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[Docs] [txt|pdf] [draft-saintandr...] [Tracker] [Diff1] [Diff2] [Errata]
PROPOSED STANDARD
Errata Exist
Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) P. Saint-Andre
Request for Comments: 6125 Cisco
Category: Standards Track J. Hodges
ISSN: 2070-1721 PayPal
Representation and Verification of Domain-Based Application Service
Identity within Internet Public Key Infrastructure Using X.509 (PKIX)
Certificates in the Context of Transport Layer Security (TLS)
Many application technologies enable secure communication between two
entities by means of Internet Public Key Infrastructure Using X.509
(PKIX) certificates in the context of Transport Layer Security (TLS).
This document specifies procedures for representing and verifying the
identity of application services in such interactions.
This is an Internet Standards Track document.
Internet Engineering Steering Group (IESG). Further information on
Internet Standards is available in Section 2 of RFC 5741.
Saint-Andre & Hodges Standards Track [Page 1]
RFC 6125 Service Identity March 2011
1. Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
1.1. Motivation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
1.2. Audience . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
1.3. How to Read This Document . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
1.4. Applicability . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
1.5. Overview of Recommendations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
1.6. Generalization from Current Technologies . . . . . . . . . 6
1.7. Scope . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
1.7.1. In Scope . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
1.7.2. Out of Scope . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
1.8. Terminology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
2. Naming of Application Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
2.1. Naming Application Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
2.2. DNS Domain Names . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
2.3. Subject Naming in PKIX Certificates . . . . . . . . . . . 15
2.3.1. Implementation Notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
3. Designing Application Protocols . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
4. Representing Server Identity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
4.1. Rules . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
4.2. Examples . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
5. Requesting Server Certificates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
6. Verifying Service Identity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
6.1. Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
6.2. Constructing a List of Reference Identifiers . . . . . . . 22
6.2.1. Rules . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
6.2.2. Examples . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
6.3. Preparing to Seek a Match . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
6.4. Matching the DNS Domain Name Portion . . . . . . . . . . . 26
6.4.1. Checking of Traditional Domain Names . . . . . . . . . 27
6.4.2. Checking of Internationalized Domain Names . . . . . . 27
6.4.3. Checking of Wildcard Certificates . . . . . . . . . . 27
6.4.4. Checking of Common Names . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
6.5. Matching the Application Service Type Portion . . . . . . 28
6.5.1. SRV-ID . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
6.5.2. URI-ID . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
6.6. Outcome . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
6.6.1. Case #1: Match Found . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
6.6.2. Case #2: No Match Found, Pinned Certificate . . . . . 29
6.6.3. Case #3: No Match Found, No Pinned Certificate . . . . 30
6.6.4. Fallback . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
7. Security Considerations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
7.1. Pinned Certificates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
7.2. Wildcard Certificates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
7.3. Internationalized Domain Names . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
7.4. Multiple Identifiers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
8. Contributors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
9. Acknowledgements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
10. References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
10.1. Normative References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
10.2. Informative References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
Appendix A. Sample Text . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
Appendix B. Prior Art . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
B.1. IMAP, POP3, and ACAP (1999) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
B.2. HTTP (2000) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
B.3. LDAP (2000/2006) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
B.4. SMTP (2002/2007) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
B.5. XMPP (2004) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
B.6. NNTP (2006) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
B.7. NETCONF (2006/2009) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
B.8. Syslog (2009) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
B.9. SIP (2010) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
B.10. SNMP (2010) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
B.11. GIST (2010) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
1.1. Motivation
The visible face of the Internet largely consists of services that
employ a client-server architecture in which an interactive or
automated client communicates with an application service in order to
retrieve or upload information, communicate with other entities, or
access a broader network of services. When a client communicates
with an application service using Transport Layer Security [TLS] or
Datagram Transport Layer Security [DTLS], it references some notion
of the server's identity (e.g., "the website at example.com") while
attempting to establish secure communication. Likewise, during TLS
negotiation, the server presents its notion of the service's identity
in the form of a public-key certificate that was issued by a
certification authority (CA) in the context of the Internet Public
Key Infrastructure using X.509 [PKIX]. Informally, we can think of
these identities as the client's "reference identity" and the
server's "presented identity" (these rough ideas are defined more
precisely later in this document through the concept of particular
identifiers). In general, a client needs to verify that the server's
presented identity matches its reference identity so it can
authenticate the communication.
Many application technologies adhere to the pattern just outlined.
Such protocols have traditionally specified their own rules for
representing and verifying application service identity.
Unfortunately, this divergence of approaches has caused some
confusion among certification authorities, application developers,
and protocol designers.
Therefore, to codify secure procedures for the implementation and
deployment of PKIX-based authentication, this document specifies
recommended procedures for representing and verifying application
service identity in certificates intended for use in application
protocols employing TLS.
1.2. Audience
The primary audience for this document consists of application
protocol designers, who can reference this document instead of
defining their own rules for the representation and verification of
application service identity. Secondarily, the audience consists of
certification authorities, service providers, and client developers
from technology communities that might reuse the recommendations in
this document when defining certificate issuance policies, generating
certificate signing requests, or writing software algorithms for
identity matching.
1.3. How to Read This Document
This document is longer than the authors would have liked because it
was necessary to carefully define terminology, explain the underlying
concepts, define the scope, and specify recommended behavior for both
certification authorities and application software implementations.
The following sections are of special interest to various audiences:
o Protocol designers might want to first read the checklist in
Section 3.
o Certification authorities might want to first read the
recommendations for representation of server identity in
o Service providers might want to first read the recommendations for
requesting of server certificates in Section 5.
o Software implementers might want to first read the recommendations
for verification of server identity in Section 6.
The sections on terminology (Section 1.8), naming of application
services (Section 2), document scope (Section 1.7), and the like
provide useful background information regarding the recommendations
and guidelines that are contained in the above-referenced sections,
but are not absolutely necessary for a first reading of this
1.4. Applicability
This document does not supersede the rules for certificate issuance
or validation provided in [PKIX]. Therefore, [PKIX] is authoritative
on any point that might also be discussed in this document.
Furthermore, [PKIX] also governs any certificate-related topic on
which this document is silent, including but not limited to
certificate syntax, certificate extensions such as name constraints
and extended key usage, and handling of certification paths.
This document addresses only name forms in the leaf "end entity"
server certificate, not any name forms in the chain of certificates
used to validate the server certificate. Therefore, in order to
ensure proper authentication, application clients need to verify the
entire certification path per [PKIX].
This document also does not supersede the rules for verifying service
identity provided in specifications for existing application
protocols published prior to this document, such as those excerpted
under Appendix B. However, the procedures described here can be
referenced by future specifications, including updates to
specifications for existing application protocols if the relevant
technology communities agree to do so.
1.5. Overview of Recommendations
To orient the reader, this section provides an informational overview
of the recommendations contained in this document.
For the primary audience of application protocol designers, this
document provides recommended procedures for the representation and
verification of application service identity within PKIX certificates
used in the context of TLS.
For the secondary audiences, in essence this document encourages
certification authorities, application service providers, and
application client developers to coalesce on the following practices:
o Move away from including and checking strings that look like
domain names in the subject's Common Name.
o Move toward including and checking DNS domain names via the
subjectAlternativeName extension designed for that purpose:
dNSName.
o Move toward including and checking even more specific
subjectAlternativeName extensions where appropriate for using the
protocol (e.g., uniformResourceIdentifier and the otherName form
SRVName).
o Move away from the issuance of so-called wildcard certificates
(e.g., a certificate containing an identifier for
"*.example.com").
These suggestions are not entirely consistent with all practices that
are currently followed by certification authorities, client
developers, and service providers. However, they reflect the best
aspects of current practices and are expected to become more widely
adopted in the coming years.
1.6. Generalization from Current Technologies
This document attempts to generalize best practices from the many
application technologies that currently use PKIX certificates with
TLS. Such technologies include, but are not limited to:
o The Internet Message Access Protocol [IMAP] and the Post Office
Protocol [POP3]; see also [USINGTLS]
o The Hypertext Transfer Protocol [HTTP]; see also [HTTP-TLS]
o The Lightweight Directory Access Protocol [LDAP]; see also
[LDAP-AUTH] and its predecessor [LDAP-TLS]
o The Simple Mail Transfer Protocol [SMTP]; see also [SMTP-AUTH] and
[SMTP-TLS]
o The Extensible Messaging and Presence Protocol [XMPP]; see also
[XMPP-OLD]
o The Network News Transfer Protocol [NNTP]; see also [NNTP-TLS]
o The NETCONF Configuration Protocol [NETCONF]; see also
[NETCONF-SSH] and [NETCONF-TLS]
o The Syslog Protocol [SYSLOG]; see also [SYSLOG-TLS] and
[SYSLOG-DTLS]
o The Session Initiation Protocol [SIP]; see also [SIP-CERTS]
o The Simple Network Management Protocol [SNMP]; see also [SNMP-TLS]
o The General Internet Signalling Transport [GIST]
However, as noted, this document does not supersede the rules for
verifying service identity provided in specifications for those
application protocols.
1.7. Scope
1.7.1. In Scope
This document applies only to service identities associated with
fully qualified DNS domain names, only to TLS and DTLS (or the older
Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) technology), and only to PKIX-based
systems. As a result, the scenarios described in the following
section are out of scope for this specification (although they might
be addressed by future specifications).
1.7.2. Out of Scope
The following topics are out of scope for this specification:
o Client or end-user identities.
Certificates representing client or end-user identities (e.g., the
rfc822Name identifier) can be used for mutual authentication
between a client and server or between two clients, thus enabling
stronger client-server security or end-to-end security. However,
certification authorities, application developers, and service
operators have less experience with client certificates than with
server certificates, thus giving us fewer models from which to
generalize and a less solid basis for defining best practices.
o Identifiers other than fully qualified DNS domain names.
Some certification authorities issue server certificates based on
IP addresses, but preliminary evidence indicates that such
certificates are a very small percentage (less than 1%) of issued
certificates. Furthermore, IP addresses are not necessarily
reliable identifiers for application services because of the
existence of private internets [PRIVATE], host mobility, multiple
interfaces on a given host, Network Address Translators (NATs)
resulting in different addresses for a host from different
locations on the network, the practice of grouping many hosts
together behind a single IP address, etc. Most fundamentally,
most users find DNS domain names much easier to work with than IP
addresses, which is why the domain name system was designed in the
first place. We prefer to define best practices for the much more
common use case and not to complicate the rules in this
Furthermore, we focus here on application service identities, not
specific resources located at such services. Therefore this
document discusses Uniform Resource Identifiers [URI] only as a
way to communicate a DNS domain name (via the URI "host" component
or its equivalent), not as a way to communicate other aspects of a
service such as a specific resource (via the URI "path" component)
or parameters (via the URI "query" component).
We also do not discuss attributes unrelated to DNS domain names,
such as those defined in [X.520] and other such specifications
(e.g., organizational attributes, geographical attributes, company
logos, and the like).
o Security protocols other than [TLS], [DTLS], or the older Secure
Sockets Layer (SSL) technology.
Although other secure, lower-layer protocols exist and even employ
PKIX certificates at times (e.g., IPsec [IPSEC]), their use cases
can differ from those of TLS-based and DTLS-based application
technologies. Furthermore, application technologies have less
experience with IPsec than with TLS, thus making it more difficult
to gather feedback on proposed best practices.
o Keys or certificates employed outside the context of PKIX-based
Some deployed application technologies use a web of trust model
based on or similar to OpenPGP [OPENPGP], or use self-signed
certificates, or are deployed on networks that are not directly
connected to the public Internet and therefore cannot depend on
Certificate Revocation Lists (CRLs) or the Online Certificate
Status Protocol [OCSP] to check CA-issued certificates. However,
the method for binding a public key to an identifier in OpenPGP
differs essentially from the method in X.509, the data in self-
signed certificates has not been certified by a third party in any
way, and checking of CA-issued certificates via CRLs or OCSP is
critically important to maintaining the security of PKIX-based
systems. Attempting to define best practices for such
technologies would unduly complicate the rules defined in this
o Certification authority policies, such as:
* What types or "classes" of certificates to issue and whether to
apply different policies for them (e.g., allow the wildcard
character in certificates issued to individuals who have
provided proof of identity but do not allow the wildcard
character in "Extended Validation" certificates [EV-CERTS]).
* Whether to issue certificates based on IP addresses (or some
other form, such as relative domain names) in addition to fully
qualified DNS domain names.
* Which identifiers to include (e.g., whether to include SRV-IDs
or URI-IDs as defined in the body of this specification).
* How to certify or validate fully qualified DNS domain names and
application service types.
* How to certify or validate other kinds of information that
might be included in a certificate (e.g., organization name).
o Resolution of DNS domain names.
Although the process whereby a client resolves the DNS domain name
of an application service can involve several steps (e.g., this is
true of resolutions that depend on DNS SRV resource records,
Naming Authority Pointer (NAPTR) DNS resource records [NAPTR], and
related technologies such as [S-NAPTR]), for our purposes we care
only about the fact that the client needs to verify the identity
of the entity with which it communicates as a result of the
resolution process. Thus the resolution process itself is out of
scope for this specification.
o User interface issues.
In general, such issues are properly the responsibility of client
software developers and standards development organizations
dedicated to particular application technologies (see, for
example, [WSC-UI]).
Because many concepts related to "identity" are often too vague to be
actionable in application protocols, we define a set of more concrete
terms for use in this specification.
application service: A service on the Internet that enables
interactive and automated clients to connect for the purpose of
retrieving or uploading information, communicating with other
entities, or connecting to a broader network of services.
application service provider: An organization or individual that
hosts or deploys an application service.
application service type: A formal identifier for the application
protocol used to provide a particular kind of application service
at a domain; the application service type typically takes the form
of a Uniform Resource Identifier scheme [URI] or a DNS SRV Service
[DNS-SRV].
attribute-type-and-value pair: A colloquial name for the ASN.1-based
construction comprising a Relative Distinguished Name (RDN), which
itself is a building-block component of Distinguished Names. See
Section 2 of [LDAP-DN].
automated client: A software agent or device that is not directly
controlled by a human user.
delegated domain: A domain name or host name that is explicitly
configured for communicating with the source domain, by either (a)
the human user controlling an interactive client or (b) a trusted
administrator. In case (a), one example of delegation is an
account setup that specifies the domain name of a particular host
to be used for retrieving information or connecting to a network,
which might be different from the server portion of the user's
account name (e.g., a server at mailhost.example.com for
connecting to an IMAP server hosting an email address of
juliet@example.com). In case (b), one example of delegation is an
admin-configured host-to-address/address-to-host lookup table.
derived domain: A domain name or host name that a client has derived
from the source domain in an automated fashion (e.g., by means of
a [DNS-SRV] lookup).
identifier: A particular instance of an identifier type that is
either presented by a server in a certificate or referenced by a
client for matching purposes.
identifier type: A formally defined category of identifier that can
be included in a certificate and therefore that can also be used
for matching purposes. For conciseness and convenience, we define
the following identifier types of interest, which are based on
those found in the PKIX specification [PKIX] and various PKIX
extensions.
* CN-ID = a Relative Distinguished Name (RDN) in the certificate
subject field that contains one and only one attribute-type-
and-value pair of type Common Name (CN), where the value
matches the overall form of a domain name (informally, dot-
separated letter-digit-hyphen labels); see [PKIX] and also
[LDAP-SCHEMA]
Saint-Andre & Hodges Standards Track [Page 10]
* DNS-ID = a subjectAltName entry of type dNSName; see [PKIX]
* SRV-ID = a subjectAltName entry of type otherName whose name
form is SRVName; see [SRVNAME]
* URI-ID = a subjectAltName entry of type
uniformResourceIdentifier whose value includes both (i) a
"scheme" and (ii) a "host" component (or its equivalent) that
matches the "reg-name" rule (where the quoted terms represent
the associated [ABNF] productions from [URI]); see [PKIX] and
[URI]
interactive client: A software agent or device that is directly
controlled by a human user. (Other specifications related to
security and application protocols, such as [WSC-UI], often refer
to this entity as a "user agent".)
pinning: The act of establishing a cached name association between
the application service's certificate and one of the client's
reference identifiers, despite the fact that none of the presented
identifiers matches the given reference identifier. Pinning is
accomplished by allowing a human user to positively accept the
mismatch during an attempt to communicate with the application
service. Once a cached name association is established, the
certificate is said to be pinned to the reference identifier and
in future communication attempts the client simply verifies that
the service's presented certificate matches the pinned
certificate, as described under Section 6.6.2. (A similar
definition of "pinning" is provided in [WSC-UI].)
PKIX: PKIX is a short name for the Internet Public Key
Infrastructure using X.509 defined in RFC 5280 [PKIX], which
comprises a profile of the X.509v3 certificate specifications and
X.509v2 certificate revocation list (CRL) specifications for use
in the Internet.
PKIX-based system: A software implementation or deployed service
that makes use of X.509v3 certificates and X.509v2 certificate
revocation lists (CRLs).
PKIX certificate: An X.509v3 certificate generated and employed in
the context of PKIX.
presented identifier: An identifier that is presented by a server to
a client within a PKIX certificate when the client attempts to
establish secure communication with the server; the certificate
can include one or more presented identifiers of different types,
and if the server hosts more than one domain then the certificate
might present distinct identifiers for each domain.
reference identifier: An identifier, constructed from a source
domain and optionally an application service type, used by the
client for matching purposes when examining presented identifiers.
source domain: The fully qualified DNS domain name that a client
expects an application service to present in the certificate
(e.g., "www.example.com"), typically input by a human user,
configured into a client, or provided by reference such as in a
hyperlink. The combination of a source domain and, optionally, an
application service type enables a client to construct one or more
reference identifiers.
subjectAltName entry: An identifier placed in a subjectAltName
extension.
subjectAltName extension: A standard PKIX certificate extension
[PKIX] enabling identifiers of various types to be bound to the
certificate subject -- in addition to, or in place of, identifiers
that may be embedded within or provided as a certificate's subject
subject field: The subject field of a PKIX certificate identifies
the entity associated with the public key stored in the subject
public key field (see Section 4.1.2.6 of [PKIX]).
subject name: In an overall sense, a subject's name(s) can be
represented by or in the subject field, the subjectAltName
extension, or both (see [PKIX] for details). More specifically,
the term often refers to the name of a PKIX certificate's subject,
encoded as the X.501 type Name and conveyed in a certificate's
subject field (see Section 4.1.2.6 of [PKIX]).
TLS client: An entity that assumes the role of a client in a
Transport Layer Security [TLS] negotiation. In this specification
we generally assume that the TLS client is an (interactive or
automated) application client; however, in application protocols
that enable server-to-server communication, the TLS client could
be a peer application service.
TLS server: An entity that assumes the role of a server in a
Transport Layer Security [TLS] negotiation; in this specification
we assume that the TLS server is an application service.
Most security-related terms in this document are to be understood in
the sense defined in [SECTERMS]; such terms include, but are not
limited to, "attack", "authentication", "authorization",
"certification authority", "certification path", "certificate",
"credential", "identity", "self-signed certificate", "trust", "trust
anchor", "trust chain", "validate", and "verify".
"SHOULD", "SHOULD NOT", "RECOMMENDED", "NOT RECOMMENDED", "MAY", and
"OPTIONAL" in this document are to be interpreted as described in RFC
2119 [KEYWORDS].
2. Naming of Application Services
This section discusses naming of application services on the
Internet, followed by a brief tutorial about subject naming in PKIX.
2.1. Naming Application Services
This specification assumes that the name of an application service is
based on a DNS domain name (e.g., "example.com") -- supplemented in
some circumstances by an application service type (e.g., "the IMAP
server at example.com").
From the perspective of the application client or user, some names
are direct because they are provided directly by a human user (e.g.,
via runtime input, prior configuration, or explicit acceptance of a
client communication attempt), whereas other names are indirect
because they are automatically resolved by the client based on user
input (e.g., a target name resolved from a source name using DNS SRV
or NAPTR records). This dimension matters most for certificate
consumption, specifically verification as discussed in this document.
From the perspective of the application service, some names are
unrestricted because they can be used in any type of service (e.g., a
certificate might be reused for both the HTTP service and the IMAP
service at example.com), whereas other names are restricted because
they can be used in only one type of service (e.g., a special-purpose
certificate that can be used only for an IMAP service). This
dimension matters most for certificate issuance.
Therefore, we can categorize the identifier types of interest as
o A CN-ID is direct and unrestricted.
o A DNS-ID is direct and unrestricted.
o An SRV-ID can be either direct or (more typically) indirect, and
is restricted.
o A URI-ID is direct and restricted.
We summarize this taxonomy in the following table.
+-----------+-----------+---------------+
| | Direct | Restricted |
| CN-ID | Yes | No |
| DNS-ID | Yes | No |
| SRV-ID | Either | Yes |
| URI-ID | Yes | Yes |
When implementing software, deploying services, and issuing
certificates for secure PKIX-based authentication, it is important to
keep these distinctions in mind. In particular, best practices
differ somewhat for application server implementations, application
client implementations, application service providers, and
certification authorities. Ideally, protocol specifications that
reference this document will specify which identifiers are mandatory-
to-implement by servers and clients, which identifiers ought to be
supported by certificate issuers, and which identifiers ought to be
requested by application service providers. Because these
requirements differ across applications, it is impossible to
categorically stipulate universal rules (e.g., that all software
implementations, service providers, and certification authorities for
all application protocols need to use or support DNS-IDs as a
baseline for the purpose of interoperability).
However, it is preferable that each application protocol will at
least define a baseline that applies to the community of software
developers, application service providers, and CAs actively using or
supporting that technology (one such community, the CA/Browser Forum,
has codified such a baseline for "Extended Validation Certificates"
in [EV-CERTS]).
2.2. DNS Domain Names
For the purposes of this specification, the name of an application
service is (or is based on) a DNS domain name that conforms to one of
the following forms:
1. A "traditional domain name", i.e., a fully qualified DNS domain
name or "FQDN" (see [DNS-CONCEPTS]) all of whose labels are "LDH
labels" as described in [IDNA-DEFS]. Informally, such labels are
constrained to [US-ASCII] letters, digits, and the hyphen, with
the hyphen prohibited in the first character position.
Additional qualifications apply (please refer to the above-
referenced specifications for details), but they are not relevant
to this specification.
2. An "internationalized domain name", i.e., a DNS domain name that
conforms to the overall form of a domain name (informally, dot-
separated letter-digit-hyphen labels) but includes at least one
label containing appropriately encoded Unicode code points
outside the traditional US-ASCII range. That is, it contains at
least one U-label or A-label, but otherwise may contain any
mixture of NR-LDH labels, A-labels, or U-labels, as described in
[IDNA-DEFS] and the associated documents.
2.3. Subject Naming in PKIX Certificates
In theory, the Internet Public Key Infrastructure using X.509 [PKIX]
employs the global directory service model defined in [X.500] and
[X.501]. Under that model, information is held in a directory
information base (DIB) and entries in the DIB are organized in a
hierarchy called the directory information tree (DIT). An object or
alias entry in that hierarchy consists of a set of attributes (each
of which has a defined type and one or more values) and is uniquely
identified by a Distinguished Name (DN). The DN of an entry is
constructed by combining the Relative Distinguished Names of its
superior entries in the tree (all the way down to the root of the
DIT) with one or more specially nominated attributes of the entry
itself (which together comprise the Relative Distinguished Name (RDN)
of the entry, so-called because it is relative to the Distinguished
Names of the superior entries in the tree). The entry closest to the
root is sometimes referred to as the "most significant" entry, and
the entry farthest from the root is sometimes referred to as the
"least significant" entry. An RDN is a set (i.e., an unordered
group) of attribute-type-and-value pairs (see also [LDAP-DN]), each
of which asserts some attribute about the entry.
In practice, the certificates used in [X.509] and [PKIX] borrow key
concepts from X.500 and X.501 (e.g., DNs and RDNs) to identify
entities, but such certificates are not necessarily part of a global
directory information base. Specifically, the subject field of a
PKIX certificate is an X.501 type Name that "identifies the entity
associated with the public key stored in the subject public key
field" (see Section 4.1.2.6 of [PKIX]). However, it is perfectly
acceptable for the subject field to be empty, as long as the
certificate contains a subject alternative name ("subjectAltName")
extension that includes at least one subjectAltName entry, because
the subjectAltName extension allows various identities to be bound to
the subject (see Section 4.2.1.6 of [PKIX]). The subjectAltName
extension itself is a sequence of typed entries, where each type is a
distinct kind of identifier.
For our purposes, an application service can be identified by a name
or names carried in the subject field (i.e., a CN-ID) and/or in one
of the following identifier types within subjectAltName entries:
o DNS-ID
o SRV-ID
o URI-ID
Existing certificates often use a CN-ID in the subject field to
represent a fully qualified DNS domain name; for example, consider
the following three subject names, where the attribute of type Common
Name contains a string whose form matches that of a fully qualified
DNS domain name ("im.example.org", "mail.example.net", and
"www.example.com", respectively):
CN=im.example.org,O=Example Org,C=GB
C=CA,O=Example Internetworking,CN=mail.example.net
O=Examples-R-Us,CN=www.example.com,C=US
However, the Common Name is not strongly typed because a Common Name
might contain a human-friendly string for the service, rather than a
string whose form matches that of a fully qualified DNS domain name
(a certificate with such a single Common Name will typically have at
least one subjectAltName entry containing the fully qualified DNS
domain name):
CN=A Free Chat Service,O=Example Org,C=GB
Or, a certificate's subject might contain both a CN-ID as well as
another common name attribute containing a human-friendly string:
CN=A Free Chat Service,CN=im.example.org,O=Example Org,C=GB
In general, this specification recommends and prefers use of
subjectAltName entries (DNS-ID, SRV-ID, URI-ID, etc.) over use of the
subject field (CN-ID) where possible, as more completely described in
the following sections. However, specifications that reuse this one
can legitimately encourage continued support for the CN-ID identifier
type if they have good reasons to do so, such as backward
compatibility with deployed infrastructure (see, for example,
[EV-CERTS]).
2.3.1. Implementation Notes
Confusion sometimes arises from different renderings or encodings of
the hierarchical information contained in a certificate.
Certificates are binary objects and are encoded using the
Distinguished Encoding Rules (DER) specified in [X.690]. However,
some implementations generate displayable (a.k.a. printable)
renderings of the certificate issuer, subject field, and
subjectAltName extension, and these renderings convert the DER-
encoded sequences into a "string representation" before being
displayed. Because a certificate subject field (of type Name
[X.509], the same as for a Distinguished Name (DN) [X.501]) is an
ordered sequence, order is typically preserved in subject string
representations, although the two most prevalent subject (and DN)
string representations differ in employing left-to-right vs. right-
to-left ordering. However, because a Relative Distinguished Name
(RDN) is an unordered group of attribute-type-and-value pairs, the
string representation of an RDN can differ from the canonical DER
encoding (and the order of attribute-type-and-value pairs can differ
in the RDN string representations or display orders provided by
various implementations). Furthermore, various specifications refer
to the order of RDNs in DNs or certificate subject fields using
terminology that is implicitly related to an information hierarchy
(which may or may not actually exist), such as "most specific" vs.
"least specific", "left-most" vs. "right-most", "first" vs. "last",
or "most significant" vs. "least significant" (see, for example,
[LDAP-DN]).
To reduce confusion, in this specification we avoid such terms and
instead use the terms provided under Section 1.8; in particular, we
do not use the term "(most specific) Common Name field in the subject
field" from [HTTP-TLS] and instead state that a CN-ID is a Relative
Distinguished Name (RDN) in the certificate subject containing one
and only one attribute-type-and-value pair of type Common Name (thus
removing the possibility that an RDN might contain multiple AVAs
(Attribute Value Assertions) of type CN, one of which could be
considered "most specific").
Finally, although theoretically some consider the order of RDNs
within a subject field to have meaning, in practice that rule is
often not observed. An AVA of type CN is considered to be valid at
any position within the subject field.
3. Designing Application Protocols
This section provides guidelines for designers of application
protocols, in the form of a checklist to follow when reusing the
recommendations provided in this document.
o Does your technology use DNS SRV records to resolve the DNS domain
names of application services? If so, consider recommending or
requiring support for the SRV-ID identifier type in PKIX
certificates issued and used in your technology community. (Note
that many existing application technologies use DNS SRV records to
resolve the DNS domain names of application services, but do not
rely on representations of those records in PKIX certificates by
means of SRV-IDs as defined in [SRVNAME].)
o Does your technology use URIs to identify application services?
If so, consider recommending or requiring support for the URI-ID
identifier type. (Note that many existing application
technologies use URIs to identify application services, but do not
rely on representation of those URIs in PKIX certificates by means
of URI-IDs.)
o Does your technology need to use DNS domain names in the Common
Name of certificates for the sake of backward compatibility? If
so, consider recommending support for the CN-ID identifier type as
a fallback.
o Does your technology need to allow the wildcard character in DNS
domain names? If so, consider recommending support for wildcard
certificates, and specify exactly where the wildcard character is
allowed to occur (e.g., only the complete left-most label of a DNS
domain name).
Sample text is provided under Appendix A.
4. Representing Server Identity
This section provides rules and guidelines for issuers of
4.1. Rules
When a certification authority issues a certificate based on the
fully qualified DNS domain name at which the application service
provider will provide the relevant application, the following rules
apply to the representation of application service identities. The
reader needs to be aware that some of these rules are cumulative and
can interact in important ways that are illustrated later in this
1. The certificate SHOULD include a "DNS-ID" if possible as a
baseline for interoperability.
2. If the service using the certificate deploys a technology for
which the relevant specification stipulates that certificates
ought to include identifiers of type SRV-ID (e.g., this is true
of [XMPP]), then the certificate SHOULD include an SRV-ID.
ought to include identifiers of type URI-ID (e.g., this is true
of [SIP] as specified by [SIP-CERTS], but not true of [HTTP]
since [HTTP-TLS] does not describe usage of a URI-ID for HTTP
services), then the certificate SHOULD include a URI-ID. The
scheme SHALL be that of the protocol associated with the
application service type and the "host" component (or its
equivalent) SHALL be the fully qualified DNS domain name of the
service. A specification that reuses this one MUST specify which
URI schemes are to be considered acceptable in URI-IDs contained
in PKIX certificates used for the application protocol (e.g.,
"sip" but not "sips" or "tel" for SIP as described in [SIP-SIPS],
or perhaps http and https for HTTP as might be described in a
future specification).
4. The certificate MAY include other application-specific
identifiers for types that were defined before publication of
[SRVNAME] (e.g., XmppAddr for [XMPP]) or for which service names
or URI schemes do not exist; however, such application-specific
identifiers are not applicable to all application technologies
and therefore are out of scope for this specification.
5. Even though many deployed clients still check for the CN-ID
within the certificate subject field, certification authorities
are encouraged to migrate away from issuing certificates that
represent the server's fully qualified DNS domain name in a
CN-ID. Therefore, the certificate SHOULD NOT include a CN-ID
unless the certification authority issues the certificate in
accordance with a specification that reuses this one and that
explicitly encourages continued support for the CN-ID identifier
type in the context of a given application technology.
6. The certificate MAY contain more than one DNS-ID, SRV-ID, or
URI-ID but SHOULD NOT contain more than one CN-ID, as further
explained under Section 7.4.
7. Unless a specification that reuses this one allows continued
support for the wildcard character '*', the DNS domain name
portion of a presented identifier SHOULD NOT contain the wildcard
character, whether as the complete left-most label within the
identifier (following the description of labels and domain names
in [DNS-CONCEPTS], e.g., "*.example.com") or as a fragment
thereof (e.g., *oo.example.com, f*o.example.com, or
fo*.example.com). A more detailed discussion of so-called
"wildcard certificates" is provided under Section 7.2.
4.2. Examples
Consider a simple website at "www.example.com", which is not
discoverable via DNS SRV lookups. Because HTTP does not specify the
use of URIs in server certificates, a certificate for this service
might include only a DNS-ID of "www.example.com". It might also
include a CN-ID of "www.example.com" for backward compatibility with
deployed infrastructure.
Consider an IMAP-accessible email server at the host
"mail.example.net" servicing email addresses of the form
"user@example.net" and discoverable via DNS SRV lookups on the
application service name of "example.net". A certificate for this
service might include SRV-IDs of "_imap.example.net" and
"_imaps.example.net" (see [EMAIL-SRV]) along with DNS-IDs of
"example.net" and "mail.example.net". It might also include CN-IDs
of "example.net" and "mail.example.net" for backward compatibility
with deployed infrastructure.
Consider a SIP-accessible voice-over-IP (VoIP) server at the host
"voice.example.edu" servicing SIP addresses of the form
"user@voice.example.edu" and identified by a URI of <sip:
voice.example.edu>. A certificate for this service would include a
URI-ID of "sip:voice.example.edu" (see [SIP-CERTS]) along with a
DNS-ID of "voice.example.edu". It might also include a CN-ID of
"voice.example.edu" for backward compatibility with deployed
infrastructure.
Consider an XMPP-compatible instant messaging (IM) server at the host
"im.example.org" servicing IM addresses of the form
"user@im.example.org" and discoverable via DNS SRV lookups on the
"im.example.org" domain. A certificate for this service might
include SRV-IDs of "_xmpp-client.im.example.org" and
"_xmpp-server.im.example.org" (see [XMPP]), a DNS-ID of
"im.example.org", and an XMPP-specific "XmppAddr" of "im.example.org"
(see [XMPP]). It might also include a CN-ID of "im.example.org" for
backward compatibility with deployed infrastructure.
5. Requesting Server Certificates
This section provides rules and guidelines for service providers
regarding the information to include in certificate signing requests
(CSRs).
In general, service providers are encouraged to request certificates
that include all of the identifier types that are required or
recommended for the application service type that will be secured
using the certificate to be issued.
If the certificate might be used for any type of application service,
then the service provider is encouraged to request a certificate that
includes only a DNS-ID.
If the certificate will be used for only a single type of application
service, then the service provider is encouraged to request a
certificate that includes a DNS-ID and, if appropriate for the
application service type, an SRV-ID or URI-ID that limits the
deployment scope of the certificate to only the defined application
service type.
If a service provider offering multiple application service types
(e.g., a World Wide Web service, an email service, and an instant
messaging service) wishes to limit the applicability of certificates
using SRV-IDs or URI-IDs, then the service provider is encouraged to
request multiple certificates, i.e., one certificate per application
service type. Conversely, the service provider is discouraged from
requesting a single certificate containing multiple SRV-IDs or URI-
IDs identifying each different application service type. This
guideline does not apply to application service type "bundles" that
are used to identify manifold distinct access methods to the same
underlying application (e.g., an email application with access
methods denoted by the application service types of "imap", "imaps",
"pop3", "pop3s", and "submission" as described in [EMAIL-SRV]).
6. Verifying Service Identity
This section provides rules and guidelines for implementers of
application client software regarding algorithms for verification of
application service identity.
6.1. Overview
At a high level, the client verifies the application service's
identity by performing the actions listed below (which are defined in
the following subsections of this document):
1. The client constructs a list of acceptable reference identifiers
based on the source domain and, optionally, the type of service
to which the client is connecting.
2. The server provides its identifiers in the form of a PKIX
certificate.
3. The client checks each of its reference identifiers against the
presented identifiers for the purpose of finding a match.
4. When checking a reference identifier against a presented
identifier, the client matches the source domain of the
identifiers and, optionally, their application service type.
Naturally, in addition to checking identifiers, a client might
complete further checks to ensure that the server is authorized to
provide the requested service. However, such checking is not a
matter of verifying the application service identity presented in a
certificate, and therefore methods for doing so (e.g., consulting
local policy information) are out of scope for this document.
6.2. Constructing a List of Reference Identifiers
6.2.1. Rules
The client MUST construct a list of acceptable reference identifiers,
and MUST do so independently of the identifiers presented by the
The inputs used by the client to construct its list of reference
identifiers might be a URI that a user has typed into an interface
(e.g., an HTTPS URL for a website), configured account information
(e.g., the domain name of a particular host or URI used for
retrieving information or connecting to a network, which might be
different from the DNS domain name portion of a username), a
hyperlink in a web page that triggers a browser to retrieve a media
object or script, or some other combination of information that can
yield a source domain and an application service type.
The client might need to extract the source domain and application
service type from the input(s) it has received. The extracted data
MUST include only information that can be securely parsed out of the
inputs (e.g., parsing the fully qualified DNS domain name out of the
"host" component (or its equivalent) of a URI or deriving the
application service type from the scheme of a URI) or information
that is derived in a manner not subject to subversion by network
attackers (e.g., pulling the data from a delegated domain that is
explicitly established via client or system configuration, resolving
the data via [DNSSEC], or obtaining the data from a third-party
domain mapping service in which a human user has explicitly placed
trust and with which the client communicates over a connection or
association that provides both mutual authentication and integrity
checking). These considerations apply only to extraction of the
source domain from the inputs; naturally, if the inputs themselves
are invalid or corrupt (e.g., a user has clicked a link provided by a
malicious entity in a phishing attack), then the client might end up
communicating with an unexpected application service.
Example: Given an input URI of <sips:alice@example.net>, a client
would derive the application service type "sip" from the "scheme"
and parse the domain name "example.net" from the "host" component
(or its equivalent).
Each reference identifier in the list SHOULD be based on the source
domain and SHOULD NOT be based on a derived domain (e.g., a host name
or domain name discovered through DNS resolution of the source
domain). This rule is important because only a match between the
user inputs and a presented identifier enables the client to be sure
that the certificate can legitimately be used to secure the client's
communication with the server. There is only one scenario in which
it is acceptable for an interactive client to override the
recommendation in this rule and therefore communicate with a domain
name other than the source domain: because a human user has "pinned"
the application service's certificate to the alternative domain name
as further discussed under Section 6.6.4 and Section 7.1. In this
case, the inputs used by the client to construct its list of
reference identifiers might include more than one fully qualified DNS
domain name, i.e., both (a) the source domain and (b) the alternative
domain contained in the pinned certificate.
Using the combination of fully qualified DNS domain name(s) and
application service type, the client constructs a list of reference
identifiers in accordance with the following rules:
o The list SHOULD include a DNS-ID. A reference identifier of type
DNS-ID can be directly constructed from a fully qualified DNS
domain name that is (a) contained in or securely derived from the
inputs (i.e., the source domain), or (b) explicitly associated
with the source domain by means of user configuration (i.e., a
derived domain).
o If a server for the application service type is typically
discovered by means of DNS SRV records, then the list SHOULD
include an SRV-ID.
associated with a URI for security purposes (i.e., a formal
protocol document specifies the use of URIs in server
certificates), then the list SHOULD include a URI-ID.
o The list MAY include a CN-ID, mainly for the sake of backward
compatibility with deployed infrastructure.
Which identifier types a client includes in its list of reference
identifiers is a matter of local policy. For example, in certain
deployment environments, a client that is built to connect only to a
particular kind of service (e.g., only IM services) might be
configured to accept as valid only certificates that include an
SRV-ID for that application service type; in this case, the client
would include only SRV-IDs matching the application service type in
its list of reference identifiers (not, for example, DNS-IDs). By
contrast, a more lenient client (even one built to connect only to a
particular kind of service) might include both SRV-IDs and DNS-IDs in
its list of reference identifiers.
Implementation Note: It is highly likely that implementers of
client software will need to support CN-IDs for the foreseeable
future, because certificates containing CN-IDs are so widely
deployed. Implementers are advised to monitor the state of the
art with regard to certificate issuance policies and migrate away
from support CN-IDs in the future if possible.
Implementation Note: The client does not need to construct the
foregoing identifiers in the actual formats found in a certificate
(e.g., as ASN.1 types); it only needs to construct the functional
equivalent of such identifiers for matching purposes.
Security Warning: A client MUST NOT construct a reference
identifier corresponding to Relative Distinguished Names (RDNs)
other than those of type Common Name and MUST NOT check for RDNs
other than those of type Common Name in the presented identifiers.
6.2.2. Examples
A web browser that is connecting via HTTPS to the website at
"www.example.com" might have two reference identifiers: a DNS-ID of
"www.example.com" and, as a fallback, a CN-ID of "www.example.com".
A mail user agent that is connecting via IMAPS to the email service
at "example.net" (resolved as "mail.example.net") might have five
reference identifiers: an SRV-ID of "_imaps.example.net" (see
[EMAIL-SRV]), DNS-IDs of "example.net" and "mail.example.net", and,
as a fallback, CN-IDs of "example.net" and "mail.example.net". (A
legacy email user agent would not support [EMAIL-SRV] and therefore
would probably be explicitly configured to connect to
"mail.example.net", whereas an SRV-aware user agent would derive
"example.net" from an email address of the form "user@example.net"
but might also accept "mail.example.net" as the DNS domain name
portion of reference identifiers for the service.)
A voice-over-IP (VoIP) user agent that is connecting via SIP to the
voice service at "voice.example.edu" might have only one reference
identifier: a URI-ID of "sip:voice.example.edu" (see [SIP-CERTS]).
An instant messaging (IM) client that is connecting via XMPP to the
IM service at "im.example.org" might have three reference
identifiers: an SRV-ID of "_xmpp-client.im.example.org" (see [XMPP]),
a DNS-ID of "im.example.org", and an XMPP-specific "XmppAddr" of
"im.example.org" (see [XMPP]).
6.3. Preparing to Seek a Match
Once the client has constructed its list of reference identifiers and
has received the server's presented identifiers in the form of a PKIX
certificate, the client checks its reference identifiers against the
presented identifiers for the purpose of finding a match. The search
fails if the client exhausts its list of reference identifiers
without finding a match. The search succeeds if any presented
identifier matches one of the reference identifiers, at which point
the client SHOULD stop the search.
Implementation Note: A client might be configured to perform
multiple searches, i.e., to match more than one reference
identifier. Although such behavior is not forbidden by this
specification, rules for matching multiple reference identifiers
are a matter for implementation or future specification.
Security Warning: A client MUST NOT seek a match for a reference
identifier of CN-ID if the presented identifiers include a DNS-ID,
SRV-ID, URI-ID, or any application-specific identifier types
supported by the client.
Before applying the comparison rules provided in the following
sections, the client might need to split the reference identifier
into its DNS domain name portion and its application service type
portion, as follows:
o A reference identifier of type DNS-ID does not include an
application service type portion and thus can be used directly as
the DNS domain name for comparison purposes. As an example, a
DNS-ID of "www.example.com" would result in a DNS domain name
portion of "www.example.com".
o A reference identifier of type CN-ID also does not include an
the DNS domain name for comparison purposes. As previously
mentioned, this document specifies that a CN-ID always contains a
string whose form matches that of a DNS domain name (thus
differentiating a CN-ID from a Common Name containing a human-
friendly name).
o For a reference identifier of type SRV-ID, the DNS domain name
portion is the Name and the application service type portion is
the Service. As an example, an SRV-ID of "_imaps.example.net"
would be split into a DNS domain name portion of "example.net" and
an application service type portion of "imaps" (mapping to an
application protocol of IMAP as explained in [EMAIL-SRV]).
o For a reference identifier of type URI-ID, the DNS domain name
portion is the "reg-name" part of the "host" component (or its
equivalent) and the application service type portion is the
application service type associated with the scheme name matching
the [ABNF] "scheme" rule from [URI] (not including the ':'
separator). As previously mentioned, this document specifies that
a URI-ID always contains a "host" component (or its equivalent)
containing a "reg-name". (Matching only the "reg-name" rule from
[URI] limits verification to DNS domain names, thereby
differentiating a URI-ID from a uniformResourceIdentifier entry
that contains an IP address or a mere host name, or that does not
contain a "host" component at all.) Furthermore, note that
extraction of the "reg-name" might necessitate normalization of
the URI (as explained in [URI]). As an example, a URI-ID of "sip:
voice.example.edu" would be split into a DNS domain name portion
of "voice.example.edu" and an application service type of "sip"
(associated with an application protocol of SIP as explained in
[SIP-CERTS]).
Detailed comparison rules for matching the DNS domain name portion
and application service type portion of the reference identifier are
provided in the following sections.
6.4. Matching the DNS Domain Name Portion
The client MUST match the DNS domain name portion of a reference
identifier according to the following rules (and SHOULD also check
the application service type as described under Section 6.5). The
rules differ depending on whether the domain to be checked is a
"traditional domain name" or an "internationalized domain name" (as
defined under Section 2.2). Furthermore, to meet the needs of
clients that support presented identifiers containing the wildcard
character '*', we define a supplemental rule for so-called "wildcard
certificates". Finally, we also specify the circumstances under
which it is acceptable to check the "CN-ID" identifier type.
6.4.1. Checking of Traditional Domain Names
If the DNS domain name portion of a reference identifier is a
"traditional domain name", then matching of the reference identifier
against the presented identifier is performed by comparing the set of
domain name labels using a case-insensitive ASCII comparison, as
clarified by [DNS-CASE] (e.g., "WWW.Example.Com" would be lower-cased
to "www.example.com" for comparison purposes). Each label MUST match
in order for the names to be considered to match, except as
supplemented by the rule about checking of wildcard labels
(Section 6.4.3).
6.4.2. Checking of Internationalized Domain Names
If the DNS domain name portion of a reference identifier is an
internationalized domain name, then an implementation MUST convert
any U-labels [IDNA-DEFS] in the domain name to A-labels before
checking the domain name. In accordance with [IDNA-PROTO], A-labels
MUST be compared as case-insensitive ASCII. Each label MUST match in
order for the domain names to be considered to match, except as
(Section 6.4.3; but see also Section 7.2 regarding wildcards in
internationalized domain names).
6.4.3. Checking of Wildcard Certificates
A client employing this specification's rules MAY match the reference
identifier against a presented identifier whose DNS domain name
portion contains the wildcard character '*' as part or all of a label
(following the description of labels and domain names in
[DNS-CONCEPTS]).
For information regarding the security characteristics of wildcard
certificates, see Section 7.2.
If a client matches the reference identifier against a presented
identifier whose DNS domain name portion contains the wildcard
character '*', the following rules apply:
1. The client SHOULD NOT attempt to match a presented identifier in
which the wildcard character comprises a label other than the
left-most label (e.g., do not match bar.*.example.net).
2. If the wildcard character is the only character of the left-most
label in the presented identifier, the client SHOULD NOT compare
against anything but the left-most label of the reference
identifier (e.g., *.example.com would match foo.example.com but
not bar.foo.example.com or example.com).
3. The client MAY match a presented identifier in which the wildcard
character is not the only character of the label (e.g.,
baz*.example.net and *baz.example.net and b*z.example.net would
be taken to match baz1.example.net and foobaz.example.net and
buzz.example.net, respectively). However, the client SHOULD NOT
attempt to match a presented identifier where the wildcard
character is embedded within an A-label or U-label [IDNA-DEFS] of
an internationalized domain name [IDNA-PROTO].
6.4.4. Checking of Common Names
As noted, a client MUST NOT seek a match for a reference identifier
of CN-ID if the presented identifiers include a DNS-ID, SRV-ID,
URI-ID, or any application-specific identifier types supported by the
Therefore, if and only if the presented identifiers do not include a
DNS-ID, SRV-ID, URI-ID, or any application-specific identifier types
supported by the client, then the client MAY as a last resort check
for a string whose form matches that of a fully qualified DNS domain
name in a Common Name field of the subject field (i.e., a CN-ID). If
the client chooses to compare a reference identifier of type CN-ID
against that string, it MUST follow the comparison rules for the DNS
domain name portion of an identifier of type DNS-ID, SRV-ID, or
URI-ID, as described under Section 6.4.1, Section 6.4.2, and
Section 6.4.3.
6.5. Matching the Application Service Type Portion
When a client checks identifiers of type SRV-ID and URI-ID, it MUST
check not only the DNS domain name portion of the identifier but also
the application service type portion. The client does this by
splitting the identifier into the DNS domain name portion and the
application service type portion (as described under Section 6.3),
then checking both the DNS domain name portion (as described under
Section 6.4) and the application service type portion as described in
the following subsections.
Implementation Note: An identifier of type SRV-ID or URI-ID
provides an application service type portion to be checked, but
that portion is combined only with the DNS domain name portion of
the SRV-ID or URI-ID itself. For example, if a client's list of
reference identifiers includes an SRV-ID of "_xmpp-
client.im.example.org" and a DNS-ID of "apps.example.net", the
client would check (a) the combination of an application service
type of "xmpp-client" and a DNS domain name of "im.example.org"
and (b) a DNS domain name of "apps.example.net". However, the
client would not check (c) the combination of an application
service type of "xmpp-client" and a DNS domain name of
"apps.example.net" because it does not have an SRV-ID of "_xmpp-
client.apps.example.net" in its list of reference identifiers.
6.5.1. SRV-ID
The application service name portion of an SRV-ID (e.g., "imaps")
MUST be matched in a case-insensitive manner, in accordance with
[DNS-SRV]. Note that the "_" character is prepended to the service
identifier in DNS SRV records and in SRV-IDs (per [SRVNAME]), and
thus does not need to be included in any comparison.
6.5.2. URI-ID
The scheme name portion of a URI-ID (e.g., "sip") MUST be matched in
a case-insensitive manner, in accordance with [URI]. Note that the
":" character is a separator between the scheme name and the rest of
the URI, and thus does not need to be included in any comparison.
6.6. Outcome
The outcome of the matching procedure is one of the following cases.
6.6.1. Case #1: Match Found
If the client has found a presented identifier that matches a
reference identifier, then the service identity check has succeeded.
In this case, the client MUST use the matched reference identifier as
the validated identity of the application service.
6.6.2. Case #2: No Match Found, Pinned Certificate
If the client does not find a presented identifier matching any of
the reference identifiers but the client has previously pinned the
application service's certificate to one of the reference identifiers
in the list it constructed for this communication attempt (as
"pinning" is explained under Section 1.8), and the presented
certificate matches the pinned certificate (including the context as
described under Section 7.1), then the service identity check has
succeeded.
6.6.3. Case #3: No Match Found, No Pinned Certificate
the reference identifiers and the client has not previously pinned
the certificate to one of the reference identifiers in the list it
constructed for this communication attempt, then the client MUST
proceed as described under Section 6.6.4.
6.6.4. Fallback
If the client is an interactive client that is directly controlled by
a human user, then it SHOULD inform the user of the identity mismatch
and automatically terminate the communication attempt with a bad
certificate error; this behavior is preferable because it prevents
users from inadvertently bypassing security protections in hostile
situations.
Security Warning: Some interactive clients give advanced users the
option of proceeding with acceptance despite the identity
mismatch, thereby "pinning" the certificate to one of the
reference identifiers in the list constructed by the client for
this communication attempt. Although this behavior can be
appropriate in certain specialized circumstances, in general it
ought to be exposed only to advanced users. Even then it needs to
be handled with extreme caution, for example by first encouraging
even an advanced user to terminate the communication attempt and,
if the advanced user chooses to proceed anyway, by forcing the
user to view the entire certification path and only then allowing
the user to pin the certificate (on a temporary or permanent
basis, at the user's option).
Otherwise, if the client is an automated application not directly
controlled by a human user, then it SHOULD terminate the
communication attempt with a bad certificate error and log the error
appropriately. An automated application MAY provide a configuration
setting that disables this behavior, but MUST enable the behavior by
default.
7.1. Pinned Certificates
As defined under Section 1.8, a certificate is said to be "pinned" to
a DNS domain name when a user has explicitly chosen to associate a
service's certificate with that DNS domain name despite the fact that
the certificate contains some other DNS domain name (e.g., the user
has explicitly approved "apps.example.net" as a domain associated
with a source domain of "example.com"). The cached name association
MUST take account of both the certificate presented and the context
in which it was accepted or configured (where the "context" includes
the chain of certificates from the presented certificate to the trust
anchor, the source domain, the application service type, the
service's derived domain and port number, and any other relevant
information provided by the user or associated by the client).
7.2. Wildcard Certificates
This document states that the wildcard character '*' SHOULD NOT be
included in presented identifiers but MAY be checked by application
clients (mainly for the sake of backward compatibility with deployed
infrastructure). As a result, the rules provided in this document
are more restrictive than the rules for many existing application
technologies (such as those excerpted under Appendix B). Several
security considerations justify tightening the rules:
o Wildcard certificates automatically vouch for any and all host
names within their domain. This can be convenient for
administrators but also poses the risk of vouching for rogue or
buggy hosts. See for example [Defeating-SSL] (beginning at slide
91) and [HTTPSbytes] (slides 38-40).
o Specifications for existing application technologies are not clear
or consistent about the allowable location of the wildcard
character, such as whether it can be:
* only the complete left-most label (e.g., *.example.com)
* some fragment of the left-most label (e.g., fo*.example.com,
f*o.example.com, or *oo.example.com)
* all or part of a label other than the left-most label (e.g.,
www.*.example.com or www.foo*.example.com)
* all or part of a label that identifies a so-called "public
suffix" (e.g., *.co.uk or *.com)
* included more than once in a given label (e.g.,
f*b*r.example.com
* included as all or part of more than one label (e.g.,
*.*.example.com)
These ambiguities might introduce exploitable differences in
identity checking behavior among client implementations and
necessitate overly complex and inefficient identity checking
o There is no specification that defines how the wildcard character
may be embedded within the A-labels or U-labels [IDNA-DEFS] of an
internationalized domain name [IDNA-PROTO]; as a result,
implementations are strongly discouraged from including or
attempting to check for the wildcard character embedded within the
A-labels or U-labels of an internationalized domain name (e.g.,
"xn--kcry6tjko*.example.org"). Note, however, that a presented
domain name identifier MAY contain the wildcard character as long
as that character occupies the entire left-most label position,
where all of the remaining labels are valid NR-LDH labels,
A-labels, or U-labels (e.g., "*.xn--kcry6tjko.example.org").
Notwithstanding the foregoing security considerations, specifications
that reuse this one can legitimately encourage continued support for
the wildcard character if they have good reasons to do so, such as
backward compatibility with deployed infrastructure (see, for
example, [EV-CERTS]).
7.3. Internationalized Domain Names
Allowing internationalized domain names can lead to the inclusion of
visually similar (so-called "confusable") characters in certificates;
for discussion, see for example [IDNA-DEFS].
7.4. Multiple Identifiers
A given application service might be addressed by multiple DNS domain
names for a variety of reasons, and a given deployment might service
multiple domains (e.g., in so-called "virtual hosting" environments).
In the default TLS handshake exchange, the client is not able to
indicate the DNS domain name with which it wants to communicate, and
the TLS server returns only one certificate for itself. Absent an
extension to TLS, a typical workaround used to facilitate mapping an
application service to multiple DNS domain names is to embed all of
the domain names into a single certificate.
A more recent approach, formally specified in [TLS-EXT], is for the
client to use the TLS "Server Name Indication" (SNI) extension when
sending the client_hello message, stipulating the DNS domain name it
desires or expects of the service. The service can then return the
appropriate certificate in its Certificate message, and that
certificate can represent a single DNS domain name.
To accommodate the workaround that was needed before the development
of the SNI extension, this specification allows multiple DNS-IDs,
SRV-IDs, or URI-IDs in a certificate; however, it explicitly
discourages multiple CN-IDs. Although it would be preferable to
forbid multiple CN-IDs entirely, there are several reasons at this
time why this specification states that they SHOULD NOT (instead of
MUST NOT) be included:
o At least one significant technology community of interest
explicitly allows multiple CN-IDs [EV-CERTS].
o At least one significant certification authority is known to issue
certificates containing multiple CN-IDs.
o Many service providers often deem inclusion of multiple CN-IDs
necessary in virtual hosting environments because at least one
widely deployed operating system does not yet support the SNI
It is hoped that the recommendation regarding multiple CN-IDs can be
further tightened in the future.
8. Contributors
The following individuals made important contributions to the text of
this document: Shumon Huque, RL 'Bob' Morgan, and Kurt Zeilenga.
The editors and contributors wish to thank the following individuals
for their feedback and suggestions: Bernard Aboba, Richard Barnes,
Uri Blumenthal, Nelson Bolyard, Kaspar Brand, Anthony Bryan, Scott
Cantor, Wan-Teh Chang, Bil Corry, Dave Cridland, Dave Crocker, Cyrus
Daboo, Charles Gardiner, Philip Guenther, Phillip Hallam-Baker, Bruno
Harbulot, Wes Hardaker, David Harrington, Paul Hoffman, Love
Hornquist Astrand, Henry Hotz, Russ Housley, Jeffrey Hutzelman,
Cullen Jennings, Simon Josefsson, Geoff Keating, John Klensin, Scott
Lawrence, Matt McCutchen, Alexey Melnikov, Subramanian Moonesamy,
Eddy Nigg, Ludwig Nussel, Joe Orton, Tom Petch, Yngve N. Pettersen,
Tim Polk, Robert Relyea, Eric Rescorla, Pete Resnick, Martin Rex, Joe
Salowey, Stefan Santesson, Jim Schaad, Rob Stradling, Michael
Stroeder, Andrew Sullivan, Peter Sylvester, Martin Thomson, Paul
Tiemann, Sean Turner, Nicolas Williams, Dan Wing, Dan Winship, and
Stefan Winter.
Thanks also to Barry Leiba and Ben Campbell for their reviews on
behalf of the Security Directorate and the General Area Review Team,
The responsible Area Director was Alexey Melnikov.
10. References
10.1. Normative References
[DNS-CONCEPTS] Mockapetris, P., "Domain names - concepts and
facilities", STD 13, RFC 1034, November 1987.
[DNS-SRV] Gulbrandsen, A., Vixie, P., and L. Esibov, "A DNS RR
for specifying the location of services (DNS SRV)",
RFC 2782, February 2000.
[IDNA-DEFS] Klensin, J., "Internationalized Domain Names for
Applications (IDNA): Definitions and Document
Framework", RFC 5890, August 2010.
[IDNA-PROTO] Klensin, J., "Internationalized Domain Names in
Applications (IDNA): Protocol", RFC 5891,
[KEYWORDS] Bradner, S., "Key words for use in RFCs to Indicate
[LDAP-DN] Zeilenga, K., Ed., "Lightweight Directory Access
Protocol (LDAP): String Representation of
Distinguished Names", RFC 4514, June 2006.
[PKIX] Cooper, D., Santesson, S., Farrell, S., Boeyen, S.,
Housley, R., and W. Polk, "Internet X.509 Public Key
Infrastructure Certificate and Certificate
Revocation List (CRL) Profile", RFC 5280, May 2008.
[SRVNAME] Santesson, S., "Internet X.509 Public Key
Infrastructure Subject Alternative Name for
Expression of Service Name", RFC 4985, August 2007.
[URI] Berners-Lee, T., Fielding, R., and L. Masinter,
"Uniform Resource Identifier (URI): Generic Syntax",
STD 66, RFC 3986, January 2005.
10.2. Informative References
[ABNF] Crocker, D., Ed. and P. Overell, "Augmented BNF for
Syntax Specifications: ABNF", STD 68, RFC 5234,
[DNS-CASE] Eastlake 3rd, D., "Domain Name System (DNS) Case
Insensitivity Clarification", RFC 4343,
[DNSSEC] Arends, R., Austein, R., Larson, M., Massey, D., and
S. Rose, "DNS Security Introduction and
Requirements", RFC 4033, March 2005.
[DTLS] Rescorla, E. and N. Modadugu, "Datagram Transport
Layer Security", RFC 4347, April 2006.
[Defeating-SSL] Marlinspike, M., "New Tricks for Defeating SSL in
Practice", BlackHat DC, February 2009,
<http://www.blackhat.com/presentations/
bh-dc-09/Marlinspike/ BlackHat-DC-09-Marlinspike-
Defeating-SSL.pdf>.
[EMAIL-SRV] Daboo, C., "Use of SRV Records for Locating Email
Submission/Access Services", RFC 6186, March 2011.
[EV-CERTS] CA/Browser Forum, "Guidelines For The Issuance And
Management Of Extended Validation Certificates",
October 2009,
<http://www.cabforum.org/Guidelines_v1_2.pdf>.
[GIST] Schulzrinne, H. and R. Hancock, "GIST: General
Internet Signalling Transport", RFC 5971,
October 2010.
[HTTP] Fielding, R., Gettys, J., Mogul, J., Frystyk, H.,
Masinter, L., Leach, P., and T. Berners-Lee,
"Hypertext Transfer Protocol -- HTTP/1.1", RFC 2616,
June 1999.
[HTTP-TLS] Rescorla, E., "HTTP Over TLS", RFC 2818, May 2000.
[HTTPSbytes] Sokol, J. and R. Hansen, "HTTPS Can Byte Me",
BlackHat Abu Dhabi, November 2010,
<https://media.blackhat.com/bh-ad-10/Hansen/
Blackhat-AD-2010-Hansen-Sokol-HTTPS-Can-Byte-Me-
slides.pdf>.
[IDNA2003] Faltstrom, P., Hoffman, P., and A. Costello,
"Internationalizing Domain Names in Applications
(IDNA)", RFC 3490, March 2003.
[IMAP] Crispin, M., "INTERNET MESSAGE ACCESS PROTOCOL -
VERSION 4rev1", RFC 3501, March 2003.
[IP] Postel, J., "Internet Protocol", STD 5, RFC 791,
[IPSEC] Kent, S. and K. Seo, "Security Architecture for the
[IPv6] Deering, S. and R. Hinden, "Internet Protocol,
Version 6 (IPv6) Specification", RFC 2460,
[LDAP] Sermersheim, J., "Lightweight Directory Access
Protocol (LDAP): The Protocol", RFC 4511, June 2006.
[LDAP-AUTH] Harrison, R., "Lightweight Directory Access Protocol
(LDAP): Authentication Methods and Security
Mechanisms", RFC 4513, June 2006.
[LDAP-SCHEMA] Sciberras, A., Ed., "Lightweight Directory Access
Protocol (LDAP): Schema for User Applications",
RFC 4519, June 2006.
[LDAP-TLS] Hodges, J., Morgan, R., and M. Wahl, "Lightweight
Directory Access Protocol (v3): Extension for
Transport Layer Security", RFC 2830, May 2000.
[NAPTR] Mealling, M., "Dynamic Delegation Discovery System
(DDDS) Part Three: The Domain Name System (DNS)
Database", RFC 3403, October 2002.
[NETCONF] Enns, R., Ed., "NETCONF Configuration Protocol",
RFC 4741, December 2006.
[NETCONF-SSH] Wasserman, M. and T. Goddard, "Using the NETCONF
Configuration Protocol over Secure SHell (SSH)",
[NETCONF-TLS] Badra, M., "NETCONF over Transport Layer Security
(TLS)", RFC 5539, May 2009.
[NNTP] Feather, C., "Network News Transfer Protocol
(NNTP)", RFC 3977, October 2006.
[NNTP-TLS] Murchison, K., Vinocur, J., and C. Newman, "Using
Transport Layer Security (TLS) with Network News
Transfer Protocol (NNTP)", RFC 4642, October 2006.
[OCSP] Myers, M., Ankney, R., Malpani, A., Galperin, S.,
and C. Adams, "X.509 Internet Public Key
Infrastructure Online Certificate Status Protocol -
OCSP", RFC 2560, June 1999.
[OPENPGP] Callas, J., Donnerhacke, L., Finney, H., Shaw, D.,
and R. Thayer, "OpenPGP Message Format", RFC 4880,
[PKIX-OLD] Housley, R., Ford, W., Polk, T., and D. Solo,
"Internet X.509 Public Key Infrastructure
Certificate and CRL Profile", RFC 2459,
[POP3] Myers, J. and M. Rose, "Post Office Protocol -
Version 3", STD 53, RFC 1939, May 1996.
[PRIVATE] Rekhter, Y., Moskowitz, R., Karrenberg, D., Groot,
G., and E. Lear, "Address Allocation for Private
Internets", BCP 5, RFC 1918, February 1996.
[S-NAPTR] Daigle, L. and A. Newton, "Domain-Based Application
Service Location Using SRV RRs and the Dynamic
Delegation Discovery Service (DDDS)", RFC 3958,
[SECTERMS] Shirey, R., "Internet Security Glossary, Version 2",
RFC 4949, August 2007.
[SIP] Rosenberg, J., Schulzrinne, H., Camarillo, G.,
Johnston, A., Peterson, J., Sparks, R., Handley, M.,
and E. Schooler, "SIP: Session Initiation Protocol",
[SIP-CERTS] Gurbani, V., Lawrence, S., and A. Jeffrey, "Domain
Certificates in the Session Initiation Protocol
(SIP)", RFC 5922, June 2010.
[SIP-SIPS] Audet, F., "The Use of the SIPS URI Scheme in the
Session Initiation Protocol (SIP)", RFC 5630,
[SMTP] Klensin, J., "Simple Mail Transfer Protocol",
[SMTP-AUTH] Siemborski, R., Ed. and A. Melnikov, Ed., "SMTP
Service Extension for Authentication", RFC 4954,
July 2007.
[SMTP-TLS] Hoffman, P., "SMTP Service Extension for Secure SMTP
over Transport Layer Security", RFC 3207,
[SNMP] Harrington, D., Presuhn, R., and B. Wijnen, "An
Architecture for Describing Simple Network
Management Protocol (SNMP) Management Frameworks",
STD 62, RFC 3411, December 2002.
[SNMP-TLS] Hardaker, W., "Transport Layer Security (TLS)
Transport Model for the Simple Network Management
Protocol (SNMP)", RFC 5953, August 2010.
[SYSLOG] Gerhards, R., "The Syslog Protocol", RFC 5424,
March 2009.
[SYSLOG-DTLS] Salowey, J., Petch, T., Gerhards, R., and H. Feng,
"Datagram Transport Layer Security (DTLS) Transport
Mapping for Syslog", RFC 6012, October 2010.
[SYSLOG-TLS] Miao, F., Ed., Ma, Y., Ed., and J. Salowey, Ed.,
"Transport Layer Security (TLS) Transport Mapping
for Syslog", RFC 5425, March 2009.
[TLS] Dierks, T. and E. Rescorla, "The Transport Layer
Security (TLS) Protocol Version 1.2", RFC 5246,
[TLS-EXT] Eastlake 3rd, D., "Transport Layer Security (TLS)
Extensions: Extension Definitions", RFC 6066,
[US-ASCII] American National Standards Institute, "Coded
Character Set - 7-bit American Standard Code for
Information Interchange", ANSI X3.4, 1986.
[USINGTLS] Newman, C., "Using TLS with IMAP, POP3 and ACAP",
[WSC-UI] Saldhana, A. and T. Roessler, "Web Security Context:
User Interface Guidelines", World Wide Web
Consortium LastCall WD-wsc-ui-20100309, March 2010,
<http://www.w3.org/TR/2010/WD-wsc-ui-20100309>.
[X.500] International Telecommunications Union, "Information
Technology - Open Systems Interconnection - The
Directory: Overview of concepts, models and
services", ITU-T Recommendation X.500, ISO Standard
9594-1, August 2005.
Directory: Models", ITU-T Recommendation X.501,
ISO Standard 9594-2, August 2005.
Directory: Public-key and attribute certificate
frameworks", ITU-T Recommendation X.509,
Directory: Selected attribute types", ITU-
T Recommendation X.509, ISO Standard 9594-6,
Technology - ASN.1 encoding rules: Specification of
Basic Encoding Rules (BER), Canonical Encoding Rules
(CER) and Distinguished Encoding Rules (DER)", ITU-
[XMPP] Saint-Andre, P., "Extensible Messaging and Presence
Protocol (XMPP): Core", RFC 6120, March 2011.
[XMPP-OLD] Saint-Andre, P., Ed., "Extensible Messaging and
Presence Protocol (XMPP): Core", RFC 3920,
Appendix A. Sample Text
At the time of this writing, two application technologies reuse the
recommendations in this specification: email [EMAIL-SRV] and XMPP
[XMPP]. Here we include the text from [XMPP] to illustrate the
thought process that might be followed by protocol designers for
other application technologies. Specifically, because XMPP uses DNS
SRV records for resolution of the DNS domain names for application
services, the XMPP specification recommends the use of SRV-IDs.
The text regarding certificate issuance is as follows:
######
In a PKIX certificate to be presented by an XMPP server (i.e., a
"server certificate"), the certificate MUST include one or more XMPP
addresses (i.e., domainparts) associated with XMPP services hosted at
the server. The rules and guidelines defined in [this specification]
apply to XMPP server certificates, with the following XMPP-specific
o Support for the DNS-ID identifier type [PKIX] is REQUIRED in XMPP
client and server software implementations. Certification
authorities that issue XMPP-specific certificates MUST support the
DNS-ID identifier type. XMPP service providers SHOULD include the
DNS-ID identifier type in certificate requests.
o Support for the SRV-ID identifier type [SRVNAME] is REQUIRED for
XMPP client and server software implementations (for verification
purposes XMPP client implementations need to support only the
"_xmpp-client" application service type, whereas XMPP server
implementations need to support both the "_xmpp-client" and
"_xmpp-server" application service types). Certification
authorities that issue XMPP-specific certificates SHOULD support
the SRV-ID identifier type. XMPP service providers SHOULD include
the SRV-ID identifier type in certificate requests.
o Support for the XmppAddr identifier type is encouraged in XMPP
client and server software implementations for the sake of
backward-compatibility, but is no longer encouraged in
certificates issued by certification authorities or requested by
XMPP service providers.
o DNS domain names in server certificates MAY contain the wildcard
character '*' as the complete left-most label within the
identifier.
The text regarding certificate verification is as follows:
For server certificates, the rules and guidelines defined in [this
specification] apply, with the proviso that the XmppAddr identifier
is allowed as a reference identifier.
The identities to be checked are set as follows:
o The initiating entity sets its reference identifier to the 'to'
address it communicates in the initial stream header; i.e., this
is the identity it expects the receiving entity to provide in a
PKIX certificate.
o The receiving entity sets its reference identifier to the 'from'
address communicated by the initiating entity in the initial
stream header; i.e., this is the identity that the initiating
entity is trying to assert.
Appendix B. Prior Art
(This section is non-normative.)
The recommendations in this document are an abstraction from
recommendations in specifications for a wide range of application
protocols. For the purpose of comparison and to delineate the
history of thinking about application service identity verification
within the IETF, this informative section gathers together prior art
by including the exact text from various RFCs (the only modifications
are changes to the names of several references to maintain coherence
with the main body of this document, and the elision of irrelevant
text as marked by the characters "[...]").
B.1. IMAP, POP3, and ACAP (1999)
In 1999, [USINGTLS] specified the following text regarding
application service identity verification in IMAP, POP3, and ACAP:
2.4. Server Identity Check
During the TLS negotiation, the client MUST check its understanding
of the server hostname against the server's identity as presented in
the server Certificate message, in order to prevent man-in-the-middle
attacks. Matching is performed according to these rules:
o The client MUST use the server hostname it used to open the
connection as the value to compare against the server name as
expressed in the server certificate. The client MUST NOT use any
form of the server hostname derived from an insecure remote source
(e.g., insecure DNS lookup). CNAME canonicalization is not done.
o If a subjectAltName extension of type dNSName is present in the
certificate, it SHOULD be used as the source of the server's
o Matching is case-insensitive.
o A "*" wildcard character MAY be used as the left-most name
component in the certificate. For example, *.example.com would
match a.example.com, foo.example.com, etc. but would not match
example.com.
o If the certificate contains multiple names (e.g. more than one
dNSName field), then a match with any one of the fields is
considered acceptable.
If the match fails, the client SHOULD either ask for explicit user
confirmation, or terminate the connection and indicate the server's
identity is suspect.
B.2. HTTP (2000)
In 2000, [HTTP-TLS] specified the following text regarding
application service identity verification in HTTP:
3.1. Server Identity
In general, HTTP/TLS requests are generated by dereferencing a URI.
As a consequence, the hostname for the server is known to the client.
If the hostname is available, the client MUST check it against the
server's identity as presented in the server's Certificate message,
in order to prevent man-in-the-middle attacks.
If the client has external information as to the expected identity of
the server, the hostname check MAY be omitted. (For instance, a
client may be connecting to a machine whose address and hostname are
dynamic but the client knows the certificate that the server will
present.) In such cases, it is important to narrow the scope of
acceptable certificates as much as possible in order to prevent man
in the middle attacks. In special cases, it may be appropriate for
the client to simply ignore the server's identity, but it must be
understood that this leaves the connection open to active attack.
If a subjectAltName extension of type dNSName is present, that MUST
be used as the identity. Otherwise, the (most specific) Common Name
field in the Subject field of the certificate MUST be used. Although
the use of the Common Name is existing practice, it is deprecated and
Certification Authorities are encouraged to use the dNSName instead.
Matching is performed using the matching rules specified by
[PKIX-OLD]. If more than one identity of a given type is present in
the certificate (e.g., more than one dNSName name, a match in any one
of the set is considered acceptable.) Names may contain the wildcard
character * which is considered to match any single domain name
component or component fragment. E.g., *.a.com matches foo.a.com but
not bar.foo.a.com. f*.com matches foo.com but not bar.com.
In some cases, the URI is specified as an IP address rather than a
hostname. In this case, the iPAddress subjectAltName must be present
in the certificate and must exactly match the IP in the URI.
If the hostname does not match the identity in the certificate, user
oriented clients MUST either notify the user (clients MAY give the
user the opportunity to continue with the connection in any case) or
terminate the connection with a bad certificate error. Automated
clients MUST log the error to an appropriate audit log (if available)
and SHOULD terminate the connection (with a bad certificate error).
Automated clients MAY provide a configuration setting that disables
this check, but MUST provide a setting which enables it.
Note that in many cases the URI itself comes from an untrusted
source. The above-described check provides no protection against
attacks where this source is compromised. For example, if the URI
was obtained by clicking on an HTML page which was itself obtained
without using HTTP/TLS, a man in the middle could have replaced the
URI. In order to prevent this form of attack, users should carefully
examine the certificate presented by the server to determine if it
meets their expectations.
B.3. LDAP (2000/2006)
In 2000, [LDAP-TLS] specified the following text regarding
application service identity verification in LDAP:
The client MUST check its understanding of the server's hostname
against the server's identity as presented in the server's
Certificate message, in order to prevent man-in-the-middle attacks.
Matching is performed according to these rules:
o The client MUST use the server hostname it used to open the LDAP
expressed in the server's certificate. The client MUST NOT use
the server's canonical DNS name or any other derived form of name.
o The "*" wildcard character is allowed. If present, it applies
only to the left-most name component.
E.g. *.bar.com would match a.bar.com, b.bar.com, etc. but not
bar.com. If more than one identity of a given type is present in the
certificate (e.g. more than one dNSName name), a match in any one of
the set is considered acceptable.
If the hostname does not match the dNSName-based identity in the
certificate per the above check, user-oriented clients SHOULD either
notify the user (clients MAY give the user the opportunity to
continue with the connection in any case) or terminate the connection
and indicate that the server's identity is suspect. Automated
clients SHOULD close the connection, returning and/or logging an
error indicating that the server's identity is suspect.
Beyond the server identity checks described in this section, clients
SHOULD be prepared to do further checking to ensure that the server
is authorized to provide the service it is observed to provide. The
client MAY need to make use of local policy information.
In 2006, [LDAP-AUTH] specified the following text regarding
3.1.3. Server Identity Check
In order to prevent man-in-the-middle attacks, the client MUST verify
the server's identity (as presented in the server's Certificate
message). In this section, the client's understanding of the
server's identity (typically the identity used to establish the
transport connection) is called the "reference identity".
The client determines the type (e.g., DNS name or IP address) of the
reference identity and performs a comparison between the reference
identity and each subjectAltName value of the corresponding type
until a match is produced. Once a match is produced, the server's
identity has been verified, and the server identity check is
complete. Different subjectAltName types are matched in different
ways. Sections 3.1.3.1 - 3.1.3.3 explain how to compare values of
various subjectAltName types.
The client may map the reference identity to a different type prior
to performing a comparison. Mappings may be performed for all
available subjectAltName types to which the reference identity can be
mapped; however, the reference identity should only be mapped to
types for which the mapping is either inherently secure (e.g.,
extracting the DNS name from a URI to compare with a subjectAltName
of type dNSName) or for which the mapping is performed in a secure
manner (e.g., using [DNSSEC], or using user- or admin-configured
host-to-address/address-to-host lookup tables).
The server's identity may also be verified by comparing the reference
identity to the Common Name (CN) [LDAP-SCHEMA] value in the last
Relative Distinguished Name (RDN) of the subject field of the
server's certificate (where "last" refers to the DER-encoded order,
not the order of presentation in a string representation of DER-
encoded data). This comparison is performed using the rules for
comparison of DNS names in Section 3.1.3.1, below, with the exception
that no wildcard matching is allowed. Although the use of the Common
Name value is existing practice, it is deprecated, and Certification
Authorities are encouraged to provide subjectAltName values instead.
Note that the TLS implementation may represent DNs in certificates
according to X.500 or other conventions. For example, some X.500
implementations order the RDNs in a DN using a left-to-right (most
significant to least significant) convention instead of LDAP's right-
to-left convention.
If the server identity check fails, user-oriented clients SHOULD
either notify the user (clients may give the user the opportunity to
continue with the LDAP session in this case) or close the transport
connection and indicate that the server's identity is suspect.
Automated clients SHOULD close the transport connection and then
return or log an error indicating that the server's identity is
suspect or both.
Beyond the server identity check described in this section, clients
is authorized to provide the service it is requested to provide. The
client may need to make use of local policy information in making
this determination.
3.1.3.1. Comparison of DNS Names
If the reference identity is an internationalized domain name,
conforming implementations MUST convert it to the ASCII Compatible
Encoding (ACE) format as specified in Section 4 of RFC 3490
[IDNA2003] before comparison with subjectAltName values of type
dNSName. Specifically, conforming implementations MUST perform the
conversion operation specified in Section 4 of RFC 3490 as follows:
o in step 1, the domain name SHALL be considered a "stored string";
o in step 3, set the flag called "UseSTD3ASCIIRules";
o in step 4, process each label with the "ToASCII" operation; and
o in step 5, change all label separators to U+002E (full stop).
After performing the "to-ASCII" conversion, the DNS labels and names
MUST be compared for equality according to the rules specified in
Section 3 of RFC3490.
The '*' (ASCII 42) wildcard character is allowed in subjectAltName
values of type dNSName, and then only as the left-most (least
significant) DNS label in that value. This wildcard matches any
left-most DNS label in the server name. That is, the subject
*.example.com matches the server names a.example.com and
b.example.com, but does not match example.com or a.b.example.com.
3.1.3.2. Comparison of IP Addresses
When the reference identity is an IP address, the identity MUST be
converted to the "network byte order" octet string representation
[IP] [IPv6]. For IP Version 4, as specified in RFC 791, the octet
string will contain exactly four octets. For IP Version 6, as
specified in RFC 2460, the octet string will contain exactly sixteen
octets. This octet string is then compared against subjectAltName
values of type iPAddress. A match occurs if the reference identity
octet string and value octet strings are identical.
3.1.3.3. Comparison of Other subjectName Types
Client implementations MAY support matching against subjectAltName
values of other types as described in other documents.
B.4. SMTP (2002/2007)
In 2002, [SMTP-TLS] specified the following text regarding
application service identity verification in SMTP:
4.1 Processing After the STARTTLS Command
The decision of whether or not to believe the authenticity of the
other party in a TLS negotiation is a local matter. However, some
general rules for the decisions are:
o A SMTP client would probably only want to authenticate an SMTP
server whose server certificate has a domain name that is the
domain name that the client thought it was connecting to.
In 2006, [SMTP-AUTH] specified the following text regarding
14. Additional Requirements When Using SASL PLAIN over TLS
After a successful [TLS] negotiation, the client MUST check its
understanding of the server hostname against the server's identity as
presented in the server Certificate message, in order to prevent man-
in-the-middle attacks. If the match fails, the client MUST NOT
attempt to authenticate using the SASL PLAIN mechanism. Matching is
performed according to the following rules:
The client MUST use the server hostname it used to open the
If a subjectAltName extension of type dNSName is present in the
Matching is case-insensitive.
A "*" wildcard character MAY be used as the leftmost name
match a.example.com, foo.example.com, etc., but would not match
If the certificate contains multiple names (e.g., more than one
B.5. XMPP (2004)
In 2004, [XMPP-OLD] specified the following text regarding
application service identity verification in XMPP:
14.2. Certificate Validation
When an XMPP peer communicates with another peer securely, it MUST
validate the peer's certificate. There are three possible cases:
Case #1: The peer contains an End Entity certificate which appears
to be certified by a certification path terminating in a trust
anchor (as described in Section 6.1 of [PKIX]).
Case #2: The peer certificate is certified by a Certificate
Authority not known to the validating peer.
Case #3: The peer certificate is self-signed.
In Case #1, the validating peer MUST do one of two things:
1. Verify the peer certificate according to the rules of [PKIX].
The certificate SHOULD then be checked against the expected
identity of the peer following the rules described in [HTTP-TLS],
except that a subjectAltName extension of type "xmpp" MUST be
used as the identity if present. If one of these checks fails,
user-oriented clients MUST either notify the user (clients MAY
give the user the opportunity to continue with the connection in
any case) or terminate the connection with a bad certificate
error. Automated clients SHOULD terminate the connection (with a
bad certificate error) and log the error to an appropriate audit
log. Automated clients MAY provide a configuration setting that
disables this check, but MUST provide a setting that enables it.
2. The peer SHOULD show the certificate to a user for approval,
including the entire certification path. The peer MUST cache the
certificate (or some non-forgeable representation such as a
hash). In future connections, the peer MUST verify that the same
certificate was presented and MUST notify the user if it has
In Case #2 and Case #3, implementations SHOULD act as in (2) above.
Although [XMPP-OLD] defined its own rules, [XMPP] reuses the rules in
this document regarding application service identity verification in
XMPP.
B.6. NNTP (2006)
In 2006, [NNTP-TLS] specified the following text regarding
application service identity verification in NNTP:
connection (or the hostname specified in TLS "server_name"
extension [TLS]) as the value to compare against the server name
as expressed in the server certificate. The client MUST NOT use
any form of the server hostname derived from an insecure remote
source (e.g., insecure DNS lookup). CNAME canonicalization is not
o If the certificate contains multiple names (e.g., more than one
confirmation or terminate the connection with a QUIT command and
indicate the server's identity is suspect.
Additionally, clients MUST verify the binding between the identity of
the servers to which they connect and the public keys presented by
those servers. Clients SHOULD implement the algorithm in Section 6
of [PKIX] for general certificate validation, but MAY supplement that
algorithm with other validation methods that achieve equivalent
levels of verification (such as comparing the server certificate
against a local store of already-verified certificates and identity
bindings).
B.7. NETCONF (2006/2009)
In 2006, [NETCONF-SSH] specified the following text regarding
application service identity verification in NETCONF:
The identity of the server MUST be verified and authenticated by the
client according to local policy before password-based authentication
data or any configuration or state data is sent to or received from
the server. The identity of the client MUST also be verified and
authenticated by the server according to local policy to ensure that
the incoming client request is legitimate before any configuration or
state data is sent to or received from the client. Neither side
should establish a NETCONF over SSH connection with an unknown,
unexpected, or incorrect identity on the opposite side.
In 2009, [NETCONF-TLS] specified the following text regarding
During the TLS negotiation, the client MUST carefully examine the
certificate presented by the server to determine if it meets the
client's expectations. Particularly, the client MUST check its
in-the-middle attacks.
Matching is performed according to the rules below (following the
example of [NNTP-TLS]):
connection (or the hostname specified in the TLS "server_name"
certificate, it MUST be used as the source of the server's
o A "*" wildcard character MAY be used as the leftmost name
If the match fails, the client MUST either ask for explicit user
confirmation or terminate the connection and indicate the server's
the server, the hostname check MAY be omitted.
B.8. Syslog (2009)
In 2009, [SYSLOG-TLS] specified the following text regarding
application service identity verification in Syslog:
5.2. Subject Name Authorization
Implementations MUST support certification path validation [PKIX].
In addition, they MUST support specifying the authorized peers using
locally configured host names and matching the name against the
certificate as follows.
o Implementations MUST support matching the locally configured host
name against a dNSName in the subjectAltName extension field and
SHOULD support checking the name against the common name portion
of the subject distinguished name.
o The '*' (ASCII 42) wildcard character is allowed in the dNSName of
the subjectAltName extension (and in common name, if used to store
the host name), but only as the left-most (least significant) DNS
label in that value. This wildcard matches any left-most DNS
label in the server name. That is, the subject *.example.com
matches the server names a.example.com and b.example.com, but does
not match example.com or a.b.example.com. Implementations MUST
support wildcards in certificates as specified above, but MAY
provide a configuration option to disable them.
o Locally configured names MAY contain the wildcard character to
match a range of values. The types of wildcards supported MAY be
more flexible than those allowed in subject names, making it
possible to support various policies for different environments.
For example, a policy could allow for a trust-root-based
authorization where all credentials issued by a particular CA
trust root are authorized.
o If the locally configured name is an internationalized domain
name, conforming implementations MUST convert it to the ASCII
Compatible Encoding (ACE) format for performing comparisons, as
specified in Section 7 of [PKIX].
o Implementations MAY support matching a locally configured IP
address against an iPAddress stored in the subjectAltName
extension. In this case, the locally configured IP address is
converted to an octet string as specified in [PKIX], Section
4.2.1.6. A match occurs if this octet string is equal to the
value of iPAddress in the subjectAltName extension.
B.9. SIP (2010)
In 2010, [SIP-CERTS] specified the following text regarding
application service identity verification in SIP:
7.2. Comparing SIP Identities
When an implementation (either client or server) compares two values
as SIP domain identities:
Implementations MUST compare only the DNS name component of each
SIP domain identifier; an implementation MUST NOT use any scheme
or parameters in the comparison.
Implementations MUST compare the values as DNS names, which means
that the comparison is case insensitive as specified by
[DNS-CASE]. Implementations MUST handle Internationalized Domain
Names (IDNs) in accordance with Section 7.2 of [PKIX].
Implementations MUST match the values in their entirety:
Implementations MUST NOT match suffixes. For example,
"foo.example.com" does not match "example.com".
Implementations MUST NOT match any form of wildcard, such as a
leading "." or "*." with any other DNS label or sequence of
labels. For example, "*.example.com" matches only
"*.example.com" but not "foo.example.com". Similarly,
".example.com" matches only ".example.com", and does not match
"foo.example.com."
[HTTP-TLS] allows the dNSName component to contain a
wildcard; e.g., "DNS:*.example.com". [PKIX], while not
disallowing this explicitly, leaves the interpretation of
wildcards to the individual specification. [SIP] does not
provide any guidelines on the presence of wildcards in
certificates. Through the rule above, this document
prohibits such wildcards in certificates for SIP domains.
B.10. SNMP (2010)
In 2010, [SNMP-TLS] specified the following text regarding
application service identity verification in SNMP:
If the server's presented certificate has passed certification path
validation [PKIX] to a configured trust anchor, and an active row
exists with a zero-length snmpTlstmAddrServerFingerprint value, then
the snmpTlstmAddrServerIdentity column contains the expected host
name. This expected host name is then compared against the server's
certificate as follows:
o Implementations MUST support matching the expected host name
against a dNSName in the subjectAltName extension field and MAY
support checking the name against the CommonName portion of the
subject distinguished name.
o The '*' (ASCII 0x2a) wildcard character is allowed in the dNSName
of the subjectAltName extension (and in common name, if used to
store the host name), but only as the left-most (least
Implementations MUST support wildcards in certificates as
specified above, but MAY provide a configuration option to disable
If the expected host name fails these conditions then the connection
MUST be closed.
B.11. GIST (2010)
In 2010, [GIST] specified the following text regarding application
service identity verification in the General Internet Signalling
5.7.3.1. Identity Checking in TLS
After TLS authentication, a node MUST check the identity presented by
the peer in order to avoid man-in-the-middle attacks, and verify that
the peer is authorised to take part in signalling at the GIST layer.
The authorisation check is carried out by comparing the presented
identity with each Authorised Peer Database (APD) entry in turn, as
discussed in Section 4.4.2. This section defines the identity
comparison algorithm for a single APD entry.
For TLS authentication with X.509 certificates, an identity from the
DNS namespace MUST be checked against each subjectAltName extension
of type dNSName present in the certificate. If no such extension is
present, then the identity MUST be compared to the (most specific)
Common Name in the Subject field of the certificate. When matching
DNS names against dNSName or Common Name fields, matching is case-
insensitive. Also, a "*" wildcard character MAY be used as the left-
most name component in the certificate or identity in the APD. For
example, *.example.com in the APD would match certificates for
a.example.com, foo.example.com, *.example.com, etc., but would not
match example.com. Similarly, a certificate for *.example.com would
be valid for APD identities of a.example.com, foo.example.com,
*.example.com, etc., but not example.com.
Additionally, a node MUST verify the binding between the identity of
the peer to which it connects and the public key presented by that
peer. Nodes SHOULD implement the algorithm in Section 6 of [PKIX]
for general certificate validation, but MAY supplement that algorithm
with other validation methods that achieve equivalent levels of
verification (such as comparing the server certificate against a
local store of already-verified certificates and identity bindings).
For TLS authentication with pre-shared keys, the identity in the
psk_identity_hint (for the server identity, i.e. the Responding node)
or psk_identity (for the client identity, i.e. the Querying node)
MUST be compared to the identities in the APD.
1899 Wyknoop Street, Suite 600
Denver, CO 80202
EMail: psaintan@cisco.com
Jeff Hodges
2211 North First Street
San Jose, California 95131
EMail: Jeff.Hodges@PayPal.com
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Kenya police arrests warden over rape of patient in coronavirus isolation facility
Kenyan police arrested a prison warden accused of raping a female patient in a COVID-19 isolation facility he was meant to be guarding, a police report said on Friday. It was the latest in a string of incidents highlighting substandard conditions at some government-run coronavirus treatment centre in the East African country. The attack may… Read More Kenya police arrests warden over rape of patient in coronavirus isolation facility
July 17, 2020 247newsupdateLeave a comment
Queen Elizabeth knights centenarian veteran who held fundraising walk for health workers
Queen Elizabeth knighted Captain Tom Moore on Friday, recognising the 100-year-old for lifting Britain’s spirits during the gloom of the coronavirus pandemic by raising millions of pounds for health workers. The World War Two veteran raised a record 33 million pounds (an equivalent of $41 million) by walking 100 laps of his garden with the… Read More Queen Elizabeth knights centenarian veteran who held fundraising walk for health workers
July 17, 2020 July 17, 2020 247newsupdateLeave a comment
U.S. imposes sanctions on four China-based individuals, company over fentanyl trafficking
The United States on Friday announced sanctions against four China-based individuals and one company run by alleged Chinese drug kingpin Fujing Zheng for links to trafficking in fentanyl. The U.S. Treasury Department named the individuals as Songyan Ji, Longbao Zhang, Guifeng Cheng and Guangfu Zheng, and the firm as Global United Biotechnology Inc, which it… Read More U.S. imposes sanctions on four China-based individuals, company over fentanyl trafficking
Britain’s Princess Beatrice marries her fiance Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi in Windsor
Britain’s Princess Beatrice, the eldest daughter of Prince Andrew and Sarah, Duchess of York, married her fiance Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi in Windsor on Friday, in a small, COVID-19 secure ceremony attended by Queen Elizabeth. The couple originally planned to marry in May, but the coronavirus lockdown forced them to reschedule. “The private wedding ceremony of… Read More Britain’s Princess Beatrice marries her fiance Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi in Windsor
Russian hackers attempt to steal coronavirus vaccine data
Hackers backed by the Russian state are trying to steal COVID-19 vaccine and treatment research from academic and pharmaceutical institutions around the world, Britain’s National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) said on Thursday. A co-ordinated statement from Britain, the United States and Canada attributed the attacks to group APT29, also known as Cozy Bear, which they… Read More Russian hackers attempt to steal coronavirus vaccine data
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Disturbance could bring rain to SC coast
By Ray Rivera, Patrick Phillips Sep 9, 2020
Photo: Live 5 News
By Ray Rivera and Patrick Phillips | September 8, 2020 at 8:53 AM EDT - Updated September 9 at 4:13 AM
CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCSC) - Days away from the official peak of hurricane season, forecasters are watching four systems across the Atlantic, two of which have become the latest named storms.
The closest system to the coast of South Carolina is about 450 miles southeast of Cape Hatteras, North Carolina.
According to the late Tuesday night update, gradual development is possible during the next two or three days, and could become a tropical depression while it continues to move slowly west-northwestward toward the coasts of South Carolina and North Carolina.
“It may not even develop,” Live 5 Chief Meteorologist Bill Walsh said late Tuesday night. “It’s very disorganized right now.”
Walsh said if we see any impacts it would be in the form of increased rain chances and possible breezy conditions. The National Hurricane Center has formation chances at 30 percent for the next 48 hours, and a 40 percent chance of development through the next five days.
Meanwhile, a stalled front closer to our coast will combine with tropical moisture creating a cloudier and wetter stretch of weather for the next couple of days.
“The rain chance will continue to increase today and tomorrow with unsettled weather possible at times through week’s end,” Walsh said.
Tropical Storm Paulette
Tropical Storm Paulette is a little weaker Tuesday night after battling some shear tonight.
The forecast continues to show a northwest movement and fluctuations with strength are likely.
As of Tuesday night, Paulette is about 1,400 miles west-northwest of the Cabo Verde Islands with 60 mph winds and moving northwest at 9 mph.
“Little change in strength is forecast tomorrow, with slow weakening anticipated on Thursday and Friday,” NHC officials said.
Tropical Depression Rene
Tropical Storm Rene weakened to a depression Tuesday night.
As of Tuesday night, Rene is about 360 miles west-northwest of the Cabo Verde Islands with 35 mph winds and moving west-northwest at 16 mph.
Meteorologists say gradual strengthening is forecast, and Rene is expected to regain tropical storm strength later Wednesday morning, and become a hurricane in a couple of days.
Tropical wave over Africa
The fourth area of concern is a tropical wave forecast to emerge off the west coast of Africa by Thursday. Gradual development is expected once the system moves over water, and a tropical depression is likely to form late this week or over the weekend while the system moves generally westward across the eastern tropical Atlantic.
The remaining storm names in the 2020 list are Sally, Teddy, Vicky and Wilfred. If those remaining names end up being used, and forecasters expect that to happen, letters of the Greek alphabet would then be used as storm names. The only time that happened in the past is during the 2005 hurricane season.
About SC Stormwatch
Stormwatch Updates in the Lowcountry.
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Archos goes legit with new Android Honeycomb devices
- Jun. 23rd 2011 2:08 pm PT
Archos has introduced today two tablets, the eight-inch Archos 80 G9 and the 10.1 inch Archos 101 G9. That in itself wouldn’t blip on our radar if it weren’t for one tiny detail: Both run Honeycomb 3.1, the latest Android version for tablets Google announced at the Google I/O conference last month. What’s interesting about this is that Archos is not in the Open Handset Alliance (OHA), but they still get to build a Honeycomb tablet with Android Market access.
What that means is that either Archos has joined OHA or Google has changed its policies (or someone didn’t update the website). We’ve reached out to Google seeking clarification on whether Archos joined OHA or Google changed policy on allowing market to non-OHA members. We’ll update the article when we hear back from Google. The tablets pack in pretty dog on impressive innards…
Both devices are powered by Texas Instrument’s OMAP4 chip rocking two ARM Cortex-A9 CPU cores clocked at 1.5 GHz each. It loads web pages two times faster than a 1GHz Tegra 2 processor from Nvidia and can decode full HD (1080p) H.264 High Profile video, Archos claims. You can also output video in 1080p via an HDMI port. The eight-inch model has a 4:3 display with a 1024-by-768 resolution, while the 10.1-inch one has a wide 1280 x 800 16:10 screen. Another cool feature: You can add 3G connectivity to both tablets whenever you like, by slipping a $49 3G stick into a concealed USB port on the back. Makes you wonder why other manufacturers force us to pay a hundred extra for 3G. This is absolute awesomeness: You can pick between flash- or hard drive-based models, with the former allowing for 32GB of storage and the latter enabling up to 250GB of Seagate hard drive, which is a first for a consumer tablet, Archos claims. What’s more, hard drive or flash – both are priced the same because “it costs us manufacturers the same price, so why should you have to pay a premium for the extra space”, the company argues. The eight incher will set you back $279, while its bigger brother costs just $349. Both will be available at the end of September and will be shown beginning of September at IFA.
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Tomáš Danielis: Maybe, but of course / I will not be a cat
entry: 7 € / 5 € študenti
Tomas DANIELIS
The creative focus of Tomas Danielis is oriented at crossover between visual/digital arts and movement/dance. As an accomplished dancer he pursue the understanding and conceptualization performative presence via space, which led him to further investigate the properties of lights as well as creative escape into photography. Danielis is known to create specific sets of tools and innovative movement languages for each of his project. His works were presented in more than 20 countries and referred to as innovative, touching and inspiring.
“Maybe, but of course”
decomposed baroque opera for 1 dancer and humor on stage
The project proposal “Maybe, but of course” unite elements of a baroque opera, stand up comedy, performance and play of multiple selves. It has the ambition to investigate a person and his constant. A person trying to be responsible, sensible, sensitive and clever. An artist who is searching for new and surprising forms, seeking to touch the audience with his insight… but there is that thing. That thing of many names which denotes of the inner self in its many faces and all its limitations… which is referred to as that inner thing. That inner thing, which is sometimes epithet of a look into the bathroom mirror and in an another look into the fog over Everglades. That inner thing, which makes a person sometimes laugh and in another to be embarrassed, sometimes to be laugh at and in another to stir deep within and reach.
I will not be a cat – preview
“I will not be a cat” is an intermedia/AI dance project, which sprung out of interests converging on lines of researching human behavior, the value of contemporary art especially dance, technology, AI and common curiosity along with a bit of fear about the future.
“I will not be a cat” is the project where Human and Artificial Intelligence is in a discussion as main subjects and objects of the performance.
“I will not be a cat” project asks the questions – what is the inherent value of human being and AI. Can they possibly merge? Who will be in control and what are the possible trade-offs?
“I will not be a cat” is a project where human and AI will co- operate to create audio-visual, dance and text environment..
foto: Marek Jancúch
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Bounce Innovation Hub names Doug Weintraub CEO
March 3, 2018 by Staff Report
The board of directors of Bounce, Akron’s Innovation Hub, has announced that Douglas Weintraub has been named its first CEO, effective March 5. Located in the former Global Business Accelerator in downtown Akron, Bounce serves business startups, investors, makers, universities and others.
Weintraub brings more than 30 years of business and entrepreneurial experience in Northeast Ohio. Prior to joining Bounce, Weintraub has been advising various entrepreneurial companies throughout the region. A certified public accountant, active angel investor, serial entrepreneur and mentor, he has helped grow businesses by providing investment opportunities and coaching to more than a dozen companies.
Weintraub is a founding member of JumpStart Inc. and served on many board committees, from its inception to his final role as chairman from 2009 to 2012. He is a graduate of The Ohio State University Fisher School of Business, where he served on advisory boards within the business school and university. He is a lifetime resident of the Akron area, where he lives with his wife, Janis. They have three adult children and two grandchildren.
“After we conducted a nationwide search, Doug stood out as a seasoned professional in the entrepreneurship and innovation space with deep roots in the Akron community,” said Deborah Hoover, Bounce board chair. “He brings the skills, expertise and network to set Bounce on the path to success as Akron’s innovation hub and a key player in the regional ecosystem. The board is thrilled to have Doug at the helm and we look forward to the journey ahead.”
As Bounce’s first CEO, Weintraub will set the strategic vision and culture of the newly formed nonprofit, with a focus on startup-driven growth, supporting university tech transfer and boosting corporate innovation efforts. As CEO, he will help build significant and meaningful relationships with stakeholders including corporations, entrepreneurs, universities, government agencies, startup hubs and investors.
“I look forward to leading the Bounce team as we begin the process of transforming this incredible, historically innovative building into a modern facility that meets the needs of Akron’s and Northeast Ohio’s current and future entrepreneurs,” Weintraub said. “With a newly renovated space and extensive programming, Bounce will be the place for entrepreneurs, business owners and community organizations to gather. The possibilities are endless.”
Hiring a CEO is yet another milestone reached in Bounce’s short history, as it becomes an essential part of growing Akron’s innovation ecosystem.
“Bounce’s mission to support innovation and entrepreneurship in Akron is a foundational element of my strategy to ensure Akron takes its rightful place as one of the great thriving cities of this generation,” Akron Mayor Dan Horrigan said. “I am pleased to see Bounce’s board select someone of Doug’s caliber and experience to lead this critically important organization. I look forward to partnering with him, the board and our diverse stakeholders to continue our commitment to engaging local talent and supporting small business growth across this community.”
Located at 526 S. Main St., Bounce Innovation Hub is the region’s first open innovation hub serving Northeast Ohio’s entrepreneurial and innovation community. Bounce encourages open collaboration among diverse groups through unique opportunities, programs and events that engage anyone and everyone with a mind for innovation.
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Call for prayer and support for United States
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CUBA- By Beatriz Ferreiro García from Matanzas- The Evangelic Seminar on Theology (Seminario Evangélico de Teología -SET, in Spanish)...
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“The midwives, however, feared God and did not do what the king of Egypt had told them to do;...
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WHAT AND WHERE IS HEAVEN?
Does heaven exist? With well over 100,000 plus recorded and described spiritual experiences collected over 15 years, to base the answer on, science can now categorically say yes. Furthermore, you can see the evidence for free on the website allaboutheaven.org.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B086J9VKZD
also on all local Amazon sites, just change .com for the local version (.co.uk, .jp, .nl, .de, .fr etc.)
VISIONS AND HALLUCINATIONS
This book, which covers Visions and hallucinations, explains what causes them and summarises how many hallucinations have been caused by each event or activity. It also provides specific help with questions people have asked us, such as ‘Is my medication giving me hallucinations?’.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B088GP64MW
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Category: Scientist
Paracelsus was born December 1493 in Einsiedeln, Switzerland and died September 1541 in Salzburg, Austria.
He was a Medieval physician, alchemist, astrologer, and general occultist. Paracelsus was also a drug user. He experimented with the medical value of opium and decided that its medical (analgesic) value was of such magnitude that he called it Laudanum, from the Latin laudare, to praise. He did not know of its addictive properties.
Paracelsus pioneered the use of chemicals and minerals in medicine. He is credited for giving zinc its name, calling it zincum and is regarded as the first systematic botanist.
Born Phillip von Hohenheim, he later took up the name Philippus Theophrastus Aureolus Bombastus von Hohenheim, and still later took the title Paracelsus, meaning "equal to or greater than Celsus". Aulus Cornelius Celsus was a Roman from the first century known for his tract on medicine.
Spiritual Influences
Paracelsus rejected Gnostic traditions, but kept much of the Hermetic, neoplatonic, and Pythagorean philosophies he learned from Ficino and Pico della Mirandola.
The influences of hermeticism and particularly their approach to harmony, led Paracelsus to believe the universe's macrocosm was represented in every person as a microcosm. Paracelcus viewed the universe as one coherent organism pervaded by a uniting life-giving spirit, and this in its entirety, man included, was 'God'. His views put him at odds with the Church, for whom there necessarily had to be a difference between the Creator and the Created.
Paracelsus also believed in the Greek concept of the four elements [Levels and layers].
Paracelcus started studying medicine at the University of Basel when he was 16 and gained his doctorate degree from the University of Ferrara.
He believed that sickness and health relied on the harmony of man (the microcosm) and Nature (macrocosm), that humans needed to have a balance of minerals in their bodies, and that certain illnesses could be cured by chemical remedies.
At the time that Paracelsus was practising, medicine was still under the influence of people such as Hippocrates and Galen. Hippocrates put forward the theory that illness was caused by an imbalance of the ‘four humours’: blood, phlegm, black bile and yellow bile [note that these are symbolic not physical concepts]. These ideas were further developed by Galen into an extremely influential and highly persistent set of medical beliefs that were to last until the mid 1850s. The dominant medical treatments at Paracelsus' time were specific diets to help in the "cleansing of the putrefied juices" combined with purging and bloodletting to restore the balance of these ‘four humours’. Paracelsus challenged this view with his beliefs that illness was the result of the body being attacked by outside agents.
Paracelsus main hypothesis was that diseases were caused by ‘poisons’. But the definition of poison was not substance related, 'poisons' were created when substances interacted, and when the dose was wrong. In effect, only the dose determined if a substance was poisonous or not. He said
"All things are poison and nothing is without poison, only the dose permits something not to be poisonous.
That is to say, substances often considered toxic can be benign or beneficial in small doses, and conversely an ordinarily benign substance can be deadly if over-consumed [even water, which we now know to be true]. These views are not dissimilar to those espoused by homeopathic medicine.
He said that because everything in the universe was interrelated, beneficial medical substances could be found in herbs, minerals and various alchymical combinations. He summarized his own views:
Many have said of Alchemy, that it is for the making of gold and silver. For me such is not the aim, but to consider only what virtue and power may lie in medicines.
Paracelsus also introduced the idea that, on another level, the cosmos was fashioned from three spiritual substances: the tria prima of Mercury, Sulfur and Salt. These names were symbols used to represent:
The processes that gave every object both its inner essence and outward form - Mercury represented fusibility and volatility; Sulfur represented flammability; and Salt represented fixity and incombustibility
Human identity - Sulfur; Salt representing the Higher spirit; and Mercury.
By understanding the state of these spiritual tria prima, a physician could discover the means of curing disease. Note that this is a similar idea to that used in Chinese medicine and is also promoted by many spiritual healers today. If your mind and soul are in balance [yin/yang] and free of worry, you are better able to fight disease.
Since Paracelsus promoted his views, many have taken his ideas literally believing that he promoted the use of mercury salt and sulphur as medicines, but this is not true. As Madame H.P. Blavatsky, said in Isis Unveiled:
"Paracelsus, the alchemists, and other mystics, meant by mercurius vitae, the living spirit of silver, the aura of silver, not the argent vive; and this aura is certainly not the mercury known to our physicians and druggists. There can be no doubt that the imputation that Paracelsus introduced mercury into medical practice is utterly incorrect. No mercury, whether prepared by a mediaeval fire-philosopher or a modern self-styled physician, can or ever did restore the body to perfect health. Only an unmitigated charlatan ever will use such a drug. And it is the opinion of many that it is just with the wicked intention of presenting Paracelsus in the eyes of posterity as a quack, that his enemies have invented such a preposterous lie."
It is worth noting that Paracelsus rubbed up a number of people the wrong way and was considered by some of his contemporaries as somewhat arrogant. As such, one suspects his ‘enemies’ probably conspired to discredit him with allegations of this sort.
Paracelsus was, however, not without his quirky side. He was a practicing astrologer, as were most, if not all, of the university-trained physicians working at this time in Europe. Despite professing to not believing in magic and despite rejecting the magic theories of Agrippa and Flamel, in his Archidoxes of Magic Paracelsus devoted several sections to astrological talismans for curing disease, providing talismans for various maladies as well as talismans for each sign of the Zodiac. He also invented an alphabet called the Alphabet of the Magi, for engraving angelic names upon talismans.
It may be worth adding that since we are only now beginning to recognise the power of the placebo effect, his 'magic' may have been years ahead of its time - the first placebo based medicine.
Contributions to psychotherapy
Paracelsus is credited as providing the first clinical/scientific mention of the subconscious. In this context he followed up the ideas he had developed on the link between mind and disease. In his work Von den Krankeiten he writes:
"Thus, the cause of the disease chorea lasciva is a mere opinion and idea, assumed by imagination, affecting those who believe in such a thing. This opinion and idea are the origin of the disease both in children and adults. In children the case is also imagination, based not on thinking but on perceiving, because they have heard or seen something. The reason is this: their sight and hearing are so strong that unconsciously they have fantasies about what they have seen or heard."
Paracelsus Essential Readings – selected and translated by Nicholas Goodrick-Clarke
The Hermetic And Alchemical Writings Of Paracelsus, 2 volumes, translated by Arthur Edward Waite 1894, revised 2002
The Archidoxes of Magic translated by Robert Turner.
Other Works in German
Die große Wundarzney 1536.
Vom Holz Guaico, 1529.
For iPad/iPhone users: tap letter twice to get list of items.
Paracelsus - And Nature spirits
Paracelsus - Describes out of body experiences
Paracelsus - extract from Scritti alchemici e magici
Paracelsus - On destruction and alchemical metals
Paracelsus - On the spiritual path
Paracelsus - On Time and healing illness
Paracelsus - The Elements
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Blue Cross Blue Shield denies coverage for Lockport woman's robotic arm, calls it 'experimental'
By Jason Knowles and Ann Pistone
CHICAGO (WLS) -- While medical breakthroughs can change lives for the better, the ABC 7 I-Team found that access can be denied when innovative devices or treatments aren't covered by insurance.
It's because the innovations could be considered "experimental," including high tech robotic arms like the one a local woman desperately wants. She reached out to the I-Team when her insurance company denied her access to something she believes will change her life.
"Is your hand a luxury?" Rochelle Skaggs asked. "If you lost it, would you want it back?"
Skaggs, who was born with partial limbs, is a construction project engineer. Her new prosthetic legs have ankle joints, and she hopes to have better functionality of her left arm.
"I would be able to come out here with my iPad or my laptop and hold something and be able to write, even just a notepad or a clipboard," she said.
The solution, according to her and her prosthetic practitioner, is a $90,000 high-tech mechanical arm.
"There is no way I could pay for it out of pocket in my entire life," Skaggs said.
Her insurance provider, Blue Cross Blue Shield, denied her coverage, saying the arm is experimental. Skaggs said another "clamp-like" device is what insurance reps said may get approved instead.
"So I was born with amniotic band syndrome, it's a condition that happens about midway through pregnancy, basically like little rubber bands that wrap around the appendages of arms, legs, things like that and it just prevents growth, um, so it affected all four of my limbs," she explained.
Her prosthetic practitioner said the mechanical arm would be life changing.
"The individual five digits that actually move -- I would be able to straighten my hair and not burn myself, I could cook dinner and be able to open packets over a boiling pot without catching my hair on fire," she said. "Things you don't think about, tying my shoes this morning."
Tying her shoes usually takes a long time. Skaggs showed the I-Team how much faster and faster and easier it is with the robotic device.
"I was able to tie my shoes 100 times faster than I've ever been able to tie them in my whole life," she said.
"Because she hasn't had something like this in 27 years, and she's starting to feel the effects of it," said Tony Gutierrez of Bionic Stop Ahead, who fitted Skaggs with the new arm. "She's been in therapy for the last couple of months for lower back, shoulder and hip pain."
Gutierez and Skaggs believe that the device would actually save the insurance company later, preventing further care for arthritis.
"I could do so many things and not affect my shoulders, and my elbows, and the muscles in my arms. It goes back into my shoulder blades and the muscles in my back because I do things so altered," she said.
And the problem, she believes, goes well beyond herself as a specific patient.
"Absolutely it's a nationwide issue," said Skaggs.
Dan Ignaszewski represents the Amputee Coalition and said most insurance companies are denying high tech prosthetics.
"It tends to skew that way. They are more likely to approve a body powered device, for example, than they are something that has electrical components or things like that. It may be more costly but provides significantly more functionality and independence," he said.
And it goes beyond prosthetics. University of Illinois at Chicago public health expert Anthony LoSasso said whether it's a new procedure or piece of equipment, most carriers only cover the basics.
"It's a bigger, broader issue. It is a common issue -- all health policies have some types of limits. So they cover services, equipment, medicines that are reasonable and necessary and that tends to omit things that are considered experimental or investigational," he said.
Do I have any chance of getting something covered by insurance which is considered 'investigational' or 'experimental'? Expert Anthony Lo Sasso weighs in.
As for Skagg's dispute, Blue Cross Blue Shield told the I-Team, in a statement: "...a prostheses with individually powered digits, including but not limited to a partial-hand prostheses, is considered experimental, investigational and/or unproven and that is determined by Medical policies... based on peer-reviewed scientific literature, criteria developed by specialty societies and from guidelines adopted by other health care organizations."
"They talk about the item, the prosthesis hand, as being a luxury and it's not needed," said Skaggs.
Their view of her prosthetic hand as a luxury doesn't make her feel good.
"Well you're born with your hand, why can't I have a hand?" she wondered.
Blue Cross Blue Shield also said, like all patients, Skaggs has the right to appeal. Her practitioner did, listing and citing what he calls evidence showing that the arm is not experimental or investigational, and also saying, "Multi-articulating digit prosthetic hands have been an established technology since 2007."
The Illinois Department of Insurance upheld the insurance company's denial.
The I-Team asked Skaggs what she would like to say to the person at the insurance company who said she doesn't need the arm.
"I would like them to go a day using only four fingers or even no hand, tie it behind your back for an entire day and let me know how your day goes," replied Skaggs. "If you could do that and see the struggles people go through when they are missing a limb you would see the difficulties and rethink the approval process."
Health experts say companies behind technologies also have a responsibility to first get groundbreaking treatments and equipment to patients at a lower cost because once the devices are documented as being used in the real world, they may not be considered "experimental."
If you're dealing with a denial you can try to make a case to your insurer that the new treatment will save them money in the long-run.
UIC SCHOOL OF PUBLIC HEALTH TIPS
- You can try to look for a better policy that covers experimental treatment, but experts say it's not likely you will find one
- Read your insurance's policies on what's considered "experimental" or "investigational"
- There may be wiggle room if you are suffering from a terminal disease, which may give you easier access to experimental treatments
- Make a case and appeal to your insurer that the treatment or device will save the insurer money in the long run
- Get evidence together about what treatments or devices you have already tried
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Home Books Operative Pediatric Surgery, 2e
Chapter 69: Urinary Tract Reconstruction for Continence and Renal Preservation
Curtis A. Sheldon; Eugene Minevich
Sheldon CA, Minevich E. Sheldon C.A., & Minevich E Sheldon, Curtis A., and Eugene Minevich.Urinary Tract Reconstruction for Continence and Renal Preservation. In: Ziegler MM, Azizkhan RG, Allmen D, Weber TR. Ziegler M.M., & Azizkhan R.G., & Allmen D, & Weber T.R.(Eds.),Eds. Moritz M. Ziegler, et al.eds. Operative Pediatric Surgery, 2e. McGraw-Hill; Accessed January 19, 2021. https://accesspediatrics.mhmedical.com/content.aspx?bookid=959§ionid=53539638
Sheldon CA, Minevich E. Sheldon C.A., & Minevich E Sheldon, Curtis A., and Eugene Minevich. (2014). Urinary tract reconstruction for continence and renal preservation. Ziegler MM, Azizkhan RG, Allmen D, Weber TR. Ziegler M.M., & Azizkhan R.G., & Allmen D, & Weber T.R.(Eds.),Eds. Moritz M. Ziegler, et al. Operative Pediatric Surgery, 2e. McGraw-Hill. https://accesspediatrics.mhmedical.com/content.aspx?bookid=959§ionid=53539638
Sheldon CA, Minevich E. Sheldon C.A., & Minevich E Sheldon, Curtis A., and Eugene Minevich. "Urinary Tract Reconstruction for Continence and Renal Preservation." Operative Pediatric Surgery, 2e Ziegler MM, Azizkhan RG, Allmen D, Weber TR. Ziegler M.M., & Azizkhan R.G., & Allmen D, & Weber T.R.(Eds.),Eds. Moritz M. Ziegler, et al. McGraw-Hill, 2014, https://accesspediatrics.mhmedical.com/content.aspx?bookid=959§ionid=53539638.
Conceptual Approach to Urinary Tract Reconstruction and Preoperative Evaluation
Compensating for Inadequate Bladder Capacity or Compliance
Internal Diversion: Procedures Providing Urinary Continence Via an Intact Anorectal Continence Mechanism
Compensating for Inadequate Bladder Outlet Resistance
Providing for Alternate Continent Urine Drainage
Compensating for Inadequate Ureteral Length
Incontinent diversion is no longer considered an acceptable alternative to reconstruction in the pediatric population.
The goals of urinary reconstruction are to preserve the upper urinary tract, attain socially acceptable continence, and maximize the child's ease of care and potential for self-care.
Four components of balanced urinary tract function must be achieved to ensure long-term success with urinary reconstruction.
Adequate bladder (reservoir) capacity and sufficient compliance to provide low-pressure storage.
Adequate bladder outlet resistance to maintain urinary continence.
A convenient, reliable mechanism for bladder (reservoir) emptying.
Unobstructed and nonrefluxing sterile upper tract drainage of urine into the bladder (reservoir) is desirable in order to protect the upper tracts.
There are 4 components to balanced urinary tract function that must be achieved in order to ensure long-term success with urinary reconstruction. The first component is that of adequate bladder (reservoir) capacity and sufficient compliance to provide low-pressure storage. The maintenance of storage pressures below 35 to 40 cm H2O will optimize upper-tract preservation. Optimal bladder capacity should allow a 4-hour catheterization or voiding interval during the day, and an 8-hour interval at night without reaching excessive pressure or precipitating incontinence.
The second component is that of adequate bladder outlet resistance to maintain urinary continence. Third, there must be a convenient, reliable mechanism for bladder (reservoir) emptying. Ideally, this should be achieved by spontaneous voiding, otherwise intermittent catheterization is necessary. The native urethra may represent an acceptable conduit for this maneuver, although should its catheterization prove excessively difficult or uncomfortable (preventing patient compliance), an alternative catheterizable conduit may be necessary. Fourth, unobstructed and nonrefluxing sterile upper-tract drainage of urine into the bladder (reservoir) is desirable in order to protect the upper tracts.
When contemplating urinary tract reconstruction, meticulous preoperative evaluation is critical. It is essential to tailor the reconstruction to the individual needs of the patient. Renal function is assessed by measurement of serum creatinine and glomerular filtration rate. Anatomy is assessed by intravenous urography or ultrasound, contrast voiding cystourethrography, and careful preoperative endoscopic evaluation. Evaluation of bladder and sphincteric function is of paramount importance. Here, detailed urodynamic investigation, as well as upright cystography to evaluate the competence of the bladder neck, are performed. A careful history, physical examination, and counseling of the patient and family allow an assessment of the patient's intellect, dexterity, and potential for self-care. After this assessment is completed, an exhaustive trial of nonoperative therapy is undertaken. This trial may include the use of pharmacologic agents (anticholinergics, sympathomimetics, or sympatholytics) in an attempt to achieve safe intravesical pressure from the perspectives of upper-tract preservation and continence. This trial of therapy may also include intermittent catheterization, which may result in sufficient stabilization of the urinary tract, thereby avoiding any surgical reconstruction. Moreover, this important therapeutic modality indicates the need for urinary tract reconstruction where spontaneous voiding ...
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home authors guest shorts graphical shorts
AcmeShorts
Date Written: March 22, 2005
Author: Mr. Pony
Average Vote: 4.2
03/30/2005 TheBuyer: I am going to look at this very, very carefully at least ten times.
03/30/2005 Will Disney: uh pony why did he do that?
03/30/2005 Ewan Snow (5):
03/30/2005 John Slocum: so, okay, that's ava as an old woman? author?
03/30/2005 qualcomm: maybe he could have simply administered the pills necessary for an overdose. why the five, ewan? were you touched by this? fag.
03/30/2005 John Slocum: Snow, when qualcomm called you a 'fag,' it had nothing to do with you. Don't take it personally. Qualcomm uses 'insult' as a way of getting over the hump of uncomfortable, potentially 'frictional' cyber interactions. The anger is actually directly proportional to how much affection he feels for the guy/gal on the business end of the insult. He must really like you. Hi Qualcomm!!!
03/30/2005 qualcomm: no, no, i really meant he was a fag if he was touched by this. you just don't get my code, do you?
03/30/2005 qualcomm (3): anyway, this is pretty, but not very interesting, IYAM
03/30/2005 John Slocum: It's funny, I never get your code in the sack either. Maybe that's why I always hurt you accidentally.
03/30/2005 qualcomm: everyone, when slocum makes references to a homosexual relationship with me, he's not being serious. slocum uses 'gayness' as a way of getting over the hump of uncomfortable, potentially 'frictional' human interactions.
03/30/2005 John Slocum: are there other types of human interactions? Are there other ways to deal with them?
03/30/2005 Litcube: Oh Jesus! Pony, what have you done!?
03/30/2005 The Rid (3): Underwhelmed. Though I like the one panel that shows emotion on The Fyornch's face.
03/30/2005 Ewan Snow: I gave it five because I liked it. Wasn't "touching" or "funny", but merely good. Also, I think they should send the Fyornch down to Florida to take care of that Schiavo jerk.
03/30/2005 Partytime: It appears that the water glass is meant to look nearly full. How could she take all those pills with only a sip of water? I mean old people have notoriously dry throats. My initial thought was, well Ava or Fyorch refilled the glass after the pill popping. But that's the sieve you wanted us to fall into. The keener among us would pass beyond, realizing your true intention. But the glass is empty! Or, wait...is it full? I think you've craftily hidden a metaphor in this short. If we view the glass as full, life is death. As empty, death is life. Duh.
03/30/2005 Jon Matza: I think maybe Ava wanted to be put out of her misery & was making a mute appeal to Fyornchy. Uber artwork (esp panel two), author!
03/30/2005 Partytime (4): Man, you should have Fyornch walk outside and it's all of a sudden Spring. That would be poignant. I like the pretty colors. I can't stop talking. blah blah. goodbye
03/30/2005 Litcube (5): Yes. I was going to say, panel 2 was especially vivid. You’ve set an excellent mood here, Pony. This week has been 'mood week' on acme. I think Ava’s hair, drugs (amoxicillin?), and glasses are an indication that she’s old, and perhaps dying of old age. Artistically, you’ve written just as good a story here as most literary pieces on this site. I also prefer the title 'Last Day' to 'Ava’s Last Day'. I’m very sad right now, by the way. Seriously. I'm rating this based on the intensity of the emotional fucking response I'm experiencing right now. That's right: Emotional Fucking Response.
03/30/2005 Phony Millions: What kind of emotional response, fucker? I didn't get much emotion from this one first time through, I'm curious.
03/30/2005 Klause Muppet (5): This is a good closure to the series. I admire your work author. I guess the F learnt from last time that fucking a dead body won't bring it back to life. Goodbye Ava!
03/30/2005 Litcube: Phonez: Formulating.
03/30/2005 Litcube: [Bloop. Bleep. Bloop. Bloop.]
03/30/2005 Ewan Snow: And qualcomm, I don't see how my sexuality has any bearing on the subject at hand. I happen to have a thing for death bed scenes; they interest me. I know you hate them. You're always like "Death bed, death bed, why won't everybody shut up about their death bed?!" (That's an actual quote, folks!) Not me, I don't think people think about it enough, like Tolstoy says. Also, I hate to say it, but I sort of liked this short for political reasons. I don't like this "culture of life" crap that the republicans are driveling on about, and so appreciate this euthanasia tale, even though I wasn't certain that the Fyornch intended to kill her.
03/30/2005 TheBuyer: I think he not only meant to kill her for her sake but that he also ripped off her face to remember her by but I'm done looking at it very carefully yet. Also notice the water glass through the eyeglasses, it's way off kilter from the thick lenses; very cool little detail.
03/30/2005 Jimson S. Sorghum (4): She looks pretty vacant (ahem). I wondered if she was already dead, or at least dead in the same sense old Ter' is dead.I'm at about 3.5. But I think you deserve the 4, Pony, for being so very brave.
03/30/2005 scoop: "Hey Bill what's going on. Oh so you guys are going to the bar tonight? Sounds like fun. No, sorry, I can't make it. I'm going to be BUSY THINKING ABOUT VARIOUS DEATH BED SCENARIOS. Yeah right, just like Tolstoy said. I agree, people totally don't think enough about that very particular thing."
03/30/2005 TheBuyer: I'm gonna have a def bed. pretty fly huh?
03/30/2005 Ewan Snow: Poor scoop. Are your feelings hurt?
03/30/2005 Ewan Snow: Also, I like how TREE-ish your point is: going to bars with the cool guys versus thinking about death like some kind of nerd. It's true: awareness of one's mortality is the pocket protector of existential experience. Nice work.
03/30/2005 Klause Muppet: I agree with Jimpson. She's already dead. Possibly from the pills. F looking out the window could represent time passing, therefore he's waiting for her to die. Then, once she's dead, he rips off her head.
03/30/2005 Litcube: Phony: I guess I’m a pretty sensitive fucker. We’re used to seeing a youthful, energetic, and carefree Ava. Now she’s old, and it doesn’t look like she can do much besides stare forlornly out the window. This is similar to the feeling I get when I see Bambi and Thumper all grown up. They’ve shed their charm which instils a sentimental sense of longing for the past; we’ll never see them sliding all over the ice again. Secondly, if I’ve read this right, Ava’s old now, and that fact is suggesting to me that her and Fyornch have been friends for quite some time (20’s to 60’s, perhaps). Her best friend of 40 years or so killed her (note: this is sad). Lastly, the autumn setting, for whatever reason, seems to inspire a sense of solemn finality.
03/30/2005 scoop: Hey Snow, I like how SNOW-ish your response is a -- calculated, practiced bit of condescension to deflect any criticism from yourself being a self-aggrandizing douche bloated with hot, stale arrogance. What's wrong big guy? Can dish it out but can't take it? If you would like you can replace “bar” with "poetry reading" or “film festival” or "heroin party" for that matter. Either way your “poignant” observation requires a level of audacity that is alarming. It sure is surprising how a smart guy like yourself can say such inanely flighty things. But I guess it’s not all your fault. Your trying. (5ish I3)
03/30/2005 Klause Muppet: Ava's physical appearance tells us that she has grown old (or perhaps her body is decaying after being dead for a few days). On the other hand, the F does not look any different then the previous strips. Does the F not age? How old is he? Is this an Arwen and Aragorn situation? I'm just trying to make conversation that isn't insulting to one another.
03/30/2005 TheBuyer (5): Klause, I'm starting to like the "she's already dead" interpretation. I'm also wondering if he'll just go on forever like Duncan MacLeod as opposed to that elf thing. The girl elf wasn't likely to go shacking up with just any mortal, she was -really- into that dude, but Highlander had a bunch of families/women and he watched them all die over the years in a variety of ways. Also, I'm a big fag, a big one, so five stars. I don't know thing one about drawings but I really like the colors, broken lines of the borders, the curtain tail sliding just slightly out of the frame, points of view used, and the clarity of the expressions, the big, stupid 'autumn' metaphor, and the onomatopoeias.
03/30/2005 Phony Millions (4): Having read Litcube's comments below and Snow's, reading this through one more time, I get the drift more. You have to stick with Pony a bit.
03/31/2005 Ewan Snow: Scoop, I can take it just fine, thanks. I just thought it was funny that you haven't said a word on the site in a while, and you suddenly show up with such a half-baked bit of sarcasm directed at me. And what's your point? That my post was too "flighty"? Sorry for not sticking to your prescribed level of ironic distance. Please let me know of any further "criticisms", so I can be sure not to deflect them. You're just looking to pick a fight, but I'm not in the mood.
03/31/2005 John Slocum: Oh shit, this is pony!
03/31/2005 John Slocum (4):
03/31/2005 qualcomm: i think this short fails in a couple of interesting ways.
1) as a piece of sentimentality, it's overburdened with cliches. the tone is a cliche. the autumn leaves are a cliche. the curtains blowing in are a cliche. the whole mercy killing trope is a cliche/idiom. i am far too sophisticated to be moved by a bunch of cliches, even if they are prettily rendered. these cliches are unmoving, by the way, because they're manipulative, and obviously so. they're shorthand symbols for feeling that should have the same effect on a person of substance as sentimental music swelling in a movie.
litcube said that the implication of how many decades the fyornch and ava have spent together adds to the sentiment. i disagree. there hasn't been a sufficient accretion of details for that feeling to be there. now, take the final calvin & hobbes strip, where they run out to play in the last panel. that was touching. we'd been reading the strip for nine years, and detail upon detail had accreted in that time. this short is what? the fourth in the series? it's like i've read three calvin & hobbes sunday editions, and then skipped right to the last one ever. it's not going to have much of an effect on me. i'm not saying that you couldn't make a moving, one-off strip. you could, but it'd have to be more original than this.
now, i realize that pony knows all of the above listed items are cliches, so maybe the intention was (also) humor. see point 2.
2) hello. thank you for joining. if there is a joke in this short, i think it is to knowingly take a very cliched scene and inhabit it with the recurring characters you've come to know. but this technique itself is totally timeworn as a humor device. it's the sort of gimmick that a sitcom relies on its 8th season: frasier goes out disco dancing in a white three piece suit (such an episode never happened as far as i know, but you know what i mean). this technique can work if you choose a more obscure/unlikely cliche. eg, when homer is jealous of bart's big brother mentor, and speaks angrily to bart with his back to him as he prepares a glass of whiskey at a sideboard we've never seen before.
of course, pictures are different than words, and the joke/emotion can be in how something is drawn. if that's the case here, i'd like to hear how these drawings move you assholes. or, of course, refute any of the above points. thank you.
03/31/2005 Litcube: I'm nodding slowly through most of your points (especially Calvin & Hobbes reference). Wincing at tough criticism on likening this to cliché. I saw it as effective use of symbolic imagery.
03/31/2005 Ewan Snow: They’re definitely clichés, or at least well-worn short-hand symbols, but I believe they were entirely intentional: here's some autumn leaves and some spilled pills to indicate the end of Ava's life. But I didn't think they were supposed to be ha ha funny, just because they were intentional. It was more of an ambiguous level of irony. As if Pony were saying here's this "touching" scene, you know the story. I found it neither hilarious nor moving, but did find it interesting and enjoyable. And at the risk of being accused of flightiness (the worst fear of a total ditz like me), I’ll repeat that I have a thing for death bed scenes. In this case, the fact that they’re clichés only adds to their interest. I find it interesting that the thing we spend our whole lives desperately avoiding, even though its 100% inevitable, has become a cliché, has its own set of well-worn symbols, and is dismissed as frivolous a subject. In fact, I’d say I liked this one for almost the precise reason you didn’t. I understand that the point I’m making is subtle (or maybe even downright vague), but I’m just trying to explain the appeal of this short to me.
03/31/2005 Dick Vomit: Panel 2 is the best looking Fyornch/Ava panel to date. At least, that's how it looks from here, in LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.
03/31/2005 TheBuyer: What happened, fall asleep on the bus?
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Pottercast Episode 287 “That’s Not My Baby”: Crimes of Grindelwald Deleted Scenes Unpacked
Posted by: Kim McChesney
Fantastic Beasts, Fantastic Beasts Movie, Home Video / DVD, Humor, News, PotterCast
Just in time for the release of Crimes of Grindelwald on DVD and Blu-ray, Pottercast dropped a new episode dedicated to discussing a few of the deleted scenes included in the film’s digital extras. In Episode 287: “That’s Not My Baby” Melissa, John, and Frak uncrate from their Arcanus cargo deleted scenes one thru three, which focus on none other than said baby, Credence Barebone.
Refresh those feeds because #287: “That’s Not My Baby” – digging into the first set of FB extra scenes – is out now: https://t.co/DmBU7lxJ7D
— PotterCast (@pottercast) March 12, 2019
Our hosts begin the show at the beginning, with the first deleted scene “Credence Reborn”, discussing everything from the technical aspects of the images to the implications of the Predictions of Tycho Dodonus. During their deep dive into the infamous baby switch, John understandably poses the question,
“Shouldn’t there be a spell to tell if that’s my baby or not my baby??”
They take a look at clip two, “At the Docks” when Credence presumably joins the Circus Arcanus, and get into a books vs. movies discussion.
The last scene of the episode, “Walk and Talk” is a standout of the extras, when Dumbledore reveals this key bit of info to Newt,
“I knew Grindelwald would try to catch Credence. He had a vision you see many years ago, in which an Obscurial kills a man he feared above all else.”
The trio have a heyday with this one. Make sure you listen till the end for some classic Dumbledore jabs and a very interesting theory on Voldy!
If you haven’t had a chance to see the deleted scenes from Fantastic Beasts film two, we suggest you take a look below before you listen…
The episode wraps up with talk about hitting number 300 at Leakycon10 October 11-13 with fanfare worthy of the Weasley Twins and Pottercast’s broadcast from the first PodX, the upcoming convention for podcasters and podcast fans produced by Mischief Management May 31-June 2. You can listen to Episode 287 of Pottercast, as well as past episodes here.
Related Fantastic Beasts News
Interview: 'Fantastic Beasts: The Wonder of Nature' Exhibit Opens Today At The Natural History Museum in London!
The Natural History Museum's Fantastic Beasts: The Wonder of Nature exhibit opens today, and we spoke with Lorraine Cornish, Science Lead on the exhib
'Fantastic Beasts' Alison Sudol and Dan Fogler Announced as Next 'Philosopher's Stone' Readers!
Today, Wizarding World Digital announced the ninth chapter of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone will be read by Fantastic Beasts stars
Dan Fogler Talks 'Fantastic Beasts 3' Script and Reprising the Role of Jacob
In an exclusive interview between Dan Fogler and SYFY WIRE about his Heavy Metal Comics, the conversation took a welcome turn into wizarding territory
Harry Potter Archive
Tweets by leaky
Harry Potter Essays
Scribbulus Issue 28
Scribbulus is THE place for Leaky Cauldron readers to submit their essays and opinion pieces!
You're Angry, I'm AngryThe Sorting Hat, Ideology, and Free WillThe (Un)Forgivable CursesSee the rest over at Scribbulus!
The Leaky Cauldron is not associated with J.K. Rowling, Warner Bros., or any of the individuals or companies associated with producing and publishing Harry Potter books and films.
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Showing posts from December 16, 2007
14 Pro-lifers Arrested Outside Giuliani's Headquarters
14 Pro-lifers Arrested Outside Giuliani's Headquarters Anti-Abortion Legend, Joan Andrews Bell and Companions Refuse to Pay Fine; Jailed for 5 Days "There should be 1,000 pro-lifers sitting in at Giuliani's offices nationwide; he is like Joseph Stalin when it comes to killing the innocent." -- Joan Andrews-Bell MANCHESTER, New Hampshire, Dec. 21 /Christian Newswire/ -- 14 arrested outside Rudy Giuliani's headquarters in Manchester. Among them were dedicated anti-Abortion leaders, Randall Terry (founder of Operation Rescue), Joan Andrews-Bell (who has served multiple years in prison and is the Author of "You Reject Them, You Reject Me.") and her son Emiliano (whom suffers from "frozen joint disease" and was adopted after being rescued from a dumpster after being born with no legs.) 11 anti-abortion protestors led by Randall Terry were arrested on Tuesday for blocking the entrance to Guiliani's headquarters and charged for criminal tresp
Giuliani's FOX News Attacks Huckabee
So there is a "possible link between the Giuliani campaign and Fox News CEO Roger Ailes." If Hillary were a Republican, FOX would be pushing her on the "pro-life" Hannity show. Fred "In the fall, a story broke regarding a possible link between the Giuliani campaign and Fox News CEO Roger Ailes which was meant to bolster the former New York Mayor's popularity." RFFM.org Commentary Daniel T. Zanoza, National Director Dan@rffm.org December 16, 2007 As Huckabee Soars, Attacks Soar, Too: Especially From FOX News? by Daniel T. Zanoza I haven't decided who I will support among the gaggle of Republicans seeking their party's presidential nomination. Well, there's one candidate who I will never support and that's former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani. However, like many, I have been astounded by the meteoric rise in the polls of former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee. Recent polling indicates Huckabee has a double-digit lead in I
The Iraq Debate: Russell Shaw's Closing Statement
The Iraq Debate: Russell Shaw's Closing Statement by Russell Shaw 12/14/07 Display Full Article/Printer Friendly | Send to a Friend Five quick comments: 1. My thanks to Bob Reilly for making my point: UN weapons inspectors were back in Iraq months before the U.S.-led invasion. That Saddam Hussein wasn't happy is neither surprising nor relevant. 2. Even I, no expert in such matters, can see something slightly, shall we say, fishy about anti-Saddam revelations by a defecting brother-in-law. In any case, this inventory of Saddam's WMD arsenal goes back eight years before the war. I share Reilly's wonderment at the disappearance of such a formidable force -- supposing it ever existed, that is. 3. It's beside the point that President Clinton in 1998 signed a measure declaring it American policy to "support efforts" to overturn Saddam Hussein. Lending unspecified support to others -- in this case, presumably, disaffected Iraqis -- and launching
The Iraq Debate: Robert R. Reilly's Closing Statement
The Iraq Debate: Robert R. Reilly's Closing Statement by Robert R. Reilly 12/14/07 Display Full Article/Printer Friendly | Send to a Friend It simply will not do to demote the importance of enforcing treaties at the end of wars to some kind of adolescent "need to save face." After World War I, the Allies failed to enforce the provision of the Versailles Treaty that forbade German forces from remilitarizing the Rhineland. The cost of that failure was not simply "humiliation," but World War II. To not enforce the 1991 cease-fire agreement with Iraq would have been to abandon the political goals for which the war had been fought. Russell Shaw does not bother to address the potential costs of such a defeat, probably because he thinks Saddam was "a pipsqueak tyrant," who offered no real threat. Hitler was a pipsqueak in 1936, until he faced down the Allies, whose military forces were at that time far superior to the German. In the former Y
EXAMINATION OF CONSCIENCE BEFORE CONFESSION
http://www.unitypublishing.com/Newsletter/Confession.html EXAMINATION OF CONSCIENCE BEFORE CONFESSION 1. Have I ever failed to confess a serious sin, disguised it or justified it? 2. Have I been guilty of irreverence for this sacrament by failing to examine my conscience carefully? 3. Have I failed to perform the penance given me by the confessor or disobeyed any of his directions? 4. Have I neglected the Easter duty of receiving Holy Communion or failed to confess my sins within a year? 5. Have I any HABITS of serious sin to confess first (impurity, drunkenness, gossip, anger, sloth, vanity, neglect of duties, etc.)? FIRST THREE COMMANDMENTS Love God with your whole heart, mind and soul FIRST COMMANDMENT Am I ignorant of my catechism (Act of Contrition, Apostle's Creed, Ten Commandments, Seven Sacraments, the Our Father)? Have I willfully doubted or denied any of the teachings of the Church (heresy)? Have I taken active part in any non-Catholic worship? Am I a memb
Romney is No JFK
Romney vs. JFK BY The Editors December 16-22, 2007 Issue | Posted 12/11/07 at 1:47 PM There are reasons a Catholic might wince when Mitt Romney, a Mormon and the former governor of Massachusetts, gives a speech about religious tolerance. We found plenty. But we also found reasons to applaud. The first reason to wince is the anti-Catholic nature of his religion. Mormons believe that Christ failed in his project to found a church, and that the history of Christendom is the story of “The Great Apostate,” the Catholic Church. More than 1,800 years would pass before the true church was founded: the Church of Latter-Day Saints. The second reason to wince is the political legacy of Mitt Romney. It was on Romney’s watch that the Supreme Court of Massachusetts demanded that the state’s Legislature legalize homosexual “marriage” — among the most damaging usurpations of legislative power by a judicial body in American history. America is a democracy. Here, citizens and their representative
14 Pro-lifers Arrested Outside Giuliani's Headquar...
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Poetic Science: Bidirectional Reflection in Science and Medicine
Sherry-Ann Brown, MD, PhD1
The arts are making their mark in science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics/medicine (STEAM). Integrating creative expression—poetry and other visual and performing arts—can help clinicians, scientists, and others use familiar social constructs to embody
science and medicine, in what may be termed poetic science. Poetic science imbues bidirectional reflections of science and medicine on the clinician or scientist or other inquisitor, creatively engaging the learner’s brain cells as mirrors. This ultimately leads to a subjective perspective on the understanding or the proposition of underlying principles. Such an approach is encouraged here with poignant examples that can be accessed publicly online and used widely by readers, teachers, learners, clinicians, scientists, students, and others.
Medicine and the sciences are in some ways a language spoken by nature, the human body, and everything else around us. Children can translate the sciences into their own language through writing, dancing, drawing, and singing their understanding of the world.1 Their stories contextualize their experiences, and keeping science journals helps them explore and refine their own thinking processes.1 Just as children interpret language freely,1 so too should clinicians, scientists, and other learners of all ages interpret the sciences as a reflection of their subjectivity, and translate science into a language that can make an indelible mark on their memories (Figure 1). Imagination, which is cultivated by poetry, is thought to be a necessary stimulus for really good work in original research.2 It has even been suggested that a poet be employed as a permanent staff member of research laboratories.2 The poet would serve as a man of imagination to greatly assist the man of fact.2
Literary and scientific discourses are indeed distinct beasts, yet a partnership between the majestic beasts can create beauty. This beauty exists in ambiguity, as described in the following sentences. Interpretation of poetry and other forms of creative expression is often left to the recipient. Similarly, subjective interpretation of the objective data in science or medicine is often left to the clinician or scientist. This subjectivity can present ambiguity, as 2 scientists or clinicians can have varied opinions from their own professional frame of reference after interrogating the same data. As they view the data, their methods of discovery and problem solving benefit from both metaphor and analogy. Thus, the pursuit of medicine and science involves both objective and subjective aspects.3,4
Lyrical presentation of the sciences and allowance for subjective expression of objectivity can facilitate deeper understanding and learning.5-7 Indeed, such companionship between the subjective and the objective, in a sense between complex equals in their own right, can deepen experiences in medicine, in sciences, and in life (Figure 2 and Appendix A. Creative Braina). The partnership or companionship can form a bridge between body and mind, the physical and the intellectual, the matter and the mind,8 thereby increasing divergent thinking skills and creativity.9 Such a collaboration forged between poetry (or other forms of creativity) and medicine or the sciences10 can be termed poetic science (see Appendix B. Glossarya and Sidebar: Poetic Science: Reflecting Shape and Form). Poetic science refers to the art form, as well as the tangible creative work itself, and the actual practice of creative expression. Various forms of poetic science as a creative medium are currently in use as a means of informing understanding, interpretation, and learning of the objectivity and subjectivity in science or medicine; various other authors, tutors, and learners have produced creative expression of science and medicine.5,10-27
In the poem in the Sidebar: Poetic Science: Reflecting Shape and Form, when the expectation that poetry and various sciences have to be mutually exclusive is set aside (by “removing the gate between the left and right brain”), poetic science can be created. This allows “science to tread poetry’s terrain,” by calling on several skills common to both. The substrates for creative expression of science are theoretically wound onto a spool (shape of the poetic science poem observed from top to bottom) as they “converge on the brain stem.” Such substrates include critical skills such as the use of metaphors, imagination, creativity, and analysis.10 Using poetry (or other forms of creative expression such as visual or performing arts) to express biomedical or scientific principles results in several outcomes. The poetic scientist improves those common skills, thinks more deeply about interpretation of medical and scientific observations, probes literature to ensure that the creative expression is evidence based, and often thereby discovers or comes to understand a new truth that was previously unrecognized or unrealized. As the thoughts and ideas are conducted along the nerve fibers like threads, sparks fly, and flashes of light emerge (scintillation), as lightbulbs turn on in science and medical classrooms. Poetic science therefore interweaves or sews together 2 kinds of disciplines in much the same way that an orchestra makes cohesive unique music from organizing sounds and talents from individual instruments and artists.
Philosophy and mythology both explain how medicine or science and poetry or other forms of creativity were once presumed communal.28,29 Collections of medical poets or poetic physicians spanning thousands of years demonstrated the historical friendship and camaraderie between medicine/science and poetry or other forms of creative expression.28 Yet, through the ages, distance grew between the practice of science/medicine and efforts at creative expression. For decades and perhaps centuries, physicians were ridiculed or attacked for writing poetry; poetry and medicine were assumed incompatible, and people were assumed possibly efficient at only 1 subject, not 2.28,29 Nevertheless, physicians and scientists continued to compose poetry and prose to express emotions and thoughts of ease, disease, habits, hobbies, and culture.28
Thankfully, as most things do, perspectives on medicine and poetry have come full circle. After having made a 360-degree survey of interactions between medicine and poetry, it is probable that creative expression in medicine is now experiencing its “latter rain.” One of the first physicians to carefully craft a poetic piece that was well received publicly happened to write about relationships between spirituality or religion and science or medicine.28 Another physician who was credited with writing poetically was a spiritual man named Luke, from early in the first century AD. Now that we have come full circle, perhaps we can also use an analogy from spirituality to help us understand relationships between creative expression and science or medicine. In Luke’s time, the “latter rain” was expected to be more glorious than the “former rain.” Perhaps now in the era of poetic science, we may be experiencing the “latter rain” of professional society’s embrace of the age-old friendship between science/medicine and poetry or other forms of creative expression. In other words, we may be the ones to experience, advocate for, and restore a public permanence of harmony between science/medicine and creative expression.29
After all, poetry and science/medicine are more than “just friends.” Poetry and science/medicine can reflect each other so intimately that if one does not look closely, one might wonder where one ends and the other begins. Both poetry and medicine have been credited with astute dependence on imagination and spontaneity for discovery, creativity, and propagation of beauty and truth.2,28 Poetry is thought to help physicians and scientists make connections between isolated findings in science or medicine,2 in part by way of analogy, but primarily by considering new discoveries or creative output in the context of what is already known, felt, or understood.
POETIC SCIENCE: BIDIRECTIONAL REFLECTION
The scientist or physician who translates poetry from other languages to his/her own language may be thought of as a “bringer-over” or ferryman (or ferrywoman, ferryperson), who transports the cargo embedded in the poem to a new language2 or a new form of expression. In the same way, the scientist or physician who is writing a poem de novo is also serving as a “bringer-over” or ferryman. The embedded cargo in this case is a more profound understanding of science or medicine, indeed a reflection of the sciences or medicine (Figure 1). This principle is not limited to poetry. Leonardo da Vinci is credited with the comment that a painting is silent poetry to be seen, poetry is a painting to be felt, and both are reflective art. Thus, various forms of creative expression not confined to poetry alone are captured in poetic science. The cognitive aspect of literary activity increases insight and continuous reflection on our work30 and our practice of the art of medicine. It is this attribute that allows the learner to project his/her suppositions onto medicine or the sciences, with a reflected wave that makes an indelible mark on the learner’s consciousness (Figure 1).
It is most important to recognize that the reflection in poetic science is bidirectional. Clinicians, scientists, and others reflect on science and medicine by interrogating objective data and composing prose, poetry, or other media of creative expression to record subjective expression of the data. In other words, we record in our own words what we have absorbed. We absorb some of the waves that emanate from medicine or science; some of the waves are reflected from us onto medicine or science itself. Because of this, as we seek the truth in medicine or science, we impose on the truth our own understanding, interpretation, frame of reference, and perspective in what we record. Does this mean that the truth in medicine or science changes from person to person? No, the truth itself is absolute, but our subjective interpretation of the objective truth is not. In this way, poetic science involves bidirectional reflection in science and medicine (Figure 1).
Bidirectional reflection is not unique to clinicians or scientists in science or medicine. More broadly, bidirectional reflection is relevant to everyone in any walk of life. For example, a proposed mirror neuron system in the brain helps mediate audiovisual interaction and interpretation between musicians and their audience.31 The mirror neuron system fires with both observation of an action and execution of the same action.32 By analogy, poetic science in the form of music or literature tells a narrative that unfolds in time with temporal stress and repetition33 that can be followed to learn more about its interpretation of medicine or science through synthesis of the arts. Perhaps lyric, verse, dance, prose, or any art form mediates the projection of the learner’s subjectivity onto medicine or science and the reflection of medicine or science onto the learner’s conceptual framework and understanding (Figure 2). This too can apply to any practitioner or professional in medicine or science (medical and graduate students, nurses, chaplains, ethicists, hospital administrators, etc) or professionals in other fields as well.
Notably, the medial prefrontal cortex, an area at the front of the brain, is thought to activate during freestyle (spontaneous unedited) rap and generation and revision of poetry, consistent with sustained motivation during the freestyle or poetry-writing process34,35 (Figure 3). This area also activates with higher technical facility in poetry writing.34 The dorsolateral prefrontal and parietal executive systems, located just behind the medial prefrontal cortex, engage more strongly during poetry revision and are attenuated during freestyle rap and poetry generation, suggesting more cognitive control during revision relative to spontaneous generation34,35 (Figure 3). The dorsolateral prefrontal and parietal executive systems are also thought to be activated with a greater extent of innovation in the poems34 and with an impact of music on associative strategies for successful encoding and retrieving of verbal material.36 Both areas of the brain are also associated with other regions relevant to the creative process in a network linking motivation, language, affect, and movement.34,35 Similar networks have also been demonstrated to be activated during aesthetic assessment of paintings,37 improvisation by jazz musicians,38 as well as dance,39 architectural space,40 and reading literature or listening to music produced by others.33,41 In the same way that the creative process can be mapped onto the brain, the brain and its disorders can also be mapped or mirrored in creative expression (see Appendix C. I Love the Spine Neck,a Appendix D. A Delicate Dance,a and Appendix E. Ataxic MatchMakera). One could imagine that the brain (or any other topic in science or medicine) and the creative expression could be placed figuratively as parallel mirrors (or “infinity mirrors”), with the potential for infinite reflection and recall in an ideal world; 2 mirrors placed in parallel can give a seemingly unending series of reflections that progressively become smaller and smaller toward infinity.
POETIC SCIENCE: COLLECTION
When one learns of writing poetry about medicine or science, often one beams in amazement at the possible merging of the 2 fields. This interaction of poetry and medicine or science in alliance for discovery20 can be illustrated in a variety of creative science collections, such as a poetic science collection that addresses subjective and emotional aspects of a variety of problems in science and medicine. As with other examples, such a collection enriches understanding and encourages interpretation by providing several poems written about or inspired by experiences in medicine or the sciences. One such collection is provided as an online resource to supplement this article:
1. Poetic Science STEAM Seminar Video Series: http://bit.ly/2i1jg2D, http://bit.ly/2DKXElq (audio version: http://bit.ly/2GoJfZV);
2. Poetic Science STEAM Slidesets: http://bit.ly/2fFX4dw, http://bit.ly/2i0mN0Z, http://bit.ly/2vDuGww.
This poetry collection was initiated in response to a universal movement recognizing the value of poetic science. The poem “Coincident Incident” was written at an annual conference sponsored by the American Society for Cell Biology (see Appendix F. Coincident Incident—Extendeda). In December 2007 in Washington, DC, competitors were given 3 minutes, a microphone, a stage, and an audience composed of hundreds of conference attendees. Thirty minutes before the start of this science creative expression competition called “Cell Slam,” the author finally sat and wrote down poetic science inspirations. In those moments, the poem “Coincident Incident” was birthed. In “Coincident Incident” (see Appendix F. Coincident Incident—Extendeda) the author suggests an analogy between 1) arriving at a restaurant while the kitchen is still open and being able to be served a meal within a short time window before the restaurant closes and 2) an influx of extracellular calcium into the cerebellar Purkinje nerve cell cytoplasm (inside a cell at the back of the brain responsible for coordinating one’s movements). This influx occurs through cell membrane-bound calcium channels before the inositol trisphosphate (IP3; a protein that regulates calcium levels in the brain cell) and calcium signals mediated by the IP3 receptor fade away, while the 50-millisecond to 100-millisecond time window is still open.42,43 The opportunity for a meal is likened to the opportunity for supranormal calcium release, elucidated by biomathematical modeling. The poem describes the importance of the coincident incidence. The calcium refers to the author and a friend (or vice versa); the nerve cell represents the restaurant; the calcium signals mediated by the IP3 receptor refer to the meal prepared in the kitchen of the restaurant; and the short time window during which the IP3-mediated calcium signal is available refers to that time window between the start of the poem and the closing of the kitchen at the restaurant. This poem captures just 1 example of coincident incidence, which is a pervasive phenomenon in medicine and science.
The result for the poem “Coincident Incident” was educational, entertaining, hilarious, and much too long (see Appendix F. Coincident Incident—Extendeda). The Cell Slam master of ceremonies danced in front of the stage to encourage the presenter to abandon the task. Even though the poem would be disqualified for lasting 5 minutes, the audience enjoyed the lyrical presentation and heartily expressed appreciation during and after delivery. The master of ceremonies jested that the reviewers might suggest splitting the poem into 2 manuscripts—1 for the preamble leading up to the restaurant, and the other an abridged version (see Appendix F. Coincident Incident–Abridgeda) describing the analogy between 1) arriving while the restaurant’s kitchen is still open and 2) calcium influx occurring at just the right time! That narrative is nostalgic of the spirited tenacity that promotes success in education and research. Therefore, the process of poetic science can literally and figuratively recapitulate and truly reflect the author’s own experiences as a medical and graduate student, then as a medical resident and clinical and postdoctoral fellow, and now as an instructor and faculty in medicine and science.
POETIC SCIENCE: TRUTH TELLING
Similar to the author, but of much more prominence and eminence, Ralph Waldo Emerson’s career included a series of lectures on the sciences. Emerson lived out his vision of poetic science, unifying many themes in the heart of American culture including ethical social practice, moral law, and sacred truth.44 Indeed, the truth must be delineated in one’s mind to write thoughts about medicine and science in the form of poems or other literary media. As each line of a poem is written, one must ponder whether the thought was true or instead simply caused by imagination. Such pondering can lead one back to reviewing scientific literature, experiment logs, or biomathematical simulations to see whether the written lines can be left as they are, or whether corrections must be made. The process of truth seeking therefore complements and may even precede communication of ideas on paper or digital media. The underlying premise for creative expression then is truth, or perception of truth—truth that is not discounted by biomathematical or wet-laboratory experiments but is, in fact, suggested and supported by these methods. Thus, poetic science can be a form of truth telling. Indeed, the ultimate objective for both artists and scientists, and also good physicians, is to pinpoint the truth and communicate this clearly and succinctly to others for appraisal.45,46
For physicians, patients are the primary appraisers and recipients of our truth telling. It is imperative that we appropriately and closely inspect the objective and subjective data presented to us by patients or clinical colleagues (as we would a work of visual, fine, or performance art), to accurately diagnose and prognosticate the patient’s condition. Although analogy and metaphor can be useful in this endeavor, imagination, creativity, and careful observation are also key. Once the diagnosis and prognosis are determined, this truth must be usefully communicated to the patient. For many medical conditions, prognostication can be riddled with uncertainty. This is especially the case when enrolling patients in clinical trials. Because of randomization, clinicians are unable to tell patients upfront whether they will receive the investigational intervention vs a placebo or sham. Even if patients are randomly assigned to receive the investigational intervention, each individual’s outcome remains uncertain, or “investigational.” This truth of uncertainty (which itself at once resembles a paradox) must be communicated to the individual enrolling in the clinical trial, in a kind, compassionate, trustworthy, and humble manner. Such an experience, or ones like it, can be common to clinicians, nurses, study coordinators, ethicists, chaplains, hospital administrators, and many other professionals involved in the patient’s pathway of care in medicine or science. Science is implicated, because the doer or learner of science must maintain intellectual curiosity and a commitment to seeking and reporting only the truth, with the knowledge that others in science and medicine will depend on this truth, which can ultimately have tremendous implications for the patient. Thus, the truth of scientific observations and concepts must always be preserved.
Importantly, the truth in science can appear to evolve, as new discoveries (which are direct outcomes of creativity) shed new light on mechanisms and pathophysiology. Yet, it is not the underlying truth itself that is evolving. It is the perception, interpretation, or subjective bidirectional reflection of the objective data that evolves as new data unfold. By way of illustration, the truth of scientific and biomathematical concepts based on perturbation and homeostasis can be considered analogous to social concepts of harmony and balance. In this illustration, molecules interact with each other in much the same way that humans do, albeit at a much lower order of thought. Molecules dance and kiss and hug and shake hands. They swim past each other and run alongside one another. Not just molecules but characteristics of the molecules. Their quantity and sensitivity and responsiveness and specificity can be modulated physiologically and pathophysiologically in a coordinated fashion, just as choreographed dance can. Molecular assembly in a series of steps intrinsic to a cell can also resemble a choreographed dance, or a sequence of scenes in a movie, except that the movie repeats itself over and over. This could be akin to going to see the same movie many times but each time gaining a different perspective from the same picture—a perspective that rests in homeostasis after each perturbation.
The truth of scientific and pathophysiologic concepts is not always easy to discover but often derives from tremendous effort and anticipation of breakthrough that yield the drive to push toward it. Suitably, the poem “Scientific Birth” alludes to this effort and persistence in pursuit of discovering truth (see Sidebar: Scientific Birth). This pursuit of a particular answer to a question can sometimes lead to discovery of an unrelated and important truth (as was the case for a scientific study example from Brown et al47). This phenomenon captures what has been referred to as the cloud (Appendix B. Glossarya).48 The scientist finding the discovery in the cloud can result in the development and mastery of a (frequently novel) niche. A poem can reflect or take the shape of scientific or biologic objects. Each stanza of the science poem “Scientific Birth” illustrates a different shape with the same structure: A head (most lines of the stanza) that culminates in a narrower neck (last line of the stanza). The stanza demonstrates the varying radii and lengths of cerebellar Purkinje nerve spines (or protrusions) of different geometries.42
It behooves us to consider that as we seek to discover and retell the truth from our own subjective perspective, our very humanism itself—with our biases, assumptions, and value judgments—has the potential to compromise or undermine our relaying of the truth.49,50 Our poems and other media for creative expression are instruments that can produce attitudes in recipients of our work, who may openly trust our poems and other creative expressions as they might frankly trust a friend, and whose assent we win through constructing convincing voices as creatively distinctive speakers that move and challenge them.49 We must guard against injustice to them, which in the end would be injustice to ourselves, our colleagues, our patients, our clients, society at-large, and science and medicine at their purest.
Poetic Science: Different Perspectives
The pure truth in nature can be approached from different angles. The eye of each beholder will determine the slant with which truth is interpreted and, moreover, appreciated. This underscores the philosophy of bidirectional reflection between 1) the inquisitor or the learner and 2) science or medicine. This can be captured in various forms of creative expression in poetic science; inasmuch as the process is objective, it is also subjective.48
Perhaps then, poetry and science could be regarded as interdependent means of learning more about the world (see Appendix G. Poetic Science Paraphraseda). Although the sciences and poetry are often perceived as worlds apart, they are alike in many ways.51 Scientists and poets regard the world with wonder and provide records as witnesses, in such a way that an observation could easily become a poem.51 Furthermore, poets investigate the sciences, scientists of various sorts are tempted by verse, and poetry and science occasionally get together for tea, like old friends.52 It may be that whereas a scientist reflects on the world by looking outward with prediction, the poet reflects inward in a continuous intimate motion,53 both producing their version of truth telling. Consider, for example, that the scientist and the poet stand on 2 sides of a revolving door. Each side gives a different perspective on the world around the singular door constantly yielding to momentum. Nevertheless, both the scientist (or physician) and the poet (or other kind of artist) seek to make a difference31 and to leave a mark or memento where they have trod. The scientist hopes that this is some elucidation of the underpinning that explains the hidden mysteries inside the human body, human behavior, or nature. The artist hopes that it is a profound depiction and encapsulation of the overlying hues that permeate the external world. Thus, the scientist artist or poetic scientist can wed 2 different perspectives from both sides of the revolving door, in appreciation of both the objective and the subjective. In this way, creative expression of medicine and science can empower the imagination beyond what is already known or understood.53 The sciences and medicine continue to evolve and provide new worlds for poetry to explore, leading to metaphorical fusion.54 Accordingly, numerous scientist artists have adopted titles such as “Poetic Science” or “Poetry of Science” for their creative collections.
Poetic Science: Motion for Motivation
Poetic science may help physicians understand the plight of our patients and shape motivation for pressing on in learning and innovation. For example, the poem “How Will I Dance?” (see Sidebar: How Will I Dance?) goes beyond the objective aspects of the science and medicine of ataxia (a medical disorder affecting movement) to the subjective aspects of the illness.55 Such a poem can have an impact on not only clinicians but also on patients. By illustration, several months after receiving a diagnosis of ataxia, a patient received this poem as a holiday gift from her sister.56 The patient and her extended family were brought to tears and felt it was a perfect gift. Consequently, writing and sharing such pieces can have an impact on clinicians and other learners, as well as patients. Such impact may help learners understand far-reaching influences of molecules and biological processes involved in biomathematical and wet-laboratory experiments.
Voracious Exhortation
As in “How Will I Dance?” (see Sidebar: How Will I Dance?), the poem “Just One More Step” (see Sidebar: Just One More Step) encourages the recipient, no matter how difficult a task may seem, to grab the challenge by the horns and resolve to take just one more step.57 This continuous resolution leads to triumph that one must define for oneself. The need for such resolve resonates with countless persons in science and medicine, including the poem’s author. To illustrate, as one matures in the sciences or medicine, one also learns a lot about the process of doing research. One learns how to fail without considering oneself a failure. Yet, one comes to understand that experiments will fail, that in some sense, experiments should be expected to fail. When experiments finally work, a truth may be discovered that, although not the original pursuit, is worth publishing. In this process, one presents ideas to colleagues, advisors, or mentors and pays keen attention to feedback. Somewhere in the midst of cooperative brainstorming, concordant ideas will dance in harmony and emergence.
Importantly, scholars of science and medicine should recognize that experiments and plans do not define one’s identity. Every learner should recognize that s/he is more than a test tube, a pipette, a keyboard, a pen, a stethoscope, a scalpel, and the back of an envelope, combined. Then the intellect and creative soul can freely engage in the Argentinean tango or any other sort of dance that celebrates two. Such a choreographed outcome can result from many previously unchoreographed steps. With each challenge, difficulty, struggle, or roadblock, one must resolve “just as I could choose to stop, I could instead choose to step ... ,” as exhorted in the poem “Just One More Step”57 (see Sidebar: Just One More Step). On reading the poem, one midcareer scientist and one midcareer physician were brought to tears, thinking about their own struggles and those of their trainees. One young patient with dysfunctional peripheral nerves and limited sensation and motor function in his legs felt “Just One More Step” hit home for him in a practical way. Stories like these inspire the poem’s author to continue to voraciously read scientific and medical articles and textbooks, and thoughtfully write creative manuscripts, essays, and poems, to continuously build capacity for impact in poetic science.
POETIC SCIENCE CAN EMBODY SCIENCE AND MEDICINE
A few novel examples are shared here in the forms of poems: “I Love The Spine Neck” (see Appendix C. I Love the Spine Necka and Appendix I. I Love The Spine Neck Diagrama), “A Delicate Dance” (see Appendix D. A Delicate Dance and Appendix J. A Delicate Dance Diagrama), and “Ataxic MatchMaker” (see Appendix E. Ataxic MatchMaker and Appendix K. Ataxic MatchMaker Diagrama). These poems illustrate creative expression in the disciplines of medicine, neurobiology, and cell biology and are appropriate for all age levels, particularly undergraduate and graduate students. Learning concepts include ataxia (a failure of muscle coordination),58 form and function of the dendritic spine (a microscopic component of nerve structure), geometric diversity of the spine neck (the neck connects the spine, a protrusion from a branch of the nerve cell, to the rest of the nerve cell), characteristics such as concentration or sensitivity to activation of the IP3 receptor type 1 (an important receptor for calcium signals in nerve cells), calcium signal inputs and outputs, and homeostasis (in response to perturbations in nerve cells) (see Appendix K. Constructs of Poetic Science and STEAMa). Several creative works have been crafted to embody these concepts (see Appendix C. I Love the Spine Neck,a Appendix D. A Delicate Dance,a and Appendix E. Ataxic MatchMakera), and referenced in this section. Because poetic science items should always be intimately related to findings in nature, science, and medicine, the example poems included here are closely linked to published articles in journals, newsletters, magazines, and books about science or medicine42,47,57,58-71 (see Appendix M. Poetic Science: STEAM Approacha).
The poem “I Love the Spine Neck” is based on thoughts about the cerebellum in the posterior brain that coordinates movement (see Appendix C. I Love the Spine Necka). This occurs because of biochemical signals involving calcium, IP3, and phosphoinositol bisphosphate (PIP2) in cerebellar Purkinje neurons. The poem is also based on thoughts about systems biology and computational neuroscience or mathematical neuroscience, which involve using mathematics and various tools in biotechnology (such as 3-dimensional reconstruction of the cerebellar Purkinje nerve cell) to study the brain42,66,72,73 (see Appendix H. The Spine Neck diagrama). The poem focuses on the contributions of the spine and its neck to calcium measurements in the “wet lab” and to biomathematical experiments.65,66
The poem “A Delicate Dance” is more technical in its descriptions65 and portrays movement functions disrupted in ataxia, as well as their importance for the affected individual (see Appendix D. A Delicate Dancea and Appendix J. A Delicate Dance diagrama). It draws on inspiration from the National Ataxia Foundation (www.ataxia.org) and alludes to potential therapies such as ICpeptide, a protein fragment that binds the IP3 receptor to modulate calcium levels. These therapeutic pathways also were interrogated through biomathematical modeling.65
The poem “Ataxic MatchMaker” (see Appendix E. Ataxic MatchMakera) is a follow-up to “A Delicate Dance.” It is based on biomathematical modeling of scientific concepts of perturbation and compensation mediated by calcium-binding proteins (parvalbumin and calbindin),65 as well as social concepts of harmony and homeostasis (see Appendix I. Ataxic MatchMaker diagrama). It also draws on results of several wet-laboratory experiments from other groups.62-64,67-71,74,75 It presents the concepts of function, dysfunction, crossroads, and passing the torch to the next generation.
POETIC SCIENCE: CREATIVE ENGAGEMENT
Engaging Clinicians and Scientists in Poetic Science
Aesthetic engagement, such as response to visual art, associates with openness and interest in novelty.76 Such novelty can facilitate learning and discovery in medicine and the sciences. Novelty and curiosity can also lead to integrative aesthetics, in which fusion of art, scenery, lighting, color, music, poetry, drama, performance, touch, and perfume are incorporated to heighten sensation and intellectual speculation.31
Such intermingling of artistic and philosophical disciplines can be thought of as counterpoint,31 which is an intriguing artistic term. Counterpoint refers to the combination of 2 or more elements that are at the same time complementary and contrasting to each other, usually in music or other visual, fine, or performing art forms. Examples can include adding harmonies to melodies in music, in such a way that the 2 elements contrast each other and maintain their own independent character. In a sense, the 2 elements enhance each other to yield an emergent and beautiful outcome. Similarly, intermingling of creative expression and medicine or science for the sake of novelty, curiosity, and learning could also be termed counterpoint as a process of bidirectional reflection to yield a pleasantly informative outcome (Figure 1).
Thus, poetic science may be useful for transdisciplinary sharing, education, and learning in science, medicine, and the arts. Additionally, poetic science can highlight the human component of science and medicine. Such discourse could potentially also be appreciated by medical and graduate students, nurses, chaplains, ethicists, hospital administrators, and so on.
Various other authors, tutors, and learners have produced creative expression of science and medicine.5,11-14 There are multiple resources available for engaging clinicians and scientists in poetic science. For example, a brief guide illustrates how to write a 55-word story packed with impact while maintaining simplicity.15 Other examples describe taking students to examine painted portraits to improve their observational skills,16 small-group training using photography or art plus dance to develop pattern recognition,17 encouraging learners in exercises of reading and writing literary works to embrace news ways of revealing and telling truth,18 offering the option of submitting novel creative media to explore learning through visual art or music as a way of reflecting19 (Figure 1), or bringing diverse scientists and poets together for mutual inspiration leading to a balanced mix of scientific verse and prose.20 Resources also exist for creative arts teaching and practice in general.1,77-79 Many use pretest and posttest questions to evaluate learning (see potential suggestions in Appendix N. A Poetic Science Approach to Educationa). Such materials could be iteratively developed further by practitioners and learners after literature review, drawing on prior publications on creative expression in science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics/medicine (STEAM) education5,10-13,21-27,80 (see Appendix Ma).
Potential Approach for Social Media
To innovatively expand the impact of poetic science, the digital portions of poetic science could be further applied to individuals on Facebook and Twitter, or other forms of social media.
Whereas electronic paths may be traced via Facebook, Twitter is thought to offer more anonymity regarding electronic links pursued by individuals on Twitter as opposed to following the same links from Facebook. Thus, applying digital poetic science on Twitter may potentially suit an exempt institutional review board application for educational purposes. Tweets could mention trending hashtags related to poetry, science, creativity, humanities, digital humanities, and medicine. For a neurobiology audience, trending neuroscience and neurology hashtags (eg, #Neurology, #Neurologist, and #Neuroscience at the time of this publication), as well as influencers on Twitter (individuals well positioned on Twitter to reach a broad audience once one connects with them) could be mentioned in the tweets about the poetic science project.
To maximize benefit from the study, the study designer should undertake a clear evaluation process, such as one along the lines of the following. Very brief information about the poetic science project and the link to a simple anonymous multiple-choice pretest (eg, hosted on www.surveymonkey.com; Palo Alto, CA) could be posted on Twitter with mentions of trending hashtags and influencers. The pre-pretest could then direct individuals to additional information and links for the Poetic Science STEAM Seminar Video Series located at http://bit.ly/2i1jg2D, http://bit.ly/2DKXElq (audio version: http://bit.ly/2GoJfZV) and the Poetic Science STEAM PowerPoint Slides located at http://bit.ly/2fFX4dw, http://bit.ly/2i0mN0Z, http://bit.ly/2vDuGww. Individuals could be invited to leave or send in testimonials after interacting with these resources. These could all then link to an identical multiple-choice posttest (eg, hosted on www.surveymonkey.com) with a request for individuals to take the posttest, whether or not they completed the pretest. At the end of the posttest, individuals could again be offered the opportunity to leave comments and testimonials in a free-form text box, if desired. The results could be collated and displayed, presented, or even submitted for publication, with the goal of furthering the impact of poetic science.
a Available from: www.thepermanentejournal.org/files/2018/17-177-Appendix.pdf.
The author is grateful to Sherida Powell, PhD, formerly of George Washington University in Washington, DC, for conversation leading to the first half of the poem “Coincident Incident”; and to all who have laid eyes on and commented on Poetic Science.
Brown S-A. Poetic science: Bidirectional reflection in science and medicine. Perm J 2019;23:17-177. DOI: https://doi.org/10.7812/TPP/17-177
1 Department of Cardiovascular Disease, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN
Sherry-Ann Brown, MD, PhD (
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'DWTS' Season 29 Celeb Cast Revealed!
photo courtesy of abc.com
It's here! It's September so that means a multitude of things, one of them being the big reveal of the celebrity 'Dancing With the Stars' cast on 'GMA.' Though a few celebs have already been confirmed, here's who will be salsa-ing their way onto the Tyra Banks-hosted dance floor for season 29:
-AJ McLean (Backstreet Boys)
-Carole Baskin ('Tiger King')
-Chrishell Stause (actor/real estate agent)
-Kaitlyn Bristowe ('The Bachelorette')
-Vernon Davis (former NFL player)
-Monica (Netflix's 'Cheer')
-Anne Heche (actress)
-Skai Jackson (known from Disney's 'Jessie')
-Jesse Metcalfe (actor)
-Justina Machado (actor)
-Jeannie Mai ('The Real')
-Nelly (rapper)
-Nev Schulman ('Catfish' host)
-Charles Oakley (NBA)
-Johnny Weir (Olympic figure skater)
This is a whole mash-up of interesting people. Clearly, I would have rather seen Joe Exotic over Carole Baskin but hey, he's locked up. They definitely are spanning generations with the cast and have some name recognition but is it enough to make super fans forget that Tom Bergeron (and co-host, Erin Andrews) were fired? We will see on September 14th only on ABC! And btw, we are TEAM SKAI over here, so get ready!!
Labels: ABC, Carole Baskin, Dancing With the Stars, DWTS, Erin Andrews, GMA, season 29, Tiger King, Tom Bergeron, Tyra Banks
Jenelle Evans Has Custody of Jace!
photo courtesy of mtv.com We never thought we would see the day. If you follow Jenelle Evans on social media, you know she is much close...
A 'Jerseylicious' Split!
photo courtesy of imdb.com When you were on a semi-successful reality show, especially as one of the key players, and everyone watche...
'The Real L Word' Cast- Where Are They Now?
photo courtesy of amazon.com With the return of the hit Showtime series, 'The L Word,' it makes fans of the original show an...
Former "The Real L Word" Star Expecting Baby!
It was a big day for Romi Klinger , former cast member of the popular Showtime reality series "The Real L Word." The designer...
3icecubes
Mandi's 3 Ice Cubes
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Flims in the summer
Flims in the winter
Flims in Summer
Here with us, you will never be bored. Are you familiar with the “Swiss Grand Canyon”? Do you like swimming in crystal clear lakes or do you prefer a tee shot with a view on the Buna Vista Golf Sagogn? Is yoga your lifestyle – climbing or trail running? Flims Laax Falera is the biking region par excellence and Switzerland’s hiking paradise. There’s almost nothing you can’t do here – unless you’re lazing around.
Swimming in mountain lakes
Swimming enjoyment for the entire family: In summer, the turquoise lakes of Caumasee and Crestasee are heated up to 24°C. The restaurant and the tempting lounge on the shore entice the grown-ups, while the little ones play on the playground or explore the lake by pedalo.
Biken – Biker’s Paradise
Award-winning trails and 330 km of marked bike routes for all levels of difficulty put mountain and electric bikers in the right mood. On three pump tracks/skill areas you can demonstrate your skills. Eleven mountain restaurants and six charging stations for e-bikes are on your way.
> Know more
Wandern – step by step
The Alps Arena has more than 250 km of marked hiking trails from 600 m to 3,000 m above sea level. Our hiking specialists will accompany you on one of the numerous hikes. The Tschingelhörner and the Martinsloch belong to the Unesco World Heritage and are a worthwhile hiking destination all year round. On three tricky scavenger hunts, the Foxtrails, you can prove your teamwork.
Pinut climbing track
The historic Pinut climbing track leads across three almost vertical rock steps. In between you will find the Pinut and Pardatsch terraces. The tour is also suitable for beginners.
Rhine gorge & “Il Spir” viewing platform
“Il spir” is a viewing platform near Conn offering a spectacular 180-degree view over the Rhine gorge – the “Swiss Grand Canyon”. The platform owes its name “ll Spir” to its appearance, which reminds of a bird. It consists of a single pillar that protrudes into the gorge. The triangular platform gives the building the shape of a swift (“il spir”).
Kulinarik-Trail
Exercise makes you hungry. That’s why we recommend a five-course hike. You march from one restaurant to another, from one corridor to the next. The Kulinarik-Trail leads across 13.5 km from the aperitif over the main course up to the dessert in our Berghaus Foppa. The vouchers can be bought at the Flims Tourist Office.
Barbecue fun
Barbecuing with friends or family is a lot of fun, when the view is right. And it is at the beautifully situated fireplaces in the region.
River rafting in the Rhine gorge: Discover the wild and impressive Ruinaulta on a trip in a rubber dinghy from Ilanz to Reichenau. This trail is considered one of the most fascinating in Europe. From the water you can admire the steep cliffs and rugged rocks, while the rapids and spray provide action and refreshment.
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mobile esports
Riot Games Announces Wild Rift Esports Plans For 2021
John Dave Rossel
15/Dec/2020 09:25 am
Riot Games planning to host Wild Rift esports tournaments across Southeast Asia next year.
Riot Games will host professional and collegiate esports tournaments.
Esports organizations team up with Riot Games to host Wild Rift esports in their respective regions.
Riot Games has always been fond of the esports scene. They’ve hosted League of Legends and VALORANT tournaments across the world, with much success. With the release of their new mobile game Wild RIft, Riot Games announced their plans for upcoming esports events next year. Riot Games Southeast Asia will partner with esports organizations to host professional and collegiate tournaments across Southeast Asia.
RELATED: How to Play Wild Rift in 90 or 120 FPS
Credits: Riot Games
Wild Rift Esports 2021
Riot Games said that Wild Rift’s esports scene in Southeast Asia would start with smaller events from January through March. This will serve as a way to promote talented esports teams for each region.
The next step for Riot Games is hosting eight location-specific tournament circuits, where teams will be competing for the title of local champion. Once local champions have been crowned, they will then compete against other winners across Southeast Asia.
On top of the professional tournaments, Riot Games will also be having collegiate tournaments for Wild Rift. The collegiate tournament will feature teams from universities and other educational institutions across the region. This tournament will serve as a stepping stone for students who wish to showcase their skills and get a taste of top-tier competition.
”We knew that players were eager and ready for Wild Rift competition. In 2021,” said Chris Tran, Head of Esports at Riot Games Southeast Asia, Taiwan, and Hong Kong. “We’re focusing on laying the foundations of our long-term commitment to Wild Rift esports in Southeast Asia.”
The founders of GameStart, PGL, and Eliphant, also jumped in to lend a hand and stated that they’ll be working closely with Riot Games to host both professional and collegiate Wild Rift esports tournaments in Singapore. GameStart is one of the popular game conventions in Singapore
Mineski Philippines, one of the popular esports organization in Southeast Asia, will also work hand in hand with Riot Games to organize professional Wild Rift tournaments in the Philippines. AcadArena, a national campus esports program in the Philippines, will be handling the collegiate tournaments in the region.
RELATED: Wild Rift Conquers Singapore with Artistic Grafitti
Electronic Sports League (ESL), will be in charge of both collegiate and professional circuits in Malaysia and Thailand. ESL is an esports organizer and production company that produces video game competitions worldwide
Both collegiate and professional tournaments in Indonesia will be handled by digital content companies, ONE Up and VNG.
Cyber Games Arena will handle the professional tournaments in Taiwan while collegiate tournaments will be in the hands of Bowl Cut Entertainment and telecom company, Taiwan Mobile.
Wild Rift is the official mobile counterpart of Riot Game’s popular PC game, League of Legends. The mobile game has gained traction from mobile gamers from across Southeast Asia despite still being in an open beta phase.
I have a passion for video games and writing about them. Focusing on Wild Rift, Mobile Legends and what's new regarding their esports communities.
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Otherworlders – Preview
So Many Free Stories!
Stories A-C
A Lost Journey
Brimstone Canyon
Cocoon of Madness
Stories D-G
Stories H-K
Island After
The Heist Job
Stories L-S
Sink or Sail
Stories T-Z
The Wicked One
Two Shots of Whiskey, with a Splash of Death
Vaniety
Xmas Trouble
Zombiesapien
Works – Past, Present, and Future
Angela Cavanaugh
Flash Fiction Friday – Apples
Posted by angelacavanaugh in Fiction
church, flash, flash fiction, hiding, murder, new identity, read, short story, spy, story
Last Week’s FFF: The Hill
The morning mass bells rang loudly throughout the church. Worshipers piled into pews as the chimes echoed to a stop. Reverend Morgan looked at the crowd. It had been thinning the past few weeks. There was once a time when wars or crises would bring people to church in throngs. A time when people wanted to look for hope. Wanted to believe that there was a master plan for everything.
Times had changed. The news broadcasts were increasingly full of more violence, more hopelessness, more corruption of corporations and politicians. People were disenchanted with the church. They were giving up, or at least looking elsewhere for answers. Science doomed the world with reports of global warming. It claimed that Judgment Day was nearly upon us. Yet, less people were coming to repent. People were trying to save themselves with solar panels and space exploration rather than trying to save their very souls.
Reverend Morgan would be sure to put this perspective into his sermon.
Everyone settled, and Reverend Morgan spoke. He fueled his words with passion and conviction. The disenchanted masses mostly ignored him. They checked their social media accounts and texted with those uninterested in attending services. Reverend Morgan began to wonder why he even bothered, or why these people bothered to come at all. It wasn’t enough to only show up. His sermon ended with far less enthusiasm.
He took his position by the church doors and gave fair wells to people as they left. Half of the congregation didn’t even look up from their phones as he tried to engage them in conversation. They dismissed him and kept walking.
Reverend Morgan looked down in despair and quietly prayed for all those passing by him. As he looked at the ground, he noticed a pair of black stilettos with a blood red underside visible on the inside of the pointed heel. He scoffed at the shoes. What a thing to wear to church. They exuded lust.
He raised his head, following the legs up. They were shapely and wrapped in stockings. A short pencil skirt rested effortlessly on her hips. Her thin waste came next, covered in a silky blue blouse. The shirt was unbuttoned one snap too far, revealing a full bosom and the peek-a-boo of a lacy black bra. Her styled, dirty blond hair fell just past her shoulders. Her neck was long and slender.
He was taken aback when he got to her face. By the rest of the package, he had expected the image that populated sinful dreams. There was nothing unpleasant about her face. In fact, the longer he stared at it, the more he came to realize that it had a certain russet beauty. Homely, in a comfortable and familiar way, like home.
She gave a smile and spoke.
“That was quite a moving sermon, father,” she said with a thick Russian accent.
Reverend Morgan became frozen. A cold sweat formed on his brow as he heard the dialect of his origins. A sound that he had escaped from long ago, and had practiced out of his own voice. He swallowed hard and tried to act as if nothing was wrong.
“It’s not father. It’s Reverend. Reverend Morgan,” he said.
A lagging couple left the church. He nodded to them as they passed. They were the last of the congregation. He and the woman were alone.
“Yes. Reverend Morgan.”
“I was quite amused when I heard that you had found God,” she said.
“He is present in all of us, if you are willing to listen for him,” he said.
“Reverend, let’s not play games.”
“Fine. Let’s go inside.”
He led her into the church and closed the double, wooden doors behind them. He walked to the alter, and she followed behind, running her fingers over the pews as she walked.
“What do you want?” he asked.
“Listen to that voice. So convincing.”
“Who sent you?”
“I can understand your confusion, Reverend. After all, you have many enemies. But you should have known that there was no hiding from NOVA. When you turned your back on them, when you sold them out, you were signing your own death warrant.”
He put it together. She was a NOVA spy.
“I didn’t turn my back on them.”
“But I’m afraid that you did. And this little Reverend act has just been borrowed time on which you have been living.”
He solemnly nodded.
“Before you do what you came here to do, do you mind if I read from my bible?”
She laughed again.
“Why not? You pray to your God before you meet him.”
He walked over to the alter and placed his hands on the book, and lowered his head to read. After a moment, he looked back at her.
“How did you find me?” he asked.
“NOVA has many powerful affiliates. Also, you have taken the position of an authority figure. A public one, at that. Normally those who try to disappear don’t stand in front of a crowd every week. You are idiot. But from what I’ve read in your file, you never could stay out of spotlight.”
She walked to the rope hanging from the ceiling. She gave it a tug, and the bells rang out once more.
“It is my greatest weakness,” he said.
She began towards him, drawing her gun from her handbag.
He turned the page on his bible. The rest of the book was hollowed out. The empty pages were filled by a Glock 42 .380. He picked up the gun, pointed it, and fired. The sound of the shot was swallowed by the bells.
Blood spattered from her chest and back as the bullet flew threw her. She fell limp onto the front pew.
He went to her body and propped it upright. Her head hung down, and he placed a bible in her lap. He pocketed her gun, as well as his own.
He took one last look at the church. He had liked it here. But now, it was time to find a new identity and passion. And this time, he’d try to curb his pride and lust for the spotlight, his biggest sins.
5 thoughts on “Flash Fiction Friday – Apples”
joeturner87 said:
That was great. Loved the twist. 🙂
Rose Red said:
Well written- surprise ending!
AJ Bauers (@AJBauers) said:
You really, truly made me feel for the Reverend in the beginning of your story, preaching to the disenchanted masses. I was very surprised by the complete left turn it took with the arrival of the Russian russet beauty. I do appreciate twist endings, but it would have been nice on my re-read of your flash fiction to see at least a one word of foreshadowing. Of course, that is my own preference, and it might not be wanted you wanted to write, which I respect.
Overall, good story. Thanks for sharing!
angelacavanaugh said:
Thank you. Yeah, I agree that I should have foreshadowed. I guess I wanted him really committed to his persona and I didn’t want to give anything away, but I shoulda put some sort of a hint in there.
nikki broadwell said:
I really liked this piece. Very well done. FYI you had a couple of spelling errors…sorry to mention it but being a fellow writer I would hope for the same from you or others. Farewells, waist, through, and altar. I loved how this ended.
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Home › Safari Ltd Poseidon
Safari Ltd Poseidon
Will be back in stock soon
God of the seas, ruler of the waves, Poseidon looms large in Greek mythology. Often pictured in a chariot pulled by dolphins or carrying a trident, Poseidon is known for wild exploits, a stormy temper, and more than a few adventures.
Scientific Name: Poseidon
Characteristics: Poseidon, the Greek god of the sea, divided the world with his brothers Zeus and Hades. Regal and powerful, his temper was feared by all who sailed the seas.
Size and Color: This Poseidon figure stands 5 inches tall, with scaly blue-green legs similar in color to the mermaid and sea dragon figures. With wild hair and powerful gaze, it appears he’s commanding the waves.
Poseidon is part of the Mythical Realms® collection.
All of our products are Non-toxic and BPA free.
Although the Greeks also told stories of river gods and lesser ocean deities, Poseidon was the ruler of all waters. Not content to simply enjoy his realm, Poseidon often interfered with the lives of gods, heroes, and mortals. He was the father of many, including Theseus, Polyphemus the cyclops, and Pegasus. He is most often featured as a powerfully built, bearded man carrying a trident.
The foolish Odysseus would pay for this. Poseidon grumbled in his undersea palace, anger festering inside him. He’d just received word that his son Polyphemus the cyclops had been blinded by a seafarer named Odysseus. He remembered wily Odysseus, of course, for his bravery beneath the walls of Troy. But now the hero had gone too far and must be punished. Poseidon thought of all that was at his disposal. Storms, winds, waves, yes. But also the Sirens, Scylla, Charybdis, sea serpents, and maybe a few other surprises along the way. Too bad Odysseus would be back home soon. If only Poseidon could make the journey last longer, he could inflict all manner of punishment. Poseidon smiled, hefted his trident, and called for his chariot. Ten years ought to be enough.
Size in cm: 3.8 L x 6.8 W x 12 H
Size in inches: 1.5 L x 2.68 W x 4.72 H
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Attack the Light 9+
Steven Universe Light RPG
#19 in Role Playing
**Destructoid’s Best Mobile Game of 2015 Nominee**
**Paste Magazine 10 Best Mobile Games of 2015**
**Popular Mechanics 10 Best RPG Games of 2015**
Team up as Garnet, Pearl, Amethyst, and Steven to stop a powerful Gem weapon in Attack the Light!
CRYSTAL GEM POWER
Fire off Garnet’s Rocket Gauntlets, summon Holo-Pearl, and put the hurt on your enemies with Purple Puma. All four Gems have unique attacks and upgrades.
MAGICAL ADVENTURES
Explore caves, fight bad guys, collect super secret treasure, and level up! Load up Steven’s backpack with all kinds of magical items to help you on your quest.
EASY TO PLAY RPG
Intuitive tap and swipe controls make it easy to dish out devastating damage. Every new power has a new mechanic to master.
GEM FUSION
Unleash the three-Gem fusion, Alexandrite! She’s a stone-cold Betty with mondo firepower. Don’t just attack the Light, obliterate it with Fusion power!
STORY BY REBECCA SUGAR
Attack the Light has an all-new storyline from “Steven Universe” creator Rebecca Sugar. Plus, the game features original voiceover from Steven Universe cast members!
DIAMOND MODE
Put your skills to the test with a new hardcore difficultly. Diamond Mode has beefier bad guys, and NO hints. Are you up to the challenge?
Four heroes teaming up for a magical adventure. Sounds like the best RPG ever! Time to ATTACK THE LIGHT!
This game is available in the following languages: Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, Turkish
If you're having any problems with this app, feel free to contact us at advanced.platforms@turner.com. Tell us about the issues you're running into as well as what device and OS version you're using.
This app may contain ads that feature other products, services, shows or offers from Cartoon Network and our partners.
PRIVACY INFORMATION:
Your privacy is important to us at Cartoon Network, a division of Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. This game collects and uses information as described in Cartoon Network’s Privacy Policy linked below. This information may be used, for example, to respond to user requests; enable users to take advantage of certain features and services; personalize content; serve advertising; perform network communications; manage and improve our products and services; and perform other internal operations of Cartoon Network web sites or online services. Our privacy practices are guided by data privacy laws in the United States. For users residing in the EU or other countries outside the U.S., please note that this app may use persistent identifiers for game management purposes. By downloading this application, you accept our Privacy Policy and End User License Agreement, and you give permission for such uses for all users of your device. The Privacy Policy and End User License Agreement are in addition to any terms, conditions or policies imposed by your wireless carrier and Apple, Inc. Cartoon Network and its affiliates are not responsible for any collection, use, or disclosure of your personal information by Apple or your wireless carrier.
Terms of Use: http://www.cartoonnetwork.com/legal/termsofuse.html
Privacy Policy: http://www.cartoonnetwork.com/legal/privacy/mobile.html
Thanks for playing! Here's what's new:
Help Steven Universe and the Crystal Gems capture missing monsters in this roleplaying adventure based on the Cartoon Network hit. Inside gorgeous dungeons you’ll collect cool loot and unleash epic turn-based attacks on crafty enemies. With lively animation and a story packed with surprises, puzzles, and tricky tactical challenges, there’s plenty here to keep Steven Universe fans and RPG buffs leveling up for days.
#Nom , 05/20/2017
This is by far one of the best mobile games I have ever played, and is more than worth the money. The overall feel of the game is just as bright and energetic as the show we all know and love. The style is consistent, the gameplay is fast, easy and addicting, and the levels and enemies look like they're pulled straight from an episode of Steven Universe. I play this while I'm waiting for new episodes, or whenever I'm bored and need a little action. The bugs are few and far between, and they rarely interfere with my playing sessions. There are some great opportunities for additional content, but I think we've got much more to look forward to from SU. I could go on and on, but I urge you to buy the game if you happen to be considering it. It plays like a Super Mario RPG, looks like the cartoons you know and love, and has a soundtrack you'll adore. Now, I'm off to play through again- for the sixth time. :)
Lapis_Tiger , 10/29/2019
Words can’t begin to comprehend what I feel
I find this game to be so much fun, when I was younger I used to play with my friends and “fuse” with each other, Then when I heard there was a GAME, my dreams came true, I just have one problem, this game lags for me, a lot. I don’t know if it is just me, but from all the reviews I have seen it doesn’t seem to be the case. So, maybe it’s my own device. I just want to clarify though that it wasn’t always laggy, at first the first few levels of the Indigo Zone was fine, it was fine until I ventured into the ancient Gem War Strawberry place. That’s when it really started, anyway. I want to be able to enjoy the game, but I really can’t with all the lag, it has even caused Pearl’s Spear Throw to just disappear mid-throw, it has also caused me to stop getting lucky attacks. I love this game so much, and I don’t want it to end because I have a problem with the lag. So yeah, other than that, the game’s story is amazing, I love the art style, and I hope this gets fixed. :)
The developer, Cartoon Network, has not provided details about its privacy practices and handling of data to Apple. For more information, see the developer's privacy policy.
Turner Broadcasting System, Inc.
Requires iOS 10.0 or later. Compatible with iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch. Apple TV.
Infrequent/Mild Cartoon or Fantasy Violence
™ & © Cartoon Network. (s15)
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R. Kelly performs at the BET Awards at the Nokia Theatre on Sunday, June 30, 2013, in Los Angeles. (Photo by Frank Micelotta/Invision/AP)
R. Kelly’s treatment of young girls he allegedly kept in his homes and groomed over several years to become his ‘pets’ have been revealed by one of his ex-girlfriends. Kitti Jones, who has spoken at length about his alleged dealings with women, made the new claims in a R. Kelly: Sex Girls and Videotapes, a new, multi-part documentary that is currently airing in the UK on BBC.
In the most recent episode, Jones, now 34, told how Kelly refers to young girls who he ‘raises’ as ‘pets’ and how she was introduced to one of them in 2013 after she moved in with the singer in Chicago. ‘I was introduced to one of the girls, that he told me he trained since she was 14, those were his words.
“I saw that she was dressed like me, that she was saying the things I’d say and her mannerisms were like mine. That’s when it clicked in my head that he had been grooming me to become one of his pets. He calls them his pets,” she said.
Jones claims he forced the girl to “crawl on the floor” and perform oral sex on her, allegedly saying: “This is my f****** pet, I trained her. She’s going to teach you how to be with me,” she said. In 2017, in an interview with Rolling Stone, she described the same incident and said he had brought the woman in naked. She did not say how old the other woman was at the time. Jones was 27.
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Home / Campus Updates (July 2020 to present) / Update - 2 January 2021
Update - 2 January 2021
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Campus Updates (July 2020 to present)
Prior Updates (March 2020 to June 2020)
A message from Amy Gray, Vice President for Student Life:
As the spring semester approaches, I am writing to remind our returning students — and inform our incoming students — of our expectations during the pandemic. Every member of the Aurora University community has a responsibility to minimize person-to-person transmission of the COVID-19 virus and to protect those most vulnerable to the disease. Of course, in addition to creating a safe environment, we also want students who are coming to campus to have the very best experience from the moment they arrive. Our goal is to move forward together safely. Please read the following carefully prior in order to prepare for the upcoming semester.
Information for All Students
How will Aurora University ensure that students adhere to all COVID-19 precautions?
All students will be expected to abide by the Spartan Safety guidelines. The eight elements set forth in the Spartan Safety document constitute the foundation for Aurora University’s efforts to mitigate risks associated with the COVID-19 virus and therefore are non-negotiable. All members of the community must comply with these measures. Serious consequences are possible for those who fail to do so.
Use COVID-19 self-monitoring checklist to monitor for symptoms daily.
Stay home or in your residential hall room when you are sick and inform AU Health Services immediately of your health status.
Stay at least 6 feet from other people.
Wear a cloth face covering over nose and mouth at all times on campus, indoors and outdoors, except when alone in your residence hall room, or while showering or eating.
Wash hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds or use hand sanitizer.
Cover cough or sneeze with tissue (or into elbow/sleeve), and then wash hands.
Do not touch eyes, nose, mouth, or face.
Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces, especially those shared by others (e.g., photocopiers, file cabinets, door handles.)
In addition, students who are attending any classes in the face-to-face format are asked to minimize travel during the semester, especially to those areas that are high risk.
What are Aurora University’s expectations of students who have tested positive for the virus, who are experiencing symptoms, or who may have been exposed to the virus?
Aurora University expects all students to monitor health through daily screening measures. Students will be required to call the Health Services COVID line (630-844-7500) to report any symptoms of COVID-19, exposure to COVID-19, or a personal positive test for COVID-19 and are expected to remain at home or in their residence hall room until receiving instruction from Health Services. The COVID line will reopen at 8:00 a.m. on 4 January 2021. Spring semester COVID line hours will be 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., Monday through Saturday. Additional requirements will be in place for certain populations of students, including those living on campus or student-athletes participating in athletic department activities.
Will students be required to be tested for COVID-19 prior to returning to campus?
No. Aurora University will not require proof of a negative COVID-19 test in order to return to the campus. The university does, however, expect all students to strictly adhere to physical distancing and the use of facial coverings for the 14 days prior to returning to campus and continuing throughout the semester.
Will students be required to test for COVID-19 upon arrival to campus?
No. However, Aurora University expects all students to monitor health through daily screening measures.
Will students be required to wear face coverings?
Yes. Students will be required to wear facial coverings over their nose and mouth both inside and outside of campus buildings. Facial coverings are not required when alone in a residence hall room, or while showering or eating. Facial coverings are required at all times when in a classroom setting. No food or drink will be allowed in class.
What are the university’s plans to provide COVID-19 testing for members of the campus community?
Students will be expected to participate in the university’s surveillance testing initiative conducted in collaboration with two external health organizations. Samplings of students in select populations will be required to participate by providing a saliva sample. Test results will be available within 48–72 hours. This testing methodology was approved by the FDA in May 2020.
The university also will invest in making diagnostic testing available to members of AU community free of charge. Individuals who have been exposed recently to the virus or who are evidencing potential symptoms of the virus will be required to participate in the program offered in collaboration with VNA Health Care. Triage will be handled through Health Services (shs@aurora.edu/630-844-7500) for students or through Human Resources (hr@aurora.edu/630-844-5493) for employees.
Will the university also offer thermal screening?
Yes. Thermal testing stations will be located in high-traffic campus locations. Testing will be conducted by a stand-alone Zortemp screening instrument or with a handheld non-contact digital thermometer. Individuals with elevated temperatures will be asked to return to their home or residence hall and to contact Health Services or Human Resources for follow-up screening.
What happens if a student needs to quarantine or isolate?
It is possible that a student who lives on campus may be exposed to COVID-19 and may be required to isolate or quarantine. Under such circumstances, the university’s strong preference is for the student to return home. However, in the event this is not possible, AU will provide appropriate accommodations for such individuals, who will be monitored on a daily basis. Food delivery will be arranged. Other campus services will be provided via remote delivery. To the extent possible, academic and instructional activities will continue. The university will make every effort to abide by relevant FERPA and HIPPA requirements as these services are rendered safely. VNA Health Care will handle contact tracing in collaboration with AU.
Information for Resident Students
Please read below for our explicit safety expectations for our residential students. Compliance with these expectations is non-negotiable. The expectations are also outlined in the Spartan Compact. Please read it carefully.
You must quarantine at home starting Saturday, 2 January, until your move-in date.
You must wear facial coverings on campus at all times except when you are alone in your room, eating, or showering.
You are expected to minimize travel during the semester, especially to those areas that are high risk.
You are expected to monitor your health daily and to notify Health Services if you are experiencing COVID-19 symptoms.
If you are a new resident, you will be expected to provide a completed health questionnaire and a signed Spartan Compact.
There will be a restrictive guest policy that will only allow your fellow residential students as guests (from any building), only one at a time, with no overnight guests. There will be a guest check-in system and you and your guest will be required to wear a face mask during the visit.
When traveling to campus for your move-in date, please be sure to take appropriate precautions, including wearing a face covering at all times, practicing excellent hand hygiene, avoiding face touching and, wherever possible, maintaining a 6-foot distance from others.
Please remember that our ability to offer you campus housing depends heavily on our ability to avoid an outbreak of COVID-19 among our residential students. We will enforce the safety guidelines fully. If you choose not to comply, you risk your housing and you risk your status as a student. It’s very important for you to understand the expectations and if you are not prepared to comply, it would probably be best for you to not live on campus this spring.
Information about AU COVID-19 Safety Kits
COVID-19 safety kits are available for pick-up from the Welcome Center. Each kit includes an AU drawstring bag filled with a COVID-19 daily health screening checklist, Spartan Safety guidelines, disinfectant wipes, AU Safety key card, digital thermometer, hand sanitizer, and an AU face mask. COVID-19 safety kits are limited to one per student. Please contact the Welcome Center at 630-844-5481 to arrange a time to pick-up your kit.
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Airbus makes “painful” decision to end A380 program
written by australianaviation.com.au February 14, 2019
A file image of an A380 in Airbus livery. (Airbus)
Airbus chief executive Tom Enders says the decision to end production of the A380 in 2021 is a painful one for everyone involved in the program.
The aerospace giant confirmed on Thursday the A380 production line will close amid a lack of orders and after Emirates choosing to cut back on the number of double decker superjumbos it has on order and instead go for the A350 and A330neo.
“As a result of this decision we have no substantial A380 backlog and hence no basis to sustain production, despite all our sales efforts with other airlines in recent years,” Enders said in a statement.
“This leads to the end of A380 deliveries in 2021.
“Today’s announcement is painful for us and the A380 communities worldwide.”
Enders described the A380 as an “outstanding engineering and industrial achievement” that passengers around the world have come to love to fly.
However, Airbus’ hand was forced after Emirates chose not to firm up an memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed in January 2018 that comprised orders for 20 A380s and options for 16 more of the type.
The inability to convert the MoU to a firm order was because Emirates’ discussions with Rolls-Royce could not reach an agreement on the supply of engines for those aircraft.
Instead, Emirates, which received its first A380 in 2008, said it would take up just 14 more A380s between now and 2021, taking its total order book to 123 aircraft.
Emirates Airbus A380 A6-EUA takes off from Melbourne on January 10 2018. (Dave Soderstrom)
Emirates chief executive Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum said the airline was “disappointed to have to give up our order” and “sad” the program could not be sustained.
“We accept that this is the reality of the situation,” Al Maktoum said in a statement.
Al Maktoum said the A380 would continue to fly in the Emirates fleet “well into the 2030s”.
“And as we have always done, Emirates will continue to invest in our onboard product and services so our customers can be assured that the Emirates A380 experience will always be top-notch,” Al Maktoum said.
Touchdown – Emirates’ inaugural A380 service EK3801 lands at New York in August 2008. (Emirates)
Rolls-Royce said it would provide Emirates with Trent 900 engines for a further 14 A380s, which would bring to 33 the number of the type in the Emirates aircraft to feature those engines.
“This agreement supersedes previous deals with Emirates for a total of 52 A380 aircraft powered by the Trent 900,” Rolls-Royce said in a statement on Thurday.
Rolls-Royce said its backlog for A380 engines stood at 17 aircraft, including those headed for Emirates. It was understood the engines for the remaining three aircraft are those of All Nippon Airways (ANA).
Further, the company said it would “support the whole Trent 900 fleet in service throughout its lifetime”.
“The A380 is a world class feat of engineering, much loved by passengers, and we are obviously saddened that deliveries will come to an end,” Rolls-Royce president for civil aerospace Chris Cholerton said in a statement.
“We are very proud to have supported the aircraft with our Trent 900 engine. We look forward to supporting the fleet, as the A380 continues to delight travellers, for many years to come.”
While the world’s largest passenger aircraft has won over much of the travelling public, only one airline – Emirates – has fully embraced the A380.
Emirates is the largest of the A380’s 14 operators by some margin, with 109 in the fleet and a further 53 on order at January 31 2019, according to the Airbus orders and deliveries figures.
The next largest operator is Singapore Airlines (SIA), which has 19 A380s, followed by Lufthansa with 14. British Airways and Qantas are next with 12 each.
VIDEO: Where the Emirates A380 story all began. The official delivery ceremony for Emirates’ first A380 in July 2008 from the Airbus YouTube channel.
A 2017 file image of celebrations at Airbus’s Toulouse headquarters as Emirates accepts delivery of 100th A380. (Emirates)
At January 31 2019, the A380 had secured 313 total orders, with 234 aircraft delivered. That leaves a backlog of 79 aircraft. The figures do not include Emirates’ change of order on Thursday.
In response to the weakness in the very large passenger aircraft market, Airbus has slowed the production rate of the A380 from 15 aircraft delivered in 2017 to 12 aircraft in 2018. The company has said previously it expected to deliver eight A380s in 2019.
Airbus has also sought to make the A380 more efficient and improve the aircraft’s operating economics through features such as new fuel saving winglets.
Packaged together and called A380plus, the initiatives included extending maintenance intervals, aerodynamic changes to the wing and previously announced “cabin enablers” to add more seats.
A mockup of the new Airbus A380 winglets on board at test aircraft at the 2017 Paris Airshow. (Airbus)
Alas it has failed to dissuade airlines from going for smaller capacity, twin-engine aircraft such as the Boeing 787 and Airbus A350.
The opposite has occurred, with airlines preferring to scale back planned A380 fleets in response to market conditions.
In early February 2019, Emirates’ alliance partner Qantas officially cancelled its outstanding order for eight A380s after discussions with Airbus. The eight aircraft were part of an order for 20 A380s made in 2006.
The removal of Qantas’s eight A380s from the Airbus order book followed United Kingdom-based Virgin Atlantic formally cancelling its order for six of the type in March 2018.
Airbus also removed an order for 10 A380s that had previously been allocated to an undisclosed customer in its December summary.
And Air France had previously said it was scaling back its A380 fleet.
Enders said Airbus would continue to “fully support” all A380 operators.
The company said some 3,000-3,500 staff would be potentially affected by the closure of the A380 program and it would commence discussions with labour groups in the next few weeks.
However, it said the ongoing ramp-up in production of A320 narrowbodies, as well as the new widebody order from Emirates, would “offer a significant number of internal mobility opportunities”.
A file image of Qantas Airbus A380 VH-OQL Phyllis Arnott. (Seth Jaworski)
Emirates to add A350 and A330neo to fleet
While Emirates has scaled back its A380 commitments, the Dubai-headquartered airline has signed a heads of agreement for 40 A330-900 and 30 A350-900s, with deliveries starting from 2021 and 2024, respectively.
Al Maktoum said the two aircraft types would give the airline the flexibility to meet “seasonal or opportunistic demand”.
The A330-900s would be deployed on regional routes, as well as enable the airline to serve smaller airports and open new routes.
Meanwhile, the A350-900s would be used on long-haul routes of between eight and 12 hours duration from Dubai.
Emirates had previously been an A350 customer, having ordered 50 A350-900s and 20 A350-1000s in 2007. However, it cancelled the order in 2014 following the airline’s fleet review and delays to the A350 program.
Airbus had been hoping to win Emirates back to the A350 as the airline restarted negotiations with both Airbus and Boeing for its future widebody needs.
Instead, it was Boeing that secured an order for 40 787-10s that was announced at the 2017 Dubai Airshow. The aircraft were due to be delivered from 2022.
It was unclear whether Emirates was keeping the 787-10 order, which was never firmed up and does not appear on the orders and deliveries section of the Boeing website.
An artist’s impression of the Airbus A330-900 in Emirates livery. (Airbus/Emirates)
The A330-900 an update of the A330-300 widebody and is part of the A330neo family of aircraft.
The aircraft, powered by Rolls-Royce Trent 7000 engines, has a range of 7,200nm when configured with 287 seats in three classes, according to Airbus figures.
Compared with the A330-300, the A330-900 features a larger wing with “Sharklet” wingtips to reduce fuel consumption, new composite nacelles, a fully faired titanium pylon and zero-splice air inlet technology.
Meanwhile, the A350-900, which features two Rolls-Royce Trent XWB engines on the wings, has a range of 8,100nm with “typical seating” for 325 passengers, according to the Airbus website.
A380AirbusEmiratesnews
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Jet-emi February 14, 2019 - 8:27 pm
MERVYN CROWE February 14, 2019 - 8:32 pm
Not unexpected at all, there were no prospects of selling any more, so good decision to end production.
The A350 will continue to sell very well and keep the Airbus coffers topped up, as of course the major selling A320/321 family.
Chris February 16, 2019 - 7:43 am
Don’t forget the A220 which will open new markets in the 3+5 seat category that has been vacant since Boeing stop production of the B717.
Peter Briant February 14, 2019 - 11:31 pm
I really dont think anyone would be surprised by this announcement
Paule February 15, 2019 - 7:18 am
Truely tragic!
Tony February 15, 2019 - 9:42 am
Decision leaves the uk manufacture of wings at more risk with Brexit. The A380 wings go by barge, ship and road to Toulouse. Other wings transported by air making the relocation of wing manufacture an easier logistic task. Germany particularly looking to gain a greater share of Airbus work. China also manufacture Airbus wings, possibly at low cost.
Overall, Roll Royce probably in a better position with Emirates taking more of their engines
Richard Bradfield February 15, 2019 - 11:12 am
Re UK Jobs
Unite, which represents workers at Airbus sites in Broughton, North Wales, and Filton, near Bristol, and those in supply chain companies such as GKN, said it would be seeking assurances on jobs and future work.
A few hundred staff in the UK work on the aircraft, mainly at Broughton, but it is hoped they can be redeployed.
Airbus said it would “start discussions with its social partners in the next few weeks regarding the 3,000 to 3,500 positions potentially impacted over the next three years”.
It makes wings for the A380 in the UK, employing 6,000 staff at Broughton and 3,000 at Filton.
The firm said an increase in production of its A320 model would offer “a significant number of internal mobility opportunities”.
PAUL February 15, 2019 - 11:12 am
Pity its a great Aircraft & I enjoy flying on it as its faster than most. Hopefully the A400M wont go the same way. US Military could help out there with a big order. Brits need to get Brexit sorted…
Francisco Miguez Vaca February 15, 2019 - 11:50 pm
I think it’s a bit anecdotic, that just about the same time the Boeing 747 celebrates its fiftieth anniversary since its first flight, the Airbus 380, (it’s main competitor) is announcing its own end of the line. They both will fly into Aviation history as the largest and perhaps the last 4-engined passenger aircrafts, giving way for their successors twin-engined ones.
Ben February 16, 2019 - 10:47 am
As sad as this is, I’m not surprised by it. Even when it was launched I thought it wouldn’t be the revolution over the previous generation of airliners that the 747 was. If you think about it, it really is just an oversized- full upper deck version of the 747.
Don’t get me wrong I think the A380 is a great aircraft. It is noticeably quieter than the 747. It’s also somewhat more spacious, but let’s face it – an economy class seat is still just that. It might be an inch wider, depending on which airline you fly with. However the overall product difference is not what you’d call revolutionary. (Granted, maybe it is in first class with some airlines having cabins/suites etc) However as an economy passenger I can’t help thinking I’m just in a 747 that is quieter and has longer wings.
That might be simplifying it a little bit. However when the 747 was launched – it seemed every major airline in the world was beating down Boeing’s door to get them (even airlines that couldn’t really justify it – think Aer Lingus for example). It was truly revolutionary.
Not so with the A380. I did think once it entered service, the order book would grow – as airlines had to be seen as offering similar products to their competitors. However not so.
Unfortunately for the A380 it is increasingly the era of the big twin. Maybe airbus could relaunch it as the A380 TEO (Twin Engine Option). Not sure if the engine technology, size or power exist yet though.
hadgfh February 19, 2019 - 1:29 pm
The main difference between the introduction of the 747 and the introduction of the A380 is that the original 747 introduced per seat operating costs below that of any other jet of that time.
The A380 is overweight and has operating costs per seat that are were worse than smaller jets – and it’s nothing to do with it being a quad compared with a big twin as you can run two twins for the same resulting amount of capacity for less than the cost of running a single A380.
Ben February 16, 2019 - 5:54 pm
Unsurprising and a long time coming. I honestly wouldn’t be surprised if the Qantas birds don’t end up in Dubai eventually QF would be a LOT better off trading them for some EK 777-300ER’s.
Paul, the USAF buy the A400M… pull the other one. They would NEVER buy a non-US built machine, just have a look at the tanker wars.
Maggie Elizabeth Waters February 18, 2019 - 7:46 pm
I totally agree with Ben ..Back in the 1960’s , I worked in the deHavilland factory in the UK.. i was there when they were building the jig for the UK/France Airbus… I was a part numberer, because I had really neat, tiny writing.. i was given quite an important job of numbering various parts for a lot of different kind of aircraft…I did a lot of work on using electromagnetic etching of part numbers onto titanium parts… it was quite fascinating for sixteen year old…
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Home News Elevation To SAN: Gombe Governor Celebrates Barrister Mela Nunghe
Elevation To SAN: Gombe Governor Celebrates Barrister Mela Nunghe
*assures of his continued support to Gombe sons and daughters to reach zenith of chosen careers
Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya of Gombe State is excited over the elevation of his Commissioner for Special Duties, Barrister Mela Audu Nunghe to the rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN).
This was expressed in a statement signed by his Senior Special Assistant (Media and Publicity), Ismaila Uba Misilli, made available on Sunday November 15, 2020.
A consummate, industrious and purposeful barrister, solicitor and notary public with over 35 years of experience in civil, criminal and corporate practice, Mela Nunghe was among the 72 senior lawyers awarded the rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria ( SAN) by the Legal Practitioners’ Privileges Committee, headed by the Chief Justice of Nigeria at the body’s 143rd plenary session.
This honour is coming barely a week after another Gombe illustrious son, Justice Adamu Jauro was sworn-in as the first Justice of the Supreme Court from the state, and less than one year since the establishment of a Court of Appeal Division in Gombe- a development that has seen the state unprecedentedly registering enviable presence in the judicial map of reckoning – all courtesy of Governor Inuwa Yahaya’s positive disposition and relentless efforts in that direction.
Governor Yahaya attributed Barisiter Nunghe’s new feat to his outstanding pedigree, remarkable courtcraft, determination and dedication to the legal profession as well as his commitment to the pursuit of justice.
The Governor who observed that the award is a mark of recognition for members of the legal profession who have distinguished themselves, said with his elevation to the inner bar, Nunghe has written his name on the sands of history and joined the hall of fame as the first Gombe state indigene to have attained this exalted rank. While noting that Barrister Nunghe has contributed a lot to the development of law in Nigeria through dint of hardwork and determination, Governor Yahaya hailed him for replicating his sterling performance in Gombe state by making valuable and immense contribution as a member of the state Executive Council.
He said that the rank of SAN is an important one that carries with it some degree of privilege and influence, urging the SAN-designate to bring to bear his ingenuity, wealth of experience and vast legal knowledge as well as keep the Gombe flag flying high at the inner bar.
The Governor guaranteed the support and solidarity of the government and people of Gombe state to the legal luminary in particular, and to all professionals and the citizenry in general to reach the pinnacle of their respective careers.
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News | Visix Names SYNNEX Corporation as Exclusive IT VAR Distribution Partner | Visix, Inc. | SPINITAR
Visix Names SYNNEX Corporation as Exclusive IT VAR Distribution Partner
Posted on Tuesday, February 9, 2010
ATLANTA, GA – FEBRUARY 9, 2010 - Visix, Inc., a leading supplier of digital signage and visual communications software, today announced that SYNNEX Corporation (NYSE:SNX), a leading business process services company, has been named as the exclusive Visix distribution partner to IT value-added resellers (VARs). As the exclusive Visix distribution partner, SYNNEX will offer select resellers the complete line of Visix enterprise software applications, broadening Visix’s reach in the IT channel and providing added benefits for qualified reseller partners.
Visix and its reseller partners have deployed more than 1,200 integrated visual communications systems on three continents worldwide. The continued convergence of software, hardware, network and audio-visual infrastructure requires more diverse systems integration expertise, which SYNNEX brings to the partnership. The Visix platform enables users to import and manage a wide variety of media for scheduled delivery to a range of endpoints including displays, desktops and mobile devices.
”Visix is a leading company within its industry and a great addition to our digital signage practice,” stated Bob Stegner, Senior Vice President, Marketing for North America for SYNNEX Corporation. “We look forward to building a longstanding relationship with the Visix team and expanding the touch for the Visix software solution.”
“Our partnership with SYNNEX will expose a greater number of customers to both the communications benefits and the economic and sustainability values of digital signage technologies,” said Trey Hicks, Vice President of Sales for Visix, Inc. “In both corporate and campus environments, our products are helping to further unify the communications continuum and deliver timely, relevant information to audiences.”
About SYNNEX
SYNNEX Corporation, a Fortune 500 corporation, is a leading business process services company, servicing resellers and original equipment manufacturers in multiple regions around the world. The Company provides services in IT distribution, supply chain management, contract assembly and global business services. Founded in 1980, SYNNEX employs over 6,000 associates worldwide and operates in the United States, Canada, China, Japan, Mexico, the Philippines and the United Kingdom. Additional information about SYNNEX may be found online at www.synnex.com.
About Visix
Visix, Inc. designs, develops and supports a suite of software applications that allows users to create, import and manage their visual communications from anywhere and to deliver those messages to virtually any endpoint.
The company offers digital signage software, room and event scheduling solutions, and applications for targeted messaging to desktops and portable devices. Each of the products works independently or can be integrated into scalable deployments from a single display to large networks. This comprehensive approach to on-time communications – from concept to delivery – provides systems including software, hardware and distribution accessories, as well as multi-tier service and support options to manage and maintain dynamic visual communications.
Contact Visix at 800.572.4935 or salesteam@visix.com. Parties interested in additional information about Visix, AxisTV, MeetingMinder™, and targeted visual communications products should visit the Visix website at www.visix.com.
Statements in this release that are forward-looking such as product capabilities and expectations and the benefits of the SYNNEX-Visix partnership, involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties, which may cause the Company's actual results in future periods to be materially different from any future performance that may be suggested in this release. The Company assumes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements contained in this release.
Copyright 2010 SYNNEX Corporation. All rights reserved. SYNNEX, the SYNNEX Logo and all other SYNNEX company, product and services names
and slogans are trademarks or registered trademarks of SYNNEX Corporation. SYNNEX and the SYNNEX Logo Reg. U.S. Pat. & Tm. Off. Other names
and marks are the property of their respective owners.
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Message From Head of School
This Coming Week at BDS
Beyond BDS
Ms. Moriarty’s sixth grade science class uses eclipse glasses to observe the daytime sky during a recent “planet walk” exercise.
Don’t Forget to Breathe
Brendan Largay, Head of School
You can find this week’s Blue Handprint Studios audio below:
https://bdsscoop.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/BL-Column-Audio-Scoop-1.11.19.mp3
Happy New Year everyone! I hope you enjoyed the winter break. As I have checked in with various folks—teachers, parents, and students—the feedback has been uniformly positive, and a renewed joyfulness is evident. An important reminder of the value of taking pause, celebrating reconnection, and thoughtfully reflecting on another year gone by.
Reflection is a critical element of restoration, perhaps because it provides us with the bandwidth to achieve closure with thoughts or ideas that we weren’t quite done with, or because it allows the silt to sift through leaving only the golden nuggets visible. Whatever the reason, it is invaluable to me. Maybe this year more than most.
2018 has been a pretty busy run for Belmont Day, and it feels fitting that the year would end with the opening of the Barn as a signature moment of celebration, growth, and the conclusion of a significant chapter of work. As I reflected on the year, I found myself coming back to that again and again. All of the hard work. All of the community energy. The excitement. And ultimately, the opportunity it creates for us and our future.
January, named for the Roman god Janus, and the arrival of the new year invites us to look in two directions at once: back and forward. In that spirit, my look ahead is marked by three resolutions for our school and me. They are reminiscent of the lessons countless coaches tried to teach me growing up, and they continue to resonate for me as I look to 2019:
Don’t forget to breathe. One look back at 2018 at BDS, and it’s hard not to feel the need for a good, deep breath. We’ve been busy. We need to take a moment, be present, and realize just how far we have come. In doing so, we will be better prepared to recognize the next set of opportunities for BDS. Breathing, finding balance, and restoring ourselves is critical to discover and seize the opportunities that 2019 is sure to present.
Keep your head up. Embrace the optimism inherent in a community of learners to be ready to receive the opportunities that lie ahead. The future at Belmont Day has never been brighter. There’s plenty to be optimistic about around here: great faculty, excellent facilities, engaged students, and dedicated families.
Simplify, simplify, simplify. Henry David Thoreau got it right. The siren calls of 2019—countless inputs that draw our attention in multiple directions at once, and a culture that promotes continually seeking the next best thing can get the very best of us. We become exhausted in a great tail-chasing exercise. In 2019, we should focus on that which we know best—excellence in teaching, caring about our community, treating one another with respect, and always finding joy—and the discoveries start to take care of themselves.
Happy New Year everyone. Welcome back.
Kindergartners follow along with an audio book, narrated by their teacher Ms. Pryor.
January 14 through 18
8–9:00 a.m., Strategic Planning Committee, Barn Conference Room
8:15–9:00 a.m., Grade 3 Parents’ Library Coffee, Erskine Library
6:30–7:30 p.m., Braiding Different Strands: Director of Equity and Inclusion Event, Erskine Library
8:15–9:15 a.m., Parent Book Group, Erskine Library
7–9:00 p.m., Board of Trustees
3:30 p.m., Wrestling at Fenn; Boys’ JV Basketball vs Meadowbrook; Girls’ JV Basketball vs Meadowbrook
3:30 p.m., Boys’ JV Basketball at Cambridge Friends; Boys’ Varsity Basketball vs LCA; Fencing vs ISB; Girls’ Varsity Basketball vs LCA
5:30–6:30 p.m., Head of School Forum, Coolidge Hall
8–11:00 a.m., Middle School Parents’ Visiting Day
8:50–9:35 a.m., Lower School Sharing Assembly
8:50–9:35 a.m., Middle School Sharing Assembly
1–4:00 p.m., Prospective Student Visits – Grades 4 and 5
Head of School Forum
Thursday, January 17, 5:30–6:30 p.m.
Coolidge Hall
Our school environment is evolving, both inside and out. As we start 2019 and head into the second half of the school year, join Brendan Largay for a discussion on how our learning community is embracing the new normal and the many exciting opportunities ahead of us.
Keep Going With the Flow!
Thank you all for your patience and good will as we get accustomed to the new traffic and dismissal patterns. We understand that establishing new routines can be challenging.
The map of the new traffic pattern and description of the new dismissal guidelines are available for reference below. And if you need a tutorial (see video here) be sure to ask one of our pre-k students!
Dismissal Doors and Traffic Flow Map
The PAC Door:
The right-hand lane will proceed to the stop sign and then turn right through the upper parking lot, past the Barn entrance and walkway to begin to pick up at the PAC doors.
Students will be dismissed through the walkway doors in winter and through the PAC doors in fall and spring.
During the winter term, pre-k to grade two students will be seated in the walkway hallway.
During the winter term, students in grades three to five will be seated in the area outside the PAC.
During the fall and spring terms, all students will be dismissed from the PAC stage.
Buckling into car seats will be done by the adults picking up students, not by faculty or staff on duty.
Cars will exit the PAC line, and on the instruction of the faculty/staff member on traffic duty, will drive straight and into the lower parking lot to exit onto Day School Lane at the top of the circle. Another faculty/staff member positioned at the top of the circle will direct traffic exiting from the lower lot and the front door.
The Front Door:
The left-hand lane will proceed to the stop sign and then move straight through Coolidge Way towards the front door.
Students will either wait inside or be seated on the benches outside the front door.
Buckling into car seats will be done by the adults picking up the students, not by faculty or staff on duty.
Cars will exit the front door line and proceed around the circle. On instruction from the faculty or staff member on traffic duty, they will exit the school heading down Day School Lane.
Receptionist Barbara Carey will create new lists of students for each door over winter break and email new dismissal spots to families.
Parking spaces facing the PAC will become partially restricted, with parking only from 7:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Monday to Thursday and 7:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. on Friday.
Please keep in mind that arriving at 3:35 p.m. rather than close to 3:00 p.m. often enables a faster pick up.
Our campus is a no-idling zone.
4:30 p.m. dismissal will be from the front door for students in after school and from the PAC door for athletics. Parents picking up siblings from after school and athletics will in most cases default to the younger student’s location.
BDS buses (Boston, Cambridge, Belmont) will continue to be dismissed from the sixth grade classroom corner.
Visiting team buses will drop at the Barn and park beside the B&G garage.
Friday dismissal will follow the same dismissal pattern as above.
Please refer to the map for review traffic flow.
Lunch & Snack Menu
January 14 to January 18
Snack: salt and vinegar chips; fruit cup
Lunch: penne pasta with creamy pesto sauce; wholegrain rolls; Italian salad
Snack: saltines; pears
Lunch: beef chili and vegetarian chili with cheese, guacamole, salsa and sour cream; chef’s choice vegetables; corn chips; taco salad
Snack: 88 Acre Oats and Cinnamon Bars; bananas
Lunch: roast turkey; mashed maple squash; corn; cranberry sauce; roast potato wedges; mixed greens with goat cheese and sherry vinaigrette
Snack: Tostitos; raisins
Lunch: cheese pizza and pepperoni pizza; chocolate milk; chef’s choice vegetables; Caesar salad
Snack: cheese and apples
No Lunch
FAMILY FUN NIGHT!
Mark your calendar for Family Fun Night, sponsored by the parents’ association. This event is a great way to connect with fellow BDS families! Families will enjoy watching Incredibles 2 in the PAC followed by a meal of cheese pizza ($10 per pizza), crudité, and lemonade with bingo games and prizes in Coolidge Hall. Children are encouraged to bring sleeping bags to snuggle in during the movie. Feel free to contact Cathy Fullerton with any questions.
Wrestling Takes Down Park
John O’Neill, Director of Athletics
Thursday marked yet another first for the Belmont Day athletics program, as the wrestling team hosted its first interscholastic meet. Only four weeks into their inaugural season, the Blue & Gold impressed the home crowd by winning six of seven matches and recording five pins against Park. Belmont Day received strong performances up and down their roster including a gutsy 3-2 decision by sixth grader Christopher McEvoy and a first-period takedown and half nelson pin by eighth grader Philippe Pitts. It was seventh-grader Theo von Gottberg, however, who stole the show. Theo wrestled twice and won both his matches with first-period takedowns and pins, and was even able to impress his coaches with a well-executed cross face cradle in his second match. Collectively, the team represented Belmont Day with pride and successfully began a new chapter for Belmont Day athletics. Next week the squad will travel to Fenn.
More Athletics News
Team captains, Jacob Gregor and Henry Burnham combined for 50 points during boys’ varsity’s nine-point win over Rashi this week.
The girls’ JV hoops team came up two points short against DCD despite stellar play from team captain Ellie Kadnar.
Paul Lyons won all three of his bouts as the fencing team avenged an early season loss with a dramatic 14-13 win over Beaver.
Alexander Colangelo (10 points) and Jake Walsh (eight points, six rebounds) led the way during boys’ JV’s lopsided win over DCD.
The girls’ varsity team lost by 11 to Rashi. Emi Biotti was tremendous defensively and Izzy Kim did a great job on the boards.
Volleyball split a pair of intramural matches this week. Mina Cho’s aces sealed the win for the Gold, while Michelle Mejia-Levy served the Blue back from a 10-point deficit for their win.
Classmates Ellora Roy and Clio Burger have been standout performers on the badminton team. Roy for her fierce backhand and competitive spirit, and Burger for solid footwork and overhead slam.
Fifth Graders Prepare to Take the Stage
Susan Dempsey, Theater Arts Teacher
Fifth grade students are beginning rehearsals for this year’s play, Princess Who? Physical and vocal warm-ups were followed by an ensemble-building hula-hoop game. The fifth grade acting troupe then did a read-through of the script. It’s a show not to be missed! See it live on Friday, February 15 at 8:50 a.m. in the Palandjian Arts Center.
FAMILY FILM FESTIVAL
See Films from Around the World!
January 18 to 21
Regent Theatre, Studio Cinema, Brattle Theatre
Belmont World Film 2019 Annual Family Festival is coming soon! Belmont Day is an annual sponsor of this wonderful array of animated and live action films from all over the world. Screenings are in Belmont, Arlington, and Cambridge. We have six sets of two complimentary tickets to raffle. Follow this link to enter your name into the drawing by Wednesday, January 16.
Plan Ahead for Summer And Register Today!
Registration for BDS Summer Camp and the Swim and Tennis Association (STA) are now open! Our website has extensive information about all our summer programs, including general camp, Journeys, specialty and sports offerings, as well as dates and rates. We hope to see you this summer! If you have any questions, please get in touch at [email protected] or (617) 932-3893.
Recipe for BDS Butternut Squash Soup
This hearty and delicious soup is a favorite of students and faculty and is perfect for the cold days ahead!
Total cook time: 1 hour 30 minutes
1 onion, peeled and chopped
2 whole garlic cloves
2 tsp. curry powder
1 tbsp. brown sugar
1 tsp. dried basil
1-½ lbs. butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cubed, or 1 (20-ounce) package pre-cut squash
1 tart apple, cored and cubed
Toss the squash with onion, apple, celery, garlic, curry powder, brown sugar, and oil.
Baked in oven at 350 degrees until it has a nice roasted color.
Put the roasted mixture in a large pot with the vegetable stock.
Bring to a boil and allow to simmer for 15-20 minutes.
Use a blender or immersion blender to puree the soup.
*Recipe was adapted from one featured in ChopChop Magazine
HIRING NEWS
Meet the Finalists for Equity & Inclusion Position
The hiring team for the position of Director of Equity and Inclusion hosted the first finalist at the school this past week. We hope you will join us on Monday, January 14, and Wednesday, January 16 at 6:30 p.m. in the Erskine Library to meet our next candidates.
Finalists will lead evening workshop sessions on issues of diversity, equity, and identity that will be open to the entire BDS community and we encourage you to attend. Childcare will be provided. Please contact Minna Ham to RSVP and to request childcare.
Book It Forward Drive Continues
Today students worked in cross-graded partner groups to sort the book and CD/DVD donations received so far, and make bookmarks and decorate book bags to accompany them.
We are still collecting books for these two local organizations, More Than Words and Reach Out and Read at Children’s Hospital.
Donation notes: For Reach Out and Read, we can accept new and gently used books for children 6 months to middle school age in any language. No religious, racial, or political themes. For More Than Words, new and gently used books for children of all ages and adults are welcome. Other media must not be damaged. A donation box is in the Schoolhouse Gallery.
Thank you for your donations and support!
Parents’ Association News
Parent Book Club
Are you interested in reading and socializing? Join us for the next book club meeting on Tuesday, January 15. The book selection is A House for Mr. Biswas by V.S. Naipaul. All meetings will be held in the Erskine Library from 8:15 to 9:15 a.m. Refreshments will be provided. Please contact Nareeluck Stephenson with any questions.
Lunchroom Flowers
Thank you to the Kadnar family who supplied the lovely floral centerpieces in Coolidge Hall for our children to enjoy! We still have 5 open opportunities for others to support this effort. You can sign up here.
Family Fun Night, Saturday, February 2, 4:30–7:30 p.m., Palandjian Arts Center
PA Meeting, Friday, February 8, 8:30–9:30 a.m., Coolidge Hall
Shop at Wilson Farm Day, Thursday, February 28, Wilson Farm in Lexington
Donations Accepted Through January 25
There is still time to solicit a donation or donate an item or service to the auction. Donations will be accepted through January 25.
Do you have an item you would like to donate or a special talent that you are willing to share with some students and or parents, such as sports tickets, vacation home, leading a baking class, knitting class, a private yoga session, etc.? Contact [email protected]
Reach out to a potential donor and share with them how they can help support Belmont Day School. And be sure to highlight the benefits for their business by being seen by our vibrant community of over 300 attendees at the auction!
Do you own a business, or have a friend that owns their own business and are looking to get some exposure to the BDS community? Visit our website for more information and to download a solicitation form!
Do you own or know a business who may be interested in sponsorship opportunities?
As a sponsor of Wonder, we will put your business in front of the Belmont Day community of families, faculty, and staff of more than 300 people who will learn of your commitment to support our school. Learn more about the support levels that are available.
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Community Breakfast
Monday, January 21, 8:45 to 11 a.m.
Belmont High School Cafeteria
Belmont Against Racism will host the annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Community Breakfast on Monday, January 21st from 8:45 to 11 a.m. in the Belmont High School cafeteria. Keynote speaker, Dr. Emmett Price, professor of worship, church and culture at the Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, will present, “Re-imagining ‘We the People.'” Tickets are $5 per person and $10 per family and are available at the door or online at www.belmontagainstracism.org.
You can share a link to the entire newsletter here—or share individual articles using the icons to the right of each article.
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Asked by: Marcell Maister
Why is Black Pepper so common?
Better still, long pepper was believed to reduce phlegm and increase semen. As a result, the spice was popular in ancient Greece and Rome. Long pepper's high status also laid the ground for other pungent spices, like black pepper.
Likewise, why do we put pepper on everything?
Unlike salt, which is necessary for decreasing bitterness and enhancing flavors in food, pepper is its own spice. With its own flavor. Instead of adding it automatically, he asks us to only use pepper when its presence would enhance the dish, just as with any other spice in our cupboard.
Also, why do I like black pepper so much? Craving a substance like salt or black pepper may indicate a physiological need or nutritional deficiency. A psychological association of a memory or emotion with the flavor you yearn for can also trigger a craving.
In respect to this, why do people use black pepper?
Both whole black peppercorns and ground black pepper are commonly used in cooking (1). In addition to adding flavor to foods, black pepper may act as an antioxidant and offer a variety of health benefits.
What flavor does pepper add?
Black Pepper has a sharp, pungent aroma and flavor. White Pepper is hotter, less subtle and mildly fermented. Green Peppercorn is milder in flavor and has a fresh taste. Since the Roman times, Pepper has been the most important spice.
What Pepper do chefs use?
Types of pepper Chef Maunika Gowardhan uses a range of different peppers depending on the dish in question. Sichuan (also know as triphal or teppal) pepper adds heat; tellicherry peppercorns from India are left on the vine longer so they develop a deep, rich flavour; and she occasionally uses java long pepper.
Is black pepper toxic?
Black pepper is LIKELY SAFE when taken by mouth in amounts commonly found in foods. It is not known if taking black pepper by mouth as a medicine is safe. Black pepper oil is POSSIBLY SAFE when applied to the skin or when inhaled through the nose or mouth.
What foods add to pepper?
Black pepper is perhaps the best-loved and most widely used spice in the world, adding both heat and depth of flavor to nearly any dish. It comes from the berries of the pepper plant (Piper nigrum), native to Asia, which also produces green and white peppercorns. Black pepper is the whole, partially ripened fruit.
Which Shaker is for salt?
The other thing most of us do is put the salt in the shaker with the most amount of holes. The pepper goes in the shaker with the fewer amount of holes. That's the way it's done. There IS an actual rule that states this is the way to do it, by the way.
How much black pepper should you eat a day?
There is no harm including it in your diet, but make sure to consume it in moderation. Do not have more than 1-2 teaspoon of black pepper every day. Having it in excess can have multiple side effects.
What do you do if you add too much black pepper?
Add a teaspoon of lemon juice or one section of a quartered fresh lemon. The acid neutralizes the effect of the pepper. It may be necessary to simultaneously add a teaspoon of sugar to counteract the lemon's sourness. Add small amounts of lemon and sugar, tasting and adding more as needed.
What is the point of pepper?
But pepper was just as important. Historians call it “the king of spices,” and it was once so valuable that it also was used as a form of money. It's heat and taste also enhance flavor.
What is cracked pepper?
Cracked black pepper is a term for coarsely ground black pepper. Ground black pepper typically means pre-ground and refers to black pepper ground at the factory and packaged in small cans or shakers. Both come from the same dried drupe that we call peppercorns, so they start out with exactly the same properties.
Is black pepper bad for your heart?
Excess free radical damage may lead to major health problems. For example, it has been linked to inflammation, premature aging, heart disease, and certain cancers ( 4 , 5 , 6 ). Black pepper is rich in a plant compound called piperine, which test-tube studies have found to have potent antioxidant properties.
Is black pepper healthy?
Black pepper (Piper Nigrum L.) is an important healthy food owing to its antioxidant, antimicrobial potential and gastro-protective modules. Black pepper, with piperine as an active ingredient, holds rich phytochemistry that also includes volatile oil, oleoresins, and alkaloids.
Is black pepper good for weight loss?
Black pepper, which can turn dull dishes into lip-smacking, can help you shed weight. Black pepper is loaded with Vitamins A, C, and K, minerals, healthy fatty acids and works as a natural metabolic booster which makes it a storehouse of uncountable health benefits, including weight loss. It also contains piperine.
Is black pepper good for hair?
Black pepper is rich in Vitamins A and C, flavonoids, carotenoids and other antioxidants. This means it has exceptional growth stimulating and dandruff fighting abilities. Regular use of black pepper on scalp strengthens hair follicles and decreases shedding. Black pepper also works as a scalp detox.
Is pepper good for your liver?
Summary: New research shows that the daily consumption of capsaicin, the active compound of chilli peppers, was found to have beneficial effects on liver damage. HSCs are the major cell type involved in liver fibrosis, which is the formation of scar tissue in response to liver damage.
Do Mexicans use black pepper?
- black pepper was, at one time, a very valuable spice. Having it at the table, where guests could add it to taste, would have been a sign of affluence. In Mexico (and parts of South America) hot sauce, bottled or fresh home made, is a come table condiment, playing a similar role to black pepper on the American table.
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All posts tagged Nicki Boult
Cassandra Darke by Posy Simmonds (2018)
Cassandra Darke is 71 years old, which is an immediate change and relief from the protagonists of Posy Simmonds’s two previous graphic novels, Gemma Bovery and Tamara Drewe, who were both nubile, lithe, sexy, twenty-something, young women whose lives revolved around a series of romantic ‘liaisons’.
By complete contrast, right from the start of this book we are in the company of, and listening to the narrating voice of, plump and bustling, grumpy old misanthrope Cassandrara who is more than usually bad-tempered because it is Christmas-time and we know from her previous cartoon strip that Posy Simmonds particularly dislikes Christmas, as does her Scrooge-like creation.
However, if the reader thinks they’ve escaped from ‘Simmonds World’, a smug, self-centred world of upper-middle-class, white London professionals, where all the women are obsessed by men and define themselves by their sexual relations (or lack of) with men – they would be wrong.
The character of Cassandra is great – she doesn’t give a stuff about anything, swears freely and has a bad word for everyone, but, barely had I started enjoying her rude obnoxious character than – like all Simmonds’s women – she began to define herself, and her life and career, in terms of men, starting with her husband, Freddie.
Thus it was forty years earlier that Freddie and Cassandra set up a swish art gallery together. However, some time later Freddie ran off with Cassandra’s half-sister, Margot, and the pair got divorced. Cassandra was able to carry on earning a living by dealing art from home, and from writing. Then, decades later, Cassandra bumped into Freddie at an art fair and he told her he’d been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s Disease and asked if she like to take over the old gallery from him. She agreed to.
Anyway, this is all background to the issue which dominates the opening pages, which is that Cassandra has been caught dealing fake copies of valuable sculptures. She has charged a rich American collector £400,000 for an illegal copy of a limited edition modern piece of sculpture and he has found this out and sent her a letter threatening to take her to court.
Thus the book opens on a note of unease as Cassandra, although in posh Burlington Arcade surrounded by happy Christmas shoppers, is show trying to avoid the widow of the sculptor in question, and delays going back to the gallery, strongly suspecting that bad news is waiting for her. As it is.
In a sequence which is now shown but briefly referred to, Cassandra is duly tried and convicted of fraud, her case being reported in sundry newspapers. She might well have gone to prison but – being posh – is let off by the (woman) judge with a hefty fine and told to do community service.
Nonetheless, she still has to sell off her private art collection and the house in Brittany (I know: imagine the heartbreak of having to sell your house in Brittany!) to pay the fine.
Here is the first page of the book, establishing Cassandra’s look and character, and the central London setting of most of the story, and straightaway the sense that something is wrong. Cassandra is trying to avoid Jane McMullen, wife of the sculptor whose work she has fraudulently sold, and who – it turns out – is looking for her in order to deliver the letter which accuses her of dealing in fakes.
First page showing Cassandra emerging from Burlington Arcade and spotting an old acquaintance she wants to avoid © Posy Simmonds
The accusations, her arrest, and trial and conviction and sentence are all dealt with very quickly, and the narrative jumps to a year later, December 2017, as Cassandra is nearing the end of her community service.
We now find Cassandra without work but still living in her nice house in ‘Osmington Square, SW3’ i.e. Chelsea, nowadays populated by rich Chinese and Russian billionaires and their wives and nannies.
Osmington Square, where Cassandra lives, mostly empty apart from a few Russian or Chinese nannies and their charges © Posy Simmonds
Cassandra gets home to find an invitation to Freddie’s memorial service – the Alzheimer’s has finally killed him. She takes a taxi to the service and hides up in the gallery of the Mayfair church, making acerbic comments about all the other attendees, including her half-sister Margot (who Freddie ran off with all those years ago) and Margot and Freddie’s grown-up daughter, Nicki, who Cassandra cheerfully refers to as a ‘shit’.
Then Cassandra sneaks out and walks through the dark Christmas London streets, morbidly reflecting on Freddie’s sad decline into senility, thinking how she would prefer to commit suicide than end up like that, and then weighing the different methods of killing yourself. Cheerful stuff!
Cassandra ponders different ways to kill herself © Posy Simmonds
Once home, Cassandra finds gravel in her kitchen which looks like it must have come from her small back garden, and at first panics and thinks someone has broken in. But she discovers nothing has been stolen, calms down, and then decides it must be Freddie and Margot’s grown-up daughter Nicki, who she let stay in the downstairs flat the previous year, and for some reason has come into the main house.
Cassandra goes down to the basement flat to explore, and finds some dirty clothes and then, rummaging in the linen basket – finds A GUN, a pistol! Christ!
A gun and a peculiar pink glove with kind of raised blotches on it, and a little make-up bag, all bundled up in dirty linen and stuffed at the bottom of the bin! What is Nicki involved in?
Cassandra goes back to the house and sits obsessively running through all the other people who have had access to the flat, for example the two different cleaners she’s used, any other friends or relations… but keeps coming back to Nicki, bloody Nicki. A GUN! What the hell is she doing leaving a GUN in her flat?
The events of 2016
In order to discover how we got here the narrative undergoes a big flashback, going back in time a year to the middle of 2016. It was then that Nicki Boult, Freddie and Margot’s daughter, turned up out of the blue at Cassandra’s gallery, saying that she was broke, had lost her studio in Deptford and her share of a flat, and asking Cassandra if she can stay?
After initially saying No, Cassandra relents and says Nicki can stay in the basement flat providing she earns her keep by doing regular chores for Cassandra.
Nicki Boult arrives, asking Cassandra for a job or a place to stay © Posy Simmonds
(As a side note, Cassandra tells us about Nicki’s art, which is a kind of performance art. Nicki goes to galleries and stands in front of paintings of women being harassed, attacked or raped, copies their poses or has written on her body or clothes the message RAPE IS NOT ART and has a friend video it all. Radical, eh? As Cassandra sourly points out: ‘And you think that people can’t work that out for themselves?’)
Anyway, Nicki moves in and is soon helping Cassandra with all sorts of chores from walking her repellent little pug, Corker, to helping with prints and such. We see Cassandra going about her usual day, being rude to everyone she can – telling kids cycling on the pavement to get off, calling a jogger a ‘prancing ponce’, insisting a woman pick up the poo her dog has just deposited, and so on. She’s a great stroppy old woman.
Cassandra being fabulously rude to everyday people in the street (French translation) © Posy Simmonds
So the pair’s daily routine is established and settled by the time of the first big important sequence in the plot, which is the hen party of Nicki’s friend, Mia. Nicki doesn’t really want to go, not least because Mia’s booked a burlesque session to kick-start the evening, but reluctantly she dresses up as a cowgirl, wearing kinky boots, a pink tutu, a pink bra and pink cowboy hat. She looks like a strippagram.
She is, in fact, another one of Posy Simmonds’s nubile, leggy, twenty-something, single women who look so sexy in a bra and panties (cf all the pics of Gemma Bovery stripped naked or in black stockings and suspenders.)
Nicki at Mia’s hen night, in her pink tutu and bra, and drinking too much © Posy Simmonds
Nicki goes to the party but is ill at ease and drinks too much. The girls play a game of Dare and Nicki’s dare is to get a phone number off a complete stranger, so she is egged on to go up to the bar and approach a rough but handsome dude for his number. Drunkenly, Nicki gives him Cassandra’s name and phone number, but when it’s his turn to give his, as the dare demands, the guy refuses. He and his mates are moving on so he asks if she wants to come? But Nicki realises she’s drunk too much, is going to be sick, and stumbles downstairs to the loo.
Suddenly the stubbly guy from the bar appears behind her, puts his hand over her mouth and pushes her into a side room, presumably intending to rape her. Nicki bites the hand over her mouth drawing blood. The guy slaps her and grabs her again but she reaches down and back to grab his balls and squeezes. The guy loses his hold and staggers backwards, allowing Nicki to escape into the girls toilet. Here she waits and waits until the coast is clear, stumbles back upstairs to her friends, half explains what happened, wraps her coat around her, they’ve called an Uber for her. But!! The guy and his mates are still hanging round outside, so she dodges into an alleyway.
Here Nicki is terrified to discover another young man lurking in the shadows (men! they’re everywhere!) but this one is friendly and guesses she’s hiding from the three bad guys. He tells her when they’ve gone and she stumbles back into the street, orders another Uber, staggers out of it up to Cassandra’s front door because she realises she’s lost her keys… incoherent.. Cassandra looks at the state she’s in with disgust.
Next morning Cassandra is going about her business when she is surprised to get a text on her phone: ‘Big mistake Cassandra!! Break yr fucking legs thats a promise cunt’. It’s from the would-be rapist – remember, Nicki gave him Cassandra’s name and phone number. Amusingly, Cassandra thinks this txt might be from a rival art collector and sends a rude text back, only to receive another: ‘ur dead meat whore’.
Much puzzled, Cassandra returns from a little walk to find a young man on her doorstep, very polite, looking for ‘the young lady’. Cassandra guesses he means Nicki and explains that Nicki lives in the basement flat.
Cassandra gets on with her day. It’s a Sunday and since her ‘lady who does’, Elsa, doesn’t come at the weekend, Cassandra has to fix her own lunch (fix her own lunch! I know, how dreadful! Personally, I am continually brought up dead by the little details in all Posy Simmonds’s graphic novels which indicate just how posh and privileged her character are: not actual aristocracy, just used to a certain level of culture and education and savoir vivre – fine food, fine wine, fine art, fine writing.)
Cassandra phones the rival art dealer and quickly discovers it’s not him sending the texts. In fact, while they’re talking, another abusive txt arrives, plus a photo of whoever it is’s dick. Cassandra is too mature to be offended, just startled and puzzled.
Later Nicki surfaces. She has been for a walk and a chat with that bloke she met briefly in the alleyway, now we learn he’s called Billy. How did he find her? Last night, drunk, she dropped her keys in the alley, which had her address on them. Now Billy tells us more about the would-be rapist and txt abuser. He’s Dean Hart, a nasty piece of work. Billy gives her a full profile: he and Deano grew up together, they used to hang out and do graffiti together, then Deano went a bit mental, took to snorting coke and gambling, supported by his family who are East End crooks.
Later, we see Billy on his way home, back to his mum’s flat in a tower block. He is waylaid by some of Deano’s sidekicks who tell him Deano wants to see him. (This and the subsequent conversation Billy has with his plump, working class mum are a welcome change from the bourgeois writer-and-art-dealer class Simmonds usually deals with.) Billy’s mum said someone called round asking for him, a Dean something. Billy says, ‘Next time tell him I don’t live here any more, I’ve moved out.’ He packs his things and leaves, walking away from the East End council flats…
Simmonds and her young women: love love love is still on Nicki’s mind. It is, after all, weeks since Nicki’s last relationship, weeks, people! So she obviously needs a new man in her life asap. All Simmonds’s heroines can’t function without a man (Gemma Bovery, Tamara Drewe and now Nicki). Thus she goes out for a drink with Billy, their eyes meet, she wonders whether he fancies her? Ooh-er, it’s so exciting! They leave the pub, snog, walk, then run back to the basement flat for a shag.
Trouble is, Billy’s in a fix. Not only has he not gone to meet Deano as his minders told him to – he’s got something that belongs to Deano – a GUN!
Down in the basement, after the shag, Billy tells her more. A while ago Deano bumped into him in some pub and persuaded him to go with his minder – his uncle ironically nicknamed ‘Nanny’ – to Newbury races. They gambled and made money, get bored, drive home in gathering mist, get lost looking for some country pub and pick up a girl hitch-hiker.
Billy falls asleep, wakes up as they arrive back in London, turning into Billy’s family’s scrap metal yard. Deano gets out with the girl and heads into the house, ignoring Billy, telling Nanny to bring his fags and the tripod. (Tripod? Maybe to film him and the girl having sex.) Billy is rooting around for the fags when he finds some odd kind of pink glove, and a little make-up bag, and a jacket, heavy, with something bulky in it. It’s A GUN! What the…?
Billy suddenly wonders what he’s doing hanging round with these people and… here’s the crux and the slightly implausible thing about the entire plot — he pockets the gun and the glove and the make-up bag. Nanny doesn’t notice, he’s busy in the boot getting the tripod out, now he locks the car with a remote and walks off across the yard ignoring Billy and Billy thinks… screw it! and runs off in the other direction. With the gun and the glove and the make-up bag.
Now he’s on the run from Deano and his mob, with a gun of theirs. He tells Nicki all this, says he’s moved out of his mum’s place, is kipping on a mate’s floor. And so Nicki asks him to move into the basement flat.
Back to Cassandra’s narration. Cassandra spends the day visiting three old ‘friends’ who might possibly be behind the mystery texts, but they are all quite frank and friendly, it’s obviously none of them. Mystery.
Nicki explains her next art project, making objects out of the cardboard boxes the homeless sleep in on the streets of London. Nicki on the phone describing how wonderful Billy is to a friend. Then Nicki has a call with Billy while he’s at work on set. Via basic electrics and wiring he’s got himself a career as an electrician on TV productions.
Cassandra hosts a dinner for gay Teddy Wood and his partner Yves – wonderful food and wine ruined by the very loud love-making of Nicki and Billy downstairs. Amusing pictures of a furry of bodies and limbs – Cassandra envisions two pigs rutting and is furious the evening is spoiled.
Next day, walking in the square, Billy admits to Nicki that he lied about his family situation. In fact he was once married and has a son, Jack. Nicki berates him for lying, and asks if he’s telling the truth now? Of course, he smiles at her. OK, she says.
Cassandra books her regular Christmas trip to a five star hotel in Biarritz – she usually loves the bracing winds and isolation, but this time has bad dreams, cuts the trip short and returns to London.
Cassandra watching Billy and Nicki snogging in the park – and then on holiday in out-of-season Biarritz © Posy Simmonds
Arriving home in Osmington Square earlier than anticipated, Cassandra is horrified to find her house festooned in fairy lights and illuminated Father Christmases and a crowd gathered outside. A friend of Nicki’s is collecting donations in a bucket because they are putting on a show in support of the homeless and the show is… Nicki doing a striptease in the window! At the show’s climax Nicki removes the big feathery fans to reveal her bare breasts each adorned with a shiny star over the nipple! Posy Simmonds does love drawing naked foxy babes.
Cassandra doing a burlesque strip tease in the window of Cassandra’s house to raise money for the homeless © Posy Simmonds
Furious, Cassandra storms inside, turns off the power and the lights and gives Cassandra a good talking to, accusing her of caring bugger-all for the homeless but putting on the show to promote herself, her brand, on social media.
She also makes the fairly obvious point that how can doing a strip-tease be considered an act of the ‘feminism’ that Nicki is always going on about? Surely she is ‘playing out male fantasies’, ‘objectifying the female body’ and all the other things she claims to be vehemently against?
Anyway. Cassandra gives her till Saturday to clear out.
December 20 17.15 One of Deano’s associates, Pete, tracks down Billy’s ex, Dee, and tells her that Billy won a packet on a long-term bet on the horses, and he and Deano want to give him his winnings. Naively, Dee tells Pete that Billy said something about a party in a pub in Soho tomorrow.
December 21 20.15 Pete waits at the Jutland pub, in phone contact with Nanny in a waiting Range Rover. He spots Billy, then follows him through the West End to catch a bus west, phoning his movements through to Nanny who follows.
Meanwhile, this is the same December 21st that the novel opened with, the one where Cassandra is in Burlington Arcade, avoiding Jane McMullen because she knows she is going to hand her a letter telling her her fraud has been discovered and her wronged client is going to sue.
Now, having arrived late at the gallery and been handed the letter and reading it and realising her world is about to come tumbling down, Cassandra arrives back at her house same time as Nicki, disgruntled and worried. She, absent-mindedly asks Nicki to take her ugly little pug Corker to ‘do his thing’ in the square.
Nicki does so but at that moment her mum (Margot, Cassandra’s step-sister who stole her husband Freddie off her 40 years ago) rings on her mobile, to tell her the news about Cassandra i.e that she’s been caught out in her fraudulent dealings. Distracted, Nicki lets the little dog, Corker, wander off.
Meanwhile, Billy has got off the bus from the West End and walks through the snow and darkness towards Osmington Square, followed by Pete, who is giving directions to Nanny who is following in the Range Rover. They pull up in the square and the next thing Billy knows he’s confronted by Pete and Nanny, who punches him in the face, knocks him down and kicks him in the ribs. The dog barks so Pete kicks it in the head. The thugs wander off as Nicki comes running up. She calls an ambulance. She realises Corker is dead.
Next day we see events from Cassandra’s point of view. Nicki’s mother (Margot) turns up to collect Nicki and drive her to their home in the country. With Billy in hospital, Nicki had gone through his rucksack and found the gun and a weird pink glove. She wraps it all up in an old sheet and shoves it in the bathroom bin of the basement flat and gets in the car with her mum. On the drive west she finds herself telling her mum about Billy and his, er, ‘involvements’, triggering a lecture about getting mixed up with the criminal classes.
So this brings us back to where we started – to a full year later, and to Christmas 2017 (all the previous section happened in the run-up to Christmas 2016). (Does that mean the gun and the glove have lain hidden in the downstairs flat for a whole year? I am slight confused by this or, if I’ve understood it correctly, slightly incredulous.)
So here we are right back at the scene from near the start of the book where Cassandra has just found the gun and glove and make-up bag in Nicki’s bin and is wondering how the hell it got there. On impulse – and a bit drunk from drinking most of a bottle of claret – Cassandra brings the gun and glove and the clip of bullets up from Nicki’s flat, handles it drunkenly, before stashing it in her own washing machine.
Next day (the day after Freddie’s memorial service which we saw at the start of the book) Cassandra phones Margot, Freddie’s widow, to find out where Nicki is so she can question her. She finds out that Nicki is now living in a shared house in Tooting and working at a swanky art dealers in Dover Street. Cassandra goes to the dealers and confronts Nicki about the gun. Nicki bombards her with explanations, about it being Billy’s, well, not Billy’s it really belongs to Deano who she’s never met, and Billy took it and she was etc etc. Cassandra becomes very confused and threatens to call the police. Nicki say that’s rich, coming from a convicted fraudster.
Cassandra turns away in fury. Too angry to catch a bus home, she pads the streets of London at Christmas-time – thus allowing Simmonds to give vent to one of the most consistent of her themes – something which appears throughout the Posy comic strips – a really jaundiced venomous hatred of Christmas. ‘I pad past Christmas windows, their sterile perfection contrasting with the scrum of shoppers inside, racking up debt, sharing their seasonal bugs – norovirus, coughs, colds, flu.’
Illustration from Cassandra Darke by Posy Simmonds © Posy Simmonds
Back home in bed, Cassandra has a nightmare in which she is back in court and the judge accuses her of pandering to rich art collectors, price fixing, knowingly taken part in the laundering of money by criminals until the judge finds her… ‘a waste of space’. Reflecting that maybe her whole life has been a waste.
Cut to Billy at MacDonalds with his mum and son Jack. He’s surfing through the news on his phone, as you do, when he stumbles across a news item about a woman’s remains recently found in a wood, with a quilted coat and a distinctive pink glove! Same as the one he took from the car! Same as the one belonging to that hitch-hiker! God, is the body hers?
Billy is stunned. He immediately leaps to the conclusion that Deano and his lot must have murdered and dumped the hitch-hiker.
He texts Nicki and they meet on the Embankment. Now it is that we learn for the first time that, after he got beaten up and hospitalised, it was Billy who suggested they break off the relationship. If it was a relationship. As usual for a Simmonds heroine, Nicki is confused about her emotions and her feelings etc.
Sometimes Nicki wondered if all that stuff hadn’t happened, would she and Billy still be an item?They’d never examined their relationship at the time, had left their feelings for each other unspoken. It wasn’t just sex, there were feelings, Nicki knew. Quite strong feelings. (p.76)
(Maybe this is what helps the book feel like ‘chick lit’ – the heroine’s endless agonising about whether she has feelings and what kind of feelings and whether he shares her feelings and, you know, they need to talk about their feelings and their relationship, we need to talk, I need to talk, are we an item, do you have feelings, is this just about sex or about something more…? Repeat ad infinitum without ever getting anywhere, as the Bridget Jones’ column and books and movies amply demonstrate.)
Back to the plot: Now, at their rendezvous on the Embankment, Billy tells Nicki that Nanny and Pete have been keeping tabs on him, sending him photos of places he’s been to. They’ve turned over his flat twice and demanded to know where the gun is. But he just keeps lying and saying he never took it. (I find it a little hard to believe this has been going on for a year: if I was them I am sure I could hurt him until he admitted nicking the gun and… simply handed it back over. Wouldn’t that be the simple thing to do?)
Like a good middle-class young lady, Nicki tells him he should go to the police. Like the working class boy he is, Billy says no, it’ll be Deano and Nanny’s word against his, and whatever happens, sooner or later they’d get their revenge.
Cut back to Cassandra and some tiresome feminism is injected into the story. She is sitting at home at Christmas feeling sorry for herself, feeling that the world finds her a ‘failure as a woman’ because she hasn’t lived as ‘a woman ought to live’ i.e. got married, had children, grandchildren. I’ve news for her: the world doesn’t give a toss what she does with her life. Only in her head does this self-condemning monologue grumble on. Meanwhile she has led a pampered, privileged life most of us could only fantasise about: she’s had more than enough money, a good education, choice, freedom, travel, comfort, art, opera, theatre, films, books… Ah yes, but ‘society’ (whatever that is) considers her ‘a failure as a woman’ (whatever that means). This is what my daughter (the 17-year-old feminist) calls ‘white feminism’ i.e. the self-centred grumbling of privileged, white, middle-class women. Get over yourself.
There’s a knock at the door and Cassandra opens it to find Nicki with Billy. Nicki admits the truth, about giving Deano Cassandra’s phone number at the hen night (thus explaining Deano as the source of the violent threats and the dick pic), explains how Billy is involved, swears he fled the scene with the gun, brought it with him in his backpack when he moved in with Nicki (which explains the existence of the gun), how they’ve come to the decision to tell the police, but they need the gun. Where is it?
Furious, Cassandra kicks them out, and then – Billy having told her that the body and suspected murder were reported on ‘Crimefile’ – she looks up and watches it on the BBC iPlayer. Through her eyes we watch as the programme interviews the couple out walking their dog who found the corpse.
Cassandra finds herself wondering who the poor woman was. She gets out the gun and glove and the little make-up bag from the washing machine where she’d stashed it. Rummaging through it she comes upon a pack of paracetamol with the label of a pharmacy still attached. She looks it up and discovers this pharmacy is way out East, so Cassandra catches the tube out there to go and investigate.
Cassandra on the tube © Posy Simmonds
Cassandra wanders round the scuzzy district of Lowbridge Road looking for the pharmacy. The Asian couple who run it can’t remember any particular young woman buying it (and, anyway, wasn’t it bought over a year ago?) and neither can any of the other shopkeepers she tries, though she does pick up the knowledge that some of the houses in the area are packed with sex workers, foreign mostly.
Cassandra asks the pharmacy in Lowbridge Road whether they remember who bought the bottle of paracatemol © Posy Simmonds
In fact ill luck befalls her and Cassandra manages to lose her wallet, containing her cash and bank cards. Thus she experiences a whole 90 minutes of feeling poor and abandoned. It starts to rain. She begins to panic. No Oyster card, no money for a taxi. Finally she realises she can pawn her gold necklace, and makes enough money from it to buy a tube fare back to Knightsbridge, where she is once again safely among her people.
Back in her house, Cassandra gets the gun and glove out and ponders her next move. Thinking about the slimeball who sent her those vitriolic texts, she takes a photo of the gun and texts it back to him, a year after the original exchange: ‘Hi, remember me? Keeping your gun safe. And the left hand glove too. Vital evidence I’d say. What’s it worth to you, Deano? You tell me. Cassandra’
Cut to the office of Deano’s scrap metal yard where we learn that i) prolonged taking of drugs has half-unhinged Deano and ii) when the text arrives, it prompts another outpouring of regret, with Deano saying he never meant to kill that girl.
Soon afterwards, Deano goes for a drink and (incredibly fortuitously) sees Billy. Deano follows Billy to a bar where he’s meeting Nicki. Nicki tells Billy what Cassandra’s done i.e. only gone and texted a photo of the bloody gun to Deano, the silly so-and-so. Billy says he’ll go mental! Outside, Deano sees Billy and Nicki smooching and recognises her from that nightclub a year earlier, the infamous hen party evening when Nicki told him her name was Cassandra, and then bit him and squashed his balls.
When Nicki and Billy part, Deano follows Nicki down into the Tube, gets out at Knightsbridge stop with her, follows her along into Osmington Square. Simmonds does that thing where she uses just pictures, with no words, to rack up the tension, in this instance to portray the nagging anxiety of a woman walking on her own in the dark.
Now Deano makes his move, accosting Nicki in the street brandishing a knife, demands the gun, demands to know where she lives. Nicki starts screaming HELP! At that moment, Cassandra, who – as we have seen – had been playing with the gun, emerges from her front door holding it like an American cop, pointing at Deano.
Momentarily confused, Deano loosens his grip on Nicki who runs off. Deano recovers his nerve and crosses the road to Cassandra, who says, ‘Drop it, I’ll shot’, but he knows she won’t. Instead she throws it over the railings into the basement area, but Deano attacks her anyway and, after a tussle, stabs her in the stomach. ‘Stupid arse… what have you done?’ she gasps as she clutches the wound and falls to the pavement. Deano panics and flees. Nicki calls an ambulance and gives a statement to the police.
A wordless page follows which shows Cassandra in bed in hospital, sleeping, on a drip. Waking and talking to the police. Back to sleep. And then:
January Cassandra recovers and winds up the story, tying up all the loose ends.
She’s come to stay with her half-sister Margot in the country (a very idealised super-rural country, a country of postcards very like the perfect countryside around Stonefield in Tamar Drewe). She’s learned not to despise Margot so much, realising she has a lot in common with Margot and that what Margot calls ‘healing’ and ‘closure’ are actually quite enjoyable.
Dean Hart was arrested and confessed to the stabbing which, along with the bloody knife and the photos Nicki took of the fight, convicted him. He also confessed to strangling the girl during sex play a year before. Nanny and Pete were also arrested.
Best of all, Cassandra’s enquiries about the dead girl were followed up by the police who went to Lowbridge Road and on to a squalid flat inhabited by five other girls. Her name was Anca Radu, she was 23, grew up in a Romanian orphanage, was groomed and trafficked to the UK as a prostitute, escaped from the flat, hitched a lift, but was dropped in the middle of nowhere, which is where she had the bad luck to be picked up by Deano, taken to London and then killed, accidentally or not.
Lastly, in hospital the doctors discovered that Cassandra has pancreatic cancer. Given the gloomy thread running throughout the book in which Cassandra periodically worried about becoming senile like her poor husband, and pondered different ways of killing herself to avoid that fate, the reader understands when Cassandra says this diagnosis is a perfect solution. It comes as no surprise that she has chosen not to receive treatment.
She is selling the house in Osmington Square and will give the proceeds to charities, including refuges for women.
One of the pleasures of the book is the way that various contemporary ‘issues’ familiar to Londoners are dramatised via the characters.
Off the top of my head I remember the several places where Nicki and Cassandra discuss or argue about the purpose and merits of ‘feminist’ art.
Similarly, the ‘issue’ of homelessness is raised via Nicki’s burlesque strip tease fund raiser, but also in the paired moments when Cassandra refuses to give change to a beggar (at the start) and does (after herself being briefly moneyless in the East End).
And the entire plot rotates, to some extent, about sex trafficking from eastern Europe. Other thoughts – about art and class are snagged, or rise briefly to the surface of situations or conversations then disappear again. Taken together, these issues, large or trivial, and other references (to Uber taxis) make the book feel surprisingly contemporary. Gives the reader the simple pleasure of recognition, of recognising the rather mundane world around us transformed into art, well, comic strip cartoons.
White collar versus gangland crime
Implicit in the whole story is the contrast between Cassandra and her smart, Mayfair form of white-collar crime, and the much more brutal, unhinged crime of Deano and his family out in the East End. Two wrongs, two types of wrong, and prompts broader comparisons between life in Chelsea and life out East in the endless tower blocks of east London.
Cassandra’s redemption
Obviously the narrative arc as a whole depicts Cassandra’s ‘redemption i.e. by doing one brave act she stops being such a grumpy so-and-so and sheds her grumpy, sourpuss persona. No more fretting about how ‘society’ sees her. No more dismissing Margot who, at the start of the book, she had found unbearably pompous and touchy-feelie. Instead, acceptance of her own mortality, acceptance of emotions and emotional intelligence.
It is a timeless stereotype that urban characters have to go to the countryside to be ‘complete’, to achieve ‘authenticity’.
Most of all, maybe, it wasn’t the act of bravery – pointing the gun at Deano and saving Nicki so much as the sympathy Cassandra showed for the once-unnamed and now identified person of the murdered woman. It was discovering her identity more than anything that happens to wretched Deano, which matters most. Giving her a name, an identity, and so some respect.
Loose ends and problems
But many things are left unresolved and unredeemed. Cassandra is still a convicted criminal. We have no sense whether Billy and Nicki are going to live happily ever after, or even whether Deano will go to prison. Presumably…
In terms of plot there is a glaring hole which is the improbability of Billy nicking Deano’s gun in the first place. Even he can’t explain why he did it and it is left to the reader to conclude that he did it because otherwise there would be no story.
And the flashback structure – which worked so well in Gemma Bovery and Tamara Drewe – left me a bit confused. The mapping of two Christmases onto each other, the year long gap, forced me to go back and reread bits to understand the precise sequence of events. And also the way Billy split up with Nicki after he’d been hospitalised wasn’t told at the time, but reported a year later, in retrospect, so it took me a moment to fit that into the timeline.
The use of colour makes for a deep and rewarding visual experience. But to be honest, although some pictures seemed to me to perfectly convey the intended atmosphere – especially lots of the scenery, of London or the countryside – there is an obstinate ungainliness or scrappiness about almost all of the frames which nagged at me, which held me back from going over the top and declaring it a masterpiece etc.
For example, here is Cassandra in a shop near Burlington Arcade, presumably Fortnum and Masons. The top picture of her mooching across a snowy road with her snub nose, pince-nez, slice of lipstick along her thin lips, and characteristic trapper’s fur hat, are all immediately grabby and evocative.
But in the pic below it, look at the girl standing on the right. She just feels to me anatomically incorrect and, stylistically, a throwback to the Posy strip of the 1980s. If Cassandra is fully imagined and drawn, many of the peripheral characters feel less so.
Cassandra in Fortnum and Masons © Posy Simmonds
Here is Cassandra arriving late at her gallery to find the gallery assistant furious that she’s been delayed getting away and organising her own Christmas. Look at the assistant’s face. It is oddly unstable, in the first picture she is characterised by enormous shark’s teeth and big angry eyes – throughout the sequence she has lizard eyes i.e. not with a circular human black pupil, but with vertical slits of pupils. But then in the right-hand picture she suddenly has much softer features and just dots for eyes, a reversion to the Posy strip style, which suddenly makes her seem much less offensive, much less real. In the bottom row second from the left, something odd has happened to her left eye. It’s an example of the way many of the faces in Simmonds are unstable and undergo sometimes striking variations.
Cassandra and her gallery assistant © Posy Simmonds
I know I’m nit-picking but you will read articles claiming Simmonds is the pre-eminent graphic novelist in Britain and I’m not entirely sure. Although I liked the scenery and many of the settings, I still didn’t wholeheartedly enjoy her depiction of faces which too often seemed odd, inconsistent and sometimes positively cack-handed.
Still, that reservation apart, it’s a very enjoyable graphic novel and a very skillful weaving of so many contemporary ‘issues’ into what is, in the end, an extended cartoon strip. And the real point is Cassandra’s journey to redemption, to a form of happiness and closure. If you focus on that, on the skill with which she imagines, describes and draws the central figure – then nitpicking about details tends to fade away.
All images are copyright Posy Simmonds. All images are used under fair play legislation for the purpose of analysis and criticism. All images were already freely available on the internet.
Cassandra Darke on Amazon
Other Posy Simmonds reviews
Mrs Weber’s Diary (1979)
Pick of Posy (1982)
Very Posy (1985)
Pure Posy (1987)
Mustn’t Grumble (1993)
Gemma Bovery (1999)
Literary Life (2003)
Cassandra Darke (2018)
Posy Simmonds: A Retrospective @ the House of Illustration
Posted in Books, Cartoon, Graphic novel
Tagged 2016, 2017, 2018, Alzheimer's Disease, Anca Radu, art, Billy, Brittany, burlesque, Burlington Arcade, Cassandra Darke, Chelsea, chick lit, Christmas, crime, Dean Hart, dick pick, Feminism, Fortnum and Masons, Freddie Boult, Gemma Bovery, Graphic novel, horse racing, Knightsbridge, London, MacDonalds, mobile phones, Nicki Boult, people trafficking, Posy Simmonds, prostitution, Romance, sex, sex trade, sex trafficking, Tamara Darke, texting, Uber, West End, white feminism
https://astrofella.wordpress.com/2019/06/20/cassandra-darke-posy-simmonds/
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All posts tagged Zero Hour
The Illustrated Man by Ray Bradbury (1951)
The unnamed narrator is on a walking holiday in Wisconsin. Over the brow of a hill comes a stranger. The narrator invites him to share his simple dinner. Relaxing in the sun, the stranger takes off his shirt to reveal that his body is absolutely covered in wonderful tattoos, lurid El Greco designs painted in sulphurous colours, inked into him by a crazy old woman who, he claims, was a traveller from the future. The illustrated man has tried every way he can to remove them – scraping them, using acid – nothing works. Not only this, but after sundown the tattoos start moving, each one telling a wondrous story.
This is the rather wonderful framing device which loosely introduces this collection of eighteen science fiction short stories. There are two editions. The America edition has the following stories:
The Veldt
The Other Foot
The Highway
The Long Rain
The Rocket Man
The Fire Balloons
The Last Night of the World
No Particular Night or Morning
The Fox and the Forest
The Concrete Mixer
Marionettes, Inc.
The British edition – which I own – omits ‘The Rocket Man’, ‘The Fire Balloons’, ‘The Exiles’ and ‘The Concrete Mixer’, and adds ‘Usher II’ from The Martian Chronicles and ‘The Playground’, to produce this running order:
Prologue: The Illustrated Man
Usher II
Epilogue: Leaving the Illustrated Man
1. The Veldt – setting: earth in the future
Mr and Mrs George Hadley live in a soundproofed Happylife Home, which is staffed with gadgets and machinery which does their living for them – baths which run on command, shoelace tiers, food which appears on the table when commanded, and a state-of-the-art nursery where their two children, Peter (10) and Wendy spend hours conjuring up three dimensional scenes from fairy tales and children’s stories.
Recently they’ve been recreating the same scene from the African veldt over and gain, complete with lions feasting on something in the distance. Slowly George realises how spoilt and addicted to the nursery the children have become, and announces he is going to turn off the electric house and take them all on holiday to a real home where they’ll have to cook and manage for themselves.
As he turns things off the children go mental with anger and horror and tears and beg for just a last few minutes in the nursery. George relents as he and his wife go upstairs to pack. Then they hear screams from the nursery, run down and into it only for… the children to slam and lock the door behind them. Only then do they look around and see the lions advancing towards them, jaws slavering, under the hot African sun.
2. Kaleidoscope – setting: space
A rocket explodes and the half dozen astronauts inside are scattered in all directions. For a while they keep in radio contact, bitching, crying, lamenting, recounting their lives, as one heads towards the moon, one gets snared in the Myrmidon meteor shower which circles earth endlessly and the main character, Hollis, is pulled towards earth, burning up on entry into the atmosphere, the cause of wonder as a little boy out for a walk with his mom points up at a shooting star streaking across the sky.
Hollis looked to see, but saw nothing. There were only the great diamonds and sapphires and emerald
mists and velvet inks of space, with God’s voice mingling among the crystal fires. There was a kind of
wonder and imagination in the thought of Stone going off in the meteor swarm, out past Mars for years
and coming in toward Earth every five years, passing in and out of the planet’s ken for the next million
centuries, Stone and the Myrmidone cluster eternal and unending, shifting and shaping like the
kaleidoscope colors when you were a child and held the long tube to the sun and gave it a twirl…
3. The Other Foot – Mars
A striking if simplistic story set in 1985. In 1965 black people were sent in spaceships to colonise Mars. This they have done and now live under blue skies, in townships identical to those they left in the American South. Twenty years later, rumour spreads that the first spaceship from earth is due to arrive. One black man, Willie, rouses a mob, making them remember all the humiliations, discrimination, violence and murder black people suffered on earth. He prepares a noose for whichever white men step off the spaceship, and gets fellow citizens to begin marking out reservations for ‘whites only’ in cinemas, public parks, on trams.
But when the spaceship finally lands in front of a mob of angry vengeful blacks, the knackered old white man who emerges in the door announces that earth has suffered a prolonged atomic war in which every country, city and town has been obliterated. The survivors patched together the spaceship he’s come in and now are begging the Martian settlers to use their old unused rockets, to come and rescue the survivors, to ferry them to Mars where mankind can start again.
The white man begs and slowly the noose falls from Willie Johnson’s hand, and he tells the crowd that this is an opportunity to restart the relationship between the races again, from a clean slate.
4. The Highway – earth in the future
Hernando is a poor peasant living next to a highway which runs through his country from America. Over the years scraps from rich cars have flown off into his property – a hub cap he and his wife use as a bowl, the wheel from a car which crashed into the river, but whose rubber he cut into shoes. He is dirt poor. One day there is a flood of cars heading north, which reduces to a trickle and then… the last car. Young pleasure seekers are in it, a man and five women, in a topless convertible. It is pouring with rain, but they are all crying.
They ask him for water for the radiator, which he fetches and pours in, asking what’s up, why the flood of cars north? It is the nuclear war, the young man cries. The nuclear war has come, it is the end of the world. And they offer him some money and drive off north… Hernando goes back to his wife in their hut.
It becomes ever clearer that Bradbury is not so interested in ‘plot’ or ‘character’ as in poetic description, playing with fanciful similes and metaphors.
He returned with a hub lid full of water. This, too, had been a gift from the highway. One afternoon it had sailed like a flung coin into his field, round and glittering. The car to which it belonged had slid on, oblivious to the fact that it had lost a silver eye…
5. The Man – strange planet
The first earth rocket expedition to Planet Forty-three in Star System Three lands and tired Captain Hart is pissed off that the natives just continue going about their work without coming to see them. He sends Lieutenant Martin into town to find out why and Martin returns a few hours later with news that this civilisation has just had a massive experience: the Holy Man whose return they have been awaiting for thousands of years just appeared, walking among them, preaching pace and healing the sick.
Captain Hart is at first completely dismissive, accusing his rival space captains, Burton or Ashley, of having arrived earlier and spreading this ridiculous story in order to pre-empt commercial contracts. But then the two other spaceships turn up badly damaged with most of their crews killed by a solar storm. So… it must be true! It must be him!!
Captain Hart, now persuaded that it is him, returns to the city, but when the mayor can’t tell him where He is, Hart turns nasty, threatening, then shooting the Mayor in the arm. Convinced that ‘He’ has moved on, Hart vows to travel on across the universe to find Him. He blasts off, leaving Lieutenant Martin and some other crew members behind. The mayor turns to them and says: Now, I can take you to meet Him.
6. The Long Rain – Venus
A spaceship lands on Venus. The four survivors struggle through the incessant torrential rain to find a ‘sun dome’, where there’ll be warmth, shelter and food.
I get it now that Bradbury likes stories (cheesy, teenage, boom-boom stories) but what really gets him going is descriptions. The setups and stories may be laughable, but you can’t help reacting to the vividness of his imagining.
The rain continued. It was a hard rain, a perpetual rain, a sweating and steaming rain; it was a mizzle, a downpour, a fountain, a whipping at the eyes, an undertow at the ankles; it was a rain to drown all rains and the memory of rains. It came by the pound and the ton, it hacked at the jungle and cut the trees like scissors and shaved the grass and tunneled the soil and molted the bushes. It shrank men’s hands into the hands of wrinkled apes; it rained a solid glassy rain, and it never stopped.
At one point a monstrous electrical storm passes overhead and burns one of the men to a crisp. The description of his burned corpse really leaped out at me.
The body was twisted steel, wrapped in burned leather. It looked like a wax dummy that had been
thrown into an incinerator and pulled out after the wax had sunk to the charcoal skeleton. Only the teeth were white, and they shone like a strange white bracelet dropped half through a clenched black fist.
Like John Donne. Or photos of Iraqis incinerated on the Highway of Death. The spacemen stagger on, mentally disintegrating, first going round in a big circle to find the spaceship again, then stumbling for miles in search of a Sun Dome only to find one that has been attacked and ransacked by Venusians (who come from the vast sea, apparently, kidnap all the men and elaborately drown them), one man goes mad and sits face up in the rain to drown, another refuses to go any further and shoots himself, the last survivor walks on, going slowly mad, until he does arrive at a Sun Dome and is saved.
7. Usher II – Mars
This is one of the two stories which look ahead to Fahrenheit 451 in that they describe a future earth (in the year 2005) in which a repressive culture is burning all books, wiping out all traces of imaginative literature (and even children’s books) in the name of Moral Purity.
Literary-minded William Stendahl has fled to Mars where, with the help of a sidekick Pike, he commissions an architect to build a replica of the grim Gothic house which features in Edgar Allan Poe’s short story ‘The Fall of the House of Usher’, using robots to recreate bats, vampires and so on, using radiation to blast the landscape around it, and machines to even block out the sunlight to create an environment of menacing gloom.
Within hours of building it an Inspector of Moral Climates named Garrett turns up to demand it be torn down. Pike and Stendhal murder Garrett and quickly build a robot to replace him. But it turns out the thing called Garrett was already a robot, so they’ve simply replaced one robot with another.
Stendhal requests to hold a party in the house before it is demolished and, with wild improbability, Garrett accepts. So that evening Garrett and half a dozen other Moral Cleansers (including a number of earnest young lady reformers) attend the part – at which Pike and Stendhal arrange for them one by one to be killed in re-enactments of grim murders from Poe’s most lurid tales.
Finally Stendhal reduces Garrett to begging for his life as – bound and chained to the wall – Stendhal bricks him up into a vault, to be buried alive. As the helicopter carrying Stendhal and Pike takes off, the house of Usher (II) cracks and collapses, just like the house in the Poe story.
Like a Hammer horror story – but on Mars!
8. The Last Night of the World – earth in the future
This is one of a handful of stories where Bradbury almost completely neglects plot in order to create a strangely empty, hollowed-out piece of dialogue. We overhear the disembodied voices of a married couple who have both woken from a dream in which they knew that the world was going to end. So did everyone else at their workplaces. The go about their day, eat a meal, lock up the house and go to bed to wait.
9. The Rocket – earth in the future
Reminiscent of the deceptively simple stories about Mr Palomar written by Italo Calvino in the 1970s. In the future space travel becomes more and more accessible. Fiorello Bodoni, a poor junkyard owner, has saved $3,000 to enable one member of his family to take a rocket trip into outer space. Trouble is the family can’t agree who should go – they draw straws but whoever wins immediately attracts the resentment of the rest of the family.
One day an industrialist offers him the shell of a superannuated rocket, to melt down for scrap. Instead Bodoni uses his money to rig up car motors to the bottom of the rocket, and cine projection screens across the portholes then invites his children on board, makes them sit in the chairs, fires up the car motors and then plays the films of moon and stars and planets passing by, thus tricking them into believing they really have had a trip in space.
10. No Particular Night or Morning
Like The Last Night of the World this one is about psychology with little real plot, and feels strangely empty and disturbing.
On a space ship heading out from earth, there’s a full crew which includes Clemens and a guy named Hitchcock. Over the next 36 hours or so Hitchcock slowly goes to pieces. He becomes convinced nobody exists if he is not looking at them. He becomes convinced there is no space, no stars, no earth. He confides all these paranoid delusions to Clemens who he also thinks ceases to exist when he, Hitchcock, isn’t looking at him.
Hitchcock explains that he was a wannabe author who finally got a short story published but when he saw his name on the cover – Joseph Hitchcock – he realised it wasn’t him. It was someone else. There was no him.
These delusions are exacerbated when a meteor crashes through the skin of the rocket, killing one spaceman and injuring Hitchcock before the ship’s autorepairs seal up the hole. Hitchcock is convinced the meteor was out to get him.
Twelve hours later the alarm bells ring and one of the crew tells Clemens that Hitchcock put on a spacesuit and exited the ship. Now he’s left a million miles behind. For a while they hear him coming through on the spacesuit radio.
‘No more space ship now. Never was any. No people. No people in all the universe. Never were any. No planets. No stars.’ That’s what he said. And then he said something about his hands and feet and legs. ‘No hands,’ he said. ‘I haven’t any hands any more. Never had any. No feet. Never had any. Can’t prove it. No body. Never had any. No lips. No face. No head. Nothing. Only space. Only space. Only the gap.’
11. The Fox and the Forest – earth in the future and past
It is 2155 and the world is at war. New, hydrogen-plus bombs are being constructed, as well as germ warfare bombs involving leprosy. The future culture doing this is intensely militarised and repressive. At the same time, time travel machines and holidays are becoming common (don’t ask me about the logic of both happening at once).
Roger Kristen is deeply involved in building the nuclear bomb and his wife Ann, in building leprosy bombs. They sign up for one of the Time Travel holidays and select 1938 as a good year. But once they have been transported back to 1938 New York, they change their clothes, appearance and papers and high tail it to Mexico.
Only trouble is they have been followed. As the story opens one of the Searchers, Simms, confronts them in a bar. It is futile trying to run. He or a colleague will find them. Roger agrees to return on condition his wife can stay. Deal, says Simms. But next morning, instead of keeping his promise to Simms, Roger runs him down and kills him in the hire car.
Released pending further investigation, Roger and Ann fall in with a rambunctious American film crew who are down in Mexico on a recce to make a movie. The brash, fast-talking director Joe Melton invites them to join in with the crew, eat meals, maybe Ann can have a role in the movie, she’s pretty good-looking.
Right up to the moment when Melton reveals… that he and the entire crew are also Searchers. Roger’s work is simply too valuable to let him go. Roger pulls out a gun and shoots some of the crew before he’s overpowered. The hotel management come banging on the door at which point Melton reveals that the camera is a time travel device: one of the crew turns it on and all the people from the future vanish, leaving the hotel room completely bare.
This is the second story to reference the notion that in the future, the authorities will destroy culture and, in particular, burn books.
We don’t like this world of 2155. We want to run away from his work at the bomb factory, I from my position with disease-culture units. Perhaps there is a chance for us to escape, to run for centuries into a wild country of years where they will never find and bring us back to burn our books, censor our thoughts, scald our minds with fear, march us, scream at us with radios . . .
12. The Visitor – Mars
Saul Williams is suffering from the incurable disease of ‘blood rust’, and so like all its other victims he is shipped up to Mars in a space rocket, left with survival rations and abandoned. All along the shore of the barren Martian ocean he sees other people like him, coughing up blood, abandoned, solitary, anti-social.
Along the shores of the dead sea, like so many emptied bottles flung up by some long-gone wave, were the huddled bodies of sleeping men.
Then a rocket arrives (carrying the usual regular rations) and a new young man, Leonard Mark. Turns out Leonard is a telepath and can create a kind of cyber-reality for people. For Saul he creates the impressions that a) Saul is in the middle of hustling bustling New York City and then b) that he is swimming in a rural stream, as he did when a boy back in Illinois.
Trouble is some of the other men have been affected by the disturbances and seen images of New York, too. They all want a piece of Leonard. Saul fights them off and carries Leonard up to a cave. There follow various trick moments – like when Leonard makes himself invisible to Saul – moments out of an episode of the Twilight Zone or Star Trek.
While they’re arguing about fantasies, the other men find the cave and threaten Saul. They want to share Leonard and his amazing ability. Eventually they end up fighting over him, one of them pulls a gun and shoots a couple of the rivals before Saul jumps on him, they wrestle with the gun and – like in a thousand hokey TV episodes – the gun goes off, killing… yes, you’ve guessed it! – Leonard, the man they all wanted to save. Golly, Isn’t life ironic! Aren’t humans their own worst enemies!
13. Marionettes, Inc. – earth now
A surprising anticipation of The Stepford Wives (which I’ve reviewed elsewhere). It’s based on the conversation of two men who suffer from henpecking wives. Usually Braling’s wife keeps him where she can see him so his friend Smith is surprised when he is allowed out for an evening.
Braling tells Smith there is a secret new company named Marionettes, Inc. which will make a robot duplicate of you. A month ago he had a duplicate made of himself, keeps it in a trunk in the cellar, but brings it out now and then, prepares it to play him for the evening, while he slips out. It’s such a perfect replica his wife suspects nothing. Braling excitedly tells his friend he’s planning to go to Rio de Janeiro for a month while the robot duplicate robot covers for him at home. The only way to detect the difference is that, if you get up really close, you can hear the tick-tick-tick of the internal machinery.
Smith also has problems with his wife who, for some reason, has become extremely affectionate over the past month, petting and pinching and sitting on his lap and tiring him out. Braling gives him Marionettes, Inc.’s card and Smith goes home determined to get a copy made of himself, so he also can slip away from his wife.
But when Smith gets home and looks at his bank statement he is shocked to find $10,000 is missing from their account. He has an awful thought, bends over the sleeping form of his voluptuous wife, Nettie and… hears the fateful ticking… His wife has beaten him to it, and had a duplicate made of herself! God knows where the real Nettie is off gallyvanting!
Meanwhile Braling gets home and takes over from the duplicate Braling only for a classic ‘horror’ scenario to play out, namely when Braling I gets Braling II down into the cellar, the robot refuses to get into the trunk. He’s taken a fancy to Braling’s wife. In fact he likes being out and about in the air and hates being locked up. In fact…. he grabs Braling and stuffs him into the trunk, locks it, climbs up out of the cellar and locks the cellar door. Goes upstairs to the bedroom, slips into bed next to sleeping Mrs. Braling and gives her an affectionate kiss. Who’s to say the robot won’t make a better husband 🙂
14. The City – another planet, the future
This is another sci-fi horror story, the SF equivalent of a shilling shocker. A spaceship lands on an unexplored planet, and comes upon an abandoned city.
What makes the story novel and impressive is that it is told from the point of view of the city, which in fact is more like a live organism, with hearing devices, smelling devices, a central brain and a big mouth.
It turns out that (somehow) the inhabitants were all wiped out thousands of years ago by humans using biological weapons (don’t think about the logic of this too much; all that matters is that the reader submits themselves to the vehemence of the city’s hatred for humans).
So now it entices in the spacemen, who are tentatively exploring it in their spacesuit. Then it captures them – explains just what it is going to do – tips them down a chute into an abattoir-cum-torture chamber where they are eviscerated, disembowelled, and bled dry, and then…
In the kind of cheapjack, catchpenny but very effective way of these kind of horror stories, the city rebuilds them as perfect robot replicas of their original selves. Sends them robotically back to their ship, carrying with them a clutch of germ warfare bombs. They will return to earth and drop them over the entire globe… thus wiping out mankind!!
15. Zero Hour – earth now
This is a genuinely creepy story, the only one in the collection which genuinely gave me the shivers.
It’s told from the point of view of stereotypical 1950s American suburban mum, Mrs Morris, whose little girl Mink is playing out in the yard with a bunch of kids who have developed a new game, which they are calling ‘the invasion’. Bradbury spookily conveys effective facts like the way that kids going through puberty are excluded from the game, and how the game involves placing metal household objects, knives and forks etc, in particular positions, while drawing geometrical shapes in the dust and incanting chants or spells.
In casual phone calls Mrs Morris discovers that all the other prepubescent kids are playing the same game, even in cities a long way away (a call from a friend who’s moved to the other side of America). Mink tells Mrs Morris it’s all being done at the behest of someone called ‘Drill’. All the children talk about ‘Zero Hour’ being five o’clock.
At which hour there is an eerie silence across the city. Mrs Morris’s husband comes home from work (‘Hi, honey, I’m home’) and, in a sudden panic, she forces him inside, and then pelts him up into the attic, slamming and locking the door.
All the little revelations and knowledges and sense that had bothered her all day and which she had logically and carefully and sensibly rejected and censored. Now it exploded in her and shook her to bits.
They hear voices downstairs in the house. Lots of voices. The clumping of heavy feet. Her husband shouts out ‘Who’s there?’ but his wife begs him to be quiet. Up the stairs come the clumping steps.
Heavy footsteps, heavy, heavy,very heavy footsteps, came up the stairs. Mink leading them.
‘Mom?’ A hesitation. ‘Dad?’ A waiting, a silence.
Humming. Footsteps toward the attic. Mink’s first.
They trembled together in silence in the attic, Mr. and Mrs. Morris. For some reason the electric humming, the queer cold light suddenly visible under the door crack, the strange odor and the alien sound of eagerness in Mink’s voice finally got through to Henry Morris too. He stood, shivering, in the dark silence, his wife beside him.
‘Mom! Dad!’
Footsteps. A little humming sound. The attic lock melted. The door opened. Mink peered inside, tall
blue shadows behind her.
‘Peekaboo,’ said Mink.
Wow. This story sent a genuine thrill of fear through me.
16. The Playground – earth now
A similar effect is created by The Playground. This is pretty much a pure horror story. A middle-aged man, Charles Underhill, used to be mercilessly bullied as a boy. Now he’s married with a son of his own. He and his son regularly walk past the neighbourhood playground.
Charles sees it as a place of incredible violence, with kids smacking, stamping and beating each other. It can’t be that bad can it?
There were creams, sharp visions, children dashing, children fighting, pummeling, bleeding, screaming!
I think this is a sort of hallucination he has, which a) reflects his own neuroses, his own extreme fears but also b) sets the tone of exaggeration and extremity which artfully prepares the reader for what comes next.
His wife, Carol, thinks little Jim should be encouraged to play there with the other kids. If it’s a bit violent, well, that’s all part of growing up.
One particular kid keeps mocking him and calling him whenever he walks past, as if he has a secret, as if he knows something.
Eventually it comes out that this kid has the body of a boy but it contains the mind of an adult neighbour, Marshall. When Charles goes with Jim and his wife next go to the playground, in a terrifying moment, Charles’s soul or whatever it is that lives and perceives inside our bodies, is exchanged with his son’s.
Suddenly he finds himself on top of the slide – where his son had climbed – terrified of the height and of the taunting children around him – and looking over at the playground fence he sees two adults, his wife and himself!! And then he sees them turning and walking away, leaving him, abandoning him to a world of taunts and bullying.
He screamed. He looked at his hands, in a panic of realisation. The small hands, the thin hands…
‘Hi,’ cried the Marshall boy, and bashed him in the mouth. ‘Only twelve years here!’
Twelve years! thought Mr Underhill, trapped. And time is different to children. A year is like ten years. No, not twelve years of childhood ahead of him, but a century, a century of this!
I don’t think it has any sci-fi element at all. It is an ‘astounding’ tale, an ‘astonishing’ tale, but surely a horror story more than science fiction.
Fairly obvious but these last two stories – which are possibly the creepiest – are so in part because they’re about children – those creatures we think we know but who are often so alien, with their own worlds and mindsets – so often the subject of horror stories, books, movies, from The Midwich Cuckoos to The Exorcist.
The American stories
The Rocket Man – earth in the future
14-year-old Doug narrates the three-monthly return visits of his father, a Rocket Man, and the troubled relationship of his parents, his father always vowing to give up flying to Mars or Venus but always, after a week or so at home, getting twitchy and looking at the stars, his mother for the past ten years imagining he is already dead, because the opposite – actually loving him in the here and now – is too risky, risks the terrible pain of losing him on his next mission.
This account of a troubled marriage through the eyes of a wide-eyed teenager is remarkably effective. And has moments of really vivid writing. Doug asks to see his dad in his uniform.
It was glossy black with silver buttons and silver rims to the heels of the black boots, and it looked as if someone had cut the arms and legs and body from a dark nebula, with little faint stars glowing through it. It fit as close as a glove fits to a slender long hand, and it smelled like cool air and metal and space. It smelled of fire and time.
Unlike Isaac Asimov, Bradbury can write.
The Fire Balloons – Mars in the future
Some priests are the first to make the flight to Mars. As usual an alien world turns out remarkably like America, everyone can breathe fine, the sky is blue and the mayor complains about all the Irish navvies who have turned up to do the heavy labour and turned the place into the Wild West with saloons and loose women.
But it is the native Martians who interest Father Peregrine. These are floating blue globes, with no bodies or limbs, who don’t speak or communicate. But the look of them transports him back to childhood memories of his grandfather letting of big red, white and blue balloons to celebrate 4th July.
Father Peregrine makes his colleagues climb up into the mountains in pursuit of the blue globe Martians, and are saved by them when there’s an avalanche. Convinced they are intelligent beings with free will, and therefore capable of right and wrong, and therefore in need of ‘saving’, he gets his grumbling colleagues to build a chapel for the blue globes up in the mountains.
But at the climax of the story the blue globs come to Father Peregrine and, using telepathy, explain very simply that they are peaceful and virtuous and have no need of saving.
Obviously there’s a SF component to the setting and story, but the imaginative force of the story really comes from Peregrine’s poignant memories of being a boy and watching his his grandfather letting beautiful coloured balloons fly into the sky over small town America.
The Exiles – Mars
This a weird story which starts strange and then gets weirder. It is 2120. A shiny spaceship is en route to Mars crewed by shiny white American jock spacemen. But they are all having florid hallucinations – bats in space, arms turning into snakes, imagining they are wolves – and dying, of shock, of heart failure.
‘Bats, needles, dreams, men dying for no reason. I’d call it witchcraft in another day. But this is the year 2120!’
Since the story opens with three witches on Mars reciting spells familiar to any literate person as being quotes from Shakespeare’s Macbeth the reader knows these affects are caused by witches. So far, so SF shocker. What’s interesting is it’s the third of the stories to refer to the idea that in the future, books are banned.
‘Our whole crew dreamed of witch-things and were-things, vampires and phantoms, things they couldn’t know anything about. Why? Because books on such ghastly subjects were destroyed a century ago. By law. Forbidden for anyone to own the grisly volumes. These books you see here are the last copies, kept for historical purposes in the locked museum vaults… All burned in the same year that Halloween was outlawed and Christmas was banned!’
OK, this much I can accept. But the story then goes to an entirely new, delirious level, when it is revealed that the witches from Macbeth are there because Shakespeare is there! Shakespeare and Edgar Allen Poe and Ambrose Bierce and H.P. Lovecraft and all the other writers of horror and the supernatural whose books were burned back on earth – somehow, they are gods, they are immortal, and they fled earth when their creations were burned by a moralising puritanical civilisation, they fled to Mars to escape… and now the earthmen are coming to Mars.
So the core of the story is Edgar Allen Poe and Ambrose Bierce trying to recruit Charles Dickens for their army to oppose the invaders (he refuses, being in the midst of the Christmas celebrations in A Christmas Carol) along with Machen and Blackwood and all the other authors of the mysterious.
So when the spaceship lands, they summon up a vast army of snakes and monsters and fire to attack it. But then we switch to the spacemen’s point of view and they see… nothing at all. A bare uninhabited plain. And to mark their arrival the squeaky-clean-cut all-American captain decides they will burn the last copies of all those nonsense books, the last copies which he had brought on the ship.
And as they make a funeral pyre of The Wind In the Willows and The Outsider and Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde and The Wizard of Oz, and Pellucidar and The Land That Time Forgot and A Midsummer Night’s Dream, they hear thin distant screams… which are the screams of the souls of the authors perishing one by one.
What comes over is Bradbury’s investment in reading, in the imagination, in the wildest reaches of fantasy and horror – and his instinctive opposition to all those forces in Puritanical American society which are constantly trying to stamp it out.
The Concrete Mixer – Mars
The Martian Ettil Vrye refuses to join the Martian army preparing to go and invade earth. His wife, Tylla, is ashamed, his father-in-law is furious. (You can see how this isn’t really science fiction, it is human beings being described.)
It’s a would-be comic story in which Ettil is arrested, and charged with possessing earth science fiction comics, which are what have persuaded him the invasion is a bad idea. When the army threaten to throw him into a ditch of flaming oil he gives up and joins the army and flies through space in the fleet to invade earth.
But as they approach they get a radio message welcoming them. Earth is a peaceful federation now, has abolished all its atom bombs and has no weapons. There is a comic scene as the mayor of a California town makes a big welcome speech to the Martians as they emerge from their shiny spaceships, Miss California 1965 promises to give them all a big kiss and Mr. Biggest Grapefruit in San Fernando Valley 1956 gives them all baskets of fresh fruit.
The Martians fraternise. Most of them love it and pair off with earth women to visit the movies and sit in the back row smooching. Ettil doesn’t fit in. He delivers satire about women in beauty parlours apparently being tortured by their hairdo headsets. He sits on a park bench and is propositioned by a young woman. When he won’t go to the movies with her she accuses him of being a communist. Then an old lady rattles a tambourine at him and asks whether he has been saved by the Lord.
Then he meets a movie producer, van Plank, who whisks him off to a bar, buys him cocktails, promises him a percentage of the take and some ‘peaches’ on the side, if he’ll be an adviser to his new movie project, MARTIAN INVASION OF EARTH. The Martians will be tall and handsome. All their women will be blonde. In a terrific scene a strong woman will save the spaceship when it’s holed by a meteor. there’ll be merchandising, obviously, a special martian doll at thirty bucks a throw.
Not to mention the brand new markets opening up on Mars for perfume, ladies hats, Dick Tracey comics and so on. The producer leads him back out onto the pavement, shakes hands, gets him to promise to be at the studio at 9 prompt tomorrow morning and disappears.
Ettil is left to realise that the invasion will fail because all the Martians will get drunk, be fed cocktails and hot dogs till they’re sick or got cirrhosis, gone blind from watching movies or squashed flat by elephant-sized American women. He walks towards the spaceship field, fantasising about taking the next ship back home and living out his days in his quiet house by a dignified canal sipping fine wine and reading peaceful books when… he hears the tooting of a horn and turns to find a car driven by a bunch of Californian kids, none older than 16, has spotted him and is driving full pelt to run him over, now that’s entertainment.
(And reminiscent, of course, of the classic scene in Fahrenheit 451 when the joyriders try to kill the protagonist, Montag – having already, apparently, run over and killed the book’s female lead, Clarissa.)
The epilogue is short enough to quote in its entirety and gives you a good sense of the simple style and vocabulary of most of the tales
IT WAS almost midnight. The moon was high in the sky now. The Illustrated Man lay motionless. I had seen what there was to see. The stories were told; they were over and done. There remained only that empty space upon the Illustrated Man’s back, that area of jumbled colors and shapes.
Now, as I watched, the vague patch began to assemble itself, in slow dissolvings from one shape to another and still another. And at last a face formed itself there, a face that gazed out at me from the colored flesh, a face with a familiar nose and mouth, familiar eyes.
It was very hazy. I saw only enough of the Illustration to make me leap up. I stood therein the moonlight, afraid that the wind or the stars might move and wake the monstrous gallery at my
feet. But he slept on, quietly.
The picture on his back showed the Illustrated Man himself, with his fingers about my neck, choking me to death. I didn’t wait for it to become clear and sharp and a definite picture.
I ran down the road in the moonlight. I didn’t look back. A small town lay ahead, dark and asleep. I knew that, long before morning, I would reach the town. . . .
1. Many of his stories use science fiction tropes – most obviously the use of space ships to other worlds and encounters with aliens. But Bradbury’s heart is really here on earth . And his stories’ deep roots are more in the horror and horror-fantasy tradition than in sci-fi, as such.
2. The stories are all told in amostly flat, spare prose – flat and plain like fairy stories.
The rocket men leaped out of their ship, guns ready. They stalked about, sniffing the air like hounds.
They saw nothing. They relaxed. The captain stepped forth last. He gave sharp commands. Wood was gathered, kindled, and a fire leapt up in an instant. The captain beckoned his men into a half circle about him.
… from whose white flatness occasionally burst vivid similes, or entire paragraphs of poetic prose.
And as if he had commanded a violent sea to change its course, to suck itself free from primeval beds,
the whirls and savage gouts of fire spread and ran like wind and rain and stark lightning over the sea
sands, down empty river deltas, shadowing and screaming, whistling and whining, sputtering and
coalescing toward the rocket which, extinguished, lay like a clean metal torch in the farthest hollow.
Sometimes he uses repetition of phrases and grammatical structures to intensify the moment or to create dream-like hallucinations. But for the most part it is a verbally, grammatically and lexically simplified style, well suited, in its simple-mindedness, to conveying the spooky, spine-chilling impact of his simple and sometimes terrifying horror stories.
The Illustrated Man online
The Illustrated Man Wikipedia article
Ray Bradbury’s website
Ray Bradbury reviews
1950 The Martian Chronicles
1951 The Illustrated Man – eighteen short stories which use the future, Mars and Venus as settings for what are essentially earth-bound tales of fantasy and horror
1953 Fahrenheit 451
1955 The October Country
1957 Dandelion Wine
1959 The Day It Rained Forever
1962 Something Wicked This Way Comes
Other science fiction reviews
1888 Looking Backward 2000-1887 by Edward Bellamy – Julian West wakes up in the year 2000 to discover a peaceful revolution has ushered in a society of state planning, equality and contentment
1890 News from Nowhere by William Morris – waking from a long sleep, William Guest is shown round a London transformed into villages of contented craftsmen
1895 The Time Machine by H.G. Wells – the unnamed inventor and time traveller tells his dinner party guests the story of his adventure among the Eloi and the Morlocks in the year 802,701
1896 The Island of Doctor Moreau by H.G. Wells – Edward Prendick is stranded on a remote island where he discovers the ‘owner’, Dr Gustave Moreau, is experimentally creating human-animal hybrids
1897 The Invisible Man by H.G. Wells – an embittered young scientist, Griffin, makes himself invisible, starting with comic capers in a Sussex village, and ending with demented murders
1898 The War of the Worlds – the Martians invade earth
1899 When The Sleeper Wakes/The Sleeper Wakes by H.G. Wells – Graham awakes in the year 2100 to find himself at the centre of a revolution to overthrow the repressive society of the future
1899 A Story of the Days To Come by H.G. Wells – set in the same London of the future described in the Sleeper Wakes, Denton and Elizabeth fall in love, then descend into poverty, and experience life as serfs in the Underground city run by the sinister Labour Corps
1901 The First Men in the Moon by H.G. Wells – Mr Bedford and Mr Cavor use the invention of ‘Cavorite’ to fly to the moon and discover the underground civilisation of the Selenites
1904 The Food of the Gods and How It Came to Earth by H.G. Wells – two scientists invent a compound which makes plants, animals and humans grow to giant size, leading to a giants’ rebellion against the ‘little people’
1905 With the Night Mail by Rudyard Kipling – it is 2000 and the narrator accompanies a GPO airship across the Atlantic
1906 In the Days of the Comet by H.G. Wells – a passing comet trails gasses through earth’s atmosphere which bring about ‘the Great Change’, inaugurating an era of wisdom and fairness, as told by narrator Willie Leadford
1908 The War in the Air by H.G. Wells – Bert Smallways, a bicycle-repairman from Bun Hill in Kent, is eye-witness to the outbreak of the war in the air which brings Western civilisation to an end
1909 The Machine Stops by E.M. Foster – people of the future live in underground cells regulated by ‘the Machine’ – until one of them rebels
1912 The Lost World by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle – Professor Challenger leads an expedition to a plateau in the Amazon rainforest where prehistoric animals still exist
1912 As Easy as ABC by Rudyard Kipling – set in 2065 in a world characterised by isolation and privacy, forces from the ABC are sent to suppress an outbreak of ‘crowdism’
1913 The Horror of the Heights by Arthur Conan Doyle – airman Captain Joyce-Armstrong flies higher than anyone before him and discovers the upper atmosphere is inhabited by vast jellyfish-like monsters
1914 The World Set Free by H.G. Wells – A history of the future in which the devastation of an atomic war leads to the creation of a World Government, told via a number of characters who are central to the change
1918 The Land That Time Forgot by Edgar Rice Burroughs – a trilogy of pulp novellas in which all-American heroes battle ape-men and dinosaurs on a lost island in the Antarctic
1921 We by Evgeny Zamyatin – like everyone else in the dystopian future of OneState, D-503 lives life according to the Table of Hours, until I-330 awakens him to the truth
1925 Heart of a Dog by Mikhail Bulgakov – a Moscow scientist transplants the testicles and pituitary gland of a dead tramp into the body of a stray dog, with disastrous consequences
1927 The Maracot Deep by Arthur Conan Doyle – a scientist, engineer and a hero are trying out a new bathysphere when the wire snaps and they hurtle to the bottom of the sea, there to discover…
1930 Last and First Men by Olaf Stapledon – mind-boggling ‘history’ of the future of mankind over the next two billion years
1932 Brave New World by Aldous Huxley
1938 Out of the Silent Planet by C.S. Lewis – baddies Devine and Weston kidnap Ransom and take him in their spherical spaceship to Malacandra aka Mars,
1943 Perelandra (Voyage to Venus) by C.S. Lewis – Ransom is sent to Perelandra aka Venus, to prevent a second temptation by the Devil and the fall of the planet’s new young inhabitants
1945 That Hideous Strength: A Modern Fairy-Tale for Grown-ups by C.S. Lewis– Ransom assembles a motley crew to combat the rise of an evil corporation which is seeking to overthrow mankind
1949 Nineteen Eighty-Four by George Orwell – after a nuclear war, inhabitants of ruined London are divided into the sheep-like ‘proles’ and members of the Party who are kept under unremitting surveillance
1950 I, Robot by Isaac Asimov – nine short stories about ‘positronic’ robots, which chart their rise from dumb playmates to controllers of humanity’s destiny
1951 Foundation by Isaac Asimov – the first five stories telling the rise of the Foundation created by psychohistorian Hari Seldon to preserve civilisation during the collapse of the Galactic Empire
1952 Foundation and Empire by Isaac Asimov – two long stories which continue the future history of the Foundation set up by psychohistorian Hari Seldon as it faces down attack by an Imperial general, and then the menace of the mysterious mutant known only as ‘the Mule’
1953 Second Foundation by Isaac Asimov – concluding part of the ‘trilogy’ describing the attempt to preserve civilisation after the collapse of the Galactic Empire
1954 The Caves of Steel by Isaac Asimov – set 3,000 years in the future when humans have separated into ‘Spacers’ who have colonised 50 other planets, and the overpopulated earth whose inhabitants live in enclosed cities or ‘caves of steel’, and introducing detective Elijah Baley to solve a murder mystery
1956 The Naked Sun by Isaac Asimov – 3,000 years in the future detective Elijah Baley returns, with his robot sidekick, R. Daneel Olivaw, to solve a murder mystery on the remote planet of Solaria
1971 Mutant 59: The Plastic Eater by Kit Pedler and Gerry Davis – a genetically engineered bacterium starts eating the world’s plastic
1980 Russian Hide and Seek by Kingsley Amis – in an England of the future which has been invaded and conquered by the Russians, a hopeless attempt to overthrow the occupiers is easily crushed
1981 The Golden Age of Science Fiction edited by Kingsley Amis – 17 classic sci-fi stories from what Amis considers the Golden Era of the genre, namely the 1950s
Posted in Fantasy, Science Fiction, Short stories
Tagged 1938, 1951, 2155, A Christmas Carol, Ambrose Bierce, America, Captain Hart, Charles Dickens, Charles Underhill, Drill, Edgar Allan Poe, Edgar Allen Poe, El Greco, fable, Fahrenheit 451, Fantasy, Father Peregrine, Fiorello Bodoni, George Hadley, H.P. Lovecraft, Happylife Home, Hollis, horror, Inspector of Moral Climates, Italo Calvino, Joseph Hitchcock, Kaleidoscope, Leonard Mark, Lieutenant Martin, Marionettes Inc., Mars, Mexico, Mink, New York, No Particular Night or Morning, nuclear war, Ray Bradbury, Roger Kristen, Saul Williams, Shakespeare, The City, The Concrete Mixer, The Exiles, The Fall of the House of Usher, The Fire Balloons, The Fox and the Forest, The Highway, The Illustrated Man, The Last Night of the World, The Long Rain, The Man, The Martian Chronicles, The Other Foot, The Playground, The Rocket, The Rocket Man, The Stepford Wives, The Veldt, The Visitor, Usher II, Venus, William Stendahl, Willie Johnson, Wisconsin, Zero Hour
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11 edition of Understanding bioethics and the law found in the catalog.
Schaller, Barry R
the promises and perils of the brave new world of biotechnology
by Schaller, Barry R
Published 2008 by Praeger, Greenwood Publ Grp Inc in United States .
Statement Barry R. Schaller ; foreword by Todd Brewster.
III. LAW AND BIOETHICS. In , Alexis de Tocqueville, a 25 year-old Frenchman, traveled the United States for nine months. 13 Four years later, based on his experience, he published his astute observations in Democracy in America. 14 Although he is known today mostly as an historian and political observer, Tocqueville was a lawyer who was serving as auditor-magistrate at the court of Cited by: 1. While the American legal system has played an important role in shaping the field of bioethics, Law and Bioethics is the first book on the subject designed to be accessible to readers with little or no legal background. Detailing how the legal analysis of an issue in bioethics often differs from the "ethical" analysis, the book covers such topics as abortion, surrogacy, cloning, informed. Human Dignity in Bioethics and Law - Ebook written by Charles Foster. Read this book using Google Play Books app on your PC, android, iOS devices. Download for offline reading, highlight, bookmark or take notes while you read Human Dignity in Bioethics and Law. The book is divided into two sections: Foundations and Issues. Foundations sketches a natural law understanding of the important ethical principles of autonomy, non-maleficence, beneficence, and justice and explores different understandings of "personhood" and whether human embryos are persons.
Review- Bioethics: The Basics. and the Christian understanding of human nature), Law and Bioethics: An Introduction. March The American Journal of : Anna Westin. This book provides a rich body of materials for courses in bioethics and law. Primary legal sources, including judicial opinions, statutes, regulations and institutional policies, will give students insight into the strategies used by courts, legislatures, agencies and health care providers in addressing bioethics issues. The book also draws from interdisciplinary research in medicine, ethics. In Bioethics in Context, Gary Jones and Joseph DeMarco connect ethical theory, medicine, and the law, guiding readers toward a practical and legally grounded understanding of key issues in health-care ethics. This book is uniquely up-to-date in its discussion of health-care law and unpacks the complex web of American policies, including the Patient Protection and. Modules. Bioethics and Medical Law ; Bioethics and Medical Law. This module builds upon the knowledge base about philosophical and theological anthropologies from module BML and explores more deeply some of the key ethical theories and concepts encountered therein and applies them to some bioethical issues such as organ donation and artificial intelligence.
Popular Bioethics Books Showing of The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks (Hardcover) by. Rate this book. Clear rating. Strangers At The Bedside: A History Of How Law And Bioethics Transformed Medical Decision Making (Paperback) by. Understanding the Basics CHAPTER 1 Medical Law, Ethics, and Bioethics 2 Law 4 Ethics 4 Bioethics 4 Ethical Issues in Modern Medicine 5 Comparing Law, Ethics, and Bioethics 5 The Importance of Medical Law, Ethics, and Bioethics 6 Codes of Ethics 8 An Ethics Check 9 Characteristics of a Professional Health Care Employee 10 Summary 11 CHAPTER 2 File Size: KB. Bioethics: The Law, Medicine, and Ethics of Reproductive Technologies and Genetics. An introduction to the study of bioethics and the application of legal and ethical reasoning. Identify the major technologies, terms, and concepts relevant to understanding the buying and selling of reproductive materials. Identify key moral objections and. Health law, policy and bioethics lawyers benefit from excellent analytical and research skills, strong oral advocacy and negotiating skills, a well-informed understanding of medical issues, and a facility for dealing with complex rules and regulations.
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Understanding bioethics and the law by Schaller, Barry R Download PDF EPUB FB2
In Understanding Bioethics and the Law, the respected jurist Barry R. Schaller provides a lucid and wide-ranging discussion of these fundamental questions.
This important work covers the entire field of bioethics--from end-of-life care and clinical research to assisted reproduction and human cloning. It will both inform general readers and Cited by: 2. In Understanding Bioethics and the Law, the respected jurist Barry R. Schaller provides a lucid and wide-ranging discussion of these fundamental questions.
This Understanding bioethics and the law book work covers the entire field of bioethics—from end-of-life care and clinical research to assisted reproduction and human : Barry R. Schaller. In Understanding Bioethics and the Law, the respected jurist Barry R. Schaller provides a lucid and wide-ranging discussion of these fundamental questions.
This important work covers the entire field of bioethics--from end-of-life care and clinical research to assisted reproduction and human cloning. Understanding Bioethics and the Law: The Promises and Understanding bioethics and the law book of the Brave New World of Biotechnology - Kindle edition by Schaller, Barry R.
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Understanding Bioethics and the Law: The Promises and Perils of the Brave New World of Biotechnology by Barry R. Schaller Call Number: KFS33 Publication Date: Author: Megan McNevin. The idea for Understanding Bioethics and the Law arose from my interest in the conjunction of ethical and legal decision making.
Throughout my judicial career, the role of law and judicial decision making in American culture has been a major interest. My first book,A Vision of American Law:JudgingLaw,Literature,andtheStoriesWeTell,exploredthe. Understanding Bioethics and the Law by Barry R.
Schaller. to challenge the reader to determine if the court system really is the best way to establish policy with Understanding bioethics and the law book to bioethics. This book would be beneficial to anyone who has an interest in policy making in the field of public health and biotechnology." although dealing with.
Understanding Bioethics and the Law: The Promises and Perils of the Brave New World of Biotechnology. Description: In this book, Schaller provides a thorough examination of the impact of biotechnology and biomedical advances on the everyday lives of people in modern society.
Cambridge Bioethics and Law Download list of titles. Other actions. Download list of titles This book considers these limitations and contributes through legal and philosophical analyses to the search for viable approaches to human research ethics.
This book helps readers gain an in-depth understanding of electronic health record (EHR. Get this from a library. Understanding bioethics and the law: the promises and perils of the brave new world of biotechnology. [Barry R Schaller] -- Provides a guide to some of the most controversial ethical issues of our time at the crossroads of technology and medicine.
The Petrie-Flom Center’s book Disability, Health, Law, and Bioethics (Cambridge University Press, April ) seeks to understand how our framing of disability influences medical and legal policies such as resource allocation. To mark the launch of our volume and to reflect the COVID health care landscape, we gathered several of our.
Exploring Bioethics aims to help students develop the skills and confidence to handle a wide array of ethical issues—now and in the future—as patients, family members, citizens, and possible policy makers. The major approach of the supplement, summarized below and presented in detail in Module 1, is to help students begin to think like.
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Table of contents for Understanding bioethics and the law: the promises and perils of the brave new world of biotechnology / Barry R. Schaller. Bibliographic record and links to related information available from the Library of Congress catalog.
Get this from a library. Understanding bioethics and the law: the promises and perils of the brave new world of biotechnology. [Barry R Schaller] -- Examines the influence of biotechnology and biomedicine on daily life and public policy, and discusses the legal system's involvement in the resolution of ethical concerns raced by biomedical.
- Law and Politics Book Review "The law moves in ways that are mysterious to many. Both these fascinating books, although dealing with different jurisdictions and issues, contribute to our understanding of the most important ethical challenges that lawyers will face in the coming decades.5/5(1).
Understanding bioethics and the law: the promises and perils of the brave new world of biotechnology / Author: Barry R. Schaller ; foreword by Todd Brewster. Publication info: Westport, Conn.: Praeger, Format: Book.
While the American legal system has played an important role in shaping the field of bioethics, Law and Bioethics is the first book on the subject designed to be accessible to readers with little or no legal background. Detailing how the legal analysis of an issue in bioethics often differs from the "ethical" analysis, the book covers such topics as abortion, surrogacy, cloning, informed Author: Jerry Menikoff MD, JD.
A study of law, ethics and bioethics can assist the medical professional in making a sound decision based on reason and logic rather than on emotion or "gut" feeling.
"Why study ethics?" In spite of the many gray areas of ethics, we are expected to take the right action when confronted with an ethical dilemma.
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They examine the implications of this understanding for legal and policy approaches to disability, strategies for allocating and accessing health care, the. A Pdf for the Church Initiative of The Center for Bioethics & Human Dignity, a Christian bioethics research center at Trinity International University.
Understanding Tomorrow's Bioethical Issues Today. The co-editors of “Disability, Health, Law, and Bioethics”, I. Glenn Cohen, JD, Michael Ashley Stein, JD, PhD, and Carmel Shachar, JD, MPH, have come together to answer a few prescient questions related to AI and disability/dependency. Read the full Q&A!
Learn More About the Book.Medical Law: Text, Cases, and Materials offers all of the explanation, ebook, and extracts from cases ebook key materials that students need to gain a thorough understanding of this complex topic. Key case extracts provide the legal context, facts, and background; extracts from materials provide differing ethical perspectives and outline current debates; and the author's insightful.
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Are immigrants being scapegoated? Andrew Yang (and new research) suggests yes.
Immigrants add way more to the American economy than they take.
Derek Beres
Democratic presidential candidat former tech executive Andrew Yang speaks to the media in the spin room after the Democratic Presidential Debate at the Fox Theatre July 31, 2019 in Detroit, Michigan.
Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images
Andrew Yang said immigrants are being scapegoated for racist reasons during the last presidential debate.
45 percent of Fortune 500 companies were founded by immigrants or their children, making a $6.1 trillion economic impact.
Even undocumented immigrants pay an estimated $11.6 billion a year in taxes, overturning the myth that they're "takers."
Democratic presidential candidate Andrew Yang likes to joke that Americans are ready for "an Asian man who likes math." While the math underlying his call for universal basic income has been scrutinized, his trumpet blares regarding the dangers of automation are not receiving nearly the attention they should be.
At least part of the reason is the continual drowning out of all serious issues due to racial profiling (or whatever other target the president invents that day). On the debate stage, Yang stated that immigrants are being scapegoated for reasons separate from economic issues. Though obvious to most, politics around racism has always relied on linguistic feats, as if "go back to your country" could be anything other than blatant bigotry.
Yang intimately knows of what he speaks. His immigrant parents traveled from Taiwan to Berkeley to attain impressive degrees: his father a Ph.D. in physics, his mother a master's in statistics. Yang put this into perspective:
"My father immigrated here as a graduate student and generated over 65 U.S. patents for G.E. and IBM. I think that's a pretty good deal for the United States. That's the immigration story we need to be telling. We can't always be focusing on some of the distressed stories."
As an entrepreneur, the Brown and Columbia graduate founded Venture for America, which focuses on creating jobs in depressed American cities. Yang left in 2017 after growing the company to twenty cities with a $6 million operating budget. He has since focused on warning anyone who will listen about the dangers of automation to our work force. Fortunately, he has landed on one of the biggest platforms to do so.
Yang: blaming immigrants for economy is stupid
Yang's family is not comprised of outliers, as a New American Fortune study shows. In total, 45 percent of Fortune 500 companies were founded by immigrants or their children, totaling 223 businesses (101 founded by immigrants, 122 by their children). That's a $6.1 trillion economic impact in 2019 to go along with 13.5 million jobs created thanks to immigrants—the type of math Americans need right now.
To put that into perspective, immigrant-founded companies contribute more financial might than the economies of Japan, Germany, or the UK. The only nations that surpass such a GDP are America and China.
Broken down by state, New York houses 35 of these companies, generating nearly a billion dollars while employing nearly two million people. California comes in second with 29 businesses. Rounding out the top list is Illinois (21), Texas (18), Virginia (12), and Florida and New Jersey, which boast 10 each.
As the report notes, the creation of major businesses is only one aspect of immigrant contribution to America. Small- and medium-sized businesses matter too. In fact, immigrants are more likely to be entrepreneurs than U.S.-born residents.
"Medium and small businesses are also vital to the U.S. economy, employing many more millions at neighborhood stores, restaurants, professional services, and other local businesses. Immigrants have a significant role to play here, with nearly 3.2 million immigrants running their own businesses."
Niraj Shah, co-founder and chief executive officer of Wayfair Inc. (and son of immigrants from India), arrives for the morning session of the Allen & Co. Media and Technology Conference in Sun Valley, Idaho.
Photo: Patrick T. Fallon/Bloomberg via Getty Images
Last year, PBS took four economic myths about immigrants to task, showing that well beyond racist political rhetoric, "immigration has an overall positive impact on the long-run economic growth in the U.S."
Despite being labeled as takers, immigrants contribute more in tax revenue than they receive in government benefits. On top of this, undocumented immigrants pay an estimated $11.6 billion a year in taxes.
"They're coming for your jobs" is nonsense; Yang often points out that robots actually play this role. Immigrants make up 17 percent of the U.S. labor force and often take on roles that American-born workers refuse to accept.
The notion that we don't need immigrants is also untrue, considering falling birth rates need to be offset. Our current birth rate is 1.8 births per woman, well under the 2.1 needed to sustain our population. Whether or not the world actually needs more people is another story, but for America to remain an economic powerhouse, we need more children.
Citizenship makes more productive workers. When residents do not have the hurdles non-citizens do, it is easier for them to get a proper education and begin their career. Barriers to citizenship prevent their ability to accomplish these tasks.
As a motive for the recent mass shooting in El Paso becomes clear, racial tensions around the country are escalating. The terrorist's reasoning for murdering twenty people (and injuring many more) was to preserve a sustainable life by "getting rid of enough people," which, as the data show, is the opposite of reality. His screed is based on unadulterated racism and white supremacy, not economics or math.
Humans are influential animals; we are also easily influenced. As in companies, societal attitudes are condoned or criticized from the top down. Racial animosity spewed on Twitter creates the conditions for further attacks and hatred, the opposite of what makes America great in the first place.
It is unlikely that Andrew Yang will be our next president, but his voice in these debates is needed. His singular focus on the dangers of automation addresses a forthcoming reality we will all soon face; his good-natured joking about Asians and math underlies an important discussion on race and immigration we need to have. And it's true: the math is on his side. If only the rest of us would take the time out for simple addition, we'd understand that.
Stay in touch with Derek on Twitter and Facebook.
Why the declining U.S. fertility rate increases need for immigration ... ›
Migrants Are on the Rise Around the World, and Myths About Them ... ›
4 myths about how immigrants affect the U.S. economy | PBS ... ›
democracy economics race social change inequality immigration
‘Designer baby’ book trilogy explores the moral dilemmas humans may soon create
How would the ability to genetically customize children change society? Sci-fi author Eugene Clark explores the future on our horizon in Volume I of the "Genetic Pressure" series.
A new sci-fi book series called "Genetic Pressure" explores the scientific and moral implications of a world with a burgeoning designer baby industry.
It's currently illegal to implant genetically edited human embryos in most nations, but designer babies may someday become widespread.
While gene-editing technology could help humans eliminate genetic diseases, some in the scientific community fear it may also usher in a new era of eugenics.
<ul class="ee-ul"></ul>
<p>Imagine it's 2045. You start hearing rumors from your well-heeled friends about a mysterious corporation based on an undisclosed island that's offering an unprecedented service: the ability to genetically design your baby.</p><p>The baby will have some of your genetics, and some genetics from a sperm or egg donor, selected by you. But the rest of your child's genetic profile will be engineered by science. These changes will make it impossible for your child to develop genetic diseases. They'll also allow you to customize your child for dozens of traits, including intelligence level, emotional disposition, sexual orientation, height, skin tone, hair color, and eye color, to name a few. </p><p>This raises unsettling philosophical questions for some customers. "When does my child stop being my child?" they ask the corporate representatives. These wary customers are reminded of how risky it is to reproduce the old-fashioned way. The Better Genetics Corporation's motto sums it up: "Only God plays dice—humans don't have to."</p><p>This is the world described in a new science-fiction series by Eugene Clark titled <a href="http://bigth.ink/38VhJn3" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">"Genetic Pressure"</a>, which explores the moral and scientific implications of a future in which designer babies are becoming a major industry. The first book begins with the story of Rachel, a renowned horse breeder who befriends a billionaire client, and soon gets the funding to visit the tropical island on which the Better Genetics Corporation is headquartered. </p><p>There, corporate executives walk her through the process of designing a baby—an experience that feels like an uncanny mix between visiting a doctor and designing a luxury car. The series is told from multiple perspectives, serving as a deep dive into a complex moral web that today's scientists may already be weaving.</p>
<blockquote>[T]he introduction of designer babies would create a labyrinth of philosophical dilemmas that society is only beginning to explore. </blockquote>
<p>Case in point: In 2018, Chinese scientist He Jiankui announced that he had helped create the world's first genetically engineered babies. Using the gene-editing tool CRISPR on embryos, He Jiankui modified a gene called <a href="https://ghr.nlm.nih.gov/gene/CCR5" target="_blank">CCR5</a>, which enables HIV to enter and infect immune system cells. His goal was to engineer children that were immune to the virus.</p><p>It's unclear whether he succeeded. But what's certain is that the experiment shocked the international scientific community, which generally agreed that it's unethical to conduct gene-editing procedures on humans, given that scientists don't yet fully understand the consequences.</p><p>"This experiment is monstrous," Julian Savulescu, a professor of practical ethics at the University of Oxford, told <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/science/2018/nov/26/worlds-first-gene-edited-babies-created-in-china-claims-scientist" target="_blank"><em>The Guardian</em></a>. "The embryos were healthy. No known diseases. Gene editing itself is experimental and is still associated with off-target mutations, capable of causing genetic problems early and later in life, including the development of cancer."</p><p>Importantly, He Jiankui wasn't treating a disease, but rather genetically engineering babies to prevent the future contraction of a virus. These kinds of changes are heritable, meaning the experiment could have major downstream effects on future generations. So, too, would a designer-baby industry, even if scientists can do it safely.</p><p>With major implications on inequality, discrimination, sexuality, and our conceptions of life, the introduction of designer babies would create a labyrinth of philosophical dilemmas that society is only beginning to explore. </p>
<a href="http://bigth.ink/38VhJn3" ><img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNTI2MTEzNi9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY0NDcxMzY4M30.5fwCPH_6sQ0RF19aAH4FQFue9HFJykzdEc0Xka1TY04/img.jpg?width=980" id="affdd" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="76374e8775bd9441a338cf513bb1fa55" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" data-width="924" data-height="520" /></a>
"Genetic Pressure Volume I: Baby Steps"
Tribalism and discrimination
<p>One question the "Genetic Pressure" series explores: What would tribalism and discrimination look like in a world with designer babies? As designer babies grow up, they could be noticeably different from other people, potentially being smarter, more attractive and healthier. This could breed resentment between the groups—as it does in the series.</p><p>"[Designer babies] slowly find that 'everyone else,' and even their own parents, becomes less and less tolerable," author Eugene Clark told Big Think. "Meanwhile, everyone else slowly feels threatened by the designer babies."</p><p>For example, one character in the series who was born a designer baby faces discrimination and harassment from "normal people"—they call her "soulless" and say she was "made in a factory," a "consumer product." </p><p>Would such divisions emerge in the real world? The answer may depend on who's able to afford designer baby services. If it's only the ultra-wealthy, then it's easy to imagine how being a designer baby could be seen by society as a kind of hyper-privilege, which designer babies would have to reckon with. </p><p>Even if people from all socioeconomic backgrounds can someday afford designer babies, people born designer babies may struggle with tough existential questions: Can they ever take full credit for things they achieve, or were they born with an unfair advantage? To what extent should they spend their lives helping the less fortunate? </p>
Sexuality dilemmas
<p>Sexuality presents another set of thorny questions. If a designer baby industry someday allows people to optimize humans for attractiveness, designer babies could grow up to find themselves surrounded by ultra-attractive people. That may not sound like a big problem.</p><p>But consider that, if designer babies someday become the standard way to have children, there'd necessarily be a years-long gap in which only some people are having designer babies. Meanwhile, the rest of society would be having children the old-fashioned way. So, in terms of attractiveness, society could see increasingly apparent disparities in physical appearances between the two groups. "Normal people" could begin to seem increasingly ugly.</p><p>But ultra-attractive people who were born designer babies could face problems, too. One could be the loss of body image. </p><p>When designer babies grow up in the "Genetic Pressure" series, men look like all the other men, and women look like all the other women. This homogeneity of physical appearance occurs because parents of designer babies start following trends, all choosing similar traits for their children: tall, athletic build, olive skin, etc. </p><p>Sure, facial traits remain relatively unique, but everyone's more or less equally attractive. And this causes strange changes to sexual preferences.</p><p>"In a society of sexual equals, they start looking for other differentiators," he said, noting that violet-colored eyes become a rare trait that genetically engineered humans find especially attractive in the series.</p><p>But what about sexual relationships between genetically engineered humans and "normal" people? In the "Genetic Pressure" series, many "normal" people want to have kids with (or at least have sex with) genetically engineered humans. But a minority of engineered humans oppose breeding with "normal" people, and this leads to an ideology that considers engineered humans to be racially supreme. </p>
Regulating designer babies
<p>On a policy level, there are many open questions about how governments might legislate a world with designer babies. But it's not totally new territory, considering the West's dark history of eugenics experiments.</p><p>In the 20th century, the U.S. conducted multiple eugenics programs, including immigration restrictions based on genetic inferiority and forced sterilizations. In 1927, for example, the Supreme Court ruled that forcibly sterilizing the mentally handicapped didn't violate the Constitution. Supreme Court Justice Oliver Wendall Holmes wrote, "… three generations of imbeciles are enough." </p><p>After the Holocaust, eugenics programs became increasingly taboo and regulated in the U.S. (though some states continued forced sterilizations <a href="https://www.uvm.edu/~lkaelber/eugenics/" target="_blank">into the 1970s</a>). In recent years, some policymakers and scientists have expressed concerns about how gene-editing technologies could reanimate the eugenics nightmares of the 20th century. </p><p>Currently, the U.S. doesn't explicitly ban human germline genetic editing on the federal level, but a combination of laws effectively render it <a href="https://academic.oup.com/jlb/advance-article/doi/10.1093/jlb/lsaa006/5841599#204481018" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">illegal to implant a genetically modified embryo</a>. Part of the reason is that scientists still aren't sure of the unintended consequences of new gene-editing technologies. </p><p>But there are also concerns that these technologies could usher in a new era of eugenics. After all, the function of a designer baby industry, like the one in the "Genetic Pressure" series, wouldn't necessarily be limited to eliminating genetic diseases; it could also work to increase the occurrence of "desirable" traits. </p><p>If the industry did that, it'd effectively signal that the <em>opposites of those traits are undesirable. </em>As the International Bioethics Committee <a href="https://academic.oup.com/jlb/advance-article/doi/10.1093/jlb/lsaa006/5841599#204481018" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">wrote</a>, this would "jeopardize the inherent and therefore equal dignity of all human beings and renew eugenics, disguised as the fulfillment of the wish for a better, improved life."</p><p><em>"Genetic Pressure Volume I: Baby Steps"</em><em> by Eugene Clark is <a href="http://bigth.ink/38VhJn3" target="_blank">available now.</a></em></p>
<p class="media-headline"><br></p><div class="rm-shortcode amazon-assets-widget" data-rm-shortcode-id="c757ef0c79111359597857b09540fee8" contenteditable="false"> <a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B086RFXC2M?tag=bigthink00-20&linkCode=ogi&th=1&psc=1" target="_blank"> <img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/516FA23AmfL.jpg" class="amazon-assets-widget__image widget__image"> <div class="amazon-assets-widget__description"> <div class="amazon-assets-widget__title" style="display: block;">Genetic Pressure Volume I: Baby Steps</div> <div class="amazon-assets-widget__by-amazon"><!-- <a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B086RFXC2M?tag=bigthink00-20&linkCode=ogi&th=1&psc=1" target="_blank">by now at amazone</a> --></div> <div class="amazon-assets-widget__list-price"><span class="grey">List Price: </span><span class="list-price">$3.00</span></div> <div class="amazon-assets-widget__new-price"><span class="grey">New From: </span><span class="new-price">$3.00</span> <span class="grey">in Stock</span></div> </div> </a> </div>
science technology future books literature genetics bioethics children crispr
It's hard to stop looking back and forth between these faces and the busts they came from.
Robby Berman
Meet Emperors Augustus, left, and Maximinus Thrax, right
Credit: Daniel Voshart
A quarantine project gone wild produces the possibly realistic faces of ancient Roman rulers.
A designer worked with a machine learning app to produce the images.
It's impossible to know if they're accurate, but they sure look plausible.
<p>Imaginative as humans are, it's often hard not to see historical figures depicted in black-and-white photos as being somehow of another species. Confronted with colorized images can be startling — hey, they look like us — bringing home at last what they were really like. Maybe that person evens look like someone we know.</p><p>The same is true of figures whose appearance we know only from their statues, maybe even moreso. We may know their names and something about them, but, again, it's all sort of not quite real. Now cinematographer and virtual reality designer <a href="https://voshart.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Daniel Voshart</a> has published amazing, life-like images of 54 Roman emperors based on their statues. He used machine learning and filled in the (many) remaining blanks with his imagination. While he's careful to point out that his renderings are merely what these individuals <em>may</em> have looked like, they're remarkably plausible, and also remarkably familiar.</p><p>Voshart describes the whole thing as a quarantine project that got out of hand, but lots of people are excited about what he's done, and are <a href="https://www.etsy.com/ca/shop/Voshart" target="_blank">purchasing posters</a> of his Roman emperors.</p>
How the Roman emperors got faced
<a href="https://payload.cargocollective.com/1/6/201108/14127595/2K-ENGLISH-24x36-Educational_v8_WATERMARKED_2000.jpg" ><img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNDQ2NDk2MS9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYyOTUzMzIxMX0.OwHMrgKu4pzu0eCsmOUjybdkTcSlJpL_uWDCF2djRfc/img.jpg?width=980" id="775ca" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="436000b6976931b8320313478c624c82" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" alt="lineup of emperor faces" data-width="1440" data-height="963" /></a>
<p>Voshart's imaginings began with an AI/neural-net program called <a href="https://www.artbreeder.com" target="_blank">Artbreeder</a>. The freemium online app intelligently generates new images from existing ones and can combine multiple images into…well, who knows. It's addictive — people have so far used it to generate nearly 72.7 million images, says the site — and it's easy to see how Voshart fell down the rabbit hole.</p><p>The Roman emperor project began with Voshart feeding Artbreeder images of 800 busts. Obviously, not all busts have weathered the centuries equally. Voshart told <a href="https://www.livescience.com/ai-roman-emperor-portraits.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Live Science</a>, "There is a rule of thumb in computer programming called 'garbage in garbage out,' and it applies to Artbreeder. A well-lit, well-sculpted bust with little damage and standard face features is going to be quite easy to get a result." Fortunately, there were multiple busts for some of the emperors, and different angles of busts captured in different photographs.</p><p>For the renderings Artbreeder produced, each face required some 15-16 hours of additional input from Voshart, who was left to deduce/guess such details as hair and skin coloring, though in many cases, an individual's features suggested likely pigmentations. Voshart was also aided by written descriptions of some of the rulers.</p><p>There's no way to know for sure how frequently Voshart's guesses hit their marks. It is obviously the case, though, that his interpretations look incredibly plausible when you compare one of his emperors to the sculpture(s) from which it was derived.</p><p>For an in-depth description of Voshart's process, check out his posts on <a href="https://medium.com/@voshart/photoreal-roman-emperor-project-236be7f06c8f" target="_blank">Medium</a> or on his <a href="https://voshart.com/ROMAN-EMPEROR-PROJECT" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">website</a>.</p><p>It's fascinating to feel like you're face-to-face with these ancient and sometimes notorious figures. Here are two examples, along with some of what we think we know about the men behind the faces.</p>
<img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNDQ2NDk4Mi9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY3MzQ1NTE5NX0.LiTmhPQlygl9Fa9lxay8PFPCSqShv4ELxbBRFkOW_qM/img.jpg?width=980" id="7bae0" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="ce795c554490fe0a36a8714b86f55b16" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" data-width="992" data-height="558" />
One of numerous sculptures of Caligula, left
Credit: Rogers Fund, 1914/Wikimedia Commons/Daniel Voshart
<p><span style="background-color: initial;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caligula" target="_blank">Caligula</a></span> was the third Roman Emperor, ruling the city-state from AD 37 to 41. His name was actually Gaius Caesar Augustus Germanicus — Caligula is a nickname meaning "Little Boot."</p><p>One of the reputed great madmen of history, he was said to have made a horse his consul, had conversations with the moon, and to have ravaged his way through his kingdom, including his three sisters. Caligula is known for extreme cruelty, terrorizing his subjects, and accounts suggest he would deliberately distort his face to surprise and frighten people he wished to intimidate.</p><p>It's <a href="https://www.history.com/news/7-things-you-may-not-know-about-caligula" target="_blank">not totally clear</a> if Caligula was as over-the-top as history paints him, but that hasn't stopped Hollywood from churning out some <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0080491/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">howlers</a> in his name.</p><p>A 1928 journal, <a href="https://www.jstor.org/stable/4172009" target="_blank">Studies in Philology</a>, noted that contemporary descriptions of Caligula depicted him as having a "head misshapen, eyes and temples sunken," and "eyes staring and with a glare savage enough to torture." In some sculptures not shown above, his head <em>is</em> a bit acorn-shaped. </p>
<img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNDQ2NTAwMC9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY1NTQ2ODU0NX0.AgYuQZzRQCanqehSI5UeakpxU8fwLagMc_POH7xB3-M/img.jpg?width=980" id="a8825" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="9e0593d79c591c97af4bd70f3423885e" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" data-width="992" data-height="558" />
One of numerous sculptures of Nero, left
Credit: Bibi_Saint-Pol/Wikimedia Commons/Daniel Voshart
<p>There's a good German word for the face of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nero" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Nero</a>, that guy famous for fiddling as Rome burned. It's "<a href="https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Backpfeifengesicht" target="_blank">backpfeifengesicht</a>." Properly named Nero Claudius Caesar Augustus Germanicus, he was Rome's fifth emperor. He ruled from AD 54 until his suicide in AD 68.</p><p>Another Germanicus-family gem, Nero's said to have murdered his own mother, Agrippa, as well as (maybe) his second wife. As for the fiddling, he <em>was</em> a lover of music and the arts, and there are stories of his charitability. And, oh yeah, he may have set the fire as an excuse to rebuild the city center, making it his own.</p><p>While it may not be the most historically sound means of assessing an historical personage, Voshart's imagining of Nero does suggest an over-indulged, entitled young man. Backpfeifengesicht.</p>
ai history machine learning prediction roman emperor visualizations ancient world artificial intelligence
A psychiatric diagnosis can be more than an unkind ‘label’
A popular and longstanding wave of thought in psychology and psychotherapy is that diagnosis is not relevant for practitioners in those fields.
Huw Green
Chris J Ratcliffe/Getty Images for Sotheby's
When I was training as a clinical psychologist, I had a rotation in a low-cost psychotherapy clinic.
<p> Among the first people I met was a young man who believed that he might be responsible for harm coming to his family if he didn't engage in time-consuming rituals, including arranging his shoes very particularly for up to half an hour. The logic motivating this man's behaviour was notably rather magical and unrealistic, appealing to notions of spirit possession and evil, which were culturally alien to his family. My supervisor, a sensitive and empathic clinician, who believed that most issues could be addressed by attentive listening and interpretation, tended to have a single diagnostic concern. The central question for him was whether the person was experiencing anxiety or manifesting the early symptoms of a psychosis. The latter ought to receive a more thorough assessment and more support than our clinic could offer.</p><p>Because of the magical quality to this person's reasoning, my supervisor decided that this might be an early sign of psychosis. He instructed me to refer the man to a new research clinic near my training site, which specialised in treating and researching the 'at risk' state for psychosis.</p><p>Of course, sensible and cautious though this seemed to me, it entailed telling this young man that he could not be seen by us for talking therapy. Instead, he should go to a clinic that specialised in something serious and frightening-sounding. When I broke the news, he was devastated. He left our clinic, and I later learned that he never followed up with the referral.</p>
<p>What I failed to appreciate at the time – and what some remedial reading later painfully revealed to me – was that, rather than being an early manifestation of psychosis, this man's presentation was more likely a case of obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), a common condition in which people develop obsessive thoughts and feel compelled to engage in actions to prevent feared harms. If I'd had the diagnostic knowledge and confidence to assert this to my supervisor during the initial consultation, the man I met would likely have received help, rather than being referred to an inappropriate clinic that led to him falling through the cracks.</p><p>Yet, a popular and longstanding wave of thought in psychology and psychotherapy is that diagnosis is not relevant for practitioners in those fields, and should be left to psychiatrists, if at all. This is not a fringe view, it has been perennially present in clinical psychology since at least the 1960s, when the iconoclastic psychiatrists Thomas Szasz and R D Laing presented a dual challenge to their profession.</p><p>Szasz, a Hungarian émigré to the United States, <a href="https://psycnet.apa.org/record/1961-01456-001" target="_blank">argued</a> that mental illness is a 'myth', rooted in a misuse of language. Neurological diseases are real, Szasz suggested, because they can be confirmed by a postmortem examination of the brain. In contrast, he argued that psychiatric 'illness' has no such neurological basis, and is just a medicalised way of talking about problems in life that could be solved by taking responsibility for yourself and your actions.</p><p>Meanwhile, Laing, a Scot who trained at the Tavistock Institute in London, <a href="https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/274343/the-divided-self-by-r-d-laing/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">argued</a> in <em>The Divided Self</em> (1960) that psychosis is a psychic response to an increasingly alienated 'false self' obscuring the true emotional core of an individual. He held that so-called 'symptoms' (hearing voices, believing unusual things) were actually attempts at recovery in the face of this alienation.</p>
<p>These ideas resonated and had significant influence over psychiatric thinking throughout the 1960s. They contributed to diagnostic approaches to mental health – the idea that there are illnesses called schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and depression – becoming decidedly <a href="https://aeon.co/essays/the-psychiatrist-who-didn-t-believe-in-mental-illness" target="_blank">unfashionable</a>. Indeed Szasz's and Laing's critiques became so popular that already by the early 1970s, the influential US clinical psychologist Paul Meehl grumbled in his 1973 paper 'Why I Do Not Attend Case Conferences' about an 'antinosological' (ie, antidiagnostic) bias taking hold in his profession.</p><p>Recently, the animus against psychiatric diagnosis has become more formal and scientifically argued. The British Psychological Society's Division of Clinical Psychology (DCP) – one of the official bodies representing the profession – published <a href="https://dxrevisionwatch.files.wordpress.com/2013/05/position-statement-on-diagnosis-master-doc.pdf" target="_blank">two</a> <a href="http://www.newvisionformentalhealth.com/2018/01/26/guidelines-on-language-in-relation-to-functional-psychiatric-diagnosis/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">documents</a> in 2013 and 2015 articulating the difficulties with diagnosis, and promoting instead the value of individualised 'formulations'. While it is clear that the DCP's position on diagnosis is not universally held by practitioners in the UK, British psychologists are around half as likely to report regular use of a diagnostic classificatory system as their colleagues in some other countries (for <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1080/00207594.2013.804189" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">example</a>, fewer than 35 per cent of psychologists in the UK say that they use diagnosis regularly, compared with more than 70 per cent of psychologists in the US, Germany and South Africa). This likely reflects a UK professional culture steeped in suspicion of diagnostic thinking.</p><p>The suspicion is not unwarranted. One of the most interesting recent critiques of diagnosis has come from the Belgian psychoanalyst and clinical psychologist Stijn Vanheule. He <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22903905" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">invoked</a> the philosophy of language to argue that diagnosis necessarily draws our attention to the shared meanings conjured by diagnostic language, rather than to the individual meanings inherent to people's experiences. Thus, for example, when I say 'schizophrenia', I focus attention on a generalised, clinical definition that exists in a book, rather than on the individual, personal significance of hearing voices or believing unusual things. For psychotherapists, Vanheule argued, the former is irrelevant, the latter vital.</p>
<p>These arguments are valuable, and they are correct in important ways. Their conclusions are a significant part of what inspired me to get into clinical psychology in the first place. Reading Laing as a teenager, I thrilled to the challenge he presented: to understand people as they endure the most extreme and bewildering psychic states; to try to find coherence even where it seems to be absent. This impulse is essential. Patience and careful listening can reveal that people are capable of engaging in communication more often than we tend to give them credit for. But my clinical training has shown me that, despite the importance of understanding people in an individualised way, having a knowledge of diagnostic categories is also essential.</p><p>To return to the example above, my supervisor and I were ignorant of valuable diagnostic information; we were ignorant of the ways that clinicians can distinguish magical obsessions from the early hints of delusion. We were ignorant of the fact that even quite magical ideas are well within the range of the former without shading into the latter. We were ignorant of how easy it would have been to provide effective help without raising the prospect of a terrifying psychosis down the pipeline. Our ignorance cost someone dearly.</p><p>Diagnosis is often vital for ensuring good care. Apart from the importance of ruling out organic causes for apparently straightforward instances of depression and anxiety (which can be symptomatic of a surprising range of endocrine, infectious and neurological diseases), linking psychological distress into a broader framework also helps clinicians make sense of the people they are trying to help. Certain forms of substance misuse could represent attempts at self-medication for highly treatable disorders of mood or attention, for instance. Correct identification of trauma symptoms can avert diagnosis of a psychotic illness. Proper diagnosis of depression in later life can frequently account for changes in memory and attention that might otherwise be mistaken for dementia, as unfortunately often happens. Diagnosis of bipolar mood disorder can prevent people being inappropriately treated for personality disorders.</p><p>Psychology's antinosological tendency encourages a belief that diagnostic thinking is somehow inherently unkind; that in thinking about categories you are always only 'labelling' people, and that this is an inhumane thing to do.</p>
<p>Conversely, it also encourages a belief that all you really need in mental healthcare is sympathy, rapport and interpretative heroics. This appeals to some of the questionable impulses of professionals: to our desire to see ourselves as people uniquely able to understand others, and to our ordinary human laziness. Who would want to engage in learning about taxonomy if to do so is both unkind and unnecessary?</p><p>Understanding people is a multifaceted enterprise. We all manifest a splendid idiosyncrasy, living out lives that could never be copied or repeated, so it makes sense to consider one another in the light of this uniqueness. But we also bear resemblances to one another. Important though it is to be seen in all your individuality, it is also helpful to know when your problems have precedent.</p><p>Psychiatric diagnoses are imperfect, sketchy theories about how people's minds can give them trouble. We know that they are largely less precise and valid than is popularly understood, but this does not render them totally uninformative. We have learned snippets of useful information by considering psychological problems in terms of categories: the effectiveness, or not, of treatments for particular groups of people; the elevated risk of suicide among others. Many symptoms can seem to 'make sense' in the context of a person's life, but we know that humans are sense-making machines, so we need to be vigilant against 'making sense' where it is only illusory. The great intellectual challenge of clinical psychology is to integrate knowledge about reasons and people with knowledge about causes and mechanisms. We should avoid relying solely on diagnostic information, but we shouldn't discard it altogether.<img src="https://metrics.aeon.co/count/3533ace3-823d-4522-8d68-702c1e19f406.gif" alt="Aeon counter – do not remove"></p><p>Huw Green</p><p>This article was originally published at <a href="https://aeon.co/?utm_campaign=republished-article" target="_blank">Aeon</a> and has been republished under Creative Commons. Read the <a href="https://aeon.co/ideas/a-psychiatric-diagnosis-can-be-more-than-an-unkind-label" target="_blank">original article</a>.</p>
mental health mind brain personality self psychology
Spinal cord injury breakthrough makes paralyzed mice walk again
Scientists regenerate damaged spinal cord nerve fibers with designer protein, helping paralyzed mice walk again.
Paul Ratner
The paralyzed mice started to walk two to three weeks following treatment.
Credit: Lehrstuhl für Zellphysiologie
Researchers from Germany use a designer protein to treat spinal cord damage in mice.
The procedure employs gene therapy to regenerate damaged nerve fibers that carry signals to and from the brain.
The scientists aim to eventually apply the technique to humans.
<p>When spinal cord injuries result in paralysis, science hasn't so far been able to provide a way to repair the damage and reverse the condition. Now a team of researchers from Germany used a designer protein to help paralyzed mice to walk again, raising hopes for a cure that can extend to humans.</p><p>The study was carried out by a team from the Department for Cell Physiology at Ruhr-Universität Bochum (RUB) in Germany, led by Professor Dietmar Fischer. The scientists restored the walking ability of mice who were paralyzed in both hind legs by manipulating the supply of the protein <em>hyper-interleukin-6</em> that causes nerve cells to regenerate.</p><p style="margin-left: 20px;">"This is a so-called designer cytokine, which means it doesn't occur like this in nature and has to be produced using genetic engineering," <a href="https://medicalxpress.com/news/2021-01-cytokine-paralyzed-mice.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">explained</a> Dietmar Fischer.</p>
<p>The protein works by taking on a key feature of spinal cord injuries that produce disability – damage to nerve fibers known as <em>axons</em> that transport signals back and forth between the brain, the muscles, and the skin. When these fibers stop working, the communication ceases as well. What's more, the fibers don't grow back if severed, leaving patients paralyzed and numb, with no current treatments available.<br></p><p>This is why advancements in this field are so vital, underscoring the achievement of the Bochum team. The researchers used viruses to make nerve cells in the motor-sensory cortex to produce hyper-interleukin-6 on their own. The viruses injected into the brains of the paralyzed mice were specially-tailored for gene therapy, carrying blueprints for protein production to nerve cells known as <em>motoneurons</em>. These motoneurons used axonal side branches to transport the proteins to cells involved in movement functions like walking, explained the <a href="https://news.rub.de/english/press-releases/2021-01-15-paraplegia-designer-cytokine-makes-paralyzed-mice-walk-again" target="_blank">press release</a> from the University. Normally these key cells are very hard to reach.</p><p>The technique succeeded and in a few weeks, the paralyzed mice began to walk.</p>
What is a spinal cord injury?
<span style="display:block;position:relative;padding-top:56.25%;" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="88b8d4e44e46b7d5fe49d1f3bca56078"><iframe type="lazy-iframe" data-runner-src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/dKtBC2Sg_Bg?rel=0" width="100%" height="auto" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" style="position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;"></iframe></span>
<blockquote>"Thus, gene therapy treatment of only a few nerve cells stimulated the axonal regeneration of various nerve cells in the brain and several motor tracts in the spinal cord simultaneously," <a href="https://news.rub.de/english/press-releases/2021-01-15-paraplegia-designer-cytokine-makes-paralyzed-mice-walk-again" target="_blank">elaborated</a> Fischer. "Ultimately, this enabled the previously paralyzed animals that received this treatment to start walking after two to three weeks. This came as a great surprise to us at the beginning, as it had never been shown to be possible before after full paraplegia."<br></blockquote><p>Next the team plans to investigate further regenerative effects it can achieve with hyper-Interleukin-6, while striving to understand how these advancements in treatment can be applied to humans. </p><p>Check out the study published in <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-020-20112-4" target="_blank">Nature Communications. </a></p>
<p class=""><br></p>
medical research medicine human body biology health health care
Ten things you may not know about anxiety
Jaimee Bell
Cold hands and feet? Maybe it's your anxiety.
Why some people think they hear the voices of the dead
Biden nominates Dr. Eric Lander as cabinet-level science adviser, in U.S. first
Capsaicin, the chemical in spicy peppers, used to boost solar cell performance
This is your brain on political arguments
2020 ties for hottest year on record, says NASA and NOAA
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Home / Blog / Music For Creatives / Licensed Music for Independent Filmmakers
An “indie” film can be a lot of things– it can be a fairly decent-sized production from a studio that’s not affiliated with a big Hollywood company or a small project spearheaded by an aspiring director who wears many hats throughout the process. Whether you’re working on a film that’s destined for awards at Sundance and Cannes or trying to make a name for yourself in this ridiculously competitive industry– you’ll need pro-quality audio that works with your script and visuals. FirstCom Music offers licensed production music for filmmakers in a wide variety of genres. The right music for your movie is out there, but of course, settling on the final soundtrack is often easier said than done.
Make Your Vision Come to Life
Being a successful filmmaker on any level is about having a vision for your work and then making it happen. With smaller crews and tight budgets, you’ll have to make more creative decisions and have less flexibility. It might feel like your project is falling short throughout the production process, but once you pair it with the right soundtrack, it will reach its true potential. From high-voltage tracks for action scenes, sorrowful sound beds for the heartbreaking climax, and music for documentary films that will help your audience pay attention– audio is a key component that will make your beautifully framed shots feel complete. Inject energy, intrigue, emotion, or humor into your film with the perfect audio tracks.
Avoid Copyright Issues
Once you’ve settled on a song or set of tracks, you’ll need to make sure you have the rights to use them. Copyright issues can sink a project and make it impossible to distribute or stream. You’ll have to re-edit the soundtrack, which can ruin your shot at festivals and make your project go way over budget. At FirstCom Music, we strive to make music licensing for film understandable and affordable. Filmmakers can choose from a selection of licensing agreements, including needle-drop, pay per use deals that are ideal for films on a limited run, and blanket licenses that allow for unlimited play over a predetermined period of time. With licensed audio recordings, there will be one less issue to worry about.
Work with a Large and Diverse Audio Library
Are you shooting an indie slasher film? How about a nature documentary? Perhaps you’re working on an animated short that pushes the boundaries of what the latest tech can do or editing a quirky comedy that will cause fits of laughter to erupt from your audience. Whatever style of film you’re making, you’ll find a great soundtrack at FirstCom Music. We have massive libraries that our competitors can’t match and are sure to have a track that fits your unique needs. From sound effects that put an exclamation point on the action to soaring themes that will help make your movie memorable and impactful, the right audio tracks will help you complete your vision.
The Tools You Need to Make It Happen
Whether you’d like to browse similar tracks grouped by Genre or Mood, or have one of our Music Directors conduct a free music search to help you fulfil your vision, FirstCom Music have the tools you need. Once you have a track that fits you can use our all-new AI-driven Similarity Search tool to help you turn a track that’s almost there into something that’s the perfect fit. Hit us up via our Live Chat to get a web demo today!
LEARN MORE ABOUT LICENSING
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FeaturesTechnology
Behind the Scenes: When Good Devices Go Bad
The home is an electrically dynamic place. Devices routinely get added, removed, and moved around within your home. On top of that, the electricity feeding your home can change in terms of power quality. All of these factors can affect what Sense sees and thus the continued accuracy of pre-existing device detections. With this in mind, even after Sense detects a device, it still must remain constantly vigilant and continue to update its device models. A common misconception is that Sense simply compares what it sees in your home to a stable "dictionary" of device waveforms. We wish it were so simple!
With the dynamism of the average home in mind, we want to share some possible reasons why Sense might lose a previously good detection.
A device with different modes
Sense may initially discover two modes of an appliance as separate devices, say the toaster on “dark” vs “light” mode, or the different modes of the clothes washer motor plotted above. With only a few examples of an appliance, it's hard to extrapolate the complete pattern. As we record more data and improve the detection model, the two clusters of patterns converge and so do the multiple models. They become duplicates or near duplicates. As a user, you may experience this in many ways: One device may no longer trigger at all. One device may trigger some of the time and the other the rest. One device may flicker on briefly, then the other device turn on. In cases of exact duplicates, if you delete one of these devices, the pattern remains explained by the other device (so feel free to do so!). If you’re experiencing “misfires” where Sense doesn’t consistently recognize the device as turning on, it should improve as it acquires more data.
The "mobile" device
You may also lose a previously good detection if a device is moved to a different leg/phase of your electrical panel. This will mainly happen with “mobile” devices like vacuums and clothes irons. Luckily, most devices in a home aren’t moved around too frequently. However, if a device is moved to a new semi-permanent location, Sense should develop a new model for it in time.
Obstructed by noise
We mention “noise” quite a bit. This can also affect a previously good detection. There’s many types of electrical noise, but for Sense, the major factor is another similar device overshadowing the current one during runtime — like, a 10kW heater running concurrently with your 150W iron. Sense can usually pick apart concurrent devices, but occasionally factors arise that make this difficult. It’s especially common with rapidly cycling, high-wattage devices or variable-load devices. Noise can also come directly from your utility lines, more commonly referred to as power quality. Changes in your power quality can affect Sense’s device detection algorithms.
Learning run amok
Sometimes the machine learning process itself can run awry. As the learning algorithm incrementally improves a model, it may get stuck in a rut where small changes to the model no longer improve it (what we call a “local maxima” in computer science). The model might only match part of the pattern. Or it might trigger on another device too, but Sense may fail to determine which to split out. In other cases, especially with more chaotic device signatures, the algorithms may not initially pick the best point from which to build the device model. As the device runs again, slight differences in the data can negatively affect detection. In cases like this, it can be wise to delete the device. By deleting the device, you'll start device detection with a different set of initial examples and may net a better model. To learn what happens behind the scenes when a device is deleted, check out this blog post.
A device for every season
Seasonality can also affect continued detection. If a device hasn't run for, say, six months, the original model may no longer match with what Sense is currently seeing. Your home has likely changed during that gap in time, thus requiring a new model to be developed when the device is used again. Remember, your Sense monitor (and our awesome data scientists!) remain constantly vigilant and continually refine existing models based on changes in your home. Once Sense sees enough cycles of the "new" device, a new model should automatically get developed for it. We've been able to successfully mitigate this issue with many AC devices and are working hard to improve it with these and other common seasonal devices.
Resistance introduced
In some rare cases, extension cords or power strips can introduce enough resistance to alter a device’s waveform and thus prevent a detection via the currently trained model. But this truly is rare and really only applies to extension cords of a significant length and not the standard 3-foot power strip.
For all these points, it’s worth keeping in mind that a home is a dynamic place. The electrical signatures of your devices can change for a litany of reasons and all of those reasons can affect Sense’s persistent detection of them. The good news is that we’ve worked to make most of these occurrences rare and are working constantly to improve the accuracy and continued reliability of device detection. If you're consistently seeing issues with device detection, be sure to let the Support team know.
1. Learn your energy style Your utility bill doesn’t tell you much about your day-to-day energy style, but the Sense app can tell you almost everything, including the daily patterns that impact your monthly bill. How you take advantage of Sense’s...
FeaturesInsights
The home furnace is essential to our comfort as the days get shorter and temperatures dip below 50 degrees in many states. Today central heating keeps homes evenly warm in the chilliest weather, but just a century ago, heating was far less reliable...
InsightsTechnology
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Edwards extends ‘stay at home’ order to May 15
BIZ Magazine
By David Jacobs | The Center Square
Gov. John Bel Edwards announced Monday he will extend Louisiana’s “stay at home” order with some changes until May 15 in hopes of slowing the spread of the new coronavirus that causes COVID-19.
Louisiana does not currently meet the White House criteria for entering phase one of reopening currently limited sectors of the economy, he said.
While Louisiana has seen improving trends statewide in terms of new case growth and new hospitalizations in several regions across the state, new cases and hospitalizations continue to increase or to plateau, according to data from the Louisiana Department of Health. The White House criteria calls for declining numbers of new cases and hospitalizations, among other factors, to lift restrictions.
“Thanks to the commitment of the people of Louisiana, our state has made progress in flattening the curve and reducing the spread of the novel coronavirus. Unfortunately, we still have a little work to do before we meet the criteria to safely move to the next phase of reopening, so I will extend the state’s Stay at Home order until May 15, with a few minor changes,” Edwards said. “While this is not the announcement I want to make, I am hopeful, and all of Louisiana should be hopeful, that we will enter into the next phase of reopening soon, in mid-May. I am anxious to get all areas of our economy reopened, but if we accelerate too quickly, we may have to slam on the brakes. That will be bad for public health and for businesses, bad for our people and bad for our state.”
Edwards said his decision is based on regional data that shows that while overall new cases and hospitalizations have decreased, this is not the case in several regions. In the greater Baton Rouge and Monroe regions, both new cases and new hospitalizations have increased. Some increases of new cases have been seen in Acadiana and a plateau for hospitalizations in southwest Louisiana and a plateau of new cases on the Northshore near New Orleans, Edwards said.
Under the extended order, which will be issued on Friday, businesses that previously were directed to be closed will remain closed, including salons, barber shops, bars and casinos, among others. Businesses that are deemed essential under the third phase of federal guidance may still be open. Non-essential retail businesses in Louisiana continue to be able to open with fewer than 10 people total inside.
Three changes in the new order include:
Malls will remain closed to the public, but stores may open for curbside delivery.
Restaurants will be allowed to open their outside areas for patrons to eat meals only, without tableside service.
All employees of a business who have contact with the public must wear a mask.
Both the CDC and the Louisiana Department of Health “strongly urge everyone to wear masks when in public,” Edwards’ office said. “Hopefully, Louisiana will meet the White House criteria and move to Phase 1 on May 15, provided symptoms, new case counts and hospitalizations decrease and the state continues to surge testing and contact tracing capacity.”
In phase one, the “stay at home” order would be lifted and restrictions on some public spaces like houses of worship and restaurants and businesses that have been closed such as barber shops and salons would be allowed to reopen with restrictions on occupancy and strict requirements for personal distancing and masks to keep everyone safe. Occupancy for such businesses would be limited to 25 percent.
“Hundreds of thousands of Louisiana families continue to suffer each day we delay reopening the state’s economy,” said Daniel Erspamer, CEO of the fiscally conservative Pelican Institute for Public Policy. “It’s past time to get Louisiana working, and we strongly urge the Governor and all of our elected officials to treat the worsening jobs and economic crisis with the same urgency as the ongoing COVID-19 health crisis.”
There are no absolute right or wrong answers that dictate when the state should fully reopen the economy, he says. But “countless workers and families are suffering, and we need to get Louisianans safely back to work as soon as possible.”
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About BJGP Open
Editorial Fellowships
Research into Publication Science
Audio abstracts
RACE AND RACISM IN PRIMARY CARE
British Journal of General Practice
Prognosis following a diagnosis of heart failure and the role of primary care: a review of the literature
Nicholas R Jones, FD Richard Hobbs and Clare J Taylor
BJGP Open 2017; 1 (3): bjgpopen17X101013. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3399/bjgpopen17X101013
Nicholas R Jones
1 GP Trainee & Academic Clinical Fellow, Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences, University of Oxford, , UK
FD Richard Hobbs
2 GP & Professor of Primary Care, Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences, University of Oxford, , UK
Clare J Taylor
3 GP & NIHR Academic Clinical Lecturer, Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences, University of Oxford, , UK
For correspondence: clare.taylor@phc.ox.ac.uk
Heart failure (HF) is a common chronic condition that affects around 900 000 people in the UK.1 Primary care plays a central role in the diagnosis, long-term management, and end-of-life care for these patients. While there is specialist support available from HF nurses and cardiologists, GPs remain responsible for overseeing most patient care once a diagnosis is made including management to delay progression, recognition of HF decompensations, and patient follow-up in the vulnerable period following an acute admission. Patients with HF often have several other conditions, which can change over time and require different, sometimes conflicting, treatment. GPs also provide timely information on prognosis, discuss treatment options, and support advanced care planning.2 It is therefore crucial to support clinicians’ understanding and awareness of the HF trajectory. In this article we present relevant evidence on HF survival rates and factors that affect outlook. We also explore reported cause of death in patients with HF and trends in survival over time.
Acute and chronic heart failure
The distinction between acute and chronic HF may be artificial, as both usually occur at some point in most patients with HF but clinical practice and research have traditionally separated the two groups. When discussing prognosis with a patient it can be useful to consider their recent level of symptom stability as the evidence base draws on studies that have tended to recruit from either stable, ‘chronic’ community patients or those admitted with an ‘acute’ episode of HF. The European Society of Cardiology's (ESC's) definition of chronic HF is where the patient has had the condition for some time; stable is where there has been no significant change in the past month.3 A chronic, stable patient who suffers a deterioration in their condition can be said to have acutely decompensated, but ‘acute HF’ can also refer to a patient’s first presentation with HF.1
There is a growing recognition that these delineations are somewhat arbitrary and there is in reality a spectrum of fluctuant symptom stability on a background of clinical deterioration over time. Many patients, following their initial diagnosis, may enjoy a period of relatively prolonged stability, sometimes providing false reassurance that HF is a benign or easily managed condition. These periods of stability often become interrupted by increasingly frequent decompensations, when poor symptom control may require a step-up in the intensity of treatment and frequent acute episodes of HF can be seen as a poor prognostic sign. There are often opportunities for GPs to initiate early intervention in these situations to reduce the severity of acute episodes and potentially to avoid admissions by, for example, involving community services that provide home or near home treatment. For instance, in some areas community teams are able to initiate potent diuretic combinations, such as the addition of metolazone to furosemide, or consider closely monitored parenteral treatments where gastrointestinal absorption is compromised due to fluid overload.4
A number of large, international cohort studies have looked at prognosis in patients with chronic HF, either managed in the community or outpatient setting, and report a 1-year survival rate of around 80–90%, compared with 97% in the general population (Table 1).5–11 There is similar concordance at 5 years with survival around 50–60% compared with 85% in the general population.5–7 Ten-year survival for patients with HF and left ventricular systolic dysfunction (LVSD) in the UK community-based Electrocardiographic Heart of England (ECHOES) study was 27.4%, compared with 75% for the general population.10 These figures are supported by a recent survival analysis from UK primary care data of 54 313 patients with a first diagnosis of HF, showing survival rates of 81.3%, 51.5%, and 29.5% at 1, 5 and 10 years respectively.11
Table 1. Survival rates in chronic heart failure
Studies following hospital admission with acute HF have similar concordance for 30-day post-discharge survival; around 80% (Table 2).6,12–16 The figure does not include those who die in hospital and the results support the theory that increasing symptomatic relapses are a marker of HF progression. This highlights the 30 days following an acute admission as a high-risk period, and the need for close follow-up and monitoring, including better patient and carer awareness of signs of deterioration (decompensation), timely and informative correspondence from hospitals, and liaison with specialist community teams where available. Longer-term survival outcomes following an acute admission are more heterogeneous, perhaps reflecting the pattern of recurrent symptomatic relapses with periods of stability of variable and unpredictable duration in between. Patients with acute HF tend to be older with a greater proportion being female. Clinical characteristics, including comorbidities and severity of HF at time of diagnosis, are also important in predicting survival.
Table 2. Survival rates in acute heart failure
Preserved and reduced ejection fraction
A diagnosis of HF requires the patient to have symptoms plus objective evidence of a structural or functional abnormality of the heart. The left ventricular ejection fraction (EF) is used to distinguish between HF with reduced EF (HFrEF) and HF with preserved EF (HFpEF). A third category with mid-range EF (HFmrEF) has recently been added to the classification by the ESC (Box 1). This categorisation is important in determining likely response to treatment.
Category of heart failure
Left ventricular ejection fraction, %
Additional criteria to meet diagnosis
Heart failure with reduced ejection fraction HFrEF <40 Not required
Heart failure with mid-range ejection fraction HFmrEF 40–49 Elevated levels of natriuretic peptides and either relevant structural heart disease or diastolic dysfunction
Heart failure with preserved ejection fraction HFpEF ≥50 Elevated levels of natriuretic peptides and either relevant structural heart disease or diastolic dysfunction
Box 1. European Society of Cardiology heart failure categories by ejection fraction3
Studies that have analysed HFpEF and HFrEF separately find a difference in medication prescribed, with patients with HFrEF more likely to be treated with angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEI), angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs), beta-blockers (BBs) or mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists (MRAs).17 These treatments are effective in HFrEF but do not appear to improve survival rates in HFpEF or HFmrEF, where no treatment has thus far been convincingly shown to improve prognosis.3
There is an association between HFpEF and female sex, increasing age, higher systolic blood pressures, and hypertensive or valvular HF aetiology, all factors suggesting it will becoming increasingly prevalent in coming years.16,17 Various causes for HFpEF have been suggested, including hypertension and diabetes, which may contribute to diastolic dysfunction, ventricular stiffening, and chronotropic incompetence. HFmrEF is a relatively new concept and categorisation and treatment remain unclear.3
Prognosis and symptom burden appears worse with HFrEF, although different outcomes were found between studies. The Organized Program To Initiate Lifesaving Treatment In Hospitalized Patients With HF (OPTIMIZE-HF) study found that mortality during admission was lower in HFpEF (2.9% versus 3.9% in HFrEF; P<0.05) but there was no difference in longer-term mortality.17 The Acute Heart Failure Database (AHEAD) study found an increased survival rate at 1 year in participants with HFpEF of 87.0% (95% confidence interval [CI] = 84.1 to 89.7%) versus 79.4% for those with HFrEF (95% CI = 77.5to 81.3%) and also at 3 years: 73.4% (95% CI = 69.2 to 77.6%) versus 63.7% (95% CI = 61.0 to 66.4%).16 Patients with HFpEF may not have access to the same services such as specialist HF nurses and often have multiple comorbidities so, although their prognosis appears better, they are a cohort where significant primary care input is often needed.
Other negative prognostic indicators
Increasing age is the factor most strongly associated with poor prognosis.5,6,15 Other independently associated factors related to poor prognosis reflect haemodynamic or electrolyte instability and vascular risk factors. They include: low systolic blood pressure on admission; tachycardia; high naturietic peptides (B type naturietic peptide [BNP] and N-Terminal-proBNP [NT-proBNP]); hyponatreamia; anaemia; acute kidney injury; chronic kidney disease; prior stroke; smoking; male sex; previous myocardial infarction (MI); chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; peripheral vascular disease; or significantly high or low body mass index. Symptoms are also important signs of deterioration. The New York Heart Association (NYHA) classification is used to quantify the degree of breathlessness in patients with HF as shown in Box 2.
NYHA Class
I No limitations of physical activity. Ordinary physical activity does not cause undue fatigue, palpitation, or dyspnoea
II Slight limitation of physical activity. Patients are comfortable at rest. Ordinary physical activity results in fatigue, palpitation, breathlessness, or angina pectoris
III Marked limitation of physical activity. Although patients are comfortable at rest, less than ordinary activity will lead to symptoms
IV Inability to carry out any physical activity without discomfort. Symptoms of congestive cardiac failure are present even at rest. Increased discomfort with any physical activity
Box 2. New York Heart Association classification
Data from the AHEAD registry includes prospectively collected information on 4153 patients hospitalised with acute HF and confirmed LVSD across seven centres in the Czech Republic. A univariate Cox proportional hazards model was used to determine predictors of long-term mortality. The five factors on admission with the highest hazard ratios for 1-year mortality were: NYHA score of III–IV; BNP >2000 pg/ml or NT-proBNP <10 000 pg/ml; diuretic use; creatinine >145 uµmol/l or creatinine clearance <40 ml/min; and age >70 years.16
Prescribing in HF
Figure 1 shows an increase in the proportion of patients treated with cardioprotective medication, such as ACEIs, BBs, and spironolactone, in Scotland between 1986 and 2003.15 This reflects the growing body of evidence which, at that time, found a reduction in mortality and morbidity with ACEIs,18 BBs,19 and MRAs20 in patients with HFrEF. There remains, however, significant numbers of patients with HFrEF who are not on the recommended combinations of cardiovascular medication.
Figure 1. Changes in age-standardised prescribing rates between 1996 & 2003.15 ACE = angiotensin converting enzyme.
The most recent British Society for Heart Failure National Heart Failure Audit shows that rates of prescribing for disease-modifying medications are improving. Following hospital discharge and with specialist input 84% of patients with HFrEF were on either an ACEI or ARB, 86% on BBs, and 52% on MRAs.21 However, only 42% took all three. On general medical wards, 80% of patients with HFrEF were prescribed an ACEI or ARB, 80% a BB, and just 20% on both plus a MRA.21 The Meta-analysis Global Group in Chronic Heart Failure (MAGGIC) included data on 39 372 patients with HF from several large international cohort studies; 68.7% of patients were on either an ACEI or ARB and 34.0% were on a BB.22 Evidence also suggests those on treatment are frequently on suboptimal doses.23 There may be several reasons to explain the low prescribing rates, including difficulties in prescribing in renal failure and hypotension. However, increasing the proportion of patients on the correct combination of medication and at the optimal doses remains a key area to target for improvement.
Causes of death
Large cohort studies recruiting participants with chronic HF show cardiovascular events are the most frequent cause of death, estimated to account for between 48.4% and 72.0% of all deaths, with 40.5% of these directly related to HF.8,10,24 The Rotterdam study found participants with HF were at an increased risk of cardiac events, cardiac death, and sudden cardiac death compared to those with no HF. The study reported a hazard ratio for cardiac death in participants with HF of 8.8 (95% CI = 5.9 to 13.2) and for sudden cardiac death of 10.8 (95% CI = 6.0 to 19).5 Cardiac causes of death, other than HF, include arrhythmias (9.9%)24 and MI (between 3.6 and 22.6% of deaths, with higher rates in patients with HFrEF).10
Respiratory disease (21.2%) and cancer (13.0%) were the most common causes for non-cardiovascular deaths in patients with chronic HF, where this has been reported.10 Therefore, while HF carries a significant risk of cardiovascular mortality, patients still die from other conditions in many cases. It is therefore important to consider multimorbidity and maintain a low index of suspicion for investigating and treating alternative causes for symptoms such as pneumonia or lung cancer in a breathless patient. The presence of several long-term conditions can make end-of-life care particularly challenging.
Mortality differences over time
The prognosis for chronic HF has improved, when compared with very early studies such as the Framingham Heart and Offspring Studies (1971), where 1-year survival was 60.5% and 5-year survival was 31.5%.25 However, more recently, there has been no change or very modest improvements in survival.8 A large Scottish cohort study found an increased median survival time from 1.3 years to 2.3 years between 1986 and 200215 and similarly a more recent Canadian cohort study found a minimal change in 1-year survival between 1997 and 2007, from 64.3% to 66.2% in acute HF and from 82.3% to 83.8% in chronic HF.26
The lack of improvement in survival time is disappointing given the number of evidence-based treatment options that have been in use over the past 20 years.18–20 In part this may be explained by the fact no treatment has been shown to improve survival in HFpEF or HFmrEF.3 Analysis of prescribing patterns does however suggest there is suboptimal use of proven treatments for patients with HFrEF,15 highlighting an important area of focus for GPs. Patients with HF also frequently have several comorbidities, which will impact on their prognosis, as seen by the range of mortality causes. A holistic approach to care is needed in these patients that goes beyond a simple algorithm-based HF treatment strategy.
Discussing prognosis and HF trajectory
The Heart Failure Society of America (HFSA) suggest end-of-life planning should be done in coordination with primary care physicians and early enough to allow patients to meaningfully participate.27 Currently many patients with HF feel they never discuss their prognosis or possible causes of mortality with any healthcare professional, although these discussions are clearly important to help guide treatment and allow for patient-centred advanced care planning.2
GPs may be wary of crushing patients’ hope and so describe HF as an illness to treat rather than an incurable condition and this means the focus of primary care consultations is often on disease management alone.2 The pattern of illness in HF contributes to this, as doctors find it difficult to predict acute episodes of deterioration during periods of clinical stability and articulating the risk of sudden death is a further challenge.2 There may be an assumption that other members of the healthcare team such as a specialist nurse or cardiology consultant should take the lead in these discussions. Lack of advanced planning means patients do not get access to all available support including palliative care, which remains underutilised by patients with HF compared with other conditions such as cancer.3,28
At a population level, epidemiological evidence shows mean survival rates in chronic HF of 80–90%, 50–60%, and 30% at 1, 5, and 10 years respectively. However, the complexity of a patient’s disease and their comorbidities makes it difficult to generalise these population studies to individuals. It is important to assess each patient individually but this evidence base may provide a useful guide for treatment and prognosis discussions.
Prognosis appears to have plateaued over time, highlighting the need for optimisation of evidence-based treatment with dose adjustment including up-titration of disease-modifying medication where appropriate. Further research is required to discover effective treatment for HFpEF and HFmrEF, but currently the focus for GPs should be on care of associated comorbidities and symptom control.3 The 30 days following discharge from an acute admission is a high-risk period so resources and early follow-up should be focused on these patients.
Increasing age, LVSD, significantly elevated natriuretic peptides, and other markers of vascular or renal disease are the best predictors of poor prognosis (although the evidence for peptides is limited to hospital out-patient follow-up). Local guidelines for suspected HF investigation differ across the UK and therefore GP access to community echocardiography and BNP measurement remains variable and incomplete. However, prognostic information should be used in primary care to identify patients at risk, escalate treatment where appropriate, but also hold timely conversations regarding realistic treatment expectations and consider the early need for discussions around resuscitation, end-of-life care, and involvement of palliative care services.
Commissioned; externally peer reviewed.
The authors declare that no competing interests exist.
Received September 29, 2016.
Accepted March 3, 2017.
Copyright © The Authors 2017
This article is Open Access: CC BY license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
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(2010) Chronic heart failure in adults: management. CG108, (accessed 31 May 2017). https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/cg108/chapter/introduction.
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(2011) End-of-life care conversations with heart failure patients: a systematic literature review and narrative synthesis. Br J Gen Pract 61(582):e49–62, doi:10.3399/bjgp11X549018.
Ponikowiski P,
Voors A,
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(2016) 2016 ESC Guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of acute and chronic heart failure: The Task Force for the diagnosis and treatment of acute and chronic heart failure of the European Society of Cardiology. Eur Heart J 37:2129–2200.
Vasko MR,
Cartwright DB,
Knochel JP,
(1985) Furosemide absorption altered in decompensated congestive heart failure. Ann Intern Med 102(3):314–318, doi:10.7326/0003-4819-102-3-314.
Mosterd A,
Cost B,
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(2001) The prognosis of heart failure in the general population: The Rotterdam Study. Eur Heart J 22(15):1318–1327, doi:10.1053/euhj.2000.2533.
Nielsen OW,
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McDonagh T,
(2003) Survival differences between heart failure in general practices and in hospitals. Heart 89(11):1298–1302, doi:10.1136/heart.89.11.1298.
Hobbs FD,
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Davis RC,
(2007) Prognosis of all-cause heart failure and borderline left ventricular systolic dysfunction: 5 year mortality follow-up of the Echocardiographic Heart of England Screening Study (ECHOES). Eur Heart J 28(9):1128–1134, doi:10.1093/eurheartj/ehm102.
Tsutsui H,
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(2007) Characteristics and outcomes of patients with heart failure in general practices and hospitals. Circ J 71(4):449–454, doi:10.1253/circj.71.449.
Pons F,
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(2010) Mortality and cause of death in patients with heart failure: findings at a specialist multidisciplinary heart failure unit. Rev Esp Cardio 63(3):303–314.
Taylor CJ,
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(2012) Ten-year prognosis of heart failure in the community: follow-up data from the Echocardiographic Heart of England Screening (ECHOES) study. Eur J Heart Fail 14(2):176–184, doi:10.1093/eurjhf/hfr170.
Ryan R,
Nichols L,
(2017) Survival following a diagnosis of heart failure in primary care. Fam Prac 34(2):161–168, doi:10.1093/fampra/cmw145.
Blackledge HM,
Tomlinson J,
Squire IB
(2003) Prognosis for patients newly admitted to hospital with heart failure: survival trends in 12 220 index admissions in Leicestershire 1993–2001. Heart 89(6):615–620, doi:10.1136/heart.89.6.615.
Goldberg RJ,
Ciampa J,
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(2007) Long-term survival after heart failure: a contemporary population-based perspective. Arch Intern Med 167(5):490–496, doi:10.1001/archinte.167.5.490.
Ko DT,
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(2008) Life expectancy after an index hospitalization for patients with heart failure: a population-based study. Am Heart J 155(2):324–331, doi:10.1016/j.ahj.2007.08.036.
Jhund PS,
MacIntyre K,
Simpson CR,
(2009) Long-term trends in first hospitalization for heart failure and subsequent survival between 1986 and 2003: a population study of 5.1 million people. Circ J 119(4):515–523, doi:10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.108.812172.
Parenica J,
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(2013) Long-term survival following acute heart failure: the Acute Heart Failure Database Main registry (AHEAD Main). Eur J Intern Med 24(2):151–160, doi:10.1016/j.ejim.2012.11.005.
Fonarow GC,
Stough WG,
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(2007) Characteristics, treatments, and outcomes of patients with preserved systolic function hospitalized for heart failure: a report from the OPTIMIZE-HF Registry. J Am Coll Cardiol 50(8):768–777, doi:10.1016/j.jacc.2007.04.064.
Garg R,
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(1995) Overview of randomized trials of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors on mortality and morbidity in patients with heart failure. Collaborative Group on ACE Inhibitor Trials. JAMA 273(18):1450–1456, doi:10.1001/jama.1995.03520420066040.
CIBIS-II Investigators and Committees
(1999) The Cardiac Insufficiency Bisoprolol Study II (CIBIS-II): a randomised trial. Lancet 353(9146):9–13.
Pitt B,
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(1999) The effect of spironolactone on morbidity and mortality in patients with severe heart failure. NEJM 341(10):709–717, doi:10.1056/NEJM199909023411001.
Mitchell P,
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(2015) National heart failure audit (National Centre for Cardiovascular Prevention and Outcomes, London).
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(2013) Predicting survival in heart failure: a risk score based on 39 372 patients from 30 studies; on behalf of the Meta-Analysis Global Group in Chronic Heart Failure (MAGGIC). Eur Heart J 34(19):1404–1413.
Maggioni AP,
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(2013) Are hospitalized or ambulatory patients with heart failure treated in accordance with European Society of Cardiology guidelines? Evidence from 12,440 patients of the ESC Heart Failure Long-Term Registry. Eur J Heart Fail 15(10):1173–1184, doi:10.1093/eurjhf/hft134.
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(2013) Multicenter prospective observational study on acute and chronic heart failure: one-year follow-up results of IN-HF (Italian Network on Heart Failure) outcome registry. Circ Heart Fail 6(3):473–481, doi:10.1161/CIRCHEARTFAILURE.112.000161.
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BJGP Open 2017; 1 (3): bjgpopen17X101013. DOI: 10.3399/bjgpopen17X101013
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Big Brother USA News
BB Chat
VIP Chat
Tag: Devin
Post author By Finley
There is a new king in town.
After a run that saw complete domination by a small group of players, it was the undercover cop from Rhode Island who ended up taking the win. Derrick’s game play was one that ended up being respected by the Jury that had been sent there by his moves, and his 7-2 win over Cody tonight now places him in the pantheon of Big Brother Greats that are debated as to whom is the “Best of All Time.”
Continue reading “All Hail The King”
Tags BB16, Caleb, Cody, Derrick, Devin, Victoria
Done, By Design
It isn’t often that a week goes as smoothly for a Head of Household as it did for Derrick this week. From the beginning, every move he made to get his ultimate target out was set for success and performed by a House united in its belief that the biggest, strongest and most dangerous Houseguest of the season needed to go. One Houseguest was convinced to put himself up to ensure that this happened, and by the time the Veto Ceremony took place there was very little question how the week would end.
Indeed, for Devin the hope that he would remain in the House evaporated faster than any one could predict – and his acceptance of this loss was the icing on the cake that was delivered to feed watchers and Houseguests alike.
Continue reading “Done, By Design”
Tags BB16, Caleb, Derrick, Devin, Donny, Frankie
Boom Boom, Pao
At the beginning of the season, two things were made pretty clear. The first was that there was a major alliance, one that was already influencing the direction of the game and was intent on eliminating the so-called “weaker” players in the House. Led by Devin and Caleb, this Alliance – known as the Bomb Squad – was planning a systematic elimination of those outside of it by nominating weaker players and pitting them against much stronger players in the Battle of the Block competition. The second was that the alliance even had an “inside player” in the form of Paola, who was willing to throw competitions in the name of safety. This strategy worked… for about 1 1/2 HoH cycles.
By the end of Devin’s HoH reign the script had changed, the Bomb Squad had essentially exploded and Paola was out of the House – and in tracing back the root cause, the reasons were timeless in the annals of failed BB alliances.
Continue reading “Boom Boom, Pao”
Tags BB16, Caleb, Derrick, Devin, Paola
In the annals of Big Brother history, there have been players whose names evoke immediate reaction. Their gameplay was so legendary, so remarkable that fans across the land remember their names to this day… as the worst players to ever be in the House. From Mike “The Godfather” of BB5 to Brian in BB10 and Keith (and by extension, the entirety of “The Regulators) in BB13, these players played or overplayed so poorly that their fellow Houseguests were given essentially a free week to slide through.
After this week, a new name has been added to this pantheon of horrible gameplay – Joey.
Continue reading “Worst to First”
Tags BB16, Caleb, Devin, Franikie, Joey
BBOTT
© 2021 BB News
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Survey results determine that Magazine Apps are crucial to Librarians
A comprehensive study of worldwide mobile device acquisition revealed that over the past decade “the rate of iOS and Android device adoption has surpassed that of any consumer technology in history”*.
As a digital publishing company specialising in mobile apps, Exact Editions wanted to better understand the function of mobile technology in libraries today and their place in the future. A survey was conducted in January 2015 to a number of librarians worldwide. It quickly became evident that librarians globally are already recognising the sudden increase in students adopting mobile devices for academic purposes. Among our survey 68% of librarians revealed that students frequently used mobile devices to access e-resources in their libraries currently, while all of them answered that this will most definitely increase in the future.
The popularity of mobile technology in libraries is as a result of the increase in students using mobile devices as a source of information. By removing multiple methods of access, Exact Editions have ensured that connection to the apps is as simple as possible through immediate IP authentication. This eradicates the need for lengthy logins requiring a username and password. Most importantly, complete access is enabled when students are off campus through remote/EZ proxy access and Shibboleth for UK institutions.
Cross platform compatibility is a crucial requirement for libraries. Over half of the librarians surveyed estimated that the use of tablets and phones will become more prevalent than desktop resources, while all of them recognised the essential requirement in offering multi platform resources. Indeed with this, students have seamless access and the capacity to read an article on a variety of platforms from online on a desktop, or once the title has downloaded, offline on a mobile device; through apps the students have a 24/7 mobile library. Moreover, the magazines available via Exact Editions are accessible on both Android and iOS devices, again ensuring accessibility is at the forefront of our apps.
During our research the concept of layout was another important concern for librarians. A high 91% of librarians agreed that the publication should maintain the original look of the printed copy. This not only ensures that the content retains an aesthetic quality, but also provides contextual background, a pivotal necessity for much research. Additionally with mobile apps, the ease at which users are able to scroll quickly through the publications pages ensures reading is far more organic. Discovery remains effortless through the provision of ‘stacks’ that provide a fluid channel in which to flick between issues, thus making reading all the more engaging, easy and enjoyable.
The rapid rise in the popularity of mobile technology along with the potent results of the survey, underlines the growing need for information to be available via app technology in libraries.
*http://www.flurry.com/bid/88867/iOS-and-Android-Adoption-Explodes-Internationally#.VMJlfIvnf8s
accessAndroidappsdigitalexacteditionsinstitutionsiOSiPadiPhonelibrarianlibrariesmobilestudentssurveytechnology
Introducing… White Lines
Falconers swoops into the Apple Newsstand!
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MH#370 UPDATE: Mysterious 200-pound Load Listed AFTER Takeoff
What Happened to MH Flight #370 – Will We Ever Know for Certain?
The manifest, pictured, says NNR Global shipped 2,453kg worth of items including lithium ion batteries, but does not specify how many batteries were on board
SEE VIDEO: https://www.foxnews.com/world/mh370-mysterious-200-pound-load-missing
MH370 had ‘mysterious’ 200-pound load added to flight list after takeoff: report
By Travis Fedschun | Fox News
https://www.foxnews.com/world/mh370-mysterious-200-pound-load-missing
Whatever happened to Malaysia Airlines Flight 370?
A Houston company is finalizing a contract with the Malaysian government to resume the search; Doug McKelway takes a closer look for ‘Special Report.’
Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 had a “mysterious” addition to the flight list after takeoff, according to an engineer whose wife and two children were aboard the ill-fated aircraftwhen it disappeared in 2014.
Ghyslain Wattrelos recently told Le Parisien newspaper that French investigators made the discovery while probing the passengers and baggage reported aboard the airplane.
The Boeing 777 carrying 239 people from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing vanished March 8, 2014, and is presumed to have crashed in the far southern Indian Ocean. A safety report into the disaster by an international team last July revealed the plane was likely steered off course deliberately by someone and flown for several hours after communications were severed..
“It was also learned that a mysterious load of 89 kilos (200 pounds) was added to the flight list after takeoff,” Wattrelos told the newspaper. “A container was also overloaded, without anyone knowing why.”
MALAYSIA AIRLINES FLIGHT 370 ‘DISINTEGRATED INTO CONFETTI,’ CAPTAIN APPEARS TO HAVE RUN ‘AMOK,’ REPORT SAYS
In addition to the late flight list addition, French investigators who examined the flight data at Boeing’s headquarters believe the pilot was in control of the Boeing 777 “right up to the end,” according to the newspaper.
“Some abnormal turns made by the 777 can only be done manually. So someone was at the helm,” an unnamed person cited as a source close to the investigation told Le Parisien.
This map shows the intended route of MH370 and the area that plane debris was found in September 2018. MH370 was less than an hour into its flight from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing when it disappeared from radar. Investigators believe it veered off course and went missing somewhere in the southern Indian Ocean.
In the July issue of The Atlantic, writer and aviation specialist William Langewiesche delved into what happened to the missing aircraft, including a look at Captain Zaharie Ahmad Shah, who had “indications of trouble.” The night the aircraft went missing, control was seized in the cockpit during a 20 minute period between 1:01 a.m. and 1:21 a.m. and radar records show the autopilot was probably switched off, according to Langewiesche.
When the report by a 19-member international team was released last July, Chief investigator Kok Soo Chon said during a media briefing there was no evidence of abnormal behavior or stress among the two pilots – Capt. Zaharie Ahmad Shah and co-pilot, Fariq Abdul Hamid – that could lead them to hijack the plane.
MH370 Captain Zaharie Ahmad Shah was often “lonely and sad,” and had experimented with a flight profile similar to that of the missing plane, according to a new report. (Facebook)
Langewiesche noted that while the co-pilot had nothing but a bright future ahead and no red flags in his past, Zaharie’s life raised multiple concerns. After his wife moved out, the captain, who was reported to be “lonely and sad,” also “spent a lot of time pacing empty rooms” and obsessed over two young internet models.
Debris from the missing Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 is displayed during a Day of Remembrance for MH370 event in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Sunday, March 3, 2019. (AP Photo/Vincent Thian)
Forensic examinations of the pilot’s simulator by the FBI also revealed he experimented with a flight profile that roughly matched what’s believed to have happened to MH370, and that ended in “fuel exhaustion over the Indian Ocean.” New York Magazine reported in 2016 that the simulated flight was conducted less than a month before the plane vanished.
MALAYSIA OPEN TO PROPOSALS TO RESUME MH370 HUNT 5 YEARS AFTER MYSTERIOUS DISAPPEARANCE
Wattrelos, 54, told Le Parisien he believes the flight was deliberately downed, and that investigators told him the data “lends weight” to the possibility that the pilot crashed the aircraft into the sea.
Scattered pieces of debris that washed ashore on African beaches and Indian Ocean islands indicate MH370 crashed in a distant stretch of the ocean, but a multi-government search by Australia, Malaysia and China has failed to pinpoint a location.
Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 mystery lives on, 2 years later
More questions than answers two years after Flight MH370 went missing. ‘On the Record’ takes a closer look.
French investigators are expected to take up to a year to examine the data before releasing their findings. While there has been no indication otherwise, aviation experts have tossed around the possibility of a stowaway hijacking as to what happened to the doomed flight.
Tim Termini, an aviation security specialist, told Channel 5’s Flight MH370 documentary there were several ways a hijacking could take place, including from a crew member, passenger, or stowaway, which he noted would be “fairly unusual,” according to News.com.au.
Wattrelos told Le Parisien last week the inconsistencies are fueling the need to continue the probe by French investigators, even though the 54-year-old admitted he may “never learn the full truth.”
“It may be incompetence or manipulation. Everything is possible,” he told the paper. “This will be part of the questions for Malaysians.”
Fox NewsLe Parisien newspaperLithium batteriesMalasia Air #370MH#370 updateNews.com.au
« Scalia’s Son Tapped for Labor Secretary by Trump
The Toxic Gang of Four Blather on and on… »
Breaking News › Forums › Whatever Happened to MH#370?
July 19, 2019 What Really Happened to MH Flight #370? Will We Ever Know For Certain? The manifest, pictured, says NNR Global shipped 2,453kg worth of
[See the full post at: Whatever Happened to MH#370?]
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I remain as baffled as anyone by the results of the annual New England sports and media poll as presented by Channel Media and Market Research.
It discourages me to see how Boston sports fans apparently enjoy being trolled by their sports media. It really would interest me to see the demographics of the fans polled.
(Entire Survey Here)
As Steve Buckley notes, the survey was especially hard on the Bruins.
I mentioned last week about the WBZ preseason telecasts. Watching other preseason telecasts around the league, it’s striking to me how different the Patriots’ broadcasts are. Most teams seem to hire an established NFL announcer and analyst for the preseason, the Patriots sort of used to do this when they used Don Criqui and Randy Cross – who weren’t exactly at the top of their game.
I applaud the Patriots for trying something different. But when I see some of the other preseason broadcast teams, I realize the gap in quality.
All that said, the overwhelmingly negative atmosphere of Boston sports radio and television has made me appreciate guys like Steve Burton and Dan Roche more than I have in the past. They may be awkward at times, but I know I’m not going to be trolled, and that they’re good people who enjoy what they’re doing.
I can’t believe I wrote that, but there it is.
By the way, they’re on tonight:
Start your weekend with the #Patriots on WBZ! @RochieWBZ has the call of Pats-Panthers, w/ pregame starting at 7p! pic.twitter.com/9PRbm4YUaI
— WBZ Boston Sports (@wbzsports) August 26, 2016
The Red Sox must have the most gut-punch losses of any playoff contending team. It is astounding, it really is, yet there they sit, tied with the Blue Jays atop the AL East.
Imagine where they’d be with someone other than John Farrell as the manager. At least that’s the hot take of this season. Some minor (and a few major) sports media members in town have made crucifying Farrell for every loss into a personal mantra.
Second-guessing the manager is a time-honored tradition, especially in Boston, but the constant criticism here by some sound more like efforts to establish hottake bona fides.
Speaking of hottakes, the half-hearted effort to generate some sort of quarterback controversy, or rift between Tom Brady and Bill Belichick and Jimmy Garoppolo are nonsensical. The alleged evidence being that Brady has been distant, grouchy, generally a little less genial than we’re used to.
Why shouldn’t he be? Isn’t being pissed off and angry exactly how we want him to be right now? The guy just got railroaded by the NFL, suspended for a quarter of the season, while guys like Le’Veon Bell get their suspensions reduced, and serial wife beaters like Josh Brown can get suspended for just a game.
The Brown case is especially infuriating as the pious John Mara who apparently is one of the puppet masters behind Roger Goodell and the case against Brady, hypocritically brushed off the allegations against Brown because of not having sufficient evidence.
John Mara, 9/10/14, and this week. This guy led the charge in making sure Goodell nailed Brady despite no evidence. pic.twitter.com/bNc5Y6HVoi
— Bruce Allen (@bruceallen) August 26, 2016
30 thoughts on “Who Are These People?”
Derek Gentile says:
I think the Mara situation really reeks. He was pounding the drum against Brady. At the time, I understood (to a point); the guy owns a rival team and anything bad that happens to NE is good for the Giants. I don’t agree with the sentiment, but I get it. But I thought his casual dismissal of the allegations was really cringe-worrty. You have to wonder how he’d feel were it his daughter
Boston Dan says:
In April, every radio host, columnist and sycophant fan of these trolls agreed that the “Red Sox had to get off to a fast start” or Farrell would be fired in May. There were segments on the radio shows, the entire purpose of which was for the hosts and callers to give their predictions of the date that JF would be fired. If this isn’t rooting against the home team in order to satisfy a pathological, personal agenda, then I don’t know what is.
On the “2016 Favorite Local TV Sports Personality” section, which they called an unaided write-in, the 5th most popular with 6% and tied with Bob Neumeier, is Charlie Moore. What?
Doesn’t an email survey mean they used the emails of subscribers to WEEI, CSSNE, etc., and wouldn’t that explain some of these results? For example, as a rabid Bruins fan, I wouldn’t be caught dead going to Joe Haggerty for Bruins news, and WEEI mostly ignores them.
If that’s not their method, I’d be interested know how they find random Boston sports fans.
dryheaveone says:
“the half-hearted effort to generate some sort of quarterback controversy, or rift between Tom Brady and Bill Belichick and Jimmy Garoppolo…”
I had no idea about this “half-hearted effort”… why? because I pay no attention whatsoever to the local sports clowns anymore (other than to check in here once in awhile) Best decision I ever made. I see I’m not missing anything…. same old crap
markmass says:
The hot takes about Farrell come from folks who would wet their pants if they ever had to fill out a line up card, manage a game or set a tone in a club house. Easy to be brave when you can shoot your mouth off from behind a microphone. A lot harder to actually be in the arena.
James Donovan says:
Yet Farrell has single handily lost at least 5 games this year because of his dumb decisions. So not sure why you’re railing on people with microphones who are only stating the obvious to those who think rationally and not because they dislike those behind the mikes. The survey said it all about what fans think of Farrell. You my man are in a small, small minority because Farrell is a terrible field manager and has cost the Red Sox too much already. His record stands for itself too. He’s been a loser and last place finisher his entire career except for one miracle season where the team did it all despite his managing.
The Red Sox are flawed, especially in their bull pen, yet the team plays hard and has to this point avoided distraction or a meltdown. They remain in contention despite their shortcomings, and every time the media has projected their demise they have regrouped and bounced back. Farrell’s leadership plays a role here, whether you want to admit it or not. But maybe not, in the all-the-blame-none-of-the-credit sphere in which you live.
The month ahead promises to be very challenging, and if they don’t make the postseason then Dombrowski – whose moves so far have not panned out, and who has escaped serious criticism – will make a change. The fact that he hasn’t so far, based on his deep inside view of the team, is telling.
Tony C says:
I have significant issues with how Farrell manages during games. However, it’s clear that he has the respect of his players, which is why they keep fighting to the very end in every game, even if they’re down by 8 runs.
It’s a tough call for me. I would love to see them hire a field manager who makes the “logical” moves all the time, rather than some of the head-scratcher decisions that Farrell makes (in case anyone has forgotten, this is the guy who brought the little-used, and very awful, Franklin Morales into Game 6 of the 2013 LCS at Fenway, with men on base…..didn’t work; Victorino bailed him out in the bottom of the 6th with his game-breaking grand slam).
With that said, the stuff that goes on behind the scenes is important, and Farrell seems to have a pretty good handle on that.
Sox management is in a tough position. The team almost has to miss the playoffs in order to have an excuse to fire Farrell, I think, and nobody wants that. He’s like the Marty Schottenheimer of MLB, with the exception being that one of Farrell’s teams, inexplicably, managed to win a championship, and Marty’s teams could never even get to a Super Bowl.
I think that Dombrowski’s moves have fared better of late. Zeigler only gave up an earned run in one outing in the past month (granted it was 3 run to Yankees that led to loss; and he’s allowed inherited runners to score) and probably would have been – or should have been – pitching on Buchholz’ spot last night. Pomeranz has had 6 pretty good starts in row after a rough beginning. Chris Young has been better than expected. Kimbrell’s been fine when healthy, although not by his previous standards (this could still be a very poor trade long term if prospects blossom and Kimbrell continues downward career trend). Abad has pitched better or late, albeit in low-pressure situations. He clearly doesn’t have Farrell’s trust.
Overall, I’d grade him a B-. I like Pomeranz for beyond this year. They don’t have a reliable lefty specialist, and i think Kimbrell and Ziegler will be solid down the stretch. If they make the playoffs – and i think they will – Dombrowski will have done his job.
APNDaveR says:
I have a lot of issues with Farrell and his management. But then I think of Bobby Valentine, and Farrell looks like freaking Walt Alston by comparison.
Be careful thinking about that greener grass on the other side of the fence.
And Walter Alston had his detractors, too! The Bobby V season may have been the most bizarre in Sox history, one of the many reasons that made 2013 so satisfying.
Am sure Dombrowski has a short list of folks he’s identified to succeed Farrell if Sox fail in the next month, but I do hope they are playing deep into October.
Farrell may be less like Schottenheimer – Showalter is probably the better parallel – and more like Joe Altobelli, who had a championship tucked inside a mostly undistinguished won/lost record.
Tony C. says:
I know what you’re saying, believe me. And I do understand that the guy who succeeds Farrell could end up being worse.
Still, take last night’s infuriating loss, for example.
Using Buchholz in the 8th inning of a tie game, in just his second relief appearance since making three or four starts in a row, and on the night after he’d been used for mop-up duty and had thrown a lot of pitches in a rather ineffective inning, made absolutely no sense. Ziegler was brought in by the GM for exactly that type of situation: tie game, at home, 8th inning. Yet Farrell seems to only use Ziegler when the other team already has a huge threat brewing in an inning, or earlier in the game (6th or 7th inning), which is not why Dombrowki brought him here. He was brought in to set-up for Kimbrel, to pitch the 8th or 9th in a tie game, or to close for Kimbrel if the latter is not available.
It was a no-brainer that Tampa was going to score against Buchholz. My buddies and me were texting back and forth the entire inning about it….predicting it. And then….Longoria went BOOM.
I’m putting last night’s loss on Farrell, even though I recognize that Pomeranz needs to be taken to the woodshed for hanging a two-out, two-strike curveball to the #9 hitter and allowing a game-tying 2-run homer in the 7th. That was inexcusable.
This has been one of the more frustrating Sox seasons in recent memory, and, at my age, I’ve been through a LOT of frustrating Sox seasons.
I hate replying to my own posts, but in the series finale against the Rays, Farrell just used gas-can Junichi Tazawa in the biggest spot of the game. Predictably, he allowed a game-tying 2-run single. He (Farrell) has a closer who throws 98 MPH out in the bullpen, and there are four outs to get in order to secure a very important win. But Farrell, for some reason, has yet to be convinced of the fact that Tazawa is done. He can’t pitch anymore. He’s no longer effective. The fans can see this. The media can see this. The manager cannot, apparently.
THIS is the type of game that drives me crazy about Farrell!
I realize that Ziegler apparently is not available due to illness, but with four outs to go, with the bases loaded, clinging to a two-run lead, Tazawa is NOT the move to make there. Go with Kimbrel. At least you can say you went with your best guy if the move doesn’t work out.
BSMCommenter says:
why does WBZ’s screen zoom in so much during the games? I can barely see the box score chyron
Love Roachie, but have to say that Kraft Productions who produces the Pats’ telecasts is brutal.I guess I expect nothing less from an outfit more worried about their bottom line then actually producing an NFL worthy telecast. I was wondering if they have still in college interns running the show. The camera men in all the games have been off way too much too many times. The director has no clue about timing screen shots or instant replay. Too busy focusing in on Jimmy G’s face behind center before each snap and holding onto that view way too long while missing the typical side view of all the players in enough time to see offsides or where players are lined up prior to snap, etc. Don’t need to see Jimmy’s face before a snap morons. Replays are just as bad. Many delayed or running into live plays so they’re cut because it took too long to show OR sometimes they’re never shown at all on plays you want to see a replay on. And how many times will Andy Hart but sometimes Fauria and even Roachie talk over the ref on the field making a call on his mike on the fieldl. Or bow they’re so quick to go to an ad (remember it’s $$$$$)meanwhile a flag is down and the ref is talking but they’re already queuing the music for the break. This has happened in all 3 games so far, Absolutely a second rate broadcast compared to what I’ve seen of other local broadcasts. But I bet those other local broadcasts aren’t being produced by the home team’s owners. Like I said, I love Dan Roache but how many times will he say it’s 2nd and a bunch or 3rd and a ways instead of telling us the exact down and distance? Is it too much to ask for a first rate production? I guess not as long as those advertisers are paying the $$$$$ that we know is all that really matters to those in charge!
Jason Coyote says:
In defense of the Pats’ preseason game productions, I don’t think they care that the announcers talk over refs’ calls because they changed up the production a few years back so it would be less like a regular season NFL game broadcast and more like a bunch of guys talking in a bar about the game going on in front of them, only with perhaps a little more player information. I think the folks at Kraft Productions feel that fans tuning in to watch preseason football aren’t the same hardcore fans who watch on Sundays in the fall, and wanted to make these ultimately meaningless game broadcasts feel a little different.
johnwaldron8 says:
Re: The Josh Brown domestic violence case, I guess I shouldn’t be, but I’m surprised the media has largely let this story pass without comment. It’s teed up perfectly to blast Goodell and the league for vowing to “own the domestic violence space” and to “get things right.” They make a big show of setting up new guidelines, hiring Lisa Friel (a former NY prosecutor) to be a special counsel for investigating domestic violence cases, and producing the “No more” ad campaign, which prominently featured Eli Manning. When the Josh Brown incident became public, the Giants didn’t do anything and the league opted to suspend him 1 game instead of the 6 game minimum, per the new guidelines that were such a big deal 2 years ago. It seems pretty obvious to want answers for why Brown’s case was handled differently, or, if someone wanted to be provocative, ask why Friel, a Giants fan, was lenient when punishing a Giants player.
Aside from people like Florio and Curran, that hasn’t happened. Peter King has ignored the story. Bart Hubbuch, who had plenty to say about deflategate, hasn’t written anything about a story happening in his city. Even Deadspin, who were all over the Greg Hardy story, hasn’t paid attention to this story. I’m not sure if the media is afraid of upsetting the NFL, can’t get worked up about this because it involves a kicker, is just being lazy, or a combination of all three.
Voteforpedro says:
Tune in and listen to Boomer on FAN, you’ll get the ‘other’ side. RIP ‘EEI (hiccup JD)
I’m done with the NFL. They insulted my intelligence, so they can go fark themselves.
Are you sure you’re not auditioning for a sportsradio host job, Dave? You’ve got the trolling part down perfect because I’m responding to what looks like an outlandish statement.
What do you mean by saying you’re ‘done’? You’re going to stop watching entirely? You’re now going to spend your fall Sundays doing yard work or picking apples? No fantasy football in your future? Going for an extra slice or two of turkey on Thanksgiving so the tryptophan kicks in even faster and you won’t have to watch the Cowboys game? No Super Bowl squares or remarking on how bad the commercials have gotten?
While I appreciate what the comment represents, none of us will ever be ‘done’ with this league, and that Ozz-wee-pay of a commissioner knows that. He knows he can water down the product and destroy all its credibility and we’ll keep coming back in droves every Sunday.
Let them continue to insult our intelligence, because they’ve got us by the you-know-whats.
For the record, I have not watched a second of a single NFL game not involving the Patriots since the azzholes on Park Avenue perpetrated that criminal fraud against Brady and the entire organization last year. That includes Super Bowl 50. For the first time in my life I didn’t watch a single down of the Super Bowl (and my first was Super Bowl 8, Dolphins/Vikings at Rice Stadium in Houston; long freakin’ time ago).
I won’t watch it next February either, unless the local NFL franchise is the AFC’s representative.
So, while I’m not boycotting it completely, I’m certainly boycotting the “other 31,” and will continue to do so indefinitely. Yes, I know Goodell works for the other owners and that a handful of them drove the entire De-FAME-gate nonsense, but he’s also got several ex-Jets working for him as underlings in the league office, and they ALL have anti-BB agendas/anti-Patriots agendas, even all the way down to the idiot millennial Jets fan who runs the league’s Pats-trolling Twitter account.
Also, the pussification of the game, which began prior to Goodell’s arrival on the scene but has been accelerated since he took over — more likely to please the Fantasy Football cottage industry by creating more offense, rather than for the stated goal of improving player safety — was reason enough to tune in less and less, but the anti-Patriots agenda, for me, is the final straw.
You can’t have a league with one set of rules for 31 teams, and another set of rules for 1.
Enough is enough. I’m a Pats fan, but not an NFL fan.
Holy Crap are you old…said the older guy 😛
I’m also “done” with the NFL as a whole because of the past year. If you had to categorize, I went from “fan” to whatever sits between really casual to don’t care.
Once you try to stop caring, it’s not too hard–at least for me. Ditching cable/TV 1.5 years ago helped. I started to spend more time on hobbies. It is nice to be outside. Having other hobbies, which now get more time spent on, is a good thing.
There’s the initial “shock”, and after a month-or-two, you start thinking less and less. Sports talk is still my work background noise, but that’s not a requirement anymore. There’s no shortage of content.
IIRC, 50% of America doesn’t consume any sports. I recall a figure of 10% being in the “really care” (consume ESPN). These non-sports people have figured out something to keep their time busy, right?
I won’t be able to do the watercooler talk at work, or “talk about the game” with friends, but that’s not a big loss. I’d only guess that if all/most of your social circle is heavy into sports, this won’t be as easy. I couldn’t participate at all in these, but it’s not like you can’t talk about something else.
The only thing I can’t say for sure is if the Patriots were in the Superbowl if I’d attend a gathering. Most people who go just are there for the party and want “their team” to win, but go right back to not really caring for the other 364 days, no? I’d fall into that group, now.
I can think of a thousand things to do on a Sunday that aren’t watching a bunch of sanctimonious meathead idiots pay a bunch of dumb jocks to give themselves brain damage. I’m done. Finito. When Bob Kraft kneeled down and fellated Rog “for the good of the Shield,” that was the last straw.
I haven’t watched college football in a decade, and don’t miss it in the least. Won’t be any different with the pro game. I don’t need to watch a football game to continue enjoying my life. And football will be dead in 25 years anyhow, as high school and college programs become prohibitively expensive to insure as the head injury risks become more and more obvious.
archstanton543 says:
Okay, so what were Bob’s options vis a vis Deflategate? Appeal the punishment to the man who meted it out? Sue the league? His hands were tied. Bob Kraft isn’t Al Davis and I’m glad he isn’t.
I have given a lot of thought to this. He should have sued the league. They took $1 mill and 2 picks from him for what the rule book says is a $25K offense. Kraft ate that rather than standing up for the principle of fairness. His hands were not tied…his ego was too big for him to do what was right. It was easy for him to cave…it would have been harder to do the right thing and fight. Unlike Dave I will watch…but like Dave…I have a lot less emotional attachment than I had before.
I went from planning around Sundays to planning nothing. It’s nice having them open to do random things or nothing.
But, on the media stuff. Same as above from what you said:
When Bob Kraft kneeled down and fellated Rog “for the good of the Shield,” that was the last straw.
Curran put it best: 31 > 12. I’ll support BB/12 until that time is over. Best of luck on the rest.
Hat tip for using “Ozz-wee-pay.”
Maybe you heard it someplace else, but, for some reason, that line from a Nicholas Cage SNL skit has stuck with me. There aren’t too many opportunities to use it, so nice job.
Except it’s “osh wee pay”…..
These Red Sox Sure Are Hateable Right Now
Patriots Writers Play To Type In Reimer Article
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HUBBARD HOUSE
MARIAN ANDERSON ART
EducationBrittany Woitas2019-01-23T20:24:59-06:00
Bringing History to Life
The Blue Earth County Historical Society is committed to providing a modern approach to preserving and sharing history about our county. From group tours and field trips to the History Center or Historic Hubbard House to our traveling speaker’s program, our interactive educational experiences bring history to life for all ages!
Groups of all ages and sizes are welcome at the Blue Earth County History Center and Historic Hubbard House. From adult group tours to children field trips, there is an entertaining experience awaiting. Group tours and field trips are provided a Tour Guide at no additional charge with paid admission.
History Center Guided Tours
Hubbard House Guided Tours
Available for adult or children’s groups of 10 or more year-round.
Advance registration is required for group tours.
Admission: $7 per adult, $3 per child 5-17 (no special group rate available at this time).
If outside regular business hours, a $10 after-hours fee will apply and must have at least 10 in the group.
College Student Guided Tours: Adult admission; Tour includes a staff guided tour of the History Center exploring resources available for research projects, internships and volunteer opportunities and careers in History.
Available for adult or children’s groups of 10 or more May – December.
Schedule Your Guided Tour
The History Center and the Historic Hubbard House offer guided, interactive field trips based on Minnesota Social Studies Standards. A field trip to the History Center or Hubbard House engages students through hands-on experiences with museum objects and educational activities led by our staff and trained volunteers. The History Center and Historic Hubbard House offer educationally appropriate grade level tours for students from Preschool through 6th grade. Field Trips may also include pre- and post-tour activities.
History Center Field Trips
Hubbard House Field Trips
History Center Field Trips are available year-round for groups of 10-100 per visit.
The History Center will accommodate tours of up to approximately 100 students, teachers and chaperones at a time. Large groups will be split into smaller groups of approximately 15-25.
Groups will rotate to four stations for 15 minutes each; allow 60-90 minutes for entire visit.
Advance registration of two weeks is required for field trips.
Admission: $5 per student; teachers and chaperones are free at a 1 adult to 10 student ratio.
Hubbard House Field Trips are available May-December for groups of 10-65 per visit.
The Hubbard House will accommodate up to approximately 60-65 students, teachers and chaperones at a time. Large groups will be split into smaller groups of approximately 10-25.
Allow 60 minutes for entire visit.
Advance registration of two weeks is required for field trips
Admission: $5 per student;teachers and chaperones are free at a 1 adult to 10 student ratio.
Schedule Your Field Trip
History on the Go
Bring Blue Earth County History to your classroom or group with a History on the Go program.
The Blue Earth County Historical Society offers educational Classroom Visits for grades K through 5th grade which include a 15-60 minute program, artifacts from the hands-on collection and may include a hands-on activity. Programs may also include a PowerPoint presentation. Topics vary per grade level.
Classroom Visit is $25 per presentation; prices may vary with special requests.
The Blue Earth County Historical Society offers historical and educational programs available for groups, organizations, clubs, and more! Presenters are experts, scholars and/or historians knowledgeable in their topic. Presentations may include a PowerPoint presentation; presenters will bring own equipment if necessary. Presenters are also available for walking tours and/or hop-on bus tour guides.
$50 for an existing topic scheduled during regular business hours
$100 for special requests, new topic presentations, hop-on bus tour guides, walking tours, and presentations scheduled outside regular business hours.
IRS Mileage rate charged for travel beyond 30 miles of the History Center.
Schedule Your History on the Go Event
424 Warren Street
606 S Broad Street
info@blueearthcountyhistory.com
research@blueearthcountyhistory.com
Tuesday-Friday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Saturday-Monday CLOSED
Closed Summer 2020
Copyright 2020 | All Rights Reserved | Web design by 507 Creative Group | Hosted by Internet Connections
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Difference between revisions of "Technologies to Add"
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This is a list of web game technologies that we hope to support in the future. If you'd like to help us add one of these technologies to Flashpoint, please join the #development-chat channel in our Discord.
''Please add new technologies in alphanumeric order.''
Please add new technologies in alphanumeric order.
Here are some places to find more technologies to add to Flashpoint:
[http://plugindoc.mozdev.org/windows-all.html mozdev.org - Windows PluginDoc] [https://web.archive.org/web/20200702/http://plugindoc.mozdev.org/windows-all.html]
[https://web.archive.org/web/20200702/http://plugindoc.mozdev.org/windows-all.html mozdev.org - Windows PluginDoc]
[https://gist.github.com/afiestas/135cc16b2ec7a6cca4a7185b3bb38e2d GitHub Gist - a list of over 10,000 plugins]
mozdev.org - Windows PluginDoc
GitHub Gist - a list of over 10,000 plugins
K-Meleon Extensions Central
Windows95.com - Web Browser Plugins
1 Adobe Atmosphere
1.2 Example Games/Applications
1.3 Problems Encountered
2 Atomic 3D / Neutron Viewer
3 AXEL Player
4 BitPlayer (BitMagic)
4.1 About
4.4 Tools
5 Castle Game Engine Web Plugin
5.4 Further notes
6 Google Native Client
6.1 Example Games
7 Grail
8 HTML+TIME
8.2 Registry entry
9 HotSauce
10 LIVEMATH
10.1 Example Games/Applications
11 MDL Chime
11.1 Download Links
11.2 Problems Encountered
12 MrSID
13 o2c
13.1 Download Link
13.2 Examples
13.3 Notes
14 O3D
15 Panda3D Plugin
16 Pipelight
17 QuickTime VR
18 Rebol
19 Tulip 3D
20 X3D
21 XVR
21.1 Information
22 Technologies Already Included
22.1 Added in Flashpoint 8.1
22.1.1 Pulse3D
22.1.1.1 Download Links
22.1.1.2 Example Games/Applications
22.1.1.3 Notes
22.2.1 VRML
22.2.1.3 Problems Encountered
22.2.2 Tcl Plugin
22.2.3 Burster
Adobe Atmosphere
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adobe_Atmosphere
[Logo Discussion]
Latest plugin: https://web.archive.org/web/*/http://download.adobe.com:80/pub/adobe/atmosphere/win/2.x/AtmospherePlayer216.exe
Standalone version: https://web.archive.org/web/*/http://download.adobe.com:80/pub/adobe/atmosphere/win/sa_player/atmosphere_saplayer.exe
Example Games/Applications
http://www.1ec5.org/3d/worlds.html
http://www.1ec5.org/3d/mingerworld/
http://www.wedding2004.net/photography/
http://amasci.com/atmos.html
http://www.trucker2000.net/directory.html
http://www.it-quadrat.de/atmosphere/
https://web.archive.org/web/*/http://www.canoma.com/*
Problems Encountered
The Javascript used by Galleries doesn't seem to work in newer IE. Curation guide might need to specify replacing the gallery's Javascript with code to create the <object> tag. This appears to because of a use of VBScript. VBScript can be reenabled via registry, or it might be cleaner to replace the JS. VBScript and galleries work fine as-is in Flashpoint Secure Player.
Some older Atmosphere worlds don't work in the plugin. Newer worlds (including galleries) won't work fully in the standalone player.
Low FPS. Can seemingly be fixed by changing "Throttle when not active". Hardware acceleration can be added by editing a text file, but it results in oddities in the tic tac toe world (http://www.it-quadrat.de/ttt/ttt3d/ttt.aer)
Cannot point plugin directly at an .aer file, an <object> tag must be used. (This is an original Adobe Atmosphere limitation)
Some worlds automatically close chat. Some other worlds put useful information in the chat. The chat open/closed preference is saved, so worlds with chat should probably have some code to open chat embedded.
Excessive caching may be a possibility.
Stairs are tricky to climb. Could be related to missing avatars? Might want to include default avatar in htdocs.
Atomic 3D / Neutron Viewer
https://web.archive.org/web/19970214041929/http://www.atomic3d.com/downmain.html
https://web.archive.org/web/*/http://www.atomic3d.com/download/bin/*
lost 3D model of a nuclear power plant
AXEL Player
Browser Plugin: https://web.archive.org/web/20070222181629/http://www.mindavenue.com:80/downloads/AXELPlayer.exe
Standalone Player: https://web.archive.org/web/20061127002450/http://www.mindavenue.com/DB/en/download/updates/AXELStandAlonePlayer.exe
Download links for all known versions: https://archive.org/details/mindavenue-axel-player
http://pages.infinit.net/glsmith/Arrow/arrow_main.htm
https://www.drnathbrachialplexus.com/injury/anatomy.php
http://kaitischler.de/AxelPlayerAcceptanceTest/
http://www.muranon.com/w3d/gallery/
BitPlayer (BitMagic)
Is a standalone player built with Flash and Shockwave, playing both contents.
it downloaded files from the internet on a daily basis. things called BitGames or BitFlicks there was also ads.
The file extension is .bm which just contains a .swf or .dcr
There were around 2000's various files in its short life, we have only been able to save a little less then 500.
https://web.archive.org/web/20000408230648/http://bitmagic.com/
bitmagic.com.au, bitmagic.org, content.ao.bitmagic.com, download.ao.bitmagic.com, download.us.bitmagic.com, www.bitmagic.com
(most of these you might have to search for bitmagic) [Michiel Frackers Interview - Co-founder] [Co-founder flash website] [animators website] [more info] [linkedin profile] [about book by cofounder] [more info 2] [website were player could be downloaded] [blog talking about various inside happenings]
BitMagic should be good for the next release
Items can not be fully curated in the Curate Tab though, items will not directly play so no screen shots etc.
[Current support build] [Recent Discord Post]
Examples are included in the download
bitmagic_converter extracts the Flash or Shockwave file embedded in a BitMagic file and shows metadata such as name, creator/note, and edition (which is usually a date, presumably the date it was published)
minimagic_extractor extracts BitMagic .bm files from Minimagic .exes. Minimagic was a way of packaging up a BitMagic animation as a standalone executable.
Castle Game Engine Web Plugin
https://github.com/castle-engine/castle-engine/wiki/Web-Plugin
https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/442282445098844177/712673109303623760/cge_3d_viewer.7z
Can't find C:\Program on PATH.
Exception "Exception":
windres failed, cannot create Windows resource
No precompiled builds are available yet. As such, you may have to download any of the following files to compile the plugin:
Lazarus: https://sourceforge.net/projects/lazarus/files/Lazarus%20Windows%2032%20bits/ (it might be best to download the version with the highest version number)
Free Pascal (included with Lazarus, but also linked to separately in case that helps get the plugin compiled): https://sourceforge.net/projects/freepascal/files/Win32/
Castle Game Engine: https://github.com/castle-engine/castle-engine/releases/tag/snapshot
Google Native Client
https://developer.chrome.com/native-client
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Google_Native_Client
Slimjet 10, Used by oshaboy for testing: https://bluepload.unstable.life/slimjet10.exe
Example Games
Bomberclone
Bastion Demo (Some Assets lost)
Super Tux
"[6708:11872:0517/190417:ERROR:nacl_process_host.cc(215)] DuplicateHandle() failed" on Chromium 40
.nexe and .pexe files get downloaded by the browser, but don't start.
Slimjet 10 can't see the PNaCl compiler plugin when running through a proxy. (See chrome://components) (That was because the compiler was not in the user folder)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grail_(web_browser)
https://sourceforge.net/projects/grail/files/grail/0.6/grail-0.6.tgz/download
http://grail.sourceforge.net/demo/
"TclError: Can't find a usable init.tcl in the following directories:" error when trying to run Grail (Solved)
"An exception occurred during applet loading : exceptions.TypeError: compile, argument 1: expected string without null bytes, string found" error on all official Grail demo applets, except for Clocks, Play A Sound File, Demos Similar to Common Java Demos, Show Grail's Applet Exception Handling, Calendar and A Little Joke. (That's because Grail can't decrypt gzipped http packets)
"An error occurred in a callback function : audiodev.error : no audio device" error if trying to play a sound in Play A Sound File. It's possible the audio files don't exist where they originally existed.
Old versions of Python and Tcl/Tk are required. These may work:
Python 1.5.2: https://www.python.org/ftp/python/win32/py152.exe
Tcl/Tk: ftp://ftp.ncnr.nist.gov/pub/cryst/gsas/win/tcltk80p2+.exe
Alternatively, an all-in-one package can be used instead.
All-in-one packages: https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/516027726851735632/711328321819902083/Grail.7z, https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/516027726851735632/711588211222118450/Grail_but_More_Portable.7z (more portable version)
HTML+TIME
A proposal for Microsoft for including animation and interactivity in HTML: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HTML%2BTIME
No independent download, added to Internet Explorer in IE 5.5 and removed in IE 9. X-UA-Compatible does not appear to work
DLLs from Windows XP + Internet Explorer 6 are installable: mstime.dll for time2, datime.dll for time
IE11 on Windows 10 with DLLs installed and registry entry seems to have issues with transparency.
IE6 via Utilu on Windows 10 bolds some stuff weirdly.
Need to figure out how to get ad demos to work properly.
http://www.ludicrum.org/demos/
Registry entry
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Default Behaviors]
# C:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\VGX\vgx.dll
"VML"="CLSID:10072CEC-8CC1-11D1-986E-00A0C955B42E"
# C:\Windows\system32\datime.dll
"TIME"="CLSID:476c391c-3e0d-11d2-b948-00c04fa32195"
# C:\Windows\system32\mstime.dll
"TIME2"="CLSID:17237A20-3ADB-48ec-B182-35291F115790"
# ???
"ANIM"="CLSID:B1549E58-3894-11D2-BB7F-00A0C999C4C1"
"DA"="CLSID:B1549E58-3894-11D2-BB7F-00A0C999C4C1"
Some kind of 3D viewer for .mcf files, which are things like sitemaps
https://www.macintoshrepository.org/866-apple-s-hotsauce-technology-project-x-
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HotSauce
https://urbigenous.net/library/MCF/
https://web.archive.org/web/19970527121925fw_/http://www.hdcity.com/sample_index.html (requires a multitude of plugins)
https://web.archive.org/web/19970703020221/http://mcf.research.apple.com/hs/sites.html
https://web.archive.org/cdx/search?url=xspace.net&matchType=prefix&collapse=urlkey&filter=!statuscode%3A%5B45%5D&fl=original
https://web.archive.org/cdx/search?url=mcf.research.apple.com&matchType=prefix&collapse=urlkey&filter=!statuscode%3A%5B45%5D&fl=original
LIVEMATH
https://www.livemath.com/lmplugin/
https://ae.msstate.edu/vlsm/forcesys/concurrent_force_systems/livemath_examples/livemath_ex2.htm
http://www.distancemath.com/preview/unit1/mvgrapher.htm
MDL Chime
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MDL_Chime
Install and demos: https://sites.fas.harvard.edu/~biotext/chimedemos/getplugins.html
When the plugin is installed, navigating to a page that uses the plugin immediately crashes K-Meleon.
MrSID
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MrSID
An image compression plugin mainly used for orthophotos.
Window on the UK, Window on the Universe (Volumes 1 & 2) and the plugin installer: https://archive.org/details/bnsc-wouk
o2c
http://www.o2c.de/en/download/o2c-download.html
http://staircon.pl/uslugiprojektowe.htm
http://staircon.pl/galeria.htm
Package contains o2c files and installer: https://discord.com/channels/432708847304704010/516027726851735632/767757315423207484
Second package with another player: https://discord.com/channels/432708847304704010/516027726851735632/768027913080930345
Player using ocx files, but when trying run as ActiveX Control giving error "Registry Failed".
O3D
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/O3D
A proposal by Google for a standard 3D API for the Web. WebGL supplanted it. Google eventually wrote a WebGL version of O3D, but conversion is not automatic and the Beach demo was not converted
No known trustworthy downloads, although source code exists.
https://www.zhaodll.co/n/20130417/158957.html was tested and works, but the site is sketchy.
https://code.google.com/archive/p/o3d/downloads
Panda3D Plugin
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Panda3D
Install and demos: http://www.ddrose.com/~drose/plugin/install_plugin.html
Latest runtime: https://www.panda3d.org/download/runtime-1-0-4/
Open directory of Panda3D stuff: http://www.ddrose.com/~drose/p3d_7/
Pac-Bat - tested and working on 2019-07-21
Dice in a Stone Box
A3P - Acquire, Attack, Asplode, Pwn! - tries to install Python and crashes
Has a huge number of runtime components that are downloaded and installed on demand. They are listed here: http://runtime.panda3d.org/contents.xml
The runtime components are all available from this open directory: http://runtime.panda3d.org/
Pipelight
See https://bluemaxima.org/flashpoint/datahub/Linux_Support#Pipelight
QuickTime VR
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/QuickTime_VR
https://support.apple.com/downloads/quicktime
http://www.oldversion.com/windows/quicktime/
https://www.virtualparks.org/scenes/ZvSeIxFqURTrIKUDkLjAFyA.html
http://www.middlestreet.org/cabinet/sebacub.htm
http://www.rewind.ac.uk/expanded/Narrative/BFI_422%22.html
Uses the Windows system directory and is not portable.
The latest version available on apple.com requires Visual C++ 2005 Redistributable Service Pack 1 MFC.
Both Apple Application Support and QuickTime are required. Registry entries point to their locations.
Registry files: apple.reg quicktime.reg
Not all data in quicktime.reg is likely needed.
In Flashpoint, Basilisk is currently configured to disable QuickTime by default to avoid conflicts.
Some of the npqtplugin.dll files may interfere with other video/audio plugins or built-in behavior. It may make sense to have the QuickTime plugin available only when viewing a QuickTime curation. Basilisk's built-in MIME type configuration dialog can also be used to choose what plugins are used for different types of content.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rebol
Plugin for a cross-platform programming language. Unfortunately the plugin only works in Internet Explorer.
http://www.rebol.com/plugin/rebolb6.cab
http://www.rebol.net/plugin/demos/
Tulip 3D
http://web.archive.org/web/20021002220716/http://www.exstream.to/
https://web.archive.org/web/20020928152956/http://www.tulip-software.org/
(Note: It's unclear whether these two links reference the same plugin or two different plugins with Tulip in the name)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/X3D
A list of some X3D players: https://www.web3d.org/x3d/content/examples/X3dResources.html
Examples: Scene Archives for X3D: https://www.web3d.org/x3d/content/examples/X3dResources.html#Examples
FreeWRL examples: http://freewrl.sourceforge.net/examples.html
Flux Player 2.1 loads indefinitely under TheWorld 3.5.03
Could potentially be considered just another ActiveX control?
http://www0.cs.ucl.ac.uk/teaching/VE/Slides/2006-2007/week07/week07-xvr-framework.pdf
https://github.com/Gabryxx7/TheTower
https://web.archive.org/web/20160513043225/http://client.vrmedia.it/XVRPlayer.cab
http://www0.cs.ucl.ac.uk/staff/F.Tecchia/XVR/personalprojects.htm
http://www0.cs.ucl.ac.uk/staff/F.Tecchia/XVR/publicprojects.htm
http://www.vrmedia.eu/demos/
The sample at https://web.archive.org/web/20051223071519/http://www.pureform.org/virtualGallery.htm (linked from personal projects) reportedly has Flash <-> XVR interaction. This might not be supportable in Flashpoint unless Flash can be added to Flashpoint Secure Player or an NPAPI version of XVR is found.
Technologies Already Included
Added in Flashpoint 8.1
Pulse3D
https://www.sandyressler.com/about/library/weekly/aa122000a.htm
https://lostmediawiki.com/Pulse_3D_(lost_3D_web_plugin_content;_1999-2001)
Pulse3D was previously called "Platinum VRML."
https://web.archive.org/web/*/http://www.pulse3d.com:80/players/english/PulsePlayerNsWin.exe
Available from MICD2001_11_NR2.iso here: http://archive.org/details/MICD200111/
https://bluepload.unstable.life/p3d.zip
Installer: https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/516027726851735632/705092816220717086/PulseStuff.zip
Netscape version: https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/516027726851735632/705175471926673468/PulseNetscape.zip
http://www.learningfriends.com/download.htm
https://web.archive.org/web/20030705212152/http://www.digitalproducer.com/pages/protozoa.htm
https://web.archive.org/web/20040204091717/http://launch.pulse3d.com/harvard/index.htm
https://archive.org/details/Pulse3DPWSPWCPW3Files
https://archive.org/details/www_02_2002
pulse3d.com CDX search
pulsenetwork.com CDX search
dotcomix.com CDX search
muppetworld.com CDX search
barbie.com CDX search
Nutrisystem.com CDX search
Browser plugins (at least the NPAPI one, didn't check ActiveX) seem to look for Pulse by using ShGetFolderPathA to find CSIDL_FLAG_CREATE | CSIDL_PROGRAM_FILES if that function exists (and if not, looking at a Registry entry).
Some files seem to need a command sent to the plugin (for example, Fozzie needs "play obj=Dummy01 pkg=assets/fozzie/Package2.pws transition=0.30 heading=yes behave=joke"). The NPAPI version of the plugin looks like it relies on LiveConnect, which might not be supported in Basilisk.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/VRML
A list of some VRML players: https://www.vrinternal.com/docs/links.html
Cosmo Player: https://cosmo-player.en.softonic.com/download
OpenVRML: https://sourceforge.net/projects/openvrml/files/
*; Also contains links to other places containing VRML content.
Andrew's VRML Games and Puzzles: http://www.soc.napier.ac.uk/~andrew/vrml/
VRML GAME*: http://web.archive.org/web/20191016182344/http://www.ceres.dti.ne.jp/~kekenken/main/3d/game/game.htm
Web3D Amusements* (The English version of VRML GAME. It has VRML programs not in the other version, which is in Japanese): http://web.archive.org/web/20191017225236/http://www.ceres.dti.ne.jp/~kekenken/main/index.html
A Little Bit About Me: http://members.bex.net/jtcullen515/AboutMe.htm
VRML resources for the 3E15 lecture - 14 October 1998*: http://www2.cmp.uea.ac.uk/~jrk/wwwvrml.dir/public-vrml/VRMLLECTURE/
vrml.sgi.com: http://web.archive.org/web/19980113075629/http://vrml.sgi.com/intro.html
A list of chat worlds and games at VR Internal (on the left sidebar): https://www.vrinternal.com/docs/links.html
Internet Archive Search: subject:"VRML": https://archive.org/search.php?query=subject%3A%22VRML%22
Google search for VRML, limited to .ac.uk addresses*: https://www.google.com/search?q=VRML+site%3Aac.uk
Floops episodes 7, 10, 24, 28, 29, 31, 36, 38 and 46 from Floops' Greatest Hits, a CD-ROM published in 1997 by Silicon Graphics: https://github.com/Sgeo/floopsArchive/tree/master/floops
Google search for VRML, limited to altervista.org addresses*: https://www.google.com/search?q=VRML+site%3Aaltervista.org
The Haunted House (created by Nekochan member nongrato): http://web.archive.org/web/20190704003702/http://sgizone.co.nf/haunted/
Google search for VRML, limited to VRML archives*: https://www.google.com/search?q=VRML+archive
Google search for VRML, limited to gainos.org addresses*: https://www.google.com/search?q=VRML+site%3Ahttps%3A%2F%2Fgainos.org
Google search for VRML, limited to .edu addresses*: https://www.google.com/search?q=VRML+site:edu
Lots and Lots of VRML 1: https://bluepload.unstable.life/lotsandlotsofvrml1.7z
All VRML worlds from Archive Team's Geocities scrape (1,985 .wrl files total) https://flashfreeze.submissions.unstable.life/geocities.7z
Flux Player 2.1 is stuck loading under TheWorld 3.5.03
Too many players with variations: Which ones should get included?
Live3D: Crashes on page navigation resolvable by using in Netscape 4
Cosmo Player: Struggles with large worlds. Direct3D renderer (the default) seems to cause dropped polygons (in Mod Gun and Beat Monk Bash at least) and drifting cameras (in Mod Dance Party) and wrongly rendering textures (in Dilbert animation I Think Therefore I Am). Have been unable to get software renderer to work. OpenGL renderer (HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\CosmoSoftware\CosmoPlayer\2.1.1\renderer = OPENGL) seems to work fine on one system, needs testing before any decision to hardcode.
Blaxxun Contact 4.4: If a world has sounds but a sound has not played yet, low FPS. This seems to occur in a full install too.
Blaxxun Contact 4.4: Some worlds rely on RealPlayer G2. Include in Blaxxun config? Example world: http://www.e-spaces.com/portfolio/ssg/vrml/main.wrl
Tcl Plugin
https://people.apache.org/~jim/NewArchitect/webtech/1997/12/junk/index.html
academic paper
Japanese presentation
http://www.tcl.tk/software/plugin/download.html
https://fossil.e-lehmann.de/tclplugin/tree?ci=tip
https://fossil.e-lehmann.de/tclplugin/raw/installers/msi/Tclplugin-4.0.msi?name=5daace0ca3aa9cf7b3a52fde29d5b18923c46e3d
See https://bluepload.unstable.life/tcl-info.txt for many examples.
The Tcl plugin may not load unless these conditions are met:
The page with the Tcl embed has to be the first page loaded by the browser (not counting about:home).
The page must be allowed to complete loading without scrolling the page or moving the mouse over the embed area.
Tested in latest K-Meleon (non-Goanna) version on 2019-08-17.
https://web.archive.org/web/20150209071910/http://geta3d.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=38&Itemid=18
https://web.archive.org/web/20160421163457/http://geta3d.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=2&Itemid=18
http://3d8bits.orgfree.com/pong/pong.htm
https://web.archive.org/web/20111208123049/http://deadcyborg.com/index.html
https://web.archive.org/web/*/http://geta3d.com*
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Expression profile analysis of the inflammatory response regulated by hepatocyte nuclear factor 4α
Zhongyan Wang1,
Eric P Bishop2 &
Peter A Burke1
Hepatocyte nuclear factor 4α (HNF4α), a liver-specific transcription factor, plays a significant role in liver-specific functions. However, its functions are poorly understood in the regulation of the inflammatory response. In order to obtain a genomic view of HNF4α in this context, microarray analysis was used to probe the expression profile of an inflammatory response induced by cytokine stimulation in a model of HNF4α knock-down in HepG2 cells.
The expression of over five thousand genes in HepG2 cells is significantly changed with the dramatic reduction of HNF4α concentration compared to the cells with native levels of HNF4α. Over two thirds (71%) of genes that exhibit differential expression in response to cytokine treatment also reveal differential expression in response to HNF4α knock-down. In addition, we found that a number of HNF4α target genes may be indirectly mediated by an ETS-domain transcription factor ELK1, a nuclear target of mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK).
The results indicate that HNF4α has an extensive impact on the regulation of a large number of the liver-specific genes. HNF4α may play a role in regulating the cytokine-induced inflammatory response. This study presents a novel function for HNF4α, acting not only as a global player in many cellular processes, but also as one of the components of inflammatory response in the liver.
Hepatocyte nuclear factor 4α (HNF4α) is a highly conserved member of the nuclear receptor superfamily. It is highly expressed in liver, kidney, intestine, and pancreas in mammals. The active form of HNF4α is a homodimer which recognizes a direct repeat (DR) of the AGGTCA motif separated by 1 nucleotide (DR1) as a binding site. HNF4α exerts direct transcriptional effects on target genes, and it also works indirectly via the positive regulation and negative regulation of other liver-enriched transcription factors, each of which regulates numerous downstream targets [1, 2]. In contrast to the liver-enriched transcription factors HNF1α, HNF3α, HNF6, and CAAT/enhancer-binding protein (C/EBP)α, which when disrupted in the mouse genome the mice are viable but show specific effects on hepatocyte differentiation, metabolic function, and gene expression [3–6], disruption of the mouse HNF4a gene is embryonic lethal [7]. Studies with HNF4α deficient mice [8] have established the critical role of this factor in regulating diverse liver functions, including glucose, fatty acid and cholesterol homeostasis, bile acid and urea biosynthesis [9–11]. Defects in HNF4α function have been linked to the human disease maturity onset diabetes of the young 1(MODY1) that results from haploinsufficiency of HNF4a gene [12]. The pivotal role of HNF4α in the maintenance of the differentiated hepatic phenotype is highlighted by the exceptionally high number of potential target genes revealed by genome-scale target search studies. Binding sites for HNF4α in genes expressed in the liver occur more frequently than those of other liver-enriched transcription factors [13], supporting the idea that HNF4α is a global regulator of liver gene expression.
Diverse signaling pathways regulate the transcription of hepatocyte-specific genes. For example, trauma or infection results in the release of proinflammatory cytokines, e.g., interleukin (IL)-6, IL-1, and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α). The release of these cytokines has long been known to stimulate the acute phase response (APR) and rapidly alters rates of synthesis of a group of plasma proteins known as acute phase proteins (APPs) [14]. APPs are an established diagnostic tool as early indicators of inflammation and disease. Many APPs play beneficial roles in mediating the complex inflammatory response and seeking to restore homeostasis, but prolonged exposure to acute phase conditions has been correlated with inflammatory syndromes such as sepsis and multiple organ failure [15, 16]. An understanding of the molecular events that are involved in mediating the response to external stresses can lead to the development of therapeutic strategies for preventing the progression of the APR to the chronic inflammatory states, while preserving its protective effects.
APP gene expression is regulated at the level of transcription. Transcriptional activation is mediated by a number of transcription factors. Beyond the well-known nuclear factor-κB, (NF-κB) and signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT) family members, HNF4α has been shown to be involved in the regulation of liver-specific genes, including acute phase genes [17, 18]. It has been reported that in several injury models, injury leads to significant changes in binding activities of several liver-enriched transcription factors, including HNF4α [18–20]. However, the functional analysis of HNF4α regulated-APR genes so far has mainly relied on the description of the expression level of a few selected genes [21]. To achieve a global view of HNF4α during the APR, we used microarray analysis to evaluate the expression profile in HepG2 cell, a human hepatoma cell line. This cell line is similar to hepatocytes in terms of biologic responsiveness [22–24] and is widely used as a model system for studying the regulation of acute phase protein synthesis in human liver [25–27]. In this study, HepG2 cells were treated with either HNF4α short hairpin RNA (shRNA) or cytokines (IL-6, IL-1β, TNF-α) alone, or in combination of the two treatments. Our results demonstrate that HNF4α is an important regulator in liver gene expression. The highly significant overlap of genes sensitive to HNF4α knock-down and cytokine treatment suggests that HNF4α may be involved in the regulation of the liver's inflammatory response. Our data also show that HNF4α may mediate a certain amount of genes indirectly via the ETS-domain transcription factor ELK1, a mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK)-responsive transcription factor [28, 29], which is a previous undefined mechanism for HNF4α regulation.
Knock-down endogenous HNF4α in HepG2 cells
To study the role of HNF4α in liver-specific gene expression and the inflammatory response, the endogenous HNF4α in HepG2 cells was knocked down by the technique of RNA interference. As shown in Figure 1, HNF4α shRNA caused a reduction in mRNA and protein levels of HNF4α by more than 70% relative to control levels assayed by real-time PCR and Western blot. Our results indicate that HNF4α shRNA can efficiently and specifically knock-down HNF4α in HepG2 cells [21].
Knock-down of HNF4α in HepG2 cells. HepG2 cells were transfected with non-specific shRNA control or HNF4α shRNA plasmid. mRNA and whole cell lysates were prepared for real-time PCR (A) and Western blots (B), respectively. The results shown in (A) represent the relative mRNA expression level normalized to GAPDH mRNA level. The abundance of mRNA in the controls was set at 1. Data represent mean ± SD of 4 replicates. An HNF4α antibody (sc-6556, Santa Cruz Biotechnology) and β-actin (Sigma) antibody, used as an internal loading control, were utilized for Western blot (B).
HNF4α acts as a global regulator of liver-specific gene expression
Given that HNF4α is a central mediator in hepatocyte-specific gene expression and liver function, it is important to identify the full spectrum of genes impacted by the loss of HNF4α. To reach this end, microarray analysis was performed to probe differences in gene expression between the control and HNF4α knock-down HepG2 cells. Because we are particularly interested in how HNF4α alters global gene expression patterns during the inflammatory response, we also examined gene expression in response to the inflammatory response induced by cytokine treatment.
A two-way ANOVA was performed to identify differentially expressed genes and classify the observed expression patterns. This procedure identifies genes with altered expression in response to HNF4α shRNA or cytokines alone, or in combination HNF4α knock-down with cytokine treatments. The entire dataset is available at the NCBI Gene Expression Omnibus http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/geo/ with the accession number GSE15991. From this analysis, a total of 14,220 unique probesets were found to be present in the samples. Two-way ANOVA analysis was then used to determine which probesets were differentially expressed between the untreated control and treated groups. The ANOVA analysis identified four categories of interest (Figure 2): Category A, "HNF4α shRNA only" contains genes that are significantly regulated by HNF4α shRNA, but not by cytokines; Category B, "Cytokine only" contains genes that respond to cytokine treatment, but not to HNF4α knock-down; Category C, "Additive" contains genes whose expression is dependent on both treatments with cytokines and HNF4α shRNA, and the effect of both treatments is additive, suggesting that the two treatments likely influence expression independent of each other. Finally, Category D, "Interactive" contains genes that exhibit an expression pattern dependent on both treatments in which the effect of the two treatments is not additive, rather interactive between each other. The genes with significantly altered expression and fold changes in each category are listed in Additional file 1. Utilizing K-means clustering, the genes in the category A and category B (Figure 2A and 2B) were clustered into 2 clusters for each category; Category C and category D (Figure 2C and 2D) were clustered into 4 and 8 clusters, respectively.
The clustering expression profiles of up- and down-regulated genes. A global transcriptional view of HepG2 cells in response to the treatment with cytokines and HNF4α knock-down alone (2 and 3) or in combination (4) is shown. Each group has 4 replicates. Relative expression values are expressed as a color code (bar color chart on the bottom, red up- and blue down-regulation). (A), Category A contains genes that are significantly regulated by HNF4α knock-down, but not by cytokines; (B), Category B contains genes that respond to cytokine treatment, but not to HNF4α knock-down; (C), Category C contains genes whose expression is dependent on both treatments with cytokines and HNF4α knock-down in an independent manner; (D), Category D has genes that exhibit an expression pattern dependent on both treatments in an interactive manner.
As shown in Table 1, we identified a total of 5,173 probesets (36% of the 14,220 probesets on the Affymetrix HG U133A 2.0 GeneChip with sequence-specific signal in our experiment) that exhibited differential expression in response to HNF4α knock-down (false discovery rate, FDR< 0.01). Of these, 3,606 probesets were only affected by HNF4α knock-down, and were not differentially expressed in response to cytokine stimulation (Category A). The remaining 1,567 probesets exhibited a differential expression pattern that was either specific to the combined effect of HNF4α knock-down and cytokine treatments (502 probesets; Category D) or the genes that were affected by HNF4α knock-down and cytokine treatments independently (1,065 probesets; Category C). Among the probesets affected by HNF4α knock-down independently (Category A and Category C), many (3,088 of 4671 probesets) were up-regulated when HNF4α expression was reduced. These observations may suggest that HNF4α directly or indirectly regulates a large number of liver-specific gene expressions. We found that in our experimental conditions more genes appeared to be down-regulated or repressed under a normal level of HNF4α in HepG2 cells. This finding is not in agreement with the description that HNF4α functions primarily as a transcription activator [8, 30], but is more in line with the observation that HNF4α can act as a suppressor of transcription [31, 32]. To exclude an off-target effect of knock-down in our study, siRNA rescue experiments were performed. A rescue effect was observed in the knock-down HNF4α HepG2 cells transfected with an HNF4α siRNA-resistant construct generated by introducing silent substitutions in the HNF4α siRNA-target region (Additional files 2 and 3). These siRNA rescue experiments suggest that the HNF4α shRNA used in this study can specifically knock-down HNF4α in HepG2 cells.
Table 1 Genes exhibiting altered expression by the treatment with HNF4α shRNA alone and in combination with cytokines.
The observation that a large number of liver specific genes are affected by HNF4α is consistent with the recent work of Odom et al.[13], in which the authors demonstrated that HNF4α binds the promoters of 12% of genes in human liver cells, whereas HNF1α binds the promoters of only 1.6% of genes using chromatin immunoprecipitation-chip (ChIP-chip). In order to determine what fraction of genes that showed differential expression in response to HNF4α knock-down is likely to be bound by HNF4α, we compared our microarray expression data to the ChIP-chip data reported by Odom et al. Only those genes in the Odom's data for which there were probesets on our microarray were considered. We found that 54% (659 of 1,219) of the genes bound by HNF4α detected by ChIP-chip also showed differential expression in response to HNF4α knock-down on our microarray. A Fisher-Exact test was used to test whether the fraction of genes in the Odom et al. data that are differentially expressed in response to HNF4α knock-down is significantly greater than the fraction of genes probed on our microarray that exhibit HNF4α-dependent expression, resulting in a highly significant p-value of p = 2.9 × 10-33. A similar analysis determined that 13% (659/5,173, p = 2.8 × 10-17) of those genes that exhibit differential expression in response to HNF4α knock-down were reported by Odom et al. to be bound by HNF4α. These results suggest that a substantial fraction of HNF4α-sensitive genes may be indirect targets of HNF4α. However, the differences seen might also be caused by the significant differences in the experimental methods used such as the data from ChIP-chip were derived from human hepatocytes, while our experiment was performed on HepG2 cells.
Majority of genes affected by cytokines are also affected by HNF4α knock-down
As shown in Table 2, we found that expression of 15% of the probesets (2,202 of 14,220) was affected by treatment with cytokine alone (635 probesets; Category B), and treatment with both HNF4α shRNA and cytokines (1567 probesets; Category C and D). Of the probesets that are differentially expressed in response to cytokine treatment but non-interactively with HNF4α knock-down (Category B and C) almost twice as many are down-regulated (1,144 probesets) as up-regulated (556 probesets). This may reflect that during the APR, there is an important role for the down-regulation of specific genes in response to an inflammatory stimulation, although the up-regulation of APR genes has been more extensively studied than those that are down-regulated.
Table 2 Genes exhibiting altered expression by the treatment with cytokines alone and in combination with HNF4α shRNA.
More interestingly, we found that majority of those genes that exhibit differential expressions in response to cytokine treatment also reveal differential expression in response to HNF4α knock-down. Of the 2,202 probesets found to be responsive to cytokine treatment, 1,567 (71%) of them also show altered expression in response to knock-down of HNF4α, while only 635 probesets are not influenced by HNF4α knock-down (Table 2). The p-value for this level of over-representation, calculated using a Fisher Exact test, is 1.8 × 10-207. Some of these probesets are altered independently by cytokine treatment and reduction in HNF4α levels (1,065 probesets; Category C), while others show a pattern of expression where the effect of cytokine treatment and reduction in HNF4α levels is interdependent (502 probesets; Category D). When more stringent criteria were used for filtering our data, and only those probesets in response to cytokine treatment and/or HNF4α knock-down that change expression by more than two fold were chosen, we found that an even greater percentage (519/597, 87%) of probesets regulated by cytokines are also regulated by HNF4α (Table 2). This over-representation suggests that HNF4α may play a significant role in orchestrating the inflammatory response in hepatic gene expression.
Although there is significant overlap between those probesets regulated by cytokines and those regulated by HNF4α knock-down (Category C and D), the expression patterns in response to these two treatments are varied. For some probesets the response to HNF4α knock-down are in the same direction as cytokine treatment (99 probesets, clusters 4 and 7 in the interactive category D, Figure 2D). This group of genes may represent a direct linkage of HNF4α with the injury response and will serve as interesting targets for further study of the complex role of HNF4α in the response to injury. For other genes the effect of each treatment is in opposition to each other (144 probesets, clusters 3 and 5 in Category D, Figure 2D). These diverse regulatory patterns observed suggest that the effects of HNF4α knock-down as that of cytokine treatment are pleiotropic in nature affecting transcription events at basic levels allowing individual gene responses to be highly variable but none the less altered.
Previous work by our lab has demonstrated that HNF4α binding activities are significantly reduced in a burn injury mouse model and a cytokine-induced APR cell culture model [18, 21]. We have shown, utilizing the cell culture model, that the decrease in HNF4α binding activity also affects HNF4α's ability to transactivate target genes [21]. The injury induced decrease in HNF4α binding may affect cellular transcription by simply decreasing the amount of effective HNF4α available for binding. Our ability to efficiently decrease HNF4α concentration utilizing RNA interference technique may mimic this decrease in HNF4α binding ability isolating this aspect of HNF4α's role in the injury response.
Genes annotated as participating in inflammatory response exhibit distinct expression patterns
In order to further explore the function of HNF4α in the inflammatory response, a set of 170 genes annotated as playing a key role in inflammatory response was obtained from Gene ontology (GO) http://geneontology.org. These inflammatory response genes are highly enriched in the set of probesets up-regulated by cytokines (p = 3.5 × 10-3, 334% above background), but not in those probesets down-regulated after cytokine treatment. Slightly more inflammatory response genes are up-regulated in response to HNF4α knock-down than those that are down-regulated, but the difference is not statistically significant (p > 0.05).
To determine whether certain expression patterns are associated with functional annotations, we further tested each cluster in each category using ANOVA analysis. While HNF4α-regulated probesets as a whole are not significantly enriched for the annotated inflammatory response genes, two expression clusters in the interactive category D are highly enriched for these genes. Of the 5,173 probesets regulated by HNF4α knock-down, 25 of them are annotated as participating in inflammatory response, and 14 of these genes fall into one of two clusters. One of these clusters (cluster 8, Category D) contains 101 probesets that are dramatically up-regulated by the combination of HNF4α shRNA and cytokine treatment, but exhibit relatively low levels of expression in the untreated controls, and the cells treated by either HNF4α knock-down or cytokines alone. Nine of 101 probesets in cluster 8 are annotated in GO as participating in the inflammatory response, which is 8.2 times more than expected by chance (p = 2.2 × 10-6) (Figure 3A). Another cluster (cluster 1, Category D) contains 41 probesets expressed in moderate levels under all conditions except HNF4α shRNA treatment in the absence of cytokines, in which they are markedly down-regulated. In this cluster, five genes are annotated as inflammatory response genes which is over 11.3 times more than expected by chance (p = 8.8 × 10-5) (Figure 3B). While it is not immediately clear why genes that play a role in inflammatory response are enriched in these particular expression clusters, it is intriguing that such genes exhibit similar HNF4α-dependent expression. These inflammatory response genes in cluster 8 and cluster 1 present good candidates for further study.
Inflammatory response genes are enriched in two clusters within the interactive category (Category D). Expression profiles of up- and down-regulated genes in the different groups treated by cytokines and HNF4α knock-down alone (2 and 3) or in combination (4) are shown. Each group has 4 replicates. Relative expression values are expressed as a color code (bar color chart on the bottom, red up- and blue down-regulation). Inflammatory response genes (listed at the right side of the graph) extracted from GO are highly enriched in two different clusters (A and B). Gene abbreviations: VNN1, vanin 1; SAA1/SAA2, serum amyloid A1/serum amyloid A2; C5; complement component 5; CX3CL1, chemokine (C-X3-C motif) ligand 1; LBP, lipopolysaccharide binding protein; PTX3, pentraxin-related gene, rapidly induced by IL-1 beta; PTAFR, platelet-activating factor receptor; NMI, N-myc (and STAT) interactor; ORM1/ORM2, orosomucoid 1/orosomucoid 2; C4A/C4B, complement component 4A/complement component 4B; CEBPB, CCAAT/enhancer binding protein (C/EBP), beta; SERPINA3, serpin peptidase inhibitor, clade A (alpha-1 antiproteinase, antitrypsin), member 3; CCL20, chemokine (C-C motif) ligand 20; HIF1A, hypoxia-inducible factor 1, alpha subunit (basic helix-loop-helix transcription factor).
To confirm the microarray results, we chose several transcripts from category D, cluster 8 (C5 and LBP) and cluster 1 (SERPINA 3 and C4A), and measured their expressions with real-time PCR using the same RNA samples used for microarray studies. All of them showed a high concordance between microarray and real-time PCR data. Figure 4 illustrates the comparison of the expression levels between microarray (Figure 4A) and real-time PCR (Figure 4B) for the selected transcripts from cluster 8 and cluster 1 (Category D).
Confirmation of microarray results using quantitative real-time PCR. (A), Raw intensity values were measured using microarray. (B), Real-time PCR results for the same genes are expressed as the relative mRNA expression level normalized by GAPDH mRNA level. The abundance of mRNA in the controls was set at 1. Data represent mean ± SD of 4 replicates. Ctr, Control; Cyto, Cytokines; shRNA, HNF4α shRNA; shRNA+Cyto, HNF4α shRNA plus Cytokines. *p < 0.05 and **p < 0.01 indicate a significant difference compared to control. Gene abbreviations are the same as described in Figure 3 legend.
In addition to testing for enrichment of inflammatory response genes, enrichment for broad categories of functionality was calculated for each cluster. GO terms of all 26 top level biological processes were analyzed. We found that GO term of metabolism is significantly enriched in genes exhibiting HNF4α-dependent expression (Figure 5). As previous work [9, 30, 33] has noted that HNF4α plays a significant role in regulating metabolism in the liver, it is not surprising that the GO term for metabolism is HNF4α-dependent. Thirty percent of genes (1,530 of 5,173) that are differentially expressed in response to HNF4α knock-down are annotated as participating in a metabolic process, resulting in a Fisher Exact p-value of 2.6 × 10-18.
Gene ontology analysis. Twenty six broad categories of biological processes were analyzed for genes that exhibit HNF4α-dependent expression. Significance levels are plotted as-log (p value). One-tail p-values were calculated using the Fisher Exact test. Threshold (line) denotes the p = 0.002 level, which is the threshold for significance after Bonferroni correction.
HNF4α may regulate a large number of targets via the ETS family of transcription factors
To gain insight into the complex transcriptional networks that regulate hepatic gene expression, the promoter region (-1 kb to +0.5 kb relative to the transcription start site, TSS) of genes was extracted, and potential transcription factor binding sites were identified using Clover [34]. By extensive search of the genes found to be differentially expressed as a function of HNF4α knock-down, we found that the HNF4α motif is not statistically enriched in the promoters of genes whose expression changes in response to HNF4α knock-down relative to promoters chosen randomly from throughout the genome (p > 0.05). There are several possible reasons for this observation. Firstly, HNF4α binding sites may be located far up-stream or down-stream of the TSS, although the results still remain the same when we extended our search up to 5 kb up-stream and 2.5 kb down-stream of the TSS. Secondly, there might be a fraction of sites that bind HNF4α but differ from the established consensus. Thirdly, HNF4α may interact with proximal promoters through formation of enhancer/promoter loops with HNF4α binding to distal regulatory element [35]. Yet another possibility is that HNF4α might act as a cofactor, interacting with other transcription factors and not directly bind to DNA.
Indeed, we found that the binding sites for the ETS family of transcription factors including ELK1, ELK4 and GA binding protein transcription factor A (GABPA) are highly enriched in the HNF4α knock-down group. The binding motifs for ELK1 (p = 4.0 × 10-7), ELK4 (p = 1.14 × 10-10) and GABPA (p = 3.4 × 10-5) are very similar (Figure 6), and all significantly enriched in the promoter regions of genes affected by HNF4α knock-down. This mirrors a finding by Smith et al.[36], where they showed that ELK1 binding motifs are enriched in the promoters of genes also bound by HNF4α. Moreover, in this study we found that ELK1 and ELK4 genes exhibit significant differential expression in response to HNF4α knock-down. ELK1 is up-regulated when HNF4α is knocked down, while ELK4 is down-regulated. These results suggest that HNF4α may regulate a substantial number of genes via ELK transcription factors.
Sequence logos of ETS transcription factor binding sites. Sequence logos of consensus DNA binding sites for the three ETS transcription factors enriched in genes regulated by HNF4α. Y axis indicates amount of information at each position in the motif. These logos were generated from information obtained from the JASPAR core database [42]. (A), ELK1 binding motif; (B), ELK4 binding motif; and (C), GABPA binding motif.
The transcription factor ELK1 is of particular interest as this protein is a nuclear target of extracellular-regulated kinases (ERKs) and plays a pivotal role in immediate early gene induction by external stimuli [28, 29]. It has been known that HNF4α expression is modulated by MAP kinase signaling [37, 38]. Li et al.[39] reported that ELK1 is involved in the inflammatory response via stimulation of chemokine by thrombin. These observations suggest that the relationship between ELK1 and HNF4α may be especially relevant to understanding the role of HNF4α in regulating the inflammatory response.
By searching for ELK1 binding site in the HNF4α regulated genes (5173 genes), we identified 373 genes that have one or more potential ELK1 binding sites in their promoter regions (-1 kb to +0.5 kb) (Additional file 4). To define a functional link between HNF4α and ELK1, we selected 4 genes (COL4A1, ZNF175, MMP15 and SEC24A). These genes all were found having an ELK1 binding motif (CCGGAAG/A, Figure 6), but no HNF4α binding motif in their proximal promoter regions, and from our microarray analysis their expressions were shown to be either up-regulated (COL4A1, ZNF175) or down-regulated (MMP15 and SEC24A) by HNF4α knock-down. The expression of these potential ELK1 target genes was examined by real-time PCR in HepG2 cells treated with siRNA to knock-down HNF4α and/or ELK1 alone or both together. As shown in Figure 7, the expression of ELK1 can be efficiently knocked-down by siRNA. The knock-down of HNF4α resulted in a significantly greater ELK1 expression compared to control (p < 0.05), and the ELK1 expression was not significantly affected by cytokine treatment, which are consistent with our microarray data. We propose that HNF4α may indirectly regulate a number of genes through ELK1 transcription factor based on the observation that the ELK1 binding site is highly enriched in genes affected by HNF4α knock-down. It was predicted that if a higher ELK1 expression induced by HNF4α knock-down affects the transcriptional outcomes of ELK1-target genes, we should see an opposite regulatory effect on these gene transcriptions when the ELK1 level is reduced. The results (Figure 8) show that when the cells were treated with siELK1 either alone or with siHNF4α, the two genes up-regulated by HNF4α knock-down (Figures 8A and 8B) are expressed at significantly lower levels compared to HNF4α knocked-down (p < 0.01). In contrast, the genes down-regulated by HNF4α knock-down (Figures 8C and 8D) show significantly increased expression compared to siHNF4α (p < 0.01). This result is consistent with a direct effect of ELK1 level induced by the decrease of HNF4α concentration on a subset of ELK1-target genes. However, these findings could be explained by another mechanism by which an HNF4α/ELK1 complex is formed, leading to alterations in the regulation of a group of genes. To test this hypothesis, chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) assays were performed. An HNF4α antibody was used to immunoprecipitate chromatin from HepG2 cells. Specific PCR primers were utilized to amplify a DNA fragment with an ELK1 binding motif, and without an HNF4α binding motif. As shown in Figure 9, HNF4α was able to interact with these genes containing ELK1 binding sites, and the interactive ability of HNF4α was significantly reduced after the knock-down of ELK1. Interestingly, when the HNF4α binding motif was further searched using a web-based search tool, HNF4 Motif Finder [40], a potential HNF4 binding site was identified in the promoter region of MMP15, which could lead to a direct binding of HNF4α when HNF4α antibody was used to immunoprecipitate chromatin. However, if HNF4α binding to MMP15 is independent of ELK1, when ELK1 is knocked down, one would expect to see no change in the binding of MMP15 in the ChIP assay, this is not the case as shown in Figure 9. Furthermore, we found that ELK1 can directly bind to its potential ELK1 binding site in MMP15 utilizing electrophoretic mobility shift analysis (data not shown). Given these findings, we hypothesize that HNF4α may indirectly mediate gene expression, in part, through a co-operative interaction with ELK1, and possibly also with other ETS transcription factors. Others have reported that a number of ETS family proteins interact and crosstalk with several transcription factors including AP-1, NF-κB and Stat-5 to co-regulate the expression of cell-type specific genes. Such interactions coordinate cellular processes in response to diverse signals including cytokines, growth factors, antigen and cellular stresses [41], here we believe that we have uncovered a novel interplay between the transcription factors HNF4α and ELK1 for controlling gene expression in the liver.
The ELK1 expression in HepG2 cells with HNF4α or ELK1 knock-down. HepG2 cells were transfected with non-specific siRNA control (siControl), HNF4α shRNA plasmid (siHNF4) or siELK1, and then treated with or without cytokines. The expression of ELK1 was measured by real-time PCR. The results represent the relative mRNA expression level normalized to GAPDH mRNA level. The abundance of mRNA in the controls was set at 1. Data represent mean ± SD of three different experiments. *p < 0.05 and **p < 0.01 indicate a significant difference compared to siControls.
A decrease in ELK1 expression leads to elimination of the regulatory effect of HNF4α knock-down on a subset of genes. HepG2 cells were treated with non-specific siRNA control (siControl), HNF4α shRNA plasmid (siHNF4), siELK1 or both siHNF4 and siELK1. The expressions of COL4A1 (collagen, type IV, alpha 1), ZNF175 (zinc finger protein 175), MMP15 (matrix metallopeptidase 15) and SEC24A (SEC24 family, member A) genes were determined by real-time PCR. The abundance of mRNA in the siControl was set at 1. Data are presented as mean ± SD of three different experiments. *p < 0.05 and **p < 0.01 indicate a significant difference compared to siControl. #p < 0.01 indicates a significant difference compared to siHNF4α.
The reduction of ELK1 level decreases the ability of HNF4α to interact with the promoters of a subset of genes. (A), HepG2 cells were transfected with siControl (siCtr) or siELK1. Protein interaction of HNF4α and ELK1 was determined by ChIP assay with either antibody against HNF4α or goat normal IgG (IgG). Chromatin-immunoprecipitated DNA was analyzed by PCR with primers specific for the ELK1 binding sites in the promoter regions of COL4A1, ZNF175, MMP15 and SEC24A genes. The result shown in (A) is a representative experiment, replicated three times with similar results. (B), Histograms show densitometric analyses of relative binding abilities. Values represent mean ± SD of three separate experiments. The relative quantitative analysis was carried out by comparison of siELK1 with siControl, and the siControl was set at 1. *p < 0.05 and **p < 0.01 indicate a significant difference compared to siCtr. IP, immunoprecipitation.
HNF4α is a major regulator of hepatic gene expression. The complex physiological effects of HNF4α on the regulation and maintenance of hepatic phenotype are likely involved both directly and indirectly in a systemic response such as that seen in a response to injury or inflammation. Our microarray data are consistent with a broad effect of HNF4α on liver functions, and more importantly, the microarray analysis provides a genomic view for the role of HNF4α in the inflammation response, which greatly extends the observations from both animal- and cell culture-injury models. However, more experimentation and a focus on individual pathways will need to be done before a full picture of HNF-4α's role in the modulation of hepatic phenotype by injury can be obtained.
HepG2 cells (ATCC # HB-8065), human hepatoma cells, were grown in Dulbecco Modified Eagle Medium (DMEM) supplemented with penicillin (100 units/ml), streptomycin (100 μg/ml), and 10% heat-inactivated fetal bovine serum (Mediatech, Herndon, VA) at 37°C in a humidified atmosphere with 5% CO2.
The inflammatory response in HepG2 cells was stimulated with a cytokine mixture consisting of 1 ng/ml of recombinant human IL-1β, 10 ng/ml of IL-6, and 10 ng/ml of TNF-α (PeproTech, Rocky Hill, NJ) in serum-free medium for 18 h.
Knock-down of HNF4α in HepG2 cells was carried out as described previously [21]. Briefly, shRNA plasmids (HNF4α shRNA and non-specific control shRNA) were transfected into HepG2 cells with the Nucleofector (Amaxa Biosystem, Cologne, Germany) T-28 protocol following the manufacturer's instructions. Knock-down of ELK1 in HepG2 cells was performed by transfection with small interfering RNA (siRNA) (Ambion, Austin, TX) using lipofectamine 2000 reagent (Invitrogen, Carlsbad, CA) according to the manufacturer's instructions. Twenty-four hours after transfection, the cells were placed in serum-free medium for 5 h and then either treated or untreated with cytokines for 18 h.
The different treated HepG2 cells were divided into four groups: Group 1, control: the cells were transfected with non-specific control shRNA; Group 2, HNF4α shRNA: the cells were transfected with HNF4α shRNA; Group 3, cytokines: the control cells were transfected with non-specific control shRNA and then treated with cytokines; Group 4, HNF4α shRNA with cytokine treatment: the cells were transfected with HNF4α shRNA prior to the treatment with cytokines. Four biological replicates from separate experiments were performed for each of the four study groups.
Total RNA isolation and real-time PCR
Total RNA was extracted using the RNeasy Mini Kit (Qiagen, Valencia, CA) according to the manufacturer's instructions. Quantitative real-time PCR analysis was conducted on the ABI 7000 Sequence Detection System and StepOnePlus™ Real-Time PCR System. Relative mRNA expression was quantified using the comparative Ct (ΔΔCt) method according to the ABI manual (Applied Biosystems, Foster City, CA). Amplification of glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) was used in each reaction as an internal reference gene. Assays were performed in triplicate. TaqMan probes were used for the human HNF4α (Hs00230853_m1), complement component 5 (C5, Hs00156197_m1), lipopolysaccharide binding protein (LBP, Hs00188074_m1), serpin peptidase inhibitor member 3 (SERPINA3, Hs00153674_m1), complement component 4A (C4A, Hs00167147_m1), ELK1 (Hs00901847_m1), collagen, type IV, alpha 1 (COL4A1, Hs01007469_m1), zinc finger protein 175 (ZNF175, Hs00232535_m1), matrix metallopeptidase 15 (MMP15, Hs00233997_m1), SEC24 family, member A (SEC24A, Hs00405228_m1) and GAPDH (Hs99999905_m1) from the TaqMan®Gene Expression Assays (Applied Biosystems).
Affymetrix HG-U133A 2.0 GeneChips were used to study the expression levels for HepG2 cell RNA. Sample labeling, hybridization to microarrays, scanning and calculation of normalized expression levels were carried out at the Microarray Resource, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA. RNA samples (four biological replicates for each of the four study groups: control, HNF4α shRNA, cytokines, and HNF4α shRNA with cytokine treatment) were analyzed. Microarray data were quantified and normalized using Affymetrix MicroArray Suite (MAS) 5.0. Two-way ANOVA analysis was then used to determine which probesets were differentially expressed between the untreated control and treated groups. Only probesets exhibiting differential expression with FDR < 0.01 were included in this study. After the ANOVA analysis was performed, K-means clustering was then used to cluster probesets that exhibit similar expression patterns within each category of differential expression. In order to eliminate multiple probesets, the raw data were clustered based on Unigene identifiers (ids), which represent unique transcription loci. Unigene ids associated with multiple probesets that exhibit different patterns of expression were removed from the dataset, ensuring unambiguous data that could be easily used in subsequent enrichment analyses. This approach ensures that, if anything, the results of subsequent analyses are conservative.
Gene ontology (GO) enrichment analysis
Before GO enrichment could be calculated, each GO annotation was mapped to a corresponding Unigene id. SwissProt ids associated with each Unigene id were obtained and were used for this purpose. Where SwissProt ids were not available, gene symbols were used to associate GO annotations with Unigene ids. Each cluster in all 4 categories was then tested for enrichment for genes associated with inflammatory response GO database (relative to the entire set of genes on the microarray) using Fisher's Exact test. In addition, to identify other functionality, each cluster was tested for enrichment of each of the top-level "biological process" annotations in the GO database. As there are 26 top-level "biological process", a Bonferroni correction was applied for this top-level analysis, resulting in a p-value cut-off of 0.002.
Weight matrices obtained from the JASPAR core database [42] were used to identify potential transcription factor binding sites in the up-stream of promoter regions. One promoter with each Unigene id was included in the analysis, so that genes with multiple annotated promoters/TSS did not bias the analysis. The region, extending from -1 kb to +0.5 kb relative to the TSS, was extracted. Clover [34] was used with a minimum log-ratio score cut-off of 8.0 to identify potential binding sites in this region. Promoters were classified based on whether they contain at least one binding site, and enrichment in different expression clusters relative to a background set of promoters derived from all probesets present on the microarray. The randomization feature of Clover was not used, instead the exact number of promoters containing binding sites in both the HNF4α-regulated set and the background set were computed, and a p-value was calculated using Fisher's Exact test. Because there are almost 140 transcription factors in the JASPAR database, a Bonferroni correction was applied, resulting in a p-value cut-off of 3.5 × 10-4.
Chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) assay
ChIP assay was performed as described previously [21]. The purified chromatin was immunoprecipitated using 10 μg of anti-HNF-4α (sc-6556, Santa Cruz Biotechnology, Santa Cruz, CA) or normal goat IgG (Santa Cruz). After DNA purification, the presence of the ELK1 putative binding motif (CCGGAAG/A) DNA sequence was assessed by PCR. The primers used were as follows: (1) COL4A1 gene: 5'-GAGTTTAGCGCAGGATGAGG-3' and 5'-GCTCTCCTGCTTGGGAGTAG-3', and the PCR product is 230 bp in length; (2) ZNF175: 5'-TAAAAGCCCTTTGACGATGG-3' and 5'-CTCTAGGCCACTTCCGGTTT-3', and the PCR product is 239 bp in length; (3) MMP15: 5'-ATCCAGCTCGTTAAGCTTCG-3' and 5'-TTAATCTCTCCGAGCCTCCA-3' for amplifying a 207 bp DNA fragment. (4) SEC24A: 5'-GCACCAGGAGCTGTCAGG-3' and 5'-GGCAGCCAAACCTAGAGAGA-3', and the PCR product is 186 bp in length. The PCR conditions were as following: 95°C for 10 min, followed by 94°C for 45 s, 58°C for 60 s, and 72°C for 60 s for a total of 31 cycles. In the ELK1 knock-down experiments, the relative quantitative analysis in binding activity was performed, utilizing densitometry and statistical analysis, by comparison of siELK1 with non-specific siRNA control, and the control was set at 1.
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This work was supported by NIH grant (R01DK064945). The authors wish to thank the Microarray Resource, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA for performing the microarray experiments and for help with data analysis. We also thank Dr. Marc Lenburg and Dr. Avrum Spira for critical reading of the manuscript.
Department of Surgery, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, 02118, USA
Zhongyan Wang & Peter A Burke
Bioinformatics Graduate Program, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts, 02215, USA
Eric P Bishop
Zhongyan Wang
Peter A Burke
Correspondence to Peter A Burke.
ZW and PAB designed the experiment. ZW performed the experiments. EPB analyzed the data. ZW and EPB wrote the manuscript. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.
Additional file 1:Genes that respond to the treatment of HNF4α knock-down and/or cytokines. This file includes four sub-tables showing the genes with significantly altered expression and fold changes in four categories (Category A to D). (XLS 2 MB)
Additional file 2:Construction of HNF4α siRNA-resistant mutant. This file illustrates the generation and DNA sequencing of the HNF4α siRNA-resistant construct. (PDF 199 KB)
Additional file 3:siRNA rescue assay. This file shows the characterization of the HNF4α siRNA-resistant construct by Western blot, and the rescue effect of this construct on HNF4α knock-down responsive genes. (PDF 147 KB)
Additional file 4:ELK1 and HNF4α binding motifs in HNF4α-regulated genes. This file shows the sequence and position of ELK1 and HNF4α potential binding sites in the group of HNF4α-regulated genes. (XLS 86 KB)
This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, which permits use, sharing, adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons licence, and indicate if changes were made. The images or other third party material in this article are included in the article's Creative Commons licence, unless indicated otherwise in a credit line to the material. If material is not included in the article's Creative Commons licence and your intended use is not permitted by statutory regulation or exceeds the permitted use, you will need to obtain permission directly from the copyright holder. To view a copy of this licence, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/. The Creative Commons Public Domain Dedication waiver (http://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/) applies to the data made available in this article, unless otherwise stated in a credit line to the data.
Wang, Z., Bishop, E.P. & Burke, P.A. Expression profile analysis of the inflammatory response regulated by hepatocyte nuclear factor 4α. BMC Genomics 12, 128 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2164-12-128
HepG2 Cell
Acute Phase Response
Cytokine Treatment
Hepatic Gene Expression
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bohemianstella
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Zermatt Unplugged 2015: sing, sing, sing.
After last weekend, where I spent my time at one of the most acclaimed electronic music festivals – the Caprices – of Switzerland – the Caprices – , I’m finding myself again travelling back home from another mountain destination, Zermatt. Reason for that was the closing weekend of the Zermatt Unplugged, a little quieter festival this time, with a big focus on acoustic acts, where well established musicians are the main attraction, and new talented artists have a platform to play in a very international environment.
The festival is held in Zermatt, probably one of the most famous mountain townships of Switzerland, and it runs for a whole week. Despite the locations in Zermatt’s center, there are several concerts that are played where the snow never melts, like the Gandeggahütte, where Jazz superstars from London gave their best every day at lunchtime or the stage at Sunnegga, a space dedicated to the new talents.
I had the pleasure to discover some great talents during the past two days, which I really hope to hear live again soon. After arriving in Zermatt late in the afternoon, we had bite in the centre and headed to one of the late night gigs of the evening. The young german/french band Yalta Club convinced a packed the Pink, that their happy folk can dust away every kind of sadness. Or, Swiss songwriter Tobias Carshey’s set outside right next to the Matterhorn Museum was pure magic.
Tobias Carshey at the Matterhorn Museum
Where’s the beach?
Personally, one of the greatest discoveries for me was a band founded in France called Sunset Sons. They started playing in the local surf bars there until they were discovered, started touring and made us very, very, happy with their latest EP “The Fall Line”, released this March. The British/Australian quartet offers songs that vaguely remind to Kings of Leons sometimes (this could also might be because of the voice of lead singer Rory), but with lighter melodies, that actually made me wanna catch the ocean breeze again (yeah, I’m still suffering from holiday blues…sorry :p) and the refrains are made to stuck into everybodys head. They’re hard to forget. Please. Come back. Soon!
Sunset Sons at Foyerzelt
Me, my friend Paulo and lead singer Rory
Main act of the festival’s last day was Travis. The well known scottish band, who is currently recording their 8th studio album, played into the total sold out main tent. Their acoustic set was very enjoyable, there were some unexpected moments here and there, like picking the wrong guitar for a song, but lead singer Fran Healy could make the audience laugh by playing with the fact that the band isn’t much used to do live gigs while being in the recording process. They surprisingly started with their massive hit “Sing”, which I was more expecting as an encore, and smoothly continued their set until they ended playing another unforgettable hit, “Why Does it always Rain on Me?”. Even it’s been a while since the release of “Sing”, they are still very influencial and an evergreen. Plus: if Travis wouldn’t have made music, a great artist like Amy Macdonald wouldn’t have been inspired to learn to play guitar and composing worldwide selling albums.
Travis in the Main Tent (photo: Zermatt Unplugged)
“Did you really pay to see me?”
Shocked about his own sold out at the Vernissage was british songwriter Billy Lockett. After supporting Birdy’s and Nina Nesbitt’s tour, I can imagine that it could be a weird feeling to see people coming for your music, and not for somebody else’s. Billy Lockett became famous through his Cellar Sessions on Youtube, before touring around with the ladies. He tells amazing stories and has strong lyrics, like the ones in “Pathways”, dedicated to record labels. Another thing I totally appreciated about his 1-hour set was his cover of “Budapest”. I love when an artist is also experimental with the songs of others, because they can get a total new sound. Billy was very open to the public, which really enjoyed the show, and was also avalaible for a chat and some photos. His EP is already out for purchase, but we obviously hope to be able to download a full album soon.
The sold out Location Vernissage (photo: Zermatt Unplugged)
Billy Lockett (photo: Zermatt Unplugged)
How to get here: Zermatt is reachable by train from Zurich Mainstation in approximately 3:30 hours. Please keep in mind that Zermatt is a carfree town, so I wouldn’t reccomend to get there with a vehicle. You can buy your Train tickets here.
Where to sleep: Zermatt has plenty of Hotels for every taste and budget. You’ll find the best offers over hotels.com
Zermatt Unplugged: Takes place every year in April. The festival’s line up, and so the tickets, are released very soon, mostly in December of the year before. The main acts are sold out very quickly, especially when the concerts are played in smaller venues. More information about Zermatt Unplugged and the ticket purchase is avalaible here.
Where to eat: There are plenty of places to have a good bite in Zermatt. For the young and the lovers of simple things, Sparky’s Bar is your choice. The restaurant is located into the Matterhorn Hostel and offers a small choice of food for a reasonable price. A Reservation is reccomended, due the small size of the Restaurant.
The Cuckoo Club is a high end live music and cigar lounge at night, and offers a great choice of breakfast until 2PM duringt the day. To relieve my holiday blues I chose the classic egg benedict, just because they smell like breakfast in Hawaii for me 🙂
If you like views and want to enjoy some Swiss cuisine, you totally should sit on Hotel Alpenrose‘s terrace. Their Menue doesen’t leave any wish open: Spätzli, Röst, Cheese Fondue, Raclette, Table Grill and various salads are avalaible. The biggest plus: the sun shining bright on your plate and a great panorama, Matterhorn included.
A Special thank you to Zermatt Unplugged for having me
Zermatt, Schweiz
19. April 2015 10. November 2015 bohemianstella Tagged Festivals 3 Comments
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Photographer documents replanting of old rural trees in Chinese cities
Andrea James 4:30 am Sun Aug 12, 2018
Yan Wang Preston left a medical career because she was drawn to nature photography. Her fascinating shots of old-growth trees replanted in urban areas is both beautiful and depressing.
Yan Wang Preston, born in 1976, is a British-Chinese artist primarily interested in how landscape photography can challenge myths and reveal hidden complexities behind the surface of physical landscapes. Her previous work has won several international awards including the Shiseido Photographer Prize at the Three Shadows Photography Annual Award in Beijing, China (2015) and the Reviewer's Choice Award at the FORMAT Portfolio Review in Derby, England (2014).
Learn more about her winning work as part of the Syngenta Photography Award's Professional Commission competition in the video.
Yan was awarded first prize in the 2016/17 Grow-Conserve competition.
Check out her Instagram for the latest news.
My 'Forest' project is featured in fotoMAGAZIN now. Wish I could read German! #forest,#hatjecantz, #fotomagazin, #urbantrees, #chongqing.
A post shared by Yan Preston (@yanwangpreston) on Jul 3, 2018 at 12:52am PDT
Forest is now available:
Her next project got successfully crowdfunded and will focus on rivers.
• WINNER: Yan Wang Preston Interview (YouTube / Syngenta via Hyperallergic)
Willy Wonka dialogue as a sax and drum jazz duet
David Dockery performed a drum solo of the climactic scene in Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory. Then Dan Felix upped the game with a saxophone accompaniment to the original. READ THE REST
These 15 deals on flashlights and headlamps are on sale for up to 66% off
It probably sounds trite, but a quality light source in an emergency really can make the difference between life and death. While you hope to never need it, a powerful, functioning flashlight or headlamp should not only be part of your pack for any outdoor excursion, it should also be stationed in your vehicle for… READ THE REST
Industrious lets you use a fully-furnished modern office — and only pay on the days you need it
It's an option virtually every small business and freelancing professional will eventually consider — do I need to rent office space? Whether it's the result of a growing staff, growing responsibilities, or simply maturing as a company, there's usually a moment for any professional organization when getting a centralized office starts to make a lot… READ THE REST
This Starchive 1TB cloud storage account doesn't just hold your content – it curates it
The cloud is definitely growing up. A decade ago, you'd have been hard-pressed to find many comfortable with saving all of their documents, media, and other important files with a cloud service provider. Today, everyone is on board the cloud storage train. But, with growth comes maturity too. For many users, it's not enough to… READ THE REST
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Home CA Business Bank of Southern California, N.A. (BCAL) Announces Q1 2020 Results
Bank of Southern California, N.A. (BCAL) Announces Q1 2020 Results
Christopher Simmons
May 5, 2020 10:55 AM PDT
SAN DIEGO, Calif. /California Newswire/ — Bank of Southern California, N.A. (OTC Pink: BCAL) today reported results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2020. Total assets increased to $852 million at March 31, 2020, up from $830 million in the prior quarter and an increase of 10.8% compared to March 31, 2019. Total loans increased to $683 million and total deposits increased to $689 million from $629 million and $636 million, respectively, at March 31, 2019. Net income for the quarter ended March 31, 2020, was $1.91 million, compared to $1.64 million in Q4 2019 and $1.85 million in Q1 2019.
First Quarter 2020 Highlights
* Q1 2020 on track as Bank responds to pandemic
* Reorganization into Southern California Bancorp approved by shareholders
* CalWest Bancorp acquisition closing in Q2, pending shareholder approval
Nathan Rogge, President and CEO of Bank of Southern California said, “While we are pleased with our first quarter results, we are more focused on the current environment and supporting small businesses and communities impacted by the Coronavirus (COVID-19) while remaining financially strong and positioning for growth.” The Banks’ focus on small business is reflected in first quarter results in C&I lending, which is up 19% in outstandings compared to the first quarter of the prior year, and also in undisbursed C&I commitments, which increased 25% during the same period. Non-interest bearing demand deposits, another reflection of our small business focus, have increased 26% compared to the first quarter of 2019.
“As we navigate these unique times, we remain committed to executing upon our strategic plan and supporting Southern California’s business community. Most recently, we were able to assist customers and non-customers in obtaining critical funding in response to the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). By the end of the first round, we helped over 900 local businesses secure PPP loans, thus providing over 35,000 jobs” concluded Rogge. The Bank also remains focused on our strategic merger with CalWest Bank, which will provide an expanded branch presence covering Orange County and the Inland Empire and well as operational synergies so we may better serve the business community.
John Farkash, Chairman of the Board said, “Aside from the solid first quarter results, I am proud of the impact our Bank has made in supporting small businesses and helping to restore our local economies. We look forward to growing our relationships with these new businesses as we look ahead and recover from this pandemic.”
Additional Financial Highlights and Response to the Pandemic
With the onset of the world-wide coronavirus pandemic in the middle of March, Bank of Southern California has been taking measures to closely monitor its loan portfolio, operations, liquidity and capital resources while actively working to minimize the current and future impact of this unprecedented situation. While the full impact of the pandemic is not known at this time, the following highlights pertinent information in the Bank’s response.
* Operations – While all branch offices remain operational, for the safety of our employees and customers, our branch offices have reduced hours and we highly encourage drive-through, where available, remote banking, and internet banking. We have installed protective shields at service areas and social distancing protocols have been implemented.
* Capital resources – The Bank closed a private placement of common stock in December 2019 in connection with its pending acquisition of CALWest Bancorp. The Bank’s capital ratios at March 31, 2020 – 12.5% tier 1 leverage ratio and 16.5% total risk-based capital – are considered very strong and the Bank will remain “well-capitalized” after closing the pending merger.
* Liquidity – The Bank has sufficient liquidity resources to meet its customer’s needs. In addition to balance sheet liquidity of over 10% of assets, the Bank has access to liquidity facilities from other banks, including the Federal Home Loan Bank of San Francisco, at which the Bank has over $100 million available borrowing capacity at March 31, 2020.
* Loan Portfolio – While nonperforming loans continue to be low as of March 31, 2020, which is consistent with prior quarters, the Bank has been working to assist its credit customers and minimize the Bank’s exposure to potential loss given the current environment. Following is certain information and actions which have been taken regarding the Bank’s credit portfolio.
o Risk Portfolio – The Bank’s exposure to certain high-risk industries follows:
Industry Balance Number
Hospitality (hotel/motel) $17,400,000 5
Restaurant and food service 15,000,000 33
Oil and Gas 0 0
Total $32,400,000 38
o Since the end of March, the Bank has been actively engaging with its customers to maintain relationships and provide a bridge to economic recovery. The Bank has worked with the SBA to secure payment relief for dozens of SBA loan customers. Furthermore, the Bank has received and is granting numerous deferment requests for 3 to 6-month periods to assist borrowers during the economic slowdown.
* The CARES Act Payroll Protection Program (“PPP”) – The Bank’s focused efforts on assisting small businesses with obtaining PPP loans resulted in over 900 loans approved by the SBA for over $350 million and related loan fees of over $9 million (to be accreted over the term of the loan). This extraordinary effort has secured existing customers and created strong goodwill with new customers and in the community as the Bank continues to support small business during the second round of PPP, which is currently underway.
[Quarterly Financial Highlights Table Follows]
More details about our quarterly results are available on our website and through the following link to our most recent quarterly results and trends: https://www.banksocal.com/about-us/financials.
About Bank of Southern California
A growing community bank, established in 2001, Bank of Southern California, N.A., with headquarters in San Diego, CA, is locally owned and managed, and offers a range of financial products to individuals, professionals and small-to-medium sized businesses. The Bank’s solution-driven, relationship-based approach to banking provides accessibility to decision makers and enhances value through strong partnerships with its clients. The Bank currently operates eleven branches in San Diego County, Los Angeles County, Orange County, and the Coachella Valley in Riverside County, as well as a production office in West Los Angeles. For more information, please visit https://www.banksocal.com/ or call (858) 847-4780.
This news release may contain comments or information that constitute forward-looking statements (within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995) and Bank of Southern California intends for such forward-looking statements to be covered by the safe harbor provisions of that Act. Forward-looking statements can be identified by the fact that they do not relate strictly to historical or current facts. They often include the words “believe,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “intend,” “plan,” “estimate,” or words of similar meaning, or future or conditional verbs such as “will,” “would,” “should,” “could,” or “may.” Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance, nor should they be relied upon as representing management’s views as of any subsequent date. Forward-looking statements involve significant risks and uncertainties and actual results may differ materially from those presented, in this news release. Factors that might cause such differences include, but are not limited to: the impact of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) on the economy and the Bank; the ability of the Bank to successfully execute its business plan; changes in interest rates and interest rate relationships; changes in demand for products and services; changes in banking legislation or regulation; trends in customer behavior as well as their ability to repay loans; and changes in the national and local economy.
Bank of Southern California undertakes no obligation to update or clarify forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
Contact: Amanda Conover
Bank of Southern California
aconover@banksocal.com
*LOGO link for media: https://www.Send2Press.com/300dpi/18-0118s2p-bank-so-cal-300dpi.jpg
Tickers: OTC Pink:BCAL / OTC:BCAL / OTCMKTS:BCAL / OP: BCAL / OTC:CALW
Quarterly Financial Highlights
Quarterly 1st Qtr Prior Years
($$ in thousands except per share data) 2020 2019 2019 2019 2019 2018 2017
1st Qtr 4th Qtr 3rd Qtr 2nd Qtr 1st Qtr 1st Qtr 1st Qtr
Net interest income $ 7,985 7,736 7,795 7,625 7,698 4,851 3,919
Provision for loan losses $ 300 200 300 200 300 300 169
NonInterest income $ 747 321 695 519 420 1,098 404
NonInterest expense $ 5,694 5,512 5,711 5,705 5,198 4,053 2,972
Income tax expense $ 827 709 763 667 771 524 472
Net income $ 1,911 1,636 1,716 1,572 1,849 1,072 710
Basic earnings per share $ 0.20 0.19 0.20 0.19 0.22 0.20 0.14
Average shares outstanding 9,408,940 8,578,102 8,410,522 8,410,522 8,409,272 5,281,297 5,140,497
Ending shares outstanding 9,412,690 9,405,190 8,410,522 8,410,522 8,410,522 6,953,720 5,140,497
PERFORMANCE RATIOS
Return on average assets 0.90% 0.79% 0.87% 0.82% 0.99% 0.90% 0.67%
Return on average common equity 6.30% 5.93% 6.37% 6.02% 7.30% 8.53% 6.37%
Yield on loans 5.32% 5.23% 5.44% 5.59% 5.66% 5.13% 4.89%
Yield on earning assets 4.76% 4.88% 5.21% 5.24% 5.36% 4.78% 4.27%
Cost of deposits 0.78% 0.88% 0.99% 0.98% 0.96% 0.53% 0.34%
Net interest margin 3.98% 4.01% 4.24% 4.28% 4.41% 4.27% 3.95%
Efficiency ratio 65.21% 68.42% 67.26% 70.05% 64.03% 68.13% 68.75%
Tangible equity to tangible assets 12.48% 12.58% 10.83% 11.62% 11.29% 14.14% 10.24%
Book value (BV) per common share $ 13.00 12.81 12.77 12.56 12.30 10.79 8.83
Tangible BV per common share $ 11.05 10.85 10.56 10.34 10.07 10.59 8.54
ASSET QUALITY
Net loan charge-offs (recoveries) $ (11) (11) 36 (9) (7) (9) (54)
Allowance for loan losses (ALLL) $ 5,674 5,363 5,153 4,888 4,679 3,385 3,143
ALLL to total loans 0.83% 0.79% 0.75% 0.78% 0.74% 0.83% 0.90%
Loan fair value credit marks (LFVCM) $ 1,649 1,906 2,030 2,249 2,479 759 1,311
ALLL and LFVCM to total loans 1.07% 1.07% 1.05% 1.14% 1.14% 1.01% 1.28%
Nonperforming loans $ 1,433 1,911 2,225 2,033 3,298 1,272 2,040
Other real estate owned $ 0 0 0 0 0 0 146
Nonperforming assets to total assets 0.17% 0.23% 0.27% 0.27% 0.43% 0.24% 0.51%
END OF PERIOD BALANCES
Total loans $ 683,195 676,655 684,717 623,424 628,538 409,196 349,348
Total assets $ 852,052 830,186 839,060 766,730 768,823 522,118 430,334
Deposits $ 688,946 671,914 692,899 632,246 635,676 444,300 382,991
Loans to deposits 99.17% 100.71% 98.82% 98.60% 98.88% 92.10% 91.22%
Shareholders’ equity $ 122,377 120,523 107,400 105,619 103,481 75,016 45,367
Full-time equivalent employees 92 97 96 100 96 73 65
AVERAGE BALANCES (QTRLY) | | (YTD)
Earning assets $ 803,804 766,012 730,165 714,889 707,920 460,636 402,698
Total assets (net of AFS valuation) $ 855,397 818,989 783,043 766,960 755,842 484,628 426,831
Learn More: https://www.banksocal.com/
This version of news story was published on and is Copr. © 2020 California Newswire® (CaliforniaNewswire.com) – part of the Neotrope® News Network, USA – all rights reserved.
Information is believed accurate but is not guaranteed. For questions about the above news, contact the company/org/person noted in the text and NOT this website.
Bank of Southern California, N.A. Announces its Q1-2019 Results and Reports Growth Amidst Expansion
Bank of Southern California N.A. Announces Q4 and Year End 2019 Results
Bank of Southern California, N.A. (BCAL) Announces Third Quarter 2019 Results
http://christophersimmons.com
Christopher Simmons has been a working journalist since his first magazine sale in 1984. He has since written for wide variety of print and online publications covering lifestyle, tech and entertainment. He is an award-winning author, designer, photographer, and musician. He is a member of ASCAP and PRSA. He is the founder and CEO of Neotrope®, based in Torrance, CA, USA.
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OTC Pink: BCAL
San Diego Business
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Brad & Kathy’s genealogy
Family History of Brad Mohr & Kathy Whalen
Brad's Side
Kathy's Side
YASC
Čeština Dansk Deutsch English Español Français Íslenska Italiano Nederlands Norsk Polski Português Suomen kieli Svenska
Grace Nellie Scharringhausen[1]
Name Grace Nellie Scharringhausen
Born 4 Aug 1915 Elk Grove, Cook County, Illinois, USA [1]
Research Notes Apparently married at the age of 12. It’s likely her birth and/or marriage dates are wrong
Died 25 Mar 2004 Arlington Heights, Cook County, Illinois, USA [1]
Buried 29 Mar 2004 Memory Gardens Cemetery, Arlington Heights, Cook County, Illinois, USA [1]
Person ID I6984 Mohr-Whalen
Father Arthur B. Scharringhausen
b. 21 Mar 1881, Elk Grove, Cook County, Illinois, USA
d. May 1967, Arlington Heights, Cook County, Illinois, USA (Age 86 years)
Mother Nellie Luella Jane Schnell
b. 18 Jun 1882, Elk Grove, Cook County, Illinois, USA
d. 30 Sep 1941, Arlington Heights, Cook County, Illinois, USA (Age 59 years)
Family Ralph H. Potts
d. Jan 1986, Arlington Heights, Cook County, Illinois, USA (Age 75 years)
Married 30 Oct 1927 Arlington Heights, Cook County, Illinois, USA [1]
Born - 4 Aug 1915 - Elk Grove, Cook County, Illinois, USA
Married - 30 Oct 1927 - Arlington Heights, Cook County, Illinois, USA
Died - 25 Mar 2004 - Arlington Heights, Cook County, Illinois, USA
Buried - 29 Mar 2004 - Memory Gardens Cemetery, Arlington Heights, Cook County, Illinois, USA
[S421] Families from Schale, Westfalen & Sonneborn, Lippe (plus in-laws & sundry kin), Gloria Landwer Scott.
Maintained by Brad Mohr.
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Brian Pennington
A blog about Cyber Security & Compliance
About Brian Pennington
Cyber Security Statistics
RSA’s March Online Fraud Report 2013, with a focus on Email and Identity takeover
RSA’s March 2013 Online Fraud Report delivers the results from RSA’s fraud monitoring centre, a summary of the report is below.
Phishing attacks are notorious for their potential harm to online banking and credit card users who may fall prey to phishers looking to steal information from them. Compromised credentials are then typically sold in the underground or used for actual fraud attempts on that user’s bank/card account. Financial institutions have all too often been the most targeted vertical with phishers setting their sights on monetary gain, followed by online retailers and social networks.
Most understand the purpose of targeting financial institutions, but online retailers and social networking sites? Why would a fraudster target them? In most cases, they use an email address to authenticate their users’ identities, and they are not the only ones. Of course the user is made to choose a password when opening any new online account, but as research reveals, password reuse across multiple sites is a huge issue. A typical user reuses the same password an average of six times, or the same password to access six different accounts.
Access Phishing campaigns have already been targeting webmail users for years now with campaigns purporting to be Hotmail, Yahoo!, Gmail, and the spear-phishing flavor in the shape of OWA (Outlook Web Access) for business users.
Trojan operators followed suit and have not remained oblivious to the potential that lies in gaining control over victim identities through their email accounts. In fact, almost all Trojan configuration files contain triggers to webmail providers as well as to social networking sites. This is designed with the purpose of getting access in order to gain more information about potential victims in order to take over their online identities.
Since email accounts are an integral part of user identities online, they have also become the pivotal access point for many types of accounts. When it comes to online retailers and merchants, the email address is most often the username in the provider’s systems or databases. When it comes to bank accounts, the customer’s email is where communications and alerts are sent, and sometimes even serve as part of transaction verification.
Beyond the fact that email is part of customer identification and point of communication, the compromise of that account by a cybercriminal can have more detrimental effects. Email takeover may mean that a hostile third party will attempt, and sometimes succeed, to reset the user’s account information and password for more than one web resource, eventually gaining access to enough personal information to enable complete impersonation of the victim.
Although some webmail providers use two-factor authentication for account password resets (such as Gmail’s Authenticator), most don’t, thereby inadvertently making it simpler for criminals to access and sometimes attempt to reset access to accounts.
Fraudsters will typically probe the account for more information and sometimes lock it (by changing the password) in order to prevent the genuine user from reading alerts after a fraudulent transaction was processed on one of their accounts.
Since email is a convenient way for service providers to communicate with untold numbers of customers, online merchants will, in the name of ease of use, reset account credentials via email. Hence, if a cybercriminal is in control of the email account, they will also gain control over the user’s account with that merchant.
From there, the road to e-commerce fraud shortens considerably, either using that person’s financial information, or attaching a compromised credit card to that account without ever having to log into their bank account in order to access their money, and in that sense, email access equals money.
Another example is transportation companies, which are part of any online purchase and those who provide shipping service to companies as well as governmental offices. They also use email addresses as their users’ login identifiers and will reset the account via email.
A takeover of a user’s email account in this scenario will also mean takeover of that person’s/business’ service account with the transport provider. For fraudsters, this type of access translates into purchasing labels for their reshipping mules, charging shipments to accounts that don’t belong to them, and providing an easier route to reship stolen goods and even reroute existing orders.
Email account takeover may appear benign at first sight, but in fact it is an insidious threat to online banking users. The first issue with email account takeover (due to credentials theft or a password reset), is that users re-use passwords. When fraudsters steal a set of credentials, they will likely be able to use it to access additional accounts, sometimes even an online banking account.
The second issue is that fraudsters will use victim email access for reconnaissance with that person’s choice of financial services providers, bank account types, card statements (paperless reports delivered via email), recent online purchases, alert types received from the bank, contact lists (often including work-related addresses), social networking profile and more.
How Risky Is Email Account Takeover? Email account takeover can be a route to identity theft that only requires access to perhaps the least secure part of the online identity used by financial and other organizations and is perhaps one of the least evident elements that can become a potential facilitator of online fraud scenarios.
Email addresses can serve as a “glue” that binds many parts of a person’s online identity, connecting a number of different accounts that interlink. A typical online banking customer may use a Gmail address with their bank account, use that same address for a PayPal account, shop on eBay using that address, and receive their card statements at that address from their card issuer. All too often, that address is also their Facebook access email, where they have saved their phone number, stated where they work and for how long, and mentioned a few hobbies.
RSA’s Summary
Account hacks of this type happen all the time, and often make the headlines in the media. In some cases, there are a few hundred potential victims while in others, there are millions. The value of an email address to a cybercriminal should not be underestimated. This element of an online identity must be treated with added caution by all service providers that cater to consumers.
The line that crosses between ease of access and user experience always passes very close to security redlines, but sometimes very slight modifications in the weight customer email accounts can have on overall account access can turn a fraud attempt into a failed fraud attempt.
Phishing Attacks per Month
In February, RSA identified 27,463 phishing attacks launched worldwide, marking a 9% decrease from January. The overall trend in attack numbers when looking at it from an annual view shows slightly lower attack volumes through the first quarter of the year.
Number of Brands Attacked
In February, 257 brands were targeted in phishing attacks, marking a 12% decrease from January. Of the 257 targeted brands, 48% endured five attacks or less.
US Bank Types Attacked
U.S. nationwide bank brands were the prime target for phishing campaigns, with 69% of total phishing attacks, while regional banks saw an 8% increase in phishing attacks in February.
Top Countries by Attack Volume
The U.S. remained the country that suffered a majority of attack volume in February, absorbing 54% of the total phishing volume. The UK, Canada, India, and South Africa collectively absorbed about one-quarter of total phishing volume in February.
Top Countries by Attacked Brands
In February, U.S brands were targeted by 30% of phishing volume, continuing to remain the top country by attacked brands. Brands in Brazil, Italy, India, Australia, China and Canada were each respectively targeted by 4% of phishing volume.
Top Hosting Countries
In February, the U.S. hosted 44% of global phishing attacks (down 8%), while the UK and Germany each hosted 5% of attacks. Other top hosting countries in February included Canada, Russia, Brazil and Chile.
See Previous 3 months of RSA Online Fraud Report Summaries:
The RSA February 2013 Online Fraud Report Summary here.
The RSA January 2013 Online Fraud Report Summary here.
The RSA December 2012 Online Fraud Report Summary here.
RSA’s February Online Fraud Report 2013 including an update on Phishing activity
RSA’s February 2013 Online Fraud Report delivers the results from RSA’s fraud monitoring centre, a summary of the report is below.
Phishing still stands as the top online threat impacting both consumers and the businesses that serve them online. In 2012, there was an average of over 37,000 phishing attacks each month identified by RSA.
The impact of phishing on the global economy has been quite significant: RSA estimates that worldwide losses from phishing attacks cost more than $1.5 billion in 2012, and had the potential to reach over $2 billion if the average uptime of phishing attacks had remained the same as 2011.
This monthly highlight goes beyond the growing numbers recorded for phishing attacks and looks deeper into the evolution of attack tactics facilitating the sustained increase witnessed over the last year.
Phishing kits recently analyzed by RSA show another phish tactic increasingly used by phishers. Although this is not entirely new, it is interesting to see it implemented by miscreants planning to evade email filtering security.
The scheme includes a number of redirections from one website to another. What kit authors typically do in such cases is exploit and take over one legitimate website, hijacking it but not making any changes to it. They will be using this site as a trampoline of sorts, making their victims reach it and then be bounced from there to a second hijacked website: the actual phishing page.
What good can this serve? Simple: the first site is purposely preserved as a “clean” site so that phishers can send it as an unreported/unblocked URL to their victims, inside emails that would not appear suspicious to security filtering. The recipient will then click the link, get to the first (good) URL and be instantly redirected to the malicious one.
Another similar example is reflected in time-delayed attacks – again, not new, but increasingly used by attackers. This variation uses the same clean site, sends the email spam containing the “good” URL and stalls. The malicious content will only be loaded to the hijacked site a day or two later. These are often weekend attacks, where the spam is sent on a Sunday, clears the email systems, then the malicious content is available on Monday. The same scheme is used for spear phishing and Trojan infection campaigns.
Research into attack patterns proves that Fridays are a top choice for phishers to send targeted emails to employees – spear phish Friday if you will. Why Friday? When it comes to phishing, phishers make it their business to know their targets as well as possible. It stands to reason that employees may be a little less on guard on the last day of the week, clean their inbox from the week’s emails and browse the Internet more – making them more likely to check out a link they received via email that day.
Typo squatting is a common way for phishers to try and trick web users into believing they are looking at a legitimate URL and not a look-alike evil twin. The basics of typo squatting is registering a website for phishing, choosing a domain name that is either very similar to the original or visually misleading.
The most common ways of doing this are:
Switching letters, as in bnak or bnk for “bank”
Adding a letter at the end of the word or doubling in the wrong place, as in Montterrey for “Monterrey”
Swapping visually similar letters
Phishers are creative and may use different schemes to typo squat. This phish tactic can be noticed by keen-eyed readers who actually pay close attention to the URL they are accessing, however, for more individuals on a busy day, typo squatting can end with an inadvertent click on the wrong link. This is especially important today, since fake websites look better than ever and are that much harder to tell apart.
A quick search engine search for domain iwltter.com immediately revealed that it was registered by someone in Shanghai and already reported for phishing.
But the notion plays against phishers in other aspects. Typos are one of the oldest tell-tale signs of phishing. You’d think that by now phishers would have learned that their spelling mistakes and clunky syntax impairs their success rates, but luckily, they haven’t. This could be in part due to the fact that many kit authors are not native English speakers
Another phish tactic analyzed by RSA in the recent month came in the shape of a kit that selected its audience from a 3,000 strong pre-loaded list. It may sound like a long list, but is it very limiting in terms of exposure to the phishing attack itself.
This case showed that phishers will use different ways to protect the existing campaign infrastructure they created and make sure strangers, as in security and phish trackers, keep out of their hijacked hostage sites while they gather credentials and ship them out to an entirely different location on the web.
Water-holing in the phishing context became a tactic employed by attackers looking to reach the more savvy breed of Internet users. Instead of trying to send an email to a security-aware individual, attempting to bypass security implemented in-house and reinventing the phish, water-holing is the simple maneuver of luring the victim out to the field and getting him there.
A water-hole is thus a website or an online resource that is frequently visited by the target-audience. Compromise that one resource, and you’ve got them all. Clearly fully patched systems will still be rather immune and secured browsers that will not allow the download of any file without express permission from the user will deflect the malware.
Water-holing has been a tactic that managed to compromise users by using an exploit and infecting their machines with a RAT (remote administration tool). This is also the suspected method of infection of servers used for the handling of payment-processing data. Since regular browsing from such resources does not take place on daily basis, the other possibility of a relatively wide campaign is to infect them through a resource they do reach out to regularly.
Water-holing may require some resources for the initial compromise of the website that will reap the rewards later, but these balance out considering the attacker does not need to know the exact contacts/their email addresses/the type of content they will expect or suspect before going after the targeted organization.
RSA Conclusion
Although there is not much a phishing page can surprise with, one can’t forget that the actual page is just the attack’s façade. Behind the credential-collecting interface lay increasingly sophisticated kits that record user hits and coordinates, push them from one site to the next, lure them to infection points after robbing their information and always seeking the next best way to attack. According to recent RSA research into kits, changes in the code’s makeup and phish tactics come from intent learning of human behavior patterns by logging statistical information about users and then implementing that knowledge into future campaigns.
Phishing Attacks per Month In January, RSA identified 30,151 attacks launched worldwide, a 2% increase in attack volume from December. Considering historical data, the overall trend in attack numbers in an annual view shows slightly lower attack volumes through the first quarter of the year.
In January, 291 brands were targeted in phishing attacks, marking a 13% increase from December.
U.S. nationwide banks continue to be the prime target for phishing campaigns – targeted by 70% of the total phishing volume in January. Regional banks’ attack volume remained steady at 15%, while attacks against credit unions increased by 9%.
The U.S. was targeted by phishing most in January – with 57% of total phishing volume. The UK endured 10%, followed by India and Canada with 4% of attack volume respectively.
Brands in the U.S were most targeted in January; 30% of phishing attacks were targeting U.S. organizations followed by the UK that represented 11% of worldwide brands attacked by phishers. Other nations whose brands were most targeted include India, Australia, France and Brazil.
In January, the U.S. remained the top hosting country, accounting for 52% of global phishing attacks, followed by Canada, Germany, the UK and Colombia which together hosted about one-fifth of phishing attacks in January.
Previous 3 months of RSA Online Fraud Report Summaries:
The RSA November 2012 Online Fraud Report Summary here.
More Than 12 Million Identity Fraud Victims in 2012, study finds
Javelin Strategy & Research have released their 2013 Identity Fraud Report with some startling results the scariest being “one in four consumers who receive a data breach letter will become the victim of identity fraud.”
This means the days when a breached organisation would try to keep a breach quiet with the hope that it would go away have gone because the odds are far too high to ignore financial impacts that follow Identity Theft.
This past year was one where there were both successes and setbacks for consumers, institutions and fraudsters,” said Jim Van Dyke, CEO of Javelin Strategy & Research, in a prepared statement. “Consumers and institutions are now starting to act as partners detecting and stopping fraud faster than ever before. But fraudsters are acting quicker than ever before and victimizing more consumers. Consumers must take data breach notifications more seriously and maintain vigilance to safeguard personal information, especially Social Security numbers
Key findings from the study include:
– $21 billion was stolen in 2012. Higher than in recent years but considerably lower than the $47 billion in 2004
– Almost 1 in 4 consumers who received a breach notification letter became a victim of identity fraud.
This underscores the need for consumers to take all notifications seriously. Not all breaches are created equal. The study found consumers who had their Social Security number compromised in a data breach were 5 times more likely to be a fraud victim than an average consumer
– The stolen information was misused for a variety of fraud types, for example credit cards, loans and mobile phone bills and on average was misused for an average of 48 days during 2012 which is down from 55 days in 2011 and 95 days in 2010.
More than 50% of victims were actively detecting fraud using financial alerts, credit monitoring or identity protection services and by monitoring their account
– 15% of all fraud victims changed their online behavior and avoid smaller merchants
While credit card numbers remain the most popular item revealed in a data breach, in reality other information can be more useful to fraudsters. Personal information such as online banking login, username and password were compromised in 10% of incidents and 16% of incidents included Social Security numbers
It’s not just online fraud or data breaches. More than 1.5 million consumers were victims of familiar fraud, which is fraud when victims know the fraudster. Lower income consumers were more likely to be victims of familiar fraud. The information most likely to be taken via familiar fraud includes name, Social Security number, address and checking account numbers
Javelin have produced some guidance for consumers called the “Seven Safety Tips to Protect Consumers”
Javelin Strategy & Research recommends that consumers work in partnership with institutions to minimize their risk and impact of identity fraud by following a three-step approach: Prevention, Detection and Resolution™.
1. Keep personal data private—Secure your personal and financial records behind a password or in a locked storage device whether at home, at work and on your mobile device. Familiar fraud is a serious issue with 12 percent of fraud victims knowing the perpetrator personally. Other ways to secure information include: not mailing checks to pay bills, shredding documents, monitoring your accounts weekly, and protecting your computer and mobile device with updated security software. Use a trusted and secure Internet connection (not a public Wi-Fi hotspot) when transmitting personal or financial information, and direct deposit payroll checks.
2. Look for security features—When paying online be sure you have a secure connection. Two ways you can denote a secure connection are to look for “https” and not just http at the start of the merchant’s web address or a bright green box and padlock graphic in the address bar of most browsers. Check for either one of these before entering personal or payment information.
3. Think before you share—Before providing any sensitive information, question who is asking for the information. Why do they need it? How is the information being used? Do not provide the information if you are unsure about the legitimacy of the request. Be careful when clicking on links that then take you to a page asking for personal information. If an organization asks you for your Social Security number to validate your identity, request another question.
4. Be Proactive—There are many different levels of identity theft protection and consumers should work in partnership with institutions on identity theft prevention. By setting up alerts that can be sent via e-mail and to a mobile device and monitoring accounts online at bank and credit card websites, consumers can take a more proactive role in detecting identity fraud and stopping misuse. In 2012, 50 percent of fraud was first detected by the victims.
5. Enlist others—There are a wide array of services available to consumers who want extra protection and peace of mind including payment transaction alerts, credit monitoring, credit report fraud alerts, credit freezes and database scanning. 3 out of every 5 identity fraud victims did not know the source of their fraud, but many services will now provide alerts directly to a consumer’s smartphone. Some services can be obtained for a fee and others at no cost to the consumers who are victims of a data breach. These services can monitor credit reports, public records and online activity for signs of fraudulent use of personal information.
6. Take any data breach notification seriously—If you receive a data breach notification, take it very seriously as you are at a much higher risk according to the 2013 Identity Fraud Report. If you receive an offer from your financial institution or retailer for a free monitoring service after a breach, you should take advantage of the offer, closely monitor your accounts and put a fraud alert on your credit report.
7. Don’t wait. Report problems immediately—If you suspect or uncover fraud, contact your bank, credit union, wireless provider or protection services provider to take advantage of resolution services, loss protections and methods to secure your accounts. A fast response can enhance the likelihood that losses are reduced, and law enforcement can pursue fraudsters so they experience consequences for their actions.
RSA’s January Online Fraud Report 2013 including an excellent summary of Phishing in 2012
RSA’s January 2013 Online Fraud Report delivers the results from RSA’s fraud monitoring centre, a summary of the report is below.
The total number of phishing attacks launched in 2012 was 59% higher than 2011
It appears that phishing has been able to set yet another record year in attack volumes, with global losses from phishing estimated at $1.5 billion in 2012. This represents a 22% increase from 2011.
The estimated amount lost from phishing this year was affected by the industry median – the number of uptime hours per attack. The median dropped in 2012 (from 15.3 to 11.72 hours per attack, according to the Anti-Phishing Working Group), somewhat curbing the impact of losses overall. If attack medians had remained the same, estimated losses from phishing would have exceeded $2 billion.
There is no doubt phishing still continues to be a persistent threat to all organizations. The RSA Anti-Fraud Command Center is at the forefront of phishing attack shut down. To understand the magnitude of growth however, consider the following fact: at the end of 2011, RSA celebrated its 500,000th attack takedown; that number was achieved over seven years. In 2012 alone, RSA took down almost an additional 50% of that total volume!
The roster of countries most attacked by phishing throughout the year was not surprising; the same countries appeared on the shortlist of the most attacked, the UK, the U.S., Canada, Brazil and South Africa. In Latin America, Colombia and Brazil were the two most attacked countries.
There have been major increases in phishing attack volume in some countries, while slight declines were recorded for others. One of the most significant increases in 2012 phishing numbers occurred in Canada, where attacks increased nearly 400% in the first half of the year. There have been many speculations as to why the sharp increase, but the main reason is simply economics – fraudsters follow the money. With the Canadian and U.S. dollar being exchanged at nearly a 1:1 ratio, Canada has become as lucrative a target for cybercrime.
The list of top countries to have consistently hosted the most phishing attacks throughout 2012 remained nearly identical to 2011.
Phishing targets and tactics in 2012
The past year saw phishing diversify the top aims to include popular online retailers that were targeted via the usual web portals but also through the increasingly popular use of mobile apps for shopping. Other targets on phishers’ lists were airline companies, gaming platforms, mobile communication providers and webmail services.
It appears that malware writers are strong players in the world of phishing kit coding, responding to the demand in the underground and servicing phishers looking for off-the-shelf kit templates or custom written specialty kits. The top requests for phishing kit writers were, unsurprisingly, the login pages of U.S. based banks, credit card issuers and the dedicated login pages for business/corporate users of online banking/investments.
In terms of the tactics used by cybercriminals to launch their attacks, 2012 saw the use of rather simple hosting methods, mainly taking advantage of hijacked websites.
The most prominent trends noted came in the shape of using web shells and automated toolkits to hijack massive numbers of websites and smarter phishing kits containing custom plug-ins such as web-analytics tools. A proliferation of off-the-shelf codes written by black hat programmers, and the use of combined attack schemes to phish users and then redirect them to subsequent malware infection points were noted by RSA forensics analysts.
Global Phishing forecast for 2013
Phishing via Mobile The most prominent market trends relevant to the mobile channel have to do with the growth in mobile device usage in both our personal and work life and the pivotal role of mobile apps. RSA expects to see more phishing directed at mobile device users, particularly smartphones, as we move into 2013. Varying social engineering schemes will target users by voice (vishing), SMS (smishing), app-based phishing (rogue apps), as well as classic email spam that users will receive and open on their mobile devices.
Phishing via Apps Applications are the central resource for smartphone users, and that overall popularity of apps will become just as trendy with cybercriminals.
Nowadays, users download apps designed for just about any day-to-day activity, with the most prominent of those being gaming, social networking and shopping apps. To date, both Apple and Google have surpassed 25 billion app downloads each from their respective stores. In fact, according to research firm Gartner, this number will grow to over 185 billion by 2015.
In 2013 organizations will continue to aggressively tap into this growing market and respond by further moving products and services to this channel, delivering specialized small-screen adaptations for Web browsing, and developing native apps that supply mobile functionality and brand-based services to enable customers anywhere-anytime access.
Following user behavior trends (and money) in 2013, criminals will drive underground demand for threats and attack schemes designed for the mobile. Cybercriminals will focus on apps in order to deliver phishing, conceal malware, infect devices, and steal data and money from users of different mobile platforms.
Phishing via Social Media In 2008, slightly more than 20% of online users in the U.S. were members of a social network. That number has since more than doubled and stands at around 50% today.
Data collected last year from Fortune’s Global 100 revealed that more than 50% of companies said they have Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube accounts. Facebook membership, for example, has increased nearly 10 times since 2008, with over 7 billion unique visitors per month worldwide. Twitter shows that the number of members increased by a factor of five over the same period, boasting over 555 million regular users.
With the world turning into a smaller and more ‘social’ village than ever, cybercriminals are by no means staying behind. They follow the money, and so as user behavior changes, RSA expects cybercriminals to continue following their target audience (future victims) to the virtual hot-spots. According to a Microsoft research study, phishing via social networks in early 2010 was only used in 8.3% of attacks by the end of 2011 that number stood at 84.5% of the total. Phishing via social media steadily increased through 2012, jumping as much as 13.5% in one month considering Facebook alone.
Another factor affecting the success of phishing via social media is the vast popularity of social gaming; an activity that brought payments into the social platform. Users who pay for gaming will not find it suspicious when they are asked for credit card details and personal information on the social network of their choice.
Social media is definitely one way by which criminals get to their target audience, phishing them for access credentials (which are used for webmail at the very least and for more than one site in most cases), as well as stealing payment details they use online.
RSA’s Conclusion
Phishing attack numbers have been increasing annually, and although phishing is one of the oldest online scams, it seems that web users still fall for it which is why it still remains so popular with fraudsters.
With the heightened availability of kits, cybercriminals’ awareness of the latent potential in stolen credentials, and the enhanced quality of today’s attacks, the forecasted outlook for 2013 calls for yet another record year riddled with hundreds of thousands of phishing attacks worldwide.
As of January 1, 2013, the RSA Anti-Fraud Command Center has shut down more than 770,000 phishing attacks in more than 180 countries.
In December, RSA identified 29,581 attacks launched worldwide, marking a 29% decrease in attack volume from November, but a 40% increase year-over-year in comparison to December 2011.
The overall trend in attack numbers showed a steady rise in volume throughout the year, reaching an all-time high in July, with 59,406 attacks detected in a single month, 52% more than 2011’s peak of 38,970 attacks.
In December, 257 brands were targeted in phishing attacks, marking a 10% decrease from November. Of the 257 targeted brands, 49% endured five attacks or less.
U.S. nationwide banks continued to be the most targeted, absorbing 79% of total attack volume in December. It is not surprising that fraudsters prefer large financial institutions over smaller ones as the potential “victim rate” rises in conjunction with the size of the bank’s customer base. Moreover, information regarding security procedures at larger institutions can be more easily located in open-source searches.
The U.S. was targeted by the majority of, or 46%, of total phishing volume in December. The UK accounted for 19% of attack volume, while India and Canada remained third and fourth with 8% and 5% of attack volume.
U.S. brands were the most targeted again in December, with 28% of total phishing attack volume, followed by UK brands which were targeted by 10% of attacks. Brands in Canada, Australia, India and Brazil were each targeted by 5% of phishing volume.
In December, the U.S. remained the top hosting country for phishers, hosting 53% of global phishing attacks. Germany and the UK were the second top hosting countries accounting for 5% of hosted attacks.
The RSA October 2012 Online Fraud Report Summary here.
RSA’s October Online Fraud Report 2012 including summary of Phishing and Social Networking
In their October Online Fraud Report RSA reports on the activity of online fraudsters, a summary is below
Following global trends in online threats, the RSA Anti-Fraud Command Centre continues to see large increases in phishing attacks. Looking back to the first half of 2012 and comparing it with the second half of 2011, RSA reported a 19% increase in global phishing attacks.
Not only is phishing still rampant, it is resulting in significant losses to global organizations.
RSA estimates that phishing cost organizations an estimated $2.1 billion in losses over the last 18 months
Phishing and the Social World
Just four years ago, slightly more than 20% of U.S. citizens were users of social networks. That number has since more than doubled and stands at around 50% today. Facebook membership alone has increased nearly 10 times since 2008 and Twitter shows that membership has increased by a factor of five over the same period.
With the world turning into a smaller and more ‘social’ village, fraudsters and blackhats are certain to join the party. Cybercrime follows the money, and as user behaviour shifts, fraudsters have been following their target audience (potential victims) to the virtual world’s hot spots. According to a research study by Microsoft, phishing via social networks in early 2010 was only used in 8.3% of all attacks by the end of 2011 that number stood at 84.5% of attacks delivered through social media.
What’s so great about phishing via social media?
Using social networks, people behave more socially and are less discriminating with messages or comments they receive on their profiles. With new user numbers soaring every year, phishers get to cast a very wide net. One phishing attack tailored for the look and feel of a single social network can effectively target a very large amount of people, resulting in less work for the fraudster to do and a better yield of potential victims.
With social media, a core component of a successful phishing attack is already built-in: Trust. Users ‘follow’ people they know or trust, they receive messages from people or services they are familiar with (emails from a site’s team for example, a group, a friend’s hijacked account, or comments containing poisoned links).
Rogue communications can sometimes be visually spotted, but most times they look good enough to have the recipient click and go to the phishing site or download a malicious piece of software. In cases where a social network makes heavy use of URL shorteners, telling a suspicious hyperlink before browsing to it is very difficult.
It only gets better (for Phishers)
Social networking sites are getting much better at knowing their users and leveraging that information for more targeted marketing and sales. One of the factors that help enhance the credibility factor in the ever-evolving social media platform is the emerging Freemium model.
Perhaps one of the most popular activities on some social networks is playing social games with other users. The games are free, but only until the user wants to really get ahead in the game or obtain special powers upgrades. This is where the payment prompt jumps in, suddenly making it okay to perform financial transactions through a platform like Facebook.
What does this mean for the user? It legitimizes using their credit card details on the social networking site.
What does this mean for Phishers? More ways to Phish, more data to steal (alongside all the other personal information already shared by users), more attacks and more successful phishing!
Another factor that has been encouraging phishing to come through social networks is enterprises going social. For example, banks that wish to market themselves using social media open user groups people can join, inadvertently providing phishers with a model to follow (not any different from online banking portals being imitated for phishing).
As with any online-borne threat, keeping a close watch on trends is essential to any organization serving customers via the Internet. This new and increasingly ‘social’ nature of delivering phishing attacks is a reflection of user behaviour, a factor that will always be the most significant driver for online crime trends.
Growing use of social networking is going to make phishing via that media more popular with time, and just further supporting the need for on-going and timely user-education and awareness campaigns to help consumers protect their online identities and accounts.
In September, RSA identified 35,440 phishing attacks launched worldwide, marking a 28% decrease from August. RSA data shows that the bulk of this decrease is a result of fewer phishing campaigns launched against a series of European financial institutions, which have accounted for significant spikes in attacks through the past few months.
In September, 314 brands were targeted by phishing attacks, marking an 8% increase from August. Increases in the number of brands attacked suggests cybercriminals are casting wider nets at organizations that may not be as well protected or are less familiar with the threat.
In the U.S. banking sector, nationwide bank brands witnessed a 10% increase in attacks, accounting for about three out of every four attacks in September. This is not surprising as phishers tend to seek a brand that is well-known and has multiple locations within a region, such as nationwide banks. In this case, there is a larger pool of potential victims and the chance of a spam recipient being an account holder of the targeted brand is much higher.
Despite a 22% decline in attacks, the UK continues to be the country that endured the highest attack volume, marking the seventh consecutive month, with 47% of attack volume. In turn, Canada absorbed most of this with 17% of attack volume in September.
Top Hosting by Attacked Brands
In September, U.S. brands continued to be the most targeted by phishing, targeted by 29% of attack volume, followed by the UK and Australia.
In September, the U.S. continued to be the top hosting country for phishing attacks hosting 77% of attacks. Poland, the UK, Canada, and France accounted for hosting just over 10% of attacks in September.
Previous RSA Online Fraud Report Summaries:
The RSA September 2012 Online Fraud Report Summary here.
The RSA August 2012 Online Fraud Report Summary here.
The RSA July 2012 Online Fraud Report Summary here.
The RSA June 2012 Online Fraud Report Summary here.
The RSA April 2012 Online Fraud Report Summary here.
The RSA March 2012 Online Fraud Report Summary here.
The RSA January 2012 Online Fraud Report Summary is here.
The RSA December 2011 Online Fraud Report Summary is here.
The RSA November 2011 Online Fraud Report Summary is here.
The RSA October 2011 Online Fraud Report Summary is here.
The RSA September 2011 Online Fraud Report Summary is here.
Cybersource’s 2012 UK Online Fraud Report
Cybersource have produced their eighth UK Online Fraud Report– 2012, a summary of the report is below.
The respondents to this year’s report came from a balanced group of merchant, classified as:
Medium business (annual online revenue of £500,000-£5m)
Large business (£5m-£25m)
Very large business (more than £25m)
Small business respondents (less than £500,000) accounted for 23% of the survey base
Respondent base
20% Travel (excludes airlines, which are covered by a separate global fraud report)
28% Physical goods
28%. Services
24% Digital goods
Looking forward to 2012, the largest proportion of merchants (42%) expects to see fraud rates unchanged. On average, 37% foresee higher rates though there is a noticeable difference between expectations of the digital goods market versus the other sectors covered by this report; a lower proportion of digital merchants (31%) expect rates to grow.
Cards Remain Prevalent with Small Merchants
Credit and debit cards remain the most popular form of payment acceptance by some margin (nearly double the next most prevalent payment method). Whilst PayPal is less popular amongst larger merchants it is accepted by 52% of the very smallest merchants; furthermore 65% of digital goods respondents stated that they offer this payment method. Bank transfers have also gained in popularity, now accepted by 61% of small merchants and particularly prevalent in the services sector (64%) where direct debit (42%) is also popular.
Cash on delivery or, more importantly, in-store payment/pick-up is now an option for 26% of merchants, and is more common amongst the middle tier than the very largest. The biggest merchants are more likely to offer gift cards and certificates, accepted by 43% versus 11% of the smallest businesses (larger organisations may have their own programmes or be part of wider industry initiatives).
Mobile operator billing now forms part of the income stream for 8% of merchants, and is focused on the top end (online revenues more than £25m) where 15% of companies now accept payments this way. Overall, 38% of companies have a mobile-optimised commerce site, with the travel sector leading the way (56%). 26% of respondents have their own mobile app, rising to 30% for the physical goods businesses. Given the potential development costs, it is the largest companies that are much more likely to have an app (43%) versus the smallest (7%).
Over a third of businesses expect their total losses from fraud to grow in 2012
Percentage of orders rejected on the fear of fraud
merchants are rejecting on average 4.3% of incoming orders due to suspicion of fraud
31% of merchants report that they are rejecting more than one in 20 orders on suspicion of fraud
Martin Pearce Head of Loss Prevention at thetrainline.com was quoted in the report saying:
“The role of fraud prevention is an ever changing one; as the fraudster adapts so there is a need for the merchant to change in line with that behaviour. Key to this is the ability to detect fraudulent behaviour as close to real time as possible and then adapt, making changes quickly to counteract the latest threat. I liken fraud prevention to a game of chess; taking skill and strategic planning to get it right, especially when you are potentially playing a few moves behind the fraudster. Customer needs are ever changing too, with merchants looking to ensure that order and delivery/collection mechanisms are as easy and convenient as possible. Mobile devices have been playing an increasingly important role in transaction growth over the last few years, with a wide, and evolving, array of devices now on the market, all with internet access. Apps are also evolving; shifting from information stores to become purchasing and fulfilment instruments.
My view is that fraud hasn’t changed, but fraudsters have. They are more organised and being given new platforms through which to conduct activity. Any new purchasing process or platform is of real interest to the fraud community and will receive a lot of attention. You should ensure that your business is prepared, and able to manage such transactions (good and bad). Any success on behalf of the fraudster is likely to lead to further abuse at some stage.
Finally, whilst much focus is placed on identifying fraudulent behaviour, it is just as important to recognise the behaviour of good customers. Fraud identification is similar to looking for needles in haystacks; if you are adept at identifying good behaviour then you can substantially reduce the size of haystack at the start of the process; cutting your manual review workload and making the needles (or fraudsters) easier to spot and handle. In my experience, utilising tenure thresholds and monitoring on-going transaction behaviour can certainly help to identify genuine buyers. Furthermore, encouraging customers to manage their online activity via a dedicated user account area on your website not only provides you with valuable marketing data; you also gain much deeper insight into who your trusted customers are and how they behave.”
Find the full report here.
See CyberSource’s 2011 report on UK Online Fraud, summary here.
Also, CyberSource Brings World’s Largest Fraud Detection Radar to Online Merchants post here.
Most Small Business Owners do not treat Fraud as a Top Priority – survey results
On the 15th August 2011 TD Bank launched the results of a survey that indicates small businesses (sub $5 million) do not have Business Fraud as their top priority, in fact only 1% of survey respondents said it was a top priority.
TD Bank’s survey polled 300 small business executives in its Maine to Florida area to understand their current awareness of small business fraud, as well as their top external concerns over the next 12 months.
“It’s encouraging to see that small business owners are taking steps to protect their business, but fraud protection should be a high priority and it pays to be vigilant,” says Fred Graziano, Head of Commercial and Small Business Banking at TD Bank. “Given the influx of new digital technologies and operational tools available for small business owners, it’s increasingly important to learn about the latest trends and techniques used by criminals, and to be more diligent in defending against fraud.”
Graziano and Robert Dunlop, TD Bank Director of Corporate Security and Investigations, offer the following advice to small business owners to protect their business from fraud:
Manage finances using secure online banking.
Online banking is a secure and essential tool for any small business owner. The benefits of this useful service include 24/7 access to real-time information, account transfers and payment management. Small business owners can easily schedule and manage payments, submit remittance information, and have an audit trail of all transactions.
“It’s important for small business owners to check their account activity regularly,” says Graziano. “Having instant access to payment history helps businesses closely monitor their spending for any discrepancies. If there are any, contact your financial institution immediately.”
Protect computer systems and practice online awareness.
“Being complacent about cyber protection can lead to the compromise of critical information and detrimental consequences for a business,” says Dunlop. “Every computer at home or in the office should have installed and regularly updated firewalls and anti-virus software.”
While conducting business online, be aware of “phishing” – an electronic scam that attempts to obtain confidential personal or financial information from its target. It takes the form of a fake message, usually an e-mail, which appears to be from a financial institution or service provider. While some e-mails are easily identified as fraudulent, including some containing enticing headlines, others may appear to come from a legitimate address.
“If an offer received via e-mail or on a website sounds too good to be true, it probably is,” says Graziano.
Safely handle sensitive documents and financial statements.
“The web isn’t the only place where thieves can steal valuable information from a small business,” says Dunlop. “Employees and outside parties can steal important mail, credit card information or checks, and commit fraud.”
Printed financial statements, social security numbers and other sensitive papers should be disposed properly using a shredder or saved in a securely locked device.
“To avoid the hassle of handling several papers, banks such as TD Bank allow customers to opt out of paper statements and receive online statements instead,” says Graziano.
According to Dunlop, technological advances have even put photocopiers at risk, “Most photocopiers built since 2002 contain a hard drive that stores every image scanned, copied or emailed. When a business sells or upgrades their copier, the machine is usually cleaned up and reconditioned, but often times the hard drive is left intact and is not scrubbed,” says Dunlop.
Once resold, it’s possible for anyone to simply pop out the hard drive and access, and sell confidential information such as income tax and bank records, social security numbers, and birth and medical records.
“Businesses need to be aware of this and treat documents in the standard office copier just as they would any printed document, and guard that information accordingly,” says Dunlop.
Obtain fidelity insurance.
“Crime and fraud-related losses generally aren’t covered by property insurance policies, so it’s important to protect money losses from workplace fraud,” says Dunlop.
Fidelity insurance protects your business against criminal acts such as robbery, embezzlement, forgery and credit card fraud. Liabilities secured under this type of insurance usually include money loss coverage (burglary or theft) and employee dishonesty (embezzlement and forgery).
Search for low rates and partner with a broker, such as TD Insurance, who can help shop for the best deal.
Incorporate appropriate checks and balances.
Every small business owner should perform an internal review and assessment of company finances on a monthly basis. Make sure payment amounts match all invoices and check for any missing documents. “Running random audits or having a third party audit the books once a year will show employees you are serious about fraud and deter them from committing deceptive acts,” says Graziano.
TD Bank advise that if you think you are a victim of business fraud, immediately contact the fraud department of any of the three major credit bureaus to place a fraud alert on your credit file. Also, contact your banks, credit card issuers and other creditors where your finances and information are available.
More information on TD Banks Security can be found here.
Study: Consumers’ Reaction to Online Fraud
ThreatMatrix and Cloud-based Fraud Prevention Company and the Ponemon Institute have released the findings of their joint study on Consumers and their awareness and appreciation of online fraud.
The study has revealed
85% of respondents reported being worried and dissatisfied with the level of protection online businesses are providing to stop fraudsters. This % is up 5% on the Ponemon study of 2009.
42% of respondents said they have been the victim of online fraud.
80% of victims said they did not report the crime.
19% that said they had reported the fraud only reported to the online business.
“A lot of fraudulent activity goes unreported today, making it difficult for online businesses to fully understand the prominence and seriousness of the problem,” said Reed Taussig, president and CEO, ThreatMetrix. “With a rise in online transactions and activities across devices, more needs to be done to educate online merchants, banks, social outlets and other businesses on how to decrease fraudulent activity.”
Those respondents that expressed concern over online fraud said they felt online merchants, banks and social networks need to take additional steps to prevent fraudsters from stealing consumer information.
68% would allow a trusted online business to place a cookie on their computer to automatically authenticate them
82% indicated that they would expect an online business to offer alternative authentication methods if they were unable to match the consumer’s digital fingerprint to their security system.
“Our survey results help validate the need and consumer preference for technology, such as device identification, to authenticate identity as opposed to using personally identifiable information,” said Dr. Larry Ponemon, chairman and founder of the Ponemon Institute. “Consumers expressed much more willingness to share data like ISP, computer serial number, type and make, rather than information like date of birth and telephone number.”
Information Consumers are Willing to Allow a Trusted Online Business to Check to Verify Their Identity, or Digitally Fingerprint Their Computer:
1. Serial number of computer 88%
2. Type and make of your computer 83%
3. Internet service provider 76%
4. Browser settings 71%
5. Type of browser 65%
6. IP address 59%
7. Types of software applications residing on your device 54%
8. Email address 46%
9. Purchase history 39%
10. Planned future purchases 35%
11. Date of birth 34%
12. Telephone number 17%
13. Home address 16%
14. Name 14%
15. Zip code 9%
16. Social Security number 4%
17. Driver’s license number 2%
Study findings indicate that consumers have a “positive perception about companies that use authentication and fraud detection tools to prevent online fraud”.
56% of consumers indicated they are ‘more willing’ to shop or browse an online business if they know that company is taking specific measures toward combating fraud.
88% of respondents stated a preference for companies to share information about their device for authentication purposes — as opposed to sharing personal information to verify their identity.
Read the whole study here.
Downloadable: CyberSource’s report on UK Online Fraud 2011
The report is based on an industry wide survey, and addresses the detection, prevention and management of online fraud.
The Cost of Fraud
On average, the percentage of annual online revenue that businesses expect to lose to payment fraud in 2010 has dropped from 1.8% to 1.6%.
The survey revealed that this does vary dramatically by merchant size:
very large businesses expected to lose £365,500 to online payment fraud, equating to an average of 1.5%
Large businesses expect to lose £173,500 (1.2%)
Medium businesses £66,000 (2.4%)
Small businesses £3,500 (1.5%)
The report delivers:
Key fraud metrics, including review and order reject rates
Most widely used fraud detection tools
Chargeback practices; re-presentment and win rates
Merchants’ fraud management priorities for 2011
Download the report here, required registration.
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THE HISTORY AND FUTURE OF PASSWORDS – Infographic
The OWASP IoT Project Top 10
21 Significant 21st Century Data Breaches – Infographic
Infographic: How to solve the cybersecurity talent gap in your organization
11 Cyber Security Questions Every Small Business Should Ask
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Iran & Persian Studies 1
x Art History (2)
Archaeology, Art & Architecture x
Brill | Sense x
Art History x
Iran & Persian Studies x
Esoteric Images: Decoding the Late Herat School of Painting
Series: Jerusalem Studies in Religion and Culture, Volume: 25
Author: Tawfiq Daʿadli
In Esoteric Images: Decoding the Late Herat School of Painting Tawfiq Daʿadli decodes the pictorial language which flourished in the city of Herat, modern Afghanistan, under the rule of the last Timurid ruler, Sultan Husayn Bayqara (r.1469-1506). This study focuses on one illustrated manuscript of a poem entitled Khamsa by the Persian poet Nizami Ganjavi, kept in the British Library under code Or.6810. Tawfiq Daʿadli decodes the paintings, reveals the syntax behind them and thus deciphers the message of the whole manuscript. The book combines scholarly efforts to interpret theological-political lessons embedded in one of the foremost Persian schools of art against the background of the court dynamic of an influential medieval power in its final years.
EUR €149.00USD $179.00
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Look Out 2012, Here Comes 2013
Well folks, we’ve reached the final weekend of 2012. A year that included the United States of America being introduced to the Chevy Spark, the release of the final line of Chevy Avalanche, the Detroit Tigers making the world series, Megatron breaking Jerry Rice’s receiving yardage record, the unveiling of the new look Silverado, Buick’s newest member, the Encore, has begun production, and so much more. With all that we think it’s fair to say 2012 has been a pretty good year.
But what can we expect from 2013? Well, if history has taught us anything, it won’t be more of the same. All we can do is to expect the unexpected.
So, be on the look out for more innovative features and designs from Buick and Chevrolet (Corvette C7? Buick Grand National?).
And don’t forget, College Chevrolet Buick is changing things up for 2013, too. Our new look showroom and service center will be completed next year! As always we’re working to provide you with the best customer service experience possible, so if you have anything you want to share don’t hesitate to contact us.
Remember to like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter, @CollegeChevy, for unique special offers and event information. And if you had an experience at College Chevrolet Buick that you’d like to share, review us on our Google+ page.
College Chevy is Giving More This Season
This season is a time for giving and at College Chevrolet Buick we’re doing just that with amazing deals on new Chevy vehicles.
Who says giving is supposed to mean a blinking tie or a holiday sweater, that you’ll be forced to wear when grandma visits. Why can’t it include the 2013 Chevy Cruze, a stylish 5 star safety vehicle that gets over 40 MPG, for as low as $21,495 or lease offers for $149/month. Or how about the most dependable, longest lasting truck on the road, the Chevy Silverado. Get your 2013 Silverado with 0% APR financing for 60 months plus $2,000 total value.
It’s not all about new vehicles at College Chevy. Check out our amazing variety of used and pre-owned Chevrolets and other popular models. Our used specials are designed to put you in the right car at the right price.
And we can’t forget about our service center full of GM-Certified technicians. Like us on Facebook to get exclusive service offers! Or follow us on twitter to see all the amazing news and events happening at College Chevrolet Buick.
Have a wonderful holiday everyone!
It’s What You’ve Been Waiting for: The 2014 Chevy Silverado
For months and months, Chevrolet has been dishing out tidbits of information about the new Silverado. We knew that it would have a redesigned exterior, new powerful V8 engines and a brand new 4.3 L V6 option, an upgrade console and dashboard, but we didn’t really know anything until we got to see the 2014 Silverado unveiled live on Facebook this week.
With an entrance that is usually reserved for professional wrestling, we got our first peek at the new Silverado. The exterior has bolder, cleaner curves and edges and a powerful frame that builds on the 95 years of Chevy trucks.
The addition of three new EcoTec3 engines gives the Silverado more power and improved fuel efficiency.
Perhaps the most drastic change is the upright instrument panel, six gauge instrument cluster and host of storage compartments in the redesigned interior.
Helen Emsley, Silverado design director had this to say, “Changes to the exterior of the 2014 Silverado can be described as evolutionary, but the updates to the interior are dramatic. The meticulous attention to detail and the steps we took to ensure optimal driver and passenger comfort and convenience, are reflected in the fact that the new interiors rated off the charts in customer clinics.”
College Chevrolet Buick is thrilled with the way the 2014 Chevrolet Silverado turned out and we can’t wait to see it on our showroom floor next year. For more information on the 2014 Silverado visit www.chevrolet.com or call 517-629-2151.
Image(s) courtesy of © General Motors
Boot up your PlayStation 3 to test drive the new 2014 Chevrolet Corvette C7
December 6, 2012 /
Car enthusiasts and gear heads alike are eagerly awaiting the world debut of the 2014 Chevrolet Corvette C7 in January, and who can blame them! The C7 will sport a V-8 direct injection small- block engine with power rating of 450 horsepower and rumored to fly from 0 to 60 in four seconds. For those of you who are anxiously waiting to test drive one of these new Chevy power houses, you may only have to go as far as your living room.
The popular PlayStation 3 racing game Grand Turismo (GT) 5 has released a detailed prototype version of the C7 free to download from the PlayStation network. GM stated “careful attention was paid to the tiniest details from the creases and wrinkles in the soft camouflage used to disguise the new design to specific driving characteristics that are currently being tuned and refined ahead of the vehicle’s official debut”. With this free download, PlayStation owners can now not only “test drive” the new C7, but push it to its limits on the world’s most notorious tracks and raceways.
So what are you waiting for? Rev up your PlayStation 3, buckle up on the couch, and put the pedal to the metal with the new 2014 Chevrolet Corvette C7 for an in home test drive session. We here at College Chevrolet Buick will be tearing up the tracks, and we hope you will too!
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CBD Gummies Club
The Latest CBD Gummies News Today
Cresco Labs Establishes Comprehensive Standards for Responsible Advertising & Marketing of Cannabis to Consumers
As a responsible cannabis operator, Cresco Labs is committed to ensuring its advertising and marketing efforts are directed only to those above the legal consumption age and carried out in a socially appropriate manner
CHICAGO, October 07, 2020–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Cresco Labs (CSE:CL) (OTCQX:CRLBF) (“Cresco” or “the Company”), one of the largest vertically integrated multistate cannabis operators in the United States, announced the launch of the U.S. cannabis industry’s most comprehensive advertising and marketing code with guiding principles to ensure that Cresco Labs always markets and promotes its brands and products responsibly. As an industry leader, Cresco holds itself to the highest ethical standards and is dedicated to building a culture of responsible consumption and fostering continued consumer trust, education and confidence in cannabis offerings. This code provides guidance on commercial communications to prevent underage appeal and helps advertisers like Cresco make appropriate claims surrounding cannabis’ benefits. In addition, these standards offer best practices for the development of consumer-facing promotional events and merchandising.
The creation of Cresco Labs’ Responsible Advertising and Marketing Standards (RAMS) is another step that supports the Company’s mission to normalize, professionalize and revolutionize the U.S. cannabis industry. Cresco’s intention for these standards is to encourage partnership with other cannabis companies around responsible marketing, professionalize the advertising practices within the industry and create a robust marketplace of quality products. Cresco Labs’ Responsible Advertising and Marketing Standards (RAMS) is available online at https://www.crescolabs.com/brands/#rams.
Since the Company’s inception in 2013, we have been guided by a vision to bring a level of professionalism, ethics and hard-nosed business discipline to this emerging product category and industry, and it has been our mission ever since to normalize, professionalize and revolutionize cannabis.
Charlie Bachtell, Cresco Labs’ CEO and Co-founder
That approach has guided us through seven years of incredible growth. As our house of branded products, retail brand and overall market reach grows, and cannabis becomes an important part of people’s everyday wellness, there is a need to advertise, market and communicate with the public.
“However, we must do so in a responsible and compliant manner that is disciplined, ethical and fact-based and upholds the high standards of conduct on which the company was founded. As we focus on building the most important cannabis company in the U.S., these standards will define how we conduct ourselves in our everyday marketing and advertising efforts, hold us accountable in all our work in this area, and hopefully serve as a north star for all other operators within our industry,” continued Bachtell.
Cannabis is currently legal for adult use in 11 states and medicinally in 33 states, with many more discussing some form of legalization. Legalization began less than 20 years ago, and now cannabis represents one of the fastest-growing consumer product categories in the U.S. At present, there are no federally issued regulations for the cannabis industry that typically exist in other emerging categories. Compliance to regulations is an entirely state-by-state exercise, and this holds true for standards for marketing and communications. Each state that has legalized medical or recreational cannabis often has its own unique requirements. Cresco Labs established RAMS as a complement to existing state regulations, and compliance with this code is mandatory for all its marketing, sales, promotion and communications efforts, including both traditional and digital media.
“We are fortunate to be able to work in an industry that impacts so many people, and with that great opportunity comes the responsibility to demonstrate best-practice leadership in the area of advertising and marketing,” said Greg Butler, Chief Commercial Officer at Cresco Labs.
Similar industries to cannabis—alcohol, healthcare, pharmaceutical and food—have self-imposed, voluntary rules that are followed by some of the most iconic brand marketers in the world. As a leader in this industry, we want to lay the foundation for the U.S. cannabis industry, which today is demonstrating tremendous potential of where it will be in the next couple of years.
Greg Butler, Chief Commercial Officer at Cresco Labs
As more cannabis operators build brands and introduce new products, these standards will help expand the quality of marketing from the industry and support the use of new advertising mediums and channels.
Cresco Labs is deeply committed to creating positive change in the advertising and marketing of cannabis to consumers. The Company encourages other cannabis organizations to adopt and build upon these guiding principles to help build a responsible cannabis industry together.
About Cresco Labs:
Cresco Labs is one of the largest vertically-integrated multi-state cannabis operators in the United States. Cresco is built to become the most important company in the cannabis industry by combining the most strategic geographic footprint with one of the leading distribution platforms in North America. Employing a consumer-packaged goods (“CPG”) approach to cannabis, Cresco’s house of brands is designed to meet the needs of all consumer segments and includes some of the most recognized and trusted national brands including Cresco, Remedi, High Supply, Reserve, Good News and Mindy’s Chef Led Artisanal Edibles created by James Beard Award-winning chef Mindy Segal. Sunnyside, Cresco’s national dispensary brand, is a wellness-focused retailer designed to build trust, education and convenience for both existing and new cannabis consumers. Recognizing that the cannabis industry is poised to become one of the leading job creators in the country, Cresco provides the industry’s first national comprehensive Social Equity and Educational Development (SEED) program designed to ensure that all members of society have the skills, knowledge and opportunity to work in and own businesses in the cannabis industry. Learn more about Cresco Labs at www.crescolabs.com.
Original press release
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CASO launched in Budgam, Shopian searches ended
Srinagar,Security forces on Thursday launched fresh Cordon and Search Operation (CASO) in the central Kashmir district of Budgam, where a brief encounter took place on Wednesday evening.The CASO against militants ended late last night in Shopian after no militant was found in the area.Official sources said troops of Rashtriya Rifles (RR), Special Operation Group (SOG) of Jammu and Kashmir police and CRPF on a tip off about the presence of militants launched a CASO at Zainpora Donwar in Chandoora area of Budgam district on Wednesday evening.However, when the security forces were sealing the area and moving towards a particular house, the militants hiding there opened fire with automatic weapons. Security forces also retaliated ensuing in an encounter.Security forces used search lights and conducted massive search operation, they said, adding that the operation was closed late in the night.
However, this morning when people were resuming their normal activities, security forces again sealed the area and adjacent localities. All exit points were sealed and house-to-house searches launched, they said, adding that operation was going on when the reports last came in.Meanwhile, CASO launched at Pinjoora, Shopian on Wednesday evening, following a tip off about the presence of militants also ended late in the night.No contact was established with the militants and operation was called off, they said.A Special Police Officer (SPO) of Jammu and Kashmir police and a civilian were killed and a constable injured in militant attack in Sopore in Baramulla district on Wednesday evening.
CASO Launched
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In this Privacy Policy, ‘us’ ‘we’ or ‘our’ means Compliance Advocacy Solutions Pty Ltd t/as Compliance Advocacy Solutions Pty Ltd (ABN 22622776934).
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The 36,000-square-foot Winn Center at Cosumnes River College houses the architecture and construction management programs, among others. (Rendering courtesy of Nathan Dea and Alex Villalobos)
Higher Calling: From Abstract to Reality
Team of three students contributed to Cosumnes River College’s Winn Center
Back Web Only Jun 29, 2020 By Laurie Lauletta-Boshart
Every spring, students in the Cosumnes River College architecture program participate in a design competition, a requirement started by longtime architecture professor John Ellis — whose son Jason Ellis now runs the program — to broaden their education and real-world experience.
Related: Higher Calling
In 2009, CRC partnered with the U.S. Green Building Council’s Sacramento chapter to participate in the Natural Talent Design Competition. Entrants were required to design a 36,000-square-foot building known as the Winn Center that would serve as the new building for multiple disciplines, including the architecture and construction management programs on campus.
Each design team included three students and partnered with a mentor architecture firm in Sacramento. The winning team of Nathan Dea, Alex Villalobos and Barry Gonsalves were partnered with Stantec. The student-led team incorporated several sustainable features into their design that ended up in the final built product.
“We envisioned a building that would breathe, so something that was naturally ventilated and had natural daylighting,” Dea says. Those elements were designed around an open air central rotunda intended to draw in hot air from the spaces and pull it up and out. The final design of the Winn Center incorporates a similar feature: A circular entry element serves as the building’s lobby and entrance to the campus and includes a closed rotunda element with a grand stair.
The Winn Center’s open air central rotunda serves as the building’s lobby and the entrance to the Cosumnes River College campus. (Rendering courtesy of Nathan Dea and Alex Villalobos)
A Sacramento regional transit stop and parking structure have been added since the building was completed, something the students planned around. “We knew this was coming when we did the design competition, so we wanted to have a building that was a little different, something that was iconic and light and meant to be that main gateway element,” Dea says.
Sacramento-based architecture firm Lionakis later hired Dea and Villalobos as interns. While there, they gave input on the Winn Center project during the initial request for proposal. Lionakis was selected to design the final project. After graduating with their undergraduate degrees, both Dea and Villalobos were hired by Lionakis, which allowed them to continue to work on the project.
“Working there was probably one of the most amazing experiences in my young professional career,” Villalobos says. “When you are first working on design, you don’t have that tangibility that every single line you draw on a piece of paper can become something. And to actually see that happen, to see some of your ideas take shape and become an actual built element, is awe inspiring and a great opportunity.”
Villalobos now works with the California Department of General Services as an associate architect. Dea works for Stantec in its Irvine office. “It’s ironic how it has come full circle,” he says. Dea is a design coordinator for the firm and is working on education projects, including a UC Davis student housing project that is the largest of its kind in the country.
Steve Kendrick (not verified) – July 22, 2020 - 5:45am
Nice article Laurie! I learned a little more of the history of the Winn Center. Thanks.
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Architects and colleges collaborate to create holistic, functional and artistic spaces to meet the shifting needs of today’s students
These six Capital Region higher-education projects, completed in the last decade, offer inspired and intentional learning spaces.
Jun 29, 2020 Laurie Lauletta-Boshart
Lean but Still Green
More new developments across the Capital Region are using water-wise landscaping, but state rules are complex and not uniformly enforced
State regulations present an opportunity to shift the way we think about what an eco-friendly landscape can do when we move beyond compliance toward practices that conserve all natural resources and maximize water efficiency.
May 26, 2020 Jennifer Junghans
Houses of worship that are worthy of praise
Houses of worship are an important element in Sacramento’s architectural history. From century-old churches to facilities that incorporate modern and sustainable technologies, religious buildings knit together the very fabric of the communities they serve. Here, we feature five local houses of worship, each with its own unique story.
Sacramento designers and architects challenge the notion that outside talent is more suitable for notable projects
Sacramento is coming into its own, and tying the built environment to the regional diversity — including an agricultural backdrop and focus on sustainability — is important to local designers and architects.
Nov 16, 2017 Laurie Lauletta-Boshart
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Laurie Lauletta-Boshart
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Pondering, Photographing, and Writing about Wild Places
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Here Comes the Goony Bird, and I say… It’s Alright!
The boat mustn’t have been more than sixteen feet long but from my perch in the bow, my father who sat on the rear bench, his right hand on the steering arm of the fat green Johnson Outboard with the Cadillac-like wings, could not have been farther away. The drone of the motor made conversation at anything less than a shout impossible and kept my morning song to myself.
The song, always the same, repeated over and over as the fiberglass tri-hull slid smoothly through the epidermis of the until now unspoiled morning water.
Little darlin’ it’s been a long, cold, lonely winter. Little darlin’ it feels like years since it’s been clear…
The air was still. A scattered mist hanging low and flat curled away behind us as we disrupted the calm. Pockets of warm air, unseen, seemingly random and without explanation, fleeted too quickly. My only harbor against the chill between, a heavy flannel buttoned to the neck. Tucked beneath my thigh, a narrow brimmed fishing hat chosen to look like the one my grandfather wore was of no help. My ears were cold.
Rounding the bend towards the Lee Pike Bridge a first glimpse of hope splintered through pines.
Here comes the sun, doo-dum-doo-doo. Here comes the sun, and I say, it’s alright…
Daddy eased back on the throttle and angled the boat towards the shore. I stopped singing and looked back at him. “Look,” he said. “A goony bird!” He was pointing ahead where a snag had fallen into the water. Up the log and almost hidden by shoreline vegetation, the goony bird was in charge like the turtles who were sure to take over the next shift in their own midday sun worship. Like a turtle on alert, the goony bird’s head was pulled in close to his shoulders, nearly belying the longish neck folded beneath. A slice of the morning sun, generously released by the pines (for this very purpose I believe), highlighted bright yellow legs.
As we glided too close for ease, the neck appeared and the goony leaned forward, lifted its wings and awkwardly lifted itself away from the shore with strong stiff beats and banked away from us. I smiled at Daddy. He smiled back.
“Let’s troll for a while.”
The motor idled with just enough fuel to keep it running—a little faster than an ideal trolling speed, but the best it had to offer. I flipped a roostertail behind us, closed the bale on my reel and hooked the six-pound line with my finger. The spinner engaged and the rod bent as if under the load of a fish. Daddy cast a balsa minnow out the other side of the boat and we followed the lake’s marge around the contours of the land. Somewhere beneath us under fifteen feet of water the bank of Possum Creek, buried for thirty years by Chickamauga Dam, made the same shape.
“Did you see the crane back there?”
“Yeah,” I answered, smiling.
“I don’t know why they keep flying ahead of us. You’d think they would make one flight around us and land back where they were instead of flying forward a little bit, letting us catch up, then doing it again, and again.”
“And again, and again, and again.”
“They must be related to the goony bird.”
“Yeah, they’re goony alright.”
“You’re goony.”
“I guess I am.”
Countless were the mornings that began with a near-dawn tap on the shoulder, a quick quiet dress so as to not wake the rest of the family who would likely still be in bed upon our return a couple hours later.
Just Daddy and me on the lake we called a creek that would team with ski boats shortly after breakfast, but which for the precious time that bridged first light and first meal of the day, was ours.
It would be a few years before I would paddle a canoe with binoculars and bird guide on the same water, re-identifying the goony and the crane as green-backed and blue herons and feel pity on my father for his lack of knowledge.
But now, as I look through the back window of the log home lived in by Nina Leopold Bradley for thirty-plus years, and browse Nina’s meticulously kept phenological records of everything that bloomed, crawled, flew or otherwise resided in her yard on the edge of the prairie, I find myself slightly chilled by scientific Latin and field guide perfection, and longing for the days of goony birds and cranes.
There is great purpose and affect in these records—indications of changes over time reflecting results of climate change, habitat destruction or degradation, over-hunting, predator extirpation, and the introduction of invasive species. Records like these give proof and ammunition to scientists looking for answers and solutions. Without them, who knows what countless species might be lost and habitats destroyed.
But for the romantic, the artist, the impassioned observer who might not know a white-throated sparrow from a great egret, but for whom a morning call of “oh-sweet, Canada-Canada-Canada,” the evening aggregations of great long-legged, brilliantly bright birds flying to their roosts, and the early spring blooming of the three-leafed, three-petal blood-red flower inspire poetry and song, eases stress, and beckons as powerfully as to any Darwin, Latin terms and proper names would only sour.
Back in the days of fishing Possum Creek with Daddy, he had a habit when faced with uncertainty of saying “I’m just going to do something, even if it is wrong.” This sentiment frustrated a young boy trying to follow the tenets of his grandfather’s religion that left little room for wrong steps, much like the records of the biologist leave no space for incorrect identification.
I open up Nina’s once impeccable journal, now kept haphazardly since her death a few months ago, and begin a list of the birds I see: cardinals, downy woodpeckers, purple finches, goldfinches, titmice and blue jays at feeders, nuthatches, juncos, and white-throated sparrows gleaning beneath, a pileated woodpecker and waxwings on the edge of the woods, Canada geese and sandhill cranes flying overhead, and in the yard robins and… a little sparrow-looking bird with some chestnut on either side of the crown and a dark patch behind the eye. I want to make a guess, to write something down. Rufous-crowned sparrow perhaps? Seems I remember a sparrow by that name in Arizona. I look through the house for a field guide with no luck.
I hold my pen, staring at the page, then at the yard where the little bird was browsing seeds at the edge of the prairie a few moments ago. It is gone and I try to remember—clear breasted or streaked? Was there an eye streak or a patch? Wing bars? It must have been a rufous-crown, I think, looking back to the page.
Rising from my seat at the window, I walk to my bag on the couch, retrieve my personal journal, and sit down to write. October 13, 2011, Baraboo, Wisconsin, Nina’s house—entry number one: rufous-headed fluff bird. Record complete, I walk outside, scattering birds in all directions and head across the prairie towards the pond in search of the elusive goony… and I sing.
Little Darling. I feel the ice is slowly melting. Little Darling, it seems like years since it’s been clear. Hear comes the sun. Here comes the sun, and I say… It’s all right.
Good Thursday
A singular beauty is the wild landscape bathed in a fresh snow. A still higher gamut is that landscape awash in quietude.
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Character » Jigsaw appears in 164 issues.
Billy "The Beaut" Russo was known for his handsome appearance until confronting the Punisher who sent Billy through a glass window, severely damaging his face. After the incident he took the name Jigsaw and is a deadly force with a vendetta towards the Punisher.
Jigsaw appears in 164 issues
Punisher War Journal
Jigsaw last edited by DA25AK02 on 12/28/20 06:52PM View full history
Billy "The Beaut" Russo before becoming Jigsaw.
Before he was the Punisher, Frank Castle tried to lead the right path of bringing the killers of his family to face justice, but that came to an end when Castle first crossed paths with Billy “The Beaut” Russo. Noted for his handsome looks, Billy Russo has built a reputation among the criminal underground as a successful assassin who occasionally accepts jobs with both the Costa Family and the Maggia.
To clean up their mess with Castle attempt to bring Bruno and the Costa Family to justice for the deaths of his entire family and their first failed assassin who was sent to kill Castle, Bruno hired the notorious assassin, Billy the Beaut to not only kill Castle, but to tie any loose ends by assassinating everybody who was involved with Castle’s attempt to bring Bruno and the Costa family to justice. This resulted with Billy killing the original assassin who was sent to kill Castle and managed to survive his recent encounter with Castle, a reporter who was investigating the Castle killings, and almost killing Castle himself by planting explosives in his apartment.
After Billy failed to kill Castle, this attempt motivated Castle into taking a role as judge, jury, and executioner as he took on the name Punisher. This led Castle into tracking down Russo at a mob party and killing all guests with the exception Russo. Leaving Russo to be the last victim, he left the gangster facially disfigured after forcing him face first through a bulletproof plate glass window.
Despite the serious injuries Russo sustained, he managed to come to a full recovery after going through an extensive amount of surgeries that resulted with Russo losing something greater than his own life.
With his face beyond repairable, Russo lost the one thing he cherished the most, which was the pride of his own beautiful looks. This resulted with Russo becoming extremely unstable and obsessed with seeing the Punisher meet the same fate as he personally suffered. This also resulted with Russo to anticipate his recovery by forming a small gang of his own and going through extensive training to prepare his fight against the Punisher. Because of how his face strongly resembled a series of jagged and distorted pieces being sewn together, Russo renamed himself Jigsaw, a name that he forced himself into accepting and to ensure that it would be a name forced to be feared by his enemies.
The Spider-man Years
Jigsaw was created for and introduced to audiences in 1976's Amazing Spider-man #162. He was created by Len Wein and Ross Andru as nemesis of the Punisher but his presence has spanned widely over years into the story arcs of other characters and teams until his death in 2011.
After the Punisher
Jigsaw's 1st costume
After tracking the Punisher’s recent activities in New York City, Jigsaw concocted a plan of ruining Punisher’s reputation by framing him before killing his nemesis after drawing him out. This plan consisted of Jigsaw killing innocents that randomly selected and located within a heavy populated area, the reason for this was to give New York City the assumption that it was the Punisher who was responsible for the killings that would also force the entire city against the vigilante.
After killing an innocent victim in Coney Island, Jigsaw was unaware that he would also capture the attention of Spiderman and the X-man known as Nightcrawler. Because of how both Nightcrawler and Spiderman assumed that each were the killer that resulted with the two heroes battling in a misunderstanding, Jigsaw managed to gain enough time properly escape before being captured and seen. But after witnessing the Punisher arriving onto the scene and interrupting the fight between both heroes, Jigsaw decided to take the opportunity to take a shot at the Punisher and finally fulfill his goal. But Jigsaw missed his target that resulted with Jigsaw scheme being exposed as Punisher, Spiderman, and Nightcrawler realizing the true intent of the mysterious sniper.
Even though Jigsaw managed to escape the scene, it wouldn’t be long before Spiderman and Punisher would discover Jigsaw as the sniper. But it wasn’t hard for both Punisher and Spiderman to find Jigsaw when him and his armed gang next decided to simply cause enough public attention to call out the vigilante. Even though Jigsaw attempted to get his revenge on Punisher, himself and his gang was defeated by Spiderman, Punisher, and Nightcrawler.
Somehow Jigsaw and his gang managed to escape the authorities and go into hiding to await their next attempt to go after the Punisher. But because of his personal vendetta against Punisher and a growing fear for costumed heroes, Jigsaw hired gang began to grow uneasy with Jigsaw’s competence as a successful leader. This led Jigsaw and his gang into going into going on a heist so that Jigsaw would gain respect from the gang.
As a way to avoid any chance of capturing the attention of any costumed heroes, Jigsaw believed that by robbing a cruise would not capture the attention of any hero or law enforcement. But this proved wrong when Jigsaw happened to rob the same cruise where Peter Parker (Spiderman) was on, which resulted with Jigsaw’s gang being defeated and Jigsaw simply fainting at the sight of Spiderman.
After being taken to Ryker’s Island, possibly the very first time to ever serving any imprisonment, Jigsaw made quick use of his resources as he became a partner for Don Cevello, who was currently a notorious crime boss that had a great portion of the prison under his payroll.
Respectfully gaining protection, privileges, and accommodations because of Cevello, both Jigsaw and Cevello developed a plan on conducting a prison riot that would give both of them an opportunity to escape and where Cevello would rebuild his criminal empire and Jigsaw finally regaining his reputation within the criminal underground. But this plan found itself facing an obstacle when Punisher was finally caught and sent to the same prison where Jigsaw was being held. Deciding to make use of his power within the prison, Jigsaw couldn't resist the opportunity to gain his revenge on Punisher after sending Cevello’s men and instructing a few prison guards into staging attack on the Punisher, which proved unsuccessful.
Jigsaw would finally get the chance to come face to face with Punisher after the vigilante investigated who was trying to have him killed, where Jigsaw and a handful of Cevello’s men got into a fight before Cevello disrupted Jigsaw's attempt to kill Punisher so that it wouldn’t cause anymore attention that could cost their plans for escape. Quickly realizing this, Punisher took the advantage of Cevello's plan when trying to stop both Cevello and Jigsaw from escaping with the warden as their hostage.
Having both Jigsaw and Cevello believing that they gained the upper hand over Punisher because of the warden being held as a hostage, Jigsaw disarmed The Punisher by taking his pistol. But rather than simply escaping with the warden, Jigsaw took the opportunity to fire the gun at Punisher that resulted with his hand exploding because of how Punisher loaded it with wrong bullets. This also costed Cevello's escape as both himself and Jigsaw were returned to their prison cells after the riot was over and the Punisher making his escape from Rykers
Jigsaw was caught robbing a warehouse by Tigra. Tigra punched him around and kept him from taking anything, but was stopped by a government official who thought she was a villain. However, Jigsaw was still furious. When the Hood offered support to help villains get back at heroes, Jigsaw joined with the understanding Hood would help him get revenge on Punisher, Spider-man, and Tigra. Since it was hard to locate Frank, Hood and his goons tracked down Ms. Greer and captured her. Hood then beat her senseless while Jigsaw video-taped the whole thing.
Later, it was revealed that Hood and Jigsaw had stripped Tigra and were keeping her captive. They threatened to kill her mother if she didn't tell them where the New Avengers were. She revealed that they were in an abandoned building that was magically disguised so they couldn't be arrested. Chemistro broke the magical seal and Hood's Gang stormed the house. When Jessica Jones attempted to escape to bring her baby to safety, Jigsaw was waiting and prepared to sniper either her or the infant (both choices could easily have killed the child).
However Spider-man sneaked up on him and punched him. Jigsaw survived, but was not involved in the Hood's hunt to kill Punisher. Tigra began to avenge her assailant, but has not yet encountered Jigsaw. For now, despite being a wanted criminal, it appears he is safe from harm.
Punisher: War Journal II
Operating from within a mental hospital, Jigsaw is back and planning to kill the Punisher again after an extended hiatus. His new plan involves brainwashing mentally ill people and training them to kill so that they would be able to kill the Punisher for him.
Punisher's long ago ally and former Lady Punisher Lynn Michaels has joined SHIELD and changes her identity to go undercover where she befriends one of the hospitals patients and sympathises with his situation.
Jigsaw's plan failing thanks to a number of factors including Michaels and The Hand, the plan leads to a final confrontation with Punisher where both men are stopped and arrested by SHIELD. Michaels, only just commended for her work, gives her mentally ill friend a gun and sends him into Jigsaw's prison cell to shoot him before they are both arrested!
Frank Castle, back from the dead and on his most bloody and brutal campaign ever, to hunt down the Hood, has been working with Jigsaw's illegitimate son Henry for some years now. When the two have a misunderstanding over the kid's alcoholic mother and Punisher sends Henry packing, the young hacker comes home to find his estranged abusive father Jigsaw waiting for him.
Along with him is a hideously disfigured Stuart Clarke, his alleged businessman. Knowing that Henry has been working with Punisher all this time, Jigsaw claims that he just wants to make up for lost time and atone for his sins. But really what he means is that he has the ultimate plan to bring the Punisher to an end and claim revenge for everything over the last few decades.
Jigsaw has Microchip under lock and key, insane and livid after his last encounter with Punisher. He also has a mysterious assassin covered in burns that he claims is Frank's resurrected wife, the woman he burned back to the grave after Hood brought her back. All he needs to do is to win back his son so that he can track down the vigilante, tear him apart from the inside and then have free reign over New York.
But as tensions run high between Jigsaw and Clarke, as their plan has succeeded and true agendas begin to out, betrayal is in the air and Jigsaw, Henry and Frank find themselves in a conflict that is more complex than just the desire to kill. Henry is torn between two father figures, Jigsaw is torn between what he wants for his son and Frank is driven so helplessly mad angry that he might not care who has to die at the end of the day in order for Jigsaw to meet his maker.
In a savage fight that brutalizes, breaks, disfigures and leaves both men lying in a pool of their own blood, Jigsaw falls through the collapsing roof as the building they're on top of is being gutted by raging fire. As Frank lies unconscious, Henry tries to help his father out of the fire but rather clinging onto his pride, Jigsaw refuses and lets himself fall into the inferno.
Suddenly, Frank is up on his feet as the building is about to collapse, picks up Henry and dives from the rooftop into the telegraph wires below, electrocuting himself and taking the force of the fall to the pavement to save Henry's life. The two part way and the Jigsaw legacy has ended!
Punisher Noir
In the alternate reality that places contemporary heroes and villains into the era of Detective, PI and Mafia pop icons, Jigsaw enters as the number one hit-man of Al Capone, sent to assassinate the Punisher.
In the alternate universe where DC and Marvel characters collide, Punisher travels to Gotham City and while about to do what Batman could never have done and killed the Joker, Batman (Jean Paul Valley/Azrael) appears to stop him and they brawl. In a follow up, Jigsaw and Joker - kindred spirits - team up in the hopes of killing off both Batman and Punisher.
Garth Ennis' legendary run on the Punisher having come to an end, the MAX imprint continued with various unrelated story arcs. In this one, Punisher heads down to Mexico to wipe out a Snuff Movie Ring. Here, Jigsaw is reimagined as a gangster known as "The Heavy."
Setting a trap to have Punisher believe he is responsible for the murder of a child, Jigsaw fails as Frank performs an impromptu autopsy to find the bullet. When they go toe to toe, Punisher drops Jigsaw through a glass window where he plummets and falls onto the roof of a train. It is not known whether he is dead or alive but the character never returns.
Dominic West as Jigsaw
In the Lionsgate film Punisher: War Zone, Jigsaw is the main antagonist and is portrayed by actor Dominic West. In the film he is one of the top mobsters of the Ceasare Family, known as Billy "The Beaut" Russoti. During a meeting with the family Caesare makes fun of his psychotic brother Looney Bin Jim after an earlier conversation and afterwards dine together with the present mobsters. While dining the Punisher attacks and kills Caesare and the present thugs while Jigsaw manages to escape to a bottle recycling center.
Punisher manages to track down Russoti and a brief shootout ensues between Punisher, Jigsaw, and his goons. Russoti is thrown into a glass crushing machine by Punisher horribly disfiguring his face. Russoti decides to go by the name "Jigsaw" due to his hideous facial features due to the incident and swears vengeance on Punisher for this.
Jigsaw and his men free his insane brother James Russoti aka "Loony Bin Jim" from a mental hospital for him to aid him in his quest for vengeance. Jigsaw and co meet with a European crime boss, Cristu Bulat and make a deal with him. The pack later raids the home of the FBI agent Punisher killed (not knowing he was actually an undercover agent) where they hold his wife and daughter hostage, Punisher enters the home, kills Jigsaw's men, and engage in a firefight with Jigsaw and his brother. The two are arrested after the brief shootout but Punisher knows that them getting arrested is not the end.
Jigsaw in the precinct makes a deal with FBI; release them for the arrest of Bulat. The two are granted immunity, the 12 million dollars from Bulat, and a file on Punisher's supplier Micro. They kidnap Micro, and the FBI agent's wife and daughter and begin to recruit members for his small army of gangsters who to want revenge on Castle. Jigsaw's army completely assembled, they later engage in a shootout with the Punisher in a hotel with Punisher victorious.
Jigsaw and Looney Bin Jim flee and hold the FBI agent's wife and daughter hostage and Micro as well. Russoti offers Punisher a choice: kill Micro and they free the wife and her daughter. Punisher guns down Looney Bin Jim instead and Jigsaw kills Micro and the two engage in a very brief brawl with Castle overpowering him and impales Jigsaw with a metal pole and engulfs him flames killing him.
The Punisher (Netflix Series)
Ben Barnes as Billy Russo
Billy Russo appears as a major character in Punisher Netflix series, portrayed by British actor Ben Barnes. Born to a meth addict, Billy Russo grew up in various foster and group homes, and was nearly molested on at least one occasion. After reaching adulthood, Billy enlisted in the United States Marine Corps, where he met and befriended Frank Castle. The two men were eventually recruited into an elite military unit called Cerebus Squad, and served in a number of secret missions. Despite getting into a massive argument after an ambush that left much of Cerebus Squad dead, Billy and Frank continued their friendship after returning home from Afghanistan.
In the present, Billy has become the head of Anvil, a private military unit employed by the U.S. government. He comes into conflict with Frank, now known as the vigilante Punisher. It is eventually revealed that Russo accepted bribes to commit treason, and that he knew about the failed assassination attempt that led to the slaughter of Frank's family. When Russo's corrupt dealings are exposed, Homeland Security agents begin pursuing him, leading to him being forced to destroy Anvil headquarters. With his life in ruins, Billy sets out to get his revenge on Frank, leading to a confrontation between the former friends. The Punisher emerges victorious, and severely mutilates Billy's face. Billy is then arrested by the NYPD, and is placed into surgery to try and save his life. Though he survives, it is mentioned that the facial scarring he suffered is severe, and that he has become comatose as a result.
Jigsaw in the 2005 game
The Punisher (1990 LJN) -Jigsaw appears as a boss in the Gameboy version of the game replacing the Kingpin.
The Punisher (1993 Capcom) - Jigsaw is a sub-boss in the video game version of the game where he is fought in the final level.
The Punisher (2005 PS2/X-Box/PC) - In the 2005 video game, Jigsaw is John Saint, the son of Howard Saint, the primary antagonist of the 2004 Punisher movie. In the film, John was one of the men responsible for the murder of Frank Castle's family. It is revealed in the game that John survived the explosion at the end of the film, but was hideously disfigured as a result. Adopting the name Jigsaw, John takes over a Yakuza gang called the Eternal Sun, and vows vengeance against the Punisher. After donning a suit of high-tech battle armor, Jigsaw serves as the final boss of the game. He was voiced by Darryl Kurylo.
The Punisher: No Mercy (2009)- Jigsaw is playable character in The Punisher: No Mercy game, available for download through the Playstation network.
In 2006, Jigsaw was featured in ToyBiz's Marvel Legends line as part of a Face-Off two-pack that also featured the Punisher.
Jigsaw was featured in the HeroClix figure game.
Jigsaw was featured in Diamond Select's Minimates line.
Jigsaw was featured in Hasbro's Mighty Muggs line.
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Capitalizing On Predictable Late Season Deer Movement
Sam Ubl 01/03/2019
Late archery season can be tough for many reasons, but seasoned hunters consider the late season to be one of the best times of the year to kill a big buck – and here’s why…
Many states kick off the early archery season in mid-September, some states even earlier. Combine two months of bowhunter presence in the woods, nine days of firearms season, and ten days of muzzleloader pressure leading into December and there’s no question the deer have felt the pressure. So how could hunting after three months of pressure equal the best time of the year to kill a big buck?
In the upper Midwest where the Winter Severity Index (WSI) is moderate to severe, deer have bigger things to worry about than a past encounter they may have had with a hunter earlier in the fall, and that’s surviving the harsh winter conditions. The WSI is a measurement designed to gauge how winter weather is affecting deer survival. A WSI rating of less than 50 is considered mild to low depending on how close to 0 it gets, whereas a WSI between 50 and 79 is moderate, and 80 to 99 is harsh, or severe.
With snow falling and temperatures plummeting, layers of ice crust over stubble fields and encapsulate the forage. When food becomes scarce so does the fat buildup on a whitetails body. Their bodies consume their own fat for energy to survive and remain mobile. While deer may not understand the science behind how energy expenditure consumes fat buildup, they are innately frugal and move as little as possible during the harsh winter months. With mobility limited to short travel and regular consumption of carbohydrates and protein required to maintain what body fat remains, hunters can capitalize on the predictability of locating deer close to food sources during the late season.
Now that you understand how cold weather spurs predictable deer movement, it’s time to make your move. The late season can be one of the most effective times of the year to utilize game cameras. Once you’ve located a food source with plenty of sign, place your camera nearby and find out what time the deer are visiting the site. Since food sources are limited during this time of the year, deer “yard up” in numbers, not because they want company and extra mouths feeding on what little food is available, but because they have little choice. Chances are once you’ve found an active food source, deer aren’t bedded too far away.
The evenings usually trump mornings as you’d be more likely to scare feeding deer as you enter your stand site in the morning. Position yourself on the edges of these active food sources in the afternoon to take advantage of predictable deer movement from bedding to food in the final hour of daylight.
Sam Ubl
Sam Ubl is a Wisconsin native with a passion for outdoor writing, videography, and film production. He balances a 50/50 trade-off between time on the water and spent in the deer woods. If he’s not casting for musky in the summer, he’s off chasing giant whitetails in the places most aren’t willing to go. Sam is a freelance writer for a long list of print and online media publications and is a co-founder of the Huntmore App and Fishmore App. Sam is also the owner and co-founder of Chase Nation, the reality hunting YouTube and CarbonTV film series, along with his partner, Brad Werwinski. Check out the Chase Nation web page here and follow them on Facebook and Instagram.
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Bonn climate talks: Technical issues turning political as countries try to hash out clear options for Paris rulebook
Submitted by Secretariat on May 8, 2018 - 10:23am
8 May, Bonn: With just two days left to conclude the Bonn intersessional meetings that will set parties on course for a successful COP24 in December, countries must use the time well to advance progress on several key issues.
Alden Meyer, Director, Strategy and Policy, Union of Concerned Scientists:
“I would say that COP24 in Katowice is probably the most critical meeting since Paris. The world will be watching to see if countries are serious about implementing and strengthening the Paris Agreement. We have a mandate to adopt a package of rules to implement the Paris agreement across a range of issues. Those rules are essential to build confidence and trust in the system and facilitate greater ambition by both developed and developing countries,” said Meyer.
“Second, we need some clear political signals and a process going forward from COP24 on ways to enhance the ambition of the nationally determined contributions that countries have submitted under Paris. We don’t’ have to wait for the IPCC special report in October to know that what’s on the table now and being implemented falls far short of what’s needed to stay on track with temperature goals that countries agreed to in Paris.
And we have to figure out how to capture the very constructive spirit of the Talanoa Dialogue groups here on Sunday going into the political phase of the Talanoa Dialogue process in Katowice. “
While the Bonn meetings have seen countries engaging substantially on all fronts, actual progress on some issues is lagging. This includes the vital question of finance.
Tracy Carty: Climate Change Policy Lead, Oxfam International: “At the end of this year there is going to [need to] be agreement on finance accounting rules. It’s very technical but what we’re talking about there is the rules that will govern what counts towards the US$ 100 billion commitment and these rules really need to build confidence that that commitment will be met in a way that is fair and in a way that is robust. And one of the key things on that front is it needs to include a commitment to grant equivalent accounting. And that’s a major issue because loans make up a massive portion of climate finance. In 2016, Oxfam estimates it was around two thirds and the vast majority of that was being counted at face value not taking account of repayments or interest paid and our estimate is that essentially amounted to an overstatement of the net assistance to developing countries by around US $ 20 billion per year.”
There are still sharp political differences to be overcome that have a potential to be carried forward in upcoming ministerial moments.
Li Shuo: Senior Climate & Energy Policy Officer, Greenpeace: “As negotiations enter the second week, the progress and challenges for various rulebook issues are becoming clear. In general, Bonn has managed to advance these issues, but the different features of these issues also require tailor-made solutions. Finance and NDC would benefit from higher level political attention. Transparency will require more negotiation time. Other issues such as compliance and Global Stocktake are ready to move into text based negotiations.
As the session approaches its conclusion, a way forward is needed to transition the process from a technical to a political phase. The COP Presidencies have a unique role here in steering Parties out of the technical ‘forest’ towards a clear agenda for next session and a shared vision for Katowice.”
Climate Action Network (CAN) is a global network of over 1200 NGOs working to promote government and individual action to limit human-induced climate change to ecologically sustainable levels. www.climatenetwork.org
For more information, contact Dharini Parthasarathy, Senior Communications Coordinator, CAN International; email: dparthasarathy@climatenetwork.org, or whatsapp/call on +918826107830
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UC Riverside receives more than $4 million for avocado anti-fungus research
By Staff | KESQ | December 10, 2020
KESQ -- UC Riverside received more than $4 million in federal funds to research methods of shielding avocados from a fungus that can be devastating to crops in California and elsewhere, it was announced today.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture awarded the university a $4.4 million grant as part of its National Institute of Food & Agriculture Specialty Crop Research Initiative, with the goal of promoting development of next-generation methods of protecting orchards from Laurel Wilt, a fungus introduced by the non-native redbay ambrosia beetle.
"When the beetle attacks, the fungus enters and colonizes the tree's vascular system, and within weeks, the tree wilts and dies if not managed properly," said Patricia Manosalva, director of UCR's Avocado Rootstock Breeding Program.
The fungus has been found in Florida, and growers believe it will eventually surface in California. Along with Laurel Wilt, growers are also facing losses stemming from Phytophthora root rot, or PRR, and soil salinity, according to UCR. Salinity levels are a worldwide problem due to persistent droughts and use of reclaimed water for irrigation, officials said.
"Under this grant, we will select rootstocks harboring resistance to the current pathogen population, and we will register new fungicides with different modes of actions to reduce avocado losses to the destructive (PRR) pathogen,'' Manosalva said.
UCR's avocado breeding program was established 70 years ago, so the university is on the leading edge of developing strategies for crop protection, according to the researcher.
"This grant will allow us to keep moving the UCR rootstock breeding program forward and continue developing hearty avocado rootstocks," she said.
The program has already isolated lines that can tolerate high salinity levels, and researchers believe the same rootstocks can be refined to bolster resistance to Laurel Wilt, using grafting techniques. Field trials are pending in California and other states, as well as Puerto Rico, according to UCR.
The avocado industry generates more than $350 million in crop yields annually, according to the California Avocado Commission.
"California's produce feeds the nation, and the world,'' Monsalva said. "Our science will help feed people and empower growers everywhere.''
In a separate but related grant, the USDA awarded a team of 15 scientists from UCR and four other universities $1.9 million to study how essential oils may aid in combating algal stem blotch, brown rot, gray mold and powdery mildew that impact crops.
The grants have a four-year duration.
Read the original article here:
Department of Microbiology & Plant Pathology
Patricia Manosalva
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Top CIO movements of Q2 2019
ET CIO keeps a close watch on CIO movements -- promotions, exits and new appointments. We bring to you the top CIO movements that took place in the last quarter (July-Sep’19)
Updated: October 07, 2019, 08:38 IST
Digital transformation is no doubt at the top of the priority list of most enterprises. The catalyst to drive digital is the CIO. It’s not surprising then that there are multiple opportunities and demand for this position in organisations across verticals.
Sachin Gupta
Sachin Gupta has joined electrical products manufacturer, Usha International, as President & Chief Innovation and Information Officer. He comes after serving a 4-year stint as EVP & CIO at Havells.
Prashant Singh
Replacing Sumit Puri, Prashant Singh has Joined Max Healthcare as Director and Chief Information Officer. He comes from Radiant Life Care where he worked for 9 years. In his new role, Singh will be responsible for the entire IT operations of 14 hospitals of Max healthcare.
Anubhav Rajput
Anubhav Rajput has taken over as the SVP & CIO at Cholamandalam MS General Insurance. He will also be the Head of Digital & Operations. Rajput moved from Max Bupa Health Insurance where he ensured technology-led growth for more than 3 years.
Sumit Puri
Sumit Puri has moved on from Max Healthcare to join Evercare group, which is backed by TPG Capital, as it’s Group CTO. In this new role based in Dubai, Puri will be heading the technology wing for the entire conglomerate. He will be reporting to Andrew Currie, COO and acting CEO of Evercare Group.
Pratik Pal
Tata Sons announced the appointment of Pratik Pal as the new CEO of Tata Digital. In his role, Pal will head the entity formed for new digital businesses. Pal has been with Tata Consultancy Services for over 27 years and has held several key leadership positions across multiple business units and industry verticals. In his most recent role, Pratik was the global head of retail, travel, transportation, hospitality and consumer packaged goods industry unit, and responsible for the growth of TCS’ second largest industry segment.
Archie Jackson
Archie Jackson has joined Incedo as Senior Director and Head of Information Technology & Information Security. He has previously been the AVP- Tech & Information Security at Genpact. In this new role, his focus will be on high resilience, scalability and digital transformation for the organization and its clients.
Srinivas Rao Kollipara
Srinivas Rao Kollipara has been appointed as the new CIO of Larsen & Toubro IDPL. The ex-Cavinkare CIO will be responsible for the digital technologies. Confirming his appointment in an email, Kollipara said, "I will take the 2 in 1 role as CIO + CTO. In this new role he will be working on SAP S4 Hana, AI/ML based applications and digital technologies.
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Leukocyte Cell–Derived Chemotaxin 2–Associated Amyloidosis: A Recently Recognized Disease with Distinct Clinicopathologic Characteristics
Samih H. Nasr, Ahmet Dogan and Christopher P. Larsen
CJASN November 2015, 10 (11) 2084-2093; DOI: https://doi.org/10.2215/CJN.12551214
Samih H. Nasr
*Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota;
Ahmet Dogan
†Department of Pathology, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York; and
Christopher P. Larsen
‡Nephropath, Little Rock, Arkansas
Figures & Data Supps
Amyloidosis derived from leukocyte cell–derived chemotaxin 2 is a recently recognized form of amyloidosis, and it has already been established as a frequent form of systemic amyloidosis in the United States, with predominant involvement of kidney and liver. The disease has a strong ethnic bias, affecting mainly Hispanics (particularly Mexicans). Additional ethnic groups prone to develop amyloidosis derived from leukocyte cell–derived chemotaxin 2 include Punjabis, First Nations people in British Columbia, and Native Americans. Most patients are elderly who present with chronic renal insufficiency and bland urinary sediment. Proteinuria is variable, being absent altogether in about one third of patients. Liver involvement is frequently an incidental finding. Amyloidosis derived from leukocyte cell–derived chemotaxin 2 deposits shows a characteristic distribution: in the kidney, there is consistent involvement of cortical interstitium, whereas in the liver, there is a preferential involvement of periportal and pericentral vein regions. Concurrent renal disease is frequent, with diabetic nephropathy and IgA nephropathy being the most common. Patient survival is excellent, likely because of the rarity of cardiac involvement, whereas renal survival is guarded, with a median renal survival of 62 months in those without concurrent renal disease. There is currently no efficacious therapy for amyloidosis derived from leukocyte cell–derived chemotaxin 2 amyloidosis. Renal transplantation seems to be a reasonable treatment for patients with advanced renal failure, although the disease may recur in the allograft. The pathogenesis of amyloidosis derived from leukocyte cell–derived chemotaxin 2 amyloidosis has not yet been elucidated. It could be a result of leukocyte cell–derived chemotaxin 2 overexpression by hepatocytes either constitutively (controlled by yet-uncharacterized genetic defects) or secondary to hepatocellular damage. It is critical not to misdiagnose amyloidosis derived from leukocyte cell–derived chemotaxin 2 amyloidosis as Ig light chain–derived amyloidosis to avoid harmful chemotherapy.
leukocyte cell–derived chemotaxin 2
kidney biopsy
renal amyloidosis
liver amyloidosis
ALECT2 amyloidosis
Amyloidosis is an uncommon group of diseases characterized by extracellular deposition of insoluble fibrils, which result from abnormal folding of proteins. Amyloid deposits characteristically stain with Congo red and show anomalous color change (so-called apple-green birefringence) when examined under polarized light. Thirty-one precursor proteins of amyloid have been identified so far (1). Amyloidosis can be systemic or localized. In the United States and Europe, Ig light chain–derived (AL) amyloidosis is, by far, the most frequent type, whereas in developing countries, AA amyloidosis is more common than AL amyloidosis (2). Kidney involvement is present in most patients with AL amyloidosis (3) and AA amyloidosis (4) and may also occur in several rare hereditary forms of amyloidosis, such as those derived from fibrinogen A, transthyretin (ATTR), gelsolin (particularly in homozygotes), lysozyme, apo AI (AApo AI), AApo AII, and AApo AIV (5–8). The overall renal biopsy incidence of amyloidosis ranges from 1.3% to 4% (5–7,9).
In 2008, Benson et al. (10) discovered a new form of amyloidosis derived from leukocyte cell–derived chemotaxin 2 (ALECT2) in a patient with nephrotic syndrome and renal insufficiency who underwent nephrectomy for resection of renal cell carcinoma. Three recent large studies (5,11,12) that included a total of 144 patients (112 patients with renal amyloidosis and 32 patients with liver amyloidosis) have established that ALECT2 amyloidosis is now a frequent type of renal and hepatic amyloidosis and highlighted its distinct clinical and pathologic characteristics, including clear ethnic predisposition, typical presentation with chronic renal insufficiency with or without proteinuria, and superior patient survival to AL amyloidosis and AA amyloidosis. This mini-review highlights the current status of ALECT2 amyloidosis, including incidence, organ distribution, clinical presentation, pathogenesis, histologic characteristics, renal and patient survival, poor prognostic indicators, and recurrence in the renal allograft.
Incidence and Ethnic Predisposition
ALECT2 amyloidosis is now as common as AA amyloidosis in the United States. Of 4139 patients with clinical amyloidosis diagnosed by proteomics (regardless of the specimen site) at the Mayo Clinic, the four most common types were AL (61.7%), ATTR (24.5%), AA (3.7%), and ALECT2 (3.6%) (13). It accounts for 2.7%–10% of patients with renal amyloidosis in the United States (5,6,14). In a recent series of 474 patients with biopsy-proven renal amyloidosis from the Mayo Clinic, 86% were Ig derived, 7% were AA derived, 3% were ALECT2 derived, and 1% were fibrinogen A derived (6). In another United States series from Nephropath of 414 patients, 83% were Ig derived, 10% were ALECT2 derived, and 5% were AA derived (5). In this series, ALECT2 amyloidosis accounted for 54% of patients with renal amyloidosis (2% of total kidney biopsies received during the study period) from the southwestern United States (New Mexico, Arizona, and far west Texas) (5), which has a high concentration of Hispanics. ALECT2 amyloidosis is also a frequent cause of hepatic amyloidosis (11,15). In a recent series of 130 patients with liver amyloidosis diagnosed by proteomics at the Mayo Clinic, 62% were AL, 25% were ALECT2, 7% were AApo AI, 4% were AA, 2% were ATTR, and 1% amyloidosis derived from lysozyme (11).
In sharp contrast to other types of systemic amyloidosis, ALECT2 amyloidosis exhibits a strong ethnic bias, with 88%–92% of reported patients being Hispanics (5,11,12). All reported Hispanic patients who disclosed their origin were of Mexican descent (12,16). Because Mexican Americans constitute the largest group of United States Hispanics (63%), it is still unknown if they are more likely to develop ALECT2 than Unites States Hispanics originating from other countries. Additional ethnic groups described to develop ALECT2 with an increased frequency included Punjabis, First Nations people in British Columbia, Arabs, Israelis, and Native Americans (5,12,17,18). It is worth noting that Native-American ancestry is shared by both First Nations people and Hispanics (higher level in Mexicans and Ecuadorians compared with Colombians, Puerto Ricans, and Dominicans) (19), which may explain the bias toward both of the these populations (17). As discussed later, the strong cosegregation of ALECT2 amyloidosis with Mexican-American ethnicity together with the reported familial occurrence in two siblings and the frequent G-allele homozygosity raise the possibility that this disease may represent another form of familial amyloidosis (5,12,20).
Affected Organs
ALECT2 amyloidosis is likely a systemic form of amyloidosis with predominant involvement of kidney and liver. Of 120 patients with ALECT2 amyloidosis diagnosed by liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry (LC/MS) at the Mayo Clinic between 2007 and 2012, 72 affected the kidney, 36 liver, five spleen, three prostate, and one each from gallbladder, pancreas, small bowel, and parathyroid gland (12). Interestingly, most patients with ALECT2 amyloidosis reported so far were diagnosed by kidney biopsy in patients without clinically evident extrarenal organ involvement (5,12,17) or liver biopsy in patients without clinically evident extrahepatic organ involvement (11). A patient with biopsy-proven pulmonary ALECT2 amyloidosis was also reported (21). No patient with cardiac ALECT2 amyloidosis has been confirmed histologically so far, although there was one reported patient with hepatic and cardiac amyloidosis in whom the hepatic (but not cardiac) amyloid was proven to be ALECT2 by immunohistochemistry (IHC) and amino acid sequencing (22). Patients with renal ALECT2 amyloidosis may have amyloid deposits in the bone marrow (12). Autopsy-based studies are underway in the southwest United States to confirm the systemic nature of ALECT2 amyloidosis and shed some light on its prevalence and pathogenesis.
Clinical Characteristics
Table 1 summarizes the clinical findings from the three largest series of ALECT2 amyloidosis reported to date. Similar to AL amyloidosis, ALECT2 amyloidosis mainly affects the older population. Patients with kidney involvement are slightly older at diagnosis (median age of 69 years old) than those with liver involvement (median age of 61 years old) (5,11,12). There have been only five reported patients who were younger than 50 years old at diagnosis, the youngest of whom was 33 years old with hepatic ALECT2 amyloidosis (11,12). Most patients with renal ALECT2 amyloidosis present with chronic renal insufficiency (5,12,16). The mean serum creatinine at diagnosis was 3 mg/dl in the series by Said et al. (12) and 2.8 mg/dl in the series by Larsen et al. (5) (Table 1). In contrast to other forms of renal amyloidosis, proteinuria is an inconsistent finding in renal ALECT2 amyloidosis and lacking altogether in 21%–67% of patients (5,12). Full nephrotic syndrome is uncommon in renal ALECT2 amyloidosis, which was present in only 10% of patients in the series by Said et al. (12) Rarely, renal ALECT2 amyloidosis is an incidental pathologic finding found in the non-neoplastic parenchyma of nephrectomy specimens performed for resection of renal cell carcinoma, which was the case in four (6%) patients in the series by Said et al. (12). Microhematuria is uncommon, encountered in 16% of patients in one study (12). Chronic hypertension and diabetes mellitus are frequent (Table 1) (5,12). A minority of reported patients with renal ALECT2 had carcinoma (10,12,21), which was present in 13% of patients in one study (12). A patient with kidney and lung ALECT2 amyloidosis presenting with acute renal failure and hemoptysis has been reported (21). This patient had positive myeloperoxidase-ANCA, and therefore, his pulmonary-renal syndrome was likely caused by small-vessel vasculitis and not amyloidosis, despite the lack of crescents in the limited renal biopsy sample (eight glomeruli only) (21).
Clinical characteristics of leukocyte cell–derived chemotaxin 2 amyloidosis
Hepatic ALECT2 amyloidosis is frequently discovered as an incidental finding in liver biopsy performed during surgery for nonhepatic conditions or specimens that show other pathology that explains the liver dysfunction, such as chronic viral hepatitis or steatohepatitis (11). The most frequent clinical abnormality, if any, in patients with liver ALECT2 amyloidosis is an elevation of alkaline phosphatase (11). In contrast, most patients with liver AL amyloidosis have evidence of liver abnormality, most commonly hepatomegaly and elevated liver function tests (11). Rarely, ALECT2 amyloidosis can cause portal hypertension and variceal bleeding (23).
Leukocyte cell–derived chemotaxin 2 (LECT2) is a 16-kD cytokine first isolated by Yamagoe et al. (24) in 1996. It is widely conserved in vertebrates and identical to bovine chondromodulin-II, a cartilage-derived protein involved in bone repair. The secreted protein consists of 133 amino acids and has three intermolecular disulfide bonds (25). The tertiary structure of this protein is still unknown. Its gene in humans is located on chromosome 5q31.1-q32 (26). The LECT2 gene also encodes an 18-amino acid secretory signal at the N terminus. A polymorphism in the LECT2 gene has been identified in which there is a DNA codon change from ATC (A allele) to GTC (G allele) at position 172 (SNP rs31517), resulting in replacement of isoleucine by valine at position 40 of mature protein (26). The G allele is common, with an overall frequency of 0.477; 51% of healthy Mexicans (27) and 47% of healthy Japanese individuals (28) are homozygous of the G allele. A Japanese study found that the A/A genotype is associated with higher severity of rheumatoid arthritis (28).
LECT2 is synthesized mainly by hepatocytes. IHC studies showed that LECT2 expression is restricted to pericentral vein hepatocytes in normal mouse liver, whereas it is diffuse throughout the lobule hepatocytes in normal human liver (29,30). One study found that LECT2 protein is also expressed in a variety of other cells in many organs, including adipocytes, smooth muscle cells, endothelial cells, and epithelial cells, although of much weaker and more variable expression than in hepatocytes (31). We, however, have not found any convincing positive intracellular LECT2 staining by IHC or in situ hybridization outside the liver (A. Dogan, unpublished data). LECT2 expression is upregulated by activation of the Wnt/β-catinin signaling pathway in the liver, a commonly dysregulated pathway in carcinogenesis (29). LECT2 receptor(s) and its downstream signaling pathways are yet to be characterized. A study on Ayu (plecoglossus altivelis) showed that LECT2 interacts with a C-type lectin receptor (32). Chen et al. (33) recently showed that the inhibitory function of LECT2 on hepatocellular carcinoma is mediated by binding and inactivation of MET receptor, leading to blockage of vascular invasion and metastasis of hepatocellular carcinoma. Other studies showed that LECT2 negatively regulates the homeostasis of NKT cells in the liver (34,35).
The turnover rate of LECT2 is unknown. Its half-life was predicted to be short because of the low molecular weight (36). Plasma LECT2 concentration in normal individuals is 19.7±3.4 ng/ml (37). Its serum level is increased in liver diseases, such as acute liver injury (38), hepatocellular carcinoma (39), fatty liver (40), obesity (40), and insulin resistance (36). In contrast, a recent study showed that plasma LECT2 concentrations in patients with sepsis were remarkably low and negatively correlated with the disease severity (37). LECT2 protein was initially purified from a culture fluid of phytohemagglutinin-activated human T cell leukemia SKW-3 cells as a potential chemotactic factor for human neutrophils (24). Subsequent studies indicated that it is a multifactorial cytokine involved in chemotaxis, cell proliferation, immunomodulation, damage/repair process, tumor suppression, and glucose metabolism (33,36,41–44).
The pathogenesis of ALECT2 amyloidosis is still unknown. LECT2 is a folded protein with a β-sheet structure (45,46). The entire LECT2 protein was found in ALECT2 fibrils (10,27,47). It is unlikely that proteolytic degradation is necessary for fibril formation in ALECT2 amyloidosis in opposition to most other amyloid precursor proteins. Mereuta et al. (11) showed that hepatocytes in patients with liver ALECT2 amyloidosis strongly and uniformly expressed LECT2 mRNA, whereas hepatocytes of normal individuals and patients with AL amyloidosis did not, suggesting that constitutive or compensatory LECT2 overexpression could be responsible for ALECT2 amyloidosis (Figure 1). Because LECT2 is involved in hepatocarcinogenesis and severe liver injury, it is possible that hepatocellular damage causes upregulation of LECT2 expression and consequently, ALECT2 amyloidosis (11). However, LECT2 plasma levels tested in a few patients with ALECT2 amyloidosis were found to be normal (16). DNA sequencing performed in 26 patients with ALECT2 amyloidosis did not detect any mutation in the LECT2 gene (5,10,11,16). Interestingly, all patients tested were homozygous for the G allele (5,10,11,16). It is possible that the change from isoleucine to valine in the LECT2 protein decreases its stability and allows it to undergo amyloidogenic conformational alterations (Figure 1). Recent data indicated that LECT2 is capable of self-oligomerization in vitro (48). Oligomerization could be an intermediate step toward fibril formation, which has been shown recently in β2-microglobulin amyloidosis (49). Because of its strong ethnic bias and the reported familiar occurrence in two brothers, ALECT2 amyloidosis may represent a digenic or polygenic disorder that results from a combination of the common G/G genotype and other genetic mutations that have yet to be characterized (Figure 1) (5,20). Additional studies are needed to determine if ALECT2 is, in fact, a genetic disorder. It is also possible that ALECT2 amyloidosis is caused by interference, possibly due to a genetic defect, in the catabolic or transport pathways of LECT2, resulting in an increased local tissue concentration and amyloid fibril formation (12,16,47). Another possible etiology is an alteration in a binding partner of the LECT2 protein in the serum resulting in increased levels of free circulating LECT2. Tubular and glomerular cells in patients with renal ALECT2 amyloidosis do not overexpress LECT2 mRNA (S.H. Nasr, unpublished data). This finding and the documented disease recurrence in the renal allograft argue against the possibility that renal ALECT2 amyloidosis is caused by locally produced LECT2. Currently, we do not know whether ALECT2 deposition is a slow process that begins early in life and remains undetected until significant accumulation has occurred or whether it is a more rapid process that begins later in life (5).
Proposed pathogenesis of amyloidosis derived from leukocyte cell–derived chemotaxin 2 (ALECT2) amyloidosis. The pathogenesis of ALECT2 amyloidosis is still unknown. It is likely caused by leukocyte cell–derived chemotaxin 2 (LECT2) overexpression by hepatocytes either constitutively resulting from a combination of the common G/G genotype and yet to be defined genetic mutations or compensatory to hepatocellular damage. Upregulation of LECT2 overexpression by hepatocytes potentially leads to production of misfolded LECT2 protein. The presence of unstable LECT2 protein combined with several other factors, such as increased local concentrations, interactions with components of extracellular matrix, such as laminin and type IV collagen, and bindings with serum amyloid P (SAP), apoE, and glycosaminoglycans (GAGs), particularly heparin sulfate, ultimately lead to amyloid fibril formation and stabilization. The accumulations of large amounts of ALECT2 amyloid fibrils in the interstitium can disrupt kidney or liver architecture and impede their physiologic functions.
Pathologic Characteristics
Histologically, renal ALECT2 amyloidosis shows preferential interstitial involvement, which is usually diffuse (Figure 2, A–D) (5,6,12,14,16). The glomerular and vascular amyloid deposits are variable, ranging from absent (Figure 2C) to mild to marked (Figure 2, A and B) (5,12). This is different from AL amyloidosis and AA amyloidosis, in which glomeruli and vessels are the prime sites of amyloid deposition (6). Contrary to AApo AI amyloidosis and AApo AIV amyloidosis, which mainly affect the medullary interstitium, ALECT2 amyloidosis shows a predominant involvement of cortical interstitium (Figure 2D) (5,12). ALECT2 deposits stain strongly positive with Congo red (5) and show anomalous colors, so called apple-green birefringence, under polarized light (Figure 2B). Similar to other forms of renal amyloidosis, the fibrils ultrastructurally appear randomly oriented with a mean diameter of 7–12 nm (Figure 2, E and F). Glomerular amyloid spicules, which result from parallel arrangement of amyloid fibrils perpendicular to the glomerular basement membranes, are far less common than in AL amyloidosis (6). Immunofluorescence is usually negative, although false-positive staining for IgG with/without staining for IgM, IgA, κ, and λ may rarely occur (12), albeit with a lesser frequency than in AA deposits (6). A minority (9%) of patients with ALECT2 amyloidosis show false-positive staining for serum amyloid A (SAA) (12). Importantly, concurrent renal disease was present in 32% and 26% of patients in the studies by Larsen et al. (5) and Said et al. (12), respectively, with diabetic nephropathy being the most common lesion followed by IgA nephropathy and membranous nephropathy (5,12). Compared with patients with ALECT2 amyloidosis without concurrent renal disease on biopsy, those with concurrent renal disease have higher proteinuria and lower renal amyloid load (consistent with ALECT2 amyloidosis detection at an earlier stage) (12).
Renal pathology in amyloidosis derived from leukocyte cell–derived chemotaxin 2 (ALECT2) amyloidosis. (A) The case depicted shows extensive interstitial, glomerular, and vascular congophilic amyloid deposition. This patient had subnephrotic proteinuria (2.5 g/d) at diagnosis. Magnification, ×40. (B) Same field as in A. The congophilic amyloid deposits show anomalous colors (red, yellow, and green) under polarized light. Magnification, ×40. (C) The case depicted is from a patient who had a serum creatinine of 2.3 mg/dl at biopsy without proteinuria. There is diffuse cortical interstitial and focal arteriolar amyloid deposition with sparing of glomeruli (Congo red stain). Magnification, ×100. (D) This patient exhibits extensive involvement of cortical interstitium and glomeruli. The medullary interstitium (arrow) is spared (Congo red stain). Magnification, ×20. (E) A low-power electron microscopic image showing several interstitial collections of amyloid deposits (arrows). Magnification, ×5800. (F) A higher-magnification image reveals the fibrillar substructure of deposits. Magnification, ×49,000.
As in the kidney, ALECT2 deposits in the liver have a characteristic histologic morphology. In contrast to AL deposits, which typically exhibit a perisinusoidal distribution pattern, ALECT2 deposits are seen preferentially surrounding the central veins and in the periphery of portal tracts and exhibit a distinctive globular appearance (Figure 3) (11). As mentioned above, most specimens with liver ALECT2 deposits show other pathology that may account for liver dysfunction, most commonly chronic hepatitis C and steatohepatitis (11).
Liver pathology in amyloidosis derived from leukocyte cell–derived chemotaxin 2 (ALECT2) amyloidosis. (A) There are periportal deposits of strongly congophilic amyloid deposits. Magnification, ×100. (B) In this low-power image, strongly congophilic amyloid deposits are seen surrounding the central veins. In contrast to Ig light chain–derived amyloidosis, the perisinusoidal spaces are spared. Magnification, ×40. (C) On high magnification, ALECT2 deposits form large acellular globules, which appear blue on trichrome stain. Magnification, ×200.
Typing amyloid deposits by LC/MS-based proteomics is currently the best tool to diagnose ALECT2 amyloidosis and other forms of amyloidosis because of its high sensitivity and specificity and because it is a single test that can detect the culprit protein in contrast to IHC typing of amyloidosis, which requires staining for multiple antibodies using several tissue sections (6,50,51). LECT2 protein has many lysine and arginine residues and therefore, can readily be digested by trypsin into peptides, and the amino acid sequence of the peptides can be determined by LC/MS. The diagnosis of ALECT2 amyloidosis by LC/MS is made according to clinically established criteria by identification of LECT2 peptide spectra and amyloid-associated proteins (serum amyloid P [SAP] and apoE) (Figure 4) (11,51). Because plasma concentration of LECT2 is trivial, contamination of amyloid deposits by serum LECT2 is not an issue, and the diagnosis is usually straightforward. Unfortunately, clinical amyloid typing by proteomics is available only in few selected centers, such as the Mayo Clinic. There are now several commercially available antibodies for IHC detection of LECT2 that seem to be highly sensitive (Figure 5); however, weak false-positive staining may occur (52), which may result from aggressive antigen retrieval (53). Therefore, it is crucial that LECT2 antibody is carefully validated and optimized for the diagnosis of ALECT2 (53). In cases that exhibit only weak staining for LECT2, false-positive staining for SAA, or staining for Ig light or heavy chains by immunofluorescence or immunoperoxidase, confirmation by LC/MS is strongly recommended. When amyloid typing is performed by IHC, it is critical that the testing is done with a panel of antibodies against several types of amyloidosis, so-called comparative IHC, instead of staining for a single precursor protein (54). In general, better results are obtained if amyloid typing by IHC is performed in specialized laboratories (54–56). Of note, monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance was present in 10% and 8% of patients reported by Said et al. (12) and Larsen et al. (5), respectively, highlighting the importance of accurate typing of amyloid deposits to avoid misdiagnosing ALECT2 amyloidosis as AL amyloidosis (see below). We propose the algorithm shown in Figure 6 for diagnosis of ALECT2 amyloidosis.
Laser microdissection/mass spectrometry in a patient with renal amyloidosis derived from leukocyte cell–derived chemotaxin 2 (ALECT2) amyloidosis. (A) Glomerular and (B) interstitial congophilic amyloid deposits visualized under fluorescent light and marked for microdissection. Magnification, ×200. (C) Vacant spaces after microdissection of glomerular amyloid deposits. Magnification, ×200. (D) List of amyloid-associated proteins identified within the deposits by liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry (LC/MS) from a patient with ALECT2 displayed by Scaffold (proteome software). The four columns represent separate microdissected samples run in replicate. The spectra value indicates the total number of mass spectra collected on the mass spectrometer and matched to the protein using the proteomic software. A higher number of mass spectra is indicative of greater abundance of protein and greater amino acid sequence coverage. Our clinical amyloid testing requires a minimum number of four spectra with >95% probability in all samples before the protein identification will be deemed clinically valid. In this case, the presence of abundant spectra for apoE and serum amyloid P is indicative of amyloid, whereas the presence of abundant spectra for leukocyte cell–derived chemotaxin 2 (LECT2) establishes the type as ALECT2 amyloidosis.
Immunohistochemical staining for leukocyte cell–derived chemotaxin 2 (LECT2). Glomerular and interstitial amyloid deposits are strongly positive for LECT2 by immunohistochemistry in this patient with renal amyloidosis derived from LECT2 amyloidosis. Magnification, ×100.
Proposed algorithm for diagnosis of amyloidosis derived from leukocyte cell–derived chemotaxin 2 (ALECT2) amyloidosis. AL, Ig light chain–derived; IHC, immunohistochemistry; LECT2, leukocyte cell–derived chemotaxin 2; SAA, serum amyloid A.
Prognosis and Treatment
Patient survival in ALECT2 amyloidosis is significantly better than that of AL amyloidosis and AA amyloidosis, likely because of the rarity or absence of cardiac involvement in ALECT2 amyloidosis. In a series of 72 patients with renal ALECT2 amyloidosis, only 6% of 64 patients with available data died after a median follow-up of 22 months (12). The renal survival, however, is guarded; 39% of patients in the above-mentioned study progressed to ESRD (12). In the study by Larsen et al. (5), in which 32% of patients had concurrent renal disease, follow-up was available in 21 patients, and two of them had ESRD at diagnosis. The remaining 19 patients had an average deterioration in renal function of 0.5 ml/min per 1.73 m2 per month after a mean follow-up of 50 months (5). Outcome analysis was performed in the study by Said et al. (12). Independent predictors of renal survival in renal ALECT2 amyloidosis without concurrent kidney disease on biopsy were serum creatinine at diagnosis, with a value of 2.0 mg/dl being the best cutoff for predicting ESRD, degree of glomerulosclerosis, and presence of diabetes (12). Renal amyloid load and degree of proteinuria did not predict outcome (12).
There is currently no specific therapy for ALECT2 amyloidosis. Because the precursor protein is normal (nonmutant) LECT2, liver transplantation probably is not effective, although this approach has not been tested. Preliminary data suggest that renal transplantation is a reasonable therapeutic option for patients with advanced renal failure. In one recent series, the disease recurred in one of five patients transplanted, but the short-term outcome was good: after a mean duration of 20 months of post-transplant follow-up, no patient had graft loss, and two patients had normal final serum creatinine (12). Some potential future therapies for ALECT2 amyloidosis include reducing the supply of LECT2 (such as by Wnt/β-catinin signaling pathway inhibitors, etinoids, exisulind, and endostatin), inhibiting fibrillogenesis (such as by blocking the binding of glycosaminoglycans to amyloid fibrils), enhancing clearance of amyloid by immunotherapy, and promoting amyloid regression by targeting SAP. SAP is a major component of amyloid deposits of any type. Antibodies to human SAP were shown to eliminate visceral AA deposits in mice (57). It is critical not to misdiagnose ALECT2 amyloidosis as AL amyloidosis to avoid harmful therapy (20). This error may occur, because ALECT2 amyloidosis has only recently been recognized, most patients are elderly, and a minority have monoclonal gammopathy (comparable with the general elderly population) (5,12). In one series, four (6%) patients received chemotherapy with or without stem-cell transplant for an erroneous diagnosis of AL amyloidosis (12).
Nephrologists and pathologists should maintain a high level of suspicion for ALECT2 amyloidosis in older individuals of Mexican origin who present with renal impairment and bland urinary sediment, regardless of the degree of proteinuria, and a Congo red stain should be performed. Hepatic ALECT2 amyloidosis may not be the cause of clinically significant liver disease. Recent studies on ALECT2 amyloidosis remind us of the importance of accurate typing of the amyloid deposits and confirmation by LC/MS when indicated to establish that the culprit proteins causing amyloidosis really are Ig light chains and not other proteins, such as LECT2, TTR, or SAA, to avoid unnecessary and harmful chemotherapy.
Published online ahead of print. Publication date available at www.cjasn.org.
Copyright © 2015 by the American Society of Nephrology
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Mozilla Releases Firefox Container Extension to Isolate Facebook Browsing Data
By Christian/30th March 2018/No Comments
Mozilla Corporation has implemented new technology by creating a Firefox extension in an effort to isolate specific social media data collection and improve the security of web browsing users.
The well-known browser maker has launched the Firefox Container as a consequence of the recent Cambridge Analytica incident and ongoing investigations of Facebook’s data mishandling aspersions. In response to the security breaches and controversy surrounding the misuse of Facebook user data, Mozilla accelerated the release of the Facebook Container add-on technology, which was previously in the development process with other plugins.
Data analysis firm, Cambridge Analytica, purportedly collected millions of Facebook user data without consent, leading to a potential value for the Trump presidential campaign. As a result, Facebook’s CEO made a public commitment to implement limitations on developer access to user data. Unsatisfied by these limitations, Mozilla has removed advertisements from Facebook as an additional response to Facebook’s data collection practices.
As Facebook’s default privacy setting remained problematic, Mozilla expedited the premiere of the Facebook Container extensions, empowering its web browser users to maintain and increase the regulation of their online privacy and security features.
Further examples of Mozilla’s ongoing commitment to security and usability can be noted through their Extended Support Release of Java Plugins this year. In 2017, Mozilla Firefox announced the removal of the Java Plugin support from its latest version of the web browser. Bank of Ireland addressed this impediment of access to their business clients concerning the Business On Line feature. As a result, Mozilla ensured functionality for older versions of the web browser for such issues while developing a solution towards future plugin support and integration as promised and executed in 2018.
As Irish businesses increase their use of online advertisements through Facebook, concerns were taken into consideration by Mozilla and other web browsing pioneers, despite their own removal of ads in protest of negative data practices. This is highlighted through ongoing developments made by Mozilla to improve usability, the security of plugins, and extensions for business users in Ireland and various locations in Europe.
As noted in the Facebook data security breach and Bank of Ireland inconvenience, Mozilla Corporation demonstrates a continuous development of technology towards user privacy and usability, with an involved interest of their users alongside their corporate responsibility and focus on technology improvements.
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Category Archives: African American education
South African-like Apartheid Practices by Some White and Black Charter Schools in America: The Nonprofit Georgia Center for Children and Education is Concerned That Segregation Has Returned in America – Despite Brown V. Board of Education of Topeka – Some “Cream of the Crop”-Seeking Charter Schools are Weeding Out Minorities and Low-Income Students and Instead are Often Enrolling Wealthy Mostly White Students
Posted on March 21, 2012 by TerenceDicks
There is an alarming, disturbing trend in public education – the return of Segregation in Charter Schools Segregation has returned in America – this despite the historic lawsuit “Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka” – a landmark decision of … Continue reading →
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Augustans need to speak out if they want high-speed rail service to Atlanta: Southeast High Speed Rail (SEHSR) Corridor from Charlotte, NC to Atlanta, GA hopefully through Augusta
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FAQ — Subbmitting a Review
What are you looking for in a review?
In general I am looking for enough information that another person can make a determination of whether they are interested or not.
One line reviews that say: "I had a good time" tend to get rejected out of hand. Reviews that sound like blatant advertising tend to be returned for a rewrite. Reviews that are one long diatribe to castigate someone or something tend to be ignored.
Ideally reviews should be unsolicited with no one the wiser until it has been reviewed. Reviews should be written in neutral tone, be respectful, and show tolerance.
Note: I always solicit a response to a negative review and I get rather upset when the review process is used to threaten someone.
How do I submit a review?
If you look at the top of the web site, you'll find a link marked “Submit”. That'll take you to a form to start your review.
How do I submit a review with multiple Escorts?
You submit one review for each escort in the order that you want them listed. You only need to put the session information (i.e. experience) in the first review. In the subsecquent reviews just cue me to look at the first review and the names of the all the escorts involved. It's important that you give me the full contact information on each escort.
Who can submit a review?
Basically we accept reviews from anybody. If it's an unusual circumstance we expect you to be up front and mention that in the review.
For example: Reviewing your roommate, reviewing your agency, your phone number is the same as the reviewer)
If you don't we'll either decline the review or mark it as suspicious. Writing you own review is too narcissistic for even Daddy to handle.
Can I make changes to my review?
Up to the time that we publish the review, it's fairly easy to change the review. It will delay the processing because we have to go back and work it into the queue. If you do it multiple times we will eventually “Shoot the writer and put it out anyway”.
Reply to the confirmation notice and tell us what the changes are. It is important that you highlight the change in some way because I really don't have a easy way to do a character by character compare.
You've asked me not to shout; What do mean?
ON THE INTERNET THAT'S WHEN YOU TYPE WITH ALL CAPTIAL LETTERS. It's very difficult for the average person to read, Too much work to correct. We tend to just bounce the review.
note: i can handle "all lowercase" reviews. i have a utility program that almost does a good job in correcting that. fair enough?
Do you take "No-Show" reviews?
In general we look at these on a case-by-case basis. In general we "Hold" these type of reviews because it is very difficult to verify this type of situation.
What if I prepaid for a "No Show"?
In general, you should never prepay for services. If you come across a site that asks for a prepayment via Western Union or Money order, it is highly probable that it's a Scam.
Do not submit a review because there will be a delay before I see it. Send email directly to daddy@daddysreviews.com and include the details as this is not the norm for the industry.
What if I don't like his attitude...
Hooboy once said: "Folks, if you didn't eat at the restaurant, I don't think you can write about the sashimi. If you don't like the way the menu looks or if the staff has an attitude problem, move on. Do not try to dish the dish."
How long does it take for a review to be posted?
Typically reviews are published within one to two weeks. We tend to publish them in the order received but popular escorts, new escorts, new reviewers, and negative reviews, can take up to thirty days to publish.
The first thing you should look for is a confirmation message that we've received it and that it's queued up for processing.
I didn't get a confirmation message after a week...
During the week I tend to send out confirmations once a day. On the weekends or when I'm really busy it may take one or two days. In extreme cases it can take up to a week (i.e. When I'm traveling).
First check to see if it's in your spam folder, and also that you've whitelisted our domain (i.e. It's ok to receive email from “daddysreviews.com”).
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Two killed, others injured in Kaduna community
7 days ago Adeleke Olubanwo
Security operatives, on Tuesday, conducted further air missions over locations in Birnin Gwari Local Government Area, even as they rescued a minor from bandits in Igabi Local Government Area.
This was confirmed by the Kaduna State government on Tuesday.
Confirming the rescue of the minor, the state Commissioner for Internal security and Home Affairs, Mr. Samuel Aruwan explained that, “in continuation of offensives over identified bandit hideouts, air platforms on Tuesday conducted armed missions over locations in Birnin Gwari Local Government Area.
“According to operational feedback to the Kaduna State Government, armed reconnaissance was carried out over Gayam, Gagafada, Gwaska, Goron Dutse and environs.
“Bandits on motorcycles were sighted at Gayam, and were neutralized by the fighter jet crew after a short delay due to visibility.”
The statement further said, “A suspected bandit settlement was sighted just southeast of Goron Dutse, which was subjected to further scans. All other areas were calm with no threats observed.
“Governor Nasir El-Rufai expressed satisfaction at the latest operational feedback, and commended the Military for the highly pro-active missions.”
“In a separate development, security agencies informed the Kaduna State Government that a minor was rescued from kidnappers around Mando, Igabi Local Government Areas.
“In response to a distress call from the victims’ parents, the Divisional Police Officer, Rigasa, and the army officer in charge of the general area mobilized to the location, and evacuated the child.
“The victim has been reunited with his parents.
“Governor El-Rufai expressed his elation at the news, and commended the lead officers for their prompt response and exemplary dedication to duty.
READ EPL: Mourinho criticizes Tottenham players for failing to win Fulham, singles out one player
“The Governor has directed the Ministry to issue a special commendation to the officers in light of the rescue,” the statement added.
Tags: Kaduna, Metro
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← Video footage of murder: Is it too prejudicial or probative?
Part-time Law School Students Can Participate in Study Abroad Programs →
by Terry Carella | July 24, 2015 · 10:00 am
WMU-Cooley student from France pitches a strike during Cooley for Kids Day – and in law school.
WMU-Cooley student Romain Peyret getting ready to throw a first pitch during Cooley for Kids on July 22, 2015.
“This was a first for me,” proclaimed WMU-Cooley student Romain Peyret when asked about being chosen to throw out a first pitch during this year’s Cooley for Kids Day. “It was a fun experience and nice that the kids got to go out on the field with the players. It was a great day for a ball game!”
CLICK HERE FOR THE 2015 COOLEY FOR KIDS PHOTO ALBUM
Romain is no stranger to firsts and doing new things. He’s been all over the world since he was born. His father was in the French Army, so he and his twin brother, Benoit, along with his younger brother Luc, moved a lot. Romain explained that he learned early on how to adapt to new experiences and to think of everything as an adventure.
“We lived in Tahiti, New Caledonia, French Guyana, and just about everywhere in France” shared Romain. “But I lived the last 10 years in Orlando, Florida. I was always interested in the law, but leaning toward a career as an FBI agent. It was after I participated on a mock trial team in college that I was sold. I knew then that I was going to be a prosecutor.”
Romain let’s Nathan know that he only has to make it to the catcher – that’s it!
Romain started looking into law schools and asked around for suggestions. His friend suggested Western Michigan University Cooley Law School. He knew about WMU-Cooley and thought the law school would be a good fit for him. He took his friends advice, applied, and was accepted.
One more move for Romain – this time to Lansing, Michigan! And he’s never looked back. He’s taking in every minute, along with excelling in his studies, meeting law students from all over the world, and making sure to get involved in the law school’s student organizations. In fact, Romain jumped the chance to be a part of WMU-Cooley’s intramural softball team.
WMU-Cooley law students and Parks & Rec kids at Cooley Law School Stadium.
“I love being busy and involved in all types of organizations and social activities,” stated Romain. “I never really knew much about – forget played – baseball before I came to WMU-Cooley. It just wasn’t something I thought about until we came to the United States. I’m really glad I got some practice in before I stepped on the mound to throw a first pitch at Cooley for Kids though!
Striiike!!
“It looked like a strike to me,” declared Julie Mullens, WMU-Cooley’s director of the Lansing campus. “Heads up Central Florida! Not only will you have a sharp, fair and direct prosecutor arriving in a couple years, you will also have a highly valued left-handed pitcher!
Each year, over 500 kids from Lansing’s Parks and Recreation program join up with law students at Cooley Law School Stadium for Cooley for Kids Day. Nine lucky Parks and Rec kids and law students pair up as part of the game’s Dream Team – where they take the bases with Lansing Lugnuts players on the field before the game. Plus, a law student, like Romain, and a Parks and Rec student get to throw out a first pitch, and a WMU-Cooley law student gets to sing the National Anthem. There’s a parade around the ball field, lunch, and a fun 7th Inning stretch activity to cap the day’s events.
WMU-Cooley also puts law students and Parks & Rec students together for Cooley for Kids “Day with Big Lug.” This year they met up on June 17, 2015, at Lansing’s Crego Park for a day of sun and water fun. WMU-Cooley law student Denaye Wallace and Big Lug give a thumbs up before they head off for another one of the day’s activities.
Filed under Latest News and Updates, Student News, Uncategorized
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Who Does What?: Doctors of BC and College of Physicians and Surgeons of BC
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Mission & Primary Tenet
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Our families know us best and love to tell those looking at Crossroads about their experiences. If you’d like to connect directly with any of these families, please email Anne May, Director of Advancement & Enrollment.
Katie, Dave, and
Oliver V
When we visited Crossroads as a prospective family, we could tell this is a school where showing up as your true and full self is valued.
Sharon and
Bryan Ammons
The top 5 reasons we love Crossroads!
Jim Guest, Liz Lewis,
Andrew and Claire Guest
Class of 2019 and 12th Grade
Crossroads has been excellent academically, preparing our son to excel at a demanding college, and putting our senior year daughter in a position to have great post-high school choices herself.
Al, Liz, Nick, and
Alex Babusis
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Crossroads provided a solid education for our oldest son, Nick, who is now in his first year at a great engineering school.
Riisa Rawlins-Easley
and Nadia Rawlins
Being in a school that prioritized college-readiness AND paid attention to the ways in which Black students are often marginalized in academic settings was of the utmost importance to us.
© Crossroads College Preparatory School | 500 DeBaliviere Ave., St. Louis, MO 63112 | 314-367-8085 | info@crossroadscollegeprep.org
When we visited Crossroads as a prospective family, we could tell this is a school where showing up as your true and full self is valued. Right away we felt, and still feel, appreciated for who we are as a family. We feel Crossroads is a breath of fresh air. As a Crossroads student, Oliver is full of joy. He looks forward to going to school each day, whether it is an in-person day or a virtual day.
When we were looking at enrolling Oliver in a new school for 7th to 12th grade, we were so impressed by the way Crossroads checked the boxes on our list of criteria: it has a strong academic program with differentiated learning built into the curriculum. There are AP classes offered in different areas of study, and many interesting upper-level course offerings that seem to be a hallmark of a Crossroads education. The enrollment is smaller than that at other area independent schools, meaning that the student/teacher ratio is lower. As a result, attention is quite individualized for each student, and learning is very personalized. There are plenty of extracurricular activities, many of them student-initiated. The faculty and staff are dedicated and caring— they are incredibly accessible and go beyond what is expected to make sure the needs of each student are met. The student body is diverse, friendly, and inclusive— you absolutely can be yourself at Crossroads.
Sharon and Bryan Ammons
Crossroads has a smaller and more concentrated community.
Crossroads recognizes Bryan’s achievements; no matter how big or small.
Crossroads is able to create a specialized curriculum concentrating on Bryan’s strengths.
Crossroad’s faculty respects the students as individuals.
100% of Crossroads students are accepted to college.
Crossroads has been excellent academically, preparing our son to excel at a demanding college, and putting our senior year daughter in a position to have great post-high school choices herself. At Crossroads, we have loved the diverse, supportive school environment, incredibly energized and talented teachers, as well as loving families that are now forever part of our community. There is no school in St. Louis that offers this type of experience and we are proud to be Crossroads parents.
Al, Liz, Nick, and Alex Babusis
Crossroads provided a solid education for our oldest son, Nick, who is now in his first year at a great engineering school. It is large enough to provide a variety of classes and experiences but also small enough that most students and parents know each other. Our youngest son, Alex, is now at Crossroads and says it is the friendliest school he has ever attended. The school has a core of dedicated teachers and staff who bring out the best in the students, not only academically but with social responsibility and a sense of justice. Here our kids are not just another face in a crowded classroom; the teachers know the kids as persons.
Being in a school that prioritized college-readiness AND paid attention to the ways in which Black students are often marginalized in academic settings was of the utmost importance to us. The centering of justice and equity in a mission that places equal weight on students being smart AND good piqued our interest; our experience of the community trying to grow into that aspiration is what keeps us active.
Nadia: It is important for me to be in a community with people who look like me.
Riisa: It is inspiring to watch my daughter grow in confidence and leadership as she fully engages her authentic self – with all of its wonderful, dynamic, creative complexity – in a community that has truly become her own.
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Entropy preservation through cryptographic hash function
First, while studying MinEntropy a bit, I came across an NIST paper, "DRAFT SP 800-90B (second draft)," which suggests "twice" the entropy of the underlying block of a cryptographic hash function be used as input in order to have an output hash having fully saturated entropy capacity. This seemed unnecessary to me, for in my hobbyist study I had learned prior that one could assume -- even though obviously one can't, given that surjection hasn't, to my knowledge, been proven -- that a cryptographic hash function that isn't broken ought to preserve each entropy bit of input in the output, up to the bit length of the output.
From similar questions here, which are so many years old I figured I ought to ask a new one instead of reply, I heard it claimed that using a hash function -- let's say SHA256 for the sake of conversation -- to hash an input string having N < 257 bits of entropy, could produce -- specifically because of collisions -- an output having less than N bits of entropy.
I understand that if you have a set of 2^64 elements, and consider this set as constituting 64 bits of entropy because of being essentially a state machine with that many states, that if you were to hash each element of this domain subset into the codomain subset it corresponds to, that you could end up with fewer than 2^64 elements in the codomain subset because of collisions, which are certain because of the pigeonhole principle -- cryptographic hash functions are non-injective.
However, if you have an arbitrary single input, rather than a set of inputs, so, say, a string containing within it 64 bits of entropy, it seems different than having a set of 2^64 elements. Clearly the 2^64 elements may not each map to individual codomain elements, and in this context I see how collisions can reduce entropy, particularly as the input set size increases toward 2^256, in the case of SHA256. But what does that really say about the entropy of an output produced from a single input having 64, or 256, bits of entropy?
I can imagine that I ought think from the perspective of an attacker trying to crack a 256 bit symmetric algorithm's key or password. So, the user had a password with, say, 256 bits of entropy, and hashed it with SHA256 to make it to the appropriate size (or because of whatever reason). My thought was that this would result in 256 bits of entropy in the output hash, but it seems many are arguing that, because of having such an entropy:output_bit_count ratio (1 here, but even when approaching 1), the output hash will have less entropy in it than was input into the function, because of collisions.
Well, certainly trying to guess the user's password -- directly -- will require 2^256 operations to have certainty of success. So will trying to directly guess the hash output, but it would regardless of the input entropy simply because of being an unknown 256 bit string. Trying to indirectly guess the hash output by guessing the password correctly would require 2^256 operations just the same as guessing the password, other than for that other guesses than the valid password could produce the same output hash because of a collision, and the goal is guessing the hash, not the input per se.
So, if I know that there are 2^256 potential passwords (and am not smart enough to just directly attack the key instead), I may not need to go through them to the correct one, but only to one that has a collision with it.
But is this really the collision -- the lack of being injective -- causing the loss of entropy, or is it because from a 2^256 domain subset to a 2^256 codomain, lacking the property of being injective means there is a lack of surjectivity? Because two inputs go to one output, it isn't injective. But because the (subset) domain is the same element count as the codomain, the lack of 1:1 guarantees a lack of surjectivity.
I already know that a cryptographic hash function that isn't surjective can't maintain entropy in up to the bit length out; it can't produce outputs with more entropy than its own state space, so if it can't cover the codomain it can only preserve entropy in up to the log2(state space) it can cover bits, instead of the full output bit length, which is only true assuming it is surjective such that the state space is 2^bit_length_out.
I think it is important to know if it is truly the collision that reduced the entropy, or the lack of being surjective when constrained to a subset of the domain. Because the domain is vastly larger than the codomain, so there are actually very many ways 256 bits of entropy can be expressed in the domain, but only 2^256 ways it can be in the codomain.
If it is indeed because of the lack of being injective, what, if any, implications are there by the fact of the lack of 1:1 in the 2^256 element (subset)domain/(full)codomain relation intrinsically means a lack of being surjective as well? Is the loss of entropy in the output, by the collision, equal to, or even the same as, the entropy loss by the lack of being surjective?
hash keys key-derivation sha-256 entropy
GratisGratis
$\begingroup$ There seems to be a bit of repetition in your question. In the end I was getting worried that you would yourself enter a cycle ;) $\endgroup$ – Maarten Bodewes♦ Nov 13 '19 at 14:47
$\begingroup$ I agree with the above comment and I think you should clean up your question and make it more precise exactly what you are asking. $\endgroup$ – kodlu Nov 13 '19 at 19:27
$\begingroup$ I removed a paragraph that was arguably needless because of being repetitive. I can see how it still has some repetition in it, but I believe a little to be helpful for keeping things in working memory. And you made me smile Maarten, thanks for that. $\endgroup$ – Gratis Nov 13 '19 at 21:52
$\begingroup$ This answer studies the special case of a $h$-bit hash, modeled as a random function, fed with uniformly random $h$-bit string. It shows that the expected entropy on output is next to $h−0.827245\ldots$ bits for $h\ge2$. That entropy reduction is due to collisions in the hash. Is the question extending that to a $w\ne h$-bit input string with $b\ll w$ entropy? Or did things boil down to this shorter question? $\endgroup$ – fgrieu♦ Nov 15 '19 at 8:10
I didn't follow all of the question, but let's take a small example. Suppose $X$ is uniformly distributed in $\{1,2,3\}$, so that $\Pr[X = x] = 1/3$ for any $x \in \{1,2,3\}$. If we define
\begin{equation*} f(1) = 2, \qquad f(2) = 3, \qquad f(3) = 2, \end{equation*}
then we have
\begin{align*} \Pr[f(X) = 1] &= 0, \\ \Pr[f(X) = 2] &= \Pr[X = 1] + \Pr[X = 3] = 2/3, \\ \Pr[f(X) = 3] &= \Pr[X = 2] = 1/3. \end{align*}
The min-entropy of $X$ is $-\log \max_{x\in\{1,2,3\}} \Pr[X = x] = \log 3$, whereas the min-entropy of $f(X)$ is $-\log \max_{y\in\{1,2,3\}} \Pr[f(X) = y] = \log 1.5$.
In general, the entropy of $f(X)$ is related to the entropy of $X$ by $H[f(X)] \leq H[X]$, and equality holds if and only if $f$ is injective. When the domain and codomain of $f$ are the same, then it just so happens that $f$ is injective if and only if $f$ is surjective.
So what about SHA-256? Well, any distribution supported on fewer than $2^{256}$ distinct values cannot have 256 bits of entropy. If we model SHA-256 as a uniform random function $F$, then on any set of inputs, there's a nonzero probability that $F$ is not a surjection onto the 256-bit strings; on $2^{256 + k}$ distinct inputs, the expected fraction of distinct outputs is about $1 - e^{-2^k}$, which rapidly approaches $1$.
This doesn't exactly answer what the entropy of $\operatorname{SHA-256}(X)$ is, but it gives a rough proxy for the entropy attainable by $\operatorname{SHA-256}(X)$ in terms of the entropy of $X$, and it's why NIST suggests choosing double-size inputs for ‘full entropy’.
Note: This is only about injectivity and collisions. ‘Surjectivity’ is a red herring. You can take any surjection $f\colon A \to B$ and make it fail to be a surjection by artificially expanding its codomain and calling it $f'\colon A \to (B \cup C)$, but the entropy of $f(X)$ and $f'(X)$ would be exactly the same even though $f$ is technically a surjection and $f'$ is not. Similarly, you could take SHA-256, and append a string of 256 zero bits: $F(x) := \operatorname{SHA-256}(x) \mathbin\| 0^{256}$; then $F(X)$ has exactly the same entropy as $\operatorname{SHA-256}(X)$, even though $F(X)$ is a 512-bit string and $\operatorname{SHA-256}(X)$ is a 256-bit string.
Squeamish OssifrageSqueamish Ossifrage
$\begingroup$ In the case of your SHA256 example, the reason why they have the same entropy, however, is exactly because F(x) is not surjective over the 512 bit codomain, and only can cover up to 2^256 elements of it, while a surjective SHA256(x) covers 2^256 too. The distinction that I feel you may be missing (I'm asking questions because I don't know, though) is that expanding the codomain for f' doesn't just make f-256 into f'-256, but also increases 256 to be log2(artificially expanded co-domain). So, the entropy is exactly the same, but it is because f' isn't surjective over the new space. $\endgroup$ – Gratis Nov 14 '19 at 0:53
$\begingroup$ @Gratis The point is that ‘surjectivity’ is a matter of perspective about what codomain you think of the function in, and unlike injectivity has nothing to do with entropy. It is, perhaps, relevant to efficiency, but that doesn't seem to be what you were asking about. Can you expand on why you are concerned with surjectivity? $\endgroup$ – Squeamish Ossifrage Nov 14 '19 at 1:02
$\begingroup$ It is certain that surjectivity has to do with entropy. If SHA256 is surjective over the 256 bit string codomain, it would not, by this, be prevented from preserving 256 bits of input entropy in the output hash; however, if it always produces one of 2^120 outputs, which means it isn't surjective over the 256 bit string codomain, then it cannot preserve 256 bits of entropy from input to output. Rather, only up to 120 bits of entropy could be preserved. $\endgroup$ – Gratis Nov 14 '19 at 1:12
$\begingroup$ Let's take another example: The function $\phi\colon n \mapsto \operatorname{Salsa20}_k(n) - (0,n,0)$ from 128-bit strings to 512-bit strings is injective, but not a surjection onto all 512-bit strings. Since it is injective, it preserves entropy: if $N$ has 256 128 of entropy, then $\phi(N)$ has 128 bits of entropy. It is a surjection onto its image (i.e., the space of all $2^{128}$ strings of the form $\phi(n)$ for some $n$), but not a surjection onto the space of all 512-bit strings. It's a surjection onto one space but not another, but it preserves entropy because it's injective. $\endgroup$ – Squeamish Ossifrage Nov 14 '19 at 1:19
$\begingroup$ Now, if you're asking whether the size of the image sets a bound on the entropy, then obviously the answer is yes! If the image has size $\ell$, then obviously the entropy of the output cannot exceed $\log \ell$ no matter what the entropy of the input is. But I lost track of what you're trying to get at with surjectivity. $\endgroup$ – Squeamish Ossifrage Nov 14 '19 at 1:22
It's simply due to a hash function acting (within it's block size $n$) as:-
You'll notice that there is no possible 'A' output as there was a collision at 'C'. It's a version of the pigeon hole principle meaning that when two birds occupy one hole, you must have an empty hole remaining. Some of the output bins of a pseudo random function (hash extractor) remain empty due to such pseudo random collisions. A proper hash function exhibits the avalanche effect with 50% of the output bits likely to change. Taken across the entire output domain, that means $1/e$ of them will always remain empty for $n$ sized inputs. Which is just common statistics or $P = (1-1/n)^n$ simplified.
$1/e$ ~ 37%. Since cryptography is about security, we conservatively round that to 50%. Hence you only get half out of what you put in. But that clearly still gives you missing values, and therefore a $\epsilon$ deviation from uniform randomness. NIST requires $\epsilon \leq 2^{-64}$ for 'full entropy'. They also suggest a minimum block width of 128 bits for 'approved' entropy conditioners. If you take the Left Over Hash lemma, the probability that the extractor output will deviate from a perfectly uniform k-bit string by $\epsilon = 2^{-(h_{\infty}-k)/2}$. Run the numbers, and you get $2^{-64} = 2^{-(256-128)/2}$. Or, always put in $2 \times$ as much, as per SP 800-90B.
Paul UszakPaul Uszak
$\begingroup$ That is, to the extent I could follow it, what I had assumed. It isn't really because of the collision per se, but rather is because the collision -- assuming the domain and codomain have equivalent element counts -- intrinsically means a lack of surjectivity. However, what happens when we realize that the massively larger domain element count means that there could still be surjectivity when not (artificially) constraining ourselves to a domain with an equivalent element count to the codomain? $\endgroup$ – Gratis Nov 13 '19 at 21:47
$\begingroup$ @Gratis It doesn't matter. The I/O relationship is irrelevant as there is a fixed output size (what ever that might be). Given the avalanche effect, $1/e$ bin collisions are unavoidable. Entropy will always be 'collided' out of existence and $\epsilon$ will always lurk therein. If you maintain the same $h_{\infty}$ input rate, all that changes is either the level of $\epsilon$ you're willing to tolerate, or $k$ in the Left Over Hash lemma formula. So I suggest that it is down to collisions per se, otherwise it's not a cryptographic hash. $\endgroup$ – Paul Uszak Nov 13 '19 at 22:47
$\begingroup$ SHA256 domain is $2^{2^{64}-1}$; codomain is $2^{256}$. $2^{2^{64}-1} \mod{2^{256}} = 0$ I think. So, if the collisions are uniformly distributed such that each of the $2^{256}$ codomain elements has the same number of domain elements mapping to it -- a lack of injectivity nevertheless -- it seems to me that it can still preserve entropy up to 256 output bits. Input any domain element, provided it has 256 bits of entropy, a selection is made equiprobably from a space of 2^256 outputs, the log2 of which obviously being 256. Conversely, if all "lines" to one codomain item are removed, it can't. $\endgroup$ – Gratis Nov 14 '19 at 3:13
$\begingroup$ Put another way, there is more than one way to throw a die such that it lands with "6" facing up. However, rolling a balanced die still produces log2(6) bits of entropy, so long as it isn't with two faces having "5" and none having "6." I don't see why two unique throws being able to produce "6" -- a collision -- reduces the entropy of the throw. Clearly the entropy output is less than the input because of the codomain (ways of landing) having fewer states than the domain (ways of being thrown), but you are always limited to producing no more entropy than the output bit length. Add more faces. $\endgroup$ – Gratis Nov 14 '19 at 3:19
$\begingroup$ @Gratis Because dice are physical entropy sources that create Kolmogorov random entropy that grows in line with $O(throws)$ and $O(log(faces))$. A mathematical function can't do that. It can only destroy/decimate Kolmogorov entropy, as through internal collisions. $\endgroup$ – Paul Uszak Nov 14 '19 at 3:47
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Given a hash function; assuming domain % codomain = 0 and uniform collision distribution; how is entropy lost by collisions (not output truncation)?
Exhausting the entropy of a hash function
How does converting character set affect hash entropy?
Entropy when iterating cryptographic hash functions
Just how surjective is a cryptographic hash like SHA-1?
Would SHA-256(SHA-256(x)) produce collisions?
Collision resistance of hash functions with short, fixed-length inputs?
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Crystal Clear Writing and Art Forms
Creative, Business and Article Writing / Visual & Performance Art Forms
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Photo from Metropolitan Opera
‘La Traviata’ in HD Splendor from the MET Opera
Opulent Elegance and Escapades of a Glamorous Parisian Courtesan
Productions shown in this summer’s free online HD screenings from the Metropolitan Opera include Giuseppe Verdi‘s well-loved opera, La Traviata. As a sparkling, exemplary new production by Michael Mayer, this opera was part of the 2018—19 season at the MET. This superb screening is from the performance on December 15, 2018, and was conducted by Yannick Nézet-Séguin, the Met’s Jeanette Lerman-Neubauer Music Director.
The production features a highly-acclaimed cast of world-renowned principal singers, Diana Damrau, Juan Diego Flórez and Quinn Kelsey. As the celebrated Parisian courtesan, Violetta, Diana Damrau is faced with a difficult dilemma. She must decide whether to continue a life of grandiose luxury or embrace the consuming passion of true love.
Continue Reading Here: La Traviata Review
ZooNation’s ‘The Mad Hatter’s Tea Party’ – Roundhouse and Royal Ballet
From YouTube.com
HD Video Viewing of Premier Performance: July 31, 2020
This subterranean yet very real-to-life fantasy is based on the classic novel, Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. This riveting dance performance on the theme of Lewis Carroll’s famous story is a ZooNation production.
As a Roundhouse and Royal Ballet presentation, this video production is presented in alliance with the Royal Opera House, London. It offers a captivating melange of emotional colors and tonalities. The audience experiences each character’s psychic state, from deep turmoil to catatonia to charismatic charm and contagious elation.
Continue Reading Here: Zoo Nation’s ‘Mad Hatter’s Tea Party’ Review
La Belle Famille
Excerpt from the Novel by Ellen L Gilmer
Art Gallery Openings — A Young Artist’s Colorful First Time Experience
When the elevator doors slid apart once again, its passengers stepped out into a spacious, high-ceilinged room with soft spotlights on large abstract still-life paintings against newly painted white walls. The room was already nearly two-thirds full of mingling people — some lively, animated; others with affectation of condescending boredom.
A slender dark young man (one of the bored) was commenting in a rather loud whine to a short portly matron in a sea-green suit with matching forties pill-box hat, on the inferiority of the champagne being served. To Celia, champagne was at this point still an item of novel extravagance; she had yet to discover differences in quality and the fact that, in general, gallery openings were notorious for serving relatively low quality liquid refreshment. The chubby woman in green seemed to agree wholeheartedly with the young man’s complaint. And yet, Celia noted that as they exchanged yawns and tired, affected, lazy remarks, both sipped away and emptied full glasses.
After several glasses of the bubbly, overly sweet beverage, Celia found herself floating slowly around the crowded floor in counter-clockwise direction, as though she were a vague dancer in some unexplained ballroom scene of another time. Along her course, she had brief encounters with a pompous politician; a harried hairdresser; an overworked bleary-eyed accountant; six painters; three sculptors; a jaded journalist turned art critic; an undertaker’s apprentice; the fussy, hyper mother of a “child prodigy painter” (in tow); a dapper Danish diplomat; a radiantly regal opera singer in flowing scarlet silk and satin; and a tall, slightly aloof man of fortyish with dark, greying hair and a child-like, uneven, mischievous smile that lit up large dark eyes . . .
Bask in the Warmth and Luxury of Intriguing Island and Seaside Destinations
Press Article By Ellen L Gilmer
Nuevo Vallarta, Mexico
Are you ready for the calm leisure and reassuring warmth of an intriguing island or seaside destination? If so, one of the currently most popular spots is Mexico’s Nuevo Vallarta. With a location just 16 miles to the north of Puerto Vallarta, the natural beauty of this favored resort area enhances top-tier accommodations, restaurants, activities and entertainment—and there is truly something enjoyable for everyone here. You can spend your days basking on the sunlit golden beaches of Banderas Bay, embark on an extensive tour of the neighboring Sierra Madre jungle, swim in sync with the dolphins, and then relax with a tall beverage while riding the gentle waves into a breathtaking sunset. The kids will have a great time in the water park with its spiraling slides, and the whole family will enjoy the sea lion shows.
You will delight in the all-inclusive amenities of the Grand Velas All Suites & Spa Resort. The outstanding beauty of this resort facility and its beaches is enhanced further by the rapt attentions of its highly experienced and gracious staff. At Villa La Estancia on Flamingo Beach you will enjoy the heights of genuine luxury along with excellent cuisine in a completely relaxed setting with gorgeous ocean and sunset views. You will marvel at the outstanding quality of fresh seafood in the healthiest of oceanside locations. Resort rooms are large and attractive, with spacious adjoining decks revealing more amazing scenic views. All accommodations have modern appointments and amenities, and the entire locale is surprisingly quiet and peaceful, even during busy holiday seasons.
While there, you’ll want to take in Sea Life Park Vallarta by way of the 10 water toboggans. Enjoy spectacular river rides and the elegant leisure of a game of golf at the Mayan Palace Nuevo Vallarta Golf Course. While delighting in your stay in these superb resort accommodations stretching over greater than three miles of gorgeous sandy beaches, you will also enjoy the local average annual temperature of 25○C (77○F).The extensive marina development includes a 300-slip ultra-modern marina with luxurious condos for both residents and seasonal visitors. Nuevo Vallarta is also a winter residence for the Caguama. At one time on the endangered species list, it is now very carefully protected here by scientists, environmentalists, and eco-friendly visitors alike.
Asia’s Maldives
The Maldives (Maldive Island group), to the south of South Asia, is the smallest existing Asian country. Also having the smallest population count of all Asian countries, it has the earth’s lowest lying country terrain, with its topmost natural peak at 2.3 meters (7ft. 7 in.). Comprised of roughly 1,190 coral islands arranged in a double chain of 26 atolls, this island country stretches north-south across approximately 90,000 square kilometers (or 35,000 square miles). These atolls are formed of live coral reefs plus sand bars perched on top of a submarine ridge which inclines sharply upward from its origins deep within the Indian Ocean. Only by means of two clear passages close to the south end of this natural dual coral chain can ships safely navigate through the Maldives’ territorial waters in order to reach either side of the Indian Ocean.
A major commercial enterprise of the Maldives is its busy tuna fishery facilities. Actually, these lovely islands have an astonishing variety of sea life available, such as reef sharks, moray eels, and various types of rays including the Eagle ray, Stingray, Batfish and Barracuda. Coconut palms, as the celebrated national tree, enhance the beauty of each island.
Here the annual temperatures can vary from 24○ C (75○F) to 33○C (91○F). Conveniently serving as a heat filter, the Indian Ocean gradually releases the tropical temperatures, providing a delightful and relaxing atmosphere for residents and visitors alike. The constant soothing ocean breezes also moderate humidity levels.
In Lhaviyani Atoll of the Maldives, Kanuhura offers a comprehensive water sports center for windsurfing, canoes and pedalos, along with planned excursions to the ultimate diving locations. Other available sports activities include squash, tennis, a fitness center and spa, along with a well-equipped kid’s club. You will also enjoy nearby attractive accommodations, bars, and restaurants serving both theme menus and fine Mediterranean cuisine. This island is roughly 1,000 meters in length and 200 meters in width—a unique treasure of true beauty and pure relaxation and enjoyment currently awaiting the arrival of you, your family, special guests and friends.
Mana Island, Fiji
In the Fijian language, Mana means magic, and the intriguing ambiance and allure of this unique island resort are truly magical in every aspect. For the high-spirited traveler, there are plenty of adventures and thrills. And for those seeking the ultimate in quiet, calm, peaceful relaxation, these qualities are also equally available on Mana.
As you cruise amidst the beautiful Mamanuca Islands near the coastline of Denarau in the South Pacific, enjoy your quiet entry to Mana through the lagoon. The island is now a large, attractive resort including three beach areas on pristine, sparkling waters; an abundance of lush palm trees providing well-shaded lounging areas; and extensive modern poolside settings. The lagoon side offers snorkeling and various other water sport activities. Or, if you’re in the mood for quiet relaxation, try the North Beach for its peacefulness and breathtaking views. Later, enjoy sunbathing on gorgeous Sunset Beach. Do it all, or choose to do nothing at all. Whatever your fancy, you’ll find it and have a delightful time here.
Mana has two excellent main restaurants, South Beach Restaurant and Mamanuca Restaurant. At South Beach you can sample haute fusion cuisine, and Mamanuca has Al Fresco style dining along with spectacular ocean views.
You’ll be delighted at the large variety of activities available to you at this unusual island resort. Water sports include snorkeling, windsurfing, kayaking, swimming and diving. There are culture shows on the island each day which last until evening, when the nightly entertainment begins. Through taking part in the activities of the kid’s club, children will learn about Fijian history and culture while making new friends and having a great time.
Mana even offers six different designs of accommodations to visitors. So you can choose the one that best suits your stylistic tastes, practical needs and personal preferences. For couples and newlyweds, there are the modern Honeymoon bures with their own private beach areas. The spacious, duplex Oceanfront suites are decorated with handsome blends of ultra-modern and traditional décor. The Island bures are constructed of timber in Plantation Style and surrounded by tropical gardens.
For the adventurous visitor, Mana offers its celebrated ride in the Yellow Submarine amidst a spectacular array of stunning coral formations and tropical marine life. Then, if you dare, view the splendor and beauty of the Mamanuca Islands as you soar to startling heights, kept aloft by a single or tandem parasail.
A Haven for Creative Artists – The Greenbrier Valley in West Virginia
Article Short By Ellen L Gilmer
The Greenbrier Valley in southeastern West Virginia, home to old-time mountaineers, middle-class business folks, lawyers, academicians, and people of rather high net worth in search of some peace and quiet in the pure mountain air — is a place of simple, rare beauty with much to tell. For this reason, it is also a haven for creative artists. Writers, musicians, painters, sculptors, photographers, and makers of crafts from the U.S. as well as abroad come to experience the poignancy, joy, laughter and sorrow reflected in the local folklore, mountain music, and breathtaking colors of hazy sunrise and brilliant sunset mixed with the vibrant hues of the countryside terrain.
Peter Agostini – Artist of Exquisite Influence
The June showing of Peter Agostini’s sculpture at the Salander-O’Reilly Gallery on East 79th Street in Manhattan brings a true master’s touch of creative genius to this Spring and Summer’s New York Art Gallery scene. With its vivid, image-provoking title of “Mid-Life Crisis,” this uniquely characteristic and diverse collection of the artist’s work exhibits the highest definitive qualities of major schools and styles in the rich, complex history of World Art.
Entering the gallery, the viewer is greeted by the silken surface and steely force of the “Swell,” made of hydrocal in 1965. One of a series of “Swells,” this amazing landmark in modern sculptural achievement at once defies and re-defines accepted and proven laws of physics in its seductive intrigue of tied inner tube forms contained to near bursting, threatening absolute explosive elegance – pure, pristine dynamite grace. Within this piece, Eastern Asian full-form and fluidity meet Western power-packed compression, and align.
Nearby, another well-known smaller sculpture entitled “Squeeze” (1964) is a plaster replica of the artist’s strong, sensitive hands kneading tight-skinned tubular forms into lifelike, billowing, breathing flesh. Its classic Italian form in American Pop Art medium give this piece unbounded limits as a powerful merging of style, form and period – a sculpture of true significance within the history of international art. – The artist’s index finger playfully arching above the work-in-process questions any challenge to Peter Agostini’s valid place as a Founding Father and true genius in the history and development of Modern Art.
Another “Swell” in hydrocal (c. 1965) exudes an uncanny feeling of feather lightness in flight, its ballooning, bulbous dimensions defying both weight and gravity. Its rope-lined seams of stretching, barely controlled power with fabric-like pleats beneath the rope-ties lend a sheer suggestion of draping to this otherwise naked revelation of exaggerated form. The tightly encased volumetric magnitude is similar to that found in many large, heavy-based and massive Buddha figures of Indian, Ceylonese and Chinese sculpture from the 5th and 6th Centuries A.D., as well as in stone figures and fragments from the Mayan ruins of Mexico.
The terra cotta “Untitled Head” (1972), a gentle-featured, expansive, cloud-boulder sits stalwart, unconcerned of its peculiar duality of full, rounded, yet fractured forms. Its fragmented skull and nose in no way detract from its large, round baby-doll eyes and full, plush lips. The overall fullness and depth of the features are classical, but the eyes are shallow – almost drawn – as in Abstract Expressionism. And the endearing vertical line through the eye is unmistakably theatrical French and Art Nouveau. – Agostini came close to discarding this piece when it broke and fragmented during its kiln firing, but was persuaded to keep it because of the artistic strength and validity of its altered state.
Immortalized in bronze, the “Old Apollo” (1976) with its bony, yet muscular torso and sparse, thinning legs – its powerful, yet gnarly hands and feet – possesses a quiet, knowing countenance of incorrigible patience and acceptance of longevity. The elderly god stands watchful, fearless in his linear definition of aging grace. With back of right hand resting easily on right hip, he exhibits the uncanny relaxed, open-handed, languid strength so beautifully recognized in the male figures of Michelangelo.
“Butterfly” in plaster (1959) has a rare quality of sophisticated buoyancy and weightlessness – a new-born nymph taking flight, emerging from its satin pillow cocoon in a graceful curving twist of upward spiraling transformation. Within this piece live the exquisite convergence of classic Renaissance form, Rococo richness of style, and Pop Art conception and material. The artist’s characteristic signature of “Agostini” nonchalantly carved in subtle, low-relief in large and small capitalized print in the sculpture’s soft-pillow base emphasize even further this vibrant combination of period and world style.
The amazing sculptural triptych display of bronze horses: “Walking Horse” (1971), “Galloping Horse” (1969), and “Flying Horse” (1939) all embody a pure, uninhibited and joyful outrageousness in their yogic postures and near-impossible dance-flight moves. The subtle nuances of their smooth classical forms combined with their dashing flare and dauntless unfurling of elegance enable them to soar above any pedestal or reproach.
With each face carefully defined by the free, casual, but exacting touch of the artist, the four plaster “Figure” sculptures are definitive of feminine beauty and liquidity of form. Their flowing, graceful lines and rough-surface modeling are proudly indicative examples of the joining together of Renaissance, Impressionism and Abstract Expressionism
The exquisite and outstanding exhibition of Agostini’s sculpture at the Salander-O’Reilly Gallery in Manhattan will run until the end of June, and Peter Agostini’s brilliant influence and significance in the field of American and World Art will continue throughout the endurance of history.
JoAnne Brackeen – Dynamic Excellence in the Fazioli Salon at Klavierhaus
JoAnne Brackeen’s dynamic performance on the Fazioli piano in the small, intimate Salon at Klavierhaus in Manhattan hosted by founders Jim and Genevieve Luce on November 9, 2007 was at once a generous display of the virtuosity and brilliance of this highly accomplished female jazz pianist—a uniquely talented, innovative and masterful musician at the very top level of achievement as pianist, composer and educator—and a radiant and exhilarating experience of sheer joy to the favored ear of the audience. The selections she played ranged from Irving Berlin’s romantic How Deep Is the Ocean and wistful What’ll I Do to the soulful Alone Together by Ray Charles and JoAnne’s own ingenious tunes, Picasso and Haiti-B.
JoAnne’s complete and artful command of the keyboard, her impeccable technique, her flawless art of counterpoint combined with genius touch-strokes of color, form, timbre and nuance lend enhancement to qualities descriptive and definitive of the Fazioli piano—its powerful, clear tones; mellow richness of sound; brilliance of balance between treble and bass; and its impressive dynamic range and harmonic opulence.
‘Tosca’ at the Metropolitan Opera
Press Article Short by Ellen L Gilmer
The evening’s performance of both principal singers and the orchestra, conducted by James Levine, was unquestionably superb, displaying highest levels of quality and artistic excellence. As the well-loved opera singer, Tosca, Karita Mattila exuded the dramatic passion and charismatic beauty and magnetism of a truly larger-than-life melodramatic heroine. Her rich, multi-colored soprano, at once lustrous and scintillating, enveloped the entire house throughout the performance, and especially in her dramatic high notes during the torture scene of Act III. Since the opera’s plot―based on Sardou’s 5-act French drama―deals with passions rather than themes or sentiments, both hero (heroine) and villain are human beings who struggle, interact and clash on stage, at times violently. Political motives and historical ideals take a backseat to confrontations between individuals driven by strongly personal motivations and beliefs.
As director of the production, Luc Bondy deftly emphasizes Puccini’s defined aesthetic combination of Verismo and bourgeois culture. Set designer Richard Peduzzi, with the starkness of his near-proletarian style (remember, the basic definition of “opera” is work) stage sets (along with the bold, unembellished lighting effects of Max Keller) abruptly transports the drama and meaning of “Tosca” into bare modernity. Yet, Milena Canonero’s costume design maintains the strong sense of time and place of early Nineteenth century Rome, as well as the societal distance between the elegantly dressed Tosca and her bohemian artist lover. Although the lush, baroque extravagance of earlier productions is clearly replaced by stark realism (Verismo) and opposing dramatic excess (bourgeois culture, no less), this production seems to exhibit Puccini’s original overall structure and plan for “Tosca”―by distinctly different artistic methods and means.
An Entrepreneur’s Lifestyle — Taxing or Relaxing?
Have you seen those ads claiming that the life of an entrepreneur is as free as a bird at the beach? They tend to be filled with enticing stories of exotic lifestyles of travel and adventure in far away, stylish, yet secluded locations. Well, this scenario is at least somewhat possible, provided your business venture doesn’t require close supervision of a product or service focused mainly in one place—and provided that secretive, secluded spot has reliable Internet and smartphone access. In reality, the birds seem to be in the lead. After all, they have 24/7 free airborne transport, and they don’t need cable, wireless service or satellite to communication.
Canonization in St. Peter’s Square, Rome
More than 10,000 people from Italy and around the world witnessed the extremely moving and meaningful Mass on Sunday, October 11, 2009, in St. Peter’s Square, Vatican City, Rome, as Pope Benedict XVI led the Canonization ceremony of Blesseds followed by the usual Sunday morning Papal Blessing. The early morning autumn sun beamed brightly on the Square and the multitude of people gathering for the Canonization ceremony and Mass. Its golden-white rays outlined the faces and figures quietly assembling, lending a balanced ambiance of genuine reverence and joyful elation to the morning’s religious ceremony. Even the well-known statues of saints and martyrs—140 in all—mounted high on the entablature above the Square’s 280 Doric pillars were edged with the unmistakable pristine aura of the freshly dawned purity of a new day.
For all of us present in St. Peter’s Square for the Canonization of Blesseds by Pope Benedict XVI on Sunday, October 11, this at once reverent and joyous celebration was truly memorable, emotional and meaningful. The many Catholics and other Christians attending were joined by people of various religions and systems of belief from around the world to commemorate the countless good deeds and the highest levels of excellence and purity exhibited throughout the lives of the individuals canonized. At moments, one could clearly sense the nearby presence and beauty of the sacred works of art inside St. Peter’s Basilica—the exquisite “Pietá” (sculpted by Michelangelo before his 25th birthday); Bernini’s astounding bronze “Baldachin” exhibiting bonze detail from the Pantheon; and the massive, yet graceful beauty of the statue of St. Peter—which all seemed to have joined with the audience assembled outside in the Square to view and experience the Canonization ceremony.
View Our Video: Dusk Into Dawn
Background Innovations
A REPORT FROM THE CREATIVE BUSINESS SECTOR
At Kinetic Lens, we offer products using the latest in updated motion background technology. Along with our superior quality motion backs, we also offer a wide selection of video templates for your professional use and enjoyment. A motion background is video footage that is created for inclusion as artistic background in a video or motion graphics production. These videos are short and in looped format so that they add a pleasing style, color pattern and rhythm to your video. They are designed to add impact and artistic dynamics as well as validity to your final video content without distracting the viewer’s eye and attentions from the product or other main subject of the video appearing in front of this continuously moving background.
Our motion backgrounds may be abstractions, realistic natural scenes, cityscapes or any background subject matter of choice. Colors may be brilliant in hue or subtle, and these backgrounds can move at whatever desired speed has been selected. By combining integrative software techniques and tracks of animated motion background in HD Mp4 videos of approximately 10 seconds in length, motion video experts created short motion background footage. These moving backgrounds add dynamic impact and emphasis to headings and menus of DVD presentations, film trailers, performance art introductions and videos for product advertising campaigns.
Creating Abstract Motion Backgrounds
You can design and create abstract motion video backgrounds by using several different methods, such as the following:
Software Programs. – With use of various popular software packages, you can produce ideal abstract motion background loops. Two major types of software currently recommended for creating these moving abstractions are 3D Rendering Software and Motion Graphics.
3D Rendering Software. – Top quality 3D creative software programs on the market today include 3Ds Max, Cinema 4D and Blender, a free, open source choice. With this software, you can invent detailed three dimensional objects ranging from a plain geometrical shape to a replica of a human or animal body. Beginning with a wire frame, you can build your chosen form by adding textures as well as many lighting and color effects to bring your constructed form to life. Although this 3D software is frequently used to produce animation, it can also help you create dynamic and effective motions backgrounds for your videos and digital graphics. This versatile software enables you to color, blend, overlay, animate and add your choice of 3D shapes and other effects to produce spectacular abstractions as moving backgrounds.
Motion Graphics Software. – Two major motion graphics software packages are in popular use today by both professional and amateur motion background creators—Adobe’s After Effects and Motion from Apple. Although After Effects is currently rated as the leading moving background and graphics software, Apple’s Motion is also quite a good choice. With this software’s myriad creative capabilities, you can manipulate objects, textual content, colors, shapes and textures. After experimenting and deciding on your best moving graphics for background designs, you can combine, layer, highlight, blur, glow, flow, bend and fine-tune your content to produce winning abstractions in motion backs.
Footage-Based Motion Backs. – You can actually create some very effective abstract motion backgrounds by videoing an object or scene with your lens out of focus. Many of the most artistic footage-based moving backgrounds are produced by using this technique to capture footage of lights.
Blurred Footage. – One frequently used type of video background shoots is known as the light bokeh method. When shooting footage of blurred lights, especially during night hours, the result is a series of small points of light, similar to the effect of a Pointillist painting, like those made famous by the Neo-Impressionist painter, Georges Seurat during the 1880’s in France.
Zoomed Footage. – When you zoom in close on an object or scene, your camera lens will automatically be out of focus, resulting in some creative, impromptu background motion footage.
Motion-Centered Footage. – By slanting or panning your camera suddenly, you will produce a streaking effect, which can be used as a pleasing background abstraction. This is also an effective technique for smooth transitions between frames.
Subject-Centered Footage. – The world around us is abundant with abstractions like fire, ocean waves, clouds, snowstorms, rainfall on your car windshield and bubbling soup. In these instances, all you need to do is just point and shoot footage.
Remember, you can always shoot artistic motion backs and then use After Effects software options to further enhance them. With use of overlay or invert features, you can alter the final look and impact of your motion backgrounds in any way that you choose. Our creative video templates can assist you with artistic placement and use of design elements. Abstract motion backs can be used to brighten up or enhance menus, titles and credits for videos. They can also be used to create some very intriguing effects when applied to footage or still photos to be included in your videos.
As abstractions, moving backs serve as appealing, restful or playful interludes between segments of an instructional or complex video presentation. These artistic and colorful motion backgrounds also emphasize the creative aspects of your videos and capture the attentions of your viewers. We offer the ultimate quality motion backgrounds at Kinetic Lens. Visit our website today and choose your favorites from our extensive online catalog of superior, advanced motion backs. Our products will satisfy all your preferences and needs for your creations and for dynamic product sales campaigns.
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PII is information that is linked or linkable to you. The PII we collect includes name, address, phone number, or email address, which you may have provided to our client. Customer.io takes precautions not to collect, and, if discovered, will not retain, passwords, credit card, and certain other information submitted through our services.
We may automatically collect information about your use, navigation of, and interactions with our clients’ applications, websites, or other online services when our client has installed our technology on its properties.
Cookies that we set on our clients’ websites expire after three years and the expiration date updates every time you encounter our server. Customer.io retains standard web log data 5 years after you visit a client’s website, and aggregations and reports for up to 10 years after you visit a client’s website.
We collect information about End Users at our clients’ direction and may append information to End Users’ profiles from third party sources. We do this to provide our Services, which enable our clients to optimize their communications with, and understanding of, their End Users. We consider our clients’ End Users’ information to be confidential to that client. Accordingly, we do not disclose End User information to unaffiliated third parties except in response to our clients’ explicit instructions, as provided for in an agreement between us and our client, or as otherwise described in this Privacy Policy (for example, as necessary to respond to legal requirements).
Customer.io may provide services or sell products jointly with affiliated businesses. We may share End User information collected from our clients that is related to such transactions with those affiliated businesses. We require our affiliates, via contract, to provide the same level of privacy protection as set forth in this policy and they do not have the right to share or use PII for any purpose other than for an authorized transaction.
If we ever were to engage in any onward transfers of your data with third parties for a purpose other than which it was originally collected or subsequently authorized, we would provide you with an opt-out choice to limit the use and disclosure of your personal data.
Collection, Use, and Disclosure of Information from Our Clients
This section describes our policies for our clients’ use of the Customer.io Site and Services.
Information Clients Provide to Us
We receive and store any information clients enter on the Site, through the Services, or provide to us in any other way. Clients can choose not to provide us with certain information, but then they may not be able to take advantage of many of our features. We use clients’ PII for such purposes as responding to their requests for Services, customizing the content they see, communicating with them about our products, and marketing our Services to them.
In order for clients to use all of our features, they must register with Customer.io. We require clients’ e-mail addresses and passwords during the registration process.
Further information may be required if clients choose to purchase paid components of the Services, such as credit card and billing information. Customer.io uses third party partners for credit card processing who may require and store your credit card and billing information.
If a client purchases Customer.io’s online tools to collect and analyze user and usage data for its websites, applications, or services, Customer.io will communicate with it about the services it purchases by e-mail. Clients consent to receiving such confirmations by e-mail. If clients contact us via e-mail, we may retain a record of their contact information and any information they provide us in their messages to respond to them. We may receive a confirmation when clients open an e-mail from Customer.io.
We may also send e-mails with news or promotions. If clients do not want to receive news or promotional e-mail from us, please contact us at privacy@customer.io (this will not affect e-mails related to certain important, legal, or service-related messages such as outage information).
To improve our Services, we may receive information about clients from other sources and add it to our account information. Like the information clients provide to us, we do not share this information with anyone except authorized third parties in connection with providing clients with our Services.
We do not disclose clients’ information to unaffiliated third parties without clients’ consent, or as otherwise described in this Privacy Policy (for example, as necessary to respond to legal requirements).
If you are a California resident, California law permits you to request certain information regarding the disclosure of your PII by us and our related companies to third parties for the third parties’ direct marketing purposes. To make such a request, please send your request, by mail or email, to the addresses listed at the end of this policy.
We employ other companies and people to perform tasks on our behalf and need to share client and End User information with them to provide products and services. Examples include billing, processing payments, providing marketing assistance, and providing customer service. Our agents use the same level of privacy protection as we do. Unless we tell you differently, Customer.io does not share, and Customer.io’s agents do not have any right to use, PII collected from our Site and Services beyond what is necessary to assist us.
In some cases, we may change our ownership or corporate organization, or may choose to buy or sell assets. End User information may be transferred to another entity, its affiliates, or service providers in connection with the transaction. You acknowledge that such transfers may occur, and that Customer.io or its successor organization may continue to use your information as set forth in this policy.
Protection of Customer.io and Others
We may release PII when we in our sole discretion believe in good faith that release is necessary or appropriate to comply with the law, enforce or apply our conditions of use and other agreements, or protect the rights, property, or safety of Customer.io, our employees, our clients, or others. We also may be required to disclose an individual’s PII in response to a lawful request by public authorities, including to meet national security or law enforcement requirements.
Clients’ Customer.io account information is protected by a password for your privacy and security as well as other reasonable security measures. We use reasonable safeguards to protect the security of clients’ information during transmission, including by encrypting all of the information clients input. Only employees or agents who need PII to perform a specific job are granted access to it. All of our employees are kept up to date on our privacy and security practices.
While Customer.io uses commercially reasonable means to secure information provided to us, we do not guarantee that such information will not be improperly accessed, disclosed, or destroyed by breach of any of our safeguards. Clients and End Users are responsible for the security of their information that is transmitted to us or that is viewed, downloaded, or otherwise accessed when using unencrypted, public or otherwise unsecured networks.
You are able to access, add to, update, correct, amend, or delete certain information about you, including PII. When you update information, however, we often maintain a copy of the unrevised information in our records. A client may deactivate its Customer.io account by following the deactivation process set forth on the Site. Some information may remain in our records after account deletion. Please contact us at privacy@customer.io if you have questions or concerns about accessing, correcting, or deleting your PII.
EU and Swiss data subjects have a right to access their information. Please see the EU-U.S. Privacy Shield and Swiss-U.S. Privacy Shield Frameworks section below.
Your use of the Site and Services and any possible dispute over privacy are subject to this Privacy Policy and our Terms of Service, including limitations on damages, dispute resolution, and application of New York state law.
International Users (Except for EU and Swiss Data Subjects)
If you use our Websites outside of the United States, you understand and consent to the transfer of your personal information to, and the collection, processing, and storage of your personal information in, the United States and elsewhere. The laws in the U.S. and these countries regarding personal information may be different than the laws of your state or country.
Use of Customer.io’s Site by Children
Customer.io’s Site is not intended for children under the age of 18. Accordingly, we will not knowingly collect or use any PII from children that we know to be under the age of 18. If we become aware of PII in our database that was collected from a child under 18, we will delete such information.
Customer.io may amend this Privacy Policy. Use of information we collect now is subject to the Privacy Policy in effect at the time such information is used. If we make material changes to our privacy policy, we will notify you by sending you an email thirty (30) days before the changes take effect and by posting a notice on client dashboards on the Site.
EU-U.S. Privacy Shield and Swiss-U.S. Privacy Shield Frameworks
For purposes of this section only, the following definitions shall apply:
“Agent” means any third party that collects or uses personal information under the instructions of, and solely for, Customer.io or to which Customer.io discloses personal information for use on Customer.io’s behalf.
“Personal information” means any information or set of information that identifies or could be used by or on behalf of Customer.io to identify (together with other information) a living individual. Personal information does not include information that is anonymized or aggregated. For the purposes of data received from Switzerland under the Swiss-U.S. privacy shield, personal information also includes ideological views or activities, information on social security measures or administrative or criminal proceedings and sanctions.
“Sensitive information” means any personal information that reveals race, ethnic origin, political opinions, religious or philosophical beliefs, trade union membership, information that concerns health or sex life, and information about criminal or administrative proceedings and sanctions.
EU-U.S. Privacy Shield and Swiss-U.S. Privacy Shield
Peaberry Software, Inc. d/b/a Customer.io and Customer.io Inc. (collectively “Customer.io”) participates in and complies with the EU-U.S. Privacy Shield Framework and the Swiss-U.S. Privacy Shield Framework as set forth by the U.S. Department of Commerce regarding the collection, use, and retention of personal information from the European Union and Switzerland to the United States, respectively. Customer.io has certified to the Department of Commerce that it adheres to the Privacy Shield Principles. If there is any conflict between the policies in this privacy policy and the Privacy Shield Principles, the Privacy Shield Principles shall govern. To learn more about the Privacy Shield program, and to view our certification page, please visit https://www.privacyshield.gov/.
Notice: Customer.io receives personal information about individuals in the EEA and Switzerland collected by Customer.io and its clients, and personal information about clients in the EEA and Switzerland. The types of information collected and the uses of that information are described in the privacy policy above.
Customer.io will subject all personal information received via the EU-U.S. and Swiss-U.S. Privacy Shields to these Principles.
Choice: Customer.io will offer individuals the opportunity to choose whether their information is to be used for a purpose other than the purpose for which it was originally collected or subsequently authorized by the individual. An individual may opt-out of such uses of their personal information by contacting us at the address given below. Customer.io offers an opt-out to individuals whose personal information is disclosed to non-agent third parties. Additionally, Customer.io will not use sensitive personal information for a purpose other than the purpose for which it was originally collected or subsequently authorized by the individual unless Customer.io has received the individual’s affirmative and explicit consent (opt-in). Customer.io will treat as sensitive any personal information received from a third party where the third party identifies and treats it as sensitive.
Data Integrity: Customer.io will use personal information only in ways that are compatible with the purposes for which it was collected or subsequently authorized by the individual. Customer.io will take reasonable steps to ensure that personal information is relevant to its intended use, accurate, complete and current.
Transfers to Agents: Customer.io contracts with third parties who perform business functions on our behalf. Customer.io uses these third parties to assist with activities such as billing, processing payments, providing marketing assistance, and providing customer service. These entities may have access to personal information if needed to perform their functions for Customer.io.
For information received under the Privacy Shield, Customer.io will require its agents to safeguard personal information consistent with this Policy by contract, obligating the agent to provide at least the same level of protection as is required by the Privacy Shield Principles.
Under certain circumstances, Customer.io may bear liability for onward transfers of personal data where its agent processes personal data inconsistent with the Privacy Shield Principles, unless Customer.io proves that it is not responsible for the event giving rise to the damage.
Access and Correction: Upon request, Customer.io will grant individuals reasonable access to personal information that it holds about them. In addition, Customer.io will take reasonable steps to permit individuals to correct, amend, or delete information that is demonstrated to be inaccurate or incomplete. An individual may request to access their information, or otherwise correct, amend, or delete their information by contacting us at the address given below.
Security: See “Information Security,” above.
Customer.io will conduct compliance audits of its relevant privacy practices to verify adherence to this Policy. Any employee that Customer.io determines is in violation of this policy will be subject to disciplinary action.
Customer.io is subject to the investigatory and enforcement powers of the Federal Trade Commission (FTC).
In compliance with the EU-U.S. and Swiss-U.S. Privacy Shield Principles, Customer.io commits to resolve complaints about your privacy and our collection or use of your personal information. European Union or Swiss individuals with inquiries or complaints regarding this privacy policy should first contact Customer.io at privacy@customer.io or using the contact information below. Customer.io will investigate and attempt to resolve complaints regarding use and disclosure of personal information by reference to the principles in this policy.
Customer.io has further committed to refer unresolved privacy complaints under the EU-U.S. and Swiss-U.S. Privacy Shield Principles to an independent dispute resolution mechanism, the BBB EU PRIVACY SHIELD, operated by the Council of Better Business Bureaus. If you do not receive timely acknowledgment of your complaint, or if your complaint is not satisfactorily addressed, please visit www.bbb.org/EU-privacy-shield/for-eu-consumers/ for more information and to file a complaint.
Please note that if your complaint is not resolved through these channels, under limited circumstances, a binding arbitration option may be available before a Privacy Shield Panel.
If you have any questions or concerns regarding privacy at Customer.io, please send us a detailed message to privacy@customer.io or to Peaberry Software Inc. at 921 SW Washington St, Suite #820, Portland, OR 97205. Your privacy is important to us and we will make every effort to resolve your concerns.
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How fruit and veg can make you happier
There is a psychological payoff to eating more healthily. (pic credit: freedigitalphotos.net/nixxphotography)
We’ve all heard about the five-a-day mantra for keeping our bodies healthy. Well, now new research claims that eating more fruit and veg is good for your psychological health too.
In a study involving 12,000 people from 2007 to 2013, scientists at the University of Warwick and the University of Queensland, Australia asked participants to keep a food diary. Their psychological wellbeing was measured too.
The researchers discovered that people’s happiness levels increased within two years of eating more fruit and veg (up to eight portions a day). They said this represented “an increase in life satisfaction equivalent to moving from unemployment to employment”.
Happiness increased incrementally the more fruit and vegetables a person consumed. While healthy eating has proven to boost physical health years down the line, the impact on psychological health and happiness could be enjoyed much sooner.
Dr Redzo Mujcic, research fellow at the University of Queensland, added: “Perhaps our results will be more effective than traditional messages in convincing people to have a healthy diet. There is a psychological payoff now from fruit and vegetables – not just a lower health risk decades later.”
happiness, wellbeing
happiness, healthy eating, wellbeing
How curiosity can be a curse, according to science
Curiosity can open a Pandora’s Box of difficulties. (copyright Christos Georghiou).
The relentless human desire to know – to satisfy curiosity at all costs – can be more of a curse than a blessing, according to scientists. Whether it’s surreptitiously checking your partner’s phone for signs of infidelity, avidly reading celebrity gossip mags, or hunting people down on social media, too much curiosity can be like opening Pandora’s Box: the urge to do it can outweigh any benefits you might get from knowing, and it can seriously affect your happiness and wellbeing.
Researchers from the Booth School of Business, University of Chicago, and the Wisconsin School of Business have discovered The Pandora Effect: The power and peril of curiosity, published in Psychological Science. They explored what they call the ‘perverse’ side of curiosity to show that it can cause more harm than it’s worth.
The scientists carried out four experiments that exposed people to electric shocks with no apparent benefits, to prove a point that people were driven by “humans’ deep-seated desire to resolve uncertainty, regardless of the harm it may bring”. One experiment involved clicking colour-coded pens, some of which had electric shocks and some didn’t. Where there was uncertainty (not clear which colour pens had batteries) people clicked more of the pens.
The researchers said: “The study suggests that humans possess an inherent desire, independent of consequentialist considerations, to resolve uncertainty; when facing something uncertain and feeling curious, they will act to resolve the uncertainty even if they expect negative consequences. Just as curiosity drove Pandora to open the box despite being warned of its pernicious contents, curiosity can lure humans—like you and me—to seek information with predictably ominous consequences.”
Something to bear in mind before you start secretly stalking your ex on social media. Sometimes, for your own happiness, it may be better just not to know.
Why uncertainty creates the worst kind of stress
Biggest source of employee stress is now knowing what bosses want
curiosity, happiness, life, research, wellbeing
Can seeing green boost your happiness?
Seek out scenes of green to soothe your stress. (pic courtesy of freedigitalphotos.net/Master isolated images)
“When the green woods laugh with the voice of joy,
And the dimpling stream runs laughing by;
When the air does laugh with our merry wit,
And the green hill laughs with the noise of it.”
The poet William Blake had a strong sense of the power of green for joy and happiness. The colour green is often associated with peace, harmony, growth and balance, and symbolises the colour of the heart. Walking in nature, and enjoying the greenery, is often cited as a natural and effective remedy for alleviating stress and depression.
Yet new research suggests that it’s not just BEING in nature that can help with mood. Even LOOKING at green scenes can help people recover from stress and feel happier.
A study published in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health showed the results of research that recorded participants’ stress responses during a series of tasks that asked them to view green and built scenes before and after doing some challenging mental arithmetic.
The researchers concluded: “The findings provide support for greater recovery in participants who viewed green scenes as compared to participants who viewed built scenes. Viewing green scenes may thus be particularly effective in supporting relaxation and recovery after experiencing a stressful period, and thereby could serve as an opportunity for micro-restorative experiences and a promising tool in preventing chronic stress and stress-related diseases.”
So, seek out green if you’ve had a stressful period and would like some respite and recovery.
depression, happiness, stress
depression, green, happiness, International Day of Happiness 2016, nature, stress
How your local pub can make you happier
The friendship and community shared in pubs can boost wellbeing (pic courtesy of dan/freedigitalphotos.net)
If you’ve got a local community pub that you visit regularly for a social pint, you’re more likely to be happier and more trusting than people who don’t have a local. That’s according to research from the University of Oxford (carried out for Camra, the Campaign for Real Ale). While Camra – understandably – would promote research saying pubs are good for you, the findings of the study focus less on drinking beer and more on the emotional and mental wellbeing of people who often pop down their local.
The study was carried out by Oxford University Professor Robin Dunbar, an evolutionary psychologist known for his research into the limit on the number of friends any one person can have (it’s 150, in case you were wondering).
His report, Friends on Tap, says that the more friends you have and the more often you see them, the happier and healthier you’ll be. If you have a local pub and visit it regularly, you’re likely to have a better community network, and feel happier and more fulfilled with your life than, say, someone who might visit a larger pub now and again and who doesn’t know that many people there. People in city centre bars are said to have shorter conversations and feel less engaged with the people they’re out with. The research talks about social drinking, not people who regularly consume vast quantities of alcohol.
Professor Robin Dunbar said: “Friendship and community are probably the two most important factors influencing our health and wellbeing. Making and maintaining friendships, however, is something that has to be done face-to-face: the digital world is simply no substitute. Given the increasing tendency for our social life to be online rather than face-to-face, having relaxed accessible venues where people can meet old friends and make new ones becomes ever more necessary.”
happiness, relationships, wellbeing
community, friendship, happiness, pubs, relationships, wellbeing
Your ‘weekend effect’ could depend on how happy you are in your job
Happiness levels in your job will define how much you enjoy your weekends (pic courtesy of FreeDigitalPhotos/net/Mr Lightman)
Do you live for the weekend, counting down the hours and minutes until clock-out time from work on Friday? Or is the weekend merely a continuation of a socially complete, happy lifestyle? The answer to that will depend on how satisfied you are with your job, how well you get on with your boss, and how much social interaction you have during the week with colleagues and friends outside work.
At least, that’s the conclusion from analysis of the ‘weekend effect’ on seven emotions – happiness, sadness, enjoyment, laughter, worry, anger and stress – of thousands of US workers in the Gallup/Healthways daily poll 2008-2012, carried out by John F. Helliwell and Shun Wang and published in an NBER paper.
They found that while stress levels were lower all round, there was no significant ‘weekend effect’ in terms of happiness or laughter for people who felt satisfied in life and work during the week. Their happiness remained pretty much constant across the span of seven days.
However, there was a marked difference in happiness levels for people who were miserable in their jobs, especially for those with micro-managing bosses and an environment where there was little trust. Their happiness levels were three times higher compared with people who had fulfilling work lives.
If five days out of seven are making you miserable, it could be time to look at why, and what you can do about it. If there’s a payoff for you at weekends, then fine. But if deep down you know you’re not living your potential or achieving what you’d always set out to achieve, then it might be time to explore some options that might just make you happier.
happiness, wellbeing, workplace issues
counselling purley, happiness, living your potential, personal development, wellbeing, work issues
What entrepreneurs can teach us about happiness
Finding your own compass can be key to happiness in life (pic courtesy of freedigitalphotos.net/David Castillo Dominici)
Is happiness about following your own way in life? A thought-provoking article by Luke Johnson in the FT suggests it is. If so, then people seeking their purpose and potential in life could learn a lot from entrepreneurs.
People who choose to run their own businesses aren’t just doing it for the money – though that can be a benefit. They’re doing it to make their own choices in life, and to be in charge of their own destiny.
Even though the first years of being an entrepreneur can be tough – financially and personally – running their own show is preferable to being given orders by someone else. They know the link between reward and success, and they work hard to achieve what they really want. They get where they are through their own efforts, rather than jumping through hoops to impress a boss they don’t like to gain a promotion they may not particularly want. Even when they achieve higher status at work, this can bring additional pressures to impress a new boss, who may end up stealing their ideas and leaving the person feeling lost, frustrated and wondering what life is really all about.
If that’s how we’re feeling in life, then perhaps entrepreneurs have a lot to teach us. (more…)
happiness, personal development
counselling coulsdon, fulfilment, happiness, personal development, potential, purpose, work
Keep enjoying life to the full if you want to live longer, says report
The mobility of older people is linked to their wellbeing. (pic: istockphoto.com/Lisafx)
Walking briskly into older age is a key sign of vitality and wellbeing in the over-60s, and improves the odds for living longer. That’s the key finding of a study published by the Canadian Medical Association that researched enjoyment of life and declining physical function among 3,199 men and women aged 60-plus.
Researchers found that people who enjoy life to the full and feel happier are likely to be healthier, fitter and more active. Happier people also walk at a faster pace when they get older compared with people who are unhappy or depressed. Pensioners who felt good about life had fewer problems getting out of bed and getting ready in the mornings. Unhappy people, however, were 80% more likely to have problems with their daily functions, and were twice as likely to suffer from serious illnesses and impaired mobility.
So, putting a spring in your step could lead to a healthier, happier, longer life.
happiness, mental health, wellbeing
ageing, happiness, long life, wellbeing
Talking and saying ‘thank you’ are key to relationship happiness
Being best friends and making your partner a cup of tea contribute to relationship happiness. (pic: istockphoto.com/Dimedrol68)
Open, honest communication and the ability to unburden at the end of the day are key to relationship harmony – as are small gestures such as cuddles and making your partner a cup of tea. That’s one of the key findings from a new survey Enduring Love? Couple Relationships in the 21st Century from the Open University.
The two-year survey of more than 5,000 people found that shared values, ambitions and interests are important for relationship health, and people feel disappointed when they could not share the everyday experiences of life with their partner. Saying or showing love is highly valued and symbolised a closeness in the relationship, as is saying thank you and feeling appreciated. While big romantic gestures, such as bouquets of flowers, are enjoyed, it is the sentiment behind them that really counts. Being ‘best friends’ with one’s partner ranked highly for both men and women respondents. Arguments and poor communication are the least pleasant aspects of a relationship, the survey found.
When it comes to being parents, that survey has some interesting findings:
Childless couples are happier with their relationship than couples with children.
Parents put less effort into maintaining their relationship than childless couples do.
Fathers are less positive than childless men about the quality of their relationship.
Fathers are twice more likely than mothers “to include different needs or expectations around sexual intimacy in the things they like least about their relationship”.
Mothers want less sex than their partners do, but this apparently does not affect overall relationship satisfaction for either mothers or fathers.
Mothers are twice more likely than fathers to say children are the most important people in their lives, while for fathers the partner is the most important person.
Mothers are more negative about the quality of their relationship compared with childless women – but overall mothers are reported to be the happiest group of all.
When communication does break down, both women and men say they would use couple counselling as a source for support, help or advice. Men are more reluctant to ask for help, but women say they would consider both couple and individual counselling.
Ruth Sutherland, chief executive of Relate, says: “What this study shows us is that couples need to keep investing in their relationships. It’s reassuring to know, especially in these tough economic times, that it’s the small gestures of appreciation and affection, rather than the big romantic displays that really make the difference.”
counselling, happiness, relationships, wellbeing
communication, counselling, happiness, love, relationships
Pick a one-word theme for a New Year’s resolution you really can keep
A list of resolutions can be daunting and unachievable. Why not pick a more manageable ‘theme of the year’ instead? (pic: istockphoto.com/catherine_jones)
I believe less is more when it comes to New Year’s resolutions. There’s nothing more demoralising than making a 10-strong list on 1st January promising yourself ways you’re going to be a better person, only to find that seven have already slipped out of possibility a week later. The fizz of optimism can disappear faster from your list than a warm glass of last night’s Champagne, and you may give yourself a hard time for ‘failing’.
In fact, fear of failing is one of the two main reasons why people don’t make resolutions. (The other reason is that they don’t believe in them, according to an Australian study). And people fail to stick at them because other things get in the way, they lose focus, or the resolution wasn’t that important in the first place.
A more achievable way of making positive change in your life is to have a goal that is realistic. One way of doing that, I’ve found, is to pick a theme for the year. (more…)
happiness, life, meaning, New Year Resolutions, values, wellbeing
Mental health is key determinant of happiness, says global report
Mental illness has more effect on misery levels across the globe than physical illness, income or unemployment. That’s according to the World Happiness Report 2013 from the UN’s General Assembly, which concludes that there is a relationship between the scale of mental illness and the levels of national happiness.
About 10% of the world’s population suffers from depression or anxiety, and these disorders account for a fifth of all disability – putting pressure on productivity and the economy. However, the report adds that governments are not prioritising mental health, or putting their money where their misery is, as only a third of people who need treatment are receiving it. And it calls on schools and workplaces to be more mental-health conscious.
It says: “Good, cost-effective treatments exist for depression, anxiety disorders and psychosis, and the happiness of the world would be greatly increased if they were more widely available.”
Interestingly, the report details factors from childhood that impact on life satisfaction as an adult. Number one is the child’s emotional development, followed by behaviour and intellectual development. The most important family influence is the mother’s emotional health.
The happiest country in the report is Denmark, followed by Norway, Switzerland, Holland and Sweden. The US comes in at 17th, and the UK is 22nd in the list. Factors the UN takes into consideration when assessing happiness are: “real GDP per capita, healthy life expectancy, having someone to count on, perceived freedom to make life choices, freedom from corruption, and generosity”.
The report concludes that subjective wellbeing has a huge influence on communities and the economy. “People who are emotionally happier, who have more satisfying lives, and who live in happier communities, are more likely both now and later to be healthy, productive, and socially connected. These benefits in turn flow more broadly to their families, workplaces, and communities, to the advantage of all.”
anxiety, depression, mental health, wellbeing
anxiety, depression, happiness, wellbeing, World Happiness Report 2013
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Posts tagged: #Alan Waldie
PODCAST: Alan Brooking.
I’m guessing you’re not as familiar with that name as were with others I’ve posted? But you’ll be familiar with his work. Saatchi’s ‘Pregnant Man’? BBH’s ‘Black Sheep’ poster? CDP’s ‘Wolf In Sheeps Clothing’? Yes? All shot by Alan. Because they’re such a fantastic ideas, they look as though anybody could’ve shot them. The images are so simple and clear you can’t imagine done them any other way. But each is the end result of a series of choices. TakeRead more
Hands Up Who’s Heard Of GEOFFREY SEYMOUR?
ADVERTISING’S OSCAR WILDE. An appreciation of the work of Geoffrey Seymour. By Mike Everett. It is one of the great ironies of the advertising business that one of its most talented writers is better remembered for his salary than his work. When he joined Saatchi & Saatchi in 1982, Geoff Seymour was paid £100,000 a year, a sum of money that soon became known in advertising circles as a ‘Seymour’. It may have been as an eye-watering amount at theRead more
GREEN BOOKS: New Yorker Ads 4.
The Advertising Standards Council wouldn’t let that title pass. I guess it was my intent when I cello-taped it to the cover. There are a few old New Yorker ads in there, but the majority are English, from the early seventies. It’s odd collection, looking at it now is a bit like wandering through a car boot sale. There’s the finds that have famous attached, so may be worth something: 1. Illustrator/Artist Glen Baxter’s Gilbey’s Gin ads. 2. Photographer ArtRead more
PODCAST: Sir Frank Lowe.
“Frank Lowe single-handedly cajoled a whole generation of writers, art directors and film directors into revolutionising British and world advertising.” – Sir Alan Parker. It seemed a bit over the top. I know he was very good and had a big impact on the business, but ‘single-handedly’? But I guess Alan is his mate, so he’s probably bigged him up a bit. Having just spent three hours nose to nose with Frank, I got a taste of what Alan was talking about.Read more
B&H, Part 2: The surreal years.
I used to walk past this poster every week for about a year. I was fifteen, my Art teacher had got hold of a life size billboard poster, a 48 sheet, or I should say 48 sheets. It was twenty or thirty foot long, and papered the entire corridor that lead to our classroom. We were all bemused by it at first, just a close-up of an electric circuit board? weird? Was it even an ad? Then we found the gold pack-shot.Read more
INTERVIEW: Mike Cozens.
Where were you bought up? Farley Road, Catford, S.E.6. Mr Smiths was where the Richardson Gang had their 1966 Gangland slaying. My Mum worked there. Frankie Frazer used to escort her up the Road. He famously said ‘I’ll take you home Lilly, you meet some dodgy characters around here’. That’s where I was dragged up. Was advertising your first choice? Not exactly. I was invited to leave Haberdashers Askes at the age of sixteen. Fortunately the only teacher whoRead more
IN-CAMERA 2: Rolph Gobits.
“To me, people are like lighthouses in a very big ocean, with wind and rain and waves trying to break them and make them go under.” – Rolph Gobits. Did you come from an arty family Rolph? I did not come from an arty family at all. Do you remember being aware of photography whist growing up in Holland? I was aware of photography at a very young age when growing up in Amsterdam. I was about five or six years old whenRead more
B&H Part 1: The ‘Gold Box’ Years.
In 1962, a bright, shiny new agency Collett Dickerson Pearce was offered a big account, the DuMaurier cigarette brand. This good news was particularly timely, as many at the fledgling agency were starting to worry their jobs. The agency turned the offer down. Founder John Pearce told the potential client the brand was a ‘dead duck’, and he didn’t want his agency to work with ‘no-hope brands’ or brands that they didn’t truly believe would respond to advertising. But being a decent sort of chap, MrRead more
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As oil prices drop and the dollar rises, what does it mean for the markets? Herbert Lash reports on the latest economic data for Reuters. Investors who are anticipating a spike in interest rates may have a while to wait, according to Jeffery Gundlach. He explains what is currently driving prices in the bond market. While many have focused on the Scottish independence movement, a potentially more explosive situation is developing in Spain. Joe Wiesenthal of Business Insider covers the volatile surge for Catalonian independence from Spain.
Oil Hits Two-Year Low; Dollar Rises Ahead Of Fed– Brent crude fell below $97 per barrel on Monday, its lowest in more than two years, as weak Chinese economic data cut the prospect for global demand at a time of abundant supply, while expectations that the Federal Reserve will provide new details this week about its plans to raise interest rates lifted the dollar.
http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/09/15/us-markets-global-idUSKBN0HA00N20140915
Gundlach On Today’s Surprising Driver Of Bond Prices– Jeffery Gundlach, founder of DoubleLine, identified the key driver that will keep rates low – the strong performance of European bond markets. Gundlach said it is “overwhelmingly tempting” for European and Japanese investors to buy U.S. Treasury bonds, which yield considerably more than their non-U.S. counterparts. http://www.advisorperspectives.com/newsletters14/Gundlach_on_Todays_Surprising_Driver_of_Bond_Prices.php
There’s Another Huge Independence Movement That’s About To Send Shockwaves Through Europe– Right now, the eyes of the world are on Scotland, which is voting in the coming week on whether to leave the UK. A trickier, potentially more explosive situation is unfolding in Spain, where the region of Catalan (which includes Barcelona) is scheduled to vote on November 9 on whether it is to leave Spain.
http://www.businessinsider.com/qa-on-catalan-independence-2014-9#ixzz3DOZCgX7E
John R. Day, Bill Ennis, Stephanie Davidson and Matt Heller
By John, Bill, Stephanie and Matt|2020-03-22T19:40:19-05:00September 16th, 2014|Federal Reserve, Interest Rates, Investments & the economy|
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February 10, 1992 (vol. 102, iss. 73)
February 10, 1992 (vol. 102, iss. 73) • Page Image 1
…State Rep. Perry Bullard (D-Ann Arbor) has always been a champion of student's rights. With the deputization hearings just around the corner, students need his help more than ever. Sean Connery and Lorraine Bracco concoct another a bomb in Medicine Man, a movie for which there is no cure. SPORTSMonday The years go by, but the beat goes on for the Michigan swimming program. This weekend, coach Jon Urbanchek's men's team won its seventh consec...…
…Page 2-The Michigan Daily- Monday, February 10, 1992 RULING Continued from page 1 added. Chambers, a University Law School professor, helped draft the domestic partnership ordinance. The Grahams' suit argued that because of extended insurance bene- fits, Ann Arbor citizens will face higher taxes, Chambers said. But little money is actually involved, he added. "Tax money is not the issue to them. It is the recognition of a les- bian couple tha...…
…The Michigan Daily - Monday, February 10, 1992 - Page 3 Legislators, 'U' officials confer City residents lobby Council for housing by Purvi Shah Daily Administration Reporter 'M' quality and University in- frastructure maintenance were two of the issues addressed during a meeting of University administra- tors and members of the state House Committee on Colleges and Universities Friday. Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs Gilber...…
…Page 4-The Michigan Daily- Monday, February 10, 1992 r ic Lirbigan ailu Fditor im Chief 420 Maynard Street Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109 764 - 0552 MA'f'IIEW 17. RENNIE Opinion Editors YAEL CITRO GEOFFREY EARLE AMITAVA MAZUMDAR Edited and Managed by Students at the University of Michigan / 1--7 ._'- Unsigned editorials represent a majority cf the Daily's Editorial Board. All other cartoons, signed articles, and letters do not necessarily r...…
…ARTS The Michigan Daily Monday, February 10, 1992 Page 5 Dead poets die hardest The makers of Dead Poets Society and Die Hard team up to concoct another Sean Connery bomb Medicine Man dir. John McTiernan 1 1 by Austin Ratner W ith the talented John McTiernan (director of Die Hard) and Tom Schulman (writer of the Oscar-win- ning screenplay for Dead Poets Society) collaborating on Medicine Man, you might expect a riveting, fast-paced,...…
…Page 6-The Michigan Daily- Monday, February 10, 1992 CAS..-SIFIED ADS 764 -0557 LOST.& FOUND FOUND WATCH & JEWLERY AT CCRB. Must identify, call 995-5034. FOR SALE 1988 DODGE DAYTONA-Red, 5 speed, 52K miles, air, tilt, $4200/best. 665-6474. BRASS MONKEY FREEZE INDICATOR. Part of his anatomy drops off when left outside on a cold night. Solid brass, 5 lbs., 5 in. tall. $18 post paid. Altex, 7800 Chadwell Rd., Huntsville, AL 35802. DIAMOND RI...…
…The Michigan Daily - Monday, February 10, 1992- Page 7 E. Quad arts fest addresses & diversity d by Scott Roush Minority input absent at SODC conference The 17th Annual Multicultural Arts Festival at East Quad this weekend featured a variety of events ranging from a free smor- gasbord of ethnic foods to a discus- sion of Native American team lo- gos in sports. Michigan Supreme Court Jus- tice Conrad Mallett spoke about the role of ethnicity...…
…Page 8--The Michigan Daily- Monday, February 10, 1992 I I The Bevis Frond New River Head Woronzow/Reckless The Bevis Frond, darlings of the British psychedelic underground, have released another stunning album. Their latest effort, New River Head, proves band leader Bevis is much more than simply a virtuoso of straight psychedelia. "Undertaker," a song Bevis has called "thrunge-gash" (one-upping those who'd call it grunge or even punk), and t...…
…Which Michigan men's basketball player turned 19 years old yesterday? (For the answer, turn to page 2) Inside Sports Monday 'M' Sports Calendar 2 AP Top 25 2 Athlete of the Week 2 Q&A 3 Sheran My Thoughts 3 Men's Basketball 4 Ice Hockey 5 Women's Baksetball 6 Track 7 Men's Tennis 7 Women's Gymnastics 8 Ir The Michigan Daily - Sports Monday February 10, 1992 n° d9W 3. 8S is; yr3'A6KB3ookies lead past Irish :7 oe9 1 a y Five frosh start, s...…
February 10, 1992 (vol. 102, iss. 73) • Page Image 10
…0 Page 2-The Michigan Daily- Sports Monday- February 10, 1992 Michigan Sports Calendar Here's a look at what is ahead this week in the Michigan sports world. Monday, February 10 No Events Scheduled Tuesday, February 11 No Events Scheduled Wednesday, February 12 TMe n Baktballvs owa, 8 p.m, Criser rena Womn's Swimming & Diving at Big Ten Championships, Indianapolis ' Frday, February 1 Ice Hockey vs. Miami (Ohio), 7:30 p.m., Yost Ice Arena Wom...…
…The Michigan Daily - Sports Monday - February 10, 1992 - Page 3 Jones The ex-Michigan hockey player talks about his life in the NHL Jeff Sheran Carr content with M' assistant post Brad Jones has seen it all in his relatively short hockey career. He was a member of the 1984 U. S. Junior National team. He played on the Bronze Medal winning squads in the 1985 and '86 National Sports Festivals. He played for two coaches at the University of...…
…*I Page 4-The Michigan Daily-Sports Monday- February 10,1992 BASKETBALL NOTEBOOK by Jeni Durst Daily Basketball Writer NOTRE DAME, Ind. - The Wolverine bench was short one player yesterday in Notre Dame. Junior guard and usual starter, Michael Talley, was missing from the lineup and the entire South Bend area. Talley was suspended from the game for skipping practice on Friday, coach Steve Fisher said. Fisher, Talley, and Talley's mother met ...…
…The Michigan Daily - Sports Monday - February 10, 1992 - Page 5 ICERS Continued from page 1 falling Ouimet, wheeled and beat BG goalie Will Clarke. Holmes tied the score on a quick strike after Martin Jiranek peeled the puck from the Wolverine de- fense right in front of the goal. The game-winning goal by Holzinger left a bitter feeling among the Wolverine contingent. When a whistle was heard to signal an apparent offsides, Ward eased off Hol...…
…91 Page 6-The Michigan Daily-Sports Monday- February 10, 1992 Duals has NCAA feel Meet offers preview of national championships by Tim Rardin Daily Sports Writer Last weekend's Cliff Keen National Team Duals proved to be a mini version of the NCAA wrestling championships in two very distinct ways. First, the event welcomed 14 teams, includ- ing the defending Division I, II, III, and NAIA champions, and eight of the top 10 teams in DIvision ...…
…The Michigan Daily - Sports Monday - February 10, 1992- Page 7 Kass upset in second round of Rolex tourney Three marks fall for women's track by Todd Schoenhaus Daily Sports Writer This past Thursday Michigan men's tennis ace, David Kass, headed to Minneapolis hoping to capture the Rolex Indoor Tennis Champi- onship. He was ranked No. 4 in the NCAA and was the tournament's second seed. Most expected to see him in yesterdays finals. However,...…
…Page 8-The Michigan Daily-Sports Monday- February 10, 1992 BIG TENS Continued from page 1 with Minnesota's Paul Kaump with a time of :50.13. The result was a swim-off between the two foes to decide who would take the eighth and final spot in the evening's finals. Bigelow clocked a school record of :49.48 for a place in the next round. The Wolverines finished their day with a victory in the 800 freestyle relay. The group of Van Tassell, Noel S...…
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Security Bug Kills Google+ – Digital Gabe
Security Bug Kills Google+
By admin Last updated Oct 9, 2018
Yesterday Google announced it was killing it’s underperforming messenger platform Google +. The service only had about half a million users worldwide, and the average session time was under 7 seconds – which is just enough time to tap in, figure out you’ve gone into Google+ by mistake, and then exit out. However Google isn’t killing G+ due to underperformance. Instead a major security bug doomed the platform.
In March (yes, six months ago) Google discovered a bug in their code that could have exposed users’ Google+ registration data to hackers. Google didn’t tell anyone about the bug (!!!), probably in hopes of avoiding its own Cambridge Analytica moment. As of today it’s unclear whether or not any hackers were able to scrape Google+ data (I don’t think we’ll ever know), but the threat of exposure was so great that Google decided to kill the platform altogether.
Does this make anyone else wonder how many other publisher bugs are out there that we don’t know about yet? #yikes
Remembering It’s The Work Itself That Matters
As The Third Party Cookie Crumbles
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DeroBertisCaffe
EntertainmentEntertainment
Winning the Lottery: It’s All in the past
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Winning the lottery has a long and ancient history. The word “lottery” comes from the German “lotto”, meaning fortune or straighteners. Many lottery games in the English speaking world are referred to as lotto games. How to win the lottery has been a throughout the world question for hundreds, even thousands of years ruay. com.
Ancient Lotteries
Lotteries have an ancient, venerable and somewhat checkered history. There are many biblical references to the drawing of lots to award ownership and in the Book of Numbers, Chapter 26, Moses uses a lottery to award land western side of the River Jordan. In the New Testament, Roman members of the military received lots to decide who would get Jesus’ cloak after the crucifixion.
In 100 BC, the Hun Dynasty in China created the lottery game known as Keno. Most of the funds raised were used to finance the construction of the Great Wall, intended as a perimeter defense. Winning the lottery was less important than defending the country.
Origin of Modern Lotteries
The first recorded Eu lottery happened in 1446 by the widow of the Flemish painter Jan Van Eyck to dispose of his remaining paintings. Winning this lottery would have given which you prize worth ultra millions today!
Encyclopedia Britannica states that the lottery as we know it goes to 15th century England where it was used by individual towns to increase money for strengthening the town’s defenses (Europe has a strong tradition of citizens considering themselves as belonging to a city rather than a state or even a country, for example, a citizen would think of him or herself as a Roman, rather than an German. ) King Francis I of England allowed lotteries to operate from 1520, and the first city lottery to offer money as a prize was La Lotto de Firenze, run by the city of Florence in 1530. Other cities in Italy soon followed suit.
In 1567, Queen Elizabeth I established the first English state lottery, with prizes including cash, gold and silver plate, and tapestries. 400, 000 tickets were offered for sale. For a while, how to win the lottery was a question on all the citizens’ lips.
In 1612, King James I of The united kingdom created a lottery in London by noble decree. The proceeds helped to finance the first British colony in america at Jamestown, Virginia. Anglican churches held two of the three winning tickets in the first draw!
Winning the Lottery: The first National Lottery
In the middle 18th century, a notable event occurred in England. Because of the potential for fixing the results in privately operated lotteries, Giacomo Girolamo Casanova (1725 : 1798) persuaded Louis XV of England to found the first state-owned monopoly lottery, the Loterie Royale of the Military School, which became the forerunners of the Loterie Nationale. All the lotteries in England were against the law. The lottery was a Keno style game, where players could select 1, 2, 3, four or five numbers between 1 and 90. (Incidentally, Casanova owned the in the new lottery and became wealthy as a result, but sold his interest shortly afterwards and lost the proceeds through imprudent investments; sounds just like some modern lottery winners, doesn’t it? )
Origin of American Lotteries
In the 18th century, lotteries were well under way in america, primarily to fund some venture or as a way out of debt. The first began in Ma in 1744 because of military debts. The first national lottery was started by the Continental Congress in 1776 to increase funds for the American Revolution. The Founding Fathers were concerned not so much with how to win the lottery but with how to raise funds using lotteries. Many of the Founding Fathers played and sponsored lotteries:
Benjamin Franklin used lotteries to finance cannons for the Revolutionary War.
George New york funded construction of the Mountain Road, which opened expansion Western side of Virginia, by operating a lottery.
Thomas Jefferson, who was $80, 000 in financial trouble at the end of his life, used a lottery to dispose of most of his property. Winning this lottery would have given which you precious part of American heritage!
John Hancock operated a lottery to finance the rebuild of historic Faneuil Room in Boston.
In addition, public lotteries helped build several American universities, including Harvard, Yale, Columbia, Princeton, Brown and Dartmouth. Winning these lotteries was a major contribution to the future of American education.
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Tag: Andy Richter
Campaign 2016, Entertainment, Late Night Round-Up, Top News
Late Night Roundup: Standing Behind Donald Trump
Eric Kleefeld March 3, 2016
The late night shows were all discussing one topic: The Super Tuesday results, and Donald Trump's continued takeover of the Republican Party.
Entertainment, Late Night Round-Up, Top News
Late Night Roundup: The Latest Armed Takeover
Eric Kleefeld January 5, 2016
The situation in Oregon suddenly spread to California last night — and Conan O'Brien and Andy Richter were in danger.
Late Night Roundup: ‘Back To The Future Day’ — Great Scott!
Eric Kleefeld October 22, 2015
Jimmy Kimmel celebrated "Back to the Future Day" — with a surprise visit from none other than the real Marty McFly and Doc Brown!
Late Night Roundup: The Ruby Slippers
Eric Kleefeld July 16, 2015
Conan O'Brien and Andy Richter discussed the recent theft of a true piece of Hollywood history: Judy Garland's ruby slippers from 'The Wizard of Oz.'
Late Night Roundup: Bernie Sanders Spreads The Message Around
Eric Kleefeld June 2, 2015
Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT) appeared with Seth Meyers to promote his Democratic presidential campaign. And he explained why "democratic socialist" should not be a dirty word.
Entertainment, Late Night Round-Up
Late Night Roundup: Tax Day Carols!
Eric Kleefeld April 16, 2015
Who says that taxes can't be fun? James Corden teamed up with pop singer Katharine McPhee, to celebrate April 15.
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Sanders brings his ‘political revolution’ to Wilmington
Apr 23rd, 2016 · by Craig Anderson · Comments:
Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Bernie Sanders waves to his supporters following a rally at Recreation Hall on the campus of Penn State University last week in State College, Pennsylvania. ( Washington Post photo/Ricky Carioti)
WILMINGTON — U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders, D-Vt., encapsulated what he wanted to make absolutely clear to Delawareans heading to the presidential primary polls on Tuesday.
“This country faces many, many questions and that we are not going to effectively address those questions with a declining middle class and grotesque level of inequality unless we are prepared to stand up to big money interests who have so much influence on our economic and political lives,” the Democratic presidential candidate stressed during a telephone interview with the Delaware State News on Saturday.
Noting that “my state of Vermont is smaller than Delaware,” Sen. Sanders said he believes in the impact of local initiatives and said many great ideas generated in the First State could be beneficial throughout the nation.
The senator said he believes his candidacy is prepared to “shock people” on Tuesday and take Delaware’s vote and others, along with making a stronger showing in Connecticut. Maryland, Pennsylvania, and Rhode Island will also hold primaries Tuesday.
During a 66-minute speech before thousands of Delawareans that followed at the Chase Center, the candidate outlined his vision of “A Future to Believe In,” often pointing to corporate greed and big money campaign contributions designed to swing the vote against him and toward rival Hillary Clinton.
Sen. Sanders urged Delawareans to make it the highest turnout in state history, noting that high interest primaries have produced his candidacy’s best voting results.
“Let Delaware show the world that it is prepared to go forward in a political revolution,” he said in final remarks before exiting the podium to an outpouring of applause.
Beginning his presentation, the candidate immediately referenced Vice President Joe Biden’s neutral position in the Sanders versus Clinton choice, but preferring the Vermont Congressman’s “aspirational” style opposed to “over cautious.”
Beginning his campaign about a year ago and polling at three percent and 60 points behind Mrs. Clinton, Sen. Sanders sounded inspired by some national polls that now have him in the lead.
Better yet, he said, “We’re beating Donald Trump in every instance and almost always by larger margins than Secretary Clinton.”
Comparing the current election system as an oligarchy due to high dollar wealthy individuals and companies contributing to Political Action Committees, Sen. Sanders said his seven million individual campaign contributors provided an average of $27 to his cause.
“We’re (running) a campaign of the people,” Sen. Sanders said. “ … (Most powerful special interests make campaign contributions) and they know what we’re doing.”
Touching on differences with Mrs. Clinton, he pointed to his opposition of the war in Iraq in 2002 and noted that the overthrow of ruthless tyrants like Saddam Hussein, Bashar al-Assad and Muammar Gaddafi must also come with an understanding of the people in those counties and what consequences an introduction of democracy will bring.
Pushing for revised trade policies, Sen. Sanders stressed that United States companies should more often create their products here and pay a living wage. He believes a $15 hourly wage is needed so folks working 40 hours per week should not be living in poverty.
“We’ve got to tell companies that they can’t continue to ship jobs elsewhere,” he said.
More efficient and sustainable energy sources are needed he said, including “wind, solar, geothermal and other technologies.” He wants to stand up to the “fossil fuel industry and save this planet” put a tax on carbon product and target a “corrupt campaign finance system.”
Regarding a wide disparity of income and benefits between the country’s rich and poor, Sen. Sanders said “A nation is not judged by how many millionaires … or nuclear weapons it has, but it is judged on how it treats the weakest and most vulnerable among us.”
A Sanders presidency would bring the introduction of free education and public colleges and universities, something he said is available in every other major country in the world today.
Noting the staggering student loans needed to get through higher education today, “student debt should be refinanced at the lowest interest rate they can find.”
Also, he said he wants to “Transfer money back into the hand of the middle class” and “Tax Wall Street on speculation because “Greed and illegal behavior nearly destroyed this country’s economy.”
An uphill battle continued on, considering Mrs. Clinton’s substantial lead in delegates (1,428 to 1,153) and super delegates (502 to 38).
State Rep. Kim Williams, D-Newport, was an introductory speaker before Sen. Sanders arrived, and said, “The room was energized. It was amazing.
“You see him on television and then when you see his message in person it’s amplified, it’s clear. He speaks to the people.”
There was also time for Rep. Williams and others to meet behind closed doors during his visit.
“What you see publicly of him is what you see privately,” she said. “You see his passion for the American people, you see his passion to make sure all people are heard.
“He’s a great man.”
Staff writer Craig Anderson can be reached at 741-8296 or canderson@newszap.com.
Tags:Featured · Politics
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Lawsuit vs. proposed Silo Speedway in judge’s hands
May 23rd, 2016 · by Craig Anderson · Comments:
DOVER — The saga of a winery owner’s attempt to stop construction of an auto racing track next to his business is in neutral as a judge considers the matter.
No future court dates were scheduled as of noon Monday regarding a Pizzadili Partners lawsuit seeking to overturn a Kent County Board of Adjustment decision that the future Silo Speedway met zoning requirements at the site next to U.S. 13 near Peach Basket Road north of Felton.
With the application for Silo Speedway, this aerial view represents in black where the quarter-mile racing oval is planned behind Delaware Auto Exchange on U.S. 13 north of Felton. Above the red bordering, the Pizzadili Vineyard and Winery is shown. The winery’s building and pavilion are the red rooftops. (Submitted photo/Kent County Department of Planning Services)
On Monday, Silo Speedway owner Ron Faison declined comment.
Last Friday he posted on his Facebook that construction was halted on advice of his attorney pending a future scheduled appearance in Kent County Superior Court.
Pizzadili Partners took the matter to court after the Kent County Board of Adjustment denied in February its appeal to overturn a decision allowing Silo Speedway construction to proceed. The petition was filed on Feb. 29.
Superior Court Resident Judge William L. Witham Jr. is reviewing the case.
A Pizzadili Partners reply brief filed Friday maintained the board errantly concluded that an auto racetrack is allowed in a General Business zoning district, and does not conform to expressed uses referenced in county code.
Furthermore, the reply brief stated, “The county is also wrong to suggest that the evidence presented to the board showed that noise and dust would not be significant factors and that somehow formed a basis for the board’s decision.
“There is no evidence that the board majority actually made its decision on that basis.”
Pointing to “ample” testimony at the board meeting that “noise and dust would be significant and would greatly harm the petitioner’s business, as well as other businesses.”
Pizzadili Partners claimed the board deferred to the county’s original decision while using “inappropriate — and almost resigned —” rationale.
Citing Kent County Code, Pizzadili Partners wrote that an auto racetrack is never referenced as a “commercial recreation facility” that is allowed in the General Business zoning district and is inconsistent with the intent.
“A stated purpose of the General Business zoning district is ‘to prohibit uses which may be detrimental to residential neighborhoods and communities for reasons such as odor, smoke, dust, fumes, fire, vibrations, noise or hazardous conditions,’ ” Pizzadili maintained.
Pizzadili referenced county and Silo Speedway ownership’s belief that the previously approved Fairlane Acres Speedway set an applicable precedent, and explained it as “also approved as a conditional use, with lots of conditions imposed on it. Here of course, the use was approved as a permitted one, with no conditions.”
Fairlane is a 1/8-mile kart track off Kitts Hummock Road south of Dover Air Force Base.
Pizzadili pointed to a board member’s dissenting vote that was based on the belief that a 2001 hearing considering the future Fairlane Raceway was “inappropriate.” County code was in place to protect nearby residential properties and surrounding neighbors but did not, the board member said, while considering the two situations as comparing “apples and oranges.”
Tags:Courts · Featured · Kent County · Silo Speedway
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Homeopathy assumes that symptoms represent only the tip of the iceberg and do not represent the disease as a whole. So the actual cause of disease is supposed to be a decreased vitality. Real health can only be restored when the vitality has back its natural balance.
In contrast to classical medicine, in homeopathy the disease is the expression of disgruntled vitality. Vitality is simply the force that keeps the organism alive and regulates all processes in the body.
Years of wrong nutrition, false behavior patterns, stress, traumatic childhood experiences and suchlike affect the vitality and it comes to disease. By the symptoms, the vitality tries to come back into balance. A cold or fever is therefore not the disease itself but only an expression of the life force being out of consistent, in its attempt to maintain homeostasis (balance). Now, if the fever is suppressed, for example, Interferon (an endogenous antiviral) is no longer produced in sufficient quantities and a viral infection drags on much longer than necessary.
Outer circumstances play a significant role. Whether, for example, one became ill after a grief experience or the disease was triggered by something else.
With her cure system Ira tries to capture the patient in its entirety in all its spheres of life to assign all the symptoms and past illnesses.
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In the News • November 24, 2020
Delhi Air Pollution: Stubble burning share in city’s pollution rises to 42%
Anurag Mishra of Dainik Jagran mentions AQLI while talking about Delhi’s air pollution problem.
Via Dainik Jagran
Ashirbad S Raha
ashirbad@uchicago.edu
As always, India’s capital New Delhi faces tremendous air pollution during the winter season every year. Among other issues, this is one of the causes of respiratory-related problems, especially in the elderly. According to the Energy Policy Institute of the University of Chicago, the average age of an individual in India is decreasing by 5.2 years (as per WHO standards) and 2.3 years according to national standards because of air pollution. In this report, it was said that if air quality continues to be this bad in Delhi, then Delhi residents will lose on an average of 9.4 years. It is a well-known truth that prolonged exposure to PM 2.5 causes….
Continue Reading at Dainik Jagran
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USDA Confirms H5 Avian Influenza in Washington State Wild Birds
The United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) confirmed the presence of highly pathogenic (HPAI) H5 avian influenza in wild birds in Whatcom County, Washington. Two separate virus strains were identified: HPAI H5N2 in northern pintail ducks and HPAI H5N8 in captive Gyrfalcons that were fed hunter-killed wild birds. Neither virus has been found in commercial poultry anywhere in the United States.
There is no immediate public health concern with either of these avian influenza viruses. Both H5N2 and H5N8 viruses have been found in other parts of the world and have not caused any human infection to date.
The finding in Whatcom County was quickly reported and identified due to increased surveillance for avian influenza in light of the HPAI H5N2 avian influenza affecting commercial poultry in British Columbia, Canada.
Washington State, USDA, and other Federal partners are working jointly on additional surveillance and testing of birds in the nearby area.
All bird owners, whether commercial producers or backyard enthusiasts, are encouraged to practice good biosecurity, prevent contact between their birds and wild birds, and to report sick birds or unusual bird deaths to State/Federal officials, either through your state veterinarian or through USDA’s toll-free number at 866-536-7593. Additional information on biosecurity for backyard flocks can be found at healthybirds.aphis.usda.gov.
Equine Influenza in Washington State
Eight cases of equine influenza have been reported in Washington State.
Influenza in Washington State Barrel Horses
Three horses were confirmed positive for equine influenza in Thurston County, Washington, after attending a barrel racing competition.
Equine Influenza and Strangles in Washington State
Additional Equine Influenza Cases in Washington State
Eleven more cases of equine influenza have been diagnosed in Washington state.
Two Horses Positive for Equine Influenza in Washington State
One veterinarian reported possible multiple horses sick after local show.
The Ohio State Staff Design Contraceptive for Wild Horses
EDCC Reports WNV in Washington State
Bill to Allow State and Tribal Management of Wild Horses Introduced
More Than 100 Wild Burros Dead of Equine Influenza in California
The equine industry is supporting the care of this donkey population, including intensive care and herd vaccination.
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Buzz romo wants to face cowboys 2017 performed_by
Home/Uncategorized/Buzz romo wants to face cowboys 2017 performed_by
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That was a disappointment, for him and the team. wholesale jerseys all Allong with and , declared A.J. Decide on measurement criteria. It’s not like they just traded their draft away. When Raanan didn’t move, Flowers moved his face close to the reporter’s and asked, You hear me? It’s like these ones that make the team frustrating at times because the potential is http://www.cowboysprostores.com/tyrone-crawford-jersey-c-1_57.html certainly there. After Smith set a hard screen on Ulis, Dudley came over and appeared to head- Smith. He’s always wholesale jerseys all been a free spirit, unafraid to be himself and unwilling to conform to the ideals of others.
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After it struck a merchant freighter, Russian Navy surveillance ship sinks in BLACK SEA
Today, April 27, 2017, marks the day of sinking off Russian naval investigation ship near Turkish coast in the Black Sea after bumping with a freighter.
Russian officials earlier verified that outer of Liman and major parts of it float upholding a breach. Fortunately, none of the crew member aboard on the ship is hurt. All personnel were safely rescued from the stricken ship right after the incident. The collision happened about 20 miles at the northwest of the Bosporus which is considered as one of the world’s occupied waterways connecting the Black Sea to shipping lanes.
The area is accounted with fog but no clear cause of the collision is mentioned yet.
“The ship hit a Togo-flagged boat carrying livestock”, Turkish media reported.
Right after the incident, Russian counterpart Dmitry Medvedev received an official call from Turkish PM Binali Yildirim who conveyed his “grief” over the incident. Source in PM’s office were stated by Reuters news agency that Russian Black Sea Fleet (BSF) crosses Bosporus strait for operation in Mediterranean (particularly in Syria).
The BSF also stated that Russian crew is following all sailing rules and regulations and strategies and it seems that this unpleasant incident happened due to the negligence caused by some other ship, reported by Russia’s Interfax news agency.
Moreover, Russian representatives Turkish coastal authority speaks on its website as: “It collided with the Youzarsif H freighter, reportedly 29km (18 miles) from the Turkish town of Kilyos on the Black Sea coast just north of the city of Istanbul, and had sunk by 14:48 (11:48 GMT).”
Reuters news agency reports that it is still not obvious whether the ship was directed to Bosporus strait at that moment. Reuters news agency also speaks to a well-known shipping agent who said the Togo-flagged freighter and this Russian ship collided due to the bad weather in foggy conditions which promoted poor visibility.
Adm Viktor Kravchenko, a former navy commander told Interfax that this incident was “out of the ordinary”. “There have been collisions but I do not remember a case like this, of a vessel, a warship sinking after it,” he told.
This year, Russia has motivated the Trump supervision with a connection of spy ship voyages beside the U.S. East Coast, approaching 17 miles of land at a spot.
The Russian Defense Ministry told the Liman undergo a huge hole beneath its waterline. Liman was momentarily renowned in 1999 during its deployment deployed to the Mediterranean Sea to keep an eye on NATO operations happening in Yugoslavia.
Russia and Turkey have welcomed the warming gestures and promoted friendly environment between them over the last year, putting aside the harsh inconsistency over the war in Syria to assist each other and bringing out a better political resolution to the conflict. In 2015, their association went down a low point during the occasion when Russian warplane (that gone astray over the border of Syria) was shot down by Turkey, says Ankara. Both the countries are connected by Iran, declared to stop the war in Syria.
NHS Cyber Attack: Ransomware Hack spreads globally. Here’s how you can protect your system!
China’s Robotics Industry – Present and Future
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Johnny Manziel’s CFL Career is Already Over. Is the AAF Next?
If They’re Smart, The NFL Will Go All-In and Purchase the AAF
Stacey Mickles, February 28, 2019 3:30 pm
Who Killed the Alliance of American Football?
John Duffley, February 21, 2020 3:30 pm
Billionaire AAF Investor Wants His $70 Million Back… ASAP!
Brett Regan, June 25, 2019 4:33 pm
AAF Files for Bankruptcy with $48.3 Million in Debts
John Duffley, April 17, 2019 5:30 pm
AP Photo/Peter Joneleit
When the Alliance of American Football announced last spring that they would begin play in less than a year during the winter of 2019, a lot of people chuckled. However, with the success of this league in only a few weeks, who’s laughing now?
First of all, the play of the teams in the league is overall pretty good. It is quality football without being gimmicky. Most of the players in this league are former NFL players and college stars who just missed the cut during NFL training camps the last few seasons. Overall, the league is a rousing success, and it was AAF co-founder Bill Polian who said, “If it’s good football, it will sell itself.”
Former Alabama Crimson Tide running back, and first-round draft pick by the Cleveland Browns, Trent Richardson is thriving with the Birmingham Iron. Former Florida Gators head coach Steve Spurrier is the leading one of the league’s top teams, the Orlando Apollos, and both seem to have found their home in the AAF, and football fans are starting to notice notice.
The Trent Richardson story is pretty awesome
– Drafted #3 by the #Browns
– Traded to the #Colts
– Percieved as one of the worst #NFL running backs ever
– Restarts career in #AAF
– Now leads league in TDs with 6 pic.twitter.com/e7SV4mBpdS
— OT Sports Network (@OTSportsPod) February 25, 2019
Despite the fact the league plays in the middle of winter, fans remain loyal and are flocking to the league’s games, and it’s showing. Even when recent news of off-the-field issues, the AAF television ratings jumped almost 20 percent from Week Two to Week Three. The league has even beaten out a few NBA games, Major League Soccer matches, and NHL games as well.
What does this mean? Americans love football no matter who’s playing, where they are, or what time of the year it is. It also says that the NFL absolutely needs to take a huge step and invest big in this league.
AAF on NFL Network 2/23-2/24:
Saturday 8p: 491K (last week 424K)
Sunday 8p: 515K (last week 425K)
— SportsTVRatings (@SportsTVRatings) February 26, 2019
RELATED: AAF’s Hotshots Retire No. 19 to Honor Fallen Firefighters’ Tragic Story
While the NFL saw an opportunity to open a programming partnership and broadcast AAF games on NFL Network, there is no direct investment by the National Football League just yet. AAF CEO and co-founder Charlie Ebersol wants this relationship to grow, and it’s already getting stronger. Players can move back and forth between leagues, and the AAF even hires NFL referees for its games.
This is not the USFL of the 1980s where a bunch of overpaid athletes and owners with inflated egos. This is a league that seemingly is growing an audience and a fan base with only quality football.
You have to wonder if the NFL should consider officially making the AAF their minor league if this success continues. Every other league has a minor league system, why not the NFL?
1️⃣0️⃣ Alliance players who have already made a case for the NFL.
📰 | https://t.co/pYzhO9NuA4 pic.twitter.com/85iKb74YQw
— The Alliance (@TheAAF) February 28, 2019
If a guy is struggling or a player gets hurt, you can call them up from an AAF roster. The NFL is already showing games on the NFL Network, so how far is the leap from showing the league games, to actually buying the league?
If the ratings continue to go up and the play continues to improve, don’t be surprised if the NFL does more than invest just their time into this league.
READ MORE: Johnny Manziel’s CFL Career is Already Over. Is the AAF Next?
About the author: Stacey Mickles, Auburn University for The League,
Charlie Ebersol
Trent Richardson
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Warnings of graphite shortages as EV market booms
By Alex Grant / 3 years ago / Tech / No Comments
Growing demand for electric vehicles and changing regulations in China may be about to cause a worldwide shortage of graphite, a key component of electrodes in lithium-ion batteries, experts have warned.
Rising demand for EVs, and slowing production, could hurt graphite supplies.
Investor advice firm, safehaven.com, has issued a comment suggesting that stocks in “tech-grade” graphite production are worth watching carefully over the next few years. It said demand is expected to increase 200% by the end of 2020, and 300% by 2025, driven by the growth of the electric vehicle and energy storage sectors.
While potential shortages of cobalt and lithium are widely reported, the company added that electric vehicle batteries require 10 to 20 times more graphite than they do lithium, quoting Tesla CEO Elon Musk as saying lithium is the “salt on the salad” in its battery electrodes. Tesla uses a nickel cathode, and graphite and silicone oxide anode.
That’s only going to be exacerbated by the Chinese market. China is a large-scale supplier of the world’s graphite, but regulation changes in Beijing targeting polluting industries have curbed production and the country is now importing tech-grade graphite from elsewhere.
This, it said, has contributed to a nine-fold price increase to $16,330 (£12,400) per tonne in China, and $35,000 (£26,600) per tonne across the rest of the world.
For more of the latest industry news click here.
BatteriesElectric Vehiclesgraphite
Trained on Cardiff University’s renowned Postgraduate Diploma in Motor Magazine Journalism, Alex is an award-winning motoring journalist with ten years’ experience across B2B and consumer titles. A life-long car enthusiast with a fascination for new technology and future drivetrains, he joined Fleet World in April 2011, contributing across the magazine and website portfolio and editing the EV Fleet World Website.
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Renault and Plug Power to develop fuel cell LCVs posted on 13 January, 2021
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CAPITAL BUSINESS MEDIA LTD (CBM)
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3.17 You acknowledge and allow that data submitted by You in connection with a Booking may be used for the purposes of updating Your details on CBM’s databases and of compiling statistical information on You.
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4.3 In the event of late payment, CBM reserves the right to waive any agreed discounts.
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5.2 Except as set out in clause 5.5, if You wish to cancel a Booking You shall notify CBM in writing and You will be required to pay CBM the Fee in full for the cancelled Booking where notice of cancellation is received by CBM:
(a) for a Directory, less than two months;
(b) for any other Advertisement in a Publication, less than six weeks;
(c) for a Website, less than one month
before the Publication Date.
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5.5 If you cancel Your Booking as a result of a change made by CBM pursuant to clause 3.5, You will not incur a cancellation fee.
6.1 CBM shall have the right to terminate any Booking and/or any agreement between CBM and You to which these Terms apply by notice to You if You:
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(d) are unable to perform any of Your obligations in circumstances set out in clause 7.1 below for a continuous period of not less than twenty eight (28) days.
6.2 Termination in accordance with clause 6.1 shall be treated as a cancellation by You and You will be required to pay the cancellation sum specified in clause 5.2.
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FLATO Developments’ Arthouse Condos achieves LEED Silver certification
Arthouse Condos, developed by City of Markham-based Flato Developments Inc., recently achieved a LEED Silver certification on February 7th, 2018. The certification was awarded by the Canada Green Building Council (CaGBC).
The art-inspired condominium is designed and built to reduce water usage compared to average levels in condominiums. It maximizes energy conservation through significantly smaller and more efficient HVAC & lectrical lighting systems, thermally efficient walls & windows, and a location that supports efficient travel options for residents.
LEED, which stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, is a rating system that is recognized as the international mark of excellence for green building in over 160 countries,. Since 2002, the CAGBC and LEED Canada have been redefining the building and communities where Canadians live, work and learn.
Arthouse Condos is located at 9582 Markham Road.
FLATO Developments donates $10,000 to Alliston Out of the Cold
A $100,000 Investment in Shelburne’s Youth and the Arts Shelburne’s Streams Community Hub receives a donation to build a creative hub.
Streams Community Hub receives $100,000 donation from FLATO Developments Inc.
More seniors housing to be developed west of New Tecumseth
A Certificate for making contributions to Dufferin-Caledon community
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Japan English keyboard_arrow_down
Find Flights to France with Thai Airways
Traveling to France
Whether it’s the nature or the culture you come for, France is certain to astound. From the rugged coast of Brittany to the dramatic Pyrenees and glaciered Alps, there is much to please the eye, while the French with their fashion, food and fine wine are a unique bunch – and pleasingly proud of their regional identities.
France’s cities are well connected by the speedy TGV train network, while there are also local trains servicing smaller places. Train stations in Paris provide direct links to many major European cities. If you prefer to drive, the autoroutes are excellent, while bus options can be cheaper, if less popular with tourists.
France has so much to offer visitors of all persuasions. Many come for the varied cities, with Paris long standing out as one of the most glamorous, coolest capitals in the globe; it has world-beating chefs, jaw-dropping architecture and a rich creative scene. Then there’s cosmopolitan Strasbourg and pretty Lyon near the eastern border, as well as sun-soaked Nice and edgy Marseille on the Mediterranean.
The French often see their country as a rural one, however, and huge swathes of France are given over to protected woodland and national parks, making it feel at times sparsely populated. The Loire valley is wondrously serene despite being a favourite with tourists for centuries; its slopes harbour many historic villages and fortifications, as well as the fabled chateaux. If you fancy something more dramatic, you can hit the Alps bordering Switzerland and Italy for a spot of skiing, or the Pyrenees bordering Spain for hiking and climbing.
For museums with some of the best collections in the world, head to Paris, home to the immortal Louvre and Musée d'Orsay, while Marseille's stunning new Musée des civilisations de l'Europe at de la Méditerranée by acclaimed architect Rudi Ricciotti proves there are plenty of top museums beyond the capital.
It’s hardly unknown, but the Brittany region in the northwest is one of France's most enthralling regions, and often overlooked. The Bretons are probably the most proudly distinct group in the country, with traditions and architecture that still treasure Celtic roots. Savoury lace-thin pancakes and cider are also famous in this part of France.
Visitors to the French Riviera tend to stick to Nice and Cannes, but Antibes also deserves a pit stop. Dating back to the Ancient Greeks, its historic centre is one of the finest on this stretch of Mediterranean coast, while the sandy beaches are splendid.
Every region in France boasts its own distinct cuisine and lively restaurant circuit. Specialities such as frogs' legs, snails and foie gras are synonymous with French cooking, but there's much more to it than that. The Parisians sure know how to cook a steak, or should we say entrecote, while Brittany is terrific for seafood, and the Dordogne is known for its black truffles and game. Oh, and you can always justify a plate of French fries here, or pommes frites.
Of course, a visit to France wouldn’t be complete without getting to know the wine – a glance down a list of French towns and region’s is like perusing a particularly good wine list. Refine your palette with a wine tour in one of the historic producer-regions.
Popular Thai Airways Flights to France
To Paris
Japan - France
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The Decoy Bride
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Watch movie The Decoy Bride full online free » Best site to watch Movies free and TV series online is CipFlix » PrimeWire.
A local woman is hired to draw paparazzi away from a Hollywood actress who has come to Scotland to get married.
Director: Sheree Folkson
Actors: Alice Eve, David Tennant, Federico Castelluccio, Gil Kolirin, Kelly Macdonald, Maureen Beattie, Michael Urie
New York City, 1954: Benjy Stone is the junior writer on the top rated variety/comedy show. His idol Alan Swann, an actor with a drinking problem, is to be that…
The Heyday of the Insensitive Bastards
Seven vignettes explore the difference between fantasy and reality, memory and history, and the joy and agony of the human condition.
Dating coach Alex ‘Hitch’ Hitchens mentors a bumbling client, Albert, who hopes to win the heart of the glamorous Allegra Cole. While Albert makes progress, Hitch faces his own romantic…
Love Wrecked
On a Caribbean cruise, Jenny (Bynes) is marooned on a beach with her rock and roll idol. Deliriously in love with the idea of time alone with him, she manages…
A group of hobos begin melting into multicolored piles of goo after drinking sixty-year-old liquor. At the same time, the psychotic Vietnam War vet who rules the hobo camp snaps…
Captain Red runs a hardy pirate ship with the able assistance of Frog, a dashing young French sailor. One day Capt. Red is captured and taken aboard a Spanish galleon,…
Country: France, Tunisia
Genre: Adventure, Comedy, Family
This year Christmas with the Whitfields promises to be one they will never forget. All the siblings have come home for the first time in years and they’ve brought plenty…
Jordan Sanders, a take-no-prisoners tech mogul, wakes up one morning in the body of her 13-year-old self right before a do-or-die presentation. Her beleaguered assistant April is the only one…
Genre: Comedy, Fantasy, Romance
A rising star at agri-industry giant Archer Daniels Midland (ADM), Mark Whitacre suddenly turns whistleblower. Even as he exposes his company’s multi-national price-fixing conspiracy to the FBI, Whitacre envisions himself…
My Awkward Sexual Adventure
A hyper-repressed and schlubby accountant (Jonas Chernick) strikes a deal with a worldly but disorganized stripper (Emily Hampshire): he’ll help her with her crushing debt if she helps him become…
Four interwoven stories that occur on Halloween: an everyday high school principal has a secret life as a serial killer; a college virgin might have just met the one guy…
Trailer: The Decoy Bride
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Johannes Steizinger interviewed at 3:AM
Johannes Steizinger, one of the postdocs on our project, has been interviewed over at 3:AM. He talked (amongst other things) about the development of relativism in the 19th century, Simmel's response to the self-refutation argument, and the (supposed) connection between relativism and Nazi ideology.
Here's a teaser quote, but do click through to the full interview if you're interested to learn about these topics:
"Most Nazi philosophers were aware of the tension between the relativistic tendency and the non-relativistic assumptions of their view. Thus, they claimed that the Nazi worldview overcomes the opposition between absolutism and relativism. They developed argumentative strategies to present NS as a third way in philosophy, but could not resolve the inner tensions of their position. Nevertheless, the general ambition to solve the problem of relativism made their ideology attractive to contemporary philosophers. Anti-relativist sentiments were a strong motivating factor for the philosophical collaboration with NS. Equating NS with relativism hence obscures an important feature of Nazi ideology that partly explains its widespread philosophical acceptance in the historical context. Many German philosophers, from most camps of early-twentieth-century philosophy, welcomed NS and attempted to show its philosophical significance.
I believe that we can learn a political lesson from this shameful episode in the modern debate on relativism: Anti-relativism is no sufficient strategy against Nazi racism or similar kinds of racism."
Learning from history: identity, plurality and conflict
This piece is reposted with permission from the Austrian Press Agency's website. It was written by Katherina Kinzel, one of the postdocs on our project, who works in the philosophy of history and deals with questions of historical methodology, pluralism and relativism. It is a guest commentary on the opening of Haus der Geschichte Österreich – a new museum for Austria’s contemporary history – which took place this month. It deals with the relation between history, narration and political identity, and with the question of how we can learn from history given the plurality of historical narratives and interpretations.
Wie können wir von Geschichte lernen?
Bis in die Aufklärung hinein lautete die Antwort auf diese Frage für gewöhnlich: durch lehrreiche Beispiele. Unter dem Schlagwort >historia magistra vitae< - Geschichte ist die Lehrmeisterin des Lebens - wurde die Vergangenheit als eine Art Fundgrube von beispielhaften Konflikt- und Entscheidungssituationen behandelt, deren Lehren sich relativ unproblematisch auf vergleichbare Situationen in der Gegenwart übertragen ließen. Es galt, die erfolgreichen Handlungen und Strategien vergangener Akteure zu imitieren, und ihre Fehler zu vermeiden.
Mit der zunehmenden Professionalisierung der Geschichtswissenschaften im späten 18. und frühen 19. Jahrhundert geriet die Konzeption von Geschichte als einem Sammelsurium von Lehrbeispielen mehr und mehr in Zweifel. Dies schlug sich natürlich auch in der philosophischen Diskussion darüber, wie wir von Geschichte lernen können, nieder.
Wenn etwa Hegel lakonisch meint, dass die Geschichte lediglich lehre, dass "Völker und Regierungen niemals etwas aus der Geschichte gelernt" haben, dann spricht er damit nicht einfach eine pessimistische Einschätzung der menschlichen Lernfähigkeit aus. Hegel stellt vielmehr die Grundvoraussetzungen des Modells "exemplarischer Geschichte" in Frage: Wo wir die Vergangenheit als Vorbild oder abschreckendes Beispiel benutzen, gehen wir implizit davon aus, dass die Handlungsbedingungen in der Gegenwart jenen der Vergangenheit ausreichend ähnlich sind, um eine Übertragung von Gestern auf Heute zu ermöglichen. Geschichte bedeutet aber gerade einen umfassenden Veränderungsprozess, in der sich nicht nur einzelne Handlungsweisen, sondern die Handlungsbedingungen selbst verändern können.
Hegel selbst hat die Menschheitsgeschichte bekannterweise zu einem universalen Lern- und Fortschrittsprozess stilisiert, in dem sich die Vernunft und die Freiheit schrittweise selbst verwirklichen. Dieser umfassende Fortschrittsoptimismus wurde durch die Erfahrungen des ersten Weltkrieges und des Nationalsozialismus grundlegend in Frage gestellt. Aber auch die Tatsache, dass der europäische Kolonialismus stets unter Verweis auf "zivilisatorischen Fortschritt" legitimiert wurde, lässt den Fortschrittsbegriff problematisch erscheinen.
Aber welche Modelle des Lernens von Geschichte stehen uns zur Verfügung, wenn wir umfassenden Fortschrittsnarrativen kritisch gegenüberstehen, aber auch nicht in die naive Verwendung von Einzelbeispielen zurückfallen wollen?
Als Einstiegspunkt bietet sich die Frage an, wie Erinnerung, Erzählung, und Identität miteinander zusammenhängen. Schon für unsere ganz persönliche, individuelle Erinnerung gilt, dass sie nicht nur einzelne und voneinander isolierte Ereignisse aus der Vergangenheit festhält. In unseren Praxen und Ritualen der Erinnerung nutzen wir das Mittel der Erzählung, um die Ereignisse unseres Lebens in umfassende Zusammenhänge von Vorher und Nachher, Ursache und Wirkung, Bedingung und Bedingtes einzuordnen. Manche Ereignisse schätzen wir dabei als besonders bedeutend für unsere persönliche Entwicklung ein. Wir heben prägende Erfahrungen, Kumulations- und Wendepunkte heraus, und behandeln weniger wichtige Situationen als bloßen Hintergrund oder Ornament. Indem wir strukturierte Geschichten über unsere Vergangenheit erzählen, werden wir uns auch darüber klar, wer wir heute sind. Und mitunter geraten wir in Konflikte, wenn wir unliebsame Details, die mit unserem gegenwärtigen Selbstbild nicht zusammenpassen, lieber unterschlagen würden.
Auch wenn es um Erinnerung im kollektiven und gesellschaftlichen Sinn geht, ist die Erzählung von Geschichte stets mit einem Prozess der Erzeugung von Identität verbunden. In pluralistischen Gesellschaften begegnen wir dabei einem vielfältigen Angebot von Geschichtsdeutungen und -erzählungen. Unterschiedliche gesellschaftliche und politische Gruppen formieren sich unter anderem über die Erzählungen, mit denen sie sich und andere historisch verorten. Pluralität bedeutet dabei auch Konflikt: Unterschiedliche Erzählungen gehen mit unterschiedlichen Schlüsselerlebnissen und unterschiedlichen Urteilen darüber, was als relevant und was als irrelevant zu gelten hat, einher. Unterschiedliche Geschichten identifizieren unterschiedliche Traditionen, Kontinuitäten und Bruchlinien.
Zwar sind die Geschichtswissenschaften zu strengen Kriterien von Nachvollziehbarkeit und Überprüfbarkeit verpflichtet, sie bleiben von den politischen Konflikten um historische Erzählungen aber nicht völlig unberührt. Auch dort, wo es einen unleugbaren Bestand historischer Tatsachen gibt, die nicht in Frage gestellt werden können, bleibt doch die Deutung dieser Tatsachen in sinnvollen Erzählungen ein offener, gegenwartsbezogener und damit auch politischer Prozess. Gerade weil Erzählungen über Geschichte eine zentrale Rolle bei der Herstellung unserer persönlichen, gesellschaftlichen, politischen, und nationalen Identität spielen, bleiben sie umstritten.
Die Einsicht in den Zusammenhang von Erzählung, Identität und Geschichte, hilft uns, die Probleme von exemplarischer Geschichte und Fortschrittsgeschichte noch etwas genauer zu fassen, und dadurch alternative Konzepte des Lernens von Geschichte zu entwickeln.
Das Problem der "exemplarischen Geschichte" ist nicht nur die naive Vorstellung, dass sich Geschichte wiederholt. Ein grundlegenderer Fehler besteht darin, dass sie sich isolierter Einzelbeispiele aus der Vergangenheit bedient. Damit bleiben die Zusammenhänge, die historische Ereignisse miteinander verbinden, unsichtbar. Geschichte wird mit Vergangenheit gleichgesetzt, sodass die historischen Prozesse, die von der Vergangenheit in die Gegenwart führen, gar nicht zum Thema werden können.
Wenn wir aber Zusammenhänge und dynamische Entwicklungen in den Blick nehmen, statt uns auf isolierte Einzelereignisse zu beschränken, dann können wir die Gegenwart als ein Produkt der historischen Entwicklung verstehen. Und wenn wir Geschichte nicht als abgeschlossene, tote Vergangenheit betrachten, sondern als einen Prozess, an dessen Gestaltung wir in der Gegenwart aktiv Teil haben, dann ist es auch leichter, aus dieser Entwicklung gegenwartsrelevante Schlüsse zu ziehen. Eine Erzählung, die Vergangenheit und Gegenwart miteinander sinnvoll verbindet, ist eher dazu in der Lage, einen Orientierungsleitfaden für die Zukunft an die Hand zu geben, als ein isoliertes Beispiel.
Gleichzeitig kann die Auseinandersetzung um Vergangenheit aber nicht stillgestellt und auf eine letztgültige Erzählung festgelegt werden: Die Frage nach Kontinuitäten und Brüchen ist ebenso Gegenstand fortlaufender politischer Auseinandersetzungen, wie die Frage, was wir in unsere gegenwärtige Identität als positive und negative Bezugspunkte aufnehmen wollen und müssen.
Ein zentrales Problem des Fortschrittskonzeptes besteht darin, dass durch die Annahme einer vorgegebenen "Richtung" des historischen Prozesses die Gegenwart aus der politischen Verantwortung genommen wird. Einerseits wird unterschlagen, dass historische Errungenschaften umkämpft bleiben. Rechtsstaatlichkeit, Demokratie und Menschenrechte, aber auch Arbeitsrechte und die Rechte von Frauen können, einmal erreicht, auch wieder zurückgenommen werden. Andererseits lenkt die unreflektierte Rede vom Fortschritt davon ab, dass es eines normativen Standpunktes bedarf, um bestimmte Entwicklungen überhaupt als "Errungenschaften" und "Fortschritte" auszeichnen zu können. Gerade weil die Deutung von Geschichte immer umkämpft ist, kann von Geschichte zu lernen nicht bedeuten, die Verantwortung über gegenwärtige politisch-normative Entscheidungen auf die Vergangenheit abzuwälzen.
Dass sich das "Haus der Geschichte Österreich" als Diskussionsforum versteht, das sich nicht mit der toten Vergangenheit, sondern mit der lebendigen Geschichte befasst, ist folgerichtig. Das Haus stellt sich die Aufgabe "gegenwartsrelevante Fragen an die Vergangenheit" zu stellen, und zwar so, dass nicht nur die Ereignisse der jüngeren Vergangenheit Österreichs seit 1918, sondern auch Deutungskonflikte über die österreichische Geschichte selbst zum Thema gemacht werden.
Anlässe für "gegenwartsrelevante Fragen" an die Geschichte gibt es derzeit genug. Das Wiedererstarken von Nationalismus und Rechtsextremismus in Europa, der (scheinbare) Erfolg autoritärer Staatsprojekte, oder die zunehmende Verschärfung gesellschaftlicher und ökonomischer Konflikte sind allesamt Themen, die sich für die Befragung von historischen Kontinuitäten, Umbrüchen und Entwicklungslinien anbieten.
Ob es gelingt, österreichische Zeitgeschichte so zu erzählen, dass Zusammenhänge mit gegenwärtigen globalen politischen Entwicklungen sichtbar werden, hängt letztlich auch davon ab, wie gut der Balanceakt, den das "Haus für Geschichte" anstrebt, eingelöst werden kann: So muss eine Pluralität von Erzählungen und der gelebte Konflikt um Vergangenheit zugelassen, zugleich aber ein klarer demokratischer Standpunkt in der Gegenwart bezogen werden.
Varieties of Moral Relativism
Photo by Andrew Neel on Unsplash
This is a guest post by Justin McBrayer, who is Associate Professor of Philosophy at Fort Lewis College in Durango, Colorado and was a Fulbright Visiting Professor at the University of Innsbruck, Austria.
Moral relativism is the view that morality is relative to time, place, or culture. What’s right for you may not be right for me. Plenty of people self-identify as moral relativists, although it’s likely that many of these people are not being consistent or will change their minds over time (see Beebe & Sackris 2016). Still, many people just think it’s obviously correct that there could be no universal morality and that whatever morals exist are a function of time, place, and culture.
Whether this is so depends on what we mean by ‘morals’. The term is ambiguous. Once made clear, it turns out that everyone is a moral relativist in some sense but only the most radical is a relativist in all senses.
Sometimes by ‘morals’ what we mean is ‘moral beliefs’. In this sense, to say that morals are relative is to say that what one believes about morality is relative. And that is surely correct. What we believe about morality is affected by our time, place, and culture. Three-hundred years ago, most people in Europe believed that slavery was morally permissible. Now we do not. Our moral beliefs are relative. This view is not controversial.
Other times by ‘morals’ what we mean is ‘correct moral standards’ or ‘true moral principles’. In this sense, to say that morals are relative is to say that the correct moral norms are relative to one’s time, place, and culture. Take the slavery issue again. If you think that people in Europe three-hundred years ago were mistaken about the moral permissibility of slavery, then you’re not a relativist in this sense. You probably think that the correct moral standards show that slavery was always wrong but that it took humans a long time to realize this. On the other hand, if you think that there was really nothing morally wrong with slavery then, but there is now, you are a relativist in this latter sense.
Does it make sense to be a relativist about the correct moral standards? This view is controversial, but clarifying the dispute is tricky. It depends on which sorts of moral standards are under discussion. There are many “levels” of moral principles that we might discuss, and some may be relative while others are not.
Let me illustrate the dilemma with an example from science. Physicists long to construct a “theory of everything.” This theory would explain all physical phenomena by subsuming all physical events under a single set of ultimate principles. However, we aren’t there yet. The best we have are a series of principles that are true but fail to capture all physical phenomena. Examples of mid-level principles are E=MC2 and Boyle’s law which says that pressure and volume are inversely proportional. We use these mid-level principles to solve particular application problems like building a bridge or filling a scuba tank. So in physics we can demarcate three levels of abstraction: an ultimate theory, mid-level principles, and lower-level applications.
It’s the same in moral theory. Philosophers have long argued over the correct “theory of everything.” Candidates from utilitarianism to Kantianism to Aristotelianism claim to subsume all moral properties under a single set of ultimate principles. As in physics, there’s no consensus on that front. The best we have are a series of principles that most philosophers think are true but fail to capture all moral phenomena. Examples of mid-level principles are “You ought to respect your friends” and “It is wrong to enslave people against their will.” We use these mid-level principles to solve particular moral problems that we face in everyday life.
With these three levels distinguished, we can now return to the question of whether the moral standards are relative. We have three levels to choose from: one may be a relativist about the application of principles to a given situation, about mid-level principles, or about ultimate moral principles.
At the level of application, it goes without saying that the application of moral principles to concrete situations will yield different moral standards of behavior at different times, places, and cultures. What you must to respect a friend in 21st century Europe is far different from the behavior required to respect a friend in 9th century Japan. In that sense, the correct standards for what you ought to do are relative to time and place. And yet this doesn’t require us to say that the mid-level principle is relative: in both times and places there is a moral duty to respect one’s friend.
It is a far different matter to endorse a relativism about either mid-level or ultimate moral principles. To endorse the idea that in some times and places it is morally wrong to enslave people against their will but in other times and places it is morally permissible is to be a relativist about a mid-level principle. This sort of relativism provides no way of comparing the behaviors of people governed by different moral principles and no way to improve or regress by altering the moral principles at play.
In short, we should all be moral relativists of a certain sort. We should agree that what we believe about morality is at least partly explained by our environment and that the principles of moral application will vary widely with local circumstances. In some cultures it is a moral mistake to buy your in-laws a gift year and in others it is morally required to do so. But this sort of innocuous relativism is consistent with the idea that there are universal moral standards at the mid-level, the ultimate level, or both.
Moral relativism is not an all-or-nothing proposition.
Photo by Tirachard Kumtanom from Pexels
We took a break for a while, but now we're back.
We'll have a looser schedule than before, but we will still be bringing you the latest about work on relativism, updates about the ERC Relativism project, and guest posts from scholars across the world.
For updates you can 'like' the project on facebook, or follow the project (@ERC_Relativism) or the blog editor (@natalan) on twitter.
Interview with Annalisa Coliva
by Delia Belleri
Annalisa Coliva (University of California, Irvine), visited our ERC group on June 23rd, 2017. Delia Belleri got to sit with her and ask about her recent work in epistemology, its relationship with relativism, and other current topics revolving around academic philosophy.
In your recent book Extended Rationality (Palgrave MacMillan 2015) you advocate a form of “Hinge Epistemology”. This view has something to say with respect epistemic relativism. How would you describe your stance in this regard?
I do not advocate a form of epistemic relativism. Hinge Epistemology can be developed in different ways and my own version differs from the versions that other fellow philosophers – for instance, Duncan Pritchard and Michael Williams – have put forward (but they are no relativists either!). There is a discussion among hinge epistemologists as to what we can count as “hinges”. My view is that hinge epistemology has the highest chances of success when it focusses on very general hinges, which are supposed to ground the acquisition of any type of knowledge in any area. So, the kinds of propositions that I consider to be hinges are, for example, “There is an external world”, “There are other minds”, or the principle of uniformity of nature. In my book, I also speak about “social hinges” or “testimonial hinges”: I maintain that the practice of testimony rests on the assumption that people do not generally provide misleading information. Now, if these are the hinges, I think it would be extremely difficult to come up with epistemic systems that feature radically different and opposed hinges which are nevertheless compatible with human experience, justification and knowledge. In this sense, I am not a relativist. If, by contrast, by “hinges” we understand more specific propositions, things change, and we can at least witness individual or group variability. Yet, mere variability is not enough to give rise to a relativist view. What is needed, on top of that, is some requirement of incompatibility – either in the form of disagreement or of distance – between these viewpoints and also an admission of their “parity”. Thus, the path from hinge epistemology to relativism is not at all obvious and I myself am not inclined to follow it.
It remains that the relationship between hinge epistemology and epistemic relativism may be further explored by those who believe in this program, in order to clarify what the available options are and where we want to position ourselves. A further, important element is this: my version of hinge epistemology could be read as a form of relativism because I am an anti-realist regarding hinges. That is, I do not believe they reflect facts that are given independently of us. They are background assumptions of our epistemic practices which cannot be established independently of the practices themselves. It would be epistemically arrogant to proclaim oneself a realist about their truth. So in this sense, my position could suggest, and be developed in the direction of, a form of relativism. Again, this is not my considered view on the matter, but others may be inclined to take hinge epistemology in this direction.
Do you think philosophical relativism – as stated and articulated by professional philosophers within academic institutions – could be responsible for other forms of relativism as expressed in certain public debates? I am thinking here of forms of opposition to what seems to be “established knowledge”, ranging from anti-vaxxers to climate change deniers.
I think that in this respect one should try more precisely to identify what the “public opinion” is. If we are talking about the public opinion of a specific country it is one thing, if we move to another national context, it is another. My impression is that in the United States there is not much contact between what academic philosophers do and public debates. Or at any rate, the contact is not as direct as it could be in other countries where, for sociological reasons, philosophy has a different role: for instance because it is taught in schools, or because it is constantly present in the op-ed sections of newspapers. I think in Italy there is much more continuity between academic philosophy and public opinion. Much of the philosophical debate that was “popular” between the seventies and the eighties in the last century, and whose echoes we can still hear today, was certainly informed by relativism. First of all, in the background there was the Kantian idea to the effect that reality is not immediately given, but it is rather at least partially constructed through our categories. This was often put in linguistic terms: the languages in which we phrase our experiences shape the experiences themselves. This was a theme running through academic philosophy at the time, as well as other disciplines like semiotics as it was developed by Umberto Eco. Once these assumptions are endorsed, the step towards relativism is almost inevitable: perhaps the initial position is a form of conceptual relativism, but it soon turns into an epistemic relativism. For employing certain concepts and certain words sooner or later affects the very conceptual resources we employ to express and transfer knowledge. Secondly, and again in the Italian context, Nietzsche is an unquestionable influence; journalists and public intellectuals are presumably all familiar with the Nietzschean idea that there are no facts, only interpretations. This may have epistemological repercussions, for the focus is shifted from the inquiry into facts to a hermeneutical task which implies that reality is approached from a certain “standpoint.” This can lead people to doubt that there are any absolute truths as to whether, e.g., vaccines cause autism or not. These observations seem to me to apply to the Italian context, or at least to some areas of Italian public opinion (generally the intellectual leftist), but, to repeat, we ought to distinguish which public opinion we are talking about. My impression is that in several contexts where we witness the rise of “alternative facts” there is very little philosophical motivation behind it. These opinions seem to stem more from ignorance and lack of trust in the experts, often motivated by feeling entirely at their mercy and thus diminished in one’s autonomy and in one’s relevance in a given society.
You have defended views in various sub-areas of epistemology. One of these concerns self-knowledge. In your recent book The Varieties of Self-Knowledge (Palgrave MacMillan 2016), you maintain a form of pluralism about how we acquire knowledge about ourselves. What is the impact of your position on the current debate on the topic?
This position leads to a reconfiguration of the debate and allows us to rehabilitate a number of positions that are considered antithetical as equally valid, to the extent that these capture only partial aspects of what self-knowledge is. By self-knowledge we mean knowledge of our mental states, which normally gives rise to self-ascriptions of psychological properties, like “I feel sick”, “I feel happy”, “I think that Vienna is pretty”, “I intend to take my son out for lunch”, “I am in love”, “I am brave”. The point is to understand how we come to know these mental states. I contend that these self-ascriptions of psychological properties are essentially divided into two classes: one of self-ascriptions of dispositional properties and the other of self-ascriptions of either current sensations/emotions or current non-dispositional propositional attitudes. Once this distinction is drawn, it is possible to see that a number of positions that seem in opposition are in fact compatible: for example, the inferentialist account of self-knowledge (whereby a self-attribution of knowledge is the result of an inference to the best explanation) and an anti-inferentialist account. The inferentialists are ultimately right with regard to our knowledge of dispositional states. How do I know I am brave? Not because I am currently experiencing a courage-like feeling, but because, at least in some cases, I consider my overt behavior to date and infer to its likely cause. The inferentialist is, however, wrong to extend her account to our knowledge of the pain we are currently experiencing in a certain situation. To make another example: Moran's deliberative theory is offered as a comprehensive account of self-knowledge, but this is clearly inaccurate, since this theory is best applied only to our self-attributions of beliefs and other propositional attitudes. In a pluralist setting, this theory need not be seen as in contrast with an expressivist option, which is best suited as an account of how we self-ascribe our ongoing sensations and emotions, like our ongoing pain or fear.
Now, my position is slightly more articulated than this and I myself take a critical stance towards some of these theories, so it is not the case that “anything goes”, by my pluralist lights. My general goal was, however, to show how a form of pluralism can help re-frame the debate. The view also gives rise to some interesting methodological results. When we think about how we arrive at a first person self-ascription, this is not exclusively the upshot of an inference to the best explanation (as urged by inferentialists like Ryle or, more recently, Quassam). There is a variety of other methods which have not been sufficiently studied: simulation, testimonial knowledge, or hermeneutics. In general, pluralism allows us to acknowledge and assess a cognitive and epistemic domain that is far more variegated than one may expect.
You wrote a book on Moore and Wittgenstein (Moore and Wittgenstein: Certainty and Common Sense, Palgrave MacMillan 2010) and generally give great importance to the historical aspects of analytic philosophy. How do you think analytic philosophers should approach their tradition?
First of all, they should pay more attention to the history of philosophy – and not simply to the history of analytic or Western philosophy, but also to that of, for instance, Eastern traditions. This is a burgeoning trend that we are witnessing in the United States. Building bridges between the past and the present and between different cultures allows more people to feel interested in philosophy and included in its practice. Secondly, and going back to analytic philosophy specifically, there is a number of authors whose influence is everlasting: I worked on Wittgenstein and Moore, but Frege and Russell are two undeniable pillars of the tradition. It would be impossible to understand what is going on in today's debates in the philosophy of mathematics, for instance, without having at least some basic acquaintance with Frege's logicist program. Analytic philosophy thinks of itself as theoretical philosophy, and hence as operating outside of time and history, but in fact it could only benefit from an increased awareness of its historical roots, or even of its possible connection with other traditions. These include, for instance, American pragmatism, phenomenology and perhaps also non-Western traditions. Conversely, it is somewhat curious to note that those who do confront their history, in the analytic camp, end up assuming the exclusive role of historians of philosophy. This is particularly evident in the Wittgensteinian tradition, where scholars of Wittgenstein also tend to think that nothing could be added to what he already said in his works. This is absolutely deleterious, if anything because it would entail the irrelevance of all that has been said since Wittgenstein's death – which happened around seventy years ago! Instead, I believe Wittgenstein's ideas could be a source of inspiration for new views, to be formulated and developed in the contemporary debate. I think this very clearly applies to hinge epistemology. Wittgenstein had a linguistic conception of hinges, but this feature need not be inherited by more modern versions of the theory. He believed that there is an incredibly high number of hinges, but this can be debated. So, if the history of our own philosophy is known to us but is not taken as the ultimate horizon of philosophical practice, it can provide us with valuable stimuli.
What about the relationship philosophers have with their present – and, perhaps, their future? Many interesting philosophical questions seem to emerge in connection with the digital world. What is the role of epistemology in this area?
I think applied social epistemology can lead to extremely interesting results here. We acquire a massive amount of information from the internet – not only about current topics, but also about history or science. How testimonial knowledge in digital environments is possible becomes a pressing question. Many philosophers have already produced highly interesting work on this topic, which illuminates problems that had never been experienced before the rise of digital media. Most of the times, in face-to-face communication we are acquainted with the person who is conveying their message to us. Hume was convinced that people do not regularly lie, not so much out of compliance with some abstract norm, but because, facing another human being, they would be embarrassed to be caught in a lie. Written testimony does not put the informant in a situation of potential embarrassment, but being the author of a text still implies “owning it” and being responsible for the truth of its contents. With the rise of digital media, authors can afford to disappear; embarrassments can be avoided completely. And yet, the information that goes online could never have been spread as widely as it can be spread today. We should therefore start to ask in which circumstances we can and cannot trust a digital source. Reflection on the notion of trust acquires a new significance when epistemology becomes involved with the internet. There is also a variety of other more technical and interesting questions connected with the algorithms used by search engines and social media to filter and display information. An interesting idea that has recently emerged in the epistemological debate is that the ranking of pages performed by search engines like Google is essentially link-based. So the page that is presented first is the page that is linked by the most epistemically “weighty”, or authoritative, websites. There have been attempts to model this phenomenon by means of, for instance, Condorcet's jury theorem: if more people link a certain page rather than another, they are linking the epistemically more reliable page. This might have interesting repercussions. Every time a new major technological resource appears on the scene, whose functioning we as laypeople do not master, this generates a sort of mistrust, the feeling that we might be deceived or manipulated by someone who is more expert than us. This risk is to an extent real, however, once we take a closer look at the way these systems work, our fears may be at least partially soothed. So it is important, also for social reasons, to clarify matters in this domain.
Apart from epistemology applied to the digital world, what would you say are the most exciting research trends in this field?
There is a growing interest in social epistemology, with topics like testimony, disagreement, reputation, trust and many others. All this is then applied to further areas of inquiry, such as medicine, legal issues, education, gender and racial issues. This is surely a trend for the years to come, and is also connected with the development of new technologies like the digital media. As far as “individual”, non-social epistemology is concerned, there was a moment when the field was dominated by, on the one hand, virtue epistemology theorists, and on the other, by the followers of Williamson's knowledge-first program. There was a lot of attention paid to the modal conditions of knowledge, as this was a heritage of the long-lasting discussion on Gettier cases. Today, thanks to the work of several people in between epistemology proper and the history of epistemology, “hinge” theories are emerging. These theories are promising in many ways: besides their stance on classical issues, such as the conditions of obtainment for justification and knowledge, the response to scepticism, and so on, these accounts offer interesting applications in social epistemology. One can talk about “testimonial hinges”, “moral hinges”, and ask if and how we know them and what their role is in our reasoning; one can talk about “religious hinges”, or even about “social hinges”, which encode the Weltbild of a given society or group with respect to gender and race, thus potentially reaching out to a different scholarly audience. And of course, the connections with relativism deserve to be explored.
You have recently taken up a full professorship at the University of California, Irvine, and you have an extensive international academic experience. What are your thoughts on the philosophy job market today?
I was recently shown by a colleague some interesting data related with the US job market, which is the larger market in terms of number of positions advertised. With regard to the last year, the results are quite impressive: approximately half of the positions are in value theory (ethics, metaethics, political philosophy); there are very few positions – approximately ten percent – available in philosophy of language, philosophy of mind, epistemology and metaphysics. There is an increasing interest in the American market for “mixed” positions which combine different competences, especially as far as non-Western philosophies are concerned. The market seems nowadays open to research profiles that reconcile, for instance, analytic philosophy and Bhuddism; also, a significant number of jobs is devoted to feminist philosophies. This tells us that there is little interest for young academics researching the “big topics” in theoretical philosophy, and I cannot help but be worried by this. One's philosophical training needs to start from the foundations; lack of a solid knowledge of the fundamentals could lead to philosophically shallow outputs. This being said, that a reorientation is happening in philosophy is a fact that needs to be acknowledged. Turning to my area of expertise, epistemology, the emerging topics pertain mainly to social and applied epistemology (as already mentioned before). This is a sign that epistemologists wish to become more and more involved – and possibly make a difference – with respect of a variety of socially weighty issues. Medical epistemology, legal epistemology, epistemology of education, the epistemology of the internet are certainly branches that will be further explored in the years to come. For a young academic, working on these topics might be a good way of investing in their future career.
What's your view on the role of women in professional philosophy? Are we making any progress? Is there a long way to go?
I am not a pessimist at heart, or someone easily prone to giving in to victimism. These are complex sociological issues and phenomena. We should be looking at them in perspective and we should be asking ourselves: has the percentage of women (and other minorities) in philosophy increased over the last x-number of years? This is an entirely empirical question and deserves an empirical answer. I’m pretty sure there has been considerable improvement in terms of absolute values. In terms of percentage, I actually don’t know. But this is the question to ask. Another question to ask is: what areas of philosophy have witnessed the larger increase of female practitioners and why? I’m pretty confident that if we look at feminist philosophy, the ratio is actually in our favor. If we look at hard-core philosophy of logic, I would expect the opposite. My dream is to arrive at parity all across the board. I won’t see it in my life time, but that’s what I hope to see: more men working in areas of philosophy which seem traditionally just for women and more women working in traditional, core areas of philosophy.
How to get there? Well, like in all social phenomena, by creating a different culture – talking about all this does help – and by exercising power, whenever one can, to redress the balance, both individually and as a group. So I do urge women to seek and accept positions of leadership whenever they have an opportunity – without shying away or hiding behind one’s family obligations – and work for parity. It’s tough, it’s tiring, but, girls, it’s extremely rewarding! And I do urge women to get together and think of actions which can be carried out as a group. We are witnessing this already in certain professional organizations, like the APA. We need to do more on that front, though. I do have one piece of advice: use these opportunities to look forward and be pragmatic – that is, goal directed in your thinking. Ideals without action are empty, actions without ideals are blind!
Interview with David Bloor
The following is the first in a series of interviews with people who have written about relativism - whether for or against. While many of our interview subjects will be philosophers, we are also interested in what non-philosophers have to say about these topics.
David Bloor is a sociologist, and Emeritus Professor at the University of Edinburgh where he was one of the founders of the Science Studies Unit. While David has written about a variety of topics, he is best known for advocating the 'strong programme' in the sociology of scientific knowledge. The strong programme has frequently been associated with a form of relativism and a sceptical attitude towards science and its authority. As David tells us in the interview, while he is happy to be placed in the 'relativist camp', he is no critic of science as such. On the contrary. He sees the strong programme as part of an attempt to understand science - both its successes and its failures - scientifically.
David was interviewed by Robin McKenna, Anne-Kathrin Koch, and Natalie Ashton. You can listen to the audio embedded here, and/or read a transcript of the interview below.
RM: David, you are perhaps best known as a proponent of the strong programme in the sociology of scientific knowledge. Can you tell us what the strong programme is, and what it tried to do?
DB: Let me start with what it was trying to do. My aim was to capture and codify what historians of science were doing already, and doing very successfully. I wasn't trying to tell people what they should do, I was trying to say what they already did.
Now, why was I trying to do that? It was because good historical practice was, as I saw it, actually under attack. Certain philosophers wanted to impose their own recommended method onto the practice of historians, and I thought that they were wanting to impose a bad method on the historians. I'm referring here to Popperians such as Imre Lakatos and others such as Larry Laudan.
What they said is that, first of all, philosophers should decide what counts as truly rational action. So philosophers defined rationality, and then those parts of scientific practice that could be described in a way that shows them exemplifying this idea of rationality, well those parts of science were explained simply by virtue of their alleged rationality. And that left causal explanation with two rather limited tasks to perform. According to the Lakatoses and the Laudans, socio-psychological causes might explain the general circumstances under which rationality would arise, or causes could explain why scientists deviated from rationality. In other words, they limited the role of causality very considerably and they partialled out the history of science into the rational and the non-rational (or the a-rational), and this seemed to me to run directly opposite to good historical practice.
Good historians, as I understood it, were offering, not a dualistic analysis of scientific knowledge, but a more monistic account. In other words, they were exercising causal curiosity and empirical curiosity just in a wholly general way. And this seemed to me to be correct and desirable so that, to me, the taken for granted empiricism and causal sensibility of historians of science, seemed to me itself to be a manifestation of the scientific attitude. So I saw the actual practice, or the best practice of historians of science, as exemplifying science-understanding-itself-scientifically, and I understood the recommendations - the historiographical recommendations and proposed legislation - by the Laudans and the Lakatoses, as itself in fact embodying an unscientific approach, because they were extracting rationality from the real world causal nexus. And that's what I was trying to embody in the strong programme, the sensibility, the codification of what I thought historians of science had already achieved, and that I believed was basically under attack. So that's as far as I can answer the first question, that’s a sketch of an answer to the first question.
RM: Thanks. That was quite high-level; could you perhaps tells us how this particular approach would work with a detailed case study? So what would differentiate a sociological or historical approach to a case study from, say, a philosophical approach to that case study?
DB: Well, take the example of a scientific controversy. It might be Priestley and Lavoisier over oxygen versus phlogiston, or it might be the theory of the electromagnetic ether versus an Einsteinian relativistic approach which discarded the appeal to the ether. You have a fundamental dispute, they can't both be right, and here the asymmetrical methodology of the Lakatoses and the Laudans and their rationalistic approach would tell the historian to make a prior assessment as to who was being rational. And then treat that as in some way unproblematic - simply the unfolding of rationality itself. And hence causal explanation would be, for example, confined to why Priestley did not respond rationality, allegedly, to the evidence, or why the defenders of the ether did not respond, allegedly, in a rational way - why they resisted Einsteinian rationality.
And this really does not make good sense, it doesn't make good historiographical sense, and the instinct of historians was very different: you looked at where this thinking came from, what interests it served, what were the causes of its credibility, or lack of credibility, of some given approach, to some given group. And just instinctively the historians dealt with both sides of the controversy in the same way. They didn’t at all engage themselves with some abstract notion of what was really rational. They assumed, I suppose, roughly speaking, that people on both sides of such scientific controversies were intelligent people, who were not thinking in any particularly corrupted way. They were both thinking, but with different assumptions, presuppositions, purposes, background resources, and so on.
So historians adopted a symmetrical attitude, whereas their philosophical critics trying to tell them how to do their history of science were recommending that they truncate their causal curiosity, and simply let somebody else define rationality, and then they would conveniently run round the edges of this account filling out a few of the details. And this struck me as a travesty, and my intention was really to codify the instincts of the historians here and expose the, well, let's be blunt about it: expose the extraordinary methodological arrogance that lay behind the rationalistic proposals.
AK: Ok, thank you David. Now this strong programme has often been associated with relativism. Could you please say a little about this association?
DB: Yes, but first I need to make clear what I understand by the word ‘relativism’ Philosophers typically use the word ‘relativist’ to describe all manner of irresponsible and rather stupid attitudes. If you look at what is alleged to be relativism, critics will tell you, in effect, that it is a form of irrationalism: that it indicates an indifference to questions of truth, falsity, rationality, accuracy; that the relativist adopts a ‘Who cares? Whatever’ attitude towards important disputes. That, I think, is nonsense. I don’t think that notion of relativism deserves to be taken seriously at all. So the definition of relativism that I use seems to me to be simple and intuitive, and it is that relativism is the rejection of any form of absolutism.
Now, this then raises the question: what is the link between that definition of relativism and the strong programme? And the short answer to that is that once one rejects any form of absolutism, then the only viable perspective on knowledge is to see it as a natural phenomenon. That's to say, to see it as something that is inseparable from the causal processes that take place in nature, and in space and time. It means that, inevitably, one must think of the process of gaining knowledge and constructing knowledge as itself causal and embedded in nature. In other words, relativism points to a form of naturalism, and naturalism is the basic perspective which is articulated by the strong programme.
NA: So you're understanding relativism as the counter to absolutism, so could you just say a couple of words about what you mean by absolutism there?
DB: What is meant by absolutism? Well it's got to be a certain sort of epistemological superlative, hasn't it. If one makes it anything other than something with a very strong, elevated, and superlative character to it, one is simply backsliding away from the connotations of the term, and the sort of contrasts that are implied by it. So, if we ask ourselves what the connotations of the word are, then we immediately have to produce qualities like: it’s something with a certain perfection to it; it is something with a certain eternal character to it; it is something which is not qualified or approximate, or sometimes true/sometimes false, effective here and not effective there. All of those qualifications, I think, have to be removed in order to do justice to something having, or deserving, the label of ‘absolute’.
Now, scientific knowledge itself, if you look at it historically, and just empirically, and ask yourself ‘How does it work? How do scientists behave?’, then, endlessly, there is provisionality, there is qualification, there is approximation. All of those things are just embedded in science, science is saturated with them. Therefore, science stands in fundamental opposition to any knowledge, or any knowledge producing process, that might deserve the word absolute. So I really see the choice between the absolute and the relative as the choice between something that is fundamentally non-scientific and something that is scientific, so it boils down once again to a dichotomy.
AK: So, unlike most people, you do in fact positively embrace the label ‘relativism’, is that right?
DB: Yes, I do positively embrace it. And you're wondering why I positively embrace it, I think? Well, this is a question that I have been asked before, and I ask it myself sometimes, because of course, as I indicated, most people, and that includes philosophers and non-philosophers, simply take the word to have wholly negative connotations, to refer to something really rather silly and objectionable, so why not just say the word has come to mean that, it’s come to have these connotations, why not just be smart and adopt another label?
Now there are two reasons why I don't want to do that. The first is that if I did try to present myself, or present the work that I think is relativist, by using another label, I don’t really think it would really alter the situation. I mean supposing that I started using a word like ‘naturalistic’ - I'm not putting forward a relativist view, I’m putting forward a ‘naturalist’ view of knowledge, or I’m putting forward not a relativist view but a ‘causalist’ view of knowledge - if I engaged in some verbal maneuver of that kind... immediately, if anybody bothered at all to respond to such a maneuver, they would start discovering that really naturalism is relativism or causalism is relativism, and they would slide back to the silly, trivialising definition of relativism, and claim that they’d detected it or could reveal its presence behind the charade that was now being perpetrated. So one would be trying to engage in a game that one couldn’t win, for a start.
The second reason is that I have a streak of stubbornness about this one. I’m not going to let other people dictate to me what words I use, or what words mean in my own mouth, so I refuse to let my language be corrupted by others, as I see it. I think there are very strong and clear intuitions behind the ‘absolute vs. relative, the choice is absolute or relative’ [talk]. I think there are strong intuitions there. I think a lot of philosophers lapse into that sort of talk when they're not on their guard for some reason, especially if they’re talking about moral relativism. You can find dictionaries of philosophical terminology that define moral relativism as the rejection of moral absolutism. As far as I can tell, most philosophers don’t jump up and down with anger on encountering that definition. For many purposes they actually use it. It’s just that they don’t have good control over their own terminology, because as soon as they start talking about epistemology they start denouncing relativism as the equal validity thesis or something like that. So the second thing is a streak of stubbornness; I think this is the correct way to use the language, and I’m jolly well going to stick with it.
RM: A more general question: you’ve set yourself up as someone who wants to, as it were, defend a scientific approach to science, against the anti-scientific, philosophical approach. So I think it’s fair to say that philosophers have not been on board with this more scientific approach towards science, but could you say something about whether scientists have been more receptive to this attempt to understand what they’re doing in a scientific manner?
DB: It's difficult to generalise. In my own experience I've encountered radically different responses. There is of course the whole phenomenon of the Science Wars, as they're called, in which a number of scientists, particularly physicists, have denounced relativism and have denounced work in the strong programme as relativist in the negative, in my terms 'silly', sense of the word. Some scientists do seem to think that any careful empirical account must be read as a criticism. Why they think this, I don't know. I can see no adequate grounds for it, I don't believe any adequate grounds for this complaint have ever been produced, but there is a very strong tendency for critical empirical analysis of the activity to be read as criticism of that activity. In fact, this is possibly the most frequent, or at least the most vocal response - perhaps that’s a better word.
Though on some other occasions I have been extremely surprised and gratified when I have talked to some scientists who’ve read some of this material, and don't react in that way. Who do take it on the matter-of-fact, largely un-evaluative, level on which it’s offered. For example, I had the privilege when I was in Berlin to talk to an expert on hydrodynamics and hydraulics, who was engaged throughout his professional life in ship design, and he was a mathematically sophisticated engineer, and I was very worried, when he, very kindly, offered to read some drafts of my recent book on aerodynamics, as to whether he would very strongly react against the matter of fact relativist analysis that I gave, And I was grateful and gratified to find that he took it as all rather taken for granted and nothing to argue about. We discussed some technical issues as to how it’s best to deal with the relation between some different areas of aerodynamic theory, and I benefited from those discussions, but he did not have any wholesale methodological opposition to offer.
I also recently realised that there was a review of my book on aerodynamics in the American Journal of Physics, which is a journal that doesn't publish cutting edge research - its primary concern is with physics education and textbooks, particularly advanced textbooks, and often the contributions to this journal concern the clarity and accuracy of the presentation of the material of physics and so on. And so, as soon as I realised my book had been reviewed in the American Journal of Physics, I thought ‘uh-oh, what’s going to happen here? Will the person who is writing the review - an emeritus professor of fluid dynamics - will he find mistakes? For example, will he find mis-formulations of the technical content? Will he view the whole exercise as an attack on science?’. I’m glad to be able to report that I survivedthis review intact, and it was a generous and effective presentation of the case that I was trying to make. The reviewer did choose to confine the review to the technical chapters of the book, rather than some of the philosophical reflections at the end, but he didn't say this was because he thought they were wrong. He thought that those fell outside his own sphere of competence, so he was reluctant to talk about it. But to me that was an example of somebody who can read this sort of work and not automatically assume that it was a criticism of the scientific enterprise.
NA: Ok, so I'd like to ask you about public perceptions of relativism and its relationship to science. So relativism and other ‘ism’s like post-modernism are increasingly seen as in conflict with science and the common good, it seems. The recent March for Science, which aimed to celebrate non-partisan science and emphasise evidence-based policy as something in the public interest, saw some protesters carrying slogans such as “science has no agenda”, and it seems like the idea some of these people have is that political and other values would undermine science and make it less accurate and less beneficial. So I’m wondering what you think of this idea?
DB: Yes, this raises a lot of deep, and sometimes very complicated, issues. The first thing I want to say is that I certainly don't think relativism is a threat to science. I think that absolutism is a threat to science. Indeed, I think that relativism, as I understand it, and as I think it can and should be understood, embodies the general approach of science itself to knowledge. Of course, it’s easy to see what's happening here. If you define relativism as some sort of anti-scientific irrationalism, as many people do, then of course, by definition, relativism in that sense is a threat to science. But I think that one can state the whole matter much more clearly and effectively by focusing on exactly what it is one thinks is a threat to science - namely irrationalism - and denouncing irrationalism. And leaving the world relativism out of the discussion.
On this question of whether political values undermine science, or the objectivity of science, perhaps. I think the answer is: no, as such they don't, or they don't necessarily do so. It does of course depend on precisely which political values are in question. There will be those that do and, I’m fairly confident, those that don’t.
In general terms I would want to say that history makes it absolutely clear that the practice of science is saturated with political agendas. Think of the Manhattan Project building the atomic bomb; think of the development of radar as part of the defensive system in British strategic planning and the conduct of the second world war; think, going back a bit further, of electrical telegraphy and the work of Lord Kelvin, who had many commercial commitments; Kelvin’s work on underwater telephone cables. Historically and sociologically science has been inseparable from politics,war and economics. And I think it would be hopelessly unrealistic to draw the rigorous conclusion ‘oh, well, all of that science must be distorted science then’. Kelvin, Einstein, distorted science? No it really won’t work to talk like that. This is not bad science or polluted science, it’s just science. And if we admire science, and I admire science, or a lot of it, then we’ve got to learn to live with the fact that it is a complicated phenomenon - exactly as you'd expect it to be from a historical point of view - rooted in the complexity and contradictions and difficulties of social life and history. It’s a morally complicated thing. It’s a package deal.
AK: You just said that absolutism is a threat to science, or can be a threat to science. Many people might find that rather surprising. Can you maybe help us understand that by giving us an example of something of the practice of science that embodies absolutism?
DB: Yes it’s important to stress, or for me to stress, that I’m saying that absolutism can be a threat to science. I wouldn’t want to commit myself to saying that absolutism is necessarily, always a threat to science, for the very good reason that there are determined absolutists who’ve been excellent scientists.
This is particularly the case if you go back into history. The classical example would obviously be Isaac Newton, who was an absolutist in the general sense that he was a religious person, believed in God, and attributed absolute powers and properties to God in a very orthodox, Christian way. And he developed absolutistic conceptions of space and time. This was one of those most successful technical achievements in science that there has ever been, and he was quite serious about using words like absolute here, and he also connected the technical meaning of the word to his theological thinking. And he said, for example, quite explicitly in his work that absolute space and time were the ‘sensorium of God’. So if Newton can be an absolutist and do the science that he did, clearly absolutism is not in any absolute sense antagonistic to scientific achievement.
When I say now that it’s the absolutists not the relativists who we should be worried about in the present day situation I am talking about absolutist religious thinkers who seek to undermine a naturalistic and biological conception of human beings and of human diseases; who use moral and theological categories for commenting on and seeking to understand, for example certain diseases, particularly sexually transmitted diseases - these things are seen as punishment from God. And the alleged sacredness of life is used as a way of inhibiting research in certain areas in the United States. These people are the enemies of science, these people are the absolutists. That’s why, at least in the present circumstances, and as far as I can see for the foreseeable future, it is absolutism that you should be worried about if you are pro -scientific.
RM: Okay, just to finish, maybe you could recommend for our audience some readings on the topics we’ve discussed that could give them more of a background, some more information, on these topics.
DB: Yes. Two books spring to mind, and shamelessly one of them is my own. But there's a book published not very long ago whose title, if I remember it correctly, is What is a Genome? [Genomes and What to Make of Them] by Barry Barnes and John Dupré - Barnes, of course, was a colleague for many years in Edinburgh - and this is a look at some contemporary science. Science which has been discussed in the public realm rather a lot, and sometimes in an informed way and sometimes not in an informed way, and, for anyone who is interested in biological themes such as what exactly is a genome, this is a very readable and technically well-informed book, as I’m confident that it is.
And if one wants to follow up some of the particular themes that I’ve talked about here then let me shamelessly mention a book i published in 2011 called The Enigma of the Aerofoil - the aerofoil being, essentially, the wing of an aeroplane - and it’s about disputes over how a wing works, and why aeroplanes fly, treated historically, looking at conflicts. But one general feature of the book that might interest people who are not necessarily interested in the details of aerodynamics, is that, in the final chapter of the book, I broaden the discussion and ask where a science like aerodynamics fits into a relativist picture. Can you really be a relativist about aerodynamics?
And one of the vehicles for the discussion that I use is a claim made by Dawkins. Dawkins said - just in case the listener doesn’t know, Dawkins is famous for attacking religion, and he does so in the name of science, he also attacks relativism, allegedly in the name of science - and Dawkins has said, using the aeroplane as an example, he says: ‘show me a relativist at 30 000ft, and I shall show you a hypocrite. In other words he treats the relativist as someone who doesn’t pay attention to reality, doesn’t pay attention to technology, doesn't understand how technology or science works, yet can’t, of course, intelligently sustain such a view. And as soon as they’re confronted by the achievements of technology, such as being in an aircraft at 30 000 ft, then their silly ideas will be left behind and they will become more realistic. I directly address this challenge, and I show that if you're going to understand the science of aerodynamics, you must understand it as an achievement of relative knowledge. Now I could elaborate on that and go into details, but... that’s what you might find in that book, and that might be of some general interest.
NA: That’s great, thank you very much! Thank you for speaking to us.
Phenomenal Privacy & Relativity
by Thomas Raleigh
Here are 2 very natural ideas about conscious experiences:
(1) They are in some deep, interesting sense private.
(2) Nevertheless, different subjects can have qualitatively similar experiences.
I think that these 2 ideas are in tension. If we take seriously the idea that it is metaphysically impossible for any other subject to experience my phenomenal experiences, then the notion of phenomenal similarity across different subjects will not be well defined. And the reason for this is that the very idea of a phenomenal or appearance property – how something looks, feels or appears – is an inherently relativistic notion. That is: how something looks/feels/appears is always relative to some kind of subjective viewpoint or sense modality.
What is the relevant sense of ‘private’? Roughly: it is metaphysically impossible for anyone else to ‘directly’ experience my token phenomenal states/property instances. (Slightly less roughly: it is impossible for the token phenomenal features which constitutively form my stream of consciousness, to likewise constitutively figure in anyone else’s stream of consciousness.)
A traditional sort of scepticism raises the worry that we cannot ever know whether our respective private features are qualitatively the same – maybe your experience when looking at a ripe tomato is privately very different from mine; maybe your sensations when you bang your funny bone are quite different to how banging my funny bone feels to me; maybe, despite your fluent talk about experiences of various kinds, you actually have no inner conscious life whatsoever; and so on.
However, even allowing that this sort of sceptic may have a point, the following thought can seem very plausible: ok, perhaps I cannot be sure that your private stuff is the same as mine. But so long as it is in fact the same (and we both suppose or believe this to be so even if we may not be able to know it), then we can at least still successfully communicate and understand each other’s claims about our respective private stuff.
But notice that this line of thought relies on the second idea, above: that there can be facts, even if they may be unknowable, concerning inter-subjective phenomenal similarity. And this has been denied, at one time or other, by quite a few distinguished philosophers – including Frege, Schlick, Shoemaker and Stalnaker.
What is the problem then with the idea that 2 private phenomenal items, from 2 different subjects, could just naturally be similar – irrespective of what either subject can know or judge, or their dispositions to classify them and so on?
The crucial point here is that appearance properties and phenomenal properties are always relative to some specific (type of) subjective viewpoint. Nothing ever looks, feels or appears a certain way simpliciter; any item can only have some specific appearance/feel relative to some particular (type of) subjective viewpoint. The petals of this flower might look one way to humans, a different way to insects, yet another way to pigeons etc. But they don’t look any particular way at all simpliciter, or from no particular point of view. Nor, of course, do they look any way at all to a subject who entirely lacks vision – i.e. to a subjective viewpoint or modality that cannot ‘take in’ this item/feature. Likewise, my painful sensation feels a certain way to me, my after-image looks a certain way to me; but these token phenomenal features do not feel/appear any way at all to you, as your conscious point of view simply does not include them.
Given this essential relativity of appearance/phenomenal properties to a subjective perspective or sense-modality, two items can only be similar in appearance or feel relative to some particular subjective perspective or perspectives. Again: these two flowers may look similar to each other to humans, though they look very different from each other to pigeons. Or: they might both look identical (to me), yet they might each smell very differently (to me). But a claim that two items or features look or feel the same way relative to no particular conscious perspective or modality would be just as ill-defined as a claim that a single item has some specific appearance or feel relative to no particular conscious perspective or modality. And when it comes to two phenomenal items or features from two different private domains, there is, by hypothesis, no possibility that both items could ever ‘show up’ within a single subjective point of view – i.e. within a single subject’s conscious awareness. Thus it seems that any claim that my private item and your private item appear/feel phenomenally similar will not be a well-defined phenomenal comparison, for there is no possible common appearance space that both items could appear in.
In being essentially relative to a conscious perspective or modality, appearance/phenomenal properties are thus analogous to spatial and temporal properties – a point that I understand Wittgenstein to be making in section §350 of the Investigations:
It is as if I were to say, ‘You surely know what “It’s 5 o’clock here” means; so you also know what “It’s 5 o’clock on the sun” means. It means simply that it is just the same time there as it is here when it is 5 o’clock.’ – The explanation by means of sameness does not work here. For I know well enough that one can call 5 o’clock here and 5 o’clock there ‘the same time’, but I do not know in what cases one is to speak of its being the same time here and there. In exactly the same way, it is no explanation to say: the supposition that he has a pain is simply the supposition that he has the same as I.
Jennan Ismael makes a comparison with the notion of simultaneity in relativistic physics: there can be facts about temporal relations between 2 events within a spatial frame of reference. But when the 2 events are specified as belonging to different frames of reference, there is no fact as to one being earlier/later than the other. Likewise, given a model of experience which satisfies (MP), sameness or difference in the phenomenal appearance/feel of two private items/features may be well-defined relative to a particular subject’s private domain. But if the experiential elements in question belong to two different metaphysically private viewpoints, then any comparison of phenomenal appearance will not be well-defined. Just as there is no such thing as simultaneity simpliciter, but only relative to a specific frame of reference, there would be no such thing as phenomenal similarity simpliciter, but only within a specific private viewpoint.
One more comparison: John Divers has recently raised the following problem for Lewisian realism about possible worlds. If the truth of our modal claims is supposed to be explained by the existence of counterparts in distinct possible worlds, and those possible worlds are not spatio-temporally related to each other (i.e. spatio-temporal relations only obtain within individual possible worlds), then we face a problem with counter-factual claims like the following:
‘Usain might have been taller than he actually is.’
For the truth of such a claim is supposed to require the existence of a counterpart of Usain in some other possible world who is ‘taller than’ the actual Usain. But Usain in the actual world and Usain’s counterpart in some other possible world do not stand in any spatial relation; a fortiori they do not stand in the ‘taller than’ relation. In the absence of any possibility of actual-Usain and counterpart-Usain having their heights defined relative to a common spatio-temporal framework, we cannot make sense of claims that their respective heights are ‘the same’. Not only is it impossible for actual-Usain and counterpart-Usain to inhabit each other’s spatio-temporal domains, it is also impossible for any other item to function as a benchmark or ruler by which to meaningfully compare their heights – as it is metaphysically impossible for any item to figure in more than one Lewisian possible world.
Likewise, I am suggesting, assuming the metaphysical impossibility of my experiencing your private phenomenal items, or vice-versa, there is a lack of any common ‘appearance-space’ in which two items from distinct domains could have their subjective feels/appearances meaningfully compared as being phenomenally similar or different. Not only is it impossible for either of the two items in question to appear in the other’s private domain, it is also impossible for any other possible item/feature to serve as a phenomenal benchmark or standard in common to both private domains – as it is impossible for any item/feature to appear in more than one private phenomenal domain.
That is just the briefest sketch of the issue. But so what to do? I suggest that in order to hold onto the idea that we can have naturally similar phenomenal experiences, we should give up on the idea that they are metaphysically private – an idea that is in any case in tension with the physicalist idea that phenomenal experiences are ultimately just physical events/processes in the brain. There is nothing metaphysically private about the physical events and processes in a brain, which can be studied using 3rd-personal scientific methods just like other physical stuff. Indeed it seems plausible that it is precisely this supposedly special and unique conscious access we each have to our own sensations, mental imagery, innermost thoughts, etc. that provides one of the main motivations for dualism. As John Wisdom once remarked: “The peculiarity of the soul is not that it is visible to none but that it is visible to one”.
Taking seriously the idea that phenomenal similarity is always relative to a subjective viewpoint or appearance space – just as simultaneity and shape are relative to an observer’s frame of reference – thus gives us a reason to reject the perennially attractive idea that our conscious experiences are metaphysically private. But of course, others might want to jump the other way and hold onto phenomenal privacy at the expense of inter-subjective phenomenal similarity. The worry then is that this would make our privately defined phenomenal concepts incommunicable – but that will have to be a topic for another occasion.
If you are interested in the issues raised in this post, look out for Thomas' forthcoming article 'Phenomenal Privacy, Similarity and Communicability', which will be published soon in Ergo.
Epistemic Relativism Workshop
By Victoria Lavorerio
This summer term, Martin Kusch, philosophy professor and principal investigator of the “Emergence of Relativism” research project, held a Master-level research seminar (or "Forschungsseminar") in the University of Vienna devoted to epistemic relativism. The course explored recent proposals and criticisms of epistemic relativism, and it culminated on Monday, 27th of June in an all-day workshop in which the students presented their tentative results. The students’ presentations covered a range of issues and positions studied throughout the course, as well as some independent explorations of recent and not so recent relativistic proposals.
The day started off with presentations dedicated to Sankey’s reconstruction and critique of epistemic relativism. Olga Ring took issue with Sankey’s strategy to refute epistemic relativism; not only is his naturalistic stance (construed as an epistemic norm) also vulnerable to the problem of the criterion, but it is in tension with his brand of particularism. Relatedly, Richard Bärnthaler argued against Sankey’s claim that naturalism, but not relativism, can provide justification in an objective sense. Drawing from Galison’s work, he considered objectivity as a (historically-relative) epistemic norm, and argued that the empirical investigation behind the naturalistic approach uses the very epistemic norm it is supposed to evaluate. In his presentation, Jesse de Pagter turned to Evans-Pritchard’s study of the Azande to discuss the validity of the Equal Validity claim, which Boghossian and Sankey advance as an important feature of epistemic relativism.
Soheil Human’s talk was inter-disciplinary in nature, as he discussed how the predictive processing theory in neuroscience can contribute to MacFarlane’s criticism of Boghossian’s dismissal of “absolute relativism”. Also contra Boghossian, Tom Fery argued that there are ways to motivate relativism via the encounter of a different epistemic system, such as rejecting the claim that such system has to be impressive, or actual, or (which he deems more promising) by exploring the possibility that the two epistemic systems are on a par. Anne-Kathrin Koch’s talk asked the metaphilosophical question of what the disagreement between relativists (represented by Bloor) and absolutists (exemplified by Boghossian) is really about. After exploring the many facets of the contention, she advanced the hypothesis that what really is at stake is two different pictures of what epistemology is and should do.
The following panel explored the relations between relativism and disagreement. Lucas Smalldon discussed the famous disagreement between Bellarmine and Galileo, arguing that one shouldn’t ask who is more justified, but rather who is more rational. By using an error-correcting orientation, he argued that Galileo’s explanation fared better, and thus judging it to be a faultless disagreement is mistaken. In his presentation, Clemens Loidl presented Hazlett’s relativized entitlement to trust a source as a device to deliver mutually recognized reasonable disagreement; he then explored its potential to respond to Boghossian’s critique of faultless disagreement. I, Victoria Lavorerio, argued against Hales’s claim that relativism is a promising resolution strategy in cases of irresolvable disagreements, by analyzing the demands such strategy makes on the disputants, and why they cannot be met. Closing the panel, Christoph Lernpaß focused on the evolutionary debunking argument from disagreement and its connection to moral relativism. He argued that Mogensen’s distinction between “arbitrarily absent” and “merely possible” does not pick up only the epistemically relevant disagreements.
Opening the final panel of the day, Henriikka Hannula aimed to expand Sharon Street’s relativism about normative reasons to include the agent’s cultural and social context, as well as her practical reasons, which underpin normative reasons and are not necessarily about getting true beliefs. In his contribution, Jakob Schott compared Rorty’s and Boghossian’s interpretations of Kuhn, while claiming that the latter was the least comprehensive and charitable. Taking Hartsock’s Marxist standpoint theory as an example of feminist epistemology, Karoline Paier asked which kind of relativism would help the feminist’s advantage thesis the most. After reviewing some possibilities, she concludes that Stanley’s interest-relativism looks the most promising. Finally, Daniel Eduardo Marante Mendoza took Bloor's relativism of content and meaning and placed it against Boghossian’s taxonomy and subsequent critique of different kinds of relativism to see whether (and) they applied to Bloor’s theory.
I hope I have done justice to the enjoyable and busy day we had, exploring and discussing both classical and unexpected issues related to epistemic relativism.
Relativism and Racism: Interview with Prof. Maria Kronfeldner
Photo Credit: Zoltán Krizbai (OSA)
The following is the first in a series of interviews exploring the connection between Relativism and Racism. Many philosophers disagree about this connection. Some argue that relativism is a prerequisite for open and multicultural societies as it enables their members to live on equal terms. Others argue that relativism gives rise to a problematic "anything goes" form of tolerance that is responsible for the flourishing of irrational and racist views. Moreover, these critics of relativism often claim that a universal concept of humanity and absolute values are necessary tools to resist racist ideologies. Some even argue that racism is itself a radical form of anthropological relativism, and use this as a basis from which to criticize relativistic views in general. This interview series will discuss the connection between relativism and racism from both a systematic and a historical point of view. We will take a closer look at our concepts of human nature and racist mechanisms such as dehumanization, and discuss why philosophers tend to demonize relativism.
Maria Kronfeldner was interviewed by Johannes Steizinger.
I am very happy to welcome Maria Kronfeldner for the first interview in our interview series on relativism and racism. Maria Kronfeldner is Associate Professor at CEU Budapest. She works in the Philosophy of the Life Sciences and the Philosophy of the Social Sciences and has published widely in this area. She currently works on a book with the working title: What’s Left of Human Nature: A Post-essentialist, Pluralist and Interactive Account of a Contested Concept. She organized an interdisciplinary and international conference on “Dehumanization: New Approaches to the Politics of Human Nature” in April 2016 and a smaller philosophical Workshop on dehumanization in January 2017. Today, we want to talk about the phenomenon of dehumanization, the concept of human nature and the significance of contexts for both.
JS: Dehumanization is studied especially in social psychology. There is a growing number of studies that examine the different forms of dehumanization and its psychological impact. However, dehumanization is not an established philosophical term. Thus, I want to ask you: what is dehumanization and why should philosophers engage with it?
MK: In social psychology, dehumanization means something quite narrow, even though psychologists distinguish – as you mentioned – a couple of forms. The term also has a history in social psychology: it was introduced as a technical term in the study of extreme violence in the 1970s. Scholars claimed that in acts of extreme violence such as mass murder, the killing of other humans presupposes their dehumanization. Otherwise such atrocities would not be possible. Over time, the term acquired a less narrow meaning. Current psychologists assume that quite generally we perceive the Other in social interactions according to a concept of humanness, as part of which individuals are taken to be more or less human. If current social psychologists use the term dehumanization, they study such processes of social cognition as the basis of discrimination and similar social phenomena.
The usage in philosophy is different and quite problematic: in philosophy the word is mostly used for whatever an author regards as negative. The attribute “dehumanizing” then simply stresses the negativity of something. Take, for instance, discussions about rape: we all agree that rape is something negative. Philosophers that want to highlight the negativity of rape, often claim that rape involves the dehumanization of its victim. It is hard to find anything else than this very broad usage in philosophy since dehumanization does not have a precise meaning in philosophy.
JS: Do you think that any definition of humanness implies a certain kind of dehumanization?
MK: I think that dehumanization is something very abstract. It facilitates the creation of distance. If something comes too close to you – in multiple senses –, then you can use dehumanization to create a psychological distance. This is the general and abstract aspect of it. The concrete content of dehumanization, however, varies a lot. I cannot think of a definition of humanness, a concept of the human that does not allow for dehumanization. And I cannot think of a concept of being human that is exclusively or in a special sense dehumanizing. All properties that can be taken to define what is human (such as rationality or morality) can also be used to dehumanize others.
JS: On the one hand we seem to have a very broad and abstract concept of dehumanization. On the other hand, the dehumanization of others mostly takes place in rather concrete forms, such as in images of animal or monster comparisons. People call or depict, for instance, Donald Trump as a monster. Is this a form of dehumanization?
MK: Comparisons with monsters, machines or animals can be used in a very specific metaphorical way that is not necessarily connected with dehumanization (i.e., believing that the depicted is in fact less human or treating the depicted as such). You can mean such comparisons satirically. Take, for instance, the images used in the magazine Charlie Hebdo, or in other satirical magazines. They use animal comparisons as part of an art form and want to communicate a certain message with it, which can but does not have to be dehumanizing. One needs a theory of the art of machine or animal comparisons to explain these usages.
But you also have other contexts in which it is harder to decide whether the case is a case of dehumanization and thus whether the respective image is ethically or politically legitimate. Take, for instance, advertisement, which often portrays women as sex objects. This objectification is a clear case of dehumanization. One cannot say that these sexist images are used in a metaphorical way. It is literally meant to be sexist.
Generally speaking, the use of seemingly dehumanizing images is a continuum and there are border line cases, which are hard to classify. You need a theory that gives you criteria to distinguish between the literal and the metaphorical use of an image.
JS: Where would you place the dehumanization of refugees in this continuum? Last year, there were articles in newspapers that depicted refugees as cockroaches or rats. Is this dehumanization? Is it problematic? And more generally, what distinguishes the metaphorical use of an image from the literal use?
MK: It is the form, function and the context that is crucial. If there is clearly a satirical context and the comparison has an artistic form and function, then the use, for instance, of an animal comparison might well be legitimate, i.e., not morally wrong. Those portrayals of refugees are, however, often used in a form and in a context in which people (hopefully at least) assume that the newspaper is telling them literally about matters of facts, i.e., that the function is literal reporting. You certainly also have sections in normal newspapers in which satirical usage is indicated, but often the dehumanization of refugees is part of the descriptive part of a newspaper. There it has no place and it is problematic. Thus, the context is decisive and it all depends on the concrete case.
JS: Your argument is interesting from the perspective of relativism: you seem to argue for a strict context-dependency of cases of dehumanization.
MK: Yes. It is the same as in the case of hate speech. A sentence in and of itself is not hate speech. It depends on the political context and I would add: the context of the media in which it is used. We have to understand the context of an utterance and then we can start to define whether an individual case is inciting hatred or is dehumanizing.
This all stems from a further complication in the background of understanding dehumanization: it is not clear that all cases of literal dehumanization are negative. Traditionally, dehumanization means, as indicated, something very negative, but one has to be careful with this claim. Moreover, we often assume that dehumanization is only used by the powerful against the oppressed. But dehumanization can also be a way of speaking back, a strategy of the oppressed. If you are dehumanized by someone else, you can use dehumanization in turn – in order to create distance to the offender. Here, dehumanization helps you against discrimination and thus is something positive. Dehumanization can be a strategy to answer dehumanization. There is a good example for this positive use of dehumanization that I use in my work: A black person tells us about her life in a segregated environment; she explains that when black people go to town, they try not to meet white people, in order to prevent hurtful interactions. For them, white people are ‘like the weather’, a mere object in the background of social interaction, an object to be ignored as much as possible. The identification of white people with the weather is a case of dehumanization as the sexist objectification of women in advertisement is a case of dehumanization. The person-as-weather is treated as an object and the black person creates distance with this. I think this is a legitimate psychological strategy. The problem is: how do you distinguish this strategy from the strategy of soldiers who dehumanize their enemy in order to be able to kill them. They seem to use the same strategy: soldiers regard their ‘targets’ as objects rather than as humans and thus create distance to them, in order to be able to harm or kill them. Thus, we have two examples of the same strategy: the dehumanization of white people by their victims and the dehumanization of victims by soldiers. Because of the different context and the different aims of dehumanization, I would evaluate the first case positively and the second case negatively.
JS: What about the concept of humanity? Do you think that there is something like human nature, i.e., universal features of humanity or a common core that connects all humans?
MK: You ask a descriptive question that only an empirical study can answer. But in any case, I would not use the term “universal” because it is often understood in a literal sense. “Universal” in a literal sense signifies properties which are shared by all humans and sometimes even by only humans. Such a claim goes clearly too far. I use the term “typical” instead of “universal”. If you ask for typical properties of humans, my answer is: there are plenty of them and empirically working scientists will tell you which. They can give you a quite long list of descriptive properties that characterize how humans are. However, the problem is most of these properties that are typical for us are not important. This is a paradox of thinking about human nature in such a descriptive sense. It is an important issue in particular if you extend the discussion to ethics and morality. The need for food is a typical property of humans. But if we discuss poverty, global justice or human rights, the need for food is not the point. When refugees come to us, the issue is not whether or not we give them food. It is rather about whether or not we give them food that is not disgusting. And what is disgusting is not typical: for some people certain kinds of meats are disgusting, for others it is other kinds of meat, or even meat in general that is disgusting. So, in reply to the paradox we abstract away from the differences in the need for food and create a new universal property: that people want non-disgusting food. But that abstract property, in order to be applicable to concrete situations, needs to be contextualized in practice since what is disgusting is not universal but relative to certain traditions of cooking etc. Thus, these local traditions are as morally important as the seeming ‘universal’. Thus, from a moral point of view it is not enough to know the typical trait, e.g., that humans need food. You have to upgrade this knowledge so that it becomes important: people want non-disgusting food and what that is depends on the context. The paradox is: if you concretize the typical trait, it is not typical anymore and if you keep it typical it is not what people care about. But, as indicated, there is a practical solution to that theoretical problem. Thus, let us assume that this problem can be practically solved.
Then another problem comes to the fore: there are too many properties that are typical for humans. It is also context-dependent which of these properties we regard as really important. It is a choice. For most typical properties we do not care. We possess, for instance, an opposable thumb. This property might be interesting for an anatomist. However, the opposable thumb was never (to the best of my knowledge) an issue in political or ethical debates. In the ethical or political context, other properties, such as rationality or morality, are regarded as essential for being human. There are then a lot of subsets of properties that can define human nature. Which subset one regards as significant depends on the context in which one uses the concept of human nature. There might be thousands of aspects of the respective context that determine which of the properties one regards as significant, for instance, the aims of ones theory, ones political views or ones social position, etc. I do not think that there is an objective, context-independent way to establish that certain typical properties of human life are more important, more at the core of what it means to be human than others.
JS: But could I not make the same argument on the descriptive level? I could, e.g., argue that there is something typical about humans, but this is only an abstract claim and it leaves plenty of room for concrete realizations of the typical feature.
MK: Yes, but then the first problem returns. The sentence “All people need food” is, as indicated, an abstraction from the concrete needs of individuals. No one wants food simpliciter. Everyone wants non-disgusting food that he or she can digest. Basically, all generalizations about living entities are abstractions from the pattern of similarities and differences that exist in the world.
JS: Do you think that we should always look at the evaluative level? Should we never talk descriptively about human nature?
MK: I think that the term ‘human nature’ should only be used in a descriptive sense. And we need the descriptive level in order to find an anchor in the world, an anchor for the normative reflections. But we should keep the normative questions (i.e., the normative choices about what is important) apart from the descriptive level. This is not completely possible, but we should try.
JS: What should the philosopher work on: abstract truths or the truths we care for?
MK: Both, but philosophers can’t make the normative choices. The descriptive accounts rely on the world that is out there. The normative level is dependent on the society we live in. It is not our right as philosophers to decide what is important or what is good since I do not think that one can objectively decide what is good. I am not a moral realist.
JS: Isn’t that a bad situation for the philosopher: either she speaks about something that is not important, or she does not have a say?
MK: Yes. But we should embrace humility in philosophy. We are servants; we speak for the people. I do not think that this is a loss; it’s an honour.
European Early Career Philosophers: Event + Network Launch
Image: Screengrab from https://eecphilosophers.wixsite.com/ilmiosito
We have two exciting updates in this post. One is a summary of an event recently held by the project, and the second is the launch of a new initiative (and corresponding website) that resulted from this event.
1) Early Career Workshop
Vienna recently hosted the Early Career Workshop on Relativism, Pluralism and Contextualism (February 24-25, 2017), an event designed to bring together Ph.D students and early career researchers to present their current work and to discuss career planning, job prospects and funding opportunities in today's European academia. This was the second event of its kind, the first being hosted at CEU in Budapest.
This time around, the event was held under the auspices of the ERC-funded project “The Emergence of Relativism”, and featured talks on relativism, pluralism and contextualism in connection with a number of different areas of investigation: epistemology, philosophy of science, ethics and politics. A separate panel was devoted to career planning, comprising an open discussion on writing applications for philosophy positions and a talk by Professor Elisabeth Nemeth about the current state of European academia. Besides early career speakers from the university of Vienna, the workshop was organized so as to gather young researchers from central-eastern Europe, thus achieving a diverse representation of universities and of national backgrounds.
The first panel on February 24, dedicated to relativism, pluralism and contextualism in epistemology, was opened by Anne-Kathrin Koch (Vienna) speaking about the relationship between epistemic relativism and scepticism. She defended a view whereby the relativist is a sceptic after all - contrary to the standard representation of epistemic relativism as a “cure” to scepticism. Dirk Kindermann (Graz) took issue with invariantist theories about “know that” which explain the contextual variability of knowledge ascriptions through pragmatic mechanisms, arguing that they face a dilemma: either they are unable to explain phenomena like embedded implicatures, or they must opt for a pragmatic account that goes against their main invariantist tenet. Tom Fery (Vienna), closed the panel with a talk defending an optimistic view about philosophical knowledge: by adopting a form of contextualism about “know”, he argued against the sceptic that there is philosophical knowledge after all.
Relativism, pluralism and contextualism in the philosophy of science were the topics of the second panel, whose first speaker was Lisa Heller (Bielefeld). Heller's main thesis was that different conceptualizations of the context-notion are affecting the potential to enable relative stability - thus opposing allegations to the effect that relativism necessarily causes arbitrariness and breeds instability. Reflections about relativity in authors like Feyerabend and Fleck provided the inspiration for qualifying the view. Matthew Baxendale and Michele Luchetti (CEU Budapest) turned to the concept of levels of organization, pointing out that these can be recast as constitutive principles for scientific theories, playing a preconditional role in framing scientific inquiry. Finally, Raffael Krismer (Vienna) defended Pragmatism in the philosophy of science, with a special focus on the pragmatist interpretation of quantum mechanics and with a reflection on the pragmatist's stance towards the facts/values distinction.
The meeting started again on February 25 with an open session led by myself - Delia Belleri (Vienna/Hamburg) - whose main aim was to report on recent studies tracking the careers of doctorate holders in the Euro area and to provide practical guidelines for application planning and application writing in the current European job market. Professor Elisabeth Nemeth's (Vienna) talk provided a sociological perspective on the changes undergone by European academia in the last twenty years, ranging from the prominence acquired by third-party funding to the internationalization of research programs and evaluation standards; these changes were interpreted in light of Bourdieu's theory to the effect that academic institutions live a constant tension between their educational role (adverse to change) and their scientific role (aimed at innovation).
The final panel explored relativism, pluralism and contextualism in ethics and politics. Mirela Fuš (Oslo/St. Andrews) focussed on generics associated with hate speech, shedding light on their semantic and ethical complexity and arguing that they suffer from a form of inscrutability which makes them recalcitrant to a systematic treatment. Ladislav Koreň (Hradec Králové) advocated a moderate version of moral relativism whereby differences in moral sensitivities are compatible with universal values, reviewing a number of recent experimental results which provide grist to the mill of the moderate relativist. Finally, Katharina Sodoma (Vienna) closed the event with a talk about relativism and moral progress, challenging traditional criticisms by maintaining that relativism is compatible with the improvement of our moral system.
2) New Early Career Network
The workshop was closed by a general discussion regarding future editions of the event. The idea on which all participants agreed is that there is a need for a network of early career philosophers where it is possible openly to share experiences and information about career opportunities and planning. Those present committed to the following measures to establish such a network:
(a) to organise further events in other European universities, where the presentation of ongoing research by early career scholars is combined with open sessions devoted to how to navigate the job market. This event-format is meant to fill a gap in the current training of European Ph.D students, resulting from the little importance their institutions attach to providing adequate information and advice concerning job prospects and methods of job search and application.
(b) to create a web-site where informative material can be uploaded, where young researchers can share their experiences and give tips about job application and where future events can be announced. The website is now live, so you can find out more about the network here.
This is our project blog.
Click here to find out more.
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Well aimed share schemes hit target
By Jenny Keefe 1st June 2006 12:00 am 3rd November 2015 6:35 pm
Share plans can produce all manner of targeted impact, geared towards both general workers and high flyers, says Jenny Keefe
Case study: United Utilities
Article in full
The first rule of employee share schemes is: staff should only gamble what they can afford to lose. While sharesave schemes offer a relatively safe bet for low-income staff, those who can afford to take a punt on riskier plans can be quids in.
Employee share plans may come in all sorts of shapes and sizes, and involve different levels of risk, but all are aimed at boosting business by giving employees a stake in their company’s future. David Craddock, independent consultant and author of the Employee Share Schemes Handbook, says: “There are three reasons why companies introduce share schemes. The first is recruitment and retention. Employees these days will actively look to see if potential employers embrace share schemes. “The second is motivation and incentive. Which would you prefer: 100% of £100 or 75% of £200? Of course it’s often better to own less of the bigger cake than more of a smaller one. Employee share schemes feed off this.
You are essentially seeking to help the company grow by empowering and recognising employees.” Finally, and most importantly, is unity of the workforce. “You are trying to unite all the people who are involved in the company to work towards the same goal.
So if, for example, you’ve got a three-year plan you must look for schemes that will motivate people heavily over [those] three years.” The case is compelling, but now for the tricky bit: knowing which scheme to plump for. The success of share schemes, introduced in the late 1970s, is driving a small army of providers, all presenting employers with an array of different options.
There are currently four Inland Revenue-approved share plans: sharesave schemes, share incentive plans (Sips), company share option schemes (Csops) and enterprise management incentive (EMI) schemes. The best-known of all the schemes is sharesave, which dates from 1980 and is also known as Save as You Earn (SAYE). Here employees save anywhere between £5 and £250 a month.
Organisations can choose when the options are exercised, after three, five or seven years. As an all-employee scheme, it must be open to all workers with more than five years’ service. The real boon of these schemes is that at maturity staff have two options: they can buy shares at a special rate – usually 20% below the market price when the scheme started – or take their savings as cash if the market price is below the option price.
You really can’t lose, which makes the scheme perfect for the risk adverse or lower paid. “Your employees are less likely to take a risk than an entrepreneur,” says Craddock. Whisper it quietly but you may also want to take gender make up into account when choosing schemes as research shows that men and women have different attitudes to risk in relation to investing.
The Pensions Research Forum’s annual survey 2005 grouped individuals into three groups: low, medium and high, representing their tolerance for risk. Some 33% of women fell into the most risk-averse group, compared with just 13%of men. Sharesave may be a sure thing, but its pay outs are limited. Up the stakes a bit and Sips offer larger potential gains for employees slightly higher up the pay scale.
However, they are riskier because staff buy shares at market price each month meaning they can lose out if the share price falls or the firm goes bust. Limits are more generous than with shavesave. Employees buy the shares out of their gross pay and can spend up to £1,500 a year or 10% of their salary – whichever is lower. Employers can give staff up to £3,000 worth of shares each year, free from income tax and National Insurance Contributions.
They can also match employees’ savings by giving staff up to two shares free for each share they buy. Again, Sips are an all-employee scheme and must be open to all workers with 18 months’ service. The amount staff can put into a sharesave or Sip, however, is pocket money to top executives. Justin Ricks, senior manager of employee solutions at accountants Grant Thornton, says: “All-employee schemes are more interesting for the general workforce than for the more senior executives because the amounts involved are minor compared to their overall level of compensation. “When you are looking at more high level employees stock option plans tend to be more performance related, so the more senior the individual the more they can make through share schemes.
The classic stock option plan is where you award some options and the number of times or when those options can be exercised is related to performance. “And then if they leave they lose [the shares] so it also ties them in to the firm, killing two birds with one stone.” Where small- and medium-sized businesses have assets of £30m or less and want to reward senior staff, they can opt for an enterprise management incentive (EMI) scheme. Companies can grant options up to a maximum of £3m, subject to a limit of up to £100,000 per employee. The cherry on the top of the cake is that no tax or national insurance is charged when the employee exercises the options. “It’s very much aimed at small start-up businesses.
EMIs are great for unlisted companies that don’t have a lot of cash to pay but want good people,” says Ricks. At the luxury end of the market are company share option plans (Csops); a juicy incentive for top execs. The scheme was originally introduced in the early 1980s (when it was called the executive share option scheme). “The reason why the scheme was introduced at the time was to give a boost to British industry and in particular those who ran British industry,” says Craddock.
Employees are given options to buy shares at a fixed price at a fixed time and have no income tax liability when they exercise the share options. “As a consequence of the credit explosion in the late 1980s people made [such] an enormous amount of money that [the] scheme became discredited. Some journalists at the time referred to it as the fat cat scheme,” he adds.
When Kenneth Clarke reformed the plan in 1996, he changed its name and reduced the cap on the total value of shares from four-times salary to £30,000 (at option price). There is, however, stormy weather ahead for share schemes. Dr Andrew Robinson, senior lecturer in accounting and finance at Leeds University Business School, says: “A key issue concerning share options is the new accounting regulations which now require a charge to be made against profits for these schemes. This is likely to act as a strong disincentive to set up or continue such schemes.”
New rules by the International Accounting Standards Board mean the value of any share option must be deducted from profits. The new legislation is taking its toll.
New Bridge Street Consultants’ Total Reward Survey 2005 found that one in six of Britain’s 150 biggest companies has stopped offering sharesave schemes since the changes. And smaller firms are abandoning them at the same rate.
David Pett, head of share schemes at law firm Pinsent Masons, says: “It’s a widely-held view that because of the accounting terms sharesave [schemes] are expensive and that’s why they’ve fallen out of favour. But nor does it follow that people are replacing them with share incentive plans. The tendency just seems to be not to replace them at all.”
The Chartered Institute of Personnel & Development’s Reward management survey 2006 found that 40% of private sector employers offer access to an employee share scheme. Of these firms four-out-of-ten employers provide sharesave schemes, the same number offer executive share options, 33% run Sips and 29% offer Csops. Proshare’s Sips and SAYE 2004 research found that, when granting options through sharesave, 83% of firms give a 20% discount on market price. According to the same research, the average employee saves £70 a month in sharesave. When running Sips, 87% of firms offer partnership shares and 50% offer matching shares, though just 30% offer free shares.
In 2002, water company United Utilities scrapped its sharesave scheme ahead of the game, replacing it with a share incentive plan (Sip)Some 20% of its 16,000 employees now take advantage of the plan, through which they get one free share for every five purchased.
Reg Unsworth, group reward manager, says the Sip has several advantages over sharesave. “The new Sip is flexible compared with sharesave. Also, unlike sharesave, employees can take advantage of dividend payments – a big factor for us as we are a high-dividend yield company.”
Staff can use dividends on the shares to reinvest in further shares. Unsworth adds that apart from the five-year tax tie-in drawback, the Sip encourages saving among all demographics. “Even lower-paid employees often save significant amounts. It’s flexible so they can decide when and how much to save.
Their return is likely to be higher than other savings arrangements.”
News update – Novartis overhaul
1st June 2006 12:00 am 3rd November 2015 3:45 pm
news Benefits for carers
Sony BMG gives staff cash value of benefits including insurance perks
1st June 2006 12:00 am 12th April 2017 1:05 pm
Nationwide uses accreditation for recruitment
1st June 2006 2:59 pm 3rd November 2015 6:34 pm
Nottingham City Council scoops perks award
Capita Services company’s voluntary benefits scheme
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Domain Name FAQ - http://www.bookmyname.com
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enfaqs:enregistrement
Return to http://www.bookmyname.com or http://en.faqs.bookmyname.com/
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The exact term should rather be “Applicant” or “registrant” in English, or even “Holder”. It is about a resource allocation which is granted to you for a limited period, renewable an unspecified number of times. This resource allocation can in fact be withdrawn under certain conditions (see Registration Contract and Settlement of Disputes).
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The WHOIS base is updated with certain intervals and can present a light defect in synchronization. If our inquiry window indicates that the Name is not available, it means that it was indeed already in addition the subject of a Registration.
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There are two types of extensions (TLD, Top Level Domains):
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enfaqs/enregistrement.txt · Last modified: 2006/12/15 15:24 (external edit)
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mythical being or legendary creature in European folklore
(Redirected from Fairy)
Fairies are mythical beings or legendary creatures, a form of spirit, often described as metaphysical, supernatural or preternatural. Fairies resemble various beings of other mythologies, though even folklore that uses the term fairy offers many definitions. Sometimes the term describes any magical creature, including goblins or gnomes: at other times, the term only describes a specific type of more ethereal creature. In modern usage, faries are usually depicted as tiny human-appearing creatures with wings and the ability to perform magic.
It is frightfully difficult to know much about the fairies, and almost the only thing known for certain is that there are fairies wherever there are children. ~ J. M. Barrie
Wee folk, good folk,
Trooping all together… ~ William Allingham
If you believe … clap your hands. J. M. Barrie
When the first baby laughed for the first time, its laugh broke into a thousand pieces, and they all went skipping about, and that was the beginning of fairies. ~ J. M. Barrie
It is not children only that one feeds with fairy tales. ~ Gotthold Ephraim Lessing
We the globe can compass soon.
Swifter than the wand'ring moon. ~ William Shakespeare
Light as any wind that blows
So fleetly did she stir,
The flower, she touch'd on, dipt and rose,
And turned to look at her. ~ Alfred, Lord Tennyson
Isn't it enough to see that a garden is beautiful without having to believe that there are fairies at the bottom of it too?
Douglas Adams, The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (1979), Chapter 16
Science seeks to explain everything—but maybe we don't want everything explained. We don't want all the magic to go out of life. We want to remain connected to the secret parts of our inner beings, to the ancient mysteries, and to the most distant outposts of the universe. We want to believe. And as long as we do, the fairies will remain.
Skye Alexander, Fairies: The Myths, Legends & Lore (2014)
Up the airy mountain,
Down the rushy glen,
We daren't go a-hunting
For fear of little men;
Trooping all together,
Green jacket, red cap,
And white owl's feather!
William Allingham, "The Fairies", in Poems (London: Chapman & Hall, 1850). In first American edition of Poems (Boston: Fields, Osgood & Co., 1870), p. 30.
It is frightfully difficult to know much about the fairies, and almost the only thing known for certain is that there are fairies wherever there are children.
J. M. Barrie, The Little White Bird (1902), Ch. 16.
When you were a bird you knew the fairies pretty well, and you remember a good deal about them in your babyhood, which it is a great pity you can't write down, for gradually you forget, and I have heard of children who declared that they had never once seen a fairy. Very likely if they said this in the Kensington Gardens, they were standing looking at a fairy all the time. The reason they were cheated was that she pretended to be something else. This is one of their best tricks.
Do you believe in fairies? If you believe clap your hands.
J. M. Barrie, Peter Pan (1904); "Tinker Bell" thought she could get well again if children believed in fairies.
When the first baby laughed for the first time, the laugh broke into a million pieces, and they all went skipping about. That was the beginning of fairies.
J. M. Barrie, Peter Pan (1904)
You see, Wendy, when the first baby laughed for the first time, its laugh broke into a thousand pieces, and they all went skipping about, and that was the beginning of fairies.
J. M. Barrie, Peter & Wendy (1911), Ch. 3.
When a new baby laughs for the first time a new fairy is born, and as there are always new babies there are always new fairies. They live in nests on the tops of trees; and the mauve ones are boys and the white ones are girls, and the blue ones are just little sillies who are not sure what they are.
J. M. Barrie, Peter & Wendy (1911), Ch. 17.
Whenever a child says "I don't believe in fairies" there's a little fairy somewhere that falls right down dead.
Variant: "There ought to be one fairy for every boy and girl."
"Ought to be? Isn't there?"
"No. You see children know such a lot now, they soon don't believe in fairies, and every time a child says, 'I don't believe in fairies,' there is a fairy somewhere that falls down dead."
FAIRY, n. A creature, variously fashioned and endowed, that formerly inhabited the meadows and forests. It was nocturnal in its habits, and somewhat addicted to dancing and the theft of children. The fairies are now believed by naturalists to be extinct, though a clergyman of the Church of England saw three near Colchester as lately as 1855, while passing through a park after dining with the lord of the manor. The sight greatly staggered him, and he was so affected that his account of it was incoherent.
Ambrose Bierce, "Decalogue", The Devil's Dictionary (1906).
Bright Eyes, Light Eyes! Daughter of a Fay!
I had not been a married wife a twelvemonth and a day,
I had not nursed my little one a month upon my knee,
When down among the blue bell banks rose elfins three times three:
They griped me by the raven hair, I could not cry for fear,
They put a hempen rope around my waist and dragged me here;
They made me sit and give thee suck as mortal mothers can,
Bright Eyes, Light Eyes! strange and weak and wan!
Robert Buchanan, The Fairy Foster Mother, reported in Hoyt's New Cyclopedia Of Practical Quotations (1922), p. 253-54.
Faeries lead us astray to show us the way.
Brian Froud, Good Faeries/Bad Faeries (1998)
There are fairies at the bottom of our garden!
It's not so very, very far away;
You pass the gardener's shed and you just keep straight ahead—
I do so hope they've really come to stay.[…]
The King is very proud and very handsome,
The Queen—now can you guess who that could be
(She's a little girl all day, but at night she steals away)?
Well—it's ME!
Rose Fyleman, "Fairies", first published in Punch (May 23, 1917); included the following year in her first collection, Fairies and Chimneys (1918).
Then take me on your knee, mother;
And listen, mother of mine.
A hundred fairies danced last night,
And the harpers they were nine.
Mary Howitt, The Fairies of the Caldon Low, Stanza 5, reported in Hoyt's New Cyclopedia Of Practical Quotations (1922), p. 253-54.
Nothing can be truer than fairy wisdom. It is as true as sunbeams.
Douglas Jerrold, Specimens of Jerrold's Wit, Fairy Tales, reported in Hoyt's New Cyclopedia Of Practical Quotations (1922), p. 253-54.
Most nature-spirits dislike and avoid mankind, and we cannot wonder at it. To them man appears a ravaging demon, destroying and spoiling wherever he goes... He wantonly kills, often with awful tortures, all the beautiful creatures that they love to watch; he cuts down the trees, he tramples the grass, he plucks the flowers and casts them carelessly aside to die; he replaces all the lovely wild life of nature with his hideous bricks and mortar, and the fragrance of the flowers with the mephitic vapours of his chemicals and the all polluting smoke of his factories. Can we think it strange that the fairies should regard us with horror, and shrink away from us as we shrink from a poisonous reptile? p. 143
C.W. Leadbeater, The Hidden Side of things, (1913)
Nicht die Kinder bloss speist man mit Märchen ab.
It is not children only that one feeds with fairy tales.
Gotthold Ephraim Lessing, Nathan der Weise (1779), III, 6.
It is for fear of the grown-up, or at least out of respect towards them, that a chapter must be given to fairies. If the children do not care very much for fairies, they must be made to care. "Who is to care if they do not? Who is to be properly childlike if they are not?"
Alice Meynell, Ch. V "Fairies", Childhood (London: B. T. Batsford, 1913), pp. 26–27.
It may well be doubted whether children are generally credulous.{…] For children do not believe in fairies a jot. I have just asked my youngest daughter whether she believed in them, and she said "Of course not—only I liked the stories." Fiction to children is fiction and not fact.
Alice Meynell, Ch. V "Fairies", Childhood (London: B. T. Batsford, 1913), p. 30.
The pretty game of calling on the children of the audience of "Peter Pan" to declare their faith in fairies seemed to me disastrous—a game of men and women at the expense of children, a cumbersome frolic at best and an artificial, a tyrannous use of the adult sense of sentimental humour against the helpless. I could with better conscience use my superior physical strength upon them than exploit them for love of my own condescension. (And yet Sir J. Barrie has written the most adorable "pretending" story ever written about a child.)
No, children love a fairy story not because they think it true, but because they think it untrue, and because it makes no fraudulent appeal to their excellent good sense. That sense they are delighted to put aside while they "pretend." That is their own word.[…] "Let's pretend," not "Let's believe." Their mother does not put "Let's pretend" into the child's mouth; she finds it there. Without it there is no play. But the pretending is always drama and never deception or self-deception.
Or fairy elves,
Whose midnight revels by a forest side
Or fountain, some belated peasant sees,
Or dreams he sees, while overhead the Moon
Sits arbitress, and nearer to the Earth
Wheels her pale course; they, on their mirth and dance
Intent, with jocund music charm his ear;
At once with joy and fear his heart rebounds.
John Milton, Paradise Lost (1667; 1674), Book I, line 781.
The dances ended, all the fairy train
For pinks and daisies search'd the flow'ry plain.
Alexander Pope, January and May, line 624, reported in Hoyt's New Cyclopedia Of Practical Quotations (1922), p. 253-54.
This is the fairy-land; O spite of spites!
We talk with goblins, owls and sprites.
William Shakespeare, The Comedy of Errors (c. 1592-1594), Act II, scene 2, line 191.
Fairies, black, grey, green, and white,
You moonshine revellers, and shades of night.
William Shakespeare, Merry Wives of Windsor (published 1602), Act V, scene 5, line 41.
They are fairies; he that speaks to them shall die:
I'll wink and couch: no man their works must eye.
Set your heart at rest:
The fairyland buys not the child of me.
William Shakespeare, A Midsummer Night's Dream (c. 1595-96), Act II, scene 1, line 121.
In silence sad,
Trip we after night's shade:
Swifter than the wand'ring moon.
William Shakespeare, A Midsummer Night's Dream (c. 1595-96), Act IV, scene 1, line 100.
O, then, I see Queen Mab hath been with you.
She is the fairies' midwife, and she comes
In shape no bigger than an agate-stone
On the forefinger of an alderman.
William Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet (1597), Act I, scene 4, line 54.
Where the bee sucks, there suck I;
In a cowslip's bell I lie;
On the bat's back I do fly.
William Shakespeare, The Tempest (c. 1610-1612), Act V, scene 1, line 88. Song
Her berth was of the wombe of morning dew
And her conception of the joyous prime.
Edmund Spenser, The Faerie Queene (1589-96), Book III, Canto VI, Stanza 3.
But light as any wind that blows
And turned to look at her.
Alfred, Lord Tennyson, The Talking Oak, Stanza 33, reported in Hoyt's New Cyclopedia Of Practical Quotations (1922), p. 253-54.
The weakness of the attack lies in its lack of discrimination. It is possible that psychic surgery is a hoax, that plants cannot really read our minds, that Kirlian photography (photographing the "life-aura" of living creatures) may depend on some simple electrical phenomenon. But to lump all of these together as if they were all on the same level of improbability shows a certain lack of discernment. The same applies to the list of "hoaxes." Rhine's careful research into extrasensory perception at Duke University is generally conceded to be serious and sincere, even by people who think his test conditions were too loose. The famous fairy photographs are quite probably a hoax, but no one has ever produced an atom of proof either way, and until someone does, no one can be quite as confident as the editors of Time seem to be. And Ted Serios has never at any time been exposed as a fraud — although obviously he might be. We see here a phenomena that we shall encounter again in relation to Geller: that when a scientist or a "rationalist" sets himself up as the defender of reason, he often treats logic with a disrespect that makes one wonder what side he is on.
Colin Wilson in The Geller Phenomenon, pp. 34-35 (1976)
Look up fairies in Wiktionary, the free dictionary
Retrieved from "https://en.wikiquote.org/w/index.php?title=Fairies&oldid=2845642"
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Did the actress just get engaged?
Jodie Foster Engaged?
Did the 58-year-old actress just get engaged?
Jodie Foster »
Breaking Up January 12, 2021
Jodie Foster Single Again?
Pets January 14, 2021
Jodie Foster’s Dog Recovering from Surgery
Is Jodie Foster secretly gay and hiding in the closet?
On Monday morning (January 18, 2021) the American Sun-Times reported Jodie Foster and boyfriend, to be shopping for engagement rings.The couple was seen closely eyeing some pricey bling in a couple of major jewelry stores — especially major diamond baubles that could only be described as the kind usually slipped on a woman’s left-hand ring finger.
On Tuesday, Jodie Foster’s rep said “no comment” when asked whether the 58-year-old actress was tying the knot.
Jodie Foster: Recent News
Rumor January 2021
Death Hoax says “Jodie Foster dies at 58”
Cinema January 17, 2021
Jodie Foster to be the next Bond Girl?
Babies January 18, 2021
Jodie Foster Pregnant?
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Ayesha vows to fight bar on women conducting weddings
Ayesha Siddiqua has waged a six-year battle with authorities to become a registrar, culminating in last week’s knockback from the High Court, which she plans to appeal
Govt to do everything to ensure people’s civic and democratic rights: PM
Prime minister Sheikh Hasina on Thursday renewed her vows for tougher and continued crusade against corruption for expedited development pace and sought the countrymen’s vigil against any impediment ...
7 January 2021, 20:46
Saudi court jails women’s rights activist
The verdict and sentence pose a challenge to Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s relationship with US president-elect Joe Biden, who has criticised Riyadh’s human rights record
‘What choice do we have?’
Stay in a squalid refugee camp -- hopeless, starving, and made to feel a burden -- or leave, risking death, rape, human trafficking and months at sea to reach a husband you’ve never met
Global faith leaders urge ban on LGBT+ 'conversion therapy'
The practice is sometimes referred to as "reparative therapy" but experts widely regard it as pseudo-scientific, ineffective and dangerous
Malaysia palm oil workers ‘forced to stay’ as virus creates acute labour shortage
Malaysia’s two biggest palm planters said they were not forcing workers to stay but efforts to repatriate migrants had been slowed by novel coronavirus travel restrictions
Bangladesh, Turkey show real leadership in dealing with refugees: Turkish ambassador
Turkish ambassador to Bangladesh Mustafa Osman Turan has said that prime minister Sheikh Hasina has demonstrated true leadership by allowing shelter to over 700,000 Rohingyas with a decent living ...
World Human Rights Day today
Bangladesh NHRC: Some disappointed, some angry
The role of National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) is almost silent over the incidents of 'enforced disappearance' and 'crossfire', rights activists have alleged
A democracy to speak, or not to speak
In the past, if the people lost their trust in the government, they would turn to the opposition. But now they are unable to have confidence in anyone
Rohingya crisis: Canada ready to intervene jointly with Netherlands
Canada has played a key role in the passing of several resolutions before the United Nations General Assembly and the Human Rights Council, and worked to establish the Independent Investigative ...
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Aviation Sports Magazine
Hang-glider
Resposta rápida: What small plane has a parachute?
What small planes have parachutes?
Are planes with parachutes really safer?
Why don t small planes have parachutes?
Are there parachutes on private jets?
Can you jump out of a plane before it crashes?
Can I bring my own parachute on a plane?
Can you survive a plane crash?
What is the safest personal aircraft?
How often do planes crash?
Is it better to crash on land or water?
Are small planes safe?
Does a plane have a horn?
What is a parachute with a fan called?
Is a plane safer than a car?
How much does a BRS parachute cost?
A desire to redefine safety in aviation inspired the company to include a revolutionary whole-plane parachute system as standard equipment on all Cirrus aircraft – the Cirrus Airframe Parachute System® (CAPS®).
On small planes like those manufactured by Cessna or Cirrus, the parachute is stored in the fuselage, either behind the back seat or in the centre section of the wing, above the cockpit. In an emergency the pilot has to pull a handle in the ceiling of the plane.
Cirrus recommends flying with a CSIP every 6 months, many of us do it more often than that. Of course a parachute makes a plane safer, but it isn’t on auto deploy.
The almost ubiquitous response was that the parachutes would be useless because: … Most accidents with commercial airliners happen on take off and landing, and there is no time to parachute.
The Vision is obviously no Volvo, but the plane does feature a rather elaborate safety system: The Cirrus Airframe Parachute System, or CAPS. In the event of an emergency or plane systems malfunction, a huge parachute will deploy, allowing the entire plane to float safely to the ground without propulsion.
ЭТО ИНТЕРЕСНО: Melhor resposta: What is parachute cord used for?
Originally Answered: Could I survive a plane crash into water by jumping out just before it crashed? Almost certainly not. Even the very slowest aircraft usually have to travel in excess of 40 knots just to stay airborne, even in a descent.
You may transport parachutes, either with or without Automatic Activation Devices, in carry-on or checked bags. Parachutes should always be packed separately from other baggage. If a TSA officer determines that a bag must be opened to inspect the parachute, you must be present to assist in the inspection.
A US government study found there were 568 plane crashes in the US between 1993 and 2000, involving a total of 53,487 passengers and crew. Of these, 51,207 – or over 90 per cent survived. Even on the 26 crashes deemed the worst, the study found that more than half the passengers and crew survived.
Cirrus Vision
How often do fatal injuries happen in plane crashes and what are the causes? International aviation firm To70 found that fatal accidents occurred in just 0.18 per million flights, which equates to around one in every five million flights.
It would be safer on land. On land, the plane has no risk of flooding or sinking, and its occupants have no risk of drowning. If you’re on a plane with total engine failure, the pilots will try everything to land you on a runway. If, and ONLY if, their efforts fail, water is your best shot.
ЭТО ИНТЕРЕСНО: Is Parachute oil a virgin?
“Statistics can be skewered all too easily to suit a particular argument and I certainly do not ascribe risk with small airplanes. … The regulation of airlines is incredibly rigorous and strict, and as much risk as possible is eliminated. General aviation aircraft are not subject to quite so stringent regulation.
Yes, aircraft have horns! However, it is not used to frighten away birds or alert other aircraft during flight. A high-frequency pitch that sounds like a handbell, it is used by the crew only on ground, to get the attention from the mechanical staff. It is an instrument of communication, not alert as in a car.
A powered parachute, often abbreviated PPC, and also called a motorised parachute or paraplane, is a type of aircraft that consists of a parachute with a motor and wheels. The aircraft’s airspeed is typically about 25–35 mph (40–60 km/h).
In absolute numbers, driving is more dangerous, with more than 5 million accidents compared to 20 accidents in flying. A more direct comparison per 100 million miles pits driving’s 1.27 fatalities and 80 injuries against flying’s lack of deaths and almost no injuries, which again shows air travel to be safer.
In the Skyhawk, a BRS system costs $13,499 plus cost of installation. Then, every 10 years there’s a required inspection and repack of the chute at $4,500. That’s equivalent to a whole lot of avgas.
Parachute 0
Can you do a parachute jump in the rain?
Skydiving in the rain is not allowed. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) requires that
What qualifications do you need to join the Parachute Regiment?
The Army’s PFT is normally age-weighted, but male and female volunteers for paratrooper training
Melhor resposta: How much do you earn in the parachute regiment?
Paratroopers are considered non-air crewmembers — they are not involved with flying the planes
What does the Parachute Regiment do?
Paratroopers are trained to conduct a range of missions, from prevention and pre-emption tasks,
Sua pergunta: HOW DO model rocket parachutes work?
The streamers/parachutes get deployed by the rocket engine. The engine has a stage that
Will a parachute work on Mars?
So, the short answer is, you’re right, parachutes don’t work on Mars like they
Hello, my name is Arthur. For many years I have been fond of flying sports and in my blog I share entertaining articles about all its varieties.
Sua pergunta: What is the science behind parachutes?
How old do u have to be to parachute?
How do you make a good kite?
How do you stabilize a kite?
How fast does a paramotor go?
Do they fly kites change into passive voice?
Is Paragliding Open in Manali?
What Colour is Your Parachute 2019?
© 2020 Freefly
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Cadron Blockhouse
Springfield-Des Arc Bridge
Springfield-Des Arc Bridge Photos
Census of Cemeteries
Faulkner Facts and Fiddlings
Faulkner County: Its Land and People
Historic Homes of Conway
Through the Cabin Window
Through the Cabin Window – July, 2016
Faulkner County Historical Society
Through the Cabin Window No Comments
100 YEARS AGO, July, 1916
♦ A terrific bolt of lightning completely shattered an oak tree two feet in diameter close to the residence of C.H. Newbern, on Center street, during a thunderstorm yesterday evening. The bolt struck the big tree near the top and split it into bits all the distance to the ground. The telephone and electric lights in Mr. Newbern’s home were put out of commission by the lightning, but no one was injured.
75 YEARS AGO, July, 1941
♦ Jerome Greene, son of Dr. C.J. Greene, vice president of Hendrix college and an alumnus of Hendrix, joined the editorial staff of Time Inc., publisher of Time, Life, Fortune and Architectural magazines. Greene formerly was a member of the editorial staff of the Arkansas Gazette and the Chicago Daily News.
Thomas Paladino, 23, was hospitalized after he was injured in an explosion at Steed’s Laundry, 1015 Front St. The explosion occurred when Paladino tried to light a pilot light on a boiler.
♦ TV programming for the day included the following: the Jack LaLanne Show at 7 a.m., followed by Bugs Bunny and His Buddies and Romper Room at 8 a.m. Other shows included Ben Casey, Supermarket Sweep, the Donna Reed Show, Father Knows Best, Dark Shadows and the Twilight Zone, the last of which aired from 5-6 p.m.
New Website for Arkansas State Archives Easier to Search
The Faulkner County Poor Farm: “Looking Back”
SPRINGFIELD BRIDGE PROJECT
Interested in Faulkner County’s Past?
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Not a member? We’d love to have you! But if you’d rather just donate to the society, we appreciate that, too. Use your credit card or PayPal account:
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Be advised some of the narratives have a copyright and may be shared, but not reproduced for sale by third parties.
Some of the images we post are used with the permission of the owner, which we mention. If you use these images you could be violating their copyright if you do not have personal permission from the owner.
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Content managed by Faulkner County Historical Society, a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization.
~ OUR PRIVACY POLICY ~
CONWAY ARKANSAS 72033
© 2003-2021 Faulkner County Historical Society
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Goldie Alexander An Australian Author
for young readers
About Goldie
For Younger Readers
For Middle Grade
Goldie's blog:
30 Apr DEADLY DIALOGUES
Goldie's Blog
LORA INAK and ‘UNSPOKEN RULES’
8 December, 2017 | By Goldie Alexander
HERE is an interview with the young novelist LORA INAK about her novel UNSPOKEN RULES readers might find interesting.
1. ‘Unspoken Rules’ is basically about cultural differences. Why did you choose this topic? Is it semi-autobiographical?
Unspoken Rules is only autobiographical in its cultural setting. My objective was always to write a story with characters placed in the same cultural background I myself grew up, and to then share the richness, the restrictiveness and the beauty of it all juxtaposed against an Australian backdrop.
Due to civil unrest in Turkey in the 1980s, my family immigrated to Australia to find a safer, better life. I was still a very young child at the time and suddenly found myself in a new and exciting world. There were difficulties at school, both linguistically, culturally, and socially, and in my teens I found myself walking a swaying tightrope between the culture of my birthplace, and that of modern Australia.
Given my own background and conflicts, the topic of culture and identity and belonging is very close and personal for me.
2. What is your writing process like? Do you write consistently or only when inspired?
I have a full time job in the corporate world and two young children, so sadly at the moment my writing process is more of a ‘write when I can find the time’ rather than when I’m inspired. However, there are pockets of time when I’m driving, or in the shower, or lying in bed waiting for sleep to claim me that I think about my characters, their motivations, behaviours, backgrounds and this eventually ends up in my stories.
3. Can you tell me a bit about what drew you to writing in the first place?
I’m not really sure, but I do remember being quite solitary as a young child, surrounded by paper and pencils, inventing stories and characters. I have two elder sisters, both in highschool by the time I was wanting playmates, so I often found myself alone with only my imagination to keep my company. It wasn’t long before I discovered the friends I could invent myself.
4. Where there any specific points at which you struggled within this novel?
The story itself came to me quite easily, but before Unspoken Rules, I’d only ever written picture book and junior fiction text, so finding my voice in the Young Adult space was new and challenging. I guess I eventually fumbled my way through and created something that I’m really proud of. I wrote this book in honour of my mother who passed away recently. A part of me believes she helped guide me through the tough parts.
5. As this is your first novel, how much help did you seek or get from others?
I have a wonderfully supportive writing group with three ladies I couldn’t do without. They have helped me through every chapter, through every character arc, through every plot direction. I was also lucky enough to have an editor give me wonderful feedback which really helped hone the work, and before sending it out into the world, I approached a manuscript assessor whose advice was pivotal to the final success of this novel being picked up by Rhiza Press for publication.
6. Imagining you could travel back in time and give advice to your teenaged self about writing and life, what would you tell her? And would she listen.
She’d definitely listen, so I’d tell her that to be a good writer, you have to live life, experience the world and the people in it, and practise, practise, practise and when you think you’ve finally mastered the art of writing, think again, because you haven’t. Writing is an art form that can always be honed and improved.
7. Can you give us a small blurb about your book, where to buy it? RRP and ISBN.
NATALIE balances two lives. It’s a tenuous tightrope.
At home, her life is governed by the unspoken rules and expectations of her Christian Orthodox background. Women are expected to go to their marital beds as virgins, men aren’t. Women are homemakers and caregivers; men can run businesses, companies, and empires. His decision is final; she’s expected to comply.
Her entire school life, Natalie has walked the tightrope without tipping over, that is, until now. Until a fall out with her best friend Katelyn leaves her confused and lonely. Until her devout sister, Misha learns of her incurable illness and doubts her faith and future. Until she discovers her Mother’s terrible secret which threatens to tear their entire family apart.
And… until she meets the new boy, Chris.
Unspoken Rules is available through all online retailers including Amazon, Booktopia, Rhiza Press, Ebay, Angus & Robertson Online, Book Depository and more.
DEADLY DIALOGUES
Commenting on launch of 'Shakespeare Now!'
LAUNCHING A BOOK?
Interview on the 'Shakespeare Now!' Trilogy by Sally Odgers
to my blog: goldiealexander.com/rss
© Copyright Goldie Alexander 2021.
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