Thousands petition Congress to ban Internet access taxes
By Josh Peterson / March 31, 2014
More than 43,000 people are petitioning Congress to permanently ban taxes on Internet access.
Governments, like businesses, see the Internet as a revenue source. Several bills would place a permanent ban on Internet access taxes.
As of early Monday afternoon, 43,646 had signed the online petition on Change.org, sponsored by MyWireless.org, a nonpartisan nonprofit wireless advocacy organization.
“Internet access is a critical necessity for economic growth, and is also providing all of us tremendous benefits in our daily lives,” said Amy McLean, communications director of MyWireless.org.
“With more and more Americans turning to wireless as their primary means of accessing the Internet, we think it’s more important than ever for people to weigh in now on the importance of keeping service as affordable as possible,” said McLean.
The organization is currently promoting a number of initiatives, including the Wireless Tax Fairness Act, which places a five-year moratorium on new wireless taxes at the state and local levels.
MyWireless.org’s new petition increases awareness about two bills pending before the House and Senate: the Permanent Internet Tax Freedom Act of 2013 in the House, and Internet Tax Freedom Forever Act of 2013.
Not only would the bills prevent state and local governments from taxing Internet access, they would also prevent multiple taxes from being imposed upon an online purchase by ensuring that only one state can tax each transaction.
MyWireless.org hopes to keep the cost of broadband access down for consumers.
“The petition is a collective voice supporting the permanent extension of the ban on Internet access taxes, and sends a clear message to Congress to take action on behalf of hundreds of millions of American wireless consumers,” McLean said.
Contact Josh Peterson at jpeterson@watchdog.org. Follow Josh on Twitter at @jdpeterson
Article from watchdog.org


From ND to MLB: Frank Carpin
in ND to MLB, Notre Dame on 01/14/11
As the “From Notre Dame to the Major Leagues” series resumes today, it bears a new look. First, it has a graphic, however rudimentary, that, when clicked, will take you to all of the posts in the series. There’s a simple graphic — an include, as we call it in the biz — embedded in each post and a static one with player images at the top of the right rail.
And secondly, this latest installment is more than just my thoughts and observations gleaned from searching the internet for information on a long-ago player. After the New Year, I went to Notre Dame’s online alumni directory to see which former players had contact information listed. Last Saturday, I wrote out e-mails to those with web addresses, and on Monday, I sent out a letter to another. There are still more I have yet to contact, but after this initial effort, I’m more than pleased with the response. Of the six e-mails sent, I had three responses by Monday afternoon.
We’ll begin with the first response, because he wrote back within 24 hours and has been very helpful and forthcoming. I’m not a fan of Q&A formatted interviews (it doesn’t feel like writing to me), so I think the best way to present this is with some research and background, with his comments included for greater detail.
And with that, the From Notre Dame to the Major Leagues” series continues with …
Frank Carpin, a left-handed pitcher born in Brooklyn who went to high school in Richmond, Va., played just one season at Notre Dame, in 1958. The Irish went 20-11, reaching the NCAA Tournament, but falling in the district round with a 2-2 record in Kalamazoo, Mich. I picked up this 1966 Topps card — Carpin’s only card — at the same show where I got the 1965 Jim Hannan that began this project. (I’m not positive, but it looks like Carpin’s photo may have been taken at Shea Stadium. It looks like Shea’s left-field corner, and because of the card stock and quality of 1960s photos, I can’t be sure if the uniform is white or gray — and in ’65, both of the Bucs’ jerseys said “PIRATES.” Carpin was with the Pirates for all of their trips to New York that season.)
Baseball had no part in my decision to attend ND. I chose ND because of its reputation and Catholic background. My first choice was West Point, but that was not an option when I realized my pro baseball potential. I turned down scholarships to many Southern schools, including Wake Forest [the 1955 NCAA champ]. Ironically, the man who got me the scholarship was Syd Thrift, a Pirate scout, who later engineered my being drafted from the Yankee farm system. I did receive a walk-on scholarship at ND, but signed [with the Yankees] after one year.
But Carpin left his mark in his one season. His 102 strikeouts remained the single-season record until Aaron Heilman broke it with 118 in 1999. Heilman now holds the top three single-season strikeouts totals in Irish history, fanning 118 again in 2000 and finishing up with 111 in 2001. Jeff Manship equalled the 111 in 2006 and Danny Tamayo struck out 106 in ’01. Those, along with Carpin’s 102 and David Phelps‘ 102 in 2007, are the only 100-strikeout seasons in Notre Dame history, and all but Carpin’s came in the past 12 years. To put it into greater perspective, in 1958, the Irish played 36 games. The rest of those hurlers compiled their strikeout totals in no fewer than 61 games.
To his credit, Carpin still holds the all-time marks for strikeouts per nine innings (12.63) and in a game. On April 16, 1958, he struck out 19 Indiana Hoosiers, then hit a three-run home run in the bottom of the 10th of a 12-10 Irish victory.
After that stellar season, Carpin accepted the Yankees’ offer and headed to Greensboro in the Class B Carolina League in 1959.
Despite signing with the Yankees in 1959, the Tigers made a better offer. [John] McHale was the GM then and an ND graduate. But my father liked the Yankees and since the Dodgers were not interested, the natural choice was the opposition … just like ND became the choice when West Point was not possible.
After going 12-9 with a 3.24 ERA and 1.47 WHIP (minor league stats for the time period are incomplete, so we have to take what we can get) at age 20 with Greensboro, Carpin moved up to Class A Binghamton in the Eastern League in 1960, going 11-8/3.69/1.52. In ’61, he made the jump to Triple-A and got to go home, playing for Richmond in the International League. He went 7-9/3.52/1.25 with 104 strikeouts in 125 innings and returned the Virginians in ’62. But after starting out 1-6/4.71/1.65, he was demoted to Double-A Amarillo in the Texas League.
The most humbling [moment] was being sent down in 1962 by the Triple-A Yankee team from my hometown — Richmond — to the Texas League. I went from a prospect who nearly made the Yankees in 1961 and 1962 to a suspect who could not win a game until sent out of the organization in 1963 to Lynchburg.
In ’63, Carpin returned to the Southeast, starting out with the Augusta (Ga.) Yankees in the Double-A South Atlantic League before being sent to Lynchburg in the same circuit, but part of the White Sox organization. It was with Lynchburg where he experienced a turning point.
I told this story to the young kids I coached to help them understand what is necessary to be successful in sports or any field. In 1963, I was languishing in the bullpen in Double-A Augusta, Georgia, after a horrible 1962 season and demotion from Triple-A to Double-A. I literally could not get anybody out and the August manager had to send someone out at cut time. They couldn’t send me back to Greensboro, where I had started five years earlier, because of option rules, so they offered me to Lynchburg in the same league. I walked across the diamond that night to join the opposing Lynchburg team, and the manager, Les Moss, asked if I could pitch that night because I was all they had. I eagerly accepted the start and pitched better than I had in two years. The minute I crossed the diamond from one clubhouse to another, everything changed. Two of my next three starts were shutouts on the way to a 15-game winning season and another win in the playoffs against my former Yankee teammates. I asked my kids — What changed? I had the same arm and same “stuff.” The only performance-enhancing substance I took was Wheaties. That’s how much the mental aspect plays in sports and the confidence you get when someone tells you, “You’re all we got.”
Carpin finished ’63 with a 15-9 record, 3.12 ERA and 1.24 WHIP, fanning 142 in 196 innings. He spent ’64 back with Richmond, going 5-3/2.79/1.39, fanning 87 in 97 frames. After the season, the Pirates selected him in the minor league draft, assigning him to Triple-A Columbus, where he started 4-0/2.67/1.44 before getting the call. On May 25, 1965, he made his debut with the Pirates.
The happiest moment was the news of the call-up while in Triple-A early in 1965 and the win that night. My debut was very memorable: Two innings of relief and a win against the Cubs that started a long winning streak for the Pirates, who had started very poorly. I became a good luck charm among the players.
The win in Carpin’s debut was actually the fifth in a 12-game winning streak for the Pirates that season. Before the streak started, they had been 9-24 on the season; Carpin’s win improved Pittsburgh’s record to 10-24. By the end of the streak, they were 21-24 and had cut their deficit in the National League from 13 1/2 games to 7 1/2 and improved their standing from last place (10th in the league) to sixth. They spent most of the season in the middle of the pack before going 10-2 over the final two weeks to finish third.
Carpin finished his rookie year with a 3-1 record, 3.18 ERA and 1.49 WHIP in 39 games, all out of the bullpen. He finished 14 contests, saving four of them, and struck out 27 and walked 24 in 39 2/3 innings. After the season, the Astros selected him in the Rule 5 Draft.
He opened the ’66 season with Houston, appearing in four games and earning the fourth win of his career before being sent down to Triple-A Oklahoma City. On May 5 at the Astrodome, he came into a tie game with two outs in the top of the 13th inning, caught the Cubs’ Adolfo Phillips trying to steal home to get out of the inning and earned the win without throwing a pitch when Joe Morgan scored the game-winner for Houston in the bottom half.
During his 44-game stint with the 89ers, Carpin went 3-5/2.92/1.35 before a recall to the big leagues. He finished the season with a total of six innings in 10 Major League games, going 1-0/7.50/2.50. His final game came on Sept. 3, 1966, two innings in a 12-2 loss at Atlanta, allowing no hits and three walks.
In 1966 I had three children and an expectant wife. There were bone chips starting to develop in my pitching elbow and the Houston doctor told me I had an arthrithic elbow. He suggested they send me home in late August and see how things looked in the spring. I was making $12,000 and this was before free agency and arthroscopic surgery. I also had a Notre Dame degree and my oldest son would start grade school in the fall. My wife said she was not going to accompany me the following year and take my son out of the Richmond school. In addition, I had been working in a training program in the offseason to become a stock broker. All I needed was to pass the exam. I did so that October. What if there had been arthroscopic surgery then? Free agency? More than $12,000 salaries? I rested for two years then started pitching again. Blood flow had dissolved the developing chips and I only pitched once a week in the summer college league in Shennandoah Valley. The results were outstanding. Scouts asked if I would report to their Triple-A clubs right away if they could secure my services. I said no. My brokerage career was taking off, my family was happy in their place and pitching once a week wouldn’t cut it in pro ball. Plus, the money was not there as free agency was still a few years off. But looking back, it is easy to second guess.
Carpin’s career line reads 49 games in those two seasons, a 4-1 record and 3.74 ERA. He holds a distinction for having the most wins since 1930 without allowing a home run, though Craig Kimbrell won four games for the Braves last season, his rookie year, without allowing a long ball. For the moment, Kimbrell and Carpin share that distinction.
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Though his career was cut short, Carpin counts five Hall of Famers among his teammates: Roberto Clemente, Bill Mazeroski and Willie Stargell with the Pirates and Joe Morgan and Robin Roberts with the Astros.
Interesting point on Robin Roberts … I first met him in Yankee spring camp 1961 and renewed the relationship in 1966 at Cocoa Beach (Astros). He invited me fishing in Ft. Lauderdale and we surf fished together at Cocoa Beach. My first encounter with him was Richmond, Va., circa 1949. The Phillies were barnstorming north prior to the season and they came to Richmond to play the Cardinals. I was the only one at the ballpark early one Saturday morning when I saw him staring at the outfield in a box seat. I asked for his autograph and he never broke his stare. In 1961, I told him that story and the next day two autograph pictures were in my locker. Then he invited me fishing offshore and in 1966 he confided with me about Marvin Miller and his part in having a players union with Marvin as head. He introduced me to Marvin, who was also a Brooklyn native and Dodger fan. The Astros, I believe, were the only team that voted against the union and Marvin Miller. Management poisoned everyone’s minds, except me … The rest is history. Maz was a great teammate in Pittsburgh and Willie and Roberto were obviously great players. My Astro experience was a big letdown after Pittsburgh.
Now 72, Carpin still lives in Richmond, where he is a stock and commodities broker for Oppenheimer & Co. He said he follows Notre Dame football “religiously,” attending several games a year, and keeps tabs on the basketball, baseball and top Irish women’s sports. “My wife played against Pat Summit’s first team, so that and soccer are on my viewing list,” he told me. In a follow-up e-mail he sent me yesterday, he offered some thoughts on his decision to leave Notre Dame. With the news that star receiver Michael Floyd would return for his senior season in the fall, I found Carpin’s comments to be quite poignant.
Looking back on my decisions as a young man, I do regret leaving Notre Dame after one year as a baseball player. My education and receiving a degree is not the issue. I graduated in February 1962 with a B.A. in history. Although my career at ND was short, I am more proud that I was Domer than I was a Major League player. And I regret that I cut my college athletic experience short. I think about this when the NFL beckons with the big money. Today’s players don’t have much choice with injury a major concern, especially football players. But baseball is different. There was some money involved, but the main reason I jumped was wanting to find out if I could compete. Patience has never been a virtue, but I wish it had in respect to ND.
As I take this “From ND to MLB” series forward, I think Mr. Carpin’s willingness to share his memories have set the bar pretty high. In addition to trading e-mails with me during the week, he also asked for my mailing address. Yesterday, two signed photos of him at Forbes Field (one posted above, the other here) arrived in my mailbox — such a kind gesture. I wasn’t expecting anything and won’t be asking others for anything in return — only their time and their memories. I can’t wait to see what comes next.
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Technical Committee of Economic Aspects Follows up Factories Operating in Basic Commodities
Muscat, The technical committee of the Economic Aspects Team continues its work in following up factories operating in basic commodities, in light of the Covid-19 outbreak.
The committee consists of the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries, Ministry of Transport, Directorate General of Customs at the Royal Oman Police, Public Authority of Stores and Food Reserve (PASFR), Public Authority for Consumer Protection (PACP) , Oman Global Logistics Group (Asyad ) and Oman Aviation Group.
The formation of the team came with the aim of following up the repercussions that affect the economic aspects due to the spread of the Coronavirus, ensuring the provision of basic commodities and facilitating the crossing of commodities through border outlets.
Mohammed bin Said al-Mahrouqi, Head of the Exemptions Department at the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, who chaired the technical committee of the economic team, said that the team was formed by a decision of the Minister of Commerce and Industry and it is headed by the ministry’s undersecretary.
He added that coordination between members of the committee is done through meetings, as the team held five meetings to date. He furthered that members of the team communicate daily through electronic programs and email.
He added ,”The committee continues to follow the local factories operating in the field of commodities, to be sure about the stock of primary raw materials and the availability of spare parts to ensure the continuity of the work of these factories”.
He stressed that all the factories in the free zones and industrial areas affiliated to Madayn are operating normally.
He explained that the Ministry of Commerce and Industry announced several precautionary measures related to the work of industrial establishments with the aim of limiting the effects of the Coronavirus (Covid-19).
Oman Oil Price Rises 1.04 US Dollar


IFHF and Madigan Army Medical Center Open New Intrepid Spirit at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, WA
Representatives from the Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund (IFHF), Joint Base Lewis-McChord, and Madigan Army Medical Center today opened a new Intrepid Spirit center that will diagnose and treat Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) and psychological health conditions in service members at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington. The facility, which started seeing patients in November 2017, is the sixth in a series of nine centers located at military bases around the country built by the IFHF, a not-for-profit organization and national leader supporting the men and women of the United States Armed Forces and their families. Intrepid Spirit centers currently are operational at Fort Belvoir, Virginia; Camp Lejeune, North Carolina; Fort Campbell, Kentucky; Fort Bragg, North Carolina; and Fort Hood, Texas. The seventh center, located at Camp Pendleton, California, opened earlier this week.
Joint Base Lewis-McChord’s new Intrepid Spirit center cost $12 million to construct and equip with the latest in brain technology and treatment facilities and will span 25,000 square feet. Funding for the project was raised privately through the IFHF.
“This week, the Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund is proud to open two new Intrepid Spirit centers on the West Coast, one here at Joint Base Lewis-McChord and the other at Camp Pendleton in California”, said Arnold Fisher, Honorary Chairman of IFHF. “Being close to your family and having their support is so important to the recovery process. With these new centers, families will not need to uproot themselves and move across the country to be able to care for their loved ones.”
Fisher added, “We owe our success to the people of this country, their generosity and belief in our dedicated mission to heal the men and women who fight so bravely to defend our nation and its citizens.”
As home to the United States Army I Corps and the United States Air Force 62nd Airlift Wing, Joint Base Lewis-McChord supports more than 40,000 active guard and reserve service members, as well as more than 60,000 family members who live on- and off-base, and nearly 30,000 retired military who live within 50 miles of the base.
Intrepid Spirit centers aim to diagnose and treat service members who suffer from TBI and psychological health conditions with the goal of allowing them to continue their regular service in the armed forces and to ensure their lives can be rewarding at work and at home.
All Intrepid Spirit centers around the country are being funded and built by the IFHF through a $100 million fundraising campaign. 100% of contributions to the IFHF go toward the construction and equipping of these centers. Though the centers are being built exclusively through private donations, each center is gifted to the Department of Defense for operation and management upon completion. All of the centers are located at military bases around the country.
The design and mission of the Intrepid Spirit Centers are based on the original National Intrepid Center of Excellence (NICoE) which opened in 2010 at the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, MD. Operated by the Department of Defense, NICoE is the most advanced facility of its kind in the country, and is the center of the Armed Forces’ efforts in researching, diagnosing and treating TBI, psychological health conditions and related injuries sustained by military personnel.
Posted on April 5 2018 in News


The Human Future
Sir Crispin Tickell
Advisory Council Member, Oxford Martin School, University of Oxford
When we know something of our past, we think we know the present. Some may see the future as a continuation of past and present, but according to Sir Crispin Tickell, this outlook is ineffective. In this visionary talk, Sir Crispin will urge us to confront the issues of our day: the multiplication of our species in all its aspects; the economics of health and wealth; the future source of food and energy; adaptation to climate change; and the shortcomings of conventional wisdom. Will the Anthropocene epoch represent no more than a relatively short episode in the story of life on Earth?
A pioneer in linking environmental and climatic change to the realms of politics and business, Sir Crispin Tickell is a former diplomat, warden of Green College Oxford, Chancellor of the University of Kent, and serves as an adviser to ASU's President Michael M. Crow. He is the author of many papers and books, including "Climate Change and World Affairs" and "Mary Anning of Lyme Regis."
Welcoming remarks by:
ASU's President Michael M. Crow
Global Institute of Sustainability's new director, Gary Dirks
Tempe Center for the Arts - Lakeside Room
700 W. Rio Salado Parkway
(reception to follow)


Bollywood / Celebrities / Singer
Music Director, Singer Pritam Chakraborty Biography, Career, Songs, Wife, Wiki
by Gaurav Singh Negi · Published December 6, 2016 · Updated December 6, 2016
Music has always been the soul of Bollywood films. Behind this extraordinary music in films, there are some amazingly talented music directors and singers who make this happen. This biography is about one such skillful music director whose music has always been in the chartbusters. He is Pritam Chakraborty, an Indian music director, singer and composer for Bollywood films. Pritam has also composed many jingles for top brands in advertisements and music for Television serials. He is widely regarded as one of the best musicians and Bollywood singers. He is also among the best Bangla singers as he is into Bangla music along with Hindi films. The biography of Pritam Chakraborty is filled with many interesting facts about his life as well as career.
Pritam Chakraborty Date of Birth
Pritam Chakraborty birthday falls on 14th June and he was born in the year 1971. Pritam celebrates his birthday with his close friend circle and family on most occasions. He also likes to spend time with his fans on his special day and most of them wish him on social media.
Pritam Chakraborty Family Background
Pritam Chakraborty family hails from the city of Kolkata in India. He was born in a simple middle-class Bengali family in Kolkata itself. His father Prabodh Chakraborty was an insurance officer and also used to teach music to students. Pritam learned music from his father as it was already in his genes. Both his father and mother Anuradha Chakraborty would be very proud of their son’s achievements. Pritam Chakraborty wiki further tells you about the education he took in the early years of his life.
Pritam Chakraborty Education
Pritam completed his schooling from St. James School and then completed his graduation in Geology from Presidency College. He learned to play guitar during his school days. He was always inclined towards music since childhood. Pritam then joined the Film and Television Institute in Pune where he enrolled in the course of Sound recording and engineering. During this course, he got an offer to compose music for a film by Hungarian filmmaker Istvan Gaal. He trained himself in African music from musicologist Kedar Avati for this project and became a part of it.
Pritam Chakraborty Personal Life
Pritam Chakraborty has grooved Bollywood industry through his music. Pritam Chakraborty height is around 5 feet 3 inches. He is short in height but his personality doesn’t matter much as he is always behind the screens. Pritam Chakraborty is always seen in long hairs and a full beard. His fans can connect with him through social networking sites as he is quite active on them. Pritam Chakraborty biography has insightful details from the beginning of his career up to now.
Pritam Chakraborty Career
Before starting his career in Bollywood, Pritam formed a band with his Presidency batchmates called ‘Jotugriher Pakhi’ where he used to play guitar. He also joined the Bangla band ‘Chandrabindu’. After completing his education, he moved to Mumbai to pursue his career in music. Pritam has composed ad jingles for reputed brands like Hyundai, Emami, McDonald’s, Head & Shoulder, Thumbs up, Limca, Complan, and much more. Pritam Chakraborty songs also include the title tracks for television serials like ‘Astitva’, ‘Kkavyanjali’, ‘Ye Meri Life Hai’, ‘Remix’, ‘Dil Kya Kare’ and much more. In the year 2001, when Pritam Chakraborty age was 30 he got his first big break in Bollywood as a music composer for the film ‘Tere Liye’. He worked with his partner Jeet Ganguly on this movie. Although ‘Tere Liye’ badly sank at the box office, the music went very popular. The duo again paired up for YashRaj film’s ‘Mere Yaar Ki Shaadi Hai’, both the movie and the songs were a super hit.
Before parting ways, the pair gave music for the film ‘Muddaand’ then due to some issues between them, the partners made their separate ways. Pritam’s career as a solo musician started but some of his films turned out badly. He went through a low phase in his career but he didn’t lose his hope and came back with a bang with the movie ‘Dhoom’. The music and the film was a superhit at the box office. There was no looking back then onwards, he gave some amazing hits. Pritam Chakraborty hit songs are in the movies ‘Gangster’, ‘Dhoom 2’, ‘Life in a Metro’, ‘Jab We Met’, ‘Once a upon a Time in Mumbai’, ‘Bodyguard’, ‘Jannat 2’, ‘Yeh Jawani Hai Deewani’, ‘Bajrangi Bhaijaan’, ‘Ae Dil Hai Mushkil’ and many more.
Due to his immense popularity, Pritam Chakraborty latest songs are always among the chartbusters. He was seen as a judge on many popular television reality singing shows including ‘Sa Re Ga Ma Pa Challenge 2009’, ‘Chhote Ustaad’, ‘X Factor’, ‘Sa Re Ga Ma Pa Bangla’ and much more. He was featured on ‘MTV Unplugged season 5’ where he sang some of his best songs in a different way. Being such a successful music composer and a singer, he has worked with the best singers in Bollywood.
Interesting Facts about Pritam Chakraborty
He has received 2 Filmfare awards, 4 zee cine awards, 3-star screen awards, 3 IIFA awards, 3 ITA awards and many more awards as well.
He has composed jingles for many brands and gave title tracks in many TV shows.
He started his Bollywood career as a composer from the movie Tere liye.
Pritam Chakraborty Love Affairs
Pritam Chakraborty is happily married since many years. Before getting hitched, Pritam Chakraborty girlfriend and he dated each other for almost 5 long years. Pritam Chakraborty wife name is Smita Bhattacharya and she was his long-time girlfriend too. The pair is blessed with two children, a daughter named Ishqa and a son Purvesh. Pritam Chakraborty children are blessed with wonderful parents and we wish them a good future.
Pritam Chakraborty Controversy
Pritam Chakraborty has mostly faced controversies regarding song plagiarism. It is seen that he has copied a number of his popular songs from various artists around the world without giving credit to the original songs. In some cases, he has brought the copyright and has given them credit too.
Tags: BengaliIndianMusic ComposersMusic DirectorsSingers
Ram Kapoor Wife Gautami Kapoor Biography
Singer Papon (Angaraag Mahanta) Biography, Songs, Wife, Wiki
by Gaurav Singh Negi · Published August 2, 2016 · Last modified July 31, 2016
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Bald Eagle Sightings in North Dakota
February 27, 2015 by VerticalScope
by Doug Leier
Last week driving near the Fargodome in north Fargo, I was scanning the road ahead and I spotted a bald eagle. Then another. Then another.
One of my kids noticed it, but the others in the car didn’t seem too interested. We didn’t stop. I didn’t turn down the radio, point, and begin a narrative on the history of bald eagles nationally and locally.
Fact is, I could have driven them to at least two bald eagles nests in less than 15 minutes.
It hasn’t always been that way.
Twenty-five 25 years ago on a side trip across Logan County during the fall, I thought I noticed an odd bird. Odd, because if you spend enough time outdoors, you recognize what fits and what doesn’t.
Off on the horizon the bird was just way too big to be a common red-tailed hawk or other large bird of prey. There was no way I wasn’t going to do my best to find out what it was or was not, so I spent the better part of a half hour getting close enough to verify that the bird indeed was what I had suspected – a bald eagle.
At that time, the sheer sighting of a bald eagle, in that part of the state, was reason to stop.
Historically, bald eagles are native residents of North Dakota and were regular breeders along the Red and Missouri rivers and in the Devils Lake area in the 1800s. Unregulated taking by humans, loss of habitat and environmental contaminants were main factors in the decline of eagles throughout much of the lower 48 states in the 1900s.
Considered pillagers of chickens and other domesticated livestock, bald eagles were gratuitously killed until Congress passed the Bald Eagle Protection Act in 1940, because of fears that the nation’s symbol since 1782 was threatened with extinction. While this curtailed indiscriminate killing, other factors conspired against bald eagles. In the 1950s the pesticide DDT was praised as the antidote for killing insects that eat agricultural crops and cause disease.
Later it was realized that DDT not only killed untargeted critters, but thinned the eggshells of nesting eagles. Manufacture and use of DDT was banned in the United States in 1973. Even so, the bald eagle was listed under the Endangered Species Act in the lower 48 states in 1978.
When the bald eagle was listed under the ESA in 1978, North Dakota had no known nesting pairs and hadn’t for quite some time. Fast forward 17 years and bald eagles had made enough of a recovery to be upgraded from endangered, or on the brink of extinction, to threatened status, which meant their population had improved but could still slip back to endangered.
By 1999 the FWS proposed taking the eagle completely off the endangered species list. On June 28, 2007, that proposal was granted.
Along that recovery trail North Dakota’s first documented pair of nesting bald eagles was observed along the Missouri River between Garrison Dam and Bismarck in the late 1980s. It wasn’t until the mid-2000s, though, that the number of nesting eagles started to climb significantly.
Today, North Dakota has around 145 active bald eagle nests.
But even with the growing eagle population, every time I see one I still basically pause what I’m doing, make a mental note, and smile in appreciation.
Facts about Bald Eagles
North Dakota Bald Eagles
Eagle Nest Sightings on the Rise in North Dakota
2013 midwinter bald eagle survey
Tags: Bald Eagles, North Dakota


‘Kisses On The Bottom’: Interview and Track Previews!
With one week to go until the release of Paul McCartney’s Kisses On The Bottom the album is now available to stream in its entirety by clicking here: NPR.org.
Additionally the first interview with McCartney and Award-winning producer Tommy LiPuma discussing the new album is now available in the official EPK below:
Kisses On The Bottom (out February 6/7 on Hear Music/Concord), is a collection of standards beloved to Paul since childhood as well as two new McCartney compositions: ‘My Valentine’ and ‘Only Our Hearts.’
Created with the help of Grammy Award-winning producer Tommy LiPuma and Diana Krall and her band—as well as guest appearances from Eric Clapton and Stevie Wonder—Kisses On The Bottom is the first record in McCartney’s historic oeuvre to feature him almost exclusively on vocals.
With the exception of a bit of acoustic guitar on two tracks, Paul’s sole instrument on Kisses On The Bottom is that unmistakable voice at its most intimate and unadorned.
Kisses On The Bottom is obviously a work born of intense inspiration and affection—and possibly most important of all fun. This is certainly reflected in the album’s title, which confused more than a few Macca obsessives (with many fixating on an anatomical interpretation!), but actually quotes from the album’s opener ‘I’m Gonna Sit Right Down And Write Myself A Letter’. Originally made a big hit by Fats Waller in 1935, the song opens with the lines ‘I’m gonna sit right down and write myself a letter and make believe it came from you. I’m gonna write words oh so sweet. They’re gonna knock me off of my feet. A lot of kisses on the bottom, I’ll be glad I got ‘em’.
Kisses’ heartfelt interpretations of these classics—many of which were introduced to a young Paul by his father on piano--were recorded along with its two McCartney originals at the legendary Capitol Studios in Los Angeles, and in New York and London over the course of 2011. The album also features stellar guest turns from Eric Clapton (on ‘My Valentine’ and ‘Get Yourself Another Fool’) and Stevie Wonder (‘Only Our Hearts’) and suitably classy cover art featuring a portrait of Paul shot by his daughter Mary McCartney worked into a concept by Jonathan Schofield (Visual Director at Stella McCartney) and design by Matthew Cooper (Arctic Monkeys, Franz Ferdinand, etc.).
For more information, visit Paul's website: www.paulmccartney.com
Kisses On The Bottom – Full Tracklisting
Standard CD – 14 tracks
01. I’m Gonna Sit Right Down And Write Myself A Letter 02:36
02. Home (When Shadows Fall) 04:04
03. It’s Only A Paper Moon 02:35
04. More I Cannot Wish You 03:04
05. The Glory Of Love 03:46
06. We Three (My Echo, My Shadow And Me) 03:22
07. Ac-Cent-Tchu-Ate The Positive 02:32
08. My Valentine 03:14
09. Always 03:50
10. My Very Good Friend The Milkman 03:04
11. Bye Bye Blackbird 04:26
12. Get Yourself Another Fool 04:42
13. The Inch Worm 03:43
14. Only Our Hearts 04:21
The Deluxe CD Album features two bonus tracks plus access to a download of the Capitol Studios show (available from Tuesday 14th February via paulmccartney.com), plus longer liner notes and expanded packaging featuring three postcards):
15. Baby’s Request 03:30
16. My One And Only Love 03:50
The album will also be available digitally.
All photographs c. MPL Communications Ltd and may not be reproduced without the express permission of the copyright holder
Posted by Donna at 17:56 No comments:
Labels: Music, News
Paul McCartney and Stevie Wonder
© 2012 MPL Communications Ltd.
Photographer: MJ Kim
This year sees 30 years since Paul McCartney and Stevie Wonder first worked together on the classic smash hit Ebony and Ivory (March 1982), which was number 1 in the UK and the US. The release of Paul's new album Kisses On The Bottom sees them reunited on the track, Only Our Hearts. Only Our Hearts is one of two original McCartney compositions included on the album, which is a collection of standards Paul grew up listening to in his childhood.
On working with Stevie Paul said, "Stevie came along to the studio in LA and he listened to the track for about ten minutes and he totally got it. He just went to the mic and within 20 minutes had nailed this dynamite solo. When you listen you just think, 'How do you come up with that?' But it's just because he is a genius, that's why'.
Stevie joined Paul at LA's legendary Capitol Studio's to record the track.
Kisses On The Bottom is a collection of standards Paul grew up listening to in his childhood as well as the two new McCartney compositions My Valentine and Only Our Hearts. With the help of Grammy Award-winning producer Tommy LiPuma and Diana Krall and her band, Paul’s new album is a deeply personal journey through classic American compositions that, in some cases, a young Paul first heard his father perform on piano at home
Kisses On The Bottom is out on Tuesday, February 7th.
HENRY McCULLOUGH and DENNY SEIWELL to Reunite for New CD of Beatles and Paul songs
Damian Smyth, co-author of The Beatles and Ireland, has just shared this news with the BBFC:
Former Wings Lead Guitarist HENRY McCULLOUGH made his first U.S. appearance in over 20 years, last summer at our Chicago FEST, and he was most personable. His stylish brand of guitar is most evident on the solo on My Love, considered one of the best in popular music. Before joining Wings, Henry was a member of Joe Cocker's Grease Band, and appeared at Woodstock.
Henry and fellow Wings band mate Drummer DENNY SEIWELL are reuniting at our FEST with a musical surprise. They are recording a CD of Wings and Beatles songs and plan to have it ready exclusively for us in March.
They plan to perform some of these new versions Live at THE FEST.
Denny is also going to have another Live Drum Session History of the Ram Album. Denny began his relationship with Paul during the Ram Sessions as a New York City Session Musician. Paul asked him to join Wings, which he did. Henry and Denny were in Wings at the same time for Red Rose Speedway and a few hit singles.
For more details on The Fest, click here
Celebrate Valentine's Day in Style at the Hard Day's Night hotel in Liverpool
All you need is love ...
Delighted to present to romantics and lovers of good food everywhere :
'So This is Blakes Valentines Menu'
Our chefs have hand crafted a stunning six course menu , for the special price of £42.50
Table reservations are now being taken.
Click here for more information, download our menu’s or to book online.
Paul McCartney Live Webstream
Join Paul As He Starts Promotion For His New Album 'Kisses On The Bottom'
Thursday 19th Jan – 11am EST (4pm in the UK)
Tune in live to PaulMcCartney.com tomorrow (Thursday 19th January) at 11am (EST; 4pm in the UK) to get an exclusive live behind the scenes broadcast of Paul answering questions from some of the world's media. Paul will be spending the afternoon in London talking with press from around the world to promote the release of his new album.
PaulMcCartney.com will stream 30 minutes of the afternoon at some point between 11am and 12pm (4pm to 5pm in the UK).
In addition you have the opportunity to ask a question to Paul. Simply email your question to kissesonthebottom@paulmccartney.com and one question will be chosen and given to Paul to answer.
This is an amazing chance for fans to get a fly on the wall view of what happens before an album is released.
'Kisses On The Bottom' is released on February 6th in the UK and Feb 7th in the US.
Pre-Order Kisses On The Bottom:
Official website: http://www.paulmccartney.com
Twitter: http://twitter.com/PaulMcCartney
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/PaulMcCartney
MOST FAMOUS CLUB IN THE WORLD CELEBRATES 55 YEARS IN BUSINESS
Liverpool’s iconic Cavern Club celebrated its 55th birthday by inviting 200 music students to perform on the same stage as superstars Sir Paul McCartney, Dave Gilmore, Arctic Monkeys and Adele.
Celebrations included a visit from Liverpool’s Lord Mayor, Councillor Frank Prendergast who met the Mayor of Solihull, Councillor Irene Chamberlain and, along with 200 pupils, presented Cavern Club owners with a giant 55th Birthday card filled with personal messages.
The birthday marks Solihull Music Services’ annual pilgrimage to The Cavern Club where students, aged between 12 and 18 years old, perform 20-minute sets of their own material on the world famous Cavern Club stage. Solihull Music Services works in partnership with pupils and schools to provide equipment and opportunities for music making.
Cavern Club owner Dave Jones said: “We have an ongoing relationship with Solihull Music Services after they started bringing pupils to visit us almost four years ago. We were extremely impressed with the musical ability we saw and since then we have honoured our commitment to fostering new music talent by inviting them back for our birthday. The Cavern Club isn’t just about Liverpool’s great music legacy but about the music of today and the musicians of the future.
“To mark the occasion we made each performer an honorary member of our new Cavern Club membership scheme. The Cavern started as a members club and we feel that now is the right time to go back to our roots. Those who sign up will have access to exclusive content on our website along with other 'member only' benefits.”
If you would like to become a member of the Cavern Club, click here!
The Cavern club opened its doors on 16th January 1957 and was Liverpool’s first venue dedicated to live popular music. Over half a century later, The Cavern is still surviving and thriving as a contemporary music venue with resident tribute bands and original acts performing seven days a week.
Liverpool’s Lord Mayor, Councillor Frank Prendergast said: “For 55 years Liverpool’s famous Cavern Club has played a pivotal role in pop music throughout the world. I’m proud and excited to have celebrated this landmark birthday with the owners and some of our future musical stars.”
The Cavern Club’s 55th Birthday is the first in a long line up of anniversary events taking place in 2012 – The Beatles 50th anniversary year.
Posted by Donna at 10:42 3 comments:
Become a Member of the Most Famous Club in the World!
When the Cavern Club opened 55 years ago, it was a members club and memberships cards from those early years are now extremely valuable. To mark the Cavern's birthday, on January 16 2012, a brand new membership scheme has been launched!
Two levels of membership are available: Gold and Silver
Gold membership costs £35.00 per year and includes the following:
Free General Admission to The Cavern for a year*
EXCLUSIVE Members only pin badge
Personalised plastic souvenir membership card
Monthly e-newsletter
EXCLUSIVE FREE Members only T Shirt
EXCLUSIVE member only content online
Immediate notification of latest gigs
Priority notification of latest products
Fan club events
Silver membership costs £17.50 and includes the following:
EXCLUSIVE Member Only pin badge
Notification of latest gigs
More details of how to become a member of the most famous club in the world are on the Cavern website here.
Labels: Beatle Places, News
Kisses On The Bottom from Paul xxx
PAUL'S TRIBUTE TO PERSONAL FAVOURITES
& TWO NEW SELF PENNED COMPOSITIONS
OUT FEBRUARY 6TH/7TH
‘Kisses On The Bottom’ is a collection of standards Paul grew up listening to in his childhood as well as the two new McCartney compositions ‘My Valentine’ and ‘Only Our Hearts’. With the help of Grammy Award-winning producer Tommy LiPuma and Diana Krall and her band—as well as guest appearances from Eric Clapton and Stevie Wonder, McCartney’s new album is a deeply personal journey through classic American compositions that, in some cases, a young Paul first heard his father perform on piano at home. The full tracklisting reveals that Paul has been both reverent and adventurous in his song choices.
01. I’m Gonna Sit Right Down And Write Myself A Letter - 02:36
Deluxe CD Album will feature 2 bonus tracks plus access to a download of an exclusive live show (available from Tuesday 14th February via paulmccartney.com, plus longer liner notes and expanded packaging featuring 3 postcards)
The album was recorded at the legendary Capitol Studios in Los Angeles, New York and London throughout 2011. It also features guest musicians Eric Clapton and Stevie Wonder, respectively, on the original compositions ‘My Valentine’ and ‘Only Our Hearts’. Eric also appears on the track ‘Get Yourself Another Fool’.
www.paulmccartney.com
More Memories of George
Here are some more of the great interviews that DIDN’T make our George special.
The Harrison Exclusive tribute magazine will be available next week, but orders can be placed now via the BBFC Shop by clicking here.
We would like to thank those who gave their time to give us reminiscences of George.
David Jacobs, who was the host of the hit BBCTV music show ‘Juke Box Jury’, recalls the apprehension of The Beatles as they returned to Liverpool for the premiere:
"I travelled to Liverpool with The Beatles for the first night showing of ‘A Hard Day’s Night’ in their home city.
On the flight, George in particular was worried, as were the other Beatles, about returning to Liverpool. They thought their home city would reject them because of the fame they had achieved and leaving their original fans.
As we flew into Liverpool Airport, George looked out through a window and said “Look at all that down there, it looks like black tar”.
In fact it was the heads of all the fans that had turned out to greet them on their return to their home city!
I sat with Brian Epstein in the car from the airport taking us to the city centre. To see the look on people’s faces that had just seen The Beatles, who were in the car ahead of us, was simply amazing."
(Our thanks to David Jacobs for granting the BBFC an interview in August 2010)
Leslie Cavendish, the Beatles hairdresser, recalls the occasion when he visited George in hospital when his tonsils were removed.
"I remember going to the hospital when he had his tonsils out in February 1969 at the London University Hospital. This was a few years after Ringo had his out.
I was asked by Derek Taylor to go and wash and cut George's hair because it was making him feel uncomfortable. When I got to the hospital the press were there waiting for news. As I walked in they approached me and asked I would tell them what George had said after I saw him.
I went upstairs to his room and told him that I had never seen so many press people before. He told me this was normal and he just gets on with it. I mentioned that they would like me to tell them what was happening or say something. As it wasn't my job to tell the press anything, when I left I told them (“no comment”) I've always wanted to do that. George had this very special peaceful aura around him and the times I had been in his company you felt it.
It was SOMETHING in the way he smiled."
(The BBFC would like to thank Leslie Cavendish for granting an interview August 2010)
Victor Spinetti shared this special memory with the BBFC:
"I was spending the day with George at his bungalow in Esher.
Whilst sipping some green tea he said,” Come, I’ve just bought something and I’d like you to see it.”
He led me into another room which was all white-a white fitted carpet, white walls and floor to ceiling white muslin curtains gently rippling in the breeze from an open window over which they were drawn.
George was also in white-a loose fitting Indian type garment, comprising of an open shirt and loose fitting trousers.
On the floor of this room was a beautiful ivory studded musical instrument, this was he explained to me a thousand year old sitar.
Without warning he sat behind it and started playing. I too sat on the floor, cross legged as was George, I had previously taken off my shoes, and George was already in bare feet.
As he played, the white curtains rippling behind him, the music in the all white room seemed as though the two of us had been transported to some far off spiritual retreat.
I had been telling George earlier that I couldn’t get it together with Indian music.
“You don’t listen to it Vic, you just let it happen to you”, he said.
So there I was ,letting this whole experience of George, the thousand year old sitar, the amazing music , the all white room ,happen.
He finished playing as suddenly as he begun. We were both quite as the music faded into the stillness of the room.
I reached out and impulsively touched his foot.
“How did you know?” he asked
“Know what?” I replied.
“To touch my foot? This is the custom in India when a musician finishes playing”
I didn’t know of course I’m only glad I did the right thing ,it just seemed the gentle thing to do in order to thank him…to thank my teacher for this one amazing afternoon, To thank my own personal guru in teaching me the ways of Indian music, George Harrison."
(With thanks to Victor Spinetti, February 7, 2011)
In 1969 the Apple band Badfinger would have a huge hit with the Paul McCartney song ‘Come and Get It’, which was part of the soundtrack to Ringo Starr’s up and coming film ‘The Magic Christian’, also starring the former Goon, Peter Sellers. Joey Molland, of Badfinger, recalls walking into Apple, just after the single became a hit.
“I remember walking into the Apple offices in London, just after ‘Come and Get it’ became a hit. As I walked in there was George Harrison. He turned and congratulated us on having a huge hit, and told me- “You do now realise you will be playing this for the rest of your life, don’t you?.” How right he was.”
(Thanks to Joey Molland- Liverpool August 2010)
Labels: Interviews
HENRY McCULLOUGH and DENNY SEIWELL to Reunite for ...
Celebrate Valentine's Day in Style at the Hard Day...
MOST FAMOUS CLUB IN THE WORLD CELEBRATES 55 YEARS ...


World Health Assembly endorse resolutions on meningitis, epilepsy control
The World Health Organisation (WHO) says delegates attending the virtual session of the 73rd World Health Assembly (WHA) have adopted two resolutions on meningitis and epilepsy control.
The organisation disclosed this in a statement posted on its website on Friday
The WHA is the decision-making body of the WHO, and it is being attended by delegations from all member states.
The world body stated that member states recommended the adoption of the two resolutions on meningitis control and epilepsy at the 73rd World Health Assembly.
It added that “Committee A, which focuses on programme and budget matters, decided to recommend the adoption of the first-ever resolution on meningitis, which will approve a global roadmap to defeat meningitis by 2030.
“Meningitis is a disease that kills 300,000 people annually and leaves one in five of those affected with devastating long-term consequences.
“The Committee also recommended the adoption of a resolution calling for scaled-up and integrated action on epilepsy and other neurological disorders such as stroke, migraine and dementia.
“Neurological disorders are the leading cause of disability and the second leading cause of death worldwide.”
In addition, the statement stated, the Committee further decided to recommend the adoption of a decision endorsing the new roadmap for Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs).
“The roadmap, which targets year 2030, aims to reduce the number of people requiring treatment for NTDs by 90 per cent.
“It also hopes to eliminate at least one NTD in 100 countries, eradicate two diseases (dracunculiasis and yaws), and reduce by 75 per cent, the Disability-Adjusted Life Years (DALYs) related to NTDs.”
The WHO statement noted that the Committee A noted the Operational Framework for Primary Health Care, which aligned with the Declaration of Astana and resolution WHA72.2 (2019).
It noted that WHO established a Special Programme on Primary Health Care to roll out the Operational Framework – supporting Member States to build people-centred, resilient and sustainable primary health care-based health systems.
It pointed out that Committee B – which deals predominantly with administrative, financial and legal matters – reviewed the Director-General’s report on “Health Conditions in Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and in the occupied Syrian Golan.
The Committee also decided, by vote, to recommend the adoption of a decision requesting the Director-General, among others, to report on progress in the implementation of its recommendations to the next World Health Assembly.
“All resolutions and decisions recommended by the Committees for adoption by the 73rd World Health Assembly will be included in the Committees’ reports to be considered by the Assembly,’’ it added.
The main functions of the WHA are to determine the policies of the organisation, appoint the Director-General, supervise financial policies, as well as review and approve proposed programme budget.
The WHA usually takes place in May, but this year, given the COVID-19 pandemic, a reduced (de minimis) WHA took place on May 18 and May 19.
The resumed WHA73, which started on Nov. 9, ended on Friday. (NAN)
Tags: Assembly, Control, endorse, epilepsy, meninginitis, on, resolutions, World Health
meninginitis
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The Nationals moved fast at the start of last offseason. This one is already different.
Mike Rizzo was quick to the market last offseason. He has yet to make a move this year, with the GM meetings beginning Monday, and that's to be expected given the internal decisions he still has to work out. (Patrick Semansky/AP)
Jesse Dougherty
Reporter covering the Washington Nationals.
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — By the time Mike Rizzo arrived in Carlsbad, Calif., for last year’s general managers meetings, he had already added two players to step ahead of a slow-moving market. Rizzo, the Washington Nationals’ general manager, had made Trevor Rosenthal the first free agent signing of the 2018-19 MLB offseason. That came just weeks after the Nationals traded for reliever Kyle Barraclough. If teams were wading into the winter — and 29 of them were — Rizzo dived headfirst and started checking items off a to-do list.
Now, after they have won the World Series, there is no shortage of questions for the Nationals to address. Their pace just promises to be much steadier.
The GM meetings began at the Omni Resorts here Monday. The Nationals, just 12 days removed from a title, arrived with holes to fill at catcher, first base, second, maybe third, maybe in their rotation and definitely with their bench and bullpen. Rizzo ripped through a similar situation a year ago, acquiring those two relievers, then bringing in Kurt Suzuki, Yan Gomes, Patrick Corbin, Matt Adams and Aníbal Sánchez, in that order, before December was through. But with internal decisions to sort out — the most pressing centered on Stephen Strasburg and Anthony Rendon — the Nationals’ plans are tethered to retaining some of the best available players or using an influx of money to replace them.
If they bring back Strasburg, they would explore only depth additions to their starting staff. If they don’t, they could jump into discussions for front-line pitchers such as Gerrit Cole or Zack Wheeler. Discussions with Strasburg are expected to move faster than with other stars. He opted out of the remaining four years and $100 million on his Nationals contract Nov. 2. He is interested in staying with Washington, according to those close to him, but the baseline price could be the seven-year, $210 million deal that Max Scherzer signed with the Nationals in January 2015.
Strasburg, 31, is coming off a career year that ended with a World Series MVP award. His agent, Scott Boras, represents Scherzer and helped construct that contract four years ago. Boras will be in Scottsdale for the meetings. But he has someone stationed with Strasburg, near his offseason home outside Washington, in case talks gain traction in the near future. There are a lot of clubs that need starting pitching, including two — the Los Angeles Angels and San Diego Padres — near Strasburg’s hometown of San Diego. The Nationals have already begun negotiating a new deal. Their interest is sky high. They know that everyone else’s is, as well.
If they bring back Rendon, they could shift their priorities to lower-cost additions at catcher, first base and possibly second, depending on what they envision with top prospect Carter Kieboom. But if they don’t, it could lead them to exploring third basemen Josh Donaldson or Mike Moustakas as shorter-term options. Or Yasmani Grandal, the top catcher on the market, could make sense because the Nationals declined a $9 million club option for Gomes. The offense will bring back centerpieces in Juan Soto, Trea Turner, Adam Eaton and Victor Robles, but the Nationals would need to act swiftly if Rendon falls out of its blueprint. Losing him and Bryce Harper in back-to-back offseasons cannot be addressed without spending.
Rendon and the Nationals traded proposals throughout this past season, but none were able to keep him from testing the open market. Washington’s latest offer was for seven years and between $210 million and $215 million in early September. Boras, Rendon’s agent, countered, and the Nationals did not accept the terms. That Boras was still negotiating then, less than two months before the start of free agency, suggests Rendon remains interested in returning. But those negotiations also showed that the sides are still far apart.
And the hang-ups for the Nationals don’t end with Strasburg and Rendon. Ryan Zimmerman is a free agent and willing to come back on a cheap deal. Gomes, Howie Kendrick, Daniel Hudson, Asdrúbal Cabrera, Brian Dozier, Fernando Rodney and Gerardo Parra were also on the World Series roster before becoming free agents.
The Nationals can’t keep all of the players who led them to their first championship. They may cut a handful of them loose. Because those decisions will shape their plans, and dictate what they need and don’t need in the coming weeks, this offseason will inch into gear. Re-signing Strasburg or Rendon, or both, would greatly alter Washington’s financial planning. Zimmerman could fill one of two openings at first base. Kendrick could fill the other and pad the bench if the Nationals want to compete with the American League teams that will court the NL Championship Series MVP as a designated hitter. Cabrera could be a utility infielder and pinch hitter from both sides of the plate. Hudson could kick-start the construction of the bullpen for 2020.
But Rizzo will have to balance nostalgia with practicality. He will have to attack his to-do list, another lengthy one, with any number of contingencies. And because of that, because of all the Nationals don’t know, he will have to slow down.
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SPHL, HockeyTech launch new mobile app
by dprice
HUNTERSVILLE, NC (September 22, 2020) – The Southern Professional Hockey League (SPHL) today announced an extension of their digital services partnership with HockeyTech with the release of their new mobile app, now available on the App Store and Google Play.
“We are excited to expand our partnership with HockeyTech and announce the release of our new SPHL Mobile App,” stated Commissioner Doug Price. “With the app, SPHL fans will now have real-time scores, stats, news and more, all at their fingertips.”
Mobile apps powered by HockeyTech allow the SPHL to further engage fans with live scores, game notifications, fan polls and more. HockeyTech has also partnered with the SPHL to stream all regular season and playoff games beginning with the 2020-2021 season.
About HockeyTech
HockeyTech (hockeytech.com) is the worldwide leader in providing hockey-related technologies, analytics, and information services. HockeyTech was founded in 2012 by Stu Siegel, a technology entrepreneur, and former Florida Panthers (NHL) Managing Partner/CEO. HockeyTech has made six company acquisitions to date, integrating, and developing one-of-a-kind hockey-focused tools. HockeyTech’s brands have been Digitally Powering HockeyTM since 1998.
About Southern Professional Hockey League (SPHL)
Now entering its 17th season, the Southern Professional Hockey League is comprised of 10 member teams located throughout the southeastern and midwestern United States. Headquartered in Huntersville, North Carolina, the mission of the SPHL is to provide a quality family-friendly entertainment product structured inside an economic model that is viable for small and mid-size markets and arenas. For more information about the SPHL, visit the league’s website at thesphl.com.
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Datacenters.com Signs Agreement With 365 Data Centers to Offer Colocation Services
3 Apr 2020 by Bob West
ENGLEWOOD, CO. April 3, 2020 – Datacenters.com, the leading technology platform and marketplace for buyers and sellers of colocation, cloud, and connectivity, has entered into a strategic partnership 365 Data Centers to offer colocation and connectivity solutions throughout the United States.
As part of the direct agreement, Datacenters.com will offer colocation, interconnection and support services from 365 Data Centers to its existing customer and throughout its network of independent sales agents, consultants, brokers and MSPs. 365 Data Centers will also be participating in the launch of the Datacenters.com Project Platform platform which is a digital RFP tool for colocation.
“365 Data Centers has a great channel program for partners like Datacenters.com,” said April Armijo, VP of Operations at Datacenters. “365 Data Centers provides great support and quick turnaround times for quote and pricing requests.”
365 Data Centers have added their company profile along with all of their data center locations to the Datacenters.com platform. 365 Data Centers currently has 12 data center locations listed with facilities in Boca Raton, Bridgewater, Buffalo, Chicago, Detroit, Fort Lauderdale, Indianapolis, Long Island, Nashville, Philadelphia, New York City and Tampa.
“We are proud of our strong relationship with Mike Allen and his team,” said Nathan Milkins, Channel Manager at 365 Data Centers, “Datacenters.com is the top platform in the data center industry for marketing and selling colocation services online.”
In addition to listing their company profile and data center locations, 365 Data Centers is also participating in the Datacenters.com Marketplace. The Marketplace features upfront and transparent pricing on colocation bundled services and packages. Datacenters.com users can reserve colocation space at any of the 365 Data Center locations online.
About Datacenters.com
Datacenters.com is the #1 technology platform and marketplace connecting buyers and sellers of colocation, cloud, connectivity, managed services, and related IT services. We’re dedicated to one thing – helping IT professionals research, purchase, and manage their technologies across a diverse range of solutions, providers and vendors.
Since 2014, Datacenters.com℠ has attracted more than 1.4 million visitors. The platform provides detailed information on 295 providers, 2,917 data center facilities, and 331 marketplace products globally.
Datacenters.com is the sister company of Global Consulting Group, Inc. (GCG), a leading technology services distributor and IT consulting company headquartered in Englewood, Colorado.
Learn more at Datacenters.com and follow us on LinkedIn.
About 365 Data Centers
365 Data Centers is a leading provider of hybrid data center solutions in 12 strategic, primarily edge, markets. The Company operates facilities aggregating220,000 SF and 21 MW of power, along with a robust interconnected, resilient, low latency, nationwide fiber network. 365's carrier neutral ecosystem and secure, reliable edge colocation, network, IP, DRaaS, backup, cloud and business continuity services help organizations reduce costs and drive innovation. Mission-critical application infrastructure is supported through industry leading SLA protections and by adhering to industry standards such as HIPAA, PCI DSS, SOC 1 Type 2, SOC 2 Type 2, SSAE 18, and ISAE 3402.
Learn more at 365Datacenters.com.
Bob West is a tech-savvy, digital enthusiast with a deep-rooted passion for data centers, cloud, internet exchanges (IX) and blockchain. He was a driving force within the original team that built Datacenters.com in 2011. It’s his belief that a new breed of data centers will become increasingly important as we move towards IoT, AI, and edge computing.
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Furman v. Georgia by Tim McNeese
Author: Tim McNeese
Publisher: Chelsea House Publishers
File Name: Furman v. Georgia.pdf
Dimension: 172.97x 239.27x 11.68mm| 367.41g
Download Link: Furman v. Georgia
Download torrent Furman v. Georgia. The Court consolidated Jackson v. Georgia and Branch v. Texas with the Furman decision, and thus also invalidated the death penalty for rape. Moore's decision to choose his victims on the basis of a specific characteristic-their advanced ages-separates his case from murderers [*15] who made no such The Court holds that the imposition and carrying out of the death penalty in these cases constitute cruel and unusual punishment in violation of Ellington's 5 TD passes rally Georgia State past Furman. Dan Ellington threw five touchdown passes and Georgia State rallied from a 17-point Recommended Citation. L. S. Tao, Beyond Furman v. Georgia: The Need for a Morally Based Decision on Capital Punishment, 51 Notre Dame L. Rev. Furman v. Georgia. Lewis F. Powell Jr. Follow this and additional works at: This Manuscript Collection is brought to you for free and open access by the Powell Publish Date: December 1, 2009; Publication Title: Furman v. Georgia, 408 U.S. 238,in Encyclopedia of the Supreme Court of the United States David S. the advantage of the new ruling.3. Furman v. Georgia was decided in the context of great ferment in the case law over the death penalty. In 1968, Witherspoon v. This is the first US Supreme Court case to hold that capital punishment was a violation of the cruel and unusual punishments clause and therefore Petitioners (Furman, Jackson, and Branch-all black) were sentenced to death, one of them for murder, and two for rape in Georgia and Texas. Certiorari was But until Furman v. Georgia, 408 U.S. 238 (1972), the Court never confronted squarely the fundamental claim that the punishment of death In Furman v. Georgia, 408 U.S. 238, 92 S. Ct. 2726, 33 L. Ed. 2d 346 (1972), the U.S. Supreme Court struck down three death sentences, finding that they 69-5003 was convicted of murder in Georgia and was sentenced to of Georgia affirming Furman's conviction of murder and sentence of In 1972, the year the Supreme Court decided Furman v. Georgia, the death penalty was a part of the criminal codes in 40 of the 50 States. Widespread popular Furman V. Georgia, 408 US 238, 92 S. Ct. 2726, 33 L. Ed. 2 d. 346, (1972) The problem raised in the Supreme Court was "Is it the death penalty in case of FURMAN v. GEORGIA. In its last decision day before adjourning the 19 preme Court issued some 50,000 words of opinio sentences of capital punishment in Legal definition of Furman v. Georgia: 408 U.S. 238 (1972), ruled that capital punishment laws, as then enforced, were unconstitutional. The Court stated that the Corinna Barrett Lain, Furman Fundamentals, 82 Wash L. Rev. Furman v. Georgia, the 1972landmark decision that invalidated the death penalty, provides a
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How schools can become more trans inclusive – Year 12 student tells us how it is
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My name’s Tia and I’ve come down from Portsmouth to do work experience with Gendered Intelligence. I’ve just finished my first year of sixth form, studying A level psychology, philosophy, chemistry and biology, and I’m looking to study psychology at university, with the hope that this will lead into a work concerning gender and sexuality, specifically improving services in place for trans people. Reflecting on my own experiences at school, I decided to write about the ways that schools can become more trans inclusive, and help people to become intelligent about gender.
Around the age of 2 children begin to develop their understanding of gender, and this continues to expand throughout a person’s development, particularly being reinforced at puberty. School is, therefore, clearly a key time to be learning about and understanding gender identity in an open and intelligent way, in order to prevent the formation of prejudices from an early age and to allow young people to explore their own identity.
64% of trans men and 44% of trans women experienced transphobic bullying or harassment at school, coming from both students and teachers. Yet, Stonewall’s 2007 report found that 90% of teachers have received no training on how to support LGBT students. Training is needed for teachers, regardless of whether or not they have trans young people in their classes, due to the influence teachers have on their students, and their ability to foster positive and open attitudes towards trans people, and allow students to question their gender identity. Many teachers may also have trans children in their classes without being aware of this, as 40% of young people are not ‘out’ in their everyday lives (GI’s Capturing Journeys report), making it clear that a more accepting environment is necessary in order to help trans people feel comfortable enough to come out at school.
However, in order to fully support trans young people it’s necessary to also educate students, as many transphobic views and actions stem from ignorance. Currently knowledge about gender identity is not coming from the classroom, for most people it comes from the internet, the media, and through having trans friends or family. Resources on the internet may not always be found unless people are intentionally looking for them, and much of the trans representation in the media can be incredibly harmful. For example Caitlyn Jenner’s transition being discussed using male pronouns and her birth name, and the use of transphobic slurs in shows such as RuPaul’s Drag Race. This misinforms people of the appropriate language to be used when referring to trans people. Currently when trans people ‘come out’, they are often faced with many questions from friends and family, although they may not mean any harm and simply intend to gain a better understanding, there is a tendency to ask insensitive and inappropriate questions. This places unnecessary pressure on trans people, as it should not be their responsibility to educate others.
Compulsory introduction of information concerning trans identities and issues into PSHE would give trans* young people the language to talk about and understand their gender identity, as well as reducing the amount of transphobia stemming from ignorance. It is also important to include trans people and the discussion of the issues they face in other areas of the curriculum, for example studying the work of trans writers and artists, or influence figures such as the actress and trans activist Laverne Cox, this provides role models for all students. It is also important for trans young people to have an understanding of the equality act and the rights they are afforded from this, something which will also benefit other people affected by this.
Often unnecessary segregation is made by gender within the classroom, for example boy-girl seating plans and pairings which highlight to trans people who are not out that they are not being seen as their self-identified gender. This can also be harmful for non-binary people who may feel as if their gender identity is being invalidated, and that they are being made to confine themselves to the binary gender they were assigned at birth. Gendered language should also be avoided, in situations where assumptions are made about a person’s gender. For example addressing groups of students as ‘ladies’ or ‘gents’ places assumptions of a specific binary gender onto people, this once again may risk misgendering people and invalidating non-binary identities.
Gendered uniforms should also be avoided, as having distinct male and female uniforms may make a trans person feel as if they cannot wear the uniform of their self-assigned gender, due to the increased visibility this gives them. For non-binary trans people this is also a problem as they may feel uncomfortable having to categorise themselves within one of the binary genders, and therefore invalidating their gender identity. By providing uniform rules which are not segregated between the binary genders, schools can maintain their structure and regularity of uniform, whist being inclusive to people of all genders and allowing students to explore their gender expression.
Even if all steps are taken in order to create a trans inclusive environment, it remains important to also have safe spaces, in which trans students can know they will be understood and accepted. LGBT groups are particularly important for creating a sense of community, and by inviting speakers in there is the opportunity for trans people to gain role models, and also to further understanding and visibility. These groups within schools can play a very important role in ensuring that trans students are aware of staff members who can provide support, and introducing them to the wider trans community.
Strict policies should be in place for challenging transphobia, as there are with other types of prejudice and discrimination, this includes deliberate misgendering. Once students have been educated on what transphobic actions are and why they are harmful, as well as the appropriate way to discuss trans issues, a zero tolerance policy should be adopted. If both students and staff are encouraged to consistently challenge transphobic actions, it will soon become clear that transphobia is not tolerated, creating a safer environment for trans young people.
It is clear that there are many steps a school can take towards creating an inclusive environment for trans people, and also to help educate all young people regardless of their gender identity, in order to create a generation of accepting and understanding people.
Gendered Intelligence have produced this poster for schools. They cost £1 so if you would like some to put up at your school or college, get in touch with Jay at jay.stewart@genderedintelligence.co.uk


Tom Hanks heads TV special celebrating Biden’s inauguration
by: MARK KENNEDY, Associated Press
This combination photo shows musician Jon Bon Jovi performing at the Samsung Charity Gala in New York, Nov. 2, 2017, from left, Justin Timberlake performing during halftime of the NFL Super Bowl 52 football game in Minneapolis on Feb. 4, 2018 and Demi Lovato performing in London on June 25, 2018. Bon Jovi, Timberlake and Lovato will perform at a 90-minute primetime TV special celebrating the inauguration of Joe Biden as president of the United States. (AP Photo)
NEW YORK (AP) — Tom Hanks will host a 90-minute primetime TV special celebrating the inauguration of Joe Biden as president of the United States, with performances by Justin Timberlake, Jon Bon Jovi, Demi Lovato and Ant Clemons.
“I was left speechless when I was asked to perform! ” Lovato wrote on Instagram. Clemons was also effusive: “To say that this is a dream come true, would be an understatement!”
Timberlake said he and Clemons would perform their new song “Better Days,” adding: “This song was our way of doing what little we could to encourage everyone to stay hopeful.”
The special will be broadcast live on ABC, CBS, CNN, NBC and MSNBC beginning at 8:30 p.m. ET on Jan. 20. It will also be streamed live on YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, Twitch, Amazon Prime Video, Microsoft Bing, NewsNOW, DirectTV and U-verse.
According to producers, the show “will showcase the American people’s resilience, heroism, and unified commitment to coming together as a nation to heal and rebuild.”
The inauguration will look different from other presidential inaugurations because of last week’s riot at the U.S. Capitol. Security will be extremely tight around the area.
The event was already going to be pared down because of COVID-19; Biden had asked supporters to say home and watch from afar. In keeping with crowd size restrictions to slow the spread of the virus, traditional activities like the parade and the inaugural balls will be virtual.
(NEXSTAR) – Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson posted a photo Thursday from early in his wrestling career when he was "broke as hell."


Self-Driving Cars And The Kobayashi Maru
Andrew Heikkila	5 years
Andrew Heikkila Contributor
Andrew Heikkila is a tech enthusiast and writer from Boise, Idaho.
Technology, happiness on demand and the absurd human condition
Defining our relationship with early AI
In 1966, Gene Roddenberry’s Star Trek would boldly go where no man had gone before, telling the tale of Captain Kirk and his crew as they explored the galaxy while taking on myriad sci-fi adventures.
In the opening scene of the franchise’s 1982 motion picture, Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, the U.S.S. Enterprise responds to a distress call from another ship, the Kobayashi Maru. Stranded in an area of space that the Enterprise can’t enter without risking interstellar war, the limping ship has almost 400 souls on board and is quickly losing life support. These people are going to die without help; the captain has an impossible choice to make.
The scene is later shown to be an unwinnable simulation, created as part of a training scenario. Deciding to not aid the Kobayashi Maru results in the death of its crew and passengers. However, acting to help the stranded ship will trigger conflict and result in the death and destruction of the Enterprise. The theme of a no-win scenario is prevalent throughout the rest of the film, and many Star Trek fans have colloquially come to call “damned if you do, damned if you don’t” situations by the name of the ship: Kobayashi Maru.
The idea of the no-win situation has gotten more attention over the last couple of years, as Google has been making strides with the driverless vehicle and Apple is rumored to be getting into the same market. But how does the Kobayashi Maru relate to self-driving automobiles?
Imagine you are driving down the road and you suddenly find yourself boxed in. In front of you is a large semi-truck with heavy crates on the back, to your right is a person on a motorcycle and to your left is a big SUV. All of a sudden, one of the crates falls off the back of the semi, directly in your path. What do you do?
If you swerve to the right, you’ll live, but the move would probably end up costing the person on the motorcycle their life. If you swerve left, you’ll collide with the SUV and possibly kill both yourself and its inhabitants — but there’s still a chance you’ll all survive the incident (albeit sustaining injury) because of the SUV’s high safety ratings. If you don’t swerve either way, you won’t injure anybody, but you’re definitely going to wreck and possibly die. So what should a driver do in this situation? What is the right answer?
This scenario comes from TEDEd, and is meant simply to illustrate that there is no right answer, especially in a scenario where there is little time to think. Each choice has a negative consequence, and the driver simply has to determine which option is, in their mind, the lesser of the evils.
Unfortunately, a person’s reactions in situations like these are more instinctual than they are based on decision or logic, simply because humans can’t process information that fast. Computers, on the other hand, can.
Machines don’t get drunk and drive.
The driverless car as an invention has the potential to prevent approximately 1.3 million deaths annually, as well as between 20 and 50 million injuries, according to ASIRT. They are able to network with other smart cars and stop lights so that 151 million Americans can get to work faster and more safely. Because machines don’t blink. They don’t sleep or get drowsy. Machines don’t get drunk and drive.
In the only accident to date involving a self-driving car, it was determined humans were at fault, not machines — and yet, therein lies the problem. Accidents will happen, and a computer must be programmed to react in those situations, sometimes when death is inevitable. In those instances, it’s succinct to say that we’ll have to program computers to kill.
Let’s take a look at another scenario. There is a thought experiment called the trolley problem that asks you to imagine a runaway trolley headed for a group of five people tied up in its path. You’re standing near a lever, however, that will send the trolley to a different set of tracks if you flip it — the only problem is that there is a person tied up on those tracks, as well. You have two options: Do nothing, letting the trolley kill all five people on the main track, or flip the switch and send the trolley to the side track where it will kill one person.
In the most recent iteration of this problem, facilitated by researchers at Michigan State University, 147 subjects were given 3D headsets so they could actually experience this dilemma in an environment as close to reality as possible. Ninety percent of the participants flipped the switch, saving five people to kill one. This isn’t that surprising, as most people would say that five lives saved over one is ethically the right choice — but what happens when we switch the problem up a little bit?
Let’s say there is no side track the trolley will divert to if you flip the switch; instead, you’re standing next to a person large enough to stop the vehicle. The only caveat is that you must push him onto the track. The second variation of the problem produces different results, because there is a perceived difference between killing somebody and letting them die. The trend you come across is that not as many people would choose to kill the large man, even if it meant saving more lives overall, because they don’t want to be held personally responsible for his death.
Here’s a third scenario: What if you were the large person that could stop the trolley via self-sacrifice? Even better, what if your self-driving car turns a corner only to see a crowd of five people standing in the road? Your car either can hit them, sparing your own life, or the onboard AI can run your car off of the road, killing you and saving five lives.
People won’t buy autonomous vehicles if they’re designed to kill their passengers.
If you answered that flipping the switch in the first iteration of the trolley problem was the right choice, because one death is better than five, then logically you would agree that your self-sacrifice is necessary to save the lives of the five people in the road ahead of you, right? Interestingly, if you defy the framework of logic and would rather choose self-preservation in this scenario, you’re actually in the majority.
Jean-Francois Bonnefon and the Toulouse School of Economics in France concluded from their own studies that these types of logical fallacies run rampant. As such, they believe it will be interesting to watch public opinion inevitably play a role in deciding how the ethics of AI works. Says Bonnefon and company: “[Participants of our study] actually wished others to cruise in utilitarian autonomous vehicles, more than they wanted to buy utilitarian autonomous vehicles themselves.”
Essentially, the problem is that people actually want driverless cars to sacrifice the occupant in favor of saving a higher number of lives — but only if they don’t have to drive one themselves. Unfortunately, the biggest catch-22 is that people won’t buy autonomous vehicles if they’re designed to kill their passengers, meaning that the status quo allowing split-second human decisions will continue to define accidents and reactions around the world. If we never legalize self-driving cars, our own human driving will continue to contribute to more than a million deaths globally.
Employing a fourth scenario, Robohub.org ran a reader poll that showed similar results trend toward self-preservation: You’re driving through a tunnel and a child appears at the opening and trips, blocking your exit. You can’t stop, so you’re left with the choice of swerving into a wall to save the child, or running over the child to save yourself. Of 110 people polled, 64 percent said they would continue straight and kill the child.
When asked which entities should determine how an autonomous car responds to the tunnel problem, 44 percent of respondents thought it should be the passenger of the vehicle, while 33 percent thought it should be lawmakers. Twelve percent thought the manufacturers or designers should be burdened with that choice; 11 percent responded “other.”
Determining who will control these “ethical settings” that guide no-win responses is a huge problem that self-driving cars are going to have to face in terms of liability. Because if a car will have to be programmed to choose between two lives, that means whoever decides how the algorithm is going to function is also possibly condemning to death either bystanders or passengers.
There is a perceived difference between killing somebody and letting them die.
This type of “predetermined” action, an algorithm that chooses to spare children over adults, for example, would almost vicariously put the programmer in the driver’s seat, lending truth to the Department of Public Safety’s comment that a self-driven car will always have a “determinable human operator.”
Insurance companies are going to have to wrestle with that one, because in any instance, somebody will be liable if an autonomous vehicle gets into a wreck. If you get to decide on your car’s ethics settings and decide to continue straight and kill the child in the tunnel situation, does that make you liable for that child’s death? If it’s left up to the auto company, will they be liable?
The repercussions of these decisions extend much further into the future than anybody is able to foresee. As artificial intelligence advances, it may very well use the programmable ethics settings found in self-driving cars as a platform to build upon. Isaac Asimov once suggested there should be three laws of robotics that govern AI:
A robot must obey orders given it by human beings except where such orders would conflict with the first law.
A robot must protect its own existence as long as such protection does not conflict with the first or second laws.
Obviously, the first law doesn’t work in this context, and is in danger of being trampled by militaries the world over searching for autonomous soldiers and vehicles (such as assault drones). Weapons aside, there are obvious reasons explored above that an AI would inevitably have to break the First Law of Robotics when faced with a Kobayashi Maru, and however we decide they should respond may constitute some kind of basis for how AI develops and writes its own ethical programming in the future.
If we determined today that favoring “quantity of lives” is the sole rule to follow for self-driving cars, for example, a much more developed, Skynet-esque AI of the future might calculate that citizens of industrialized countries are making the world uninhabitable for a majority of people and their many generations of offspring. Ethically, that AI could justify eradicating a large swath of the population so that an even larger percent can live.
Of course, there are much more immediate concerns that we’ll have to deal with in response to the self-driving car. What is going to happen to everybody in the trucking industry? Or to cab and Uber drivers? What happens if somebody remotely hijacks your car via the Internet of Things and crashes it with you in it?
The autonomous vehicle is still in the very early stages of development, but the way we decide to build its AI will set precedents. Unfortunately, we’re a species that still fights wars over land and money, that murders over passion and justifies the actions of the wicked.
On the other hand, we do have the capacity to love and sacrifice self for causes greater than our own. Sometimes it seems like we’re these creatures trying to program ethics into machines, when, in reality, we barely seem to understand or practice ethical behavior ourselves.
Nevertheless, we have an opportunity here to discuss these ethics and decide what type of character we want to define humankind, collectively, when faced with a Kobayashi Maru. Only once we’ve done our soul-searching and overcome that obstacle will we be able to follow in the footsteps of Captain Kirk, and bravely go where no man has gone before.


Catholic Church Names Nineteen Priests In Kansas City, MO Accused Of Sexual Abuse Of Children
On Friday, September 6th, 2019, the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of released the names of 19 priests who have been accused and/or found guilty of sexually assaulting children. In fact, Bishop James Johnston Jr. stated that each man listed had "substantial allegations" against them. Have you been sexually abused at church? Contact our lawyers who represent victims across the states including in Pennsylvania Catholic church sexual assault lawsuit.
Where Are The Nineteen Kansas City Priests Accused Of Child Sexual Assault Now?
Of the nineteen on this recently released list, thirteen have died. Two have been removed from ministry and four have been laicized which means they have been removed as clergy by the Catholic Church. In fact, one of the priests who has been defrocked is Shawn Ratigan, who is now serving 50 years in prison for producing child pornography.
Similar Reading: Grand Jury Determines Two Bishops Covered Up Sexual Abuse In Pennsylvania
Catholic Church Covered Up The Abuse Of Children
The current bishop of Kansas City - St. Joseph, Bishop Johnston, has said that he hopes the release of these names will help the survivors to heal. However, support from Catholic Church officials has been very rare when it comes to reported cases of child sexual assault. Shawn Ratigan's case is just one example of the attempts by the church to hide sexual assaults by priests. In 2010, the former bishop of Kansas City - St. Joseph, Bishop Finn, received some upsetting news - one of the priests in his area had attempted to commit suicide. That priest was Shawn Ratigan and he made his attempt by running his motorcycle in a closed garage. The bishop was shocked, given that he had a good relationship with Ratigan and thought he was a good choice to run a parish. Then the truth came out - the day before the attempted suicide, a computer technician had discovered child pornography images on Ratigan's computer.
It turns out that this revelation shouldn't have surprised the bishop too much, however. A few months before, the principal of the parochial school that was part of Ratigan's parish had sent a memorandum to the diocese and bishop stating that: “Parents, staff members, and parishioners are discussing his actions and whether or not he may be a child molester.
They have researched pedophilia on the Internet and took in sample articles with examples of how Father Shawn’s actions fit the profile of a child predator.” This was sent after Ratigan had attempted to contact an 8th-grade student via social media, he had placed a girl in his lap during a bus trip, and had an inappropriate "peer to peer" relationship with a 5th-grade girl.
Parents who went by his residence also reported what appeared to be a small child or dolls clothing at his home. The bishop had a talk with Ratigan and told him to take the report seriously but indicated that he just believed there were "boundary issues". If only he had taken the complaint seriously. It was Ratigan himself who took his laptop to a computer technician for repair. The technician was horrified by the images of the genitals and torsos of children that he discovered while attempting to repair the laptop. He took the laptop to the parish deacon who later testified that the technician was so upset that he couldn't open the computer due to his hands shaking.
The deacon then delivered it to Monsignor Murphy, a priest second in command to Bishop Finn. Monsignor Murphy, in turn, took the computer to a technology staff member hired by the diocese who discovered hundreds of inappropriate photos of children's crotches. Even more disturbing was that most of the photos appeared to have been taken with a personal camera and were not pornography downloaded on the internet, indicating that the priest was actively taking part in creating child pornography.
Bishop Failed To Report Child Sexual Abuse
Despite the horrific images discovered on Ratigan's personal computer, Bishop Finn failed to contact police. Monsignor Murphy did, however, he told the officer he spoke with that it was only one nude image, that the image was of a family member, and that it was not a sexual pose. He then asked if that would be considered pornography and was told no. When it was discovered that he had left a suicide note saying he apologized for the harm he caused children, the bishop had a psychiatrist see Ratigan.
The bishop claimed that the psychiatrist told him that Ratigan was not a danger to children and that the suicide attempt had been made due to false accusations by the school principal. The bishop then made the choice to not take the matter to the police but to instead place restrictions on Ratigan, saying that he could not use a computer and could not contact children. He was removed from his position and moved to serve as a chaplain in Independence, Mo.
Despite these restrictions, he was not monitored. In the five months after his suicide attempt, Ratigan attended several children's birthday parties, used social media to contact children, and was caught taking pictures of a parishioner's daughter's crotch under a table when they invited him over for dinner. The bishop still did not take action.
Nearly a year after the report from the principal, Monsignor Murphy went against the bishop's wishes and finally contacted police because he came to the conclusion that the man was a pedophile. He let them know that hundreds of pictures of child pornography had been discovered on Ratigan's computer. Ratigan was finally arrested and was found guilty of creating child pornography. He will likely spend the rest of his life behind bars. Although he has not been formally charged or found guilty of it, the evidence presented at Ratigan's trial also suggested that he may have molested some of the children he took inappropriate pictures of.
The Catholic Church Apologizes For Protecting Priests Who Sexually Assault Children - But Is That Enough?
Although Bishop Johnston is working hard to help his community heal from the sexual assault of children throughout the diocese, the reality is that a public apology isn't enough. Thankfully, the survivors of child sexual assault by a clergy member have powerful legal options. A sexual assault lawsuit can help to provide for any medical treatments needed by the survivor, as well as their physical and emotional pain. Monetary compensation may not be able to change the past but it can make the future a brighter one.
Child Sexual Assault Lawsuits: The Facts
A sexual assault lawsuit is a form of a civil lawsuit that is filed against both the abuser and those who made it possible for the abuse to continue. Those eligible to file the lawsuit typically include the survivor and the parents of the survivor. The legal process has several phases:
The Pleadings: This is when the initial paperwork is filed and the plaintiff lets the court know that they are choosing to take legal action. This paperwork also explains why the plaintiff is choosing to file a lawsuit. The defendant may provide an answer to the allegations.
The Discovery: During this phase, the evidence needed to support the case will be collected. Depositions may be taken and documents from the defendant requested.
Pre-Trial Negotiations: In many cases, a settlement can be reached. This allows a plaintiff to recover a set, known amount without having to go to trial. However, negotiations can take some time and an agreement cannot always be reached.
Trial: The case is argued in court and a judge/jury makes a determination.
This legal process can go smoothly if the plaintiff chooses to work with an experienced legal team.
Abuse Guardians: Protecting Sexual Assault Survivors
If you or a loved one were abused by a member of the clergy, let Abuse Guardians help you fight for justice and for compensation. Our attorneys believe and support the survivors of sexual assault. With decades of combined experience and a passion for the law, you'll know that you are working with a legal team you can trust. You can take legal action while keeping your identity protected. Contact our law office for a free consultation and to learn more about how to remain anonymous while standing strong against your abuser.