The Vast Right Wing Conspiracy: Hillary Clinton Strikes Back at Her Critics.
(Originally published in the Hillary Clinton Quarterly, Fall 1994)
Edited by Frank Marafiote
Evidently, we're not the only ones who have noticed an increase in the anti-Clinton invective (see Editor's Notebook). After enduring months of highly personal attacks against herself and her husband, First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton lashed back at her most outspoken critics in a discussion of health care reform with reporters. The White House faxed HCQ a copy of her remarks. Here is a verbatim transcript of the highlights.
Reporter: You told Peter Maier that there are right-wing radical ideologues who don't want people to have health care in this country. Who are you talking about? Who are these folks?
Mrs. Clinton: Well, you know I think they are a combination of the same kind of people who have been around in our country since its beginnings, the sort of ideologically-opposed who think that nobody should get anything from anybody else. And there's a streak of that in American politics. There always has been.
There are people who opposed social security, opposed civil rights, opposed minimum wage, opposed Medicare, opposed Medicaid. I mean at every step along the way, there is this small core of people who do not believe that government should do anything. Now they're the same people who drive down highways paid for by government funds. They are the same people who love the Defense Department which is funded by government money, but they have a different mind set when it comes to social policy in trying to be a compassionate and caring nation.
Then there are the people who for opportunistic reasons are opposing health care reform both because it is in their financial interest to do so because they want to be able to maintain the status quo and they are not above inciting other people to be very emotional about helping them to sustain their favored position. And then there are those who are for political reasons opposing health care reform because there are lots of people who don't want any changes and particularly don't want changes by this President to occur.
Now, most of the people I've just described are ones who pull the strings of others and inflame people by making charges of socialized medicine, for example, or the government is going to take over the health care system. And there's a very well-organized and well-financed effort to convey that message so that, for example, when you see people protesting in the streets as we saw a couple of weeks ago, as I personally saw in Seattle, they were there in large measure because they'd been inflamed by a local radio talk show host who finds it in his own personal financial opportunistic interest to take this position. I had no idea whether the man was insured or not, but he inflames people who are sitting at home that somehow the Clintons are going to take over the government and they're going to find themselves without a doctor or whatever their arguments are.
And if you talk to these people very often they don't have a clue about what health care reform is about. They are responding to these emotional kinds of attacks. And I just think that's part and parcel of what you always find when you look at moments of a lot of change converging at the same point in American history. You will find that strain of people. And I think it's very unfortunate, but it's something that is part of our political scene.
What I do not like and what I find regrettable is the amount of hatred that is being conveyed and really injected into our political system. I don't have any problem with anybody disagreeing with this President on any policy position. I don't have a problem with any member of Congress opposing health care reform because he doesn't think it's a good idea or he wants to use it as a political weapon. I mean, that's politics.
But this personal, vicious hatred that for the time being is aimed primarily at the President, and to a lesser extent myself, I think is very dangerous for our political process. And I think those who are encouraging it should think long and hard about the consequences of such encouragement. And in a free society, certainly people are free to say or do what they think furthers their political agenda.
But we have to draw the line on violence, and you have to draw the line on protests that incite violence. And a lot of the talk that is coming out is, to me, very sad, and I think we'll have very unfortunate consequences for our entire body politic and not just for this Administration.
Reporter: Mrs. Clinton, you said earlier that the debate has heightened public understanding of the health care issues. But as we approach the elections the rhetoric is getting increasingly more partisan. Do you think that helps public understanding or just adds to some of the confusion?
Mrs. Clinton: I think that's a fair question because it has, in the last couple of weeks, gotten increasingly partisan and it's brought out all the old bromides. I see some of these signs that look like they've been around since Social Security, about socialism. And I don't think that's particularly beneficial for the substantive debate. But actually, it may be helpful in sharpening the differences, because when someone gets on TV as a member of the Congress and says health care reform which is meant to guarantee you private insurance is socialism, I think it's fair then to ask, well, you must be against Social Security and Medicare, right? Oh, no, that's different.
So I think that, in effect, the partisan rhetoric which is now filling the airwaves and the halls of Congress may help politically because it's so far-fetched. And I think that once that becomes clear to people, then we can go back to hammering out the substance of what needs to be done.
Reporter: You talk a lot about the power of special interests. And I don't want to prejudge the outcome of the debate at all, it seems like a toss-up to me, but should health care reform fail, what do you think that history will record as the reason? Have you been -- you talk a lot about special interests, have you been sobered at all -- discovered the American electorate is --
Mrs. Clinton: No, no. But I think it's just reinforced what is an unfortunate fact of life, which is that huge amounts of money spent to convey an intense negative message has a very powerful impact. We know that. It's one of the real unfortunate effects in our political life of negative advertising. And it is always easier to be against something than to be for something, particularly if being for something means you are for changes that affect a lot of people and which have a very broad constituency instead of a narrow focused constituency.
So nothing about this has been surprising. It's been right in line with what has always happened. I mean I saw a study that seemed to suggest that in 1947 or '48 the special interests -- largely at that time, organized medicine against Harry Truman's health care reform -- spent $60 million. Now $60 million in the late '40s was a whole lot of money.
And that was before commercial insurers took off; it was before a lot of the interests we're up against today that have a vested stake in how the system currently runs were very well established. So now the latest survey or the latest amount of money that has been guessed at having been spent against us in the whole campaign for health care reform and trying to get the message out to people is about $120 million. I think that's what the Annenberg Institute or somebody -- the Annenberg Institute which has followed the debate said their estimate was that $120 million had been spent against the idea of health care reform.
So when you've got that kind of money being spent when its message is very simple -- its message is, don't do it -- whereas the positive message ranges from physicians who are for universal coverage but concerned about a willing provider, to pharmaceuticals that are for universal coverage but are concerned about any impact on drug pricing, to community action groups that are for universal coverage but want a single-payer system.
I mean, you go down the line of everybody who's for health care reform, particularly defined as universal coverage, it's a very broad group of organizations and interests. They cannot possibly have the intensity that the negative forces have. That is just, I think, to be expected.
Reporter: You just said, and the President has said a lot, that every time you moved toward the Republicans, they step back. Well, there are actually a number of Democrats that have also been equally as unyielding, and some -- Senator Breaux, for example, has actually moved away from positions he held earlier, like the trigger mandate. What do you have to say for them? Does that frustrate you; does it anger you? Or why hasn't the Democratic Party been more united on this issue?
Mrs. Clinton: Oh, please, Hillary. (Laughter.) I mean, this is part of being a Democrat. (Laughter.) Think of where we were a year ago -- the budget would never pass, you'd never get a majority, the Democrats were deserting the President, it will never work, it will raise unemployment, it will destroy interest rates, and on and on and on and on.
Well, we got it done and, by golly, it worked. And we got it done with all Democrats. And actually, we don't need quite as many Democrats because Senator Jeffords understands health care reform, unlike many others. And in fact, his support for health care reform has increased, as I understand it, his ratings in Vermont by 20 points.
So we're going to have a hard-fought battle down to the very end with a small group of Democrats and all but one of the Republicans claiming the sky is falling and that all kinds of terrible things will happen. And then, eventually, we will get a vote that will be a majority vote for a decent bill.
Reporter: Will you get it done with all Democrats again?
Mrs. Clinton: No, we've got Senator Jeffords. (Laughter.)
Well, we didn't have him on the budget and, I mean, I don't think you should -- that's not insignificant. And I think that -- the thing about those who understand the issue -- and I cannot stress this enough because many of the opponents of health care reform get away with rhetoric. It's like Senator Gramm going on TV and saying, it's socialized medicine, socialized medicine. And because our TV culture is such that the idea of getting at the truth is to have one side say the sky is falling and the other side say no it's not, then at the end of 30 minutes they say, thank you very much. And nobody presses these guys to say, oh, really? And how is it that it's socialized medicine? What does that mean? Does that mean that private insurance is going to start telling Americans what doctors they can use? Does that mean Medicare, which is paid for by a payroll tax, which is certainly a mandate, is going to all of a sudden start telling my mother what doctor she can use?
Nobody ever presses these guys. They get away with it day in and day out. So my hope is that as the debate actually is joined, and people have to defend their positions in public over a sustained period of time, this will become clearer to the American public about what really is at stake in this debate. And I have a lot of confidence that the outcome is going to be positive. And if it's a 51 vote, fine. If we hadn't had a 51 vote on the budget, we would not have 4 million new jobs, in my view.
So these are the kinds of trade-offs you make in life. And if you are trying to stand for something, and you believe it's bigger than yourself and you think it's the right thing to do, you stand up and get counted, no matter what the opposition or the political flack might be.
Reporter: Do you want to comment on the press coverage, print and press coverage?
Mrs. Clinton: Oh, I think the print press has been terrific. (Laughter.) No, I'm serious. If this debate had been played out based on what most of you -- not all -- but the vast majority of you have written, we would be further along. And I really mean this. Most of you have really gotten into the issue; you have studied it. What you've written has been clear and understandable to people. You've covered all sides of it, you've asked the hard questions.
And again, that's the difference between 1994 and 1934. I mean, it is not thoughtful print journalism, unfortunately, in many respects which drives these social policy debates. It is the 30-second ad; it is the very well organized direct mail campaign; it is the radio talk show network. So I wish that all this debate were played out on the basis of what the majority of you have written, because I think you've done a real service.


ALDA IS SEARCHING FOR 3 VOLUNTEERS (FRENCH OR RESIDENTS IN FRANCE)
The Association of Local Democracy Agencies (ALDA) is preparing a proposal for the “Youth in Action. Action 2 – European Voluntary Service” whose deadline is the 1st of September. The proposal (entitled “VOICE”) consists of group exchanges of volunteers between several European Structures and South Eastern Europe organizations.
ALDA holds an accreditation as Coordinating and Sending organization inside the European Voluntary service (EVS). It will coordinate “VOICE” and send volunteers towards three of the project’s partners.
ALDA’s staff would like to select 3 volunteers that will be sent as EVS:
– one in Bosnia and Herzegovina (city of Mostar) for a period of 9 months
– one in the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (city of Prilep) for a period of 9 months
– one in Bosnia and Herzegovina (city of Kljuc) for a period of 6 months
The starting period of the exchange should be May 2012.
Eligibility of candidates:
– French citizens or legal residents in France
– Aged between 18 and 30
– Interested in abroad experiences and cultural exchanges
– Motivated to be inserted in multi-cultural, multi-linguistic environments
– Intersected in European Cooperation, Local Development, Balkan culture and languages, History, Political Sciences or International Relations
– Dynamic and well-organized; Capable of working in group as well as individually
– Responsible and enthusiastic about comprehending less-developed European countries
– World-oriented; tolerant towards other cultures, religions and social groups than those of its origin
– Good level of English; Bosnian or Macedonian are an extra-point but not compulsory
If you are interested in this experience, contact as soon as possible (to the e-mail: elia.meurisse@aldaintranet.org) attaching a CV with photo and letter of motivation. The letter should contain any relevant information as qualities, qualifications and interests that will help us comprehend candidates’ profile. It should not exceed 3 pages.
For any other requests of information, you could contact Elia Meurisse at elia.meurisse@aldaintranet.org or +39 0444 540 146
INTACT PROJECT: NEW KNOWLEDGE, NEW MOTIVATION
Young participants from Croatia, France, Italy, Malta, the Republic of Macedonia and Romania took part in the summer school “Get involved. Participate for Europe and your Town”. After presentations, workshops and visits to different institutions, they left Strasbourg for their hometowns on Saturday – spreading the message of European cooperation to their communities.
The summer school was part of ALDA’s project INTACT. It familiarized the participants with the concepts of youth involvement and democracy on local and European level. Moreover, it also gave them the opportunity to learn about project management and creating youth participation projects themselves.Participants were actively involved in activities and discussions andit was their contribution that made the event a success.
Activities included presentations given by representatives of the Municipality of Strasbourg, the Council of Europe and the Director of the Association of Local Democracy Agencies. Working groups on European values and democratic principles were organised. The summer school was animportant occasion to deepen these topics and share opinions.Although each participant expressed his or her own ideas, there was a common feeling about the most important values for the whole group. This agreement on basic principles can be considered a first achievement of building European identity.
A simulation of European Parliament work was also organized to make participants more familiar with EU institutions and to put into practice the knowledge gained in the workshop on EU institutions.
To top the programme off, two visits were organized. The first one led the participants to the European Parliament,where the MEP Rainer Wieland received them warmly. They thenand one at the Council of Europe where François Friederich held a lesson about democratic principles and a presentation of the role that the Council has in this field.
The Summer School concluded with a workshop about Project Management.This was a useful opportunity for participants to learn how create their own projects. They also developed ideas about how to improve active citizenship and encourage young people to become more active both locally and at EU level.
The project INTACT is co-funded by the European Commission in the framework of the “Europe for Citizens” programme. ALDA wishes to thank the Municipality of Strasbourg and the CréditMutuel for their generous support.
INTACT PROJECT SUMMER SCHOOL
“Get involved. Participate for Europe and your Town” is the claim of INTACT Project Summer School that will take place in Strasbourg from Wednesday 20th to Saturday 23rd, 2011. Young participants from five European countries will meet at the Summer School of ALDA’s project INTACT. The Summer School will treat the issues of youth involvement and democracy on local and European level.
This event has a double aim: on the one hand to improve the knowledge and to boost the discussion of the participants about issues like European values and political participation. On the other hand, they will develop ideas and activities to bridge the democratic gap and think about how to encourage young people to become more active both locally and at the EU level.
It will bring together citizens from local communities across Europe in order to promote mutual understanding, learning about other cultures in Europe and the emergence of European identity to complement local and regional ones. The programme includes working groups to deepen these topics and a simulation of the European Parliament to make participants familiar with EU institutions. An added value of the Summer School will be given by the participation of representatives of the Municipality of Strasbourg, the Council of Europe and the director of the Association of Local Democracy Agencies. Moreover, the participants will visit the European Parliament, where MEP Rainer Wieland will welcome them. Participants will thus learn about the main aspects of the Summer School as democratic principles, active citizenship and local democracy.
The Summer School is part of a European project setting up a network of towns on town twinning and active citizenship (INTACT). This project is led by the Association of Local Democracy Agencies (ALDA) and unites partners from seven European countries (Bulgaria, Croatia, France, Italy, Malta, Republic of Macedonia and Romania). One of its aims is to create and strengthen the links between participating towns, particularly involved in citizen participation issues and the promotion of EU values in the process of EU integration.
The Summer School is financially supported by the European Commission in the framework of the “Europe for Citizens” programme, the Municipality of Strasbourg and the Crédit Mutuel.
LOCAL DEMOCRACY AGENCY ARMENIA TO OPEN IN GYUMRI, ARMENIA IN OCTOBER 2011
On July 13 and 14 a preparatory partner meeting for LDA Armenia took place in Yerevan to discuss the establishment of an LDA in Armenia. The participants in the meeting were among others Region Rhône Alpes, Regional Administration of Friuli Venezia Giulia, Union of Communities of Armenia, Urban Foundation for sustainable development and CISP Italy. Furthermore Mr. Nersisyan mayor of Ijevan, Mr. Manukyan, Vice Mayor of Gyumri, Ministry of Territorial Administration in Armenia, Counterpart International and GIZ also participated in the meeting.
The future partners of the LDA decided that LDA Armenia will be hosted by Gyumri municipality with a satellite office in Ijevan. Gyumri is the second largest city in Armenia and was selected since it will provide a good basis to allow the LDA to work on a national level. Furthermore the vibrant civil society in Gyumri and the possibilities to improve the situation for cooperation between civil society and local authorities were stressed as important factors. In addition to this, Gyumri is also linked with Kutaisi which provides a strong basis for developing the cooperation with Kutaisi city and LDA Georgia, which is located in Kutaisi.
The LDA will work to improve local democracy and involvement of citizens and NGOs in the work of local authorities. It is important to ensure that the LDA is independent of the local authorities in Gyumri and to ensure that it can work on a national level. The LDA will aim to serve as a bridge between Europe and Armenia and will bring Armenian practice to Europe and European experience to Armenia – and at the same time operate as a link between Local Authorities and NGOs in Armenia. Finally the LDA will also work to ensure cross border cooperation in South Caucasus and will work to promote peace and understanding in the South Caucasus region.
The meeting confirmed Region Rhône Alpes as lead partner for the LDA, while Regional Administration of Friuli Venezia Giulia, CISP Italy, Union of Communities of Armenia, Ijevan and Gyumri will be partners of the LDA. There will be a further process during the coming months to involve more international partners and to select national and local Armenian NGOs to be partners of the LDA.
The partners at the meeting confirmed October 27 as the official day for the opening ceremony of LDA Armenia in Gyumri and will work to initiate the selection of a delegate and registration of the LDA as a Foundation before that date.
The LDA will be located in the right wing of the building (see photo) which hosts other public associations and NGOs in Gyumri.
For further information please contact peter.sondergaard@aldaintranet.org
Background document on the LDA in Armenia (هنا).
WOMEN TAKE THE FLOOR THANKS TO THE EUROPEAN CITIZENS' INITIATIVE!
ALDA is glad to share the information about the “Women for Europe and the Citizens’ Initiative”. In 2011, with the support of the European Commission and in partnership with the Konstantinos Karamanlis Institute for Democracy and the Polish Robert Schuman Foundation, the Robert Schuman Foundation has launched an awareness raising campaign amongst women in Europe. “Women for Europe and the Citizens’ Initiative” aims to raise women’s awareness of this new tool – the European Citizens’ Initiative. The partners are organising a conference on Wednesday 21st September 2011 at the European Parliament entitled “Women for Europe and the Citizens’ Initiative”.
Knowledge about the beginning and the background to the ECI, appreciating its scope, its limits and what is at stake, understanding European women’s expectations thanks to an exclusive study on key issues which affect them, debating the link between the ECI and fostering the women’s cause, notably via parity: its aim is to create real links between the European Citizens’ Initiative and parity.
More information on the project:
on the website: www.femmes-europe.eu
on Facebook : Femmes Initiative Citoyenne
on Twitter : @femmeseurope
More information on the conference on 21st September 2011
Programme of the conference
CIVIL SOCIETY FORUM FOR EASTERN PARTNERHIP’S MEETING
The Steering Committee of the Civil Society Forum for Eastern Partnership met in Brussels on the 14th and 15th of July 2011 and had also ameeting with Commissioner Stefan Fuele (Enlargement and Neighbouring Policy Commissioner) to decide about further steps for cooperation. ALDA was represented by the Director, Antonella Valmorbida, elected co-chair of the Steering Committee in February 2011.
The 17 members of the Steering Committee also finalized the short list for the participants of the next Forum, which will be held on the 28th and 29th of November 2011, in Poznan. The NGOs selected are 250 and they come from the six Eastern Partnership Countries and from the European Union. The selection is the result of a call for interest launch this year and the shortlist proposed by the National Platforms and by the Working groups.
The SC members met on the 15th the Commissioner Fuele in order to decide about the further steps of the Civil Society Forum for Eastern Partnership, which is now widely recognised as one of the very active tools of the EaP multilateral track. The Commissioner Fuele confirmed his support to the work of civil society and the interest in establishing a permanent Secretariat of the CSF in order to increase its impact. A strong emphasis has been given to the role of the National Platforms, which could became a channel of information and cooperation for the EU policy in the EaP countries. To this respect, the European Commission could launch and support consultation meetings between civil society National Platform, the national institutions and the EC Delegation in the second part of the year.
Several meetings were organised these days, in particular with the Member of the Parliament, Mr. Werner Schulz, who has been actively promoting the cause of the Civil Society Forum for Eastern Partnership at the European Parliament. The members of the SC met also Mr. Sandy Boyle, President of the External Relations of the European Economic and Social Committee and Mr. Adrian Klecynsk, of the Polish Delegation to the European Union, in the context of the Polish Presidency of the European Union.
The Steering Committee also discussed the steps to be undertaken to finalize the new Concept Paper for the upcoming Civil Society Forum for Eastern Partnership as well a as a Position Paper for the future Summit of the Heads of States, which will take place in Warsaw at the end of September. During these days, a side event for Civil Society will be organised with the cooperation of the CSF (see programme attached).
At the centre of the photo M. UladVialichka, co chair of the Civil Society Form for Eastern Partnership
DAYS OF PORTUGAL IN NIS
LDACSS in partnership with the Embassy of Portugal in Belgrade, the Office for European Affairs in Nis, Film Institute in Lisbon, City Municipality Mediana and Student Cultural Centre (SKC) in Nis is organizing cultural event entitled “Days of Portugal in Nis”.
Between 18th and 27thof July we will present the colorful program of cultural events at various locations in Niš. Activities have been prepared by LDA volunteers from Portugal involved in the project of international cooperation between Serbia and Portugal under the title “Share Yourself” which is supported by the European Commission through the Youth in Action programme – European Voluntary Service.
MUNICIPALITY OF MEDIJANA AND LDA NIS: TOGETHER TOWARD EU
Municipality of Medijana, central and biggest municipality in the City of Nis, started the process of developing a ten-year Local Sustainable Development Strategy, 2011 – 2021. This document will be developed with the support from the Standing Conference of Towns and Municipalities of Serbia and Delegation of the European Union in Serbia through the “Exchange 3” programme.
As proved partner of Mediajna municipality, LDACSS, Nis, is actively involved with this process and will be facilitating a working group on EU integrations and active citizenship. First workshop with relevant stakeholders took place on 12th of July. SWOT analysis, vision, priorities, strategic and specific goals have been defined.
Local Sustainable Development Strategy of the Municipality of Medijana will identify priorities for local community in the areas of environmental protection and infrastructure, economic and social development, involving as many local stakeholders and citizens as possible. It will include a ten-year period but will be flexible and will allow all necessary adjustments throughout the period of its implementation.
CIVIL SOCIETY IN ACTION FOR PARTNERSHIP AND DIALOGUE.FIRST STEERING GROUP MEETING OF IPA2009BOSNIA PROJECT.MOSTAR, 5TH OF JULY 2011
The first Steering Group Meeting of the Project Civil Society in Action for Partnership and Dialogue was held in Mostar on 5th July and hosted by the partner organisation Local Democracy Agency Mostar. Introductory information on the project background and preparatory phase was prepared by Stanka Parac, ALDA Southeast Regional Programme Coordinator, DzenanaDedic Delegate of LDA Mostar and MajaVejzovic, LDA Mostar Project Coordinator.
Eight NGO – partner organisations included from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia and Serbia were present to discuss the activity plan proposed, the contents of the local awareness raising actions, the capacity building programme envisaged in the year one and to design the thematic framework of the opening conference scheduled for the beginning of October in Tuzla considering the recent developments and surveys conducted as regards the municipal co-operation agreements with civil society organisations. The conference coordinated by the partner organisation Citizens’ Forum Tuzla will serve as the launch event of the two year project aiming to reinforce the role of civil society organisations in building partnerships with public sector with particular focus on the areas of local development strategies, antidiscrimination policies, gender equality, youth and environment protection. Further to this, the conference will help determine the modality and methods of local awareness raising actions and CSO-s capacity building in support to increased citizen participation at local level which will be organised in cities of Tuzla, Zavidovici and Prijedor during the first year of the project.
In order to achieve the objectives set with particular regard to strengthening the issue based networking at local level, it was decided to establish two working groups which will become operational after the launching conference for CSO and LA capacity building and for monitoring the adoption/implementation of the municipal co-operation agreements whose members will be proposed/recruited by the partner organisations.
Partners in the action also agreed on establishing the communication procedures and close collaboration in information dissemination through existing CSO networks. Necessary administrative decisions were adopted in order to fulfil the requirements of the contracting procedures of the action taking place in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
During the next four weeks, the project first visibility and promotion products will be designed (logo and leaflet) and the preparatory activities for the launching conference in Tuzla initiated.
Partners in the project with substantial expertise in CSO networking and promoting citizen participation: LDA Mostar, LDA Zavidovici, Citizens’ Forum Tuzla, DON Prijedor, Democratic Centre Bihac, Centre for local development Breza, LDA Osijek and LDA Subotica.
BUSINESS FORUM - "DOING BUSINESS TOGETHER". Kutaisi 28th of May 2011
Within the framework of the project “Georgian Diaspora for Development in Kutaisi”, in order to support local entrepreneurship and promote locally produced goods, Business Forum “Doing Business Together” has been held in Kutaisi on 28 May, 2011.
The forum was arranged by Georgian Foundation / Georgian Diaspora in the Netherlands and Local Democracy Agency (LDA) Georgia in partnership with Kutaisi Local Self-Government (LSG) and Kutaisi Regional Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
In scope of the forum two events were successfully organized. Presentation of permanent exhibition hall “Expo-Imereti” with exhibition and sales of locally produced goods, and Business conference with workshops on important business issues.
The business forum was officially opened by the Metropolitan Kalistrate, Mayor of Kutaisi Mr. Giorgi Tevdoradze and executive director of Georgian Foundation / Georgian Diaspora in the Netherlands Mrs. Marekhi Togonidze.
The participants of the exhibition and the conference were greeted with a warm welcome speech by: Ioseb Khakhaleishvili, executive director of LDA Georgia, Malkhaz Chrelashvil, head of the Economic Policy and Strategy Development office in Kutaisi City Hall, Emzar Gvinianidze, the executive director of Kutaisi Regional Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
The interesting presentations were provided by the international experts of Dutch consulting companies and Jan Koenraad Veenstra (Brainport Development) and Rob van de Gevel (ECORYS).
Up to 100 representatives of SMEs, commercial banks, Governmental sector and NGOs from Imereti region were participated in the event.


SICOM, a technology provider to the restaurant industry, has signed an eight-year office lease for 92,104 square feet in The Pinnacle building at 1684 S. Broad St. in Lansdale, PA.
The three-story, 344,280-square-foot office building was constructed in 1999 in the West Montgomery County submarket. SICOM's lease includes a part of the first and third floors in the building, the remainder of which is vacant and available for lease from 43,470 square feet up to 252,176 contiguous square feet in the building.


Mostly law professors | Sometimes contrarian | Often libertarian | Always independent
About The Volokh Conspiracy
Volokh Daily Email
Perhaps the S. Ct. Will Reconsider the "Actual Malice" Libel Test—but Not in Palin v. N.Y. Times
Eugene Volokh | 2.15.2022 4:35 PM
[UPDATE 3/11/2022: A new New York state intermediate appellate decision suggests the chance of the U.S. Supreme Court taking Palin is higher than I thought, though I think still very low; see here for details.]
Sarah Palin will doubtless appeal the verdict against her, and will almost certainly lose. Under existing libel law, she could only prevail if she could show so-called "actual malice," which basically means that the Times knew that the statement about her was false (knowing falsehood), or at least published it with a "high degree of awareness of … probable falsity" or "entertain[ing] serious doubts as to the truth of his publication" (reckless disregard of the risk of falsehood). Mere negligence or even gross negligence isn't enough. The jury has resolved against Palin this factual question about the Times editors' mental state, and the Second Circuit Court of Appeals is highly unlikely to overturn such a factual ruling.
In principle, of course, Palin could then petition the Supreme Court, asking it to exercise its discretion to review the case, and perhaps reconsider whether the "actual malice" test really should apply—the Supreme Court could reverse that precedent, even though the Court of Appeals can't. (Technically, the precedent isn't New York Times v. Sullivan, which required the actual malice test for public officials, but follow-on cases, such as Curtis Publishing v. Butts, which extended that to so-called "public figures.")
But it seems to me extremely unlikely that the Court would agree to hear Palin's case, because it arises under New York law—and a recent New York statute adopts the "actual malice" test as a matter of state law, whether or not it applies as a matter of First Amendment law.
Whether the Court overrules some of its First Amendment libel precedents thus wouldn't affect Palin's case, because one way or the other the jury had to be instructed under New York law. (In theory, Palin could have argued that Alaska law applies, since she's a resident of Alaska, even though the case is being litigated in New York; but the plaintiffs expressly declined to make such an argument.) That legal irrelevance of the First Amendment question is basically a dispositive reason for the Court not to exercise its discretion to hear this case.
There is one possible twist: The new New York statute was enacted after the case was filed, so one could argue that it shouldn't be applied in this case. But in late 2020, Judge Rakoff concluded that the statute should be so applied; I doubt that the Second Circuit would revisit that question, because that question is unnecessary to its decision (since the Second Circuit has to apply the "actual malice" test in any event under the First Amendment). And the chances of the Supreme Court agreeing to hear the Palin case when the first step would have to be interpreting a New York statute—and when an interpretation of the statute that affirms Judge Rakoff's would make the meaty First Amendment issue go away—strike me as very low.
Of course, many of the Justices might in any event be reluctant to reconsider important First Amendment precedents in a case that's so politically laden. (Some Justices might not care about that, but I expect some would.) But even apart from this, I just don't see the Palin case as procedurally suitable for that question.
I think it's possible that the Court will indeed reconsider some of those precedents in some case. Justices Thomas and Gorsuch have so suggested recently, and then-Professor Kagan had so suggested back in the early 1990s. A Justice has recently called for a response in one case calling for such reconsideration, Coral Ridge Ministries Media, Inc. v. Southern Poverty Law Center, though the Court has also passed up some opportunities to do this in recent years. But Palin v. New York Times, I predict, won't be the Court's vehicle to do this.
To get the Volokh Conspiracy Daily e-mail, please sign up here.
NEXT: Are Public Ignorance and Misinformation Getting Worse?
Eugene Volokh is the Gary T. Schwartz Distinguished Professor of Law at UCLA. Naturally, his posts here (like the opinions of the other bloggers) are his own, and not endorsed by any educational institution.
Free SpeechLibel


Harry Gruyaert – Congratulations, for your 80th birthday
Article: PREVIOUS | NEXT
“If you work in colour, you have to compose differently. If you shoot in colour, it has to come first.” While these statements, once made by the photographer in an interview, sound simple, the timing that led him to focus entirely on colour was unusual. Born in Antwerp in 1941, Gruyaert can look back over a career spanning many decades. When he began, it was far from evident that colour photography could be used for anything other than advertising, illustration and fashion. Until the 1980s, serious documentary photography, as well as photojournalism, were exclusively black and white. Even though New Color Photography had emerged in the United States in the seventies, Europe still had firm reservations concerning the new colour aesthetic. This was something Gruyaert was confronted with when he applied to the renowned Magnum Photo Agency in 1982. “Some photographers argued that it would be the end of Magnum, if they accepted me,” he remembers. From today's perspective, this is hard to imagine. Magnum has changed; and the path for many next-generation photographers, who confidently work in colour, was paved by Gruyaert and his creative use of colour.
Whether taken in Morocco, India, Egypt, the USA or his home country of Belgium, Gruyaert's pictures are fascinating. It is rare that he uses his images to tell concrete stories. He sees himself as belonging to the street photography genre; yet, in his case, it is less about a spontaneous moment or randomly captured people; and more about the interplay between all the items and objects present in the motifs. Light, shadow, clearly defined shapes and, above all, the rich colour palette, transform each picture into a fine still life. His photographs are impressive, even though they may have been taken decades ago. They appear timeless. They make people feel happy.
Congratulations on the occasion of your birthday, esteemed Harry Gruyaert! (Ulrich Rüter)
The current issue 6/2021 of the LFI magazine is presenting a comprehensive portfolio of Harry Gruyaert's work in the Leica Classic segment.
Portrait Harry Gruyaert, 2002 © Magnum Collection / Magnum Photos / Agentur Focus


Speech to Japan External Trade Organisation in Tokyo: Ireland’s perspective on the future of the EU: Brexit and beyond
I am delighted to be here today to take part in this event and to talk to you about Ireland and the future of Europe.
St Patrick’s Day gives us an opportunity to reflect on the warm relationship between Japan and Ireland. 2017, I was pleased to discover, marks 60 years of diplomatic ties between our two countries, something which is being marked by event in both countries.
So today I want to talk to you about Ireland’s perspective on the future of Europe, and not just in the context of Brexit.
IRELAND’S FUTURE IN THE EUROPEAN UNION
And let me start by being clear about one thing: Ireland’s future is in the European Union.
Forty four years have now passed since Ireland joined what was then the European Economic Community. In those four and a half decades we have benefitted enormously from EU membership.
It has given us unfettered access to a market of more than 500 million people and has seen a dramatic increase in trade and foreign direct investment.
It has supported job creation, with an estimated 700,000 jobs created in Ireland during the years of our EU membership.
And Irish citizens have the right to move, to work and to live freely throughout the Union.
During that period Ireland has been a major recipient of financial support from the European Union. Between 1973 and 2014 Ireland received more than €70 billion from the EU.
During the same period we contributed approximately €30 billion to the EU’s budget.
Surely the best measure of the success of that investment is that Ireland now contributes more to the EU budget each year than it receives from it.
But more than that, Irish views and interests are now reflected in the policies of the European Union towards the rest of the world. We are no longer a small island on the fringe of Europe, but an active participant in the world’s biggest union.
Membership of the European Union has brought great benefits to our country and remains in our interests.
We value our access to the single market and the benefits our exporters derive from EU trade agreements with other countries.
More broadly, we value being part of a Union with other likeminded countries who share our values and interests
60 YEARS OF THE EUROPEAN UNION
2017 also marks sixty years since the Treaties of Rome – establishing what is now the European Union – were signed.
In the period since then the European Economic Community first grew into the European Community and then the European Union.
It now includes 28 Member States and more than 500 million people. It stretches from the borders of the former Soviet Union in the east to Ireland on the Atlantic seaboard in the west, and from the Arctic Circle in the north to the Mediterranean in the south.
And it has grown from being a Customs Union into a Single Market, with people, goods, services and capital flowing freely between Member States.
Because the Four Freedoms of the Single Market are just that, freedoms. They are not a vague legal concept but the basis on which we travel around Europe and trade around Europe. They are the freedoms that unite us.
Of course it has not all been plain sailing over those sixty years. Of course there have been challenges along the way. And of course there are new challenges we need to address.
But let us not forget the very real achievement of the European Union as it has grown from a union of just six member states to a union of twenty eight.
And as we celebrate the sixtieth anniversary of the Treaties of Rome, let us not lose sight of the vision of the founding fathers in the years following the catastrophe that was the Second World War.
The period since then has been one of unparalleled peace in Europe, and the European Union has played no small part in that. For many Member States whose post-war histories have not been as benign as Ireland’s, membership of the European Union has been part of their road to freedom.
The European Union is rightly described as one of the great post-war peace projects. So it was fitting that in 2012 the European Union itself was awarded the Nobel Prize for PEACE. Why did it receive the award? In the words of the Nobel Committee, it was because the Union and its forerunners had
for over six decades contributed to the advancement of peace and reconciliation, democracy and human rights in Europe.
THE NORTHERN IRELAND PEACE PROCESS
For its part, the peace project that is the European Union has played a key role in the peace process in Northern Ireland. One of the EU’s key policies is its regional policy, known as Cohesion policy. Spending in support of Cohesion policy accounts for around one third of the EU’s budget. ‘Cohesion’ means sticking together. It is what the European Union is all about.
In Ireland I am the Minister responsible for Cohesion policy, and one of the ways the European Union has supported the peace process is through the PEACE Programme between Northern Ireland and the border region of Ireland. Over a period of more than 20 years the EU has provided significant funding to support the process of peace building and reconciliation in the region.
Last December I travelled to the border city of Derry in Northern Ireland where, along with my Northern Ireland counterpart, I visited peace projects funded by the European Union.
The progress that has been made since the Good Friday Agreement in 1998 was really brought home to me by when – in the company of a unionist Mayor and a republican Minister – I walked across the spectacular EU-funded Peace Bridge that lies at the heart of the city and brings the two communities together.
The Irish Government is determined to see such programmes continue, even after the UK leaves the EU.
The Irish Government has also emphasised the need for the swift resumption of the power-sharing institutions after the recent elections in Northern Ireland, and we will remain closely engaged with the political parties and the British Government in the days and weeks ahead.
THE FUTURE OF THE EUROPEAN UNION
Next week, sixty years after the historic Treaties were signed at a ceremony in the Palazzo dei Conservatori on the Capitol Hill in the heart of Rome, EU Heads of State and Government will gather in the city to mark the occasion. As well as recalling the achievements of the Union, they will discuss the future direction of Europe. I hope it will be a lively discussion.
Recently the European Commission published a stimulating White Paper on the Future of Europe. It is an important contribution to the debate and its publication is timely. I have no doubt there will be many other contributions over the coming months to what will be an important debate that will have implications not just for Europe but also for the wider world.
And I hope it will be a positive debate aimed at building on the achievements of the Union into the future.
THE CHALLENGE OF BREXIT
The sixtieth anniversary of the Union will also see the start of a process that will lead to the first Member State leaving it.
Like most people in Ireland I was disappointed that the UK – our closest neighbour – made the decision to leave. Like most people in Ireland, I believe the UK has been stronger because of its membership of the EU. And I believe that the EU has been stronger because of UK membership.
But we accept that the UK will be leaving the European Union. We are under no illusion about the nature and scale of the challenged posed by Brexit. And we are prepared.
Our priorities for the negotiations ahead are clear:
we want to minimise the impact of Brexit on trade and the economy;
we want to protect the peace process in Northern Ireland;
we want to maintain the Common Travel Area between Ireland and the United Kingdom;
and we want to influence the future direction of the European Union itself.
Because we cannot allow the future of the European Union to be defined by one Member State leaving it. We need to look to a future of a stronger, vibrant Union.
IRELAND’S ECONOMIC OUTLOOK
Ireland is the EU member state that is most likely to be impacted by Brexit. But we are well placed to deal with that challenge.
The recovery in the Irish economy is continuing at a robust pace. GDP grew by 7.2% in the fourth quarter on an annual basis. As a result, full year growth of 5.2% was recorded for the year.
The exporting sector appears to be holding up reasonably well despite the weakness in sterling.
Private consumption has softened in recent quarters but is still solid with annual growth of 3% recorded in 2016.
Recovery is perhaps most clearly evident in the labour market with annual employment having increased in each of the last seventeen quarters, representing an increase of 212,000 jobs since the low-point in 2012. The number of people in employment has exceeded the 2 million mark since Q2 2016 and is now at its highest level since Q4 2008.
Strong employment gains have helped reduce unemployment which has fallen from a peak of over 15% to 6.6% cent in February.
The growth outlook for this year has been revised downwards by approximately 0.5% reflecting the UK decision to leave the European Union.
Nevertheless the Irish Department of Finance is forecasting real GDP growth of 3.5% in 2017 and 3.4% cent in 2018 in the Budget 2017 forecasts
Domestic demand is set to drive growth this year with strong contributions expected from both consumption and investment spending.
While the indicators of domestic activity are encouraging, the international outlook, including Brexit, illustrates the need for caution supported by prudent economic and fiscal policies.
The prudent economic and fiscal policies implemented over recent years have placed Ireland in a stronger position to weather this shock. Competitiveness has improved, employment has grown, and unemployment has fallen.
The strong economic recovery of recent years is testament to our resilience.
The best way to deal with such risks is through competitiveness oriented policies and prudent management of the public finances. That is what the Irish Government will continue to do.
60 YEARS OF IRELAND AND JAPAN
As I said at the outset, Ireland and Japan have sixty years of close cooperation.
Over those sixty years we have developed an important business and trading relationship. Japan is Ireland’s eighth largest export market and is the largest source of foreign direct investment into Ireland from Asia.
Bilateral trade between Ireland and Japan is worth more than €7 billion a year, and we are very fortunate that more than 50 Irish companies are active in the Japanese market. Many of those have developed a substantial presence on the ground, and have found the Japanese market to be full of potential.
On the other side of the coin, there is continued strong investment by Japanese companies in Ireland. They are among the longest established and most respected overseas investors and employers in Ireland.
Ireland and Japan are likeminded countries. We are committed to human rights, to the rule of law and to the peaceful settlement of disputes. We have shared values in the United Nations, in Development Cooperation and in issues such as Disarmament and Non-Proliferation.
This is a relationship we want to see prosper and grow. And we have a lot to offer:
we have a strong pool of highly skilled, multilingual workers in the only native English speaking country within the EU and the Eurozone, providing barrier-free access to an EU market of over 500 million consumers;
40% of the population is under 29, giving us the youngest population in the EU;
our education system ranks in the top ten in the world and over 50% of Irish 30-34 year olds have a third-level degree – higher than any other country in the EU;
the Competitiveness Index ranks Ireland first in the world for the flexibility and adaptability of its workforce;
we offer a pro-business environment, attracting 9 out of 10 of both the world’s top pharma and top software companies;
our dynamic research and development eco-system continues to go from strength to strength, reflected in our enhanced performance in the EU’s Innovation Union Scoreboard.
Ireland consistently ranks as one of the best countries in the world for doing business – a testament to Ireland’s favourable business and regulatory climate.
And we offer an attractive location for people and companies looking to establish or expand operations in the EU.
EU-Japan Free Trade Agreement
Ireland is fully supportive of the EU trade negotiations with Japan. The Agreement will hopefully be a positive achievement for the EU and Japan, who together account for more than one third of the world’s GDP.
An ambitious free trade agreement with Japan will open opportunities for our exporters and companies across a wide range of sectors. And an agreement with Japan will send a powerful and positive message on global trade and the value of these agreements.
Ireland would like to see a comprehensive and ambitious agreement concluded as soon as possible. We hope that Japan will continue to engage actively in the negotiations to achieve an ambitious agreement.
LOOKING TO THE NEXT SIXTY YEARS
So I am delighted to be here on the eve of St Patrick’s Day to reflect with you on the last sixty years of Ireland’s relationship with Europe and with Japan. But I also want to look to the future.
Despite the challenges we face, I look to the next sixty years with optimism. In particular I look forward to a broadening and deepening of the relationship between Ireland and Japan and the European Union.
To the next sixty years.


Yale University is a Coward and a Hypocrite [incl. Jytte Klausen]
by Peter Pappas
The Tax Lawyer's Blog
https://www.meforum.org/campus-watch/16019/yale-university-is-a-coward-and-a-hypocrite-incl
So much for intellectual courage and journalistic integrity.
Atlas Shrugs blogged about the Yale University Press decision to delete 14 cartoons depicting the Islamic prophet Mohamed (cartoons that literally shook the world) from a newly published book by author Jytte Klausen titled Cartoons that Shook the World:
The big brass non-existent balls of our heaviest heavyweight intellectual elites: they are weeping like little girls, wetting their bloomers for fear of insulting Islam.
Yes, those giant amoebas at Yale University Press published a book about the cartoon jihad: The Cartoons That Shook the World by Jytte Klausen, but would not publish the cartoons. Got that?
John Donatich, the director of Yale University Press, explained that "the cartoons are freely available on the Internet and can be accurately described in words," and thus "reprinting them could be interpreted easily as gratuitous." He said he had "never blinked" when publishing controversial material before, but "when it came between that and blood on my hands, there was no question."
This is crazy stuff.
Why publish the book at all if you're going to leave out the cartoons that are the most controversial (i.e. the most world-shaking). Isn't that the entire point of the friggin book?
That would be like omitting World War I and World War II from a book on the "Great Wars of the 20th Century" on account of you don't want to offend Germans.
If You Aren't Willing to Kill, You Deserve to be Offended in a Cartoon
Let me see if I have this straight: The cartoons that speak ill of Christianity, Buddhism and Judaism stay in the book because proponents of these religions won't kill people for publishing them.
Sounds about right, doesn't it? Reward the most murderous of the religious crazies and bludgeon the least murderous.
If Yale were honest it would retitle the book "Cartoons that Offend Only Christians and Jews."
It could be aggressively marketed in Islamic countries. I am sure it would sell like hotcakes there.
Anyone who buys this bowdlerized piece of junk is a living, breathing sucker and deserves to be ripped off – repeatedly and often.
The Radical Left and the Righteous Path of Least Resistance
Did you ever wonder why the radical left focuses its vitriol on America and Christianity rather than (the truly dangerous) Arabia and Islam?
Here's a hint: It's yellow and runs the length of a nutroot's spine.
For all the self-congratulatory gibberish about their courage to "speak truth to power" radical lefties are secure in the knowledge that when they protest against America nothing untoward will happen to them. They know it doesn't kill 200 random people merely because someone published a cartoon it didn't like.
And these chronic malcontents may be wackjobs but they aren't suicidal. (Unless, of course, their guyloses an election to a conservative.)
For instance, you won't see a radical leftist speak "truth" to Islamic clerics who stone women or to genocidal tyrants like Saddam Hussein and his sadistic sons, Lenny and Squiggy, unless he can do it anonymously and from afar. Yet, he'll travel anywhere, at anytime to speak ill of his own country.
Typically you'll find him gushing to a foreign audience chosen carefully in advance for its allegiance to his views.
Ballsy, huh?
Frequency of Protests against America Prove it's Greatness
Only militant imbeciles and those who stand to gain from the defamation of America's reputation will see the frequency of anti-American protests as evidence of the insidiousness of America's policies. In truth, the fact that there are frequent demonstrations in protest of America is an indication that the U.S. tolerates dissent and respects the freedom and liberty of individuals to speak their minds. In short, it's proof of America's civility and greatness, not, as the America bashers would have you believe, its wickedness.
Excuse my crudeness, but a radical protests against America for the same reason a dog licks himself: Because he can!
Yale University Press, left wing activists and the Michael Moore's of the world reserve their faux outrage for those who are least likely to retaliate against them – and this is almost always America – not, as they would have you believe for those who most deserve that outrage.
Do you really think Michael Moore will ever have the testicular fortitude to do a jerkumentary about the ravages of Islam?
If he does, I have a title he can use: "Stoning for Palestine."
Related Topics: Brandeis University, Yale University receive the latest by email: subscribe to the free mef mailing list


Jeff Pinkney CPA, Inc.
QUICKBOOKS TIPS
Jeff Pinkney CPA, Inc. is proud to serve clients throughout the Northwest Kansas area. Our practice is comprised of sixteen employees with locations in Hays, Ellis and Oakley. We pride ourselves in providing excellent service and top-quality tax planning, preparation, bookkeeping and payroll services to meet the needs of our individual and business clients. Our goal is to partner with you to identify the goals and objectives you have for your business and work with you to achieve those goals.
Jeff Pinkney CPA, Inc. was founded in 2014 by Jeff Pinkney upon the purchase of Robert L. Wolf - P.A., Inc., who has been serving the Kansas community for over 35 years. Robert L. Wolf founded his accounting firm in 1976 and has practiced public accounting ever since. He and his staff have continued with Jeff Pinkney CPA, Inc. and remain dedicated to providing the high-quality service and commitment to excellence that has always been a part of the success of Robert L. Wolf and staff.
Jeff Pinkney, CPA
Jeff is the President and owner of Jeff Pinkney CPA, Inc. He is a graduate of Fort Hays State University with a Bachelor of Business Administration in Accounting. He has been in public accounting since 2008.
Brittany Jestice
Brittany joined our firm in September of 2016. She is a graduate of Fort Hays University with a Bachelor of Business Administration in Accounting.
Erik Scott
Erik joined our firm in October of 2020. He graduated from Fort Hays State University with a Bachelor of Business Administration in Accounting and Finance.
Kendra Maydew
Kendra joined our firm as an intern in December of 2021. She is a student at Fort Hays State University and is double majoring in Finance and Accounting.
Bob Wolf, EA
Bob started his accounting practice in 1976 and has practiced public accounting ever since. Bob sold his firm to Jeff Pinkney in December of 2014, and he and his staff has continued with Jeff Pinkney CPA, Inc.
Colton Bobek
Colton joined our firm in January of 2022. He graduated from Fort Hays State University with a Bachelor of Business Administration in Accounting.
Jenna Berkgren
Jenna joined out firm in January of 2019. She graduated from Fort Hays State University with a Bachelor of Business Administration in Accounting.
Marissa Befort
Marissa joined our firm in September of 2021. She graduated from NCK Tech with an Associate of Applied Science in General Business.
Abby Schulte
Abby joined our firm in February of 2017. She is a graduate of Fort Hays State University with a Bachelor of Business Administration in Accounting and Finance.
Eddie Perrett, CPA
Eddie joined our firm in October of 2016. He graduated from the University of Kansas with a Bachelor of Business Administration in Accounting and a Masters in Accounting and Information Systems.
Josie Frisbie
Josie joined our firm in June of 2022. She is a student at Fort Hays State University and is studying to obtain a Bachelor of Business Administration in Public Accounting and a minor in Agriculture.
Shelby Jacques
Shelby joined our firm in May of 2016. She graduated from Fort Hays State University with a Bachelor of Business Administration in Accounting.
Bethany Weber
Hays - Office Manager
Bethany joined our firm in December of 2019.
Melinda Dreiling
Melinda joined our firm in July of 2007.
Lisa Cox
Ellis - Office Manager
Lisa has been with the firm, in the Ellis office, since 1994.
Pat Schippers
Oakley - Office Manager
Pat joined our firm July of 2022.
© 2020 by Jeff Pinkney CPA, Inc.


Retreat Edition
In Lisbon
Our intention is to share our joy and passion with the community and to bring more aliveness and presence into this world by gathering other dance and meditation lovers.
DHYANA VARGAS
Co-founder & organizer
Also known as Dhyana Danceleg (born in Colombia, based in Berlin), she has been a big lover of music and dance since her early childhood. Soon she would discover the night life and the joy of dancing for long hours in the clubs, disappearing in the dance and loud beats. Already in Berlin she encountered the OSHO active meditations, which use movement as a way to stillness and silence. She discovered a totally new approach to movement: dance with totality and awareness as a doorway to oneself, as the fastest path to feelings, as a form of unity with the whole. Dance plays a main roll in her life as it fills her with joy and opens a space for her to relax.
Dhyana is a certified facilitator of OSHO Meditations and OSHO Meditative Therapies, Sufi Whirling and Dance Alchemy teacher as well as an Aquafloating and Thai Massage practitioner. She works also as a graphic designer and event organiser, and is the creator of Whirling in Berlin as well as OSHO Colombia and co-founder of the Conscious Dance Festival.
KABIRO (Lara UBAGO)
Dance has always been very important in Kabiro´s life. Her father owned one of the very first discotheques in Spain and from an early age and through her own body she learned how free and total dance can be of great benefit for the soul.
Later on in life she engaged deeply in other forms of dance, becoming an oriental dance teacher and a very keen practitioner of 5 Rhythms, Authentic Movement, Rio Abierto and Ecstatic Dance.
She is a certified breath worker, bodyworker and art therapist, as well as a producer for fashion films.
Omid Mohadjeri
Film, for Omid, started in front and not behind the lens. From his first day on his father was filming every step and bite he’d take, for his family archive. His grandfather was a theatre director and actor in Kerman, Iran, readapting ancient Persian myths and bringing them on the modern stage.
As a young boy he discovered his interest for music and started exploring the world of sounds through all kinds of instruments as Persian Santur, Piano, Handpan amongst others.
His passion for sound had led him to create his first band as a teenager and the production of the first music video for this very band was his first encounter and opening to the world of visual arts.
7 years of film and photography in 17 different countries around the globe and 3 long format films later, today, Omid is continuing to deepen his relationship with the queen of arts through exploring all her different moods and faces, slowly but steadily mastering my craft.
Carmen Escudero
In the late 80s, Carmen took an interest in photography and gradually consolidated her place in the market as a fashion and portrait photographer.
With a university degree in Psychology, she now works as a coach and Gestalt therapist, combining this with art photography and occasional returns to fashion for designers who request her work. She has always found similarities in both fields when exploring the world of emotions and human communication, and photography as a testimony for information, documentary or advertising. This twofold activity, being a psychologist and a photographer, gives her the chance to create dialogues where she can explore the world of emotions and human communication, and use photography as a witness and “cleansing” of different emotional landscapes.
Gabriela Albertoni
Gabi (Brazilian based in Madrid) graduated in communication and journalism and has worked in many countries, both in production and in digital media. For a few years, she founded "Turn Marketing", a project that she started with another partner, specialising in personal development, educational or sustainable brands. Since then, she managed to unite her two passions: communicate and delve deeper into therapies, especially through the body and movement.
Jens Wazel
The dance found Jens at the famous Esalen Institute in CA almost 20 years ago. He is an authorized Soul Motion teacher, and has been teaching since 2006, in Seattle, San Francisco, Hawaii, on various retreats in the US, and in Berlin. He is the founder of the Bay Area Soul Motion Collective, and was the teacher organizer for the annual Dance Camp Northwest near Seattle.
Jens is a long-time practitioner of various other forms of dance and movement, including 5 Rhythms, Open Floor, Continuum, and Contact Improvisation, and is experienced in movement theatre, performance art and meditation.
He is also a photographer/videographer and is currently working on a documentary project about the history of conscious dance.
hello@consciousdancefestival.com
About | Cookie Policy
© 2023 All rights reserved – Conscious Dance Festival® is a registered mark


By Steven Vallas
Of Mice, Men, and the Workings of Popular Culture
Lately, I’ve become convinced that those of us who study work organizations have kind of missed the boat. Which boat? I suppose that vessel can best be described as popular culture. Let me explain.
I teach social theory pretty often, and if you do that, you more or less have to come to grips with the relation between power, culture, and social inequality. With me so far?
So. When I put on my sociology of work hat, and read through our various efforts to understand the working out of power, I find it hard not to feel as if this field is culturally deprived. Oh sure, there’s a slew of studies focusing on organizational culture (whatever that means). But very, very little that asks where and how workers acquire the images of work and authority which they bring with them into their work situations.
It’s as if we’ve missed the “cultural turn” entirely, abandoning the whole field of popular culture to the cultural studies types (most of whom wouldn’t know honest employment if they fell over it).
Kidding there! But I am serious when I opine that we need to pay much closer attention to media, television, movies, advertising, magazines, and children’s literature.
Which brings me to the odd-looking image shown above. One of my department’s graduate students gave me as a Christmas present Richard Scarry’s book, What Do People Do all Day? A classic kid’s book, it uses animals to represent the division of labor that exists in Busytown. On a lark (so to speak), I googled the book, and eventually came up with a brilliant piece of analysis by John Levi Martin (see his 2000 article, “What Do Animals Do All Day?” in Poetics). To oversimplify greatly: Martin constructs a sophisticated empirical analysis of nearly 300 children’s books, and finds that there is a marked tendency for these texts to represent certain animals in particular kinds of jobs. Jobs that allow the occupant to exercise authority over others tend to be held by predatory animals (especially foxes), but never by “lower” animals (mice or pigs). Pigs in particular are substantially overrepresented in subordinate jobs (those with low skill and no authority), where their overweight bodies and (judging from the plots of these books) congenital stupidity seems to “naturally” equip them for subservient jobs. Here, see this additional image from Scarry’s book, showing construction work being performed by the above-mentioned swine.
In effect, Martin’s point is that there is a hidden language or code inscribed in children’s books, which teaches kids to view inequalities within the division of labor as a “natural” fact of life –that is, as a reflection of the inherent characteristics of the workers themselves. Young readers learn (without realizing it, of course) that some species-beings are simply better equipped to hold manual or service jobs, while other creatures ought to be professionals. Once this code is acquired by pre-school children, he suggests, it becomes exceedingly difficult to unlearn.
Levi Martin’s paper reminds me of the important 1997 paper in ASR by Bernice Pescosolido and her colleagues, who studied the portrayal of blacks in children’s books (and found some very interesting patterns, involving the “symbolic annihilation” of African Americans in this literary genre). So it seems reasonable to ask: Why don’t we have more such studies in the sociology of work and social inequalities? In answering the question, “How do people learn to labor?” (the play on Paul Willis’s classic title is fully intended), haven’t we focused too narrowly on the workplace itself, to the neglect of earlier stages of life or extra-organizational life (e.g., popular culture) as such?
To be sure, there is a small handful of studies that have examined how work is represented in popular culture –but reviewing this literature doesn’t take much time. Beth Montemurro has written an interesting analysis of how sexual harassment is transformed into the substance of comedy on television (see her 2003 article, “Not a Laughing Matter,” in Sex Roles).
Kelly Massoni has a smart analysis called “Modeling Work: Occupational Messages in Seventeen Magazine” that appeared in Gender and Society, in 2004. The latter piece argues that the skewed occupational images presented to teenage girls generate highly distorted occupational aspirations, ill-equipping them to navigate the world of paid employment. But these studies are really the exception, with the larger patten a pronounced silence in this field. And there is virtually nothing that traces the “reception” of cultural objects by those who listen to, read, or watch them.
Which leads me to suggest that it’s time for us to think anew about work organizations. In a culture such as ours, which provides few if any outlets for discussion about the nature of work, maybe there’s a reason why “The Office,” and “Dilbert” are so popular. Or why some of the best and most engaging television shows –“The West Wing,” “House,” and even “The Wire” –are at their heart dramatizations of workplace life. The only puzzling thing is why we sociologists of work have largely neglected this point.
images of workers
occupational socialization


McKinney throws 5 TDs including game-winner for EKU
Oct 22, 2022, 4:19 AM | Updated: 4:25 pm
RICHMOND, Ky. (AP) — Parker McKinney threw a 6-yard touchdown pass to Cornelius McCoy with eight seconds remaining for his fifth touchdown toss of the game to give Eastern Kentucky a 56-53 win over North Alabama on Saturday.
North Alabama had taken a 53-49 lead with 1:13 remaining after Noah Walters passed to Demarcus Lacey and Takairee Kennebrew for TDs under four minutes apart.
EKU (4-3, 1-1 Atlantic Sun) led 35-21 at halftime before the Lions (1-6, 0-3) rallied with 32 second-half points.
McKinney was 22 of 33 for 310 yards without an interception. He went over 2,000 yards passing for the second straight season, a first in Colonels history. He also ran for a score. McCoy had 145 yards receiving and three touchdowns.
Walters threw for 215 yards, three touchdowns and an interception. ShunDerrick Powell rushed for 218 yards on 29 carries with three scores for North Alabama.
More AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/college-football and https://twitter.com/ap_top25. Sign up for the AP’s college football newsletter: https://tinyurl.com/mrxhe6f2


At Least 9 Killed, Dozens More Feared Dead After Fire Rips Through Oakland Warehouse Party
The fire erupted in a warehouse where an estimated 50 to 100 people were attending a party.
By Rhea Mahbubani, Jessica Rice and NBC Bay Area staff • Published December 3, 2016 • Updated on June 20, 2017 at 6:22 pm
9 people confirmed dead and 25 others missing
Venue was under investigation for structural problems before deadly fire
People affected can call 510-382-3000 for help and information
At least nine people were killed and 25 others unaccounted for after a massive blaze ripped through a warehouse party in Oakland late Friday, but officials are preparing for the death toll to rise.
In what is being described as one of the deadliest structure fires in the U.S. in recent history, the fire gutted the 1300 block of 31st Avenue at about 11:30 p.m., Oakland Fire Chief Teresa Deloach Reed said. Officials found no evidence of smoke alarms or sprinklers at the now-destroyed building, where the charred roof collapsed onto the second floor, which in places dropped onto the first floor.
On social media, people referred to the building as the “Oakland Ghost Ship,” an artist's conclave. City officials described as a “a labyrinth of artist studios."
A Facebook event page indicates that the fire sparked during a Golden Donna show, which was promoted by Los Angeles-based dance label 100% Silk. Bob Mule, a survivor, said the space is also occupied by a 24-hour artist collective that he belongs to.
Battalion Chief Lisa Baker said the building was "subdivided into other occupancies" and between 50 and 100 people were partying on the upper floor. Mark Hoffman, operations chief at the Oakland Fire Department, described the building as a "labyrinth," dotted with wood workers, sculptors, painters and more.
However, Darin Ranelletti, of the Oakland Planning Department, said the building was only permitted for use as a warehouse. City officials are investigating whether people were living in the warehouse illegally before Friday's lethal fire.
California 2 hours ago
The party that young electronic music fans flocked to, Ranelletti said, "would require a special permit from the city, and such a permit had not been issued."
At least nine people were killed and 25 others are unaccounted for after a three-alarm fire erupted at a warehouse party in Oakland late Friday, but officials “expect the death toll to rise.” Raj Mathai reports.
Reed confirmed there were "nine known fatalities" around 7 a.m. Saturday, and that at least 25 others were unaccounted for. Around 9 a.m., Alameda County sheriff's Sgt. JD Nelson said officials are preparing for about 40 deaths based on the number of confirmed fatalities and numerous reports of missing people.
Six coroners' tents were set up outside the building Saturday, while friends and strangers alike left flowers on a fence near the destroyed building.
Later in the day, Sheriff's spokesman Ray Kelly said nine bodies had been recovered and taken to the coroner's office, but declined to "play the numbers game." Several dozen people initially reported as missing have been located and reunited with their families, but a few dozen more remain unaccounted for, he said.
While some families' fears were put at ease, others remain in an "unknown stage" and are "grieving," Kelly said.
The inferno reduced the building to a smoldering skeleton, and Kelly said that weakened walls have complicated and delayed the recovery and identification process. Fire crews were forced to withdraw from the unstable structure because it needs to be shored up.
Officials will need to use heavy equipment, including cranes, dump trucks, excavators and bulldozers, to create a safe path into the building. Crews have to work carefully, though, Kelly said, so bodies aren't scooped up with debris.
It may take "considerable" time before victims are identified, according to Kelly. Investigators will be at the scene through late Sunday, and possibly into early Monday.
Reed emphasized that just because someone is unaccounted for does not mean the person is dead. Officials are working to determine if attendees had taken themselves to the hospital or simply left the warehouse.
Deadly Fire Rips Through Converted Warehouse in Oakland
"One of the issues," Reed said, was that the building had only "one way up and down from the second floor and it’s my understanding that stairwell was kind of like a makeshift, that they put it together with pallets."
When she tried to enter the building, Reed said she was "just able to get in about 10 feet." Kelly added that it has proven "tricky" to maneuver in the building because of debris, downed beams, a collapsed roof and leaking water.
"This is not an easy task by any means," Kelly said.
The victims are primarily people in their 20s and 30s, but some hail from foreign countries, Kelly said.
"It appears that people either made it out or didn’t make it out," he said. "There’s not a lot of other injuries that have been reported to us at this time."
The first fire crews on the scene "found a building that had smoke and flames coming out of three sides," Baker said. They made an "aggressive" attack to put the fire out, but conditions changed, forcing them to "retreat" from the then-"defensive" blaze.
It took 11 fire engines, three fire trucks and 52 firefighters "four hours to get the fire out," Baker said.
City officials react to the fatal fire in Oakland that killed at least nine people. Cheryl Hurd reports.
Reed said that 25 people were killed in the 1991 Oakland Hills fire, but "as a single-structure fire, I don't think Oakland has had a fatality of this magnitude in a while."
"It's going to be a huge impact, not just on the firefighters but on the families, on this community and the city as a whole," she added.
Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf said in a statement that the fire was an "immense tragedy" and thanked emergency responders.
"Our focus right now is on the victims and their families and ensuring that we have a full accounting for everyone who was impacted by this tragedy," she said.
The Oakland Athletics tweeted their support for those affected by the fire. "We will work together to heal our community," the team wrote. The A's also sought donations and pledged to match contributions up to $30,000.
Event organizers have created a list on Facebook to try to figure out who is alive and accounted for. Families and friends took to Facebook and Twitter to express condolences for those who had died in the fire and search for those still missing. Vigils were also held Saturday evening.
But some, like Daniel Vega, who was anxiously awaiting news about his brother, Alexander, questioned those responsible.
"If there was any kind of things wrong with that building, like maybe it was an old, dilapidated building or something like that, why would somebody have a rave there?" he asked. "And if the rave was there, and it was an underground rave, why did the cops let it happen?"
Oakland property records indicate that the warehouse is owned by the Chor N. Ng trust.
A family member speaking on behalf of Ng said they were "trying to figure out what happened just like everyone else" and were "sorry to hear of [the tragedy] and those injured and killed."
Multiple complaints have been filed against the property's owner, records show. A Housing Habitability Complaint, involving an illegal interior building structure, was filed as recently as Nov. 14. City officials were in the process of investigating the complaint when the fire broke out.
A complaint was also filed on Nov. 13 for garbage piling up on the property, some of which was hazardous, records show. There have also been reports of blight at the building.
On Nov. 17, investigator tried to inspect the building but could not even enter, Ranelletti said.
At least nine people were killed and 25 others are unaccounted for after a three-alarm fire erupted at a warehouse party in Oakland late Friday night, fire officials said.
However, in its defense, the Ng family said they didn't regularly communicate with the tenants, who had been renting the property for a few years. They also disputed Reed's comments about the makeshift staircase and said it is a full stairway in the back of the building, which was constructed to code.
A neighbor, who asked not to be identified, said the area is home to a mixture of Latinos and artists. When the warehouse first caught fire, many said, "Oh, that must be the hippie house."
It is common knowledge, the neighbor said, that artists lived inside the warehouse and left all sorts of junk — including RVs and odds-and-ends —outside, drawing scavengers.
An arson task force is investigating the cause of the fire, but there’s no reason to suspect arson at this time, officials say. "We will be at this crime scene for weeks to come," Kelly said.
The Alameda County Sheriff's Office and American Red Cross have set up a family assistance center at 2425 E. 12th St. Grief counselors will be on hand. People can call 510-382-3000 for help.
NBC Bay Area's Liz Wagner contributed to this report.
LIVE on #Periscope: Richard Kelly alameda sheriff sgt talking about Oakland warehouse fire https://t.co/jJNZaisjJN
— Mark Matthews (@MarkMatthewsNBC) December 4, 2016
https://twitter.com/bymichaelrosen/status/805145622298828800
OaklandFacebookLos Angelessocial mediaTwitter
5 Arrested After Robbery, Shooting at Campbell Camera Store


Power Generation Technician - GE 1.5 MW Wind Turbines - Kodiak, Alaska
Manager of Power Generation - Kodiak, Alaska
Operations & Maintenance Technician
Arkansas Electric Cooperative Corporation
Magnet Cove, Arkansas
Dispatch System Engineer
Chugach Electric Assoc.
Dispatch Analyst
Post-Doctoral Fellow - AU Fish Ecology Group
Auburn University at Auburn
Maintenance Technician II - Plumber
Westchester Campus,
Location: Kodiak, Alaska
Salary: $80,000 - $110,000 per year
About Kodiak Electric Association, Inc.
Kodiak Electric Association, Inc. (KEA) is a progressive and innovative standalone generation, transmission and distribution electric cooperative located on spectacular Kodiak Island in the Gulf of Alaska, 252 air miles southwest of Anchorage, serving approximately 6,000 meters. The cooperative is recognized as an industry leader in implementing sustainable, renewable energy solutions with environmental stewardship, and in 2021, our renewable portfolio of hydro and wind generated 99.4% of our power. KEA operates and maintains one hydroelectric plant, one wind farm, a Battery energy storage system (BESS), a Flywheel energy storage system (FESS), two diesel generator power plants, one combined cycle plant, six substations and 388 miles of distribution lines. Our Vision Statement: Endeavor to maintain 98% of energy sales with cost effective renewable power solutions for the future of our members and the community.
This exempt position is responsible for applying sound engineering and land surveying principles to solve design, development, and system improvement problems of the electric distribution system. High School education or equivalent required. Must have a basic understanding of electrical theory, or a strong background with computer skills and GIS/CAD drawings. Must be able to complete staking certification program or equivalent.
The starting salary within the range of $80,000 - $110,000 per year is based on experience and qualifications and benefits include an excellent comprehensive NRECA benefit package including medical, dental, vision, life, and disability insurance, a matching 401(k) plan, and a defined pension plan fully funded by the cooperative. A signing bonus/relocation assistance will be offered.
Kodiak Island has breathtaking pristine scenic beauty, is a sportsman's paradise, and offers numerous fishing, hunting and recreational activities. This is the land of wild Sockeye Salmon, Silver Salmon, King Salmon, and the mighty Kodiak Brown Bear. Approximately two-thirds of the island is National Wildlife Refuge. The Port of Kodiak is consistently ranked as one of the top four fishing ports in the United States. Alaska’s Emerald Island has a mild, ever-changing maritime climate.
Visit www.kodiakelectric.com for a complete job description and application. Contact Nancy B. Sweeney, Human Resources, at nbsweeney@kodiak.coop or call 907.486.7709, for more information and to submit your completed application and resume. This position is open until filled. KEA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.
Kodiak Electric Association, Inc. (KEA) is recognized as an industry leader in implementing sustainable, renewable energy solutions with environmental stewardship, and 99.4% of our 2021 generation portfolio came from renewable hydro and wind resources. KEA owns, operates, and maintains a hydroelectric facility, a cutting edge wind farm with a battery energy storage system integrating hydro and wind resources as an integrated renewable generation system, two diesel generator power plants, one combined cycle plant, six substations, and 388 miles of lines serving approximately 6,000 meters. Kodiak Island has breathtaking pristine scenic beauty and a mild, ever-changing maritime climate, is a sportsman's paradise, and offers numerous fishing, hunting, and recreational activities. As of December 21, 2022, KEA had 35 employees working in three divisions of the Cooperative, all under the direction of the President/CEO. The President/CEO, in turn, is responsible to a nine person Board of Directors. Cooperative members elect directors to staggered three-year terms. An appointed U.S.C.G. Liaison also serves on the Board to promote open communications between the KEA Board of Direc...tors and the U.S.C.G. The KEA Board of Directors and staff work together with the membership to make Kodiak a better community in which to live. Our Vision Statement is: Endeavor to maintain 98% of energy sales with cost effective renewable power solutions for the future of our members and the community. Our Mission Statement is: Kodiak Electric Association, Inc. is committed to providing safe, reliable energy and a high level of service excellence to enhance the quality of life of its members and of the community.
Connections working at Kodiak Electric Association, Inc.
https://careers.hydro.org/jobs/17950984/staking-technician-kodiak-alaska


Evil Angel Photos
The Evil Angel studio is known for producing the highest quality docu-porn and feature films. Its films are extremely well produced and often include top porn actors. The films also include excellent sex scenes of the highest quality, and are directed by top directors such as John Stagliano and Evil Chris. European model Misha Cross also makes her directing debut on this label.
The studio is one of the most successful and profitable porn production companies around the globe. The year 2007 saw Evil Angel was named the most profitable production studio for porn according to US News and World Report. The studio received over 100 nominations in the prestigious Adult Video News awards for the fourth year in a row.
If you’re interested in viewing hardcore porn videos, then you’ll be interested in checking out Evil Angel porn review site. Evil Angel porn reviews site. It’s packed with high-quality videos as well as interesting scenes. The site also showcases the most popular porn director around. You’ll get to view some of the most arousing scenes and anal sex online.
While it may seem like a simple site with few video clips, Evil Angel is actually a professional porn site. The site offers a wide collection of hot HD videos, an extensive collection of updates, and a daily update.
If you’re in search of an internet site that is dedicated to pornstars, then you’ll want to visit Pornstars Evil Angel. The website is available in two different versions, both monthly and annually. If you sign up for a yearly account, you’ll also be charged at the same rate each year. If you’d like to test the service first, you can enroll for a 2 day trial for free. Trial members can stream unlimited content the duration of the account on a regular basis, however they cannot download videos.
Of the many pornstars who comprise Evil Angel is Zoey Monroe. The actress, who stands 5’2, is blonde with piercing blue eyes. Her body is stunning and her sexy scenes have earned her awards as well as nominations. She made her sex scene first in the year 2012, and has been on the rise since then. In 2014 she was nominated for “Best Young Starlet” at the AVN and XRCO Awards. In 2015, she was nominated for “Female Artist of the Year.”
If you join Evil Angel Porn, you can enjoy up to 82 percent off their exclusive products and movies. Also, you’ll have access to their sales catalog. Moreover, this site offers many bonuses that can be of great help to you. One of the great things about this website is the fact that it features male and female pornstars. It’s not your typical porn site.
This site has a yearly and monthly membership plan. A yearly membership will cost around $100 per year, however it rebills automatically for the following year. Additionally, this site provides a trial period of two days, where you can watch unlimited films for the price of $1.00. During the trial, you will also have an unlimited stream, but there is no download option.
If you are looking for pornographic content, you can’t go wrong with Evil Angel. With more than 8,000 episodes that are available, it will be a site that will delight any fan of adult entertainment. It is possible to watch the videos for free and don’t need to spend a fortune to watch these videos. Its newest content is automatically displayed on the main page, so you don’t have to waste precious time scrolling through the old stuff.
You can sign up to Evil Angel with a discount If you’re in search of an online porn website that’s reliable. The site is well-known for its wide variety of content, which you’ll discover on a variety of platforms. It also provides advanced access to world premieres and 24 hour customer support. You can even try a two-day trial for just $1.00! The trial period does not include downloads, you’ll be able to enjoy a variety of porn videos.
Craving Anal 02 Evil Angel
Pop Evil War Of Angels Songs


AI, Featured
Is Alexa an Example of Artificial Intelligence?
March 19, 2021 • Shannon Flynn
For something so popular and influential, artificial intelligence seems to be rather tricky to define. Ask ten different people what AI is, and you’ll get ten unique answers. Some people say that Amazon’s Alexa is an example of artificial intelligence, but is it?
A lot of people give Alexa as an example of AI in everyday life. At the same time, you might’ve heard some people argue that Alexa isn’t really AI. So which one is it? Is Alexa AI or not?
Generally speaking, yes, Alexa is an example of AI. It’s not an instance of “strong” or “true” AI, though. Let’s take a closer look.
Different Levels of Artificial Intelligence
To understand the discrepancy here, you need to know that there are multiple levels of AI. You can categorize AI in various ways, but most people divide it into two categories: strong AI and weak AI. Alexa and other voice assistants are examples of the latter.
Strong AI, sometimes called true AI, is like what you see in the movies. It describes machines that possess intelligence and consciousness like a human and isn’t a reality yet. People argue over how you can tell if AI is strong, but everyone agrees that we won’t have strong AI for a while.
Weak or narrow AI is what you see today in things like Alexa, Apple’s Siri or Google Assistant. Weak AI isn’t actually intelligent but gives the appearance of human intelligence. These machines can learn and fake consciousness, but they don’t think for themselves.
How Alexa Uses Artificial Intelligence
It’s easy to see why Alexa isn’t strong AI, but where does AI come in at all? The first and most basic place you can see AI in Alexa is in how it talks. Alexa uses a process called natural language processing to understand and replicate human speech.
Alexa also uses machine learning — a process in artificial intelligence where machines are allowed to use data to learn and make decisions, rather than humans having to program every single response — to learn about your habits and preferences. If it notices a pattern in the things you ask or when you ask them, it’ll adapt to it. The more you use it, the more it understands what you want, so it gets better at answering you.
Similarly, Alexa is always improving. When it makes a mistake, or is unsure what to do, or sees that you reacted unfavorably to its response, Alexa will try to learn from the encounter and adapt for the next time a similar situation occurs.
If you use Alexa to turn your lights on and off, it learns when you tend to do so. If you forget to shut off the lights one night, Alexa may ask you about it. That’s just one example of Alexa using AI to be a better assistant.
Alexa’s Advancing AI
As with any AI, Alexa’s becoming more advanced all the time. Take its natural language processing, for instance. It used to break down words into parts, but now it uses deep neural networks to process entire sentences at once.
This approach to language can help it sounds more natural when it talks to you. It can also lead to better understanding when you say something. As Alexa uses these features more, it will find what works and what doesn’t, improving it further.
Alexa is even learning to pick up on sounds like breaking glass when you’re not home. That way, it can alert you that something could be wrong. With more advancement, Alexa’s AI could become a helpful safety feature.
AI Is All Around Us
You may not see strong AI for a long time, but AI itself isn’t some futuristic concept. You can find examples of artificial intelligence everywhere, even in your home; if you don’t have Alexa, you probably have Siri, Microsoft’s Cortana or any number of voice assistants. Alexa’s not the most advanced AI in the world, but it is a remarkably common one, and it will continue to learn and improve.
Previous Post 4 Tips To Get the Best Experiences When Using Apps To Make Money
Next Post What Is an App? Everything You Need to Know
Understanding 3 Major Artificial Intelligence Ethical Issues
The Top Trends in Artificial Intelligence in 2023
AI, Data
What is AI: The Somnium Files?
Why Is Artificial Intelligence Good? 5 Ways It Helps People
November 14, 2022 • Shannon Flynn