albums Most popular albums ever Orchestral highlights Chamber highlights Instrumental highlights Choral highlights Vocal/Song highlights Colin Currie Records Hallé King's College, Cambridge 1equalmusic Signum Classics MenuMore Full menu (site map) Welcome to Hyperion Records, an independent British classical label devoted to presenting high-quality recordings of music of all styles and from all periods from the twelfth century to the twenty-first. Hyperion offers both CDs, and downloads in a number of formats. The site is also available in several languages. Please use the dropdown buttons to set your preferred options, or use the checkbox to accept the defaults. URL Artist Hyperion Records © Anne Johnstone The Smith Quartet Now into its third decade the Smith Quartet remains at the forefront of the new music world. It has championed the works of the world’s most celebrated composers commissioning over 150 new pieces during its career. A list that includes recent works by Donnacha Dennehy and Joe Cutler and works by Nyman, Volans, Bryars, Fitkin, and Skempton. Continually striving to go beyond the string quartet’s traditional role in the concert hall the group has shared the stage with artists as different as rock group Pulp and Malian singer Rokia Traore. Working with longtime partners, Sound Intermedia, the concept of the stage itself can be challenged, commuters in Cologne for example witnessing the Smiths forty feet above the platform performing Steve Reich’s Different Trains. The quartet’s long association with this seminal work led to a performance of the 2nd Movement, Europe – During The War, in the most unusual and poignant location of all when, along with artists such as Maxim Vengerov and Emmanuel Ax, it was asked to be a part of the BBC’s award winning documentary Holocaust – A Music Memorial Concert from Auschwitz filmed on location at Birkenau-Auschwitz at the end of 2004. The film went on to win a BAFTA and the 2006 Emmy for Best Arts Documentary Film. The quartet has enjoyed a number of prestigious residencies recently including a five concert series in 2006/7 at Queens University Belfast at the Sonic Arts Research Centre (SARC), and a series of European concerts featuring the work of celebrated Portugese composers as part of Miso Music’s Circuits tour. As Artists in Residence at the 2006 Huddersfield Contemporary Music Festival, they performed the complete works of Morton Feldman for piano and strings with the celebrated pianist John Tilbury. In 2008 the Smiths toured South Korea for the first time where they performed to over 10,000 people. They were also invited for a residency at the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts. 2009 saw them make their US debut at the Phillips Collection, Washington DC followed by an appearance at the Bang On A Can Marathon at the Winter Gardens, New York of which the New York Times commented, ‘The Smith Quartet…drew one of the strongest responses of the day with its lush account of the early Gavin Bryars proto-Minimalist work The Sinking of the Titanic’. In October 2009 the Smith’s celebrated Kevin Volan’s 60th Birthday with two concerts at London’s Wigmore Hall where the Daily Telegraph noted that ‘they…played with exquisite care’. Highlights of its 2010 season included an appearance at the Sligo New Music Festival and, in October, at ‘Minimal’ in Glasgow and SOUND Festival in Aberdeen. In 2005 the quartet released their debut album ‘Different Trains’ for Signum Classics. The album met with much critical acclaim, the Sunday Independent remarking that ‘…the Smith Quartet’s intense sound re-emphasises the rhapsodic ending of the work’ and that Duet and the Triple Quartet ‘are played to perfection’. This was swiftly followed by their second album ‘Ghost Stories’ described by the press as ‘…a compelling blend of live ensemble and electronics’, Andrew Clements of the Guardian commented that the release was ‘…superbly played…’ Their recent album for Signum, ‘Philip Glass Complete Quartets’, received considerable critical acclaim and coverage in the media leading Classic FM magazine to ask ‘How long before the Kronos is labeled the ‘American Smith Quartet’?…they are ahead of the curve at generating new repertoire and taking the experimental back-catalogue seriously’. Complete works available for download Alphabetical listing of all musical works [Return to top of page] Hyperion download information Pre-pay credit Facts about CDs What should I do if I have a faulty CD? Where does CD metadata come from? Request a printed catalogue Archive Service information About Hyperion

cc/2020-05/en_head_0049.json.gz/line1539885

__label__wiki

Home Publications Briefings IHRC objects to the use of nude body scanners – Open Letter... IHRC objects to the use of nude body scanners – Open Letter to UK government Rt Hon Philip Hammond MP Secretary of State for Transport Great Minster House 76 Marsham Street London SW1P 4DR Dear Mr. Hammond, OPEN LETTER: Full body scanning at Heathrow and Manchester airports The IHRC is writing to express its deep concern over the use of body scanners at UK airports. On 1st February 2010, the then British government introduced body scanners at Heathrow and Manchester airports. The body scanners produce detailed images of a person as if they were unclothed on a computer screen. The IHRC objects to the use of body scanners for the following reasons: – The use of the body scanners violates Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights- everyone has the right to respect for his private life. Numerous commentators have described the procedure as an electronic strip search. During the scan, images with intricate details of naked bodies, including the outlines of women’s breasts and the genitalia of both genders, will be seen on a monitor by another person who could be male or female, sitting in a different room. German Security advisor Hans-Detlef Dau, a representative for a company that sells the scanners, admits that the machines “show intimate piercings, catheters and the form of breasts and penises”. The IHRC believes that the right to privacy includes the right to decide who views your body, whether in person or via images. The fact that the screener is unable to identify the passenger does not change the fact that he or she is viewing a near naked image of the passenger. By forcing the passenger to go through the body scanner he/she is being stripped of his / her privacy; his/her right to decide who takes and views images of him/her. – The fact that this procedure is unnecessary makes the breach of privacy more unacceptable. It is unnecessary for the following reasons: A pat down search will be just as effective in finding explosives strapped to the body of any would be bomber (both America and Canada allow a pat down search as an alternative to the body scanner); It is entirely implausible to believe that airport security officials will subject every passenger to screening, considering the tremendous cost (around £100,000 for each scanner) and time involved. Consequently, scanning is likely to be conducted on a selective process which unfortunately, due to the climate of Islamophobia we live in, will mean the profiling of Muslim passengers. Profiling itself is very problematic as it is unlikely to catch or deter potential terrorists, who will adopt a different appearance and dress in order to escape profiling. All the 9-11 hijackers, the 7-7 bombers and Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab did not wear beards or Islamic dress when they carried out their missions. Consequently, all would have probably escaped any form of religious profiling at airports had it been carried out; The body scanners will not be able to identify most types of explosives. Conservative MP, Ben Wallace, who used to work for QinetiQ, a scanning technology firm, warned that full-body scanners can be unreliable in detecting “low-density” materials like plastics, chemicals, and liquids, which is what Abdulmutallab had stuffed in his underwear; Most countries do not use scanners. This means that there are large numbers of passengers who are entering the UK who could pose a threat to the UK. Yet we are being scanned as we leave the UK. There is no security benefit to the UK as a terrorist may still attack the UK by boarding a plane in a country where security scanners are not used. – Due to the explicit nature of the pictures that the body scanners create, the IHRC believes that the government will be breaching section 1 of the Protection of Children Act 1978, namely the prohibition against the taking of indecent images of children. – The IHRC is also concerned by the government’s statement that: “The machines used have no capability to save, store or print the images viewed by the screener” There have been independent reports that the body scanner machines do in fact have the capability to save, store or print images. http://edition.cnn.com/2010/TRAVEL/01/11/body.scanners/ During this year’s election campaign both the Conservative party and the Liberal Democrats discussed the issue of civil liberties. They correctly identified the massive encroachments in civil liberties under the previous government over the last decade and discussed how they would restore the freedoms Britain has always held sacred. The document, “The Coalition: Our Programme for Government” states that the new government “will be strong in defence of freedom… restore the rights of individuals in the face of encroaching state power, in keeping with Britain’s tradition of freedom and fairness… implement a full programme of measures to reverse the substantial erosion of civil liberties and roll back state intrusion… [and] introduce safeguards against the misuse of anti-terrorism legislation.” These are commendable principles and it is pleasing to know that the new government is serious about civil liberties. If the Coalition government wants to govern by these principles it must abandon the previous government’s policy of destroying individual civil liberties and restore the rights of people to them. In light of the government’s support for civil liberties, the IHRC urges the government to stop the use of body scanners at airports. It was a hasty knee-jerk reaction by the previous government to a single event, a reaction that does not effectively tackle the issue of international aviation security and erodes our civil liberties. Massoud Shadjareh ICCPR UK 2020 IHRC Bookshop Bahrain: Nearly a decade of Broken Promises Event: Islamophobia in the UK

cc/2020-05/en_head_0049.json.gz/line1539886

__label__wiki

‘RHONY’ Star Bethenny Frankel’s Boyfriend Is A Hot Topic At The Season 11 Reunion, When Did They Start Dating? Bethenny Frankel is dating Paul Bernon. Heidi Gutman / Bravo Lindsay Cronin Bethenny Frankel will be forced to defend her relationship on the upcoming Real Housewives of New York City Season 11 reunion. In a sneak peek at the upcoming special shared by Bravo’s The Daily Dish on July 8, Andy Cohen confronted Frankel about the way in which her relationship with current boyfriend Paul Bernon began. “Last Christmas I went out on a date. I remember talking to Tinsley and being like, ‘I really like him,'” Frankel recalled. At the time, Frankel was on a break from her late boyfriend Dennis Shields, who she dated on and off for two years before his untimely death in August of last year. So, when it came to moving forward with a serious relationship with Bernon at that time, Frankel didn’t feel she was ready for the commitment. That said, she was quite taken by the film producer. “I thought I was an idiot because I was saying like, ‘I don’t know, I feel like he could be like the one or something.’ I was really into him,” Frankel told Cohen. While the timing wasn’t right for Frankel and Bernon to start dating in late 2017, they reconnected after Shields’ death in 2018 and have been together ever since. As Frankel recalled, Bernon came back into her life amid her heartbreak and courted her. “It was great because I had a history with him and I trusted him,” she said. Happy Friday! ???? A post shared by Bethenny Frankel (@bethennyfrankel) on Apr 19, 2019 at 1:16pm PDT Frankel and Bernon went public with their relationship during an outing in Boston in October of last year amid production on the 11th season of The Real Housewives of New York City. However, Bernon did not appear on the show at the time and when it comes to making future appearances, it’s hard to say whether or not that will ever happen. Although Bernon could one day join the cast of the show, Frankel appears to be keeping their relationship under wraps at this point in time and has only shared a few images of him on her social media pages. In the most recent photo Frankel shared of herself and Bernon on Instagram, the couple was seen posing cheek to cheek in April. Before that, Frankel posted to Instagram an image of the two of them celebrating their first Valentine’s Day as a couple. To see more of Frankel and her co-stars, don’t miss new episodes of The Real Housewives of New York City Season 11 on Wednesdays at 9 p.m. on Bravo TV. Don Cheadle Discusses Possible Future For War Machine After ‘Avengers: Endgame’ January 19, 2020 Viral Photos Show Brad Pitt, Jennifer Aniston Briefly Holding Hands During Run-In At SAG Awards January 19, 2020

cc/2020-05/en_head_0049.json.gz/line1539890

__label__wiki

Buenos Aires 2018 Summer Youth Olympic Games: Opening Ceremony Buenos Aires 2018 Summer Youth Olympic Games: Day one of competition IOC Session and day two of competition at Buenos Aires 2018 IOC Session and day three of competition at Buenos Aires 2018 Buenos Aires 2018: Day four of competition Buenos Aires 2018: Day five of competition Buenos Aires 2018: Day six of competition Buenos Aires 2018: Day seven of competition Buenos Aires 2018: Day eight of competition as sporting world pays tribute to Baumann Buenos Aires 2018: Day nine of competition Buenos Aires 2018: Day 10 of competition Buenos Aires 2018: Closing Ceremony Buenos Aires 2018 Youth Olympic Games Medals Table Russian Federation 29 16 12 China 17 9 9 Japan 15 11 12 Hungary 12 7 5 Buenos Aires 2018 Youth Olympic Games Results Women's 60kg lightweight Boxing Caroline Dubois Porntip Buapa Oriana Saputo Buenos Aires promotes 2018 Youth Olympics bid with citywide cultural events By Emily Goddard January 16 - Buenos Aires 2018 has got the New Year underway with a series of special cultural events, which are attracting hundreds of thousands of local people to the Argentinean capital. As part of the "Summer in the City" programme, more than 100 open air activities for adults and children, including music, dance, theatre, art and poetry, will take place throughout the Argentinean summer, with an open-air cinema getting things underway at Palermo Woods – the proposed triathlon venue for the Buenos Aires 2018 Youth Olympic Games. Other events will be held at various famous landmarks in the city including Centennial Park Amphitheatre, Buenos Aires Polo Circus, Roca Park and the Obelisk in Plaza de la República. "As we continue our bid to host the 2018 Youth Olympic Games we are truly inspired by what we have witnessed at these events," Francisco Irarrazaval, Buenos Aires City Under-Secretary of Sports and Buenos Aires 2018 chief executive, said. "Our aim is to harness the enthusiasm and excitement that the citizens of Buenos Aires have shown and continue to grow support for our campaign. "It is also fantastic to see that children from all over Argentina were involved in these activities. "This is proof that hosting such events can provide a great platform for youngsters to shine on a national and global stage. "The number of spectators and participants that these events have attracted is a success in itself and this is also a resounding endorsement of our hosting capabilities. "As our bid continues to gather momentum, we are unequivocal in our belief that Buenos Aires can host a dynamic, culturally rich Youth Olympic Games that the youth of Argentina, South America and the world can celebrate and enjoy together." Palermo Woods is the proposed triathlon venue for the Buenos Aires 2018 Youth Olympic Games This latest initiative follows on from last year's projects, such as the "2012 Museums Night", which welcomed a record number of 750,000 people to a free event that took place in 183 museums and cultural spaces around Buenos Aires in November. The city also held the sixth edition of the "Buenos Aires Bookstores Night", which saw more than 55,000 local people taking part, at Corrientes Avenue in December 2012. The event also included the presentation of the "Buenos Aires Bookstores Map", an online tool aimed at connecting young people with cultural and educational activities around the city. "It is fantastic to see Buenos Aires come alive with a shared passion for culture and the arts and we are overjoyed by the willingness of our people to unite in these spectacular celebrations," Hernán Lombardi, Buenos Aires City Minister of Culture, said. "Buenos Aires is a true cosmopolitan metropolis, famous for its rich and diverse culture. "It is a special feeling when a city comes together like this, the buzz and the energy around the place has been palpable." Contact the writer of this story at emi[email protected] January 2013: Former tennis world number one Roddick backs Buenos Aires 2018 Youth Olympic bid October 2012: Buenos Aires unveil September plans for 2018 Youth Olympic Games bid October 2012: Buenos Aires 2018 Youth Olympic bid gets Government guarantees but dates remain unclear July 2012: Buenos Aires 2018 Youth Games host Olympic Day celebration May 2012: Argentine Olympic Committee President hints at 2028 Summer Olympic bid Emily Goddard Subeditor and reporter Emily Goddard is a subeditor and reporter for insidethegames.biz. She has broken a number of exclusives including that News International had lost their exclusive deal with London 2012 following the phone-hacking scandal that rocked Britain in 2011, Richard Caborn's future as chairman of the Amateur Boxing Association of England was in danger, and she was also the journalist to report the first comments from the IOC following the Russian anti-gay legislation. Contact Emily Read more of Emily's articles Lausanne 2020: Day 10 of competition

cc/2020-05/en_head_0049.json.gz/line1539891

__label__wiki

HK party Demosisto drops support for self-determination after Joshua Wong and Agnes Chow’s election bans 14-Jan-2020 Intellasia | South China Morning Post | 1:19 AM A political party has removed support for Hong Kong self-determination from its manifesto after two of its members were barred from running in elections because of the pro-democracy group’s constitutional stance. Demosisto said it would change its policy to “promoting Hong Kong’s democratic and progressive values” in a statement that stopped short of describing the decision as a political compromise. The move, which was passed by its members on Wednesday and unveiled on Saturday, came after founding leader Joshua Wong Chi-fung became the only candidate to be disqualified from November’s district council elections because of his political views. While Wong had clarified he and his youth-led party did not back Hong Kong independence, the government argued advocating self-determination was contrary to the Basic Law, the city’s mini-constitution. His party colleague, Agnes Chow Ting, was earlier barred from contesting a Legislative Council by-election in 2018 on the grounds that Demosisto had called for self-determination for the city. A Hong Kong court later overturned her election ban, ruling the returning officer who disqualified Chow had failed to offer the young activist an opportunity to respond at the first instance. In a statement issued on Saturday, Demosisto did not mention the disqualifications when explaining the decision to amend its manifesto. “The change was to better sum up the working direction and plans of Demosisto, which would focus on strengthening the civil society, uniting the pro-democracy force, promoting the progressive values and further consolidating Hong Kong’s democratic movement,” it stated. Wong on Sunday did not link the move with the upcoming Legislative Council elections in September. “No one will know who would be disqualified by the government in future polls,” Wong, the secretary general of Demosisto said. “Our party has no plans for the next Legco elections yet.” Young activist Tiffany Yuen Ka-wai, a former party colleague of Wong’s who quit Demosisto to run in the district council elections, had her candidacy approved without any inquiry from the returning officer, and eventually won the race. In 2018, the party quietly erased from its mission statement suggestions that it rejected Chinese rule, but continued to uphold “democratic self-determination” for the city. The party said the changes were based on “minor shifts” after years of work that included making its position more accessible to laypeople. It denied at the time the amendments were designed to help Chow secure her candidacy in the Legco by-elections, which she was eventually banned from before that decision was overturned. « ‘Strengths and resilience’: HK leader touts city’s prowess Top judge in protest-hit HK defends legal system »

cc/2020-05/en_head_0049.json.gz/line1539893

__label__cc

The exhibition “European Squares and Their Histories” proposes a change of perspective regarding European urban squares. This might seem bold statement, but it should be understood literally first of all. Taken with a professional drone, the photographs of the exhibition show from the air the squares of a number of historical European cities. Famous squares in well known capitals, from the geographical edges of Europe, such as Lisbon and Istanbul, are exhibited along with unknown but no less interesting squares, such as the Vlach settlements in the Pindus Mountains, with their eternal, mythical plane tree at their centre, as old as the settlement itself, proof of the crossing over from nature to culture, from nature to architecture. The novelty of the exhibition is literally represented by The Change of Perspective: due to the relatively recent character of this photographing technique, an exhibition that contains aerial shots of historical European squares, and which uses them as a red thread, represents a novel endeavour. Palacio Anaya (building on UNESCO World Heritage List), Salamanca, Spain The exhibition traveled in more than 20 places in 8 European countries. In the first part of 2019, the exhibition was presented in Azerbaijan (2 exhibitions in Baku, at the University of Architecture, at Art Tower Gallery, a UNESCO World Heritage site) and Georgia (National Museum in Tbilisi and Batumi). In the context of the year 2018, the year of patrimony in Europe, the project was presented in Romania (Bucharest, Sibiu, Brașov), Spain (Salamanca, Valladolid, Museo de la Piedra in Campaspero, the medieval castle from Torrelobatón, Mucientes), Turkey (Istanbul) Bulgaria (Sofia), Greece (where a visual anthropology experiment was conducted with outdoor expositions in the squares of two vlach settlements, Syrako and Kalarites ). In 2017, the exhibition was present in Krakow, Poland, in a gallery from the Main Square. In 2016 there were exhibitions in Romania, at Suţu Palace, Mogoşoaia Palace, the Astronomical Observatory and the Faculty of Letters of the University of Bucharest. Paradoxically, although there are numerous studies, documentaries, and exhibitions about individual squares, there have been few attempts at offering a broad, continental perspective. The urban square is, quintessentially, a European historical and architectural phenomenon. A red thread links the agora of Greek Antiquity with today’s European cities. Such a historical and cultural continuity only existed in Europe, for it was only much later that this architectural form was exported towards other continents, mainly during the colonial era. Exhibition at Art Tower Gallery (building on UNESCO World Heritage List), Baku Old Town, Azerbaidjan The starting point of the concept is a banal ascertainment, but one which was important consequences for the visual itself, but also for understanding the square as a historical and cultural phenomenon: one cannot see an entire square… from the square itself. Exceptions can be found in those historical cities where a difficult to climb cathedral tower offers a wide view of the space, even if not from a great height. An obvious truth: squares do not exist by themselves, but only at the centre of settlements. This leads to the basic nature of the square and the clearest method to define the square both anthropologically and visually – by relating to the surrounding settlement. Whether developed organically, or according to pre-established diagrams and grids, the structure of cities presents a fundamental tension between the space of the square and the rest of their space, immediately visible only from above. Open space versus closed space. A space of motion versus a stationary space. In Cities for People, Jan Gehl defines the difference between the two parts of the city: “While the streets transmit the idea of motion – move along, please! -, on a psychological level, the squares suggest leisure. The circulation spaces ask us to move, move!, the square says: let us stop and see what is going on here! Both the feet and the eyes have left an indelible mark on the history of urban planning. The base units of the city architecture are spaces of motion – the streets – and of perception – the squares”. Openair exhibition in the square of a Greek village in Pindus Mountains Drone photography means what one may technically call à vol d’oiseau in French or a bird’s eye view in English. It is one of the few situations where the technical and artistic languages overlap so successfully. The bird’s eye view is, almost without exception, spectacular. This view also has the advantage of making one understand what one may only intuit. A deep structure. Thus, the exhibition attempts to change the perspective on squares, this time in a figurative sense. The exhibition has a double side: architectural, but also anthropological, because the square is understood as a living place of the European city, a space which brings together both the community and the history of the city. A space which is not only defined by the buildings that border it, but which is also understood as being made of buildings and people, of buildings and their story, all of which contributes to the cultural identity of a certain place. A space where buildings are contained, for the square is more than architecture. This is the purpose of the exhibition – to capture through images the ineffable of the square, the spirit of a city at its very core, revealing a historical European model. The selection starts from 100 squares, from over 20 European countries. The framed panels are 70 x 50 cm in size, and the images are printed on top quality photographic paper. The exhibition also includes a 30-min film running in a loop, collages from aerial shots of European squares, along with classical music. In Romania, the project also meant the publishing of a book over 500 pages long and which tells the story of European squares. The project is co-financed by the Romanian Cultural Fund Administration – AFCN and The Order of Architects in Romania – OAR.

cc/2020-05/en_head_0049.json.gz/line1539894

__label__wiki

How a preacher sent gunmen into Burkina Faso's schools Africa / 12 November 2019, 9:00pm / Tim Cocks A Malian soldier patrols the streets of Kidal. File photo: AFP FAUBE - When an Islamist preacher took up the fight in Burkina Faso's northern borderlands almost a decade ago, his only weapon was a radio station. The words he spoke kindled the anger of a frustrated population, and helped turn their homes into a breeding ground for jihad. Residents of this parched region in the Sahel - a vast band of thorny scrub beneath the Sahara Desert - remember applauding Ibrahim "Malam" Dicko as he denounced his country's Western-backed government and racketeering police over the airwaves. "We cheered," said Adama Kone, a 32-year-old teacher from the town of Djibo near the frontier with Mali, who was one of those thrilled by Dicko's words. "He understood our anger. He gave the Fulani youth a new confidence." Mostly herders, young men like Kone from the Fulani people were feeling hemmed in by more prosperous farmers, whom they felt the government in Ouagadougou favoured. The preacher successfully exploited their conflicts over dwindling land and water resources, and the frustrations of people angered by corrupt and ineffective government, to launch the country's first indigenous jihadi movement. That cleared a path for groups affiliated with al Qaeda and Islamic State. Since Dicko's first broadcasts, Burkina Faso has become the focus of a determined jihadi campaign by three of West Africa's most dangerous armed groups who have carved out influence in nearly a third of the country, while much of the world was focused on the crisis in neighbouring Mali. Militant Islamist fighters close schools, gun down Christians in their places of worship and booby-trap corpses to blow up first responders. At least 39 people died last week in an ambush on a convoy ferrying workers from a Canadian-owned mine in the country. There has been no claim for that ambush, but the modus operandi – a bomb attack on military escorts followed by gunmen unleashing bullets – was characteristic of Islamist groups. Since 2016, the violence has killed more than 1,000 people and displaced nearly 500,000 – most of them this year. In 2019, at least 755 people had died through October in violence involving jihadist groups across Burkina Faso, according to Reuters' analysis of political violence events recorded by the Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project, an NGO. Actual numbers are likely higher - researchers aren't always able to identify who is involved in the violence. The teacher Kone is one of many of Dicko's former supporters who regret their earlier enthusiasm. "We handed them the microphones in our mosques," he said. "By the time we realised what they were up to, it was too late." He fled to Ouagadougou two years ago, after armed Islamists showed up at his school. More than 2,000 schools have closed due to the violence, the U.N. children's fund UNICEF said in August. Soldiers examine burnt-out cars outside the Splendid Hotel in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso’s captial, after it was attacked by al-Qaeda-linked extremists. Islamic extremism is on the rise in the West African country.Pictures: AP A LOCAL CHANNEL A lean, bespectacled Fulani from the north, Malam Dicko broadcast a message of equality and modesty. He reportedly died of an illness in late 2017, but his sermons channelled deep grievances in Burkina Faso's north where impoverished people have long been frustrated by corrupt officials. The province of northern Burkina Faso where Dicko lived scores 2.7 on the United Nations Human Development Index, compared with 6 for the area around the capital, Ouagadougou. About 40% of its children are stunted by malnutrition, against only 6% in the capital, according to U.S. AID. From Ouagadougou to Djibo is a four-hour drive on a road which peters out into a sandy track. Sparse villages dot a landscape of sand and withered trees. Goats devour scrappy patches of grass. Residents complain that their few interactions with the state tend to be predatory: Bureaucrats demand money to issue title deeds for houses, then never provide the papers; gendarmes charge up to $40 to take down a complaint; there are mysterious taxes and extortion at police roadblocks. Lieutenant Colonel Kanou Coulibaly, a military police squadron commander and head of training for Burkina Faso's armed forces, acknowledged that northerners "feel marginalized and abandoned by the central government." In about 2010 preacher Dicko, who had studied in Saudi Arabia in the 1980s, began tapping this discontent, recalled Kone and other former Djibo residents. He denounced corruption by traditional religious leaders and practices that he deemed un-Islamic, including lavish wedding and naming ceremonies. The movement he created, Ansarul Islam (Defenders of Islam), opened a path to militants from outside Burkina Faso — particularly Mali. Early in 2013, French forces were pounding northern Mali to wrest control from al Qaeda-linked fighters who had seized the region the previous year. Dicko slipped over the border to join the militants, said Oumarou Ibrahim, a Sufi preacher who knew Dicko and was close to the No. 2 in his movement, Amadou Boly. In Mali, Ibrahim said, Dicko linked up with Amadou Koufa, a fellow Fulani whose forces have unleashed turmoil on central Mali in recent years. French forces detained the pair near the border with Algeria; Dicko was released in 2015. He set up his own training camp in a forest along the Mali-Burkina border, Kone, the teacher, and Ibrahim, the Sufi preacher, told Reuters. Dicko forged ties with a group of Malian armed bandits who controlled drug and livestock trade routes. On the radio that year, he urged youths to back him, "even at the cost of spilling blood." "WHITES AND COLONISERS" Troops ride in a vehicle near the French Embassy in central Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, Friday March 2, 2018. Gunfire and explosions rocked Burkina Faso's capital early Friday in what the police said was a suspected attack by Islamic extremists. By midday the gunfire became intermittent and helicopters flew above the French Embassy in Ouagadougou.(AP Photo/ Ludivine Laniepce) For some years Burkina Faso's president, Blaise Compaore, had managed to keep good relations with Mali's Islamists. But in 2014, he tried to change the constitution to extend his 27-year-rule. Residents of the capital drove him from office. Without Compaore, Burkina Faso became a target. Barely two weeks into a new presidency, in January 2016, an attack on the Splendid Hotel and a restaurant in Ouagadougou killed 30 people. It was claimed by al Qaeda-linked militants based in northern Mali. Dicko became even more radical after that: He fell out with associates including his No. 2, Boly. Ibrahim, the Sufi preacher, said Boly came to his house in Belhoro village in November 2016, agitated because Dicko had ordered him to raise cash to pay for AK-47 rifles and grenade launchers from Mali. Boly refused. Dicko threatened him, Ibrahim said. Boly was either with him, "or with the whites and the colonisers." Two weeks later, gunmen assassinated Boly outside his Djibo home. Ibrahim said he fled his own village the next day. The teacher Kone, whose house was down the street, said he heard the gunshots that day. A wave of killings followed. The militants assassinated civil servants, blew up security posts, executed school teachers. One day in May 2017, Kone was running late for school when he got a phone call from a colleague. Armed men from Dicko's movement had come and asked after him. He shuttered the school and sped to Ouagadougou. BOOBY TRAPS Now headed by Dicko's brother Jafar, Ansarul Islam was sanctioned by the United States in February 2018. None of its leaders could be reached. It still controls much of Burkina Faso's northern border areas but two other groups have also built a presence on the country's borders, according to the European Council on Foreign Relations. Islamic State in the Greater Sahara dominates along the eastern frontier with Niger. And Koufa's Macina Liberation Front, which is closely aligned to al Qaeda, is active on the western border with Mali. These spheres of influence can be loose: Fighters for all three are believed to cooperate with each other and with bandit groups. Their attacks - including the kidnap and killing of a Canadian citizen in January claimed by Islamic State - are becoming more brutal. In one instance in March, a Burkinabe security official told Reuters, militants stitched a bomb inside a corpse and dressed it up in an army uniform, killing two medics - a technique used by Malian fighters. Recent attacks on churches have killed about 20 people, and a priest was kidnapped in March. The European Union and member states have committed 8 billion euros ($9 billion) over six years to tackling poverty in the region but so far, responses from Ouagadougou and the West have been predominantly military. The United Nations has spent a billion dollars a year since 2014 on a 15,000-strong peacekeeping force in Mali. Almost 200 members have been killed - its deadliest mission ever. France has 4,500 troops stationed across the region. The United States has set up drone bases, held annual training exercises and sent 800 troops to the deserts of Niger. Led by France, Western powers have provided funding and training to a regional counter-terrorism force known as G5 Sahel made up of soldiers from Mali, Niger, Burkina Faso, Chad and Mauritania. Despite all this, Islamist violence has spread to places previously untouched by it, as tensions like those that first kindled support for Dicko intensify. "You have a solution that is absolutely militarised to a problem that is absolutely political," said Rinaldo Depagne, West Africa project director at International Crisis Group, an independent think tank. "The security response is not addressing these problems." CYCLE OF ABUSE The fact that a large number of recruits are Fulani has triggered a backlash by other ethnic groups, and those who have fled northern Burkina Faso say they had scant protection. One woman said gunmen on motorbikes attacked her village, Biguelel, last December. The gunmen accused her family of colluding with "terrorists" simply because they were Fulani. They torched her home and shot her husband and dozens of others dead, but she escaped. The next day the woman, Mariam Dicko, and about 40 others went to a military police post in the nearby town of Yirgou. "They said it was over now, so they couldn't help us," said Dicko - a common surname in the country. Kanou, the military police commander, acknowledged that troops were sometimes not present when needed. "But when patrols are being attacked, it's more difficult," he added. "We have to take measures to protect ourselves." As Western forces rely increasingly on their Sahel partners, rights groups and residents say they sometimes overlook abuses by locals. Four witnesses described to Reuters summary executions of suspected insurgents during search operations. These included an incident in the village of Belhoro on Feb. 3, in which security forces ordered nine men out of their homes and shot them dead, according to two women who saw the killings. New York-based Human Rights Watch documented 19 such incidents in a report in March, during which it says 116 men and boys were captured and killed by security forces. The government said the army is committed to human rights and is investigating the allegations. "In our struggle there will necessarily be innocent victims, not because we want to, but because we are in a tough zone," Kanou said. U.S. Ambassador Andrew Young said America takes up any "mistakes" with the government. In November 2018, Burkinabe forces raided the village home of a lab technician at a clinic in Djibo, accusing his 60-year-old father of being a terrorist, two friends of his told Reuters. They killed the father in front of his son. The following week, the technician, Jibril Dicko, didn't show up for work. His phone went dead. Neighbours said he had gone to join the jihad. Ten killed in attack on Canadian miner Semafo convoy in Burkina Faso Many still missing after deadly attack near Canadian-run mine in Burkina Faso 54 killed in militant attack on Mali army post

cc/2020-05/en_head_0049.json.gz/line1539895

__label__wiki

Mpumalanga coal mines threaten SA's water resources - NGO Mpumalanga / 3 July 2019, 4:15pm / ANA reporter A study by an environmental rights group revealed coal mining companies in Mpumalanga did not comply with the conditions in their water licences. File picture: Reuters/Jason Lee Johannesburg - A study by an environmental rights group, released on Wednesday, revealed several coal mining companies in Mpumalanga did not comply with the conditions in their water licences. The report, compiled by the Centre for Environmental Rights (CER), was compiled following an investigation into compliance at eight large coal mining operations in the province. "The report, which forms part of the CER’s Full Disclosure series, reveals complete failure by the Department of Water & Sanitation to monitor compliance with water use licences for the eight coal mines and to take enforcement action where violations are patently obvious, painting a picture of a broken national department unable to fulfil its statutory mandate of water resource protection," the group said in a statement. The CER said the lack of compliance was found "despite the fact that the Upper Olifants Catchment, where the eight coal mines are situated, has been identified by that department as one of South Africa’s most stressed catchment areas in relation to both water quantity and quality". Collectively, six of the mining companies use approximately 8 million cubic metres of water per year. Coal mining, the CER report said, was particularly harmful to water resources due to acid mine drainage that pollutes surface and groundwater, with acid, metals and salts. The Upper Olifants Catchment is composed of many active and abandoned coal mines, coal fired power stations and acid mine water discharge sites, which contributes to the deterioration of the water quality in the catchment. A few of the mines that were assessed were; The Tweefontein South (Glencore Operations South Africa (Pty) Ltd), The Leeuwpan Coal Mine(Exxaro Resources Limited), The Vanggatfontein Colliery (Wescoal Mining (Pty) Ltd), as well as the Goedgevonden Colliery (Glencore Operations South Africa (Pty) Ltd), among others. The report also cited independent environmental auditors as having failed to conduct surveys to assess compliance with license conditions, in an impartial manner. In many instances, the CER report said, unsubstantiated conclusions were reached. Sometimes, there was failure to report pollution and violation of license conditions. “These audits are supposed to be a safety net for regulators, picking up violations and risks that may have been missed in regular compliance monitoring by inspectors,” says Leanne Govindsamy, head of CER’s Corporate Accountability Programme. “Instead, they have become the only compliance monitoring that takes place, creating a massive loophole for violations never to be reported or acted upon.” The CER said it had sent its report to the department of water and sanitation and that numerous attempts had been made to meet with senior officials before the report was published. However, a meeting with officials was yet to be confirmed. "South Africa’s water resources are already under threat, and this threat is only going to get worse with the predicted changes to our climate,” said Govindsamy. “This report provides evidence of the shocking disregard with which both the state and industry treat our water resources, and the way in which so-called independent professionals are propping up this broken system. We call on legislators, regulators, industry, financiers and investors to use their spheres of influence to take immediate action for meaningful reform.” African News Agency (ANA)

cc/2020-05/en_head_0049.json.gz/line1539896

__label__wiki

Unneccessary ouster by Royal Society A follow-up from yesterday's post: Michael Reiss, Royal Society's Education Director, has now resigned because of his comments regarding creationism (the headline in this news-story gives a wrong impression): Last week Prof Reiss - a Church of England minister - said creationism should be discussed in science lessons if pupils raised the issue. He was criticised by other scientists - though misquoted as saying creationism should be "taught" in science classes. The society said some of his comments had been "open to misinterpretation". It was quite clear that he was not talking about teaching creationism in classrooms. In any case, here is the statement from Royal Society on this matter: Some of Professor Michael Reiss's recent comments, on the issue of creationism in schools, while speaking as the Royal Society's Director of Education, were open to misinterpretation. While it was not his intention, this has led to damage to the Society's reputation. As a result, Professor Reiss and the Royal Society have agreed that, in the best interests of the Society, he will step down immediately as Director of Education a part time post he held on secondment. He is to return, full time, to his position as Professor of Science Education at the Institute of Education. The Royal Society's position is that creationism has no scientific basis and should not be part of the science curriculum. However, if a young person raises creationism in a science class, teachers should be in a position to explain why evolution is a sound scientific theory and why creationism is not, in any way, scientific. The Royal Society greatly appreciates Professor Reiss's efforts in furthering the Society's work in the important field of science education over the past two years. The Society wishes him well for the future. And before this resignation took place, Richard Dawkins had sent a letter to New Scientist about this row and had considered this affair close to a witch-hunt (tip Pharyngula): Although I disagree with him, what he actually said at the British Association is not obviously silly like creationism itself, nor is it a self-evidently inappropriate stance for the Royal Society to take. Scientists divide into two camps over this issue: the accommodationists, who 'respect' creationists while disagreeing with them; and the rest of us, who see no reason to respect ignorance or stupidity. The accommodationists include such godless luminaries as Eugenie Scott, whose National Center for Science Education is doing splendid work in fighting the creationist wingnuts in America. She and her fellow accommodationists bend over backwards to woo the relatively sensible minority among Christians, who accept evolution. The official line of the US National Academy, the American equivalent of the Royal Society, is shamelessly accommodationist. They repeatedly plug the mantra that there is 'no conflict' between evolution and religion. Michael Reiss could argue that he is simply following the standard accommodationist line, and therefore doesn't deserve the censure now being heaped upon him. Unfortunately for him as a would-be spokesman for the Royal Society, Michael Reiss is also an ordained minister. To call for his resignation on those grounds, as several Nobel-prize-winning Fellows are now doing, comes a little too close to a witch-hunt for my squeamish taste. Nevertheless – it's regrettable but true – the fact that he is a priest undermines him as an effective spokesman for accommodationism: "Well, he would say that, wouldn't he!" My sympathies generally lie with accommodationists, however, I like the way Dawkins ends his letter: Accommodationism is playing politics, while teetering on the brink of scientific dishonesty. I'd rather not play that kind of politics at all but, if the Royal Society is going to go down that devious road, they should at least be shrewd about it. Perhaps, rather than resign his job with the Royal Society, Professor Reiss might consider resigning his Orders? Read the complete letter here. Posted in creationism, evolution, politics of science and religion on Tuesday, September 16, 2008 by Salman Hameed | 6 comments Edit Epiphenom said... A complication is that it's not what Reiss believes, but what people think he believes. As a result of some loose wording, creationists are now using his name and role to support their case. So his reputation is damaged, and he's caused a lot of confusion and muddle. Rumour mills being what they are, it's hard to say whether it can ever be repaired. Salman Hameed said... But I think this is where a clarification was needed not calls for his resignation. And yes we expect creationists to take words out of context and then exploit them. Even Dawkin's words about Cambrian explosion have been taken out of context: "It is as though the fossils were planted there without any evolutionary history". This was a set-up to start a chapter. Reiss' statement is clearly worse than this, but when we clearly know the context, we should not let creationist exploitation lead to rash decisions. Sep 17, 2008, 11:48:00 AM hedge said... Since when is that the kind of thing that leads to a resignation? What happened to the "official retraction" or the "apology press conference"? Sep 17, 2008, 12:46:00 PM Oh I agree that the resignation was not appropriate. But I have some sympathy with the RS. The problem is that it's a genie out of the bottle. I don't think you can return to the untarnished state. We're talking PR here, not common sense! If he wasn't an ordained minister, then his statements wouldn't be so easy to exploit. But he is and they have been and, well, it's difficult for him to be a figurehead for education. But yes, the RS should've shown more backbone. Sep 18, 2008, 3:51:00 PM The Reiss Affair – a Matter of Intellectual Integrity Various letters, such as that from the Bishop of Lincoln (Guardian) etc, contain a significant amount of self-righteous criticism of the Royal Society with regard to the Rev Michael Reiss’s position as Director of Science Education. It is clear that there is almost total ignorance about the fundamental issues involved and an abysmal understanding of Science – the culture that created the modern world – from anaesthetics and penicillin to jet engines, mobile phones and the Internet. Of course “The Origin of the Universe and Living Organisms” is a perfectly respectable question for the Science lesson (perhaps the most exciting and fundamental one) - as long as someone with Intellectual Integrity is there to answer it! There is a major problem however for the religious person, scientist or otherwise, in answering this question and it involves, first and foremost, Intellectual Integrity. Let me clarify the fundamental philosophical issue - The Scientific Mindset: Science is based solely on doubt-based, disinterested, examination of the natural and physical world. It is entirely independent of personal belief. There is a very important, fundamental concomitant - that is to accept absolutely NOTHING whatsoever, for which there is no evidence, as having any FUNDAMENTAL validity. A lemma: One can of course have an infinite number of questions but only those questions that can be formulated in such a way that they can be subjected to detailed disinterested examination, and when so subjected reveal unequivocally and ubiquitously accepted data, may be significant. The plethora of more-or-less incompatible religious concepts that mankind has invented from Creationism and Intelligent Design to Christianity, Islam, Judaism, Buddhism, Mormonism, Scientology, Hinduism, Shinto, Shamanism etc., etc., etc., are all basically indistinguishable, from the Freethinker’s perspective. It really does not matter whether someone believes a mystical entity created the Universe five thousand or ten thousand million years ago - both are equally irrational unsubstantiated claims of no fundamental validity. Unfortunately Michael Reiss who is, according to reports, a nice guy, was just in the wrong job. He, together with all religious people – whether they like it or not, whether they accept it or not - fall at the first hurdle of the main requirement for honest philosophical scientific discussion because they accept unfound dogma as having fundamental significance. Note that I did not say value (positive or negative!). In the Jeffersonian sense Church and State (including education especially on Sundays) must be separated - otherwise our democratic freedoms are undermined. A secular socio-political framework is an absolutely necessary (though unfortunately not always sufficient) condition to guarantee freedom of religion - as well as freedom of non-religion. I do not have a particularly big problem with scientists who may have some personal mystical beliefs - for all I know the President of the Royal Society may be religious. However I, and many Royal Society colleagues, do have a problem with an ordained minister as Director of Science Education – this is a totally different issue. An ordained minister must have accepted that there is a creator (presumably more intelligent than he is?) and thus many of us (maybe 90% of FRSs) cannot see how such a person can pontificate on how to tackle this fundamentally unresolvable conflict at the science/religion interface. An ordained minister cannot have his religious cake in church on Sunday and eat a scientific one with intellectually vulnerable kids in the classroom on weekdays. This is where the Intellectual Integrity issue arises – and it is the crucial aspect in the Reiss Affair. I suggest that the Rev Reiss, the Bishop of Lincoln and any others who presume the authority to dictate how religious issues should be handled in the science classroom read from Sam Harris's book "Letter to a Christian Nation" at their Sunday sermons. Then perhaps some of their flock may understand what Intellectual Integrity and true humanity actually involve. Furthermore I suggest that this wonderful little book be a set text for young people at Sunday School, so they recognise that the really dangerous people can include the religious who are hell-bent on dragging us back into the Dark Ages, rather than the Freethinking Humanists who are struggling to save the democratic freedoms of “The Enlightenment” for our grandchildren. The Pope is the 21st Century disciple of Cardinal Bellarmine. Sir Harold Kroto Oct 2, 2008, 9:14:00 PM cheap wedding gowns, discount bridal gowns, China wedding dresses, discount designer wedding dresses, China wedding online store, plus size wedding dresses, cheap informal wedding dresses, junior bridesmaid dresses, cheap bridesmaid dresses, maternity bridesmaid dresses, discount flower girl gowns, cheap prom dresses, party dresses, evening dresses, mother of the bride dresses, special occasion dresses, cheap quinceanera dresses, hot red wedding dresses Creationism with Harun Yahya and Sarah Palin Islamic Creationism talk at Creighton University Steven Weinberg on life without God Steven Weinberg on tension between science and rel... Off-topic: Fresh Air on "extraordinary renditions"... The Vodka-Hashish Line Saved by a guardian angel? Huh!? What did Darwin say about religion and God? Stem cell research in Iran The Onion on Existentialism from Football Anglican Church for Darwin The Lunacy around Islamic Lunar Calendar Loosing faith... Islamic financing: Some savings on faith Susan Blackmore on evidence versus understanding Suicide bombings and the Taliban in Pakistan The Onion on Darwin stain Some more Kosher gadgets End of the world by an asteroid impact Why was Giordano Bruno burnt at the stake? Colbert on the Atheist lobby

cc/2020-05/en_head_0049.json.gz/line1539897

__label__cc

33 St Andrews Street, Aberdeen, AB25 1JA | Call @ 0203 865 3454 | Email: enquire@itil.org.uk Aberdeen is the third most populated city in the Scotland. It is one of the 32 local government council regions and 37th most populated area as well. The nicknames of Aberdeen are Granite City, Grey City and the Silver City with the Golden Sands. During the mid-18th to mid-20th centuries, Aberdeen’s buildings are incorporated locally mined grey granite. The region around Aberdeen was settled around 8000 years ago. Later this environment results in chilly summers. Aberdeen got Royal Burgh tag from David of Scotland. This city has two universities. One is the University of Aberdeen founded in 1495. Second is Robert Gordon University founded in 1992. The Robert University later became the centre of the north-east of Scotland. This city’s Heliport is the commercial heliport in the world. It has won Bloom competition reward. It hosts the Aberdeen International Youth Festival. Mercer named Aberdeen as the 57th most liveable city in the world in 2015. In 2012, HSBC tagged Aberdeen as a leading hub and one of the eight super cities. Courses Scheduled at Aberdeen

cc/2020-05/en_head_0049.json.gz/line1539898

__label__wiki

Wrexham Rd, Wrexham LL13 9SW | Call @ 0203 865 3454 | Email: enquire@itil.org.uk Wrexham is a major town in the north of Wales. It is an administrative, commercial, as well as an educational centre. Since 1996 it has been the centre of the Wrexham County Borough. Census in 2011 states that Wrexham had a total population of 61,603, making it the fourth largest urban area in Wales. From Prehistoric to Roman times Civilization in the Wrexham area is said to have been existing since the Mesolithic period (8000 to 4300 BC). By the early Middle Bronze Age it became an innovative metalworking industry. Archeologists have revealed the presence of Roman civilian settlements in Plas Coch area of Wrexham. Also, finds have revealed proof of agriculture and trade with the wider Roman world. The Wrexham constituency elects members to the UK Parliament and the National Assembly for Wales. The constituency consists of both the town and some of its distant villages such as Gwersyllt, Rossett, Llay, Holt and Marford. It is considered as a safe seat for Labour Party for the UK’s Parliament. Wrexham is subdivided into the communities of Acton, Offa, Rhosddu and Caia Park. Wrexham is not constructed on the main river but a flat plateau between easternmost mountains and the lower Dee Valley of North Wales. This position permitted it to develop as a market town, and later as an industrial hub due to its rich natural reserves of iron ore and coal. But three minor rivers flow through parts of the town: the Gwenfro, Clywedog, and Alyn. Wrexham is known for the reserve of underground water’s quality, which gave way to the development of Wreexham as a major brewing centre. Courses Scheduled at Wrexham

cc/2020-05/en_head_0049.json.gz/line1539899

__label__wiki

From the Editor-in-Chief Aroon Purie on rise and fall of Tarun Tejpal Our cover story charts the rise and fall of Tarun from a journalist who successfully managed to create his own myth as the conscience keeper of the nation, scam busting journalist, media baron, saviour of the downtrodden and ironically a fighter for women's rights who now finds himself and his institution in the dock. AROON PURIE ISSUE DATE: December 9, 2013 It is with mixed feeling that I am writing this week's letter. Tarun Tejpal worked in this magazine 25 years ago for six years. Dare I say, I liked him. He was a talented writer and knew it. In today's terms a 'real dude'. Even at the age of 25 when I interviewed him for the job of a senior sub-editor he had an intellectual swagger about him and unabashed literary ambitions. He went on to become copy editor, and, as an in-charge of our books pages, was seen recommending V.S. Naipaul's works to anybody who would give him an audience. When he resigned almost six years later in July 1994, Tarun was honest enough to say that there were "only so many essays and reviews I can churn out before ennui drowns me". He had a clear plan for himself and for his future. Over the years, Tarun's work evolved in several ways before taking the form of an investigative editor who would commission and oversee projects at great personal risk to himself and his reporters in order to shame the highest powers of the land. Tehelka's Operation West End in 2001 was an eye-opener not just for the political class but for the media itself. As then BJP president Bangaru Laxman and then defence minister George Fernandes were forced to resign, the event would change the media-government equation forever. Even though he suffered a severe backlash for going after the NDA government, and was forced to align more closely with the Congress than he would've liked in order to ensure his survival, Tarun managed to create his personal brand as a crusading journalist who was taken seriously not just in India. He was lauded in the international media as a pioneer of sting journalism that transformed Indian media. At a function for the launch of his first book in 2005, I described him as "the Che Guevara of Indian journalism". That's the kind of cult status he had achieved. Combined with his literary exertions (three novels) he developed an aura of an intellectual rebel admired across the world, a kind of Indian Julian Assange. Tarun is now accused of a serious crime. He's been charged with the alleged rape of a colleague who is his daughter's age and friend. Someone who idolised him and the 'idea' of Tehelka as a left-liberal voice. She has described in graphic detail what he allegedly did to her on two different occasions at their annual jamboree, THiNKfest. Whatever may be the outcome of the legal case, this incident in one stroke has demolished the carefully constructed image of Tehelka and its architect. The Camelotian way in which the sexual complaint was handled by the organisation where the king's alleged indiscretions could be papered over by some tortured apologies and self-flagellation spelled their doom. As happens in Camelot, it seemed they were not in touch with the new reality of the outside world. The feisty young woman did not play along and demanded justice according to the new law. The whole charade of self punishment was exposed. Everyone has their own theory of why a man of such intellect, talent and success ended up being charged with sexual assault. Mine is a simple one. It is the 'God' complex which I have seen in so many successful men. They reach such heights of success that they live in their own world and think the normal rules of social behaviour don't apply to them, neither do the laws of the land. Sadly, like almost everything in this country, this case has become politicised with the two major parties involved in a slugfest. Hopefully this will not drown the important issue of sexual harassment at the workplace. As for what happens to Tarun, the law must take its course dispassionately and without agenda. Follow Tarun Tejpal Follow Tejpal Follow BJP Follow Tehelka Follow Tehelka sexual assault case Follow Sexual assault Follow NDA

cc/2020-05/en_head_0049.json.gz/line1539902

__label__wiki

Mark David Chapman Assassin / Convict Best Known As: The man who killed John Lennon Mark David Chapman shot and killed musician John Lennon December 8, 1980, outside the Dakota Apartments in New York City. Mark David Chapman was a former security guard from Hawaii who came to New York specifically to attack the famous ex-Beatle. He waited outside the Dakota, then shot John Lennon with a snub-nosed revolver as Lennon was returning with his wife, Yoko Ono, from a late-night recording session. Chapman made no attempt to flee and was arrested on the spot. Though Chapman's lawyer initially entered a plea of insanity, Chapman later changed the plea to guilty. He was sentenced to 20 years to life in prison, a sentence which he began serving in New York's Attica prison. Mark David Chapman became eligible for parole in 2000, but was denied parole that year -- and has been denied parole again every two years since then. Extra Credit: Mark David Chapman was carrying a copy of the J.D. Salinger book The Catcher In the Rye when he killed Lennon… Mark David Chapman married the former Gloria Hiroko in 1979 in Hawaii. They remain married, and Gloria Chapman lives in Hawaii. Copyright © 1998-2018 by Who2?, LLC. All rights reserved.

cc/2020-05/en_head_0049.json.gz/line1539904

__label__wiki

The Hunt for Tiburcio Vasquez: A Chase Through a Californio's L.A. Recipe: Texas Caviar Learn how to prepare Texas Caviar from "Pati's Mexican Table." Recipe: Chipotle Oyster Soup Learn how to prepare Chipotle Oyster Soup from "Pati's Mexican Table." Recipe: Drowned Crispy Taquitos Learn how to prepare Drowned Crispy Taquitos from "Pati's Mexican Table." Food and Living Simply Ming How Alcohol Still Seeped Into Los Angeles During Prohibition In 1919, Congress passed the Volstead Act, the 18th Amendment’s liquor ban. Despite the Prohibition the liquor continued to flow in the Southland, along with the sun and waves and a few secret tunnels. PHOTOS: The Strange Goings-On in Prohibition-Era Los Angeles On January 17, 1920 fourteen years of Prohibition began. What began as a grand, noble experiment quickly turned sour. See some of the strange goings-on in Los Angeles during that short-lived period. Where to Recapture the Roaring Twenties in Modern-Day L.A. Prohibition was a dark chapter in Los Angeles history. But thankfully, the city was never really dry. Some L.A. landmarks that didn’t just survive Prohibition –– they thrived, running wetter than ever. Mussolini Dagger Could a World War II souvenir be a dagger that belonged to Benito Mussolini? The Hunt for Tiburcio Vasquez: A Chase Through a Californio's L.A. | KCET Robert Petersen Robert Petersen is the creator of the Hidden History of Los Angeles podcast (www.hiddenhistoryla.com). Robert was born and raised in Pasadena and received a BA in history from UC Berkeley and a law degree from UCLA. He is currently a Deputy Attorney General for the State of California. "Oppression, by its very nature, creates the power that crushes it. A champion arises --a champion of the oppressed-- whether it be a Cromwell or someone unrecorded, will be there. He is born." The Mark of Zorro (1920 film) Since his creation in 1919 by pulp writer Johnson McCulley, the character Zorro has become internationally known as a benevolent outlaw thanks to his appearance in countless movies, books, and television shows. What is not well known is that one of the real-life inspirations for the character was a 19th century outlaw named Tiburcio Vasquez, who was hunted down and eventually captured in Los Angeles. At the time, Los Angeles was in the midst of evolving from a Mexican village to an American city and Vasquez served as a symbol of resistance to that change. Tiburcio Vasquez was a bandit who was active throughout California during the 1850s, '60s, and '70s. Vasquez was born in 1835 in Monterey, California, in what was at the time, Mexico. He became famous for committing numerous burglaries, cattle thefts and highway robberies. He participated in several prison breaks. He was also implicated in several murders, though he denied ever killing anyone. But Vasquez was no ordinary outlaw. He was a gentleman bandit - personable, charming, handsome, well-dressed, and educated. He was fluent in both Spanish and English. He was a ladies man who loved to demonstrate his chivalry. Unfortunately, his penchant for sleeping with multiple women, some of whom were his friends' wives, made him some enemies. Vasquez acknowledged much of his criminal activity, but claimed that his acts were justified because of the injustices perpetrated against the Californios (native born, Spanish speaking Californians) in connection with the American takeover of California. During the mid-nineteenth century, Americans, who had been flowing into the state in growing numbers, were seen as unwanted invaders by much of the native Californio population. Americans, on the other hand, believed that the conquest of California was part of their manifest destiny. And in 1847 Americans took over California by force under questionable authority. Under American control, many Californios lost portions of their land through legal and illegal means. As Americans seized the state's political affairs, Californios also lost their political influence. Along with the loss of political and economic power, many Californios felt they were mistreated and discriminated against by the newly arrived Americans. In the midst of this volatile climate, Vasquez portrayed himself as a defender of the Californio. Vasquez's criminal exploits earned him such a notorious reputation throughout the state that the Governor of California put up a reward for his capture: $3,000 alive or $2,000 dead. The state legislature then set aside money to form a posse to capture the bandit, led by the state's foremost manhunter, Sheriff Harry Morse. And thus began the hunt for the great bandit Tiburcio Vasquez. The hunt for Vasquez provides insight into L.A.'s transformation from a Mexican village to an American city. As American posses chased Vasquez through Los Angeles, they also symbolically chased the spirit of the rebellious Californio who refused to submit to American control. Vasquez took protection in the landscape that had until 1847, when California was forcibly acquired by the U.S. from Mexico.Image courtesy of Los Angeles Public Library. Greek George's House Melrose Place, West Hollywood and Eagle Rock at 5499 Eagle Rock View Drive, Los Angeles 1 In 1874, Vasquez was hiding out in the home of a man named Greek George, a former camel driver for the U.S. Army. Greek George's house was located in a rural portion of Rancho La Brea and was an ideal hideout. It was surrounded on three sides by dense shrubbery standing five to seven feet high and looking south, Vasquez had a clear view across the plain that stretched towards Los Angeles. Being the most hunted man in California did not stop Vasquez from continuing his criminal endeavors. Vasquez heard that a wealthy Italian sheep rancher named Alessandro Repetto had sold his wool crop and had a lot of cash on hand, so he set out with his men towards Repetto's house. On their way, Vasquez and his men camped out in one of the caves at Piedra Gorda (Fat Rock), which is now called Eagle Rock. Alessandro Repetto's House South Garfield Avenue near El Repetto Drive, Monterey Park Repetto's house stood on a hilltop above a ranch where he raised sheep and goats. Vasquez entered Repetto's house by claiming that he was a sheep shearer. But Vasquez's fine clothes and un-calloused hands showed that he was no sheep shearer. Repetto called him out on his ruse and Vasquez admitted that he was a robber. Vasquez demanded $10,000 and his men tied Repetto to a tree and threatened to hang him unless he came up with the money. Unfortunately for Vasquez, Repetto did not keep his money at home; instead he had it safely deposited at the Temple and Workman Bank, in the heart of the commercial district in downtown Los Angeles. Faced with this problem, they decided that Repetto would write a check, and his nephew would go to the bank to retrieve the cash. Temple and Workman Bank Main and Temple Streets, Los Angeles When Repetto's nephew arrived at the bank, he was so nervous that the banker, Francis Temple, became suspicious and contacted the Sheriff. Upon further questioning the nephew broke down and tearfully revealed the whole story. The Sheriff immediately started assembling a posse to capture Vasquez. At this point, the nephew became worried that the Sheriff's involvement might result in his uncle's death. He managed to convince the banker to give him 500 dollars in gold, and returned to Repetto's house, before the posse, to give the money to Vasquez. When the Sheriff's posse approached Repetto's house, Vasquez and his men mounted up and started racing north towards present day Pasadena. Brookside Park 360 North Arroyo Blvd., Pasadena and Devil's Gate Dam at 123 Oak Grove Drive, Pasadena With the Sheriff's posse behind them, they travelled up the Arroyo Seco (a seasonal river and watershed) through the Devil's Gate (named for a rock formation that looks like a devil) and escaped into the mountains. Vasquez even managed to rob a few people near present day Brookside Park (by the Rosebowl) during their escape. Vasquez Rocks, located between Santa Clarita and the Antelope Valley, was once a favorite hiding spot for Vasquez. Photo courtesy of Los Angeles Public Library. Mission San Fernando 15151 San Fernando Mission Blvd., Mission Hills) and Vasquez Rocks (10700 Escondido Canyon Road, Agua Dulce Needing a place to stay, Vasquez, who enjoyed the support of many local Californios, travelled to the home of General Andres Pico, the old Californio soldier and hero of the Mexican-American War. Pico's house, which was next to Mission San Fernando, was one of the major social centers in the San Fernando Valley. Vasquez spent a few days at Pico's home while the posse that had been chasing him turned back to Los Angeles. Vasquez utilized multiple hideouts throughout California including the Vasquez Rocks, in between Santa Clarita and the Antelope Valley. Would Vasquez Attack Los Angeles? The manhunt for Vasquez started getting coverage in newspapers throughout California. Whites in Los Angeles started to fear that Vasquez might actually stage an attack on Los Angeles. A California State Senator wrote the governor a letter stating: "[a] large proportion of our people are Spanish, who are nearly all in sympathy with him. They furnish him all the information he requires, and they have such confidence in him as a leader, because of his daring and successful operations, that he could raise a body of two or three hundred men any time in this part of the state ... He could send his men ... into this part of the city and by a bold dash rob all of our banks and get away before a sufficient force of citizens could be gotten together to prevent it." While such fears were overblown, they were not completely unwarranted. Vasquez later bragged to a reporter that "[g]iven $60,000 I would be able to recruit enough arms and men to revolutionize Southern California." More realistically, Vasquez later admitted that he had conceived of a plan to rob one of the two banks in Los Angeles. While working on this plan, Vasquez was again holed up at Greek George's house. During this time, the manhunter hired by the state, Sheriff Morse, was relentlessly searching for Vasquez. But after six long weeks of hunting for Vasquez and failing to capture him, Sheriff Morse decided to head back north. Vasquez's Downfall In the end it was not a criminal act that led to Vasquez's capture, it was his womanizing. Vasquez caused a scandal when he had a child with his niece, Felicita Vasquez. Felicita's mother was furious with Vasquez and made her feelings known to her extended family, which included Jose Jesus Lopez, who described Vasquez as "a man of no principle at all." And Lopez's cousin, Cornelia Lopez, just happened to be Greek George's wife. Lopez's sister, Modesta, with whom Vasquez also had a sexual relationship, became furious when she learned that Felicita had borne Vasquez's child. Her anger grew when newspapers reported that Vasquez had visited a known prostitute. It is not clear exactly who did it, but some member of the Lopez family notified the authorities that Vasquez was hiding out at Greek George's house. The tip eventually made its way to Los Angeles County Sheriff William Rowland. Many law officials had attempted to trap Vasquez for years, but finally it was the posse of Sheriff Rowland that captured him. Photo courtesy of Forming the Posse Spring and Fifth Streets, Los Angeles Sheriff Rowland assembled a posse and arranged for them to meet at a corral located near Spring and Fifth Streets in downtown Los Angeles. At 2:00 a.m. the posse quietly headed out of town towards the home of Greek George. Sheriff Rowland stayed in Los Angeles so as not to arouse the suspicion of any Vasquez informants. The men approached Greek George's in the back of a wagon, which routinely travelled by the house (so as not to alert the bandit), and just before they reached the house, jumped out and laid themselves flat on the ground. When they approached the house on foot, they saw Vasquez sitting at a table being waited upon by a woman. When the woman noticed someone outside, she tried to close the door, but one of the men shoved his gun against the door and forced it open. Vasquez immediately made a break for the window but was shot in the left arm. Vasquez jumped through the window and made a run towards his horse. Another member of the posse fired and Vasquez was struck by two buck shots - one lodged in the back of his head and the other in his right arm. When another member of the posse leveled his rifle directly at him, Vasquez threw up his hands and exclaimed: "Don't shoot! I give up!" The great bandit had finally been captured. While a wagon and mule were being procured to take the prisoner back to town, one of the posse members offered Vasquez a drink of whiskey from his flask. Vasquez accepted saying: "I like to drink with brave men, and you are all brave, like myself." The Jail Grand Park, between Broadway and Spring Street, Los Angeles News of Vasquez's capture spread like wildfire. By the time the lawmen and their prisoners got back to town and arrived at the jail they were met with a large crowd of onlookers. After Vasquez's wounds had been treated, one of the posse members produced a bottle of whiskey and offered him a drink. Vasquez cheerfully accepted and gave a toast to the President of the United States. The capture was covered in newspapers throughout the country. Crowds flocked to the jail to see the famous outlaw. Women lined up with bouquets of flowers and fawned over the bandit. Vasquez was polite and met with his visitors and freely discussed his criminal exploits. But he denied ever killing anyone. While in custody, Vasquez also agreed to pose for a photographer. The Merced Theater 420 N. Main St., Los Angeles A playwright from the nearby Merced Theater (adjacent to the Plaza) quickly wrote a short play titled, "The Capture of Vasquez." Vasquez was flattered and agreed to lend the lead actors his clothes and allowed the actor to study his personality and voice so as to better impersonate him on stage. Some say that Vasquez even offered to join the cast and play himself in the play but the Sheriff refused to allow him out of his jail cell. When Vasquez had recovered sufficiently to travel, he was taken by train to San Pedro and then onto a boat headed to San Francisco. Vasquez was subsequently tried, convicted of murder and sentenced to death. His last word before he was hanged was "pronto." The hanging of Vasquez was a very public affair that generated much media attention.| Photo courtesy of True West Magazine A Dual Legacy Vasquez's fame grew after his death. Stories about Vazquez were featured in numerous books, magazine articles and newspapers. Mexican balladeers sang songs about his exploits, and he took his place among other outlaw folk heroes such as Joaquin Murrieta (another inspiration for Zorro). And the differences of opinion regarding his legacy persist. Was he an opportunist who manipulated the grievances of native Californios to further his own criminal gains or a Robin Hood-type defender of the oppressed? Was he a thief and murderer who got what he deserved when he was hanged or a heroic symbol of resistance who refused to submit to the American conquest of California? Or a little bit of both. Even today, it depends on who you ask. In 2013, a school district in California caused a great deal of controversy when they named an elementary school after Vasquez. Some thought: "why name an elementary school after a criminal who was hanged for murder." But as a retired teacher who was on the naming committee, Francisco Estrada, said: "The community does not see Tiburcio as a thief or a murderer ... we see him as a fighter for social justice of the Mexican-Californio whose rights have been deprived." Even today, 170 years later, the scars from the American takeover of California can be seen. And the legend of Tiburcio Vasquez has grown to represent, for some, the struggle against oppression for Californians of Mexican decent. On paper, the American conquest of California was already complete, but Vasquez represented the possibility of revolt or a challenge to the new American order. Americans needed to capture Vasquez so they could symbolically crush the rebellious Californio spirit and any idea of rebellion or a return to L.A.'s Mexican village past. And when we compare the fiction of Zorro with the real life Vasquez, we see how California's Spanish and Mexican past becomes re-imagined. For example, in the most recent Zorro movie, The Legend of Zorro (starring Antonio Banderas and Catherine Zeta-Jones), California enters the United States by way of a referendum. Zorro and California's Mexican population are seen cheering the advent of California statehood in 1850. This re-imagined narrative distorts the fact that Americans took California by force from Mexico. Rather than cheering California's statehood, many native Californios actually took up arms against the Americans. But these historical facts apparently do not make for good movies. The movie "The Legend of Zorro" premiered in 2005 at the Orpheum Theater in downtown Los Angeles, blocks away from where Vasquez sat in a jail cell after his capture and where the first Vasquez-inspired play was performed. As the legend of Zorro continues to live on in the movies, let us also remember Tiburcio Vasquez, the real life Zorro whose career as an outlaw came to an end in Los Angeles and whose capture represented an important transitional period in the making of our city. Tomb of Tiburcio Vasquez still attracts visitors and sympathizers to the cause of the dispossessed. 1 Historians have identified the present day location of Greek George's house in several different locations: The intersection of Kings Road and Fountain Avenue (Will H. Thrall, John W. Robinson, Ralph Rambo); Melrose Place, West Hollywood (John Boessenecker); and Laurel Canyon and Hollywood Boulevard (Jack Jones). George Beers. The California Outlaw: Tiburcio Vasquez. Comp. by Robert Greenwood. (Los Gatos: Tailsman Press, 1960). John Boessenecker. Bandido: The Life and Times of Tiburcio Vasquez. (Oklahoma: University of Oklahoma Press, 2010). A History of California and an extended History of Los Angeles and Environs, James Miller Guinn. (Los Angeles: Historical Record Company. 1915), 192. Jack Jones. Vasquez: California's Forgotten Bandit. (Carlsbad: Akira Press, 1996). Sixty Years in Southern California, 1853-1913. Harris Newmark. (New York: The Knickerbocker Press), 452-459. Ralph Rambo. Trailing the Californio Bandit Tiburcio Vasquez. (Pioneer Series No. 3). Samira Said. Villain or hero? Flap over California school named for bandit. CNN.com, January 3, 2013, (http://www.cnn.com/2013/01/03/us/california-school-name-controversy/). Will H. Thrall. The Haunts and Hideouts of Tiburcio Vasquez. (Southern California Historical Society Quarterly 30, no. 2, June 1948). californios tiburcio vasquez @feats

cc/2020-05/en_head_0049.json.gz/line1539908

__label__wiki

Home News & Views Police and Crime NYPD Outlines Hiked Security in Jewish Neighborhoods Ahead of Holidays NYPD Outlines Hiked Security in Jewish Neighborhoods Ahead of Holidays JNS News Service 22 Elul 5779 – September 21, 2019 Photo Credit: Nati Shohat / Flash 90 A street in Borough Park The New York City Police Department will increase their presence in Jewish neighborhoods ahead of the Jewish holidays, Mayor Bill de Blasio and NYPD Commissioner James O’Neill announced on Wednesday, as they outlined their security plans for the 2019 Jewish holidays. “It’s my obligation as mayor to make sure the Jewish population is protected not just the High Holy Days but every day, and the sacred responsibility of the NYPD as well,” said de Blasio. “We’ve seen the rise of hate crimes in this city even this year compared to last year, but we cannot be afraid.” “Public safety is a shared responsibility,” said O’Neill. “It requires you to take ownership and keep an eye out in the neighborhoods where you live, where you work and where you worship. No one knows these streets better than you do.” He added, “We have a lot of specialized units that will be out there, too. Critical response command, they’ll be out there. Some you’ll see, some you won’t.” The announcement follows a recent spate of anti-Semitic attacks against Orthodox Jews in the borough of Brooklyn and one day after four suspects attacked and robbed a Chassidic Jewish man. De Blasio called for a collective effort to help ensure a safe High Holiday season and more. “We’re gathered today in solidarity; we’re gathered today in vigilance to always show the community we’re on guard, and remind anyone that we’re watching, and we will act and there will be consequences,” he said. “We will not accept hatred in New York City.” Previous articleJoint Arab List Recommending Gantz to President as Next PM Next articleEgypt Again Faces Protests in Cairo’s Tahrir Square www.JNS.org is an independent, non-profit business resource and wire service covering Jewish news and Israel news for Jewish media throughout the English-speaking world. Queen Elizabeth, Buckingham Palace Announce End of Royal Titles for Prince Harry, Meghan Markle NYPD Releases Video of Subway Station Swastika Vandal US Jewish Security Group Issues Guidelines for Synagogues on Arms, Hired Guards Brazil Culture Minister Fired for Quoting Joseph Goebbels Antisemitism David Israel Printed from: https://www.jewishpress.com/news/breaking-news/nypd-outlines-hiked-security-in-jewish-neighborhoods-ahead-of-holidays/2019/09/21/

cc/2020-05/en_head_0049.json.gz/line1539913

__label__wiki

Embroyonic, 2009 Amulet, 2011 Face Off, 2010 Replacement, 2010 Voices, 2012 Boarding House, 2008 From the series ‘Boarding House’ Upseedaisy, 2008 Intertwined, 2007 Targets, 2007 Dream Drawings, 2006 Innocence, 2006 Three Hands, 2006 Clinging, 2005 Underneath, 2005 Washing Line, 2005 Mimicry, 2005 Contemplation, 2004 Juxtaposed, 2004 Ambivalence, 2003 From the series ‘Shadow Chamber’ Inmate, 2003 Rejection, 2003 Trap, 2003 Trails, 2003 Orphan, 2002 Roar, 2002 Early Morning, 2001 Hand Drawn Hearts, 2000 Puppy on Table, 2000 Sleeping Baby, 2000 Puppy between feet, 1999 Study of Boy and Plant, 1999 Herman with Hammer, 1997 Children on Bed, 1996 Front Door, Hopetown, 1983 From the series ‘Dorps’ Roger Ballen Biography One of the most influential and important photographic artists of the 21st century, Roger Ballen’s photography span over forty years. Roger Ballen's strange and extreme art confront the viewer and challenge them to come with him on a journey into their own minds as he explores the deeper recesses of his own. Artist Roger Ballen was born in New York in 1950 but for over 30 years he has lived and worked in South Africa. His work as a geologist took him out into the countryside and led him to take up his camera and explore the hidden world of small South African towns. At first he explored the empty streets in the glare of the midday sun but, once he had made the step of knocking on people’s doors, he discovered a world inside these houses which was to have a profound effect on his work. These interiors with their distinctive collections of objects and the occupants within these closed worlds took his unique vision on a path from social critique to the creation of metaphors for the inner mind. After 1994 he no longer looked to the countryside for his subject matter finding it closer to home in Johannesburg. Over the past thirty five years Roger Ballen's distinctive style of photography has evolved using a simple square format in stark and beautiful black and white. In the earlier works in the exhibition his connection to the tradition of documentary photography is clear but through the 1990s he developed a style he describes as ‘documentary fiction’. After 2000 the people he first discovered and documented living on the margins of South African society increasingly became a cast of actors working with Ballen in the series’ Outland (2000, revised in 2015) and Shadow Chamber (2005) collaborating to create powerful psychodramas. The line between fantasy and reality in his subsequent series’ Boarding House (2009) and Asylum of the Birds (2014) became increasingly blurred and in these series he employed drawings, painting, collage and sculptural techniques to create elaborate sets. There was an absence of people altogether, replaced by photographs of individuals now used as props, by doll or dummy parts or where people did appear it was as disembodied hands, feet and mouths poking disturbingly through walls and pieces of rag. The often improvised scenarios were now completed by the unpredictable behaviour of animals whose ambiguous behaviour became crucial to the overall meaning of the photographs. In this phase Ballen invented a new hybrid aesthetic, but one still rooted firmly in black and white photography. In his artistic practice Ballen has increasingly been won over by the possibilities of integrating photography and drawing. He has expanded his repertoire and extended his visual language. By integrating drawing into his photographic and video works, the artist has not only made a lasting contribution to the field of art, but equally has made a powerful commentary about the human condition and its creative potential. His contribution has not been limited to stills photography and Ballen has been the creator of a number of acclaimed and exhibited short films that dovetail with his photographic series’. The collaborative film I Fink You Freeky, created for the cult band Die Antwoord in 2012, has garnered over 85-million hits on YouTube. He has taken his work into the realms of sculpture and installation, most recently at Paris’ Musée de la Chasseet de la Nature (2017), Australia’s Sydney College of the Arts (2016) and at the Serlachius Museum in Finland (2015) among others. His most recent project has been The Theatre of Apparitions (Thames & Hudson, 2016) and its related animated film, inspired by the sight of hand-drawn carvings on blacked-out windows in an abandoned women’s prison. For this series Ballen started to experiment using different spray paints on glass and then ‘drawing on’ or removing the paint with a sharp object to let natural light through. The results have been likened prehistoric cave-paintings: the black, dimensionless spaces on the glass are canvases onto which Ballen has carved his thoughts and emotions. In September 2017 Thames & Hudson will publish a large volume of the collected photography with extended commentary by Ballen titled Ballenesque. In February 2017 the new Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa in Cape Town named its photographic facility the Roger Ballen Foundation Centre for Photography thereby ensuring that Roger Ballen’s art work and contribution will continue into the future. Roger Ballen: Boarding House Oct 29 - Dec 24, 2010 Process, Place, Imperfection: In Conversation with Gallerist Anna Walker Skillman Lensculture, November 28, 2017 Ken Weingart Interviews Roger Ballen Ken Weingart, Lenscratch, November 5, 2017 Ballenesque Roger Ballen, YouTube, September 27, 2017 Opening October 29 – Roger Ballen and Angela West Roger Ballen: Resurrected Published by Kerber, 2016 Roger Ballen / Hans Lemmen: Unleashed

cc/2020-05/en_head_0049.json.gz/line1539924

__label__wiki

Yoshida donates estate to Randall Children’s Hospital by: Zane Sparling, Portland Tribune Posted: Apr 8, 2019 / 01:25 PM PDT / Updated: Apr 8, 2019 / 01:25 PM PDT TROUTDALE, Ore. (Portland Tribune) — A world of healing is coming to a nook in the Sandy River. It’s a tree-lined estate — and soon-to-be escape from hospital beds and the shroud of illness. Once transformed, the oasis might inspire patients with paint and canvas, or serve as a place where families, children and care providers can roam, refreshed by gentle waters, serene gardens and the light filtering through a golden-green canopy. One thing’s for sure. The future users of the East Multnomah County landmark being donated to Randall Children’s Hospital at Legacy Emanuel will have one couple to thank for their generosity: Junki and Linda Yoshida. Junki Yoshida's Troutdale estate is shown here in an undated photo (Pamplin Media Group/Jonathan House) The Yoshidas already have been contributors to the children’s hospital through their annual Soulful Giving Blanket Concert series, which was inspired by a desire to go beyond the traditional means of philanthropy. For those concerts, the Yoshidas and a host of volunteers — under Linda’s leadership — invite thousands onto their property each summer to support cancer-related charities. “Writing the check is easy,” said Junki Yoshida, the Japanese-born businessman who made a fortune with his brand of teriyaki-flavored sauces. Rather than just making a monetary contribution, he said, they decided, “Let’s find a way that we can sweat.” The final concert will be this summer, now that the ink is dry on the paperwork officially handing over ownership of the stately acreage in Troutdale to the nonprofit Randall Children’s Hospital Foundation. The gift is valued at approximately $2 million. Bronwyn Houston, president of Randall’s Children Hospital, praises the donation as “transformational.” Junki Yoshida knows he’s been blessed in life. He and his wife, — a popular novelist who writes under the pen name Kaylin McFarren — raised three healthy children at the home just south of the Stark Street bridge in Troutdale, and later built a restaurant, Riverview, across the street. They added three grandchildren to the brood in later years. The choice to donate the home was an all-family decision, motivated in part by the good fortune they have enjoyed. “I say, ‘Thank you, God, for giving me beautiful children,'” Junki Yoshida explained. “And God says, ‘Give back.'” Beyond the blanket concerts, which have been held for the past eight years to the benefit of the children’s hospital and Providence Cancer Research Center, Yoshida also spent almost two decades on the board for the Oregon Health & Science University Doernbecher Children’s Hospital Foundation. During that time, he learned of the Children’s Cancer Association’s Caring Cabin in Pacific City. He and Linda realized the importance of having such a retreat, and that prompted them to consider their own property donation. Junki Yoshida in an undated photo (Pamplin Media Group/Jonathan House) Randall Children’s Hospital considers the cancer association a vital partner. Houston, the hospital president, said she hopes the new donation will provide a welcome overlap for the cabin, which often is in high demand. “This could bring a whole new possibility to light, to help our partners,” she said. In a meeting at the Yoshida home in late March, Houston noted that the lush surroundings are well suited for establishing a healing garden. It’s an especially apt partnership given Legacy’s nationally recognized expertise in the field; there are five healing gardens at the Randall Children’s Hospital and Legacy Emanuel campus alone, each designed to soothe patients and hospital workers alike. Surveying the 13-acre property, Houston called the home and gardens “a healing environment at its very best.” Amazing opportunities While he maintains a slightly lower profile here in the States, it’s no overstatement to say that Yoshida is “big in Japan,” too. His rags-to-riches life story (he arrived in Seattle with $500 to his name) is so well-known it’s been memorialized in a Japanese-language musical. From his humble beginnings as a karate instructor, he’s made inroads into real estate development, apparel, sporting goods, manufacturing and numerous other industries. And while the 69-year-old no longer regularly appears on KGW’s cooking segments, Yoshida remains a popular TV and radio personality in Japan. He recently hosted an episode for Tokyo MX TV, appearing in a home-and-garden show with a wacky sense of humor. The Yoshidas’ home was built in 1912 as a AAA Clubhouse. In 1924, it was purchased by a Scandinavian culture association and renamed “Viking Park,” which featured a baseball diamond and carousel. The home reverted to private ownership in the 1960s, and the Yoshida family arrived in 1993. They expect to stay on as caretakers for a while, as the hospital readies the property over the next year or two. They said they’re sad to leave, but excited to see what’s next. “We’d just like to see it utilized,” Linda Yoshida said. “We’d love to see a lot of energy, things happening here. Kids sitting, drawing pictures. There are so many amazing opportunities.” Fridge failure causes Beaverton High School fire PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — Fire investigators have found the source of the blaze that broke out at Beaverton High School over the weekend. Officials concluded on Sunday that the "failure of a small refrigerator" in one to the school's classrooms started the fire around 10:30 a.m. Saturday. The fire has now been classified as accidental, said Tualatin Valley Fire and Rescue. PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — The City of Hood River is currently experiencing a water outage Sunday evening, according to the sheriff's office via Twitter. The city's website said officials did not have an estimated time of when water would be restored, but asked that residents do not call 911 about the issue. PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — The Clark County SWAT team was called out to a home in Vancouver Sunday morning after a domestic disturbance was reported to police. A woman called police around 2:30 a.m. A man police said she was associated with had barricaded himself inside a home on Northeast Powers Street. When police arrived, he did not respond to their attempts to talk to him over the phone and a PA system. Washington County / 10 seconds ago Multnomah County / 2 hours ago California teachers sue after jetliner dumps fuel on schools

cc/2020-05/en_head_0049.json.gz/line1539927

__label__cc

KRANENDONK Smart robotics NederlandsEnglishDeutsch日本語简体中文 Choose your industry: Robot welding Robotic cutting Robotic assembly News - Timeline of construction and opening of our new hall! Lycke van Hoeven – Updated KRANENDONK Smart robotics expands its facilities at business park Medel (Tiel, The Netherlands). Due to rapid growth, following continuous market- and product development, every square millimeter is now fully occupied in the current head office, which only has been in use for two years. Futureproof In September 2016, Kranendonk Production Systems BV from Tiel started using a large new modern facility. The building, equipped with all the latest technology and a large assembly hall, would prepare the company for the future, 'Futureproof' was the description used. When the deputy mayor of Tiel, Laurens Verspuij, officially opened this building together with Arie Kranendonk, they did not dare to think that this future would come close as soon as it is now. At that moment, sometimes a question mark was put on the acute necessity of such a large assembly hall. It now appears, a year and a half later, it is already too small. Restructuring in the shipbuilding and offshore construction market The expansion is fueled by the increasing interest and demand from the worldwide offshore and shipbuilding market in particular. This sector has gone through far-reaching restructuring processes in recent years. They have chosen the route of scaling up and exploring possibilities for automation. Kranendonk has been working for a long time on these issues concerning possibilities for automation and robotization on this more massive scale. The first direct result is the development of the 'Goliath', an immense gantry with various welding robots that together can weld entire bottom sections of mega-vessels, with dimensions up to 24 by 32 by 7 meters high. The latter is a development that is entirely unique worldwide and enables shipbuilders to organize their complete shipbuilding process even more efficiently and effectively. After a relatively short research & development phase, the first gantry is already under construction in the current assembly hall. The next three gantries, which together with the first one will form an integrated system at a large shipyard, will be assembled simultaneously in the new building. This immense building is planned right next door to the current accommodation at business park Medel. At this moment all the foundation work is already taking place and construction must be completed by the end of 2018. The assembly hall, equipped with energy-efficient underfloor heating, utilizing heat recovery, will already be put into operation in mid-August 2018. With dimensions of 80 by 40 by 25 meters, KRANENDONK will become the largest engineering and assembly centre in Europe, entirely dedicated to industrial robotics. Ready for further growth In the new building, four tailor-made overhead cranes with a span of 40 meters and a total lifting capacity of 160 tons will ensure that the vast machine parts will fit together with an accuracy of tenths of millimeters. Contractor J.C. van Kessel from Geldermalsen (NL) is again responsible for the design and construction process. After having taken care of the design and construction of the very first building on the Tiel industrial district Kellen, and later the new building on the Biezenwei, they will now do this again. Kranendonk has been located in Tiel since the early 1980's, and adds the next chapter to high-tech industry in Tiel with this step. "With currently eight job-openings and the substantial growth of recent years in mind, we will remain one of the largest high-tech employers in the region," says Arie Kranendonk, founder and current CEO of the company. With the new accommodation, there will soon be room for over 80 highly skilled engineers and further growth is taken into account. The company also has subsidiaries in Japan, Denmark, Singapore, China and the United States and will further expand and strengthen its position as market leader for automation of non-repetitive production. Update: July 6 the highest point was reached and celebrated. Update: Opening of the new building 28 March 2019 The new hall has been officially opened since 28 March 2019. Interested parties and customers from all over the world were present for this day. During the opening, founder Arie Kranendonk, together with the new CEO at Kranendonk, Justin Geraerds, opened the building. In addition, the largest welding robot in the world has also been unveiled; The Goliath. In short, two milestones in one day. The day consisted of a full program; various speakers, workshops and tours. Kranendonk looks back on a successful day and wants to thank everyone for the presence. For a short impression of this day I refer you to the link below. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FQKaIaKdp4I&t=4s L.a.van.hoeven@kranendonk.com

cc/2020-05/en_head_0049.json.gz/line1539929

__label__wiki

How Hard Are Tariffs Hitting The Economy? It Depends On Who You Ask By Scott Horsley • Dec 6, 2019 U.S. farmers have suffered a one-two punch of bad weather, which makes it hard to grow crops, and tariffs, which make it hard to sell what they grow. Michael Conroy / AP Originally published on December 6, 2019 11:21 am Updated at 9:58 a.m. ET The tariff war has caused a lot of anxiety for business owners and farmers. But how much has it hurt the overall economy? The stock market got off to a rocky start this week when President Trump launched a new round of tariff threats. But administration loyalists insist concern about the trade war is overblown. In an interview with NPR's Noel King, Stephen Vaughn, former general counsel for the president's trade representative, argued that Trump's tariff battles have not sidetracked a strong U.S. economy. "To me, you have to look at it from the macroeconomic picture," Vaughn said. "Record low unemployment, very — almost no inflation, strong markets, and generally strong trade numbers. So I think the policies are working very well and I think that's why the president is continuing to go down that path." At 3.5%, unemployment is at a near-record low. Hiring surged in November with 266,000 jobs added, and job gains for the two previous months were stronger than initially reported. Still, economic growth has decelerated. GDP growth in the third quarter barely topped 2%, and it's expected to slow further in last three months of the year. Factories in Michigan lost more than 4,000 jobs in the first nine months of the year. (This excludes October, when jobs were temporarily lost to the UAW strike at General Motors.) Wisconsin factories lost more than 7,000 jobs. And Pennsylvania suffered the nation's biggest factory job losses with 7,400. ACF Industries announced in November that it was cutting 148 jobs at its train car factory in Milton, Pa. "They want everybody out by the end of the year," employee James Dolan told WNEP-TV in Scranton. "I feel sorry for the guys in their 50s where they have to find something else." Factories — many of which depend on global supply chains and healthy export markets — are particularly vulnerable to the trade war. The much larger services sector — including restaurants and hospitals, which cater to local customers — is more insulated. Services accounted for the bulk of the new jobs in November, with 206,000 added. The other big weak spot is farming, which has suffered a one-two punch of bad weather, which makes it hard to grow crops, and tariffs, which make it hard to sell what you do grow. In the 12 months ending in September, farm bankruptcies jumped 24%, to their highest level since 2011. "There's a general anxiety," said Greg Pittman, an attorney in La Crosse, Wis. Wisconsin led the nation in farm bankruptcies in the past year. And Pittman says that's just the tip of the iceberg since farmers usually resort to bankruptcy only after exhausting all other remedies. "A lot of times we're seeing foreclosures, lawsuits," Pittman said. "Those are not fun times for anybody, especially farmers when they've got a lot on the line." To be sure, farmers and factory workers are a small slice of the American workforce. Whether you see their troubles as a warning sign for the larger economy may depend on your political perspective. The University of Michigan surveys consumers about the economy every month. Richard Curtin, who runs the survey, says the gap between attitudes of Republicans and Democrats has never been wider. "Democrats, as soon as Trump was elected, expected a recession. And they still expect a recession," Curtin said. "Republicans expected robust growth. And they still expect robust growth." Almost three years into the Trump presidency, Americans still view economic reality through very different partisan lenses. The Labor Department released its monthly jobs report this morning. Employers added 266,000 jobs last month, which is better than expected and a sign that the U.S. economy continues to power ahead. With that record number of Americans working, it means a lot of people have money to spend. And so far, the holiday shopping season is off to a good start. But there are spots of weakness in the economy, especially in factories and farms. And the president's trade war is still making people nervous. NPR's Scott Horsley has the story. SCOTT HORSLEY, BYLINE: The stock market got off to a rocky start this week when President Trump launched a new round of tariff threats. But administration loyalists insist concern about the trade war is overblown. In an interview with MORNING EDITION, Stephen Vaughn, former general counsel for the president's trade representative, argued Trump's tariff battles have not sidetracked a strong U.S. economy. (SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED NPR BROADCAST) STEPHEN VAUGHN: Record low unemployment, very - almost no inflation, strong markets and generally strong trade numbers. I think the policies are working very well. HORSLEY: Unemployment is at a near record low, but the pace of hiring has slowed and so has economic growth. GDP growth in the third quarter barely topped 2%, and it's expected to slow further in the last three months of the year. Manufacturers have been especially hard hit. TV station WNEP reported on one factory layoff in Pennsylvania. UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: We begin tonight in Northumberland County, where more than a hundred workers are being let go from their jobs for good. HORSLEY: Similar job cuts are happening throughout the Midwest. Wisconsin factories lost 7,000 jobs in the first nine months of the year; Michigan - more than 4,000. Pennsylvania suffered the nation's biggest factory losses with 7,400 jobs cut. UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: HCF industry says it is laying off 148 people at its plant in Milton permanently. HORSLEY: James Dolan (ph) is one of the workers whose jobs are being eliminated at this Pennsylvania manufacturer of railroad cars. JAMES DOLAN: They want everybody out by the end of the year. I feel sorry for the guys in their 50s where they have to find something else. HORSLEY: Factories, many of which depend on global supply chains and healthy export markets, are particularly vulnerable to the trade war. Services like hospitals and restaurants that cater to local customers are more insulated, though growth in that sector is slowing, as well. The other big weak spot is farming, which has suffered a one-two punch of bad weather, which makes it hard to grow crops, and tariffs that make it hard to sell what you do grow. In the 12 months ending in September, farm bankruptcies jumped 24% to their highest level since 2011. GREG PITTMAN: There is a general anxiety. HORSLEY: Greg Pittman is a bankruptcy attorney in La Crosse, Wis. That state led the nation in farm bankruptcies. Pittman says it's the tip of the iceberg since farmers usually resort to bankruptcy only after exhausting all other remedies. PITTMAN: A lot of times, what we're seeing are facing foreclosures, lawsuits. Those are not fun times for anybody, especially farmers. And, you know, they've got a lot on the line. HORSLEY: To be sure, farmers and factory workers are a small slice of the American workforce. Whether you see their troubles as a warning sign for the larger economy may depend on your political perspective. Richard Curtin of the University of Michigan surveys consumers about the economy every month. He says the gap between attitudes of Republicans and Democrats has never been wider. RICHARD CURTIN: Democrats, as soon as Trump was elected, expected a recession. And they still expect a recession. And Republicans expected robust growth. And they still expect robust growth. HORSLEY: Almost three years into the Trump presidency, Americans still view economic reality through very different partisan lenses. Scott Horsley, NPR News, Washington. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.

cc/2020-05/en_head_0049.json.gz/line1539930

__label__wiki

Schools, offices close as long-lived storm clobbers US East Posted: Mon 9:15 AM, Dec 02, 2019 | NEW YORK (AP) — A seemingly endless winter storm that hindered travel across most of the country over the long holiday weekend is delivering a last wallop as it swoops through the Northeast, dumping heavy snow, shuttering hundreds of schools and bedeviling commuters in the region Monday. Several cars stuck got in snow over the weekend amid snowfall in the Minneapolis area. That storm is heading east, where it's expected to make a mess. (Source: Source: SCV/Doug Kiesling/CNN) The storm dropped more than a foot of snow on parts of the region late Sunday and Monday and could bring 10 to 20 inches total by Tuesday morning from Pennsylvania to Maine, forecasters said. Heavy snow was also expected in the Appalachian Mountains down to Tennessee and North Carolina. “It’s moving very slowly, so the snow is just going to continue through the day,” National Weather Service meteorologist Jennifer Vogt said Monday. By Monday afternoon, the storm had dropped 27 inches of snow in Delanson, New York, 25 miles northwest of Albany — the highest snow total in the Northeast so far. The same storm has pummeled the U.S. for days as it moved cross country, dumping heavy snow from California to the Midwest and inundating other areas with rain. Gov. Andrew Cuomo declared a state of emergency Monday for seven counties in eastern New York and assigned 300 National Guard members to assist with snow removal. State police had responded to more than 740 storm-related crashes statewide since the snow started falling. “We’re tough, we’ve seen it all, we can handle it all,” Cuomo said at a storm briefing before urging people to stay off the roads. He told nonessential state employees to stay home. But some workers had no choice but to trudge through knee-high snow and brush off their cars before heading out on the slushy roads. “I just hate driving in snow,” Kaia Jansson said as she raked snow off her car in Albany. “It’s always a mess and it’s cold and not fun.” In Nashua, New Hampshire, Alana Kirkpatrick didn’t enjoy her 5 a.m. “workout,” which consisted of removing heaps of snow from her car. “Why do I still live in New England?” she said. Hundreds of schools were closed in advance of the region’s first significant storm of the season, a nor’easter so named because the winds typically come from the northeast. “It’s going to be a long, difficult storm,” New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu said. At least four counties closed schools Monday in West Virginia, where 2 inches to a foot of snow was forecast. Closer to the heavily populated, coastal Interstate 95 corridor, a wintry mix was more likely. The National Park Service said parts of the Blue Ridge Parkway in North Carolina and U.S. 441 through Great Smoky Mountains National Park were closed because of heavy snow predictions. In New Jersey, Gov. Phil Murphy said Monday at a news conference that the worst was still ahead. He closed state government for nonessential workers at noon. Only 3 inches of snow was forecast for New York City, where schools were expected to remain open, and 5 inches for Philadelphia. The National Weather Service on Monday predicted that the Boston area could get 7 inches of snow with lower amounts to the south and into Rhode Island and Connecticut. Communities north of Boston could see a foot in the storm expected to reach its peak Tuesday morning, snarling the morning commute. Rowe in western Massachusetts received 16 inches of snow from the storm that started Sunday night. More than 660 flights into or out of the U.S. were canceled Monday, with more than 4,000 delays, according to the flight tracking site FlightAware. Airports in the New York and Boston areas accounted for many of them. There were 950 cancelations and 8,800 delays on Sunday. The storm also caused major traffic disruptions. Tractor-trailers were banned or lower speed limits put in place on stretches of highway in New Jersey and Pennsylvania. New York also posted lower speed limits on some highways. Many buses from New York City to Pennsylvania and upstate destinations such as Ithaca and Binghamton were canceled. A commuter ferry on its way to Boston, where it was rainy and windy Monday morning, hit a wave and listed heavily, sending some passengers to the floor. No injuries were reported. The trouble began in the East on Sunday as the storm moved out of the Midwest after days of pummeling parts of the U.S. Duluth, Minnesota, is still cleaning up more than 21 inches of snow that dropped over the weekend. Major highways reopened in Wyoming and Colorado after blizzard conditions and drifting snow blocked them. Michael Hill contributed to this story from Albany, New York. The winter storm is starting to redevelop along the Delmarva coast this evening. As this becomes the primary storm center, it will move slowly northeast up the coast Monday into Tuesday, producing additional heavy snowfall for parts of the Eastern US. pic.twitter.com/8FD8zqYCDl — NWS Eastern Region (@NWSEastern) December 2, 2019

cc/2020-05/en_head_0049.json.gz/line1539931

__label__cc

Laura Andel’s creative projects revolve around music, performance, music drawing, instrument making, video and sound. As part of a new music project for clay trumpets and whistles, Andel has started making her own instruments in ceramic. Newly found and recently built instruments become part of Andel’s new sonic landscapes and electroacoustic works. Inspired by the plasma lamp invented by Nikola Tesla in 1894, Andel’s new works involves aerophones, electronics, and video projections. An ensemble that premiered Khartes (2013), an extended work for an eclectic instrumentation, featuring musicians of the Buenos Aires and the New York music-scenes, creating a crossover of geographies and personal languages. A nine-piece orchestra that premiered Doble Mano (2009). It includes bandoneon, gamelan instruments, electric guitar, Fender Rhodes, vibraphone, cornet, viola, clarinets, piano, and double bass. electric percussive orchestra A ten-piece orchestra that premiered In::Tension:. (2005), a work that explores the tension points and internal pulses in a non-narrative world. Percussive, visceral, and electrically charged. A fourteen-piece orchestra that premiered Somnambulist (2003). Through the act of conducting, Andel shapes and forms her music, combining actions and sounds that are both well-defined and open. A twenty-piece jazz orchestra that premiered a number of award-winning large ensemble compositions. Traditional jazz big band instrumentation meets wild yet delicate soundscapes. A sound exploration across disciplines that includes collaborations with dancers, filmmakers, and visual artists.

cc/2020-05/en_head_0049.json.gz/line1539934

__label__wiki

Kelowna Mayor Colin Basran reads a prepared statement about a threat made against him two weeks ago. The threat was posted online. When he made his public statement he was flanked by his wife, children, mother and two city councillors. (Alistair Waters-Capital News) No charges for threat to Kelowna’s mayor B.C. Prosecution Service declines to lay charges after man calls for mayor to be shot Alistair Waters May. 28, 2019 4:30 p.m. Kelowna’s mayor says he’s not surprised or disappointed to learn no charges will be laid against a man who publicly called for him to be shot in a post on social media two weeks ago. But Colin Basran said Tuesday he stands by his decision to report the threat to the RCMP. “By doing that, I wanted to raise awareness that this type of behaviour is not OK,” said Basran. “It affects more than just me as the mayor. It also affects my family and my personal life.” Basran is married and has two young children. His parents also live in the city. Following a controversial decision by Basran to bring back a previously defeated residential development proposal in the South Pandosy area of the city for a second vote, the threat was made on a discussion forum of local internet news organizations. The threat was taken down a short time later. The offending post called for someone to shoot Basran because he brought the development issue for Groves Avenue back for a second vote and it was approved. The post, which said “Put a bullet in the (expletive)” included the poster’s name. READ MORE: Kelowna mayor calls for civility in light of online threat against him Police arrested a 52-year-old Kelowna man the next day and he was scheduled to appear in court next month. But the B.C Prosecution Service has decided not to press charges, saying the assessment standard for doing so was not met in this case. The BCPS looks at two criteria when it weighs charging an accused, if there is a substantial likelihood of conviction and if the prosecution is in the public interest. Following the threat, Basran appeared at city hall, with his family by his side, denounced the threat and publicly called for more civility when it comes to public discourse in the community. While acknowledging public officials do open themselves up to criticism with the decisions they make, threats such as the one made against him crossed a line. On Monday, he said despite the prosecution service decision, he does not regret reporting the threat to police. “Hopefully, this person will think twice before doing that again,” said the mayor, noting the man who was arrested was “not a kid in his parents’ basement” but a middle-aged man who has had run-ins with the law in the past. Basran’s father George echoed his son’s remarks saying while he did not think charges would be laid in this case, he’s proud his son stood up to the threat and reported it to the police. “Hopefully, as a result, someone will take a deep breath next time and take 10 seconds to think before they hit the send button (on their computer) if they are thinking of (saying) something like that,” he said. Families of victims in ICBC privacy breach can now join class action lawsuit 3 car pileup slows traffic on Acland

cc/2020-05/en_head_0049.json.gz/line1539936

__label__wiki

Korematsu v. United States: Background Summary & Questions (•) The port of Pearl Harbor, Hawaii was attacked by the Japanese in December 1941. After this, the American government was worried that the West Coast of the United States would also be attacked. Many Americans were angered by the bombing of Pearl Harbor and blamed Japanese Americans who were living in the United States. Some people thought that the many Japanese and Japanese Americans who lived there would help the Japanese military. But at the time, there was no known case of espionage from any person of Japanese descent. In February, 1942, President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed Executive Order 9066. This order allowed the military to use curfews and to move Japanese and Japanese Americans to special camps. Japanese Americans were only allowed to bring very basic items with them. Moving people to camps is called internment. Fred Korematsu was an American citizen. He was born in America and had Japanese parents. He wanted to be in the United States military, but he was not healthy enough. Korematsu did not want to go to the internment camps. He moved away and changed the way he looked to avoid the order. But he was arrested later and sent to a camp. Korematsu took his case to the courts. He said that Congress, the President, and the military authorities did not have the power to send people to internment camps. He also said that the government was discriminating against him because of his race. The government argued that the evacuation of all Japanese Americans was necessary because there was evidence that some were working for the Japanese government. The government said that because there was no way to tell the loyal from the disloyal, all Japanese Americans had to be treated as though they were disloyal. The federal appeals court agreed with the government. Korematsu appealed this decision and the case came before the U.S. Supreme Court. Why was Korematsu (and other people of Japanese descent) forced to go to an internment camp? Look at a copy of the Constitution. Which part (Article and Section) describes the war power of the President? Which Article and Section describes the war powers of the Congress? The United States was also at war with Germany and Italy. People of German and Italian descent were also interned in the United States, but there were fewer people interned from these groups than who had Japanese ancestors. Why do you think people whose ancestors were from Japan were treated differently? In times of war, governments have to balance national security with citizens’ rights. In your opinion, did internment of Japanese descendants strike a good balance?

cc/2020-05/en_head_0049.json.gz/line1539937

__label__cc

Careers for Clean Water Professionals Who Bring Potable Water to Communities in Need Clean Water Fast Facts Why Safe Water is an Issue Increasing Access to Clean Water Take Action: College Degrees That Make a Difference In-Depth: Public Health Concentrations & Careers Alternate Clean Water Degree & Career Paths Clean Water Scholarships After Graduation: Potential Employers Resources for Clean Water Activism Clean water is essential to human health and development, yet hundreds of millions of people worldwide do not have access to a reliable clean water source. Learn how a career in public health – and even key non-health fields – can help you bring clean water to everyone. Whether drinking, cooking, bathing, or maintaining food supplies and crops, water is a fundamental human need. It’s also something most people take for granted. The United Nations considers access to clean water a basic human right, yet millions continue to suffer without it. On the bright side, the UN estimates that 1.7 billion people worldwide have gained access to safe drinking water since 1990, and there’s enough fresh water on the planet to increase global access to a full 100 percent. The challenge, however, is connecting communities to these sources. This guide examines the clean water crisis, ways to increase access to safe water, and how you can take action through higher education and career choice. million people do not have access to clean water. Six to eight million people die due every year due to the consequences of disasters and water-related diseases. [Source: unwater.org] 2015, 1.8 billion people will be living in countries or regions with absolute water scarcity, and two-thirds of the world population could be under stress conditions. [Source: (unwater.org)] every $1 spent on water and sanitation, there is a $4 economic return. [Source: World Health Organization] distance that women in Africa and Asia walk to collect water is 3.7 miles. [Source: Blue Planet Network] Diarrhea, which is often associated with unsafe drinking water, is the fourth leading cause of child death. [Source: water.org] counties in the United States will face higher risks of water shortages by mid-century as a result of global warming. More than 400 of these counties will face extremely high risks of water shortages. [Source: National Resources Defense Council] rise in global average temperature of 2°C could cost US$70 to $100 billion per year between 2020 and 2050. Part of this cost will be related to water. [Source: unwater.org] According to the United Nations, 884 million people have no access to safe drinking water. And the cost in human suffering is staggering. On average, 5,000 children die every day as a result of preventable water- and sanitation-related diseases. That's more than one child every twenty seconds. It is further estimated that half of the world's hospital beds are occupied by patients suffering from water-related diseases. The impact of clean water scarcity on the world's economy is also tremendous. For example, according to water.org, women and children around the globe spend 140 million hours each day simply collecting water, often from distant, polluted sources. The bottom line? The most effective way to improve human life on earth is to make clean water accessible to everyone. The lowest levels of drinking water coverage are in sub-Saharian Africa There are 46 countries where less than half the population has access to an improved sanitation facility There are many ways, both big and small, that people can help make access to clean water happen. Many involve tried and true means of extracting or diverting existing water sources as well as developing new and innovative water resource management systems. Others are concerned with methods of conservation that make more water available to those who need it. The following is a list of some of the action-oriented strategies that people can employ to help: Increasing access points to clean water One of the best methods of supplying safe water is through the installation of community wells. Community wells provide access to clean water that reduces the need for women and children to expend the tremendous time and effort in collecting and transporting water from distant sources to where it is needed. Increase awareness Education is a necessary element in bringing about real change in regard to clean water issues. Education motivates new behaviors and inspires innovation. And education can be done on both the nationwide and individual levels. Fix leaks Leaky pipes and faucets accounts for a tremendous amount of water loss in both developed and developing nations. Some estimates put loss of water due to leaks at as much as ten gallons per person, per day. Fixing leaks is a simple, direct way for individuals to help relieve the growing global water crisis. Promoting good hygiene By teaching and promoting good hygiene practices in communities and schools, people learn to protect themselves from developing many of the illnesses and diseases that come from unsanitary conditions and spread through water. Providing sanitary facilities Providing sanitary facilities for eliminating human waste helps to eliminate unsafe practices such as open defecation, which results in contaminated water supplies. Rainwater harvesting is a simple and effective way to collect water. Concerns exist regarding the contamination of rainwater by air pollution and acid rain, particularly in urban areas. Nevertheless, untreated rainwater can still be put to nonpotable uses while treated rainwater may be used for drinking purposes. Clean water strategies are not for developing countries only. Many are just as important to developed nations. Recycling is a good example. An estimated five percent of water usage in the United States goes to powering industries creating consumables. Recycling, therefore, plays a significant role in reducing the demand for new products and, in turn, the use of water in the manufacturing process. Investment by individuals, corporations and nations alike in developing new methods of sanitation, water resourcing and energy efficiency is essential. For example, desalination of salt-water has, to date, been an energy-intensive process for providing clean water. Financial resources are now being employed to develop solar-powered desalination plants. A breakthrough there could be game-changing. Restoring clean water after emergencies The risk of the spread of unsafe water-related illnesses and diseases increases tremendously during and immediately following emergency events. Relief organizations such as UNICEF alleviate emergency-caused water issues by providing hygiene kits in stricken communities. The road to a successful career in practically any field starts with a quality and relevant education. That holds true for anyone interested in working on clean water issues, with most paths leading through a college's or university's department of public health. However, that path may also run through environmental science or engineering departments. Degrees in public health can prepare graduates for jobs, public and private alike, in the clean water industry. There are also numerous non-degree and certificate programs that relate to the public health profession and specifically to clean water jobs. Exactly what degree level a student must obtain depends on his or her unique interests and career goals. Here is a brief look at the various types of public health college degrees, as well as several specializations and concentrations, and the types of potential careers in the clean water field related to each: Associate of Science or Applied Science in Water Technology The variety of clean water-related associate degrees is limited, primarily to water technology-focused programs, but they can be found on a surprisingly large number of vocational school and community college campuses. There are also a small number of online options for this degree, although the vast majority require relatively substantial in-lab and in-field components. Internships with local water companies or public works are may also be required. Clean water associate degrees are most often titled with the term "Water Technology" but titles such as "Wastewater Management" and "Water Quality Management" are also used. Curricula in A.S. or A.A.S. in water technology programs center around two general topics: wastewater sanitation and clean water distribution. Course subjects include microbiology, wastewater collections systems, water regulations, and others. Most degrees in this category prepare graduates to meet state and local licensing requirements. Associate of Applied Science in Water Conservation Technology Another clean water choice on the two-year degree level is the A.A.S. in Water Conservation Technology. This degree may also come with an alternative title such as "Water Quality Technology". Additionally, specific degrees may include some amount of subject crossover from program to program, so students should always closely examine a specific program's focus and curriculum to be sure that they will be learning the area of the clean water field they are actually interested in. Degrees in this category focus on subjects that include environmental protection and sustainability, water purification, evaluation of water usage patterns and efficiency techniques, water reclamation, alternative water sources and more. Graduates with this degree go on to jobs in the public, private and governmental sectors where they will design, market and evaluate water conservation programs, evaluate water usage patterns and recommend efficiency measures and alternative water sources, among other tasks. Bachelor of Public Health The Bachelor of Public Health (BPH) is a relatively new degree designation for most colleges and universities. It is typically offered through a school's department of public health. At schools without a separate public health department, the corresponding degree designation is typically the Bachelor of Science in Public Health (BSPH) and is commonly offered through the school's department of health sciences or environmental sciences. Degree titles often crossover, also, and clean-water specializations or concentrations may additionally be offered as part of a BA in Public Health degree program. Related online degree programs can be found but normally require some level of on-campus participation. A sample of clean water-related courses offered in BPH and BSPH curricula include Health and Environmental Risk Assessment, Emerging Issues in Environmental and Occupational Health, and Addressing Complex Global Health Challenges. Bachelor of Science in Environmental Health A common option for students interested in water conservation and clean water issues is the BS in Environmental Health or Environmental Science. These degrees may or may not be offered through a school's department of public health, or environmental health and public health degrees may be located in the same department. Whatever the case, clean water-related specialties and concentrations are often offered as options to degree programs with both the "Public Health" and "Environmental Health" titles. And to take it one step further, some degrees come with the "Environmental Public Health" designation. Environmental health bachelor's degrees specializing in water issues typically require a four-year study commitment and almost always include in-lab and in-field components, as well as internships. Water-related course titles include: Water Pollution Control and Treatment; Ecological Engineering for Water Quality Improvement; Drinking Water and Health; and Biophysical Ecology. As is the case with most other academic subjects, specialization becomes more common on the graduate degree level. The Master of Public Health (MPH) is a good example. The MPH serves as an "umbrella" degree designation that encompasses a range of specializations, many of which involve clean water in some form or aspect. (See the list of specialties and concentrations below.) As you might expect by now, there can be a great deal of subject-specific overlap between degree titles. In this area in particular, there is often confusion between the MPH degree and the Master of Science in Public Health (MSPH) degree. The differences between the two vary by school, but generally speaking the MPH is distinguished from the MSPH in that it is a more scientific and researched-based degree, while the MPH is more focused on applied science and social concerns. Students should expect to spend two to two-and-a-half years pursuing their MPH degree, depending on the specific program and student's own personal life commitments. Online degree programs are available with most, but not all, requiring some period of in-person residency. As mentioned briefly above, the MSPH acts as an alternative to the MPH for those students interested in the more scientific and data-driven aspects of the field generally and clean water issues specifically. While the academic focus of the degree may differ from the MPH, the specializations and concentrations often crossover. The MSPH is also similar to the MPH in that both degrees, more often than not, are offered through a college or university's public health school or department. The two degrees differ in many ways also. One difference is that online MSPH programs are significantly fewer in number compared to online MPH programs. Doctor of Public Health The Doctor of Public Health (DrPH) degree, the terminal degree in the field, is designed primarily for mid-career public health professionals who are interested in expanding their knowledge and practice in public health and moving up into leadership positions. DrPH candidates develop skills necessary to lead in practice-based research, effect change in current public health policy and institutions, and take on leading roles in the local, national and international public health community. For the most part, the DrPH degree is not for those interested in careers in academia or research. DrPH programs commonly offer a variety of concentrations for candidates, including those that encompass clean water issues. There is a developing trend, however, toward school wide, interdisciplinary DrPH programs that allow candidates pursue their unique interests within the public health field. Graduate school departments that often sponsor DrPH programs with clean water components include Environmental Health, Epidemiology and International Health. In-Depth: Public Health Concentrations and Careers With only a few degree choices explicitly titled for those interested in clean water as a study subject or career, finding the right public health specialization or concentration is particularly important. Below are some of the most common specializations related to clean water and the public health careers they can lead to: Global Environmental Health Global environmental health, as a degree specialization and as a real concern, deals with much more than clean water. It encompasses almost all aspects of human/environment interaction. Unimproved water and sanitation, along with air and soil pollution, however, are among the primary contributors to global human disease, a growing and long-term problem. Water-related areas of study include water-borne diseases, and the design, implementation and evaluation of global water, sanitation and hygiene programs. Environmental Health Specialist These specialists work in a variety of settings and organizations to study or educate populations on environmental impacts to health and wellness. They sometimes identify and eliminate pollutants or hazards that affect populations. Hydrologists research the distribution, circulation and properties of both underground and surface waters. They study the effects of different types of water on public health. In countries facing water shortages, hydrologists are able to develop alternative water plans to ensure communities have access to clean and ample water supplies. Environmental Health Science Closely linked to global environmental health is the environmental health science specialization. Here, the word "environment" concerns how the environment influences human health and disease, as well as how human activity affects natural resources. Environmental health science involves a variety of scientific clean water-related subjects such as water pollution, microbiology, epidemiology, hydrology and more. Professionals in this area are involved in research, environmental cleanup, education and outreach, among others. Conservation scientists manage and protect natural resources like water to ensure sufficient amounts are available for use without damage to the environment. They may develop plans to reduce soil erosion and protect surrounding areas while developing more water lines. Water Quality Specialist Water quality specialists study how water quality effects human health by looking at both ecosystems such as rivers, lakes, estuaries and wetlands, and human-made systems like wastewater plants, drinking water supplies and hydroelectric power plants. Water quality specialists are employed by national, state and municipal governmental agencies, as well is private engineering and hydrology consulting firms. Work often focuses on ecosystem development, pollution prevention and sustainable development. Environmental Quality and Health Another specialization focused on how the environment impacts humans and how humans impact the environment. This specialization focuses on the environment in its natural state and the three principal topics of air quality, water quality, and sustainability. Specific water-related subjects include water quality and treatment, environmental chemistry, risk assessment, environmental regulations and consumer protection. Occupational & Environmental Health The occupational and environmental health specialization is distinguished from others in the public health field in that it focuses on the protection of the health of workers and the assessment and abatement of hazards to air, water and waste materials, primarily in the workplace. These graduates are qualified to take on clean water-related positions involving water pollution and hazardous waste management, as well as economic, regulatory and sociopolitical issues. Hazardous Waste Inspector Waste inspectors investigate hazardous and prohibited waste, ensuring that such waste is disposed of properly and is not dispersed into environments where it can cause harm to humans or animals. Waste inspectors can stop a hazardous organism from spreading, particularly in countries with outdated sanitation procedures. Occupational Health and Safety Consultant Occupational health and safety consultants analyze different types of work environments and procedures, and inspect workplaces to ensure adherence to regulations concerning health, safety and the environment. They also design and implement systems to help prevent occupational injury and disease. Global Environmental Sustainability & Health The term "global environmental sustainability" in regard to degree specialization often refers to sustainability in urban areas, particularly in developing countries, and how knowledge and innovation can reduce the human ecological footprint in those areas. Sustainability of water resources, along with energy, is the primary focus of this specialization, specifically water supply management, treatment and delivery, as well as water reuse and recovery. Sustainability Analyst/Consultant Sustainability analysts or consultants work for private companies and public entities in executing global sustainability strategies to balance societal and environmental concerns with the organization's financial responsibilities. A sustainability analyst's duties may include developing, auditing and complying with an organization's environmental management system and collecting data related to sustainability measures. International Public Health The international public health specialization combines social and life science studies with medical and biological science courses to allow students to think critically and analytically in addressing major healthcare issues around the world. Among the goals of this specialization is to foster a solid global perspective on issues of water and public health. The community health (or community health sciences) specialization focuses on disease prevention and health promotion by utilizing community-based methods. Students gain the knowledge and skills to implement community health programs and employ behavioral change to facilitate healthier lifestyles, prevention strategies, and to incorporate cultural competencies in diverse community settings, including how community members interact with their water resources. Health inspectors work primarily for state and local governmental agencies to ensure that businesses and other community organizations are complying with health and safety regulations in a number of areas including those regarding water for drinking, cooking, cleaning and recreation. Epidemiology/Global Health Epidemiology Epidemiology, according the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), is the "study of the distribution and detriments of health problems in specified populations and the application of this study to control health problems." Not surprisingly then, epidemiology plays a significant role in issues relating to clean water and sanitation. The epidemiology and global health epidemiology specializations prepare students to work as epidemiologists both domestically and abroad on health issues like water-borne diseases. Field Epidemiologist Field epidemiologists are employed primarily by government agencies and health departments. They are dispatched to trouble spots throughout the nation and around the world to investigate disease outbreaks. Field epidemiologists specializing in water-related diseases work in a variety of areas such as environmental health, oral health, and infectious and chronic diseases. Water, Health and Sustainability Typically offered as a PH graduate certificate rather than a concentration area, this program is intended for public health professionals and others with an interest in addressing critical shortages and health problems associated with inadequate and unsanitary water throughout the world. Alternate Clean Water Degree & Career Paths Public health may be the most obvious career path in helping improve access to clean water, but it’s not the only one. Here are some alternative career fields where professionals can make a meaningful difference. Journalists are responsible for finding newsworthy information and stories and presenting them to the world. They can use their positions as global communicators to help developing countries and underserved communities get things they need, like clean water, by bringing the problem out of the shadows and into the public eye. Learn more about careers in journalism. Advertising Copywriter Advertising is no longer limited to placing products in front of consumers. Activism advertising brings issues and ideas, rather than goods, to the public’s attention. Advertising copywriters can craft powerful messages in a few words to convince the public to support a variety of worthy causes, including clean water. Learn more about careers in advertising. Lawyers use their legal knowledge to help people in a variety of ways. They can help communities get clean water by working with them to enact policies that make clean water accessible. Lawyers can also engage in proactive lawsuits against those who violate a community’s right or ability to access clean water. Learn more about law schools and careers. Social workers often work with individuals and communities to help them improve their social, physical and mental health. Social workers can help communities gain access to clean water by bringing people together, helping them understand the steps needed to enact change and serving as liaisons between communities and organizations that can provide clean water access. Learn more about social work degree programs and careers. By designing and developing water infrastructure that meets the needs of underserved communities or people in developing countries, civil engineers can directly increase access to clean drinking water – whether through building reservoirs and wells from locally-available materials or ensuring a neighborhood’s pipes are lead-free. Learn more about civil engineering careers. General contractors oversee construction projects. They put together teams that carry out all aspects of the construction process, from land surveying to actual building. Like civil engineers, they can use their planning skills to create affordable clean water infrastructure that meets a community’s needs and can be easily maintained. Learn more about careers in contracting. Scholarships Focused on Clean Water ACWA Scholarships The Association of California Water Agencies (ACWA) awards two $3,500 scholarships each spring to qualified students enrolled in a water resources-related field degree program. Eligible candidates must be California residents attending a four-year, publically-funded college or university in California as a junior or senior at the time of the award. Clair A. Hill Scholarship The Clair A. Hill Scholarship awards one $5,000 scholarship annually to a student in a water resources-related field of study. To be eligible, a student must be a California resident attending a California college or university full-time as a junior or senior beginning the fall semester after they are awarded the scholarship. Sponsored by the ACWA. Crowder Construction Company Scholarship Fund Scholarship Sponsored by the North Carolina American Water Works Association and the North Carolina Water Environment Association (NC AWWA-WEA), this $1,000 annual scholarship is awarded to a full-time student with a desire to pursue a career in construction with a degree in a related field such as construction management, construction science, construction safety, engineering or architecture. A candidate must be both a U.S. citizen and North Carolina resident. Louisiana Water Environment Association Scholarship The Louisiana Water Environment Association (LWEA) Scholarship program awards three $1,500 scholarships annually to individuals in pursuit of a degree that leads to a career in the environmental field. To qualify, a student must be a full-time student and resident of Louisiana majoring in an environmental-related curriculum in engineering, physical or natural science or public health, and be at least a Junior and no higher than a Master's-level candidate during the year of the award. NC Safewater Fund Scholarship Also sponsored by the NC AWWA-WEA, this program awards one $2,000 scholarship annually to a student pursuing a degree in a curriculum that emphasizes the protection of public health by providing healthful drinking water and/or protecting the quality and integrity of the water environment. Students must be enrolled in a higher education institution located in North Carolina and maintaining a 3.0 GPA. Preference is given to members of a NC AWWA-WEA student chapter. Richard A. Herbert Memorial Scholarship At least one $2,000 scholarship is awarded annually through this program to a full-time student working toward his or her first undergraduate degree and who is enrolled in a program related to water resources. Additionally, at least one $2,000 scholarship is awarded annually to a full-time graduate student enrolled in a water resources-related program. Sponsored by the American Waters Resources Association (AWRA). Rotary Foundation Global Scholarship Grants for Development The Rotary Foundation sponsors these grants to be used to fund scholarships in varying amounts with sustainable, high-impact outcomes in one of Rotary's six areas of focus including disease prevention and treatment, and water and sanitation. The scholarships fund graduate-level coursework or research for one to four academic years. After Graduation: Potential Employers Earning a degree in public health or other clean water-related major is a big step toward a successful career, but there's still that task of finding the right job. Below is a list of some of the biggest employers of new PH graduates seeking employment in the clean water field: American Water American Water is a public utility company operating in the United States and Canada. Headquartered in Voorhees, New Jersey, American Water owns subsidiaries that manage municipal drinking water and wastewater systems, among other ventures. That's right, Coca-Cola. The world's largest beverage company is deeply involved in global water stewardship. Coca-Cola and its bottlers have spent approximately $2 billion on water conservation since 2003. Dow Water and Process Solutions A division of Dow Chemical, Dow Water and Process Solutions is one of the largest developers and manufacturers of water purification and separation technologies in the world. GE Water & Process Technologies A division of General Electric Power & Water, GE Water & Process Technologies manufactures and sells chemical and equipment solutions and services to industries and municipalities for management of water resources and processes. Headquartered in the United States, ITT Corporation is a leading manufacturer of specialty components for the energy, transportation and industrial markets. It is also a major supplier of wastewater management systems worldwide. The CDC is a federal agency under the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services whose main goal is the protection of public health and safety by the control and prevention of disease, injury and disability. Another agency of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The NIH is the "nation's medical agency" and the largest source of funding for medical research in the world. An agency of the federal government, the EPA's stated mission is to "protect human health and the environment." It does so by writing and enforcing regulations passed by Congress. The EPA is headquartered in Washington D.C. and maintains 10 regional offices and 27 laboratories. U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Yet another agency of the Department of Health and Human Services. The FDA is responsible for protecting public health by assuring the safety, efficacy and security of drugs, biological products, the nation's food supply and other products and devices. Part of the Department of Agriculture, the U.S. Forest Service manages and protects 154 national forests and 20 grasslands in 44 states and Puerto Rico, and works with others to protect and manage non-public forest and associated range and watershed lands. Headquartered in New York City, charity: water's mission is to "bring clean safe drinking water to people in developing nations." An agency of the United Nations and headquartered in New York City, UNICEF's mission is to promote the rights and wellbeing of children throughout the world. One of the United Nation's and UNICEF's Millennium Development Goals is to reduce by half the proportion of people in the world without sustainable access to safe drinking water. Water.org is a non-profit located in Kansas City, Missouri providing aid to developing countries without access to safe drinking water and sanitation. The World Health Organization is another specialized agency of the United Nations that focuses on international public health. The WHO currently employs more than 7000 people working in 150 countries around the world. World Wildlife Federation (WWF) The WWF's mission is to stop the degradation of the planet's natural environment by focusing on biodiversity and our ecological footprint. Through watershed stewardships, the WWF works with governments and businesses to better manage water resources. American Water Works Association Association of Schools & Programs of Public Health (ASPPH) CDC - Public Health Information Network (PHIN) EPA - Source Water Protection PublicHealthJobs.net Clean Water Network Drop In The bucket - Changing Lives with Clean Water Wells National Geographic Freshwater Initiative Project WET Foundation: Water Education for Teachers Water to Thrive Trustworthy Sources for Donations

cc/2020-05/en_head_0049.json.gz/line1539940

__label__wiki

Watchdog calls on Lancashire people to register to vote, as figures reveal one-in-seven in the region have not signed up ahead of General Election Phil Cunnington Published: 11:41 Thursday 21 November 2019 As many as one in seven people in the region are not registered to vote, according to the latest figures. The figures, from the Electoral Commission, show that 15 per cent of voters in north west England are not registered to vote ahead of the General Election on December 12. The Commission is calling on the public to register to vote by Tuesday, November 16 ahead of December’s poll. Young people and those who have recently moved house are most likely to be incorrectly registered, according to the data. A person can register to vote in December’s general election if they are: • aged 18 or over on polling day; • a British citizen resident in the UK; • an Irish or qualifying Commonwealth citizen resident in the UK. Anyone wanting to vote must be registered by Tuesday, November 26. Registration is quick and easy and can be done online at www.gov.uk/registertovote. Anyone who won’t be able to get to their polling station on December 12 can arrange either a postal or proxy vote. Peter Forrester, Electoral Commission Regional Manager for North West England, said: “The whole country is gearing up for this election and it is vital that those in the North West England are able to have their say, and they must be registered by Tuesday. “It only takes five minutes to register to vote online – time that you might otherwise spend waiting for the kettle to boil or for a bus to arrive. So if you want to make sure your voice is heard and you’re not already registered, go online and register now.” The Electoral Commission is the independent body which oversees elections and regulates political finance in the UK. It works to promote public confidence in the democratic process and ensure its integrity by: • enabling the delivery of free and fair elections and referendums, focusing on the needs of electors and addressing the changing environment to ensure every vote remains secure and accessible; • regulating political finance – taking proactive steps to increase transparency, ensure compliance and pursue breaches; • using its expertise to make and advocate for changes to the UK's democracy, aiming to improve fairness, transparency and efficiency. The Commission was set up in 2000 and reports to the UK and Scottish parliaments. The Electoral Commission has offered advice to people wanting to register to vote This is how much less Lancashire spends on its roads than London

cc/2020-05/en_head_0049.json.gz/line1539942

__label__wiki

Wis.-Platteville Cheer and Stunt Faculty Athletic Representatives NGWSD Staff Tools Border-to-Border Run Pioneer Locker Alumni Day McNiff named head women’s basketball coach PLATTEVILLE, Wis. – The University of Wisconsin-Platteville Interim Director of Athletics, Mike Emendorfer, announced Wednesday (August 7, 2019) the appointment of Kelly McNiff as the Pioneers' head women's basketball coach. McNiff has most recently served as lead assistant women's basketball coach at her alma mater, UW Oshkosh, for the last six seasons. During that time, the Titans racked up six 20-plus game winning seasons, five NCAA Division III Tournament appearances, six WIAC Tournament Championship appearances, and was a member of the Wisconsin Basketball Coaches Association 2019 Staff of the Year under the leadership of head coach Brad Fischer. "I would first like to sincerely thank Interim Athletic Director Mike Emendorfer, the search and screen committee, and everyone else involved in selecting me as the next UW-Platteville head women's basketball coach," said McNiff. "I also owe thanks to Coach Brad Fischer, all my former players, and the entire UW Oshkosh community. My experience as an assistant coach under Coach Fischer has made me a stronger, better prepared, and more confident coach. Without all of them, this opportunity would not be possible." While at UW Oshkosh, the Titans advanced to the NCAA Division III Sweet Sixteen in 2014, 2017, and 2019 while also making tournament appearances in 2015 and 2016, after garnering the WIAC Championship Tournament Title in 2017 and 2019. When asked about leading a team she has competed against for the last six seasons McNiff said, "I am honored and excited to lead a program I believe is on the rise. Having scouted this team for the past six years as my opponent, I have a familiarity with the players that will allow me to hit the ground running. Last year I saw a team that made great improvements from the year before, and with a majority of the that group returning, I cannot wait to get started." "We are excited to have Kelly join our team and lead the Pioneers' women's basketball program," Emendorfer said. "She knows the WIAC and comes from a program that is synonymous with success and developing talent." The Titans, who have been consistently a Top 35 team on D3Hoops.com polls, led NCAA Division III in turnovers per game in 2018 (11), second in 2017 (11.8), and third in 2016 (12.1). McNiff was also involved in the recruitment and development of four All-Americans, ten All-WIAC First Team selections, eight All-Central region award recipients, and six all-defensive team placements. "Platteville is a tight-knit community. Becoming a head coach, in the nation's most competitive conference, and here at UW-Platteville is a dream achieved," McNiff said. "We will continue to build a women's basketball program that the University, the athletic department, the Alumni, and the community can be extremely proud to call their own." "We look forward to her bringing new ideas and developing off the success of this last season," Emendorfer said. Prior to coaching at UW Oshkosh McNiff led the girls basketball team at De Pere High School from 2010-13. She guided the Redbirds to a 96-11 record, three Fox River Classic Conference (FRCC) titles and a Division 1 state championship in 2012. De Pere was the state runner-up in 2010. In 2013, De Pere won its first 24 games before getting beat by Kimberly in a sectional semifinal. The loss ended a 44-game winning streak for the Redbirds. In addition to time spent at De Pere, McNiff spent two years (2008-09) guiding Green Bay Southwest High School. She was an assistant coach at Oshkosh North High School in 2002 and the head junior varsity coach at De Pere from 2003-07. McNiff also served two seasons as an assistant softball coach at Oshkosh North (2001-03) and UW-Green Bay (2005-06). The Pacelli High School (Stevens Point, Wis.) graduate was named the Associated Press State Coach of the Year in 2012 and the FRCC Coach of the Year in 2010 and 2012. While on the court at UW Oshkosh, McNiff helped the Titans compile a 98-15 overall record, including marks of 27-2 in 1999 and 26-2 in 1998. UW Oshkosh qualified for the NCAA Division III Championship all four years and captured WIAC titles in 1998 and 1999. McNiff started 52 of the 99 games that she played for UW Oshkosh. Her best statistical season came in 2000, when she averaged 6.1 points, 3.3 rebounds and a team-high 3.1 assists. McNiff also competed on UW Oshkosh's 1997 softball team that reached the NCAA Division III Tournament. After graduating from UW Oshkosh in 2000, McNiff served one season as a student assistant coach for the Titans. UW Oshkosh won the WIAC title and finished the 2001 season with a 19-6 record. McNiff earned bachelor's degrees in exercise and fitness management (2000) and physical education (2004) from UW Oshkosh. She went on to earn a master's degree in educational technology from Marian University during 2009. Students report for the fall semester on September 3, and McNiff will officially begin her role as head coach on August 19. University of Wisconsin-Platteville Athletics Williams Fieldhouse 1 University Plaza - Platteville, WI 53818 Questions/Comments: athletics@uwplatt.edu Wed, 02/20 | Women's Basketball at Wis.-Stout L, 81-69 (Final) RC | BX | V Sat, 02/16 | Women's Basketball at Wis.-Stevens Point W, 68-54 (Final) RC | BX | V Wed, 02/13 | Women's Basketball vs. Wis.-Whitewater L, 63-52 (Final) RC | BX | PH | V Sat, 02/09 | Women's Basketball vs. Wis.-River Falls L, 73-71 (Final - OT) RC | BX | PH | V Wed, 02/06 | Women's Basketball at Wis.-Oshkosh L, 65-43 (Final) RC | BX | A | V

cc/2020-05/en_head_0049.json.gz/line1539943

__label__wiki

5 Inducted into Hall of Fame Class for 2017 September 29, 2017 Lynchburg, Va. RSS Video Views: 24059 Athletics Hall of Fame Page Five new members were inducted into the Liberty Athletics Hall of Fame during a ceremony, Friday night. The Hall of Fame's Class of 2017 included representatives from football, men's basketball, men's cross country/track & field and softball, as well as Liberty's strength and conditioning program. The five-member class, the ninth to be inducted into the Liberty Athletics Hall of Fame, was also honored during special ceremonies surrounding Liberty's football match-up with St. Francis, Pa., on Saturday at Williams Stadium. The five-member class included Sam Chelanga (men's cross country/track & field), Julius Nwosu (men's basketball), Katie [Phillips] Bigham (softball), Richard Shelton (football) and Dave Williams (strength & conditioning). The Liberty Athletics Hall of Fame induction ceremony was held on Friday night on the Club Pavilion level of the Williams Stadium Tower. The Liberty Athletics Hall of Fame celebrates the best of the best, honoring those who helped shape the face of Liberty Athletics. The Hall of Fame's now 47 members have each played a key role in helping Liberty grow from an NCCAA program in 1972 to its current status as a thriving NCAA Division I program today. Sam Chelanga Men's Cross Country/Track & Field: 2008-11 Sam Chelanga is Liberty's most successful student-athlete at the NCAA Division I level, having won four individual national championships during his time with the Flames' cross country and track & field programs. Chelanga burst onto the scene in 2009, winning the first of two consecutive national titles in men's cross country (2009 and 2010). The long distance runner would also go on to claim national championships at the NCAA Outdoor Track Championships in the 10K in 2010 and the 5K in 2011. He is the first student-athlete in school history to win multiple national championships. Chelanga set a new NCAA record in 2009, clocking a time of 27:28.48 in the men's 10K on April 24, 2009, and broke his own record with a time of 27:08.39 on May 1, 2010, which still stands today. He was a two-time finalists for the Bowerman award (2010 and 2011) and a three-time Big South Howard Bagwell Male Student-Athlete of the Year award winner (2009, 2010 and 2011). The 14-time All-American and native of Nairobi, Kenya, started competing professionally in 2011 and is sponsored by Nike. He gained United States citizenship in 2015 and led Team USA with an 11th-place finish at the 2017 IAAF World Cross Country Championships. Julius Nwosu Men's Basketball: 1991-93 Julius Nwosu did not start playing organized basketball until the year before he joined Liberty's roster. However, those around the Big South Conference would never have known, as he finished his career as one of the premier centers during the early years of the conference. Nwosu sat out his first year at Liberty to gain academic eligibility, but still managed to become the 14th 1,000-point scorer in school history in three seasons (1,248 career points). The two-time All-Big South honoree ranked among the league leaders in scoring and rebounding as a junior and senior and was second in the conference as a senior in field goal percentage (61.5 percent). He also finished his career with 112 blocked shots. With the help of Nwosu's development, Liberty finished its first season in the Big South with a 22-7 overall record in 1991-92. The mark was a 16 1/2 game win-loss improvement from the previous season, which still ranks as the fourth best in NCAA history. Nwosu became the first player in program history to earn a spot on a NBA roster, playing for the San Antonio Spurs (1995), Boston Celtics (1997) and the Utah Jazz (2000). The native of Owerri, Nigeria, also played professionally in Spain, Russia, Greece, Turkey, Japan and France for eight seasons, helping his teams win three conference titles. Katie (Phillips) Bigham Softball: 1996-99 Katie (Phillips) Bigham was one of the driving forces that helped Liberty's reinstated softball program quickly rise to be a power in the Big South Conference. Nearly two decades after her playing career finished, she still holds the program's career record for ERA (1.59), wins (62) and shutouts (23). Two years prior to her freshman season, Liberty won eight games during its first season back as a varsity program (146-90). However, Bigham guided the Lady Flames to 146 wins (146-90) over her four-year career, including the team's first-ever 40 win season in 1999 (41-25). A local product from Concord, Va., Bigham was twice named to the All-Big South second team (1996 and 1997) and twice selected to the VaSID All-State first team (1997 and 1998). She became the program's first-ever 20-game winner, posting a 20-12 record as a sophomore, while finishing her second year at Liberty with a 1.66 ERA, 26 complete games, seven shutouts and 137 strikeouts. During her junior season, Bigham was named to the Big South Softball Championship All-Tournament team and shared co-MVP honors for the event. Bigham's efforts in the circle helped the Lady Flames make their first-ever Big South Softball Championship title game appearance in 1998. Richard Shelton Football: 1984-88 Richard Shelton, a two-year starting cornerback and special teams standout, made a lasting impact on the Flames football program and he is still influencing the sport nearly 30 years following his final days in a Liberty uniform. The Marietta, Ga., native was the recipient of Liberty's "Most Improved Freshman Award" in 1984, and completed the final two years of his career with a combined 100 tackles. He finished his career with 126 tackles (56 solo, 70 assisted), to go along with 11 interceptions and 26 pass breakups. Shelton's clocked 4.45 40-yard dash speed made him a dynamic part of the Flames' special teams units. He still holds program records for career punt return yardage (563), punt returns for a touchdown (3) and punt return average (12.5 yards per return). Shelton became the third player in program history to be selected in the NFL Draft when he was taken by the Denver Broncos in the 10th round in 1989. He had a five-year playing career with the Broncos (1989) and Pittsburgh Steelers (1990-93), while also playing one season in the World League of American Football for the Montreal Machine in 1991. Following his days on the gridiron, Shelton has worked as an NFL scout for the last 15 years and was named the 2015 AFC Scout of the Year during one of his 10 years with the Tennessee Titans. Strength and Conditioning Coach: 1984-2017 Dave Williams is considered one of the top strength and conditioning coaches in the country. He helped to develop Liberty's student-athletes for more than 30 years before his retirement in the spring of 2017. Williams is a certified strength and conditioning coach (C.S.C.S.), who served as Liberty's head strength and conditioning coach for 21 years (1984-2005). Following the 1992-93 athletic year, Williams was named a finalist for the national Strength Coach of the Year, an honor given to strength and conditioning coaches in the professional and collegiate ranks. Williams was honored by the Collegiate Strength and Conditioning Coaches Association when he was named a Master Strength and Conditioning Coach. Williams, along with head strength and conditioning coach Bill Gillespie, were the first pair of honored coaches at the same institution at the NCAA Division I FCS level with this distinction. Williams earned Associated Press Little All-America honors while playing collegiately at Fairmont State College in Fairmont, W.Va. He played both offensive and defensive line and was a two-year co-captain at Fairmont State, who was NAIA National Champion in 1967. In 2003, the school honored Williams as he was inducted into the Fairmont State College Athletic Department Hall of Fame.

cc/2020-05/en_head_0049.json.gz/line1539945

__label__cc

Dr. Percy and Lileah Harris Building Linn County hosted a ribbon cutting on November 22 to celebrate the completion and opening of the new Dr. Percy and Lileah Harris Building. The Dr. Percy and Lileah Harris Building houses Linn County Public Health and Linn County Child & Youth Development Services. The approximately 63,000 square foot building is built on County-owned land at 1020 6th Street SE in Cedar Rapids near the NewBo and Oakhill Jackson neighborhoods. Download the Harris Building Fact Sheet (PDF). In a unanimous decision, the Linn County Board of Supervisors voted to honor Dr. Percy and Lileah Harris posthumously by naming the new Linn County Public Health and Child & Youth Development Services building after them in recognition of their lifetime of dedication and service to health and education in Linn County. Service Improvements & Neighborhood Outreach The Harris Building will provide much-needed space for Linn County Public Health, a critical County department serving all Linn County residents that has outgrown its previous space. It will also greatly improve the classrooms and learning environment for the children served by Linn County's Child Development Center. A playground and gymnasium are planned as integral to the programming. They will double as essential building elements and as community amenities that will be open to the public after business hours and on weekends. Linn County held community outreach meetings during the building's design to engage the public in discussion about how the new building can be a neighborhood asset and to help ensure the building's design and function fit the context of the historic neighborhood. As part of Linn County's commitment to energy efficiency and sustainable design, the Harris Building will meet Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design (LEED) certification standards, a certification program that encourages green and sustainable building practices. Linn County used a lease-purchase agreement to contract for the construction of the building to maximize the use of local workforce during construction and to help ensure on-time delivery of the completed project. The estimated total project cost is $31.2 million. The total cost includes the estimated construction cost of $28.1 million and the estimated consultant, furnishings and miscellaneous costs of $3.1 million. Dr. Percy and Lileah Harris Dr. Percy Harris and his wife Lileah were respected community leaders, advocates for the arts and education, and champions of civil rights. The couple moved to Cedar Rapids in 1957 after Dr. Harris accepted an internship at St. Luke's Hospital. Dr. Harris was the first African American physician in Cedar Rapids where he built his medical practice. Dr. Harris also served as Linn County Medical Examiner for nearly 40 years. Some of his other community roles included serving as president of the Cedar Rapids chapter of the NAACP, chairman of the Board of Directors of the Jane Boyd Community House, serving on the St. Luke's Hospital Board of Directors and an appointment to the Iowa Board of Regents. He was also the recipient of numerous awards. Lileah was a pianist, active church member, and an advocate for lifelong learning and education. Lileah earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Russian from the University of Iowa at the age of 62. Some of Lileah's community roles included serving on the board of the NAACP, membership on the Cedar Rapids Human Rights Commission and serving on the Board of Directors of the Cedar Rapids Symphony Guild. Married 63 years, the Harris' raised 12 children. Lileah Harris died in 2014. Dr. Percy Harris died in 2017.

cc/2020-05/en_head_0049.json.gz/line1539949

__label__wiki

MSFT-YHOO, it just continues* Like the soap opera it has become, the workings behind a deal between Microsoft and Yahoo! just don’t ever seem to end. This week we’ve seen a Yahoo! PowerPoint presentation that tries to place all the blame on the failed deal on Microsoft, Microsoft’s purchase agreement with Powerset, the apparent launch of a formal US Justice Department investigation into the Google-Yahoo! search deal, and now a new Wall Street Journal article reporting new talks between Microsoft and Yahoo!, only now possibly including either Time Warner, Inc (AOL), or News Corp. (MySpace). According to the Washington Post, the ad deal that Yahoo! struck with Google after Microsoft’s Steve Ballmer backed out (which Yahoo! desperately tried to talk them out of, it turns out – more below) is under formal scrutiny by the Justice Department: Investigators are planning to demand documents not only from Google and Yahoo, but also from other large companies in the Internet and media industries, said the sources, who spoke on condition of anonymity because the investigation is ongoing. Google and Yahoo officials have said since the deal’s announcement that they would delay its implementation for a voluntary Justice Department review. But a formal investigation signals that the department may have found some cause for concern. But lawyers familiar with similar investigations said that the kind of legal requests being issued by the Justice Department in this case — “civil investigative demands” — are not used for routine matters. “They don’t do it without having identified significant issues,” said M.J. Moltenbrey, a Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer lawyer who was director of civil non-merger enforcement in the Justice Department’s antitrust division in the 1990s. “It involves approval at higher levels within the antitrust division.” And then tonight, the Wall Street Journal reports that “Microsoft Corp., positioning itself for a new run for Yahoo Inc.’s search business, has approached other media companies in recent days about joining in a deal that would effectively lead to Yahoo’s breakup…”. Microsoft has held discussions with Time Warner Inc. and News Corp., among others, say people involved in the talks. In the past, Microsoft has floated an arrangement under which it would acquire Yahoo’s search business and another partner, such as News Corp.’s MySpace or Time Warner’s AOL, would combine forces with what remained of Yahoo. The Journal article goes on to provide a detailed timeline of Yahoo!s attempts to get Microsoft back to the table after Ballmer pulled out, up to and including the color of Ballmer’s shirt (I don’t want the WSJ to go all AP on me – it’s a very good read, but behind a paid firewall). With Yahoo! stock about to dip below $20 per share, and the Board of Directors elections coming up in a month, things aren’t looking good for Yahoo! right now, even with the Google deal. Will Microsoft be able to put together a deal with either AOL or MySpace in play? Will the Justice Department begin to chip away at the seemingly impregnable Google? Will Powerset, cashback, an HP deal, and a new Search Technology Center be enough to begin to turn the tide? As The World Turns, indeed. * “Swung on and lined down the left field line for a base hit…Here comes Joey… Here comes Junior to third base… THERE GONNA WAVE HIM IN!! THE THROW TO THE PLATE WILL BEEEEEEE LATE!! THE MARINERS ARE GOING TO PLAY FOR THE AMERICAN LEAGUE CHAMPIONSIP!! I DON’T BELIEVE IT! IT JUST CONTINUES! MY, OH MY!!”

cc/2020-05/en_head_0049.json.gz/line1539952

__label__cc

The Complete Cole Porter Songbooks This is not and cannot be the Complete Cole Porter Songbooks, but it's a marvelous collection of 48 timeless jazz interpretations drawn from the Verve catalog. Recorded between 1951 and 1988, these standards, ballads and show tunes are rendered by some 15 vocalists, many of whom appear twice, and about 13 instrumental groups. In addition to the usual suspects (Ella, Louis, Sarah, Dinah, and Lady Day) there are fine performances by Abbey Lincoln, Anita O'Day, Billy Eckstine, Mel Tormé, Blossom Dearie, Shirley Horn, Betty Carter, Helen Merrill, Morgana King and Fred Astaire. The instrumentalists -- and this is most fulfilling because Cole Porter's music is an essential strand in the DNA of swing, bop, and mainstream jazz -- include Ben Webster, Sonny Stitt, Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie, Clifford Brown, Stan Getz, Al Cohn, Art Tatum, Oscar Peterson, Bud Powell, Bill Evans, Tal Farlow, and Jim Hall. That makes this a portable jazz library of considerable potency, pungency and depth. Also quite valuable as a tool for learning and appreciating some of Porter's very best songs. First prize for both artistic magnitude and friendly intimacy goes to Louis Armstrong and Oscar Peterson for their fabulously relaxed, nearly nine-minute rendition of "Let's Do It, Let's Fall in Love." ~ arwulf arwulf

cc/2020-05/en_head_0049.json.gz/line1539953

__label__cc

The Gentle People Tri-continental ambient lounge group the Gentle People are a bizarre amalgam of influences and affinities, combining the esoteric club culture of the 1990s with the cocktails-and-tiki-trinkets kitsch of the 1950s, hitting just about every opportunity for nostalgic, cheesball second-hand embarrassment in between. Signed in the U.K. to Richard "Aphex Twin" James' Rephlex imprint since 1995, the group's relaxed brand of sugar-coated, vocal-based easy listening is a far cry from the typically abrasive lo-fi machine music of that label. With members originating in America, the U.K., and Australia (the band is based in Los Angeles), the four-piece (including cartoonish "members" Dougie Dimensional, Laurie LeMans, Valentine Carnelian, and Honeymink) have nonetheless attracted a committed international following, with releases appearing in both the U.K. and Japan and material showing up increasingly on American compilations of loungecore and exotica (a marketing trend which hit its peak in 1995-96). In addition to a number of national and international tours and festival engagements, the group have also remixed tracks for the likes of Pizzicato 5, as well as having their bubbly fare popped, smeared, and otherwise disheveled by the likes of Luke Vibert, Aphex Twin, DJ Wally, and many others. Following the 1997 album Soundtracks for Living, the Gentle People returned two years later with Simply Faboo. ~ Sean Cooper Terre Thaemlitz Porter Ricks Susanne Brokesch Mira Calix Chugga

cc/2020-05/en_head_0049.json.gz/line1539954

__label__wiki

Lack of Basic Academic Skills By Matthew J. Brouillette A September 2000 study by Dr. Jay P. Greene, a research associate at the Harvard Program on Education Policy and Governance, revealed that Michigan businesses and institutions of higher learning spend more than $600 million per year to make up for the lack of basic reading, writing, and arithmetic skills among high school graduates and employees. Assuming that other states had comparable experiences, the national cost due to the lack of basic skills is conservatively estimated to be $16.6 billion each year. The study notes that in addition to these monetary costs, the human costs of so many students failing to learn basic skills in K-12 schools are incalculably higher.[47] [47] Jay P. Greene, The Cost of Remedial Education: How Much Michigan Pays When Students Fail to Learn Basic Skills, Mackinac Center for Public Policy, September 2000. Available on the Internet at http://www.mackinac.org/article.asp?ID=3025. Part I: Government Schooling Comes to America Part II: The Crisis in Government Schooling and the School Choice Solution The Effects of Monopoly in Schooling Consolidation of School Districts Ballooning Costs Plummeting Student Achievement Expensive New Obligations Unprepared Graduates Violence and Drugs in Schools Three Types of Education Reform How School Choice Works Types of School Choice Programs Part III: Barriers to Education Reform Part IV: Sustaining School Choice Victories Conclusion: Restoring a Free Market in Education Appendix A: Glossary of Education-Related Terms Appendix B: School Choice Resources Endnotes (1 of 2)

cc/2020-05/en_head_0049.json.gz/line1539956

__label__wiki

Diane Katz is director of science, environment and technology policy for the Mackinac Center for Public Policy. Before joining the Mackinac Center, Ms. Katz spent 17 years with The Detroit News, as a reporter for eight years, and the last nine years as a member of the editorial board specializing in science and the environment, telecommunications and technology, and the auto industry. Her work has won numerous journalism awards, and also has been published by The Wall Street Journal, the Washington Times and National Review. Her recent Mackinac Center studies include analyses of environmental cleanup and land preservation programs. Theodore R. Bolema, Ph.D., J.D., is an attorney in Central Michigan University’s College of Business Administration, and an adjunct scholar with the Mackinac Center for Public Policy.

cc/2020-05/en_head_0049.json.gz/line1539957

__label__wiki

Why Donald Trump will fail to divide Canada and the U.S. - Macleans.ca Why Donald Trump will fail to divide Canada and the U.S. Editorial: Our two countries are attached at the hip. Just look at NORAD, an integral part of U.S. defences where a Canadian is second-in-command by Maclean's Air Force Space Command leader Gen. John Hyten speaks during a ceremony Friday, April 15, 2016, for the 50th anniversary celebration of the Cheyenne Mountain Complex in Colorado Springs, Colo.(Christian Murdock/The Gazette via AP) From bullying our Prime Minister, to dredging up 200-year-old war stories, to threatening massive tariffs on Canadian exports and to tear up NAFTA, U.S. President Donald Trump has been doing his damnedest to drive a wedge between his country and ours. It won’t work. Canada and the U.S. share a friendship that, for reasons of geography, shared interests and common values, is deeper, more committed—and, admittedly, more complicated—than any other international connection in the world. This close relationship extends from matters of vital importance, such as defence, security and the economy, to broader social and cultural issues as well. It’ll take more than Trump’s Mean Girls act to break us apart. Earlier this year, for example, the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) celebrated its 60th anniversary. This remarkable institution sees Canada and the U.S. jointly overseeing the air and maritime defences of North America. That such a crucial interconnection has endured, without controversy, for six decades is an unspoken testament to the forces that bind our two countries in ways that politics cannot undo. READ MORE: A patriot’s guide to shopping during a Canada-U.S. trade war “NORAD is the most deeply ingrained part of the institutional relationship between Canada and the U.S.,” says Christian Leuprecht, a political science professor at the Royal Military College in Kingston, Ont., and co-editor of a recent book on NORAD, North American Strategic Defense in the 21st Century. As evidence of how common defence interests tie us together in special ways, Leuprecht points out that a Canadian is deputy commander of NORAD. “Nowhere else in the world is the U.S. prepared to submit to the command of an officer from another country in defence of its own interests.” And this arrangement works well because it has been completely depoliticized. NORAD used to require periodic renewals by government, but since 2006 it has been renewed “in perpetuity.” It’s now part of the continental furniture. NORAD may be the most obvious example of Canada-U.S. partnership at a federal level, but there are many other examples, such as the International Joint Commission on shared waters and the Commission for Environmental Co-operation. These ties run even deeper at the state and provincial level, including such things as joint annual meetings between New England governors and Atlantic Canada’s premiers, and the carbon-trading program between Quebec and California (and, until recently, Ontario). The Pacific NorthWest Economic Region (PNWER) similarly represents the shared economic interests of states and provinces on the West Coast. When Trump announced his recent plan to slap tariffs on Canadian goods, PNWER declared this “a bad idea” between “the world’s closest allies and largest trading partners.” Having U.S. domestic voices speak out in Canada’s favour in this way is a clear benefit in fighting Trump’s protectionist urges. RELATED: In the U.S.-Canada trade war, we are not blameless Finally, we shouldn’t overlook the many social and cultural bonds Canada and the U.S. share. The recent awarding of the 2026 World Cup jointly to Canada, the U.S. and Mexico hints at the strength of continental connective tissues—NAFTA or no NAFTA. The same goes for the fact that Canadians sat glued to their television sets last month watching two U.S. teams battle for the Stanley Cup—as American viewers watched Canadian players perform on their behalf. Even Canada’s status as the premier source of comedians for Hollywood—Jim Carrey, Mike Myers, Dan Aykroyd, Samantha Bee, Seth Rogen, etc.—is further evidence of the many ways in which the North American military-industrial-entertainment complex has turned us into one seamless set of eyeballs. And who’s going to split that up? “Political ideology may shift,” says Leuprecht, “but Canada and the U.S. will always have a shared set of values such as freedom, democracy, prosperity and capitalism. We are not just two sovereign countries sitting side by side, we also have a common continental identity.” What a continent has joined together, let no man put asunder. Not even a man named Trump.

cc/2020-05/en_head_0049.json.gz/line1539958

__label__wiki

Emergency Service Platform for Emergency Service Providers PlanStudio Site Based Drafting Platform PlanSafe Fire and Emergency Training Platform Rick Anstey: ‘It is my dream to see the ESP embraced by emergency services everywhere’. Rick Anstey has been the Chairman of Concept Safety Systems (now Locatrix) and active Non-Executive Director since 2010. With a career spanning 35 years, Rick has extensive experience in deep technology. His commitment to Locatrix and the development of the Emergency Services Portal speaks volumes of his leadership and expertise, so it’s no surprise that Rick is an invaluable member of our executive team. “I am excited by the fact that Locatrix has developed and evolved a business model which will not only disrupt the safety compliance sector, but also provide us with a unique global position in being able to deliver accurate floor plans to first responders in an emergency situation,” he said. Rick strongly believes that when the Emergency Services Portal (ESP) is embraced by first responders worldwide, it will be a catalyst in changing many aspects of how emergency situations are responded to and managed. “Currently, first responders are not fully prepared for the emergency situation when they arrive – often floor plans are not available or they are difficult to locate , and often there is only an address, creating uncertainty around how to enter the building, etc. But by having ESP delivered prior to arriving onsite, first responders will have a clear understanding of the layout of the building, as well as any obstacles or challenges they could experience when attending to the emergency,” he said. Rick recalls the regular concern of bomb threats from the IRA in London during the 1970’s, and can vividly remember seeing sandbags piled up against buildings, and windows being covered as a method of bomb protection. “I can only imagine how archaic emergency procedures would have been for first responders at that time, and how valuable it would have been to have a better understanding of locations and floor plans. Having a tool like ESP back then would have been remarkable,” he said. When discussing the future of Locatrix and the Emergency Services Portal, Rick remains extremely optimistic about its continued development, and has big dreams and aspirations for the product. “It is my dream to see the ESP embraced by emergency services everywhere. It’s a product that has the capability of being directly responsible for saving lives in emergency situations, and the work we’re doing right now to keep the tool evolving will ensure its longevity in not only the safety and compliance sector, but the technology industry as well,” he said. Because of people like Rick, who continue to provide our business with their expertise and influence, the future of the Emergency Services Portal is positive, and we’re excited about all we’ll achieve in the coming years. PlanSafe Emergency Services Platform info@locatrix.com © Copyright 2020 Locatrix Website By Studio Culture

cc/2020-05/en_head_0049.json.gz/line1539961

__label__wiki

Rashed Mian Rashed Mian has been covering local news for the Long Island Press since 2011. He graduated from Hofstra University in 2010 where he studied print journalism. Rashed, the staff's multimedia reporter, covers daily news for the web, shoots/edits feature videos and writes about civil liberties. He loves Afghan food and sports. Rashed is also a caffeine freak. Email: [email protected] Twitter: rashedmian Heroin Takes Center Stage with Arrests and Federal Programs to Combat Scourge Authorities on Long Island last week announced large scale heroin busts just as elected officials vowed to combat the scourge of opioid abuse by pouring billions of federal funds into various drug programs. In Nassau County, District Attorney Madeline Singas’ office indicted 14 alleged members of a heroin ring that operated in Nassau, Queens and Brooklyn. The Brooklyn-based crew allegedly sold upwards of 23,000 doses of heroin each week, which authorities conservatively estimated to be worth $170,000. The alleged ring’s downfall came after authorities tracked a dealer to a large-scale drug network distributing thousands of doses of the drug each week, authorities said. Of the 14 indicted, a dozen have been arraigned, one is in custody, and another has yet to be arrested, said Singas. Four of the alleged members of the drug ring face up to 25 years in life in prison. One of the alleged leaders of the group, Leigh Jackson, is accused of selling packaged heroin stamped “Taster’s Choice” linked to several overdoses, including one that caused the death of a 23-year-old woman from Garden City Park, Singas said. Authorities executed several search warrants that resulted in the seizure of two firearms, ammunition, $12,000 in cash, and a large amount of heroin, Singas said. Similar items were discovered in a house in Coram earlier last week, according to Suffolk County police. While executing a search warrant at the residence, police found 349 grams of heroin, more than $83,000, an assault rifle and two handguns, police said. The 44-year-old man who lives at the house, Keith Daves, was arrested and charged on drug and weapons charges. Announcing the arrest, Suffolk County Police Commissioner Tim Sini said: “If you are selling drugs in Suffolk County, we will be coming for you.” Back in Nassau, County Executive Ed Mangano reportedly intends to sue drug manufacturers to pay back county taxpayers for the cost of fighting the opioid epidemic. Officials in Suffolk County announced a similar lawsuit last summer. Federal officials have also made combating the drug epidemic a priority. Included in this year’s federal budget is $4 billion for substance abuse and mental health services. “The opioid and heroin crisis on Long Island and across New York is a symptom of a national emergency that’s taken the lives of far too many Americans,” said U.S. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY). “This significant federal investment will put words into action and combat this national crisis by supporting prevention, interdiction, treatment and recovery programs and help us turn the tide against this tragic scourge.” The budget allocates $160 million to help pay for enforcement and treatment programs and more than $100 million for prevention. LIU-Post Unveils Start-Up Institute LIU-Post on Friday unveiled the first phase of an aggressive strategy to bring innovative minds, possibly the next Jobs or Zuckerberg, to its campus. While technology giant Apple was conceived out of a California garage and Facebook in a Harvard dorm, the Brookville university is following in the direction of other universities that are hoping to foster innovation right on campus. The university’s mission is to attract creative minds to its T. Denny Sanford Innovation and Entrepreneurship Institute, named after the billionaire philanthropist who contributed a $5 million grant to help fund the project. The goal is to put young minds, educators, and successful leaders of industry together under one roof to spearhead innovation. LIU President Dr. Kimberly R. Cline said at the institute’s official ribbon cutting Friday that the university intends to attract entrepreneurs from around the world and cultivate young people to become leaders in their own industry. “We are going to push you to be the very best,” Cline said. Sanford’s generous grant helped the university renovate its historic Bush-Brown Hall. Sanford, who was in attendance Friday, acknowledged that “start-ups are tough” but recalled how his own bank steadily grew over two decades. He said the key to success is to surround yourself with experienced people. “At the end of the day, you need someone who has been there, done that,” said Sanford, owner of South Dakota-based First Premier Bank. That message is at the core of the institute, officials said. “It not only seeks to expand entrepreneurship and innovation throughout the whole region, it also is about bringing young people in and getting them started with entrepreneurship early on,” Cline told the Press. Cline said the plan is to have 20 students each year involved in the program. They’ll be awarded scholarships, have access to faculty experts and the ability to take advantage of other campus-based institutes to help them along their path. Dr. Robert M. Valli, dean of LIU-Post’s College of Management, noted the growth of incubators regionally and across the country. The advantage LIU-Post has, he said, is its access to investors, being in one of the wealthiest zip codes in America, and an ambitious student body. “We want to reach out to nascent companies that are starting in New York or outside of New York, or even outside of the country,” Valli said, “and bring them here and help them launch into industry.” Providing a base for both startups to work at the institute and students with entrepreneurial minds to learn could turn LIU-Post into a “nexus” for innovation, he said. The institute has already attracted several start-ups, including EParel, a tech company that tries to help the hotel industry be more efficient, and Bayside Brewery, which uses a technology to speed up fermentation. Launching the institute is just the beginning for the university. The second phase of the project includes adding a 12,000 square-foot extension to the existing building that will serve as the incubator space. Construction is expected to begin in the fall. State Sues Companies for Toxic Dumping Scandal in Brentwood Ex-New York Attorney General, Eric Schneiderman New York State Attorney General Eric Schneiderman on Thursday announced a federal lawsuit against the mastermind behind the toxic dumping scandal at a park in Brentwood and a group of contractors, brokers, and haulers who allegedly contributed to the contamination. Standing outside Roberto Clemente Park, Schneiderman said he was taking to court those responsible for the dumping scandal in order to recoup money for the two-plus years the park has been closed and for future restoration of community parks in the hamlet. “We believe the companies and individuals named in our suit are responsible for the dumping of hazardous substances into the heart of Brentwood and causing a much-beloved park to be closed off to the community for years,” Schneiderman said. “Those responsible for closing Roberto Clemente Park must repay their debt to the Brentwood community.” The lawsuit was filed in Central Islip federal court and names the since-convicted mastermind of the illegal dumping scandal, Thomas Datre Jr., and his co-defendant in the case, Christopher Gabe, along with nearly three-dozen companies. Datre and Gabe were sentenced last week to one year and 30 days in jail, respectively, following guilty pleas last year. Schneiderman is also suing various contractors who he alleges arranged for the disposal of soil and contamination construction and demolition debris, companies involved in brokering the removal and dumping of the debris, and haulers who dumped the waste at Roberto Clemente Park, which is named after the famed baseball player and humanitarian. The park has been closed since May 2014. Authorities said Datre Jr. and others were responsible for contaminating the park with toxic debris. Hazardous material was also illegally disposed at a veteran’s complex in Islandia, Deer Park wetlands and a property in Central Islip. In total, six people were arrested, including former Islip Town Parks Commissioner Joseph J. Montuori Jr., who pleaded guilty last year to conspiracy and endangering the health, safety or environment, but won’t serve any time in jail. The state’s suit claims those responsible are liable under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability ACT (CERCLA), a federal statute, along with state laws stemming from the park’s closing. Assemb. Phil Ramos (D-Brentwood) issued a statement calling the illegal waste removal an “environmental offense to a horrifying degree.” “Companies thought they could get away with dumping toxic garbage in a diverse community because it would be the path of least resistance,” Ramos said. “But we were able to collectively shine a light on their harmful activity that not only forced an important community landmark to close, but put our children’s health at risk in the process.” Subsequent tests of the park revealed the existence of various toxic chemicals, pesticides, heavy metals and asbestos. In addition to Schneiderman’s lawsuit, the Town of Islip has sought civil enforcement for funds related to the cost of rehabilitating the park. Can a Cannabis-Based Pill Help Treat Concussions? April 20, known as '420' among marijuana enthusiasts, is a day of celebration and mass smoking of the psychoactive plant, still illegal in New York State except for those with a medical marijuana prescription. A former investment adviser from Roslyn Heights is taking his talents to South Beach. Jonathan Gilbert, CEO of Scythian Biosciences Inc., a biotech firm, has secured $16 million in funding for a promising trial at the University of Miami considering the potential impact of a cannabis-based compound to treat concussions and Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI). The cannabinoid compound at the center of the trials, cannabidiol (CBD), is believed to contain neuroprotective properties that could, in theory, reduce inflammation in the brain caused by head trauma. Adding to the intrigue, the drug would not contain Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), which creates the psychoactive effect in the brain when using marijuana. Researchers at the University of Miami hope the trial could produce a first-of-its-kind pharmaceutical answer to concussions, which has recently been the focus of millions of dollars in research, largely in response to the impact concussions have had on current and former NFL players. For Gilbert, a career investment adviser who worked for a Connecticut-based hedge fund, it’s incredibly exciting transitioning to biotech, focusing his efforts on a potentially game-changing drug, something that has thus far remained elusive to concussion patients. “I can’t sleep at night thinking about what I can be accomplishing here,” he told the Press. “What an amazing accomplishment to create something that could be effective for everyone on Earth.” Gilbert founded Scythian Biosciences Inc. three years ago, following a Tourette Syndrome support group session in which teenagers indicated they had used marijuana to “self medicate.” Gilbert and his wife have three kids, the youngest of whom suffers from the neurological disorder. The conversation with the teens got Gilbert thinking: how could marijuana benefit not only his son, but people inflicted with various ailments, including concussion? Gilbert knew his extensive list of contacts and ability to raise money and attract talent would make up for whatever experience he lacked in the pharmaceutical industry. In the latter years of his investment career, he noticed an uptick in medical marijuana businesses seeking funding, though most pitches were underwhelming. Still keen on the idea of marijuana-based treatment, he made a decision to go his own route. Initially Gilbert’s goal was to enter the industry in Canada, whose prime minister, Justin Trudeau, recently introduced legislation to legalize recreational marijuana nationwide. The prospect of similar legislation being proposed by the Trump administration appears far-fetched. Gilbert went ahead and purchased a facility in Canada with the idea of growing and selling medical marijuana. But instead of joining the growing medical marijuana industry, Gilbert, with his own son in mind, gambled on an entry into the pharmaceutical industry. Mindful of the surprisingly minimal treatment options for concussions, Gilbert got the sense that it was a “wide open space” with the potential of becoming a billion-dollar industry. “I’m learning as I go,” he said. Even so, Gilbert already sounds experienced. “Our therapy, which involves the use of two drugs, targets two different brain receptors which are involved in suppressing this immune response and the associated inflammation,” he explained. Scythian Biosciences Inc now has offices in Canada and the United States—including one at the University of Miami. The company has applied for a patent for its treatment and the University of Miami is in the pre-trial phase of the five-year study. Heading the university’s research is Dr. Gillian Hotz, research professor of neurological surgery and director of the concussion program at University of Miami Health System Sports Medicine. When the university announced the study, Hotz acknowledged the previous work her team had done to develop concussion protocols and better educate high school, collegiate and professional athletes. “One thing has eluded us—a clinically proven medication to treat concussion,’ she said. “Whether or not this study leads to a pill that could treat concussion, this type of research will pave the way for UM and other researchers to better manage concussion. It’s a privilege to help lead this journey.” Researchers are currently examining TBI in rodents before testing the compound in the form of a pill on humans. Clues to as to whether the treatment could be the game-changer Gilbert is hoping it is won’t come until the third phase, which is expected to take three years. The University of Miami trial comes as medical professionals have earnestly been scrutinizing new ways to treat concussed patients. The US government has funded studies into hyperbaric oxygen therapy, which uses oxygen to reduce swelling and increase blood flow. At the University of Buffalo, researchers are testing how recently concussed athletes react to light aerobics, which would undermine years of conventional thinking that long periods of rest is best for a concussed brain. Gilbert welcomes the deluge of research. Given how pervasive concussions have become, he recognizes the need for changes in how concussions are treated—even if it means increased competition. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, upwards of 3.6 million people suffer a TBI each year. Additionally, an analysis by Blue Cross Blue Shield found that concussions increased by more than 40 percent in the past five years. Gilbert is hardly alone in advocating for cannabis treatment to tackle America’s concussion problem. Harvard psychiatrist Lester Grinspoon in 2014 penned a letter to NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell urging the league to pursue marijuana treatment. “Already, many doctors and researchers believe that marijuana has incredibly powerful neuroprotective properties, an understanding based on both laboratory and clinical data,” Grinspoon wrote. “But unfortunately, the extensive research required to definitively determine cannabis’s ability to prevent CTE will require millions of dollars in upfront investment, and despite the great promise many now see in cannabinopathic medicine, it’s hard to imagine who else has both the motive and the means to provide such funding.” It appears Gilbert is both motivated and has found the financial backing for such an effort. And while he waits for the study to take shape, he said he’ll continue to raise money for his company, and perhaps even find a way to help more people like his son. Knife-wielding Suspect Wanted for 18 Robberies Nabbed Shane Cashmore was arrested for 18 robberies on Tuesday, May 2, 2017 (Rashed Mian/Long Island Press) A drug addict believed to be responsible for a spate of 18 knife-point robberies on Long Island over the past three months was arrested immediately after robbing another store in Huntington Station on Monday night, police said. Shane Cashmore, 30, who is homeless but has connections to Lake Ronkonkoma, will be arraigned in both Nassau and Suffolk counties on 18 counts of first-degree robbery, officials said. While being escorted out of the 2nd Precinct in Huntington Tuesday morning, Cashmore told reporters that he suffered from heroin addiction. “We have no doubt that Mr. Cashmore is responsible for these 18 robberies and we are glad to bring this spree to an end,” said Suffolk County Police Commissioner Timothy Sini during a joint press conference with acting Nassau County Police Commissioner Thomas Krumpter. Two other suspects were also arrested Monday night—Juliana Panteleone, 31, and Paul Drab, 26, both of Levittown—but authorities did not elaborate on their roles in the robberies. They were charged only for the Monday night robbery in Huntington Station in which they were described as getaway drivers. At the time of their arrest, Panteleone was preparing to inject herself with heroin, authorities said. Sini noted that there was evidence that suspects were suffering from substance abuse and “likely committing robberies to fuel their addiction.” The investigation is continuing. Cashmore is accused of robbing 18 businesses across the Island from Feb. 13 through May 1. Stores he allegedly hit included Carvel, Subway, Baskin Robin, TCBY, Dunkin’ Donuts, and The Barn, among others, police said. “Over these several months and weeks, small business owners and workers at these small businesses have been on edge, but today they can rest a little more peacefully,” said Nassau County District Attorney Madeline Singas. The big break in the case came in mid-April when investigators learned that Cashmore had been driving a rare Hyundai model called the Tiburon, which was only in production between 1999 and 2008. Police began looking into each of the 200 Tiburon’s registered in New York City and Long Island and were briefing individual officer’s when one came forward with information about an arrest he made in March that fit the description of the car, a 2006 version, in which Drab was driving. Drab was charged with possession of a controlled substance for that incident. The car, which was registered by Panteleone, was placed under around-the-clock surveillance, and authorities followed the car’s every movement: when the suspects took cans to scrap, to New York City, and to Panteleone’s place of work. Investigators followed that car Monday night to Oyster Bay, but the suspects became spooked by officers in the vicinity and instead drove to Huntington Station. After Cashmore allegedly committed his 18th robbery, he was immediately placed under arrest, police said. Krumpter said they were unable to prevent Sunday’s robbery in Lake Ronkonkoma because the car wasn’t used. Sini and Krumpter said their respective department’s willingness to work in tandem created an environment that contributed to Monday night’s arrests. The collaborative efforts of Nassau’s Robbery Squad and Suffolk’s Pattern Crime Unit is a “model” of how such investigations should work. In the first two cases attributed to the suspect, he allegedly robbed a Carvel in South Farmingdale 20 minutes after trying to rob a Dunkin’ Donuts five miles away in Seaford, police have said. Long Island Craft Beer Week 2017 Dates Announced In some households and bars across Long Island, every day feels like Long Island Craft Beer Week. But the official nine-day celebration of one of the Island’s most appreciated industries is quickly approaching, and, as is the case in previous years, there’s likely going to be new favorites greasing the ever-evolving taste buds of local beer enthusiasts. The much-anticipated Long Island Craft Beer Week 2017 edition kicks off May 12 and runs through May 21—just in time to solidify your summer beer list. LICBW comes as LI’s craft beer scene continues to grow. While new microbreweries seek to get in on the action, others like famed Blue Point Brewing. Co. is expanding operations at the shuttered Briarcliffe College campus in Patchogue. Long Island now boasts more than 30 craft breweries. LICBW is unique in that it’s a collaborative movement created and promoted by local breweries that prefer to showcase their collective talents to raise awareness about drinking local. Basically the thinking goes like this: Why go at it alone when you have the support of your friends and competitors? We can drink to that. This year’s Long Island Craft Beer Week will feature about 50 events across Nassau and Suffolk counties. In the coming days, organizers will release the list of LICBW events and location of where fans can pick up a free Long Island Craft Beer Week 2017 pint glass. (Don’t worry, we’ll update as news comes our way.) Historically, LICBW brings craft beer bars, breweries, and restaurants together to celebrate handcrafted brews. The good news is that no matter your beer preference, or whether you unabashedly embrace the moniker of “beer snob,” there’s an expertly created beer for everyone. Sign up for our free Ultimate Guide To Craft Breweries on Long Island e-book The Ultimate Guide to Craft Breweries on Long Island Long Island has been undergoing a craft beer revolution and is now home to more than 30 craft breweries. Here’s the ultimate guide to Long Island’s craft brew explosion! Long Island Press Main Long Island Press General Ebook Signups Long Island Summer Camps Guide Ebook Download 43 Fun Things To Do With Your Kids on Long Island Ebook Download Summer On Fire Island Ebook Download Long Island Colleges & Universities Ebook Download Long Island Wineries and Vineyards Guide Ebook Download Ultimate Guide to Craft Breweries On Long Island Ebook Download The Essential 2017 Guide to Online Small Business Loans Ebook Download What Is Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy Ebook Download Five Small Things You Can Do To Make This Week More Enjoyable For You And Your Family Ebook Download Alure Design & Planning Guide Ebook Download The Essential Home Buyer~s Guide Ebook Download A1 First Class Residential Moving Guide Ebook Download Commercial Move Planning Guide Ebook Download Thousands Attend Bethpage Funeral for Fallen FDNY Firefighter William Tolley The funeral procession for fallen FDNY firefighter William Tolley marches through Bethpage on Thursday, Apr. 27, 2016 (Photo by Robert Stridiron/QNS) Thousands of firefighters lined the streets of Bethpage on a misty Thursday morning to pay tribute to FDNY veteran William Tolley, who plunged to his death last week battling a fire in Queens. Fellow firefighters had flooded Tolley’s hometown for a series of memorial services this week and their numbers grew exponentially Thursday as more than 10,000 people were expected to attend the funeral service. Outside the church, red ribbons abutted utility poles and American flags hung high. The steady mist eventually gave way to cloudy skies, punctuating the occasion as a somber mood enveloped the area around St. Martin of Tours church. With police enforcing morning road closures, the long stretch running from Hicksville Road to Bethpage State Parkway was eerily quiet until mourners trickled in for the ceremony. “His life was so rich, so rich in fact, that it makes the loss even more raw and painful,” New York City Mayor Bill DeBlasio told mourners. “But let’s take stock and remember a rich life and a full life…a life lived the way we all should live.” Tolley, 42, and about 100 other firefighters were battling a blaze at a five-story building in Ridgewood, Queens last Thursday when he fell to his death. The circumstances around his fatal fall are currently under investigation. The funeral marked a tragic end to a life of a man whose love for his family, his wife Marie and 8-year-old daughter Bella, was endless. “Bella was his first and foremost priority, the apple of his eye,” Tolley’s colleague Jarrett Kotarski said while also recalling Tolley playing drums in the heavy metal band Internal Bleeding. “Billy lived his life to the fullest, he chased down all his dreams and caught them.” Leading the procession was Tolley’s Ladder Company 135, including one in black and purple bunting carrying his American flag-draped casket. Tolley’s widow and daughter followed the casket into the church as hymns blared. The words “In Loving Memory of William N. Tolley” word etched into the truck. “His death leaves so much pain, confusion and crying,” said Father Patrick Woods, recalling the moment of devastating grief when Tolley’s daughter, Bella, learned of her father’s death. “Mommy, why are you gone all day, what happened?” she asked. “Marie a loving mother carrying her own crushing grief, gently tells Bella that Billy has gone home to God,” he recalled. “Mommy,” Bella responded, “daddy is too young to die.” And then she realized. “I have no daddy.” Consoling Bella, Marie reminded her that Tolley loved helping people. “That’s what firemen do,” she said. William Tolley What Does DOJ Review of Police Settlements Mean for SCPD Reforms? A vigil set up for Marcelo Lucero at the site of his slaying. (Rashed Mian/Long Island Press) In the wake of the high-profile slaying of Ecuadorian immigrant Marcelo Lucero in November 2008 and accusations of discriminatory treatment of Hispanics, the beleaguered Suffolk County Police Department and the U.S. Department of Justice entered into a settlement agreement intended to foster much-needed policy changes within the department. Under the agreement, which the Suffolk County Legislature approved, federal monitoring of the agency potentially would’ve ceased after three years from its effective date, Jan. 13, 2014, had the department demonstrated improvements across the board. Three years later, however, the department remains tethered to the settlement despite it making “substantial progress” in implementing some of its requirements, according to the DOJ’s most recent assessment report, published on Jan. 19. Suffolk police achieved “substantial compliance” in the area of hate crimes and hate incidents training—subjects garnering much scrutiny before and after the Lucero murder. “In other areas,” the report stated, “considerable work remains.” One such area DOJ inspectors identified for improvement is the way in which the department collects traffic stop data. In its latest report, monitors noted that Suffolk police “omits critical variables that are necessary for meaningful analysis of bias-free policing,” including the reasons for initiating a traffic stop. Continued oversight of the department comes amid a March 21 memorandum issued by U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions to department heads and U.S. Attorneys across the country calling for a review of “compliance reviews, existing or contemplated consent decrees, and task force participation.” Court-mandated consent decrees compel offending agencies to comply with federal directives. Out of court agreements, such as that issued in Suffolk County, are essentially contracts between two parties. Nationwide, there are currently 14 consent decrees and four out-of-court settlements aimed at reforming troubled police departments. Perhaps the most notable Obama-era consent decree involves the Ferguson Police Department, which became ground zero for large anti-police brutality demonstrations following the fatal police shooting of 18-year-old Michael Brown. “All consent decrees currently in place would be subject to review” following Sessions’ memo, a DOJ official told the Press. Whether “review” means retreat from Obama administration policies remains unknown, though if Baltimore is any example—the DOJ under President Trump recently sought a delay in a consent decree stalling rehabilitation there—the latter is likely. Whether the review extends to the out-of-court settlement agreement between the DOJ and SCPD is also unclear. Without federal compulsion to implement the aforementioned improvements, it’d be up to Suffolk County Police Department brass to continue the progress initiated by the DOJ—directives imposed for a reason. “These aren’t taken on lightly,” explained John DeCarlo, assistant chair of the Department of Criminal Justice at the University of New Haven. “The DOJ doesn’t come in and say ‘Hey, we want to do a consent decree.’ They’re not picking on anyone. “They’re there because there are substantial problems,” he continued. “Sometimes it’s not within the capability of the local political system to make the changes needed.” Aside from the legal settlement, Suffolk police is under a long-standing consent decree related to its hiring practices, the same with neighboring Nassau County police. A Justice Department spokesman did not address the 2014 agreement specifically, but in a statement said the memo was issued at a time of “new leadership in the Department actively developing strategies to support the thousands of law enforcement agencies across the country that seek to prevent crime and protect the public.” “The Department is working to ensure that those initiatives effectively dovetail with robust enforcement of federal laws designed to preserve and protect civil rights,” the statement added. “While this memo includes the review of any pending consent decrees, the Attorney General also recognizes the Department’s important role helping communities and police departments achieve these goals.” Over the course of the agreement, SCPD welcomed a new commissioner, Tim Sini, who vowed to reform the agency after its former chief of department, James Burke, shamed the department. The disgraced ex-chief pleaded guilty last year to conspiracy charges stemming from a precinct beating of a shackled burglary suspect. The suspect, Christopher Loeb, stole a duffel bag from Burke’s SUV containing sex toys, porn, a gun, ammunition and other items. According to federal investigators, Burke, who was sentenced to 46 months in prison, orchestrated a coverup and attempted, but ultimately failed, to stymie the FBI’s investigation. As for Sini, the tall task of turning around a department embarrassed by scandal fell squarely on his shoulders. But at the same time, Sini had to mend the relationship with the FBI after Burke’s puzzling decision in 2012 to unceremoniously remove three detectives from the FBI’s Joint Long Island Gang Task Force, despite its resounding successes tackling violent local street gangs. The SCPD has since rejoined the collaborative unit, and Sini stood alongside DOJ officials and his local and state counterparts at a press conference in March announcing the arrest of 13 members of the MS-13 gang for seven murders and racketeering, among other alleged crimes. More relevant to the federal government’s scrutiny of the department was the arrest of Suffolk police Sgt. Scott Greene for stealing money from mostly Hispanic drivers. Greene’s arrest was announced 18 days after the settlement went into effect. Greene was eventually convicted of petty larceny, official misconduct and grand larceny, but acquitted on the most serious hate crimes charges. “I am particularly outraged by the conduct of this officer who was sworn to protect the community but instead targeted individuals who he perceived to be vulnerable,” former SCPD Commissioner Ed Webber said at the time. ‘EPIDEMIC OF HATE CRIMES’ This was all happening amid greater scrutiny of local law enforcement agencies nationwide under the Obama administration. From the time he came into office, former President Obama’s DOJ sued 14 police departments and agreed to four out-of-court agreements with four agencies, including Suffolk police, according to The New York Times. As evidenced by Sessions’ memo, the Trump administration is not expected to pursue oversight of local police departments as vigorously as his predecessor. In fact, they appear to be doing the opposite. Without explicitly stating in the memorandum his intention to roll back, or perhaps even squash such reforms, Sessions declared: “The Federal government alone can not successfully address rising crime rates, secure public safety, protect and respect the civil rights of all members of the public, or implement the best practices of policing. These are, first and foremost, tasks for state, local, and tribal law enforcement.” Among a list of ways to “effectively promote a peaceful and lawful society society, where the civil rights of all persons are valued and protected” ensure successful policing, Sessions’ memorandum states: “Local control and local accountability are necessary for effective local policing. It is not the responsibility of the federal government to manage non-federal law enforcement agencies. “The misdeeds of individual bad actors should not impugn or undermine the legitimate and honorable work that law enforcement officers and agencies perform in keeping American communities safe,” it continues. Sini, a former federal prosecutor who has been commissioner for 14 months, inherited a department plagued by the scandal-scarred Burke and accusations of discriminatory policing tracing back years. In November 2008, Latino Justice, an immigrant advocacy group, wrote a letter to the Civil Rights Division of the Justice Department detailing allegations of discriminatory policing in Suffolk. The letter was deeply critical of Suffolk County’s treatment of Latinos, going as far as declaring “an epidemic of hate crimes against Latinos had erupted in Suffolk County.” The DOJ first announced an investigation in 2009 after predatory teenagers viciously killed 37-year-old immigrant Marcelo Lucero in Patchogue, which brought Suffolk County into the national spotlight for all the wrong reasons. The Lucero slaying was predated by two similarly vicious attacks: the kidnapping and beating of two Latino men in Farmingville by white men posing as contractors in 2000, and the 2004 burning of a Latino family’s home. A climate of fear had enveloped the Hispanic community, advocates said, with many afraid to report crimes to the police because of their questionable immigration status or distrust of law enforcement. A Sept. 13, 2011, letter from the DOJ’s Civil Rights Division addressed to former Suffolk County Executive Steve Levy noted that it was investigating, among other allegations, that “SCPD engages in discriminatory policing, that its approach to the Latino community discourages Latino victims from filing complaints and cooperating with the police, and that the Department fails to investigate crimes and hate-crime incidents involving Latinos.” Two years later, the DOJ and Suffolk police agreed to the current settlement, which was negotiated out of court and included 29 reforms currently guiding changes within the department. The areas for improvement include bias-free policing, hate crimes and hate incidents, training, and language assistance. Even with allegations swirling against Greene for targeting Hispanics and the circus spawned by Burke’s cantankerous reign, the police department has managed to come into varying degrees of compliance since the DOJ stepped in. During a hearing before the Suffolk County Legislature’s Public Safety Committee last week, Sini told lawmakers that the department was in “compliance” with 28 of 29 of the recommendations. In reality, the police department has only achieved “partial compliance” with regards to 21 of the DOJ provisions, compared with seven such provisions in which monitors found the department to be in “substantial compliance.” According to the agreement, the DOJ assessment won’t be over until the county “has maintained substantial compliance with all provisions” for the previous 12 months. Sini indicated that he’s prepared to open discussions with the DOJ about “how to move forward.” Sini’s assessment aside, the DOJ’s January report suggested its mandate that SCPD achieve full compliance remained unchanged. The report was published one day before President Donald Trump’s inauguration. Sessions wasn’t confirmed as Attorney General until Feb. 8. SCPD MONITORING MOVES FORWARD “Over the coming year, we will focus our attention on the Department’s efforts in the substantive areas of the Agreement with which the Department remains in partial compliance,” the DOJ said in the Jan. 19 assessment, adding that it will release public reports on its observations in both the spring and fall of 2017. According to a law enforcement source close to the matter, members of the DOJ toured SCPD headquarters in Yaphank this month and recently held a meeting with members of the community—standard procedures for a compliance evaluation. A spokesperson for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District declined to comment on Sini’s statements to the Pubic Safety Committee. A spokesman for Suffolk police did not respond to multiple requests for comment for this story. Following a request for response from the Press regarding inoperable links to the DOJ settlement on SCPD’s website, the hyperlinks were activated, though no explanation was provided. A former chief of the Branford Police Department in Connecticut, New Haven University’s DeCarlo has studied settlement agreements, and said it can take years for a department to come under full compliance. For example, the Detroit Police Department was under federal monitoring for 13 years before its consent decree expired last year. In the case of East Haven Police Department in Connecticut, federal monitors pulled out after the department met compliance standards after three years, explained DeCarlo. “They don’t have to be perfect and they don’t have to have 100-percent compliance, but they want to have movement,” DeCarlo told the Press, speaking broadly about settlement agreements. “The feds aren’t being unreasonable—and it’s all about policy, about changing your policy and changing the patterns and practices of what you’re doing. If you’re doing stuff that you’re not supposed to be doing or is not in the best interest of the community, they want you to change it.” DeCarlo reviewed the DOJ’s most recent assessment of the SCPD and said the recommendations do not appear to be unfair. “If the community is not happy with the cops, and the bias is perceived, then that’s bias,” DeCarlo said. “Whether you’re intending to do it or not, if you do not appear legitimate as a police department in the eyes of the community that you’re there to serve, then you’re biased.” DeCarlo noted that a successful transition from police department under scrutiny to one making serious reforms depends on not only the willingness of the agency to achieve its goals, but also backing from local officials. He said departments may perceive federal monitoring in a negative light at first, but taken retrospectively, settlement agreements could prove beneficial to the department—and the community it serves. “Change is hard, and police departments, like all pieces of government, are bureaucracies,” he said. Whether the DOJ under Sessions will unilaterally back out of the agreement remains to be seen. But if their intention is to give SCPD its independence, there may not be any obstacles to prevent them from doing so, said Christopher Dunn, associate legal director for the New York Civil Liberties Union. “If the DOJ was what prompted it, and they just walk away from it, that’s probably just the end of it,” said Dunn, speaking broadly about out-of-court agreements, as is the case in Suffolk. Joselo Lucero, Marcelo’s younger brother, said that a premature exit from the settlement agreement would be unwise considering increased anxiety among immigrants with fear of deportations under the new presidential administration. Lucero meets with both Suffolk police and the DOJ periodically. Among the foremost issues he discusses with the DOJ is language access, which the DOJ’s Jan. 19 report graded as in “partial compliance” and requiring further improvements. “I think it should continue,” Lucero, outreach coordinator at the nonprofit Hagedorn Foundation, told the Press. “I cannot tell you for how long, but until the community feels safe and feels comfortable to talk to the police…the fear to be arrested by immigration is a big issue right now.” In his conversations with Sini, Lucero was told that SCPD doesn’t recognize Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detainer requests and only complies when a warrant for a particular person in custody has been issued. According to Suffolk police policy documents amended last April, non-US citizens cannot be detained “solely pursuant to a request from ICE” and “such detention shall only be conducted pursuant to a warrant.” As for how the administration now compares to the one in power when his brother was tragically killed, Lucero said the difference is stark. “If you go back 10 years ago, it was worse, really, it was worse against immigrants,” he said. “This administration has made progress.” In public, Sini has displayed an openness to work with the community. During press conferences related to the recent MS-13 slayings, he has reiterated that a person’s immigration status would not be impacted if they came forward with information about crimes. And during two press conferences about four bodies found in a Central Islip park, a Spanish-speaking interpreter was present to translate the commissioner’s comments. Sini also told the Suffolk County Legislature’s Public Safety Committee the department is making it easier for members of the Hispanic community to file complaints with Internal Affairs investigators. Doing so, he said, is good for transparency. Legis. Robert Trotta (R-Fort Salonga), a former Suffolk police detective and one-time member of the Long Island Gang Task Force, said the department had always been involved in community relations, but to a lesser extent than it is now. “I think the department is in a way better place than what it was,” Trotta said, attributing much of its rehabilitation to Burke’s downfall. “The bar was set so low that it’s doing much better. The guys are hard working, they’re trying to get the job done. There’s always a couple of bad apples in any bunch.” That the police department has been more engaged and is making progress is clear in the report. But, as the DOJ’s Jan. 19 assessment notes, there’s still more work to be done. If Lucero had it his way, the DOJ-led monitoring would continue until the department met all its requirements. “I don’t see why they have to finish with this settlement, especially now, when the community is under attack,” he said. Beatles Legend Paul McCartney Coming to Nassau Coliseum Could this be the surprise performer officials teased at the new Nassau Coliseum unveiling last month? On Tuesday, Beatles legend Paul McCartney announced a stop at the renovated NYCB Live Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum for his much-anticipated “One on One” tour, which kicked off this month. Besides Billy Joel, who opened the Coliseum earlier this month, McCartney will be the biggest name to grace the stage at the refurbished arena for his Sept. 26 show. McCartney’s last Coliseum gig was in 2002, when he put on a 36-song performance, which included two encores. Among the notable hits that evening were “Hello, Goodbye,” “Blackbird,” “Let it be,” and “Hey Jude,” according to setlist.fm. Tickets for the Sept. 26 show go on sale May 5. According to McCartney’s website, American Express cardholders can purchase tickets on advance between April 26 at 10 a.m. and April 30 at 10 p.m. The Coliseum stop will be the last of four straight performances in New York, beginning with a show at Madison Square Garden on Sept. 15. From there he’ll head to Barclays Center in Brooklyn on Sept. 19, and the Carrier Dome in Syracuse on Sept. 23 before hitting the Coliseum. McCartney hasn’t played at MSG since 2005. The new Nassau Coliseum officially reopened on April 5 for Joel’s sold out show. The 13,900-seat arena cost $165 million to renovate. Aside from an exterior facelift, the Coliseum boasts widened concourses, high-definition screens, brand new seats, Long Island-based food options and revamped restrooms. Long Island Schools Named in ‘Best High Schools’ Report Jericho High School was ranked as the top high school on Long Island in U.S. News & World Report’s 2017 rankings—a survey that also included 11 other LI schools in the top 300. Jericho High School was the only LI high school ranked in the top 100, but six others were ranked in the top 200: Garden City High School (No. 157), Great Neck North High School (No. 164), Syosset Senior High School (No. 173), Manhasset Secondary School (No. 177), Great Neck South High School (No. 195), and Cold Spring Harbor High School (No. 196). Five additional schools were ranked in the top 300: Roslyn High School (No. 208), Herricks High School (No. 213), Paul D. Schreiber High Senior High School (NO. 223), North Shore Senior High School (No. 234), and Harborfields High School (No. 247.) U.S. News & World Report, which releases its list of top schools annually, uses a four-step process to identify high performing schools—a scale that includes graduation rates, student performance on state exams, and college preparedness. The publication reviewed more than 28,000 public high schools across the country. All schools in the top 500 were awarded its “gold medal.” Overall, New York State was ranked No. 12, two spots below its neighbor and rival state, New Jersey. Jericho High School came in at No. 11 in the state, No. 67 nationwide and was credited with having a 97-percent graduation rate and an Advanced Placement participation rate of 94 percent. The latest rankings include both charter and magnet schools, though U.S. News & World Report noted that more than 80 percent of the top-performing schools are traditional public schools. LONG ISLAND SCHOOLS IN THE TOP 300: No. 67: Jericho Senior High School No. 157: Garden City High School No. 164: Great Neck North High School No. 173: Syosset Senior High School No. 177: Manhasset Secondary School No. 195: Great Neck South High School No. 196: Cold Spring Harbor High School No. 208: Roslyn High School No. 213: Herricks High School No. 223: Paul D. Schreiber Senior High School No. 234: North Shore Senior High School – Glen Head No. 247: Harborfields High School – Greenlawn

cc/2020-05/en_head_0049.json.gz/line1539962

__label__wiki

Rewriting the Whistons’ story: A renewed sense of hope Myotubular myopathy, a rare form of muscular dystrophy, has bound 6-year-old William Whiston to a wheelchair with a trach tube connected to his throat and very little use of his body’s muscle system. As his mother says, though, he is no different than any other 6-year-old in terms of having a youthful, vibrant, personality that likes to engage in fun activities. It's a molecular difference that sets William's DNA apart from others and prevents his body from producing a protein that develops and controls muscles. William's story could change soon, however, thanks to the work of Dr. Michael Lawlor, MD, PhD, a specialist in neuropathology and skeletal muscle biology at the Medical College of Wisconsin. Dr. Lawlor is playing a leading role in developing groundbreaking gene therapy to treat a rare form of muscular dystrophy. Patients like William will be part of an upcoming clinical trial that uses a gene therapy treatment that has proved successful in animals suffering similar muscular defects. Treatments on dogs suffering from similar genetic defects resulted in them being able to walk, run and jump like any other dog. Dr. Lawlor and William's parents are hopeful that those receiving the treatment experience similar results. William and his family have a great story to tell, as does Dr. Lawlor, who was inspired to find cures for muscular dystrophy after a close childhood friend passed away as a result of the disease. As William's father says, Dr. Lawlor has a dedication beyond having a successful career, and is committed to helping people, which is different from just treating them. This is a story that connects hope with research and advanced gene therapy that carries tremendous potential to help people. Keep up with the latest news. Sign up for Newsroom Alerts. Latest press releases, stories and resources. MCW Media Contacts The media relations team at MCW is happy to assist in coordinating experts for interviews. Please reach out to us at: media@mcw.edu

cc/2020-05/en_head_0049.json.gz/line1539965

__label__wiki

Researchers Find Potential Drug for Preventing, Treating Radiation Sickness BY Scott Merville An antibody created at MD Anderson blocks the life-threatening gastrointestinal damage caused by high levels of radiation - so far in mice, but with potential for human use. "If additional research confirms these findings, the antibody we call 2A2 could be deployed both for military and civilian use to prevent radiation sickness," says Wadih Arap, M.D., Ph.D., professor in MD Anderson's David H. Koch Center for Applied Research of Genitourinary Cancers. Radiation gastrointestinal syndrome occurs after radiation exposure destroys specialized cells called crypt or villus units that generate the epithelial cells that line the GI tract. With the protective lining compromised, patients suffer vomiting, diarrhea, dehydration, systemic infection and in extreme cases, septic shock and death. Research by Richard Kolesnick, M.D., and colleagues at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York found that a protein called ceramide is a central player in this radiation-induced destruction. Irradiation causes ceramide, a lipid protein that triggers programmed cell death, to gather on the surface of blood vessels that serve the GI lining and order those cells to commit suicide, or apoptosis. Arap and Renata Pasqualini, Ph.D., also professor in the Koch Center and colleagues tackled the problem of developing an antibody to block ceramide. "It was technically challenging to generate, produce, and quality-control. It is a timely scientific and medical work given the events following the tragic nuclear disaster after the earthquake and tsunami in Japan," says Pasqualini. "As such, it epitomizes the sense of purpose and resilience along with superior know-how and skill of the investigators within our group." In experiments at Memorial Sloan-Kettering, 12 of 15 mice (80%) given the antibody before radiation exposure survived for more than 100 days. All 18 untreated mice died within eight days. Preliminary research indicates that treating mice after exposure also conferred a survival benefit, Arap notes, so it could be used as treatment as well as a preventive agent. And there's interest in examining its potential for protecting cancer patients from the damaging effects of radiation therapy. MD Anderson and Memorial Sloan-Kettering have an agreement to develop the drug commercially. "We were delighted by this productive collaboration with our colleagues at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center. In going forward, we hope that this work will form the mechanistic basis and ultimately provide a new drug approach to prevent and mitigate human deaths from radiation exposure in accidental, medical, bioterrorism, or military settings" Arap says. Research paper in the Journal of Clinical Investigation Houston Chronicle story Read More by Scott Merville

cc/2020-05/en_head_0049.json.gz/line1539966

__label__wiki

Boyles again cited dubious statistic, reading article stating that "[t]welve Americans are murdered every day" by illegal immigrants Written by Media Matters Staff Published 12/01/06 6:09 PM EST 630 KHOW-AM host Peter Boyles, citing an article published by right-wing news outlet WorldNetDaily, repeated the dubious statistic that illegal immigrants murder 12 Americans every day. However, the article Boyles quoted pointed out that “no federal statistics are kept on murders or any other crimes” committed by illegal immigrants. On the November 29 broadcast of his 630 KHOW-AM show, host Peter Boyles, reading from a November 28 article posted on the right-wing Internet news outlet WorldNetDaily, repeated the dubious statistic that illegal immigrants murder 12 Americans per day, or 4,380 annually -- a figure that exceeds “the combined death toll of U.S. troops ... in Iraq and Afghanistan.” The same article, however, contradicted Boyles' previous assertion that a figure quoted by U.S. Rep. Steve King (R-IA) -- claiming illegal immigrants kill 25 Americans each day -- came from the U.S. Government Accountability Office. Colorado Media Matters has noted (here, here, here, and here) that Boyles and a number of his guests have repeated the dubious statistic, attributed to King, that illegal immigrants “kill 25 Americans each day.” In May, King claimed in at least two speeches and a press release that illegal immigrants murder 12 Americans each day and kill 13 each day as a result of drunken driving accidents, for a total of 25 deaths per day attributable to illegal immigrants. These are the same numbers reported in the WorldNetDaily article Boyles cited: “There's a report on WorldNetDaily that illegal aliens murder 12, or kill -- kill and/or murder 12 Americans daily. It overshadows the death toll in, of American GIs killed in Iraq and Afghanistan.” From the portion of the November 28 WorldNetDaily article Boyles read on the air: BOYLES: Dateline: Washington. While the military quagmire in Iraq is said to tip the scales of power in the U.S. midterm elections, most Americans have no idea more of their fellow citizens -- men, women, and children -- murdered this year by illegal aliens than the combined death toll of U.S. troops in Iraq and Afghanistan. Although no federal statistics are kept on murders or any other crimes committed by illegals, a number of groups have produced estimates based on data collected from prisons, news reports, and independent research. Twelve Americans are murdered every day by illegals, according to statistics released by Representative Steve King, Republican of Iowa. If those numbers are correct, it translates to 4,380 Americans murdered annually by illegals. That's 21,900 since September 11th. On September 27, Boyles falsely claimed that King's 25-deaths-a-day figure was “a GOA [sic] number,” referring to the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO). But on the October 26 broadcast of Boyles' show, Americans for Legal Immigration president William Gheen modified King's 25-deaths-a-day statistic -- which he apparently had repeated in the past -- saying that “between 12 and 25” Americans are killed each day by illegal immigrants. Gheen acknowledged, however, that “no one really knows how many Americans per day are being killed by aliens and illegal aliens.” And he further stated that the figures King used didn't refer exclusively to illegal immigrants: “I came on your show, and I said that according to Congressman Steve King's office in Iowa, that at least 25 Americans per day were being killed by illegal aliens. Come to find out that the study and whatnot it was killed by aliens or immigrants, non-U.S. citizens, at least 25. It wasn't specifically illegal aliens.” Despite Gheen's comments, Boyles repeated the dubious statistic as reported by WorldNetDaily on his November 29 show. WorldNetDaily cited King as the sole source of the reported estimate, and further compared the estimates to casualties in the war on terror, noting that "[w]hile King reports 12 Americans are murdered daily by illegal aliens, he says 13 are killed by drunk illegal alien drivers -- for another annual death toll of 4,745. That's 23,725 since Sept. 11, 2001." But, in contrast to Boyles' previous false claim that King's statistics come from a GAO study, WorldNetDaily stated that “no federal statistics are kept on murders or any other crimes committed by illegal aliens,” and that “no one -- in or out of government -- tracks all U.S. accidents caused by illegal aliens.” According to the article: Though no federal statistics are kept on murders or any other crimes committed by illegal aliens, a number of groups have produced estimates based on data collected from prisons, news reports and independent research. [Hyperlink in original.] While no one -- in or out of government -- tracks all U.S. accidents caused by illegal aliens, the statistical and anecdotal evidence suggests many of last year's 42,636 road deaths involved illegal aliens. Indeed, there is no GAO study reporting that 25 Americans per day are killed by illegal immigrants. Rather, King claimed to have “extrapolate[d]” his dubious figure from a GAO study he requested, which according to King showed that 28 percent of inmates in federal, state, and local prisons and jails are “criminal aliens.” Colorado Media Matters has reviewed GAO reports addressed to King, as well as figures released by the Department of Justice's Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) and has found no support for his assertion that 28 percent of inmates in all prisons and jails are criminal aliens. One GAO study addressed to King and dated April 7, 2005, did report that about 27 percent of all inmates in federal prisons in 2004 were criminal aliens. The study noted that the 27 percent figure applied to all noncitizens in federal prison -- not just to those in the country illegally. The study did not report on the percentage of state and local inmates that are criminal aliens because, according to the GAO, “there was no reliable population and incarceration cost data on criminal aliens incarcerated in all state prisons and local jails.” However, data from the BJS suggest that the percentage of prisoners who are criminal aliens, at least at the federal and state levels, is far lower than King claimed. According to the BJS, 6.4 percent of all state and federal inmates at midyear 2005 were “noncitizens” -- not just illegal immigrants -- down from 6.5 percent in 2004. Colorado Media Matters has previously explained how King might have arrived at his illegitimate figure. From the November 29 broadcast of 630 KHOW-AM's The Peter Boyles Show: BOYLES: There's a report on WorldNetDaily that illegal aliens murder 12, or kill -- kill and/or murder 12 Americans daily. It overshadows the death toll in, of American GIs killed in Iraq and Afghanistan. BOYLES: Email. And this comes -- he says, “Take a look at the WorldNetDaily -- www.worldnetdaily.com -- ” Dateline: Washington. While the military quagmire in Iraq is said to tip the scales of power in the U.S. midterm elections, most Americans have no idea more of their fellow citizens -- men, women, and children -- murdered this year by illegal aliens than the combined death toll of U.S. troops in Iraq and Afghanistan. Media Matters’ new look New Bureau of Land Management head complained that federal employees aren’t held “personally responsible for the harm that they do” New Interior Department senior adviser Christian Palich is a climate denier and former coal group president

cc/2020-05/en_head_0049.json.gz/line1539969

__label__wiki

Copyright > News by Jurisdiction > Spain > Archive Year: [2019] [2018] [2017] [2016] [2015] [2014] [2013] [2012] [2011] [2010] [2009] [2008] [2007] Websites take action ahead of Spanish copyright change Amendments to Spain’s copyright law come into effect next month. But it appears they are already having an impact on digital piracy Managing IP Global Awards 2014: the winners Awards were presented to the leading national, regional and global firms at a ceremony at the Dorchester, London on March 19 ECIJA appoints sports and entertainment partner Ricardo Oliveras Salva has joined ECIJA in Barcelona as a partner, specialising in sports and entertainment law Managing IP Global Awards 2014: shortlists Managing IP is pleased to publish the names of the nominees for the Global Awards 2014. The winners will be announced in a ceremony at The Dorchester, London on March 19

cc/2020-05/en_head_0049.json.gz/line1539972

__label__wiki

Film, Media and Music (1) Literature and Theatre (1) Philosophy and Critical Theory (1) Manchester Security, Conflict & Peace (1) Manchester Film Studies (1) Manchester Political Studies (4) Manchester Religious Studies (1) Manchester International Relations (6) Manchester University Press Journals (1) "mass murders" x What’s There to Mourn? Decolonial Reflections on (the End of) Liberal Humanitarianism Olivia Umurerwa Rutazibwa . The topic was thrust upon me by events in Rwanda in 1994. As a teenage, second-generation Rwandan immigrant in Belgium, I was more personally affected than fellow classmates by the hypocrisy of the international community: the preaching of respect for human rights, followed by their omission during one hundred days of mass murder before the eyes of the world. It felt like there was more to the story than ‘good intentions versus regrettable outcomes’. Ever since, I have worried about the content and purpose of (Western) humanitarian research agendas Journal of Humanitarian Affairs International Relations, Law, Politics Human remains and mass violence Methodological approaches Series: Human Remains and Violence Editors: Jean-Marc Dreyfus and Élisabeth Anstett Mass violence is one of the defining phenomena of the twentieth century, which some have even called the 'century of genocides'. The study of how the dead body is treated can lead us to an understanding of the impact of mass violence on contemporary societies. Corpses of mass violence and genocide, especially when viewed from a biopolitical perspective, force one to focus on the structures of the relations between all that participates in the enfolding case study. Argentina is an extraordinary laboratory in the domain of struggle against impunity and of 'restoration of the truth'. It constitutes a useful paradigm in the context of reflection on the corpses of mass violence. Its special character, in the immediate aftermath of the military dictatorship, is to test almost the entirety of juridical mechanisms in the handling of state crimes. The trigger for both the intercommunal violence and the civil war was the mass murders by the Ustaša. This book discusses the massacres carried out by the Ustaša in Croatia during the Second World War. After a brief presentation of the historical background, the massacres carried out by the Ustaša militia and their corpse disposal methods are described. Using Rwanda as a case study, the book proposes an agenda for ethnographic research to explore the relationship between concealment and display in contexts of genocide. This relationship is explored in detail after a discussion of the historical background to the 1994 genocide. The disposal of corpses in an ethnicized civil war: Croatia, 1941–45 Alexander Korb area. ‘The exhumations were a dreadful task’, the general said. ‘Nobody could enter the cave because the rotting bodies stank so badly. One man who we lowered down on a rope fainted and we had to pull him out again.’ 2 It seems that the soldiers were finally equipped with gas masks. During the Second World War, up to 45 million people lost their lives.3 Almost a quarter of them were victims of targeted attacks with the intent to kill and mass murders, rather than armed hostili­ ties. While the death of the victims can be said to have been well researched, many in Human remains and mass violence Jean-Marc Dreyfus and Élisabeth Anstett An anthropological approach to human remains from the gulags Élisabeth Anstett Japan, Germany, Poland and Korea) act as reminders that the Soviet capital was the scene not only of mass murders, but also of mass cremations, well before the ovens of the Nazi camps. The vast majority of corpses from the gulags, however, remain buried in the vicinity of the camps. And so, given that the camps were for the most part situated in the vicinity of urban conglomer­ ations, the map of the gulags precisely matches the map of the population of the Soviet Union. Yet in spite of the proximity between the Soviet population, the camps and their mass graves Corpses and mass violence: an inventory of the unthinkable Élisabeth Anstett and Jean-Marc Dreyfus Genocide: Mass Murder in ­Historical Perspective (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2003); M. Shaw, War and Genocide: Organized Killing in Modern Society (Cambridge: Polity Press, 2003); M. Levene, Genocide in the Age of the Nation State (London: I. B. Tauris, 2005). B. Schmidt & I. Schröder, Anthropology of Violence and Conflict (London: Routledge, 2001); A. L. Hinton & K. L. O’Neill, Genocide: Truth, Memory and Representation (Durham: Duke University Press, 2009). A. Corbin, J.-J. Courtine & G. Vigarello, Histoire du corps (3 vols) (Paris: Le Seuil, 2005, 2005 The tales destruction tells the dismemberment of their bodies (chapter 9). It is already possible to suggest that some research hypotheses have been confirmed. This is true of the link between the ideology that led to the mass murder and the modality of the treatment of corpses, which can be seen perfectly clearly in the cases of Rwanda, Argentina, South Africa, Iran, and Armenia, as well as in that of the Holocaust. Certainly, looking at the case studies in this volume, we can say that human ingenuity has no limits when it comes to defiling, dismembering, concealing, or destroying a body, to in Destruction and human remains When death is not the end Towards atypology of the treatment of corpses of ‘disappeared detainees’ in Argentinafrom 1975 to 1983 Mario Ranalletti in Argentina. This heterogeneous set of actors and political practices was, for the perpetrators and their civilian allies, a negative otherness5 that was labelled ‘subversion’, whose aim was to change the ‘Western and Christian’ lifestyle and essence of Argentina. Given what happened in Argentina, it is valid to ask how a professional of war (a soldier) or a security professional (a police officer or gendarme) becomes a perpetrator of mass murder and can exercise extreme violence against a largely civilian population that is unarmed and unable to resist or defend A specialist The daily work of Erich Muhsfeldt, chief of the crematorium at Majdanek concentration and extermination camp, 1942–44 ‘destruction’.5 Destruction is a broader and less normative concept than the judicial concepts of ‘murder’ and ‘genocide’, and it may be the result of any method of killing, whether it involves fire, water, gas, hunger, or cold, or whether direct and fast or stealthy and slow.6 This concept is useful in examining the mass murder that took place at Majdanek concentration and extermination camp since it can be used to analyse the systematic murder of European Jews as well as the mass extermination of prisoners of different nationalities. This makes it possible to see how Universalism and the Jewish question Robert Fine and Philip Spencer progress has always been distant and difficult and faith in progress has not become any easier. Signs of barbarism were acutely visible in the 1990s in the mass murder of Muslims in Bosnia and Kosovo and the simultaneous genocide in Rwanda, and more indirectly indicated by the silence, if not effective collusion, with which these catastrophes were largely met in the ‘international community’. In addition, the scepticism with which many leftist groups and in Antisemitism and the left The concealment of bodies during the military dictatorship in Uruguay (1973–84) José López Mazz repression. These supranational repressive mechanisms, which included a range of criminal activities that reached across the entire Southern Cone, would become known as Operation Condor. Mass murder’s pressing problem: the fate of the bodies Over the course of the period of political repression and dictatorship, the treatment of victims’ bodies followed different procedures. It must firstly be said that many of the disappeared political detainees were subject to harsh and systematic torture following their arrival in clandestine prisons. Systematic torture had begun some in Human remains and identification

cc/2020-05/en_head_0049.json.gz/line1539973

__label__wiki

Home » Meghalaya » Meghalaya Media Mawphor Meghalaya Media Meghalaya Media includes a strong presence of both the electronic and printed modes. Whereas a group of many national and local newspapers and magazines take care of the print medium, the news channels and the news portals form the electronic Meghalaya media. Print media is the highlight of the media in Meghalaya. Meghalaya Media is proud of having the presence of some of the best national level dailies. Many state dailies and weeklies also comprise the media in Meghalaya. Shillong Times and the Meghalaya Guardian rub shoulders with the Hindustan Times and the Indian Express on the stands of Meghalaya. Almost all national and even some international magazines are found in the media of Meghalaya. They cover a wide range of issues and subjects from sports to entertainment and politics to business. Both television and radio enjoy great popularity as parts of Meghalaya Media. The infrastructure for television and radio transmissions are great in the state. The television of Meghalaya features almost all the national channels as well as international channels. Doordarshan continues to enjoy great popularity in Meghalaya. Both news and entertainment channels feature prominently in the media at Meghalaya. Radio continues to enjoy great popularity in Meghalaya. All India Radio has an extensive network in the state, having as many as five radio stations in five major cities of the state. Apart from the government channels, there are many private FM channels which enjoy great popularity among the youth of the urban areas, as does World Space radio. Meghalaya news feature a whole array of electronic and print mediums. There are many newspapers, as well as news channels and magazines. Even on line news portals are becoming extremely popular with the steady growth of computer literacy in the state. Altogether, there is never a dearth of news at Meghalaya. Newspapers of Meghalaya Newspapers, along with television news channels, is the most important medium for the dissemination of Meghalaya news. Many newspapers of both state and national levels are there in Meghalaya. Whereas News of Meghalaya is published in one of the most significant local level newspaper, Indian Express, Hindustan Times and The Hindu are the most important national level newspapers of the state. The Shillong Times and the Meghalaya Guardian are two of the many local newspapers of Meghalaya. News Channels of Meghalaya The news channels on television are considered to be significant parts of Meghalaya news. Almost all important news channels of national importance are available in Meghalaya. These news channels are in a wide range of languages like English, Hindi, Bengali as well as local languages like Khasi and Garo. However, it is to the national and international channels that the people largely look forward for the gathering of news. CNN, BBC, NDTV as well as Taja News are some of the most popular TV channels in Meghalaya. Almost all news magazines of national importance are available in Meghalaya. They contribute a great deal in the world of news in Meghalaya. These magazines cover news from across the board like politics, sports,art and entertainment. With the rise in awareness and education, even technology and computer based magazines have gained wide popularity in Meghalaya. India today, Outlook and Frontline are some of the leading magazines that deal with Meghalaya News. Meghalaya newspapers play an important role in the public awareness of Meghalaya. Newspapers in Meghalaya seems to be the link between the government and the general public. The issues and problems that are discussed by the government, as well as the rules are implemented, are made available in Meghalaya by the newspapers of Meghalaya. Since the time when printing press was invented, newspapers have become an integral part of the human society: the human settlements in Meghalaya are no exception. The newspapers at Meghalaya serves the role of the informer in Meghalaya. The newspapers in Meghalaya informs the common people of Meghalaya about the different aspects of the socio-political life in Meghalaya and help them keep abreast with the different socio-political issues. Newspapers at Meghalaya is dynamic: it is growing everyday with the development of the Meghalayan society. It can be said that from its genesis, the newspapers in Meghalaya have come a long way. Some of the important Meghalaya newspapers that deserve special mention in this context are: Newspapers Editor Correspondents The Shillong Times Mr. Manas Chaudhuri. Mr. EM Jose. Mr. Sanjeeb Bhattacharya. U Mawphor Mr. DL Shiangshai. Mr. Powell D. Sohkhlet. Mr. RM Kharlyngka. U Nongsain Hima Mr. Lambok Thabah. Mr. C. Lyndoh. The Meghalaya Guardian Mr. MA Venugopal. Mr. Suraj Joshi. Mr. Rajoo Sharma. U Rupang Mr. RM Shabong. Mr. Commander Shangpliang. To name a few weeklies in Meghalaya: Ka Syrwet Ujmer U Dongmusa U Khlur Ka Ri Sawlyer U Naphang Ka Pyrthei Mynta Yakyntu Jakgitel Shlem Jingtip Kynjat Shai, etc. Therefore, it can be said that the newspapers of Meghalaya play a major role in the socio-political life of Meghalaya. Noth East Telegraph North East Telegraph of Meghalaya is a branch of The Telegraph published by the Ananda Bazar Patrika group in Calcutta. North East Telegraph is the only English newspaper that was published after the Indian Independence. The Telegraph came into existence on 7th July, 1982; and in a short span of about 25 years, The Telegraph has become the largest circulated newspaper in eastern India. The edition of The Telegraph in Meghalaya is known as North East Telegraph. North East Telegraph aims at informing the common masses of Meghalaya about the daily affairs of the state. In fact, the North East Telegraph in Meghalaya deals with various socio-economic and political conditions of Meghalaya. Therefore, the many editions of the newspaper contains various illustrations on the daily events of the state. Further, adhering to the demands of entertainment of the general public, the North East Telegraph also publishes many issues according to the demands of the common people. Among the important issues published by the North East Telegraph at Meghalaya are: Knowhow - Published on Monday, the supplement contains factual details on science, health and IT. Jobs - This issue published on Tuesdays deals with the different techniques that should be followed while taking an interview. Telekids - This is a colorful tabloid issued on Wednesday, which is chiefly meant for the children. CareerGraph - This Thursday issue presents an illustrations on the different kinds of jobs and other career opportunities. Personal Telegraph - Issued on Saturday, this supplement contains a short review on the gadgets, travel, cars, holidaying, etc. Graphiti - On Sundays, the North East Telegraph issues a short magazine dealing with the various aspects of life, along with other supplements such as 7 Day and Classifieds. Thus, it can be concluded that Meghalaya North East Telegraph is working vigorously towards public awareness, as well as entertainment. Meghalaya Radio Meghalaya radio is extremely popular. Surprisingly, in the age of satellite television channels and news portals on the Internet, radio continues to enjoy great popularity in Meghalaya. Meghalaya radio includes both government and private radio stations. All India Radio has as many as five stations in Meghalaya. The programs are both devoted to news, necessary information, government bulletins and entertainment. Radio in Meghalaya has an extremely efficient infrastructure built by the government of the state. Shillong itself has a 100 KW medium wave radio transmitter, with Tura in the West Garo Hills having a 10 KW relay transmitter. Apart from the medium wave transmission, there is also a short wave transmitter at Shillong, called the 'North Eastern Services'. Together they contribute towards the elaborate scope of the radio of Meghalaya. All India Radio is the chief feature of radio at Meghalaya. Not only do they enjoy great popularity in the rural regions of the state in the remote mountainous stretches of the state, but in the city and town areas as well. There are five All India Radio centers in Meghalaya: Shillong radio station Tura Radio station Jowai radio station Williamnagar radio station Private and FM radio form an integral part of Meghalaya radio. Shillong has a short wave transmitter. Called the 'North Eastern Services', these transmitter broadcasts news and entertainment programs. The FM facilities are also widely available in Shillong and some of the other major urban centers of the state. This latest addition to the scene of Meghalaya radio, enjoys great popularity among the inhabitants of Meghalaya, specially the younger sections. Meghalaya Television Meghalaya Television features almost all important TV channels of national and international importance. With an extremely efficient infrastructure, even the most distant place of Meghalaya has a rich heritage of television coverage. Meghalaya Television features programs in many languages, largely English and Hindi. Bangla television channels are extremely popular in the border areas of the state. Television in Meghalaya is also committed towards preserving some of the most indigenous forms of Meghalaya culture through various programs in the local television channels. The government of Meghalaya has taken great steps to improve the infrastructures of television at Meghalaya. Meghalaya Television is equipped with an extremely efficient network. Shillong boasts of a massive 1 KW TV center. The district towns are also equipped with wonderful television network system. Tura in the Garo Hills has a 10 KW transmitter. Jowai in the Jaintia Hills area has a LPT relay transmitter, whereas Williamnagar and Nongstoin have VLPT relay transmitters. Television of Meghalaya features channels ranging from hard core news channels to sports and entertainment channels. They all enjoy great popularity in the state. Some of the major news channels of Meghalaya Television are Zee News, Star TV, BBC and CNN. Doordarshan also enjoys wide viewer-ship among the people of Meghalaya. Some Bangla TV channels like CTVN and Tara Bangla are also widely viewed by the people of Meghalaya, as well Assamese channels. The indigenous television channels of Meghalaya are still at a very rudimentary stage. However, there are chances that the programs will become vastly improved in the near future and secure a much wider audience.

cc/2020-05/en_head_0049.json.gz/line1539976

__label__wiki

Help to Buy wrong for allowing remortgaging, claims Ed Balls Shadow Chancellor Ed Balls has claimed that Help to Buy will help people who have no intention of moving but can use the scheme to remortgage to 95% at the taxpayers’ risk. Balls, speaking at the NHBC annual lunch in Westminster, said: “The first phase of Help to Buy has helped, but the second phase has been widely criticised. “I think commentators are right to question why a policy intended to help first-time buyers will also help existing home owners buy properties up to £600,000, and also allow people who are not moving at all to remortgage.” He called for an immediate review, adding a further criticism – that a fundamental flaw of Help to Buy is that it stimulates demand but not supply. The second phase of Help to Buy allows buyers access to 95% mortgages which are backed by a government indemnity that protects lenders from losses. Balls – who said Labour broadly supported Help to Buy – repeated his claims in a short question and answer session, saying: “I don’t really understand the £600,000 limit. I do understand the role of the home mover [in freeing up homes for first-time buyers], but I don’t understand the role of the taxpayer guarantee in allowing remortgaging.” We put his claims for factual checking to the Department for Communities and Local Government whose press office declined to comment on what they said was a political matter, but passed our query to a political adviser. We were then told that Help to Buy lenders are currently only offering loans for house purchase, not for remortgage purposes. However, Brian Murphy of the Mortgage Advice Bureau gave a more detailed answer. He said that technically Balls is right – but that in practice, no Help to Buy lender is currently offering a remortgage product. Murphy told EAT: “Ed Balls is correct as far as that in theory you can use Help to Buy mortgage guarantees to remortgage, but only in some circumstances. “The Government’s original scheme outline highlighted the issue of home owners with low equity struggling to remortgage on to more competitive offers due to limited high LTV lending. “For that reason it left the scheme open for borrowers remortgaging with a new lending institution. “However, to keep the benefits focused on borrowers and not lenders, it stipulated that lenders can’t use the guarantee to offer remortgage deals to their existing customers. “In practice however, we understand that currently neither Halifax nor NatWest/RBS allow remortgaging within their product rules and HSBC’s new scheme (which goes live today) is not expected to either. “Lenders participating to date have so far chosen to exclude the option for remortgaging from their products, at least for the time being.” According to conveyancing firm LMS, remortgaging now accounts for 27% of the total market. On average, remortgagers are taking out an extra £21,579 above the value of their original loan. * Also speaking at the NHBC lunch was the BBC’s Robert Peston who said that the first phase of Help to Buy could be “tainted” by the second phase. He thought it possible that next spring the Bank of England might bring down the £600,000 cap, but he did not think the scheme would be scrapped. Meanwhile, latest figures show there have been 18,050 reservations made through the first phase of Help to Buy, plus 2,000 mortgage offers made under the second phase. The first phase was launched in April and is a shared equity scheme available on new-builds only. In the first six months of the scheme, 5,375 sales were completed with an average price of £197,167. There were just 26 sales to buyers of properties priced between £500,000 and £600,000 – the price at which the scheme is capped. More than nine out of ten (92%) of sales were to first-time buyers with 71% of sales to buyers with the minimum 5% deposit. Over 900 house builders are registered with the scheme, 94% of which are small and medium house builders. The highest number of Help to Buy sales were in Leeds, Wiltshire, Milton Keynes and Reading. Meanwhile, in the first month, 2,000 purchasers received offers through the second phase of Help to Buy, which offers a 95% mortgage backed by a guarantee.

cc/2020-05/en_head_0049.json.gz/line1539981

__label__cc

Mercy Family About UsMercy FamilyMercy OrganisationsVision & StrategyOur InitiativesChronologyWorks Of MercyMembersDirectorsCompliance & Legal Mercy at a Glance Area of Ministries 1843 Provision and Running of Hospitals and Clinics, Rehab Facilities, Family Care and Outreach Services, Education to Third Level, Prison Ministry, Empowerment of Women through Women’s Centres, Care of Immigrants, Lobbying for Justice, Care of the Earth etc. www.sistersofmercy.org www.sistersofmercy.ie The Sisters of Mercy have been ministering in the United States since 1843 when Francis Xavier Warde arrived in Pittsburgh with six companions from Carlow, Ireland, on December 21. Subsequent groups came from Ireland to New York and California by 1854, and by 1929 sixty independent foundations existed throughout the United States. Sisters of Mercy in the United States address human needs through collaborative efforts in innovative and traditional ways in education, health care, housing, and pastoral and social services. The first Mercy school in the U.S. opened in Pittsburgh in 1844. Since then, Sisters of Mercy have educated hundreds of thousands of students from pre-school to graduate level. Many minister in educational settings beyond the traditional classroom, such as in literacy programs and web-based education programs for adult students. In the area of health care, the Sisters of Mercy sponsor or co-sponsor six health systems and numerous health-related facilities in the United States. These facilities include hospitals, long-term care facilities, rehabilitation centers, family care and outreach centers. In addition, vowed members and associates have served in every capacity from scrub nurses, lab technicians, and doctors to CEOs, CFOs, and trustees. In the 1980s the lack of quality affordable housing hit crisis proportions in the United States, and Sisters of Mercy responded to this need. Mercy Housing was founded in 1981 and has developed over 37,200 units of housing nationwide. In addition, many in the Mercy family can be found in women’s centers, prison ministry, GED training, skills training, micro-enterprises, and food banks or as licensed social workers, psychologists, and counselors in additions treatment centers. Aotearoa New Zealand United States: General Information Live Data from UN p/km2 LITERACY RATE GDP RANKING

cc/2020-05/en_head_0049.json.gz/line1539983

__label__cc

Walton-on-the-Naze (Beach) weather Cloudy changing to sunny intervals by lunchtime. Mist changing to overcast by late morning. <5% <5% <5% <5% <5% <5% <5% <5% <5% <5% <5% <5% <5% <5% <5% <5% <5% <5% <5% <5% -1° -1° 0° 0° 1° 2° 2° 3° 3° 4° 5° 5° 3° 2° 1° 1° 0° 0° 0° 0° 12 14 16 16 14 11 8 7 8 7 7 7 9 9 10 10 11 10 10 10 G G G G G G G G G G G G G M M M M M M M - - - - 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 - - - - - - - <5% <5% <5% <5% <5% <5% <5% 10% 10% <5% 10% 10% 10% 10% 10% 10% 10% 10% 10% 10% 10% 10% 10% 10% -1° -1° -2° -2° -2° -2° -3° -3° -3° -2° -2° 0° 1° 1° 2° 2° 2° 2° 2° 2° 2° 2° 2° 1° 10 9 8 8 8 8 9 10 10 12 12 10 9 9 9 9 9 8 9 8 8 8 8 8 M M M M M M M P P M P G G G G G G G G G G G G G - - - - - - - - 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 - - - - - - - G M M M G G G M VG VG G G VG VG VG VG VG VG VG G G G G G Beach forecast and tide times Walton-on-the-Naze (Beach) Conditions as of 03:00 on Mon 20 Jan. All times displayed in UTC Wind: Light breeze blowing offshore (W ) Tide: Next high tide (3.7m) at 07:24 Full beach forecast Flood warnings in force for England. Updated 04:00 (UTC) on Mon 20 Jan 2020 East of England weather forecast Monday 20 Jan - Cold but fine with some sunshine. Fine and frosty to start, with some areas of fog and freezing fog. The fog should gradually clear during the morning, to reveal a cold but dry day, with plenty of sunshine and light winds. Maximum temperature 7 °C. Dry during the evening and overnight, with winds remaining light. Clear spells should allow temperatures to dip once again, leading to frost and areas of fog or freezing fog. Minimum temperature -3 °C. Another cold day, especially at first in areas of fog and freezing fog that may be slow to clear. Otherwise, fine with plenty of sunshine and light winds once again. Maximum temperature 8 °C. Outlook for Wednesday to Friday: Remaining mainly dry during this period. Some clear or sunny spells are still likely, but on the whole it should become cloudier and a little less cold, with limited frost. Altocumulus clouds Altostratus clouds Impacts on small-scale wind power generation

cc/2020-05/en_head_0049.json.gz/line1539986

__label__wiki

Dozier School Dig Unearths Bodies of at Least 55 Boys Michael E. Miller Michael E. Miller | January 29, 2014 | 9:00am Three years after it was finally closed, the Arthur G. Dozier School for Boys continues to belch up its foul secrets. The infamous Panhandle reform school was shut in 2011 after more than a century of shocking stories, including the deaths of dozens of black youths and the abuse of Miami teens. But yesterday authorities announced they had unearthed 55 bodies -- more than twice the official tally -- from behind the cursed institution. See also: No Budget for Sadism: Arthur G. Dozier Boys' School to Close Even before the school closed, state officials began looking into the small bodies buried behind Dozier. In 2010, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement announced there were 31 official gravesites at the "reform school" near the Alabama-Georgia border. The University of South Florida was commissioned to lead an excavation, with remains sent to Texas for DNA testing, Reuters reported. The bodies were found in the woods across a busy highway from the school. Officials are now focused on another nearby area nicknamed "Boot Hill." The school has a long history of abuse, dating back to its opening in 1900. Most of the bodies are believed to belong to black children who died early in the 20th Century. In 1903, investigators found children shackled like prisoners, according to the Tampa Bay Times. Decades later, boys were still being beaten bloody with leather straps. And in the 1980s, "investigators found that boys were being hogtied and kept in isolation for weeks at a time." See also: Free Justin! Despite well-documented injustice, a Pembroke Pines boy remains in jail In 2007, New Times wrote about the case of Justin Caldwell, a Miami boy who was nearly beaten to death by Dozier guards but remained locked up there. In 2008, a group of former inmates calling themselves the White House Boys persuaded the state to conduct an investigation into the deaths of Dozier inmates, whose graves were marked by nothing more than white crosses among the tall pines. Officials hope that unearthing the graves will allow them to identify the boys' bodies and finally bury some of Dozier's many ghosts. "Locating 55 burials is a significant finding, which opens up a whole new set of questions for our team," USF professor Erin Kimmerle told Reuters. "All of the analyses needed to answer these important questions are yet to be done, but it is our intention to answer as many of these questions as possible." Send your tips to the author, or follow him on Twitter @MikeMillerMiami. Michael E. Miller was a staff writer at Miami New Times for five years. His work for New Times won many national awards, including back-to-back-to-back Sigma Delta Chi medallions. He now covers local enterprise for the Washington Post.

cc/2020-05/en_head_0049.json.gz/line1539987

__label__wiki

Miami Men Busted with 5 Kilos of Coke in Ft. Myers Kyle Munzenrieder | April 10, 2009 | 2:48pm I recently read a story out of the Atlanta media, where it seemed that officials were almost bragging that they were the biggest drug hub in the South, and not Miami. "We are the source of supply for Miami. We're no longer a consumer area. We are, literally, a supply area," says the director of Atlanta's High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area department, Jack Killoran. Good going with your job, by the way. Whether that's true or not, I have no idea, but there's no denying there's still tons of wannabe cocaine cowboys in the Magic City. Just last night two Miami men, Timothy Williams, 38, and Melinore Fair, 57, were arrested on Interstate 75 near Ft. Myers after deputies found 5 kilos of cocaine estimated to be worth $150k under the back seat of their black Ford Taurus.

cc/2020-05/en_head_0049.json.gz/line1539988

__label__wiki

At this Canadian diner, homeless people can use meal tokens to buy sandwiches By Alex Orlov In the world of alternative currencies, bitcoin is on the tip of everyone’s tongue. But there’s another alternative to cash that’s stirring a powerful reaction in one community in Canada. Tokens the size of Ritz crackers may be redeemed for sandwiches at a diner called Save on Meats, located in the heart of Gastown, a neighborhood in the Downtown Eastside area of Vancouver, Canada. Gastown has a longstanding problem with homelessness and drug use. Drug users there consume opioids, fentanyl and heroin — and from 2010 to 2013, a local hospital reported that hospitalizations due to addiction increased by 89%. Drugs are so omnipresent that local birds created a nest from used needles in May. Social entrepreneur Mark Brand launched the Save on Meats token program in 2012, shortly after he took over management of the restaurant and butcher shop. Save on Meats also functions as a community commissary kitchen, serving food to people who live in a neighboring single-room occupancy building for low-income individuals. In an interview, Brand said the point of the token program is twofold: to help customers gift food to homeless people and to help start conversations about shared humanity. Brand said he had the idea for tokens after attending a community meeting about a “gift card project” that would allow marginalized people to redeem a gift card at different restaurants. But the cards were going to have amounts listed on them, and Brand had concerns about the cards being bartered for drugs. “I said, ‘If it has a denomination, it will immediately go back in the drug market,’” Brand said. “I was thrown out of that meeting.” Nevertheless, the problem of creating a way to give food kept him up all night. Brand himself had once been homeless, living on a couch in East Vancouver, when an alcohol addiction took over. The day after the community meeting, he began hatching a plan for the tokens. The exterior of Save on Meats in Gastown Save on Meats Save on Meats began selling tokens for $3.50 a pop, and the tokens could be redeemed for a breakfast sandwich at the restaurant. His hope was that the physical act of an individual handing a token to another hungry individual would spark a conversation. “Then, you’re going to see the human. Donating from afar versus having a conversation are two completely different things,” Brand said. The current program allows individuals to redeem tokens for over five sandwiches, including a vegetarian option, a pulled pork sandwich and a meatball sub. To Brand’s surprise, the restaurant sold hundreds of tokens right off the bat, redeeming 120 alone on the first day the tokens became available. Brand said roughly 210,000 people have been involved in token interactions (giving tokens and receiving them) since the program’s debut five years ago, and Save on Meats also began selling $5 tokens that can be exchanged for warm clothing, too. “Donating from afar versus having a conversation are two completely different things.” — Mark Brand, social impact entrepreneur “It’s never been about a lack of empathy. It’s about a lack of access or trust,” Brand said about the public’s generosity toward homeless individuals. Brand currently serves as the chair for A Better Life Foundation, which provides additional support for the community through dinner fundraisers, job training and employment opportunities. Critics of the token program say it’s paternalistic and doesn’t allow token recipients to decide what’s best for themselves. In an op-ed for the Mainlander, a website dedicated to covering politics and social justice issues in Vancouver, writer Peter Driftmier called the token program “an extreme example of denying food choice and literally tokenizing the poor.” But Brand’s vision is larger than sandwiches and warm socks. “Giving someone a sandwich is not going to solve the problem of homelessness unless it inspires someone who can affect homelessness to do something,” Brand said. He wants people to tap into what they’re good at — like providing legal services or designing websites — to help others in need. “Take your genius and plug it into something,” he said. Brand (bottom row, center) with employees of Save on Meats Save on Meats Brand’s philosophy on resource efficiency applies to his own employees, too. He’s tweaked several job positions to cater to both his business needs and the needs of people who often have trouble getting and keeping jobs, like those with developmental disabilities. “What if you really just needed a brunch prep cook? How do you hire someone for just 13 hours a week? Nobody’s looking for that job,” he said. Some of his longstanding employees are individuals with developmental disabilities, Brand noted, explaining that people with developmental disabilities and other barriers to employment — like being formerly incarcerated — can save employers money with significantly lower turnover rates. “People in the service industry turn over at a national average of about 75% per annum. People with barriers [to employment] turn over at less than 25%,” Brand said. “I don’t think we are raising them up — they raise themselves up, by having the opportunity to work with people who care.” Correction: Jan. 2, 2018

cc/2020-05/en_head_0049.json.gz/line1539989

__label__cc

News and Press: Industry News Astellas and Frequency Therapeutics Enter into License Agreement for FX-322 Wednesday, July 17, 2019 (0 Comments) Astellas Obtains the Exclusive Rights to Develop and Commercialize FX-322 in Ex-U.S. Markets; Frequency Retains U.S. Rights Frequency will Receive $80 Million Upfront from Astellas with the Potential of up to $545 Million in Future Milestone Payments as well as Double-Digit Royalties July 17, 2019 03:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time TOKYO & WOBURN, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Astellas Pharma Inc. (TSE: 4503, President and CEO: Kenji Yasukawa, Ph.D., “Astellas” ) and Frequency Therapeutics, Inc. today announced that they have entered into an exclusive license agreement to develop and commercialize Frequency’s regenerative therapeutic candidate, FX-322, for the treatment of sensorineural hearing loss, the most common type of hearing loss. At present, there are no approved therapeutic options for sensorineural hearing loss. Under the terms of the agreement, Astellas will be responsible for the development and commercialization of FX-322 outside of the U.S. and Frequency will be responsible for U.S. development and commercialization. The companies will be jointly responsible for conducting global clinical studies and coordinating commercial launch activities. Frequency will receive an upfront payment of $80 million and may also receive up to an additional $545 million based on development and commercial milestones, as well as royalties on any future product sales in the licensed territory. Frequency recently completed a Phase 1/2 clinical study in the U.S. in which FX-322 was observed to be well-tolerated following a single intratympanic injection, with no serious adverse events. Improvements in hearing function were observed in multiple FX-322 treated patients. Frequency plans to initiate a Phase 2a study in the fourth quarter of 2019. FX-322 is a proprietary combination of small-molecule drugs designed to restore hearing function by activating inner ear progenitor cells already present in the body to induce hair cell regeneration. Sensorineural hearing loss is the result of damage to and/or loss of sensory hair cells in the inner ear. These inner ear hair cells do not spontaneously regenerate once damaged, although progenitor cells capable of regenerating hair cells remain present in the ear in an inactive state. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that there are currently more than 800 million adults with hearing loss globally. According to the U.S. National Institutes of Health, approximately 90 percent of those with hearing loss are affected by sensorineural hearing loss. “FX-322 is a program that focuses on the mechanism of regeneration. Astellas is committed to exploring all types of partnership opportunities to turn cutting-edge science and technological advances into value for patients,” said Naoki Okamura, Representative Director Corporate Executive Vice President, Chief Strategy Officer, Astellas. “We look forward to further investigating the potential of FX-322 to improve hearing function in patients around the world.” “Collaborating with Astellas provides us an opportunity to work with a partner that has deep, global clinical development and commercial expertise and shares our focus in pursuing novel regenerative medicines for patients with diseases where there are no therapeutic options,” said David Lucchino, Frequency’s Chief Executive Officer. “We are excited to collaborate with them to advance FX-322 for patients with sensorineural hearing loss and to further demonstrate the potential of our platform for progenitor cell activation.” Astellas reflected the impact from this agreement in its financial forecasts of the current fiscal year ending March 31, 2020. About Sensorineural Hearing Loss Sensorineural hearing loss is the most common form of hearing loss, resulting from damage to the hair cells in the inner ear or problems with the nerve pathways that convert sound waves from the inner ear to the brain. Hair cells are commonly lost due to chronic noise exposure, or as a result of aging, certain viral infections or exposure to ototoxic drugs. The WHO estimates that 1.1 billion children and adults ages 12 to 35 years old are at risk for hearing loss from recreational noise exposure. About Astellas Astellas Pharma Inc., based in Tokyo, Japan, is a company dedicated to improving the health of people around the world through the provision of innovative and reliable pharmaceutical products. For more information, please visit our website at https://www.astellas.com/en About Frequency Therapeutics Frequency Therapeutics is a biotech company focused on developing small molecule drugs that stimulate cells in the body to reverse biological deficits and restore healthy tissue. Through the transitory activation of these cells, Frequency aims to develop therapies that can enable disease modification without the complexity of genetic engineering. Our development candidates use a proprietary combination of small-molecule drugs that induce progenitor cells to multiply and create new cells. While Frequency’s lead program targets hearing restoration, our PCA platform may have the potential to touch upon a wide breadth of therapeutic areas. For more information visit www.frequencytx.com. Cautionary Notes (Astellas) In this press release, statements made with respect to current plans, estimates, strategies and beliefs and other statements that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements about the future performance of Astellas. These statements are based on management’s current assumptions and beliefs in light of the information currently available to it and involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties. A number of factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those discussed in the forward-looking statements. Such factors include, but are not limited to: (i) changes in general economic conditions and in laws and regulations, relating to pharmaceutical markets, (ii) currency exchange rate fluctuations, (iii) delays in new product launches, (iv) the inability of Astellas to market existing and new products effectively, (v) the inability of Astellas to continue to effectively research and develop products accepted by customers in highly competitive markets, and (vi) infringements of Astellas’ intellectual property rights by third parties. Information about pharmaceutical products (including products currently in development) which is included in this press release is not intended to constitute an advertisement or medical advice. Frequency Therapeutics Lindy Devereux Scient Public Relations lindy@scientpr.com

cc/2020-05/en_head_0049.json.gz/line1539991

__label__wiki

Rights groups: UN must act against Egypt’s harassment of its citizens December 13, 2018 at 12:24 pm | Published in: Amnesty International, Egypt, HRW, International Organisations, News, UN Egyptian police arrest a child in Cairo, Egypt, 2 June 2017 [Tareq al-Gabas/Apaimages, File photo] A group of six international rights groups called for a “robust” response to Egyptian authorities’ harassment of citizens who met with the UN special rapporteur and gave her details about life in the country, Arab48 com reported yesterday. In a statement, the rights groups, including Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International, requested an independent investigation be launched into claims made by UN Special Rapporteur on the Right to Housing, Leilani Farha, who said she was “shocked” that the people she met in Egypt between 24 September and 3 October to get information for a UN report were harassed and intimidated. According to Farha, several families from two communities she met were later subjected to “forced evictions” and had their furniture thrown in the street, leaving them homeless, AFP reported. She also said that other people she had met were interrogated by the police and one of them faced “arbitrary arrest and detention at an undisclosed location”. READ: Egypt arrests lawyer for wearing ‘yellow vest’ The UN rapporteur added: “Egypt has failed to adhere to the assurances provided to me that no person would be harassed, intimidated or subjected to reprisal for meeting or providing information to me or my delegation.” In response to her charges, AFP said, the Egyptian authorities accused her of “fabricating lies”. However, the rights groups said in their statement that failing to act in response to the alleged reprisals “will only encourage similar human rights violations in the future and risk undermining the accessibility and credibility of the UN experts and wider human rights system.” The UN should “ensure an urgent and robust system-wide response”, the rights groups said, adding that the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights should review “any ongoing cooperation” with Cairo. Farah and her team carried out the first official international fact-finding committee since the 2013 coup which ousted the Egypt’s first democratically elected President, Mohammed Morsi. The rights groups said that she was not allowed to visit areas where people regularly subjected to harassment and forced evictions. Amnesty InternationalEgyptHRWInternational OrganisationsNewsUN

cc/2020-05/en_head_0049.json.gz/line1539993

__label__wiki

Published on Migrant Clinicians Network (https://www.migrantclinician.org) Home > Printer-friendly Bettering the Lives of Workers: Profile of Linda McCauley Linda McCauley, RN, PhD, FAAN, FAAOHN By Claire Hutkins Seda, Writer, Migrant Clinicians Network, Managing Editor, Streamline [Editor’s note: This article is part of a series on the lives of members of Migrant Clinicians Network’s External Advisory Board. Learn more about the board at http://www.migrantclinician.org/about/external-advisory-board.html [1].] In the world of environmental and occupational health, there are few nurses. And that’s a shame, says Linda McCauley, RN, PhD, FAAN, FAAOHN, a leading researcher on environmental health among underserved populations. She believes the gap between primary care and public health should be closed -- beginning with the curriculum presented to our future medical providers. “We cannot do public health without the primary care workforce,” Dr. McCauley asserted. Environmental exposures -- about which Dr. McCauley is an expert -- is a leading example of this disconnect. During an appointment with a pregnant patient, for example, “you know what’s important for prenatal care -- and part of it is environmental. We talk about firearms, alcohol consumption, and where they live,” but what chemicals are our patients exposed to, and do we have the training to tease out when it’s a health concern? Dr. McCauley has spent her career adding to the literature on the question. From Reproductive Health, to Environmental Health, to Planetary Health After earning her nursing degree at the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill, she earned a graduate’s degree in children’s health, feeding her interest in maternal and child health. Soon after, she began studying how environmental influences have reproductive health effects. Her focus then sharpened onto the environmental and occupational health piece. “I’ve always loved studying chemistry -- and how the body responds to chemicals in the workplace, in the environment,” she noted. This interest led her to Oregon, where she received her master’s in nursing and stayed on the West Coast to work with veterans exposed to chemicals. She then began a research program in coordination with the local Migrant Head Start, where she studied pesticide exposure in mobile or seasonal agricultural worker families. What brought her to begin studying the effects of environmental exposures specifically on minority communities? “I think it was the nursing,” she replied, an urge to make sure that primary care providers are given the best information to serve their patients who are exposed to chemicals. Dr. McCauley’s work and her lifelong love of learning brought her back to school to earn a doctorate in environmental health. Dr. McCauley continued her research projects focused on the environmental impacts of workplaces of the underserved. Her dedication has been recognized and continued through her appointment as Dean and Professor at the Emory University Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing in Atlanta, GA. Decades of research later, her current project still hovers on the same concerns, this time in Florida. In collaboration with the Farmworker Association of Florida, she is currently working on a project entitled Los Girasoles (Spanish for “sunflowers”), which studies the impact of heat exposure on agricultural workers’ health. “The symptoms of heat exposure are really similar to those of pesticide exposure, and clinicians need to understand that,” she noted. “And there’s no place that they learn it.” Los Girasoles, funded by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), is a four-year project that aims to better understand how agricultural workers respond to heat stress and to garner more complete data on the magnitude of heat-related illnesses like heat stroke in agricultural work. These data will be even more critical as global temperatures continue to rise, replies Dr. McCauley. Agricultural workers, susceptible to heat-related physiologic responses due to exposure to sun, heat, and humidity over many working hours, have a heat-related death rate nearly 20 times greater than the overall US civilian workforce, according to Los Girasoles. Dr. McCauley recognizes that the data are highly relevant in the primary care world. “Clinicians want to hear what we’re learning about these ‘healthy’ workers and how their body can become so degraded, so quickly,” as a result of prolonged heat exposure, she said. As an example, occupation is now considered a risk factor in the recent and ongoing epidemic of chronic kidney disease of unknown etiology, as agricultural workers exposed to many conditions including extreme heat and dehydration are showing a decrease in kidney function. Those in the primary care world need to know the latest data, Dr. McCauley insists, in order to better recognize and treat environmental illnesses. In addition to a synchronization of primary care and public health, Dr. McCauley advocates for a reframing of environmental health to a broader, more inclusive “planetary health” -- a term that is based in an understanding that human health depends on the health of the natural systems in which it thrives. This more inclusive, multidisciplinary term calls out our interdependencies and brings preventative care to a new level -- by viewing ecosystem degradation as a risk factor for human health concerns. Connection to MCN Dr. McCauley believes that organizations like MCN serve as critical links between the public health and primary care world, by bringing updated information to frontline clinicians. “MCN brings me back to my roots as a nurse,” Dr. McCauley says. Dr. McCauley has worked closely with MCN’s Amy K. Liebman, MPA, MA, Director of Environmental and Occupational Health, for decades, including in the Occupational Health section of the American Public Health Association. “Dr. McCauley is such an important colleague and contributor to the science that helps us better understand agricultural worker exposures,” said Liebman. “Her nursing background adds an important perspective to her work and ultimately fuels her passion to engage clinicians and help prepare them to better address the environmental and occupational health needs of their patients.” Dr. McCauley now serves on MCN’s External Advisory Board, a peer technical and scientific committee established to promote cross-disciplinary collaboration. Dr. McCauley is also a member of the Streamline External Editorial Board, reviewing the environmental and occupational health portion of the publication for accuracy and relevancy. “We are fortunate to collaborate so closely with Dr. McCauley. She understands the important work that MCN does and pursues partnerships and collaborative efforts so that we can expand our collective impact. ” Liebman said. Read this article in the Spring/Summer 2017 issue of Streamline here! [2] Sign up for our eNewsletter [3] to receive bimonthly news from MCN, including announcements of the next Streamline. Return to the Streamline Spring/Summer 2017 Table of Contents [4]. Page Configuration Swap Resource List for Editor Resource List? 16394,16396,16397,16398,16399,16400,16401,16402 Promising Practice Integration Source URL: https://www.migrantclinician.org/streamline-2017-spring-summer/bettering-the-lives-of-workers-profile-of-linda-mccauley.html [1] https://www.migrantclinician.org/about/external-advisory-board.html [2] https://www.migrantclinician.org/files/_pdfs/Streamline%20Spring-Summer%202017.pdf [3] http://eepurl.com/44MTH [4] https://www.migrantclinician.org/news/streamline/2017/jun/springsummer-2017.html

cc/2020-05/en_head_0049.json.gz/line1539994

__label__cc

Mongolia in a few words Demographics of Mongolia In the early 2015, Mongolia celebrated the birth of the three millionth Mongolian people. Mongolia is placed 121st in terms of global population. It's the country that has the lowest density of population in the world, with only 1,8 inhabitant per square kilometre, behind Namibia (2,5 inh./sq. km.). The population growth rate is estimated at 1,2 % (2007). About 59 % of the population is under age 30, 27 % of whom are under 14. This quite young and growing population places strains on Mongolia's economy. Geography of Mongolia Climate in Mongolia Women's condition in the Mongolian society

cc/2020-05/en_head_0049.json.gz/line1539995

__label__wiki

Alabama Legislature approves bill ending marriage licenses Legislation replaces license with affidavit Alabama Legislature approves bill ending marriage licenses Legislation replaces license with affidavit Check out this story on montgomeryadvertiser.com: https://www.montgomeryadvertiser.com/story/news/2019/05/23/alabama-legislature-approves-bill-ending-marriage-licenses/1211162001/ Brian Lyman, Montgomery Advertiser Published 3:43 p.m. CT May 23, 2019 | Updated 3:58 p.m. CT May 23, 2019 The Alabama House of Representatives gave final legislative approval Thursday to a bill that would end marriage licenses in Alabama, replacing them with signed affidavits. The measure, sponsored by Sen. Greg Albritton, R-Atmore, passed the House 67 to 26. It goes to Gov. Kay Ivey’s desk. The measure aims to appease a handful of probate judges who stopped issuing marriage licenses after rulings by federal courts and the U.S. Supreme Court in 2015 that struck down Alabama’s ban on same-sex marriage. A template for a marriage license, issued by the Alabama Department of Public Health earlier this year. (Photo: Alabama Department of Public Health) “You still have places where people cannot get married, regardless of gender,” Albritton said before the House vote on the measure. “This bill will fix that. Every person in every county of the state of Alabama can get officially married.” In the Montgomery delegation, Reps. Kirk Hatcher, D-Montgomery, and Reed Ingram, R-Pike Road, voted for the bill. Reps. Thad McClammy and Tashina Morris, both D-Montgomery, voted against it. The vote crossed party lines. Six Democrats joined 61 Republicans voting for the bill. Ten Republicans joined 16 Democrats voting against it. Three Democrats and 3 Republicans abstained. The law, if signed, would change the role of the probate judge from issuing marriage licenses to recording affidavits filed in his or her office. More: Alabama Senate approves bill that would end marriage licenses Rep. Wes Allen, R-Troy, stopped issuing marriage licenses while serving as Pike County probate judge in February 2015, after U.S. District Judge Ginny Granade struck down the state’s bans on same-sex marriage. “We passed a constitutional amendment back in 2006 with about 80/20 defining marriage beliefs,” Allen said on Thursday. "Just because it went against my beliefs, and I did not want to put my signature on those marriage licenses that were not a man and a woman. I just discontinued issuing marriage licenses." Greg Albritton at the Alabama Advisory Council on Gaming meeting at the Alabama Statehouse in Montgomery, Ala., on Thursday January 26, 2017. (Photo: Mickey Welsh / Advertiser) The bill did not run into any kind of debate. Rep. Neil Rafferty, D-Birmingham, the only openly gay member of the House, said he “talked to the senator a lot” about the bill about his concerns prior to the vote. “I would say in and of itself it’s not prejudiced, but it’s definitely born out of prejudice, and it definitely makes way for prejudice,” he said. “I think it’s far less about good governance and more about protecting folks who don’t want to do their jobs.” Read or Share this story: https://www.montgomeryadvertiser.com/story/news/2019/05/23/alabama-legislature-approves-bill-ending-marriage-licenses/1211162001/

cc/2020-05/en_head_0049.json.gz/line1539997

__label__cc

Season Review: Ryan Blaney KENNETH LEE JR. | @FRONTROWKENNY December 13, 2019 at 8:55 AM Rolling into the season opener in things didn’t go as planned in the Daytona 500 for Blaney after being involved in the “Big One” in the final 10 laps. “I remember that day pretty well and those two days pretty well,” Blaney said. “We spun on pit road on Sunday so that stunk and then we missed a lot of wrecks on Monday. We were joking about it before the race, every speedway race this year up until that one we got into someone else’s mess. “Everyone wrecks we got plowed into it and there’s nothing you can do about it in some of those situations. There were three big wrecks we got through on Monday and holes opening up at the right time and we ended up getting through it. As the playoffs came down to the very end, Blaney was just a few points shy from making his way into his first Championship 4 for the first time in his career. A third-place finish at ISM Raceway wasn’t enough to advance the young driver into the next round. “I’m proud of everyone on this team and how far we’ve come this season.” “The family time is good and obviously, part of you wants the season to be over and part you doesn’t want the season to be over because this is what you love to do and this is what you look forward to every single weekend,” Blaney said. “But it is nice to get a little bit of a break every now and then.”

cc/2020-05/en_head_0049.json.gz/line1540000

__label__wiki

Viewing Record 1 of 1 "...Docudrama (Shriver/Baskervill)" Heinecken, Robert Silver dye bleach print image: 7 1/2 in x 10 1/2 in The Constructed Image Robert Heinecken, who is perhaps best known for his assemblages of found images from torn magazine pages and for photographs containing familiar media iconography, continually redefined the role of photographer and perceptions of photography as an art medium. Trained in design, drawing, and printmaking, Heinecken's signature work incorporates public images (from magazines, newspapers, and television) and his own darkroom activity which changes the interpretation of the original images. Though Heinecken is rarely behind the lens of a camera, his process is faithfully photographic. Yet he is often discussed less in terms of photography and more in terms of conceptual art. To put a name to Heinecken's unique combination of interests and technique, he was dubbed a "photographist" by philosopher and art critic Arthur C. Danto who described the responsibility of the modern artist as "creating art that functions in part as a philosophical reflection of its own nature." For the series "Recto/Verso," Heinecken manipulates advertising imagery, looking quite literally beneath its surface to create a social satire that highlights female sexuality and media messages. He uses his trademark method of contact printing, where a magazine page with images on either side is placed on light sensitive paper and exposed, front and back of the page (recto and verso) being burned into the final photograph at the same time. In all, the Recto/Verso portfolio contains twelve color Cibachrome photograms from the late 1980s, taken largely from commercial fashion photography. Models sunbathe or interact with various products, but the scenes become complicated and awkward when both sides of the page are visible simultaneously. Sharply dressed women are splashed across the face with nail polish. Legs are inexplicably intertwined with asparagus. Heinecken plays with mixed messages and double-talk to confront us with images of vanity and consumption that reveal the construction and superficiality of media culture. The series "Are You Rea" is perhaps Heinecken's most popular body of work. Its title comes from a headline text fragment in one member of the series, and was selected by Heinecken for the mirroring of letters in the words. Made in the late 1960s, at a time when the public was being bombarded by the media's definitions of beauty, race, and gender, Heinecken challenged the viewer to question the source and validity of these social stereotypes. Early in his career, Heinecken began experimenting with photographs from appropriated magazine pages, carefully controlling light intensity and following the technique described above for the Recto/Verso pictures to make unified compositions from two sides of a single page. Unlike the later series, however, the process of the "Are You Rea" gelatin-silver prints inverts the tones of the original images to create negative images in black-and-white. The effect reinforces the sensation that the images are familiar yet their meaning reversed. Where the magazines blindly push desire, Heinecken's images question it, investigate the duality of real circumstances and the unattainable standards we set. In a simple juxtaposition, Heinecken draws us in and simultaneously repulses us. From the tangle of two scenes meshed together, the viewer extracts a clear perspective on the need to consume. Robert Heinecken was born in Denver, Colorado on October 29, 1931. He began his education at Riverside Junior College in Riverside, California (1949-1951), was a fighter pilot in the U.S. Marine Corp from 1953-1957, and went on to study art at the University of California, Los Angeles, completing a BA (1959) and then an MA (1960). In 1964 he founded the graduate program for photography at UCLA, and retired from the institution in 1991. He received a Guggenheim Fellowship, a National Endowment for the Arts Individual Artists Grant, and Polaroid Corporation grants. He died on May 18, 2006. "Shiva and Parvati Seated", Embracing and Their Son GaneshaHeinecken, Robert1992 "Shiva King of Dancers" Manifesting as a TransvestiteHeinecken, Robert1992

cc/2020-05/en_head_0049.json.gz/line1540003

__label__wiki

23.09.2005 NPP News NPP is finished - Mr. Domestication By The Insight Mr Dan Lartey, the aging founder and leader of the Great Consolidated Popular Party (GCPP) has lashed out at the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP), claiming that "it is finished." Mr Lartey who was an ally of the NPP in the 2000 elections said, "The (NPP) are in complete disarray." He was speaking in an exclusive interview with The Insight at his Citadel House near the Kaneshie Market on a wide range of issues. He said in 2000, a combination of factors shifted political power to the NPP and they grabbed it with both hands without appreciating its significance. "Today, every member of the party especially at the leadership level is doing what he or she likes. There is no discipline I the party and they have landed in big trouble." He said five years after the party assumed office nothing has changed. "There has been very little change in salaries and wages at a time when utility charges have gone up by more than 200 per cent," he said. Mr Lartey said Ghana is still importing some major food items like rice, sugar, milk, and meat which can be produced locally. "Eventhough the NPP has woken up after the Asawase and Odododiodioo bye-election, Ghanaians do not trust them anymore and there is nothing they can do to win Ghanaians back," he observed. He said what Ghanaians need now is a "productive government, a government which will use domestic resources to produce goods for the local market and for export. That is domestication, and that is what we at the GCPP are talking about. "Ghanaians have experienced the NDC's Structural Adjustment Programme and they have experience the NPP's HIPC and they have rejected both of them. He claimed that today Ghanaians want to go back to the days of Osagyefo Dr Kwame Nkrumah and to re-experience the prosperity of that era.

cc/2020-05/en_head_0049.json.gz/line1540004

__label__wiki

Chris Stroud Born: Feb. 3, 1982 in Nederland, Texas Chris Stroud attended Port Neches-Groves High School where he made a decision to leave baseball, basketball, and football, and put all his efforts and skills, developed through his father, into his golf game. He was recognized in the National Junior Golf Rankings, and was pursued by many Division I college programs. He says to this day one of the greatest decisions he had ever made was committing to play at Lamar University where Brad McMakin and Brian White catapulted his golf career. As an amateur, he won the 2003 North and South Amateur and played on the 2004 Palmer Cup team. Stroud turned pro in 2004. He played on mini-tours until earning his PGA Tour card at the 2006 , 2007, and 2008 Qualifying schools. He was not able to finish high enough on the money list to retain his card until 2009 when he finished 113th. His best performance in a PGA Tour event during these early years was a tie for fifth at the 2007 Zurich Classic of New Orleans. In 2010, Stroud earned the highest payout of his career so far of $237,500 for finishing tied for 10th at The Players Championship. In eight years on tour he has earned $8,351,617 and had finished in the Top 10 more than 20 times. Stroud's best career PGA Tour finish so far is second at the 2013 Travelers Championship. He lost in a sudden-death playoff to Ken Duke on the second extra hole, after chipping in from the fringe on the 72nd hole for birdie to force the playoff. In 2013, he lost to Ken Duke in a playoff at the Travelers Championship. On August 6, 2017, Stroud earned his first PGA Tour victory when he won the Barracuda Championship in a playoff over Greg Owen and Richy Werenski. It was his 290th PGA Tour start and he was playing on conditional status. At the 2017 PGA Championship, Stroud was near the top for the first three rounds before a final round 76 earned him a T9 finish. Prior to his win, Stroud was planning on retiring after the season. Return to Sports Hall Home Page

cc/2020-05/en_head_0049.json.gz/line1540005

__label__cc

Outdated educational system: Reason for massive graduate unemployment Source: Dr Abdul-Fatahi Abdulai Kambala | fatahi507@yahoo.com When Ghana became politically independent in 1957, the education system, thus; schools, colleges and universities, was purposely set up, primarily to produce skilled workforce for the young nation. Also, research institutions were to support to sustain the industrialisation agenda for the crawling economy. Largely, knowledge, science and technology became the foundation stone for the country’s economic growth and development strategic plan. Still up to now, more public and private universities have continued to spring up and surely each substantive region can now boast at least one polytechnic or a technical university. Purposefully, our educational system needs to be in touch with its relevance and, therefore, make our graduates 21st Century problem solvers and not problems themselves. As a result, they should be made productive and efficient for our economic growth and development. Sadly, majority of them rather become subjects of our economic woes and objects of social worries. It is the result of this national concern that a look at a contemporary alternative measure , for example, entrepreneurship education, to the situation becomes imperative at this material moment. Crucially, entrepreneurship education, as a recent development, is found to present a contemporary solution to global graduate unemployment and that of Ghana, in particular. It has been called for as a major policy intervention and a mandate to equip the youth with functional knowledge and skills in wealth creation. Entrepreneurship education has the potential in setting up an eco-system that promotes innovation and strengthens the characters and attitudes of youth towards self-reliance and empowers them to gain self-confidence in pursuit of better vision. Currently, the attention given to entrepreneurship education in Ghana is not without concern and the need for it to be intensely integrated into our national education system this time is evident. Hence, the all-out campaign lately reveals that a great deal of interest has been shown to co-opt a successful entrepreneurship education system and expectations are really high. Thus to establish a strong result-oriented educational eco-system in the country, the role and mode of operation of our schools and university systems must change to meet the status of the 21st Century systems. Certainly, the new role of universities requires authorities to redesign the system to meet our high expectations in achieving results from our education. We need an array of institutions that should be set up to coexist together in a very specific way to enable the system to bear results. Each entity in the system, I must state, will need to support the existence of the other in a fine and complex balance to create a system whereby entrepreneurship and innovation are encouraged and reinforced to ensure self-sustainability. Furthermore, results-oriented education system means introducing significant changes in core aspects of the existing curriculum and teaching approaches. Consequently, those who will facilitate entrepreneurial training need to be properly trained to be facilitators of knowledge and skills during transfer rather than commanders in learning. To achieve this, education system developers and policymakers have to play a central role in the realisation of our expectations as a nation. Universities and entrepreneurship In particular, universities responsibilities to society have now gone beyond just teaching and basic research to include a direct contribution to economic growth and development through commercial value creation in industry. Certainly, this development has called for the concept of entrepreneurship and innovation to be introduced and emphasised in our educational system right from basic education to the tertiary level. To respond accordingly, our universities can put entrepreneurship at the centre of their operations because they are well positioned to train students to develop entrepreneurial skills and capabilities while on campuses. Also, in pursuit of entrepreneurial objectives, universities can engage stakeholders within and outside their local areas to create enabling and supportive institutional environment for innovation and entrepreneurship to prevail. That is not all, they can develop the right leadership, create the right entrepreneurial mindsets and visions with a culture of incentives to provide the needed mechanisms and support for entrepreneurship. Moreover, tertiary institutions can take the lead in new ventures creation through commercialisation of intellectual property by spinning out companies and also to generate more funds internally. For universities to fulfil their new roles as local development and innovation champions, they can also go ahead to establish innovation centres, incubators so that the public can equally spin in, and offer practicable entrepreneurship education to facilitate the growth of effective entrepreneurial eco-systems in all regions. In essence, more contemporary development models accord entrepreneurship a more active role in generating economic prosperity and this system should bring it to the doorsteps of local institutions to take responsibility. In principle, universities can contribute principally in different forms to the establishment of entrepreneurial eco-system to bring unemployment figures down. The writer is a consultant in entrepreneurship and business development and an expert in university-industry interaction, knowledge transfer and innovation. Govt, AGI others urged to raise $5b for AfCFTA

cc/2020-05/en_head_0049.json.gz/line1540008

__label__wiki

Doug Routley (Submitted photo) Nanaimo-North Cowichan MLA reflects on 2019 Ladysmith Chronicle’s year-end interview with Doug Routley Cole Schisler Nanaimo-North Cowichan MLA Doug Routley has been in office nearly 15 years, but it’s only been the last two and a half years that he’s been on the government side of the legislature. Routley spoke with the Ladysmith Chronicle to reflect on 2019. In 2019, the NDP spent $17.5 million to build the health science centre at Vancouver Island University, $5 million to expand the marine, auto, and trades complex, $4.9 million into new trades seats for plumbing, electrical, and power engineering. For other education funding, the NDP has put forth $7.4 million in school upgrades in Nanaimo-North Cowichan, $210,000 in playground funding, and $65,000 to fund new Indigenous teaching spaces. In housing for the Nanaimo-North Cowichan region, Routley said the NDP has either built or begun construction on 550 new affordable housing units. Some major construction projects have started, like the Crofton Road upgrade which will see the entire road repaved and widened. RELATED: Long-awaited Crofton road improvements finally happening The NDP reversed cuts to ferry service from Nanaimo to Gabriola Island, and Crofton to Vesuvius, and reduced fares on those routes by 15 per cent. RELATED: Routley welcomes restored ferry service Routley helped secure funding for the Morden mines in Morden Colliery Historic Provincial Park. The government committed $1.4 million to restoring the park and preserving history of the area. RELATED: B.C. government commits $1.4 million to restore Morden Mine near Nanaimo In childcare, the NDP has announced 400 new child care spaces. Routley said the government has put “$6.7 million back in to parent’s pockets” with the affordable childcare benefit. The NDP also gave $815,000 to the First Nations early childhood program for Nanaimo-North Cowichan. The NDP has announced a new hospital in Cowichan, a new ICU in Nanaimo, and an urgent care clinic in Nanaimo. $5.5 million was invested for new MRI machines at Nanaimo General Regional Hospital to run MRIs 24 hours a day. Routley said that has resulted in 2,000 more MRIs performed at NRGH in 2019. The NDP has put $7.5 million into upgrading electrical at NRGH, hired 30 new paramedics for Nanaimo-North Cowichan, and purchased three new ambulances for Nanaimo-Ladysmith. RELATED: Urgent primary care centre will be an expansion of clinic at Nanaimo’s Port Place “I’m really happy with those riding-specific pieces,” Routley said. “I have to say that after 12 years in opposition, running around the province listening to the challenges people face, and essentially promising to address those, it’s so satisfying to actually see it happen.” With his 14 years of experience as an MLA, Routley said he has much more freedom as an individual, and a greater appreciation of the political process. “It has given me a much freer voice. When you start out, you’re learning, and everything’s overwhelming. You’re also cautious because you don’t know what the ramifications are. Experience in dealing with challenging environments like that gives you the ability to navigate clearly, and not be afraid of standing up…” Routley said. “With the perspective I have now, I know how hard it is to drive change, how long it takes to get something done – it’s a long process. It’s absolutely amazing how much does get done, and how many people it takes to get things done.” Routley’s riding’s boundaries changed in 2009 and again in 2015. The big change was 2009, he said, when his boundary expanded by 50 per cent. He is now responsible for representing Crofton, Chemainus, Ladysmith, south Nanaimo, Cedar, Yellow Point, Cassidy, Gabriola, Thetis, Penelakut, and Valdes Islands. There are six First Nations in Nanaimo-North Cowichan, six local governments, and two school districts. “I look at it almost neighbourhood by neighbourhood with each place having a separate identity,” Routley said. Beyond regional diversity, Nanaimo-North Cowichan has the second-lowest number of English-as-second-language speakers in B.C., and double the provincial average of self-identified Indigenous people. Routley said he feels the strongest possible sense of duty to advance truth and reconciliation in the riding. Routley is also prioritizing climate change through his work, he said. He views climate action in two ways – in a larger-scale sense with NDP decisions that impact the province, and in a practical sense. “I can say a lot of things that sound really good about [climate change], but what can I actually do? I think a strong part of the achievable for me is, I have a responsibility as a representative to do what I can to contribute to solutions, but more immediately I have a high duty to help mitigate the consequences for our community,” Routley said. Routley said all public officials have a duty to acknowledge the world is in a climate crisis, and that they must have a “laser-like focus” on solutions that will help people get through the worst impacts of climate change. Although Routley has been the MLA representing the area for well over a decade, he said he doesn’t look at Nanaimo-North Cowichan as ‘his’ riding. “40 per cent of people love you without knowing you, 40 per cent of people can’t stand you without knowing you, and 20 percent are kind of in the middle … I feel like it’s not personal. If somebody is upset and I take heat, it’s fine. They must have the freedom to express anger…” he said. “I have to be prepared for that, and everybody who takes office has to be prepared for that – and welcome it.” Over the years, Routley became well-known in the B.C. legislature for expressing anger. He’s been called one of the NDP’s “regular hecklers,” and received Andrew Weaver’s bronze-medal heckle in 2015. Now that Routley is in government, he heckles far less than he did in opposition. RELATED: B.C. Greens back NDP restrictions on kids under 16 working “I’m very collegial. My reputation as a chair of committees is that I go out of my way to accommodate people. But there’s a place called question period… I struggle to explain why it is that way, until I took a high school student on job shadow with me to meet George MacMinn, and he was 53 years in the B.C. Legislature. He sat this kid down, and he explains to him that at home, at school, and in the community we teach you to work in a civil way, show respect, and not interrupt. The kid agrees, and [George] says, question period isn’t like that. He said question period is a place where you and your family can bring your grievances to government. He said, ‘we have anger in passion in the chamber so we don’t have blood in our streets.’ It was the most brilliant explanation of it,” Routley said. Routley said that the NDP once tried a question period without heckling. Without heckling, they were able to ask more questions, but at the end of question period, constituents accused them of not caring enough about issues. “It is the embodiment of the idea that you can complain about your government and not fear a knock on the door at night, and that – to me – is vital.” In 2020, Routley said he wants to focus on forest policy, which he called the biggest challenge in front of the NDP government currently. He also wants to see a general push to improve institutions like ICBC and B.C. Hydro. Another priority is improving access to child-care spaces to ensure that parents – mothers in particular – have an opportunity to advance their careers. Overall, he said the NDP is focused on lowering the cost of living across the province. Routley says he will run for office again in the 2021 provincial election. editor@ladysmithchronicle.com 2 dead, 1 hurt in shooting at church near Fort Worth, Texas Service Canada told key to improving use, ease of online services is human touch

cc/2020-05/en_head_0049.json.gz/line1540011

__label__cc

by The New Romanticist | Jul 23, 2019 “Invictus” is a Victorian poem by the English poet William Ernest Henley (1849–1903). Written in 1875 and published in 1888 — originally with no title — in his first volume of poems, Book of Verses. About The New Romanticist Francis Ford Coppola’s ‘The Cotton Club’ Showcases the Jazz Age Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker’s Flaws are Fundamental Richard Jewell: One of 2019’s Best Motion Pictures Move Review: A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood Martin Scorsese’s Taxi Driver: Flawed, Engrossing and Prophetic David Lean’s “Lawrence of Arabia” The Joker Movie: Making Outcasts Into Monsters “Aristotle and The Romantic Manifesto” by Robert Mayhew Literature and the Quest for Meaning by Lisa VanDamme Please keep all comments polite, civil, and on the topic of the article. Due to spam considerations, comments with links are put in a moderation queue and will not be visible to others. When We Two Parted By Lord Byron In silence and tears, Half broken-hearted To sever for years… Ayn Rand’s Favorite Poem: “If” By Rudyard Kipling Philosopher Ayn Rand said that she wanted no eulogies at her funeral, but only asked that her favorite poem, “If” by Rudyard Kipling, be read. Love is the Only Reason We’re Alive This is for everyone in love and for everyone looking for love. None of us should have to wait until we’re 85.

cc/2020-05/en_head_0049.json.gz/line1540014

__label__cc

SportsBasketballKnicks As workouts begin, NBPA trying to re-form union NBA players, including New York Knicks Carmelo Anthony, center, and Chauncey Billups, left, listen to players' union representatives speak during a news conference after a meeting of the players' union in New York. (Nov. 14, 2011) Credit: AP By Alan Hahn November 30, 2011 10:25 PM Knicks players will be allowed back at MSG Training Center Thursday morning to use the facilities to work out and prepare for training camp, which remains on schedule to open next Friday. With the lockout still technically in effect, the coaching staff is not permitted to have contact with the players. The workouts are voluntary, so the teams can not organize times or arrange for players to attend. Carmelo Anthony is in New York so it would seem obvious for him to head up to the Tarrytown campus for a workout. With so many players scattered around the country, however, Melo might not find much of a run on the first day. Amar'e Stoudemire is not in New York. He's been staying in South Florida, where he has worked out for most of the offseason. We're told he and rookie Iman Shumpert will be working out together with Stoudemire's trainer at Florida International's gym. Yes, that would be the FIU where Isiah Thomas is the head coach. As we've reported here before, Thomas spent a little time with Stoudemire over the summer and offered pointers about his jump shot. Thomas also worked with Chris Paul and with Joe Johnson at FIU during the offseason. But right now? We're told he's not working with Amar'e or with Iman because he is a little busy coaching his own team. Stoudemire and Shumpert are not expected to arrive in New York until next week. At this point, Chauncey Billups, who has split time between working out with Joe Abunassar in Las Vegas and being with his family in suburban Denver, is expected to follow the same schedule. The players have a bigger responsibility Thursday than just showing up at the gym. The NBA Players Association sent a letter to agents on Wednesday asking for a greater urgency in turning in union cards that were sent to the players earlier this week to begin the process of re-forming the NBPA as a union. According to the letter, which was obtained by Newsday, the NBPA emphasized the importance of a prompt response from the players: "If the American Arbitration Association does not receive 260 signed cards by [Thursday] night, we will not be able to negotiate, draft and ratify a new CBA by next week and the teams will not be able to open camps and begin signing players next Friday as hoped . . . Time is of the essence here and you personally have the unique ability to get this done."

cc/2020-05/en_head_0049.json.gz/line1540016