May 25, 2018 – North Korea said today that it’s still willing to sit down for talks with the United States “at any time, at any format” just hours after President Donald Trump abruptly canceled his planned summit with the North’s leader Kim Jong Un.
The statement by Vice Foreign Minister Kim Kye Gwan, a longtime nuclear negotiator and senior diplomat, said the North is “willing to give the U.S. time and opportunities” to reconsider talks that had been set for June 12 in Singapore is the latest whiplash development in what had been seen as a rare opportunity to address what might be the world’s most dangerous standoff. Focus will now swing back to how Trump will respond to the North’s seemingly conciliatory gesture.
A scrapping of diplomacy could see a return to the torrent of weapons tests — and the fears of war they created — that North Korea unleashed last year as it sought to put the finishing touches on a nuclear-armed missile program meant to target the entire U.S. mainland.
Since January, Kim has taken a radically softer approach to foreign affairs, sending his sister to the Olympics in South Korea, meeting with his South Korean counterpart on their shared border and exploding parts of his nuclear testing site Thursday in a sign of good faith.
Earlier comments by South Korean President Moon Jae-in, seen as the driving force behind the summit, suggested that Seoul, a top U.S. ally and host to 28,500 U.S. troops, was blindsided by Trump’s cancellation. Moon said he was “very perplexed” at Trump’s announcement that he was canceling the summit because of North Korea’s “tremendous anger and open hostility.” Moon urged direct talks between Trump and Kim.
Many expected a belligerent North Korean response to Trump’s comments, but Kim, the North Korean vice foreign minister, said Pyongyang’s “objective and resolve to do our best for the sake of peace and stability of the Korean Peninsula and all humankind remain unchanged.” Kim called Trump’s decision “unexpected” and “very regrettable,” and said the cancellation of the talks shows “how grave the status of historically deep-rooted hostile North Korea-U.S. relations is and how urgently a summit should be realized to improve ties.”
While the statement may keep the possibility of a summit alive, there were also hints in North Korea’s statement that Pyongyang was willing to walk away.
Kim said the United States is at fault for what Trump described as North Korea’s “hostility,” saying that Pyongyang was responding to “excessive” U.S. comments pressuring the country to “unilaterally discard” its nuclear weapons ahead of the summit.
Kim said North Korea had “highly rated” Trump’s efforts to set up a summit between the countries, something previous U.S. presidents were unwilling to do. But Trump’s move to cancel the summit has forced the North to “rethink whether the efforts we have so far put in and the new path we have taken is the right choice.”
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Luster says to finalise deal with HK firm in due time
Yimie Yong
July 12, 2016 22:04 pm +08
KUALA LUMPUR (July 12): Luster Industries Bhd has clarified that it had entered into a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to explore further the opportunity presented and make further verifications before entering into a conditional sale and purchase agreement (SPA) with Hong Kong based Citi-Champ International Ltd.
In a bourse filing today, Luster said it will make a detailed announcement to Bursa Malaysia if the company decides to enter into the SPA.
Luster was responding to an editorial published under the Frankly Speaking column in The Edge weekly issued for the week of July 11–17.
On July 5, Luster announced that it had signed an MoU with Hong Kong-based Citi-Champ to buy "a certain percentage" of New Harvest Asia Investment Ltd for "a certain purchase consideration to be determined later".
In the article, The Edge questioned the lack of details in the announcement made on Bursa.
Furthermore, the weekly also pointed out several announcements made earlier, including a plan to mine tin ore in Kemaman and venturing into property development in Kedah, have not materialised.
On these issues, Luster explained that Pan Cambodian Lottery Corp Ltd is already in operation and had recorded an audited profit after tax of US$500,000 (RM1.98 million) in financial year ended 2015.
"Exzone Plastics Manufacturers Sdn Bhd is an active company and is currently operating and had recorded audited revenue of RM46.7 million in financial year ended 2015," it explained.
Luster said it had started exploring the mining site at Kemaman.
"However, the company had since decided to halt the exploration and mining activities mainly due to the declining price of commodities in the world market. However, Luster is currently negotiating with a few parties to enlarge the area of mining in order to achieve a more sustainable economies of scale for its operations," it said.
Luster also pointed out that the property development is with Koperasi Hartanah Malaysia Bhd (KOHAMA) instead of Koperasi Pembangunan Hartanah Putrajaya Bhd (KPHP) as announced to Bursa Malaysia Securities on May 27, 2014.
"We had inked a tripartite agreement on March 9, 2016 for the development of an affordable home project in Perak. The construction had started and is targeted to complete by end of 2016," said Luster.
Luster, which is involved in assembly of printed circuit boards and manufactures precision plastic parts, closed unchanged at 7 sen today, with 2.03 million shares traded, for a market capitalisation of RM121.23 million.


Chris Burger Petro Jackson Players Fund - 40 years of hope
For four decades, Rugby’s Caring Hands have helped turned tragedy into triumph, writes Quintin van Jaarsveld.
Laying helpless in a hospital bed, hours removed from breaking his neck during a Currie Cup match against Free State in Bloemfontein on August 30, 1980, Western Province fullback Chris Burger spoke with his captain Morné du Plessis for the final time.
"He said, ‘Please look after my family and ask the guys to see that they’re okay’,” recalls Du Plessis 40 years on.
“Even then, being a young man, I still didn’t fully realise the gravity of the situation and two hours later, he passed. We were absolutely devastated.”
Moved to action by that last conversation, Burger’s teammates founded a fund in his honour on 9 September 1980. The true depth of rugby’s brotherhood had been cemented, the legacy of Rugby’s Caring Hands born.
On 11 April 1987, South African rugby was rocked to its core once more as Kylemore wing Petro Jackson passed away on the field after having suffered a broken neck during a zone club competition match against Excelsior. A similar fund was established in his memory, with the two merging in 1992.
“Rugby brings people together. Whether you play at school, club or professional level, there’s an undeniable bond between all who play the game and an unwritten rule that we look after each other,” says Springbok great and Chris Burger Petro Jackson Players’ Fund Chairman, Jean de Villiers.
Jurie Roux, CEO of SA Rugby, said: “Rugby is more than what happens on the field - it’s a game where family values and camaraderie are strong. That means also assisting those in need, which is why SA Rugby’s support is vitally important, and it was a great driver to ensure the Chris Burger Petro Jackson Players’ Fund became our official charity a few years ago.”
This has come at a cost of R50m, but ask any of the 107 recipients Rugby’s Caring Hands currently assists and they’d say the support is priceless. For hidden in its name lies the true power of the Fund as for the past four decades, it has been a source of hope for those catastrophically injured playing the game they love. Hope of a life worth living, a second chance at happiness despite seemingly overwhelming obstacles.
“The Fund plays a huge role in my life. If they weren’t part of my life, I would probably have passed away years ago,” says Amos Mzimeli. Left a quadriplegic after breaking his neck at the age of 18 while playing for Moonlight Rugby Club on May 20, 1990, the former loose forward “fell into a deep depression”, his will to live snuffed out by a cruel twist of fate.
Thirty years on, he’s a multi-award-winning pillar of strength, championing the Great Kei Disability Multipurpose Centre in Soto Village, where he’s now a beacon of hope. The happily married father of three insists he wouldn’t be where he is today without the Fund, saying, “It’s so comforting to know you have their support and that support goes a long way to help you make something of your life. They’ve become family; [General Manager] Gail [Baerecke] is like my mother…she’s always there when I need her.”
Mzimeli is one of many success stories, of a recipient finding remarkable resolve and conquering cruel challenges on a daily basis with the support of family, both blood and rugby’s band of brothers and sisters. The Fund epitomises what rugby is at its core, says founder and Trustee Du Plessis, who served as Chairman for an astounding 38 years.
“Both is about teamwork and passion,” notes the Springbok icon. “There’s a sense of family among everyone linked by the Fund. As much as we love it, there’s much more important things in life than the game, and the scoreboard.
“Witnessing the sheer bravely of the recipients and the unbelievable dedication of the families for 40 years has had an incredible impact on my life. I’ve learned so much from them and I’m so honoured to have had that privilege.”
Offering wide-ranging support based on each recipient’s individual needs, the Fund is a lifelong companion for fallen heroes and their families. It’s also been at the forefront of further significant change.
Tackling injuries head-on, the Fund and SA Rugby launched the BokSmart national rugby safety programme in 2009. The all-encompassing, scientific-based project has been game-changing, producing a 63% decrease in acute spinal cord injuries in schoolboy rugby and a 52% decrease in permanent catastrophic injuries in the club game.
Players who’ve suffered the misfortune of disabling despair are left with a daunting task. Amidst the heartache and broken dreams, they’re forced to adapt to a “new normal.” For them, this term has been a way of life long before it was thrust into popular culture by the Covid-19 pandemic.
Similar to its recipients, the Fund’s had to constantly adapt to adversity in terms of fundraising, which has become increasingly difficult every year. Inspired by the unbroken will of those it supports, the Fund has gallantly crusaded against the grain to remain the lifeline it is, hosting marquee events like the telethons of old on SuperSport, formal banquets and other special events, all attended by the entire Springbok squad.
With its Springbok legends, as well as health and industry professionals, the Fund family’s steely determination remains unshaken. However, the stark reality the non-profit organisation finds itself in is that it’s facing its gravest challenge yet in an invisible enemy that changed the world as we knew it, one that’s threatening to suffocate South African rugby’s greatest ‘impact players’.
“Fundraising for all charities has been hugely affected as a result of the pandemic. We are no exception as a result of no rugby being played, where much of our funding is generated. Corporate donors are also having to weather their own storm,” says Baerecke, the Fund’s passionate General Manager for the past 15 years.
“What hasn’t changed for us during this time is the support that our recipients have needed from us, be it monthly subsistence for those who are needy, replacement and or repairs to their mobility equipment, or transport to and from vital clinic and hospital appointments.
“Our costs have also escalated during this time as a result of our recipients’ household economic situations having been impacted. We are, therefore, humbly appealing for financial help so that we can meet the essential needs of our particularly vulnerable group of recipients.”
Nelson Mandela famously said, “Sport has the power to change the world. It has the power to inspire. It has the power to unite people in a way that little else does. It speaks to youth in a language they understand. Sport can create hope where once there was only despair.”
Now, more than ever, there’s a dire need for rugby-loving South Africans to rally behind the sport’s most meaningful cause and prove, like the world-beating Springboks reminded the Rainbow Nation in Japan last year, that we are indeed #StrongerTogether.
Support the Fund via the following options:
DIRECT DEPOSIT:
Account Name: Chris Burger Petro Jackson Fundraiser
Bank: Standard Bank of SA
Branch Code: Rondebosch 025009
Account Number: 071 499 776
Reference to use for an EFT Payment: Name and Telephone number
If you make use of internet banking, why not consider setting up a recurring monthly payment to pledge your ongoing support?
SNAPSCAN or ZAPPER:
For more information, visit www.playersfund.org.za and follow the Fund on social media:
Facebook: The Players’ Fund
Twitter: @playersfund_sa
Instagram: @playersfund_sa
chris burger petro jackson players fund
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Coetzee to spark Ulster in Guinness PRO14 final
Ulster may start as the underdogs against Leinster in the Guinness PRO14 final in Dublin on Saturday, but they are expected to rely heavily on their “clutch player”, Springbok loose forward Marcell Coetzee, to boost their forward momentum.
Ulster to enter Guinness PRO14 final with nothing to lose
Ulster were always set to be the underdogs no matter how they beat Edinburgh in the Guinness PRO14 semi-final this past weekend, but given the manner in which they did it, Dan McFarland’s team should be even less burdened by expectations in Saturday’s final in Dublin.
RIP Peter Cronje (1949-2020)
SA Rugby paid tribute to former Springbok center Peter Cronje, who passed away on early on Friday morning after a battle with cancer, at the age of 70.
Victor Matfield: “It was the best final ever”
With 127 Test caps and 148 Vodacom Super Rugby appearances to his name, Victor Matfield is well-placed to talk about the state of the game in South Africa and abroad, and he reckons the 2019 Rugby World Cup final was the best there has been.
From Springbok captain to Players’ Fund chairman
No-one is more uniquely equipped to lead the Chris Burger Petro Jackson Players’ Fund into the future than Jean de Villiers.
RIP Noel Klaasen (1954 to 2020)
SA Rugby President Mr Mark Alexander paid tribute to former Boland and SARU lock Noel Klaasen, who passed away from natural causes over the weekend. He was 66 years old.
Last chance for British & Irish Lions tour tickets with one week to go
There’s just one week to go and South African rugby fans are urged to get into the virtual queue for tickets to the British & Irish Lions tour in 2021, before the ballot closes at midnight next Wednesday (16 September).
Pienaar: Guinness PRO14 final a massive achievement for Ulster
Veteran Springbok and Toyota Cheetahs scrumhalf, Ruan Pienaar, who represented Ulster 141 times, believes it is a massive achievement for the team to contest the Guinness PRO14 final on Saturday against defending champions Leinster in Dublin.
Van der Merwe scoops top Guinness PRO14 prize
South African-born Duhan van der Merwe - a former SA Schools and Junior Springbok player - has been honoured with the prestigious PRO14 Players’ Player of the Season award for 2019/20.
Australia to host the Castle Lager Rugby Championship 2020
The Castle Lager Rugby Championship 2020 would take place in Australia, in November and December this year, SANZAAR announced on Friday.


International EVOO Competitions 2022
The London International Olive Oil Competition will take place in London on 12-14 May, 2022. Samples to reach the storage venue by 30 April 2022.
http://www.londonoliveoil.com/
The Olive Japan International Extra Virgin Olive Oil Competition will be held in mid-May, 2022. Registrations close on 2 May. Samples must be received no later than 9 May.
https://olivejapan.com/en
The Italy EVOO International Olive Oil Contest will be held in Palmi, Italy on 16-19 May, 2022. Registration deadline is 7 May. Samples are due at the venue by 7 May.
https://evo-iooc.it/en/
The Canada International Olive Oil Competition will take place in Montreal on 30-31 May, 2022.
https://canadaiooc.com/
Terraolivo IOOC 2022 will be held in Yehud, Israel on 13 June, 2021. Deadline for registration and samples delivery is 1 June.
https://terraolivo-iooc.com/
The 2022 Aurora International Taste Challenge will be held in Stellenbosch, South Africa (date TBC). Entries open on 8 June and close on 2 August. Samples to be delivered on 15-16 August.
https://aurorachallenge.com/
Information on the 2022 Australian International Olive Awards is not yet available.
https://internationaloliveawardsaustralia.com.au/
The 2022 Sol d’Oro Southern Hemisphere will be held in Argentina in September. Further detail to be advised.
2021-11-24T17:32:25+02:00SA Olive News|
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OACC presents "REJOICE"
The Oneida Area Civic Chorale will open the 2021-2022 concert season with “Rejoice”, a collection of music celebrating the Christmas Season, on Sunday, December 5, 2021 at 4:00 PM at St Agatha’s Church in Canastota. The Chorale, an 80 voice community chorus under the direction of Mark Bunce, will be accompanied by piano, organ and a brass quartet. This is the first seasonal concert by the OACC since the unexpected “intermission” due to Covid-19 following the March 2020 performance. The Chorale was fortunate to be able to present “I Hear America Singing”, a program of patriotic songs, on July 7, 2021, which was enthusiastically received by those in attendance.
The December 5, 2021 program will consist of 15 pieces, including well known ones like “O Holy Night”, “Still, Still Still” and “Christmas Gloria”, which is a compilation by Lloyd Larsen of “Hark, The Herald Angels Sing”, “O Little Town of Bethlehem”, and “Angels We Have Heard on High”. It will also include lesser known melodies as “Every Valley” and “Winter Comes”, both by John Ness Beck, as well as two arrangements by John Rutter: “Angels Carol” and “I Wish You Christmas” and Daniel Pinkham’s “Christmas Cantata”, which will be sung in Latin. Another special number will be an arrangement by Craig Hella Johnson combining “Lo, How A Rose” with “The Rose”. The audience will be asked to sing-along with the Chorale on “Angels From The Realms of Glory” and “Joy To The World”. The brass quartet will also perform “O Little Town of Bethlehem” and “What Child is This?”. A short intermission will be included as part of the program.
Musical accompaniment will be provided by Heather O’Connell on piano and organ, and a brass quartet consisting of Chuck Penfield and Henryk Lotyczewski on trumpet, and Mark Case and Martin Hollister on trombone.
Tickets for the concert are $10 and are available from Chorale members. The concert will be recorded, and CDs will be available for purchase from Chorale members at a later date (after the holidays). Seating for this performance will be limited. Patrons who will be using a season pass are requested to make an advance reservation (refer to instructions provided with patron pass). Tickets will not be sold at the door.
Masks will be required by all audience members. Attendees ages 12 and over will be required to present proof of Covid-19 vaccination or recent negative Covid-19 test.
Please refer to the OACC Covid-19 policy on this website for additional information.
Future OACC Concert Dates:
March 13, 2022 “Great is Thy Faithfulness”
May 22, 2022 “Let Music Live”


Paul Farmer on ‘Fevers, Feuds and Diamonds’
December 16, 2020 138 views0
December 16, 2020– “In November 2014, Partners in Health co-founder and chief strategist Dr. Paul Farmer was in Freetown, Sierra Leone, sharing bread with a group of Ebola survivors as the world’s largest virus epidemic raged. spread throughout the country. ” It was the night I met Ibrahim, “Farmer recalled, referring to one of the survivors.” We started talking and he told me that he had lost 23 members of his family to Ebola. I was silent. And what he said next was: “I would like you to interview me about my experience.” “I’ve been an anthropologist since I’ve been a doctor, and it’s very rare for anyone to say that,” Farmer continued. “I thought, ‘If I’m going to interview him about such a terrible experience, it better be for someone other than just me.” That, Farmer said, was when he decided to write a book. “More from Farmer on” Fevers, Fights, and Diamonds: Ebola and the Ravages of History “in the following interview. (5 readings)
To take actionFor more inspiration, join this Saturday’s Awakin Call with Paul Farmer: “Partners in Health: Repairing the Many Pandemics of Our Time.” More details and RSVP information here. [more]
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José Antich
Moncloa disavows Iglesias: "Puigdemont broke the law"
Nicolas Tomás
Barcelona. Tuesday, 19 January 2021. 20:55
Reading time: 1 minute
Read in Catalan
Although less so than yesterday, Pablo Iglesias' comparison between Catalan president in exile Carles Puigdemont and the Spanish republican exiles continues to stir up trouble. Today the vice-president reaffirmed his statements, warning that he will not be added to the campaign to criminalisation Catalan independence, led by other Spanish groups. The Spanish Socialists (PSOE), their partners in the Spanish Government have however, joined in. The spokeswoman for the executive, María Jesús Montero, took the opportunity today to disavow the Podemos leader. "The Spanish exiles defended the current legislation, others chose to break it," said the socialist leader.
Shortly before the cabinet’s press conference, Pablo Iglesias stood by his words. In a brief address to the media, he accepted the criticisms that fell on him "with sportsmanship". He did, however, issue a warning: "If what some want is for me to join in the criminalisation of Catalan independence, I say they already have many politicians for that. I won’t be one of them”.
Moncloa’s reply came few moments later. Spokeswoman María Jesús Montero defended with "absolute firmness", that Spain is "a social state governed by the rule of law" and a "complete democracy". She rejected the idea of politically motivated exiles. She also disavowed the comparison with the republican exiles of Franco’s dictatorship. "The exiles fought for and defended the law, while others chose to break it," replied the socialist leader.
The executive spokeswoman declared that they had been working "since day one" to recover the "dignity" of the republican exiles and that they would continue "to work for their memory". She gave as an example the exhumation of the remains of the dictator Francisco Franco from El Valle de los Caídos, the recovery of the Pazo de Meirás (a manor in Galicia previously belonging to the Franco family) and the fact that the children and grandchildren of exiles can acquire Spanish nationality.
Iglesias’ words
The second vice-president of the Spanish government and leader of Podemos, Pablo Iglesias, compared this Sunday the Catalan president in exile, Carles Puigdemont, with the spanish republican exiles during Francisco Franco’s dictatorship. In an interview on live television, Iglesias stressed that he does not "share in any way" their objectives, but that if Puigdemont is in Brussels, it is not because "he has stolen from anyone or is trying to get rich, but due to taking his political ideas to the wrong extreme".


A witness is a person who has firsthand information about a significant event through their senses. The declarations and statements of a witness are made under oath and are received as evidence for some purpose, whether such statements or declarations are made on oral examination or by deposition or affidavit.
The witness has to assist the courts in the administration of justice by attending court when required. Under the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, service of a subpoena upon a person named therein requires tender to the witness of fees for one day’s attendance and the mileage allowed by law.
The trial court may call as the court’s witness persons who were personally present at the event forming the basis of the prosecution, or whose testimony is material, or eyewitness, or any other witness. The practice in criminal cases of calling someone as a court’s witness, while seldom used and not particularly desirable, is recognized as proper in both state and federal courts. The result of one being called as a court’s witness is not too dissimilar from that of having a witness adjudged a hostile or a surprise witness. The effect is that neither party to the suit may be held responsible for the testimony of the witness and both of course may exercise the privilege of cross-examination[i].
A witness in attendance at any court of the United States, or before a United States Magistrate [United States Magistrate Judge], or before any person authorized to take his deposition pursuant to any rule or order of a court of the United States, shall be paid the fees and allowances so provided[ii].
To testify, a witness should be competent. The competency of a witness depends upon the facts as they exist when the testimony is given. The traditional test is if the witness has intelligence to make it worthwhile to hear him/her at all and whether s/he feels a duty to tell the truth.
Under the Federal Rules of Evidence, every person is competent to be a witness except as otherwise provided in the rules; however, in civil actions and proceedings, with respect to an element of a claim or defense as to which state law supplies the rule of decision, the competency of a witness is to be determined in accordance with state law.
The purpose of direct examination is to get the witness to testify about facts that support the plaintiff’s case. Questions which are so indefinite, vague, or which leave it almost entirely to the discretion of the witness as to what matters the witness will elucidate, are improper[iii].
Although leading questions are generally not permitted on direct examination, there are certain exceptions to this rule. Depending on the circumstances, leading questions shall be objectionable or proper. If the prosecutor believes that a witness may give an inadmissible answer during his examination, the prosecutor should warn the witness to refrain from making such a statement.
When a witness forgets things, the attorney can refresh his/her memory[iv]. In such circumstances, the attorney may attempt to refresh the witness by asking a leading question, showing the witness a document, which can be prepared by the witness.
It is not competent for a witness to state merely that another person knew a thing. At present the law treats such statements as conclusions, not facts. What was said to or by the testator would be legitimate evidence on the subject of knowledge[v].
After the direct examination of a witness, the opposing party may then cross-examine the witness, either to develop facts favorable to the cross-examiner or to discredit the witness. If the witness is the plaintiff in the action, cross-examination may be employed to test the good faith of the witness and the righteousness of his/her case.
Impeachment is an attack upon the credibility of a witness. The purpose of impeachment is to destroy credibility. A witness may be impeached by proving that he is not worthy of credit, or that the facts to which he deposes are not true, or by cross-examination, in which he may be shown to be incosistent; and it is admissible under such circumstances to prove the good character of the witness [vi].
Corroborating evidence is evidence supporting a proposition that is already supported by some evidence. Corroboration strengthens the testimony of another witness. If corroboration tends to strengthen or add credibility to the testimony, corroborative evidence may include new and additional information.
In order to rehabilitate an impeached witness, the trial court should determine if the statements have some probative force bearing on the credibility of the witness[vii]. If the credibility of a witness has been attacked on the ground that influence of others has altered his/her testimony, supporting evidence and the nature of prior consistent statements may be introduced. A witness’s credibility can be affected by factors such as the credibility of other witnesses in the case, the plausibility of the theory, and theme the witness is meant to support, the order in which witnesses are called, and the character of the jury.
[i] Smith v. United States, 331 F.2d 265 (8th Cir. Iowa 1964).
[ii] 28 USCS § 1821.
[iii] Southwest Metals Co. v. Gomez, 4 F.2d 215, 218 (9th Cir. Ariz. 1925).
[iv] USCS Fed Rules Evid R 612.
[v] Slaughter v. Heath, 127 Ga. 747 (Ga. 1907).
[vi] La Follette Coal, Iron & Ry. Co. V. Minton, 117 Tenn. 415 (Tenn. 1906).
[vii] Smith v. City of Phila., 2009 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 96594 (E.D. Pa. Oct. 19, 2009).
Inside Witnesses
Attendance of Witnesses
Calling of Witnesses
Compensation and Fees for Attendance
Duty to Testify
Waiver of Privilege Against Self-Incrimination
Competency of Witnesses
Privileged Relations and Communications
Dead Man’s Statutes
Examination of Witnesses
Cross Examination
Corroboration
Credibility of Witnesses
Forms and Guides


Carbon monoxide alarm law toughened
Carbon monoxide alarms will have to be fitted when new boilers or gas appliances are installed in Scottish properties, under a change to the law.
New building regulations will apply from October this year.
The devices, which detect the presence of the so-called “silent killer”, will have to be installed when boilers, heaters, cookers and fires are fitted in houses, hotels and care homes.
At least 50 people die every year from carbon monoxide poisoning in the UK.
The Scottish government’s planning minister, Derek Mackay, said: “Not a year goes by where there isn’t an avoidable death in Scotland from carbon monoxide poisoning caused by faulty heating appliances in buildings.
“There are also a considerable number of incidents where people are treated in hospital for the effects of carbon monoxide poisoning.
“That is why, from 1 October, the Scottish building regulations will require carbon monoxide alarms to be fitted when a new or replacement boiler or other heating appliance is to be installed in a dwelling and other buildings with bedrooms.”
‘Save lives’
Louis Blake, from the Carbon Monoxide – Be Alarmed campaign, added: “An audible carbon monoxide alarm is the only way to protect yourself and your family.
“This change to the Scottish building regulations will see more detectors in Scottish homes, which will save lives.
“However, we urge people to act now to protect themselves from carbon monoxide and buy an alarm today.”
Carbon monoxide cannot be seen, smelt or tasted.
Combustion appliances fuelled by solid fuel, oil or gas all have the potential to cause carbon monoxide poisoning if they are poorly installed or commissioned, inadequately maintained or incorrectly used.


Eli Lev Goes the Distance on “Way Out West”
Folk artist, Eli Lev, originally from the DC area, is known most for his smooth vocals, catchy melodies, and out of the box ideas. Lev just recently released a crowdsourced, fan involved video for his track, “Chasing Daylight.” With weeks of work behind it, the video features Eli Lev fans from all around the world, singing and smiling to his uplifting track. Now, Eli is ready to give his fans even more songs to sing along to, with the newest release of his full EP, Way Out West.
Unconventional in the most refreshing way possible, Eli Lev is now officially at the halfway point of his four album project, Four Direction EPs. Way Out West, is album release number two out of four, right in front of his previous EP, All Roads East, which features notable tracks like, “Making Space” and “Go Down.”
With five diverse yet cohesive tracks, Way Out West is centered around Eli’s smooth voice and acoustic guitar. In a way, this EP seems to be going in a completely different direction than his previous EP, yet still incorporating important elements that worked from his past tracks.
This EP feels comforting for its listeners, in it’s uplifting lyrics and “looking forward” attitude. With songs like, “Oh My Lord”, “Water” , and his most recent single release, “Treason”. This EP reminds listeners that it’s okay to live in the moment, and it’s okay to look back on your past for lessons to learn from.
With Way Out West, Eli Lev delivers a gift of relatability, honesty, and sincerity through his music, and although we don’t know what direction Eli will be taking us next, we know that we are definitely ready for this music journey with him.
Listen to Way Out West here: https://soundcloud.com/elilevmusic/
Find Eli Lev Here:
https://eli-lev.com
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Brewers and Admirals Announce 2-Man Advantage Ticket Package
Posted: Nov 24, 2015 4:51 PM CST
The Milwaukee Brewers and Milwaukee Admirals announced the continuation of the “2-Man Advantage” ticket package that was originally introduced for the 2008 season.
The joint ticket opportunity is a part of the partnership established by the two teams in 2005.
The ticket package includes one “Stern & Bow” ticket to one of three Brewers promotion nights at the BMO Harris Bradley Center for an Admirals home game and one Terrace Reserved ticket to one of three select Brewers games at Miller Park during the 2016 season, all for only $22. The package is valued at $37.50. The dates available to fans for the ticket deal are as follows:
Saturday, January 9, 2016– Milwaukee Admirals vs. Iowa Wild at 7:00 p.m. –
Brewers/Admirals Ice Scraper Giveaway (First 2,500 Fans)
Friday, February 12, 2016 – Milwaukee Admirals vs. Rockford IceHogs at 7:00 p.m. –
Brewers/Admirals Travel Coffee Mug Giveaway (First 2,500 Fans)
Friday, March 18, 2016 – Milwaukee Admirals vs. Charlotte Checkers at 7:00 p.m. –
Brewers Buy One, Get One Free Ticket Voucher (All Fans)
Saturday, April 9, 2016 – Milwaukee Brewers vs. Houston Astros at 6:10 p.m.
Friday, April 29, 2016 – Milwaukee Brewers vs. Miami Marlins at 7:10 p.m.
Friday, May 13, 2016 – Milwaukee Brewers vs. San Diego Padres at 7:10 p.m.
For more information or to purchase tickets, please call the Brewers Ticket Office at 414-902-4000 or visit Brewers.com/admirals. These packages are also available by contacting the Milwaukee Admirals Ticket Office at 414-227-0550. Packages will be available beginning tomorrow, Wednesday, November 25 at 9 a.m. and continue through Thursday, March 17, 2016.
In addition to this special ticket package, the Admirals will sport the “M” logo on their jerseys as the Brewers are the exclusive jersey sponsor of the team. Announcements during the game, dasherboard signage at the BMO Harris Bradley Center, radio spots during broadcasts and in-game promotions where fans can win Brewers prize packs are also a part of the partnership between the two clubs.
The Milwaukee Admirals are a member of the American Hockey League and are an affiliate of the Nashville Predators of the National Hockey League.


Price distortions slow economic growth in sub-Saharan Africa
Kym Anderson, Markus Brückner 07 October 2011
Real income in sub-Saharan Africa has grown by less than 1% per year over the past half century. Yet within this dismal statistic, there is wide variation. This column explores the policy reforms that may have caused growth to flourish or stagnate.
Economic growth in sub-Saharan Africa has been slow for decades (Easterly and Levine 1997, Ndulu and O'Connell 2007).
Sub-Saharan African real income per capita grew at less than 1% over the past half century (Heston et al 2009).
Some countries have enjoyed faster growth in recent years, but the reasons for that acceleration, and the extent of its sustainability, are still uncertain (Page 2009, Arbache and Page 2010).
Among the candidates, though, are reductions in distortions to producer incentives, particularly to farmers who over that time period accounted for more than half of African labour and between one quarter and one third of the region’s GDP.
A database recently compiled as part of a World Bank study on policy distortions to agricultural incentives since 1955 reveals that there have been numerous price and trade policy reforms in Africa since the 1980s, although they have not been as extensive as reforms in Asia or even Latin America (Anderson and Valenzuela 2008, Anderson 2009, Anderson and Masters 2010). That raises the question: How much can differences in reforms explain differences in national economic growth rates within Africa? To address that question, we have made use of the World Bank’s distortions database plus other variables to examine econometrically sub-Saharan Africa's patchy growth performance.
Figure 1 plots the time-series evolution of our measure of relative agricultural price distortions for each of the 14 sub-Saharan African countries for which a full set of data is available. It is clear from this Figure that, for the majority of those sub-Saharan African countries, there was a strong policy bias against agriculture over the past half century (a negative relative rate of assistance). The relative rate of assistance is the ratio of the nominal rates of assistance to agricultural and the non-agricultural tradables, where the nominal rate of assistance is defined as the percentage by which government policies directly raise the gross return to producers of a product above what it would be without the government’s intervention (or lowered it, if NRA<0). Another stylised fact that emerges from Figure 1 is that there is also substantial RRA variation across time and countries. For example, in Ethiopia, Madagascar, and Tanzania there was a continuous reduction in policy biases against agriculture, while in countries such as Zambia and Zimbabwe the strong bias against agriculture has persisted.
Figure 1. Time-series plots of the relative rate of assistance to agriculturea
Notes: aThe relative rate of assistance (RRA) is defined as RRA = [(100+NRAagt)/(100+NRAnonagt)] - 1
where NRAagt and NRAnonagt are the percentage NRAs for the tradables parts of the agricultural and non-agricultural sectors, respectively, and NRA is the percentage by which gross returns to producers of a product have been raised directly by government policies above what they would be without the government’s intervention (or lowered it, if NRA<0). Source: Anderson and Brueckner (2011).
Casual empiricism supports the expectation of economists that reductions in distortions are associated with faster economic growth. Tanzania, for example, halved its distortion to the relative price of farm products over the 1985-2005 period, during which time its income per capita increased by over 30%. By contrast, over the same period Zimbabwe increased its distortions to relative agricultural prices by over 50% and experienced a drop in income per capita of more than 25%. Other less-extreme examples during the 1960-80 period include Madagascar, which experienced an increase in relative agricultural price distortions of more than 50% when its real income per capita fell by more than 10%, and Uganda, which experienced a fourfold increase in relative agricultural price distortions and a decrease in real income per capita of over 25%.
The econometric challenges
But such country examples do not prove that those price distortions slowed economic growth. There could be country-specific factors, for example ethnic divisions, that affect economic growth beyond their effect on the political economy of price distortions. Empirical analysis requires rigorous panel-data regressions that control for country as well as year fixed effects. Our estimation strategy hence takes into account that there are deep and sometimes difficult-to-measure differences across sub-Saharan African countries in terms of history, geography, and ethnicity.
Another empirical challenge is to allow for the possibility of reverse causality, with impact going from income (say, due to political economy mechanisms) to price distortions. We address this issue by building on the by now well-established literature showing that rainfall and international commodity price shocks have a significant effect on income in sub-Saharan African countries. Using rainfall and international commodity price shocks as instruments for growth, we examine and quantify the size of the reverse causal effect that income growth has on price distortions. By doing so, we obtain an estimate of the response of price distortions to growth. With this estimate in hand, we adjust for endogeneity of price distortions when estimating the effects that these distortions have on economic growth.
What our study found
Our key finding is that policy-induced price distortions had a quantitatively large negative effect on economic growth. In other words, reductions in those distortions in recent decades have contributed significantly to economic growth in sub-Saharan Africa. More specifically, a one standard-deviation decrease in distortions to relative agricultural prices raised real GDP per capita growth in the region by about half a percentage point per annum on average (Anderson and Bruckner 2011).
Our finding of a statistically significant and quantitatively large negative effect of distortions to relative agricultural prices on sub-Saharan African economic growth is important for several reasons.
First, it implies that reducing distortions to incentives faced by even the world’s poorest farmers can be growth-enhancing. Thus this result does not support the view that there are significant growth benefits associated with supporting manufacturing and other sectors at the expense of agriculture.
Second, our finding suggests that the returns from investments in agricultural development will be greater in countries with less-distorted relative prices. Since funding for agricultural development in sub-Saharan Africa is expanding rapidly at present, particularly via development assistance programmes1, our findings provide additional empirical support to those arguing that aid flows would be more effective in those African countries that have reduced, or are willing to reduce, their anti-agricultural policy bias.
Third, our empirical analysis shows that there is a significant within-country effect of policy distortions on economic growth. This is an important result. It implies that the relationship between price distortions and economic growth is unlikely to be a consequence of the strong ethnic divisions that characterise many sub-Saharan African countries. The reason is that ethnic divisions, as measured by countries' ethnic fractionalisation or polarisation, are mostly time-invariant variables. Hence, these variables cannot be a cause of within-country variations in price distortions. From an economic policy viewpoint, this is important because it suggests that in African countries there are significant factors that influence economic growth other than ethnic divisions.
Anderson, K (ed.) (2009), Distortions to Agricultural Incentives: A Global Perspective, 1955–2007, Palgrave Macmillan and World Bank.
Anderson, K and E Valenzuela (2008), Global Estimates of Distortions to Agricultural Incentives, 1955 to 2007.
Anderson, K and M Brueckner (2011), “Price Distortions and Economic Growth in sub-Saharan Africa”, CEPR Discussion Paper No. 8530.
Anderson, K and W Masters (eds.) (2009), Distortions to Agricultural Incentives in Africa, World Bank.
Arbache, JS and J Page (2010), “How Fragile is Africa's Recent Growth?”, Journal of African Economies, 19(1):1-24.
Easterly, W and R Levine (1997), “Africa's Growth Tragedy: Policies and Ethnic Divisions”, Quarterly Journal of Economics, 112(4):1203-1250.
Heston, A, R Summers, and B Aten (2009), Penn World Table Version 6.3, Center for International Comparisons of Production, Income and Prices, University of Pennsylvania.
Ndulu, BJ and SA O'Connell (2007), “Policy Plus: African Growth Performance 1960-2000”, Ch1 (pp. 3-75) in BJ Ndulu, P Collier, RH Bates and S O'Connell (eds.), The Political Economy of Economic Growth in Africa, 1960-2000, Cambridge University Press.
Page, J (2009), “Africa’s Growth Turnaround: From Fewer Mistakes to Sustained Growth”, Commission on Growth and Development Working Paper No. 54, World Bank.
1 See, for example, the wide range of major donor partners that have joined with the Alliance for a Green Revolution for Africa, at www.agra-alliance.org/section/links and the Partnership to Cut Hunger and Poverty in Africa, at www.partnership-africa.org, as well as the contribution from the Bill and Melinda Gates foundation at www.gatesfoundation.org/agriculturaldevelopment/Pages/default.aspx.
Topics: Development
Tags: sub-Saharan Africa, regulation, ethnic divisions
Kym Anderson
George Gollin Professor Emeritus of Economics at the University of Adelaide; Honorary Professor of Economics at the Crawford School of Public Policy, Australian National University; and CEPR Research Fellow
Markus Brückner
Professor of Economics, University of Queensland


Academic Dialogues
Program HUM
Symposium on History & Archaeology
A Small Symposium on History & Archaeology
as part of the 9th Annual International Conference on Humanities & Arts in a Global World
3-6 January 2022, Athens, Greece
Sponsored by the Athens Journal of History & the Athens Journal of Humanities & Arts
The Arts, Humanities and Education Division of ATINER is organizing a Small Symposium on History & Archaeology as part of the 9th Annual International Conference on Humanities & Arts in a Global World which will be held in Athens, Greece on 3-6 January 2022. The symposium is sponsored by the Athens Journal of History & the Athens Journal of Humanities & Arts.
The aim of the symposium is to bring together scholars and students of all areas of history, archaeology and other related disciplines. You may participate as presenter of one paper or observer.
Fee structure information is available on www.atiner.gr/fees.
Special arrangements will be made with a local hotel for a limited number of rooms at a special conference rate. In addition, a number of special events will be organized: A pragmatic symposium (as organized in Ancient Athens but fine tuned to synchronous ethics), a special one-day educational island tour, an Athens educational walking tour, and an one-day visit to Delphi. Details of the social program are available here.
Please submit an abstract (email only) to: atiner@atiner.gr, using the abstract submission form by the 22 November 2021 to: Dr. Steven Oberhelman, Professor of Classics, Holder of the George Sumey Jr Endowed Professorship of Liberal Arts, and Associate Dean, Texas A&M University, USA, Vice President of International Programs, ATINER and Editor of the Athens Journal of History or Dr. Nicholas Pappas, Vice President of Academic Membership, ATINER & Professor of History, Sam Houston University, USA. Please include: Title of Paper, Full Name (s), Current Position, Institutional Affiliation, an email address and at least 3 keywords that best describe the subject of your submission. Decisions will be reached within four weeks of your submission.
If your submission is accepted, you will receive information on registration deadlines and paper submission requirements. Should you wish to participate in the Conference without presenting a paper, for example, to chair a session, to evaluate papers which are to be included in the conference proceedings or books, to contribute to the editing of a book, or any other contribution, please send an email to Dr. Gregory T. Papanikos, President, ATINER & Honorary Professor, University of Stirling, UK (gregory.papanikos@stir.ac.uk).
ATINER was established in 1995 as an independent academic association and its mission is to act as a forum, where academics and researchers – from all over the world – can meet in Athens in order to exchange ideas on their research and to discuss future developments in their disciplines.
Academically, the Association is organized into 6 Divisions and 37 Units and 6 Centers. Each Unit organizes at least an Annual International Conference, and may also undertake various small and large research projects.
See the Committee here
Dr. Gregory T. Papanikos, President, ATINER & Honorary Professor, University of Stirling, UK.
Dr. Nicholas Pappas, Vice President of Academic Membership, ATINER & Professor of History, Sam Houston University, USA.
Dr. David A. Frenkel, LL.D., Head, Law Unit, ATINER & Emeritus Professor, Law Area, Guilford Glazer Faculty of Business and Management, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel.
Dr. Panagiotis Petratos, Vice President of ICT, ATINER, Fellow, Institution of Engineering and Technology & Professor, Department of Computer Information Systems, California State University, Stanislaus, USA.
Dr. Chris Sakellariou, Vice President of Financial Affairs, ATINER, Greece & Associate Professor, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore.
Dr. David Philip Wick, Director, Arts, Humanities and Education Division, ATINER & Retired Professor of History, Gordon College, USA.
Dr. Steven Oberhelman, Vice President of International Programs, ATINER & Professor of Classics, Holder of the George Sumey Jr Endowed Professorship of Liberal Arts, and Associate Dean, Texas A&M University, USA.
Dr. Jayoung Che, Head, History Unit, ATINER & Visiting Professor, Hankuk University of Foreign Studies, South Korea.
Dr. Stamos Metzidakis, Head, Literature Unit, ATINER, & Professor, Washington University in Saint Louis, USA.
Dr. Patricia Hanna, Head, Philosophy Unit, ATINER & Professor of Philosophy & Linguistics, University of Utah, USA.
Dr. Valia Spiliotopoulos, Head, Languages & Linguistics Unit, ATINER and Instructor, Department of Language and Literacy Education, The University of British Columbia, Canada.
Dr. Stephen Andrew Arbury, Head, Arts & Culture Unit, ATINER & Professor of Art History, Radford University, USA.
Dr. Nicholas Patricios, Director, Engineering & Architecture Division, ATINER & Professor & Dean Emeritus, School of Architecture, University of Miami, USA.
Dr. Carmen Cozma, Academic Member, ATINER & Professor, Department of Philosophy, “Alexandru Ioan Cuza” University of Iași, Romania.
Dr. Vasileios Adamidis, Lecturer, Nottingham Trent University, UK.
Dr. Tatiana Tsakiropoulou-Summers, Director, Center for Classical & Byzantine Studies (ACCBS) & Associate Professor, The University of Alabama, USA.
Dr. Franco Scalenghe, Independent Scholar Former member of the Laboratorio Internazionale di Genetica e Biofisica (LIGB) of the CNR (National Research Council), Naples, Italy.
Abstract Submitting Form


After Bolling: School Desegregation in DC
Most chronologies of the fight for school desegregation often leave off at the Supreme Court decision, a nice bow-on-top finish to a long struggle against segregation, but in reality, the process of integrating the schools was far from over.
For The Blackbyrds, Making Music was a Walk in the Park
in DC by Lori Wysong
If you’re from the D.C. area, you know Rock Creek Park for its hiking trails and scenic views. But if you’re from any other part of the country, you might recognize it best from the 1975 song, “Rock Creek Park.” The song’s minimalist verse describes happenings at the local park after sundown...
Eli Nugent's Asbury Chapel
When Reverend Eli Nugent witnessed the silencing and segregation of fellow Black worshippers at a D.C. church, he decided that his community would be better off worshipping somewhere else. His efforts created one of the first and oldest Black churches in the city: Asbury United Methodist.
Local Activists, Backed by District's Black Churches, Led the Fight for DC School Desegregation
The history of school desegregation in the District is rooted in civil disobedience. The story is one of a grassroots organization of parents that challenged the institution of legalized segregation to guarantee better schools for their children. Throughout the seven-year struggle, the activists were supported by the District's Black churches, and their mission was grounded in the principles of faith and social justice.
Razing the Mother Church: The Sale and Destruction of Saint Augustine Catholic Church
For seventy years, St. Augustine Catholic Church, at 15th and L St., NW, was the place where Washington's Black Catholics were baptized, married, and laid to rest. Known as "The Mother Church" of Black Catholics, the property was sold to The Washington Post in 1946. The transaction caught many parishioners by surprise and caused a rift with the white leadership of the Archdiocese.
Anti-Lynching Activism at Metropolitan African Methodist Episcopal Church
in DC by Lisa Dupree
In the late 1800s, Metropolitan A.M.E. Church was a center for anti-lynching activism in Washington, D.C. Famed journalist Ida Wells-Barnett addressed the church on at least two occasions and, in 1894, Frederick Douglass delivered one of his last speeches from the Metropolitan A.M.E. pulpit. Entitled “The Lessons of the Hour” Douglass's address was an epic condemnation of lynching – from its pervasiveness, to its general acceptance amongst both Southern and Northern whites.
"Our Neighbor" Bill Clinton
In 1993, then President-elect Bill Clinton’s choice of location for his inaugural morning prayer service was certainly a departure from precedent. For the first time in history, this time honored tradition took place at a historically Black church: Metropolitan African Methodist Episcopal on M Street in downtown Washington. Church officials and clergy were pleased -- as Metropolitan administrator Roslyn Stewart Christian said: “He picked a neighborhood church … 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue is right around the corner. He intends to be our president, our leader and our neighbor.”
What's in a Name? Chevy Chase
Though most Americans (and Google) associate the name with Cornelius “Chevy” Chase, the actor of National Lampoon fame, those of us in the D.C. area know that Chevy Chase, Maryland had it first. Rumor has it, though, that the man and the town actually get their names from the same place: an English ballad that’s at least 500 years old.
In 1814, Washington was Woefully Unprepared to Defend the Young Capital
The U.S. Capitol Building has been attacked a small handful of times, but the first and most devastating assault on the seat of American democracy in 1814 by the British army bears a striking resemblance to the events of January 6, 2021.
What's in a Name? Anacostia
How did the historic D.C. neighborhood of Anacostia get its name? The short answer is, of course, its proximity to the Anacostia River; but the river has its own history that’s worth unpacking. Like the Potomac, Anacostia’s name can be traced back to the area’s Indigenous population – in this case, the Nacotchtank of the Algonquian stock.


International Traffic Medicine
(ITMA)
As Adopted 3 November, 2000
and Amended at Cairo World Congress, 24 September 2002
and Amended at Special Board Meeting, 27 January 2003
Name, Logo, and Language
Section 1. Name. This Association, founded in San Remo, Italy, on December 10, 1960, with the name the International Association for Accident and Traffic Medicine, was, on 3 November 2000, renamed the International Traffic Medicine Association (ITMA), hereinafter referred to as ITMA, or the Association.
Section 2. The ITMA Logo. The ITMA Logo is the property of the Association and cannot be used without written permission of the President on behalf of the Executive Committee. In doubtful cases, the Executive Committee shall be consulted.
Section 3. Language. The official language of ITMA and its World Congresses shall be English. All written and spoken scientific content of World Congresses shall be English. Ceremonial proceedings may include use of other languages, as determined by the President of the World Congress.
Section 1. Document Titled “Policies and Procedures”. ITMA will maintain the latest revision of a document titled “Policies and Procedures”. This will specify details of day-to-day operations. It can be modified by a majority vote at a Meeting of the Board of Directors. Nothing contained in the “Policies and Procedures” may be in conflict with these Bylaws.
Section 1. Eligibility. Membership is open to road-vehicle traffic safety researchers; physicians; emergencymedical-care providers; automotive, traffic, roadway, and electronic engineers; epidemiologists; psychologists; behavioral scientists; participants in law enforcement, policymaking, or legislation concerning traffic safety; and others pursuing the Association’s goal of reducing human harm from traffic crashes. Because harm from vehicular traffic crashes is a major worldwide problem, the Association’s membership is expected to be distributed throughout the world.
Section 2. Members. Eligible persons are members and entitled to vote if they have filled in the Association’s membership application form giving details of their occupation or other activities related to the goals of the Association and have paid the annual dues as determined by the Board.
Section 3. Termination. Membership is ended by (a) resignation, (b) failure to meet the membership requirements listed in Sections 1 and 2, unless excused for good cause, or (c) expulsion by a two-thirds vote at a regular or special meeting of the membership or Board of Directors for conduct unbecoming a member or prejudicial to the aims or reputation of the organization, after notice and the opportunity for a hearing.
World Congresses and Membership Meetings
Section 1. World Congresses World Congresses will be held at times and places determined by the Board, and conducted in accord with Policies and Procedures.
Section 2. Annual Meeting and Regular Meetings. The annual meeting and any additional regular meetings shall be held at times and places fixed by the Board of Directors. In years in which there are World Congresses, an Annual Meeting will take place at the World Congress. Members shall be informed of these meetings at least 10 days but not more than 60 days before the meeting. Annual meetings shall include elections to fill vacancies in the board of directors, presentation of a financial report for the preceding fiscal year, and such other matters as are properly determined by the membership.
Section 3. Special Meetings. A special membership meeting may be called by the President at any time, and must be called upon petition in writing of any five members, provided that notice, including the time, place, and purposes of the meeting is provided to members at least 10 days but not more than 60 days before the special meeting. A special meeting shall act only on matters included in the notice.
Section 4. Quorum, Voting, and Procedures. At any membership meeting, 10 members shall constitute a quorum, and unless otherwise provided in these bylaws or in Robert’s Rules of Order, a majority of those present can decide any matter if a quorum is present. Each member present may cast one vote; no votes may be cast by proxy.
Except as otherwise provided in these bylaws, meetings of the membership shall be conducted in accordance with the current edition of Robert’s Rules of Order.
Section 1. Composition, Selection, Removal, and Terms. The affairs and property of the organization shall be managed by a Board of Directors (hereafter Board) consisting of 13 to16 directors, as determined by the Board. The Board of Directors is comprised of :
The Officers of the Board
One Director representing each of 7 to 10 geographic regions. These geographic regions will cover the
entire world, as recorded in “Policies and Procedures”
The Immediate Past President
Up to 3 other Directors
Section 2. Eligibility for Board Membership. Only members of ITMA may be nominated for election to the Board. Only members of ITMA may be members of the Board. A Board member who has allowed a period of more than three months to elapse without paying membership dues will be presumed to have resigned from the Board.
Section 3. Election of Directors. Each director except the Immediate Past President, the President Elect and the President is elected by a plurality vote of the entire membership at an annual meeting for a term that ends at the next annual meeting or when a successor takes office. The President-Elect is normally elected at an Annual Meeting taking place at a World Congress, and holds that office until the term of the President ends, at which time the President-Elect automatically assumes the office of President. The President normally assumes, and leaves, office at an Annual Meeting taking place at a World Congress. Normally, the President’s term of office will be more than two years, but less than five years, as determined by agreement with the Board. If any other elected directorship is vacated by death, resignation, inability to serve, or other cause, the Board may select a person to serve until the next annual meeting.
Section 4. Nominations Committee. The President will appoint a nominations committee chair. This chair will appoint additional ITMA members to the nominations committee. This committee will prepare a slate of candidates to recommend to the membership at the Annual Meeting. Members will be informed of the recommendations at least 10 days before the annual meeting. Additional candidates my be nominated by any member at the Annual Meeting.
Section 5. Meetings. The Board shall hold regular meetings at times and places it determines, and each director shall receive notice at least 10 days before each regular meeting of the time, place, and proposed agenda. A special meeting shall be held on the call of the President or any three directors, with not less than 24 hours advance notice to each director of the time, place, and purpose; a special meeting shall act only on matters included in the notice.
Section 6. Conduct of Meetings. Except as otherwise provided in these bylaws, all decisions of the Board shall be made at a meeting attended by a quorum. A quorum shall consist of one-third of the directors then in office. No director may cast a vote by proxy. Directors holding more than one office may cast only one vote. No director shall vote on a matter that could create a personal conflict of interests unless the possible nature of the conflict has been disclosed to the Board and the other members present by a majority vote permit the member to vote. Except as otherwise provided in these bylaws, meetings of the Board shall be conducted in accordance with the current edition of Robert’s Rules of Order.
Section 7. Committees. The Board may create such committees as it requires and may delegate to them any of its powers, subject to the Board’s power to review and revise committee decisions. Unless otherwise determined by the Board, the President may appoint the members and designate the chairperson of each committee.
Section 1. Offices, Terms, and Selection. The officers include the President, the President-Elect, the Secretary, the Treasurer, and other officers that the Board may designate. Additional offices may be created and filled by action of the Board, and one director may hold more than one office. The Treasurer and Secretary are elected as part of the “Election of Board Members” (Article 5, Section 3).
Section 2. Duties. The officers shall perform the duties normally associated with their offices except as otherwise provided in these bylaws and shall perform such additional duties as are determined by the Board. The President shall preside at membership, Board, and Executive Committee meetings. If the President is unable to preside, the President Elect shall preside; if the President Elect is unable to preside, those present shall select a person to preside. During any period of absence or disability of the President and President Elect, an officer selected by the Board shall perform the duties and exercise the powers of the President. The Treasurer shall manage all funds pursuant to policies adopted by the Board and as provided in Article 7, Section 3.
Section 3. Executive Committee. The officers, plus others the Board may chose to designate, shall constitute an Executive Committee, which may exercise any powers of the Board between meetings of the Board, unless otherwise provided by law or in the Articles of Incorporation or these bylaws, except that the Executive Committee cannot amend the Articles of Incorporation or these bylaws, cannot reverse a decision previously made by the Board, and cannot elect or remove an officer. Except as otherwise provided in these bylaws, all decisions of the Executive Committee shall be made at a meeting attended by a quorum consisting of at least half of its members. No Executive Committee member may cast a vote by proxy. No Executive Committee member shall vote on a matter that could create a personal conflict of interests unless the possible nature of the conflict has been disclosed to the Executive Committee and the other members present by a majority vote permit the member to vote.
Section 1. Acceptance of Funds. Grants, donations, bequests, and other funds and property may be accepted from any source in conformity with policies adopted by the Board.
Section 2. Depository Accounts. All funds of the organization shall be placed in such depository or investment accounts as the Board may designate. Checks must be signed by persons authorized as signers by the Board.
Section 3. Management of Funds. The Treasurer shall be the principal custodian of all funds, shall see that accurate books of account are maintained, shall ensure compliance with government tax, reporting, and other requirements, and shall provide the Board with financial reports and statements as needed. All financial records shall be open to inspection by any director or member.
Section 4. Payments to Directors and Officers. There shall be no compensation for serving as an officer or director. Out of pocket expenses paid by Directors and Officers in executing their official ITMA duties, supported by receipts when normally provided, will be reimbursed. Directors and Officers may enter into contracts with ITMA to provide special services that are compensated.
Section 5. Disbursement of funds. The treasurer, or other officer or officers, specified in Policies and Procedures, may write checks against ITMA funds in payment for ITMA goods and services provided the amount is not more than that specified in Policies and Procedures. If the amount exceeds that in Policies and Procedures, at least two Board Members, as specified in Policies and Procedures, must approve the payment.
Section 6. Fiscal Year. The financial records and reports of the organization shall be based on a fiscal year ending December 31.
Amendment of Articles of Incorporation or Bylaws
Section 1. Amendment. The Articles of Incorporation or these bylaws may be amended by vote of a majority of the members present at any membership meeting attended by a quorum, provided notice of the intent to amend is provided to members at least 20 days before the meeting, including the text or a fair summary of the intended amendment.


Google to pay some media publishers for high-quality news content
Global tech behemoth, Google has decided to put an end on its ongoing spat with publishers by announcing that it would pay some media groups for their news content. Reportedly, Google is planning to remunerate some media groups in Brazil, Germany, and Australia for their high-quality content.
The search engine giant has previously tried to circumvent payment deals demanded by news publishers around the world in return for using their content. Among these groups, European media groups are one of the tech giant’s harshest critics.
Recently in a blog post, Google's vice-president for news, Brad Bender wrote that the company is launching a licensing program to remunerate publishers for high-quality content which will be used for Google’s news experience releasing around the fourth quarter of 2020. The company would work with publishers from across multiple countries, with several more to be added in the coming years.
Apparently, the new product would be available on the company’s News and Discover section. Google is willing to pay for free access to paywalled articles on a publisher's website. However, the European Publishers Council expects that the standard norm should be designed only for leading platforms.
According to Angela Mills Wade, Executive Director, European Publishers Council, the current scenario where no licenses are settled with Google is highly unacceptable.
Meanwhile, publishers working on this project are Brazil's A Gazeta and Diarios Associados; Germany's Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, Der Spiegel, Rheinische Post, and Die Zeit; along with Australian groups The Conversation, Solstice Media, and Schwartz Media.
As for France's competition authority, it has directed Google to pay publishers in France for their high-quality content. Whereas, Australia has made it clear that it would force tech giants like Facebook and Google to share their advertising revenue with Australian media groups.
Source Credit: https://www.nasdaq.com/articles/google-to-pay-some-publishers-for-content-others-dubious-2020-06-25


Outside Lands 2018: A return to form in Year 11
August 17, 2018 by Kevin J Quandt Leave a Comment
Photos by Norm de Veyra // Written by Kevin Quandt //
Outside Lands Music and Arts Festival //
Golden Gate Park – San Francisco
August 10th-12th, 2018 //
As another summer festival season winds down, we look back at the 2018 edition of Outside Lands with highlights, thoughts, musings and enough images to make you nostalgic for the Bay Area’s banner music festival. With the Superfly, Another Planet Entertainment and Starr Hill event celebrating its 11th edition, this incarnation of the annual Golden Gate Park soirée saw more of a return to form over the past year while also experiencing a notable shift in the sound that could be heard emanating through the eucalyptus and other flora.
While cancellations left a slightly sour taste in the mouths of last year’s attendees, this year only saw limited lineup hiccups. However, the bigger story at hand surrounds the changing tides of popular music. Sure, you’ve heard folks state “rock is dead,” but is a once-amusing quip starting to take greater shape as the youth clamor for a different sound and aesthetic? Though it was pretty evident on the 2018 lineup poster when it dropped in April, this query started to take greater shape once you were on the grounds and bouncing between sets. So, let’s jump straight into this now.
Day 1 at Outside Lands tends to be a slow trickle of fans entering the park as some are able to play hooky, bounce from the office early or only show up for the headliners. Sure, some folks had to deal with longer-than-expected box office lines and others even had to bear the fest’s new bag policies, but luckily those in attendance were blessed with some clear skies instead of the usual August dread of the Outer Lands.
While Billie Eilish was relishing in her rising appeal on the Lands End stage, covering Drake and running through the majority of her singles, Rex Orange County was trying his hand at something a bit new and terrifying. The UK wunderkind was forced to play his first-ever solo festival set as his band and their gear ran into transit issues on the way to SF from the Pacific Northwest. The young crooner seemed a bit nervous about this predicament but competently knocked out a solid, eight-song performance that included “Sunflower” and closer “Loving Is Easy”.
N.E.R.D., meanwhile, played their first SF show in many years to a raucous crowd, opening with “Anti Matter” as a hyped Pharrell Williams feverishly worked every corner of the huge Lands End stage. The set featured a massive medley of tracks by The Neptunes, a cover of “Seven Nation Army” and a double dose of “Lemon” to send us on our way to the next set.
Simultaneously, Carly Rae Jepsen was apparently throwing down one of Outside Lands’ most enjoyable performances in front of a rather large crowd. While the pop sensation pleased the masses with a rendition of her breakout hit “Call Me Maybe”, she also performed more recent songs like “Emotion”.
ODESZA obviously drew a large crowd for their main stage afternoon showcase, putting the spotlight on the changing tides and tastes of the youth music market. That kind of youthful angst and energy seemed to be danced out to ODESZA, DJ Snake and Big Gigantic compared to the pits of rock bands from the 2000’s, be it Queens of the Stone Age, System of a Down or Deftones.
With the under-25 crowd predominantly stationed at Lands End, you could say there was a more intimate feeling at Twin Peaks for Father John Misty. Touting his expanded band that featured a string section and dialing back his quirky stage banter, Josh Tillman’s latest tour has been pretty much about presenting his music as faithfully as he can. “Nancy From Now On” opened his career-spanning performance as the shadows began to drape the park.
While FJM’s attendance was noticeably a bit small for a rock act, the king of “jizz jazz,” aka Mac DeMarco, was able to attract a rowdy crowd for his closing set on the Sutro stage. When the synth sections of “On the Level” opened DeMarco’s set, a certain air of relaxation swept the crowd as various smokeables were consumed in honor of indie-slacker royalty onstage.
Abel Tesfaye, popularly known as The Weeknd, enjoyed a sort of victory lap as he headlined the festival’s first day with an onslaught of hits such as “Starboy”, “Can’t Feel My Face” and “The Hills”, along with a few select covers of Future, Belly, Drake and Ty Dolla $ign. Though Tesfaye’s current large-scale show is nothing new to the live music circuit, he still threw one helluva party before sending the masses into the wilds of the City.
It has been a couple of years since Outside Lands was fortunate enough to have a truly clear, sunny Saturday — and not just for a few hours, but the whole damn day. Plus, it was topped off with another insanely gorgeous sunset, but let’s not jump the gun here.
As the day got underway, New York indie artist Amen Dunes performed an extremely tight set, showcasing his wavy take on psychedelic rock/folk. Led by Damon McMahon, the trio played heavy off its most recent release Freedom while also not completely ignoring its back catalog. Moreover, McMahon’s stage presence was infectious and somewhat akin to R.E.M.’s Michael Stipe, as his slender build moved to the emotive nature of his craft.
On the opposite end of the spectrum, Lizzo was bringing down the early-afternoon house as she decimated the Lands End stage. “Fitness” opened her 10-song set as her pair of dancers, as well as Lizzo herself, left everything on the stage for the sizable crowd that was yearning for her energy, and some even yearned for a shot of tequila from her bottle of Patrón as she entered the photo pit for an up-close appearance during closing song “Good as Hell”.
When the Lizzo crowd dispersed, Broken Social Scene fans got prime real estate to catch the Canadian indie-rock demigods perform a blistering set of guitar-heavy tunes like opener “KC Accidental” and closer “Anthems for a Seventeen Year-Old Girl”. Even in such a large setting, the massive band was able to cook up a sense of intimacy and really engage.
While OSL this year leaned more toward R&B, electronic pop and other hip genres, UK jazz purveyors GoGo Penguin delivered a stunning set of avant-garde-leaning jazz. This punchy trio showed their chops over tracks like “One Percent” and set closer “Window” and could easily be compared to The Bad Plus. GoGo were a perfect palate cleanser before heading to more current stylings from either SOB X RBE or CHVRCHES.
Local legend Tycho performed to an enthusiastic crowd while Scott Hansen stated this would be the last incarnation of this phase for the group (we look forward to the next chapter). Back over at Lands End, Bon Iver delivered a prototypically powerful set as the sunlight dwindled, simultaneously providing a seriously stunning sunset.
As the limited amount of darkness fell over the park, one-third of The xx was preparing to hold court as the Sutro crowd swelled, moving their dancing feet to the new-school dance pioneer known as Jamie xx (born James Smith). Even as Jamie xx eased into his intro (The Animals’ “San Francisco Nights”) and more fans pushed in, it was rather evident that the Sutro’s sound system wasn’t able to fully reach the volume many were looking for. But an Above & Beyond nod (“Sun in Your Eyes”) eventually led straight into Smith’s mix of “On Hold” and all was right in the world, if only for about eight minutes.
There was a bit of controversy surrounding Saturday’s main slot as Florence + the Machine officially made the move to full-blown festival headliner. Some festivalgoers had their own doubts after FYF Fest 2018 was canceled with a near-identical top billing, but Florence and her bandmates proved, many times over, that she is more than capable of commanding any stage as her energy is unlike many others. She debuted a brand-new show, which featured “June” in the opening slot and was book-ended by “Big God” and “Shake It Out” for a two-song encore.
Janelle Monáe
On the final day, the weather was back on track; by that, I mean it was cold, blustery and generally moist. Most were thankful for the two previous days as opposed to three days of “Karl the Fog,” as has been tradition for a good 3-4 years now.
The early afternoon of Sunday bore witness to some very lively performances from up-and-comers like Rainbow Kitten Surprise and Hobo Johnson & the Lovemakers, both of who are primed to make moves in the festival circuit over the next year if they play their cards right.
Continuing with the trend of electro-leaning acts playing to some big crowds, BØRNS fully commanded a youthful contingent with hits such as “10,000 Emerald Pools” and set closer “Electric Love”.
The incomparable Janelle Monáe was a tad late to take the stage, as she was fighting off a stomach bug, but when she did, she captivated the masses with a suite of tracks from her most recent release Dirty Computer and tossed in a fair amount of costume changes over a nearly hour-long set. Monáe proved that she’s easily one of the best in the business at the moment and will only continue to climb upwards.
Over at the Twin Peaks stage, The Internet was trying to hash out some sort of technical difficulties before beginning their abbreviated performance, which seemed to be a little lopsided and uneven as they did their best to deal with the 30 minutes that they had left. Fortunately, “Girl” got the majority who stuck around swaying to Syd’s sultry vocals and generally chilled demeanor.
Portugal. The Man held a fleeting rock slot on the main stage, putting their quirky brand of psych-leaning pop rock on display. Moreover, they tossed in some oddly placed Pink Floyd and Beatles covers before closing with their breakthrough hit “Feel It Still”.
Aussie newcomer Tash Sultana, meanwhile, was putting on a masterclass in instrumentation and looping. Sultana has really had one of the biggest breakout years in independent music, and it was clearly evident as she had a carefree stage presence backed by some truly unique, solo-delivered music ripe with psychedelic and world elements. The 23-year-old is certainly a name to watch over the next year and beyond.
As the last set of OSL artists got ready to play, James Blake brought us to church for this year’s final performance on the Sutro stage, failing to disappoint while the fog grew slightly thicker in Lindley Meadow. Highlights from Blake’s dreamy set were easily his take on Untold’s track “Stop What You’re Doing” and a semi-rare rendition of “Modern Soul”.
Some say Janet Jackson couldn’t pull in big crowds amid the current shifting landscape of large-scale music festivals, and although she didn’t pull in record-breaking numbers on a rugged SF night, it was clearly evident that those fans who stayed to watch her were all-in. Jackson’s career-spanning show touched on more than 35 songs and was accompanied by some fierce choreography and production elements. Sure, she wasn’t singing much of the time, but that didn’t stop a wide range of fans from showering Jackson with affection. Her closing performance was highlighted by “That’s the Way Love Goes” and later on, the MJ collaboration “Scream” that transitioned into “Rhythm Nation”.
As the music festival industry continues to deal with a shifting crowd and demand, Outside Lands regained its stride after a few hiccups in 2017. And while this year’s lineup might not have appealed to the core demographic from its incarnation, the event still offers something for everyone.
Filed Under: Editor's Picks, Featured, Festival Reviews, Festivals Tagged With: Amen Dunes, Another Planet Entertainment, Aquilo, Bahamas, BØRNS, Beck, Belly, Big Gigantic, Bon Iver, Broken Social Scene, Carly Rae Jepsen, Chicano Batman, Chromeo, Chvrches, Claptone, Cuco, Daniel Caesar, DJ Snake, Drake, Father John Misty, Florence & the Machine, Future, Golden Gate Park, Goldlink, Gryffin, Hobo Johnson, Hobo Johnson & the Lovemakers, Huey Lewis, Huey Lewis and the News, Illenium, James Blake, Jamie xx, Janet Jackson, Jessie Reyez, Kelela, Lauv, Lizzo, LP, Mac Demarco, Margo Price, N.E.R.D., Odesza, Outside Lands, Outside Lands 2018, Outside Lands Music Festival, Outside Lands Music Festival 2018, Perfume Genius, Poolside, Portugal. The Man, Quinn XCII, R.E.M., Rainbow Kitten Surprise, Rex Orange County, Sabrina Claudio, Shannon and the Clams, Smokepurpp, SOB x RBE, Starr Hill, Superfly, Tash Sultana, The Growlers, The Internet, The Mountain Goats, The Weeknd, Ty Dolla $ign, Tycho, Whethan
Impending Apocalypse Now: 21 Songs for the End of the World
December 20, 2012 by Mike Frash Leave a Comment
Subscribe to the “Impending Apocalypse Now” Spotify playlist.
So the world ends on Friday. That’s too bad, I was just getting used to Dubstep.
Here are 21 lucky tracks that somehow relate to the impending apocalypse. And they are pretty great songs too.
21. David Bowie – “Five Years”
20. St. Vincent – “The Apocalypse Song”
19. Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds – “I’ll Love You (Till The End Of The World”
18. STS9 – “When the Dust Settles”
17. Andrew Bird – “Yawny At The Apocalypse”
16. Bright Eyes – “Four Winds”
15. Creedence Clearwater Revival – “Bad Moon Rising”
14. R.E.M. – “It’s The End Of The World As We Know It (And I Feel Fine)
13. The Clash – “London Calling”
12. The Rolling Stones – “Gimme Shelter”
11. Muse – “Apocalypse Please”
10. The Cure – “The End of the World”
9. Medeski, Martin & Wood – “End Of The World Party”
8. The Postal Service – “We Will Become Silhouettes”
7. Radiohead – “Ideoteque”
6. The Decemberists – “Calamity Song”
5. Tom Waits – “The Earth Died Screaming”
4. Morrissey – “Everyday Is Like Sunday”
3. Metallica – “Blackened”
2. Tame Impala – “Apocalypse Dreams”
1. The Doors – “The End”
Filed Under: BAM of the Week Tagged With: Andrew Bird, Bright Eyes, CCR, David Bowie, Medeski Martin & Wood, Metallica, Morrissey, Muse, Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds, R.E.M., Radiohead, St. Vincent, STS9, Tame Impala, The Clash, The Cure, The Decemberists, The Doors, The Postal Service, The Rolling Stones, Tom Waits


57-Year-Old Man Arrested For Eating, Selling Human Part
Zamfara State Police Command has arrested a 57-year-old man, Aminu Baba, for allegedly eating and selling human body parts.
The state Commissioner of Police, Ayuba Elkana, who paraded the suspect before journalists on Thursday, said Baba connived with three other persons, who usually sold the parts to him at the rate of N500,000 per body.
The suspected accomplices were identified as Abdulshakur Mohammed, 20; Buba, 17; and Tukur, 14.
The commissioner said the suspect and his collaborators were apprehended based on intelligence information from members of the public.
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Elkana said, “On December 12, 2021, around 2pm, one Ali Yakubu Aliyu reported at the Central Police Station, Gusau, that his son, Ahmad Yakubu, 9, was missing.
“On receiving the report, police detectives swung into action and commenced a discreet investigation into the matter.
“On December 28, 2021, around 9.30am, police detectives received an intelligence report with regards to the earlier report, that on the same date around 9am, the corpse of a human being was found in an uncompleted building at the Barakallahu area, Gusau, with the two hands and legs tied with rags, and the head covered with a polythene bag.”
The police boss said detectives proceeded to the scene and found the corpse with some parts removed, adding that the remains were taken to a hospital for an autopsy.
He explained that on January 4, 2022, around 2am, police detectives acted on an intelligence report and arrested Baba in connection with the case.
“During interrogation, the second suspect, Abdulshakur Mohammed, confessed that it was the third time he was contracted by the first suspect, Aminu Baba, to source human parts for him at the sum of N500,000, which he successfully did for the first and the second time, before his arrest.”
Mohammed recalled that he connived with Buba and Tukur to deceive a victim who was taken to an uncompleted building, where they killed him and removed his intestines, oesophagus, private parts and eyes.
He claimed that the parts were taken to Baba, who gave them N500,000.
The police commissioner said Baba, a father of 19, confessed to the crime, adding that his revelations were assisting the police in the arrest of other members of his gang.
He said, “The suspect further confessed that he usually ate the body parts and identified the throat as the most delicious part. He also sold some of the human parts to his customers. Exhibits recovered from the suspect included intestines, oesophagus, penis and two eyes.”
Tags: 57-Year-Old Man, Human parts
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Lillian Gish
ClassicFlix (Teen Scene) – Review #14: The Night of the Hunter (1955)
Posted on June 29, 2017 January 15, 2018 by Virginie Pronovost
From March 2015 to April 2017, I was writing the monthly Teen Scene column for the website ClassicFlix. My objective was to promote classic films among teenagers and young adults. Due to the establishing of a new version of the website, it’s now more difficult to access to the old version and read the reviews. But, I’m allowed to publish my reviews on my blog 30 days after they had been published on ClassicFlix! So, I decided to do so as you could have an easy access to them. If you are not a teenager, it doesn’t matter! I’m sure you can enjoy them just the same! My fourteenth review was for the 1955’s classic The Night of the Hunter directed by Charles Laugthon. Enjoy!
Charles Laughton was known as one of the most prolific actors of the 20th-century with films such as The Private Life of Henry VIII, The Hunchback of Notre-Dame, Witness for the Prosecution, and Spartacus. But in 1954 he started working on what would be his only film as a director. Unfortunately, upon release in 1955, The Night of the Hunter wasn’t a commercial success, nor a critical one. Nevertheless, the film is acclaimed today as one of the best of the ’50s and as a brilliant film noir.
The Night of the Hunter is based on the novel of the same name by Davis Grubb and set during the Great Depression. Its central character is Reverend Harry Powell (Robert Mitchum), a dangerous serial killer. The film starts with the arrest of Ben Harper (Peter Graves) who has just committed a hold-up, killing two people. He arrives at home and hides the money with his children, John (Billy Chapin) and Pearl (Sally Jane Bruce) the only ones who know where it is; both swear not to tell anyone.
Ben is arrested with the scene being witnessed by his kids and wife, Wilma (Shelley Winters). In the jail where he waits to be hanged, he shares a cell with Harry Powell, who has been condemned to spend some time in prison for stealing a car. Ben talks in his sleep and Harry discovers he has hidden some stolen money, no less than $10,000. After Ben’s death, Harry’s objective is to get his hands on the money and decides to become Willa Harper’s next husband.
Charmed by him, and looking for a new father for her children, Willa doesn’t take much time before marrying the dangerous man. Willa doesn’t know where the money is hidden, but Powell suspects the children know where it is leaving them in constant danger.
Lead actor, Robert Mitchum, claimed Charles Laughton was one of the best directors he worked with and this was Mitchum’s favorite movie he acted in. Of course, with such motivation, the results couldn’t be anything else but fantastic. On his side, Charles Laughton agreed Robert Mitchum was one of the best actors ever, so both had winning teamwork, bringing out the best in each other. Charles Laughton himself described the character of Harry Powell as “diabolical” and that’s really what he is! We believe in this description of the character because Robert Mitchum puts all his good human qualities aside to embody one of the meanest characters in movie history.
Charles Laughton didn’t really like directing children, but Sally Jane Bruce and Billy Chapin as Pearl and John give us credible performances, especially little Billy Chapin, who is as much able to move from a feeling of suffering to a feeling of joy. His physical resemblance to Peter Graves, who plays his father is proof of his being a great choice for the part. Sally Jane Bruce portrays one of the most adorable little girls in film. She is very naive, but some of her reactions are so adorable that she does nothing but win our love.
Shelley winters described her performance as “the most thoughtful and reserved performance I ever gave” and we know what she means. There’s a beautiful modesty in her acting perfectly suited to her character. We feel she is thinking well about her actions and knows how to transposed them on screen.
Robert Mitchum aside, the other great performance of the film is by the one and only Lillian Gish as Rachel Cooper. Rachel is a strong, generous woman and one of the best female heroines in movie history. In her early 60s, Lillian Gish illustrates her experience as an actress, and her performance as Rachel remains a favorite. The film certainly wouldn’t have been the same without her. The Night of the Hunter is a dark film, but Lillian Gish and her character, Rachel add a ray of light to make us realize there’s always hope.
The film cost less than $800,000 to produce and despite its plot it remains a simple and beautiful film. Its visual dimension is one of its best qualities. Stanly Cortez, who also worked with Orson Welles on The Magnificent Ambersons, took care of the cinematography. How can we forget the scene where Pearl and John sail in the boat at night? The nature, with its vegetation and its animals is filmed in a surreal quality. It’s neat, showing us detail and the contrast between the dark night and the moonlight adds magic and poetry to the film. It’s hard believing The Night of the Hunter didn’t receive at least an Oscar nomination for its cinematography.
Aside from its brilliant acting and cinematography, The Night of the Hunter also has a well-written script. The way the characters evolve in the film is well developed; one of the best character evolutions is John’s. He’s the one who gains the most experience and wisdom from this unfortunate adventure. The film also contains some memorable quotes and dialogues, one of the best being Harry Powell’s speech explaining why “Love” and “Hate” are tattooed on his knuckles. There are also many other quotes that terrify us, make us smile, make us laugh or make us sad. Here are some examples:
– Rachel Cooper: “I’m a strong tree with branches for many birds. I’m good for something in this world and I know it too.”
– Harry Powell: “Not that you mind the killings! There’s plenty of killings in your book, Lord…”
– Pearl [to John who just threw a hairbrush on Harry Powell’s head]: “You hit Daddy with a hairbrush!” (The way she says it is hilarious.)
Another important thing to notice is the score, composed by Walter Schumann, who knew how to perfectly compose the right music to illustrate the film’s visual and narrative dimensions. It’s terrifying music at some moments when associated with Harry Powell, or it can be joyful depending on the scene. We also hear songs such as “Leaning on the Everlasting Arms,” sung by Robert Mitchum with his beautiful, deep voice.
Sally Jane Bruce originally sang “Pretty Fly,” but Betty Benson dubbed her in the end. If we pay attention to its lyrics, “Pretty Fly” perfectly illustrates the children’s situation. Night of the Hunter’s most memorable musical moment is when Robert Mitchum and Lillian Gish sing “Leaning on the Everlasting Arms” together. Rachel protects the children from this dangerous man, but finds a way to connect with him by singing the same song as him for a truly powerful moment.
There’s so much to say about The Night of the Hunter, but you’ll need to discover the rest by yourself. If you haven’t seen the film ignore its poor reception on its release, and make sure to immediately dive into this mysterious, intriguing world.
Posted in Movie Reviews, Movies of the 50's	Tagged Charles Laughton, ClassicFlix (Teen Scene), Lillian Gish, Robert Mitchum, Shelley Winters, The Night of the Hunter	3 Comments