Title: The Pieces We Keep
Author: Kristina McMorris
Publication Information: Kensington Books. 2013. 464 pages.
Favorite Quote: "She had learned there was more to our world than what any of us could see or fully comprehend. That's when it hit her. Maybe heaven was much like a lake at dawn, offering a different view depending on the person. Maybe heaven entailed more than a soul residing in a single place but instead having pieces of yourself spread among the hearts and memories of the people you touched."
The time is 2012. The place is Portland, Oregon. Audra is a single mother, still trying to recover from the devastating death of her husband Devon. She is attempting to rebuild a life for herself and her seven year old son Jack. Meredith and Robert are Devon's parents attempting to hold on to their son's memory and their grandson. Jack is suffering from fears and anxiety. The fear is manifesting itself in nightmares, disturbing artwork, and other psychological impact. Are these a ramification of Devon's death or is it something else?
The time is the late 1930s. The place is London, England. Vivian James is a young woman enjoying her life. Isaak is the young man she is seeing. Life seems to be good, but Europe rumbles with thoughts of war and Nazis. What will war mean for these young lovers?
What do these stories have in common? The book tells both stories in alternating sections, moving forward piece by piece. Is Jack still reeling from Devon's death? Will Vivian leave Europe as her diplomat father wants her to? Is Jack disturbed? Is Isaak and his love for Vivian genuine? Is Audra somehow responsible for her son's condition? Will Vivian create a new life for herself in the US?
Who to trust and what to believe? Gradually, the pieces start to draw closer and closer. The individual characters and stories are developed beautifully such that each is complete onto itself. Each section leaves the reader wanting to know what comes next. Yet, the book also keeps you guessing at the exact connection between the two.
For its length, the book is a very quick read. Each section is not long, and the structure adds to the drama of the story and the questions in the story. This is the first book I have read by Kristina McMorris. I will seek out more.
Some Nerve: Lessons Learned While Becoming Brave
Title: Some Nerve: Lessons Learned While Becoming Brave
Author: Patty Chang Anker
Publication Information: Riverhead. 2013. 368 pages.
Book Source: I received this book through the LibraryThing Early Reviewers program free of cost in exchange for an honest review. The book arrived as a paperback uncorrected proof.
Favorite Quote: "The thing is, fear serves a function .... You can't just say 'Fear, go away!' and expect it to. You need to ask 'Fear, why are you here? What are you trying to protect me from? Is it something I need protection for? Or is it a response to a situation that resolved years ago or that maybe even happened to somebody else?' If so, you can recognize the fear for what it is and say that this isn't necessary anymore."
Patty Chang Anker is the creator of the blog Facing Forty Upside Down and the mother of two daughters. Close to her fortieth birthday, she undertook a mission to try things she never had before and to overcome some of her fears in order to be a better role model for her daughters. Along her journey, she met and learned from other people facing similar fears. So, she set out to learn more and see if her input could help others conquer their own fears.
This book is a compilation of her research and her experiences. She includes numerous stories from friends and people she has met along the way. She also includes information gathered from therapists and other experts who can shed light on this journey.
Overall, the stories are interesting, and most people can find things to relate to - whether in the fact that we overcome a fear or in the fact that we feel the fear. Two things I feel are missing for the book. First, the fears that the book addresses are pragmatic ones - fear of water, public speaking, heights, and even death. An entire world of fears exist that are just as common but less concrete - fear of loss, abandonment, etc - and not surmountable by doing what scares you. Overcoming those fears is also a key element of becoming brave. I wish that book addressed at least some aspect of these more nebulous fears.
Second, the book has a very pragmatic tone. The book presents evidence and data from many different sources and tells many different stories. The number of stories decreases the level of depth in any one story. I would have preferred fewer, but in depth stories that delve deeper into the process. Overcoming any fear is very much an emotional journey, and I wish the book conveyed that emotion in a stronger way.
I Am Malala
Title: I Am Malala
Author: Malala Yousafzai with Christina Lamb
Publication Information: Little, Brown and Company; Hachette Book Group. 2013. 327 pages.
Book Source: I read this book because I want to read and learn from Malala's story.
Favorite Quote: "On the shelves of our living room are awards from around the world - America, India, France, Spain, Italy, and Austria, and many other places. I've even been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize, the youngest person ever. When I received prizes for my work at school I was happy, as I had worked hard for them but these prizes are different. I am grateful for them, but they only remind me how much work still needs to be done1 to achieve the goal of education for every boy and girl. I don't want to be thought of as the 'girl who was shot by the Taliban' but the 'girl who fought for education.'"
It is difficult to be tuned into the news recently and not have heard the story of Malala Yousafzai, a young woman in the northern regions of Pakistan who spoke out for education, was shot by the Taliban, and has become a world celebrity. She is now the youngest person in the world to ever be nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize.
This book is her story, and through her story, a history of the northern part of Pakistan and somewhat a history of the fight for education. The culmination of the book, of course, is the event that brought Malala worldwide attention. The bulk of the book builds the background of the situation that leads to her shooting.
I was actually not sure I wanted to read the book. It sat on my night stand for a week before I read it. Not because I do not want to share in her story, but rather because I was not sure how the story would be told. Would it be a medium for publicity? Would it be the voice of the adult co-author instead of this young woman? Would a reader be able to read the book as a book and not get bogged down in political statements? Would the book be her story or a way of depicting history and politics? Would the book be a one-sided view of Pakistan and its people? An article that appeared in The Washington Post captures my concern: "It can sometimes feel as if the entire West were trying to co-opt Malala, as if to tell ourselves: "Look, we're with the good guys, we're on the right side. The problem is over there." Sometimes the heroes we appoint to solve our problems can say as much about us as about them. Malala's answer is courage. Our answer is celebrity." (Max Fisher. "The Nobel committee did Malala a favor in passing her over for the peace prize." The Washington Post, October 11, 2013)
Surprisingly, the book does a good job of balancing the personal story of Malala and her family and the history and unsettled political climate of the Swat Valley. To me, the book projects the voices of both authors - a young woman coming through life altering changes and an experienced journalist investigating a part of the world. This history covered goes beyond Malala's young life, presenting background through the stories of her father and the generations before. Her voice comes through as that of a young woman - stories of arguing with siblings, spending time with friends, and longing for a home that remains out of reach. "Over the last year I've seen many other places, but my valley remains to me the most beautiful place in the world. I don't know when I will see it again, but I know that I will."
The issue of eduction is a global issue. Malala's story is only one of so many more. I hope this book and the fact that her story caught the world's attention leads to real global changes and efforts to help all the children. I hope that Malala is always known as the "girl who fought for education."
Labels: 2010s, 300-399 pages, 4 stars, Memoir/Biography, review
The Explanation for Everything
Title: The Explanation for Everything
Author: Lauren Grodstein
Book Source: I received this book through the LibraryThing Early Reviewers program free of cost in exchange for an honest review. The book came as a paperback advance reading copy.
Favorite Quote: "As long as we're on this earth we should do right by other people. Especially those who have been good to us."
Andy Waite is a widowed father raising his two daughters. He is still attempting to reconcile with the loss of his wife six years ago. He is a college professor who has built his life and his career around the theory of evolution.
Enter into the picture Melissa. Melissa is a student who wishes to study intelligent design, a idea that suggests that certain aspects of our world cannot be explained by evolution and natural selection but rather by the hand of a designer. Melissa convinces Andy to direct her study even though their views conflict.
I feel that the intent of the book is to look at the philosophical discussion of evolution versus creation especially at times of difficulty or tragedy. To me, however, it's a sad book about a man attempting to reconcile the sadness in his life. He loses his wife in a tragic way; yet, the moral dilemma of the existence of something beyond death comes six years later? He builds his career and work around one central idea, but calls it all into question based on the work of one student? He is a father of two attempting to build a life for his daughters, but he puts it at risk for a young woman?
The motivations and actions do not ring true. Andy Waite comes across as a man lost in his own life, somewhat sad and directionless. As such, the book's intent to raise a discussion about philosophical issues seems to lose direction in the individual characters.
The Light in the Ruins
Title: The Light in the Ruins
Author: Chris Bohjalian
Publication Information: DoubleDay. 2013. 320 pages.
Book Source: I read this book because I have read other books by the author and enjoyed some of them (The Night Strangers and The Sandcastle Girls).
Favorite Quote: "We make compromises. We look the other way. Then, when it's over, we can't look at ourselves in the mirror."
The Light in the Ruins is a story of World War II as it comes to Italy and a story of a war vendetta carried out about ten year later. The story moves back and forth between the two time periods, slowly revealing bits and pieces about the characters and the events that transpired.
The story centers around the Rosati family. During the war, the Rosatis live on their estate, the Villa Chimera near Florence. Two brothers, Vittore and Marco, serve in the war. Eighteen year old Cristina, along with her parents and Marco's wife and children, live at Villa Chimera. The hope is that the war will end before it truly reaches them. Unfortunately, that is not to be. Italy becomes a battleground, as the Allies reach near, Germany makes a stand, and the Italian partisans fight in the nearby hills. The Rosatis are caught up in the fighting, becoming host to both the Nazis and the partisans.
Ten years later, Francesca, Marco's wife is found brutally murdered in Florence. The police investigate. One of the investigators, Serafina Bettina, was one of the partisans during the war and discovers her own link to the Rosatis.
The book continues with the story from both time periods. Interspersed throughout the thoughts or words of the killer, possibly to provide hints as to the killer's identity and motive. The suspense builds in both time periods throughout the book as the killings and the investigation continue, and as the war comes closer and touches Villa Chimera. Chris Bohjalian's writing brings both time periods and the characters to life.
Most of Chris Bohjalian's books have an unexpected ending, one that makes you look back through the book to see if you could have seen it coming. With this book, the unfortunate thing is that you could not have seen it coming. The ending and the resolution was almost tangential to the main story built throughout the book. As a reader, that takes some of the fun out of it. It's one thing to be surprised. It's quite another to feel that it was almost unrelated. Still, the writing is enjoyable.
Title: Cloud Atlas
Author: David Mitchell
Publication Information: Random House Trade Paperbacks, The Random House Publishing Group, Random House Inc. 2004. 500 pages.
Book Source: This book is required summer reading for the Advanced Placement English class at our high school. I read it because I wanted to see what our school will be teaching.
Favorite Quote: "Every nowhere is somewhere."
I have to admit. I finished reading this book a while ago. I have taken this time to dwell on it, reread passages, think about it some more, and really consider how I describe it. Reading this book, I feel, will be an intensely personal experience. This book will not work for everyone. For me, it did.
From its description, the book is a set of six loosely related stories. Each is set in a different time and place. Each is written in an entirely different style. The first is the journal of a traveler. The second is letters from a young musician. The third is the story of a young reporter and big business. The fourth is the adventure of a publisher institutionalized because of illness. The fifth is the tale of a futuristic world of clones and slavery. The sixth comes full circle to life on a primitive post-apocalyptic island.
The stories are not told in their entirety, instead in halves. They build from the first to the sixth and then weave their way back. The first set of sections stop rather abruptly and at a climatic moment. Only the story of the post-apocalyptic world is told in one go. As such, it forms the crux of the novel.
Based on the description, I was not sure I was going to enjoy the book. As I read the first section, I wasn't sure I would like it. Yet, I kept reading. The writing styles of certain sections appealed to me more so than others. Slowly, though, themes start to emerge in the book - statements of ideology and philosophy - and it coalesces into a whole. The book is one about human nature, power, control, and the past being redefined to suit the needs of the future. These themes repeat throughout the book:
From the traveler's journal: "Scholars discern motions in history & formulate these motions into rules that govern the rises & falls of civilizations. My belief runs contrary, however. To wit: history admits no rules, only outcomes. What precipitates outcomes? Vicious acts and virtuous act. What precipitates acts? Belief. Belief is both prize & battlefield, within the mind & in the mind's mirror, the world."
From the musician's letters: "Wars do not combust without warning. They begin as little fires over the horizon. Wars approach ... Another war is always coming, Robert. They are never properly extinguished. What sparks wars? The will to power, the backbone of human nature. The threat of violence, the fear of violence, or actual violence is the instrument of this dreadful will ... The nation-state is merely human nature inflated to monstrous proportions. QED, nations are entities whose laws are written by violence."
From the reporter's story: "Yet how is it some men attain mastery over others while the vast majority live and die as minions, as livestock? The answer is a holy trinity. First: God-given gifts of charisma. Second: the discipline to nurture these gifts to maturity, for though humanity's topsoil is fertile with talent, only one seed in ten thousand will every flower - for want of discipline ... Third: the will to power. This is the enigma at the core of the various destinies of men. What drives some to accrue power where the majority of the compatriots lose, mishandle, or eschew power? Is it addiction? Wealth? Survival? Natural selection? I propose these are all pretexts and results, not the root cause. The only answer can be 'There is no "Why." This is our nature.' 'Who' and 'What' run deeper than 'Why.'"
From the publisher's tale: "Mother used to say escape is never further than the nearest book. Well, Mumsy, no, not really .... Books don't offer real escape, but they can stop a mind scratching itself raw."
[Okay, I know this has nothing to do with the themes, but I love comments in books about books.]
From the future world: "In a cycle as old as tribalism, ignorance of the Other engenders fear; fear engenders hatred; hatred engenders violence; violence engenders further violence until only "rights," the only law, are whatever is willed by the most powerful."
From the post-apocalyptic world: "Human hunger birthed the Civ'lize, but human hunger killed it too."
What I found amazing was how completely David Mitchell is able to change his writing style from section to section. Each section is like reading a completely different book - the voice, the language, the writing style, the descriptions - pretty much everything about the story. I feel that David Mitchell describes his own work within the book. "Spent the fortnight gone in the music room, reworking my year's fragments into a "sextet for overlapping soloists": piano, clarinet, 'cello, flute, oboe, and violin, each in its own language of key, scale, and color. In the first set, each solo is interrupted by its successor: in the second: each interruption is recontinued, in order. Revolutionary or gimmicky? Shan't know until it's too late, and by then it'll be too late."
I vote revolutionary. I did not expect to like this book, but I did. I expected to toil through it, and through some sections, I did. The themes and the ideas of this book will stay with me for a long time, and I can see myself periodically rereading.
The Execution of Noa P. Singleton
Title: The Execution of Noa P. Singleton
Author: Elizabeth L. Silver
Publication Information: Crown Publishers, Crown Publishing Group, Random House Inc. 2013. 320 pages.
Book Source: I read this book because it sounded like it has an interesting premise.
Favorite Quote: "When you try to find the answer or explanation for a law, a scientific discovery, a tumor, and you can't identify its reasons, then you just cut it out. Surgically remove anything potentially cantankerous. Cauterize society around it so that we'll never know the real answer."
Noa P. Singleton is a death row inmate, convicted of capital murder. As the reader meets her, she has been on death row for many years and is now a short time away from her execution date. Enter into the picture - two attorneys - one who is young and idealistic and one who happens to be the mother of Noa's victim. Through Noa's recollections, the book brings the reader through her life, particularly the months prior to the crime.
The characters in this are not likable. Noa appears to have no interest in her own life or trying to save it. Marlene is a grieving mother, but as the book slowly reveals, her motives go beyond that grief. Noa's family includes her mother who has not reached out to her since her arrest and conviction and her father who was absent for most of her life.
The premise of the book is a strong one, dealing with issues like capitol punishment and the impact childhood has on adult life. Unfortunately, the execution of that premise is lacking for two primary reasons.
First, the author's writing style, particularly some of the descriptions, distract from the story itself. For example, papers and evidence "eviscerate, peeling into orange curls and blackened petals in the crematorium of dead documents". A beating heart is described as "the beat of those four musicians ... making their own metronome of quarter notes, eighth notes, half notes". Rather than adding to the story, these descriptions seem out of place.
Second, the first half of the book builds a storyline with Noa, her relationship with her father, and the events surrounding her crime, and her lack of interest in saving her own life. Unfortunately, the resolution and the "reveal" of Noa's motivations for her actions goes in a completely different direction. Without a spoiler, let me just say it was a disappointment.
Bellman & Black
Title: Bellman & Black
Author: Diane Setterfield
Favorite Quote: "The things a man does not think about can incubate in him without benefit of conscious attention."
The short description of this book says that it is the story of William
Bellman and how one action in his childhood has ramifications throughout his life. The subtitle of the book is "A Ghost Story." The book does not live up to that description and ends up in an entirely different place.
As a young man, William kills a rook with a slingshot. The reference to rooks appears throughout the book as a symbol in or commentary on the direction of William's life. As William grows up, his business sense leads to great wealth and great power. His personal life begins on a positive note. He is young, smart, and handsome. Life brings him love and success.
Tragedy falls and brings with it a bargain between William and a man named Black. That bargain leads to a new business and even greater professional success. Yet, what of his personal life? As William's success grows, what is the parallel impact on his person and his personal life?
To me, this entire book just simmers and never truly finds its grip. The anticipation of a big moment exists throughout the book; yet, the moment never comes. The book is called a ghost story, but it is not quite that. The book is based on the ramifications of a cruel childhood action, but the impact seems exaggerated. The book is about a mysterious bargain in a desperate moment, but that does not end up where you expect. The book in some descriptions is classified as horror, but it is not that other than the macabre business that William Bellman ends up in. The book in some descriptions is classified as historical fiction, but it not that either other than the descriptions that evoke a time and place. In other words, the book could have been a lot of things, but it never quite gets there.
The descriptions even the extensive ones about the Bellman business are enjoyable to read, and the dark somber atmosphere is created well and held through the bulk of the book. Thus, what saves the book is Diane Setterfield's writing.
The Ocean at the End of the Lane
Title: The Ocean at the End of the Lane
Author: Neil Gaiman
Publication Information: HarperCollins Publishers Inc. 2013. 182 pages.
Book Source: I read this book because I have seen so much publicity about this author's work but never read anything by him.
Favorite Quote: "Different people remember things differently, and you'll not get any two people to remember anything the same, whether they were there or not. You stand two of you lot next to each other, and you could be continents away for all it means anything."
The Ocean at the End of the Lane is pure fantasy. The author intended for it be a short story, but the story evolved into a novel. The book pulls the reader into its world and does not let go.
A man returns to the place of his childhood for a funeral and takes a trip down memory lane. His home is no longer there, but he visits a neighbor's home - the family of a childhood friend. From there, the story is a reflection back into his childhood.
He grew up on a farm with his parents and sister. A lonely quiet seven year old boy. His family struggles with money. He becomes friendly with a young girl, Lettie, who lives with her grandmother and mother at the end of the lane.
From there, the story draws the reader into a world of creatures from another world, of good and evil, of friendship and sacrifice. There are allusions to traditions honoring women, mythology, and mysticism. Fantasy creeps into reality and leaves you wondering what is read. The tale is a dark one, but the ultimate message is about friendship and childhood memories.
This is a short book and a very quick read. What I love about this book is how visual it is. It feels like watching a story unfold not just reading one. I also enjoy the fact that it leaves you wondering what to believe. The boy in this book is a reader and his words describe this book for me: "I liked myths. They weren't adult stories and they weren't children's stories. They were better than that. They just were."
Title: Heartburn
Author: Norah Ephron
Publication Information: Alfred A. Knopf, Inc. 1983. 153 pages.
Favorite Quote: "Why do you feel you have to turn everything into a story? ... Because if I tell the story, I control the version. Because if I tell the story, I can make you laugh, and I would rather have you laugh at me than feel sorry for me. Because if I tell the story, it doesn't hurt as much. Because if I tell the story, I can get on with it."
Rachel Sampstat is a cookbook author, a wife, and her mother. Mark Feldman is a syndicated columnist and Rachel's husband. The book begins as Rachel, seven months pregnant, learns that her husband is having an affair and has been for several months.
What ensues through the rest of the story are different reflections on relationships through Rachel and Mark's stories and the stories of the couples around them. What keeps people together? What drives them apart? Can you move beyond a betrayal like infidelity?
The emotions and complicated relationships in this book are real life - sometimes clear and sometimes a jumbled mess. Some parts of the book are funny, but to me, the sadness emerges more so than the humor.
The book's pace is somewhat frantic. To me, it adds to the sadness, leaving an impression of "if you run fast enough, you can outrun your own emotions". Written from Rachel's point of view, the book seems to flit between her varied thoughts and sometimes goes in all different directions - her first marriage, her husband's infidelity, the Washington DC political scene, friends, recipes, her parents, and other things. Sometimes it is like following a really long monologue without any given thread becoming fully developed.
This book was made into a movie starring Meryl Streep and Jack Nicholson. Usually, I prefer the books over the movies. With that cast and the nature of the story, this one may be better as a movie. I guess I will have to watch and decide.
Labels: 1980s, 199 and under, 2 stars, Book Club, Fiction, review
Songs of Willow Frost
Title: Songs of Willow Frost
Author: Jamie Ford
Publication Information: Ballantine Books, The Random House Publishing Group, Random House, Inc. 2013. 331 pages.
Book Source: I read this book based on how much I enjoyed the author's first book, Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet.
Favorite Quote: "The uncomfortable truth is that no one is all bad, or all good. Not mother and fathers, sons and daughters, or husbands and wives. Life would be much easier if that were the case. Instead, everyone ... was a confusing mix of love and hate, joy and sorrow, longing and forgetting, misguided truth and painful deception."
Willow Frost is a Chinese American actress. William Eng is a twelve year old Chinese American boy living in an orphanage. He has lived there for five years since his mother's body was carried away from their apartment in Seattle. He remembers a life before; he remembers his mother's love.
One day, as a special treat, the orphanage children are taken to the movies. He sees Willow Frost on the screen and believes that she is his mother, Liu Song, even though he has believed that she died. He and his friend Charlotte, a young blind resident of the orphanage, run away to find Willow Frost.
The story continues with William's, Charlotte's, but most of all Willow Frost's story. The reader learns a story of abuse, loss, love, betrayal, and the difficult choice of a parent. Set in the twenties and the Depression, it becomes also a story of the times and the struggles of people who could not provide for their children. The historical references to the early days of the film industry and events like the massacre at Seattle Wah Mee Club provide the backdrop to this story.
The book is predictable - the story of William's birth, Charlotte's story, even the ending. The other incongruous note in the book is that William and Charlotte are so young. Yet, the insight the characters show is well beyond their years. You might say that this makes the book somewhat unrealistic or you might choose to say that the traumatic experiences of their children makes them older than their chronological age. I choose to go with the latter interpretation.
The bottom line is that Jamie Ford weaves such an emotionally gripping tale that the other things don't matter. The emotions hit you even as you anticipate them. The age of the characters ceases to matter as you feel their sense of pain and abandonment and even joy.
Loved Jamie Ford's first book. Loved this one. Can't wait to see what comes next.


Israeli Ground Invasion an Aggressive Action
by Kennedy Graham
My comment a week ago on the Israel-Gaza situation occasioned considerable comment, supportive and critical. No surprise; on such an important and sensitive issue, personal opinions run deep, including mine.
Comments in support take the long view – advocate a political re-alignment that reduces the US role as biased mediator; strengthen in various ways the UN capacity to take and enforce decisions and act as mediator; encourage judicial settlement; and explore the avenue of non-violence (Gandhi-style) and reconciliation (Mandela-style).
Critical responses take the short view – stand in protest against the atrocities that are occurring from the Israeli rain of death; protect the right of Hamas to fight against occupation and suppression.
Both views are fair, and they are not necessarily inconsistent. The criticism that has been advanced is not only from the Palestinian side but also the Israeli side. The 4th principle in the Green Charter is non-violent conflict resolution. This requires a preparedness to maintain dialogue with all parties to a dispute, irrespective of the competing merit of their claims.
A few years ago, I commenced the formation of NZ-Palestine MP friendship group, and am in regular contact with the Palestinian ambassador to NZ (in Canberra). I remain a member of the NZ-Israel MP friendship group, and have asked the Israeli ambassador (in Wellington) to meet me to explain what he takes to be the moral-political-legal justification for his country’s actions.
Over the past week, what has occurred? Some 223 Palestinian deaths, 1 Israeli death, a failed ceasefire agreement. Hamas rocket attacks and Israeli bombing, both in violation of international law.
And now, overnight, an Israeli ground invasion.
Not even this is new. Israel invaded in January ’09. That occasioned a UN report headed by esteemed South African jurist, Richard Goldstone. The report’s findings are worth revisiting:
– Israeli forces potentially committed war crimes when they launched attacks on civilians with no justifiable military objective.
– Israel has potentially committed the crime of persecution, a crime against humanity, by denying Palestinians in the Gaza Strip of their means of subsistence, employment, housing and water, limiting their freedom of movement, and limiting their access to a court of law and an effective remedy.
– There have been serious human rights violations, including arbitrary arrests and extra-judicial executions of Palestinians by the authorities in Gaza and by the Palestinian Authority in the West Bank.
– As a result of the attacks, Gaza inhabitants have suffered materially (because of the destruction of food supplies, water sanitation systems, and housing) as well as from immense trauma.
– Palestinian armed groups committed war crimes, as well as possibly crimes against humanity, in their repeated launching of rockets and mortars into southern Israel
So, not much has changed. There will be no end in sight to this conflict as long as there is a relationship of oppressed – oppressor in Israel and Palestine. Israel has a right to exist, peacefully and securely, but they will not find this in the sustained brutal and dehumanising oppression of Palestinians.
There will be no end in sight as long as the only options open to Hamas are surrender or resistance. The accord between the Palestinian Authority and Hamas went some way to recognising the legitimacy of discontent of each. I say this not to offer support for all policies of each, but to reiterate that, although the struggles and opinions of some might stir distaste, the grievances of a people deserve to be heard with open ears, and engaged with respectfully.
Hamas has articulated three demands: the release of political prisoners who were released in a prisoner-swap last year, but subsequently rearrested; the opening of border crossings between Israel and Gaza to allow movement of civilians and goods; international supervision of the Gaza seaport, in place of the current Israeli blockade.
None of these is extremist; none would harm Israel. But they would require that Israel give up some power and control, and it is this to which Israel clings in its hopes of being a secure nation. That is an illusory stance, disproved by historical experience.
I do not think that power over others will ever lead to lasting peace for Israel. Work needs to be done to build mutual respect for the lives and livelihoods of Palestinians, and Israelis. This will need an abundance of empathy, and a re-humanising of each in the other’s eyes.
I have personally heard abusive language of each other from both Palestinians and Israelis in my time living in Jordan. The world has an obligation to fight these sorts of perceptions.
I do not condone violence by anyone, ever. But we must recognise the violence of Hamas for what it is – a desperate attempt at resistance by an oppressed people. And so following, we must recognise Israel’s violence for what it is – not the right to self-defence, but a continuation of oppression and systemic violence.
Both are crimes, and both require condemnation. But in the longer term, it requires a political realignment, and refashioning of mind-set perhaps on all our parts, before a settlement is achieved, and peace finally secured.


PDG Hires New Government Affairs Policy Associate
Shane Palmer has joined the team at the Peter Damon Group in the new role of Government Affairs Policy Associate. A Virginia native, Palmer holds a bachelor’s degree in government & international politics with a concentration in public policy and administration from George Mason University. His passion for effective policy and interest in government affairs were honed through internships at Washington Premier Group, Mid-Tier Advocacy Group, and Information Technology Industry Council.
Palmer’s appointment was effective September 7, 2021.
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UTILITIES AND TRANSPORTATION
[ Docket PL-120350 -- Filed October 24, 2012, 11:16 a.m. ]
�����Original Notice.
�����Preproposal statement of inquiry was filed as WSR 12-07-087.
�����Title of Rule and Other Identifying Information: Chapter 480-75 WAC, Hazardous liquid pipelines -- Safety.
�����Hearing Location(s): Commission's Hearing Room 206, Second Floor, Richard Hemstad Building, 1300 South Evergreen Park Drive S.W., Olympia, WA 98504-7250, on December 19, 2012, at 9:30 a.m.
�����Date of Intended Adoption: December 19, 2012.
�����Submit Written Comments to: Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission, P.O. Box 47250, Olympia, WA 98504-7250, e-mail records@utc.wa.gov, fax (360) 586-1150, by November 26, 2012. Please include Docket PL-120350 in your communication.
�����Assistance for Persons with Disabilities: Contact Debbie Aguilar by November 26, 2012, TTY (360) 586-8203 or (360) 664-1132.
�����Purpose of the Proposal and Its Anticipated Effects, Including Any Changes in Existing Rules: The 2011 legislature amended the underground utilities law, chapter 19.122 RCW. These changes take effect on January 1, 2013. This new law, assigned to the Washington utilities and transportation commission (commission), affects the commission's authority to enforce the underground utilities law as it relates to pipelines. The commission initiated this rule making to require hazardous liquid pipeline companies to report additional information about damage to their facilities caused by excavators that have violated the underground utilities law, and to provide to violators information about their rights under the revised law.
�����Reasons Supporting Proposal: Proposed revisions will provide sufficient supplemental reporting and evidentiary records and documentation needed by the commission to sustain an action to enforce violations of chapter 19.122 RCW.
�����Statutory Authority for Adoption: RCW 80.01.040(4), 81.01.010, 81.04.160, 81.88.040, 81.88.065, and sections 1, 2, and 5, chapter 142, Laws of 2007.
�����Statute Being Implemented: Chapter 19.122 RCW.
�����Rule is not necessitated by federal law, federal or state court decision.
�����Name of Proponent: Washington utilities and transportation commission, governmental.
�����Name of Agency Personnel Responsible for Drafting, Implementation and Enforcement: David W. Danner, 1300 South Evergreen Park Drive S.W., Olympia, WA 98504, (360) 664-1208.
�����No small business economic impact statement has been prepared under chapter 19.85 RCW. The proposed rules will not result in or impose more than minor costs. Because there will not be more than minor increase in costs resulting from the proposed rule changes, a small business economic impact statement is not required under RCW 19.85.030(1).
�����A cost-benefit analysis is not required under RCW 34.05.328. The commission is not an agency to which RCW 34.05.328 applies. The proposed rules are not significant legislative rules of the sort referenced in RCW 34.05.328(5).
David W. Danner
and Secretary
AMENDATORY SECTION(Amending Docket PL-070974, General Order R-548, filed 5/30/08, effective 6/30/08)
WAC 480-75-630 Incident reporting. (1) Each hazardous liquid pipeline company must give telephonic notice to the commission within two hours of discovery of an incident involving that company's pipeline, such as a release of a hazardous liquid, that results in:
���� (a) A fatality;
���� (b) Personal injury requiring hospitalization;
���� (c) Fire or explosion not intentionally set by the pipeline company;
���� (d) Spills of five gallons or more of product from the pipeline;
���� (e) Damage to the property of the hazardous liquid pipeline company and others of a combined total cost exceeding twenty-five thousand dollars (automobile collisions and other equipment accidents not involving hazardous liquid or hazardous-liquid-handling equipment need not be reported under this rule);
���� (f) A significant occurrence in the judgment of the hazardous liquid pipeline company, even though it does not meet the criteria of (a) through (e) of this subsection;
���� (g) The news media reports the occurrence, even though it does not meet the criteria of (a) through (f) of this subsection.
���� (2) Each hazardous liquid pipeline company that has an incident described in subsection (1) of this section shall send a written report to the commission within thirty calendar days of the incident. The report must include the following:
���� (a) Name(s) and address(es) of any person or persons injured or killed or whose property was damaged;
���� (b) The extent of injuries and damage;
���� (c) A description of the incident including date, time, and place;
���� (d) A description and maximum operating pressure of the pipeline implicated in the incident and the system operating pressure at the time of the incident;
���� (e) The date and time the pipeline returns to safe operations; and
���� (f) The date, time, and type of any temporary or permanent repair.
���� (3) A hazardous liquid pipeline company must give the commission telephonic notification within twenty-four hours of emergency situations including emergency shutdowns, material defects, or physical damage that impairs the serviceability of the pipeline.
���� (4) In the event of damage to a hazardous liquid pipeline, each hazardous liquid pipeline company must provide to the commission the following information using either the commission's web-based damage reporting tool or its successor, or the damage reporting form located on the commission's web site:
���� (a) The reporting requirements set forth in RCW 19.122.053 (3)(a) through (n);
���� (b) If the damage is believed by the company to be the result of an excavation conducted without a facilities locate first being completed, the hazardous liquid pipeline company must also report the name, address, and phone number of the person or entity that the company has reason to believe may have caused the damage. The company must include this information in the comment section of the web-based damage reporting tool form or sent to the commission separately. If the company chooses to send the information separately it must include sufficient information to allow the commission to link the name of the party believed to have caused the damage with the damage event reported through the damage reporting tool;
���� (c) Each hazardous liquid pipeline company must retain all damage and damage claim records it creates related to damage events, including photographs and documentation supporting the conclusion that a facilities locate was not completed, reported under subsection (b) of this section for a period of two years and make those records available to the commission upon request.
���� (5) Each hazardous liquid pipeline company must provide to an excavator who damages a hazardous liquid pipeline facility, the following information set forth in chapter 19.122 RCW:
���� (a) Notification requirements for excavators under RCW 19.122.050(1);
���� (b) A description of the excavator's responsibilities for reporting damages under RCW 19.122.053; and
���� (c) Information concerning the safety committee referenced under RCW 19.122.130, including committee contact information, and how the excavator may file a complaint with the safety committee.
���� (6) Each hazardous liquid pipeline company must report to the commission the details of each instance of the following when the company or its contractor observes or becomes aware of either of these events:
���� (a) An excavator digs within thirty-five feet of a transmission pipeline, as defined by RCW 19.122.020(26) without first obtaining a locate; or
���� (b) Someone maliciously damages or removes marks indicating the location or presence of pipeline facilities.
���� The company must only report information to the extent that an employee or contractor of the company observes or becomes aware of these events.
[Statutory Authority: RCW 80.01.040, 80.04.060, 81.88.040. 08-12-045 (Docket PL-070974, General Order R-548), � 480-75-630, filed 5/30/08, effective 6/30/08. Statutory Authority: RCW 80.01.040, 81.01.010, 81.88.060. 07-09-001 (Docket PL-061026, General Order R-541), � 480-75-630, filed 4/4/07, effective 5/5/07. Statutory Authority: RCW 80.01.040 and 80.04.160. 02-18-032 (Docket No. TO-000712, General Order No. R-500), � 480-75-630, filed 8/26/02, effective 9/26/02.]


MAAC basketball, NCAA Basketball
MAAC Basketball Update: Iona, Siena, Fairfield
December 11, 2010 at 10:21 pm Andrew Kahn	Leave a comment
Last night’s Siena/Fairfield game was the last MAAC game until 2011, which makes this a good time to review what’s been happening in the conference. Which teams have exceeded preseason expectations? Which have been underwhelming? Who are the players to watch?
Let’s start with the team I know best and analyze the other two teams many prognosticators had in their preseason top three, before looking at the rest of the league.
Iona Gaels (7-3, 2-0 in MAAC)
I covered the Gaels last season and attended their first three home games this season before today. Although Iona was picked fourth in the only official preseason poll, all signs indicate this is one of the top two teams in the MAAC.
Most of the returning players have improved, some even more than expected. And no matter what logical criteria you used to make your vote, Mike Glover would be the MVP of the league if voting took place today.
As can be expected for a new head coach coming from outside the program, it was clear during Iona’s preseason practices that Tim Cluess was still getting familiar with his players. Losing to Bryant to cap an 0-3 trip to Cleveland is unacceptable, but the seven straight wins Iona has rattled off since make that a distant memory (for fans at least; Cluess still wears a t-shirt from that tournament to remind his players of how bad the Gaels can be if they don’t work hard).
Mike Glover throws it down with power. (Credit: Walt Middleton/ICGaels.com)
The revival has been led by Glover. After he hung 39 on Canisius, head coach Tom Parrotta said: “He asserted himself early and often. Glover was the difference in the game. Clearly we didn’t have an answer for him.” The 6’7, 215-pound forward scored 21 and pulled down 17 boards in an upset victory over Richmond. I am excited to see him matched up with the preseason Player of the Year (more on that later).
Glover’s dominating inside play has opened up things for Iona’s outside shooters as well. Jermel Jenkins and Kyle Smyth are Nos. 1 and 2, respectively, in the conference in three-pointers made per game. Both are shooting at least 40 percent from downtown. Niagara coach Joe Mihalich was certainly impressed. “My goodness, Smyth doesn’t even look—great shooter, quick release. They have great balance; a guy that scores around the basket and guys that shoot the ball. You can’t cheat. You’ve got to play them honest. They’ve got a lot of ways to get you.”
Fairfield Stags (6-3, 2-0)
Fairfield didn’t pick up an impressive nonconference win, but last night’s 72-55 smackdown of Siena at the Times Union Center—where the Saints had won 28 straight MAAC games—is enough to validate its preseason No. 1 ranking.
Last year’s Rookie of the Year, point guard Derek Needham, is joined by forwards Warren Edney and Yorel Hawkins, to make up Fairfield’s top three scorers. Due to injuries, Edney missed all of last season and Hawkins missed the last 10 games. Greg Nero is another upperclassman who was a top player two years ago but missed all of last season. He had been averaging 20 minutes per game this season but fatigue issues kept him from making the trip to Albany for last night’s contest.
This is clearly a top-tier MAAC team that has the advantage Siena held the last two seasons: The conference tournament will be at its home arena. The Stags’ early-season MAAC schedule is favorable, so it will be interesting to see how far Fairfield can make it without a conference loss.
Siena Saints (2-6, 1-1)
Some were alarmed immediately, after Siena saw its 39-game home winning streak snapped in the opener against Vermont. Most were concerned heading into yesterday’s showdown with Fairfield, but optimistic observers could point out that Minnesota and Butler are quality teams and the other two losses were in overtime. Perhaps it was just bad luck for the Saints.
But after the loss to Fairfield, in which Siena was outrebounded 32-19 and its star player, Ryan Rossiter, was held to seven points, it’s hard to find a confident Siena supporter. I, however, don’t think the sky is falling in Albany. I’m simply not sure why the expectations were so high for the Saints.
Let’s not forget that in addition to their coach, they lost All-MAAC performers Ronald Moore, Edwin Ubiles, and Alex Franklin, last year’s Player of the Year. Rossiter (the aforementioned preseason POY) and Clarence Jackson are returning players any coach in this league would love to have, but the supporting cast has not been good enough so far this season. But many of those guys are underclassmen and have the potential to develop into more valuable role players. How much they develop will determine whether or not Mitch Buonaguro’s first year as head coach is a success.
Elsewhere in the MAAC:
The Niagara Purple Eagles (2-7, 0-2) are off to a terrible start, but this is both a young and injury-depleted team. Mihalich says that is just an excuse for their poor play. After the loss to Iona last weekend, he said: “We knew we weren’t going to be good in December. Our goal is to get better all the time. We’ve got to hope that by the end of February, beginning of March, we can be a team that can win some games.” That’s what happened last season after Niagara’s ideal starters were all healthy at the same time. This team relies far more heavily on freshmen, but I expect this team to be much more competitive later in the year.
After seeing them in person, I’m not sure the Canisius Golden Griffins (3-3, 0-1) have the guard play to improve upon their preseason No. 7 ranking.
The St. Peter’s Peacocks (4-4, 2-2) were the interesting choice for third in the preseason poll, but star senior Wesley Jenkins is back after missing only four games. He scored 22 in St. Pete’s last game, against Manhattan.
The Marist Red Foxes (2-8, 2-0) have already exceeded their win total from last season. Let that sink in, especially since both victories have come in conference. Marist swept a weekend at home against Niagara and Canisius and doesn’t play another MAAC team until January 7.
The Manhattan Jaspers (2-8, 0-2) were picked just one spot ahead of Marist in the preseason poll, and they simply don’t have the offensive firepower to be a serious contender.
The Rider Broncs (6-4, 1-1) and the Loyola (MD) Greyounds (3-5, 0-2) were picked to finish in the middle of the pack. Rider’s top three leaders in minutes and points are all upperclassmen, so the loss of superstar Ryan Thompson might not be as critical as expected. Senior Jamal Barney has led the Greyhounds in scoring every year he’s been on campus.
2010-11 college basketball seasonFairfield basketballIona GaelsSiena basketball
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at the Harold Pinter Theatre, London
About Oscar Wilde
The history of Oscar Wilde is notorious; he was an Irish writer working in the late 19th Century and is one of the most infamous figures in modern literature. He is revered for his numerous plays and only novel The Picture of Dorian Gray, as well as numerous short stories and essays on aestheticism. He is also remembered for his turbulent personal life, trials over homosexuality, imprisonment and early death.
Wilde in 1882 by Napoleon Sarony
Oscar Fingal O’Flahertie Wills Wilde was born in Dublin on 16th October 1854 to Sir Robert Wills Wilde, a successful surgeon, and Jane Francesca Wilde, a literary hostess and writer. He studied at Trinity College in Dublin and then Magdalen College Oxford, where he became interested in the aesthetic values of art and literature. After graduating he moved into prominent fashionable circles in London before publishing a range of works on aestheticism and lecturing in the USA and Canada. Even in his younger years he was known for his flamboyancy, Dandyish dress sense and wit, becoming a well known personality of the day. He was even caricatured as a sunflower in the satirical magazine Punch.
During the early 1890s he published his only novel The Picture of Dorian Gray, focusing on his obsession with opulence and beauty. Society largely found Wilde’s mockery of Victorian values insulting, but the book gained a large cult following during the 20th and 21st Centuries. Following this he wrote the play Salome, entirely in French, whilst in Paris but it was refused a license in England. Wilde then penned four comedies in the early 1890s, sometimes referred to as the ‘comedies of society’, which include Lady Windermere’s Fan (1892), An Ideal Husband (1895) and The Importance of Being Earnest (1895). He was still interested in mocking the Victorian upper classes but had found a way to do so without offending them; indeed the majority of his audiences were members of high society. He is most remembered for The Importance of Being Earnest, with it’s quick witted and ridiculous characters.
Wilde and Douglas in 1893
Wilde married Constance Lloyd in 1884 and they had two children, but he began a homosexual affair with Lord Alfred Douglas in the following years. Douglas’ father, the Marquess of Queensberry, discovered them dining together in the Cafe Royal in 1894. The Marquess began a campaign against Wilde during the opening of the Importance of Being Earnest, culminating in his attempt to sabotage the first production in 1895 by throwing rotten vegetables. He was barred from the theatre but persisted in harassing Wilde over the coming days. He sent a note to the Albemarle Club where Wilde was socialising, addressed to ‘Oscar Wilde, posing sodomite’, which started a trial of the Marquess under harassment charges. However, during the trial the accusation was turned round on Wilde for his homosexual affairs and he became the prosecuted. He was arrested for sodomy and gross indecency and spent two years in Reading Gaol.
Imprisonment and final years
During his imprisonment Wilde wrote poems and love letters to Douglas, including the famous epistle De Profundis. He was released from prison in 1897 and lived out his final years in Europe under the name Sebastian Melmoth, beginning a relationship with Robert Ross. He wrote the The Ballad of Reading Gaol, along with two letters to the Daily Chronicle describing the harsh conditions of English prisons and campaigning for reform. Wilde contracted cerebral meningitis on 25th November 1900 and asked to be baptised, which a priest performed on the 29th November. It’s rumoured that Wilde’s last words were ‘My wallpaper and I are fighting a duel to the death. One or other of us has got to go’, but it has never been officially confirmed. He passed away on 30th November 1900 at the age of 46.
The tomb was so badly damaged by the lipstick marks of fans that a glass wall was erected in 2011
He was buried in the Cimetière de Bagneux outside Paris, but in 1909 his remains were moved to Père Lachaise Cemetery. Robert Ross commissioned his tomb and had a compartment built in for his own ashes, which were added in 1950. The epitaph on the tomb is taken from Wilde’s own Ballad of Reading Gaol:
‘And alien tears will fill for him
Pity’s long-broken urn,
For his mourners will be outcast men,
And outcasts always mourn.’
1895 The First Production
1939 Globe Theatre London
1982 National Theatre London
2011 Broadway Revival
2014 Harold Pinter Theatre London
Top 10 quotes
Top 10 Lady Bracknell quotes
Kieran Mackay on Tickets
Abigail Hamilton on Top 10 Lady Bracknell quotes
brian on Top 10 Lady Bracknell quotes


Difference between revisions of "Rick Schwartz"
Georgie (talk | contribs)
(→Domaining)
'''Rick Schwartz''' is the self-anointed "[[Domaining|Domain]] King", who made millions off of [[domaining]] in the mid-90s. He purchased his first domain name in 1995; paying $100 for LipService.com. Eight years later, he made international news when he sold Men.com for $1.32 million. He is particularly known as a pioneer of [[Direct Navigation|direct navigation]] traffic, and more generally as an expert on domain names and traffic<ref>[http://www.ricksblog.com/about.html Ricksblog.com]</ref>
'''Rick Schwartz''' is the self-anointed "[[Domaining|Domain]] King", who earns an income from domain names purchased in the mid-90s. He purchased his first domain name in 1995; paying $100 for LipService.com. Eight years later, he made international news when he sold Men.com for $1.32 million. He is particularly known as a pioneer of [[Direct Navigation|direct navigation]] traffic, and more generally as an expert on domain names and traffic<ref>[http://www.ricksblog.com/about.html Ricksblog.com]</ref>
Rick is the founder, CEO, and President of the [[T.R.A.F.F.I.C.]] domaining conference, which has awarded him the "Domainer Of The Year" award and also inducted him into the "Domainer Hall of Fame".<ref>[http://www.ricksblog.com/about.html Ricksblog]</ref>
Rick Schwartz is the self-anointed "Domain King", who earns an income from domain names purchased in the mid-90s. He purchased his first domain name in 1995; paying $100 for LipService.com. Eight years later, he made international news when he sold Men.com for $1.32 million. He is particularly known as a pioneer of direct navigation traffic, and more generally as an expert on domain names and traffic[1]
Rick is the founder, CEO, and President of the T.R.A.F.F.I.C. domaining conference, which has awarded him the "Domainer Of The Year" award and also inducted him into the "Domainer Hall of Fame".[2]
He is a visible domainer blogger who has "retired" from daily blogging on different occasions.
2.2 T.R.A.F.F.I.C.
Mr. Schwartz attended a few months of community college before working in sales. He is a past bankruptee. [3] For a time, he sold Asian made products at trade shows and in trade magazines. He recognized the benefit of the Internet to a salesman and claims the day that he learned about the File Transfer Protocol was the day that changed his life. He began putting his brochures and sales materials online, and around this time he discovered the monetary potential of domain names via acquiring such names as Porno.com.[4]
Rick credits much of his success to being early on the domaining rush. His initial investment consisted of $1,800 dollars, but soon spent $42,000 on porno.com. To generate additional resources, he sold a "sales" business for 7 figures in 1998. Around this time he was purchasing domains such as candy.com, porno.com [5], men.com, childpornography.com [6] and gaycock.com [7] .
Mr. Schwartz has over 4,300 domains that he claims bring in a combined traffic of 95,000 - 115,000 visitors each day. His sites tend to be parked pages with revenue-producing links. Schwartz's portfolio is managed by Moniker.[8] Many of his sites, approximately half, are "adult" oriented domains, though he insists that none of these pages have any actual illicit content, beyond the name, and that they are merely parked advertising space.[9]
Rick Schwartz has stated that he makes "a few million [dollars] a year" in revenue from his many parked pages.[10]
Given his persona, Rick has a large number of detractors who deride his behavior, ideas and actions.[11]
Rick Schwartz does not usually buy domains to sell them, preferring to build up advertising revenues as opposed to one time profits.[12] Those he has sold include:
Flowers.mobi - $ 6500 [13] (Originally purchased for $200,000 [14])
TokyoHotels.com - $200,000+
iReport.com to CNN - $750K[15]
Punchbowl.com to MyPunchBowl - (Undisclosed, 6-figure sum rumored)[16]
Rick included i-report.com to CNN for free in order to more quickly finalize the deal for the more desirable, ireport.com.[17]
Mr. Schwartz sold Property.com to Foreclosure.com in 2008; the actual sale price was never disclosed. Rick initially purchased the domain 3 years prior for $750,000 [18][19]
In November, 2011, it was announced by Michael Berkens that his site, MostWantedDomains.com, had succesfully brokered the sale of the domain, "meet.me" for a record $450,000. The domain was part of a portfolio that was acquired at an earlier T.R.A.F.F.I.C conference by Mr. Berkens, Rick Schwartz, and Ammar Kubba. Other domains in this portfolio include date.me, love.me, and marry.me. Michael Berkens speculated that by selling the domain for a record amount in the .me namespace, he effectively raised the price of the rest of their joint-owned .me domains.[20]
T.R.A.F.F.I.C.
On October 20 - 23, 2004, the first T.R.A.F.F.I.C.. conference took place in Delray Beach, Florida; it was the first major trade show specifically aimed at the domaining industry.[21] Rick co-founded the event with his longtime lawyer, and domaining attorney, Howard Neu. The conferences provide domaining forums, workshops, and obvious networking opportunities. The inaugural event counted some 125 attendees, by the next year this number was more than doubled to 300.[22] The conference has since been held in both an East coast and West coast format, wherein a meeting takes place on each U.S. coast during the same year. It has travelled the world, going to Amsterdam and Australia in addition to a U.S. event; and it continues to go new places and be held at least once a year.[23] The shows are not intended for day-domainers, but aim to help those that consider domaining their profession a chance to learn and meet with other successful domainers. T.R.A.F.F.I.C. conferences are invitation only events, in an attempt to keep the show focused and not let it fall into the category of general trade shows.[24]
The conferences have begun to incorporate live auctions of domain names, via a partnership with Moniker; those auctions accounted for 39 of the top 100 domain sales for 2007.[25] That year's New York T.R.A.F.F.I.C. auction brought in some $12 million.[26]
In December, 2011, Mr. Schwartz announced that, while he had signed onto T.R.A.F.F.I.C. through 2013, he did not know whether or not he would continue with the conference. At the time he was also announcing his retirement from daily blogging on the domain industry. Mr. Schwartz said that T.R.A.F.F.I.C. would continue if he could turn it into "something very grand".[27]
Mr. Schwartz became involved in a high-profile lawsuit and counter-suit when Lilly Industries Inc., claimed that his goofoff.com address violated their trademarked Goof Off paint remover. Rick was informed by Network Solutions that Lilly had filed a dispute on the namespace and that he would have to litigate or face his site being placed on hold. At that time, the site was running as a travel and entertainment portal. He saw this as another example of "Fortune 500 Bullies" using their financial resources to push small business owners away from legitimately acquired and retained domains.[28] A visit to goofoff.com today shows that the site remains in Rick's hands.[29] The settlement agreement allowed Rick to keep the site under certain restrictions, and Lilly Industries assumed all legal fees.[30]
He says that he as received so many cease and desist letters that he owns ceaseanddesist.com.[31]
Rick filed a suit against Afternic, Network Solutions, and Register.com in May, 2001. The alleged incident involved the illegal transfer of a domain he purchased, properties.com, from Afternic, back to its original owner via Network Solutions.[32]
Domainer of the Year, 2005 (T.R.A.F.F.I.C Award, the conference he co-founded)
Inducted into the Domain Hall of Fame, 2006 (T.R.A.F.F.I.C Award, the conference he co-founded)
Received the Epik.com Domain Industry "Pioneer Award", 2010[33]
2008's Domain Name Wire ranked Rick as the most influential domainer, and T.R.A.F.F.I.C as the best domain conference.[34]
↑ BizJournals.com
↑ ChefPatrick.com
↑ DNJournal.com/ Royal King or Royal Pain?
↑ Fusible.com
↑ DomainNameNews.com
↑ DMueller.com
↑ MostWantedDomains.com Brokers the Sale of Mee.me, TheDomains.com]
↑ TargetedTraffic.com
↑ WebmasterWorld.com
↑ Mission Accomplished, RicksBlog.com
↑ FindArticles.com
↑ DomainNameWire.com


NYSSenate14.com
Malcolm A. Smith
This was the official website for Malcolm A. Smith.
Malcolm A. Smith was a Democratic member of the New York State Senate for the 14th district, a portion of southeast Queens that includes Hollis, St. Albans, Cambria Heights, Queens Village, Springfield Gardens and parts of Jamaica. From 2009 to 2010, Smith was Temporary President of the New York State Senate, the first African American to hold that position.
On April 2, 2013, Smith was arrested by the FBI on federal corruption and other charges. The United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York and the New York FBI alleged that Smith attempted to secure a spot on the Republican ballot in the 2013 New York City mayoral election through bribery of New York City Councilman Dan Halloran and two other Republican officials who were also arrested.
In September 2014 primary voters in Queens rejected Smith, mainly due to his indictment on corruption charges of bribery and extortion. His opponent Leroy Comrie, a former city councilman, won in a landslide. The following year Malcolm A. Smith was convicted of all charges against him, and sentenced to 7 years in federal prison.
The content below is from this site's 2005-2008 archived pages.
— Senator Malcolm A. Smith
Senator Malcolm A. Smith was unanimously elected State Senate Minority Leader by his fellow Senators in November of 2006. Senator Smith brings unique skills and a diverse background in both the private and public sector to the State Senate, where he has served the 14th Senate District since 2000. As a real estate developer, economic development expert and legislative aide, Senator Smith has been a major contributor to bringing jobs and opportunity to his Southeastern Queens community.
Throughout his career in public service, Senator Smith has used his skills as a manager and real estate developer to help revitalize the Queens community. Prior to being elected to the State Senate, Senator Smith served as a senior aide to former Congressman Floyd H. Flake, chief aide to former City Councilman Archie Spigner, a City Hall assistant to former Mayor Edward I. Koch and was a member of the national advance staff for Vice-presidential candidate Geraldine Ferraro.
Senator Smith is a former executive in the New York City Mayor’s Office of Economic Development and has served as President of the Neighborhood Housing Services of Jamaica. Senator Smith created the not-for-profit Southeast Queens Housing Development Corporation to purchase, rehabilitate and sell City and HUD owned properties. Senator Smith is also well known in his community as the founder of Operation Excellence, a training program for students in real estate development, which is regularly featured on local television.
In 1985, as President of the Neighborhood Housing Services of Jamaica, Senator Smith created two citywide loan programs: a home improvement optional loan program and a mixed-use rehabilitation loan program designed to restore commercial and residential properties on commercial strips. Senator Smith was successful in convincing five banks and the City of New York's Housing Preservation and Development Agency to capitalize the program with $2.2 million in loans.
Senator Smith also developed the "Challenge to Minority Banks Program," which highlighted the need for increased business at minority-owned banks in the city. Deposits in minority-owned banks rose to an average of $22 million annually between 1983 and 1985, due in part to this successful program.
As a private sector developer and President and Founder of Smith Development Corporation, Senator Smith has built over 100 much needed housing units in Southeastern Queens, Far Rockaway and Brooklyn, including several noteworthy commercial projects such as Pathmark Plaza-Springfield Gardens, the interior of the FAA building and the baseball fields at Roy Wilkins Park in Jamaica.
In the State Senate, Senator Smith has fought to expand social and economic opportunities for his constituents. Senator Smith has brought tens of millions of dollars back into his district to help build affordable housing, improve Queens schools, provide health care for the needy, keep higher education affordable and create good paying jobs.
As a believer in his "thinking forward" philosophy and the principle that "relationships yield results," Senator Smith has worked to bring together diverse groups with a common goal in mind. In 2004, as part of the New York to Shanghai Trade Mission, Senator Smith led a delegation of local businesses to China, to open up a robust reciprocal exchange between our two wondrous cultural and economic commonwealths. Several of the businesses that traveled with Senator Smith overseas are currently conducting business in China in the areas of cosmetics and perfume, beer distribution, jewelry and professional services. The trip was so successful that Senator Smith has expanded his business-to-business relationships to include an economic, cultural and educational "Sister to Sister" relationship between New York State and India.
In addition to his interests in community revitalization and affordable housing, Senator Smith has worked on several other issues affecting his constituents, including the environment, economic development, transportation and technology. In his first year in the State Senate, Senator Smith secured $10 million from the MTA for much needed improvements to LIRR Stations in his Queens District. In the same year, Senator Smith collaborated with Assemblywoman Barbara Clarke to secure $1 million for the Jamaica Clinic, a first-of-its-kind health clinic in Hollis, New York.
In 2002, Senator Smith collaborated with City and State officials to negotiate an agreement yielding $10 million to clean up the Westside Corporation Toxic Site in Jamaica, Queens. These much needed funds were secured despite the Superfund being bankrupt. Working with Assemblywoman Audrey Pheffer and the Governor, Senator Smith also helped secure $1 million for support programs in the Rockaways in the wake of the Flight 587 plane crash tragedy in November 2001.
Senator Smith's representative governance and leadership style is essentially about individual will manifesting itself into a substantive vision for the collective common good of all. He believes that every challenge we encounter in life is simply an opportunity for solution.
Toward this end, he has created progressive and visionary programs in his district, including Operation Everybody Works (OEW), a pilot program that found a meaningful job for one individual a day for a period of 90 consecutive days. He has shepherded a purposeful litany of task forces, including Operation Safe Southeast Queens (OSSEQ), a program that formed a nexus between the NYPD, civic organizations, church leaders and local businesses to effectively address the hot spots of crime in local communities.
In terms of policy, Senator Smith has distinguished himself as an effective legislator and advocate in the areas of Economic Development, Minority- and Women-owned Business Enterprise Issues, Health, Housing, Education and Judicial Diversity. In a pre-reform environment, he found ways to draw attention to these most important issues -- through public forums with expert testimony and lobby days with passionate advocates -- when the traditional institutional means were blocked.
Ever a believer in the true economic principle that competition is what drives innovation, results, and excellence, Senator Smith is a proud supporter of public charter schools. He is the founder of Peninsula Preparatory Academy, the first public charter school in the Rockaways, and serves on the Board of Trustees of the Merrick Academy-Queens Public Charter School in Jamaica Queens.
Most recently, Senator Smith has been chairing a series of statewide public forums concerning the important topic of judicial diversity. The stated goal of these forums is to create a "Lasting Blueprint For Judicial Diversity" in New York State, so that the judges on our benches, both elective and appointive, are eminently and robustly reflective of the rich diversity that is a source of absolute strength for our State.
Senator Smith is a graduate of Fordham University, where he earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration with a concentration in Economics. Senator Smith furthered his education with a certificate program on negotiations from Harvard Law School and obtained an MBA with a concentration in Finance and Operations Management from Adelphi University.
Senator Smith is married to the former Michele Lisby. They are the parents of two children, Julian and Amanda. Senator Smith is a member of the Greater Allen Cathedral in Queens, New York, where Floyd H. Flake and Elaine M. Flake serve as Pastor and Co-Pastor, respectively.
As Senate Minority Leader, Senator Smith is an ex officio member of all Senate standing committees and the ranking Minority member of the Rules Committee.
STATEMENT FROM STATE SENATOR MALCOLM A. SMITH circa 2008
"Today, as an Elector for the people of New York, I will have the honor of casting a vote for Barack Obama to become the next President of the United States. 145 years since Abraham Lincoln declared all people, regardless of race, to be free citizens and just 50 years since our country recognized that separate is never equal and segregation can never be tolerated, I am deeply humbled to have the privilege of being part of the process to formally elect the first African American President.
The voters of New York have spoken, asking for change and a new approach to governing and government. With our new president in Washington and a new day in Albany, I look forward to bringing the voters the change we need."
In the News 2008
Sean Bell Verdict
On Friday, April 25 I sent a letter to the United States Attorney General after the verdict in the Sean Bell case was announced seeking an investigation of the facts of this case under federal criminal civil rights laws. As you may know, on Friday afternoon, the Civil Rights Division of the U.S. Department of Justice, the United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York and the FBI, New York Field Division, announced that they are undertaking an investigation of the facts and circumstances of this case.
this is a test to see where this comment goes
My name is Patrick Sullivan and am sending this as a test comment
Mario P. Hepp
This phony Black Muslim Bastard Barack Hussein Obama wants change you know change ? Come Help A Nigger Get Elected
Mario you need to get over yourself and past the color of skin! You're a bigot! Guess what? Gods in charge and there ain't nothing you can do about it! God Bless Barack and God Bless the "New" America to come!!!!!!
Capitol Visits Our Capitol Building is the focal point of an impressive complex of Government buildings which make a rewarding and educational visitor experience. That is why I am pleased to offer my assistance in arranging Tours of the State Capitol, the State Museum and the Empire State Plaza. If you are planning a visit, contact my officeto assist in your planning -- we will answer questions regarding trips and advise you when the Legislature is in session.
Statement from Senator Malcolm A. Smith on the Anniversary of the March on Selma
Being in Selma to commemorate the historic events of 42 years ago was a highly emotional experience for me. It filled me with a sense of great humility and gratitude for the generation of leaders that came before me, who literally risked life and limb so that future generations would enjoy greater freedom and greater opportunities.
President Bill Clinton's offer to travel with him to be part of the March, witness his induction to the Voting Rights Hall of Fame and the 4 hours of conversation was an experience I will never forget. He is one of the most charming and brilliant individuals I have ever had the pleasure to meet.
Statement from Senator Malcolm A. Smith on the Worker's comp agreement
State Senate Democratic Leader Malcolm A. Smith said "Reform of the State's Workers' Compensation system has been one of the most contentious issues facing our State Government. The fact that both the Business Council of New York and the AFL-CIO are supportive of the Governor's proposal speaks volumes about the merits of the agreement. Once again message delivered, message received, action taken."
The Senate Minority Applaud Bonacic Measure to Equalize Resources Among Legislators
Senate Democratic Leader Malcolm A. Smith today applauded Senator John Bonacic (R-New Paltz) for introducing a measure requiring that all Legislators receive equal allocations to run their offices and serve their constituents.
Smith noted the measure is one long supported by Senate Minority, most recently during the adoption of Senate Rules.
"This is a true reform measure," Smith said. "It would ensure that all New Yorkers receive adequate and equal representation, as guaranteed by our Constitution."
Bonacic’s measure would provide "reasonable additional assistance for Committee Chairs and Ranking Members," who have additional responsibilities.
Smith said he is pleased "members of the Majority conference are adopting the reform measures that Senate Minority has long advocated. Real changes and real reform are finally coming to Albany and to the State Senate."
THE ETHICS REFORM BILL PASSED BY THE STATE SENATE TODAY
Senate Democratic Leader Malcolm A. Smith said the ethics reform bill passed by the State Senate today "contains many of the provisions Senate Minority have been trying for years to enact."
Smith noted that the Senate Minority Conference attempted in January to reform the rules of the Senate to make it more accountable and responsive to the people of New York. The proposals were rejected by the Majority.
In the three most recent Senate elections, The Senate Minority voiced a strong reform message and emerged victorious in districts that had been represented by the Majortiy.
Newly-elected State Senator Craig Johnson (D-Port Washington) who won a February 6 special election, said "One reason health care and property taxes have soared over the last decade is that our Legislature has been too dysfunctional to appropriately address the issue. This measure brings us closer to our goal of a properly functioning State government, which for the people of New York will be a less expensive State government."
Andrea Stewart-Cousins (D-Yonkers) who defeated a 20 year Senante Majority incumbent in 2006, said the ethics reform bill "brings us closer to fulfilling the promise we made to voters to bring real change to Albany. Senate Democrats will continue the fight to make our State Government accountable and responsive to the people."
Senator David J. Valesky (D-Oneida) a vocal proponent of reform who first came to Albany in 2004, said "this measure is a positive step towards a State Government that has the full faith and confidence of the people it represents." Valesky credited Governor Spitzer for "using his mandate to smash the status quo," and noted that the Governor set the tone for ethics reform shortly after taking office when he initiated changes in the regulations governing the Executive’s office.
The bill passed by the Senate includes anti-nepotism provisions, today:
· Prohibits gifts from lobbyists and their clients of more than nominal value, including travel, lodging and other expenses, and broaden the types of lobbying activities that lobbyists must disclose;
· Prohibits elected government officials and candidates for elected local, state or federal office from appearing in taxpayer-funded advertisements;
· Closes the "revolving door" loophole by prohibiting former legislative employees from directly lobbying the Legislature for two years, and expands the revolving door restrictions for Executive Chamber employees to preclude appearances before any state agency;
· Prohibits non-legislative employees from using their authority or influence to "compel or induce" any other employee to make political contributions;
· Prohibits state employees from participating in any personnel decision or contracting matter concerning a relative.
Senator Smith Speaking at NYS Inter-Agency Black History Month Celebration
Good Morning! I wanted to let everyone on my team know that I will be speaking today at the New York State Inter-Agency Black History Month Celebration, an event celebrating the story of Africans in the Americas. The program, which begins at noon, will be held in ESP Meeting Room 6.
I hope that many of you will be able to attend and lend your support for Black History Month, an opportunity to reflect on the sacrifices of the past, and in our dreams for the future. I look forward to seeing you later today.


Neural respiratory drive predicts clinical deterioration and safe discharge in exacerbations of COPD
Eui-Sik Suh Lane Fox Respiratory Unit, Guy's and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK Division of Asthma, Allergy and Lung Biology, King's College London, London, UK PubMed articlesGoogle scholar articles
Swapna Mandal Lane Fox Respiratory Unit, Guy's and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK Division of Asthma, Allergy and Lung Biology, King's College London, London, UK PubMed articlesGoogle scholar articles
Rachel Harding Lane Fox Respiratory Unit, Guy's and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK PubMed articlesGoogle scholar articles
Michelle Ramsay Lane Fox Respiratory Unit, Guy's and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK Division of Asthma, Allergy and Lung Biology, King's College London, London, UK PubMed articlesGoogle scholar articles
Meera Kamalanathan Lane Fox Respiratory Unit, Guy's and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK PubMed articlesGoogle scholar articles
Katherine Henderson Emergency Department, Guy's and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK PubMed articlesGoogle scholar articles
Kevin O'Kane Department of Acute Medicine, Guy's and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK PubMed articlesGoogle scholar articles
Abdel Douiri Division of Health and Social Care Research, King's College London, London, UK PubMed articlesGoogle scholar articles
Nicholas S Hopkinson NIHR Respiratory Biomedical Research Unit at the Royal Brompton & Harefield NHS Foundation Trust and Imperial College, London, UK PubMed articlesGoogle scholar articles
Michael I Polkey NIHR Respiratory Biomedical Research Unit at the Royal Brompton & Harefield NHS Foundation Trust and Imperial College, London, UK PubMed articlesGoogle scholar articles
Gerrard Rafferty Division of Asthma, Allergy and Lung Biology, King's College London, London, UK PubMed articlesGoogle scholar articles
Patrick B Murphy Lane Fox Respiratory Unit, Guy's and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK Division of Asthma, Allergy and Lung Biology, King's College London, London, UK PubMed articlesGoogle scholar articles
John Moxham Division of Asthma, Allergy and Lung Biology, King's College London, London, UK PubMed articlesGoogle scholar articles
Nicholas Hart Lane Fox Respiratory Unit, Guy's and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK Division of Asthma, Allergy and Lung Biology, King's College London, London, UK PubMed articlesGoogle scholar articles
Correspondence to Dr Eui-Sik Suh, Lane Fox Respiratory Unit, St. Thomas’ Hospital, Westminster Bridge Road, London SE1 7EH, UK; eui-sik.suh{at}nhs.net
Suh E, Mandal S, Harding R, et al
Thorax 2015;70:1123-1130.
Revised June 22, 2015
Accepted June 27, 2015
First published July 20, 2015.
Online issue publication
Previous version (20 July 2015).
Data supplement 1 - Online supplement
Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/ This is an Open Access article distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/


Prince Louis would have had different name and title if Queen hadn’t ‘stepped in’
King George V set out guidance on which royals were allowed to have titles in 1917
Zoe Forsey
Beth CruseSenior reporter
Queen Elizabeth II attends a scaled down ceremony to mark her official birthday at Windsor Castle on June 13, 2020 (Image: Getty Images)
Prince Louis would have had a different name and title if it was for the Queen, according to a new report.
When the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge welcomed their third child, three years ago today, they named him Louis Arthur Charles.
Louis is a popular name in the royal family and William and George have it as a middle name, in honour of Prince Charles's mentor Lord Louis Mountbatten, who died in an IRA bombing in 1979.
As the Mirror reports, Charles is a nod to little Louis's grandfather, the Prince of Wales, who said he was delighted to have another baby in the family when he was born.
Princess Anne was convicted of a criminal offence because of her dog
Peter Phillips and Zara Tindall's secret sister who shared their horsey life on Princess Anne's Gloucestershire estate
A statement from Charles and Camilla at the time said: "We are both so pleased at the news. It is a great joy to have another grandchild, the only trouble is I don’t know how I am going to keep up with them."
His official title is His Royal Highness Prince Louis of Cambridge, but he only has a HRH title because his great-granny the Queen stepped in.
She intervened to overwrite a rule put in place by King George V, reports the Express.
Back in 1917, he set out new guidance on which royals were allowed to have titles - and who was too far down the line of succession to qualify for one.
He decided that all of the sovereign's children would automatically become a Prince or Princess, as well as any grandchildren born through the male line.
However, great-grandchildren weren't included on the list.
This caused a bit of an issue when Prince George was born, as despite being our future king he shouldn't have had the title.
The Queen stepped in and said that George would get a title, and decided to extend the change to all of Kate and William's children.
Prince William and Kate with their three children Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis (Image: Kensington Palace via Getty Images)
This means that even though Charlotte and Louis, who are further down the line of succession and are unlikely to ever sit on the throne, are also a prince and princess.
If the Monarch didn't make the change, it's likely that Louis would have been Master Louis Cambridge or Master Louis Windsor instead.
However she didn't make this change for Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's son, something which has caused rows and confusion following their interview with Oprah Winfrey.
It was widely believed that the couple didn't want Archie to have a HRH title in their bid for him to enjoy a 'normal' life, much like Harry's cousins Peter Phillips and Zara Tindall.
But during the interview, Meghan said that it would impact his security.
She told her pal Oprah: "They were saying they didn't want him to be a Prince or Princess, which would be different from protocol, and that he wasn't going to receive security. This went on for the last few months of our pregnancy where I was going, hold on for a second."
Palace 'a lot calmer' without Harry and Meghan as Prince Charles starts Royal Family 'shake-up'
"They said [he's not going to get security], because he's not going to be a Prince.
"Okay, well, he needs to be safe so we're not saying don't make him a Prince or Princess, but if you're saying the title is what's going to affect that protection, we haven't created this monster machine around us in terms of clickbait and tabloid fodder you've allowed that to happen which means our son needs to be safe."
However experts have denied Meghan's claims that it was "different to protocol".


Interactive Icons Made for the Modern Web
Iconic is trying to push iconography forward into the web age.
icons-preview
Iconic is a set of icons that's designed for the modern web. Image: Iconic
Around five years ago P.J. Onori was designing his website when he made, in hindsight, a questionable choice. “I made the horrible decision to make everything on my personal website open source,” the designer jokes. This included the CSS, HTML and even the icons he used on his site. Onori, who considers himself an open source evangelist, began making simple symbols for his RSS feed, calendar and documents. "I figured, maybe I’ll make a few more,” he recalls. “Then for whatever reason it really caught on.” As Onori continued to design icons, he also began developing tools and techniques for displaying them. And before he knew it, he’d created Iconic, a set of simply designed icons that could be used free of charge.
>Today, most of the icons you see on the web are static.
In the past four years, Iconic has grown to include more than 200 icons, but its development has stalled since Onori has, you know, a real, paying job that he has to attend to. Now Onori and his partners Ryan Teuscher and Dave Johnson, who run San Francisco-based design firm Waybury, have decided to build Iconic into a commercial set of icons and tools that will help expand their capabilities far beyond the open source version.
Their goals, outlined on their Kickstarter page, are idealistic: “Were trying to push iconography forward into the web age and have it reflect the technology and the approaches and philosophies of the web,” explains Onori. But they’re also necessary. Today, most of the icons you see on the web are static. They sit on sites like little pictures in a book and do little to engage with the people who are using them. This is, in the guys' opinions, a total waste of the internet's potential. “The problem is that we’ve been displaying icons essentially the same way we were displaying them 60 years ago, where they’re just these static image illustrations that show up on a screen,” says Onori. “There’s really no reason for that any more. The technology has matured to a point where that doesn’t need to be the case.”
Onori and his partners are hoping to create an integrated icon system that expands the functionality of icons and makes them smarter, more legible and more responsive. “We all believe that icons are going play an increasingly important role in interfaces,” Onori says, explaining that as screens shrink, so does the room designers have to communicate ideas and actions. “Screens are considerably smaller than they were five years ago. We need to find ways to communicate information in smaller spaces; we need to be denser about how we communicate that information, and icons are perfect for that.”
>'We need to find ways to communicate information in smaller spaces.'
Iconic’s distinguishing factor, even years ago, was that the images were created as SVG files, a vector format that allows designers to tweak the size, color and general appearance of an icon. They’re still working with that format type (though icons are available in PNG, WebP and font formats, too), only now they’re looking to add in new capabilities like making icons responsive to the size of screen. For every icon designed, there will be three versions and sizes so it can scale appropriately. For example, the microphone you see on your 27” desktop will be more detailed than the microphone you see on your smartphone screen. “When you start cramming that detail into smaller sizes it become illegible—it’s like a blob,” says Onori. “If an icon isn’t legible, then it’s useless.”
This extends to the aesthetic of the icons, which is nondescript by design. The images' simplicity was intentional, says Teuscher, who explained that the team would like to see Iconic become a standard or baseline for iconography design and functionality in the future. “We want them to be reliable and we want them to work in every single use case,” Onori elaborate. “We’ve been jokingly saying that it would be like the Helvetica of icons ... don’t quote that.” Jokes aside, what he really means is that by getting the icons' appearance out of the way allows designers more freedom to tweak and stylize however they see fit.
Ultimately, the team is aiming to build in added context to the icons through a java script. This allows designers to set values and create visual nuances like a battery that shows how charged it is or a document in its various states of not-saved, in progress and saved. This context is vital, they say, to propelling icons into the 21st century. “We’re able to inject life into these things so they’re able to respond directly to the person seeing it, and I think that’s pretty powerful,” says Onori. “I don’t have the illusions that we’ll be the only people to do it, but I hope that were the people who can help start that conversation.”
Liz writes about where design, technology, and science intersect.


Gagetown building advances energy efficiency to "net-zero ready"
Scott Stevenson, Visiting ADM, Canada Lands Company, Sia Salehi, Senior Project Manager, DND, Scott Nason, Ross Welsman, DCC Vice-President, Operations–Business Management, Sonia Powell, President of the RPIC Board of Directors, and Kevin Radford, Assistant Deputy Minister, Real Property, Public Services and Procurement Canada (retired), at the award ceremony in Ottawa on November 20, 2019.
DCC has helped its Client-Partner, the Department of National Defence (DND), take a big step forward in energy efficiency and sustainability, with its first "net-zero ready" building.
The 3,389-m2, $15.7-million Explosive Ordnance Disposal Training Facility at CFB Gagetown has nearly all the features required to run completely off the grid, including geothermal heating and its own well, water treatment system and septic system.
The last piece of the puzzle is solar arrays, which is scheduled to be installed next summer. They will provide power to the building and grid that will offset the annual electricity consumption currently purchased from the province.
The building is located in the range and training area 15 km from the Gagetown Garrison, so having it be as self-sufficient as possible is important to ensure ongoing operations, explains Scott Nason, Coordinator, Construction Services. He led the DCC team of Doug Thompson, Coordinator, Commissioning, Danny Dobbelsteyn, Coordinator, Electrical, and Michel Picard, Coordinator, Construction Services, on the project.
"Achieving net-zero energy consumption with a building is a first for DND," Scott says. "The project was a good starter step to learn from. DCC was instrumental in streamlining the problem-solving process and providing sound advice to resolve issues as we worked with advanced technology to ensure maximum energy efficiency."
The project won an award for best practices in environmental sustainability from the Real Property Institute of Canada. In addition, DND will be applying to have the facility's current LEED Silver certification upgraded to Gold once the solar arrays are in place.


ESC Clermont Business School
ESC Clermont Business School is a private university offering undergraduate & postgraduate programmes. It is a Grande Ecole recognised by the Ministry of Higher Education, Research & Innovation, AACSB & EPAS-accredited.
Clermont-Ferrand (France)
4 Boulevard Trudaine
https://www.esc-clermont.fr/en/
ESC Clermont Business School is private institution located in the heart of France, in the city of Clermont-Ferrand. It is one of the oldest business schools in France, established in 1919. The school of management is a Grande Ecole that is recognized by The French Ministry of Higher Education and Research. The business school holds AACSB accreditation since 2005, one of the largest and most influential business school accreditations in the world. The school is a Grand Ecole and is also part of «Conférence des Grandes Ecoles», the Consortium of Graduate Schools of Management which comprises a network of the best Management and Engineering schools in France.
ESC Clermont strives for accompanying students to achieve academic and professional excellence by offering high quality programmes, having a strong partner and corporate network and following strong values. faculty members have varied multicultural backgrounds: professors who have international academic qualifications, business executives coming from multinational corporations, practicing consultants and entrepreneurs that are recognized as experts in their fields.
ESC Clermont Business School,
Clermont-Ferrand, France
Alumni network of 12,000 graduates living in more than 120 countries
The business school’s foremost programme. The programme is a 2-year master degree that provides students with the necessary skills and experience to be fully operational as soon as they begin their career and ready to take on the top-level posts in Management. Throughout the program, students will be offered a broad range of possibilities in terms of study tracks, specializations and work environments. There are also various options in terms of academic exchanges, double diplomas and language courses.
https://www.esc-clermont.fr/en/program/master-in-management/
The Bachelor Programme is a 3-year undergraduate programme that is designed to give students solid grounding in the main fields of business and management and a broad knowledge of disciplines as management, marketing, international business and so on. Students consolidate their knowledge in the area of specialization during the second year. In the third year, students are able to spend a semester abroad for exchange or a year abroad for a dual-degree in one of the partner universities.
https://www.esc-clermont.fr/en/program/bachelor-in-international-management/
- Early bird scholarships
- ESC Clermont Foundation scholarships
https://www.esc-clermont.fr/en/scholarships/
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