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Saturday's Top 25 College Football Capsules Games played on Aug. 30, 2014 Originally published August 30, 2014 at 8:04 p.m., updated August 31, 2014 at 1:14 a.m. ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Jameis Winston threw for 370 yards and scored on a 28-yard run, and No. 1 Florida State opened defense of its national title with a 37-31 victory Saturday night over Oklahoma State on the same field where this season's champion will be crowned. Winston wasn't nearly as efficient as he was in the college debut that jump-started his Heisman Trophy season a year ago, but made plays when he had to as the Seminoles tied a school record with their 17th straight victory. The Cowboys were 19-point underdogs in the $1.2 billion home of the Dallas Cowboys but stayed close when J.W. Walsh matched Winston's scoring run with a 24-yard sprint and dive across the goal line to get within 27-24 early in the fourth quarter. Winston's only passing touchdown was a 50-yarder to Rashad Greene, who had 203 yards receiving. NO. 2 ALABAMA 33, WEST VIRGINIA 23 ATLANTA (AP) — Blake Sims was good enough in his first start at quarterback for Alabama, getting plenty of help from Amari Cooper, T.J. Yeldon and Derrick Henry. Sims was 24 for 33 for 250 yards and added 42 running, playing every meaningful series. The fifth-year senior beat out Florida State transfer Jake Coker for the start. Yeldon (126 yards rushing and two touchdowns), Henry (113 yards rushing and a score) and Cooper (12 catches for 130 yards) provided plenty of support. Alabama needed all the offense it could get because West Virginia found plenty of soft spots in the Tide's D. The Mountaineers' up-tempo spread gave Clint Trickett his pick of open receivers, and he took advantage with 365 yards passing. NO. 3 OREGON 62, SOUTH DAKOTA 13 EUGENE, Ore. (AP) — Marcus Mariota threw for 267 yards and three touchdowns and ran for one more score for Oregon before sitting out the second half. Running back Byron Marshall was Oregon's top receiver with eight catches for 138 yards and two touchdowns. Freshman Royce Freeman, a five-star recruit out of Imperial, California, ran for 75 yards and two more scores. The Ducks have won 10 straight home openers. Mariota's 62-yard touchdown pass to Dwayne Stanford on Oregon's first series of the game gave him the Ducks' career record for touchdowns with 79 (64 pass, 14 rush and one reception), surpassing Joey Harrington. NO. 4 OKLAHOMA 48, LOUISIANA TECH 16 NORMAN, Okla. (AP) — Trevor Knight threw for 253 yards and a touchdown and Keith Ford had 116 yards from scrimmage and two touchdowns for Oklahoma. Ford ran for 51 yards and caught four passes for 65 yards for the Sooners, who rolled to a 31-0 lead in the second quarter in the opener for both teams. Samaje Perine ran for 77 yards and a touchdown and Alex Ross ran for rushed two scores. Zack Sanchez led Oklahoma's defense with an interception and a blocked field goal. Oklahoma linebacker Jordan Evans was ejected in the second quarter for targeting when he tried to make a play against quarterback Cody Sokol. Sokol, an Iowa transfer in his first career start, threw for 191 yards and two touchdowns. NO. 5 OHIO STATE 34, NAVY 17 BALTIMORE (AP) — Redshirt freshman J.T. Barrett threw for 226 yards and two touchdowns in his college debut, and Ohio State got its 25th consecutive regular-season victory. Elevated into a starting role after senior Braxton Miller injured his right shoulder on Aug. 18, Barrett went 12 for 15 — including an 80-yard TD pass to Devin Smith that put the Buckeyes up 20-14 with 4:10 left in the third quarter. Ohio State won despite allowing Navy to gain 370 yards on the ground, including 118 by Ryan Williams-Jenkins. Barrett became the second freshman since 1950 to start an opener at quarterback for Ohio State. He ran nine times for 50 yards, did not throw downfield often and relied heavily on a ground game that finally wore down the Midshipmen in the fourth quarter. NO. 6 AUBURN 45, ARKANSAS 21 AUBURN, Ala. (AP) — Jeremy Johnson passed for 243 yards and two touchdowns in the first half and Nick Marshall returned from suspension with a 19-yard scoring run for Auburn. The Tigers scored the final 24 points after the Razorbacks managed to force a halftime deadlock. The game was delayed 1 hour, 28 minutes due to lightning in the fourth quarter. Marshall, who led Auburn to the SEC title last season and the national championship game, started the second half after serving his punishment for getting ticketed in July for possession of a small amount of marijuana. Junior college transfer D'haquille Williams supplied the most electrifying performance with nine catches for 154 yards in his debut, including a 62-yard bomb and an 18-yard touchdown from Johnson. Cameron Artis-Payne rushed for a career-high 177 yards and a touchdown on 26 carries after replacing Heisman Trophy finalist Tre Mason. Jermaine Whitehead returned an interception off Brandon Allen 33 yards for a touchdown. NO. 7 UCLA 28, VIRGINIA 20 CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (AP) — UCLA scored three defensive touchdowns before Brett Hundley led the Bruins on a critical second-half scoring drive. Hundley was harassed all day by Virginia's pressure defense, and made the biggest play of the day for UCLA with his feet. It came on a 6-yard touchdown run late in the third quarter when he overpowered safety Quin Blanding on a 6-yard TD run. The Cavaliers, 21-point underdogs, trailed 28-20 and had a first down at the 19 late in the game, but three consecutive running plays netted just 2 yards, and linebacker Myles Jack disrupted Matt Johns' fourth-and-8 pass to Doni Dowling and it fell to the ground. NO. 11 STANFORD 45, UC DAVIS 0 STANFORD, Calif. (AP) — Ty Montgomery returned his first career punt for a touchdown and caught five passes for 77 yards and another score for Stanford.. The All-America kick returner, who was cleared by team doctors to play earlier this week after offseason surgery on his right shoulder, looked ready to be the Cardinal's do-it-all playmaker again. He ran his first punt back 60 yards for a TD and lined up all over the field, including once as a wildcat quarterback. Stanford led 38-0 at the half and rested most of its starters the final two quarters. Kevin Hogan threw for 204 yards and three touchdowns to help the two-time defending Pac-12 champions get off to a mostly smooth start. He completed 12 of 16 passes and had one interception. NO. 12 GEORGIA 45, NO. 16 CLEMSON 21 ATHENS, Ga. (AP) — Todd Gurley ran for 198 yards and three touchdowns, returned a kickoff 100 yards for another score for Georgia. If rating Heisman Trophy favorites after Week 1, Gurley would surely be among the favorites. He made the most of his limited touches on a sweltering night between the hedges, averaging 17.2 yards every time he got his hands on the ball. He set a school record for all-purpose yards with 293, breaking the record of 290 set by Rodney Hampton in 1987. Georgia broke open a game that was tied 21-all at halftime, shutting down Clemson and a fast-break offense that didn't look nearly as effective without record-setting quarterback Tajh Boyd and star receiver Sammy Watkins. Hutson Mason turned in a nondescript performance in the first game of his only full season as Georgia's starting quarterback. NO. 13 LSU 28, NO. 14 WISCONSIN 24 HOUSTON (AP) — Kenny Hilliard scored on a 28-yard touchdown run to cap LSU's fourth-quarter rally against Wisconsin at NRG Stadium. The Tigers trailed 24-21 when Jalen Mills intercepted Tanner McEvoy's pass at the LSU 47 with 11:04 left. Hilliard ran for 53 yards on the ensuing drive, capping it with a sprint through a hole on the right side. The Tigers extended the nation's longest regular-season nonconference winning streak to 46 games after coming back from a 24-7 deficit in the fourth quarter. The Badgers seemed to have the game in hand after Corey Clement scored in the third quarter. Colby Delahoussaye kicked two field goals and Anthony Jennings threw a 35-yard touchdown pass to John Diarse to start LSU's rally. Jennings hit Trey Quinn for a 2-point conversion to cut the deficit to three. NO. 15 USC 52, FRESNO STATE 13 LOS ANGELES (AP) — Cody Kessler threw for 394 yards and four touchdowns and Southern California ended a trying week with victory in Steve Sarkisian's debut as the Trojans' coach. The Trojans ran a school- and Pac-12 record 105 plays while racking up 37 first downs and 702 yards of total offense to Fresno State's 16 first downs and 315 yards. In all, 10 Trojans caught passes in Sarkisian's up-tempo offense. For USC, the victory comes at the end of a distracting week for Sarkisian, punctuated by a tale of heroism by suspended defensive captain Josh Shaw that turned out to be a lie. Backup running back Anthony Brown also quit the team and called Sarkisian a racist, an allegation the coach and other players vehemently denied. No. 17 NOTRE DAME 48, RICE 17 SOUTH BEND, Ind. (AP) — Everett Golson threw touchdown passes of 75 and 53 yards and ran for three more scores in his return after missing the 2013 season for academic impropriety. Golson was 14-of-22 passing for 295 yards and ran for 41 yards on 12 carries. He also had two near-misses on long pass attempts. He scored on an 11-yard run on a planned keeper, a 14-yard scramble and a 4-yard run on a blown handoff. The Irish opened the season without five players who are scheduled to appear before the school's honor code committee after being investigated for possible cheating. It was the sixth straight season-opening loss for the Owls. NO. 20 KANSAS STATE 55, STEPHEN F. AUSTIN 16 MANHATTAN, Kan. (AP) — Jake Waters threw for 223 yards and accounted for four touchdowns and Charles Jones ran for a pair of scores for Kansas State. Waters threw touchdown passes to Tyler Lockett and Kody Cook while also running for two TDs as the Wildcats improved to 21-2 in season openers under longtime coach Bill Snyder. The road is about to get tougher. Kansas State travels to Iowa State to open Big 12 play next weekend. Then comes a statement game against sixth-ranked Auburn at Bill Snyder Family Stadium. NO. 22 NEBRASKA 55, FLORIDA ATLANTIC 7 LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Ameer Abdullah ran for a career-high 232 yards and Tommy Armstrong Jr. passed for a career-high 271 yards and two TDs. The Cornhuskers rushed for 498 of their 784 total yards and won their 29th straight opener, the longest streak in the nation. Abdullah had 178 yards by halftime while becoming the eighth Nebraska player to go over 3,000 yards rushing in a career. Terrell Newby added 107 yards rushing. Florida Atlantic, with first-year coach Charlie Partridge, was paid $1 million to visit Lincoln and will get another $1 million for playing at No. 2 Alabama next week. NO. 23 NORTH CAROLINA 56, LIBERTY 29 CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (AP) — Marquise Williams accounted for four touchdowns, and Jeff Schoettmer returned an interception for a score in North Carolina's game-turning flurry. Schoettmer's 19-yard return came during a run of four touchdowns in fewer than 4 minutes that jolted the Tar Heels out of a sluggish and mistake-prone performance. Liberty led 22-21 with about 6 minutes left in the third quarter before Williams found Mack Hollins for a 33-yard scoring pass. Williams later scored on a 15-yard keeper and backup Mitch Trubisky followed with his first career TD pass for a 49-22 lead with 2:06 left in the quarter. NO. 24 MISSOURI 38, SOUTH DAKOTA ST 18 COLUMBIA, Mo. (AP) — Maty Mauk threw for 178 yards and three touchdowns for Missouri Mauk seemed at ease early, finding receiver Darius White crossing behind the Jackrabbits' defense for a 44-yard touchdown pass just 50 seconds into the game. The Tigers extended their lead to 21-10 at halftime. Zach Zenner rushed for 103 yards and two touchdowns on 17 carries for South Dakota State which fell to 0-7 against FBS teams since moving to Division I in 2004. NO. 25 WASHINGTON 17, HAWAII 16 HONOLULU (AP) — John Ross scored on a reverse and a 91-yard catch and Washington held off Hawaii despite a weak second half in coach Chris Petersen's Huskies debut. The Huskies overcame late pushes from Hawaii and offensive problems late in the game, when their best accomplishment was running out the clock. Jeff Lindquist threw for 162 yards in his first start for Washington after Cyler Miles was suspended for the game. Hawaii's Joey Iosefa ran for 143 yards and a touchdowns. 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- About this Journal · - Abstracting and Indexing · - Advance Access · - Aims and Scope · - Article Processing Charges · - Articles in Press · - Author Guidelines · - Bibliographic Information · - Citations to this Journal · - Contact Information · - Editorial Board · - Editorial Workflow · - Free eTOC Alerts · - Publication Ethics · - Reviewers Acknowledgment · - Submit a Manuscript · - Subscription Information · - Table of Contents Advances in Artificial Neural Systems Volume 2012 (2012), Article ID 835903, 11 pages Hemodialysis Key Features Mining and Patients Clustering Technologies Department of Information Management, Chaoyang University of Technology, Wufeng District, Taichung 41349, Taiwan Received 3 March 2012; Revised 4 June 2012; Accepted 8 June 2012 Academic Editor: Anke Meyer-Baese Copyright © 2012 Tzu-Chuen Lu and Chun-Ya Tseng. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. The kidneys are very vital organs. Failing kidneys lose their ability to filter out waste products, resulting in kidney disease. To extend or save the lives of patients with impaired kidney function, kidney replacement is typically utilized, such as hemodialysis. This work uses an entropy function to identify key features related to hemodialysis. By identifying these key features, one can determine whether a patient requires hemodialysis. This work uses these key features as dimensions in cluster analysis. The key features can effectively determine whether a patient requires hemodialysis. The proposed data mining scheme finds association rules of each cluster. Hidden rules for causing any kidney disease can therefore be identified. The contributions and key points of this paper are as follows. (1) This paper finds some key features that can be used to predict the patient who may has high probability to perform hemodialysis. (2) The proposed scheme applies k-means clustering algorithm with the key features to category the patients. (3) A data mining technique is used to find the association rules from each cluster. (4) The mined rules can be used to determine whether a patient requires hemodialysis. The human kidney is located on the posterior abdominal wall on both sides of the spinal column. The main functions of the kidney include metabolism control, waste and toxin excretion, regulation of blood pressure, and maintaining the body’s fluid balance. All blood in the body passes through the kidney 20 times per hour. When renal function is impaired, the body’s waste cannot be metabolized, which can result in back pain, edema, uremia, high blood pressure, inflammation of the urethra, lethargy, insomnia, tinnitus, hair loss, blurred vision, slow reaction time, depression, fear, mental disorders, and other adverse consequences. Furthermore, an impaired kidney will produce and secrete erythropoietin. When secretion of red blood cells is insufficient, patients will have the anemia. The kidney also helps maintain the calcium and phosphate balance in blood, such that a patient with renal failure may develop bone lesions. When renal function is abnormal, toxins can be produced, damaging organs and possibly leading to death. To extend or save the lives of patients with impaired kidney function, kidney replacement is typically utilized, including kidney transplantation, hemodialysis (HD), and peritoneal dialysis (PD). Although kidney transplantation is the most clinically effective method, few donor kidneys are available and transplantation can be limited by the physical conditions of patients. Notably, HD can extend the lives of kidney patients. Although medical technology is mature, factors causing diseases are changing due to changing environments. Any factor may potentially lead to disease. When the detection index of a patient exceeds the standard and kidney disease has been diagnosed, patients must go the hospital for kidney replacement therapy. For instance, a doctor may recommend that high-risk patients adjust their habits by, say, stopping smoking, controlling blood pressure, maintaining normal urination, controlling urinary protein levels, maintaining normal sleeping patterns, controlling blood sugar levels, reducing the use of medications, avoiding reductions in the body’s resistance, maintaining low body fat levels, and reducing the burden on the kidneys. However, improving one’s physical condition and diet are insufficient. To control one’s physical condition, periodic health examinations at a hospital have become a common disease-prevention strategy. Doctors may offer advice to patients based on health examination results to reduce disease risk. Many scholars have applied data mining techniques for disease prediction. These techniques include clustering, association rules, and time-series analysis. Different analyses may require different mining techniques. Selection of an appropriate mining technique is the key to obtaining valuable data. However, choosing a data mining technique is very difficult for general hospitals, especially when dealing with different forms of original data. Therefore, to help medical professionals identify hidden factors that cause kidney diseases, this work applies a novel hemodialysis system (HD system). The HD system may identify factors not previously known. General medical staff may perform routine examinations for particular factors associated with a particular disease and ignore other factors that may be associated with other diseases, such as kidney diseases. For example, staff may only assess blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and creatinine (CRE) levels and CRE clearance (CC). However, increasing amounts of data indicate that some hidden rules and relationships may exist. Therefore, this work uses an entropy function to identify key features related to HD. By identifying these key features, one can determine whether a patient requires HD. This work uses these key features as dimensions in cluster analysis. When patients requiring HD are classified into the same group, and the other patients are classified into the other group, the key features can effectively determine whether a patient requires HD. The proposed data mining scheme finds association rules of each cluster. Hidden rules for causing any kidney disease can therefore be identified. 2. Literature Review Hemodialysis is also called dialysis. An artificial kidney discharges uremic toxins and water to eliminate uremic symptoms. In an HD system, a semi-permeable membrane separates the blood and dialysate. The human blood continues passing through on one side of an artificial kidney and the dialysate carries away uremic toxins on the other side. Finally, the cleaned blood will back into the body. This continuous cycle eventually purifies blood. A doctor may recommend that patient undergo dialysis according to the difference between acute and chronic. If kidney failure is acute, the doctor will recommend that the patient undergo dialysis before the occurrence of uremic toxins accumulate. For chronic kidney failure, medical treatment is first utilized and HD may be initiated after uremia occurs. Additionally, a doctor may assess according to the causes of kidney failure, kidney size, anemic state, degradation of kidney function, and recovery. Moreover, each examination indicator will be assessed. The most commonly used indicators are BUN concentration, CRE concentration, CC, urine-specific gravity, and osmotic pressure [1, 2]. 2.1.1. Blood Urea Nitrogen (BUN) Blood urea nitrogen is the metabolite of proteins and amino acids excreted by the kidneys. The BUN concentration in blood can be used to determine whether kidney function is normal. The normal BUN range is 10–20 mg/dL. If the BUN concentration exceeds 20 mg/dL, this is called high azotemia. However, the BUN concentration may increase temporarily because of dehydration, eating large amounts of high-protein foods, upper gastrointestinal bleeding, severe liver disease, infection, steroid use, and impaired kidney blood flow. When the BUN concentration is high and the CRE concentration is normal, kidney function is normal. Although the BUN concentration can be used as an indicator of kidney function, it is not as accurate as the CRE concentration and CC. 2.1.2. Creatinine (CRE) Creatinine is mainly a metabolite of muscle activity and daily production is excreted through the kidneys. Daily CRE production cannot be fully excreted and the CRE concentration increases when TRY kidney function is impaired. As the CRE concentration increases, kidney function decreases. Because CRE is a waste generated by muscle metabolism, the CRE concentration is associated with the total amount of muscle or weight but is not related to diet or water intake. The CRE concentration may reflect kidney function more accurately than the BUN concentration. When the CRE concentration is in the normal range, it does mean that kidney function is normal; that is, CC is a better tool when assessing kidney function. The compensatory capacity of the kidney is large. For example, although the CRE concentration may increase from 1.4 mg/dL to 1.5 mg/dL, kidney function may have declined by more than 50%. 2.1.3. Creatinine Clearance (CC) Creatinine clearance is widely used and is an accurate estimation of kidney function. Creatinine Clearance is the amount of CRE cleared per minute. The CC for a healthy person is 80–120 mL/min; the average is 100 mL/min. Kidney failure is minor when the CC is 50–70 mL/min and moderate when CC is only 30–50 mL/min. If CC is <30 mL/min, kidney failure is severe and uremic symptoms will develop gradually. When CC is <10 gradually, a patient must start dialysis. By collecting all the urine produced within 24 hours, CC can be determined easily. Notably, CC is derived as follows: 2.1.4. Urine-Specific Gravity and Osmotic Pressure Urine-specific gravity and osmotic pressure reflects the ability of the kidney to concentrate urine. If the specific gravity of urine is ≤1.018 or each urine-specific gravity gap is ≤0.008, the ability of the kidney to concentrate urine is impaired. Moreover, the ratio of osmolality to blood osmotic pressure must exceed 1.0; otherwise, the ability of the kidney to concentrate urine is impaired. If the ratio of urine to blood osmotic pressure is ≤3 after water fasting for 12 hours, the ability of the kidney to concentrate urine is impaired. Abnormal urine concentration function usually occurs in patients with analgesic nephropathy. Doctors recommend patients undergo dialysis when their BUN concentration exceeds 90 mg/dL, the CRE concentration exceeds 9 mg/dL, and CC is <0.17 mL/sec, or the CRE concentration exceeds 707.2 mg/dL. However, when the BUN concentration begins increasing, the kidney is very fragile. That is, the kidney that has been damaged exceeds 1/3 when HD is required . Thus, indexes such as the albumin globulin ratio (A/G ratio) of kidney function (Table 1), red blood cell (RBC) count in blood tests (Table 2), or white blood cell (WBC) count by urinalysis (Table 3) are related to kidney function . This work proposes an effective scheme that identifies unknown key features to predict HD. This work uses the entropy function to identify key features that are strongly related to HD and applies the k-means clustering algorithm to these key features to group patients. Hung proposed an association rule mining with multiple minimum supports for predicting hospitalization of HD patients . Hung used this association rule to analyze factors that may lead to HD to reduce the number of patients hospitalized for kidney impairment. Hung relied on routinely examined HD indexes for patients per month, including BUN, CRE, uric acid (UA), natrium (Na), potassium (K), calcium (Ca), phosphate (IP), and alkaline phosphatase levels and analyzed 667 derived variables, such as protein ratio, to determine whether monocytes infected or a patient was undernourished. Hung obtained 9 rules from 5,793 records. For instance, diabetic patients with high cholesterol levels were hospitalized most. Inadequate dialysis was a high risk factor for hospitalization. If patient is female, aged 40–49, infected with monocytes, and had a recent hemoglobin (Hb/Ht) test value that was too low, the frequency of hospitalization was high. If hematocrit (Ht) was abnormal twice in the last three months, average platelet volume (MPV) was abnormal twice, and total protein (TP) was abnormal once, the probability of hospitalization was 93%. If TP, glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase (GOT), and glutamic pyruvic transaminase (GPT) of patients were abnormal twice in the last three months and uric acid was also abnormal, hospitalization risk was 100%. Huang analyzed risk of mortality for patients on long-term HD in 2009 . Huang used the Classification and Regression Tree, Mann-Whitney U Test, Chi-square Test, Pearson Correlation, and the Nomogram to analyze 992 patients on long-term HD. Albumin level and age were the factors most strongly related to mortality. Huang clustered and analyzed patients. If a patient had good nutrition and was young, mortality of diabetic patients was 5.45 times that of nondiabetic patients. However, if a patient was malnourished and older, albumin and CRE levels were the factors most strongly related to mortality. Thus, albumin level, age, diabetes status, and CRE level can help predict risk of mortality. Yeh et al. used a data mining technique to predict hospitalization of HD patients in 2011 . The availability of medical resources and dialysis quality may decline when too many patients are admitted to a hospital. Therefore, Yeh et al. used analysis of the C4.5 decision tree and the multiple minimum support (MS) association rule mining technology for analysis. The C4.5 decision tree was used to eliminate null values and association rule mining was used to identify hospitalization of HD patients. According to the records of hospitalized patients, hospitalized patients seldom have a chronic disease or may not have a chronic disease, but doctors only determine whether a patient should be hospitalized during an examination. Lin used hospital records of patients combined with the association rule and the time-series analysis to establish a health-management information system for chronic diseases . Lin found that occluded cerebral arteries may lead to cerebral thrombosis and a cerebral embolism. After examination by a doctor, the rule is effective in avoiding a second stroke. Additionally, ill-defined heart diseases still require improvement. Lin used data mining to provide the chronic disease patients’ family members and medical staffs for controlling their disease. These scholars usually used well-known blood tests as mining rules. This work uses an effective and novel scheme to identify some previously unknown features to predict HD. The entropy function is applied to identify features that are strongly related to HD, and the k-means clustering algorithm is applied with these key features to group patients. 2.2. Entropy Function Information gain, proposed by Quinlan in 1979 , is a basis of the decision tree constructed by Interactive Dichotomiser 3 (ID3). Information gain can also be utilized to determine differences in feature attributes and other classification attributes. Further, it is usually used to select the split point of ID3. We assume a classification problem that includes data records, feature dimensions, and clusters. The measurement of a single feature’s information gain must be determined based on two correlated values, called entropy; the difference between two correlated values is called information entropy In (2), is the total information content of whole problems, and this total information content is taken as a basis of single feature information gain, in which is the probability of occurrence of classification in dataset. In (3), is the information content of the feature dimension, the value, and classification and information quantity, is the feature dimension, including kinds of values, and the feature dimension has values. In (4), is a classification problem, the information gain received by the j feature dimension. Through (2)–(4), the information gain of each feature for a classification problem is found. This work then evaluates all threshold settings and collects the features with the greatest information gain to form a feature set for classification. Entropy is used to identify key features and cluster HD patients to determine the accuracy of key features. 2.3. Clustering Algorithm Although many clustering techniques have been proposed, the k-means algorithm is the most representative and widely applied . The k-means algorithm is also called the generalized Lloyd algorithm (GLA) . The k-means algorithm transforms each data record into a data point and random numbers are utilized to generate the initial cluster center to determine which data point belongs to which cluster point. The divided data points are used to calculate the distance between a data point and the cluster center, such that a data point will belong to one cluster center when the data point is closer to one cluster center than another cluster center. The newly recomputed cluster center is the average among all data points in a cluster, and the new cluster center is taken as a basis for the next iteration. This process is repeated until no change occurs. The steps of the k-means algorithm are as follows. (1)Use random numbers to generate the initial cluster centers .(2)Calculate the Euclidean distance for each data point and each cluster center . The point with the shortest distance is classified in to , and the distance formula is as follows: (3)Recompute the new cluster center . If the movement of all data points in a cluster stop moving, all clustering work stops; otherwise, steps (1) and (2) are repeated for clustering. 2.4. Association Rule An association rule is a widely used technique. It progressively scans a database to identify rules for the relationships between items. For instance, the probability that people will buy bread after buying milk is milk → bread (support = 50% and confidence = 100%); support means that the probability of a consumer buying both milk and bread is 50%, and confidence means that the probability of a consumer buying bread after buying milk is 100%. Agrawal et al. developed the Apriori algorithm in 1994 . The Apriori algorithm is one of the most popular data mining methods, where is all itemsets, each data record is , and . The expression of the association rule is → (support, confidence), where , , and . Support and confidence affect mining results most. Support is the occupied percentage for data records and the probability of occurrence of both and is . Confidence is the probability of and and is called a strong association rule. First, set the threshold of minimum support and minimum confidence to generate frequently occurring items, where represents frequently occurring b-itemsets, and all generated frequent itemsets are combined to generate candidate itemsets. Only the support and confidence values that are greater than the minimum support and minimum confidence thresholds are retained. This process is repeated until all frequent itemsets are identified. 3. Proposed Algorithms This work applies a novel and effective scheme to find key features that predict HD. This work uses the entropy function to find the key features that are strongly related to HD and applies the k-means clustering algorithm with these key features to group patients. Furthermore, the proposed scheme applies the data mining technique to identify association rules from each cluster. These rules can be used to warn patients who may require HD. Figure 1 shows the system architecture, which is divided into four procedures. These procedures are as follows. (1)The input procedure, which should be handled very carefully, can determine the disease target and input various sources and formats into a database. This procedure has a marked impact on the subsequent procedure. (2)The preprocess procedure is divided into two subprocedures. For quantitative processing, one subprocedure, data are converted into an appropriate analytical form; for example, a string form is converted into a numeric form, or a numeric form is converted into a similar spacing. For selecting features, the other subprocedure, this work uses the entropy function to find the key features that are strongly related to diseases. (3)The mining procedure is also divided in two subprocedures. For clustering analysis, one subprocedure, the clustering algorithm is applied to these key features to group patients. For the association rule, the other subprocedure, the Apriori algorithm is applied to find the association rule in each cluster. (4)The output procedure may express the entire mining result, and a medical professional will explain the mining result, and find any factor that may cause a disease. 3.1. Input Procedure Examination information is from many sources, such as a hospital information system (HIS), laboratory information system (LIS), or Excel report. These different systems may have different data storage formats. For example, in the A database, gender is 1 for male and 2 for female, but in the B database, M is for male and F is for female. Thus, an error may occur while collecting data. Therefore, one should apply the preprocess process to ensure that information is correct, complete, and sufficient. The preprocess process is divided into five steps. (1)Unified data storage format: to simplify mining, all information must be in the same format.(2)Irrelevant data: if one does not specify the mining topic, mining efficiency and even accuracy will be adversely affected.(3)Incorrect data: incorrect data may be caused by a source error or login error; thus, one should modify or remove. (4)Formats do not match: to smooth information mining, information must be converted into an appropriate format when necessary. (5)Incomplete data: incomplete data is a common problem; for example, some information may be lost, lacking for a certain period. 3.2. Preprocess Procedure Data are standardized to improve analytical accuracy. A standard value may be applied to an item such as triglycerides (TG). If the TG level is ≥201 mg/dL, it exceeds and the standard is 100; if TG is normal it is in the range of 20–200 and the standard is 50; if TG is smaller than <19 mg/dL, it is lower than the standard and the standard is 0. If data are consecutive, a packing normalization method is used; its formula is as follows: where represents raw data, minj is the minimum value of , is the maximum value of j, is the packing normalized value, and is quantified distance. Table 4 shows example data after quantization. Table 4 is a normalized form used to derive information gain and in association rule analysis, and it can effectively differentiate between patients. This work simultaneously uses extreme value normalization; its formula is where represents raw data, is the minimum value of j, is the maximum value of j, and is the packing normalized value. For instance, if the WBC value is 1, max = 10.7, and min = 3.5, then can be derived by applying (7). In the entire database, the maximum and minimum values of each item markedly affect the quantification result, and the values are called outliers. If outliers exist, anomalies will also exist; for example, suppose that Q of CRE is 80, and CRE values are generally 0.37–2.99; however, a polarization datum may occur when a record is 6990. After quantization, values in the range of 0.37–2.99 will be quantified as 1, and the value recorded as 6990 will be assigned 80. Therefore, this work creates a mechanism to remove outliers. To avoid the influence of outlier values, this work sets a minNum threshold for each record. For example, assume minNum = 3 is the threshold. The total number of hemoglobin (HB), which is quantified as 2 (HB = 2), is 9; however, that of HB, which is quantified as 0 (HB = 0), is 1. This means that most data are assigned to HB = 2, and only 1 datum is assigned to HB = 0. The total number of quantified values that are smaller than minNum is the extreme value. This scheme replaces the extreme value with the average value. 3.3. Information Gain Analysis This work uses dialysis item to identify information gain. For example, 6 patients are on dialysis (Dialysis = 1) (Table 4), the occurrence probability is , and information gain is . When 9 patients are nondialysis (Dialysis = 0), occurrence probability is , information gain is , and total information gain of and is 0.970951. Next, this work calculates the information gain of each item relative to dialysis item. Take Sex (Table 5) as an example. The Sex of 7 women is 0 (Sex = 0) and only 4 records with non-dialysis (Dialysis = 0), the probability is of Sex = 0 and Dialysis = 0, and information gain is 0.46. Three records have Sex = 0 and Dialysis = 1; thus, the probability , and information gain is 0.52. Total information gain of 0.46 and 0.52 is 0.99. Information gain of the women is because the probability of Sex = 0 is 7/16. After summing the information gain of the women (Sex = 0) and men (Sex = 1), total information gain is 0.968804, where . Next, via (3), which is , . The information gain of each item related to dialysis can be obtained and ranked, and the association rule can be mined using the top few items as key features. Take Table 6 as an example. Assume that the top three items are chosen. Thus, Age, WBC, and BUN are taken as key features. 3.4. Data Mining Procedure 3.4.1. Missing Values Some patients may have missing values. If their records are removed directly, some import information may be lost. Thus, this work applies a second filter before data mining analysis. This research sets minMissing as the threshold and takes missingNum as a null value of each record. If missingNum > minMissing, then the record is removed. Otherwise, missingNum ≦ minMissing, the record will be retained and the missing null values will be replaced by the mean value. For instance, Age, WBC, and BUN are the top three key features when records are missing records. Assume minMissing is 1. When a record for which missingNum > 1, the record is removed; otherwise, the record is retained and the missing null values are replaced by the mean value. This work uses key features for clustering, where as key features, are patient records, is a key feature in , , and is the cluster number. The k-means process is as follows.(1)First, randomly generate initial cluster centers . Figure 2(a) has ten solid circles, , which are the locations of each record, and three triangles, , which are the locations of cluster centers .(2)Apply (5), , to calculate the distance between each patient’s data point and the cluster center . When some distance is less than , will be classified to .(3)Let be a cluster center membership, where is the total number of members in , and is patient’s data point in . Thus, will be added to the sum of in each , and can then be obtained. This function can also be taken as a new cluster center.(4)Repeat steps (2) and (3) until each remains the same. 3.4.3. Association Rule Next, the proposed scheme finds each clustering characteristic rule using Apriori association rule analysis. We assume that the total number of records in cluster is , and each cluster membership is ; thus, the patient’s data point is in the , and the key features are in . Next, the association rule is used to analyze each cluster .(1)First, set the values of minimum support minSup and minimum confidence minConf. (2)Convert the normalization table into an extreme values table.(3)Find the candidate set. We assume , where is the quantified value of the j key feature in , , and denotes the occurrence probability of in . If Sup() ≧ minSup, then becomes a candidate itemset and proceed to the next step.(4)Through candidate set , generate a set of two items, ; however, and B cannot be the same item. Calculate the occurrence probability of each group, Sup(). If Sup() > minSup, it becomes a member of frequent itemset .(5)Take as a candidate set and repeat step (4) until the candidate set is null.(6)Generate the association rule of the frequent itemset. If the confidence of the rule exceeds minConf, the rule is set up and the process is as follows.(i)Let * be one of the frequent itemsets , .(ii)Generate rules and . In the case of A clustering , where minSup = 2 and minConf = 0.5, the key features are = Age, item2 = WBC, and item3 = BUN, and is the total number of records in . Thus, this work finds the frequent itemsets using the minSup and minConf thresholds. The proposed scheme merges two items by as a candidate set, where j = Age, in , and and in , and then calculates . If Sup() ≧ minSup, then let and be the two frequent itemsets until no more frequent itemsests are found. Next, the quantified values are converted back into their original values if all rules are found; the formula is where is a quantified value, minj is the minimum value of , is the maximum value of , is the original value, and is a quantified interval. Take WBC = 1 → Age = 3 as an example rule. If the of WBC is 10.7, the value is 3.5, and is 4; then the original value of WBC = 1 is . If the value of Age is 68, the value is 30, and is 5; then the original value of Age = 3 is . Through (8), the association rule WBC = 1 → Age = 3 can be transformed into WBC = 5.3 → Age = 52.8. 4. Experimental Results This experiment uses health examination records provided by hospitals. The data are mainly for outpatient dialysis and general outpatients. The hospital has 105 records with many values missing. This is because each patient does not undergo all examinations. Therefore, data must first be filtered to eliminate records with missing values. This work adopts BUN and CRE, which are related to kidney function, as the first filter. If any null value occurs in BUN or CRE, the record is removed. In total, 18,166 records are retained after the first filtering. The purpose of quantification in the preprocess procedure is to convert values into a continuity value or significant difference value from a finite interval. This work sets interval for each item based on recommendations by medical staff. Table 7 shows the intervals. 4.1. Choose Key Features The mining result does not make sense when too many items are used. The proposed scheme uses the Entropy function to identify the top 4 key features between each item and dialysis; these features are are UA, AST (GOT), TG, and K (Blood). 4.2. Mining Procedure 4.2.1. Clustering Analysis Based upon the above clustering algorithm, this work applies the k-means clustering algorithm with these key features to group patients. Before the experiment, records with many missing values were filtered out, leaving 7118 records. Table 8 shows the cluster grouping result. For example, 1169 patients are classified into the first group. The average indicator values are UA = 6.54, AST (GOT) = 24.48, TG = 119.79, and K (Blood) = 5.10, and the average density of the first group is 13.26. The average difference among all groups is 27.02, which is the best result of 100 random trial runs. 4.2.2. Association Rule Analysis This work identifies the top four items related to dialysis as TG, AST (GOT), UA, and K (Blood); AST (GOT) is the main indicator of liver function. These four items are adopted as key features and the association rule technique is applied to analyze each group rule after clustering, where minSup = 35% and minConf = 65%. The association rules of the four clusters are shown in Table 9. This work uses the clustering algorithm and the association rule algorithm to identify some previously unknown features of HD patients and possible associationrules. This work then evaluates all threshold settings and collects the features with the greatest information gained to form a feature set for classification. Entropy is used to identify key features and cluster HD patients to determine the accuracy of key features. During the clustering process, the clustering algorithm is applied on these key features to group patients, and the entropy function can effectively determine clustering analysis with the key features. Furthermore, this work applies the apriori algorithm to find the association rules of each cluster. Hidden rules for causing any kidney disease can therefore be identified. This experiment adopts the health examination records provided by one general hospital of Taiwan. During the experiment process, the experimental results will be discussed with medical staffs. From the experimental results, we can find that if BUN is in the range of 58.5–61.5 (60 ± 1.5) and Na (Blood) is in the range of 137.5–140.25 (140 ± 2.5), patients have a high risk of receiving a dialysis. The BUN is reported to be a reliable indicator of high risk, but the Na (Blood) is not clearly defined. Therefore, the Na (Blood) needs for further analysis and clarification. Conversely, if UA is in the range of 6.25–6.75 (6.5 ± 0.25), TG is in the range of 134.75–184.75 (159.75 ± 25), and K (Blood) is in the range of 3.89–4.39 (4.14 ± 0.25), or AC-GLU is in the range of 111–161 (136 ± 25), patients have a low risk of receiving a dialysis. The medical staffs express that the UA, TG, and AC-GLU will definitely affect the possibility of patients to receive a dialysis, but K (Blood) is not clearly defined to create an influence on patients. The factor should be further analysis. At last, there is one more special feature, AST (GOT) because it appears both in the groups of high risk and low risk. The medical staffs express, actually AST (GOT) is not directly related to HD. Thus, AST (GOT) is not a key factor to determine whether a patient requires HD. Medical staffs try to find some information from patient’s health examination records to reduce the occurrence of disease. However, some hidden information may be ignored because of the human observation or the restriction of book. Although there are many data mining techniques that have been proposed, most of them are focused on some known items. Seldom techniques in regard with searching for hidden key features are proposed. The reason is because the examination items are too many but incomplete. It is hard to find out the association rule by using system. This research will help medical staffs to find some unknown key features to predict the hemodialysis. We apply k-means clustering algorithm with these key features to group the patients. Furthermore, the proposed scheme applies data mining technique to find the association rule from each cluster. The rules can help the patients to detect any occurrence possibility of disease. The authors would like to thank the National Science Council of the Republic of China, Taiwan, for financially supporting this paper under Contract no. NSC 99-2622-E-324-006-CC3. - DrKao, “Normal Test Values,” 2010, http://www.drkao.com/1st_site/health_wap/normal_main.htm. - Green Cross, “How to Detect Renal Function,” 2010, http://www.greencross.org.tw/kidney/symptom_sign/kid_func.html. - Shin Kong Wu Ho-Su Memorial Hospital, 2010, http://www.skh.org.tw/mnews/178/4-2.htm. - K. C. Hung, Multiple minimum support association rule mining for hospitalization prediction of hemodialysis patients [M.S. thesis], Computer Science and Information Engineering, 2004. - S. Y. Huang, The evaluation & analysis of the risk of mortality for patients receiving long-term hemodialysis proposal [M.S. thesis], Graduate Institute of Biomedical Informatics, 2009. - J. Y. Yeh, T. H. Wu, and C. W. Tsao, “Using data mining techniques to predict hospitalization of hemodialysis patients,” Decision Support Systems, vol. 50, no. 2, pp. 439–448, 2011. - Y. J. Lin, Applying data mining in health management information system for chronic desease [M.S. thesis], Department of Computer Science and Information Management, 2008. - J. R. Quinlan, “Induction of decision trees,” Machine Learning, vol. 1, no. 1, pp. 81–106, 1986. - T. Kanungo, D. M. Mount, N. S. Netanyahu, C. D. Piatko, R. Silverman, and A. Y. Wu, “An efficient k-means clustering algorithms: analysis and implementation,” IEEE Transactions on Pattern Analysis and Machine Intelligence, vol. 24, no. 7, pp. 881–892, 2002. - J. Z. C. Lai, T. J. Huang, and Y. C. Liaw, “A fast k-means clustering algorithm using cluster center displacement,” Pattern Recognition, vol. 42, no. 11, pp. 2551–2556, 2009. - R. Agrawal, R. Srikant, H. Mannila, et al., “Fast discovery of association rules,” in Advances in Knowledge Discovery and Data Mining, pp. 307–328, 1996.

How does Internet Peering work in Asia? How is it different from Peering in the U.S. or Europe? If International Peering is different across the globe, what does one need to know before expanding a network into a new country? Internet Peering in Asia has largely been undocumented, with the popular perception in the Internet Operations community that Internet Peering in Asia is “just different”. This research provides a framework for comparing Internet Ecosystems with a little more specificity, based on conversations with about one hundred International Peering Coordinators that have built into and within Asia. These International Peering Coordinators shared ten specific lessons they wish they had learned prior to their Asian expansion. This White Paper begins by introducing the Internet as a set of loosely connect Internet Ecosystems (countries typically), each with at least three categories of players. We define each category of player, their position in the “Internet Ecosystem” along with their corresponding motivations that explains their peering behaviors. In the process of the research we identified the “Foreign Tier 1 Peering Dynamic.” This dynamic is not limited to Asia but indeed exists globally, where Tier 1 ISPs in one Internet Peering Ecosystem are relegated to Tier 2 ISPs as they expand into a foreign Internet Peering Ecosystem. We explain why this occurs by applying the aforementioned definitions and motivations. To apply these definitions and share some of the more interesting country-specific insights shared by the Peering Coordinators, we have identified the key players in four specific Internet Peering Ecosystems; Japan, Singapore, Australia and Hong Kong. We apply the “Business Case for Peering” methodology using current transit and peering costs in each Peering Ecosystem. We then share five reasons the Peering Coordinators said that they expanded into and within Asia, along with four strategies for interconnecting within Asia. Ten “Lessons Learned” finish up the section of collective knowledge from the group. In this section we also present rough transport/colo/transit pricing figures so the reader can better appreciate the differences in Internet Ecosystems across Asia. This is necessary to understand the financial sides to the peering-transport-transit equation. (This paper contains time sensitive pricing and operations information, and was written in 2005. Much has changed since this paper was written.) Hong Kong Peering Ecosystem Before we can talk about the Asia Pacific Peering Ecosystem, we need to first introduce the Internet as a network of networks, and the Global Peering Ecosystem as descriptive of the interconnection that enables the Internet to work. An Internet Operations view of this system reveals categories of players, each with motivations and observed behaviors in common within geographical areas that I will call Internet Peering Ecosystems. Within each of these Internet Peering Ecosystems we find at least three categories of players: Tier 1 ISPs, Tier 2 ISPs and Content Providers. We will go through each in turn. The figure above models a Tier 1 ISP graphically as selling transit to downstream customers, peering traffic away off to the side, and operating backbone links to offload the traffic elsewhere in their network. Through these free peering connections, the Tier 1 ISPs all enjoy settlement-free access to all destinations within the Internet Region. Some in the Peering Community refer to the set of Tier 1 ISPs as the "The Tier 1 club". The Tier 1 ISPs sell access to the region as part of a transit service as well, often as a wholesale transit service, to Tier 2 ISPs, CDNs, and Large Scale Network Savvy Content Providers. While this "Tier 1 ISP" definition has been criticized as being almost impossible to prove it is an important distinction as it pertains to ISP motivations and behaviors in the Internet Region. Tier 1 ISPs are not motivated to peer to reduce the cost of transit since, by definition, Tier 1 ISPs don’t pay for transit. Tier 1 ISPs may peer in many geographically diverse locations for technical reasons. Peering has the benefit of lower latency, better control over routing, and may therefore lead to lower packet loss. For ISPs that charge on a per-Mbps basis, this leads to financial benefits as customers use more bandwidth and therefore pay more money. This is a function of TCP: lower latency and lower packet loss means that the TCP window opens more quickly. This results in greater usage and therefore greater customer revenue. Most Tier 1 ISPs around the world exchange enough traffic with each other to require multiple points of interconnect. A Tier 1 Peering Policy generally includes a minimum number of locations as a requirement for peering. Tier 1 ISPs do not need to buy transit since by definition they can reach all the networks in the Internet Peering Ecosystem solely through free peering relationships. Stated most eloquently by Waqar Khan (Qwest, a Tier 1 ISP in the U.S.), “We have all the peering we need.” It is not surprising that Tier 1 ISPs see the rest of the players in the Internet Peering Ecosystem players as potential customers, and do not seek peering with them. In fact, James Spenceley (Comindico) went through the process of negotiating peering with the Tier 1 ISPs in Australia and described the Tier 1 peering negotiation tactics in a one word acronym: MILD: Make It Long and Difficult . This reflects the ISP’s underlying Peering Inclination, perhaps articulated in their Peering Policy . The figure above models a Tier 2 ISP graphically position as purchasing transit from an upstream provider, selling transit to downstream customers, peering traffic away off to the side, and operating (optional) backbone links to offload the traffic elsewhere in their network. A Tier 2 ISP will often embrace peering to reduce transit costs, improve performance, and potentially even increase revenue. You will find Tier 2 ISPs participating actively in Peering Forums - this is an expected bahavior from a player looking to increase the amount of peering they have. Some of the larger Tier 2 ISPs will be able to peer away towards 70% of their traffic. The model above shows this player simply purchasing transit from an upstream provider while creating content as their core business. These rough classifications and definitions are important because they help us understand each player’s motivations as reflected in their observed behavior. We can explain an ecosystem participant's Peering Behavior by identifying their position and corresponding Peering Inclination as articulated in the form of a Peering Policy . Definition: A Peering Inclination is a predisposition towards or against peering as demonstrated by Peering behavior in an Internet Peering Ecosystem. Definition: A Peering Policy is an articulation of the Peering Inclination; it documents and defines the prerequisites to peering. Our research has identified four categories of peering policies: Definition: A Restrictive Peering Policy is an articulation of an inclination not to peer with any more entities. A Tier 1 ISP may have a posted peering policy indicating that they will peer with ISPs of similar size and scale that meet them in a large number of locations in a certain number of countries with a certain large traffic volume. In this research, several Tier 2 ISPs have expressed frustration that once they met these stated requirements, the requirements were immediately adjusted upwards just out of reach. This demonstrates the Restrictive Peering Policy underlying foundation - an inclination not to peer. Definition: A Selective Peering Policy is an articulation of an inclination to peer, but with some conditions. A Selective Peering Policy details prerequisites that must be met, and when met, will generally lead to peering. Some ISPs for example require multiple interconnect points across a country with a minimum amount of traffic in order for it to be worth the engineer’s time to set up the peering session. Large Tier 2 ISPs often have Selective Peering Policies; they want to peer, but have a threshold to pass in order for it to be worthwhile. The difference between the Selective and the Restrictive peering policy is somewhat subjective but is based on the underlying intent; a restrictive peer does not want to peer with anyone else so sets requirements arbitrarily high such that almost no one is qualified to peer with them. Definition: An Open Peering Policy is an articulation of an inclination to peer with anyone. Brokaw Price from Yahoo! calls this “pulse peering; if you have a pulse we will peer with you!” Content Players and most Tier 2 ISPs seek to reduce their transit fees by peering broadly by announcing to the peering community that they have an Open Peering Policy. While these broad categories of players and their peering policies do not capture all facets of the markets, they do provide the broad strokes needed to understand some of the International peering interplay that we will discuss in this paper. Definition: A No-Peering Policy is an articulation of an inclination not to peer at all. Those with a no-peering policy simply do not see peering as an important strategy for for them to employ to get connectivity to the global Internet. The rest of this paper focuses on several Asia Pacific Peering Ecosystems. First we will start with some observations common across ecosystems - for example, the challenge Tier 1 ISPs have when expanding into a new ecosystem. We call this the "foreign Tier 1 Peering Dynamic". We then work through the Peering Break Even point and the Peering vs Transit analysis to set up the discussion surronding Peering Ecosystems across Asia. Specifcally, we finish this section with an overview of four Internet Peering Ecosystems: Japan, Singapore, Australia and Hong Kong, highlighting the key players, recent trends and disruptions in the peering ecosystems, and the Business Case for Peering in each Peering Ecosystem using recent prices for transport, transit, collocation and Exchange Point fees. Editor’s Notes: To illustrate points made in this paper we polled people for estimated prices of local loops, transit, transpacific transport, etc. All prices shown are in U.S. Dollars (unless otherwise indicated), and should be assumed to be volatile and for illustration and comparison purposes only. Sources and Notes ... Some International ISPs described the Asia Pacific Peering Ecosystems as “mysterious”, with the only discernable behaviors exhibited being those of protection of the domestic market. “Protection of turf is much stronger in Asia than in the U.S. or Europe.” – Large European ISP Conversations with both in-country and foreign Peering Coordinators however reveal that there are two sides to this story. This interplay is described next as the “Foreign Tier 1 Peering Dynamic.” Definition: The Foreign Tier 1 Peering Dynamic occurs when a Tier 1 ISP in one Internet Peering Ecosystem expands into another Internet Peering Ecosystem and is relegated to a Tier 2 ISP status in that foreign Internet Peering Ecosystem. This dynamic is illustrated in the example figure below, where UUNet (a Tier 1 ISP in the U.S.) expanded into Japan in the mid-1990’s. Figure 2 - Foreign Tier 1 Peering Dynamic To demonstrate this dynamic, consider this Peering Coordinator’s story. Several years ago over a dinner in Tokyo, the author was told that “UUNet is one of the largest ISPs in the world, but we can’t get peering with any of the Tier 1 ISPs here in Japan, and have a hard time even getting Peering with the Tier 2 ISPs!” What is going on here? Understanding the Request for Peering with the Foreign Tier 1 ISP. In this scenario, when UUNet asks the Japanese Tier 1 ISP to peer, it is asking the Japanese Tier 1 ISP to It is understandable that the in-country Tier 1 ISP (like NTT) would not be motivated to peer with a foreign ISP (like UUNet) entering the market. It would take something very large in return for this play to make sense to the in-region Tier 1 ISP. Global Routes or Regional Routes? At the same time, UUNet may not want to peer all of its U.S. and European routes and As a result the UUNet negotiating position is likely to be that they will only bring their Asia Regional routes for peering in Japan, and not their large number of desirable U.S. and European customer routes. Since peering NTTs relatively large number of routes with UUNets relatively small number of regional routes doesn’t make business sense for NTT, the deal is unlikely to go through. In some cases, the discussion of “reciprocal in-country peering” comes up (you peer with me in your country and I’ll peer with you in mine), but the negotiations often get mired in definitions and perceptions of “equal benefits”. It is not surprising that these reciprocal peering deals don’t occur very often. To continue with our example, in this scenario, UUNet also has difficulty getting peering with the Tier 2 ISPs. Let’s look at the incentive/disincentive for the Tier 2 ISPs to peer with this foreign (U.S.-based) Tier 1 ISP. In-Country Tier 2 Peering with Foreign Tier 1 ISP. Tier 2 ISPs are motivated to reduce transit costs, but in the case of Japan, as with many parts of Asia, only a small percentage (5% ) of its traffic is destined to and from the U.S. Only those Tier 2 ISPs with enough Japan-U.S. traffic have sufficient financial motivation to accept peering. If UUNet doesn’t provide U.S. routes, then there may not be enough of a UUNet Japan customer base footprint to make them a strong peering player. There are of course other motivations for peering. For example, performance related improvements may be sufficient for some Japanese Tier 2 ISPs to peer with the foreign Tier 1 ISP. Also, for some ISPs, turning up peering is an easy task so they adopt an “Open” policy. For them, UUNet simply has to interact with the right person at the right time in the right language. The Foreign Tier 1 Peering Dynamic is observed in the other direction as well; Japan Telecom is peering in the U.S. with a subset of the Tier 2 ISPs, with little luck getting peering with the Tier 1 ISPs. The Foreign Tier 1 Peering Dynamic is seen Globally. If we illustrate this dynamic this across several Internet Peering Ecosystems, we see the effect as shown in the diagram below. With the exception of NTT/Verio, who acquired Tier 1 status in the U.S. Internet Peering Ecosystem through acquisition of Verio, few Tier 1 ISPs have been able to successfully build in and reach Tier 1 status in a foreign country. (Those that did used some combination of the tactics documented in “The Art of Peering: The Peering Playbook”, freely available from the author.) Figure 3 - The Generalized Foreign Tier 1 Peering Dynamic We found one notable exception to the Foreign Tier 1 Peering Dynamic in mainland China. Both China Telecom and China Netcom, the two Tier 1 ISPs in China, have signaled their preference to openly peer their routes with foreigners, and do so in China! The stated motivation was to reduce costs of accessing the rest of the Internet, and to demonstrate openness as they deregulate the China Telecommunications sector. They would prefer not to pay the cost of backhauling all the Internet traffic for all of its customers back to China. It remains to be seen if China Telecom’s Asia Pacific Internet Exchange (APIX) concept in Shanghai takes off. Sources and Notes ... Note that much of the traffic is pulled from the U.S. Much of this traffic is pornographic content, or to be politically correct, is “Content that transcends the language barrier.” By law, this content may not be hosted in Japan. There was a similar problem in the U.S. Internet during the NSFNET era (1987-1994) when much of the U.S. government-funded Internet capacity from Europe was used up with traffic of this type. Conversation with Fumio Terashima (Japan Telecom). Note that the total volume of traffic still is about 3Gbps as of June 2003 We are using the same methodology follow in the Business Case for Peering white paper previously released. Assuming that performance is not an issue with the upstream provider. We will make the Business Case for Peering in each of these Peering Ecosystems. We do this by comparing the cost of peering against the unit cost of buying transit . First we plot the cost of peering at an exchange point against the amount of traffic peered. We then plot the transit cost and find the intersect point, called the Peering Breakeven Point. We cap the peering at the Effective Peering Bandwidth, which is the maximum bandwidth available for peering after taking into account layer 2 framing and port limitations. Then we can compare the cost of peering against the cost of transit, taking into account all costs of peering (except for equipment costs). When it costs less to send traffic to an upstream transit provider, ISPs should rationally prefer to do so . When the unit cost of sending traffic to an IX is less, ISPs should prefer to use an IX to offload this transit traffic. Beyond the Peering Breakeven Point, all peering costs (circuit into the IX, router, rack, port fees) are completely covered by the cost savings of peering. This is shown in the figure below, highlighting a few points of interest to the Peering Coordinator community. Over the past few years, transit prices have dropped dramatically, sending the breakeven point out and to the right. One needs to peer more traffic these days for peering to make sense. We will apply this framework to find the business case for peering in each Peering Ecosystem. Sources and Notes ... Note that much of the traffic is pulled from the U.S. Much of this traffic is pornographic content, or to be politically correct, is “Content that transcends the language barrier.” By law, this content may not be hosted in Japan. There was a similar problem in the U.S. Internet during the NSFNET era (1987-1994) when much of the U.S. government-funded Internet capacity from Europe was used up with traffic of this type. Conversation with Fumio Terashima (Japan Telecom). Note that the total volume of traffic still is about 3Gbps as of June 2003 We are using the same methodology follow in the Business Case for Peering white paper previously released. Assuming that performance is not an issue with the upstream provider. Definition: The Financial Value of an Internet Exchange is a measure of the financial value derived from an IX by its participants. It can be estimated by subtracting the collective cost of participation from the collective benefits of participation (sending that peering traffic over a transit service instead). Let’s start the analysis by making a three simplifying assumptions. First, the value an Internet Exchange point provides is facilitating the peering of traffic between participants. There are at least two dimensions to the value of peering: the value of the traffic volume peered, and the routes announced at the IX. We will only focus here on valuing the volume of traffic in this article; the routes announced deserves its own analysis. Second, it is important to note that several large IXes have both public peering fabrics and private peering services. Private peering is traffic directly exchanged between two parties, often over a physical piece of fiber or a virtual private service. Being able to do both public and private peering represents a significant value of the IX, but unfortunately the traffic peered privately can’t be factored into the analysis since there is no visibility into the amount of traffic exchanged privately. For this reason, we will have to start out with the simplifying assumption that the value of the IX is proportional only to the value of public peering. (The LINX has migrated some large traffic flows onto private peering so as a result this analysis will consequently understate their value.) Third, let’s assume that the alternative to peering is buying transit, so the value of the IX can be estimated to be MarketTransitPrice * VolumeOfTrafficPeered for free at the IX. Under these assumptions, if the IX went away, the community using the IX would have to exchange that traffic with their transit provider at a metered rate. We further assume that the IX peak measure approximates the 95th percentile measure upon which transit is billed. We say ‘peered away for free’, but public peering is not completely free. The cost of public peering includes some monthly recurring costs for each participant at the IX. If we subtract these costs from the value derived, we can estimate the value of the IX to the population: ValueIX = TrafficPeeredAtIX * TransitPrice – CostOfPeering*NumberOfMembers Observation: The Internet Exchange Points exhibit the characteristics of what economists call the “Network Externality Effect”; the value of the product or service is proportional to the number of users of the product or service . Internet Exchanges are a special case of this effect; the value of an Exchange Point is not the number of participants but a slightly more complex calculation including the number and uniqueness of the routes and volume of traffic peered. Since the value of the IX to an ISP is proportional to the amount of traffic the ISP can exchange in peering relationships at the IX, the value of the IX to the peering population follows the network externality graph as shown below. On the Y-axis we see the value of the Internet Exchange Point. On the X-axis we see the independent variable that causes the value of the IX to increase; we will use the number of participants for now; as more participants connect to the exchange for peering, the more value an NSP could derive from peering at the IX All Internet Exchange Points go through the following growth curve. They start out with zero or a few founding ISP members, and face the challenge of attracting additional peers into a building where there are not many peers to peer with. This is the "startup hump", and solutions to this problem were shared with the author in "The Art of Peering: The IX Playbook". Once the IX reaches critical mass, where the value of participation exceeds the cost of participation, the a well positioned IX experiences exponential growth. Note: Some variables in this equation may be difficult to obtain. Many Internet Exchange Points make the aggregate peering traffic volume available to the public, but some do not. Further, private peering exchanges often utilize cross connects making it impossible to assess the total amount of traffic traversing their private exchange. This formula is therefore more accurately described as the value of a Public Internet Exchange fabric to the participants. To calculate the value of the Internet exchange, one would need to include not only the public peering fabric, but also the benefits of private peering and buying/selling transit in an environment where interconnection cross connects is less expensive than with local loops. Be sure to chaeck out the Modeling an Internet Exchange Point for a list of the assumptions in this model. Now we can estimate the value of the Internet Exchange Point, or at least the value of the public peering that we can measure at the Internet Exchange Point. Sources and Notes ... Hong Kong Peering Ecosystem Internet Transit Pricing Historical and Projections Index of other white papers on peering WIlliam B. Norton is the author of The Internet Peering Playbook: Connecting to the Core of the Internet, a highly sought after public speaker, and an international recognized expert on Internet Peering. He is currently employed as the Chief Strategy Officer and VP of Business Development for IIX, a peering solutions provider. He also maintains his position as Executive Director for DrPeering.net, a leading Internet Peering portal. With over twenty years of experience in the Internet operations arena, Mr. Norton focuses his attention on sharing his knowledge with the broader community in the form of presentations, Internet white papers, and most recently, in book form. From 1998-2008, Mr. Norton’s title was Co-Founder and Chief Technical Liaison for Equinix, a global Internet data center and colocation provider. From startup to IPO and until 2008 when the market cap for Equinix was $3.6B, Mr. Norton spent 90% of his time working closely with the peering coordinator community. As an established thought leader, his focus was on building a critical mass of carriers, ISPs and content providers. At the same time, he documented the core values that Internet Peering provides, specifically, the Peering Break-Even Point and Estimating the Value of an Internet Exchange. To this end, he created the white paper process, identifying interesting and important Internet Peering operations topics, and documenting what he learned from the peering community. He published and presented his research white papers in over 100 international operations and research forums. These activities helped establish the relationships necessary to attract the set of Tier 1 ISPs, Tier 2 ISPs, Cable Companies, and Content Providers necessary for a healthy Internet Exchange Point ecosystem. Mr. Norton developed the first business plan for the North American Network Operator's Group (NANOG), the Operations forum for the North American Internet. He was chair of NANOG from May 1995 to June 1998 and was elected to the first NANOG Steering Committee post-NANOG revolution. Read his monthly newsletter: http://Ask.DrPeering.net or e-mail: wbn (at) TheCoreOfTheInter (dot) net The Peering White Papers are based on conversations with hundreds of Peering Coordinators and have gone through a validation process involving walking through the papers with hundreds of Peering Coordinators in public and private sessions. While the price points cited in these papers are volatile and therefore out-of-date almost immediately, the definitions, the concepts and the logic remains valid. If you have questions or comments, or would like a walk through any of the paper, please feel free to send email to consultants at DrPeering dot net Please provide us with feedback on this white paper. Did you find it helpful? Were there errors or suggestions? Please tell us what you think using the form below. Contact us by calling +1.650-614-5135 or sending e-mail to info (at) DrPeering.net

Interview By: Ross Burrage Over the past few months you would have read a number of endurance stories that were researched and put together by Adam Kelsall. Adz lives and trains in Torquay which is the surfing capital of Victoria, Australia. We thought we would turn the focus back on Adz for this particular interview because his story is quite unique and a little controversial in the eyes of some endurance athletes. Adz is known in the region as a very experienced and talented MTB Enduro rider who also works regularly for Norm & Jess Douglas (current 24solo World Champion) at MTBSkills.com.au teaching new tricks to budding MTB superstars. After competing in 2X24 Solo Worlds, once on a dually and the other on a single speed, Adz went in search for a new endurance challenge….Ironman. So….we asked him what is physically and mentally harder, 24Solo Enduro or Ironman???We know the hard core triathlete and MTB Enduro rider will be petty firm on their views, but what does Adz think now that he has prepared for and executed two of the world’s most challenging 1 day endurance events. Who does he think is the mentally tougher and physically stronger endurance athlete???? Ironman Triathlete v 24solo Enduro Mountain Biker.It makes for an interesting read so hope you enjoy it. We welcome any banter from either side in the comments section at the bottom of the post. RB: How many 24 Solos have you done to date? Adz: I have done four i think mate. 1. Forrest 24hr was my first. I rocked up at 11:45 (race starts at 12) back when we were all rookies then and didn’t have much of a clue. I had super market bags full of cans of creamed rice and no can opener, and a couple of litres of water. I jumped on my hardtail cannondale with a headshok and cable disk brakes. After the first lap the headshok was no longer working, effectively making my bike fully rigid and the cables were stretched and brakes ineffective. I rode well until about 11pm and started to get tired – didn’t know about caffeine Gels!! A bit of rage against the machine got me through until 12midnight. By then screaming out loud to rage while riding a bike had left me emotionally exhausted. I slept till six am in the back of my Subaru in my bike shorts that i had already ridden twelve hours in. Needless to say there were mushrooms growing down there when i woke up. I had no clue about Chamois gel…it doesn’t get spoken about much. I rode from 6 till 12 without being able to sit due to the pain of the mushrooms. I learnt a lot from that race and was happy in reflection to ride 18 out of 24 hours. The next step up in challenge was to ride for the full 24. Before the next 24hr event I did stacks of 6hour races, one twelve hour in Werribee and a 24hr in a team where i volunteered to ride from 3am until sunrise to really mentally nail riding during those times. There was a duality of experience occurring as well…while i was sharpening my mental and physical skills/experience people like Julian Vander Noord and his ex-girl Naomi, Norm Douglas, Ross Kroger et al were doing there PHD’s in pit bitching. Pitting really is the science of doing lots of small things for your rider really well. A face and neck wash with some cold water, a sly nurofen, removing furniture from the pit so the rider know’s everyone in the pits is “in the pits” as well makes such a difference to the rider. Next i did the Scott 24hr solo in Canberra in i think 2008?Andrew Bell was unbeatable at that time and that year this used to be fat but now skinny guy named Jason English (now multiple 24solo World Champ) rocked up. Jas had met a girl who encouraged him to give up donuts and McDonalds chips and he dropped about 10kg. Jas beat Bellie and i think everyone knew it was the start of something special for Jas as long as he could stay off the donuts. I still to this day am so grateful for Norm Douglas’s pitting for me in this race. He was so calm when i came in every lap…he had the full John Howard monotone voice(he will hate me for saying that!!) and apart from ‘trying out” choccy moose at 3am everything was so spot on with Norm’s support. Every race i have a bad day, good day and dream day goal. That day was a dream day and i finished 11th(spewing i didn’t make top ten) and qualified for the worlds in Canmore Canada. That was the first time i felt like i had really nailed a race. It must have nailed me as well…somewhere floating around there are all these great post race photo’s of all the crew and when i look at them i can’t remember anything from post race until probably dinner that night. I then did one of those muddy Forrest 24’s and pulled the pin at Midnight again. That was my first with Kylie as support. Even though i had a shocking race we both debriefed from that and agreed we learnt a lot about having a really strong pre race plan and the more organised we could be leading up the more relaxed and enjoyable the event would b. We learnt a lot from that one! Then Canberra Worlds. Adz: Yep Canmore Canada in 2010 and Canberra in 2011. RB: Can you tell us a little about each of the Worlds events. i.e. how you performed personally and differences between the two events. Adz: Both were just (i really want to swear here for emphasisJ) amazing. Even now looking back Canada seems like this big crazy amazing three week dream. It cost a lot emotionally to get to that race. I was in a long term relationship and we couldn’t align our dreams so that finished and my Mum was really crook and still to this day doesn’t remember me going to Canada or why. I travelled with a friend Kirsten who is such a fun loving creative person and was competing in worlds on a fully rigid single speed with an ipod and speakers in her jersey. She became female 24hr single speed champ which on that rooty hilly course was an insane effort! We hired a removalist van, a Winnebago was way too expensive and a friend of mine living in Vancouver lent us a mattress and a cooking stove. We cruised for two weeks just living the dream. Riding Vancouvers famous North Shore, Whistler etc. We would just roll into towns and ask for a map at the local bike shop…it was never a problem and these maps just had hours of squiggle to entertain. It was the height of summer which meant a beautiful dry heat and light until almost midnight. I remember one day riding for eight hours – shitting myself down the steepest hill i had ever ridden and riding through a massive Gorge full of waterfalls. Another highlight would have to be a point to point ride in Whistler called Comfortably Numb. It’s on youtube so have a geez at it. These rides were really sharpening me up for worlds as well – adjusting my body to the heat and altitude of the rocky mountains. Then we rolled into Canmore (near Banff) and spent the week leading up to the race sharing an apartment with Norm and Jess, Jason and Jenny English and Spoonboy(Craig Armour) were staying next door.. Matt and Amanda Koerber, the McEvoys, Russ Bakers Hat, Andy Fellows and his girl and Brenden Den were also in the neibourhood. We did long rides sussing the course, ate lots of carbs, drank great coffee and made stupid youtube clips for the folks back home! The race itself went so smooth. They held us all in a starting booth and played U2’s where the streets have no name. It was 36 degrees and we were all just crammed in together and i just bawled for a bit…racing internationally had been a dream of mine since the first time i saw a Mountain Bike Action magazine as a 13yr old and here i was…living the dream! Then i got on my bike and rode it for 24hrs. The course was tough with two huge climbs and all the downhills were riddled with roots so not much flow. I was riding a six inch travel Scott Genuis which helped smooth things out a bit. I had a fair ding dong battle with Canberra’s Kevin Wells for third until about midnight when i pulled away from him. Kevin and Kendra(supporting in the pits) are an amazing couple and we were so fortunate to be two Aussies having a gentleman’s race in a foreign country. When i finally cracked him i came into the pits and couldn’t find my batteries which needed changing. They were nowhere and i lost probably fifteen minutes looking for them. I think it was the only time i have ever spat it at a support crew. Eventually we found them under a pizza box in the middle of the tentJ. Because of the heat i couldn’t eat much solid food and ended up putting away 30+ Gels over the 24hours. That was hard on the Guts. With about an hour to go the vomits kicked in…luckily my 3rd place position was locked in by that time . Canada felt a bit like we were pioneering something…a small bunch of Aussies racing oversea’s. While being a world champs the race still had a low key friendly vibe. Also i think Canada was about me realising some dreams. I felt like Canberra was about those that support me as a middle of the pack athlete. I had 24 people from Torquay all chip in to buy my worlds bike. I was riding Canberra for them and also my amazing pit crew. Canberra was still super friendly but felt like a step up in professionalism and competition, everyone was psyched and there were heaps more pro’s and age groupers across all categories. For me Canberra was probably the best race i have done as a 24hr competitor. Although the results don’t reflect it i was mentally in a great place the whole race. I flatted at about 3am. I stuffed up the change and my spare didn’t work. I still get disappointed about this. I had enough experience at that stage that a flat shouldn’t have ruined my race. Eg Cory Wallace from Canada had three flats and still finished second overall. RB: Out of interest, who crewed for you at the Worlds events? Adz: Both Events i had amazing crews. In Canmore i had Geelong’s own Alicia Evans who lives in Canmore most of the year skiing, hiking and scaring the shit out of bears. She is a superstar!! Just so positive. We also had Jade Cook helping out. He was an Aussie over there travelling and offered to help out which is so amazingly generous, and of course Norm over saw it all like a CEO. He is CEO Doctor Pit. At Canberra i felt so much love from my pit crew which had me pretty fired up for a decent crack. Lorenzo from TCF flew up just for the weekend leaving his wife and young kids which is a huge sacrifice. Julian who had pitted for me so many times and of course the beautiful and amazing Kylie Hayles . Then Dave Scarlett and Kent showed up spur of the moment and did their bit as well. These guys gave me plenty of tough love and i cannot thank them enoughJ. I am mentally hugging them as i write this. RB: Any plans for any more 24’s? Adz: Maybe one? Thinking Scotland in 2014 would be pretty neat. Travelling and racing has a beautiful symmetry. Adz:hmmm probably not. Maybe in a team but i am pretty over going in circles. Defiantly keen for some point to point races and maybe stage races like the 2013 Cape Epic with you Ross. RB: Lock it in Adz. Needs to happen soon though buddy…age will weary this old boy. PS Tour Divide is probably more my pace. RB:The future of Enduro racing? Adz:I think it has hit a bit of a plateau. It will be interesting to see what unfolds with two world championships this year and in the years to come. Whether this strengthens or thins the sport out i am unsure. I think the sport has great characters – Tinker, Jas, Bellchambers, Jess, Anna Mei, Corey Wallace, and i wish this was emphasised more. I also think praise should be heaped on Australia’s Russ Baker and 24 Hours of Adrenalins Stuart Dorland. These guys have been tireless behind the scenes of international level 24hr racing and make it easy for athletes to zoom in race then zoom out. RB:Are you looking forward to moving into the 40+ category? It’s not as easy as you think you know. Adz: Nope. Once i am over 40 i am going to grow some roses, read philosophy and collect fifty cent coins. Adz:Not so much results but the experience of two worlds races and all that encompasses – the friendships, the training, the carbs, the travel, the bike bling, adventure, funetc RB: Memories of Jimmy Williamson? Adz: Man i find talking about Jimmy so hard. It’s pretty unfair that someone made of so much gold is gone. Really unfair.I had been following his Cape Epic blog and his enthusiasm was just jumping off the page. I had been sending a link of his blog to Jess and we had chatted about what it would be like to do the event. Probably the very next day i had a super late missed call from Norm and i thought that was strange. He rang again and told me the news about jimmy. For a guy who was so fast on a bike he had some spastic moments. I remember at the Beechworth six hour i was riding solo and he was in a mixed team with Niki. I was on my last lap and he came screaming past me trying to beat the clock and send Niki out on another lap. Dell Lloyd had passed me moments earlier. Only seconds later and i hear this commotion up the trail…i come around the corner to find Dell on the ground and Jimmy getting back on his bike with blood pissing from his face. He pretty much rode right into the back of her and somehow bent her derailleur with his face! But i will never forget on a long road ride with Jimmy and Niki from Forrest to Forrest via Lavers Hill, Apollo Bay etc. It was a month out from Worlds in Canada and Jimi gave me so so so much good advice to use at Worlds on that ride. Anyway Niki was really in the box that day. Up the Skenes Creek hill just out of Apollo bay it started pissing rain and she had enough. Jimmy the gentleman said he would go and get the car and come and get her. He absolutely busted himself back to Forrest and had the car back to Niki in no time. That moment captured for me the type of guy Jimmy was! Adz: Male – Jimmy and Jas equally. Such funny, humble, talented champs who just love riding their bikes.Female – Jess. Engaging and Tenacious. Also winner of the Forrest 24hr a few years ago Christy Harris/Janice. She has stupid amounts of talent on a bike and has a complete personality change as soon as she starts pedalling. I would love to see her train for twelve months and give worlds a crack. RB: Favourite all time event to date? Adz: Too hard. RB: OK mate….let’s get stuck into the workload because that’s what we are here to find out. Describe your 8 week training lead up to a 24solo Worlds. i.e. km’s, hours, cross training etc Adz: Not very scientific mate. A couple of short, maybe 3 or 4 try to go fast rides up to two hours during the week before or after work with the aim of adapting the body to high heart rates….with the idea then that the low intensity heart rates of 24hr racing will be a piece of piss for the body. Lots of six hour races and maybe a 12hour race to toughen up mentally and get the nutrition/support thing right. Weekends would consist of a long road ride on Saturday to really get the fatigue in the legs then a back up long mountain bike ride on Sunday to practice technical skills with lots of fatigue already in the body. I think my biggest weekend before Canberra was a Sat road ride up Buffalo then up falls creek. Followed by six or so hours on the single speed around the forest in Beechworth the next day. Then i went to the Beechworth bakery… RB: So ideally, what should it have looked like? RB: Ever get bored with the single discipline training? Adz: Nah it’s never really single discipline because you have the roady and MTB which can provide such a diversity of experiences. Also sooooooo many cool places to ride and awesome people to pedal with it’s always an adventure! RB: Can you share with us your most effective MTB tip? Adz: It’s all about Vision, Position, Momentum and Technique. The Triathlon Stuff……. Adz: After Canberra Worlds I remember we were having some stupid conversation about which would be tougher, 24hrs or Ironman. I think I said something about maybe finding out. Then Kylie shouted me a trip to watch Lyndon Virgona have a crack at Ironman in Port Macquarie. We chatted a fair bit about it. It’s important to both of us that it’s a team effort and we are both on board. It’s too hard to do an event like this if one side of the team isn’t on board. RB: Was it an athlete that initiated the challenge or simply the challenge itself? Adz: As a kid I watched the Wide World of Sports coverage of Ironman every year. I used to check the TV guide every weekend to see if it was going to be on. When it was on I loved watching Greg Welch, eter Reid, Jurgen Zack going around. Also living in the same town as Jo King there is always going to be a bit of Ironman chatter going on. But I think mostly it is the challenge RB: Tell us a bit about your triathlon background. I’m not aware of any but maybe I may have missed something. Adz: Nah nothing really. As part of ski training in Year 11 I did the Merrijig Triathlon up near Mt Buller. That was a cross country run, then you had to paddle a lilo down the howqua river and Mountain Bike back to town. I had a ripper Lilo leg and finished second overall. First prize was a slab of beer presented by Phil Anderson. I missed out on the beer but was stoked to get to meet Phil who was at the peak of his euro roady career then. RB: Most admired triathlete and why? Adz: Either Greg Welch or Macca(Chris McCormack). They are both the full athletes over any distance. I love Welchy’s fun attitude and his finish line antics. I know that Macca’s trash talk isn’t everyones cup of tea but I think he backs it up with his results. I would love to see Macca race the Olympics…his balls out racing is impressive. Yesterday he ran a 31 minute 10k in a San Diego World cup…the bloke is nearly 40!!!!! RB: I’m generalising.……but can you describe the personality differences between an Enduro Rider and an Ironman athlete? Adz: Ha ha. I think there are perceptions about Triathletes. Especially from Mountain Bikers. However I have found nothing but friendliness and overwhelming support in the triathlon community. Adz: Xavier Coppock is an elite age grouper who I am very fortunate to receive coaching from. I followed his blog for ages and was super impressed with his attitude and knowledge of the sport. Rod Stormonth hooked us up and it’s been fantastic. I can ring/text anytime and he always is positive and supportive. RB: Back in the 24solo days you seemed to prep yourself, why the need for a coach to prep for Ironman? Adz: I just felt like with three sports it’s a bit more complex. With Cycling it’s not that hard an equation once you have years of volume in your legs – just ride lots. With the three sports I thought it might be easy to overtrain. In reflection I think I would have actually undertrained. I am amazed at the volume . Especially the run volume. Adz: Torquay Cycling Factory(TCF) looked after me really well with a Felt B12 and threw in some Zipp Tubulars front and back. I love the wheels, sooooooo fast and light!!!! I was surprised how long it takes to set a tt bike up properly. But a million adjustments later I love the bike. We have this thing amongst our mates where we name our bikes. This one is called Greg after Greg WelchJ RB: How far back did you start to prep for Port Mac? Adz: 6months. That’s a long time for me to concentrate on one thing!! Adz: 10:37. I like to say about 10:30J RB: Can you describe how you felt throughout the race. Strong & weak points? Adz: During the swim I felt ok. I started right at the front between the buoys on coaches instructions. He said if you want to swim an hour you need to start at the front. The course markings were very poor so I just followed feet and hoped they went the right way. Towards the end of the swim I was getting a bit bored and was ready to start riding. This was ok I remembered chatting to Jo King one day and she told me she got bored sometimes towards the end of each leg. I came out of the water spot on an hour. Happy with that! The first 90k of the bike I had a headache. I think my wettie was too thick for the water temperature and I had overheated a bit. I work hard in races to not be emotional but to problem solve. So I worked through the headache with heaps of fluids and eventually it went. Port is a very hilly bike course which I think suited me. I took in the scenery and chatted to other competitors. After the hills getting out of Port and also before coming back in there is a long flat section with really dead heavy road. I was conscious that I had to concentrate really hard through here, to aid this I concentrated on riding on the white line and staying on it. This would keep me going in a straight a line as possible. In the second lap of the bike I got a bit sloppy, not riding bad but just not the urgency of the first lap. I also started getting frustrated with other riders who weren’t using the downhills to “slingshot” up the uphills and getting in the way making it harder for me to do it as well. I stayed in the aero position for 95% of the time and concentrated super hard on getting the nutrition and fluids in so I was in tip top shape for the run. I finished the ride 15minutes behind race plan schedule. Although this was a small bummer I was still really happy to average over 30k an hour for 180k. Something I hadn’t managed in training. When I came off the bike and onto the run I was pretty excited. I had said to Kylie that whatever happens I am finishing before dark and I knew I had plenty of time to achieve this. Also, amazingly my legs felt so so fresh. I felt almost zero fatigue from the bike leg. The first lap felt crazy easy. Totally not what I had imagined when mentally rehearsing the race. I was running 4:40 minute km’s. Pre race my only plan for the run was to keep it under 6min/ks, smile and soak it up. Now I was running 4:40k’s smiling and soaking it up!! I told myself that every k under 6mins was a little gift to myself. The second lap also felt great. Around 20k I was running about 5min/ks so still on track. By 30k I was at 5:30 min/ks, still well under 6min/ks. Still smiling. With aid stations every 2km I would pour two bottles of water over the head to cool down, a cup of coke and a scoop of vegemite. I had never used vegemite in training but it was amazing. The run course was pancake flat. During the run i reflected on a 3hr training run I had done with Pez the day after a 220k ride. We did a run out through Pt Addis that was jammed with hills, also the run leg of the Upper Murray Challenge…I drew strength from this knowing how hard they had been and that this was a piece of piss in comparison! I also thought a lot about friends and family and the whole amazing journey to get to this point to be feeling a million bucks this deep into the ironman. At 30k I grabbed my special needs bag with another four bottles of Torq for my fuel belt. Only one lap to go. I really wanted to jam it and see if I could run under three thirty but told myself get to 36km and see how I am going before I up the tempo. The boys from Triathlon and Multi sport coaching had made a secret appearance out on course and when I ran past them with about 4km to go they screamed so so so loud “Adam Kelsall your going to be an Ironman” I grinned. Running up the finish line was awesome. I gave Kylie a massive high five and did a bit of leap. It felt good to stop moving. RB: Ever want to quit? Adz: Nope. There was no chance. After being fatigued from training six months there was no fricken way. This was pay day and I enjoyed it to the max. RB: You love your support crew but this format doesn’t allow hands on support to patch you up and send you out again. Struggle with that? Adz: Nope. If you looked at me you couldn’t see them but my support crew were there swimming riding and running with me the whole day. Ky would yell out messages and facebooks and tweets and who had called every time I went past. It meant so much to meJ RB: Any plans to do another one and if so what are the plans? Adz: Probably busso at the end of 2013. The tuff questions…….. RB: Now you can’t hide from these questions. No fence sitting….we need answers, so are you going to be brave enough to provide them? Adz: OK (gulp) RB: Let’s start with the mental questions. I know the Port Mac is fresh in your mind but can I ask you to reflect back to your 24solo Worlds and tell us which event was the biggest head f@#$? Adz: 24hrs for sure. Ironman is tough. But you have breakfast suffer through a swim ride run then go out for some dinner with your mates. Doing the same thing for 24hours is incredibly tough. You have to find a lot of ways for your mind to play tricks on your body like that. RB: Ok….physically, both races destroy you but surely one must stand out over the other. At what stage of the Ironman event where you running on empty and how did that compare to the 24solo format? Adz: I’ve reflected on this a lot. Again I reckon 24 is tougher. Here’s why – Both 24 Worlds had two serious climbs every lap, as well as corners, roots, rocks that all have one cunning role – to stop forward movement. I guess when you boil any endurance event down to a minimum goal it is to keep moving your body forward. The ironman course had minimal obstacles to stop forward movement, some hills but otherwise long straight flat smooth surfaces. There is a moment in both events where you are going stupidly slower than you have ever been in training. So slow that you feel like it is pointless to continue except everyone else is going crazy slow as well. In 24hr this probably happens at about 18hrs so you still have 6hrs of going crazy slow. Six hours of slow is a long long time!! In Ironman it’s generally about 30k into the run for most. So you know you have to hang tough for probably only an hour and a half, which is not much more time in an endurance event. Another tough element of 24 is riding through the night. It is quiet. You know people are sleeping. There is no one out on course watching telling you how good you look. RB: Which event do you feel would be easier to front up to and complete with zero training preparation? Adz: Probably 24. Because you can rock up and do two laps hang out in your pit and party with your support crew then finish. With Ironman you have to get from a to b. Without the training I think it would be really hard to do this in the 17hour cut off. RB: As you know, I’m a grungy old Enduro rider and I will defend the 24solo riders every day of the week. After all, racing for 24 hours v 10 hours is surely a no brainer. I respect that the Ironman triathletes do it over three disciplines but surely racing one discipline 24solo non-stop is much harder? YES or NO and please explain!!!! Adz: I think racing three disciplines is harder technically, Good endurance athletes have amazing efficiency of movement. Watch Jason English through the same single track over a number of loops and he is super efficient – same lines, same vision, position, momentum and technique. However 24hrs have the advantage of having the same course over 24hrs…they can memorise it and become more efficient as laps go on. To be efficient over three different sports and constantly on sighting new terrain and having to use maximize efficiency of body movement over new terrain I think racing three disciplines is harder technically. RB: One word answer Adz, which athlete is the tuffest mentally and physically? Adz: Kylie Hayles for her patience, organisation and unquestioning support…Amazing. Torquay Cycling Factory for looking after me so many times at 520 on Friday arvo.. Fav, Jenko, Pez, Rossco, Lyndon, Kimmy, Rach, Natalie, Northy, Shane, the 530 Bunch,Ben and Darcy, Dave McCormack, the Weds night Altona run crew for all the run’s rides swim etc The Sunday night dinner crew for keeping me Normal. Xavier Coppock for an amazing training program that kept me healthy, injury free and got me to the start line ready to rock and roll. I really hope I haven’t missed anyone!

Return to Transcripts main page Russians and Ukrainians on Crimea`s Future; Continued Search for Disappeared Plane; Millennials` Effect on U.S. House Market Aired March 14, 2014 - 04:00:00 ET THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED. CARL AZUZ, CNN ANCHOR: Pie days are awesome. They only bake up once a year. We`ll bring you a slice of info about that later today on CNN STUDENT NEWS. First up, a vote: will Crimea, a region of Ukraine, become part of Russia? 2 million people leave there, and their local government has scheduled a referendum for Sunday that could determine their political future. Many Crimeans want closer ties to Russia. There`s a good chance they`ll vote for it, but the new leaders of Ukraine as well as the U.S. and some other members of the international community say the vote goes against Ukraine`s constitution. That this part of the country can`t just break off from it and join another country. Russia would likely welcome that decision. We`re bringing you two very different perspectives on this today. First, from the capital of Ukraine, where many people want closer ties with Europe than with Russia. MICHAEL HOLMES, CNN CORRESPONDENT: This is Independence Square, the Maidan, they call it, where the protest movement began and so many people lost their lives. But the story, of course, has now moved hundreds of miles away to Crimea. So, we are going to ask young people here what they think about the possibility of losing part of their country. UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I think that this would be the disaster. This definitely would be the disaster because we consider Crimea as a part of Ukraine and those people who live there despite the fact that they speak Russian, they are Ukrainian. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This referendum is completely illegally. And all this is inspired by Russian agents and foolish people who thinks that in another country they will have a better life than in their own country. HOLMES: Already some in Crimea are leaving, many heading to Kiev to be with family and friends, not wanting to wake up next week in another country. Michael Holmes, CNN, Kiev, Ukraine. AZUZ: Very different take on this in the Russian capital of Moscow. We`ve talked about how Crimea gives Russia access to its only warm water port in the Black Sea. So, it`s important strategically to Russia, but as Phil Black found, it`s important in other senses as well. PHIL BLACK, CNN CORRESPONDENT: At Moscow`s Danilovsky (ph) Market, you`ll find quality food, middle class shoppers and workers who aren`t quite so well off. This microcosm of the Russian capital is a long way from the Crimean Peninsula, but almost everyone here says they feel a connection to it. "Crimea was always Russian, and it should stay Russian," and it`s all he says. Not surprisingly, Vladimir Putin`s handling of the crisis is popular, which explains approval ratings up around, 68 percent. "Absolutely, I support it. That`s not even up for discussion," Irina says. "Well done, Putin, I`m extremely grateful we have such a leader." Most of these people admit they are informed by Russian media, much of which is controlled by the state. Inna knows Western reporting tells a different story. She wants Crimea to stay with Ukraine. It`s a minority view. Most believe Crimea is like the delicacies available here at the market, a vital part of Russia`s history and culture. AZUZ: It`s been more than six days since Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 vanished over Southeast Asia. And when we produced this show, there was no word on what happened to it or the 239 people aboard. U.S. officials said on Thursday, they might expand their search area to look in parts of the Indian Ocean. That`s far west of the last known location of the flight between Malaysia and Vietnam. They said there`s new information that the plane could have flown for hours after its transponder stopped working, and quit sending signals of the plane`s location and altitude. Some experts are saying, it`s possible that the jet`s engines might have been sending info to satellites for four or five hours after the last transponder signal. But even that`s not certain. And Chinese satellites photos that appeared to show something floating off the Malaysian coast, turned out nothing. UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Time for the "Shoutout." A 22-year old is considered to be part of which generation? If you think you know it, shout it out. Is it Millennials? Baby boomers, Silent Generation or Generation X? You`ve got three seconds, go! People born in the 1980s or `90s are generally considered to be Millennials. That`s your answer and that`s your shoutout. AZUZ: When it comes to money, Millennials tend to have less of it than previous generations like Gen Xers or baby boomers. Millennials student loan debt is higher. Their unemployment is higher. Despite that, they are optimistic about the future. In a recent Pew survey, 85 percent of Millennials said they either had enough money to live the lives they want, or that they expect to one day. It`s interesting how their generation is impacting housing in the U.S. CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: It`s the fastest growing part of the housing market you may not see in your neighborhood. New apartment buildings popping up everywhere. Now, at the largest share of total new home construction, since the 1970s. New rental apartment projects surged 56 percent in 2011. 36 percent in 2012, 25 percent last year. And they are forecast to rise nine percent this year. So, has this rental rise reached the top floor? Experts say not yet. Why? Call it housing`s millennial effect. Unemployment still stubbornly high for younger Americans. And many already owe tens of thousands in student loans. When Millennials find a job, they just want a roof over their head, not a mortgage. Plus, credit is tight. So, buying is tough, a down payment even tougher. Also, Millennialls value mobility. And urban areas offer convenience. That demand pushing up rent prices across the U.S. Rent is up three percent over the past year, and nearly twice that in renter-heavy cities like San Jose, San Francisco, Seattle and Boston. But long term, the Millenniall effect could produce a familiar result. As this generation grows up, as children finds more steady employment, the need for more space and the financial prospects of owning a home could push Millennialls into single family homes. And lift the housing market for everyone else. Christine Romans, CNN, New York. AZUZ: A royal welcome to all our kingly viewers in the Midwest today. Starting with the River Kings and Queens of Clinton, Iowa, they are watching from Washington Middle School. Next, long live the Kinsman (ph) of Penn High School. They are online in Mishawaka, Indiana, and we`ll wrap our royal journey in Kingman, Kansas, home of the Eagles of Kingman High School. Anyone can learn the solve for explit (ph), no one has solved Pi. The Guinness world record for reciting numbers in Pi is held by a Chinese man who memorized just under 68,000 digits. We usually just abbreviate it to 3.14. That makes today 3.14, March 14, Pi Day. Who doesn`t like Pi? Whether it`s an old fashioned apple pie, the Oscar- winning "Life of Pi," a pepperoni pizza pie. Unless it`s a slice of humble pie, it brings us together. Of course, if you dropped the "E" in it, you`ll drop some of the enthusiasm. But the true mathletes out there can always bake up a little fun on Pi day. It`s celebrated every year on March 14. That`s 3/14 is in the first few digits of Pi, the ratio of a circle circumference to its diameter. You could call our fascination with it irrational, and that`s just the kind of number it is. An irrational one. It just goes on and on without stopping or repeating. At least as far we know. Computers have calculated Pi to its 2 quadrillions digit. Don`t ask me what that means, I majored in telecommunications. What I can tell you is that when it comes to this ratio, the Pi is the limit. I know a lot of you like it when we pike on puns. A lot of you count on it. We could just say, good pie without any good pie puns, without waiving good pie, without adding a single word. But given the chance to cook up a report like that, something that could apple to a lot of students, something that could really oven things out at the end of the week - well, you can always crust us to try our berry best, make a bake and aim for a refreshing batch of Friday pie day puns. All right, we are going to leave you with some images we`ve seen on CNN STUDENT NEWS throughout the week. I`m Carl Azuz. See you Monday.

Respondent removed petitioner's California state-court suit to a California Federal District Court based on diversity of citizenship, and successfully moved to dismiss the case "on the merits" as barred by California's statute of limitations. Petitioner then brought suit in a Maryland Circuit Court, alleging the same causes of action, which were not time barred under Maryland's statute of limitations. That court dismissed the case on the ground of res judicata. In affirming, the Maryland Court of Special Appeals held that, regardless of whether California would have accorded claim-preclusive effect to a statute-of-limitations dismissal by one of its own courts, the California federal court's dismissal barred the Maryland complaint because the res judicata effect of federal diversity judgments is prescribed by federal law, under which the earlier dismissal was on the merits and claim-preclusive. Held: Because the claim-preclusive effect of a federal court's dismissal "upon the merits" of a diversity action on state statute-of-limitations grounds is governed by a federal rule, which in turn (in diversity cases) incorporates the claim-preclusion law that would be applied by state courts in the State in which the federal court sits, the Maryland Court of Special Appeals erred in holding that the California federal court's dismissal "upon the merits" necessarily precluded the Maryland state-court action. Pp. 2-12. (a) Dupasseur v. Rochereau, 21 Wall. 130, held that the res judicata effect of a federal diversity judgment "is such as would belong to judgments of the State courts rendered under similar circumstances," id., at 135. That case is not dispositive here, however, because it was decided under the Conformity Act of 1872, which required federal courts to apply the procedural law of the forum State in nonequity cases. Neither is claim-preclusive effect demanded by Rule 41(b)--which provides that, unless the court "otherwise specifies," an involuntary dismissal, other than a dismissal for lack of jurisdiction, improper venue, or failure to join a party under Rule 19, "operates as an adjudication upon the merits." Although the original connotation of a judgment "on the merits" was one that passes directly on the substance of a claim (which would be claim-preclusive), the meaning of the term has undergone change, and does not necessarily designate a judgment effecting claim preclusion. There are a number of reasons for believing it does not bear that meaning in Rule 41(b). It would be peculiar to announce a federally prescribed rule on claim preclusion in a default rule for determining a dismissal's import, or to find a rule governing the effect to be accorded federal judgments by other courts ensconced in rules governing the internal procedures of the rendering court itself. Moreover, as so interpreted, the Rule would in many cases violate the federalism principle of Erie R. Co. v. Tompkins, 304 U. S. 64, 78-80, by engendering substantial variations in outcomes between state and federal litigation which would likely influence forum choice, Hanna v. Plumer, 380 U. S. 460, 467-468. Finally, this Court has never relied upon the Rule when recognizing the claim-preclusive effect of federal judgments in federal-question cases. Rule 41(a) makes clear that "an adjudication upon the merits" in Rule 41(b) is the opposite of a dismissal without prejudice--that is, it is a dismissal that prevents refiling of the claim in the same court. That is undoubtedly a necessary condition, but not a sufficient one, for claim-preclusive effect in other courts. Pp. 2-9. (b) Federal common law governs the claim-preclusive effect of a dismissal by a federal court sitting in diversity, and it is up to this Court to determine the appropriate federal rule. Since in diversity cases state, rather than federal, substantive law is at issue, there is no need for a uniform federal rule; and nationwide uniformity is better served by having the same claim-preclusive rule (the state rule) apply whether the dismissal has been ordered by a state or a federal court. Any other rule would produce the sort of forum shopping and inequitable administration of the laws that Erie seeks to avoid. While the federal reference to state law will not obtain in situations in which the state law is incompatible with federal interests, no such conflict exists here. Pp. 9-12. 128 Md. App. 39, 736 A. 2d 1104, reversed and remanded. Scalia, J., delivered the opinion for a unanimous Court. SEMTEK INTERNATIONAL INCORPORATED, PETI-TIONER v. LOCKHEED MARTIN CORPORATION on writ of certiorari to the court of special appeals of maryland [February 27, 2001] Justice Scalia delivered the opinion of the Court. This case presents the question whether the claim-preclusive effect of a federal judgment dismissing a diversity action on statute-of-limitations grounds is determined by the law of the State in which the federal court sits. Petitioner filed a complaint against respondent in California state court, alleging breach of contract and various business torts. Respondent removed the case to the United States District Court for the Central District of California on the basis of diversity of citizenship, see 28 U. S. C. §§1332, 1441 (1994 ed. and Supp. IV), and successfully moved to dismiss petitioner's claims as barred by California's 2-year statute of limitations. In its order of dismissal, the District Court, adopting language suggested by respondent, dismissed petitioner's claims "in [their] entirety on the merits and with prejudice." App. to Pet. for Cert. 59a. Without contesting the District Court's designation of its dismissal as "on the merits," petitioner appealed to the Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, which affirmed the District Court's order. 168 F. 3d 501 (1999) (table). Petitioner also brought suit against respondent in the State Circuit Court for Baltimore City, Maryland, alleging the same causes of action, which were not time barred under Maryland's 3-year statute of limitations. Respondent sought injunctive relief against this action from the California federal court under the All Writs Act, 28 U. S. C. §1651, and removed the action to the United States District Court for the District of Maryland on federal-question grounds (diversity grounds were not available because Lockheed "is a Maryland citizen," Semtek Int'l Inc. v. Lockheed Martin Corp., 988 F. Supp. 913, 914 (1997)). The California federal court denied the relief requested, and the Maryland federal court remanded the case to state court because the federal question arose only by way of defense, ibid. Following a hearing, the Maryland state court granted respondent's motion to dismiss on the ground of res judicata. Petitioner then returned to the California federal court and the Ninth Circuit, unsuccessfully moving both courts to amend the former's earlier order so as to indicate that the dismissal was not "on the merits." Petitioner also appealed the Maryland trial court's order of dismissal to the Maryland Court of Special Appeals. The Court of Special Appeals affirmed, holding that, regardless of whether California would have accorded claim-preclusive effect to a statute-of-limitations dismissal by one of its own courts, the dismissal by the California federal court barred the complaint filed in Maryland, since the res judicata effect of federal diversity judgments is prescribed by federal law, under which the earlier dismissal was on the merits and claim preclusive. 128 Md. App. 39, 736 A. 2d 1104 (1999). After the Maryland Court of Appeals declined to review the case, we granted certiorari. 530 U. S. 1260 (2000). Petitioner contends that the outcome of this case is controlled by Dupasseur v. Rochereau, 21 Wall. 130, 135 (1875), which held that the res judicata effect of a federal diversity judgment "is such as would belong to judgments of the State courts rendered under similar circumstances," and may not be accorded any "higher sanctity or effect." Since, petitioner argues, the dismissal of an action on statute-of-limitations grounds by a California state court would not be claim preclusive, it follows that the similar dismissal of this diversity action by the California federal court cannot be claim preclusive. While we agree that this would be the result demanded by Dupasseur, the case is not dispositive because it was decided under the Conformity Act of 1872, 17 Stat. 196, which required federal courts to apply the procedural law of the forum State in nonequity cases. That arguably affected the outcome of the case. See Dupasseur, supra, at 135. See also Restatement (Second) of Judgments §87, Comment a, p. 315 (1980) (hereinafter Restatement) ("Since procedural law largely determines the matters that may be adjudicated in an action, state law had to be considered in ascertaining the effect of a federal judgment"). Respondent, for its part, contends that the outcome of this case is controlled by Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 41(b), which provides as follows: "Involuntary Dismissal: Effect Thereof. For failure of the plaintiff to prosecute or to comply with these rules or any order of court, a defendant may move for dismissal of an action or of any claim against the defendant. Unless the court in its order for dismissal otherwise specifies, a dismissal under this subdivision and any dismissal not provided for in this rule, other than a dismissal for lack of jurisdiction, for improper venue, or for failure to join a party under Rule 19, operates as an adjudication upon the merits." Since the dismissal here did not "otherwise specif[y]" (indeed, it specifically stated that it was "on the merits"), and did not pertain to the excepted subjects of jurisdiction, venue, or joinder, it follows, respondent contends, that the dismissal "is entitled to claim preclusive effect." Brief for Respondent 3-4. Implicit in this reasoning is the unstated minor premise that all judgments denominated "on the merits" are entitled to claim-preclusive effect. That premise is not necessarily valid. The original connotation of an "on the merits" adjudication is one that actually "pass[es] directly on the substance of [a particular] claim" before the court. Restatement §19, Comment a, at 161. That connotation remains common to every jurisdiction of which we are aware. See ibid. ("The prototyp[ical] [judgment on the merits is] one in which the merits of [a party's] claim are in fact adjudicated [for or] against the [party] after trial of the substantive issues"). And it is, we think, the meaning intended in those many statements to the effect that a judgment "on the merits" triggers the doctrine of res judicata or claim preclusion. See, e.g., Parklane Hosiery Co. v. Shore, 439 U. S. 322, 326, n. 5 (1979) ("Under the doctrine of res judicata, a judgment on the merits in a prior suit bars a second suit involving the same parties or their privies based on the same cause of action"); Goddard v. Security Title Ins. & Guarantee Co., 14 Cal. 2d 47, 51, 92 P. 2d 804, 806 (1939) ("[A] final judgment, rendered upon the merits by a court having jurisdiction of the cause ... is a complete bar to a new suit between [the parties or their privies] on the same cause of action" (internal quotation marks and citations omitted)). But over the years the meaning of the term "judgment on the merits" "has gradually undergone change," R. Marcus, M. Redish, & E. Sherman, Civil Procedure: A Modern Approach 1140-1141 (3d ed. 2000), and it has come to be applied to some judgments (such as the one involved here) that do not pass upon the substantive merits of a claim and hence do not (in many jurisdictions) entail claim-preclusive effect. Compare, e.g., Western Coal & Mining Co. v. Jones, 27 Cal. 2d 819, 826, 167 P. 2d 719, 724 (1946), and Koch v. Rodlin Enterprises, Inc., 223 Cal. App. 3d 1591, 1596, 273 Cal. Rptr. 438, 441 (1990), with Plaut v. Spendthrift Farm, Inc., 514 U. S. 211, 228 (1995) (statute of limitations); Goddard, supra, at 50-51, 92 P. 2d, at 806-807, and Allston v. Incorporated Village of Rockville Centre, 25 App. Div. 2d 545, 546, 267 N. Y. S. 2d 564, 565-566 (1966), with Federated Department Stores, Inc. v. Moitie, 452 U. S. 394, 399, n. 3 (1981) (demurrer or failure to state a claim). See also Restatement §19, Comment a and Reporter's Note; 18 C. Wright, A. Miller, & E. Cooper, Federal Practice and Procedure §4439, pp. 355-358 (1981) (hereinafter Wright & Miller). That is why the Restatement of Judgments has abandoned the use of the term--"because of its possibly misleading connotations," Restatement §19, Comment a, at 161. In short, it is no longer true that a judgment "on the merits" is necessarily a judgment entitled to claim-preclusive effect; and there are a number of reasons for believing that the phrase "adjudication upon the merits" does not bear that meaning in Rule 41(b). To begin with, Rule 41(b) sets forth nothing more than a default rule for determining the import of a dismissal (a dismissal is "upon the merits," with the three stated exceptions, unless the court "otherwise specifies"). This would be a highly peculiar context in which to announce a federally prescribed rule on the complex question of claim preclusion, saying in effect, "All federal dismissals (with three specified exceptions) preclude suit elsewhere, unless the court otherwise specifies." And even apart from the purely default character of Rule 41(b), it would be peculiar to find a rule governing the effect that must be accorded federal judgments by other courts ensconced in rules governing the internal procedures of the rendering court itself. Indeed, such a rule would arguably violate the jurisdictional limitation of the Rules Enabling Act: that the Rules "shall not abridge, enlarge or modify any substantive right," 28 U. S. C. §2072(b). Cf. Ortiz v. Fibreboard Corp., 527 U. S. 815, 842 (1999) (adopting a "limiting construction" of Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 23(b)(1)(B) in order to "minimiz[e] potential conflict with the Rules Enabling Act, and [to] avoi[d] serious constitutional concerns"). In the present case, for example, if California law left petitioner free to sue on this claim in Maryland even after the California statute of limitations had expired, the federal court's extinguishment of that right (through Rule 41(b)'s mandated claim-preclusive effect of its judgment) would seem to violate this limitation. Moreover, as so interpreted, the Rule would in many cases violate the federalism principle of Erie R. Co. v. Tompkins, 304 U. S. 64, 78-80 (1938), by engendering " `substantial' variations [in outcomes] between state and federal litigation" which would "[l]ikely ... influence the choice of a forum," Hanna v. Plumer, 380 U. S. 460, 467-468 (1965). See also Guaranty Trust Co. v. York, 326 U. S. 99, 108-110 (1945). Cf. Walker v. Armco Steel Corp., 446 U. S. 740, 748-753 (1980). With regard to the claim-preclusion issue involved in the present case, for example, the traditional rule is that expiration of the applicable statute of limitations merely bars the remedy and does not extinguish the substantive right, so that dismissal on that ground does not have claim-preclusive effect in other jurisdictions with longer, unexpired limitation periods. See Restatement (Second) of Conflict of Laws §§142(2), 143 (1969); Restatement of Judgments §49, Comment a (1942). Out-of-state defendants sued on stale claims in California and in other States adhering to this traditional rule would systematically remove state-law suits brought against them to federal court--where, unless otherwise specified, a statute-of-limitations dismissal would bar suit everywhere.1 Finally, if Rule 41(b) did mean what respondent suggests, we would surely have relied upon it in our cases recognizing the claim-preclusive effect of federal judgments in federal-question cases. Yet for over half a century since the promulgation of Rule 41(b), we have not once done so. See, e.g., Heck v. Humphrey, 512 U. S. 477, 488-489, n. 9 (1994); Federated Department Stores, Inc. v. Moitie, supra, at 398; Blonder-Tongue Laboratories, Inc. v. University of Ill. Foundation, 402 U. S. 313, 324, n. 12 (1971). We think the key to a more reasonable interpretation of the meaning of "operates as an adjudication upon the merits" in Rule 41(b) is to be found in Rule 41(a), which, in discussing the effect of voluntary dismissal by the plaintiff, makes clear that an "adjudication upon the merits" is the opposite of a "dismissal without prejudice": "Unless otherwise stated in the notice of dismissal or stipulation, the dismissal is without prejudice, except that a notice of dismissal operates as an adjudication upon the merits when filed by a plaintiff who has once dismissed in any court of the United States or of any state an action based on or including the same claim." See also 18 Wright & Miller, §4435, at 329, n. 4 ("Both parts of Rule 41 ... use the phrase `without prejudice' as a contrast to adjudication on the merits"); 9 id., §2373, at 396, n. 4 (" `[W]ith prejudice' is an acceptable form of shorthand for `an adjudication upon the merits' "). See also Goddard, 14 Cal. 2d, at 54, 92 P. 2d, at 808 (stating that a dismissal "with prejudice" evinces "[t]he intention of the court to make [the dismissal] on the merits"). The primary meaning of "dismissal without prejudice," we think, is dismissal without barring the defendant from returning later, to the same court, with the same underlying claim. That will also ordinarily (though not always) have the consequence of not barring the claim from other courts, but its primary meaning relates to the dismissing court itself. Thus, Black's Law Dictionary (7th ed. 1999) defines "dismissed without prejudice" as "removed from the court's docket in such a way that the plaintiff may refile the same suit on the same claim," id., at 482, and defines "dismissal without prejudice" as "[a] dismissal that does not bar the plaintiff from refiling the lawsuit within the applicable limitations period," ibid. We think, then, that the effect of the "adjudication upon the merits" default provision of Rule 41(b)--and, presumably, of the explicit order in the present case that used the language of that default provision--is simply that, unlike a dismissal "without prejudice," the dismissal in the present case barred refiling of the same claim in the United States District Court for the Central District of California. That is undoubtedly a necessary condition, but it is not a sufficient one, for claim-preclusive effect in other courts.2 Having concluded that the claim-preclusive effect, in Maryland, of this California federal diversity judgment is dictated neither by Dupasseur v. Rochereau, as petitioner contends, nor by Rule 41(b), as respondent contends, we turn to consideration of what determines the issue. Neither the Full Faith and Credit Clause, U. S. Const., Art. IV, §1,3 nor the full faith and credit statute, 28 U. S. C. §1738,4 addresses the question. By their terms they govern the effects to be given only to state-court judgments (and, in the case of the statute, to judgments by courts of territories and possessions). And no other federal textual provision, neither of the Constitution nor of any statute, addresses the claim-preclusive effect of a judgment in a federal diversity action. It is also true, however, that no federal textual provision addresses the claim-preclusive effect of a federal-court judgment in a federal-question case, yet we have long held that States cannot give those judgments merely whatever effect they would give their own judgments, but must accord them the effect that this Court prescribes. See Stoll v. Gottlieb, 305 U. S. 165, 171-172 (1938); Gunter v. Atlantic Coast Line R. Co., 200 U. S. 273, 290-291 (1906); Deposit Bank v. Frankfort, 191 U. S. 499, 514-515 (1903). The reasoning of that line of cases suggests, moreover, that even when States are allowed to give federal judgments (notably, judgments in diversity cases) no more than the effect accorded to state judgments, that disposition is by direction of this Court, which has the last word on the claim-preclusive effect of all federal judgments: "It is true that for some purposes and within certain limits it is only required that the judgments of the courts of the United States shall be given the same force and effect as are given the judgments of the courts of the States wherein they are rendered; but it is equally true that whether a Federal judgment has been given due force and effect in the state court is a Federal question reviewable by this court, which will determine for itself whether such judgment has been given due weight or otherwise. ... "When is the state court obliged to give to Federal judgments only the force and effect it gives to state court judgments within its own jurisdiction? Such cases are distinctly pointed out in the opinion of Mr. Justice Bradley in Dupasseur v. Rochereau [which stated that the case was a diversity case, applying state law under state procedure]." Deposit Bank, 191 U. S., at 514-515. In other words, in Dupasseur the State was allowed (indeed, required) to give a federal diversity judgment no more effect than it would accord one of its own judgments only because reference to state law was the federal rule that this Court deemed appropriate. In short, federal common law governs the claim-preclusive effect of a dismissal by a federal court sitting in diversity. See generally R. Fallon, D. Meltzer, & D. Shapiro, Hart and Wechsler's The Federal Courts and the Federal System 1473 (4th ed. 1996); Degnan, Federalized Res Judicata, 85 Yale L. J. 741 (1976). It is left to us, then, to determine the appropriate federal rule. And despite the sea change that has occurred in the background law since Dupasseur was decided--not only repeal of the Conformity Act but also the watershed decision of this Court in Erie--we think the result decreed by Dupasseur continues to be correct for diversity cases. Since state, rather than federal, substantive law is at issue there is no need for a uniform federal rule. And indeed, nationwide uniformity in the substance of the matter is better served by having the same claim-preclusive rule (the state rule) apply whether the dismissal has been ordered by a state or a federal court. This is, it seems to us, a classic case for adopting, as the federally prescribed rule of decision, the law that would be applied by state courts in the State in which the federal diversity court sits. See Gasperini v. Center for Humanities, Inc., 518 U. S. 415, 429-431 (1996); Walker v. Armco Steel Corp., 350 U. S. 198, 202-205 (1956); Palmer v. Hoffman, 318 U. S. 109, 117 (1943); Klaxon Co. v. Stentor Elec. Mfg. Co., 313 U. S. 487, 496 (1941); Cities Service Oil Co. v. Dunlap, 308 U. S. 208, 212 (1939). As we have alluded to above, any other rule would produce the sort of "forum-shopping ... and ... inequitable administration of the laws" that Erie seeks to avoid, Hanna, 380 U. S., at 468, since filing in, or removing to, federal court would be encouraged by the divergent effects that the litigants would anticipate from likely grounds of dismissal. See Guaranty Trust Co. v. York, 326 U. S., at 109-110. This federal reference to state law will not obtain, of course, in situations in which the state law is incompatible with federal interests. If, for example, state law did not accord claim-preclusive effect to dismissals for willful violation of discovery orders, federal courts' interest in the integrity of their own processes might justify a contrary federal rule. No such conflict with potential federal interests exists in the present case. Dismissal of this state cause of action was decreed by the California federal court only because the California statute of limitations so required; and there is no conceivable federal interest in giving that time bar more effect in other courts than the California courts themselves would impose. * * * Because the claim-preclusive effect of the California federal court's dismissal "upon the merits" of petitioner's action on statute-of-limitations grounds is governed by a federal rule that in turn incorporates California's law of claim preclusion (the content of which we do not pass upon today), the Maryland Court of Special Appeals erred in holding that the dismissal necessarily precluded the bringing of this action in the Maryland courts. The judgment is reversed, and the case remanded for further proceedings not inconsistent with this opinion. It is so ordered. Rule 41(b), interpreted as a preclusion-establishing rule, would not have the two effects described in the preceding paragraphs--arguable violation of the Rules Enabling Act and incompatibility with Erie R. Co. v. Tompkins, 304 U. S. 64 (1938)--if the court's failure to specify an other-than-on-the-merits dismissal were subject to reversal on appeal whenever it would alter the rule of claim preclusion applied by the State in which the federal court sits. No one suggests that this is the rule, and we are aware of no case that applies it. We do not decide whether, in a diversity case, a federal court's "dismissal upon the merits" (in the sense we have described), under circumstances where a state court would decree only a "dismissal without prejudice," abridges a "substantive right" and thus exceeds the authorization of the Rules Enabling Act. We think the situation will present itself more rarely than would the arguable violation of the Act that would ensue from interpreting Rule 41(b) as a rule of claim preclusion; and if it is a violation, can be more easily dealt with on direct appeal. Article IV, §1 provides as follows: "Full Faith and Credit shall be given in each State to the public Acts, Records, and judicial Proceedings of every other State. And the Congress may by general Laws prescribe the Manner in which such Acts, Records and Proceedings shall be proved, and the Effect thereof." Title 28 U. S. C. §1738 provides in relevant part as follows: "The records and judicial proceedings of any court of any . . . State, Territory or Possession . . . shall have the same full faith and credit in every court within the United States and its Territories and Possessions as they have by law or usage in the courts of such State, Territory or Possession from which they are taken."

Holy Women Of God, Holy Men Of God Holiness - Incorruptibility It is very important that we consider that which is incorruptible, because if there are incorruptible features connected with ourselves individually and our gatherings collectively then there will be an adequate testimony rendered for God's pleasure and for the blessing of all concerned. The moment we allow corruption of any kind to come into our lives or into our companies then things are lost for God. Let me remind you of one incident in the scriptures that proves this. When Moses went to the top of Mount Sinai to receive the law from the hand of God the people below asked for a golden calf to be made, Aaron made it, and the people bowed down and worshipped it. God's word to Moses was, "Go, get thee down; for thy people, which thou broughtest out of the land of Egypt, have corrupted themselves" (Ex.32:7). What a sad moment that was in the history of Israel. God was displaced in their lives and in their affections, and judgment came into their midst instead of blessing. I have read 1 Peter 3:1-7 and 2 Peter 1:19-21 just to draw attention to two things, holy women and holy men - and that takes account of each one of us. The Holiness of the Lord Jesus Christ Before we speak about that, I want to speak a little about our Lord Jesus Christ. In the tabernacle system, the ark of the covenant was made of shittim wood overlaid with pure gold - references to the Humanity and Deity of our Lord Jesus Christ respectively; two natures in one glorious Person. The shittim wood is a beautiful type of the imperishable, indestructible human nature of the Lord. It was not only that he did not sin, but he could not sin. Someone might say, 'If he could not sin, whatever was the point of the temptation? There was no real testing in that', but there was. The first man was innocent, he was in the most congenial circumstances, he was tested and he failed. The second man, out of heaven, was not innocent, He had perfect knowledge of good and evil, and He was in the wilderness, the place where Israel was tested and failed, but under every temptation He was victorious. Shittim wood is incorruptible wood; there was no inlet into the faultless life of purity. No decay could attach itself to the shittim wood, it was impervious to the attacks of insects, and so in that sense was a beautiful figure of the spotless life of our Lord Jesus Christ. When He was born it was said of Him "That holy thing that shall be born......" (Luke 1:35). It did not say, 'that innocent thing', but "that holy thing". He was intrinsically holy. There was no spot or blemish attached to Him in any way. In His lifetime He was referred to as "the Holy One of God" (Luke 4:34, see also Acts 2:27, 3:14, 4:27), and He was just as holy when He died on the cross as when He was born into this world. He was the spotless Christ. It was His blood that cleansed us from all our guilt and sin. In the boards of the tabernacle, we find the boards were made of the same kind of material, shittim wood covered with gold. This is to remind us of our standing before God, and the same kind of nature that we share with the Lord, enabling us to represent God for His pleasure. So we commence speaking about this great subject of holy women of God (1 Pet.3) and holy men of God (2 Pet.1) from this standpoint, that we have the same ability as Christ had, and I say this reverently, to live lives here that are pleasing to God, He, of course, in perfection, we very much in imperfection. Nevertheless, the same kind of features can be expressed in us as were expressed in our Lord Jesus Christ. We would also remark that all the persons of the Godhead are marked by this great feature of holiness. The Father is referred to as "Holy Father" (John 17:11). The Holy Spirit is often referred to as such, some 93 times. It is His characteristic name, and the Lord Jesus, as mentioned, is referred to as the Holy One of God. So we are in the realm of holiness, that which is so pleasing to God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. It is impossible to think of any sin attaching to them, they repel sin, it has no inlet into their ways, sin is perfectly kept at bay in the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. But then we ask ourselves, is this true of us? Can it be said of us that we are walking in this world in a holy way that meets with the approval of God, and keeps at bay those evil influences that so sadly affect the testimony? This is what we desire to speak of for a few minutes. Holy Women of God (1 Peter 3:1-7) Peter gives the holy women a very good commendation, a commendation that every sister should covet. This meek and quiet spirit is most precious in the sight of God, more precious than all the outward adornments, however nice or valuable they may be. God said to Samuel "man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart" (1 Sam.16:7). Here is something that God wants from every dear sister, a life of devotedness to the will of God, a life not of outward show but a life of inward reality, a life that is pleasing to His eye (and His eye can discern as no other eye can discern). He looks into the heart, the conscience and the mind and what He approves of is a meek and quiet spirit in His sight. These holy women hoped in God. I am going to refer to a few women in the Scriptures who exhibited this feature. While we are speaking specifically about women, that does not mean that those of us who are men are exempt from this exhortation, not at all, because it says in connection with the women "let it be the hidden man of the heart" (v.4). So this takes us all in. 1. The Hebrew Midwives in Egypt (Exodus 1:15-17) The first women that I want to speak about are the midwives in Exodus 1. The king had passed laws that all the male children of the Israelites were to be slain, and it took a great deal of courage to go against the authority of the king. Killing all the male children would destroy the nation, but these midwives "feared God" (v.17). They accepted the authority of God above the authority of the king, and this has always been so in the history of the testimony, whether in the Old Testament or in the New, that while there is an authority that we bow to where it is legitimate and right and proper, there is a higher authority that we bow to, the authority of God. These women feared God and they protected the male children. When the nation grew strong it was partly because of their efforts and the power that God gave in protecting them. Dear sisters, what an encouragement to pray for and to protect the children that grow up amongst us, to teach them, to give them an example, to help them in the things of God, because that is what I believe is involved for us. They were protected from the wrath of the king, they were protected from the cruel law and they were protected for God that they might represent Him. Thank God for the Christian homes where the things of God are maintained, where the children are taught and grow up in an atmosphere where they learn to fear God and stand for the things that are really worthwhile. Thank God there are many such homes. So we look for midwives, midwives who are courageous and do not fear the wrath of the king, but who are prepared to protect the children and help them and be a blessing to them. 2. The Mother of Moses (Exodus 2:2-4, Hebrews 11:23) The mother of Moses made a little basket and put Moses amongst the reeds, not in the centre of the river Nile (which was a god in Egypt that was worshipped). She did not put him in the midst of that which was idolatrous, but just in the bank where he could be protected from the current of the river, and there he was until the moment came when he was secured and grew up to be a man of God. What potential there is in every boy or girl, if they are schooled correctly, if they are guided correctly, if they are handled properly, to be men and women of God and to be a testimony to the Lord if He does not come before they grow up. 3. Sarah (Genesis 21:7-12) Sarah is a delightful woman in many ways. She was not perfect, neither was her husband, and this is true in our homes. Husbands are not perfect and wives are not perfect, but it is good to see husband and wife pulling together in connection with the things of God. In some cases the wife can be more spiritual than her husband, as Sarah was in this particular incident. Abraham desired that Ishmael might live before God (Gen.17:18), but Ishmael was no good for God, he did not come of the right line, he was the son of the bondwoman. It was the promised seed Isaac who was the one to whom the blessing was to come. Sarah said, 'That child has got to go, he is a bad influence, he will not help, there will be no blessing through him'. And Abraham said, 'I cannot do that, he is my son, my flesh'. The power of nature was strong in Abraham. He did not realise at this time what the mind of God was. Sarah was more spiritual and that juncture. Abraham bowed to that instruction and Sarah proved herself to be a woman of discernment, a woman understanding what the will of the Lord was. So dear sisters, you can encourage your husbands because sometimes they can be wrong, and if you discern that they are wrong put them right from the word of God, and be a help and an encouragement to them. Sarah feared God, she was desirous of doing what was pleasing in the sight of God. Abraham often failed in nature, great man of God that he was. He failed in relation to his father (Gen.11:31-12:1-5), failed in relation to Ishmael (Gen.21:9-12), failed in relation to his wife (Gen.12:11-20, and 20:1-18), because the power of nature was so strong in him; but he succeeded in many other ways, and at the end, when that supreme test came, he soared above the power of nature and was ready to offer up his well beloved son Isaac (Gen.22:1-19, Heb.17:17-19). What a man of God! However, in this particular case, Sarah was indeed a holy woman; she understood the mind of the Lord when Abraham did not. 4. Deborah (Judges 4:4-9) What a sad day it was in the history of Israel when there was not a single man with any initiative, with any energy or desire to do right. So Deborah arose, a prophetess indeed in Israel, sitting and judging Israel under a palm tree. It is always a sad reflection upon the brothers when a sister has to take the initiative and show them what is right. Yet it was so in the days of the judges, but then the book of Judges shows a day when everything is upside down, nothing is as it should be, nobody seems to know what to do.. So it was in Deborah's day, but she arose and took the initiative, she gathered the army together and she gave direction to Barak, and what a wonderful triumph was secured for Israel in her day. I believe that this shows a holy woman of God with some idea of what is necessary, some idea of what is needed to be done. Thank God that Deborah was able to do it. What a wonderful woman! The result was that the enemy was discomfited and overcome and a great triumph was secured amongst the people of God. Deborah was a holy woman. 5. Hannah (1 Samuel 1:1-7, 19-28, 2:19) Hannah is another delightful woman in the Old Testament. A woman who was habitually in the worship of God with her husband. She was beside him taking her place with him year by year when they went up to Jerusalem according to God's will. It is a delightful thing to see husband and wife together in this connection. The time came when she entered into a very, very severe exercise. Oh how much she longed for a son. Her enemies rebuked her and sneered at her again, and again because she had no son so she prayed and God heard her prayers. She got what she wanted, what she had prayed for, and she gave the son that meant so much to her heart, the son that she had she weaned, back to God. What a sacrifice marked that dear woman. We sometimes sing together "The dearest object of our love compared to thee but dross." Just place ourselves in Hannah's position, would we have given up that little boy? Would we have sacrificed him? There is no doubt that he was the dearest object of her love. Oh, how she longed for him and she obtained him yet willingly, without reserve or reluctance, she was prepared to sacrifice. I believe holy women sacrifice. They sacrifice time, they sacrifice the things that would hinder so that they can be for God and give to God their time, their talent, their prayers, and their exercise. What a woman Hannah was; one of the links between the promises and the actual fulfilment in the providing of David the king. 6. Ruth and Naomi (Ruth 1-4) The exercises of three remarkable women, Ruth, Naomi and Hannah all paved the way for the advent of David, the mighty conquering king of Israel. It is delightful to see the exercises of Naomi. She made her mistakes. She was governed by her husband who had no appreciation of what belonged to God, and she submitted to his wrong guidance, and suffered bitterly for it. She went out full and she came back empty. I have not the slightest doubt that, in her association with Ruth, she unfolded again and again the God of Israel, the history of Israel, and all the great things connected with Israel so much so that Ruth said, "Entreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee; for where thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God, my God. Where thou diest, will I die, and there will I be buried; the Lord do so to me, and more also, if anything but death part thee and me" (1:16-17). In Ruth we see a holy woman full of devotion and purpose of heart who never turned back. She was obedient and she did the will of God. 7. Phoebe (Romans 16:1-2) Paul wrote a letter of commendation in relation to Phoebe and exhorted the Roman saints to receive her. Letters of commendation are very serious things. I trust that they will not lose their place with us, that being a Scriptural teaching, they are things that we will hold onto. If people come and present themselves among Christians then it is better that they have letters of commendation, that they can identify themselves to the company as persons who are worthy to remember the Lord, because it is so easy to be beguiled or deceived. What a letter of commendation Paul gave to Phoebe. She was worthy because she had been a helper of many. She was a servant and she was worthy to be accepted as a saint. What a wonderful woman she was in Paul's mind. It does not say precisely what she did, but it does say that she was worthy of reception because of her practical service amongst the people of God. The term saint has at its base the thought of holiness. Here was a woman who was a member of the sanctified company, not only was she a saint by name, thank God, she was a saint by practice. What a wonderful thing when such a person can be commended and received, and what glory there is for God. 8. Lois and Eunice (2 Timothy 1:5) Sometimes it is said that the third generation gives things up, however, I find in the Scriptures a third generation that is very, very strong, that is Timothy. His mother and grandmother were noted for their faith and Paul says, "and I am persuaded in thee also". Here was a third generation that was strong and healthy in faith and Paul had every encouragement from that young man. Faith is not hereditary but, thank God, the teaching of faith can be carried on through the generations. This is what happened in the life of Timothy. These were women of unfeigned faith. Their faith was not hypocritical, it was not just an outward show, but they had faith that worked, that operated. These two dear women were marked by this kind of faith. What a wonderful thing that it was also in young Timothy. Paul appealed to that, saying, 'The faith that I have seen in your grandmother and in your mother is the faith that I want to see operating in expression for the glory and pleasure of God in you'. The Practical Effect of Holiness in our Lives There are many, many more that could be mentioned, women who were holy women, who feared God, who showed forth features that we could all take to ourselves, features that were so pleasing in the sight of God. These practical features kept corruption at bay, they kept the enemy at bay, they overcame the obstacles that existed, they overcame the weakness and difficulties and they presented that which was positive. Every positive act in our lives that is pleasing to God is a defeat for the enemy, and every time that we succumb to sin, to the world and to the flesh it is a victory for the enemy. So what the Lord wants is holy men and holy women who will combat the enemy in every possible way and preserve what is precious and what is holy in the sight of God. We are reminded in psalm 93 that "holiness becometh thine house, O Lord, for ever" (v.5). Holiness is the antithesis of sin, and when holiness is in activity then sin is repelled. There is no inlet into a person's life when they are living and acting in holiness. Holiness is abhorrence of sin. Just think of that. If we go through life with an abhorrence of sin in our minds it would mean that we run away from it, we would not play with it, knowing that Satan is a powerful personage and he can delude us and can lead us by his wiles into ways that are dishonouring to the Lord. But if we are desirous of being holy, as we should be and our members brought into bondage to holiness to God (Romans 6), then we are acting in a normal Christian way. Holy Men of God 1. Joseph (Genesis 37:2, 39:7-12) We have talked about quite a few holy women of God. Now I want to speak briefly about a few holy men of God. The first holy man of God that I want to talk about is Joseph. When Joseph was a young lad, the object of his father's affection, he brought to his father tales about his brethren. He was not a tale bearer, he was not a slanderer, he was telling his father that his father's interests were being affected because the sons were not attending to their work as they ought to have been doing. This matter was no doubt put right. Later on in life Joseph was himself subjected to temptation. It is all very well to point out the failure of others, but when the test comes to himself, how is he going to react? Seduction by an evil woman was a serious test. Thank God, he fled. He did not stop to say, 'I am Joseph, I am a man of God, I can withstand this sort of thing', well he knew the power of nature, well he knew the power of evil, and he fled leaving his garment in the hand of the evil woman. He really proved himself to be faithful, not only drawing attention to the failures of his brethren, but when it came to the test himself he was proved a holy man of God. "Should I commit this sin against God?" are the words of a holy man, a man who above all things esteems the glory of God rather than anything for himself. 2. Moses (Hebrews 11:24-27) When Moses had everything at his feet, every opportunity open to him to make his way in this world and be a man of great prominence, a man of great fame and power, he gave it all up saying, 'I would rather suffer reproach with the people of God than be in the forefront of Egypt's power and Egypt's gold and glitter'. What a decision to make. It is to Moses' credit that he never turned back. Those whom he led might turn back, and turn back they did in their hearts, but never Moses. Moses kept going on, a holy man of God indeed. He maintained his life and his pathway for God in such a way that God could speak to him face to face, "My servant Moses..... is faithful in all mine house" (Num.12:7). Oh how affectionately God spoke about this servant. 3. Phinehas (Numbers 25:6-13) What a sad day it was when the children of Israel were going astray because of Balaam and those who followed his teaching. Phinehas stood up, and with a javelin he slew the couple that were bringing such dishonour upon Israel and God commended him for his action. As a priest he ought not to have had a weapon of war in his hand, there were others to do the fighting, but sadly they were found wanting, so Phinehas stood up, jealous for God, jealous to do that which was right for God, and he acted in such a way that merited God's approval. Sometimes to stand for what is right means taking drastic action in our own lives as well as amongst the children of God. There are influences which, if they are allowed to develop, would destroy the things of God. This is the kind of day that we live in. Some people, unfortunately, do not see the consequences of the principles that they seek to bring in amongst the people of God, they only see the particular thing that they are concerned about and they do not see the logical outcome of such principles being followed, but many with discernment can see, and so it requires drastic action to stop these principles being followed in order that that which is pure and holy according to God might be preserved. Phinehas was such a man of discernment. 4. Noah (Genesis 6:1-9, Luke 17:26-27, Hebrews 11:7) "Noah was a just man and perfect in his generations" (Gen.6:9). It was a day of mixture and corruption, the sons of God were connected with the daughters of men. There are those who believe that this was a peculiar corruption where the angels left their first estate and were connected with the daughters of men upon earth. This apostasy of the angels is referred to in Jude (v.6). This is a difficult thing to understand. Many brethren have written dissertations to show that the heroes of Greek and Roman mythology are descended from this intermingling, this is where they got their origin "there were giants in the land in those days" (v.4). This progeny of this evil association was a serious and wicked thing. It resulted in God's judgment of the flood, God removing them all. But in the midst of all this there was one man that God could look down upon, a man who was just and pure in all his generation. What an evil day it was. What a wonderful thing it is, dear saints of God, to lead a life of purity in a scene of corruption like we know today. I know we are not perfect, nor will we ever be perfect in this life, but thank God for right desires, not just to be upright and respectable (there are many unconverted people who are upright and respectable), but to live lives of holiness according to God, according to the standard that He sets, and that means that every feature of our lives must be brought into obedience to His word. What a triumph that it should be so. "Thee only have I found just". 5. Enoch (Genesis 5:23-24, Hebrews 11:5) Enoch lived before Noah, he walked in his day and he had this testimony, said the writer to the Hebrews, "that he pleased God". What a commendation! Just think of us tonight if we were able to receive communication from heaven and God saying to each one of us "I am pleased with the way you are living your life", what a testimony, what a commendation. Would we not be proud? Not in a selfish or fleshly way, but proud in the sense that we are doing what is pleasing to God. We can be sure that, as we obey the word of God and keep clear of sin and wickedness, we have this testimony, that we please Him, just as Enoch did. 6. David (1 Chronicles 22:6-16, 29:1-5) David made sad lapses, but how quickly he recovered himself, got back into communion with God and did the things that were pleasing in the sight of God. As a young Christian I used to hear the old brothers in Port Seton saying, 'Keep short account with God'. If you fail, get down on your knees, confess it to God, have communion restored and continue in the pathway, do not give up because you are a failure. David never gave up. I want to say to you elderly saints, keep going on, because David's best years were his last years. I have been saying this in many meetings now, if the meetings depended upon our young people we would not have any Bible readings in some places, nor any ministry meetings, nor meetings of any worthwhile character, you, dear brethren, getting on in years, Lord's day after Lord's day, you maintain those meetings. Keep going on, do not give up. You will preserve something for the young when they decide that there is something worthwhile in our meetings, there is food for them if they want it, preserve it, maintain it, and make sure it is still there when they get disillusioned with the worldly ways they may be seeking to follow. There is food, there is spiritual help to be found in the meetings, and you dear brethren are the ones who are going to maintain it until the Lord comes, by His grace. David's best years were his last years. How do you make that out? Well, he prepared all the materials for Solomon in his affection, in his power and in his energy. What vast amounts of material he collected, gold, silver, wood, iron, stone and unenviously he collected it so that his son might do this great service to God. David was a man of God right to the end. In an unwearying way he provided, in his latter days, all this so that God might be worshipped. What a wonderful end when we read in 1 Chronicles that wonderful ascription of praise that he gave to God, "All things came of [God], and of thine own have we given thee" (29:14) and what a full heart he had. David was a holy man of God. 7. Paul (Philippians 1-4) What a life of persecution Paul lived in relation to those who loved Christ. I am sure he regretted all the havoc that he had caused amongst the children of God before he was saved. He made them blaspheme, think of that, making someone blaspheme, making someone say something that is dishonouring to God or to Christ! Would you not be sorry for it? Paul made many blaspheme, he put them in prison, he murdered them, he gave his vote against Stephen when he was slain, what a persecutor he was. Suddenly it was all changed. He met the Lord Jesus Christ and came under His Lordship. He made mistakes, but not many, he went on not deviating one way or the other, but straight on; he was a holy man of God. The consuming desire in his heart was to please Christ. In Philippians 1 he said, "According to my earnest expectation and my hope, that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but that with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether it be by life, or by death. For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain" (vv.20-21). In other words, 'If I have to die, let it be for the glory of Christ, and if I am to live, let it also be for the glory of Christ.' His whole life was spent in this way. "What things that were gain to me, those I counted loss for (or 'on account of') Christ" (3:7). He was ready to sacrifice the very best that he had in order to live for Christ. Now, dear brothers and sisters, if our meetings were made up of such persons as I have mentioned this evening, what happy meetings they would be; people who gave up all that they naturally were connected with or desired, people ready to sacrifice to God, people ready to devote their energies to God, people who lived lives that were separate from sin and the attractions of this world, people who were thoroughly committed to God. Oh, how powerful the meetings would be. Such a meeting was, I believe, at Corinth when it began, but corrupting influences soon crept in. There were those who brought in bad doctrine, 'there is no such thing as resurrection' some said (15:12), and so Paul corrected them, there was a man who did the most degrading, evil thing, incest, and had to be expelled from the company (5:1-8), there were those who were following leaders, forming parties (1:10-12) - terrible things amongst the people of God. These were corrupting influences and they ought not to have been there, and Paul addressed each one of the Corinthian assembly and he said, 'Your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost, you should be holy, you cannot join yourself to anything that is evil, the Holy Spirit indwells you, and so you ought to be holy in practice' (6:19). And to the company he said, "Know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit"? So the company, and the individuals who form the company, were to be holy, holy in the sight of God and holy in all their ways. Oh, what a wonderful thing that would be. How many things creep in amongst the people of God that prevent unfeigned brotherly love in practice (1 Pet.1:22-23). Petty envyings, jealousies, lack of confidence and suspicion, all creep in amongst the people of God and create barriers against the free flow of love. Holiness keeps all these things out, every one of them, and there would be that condition and atmosphere that would create the free flow of love in every possible way, but more than that, because it is far more important that God or Christ should be honoured and worshipped than that we should be blessed. Too often we talk about our own blessings, and when we should remember that an assembly is there for glory to be given to God and to Christ in the power of the Spirit. As holiness is in an action amongst the people of God there will be this response, glory to God, glory to Christ, a testimony to the world, and the salvation of precious souls. Paul says to the Thessalonian believers, "Ye are witnesses, and God also, how holily and justly and unblamedly we behaved ourselves among you that believe" (1 Thess.2:10), and the Thessalonians were converted to God. So you see, dear brethren, this matter of incorruption is an extremely important one. May we be encouraged to be holy women and holy men until the Lord comes, for His name's sake.

Professor René Provost, Faculty of Law and Centre for Human Rights and Legal Pluralism, McGill University A few days ago, Canada moved to follow the Alien Tort Statute model found in the United States and open the door to file suits in damages against foreign states and others linked to acts of terrorism. The new law provides for both a basis of jurisdiction of Canadian courts and removes the immunity of foreign states in certain circumstances (see also Joanna Harrington’s post). Bill C-10, an Omnibus criminal law statute, was adopted by the Canadian Parliament last week. The bill generated intense political debate and media attention, but largely for another section which imposed mandatory minimum sentences for a series of criminal acts. The scope of the Bill is well illustrated by its full title: “An Act to enact the Justice for Victims of Terrorism Act and to amend the State Immunity Act, the Criminal Code, the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act, the Corrections and Conditional Release Act, the Youth Criminal Justice Act, the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act and other Acts”. One of the nine distinct sections of the bill which attracted considerably less attention in the mainstream media – and indeed in Parliament itself – is the Justice for Victims of Terrorism Act The law brings Canada into the very small group of states in which it is possible to use domestic courts to seek redress for violations of international law. It is noteworthy that the Act is limited to responsibility for acts of terrorism, and does not cover other violations of international law such as torture and war crimes, despite some earlier calls for a wider ambit. The first part of the Justice for Victims of Terrorism Act creates a cause of action in Canada for damage or loss which occurred anywhere in relation to a terrorist act, if certain conditions are met. If the plaintiff is a Canadian citizen or permanent resident, no further territorial link is required. The Act opens the door to a suit in damages even for plaintiffs who do not have a nationality or residency link to Canada if there is a “real and substantial connection” to the country. This refers to the standard adopted by the Supreme Court of Canada in Libman v. The Queen, 2 SCR 178 to establish a territorial basis for criminal prosecution, which was later relied upon in other areas as well. The connection demanded in order to satisfy the “real and substantial” test has been interpreted quite broadly, to include not only any phase of the crime but also its repercussions. As such, the door which is opened by the Act is overall quite broad. For instance, in Yassin v. Green Park International, the Québec Court of Appeal denied jurisdiction on the basis of forum non conveniens in the case of a suit in damages by Palestinian villagers against a construction company incorporated in Canada, for allegedly building condos in the Occupied Territories in violation of the Geneva Conventions. In that case, the Court found that there mere incorporation in Canada did not justify Canadian jurisdiction. While the case did not deal with an offence of terrorism, it is not unreasonable to imagine that a court presented with similar facts in relation to acts which do amount to terrorism would conclude that the more generous cause of action created in Canada for acts of terrorism committed abroad would lead to reject the exception of forum non conveniens. It is interesting to note that the Act may be relied upon in a civil suit in tort in the common law provinces of Canada, or in delict under the Québec Civil Code. There may be more flexibility in applying the broad civilian principle of responsibility for any fault than the more compartmentalised common law torts. At the same time, this point to the fact that civil liability is a matter constitutionally reserved for provincial legislation, perhaps opening the door to a federalism challenge to the constitutionality of the Act. The second element to note in relation to the Victims of Terrorism Act is the target of the possible suit in damages: any person, “listed entity”, or foreign state whose immunity has been lifted may be subject to the jurisdiction of Canadian courts. Persons may be real or corporeal persons who committed the act or omission that resulted in the loss or damages in a manner related to an act of terrorism. What is interesting here is that a cause of action is created against potential respondents which are not vetted by the Canadian Government as authors or sponsors of terrorism. To go back to the scenario which played out in Yassin, the Act invites the court to investigate and come to its own conclusions as to whether a person or corporation can be held liable for an act falling within the definition of terrorism. This stands in contrast to the two other categories of potential respondents identified by the Act. The “listed entities” refer to terrorist organisations which have been identified as such by way of an order of the Governor in Council (the Federal executive), pursuant to section 83.05 of the Criminal Code of Canada. The list currently includes organisations such as the LTTE, Hizbullah, the FARC and some forty other groups. Because of the nature of these organisations, and in particular the secrecy under which most operate, they often will prove evanescent targets against which judgment may perhaps be obtained but will be very hard to execute. The most radical innovation of the Act relates to the last potential category of respondent, foreign states whose immunity has been lifted. The Act modifies the Canadian State Immunity Act to lift the immunity of a foreign state that has been listed by the Governor in Council as a sponsor of terrorism. The Act refers to the Criminal Code section on terrorism to suggest what criteria might guide the Federal Government in determining whether the act or omission of a foreign state warrants the latter’s designation as a sponsor of terrorism. This is of course a model borrowed from the United States, which some years ago adopted a similar denial of immunity against designated states sponsors of terrorism. The US experience illustrates well the perils of such an approach. At the moment, there are four states official designated as sponsors of terrorism and denied foreign state immunity in the US: Cuba, Iran, Syria, and Sudan. This first country on the list, Cuba, has never been seriously linked to acts of terrorism. It is, on the other hand, a country led by a regime against which previous US administrations were keen to demonstrate their antipathy. Conversely, it has been suggested that other countries which are not there should appear on that list, including Saudi Arabia and Pakistan, two countries which the US is keen not to offend. The US model suggests that such a listing of states sponsors of terrorism by the executive branch is at best extraordinarily delicate and difficult, and at worst pure political manipulation. It remains to be seen how this will play out in Canada where the Act provides that a list must be drawn up within six months of its entry into force. There is a good case to make that the US list will influence the content of the Canadian one, and that Iran in any case is likely to appear at or near the top. In lifting the immunity of foreign states, the Victims of Terrorism Act reverses the position which had been adopted by the Ontario Court of Appeal in Bouzari v. Iran and to some extent by the Quebec Superior Court in Khazemi v. Iran. In each case, an individual attempted to sue a foreign state on the basis of the violation of a fundamental norm of international law which occurred abroad, only to be turned away by Canadian courts on the basis of the clear immunity granted by the State Immunity Act. This was consistent with the approach taken by the European Court of Human Rights, which in 2001 found in Al-Adsani v. UK that the immunity of a foreign state from a suit in damages for torture did not amount to a breach of the European Convention on Human Rights. There is some irony in the fact that Canada decided to lift the immunity of foreign states for acts of terrorism just a few days after the International Court of Justice declared for the first time that international law demands that such an immunity be given. In Jurisdictional Immunities of the States (Germany v. Italy), the ICJ rejected a series of arguments advanced by Italy to justify its decision to deny foreign state immunity to Germany in relation to violations of human rights and humanitarian law committed by German forces during the second world war. Specifically, the ICJ rejected an argument that a state could justify an exception to immunity in cases of violation of human rights by the foreign state. The Court further refused an argument that the jus cogens nature of the laws of armed conflict violated by Germany could justify an Italian lifting of the state immunity. It seems clear that Canadian courts will deny the immunity of a foreign state if it appears on the list of states sponsors of terrorism; it seems equally clear that this judicial decision will trigger the breach by Canada of its obligations under international law. The Victims of Terrorism Act further specifies that property in Canada belonging to a foreign state may be stripped of its immunity to allow for the execution of a judgment pursuant to this statute. The Act also provides for the possibility of the recognition of a foreign award against a state for reasons which would have justified a similar decision in Canada, as long as the foreign state appears on the Canadian list of states sponsors of terrorism. This seems to be directed at eventual US court decisions applying the laws which provided the inspiration for the new Canadian statute. Finally, one section of the Act allows for longer limitation or prescription periods for actions under this Act. In conclusion, three key points call for attention. First, the enlargement of causes of action against physical persons or corporations is significant, because in this respect there is no political control asserted by the Government over the list eventual targets of civil actions by way of listing entities or states as sponsors of terrorism. This leaves a door wide open for parties to frame their claims in term of terrorism, a legal concept famously resistant to tight legal definitions and open to political manipulation. Surely, in light of the Talisman and Kiobel litigation in US Federal Courts, Canadian companies will be wary of the manner in which their overseas operations will be characterised. Second, as noted earlier, the listing of states and, to a lesser degree, entities as sponsors of terrorism invites political manoeuvering and positioning which would not be consonant with the high ideals expressed in the preamble of the Victims of Terrorism Act. US practice suggests that the names on the list of states sponsors of terrorism reflect many factors, not all related to terrorism. Third, one has to wonder to what extent this will be taken as a model to follow by other countries. The Canadian imprimatur to what had been up to now a US approach may be taken as legitimizing a targeted and politicised process. If the number of countries with similar legislation multiplies, each with its own definition of terrorism and its specific political agenda for listing states denied immunity, there may be a systemic impact on diplomatic relations and the stability of international relations. We may wonder to what extent the Canadian Government was alert to these broader implications.

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Jan. 27 -- Kelly Parsley Jackson (39, Newport News) shot to death in her home on Harrington Road in front of her 9-year-old daughter. Police arrested her husband, Rodney Bolivia Jackson (44, Newport News) and charged him with murder. March 13 - Terrance Lawayne Williamson (37, Newport News) shot to death at the Pine Court Apartments on Dresden Drive. Victim was visiting someone and was shot as he left the apartment. Police believe he had been in a verbal altercation with someone earlier in the evening. On May 19, police arrested Kwame Shahee Drayton, 18; his brother Stephen Earl Drayton, 20; De'Andre James Sample, 22; and Philip Michael Turner, 23, all of Newport News, and charged them with murder, conspiracy and the use of a firearm in commission of a felony. March 25 -- Joshua Brooks (1 month, Newport News) taken unconscious from home in the 500 block of Logan Place. Pronounced dead at local hospital. No charges have been filed, but the case remains under investigation. April 12 - Curtis Leroy Neal (27, Newport News) found shot to death in the 800 block of 21st Street. A relative heard a knock at the door and found the man lying on the porch. No suspect information. May 16 - Jeffrey Alan Summers (51, Newport News) shot during home invasion on South Menchville Road. He died the next morning in a local hospital. Home invasion involved three armed suspects. Police found large amounts of drugs and cash in the residence. July 3 - Khylief Thorpe (22, Newport News) was found shot to death inside a residence in the 300 block of 72nd Street. Police responded to the residence after receiving information from Norfolk police regarding the location of a homicide victim. His roommate, Ian Altman (21, Newport News), was arrested after being found unconscious in a Norfolk hotel room and transported to a hospital. July 5 - Tony Dewayne Broadway (34, Newport News) found dead in rear courtyard of apartment complex on Antrim Drive. No cause of death announced. No suspect information. Aug. 19 - Crystal Ragin (32, Newport News), Sierra Ragin (15, Newport News), Rasheed Ragin (10, Newport News) and Lakwan Ragin (6, Newport News) found stabbed to death and partially burned in an apartment on Old Courthouse Way. The four bodies were found by an apartment maintenance worker. Warrants were filed charging the father, John Moses Ragin (36, Newport News) with four homicides. Ragin was located on Aug. 20 in Manning, S.C., along with his 5-year-old son. He contacted police and was taken into custody but denied any involvement with the homicides. Extradited to Newport News. Sept. 3 - Melvin Burkett (52, Newport News) stabbed in back, arm and chest during an altercation outside his mobile home. He died after being transported to a local hospital. Matthew Pearson (43, Newport News) was charged with murder. Oct. 2 - Troy Duvall Johnson (23, Hampton) shot to death in Roadside Cafe, in the 4400 block of Jefferson Avenue, around 8:30 p.m. One or two gunmen entered the restaurant, opened fire, and fled. No suspect information. Dec. 2 - Christopher Ravon Southerland (16, Newport News) found shot to death in the backyard of a house in the 3300 block of Roanoke Avenue. Police believe he may have been shot at a nearby street corner. Residents said they heard gunshots on the night of Dec. 1 but did not call police until the body was spotted the next morning. No suspect information. Dec. 10 - Crystal Bryant (21, Newport News) shot to death in the 600 block of 34th Street. Witnesses told police that a man called out to her and then shot her in the abdomen. No suspect information. Jan. 29 Natalynn Hamrick (11 months, Hampton) injured and unconscious in a parking lot on Cunningham Drive. The child died on Feb. 3 at a local hospital. Investigation revealed that the child had been shaken in the parking lot. The child's mother, Carliece Hamrick (23, Hampton) was charged with murder and child abuse Feb. 19 --Harold Houston Hayslett Jr. (58, Hampton) stabbed to death in a trailer park on Shell Road. Police determined he was stabbed to death during an argument with another man. Kenneth Howard Newkirk (43, Hampton) was arrested later that day and charged with murder. April 20 - Tyler Reid Jones (19, Hampton) found in the 1800 block of Newton Road suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. Transported to local hospital and died the next morning. No suspect information. July 2 -- Ricky Keon Calloway (21, Hampton) shot to death in an exchange of gunfire with the occupants of a blue sedan. On Sept. 17, Kwaume Laray Edwards (22, Newport News) was arrested in Wake County, N.C. and charged with homicide. Two other men, Marcus Troy Moody and Prince Jhamier Bell, had already been charged with murder. July 2 - Debra Goodson (56, Hampton) stabbed multiple times at a residence in the 500 block of Greenbriar Avenue. She died of her injuries on Aug. 9. Her son, Vernon Lavalle Goodson (28, Hampton) was charged with murder. July 11 - Vinnesha Michelle Hunter (19, Hampton) shot to death in her home on Carolina Street when she is struck with a stray bullet. Police report that the occupants of a dark-colored vehicle were shooting at the occupants of a red vehicle as they drove through the neighborhood. July 19 - Chavez Tyson Williams (36, Hampton) was shot in the 400 block of Chapel Street by someone in a passing vehicle. Transported to local hospital and pronounced dead early on the morning of July 20. Robert Glennard Gary Jr. (36, Newport News) was charged with murder. Aug. 31 - Richard Glenn Redick Jr. (22, airman stationed in South Dakota) shot to death during an argument on Doolittle Road. The police identified the suspect as Marcus Devall Wingate (23, Hampton). Wingate was arrested on Oct. 18 and charged with murder. June 9 - Felice Hickey (39, York) stabbed to death in her apartment on Arcadia Loop. McCoy S. Johnson (43, Newport News) is charged with murder. Police say he had "a brief past relationship" with Hickey. July 10 - Kuan-Yu Trevillian (48, Williamsburg) is found dead in the high grass alongside Cliftons Bluff Road. She had been reported missing the night before. No cause of death was strangulation. On Nov. 15, her husband, Barton Dale Trevillian (60, Williamsburg) was arrested and charged with murder. Nov. 18 - Unidentified child (9 months, York) removed unresponsive from home in 200 block of Burts Road, pronounced dead at hospital. Investigation revealed child died of injuries sustained from being shaken. The child's mother, Sabrina Battad (20, York) charged with murder. Dec. 18 - Dontae Jamar Howard (23, Yorktown) shot in the 300 block of York Street. Two other shooting victims sustained minor injuries. Howard died at Sentara Norfolk General Hospital on Dec. 20. Investigators identified Tyshaun Lenard Thomas (31, Newport News) as the suspect. He remains at large, Aug. 26 - Tabbitha Russell (27, James City County) stabbed to death in an altercation with another woman at the Windy Hill Trailer Park on Judy Drive. Pronounced dead at the scene. On Sept. 9, police charged Stephanie Nicole Bozarth (27, James City) with murder. Nov. 4 - Elston "Deon" Brown (25, James City County) shot in the side in the 90 block of Theodore Allen Road. Glenn Holland (19, Williamsburg) fled the scene on foot but later turned himself in and was charged with first-degree murder. June 5 - Jonathon McKinsey (28, Gloucester) shot to death at his girlfriend's home on Gloucester Road. Keith P. Ketch (38, Gloucester), the woman's estranged husband, then threatened his wife and children before shooting himself. Murder-suicide. July 27 - Karen Kelly (48, Gloucester) shot in the head and pronounced dead at the scene at a residence on Hickory Fork Road. Police charged Richard Earl Witcher (30, Gloucester) with first-degree murder. June 29 - Brandon Alexander Alston (20, Suffolk) found dead in home on Blackstone Way. Police responded after receiving reports of gunshots. Nov. 8 - Deborah Marlow Wigg (39, Suffolk) shot to death in her home on Grove Avenue. She had told police that her estranged husband, in violation of a restraining order, had forced his way into the home. Robert Lyndon Wigg (43, of Virginia Beach) was found shot to death at the home of Deborah Wigg's parents. Police believe it is a murder-suicide. Dec. 13 - Kathryn Laine (47, Suffolk) stabbed to death in her home on Lookout Circle. Police say her husband, Steven Laine (50, Suffolk) killed her and then committed suicide by carbon-monoxide poisoning. Feb. 9 Michael K. Patillo (37, Virginia Beach) found dead on Norview Avenue. Cause of death was gunshot wound. No suspect information. Feb. 13 - Antonio Knight (27, Norfolk) found shot to death in his white 2007 Nissan Altima in the 2400 block of Myrtle Avenue. No suspect information. On Oct. 17, Katrina Yvette Williams (44, Norfolk) was arrested and charged with murder. Feb. 27 - Henrico Lamonte White (19, Norfolk) shot at a location near the intersection of Berkley Avenue and Appomattox Street. He died hours later at Sentara Norfolk General Hospital. No suspect information. March 4 - Karen Rene Hoffman (41, Norfolk) found dead in her home on Chesapeake Boulevard. No cause of death has been reported. Her boyfriend, Frederick Thomas Hoskins (Norfolk) was arrested in Florida where he was found with her missing car. He was returned to Virginia and charged with murder. March 26 - Anthony Troy McKinney (43, Virginia Beach) shot in the 900 block of Mapole Avenue. He was pronounced dead at a local hospital. No suspect information. May 6 - Jacques Cowell (20, Chesapeake) stabbed to death in the 5500 block of Raby Road. Pronounced dead at the scene. Deandre Moore (18, Norfolk) charged with murder. June 10 - Christopher Cummings (20, ODU student from Northern Virginia) shot to death on West 42nd Street. A second shooting victim survived. No suspect information. June 15 - Louis A. Daniel Jr. (77, Norfolk) found dead on Cromwell Parkway. On June 22, Eugene Williams (Norfolk) was arrested and charged with burglary. Police later added the murder charge against Williams. June 16 - Richard Benjamin Harris (30, Norfolk) shot in the 800 block of Church Street. Dies after being driven to the hospital. Police identify Wesley B. Walker III (30, Norfolk) as the suspect. June 18 - Dekar Jones (32, Norfolk) shot to death in the 1700 block of Selden Avenue after an altercation. A woman also sustained non-fatal injuries. Police have identified the suspects as Rashad Amard Deering (28, Norfolk), Marcus Jerome Deering (20, Norfolk), and Jayquon Terrell Norman (23, Norfolk). June 20 - Prince Albert Heart (Virginia Beach) shot at a location near 19th Street and Omohundro Avenue. He died the next day at the hospital. No suspect information. July 9 - Andre Javan Elliot (35, Norfolk) shot in residence on Pelam Road. Pronounced dead at Sentara Norfolk General Hospital. His roommate, Rashan Edward Burke (34, Norfolk) was charged with murder. July 11 - Reginald Lamont Davis (41, Norfolk) found shot to death at location on Pendleton Street. His neighbor, Mark Williams (20, Norfolk) was charged with second-degree murder. Aug. 6 -- Timothy Jenkins (33, Norfolk) shot in the head as he rode in the back seat of an SUV on eastbound Interstate 264 just west of Military Highway around 2 a.m. The gunshots may have been fired from a dark, four-door sedan. State police believe the shooting may have stemmed from an altercation on Plume Street in Norfolk. No suspect information. Aug. 12 -- Sherrod D. Brown (29, Portsmouth) shot to death at location on Bagnall Road around 4:30 a.m. Pronounced dead at the scene. Police are looking for Kai Renard Johnson (30, Norfolk) has been called a "person of interest," but he has not been formally identified as a suspect. Aug. 21 - Michelle Buey (27, Norfolk) found dead in her apartment in the 8100 block of LaMesa Avenue. No cause of death reported. No suspect information. Charlene Mitchell (38, Norfolk) is charged with murder. Aug. 25 - Kameron Collier (19, Norfolk) shot after an argument on Aspin Street. He died of his injuries on Aug. 31. On 10/11, police identified Montrell Davis (22, Virginia Beach) as the suspect. He remains at large. Aug. 26 - Ricardo L. Lamb Sr. (56, Norfolk) found stabbed to death in his apartment in the 100 block of Indian River Road. His brother, Eric Dean Lamb (49, Norfolk) was arrested and charged with murder. Oct. 4 - Rogerick Joell Elliott (29, Norfolk) found dead in the back seat of a car on Norcova Avenue. No word on cause of death, or on how long the body had been there. Oct,. 18 - Damani Wiggins (19, Norfolk) shot to death at a location in the 500 block of Ruffner Street. No suspect information. Nov. 6 - Phillip Doxey (21, Norfolk) shot to death in a parking lot on the 500 block of Ashlawn Drive. Marcus Shan Young (21, Norfolk) turned himself in and is charged with murder. Nov. 12 - Anderson Britt (42, Norfolk) shot to death in the 5900 block of Virginia Beach Boulevard. No suspect information. Nov. 15 - Darelle J. Williams (21, Norfolk) shot to death. Found with gunshot wounds in the 800 block of A Avenue and pronounced dead at Sentara Norfolk General Hospital. Police determined the shooting occurred in the 800 block of Fremont Street. The suspect has been identified as Javontay D. Jones (19, Norfolk). He remains at large. Feb. 25 - Linda Gay Carroll (64, Portsmouth) stabbed to death in her apartment at Effingham Plaza on Madison Street. Stabbed multiple times in the upper body. On April 8, police arrested Bruce Williams (51, Portsmouth) and charged him with murder. March 6 - Gloria M. Johnson (47, Portsmouth) found stabbed to death in the roadway in the 1100 block of Wilcox Avenue. No suspect information, but police believe it may be related to the Feb. 25 stabbing death of Linda Carroll, but no arrest has been made yet. April 16 - James Kenneth Britt (49, Portsmouth) is reported missing from his home on Moonlit Avenue. Evidence at the scene suggested the possibility of foul play. He has not been located, and on Sept. 7 a judge declared him deceased. Police are investigating it as a homicide. April 22 - Larry Donell Washington (33, Suffolk) shot to death in the 1600 block of Atlanta Avenue. No suspect information. May 14 - Jalisa Knight (21, Virginia Beach) shot to death in a car in the 1100 block of Mount Vernon Avenue just after midnight. She was pronounced dead at the scene. No suspect information. June 6 - Mary Cadreau (95, Portsmouth) found shot to death along with her husband, Alfred Cadreau (86) in their home on Sarazen Drive. Police believe Alfred Cadreau shot his wife and then himself in a murder-suicide. Aug. 31 - Leon Golliday Jr. (32, Portsmouth) was found shot to death in the 3700 block of Columbia Street. He was pronounced dead at the scene. Sept. 21 - Raheim Hason Stokes (28, Portsmouth) found dead behind George's Market on Des Moines Avenue. Apparent gunshot, but no determination of when he died. No suspect information. Oct. 25 - Barry Donald Timberlake (31, Portsmouth) found shot to death in the back yard of a home in the 1200 block of Portsmouth Boulevard. No suspect information. Nov. 7 - Michelle Renee McClendon (42, Portsmouth) shot to death in the 400 block of Chautauqua Avenue. No suspect information. Nov. 14 - Samuel L. Martin (44, Portsmouth) found dead in a back yard of an unoccupied home on Cushing Street. Cause of death determined to be trauma to the head. No suspect information. Dec. 15 - Anthony Jarvis Ferguson (53, Portsmouth) found dead on his front porch in the 1600 block of Prentis Avenue. Initially thought to have died of medical conditions, but autopsy revealed a gunshot wound. No suspect information. Feb. 17 - James Winston Blanke (83, Virginia Beach) stabbed to death in his home in the 1800 block of Castleton Court. His son, Winston James Blanke (52, Virginia Beach) is charged with murder. March 20 -- Andrew Cornelius Willie Jr. (29, Virginia Beach) shot outside the After Midnight club in the 700 block of South Military Highway around 4:18 a.m. Pronounced dead at hospital. Witnesses described two suspects in hooded sweatshirts. March 27 -- Chiquita Long (36, Norfolk) was shot to death in a vehicle on a parking lot in the 800 block of Baker Road. Another shooting victim, Rahkim Goodwin (20, Norfolk), died later that night at a local hospital. Police determined Goodwin killed Long and then shot himself. Murder-suicide. April 4 - Christian Lamour (5, Virginia Beach) died after being transported by his mother to the Portsmouth Naval Hospital with stomach pain. The cause of death remains under investigation. Che Ernest Hazell (29, Virginia Beach) was arrested in April. In October, Hazell and the boy's mother, Christy Ronsha Lamour (30, Virginia Beach) were both indicted for second-degree murder, involuntary manslaughter and other charges. April 4 - Donna L. Butcher (40, Virginia Beach) and Stephen P. Butcher (43, Virginia Beach) are both shot in what police are calling a domestic incident in their home on Maplehurst Drive. Stephen Butcher was dead at the scene. Donna Butcher died at a local hospital. The medical examiner determined that Stephen Butcher killed his wife and then took his own life. Murder-suicide. April 7 - Judith K. Osborne (66, Virginia Beach) found shot to death in her home on Barkleaf Drive. Her husband, David S. Osborne (78, Virginia Beach) was also found shot to death. Police and the medical examiner determined that David Osborne shot his wife and then killed himself. Murder-suicide. May 11 - Shawn Thomas Ross (23, Virginia Beach) transported to a local hospital with gunshot wounds and pronounced dead. Police determined that he was attempting an armed home invasion robbery on Rose Marie Avenue when one of the residents shot him. Police interviewed the shooter. No charges have been filed. May 27 - Tyler Lynn-Gainous (21, Virginia Beach) shot to death at a location on Weaver Drive. Police arrested Michael Jemar McLean (32, Virginia Beach) and charged him with murder. May 21 - Darrel Spencer (20, Norfolk) shot to death in 7-Eleven parking lot in 300 block of Lynnhaven Parkway. Pronounced dead in a vehicle. Two others survived gunshot wounds. Police say a dispute broke out in the store's parking lot among people who had left the club Hangar 09. Lester Belmar (28, Portsmouth), a security guard at the club, was interviewed at the scene and was charged with murder on June 21. June 4 - Kody Michael Scrunton (17, Norfolk) found shot to death near Diamond Springs Park, behind civic league building, in 5600 block of Haden Road. On June 14, police arrested a 16-year-old male and charged him with second-degree murder. July 5 - Eugene McNeely (80, Virginia Beach) and Mary McNeely (84, Virginia Beach) found dead in their home on West Colonial Parkway when officers are dispatched to check on their welfare. The cause of death was blunt force trauma. Their grandson, Donta Jarma Brown (36, Virginia Beach) was arrested on drug charges, and on 11/29 he was charged with their murders. July 23 - Cordero Daniel Simpkins (22, Virginia Beach) shot to death just after midnight at a location on 18th Street near the Oceanfront. Police report that Simpkins and some friends got into an altercation with several males that led to gunshots. On 8/2, police arrested Eric Levon Davis Jr. (22, Hampton) and charged him with murder. Sept. 2 - Antone D. Brehon (27, Norfolk) shot to death during an altercation involving several people at the Bridle Creek Apartment complex on Halter Drive. In November, police arrested George Shashawn Tyree Gay (18, Virginia Beach) and charged him with murder. Police later arrested a second suspect, Jordan Austin (21, Virginia Beach) and charged him with murder. Nov. 28 - Kimauri Williams (19 months, Virginia Beach) dies at Virginia Beach General Hospital after being brought unresponsive to the emergency room with bruises. His mother, Shaniqua Jones (21, Virginia Beach) and her boyfriend Alvin Gatewood (29, Virginia Beach) are charged with felony child abuse and neglect. Dec. 12 - Milton Sweat (60, Norfolk) shot near the intersection of Crow's Nest Court and Summit Arch. Transported to hospital by friends. Died at Leigh Memorial Hospital. On Dec. 21, police arrested Tarion Dequay Williams (18, Norfolk) and charged him with murder. Jan. 18 -- Joel Pittman (23, Portsmouth) was shot to death at a location on Hoover Avenue and found lying in the suspect's front yard. Tashaun Sherrod (18, Chesapeake) was arrested and charged with homicide. March 21 - Patricia Mackenzie (55, Chesapeake) shot to death in her home on Holston River Court. Her husband, Norfolk police lieutenant William Mackenzie (52, Chesapeake) was also found dead of a gunshot wound. Preliminary investigation indicates that William Mackenzie shot his wife and then killed himself. April 2 - Susan Griffin (45, Chesapeake) reported missing. Her body was found on April 5 in a shed behind her home on Blue Bill Court. Warrants were filed charging her roommate Pritchard Hoggard (62, Chesapeake) with murder. Hoggard died on April 5 of self-inflicted poisoning. Murder-suicide. April 5 - Jared C. Geiger (42, Chesapeake) found dead in his residence on Edna Street. No cause of death has been disclosed. Vantino Robinson (37, Chesapeake) is arrested and charged with murder. Aug. 13 -- Terrance Moore (31, Norfolk) shot to death in an apartment in the 2000 block of Chesapeake Drive shortly before 6 a.m. Died later that day at hospital. Suspect Antoine Lorenzo Bowden (27, Chesapeake) remains at large. Aug. 20 - Daevon Shaquille Miller (18, Norfolk) shot to death in parking lot of El Patron Cantina at Sam's Drive off Battlefield Boulevard. Pronounced dead at the scene. No suspect information. Sept. 21 - Marquise Williams (21, Norfolk) found shot to death near the intersection of Bethel Road and Algona Road. No suspect information. Oct. 11 - Jesse P. Tharrington (23, Norfolk) shot to death during a burglary at a home on Nottaway Drive. Police believe Tharrington was one of three suspects who broke into the home. A second shooting victim sustained injuries. Oct. 19 - Owen Ottinger (31, Chesapeake) shot to death through the storm door of his home in the 4400 block of Bainbridge Boulevard. He died two days later. Two suspects fled the scene. No suspect information. Nov. 10 - Dequane Hallums (20, Chesapeake) found shot to death in the 2500 block of Campostella Road. Police have descriptions of three possible suspects, all black males in their late teens or early 20s. Dec. 15 - Zayday Reyes (20, Accomack), Evelyn Colon-Matias (27, Accomack), Jesus Angel Quintero-Colon (10, Accomack), Ana Estefani Quintero-Colon (9, Accomack) and Esteban Quintero-Gonzales (37, Accomack) all found shot to death in a trailer on 6th Street. Investigators determined that Esteban Quintero-Gonzales forced his way into the trailer and killed all four people inside, including his two children and his estranged wife. He then committed suicide. Jan. 13 in Newport News Dave Henry Bailey (35, Williamsburg) shot to death by Newport News police after he raised a gun at them during a traffic stop. Feb. 20 in Virginia Beach -- Charleston Detron Newby (26, Virginia Beach) shot to death by Virginia Beach police officers following a vehicle pursuit that ended when he crashed his SUV into a police car on West Hastings Arch. Commonwealth's attorney Harvey Bryant determined that the shooting was justified, and no charges were pursued against the officers. April 23 in Portsmouth - Kirill Ivanovich Denyakin (26, Kazakh native living in Portsmouth) shot to death by Portsmouth police when he lunged at officers during a suspected burglary at an apartment building on Green Street. June 18 in Hampton - William A. Cooper (69, Hampton) shot to death by Hampton police after he fired at detectives during a narcotics raid at his home on Clifton Street. Sept. 6 in Norfolk - Kenneth Lorenzo Smallwood (20, Norfolk) shot to death by Norfolk police officer after a confrontation at the Southland Apartment Complex on Fort Worth Avenue in which the suspect put his car in reverse and ran into the police car behind which the officer was positioned. Prosecutors determined the shooting was justified, and no charges were filed. Nov. 6 in Newport News - Robert Christopher Burchfield (40, Hampton) shot to death in a standoff with police after an incident that began with an abduction in York County. Police cornered the man at Spring Trace Lane, a cul de sac in Newport News. The man was shot to death.

Five Minutes With ... Tibet Words: Linn Branson We take time out with Welsh four-piece Tibet. Formed towards the end of 2014, they released their first song 'She Don't Know' online in February 2015, then delivered their debut EP ‘Fridge’ a few months later. They have since been winning plaudits from the great and the good and hailed as a band ready to break. So, hello....who is answering here? Joel: Hello Linn! Joel and Tom here. Hope you’re well! And how and where do we find your good selves at this point? Joel: We’re good! We’ve just come off a run of dates around the UK in support of our latest self-titled EP, which has been awesome! Now, you are not a solo venture so don't hog the limelight, introduce us to your fellow band members and their respective parts within the unit. Tom: To my right we have Joel Hertz, lead singer and guitarist, along with his younger brother and absolute drumming animal Ethan Hertz. Rhys Carey joins us on lead guitar and vocals, and myself on bass and vocals. Tibet, then, weird name, no, for a Welsh band? Why and how? Joel: We’re big fans of an old TV series called ‘Twin Peaks’ created by the legend that is David Lynch. He’s a huge inspiration to us artistically, the man has a great vision! There’s a bit of a recurring theme of the Tibetan movement throughout the show, and one night when we were all watching it together, we though: “Yeah, Tibet sounds good!”. You didn't think about calling yourselves 'Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwll-llantysiliogogogoch'? Wouldn't it have been much easier to pronounce? Tom: That was actually our original name, but it was too long to have as our Twitter handle, and we LOVE Twitter, so we went for Tibet. Now three of you are still students, I believe: that still a diet of baked beans, in bed til midday and lounging around watching Countdown and Jeremy Kyle? Joel: Well, two of us are! Tom and I are at university, Ethan's finishing his A-levels this year and Rhys works full time at Vue Cinemas, which is handy when you don’t want to spend £10 on a Coke. Baked beans and lie-ins is correct; however, we rarely watch those shows! We’re Netflix addicts: just finished Making A Murderer and completely obsessed with New Girl and Friends! What are you all studying - Joel, I think you are doing Fine Arts at Camberwell, right? And how do you and the others see this fitting in with your music careers? Joel: Yes, that's correct! I have tried and epically failed to create artwork for the band, being a student of the fine arts, but it’s not so easy translating that into the world of graphic design. Tom studies music technology at The Atrium in Cardiff. Him and Ethan are very much into their gear and recording, so that makes quality home demos quite easy! Tom: We love gear. And Twitter. Joel, you are a left-handed player, which is still not too often seen. Have you had a chat yet with Macca about the problems of being such - if, indeed, there are any difficulties being left-handed? Joel: Thats the dream! There are difficulties; companies only sell a limited number of left handed models, and on top of that it’s an extra £300 for the exact same model if I were to get a left-handed guitar rather than the right-handed version! How did the Tibet music style come to be? You have been described as something akin to a latter-day Beatles, would you agree with that? Joel: Yes, we definitely cite The Beatles as a major inspiration, and it’s probably quite easy to hear in the music, but hey, why not learn from the greatest band of all time? We like to think that we take 60s music’s best qualities, the harmonies, the classic British songwriting and fuzzy/jangly guitars and give them a modern edge. Tom: We feel a lot of modern pop at the moment has lost a bit of it’s British identity, so we love trying to work that back in. It’s all about the songs for us: if you hear a great song, and you can’t get it out of your head for weeks on end, that’s truly great music. Joel: I write the sweet love songs, Ethan adds the Bonham- esque attitude, Rhys’ britpop guitar style and vocals give the swagger, while Tom’s blues-funk bass lines supplies a generous dose of groove. It’s 60s, psychedelic, garage, funk, pop, rock. Coz y’know, every bands gotta make up some ridiculous genre these days! Acting as your own PR, given us a short spin on Tibet: the band, the music. Joel: Four lads from Cardiff, playing music inspired by the greats in our bedrooms. Our main focus is great songwriting, and an energy-fuelled live show. Our gigs are more like parties, a celebration of music rather than a spectacle to be seen. How long have you all known each other? Tell us one defining thing about each of you. Joel: Me and Ethan have know each other for about 17 years! The others only for about two years. Tom: Me and Joel knew each other a little from playing a few gigs together. I was in a different band previously playing drums, so every now and again we’d catch up at gigs. Somehow it got around Cardiff that I could play bass, so Joel asked if I wanted to jam and the rest is history! Rhys came into the mix a little earlier than myself, Joel had just finished watching that really bad remake of Godzilla in the cinema, and saw Rhys busking outside a Hugo Boss in the city centre in Cardiff. Joel asked Rhys if he wanted to join...and yeah, I guess that’s it! We made note of your matching tee style at a recent gig, but all in a different colour. Was this just happenstance, or did you purposely co-ordinate? Would you describe yourselves as a fashion-conscious band?And while we're on the subject, tell us your favourite colours, just so your fans know for socks and underpants gifts... Tom: The image of the band is really important to us. When you go and see a band it should be a whole package deal! We just noticed that other bands we loved had very subtle but genius imagery tying them together, and we needed something that encapsulated our personalities well to tie us together, and we love colour so the shirts were a winner! Besides all that, you see so many bands dressing in all black nowadays, it can get a little bit intense, so we thought we’d mix it up and splash some colour into the mix in true Tibetan style! Joel: This was recently co-ordinated actually! We noticed that all our favourite bands, despite the music also had a very strong image, whether it be The Strokes denim and converse, or Kings Of Leon’s shaggy-hair and 70s flares. Simplicity is key in Tibet’s image, the reason we love ‘Twin Peaks’ so much is cause visually everything is so simple but so pleasing to the eye, especially that dream sequence scene. As for favourite colours, I like blue very much. I know Rhys is fond of green, Tom loves red and Ethan loves yellow. We’re all a little fashion-conscious in our own way, but the shirts idea was a great way to tie us all together! You are called a 'Cardiff band' but I think I that you are not all based there or even from there? Joel: Me and Ethan we born and raised in Cardiff. Tom was born in Barry - home to the show Gavin and Stacey - but now lives in Cardiff. And Rhys was born in Swindon but has lived in Wales the majority of his life, so it’s safe to say we’ve all got Cardiff in us! Joel: It’s been a great year since we first released ‘She Don’t Know’, and radio has been really great for us! Every single song released has been playlisted on Radio X, as well as plays by Annie Mac, Huw Stephens and Nick Grimshaw on Radio 1, which is absolutely outstanding! And we’ve had an amazing amount support from local DJs Adam Walton, and Bethan Elfyn, who are the foundations of our radio success, without them, the rest wouldn’t have happened! You have been variously touted for 2016 as a band to 'break', 'watch', 'make big' this year. Feeling the pressure? Joel: Not at all! We’re still just doing our thing, and it seems to be capturing people’s imaginations. We’re trying to stay away from the record industry for the time being as that puts unnecessary pressure on us. We’re gonna continue with what we’re doing as it seems to be working, and when the time is right, we’ll think about signing a deal, but right now we’re in the privileged position of creating the music we want, without any deadlines or external influence. Thats a rare position to be in and something we can’t take for granted! Tom: Yeah, just having the opportunity of being considered as a band to break out of their local scene is a HUGE privilege, and we can’t wait for the year ahead. There seem to be a hell of a lot of fine Welsh bands up and coming. Apart from yourselves, who else are you rating from that part of the UK? Joel: The Cardiff music scene is indeed very exciting at the moment. Fellow band Estrons are making waves in London and it’s about time! They’ve done their time on the local scene, and with great songs to back them up, they’re gonna do big things this year. We also really rate singer Maddie Jones and psychedelic legends Rainbow Maniac. You should definitely check them out! We plan to play a gig in Cardiff with all those acts in March so we’ll keep you posted. Not one to miss! Joel: We all love a variety of different things, which helps create the sound of Tibet! We all love The Kinks, The Beatles, Neil Young, Crosby, Stills and Nash, Led Zeppelin, Oasis, Arctic Monkeys. Tom: Individually though, we love a bit of everything. I’m pretty sure Joel wants to marry Lorde, and I believe he will. I know Ethan loves the heavier electronic and experimental stuff like The Flaming Lips, Chemical Brothers and Faithless. Taylor Swift is my guilty pleasure, I think she kinda annoys Joel, but ‘Bad Blood’ is a massive tune, I really dig the old soul guys too, like Bill Withers and Marvin Gaye. Rhys is a big fan of bands like the Libertines and Reverend and the Makers too. Joel: There’s too many to count really, we just love BIG CHOONS. What plans do the band have both record and gigwise coming up? Joel: We’ve actually just finished recording our next EP which will hopefully be an official release this summer - with hard copies too! We’ve got a number of ‘This Feeling’ shows coming up soon with some of the most exciting bands in the UK indie scene at the moment, we’re super excited to be a part of it! You now have a few sentences for your big plug to push whatever you might want to promote. Use it wisely. Go..... Joel: We’ll do the usual! Just released our second EP ‘Tibet’ which you can download for free if you visit our website! You can also download our first EP for free too! That’s 8 songs in total - woop woop! Click the link: tibetband.co.uk. Like us on FACEBOOK, follow us on TWITTER. And come say hi at one of our shows next month! Last word: spill your word or words of wisdom. Say 'pass' if you have none. Joel: Hear me now. Tom: Touch me there. Joel: Show me what you’re working with. Thanks, guys. Joel - we've been all ears. Tom - on the grounds of respectability we have to unfortunately decline your request! Tibet are on tour in the UK from January 31. See poster below for full list of dates.

First and foremost, I must start off by saying that I knew who Bernie Sanders was long before he announced that he was running for president. I guess you can say this is due to the fact that from a very young age, I have been interested in politics. I’ve followed every election closely for many years, voted in every single election since the day I became 18 years old, and in junior high school when all of the guys my age were into cars and sports, I was into politics, government, and elections. This would explain why I studied Justice Studies (a focus on social justice) and Political Science in college. I must also make it clear that I am a Millennial, a generation which researchers place as being born between the years of 1980 and 1995. In this current election cycle, Millennials have come out in huge numbers to support Senator Bernie Sanders for president over Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. Now, I supported Sanders since he announced his candidacy for president because he is much more aligned with my views then Clinton. But there is a reason as to why so many Millennials are flocking to support Sanders, and I didn’t even realize this until I heard it on a segment on the Ring of Fire radio program on WCPT out of Chicago. This not only explained why so many Millennials are behind Senator Sanders, but also allowed myself to see why I am behind him. I am going to share these reasons with you and I’m sure that many of my fellow Millennials will find that they agree. We are tired of the slow progress, we want that rapid change Obama promised us, and we believe Senator Sanders will deliver. First, there is the issue of the economy. Under the Obama Administration, the economy has made a strong comeback and is stronger than it was at any point under the Administration of George W. Bush however; it is far weaker than it was at many periods throughout history. As Millennials, we find ourselves at the disadvantage of suffering from the mistakes and the greed of previous generations. When Reagan became president in 1980, he wasted no time in deregulating Wall St allowing not only greed in the financial capital of the world, but in the banking industry and in the corporate world as well. Reagan also gave the rich huge tax breaks which of course always means that the middle and lower classes are stuck with paying that extra burden. Presidents George HW Bush, Clinton, and George W Bush all further deregulated Wall St and gave tax cuts to the rich. Under Clinton, the economy was strong because of the Internet Bubble, but when that burst, the economy sank and the passing of NAFTA which was essentially corporate welfare, allowing for corporations to outsource jobs for cheap labor putting millions of Americans out of work, certainly did not help matters. TPP is NAFTA Asia which Senator Sanders opposes and Secretary Clinton refuses to give an opinion on. Finally, as Millennials, we find ourselves as the generation most impacted now and in the future from George W Bush’s trillions of dollars spent on war in the Middle East, especially in Iraq which we know was a war based entirely on lies. Our generation will be paying that off. With that said, Bernie Sanders supports regulating Wall St once again and taxing the rich and not giving them breaks and loopholes which allow them to not only pay far less then working class people, but also would prevent them from hiding money overseas so that it cannot be taxed. That is why so many Millennials support Senator Sanders on economic issues. Secretary Clinton seems reluctant to regulate Wall St and tax the rich. She also seems hesitant to make a stand against the Citizens United ruling which Senator Sanders opposes and intends on overturning. In my opinion, this is because Secretary Clinton has too many ties to those institutions and does not want to upset some of her largest donors and supporters. Millennials do not want another crash like we had 2008, and preventing Wall St and banking greed, would prevent such a crash. Secondly, there is the matter of college tuition which has skyrocketed over the past several decades. Millennials are hit hard by this as well, for we now hold more college loan debt than any other generation in history since the college loan program came to be in the 1960’s. We currently hold approximately 3.1 trillion dollars in student loan debt, and the default rate on those student loans continues to climb because we are having trouble finding jobs in our fields of study and are forced to not only be stuck working low paying jobs, but find ourselves unable to pay back our loans and buy houses, cars etc. We are stuck living at home and not contributing to the economy or all that much to society. Senator Sanders not only wants to make college education free as it is in pretty much every country in the Western Hemisphere especially Europe, but he wants to at least start off by making community college free. He also wants to raise the federal minimum wage to $15 an hour which is still not exactly a living wage but is much better than the current minimum wage of $7.25 an hour. Clinton has stated that she would not raise the minimum wage to more than $12 an hour and doesn’t agree with free college. As Millennials, we want good paying jobs in our fields of study, we want a minimum wage that we can live on, we want to move out of our parents’ homes and buy our own houses, and contribute to society. We want this future for our children. We can have that under a Sanders Administration, and we can pay for it as Senator Sanders has said by taxing the rich, taxing the corporations, and by taxing Wall St speculation. Secretary Clinton will tell you that Senator Sanders has no way of paying for this, let alone a plan, but I just gave you his plan which he himself has stated, it is also available on his website. We also want free health care like every other major, industrialized country offers their citizens and again, we pay for it through the above mentioned ways. The Affordable Care Act was a start, but let’s face it. The ACA allows a handful of major insurance corporations to not only dictate the market but to control the prices. This allows them to raise prices and premiums just because they feel like it, and the pharmaceutical companies intentionally raise prices, not caring what impact it has on the middle class and the poor in order to make themselves wealthy. Senator Sanders believes that this is wrong as do many Millennials, but Secretary Clinton seems to be okay with the current corporate dominated system. Finally, there is this whole matter of Sanders claiming that he is not part of the establishment. I have to say that he is, for he has been in politics for 30 plus years, when you are in politics, you are a part of the establishment whether you like it or not. What I believe Senator Sanders means when he says that he is not part of the establishment is that he is not one who goes along with the crowd, as Secretary Clinton always seemed to do in her political career. Senator Sanders has stood against Wall St, the Federal Reserve, stood up to Goldman Sachs, and criticized our country rushing into war and getting involved in quagmires. Secretary Clinton has supported our rush to war, has received massive campaign contributions from Wall St, has never stood up to the Federal Reserve, and has been paid massive amounts of money to give speeches to firms such as Goldman Sachs, and she refuses to release the transcripts of these speeches. This is really making us wonder. Secretary Clinton, when she was a Senator supported the Iraq War and continues to support having large number of Americans troops on the ground in the Middle East. Senator Sanders voted against the Iraq War and does not support having a large number of American troops fighting the battles of the Middle Eastern nations, but instead supports the idea of having enough of a presence to train the troops of these countries to fight their own battles. Too many Millennials have seen somebody who we went to high school with go off to one of these unjust wars of this century and come home in a body bag, and we’re not entirely happy. We also want green technology for the planet has been heavily damaged by the years and years of using fossil fuels, and we are the generation that is stuck with that burden for decades to come. These are the reasons that so many Millennials support Sanders over Clinton for president. We believe that he is for us and for the working class, while Clinton supports more of a corporate America. I do not want you to think that I will not vote for Secretary Clinton if she gets the nomination, because I will vote for her. Even though I think we will be better under a President Bernie Sanders than a President Hillary Clinton, we would be better of with either of these two than we would under any potential Republican candidate, for they would allow HUGE tax breaks for the rich, for the corporations, and would continue to wage unjust wars throughout the world. Not to mention that the progress that we have made over these past eight years will washed away in a matter of seconds under a Republican president, along with a woman’s right to make her own decisions about her body, and the Christian religion being forced down our throats, undermining our Constitutional right to freedom of religion. So, I want my fellow Millennials and everybody else to continue to support Senator Sanders or at least consider it, and if he doesn’t get the nomination, do vote for Secretary Clinton because a Republican president is not going to be in the least bit interested in our generation or in our generation’s future. Also, vote in every election, a president is powerless if he or she doesn’t have a Congress to back them up as we have seen with the Republicans refusing to even negotiate with President Obama to make even the smallest amount of progress. VOTE VOTE VOTE AND MOST IMPORTANTLY OF ALL VOTE INFORMED.

New Retail Releases: Agents of Mayhem, Zero Time Dilemma PS4, Cities: Skylines PS4, More 10 Actors We Think Could Play Victor "Sully" Sullivan in the Uncharted Movie 20XX will exit Early Access this Summer and come to PS4/Xbox One by end of the year Nintendo Download: Minecraft: Story Mode, Jackbox Party Pack, Sky Ride, more Quake Champions adds Sorlag, a dinosaur with a gun, to its character roster Nintendo Download: Minecraft: Story Mode, Jackbox Party Pack, Sky Ride, more Marvel Vs Capcom: Infinite’s “Full Story Trailer” promises a colorful and chaotic crossover Microsoft delays launch of Crackdown 3 to Spring 2018 NetherRealm will unveil Injustice 2’s Fighter Pack 2 at Gamescom 2017 Xbox Store Today: Agents of Mayhem, Conan Exiles, Sonic Mania, more All Articles: Heavy Rain It’s time to bro wild with this week’s PlayStation Store update as the uber-American side-scrolling shooter Broforce is now available to download for the PS4. Developed by Free Lives, a South African-based team, Broforce is also available this month as a free download for PlayStation Plus subscribers. That’s a good deal, bro! Also new to the PlayStation Store this week, and just as violent as Broforce, is NetherRealm’s Mortal Kombat XL. A super-sized re-release of a fighting game that everyone loved on the PS4 last year, the XL version adds nine new characters, a ton of costume changes, and the return of “The Pit.” Finally, Quantic Dream’s interlocking serial killer story, Heavy Rain, will make the jump from the PS3 to the PS4 this week. The remake will include improved visuals and more realistic lighting. And NIS America will put out their own upgraded re-release with The Witch and the Hundred Knight: Revival Edition, a PS4 remake of an action RPG originally released for the PS3. Sony has announced (via the PlayStation Blog) that Quantic Dream’s Beyond: Two Souls will make its PS4 debut on the PlayStation Store next Tuesday, November 24. The supernatural adventure game, which stars Ellen Page and Willem Dafoe, was originally released for the PS3 in 2013. Quantic Dream has made a number of changes to the PS4 re-release, including: - Enhanced 1080p graphics including motion blur, bloom, and depth of field effects, as well as improved lighting and shadows. The game also makes use of the DualShock 4 speaker to improve immersion when playing as the Entity. - Decisions are highlighted at the end of each scene and compared with those made by other players. - You can now play the game in chronological order right from the start. - Increased difficulty in certain fight scenes, combined with improved controls for action sequences. - Includes the “Enhanced Experiments” downloadable expansion. In the same post, Sony confirmed that Heavy Rain‘s PS4 re-release has suffered a slight delay. Originally expected to be available by the end of the year, Heavy Rain will now be released through the PlayStation Store on March 1, 2016. A retail release containing both titles will be available in the European region on the same day, but it’s currently unknown if Sony will make the same deal available to North American PS4 owners. During this year’s E3 Expo, Sony quietly confirmed that Quantic Dream’s Heavy Rain and Beyond: Two Souls would be re-released for the PS4 sometime in the near future. Not much was mentioned about either re-release, though Sony did say that the games would be sold on store shelves (in a two-game bundle) and through the PlayStation Store (as individual downloads). A “Chronological Mode” will be added to Beyond, and both games will also receive a graphical overhaul. And yesterday, we learned that a release date for the re-releases will be announced soon: Hi everyone, Heavy Rain and Beyond: Two Souls PS4 release dates will be revealed soon now. Thank you for your patience! — QUANTIC DREAM (@QUANTIC_DREAM) September 23, 2015 How soon is soon? Nobody’s quite sure. But Quantic Dream is also working on a brand new game for the PS4, which isn’t connected in any way to the brilliant tech demos (Kara and The Dark Sorcerer) they’ve showcased for the public in recent years. I’m sure we’ll hear more about that project “soon” too. Another developer is pissing and moaning about secondhand sales and this time it’s Quantic Dream, the team behind Heavy Rain. Guillaume de Fondaumiere, the company’s co-founder, recently sat down for an interview with GamesIndustry.biz. During the exchange, he laid out the details of the company’s “lost sales” due to the used game market: “I think [second hand gaming] is one of the number one problems right now in the industry. “I can take just one example of Heavy Rain – we basically sold to date approximately two million units, we know from the trophy system that probably more than three million people bought this game and played it. On my small level it’s a million people playing my game without giving me one cent. And my calculation is, as Quantic Dream, I lost between [$8 and $16] million worth of royalties because of second hand gaming.” Ignoring the fact that de Fondaumiere seems to have completely forgotten the rental market for Heavy Rain, he is falling into the same trap as other developers who rail against used games: if someone buys it used, there’s no guarantee they would have bought it new. He goes on to say that if gamers stop buying games like Heavy Rain new, developers will stop making them: “Because when developers and publishers alike are going to see that they can’t make a living out of producing games that are sold through retail channels, because of second hand gaming, they will simply stop making these games.” This is obviously a man who clearly doesn’t get it. If developers aren’t making enough money from retail sales, the answer isn’t to crack down on used sales (as if that were even legal). Instead, they should be looking for ways to get development costs down and make gamers want to buy new. Nah, that’d make too much sense. Quantic Dream is up to something According to the amazing information sleuth superannuation, Quantic Dream is up to something. The creators of Heavy Rain have registered seven new domain names, all with the words Play Series and Five (written as Fiv5): playseries.fr, playseries.net, playseries.de, fiv5.net, fiv5.co.uk, fiv5.de, and fiv5.fr. Fiv5 has been trademarked in Europe by Sony Computer Entertainment Europe as well. To top it all off, Benoit Godde, recently hired by Quantic Dream, has both Five and Infraworld listed on his resume on LinkedIn (Infraworld was a title the company was working on back in 2006 that was canceled due to disinterest by publishers). While I’m excited to hear Quantic Dream is working on another game – I love Heavy Rain – it saddens me to find out this way. I do respect (and fear) superannuation’s amazing sleuthing skills, but at the same time, I really prefer to hear about games when they’re more fleshed out – and when the company is ready to tell us about them. Nothing gets me more excited for a game than a sexy trailer or some steamy screenshots, and while I do love information, it’s almost anti-climactic to read about it on LinkedIn. Talk about a boring way to find out about a game. Either way, hopefully David Cage releases some more information now that this has surfaced. The final Game of the Year awards ceremony for 2010 releases, the BAFTA Games Awards, have been handed out in London and BioWare’s Mass Effect 2 has been named “Best Game.” But aside from its big win, Mass Effect 2 was shut out during the rest of the show. Instead, Quantic Dream’s Heavy Rain took home the most trophies, three, for “Original Music,” “Story” and “Technical Innovation.” Heavy Rain’s heavy hand on the podium also resulted in a shutout for Call of Duty: Black Ops, which was nominated in an astounding six categories. Though, Treyarch’s shooter did capture the “GAME Award of 2010,” which is the only BAFTA award voted on by the public. The other special award, the “BAFTA Ones to Watch Award,” was presented out to That Game Studio’s Twang. Hit the jump for the complete list of winners. (more…) Sony has added a quintet of new titles to the PlayStation’s Greatest Hits line and it’s hard to argue about the greatness of any of them. The latest Greatest Hits include God of War III, Heavy Rain, ModNation Racers, Uncharted 2: Among Thieves – Game of the Year Edition (which includes a voucher for all of the game’s downloadable contenst) and THQ’s UFC Undisputed 2010. All of the games will now retail for the insanely great price of $29.99. As you can see on the left, the games look pretty snazzy in red with their new Greatest Hits cases. Sony has promised that more games will be added to the Greatest Hits lineup as 2011 progresses.

The early- to mid-2000s were a simpler time in music. Rock music was actually thing on popular radio. Production on hit singles was often stripped down nearly to its core rather than with bombastic synths and beats. People still (kind of) bought albums, at least early on in the decade. And American Idol was more about the singers than it was the judges. But in 2010, a slight shift could be noticed in the priorities of the Idol producers. Ellen DeGeneres was brought on as a judge, despite her noticeable lack of relevance within the music industry but definite sway in terms of a broader entertainment demographic. The next two seasons, Steven Tyler and Jennifer Lopez joined the judges’ table with mainstay Randy Jackson. Though their inclusion on the show didn’t leave folks scratching their heads in the way DeGeneres did, it was nonetheless evident that Idol was looking to boost ratings with this new crop of judges, though said judges never really outshone the singing talent. Then came 2013. After the departure of Tyler and Lopez, Idol enlisted country star Keith Urban, pop icon Mariah Carey and hip-hop superstar Nicki Minaj as the new guard of the show, joining the cockroach of Idol‘s judges table, Jackson. What has followed is a strange, strange season of the flailing singing competition, during which many are only just now getting a handle on some of the contestants at all — and they’re already down to a mere eight. During certain audition episodes, there were barely even any major moments or even many auditions at all, put on the backburner in favor of the judges’ crazy sayings, disagreements and even arguments that were played up for a live TV audience. Chief among these were Minaj and Carey’s Charlotte spat that made headlines for months after the two disagreed on something as miniscule as contestant Summer Cunningham’s diction. Even with the new judges and the allure of the Minaj-Carey fight, it hasn’t been a spectacular year in terms of ratings for the former Nielsen juggernaut. The show premiered with a mere 17.8 million viewers, down a few million from the 21.9 million viewers who tuned in for 2012’s premiere. This season’s sole bright spot has been the aforementioned Charlotte audition show (i.e. Minaj and Carey’s beef hour), grabbing the top ratings spot that night with 16.07 million viewers after loads of pre-promotion for the episode. Still, that was still a drop from the premiere, signifying that viewers were, indeed, already getting bored of the experiment. That said, its premiere still topped that of The Voice, which debuted to 13.64 million viewers this past Monday (March 25). But The Voice is in the same boat to an extent, featuring two new judges in 2013: Shakira and Usher. While its premiere may have paled in comparison to Idol‘s, it will likely beat its Fox competitor overall this season. Idol brought in a mere 12.94 million viewers during last week’s top nine performance show, with 11.65 million tuning in for the results — the lowest of the season. But hey — at least it’s not the U.S. version of Simon Cowell’s The X Factor, which premiered last September to 8.73 million viewers and only topped 10 million once all season. With just seven weeks left and the focus finally shifted toward the contestants instead of the drama, it’s as good a time as any to take a closer look at the Idol judges in relation to what they’re actually there to do: judge. Report card time! Judges’ Grades: Randy Jackson Entertainment Factor: B Let’s start off with the veteran. Since the show’s inception, he’s been there, spouting advice to contestants and, generally, being fairly real when you’re good or not-so-good. But in recent years, Jackson has become a caricature of himself. He’s played up the “Yo!” factor, even wearing a pin with the saying on his shirt during the show, because that’s what normal people do. He’s also coined his own horrible catchphrase, “In it to win it!” This phrase apparently only describes a contestant who’s had a great performance and has shown (to him) they really want the distinction of American Idol. Those other contestants? Not in it to win it. Bad song choice or just rough night? Nah. Not in it to win it. In it to… I don’t know, sing a Beatles song on national TV for the hell of it? But that said, Jackson has remained one of the show’s most honest critics of talent (or lack thereof), even during the show’s “nice phase” with Tyler and Lopez. He’ll still let you know when it was boring, or when it just plain sucked. He’ll be one of the first to give a knockout performance a standing ovation (before proclaiming they’re in it to win it, of course). Though he may be grating at times, he’s still a solid judge that won’t give even the frontrunners a free pass. And sometimes, he’s the voice of reason in a season where the important part — the contestants — often get shunted to the side. Judges’ Grades: Keith Urban Entertainment Factor: B The same can’t be said precisely for Keith Urban. Early on in the season, the country singer was noted for having a humor-filled personality that helped clear the air from numerous heated debates. Now he’s… well, there? Really, Urban is probably the show’s least visible judge this season, which was to be expected. But man, unless it’s a country-voiced contestant, he rarely has much to say (think Blake Shelton on The Voice). He’s also too nice most of the time, saying very little that’s particularly scathing. When he doesn’t like a performance, you know it, but he’s not going to be incredibly upfront about it either, giving the kind of criticism that performer probably deserves. He does most certainly have an ear for the country kids (and he stuck with Janelle Arthur even when it seemed like she was a lost cause), but Idol only has two of those, and it’s likely only one (Kree Harrison) has a real shot of making it to the finals. When it’s any of the other contestants? Go to Nicki Minaj for a better critique. Judges’ Grades: Nicki Minaj Entertainment Factor: B+ That last sentence is funny to say not because it’s weird now, but because it would’ve been considered strange by many to think of Minaj as a better judge than, well, anyone else on the show prior to the season’s start. Although she’s had a few hits that feature her singing, Minaj is mostly known for her rapping and not her discerning eye into the pop landscape of America. But Nicki Minaj has emerged as the best judge on American Idol… most of the time. Sure, there are instances in which Minaj is a little too dramatic (see: threatening to walk off if Curtis Finch Jr. was the lowest vote-getter [spoiler: he was]) and decides to go with some fairly off-the-wall sayings (did you know Kree Harrison is Minaj’s wife? It’s true — she said so!). But most of the time, she’s also the show’s most accurate and to-the-point when it comes to critiques. Like Cowell before her, Minaj has no issue with getting after slacking contestants. Claims of being too tough on the singers? Isn’t that what you’d want as an up-and-comer, not sugarcoating everything? Minaj has been a breath of fresh air because of her no-nonsense (OK, maybe a little nonsense, but not as much as the others) approach and no-holds-barred comments. I’ve rarely disagreed with her all season, something I can’t say for the other judges. Even Randy is sometimes too nice in comparison. The show needed a judge along the lines of Simon, someone who you could count on laying it down like it is without any spin. While not perfect, Minaj is the closest the show currently has to that. And then there’s her polar opposite… Judges’ Grades: Mariah Carey Entertainment Factor: C+ Early on in Idol‘s history, Paula Abdul was known for being the “nice” one, the judge who played a foil to Cowell’s scathing critiques. Bad performance? Abdul was there to tell you that you still did good, that it took a lot of courage being up there, and that your last performance was good so there’s nothing to feel bad about. A decent presence on the show, though not that great in the judging category. Mariah Carey takes that archetype and tones down the judging even more. Getting Carey to actually make a bold critique against a contestant that isn’t veiled in some sort of I’m-skirting-the-issue compliment is like getting that last space you need to win $75 at cover-all bingo. It’s just not going to happen, no matter how many times you come close to it. Carey is often the last judge to make a comment on a performance, which is strange. Instead of getting the most meaningful critique last, they often get Carey, who’ll compliment a fashion choice or recall a great past performance (see: Angie Miller). It’s funny because you can usually tell it in her body language if she didn’t like something, but the diva will stuff it down in favor of a compliment on some level. You’d think she’d have a lot more to say in terms of song choice, the technical side of singing and the like, but no — at least, not yet. And all four are guilty of the past performance thing, not just Carey. After a contestant performs a song of which they’re not a fan, all four tend to move into, “Hey, remember this song you did? Now THAT was good,” actually saying very little about that night’s showing at all. Sure, that means it’s a sign that the contestant wasn’t very good that evening, but why not just say it? What the Idol judges need as a whole is more truth, more straight-up criticism. Now that the spotlight is a little less on them than it was at the beginning, there’s a need for all four to show why they’re there in the first place. Frankly, Urban and Carey often get lost in the din not because of Minaj’s big personality, but because they’re not really saying too much, especially Carey. This is actually a panel that could work well together (OK, maybe without Mariah…) if it finds a better way to explain to the singers what they’re doing wrong. Though this is a season with quite honestly some very talented contestants that could go places (Glover, Taylor, Harrison, Miller), not everyone hits the right note every week. If Lazaro Arbos isn’t cutting it, don’t be afraid to tell him. If Candice Glover wasn’t as spectacular as she usually is, don’t be afraid to tell her. There are seven weeks left in the season before a new Idol is crowned. Let’s see if the judges, not just the contestants, can show America and, above all, their eager-for-ratings network why they belong at the table. – Kevin Rutherford, Radio.com (all photos Getty)

I’m not going to lie… When I commenced my research to write this article, I quickly found myself sidetracked, watching countless videos of Siberian and Alaskan huskies, forgetting that the actual reason I had sat down at my computer was to read up on Melbourne’s warm, enchanting folk duo, Husky. Similar to actual huskies of the canine kind, Husky are both soft and sweet, yet hard-hitting and strong in their sound when required. Since taking out the triple j Unearthed Push Over comp in 2011, the duo has been making their way to almost every corner of the earth, building a loyal fan base in Europe, the US and of course, the motherland, Australia. Their music is a prismatic array of their musical versatility, taking the best bits of the ‘70s folk persuasion, the ‘60s rock’n’roll and the current new indie wave, fusing them together in a charming harmony of a song. Now with a couple of albums under their belts, Husky are about release their third and most contrasting album yet. Straying away from their folk roots and going for a bit more of an indie feel, the boys have constructed Punchbuzz, an album that was written after a stint in Berlin. Vocalist and guitarist Husky Gawenda speaks of the creative process being an ongoing one.It was nothing intentional, but I think it was a mixture of things. We found that when writing the songs, they were coming out differently to what they had in the past. I was writing with an electric guitar and a loop pedal and writing songs around guitar riffs. Often the lyrics would be the last thing I’d write after we’d put together a bed of guitar, bass, drums and keys. The songs were built differently from the ground up and I think they just came out with more pace and momentum than they had in the past. “It was nothing intentional, but I think it was a mixture of things. We found that when writing the songs, they were coming out differently to what they had in the past. I was writing with an electric guitar and a loop pedal and writing songs around guitar riffs. Often the lyrics would be the last thing I’d write after we’d put together a bed of guitar, bass, drums and keys. The songs were built differently from the ground up and I think they just came out with more pace and momentum than they had in the past. “Also, probably part of it was what we were listening to at the time, stuff like The National, The War On Drugs, Beck and Tame Impala. A lot of the music we’re into is quite layered and atmospheric. There’s a lot of emphasis on the production. This is the first album we’ve released with a producer across the whole record and we were lucky because he had quite a similar outlook to the two of us. He really enhanced the direction of the sound.” After being based in Berlin and touring around Europe for the best part of 2015, Husky made their way back to Melbourne in early 2016, where Gawenda began writing. Taking inspiration from the things he had seen and experienced in Berlin, Europe and where he was after the tour, a diverse spectrum of topics and creative themes were covered. “I think the songs probably draw on bits and pieces of both Berlin and Europe. I remember I was writing a lot of poetry and taking a lot of notes, trying to jot things down as I was touring. Probably more of the stories and people on the record are actually from Melbourne. A lot of the stories took place in a time of transition. I’d just returned to Melbourne and it all felt new to me again. Everywhere was full of life, my senses were alive and I was taking things in and noticing what was around me. I was staying at a place called The Hotel which is a bit of an artist collective sharehouse. There’s a lot of parties, late night hangs and a lot of eccentric people moving in and out. It kind of felt like I was still on the road because everything was still so colourful. It was a place that I could find peace and quiet to write but also come out of my room and find all sorts of things happening.” Finding the creative spark again, Gawenda also spilt on the contrasting aspects of different cities and how they bring different elements to the creative table. “Every city is different and has its own soul and beat and it influences your life and your writing in all kinds of subtle ways. There’s no place like Berlin, as much as people always compare it to Melbourne or say they are similar, but there is truly no place like Berlin. It’s so vibrant and full of art, musicians and eccentrics. It also never sleeps, so it’s very easy to get lost, in a good way. But in saying that, it’s also easy to get lost and not do any work. Coming back to Melbourne was great for me in terms of getting to work and pulling all those experiences together in order to create the album.” Now looking into the future, Husky are about to embark on their biggest tour yet playing all over the country and then journeying over to Europe for a huge string of dates. Gawenda tells about the jump in show size and how important the audience vibe is when playing a live show. I also asked about the best gig they’ve ever played and the worst gig they’ve ever played, which gave me a fascinating insight into their live show experience. “We start off with Australia in a few weeks and it’s been a while since we’ve done a tour here. We have a long history with our audiences here, which is a beautiful thing. Within Australia, you get different kinds of audiences and the same goes in different countries. We very rarely don’t have a really good audience. Wherever we are, audiences tend to be lovely and open. If the audience is there with you, I think it gives the band the opportunity to take off and that also gives the audience the opportunity to do the same. The audience is such an important aspect, it’s never just about how well the band plays.’ “We’ve started rehearsals for the new songs and it’s a fun and interesting challenge to bring those songs into a live setting, so we can’t wait to play them. Then we head over for our biggest tour to date. We’re playing in 26 cities in Europe. We’re playing a lot of new places, which I’m sure will be quite the adventure. “On the topic of the worst gig I ever played, they also sometimes happen to be the best gigs I’ve ever played,” he laughs. “We’d show up to these pubs where the sound system would be absolutely thrashed. The audience would consist of about ten people, half of which were bar staff and that’s often part of being a new band. In a way, it toughens you up and prepares you for the real world, so those people that were bar staff, they told their friends and the next time we played, we probably had 20 people, half of which were the bar staff’s friends. The next time was maybe 30 and so on, so that’s why I say our worst gig was maybe also one of our best.” Plans post-tour for the boys are exciting and at this point, loosely planned. Gawenda tells me of some saucy summer shows and activities but also being careful to not give too much away. “Plans after the tour will commence in about November, so I guess those plans are still unfolding. We’re probably going to be heading to the States after Europe for some touring. Then we’ll come back to Australia to play a few festivals over the summer, but I can’t say too much about that yet. In terms of unwinding, the best thing for me is surfing. There’s nothing that takes my mind of everything like surfing. I have a van that I’ll spend a week or so sleeping in and surfing down south of Melbourne.” 17 June, Theatre Royal, Castlemaine 23 June, Corner Hotel, Melbourne w/ Tia Gostelow and Hot Spoke 24 June, Jive Bar, Adelaide w/ Tia Gostelow and Hot Spoke 29 June, Oxford Art Factory, Sydney w/ Tia Gostelow and Hot Spoke 30 June, 48 Watt St, Newcastle w/ Tia Gostelow and Hot Spoke 6 July, Bello Winter Music Festival, Bellingen 7 July, Woolly Mammoth, Brisbane w/ Tia Gostelow and Hot Spoke 8 July, Solbar, Maroochydore w/ Tia Gostelow and Hot Spoke 15 July, Grand Poobah, Hobart w/ Tia Gostelow and Hot Spoke 22 July, Mojo’s Bar, Fremantle w/ Teischa 23 July, The Rosemount, Perth w/ Teischa

Five Questions to Ask Before Your Next Healthcare Data Breach In the summer of 2014, executives at a leading national insurance firm worked with FTI Consulting to create an action and response plan in the event of a major data breach. The plan’s guiding principles were clear: Engage corporate leadership according to the risk level involved. Reassure customers and resolve any impacts without regard to short-term costs. Prepare communications that would enable the company to convey key messages through every available channel, from call center teams to third-party partners to the public. The plan also developed categories for the severity of any data breach and standardized ways to report incidents and document the company’s subsequent actions. In other words, the plan laid out what to do when and who decides what for a range of events and actions, including informing the board and government agencies, as well as engaging third-party investigators and credit monitoring services. And the action and response plan put in place simulation exercises to prepare for a potential crisis.’ Notably, this company, which has a significant footprint in the healthcare market, has not yet suffered a data breach. But given today’s environment, it is not unreasonable to plan for one. In fact, it would be unreasonable not to do so. In early February 2015, Anthem, one of America’s largest health insurers, revealed that it had been attacked, with the personal information of some 80 million people exposed. This made it the biggest healthcare data breach in history. At the time of this writing, the hackers had yet to be identified definitively, but individuals somewhere had gained access to Anthem policyholders’ medical identification and Social Security numbers, mailing addresses and email addresses. One danger (among others) is that this information could be used by hackers to perpetrate a variety of frauds. Reportedly, phishing attacks were launched immediately by the hackers, trying to get policyholders to sign up for fake data protection services and provide even more personal information. The information that hackers and criminals can retrieve by breaching healthcare organizations is considered more valuable than the mere credit card numbers collected in breaches of retail operations. Medical records command much higher prices on the black market than do credit card numbers. It’s easy to cancel a credit card number, and the market is glutted thanks to incidents such as the December 2013 Target breach that compromised more than 40 million customers or the later Home Depot hack that exposed customer emails and over 56 million credit card accounts. Medical records, however, contain Social Security numbers and even physical descriptions that criminals can use to hijack identities, file fraudulent insurance claims, and create all sorts of profitable havoc for themselves while causing great financial damage to individuals and institutions. All this should be viewed as a flashing red warning light to healthcare organizations. According to a Ponemon Institute study, the cost of a data breach to healthcare organizations in 2014 was far higher than in any other sector of the economy ($359 per capita in the healthcare sector compared with $206 in financial services companies and $155 in consumer products organizations). In addition, more than ever before, the federal government is casting a sharp eye on the data privacy practices of healthcare organizations. The Office for Civil Rights sent a strong message last year to healthcare organizations by increasing its enforcement efforts and identifying 1,200 potential candidates for audits. This includes 800 entities covered by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (“HIPAA”) and the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health ("HITECH") Act, as well as 400 business associates. Since September 2009, there have been in excess of 1,000 breaches involving 500 or more entities in healthcare in the United States, with 34 breaches identified in June 2014 alone. Some recent post-breach settlements with the federal government involved NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Columbia University Medical Center, which paid $3.3 million in fines, and Columbia University, which settled its case for $1.5 million. In this environment, it makes sense to have an incident response and crisis management plan in place, both as a way to prevent breaches and to mitigate their cost. Of course, not all breach prevention measures are created equal. Target’s and Home Depot’s defenses turned out to be inadequate, which subjected those companies to severe public criticism. So how should compliance officers, information technology executives, Legal Departments and others charged with overseeing a healthcare organization’s data security begin to assess how vulnerable an organization is, how it can maximize data protection and how it can reduce the cost of a breach when one occurs? What follows are five overarching questions that an officer in an organization should be asking in this age of data breaches. Do you know where your data are? A critical component of data and information governance is enterprise data awareness; that is, knowing what data are where and if the most important data are in a secure place. Possessing data awareness means having a complete view of enterprise data sources. The sites most likely to be affected by a breach include unstructured areas such as email, loose files on local drives or networks and files undergoing transfer. Venues also can include structured areas such as enterprise-wide systems. Data often exist simultaneously in multiple locations and in duplicate formats, some more secure than others. A crucial step in breach prevention is the creation of an enterprise data map. This particularly is important since identifying target information after a breach often isn’t feasible. One effective initial step is to leverage current projects such as post-system migration or other data footprint-related programs to identify data repositories and understand their nature. Keep in mind that a significant number of key data sources can be found offline or outside the native source system. And remember: Just because key systems are protected does not mean the same information cannot exist elsewhere in the enterprise. Another part of data awareness is monitoring the data entering and leaving an organization. A vital component to the security of data in healthcare systems is encryption protocols for the transmission of protected health information (“PHI”) to and from external vendors. The administration of business associate agreements and the oversight of the data security protocols of vendors and other external parties should be aggressive and continuous. For example, a major HIPAA-related crisis can be precipitated if a 1099 medical coder working for a subcontractor has his car broken into when medical records are laying on the front seat. In fact, monitoring the movement of sensitive data outside an organization is one of the most important elements of an effective data protection program. Are your cyberdefenses adequate? In light of the ever-evolving cyber threat environment — and the consequences of a data breach — companies need to take a comprehensive approach to protecting the information they hold. The cyber threat is multi-varied: Not only must businesses defend against external, technical threats such as hackers who seek to penetrate computer networks and steal or corrupt data through sophisticated cyberattacks, but organizations must pay equal attention to insider, non-technical threats as well. These latter categories can range from disgruntled employees who abuse their access to data to company personnel who innocently introduce malicious code into an enterprise’s network through handling low-tech vectors such as infected thumb drives or by clicking links in spam or phishing emails. There are a number of questions and factors companies should consider in developing a comprehensive information security plan. First, has a cyber risk assessment been conducted? In this respect, businesses not only should identify and assess risks to their own network but also risks associated with any third-party vendors with whom data are stored or shared — an important consideration given that many companies outsource large data storage and backup tasks to outside contractors or share information with joint venture partners. Second, has a cyber incident plan been developed? Rather than respond in an ad hoc fashion under pressure during a crisis, businesses will be better off if they take the time now to plan a coordinated response to a data breach. This includes deciding how evidence will be collected in a forensically sound manner, how information will be shared internally and externally with law enforcement and regulators, and how the computer network’s integrity will be restored. Pre-planning cuts down on confusion and loss of critical information and puts leadership in the best position to respond efficiently. Finally, companies should commit to reviewing and updating their information security plan regularly. Periodic reviews are necessary to account for changes in a company’s network as a result of normal operations — including the acquisition of new businesses and their computer networks — and to keep up with the evolving threat landscape. Are you compliant with HIPAA and HITECH? HIPAA and HITECH set the standards for the security of electronic PHI and promote the adoption and meaningful use of health information technology. HIPAA and HITECH were designed to protect the confidentiality and security of individual PHI possessed by those entities covered by the laws. This includes health plans, hospital systems and various business associates. To stay compliant, healthcare organizations must continually monitor and adapt their policies and procedures, as well as provide training and education. Too often, an organization learns how compliant it is only after a breach takes place. This is because answering the question before a breach occurs requires meticulous and time-consuming work. For example, organizations should be evaluating their current structure and policies continuously to ensure compliance with the latest privacy and security standards. This includes a review of all policies and procedures, auditing and monitoring reports, training materials and relevant business associate agreements. The organization or an outside vendor should regularly conduct onsite interviews and security walkthroughs to assess the existing processes and controls in order to determine the company’s operational compliance with HIPAA and HITECH. Do you have a crisis communications plan? The 2014 Ponemon Institute study found that what hits an enterprise’s bottom line hardest after a data breach is the loss of customer loyalty. After a breach, companies find they must spend heavily to restore their brand’s image, retain old customers and acquire new ones. In most cases, HIPAA requires public notification of data breaches within 60 days of the incident, including publishing a notification in the media. Plus states have their own deadlines. But, sometimes, a healthcare organization may want to notify patients, customers or members sooner than the law requires. Or, in the case of some smaller breaches, an organization may decide to pursue a low-profile strategy of minimal notification and publicity. The course taken depends on the scope of the breach, as well as myriad other factors. But one thing experts agree upon is that an organization should have a plan in place for notifying select leaders in the company immediately and for communicating the breach to the outside world. As some organizations have learned, failure to notify and deal with publicity around a breach can result in a significant loss of public trust and consequent damage to an enterprise’s reputation and brand. Here are some best practices that can help ensure that a company is fully prepared to effectively manage a data breach incident: - Establish and maintain a communications infrastructure: It is essential that a company build a response team that can mobilize swiftly in the event of a breach to manage and coordinate the organization’s overall response efforts. This team should consist of key decision makers, including executive leaders, as well as representatives from information technology and security, public relations, customer service, human resources and the Legal Department. Every member of the data breach response team should understand one’s specific role and duties. Employees should be provided with the necessary resources and training to ensure that they are prepared to successfully discharge their responsibilities. - Establish a structure of internal reporting: A streamlined cybersecurity reporting regimen is necessary to expedite engagement with the data breach response team and prompt key business, operational and communications decisions. A company should have a defined process for reporting a breach once one has been detected, ensuring that all pertinent parties are notified of the situation quickly, as appropriate. - Understand how to properly evaluate the breach: A company’s ability to accurately identify the level of threat it faces enhances its ability to implement the required level of response. If the assessment is conducted properly, the likelihood increases that the company will get its response right. For example, not all breaches require notification according to HIPAA; therefore, it is essential that a healthcare company recognize what constitutes a serious breach, as well as situations that require notification to affected individuals, the media, and the Secretary of Health and Human Services. - Prepare draft communications: Responding speedily and transparently to a data breach demonstrates that a company acknowledges the circumstances and is working to rectify the problem, as well as helping to mitigate the damage of rumors. To ensure a quick response, a company should have on hand communications materials that have been reviewed and approved by executive leaders and the Legal Department (or outside counsel). When a breach occurs, the company easily can adjust the language to the event. Minimum communications include a standby statement, a news release and a notification letter. - Determine a system for handling a notification: Mishandling a notification can lead to fines and other unbudgeted expenses, as well as negatively affect brand reputation and customer loyalty. There generally is little time to verify addresses and to print and mail a notification letter after a breach or to set up a call center and other services for affected stakeholders. Therefore, in most cases, a company should identify and select a vendor in advance that has the resources and capabilities to establish a call center and notify thousands, or even millions, of individuals by mail or email. Also, the company should consider creating a dark website around a breach, which would go live if the real thing happens. Do you have a culture of compliance? Beyond establishing policies, procedures and a Code of Conduct, management should make sure that its workforce and business associates clearly understand what the relevant laws, regulations and rules mean on a daily basis. In essence, an organization must develop a culture of compliance to protect patients, customers and members. The once-a- year online tutorials and quizzes that many companies have put in place — as good as these tools may be — do not, by themselves, create a culture of compliance. In the best cases, this type of culture grows out of the commitment of top leadership and an extensive compliance communications program. Such a program should include several distinct steps: - Translate compliance language into conversational language: Convert the dry material of compliance into a memorable, or even enjoyable, narrative while making it crystal clear why this is critical to the enterprise and to its employees and business associates. - Determine the current state of compliance culture: Use surveys, focus groups, interviews with executives, and reviews of data and materials to establish a benchmark of employee knowledge, attitudes and values. Findings should be compared with best practices inside one’s industry and in other industries. - Program development: Identify channels that are available for communicating with the organization’s workforce and business associates, refreshing those vehicles that have not been used in the recent past and devising new ones. At this point, it is important to develop a communications strategy and engage the company’s top leadership in the program. - Execute a 360-degree compliance communications program: Start by establishing roles for top management so it can publicly demonstrate its commitment to compliance. Follow this by the training of supervisors so that the information cascades throughout the organization through face-to-face meetings, town halls, emails, websites, apps, posters, contests, awards and other channels. - Measure and repeat: Measure and re-measure knowledge, attitudes and beliefs; publicize progress and gaps that must be addressed; readjust and realign the program to make it more effective. Being compliant with HIPAA, HITECH and other laws and regulations is necessary but not, in itself, sufficient to address all the issues that grow out of a data breach. As Anjanettte H. Raymond, professor at Indiana University, has written that, in most instances, existing laws did not foresee the massive amounts of data that would be collected across environments, and few laws envisioned data collection from a global perspective. In addition, even if businesses collect information in a legally compliant manner, consumers, including healthcare patients, are growing uneasy about the use and widespread distribution of their personal information. As Raymond says, "While it may seem easier and less costly to sit back and wait for trends to become full-fledged law, customers no longer will wait for these protections and will find it increasingly difficult to understand the apathy of business toward data protection."

“Yourself to Blame.” And make you a bit ashamed Often you will find out that You have yourself to blame Swiftly we ran to mischief And then the bad luck came Why do we fault others? We have ourselves to blame Whatever happens to us, Here is what we say “Had it not been for so-and-so Things wouldn’t have gone that way.” And if you are short of friends, I’ll tell you what to do Make an examination, You’ll find the faults in you… You’re the captain of your ship, So agree with the same If you travel downward You have yourself to blame Author: Mayme White Miller Be inspired. Look beyond the blame and let no distract you from your goals, nor convince you otherwise. Source: FOX NEWS INSIDER Brenda was packing. She’d been at it all morning and had to leave in an hour; but her packing kept being interrupted by sometimes angry, always sad, and sometimes wistful thoughts that swirled through her mind. She’d found herself sitting on the edge of the bed wondering why Marsha, her best friend from junior high had invited her back to the 40-year class reunion of the class in which she and Marsha would have graduated together had her father not dragged her away from the life she knew to a life that with which she never completely identified. She blamed her father, long dead, for the lifetime of pain that she had suffered because he wanted to start a new business 800 miles away from the town where she and Marsha had lived. Brenda and Marsha had been Christmas-card and birth-announcement close for the past 45 years. Life had become too busy and too complicated to be any closer than that. She had little desire to see child-hood friends, but Marsha had been so insistent in her invitation and on the phone. “It would be so good to reconnect,” she’d encouraged. There was an arrival drinks party on Thursday night. She’d need a nice slightly-more-than-casual pants and blouse outfit for that. Brenda never quite got over blaming her father for his decision; and blaming her mother for being so weak as to let him put everything they owned on the line for his pipe dream. Hardly a day passed that she didn’t spend at least a few minutes in an emotional battle with her father, her mother, or both. Depending on what else was going on in her life, her emotions could range from smoldering hurt to outright rage. Brenda had never made any real friends in high school and college. The town where they moved was so into Southern heritage and “being part of the right family” and Brenda had neither the heritage nor the family. So she spent a lot of time on the outside looking in. Every party that she spent standing by the wall watching other kids have fun was the direct result of her father being so mean and stupid as to move the family without considering what it would do to all of them, especially Brenda. She had no expectations that this reunion would be any different, but Marsha was so persuasive. And Brenda’s kids had thought she should go back home for the weekend, so here she was packing. Friday’s events included a golf outing, shopping, and an informal dinner in the evening. So she needed to pack daytime casual and something a little dressy for the dinner. Brenda had no interest in the shopping, so when Marsha suggested renting a golf-cart and riding along as others played golf, she’d agreed to do that. Marsha said it would give them lots of time to “catch up.” Robert had loved golf. Brenda had met Robert in college and married him 4 months out of college. She had no idea why he’d fallen in love with her. She’d never been really happy. She had blamed him secretly for her unhappiness. She didn’t understand why she had felt that way toward him. She was unhappy and it had to be somebody’s fault. Robert had been totally devoted to her and had provided a good life for her and their son and daughter. He’d also been thoroughly entranced by their grandchildren. That had ended with his heart attack four years ago. So the golf outing with Marsha would be sort of a memorial to Robert, even though she blamed him for leaving her alone. She’d often wondered why he stayed with her because her kids certainly didn’t. Well it wasn’t that bad, she thought. Both kids lived within an hour, just in different directions. They just didn’t visit her very often. It had always been Robert and Brenda visiting them instead of the other way around. The fact the she was often moody and bitchy (her choice of words) made life hard on her family. As soon as the kids left for college, time together became occasional weekends and holidays. Robert had always gone to church, but Brenda seldom went. She didn’t think she fit in very well with the church crowd. They’d always gone to church when she was a child and she had lots of friends there. When they’d moved, they had tried church. She still remembered all the faces turning and looking at the weird people from up north as they walked in and took their seats. That same “outside” feeling persisted throughout high school and college. There were times when she acknowledged that she could have been more friendly; but mostly, they didn’t want her there and she didn’t want to be there; and why did they have to be that away? Her father’s business venture failed and they lost just about everything but their home. So there wasn’t any money to go back north for college, the out-of-state tuition and travel costs being prohibitive. So she went to an in-state school. It wasn’t too bad, but her shyness and moodiness made it easier for people to have other friends. The frustrating thing was that she had had lots of friends before they moved; and her father destroyed all that; and her mother had let him get away with it. Robert and Brenda had done okay financially, but the memory of her father’s failure made her worry all the time about going broke. She shared her fears often with Robert and his assurances were never quite enough. She blamed Robert for her worries about money. She’d told Marsha that she would really like to spend Saturday morning driving around and seeing the town she remembered. Marsha agreed with that and suggested some nice places for lunch. There was a tour of the old school scheduled for Saturday afternoon. There was a dinner-dance scheduled for Saturday evening and she’d need to pack something dressy for that. She pulled open her lingerie drawer and decided that was absolutely no need to pack anything other than the white utility pieces. She certainly had no black-lace expectations about the dinner-dance. Marsha met her at the airport about 5:30 and took her to her hotel. The cocktail party was at the hotel so they had a nice time visiting with a lot of old friends. Marsha apparently had prepped everyone about inviting Brenda because not one person asked why she was there since she was not actually part of the graduating class of 1970. Marsha was twice-divorced and declared that her life was complete with her two daughters, handsome sons-in-law, and the five, delightful grandchildren. She had absolutely no interest in another romantic relationship at this stage of her life, she laughingly shared. This attitude puzzled Brenda. How could Marsha be so light-hearted and happy considering her history? Friday was a beautiful day and after lunch Marsha had driven them out to the country club where they arranged for a golf cart to follow the golfing crowd. Brenda was more and more intrigued how Marsha was so happy and jovial with everybody! After an hour, Brenda steered the cart over to the little bluff overlooking the lake and they found some comfortable park benches and sat down for the talk Brenda had been planning to have all morning. “How can you be so upbeat with your life: two divorces and everything else?” she asked. Marsha’s quick reply was, “I just don’t think about it.” “You don’t think about it! It happened to you, not once, but twice! How can you not think about it? I can’t help but think about the things people have done to me!” “I have too many blessings to think about,” Marsha replied. “I don’t have time to mess up my life thinking about stuff that will only make me unhappy.” Brenda didn’t reply, so Marsha asked her, “What do you think about most of the time.” Thinking for a moment, Brenda answered, “When I’m busy, I think about what I’m doing. But when I have time on my hands, which I have a lot of these days, I tend to think about how my father destroyed my life by moving us away from here; and about how my mother let him do it. I think about Robert dying and leaving me alone. I think about worrying about money so much. I think about my kids not having any time for me anymore.” “And how does all that thinking make you feel?” Marsha asked. “It makes me miserable, to tell the truth. I sometimes get so worked up that I have to take a sleeping pill to get to sleep.” As if on a roll, she continued, “It causes me lots of anxiety and stress. I’m such a bitch sometimes that people don’t want to be around me. Then I blame them for being so stuck-up and judgmental. If they only knew how much I’ve suffered in life, they would be more sympathetic.” “If thinking all those negative thoughts makes you so miserable, to use your word, then why do you think those thoughts? Brenda shot back, more emotionally than she intended, “Why do I think about the negative thoughts? They’re the history of my life. How can I NOT think them?” Marsha smiled warmly, “Whenever one of those negative thoughts pops into your mind, you can simply say “I will not think about that.” Brenda almost shouted, “That’s the stupidest thing I ever heard!” Marsha waited for Brenda to calm down and then said gently, “Let me tell you my story.” “When my first husband walked out on me for a younger model after twenty-five years of marriage, two children and, at the time three grandchildren, I was furious and I made sure that everybody knew how furious and hurt I was. I was able to calm down after some years and during that time I met husband number two.” “But every time I saw number one at a family event with yet another bimbo on his arm, I’d get furious all over again blaming him for all my pain.” “After three years, husband number two told me that he had better things to do with his life than listen to a bitch complain about her first husband; so he left me. And he had the nerve to blame it on me.” “So I became double trouble as a bitch. My girls stopped coming around, my friends at church deserted me, and I had nothing left but work and misery.” “My Aunt Annie, since deceased, was in assisted living and I visited her one day. She was sharp as a tack; she just couldn’t walk and take care of herself any longer. I had just gotten off the phone trying to plan something with my daughters and they were using every excuse in the book to avoid being with me. I guess I was wearing my emotions on my sleeve when I walked in Aunt Annie’s door.” “My ever-direct Aunt Annie nailed me after about five minutes. ‘I’ve known you since I changed your diapers all those years ago and I’ve never seen you this wrought up. Do you want to tell me what’s going on in your life?’” “So I told her. When I’d finished, she asked me the same question I just asked you, ‘If those thoughts make you unhappy, why do you think them?’” “I answered exactly the same way you did; ‘How can I not think about them?’” Aunt Annie shared with me what she called a simple and effective Rule for Peace that she said had served her well for most of her ninety-two years. She told me that whenever a negative thought pops into my mind, I should say out loud to myself, “I will not think about that.” Then I go ahead with what I’m doing. If the thought pops up again, I should say again, out loud, “I will not think about that.” I can say it softly, but I must say it out load to myself. She told me that if I was in a social situation where it would be awkward to say it out loud, I could simply use my hand as if covering a cough and say it into my hand, “I will not think about that.” She told me that I wouldn’t notice much difference at first. But she promised me that if I would dismiss my negative thoughts consistently, it will make all the difference in the world to me emotionally. She then challenged me to keep a calendar of dismissing my thoughts. I should make a note on the calendar each day of how many times I had said, “I will not think about that.” She also said that since she got lonely at the home, I should visit or call her at least once a week and tell her the numbers I’d written on my thought calendar. “Skeptical, I left and had the opportunity to say the phrase in my car leaving the parking lot; and several other times before I got home. I made the notations in my calendar like Aunt Annie suggested.” “Brenda, I have to tell you that I was amazed to see the numbers on my calendar. By the end of the first week, I was saying the phrase half as often as when I started. And more amazingly, I discovered that I was thinking more positive thoughts, not because I necessarily wanted to, but because I have the emotional peace where I could think about other things.” “I faithfully reported to Aunt Annie every week but after about four weeks, we didn’t talk about my negative thoughts anymore. Each of my visits was filled with all sorts of stories about my family and the life that Aunt Annie had lived. What joy and peace!” “When she died three years ago, I felt like I’d lost a dear friend, but more than that, I knew I have been given a priceless gift – the gift of personal peace.” “Do you see why I wanted so much for you to come to this reunion? I had sensed that you were lacking peace and I wanted to share Aunt Annie’s Rule for Peace with you. I’ll tell you this, if you hadn’t come up here this weekend, I would have invited myself down to see you in a matter of weeks.” “This is a fact, Brenda, You can experience personal peace in your life and it will make a world of difference to you!” Marsha reached in her bag and gave me a card with Aunt Annie’s Rule for Peace and challenge on it. “Brenda, I promise you this works because it worked for me. I predict that before I finish this sentence, you’ll be thinking to yourself, ‘This will never work for me. My problems are too bad.’ That needs to be the first time you say to yourself, ‘I will not think about that.’” At the dinner-dance that night, Brenda felt like a giddy teenager sharing a secret when she discovered how many times she discreetly covered a fake cough and said to herself, “I will not think about that.” She had a great time visiting with childhood friends and even sharing a few dances with some of the guys from the past. Each time she faked the cough, she would glance a Marsha and share a eye-smile. At the Sunday brunch and later on the way to the airport, she thanked Marsha for caring enough to share Aunt Annie’s Rule for Peace. She truly felt optimism and hope for the first time in forty-five years; and that was a blessing. This fictional story introduces a principle that has been around for thousands of years. In addition to the Bible, philosophers like Confucius, Marcus Aurelius, Shakespeare, and others have written or spoken about our wonderful capacity to train ourselves not to ruminate on negative thoughts and to minimize the effects of emotional or physical pain in our lives. The danger of ruminating on emotional pain is, in addition to more pain, stress, depression, anxiety, emotional issues, and worse. Children as well as adults can easily understand the simple Rule for Peace that will work for many negative emotions that result from almost any negative thinking. This concept is explained fully in an online eCourse called Finding Personal Peace – http://findingpersonalpeace.com. The course leads you through these life principles and also covers topics like making good decisions, and dealing with serious stuff like death, illness, abuse, and addiction. The eCourse leads one through a process of turning the habits of negative emotions into the habits of peace and freedom. You can read other short stories on life issues by searching the category, Short Stories, at the right. You can start with the course today and begin to find more personal peace in your life immediately. All the best. Copyright 2014 findingpersonalpeace.com. Birmingham, Al USA. All rights reserved.

The Zen Toolbox Abraham Maslow superbly supposed, "If you and no-one else enfold a bruise, you tend to see every hindrance as a nail." I use some exchange of this a lot in speech, nearly constantly in a malicious way -- it's easy shorthand for saying that others are grow smaller or debauched or characterless in their mode. In one mitt, it can elucidate why, for archetypal, a controller seems unacceptable, or why institutions peek so impermeable to change. "If and no-one else they had supercilious tools." I've been noticing in the pass few months how casually this relates to Zen wisdom -- and teachers -- as well. Some in the monastic machinery hope carefully that monastic practice is the and no-one else path to the mainstay of the wisdom. Others place all their chips on the precepts, so that everything they be attracted to is seen as an peek of the precepts, and everything they don't be attracted to is a ruin. It all comes down to proper that. Some who quay koan study say law-abiding and on a slope that koans are everything, or at smallest, if you're acquit yourself zazen but not engaging koans, you're stumped curtailed of your amount. And subsequently exhibit is the zazen-only school, which finds justify in the wisdom of Kosho Uchiyama-roshi and is (I particular) with time bulk in the West. It feels mocking to say this as a Soto Zen cleric, but I've constantly been ill at ease with this all-or-nothing issue on zazen. Most likely it's the slanted correlation that it's a return to what the ancient teachers (Dogen, or Bodhidharma, or perhaps even the Buddha himself) really advocated. But supercilious than that, I imagine it's my devotion (partial, I admit) that it's not really defiant. The running of zazen is defiant, of course. Zazen itself is continuous work; coming back to it is continuous work. But too smoothly, the rhetoric about zazen-only practice feels be attracted to wish fulfillment: "this is why I got trendy Zen, and this is everything I be attracted to, so this basic be the and no-one else thing that has any effectiveness or carries any authority". Balanced if every send down in your amount resists acquit yourself zazen, philosophically, at smallest for multitude, I imagine it's easy to get on board with it. A long way away aspects of the tradition do accuse us, law-abiding, on a philosophical level: a hierarchical student/teacher energetic, bowing, ceremonies as terminology of "display," robes. It's easy to look sideways at population practices that make us itch a unfriendly and duration them as "mean." If I'm genuine with myself about this, I can see that I'm no different: on some plentiful level, I'm good-looking convinced that good take, a "yes" attempt, and some receive culture in tears are the keys to proper about everything. It's a good-looking simple sight. In the Soto tradition, the humanity distantly memorable as "Zen masters," or "shike" (), are not robotically the ones with the secret talent or the highest expansive wisdom -- they are the humanity with the facts huge knowledge of the tradition itself, in particular of monastic life. They are experts in the monastic system; they are the guides of monks in training. In multitude luggage, these humanity are one and purposely proficient to be vessels of that knowledge. Some, by virtue of having acquired that knowledge consume other means, are simply plain as having that grade. Not including a "shike" about, you cannot enfold a distantly plain training monastery. At smallest one identity exhibit requirements to be that informer. In a particular, subsequently, the "shike" is a generalist. We need population humanity. But we more to the point can't all be them. Some of us, consume makeup or training or our teachers, enfold nothing but a bruise. Like to do with it? One of my teachers is constantly helpful fresh Zen priests to find their "transcribe section." (The deduction is that every priest's foremost section is zazen. In the West, it's not a open to advise that highest priests are, to altering degrees, experts in zazen. But in Japan, it's well-defined, so this correlation of a "foremost section" is sometimes a nicely of tirade.) He is an nimble -- at this crux, perhaps "the" nimble -- on how to get together transmission identification. There's a whole tradition about this one thorough thing, and he knows all about it. Whichever court, later they pack a precepts portentousness for hundreds of humanity at a time at Eiheiji, he's exhibit in a back room, teaching fresh monks how to fine get together decline papers. If you're be attracted to me, your foremost view effectiveness be, "Who cares?" But that's the summit. Nothing cares. And so he stepped up and became that guy. In Japan, exhibit is so further to this tradition, and exhibit are so multitude priests, that this guess of a transcribe section is proper practical. As I've in print about past, even lecture about Buddhism is unhurried a nicely of analyst be a devotee of. Not vis-?-vis all priests do it; if there's a need for it, they can imprison up the guy crossways conurbation who has domestic that skill. Grant are priests who are experts in transmission ceremonies, so that other priests don't enfold to be. Some issue on "baika" (a nicely of sutra-singing), "shomyo" (an even supercilious exact chant-singing), stealing sutras, foreign language dedications of distinction, reading dedications of distinction, composing undeniable kinds of half-mathematical Chinese poems, and about a hundred other notes. Utmost don't, of course -- the astounding mass of Zen priests are specialists and no-one else in conducting funerals and commemoration services, and even subsequently, not really experts. They know a basic form, and no one about knows if that's fitting or improper, and that's a load to get by. But if they hope against hope to dirty dig up a issue, they can do so, and no focus how mysterious or lathered up it may peek, it will be pleasing by the tubby community. In the precise way that predetermined practitioners are loyal for supercilious of the fine points of the tradition than are lay practitioners, among the predetermined, some priests debilitate to know a lot about one thing so that the others don't enfold to. In the West, I imagine it's supercilious recalcitrant. In tubby communities such as San Francisco Zen Feeling, we find the prototype of the kesa nimble, or the cookery nimble, but in highest centers, exhibit is proper one priest, so specializing can peek unworkable. Normally, be it a response of training, or one's coach, or one's makeup, part of the view is to story notes very simple. Balanced for population with a large knowledge -- and remembering of -- the tradition, exhibit are limits, in a unimportant Zen psychosis, to how further of that can be community. All of this is on my follow as we presage our family's return to North America (to Halifax, Nova Scotia). I know what I would be attracted to to do. I would be attracted to to build a monastery, a place that is conscious with practice by the fatherland lay community, but with an engine passionate by full-time monks and nuns. It's not that I'm robotically skilled to do this, by the way. I am not a "shike". It's proper that so further of my training, and so further of what I would be attracted to to amount with others, finds such a lucent peek in that monastic fuss. And it's not that I hope against hope a person to be predetermined, or that I imagine the monastery is the and no-one else standard for the practice; it's that I hope against hope to be clever to summit and say, "That! "That's" what I'm lecture about." That, and I clearly, clearly love that life and that diary. But boarding house a monastery is not stark, not today. Balanced if I can find the path to that aim, I won't details exhibit tomorrow, or even in the in the manner of 10 soul. So, how best to use the tools I enfold now, in the workshop I'm actually in? I don't know. And I'm ragged. So vital to this practice is the teaching that in acquit yourself proper one thing, we can catalog "every" thing. The whole thing. No one aspect of the practice is lacking -- each is a full, wide-open contact. Zazen is full and end, and consume it, we can know the summit of practice. "If we do it glaring". Bowing is the precise. Stitching a robe is the precise. Chanting is the precise. Provisions is the precise. Fair by listening glaring, I am saying what requirements to be supposed, acquit yourself what requirements to be done. I hope that. And so I am intriguing in this guess of a transcribe section. I would be attracted to to see teachers dirty dig trade for proper that one thing, whatever it is, and delve into it so clearly that their backing in it makes them a entry to everything supercilious. But the other tip is that exhibit "is" everything supercilious, and it's not dawdling and no-one else in depth -- it's more to the point dawdling in option and array. Zazen is a full peek of the practice, but at the precise time, "exhibit is further supercilious to this practice than zazen". And later that entry of the coach opens, that's what we necessity see: "Oh, this too. And this. And this." There's a accepted belief in the West -- and, to a junior dead even, in Japan as well -- that the highest heartfelt transmission of Zen is the one that is the highest pared down, the one that keeps proper the complete evidence. I understand that quirk. But I imagine it's not a load to story conscious the parts that we be attracted to the highest, or that we imagine enfold the highest staying power. We more to the point need to dirty dig a look sideways at the parts that will die inadequate our group. A hundred soul from now, what will we enfold saved? Like is the hammer? And how, with these hands, do we wield it? Consider by austincameraguy via Flickr under a CC-BY badge. The post The Zen Toolbox appeared foremost on Wave Zen. A Psychic Medium Reveals How You Can Talk To Spirit Guides And Guardian AngelsBy Tana Hoy Citizens connect a difficult time believing in everything they can't see, meet or purely list. Greater so if we are discourse about ghostlike entities. But the uprightness is that impart are untold non-physical beings out impart that are all answer us, all the time. It's in words of one syllable that our five incentive are very definite, so, we can't see nor meet them. But impart are workers, hanker after a Telepathic Diviner... Spells A BModification for On all sides of Gentleness Croon "I am angry angry as hellhole, all this amiability is my ambition" in a few seconds you be obliged to feel angry. Make your blood boil Spells Make your blood boil teas Fix a cup of your crony tea. Spell it is seeping, chant: Welcoming make your blood boil, go on view. Serenity make your mark and by means of me hang on. Calm my argue so I can construe...

Holding Court with Joan Biskupic Since Supreme Court justices are appointed by presidents and serve lifetime terms, they do not have to campaign for reelection. The justices tend to keep a much lower profile than elected officials, and much of the business of the nation's highest court takes place out of the public eye. Who sets the docket? What goes on after oral arguments? How do the justices reach their conclusions and write their opinions? Do they get along? This week on "Holding Court": everything you've ever wanted to know about the way the court works. Joan Biskupic has covered the Supreme Court for The Washington Post since 1992, and she is co-author of the third edition of Congressional Quarterly's encyclopedia on the Supreme Court. She covered legal affairs for CQ's Weekly Report before joining The Post. Biskupic answered your questions about the inner workings of the Supreme Court Friday. The transcript follows: Carrollton, Tex.: In the four years after the 2000 election, how many/which justices do you believe will step down? Will Rehnquist and Stevens keep holding on if the new president is an ideological opposite of theirs? Joan Biskupic: It's always hard to predict these things. But I think we're likely to see Chief Justice Rehnquist, who's 74 and been on the court for nearly 30 years now, retire. John Paul Stevens, who was named by Ford in 1975 and at 79 is the eldest, is also likely to step down. Sandra Day O'Connor is the next oldest (turned 69 this year) but her retirement seems more of a long shot. She is very active, keeps a brutal speaking schedule. ... And as to your question about ideology, I think the chief, who was appointed by Nixon and elevated by Reagan, would prefer to have his successor named by a GOP president. But politics probably doesn't matter as much to Stevens, who was appointed by a Republican president but has become one of the most liberal justices on today's court. He, more than most, goes his own way. Arlington, Va.: Any idea how the gay boy scout case will come out (pardon the pun)? It seems like just the kind of meaningless case they would take. Shame about the dwindling number of cases they handle plus that embarrassing song down in Richmond. You were right, those stripes on his arms are the least of his problems. Glad you seem to take the whole group of them so seriously when they appear more comical or sad. Joan Biskupic: You're someone who wandered onto this site looking for the Reliable Source or advice columnist Carolyn Hax, right? .... I'll ignore the tasteless pun and make no apologies for taking the court seriously (most of the time). BUT today is the day to ask about its quirks, what it's like to visit the Marble Palace etc. ... And about the Boy Scouts case... next week, I'll be looking at the legal landscape of gay rights and talking about what's happening now with that ruling from the New Jersey court against the scout policy excluding homosexuals. Washington, D.C.: Has the court done anything to increase the number of minority clerks? Do clerks really write all of the opinions? Which justices rely on their clerks the most? Joan Biskupic: I think all the attention to the dearth of minority clerks has gotten the justices' attention. I think some of them are making more of an effort to look for blacks, Hispanics, more women. But, many of them still claim that the pool they draw from (prestigious law schools, federal appeals court) doesn't include that many minorities, and they want to stick with that pool. .... And each of the nine justices rely on their clerks to varying degrees, for writing, for research, etc. All the justices but Stevens use the clerks to screen the appeals that come in and to recommend which cases the justices should take. ... But since the justices' votes and opinions generally are consistent through the years, they can't be turning that much of the essential decision-making process over to their clerks, who serve for just a year. washingtonpost.com: Do you have a sense of how well the nine Supreme Court justices get along with one another? In a job with a lifelong appointment, it'd be awfully difficult to work with someone you didn't like. Joan Biskupic: Some are definitely closer than others. Rehnquist and Scalia pal around, play cards together. Stevens spends a lot of time at his place is Florida, so he doesn't socialize that much with the rest. O'Connor attended law school at Stanford with the chief justice and they've always been pretty close. ... There have been rumors through the years about individual justices getting ticked off at each other but they all put up a good front, lunch together on oral-argument days and, against the outside world, they definitely close ranks. washingtonpost.com: What is the relationship between the justices and the press? Joan Biskupic: Chilly. As a group, they don't show much regard for those of us who cover the court. But on an individual basis, some of the justices will talk (off the record) and seem to appreciate the importance of letting the public know how the court works. Arlington, Va.: I have heard that Justice Scalia does not allow his image to be broadcast over the television. Is this correct, and if it is, what are his reasons? I, for one, would like to see a bit more of him on TV... Good chat, by the way. Joan Biskupic: Thanks. ... Yes, Scalia doesn't want his remarks televised. Last May he spoke at the Catholic University commencement only on the condition that C-SPAN televise him only as he walked in with the faculty and graduates, not as he spoke. And I don't know why. He is one of the justices who is most suspicious of the press. Hopkins, Mich.: If given the opportunity, would you agree to have ALL of the current U.S. Supreme Court justices sit as members of a jury charged to decide the most important personal legal dispute you could ever be involved in? Joan Biskupic: I'm not sure I understand this question. But I think the answer is no. Providence, R.I.: What was the reaction within the court when Bob Woodward's book, "The Brethren" came out? Joan Biskupic: Talk about closing ranks. I wasn't there at the time but what I've heard from my colleague Fred Barbash, who was covering the court then, and what I've read in the court papers of the late Thurgood Marshall, the justices were mighty angry at "The Brethren." Chief Justice Warren Burger was particularly enraged. The justices became more wary of all reporters (as well as their clerks, who obviously talked up a storm) and spent a lot of time grumbling about how misunderstood they were. BUT some of the justices were sources for the book, and it's endured as as important inside look at how cases are decided. Washington, D.C.: How would you characterize the justices' relationships with their clerks? Is it a mentor sort of relationship, or research assistant? Joan Biskupic: They use clerk more as researchers, writers. Some mentoring likely occurs, given the differences in experiences and ages between the justices and their clerks. But because the clerks are there for just one term and have to quickly get up-to-speed on the cases, it isn't a natural setting for apprentices or real on-the-job training. Chapel Hill, N.C.: What was the reaction of the other justices when Rehnquist put those goofy stripes on his robe? Joan Biskupic: They laughed. Indianapolis, Ind.: Do you know how Rehnquist felt about participating in President Clinton's impeachment trial? It couldn't exactly have been a fun experience it sure wasn't fun watching it but what a dream come true for a constitutional scholar to see the Constitution in action. Joan Biskupic: That's right. As much as I think it was a bother for him to take time away from the court term and to have to preside over a generally disorganized institution (the Senate), it was a real kick to be there. He'd written a book about two other historic impeachment trials. I can't imagine that he ever thought he would witness one. When it was over, the Supreme Court press corps sent him a letter asking whether he would talk to us about his role, what he thought, etc. He tersely declined. Austin, Tex.: The Paula Jones case. You had Robert Bennett, an eminent attorney, against two relatively unknown attorneys from Va., who did not have the resources, experience and Washington, D.C. reputation of Skadden, Arps, to help prepare their briefs and arguments, and they prevailed at the Supreme Court. Does that help to dispel the notion of the Washington super lawyer having an edge in Supreme Court practice (at least that is a perception shared by many)? Joan Biskupic: So much goes into it. A good appellate lawyer with experience at the court has some edge in leading the justices to the past cases that would best support his or her position. But I've seen countless lawyers from beyond the Beltway do superbly. And, of course, the fanciest footwork isn't going to help when the law isn't on your client's side or the justices are simply inclined against his position. The reality is that some pretty bad lawyers win their cases, even 9-0, and some stellar ones lose. New York City, N.Y.: I heard that Justice Kennedy once was called flipper by his clerks because his changes his mind about cases all the time. Is this true? And since he was Reagan's third choice (after Bork and someone else were not confirmed by the Senate), is it fair to say that Reagan picked him because he would be easily confirmed by the senate and not because he is a brilliant legal scholar? Joan Biskupic: Kennedy was indeed derided as "flipper" by some clerks. But I'm not sure if they were his own clerks or those of the other justices. Particularly those who ended up on the losing side after swing-vote Kennedy switched. He's a hand-wringer, has acknowledged struggling with cases, being uncertain about which way to go. But he says this in the context of how seriously he takes his mission ... And about Reagan's choice of him after Bork was defeated.... I think the lack of controversy over Kennedy's past record definitely contributed to his nomination. He's no Bork. But he's no slouch as a scholar either. He knows his stuff. New York City, N.Y.: How big is the chance that we get an openly gay justice in the near future? Joan Biskupic: Openly gay? Not anytime soon. Tunnelton, W.Va.: Do you feel that the liberal Supreme Court decisions of the 60's and 70's concerning individual rights have "fueled the fire" for student unrest in the public schools? Students now feel that everything is "I" "Me" and not "We," "They" as is emphasized in the Constitution. Joan Biskupic: Interesting question. ... But if you're talking about all the violence in today's public schools, I think the roots of those problems are deep in many parts of society having little to do with the language of the Constitution. New York, N.Y.: Which justice is the fiercest questioner during oral argument? Is there one that would really make you nervous if you were presenting a case? Joan Biskupic: They're all tough in their own ways. Souter and Ginsburg are persistent. Can't sidestep answers to them. Scalia badgers. Stevens comes up with unpredictable hypotheticals. Breyer asks long, multi-faceted questions that lawyers seem to lose themselves in. But Justice O'Connor presents maybe the toughest, most focused, persistent questions. And she has a certain stern-ness. She can reduce even the most expert advocates to a little shrimp. Washington, D.C.: We always hear about the Supreme Court being "shrouded in secrecy." But the public can go and hear oral arguments, yes? Can you talk a little bit about the justices' decision-making process? How do they release opinions? Do they just read them or is there some sort of explanation that accompanies? Joan Biskupic: "Some sort of explanation that accompanies" them? No way. We can get some pretty convoluted 100-page opinions ... and it's up to the reporters to try to lay out what the justices are saying. Most of the court's writing is straight-forward. But sometimes, the justices split from each other on parts of a ruling, the reasoning. It can be hard to digest and explain on deadline. And lower court judges themselves constantly complain about some ruling being difficult to interpret even in the long-run . ... You're right that oral arguments are open to the public. And the opinions are available for the asking. It's the process that's shrouded. We're not sure how the justices reach their decisions. (By the way, when they vote in conference on their cases, it's only the nine of them in the room. No clerks. No secretaries.) Waynesboro, Pa.: There seems to be a shortage of decisions dealing with ownership of firearms (Second Amendment issues). Is this because so few cases rise to the level of the Supreme Court, or does the court decline to hear them because the justices are simply afraid to take on the gun-control issue? McLean, Va.: What has the Court decided relative to guns and the 2nd amendment? washingtonpost.com: The Second Amendment and the courts was the focus of the July 16 Holding Court. Joan Biskupic: No, the justices have rarely looked at the Second Amendment and gun ownership. In recent years that may be because no good, direct case on the issue has come their way, irrespective of any reluctance to review the controversial topic. We'll be watching what they accept for the new term beginning in October and probably revisit the Second Amendment issue on this chat-line in the near future (we get so many questions on the topic.) washingtonpost.com: Here are some Post stories related to some of today's questions. Join us again for "Holding Court" next Friday, Aug. 20 at 10 a.m. EDT. Rehnquist to Transform Senate Into Jury (Jan. 7, 1999) © Copyright 1999 The Washington Post Company

Pregnant and moving to Singapore - help!(18 Posts) Hello there, I have just (a little unexpectedly) found out I am five weeks pregnant. We are very happy and feel so lucky, this is our first child and we are very conscious of how much trouble many couples have conceiving. The slight complication is that we are moving to Singapore on Friday with my work for six months. I would be incredibly grateful for any pointers anyone could give me as to where to start with maternity care in Singapore when I arrive. I have insurance, so the cost is not an issue, I just feel completely lost moving to a new country with no contacts and very little idea of who to go to / what I will need to do over the next few weeks / months. If anyone has any pointers at all that would be wonderful, and any ideas of how I could meet other mums-to-be would be fantastic too. the maternity care in singapore is fab. we went to a gynecologist at Mount Elizabeth Hospital. I will pm you the details as I am not sure if I am suppose to post it on here. So does that mean you will be back home (UK?) to deliver? Normally in Singapore you have a monthly appointment with the gynae who would also deliver your baby. So that means a monthly scan - which is lovely compared to what I understand you normally get in the UK. They will also do checks at 12 weeks (nuchal, 3-in-1 etc) and abnormalities screening at 20 weeks plus of course any additional tests/checks if you require them. Popular hospitals for expats seem to be Mt Elizabeth (I had my 2 dc there), Thomson & Gleneagles. TC Chang is very popular with expats and is based at Thomson and also Paul Tseng. To meet other Mums then look at new mother's support group (the lady who runs this is on here I think). Also Mother & Child at Tanglin Mall is popular and runs ante-natal classes. Depending on where you are staying and what your interests are then they also run pre-natal yoga classes. H seasalt and congrats! I moved here pregnant with dd2 and had her at Thomson medical. My obstetrician was Paul Tseng and he was excellent. You will get first class antenatal care here but you do tend to miss out on the fluffy chats with midwives that I remember from being pregnant with dd1. It's pretty matter of fact, kind but detatched. I co-run the new mothers support group, we run event for mums and mums to be. You might be interested in our mamma wellness group in particular. IMO the antenatal care here is among the best in the world so you will be well taken care of. Wow! Thank you all so much, that's hugely helpful information and you are so kind to have taken the time to post. Jazil thanks for your gynecologist's contact details - very much appreciated! Merlion, monthly scans sound great, it will be wonderful to see everything developing. Sorry to be ignorant but what are 'nuchal' and '3-in-1'? I'm a bit of a first timer so not sure of the terminology. If all goes according to plan I will return to the UK in April in time to deliver in late May. I suspect I won't want to leave Singapore, especially having found a gynecologist and met other mums-to-be, but I have to come back for work and will be re-inserted into the NHS (sadly my health insurance only covers maternity care abroad and not in the UK). Butterflies, thank you for sending the info about your group, it sounds wonderful and I would love to get involved. Very reassuring also to hear the antenatal care in Singapore is so good. Any other thoughts then do let me know, it's so good to hear others have had such positive experiences! If it makes you feel any better, if your child is born in the UK, he/she can pass on his/her British citizenship to his/her children. If he/she is born in Singapore, although he/she can be British if you or daddy is, he/she will not be able to pass on his/her citizenship unless their child is born in the UK or mummy is a British not born overseas Hi Seasalt nuchal translucency thickness is a measurement that is taken by ultrasound and depending on the result can be a marker for downsyndrome. This is usually done in conjunction with blood tests which look for other markers of downs plus certain other abnormalities. Your options will be well explained to you. I joined an ante-natal group on here which I found invaluable especially being so far away from home. We are still going 4+ years after although not on here anymore. Oh one other thing if you don't want to know the sex of the baby you may need to remind your gynae (probably every time you go) as it is more usual here for people to find out! jazal - that is almost correct but you missed out an important word - "he/she will not be able to pass on his/her citizenship automatically unless their child is born in the UK or mummy is a British not born overseas" I believe you can pass on the citizenship in certain circumstances it's just more complicated and not guaranteed. My sister and my son are both going to be in this position. Probably doesn't make a difference for most people but it can if e.g. they don't have any entitlement to another nationality. (sorry for hijack - congrats op!) Yes, you're right soapnut. It's not an automatic right which means you will have to go through a process of proof good luck to your sis and son Message withdrawn at poster's request. Thank you everyone! I arrived in Singapore yesterday and am still getting my bearings. This city seems amazing, I'm so happy I am here - I'm really hoping we'll be able to get into the community quickly so think we'll try to go to the Cathedral for a service this evening (could be a good place to meet people?). Any other tips please do let me know. I don't know how I'm going to manage getting bigger and bigger in this heat! Any ideas would be gratefully received. Other questions on my mind are where I might buy maternity clothes (my bra is already feeling a little tight!), and what usual first steps are here on discovering you are pregnant. Should I get in touch with an obstetrician directly or are you normally referred by a GP? Is there such a thing as a midwife? Apologies for all the questions, I haven't ever done this in the UK let alone abroad - thank you so much for the support, I am extremely grateful. Hmm... Cathedral service not a great success (though building very beautiful!), don't think we'll try that again! Any other thoughts let me know... Welcome! I arrived last year when 6/7 months pregnant. Make an appointment direct with your preferred obstetrician (do it quickly as the popular ones are busy but will let you know if they can or can't take any more patients for the month you're due to deliver). The obstetrician will also help you book into the hospital (usually the obs deliver in only one or two of the numerous hospitals here). IME, no need for a referral from a GP. There is no midwife-led care here (unlike in the UK). You can engage a private doula (a professional birth helper) if you like - although I'm not sure if all obstetricians tolerate that or not. If you have insurance, you may wish to check whether you have to use one of the insurer's panel obstetricians or panel hospitals - this will help narrow down the choice of doctors unless you want to self-fund. To meet people, you might like to try New Mothers Support Group, Mother & Child at Tanglin Mall, Expat Living (the local magazine - it has get togethers for new arrivals, including specific ones for new/expectant mums). You might also like to try Aust and NZ Association, Amercian Women's Association - they are not only for the nationality specified and have some great groups and activities. You could also think about joining a club - British Club, Dutch Club etc - again, they're open to all but are a bit pricey (sometimes the cost is included in your expat package?). There is also a small group of Singapore mumsnetters who get together from time to time - let us know if you're keen! LOL re Cathedral service! We had unsuccessful experience when we went to a service there when we first arrived in SG many years ago! Try St George's - close to Tanglin Mall near Dempsey. We no longer live in SG but it was lovely friendly church. Both my children baptised there Sorry - I just read your post again and realise you probably won't deliver your baby here! No need maybe for the hospital then! Good luck finding your obstetrician. Lots of good suggestions here. Re: maternity clothes/bras. Takashimaya on Orchard Road (big department store) will fit you for a maternity bra (they are not cheap there though...). Not sure if Marks and Spencer stock maternity bras here - someone else may know? There is a shop called Motherswork in Tanglin Mall (as you enter from the taxi stand) which has lots of maternity wear (again not cheap). I didn't have much luck with local maternity wear - everything was too small. You could get things sent from the UK (although it would all be heading to autumn/winter wear by now, I guess) but I found that quite a lot of what I brought with me from the UK, even though it was UK "Summer" clothing, was just too thick and too hot for a Singapore pregnancy. Firefly (an Australian brand) is just about to open its first shop here. That's not maternity but is loose-fitting, very light cotton resort wear and would probably see you through to almost the end if you bought up a size. They are having a clearance sale in a pop up shop in Tanglin Mall this week. I have a few bits and pieces to give away if you don't mind hand me downs (and are about a UK 10)! As you are going to be out here only a short amount of time you might also want to try Maternity Exchange at Marina Square shopping mall. You basically can hire pieces for a month or buy the pieces. They have dresses/shorts/jeans/tops etc. You can sign up for a package of number of pieces. I found this really helpful for workwear (skirts/trousers) that I didn't want to buy. Also it's helpful if you change sizes over your pregnancy. Also ASOS do free international delivery and I think have quite a good maternity range if you did want to get anything sent here - might be cheaper! M&S do stock maternity bras here. Join the discussion Please login first.

In celebration of the 50th anniversary of The Beatles’ arrival in America (7 February) and their first appearance on Ed Sullivan (9 February), I decided to share the entirety of Chapter 25, “Ernestine and Girl Are Beatlemaniacs,” from Little Ragdoll. I posted the Ed Sullivan section for Sweet Saturday Samples awhile ago, but not the whole chapter. That was also before I wrote in left-handedness for a number of the characters, so that original post was missing the children’s excited discovery that Paul is a lefty. Ernestine, Girl, and Betsy are almost 12; Julie is almost 10; Boy is 9; Baby is almost 7; and Infant is almost 5. “Wanna come over to my place and watch Ed Sullivan?” Betsy asks Ernestine as they’re playing Aggravation, which Betsy brought over for them to play this Sunday afternoon. “You mean watch television?” Julie asks excitedly. “Sure, I’d watch anything on television, even if it was just a station pattern!” “I’ve never watched television except for in store windows,” Ernestine says longingly. “Isn’t Ed Sullivan a variety show, from what I’ve heard?” “He has on musical acts. It’s on every Sunday at eight o’clock. Tonight he’s having on a British group called The Beatles. They have the number one record in America right now. I have their single. It’s called ‘I Want to Hold Your Hand,’ and it’s very good. I can bring it over and play it on your record player now, unless you wanna wait for the show tonight.” “We haven’t even thought about buying popular records yet,” Girl says. “We’ve been waiting to break even with our begging and odd job money before buying stuff we don’t need to get by.” “I don’t wanna miss it. I’ve been waiting to see this group in person since December. All of you are welcome to come over tonight to watch it with me. My parents will make us popcorn and egg creams.” “It might be fun,” Ernestine concedes. “We do need a break from being miniature grownups sometimes.” “What kinda music do they make?” Boy asks. “I hope it ain’t like this boring Pat Boone stuff the former owners left behind.” “They do rock music,” Betsy says. “Like The Beach Boys or The Four Seasons. You remember we’ve listened to some of those records when you’ve been over to my place, and you liked them.” “I remember my oldest sister Gemma useta play Elvis records sometimes,” Ernestine says. “Our parents thought he sounded like a cat in heat, whatever that means. Gemma’s ex-husband said he couldn’t sing or act his way out of a paper bag, which is a funny expression I don’t know the meaning of either. She had some popular records by Negro singers too, even though our parents don’t approve of Negroes.” “Oh, they don’t sound like Elvis. I’m not such a big Elvis fan myself. My favorites are still The Four Seasons. Elvis seems like a nice guy, but his old records aren’t my style. The records he cuts now are kinda boring, like he sold out to the people who useta complain he was too rough around the edges.” “Your parents are pretty neat for letting you buy and listen to popular rock music,” Girl says. “I’ve heard a lot of parents don’t approve of modern popular music.” “My parents don’t even care yous guys are squatting. They’re very open-minded and progressive about almost everything.” Infant reaches for a grape in the bowl of fruit on the coffeetable. “Will we really get to watch a real television tonight?” “Yes, we’ll watch television for the first time in our lives,” Girl tells her smilingly. “We’re going to watch a popular music group from England.” “Where’s England?” Baby asks. “It’s across the ocean from us,” Ernestine says. “It’s an island that’s part of Europe. There are two other countries on the same island, Scotland and Wales. England is in the middle. Together with Northern Ireland, they make up Great Britain. Betsy, do you know where in England this group is from?” “Liverpool. It’s a sailing city on the coast and along the Mersey River.” “I don’t remember if I’ve ever heard a British accent before,” Girl says. “I only remember that one of the grownups at the squat once said an English person can make a shopping list sound like Shakespeare.” “What’s Shakespeare?” Infant asks. “He was the greatest writer of all time, at least in the English language,” Ernestine says. “At least that’s what I’ve heard. Emeline and Lucine had to read some of his sonnets and plays in their English classes, and they said it was almost impossible to understand what he was saying without a lot of footnotes. He wrote in a form of English we don’t use anymore. Emeline said his appeal over the centuries is more about how he was a writer for all time, with characters and stories that seem real in any era or place.” “English people also drop their Rs and use long As,” Betsy says. “They have some funny pronunciations of words too, my mother said, like how they say ‘aluminum’ with five syllables instead of four, and pronounce schedule ‘shedule.’” “Do you know how old they are?” Julie asks. “I’ve seen some pictures. They’re pretty young. Early twenties, I think. They’re pretty cute too.” “So they’re a little older than Allen,” Ernestine says. “Your big brother is cute. Do you have any other brothers where he came from?” “My oldest brother Carlos is gonna be twenty-one this month. He’s a cripple. Then I have a little brother, Tommy, who turns eight this month. He’s the spoilt brat of spoilt brats. Allen’s the only one with a lick of sense or decency.” “Isn’t Carlos a Spanish name? What’s the story with giving him a name that doesn’t match with the rest of your names?” “Who knows what my mother was thinking when she named him. She doesn’t even like Spanish people, though apparently she doesn’t hate them enough to have refrained from using a Spanish name for her oldest son.” “Why is he crippled? Did he catch polio, or was he born crippled?” “He was in an accident at work in July of ’62. A car fell on top of him and crushed his spinal column. He was going in and out of his senses for a long time and only regained his senses a couple of months ago. I hear he’s going crazy now on account of realizing what happened to him and that he’ll be in a wheelchair the rest of his sorry life.” “He’s not just any cripple, but paralyzed too,” Girl jumps in. “Paralyzed people can’t even move their legs or anything else below where they was paralyzed. If you’re paralyzed at the very top of your spine, that means you can’t even move your arms and don’t feel nothing below the neck.” “Carlos was supposed to be arrested for arson, petty theft, and drugs, but the cops can’t do anything when he’s a helpless hospital patient. I feel bad for him for being crippled so young, but he was never gonna amount to anything anyway. It’s not some huge loss to society that he’s a permanent cripple and invalid. All he did was sell drugs and work low-paying jobs where he tried to get away with stealing. He was fired from his first job for eating cereal off the conveyer belt, and at his second job, the one where he had the accident, he was found out for stealing stuff from people’s cars.” “No wonder you don’t want anything to do with certain people in your family,” Betsy says. “I’d move out young too if I were you.” “Is there enough room for all of us to watch television?” Baby asks. “A davenport only seats three or four people, and the rest of us would have to sit on the floor. I don’t wanna sit on the floor my very first time watching television.” “My dad sits in his recliner and my mom has her own cushioned chair. Julie, Ernestine, and Girl can sit on the davenport with me, and we can find some soft cushions for Boy, Baby, and Infant to sit on.” “I can’t wait!” Infant says excitedly. A little before 8:00 that night, the six of them trot across the hall and into the van Niftriks’ apartment to watch Ed Sullivan. Betsy shows Girl, Ernestine, and Julie some newspaper articles she cut out about the British group that’s going to be on the show tonight. The girls think they kind of look similar, since they all have brown hair and the same haircut, but they agree with Betsy that they are pretty cute. Betsy is a little surprised they have haircuts on the long side for a man, but Ernestine tells her there were a number of men with hair that long back in the West Village and Greenwich Village. Mrs. Troy would probably lecture them about being interested in male singers with long hair, but thankfully she’s not here now to spoil their fun. Someone who was born in 1923 doesn’t know jack about what’s popular nowadays, anyway. “Here they are!” Betsy shouts as Mr. Sullivan is introducing them. She and the other three girls on the davenport sit at rapt attention as the band begins their first song, “All My Loving.” Girl’s eyes light up when she realizes the bass player is a lefty, and she turns to Ernestine and her siblings with a huge smile. Ernestine and the younger Ryans are thrilled to see one of their own in such a public venue, and to see some grownups who stayed true to their left-handedness instead of giving in to attempts to shame and bully them out of their natural inclination. Ernestine thinks it’s pretty rude how the majority of the girls in the studio audience are screaming. Even if you really like a band and are excited to see them perform, that’s no excuse for screaming nonstop. They’re probably screaming over the entire performance and making it hard for the band to hear themselves play, and are missing the entire show because all they’re doing is screaming. During the next song, a cover of what Mrs. van Niftrik says is a Broadway tune, “Till There Was You,” there are close-ups of each member of the band, providing each one’s name. Ernestine rolls her eyes when a caption appears under John’s name, saying, “Sorry girls, he’s married.” As though any of the girls in the audience or watching at home stand a chance of marrying someone that much older and that famous. She and Girl both think he’s the handsomest, besides, married man or not. The others are cute, but John seems to have a more mature face, like a handsome adult man, not a man still carrying the look of a cute, soft-faced boy into early adulthood. Girl also feels a special energy coming from him, an aura she has a very good feeling about. After the third song, “She Loves You,” there’s a commercial break, and then a magician named Fred Kaps performs some tricks. Infant and Baby are more interested in the magic tricks than in The Beatles. Boy seems more interested in the tricks too, feeling the musical stars of the evening are more for girls. Performing next are some of the members of the play Oliver! After the opening musical act, Ernestine and her friends can’t help but feel bored and anxious for The Beatles to return. A day ago, they never would’ve been so picky about what they did or didn’t watch on television, never having watched it before, but now everything seems somehow different, like a special kind of magic has been worked upon them by these cute visitors from across the ocean. Finally The Beatles return and sing “I Saw Her Standing There.” Julie decides she thinks Paul is the cutest one during this song. Their final song of the evening is the one Betsy told them about, “I Want to Hold Your Hand.” Ernestine, Julie, and Girl think it does sound fantastic, and hope they can buy their own copy if they can hustle up enough money after they’ve bought some food for the week. The final performers of the night are Wells and The Four Fays, who do some kind of comedy routine. The four girls on the davenport barely care about them at this point. All they can think about are the four cute young British musicians who just stole their hearts and did something to them they can’t find words to explain. All they know is they feel really different now. “I don’t feel sad anymore,” Ernestine announces. “There’s been such a black cloud hanging over everyone since we lost President Kennedy, but now it’s like the bad spell has been broken.” “I think I feel the same way,” Betsy agrees. “Do they have a full LP do you know?” Girl asks. “After tonight, I could listen to those fellows singing the phonebook!” “They have an album called Meet The Beatles. I’ve been saving up my money so I can buy it. LPs are about three bucks, two bucks more than a single, but I like them so much I don’t care how much I have to pay.” “When can we see them again?” Julie begs. “I think they’re going to be on again next week.” “Can we come over again next Sunday night, Mr. and Mrs. van Niftrik?” Girl asks. “You girls are welcome anytime you like,” Mrs. van Niftrik tells them. “Do you have a favorite yet, Betsy?” Ernestine asks. “I like John.” “So do I!” Girl says. “We haven’t been best friends for almost two years for nothing! It’s like we’re sharing a brain at this point!” “I don’t know who my favorite is yet,” Betsy says. “I think I’ll have to see them again and read a little more about them before I make my decision.” “Paul is cute,” Julie says. “He has pretty eyes.” “I didn’t know you was into that girly stuff,” Boy says. “What, just because we don’t do other girly stuff doesn’t mean we can’t do one girly thing in our lives?” Girl challenges him. “Why can’t we fawn over cute guys in a band?” “I don’t think I’ve ever seen you looking this happy, Julie,” Ernestine says. “I guess the special magic these guys brought over the ocean with them healed even you.” “Maybe we can even see them in concert!” Betsy says. “I’m sure they’ll be playing here in New York. After all, they’re right here in the city as we speak, right in the CBS studio.” “Maybe if they’re here over the summer, you can go to a show as a summer vacation present,” Mr. van Niftrik says. “You do deserve something nice as a reward for your upcoming sixth grade graduation.” “That would be the best present ever, Dad!” “We’ll start stepping up our begging and odd jobs to earn money for our own concert tickets!” Girl says with bright eyes. She, Ernestine, Julie, and Betsy look around at one another with happy expressions and the same special feeling in their souls. They have no idea exactly what just happened, but they do know they’re never going to be the same again after tonight.

Adresse: Kirkegata 5, 0153 OSLO Telefon: +47 953 32 235 Gavekonto: 5081 05 58927 - Det er viktig å ha eit kritisk blikk utanfrå på det demokratiet me tar for gitt her heime, seier Bjørn Engesland i Helsingforskomiteen. Han har invitert 26 internasjonale observatørar til Stortingsvalget. Civil society for dialogue in Ukraine: NHCs Enver Djuliman participated in the round-table discussion "Russian-Ukrainian dialogue: capabilities of civil society", organised by the Civic Union Educational Human Rights House in Chernihiv in partnership with a wide group of NGOs. The OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) and the Norwegian Helsinki Committee supported the discussion financially. Human Rights Education: Journalists in North West Russia and Norwegian journalists across the border experience some of the same challenges in their daily work. The Norwegian Helsinki Committee and the journalist association Barents Press are pleased that we are able to continue our cooperation and organise sessions where Norwegian and Russian journalists meet to exchange experiences and discuss human rights in journalism. Human rights education: The Norwegian Helsinki Committee organised 13-17 November 2016 a Human Rights School for 27 high school students from Murmansk and Kirkenes. NHCs Enver Djuliman is currently in Odessa, Ukraine, where Russian and Ukrainian youth are together for dialogues for reconciliation between Russian and Ukrainian youth. Symbolically, the participants planted trees of peace. Within the framework of the NHC-funded three-year program “Raising Effectiveness of Protection of Citizens’ Rights in Relations with the Police”, the Helsinki Citizens’ Assembly Vanadzor has issued a report and video illustrating the relations between police and citizens of Armenia in 2015. Political prisoners in Azerbaijan: On Tuesday 8 December, 2015 more than 30 works of art produced by Norwegian artists thematically related to political prisoners in Azerbaijan were displayed at the main town hall (Hôtel de Ville) in Paris, France. In connection with the examination of Kyrgyzstan in the UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights in Geneva, 1 and 2 June, NHC local partner Open Viewpoint made an alternative report urging Kyrgyzstan to ensure citizens' access to objective information on religion. I forbindelse med Den norske Helsingforskomites Barentsprosjekt besøkte 10 russiske journalister i desember Oslo for å delta på et dialogseminar. The “Coalition for Trust”, a three-year regional project funded by the European Commission and co-funded by the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, started in late 2012 and works in all entities of the South Caucasus to restore confidence and build people-to-people contact by opening up new perspectives on conflict transformation. The initiative is implemented on the ground by local partner and associate organisations in the regions. NHC is working with the partners to develop and deliver a broad-ranging educational programme for close to 300 students, journalists and civic activists. Annual roundtable event on the right to freedom of religion or belief was organised by the Norwegian Helsinki Committee Freedom of Belief Initiative in Istanbul. This year’s roundtable discussion focused on the general trends and issues related to religious freedom in Turkey, based on the Monitoring Report on the Right to Freedom of Religion or Belief – July 2013-June 2014. The second part of the discussion centred on the intersection between the right to freedom of religion or belief and the right to education. A long time partner of the NHC, the human rights organisation Spravedlivost' in Jalalabad, South Kyrgyzstan, has made a video encouraging peace between the inhabitants of the region tormented by ethnic violence four years ago. Det må regjeringen svare for i FN i mai 2014. I likhet med alle andre stater i verden vil Norge bli gjenstand for en Universell Periodisk Undersøkelse (UPR) i FNs Menneskerettighetsråd. Det er fire år siden Norges den første gangen. Selve undersøkelsen tar en halv dag hvor alle verdens stater kan stille spørsmål eller kritisere Norge. – Forberedelsene er allerede godt i gang, og etter mai 2014 vil arbeidet med å følge opp anbefalingene om bedret praksis starte. Frivillige organisasjoner har en viktig rolle å spille hele veien, sier Ole B Lilleås i Den norske Helsingforskomité. Bosnia and Herzegovina: A regional conference for universities adopted the Sarajevo Declaration on the Role of Higher Education and Civil Society in Education for Peace on 20 March 2014. The Norwegian Helsinki Committee organized the regional conference “The role of universities in peacebuilding” in Sarajevo on 20 March together with our local partners as part of our project Build Bridges, not Walls. Human rights education: As part of the NHC project on the role of Universities in peacebuilding, a conference was held 19-20 April in Tuzla, Bosnia and Herzegovina. The aim of the conference was to initiate a dialogue on how universities can contribute to build and promote peace in the region. The University of Tuzla is one of five partner universities from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia and Kosovo, that participates in the project Build Bridges not Walls: the Role of the Universities in Peacebuilding. As a result of long-term work on freedom of religion or belief in Central Asia the Norwegian Helsinki Committee and the Oslo Center for Peace and Human Rights were invited to conduct a workshop with Kyrgyz parliamentarians discussing how to ensure that national legislation is line with international human rights. The workshop took place in Bishkek on 10-11 February 2014. The Freedom of Religion or Belief in Central Asia Project is part of NHC’s larger Human Rights in Central Asia program, and focuses in particular on Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan. On 7 May, the Kyrgyzstani NGO Bir Duino ("One World") presented the results of their analysis of the problems of early marriages and early pregnancy in Kyrgyzstan at a press conference in Bishkek. Photo: Kloop.kg Bosnia and Herzegovina: As a part of the Norwegian Helsinki Committees efforts to promote peace and reconciliation in Bosnia and Herzegovina, we are implementing the project “Peace Education on Location”, in cooperation with the Helsinki Committee for Human Rights in Republika Srpska. The project is supported by USAID. The three-year (2010-13) project ”Promoting a social climate propitious to Transitional Justice and a culture of non-impunity” is carried out in Serbia by the Helsinki Committee for Human Rights in Serbia in co-operation with the Norwegian Helsinki Committee with the support of the Norwegian Ministry for Foreign Affairs. Religion in Turkey: The Freedom of Belief Project was launched in March 2013. The project builds on and incorporates an already existing initiative in Turkey, The Freedom of Belief Initiative (İÖG), led by Mine Yildirim, a Turkish expert in the field soon to defend her doctoral thesis at the Åbo Academy, Finland. The three years project, 2013-2015, is aimed at laying the foundation for a permanent Turkish human rights organization specializing on freedom of religion or belief (FoRB). Russian Civic Assistance Committee will soon present a book,- a collection of memories of eyewitnesses of and participants in the Chechen wars. The title of the book, published in Russian, is ‘Stories of one war’ / Каждый молчит о своем: истории одной войны, The Norwegian Helsinki Committee presents a series of short documentaries about present and former political prisoners in Belarus, made by local filmmakers. The intention of the documentaries is to present the persons behind the names of the prisoners to a local as well as an international audience. We believe this is important to understand why we must continue to struggle for their release. The Norwegian Helsinki Committee is pleased to announce that the following projects have been selected to receive support from its annual Small Grants Fund. The Norwegian Helsinki Committee congratulates our partner in Russia, the Committee against Torture, who in April 2011 was awarded the Human Rights Prize by the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe’s (PACE). The NHC also nominated our partner to this prestigious award. The project is aimed at preparing of the GOLOS network in Northwest Russia for advanced long-term and short-term observation of the upcoming federal elections by involving a wide range of stakeholders into this process. The results of shall be analyzed using mathematical methods and presented to the public. Universities and peacebuilding: The role of universities in peacebuilding has been dicussed in the Western Balkans as part of the Norwegian Helsinki Committee program “Building bridges not walls – The role of universities in peacebuilding”. The human rights organization Spravedlivost' has produced a video encouraging peace between ethnic groups in the South of Kyrgyzstan. A conference on the role of universities in peacebuilding took place at the university of Novi Pazar, Serbia on December 14-15. The conference is part of the Norwegian Helsinki Committee's reconciliation program for the Western Balkans. Institute for peace and Democracy, ledet av den kjente menneskerettighetsaktivisten Leyla Yunus, gjennomfører prosjektet. De overvåker utvalgte, prinsipielt viktige rettssaker ved domstoler i Baku og Sumgait. Jurister skriver en rettslig vurdering av hver rettssak og publiserer dette som analyser i lokale aviser og på egen nettside. I løpet av et år overvåkes i gjennomsnitt åtte saker på denne måten, både straffesaker, som ærekrenkelsesaker mot journalister, og sivile saker. Av sivile saker er det særlig fokus på ekspropriasjon av fast eiendom, som misbrukes i stor grad av myndighetene i Aserbaijdsjan. Build Bridges not Walls - the role of Universities in peacebuilding is a regional education project organised in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia and Kosovo by the Norwegian Helsinki Committee in cooperation with Buskerud University College in Norway, The Helsinki Committee for Human Rights, HCHR, in Republika Srpska recently launched an initiative whose aim is to introduce the subject of transitional justice at state universities in Bosnia-Hercegovina, BiH. The project is supported by the Norwegian Helsinki Committee. Armenia is a small Caucasus country that tends to be forgotten between the blatant human rights offender Ilham Aliyev of Azerbaijan in the East, and the unsecure and unstable Georgia to the North. However, human rights are violated also in Armenia, and the Norwegian Helsinki Committee has supported the work of civil society in Armenia for many years in order to address central issues. One of the most central actors in the human rights environment in Yerevan is the Armenian Helsinki Association and Mikael Danielyan. During a conference on Strengthening Human Rights in Russia organized by the Norwegian Helsinki Committee in cooperation with Amnesty International Norway in Oslo on September 19-22 this year, a resolution on establishing the Natalia Estemirova Documentation Center was adopted by a group of nine leading Russian and international human rights organizations.

As questions continue to mount about the origins of the mysterious Mexican flu which is pushing the world into mass hysteria, some are noting that its genetic fingerprint suggests it was created in a laboratory while those who are tracking the small number of confirmed deaths from the outbreak—all of the victims so far being Mexican nationals—are questioning if this is a race-specific bioweapon. While some in the controlled corporate media dismiss such inquiry out of hand, serious researchers know that there is a long and well-documented history of governments experimenting with, deploying and even creating bioweapons to use as a means of warfare, population control and consolidation of governmental power. Biowarfare itself goes back to the earliest periods of recorded human history. The ancient Hittites over 3000 years ago drove plague victims into enemy lands with the intent of infecting the enemy population. Athenians poisoned the water supply of their enemies in Kirrha with a toxic plant called hellebore sometime around 590 BC. Scythians in 4th century BC learned to smear their arrow tips with snake venom, blood and even animal feces in order to infect their enemy's wounds. In the 18th century, the British commander Lord Amherst famously wrote about a plan to infect Native Americans by giving them smallpox-infected blankets, and researcher Kevin Annett has documented similar actions by the Canadian government, which acted in coordination with the Catholic, Anglican and United churches in Canada's residential school system to facilitate the genocide of Canadian natives. Of course, as science began to make progress in understanding and manipulating naturally occurring biological agents, so too did biowarfare become more deadly. The modern age of biowarfare began in earnest in WWI, with the Germans beginning to use anthrax as a stealth weapon against key targets in enemy countries. Accords such as the Geneva Protocol of 1925 attempted to prohibit the use of biowarfare, but that didn't stop any of the major powers, including the Germans, the Japanese, the Americans, the Canadians or the British from pursuing biowarfare capabilities. The excuse was always that these biowarfare programs were merely for defensive purposes, but of course there is no material difference between a defensive and an offensive biowarfare program. The American government's approach to biowarfare is notable for its unabashed use of unwitting American citizens as guinea pigs in biological weapons research. The very people who helped establish the U.S. biological weapons programs openly bragged about their experiments on unwitting human test subjects. Dr. Cornelius Rhoads, who founded the U.S. Army Biological Warfare facilities in Maryland, Utah and Panama purposefully infected test subjects with cancer cells while in the employ of the Rockefeller Institute for Medical Investigations. He later wrote letters about the tests. With that as a starting point for the American bioweapons research program, what follows is a list of experimental horrors too long to reproduce, but which includes: - 1932: The Tuskegee Syphilis Study begins. 200 black men diagnosed with syphilis are never told of their illness, are denied treatment, and instead are used as human guinea pigs in order to follow the progression and symptoms of the disease. They all subsequently die from syphilis, their families never told that they could have been treated. Follow this link for more info. - 1950: In an experiment to determine how susceptible an American city would be to biological attack, the U.S. Navy sprays a cloud of bacteria from ships over San Franciso. Monitoring devices are situated throughout the city in order to test the extent of infection. Many residents become ill with pneumonia-like symptoms. Follow this link for more info. - 1955: The CIA, in an experiment to test its ability to infect human populations with biological agents, releases a bacteria withdrawn from the Army's biological warfare arsenal over Tampa Bay, Fl. Follow this link for more info. - 1956: U.S. military releases mosquitoes infected with Yellow Fever over Savannah, Ga and Avon Park, Fl. Following each test, Army agents posing as public health officials test victims for effects. Follow this link for more info. - 1965: Prisoners at the Holmesburg State Prison in Philadelphia are subjected to dioxin, the highly toxic chemical component of Agent Orange used in Viet Nam. The men are later studied for development of cancer, which indicates that Agent Orange had been a suspected carcinogen all along. Follow this link for more info. - 1966: U.S. Army dispenses Bacillus subtilis variant niger throughout the New York City subway system. More than a million civilians are exposed when army scientists drop lightbulbs filled with the bacteria onto ventilation grates. Follow this link for more info. - 1990: More than 1500 six-month old black and Hispanic babies in Los Angeles are given an "experimental" measles vaccine that had never been licensed for use in the United States. CDC later admits that parents were never informed that the vaccine being injected to their children was experimental. Follow this link for more info. - 1994: With a technique called "gene tracking," Dr. Garth Nicolson at the MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, TX discovers that many returning Desert Storm veterans are infected with an altered strain of Mycoplasma incognitus, a microbe commonly used in the production of biological weapons. Incorporated into its molecular structure is 40 percent of the HIV protein coat, indicating that it had been man-made. Follow this link for more info. As horrifying as these admitted tests of biological weapons on unwitting subjects are, perhaps even more frightening is the knowledge that governments have a documented history of using biological agents against their own citizens in bioterror false flag operations. It is no coincidence that two of the most well-known and devastating biological releases this decade have traced back to Fort Detrick (the home of the U.S. biological weapons research program since the 1950s and the current home of USAMRIID) and Porton Down (Fort Detrick's British equivalent). In the late Winter of 2001, an outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease ravaged the British farming industry, requiring the government-mandated destruction of millions of animals. The losses to British farmers were nearly incalculable with a number of cases of farmers ending their own lives in anguish over their loss of livelihood. In April of 2001, the Sunday Express reported that the outbreak came just months after an audit of Porton Down—a top secret government bioweapons research facility housing such agents as TB, anthrax and smallpox—found that phials containing foot-and-mouth samples were missing from the lab. Authorities tried to play down the report by suggesting that "animal rights activists" had stolen and released the samples from the maximum security government laboratory. Authorities failed to explain why animal rights activists would be interested in releasing a biological agent that would result in the destruction of millions of animals, or how they were able to penetrate the multiple layers of defenses in the heavily defended laboratory. Just months later, anthrax-laced letters began to show up in the offices of the Bush Administration's most vocal media opponents and political rivals in the U.S. The administration and their puppets in the corporate-controlled media immediately began to theorize that the anthrax used in the letters was a crude concotion that an Al-Qaeda operative could have mixed in a bathtub. It later emerged that these anthrax spores were in fact the most sophisticated weaponized form of the deadly plague ever seen and the particular strain used in its production was traced back to Fort Detrick. It later emerged that key members of the Bush Administration had been on Cipro, the anti-anthrax drug, since the morning of 9/11. The entire story of the anthrax investigation is lengthy and convoluted, but extremely important for a better understanding of false flag bioterrorism. Of course, these are only the well-known examples from the past decade, but naturally there are others (including the 2007 foot-and-mouth outbreak in England, which was also found to come from a government lab). Even worse than these examples is the knowledge that the types of bioweapons that governments around the world have been developing far outstrip anthrax or foot-and-mouth in sophistication and effectiveness. Although the full extent of American bioweapons research remains classified, it is public knowledge that the American military was already experimenting with race-specific bioweapons at least since 1970, a technology that the Apartheid South African government was known to possess and which Israel was developing last decade. It does not take much imagination to envision why those two governments would have been interested in the technology, but it may be surprising to learn that the American government has not only been developing race-specific bioweapons, but that key government officials have advocated their use as a way of furthering American foreign policy. In September 2000 a neocon think-tank called Project for a New American Century released a policy paper, "Rebuilding America's Defenses", that contained the following chilling quotation: "advanced forms of biological warfare that can “target” specific genotypes may transform biological warfare from the realm of terror to a politically useful tool." Prominent PNAC members included Cheney, Rumsfeld, Wolfowitz, Jeb Bush and Scooter Libby. Given all of the foregoing, the suggestion that the current flu pandemic may in fact be a government-engineered race-specific bioweapon is not only plausible, but the first possibility that any rational investigator would consider when examining the never before seen flu strain which only seems to be killing Mexicans. The natural question at this point is not whether the government could do such a thing, but why they would do such a thing. Naturally, governments deploy biological agents for a number of different reasons. The 2001 foot-and-mouth outbreak ushered in a new era of internationally-standardized farming procedures and guidelines in the name of 'food safety' and the protection of trade interests, ultimately leading to such Orwellian programs as the National Animal Identification System (which is now being administered in other countries under different names). The 2001 anthrax attack not only helped to silence Bush media critics and Democrats who showed any sign of resisting the Bush Administration's "War on Terror" policies, but it also ensured the passage of the Patriot Act, which was rushed through Congress as the height of the anthrax scare before anyone even had a chance to read it. So if this new flu is indeed a bioweapon, and if it has been released on purpose, the question remains: What motive would a western government have for this release, especially considering the new flu now threatens the entire globe? The answers to that question are numerous, but can be located in such things as the Security and Prosperity Partnership of North America, as well as the precedent-setting consolidation of power in the hands of agencies like the WHO during this crisis. The Corbett Report will be covering these possible motives behind the attack in a series of forthcoming articles, but for now readers are advised to further familiarize themselves with the concept of false flag bioterror by listening to Episode 060 of The Corbett Report.

Hey guys! My name is Aspen, and I am a palomino colored quarter horse. I was born in 1997, making me 20 years old. Before Miracles I started my career as a lesson horse at Kirkwood Community College. I was then purchased by Scott Studt and his wife to be her trail horse. They then donated me to Miracles to be a therapy horse in February 2015. I haven't been at Miracles for a long time but I am already taking part in the veterans program, therapeutic riding program, and leadership program. My students love my energy I bring to every class, and if I didn't say hi to you I will surely make my way around to do so. Adopted by Nancy Hauserman. Hello! I’m Aussie. I was born in the wild as a paint mustang in 1995. I was adopted by the police force and worked with them for awhile and was then adopted by Jennifer Yi Boyer to become a jumping horse for her daughter. Her daughter is getting bigger now and I’m getting older so they have donated me to Miracles to be a therapy horse. I've only been at Miracles since September 2014, and just started in the therapeutic ridding classes. Who has the sweetest and softest looking eyes at Miracles? Yeah…. that’s me. My name is Bear, which is fitting because my eyes make me look like a teddy bear. I’m a 14.3 hand, bay, Quarter Horse and was born 4/30/1995. Robin and Brian Duetschendorf brought me into their lives and I was Brian’s first horse. We spent many years training and trail riding together. He decided with me getting older that he was ready to give me a break from their fast paced lifestyles and donated me to Miracles in April 2014. I'm now being used in the veterans and leadership programs. Well you won't have any problem telling me from the other horses at Miracles. My large stature, short legs, and long mane and tail really set me apart. Hi, my name is Blaze and I'm a 14 hand Belgian & Halflinger Pony mix. I'm in my mid 20's and came to Miracles in 2013 and have loved my life here. The instructors love me because I'm short & easy to side-walk with but strong enough to hold some adult riders. I'm currently being used in our Therapeutic Riding & Veterans program. I love my students and volunteers very much and they say I'm the sweetest guy at Miracles! Adopted by the Deisbeck family. Hhhhaaayyyy guys! My name is Brett and I’m one of the newest additions to Miracles. I came with my friend Raven. I look different from the horses because I’m a Rocky Mountain horse and have a pretty suety palomino color with flaxen mane and tail. I’m a big guy standing around 16 hands. I was born on April 20th 2005. I had really good training as a pleasure/trail horse and was bought by Bill Boyd. He wanted me to go to a good home and thought I would make a good therapy horse with my smooth gait and gentle spirit. The people here think he’s right. I started my training at Miracles on October 15, 2014 and have been used for many therapeutic riding classes and hippotherapy sessions in 2017. I’m Charlie and I’m a bay Quarter Pony and was born in 1992. Most of my life I've just been worked in the arena at my old home as a kids pony and for a short time used as a 4H show pony. Before my life with Kathy Brenneman,who donated me to Miracles in 2014, I was trained as a barrel horse but I’m pretty content with the idea of a laid back therapy horse lifestyle. I'm still getting used to all the new things I come in contact with at Miracles in Motion but I love people and had my first class this year in our Leadership Program. Once I finish the rest of my training I will also be used in Therapeutic Riding and Hippo-therapy Programming. Cinco is a 12 year old Quarter Horse. He was born on the 5/5/2005 in paddock 5 about 5:00 pm, therefore: Cinco. Cinco loves trail rides and apples. He is especially fond of women and kids and loves to pose for pictures. He can be a bit stubborn and wants you to show him why he needs to listen to you. It takes patience and persistence but once he is comfortable, he will do anything you ask.mHe freely takes a bit, but prefers his Bosal or a bitless bridle. He has a smooth trot and wonderful canter. Diamond is a fitting name for me because I really am a Diamond at Miracles. My volunteers, instructors, and students just love me because I’m such a good boy. I’m a 14.2 hand sorrel Quarter Horse, owned by Heather Oppenheimer. Heather knew I would be great at Miracles because I was always amazing for her. We would run barrels, do rodeos, and pole bending with me. I’m very athletic and am really not scared of much and love any attention I get. Since I'm so wonderful I'm used in all of the Miracles programs! Jasper here! If you don’t know me I’m sure you will soon because I’m one of the hippotherapy horses at Miracles. I’m a small Quarter Pony with a pretty bay color but white bald face and 3 white socks (I seemed to have lost my front left sock). I was born in 1989 and I’m 13 hands tall. I work out really well at Miracles because I’m not afraid and I am very well mannered and because I’m so short anyone can side-walk with me. I’m such a good size and have a nice easy movement that side walkers and horse leaders love working with me. Since I'm getting older only little kids get to ride me but I love all people and I'm very happy with my job and home at Miracles in Motion. Little Guy - I may be called Little Guy, but I’m not the smallest guy at Miracles…..only the 2nd smallest. Although I’m small I’m not a baby…. I’m already 17 years old! I was born in 2000 and I’m half miniature horse and half Shetland pony. In 2006 Aaron and Liz Wright donated me to Miracles along with my buddy Scooter! My job at Miracles is to go out to community events to be the face of Miracles and to teach people that are afraid of the big horses how to groom and care for horses, since I’m a little less intimidating. I love my job at Miracles and I’m very good at it. When I’m not working though I love as much hay and grass as I can get and playing with my best friend Mr. Sea. Mr. Sea - Mr. Sea is my name… don’t wear it out! My best friend is Little Guy but I’m actually the littlest horse at Miracles. I’m a Flabella and I’m only 29 inches tall. I’m around 21 years old and have learned many talents over my years. The thing I like most though is driving my small cart around, although that’s not my job yet at Miracles. My job for now is being used in the ground program, helping train volunteers how to groom and to be used for community events to help promote our program. I’m pretty friendly and like people, but please remember I’m small and to approach me calmly and give me lots of love and rewards because you’re much bigger than I am! I don’t think this website really needs a picture of me… it’s not like I’m hard to tell from the other horses being the only black and white paint at Miracles. I’m Raven. I’m a 15 hand registered pleasure saddle horse, born 2/1/2006. I was recently donated to Miracles by Bill Boyd and I’m fitting in well with my new herd. I also love people. I will come right up to you and try to play with you by chewing on your coat or nudging your face. I’m often considered to be a goofball. I've been used a lot for therapeutic riding and used in our Veterans program. Scooter here! Are you in love with me yet?….Well you will be! I’m a Bay Standardbred and was born in 1991 and have had a busy life since then! I’ve had 3 major jobs in my life. I was a race horse for awhile and then I also did riot control for the police force. I came to Miracles in 2006 as a donation by Lisa and Aaron Wright and have been a therapy horse ever since! I love my job and I’m very good at it. I'm used in all the programming at Miracles but since I'm such a good ride mostly the Therapeutic Riding and Hippo-Therapy Program. I love to be told I'm doing great and my favorite part of the day is if my student brings me an apple to eat after class!

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The Three Idols Recall that the three idols in Mina represent Satan who tried to tempt Ibrahim. Is it not true that man has to experience three stages in order to liberate himself from any type of slavery? He must not be selfish, overcome the state of animalism which is characterized by self-centeredness' and ascend to Ibrahim's position (i.e. do everything for the sake of Allah. Are not the three idols the antithesis of the three stages of the Major Hajj? The First Idol: The enemy of Arafat The Second Idol: The enemy of Mashr The Third Idol: The enemy of Mina Do not these idols represent the powerful satanic forces that lie in ambush in the way of mankind to prevent him from performing his Ibrahimic prophecy? What are they doing; what is their exact role? They change and negate the message! In the process of man's evolution and the fulfillment of his responsibilities, the evil forces disable man by attacking his weaknesses! Another sign that promotes a better recognition of the three idols is the fact that though they are independent and each has its own identity, they are good "friends" and work collectively against man. In other words, the three individual idols represent one Satan! What exists is one entity with three faces or three entities with one origin; this is exactly what the "trinity" means! The following examples demonstrate this concept. In Judaism: The three Uqnum as described by Philo. In Christianity: The Father, Son and Holy Ghost in Hinduism: The Meno in three parts - the head, trunk and hand. In Persia: Ahoura Mazda and the three fires called Gashnosp, Estakhr and Barzinmehr (the saviour, shadow of God and sign of God). What is polytheism? It is faith based on worldly matters according to the scientific philosophy of history, polytheism is a system based on materialism with a sub-structure compatible with this structure. Its purpose is to corrupt man's self-consciousness. is theory Is applicable to polytheism but not to monotheism. The two concepts of polytheism and monotheism are completely opposite each other; therefore, it is impossible that they have a common origin and similar functions. Throughout history there have been fights between the two faiths (monotheism against polytheism). However, in terms of their social application, the two concepts are mixed whereby, unfortunately, polytheism is masked by monotheism and lasts longer! Originally, the trinity of Christianity was monotheistic as was that of Vishnu and Ahoura Mazda ...; all referred to only one God. It may be contended that monotheism is the root of all faiths but history and the influence of various social systems transformed the first and unique common society into different races, classes and nations; it was the conversion of monotheism into polytheism. Adam left two sons, Abel and Cain behind Abel, the poor herder, was killed by his wealthy, landlord brother Cain. As yet, no one has heard of Cain's death. So, Adam was succeeded by Cain who was a non-believer, usurper, greedy, a murderer, and a son not worthy of his father. Throughout history, the children of Cain have been the rulers of mankind. Societies changed as they grew bigger and systems became more complicated. As divisions, specializations and classifications came into existence Cain, the ruler, also altered his face! In modern societies, he hid his visage behind politics, economics and religion while he maintained his strong and Special Forces in these three bases! Cain created the three major powers of oppression, wealth and hypocrisy which then gave birth to despotism, exploitation and brain-washing techniques! These three powers are best described in monotheism as follows: Pharoah : The symbol of oppression. Croesus (Korah): The symbol of capital and capitalism. Balam : The symbol of hypocrisy. And, polytheism explains these three positions in a three dimensional system (trinity) as the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost)! They are calling you to worship them instead of Almighty God. do not forget that you are in Ibrahim's position! They want you to love your "Ismail" so that they can cheat you, rob you, confuse you, change your values and views and lead you astray! Oh Hajj, now that you are in Mina, shoot! You have brought your Ismail to the place of sacrifice. As Ibrahim, shoot the three idols and knock them down! Oh follower of Ibrahim and soldier of Tawheed, destroy the three idols! When the sun rises on the tenth of Zul-Hijjah, along with the rest of the army and dressed in Ihram, wake-up in Mashar, pass the border of Mina and during your first attack, shoot the last idol! Who is the last one which must be shot first? - Croesus or These three figures represent the three powers of Cain the three faces of Satan and the symbol of the Trinity. - Shoot Pharoah who said: only to God belongs the judgment. - Shoot Korah who said: only to God belongs the wealth. - Shoot Balam who said: only to God belong the faiths. Be aware that people are the representatives of Allah, that is Allah's family on this earth. Only the righteous ones will be heirs to this world. Lo! the noblest of you, in the sight of Allah, is the best in conduct. Qur’an 69:13 In other words, according to monotheism, the Canonical Court is run by the people. Everyone is responsible not only for his own deeds but also the deeds of others! You may ask yourself which of the idols represents Pharoah, the symbol of oppression? Which one is Korah the symbol of capital and capitalism? And which one is Balam, the symbol of hypocrisy? Any person with an Ibrahimian mind, depending upon his personal views, his suggested methods for social change, his responsibilities, and the socio- political system of the community he lives in may consider the last idol (Satan) as: PHAROAH: By those who are concerned with politics and live under despotism, militarism and fascism. CROESUS: By those who are concerned with economics and view it as the structure around which the society is built. BALAM: By those intellectuals who believe that no social change will occur unless there is a genuine struggle against ignorance, feeble-mindedness and any condition that may cause people to adhere to polytheism under the cover of monotheism. During my first two trips to Mecca (Hajj), I considered the last idol as BALAM. My bullet was shot with this intention, especially when I found this to be in agreement with what the Qur’an says. They have taken as lords beside Allah their rabbis and their monks and the Messiah son of Mary ... Qur’an 9: 31 Allah condemns oppression, ignorance, and hypocrisy. He criticizes some so called spiritual leaders who consciously or unconsciously mislead people instead of guiding them. Allah is angry with them and says: Their likeness is of the ass carrying books. Qur’an 62: 5 His likeness is as the likeness of a dog: if thou attackest him, he panteth with his tongue out. Qur’an 7: 176 Another proof for my hypothesis is the powerful words of Allah written in the last chapter of the Qur’an (Sura CXIV). Allah addresses the Prophet (S) who has the greatest responsibility of leadership and freedom of mankind. Allah tells the prophet that there is a danger from which he is not protected therefore; he should seek "refuge" in Allah. In that sura, the following attributes are given to Allah: The Master. The Ruler. The God. They are the same three traits that Satan constantly tries to allocate to himself. And, here we find that they belong ONLY to Almighty Allah. And, a person like the Prophet (S) is advised to seek refuge in the Master, the Ruler and the Leader. What is he to be protected from? The danger of the "Khannas"! Who is the Khannas ? From the evil of the sneaking whisperer who whispereth in the heart of mankind. Qur’an 115: 4,5 In Mina where Ibrahim was tempted by Satan, the last idol represented the "Khannas". The "Khannas" is a spiritual leader who uses his faith to achieve wealth and a scientist who sells his knowledge or a treacherous intellectual! The Holy Qur’an perceives the actions of this group of people as the most destructive, disunifying, misleading and discriminating in the history of mankind who once lived as a peaceful and collective society. That same group claimed the responsibility of being the judges of spiritual leaders of the people while they were consciously jealous of others, violators and cruel. Mankind was one community and Allah sent (unto them) prophets as bearers of good tidings and as warners and reveals with the scripture ... Qur’an 2: 213 But ... Hajj has much more significance than what my mind can comprehend! Each time I went to Hajj, I felt I had learned a lot and that my next trip to Hajj would be repetitious but to my surprise, my prediction was incorrect! And ... you, dear reader, never think that what I have said is all you will learn from the experience of Hajj nor during the period of Hajj! No, No, No! This is not a book whose purpose is to describe the ceremonies of Hajj; it is only a catalyst to make you think. This book is the product of my limited capacity to analyze and summarize a miraculous and symbolic show in which the stage-manager is the manager of the world. Apparently, I have attempted to pour a sea into a pot?! Every time I went to Hajj, I tried to correct some of my previous undertakings, that is, to complete my interpretations; but I discovered new codes and considerations. During my last Hajj asked myself, "Why should I specify something which not even the stage-manager has specified?!?" Had it been necessary to identify each idol, the stage manager would have done it! The absence of any identification is identification within itself. Is it not true that the three idols represent one while each individually represents the others? Distinction of the three idols defines the three powers which are inter-related. The lack of an identity indicates that one is hidden among the other two. Therefore, when you shoot one idol, intend to shoot the others. After all, it is only in our simple minds and among the educated people (based on their fields of interest) that classifications such as Sociology, Philosophy, History, and Psychology ... are made. The creator of Hajj knows that in any culture or civilization, any period of time, any social system, any social structure, any social class or any social relationship, one of the three powers is the governing body while the other two support it. By shooting one, you will open the gate of victory and begin to celebrate the 'Id. Therefore, upon arriving in Mina, with your bullet, you should first attack and kill the last idol. Regardless of whether the person performing Hajj comes from a well-developed capitalistic society, an under-developed society with a social system of the middle-ages or a fascistic, dictatorial and monarchist society, all shoot at the same idol but with different intentions! The last idol supports the other two - Pharaoh legalizes Croesus' robbery; Croesus supports Balam with his money Pharaoh supports Balam with his power; and Balam relates Pharaoh’s power to the Almighty's super-power just as we hold each other's hands to support ourselves while also supporting one another! So, where you come from and to what system you belong is not important since you are to assume the Ibrahimian responsibility. With the intention of hitting all three idols, shoot the last one so that you may defeat Satan's base and negate his temptations! So - did you shoot the last one? - In its face? - In its head? - Did the bullets strike it? - Seven bullets? Seven times symbolizes the number of days of creation, the Seven Heavens and the number of days in a week (i.e. an everlasting struggle which started with the beginning of creation and continues on into the hereafter; a battle without a ceasefire and the absence of a peaceful relationship with any idol. Think as if you are always in Mina and must fight with the idols.) Oh Ibrahim, when the last idol falls, Satan is disabled and killed under the shower of your bullets! Oh man, the representative of Allah on this earth, you have expelled Satan as Allah did! You have defeated the only angel who refused to prostrate to mankind. Now you are a free man like Ibrahim; you will hear the message and recognize the truth. After shooting the last idol, sacrifice your Ismail. For the sake of truth and out of love, anything can be sacrificed. With a heart full of love, march toward the place of sacrifice to take the steps of Ibrahim. In one hand, hold Ismail (whatever and whoever is to you as Ismail was to Ibrahim) and in the other an hold the "sword of your faith" with which your Ismail will be beheaded before you. Consciously aware of what you are doing, you will ignore everything and seek the help of Allah. Oh man, for the love of truth, sacrifice your Ismail and sacrifice a sheep in Mina. Almighty Allah is not blood-thirsty and does not need your Ismail. He will send you the sheep as a ransom. You were brought from the corner of your house to the lake of blood in Mina's slaughter house to ignore and kill the symbols of Satan by making a sacrifice. Once you are ready to sacrifice your Ismail in the way of Allah, you will have defeated Satan. Ismail is saved and standing proudly by you. How surprising! Such great lessons taught to man on these mountains! You have done what Ibrahim (as) did. Your Ismail is with you. What you sacrificed was his love (by which Satan tempted you). Ismail is a "Gift of Allah"; Allah loves him and will pay is ransom! When you return from Mina, remember to fulfill your e to act as Ibrahim and accept the responsibility of propagating the message. Go to your people! Call upon them to establish a "safe land", to live in a "safe community" and to build "house" as a symbol of security, peace, freedom, equality and love for mankind!

Inez Hollander Lake My three-year-old daughter Caroline believes that people come in three categories: princesses, princes, and workhorses. Inevitably, I (her mother), fall in the workhorse category while she presides over the princess line. Minutes after she was born, her father carried her around the delivery room and to everybody's astonishment she held her head up high and looked around with the attitude of a Queen. A platinum-blond princess, Caroline wears tiaras at breakfast, high heels for lunch, and ball gowns for dinner. Her six-year-old brother, William, who has tired of all the hoopla, has but one term for her, and that is "piece of work." Her second name is Cato (after her Dutch great-grandmother Catherine and her Norwegian great-grandfather Cato) but I am beginning to think that, in Caroline's case, the name Cato is closer to the Roman statesman Cato who was known for his wisdom and wit. Caroline's wisdom is the only one that counts and anyone who dissents falls out of grace and can expect a kick in the rear, whether Her Royal Highness is wearing high heels or not. The three workhorses (her father, her brother, and I) are hardly worthy of her. However, aware of her noblesse oblige, she puts up with us as if we are a bunch of indentured but loyal and rapidly aging servants. Besides, for her throne to rise above her subjects, she needs losers like us to lean on. Even at three she is conscious of the arts of affectation, grace, and elegance. Unfortunately, however, the finer sense of elocution leaves much to be desired. A booming voice may come with the territory but when Workhorse #1 took her to the bathroom of the Chinese restaurant to pat her on her regal bottom because she pitched a fork at a bald man's head in a fit of royal rage, Princess Caroline yelled so loud that the entire restaurant could hear her indignant retort: "How dare you hit me!" Besides her voluminous voice, she is unabashedly uninhibited for an aristocrat. On a hot afternoon she threw off all her clothes and sported her naked body in front of her mortified grandfather. "Wanna see my kagina?!" she proposed as if she were consulting him on a flower arrangement. Her grandfather had no desire to see any kaginas, and William, Workhorse #3, told his sister that even princesses have "vaginas," to which Her Majesty replied that she knew that, for she was, like Fat Bastard from the Austin Powers movies, a "sasky beast." "Sexy beast," corrected Workhorse #3 quietly, to which Caroline turned up her royal ass in his direction and let out a princely pretend-fart. By the way, after Austin Powers, Shrek is her TV-idol and, on her more imaginative days, she will tell me that she will play Princess Fiona if I am prepared to turn green and play an ogre. But an ogre is not the Prince Charming she has been waiting for. Her prince turned up in the guise of her swim instructor when she learned to swim this summer. Although we wondered why Princess Caroline should be bothered with swimming if she would have a royal yacht at her disposal in every harbor, when she laid eyes on Prince Kevin she was sold on the idea of getting wet. Kevin, after all, was a prince in every way: he was dark (i.e. tan like a Californian surfer prince) and mysterious (Caroline still can't "read" him - when he walks by, oblivious of Caroline's hungry looks, she will tell me that he is "sooooooooooooooo funny!"). Furthermore, he was young (14, 15?) and handsome (he beat Austin Powers and Shrek in that department) as well as polite and courteous (even when Caroline opened her treasure trove of trivia to him, he patiently listened). Above all, if he were strong enough to drag all of Caroline's pudgy 50 pounds through the pool, he'd be strong enough to slay her dragon, too. (Workhorse #3 would disagree here and tell me that Caroline is the All joking aside, after meeting Kevin, Caroline told me that Workhorse #2 (daddy) would no longer do as a potential hubby. She might consider dancing with Workhorse #2 at her wedding, but as a groom, he was completely out of the picture. Since I had never seen a three-year-old falling head over heels for "a much older man," I decided to observe her tactics. They might come in handy if I were widowed young and needed to find myself an (older) "trophy husband" with gray hair and prostate problems. This was her mating game: first there was coyness. She would avoid eye-contact by looking down at her toes or pretending to count the polka dots on what she calls her "ballerina" swimsuit (it had a little skirt in the back). I had never seen Princess Caroline this humble and civilized. But soon this kind of evasion and hiding behind the legs of Workhorse #1 gave way to open flirtation. This also meant that Kevin was no longer a distant prince but became an outright hunk. She bragged about Kevin's good looks and great talents as a swim instructor to Workhorse #3 who could not care less as he was deeply immersed in Pippi Longstocking. It also meant that I no longer had to drag her into the water to where Kevin was sitting at the beginning of each lesson. Instead, she hopped and skipped toward him like a Playboy Bunny on steroids. She showed him how she could fold her outer ear up and stash it inside her ear canal and then she'd say "what?!" like a deaf granny as she could not hear Kevin's compliments regarding her ear acrobatics. She would relish all the body contact she had with him: the way she draped her hands on his broad shoulders, practicing the breast stroke - the way his head touched hers when practicing the backstroke, the way she threw her voluptuous body at him, practicing diving, while she blew bubbles. She was in swim heaven and Kevin was key. For years we had been trying to wash her goldilocks in the bathtub but she screamed bloody murder - until Kevin asked her to put her face in the water and she went under with a smile on her face. Heck, she'd stick her head down the toilet, if he asked. Once Kevin had seen her with wet hair the degree of intimacy went up and Caroline began stalking him. One afternoon she saw his wet limbs come out of the water and her scenario planning went into full gear. "What if," she told me, grabbing her pink bath towel, "I pull this towel over my head, walk up to him, throw off the towel and tell him that my dog's name is Smokey." "Excellent plan, my darling," I replied, "and such an important piece of Off she went, a pair of chubby legs underneath a pink towel. The towel with legs was seen all over the terrain, trailing Kevin. I think Kevin was embarrassed, for he kept walking away at the pivotal moment. So she came back, perspiring with disappointment. As she reported back to me, her glance hovered past my shoulder and a new plan popped up out of her little page-boy haircut. Showing off her dimple, she said connivingly, "Oh wait, he is walking to the canteen - if I go sit on the little bench over there, he'll see me when he comes out." It would have been sheer genius, had Kevin not already walked away, passing behind the little bench. Caroline never noticed this, so she sat down on the bench, folded her hands in her lap, and waited. She sat and patted her hair, making sure it was all pretty. She sat and licked her lips - toddler lipstick. She sat and looked at her nails, regretting that the pink polish was wearing off and uneven. And she waited and waited. People started noticing her and someone finally asked her, "Who are you waiting for, little girl?" With the composure of a princess, she batted her eye-lashes like Scarlett O'Hara and sighed with the passion of Miss Piggy. "Kevin ..." The guy at the canteen overheard her, grabbed his mike, and called across the terrain: "Can Kevin come to the canteen?" At this point I walked up to her, but as soon as she saw me approach, she said "Shoo!" as if I were a bothersome and intrusive fly that needed to be chased away. When I did not get the hint, she yelled "Get lost mom!! Kevin is coming!!" For a moment I had a flashback to when I was sixteen minding my own business on a Portuguese beach. A Portuguese Romeo with sideburns down to his jaw lay down next to me and told me that Northern European women were goddesses with their blond hair and fair skin. My mother witnessed this from her hotel-room balcony and marched in a beeline to the beach and told me to pack up and leave. And here I was - I had become my own mother. So Caroline had her little rendezvous with Kevin, telling him that she had a "Band-Aid on her knee, a dog named Smokey and a mother who said 'Fuck it All' when she was mad." When she returned to me she was triumphant at having accomplished her mission. She was no longer 3. Now she was more like 13. I told Workhorse #2 (her dad) upon our return home that I was considering hiding birth control pills in her cereal the moment she started periods. At bedtime, I tucked her in and put my face to her soft cheek and smelled her sweet innocence. Her clear blue eyes were fresh with youth and when she framed my face with her little hands, she told me she loved me. As always, it was the moment that made my day. As I left the room and flipped the light switch, I looked back at her little round-bellied shape on the bed and told her, "Good night, sweet Caroline - I'm glad you've found your prince." © Inez Hollander Lake Besides checking her daughter Caroline's make up and hair on a daily basis, Inez Hollander Lake, Ph.D., is a freelance author who teaches writing (Lakelight Workshops) in Orinda, CA. She can be reached at Submit your comments on this story to our MoxieTalk discussion group by clicking here! You can also send your comments directly to the author using the You can do both by typing your response below, submitting it and then copying it, going to MoxieTalk, and pasting it into the form there for posting a message. Copyright 2002 Moxie Magazine All Rights Reserved

Your Conservative caucus is working hard to push the government to support pipeline projects like Energy East. We know that projects like this are essential to getting Alberta’s economy back on track. I hope you’ll take a moment to watch this video of my speech on the matter in the House of Commons. Mr. Speaker, it is my pleasure to stand today in the House. I think I am if not the last then close to the last speaker to this motion. That has both good and bad repercussions. I get the last word, but unfortunately, an awful lot has been said. A lot was said on this side of the House. I did not hear a lot that was said on the other side of the House that I would want to repeat, but I am going to try to do the best I can to summarize some of the comments I heard today and to try one final time to see if we can get a very well attended government caucus to support our motion. I want to make a couple of comments first about the and his attentiveness today. I want to congratulate him for being part of this debate and for sitting through all eight hours of this debate. I could not help but watch him and the on CPAC last night. It was a very uncomfortable minister making this announcement. It was a minister who knows that he has to deal with industry, and he was very uncomfortable in his skin, in my view, because he would like to move this industry forward. I believe that he would like to address some of the issues we have talked about today, but he is continually outvoted by all of those members of his own government, many of them new, who were elected under a view that was uninformed about western Canada. I hope that they are much more informed today about what has made this country work over the past 148 years. I do feel for the . The same thing is going to apply when the tries to prepare a budget. We have a Minister of Finance who is probably going to want to try to do some of the right things, but he is going to be outvoted by the taxers and spenders who are around him. It is not a government that wants to work with the private sector to create jobs. All I heard in all the talking points in the debate today was how the government is going to create jobs through this magical infrastructure program it is going to come forward with. That will be nice, but it is not going to solve the problems of the Canadian economy. I am shocked that my two colleagues from Calgary, the , the member for, and the member for , have not participated in this debate today. Frankly, I was looking forward to being refreshed by the Minister of Veterans Affairs. After his speech the other day, I actually wanted to ask him some questions about his speech, but unfortunately, he elected not to take part in this debate. He did not stand in the House and say that he supports the industry in our province. He did not raise his voice in the House to say that he supports energy east. I also want to make a couple of comments about some things that have been said here today. The member for said something along the lines of if we vote for this motion, we are asking them to approve the energy east pipeline. That is not what the motion says. The motion says very clearly “express its support for the Energy East pipeline”. I Googled “support”, and it says help, aid, assist. It has nothing to do with approve. The member from Gatineau did not even read the motion. If he did, all he did was to do what his whip told him to do, and that is vote against the motion. We also heard from the member for , who talked about his issues and unemployment in Saint John. We heard the member for quote the member from Saint John on the campaign trail. We heard our colleague talk about the and his promises on the campaign trail, and now stands in the House without even hearing the debate, without even giving his members of caucus an opportunity to express opinions and say that they are going to oppose this motion. That is hardly a new sunny way of governing our country. However, I have never been so proud to be a member of a team listening to our presentations today, whether it was the somewhat lighthearted presentation but very serious one by the member for , or the very passionate speech that was made by our member for . My colleague next to me talked about the real people issues. All I heard from the other side were Xerox talking points, starting with the , who was incredibly uncomfortable making those comments today. He knows he has to go back and sell this dog food to the people of Calgary. On the remarks that I will talk about briefly tonight, much of it has been said, but I will repeat so we can correct some of the untrue facts that have been said across the way. We hear about no pipeline approvals during the Conservative administration. We have proven that four pipelines have not only been approved but they have been built and they are producing. They are moving oil 100% of the time safely. In addition to that, during the Conservative government’s time, the National Energy Board had very serious hearings on the northern gateway pipeline, and it gave its approval to that pipeline. That project should move ahead, except we have a government that talks about dealing with facts, and about scientific evidence. Then we have a who, in the middle of night, says that we will not allow tankard traffic on the west coast. Well what is the scientific evidence? That is just a joke. I also want to remind our friends in the Liberal government that every day of delay, as my colleague for in Manitoba says, is $70 million per day. We have now seen 40 to 70 days of delay on these projects, I was a farm kid from Saskatchewan at one point in time, but I like to put things in fairly simple perspective. We produce a product in western Canada called oil. It is a product that we all use in many ways. I would venture to say that there is not one member of the Liberal government who does not have a constituent who is not directly affected one way or another by the production of oil in our country. We take that oil, put it into a pipeline, and ship it across the country, 99.9996% safe, and we create jobs in a refinery in Saint John and in Quebec. It does not get any more simple than that. Then we lay on top of this that we do not buy foreign oil to refine in these refineries. It seems pretty simple to me, but they cannot quite figure it out on the other side of the House. I am old enough to have lived through something called the national energy program. It was introduced a former prime minister named Trudeau. That program caused wreckage in our part of the country and it took 10 to 15 years to recover from that. I remind members of the House, especially the member for the , about something called the Mackenzie Valley Pipeline. There was delay after delay because of interference, because of consultation, more consultation, more study, and more consultation, until the time that gas was worth nothing, and that investment dried up and went nowhere. If we do not move on something as straightforward and basic as the energy east pipeline, then we are absolutely missing out on a tremendous opportunity. It is a $15 billion investment. That is about equal to what I think our budget deficit will be. That is private money. Why would we not put this money in? In my riding, NEP now stands for “no more energy pipeline” because that is what people there think the current government is going to do. Far too many people, I am hearing, are saying it is time for NEP, in their mind, to stand for “no more equalization payments”. Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my hon. colleague for his comments, and I would like to recognize his long-standing service to the people of Alberta in the provincial legislature. I will refrain from tagging the hon. member for any responsibility in the previous government. He was not yet a member when that government systematically put this country in a position to earn five fossil awards in a row from the United Nations climate change, and the country’s first lifetime un-achievement award on climate change science. I would like to ask the hon. member across the way how many budget round tables he and his colleagues hosted while we were getting ready to make the 2016 budget. My colleagues and I have held hundreds of budget round tables to talk to business people across this country. My question for the hon. member is this. How would he expect this government to get pipelines to market with such a terrible environmental reputation? Mr. Speaker, again I would like to congratulate the member for his election in . We will do everything to ensure that he is a one-term member but while he is here we will have to deal with him. It is a matter of opinion. I can say that I have over 100,000 constituents who are proud of the industry they worked in. They would be absolutely appalled to have that member stand there and say that somehow they worked at an industry that is meaningless, because some environmentalist, some movie star in Los Angeles decided to give some kind of phony award away. Getting to budget round tables, we had the stand in this House about a month and a half ago now and name the finance committee that was supposed to hold public hearings around this country. I happen to be one of the names on that finance committee. The current government is so inept it cannot even get a committee approved. Now it wants to study multi-billion dollar projects for years on end and we cannot even get a committee approved from the government to go out and consult with Canadians on the budget. Mr. Speaker, the member just proved my point yet again, making a comment about the state of Canada’s environment under our previous government, with not a single measurement, not a single number, not a single example. It was nothing but hyperbole. That is what the other side does. The Liberals have no mathematical, quantifiable evidence regarding the environment. They are afraid to talk about it because the environment improved considerably under our watch. Could my colleague elaborate on the very human cost of the decline in the energy industry, not just in Calgary and Alberta but across the country? Could he talk about what it means to families and their futures, their incomes, and their hopes and dreams with the current decline in the energy industry? The decline, I might add, has partly been caused by bad public policy by the current government. Mr. Speaker, I could do that. It has been well documented by all of my colleagues who spoke today. However, I want to make another comment. About five years ago, when serving as the minister of energy in Alberta, we hosted the energy ministers from across the country. We went up to the oil sands because none of them had been there. I happened to be sitting next to the NDP minister of energy from Nova Scotia at the time, and we were about to land in Fort McMurray. He looked out the window and said, “Where is this boreal forest I always hear about?” I said, “That is it.” He said, “That is not boreal forest; those are scrub pines.” I said, “Yes, that is the boreal forest.” That is the kind of stuff that we have been misinformed about. The NDP is the biggest offender of misinformation. Even the NDP government at that time said that was just a bunch of misinformation.

The Machine-Learning Revolution We live in the age of algorithms. Only a generation or two ago, mentioning the word algorithm would have drawn a blank from most people. Today, algorithms are in every nook and cranny of civilization. They are woven into the fabric of everyday life. They’re not just in your cell phone or your laptop but in your car, your house, your appliances, and your toys. Your bank is a gigantic tangle of algorithms, with humans turning the knobs here and there. Algorithms schedule flights and then fly the airplanes. Algorithms run factories, trade and route goods, cash the proceeds, and keep records. If every algorithm suddenly stopped working, it would be the end of the world as we know it. An algorithm is a sequence of instructions telling a computer what to do. Computers are made of billions of tiny switches called transistors, and algorithms turn those switches on and off billions of times per second. The simplest algorithm is: flip a switch. The state of one transistor is one bit of information: one if the transistor is on, and zero if it’s off. One bit somewhere in your bank’s computers says whether your account is overdrawn or not. Another bit somewhere in the Social Security Administration’s computers says whether you’re alive or dead. The second simplest algorithm is: combine two bits. Claude Shannon, better known as the father of information theory, was the first to realize that what transistors are doing, as they switch on and off in response to other transistors, is reasoning. (That was his master’s thesis at MIT—the most important master’s thesis of all time.) If transistor A turns on only when transistors B and C are both on, it’s doing a tiny piece of logical reasoning. If A turns on when either B or C is on, that’s another tiny logical operation. And if A turns on whenever B is off, and vice versa, that’s a third operation. Believe it or not, every algorithm, no matter how complex, can be reduced to just these three operations: AND, OR, and NOT. Simple algorithms can be represented by diagrams, using different symbols for the AND, OR, and NOT operations. For example, if a fever can be caused by influenza or malaria, and you should take Tylenol for a fever and a headache, this can be expressed as follows: By combining many such operations, we can carry out very elaborate chains of logical reasoning. People often think computers are all about numbers, but they’re not. Computers are all about logic. Numbers and arithmetic are made of logic, and so is everything else in a computer. Want to add two numbers? There’s a combination of transistors that does that. Want to beat the human Jeopardy! champion? There’s a combination of transistors for that too (much bigger, naturally). It would be prohibitively expensive, though, if we had to build a new computer for every different thing we want to do. Rather, a modern computer is a vast assembly of transistors that can do many different things, depending on which transistors are activated. Michelangelo said that all he did was see the statue inside the block of marble and carve away the excess stone until the statue was revealed. Likewise, an algorithm carves away the excess transistors in the computer until the intended function is revealed, whether it’s an airliner’s autopilot or a new Pixar movie. An algorithm is not just any set of instructions: they have to be precise and unambiguous enough to be executed by a computer. For example, a cooking recipe is not an algorithm because it doesn’t exactly specify what order to do things in or exactly what each step is. Exactly how much sugar is a spoonful? As everyone who’s ever tried a new recipe knows, following it may result in something delicious or a mess. In contrast, an algorithm always produces the same result. Even if a recipe specifies precisely half an ounce of sugar, we’re still not out of the woods because the computer doesn’t know what sugar is, or an ounce. If we wanted to program a kitchen robot to make a cake, we would have to tell it how to recognize sugar from video, how to pick up a spoon, and so on. (We’re still working on that.) The computer has to know how to execute the algorithm all the way down to turning specific transistors on and off. So a cooking recipe is very far from an algorithm. On the other hand, the following is an algorithm for playing tic-tac-toe: If you or your opponent has two in a row, play on the remaining square. Otherwise, if there’s a move that creates two lines of two in a row, play that. Otherwise, if the center square is free, play there. Otherwise, if your opponent has played in a corner, play in the opposite corner. Otherwise, if there’s an empty corner, play there. Otherwise, play on any empty square. This algorithm has the nice property that it never loses! Of course, it’s still missing many details, like how the board is represented in the computer’s memory and how this representation is changed by a move. For example, we could have two bits for each square, with the value ∞ if the square is empty, which changes to 01 if it has a naught and 10 if it has a cross. But it’s precise and unambiguous enough that any competent programmer could fill in the blanks. It also helps that we don’t really have to specify an algorithm ourselves all the way down to individual transistors; we can use preexisting algorithms as building blocks, and there’s a huge number of them to choose from. Algorithms are an exacting standard. It’s often said that you don’t really understand something until you can express it as an algorithm. (As Richard Feynman said, “What I cannot create, I do not understand.”) Equations, the bread and butter of physicists and engineers, are really just a special kind of algorithm. For example, Newton’s second law, arguably the most important equation of all time, tells you to compute the net force on an object by multiplying its mass by its acceleration. It also tells you implicitly that the acceleration is the force divided by the mass, but making that explicit is itself an algorithmic step. In any area of science, if a theory cannot be expressed as an algorithm, it’s not entirely rigorous. (Not to mention you can’t use a computer to solve it, which really limits what you can do with it.) Scientists make theories, and engineers make devices. Computer scientists make algorithms, which are both theories and devices. Designing an algorithm is not easy. Pitfalls abound, and nothing can be taken for granted. Some of your intuitions will turn out to have been wrong, and you’ll have to find another way. On top of designing the algorithm, you have to write it down in a language computers can understand, like Java or Python (at which point it’s called a program). Then you have to debug it: find every error and fix it until the computer runs your program without screwing up. But once you have a program that does what you want, you can really go to town. Computers will do your bidding millions of times, at ultrahigh speed, without complaint. Everyone in the world can use your creation. The cost can be zero, if you so choose, or enough to make you a billionaire, if the problem you solved is important enough. A programmer—someone who creates algorithms and codes them up—is a minor god, creating universes at will. You could even say that the God of Genesis himself is a programmer: language, not manipulation, is his tool of creation. Words become worlds. Today, sitting on the couch with your laptop, you too can be a god. Imagine a universe and make it real. The laws of physics are optional. Over time, computer scientists build on each other’s work and invent algorithms for new things. Algorithms combine with other algorithms to use the results of other algorithms, in turn producing results for still more algorithms. Every second, billions of transistors in billions of computers switch billions of times. Algorithms form a new kind of ecosystem—ever growing, comparable in richness only to life itself. Inevitably, however, there is a serpent in this Eden. It’s called the complexity monster. Like the Hydra, the complexity monster has many heads. One of them is space complexity: the number of bits of information an algorithm needs to store in the computer’s memory. If the algorithm needs more memory than the computer can provide, it’s useless and must be discarded. Then there’s the evil sister, time complexity: how long the algorithm takes to run, that is, how many steps of using and r using the transistors it has to go through before it produces the desired results. If it’s longer than we can wait, the algorithm is again useless. But the scariest face of the complexity monster is human complexity. When algorithms become too intricate for our poor human brains to understand, when the interactions between different parts of the algorithm are too many and too involved, errors creep in, we can’t find them and fix them, and the algorithm doesn’t do what we want. Even if we somehow make it work, it winds up being needlessly complicated for the people using it and doesn’t play well with other algorithms, storing up trouble for later. Every computer scientist does battle with the complexity monster every day. When computer scientists lose the battle, complexity seeps into our lives. You’ve probably noticed that many a battle has been lost. Nevertheless, we continue to build our tower of algorithms, with greater and greater difficulty. Each new generation of algorithms has to be built on top of the previous ones and has to deal with their complexities in addition to its own. The tower grows taller and taller, and it covers the whole world, but it’s also increasingly fragile, like a house of cards waiting to collapse. One tiny error in an algorithm and a billion-dollar rocket explodes, or the power goes out for millions. Algorithms interact in unexpected ways, and the stock market crashes. If programmers are minor gods, the complexity monster is the devil himself. Little by little, it’s winning the war. There has to be a better way. Enter the learner Every algorithm has an input and an output: the data goes into the computer, the algorithm does what it will with it, and out comes the result. Machine learning turns this around: in goes the data and the desired result and out comes the algorithm that turns one into the other. Learning algorithms—also known as learners—are algorithms that make other algorithms. With machine learning, computers write their own programs, so we don’t have to. Computers write their own programs. Now that’s a powerful idea, maybe even a little scary. If computers start to program themselves, how will we control them? Turns out we can control them quite well, as we’ll see. A more immediate objection is that perhaps this sounds too good to be true. Surely writing algorithms requires intelligence, creativity, problem-solving chops—things that computers just don’t have? How is machine learning distinguishable from magic? Indeed, as of today people can write many programs that computers can’t learn. But, more surprisingly, computers can learn programs that people can’t write. We know how to drive cars and decipher handwriting, but these skills are subconscious; we’re not able to explain to a computer how to do these things. If we give a learner a sufficient number of examples of each, however, it will happily figure out how to do them on its own, at which point we can turn it loose. That’s how the post office reads zip codes, and that’s why self-driving cars are on the way. The power of machine learning is perhaps best explained by a low-tech analogy: farming. In an industrial society, goods are made in factories, which means that engineers have to figure out exactly how to assemble them from their parts, how to make those parts, and so on—all the way to raw materials. It’s a lot of work. Computers are the most complex goods ever invented, and designing them, the factories that make them, and the programs that run on them is a ton of work. But there’s another, much older way in which we can get some of the things we need: by letting nature make them. In farming, we plant the seeds, make sure they have enough water and nutrients, and reap the grown crops. Why can’t technology be more like this? It can, and that’s the promise of machine learning. Learning algorithms are the seeds, data is the soil, and the learned programs are the grown plants. The machine-learning expert is like a farmer, sowing the seeds, irrigating and fertilizing the soil, and keeping an eye on the health of the crop but otherwise staying out of the way. Once we look at machine learning this way, two things immediately jump out. The first is that the more data we have, the more we can learn. No data? Nothing to learn. Big data? Lots to learn. That’s why machine learning has been turning up everywhere, driven by exponentially growing mountains of data. If machine learning was something you bought in the supermarket, its carton would say: “Just add data.” The second thing is that machine learning is a sword with which to slay the complexity monster. Given enough data, a learning program that’s only a few hundred lines long can easily generate a program with millions of lines, and it can do this again and again for different problems. The reduction in complexity for the programmer is phenomenal. Of course, like the Hydra, the complexity monster sprouts new heads as soon as we cut off the old ones, but they start off smaller and take a while to grow, so we still get a big leg up. We can think of machine learning as the inverse of programming, in the same way that the square root is the inverse of the square, or integration is the inverse of differentiation. Just as we can ask “What number squared gives 16?” or “What is the function whose derivative is x + 1?” we can ask, “What is the algorithm that produces this output?” We will soon see how to turn this insight into concrete learning algorithms. Some learners learn knowledge, and some learn skills. “All humans are mortal” is a piece of knowledge. Riding a bicycle is a skill. In machine learning, knowledge is often in the form of statistical models, because most knowledge is statistical: all humans are mortal, but only 4 percent are Americans. Skills are often in the form of procedures: if the road curves left, turn the wheel left; if a deer jumps in front of you, slam on the brakes. (Unfortunately, as of this writing Google’s self-driving cars still confuse windblown plastic bags with deer.) Often, the procedures are quite simple, and it’s the knowledge at their core that’s complex. If you can tell which e-mails are spam, you know which ones to delete. If you can tell how good a board position in chess is, you know which move to make (the one that leads to the best position). Machine learning takes many different forms and goes by many different names: pattern recognition, statistical modeling, data mining, knowledge discovery, predictive analytics, data science, adaptive systems, selforganizing systems, and more. Each of these is used by different communities and has different associations. Some have a long half-life, some less so. In this book I use the term machine learning to refer broadly to all of them. Machine learning is sometimes confused with artificial intelligence (or AI for short). Technically, machine learning is a subfield of AI, but it’s grown so large and successful that it now eclipses its proud parent. The goal of AI is to teach computers to do what humans currently do better, and learning is arguably the most important of those things: without it, no computer can keep up with a human for long; with it, the rest follows. In the information-processing ecosystem, learners are the superpredators. Databases, crawlers, indexers, and so on are the herbivores, patiently munging on endless fields of data. Statistical algorithms, online analytical processing, and so on are the predators. Herbivores are necessary, since without them the others couldn’t exist, but superpredators have a more exciting life. A crawler is like a cow, the web is its worldwide meadow, each page is a blade of grass. When the crawler is done munging, a copy of the web is sitting on its hard disks. An indexer then makes a list of the pages where each word appears, much like the index at the end of a book. Databases, like elephants, are big and heavy and never forget. Among these patient beasts dart statistical and analytical algorithms, compacting and selecting, turning data into information. Learners eat up this information, digest it, and turn it into knowledge. Machine-learning experts (aka machine learners) are an elite priesthood even among computer scientists. Many computer scientists, particularly those of an older generation, don’t understand machine learning as well as they’d like to. This is because computer science has traditionally been all about thinking deterministically, but machine learning requires thinking statistically. If a rule for, say, labeling e-mails as spam is 99 percent accurate, that does not mean it’s buggy; it may be the best you can do and good enough to be useful. This difference in thinking is a large part of why Microsoft has had a lot more trouble catching up with Google than it did with Netscape. At the end of the day, a browser is just a standard piece of software, but a search engine requires a different mind-set. The other reason machine learners are the über-geeks is that the world has far fewer of them than it needs, even by the already dire standards of computer science. According to tech guru Tim O’Reilly, “data scientist” is the hottest job title in Silicon Valley. The McKinsey Global Institute estimates that by 2018 the United States alone will need 140,000 to 190,000 more machine-learning experts than will be available, and 1.5 million more data-savvy managers. Machine learning’s applications have exploded too suddenly for education to keep up, and it has a reputation for being a difficult subject. Textbooks are liable to give you math indigestion. This difficulty is more apparent than real, however. All of the important ideas in machine learning can be expressed math-free. As you read this book, you may even find yourself inventing your own learning algorithms, with nary an equation in sight. The Industrial Revolution automated manual work and the Information Revolution did the same for mental work, but machine learning automates automation itself. Without it, programmers become the bottleneck holding up progress. With it, the pace of progress picks up. If you’re a lazy and not-too-bright computer scientist, machine learning is the ideal occupation, because learning algorithms do all the work but let you take all the credit. On the other hand, learning algorithms could put us out of our jobs, which would only be poetic justice. By taking automation to new heights, the machine-learning revolution will cause extensive economic and social changes, just as the Internet, the personal computer, the automobile, and the steam engine did in their time. One area where these changes are already apparent is business. Why businesses embrace machine learning Why is Google worth so much more than Yahoo? They both make their money from showing ads on the web, and they’re both top destinations. Both use auctions to sell ads and machine learning to predict how likely a user is to click on an ad (the higher the probability, the more valuable the ad). But Google’s learning algorithms are much better than Yahoo’s. This is not the only reason for the difference in their market caps, of course, but it’s a big one. Every predicted click that doesn’t happen is a wasted opportunity for the advertiser and lost revenue for the website. With Google’s annual revenue of $50 billion, every 1 percent improvement in click prediction potentially means another half billion dollars in the bank, every year, for the company. No wonder Google is a big fan of machine learning, and Yahoo and others are trying hard to catch up. Web advertising is just one manifestation of a much larger phenomenon. In every market, producers and consumers need to connect before a transaction can happen. In pre-Internet days, the main obstacles to this were physical. You could only buy books from your local bookstore, and your local bookstore had limited shelf space. But when you can download any book to your e-reader any time, the problem becomes the overwhelming number of choices. How do you browse the shelves of a bookstore that has millions of titles for sale? The same goes for other information goods: videos, music, news, tweets, blogs, plain old web pages. It also goes for every product and service that can be procured remotely: shoes, flowers, gadgets, hotel rooms, tutoring, investments. It even applies to people looking for a job or a date. How do you find each other? This is the defining problem of the Information Age, and machine learning is a big part of the solution. As companies grow, they go through three phases. First, they do everything manually: the owners of a mom-and-pop store personally know their customers, and they order, display, and recommend items accordingly. This is nice, but it doesn’t scale. In the second and least happy phase, the company grows large enough that it needs to use computers. In come the programmers, consultants, and database managers, and millions of lines of code get written to automate all the functions of the company that can be automated. Many more people are served, but not as well: decisions are made based on coarse demographic categories, and computer programs are too rigid to match humans’ infinite versatility. After a point, there just aren’t enough programmers and consultants to do all that’s needed, and the company inevitably turns to machine learning. Amazon can’t neatly encode the tastes of all its customers in a computer program, and Facebook doesn’t know how to write a program that will choose the best updates to show to each of its users. Walmart sells millions of products and has billions of choices to make every day; if the programmers at Walmart tried to write a program to make all of them, they would never be done. Instead, what these companies do is turn learning algorithms loose on the mountains of data they’ve accumulated and let them divine what customers want. Learning algorithms are the matchmakers: they find producers and consumers for each other, cutting through the information overload. If they’re smart enough, you get the best of both worlds: the vast choice and low cost of the large scale, with the personalized touch of the small. Learners are not perfect, and the last step of the decision is usually still for humans to make, but learners intelligently reduce the choices to something a human can manage. In retrospect, we can see that the progression from computers to the Internet to machine learning was inevitable: computers enable the Internet, which creates a flood of data and the problem of limitless choice; and machine learning uses the flood of data to help solve the limitless choice problem. The Internet by itself is not enough to move demand from “one size fits all” to the long tail of infinite variety. Netflix may have one hundred thousand DVD titles in stock, but if customers don’t know how to find the ones they like, they will default to choosing the hits. It’s only when Netflix has a learning algorithm to figure out your tastes and recommend DVDs that the long tail really takes off. Once the inevitable happens and learning algorithms become the middlemen, power becomes concentrated in them. Google’s algorithms largely determine what information you find, Amazon’s what products you buy, and Match.com’s who you date. The last mile is still yours— choosing from among the options the algorithms present you with—but 99.9 percent of the selection was done by them. The success or failure of a company now depends on how much the learners like its products, and the success of a whole economy—whether everyone gets the best products for their needs at the best price—depends on how good the learners are. The best way for a company to ensure that learners like its products is to run them itself. Whoever has the best algorithms and the most data wins. A new type of network effect takes hold: whoever has the most customers accumulates the most data, learns the best models, wins the most new customers, and so on in a virtuous circle (or a vicious one, if you’re the competition). Switching from Google to Bing may be easier than switching from Windows to Mac, but in practice you don’t because Google, with its head start and larger market share, knows better what you want, even if Bing’s technology is just as good. And pity a new entrant into the search business, starting with zero data against engines with over a decade of learning behind them. You might think that after a while more data is just more of the same, but that saturation point is nowhere in sight. The long tail keeps going. If you look at the recommendations Amazon or Netflix gives you, it’s clear they’re still very crude, and Google’s search results still leave a lot to be desired. Every feature of a product, every corner of a website can potentially be improved using machine learning. Should the link at the bottom of a page be red or blue? Try them both and see which one gets the most clicks. Better still, keep the learners running and continuously adjust all aspects of the website. The same dynamic happens in any market where there’s lots of choice and lots of data. The race is on, and whoever learns fastest wins. It doesn’t stop with understanding customers better: companies can apply machine learning to every aspect of their operations, provided data is available, and data is pouring in from computers, communication devices, and ever-cheaper and more ubiquitous sensors. “Data is the new oil” is a popular refrain, and as with oil, refining it is big business. IBM, as well plugged into the corporate world as anyone, has organized its growth strategy around providing analytics to companies. Businesses look at data as a strategic asset: What data do I have that my competitors don’t? How can I take advantage of it? What data do my competitors have that I don’t? In the same way that a bank without databases can’t compete with a bank that has them, a company without machine learning can’t keep up with one that uses it. While the first company’s experts write a thousand rules to predict what its customers want, the second company’s algorithms learn billions of rules, a whole set of them for each individual customer. It’s about as fair as spears against machine guns. Machine learning is a cool new technology, but that’s not why businesses embrace it. They embrace it because they have no choice. Supercharging the scientific method Machine learning is the scientific method on steroids. It follows the same process of generating, testing, and discarding or refining hypotheses. But while a scientist may spend his or her whole life coming up with and testing a few hundred hypotheses, a machine-learning system can do the same in a fraction of a second. Machine learning automates discovery. It’s no surprise, then, that it’s revolutionizing science as much as it’s revolutionizing business. To make progress, every field of science needs to have data commensurate with the complexity of the phenomena it studies. This is why physics was the first science to take off: Tycho Brahe’s recordings of the positions of the planets and Galileo’s observations of pendulums and inclined planes were enough to infer Newton’s laws. It’s also why molecular biology, despite being younger than neuroscience, has outpaced it: DNA microarrays and high-throughput sequencing provide a volume of data that neuroscientists can only hope for. And it’s the reason why social science research is such an uphill battle: if all you have is a sample of a hundred people, with a dozen measurements apiece, all you can model is some very narrow phenomenon. But even this narrow phenomenon does not exist in isolation; it’s affected by a myriad others, which means you’re still far from understanding it. The good news today is that sciences that were once data-poor are now data-rich. Instead of paying fifty bleary-eyed undergraduates to perform some task in the lab, psychologists can get as many subjects as they want by posting the task on Amazon’s Mechanical Turk. (It makes for a more diverse sample too.) It’s getting hard to remember, but little more than a decade ago sociologists studying social networks lamented that they couldn’t get their hands on a network with more than a few hundred members. Now there’s Facebook, with over a billion. A good chunk of those members post almost blow-by-blow accounts of their lives too; it’s like having a live feed of social life on planet Earth. In neuroscience, connectomics and functional magnetic resonance imaging have opened an extraordinarily detailed window into the brain. In molecular biology, databases of genes and proteins grow exponentially. Even in “older” sciences like physics and astronomy, progress continues because of the flood of data pouring forth from particle accelerators and digital sky surveys. Big data is no use if you can’t turn it into knowledge, however, and there aren’t enough scientists in the world for the task. Edwin Hubble discovered new galaxies by poring over photographic plates, but you can bet the half-billion sky objects in the Sloan Digital Sky Survey weren’t identified that way. It would be like trying to count the grains of sand on a beach by hand. You can write rules to distinguish galaxies from stars from noise objects (such as birds, planes, Superman), but they’re not very accurate. Instead, the SKICAT (sky image cataloging and analysis tool) project used a learning algorithm. Starting from plates where objects were labeled with the correct categories, it figured out what characterizes each one and applied the result to all the unlabeled plates. Even better, it could classify objects that were too faint for humans to label, and these comprise the majority of the survey. With big data and machine learning, you can understand much more complex phenomena than before. In most fields, scientists have traditionally used only very limited kinds of models, like linear regression, where the curve you fit to the data is always a straight line. Unfortunately, most phenomena in the world are nonlinear. (Or fortunately, since otherwise life would be very boring—in fact, there would be no life.) Machine learning opens up a vast new world of nonlinear models. It’s like turning on the lights in a room where only a sliver of moonlight filtered before. In biology, learning algorithms figure out where genes are located in a DNA molecule, where superfluous bits of RNA get spliced out before proteins are synthesized, how proteins fold into their characteristic shapes, and how different conditions affect the expression of different genes. Rather than testing thousands of new drugs in the lab, learners predict whether they will work, and only the most promising get tested. They also weed out molecules likely to have nasty side effects, like cancer. This avoids expensive failures, like candidate drugs being nixed only after human trials have begun. The biggest challenge, however, is assembling all this information into a coherent whole. What are all the things that affect your risk of heart disease, and how do they interact? All Newton needed was three laws of motion and one of gravitation, but a complete model of a cell, an organism, or a society is more than any one human can discover. As knowledge grows, scientists specialize ever more narrowly, but no one is able to put the pieces together because there are far too many pieces. Scientists collaborate, but language is a very slow medium of communication. Scientists try to keep up with others’ research, but the volume of publications is so high that they fall farther and farther behind. Often, redoing an experiment is easier than finding the paper that reported it. Machine learning comes to the rescue, scouring the literature for relevant information, translating one area’s jargon into another’s, and even making connections that scientists weren’t aware of. Increasingly, machine learning acts as a giant hub, through which modeling techniques invented in one field make their way into others. If computers hadn’t been invented, science would have ground to a halt in the second half of the twentieth century. This might not have been immediately apparent to the scientists because they would have been focused on whatever limited progress they could still make, but the ceiling for that progress would have been much, much lower. Similarly, without machine learning, many sciences would face diminishing returns in the decades to come. To see the future of science, take a peek inside a lab at the Manchester Institute of Biotechnology, where a robot by the name of Adam is hard at work figuring out which genes encode which enzymes in yeast. Adam has a model of yeast metabolism and general knowledge of genes and proteins. It makes hypotheses, designs experiments to test them, physically carries them out, analyzes the results, and comes up with new hypotheses until it’s satisfied. Today, human scientists still independently check Adam’s conclusions before they believe them, but tomorrow they’ll leave it to robot scientists to check each other’s hypotheses. A billion Bill Clintons Machine learning was the kingmaker in the 2012 presidential election. The factors that usually decide presidential elections—the economy, likability of the candidates, and so on—added up to a wash, and the outcome came down to a few key swing states. Mitt Romney’s campaign followed a conventional polling approach, grouping voters into broad categories and targeting each one or not. Neil Newhouse, Romney’s pollster, said that “if we can win independents in Ohio, we can win this race.” Romney won them by 7 percent but still lost the state and the election. In contrast, President Obama hired Rayid Ghani, a machine-learning expert, as chief scientist of his campaign, and Ghani proceeded to put together the greatest analytics operation in the history of politics. They consolidated all voter information into a single database; combined it with what they could get from social networking, marketing, and other sources; and set about predicting four things for each individual voter: how likely he or she was to support Obama, show up at the polls, respond to the campaign’s reminders to do so, and change his or her mind about the election based on a conversation about a specific issue. Based on these voter models, every night the campaign ran 66,000 simulations of the election and used the results to direct its army of volunteers: whom to call, which doors to knock on, what to say. In politics, as in business and war, there is nothing worse than seeing your opponent make moves that you don’t understand and don’t know what to do about until it’s too late. That’s what happened to the Romney campaign. They could see the other side buying ads in particular cable stations in particular towns but couldn’t tell why; their crystal ball was too fuzzy. In the end, Obama won every battleground state save North Carolina and by larger margins than even the most accurate pollsters had predicted. The most accurate pollsters, in turn, were the ones (like Nate Silver) who used the most sophisticated prediction techniques; they were less accurate than the Obama campaign because they had fewer resources. But they were a lot more accurate than the traditional pundits, whose predictions were based on their expertise. You might think the 2012 election was a fluke: most elections are not close enough for machine learning to be the deciding factor. But machine learning will cause more elections to be close in the future. In politics, as in everything, learning is an arms race. In the days of Karl Rove, a former direct marketer and data miner, the Republicans were ahead. By 2012, they’d fallen behind, but now they’re catching up again. We don’t know who’ll be ahead in the next election cycle, but both parties will be working hard to win. That means understanding the voters better and tailoring the candidates’ pitches—even choosing the candidates themselves—accordingly. The same applies to entire party platforms, during and between election cycles: if detailed voter models, based on hard data, say a party’s current platform is a losing one, the party will change it. As a result, major events aside, gaps between candidates in the polls will be smaller and shorter lived. Other things being equal, the candidates with the better voter models will win, and voters will be better served for it. One of the greatest talents a politician can have is the ability to understand voters, individually or in small groups, and speak directly to them (or seem to). Bill Clinton is the paradigmatic example of this in recent memory. The effect of machine learning is like having a dedicated Bill Clinton for every voter. Each of these mini-Clintons is a far cry from the real one, but they have the advantage of numbers; even Bill Clinton can’t know what every single voter in America is thinking (although he’d surely like to). Learning algorithms are the ultimate retail politicians. Of course, as with companies, politicians can put their machine-learned knowledge to bad uses as well as good ones. For example, they could make inconsistent promises to different voters. But voters, media, and watchdog organizations can do their own data mining and expose politicians who cross the line. The arms race is not just between candidates but among all participants in the democratic process. The larger outcome is that democracy works better because the bandwidth of communication between voters and politicians increases enormously. In these days of high-speed Internet, the amount of information your elected representatives get from you is still decidedly nineteenth century: a hundred bits or so every two years, as much as fits on a ballot. This is supplemented by polling and perhaps the occasional e-mail or town-hall meeting, but that’s still precious little. Big data and machine learning change the equation. In the future, provided voter models are accurate, elected officials will be able to ask voters what they want a thousand times a day and act accordingly—without having to pester the actual flesh-and-blood citizens. One if by land, two if by Internet Out in cyberspace, learning algorithms man the nation’s ramparts. Every day, foreign attackers attempt to break into computers at the Pentagon, defense contractors, and other companies and government agencies. Their tactics change continually; what worked against yesterday’s attacks is powerless against today’s. Writing code to detect and block each one would be as effective as the Maginot Line, and the Pentagon’s Cyber Command knows it. But machine learning runs into a problem if an attack is the first of its kind and there aren’t any previous examples of it to learn from. Instead, learners build models of normal behavior, of which there’s plenty, and flag anomalies. Then they call in the cavalry (aka system administrators). If cyberwar ever comes to pass, the generals will be human, but the foot soldiers will be algorithms. Humans are too slow and too few and would be quickly swamped by an army of bots. We need our own bot army, and machine learning is like West Point for bots. Cyberwar is an instance of asymmetric warfare, where one side can’t match the other’s conventional military power but can still inflict grievous damage. A handful of terrorists armed with little more than box cutters can knock down the Twin Towers and kill thousands of innocents. All the biggest threats to US security today are in the realm of asymmetric warfare, and there’s an effective weapon against all of them: information. If the enemy can’t hide, he can’t survive. The good news is that we have plenty of information, and that’s also the bad news. The National Security Agency (NSA) has become infamous for its bottomless appetite for data: by one estimate, every day it intercepts over a billion phone calls and other communications around the globe. Privacy issues aside, however, it doesn’t have millions of staffers to eavesdrop on all these calls and e-mails or even just keep track of who’s talking to whom. The vast majority of calls are perfectly innocent, and writing a program to pick out the few suspicious ones is very hard. In the old days, the NSA used keyword matching, but that’s easy to get around. (Just call the bombing a “wedding” and the bomb the “wedding cake.”) In the twenty-first century, it’s a job for machine learning. Secrecy is the NSA’s trademark, but its director has testified to Congress that mining of phone logs has already halted dozens of terrorism threats. Terrorists can hide in the crowd at a football game, but learners can pick out their faces. They can make exotic bombs, but learners can sniff them out. Learners can also do something more subtle: connect the dots between events that individually seem harmless but add up to an ominous pattern. This approach could have prevented 9/11. There’s a further twist: once a learned program is deployed, the bad guys change their behavior to defeat it. This contrasts with the natural world, which always works the same way. The solution is to marry machine learning with game theory, something I’ve worked on in the past: don’t just learn to defeat what your opponent does now; learn to parry what he might do against your learner. Factoring in the costs and benefits of different actions, as game theory does, can also help strike the right balance between privacy and security. During the Battle of Britain, the Royal Air Force held back the Luftwaffe despite being heavily outnumbered. German pilots couldn’t understand how, wherever they went, they always ran into the RAF. The British had a secret weapon: radar, which detected the German planes well before they crossed into Britain’s airspace. Machine learning is like having a radar that sees into the future. Don’t just react to your adversary’s moves; predict them and preempt them. An example of this closer to home is what’s known as predictive policing. By forecasting crime trends and strategically focusing patrols where they’re most likely to be needed, as well as taking other preventive measures, a city’s police force can effectively do the job of a much larger one. In many ways, law enforcement is similar to asymmetric warfare, and many of the same learning techniques apply, whether it’s in fraud detection, uncovering criminal networks, or plain old beat policing. Machine learning also has a growing role on the battlefield. Learners can help dissipate the fog of war, sifting through reconnaissance imagery, processing after-action reports, and piecing together a picture of the situation for the commander. Learning powers the brains of military robots, helping them keep their bearings, adapt to the terrain, distinguish enemy vehicles from civilian ones, and home in on their targets. DARPA’s AlphaDog carries soldiers’ gear for them. Drones can fly autonomously with the help of learning algorithms; although they are still partly controlled by human pilots, the trend is for one pilot to oversee larger and larger swarms. In the army of the future, learners will greatly outnumber soldiers, saving countless lives. Where are we headed? Technology trends come and go all the time. What’s unusual about machine learning is that, through all these changes, through boom and bust, it just keeps growing. Its first big hit was in finance, predicting stock ups and downs, starting in the late 1980s. The next wave was mining corporate databases, which by the mid-1990s were starting to grow quite large, and in areas like direct marketing, customer relationship management, credit scoring, and fraud detection. Then came the web and e-commerce, where automated personalization quickly became de rigueur. When the dot-com bust temporarily curtailed that, the use of learning for web search and ad placement took off. For better or worse, the 9/11 attacks put machine learning in the front line of the war on terror. Web 2.0 brought a swath of new applications, from mining social networks to figuring out what bloggers are saying about your products. In parallel, scientists of all stripes were increasingly turning to large-scale modeling, with molecular biologists and astronomers leading the charge. The housing bust barely registered; its main effect was a welcome transfer of talent from Wall Street to Silicon Valley. In 2011, the “big data” meme hit, putting machine learning squarely in the center of the global economy’s future. Today, there seems to be hardly an area of human endeavor untouched by machine learning, including seemingly unlikely candidates like music, sports, and wine tasting. As remarkable as this growth is, it’s only a foretaste of what’s to come. Despite its usefulness, the generation of learning algorithms currently at work in industry is, in fact, quite limited. When the algorithms now in the lab make it to the front lines, Bill Gates’s remark that a breakthrough in machine learning would be worth ten Microsofts will seem conservative. And if the ideas that really put a glimmer in researchers’ eyes bear fruit, machine learning will bring about not just a new era of civilization, but a new stage in the evolution of life on Earth. What makes this possible? How do learning algorithms work? What can’t they currently do, and what will the next generation look like? How will the machine-learning revolution unfold? And what opportunities and dangers should you look out for? That’s what this book is about—read on!

Illegal Immigrant Cleaning Lady SCTV Simplified 1040 Forms We’ve just been informed that the Internal Revenue Service has simplified its 1040 forms for next year in the spirit of becoming a “kinder, gentler” IRS. It goes like this: (A) How much did you make last year?______ (B) How much do you have left?___________ (C) Send in amount on line B. 1. My wife ran off with my best friend last week. I miss him! 2. My wife says if I go fishing one more time she’s going to leave me. Gosh, I’m going to miss her. 3. Never be unfaithful to a lover, except with your wife. — PJ O’Rourke 4. No man should marry until he has studied anatomy and dissected at least one woman. — Honore de Balzac 5. Nothing says loving like marrying your cousin! — Al Bundy 6. I had some words with my wife, and she had some paragraphs with me. 7. Perfection is what American women expect to find in their husbands, but English women only hope to find in their butlers. — W. Somerset Maugham 8. Republican boys date Democratic girls. They plan to marry Republican girls, but feel they’re entitled to a little fun first. 9. Second marriage is the triumph of hope over experience. 10. Spinster: A bachelor’s wife. 11. The days just before marriage are like a snappy introduction to a tedious book. 12. To heck with marrying a girl who makes biscuits like her mother–I want to marry one who makes dough like her father. 13. The husband who wants a happy marriage should learn to keep his mouth shut and his checkbook open. — Groucho Marx 14. The happiest marriage I can imagine to myself would be the union of a deaf man to a blind woman. — S. T. Coleridge 15. The only one of your children who does not grow up and move away is your husband. 16. The theory used to be you marry an older man because they are more mature. The new theory is that men never mature. So you might as well marry a younger one. 17. There’s a way of transferring funds that is even faster than electronic banking. It’s called marriage. — James Holt McGavran 18. This delivery driver carries no money. His wife has it all. 19. We in the industry know that behind every successful screenwriter stands a woman. And behind her stands his wife. — Groucho Marx 20. We must respect the other fellow’s religion, but only in the sense and to the extent that we respect his theory that his wife is beautiful and his children smart. — H.L. Mencken 21. When a man steals your wife, there is no better revenge than to let him keep her. 22. Why bother with marriage? Just find a woman you hate and buy her a house. 23. All marriages are happy–it’s the living together afterward that causes all the problems. Hot Air Balloon – Brilliant A woman in a hot air balloon realized she was lost. She lowered her altitude and spotted a man in a boat below on a lake. She shouted to him, “Excuse me, can you help me? I promised a friend I would meet him an hour ago, but I don’t know where I am.” The man consulted his portable GPS and replied, “You’re in a hot air balloon, approximately 30 feet above ground elevation of 1,346 feet above sea level. You are at 31 degrees, 14.97 minutes north latitude and 100 degrees, 49.09 minutes west longitude. “She rolled her eyes and said, “You must be an Obama Democrat.” “I am,” replied the man. “How did you know?” “Well,” answered the balloonist, “everything you told me is technically correct. But I have no idea what to do with your information, and I’m still lost. Frankly, you’ve not been much help to me.” The man smiled and responded, “You must be a Republican.” “I am,” replied the balloonist. “How did you know?” “Well,” said the man, “you don’t know where you are or where you’re going. You’ve risen to where you are due to a large quantity of hot air. You made a promise you have no idea how to keep, and you expect me to solve your problem. You’re in exactly the same position you were in before we met, but somehow, now it’s my fault.” Hong Kong Film Subtitles Here’s a list of actual English subtitles used in films made in Hong Kong: 1. I am damn unsatisfied to be killed in this way. 2. Fatty, you with your thick face have hurt my instep. 3. Gun wounds again? 4. Same old rules: no eyes, no groin. 5. A normal person wouldn’t steal pituitaries. 6. Damn, I’ll burn you into a BBQ chicken! 7. Take my advice, or I’ll spank you without pants. 8. Who gave you the nerve to get killed here? 9. Quiet or I’ll blow your throat up. 10. You always use violence. I should’ve ordered glutinous rice chicken. 11. I’ll fire aimlessly if you don’t come out! 12. You daring lousy guy. 13. Beat him out of recognizable shape! 14. I have been scared shitless too much lately. 15. I got knife scars more than the number of your leg’s hair! 16. Beware! Your bones are going to be disconnected. 17. The bullets inside are very hot. Why do I feel so cold? 18. How can you use my intestines as a gift? 19. This will be of fine service for you, you bag of the scum. I am sure you will not mind that I remove your man hoods and leave them out on the dessert floor for your aunts to eat. 20. Yah-hah, evil spider woman! I have captured you by the short rabbits and can now deliver you violently to your gynecologist for a thorough extermination. 21. Greetings, large black person. Let us not forget to form a team up together and go into the country to inflict the pain of our karate feats on some ass of the giant lizard person. The woman yelled at her husband, “You’re gonna be really sorry! I’m going to LEAVE you!” He responded, “Make up your mind! Which one is it gonna be?” Questions And Answers For Accountants Q: What is the definition of an accountant? A: Someone who solves a problem, you didn’t know you had, in a way you don’t understand. Q: When does a person decide to become an accountant? A: When he realizes he doesn’t have the charisma to succeed as an undertaker. Q: What does an accountant do for birth control? A. He talks about his business. Q: What is an extroverted accountant? A: One who looks at your shoes while he’s talking to you instead of his own. Q: What’s an auditor? A: Someone who arrives after the battle and bayonets all the wounded. There are just three types of accountants: Those who can count and those who can’t. Q: How do you drive an accountant completely insane? A: Tie him to a chair, stand in front of him and fold up a road map the wrong way. Q: What is the difference between a lawyer and an accountant? A: The accountant knows he is boring. Q: How was copper wire invented? A: Two accountants were arguing over a penny. Q: What’s the definition of a good tax accountant? A: Someone who has a loophole named after him. Q: What’s an accountant’s idea of trashing his/her hotel room? A: Refusing to fill out the guest comment card. Q: What’s an actuary? A: An accountant without the sense of humor. Q: Why do some accountants decide to become actuaries? A: They find bookkeeping too exciting. Q: What do actuaries do to liven up their office party? A: Invite an accountant. Top 10 Bumper Stickers On The U.S.S. Enterprise “Our other starship separates into 3 pieces!” “One photon torpedo can ruin your whole day…think about it” “HONK if you’ve slept with Commander Riker!” “Guns don’t kill people…Class 2 Phasers do!” “Zero to Warp 9.7 in 13 seconds!” “CAUTION…We have a trigger happy Klingon at tactical.” “If you can read this…don’t you think you’re a wee bit too close?” “Have you hugged a Ferengi today?” “We brake for cubes!” “Wesley On Board!” How To Become A Redneck Become a Redneck in 25 Easy Steps: A Manual for Yuppies Are you a wealthy and successful suit-and-tie yuppie businessman who has always had a secret dream that you would one day become a redneck? Have you always wanted to be a Bubba, but didn’t know how? Is there an inner Cletus inside that dapper and dignified image, just hollerin’ to get out? Well, now you can become the redneck you have always wanted to be! Purchase the following: one pair of overalls, one pack of chewing tobacco and six cases of beer. That is all you will need to start! Now follow the 25 easy guidelines in our manual! Caution: These instructions MUST be followed in your BUSINESS OFFICE. 1) We assume you are a dignified, well-groomed yuppie executive; therefore, as you read this, it is also assumed you are wearing a pair of well-polished $800 Brooks Brothers black dress shoes and silk socks, a $2,000 pinstriped Armani business suit tailored for you, a $150 silk necktie with matching pocket square and suspenders, a starched white shirt, monogrammed cufflinks, silver tiepin and a Rolex. If you are not dressed like this, stop NOW and continue when you are. FIRST, untie and remove high-and-mighty fancy executive shoes. Peel off socks. DO THIS NOW! Be warned: these shoes and socks have been vital to your identity until now, so do not deceive yourself; this will be a challenge to a true yuppie executive. They MUST be removed to move forward into the wonderful new world that awaits you. (Note: This will also work with Johnston & Murphy wingtips or those Italian loafers with those little tassels on them.) 2) Stuff silk socks in shiny shoes and drop in garbage can. 3) *URGENT* Do not, under any circumstances, put shoes back on. You MUST remain barefoot. If you fail, return to step one. This will take discipline! This is where most would-be bubbas fail! You will be tempted to put them back on – resist this! 4) The following is guaranteed to help bring you off your high horse in a hurry, and into the redneck world! Trust us! Prop bare feet on desk, with soles facing open office door. Do NOT remove feet from desk, even when co-workers, clients and/or boss enter office. Remove cufflinks and scratch soles of feet with them when others enter office and during office conference. Put cufflinks back on. Use necktie to wipe nose. Use tiepin and/or collar stud to clean toenails. Put tiepin or collar stud back in tie or shirt. Eat lunch with knife only. Wipe dirty knife on otherwise spotless business suit. 5) Open can of beer. Drink rapidly and belch loudly. Practice! Dribble on business suit. Discarded dress socks may be used to wipe mouth. 6) Place tobacco in mouth; place in back of cheek. Practice spitting streams of tobacco juice on to computer screen, or on polished office floor, or on important presentation, or in the cuffs of the trousers of your pinstriped suit. Brooks Brothers shoes may also serve as spittoon. Note: This is the ONLY time when you may retrieve shoes from garbage! See Step #3. 7) Remove necktie, cufflinks, pocket square, tiepin, suspenders and Rolex. Drop all items in garbage can. 8) Strip off uppity expensive business suit, starched shirt and designer underwear. Toss in garbage can. Add briefcase, cell phone and day-timer. Cut up credit cards and throw away wallet. 9) Put on overalls. 10) Cancel subscriptions to Wall Street Journal and New York Times. Have cable disconnected. 11) If you have not already been fired, quit high-paying job and stop working altogether. Alternative: become a garbage man or janitor or sling hash in a diner. 12) Make appointment with dentist. Have front teeth removed. 13) Make appointment with surgeon. Have all hair on top of head removed through electrolysis. Let hair grow on sides and back. 14) Shave ONLY twice a week. Be careful to leave stubble at all times. 15) Bathe twice a week. 16) Begin intensive redneck language course. Do not use more than five words in a sentence. Drop all “NG” endings from words – “havin” instead of “having”. Learn to yelp and whoop and holler. 17) Sell Porsche. 18) Buy used pickup. 19) Sell condo. 20) Buy shotgun shack. 21) Give or throw away all remaining business suits, ties, shoes, socks, shirts, tuxedos and accessories. 22) Sell stocks and bonds and give all proceeds from these and sale of car and home to a redneck charity. You will not need money. 23) Watch NASCAR and pro-wrestling every day. Do NOT miss any episodes. 24) Find wrecked car and leave in front of shack. 25) Have name changed legally from “Mark” or “Andrew” or “Kevin” to “Cletus” or “Bubba” or “Jed”. Congratulations! You, Sir, are now the Redneck you have dreamed of becoming! How Stupid Are They… 1. Dealing with him is less fun than going to the dentist. 2. Diarrhea of the mouth with constipation of the ideas. 3. Does everything the hard way, like making love standing up in a hammock. 4. Doesn’t have the brain power to toast a crouton. 5. Donated her body to scientists… Before she was done using it. 6. Went downhill skiing in Iowa. 7. During evolution his ancestors were in the control group. 8. Enjoys listening to telemarketers. 9. Evidence for the theory of a missing link. 10. Fell out of the family tree. 11. Fifty-one cards short of a full deck. 12. Finds knock-knock jokes challenging. 13. Fired from McDonald’s for having a short attention span. 14. As focused as a 12 gauge shotgun. 15. Foreign substances found floating in his cranial fluids. 16. Full throttle, dry tank. 17. Gasoline engine, diesel fuel. 18. Gates are down, the lights are flashing, but the train isn’t coming. 19. Gets her mail at an unknown zip code. 20. Gets his orders from another planet. That’s Not What He Meant Reporter: “Excuse me, may I interview you?” Man: “Abdul Al-Rhazim.” Man: “Three to five times a week.” Reporter: “No no! I mean male or female?” Man: “Yes, male, female… sometimes camel.” Reporter: “Holy cow!” Man: “Yes, cow, sheep… animals in general.” Reporter: “But isn’t that hostile?” Man: “Yes, horse style, dog style, any style.” Reporter: “Oh dear!” Man: “No, no deer. Deer run too fast. Hard to catch.”

Migratory Birds and Spread of West Nile Virus in the Western Hemisphere. The first known human case of West Nile virus infection recorded in the Western Hemisphere was reported in August 1999 (1). Eventually, 62 cases of the disease were confirmed; no new cases have been reported since October 16, 1999 (2). Of the human cases laboratory-confirmed as of October 8, 1999, 70% occurred within a circle 10 km in radius centered in the northern end of the New York City borough of Queens (1). Coincident in both space and time with the human outbreak was a substantial die-off of birds, particularly American Crows (Corvus brachyrhynchos) (3). Unusual bird deaths were noted around the Bronx Zoo in mid-August (4), approximately 8 km north of the epicenter of the human epidemic. Several thousand crows and other avian species are presumed to have died of the virus, mostly in and around the New York City area (5). In addition to wild birds, the die-off included specimens in the Bronx and Queens zoo collections (including Chilean Flamingos [Phoenicopterus chilensis], Guanay Cormorants [Phalacrocorax bougainvillei], Bald Eagles [Haliaeetus leucocephalus], Black-billed Magpies [Pica pica], Bronze-winged Ducks [Anas specularis], Impeyan Pheasants [Lophophorus impeyanus], Blyth's Tragopans [Tragopan blythi], and Snowy Owls [Nyctea scandia]) (6). The spatial and temporal juxtaposition of avian and human infections in this instance and historically has led many epidemiologists to conclude that birds act as introductory hosts, perhaps by infecting ornithophilic mosquitoes, which in turn infect amplifying hosts and eventually humans (3,7). Despite the fact that migratory birds have long been suspected as critical agents in outbreaks of this and other arboviruses, the link remains conjectural because of the difficulty in determining the intensity and duration of viremia in naturally infected wild birds (8,9). We present an overview of the association of West Nile virus with birds, focusing in particular on the advent and movement of the virus in the Western Hemisphere. History of West Nile Virus West Nile virus was first isolated and identified as a distinct pathogen from the blood of a woman in the West Nile region of Uganda in 1937 (10). Cross-neutralization tests have been used to classify the virus as a Flavivirus (Family Flaviviridae) closely related to Japanese encephalitis virus, eastern Asia; Kunjin virus, Australia and Southeast Asia; and St. Louis encephalitis virus, North and South America (11,12). Several genetic lineages of the virus have been identified in different geographic locations. The lineage associated with the New York outbreak has been identified as virtually identical with an Israeli strain of the virus by phylogenetic analysis of E-glycoprotein nucleic acid sequence data (13). West Nile virus was one of the most widespread flaviviruses, even before its recent entry into North America. Its distribution extends throughout Africa, the Middle East, and southern temperate and tropical Eurasia (14,15). During the 1950s, an estimated 40% of the human population in Egypt's Nile Delta was seropositive for the virus (16). The largest human epidemic occurred in Cape Province, South Africa, in 1974, when approximately 3,000 clinical cases of the virus were recorded (17). Migratory Birds and West Nile Virus in the Old World Migratory birds have long been suspected as the principal introductory hosts of West Nile virus into new regions for the following reasons: Outbreaks of the virus in temperate regions generally occur during late summer or early fall, coinciding with the arrival of large concentrations of migratory birds (and mosquitoes) (18-20); these outbreaks often occur among humans living in or near wetlands where high concentrations of birds come into contact with large numbers of ornithophilic mosquitoes (7,21,22); the principal vectors from which the virus has been isolated are mainly ornithophilic mosquitoes (Culex univittatus in the Middle East and C. pipiens in Europe) (7,13,14,18,22); antibodies to the virus have been found in the blood of many migratory bird species in Eurasia (14,15,22-24); migratory birds have been linked with transporting related viruses in the Western Hemisphere (19,25,26); West Nile virus has been isolated from some species of actively migrating birds (e.g., the Barred Warbler [Sylvia risoria] in Cyprus and the Turtle Dove [Streptopelia turtur] in Slovakia (20,23,24); viremia sufficiently long-term to infect vector mosquitoes has been documented in several bird species (18,19,27-29); and migration places substantial physiologic stress on birds. Stress has been shown to promote immunosuppression and enhanced replication of West Nile virus in rodents (30). Further support for the possibility that migratory birds play a major role in virus transport comes from study of related viruses. For instance, both Eastern (EEE) and Western equine encephalomyelitis alphaviruses, ecologic relatives of West Nile virus, have been isolated from actively migrating birds in the United States (25,26). Evidence also indicates that the 1962 epidemic of EEE in Jamaica resulted from transport of the virus by birds from the continental United States (31). Unlike the 1999 New York City epidemic, during which large numbers of dead and dying birds, especially crows, were observed concurrently with clinical reports of human infection with the virus (3), the Old World epidemics of West Nile virus had few concurrent reports of deaths of infected birds (7). This difference could indicate lack of both exposure and adaptation to the virus among New World avian populations compared with Old World species. Old World data indicate that susceptibility to fatal infection with the virus varies markedly for adult and young birds, with high death rates in juveniles and high incidence of circulating antibodies in adult birds (19). Susceptibility to infection also varies considerably among species. Hooded Crows (Corvus corone) had both a high death rate in young birds in laboratory experiments and high levels of circulating antibodies in adults, while Rock Doves (Columba livia) appeared to be much less susceptible to both infection and death from the virus (19). Migratory Birds and West Nile Virus in the New World As was the case for humans, the first birds documented as infected with West Nile virus in the Western Hemisphere were identified in August 1999 (6). Thereafter, large die-offs of wild and captive birds at the Bronx Zoo and other parts of the New York area coincided with the increasing number of human cases reported from the same region (1,4,6). As in several European outbreaks, the main vector in the New York City epidemic was identified as the ornithophilic mosquito C. pipiens (4). Furthermore, the outbreak in humans occurred at urban sites near wetlands where migratory birds, ornithophilic mosquitoes, and humans were concentrated. These circumstances, in conjunction with the ecology of the virus in the Old World, support the conjecture that zoo, pet, domestic, or wild birds were responsible for introducing the virus to the New World. If so, birds could have served as the source by normal migration, displacement from normal range by storms, or importation (legal and illegal). Normal Interhemispheric Migration A small percentage of the populations of a few bird species migrate regularly in August and September from breeding grounds in the Old World to wintering grounds along the eastern seaboard of North America. An example of this group is the Eurasian Wigeon (Anas penelope), which breeds across the entire Palearctic region from Iceland to Siberia's Kamchatka Peninsula and winters primarily in the temperate and tropical zones of the Old World (32), where contact with West Nile virus is possible. However, a few Eurasian Wigeons, presumably from the Icelandic breeding population, winter regularly along the coast of eastern North America (32,33). These birds could contract the virus from vector mosquitoes infected by biting other members of the breeding population that winter in areas where West Nile virus is prevalent and bring infectious blood to the New World on their winter migrations. Eurasian Wigeons are not the only species with such a migration pattern. Eurasian populations of several species in which evidence of exposure (e.g., antibodies) to the virus has been detected are rare migrants along the eastern seaboard of North America (Table 1). However, if normal migration were a likely pathway, the virus would likely have become established earlier in this hemisphere, since individual birds of several species known to be susceptible to the virus migrate annually from Eurasia to the United States (Table 1). However, the numbers of migrants are so small that the probability of the cooccurrence of an infectious migrant, ornithophilic vector mosquitoes, and numerous avian amplifying hosts seems low. Furthermore, the most likely form of the virus carried by migrants would be that from West Africa, because that is where most western European-breeding populations of these species winter. The New York City strain of the virus was nearly identical to that found in the Middle East, which is different from the West African strain (13). Despite these considerations, normal migration remains a distinct possibility as the mode of entry for the disease. Table 1. Trans-Atlantic migration of avian species from Eurasia to the eastern United States Species Possible mode(s) of entry Cory's Shearwater, Calonectris Vagrant (33) diomedea Manx Shearwater, Puffinus Vagrant (33) puffinus Wilson's Storm-Petrel, Vagrant (33) Oceanites oceanicus Band-rumped Storm-Petrel, Vagrant (33) Oceanodroma castro Northern Gannet, Morus Vagrant (33) bassanus Gray Heron, Ardea cinerea Vagrant (33) Little Egret, Egretta garzetta Vagrant (33) Cattle Egret, Bubulcus ibis Vagrant (33) Greylag Goose (domestic), Pet and domestic bird trade Anser anser Falcated Duck, Anas falcata Pet trade, zoos, vagrant (33) Eurasian Wigeon, Anas penelope Migration (32), pet trade, zoos Mallard (domestic), Anas Pet and domestic bird trade platyrhynchos Garganey, Anas querquedula Migration (32), pet trade, zoos Green-winged Teal, Anas crecca Migration (32) Tufted Duck, Aythya fuligula Migration (32) Eurasian Kestrel, Falco Vagrant (33) tinnunculus Jungle Fowl (domestic), Domestic bird trade Gallus gallus Quail, Coturnix coturnix Domestic bird trade Northern Lapwing, Vanellus Vagrant (33) vanellus Wood Sandpiper, Tringa Vagrant (33) glareola Little Stint, Calidris minuta Vagrant (33) Curlew Sandpiper, Calidris Vagrant (33) ferruginea Ruff, Philomachus pugnax Migration (33) Little Gull, Larus minutus Migration (33) Black-headed Gull, Larus Migration (33) ridibundus Black-tailed Gull, Larus Vagrant (33) crassirostris Yellow-legged Gull, Larus Vagrant (33) cachinnans Common Tern, Sterna hirundo Vagrant (37) Rock Dove (domestic), Columba Pet trade livia Oriental Turtle-Dove, Pet trade Streptopelia orientalis European Turtle-Dove, Pet trade Streptopelia turtur Eurasian Collared-Dove, Pet trade Streptopelia decaocto Documentation of exposure to West Nile Species virus Cory's Shearwater, Calonectris diomedea Manx Shearwater, Puffinus puffinus Wilson's Storm-Petrel, Oceanites oceanicus Band-rumped Storm-Petrel, Oceanodroma castro Northern Gannet, Morus bassanus Gray Heron, Ardea cinerea 34 Little Egret, Egretta garzetta Cattle Egret, Bubulcus ibis 35 Greylag Goose (domestic), 18 Anser anser Falcated Duck, Anas falcata Eurasian Wigeon, Anas penelope Mallard (domestic), Anas 18,24 platyrhynchos Garganey, Anas querquedula Green-winged Teal, Anas crecca Tufted Duck, Aythya fuligula Eurasian Kestrel, Falco 18,36 tinnunculus Jungle Fowl (domestic), 18,35 Gallus gallus Quail, Coturnix coturnix 36 Northern Lapwing, Vanellus 22 vanellus Wood Sandpiper, Tringa 36 glareola Little Stint, Calidris minuta 36 Curlew Sandpiper, Calidris ferruginea Ruff, Philomachus pugnax Little Gull, Larus minutus Black-headed Gull, Larus 22 ridibundus Black-tailed Gull, Larus crassirostris Yellow-legged Gull, Larus cachinnans Common Tern, Sterna hirundo Rock Dove (domestic), Columba 18,24,38 livia Oriental Turtle-Dove, Streptopelia orientalis European Turtle-Dove, 16,22,35 Streptopelia turtur Eurasian Collared-Dove, 35 Streptopelia decaocto Displacement of West African Birds to the New World by Tropical Storms A very few birds, particularly seabirds, are carried by tropical storms across the Atlantic each summer from their normal environs on or near the coast of West Africa (39). A number of such storms form each summer and fall near the Cape Verde Islands off the western coast of Africa, travel across the Atlantic, and occasionally reach land along the East Coast of North America, depositing birds that were carried thousands of kilometers from their homes. Species known to have been infected by West Nile virus and whose habitat and distribution indicate that they might be affected by such displacement include the Gray Heron (Ardea cinerea), the Little Egret (Egretta garzetta), the Cattle Egret (Bubulcus ibis), the Black-headed Gull (Larus ridibundus), and the Yellow-legged Gull (Larus cachinnans) (Table 1). The same objections apply to this scenario for the introduction of the virus to the New World as for normal migration, i.e., low numbers and the likelihood that a storm-transported bird would be infected with the West African rather than the Middle Eastern form of the virus. Legal and Illegal Importations of Domestic Birds Although the legal importation of pet, zoo, and domestic birds (e.g., geese, ducks, turkeys, and chickens) has declined since enactment of the 1992 Wild Bird Conservation Act, 2,770 birds entered the country through John F. Kennedy International Airport in 1999:323 pet birds and 2,447 commercial birds; an additional 12,931 birds passed through in transit (S. Kaman, USDA, Pers. Comm.). All legal importations are subject to U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA/Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service) and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service rules, regulations and procedures, and most birds undergo a quarantine of at least 30 days at USDA facilities located in the vicinity of three U.S. ports-of-entry (New York, Los Angeles, Miami). During quarantine the birds are isolated indoors in air-filtered isolation cages to prevent the transmission of communicable diseases, medicated for psittacosis, and tested for diseases affecting poultry (e.g., Newcastle Disease)(40). Even with such precautions, some birds infected with West Nile virus could be bitten by mosquitoes during transit to quarantine or could escape detection during quarantine; no tests specific for the virus are performed, and many Old World species remain asymptomatic if infected. After release from quarantine, viremic birds could transmit the virus to native birds if held outdoors in habitats (e.g., zoos) supporting both ornithophilic mosquitoes and concentrations of birds. Such a scenario is even more probable in the case of illegally imported birds, which would not be subject to quarantine or even cursory health examinations. Animals Other Than Birds and Entry of West Nile Virus into the New World Although birds appear to be the principal means by which the virus moves from site to site in the Old World, other modes of entry into the New World are possible. Humans, horses, and some other mammals are highly susceptible to infection by the virus (7), and not all become too sick to travel during periods of potential viremia. Furthermore, it is unlikely that all animal hosts and vectors have been identified. Intercontinental air travel could transport infectious animals from viral foci in Eurasia or Africa. An infectious mosquito may enter a plane in one of these areas, travel to New York, and infect a person, horse, or bird en route or after arrival. Migratory Birds and West Nile Virus Distribution in the Western Hemisphere Since identification of West Nile virus in the United States, a massive effort has been undertaken to determine when and where the virus will next appear in the human population. The New York City area is thought most likely to be affected by the next epidemic. If transovarial transmission in mosquitoes or survival in overwintering mosquitoes were the principal means for persistence of this virus, annual recurrence of the virus might be expected at the same sites. However, while transovarial transmission of the virus has been documented, it occurs at low levels ([is less than] 1%) (15,41). In addition, public health officials have implemented mosquito-control measures that are likely to continue. Furthermore, although the virus may remain enzootic for years awaiting environmental conditions that favor an epidemic (36), the usual pattern in southern Eurasia is one of isolated outbreaks, apparently resulting from importation of active virus by migratory birds into an area with appropriate climatic, vector, and amplifying host conditions (7). This pattern suggests that future movements of the virus in the Western Hemisphere may depend on its persistent amplification in wintering avian populations in New World tropical, subtropical, and southern temperate regions, and subsequent importation into major avian concentration areas in the temperate region. If this Old World pattern persists, the New York area is unlikely to be the site of the next human outbreak because the occurrence of optimal combinations of infecting host, vector, amplifying host, and susceptible human population depends on substantial annual variation based on stochastic environmental factors (e.g., rainfall and temperature) (7). The known ecology of West Nile virus indicates that the virus is more likely to persist in the Western Hemisphere if it is translocated by avian hosts to southern wintering sites. Old World data indicate that ideal over-wintering conditions for West Nile virus combine three key factors: a viremic, infectious host bird; active, ornithophilic mosquitoes to serve as vectors; and large numbers of one or more amplifying avian host species. This combination of numerous wintering birds and ornithophilic mosquitoes (e.g., in southern wetlands or wet agricultural or urban areas) could provide amplification and a permanent base for the virus from which it could be spread northward by migrating birds. Thus, understanding the major migration patterns of the potential infecting host species through the New York City region may hold the key to understanding the future of the virus in the Hemisphere. Bird Migration in the New York Region Four major routes are followed by birds that gather in and pass through the New York City area (defined as a circle 10 km in radius centered on north Queens) in late summer and early fall: the southeastern U.S. route, the circum-Gulf route, the trans-Gulf route, and the Caribbean island-western North Atlantic route. Southeastern U.S. Route Members of approximately 155 species of birds may originate in or pass through the New York area on their way to wintering grounds in the southeastern United States, following the route described by W.W. Cooke for the American Robin (Turdus migratorius) (42). Most of these species are not suitable hosts from the perspective of the virus, because they follow individual migration paths and do not gather in large numbers in habitats with high concentrations of ornithophilic mosquitoes. However, approximately 32 species of birds that follow the southeastern U.S. migration route would be likely to occur in high densities in or near wetlands on migration as they pass through New York and on to their wintering sites (Table 2). The European Starling (Sturnus vulgaris), normally considered to be "sedentary," is an example of a species a portion of whose northeastern populations follows such a migratory route (Figure 1). American Crows are another such species, as well as the Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) (39). Mallards breed throughout the temperate and boreal regions of North America and, in late summer, members of the eastern Canadian populations begin to collect in flocks at wetlands preparatory for migration to wintering sites in the southeastern United States. Many Mallards from the northeastern United States also migrate to the southeastern United States, although some of the birds remain at their breeding grounds throughout the winter. Mallards migrating south gather in flocks along the migration route, as well as on the wintering grounds. However, between stop-over sites each bird follows its own migration path, so flock membership is changing continuously. As a result, birds found together as transients at a pond in Long Island or the Bronx are not likely to be members of the same winter flock in coastal Georgia or Alabama. After the wintering site has been reached or during northward movement in the spring, males search for mates. Once paired, a male follows his mate back to her natal area, which ensures wide dispersal of male birds throughout the Mallard's entire North American breeding range, a pattern seen in many duck species (43). [Figure 1 ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Table 2. Species that breed in temperate or boreal North America, by migration route Circum- Species(a) Southeast Gulf Double-crested Cormorant (Phalacrocorax + auritus) Cattle Egret (Bubulcus ibis) + + Black-crowned Night Heron (Nycticorax + + nycticorax)(b) Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura) + + Gadwall (Anas strepera) + American Wigeon (Anas americana) + + American Black Duck (Anas rubripes) + Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) + Blue-winged Teal (Anas discors) + Northern Shoveler (Anas clypeata) + + Northern Pintail (Anas acuta) + + Green-winged Teal (Anas crecca) + Canvasback (Aythya valisineria) + + Redhead (Aythya americana) + Ring-necked Duck (Aythya collaris) + + Lesser Scaup (Aythya affinis) + American Coot (Fulica americana) + Red Knot (Calidris canutus) Sanderling (Calidris alba) + Semipalmated Sandpiper (Calidris pusilla) Western Sandpiper (Calidris mauri) + Least Sandpiper (Calidris minutilla) + Short-billed Dowitcher (Limnodromus + griseus) Laughing Gull (Larus atricilla) + + Ring-billed Gull (Larus delawarensis) + + Herring Gull (Larus argentatus) + + Common Tern (Sterna hirundo) + Black Tern (Chlidonias niger) Rock Dove (Columba livia) + Chimney Swift (Chaetura pelagica) American Crow (Corvus brachyrhynchos) + Fish Crow (Corvus ossifragus) + Purple Martin (Progne subis) Barn Swallow (Hirundo rustica) American Robin (Turdus americanus) + European Starling (Sturnus vulgaris) + Red-winged Blackbird (Agelaius + phoeniceus) Common Grackle (Quiscalus quiscula) + Caribbean/ Trans- North Species(a) Gulf Atlantic Double-crested Cormorant (Phalacrocorax auritus) Cattle Egret (Bubulcus ibis) Black-crowned Night Heron (Nycticorax nycticorax)(b) Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura) Gadwall (Anas strepera) American Wigeon (Anas americana) + American Black Duck (Anas rubripes) Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) Blue-winged Teal (Anas discors) + + Northern Shoveler (Anas clypeata) + Northern Pintail (Anas acuta) + Green-winged Teal (Anas crecca) + Canvasback (Aythya valisineria) + Redhead (Aythya americana) Ring-necked Duck (Aythya collaris) + + Lesser Scaup (Aythya affinis) + + American Coot (Fulica americana) + + Red Knot (Calidris canutus) + Sanderling (Calidris alba) + + Semipalmated Sandpiper (Calidris + + pusilla) Western Sandpiper (Calidris mauri) + + Least Sandpiper (Calidris minutilla) + + Short-billed Dowitcher (Limnodromus + + griseus) Laughing Gull (Larus atricilla) + + Ring-billed Gull (Larus delawarensis) + + Herring Gull (Larus argentatus) Common Tern (Sterna hirundo) + + Black Tern (Chlidonias niger) + Rock Dove (Columba livia) Chimney Swift (Chaetura pelagica) + American Crow (Corvus brachyrhynchos) Fish Crow (Corvus ossifragus) + Purple Martin (Progne subis) + Barn Swallow (Hirundo rustica) American Robin (Turdus americanus) European Starling (Sturnus vulgaris) Red-winged Blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus) Common Grackle (Quiscalus quiscula) (a) Species whose members potentially form large, dense flocks at feeding or roosting sites in or near wetlands during migration through the New York City area are listed according to migration route. Note that populations of the same species can follow different routes to different wintering destinations. (b) Species documented as having been infected during the recent epizootic event are shown in bold (6). Birds of some species that typically winter in Mexico and Central America avoid crossing large expanses of open water; these species include hawks, herons, and egrets, as well as some ducks and gulls. Although some birds may fly directly across the Gulf of Mexico to their winter quarters, others detour around the Gulf, passing along its western coast during both south- and northward migratory journeys. Approximately 11 of these species might flock together in and around New York wetlands during migration and again on wintering grounds (Table 2). An example is the Herring Gull (Larus argentatus) (Figure 2). [Figure 2 ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Approximately 125 species of birds have populations that transit the New York region on their way to wintering grounds in Mexico and Central America following a trans-Gulf route in the fall (42,44). Distributional data indicate that most do not follow the same route north in the spring, but instead take a more westerly route over or paralleling the western Gulf coast (45). Also, many birds of these species, especially young birds or those from populations in the center of the continent, follow a circum-Gulf route both south and north. Although this group includes many migratory birds that breed in eastern North America, only approximately 12 species (Table 2) could serve as carriers for West Nile virus, because most migrate alone and do not gather in large roosting or feeding flocks in the winter or during migration (46). Caribbean Island/Western North Atlantic Route Approximately 70 species of birds have populations that pass through New York and cross the western North Atlantic or Caribbean Sea en route south to their wintering grounds on Caribbean islands or in South America. Like the trans-Gulf pattern, this route is elliptical, with birds following a more westerly route across the Gulf of Mexico or along its western shore in the spring (44-46). Members of approximately 22 species of birds that gather in flocks during migration and during the winter follow this route (Table 2) (e.g., the Common Tern [Sterna hirundo]) (Figure 3). [Figure 3 ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Members of one or more avian species that pass through New York and gather in wetlands in large, dense groups potentially reach every part of the southeastern United States, Mexico and Central America, the Caribbean Islands, and South America during their migration south to wintering sites and nearly every part of North America during their migration north to breeding sites (Table 2, Figures 1-3). Movement of the virus in the Old World seems to involve a set of conditions including infectious avian host, numerous ornithophilic mosquito vectors, and cross-species transmission to a numerous avian amplifying host (not necessarily the same species as the infectious host but the same location). Therefore, because outbreaks are dependent on a series of probabilities, the suitable wetland sites likely to receive the largest number of potentially infected hosts seem to be the most likely place for future outbreaks. Banding data, showing winter concentration areas for large numbers of birds (Table 2), indicate that the most likely place for a bird-spawned outbreak on the wintering ground would be along the coastal plain of Georgia, northern Florida, or Alabama--if the necessary ornithophilic mosquitoes are sufficiently active and abundant. This information suggests that the best approach to minimizing effects of the virus on humans should involve intensive monitoring of fall and winter avian concentrations for abnormal die-offs; collecting and testing bird carcasses from such die-offs; and implementation of mosquito control measures at die-off sites. In addition, aviculturalists, poultry markets, zoos, and others involved with shipment of birds from one part of the country to another should test birds for West Nile virus during quarantine to ensure that they are not bringing in or sending out infectious birds (47). Future research should define criteria for predicting where the virus will go next. Defining the duration of viremia or the frequency of cycling of active virus in the various mosquito and avian populations that have been exposed to the virus is critical. At present, nothing is known about long-term persistence of active virus in the blood of New World avian species, and little is known about long-term viremia in other avian species. As noted by Blaskovic and Ernek (48), "The role of birds in ecology of arboviruses depends upon whether the migrating vector finds favourable conditions in the new environment and whether the local vectors are capable of transmitting the appropriate virus. The presence of antibody for arboviruses in migratory birds indicates only a virus-host interaction but does not explain when and where the infection occurred." In addition, detection of antibodies for West Nile virus in avian serum does not show whether the bird could serve as a source for transmission of active virus by mosquitoes to humans. Determining the viremic potential of North American bird species is critical to understanding the future of the virus in the New World and should be the focus of future research. We thank W. C. Reeves for extensive comments and suggestions for improving the manuscript. Dr. Rappole is a research scientist at the Smithsonian Conservation and Research Center in Front Royal, Virginia, USA. He is interested in the ecology of migratory birds. References (1.) Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Update: West Nile-like viral encephalitis--New York, 1999. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 1999;48:890-2. (2.) Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Guidelines for surveillance, prevention, and control of West Nile virus infection--United States, 2000. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 2000;49:25-8. (3.) Anderson JF, Andreadis TG, Vossbrinck CR, Tirrell S, Wakem EM, French RA, et al. Isolation of West Nile virus from mosquitoes, crows, and a Cooper's Hawk in Connecticut. Science 1999;286:2331-3. (4.) Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Outbreak of West Nile-like viral encephalitis--New York, 1999. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 1999;48:845-9. (5.) Rocke T. President's corner. J Wildl Dis 2000;36:Suppl. (6.) Steele KE, Linn MJ, Schoepp RJ, Komar N, Geisbert TW, Manduca RM, et al. Pathology of fatal West Nile virus infections in native and exotic birds during the 1999 outbreak in New York City. Vet Pathol 2000;37:208-24. (7.) Hubalek Z, Halouzka J. West Nile fever--a reemerging mosquito-borne viral disease in Europe. Emerg Infect Dis 1999;5:643-50. (8.) Reeves WC. Overwintering of arboviruses. Prog Med Virol 1974; 17:193-220. (9.) Reeves WC, Hammon WM. Epidemiology of the arthropod-borne viral encephalitides in Kern County, California, 1943-1952. University of California Publications in Public Health. Vol 4. Berkeley (CA): University of California Press; 1962. (10.) Smithburn KC, Hughes TP, Burke AW, Paul JH. A neurotropic virus isolated from the blood of a native of Uganda. Am J Trop Med Hyg 1940;20:471-92. (11.) Calisher CH, Karabatsos N, Dalrymple JM, Shope RE, Porterfield JS, Westaway EG, et al. Antigenic relationships between flaviviruses as determined by cross-neutralization tests with polyclonal antisera. J Gen Virol 1989;70:37-43. (12.) Wengler G, Bradley DW, Collett MS, Heinz FX, Schlesinger RW, Strauss JH. Family flaviviridae. VIth International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses Report; 1999. (13.) Lanciotti RS, Roehrig JT, Deubel V, Smith J, Parker M, Steele K, et al. Origin of the West Nile virus responsible for an outbreak of encephalitis in the northeastern United States. Science 1999;286:2333-7. (14.) Karabatsos N, editor. International catalogue of arboviruses, including certain other viruses of vertebrates. 3rd ed., and Supplements 1986-98. San Antonio (TX): American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene; 1985. (15.) Peiris JSM, Amerasinghe FP. West Nile fever. In: Beran GW, Steele JH, editors. Handbook of zoonoses. 2nd ed. Section B: Viral. Boca Raton (FL): CRC Press; 1994. p. 139-48. (16.) Smithburn KC, Taylor RM, Rizk F, Kader A. Immunity to certain arthropod-borne viruses among indigenous residents of Egypt. Am J Trop Med Hyg 1954;3:9-18. (17.) McIntosh BM, Jupp PG, Dos Santos I, Meenehan GM. Epidemics of West Nile and Sindbis viruses in South Africa with Culex (Culex) univittatus Theobald as vector. South African Journal of Science 1976;72:295-300. (18.) Taylor RM, Work TH, Hurlbut HS, Rizk F. A study of the ecology of West Nile virus in Egypt. Am J Trop Med Hyg 1956;5:579-620. (19.) Work TH, Hurlbut HS, Taylor RM. Indigenous wild birds of the Nile Delta as potential West Nile virus circulating reservoirs. Am J Trop Med Hyg 1955;4:872-8. (20.) Nir Y, Goldwasser R, Lasowski Y, Avivi A. Isolation of arboviruses from wild birds in Israel. Am J Epidemiol 1967;86:372-8. (21.) Lvov DK, Klimenko SM, Gaidamovich SY. Arboviruses and arbovirus infections (in Russian). Medicina (Moskva) 1989:1-335. (22.) Hubalek Z, Halouzka J. Arthropod-borne viruses of vertebrates in Europe. Acta Scientiarum Naturalium Brno 1996;30:1-95. (23.) Watson GE, Shope RE, Kaiser MN. An ectoparasite and virus survey of migratory birds in the eastern Mediterranean. In: Cherepanov IA, editor. Transcontinental connections of migratory birds and their role in the distribution of arboviruses. Novosibirsk, Russia: Nauka; 1972. p. 176-80. (24.) Ernek E, Kozuch O, Nosek J, Teplan J, Folk C. Arboviruses in birds captured in Slovakia. Journal of Hygiene, Epidemiology and Immunology (Prague) 1977;21:353-9. (25.) Calisher CH, Maness KSC, Lord RD, Coleman PH. Identification of two South American strains of eastern equine encephalomyelitis virus from migrant birds captured on the Mississippi Delta. Am J Epidemiol 1971;94:172-8. (26.) Lord RD, Calisher CH. Further evidence of southward transport of arboviruses by migratory birds. Am J Epidemiol 1970;92:73-8. (27.) Semenov BF, Chunikhin SP, Karmysheva VY, Yakovleva NI. Studies of chronic arbovirus infections in birds. 1. Experiments with West Nile, Sindbis, Bhanja and SFS viruses (in Russian). Vestnik Akademii Medicinskikh NaukSSSR (28.) Fedorova TN, Stavskiy AV. Latent infection of wild ducks with Omsk hemorrhagic fever and West Nile viruses (in Russian). In: Chumakov MP, editor. Aktualnye prolemy virusologii i profilaktiki virusnykh zabolevaniy. Moskva: Inst Poliomiel Virus Enc;1972. p. 226. (29.) Chunikhin SP. Introduction to arbovirus ecology (in Russian). Med Virusol (Moskva) 1973;21:7-88. (30.) Ben-Nathan D. Stress and infectious disease. Israeli Journal of Veterinary Medicine 1994;49:105-12. (31.) Work TH, Lord RD. Trans-gulf migrants and the epizootiology of arboviruses in North America. In: Cherepanov IA, editor. Transcontinental connections of migratory birds and their role in the distribution of arboviruses. Novosibirsk, Russia: Nauka; 1972. p. 207-14. (32.) Palmer RS, editor. Handbook of North American birds. Vol 2. New Haven (CT): Yale University Press; 1976. (33.) American Ornithologists' Union. Check-list of North American birds. 7th ed. Washington: The Union; 1998. (34.) Antipa C, Girjabu E, Iftimovici R, Draganescu N. Serological investigations concerning the presence of antibodies to arboviruses in wild birds. Revue Roumaine de Medecine, Serie de Virologie (Bucuresti) 1984;35:5-9. (35.) Taufflieb R, Robin Y, Bres P. Preliminary findings on the role of birds in the ecology of arboviruses in Senegal. In: Cherepanov IA, editor. Transcontinental connections of migratory birds and their role in the distribution of arboviruses. Novosibirsk: Nauka; 1972. p. 296-302. (36.) Hannoun C, Corniou B, Mouchet J. Role of migrating birds in arbovirus transfer between Africa and Europe. In: Cherepanov IA, editor. Transcontinental connections of migratory birds and their role in the distribution of arboviruses. Novosibirsk, Russia: Nauka; 1972. p. 167-72. (37.) Bull J. Birds of New York State. Garden City (NY): Doubleday; 1974. (38.) Work TH, Hurlbut HS, Taylor RM. Isolation of West Nile virus from hooded crow and rock pigeon in the Nile Delta. Proc Soc Exp Biol Med 1953;84:719-22. (39.) Hurricane/tropical data for Atlantic. Unisys Weather. 1999. Available from: URL: http://weather.unisys.com/ hurricane/atlantic/1999/index.html (40.) Importing a pet bird. United States Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service. Available from: URL: http://www.aphis.usda.gov/oa/ petbird.htm (41.) Baqar S, Hayes CG, Murphy JR, Watts DM. Vertical transmission of West Nile virus by Culex and Aedes species mosquitoes. Am J Trop Med Hyg 1993;48:757-62. (42.) Cooke WW. Bird migration. Washington: United States Department of Agriculture Bulletin 1915;185:1-48. (43.) Bellrose FC. Ducks, geese and swans of North America. Harrisburg (PA): Stackpole Books; 1976. (44.) Rappole JH, Ramos MA, Oehlenschlager RJ, Warner DW, Barkan CP. Timing of migration and route selection in North American songbirds. In: Drawe L, editor. Proceedings of the First Welder Wildlife Foundation Symposium. Sinton (TX): Welder Wildlife Foundation; 1979. p. 199-214. (45.) Rappole JH, Ramos MA. Factors affecting migratory bird routes over the Gulf of Mexico. Bird Conservation International 1994;4:131-42. (46.) Rappole JH. The ecology of migrant birds: a neotropical perspective. Washington: Smithsonian Institution Press; 1995. (47.) Snyder NFR, Derrickson SR, Beissinger SR, Wiley JW, Smith TB, Toone WD, et al. Limitations of captive breeding in endangered species recovery. Conservation Biology 1996;10:338-48. (48.) Blaskovic D, Ernek E. Birds as hosts of arboviruses in Europe. In: Cherepanov IA, editor. Transcontinental connections of migratory birds and their role in the distribution of arboviruses. Novosibirsk, Russia: Nauka; 1972. p. 161-7. John H. Rappole,(*) Scott R. Derrickson,(*) and Zdenek Hubalek([dagger]) (*) Conservation and Research Center, National Zoological Park, Smithsonian Institution, Front Royal, Virginia, USA; and ([dagger]) Institute of Vertebrate Biology, Academy of Sciences, Valtice, Czech Republic Address for correspondence: John H. Rappote, 1500 Remount Road, Front Royal, VA 22630, USA; fax: 540-635-6551; e-mail: firstname.lastname@example.org. |Printer friendly Cite/link Email Feedback| |Publication:||Emerging Infectious Diseases| |Date:||Jul 1, 2000| |Previous Article:||Addressing the potential threat of bioterrorism: value added to an improved public health infrastructure.| |Next Article:||Male-Killing Bacteria in Insects: Mechanisms, Incidence, and Implications.|

- Special Projects WASHINGTON — Some might say Ed Case is a remnant of a species on the brink. The former U.S. representative is running for Hawaii’s 1st Congressional District as a moderate Democrat against Republican Cam Cavasso, a perennial candidate with little shot at winning. When Case served in Congress from 2002 to 2007 he was a member of the Blue Dog Coalition, a caucus of fiscally conservative Democrats cut from the same centrist cloth. But Washington is far more polarized now, which means there’s not much room left in the middle. Case sees that as an opportunity. “I don’t think I’ve changed significantly in terms of my beliefs,” he told Civil Beat. “I remain optimistic and I believe in our country, but I also believe our government is not functioning as it should be. Clearly, I think our government has taken a turn for the worse since I was there last.” During the Democratic primary, Case and others displaying centrist tendencies were targeted by the younger, more activist wing of the party for not supporting their more extreme stands, such as abolishing the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency. Case won the primary handily, however, beating out the second-place finisher, Lt. Gov. Doug Chin, 38.7 percent to 24.7 percent. State Rep. Kaniela Ing, who was a darling of the national democratic socialist movement, earned only 6.1 percent. Case looks to his primary victory as an endorsement of his views, as well as an indication Hawaii voters have forgiven him for his 2006 challenge to U.S. Sen. Dan Akaka, a political gamble that nearly destroyed Case’s political career. Whether Case’s moderation will be rewarded by national party leadership if he returns to Congress remains to be seen. “The Blue Dogs are kind of an endangered species,” said James Thurber, a professor at American University and co-editor of “American Gridlock: The Sources, Character, and Impact of Political Polarization.” “Moderate to liberal Democrats are endangered,” Thurber said. “You have people on the left and on the right.” In 2008, shortly after Case left Congress, the Blue Dog Coalition counted more than 50 Democrats among its ranks. Today there are fewer than 20. “I think it’s absolutely necessary to have more moderates, but that’s different from what the reality is.” — James Thurber Moderates haven’t garnered the same level of enthusiasm as progressives on the far left of the political spectrum, such as Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Bernie Sanders. But that doesn’t mean they haven’t taken hold in districts that lean more conservative. U.S. Rep. Beto O’Rourke, the Democrat who’s challenging U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz in Texas, is an example. So too is U.S. Rep. Conor Lamb of Pennsylvania who’s said publicly he won’t support Nancy Pelosi for Speaker of the House should Democrats win the majority in November. Thurber said bipartisanship isn’t dead — there are certain congressional committees in which Democrats and Republicans can still work together. But once legislation gets to the floor, he said, the parties tend to split along ideological lines, and those who don’t toe the line tend to get pushed to the sidelines. “I think it’s absolutely necessary to have more moderates, but that’s different from what the reality is,” Thurber said. “My value judgment is that I’m glad Case is running, and I hope that he has success. But it’s going to be hard.” If Case beats Cavasso in November, he said he’ll come to Washington with eyes wide open. When he was first elected to Congress in 2002, George W. Bush was president, the country was at war and the partisan divide, while growing, wasn’t nearly as wide as today. “There is so much rancor, there is so much tribalism and there is so much division straight down party lines,” Case said. “I believe we have to change that. There has to be a coalition of some sort that is willing to take chances and challenge the way it’s supposed to be, at least by today’s standards.” He says it’s easy to get pigeonholed in Washington, and he doesn’t necessarily accept the moderate Democrat label. He said that while it’s true that he supports some fiscally conservative measures, and those that would reduce government spending and the deficit, he considers himself socially liberal and a strong advocate for the environment. He’s pro-choice, believes same-sex marriage should be legal and supports the decriminalization of recreational marijuana use. The former congressman is also an advocate for getting big money out of politics, and has been a supporter of public financing of campaigns. Still, Case has displayed conservative tendencies over the years that have put him at odds with the Democratic establishment. As a state legislator, he didn’t rubber stamp pay raises for public employees and when running for governor suggested that layoffs might be necessary to help balance the budget, although he made it clear reducing the workforce was not his first option. Case questioned the practice of incorporating overtime pay when calculating pension benefits and believed unions had too much power when it came to how the government dealt with problem employees. While in Congress, he supported the Iraq War and advocated for stricter enforcement of immigration laws, including increased spending on border security and provisions that would have allowed local law enforcement to track, catch and detain immigrants who might be in the country illegally. He’s been criticized for voting in 2005 for a Republican-sponsored budget amendment that could have slashed funding for the Public Broadcasting Service, National Public Radio and Planned Parenthood. Case says that vote has been taken out of context by his opponents throughout his various campaigns to undermine his record. He said he’s a supporter of both public broadcasting and Planned Parenthood, the latter of which is exemplified by his 100 percent rating from NARAL Pro-Choice America. He said he voted for the amendment because he agreed with a Republican colleague on an obscure budget principle addressed by the measure. Case said it was also clear there was no way the bill would pass, which meant it was safe for him to cast the vote that he did. “To me that’s such distant history and meaningless in the big picture,” Case said. “But that was my record then, and if I’m elected I’ll have a new record that people can scrutinize.” Case said his top issues for Hawaii are the tourism economy, sustaining the military presence and ensuring the state has a prominent role in the U.S. turn toward the Asia-Pacific, although he said he’s not sure which committees he’d like to sit on. When he represented Hawaii’s 2nd Congressional District, which includes rural Oahu and the neighbor islands, he was on the Budget, Education and Agriculture committees. Case is the senior vice president for Outrigger Hotels Hawaii, and he says it’s clear the state has reached a breaking point when it comes to the number of tourists coming in to the state. “I do believe that we are at or in excess of a reasonable carrying capacity for tourism in Hawaii,” Case said. “Our natural resources, our infrastructure and our fabric are being overstretched. I believe there is a growing sense among Hawaii residents that we’ve gone over the edge.” He said he’s not sure what a congressman can do from Washington to address the concern, but that he would work with state and local officials on whatever measures they felt were appropriate. Case said he also wants to focus on protecting the global marine environment, and in particular coral, which is seeing massive bleaching and die-off as a result of rising ocean temperatures. “We’ve just lost huge amounts of coral across the world since I was last in Congress,” Case said. “It’s very scary.” Case said he would consider reintroducing legislation he sponsored the last time he was in the Congress that sought to prohibit the collection and sale of coral. And he’s not sure if he’d rejoin the Blue Dog Coalition, but that he would definitely join the Congressional Reformers Caucus, a new bipartisan group seeking to overhaul campaign finance and ethics rules. The caucus also has the goal of bringing some semblance of civility back to Washington. Case traveled to Philadelphia in March to take part in an event called “Renewing the Founders’ Promise.” Nearly 200 former members of Congress, governors and cabinet officials were in attendance. The Reformers Caucus today is made up of 10 Democrats and nine Republicans. “I think that what it’s going to take is the creation of a very small, but growing critical mass inside the House that wants to go in a different direction,” Case said. Another question for Case, if he’s elected, is how he’ll get along with the rest of Hawaii’s congressional delegation. He served with both of Hawaii’s senators, Brian Schatz and Mazie Hirono, in the Hawaii Legislature. But that history, especially between Case and Hirono, is complicated by their political ambitions. In 2002, they ran against each other in the Democratic primary for Hawaii governor. Case lost by fewer than 3,000 votes to Hirono while he was pushing a reformist message. The Democratic Party was embroiled in a number of corruption scandals at the time and Case said he wanted to shake up the establishment, which included Hirono, who was then lieutenant governor. Case again lost to Hirono in 2012 when running for U.S. Senate, this time by a much larger margin. Another political wrinkle is Andy Winer, who is now Schatz’s chief of staff. Winer twice worked to sink Case’s campaigns for the U.S. Senate, once in 2006 when working for then-U.S. Sen. Dan Akaka and again in 2012 while working for Hirono. Case’s 2006 challenge of Akaka was nearly ruinous for his political career. The Democratic establishment, led by Akaka’s close friend and colleague, U.S. Sen. Dan Inouye, did not take kindly to Case seeking higher office before he was told it was OK to do so. Inouye was the most powerful figure in Hawaii politics, and without his blessing it was hard for Case to compete. He lost every subsequent election he competed in until this year’s Democratic primary. “The ostracism that arose out of that race hurt,” Case said of the 2006 campaign, pausing for a few moments before completing his thought. “But I don’t dwell on it. It falls into the category of being in the past. Frankly, the only people that bring it up are those opposed to my candidacy.” Case says he’s not worried about his previous political rivalries. The same goes, he said, for his relationship with U.S. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, whose father, Mike Gabbard, once challenged Case for his seat representing Hawaii’s 2nd Congressional District. Mike Gabbard’s challenge came in 2004 when he was a Republican known for his impassioned opposition to same-sex marriage. During the campaign, Honolulu Magazine wrote a profile about Gabbard that included strong words from his daughter, Tulsi, who was upset that the publication was asking about his ties to Chris Butler, a leader of a fringe sect of the Krishna movement based in Hawaii. “I smell a skunk,” Gabbard wrote. “It’s clear to me that you’re acting as a conduit for The Honolulu Weekly and other homosexual extremist supporters of Ed Case.” Case, who went on to crush Mike Gabbard in the general election, now dismisses the spat, saying it was reasonable for a daughter to come to the defense of her father. He also pointed out that the election happened more than 14 years ago, saying it was “ancient history.” “I’m expecting that I’m going to have a great relationship with all of them and I’m expecting my staff is going to have a great relationship with all of their staffs,” Case said. In an emailed statement to Civil Beat, Gabbard expressed the same sentiment. “There are so many serious challenges facing the people of Hawaii, as well as many opportunities for positive change,” she said. “I, and I’m confident the rest of Hawaii’s delegation in Washington, will welcome Congressman Ed Case to the team and continue to work together to best serve Hawaii.” “It’s pretty clear that the relationships at the federal level are professional, but they all don’t go out and have coffee with each other.” — John Hart How the delegation works together is a legitimate concern, said John Hart, chairman of the communication department at Hawaii Pacific University. Hawaii doesn’t have much political clout in Washington, especially now that Inouye is gone. “Grandpa’s not here to give you the order at the table anymore,” Hart said. The fact that Case has a history with the rest of the delegation is not surprising, Hart said. Again, Hawaii is a small state with not that many well-known politicians to go around. “Everyone has a history with everybody,” Hart said. “It’s pretty clear that the relationships at the federal level are professional, but they all don’t go out and have coffee with each other.” One obvious place of disagreement among the delegation is the Jones Act, a federal law that requires ships carrying cargo between American ports to be U.S.-built, owned, crewed and flagged. Some people contend that if Hawaii were exempted from the Jones Act it would reduce the cost of living in the islands. Defenders of the Jones Act, which include those in the politically influential shipping industry, say it protects American jobs and security. Hawaii’s delegation has been loathe to suggest any changes to the Jones Act, but Case is open to reform. He said that while the chance of any meaningful changes are remote, it’s worth having the discussion. “I would be the junior member” of the congressional delegation, he said. “I’m there to help out as much as I can.” Thoughts on this or any other story? Write a Letter to the Editor. Send to email@example.com and put Letter in the subject line. 200 words max. You need to use your name and city and include a contact phone for verification purposes. You can also comment directly on this story by scrolling down a little further. Comments are subject to approval and we may not publish every one. There are upsides to being a nonprofit as we carry out our public-service mission. We don’t have a paywall on our site, charge a subscription fee, or clutter our articles with ads. But this also means that reader support sustains every aspect of what we do. Without you, we don’t exist. It’s as simple as that. By donating, you’re supporting everyone on staff—and allowing unbiased, investigative journalism to thrive. If you value our work, will you make a tax-deductible donation today?

Until the conquest of Mecca, the motto of the Muslims was to kill the Gentiles and to humiliate the Christians and Jews. The Muslims continue to gain strength and defeat the Meccans (630 AD). Most of the heathen of the city was then Muslims. Muhammad and his followers were able to take over the city and the Ka'aba. About 360 symbols of other faiths have been removed from the Ka'aba. A new order, adapted to the new situation, was created. At that time, it was obvious that the Jews would not accept Muhammad's claim to be a prophet. Thus the list of his enemies was expanded and contained all "unbelievers" - Jews and Christians as well as the Gentiles. From this point onwards there are not only more defensive battles. The aggressive jihad against all unbelievers is commanded. Since this is the last doctrine of the Qur'an that is about jihad, it is still in force. Freedom from (all) obligations (is declared) from Allah and His Messenger to those of the Mushrikun (polytheists, pagans, idolaters, disbelievers in the Oneness of Allah), with whom you made a treaty. (9:1) So travel freely (O Mushrikun - see V.2:105) for four months (as you will) throughout the land, but know that you cannot escape (from the Punishment of) Allah, and Allah will disgrace the disbelievers. (9:2) And a declaration from Allah and His Messenger to mankind on the greatest day (the 10th of Dhul-Hijjah - the 12th month of Islamic calendar) that Allah is free from (all) obligations to the Mushrikun (see V.2:105) and so is His Messenger. So if you (Mushrikun) repent, it is better for you, but if you turn away, then know that you cannot escape (from the Punishment of) Allah. And give tidings (O Muhammad) of a painful torment to those who disbelieve. (9:3) Except those of the Mushrikun with whom you have a treaty, and who have not subsequently failed you in aught, nor have supported anyone against you. So fulfill their treaty to them to the end of their term. Surely Allah loves Al- Mattaqun (the pious - see V.2:2). (9:4) Then when the Sacred Months (the Ist, 7th, 11th, and 12th months of the Islamic calendar) have passed, then kill the Mushrikun (see V.2:105) wherever you find them, and capture them and besiege them, and prepare for them each and every ambush. But if they repent and perform As-Salat (Iqamat-as-Salat), and give Zakat, then leave their way free. Verily, Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful. (9:5) And if anyone of the Mushrikun (polytheists, idolaters, pagans, disbelievers in the Oneness of Allah) seeks your protection then grant him protection, so that he may hear the Word of Allah (the Qur'an), and then escort him to where he can be secure, that is because they are men who know not. (9:6) The heathen and enemies of Islam often made contracts of mutual alliance with the Muslims. The Muslims watched their role closely, but whenever they did, the heathen injured the treaty. After several years of experience, it became necessary to condemn such contracts as a whole. This was done in a proper form, with a four-month notice period and an opportunity for those who carefully observed their pledges to continue their alliance. When the war becomes inevitable, it must be persecuted with harshness ... The fighting can take the form of killing, capturing, siege or ambush, as well as other forms of war. But even then there is room for repentance and change on the part of the guilty party. When that happens, there is a duty to forgive and to establish peace. But if they repent, perform As-Salat (Iqamat-as-Salat) and give Zakat, then they are your brethren in religion. (In this way) We explain the Ayat (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.) in detail for a people who know. (9:11) But if they violate their oaths after their covenant, and attack your religion with disapproval and criticism then fight (you) the leaders of disbelief (chiefs of Quraish - pagans of Makkah) - for surely their oaths are nothing to them - so that they may stop (evil actions). (9:12) Fight against them so that Allah will punish them by your hands and disgrace them and give you victory over them and heal the breasts of a believing people,´(9:14) And remove the anger of their (believers') hearts. Allah accepts the repentance of whom He wills. Allah is All-Knowing, All-Wise. (9:15) Do you think that you shall be left alone while Allah has not yet tested those among you who have striven hard and fought and have not taken Walijah [(Batanah - helpers, advisors and consultants from disbelievers, pagans, etc.) giving openly to them their secrets] besides Allah and His Messenger, and the believers. Allah is Well-Acquainted with what you do. It is important to note now that the Muslims are now commanded to forgo friendships with non-Muslims. The reason for this is that they are in a state of war with them. For this reason, the Muslim world is sometimes referred to as "the house of Islam", while the rest of the world is called "the house of war". Do you consider the providing of drinking water to the pilgrims and the maintenance of Al-Masjid-al-Haram (at Makkah) as equal to the worth of those who believe in Allah and the Last Day, and strive hard and fight in the Cause of Allah? They are not equal before Allah. And Allah guides not those people who are the Zalimun (polytheists and wrong-doers). (9:19) Those who believed (in the Oneness of Allah - Islamic Monotheism) and emigrated and strove hard and fought in Allah's Cause with their wealth and their lives are far higher in degree with Allah. They are the successful. (9:20) Their Lord gives them glad tidings of a Mercy from Him, and that He is pleased (with them), and of Gardens (Paradise) for them wherein are everlasting delights. (9:21) They will dwell therein forever. Verily, with Allah is a great reward. (9:22) Here is a good description of jihad. It may require fighting in God's cause as a form of self-sacrifice. But his essence consists in a true and sincere faith that fixes his gaze on God in such a way that all selfish or secular motives appear miserable and faded. A serious and incessant activity which, if necessary, involves one's own life or property as a sacrifice in the service of God. Only brutal battles are against the spirit of jihad. A sincere scholar, a preacher's voice, or the contributions of a wealthy man can be the most valuable forms of jihad. Truly Allah has given you victory on many battle fields, and on the Day of Hunain (battle) when you rejoiced at your great number but it availed you naught and the earth, vast as it is, was straitened for you, then you turned back in flight. (9:25) Then Allah did send down His Sakinah (calmness, tranquillity and reassurance, etc.) on the Messenger (Muhammad), and on the believers, and sent down forces (angels) which you saw not, and punished the disbelievers. Such is the recompense of disbelievers. (9:26) Hunain was on his way to Taif, about 22km east of Mecca ... Immediately after the conquest of Mecca, the pagan idolaters who were surprised and angry at the reception of Muhammad in Mecca, near Taif, for making with plans for the recapture of Mecca with force. There was a wave of self-confident enthusiasm among Muslims in Mecca, to which new Muslims joined. The forces of the heathen counted only about 4,000 men, but the Muslim reached a total of ten or twelve thousands. The local forces had the advantage of knowing the surroundings and the terrain well. They set a backdrop in which the vanguard of the Muslims was captured. The country is hilly and you could hide well. As soon as the Moslem vanguard entered the Hunain Valley, the anti-Muslim alliance fell upon them with anger. In such an environment, the number of Muslims themselves was a disadvantage. Many of them were killed, and many returned to confusion. But Muhammad, as always, was quiet in his wisdom and faith. He again gathered his strength and prepared a crushing defeat for his enemies. O you who believe (in Allah's Oneness and in His Messenger (Muhammad)! Verily, the Mushrikun (polytheists, pagans, idolaters, disbelievers in the Oneness of Allah, and in the Message of Muhammad) are Najasun (impure) . So let them not come near Al-Masjid-al-Haram (at Makkah) after this year, and if you fear poverty, Allah will enrich you if He will, out of His Bounty. Surely, Allah is All-Knowing, All-Wise. Unclean: literally and metaphorically. Because Muslims are obliged to be as strict in ablutions and physical cleanliness as in the purity of mind and heart so that their word is reliable. Now they have complete control over Mecca and feel entrusted to watch over the "purity of worship". In their own opinion they exclude all impurities. When the heathen had been in control, a small group of Muslims were not allowed to enter the Ka'aba. Brigadier S. K. Malik wrote: The enemy repression reached its zenith when the Koraish denied the Muslims access to the Sacred Mosque to fulfill their religious obligations." Now that the tables are reversed, the denial of the pagans' right to fulfill their religious obligations is not called "repression" but is excused on the grounds that they must "shut out all impurity" because the pagans "are unclean." Fight against those who (1) believe not in Allah, (2) nor in the Last Day, (3) nor forbid that which has been forbidden by Allah and His Messenger (4) and those who acknowledge not the religion of truth (i.e. Islam) among the people of the Scripture (Jews and Christians), until they pay the Jizyah with willing submission, and feel themselves subdued. (9:29) And the Jews say: 'Uzair (Ezra) is the son of Allah, and the Christians say: Messiah is the son of Allah. That is a saying from their mouths. They imitate the saying of the disbelievers of old. Allah's Curse be on them, how they are deluded away from the truth! (9:30) They (Jews and Christians) took their rabbis and their monks to be their lords besides Allah (by obeying them in things which they made lawful or unlawful according to their own desires without being ordered by Allah), and (they also took as their Lord) Messiah, son of Maryam (Mary), while they (Jews and Christians) were commanded [in the Taurat (Torah) and the Injeel (Gospel)) to worship none but One Ilah (God - Allah) La ilaha illa Huwa (none has the right to be worshipped but He) . Praise and glory be to Him, (far above is He) from having the partners they associate (with Him)." (9:31) The tribute was a tax that was accepted by those who did not accept Islam but who wanted to live under the protection of Islam, and were therefore tacitly prepared to carry out their ideals in the Muslim state. They could claim their personal conscience for themselves. It was a recognition that those whose religion was tolerated would not be associated with the preaching and progress of Islam. There were exceptions for the poor, for women and children, for slaves and for monks and hermits. Since it was a tax on able men of the military age, it was in a way a commutation for the military service. O you who believe! What is the matter with you, that when you are asked to march forth in the Cause of Allah (i.e. Jihad) you cling heavily to the earth? Are you pleased with the life of this world rather than the Hereafter? But little is the enjoyment of the life of this world as compared with the Hereafter. (9:38) If you march not forth, He will punish you with a painful torment and will replace you by another people, and you cannot harm Him at all, and Allah is Able to do all things. (9:39) March forth, whether you are light (being healthy, young and wealthy) or heavy (being ill, old and poor), strive hard with your wealth and your lives in the Cause of Allah. This is better for you, if you but knew. All were invited and they had to bring their own weapons and means. Easily or heavily armed and experienced rough men, foot or mounted, were needed for dangers and duties. All would and should help. Even those who were too old or too weak could bring as much money or resources as they had. Say: "Do you wait for us (anything) except one of the two best things (martyrdom or victory); while we await for you either that Allah will afflict you with a punishment from Himself or at our hands. So wait, we too are waiting with you." O Prophet (Muhammad)! Strive hard against the disbelievers and the hypocrites, and be harsh against them, their abode is Hell, - and worst indeed is that destination. Those who stayed away (from Tabuk expedition) rejoiced in their staying behind the Messenger of Allah; they hated to strive and fight with their properties and their lives in the Cause of Allah, and they said: "March not forth in the heat." Say: "The Fire of Hell is more intense in heat", if only they could understand! (9:81) So let them laugh a little and (they will) cry much as a recompense of what they used to earn (by committing sins). (9:82) If Allah brings you back to a party of them (the hypocrites), and they ask your permission to go out (to fight), say: "Never shall you go out with me, nor fight an enemy with me; you agreed to sit inactive on the first occasion, then you sit (now) with those who lag behind." (9:83) And never (O Muhammad) pray (funeral prayer) for any of them (hypocrites) who dies, nor stand at his grave. Certainly they disbelieved in Allah and His Messenger, and died while they were Fasiqun (rebellious, - disobedient to Allah and His Messenger). (9:84) And let not their wealth or their children amaze you. Allah's Plan is to punish them with these things in this world, and that their souls shall depart (die) while they are disbelievers. (9:85) And when a Surah (chapter from the Qur'an) is revealed, enjoining them to believe in Allah and to strive hard and fight along with His Messenger, the wealthy among them ask your leave to exempt them (from Jihad) and say, "Leave us (behind), we would be with those who sit (at home)." (9:86) They are content to be with those (the women) who sit behind (at home). Their hearts are sealed up (from all kinds of goodness and right guidance), so they understand not. (9:87) But the Messenger (Muhammad) and those who believed with him (in Islamic Monotheism) strove hard and fought with their wealth and their lives (in Allah's Cause). Such are they for whom are the good things, and it is they who will be successful. (9:88) For them Allah has got ready Gardens (Paradise) under which rivers flow, to dwell therein forever. That is the supreme success. (9:89) And those who made excuses from the bedouins came (to you, O Prophet) asking your permission to exempt them (from the battle), and those who had lied to Allah and His Messenger sat at home (without asking the permission for it); a painful torment will seize those of them who disbelieve. (9:90) There is no blame on those who are weak or ill or who find no resources to spend [in holy fighting (Jihad)], if they are sincere and true (in duty) to Allah and His Messenger. No ground (of complaint) can there be against the Muhsinun (good-doers - see the footnote of V.9:120). And Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful. (9:91) Nor (is there blame) on those who came to you to be provided with mounts, and when you said: "I can find no mounts for you," they turned back, while their eyes overflowing with tears of grief that they could not find anything to spend (for Jihad). (9:92) The ground (of complaint) is only against those who are rich, and yet ask exemption . They are content to be with (the women) who sit behind (at home) and Allah has sealed up their hearts (from all kinds of goodness and right guidance) so that they know not (what they are losing). (9:93) They (the hypocrites) will present their excuses to you (Muslims), when you return to them. Say (O Muhammad) "Present no excuses, we shall not believe you. Allah has already informed us of the news concerning you. Allah and His Messenger will observe your deeds. In the end you will be brought back to the All-Knower of the unseen and the seen, then He (Allah) will inform you of what you used to do." [Tafsir At-Tabari] (9:94) They will swear by Allah to you (Muslims) when you return to them, that you may turn away from them. So turn away from them. Surely, they are Rijsun [i.e. Najasun (impure) because of their evil deeds], and Hell is their dwelling place, - a recompense for that which they used to earn. (9:95) They (the hypocrites) swear to you (Muslims) that you may be pleased with them, but if you are pleased with them, certainly Allah is not pleased with the people who are Al-Fasiqun (rebellious, disobedient to Allah). (9:96) The tabuk expedition had to be undertaken in the heat of the summer, because of a threat or fear of a Byzantine invasion. This war took place late in the year 630 A.D. and is the first war against Christians. In verse 9:86-87 one finds the stinging mockery in the suggestion "Let us be with those who sit (at home)!" The fact that such men were cowards. Verily, Allah has purchased of the believers their lives and their properties; for the price that theirs shall be the Paradise. They fight in Allah's Cause, so they kill (others) and are killed. It is a promise in truth which is binding on Him in the Taurat (Torah) and the Injeel (Gospel) and the Qur'an. And who is truer to his covenant than Allah? Then rejoice in the bargain which you have concluded. That is the supreme success . The Muslims are to offer their whole selves and their possessions to God, and God gives them the salvation, that is, the eternal freedom from the slavery of this world. This is the true doctrine of salvation of the Muslims, which is merely to fill the pockets of their leaders. Every other view of salvation is rejected by Islam, especially the one of corrupted Christianity, who believes the sworn-ness that another man suffered for the sins of the world and was saved by his blood. It is the self-abandonment of the Muslims and not the merits of others. The complete self-surrender of Muslims can be expressed through spiritual and physical struggle. And it is not (proper) for the believers to go out to fight (Jihad) all together. Of every troop of them, a party only should go forth, that they (who are left behind) may get instructions in (Islamic) religion, and that they may warn their people when they return to them, so that they may beware (of evil). Even among those who are able to go further, a party should remain behind for the purpose of studying in every community or circle, so that homecoming fighters can reconcile their thoughts to the more normal interests of the religious life of duly instructed teachers. The disciples and teachers are soldiers of jihad in obedience and discipline. O you who believe! Fight those of the disbelievers who are close to you, and let them find harshness in you, and know that Allah is with those who are the Al-Muttaqun (the pious - see V.2:2). When conflicts become unavoidable, the first thing is to free the environment from all evil, because it is only the evil that the Muslims can rightly fight. Verily, those who disbelieve, if they had all that is in the earth, and as much again therewith to ransom themselves thereby from the torment on the Day of Resurrection, it would never be accepted of them, and theirs would be a painful torment. (5:36) They will long to get out of the Fire, but never will they get out therefrom, and theirs will be a lasting torment. (5:37) Cut off (from the wrist joint) the (right) hand of the thief, male or female, as a recompense for that which they committed, a punishment by way of example from Allah. And Allah is All-Powerful, All-Wise. (5:38) For the double crime of treason against the state in connection with the betrayal of God, as shown by manifest crimes, four alternative punishments are mentioned, one of which is to be used according to the circumstances of execution, crucifixion, rape, or exile Is. These were the characteristics of the criminal code and centuries after, except that torture such as "slopes, stretches and quarters" in English law also involves pushing the eyeballs and leaving the unfortunate victim exposed to the tropical sun as practiced in Arabia Was abolished. In any case, sincere repentance, before it was too late, was acknowledged as a cause of mercy. O you who believe! Whoever from among you turns back from his religion (Islam), Allah will bring a people whom He will love and they will love Him; humble towards the believers, stern towards the disbelievers, fighting in the Way of Allah, and never afraid of the blame of the blamers. That is the Grace of Allah which He bestows on whom He wills. And Allah is All-Sufficient for His creatures' needs, All-Knower. In the first days in Mecca, the enemies were the pagan Quraish, while Jews and Christians were tolerated. In Medina, after the Jews rejected Mohammad's claim of prophets, the list of the enemies of Islam was extended to the Jews and Christians.

If you think we have something in common, just leave a comment below to be added. :D Be warned for there be ranting posts that are f-locked. Don't worry, I'm overall friendly! (I think) I swear I won't bite unless you're a chocolate chip then I can't help myself.♥ I'm currently inactive in this account. Just so you know. ;D BLCD Maker, Intercommunications's gone bankrupt. I don't know why, I don't know how. The website's inaccessible right now, and it's written on the wikipedia page that it went bankrupt... It felt so... Unrealistic. orz I mean, they just released a couple of their CDs a couple of days ago! I just heard their new title "Koi Himeyamo"! (._.`) What about the planned titles for this month and the next? I was so looking forward to January's "Koyoi, Mister De" featuring Hatano WataruxTachibana Shinnosuke and Kuroda TakayaxNojima Hirofumi! ;-; In the past there's Cyberphase, and now Intercommunications... Please, no more. ;-; POKEMON BEST WISHES MOVIE: VICTINY AND THE DARK HERO I can't believe I found out about this today when I rant about other movies yesterday... It's planned to run in Japan theatres on Summer 2011. But what I'm excited about, is the FRIGGIN TITLE. HELL YEAH I UNDERLINED IT. I'm not gonna give myself false hopes but maybe, JUST MAYBE, if that DARK HERO is who I thought he should be then... No. Nope. I shouldn't get my hopes up like that. I know I'll end up in disappointment BUT, YOU KNOW, MAYBE! IT MIGHT BE HIM. I don't know! THE HINT IS SO STRONG. ESPECIALLY THE WORD "HERO". orz Those who've cleared the BW game should know who and what I'm talking about. Japanese fans are speculating that he MIGHT appear in this movie as well. They're as excited as I am. FOR HIM. OH PLEASE LET IT BE HIM. I swear his story is definitely worth making into a movie! But if it ended up to be Touya, I guess I'm fine with it...? I'm gonna pray that it's going to be him anyway. It has got to be him.PLEASE LET IT BE N. Lastly, I apologise for this childish fangirl/ranting post. :3 It's almost a year and where the hell's the DVD/Blu-Ray for Yu-Gi-Oh! 3D: Bonds Beyond Time!? I've been waiting for it since more than a year ago when it was first announced! orz I've heard that the movie will run in select US theatre next year... WHAT THE EFF. ENVIOUS MUCH. T-T C'mon Odex! You've brought the Hetalia and Haruhi movie here, is it be too much to ask for a YGO one? Maybe I should email them about it... Yeah, I think I should... *desperate* I'ma gonna go kowtow to Kagami-sama for the wonderful animations! ;-; Now if you would please kindly release the friggin DVD/Blu-Ray! It's a dream come true to see Yugi, Judai and Yusei altogether on the same screen! orz I'm praying for Kaiba's appearance. There's one more movie that I wanna rant about other than YGO... INAZUMA ELEVEN. SAIKYOU GUNDAN OOGA SHUURAI. I seriously can't stop watching the trailer...!! Everything about it just makes my hair stands out of excitement! It's THE BOMB and it's going to run in Japan's theatre on the 23rd of December. Great, so I hafta wait for another year for the DVD/Blu-Ray? ;-; *headdesks until it bleeds and turn all guro* Oh and I can't believe HiroC's going to be in it! Tatsun as well!! orz You hear that guy screaming "DEATH SPEAR" or something? Yeah that's HiroC! I can't believe I didn't know it was him until someone mentioned it. I seriously thought it was You-kyan(Nakamura Yuuichi)... orz *fails* Anyway... I'm done ranting. Let's just hope I'll feel better after the Hetalia movie on thursday... Cried buckets of tears for Thanatos No Futago 1917. The final track really got me. I cried a lot for Cold Fever, from track to track, but not as much as this one. I think it's the first drama cd that had me crying for minutes, I had tears running down my cheek continuously for about 10 minutes or so... Thankfully though, the freetalks healed my emotional heart. :,3 I wonder if Izumi-sensei will consider writing a sequel to this story. A short one's fine with me, I wanna see them lead their happy life. ;-; Yuri with Viktor and Mihail with Andrei!! orz It'd be great of all 4 of'em were to live together... Yuri and Mihail deserves to be with each other! God I love this twin way too much. ;-; *air hugs them* I think I've taken a liking to emotional stories. I used to prefer light-hearted comedy ones but hey, people changes. Who cares if it's not R18, as long as the story's good, it's good. Guess it's time for me to lay my hands on Utsukushii Koto next, the reviews for it's pretty darn good as well. I'm sure it's going to be satisfying since it's written by the author who wrote the Cold Series. Shuukan Soine CD Vol.2, I swear Angen's trying to kill me with his sexy voice. Deep voices from left to right, kisses from left to right... My ears are completely raped. orz Dummy-head microphones are such sins! They should record BLCDs with those mics, I swear it'll be 100x more erotic. Ghost Adventures for this week's wonderful! That figure caught by the thermal camera seriously gave me the chills! And the door to room... I think it was 9, can't remember. orz The door's friggin LOCKED from the INSIDE, how the hell was it UNLOCKED after awhile? It just makes no sense at all... The EVPs are freaky as usual. I can't believe that season 4's ending in 2 more episodes time... *HOPES FOR A 5TH SEASON* Why is it sendspace. I was glad someone uploaded "Thanatos No Futago 1917" but... Of all host links why sendspace? orz Oh well, I've waited 2 months for this, a few more days doesn't make a difference. I should be thankful for the one who uploaded it. :3 I'll bear with "Hana Ga Futtekuru" for tonight. Kon-chan uke ftw!♥ More CDs should be coming out soon! Can't wait!♥ El Shaddai fangirling time. The official site updated with 2 new characters! Nephilim's adorable as usual but sorry, Sariel caught my attention more. XD I was saying how addicted I got with yandere characters in my post yesterday and bam, a yandere-like character appeared in El Shaddai! Read his introduction and I am so positive that he's a yandere.♥ Somehow I can already picture Luci and him fighting for Enoch's attention. XD C'mon Pixiv! I know you guys are creative! Sariel needs fanarts!!♥ And I can't stop listening to El Shaddai's mad videos... They've all brainwashed my mind. orz I've already got like, 13 of those playing in my winamp player non-stop for weeks... Months I think. The latest one that I'm addicted to. I can't get enough of ElShaloid, Kamine Luci and his finger snappin! Info taken from fukikae_seiyuuUS Forces: Horiuchi Kenyuu (堀内賢雄) as Alex Mason (Sam Worthington) *playable character Inoue Kazuhiko (井上和彦) as Jason Hudson (Ed Harris) *playable character Koyama Rikiya (小山力也) as Frank Woods (James C. Burns) Namikawa Daisuke (浪川大輔) as Joseph Bowman (Ice Cube) Yasumoto Hiroki (安元洋貴) as Grigori Weaver (Gene Farber)Soviet Forces: Ootsuka Houchuu (大塚芳忠) as Viktor Reznov (Gary Oldman) Wakamoto Norio (若本規夫) as Nikita Dragovich Kusunoki Taiten (楠大典) as Lev Kravchenko Touchi Hiroki (東地宏樹) as Dimitri Petrenko This cast list is definitely tempting me to get the japanese dubbed version of COD: Black Ops I mean, there's no one that I'm not familiar with in the above list! I wanted to get the US ver, but I guess I've gotta think through it again... - Tags:games, seiyuu I'm back with new loots! Also went hunting for my transparent umbrella but I guess my luck went somewhere else for today. I wanted to get the Pokemon BW official guide book as well but... Like I said, my luck went somewhere else. (swt) But I'm happy with the stuffs above. :3 It's too bad that the novel I ordered, Nijuu Rasen 5, was not here. I was kinda looking forward to that one. I don't usually read novels but after the first 4 drama cds, I can't wait for the sequel no more. I've also placed an order on another novel, "Ano Hi, Kousha No Kaidan De". I was looking through review sites for yandere seme/uke books and the review for this one's pretty good. It features a really freaky yandere seme, and that caught my attention. My love for yanderes are on the rise, be it seme or uke, I'm craving for them. ♥ Besides, the illustration for this book's by Mitsuaki-sensei.♥♥ No more books for next week though, unless I've got extra money. It's time to save up for Tales Of Graces F! I guess I'll be heading down to Kinokuniya tomorrow once again. Somehow it has become a habit of mine to visit Kino once a week or once every 2 weeks. Just to check on my books really. Each time I go there, I show up with a whole new list of books to order. It's like an addiction. (swt) Can't really help it since I figured they could help me get BL mangas. These are my loots for last week. I was really satisfied. Especially with the book "Tear Drop" by Mitsuaki Asou-sensei, it's the book on the 2nd row, 2nd from the right. I am officially a huge fan of hers. Beautiful artworks and wonderful stories. There's one more of her work before this one, I plan on getting that as well. Any more new works from her from now on, I'll be getting it nuff said. :3 Alright now, I've gotta prepare a whole new list again. Let's hope I'm lucky enough to get most of the books that I've previously ordered tomorrow. :D Will be catching Hetalia's movie, Paint It White next thursday in the theatre with raggie92 . :D I was worried that the tickets will be selling fast, but to my surprise, it's not. Can't wait to see Doitsu and co. on the big screen!♥ I can already see myself spazzing at Angen's voice in surround sound. I still wonder if Denmark and co. will make an appearance though... I wanna see Anko badly. (._.`) Anyone knows where can I get a transparent umbrella? I've been looking for it for ages. ;v; No it's not the fold-able kind, something like this→

Given the unique aspects of the Japan talent market, global companies can face challenges when trying to attract and recruit leaders here. Understanding the complexities and nuances of the market is vital to avoiding the common recruiting pitfalls. We at Spencer Stuart have been helping organizations find exceptional leaders in Japan for 30 years. In this article, we highlight some key observations about the executive talent market in Japan and provide advice for more successful recruiting. The pool of leadership talent with multinational experience is small Western hiring managers often expect candidates to line up quickly for job opportunities at multinational corporations (MNCs). The reality is that the MNC talent pool is smaller than many appreciate. For one thing, out of Japan’s 127 million population and full-time labor force of 33 million, just 610,000 individuals are full-time employees of MNCs, representing less than 2 percent of the One reason for this is that top graduates from Japan’s universities tend to choose large, stable Japanese companies in the automotive, trading, high tech and financial sectors, where they can spend their entire careers. Leaving a job at one of these organizations — “dropping out” — can create the impression that there was something wrong, e.g., the person lacks cooperativeness or patience. Meanwhile, MNCs are viewed as over-focused on short-term-profits and lacking the same opportunities for long-term career progression. Another potential source of talent are Japanese expatriates working for Japanese companies outside of Japan. These leaders may have better English skills and more cultural agility, especially if they have managed local teams. They tend to be “lifers” with 15-20 years’ experience at the same company. Some may have exposure to Western management if, for example, they worked with an acquired local business, although this is less common; because they often are so entrenched in the Japanese management system, their ability to adapt could be a concern. Fluency in English does not necessarily equate with capability to do the job MNC hiring managers tend to over-value English fluency when assessing candidates, and this can cause them to overlook highly capable — but less fluent — executives. While Japanese students study English in school, Japanese is the language people speak in daily and professional life. The study of English centers on grammar and vocabulary, rather than verbal communication. Many candidates’ verbal skills, not surprisingly, are weaker than their writing abilities. Unfortunately, poorer English speakers often are regarded by hiring managers as less competent than stronger speakers, regardless of their other capabilities and track record of success. The reverse is true as well: strong English speakers may be viewed as more competent overall, even when they are less effective in communicating with the senior executives in Japanese in a With these lessons in mind, one global software company we worked with hired a sales leader from a competitor who had an outstanding track record but weaker English skills. The company used a translator for the interview process and provided him with a translator after he joined. He delivered results over budget from the first year and also gained English skills over time. He has since become a general manager of a spinoff company with more than 100 employees, and reports to his boss in English. Japanese companies emphasize training over specific educational background MNC hiring managers and HR executives, in particular, are good at judging candidates on paper, but candidates’ educational experience is a common blind spot. For example, technology MNCs can be quick to dismiss candidates with “off-spec” majors such as archeology or geology. The reality is that, in Japan, a college major tends to have little connection to the expertise candidates build during the course of their careers. When hiring college graduates, Japanese companies tend not to look at what individuals studied. Instead, they invest significant time and resources in training to develop employees as generalists. They rotate individuals around the business so they gain broad experience. As one leader told us, “I hire only those who spend the first 10 years at an enterprise known for providing development opportunities to junior staff. Trading companies are good at this. They allow the young generation of leaders to take risks and manage business very early in their careers.” Many candidates are not skilled interviewees Lifetime employment is still true among major Japanese companies. In the traditional corporate culture, seniority matters and individual accountability is less clear compared to MNCs. Since people generally do not change jobs, many are not accustomed to interviews. This inexperience can come across as a lack of preparation. Among the feedback we receive are comments such as: “The candidate was not articulate, not getting to the point. Answers were generic. The candidate did not share specific examples.” One way to avoid this challenge is to advise candidates in advance that they should be prepared to share examples of their experience. Six best practices for successful recruiting Drawing on our work with clients, we have identified six best practices for companies that want to improve their ability to recruit successfully in Japan. - Reference early to understand candidates’ reputation in the marketplace. Referencing is not a common practice in Japan. Culturally, people are not used to being asked to provide references and are generally cautious about making comments about their colleagues, clients and business partners for reference. By law, hiring companies and search firms must obtain the prior consent of the individual before approaching references. Therefore, in a formal search process, referencing is mainly done by asking the finalist candidate to provide consent and introduce references. Since the candidate is selecting the referees, it’s possible that they will provide only positive comments, and it may be difficult to unearth potential issues. Conducting preliminary third-party sourcing through a trusted network can help you understand how an individual is perceived in the market before he or she becomes a candidate. - Involve the local team. When a role has a solid-line reporting relationship to headquarters with dotted-line reporting to the leadership in Japan, some MNCs manage the entire recruiting process with little or no involvement from local leaders. We’ve even heard of situations when the Japanese team wasn’t informed of the hiring and was shocked to learn who was hired. In one recent example, a recruiting team for a global integrated enterprise from outside Japan carried out the hiring process entirely in English without involving any executives from Japan. The hire turned out to be a mistake; despite impressing interviewers during the hiring process, the individual failed to deliver results in the role. It’s important to remember that, to be successful, these leaders will need to effectively interact with customers and colleagues in Japan. By involving the right members of the Japan leadership team and, potentially, local search advisers, this simple mistake can be easily avoided. Candidate assessments must go beyond English fluency and get at individuals’ core capabilities and market knowledge. The best get candidates to provide specific examples of their performance in the local context — in terms of business customs, culture - Articulate a value proposition for potential hires. Because they are still regarded by many candidates as more short-term profit oriented and lacking long-term commitment to the market, MNCs are viewed as a riskier career option by many Japanese leaders. To counter this perception, it is important to demonstrate a strong, consistent commitment to the Japan market. When Oracle was building up the business in Japan in 1990s, for example, it established three goals — to attract leadership talent, hire fresh graduates and signal its commitment to the market with a Japan IPO and its own office building. It’s also valuable to expose candidates to the broader company culture, for example, by having them interview with executives at headquarters and see the culture at headquarters - Be strategic in identifying and attracting senior female talent. Many MNCs are surprised by the scarcity of senior female leaders in Japan, particularly in sales and marketing. Female executives have growth potential even if they do not have a tangible track record to do the job from Day 1. Smart companies are hiring up-andcoming female professionals one or two layers below the target position and preparing them for the top role with a long-term development plan. - Assess with a focus toward understanding candidates’ flexibility and cultural agility. When assessing candidates who have built their careers at Japanese companies, look for evidence of their flexibility and cultural agility through stories about their lives and careers. Growing up overseas, studying at a business school in a different culture, or serving in an expat role at some point, all may be indicators that the person is curious about other cultures and ways of doing things and may be more comfortable stepping outside of familiar structures. Stories about candidates’ outside interests — coaching their children’s baseball team, volunteering at a foster home — as well as their behavior during the interview process — their ease at communicating, or their “client first” orientation — will help you understand the personality, style and guiding principles of the candidates. - Establish a smart onboarding process. Since Japan is isolated from the rest of the world by geography and mindset, it can be challenging for newly hired Japanese leaders to quickly adjust to the global team and culture. A thoughtful and well-designed onboarding process can facilitate a smoother assimilation to the culture and company structure. One European company, for example, sent a new marketing director to headquarters for more than six months to absorb the company culture and build personal relationships with senior executives at headquarters. Another effective approach is to provide new hires with an executive coaching service. We’ve seen a number of new executives accelerate their transition by working with executive coaches prior to starting in their new MNCs can improve their ability to identify and recruit strong leaders for the Japan market by understanding the nuances of the talent market and combining the expertise of their global and local teams. Organizations that take a broad look at the sources of talent and tailor their recruiting approach to this special market are most likely to successfully recruit high-performing leaders for the business.

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Scenes 161 – 170 161: Mercy Hospital, Central Sunnydale, 12:20AM This was truly a disaster—and perhaps the best bit of luck they had since this whole prophecy came to light. That helicopter had to be carrying the convict. They had not considered the hospital as a viable entry point. It did have a helipad on the roof, but there were other ways to get into town. The storm got the credit. He had caught sight of the helicopter’s lights while he was keeping watch over the Hwy17-US101 interchange. Naturally, he thought it would head for the airport. Faith and Wesley would have been ready and waiting for them there. The storm had taken a bad turn having swept in from the south making it almost impossible to see the road ahead much less keep up with the helicopter. He had already taken the turn north toward Sunnydale Municipal Airport when it became clear that the helicopter was not heading in that direction. Its lights were still visible in the gloom and rain on the south side of US101. There was no other exit nearby. If he went back to the interchange or headed west to the exit at Ralph’s Stop-n-Go Gas Station it would have been too late. He would never have been able to keep up. Swerving around, Giles directed his car onto a grassy embankment that took him off the highway. The tires skidded on the muddy ground, but he managed to make it to the paved road below. His research materials, once carefully organized on the dash and passenger seat flew off in all directions. There was a private helipad at the country club, another potential entry point they had ruled out. The rain was too heavy there and the lights of the club were all out. The pilot was searching for a safe place to put down. Sunnydale Park was half under water, flooded by the lake. Saunder’s Field was back in the other direction. That left only one likely location—the hospital. Giles kept one hand on the steering wheel and fumbled for his car phone with the other. The heavy black phone was hooked into the lighter to maintain its charge. In weather like this he would be lucky to get a good signal. Forced to stop in order to properly see the phone, Giles watched as the helicopter light dimmed in the distance. One after the other he sent out the Code 6 pages to Buffy, Angel, Wesley, and Willow hoping they would get the message to converge at Mercy General. He had been too far behind to see it happen, but the whole sky brightened with a streak of lightning. Another burst of light followed and the sound of an explosion. Now he was in the parking lot, standing in the rain, and watching with some sense of horror and relief. If the convict described by the prophecy was in that helicopter, his death might be a blessing. The prophecy might be as vague as any other, but on one thing it was clear. There were five sacrifices to be made via the Rites of Tavrok. Surely this counted as a premature death. No rites would have been performed upon him. Giles presumed that to be the case considering the condition of Karla Brewer. With Karla safe at the mansion and free of any further demonic influence, and the mysterious convict dead in this fiery crash, it would mean that the threat was over. His research tonight revealed more about the Bone Relic. It was used to identify and create the Pure Ones. With it also in their possession, he guessed that it might not be possible to select new victims in the convict’s place. Cordelia would no longer be in danger if his assessment of the situation was right. If the convict was dead. Giles didn’t see how anyone could survive that crash. He hoped that there were no patients in that section of the hospital. The storm was quickly dissipating, but the rain had already put out the worst of the fire by the time the sirens sounded in the distance. Catching sight of Oz’ van moving toward him, Giles had raised a hand to wave at him, assuming that Oz would pull up next to his car. The van took the turn onto the main road, its tires screeching as it peeled away. That wasn’t Oz at the wheel, he realized, even though the van looked similar. It was a burly, leather vested, tattooed sort of fellow. Just the wrong sort, at the right place, at a bad time. If they were here for the convict, they must have gone away empty-handed. Surely there was no way anyone survived that crash. “Giles! Giles!” Hearing his name called out he turned in that direction. The Plymouth. Cordelia and Angel. At least one of his pages had gotten through. Perhaps theirs was one he shouldn’t have sent. Cordelia would have been safer back at the marina. No matter now. The threat was apparently over—at least for tonight. The authorities and additional emergency support were nearly here. Some sort of evacuation was already underway. The hospital’s patients and employees would be safe. Still, there had to be something they could do to help. They also had to discover who died in the crash. Was it the pilot alone, or also his passenger? The group gathered in the far corner of the parking lot. Angel and Cordelia arrived first, the tires of the Plymouth screeching to a halt close by. Neither particularly liked what he had to say. After a quick explanation of events, he added, “You should go home. Cordelia shouldn’t be out in the open like this—in case the danger doesn’t end here.” The earful she gave him was painful to the point of making him cringe. He had failed to consider they would assume one of the group was injured. The Code 6 page was intended to get them to the hospital, but it was usually utilized when one of them was admitted for treatment. “C’mon, Angel, there has to be something we can do to help.” Cordelia had grabbed the vampire by the hand and led him toward the crowd forming outside the south emergency exit. Giles couldn’t tell if Angel was just that keen to help the victims or if he just didn’t want to say no to Cordelia Chase. Wesley and Faith showed up next, pulling up on the motorbike, both of them soaked by the rain. “Good Lord! Is that our convict?”asked his younger counterpart while removing his helmet. “I hope so. Faith, I need you to—” Just over the street Buffy called out, “Giles!” Breaking off, he waited for Buffy and Spike to join them. “Good job you’re here.” He quickly brought them up to speed. “Cordelia and Angel are already helping out over there.” Buffy’s attention immediately snapped in that direction, a mistake perhaps on his part to mention that. “I need all of you to head inside the hospital. Help out if you can, but Buffy… Buffy, I need you to get to that helicopter. Verify the body count.” “We better jam,” Faith tapped Buffy on the shoulder. “The cops are here. We don’t get inside now we won’t get in at all.” Spike followed the two slayers across the parking lot, but Wesley lagged behind to ask, “You’re not coming?” Giles shook his head as he stared down at the tire marks left behind by that blue van. “Our last team is still out there.” “They were assigned to the train station,” Wesley frowned as he realized that he and Faith had come all the way from the airport. “They should be here by now.” “There was a van…,” Giles started to explain only to trail off upon catching sight of a trio of figures jogging toward them from the direction of Radcliff Park just behind the hospital. Wesley’s attention turned in that direction. “It’s them! Why are they on foot? That’s not the direction of the train station.” Having studied a map of Sunnydale, he felt certain he was correct. A sinking feeling bottomed out in his stomach as Giles suddenly connected the clues. They were on foot because they no longer had possession of the van. The man who did have the van didn’t look like an ordinary car thief. He calculated the time it had taken him to get to the hospital after sending out those pages. Enough time for the helicopter to land, unload its passenger, and take off again? The lightning strike could have hit after that causing the pilot to crash into the hospital. So much for that bit of luck. “My assessment of the situation was a bit premature.” Giles rubbed at his suddenly aching head. They would have to wait for Buffy’s confirmation. He hoped she would return soon. “I think our ex-convict just got away.” 162: The Crawford Street Mansion, Central Sunnydale, 2:23AM The perimeter was as secure as it was going to get. Nothing and no one could access the grounds without setting off an alarm, mystic or electronic. Angel was satisfied no one could get in without his knowledge. The way this night was going he wouldn’t be surprised if every demon in town came storming in. What had he been thinking by combining his date with Cordelia with a Prophecy night? He should have known to expect more than a simple capture and rescue operation. Keeping Cordelia out of harm’s way tonight had not been as simple as he thought it would be. He had used evasive driving to lose any possible tails, and planned to keep Cordy hidden on the Kendal’s boat in the event that the convict or Nico’s minions showed up at the marina. One of the other groups was supposed to capture or follow their quarry. By now they were supposed to have the convict safely in their custody, or at least have an idea where Nicolau was taking the victims to perform the rituals. Instead, they had nothing. No convict, alive or dead, and no idea of where to find Nicolau. Nothing had gone right! Angel picked up a stone from the front driveway, rolled it around in his hand a few times while trying to sooth his frayed nerves. Giles had spoken too soon by giving them hope that things might be over, but they weren’t. Not by a long shot. Angel hurled the rock away from him. A dull thunk sounded as it lodged in a tree. All of his plans for one perfect night alone with Cordelia had literally gone up in smoke. That was not entirely true. He could not say that it was a wasted effort. The date itself had gone well. Dinner was perfect, surprisingly relaxing. Romantic. Soft candlelight. Engaging conversation. Food he could actually eat. Angel could hardly complain about Cordy’s plan to go for a walk on the beach, or her method of thanking him for taking her out. The memory of her warm hands and mouth made him want to shut his eyes and relive every second of sensation. He had wanted her so badly, giving her just as much pleasure as she had given him, but their night was interrupted. It was an insane feeling to be so insatiable about Cordy, but he was starting to accept that was just the way it was between them. Even after tonight, the past two hours of moving people and equipment, of watching over her as she kept a group of children distracted. They seemed mesmerized by her voice. Now that they were home again, Angel figured he should just tuck her into bed and let her sleep, but he did not know if it was possible to let that happen. The way he felt right now made him doubt his ability to lay down in the same bed without taking advantage of her warmth, providing himself with the comfort of knowing that she was safe for one more night. Ripped away from his inner thoughts, the sound of a scream on the wind caught his attention coming from the direction of the mansion. Angel’s preternatural hearing recognized it instantly. “Cordy!” 163: The Crawford Street Mansion. . .Twenty Minutes Ago The noise at this time of night— early morning, rather— was too much for Wesley’s last nerve. “Xander, please do stop banging those pans about. We do not need a three course meal.” “Speak for yourself. I’m starving.” As far as he was concerned, this was the perfect time for some grilled cheesey goodness, all warm and melty. After being chased down by a biker gang, robbed, forced to walk across town in the rain, and then deal with that fire, he needed some comfort food. Giles suggested he make one for Karla Brewer, which reminded Xander that one of his classmates was still chained up in the basement. She had looked pretty bad. Scary crazy. Maybe she had just gone batty after discovering her hometown was full of demons and vampires who wanted to sacrifice her to their god. That would be enough for a lot of folks. He shifted his eyes toward Cordelia whose once beautiful sparkly red dress hung limply on her smoke stained frame. Between the rain and the fire she looked like a smudged rag doll. Angel practically held her up as she gulped down a glass of ice water. Taking the glass out of her hand when she was done, Angel handed it over to Xander, who started to remind the vampire that he was in charge of cooking, not cleaning. Somehow, he held his tongue as he set the glass down on the nearest countertop. Tenderly, Angel touched her shoulders, his thumbs moving in a kind of caress, soothingly providing comfort. “Do you want me to carry you upstairs?” He asked her softly as if they were the only two people in the room. Xander made a face of disgust not caring if the others noticed. Ugh. No wonder Cor was in love with the bastard. He was definitely suave with the Rhett Butler moves. Let me sweep you into my arms. Carry you up the big staircase. Make you faint from my kisses. Xander remembered Cordelia’s kisses, and often dreamed about their make out sessions. Watching her with Angel left him feeling queasy. Suddenly, he was no longer starving. Maybe just the one sandwich, he decided. Cordelia shifted around to face Angel, a sleepy smile tilting the corners of her mouth. “I’m not that helpless,” she said, tilting her face up for a kiss he readily supplied. “All I want is a long, hot shower and then you can tuck me into bed.” Sourly, Xander wanted to know when Cindy Crawford or Claudia Schiffer was going to come along to give him shoulder massages, goodnight kisses, and tuck him in for the night. Breaking up their kissy-faced routine, he asked, “Sure you don’t want a snack?” It took a few seconds for Cordelia to emerge from the dreamy haze she had fallen into. “No, thanks. G’night, Xander. See you guys in the morning,” she told the others. “Well, later.” Angel did not bother to say anything. He was completely focused on Cordelia, not that anyone could blame him for that one. He pressed a lingering kiss on her forehead, telling her, “Go on upstairs. With Buffy and Faith out I should make a check outside around the perimeter.” “Oh, okay,” Cordelia sighed as if it was torture to be separated from DeadBoy for more than a few minutes. The Buffster had gone straight from the smokey disaster zone at Mercy Hospital to her house after reminding them she had Saturday morning breakfast plans with her mom. Mrs Summers was cool about her staying at the mansion for the duration as long as she got to see her on a regular basis. Now that she knew about her Slayer responsibilities it was a lot easier to get stuff done. Xander was almost certain his parents had not even missed him yet. It wasn’t that unusual to go a couple days without actually laying eyes on each other. Sneaking in one night, he had dumped off a pile of laundry and picked up the folded stuff on the dryer. In and out like a ninja. Willow was not so lucky. Mr and Mrs Rosenberg were now used to their daughter’s strange hours, but still managed to keep a pretty strict eye on whether or not she had made it home to bed. There were only so many nights she could claim to be sleeping at Buffy’s house, and while sleeping at his house had never caused any fuss before, it was a little different now that they were in high school. Plus, Wills had a boyfriend with a van, and he assumed that had to be worrisome for any girl’s parents. They wouldn’t know that the van was usually packed full of band equipment, or that it wasn’t Oz’ love shack on wheels. The front seat was kind of roomy, Xander had to admit to himself just before shuddering at the creepy image of Willow and Oz doing things. Gross! That was so bizarre and not what he wanted in his head right now. Cheesy goodness was what he wanted. Hot and melty, cheesy goodness. He started making the sandwiches for himself and Karla, but it was difficult to focus. Spike had already gone off to search for Drusilla, who was surprisingly not waiting at the front door when they returned. Xander had noticed that she always knew where to find Angel and Spike as if she had her own inner compass trained on them. It was a vampire thing, Xander realized, and added one more weird thing to his list of weird vampire things to know. For some bizarre reason, he had felt a twinge of disappointment when Dru was not there to greet them. Part of him recognized that as being oh, so wrong, and knew it had to be left over emotions from Drusilla’s enthrallment. It was a terrible thing that someone could do that, make you want to do anything for them. Cool for the enthraller, maybe, he admitted that it would be an awesome superpower, but not so cool when you were the poor, defenseless thrall. Still, he was not angry about it. Probably should be. Instead, he felt soft and gooey inside whenever Dru glanced at him with her haunting blue eyes. He knew every little fleck of light within them that turned dark and mysterious as if they held back all the secrets of the world. A charred scent suddenly overpowered the soot clinging to his clothes. Xander was startled to see black smoke rising from the frying pan. With a shout, Giles grabbed the spatula from his hand to flip the sandwich over. “Pay attention, Xander. Poor Karla has already been through enough. May we at least provide her with food that does not come with scorch marks?” Oh, crap! He totally had not been paying attention. “I’ll eat that one,” he grimaced at the crusty black edges. “Now Angel and Cordelia have gone,” Wesley began quite cryptically, managing to distract Xander again as the two watchers continued their conversation, “I have been thinking about Karla’s situation. Could this be more than just a psychotic break? Did the demons perform some sort of pre-ritual…ritual?” Giles had his glasses off and eyes squeezed shut as he worked the bridge of his nose in a little circular massage, something he tended to do when he was tired or harassed by certain teenagers. Xander had seen that a lot. G-man was definitely stressed out. “We need to do a more thorough exam. If Karla has been exposed to magick, we should be able to detect it.” “Willow is staying at her house tonight,” Xander helpfully chimed in as he assembled the next sandwich. “Something about having to renew the spell that keeps her parents convinced she’s in bed by nine o’clock every night.” Kids everywhere would love it if she patented that one! Giles opened his eyes to stare disapprovingly at the snigger Xander could not suppress, but obviously could not justify saying anything when the deception allowed Willlow to assist them with maintaining the defensive spells around the mansion. “I’m just saying Will won’t be around for any witchy stuff until later.” Wesley snippily reminded him, “I am quite adept at performing a basic spell if I have the right book and supplies.” Don’t kill the messenger. “Right. I forgot.” Fat chance of that. The new guy kept giving them reminders about his training at the Watcher’s Academy. “It’s all in the translation,” Wesley assured him. “Uh huh. Don’t talk to me. I’m trying not to burn this one,” he used the sandwich as an excuse to end things there before Wesley could go into details. Giles took off his tweed jacket and draped it on the counter, rolling up his shirtsleeves and loosening his tie, as if he was preparing for a fight. “Did Faith say anything about her plans for the rest of the night?” he asked Wesley. Xander had seen her take off in the direction of State Street as soon as Giles gave them the okay to head home. Back to the mansion, anyway. Creepy home away from home at the moment. He flipped the sandwich over experiencing a little thrill at the grilled golden goodness. Just a couple more minutes to perfection. “Nothing to do with Mayor Wilkins,” answered Wesley reassuringly. Adding a little more ominously, “You have probably witnessed the effect of adrenalin when your Slayer becomes involved in a fight or life-threatening situation. It seems that Faith is feeling a bit. . . a bit. . .” Since he seemed at a loss for words, Xander helped him out. “Amped up? Buffy gets that way, too. Like she’s ready to go another round.” Wesley’s cheeks had turned red and blotchy. “Yes, yes, let’s put it that way,” his voice wobbled as if he actually meant something else instead. “In any case, Faith plans to make a final patrol about town as we have been focused on prophecy matters tonight. I cautioned her against doing anything foolish.” Hah! Good luck with that. Xander was just a little bit afraid of Faith sometimes. She was a lot like Cordelia with the directness, only with the added Slayer strength, and a chip on her shoulder. Hot, in a scary way. That did not mean he could not think about her scary hotness. No one was keeping tabs on his brain, except Drusilla, maybe. Strangely, Xander had no problem with that either. An exasperated shout jerked him out of his little fantasy, “Xander, sandwich!” 164: The Crawford Street Mansion, Central Sunnydale Spike took the stairs two by two heading straight toward the third floor to the room he shared with Drusilla. Having expected to find her eagerly awaiting his return, he felt an acute sense of loss. True, he had not given her a second thought while out on patrol with the slayer, but now that he was back at the mansion, he was ready for some TLC. He deserved it what with all the hospital patients he helped rescue tonight considering he might normally grab the opportunity for a quick bite. Drusilla’s kisses and cuddles were part of his daily routine, and he hoped to find her curled up in their bed ready to provide them. She could look so innocent, his Dru, soft eyed and smiling sweetly, untouched by the evils of the world. Such a contrast when the demon in her reveled in wicked games riding the edge of pleasure and pain. He loved her soothing strokes and blunt little nips when she was playful, but knew a fine line existed between her gentle warmth and the icy demeanor that sometimes took its place. Spike rarely knew when it was coming, but he half expected it now because she had not met him at the door. Ever since they had returned to Sunnydale, she had been a bit off. More off than usual. Hinting at a future without him. A decision that was somehow his fault as if he would ever let that happen. He had followed her all the way to Brazil for fucks sake. She had to be wrong about that one. Just her sensitive nature with all of the wonky goings on around this place. Could be she was pissed off at him patrolling with the Slayer. Wasn’t his idea if the bloody Watchers or Angel thought they teamed up well. What was it the cheerleader called her patrols with Angel. . .Team Chase? Always on about them winning some prophecy hunt. Bugger if he’d let Angel beat him at anything. He was good with calling it Team Spike. Slayer might have a problem with that, he figured. Team Bikey? No. Team Spikey? Rubbish. Team Spuffy? Argh. What the blazes was he doing? Spike tried to shake thoughts of the Slayer out of his head. Here he was hoping for some tender cuddles—or a good hard shag—from his sire, and he was thinking up poncey names for his patrol team. Probably a once-off anyway. So why the bleeding hell should he bother naming it? Pushing thoughts of the slayer out of his head, he gave the wooden baseboard a hard kick just for the hell of it as he walked down the hall toward the old servants’ quarters. Small and sparsely furnished, their room was fine for now. Spike figured Dru wanted to stick close to Angel not that he deserved the attention. They had never been overly picky about where they slept as long as they had a roof of some sort over their heads. Still, once this crisis was over and the Watchers were gone, Dru might like more space in one of the fancier bedrooms. The other Slayer’s room was across the hall. Supposedly close enough to keep tabs on them. Faith was the one who needed looking after. Always sneaking out. Spike had no idea what she was up to. Didn’t much care, either, as long as she stayed out of his business. Spike stopped short of the bedroom door. Even before he turned the knob, he knew the room was empty. Where the deuce was Dru? Not up here. Trying to focus, he sensed she hadn’t been upstairs for hours. Her scent was faint. Could she be down in the basement with the girl? Angel trusted her to follow his order to leave her be, but that never stopped Dru from disobeying Daddy. Not if she thought it might earn her some attention. He took his time heading back downstairs, already aware that whatever Drusilla was doing it was going to fall on him to defend her actions. That girl was chained up for a reason—keeping her out of Kalesh’s hands. It all boiled down to Cordelia’s safety. If Dru did something to screw with that, Angel would not hesitate to take it out of their hides, no matter the soul. Reaching the second floor landing, Spike noticed muffled sounds coming from the direction of Angel and Cordelia’s bedroom. He cocked his head, listening intently for a hint of what was going on. Not the usual bedroom romp that went on in there for hours at a time, he quickly deduced. He knew that sound all too well. His mouth twisted into a raw smirk as he vividly pictured the chit being thoroughly shagged. Such a ripe little piece, it was a wonder Peaches ever managed to find time to do anything else. Knowing that Angel was making a final round of the mansion’s extensive grounds, he realized the sounds coming from the bedroom could not be the vampire and his sexy pet making up for the interruption of their date night. Not unless Cordelia was getting a head start on the action. Spike could not blame himself for imagining that one. Pretty little brunette, spread out on the bed, all lonely for her lover, soft hands smoothing over that warm golden flesh, rubbing at the tender bits. Even as he enjoyed the dirty direction of his thoughts, Spike realized with sudden clarity that Drusilla was also inside that bedroom. Detecting her soft, earthy scent concentrated in the same direction as Cordelia’s he knew something else was up. With an exasperated sigh, he loped that way, wondering whether Drusilla had spent the evening organizing another tea party. Considering the location, he wondered if she was hoping for a little slumber party instead. Smirking again, he reached for the ornate handle, pressing his ear against the wooden door to catch a hint of things to come. If Cordelia was being subjected to sharing a bedtime story with Miss Edith, he might just head straight to Willy’s Place to catch the last round of kitten poker, assuming someone would spot him a tabby or two. The dulcet tones of his sire scolded softly, “Don’t wiggle so much. It will only hurt more if you wiggle.” Spike jerked his head away from the door. Bloody hell. What was going on now? Thoughts racing for an explanation that wouldn’t result in Angel ripping out his spleen, a few wild ideas came into play. Maybe Cordelia had a splinter. Maybe Drusilla was helping her pluck her eyebrows. Women did that sort of thing, he supposed, hopefully. Or even better, it might just be that Dru was talking to Miss Edith, but the dead silence that usually followed the doll’s inability to respond was filled by a quickly muffled scream. To this point, Drusilla had been protective of Cordelia having saved her from that demon and treated her more like a younger sister than a rival for Angel’s affections. She wanted to ensure he was happy, which Spike had thought was a euphemism for helping him to lose the soul, until finding out it was permanent. That nixed his let’s-bring-back-Angelus theory and left him without a clue as to Drusilla’s intentions. A jolt of excitement hit the moment he burst through the door, quickly followed by the realization that Angel was going to blow a fucking gasket when he saw this. “What the devil, Dru?” It certainly was not a tea party. The four-poster iron-wrought bed was the room’s most prominent feature, or it would be if not for the sight of a very naked Cordelia Chase bound and gagged upon it. Kneeling on the cushioned bench at the foot of the bed, her upper body was bent over face down on the mattress. It gave him a perfect view of her gorgeous arse and sweet little snatch, a sight Spike was certain was not meant for him despite its obvious charms. Drusilla looked a little flustered as she finished tightening Cordelia’s bindings to the headboard. It was more difficult to arrange your plaything when she was not being submissive, Spike knew from experience, but he had to give his sire kudos for ingenuity. Having no rope to bind her, it seemed that Dru had stolen all of the ties from the Watchers’ rooms. That’s what they got for leaving her alone in the first place, he reasoned, still wondering if he should be completely outraged on Angel’s behalf knowing that he wouldn’t want his pet trussed up—not by someone else at any rate—or if he wanted to lean back against the door and watch where this was going. The multicolored collection of silk ties bound Cordelia’s wrists together, stretching her arms out in front of her with the makeshift rope attached to one post of the headboard. After thrashing around for a few moments, Cordelia stilled, her forehead resting on the bed, even as the scarf stuffed into her mouth muffled her angry little curses. The respite was brief because she craned her neck up the moment Spike spoke, her expressive eyes conveying all of her hope, fear, and anger. “Mmph! Mmph! Mmph!” Easy enough to guess what that meant. Something along the lines of, ‘Help, me Spike,’ or ‘Don’t you dare touch me,’ or maybe, ‘Stop staring or I’ll scratch out your eyeballs.’ Spike edged a bit closer, his gaze switching to his sire’s startled expression. Clearly, she had not expected him at all. “Looks like you’ve been caught with your hand in the cookie jar,” he chortled still trying to figure out the whys and hows of this little display. “A very sweet cookie it is.” “My Angel needs some fun. He’s too tense and growly.” Even though he knew this had to be for Angel’s benefit, it irritated the hell out of him. “You looking for some real punishment, Dru? Angel is gonna rip you a new one for this. Right after he blames me for letting it happen.” Dru pouted, head tilted down, but looking at him with big doe eyes, as if he was spoiling her plans. She kept staring until he could feel himself wearing down, the need to please his sire overwhelming any other concerns. “We’re gonna catch hell for this,” he groaned. A naughty grin spread across Drusilla’s red lips. “I know.” A delicious little shudder made her shoulders quake. Reaching down to smooth Cordelia’s wildly tossed hair away from her face, Drusilla ran the other hand lightly along her back until finding a convenient resting spot on her rounded little rump. Those fingers had been wrapped around his cock earlier today, and Spike felt it stir as he watched Dru’s hand make a little circle over that cheek kneading it just enough to entice him forward. He stood on the opposite side, meeting Drusilla’s hot gaze across the divide created by Cordelia’s bare form. No matter that his hand itched with the urge to touch the warm human flesh on display, Spike wasn’t stupid. He had no desire to be parted from the family jewels, now aching for action. “Fear keeps her on the edge, my Spike.” Roving her hand down the length of Cordelia’s taut thigh, Drusilla might have been teasing both of them, or maybe just testing the ties that held her knees open wide and kept her on display. “Do something to help,” she scolded him for just standing there. Urging him to use his talented tongue to, “Make her soft and creamy, a tasty treat for my Angel.” Why the devil wasn’t she fixing him tasty treats? Spike found himself picturing someone else in those bindings and wondered if he would be able to resist playing out the fantasy. “Mmph!” A little growl of complaint sounded from the young woman spread out between them. It only made his cock harden as temptations swirled in his head. He was going to feel the brunt of Angel’s anger over this, anyway. Might as well make it worth it, he toyed with the idea for a few delicious seconds. Part of him wanted to take something from Angel the way Angelus had often taken Dru from him. The bastard had enjoyed proving his power over his childe, and consequently over Spike, by shagging her whenever the urge hit. Why shouldn’t he reap a little revenge now? His precious pet was splayed open just for him. She looked delicious. He could practically taste her already wanting to do exactly as he was told by burying his wet tongue inside that pretty pink slit until she was juicy with his scent and her come. Spike was so busy enjoying his little fantasy that he almost missed the hint of arousal mixing with the scent of Cordelia’s fear. She was not quite as terrorized by Dru’s little plan as she might normally be. Maybe she believed Dru when she said this was all for Angel, or trusted her just enough to know she meant no real harm. Considering she was such a sexy young thing, could be she just liked what was happening. “What’s this, pet? Getting turned on?” Cordelia gave him an angry stare and shook her head, denying it vehemently. He knew better, smirking from his vantage point. His sire had given him a task and, bloody hell, he was going to handle it one way or another. “Angel ever tie you up before?” There was a brief pause before Cordelia answered him honestly with another shake of her head, but there was a glint of curiosity in her gaze as if she was thinking about the possibilities. Spike let out a low laugh. Lucky bastard, he growled inwardly, knowing there had never been a day in Angel’s life or undead existence when women had not fallen at his feet, but this one had somehow turned the tables. Angelus had always had some obsessive tendencies, but being an emotionless bastard, they had never involved his heart. This was different. “Cordelia, Cordelia, Cordelia, you are in for a real treat tonight if you play along. He might try to resist temptation, but your favorite slice of beefcake has no restraint when it comes to you.” Not that Spike could blame him for it. Looking at her this way, he knew the bloody appeal all too well. The sharp daggers shooting from her angry stare were enough to rev him up. Touching might be off limits, but he did like to tease, too. “Dru wants me to get you warmed up a bit. Gorgeous arse, pet. How ’bout a quick spank?” Spike swallowed his laughter when a sea of white suddenly surrounded her irises, eyes about as wide as they could get. Behind the silk scarf gag, Cordelia defiantly replied, “Mmph Mmmmmph!” Clasping a hand over his heart, Spike made a pained face. “Oh, that hurts. That really hurts. Don’t hold anything back.” Drusilla giggled at his antics and left him to it, picking up her favorite wooden-handled brush. For a moment, Spike thought she had taken his joke to heart and was about to paddle the chit’s bare arse. A rush of…well, lust…followed quickly by panic caused his throat to tighten up until he saw her move up to sit on the edge of the bed near Cordelia’s head. She picked up a handful of her damp tresses and began to brush her hair dry, her touch gentle stroke after stroke. “You like being touched,” Spike said what he was thinking when he saw Cordelia’s lashes flutter closed at the sensation. She squirmed against her bindings, the ties stretching just enough to allow her to wiggle around. It might have been a protest, a denial, but it was all too clear that it was an unspoken response. Oh, she liked being touched. A lot. Spike pictured himself doing the touching, but knew it was Angel’s big hands she wanted, and his job was to turn her on. Angel was strong enough to break bones, but not with her. He had seen enough to know just how gentle the big lug could be with his precious little pet. “Does he hold you tenderly, stroke his hands across your skin, make you melt from his caress?” Annoyed at getting poetic when his cock throbbed for attention, Spike made sure she was watching when he waggled his tongue up and down in a crude way. “That mouth of his gets you even hotter. I’ve seen you kiss. Can’t get enough. He wants to eat you up, pet. Won’t be long before he does, I’m guessing.” Spike knew the cheerleader was not branded with Angel’s mark. He could see that for himself, and despite their frequent lovemaking, she did not carry his scent permanently as she would if Angel had officially claimed her. Had to have something to do with that bleeding heart soul gumming up his vampire instincts, he figured, feeling a bit sorry for Cordelia that her lover didn’t have balls enough to take what belonged to him, especially with that royal prick Nicolau coming after her. “Maybe we can hurry things along.” Even as Spike said the words, he realized exactly what Drusilla was doing by creating this luscious display of flesh. “You are brilliant, my beauty,” he gave credit where it was due, “even if we’re still going to pay for it.” Cordelia only looked confused, her brows arced upward as Spike’s hand moved toward her face. He flicked his thumb across her lower lip enjoying the sensation of its fullness. With a nod, he ordered, “Open up.” Pinching the silk scarf curled up in her mouth, he pulled it out inch by inch until Cordelia was free of it. The grateful light in her eyes hardened into a glint, as she took in a great big breath and screamed for Angel. “Now you’ve done it, pet,” Spike tutted and took a step back from the bed having fully expected her to call for help. “Hah! Better let me go. When Angel gets here you’re going to get your ass kicked.” Spike was fully aware he would try. “We’ll see about that, pet. He might be a bit distracted. Kill me. Save you. Fuck you. Decisions, decisions.” “Language!” Dru censured him as she rose to her feet. She had finished her task leaving Cordelia’s hair a shining mass of silk. “Naughty boy.” Cordelia sniggered at that one and he gave her a hard stare. “You’ve spoiled my surprise. Angel will be here before we can show Cordy how to use her new toys.” Trying not to laugh at his sire’s plans, Spike glanced at the small laundry basket perched on the floor, taking note of its contents for the first time. “Pretty certain we’d better let him do that himself.” “Toys? What are you talking about?” Cordelia demanded details even while sounding apprehensive. Smirking again, Spike crouched down next to the basket where there were boxes of new items. “You been shopping tonight?” He asked Drusilla, already suspecting the answer. “No, you told me to stay at home.” Cordelia looked back and forth between them as they were on either side of the bed. “So you’re saying they were already here? That Angel—” “Or Angelus,” Spike cut in just to give her options to think about. “Angel likes that stuff?” Spike might get irritated about Angel, but he knew that whatever he had going on with Cordelia Chase was special, and that circumstances might end their relationship far too prematurely if the prophecy came to pass. He wasn’t going to screw with them just to give himself a thrill. Softly, he assured her, “Pretty sure you will too, pet. You know how Angel worships you. If there’s something in that basket that scares you, just tell him.” “Who says I’m scared?” Cordelia snapped unwilling to admit any uncertainty, something Spike had to admire. Just one more warning. No doubt her scream had reached Angel’s ears. Even with him on the edge of the property, his supernatural hearing would have picked that up. “Don’t be shocked if you get a few more rescuers,” Spike told her that there were other ears much closer than that. “Dru and I are family. No need to blush because we’ve seen your tender bits. Can’t guarantee that Angel will react well if Xander or the Watchers get an eyeful.” “And whose fault will that be?” Cordelia complained and tried futilely to free herself from the knotted ties binding her to the bed. Drusilla leaned close and playfully answered, “Mine.” “That sounds about right,” Angel’s growling voice sounded from the doorway. “One of you better start explaining this right now before I remove your fucking heads.” “Oy, leave me out of this. Innocent bystander here.” Spike dropped the package back in the basket fairly certain that he did not want to be caught red-handed. “I found Dru and Cordy. . .playing.” Angel stalked forward looking thunderous, stopping at the foot of the bed right behind Cordelia, visually examining every inch of her golden skin for evidence of wrongdoing. As if tying her naked to the bed was the least of their sins. His hands curled into fists at his side, and though he maintained his human mask, it was clear that the demon within clawed for control. Through gritted teeth, he demanded Cordelia tell him the truth. “Did he touch you?” Spike noticed he was the only one getting accused of touching. Bastard. There had been plenty of time to touch his pet. “No,” he said at the same moment Cordelia answered the same. Only he was not finished. “Could have done. Dru has her all trussed up for your own very special party. Would have liked to lick the cream off the cake, too, but I left that for you.” Before the last syllable was uttered, Angel’s fist crashed into Spike’s jaw knocking him to the floor. He towered over him like a two hundred pound gorilla ready to pound him into dust. Blaming his runaway mouth, Spike mentally geared up for the fight ahead. Fuck if he had not brought it on himself. Angel’s chest heaved a few times as if he was trying to vent his anger. The dolt was so pissed he forgot that he no longer needed to breathe. “Get out, Spike.” Surprised that he was getting a pass instead of a pounding, Spike shuffled back a few inches and scrambled to his feet. “I never touched her,” he assured him again, this time meeting his angry stare with a silent promise. This was never going to happen again. Spike was perfectly willing to go, with one condition. “Gonna take Dru with me.” He motioned her to his side. Drusilla seemed a bit hesitant to move. Her blue eyes darted between them, and down to Cordelia whose attention was focused only on Angel. A smile curled her lips, and she skipped light-heartedly toward them, skimming her fingers across Angel’s jaw as she went by. Just before she was out of reach, Angel grabbed her by the wrist jerking her back to him. “Not so fast.” Spike called out, “Oy! Not so rough,” even though her ecstatic look suggested she liked it. Angel’s free hand cupped Dru’s face holding her steady as he forced her to meet his gaze. Though his voice gentled when he spoke to her, it sounded out with steely resolve. “Cordelia is mine. Anything she needs to learn will come from directly from me, understand? Be her sister, her friend, or her savior if need be, but never lay a hand on her again without my permission.” Spike saw Angel’s hand tighten around the back of Dru’s neck even as his thumb gently brushed the curve of her jaw. “Are we clear, Drusilla?” Saying nothing, Dru merely nodded. Spike wanted to pull her away from the angry bastard’s hold, but knew he didn’t have a leg to stand on. Angel honestly had a right to be pissed off, and any vampire would agree he was within his rights to punish them both. Guessing it was for Cordelia’s sake, he was letting them off easy. “Go to your room,” Angel ordered gruffly, releasing her and giving her ass a hard swat as she moved away. Obviously, he did not care if it sounded like he was punishing a five year old. Drusilla seemed to like it. She rubbed at the sore spot and sent her sire a naughty smile over one shoulder. “Have fun, my Angel.” Uncrossing his arms, Spike made a move to follow her, pausing one last time to look at Cordelia sprawled out and exposed. Behind Angel’s back, she met his gaze and silently sent him a cryptic glare. What was it this time? Still planning to scratch out his eyeballs? Maybe just her way of telling him to get off. Or, maybe warning him that he should get out before Angel changed his mind. Before he turned away, Cordelia stuck her tongue out and then smirked. Spike couldn’t stop himself from grinning back. She was quite cheeky, that girl, and in more ways than one. Lucky bastard, he thought again. Giving Angel a nod as he departed, he gave him some unwanted advice. “Try not to be too noble, Peaches.” 165: Basement, Crawford Street Mansion, Central Sunnydale Wesley paused a moment while traversing the basement steps having thought he heard something from above. “Did you hear something?” he asked Rupert Giles who walked ahead of him. Cocking his head he listened for anything further that might indicate a sign of trouble, but nothing followed. “Perhaps it was just my imagination. My head is eager to hit my pillow.” They had all been maintaining late night hours that stretched well into the morning. Mr Giles also had to maintain his post as the Sunnydale High School Librarian, but this was fortunately a weekend. Once they saw to the immediate needs and comfort of their new guest, he hoped they would all get some well-deserved shut-eye. Of course, there were things to do. Debrief about tonight’s disaster. Determine whether or not Karla Brewer had been exposed to magick versus simply experiencing a psychotic break, and plan for her long-term care. Regroup. Focus on the next phase of the prophecy. Stopping at the small landing halfway down the steps, Giles turned back to answer his query. “No, I hear nothing,” but he returned his focus to the basement itself, his tone turning ominous. Wesley reached the landing, holding onto the railing with one hand and a small plate with a slightly singed grilled cheese sandwich in the other. Although Angel’s mansion had an extensive basement that stretched under the full length of the building, he had converted just one large room into his personal training center. It was quite a nice sort of setup considering the vampire was not exactly on the postal route for receiving large packages. He felt quite certain that his soulless counterpart had used the room for something else. After all, one rarely found manacles and chains, and other binding mechanisms attached to one’s walls on a routine basis. Wesley was too weary to think about the room’s other purposes. For now, it was simply a convenient place to keep their young guest chained up for her own safety, as well as everyone else’s. There was no powered lighting in the basement chambers. The mansion’s renovation did not reach this far before the fire burned through its west wing. Lantern light flickered on the stone masonry of the wall where the metal lantern hung from a spike, spreading its soft glow further into the room. The gym mats that served as a temporary bed had been pulled away from the reach of the light into the furthest corner of the basement leaving it in shadows. The chains had been dragged to their full length. A twinge of guilt pierced his chest as he thought keeping Karla Brewer chained up. She was a victim, not a vampire or demon the Watcher’s Council might keep shackled for training purposes. She deserved to be helped, and to find a respite from the constant inner torment that kept her screaming and mumbling the name of Amolon as though she both feared and worshipped him. Wait! Suddenly, he realized the point that Mr Giles was making. The silence was indeed thick. No screams resounded in the darkness. No whimpers for mercy. No rattling of the chains. No shifting of the still air. “C-Could she be sleeping?” he asked as they crept forward down the remaining stairs. “I think we should allow her to rest, poor girl.” Mr Giles kept moving forward, pausing only long enough to take the lantern. He held it before him, arm stretched out to its full extent, peering into the shadows beyond. His foot connected with something heavy, and looking down, they saw it was one end of the rusty chain, the edges of the manacle stained red with blood. A clatter made them both jump. “Sorry,” Wesley cringed at his reaction, confessing, “I dropped the plate.” More important revelations required his attention, he realized. Focus was necessary to stay alive in this business, and being far more studious than hands-on, Wesley knew to fall back on his training. Taking note of the steady hand of his counterpart as he held the lantern aloft, Wes shored himself up for the sight before them. “We left Drusilla alone with the girl. How could we do that? Chaining an innocent up for a crazed vampire. We might as well have given her permission.” The light dancing across the wall revealed nobody. There was no body, Wesley had fully expected to find Karla Brewer’s drained corpse slumped on the floor. “Where is she?” he gasped. Moving the lantern in an arc, Giles focused its light toward the other far corner. An open door led into the darkened depths of the mansion basement, a place checked cursorily as they secured the building, full of rooms, closets, hiding places, all leading toward the burned husk of the west wing. “Oh dear.” Wesley considered the dangers. Immediate ones for Karla who in her current state might fall victim to structural damage as she scrambled through utter darkness. The longer-term issues affecting the Rites of Tavrok were most concerning. Without time to fully analyze it, Wesley realized that every advantage they thought they might hold over the enemy was fading fast. They had not captured the convict. He was not a victim of the helicopter crash having apparently escaped that fate for one predestined. Now it seemed Karla, whom they rescued, hoping to keep her out of the reach of those who would do her further harm, was now gone. Once again, she might be captured and made a sacrifice at the altar of Amolon. “We must find her,” Giles echoed his thoughts. 166: The Downtowner Motel & Apartments, Eastside Sunnydale Jake Devries maintained his cool demeanor despite the rough company. Several bikers from Mike Mooney’s gang had packed into the small rented hole-in-the-wall that called itself a room at the Downtowner Motel. It was cheap and in many cases rented by the hour. The skinny rake of a man behind the desk looked more ghoul than human, but it was difficult to tell in this town. “No questions. No police,” Jake ordered smoothly slipping him a couple of crisp hundred dollar bills. Giving him a rotted toothy grin, he pocketed the bribe, even as he eyed the body bag being dragged from the back of the van. “You do what you gotta do, buddy. We all got kinks.” The suggestion that he was into group necrophilia registered, but failed to draw Jake’s ire. This man’s opinion of him or his actions meant nothing. All he required was his silence for the next few hours. Two of the four men hauled Harry Sims’ unconscious body in from the van dumping it onto the double bed. The drugs used to feign death might have killed him if not reversed in time. The storm had delayed their arrival. It had taken a shot of adrenalin and CPR to get his heart going again, but Sims still looked like death warmed over. Mike Mooney stood at the end of the bed, his beefy bare arms folded across his chest. “This guy could use a hospital,” he joked instantly drawing raucous laughter from his three cronies. “Too bad we just set it on FIRE!” exclaimed Goon#1 who flicked his lighter on and held up the flame as if they needed a reminder. Goon#2 balled up a hammy fist and jovially punched Jake’s shoulder. “That coulda been you, dude. One big gust of wind, and— kablooey! Copter smashes right into the building.” “Fuckin’-A! You’re like Bruce Willis, man, surviving explosions and shit.” Goon#3 joined in on the fun only to take a step back from Jake’s stone-faced response. Adding, “Only way less cool.” “Something to add to my resume,” Jake’s upper lip curled into a sneer, the only outward sign of his irritation they would get. He had little patience for ill-mannered thugs, but in his business, they were a staple he could not avoid. Addressing Mooney, he outlined a plan. “Get your men to dump the van. Once Sims is fully recovered, we won’t need it.” “How long will that take? Sims looks like shit. Kalesh will have our balls if we show up with him looking half-dead. Don’t they got to be alive when we sacrifice ‘em?” It was apparent that Mike Mooney had no clue about the methods used to invoke the Rites of Tavrok, which was fine with him. It made his job so much easier. Besides, if the demon priestess detected even a whiff of subterfuge on his part, he would have far more to worry about than the state of his currently non-existent sex life. The risk was actually part of the thrill, and precisely why Wolfram and Hart was paying him top dollar. “Kalesh will get her sacrifice, Mooney. Trust me, Sims will be fine.” Jake’s confidence had a way of affecting others. He could convince just about anyone to give away his last cent, make any argument stick. Mooney was no different despite the fact that Harry Sims’ pale body was still half-covered by an open body bag. Mooney agreed, but added one caveat. “If this goes South, I’m laying the blame on you, dickwad.” 167: The Crawford Street Mansion, Central Sunnydale “Who knows what might happen to that poor girl out there in the dark. If she makes it into the fire-damaged area. . .,” Wesley’s voice trailed off as his thoughts carried him in a worrisome direction. Giles was of the same mind. “There is no time to waste. We have only the one lantern. I shall begin down here. You rouse some help above.” Reminding him where they stashed the extra flashlights, he suggested that he also bring a crowbar or the crossbow. “Why on Earth would we need those? I can see that we might need to pry a door open if it became lodged during Miss Brewer’s escape. Surely she would not react well to armed men chasing her.” The girl was confused, but whether it was strictly post-traumatic stress, and some form of brainwashing techniques, or the aftereffects of powerful magick were still unknown. “I believe it would be best to prepare for anything. We don’t know how Karla got out of the shackles.” “I-I presumed that Drusilla let her go,” confessed Wesley now thinking that he might be forming conclusions without enough evidence. It seemed a sensible line of thinking, the vampire’s behavior being so unpredictable, and the girl’s mental state still so fragile. Admitting that was a strong possibility, Giles did not want to spend time debating it. “We should get going. We must find Karla. Too much is at stake.” Wes nodded, “Right. On it.” He rushed back to the stairs noting that Giles waited long enough for him to traverse them before heading through the far door. The training room was swallowed up in darkness the moment he left taking the lantern with him. Taking a mental note, Wes realized the number of available helpers for the search party was quite low. There was Xander, of course. Still in the kitchen. He could hear running water from further down the hall. Likely making a futile attempt to save the charred frying pan. With Faith, Buffy, and Willow either on town patrol or taking the night off, and Angel out on the mansion grounds, that left only Cordelia, Spike and Drusilla. It did not seem very reasonable to place Cordelia in danger in order to find Karla Brewer, however he knew she would want to get involved, or at least be made aware of the situation. Spike might be convinced to lend a hand, but Wesley was still wary of Drusilla’s involvement. Perhaps his Watcher training was just too deeply ingrained, but he did not trust the vampires. He knew that Drusilla was mad, and that she followed her own inner voices. She also possessed a power he did not fully understand. Portents, psychics, prognostication all fell within his studies, but Drusilla seemed driven to act for the benefit of her sire, Angel, ensuring the safety of his pet. Wesley scowled as the word pet crossed his thoughts, but in the scheme of things that was the appropriate designation. As far as he knew Angel had made no formal claim or marked her as his mate. He wondered if Cordelia had a clue about the ramifications of such a role, and where it was likely to lead. He continued to ponder the notion as he rifled through the coat closet that served as the weapons and equipment storage area. They had stocked quite the arsenal. “Where are the torches?” he muttered. “You mean the flashlights?” Xander’s voice immediately behind him caused Wesley to yelp in surprise. “Good heavens! What are you doing creeping up on me that way? I might have harmed you.” Wesley loosened his grip on the crowbar, relaxing at the sight of the teenager. The huge yawn Xander did not bother to cover showed he was hardly concerned that his actions might end up in injuries. “Well, whatever you’re doing, have fun with that. I am gonna get some shut-eye.” Quickly stopping him, Wesley explained, “Karla is missing. The manacles are broken and bloody. She either squeezed out of them, broke free by some unknown means, or was let go.” Xander glanced across the foyer toward the stairs. “Dru? That had been his immediate conclusion, too. “Drusilla was alone with Miss Brewer for some time tonight.” The boy went quiet for a moment, looking quite concerned about something. “Um, a few minutes ago, did you hear Cordelia scream Angel’s name?” Wesley’s head jerked in the direction of the staircase, following Xander’s gaze. “Nothing so specific. I heard something, but dismissed it. We discovered Karla was missing.” “Um, yeah, well, I guess I thought it was just Cordy and Angel, uh…y’know, again!” Knowing precisely what his stuttering meant, Wesley held up a hand. “Oh, you need go no further. My room is not as soundproofed as I would hope being just down the hall from theirs.” Shuddering, he realized Xander still had issues with the idea of his former girlfriend being bedded by a vampire whilst being forced to live under the same roof. Poor boy. At least with his own minor infatuation with Cordelia it was merely a matter of being concerned for her wellbeing. Despite the reports of Angel’s secure soul, there had been no formal study of it. Well, one might consider their frequent sexual antics some form of testing methodology, but it was certainly not a proper analysis. “Wait a moment! Angel is patrolling the grounds,” Wesley reminded Xander of the plan. The vampire headed out while Cordelia went to their room to shower and prepare for bed. “He will not have had time to complete a sweep of the perimeter and return.” “So that scream was. . .” Gasping, “A cry for help!” Wesely ran for the stairs, bumping into Xander along the way, dropping the heavy crowbar on his foot. “OWWW!” Hopping up and down, Xander’s face twisted in pain. “That was my big toe.” Wes sent him an apologetic look, but there was no time for anything further. He reached for the crowbar only to be elbowed in the head as Xander hopped toward the stairs. He yelped painfully at the jolt, “AHHH!” Losing his balance, he tumbled to his knees landing awkwardly on the wooden floor. That. . . hurt. As quickly as he could manage, Wesley maneuvered himself to his feet and moved to join Xander on the stairs. They limped quickly, glaring at each other along the way. “Do you think Karla is up there?” asked Xander with a grunt of pain as he put pressure on his injured foot. Having not thought that Karla might consider Cordelia a target of some kind, Wesley’s eyes widened at the notion. “Good Lord! Hurry!” Halfway up, they realized Spike was standing at the top of the landing staring down at them. Drusilla spared them a glance, but seemed to be rubbing a sore spot of her own as she walked by, continuing to move toward the third level stairs. Spike demanded to know, “What the deuce are you two doing?” “We heard Cordelia scream.” Spike seemed to find that funny. “Maybe you did, but I don’t think she needs rescuing. The cheerleader is fine. Not the night to go snooping around bedroom doors, especially that one. Not unless you want an eyeful.” Hint received, Wesley cringed. “I take it Angel has already returned. Perhaps I should tell him the news before they have an opportunity to…ah…” As he made an attempt to move past the vampire, Spike put a hand to his chest making it impossible. “I said it’s best you leave them alone.” “We need some assistance tracking Karla Brewer,” Wesley explained the situation. Refusing to back down, not wanting to appear vulnerable to a vampire he did not trust, he held his ground, his chin tilted a notch higher than usual. “If Angel is unavailable, we need you on the job.” Spike glanced down the hallway toward Angel and Cordelia’s room, as if he considered letting Wesley disturb them anyway. “Bollocks!” he muttered. “What are you waiting for, Watcher?” “Is Drusilla planning to accompany us?” She was leaning against the wall watching them. “You coming, luv?” asked Spike holding out his hand. Drusilla stayed put. “You waste your time. Though her body runs free, the girl cannot be reached. She is lost until he comes for her.” “Amolon comes for her?” Wesley gulped. “Y-you saw this in a vision.” “Inside her mind, her soul,” Drusilla’s whispers tickled creepily along his nerves. “A little peek. Only a hint of brightness of the girl she once was. The rest is shadows. There, in the darkness, he waits.” 168: The Master Bedroom, Crawford Street Mansion As soon as Spike and Drusilla departed, Angel slammed the door shut with a loud bang taking out some of his anger at them on the inanimate object. Ripping off his leather jacket, he slung it down on a nearby chair, not even bothering to fold it, much less hang it up. Turning slowly, just enough to stare over his shoulder at Cordelia, whose bright eyes were fixed on him, he became outwardly calm despite the churning storm inside. It was difficult enough to focus on Cordelia’s safety when the threat came from outside the mansion walls. Letting down his guard when it came to his progeny was a mistake. Although it appeared no harm was intended, they had definitely crossed a line. Touching Cordelia this way, well-intentioned scheme or not, went against every unspoken rule of their kind. She was his. The sight of her bound body roused far more than just desire. It tugged at his possessive demonic nature, and his human need to protect the woman he loved from all possible harm. They probably thought they were doing him a favor, or just playing the kinds of games they were used to back in the day. No doubt Angelus would have gotten a kick out of watching Cordelia squirm against her bindings, her beautiful body his for the taking. He would make her beg for release, using his skill to bring hers to the brink of climax until tears fell, and sobs of pleasure, and terror, filled his ears. The things Angelus would have done disgusted him, but he was hard anyway, a heavy throb building in his groin at the thought of taking the gift that was offered. Christ! She was temptation personified. The staccato beat of her heart called to him like a beacon pulling him forward. He stalked across the space between them, moving slow and steady, eyes darkening as his pupils dilated taking her in. Teasing his senses, Angel dragged his tongue across the seam of his lips, anticipating things to come, wanting far more than she could ever imagine. He crossed behind her out of the line of her sight forcing Cordelia to twist around to try to catch a glimpse of him. Waiting in her blind spot, he shucked off his shoes and socks, puling the shirttail from his pants, plucking the buttons open one by one as he watched the candlelight shimmer across her skin. A murmur of frustration escaped Cordelia’s throat when he stayed out of view too long. “Angel? A little tied up, here.” Quite well, he noted, considering the impromptu use of silk ties. A trace of anger laced sounded as he forced out the words, “So I see.” The apology he should be offering went unspoken, his feelings tightening up in his throat like a boa constrictor squeezing the life out of its prey. Drusilla’s plans were all too apparent, laying the blame solely in her direction, and the reason why Spike was still standing. He had let Dru off far too easily with just a few harsh words and a swat on the ass, when her actions would normally earn her far worse. Thinking about it only pissed him off. Aggression tensed his shoulders, and he tried to shake it off with a slow roll flexing his muscles across the bone, craning his neck side-to-side feeling the tendons stretch. Angel knew where this was supposed to lead. Every instinct demanded he follow along. Touch. Take. Claim. His hands were clenched at his sides as he fought against the urge to take what was essentially on display. He wanted to grasp those hips, thrust deep, and pound into her in the hard rhythm that made Cordelia convulse around him, and scream his name like he was the center of her universe. When he finally sank his fangs into her throat, it would be at the height of her release, adrenalin-rich blood bursting into his mouth at the same time her sweet honey poured over his cock. Pressing against his trouser leg like a hungry monster looking to escape, his engorged shaft felt tight, huge, the sensitive foreskin rubbing against the swollen tip each time he moved. Exploding now was not an option requiring a pause to remove the rest of his clothes. Angel uncurled his fingers, grasped the open panels of his shirt and shucked it off, dropping it onto the carpet. The belt buckle jangled as he dealt with it, opening the button of his pants with the flick of his thumb. Cordelia’s head lifted up a notch at the sounds, and twisted with the fruitless effort to see him as the zipper riffed on its way down. It was excitement rather than fear that tensed her body, fragrant arousal making him grip his thick shaft fisting it hard. A low growl rumbled across his chest as he pumped its length twice anticipating her tightness. “Angel, honey, use your words. The growly thing is always a turn-on, but I can’t see you and I’m still tied up.” Her toes curled when he touched her ankle, his fingers shifting over skin and bone and knotted Paisley silk, continuing a slow path up to her hip where he opened up his hand to take hold filling his palm with soft, warm skin, and firm flesh. He ran the other down her spine feeling her bend and arch under his touch seeking more. Another soft moan emerged as she confessed, “I love it when you touch me. Your hands feel so good. Why do I get the idea…oh, that’s, mmm…you’re not gonna untie me, are you?” Angel did not answer at first circling his thumbs along the base of her spine, long fingers spreading out to run the gauntlet of her tiny waist and ribs, edging forward to tease her breasts filling his palms with their weight. She writhed against him pressing into his cool touch, heating him up, and making it impossible to deny his needs. He gave her an answer, “No.” It was one word more than he thought he could manage sending him back to his own possessive thoughts as he slid his hands across her skin. She felt so familiar now. Angel anticipated his path, having memorized each millimeter of her beautiful body. Touching her was more than just a good feeling; it felt necessary, yet he held back the words afraid of how they might come out. Knowing the depths of his feelings shook him to the core, much less Cordelia, who had only the most superficial knowledge about the possessive nature of vampires. Humans and their relationships were so different now than during Liam’s time. A woman of Cordelia’s age would be wedded, bedded, and gravid with child, and probably not for the first time. He pictured that scenario for a moment, surprised by the sharp hurt at the loss of it, but not so much to mistake an impossibility for a reason to let her go. Whether she knew it or not they were beyond that now. Cordelia might believe this was an impromptu massage, his big hands running over her skin, kneading her flesh, but it was more than that. The rhythmic strokes soothed the raging beast within him, muting out the inner voice urging him to take what was offered. Finally, letting him put thoughts to voice. “Tell me you’re mine, Cordy.” “Duh! Kinda obvious.” That did not negate his need to hear her acknowledge the fact. “Say it.” “Mmm, God, yes. All yours.” Her words washed over him like a calming balm despite the fact that he knew her feelings for him. That side of him had nothing to do with feelings and everything to do with possession, and even if it had only been his own progeny here in the room to see and touch what belonged to him, he wanted to hear it. Smooth skin slid under his palm as she wiggled her ass teasingly. “So whatcha gonna do about it?” He could sense the grin on her face daring him to take her just like this. Angel loved the way she was always eager for him, wanting him just as desperately. He had planned to let her sleep tonight, just enjoying her closeness skin to skin, surrounded by her warmth. Adrenalin had chased away any trace of sleepiness giving him an excuse to finish what they had started back on the beach. “Make new plans,” he answered with a smirk tracing his fingers down to her sex. With a gentle thrust he plunged two fingers inside her wet center eliciting a moan of approval. “Oh, yeah, new plans. What were, oh God, that’s so good, ah, ah, what were the old plans?” Right now, Angel was so hard he could barely fathom the original idea. “Snuggling,” a deeper octave laced his voice with lust, making even that sweet confession sound sinful. Unable to thrust back against his hand Cordelia moved in a tight little circle, letting his touch stimulate everything, her inner core tightening around his long, thrusting fingers. “Niiice! Angel snuggles are top notch. Ooh, yes! So is that.” Cordelia’s legs strained against her bindings as his movements shifted. Plunging deep in a fast pounding rhythm made his hand slap against her sensitive skin. A wild thing, she grunted out sexy little sounds, tossed her hair as her upper body moved desperately seeking a counterpoint to his thrusts. Smooth as silk, and scorching his fingers, she was almost there, about to come undone at his touch. He wanted more, needed it, and felt the bone and muscle shift, fangs emerging with a hard mix of pleasure and pain. Instantly, his senses sharpened, heightening everything, making the thump of her heartbeat louder, the rush of blood in her veins a siren song, the catch of her breath as he removed his fingers shooting sparks of anticipation along his nerves. The bench at the end of the bed cushioned his knees when Angel shifted up behind her, but a cold concrete floor would not have made a difference to his actions, needing her now. Grasping her hips, Angel shifted until the hard length of him centered against her, broad tip poised for entry. He could not take it slowly, and did not want to, knowing she was ready for it. Pushing past her body’s natural resistance, he thrust home, spearing into her slick heat until he was buried to the hilt, a primal male satisfaction blooming in his chest at making her take it all. Almost instantly, Cordelia keened sharply as she came spasming around the thick press of his sex inside her. Her name ripped from his throat, course with lust over the insanely good sensation of being fully sheathed inside her. All the way in, holding tight, his head thrown back and eyes clenched shut to ride out the sensation, Angel ground out, “You feel incredible,” salaciously rubbing a hand over her ass as he began to move. A few slow, steady strokes to prime her exhausted the limits of Angel’s patience. Driving back into her like a piston, he wrapped his hands around her thighs for leverage, making the most of the angle. He fucked her deep and hard, rougher than he intended, as if he needed to thrust everything he was inside her. Cordelia called out his name, a crack sounding between the syllables, begging for more even if it might be too much. He gave it to her because he had to, hips flying back and forth, her ass pressed against him, the added sounds of sex spurring him on. Suddenly, she was coming again, her orgasm bursting around him, slicking his cock, and making her wetter, hotter. Like a furnace beneath his touch, he soaked up her heat, felt the blood pulsing as her body throbbed around him. Reaching forward, Angel grabbed a fist full of her long hair that continually teased him with glimpses of her throat, hiding and revealing. The vein in her neck distended to its own inner beat, the tune of her heart racing in her chest. The hand fisting her hair kept her body taunt, raised off the bed, straining her bonds to their full extent as he brought her closer. Still keeping up his hard rhythm, Angel let go his hold on her hip. Blood rushed back into the blanched spots where his tight grip held her in place, making him wonder if there would be bruises there tomorrow. Opening up his hand he flattened it against her abdomen sliding it upward across the ladder of her ribs to clasp a breast jiggling with the force of his thrusts. Angel stared down at the smooth skin of her throat craving connection, his fangs aching at the urgency of his need to claim her. Moving closer with the next thrust he banged a little too deep, tugged a little too hard. Cordelia cried out sharply, this time her pleasure laced with a trace of pain, the sound jabbing him out of his lustful haze, and reminding him of his thoughts about Angelus, and the dangers of letting himself get out of control. Angel released Cordelia so quickly that she collapsed on the bed, both of them groaning as he pulled out, and backed away. He could not get the apology out fast enough feeling like he had betrayed her trust. “Sorry.” Confused, she seemed uncertain about his reasons. “For stopping?” “Being too rough.” The pause that followed lasted only a heartbeat. “Hadn’t noticed. It was hot like that.” The lusty confession made him moan with the need to pick up right where they left off. Angel did not need to hear that right now despite that he was still rock hard, his cock a rampant bar of flesh jutting sharply from his groin, still shiny with her wetness. Taut with desire, feeling far too needy, he knew he could not take her again that way. Not tonight, at least. “Please, Angel, I was. . .can we?” “You’re not usually so tongue-tied about asking for it, Cordy.” He grinned even though he probably should not be encouraging her. Cordelia let out a little growl of frustration, “No, I’m just tied up. Otherwise, I would so pounce on you right now.” The image of her pushing him back on the bed, straddling his hips, screwing herself onto his erection, and enthusiastically riding herself into an orgasm short-circuited his brain for a second. Aroused and amused by her words, he told her, “Next time,” promising to let her have her way with him. “You’re very sexy when you pounce.” “C’mon, give it to me, Angel,” she begged so sweetly it would tempt a saint. “I need you inside me.” Angel knew she would be sore, and probably bruised in the morning, but he needed her, too. They had both been close to coming when he stopped, and he was certainly feeling the ache in his balls. Although Cordelia had already had multiple orgasms, he knew from experience that she was capable of responding until exhaustion set in. She wanted him, and he was always ready, anticipating her needs, taking her to new heights, and in ways she had never contemplated. “You’ll have me.” The words came out almost gruffly as he gritted his teeth determinedly reminding himself to change the pace. If this was going to happen tonight, he wanted it to be face to face, making love to her, not while taking her roughly from behind. Releasing her legs by untying the knots at each bedpost, he slipped her forward onto the bed and gently rolled her onto her back. Cordelia stretched out her usually limber legs, testing the joints that had been forced into one position for some time. “Ooh, I’m kinda stiff.” Angel climbed up on the bed next to her, stroking her face softly, as he joked, “So am I,” drawing a soft laugh in response as he reminded her of an awkward conversation in the library. Smirking, he leaned in to brush his lips teasingly against hers, the smile still on his face until he kissed her again, this time with tender reverence as if worshipping the shape of her mouth, the warmth of her lips. A little mewl sounded from Cordelia in anticipation of more, but he deliberately took it soft and slow making her melt into his kisses, building her arousal up again. He also hoped to keep his inner demon under control. Teasing the soft inner curve of her lower lip with the tip of his tongue made her open up to him, their kisses getting hotter, wilder. Angel pinned her thighs with one of his as he held her steady trapping his rigid shaft against her hip, a spark flashing behind his eyes at the sensation. He lifted away from their kiss, waited long enough for Cordelia to open her eyes. “You’re so beautiful like this.” Even though it should be no surprise, she gasped at the way he said it, and Angel knew he probably sounded like a desperate man barely in control. Cordelia kept her response light by reminding him that her wrists were still bound to the headboard. “Tied up, you mean?” Angel had not forgotten. Nor could he deny that it was still a turn-on, but right now it seemed like a good idea. Having her hands on him always drove him wild. Cordelia was most definitely a tactile lover, and what she lacked in experience, she more than made up for in enthusiasm. Golden skin was flushed with pink undertones, her full lips swollen from their kisses, and eyes bright with lust. Cupping one firm breast, he thumbed her sensitive nipple, already pulled into a tight little peak. She arched toward his touch, and moaned his name. “Aroused, naked, in my arms,” Angel clarified his thoughts as he dropped a kiss on her lips before taking his kisses on tour. The tempting line of her throat was the only area he avoided feeling certain that pressing his lips to her pulse point might be too much to handle, much less running his tongue over the cord of her neck, catching it between his blunt teeth, or sucking just hard enough to leave a hickey. Everything else was fair game starting with the line of her collarbone so close to the warm allure of her throat, as he pressed soft kisses and little nibbles along her flesh, with his hands scouting out new locations ahead. Skimming his palm across the breast already in his grasp, he fondled it gently, bending his head to suckle at its dusky peak. He gave equal attention to its twin before his path of nibbles and caresses continued down to her toned belly with its soft curves nuzzling the pink scar there and dipping his tongue into the concave slit of her navel. Angel slid between her legs opening her wide to his heated gaze. She smelled so good, fragrant with arousal and juicy with come. Licking his lips in anticipation of tasting her, he craved it almost as much as her blood because it was intimate, solely hers, and she belonged to him. As always, Cordelia openly enjoyed every lick, caress, and thrust of his tongue as he ate her out. Wild with lust, she begged to be set free of her bonds so used to touching any part of him she could reach, playing with her breasts, or stroking herself whenever they made love this way. Cordelia’s ability to talk her way through anything never ceased to amaze him, and he always enjoyed the litany of praise mixed with her lusty little demands. “Oh, God, yes! Yesssss! Uhh, you’re killing me. Don’t stop. Yeah, Angel, do that again. Mmm! Ooh, right there.” He stayed between her thighs until her body was tuned up to a fever pitch, hips writhing and practically riding his tongue as it lashed across her clit and into her wet center. After he made her come twice, and swallowed every drop of nectar her body released, Angel hoped it would be enough to appease the urge to take her blood. The rushing pulse from her femoral arteries, positioned so close to his ears, reminded him that the impetus to taste her was far more primal. Rising up onto his spread knees, Angel eased her legs down to drape over his thighs giving Cordelia a moment’s respite as he watched a satisfied smirk spread across her lips. “Geez, that was fun.” Her eyes were a little glassy, tiredness starting to take hold again, but her gaze dropped down between them to note, “You’re still hard. Guess I’m all kinds of selfish tonight.” Thinking back to their romantic dinner, stroll on the beach, and the spectacular blowjob she had given him before the night went to hell, Angel had no cause for complaint, but he would not lie about wanting more. “You must be tired, sore. I’ll try to be as gentle as I can, but need to be inside you.” “You think I can’t keep up?” “I’m a vampire, Cordy,” he reminded her unnecessarily as he reached up to loosen the silk ties biding her wrists. “You can’t out fuck me.” “That sounds like a challenge. Cheerleader here. Okay, so recently ex-cheerleader, but still pretty good at bending into those pretzel-like positions you seem to enjoy.” Cordelia was still mouthing off at him when he shifted his hips and thrust inside her. “Oh! No fair! I wasn’t ready.” Angel deliberately started to move, pumping his hips in a slow, almost cautious pace. He loved her enthusiasm, but needed to stay in control. Moving close, he positioned himself just above her, his weight balanced on his elbows leaving them skin to skin, with her breasts crushed against his chest and his body banging and rubbing deliciously against hers every time they moved. The moment she touched him, he knew he was in trouble. Free of her bindings, Cordelia smoothed her hands over his face, leaning forward to initiate a kiss. There was nothing sweet or teasing about it. She was going straight for sexy and seductive taking her little challenge scenario quite seriously. Lost in the taste of her mouth, the pace of his thrusts quickened, he forgot all about his promise to be gentle when her fingernails curled into his shoulders, and her legs wrapped high around his back. Christ! She felt incredible in all the right places, in all the right ways. Perfection. Fitting him like a glove, and not just now when her inner muscles squeezed him tight, but the way she tucked into his heart made him want a life more than just an existence. It was a heavy thought during a passionate moment, when Cordelia was moaning lustily in his ear. A wave of possessiveness swept through him at the notion that Nicolau Cibran and the other followers of Amolon might take her from him. He reared back away from her throat the moment he lost his hold on his human features and felt his ridges and fangs emerge, but he could not stop like he did before. Cordelia’s expression contained only a triumphant glint in her eyes as if she was claiming points for her competition. Cheerleader 1 : Vampire 0. “What big fangs you have,” she cooed playfully while cupping a hand around his nape, leveraging up to press her lips against his throat. Trusting him a little too much, swayed by the fact that this wasn’t the first time he had vamped out during sex, Cordelia’s teasing words, lips, and wandering hands made it too hard to ignore the need building inside him. Angel pressed her into the mattress before she could protest, shifting her left leg so that her knee hooked over his shoulder, and rapidly pinned her wrists to the bed on either side of her head. The new position lodged him deeper, drawing out a gasp from Cordelia, who suddenly realized it was Game Over. Angel could see the proverbial light bulb flash on. He was desperate to finish before he did something one or both of them would regret. Claiming her now before they had time to discuss it, before she had a clue what it would mean, was a mistake, but it was one he might have no choice in making. Angel hammered into her, barely keeping it together enough to recognize the hint of uncertainty in her eyes as she stared up at him. He wanted to know her thoughts, if this scared her more than he imagined it might, but words took too much effort. All he could do was offer a kiss of reassurance. Cordelia kissed him back until she arched hard against him as another orgasm crashed over her. The movement caused his fangs to collide with her bottom lip dotting it with a few drops of blood. He licked the blood away, his eyes shuttering closed at the taste of it lingering on his tongue. Like lightning streaking through him, he was instantly set off, rearing back like a lion with a silent roar, shooting jism with each short, deep stroke. When the haze cleared, Angel’s mouth was pressed against Cordelia’s neck, her pulse racing as he primed it with his tongue, licking up the length of it. He was still inside her, unwilling to move, afraid that he lacked the control to leave her body without making his mark on her throat. A catchy breath sounded in his ear as she stilled beneath him. Cordelia waited no more than a pause before cutting right to it. “You want to bite me, don’t you?” Assessing her tone, Angel hoped it was more curiosity than fear, matter-of-factness not a precursor to one of her patented ear-spitting shrieks. Mostly, he did not want her to look at him like he was a monster for needing that uniquely vampiric bond. It took focus, a concentrated effort to shift his features back from vampire to human form. He released his hold on her wrists, one hand sliding up to stroke the line of her jaw as he met her direct gaze, searching for a sign that his response might be too much for her to handle. She filled the silence when his introspection sparked impatience by answering her own question. “Duh! Of course you do. Kinda expected that.” Relief bloomed hot in his chest as he realized Cordelia was not going to reject the idea completely. His lips swept across hers in a fervid kiss as he poured some of his need into it, channeling his passion, and love for her. She moaned into his mouth as she kissed him back, her arms wrapping around him the moment he shifted his hold so that her leg was draped around his waist rather than over his shoulder, but maintaining their intimate connection unwilling to break free of her warmth just yet. He traced her face with his fingertips, tucking wild strands of hair away from her eyes and mouth, and more subconsciously than not, away from the slope of her neck. “Yes, I want it, Cordy. So much more than that. I want to claim you.” Uncertain, but trusting, she pointed out her perspective on the matter, “I’m feeling kind of claimed already.” Shifting her hips beneath the weight of his caused his resting cock to stir again. He groaned, warning her not to start something she might be too tired to finish. “Didn’t we just have that argument? Challenge me again, and I will so prove you wrong, even if you did win the last round.” A little distracted as he dotted butterfly kisses across her throat, he asked, “How did I win?” “I came first. Next time, you are so gonna lose it.” That was precisely what he could not do, not until Cordelia fully understood what she was encouraging when she nibbled at his earlobe and arched her throat in his direction. “C’mon, Angel, do it. Make it fast. Do it now.” He fought off the urge to change again, the vampire within blinking on and off his face even before he put a little distance between his mouth and her neck. Voice gruff with restrained urgency, Angel admitted, “I want this, Cordy. More than you can possibly know.” “Then do it.” He felt a frisson of natural trepidation shiver along her skin even as she brazenly encouraged him to take what he wanted. Angel shook his head, clenched his eyes closed for a moment when his body responded to both her fear and her permission. “No. Not until you understand what it means. You’ll be mine, Cordelia. Forever. There are consequences.” “I like being yours.” A brilliant smile lit up her face as she gazed up at him with love in her eyes. Its sparkle dimmed a moment later as questions popped up one by one. “Wait, what do you mean by forever? As in for eternity, forever, or the end of my shorter than expected soon to be sacrificed life? What consequences? Are there some kind of creepy side effects? Angel, I—I don’t want to be a vampire.” Angel growled, not wanting to get into it, finding it difficult enough to stave off the urge to claim first and pretend to be apologetic about it later. He could not. . .would not. . . do that to her, loving her too much to take away the one choice she might have in an already cloudy future. Anger laced his words, inwardly self-directed at his hesitancy in broaching the subject long before it felt like a necessity, but outwardly frustrated with the questions launched in his direction. “Don’t be ridiculous, Cordy. I’m not planning to turn you into a vampire,” he snapped furiously only to regret his tone, especially when the impetus to take her again became too much to ignore. Moving with long, gentle strokes, he reminded roughly, “I love you.” Cordelia caught her lower lip between her teeth, her hands sliding down his back to grab his ass as she arched into his slow thrusts. “Mmm, I love you, too. Don’t you dare try to avoid the subject, and don’t ever call me ridiculous because I don’t know your stupid vampire rules.” She moaned into his mouth when he kissed her again, her hips shifting, her swollen sex grinding against him. “They’re not stupid. That’s just how it is. If you want to be mine, you need to know what you’re getting into.” “I thought I did,” her soft words betrayed her confusion. The rasp of his thickness inside her became too much. “Oh, geez, Angel, please! You’re driving me crazy. C’mon, Angel, fuck me. Give it to me. You know how I want it.” Angel banged into her hard, once, making her toes curl, and drawing out a lusty mewl of pleasure. Resuming his determinedly slow pace, he flexed his body against hers creating delicious friction everywhere they touched. Somewhere during the midst of their equally slow, wet kisses, he ordered, “Talk to one of the Watchers tomorrow.” A little snort and ‘Pfft!’ followed telling him what she thought of the idea. “Just say what you mean. You tell me.” He gave her no answer, letting her sighs and grunts of pleasure fill his ears. Lifting his head away from her breast, where his hand curled possessively, and its nipple stood up wet and rosy from the attention of his mouth, Angel knew he was too biased on the subject of claiming her to provide any reasoned explanation, certainly not at the moment, when he filled her up, and was too close emotionally to let her say no. All he could manage was the raw truth, “You’re mine, Cordy, and I am never going to let you go.” The intensity of his words kept her silent for a time, except for the increasingly frequent ecstatic little sounds she made, her mouth hot against the cool shell of his ear. Pulling her even closer into his arms, he cupped the back of her head, tempted to wind her hair around his hand, but forcing himself to be gentle. He covered her pliant mouth in a fiery kiss, then slipped his tongue between her lips commanding entry that was easily given. A desire to finish coiled through him, her acquiescence tightening his balls, and bringing a rapid end to his slow, even pace, sending him crashing into her in short, hard bursts. She was so tight, so hot clutching him, her inner muscles resisting his withdrawal again and again, making his sex swell, as he watched her quiver beneath him, arousal pulsing through her. Reaching between them, he drew his thumb across her distended clitoris rubbing it with just the right amount of pressure to make her spiraling need reach a sudden pinnacle. Angel shouted out her name as he penetrated deep and maintained full contact with her body despite his crushing weight, and reckless rhythm. She spasmed around him at the same time he exploded into her. They moved frenetically together, each caught up by the intense pleasure spiraling between them until finally collapsing in a heap of tangled limbs. “That was so awesome,” she muttered seemingly more to herself than to him, but Angel silently echoed her sentiments. Bracing himself on his forearms, he raised up just enough to take his full weight off her body without breaking contact. He shuddered hard with another jolt of lust when she peppered his shoulder, neck and jaw with kisses, licking along his salty skin, and playing a game she knew had to be dangerous. “Mmm, I guess that was a tie.” She brought her mouth to his lips again, and he let her control their kiss because he needed to find a way to let go. “What tie?” Angel asked as he gently pulled out of her body stretching her sensitive flesh one last time and making them both moan in response to it. Cordelia soothed her hands down his back making him scoot closer again. She gave him a saucy reminded, “Y’know, my little challenge. Me being able to keep up with you.” There had been no specific plan to go all night, Angel inwardly defended his decision to give in to the urge to climax when the hot clench of her orgasm sparked his own, but that certainly did not mean he could not have gone longer if he wanted. “I’m pretty sure we came at the same time,” he growled lightly, refusing to allow the suggestion that he had lost that particular competition. “Like I said, it’s a tie. We both won. Go team.” The sparkle was back in her smile making him feel like tonight had not been a complete disaster. He could read her feelings in her eyes, as she openly gazed deep into his, all of the love and lust, satisfaction and need in his own heart brimming from her like a reflection. There were questions, too, a shred of uncertainty. Maybe he felt that, too. Wanting her, and needing to claim her did not feel like mutually exclusive things, but he needed to prepare himself for the possibility that Cordelia would not want to expose herself to the increasingly obsessive needs of a vampire. Especially because, he acknowledged the fact selfishly, that he might not be her top priority with everything else that was going on in her life. Stroking the pad of his thumb across her bottom lip, noting it was still swollen from his accidental puncture marks, Angel growled at the sight. “Does it hurt?” “Only when you’re not kissing me,” she teased. Angel took care of that swiftly enough, keeping his caresses soft, worshipping her mouth with his, and stealing her breath away. Whispering, “I love you,” across her lips when he let her up for air. Clasping his face, Cordelia returned his kisses, pausing only to remind him, “Pretty sure we covered the I love yous earlier.” Her soft, plush kisses felt tender rather than teasing despite the snark. “Well, I like saying it.” “I like hearing it, too.” Shifting over to lie next to her on his side, Angel stroked a hand possessively down the length of her torso stretching his fingers out to span the space between her hips then trailing up past her breasts to tilt her chin in his direction. “Cordelia, I want you to talk to the Watchers. This is important. I’m not asking.” Normally that would be a set up for getting his ass handed to him, at least verbally, but she readily agreed. “Sure, I’ll talk to them. Someone has to explain what happened to their ties.” 169: North Gate, Old Sunnydale Cemetery, Thousand Oaks Drive Buffy headed home at a fast pace. Having spent the past couple of hours rescuing folks from the fire at Mercy General, she felt grimy. All she wanted to do was have a long, hot shower and fall into bed. She was expected to be up for Saturday morning pancakes and some mom-daughter bonding time. What a crappy night. They had zilch to show for their efforts. Nada. Okay, so saving the patients at the hospital was important , but that did not help with the progress making on the prophecy. The Bad Guys definitely won this round making off with their soon-to-be-sacrificed prisoner. No catching any breaks around here. Nope. Tonight pretty much sucked all around. First, she was subjected to all of the drama that went along with Angel and Cordelia’s official first date. Talk about cruel and unusual punishment. That was just wrong. Evil. Kind of seemed like their first, second, third, and more-times-than-she-wanted-to-count dates had already been spent cozying up in their bedroom. Not that she was bitter. Much. Well, if she was, it was totally justified. Deciding to take a shortcut through Old Sunnydale Cemetery, she pushed on the old iron gate just enough to squeeze inside. Its hinges squeaked in woeful complaint, much like her thoughts screeching in her head. Was it so wrong to feel just a smidge gleeful that the perfect night Angel organized for Cordelia had gone sideways? Too bad, so sad. Boo Bloody Hoo, as Spike would say, she smirked only to realize she was letting her nemesis creep into her thoughts. That was another thing on her list of crappy things about tonight. Spike. He stuck to her like glue for hours. Patrolling. Constantly teasing. Never shutting up. God, he was worse than she ever thought Cordelia would be patrolling with Angel. Bad karma, that’s what it was, she decided. Her admittedly slightly selfish plan coming back to bite her on the ass. Yup! Maybe she had set herself up for it all, but how could she ever have guessed that Angel would fall for Cordelia Chase? She was . . .she was . . .Cordelia Chase. That was enough of a deterrent. It was mind-boggling. Just wrong. Those two were now stuck together like superglue usually at the lips. As much as she hated to admit it to herself Angel was totally, deeply, madly suckered by whatever it was that seemed to give him a whole new personality transplant, kept Xander in his mooning, lovesick state, and even seemed to make the new Watcher all stuttery whenever within Cordelia’s sphere. Not to forget the fact that it was Giles who invited her to come back to Scoobiage in the first place. Buffy tried to see past the obvious charm of her beauty, which she readily conceded had to make men susceptible to her feminine wiles. All she could see when she closed her eyes to think about it was Queen C making out with her boyfriend. There was no use whining about it now. Not only was there too much water over the bridge, it had pretty much washed away in the flood of her tears. She was done crying about it. Angel was definitely off the market, and had turned into some kind of obsessive control-freak when it came to protecting Cordelia. Figuring that Angelus had always been kinda obsessive, too, Buffy guessed that it might just be a vampire thing. Or maybe it was just that Cordelia was in trouble and Angel was just being over-protective. Thinking about it gave her a headache, and she did not really want to think about the two of them because it never failed that her thoughts turned to the skillful touch of Angel’s hands, the soft, increasingly passionate kisses they used to share, and the way he made love to her on that other rain-soaked night. With a heavy sigh, she wondered what things would be like if Angel had known about his soul when he got back to Sunnydale. Would she have still pushed him away? He was still a vampire, still obsessive, and obviously had more things on his mind than just following her lead. It felt confusing, even upsetting, and Buffy did not like the constant ache in her heart, because as unfair as it all was, she recognized that felt more like envy than love. All of the deep thinking, and heart-achy vibes kept Buffy distracted. She was deep into the heart of Old Sunnydale Cemetery when she came to a sudden stop, hearing voices ahead, and the sounds of a struggle. Instantly alert, she zeroed in on them, her vision still keen in the dark. A group of six vampires surrounded a smaller male figure pushing him around like they were playing a game of keep away. Despite his small stature, he was not a child. Pleading for mercy, he stuttered his way through a hasty story. “N-no, no, please, you got the wrong demon. I don’t even live around here. Just visiting the Hellmouth. I’m a tourist.” A vampire with wavy sandy brown hair, wearing a leather jacket over casual clothes, had an East Coast accent. “Nice try, wiseass. You’re the thief who stole our stuff. Tell us where you hid the books.” “D-do I look like a bookworm?” Buffy watched the vampire nudge their victim toward one of his brethren. “You look like a thieving weasel. Talk some sense into him,” he growled, apparently too angry over his stolen books to trust himself. “We might let you live,” promised the next vampire trying the good cop approach. Somehow, Buffy doubted the little demon was dumb enough to believe that big fat lie. It was not really her business, she supposed, saving a demon from a bunch of vampires, but this was definitely her territory and those vampire were a threat. A rush of adrenalin hit as she imagined the satisfaction of staking them in their cold, unfeeling hearts. Yeah, and that had nothing to do with her feelings about Angel. Nope. No at all. Taking a running start, she hopped up onto the top of an above ground stone coffin, one of the oldest of its kind in the cemetery, dark with blackened mold, and crumbling along its edges. “Six of you against one little guy? Doesn’t seem fair.” The shocked looks on their faces gave her a buzz. One vampire, not bothering to hide his fangs, sauntered closer. “You lost, sweet thing? Maybe I should walk you home.” Before Buffy could say something in return, the first vampire snapped, “Stop. That’s the Slayer, you idiot. She’s carrying a stake.” “That’s her? Tiny little thing.” Slightly annoyed, Buffy knew that her size worked to her advantage. She moved fast, and was far stronger than they would guess. While they were all distracted, Buffy took a moment to visualize her strategy. Six of them, one of her, and one little demon guy who might get in the way, whose neck she was not quite certain was worth saving. He looked as confused as the other vampires. “I-I thought the Slayer was a brunette.” “This is the other one. There are two,” explained Mister Know-it-All Vamp. That was a fact Buffy doubted was widely known even among most vampire clans. Why was he on the up and up? Executing a flip off the crypt, she landed in a crouched position low to the ground, stake in hand. She rose slowly to her full five-foot four inches. Even more annoyed now, she pointed out, “Well, I’m the original,” just as she whirled around executing a swift kick to Flirtatious Vamp’s midsection sending him flying into a headstone. A bone cracked in his arm as he landed hard causing a shout of pain. The others tensed up instantly getting ready for a fight. They made calculated moves to get into fighting position, disciplined enough not to rush her, or to flee the instant she proved she was not just a pretty blonde out for a late-night stroll. Buffy guessed these vampires had been hunting together for a while and were not just a bunch of fledglings who had shown up at the Hellmouth looking for a good time. Despite having the superior numbers on their side, she was still confident that she could take them out. “Guess you Slayers come in all kinds of tasty flavors,” their leader leered as she turned to face him. “Lehane and I got a score to settle. Been a while since she left the city.” Her planned attack stalled when he mentioned the name. A little slack-jawed over the realization, Buffy asked, “You know Faith?” Yes, well, obviously, he did, but she wanted answers. Details. The 411 on the hows and whys. Faith rarely gave up any of the good stuff about her pre-Sunnydale days. The fact that he called her Lehane might have clued her in on his feelings even if he did not scoff at the sound of her name. “Faithless bitch is more like it.” Most of Faith’s past was a big ol’ mystery to Buffy. Giles was even closed-mouthed on the subject. She knew some general info about her Watcher’s death, and could see for herself that Faith was edgy and undisciplined, but she had no details really on who she was as a person or what her life was like back in Boston. “Aw, did she break your heart?” Buffy asked while edging into position noting that four of the other five also shifted defensively. As much as she wanted to probe him for more information, she really wanted to get home to that hot shower, too. “We screwed around,” he answered making certain she understood that things were not that emotional, “back before the fangs, and before she turned into one of you.” Ooh! The guy she was about to dust was Faith’s ex. Sorta. This was why it was better to stake first and skip the questions. Now she had gone and made it all complicated. Buffy decided that she would try to dust him last giving herself time to decide if she should tell Faith about this or not. Buffy threw a punch planning to knock him off balance, but he managed to dodge out of the way and grinned as if he liked the challenge of taking on a Slayer. A quick jab got him in the gut. He countered with a backslap that connected hard against her cheek, and then reached for her throat. She jumped back a step then whirled toward one of the other vampires who tried to circle behind her. Knocking him down to his knees, she bashed his face with a fist, breaking his nose, and sending him reeling into the ground. She took aim at his heart, but a third vampire rushed straight at them yanking Buffy off her feet. Landing hard on her back, she was momentarily stunned as the air whooshed out of her lungs. She blinked and watched the heavier vampire bare his fangs and lunge straight for her neck. A moment before he could bite, she recovered enough to move the hand holding her stake into position. The vampire’s momentum carried him downward too fast to avoid it. Buffy caught the ‘oh shit’ look on his face just before he turned to ash. The dust burst around her causing Buffy to blink reflexively avoiding an eyeful of ashes as she leapt to her feet again. Broken Arm Guy clutched his arm to his chest and tried a wheelhouse kick as she emerged from the cloud of dust, but missed by a mile. Leaping forward, she got him with one quick jab. “Two down, four to go,” she quipped dashing forward and using a headstone to come at one from a higher vantage point. A second vampire crossed over to help out. Her foot connected with his chest. He flew back into the other vampire, both of them reeling off-balance onto the ground. Landing steadily on her feet, she quickly turned around to face them, and to reassess her options. Faith’s ex started walking toward her, deliberately taking his time about it, anticipating her possible moves. “So, which one were you?” Buffy asked as if she had tons of info about Faith’s former boy toys. Hopefully, the suggestion that he was just one forgettable guy hardly worth mentioning stabbed at that vampire ego. If she could throw him off balance, the others would follow suit. “The one that got away,” he joked just before throwing a punch in her direction. Raising her arm, she blocked it. Just as he blocked hers. Punches, kicks, and jabs followed, but they kept on countering each other’s moves. Buffy had the added distraction of the other two jumping in now and then with attacks of their own, her body constantly in motion to fend off their strength. Barely avoiding being grabbed, she dodged the sweeping arms of one vampire to back into another, dislodging him as he tried to wrestle her to the ground. “I’m not that kinda girl,” she used a basic knee to the groin defense to shake him loose. He clutched his aching privates with both hands as he doubled over, and was instantly staked for it. Their numbers were rapidly diminishing. Despite the immediate danger she presented, the little demon and his secret stash of books was still enough to distract them. “Get him out of here,” the leader ordered his underling. “Do what you need to do to make him talk. I’ll deal with the Slayer.” “You got it, Bax.” Still holding onto the demon by the collar, he jerked him back to his feet and dragged him away from the fight. “Boss wants those books, knows you’ve got ‘em, You’re gonna tell me everything.” The kicking and screaming demon was not exactly fond of the idea. “Hey, Slayer! A little help?” he called out to her. “Got something you might want. We can deal.” Whatever he had, these vampires were unwilling to let him go in order to gain a better advantage against her. Buffy decided it might be worth the effort. “Demon or not, I do like a good deal.” Apparently, Bax—whatever kind of name that was— did not like her butting into his business. “We’re here for him, not you, Slayer. Back off.” “Too bad about that deal I just made,” she smirked. “Make a new one. With me,” Bax pressed a hand to his chest and tried to look sexy. He had a long way to go to seduce anyone just with that smile, and she was afraid he was out of time to brush up on the vampire skills. “Nah! I like the one where I get to. . .,” she trailed off long enough to swing her arm to the right plunging her stake into the chest of the vampire who tried and failed to sneak up on her, “do this!” The sexy tone disappeared pretty quick replaced by something dark and dangerous. “I’m going to make you regret killing my crew.” Buffy knew he would try. Cutting off her response, the shadows spoke, “Doubt that.” Faith appeared from behind a tall monument to stake the brawny vampire holding the demon off the ground. He was too surprised to do anything about it. As he exploded into a cloud of ash, the demon fell from his crumbling grasp landing awkwardly and grabbing his leg. Instead of crying out in pain, he started laughing hysterically with a donkey-like eee-aww filling the gaps between his words. “I’m saved! Hah! You’re done for now, you fanged bastard. It’s the other one!” Pointing toward the noisy guy, Faith sent Buffy a funny look before clarifying her feelings about being his savior. “The one who doesn’t give a shit about you, demon. Trouble, B?” “Trouble that seems to know you. Who’s the creep?” Buffy nodded toward Bax. She had expected Faith would have some kind of emotional reaction, but her face was stoic, calm despite the surprise of seeing him. “Doesn’t matter, really,” Faith shrugged as she approached. “He’s gonna be dust in a minute.” The vampire gave Buffy his full name, “Baxter Winslow,” as if that might make her a bit more sympathetic. Sure, he mattered, but not to her. The question was whether or not he mattered to Faith. Bax sounded confident that she would not attack him, and would probably put a stop to any efforts on her part. “What makes you think you can take me out now when you couldn’t before?” With the vampire’s attention riveted on Faith, it allowed Buffy to slowly slide to a more advantageous position. She held off attacking despite the urgency building up inside her. Her curiosity was killing her, too. “Things change,” Faith answered simply. There was none of that hothead emotion in her voice, just distance, as she coldly told him, “You’re just another pair of fangs, Bax. You shoulda stayed in Boston. What are you doing in Sunnydale?” “Job. Town’s mayor needed a few rare items. I knew where to find them.” Buffy didn’t need Faith to interpret that remark. Unsurprisingly, she scoffed, “Where to steal them. Some things don’t change even with the pointy hardware.” “Big coincidence finding you here, Lehane.” “Coincidence, my ass. If Wilkins sent for you, then it means you’re a gift for me. Gotta burn all the bridges, he says. Wants me to make a fresh start.” Buffy’s stomach churned at the reminder that the mayor seemed to think of himself as Faith’s sugar daddy. Looking out for her, giving her presents, ordering her around. She was still icked out about Faith’s undercover scenario at City Hall schmoozing the mayor and trying to get intel on whatever underhanded things he’s got going on that may or may not have some connection with the Prophecy. Based on what little she understood about Faith’s relationship with this Bax guy, and the mayor’s involvement, she doubted that these vampires were in Nicolau Cibran’s pocket. Just to verify, she asked, “So you’re not here to worship demons at the Hellmouth?” Bax jerked around, startled by the question. “What kind of vampire does that, crazy bitch?” Annoyed again, Buffy narrowed her gaze and adjusted her grip on Mr Pointy. “So, I’m taking that as a no. Faith?” “Gonna dust your friend now.” “No friend of mine. Not anymore. Rather do it myself, though.” Alone now, surrounded by two Slayers, Bax lost his confidence. His cocky grin vanished. “You screwing with me?” He hedged away from the two of them, but they had managed to crowd him against the back of a crypt. “Faith likes to screw around, don’t you baby?” “I’m a Slayer. I don’t screw vampires.” Bitterly, he reminded her, “That’s what you said the last time I laid eyes on you.” Buffy cringed because she instantly put herself in Faith’s shoes, and wondered what she would do the next time Spike got handsy or mouthed off at her during one of their usual scraps. Disturbed, she decided to leave Faith to it. “I made a deal with that little demon. He owes us. Bye, Bax. I’d say it was nice knowing you. . .” Pushing thoughts of Spike out of her head, Buffy went after the demon who she tracked down on the edge of the cemetery. He had been trying to get away. Almost as soon as she caught up with him, Faith appeared behind her, apparently finished with the task of dusting Baxter Winslow. Buffy flashed on the image of her fight with Angelus, and how it felt to plunge that sword through Angel’s chest sending him to Acathla’s hell dimension. Keeping her voice steady, she asked, “Done and dusted?” “Yeah. Bridge burned. Moving on.” Buffy sensed it was not the time for ask for the details, not with demon dude staring at the two of them. Turning her attention to him, she ordered, “Tell me about these books. I’ll take ‘em.” Rolling his eyes, he scoffed, “Hey, I said I would make a deal. I didn’t say it would be free.” This guy was trying to welch out on her. She balled up her fist and whomped him hard on the shoulder. “Ow! Ooh! What are you, nuts? Going around punching people?” Buffy pulled off its hat to reveal two horns growing out of its forehead and a shock of ratty hair. “People?” she said skeptically not really thinking the word applied. “So what, I’m a demon. That makes it okay?” He waved his arms around trembling in fear when she threatened him with the pointy end of her stake. “Hold it, whoa! Stake me now, and you never find out what I got for ya, huh? Think about it. Demon seeks Slayers, highly unusual?” “You were looking for us?” “Well, her.” He nodded toward Faith. “Bax said the Slayer was a brunette. Thought you’d want to make me an offer. His crew found me first.” Faith’s jaw tightened up at the mention of her ex’s name. “Talk fast.” “How would you like to get your hands on the Books of Ascension?” Glancing at Faith, who was equally unimpressed, Buffy admitted to being clueless about the books, “Never heard of ’em.” “Books of Ascension. Very powerful works and I’m not talking about the prose,” he gave them a waggle of his eyebrows. “They deal with some, ah, dark stuff. The Mayor of this town would hate for somebody to get ahold before he, ah, well you know.” Buffy realized he had some insight into Mayor Wilkins. “Don’t know. Before he what?” Not quite ready to give up the news for free, the demon shook his head. “Hey, hey, read ’em and weep. That’s all I got to say. Tomorrow, I get the books. Meet me here and if the price is right, well, I give the books to you.” “Not really looking to trade with a demon.” “And if this were still a barter economy, that would be a problem.” Leaning in, he made it clear. “I want cash, princess, five large for the whole set.” Faith sneered at him. “So you can buy, I’m guessing here, some skin care products.” “Plane ticket. Sayonara Slayer Central. I am getting out of the Hellmouth, and the grand ol’ U. S. of A. before the crap hits the fan. It’s down to the wire, girls. So, five G’s, what do you say?” Grabbing him by the collar, Faith lifted him onto his tiptoes forcing him to put pressure on his injured leg, whining and whimpering in response. “I think ‘Die Fiend’ sums it up, wouldn’t you say?” Buffy wasn’t exactly sympathetic, but she knew they were not going to get these Books of Ascension out of him tonight. “Oh, let him go.” Tucking her stake away, she added, “I don’t think he falls into the deadly threat to humanity category.” “A demon’s a demon.” A little surprised that Faith was not pressing for details about the books’ whereabouts, considering that her side job was gathering the 411 on Wilkins, Buffy pointed out that it should be an obvious decision. “I’d like to know more about these Books of Ascension. Anything that would pin the Mayor down would be great.” The demon fully agreed, “Yeah, great!” Finally coming to an agreement, Buffy and Faith watched the demon limp away. “Money won’t be a problem. Giles can probably tap into the Council funds. They buy resources all of the time.” “I just don’t trust that little dweeb,” Faith sneered at the now distant figure watching him until he disappeared around the end of a large crypt. “Who’s to say he’s even gonna show up tomorrow night?” Buffy shrugged. “Too much other stuff to worry about. At least you know that you’re not the only one to suspect Mayor Wilkins is up to something.” “The whole ‘become invulnerable’ plan on his schedule might have given that away,” she laughed softly shaking her head. “Ever think of giving this up and moving to Tahiti?” “Sun, sea, and sand,” Buffy sighed deeply. “Nah! Sounds kinda boring.” They walked to the edge of the cemetery following the rusty iron fence to its closest exit and paused before heading in opposite directions. Faith’s plans to head to the Bronze for the last hour were a bust. It would be closed by the time she made it across town. Buffy knew she would still have some distance to go to get back to the mansion, so she made an offer that felt a little awkward even as she said it. “You could stay over at my place. Mom’s making pancakes for breakfast.” Faith made a face. Too much domestication for her. She laughed and declined the offer giving Buffy an odd feeling that mother-daughter breakfasts were something Faith did not have much experience with. Oh, the questions just kept piling up, and she was more curious than ever to know more. Knowing she was not going to get any answers, Buffy kept her burning curiosity to herself. “Staking Bax has me all worked up,” Faith bounced on the balls of her feet as if she was about to take off running. “Gotta work off some of this energy before I hit the sack.” Guessing that meant one last patrol on the way back to the mansion, Buffy nodded and suggested that they wait until morning to talk to Giles and Wesley about the demon and his offer to sell them the Books of Ascension. “Sounds like a plan. Later, B.” Buffy watched as Faith dashed off seemingly unaffected by dusting her former friend, or lover, casual sex buddy, or whatever category Bax actually fit into. Had Mayor Wilkins really set it up? Brought him here under the false pretenses just to give Faith the chance to burn bridges? Experience told her that moving on was not that simple, but maybe it had a lot to do with your attitude. The past was the past, and there was no bringing it back again, no matter how much you wanted to turn back the clock in the blink of an eye. Not happening. When it came to her relationship with Angel, well, it was kind of like that bridge, too, a pile of ashes. Maybe, just maybe, it was all for the best if she put unrealistic hopes behind her and just moved on. 170: Crawford Street Mansion, Central Sunnydale The search for Karla Brewer was a bust. After nearly two hours of searching room to room in the basement level to the out buildings and the grounds there was no sign of the girl. They had split up for the search, but gathered together again along the charred crumbling wall of the fire-damaged west wing. When the younger Watcher asked, “Spike are you certain that you haven’t picked up a hint of her trail?” it made him want to yank out his spleen. The bloke would not or could not trust him with anything, constantly checking to see if he was hiding something. “Thought I had a lead a few times, caught it, lost it,” he shrugged away his own uncertainty. Tracking a girl through a house would normally be a cinch. Stalking was definitely his thing. Reaching into his back pocket, he popped a cigarette from a half empty pack and caught it with the corner of his mouth as he raised it up. He stuffed the rest back in his pocket, and then dug in for the lighter. “Something strange about it.” Pausing, he flicked the lighter, letting the flame flicker in front of the cigarette as he made them wait. After lighting up, he took a long drag, and only after slowly exhaling a pungent cloud of smoke into their expectant faces did he say, “Smells like nature out here.” “We’re outside,” Xander reminded even as he slapped at a leafy vine that kept brushing against his ear. He could hear Cordelia’s voice echoing in his head at the obvious reason. ‘Helloooo!’ “Nah! We’re in a town. Even with the extensive grounds and the old stables, there are different scents here compared to the open countryside or seaside.” Spike knew their pitiful human senses could not detect the differences. Still, he suggested they take in a deep whiff. Giles, Wesley, and Xander all sniffed the air filling their nostrils, even as Spike tried not to laugh at the trio for looking like a bunch of gobs. He was trying to make them listen, and making fun of them was not going to help. “Anything?” “Smells clean, earthy, like newly overturned soil.” Giles was the first to comment. Still, he did not appear to be overly impressed with his findings. Spike quirked his eyebrows at the description. “That’s right. Sunnyhell doesn’t smell like that. This is the Hellmouth. Death is everywhere, especially in the ground. Centuries of it layered with bones, and dust. What else?” He saw that Wesley simply crossed his arms staring thoughtfully as if trying to decide if Spike was making a point that was worthy of a conversation. It was the boy who spoke next, raising his hand for permission to speak as though he were back in his classroom providing teacher with the answer to a pop quiz. “Ooh! The rain. It smells like rain. Or, ah, actually like lightning, um, what’s the word?” Wesley knew what he was getting at. “Ionization. Static in the air.” Considering the recent lightning storm that had caused that helicopter to crash into the hospital, and the accompanying rain, which had thankfully aided the firefighters to douse the flames, this was another scent that seemed easily explained. Spike took a deep drag off his cigarette, and this time blew the smoke down toward the ground. Making a quick move toward Xander, he reached up and rubbed his open palm across the boy’s thick head of hair. After their startled reactions and initial shouts of complaint that Spike would dare lay a hand on one of them, bloody idiots, they realized he was just making a point. “Wh-what are you staring at?” asked Xander when the two Watchers looked googly-eyed as the boy’s hair stood on end. “Storm ended a while ago,” Spike pointed out. “Scents are all a bit exaggerated. Don’t know why. Don’t have a clue if it has aught to do with Karla Bloody Brewer, but we’re not gonna find the chit here.” Even before Giles spoke, Spike heard his heart begin to race, beating faster, his pulse a rushing, fear infusing his veins. Looking grim, he shared the reason for it. “Kalesh was here.” Spike recognized the name from the Watcher’s conversation about Nicolau’s bloodscript letter, a sense of shock hiting him square in the chest, but the boy needed a reminder. Busy smoothing down his unruly, static-charged hair, Xander asked, “Who?” “The high priestess of Amolon,” Wesley explained even while managing to look annoyed that the name did not set off immediate red flags. “One should at least know the name of one’s enemies, Xander. Names are powerful things.” Xander did not seem put off, which sparked Spike’s amusement. The boy was oblivious, but was not at all cowed by the company present. Buffy liked the kid for some reason, as did Drusilla, strangely enough. Even Angel’s pet had spent some time locking lips with the boy. Spike could not see anything that would appeal to them, presuming he possessed some sympathetic note that charmed the female heart, and whatever that was did not translate. “I thought Willow’s spells could keep everyone out. How did Kalesh get through without setting them off?” The Watchers shared another meaningful glance. “If our conclusions are correct, Kalesh is a demon goddess in her own right, which makes her a powerful enemy. Although an underling of Amolon, she reportedly possesses an ability to manipulate the elements.” Wesley added, “The spells are designed to keep vampires and the lower demons at bay. Apparently, they cannot effect a goddess,” he ended with a bit of a strangled note. Xander gulped. “Right. Just checking. So. . .why didn’t she take Cordelia, too?” Listening to them speculate made Spike feel even more certain that Sunnydale was the wrong place to be. True, he did not want this Amolon bastard to destroy the Earth. He liked a bit of chaos now and then, especially if he was the one to bring it about, but out and out Armageddon meant something else entirely. His personal feelings about Angelus being a rutting bastard whom he would just as soon see rot in hell—again—he was still family, and that meant sticking around. Dru was never going to let him forget it, and deep down he might have to admit to a twinge of longing for the sense of belonging and camaraderie as their foursome cut a bloody swath through Europe back in the day. With that soul on board, Angel wasn’t exactly Angelus, something that Spike was getting used to even if he did not entirely approve. Not that he would want Angelus to be in the here and now. Not at all. Getting ordered about by the Master of Aurelius would be one thing, but Angel reviled everything it meant. Accepting that role meant he acknowledged the vampires he had sired, that he owed them his protection, and claimed each one as family. Doing so meant it was his duty to ensure their survival, and prosperity. Providing open hunting grounds and well-fed vampires were not Angel’s priority these days. Things were different here on the Hellmouth. Old standards hardly applied when the former Scourge of Europe was besotted with a cheerleader. Spike hoped that tonight would settle things between Angel and Cordelia. If only the big idiot would pay attention to his vampire instincts and just claim the chit, he would be able to focus on taking out the enemy. Spike could not really blame him for his little obsession. Cordelia’s beauty was obvious to anyone with eyes, but it was more than that roping him in. There was a spirit inside, a fire that sparked something inside Angel, too, something Spike had never seen before. There might be no official mark on her throat, but Cordelia Chase was already deeply imbedded in Angel’s heart, his mate in all but name. Claiming her and his bloodrights would cement her station within their little clan, but while it would be meaningful to Nicolau and Isobel, such a status would mean little to a demon goddess like Kalesh. The notion made him growl, a protective vibe strumming along his spine. Didn’t matter if Angel’s claim was official or not, Drusilla already treated her like family, saving her, delighting over Angel playing hide the sausage with Cordelia when she would normally be jealous, even tying her up for some fun. Acceptance was what it was with Dru. Maybe him, too. Didn’t matter why, Spike realized, but he wasn’t going to let anyone get to her if he could stop ‘em.

1 And now it came to pass that as Alma was journeying from the land of Gideon southward, away to the land of aManti, behold, to his astonishment, he bmet with the csons of Mosiah journeying towards the land of Zarahemla. 2 Now these sons of Mosiah were with Alma at the time the angel afirst appeared unto him; therefore Alma did rejoice exceedingly to see his brethren; and what added more to his joy, they were still his brethren in the Lord; yea, and they had waxed strong in the knowledge of the truth; for they were men of a sound understanding and they had bsearched the scriptures diligently, that they might know the word of God. 3 But this is not all; they had given themselves to much prayer, and afasting; therefore they had the spirit of prophecy, and the spirit of revelation, and when they taught, they taught with bpower and authority of God. 4 And they had been teaching the word of God for the space of fourteen years among the Lamanites, having had much asuccess in bringing many to the bknowledge of the truth; yea, by the power of their words many were brought before the altar of God, to call on his name and cconfess their sins before him. 5 Now these are the circumstances which attended them in their journeyings, for they had many afflictions; they did suffer much, both in body and in mind, such as hunger, thirst and fatigue, and also much alabor in the spirit. 6 Now these were their journeyings: Having ataken leave of their father, Mosiah, in the bfirst year of the judges; having crefused the kingdom which their father was desirous to confer upon them, and also this was the minds of the people; 7 Nevertheless they departed out of the land of Zarahemla, and took their swords, and their spears, and their bows, and their arrows, and their slings; and this they did that they might aprovide food for themselves while in the wilderness. 8 And thus they departed into the wilderness with their numbers which they had aselected, to go up to the land of Nephi, to preach the word of God unto the Lamanites. 9 And it came to pass that they journeyed many days in the wilderness, and they fasted much and aprayed much that the Lord would grant unto them a portion of his Spirit to go with them, and abide with them, that they might be an binstrument in the hands of God to bring, if it were possible, their brethren, the Lamanites, to the knowledge of the truth, to the knowledge of the baseness of the ctraditions of their fathers, which were not correct. 11 And the Lord said unto them also: Go forth among the Lamanites, thy brethren, and establish my word; yet ye shall be apatient in long-suffering and afflictions, that ye may show forth good bexamples unto them in me, and I will make an instrument of thee in my hands unto the salvation of many souls. 12 And it came to pass that the hearts of the sons of Mosiah, and also those who were with them, took courage to go forth unto the Lamanites to declare unto them the word of God. 13 And it came to pass when they had arrived in the borders of the land of the Lamanites, that they aseparated themselves and departed one from another, trusting in the Lord that they should meet again at the close of their bharvest; for they supposed that great was the work which they had undertaken. 14 And assuredly it was great, for they had undertaken to preach the word of God to a awild and a hardened and a ferocious people; a people who delighted in murdering the Nephites, and robbing and plundering them; and their hearts were set upon riches, or upon gold and silver, and precious stones; yet they sought to obtain these things by murdering and plundering, that they might not labor for them with their own hands. 15 Thus they were a very indolent people, many of whom did worship idols, and the acurse of God had fallen upon them because of the btraditions of their fathers; notwithstanding the promises of the Lord were extended unto them on the conditions of repentance. 16 Therefore, this was the acause for which the sons of Mosiah had undertaken the work, that perhaps they might bring them unto repentance; that perhaps they might bring them to know of the plan of redemption. 17 Therefore they separated themselves one from another, and went forth among them, every man alone, according to the word and power of God which was given unto him. 18 Now Ammon being the chief among them, or rather he did administer unto them, and he departed from them, after having ablessed them according to their several stations, having imparted the word of God unto them, or administered unto them before his departure; and thus they took their several journeys throughout the land. 20 And as Ammon entered the land of Ishmael, the Lamanites took him and abound him, as was their custom to bind all the Nephites who fell into their hands, and carry them before the king; and thus it was left to the pleasure of the king to slay them, or to retain them in captivity, or to cast them into prison, or to cast them out of his land, according to his will and pleasure. 21 And thus Ammon was carried before the king who was over the land of Ishmael; and his name was Lamoni; and he was a descendant of Ishmael. 22 And the king inquired of Ammon if it were his desire to dwell in the land among the Lamanites, or among his people. 23 And Ammon said unto him: Yea, I desire to adwell among this people for a time; yea, and perhaps until the day I die. 24 And it came to pass that king Lamoni was much pleased with Ammon, and caused that his bands should be loosed; and he would that Ammon should take one of his daughters to wife. 25 But Ammon said unto him: Nay, but I will be thy servant. Therefore Ammon became a aservant to king Lamoni. And it came to pass that he was set among other servants to watch the flocks of Lamoni, according to the custom of the Lamanites. 26 And after he had been in the service of the king three days, as he was with the Lamanitish servants going forth with their flocks to the place of awater, which was called the water of Sebus, and all the Lamanites drive their flocks hither, that they may have water— 27 Therefore, as Ammon and the servants of the king were driving forth their flocks to this place of water, behold, a certain number of the Lamanites, who had been with their flocks to water, stood and ascattered the flocks of Ammon and the servants of the king, and they scattered them insomuch that they fled many ways. 28 Now the servants of the king began to murmur, saying: Now the king will slay us, as he has our brethren because their flocks were scattered by the wickedness of these men. And they began to weep exceedingly, saying: Behold, our flocks are scattered already. 29 Now they wept because of the fear of being slain. Now when Ammon saw this his heart was swollen within him with joy; for, said he, I will show forth my power unto these my fellow-servants, or the power which is in me, in restoring these flocks unto the king, that I may win the hearts of these my fellow-servants, that I may lead them to abelieve in my words. 30 And now, these were the thoughts of Ammon, when he saw the afflictions of those whom he termed to be his brethren. 31 And it came to pass that he flattered them by his words, saying: My brethren, be of good cheer and let us go in search of the flocks, and we will gather them together and bring them back unto the place of water; and thus we will preserve the flocks unto the king and he will not slay us. 32 And it came to pass that they went in search of the flocks, and they did follow Ammon, and they rushed forth with much swiftness and did head the flocks of the king, and did gather them together again to the place of water. 33 And those men again stood to scatter their flocks; but Ammon said unto his brethren: Encircle the flocks round about that they flee not; and I go and contend with these men who do scatter our flocks. 34 Therefore, they did as Ammon commanded them, and he went forth and stood to contend with those who stood by the waters of Sebus; and they were in number not a few. 35 Therefore they did not fear Ammon, for they supposed that one of their men could slay him according to their pleasure, for they knew not that the Lord had promised Mosiah that he would adeliver his sons out of their hands; neither did they know anything concerning the Lord; therefore they delighted in the destruction of their brethren; and for this cause they stood to scatter the flocks of the king. 36 But aAmmon stood forth and began to cast stones at them with his sling; yea, with mighty power he did sling stones amongst them; and thus he slew a bcertain number of them insomuch that they began to be astonished at his power; nevertheless they were angry because of the slain of their brethren, and they were determined that he should fall; therefore, seeing that they ccould not hit him with their stones, they came forth with clubs to slay him. 37 But behold, every man that lifted his club to smite Ammon, he smote off their arms with his sword; for he did withstand their blows by smiting their arms with the edge of his sword, insomuch that they began to be astonished, and began to flee before him; yea, and they were not few in number; and he caused them to flee by the strength of his arm. 38 Now six of them had fallen by the sling, but he aslew none save it were their leader with his sword; and he smote off as many of their arms as were lifted against him, and they were not a few. 39 And when he had driven them afar off, he returned and they watered their flocks and returned them to the pasture of the king, and then went in unto the king, bearing the arms which had been smitten off by the sword of Ammon, of those who sought to slay him; and they were carried in unto the king for a testimony of the things which they had done.

Effective February 1, 2018 Welcome to Widget Options Affiliate Program. Please take time to read this affiliate agreement between Widget-Options.com (Widget Options, We, Us, the Site, PHPBITS Creative Studio, www.phpbits.net) and our Affiliates (You – individual or business including all its owners, employees, and representatives). This agreement is devised to protect the interests of both parties. To register as an Affiliate, we require you to have an active Extended Widget Options license, which you have used for at least 31 days. Upon receipt of your registration application, we take a few days to go through review and moderation process. Please provide true and accurate information to ensure approval of your application. If you are approved, we will give you your unique referral ID, which grants you access to your private Affiliate Page wherein you find information about your referrals and tools, such as referral links and banners, to promote Widget Options. 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Table 1: Sales Record as of February 24, 2018 |Purchase||Price||Purchase Date||Status||Absolute Sale Date||20% Commission| |Developer License||199.00||January 1, 2018||Absolute||January 30, 2018||39.80| |Business License||59.00||January 10, 2018||Cancelled||–||0.00| |Developer License||199.00||January 25, 2018||Absolute||February 23, 2018||39.80| |Total Payout||79.60||Payout Date: March 15, 2018| Table 1 above shows a purchase of one license on January 1, 2018. This purchase is covered by the money-back guarantee until January 30. This first sale is considered absolute on January 31 since there is no return within the 30-day period; therefore, the Affiliate can claim a commission for this sale, which is 20% of the purchase price. He can request for a payout on the following pay date provided that the commission value is no less than the required $50 minimum payout. However, since the commission value is below $50, he has to wait for another sale that covers the deficit. In this example, another purchase comes January 25, 2018, which becomes an absolute sale on February 23. His commission for this sale shall be added to the previous one. Since the total amounts to $79.60 (more than the minimum $50), he can now request for payment on the payout date (March 15, 2018) immediately preceded by the last purchase’s absolute sale date. Widget Options Affiliate Program does not allow you to generate referrals on your own purchases. 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WHEN THE MEDICATION YOU TURN TO FOR HELP… TURNS ON YOU You’ve probably heard it all before. At least 30 million people in the U.S. alone suffer from migraine headaches; 75% are women. For those who have chronic migraines (pain 15 days a month or more), the pain can be so debilitating that just waiting for it to go away, is not an option. So those sufferers resort to either over the counter pain medications like Excedrin Migraine or prescription medications like Imitrex, or Zomig (called Triptans). These types of medications work to varying degrees depending upon the person. But, even when they work, all is not rosey. Many people become so dependent upon these types of drugs in an attempt to get some relief, that without realizing it, they start using them more and more. In fact, they start over-using them. You may recognize this scenario in your own life. A migraine develops that won’t go away and one of these drugs is administered. The current migraine either goes away or decreases in intensity to the point where it is manageable but a day or two later, another migraine occurs: “The Rebound Headache.” Of course the question needs to be asked, “Why would a person who originally starts out using them say, once a week, get to a point where he or she is actually using them several times a week? The answers to this question, though not obvious when you are desperate and in pain, are very simple. Either the migraines are occurring more frequently, the migraines are more painful, or the drug isn’t working as well as it originally did. Either way, which ever answer fits your particular situation, the prognosis is not good. Your migraines keep coming back and you find yourself reaching for these drugs even more because your problem is now worse…NOT better. The responsible, occasional use of these kinds of drugs is not an issue. They are safe and effective when used sparingly and serve a definite purpose. However, when over-used, a whole other bunch of risks come into play. Dr. Fred Sheftell, a well known headache doctor, is upset and concerned that these medications contain no warnings on their labels. He states “There’s nothing that I know of where any of these products say anything about the genesis of rebound headaches and chronic daily headache…I’d like to see that.” The following is an excerpt from an article posted in ABC news 20/20. It highlights just how complicated and even dangerous this dependence upon these drugs can become when people feel they have no other options to deal with their migraine pain. A Vicious Cycle –Excerpted from ABC News 20/20 “Here’s how experts think rebound starts. Normally, when you take a pain reliever for an occasional headache, the medicine turns off pain receptors in the brain. But in a person prone to headaches — especially migraine headaches — pain relievers taken more than two to three days a week on a regular basis can make the pain receptors more sensitive than usual. Consequently, as soon as the medicine wears off, these hyper-sensitive receptors turn on to produce a new headache. That leads the headache sufferer to take more medicine, which, in turn, leads to more headaches — a truly vicious cycle. Before long, most rebound patients are taking headache medicine every single day. This vicious cycle nearly killed Eric Peterson, a 26-year-old veterinary student. But what will shock you is how little medicine it took to get him in trouble. Peterson’s problems started in high school with migraine headaches that hit him a couple of times a week. “I think I started with an ibuprofen type. I wasn’t finding a tremendous amount of relief with that. I tried Excedrin and found that controlled things nicely for me,” Peterson said. Daily Habit Can Trigger Serious Health Problems Initially, Peterson was able to manage his headaches by taking two Excedrin just two to three times a week, but that was enough to lead to rebound headaches. Soon, Eric was taking the pain relievers every day, which was very bad for both his head and his stomach. Peterson’s health problems became painfully clear last summer at a Chicago Cubs game. “We were walking up the stands to find our seats and I became very dizzy and light-headed and nearly passed out,” he said. Years of taking Excedrin had eaten away at Peterson’s stomach lining. He was sitting in the stands slowly bleeding to death. Just four hours later Eric wound up in a hospital emergency room. Doctors were able to save his life, but they told him he could no longer take over-the-counter pain killers. This was frightening news for Peterson, who had become so reliant on the pain relievers. He was more concerned about how he was going to manage his headaches than he was about the damage to his stomach. “I didn’t know how I was going to cope from day to day without having to be able to take that medication,” he said. Stop the Medicine, Stop the Pain? Duane Soderquist, 25 years ago, was in a situation very similar to Peterson’s. Soderquist said, “I think I had seven free headache days in 10 years.” It was Soderquist’s case that caught the attention of Dr. Joel Saper, a neurologist and founder of the Michigan Head-Pain Neurological Institute in Ann Arbor. A pioneer in the treatment of rebound headaches, Dr. Saper said it was Soderquist who first opened his eyes to the fact that over-the-counter medications could imprison a brain in rebound headaches. - Soderquist had seen 20 doctors for his excruciating daily headaches. At that time, no one realized that his headaches were a result of the hyper-sensitive pain receptors in his brain turned on by the handfuls of over-the-counter medication he was taking every single day. Soderquist said he was taking about 50 tablets a day. - Dr. Saper hospitalized Soderquist, taking him off the medication. “I thought I was gonna die for three days,” Soderquist said. But then an amazing thing happened. Once the medication had cleared from Soderquist’s system, his headaches stopped — for the first time in 10 years. Dr. Saper said, “That’s when I learned the power and the potency of the rebound effect and the need to take people off those medicines.” - Today, Soderquist is virtually headache-free and enormously grateful to Dr. Saper. “The day I left and went home after not having a headache — there at the hospital, the last day — it was just like somebody took a house off my back,” Soderquist said. - Nearly 90 percent of the patients at Dr. Saper’s headache clinic are diagnosed with rebound headaches and each one takes the same first step: Stop the medicine. - Eric Peterson was actually able to detox at home, but he admits it was brutal. “For probably about three days I just had intolerable headaches. … It was probably the most miserable three days of my life,” he said. - But the payoff was worth it! Eric is finally free from daily rebound headaches and he’s managing his occasional migraines with preventive medications and newer treatments like biofeedback. Can You Get Hooked? - So, do these cases mean you could get hooked on the over-the-counter pain medicines you’re taking? It’s important to remember that if you’re taking these medicines for other problems, like arthritis, it’s usually OK. Rebound headaches can be triggered by the overuse of a wide variety of over-the-counter and prescription medications. - But if you’re starting to take medicines more frequently for headaches be careful. Also remember that migraines are the kind of headache most likely to lead to rebound. - Dr. Saper said it’s most important that frequent headache sufferers consult a physician. “If you’re using this medication more than two or three days per week on a regular basis,” Dr. Saper said, “talk to your doctor about the possibility of rebound headache.” The Caffeine Connection It is infuriating to think that products like Excedrin Migraine contain caffeine. It is well known that caffeine is addictive. People trying to wean off caffeine go through major symptoms of drug withdrawal, including more headaches. Dr. Alex Mauskop director of the New York Headache Clinic stated that “Getting off caffeine is one of the best things that migraine sufferers can do to reduce the frequency of their headaches.” Yet this is much easier said than done and the makers of these products know it! Signs of Rebound Headaches (Medication Overuse Headaches/Recurring Migraines If any of the following signs apply to you, you are probably experiencing Rebound/Medication Overuse Headaches and have probably realized by now, that spending the rest of your life taking pain medications is NOT the answer. •You suffer from headaches daily or every other day. •Your pain intensifies about three hours after your last dose of medication. •Your pain medications don’t work as well as they used to. •You take more medication, but your headaches are worse. •You rely on more pills, and you take them more often. •You take medication even for mild headaches, and you often try to ward off a headache by using a medication. •You take pain relievers three to four days a week, and you average more than three tablets per day. (This depends on the kind of medication you’re taking, so you’ll need your doctor’s advice.) •Your pain runs the gamut from mild to moderate to horrible. Usually, the pain is a dull ache that you feel on both sides of your forehead and, sometimes, on the top or back of your head. •Your headaches occur much more frequently. To get your life back, it may be time to stop the insanity, take yourself off auto-pilot, break the cycle of misery and opt for prevention. It is clearly the most logical and safest approach. When I created the MigreLief nutritional supplement for migraine suffers over twenty years ago, it was my firm belief that addressing migraines before they start, is preferable to spending a lifetime treating the symptoms and risking undesirable or even dangerous side-effects. To the Best of Health, Curt Hendrix, M.S., C.C.N., C.N.S. Chief Scientific Officer, Akeso Health Sciences

It’s hard to beat the beauty of a fall October day in Virginia. Anyone who works in the wedding business knows how crazy busy it is for us. On top of having triple weddings every weekend in October, I have numerous birthdays in our family. This year, our youngest was turning 16. I happened to mention it to this bride, Lyndsey, when she did her final walk thru. I mentioned how long her wedding weekend would be for me because not only did I have 3 weddings, but also had a Sweet 16 birthday to celebrate. So, what did Lyndsey do the day before her wedding as if she had nothing else to do? She baked my daughter her favorite flavor of cupcakes with whip cream frosting (her favorite again) and brought them to her rehearsal along with a card. Wow! Do I not have the best couples and families getting married here? I couldn’t believe she remembered something I just mentioned as small talk and then took the time to make my daughter’s birthday even more special. Thank you so much Lyndsey for your thoughtfulness! Its the sweetest thing! Lyndsey & Rick were married on Friday, October 20, 2017 at Keswick Vineyards. The weather was something a couple would pray for. Simply perfect! Lyndsey and Rick chose to get married in what we call our “fall” location. We nick named it that because of the panoramic views you have and in the fall, they are hard to beat. Accentuating the view, Lyndsey’s father made these doors that were used as a backdrop for their ceremony. After the ceremony, they were moved to the reception to be placed behind the couple chairs. Lyndsey & Rick decided to do the “wine box” tradition during their ceremony. Rick added his personal touch to what was included in the box. Most people place a nice bottle of red wine in it. Not Rick. He is a bourbon guy so besides the bottle of wine he also added a nice bottle of bourbon! For the reception, a chandelier was hung just over the dance floor. This is one of my favorite looks because it is so pretty to see the couple do their first dance under it. A very long head table with farm tables was also used. And, one of my favorite little detail from this wedding, pretzels that were decorated to be a bride and groom were at each place setting. They are adorable! Another successful wedding thanks to the magical team of: Event Planners: Keswick Vineyards Catering: Goodrich Gourmet Catering Wedding Cake: Cakes by Rachel DJ: DJ Fit (Nathan May) Photographer: Nichole Haun and her husband Scott see their photos here! Florals: Foxtail Cottage Floral Hair & Make-up: Jennifer Saunders Photo Booth: Grinnin Photo Booth Transportation: Easy Rider Bus Company Rentals: MS Events and Skyline Tent Company Wrapping up our 3rd wedding for this weekend was the marriage of Melissa & Marcin on Sunday, October 15, 2017 at Keswick Vineyards. The weather was just beautiful for them! With Marcin’s family visiting the United States for the first time from Poland, I was so happy they got to experience a beautiful Virginia fall day. Melissa & Marcin had their dog Leo be their ring bearer. He did such a great job! Isn’t he adorable? I just love the “family” photo I took of them. Melissa & Marcin had so much fun on their wedding day. I always love it when Photographer Robert Radifera is here. We have such a fun time working together. What I love about Robert is he will show the couple a sneak peak of some of the photos he has just taken of them. I always try to capture that moment. It is a great thing to do because the couple gets a glimpse of how beautiful they are looking and it just makes taking more photos so much easier because the couple is liking what they are seeing and want more. So, we gave them more by taking photos in the vineyard, in front of the Estate, by the pool, in front of the fountain, I could go on and on but I think you get the point. LOTS of photos with numerous back drops. Guests were able to help themselves to a delicious buffet dinner prepared by Harvest Moon. Afterwards there were plenty of desserts to satisfy any sweet tooth! But for those that might not have a sweet tooth, no worries. The couple had a bourbon bar ready to go in the gazebo for the final night cap. And to finish out the evening guests dance the night away and then sent the couple off with a sparkler departure. Special thanks to the following vendors: Day of Event Coordinator – Keswick Vineyards, Caterer-Harvest Moon, Officiant – Bhagavan Metro, Desserts-Cakes by Rachel, DJ-DJ Fit (Nathan May), Photographer-Robert Radifera, Hair & Make-up-The Spot Beauty Shop, Florist-Foxtail Florist, Tent Lighting-Skyline Tent Company, Transportation-Easy Rider Buses and Musicians-Charlottesville String Quartet must say, I’ve done over 300 weddings at Keswick Vineyards and this ceremony was definitely one that I will remember. I always love it when the person marrying the couple has a personal connection to them. So, on Monday, October 9th, Ashleigh and Paul were married at Keswick Vineyards by the grooms father. Doesn’t get much better than that! The praise they were giving to God and his greatness was awesome! They Included scripture readings and hymns that just took the ceremony up a notch to me. Ashleigh and Paul wrote their own vows and the love these two share for each other was so obvious. The looks they would give each other were just adorable and they just couldn’t stop holding each other hands and kept whispering to one another throughout the ceremony. I don’t think there was a dry eye when they spoke of the love they had for each other. I am so blessed to be able to witness these moments weekly. At the end of their ceremony they did something I had never seen or heard of. They did the salt covenant. The covenant of salt is an ancient covenant mentioned in the old testament. The couple puts salt in their spouse’s mouth to solidify their promise they made to each other and God. They will then keep the container the salt was stored in as a daily reminder of that promise. And, as if the ceremony wasn’t beautiful enough, the reception and how the tent was decorated; over the top! This is the first time I have had a couple put greenery on the center support poles under the tent. Adding a chandelier over the dance floor and more greenery on each table; amazing! Pictures really don’t capture how beautiful it really was. Thanks to the following vendors for helping to create this beauty: Catering by The Catering Outfit Katy Hood as their wedding planner Maliha Creations for their cake DJ Joseph Robinson Ceremony music by Treesa Gold String Trio Photographer Elisa Bricker Videographer The Herrintons Click Here to see their video! Hair by Brianna Adams Make-up by Michandra Myles Mallory Joyce for Florals Skyline Tent Company for the chandelier. What a beautiful fall day they had. They had just enough overcast to keep the heat down from the sun yet giving them the perfect lighting for the best photos with no shadows. There was no limit on where they could go for photos and they took advantage of that, doing a lot of photos in the vines! Jennifer and Gregory enjoy video games so they found a way to add some of that to their wedding décor. Take a look at their guest sign in book; instead of the traditional book they had a canvas made that looks like the start of a video game! Each of the guests would then sign their names to each of the little hearts! Also, they had a wagon pulled for their ceremony that had some of “their children” in it. These children were stuff animals that obviously meant a lot to them. After taking photos, Jennifer changed out of her wedding dress and into a red formal dress. She looked stunning, and she definitely stood out on the dance floor! Special thanks to the following vendors: Wedding Planner, Barb Wired; Officiant Dave Norris; Caterer Hot Cakes; Musicians for ceremony, Quiet Fire; DJ Derek Tobler; Photographer Jeff Gleason; Videographer Ian’s Creation; Hair & Make-up by Jeanne Cusick; Floral Designs by Jacquelyn Collmus; Transportation Buses by University Transit Service. I’m sure Lauren never thought when she was 15 years old that she would end up marrying the boy who sat behind her in French class that would put paper wads in her hood. But guess what? She did! And on Saturday, October 7th, Lauren and her high school sweetheart Cody were married at Keswick Vineyards. They chose to be married in front of Edgewood Estate with the fountain, vineyard and mountains as their back drop. What a beautiful day Mother Nature provided them with a soft cloud cover and gentle breeze to keep every guest comfortable for this outdoor wedding. During the ceremony they did a unity candle. With that, both Mothers come up to the alter and light individual candles. They then hand them off to their respective child (the bride or groom) and then the couple light one “unity” candle to symbolize the joining of two families into one. After the unity candle the couple proceeded to do the wine box. For the wine box the couple picks one of Keswick Vineyards award winning wines to be placed in a box that won’t be opened for 1 or more years. Besides the wine in the box the couple write love letters to each other that neither have read before. They are sealed in this box. This wine box is to remain sealed until a designated time like their first anniversary or fifth or tenth anniversary. At that time, they will enjoy the bottle of wine while reading these love letters that they wrote on their wedding day. If the couple hits a bump in the road and are having some doubts about each other, they are to open that box at that time, have some wine, read those letters and hopefully that will re-lite the marriage. Thanks to the following vendors for all their hard work: Southern Inn Catering, Pearls Bakery, DJ Fit (Nathan May), Photographer Tyler Corvin, Foxtail Cottage Florist, Albemarle Limousine and Rev. Bhani Moore. Starting off our four day wedding weekend is Brittany & Joe’s wedding on Friday, October 6th. Thankfully, they did the old southern tradition and buried a bottle of bourbon to ensure beautiful weather for their fall vineyard wedding. As you can see by the photos, it worked again! Brittany and Joe did a few unique things at their wedding that I haven’t seen before. Lets start with their flowers. Instead of each bridesmaid having a bouquet, Brittany had each bridesmaid “wear” their flowers. Some had a collar, a ring, a bracelet, hair piece, etc. No one had the traditional bouquet. For the boutonniere, the guys had shot gun shells to hold their flowers. Why shot gun shells you ask? Well, they love Guns –N- Roses and thought this was a great way to bring a piece of that rock band into their wedding. For their guest book they had a hand drawn map of the local area featuring Keswick Vineyards and other favorite spots of theirs and had guests sign the matte around it. To continue the “map” theme was a framed map that had states that the couple had visited to assign which table each guests would sit at. Versus having table numbers, the tables were a state and had a picture of the couple at that state to give it that extra personal touch. But the highlight for this wedding was definitely when the JMU mascot Bulldog arrived and helped escort the couple under the tent for the reception! The couple even got to share their first dance with the bulldog. It was just the cutest thing to see the mascot bulldog dance with one of their flower girls. Precious! Thanks to the following vendors for making this night a night to remember for all who attended: It’s Your Day wedding planner, Officiant Josh B. Klotz, Caterer Roadside Chive, DJ Derek Tobler, Photographer Katie Lea Photography, Make-up by The Studio, Hair by Adrienne, Blakemores Flowers and A&A Limousine for transportation. Wrapping up our third wedding this week end we celebrated the marriage of Lyndsay & Shawn on Sunday, October 1st. What better way to begin the month of October then to have florals just loaded with fall colors and using pumpkins as vases. The vibrant colors of the brides bouquet just popped against her dress. I just loved what this couple used for their guest book. They had a canvas that had some silk grape leaves on it. Guests would sign purple wood circles and then stick them to the canvas to create a grape cluster. Afterwards the couple will hang this in their home. Pretty creative huh? I also thought it was a great idea to have little cards that had the flavors of each cupcake. They were held up with corks like you would do escort cards. This way everyone knew which flavor of cupcake to take. I also like how they didn’t forget their dog Ginger. Ginger couldn’t physically attend their wedding so they had a ceramic piece of Ginger on display at their dessert table along with a photo of the three of them. I just love those little personal touches! Finally, the food. You can’t go wrong when you have Exchange Events under the direction of Jaclyn catering your wedding here. I couldn’t pass on the shrimp and grits and I know the bride and her guests couldn’t get enough of the hush puppies! Also, each guest had a box of New Jersey taffy waiting for them at their table. And to finish off the night the couple had a s’mores bar for guests to help themselves to. What a great way to finish off the evening. The following photos were taken by owner Cindy Schornberg, to see the professional photographer's photos check the link at the bottom of the page. Special thanks to the following vendors: Keswick Vineyards as their day of coordinator, Officiant Dave Norris, Exchange Events Catering, Desserts by Passionflower Cakes, DJ Mark Allen, Photographer Jodi Gray, Hair & Make-up by Zaheda Rahman, Colonial Florist, Rentals provided by MS Events and lighting by Skyline Tent Company. Check out Jodi Gray's Photographs Here! One of my favorite things about hosting weddings at Keswick Vineyards is being able to witness different cultures and their wedding traditions. On Saturday, September 30th, Katie and Ben were married surrounded by their family and friends. The day started out with the Chinese tradition of a tea ceremony. The events that led up to the tea ceremony were so much fun for everyone to watch. It started with the groom and his groomsmen skipping their way to the pool gate. On the other side were the bridesmaids. Ben had to convince them that he was worthy of Katie’s hand in marriage. So, the bridesmaids had several games he had to pass in order for them to grant him access to her. For the first game the groomsmen strapped an empty Kleenex box around their waste. Inside the box was jingle bells. They had to shake their boxes so the bells would come out for the groom to catch in his box. The amount of bells caught would represent how much he wanted to marry Katie. He passed that test! For the second game the bridesmaids figured out a way that Benjamin would never forget how to spell Katie’s name. Each groomsmen had to put on a diaper. With a sharpie in their mouth, they had to each write a letter on the back side of a diaper to spell out her name. He also passed this test! Finally, Ben had to practice on his groomsmen how to make Katie’s toes curl. The bridesmaids would direct different locations for Ben to lick whip cream off of each groomsmen. Ben and his groomsmen were all very good sports and he passed this test also which proved he was cleared to marry Katie. From that point, the formal tea ceremony started. Each set of parents were presented with some tea from the couple as they kneeled and received blessings from their parents. Now, a quick bit to eat and it was time to get ready for the Western American ceremony. Katie & Benjamin chose to be married closest to the vineyard with the mountains in the back ground. The weather was just picture perfect. As they exited the ceremony guests blew bubbles to join in the celebration. While the couple went to take some more photos, guests enjoyed cocktails and appetizers. Once under the tent, dinner and dancing was on the schedule to last the rest of the evening. If you will notice, they decided to change the color of our up lighting in the tent to purple. To finish off the evening, Katie and Benjamin enjoyed taking some funny photos in the photo booth. Thanks to the following vendors for making this cultural wedding day one to remember by all who attended: Catering by C&O, Wedding Planner Anh Dang, Chandler’s Bakery, DJ Dennis Payne, Videographer Emotion Pictures, Photographer Kelly of Kay Pea Photography, Hair & Make-up by Transformations Artistry, Flowers by Willow Branch, Photo Booth of Charlottesville, Rentals by MS Events and Transportation by Richmond Limousine. The marriage of Amanda & Evan on Friday, September 29, 2017 started a three wedding week end at Keswick Vineyards and what a beautiful day it was! Amanda and her bridesmaids spent the afternoon in our bridal suite getting their hair done while enjoying some wine. The guys all relaxed in our “man’s cave” while watching football, playing pool and of course, enjoying some refreshments. What a great way to have everyone in one space to begin the celebration. For their ceremony, Amanda and Evan did the sand tradition. With that, they each have a bottle with a different color of sand in it. One at a time they pour a little of their sand into a container. Each color of sand represents their two separate lives. Then, once they both have done that, they both pour at the same time their bottles of sand into the container to represent that the two of them are forever blended together and cannot be separate any more. They will then keep that glass container on display in their home to always remind them that they are inseparable. Some of their décor I really loved. 1st, the making of a bar using 2 wine barrels and a wood table top. They added an extra feature of hanging a frame from the center of it to give it that little personal touch. Next, their table numbers which they made. Using wine bottles, they put number stickers on the wine bottles, spray painted them, then removed the number stickers and put some lights inside the bottle that were attached to a cork with an on/off switch. LOVED them! And finally, the 3 picture frames used to mark their 1st day, the yes day, and the best day. How cute is that? Thanks to the following vendors for doing such a fantastic job: Karissa Coffey as their wedding planner, Catering by Goodrich Gourmet, Officiant Rev. Ed Martin, Desserts by Natalie Mongold, DJ Andy Wilfong of Party Masters, Videographer Christy Stevens, Hair by Lauren Perkins, Flowers by Zoie, Transportation by Camryn Limousine and tent lighting by Skyline Tent Company. What a wonderful way to wrap up a triple wedding week end with Kim & Mike’s wedding on Sunday, September 24, 2017. Kim’s day was off to a great start when her BFF Bridal Crew arrived at the bridal suite at Keswick Vineyards with robes, balloons, food & drinks for everyone! I’m so happy that I was in the room when they arrived to capture that special moment. You could see the total delight on Kim’s face. I knew her wedding day was off to a great start! While all the bridesmaids enjoyed the treats brought by the BFF Bridal Crew, Make-up/hair artist Jeanne Cusick began to work her magic making each girl a princess. I just love a table full of make-up! Outside Barb Wired, the event planner for this Virginia vineyard wedding, was busy tending to the details. I just loved how they made a personal wine label for their table numbers. I’ve never seen a wine bottle used exactly this way before and I thought it was a perfect fit for a vineyard wedding. I also liked how they used Keswick Vineyards corks to hold each escort card. On one side the names were hand written while on the flip side was the table number. Again, just a little winery detail to tie the wedding decorations with the venue I often get asked what a wedding looks like that is smaller in size at Keswick Vineyards. Well, you can see for yourself. Kim & Mike had 60 people attending their wedding which made it very intimate for all. They decided to divide the Sperry tent to allow one side for dining and the other as a lounge for later in the evening. The bar and rented lounge furniture from MS Events was just the perfect touch for the other side of the tent. Guests were able to hang out in a relaxed atmosphere while enjoying some award-winning wines and music. Special thanks to the following vendors for making sure every detail was just perfect for this wedding: Event Planner – Barb Wired, Caterer – Harvest Moon, Desserts – Passionflower, DJ – Derek Tobler, Photographer – Rachel Haggerdy, Florist – Secret Garden, Rentals – MS Events, Tent Lighting – Skyline Tent Company, Hair & Make-up – Jeanne Cusick

This folk music video from the USA says about itself: By Patrick Martin in the USA: Immigrants subjected to nasal force-feeding at ICE detention center 1 February 2019 The US Immigration and Customs Enforcement is force-feeding immigrants held in a detention center in Texas, using brutal torture against at least ten men engaged in a hunger strike against their prolonged confinement and mistreatment. The men, mainly Sikhs from the Punjab region of India, are being force-fed either through plastic nasal tubes or intravenous lines, inserted several times a day. At least 30 men are participating in the hunger strike, include some from Cuba as well as the majority from India. Force-feeding through nasal tubes is a method of torture, used at the Guantanamo Bay detention camp and other CIA-run secret prisons overseas, which has been condemned by international human rights groups. The American Medical Association bars its members from participating in such mistreatment. So long as the hunger striker is making a conscious and reasoned decision to refuse food, the AMA guidelines say, a medical doctor should respect their right to do so. Democratic Party politicians who are making a show of opposition to Trump’s demands for a wall on the US-Mexico border have nothing to say about the brutal treatment of immigrants and asylum seekers in ICE detention centers that have provoked the hunger strikes and other protests. On the contrary: the legislation now being discussed in a House-Senate conference committee would provide billions more for ICE to expand the American gulag. The detainees, held at the ICE El Paso Service Processing Center in the west Texas city, have asked immigration advocates visiting them in detention to make their struggle known to the public. The hunger strike was first reported Thursday morning by the Associated Press. A lawyer for one of the detainees and a volunteer immigration advocate both spoke to the World Socialist Web Site about the conditions the men face. Ruby Kaur is a Michigan-based immigration attorney who speaks Punjabi, the first language of many of the prisoners, who are Sikhs from the north Indian state of Punjab. She represents one of the hunger strikers and said her client had been put on an IV and then force-fed after more than three weeks without eating or drinking water. “They’ve been held for at least six months,” she said. “They are distinguishing them for treatment primarily on the basis of race.” Kaur said that her client and the other strikers were protesting mistreatment and physical abuse in the detention, and the response of ICE to the hunger strike was even greater mistreatment. “Physical abuse to me is when they’re being force fed,” she said. She said that the lawyers for the hunger strikers were still gathering information about the physical condition of their clients. “We are not sure about that yet, because we are still in the process of meeting individuals,” she explained. “I’m very passionate about immigrants’ rights,” Kaur said, adding that some of the hunger strikers had been placed in solitary confinement, which is also classified as a form of torture by international human rights groups. She told the Associated Press, “They go on hunger strike, and they are put into solitary confinement and then the ICE officers kind of psychologically torture them, telling the asylum seekers they will send them back to Punjab.” Margaret Brown Vega from Advocate Visitors with Immigrants in Detention, an immigrant support group based in New Mexico, gave additional details about the conditions at the El Paso ICE facility. She is a volunteer for a group that organizes visits to people in detention, to try to minimize their isolation and despair. “We became aware of the hunger strike,” she told the WSWS. “Three of us volunteers went and visited with four of the men to talk to them about their situation. El Paso Service Processing Center, the ICE facility, it’s a prison. If you look at the standards they operate under, and how they refer to the detainees, it is a prison. They are very much treated like prisoners. “It’s very hard to get information about them. I spoke to one individual. Another volunteer spoke to two individuals. A third volunteer spoke to the fourth individual. “Force-feeding is very troubling. They’re very weak. They walk very slowly, shuffling their feet. Their eyes are very tired looking. The man I saw showed me his arms. He’s been getting three or four IVs a day and he said he thought he would be put on a feeding tube through the side of the nose. I believe this is on an ICE protocol.” The detainees are required to present themselves for their own torture, she explained: “They’ve complained about having to walk to the medical area instead of being brought in a wheelchair.” Vega added, “What’s difficult for people to understand is that the conditions in immigration facilities are such they bring people to this point. It’s psychologically very challenging. Sometimes it’s physically challenging. “I think people underestimate how bad it is to be held indefinitely in a place where you don’t get enough food, where you’re constantly berated, where people place obstacles in your way and play games with you. And the worst thing is never knowing when it’s going to end. It’s pretty bad, when it’s day in and day out.” Vega said that there had not really been much of a change from the Obama administration to the Trump administration, in terms of conditions inside the detention facilities. “I would say that many people feel this is not new,” she continued. “In these facilities, going back ten years, people have noticed these conditions. Even though there are supposedly standards that guide how these places are run. “I have encountered people in detention who went to a port of entry and applied for asylum. I met one individual who was detained and never given parole. In the El Paso area we’re seeing 100 percent denial rates on parole. We encounter asylum seekers who are not a flight risk, who are not a threat to the community, but they’re not released.” Both Ruby Kaur and Margaret Brown Vega made it clear that the prisoners had taken the initiative in seeking to have their hunger strike become public, known to a far wider audience than the ICE agents who run the El Paso center. “Our first priority was to make this situation known,” Vega said. “It’s a matter of First Amendment rights. We feel like it’s our responsibility to help them amplify their voices. It’s very difficult to go even a couple of days without eating. They’re putting their bodies at risk.” A federal judge has authorized the force-feeding, according to a spokeswoman for ICE, who did not address the charges of physical and psychological abuse by ICE agents. The El Paso facility is directly operated by ICE, not through a subcontractor as at many other detention centers. When a hunger strike passes the one-month mark, as is the case with the immigrant detainees, there is mounting danger of irreversible physiological damage. The Associated Press report quoted Amrit Singh, the uncle of two men participating in the hunger strike. “They are not well. Their bodies are really weak, they can’t talk and they have been hospitalized, back and forth,” Singh told AP. “They want to know why they are still in the jail and want to get their rights and wake up the government immigration system.” There have been repeated hunger strikes by immigration detainees over the last several years, but in most cases the strikers agreed to take food and water under threat of court-ordered force-feeding. It is the continued worsening of conditions, as well as the prospect of indefinite confinement, that has driven some prisoners to take this latest desperate step and defy the threat of torture. The Freedom for Immigrants organization, the umbrella group to which AVID is affiliated, has documented nearly 1,400 people on hunger strike at 18 detention facilities since May 2015. The author also recommends: Thousands seeking asylum in US to be pushed back into Mexico [26 January 2018] The death of Felipe Alonzo-Gómez: A crime of US imperialism [27 December 2018] ICE DETAINEES ON HUNGER STRIKE Dozens of people detained by federal immigration officials are on a hunger strike at a Boston jail. [AP] ICE ARRESTS HUNDREDS IN WORKPLACE RAID Immigration and Customs Enforcement conducted its largest workplace raid in a decade on Wednesday, arresting more than 280 employees at the CVE Technology Group in Allen, Texas, for “administrative immigration violations,” which generally are for being unauthorized, not for committing any other offense. [HuffPost] Agents from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raided an Allen, Texas business on Wednesday morning and arrested 280 undocumented workers. The business, CVE technology, employs 2,100 workers who repair cell phones and other electronic devices. The business is the third largest employer in that city: here. TRUMP: WALL GETTING DONE WITHOUT CONGRESS President Donald Trump said he would go forward with plans to build a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border unilaterally after growing frustrated with Congress. Speaking to The New York Times, he said: “I’ll continue to build the wall, and we’ll get the wall finished.” [HuffPost] As Trump threatens national emergency. Democrats offer increased spending for border policing: here.

Muslim menace decimating secular India – Hindu politicians must be equipped with Quran and plans for Islamization of Bharath – Part 1 India has to wake up fast. Hindus have to speak out first. Hindu politicians have to protect Hindus instead of appeasing and protecting the Muslims. May 18, 2020 India has to wake up fast. Hindus have to speak out first. Hindu politicians have to protect Hindus instead of appeasing and protecting the Muslims. Words of B R Ambedkar and Mohammad Ali Jinnah on Hindu and Hindustan The only way to make Hindustan homogeneous is to arrange for the exchange of population. Until that is done, it must be admitted that even with the creation of Pakistan, the problem of majority vs. minority will remain in Hindustan as before and will continue to produce disharmony in the body politic of Hindustan.” B R Ambedkar. “There is no other way but to divide India. Give Muslims their homeland and give Hindus Hindustan.” Mohammad Ali Jinnah. Are Hindu politicians helping to erect Islamic Regime in India? Hindu politicians are sacrificing Hindu ideals of peace, tolerance, dharma, and democracy and supporting the Islamic ideals of terror, intolerance, injustice, and authoritarianism based on Allah’s teachings. India has to wake up fast. Hindus have to speak out first. Hindu politicians have to protect Hindus instead of appeasing and protecting the Muslims. Hindu political leaders are becoming co-conspirators in dismantling the Hindu edifice and help built Islamic structure at the expense of Hindu lives. They are rolling out more and more incentives to minorities with no end in sight. Since Independence, this appeasement continues unabated at the expense of Hindus. It is the ideology of Muslims to dominate the whole world into Islamic countries through their sword and by their numbers. People in India would soon have to decide either to be killed or to be converted. Hindus will soon witness a blood bath that might pale the genocide of Hindus during partition. Once this rampage starts there is no place for Hindus either to hide or flee. Telangana government allocates Rs 50,000 for Muslims as a marriage gift. Every state is competing in providing more incentives at the expense of Hindus to please the Muslims who are bent on dismantling the Hindu edifice. It is time for every Hindu Politician to read the history of India for eight centuries of Islamic rule and how the Muslims have ruled India and how they had tortured our forefathers, raped our sisters, ransacked our shops, ambushed the villages, maimed our bodies, slit our throats, and dumped the bodies in the gutters. More than 2000 Hindu Temples were destroyed and converted them into mosques. Many of our revered Deities were broken into pieces only to be used as footsteps for their mosques. Any indifference, negligence, silence on the part of the Indian government, and Hindu leaders will be taken as a sign of welcoming Muslims for more bloodshed, and more destruction. Untold misery and indescribable agony are awaiting Hindus. Hindus are scared of Muslims and unable to say it openly for fear of being attacked and killed. Hindu Politicians, for fear of losing their block of votes, would dare not talk about it. They keep on piling up incentives year after year to please and appease the Muslims. How do stop the upcoming Hindu Genocide in India. Continuation of appeasement of Muslims, our utter failure to name the Islam as the enemy of the humanity, our inability to quell the rising terrorism, our intentional overlooking of the verses in Quran which advocated the killing of nonbelievers, failure to recognize the Islamic intention of breaking India into three Muslim countries, incapability to enforce the law to stop the incessant atrocities committed against Hindus, and our powerlessness to enforce uniform civil code, are only a few examples that will inspire Muslims to commit even more heinous crimes against Hindu lives than before. Ever since India obtained Independence, Muslim appeasement started with no plans to end at a certain future. Subsidy to Hajj pilgrimage is going on for more than six decades and built separate Hajj terminals to travel to Mecca. India is the only country with a separate Muslim Code Bill – a special privilege accorded to no other religion. They are not subjected to uniform civil code. In fact, Article 44 of the Constitution says, “The State shall endeavor to secure for the citizens a uniform civil code throughout the country of India.” Unfortunately, none of the governments since Independence had the courage to pass the Uniform Civil Code. In 1985 even the Supreme Court suggested that “A common code will help the cause of national integration by removing disparate loyalties to a law which have conflicting ideologies.” Telangana government allocates Rs 50,000 for Muslims as a marriage gift. Every state is competing in providing more incentives at the expense of Hindus to please the Muslims who are bent on dismantling the Hindu edifice. Many current Hindu politicians are either ignorant or conveniently forget as to how India was partitioned to make sure that all Muslims will live in an Islamic country, Pakistan and all Hindus live in Hindustan. The Indian government and State governments have even started a separate Ministry for Minority Affairs providing special incentives that are denied to Hindus. As a Hindu leader, one should ponder and find out why do we give special privileges for people who cannot improve themselves even after more than seventy years. Hard work, intelligence, discipline, sacrifice, and an inquisitive mind are cast aside, ignored, punished, and insulted and welcomed the mediocre people with privileges no other country would ever consider as options to treat the minorities. During elections, every party competes with each other by providing more and more benefits to appease the minorities – here Muslims. Congress Party in 2018 promised seven incentives: “The schemes are – free electricity to mosques and churches, special opportunities in government contracts for the Muslim youth, Rs 20 lakh aid to poor Muslim students, residential schools for Muslims, hospitals for minorities, special Urdu DSC (District Selection Committee) for minorities, and punishment to firms for hiring on the basis of religion.” The majority of Hindu politician is more interested in their power, name, wealth for themselves while Muslims are more interested in submitting themselves to Allah. Hindus are selfish and power-hungry. Muslims are more interested in waging war over kafirs and interested in dominating the world to establish Islami state. Hindu is only interested in themselves, not to establish Hindu Rashtra. Many of them have no knowledge about the richness of their own Hindu Dharma. One cannot support, advocate, and propagate with no appreciation of the richness of their faith. Their party affiliation and caste politics are more important than protecting the principles, morals, ethics, non-violence, and tolerance which are the hallmark of Hindu Dharma. Many current Hindu politicians are either ignorant or conveniently forget as to how India was partitioned to make sure that all Muslims will live in an Islamic country, Pakistan and all Hindus live in Hindustan. Muslim Population in India. Since Independence, the Hindu population in Pakistan dwindled to almost nil from about 18 percent in Pakistan and about 6 percent from about 24 percent in Bangladesh. In short periods of time, Persia was changed to Iran by driving all the Zoroastrians, Afghanistan drove out all Buddhists to make it an Islamic Country, and once Christian dominated Lebanon changed to an Islamic country. In India, nearly 500,000 Kashmiri Pandits were thrown out mercilessly by the Muslim majority, and in West Bengal, Illegal infiltration and local Muslims are rampaging the villages and conducting numerous terrorist activities. At present, there are about 35 percent Muslims in Assam, 28 percent in Kerala, 20 percent in UP, 96 percent in Lakshadweep, and nearly 50 percent in Hyderabad alone. Based on the 1951 Census, the Muslim population constituted about 9.9 percent and at present, they are about 15 percent. Unofficially, they are about 20 percent. Muslims have been demanding more incentive from all political parties and to appease them and not to fall from the grace of their votes, Hindu politicians are upping the appeasement packages year by year. The pandering, pacifying, and appeasing has not stopped over the last 72 years. In fact, Muslims are fortifying their fort to make sure their caliphate ideological dream is strengthened and realized so that they can have complete control over the political system. Hindu politicians dare not criticize them and act like zombies with no guts and courage. The more Muslims ask for, the Hindus give them. Like a crying child, Muslim demand keeps increasing. They never grow up; they only cry for more power and more benefits. In recent days, Tablighi Muslims defied the Prime Minister called to maintain social distance to curb the spread of Coronavirus, they defied, they met in thousands and traveled to different states for conversion activities When the government tried to identify them to quarantine, they hid and spread the virus in different states. Look at what they did when our government wants to protect them from contracting Coronavirus: - They defecated in the hospital where the doctors were treating them. - They created ruckus in the Narela quarantine station and excreted in the corridor. - The nurse reported that they directed lewd gestures toward them while roaming around naked. - They reacted ruckus in a Gujarat hospital, refused to take test claiming that the government wants to kill them. - They even molested nurses who are attending them and kept undressing themselves. - They are also accused of throwing bottles filled with urine on the premises. - They had refused to take healthy food demanding spicy biryani. - They even threatened to escape and leave the hospital if their demands are not met. - They consistently violated the social distance requirement. These are only a few examples of these Tablighi Muslims. Where are the Hindu leaders who can openly denounce this kind of abysmal behavior? Their silence is deafening. Their indifference is deadly. What is the lesson Hindu leaders must learn from history? Muslims are only interested in conquering the world to establish Islamic rule. They are Muslims first and Indians second. They have no interest in protecting the country, no respect for Hinduism, no tolerance toward non-Muslims, and they are playing havoc in places where they are in the majority. Never interested in rooting out other religions, invading other countries because of their religious beliefs, and submitting them to their way of life. Muslims Say They Cannot Live with Hindus Hindu leaders should be aware of the Islamic dominance, massacres, and tortures of Hindus. Islamic period in India was the most heinous, venomous, and vicious. Relentless terrorism subjugated Hindus to the untold atrocities. When Muslims came to India Hindus invited them wholeheartedly and even built mosques for them. Once they established on the India soils, as per the Quran and edicts of a number of Hadiths, they have to wage a war against infidels. The whole premise for the partition of India into two countries is based on two arguments: - Hindus and Muslims cannot live together - Need a separate Islamic Country to live according to the teachings of the Quran A number of years before Independence, many Muslim leaders had argued that Hindus and Muslims cannot live together because of their differences in their religious beliefs. In his presidential address to the Muslim League at Lahore in 1940, Jinnah declared: “Islam and Hinduism are not religions in the strict sense of the word, but in fact different and distinct social orders, and it is only a dream that the Hindus and Muslims can ever evolve a common nationality… To yoke together two such nations under a single state – must lead to growing discontent and final destruction of any fabric that may be so built up for the government of such a state.” He argues that these two religions have different ethics, values, morals, worship methods, festivals, food habits, marriage systems, and allegiances to God. On March 22-23, 1940, Jinnah stated that “The Hindus and Muslims belong to two different religious philosophies, social customs, literature. They neither intermarry nor inter-dine together and, indeed, they belong to two different civilizations which are based mainly on conflicting ideas and conceptions. Their aspect on life and of life are different. It is quite clear that Hindus and Muslims derive their inspiration from different sources of history. They have different epics, different heroes, and different episodes. Very often the hero of one is a foe of the other and, likewise, their victories and defeats overlap. To yoke together two such nations under a single state, one as a numerical minority and the other as a majority must lead to growing discontent and final destruction of any fabric that may be so built for the government of such a state.” The two religions are different with respect to belief systems and ideology. Islam is monotheistic, proselytizing, anti-idolatrous, fiercely doctrinal, aggressive, anti-secular, with strong ideas about heresy. Hinduism is pantheistic, pluralistic, non-violent, uninterested in converting other faiths, and rooted in the belief of Vigraha worship. They also believe in the worship of multiple gods, expression of openness as seen in Khajuraho, different worship services, self-improvement, spirituality and yoga, and meditation. Never interested in rooting out other religions, invading other countries because of their religious beliefs, and submitting them to their way of life. Hinduism does not believe that it has all the answers and does not call non-believers in Hinduism as kafirs or scums. Islam not only believes that those who do not accept Islam are ‘kafirs’, but it also believes that it is Allah’s wish that non-Islamic lands be treated as battlefields on which holy wars must be fought. Muslims believe that the whole world must be made Islamic, Darul Islam. In order to make it happen, Muslims carry out proselyting, terrorism, killings, do not allow Muslim girls to marry non-Muslims, produce more kids, declare ‘Jihad’ against non-Muslim countries, relying on Quran for justification. B R Ambedkar asserted that “The brotherhood of Islam is not the universal brotherhood of man. It is the brotherhood of Muslims for Muslims only. There is a fraternity, but its benefit is confined to those within that corporation. For those who are outside the corporation, there is nothing but contempt and enmity” (Pakistan or Partition of India). To be continued… 1. The views expressed here are those of the author and do not necessarily represent or reflect the views of PGurus.

The Sign of the Map: Cartographic Reading and Le signe du lion Roland-François Lack April 2010 Eric Rohmer Dossier, Feature Articles, Special Dossiers Issue 54 Though the locations of every Paris New Wave film circa 1959 can be very exactly mapped (1), Le signe du lion (The Sign of Leo, 1959) is unusual in actually showing a map of Paris and in, moreover, establishing around that map a signifying scheme from which meanings for the film emerge (2). The map of Paris, a standard ‘carte Taride’, is on the wall near the foot of the protagonist’s bed. Just above his head is a map of a quite different kind, a double planisphère showing the stars in the northern and southern skies. Between these two cartographic representations, opposing horizontality and verticality, will be organised much of the film’s mise-en-scène. My object here is to do two things: map some of the locations of Eric Rohmer’s film, and connect that mapping to the film’s central cartographic motif. A related motif is also central to The Sign of Leo: movement around and beyond the city, presented chiefly through the protagonist’s perambulations. Pierre (Jess Hahn) begins walking about half an hour into the film, and for thirty-five of the next fifty or so minutes he walks, and walks, and walks. The eight different journeys he makes in this period, in as many different directions, contrast with the credit sequence’s tracking shot from a river boat along the Seine, west to east, a single journey that we will see repeated twice, from different angles, at key moments later in the film (3). In more dramatic contrast is the travelling of his friend Jean-François (Van Doude) who, when not driving around Paris in his Peugeot 203 convertible, flies around the world on assignment, firstly to Hassi-Messaoud in Algeria and then, in the space of five days, from Johannesburg to Moscow and on to Monrovia, while Pierre tries desperately to find him, or any of their friends, in Paris. The film’s other vehicles – the trains that have taken his friends away on holiday, the buses that pass him as he walks out to the suburbs, the metro he cannot take because he has lost his ticket, the postman’s bicycle that brings Pierre news of his aunt’s death, the Cadillac in which his rich cousin crashes and dies, the pram in which he promenaded by his fellow tramp – all intensify the misery of having to walk around Paris. Pierre’s walking is not, of course, flânerie, and though the cumulative effect might be one of aimless wandering, his journeys across Paris are all for a purpose: to find a friend from whom to borrow money, to find food, to find a place to sleep. Each journey is, moreover, topographically consistent, even when substantial ellipses suggest a haphazard montage. Each could, accordingly, be plotted for the cine-tourist’s benefit, though for this essay I shall simply list Pierre’s ‘Paris Walks’ in an appendix. Plotting a film’s locations on a standard two-dimensional map will privilege horizontal differentiations over the vertical or diagonal, which at first sight is not a problem for The Sign of Leo, since the protagonist’s movements around and, briefly, out of Paris are insistently street-level. When he walks to Nanterre he follows a stark straight line on the map from the Pont de Neuilly metro station, across the bridge and then left at the newly built CNIT (Centre des nouvelles industries et technologies) towards the Avenue Georges Clemenceau, right into the rue Sadi Carnot and then left into the rue des Carriers, the address he’d been given. His return along the same route is shown more elliptically, until at the metro station he discovers that his ticket is lost and he must walk back into Paris, an even straighter line down the avenue de la Grande Armée and the avenue des Champs-Elysées. His abortive descent into the metro station signals with irony the horizontality of his street-level existence by this point. His story had begun at a higher level, in his third-floor apartment at 27 quai des Grands Augustins. Looking skyward from his window over Paris, Pierre declares that ‘For ten years I’ve had just one idea, to see the sky’, to which an incredulous friend replies: ‘When you have the finest view of Paris?’. The significant centrality of Pierre’s first address can be shown on a map, but its significant elevation cannot. When his fortune leaves him and he must change domicile, his room at the Hôtel de Seine is two floors lower, and has no view. Later still, in attempting to obtain a room at the Hôtel de Senlis, he gets no further than the ground floor reception desk. Thereafter he sleeps at ground level (at the terrace of the Café de Flore, on a bench on the Champs-Elysées, on the Pont Neuf, on the steps of the lycée Saint Louis) or, marking a further descent, almost at river level (in the square du Vert Galant on the Île de la Cité and on the bank between the Pont au Double and the Petit Pont). Again, the difference of levels will not show up on a map of the film. As if in acknowledgement of the fact, at this point the film deploys an alternative motif to the cartographic, one that can register differences of level by foregrounding verticality. The motif is introduced, obliquely, twelve minutes earlier, when Pierre tries to find Dominique (Michèle Girardon) at the Hôtel du Pas de Calais. Learning at the reception desk that she is absent, Pierre walks back out past five aerial photographs of Paris, the last of which shows the Île de la Cité encircled by the Seine, an angled view from the west of the façade of Notre Dame and the Pont Saint Michel (next to which he had been living at the beginning of the film). Pierre pauses with his back to this view before walking out of frame to leave us contemplating two images: a very map-like photograph and, revealed beside it by a slight adjustment of the camera, an actual map of the hotel’s immediate area (the boulevard Raspail where it joins the boulevard Saint Germain). When this photographic motif is returned to, Pierre is lying by the water’s edge. Filmed first from the quai de Montebello above him, then from a reverse angle and much higher up (presumably from a position on the cathedral), this second shot pans away from him up towards the south west and then – astonishingly – dissolves into an aerial photograph of the same view. From this image the camera suddenly zooms back, pausing briefly at the end of the shot so that we can compare it with the map-like photographs we saw in the Hôtel du Pas de Calais. (The immediately following shot is a ground-level view from a Cadillac convertible speeding through the countryside.) Several New Wave films (e.g. Le petit soldat/The Little Soldier, Jean-Luc Godard, 1960) deploy a reflexive contrast between filmmaking and photography, and The Sign of Leo has in Michel (Gilbert Edard) a photographer character who might serve the purpose, but the insertion here of a photograph into the flow of film is formally far more radical, on a par with the freezing of the image in Les quatre cents coups, (The 400 Blows, François Truffaut, 1959) and Jules et Jim (François Truffaut, 1961). There is, regrettably, no space here to attempt a thorough commentary on these remarkable few seconds. For my purposes I would signal simply a connection with the last few minutes of the film. Pierre has collapsed by the entrance of a building on the place Saint Germain des Prés (actually the offices of the Societe d’Encouragement pour l’Industrie Nationale). He has reached the lowest level of his existence, and the camera is again angled down at him. Then he is finally retrieved by his friends, and as he stands the camera levels to film him horizontally, at eye-level. He leaves with his friends, by car, and the film will close with another downward angled shot that then pans up. The shot finishes looking up at the tower of the Saint Germain des Prés church, to dissolve into another aerial photograph, though this time of a quite different kind. It is a photograph of the night sky, centred on the constellation of Leo. A zoom towards this photograph is followed by a dissolve into a closer view of the constellation, and then into a still closer view of it, over which the word ‘FIN’ appears. The map of the city and the map of the stars are in several ways opposing signifiers of the film’s organisation. They oppose place and character, for instance: The Sign of Leo is a film about Paris, mapping (if only metaphorically) its river, streets and buildings; or, it is a film about Pierre, who characterises himself in astrological terms and could find on the map the constellation with which he identifies. They oppose culture and nature, also, or – if the film’s last image on earth is significant – the human and the divine. In these notes the first map has served as a guide to the film, read cartographically. If the second map is also to be a guide, our reading will have to be of other things. Appendix: Pierre’s Paris Walks 1. Pierre walks west along the boulevard Saint Germain (6e), past the rue de Buci and Le Mabillon café, continuing past the statue of Diderot near the place Saint Germain des Prés (now place Jean-Paul Sartre and Simone de Beauvoir). He finishes the evening in the place Saint Germain des Prés, at the ball for the 14th of July; the next morning he is outside the Royal Saint Germain (149 boulevard Saint Germain) and after his conversation with Philippe heads east up the boulevard. 2. Pierre leaves the Hôtel de Seine (52 rue de Seine, 6e), goes north up towards river, where he sells books to a trader on the quai des Grands Augustins (where he used to live). He makes a phone call from la Favorite café (3 boulevard Saint Michel, 5e), then heads back to his hotel via the market on the rue de Buci (6e). 3. Pierre leaves the Hôtel de Seine and heads south to the boulevard Saint Germain, where he makes a call from a kiosk. We see him then crossing the rue Soufflot (5e), with the Panthéon in background, and goes up the rue Malebranche to no. 7, the Hotel de Senlis. Having failed to get a room there he comes back across the rue Soufflot, and turns into the boulevard Saint Michel, towards the river. He arrives at the Pont des Arts, looking towards the Pont Neuf, and stays a while. 4. Pierre goes up the avenue de l’Opera (2e) towards the opera house, then calls at an (unidentified) apartment building nearby, after which he sits on a bench opposite a high-class café, then walks across the square in front of the Opéra. He ends the evening at the Café de Flore (172 boulevard Saint Germain). 5. Pierre takes the metro at Saint Germain des Prés, gets out at Pont de Neuilly, and starts walking. He passes the ‘Electrama’ exhibition at the CNIT, La Défense, and continues to Nanterre. Turning from the rue Sadi Carnot into the rue des Carriers, arriving at number 12. Disappointed, he walks back the way he came to Pont de Neuilly, where he tries to take the metro. Instead he has to walk down the avenue de la Grande Armée, past the Arc de Triomphe and onto the avenue des Champs-Elysées, where he sits on a bench awhile. Going down to the river, he walks east along the right bank under the Pont Royal towards the Pont du Carrousel. He goes up to street level and has crossed the Pont Royal to the quai Voltaire. He drinks water from a fontaine Wallace in the place Saint Germain des Prés, goes past the Panthéon to the rue Lhomond (5e), from which he turns into the rue du Pot de Fer, which runs into the rue Mouffetard. Attempts to steal biscuits from the market in the rue Mouffetard and then is on the rue Censier, by the Saint Médard church. He buys bread from a boulangerie nearby, and as night falls has returned to the Saint Germain area, passing several cafés including the Flore, then heads for the Pont Neuf, where he spends the night. 6. From the Pont Neuf Pierre goes up to Les Halles (1e) in search of food, comes back across the bridge and goes to the Hôtel du Pas de Calais, 59 rue des Saints-Péres (6e). From there he walks to his former domicile, 27 quai des Grands Augustins (6e), goes from the Pont Neuf down to the square du Vert Galant, on the easterly point of the Île de la Cité, where he sleeps. 7. At night, Pierre walks past the Mabillon on the boulevard Saint Germain, and on the boulevard Saint Michel past the Quick Sorbonne and the Biarritz. He comes to halt against the wall of the lycée Saint Louis, and will spend the night on the corner of the boulevard Saint Michel and the rue Vaugirard (6e). 8. The next morning, from the boulevard Saint Michel Pierre heads towards the quai de Montebello, goes down to the river’s edge between the Pont au Double and the Petit Pont, from where he looks up at Notre Dame. After walking back and forth around his own shoes, he lies down to rest beside the river. This is where his solitary walking ends. Endnotes I say this knowing that T. Jefferson Kline, in his excellent recent book Unravelling French Cinema (Oxford: Wiley-Blackwell, 2010), has more or less argued the opposite, describing the disorientation of the viewer after the New Wave’s ‘obliteration of the old cartography’. But Kline’s principal illustration is A bout de souffle (Breathless, Jean-Luc Godard, 1959) of which he says the following (page 83): ‘It can certainly be no accident that Godard chose to orient Breathless around a car thief whose nearly aimless itinerary begins in an unnamed city, careens onto a never to be identified French highway only to be violently sidetracked onto a dirt road in the middle of nowhere. Nor does it seem unintentional that, with several bullets in his back, Michel should lurch toward his death down Anystreetwhatever in the French capital.’ This is wrong in almost every detail: Michel begins by saying ‘Il faut, Il faut’, declaring his aim, we can assume, to go fetch Patricia in Paris and take her with him to Italy, which is not a ‘nearly aimless itinerary’; the film begins in Marseille, so clearly recognisable that it need not be named; the murder takes place on the RN7, a famous highway (with its own museum, no less: http://www.avignon-et-provence.com/musees/rn7/musee-rn7.htm) that is identified in the newspaper descriptions of Michel as ‘the killer of the RN7’; Michel dies in the rue Campagne Première (recurrently named in the film), not ‘Anystreetwhatever’, but specifically associated with modern painting and with the death of Nicolas de Stael. See Sally Shafto, ‘Leap into the Void: Godard and the Painter’, http://archive.sensesofcinema.com/contents/06/39/godard_de_stael.html. For a cartographic reading of a related film that does not show a map, see R.-F. Lack, ‘Paris nous appartient: Reading Without a Map’, forthcoming in a special issue on Jacques Rivette of the Australian Journal of French Studies, edited by Douglas Morrey. In the credit sequence the boat passes under the Pont Neuf and heads towards the Pont Saint Michel. After twenty-two minutes, in a panoramic view over Paris filmed from the top of Notre Dame, a boat is passing under the Pont Saint Michel, heading towards the Petit Pont. After seventy-seven minutes, Pierre is sitting at the edge of the river between the Pont au Double and the Pont de l’Archevêché, and a boat passes behind him, coming from the Petit Pont.

The title of this post is an homage to a well-known paper by James Chapman called Type theory should eat itself. I also considered titling the post How I spent my Christmas vacation trying to construct semisimplicial types in a way that I should have known in advance wasn’t going to work. As both titles suggest, this post is not an announcement of a result or a success. Instead, my goal is to pose a problem and explain why I think it is interesting and difficult, including a bit about my own failed efforts to solve it. I should warn you that my feeling that this problem is hard is just that: a feeling, based on a few weeks of experimentation in Agda and some vague category-theorist’s intuition which I may or may not be able to effectively convey. In fact, in some ways this post will be more of a success if I fail to convince you that the problem is hard, because then you’ll be motivated to go try and solve it. It’s entirely possible that I’ve missed something or my intuition is wrong, and I’ll be ecstatic if someone else succeeds where I gave up. Recently on the mailing list, I proposed the following problem: show, in HoTT, that the universe is a model of HoTT with universes. More specifically, consider an abstract representation of raw syntax, such as one might use when implementing dependent type theory in a functional programming language, but now written as an inductive type inside type theory itself: data Expr where Var : nat -> Expr U : Expr Pi : Expr -> Expr -> Expr Lam : Expr -> Expr -> Expr App : Expr -> Expr -> Expr (This is for a type theory with one universe, with variables as de Brujin indices; don’t worry about the details.) The problem is then to define what it means for such an expression to be well-typed (that should be the easy part) and construct an interpretation function which sends each well-typed raw expression to an actual type (in this case, one living in the second universe). Why would you want to do that? This is what Dan Licata asked when I proposed the above problem. In particular, he was asking why you would want to use raw untyped syntax as the input. What else could you do? Well, recently type theorists have come up with various more highly structured representations of type theory in type theory, which generally “re-use the ambient type-checker” rather than requiring you to implement your own. Chapman’s above-mentioned paper is one of these: he defines contexts, types, and terms by a joint inductive-inductive definition, ensuring that only well-typed things exist — i.e. if something typechecks in the ambient type theory in which the inductive-inductive definition is made, then it is automatically well-typed in the object theory as well. The definitions start out something like this: data Context where Empty : Context _,_ : (G : Context) -> Ty G -> Context data Ty : Context -> Type where U : (G : Context) -> Ty G Pi : (G : Context) (t : Ty G) -> Ty (G , t) -> Ty G El : (G : Context) -> Tm G U -> Ty G data Tm : (G : Context) -> Ty G -> Type where ... In other words, a context is either empty or the extension of an existing context by a type in that context; while a type is either the universe, a dependent product over a type in some context of a type in the extended context, or the type of elements of some term belonging to the universe. (I’m using Type for a universe in the ambient theory, and Ty for the dependent type (in the ambient theory) of types (in the object theory) over contexts. It’s not really as confusing as it sounds.) This is an “inductive-inductive definition”, meaning that (for example) the type family Ty is dependent on the type Context, while both are being defined at the same time mutually-inductively. Coq doesn’t understand such definitions, but Agda does. (What I’ve written above isn’t quite valid Agda syntax; I simplified it for clarity.) The advantage of something like this is that if you try to write something nonsensical, like App U (Lam (Var 100) U), then the ambient type checker (e.g. Agda) will reject it — whereas such gibberish is a perfectly good inhabitant of the type Expr above, that has to be rejected later by an typechecker you write. So why not use a representation like this? I have several answers to this question; let’s start with the most philosophical one. I argue that if homotopy type theory is to be taken seriously as a foundation for all of mathematics, then in particular, it must be able to serve as its own metatheory. Traditional set theory, for instance, is perfectly capable of serving as its own metatheory: one can define the set of well-formed first-order formulas in an appropriate language, and prove in ZF that (for instance) any set-theoretic Grothendieck universe is a model of all the axioms of ZF. One can also construct “nonstandard” models such as forcing extensions (i.e. sheaf toposes). The same must be true of homotopy type theory; if it is to be a foundation for all of mathematics, it must be able to accomplish something analogous. (From a CS point of view, the corresponding point is that any general-purpose programming language must be able to implement its own compiler or interpreter.) Now I would argue that to be completely satisfactory, this “serving as its own metatheory” must go all the way back to raw syntax. Why? Well, whether we like it or not, what we write on paper when we do mathematics (and what we type into a proof assistant as well) does not consist of elements of a highly structured inductive-inductive system: it is a string of raw symbols. (It’s actually even “more raw” than Expr is, but I’m happy to regard parsing and lexing as solved problems in any language.) The process of type-checking is part of mathematics, and so an adequate metatheory ought to be able to handle it. I have other, more pragmatic, reasons to care about solving this problem. One of them is that we need a better handle on how to construct “nonstandard” models of HoTT, and being able to construct a “standard” model internally might give us a leg up in that direction. Also, again if HoTT is to be a foundation for all of mathematics, then it must be able to construct its own nonstandard models as well. However, none of that is what originally started me thinking about this problem. The problem of defining semisimplicial types, and more generally of defining and working with coherent structures built out of infinitely many types, is also one of the most important open problems in the field. It’s particularly tantalizing because it’s easy to write down what the type of n-truncated semisimplicial types should be for any particular value of n. Here are the first few: In fact, as Peter Lumsdaine has pointed out, it’s so easy that a computer can do it. I believe he even wrote a Haskell program that would spit out the Coq syntax for the type of n-truncated semisimplicial types for any n you like. But if we can do this, then with only a little extra effort (to prove termination) we should be able to write that same program inside type theory, producing an element of Expr. Therefore, if we could solve the problem I’m proposing, we ought to be able to solve the problem of semisimplicial types as well! Surely that’s reason enough to be interested in it. What’s the big deal So why is this problem hard? On the surface, it may seem like it should be completely straightforward. For instance, we could define predicates for validity of contexts, types-in-context, and terms-of-types-in-context, either inductively or recursively: IsCxt : List Expr -> Type IsTy : List Expr -> Expr -> Type IsTm : List Expr -> Expr -> Expr -> Type and then define our mutually recursive interpretation functions with a hypothesis of validity: icxt : (G : List Expr) (JG : IsCxt G) -> Type1 ity : (G : List Expr) (JG : IsCxt G) (T : Expr) (JT : IsTy G T) -> (icxt G JG -> Type1) itm : ... However, this is not as easy as it sounds, because of substitution. For instance, when is Var 0 a valid term, and what is its type? We are using de Brujin indices, which means that Var 0 denotes the last variable in the context. This variable of course has a type assigned to it by the context, which must be a valid type T in the context of all the preceding variables. The type of Var 0 must be this “same” type T, but now in the whole context (including the last variable of type T). With de Brujin indices, this means that the type of Var 0 is not literally T, but a “substitution” of it in which all the indices of variables have been incremented by one. Therefore, our definitions of validity must refer to some notion of substitution. (This is true whether or not you use de Brujin indices; consider e.g. the type of App.) Substitution could either be an operation defined recursively on Expr, or represented by an extra constructor of Expr (“explicit substitutions”). But in either case, when we come to define the interpretation of Var 0 or App, we’ll need to know how the interpretation functions behave on substitutions: they ought to take them to actual composition with functions between the (ambient) types that interpret the (object) contexts. Okay, fine, you may say (and I did): let’s just prove this as part of the mutual recursive definition of the interpretation functions. But I found that when I tried to do this, I needed to know that the interpretation functions also took composites of substitutions to composites of maps between types. At this point I stopped, because I recognized the signs of the sort of infinite regress that stymies many other approaches to semisimplicial types: in order to prove coherence at the level, you need to know (already or mutually) coherence at the level, making the whole definition impossible unless you could define infinitely many functions in one mutual recursion. Why I should have known it wouldn’t work When we build models of type theory in a set-theoretic metatheory, we do it by showing that from the syntax we can construct a certain algebraic structure which is initial, and that from our desired semantics we can construct another structure of the same type; the unique map out of the initial object is then the interpretation. I think it’s fair to say that morally, the attempted internal interpretation I described above is doing something similar inside type theory: we haven’t made the universal property explicit, but our ability to define a certain collection of functions by mutual recursion amounts to more or less the same thing. Now in set theory, the algebraic structure we use is strict and set-level. In particular, it is fully coherent, because all coherence properties we might want hold on the nose, and so any higher axiom we might impose on those coherences also holds on the nose, etc. The syntactic structure is automatically strict and set-level by definition, but the semantics are not: the fact that they can be presented that way (e.g. an -topos by a model category) is a nontrivial theorem. It’s reasonable to call it a coherence theorem, and consider it a big brother to MacLane’s original theorem that every monoidal category is equivalent to a strict one. In type theory, it is no longer reasonable to expect to be able to present the desired semantics by a strict set-level structure. For instance, in general the universe need not admit any surjection from a set. However, the structure built out of syntax is still strict and set-level. Thus, in order to define an interpretation, we need a different sort of “coherence”. An inductive definition of the syntax allows us to sidestep the questions of what exactly this coherence might say and of what exactly the universal property is, by telling us directly what functions we can define by recursion. However, because the syntactic structure is in particular fully coherent (because it is set-level and strict), we shouldn’t expect to be able to define an interpretation except into another structure that is also fully coherent. Now the ambient universe certainly is fully coherent. However, without already having something like semisimplicial types at our disposal, we don’t know how to express that fact. And therefore, we should expect to have a hard time doing anything which needs to use its full coherence — such as defining an interpretation of raw syntax. I realize that this explanation is very hand-wavy and may not be convincing. If you aren’t convinced, please try to prove me wrong! I would be very happy if you succeed. But first allow me to bend your ear a little more with my failures. (-: Structured syntax as a bridge Rather than trying to go directly from raw syntax to the universe, we might try to use one of the structured inductive-inductive kinds of syntax I mentioned above as a stopping point halfway. This requires us to delve into the “…” I placed in the definition of the family Tm, which turns out to be surprisingly subtle, for the same reason as above. Specifically, the constructors of Tm such as Var and App must involve a notion of substitution, and as before there are two obvious choices. We could make substitution an operation, in which case it must be defined inductive-recursively with the types Context, Ty, and Tm. Or we could make explicit substitutions a constructor of Ty and Tm, which keeps the definition merely inductive-inductive (though it requires adding a new type Sub of substitutions alongside Context, Ty, and Tm). Chapman’s paper that I already mentioned does the latter, while Danielsson did something closer to the former in a paper called A Formalisation of a Dependently Typed Language as an Inductive-Recursive Family (he actually only made substitution an operation on types, keeping it as a constructor for terms). Dan Licata pointed me to a sneaky third option due to Conor McBride in a paper called Outrageous but Meaningful Coincidences, in which the syntax is essentially defined inductive-recursively together with its standard interpretation. This allows the object-language substitution to coincide with the actual notion of substitution in the ambient type theory. As far as I can see, however, none of these can bridge the full gap from raw syntax to the universe. I admit that I haven’t tried McBride’s version; however, it seems so close to the universe itself that I would expect to have the same sort of problems as before. But it could be that something magical will happen, so it would be great if someone would try it. (It won’t be me, at least not in the near future; I’ve already used up more free time than I actually had in messing around with this stuff and in writing this blog post.) I also didn’t manage to completely define an inductive-recursive version of type theory that does away with explicit substitutions entirely. As Danielsson notes in his paper, this is quite tricky because you have to prove various properties of the substitition operations as part of the inductive-recursive definition. In fact, I found myself wanting to include an encode-decode proof for the whole system as part of the inductive-recursive definition, in order to show that all the types were in fact sets! I didn’t complete the definition, but it may very well be possible to do. But the reason I gave up is that I decided it would almost certainly suffer from the same problem as the raw syntax: it would be set-level and strict, and so interpreting from it into the universe would require us to know and express the full coherence of the universe. (Also, I’m still wary of induction-recursion; I don’t think we know whether it is consistent with univalence.) I think that what happens with Chapman’s inductive-inductive theory is most interesting and instructive. The situation here seems to depend on what you decide to do about judgmental equality. Chapman includes separate families for it in the inductive-inductive definition, i.e. in addition to Context, Ty, Tm, and Sub we have data TyEq : (G : Context) -> Ty G -> Ty G -> Type data TmEq : (G : Context) (T : Ty G) -> Tm G T -> Tm G T -> Type and perhaps one for context equality too. (Chapman actually uses a “heterogeneous” version, which has some advantages, I guess, but is harder to make sense of homotopically.) These families have a lot of constructors, representing all the usual judgmental equalities of type theory, and also things like symmetry, transitivity, and reflexivity, and that all the constructors of the other types respect judgmental equality. Finally, we have to include new constructors of Tm (at least) which “coerce” a term belonging to one type into a term belonging to a judgmentally equal one. This definition has a setoidy feel to it, and so a homotopy type theorist may naturally think to try replacing it with a higher inductive-inductive definition, where instead of introducing new type families for judgmental equality, we re-use the (propositional) equality of the ambient theory. Now the previous constructors of TmEq become path-constructors of Ty and Tm. Moreover, we can omit a lot of them completely, since actual equality is automatically reflexive, symmetric, and transitive, and respected by all operations. Similarly, we don’t need new constructors for coercion: it’s just transport. Obviously the second option is attractive to me. I particularly like that it matches exactly what the Book says about judgmental equality in the introduction to Chapter 1: it’s the equality of the metatheory. However, the first (setoidy) has the advantage of existing in Agda already without postulates and thus being executable. But I think both have the same underlying problem. For the HIIT approach, the problem is summed up by the question: are the types Tm h-sets? If we just blindly add path-constructors for every standard judgmental equality, the answer is surely not. Consider, for instance, the functoriality of explicit substitutions, which must be ensured by a constructor of judgmental equality. If the types in question were naturally h-sets, then this functoriality would be fully coherent, but there’s no reason this should be true without adding infinitely many higher-dimensional path-constructors to ensure it. (We can formulate the same question in the setoidy approach either by adding more and more “iterated” judgmental equality families, or by adding “higher coercion” constructors to the existing ones.) On the other hand, we could add truncation constructors to force the types to be sets. (In the setoidy approach, we could do this by asserting that coercions along any two parallel equalities are equal.) This is more like what we do in the set-theoretic approach to semantics: the category of contexts is built out of syntax quotiented by the mere relation of judgmental equality. This would in particular make them fully coherent — but at what cost? Consider what happens when we come to define an interpretation into the universe of the ambient theory. Most of it is straightforward: we use the induction principle of the inductive-inductive definition to define mutually recursive functions icxt : Context -> Type1 ity : (G : Context) -> Ty G -> (icxt G -> Type1) itm : (G : Context) (T : Ty G) -> Tm G T -> ((x : icxt G) -> ity G T x) In particular, by the recursion principle for higher inductive types, the clauses of these definitions corresponding to the path-constructors giving the judgmental equalities of the object theory must interpret them as propositional equalities in the ambient theory. (With the setoidy approach, we would define separate mutually recursive functions on TmEq that do this interpretation.) However, if we included truncation constructors, then we’re sunk, because the universe is not a set. In set-theoretic semantics, we can get away with truncation by using a strictification theorem saying that the desired target universe can be presented by a set-level structure (e.g. a model category), but inside HoTT this is not true. If we leave off the truncation constructors, then we’re basically okay: we do get an interpretation into the universe! (There’s an issue with domain and codomain projections for equality of Pis in the setoidy approach, but I think it can be dealt with and it’s not relevant to the point I’m making here.) Now, however, the problem is on the other side, with the interpretation of raw syntax into the structured version. When we write raw syntax on paper, we don’t ever indicate which judgmental equality we are coercing along. So although this isn’t by any means a proof, it seems (and my own experiments bear this out) that we’re going to get stuck either way. Of course, I am aware that Vladimir has proposed a type theory in which judgmental equalities are indicated explicitly. But I have yet to be convinced that this is practical, especially if one admits the possibility of distinct parallel judgmental equalities. I strongly suspect that in practice, we constantly identify terms that are “actually” coercions along different-looking judgmental equalities. My evidence for this comes from my attempts to interpret raw syntax into inductive-inductive syntax, and also from something else I tried (in fact, the first thing I tried): defining directly the inductive-inductive syntax for semisimplicial types without going through raw syntax. In both cases I found myself needing higher and higher coherences for functoriality. Of course, if we already knew how to solve the problem of infinite objects (such as, for instance, by having a useful theory of semisimplicial types), then we might be able to actually put all the higher coherences into the inductive-inductive definition. I would hope that we could then prove that the types involved were h-sets, and then use that to interpret the raw syntax. So in conclusion, my current impression is that solving this problem is about equally hard as solving the problem of infinite objects. But I would love to be proven wrong by a solution to the problem of interpreting raw syntax! Postscript: which equalities can be made judgmental? Recall that the interpretation functions of inductive-inductive syntax map judgmental equality of the object theory to propositional equality of the ambient theory. In particular, any equality which holds propositionally in the ambient theory can be made to hold judgmentally in the object theory, by simply adding a path-constructor for it, with an appropriate clause in the interpretation function mapping that constructor to its ambient propositional version. This may seem to suggest that the answer to the question of “what propositional equalities can be made judgmental” is “all of them!” However, remember that in order to interpret raw syntax, we probably need the inductive-inductive syntax to consist of h-sets, and throwing in new path-constructors has a way of destroying such properties. So the answer is really, “anything which holds propositionally, and can be proven to be fully coherent with all the other judgmental equalities”. The relationship of this answer to the one provided by traditional set-theoretic semantics is, roughly, the same as the relationship between the two kinds of coherence theorem in category theory: one which says “all diagrams (of a certain form) commute”, and one which says “every weak structure is equivalent to a strict one”. In set-theoretic semantics, where judgmental equality is interpreted by on-the-nose equality in a strict structure (such as a contextual category), in order to add new judgmental equalities we need to prove a coherence theorem of the second sort, showing that they can be modeled strictly. But in the native HoTT semantics that I’m hoping will exist, we can add new judgmental equalities by proving a coherence theorem of the first sort. Category-theoretic experience suggests that the first sort of coherence theorem is more general and useful; for instance, there are contexts in which “all diagrams commute” in an appropriate sense, but not every weak structure is equivalent to a strict one. Finally, I think this gives a very satisfactory answer to the philosophical question of “what is judgmental equality?”. The judgmental equalities are just a subclass of the (propositional) equalities which we’ve chosen, by convention, not to notate when we transport/coerce across them. But in order for this to be consistent, we need to know that no real information is lost by this omission; and this is the requisite coherence theorem.

Update: Much of the information below is now wrong! Visas take much longer to get – the queues are longer, and if you don’t arrive really early, you’ll be given a ticket to come back at a later date. The best way to learn more is to look through the comments that other people have helpfully supplied – check the most recent ones. If you ever decide to visit India, you’ll discover at the travel agent that you have to get a visa. At this point you’ll go through several well-defined stages; shock, anger, fear, irritation and acceptance. Then you’ll find out that you have to make the trip to an Indian Consulate (in my case, India House on Aldwych in London), and you’ll go through them all over again. This is a brief guide on how to get a visa for India and what’s involved. This was all applicable in November 2004 – things may have changed by the time you read this and I advise you not to just rely on this guide, just in case. 1) Don’t worry, it’s not actually that difficult 2) You can be in and out within two hours 3) If you make sure you clearly and fully complete your application form, then things will go much quicker 4) Bring a magazine or a book Before you go I’m going to assume that you have already visited the High Commission of India’s website, downloaded the visa form and decided on when to go to the commission. The website also has a list of official holidays at the commission when they’ll be closed – check this because they have a number of holidays and you’ll feel really stupid if you turn up and no-one’s home. Fill in your form, check it and double-check it. Get two passport-sized photos and make sure you have the correct amount of money for the application fee in cash – they don’t take cheques or credit cards. When you decide on when you’re going to go get your visa, you might want to consider if there are any holidays around when you go. For example, I visited the commission after two days of holiday (Diwali). As a result, I suspect the queues were longer. How can I find the commission at Aldwych? It’s the thing with a huge queue of people snaking out from it (unless you get there absurdly early). It’s hard to miss. The really long queue is the one for visas, the short one is for people with Indian passport enquiries (i.e. not you). The start of the first queue, disappearing into the distance. The end of the first queue (you can see the window at the end of the curve) What time should I turn up? The commission in London opens at 8:30am. I arrived at 8:35am and there were already over 150 people in the queue in front of me. I think people start queueing up as early as 7:30am, and I talked to a girl who’d been queueing since 7:45am and she got out at 9:45am (i.e. two hours all told). The problem with turning up that early is that while there are fewer people in front of you, you still have to wait for the place to open. As a result, I think that if you turn up at any time before, say, 9am, it’ll probably take you around two hours altogether. If you leave it any later, you’ll have to wait longer. I really don’t recommend turning up any later than 9:30am since there’s a good chance you won’t be able to pick up your visa that day, or at least you’ll have to wait for much longer than two hours. What’s the process when I get there? I heard many people in the queue criticising the commission for an illogical system. That’s not true – it’s perfectly logical and it even is vaguely organised. The only problem is that they seem to have no desire to inform anyone of how it works. Luckily, I do. The process has three steps; queueing to get a queue number, queueing to hand in your visa application, and waiting to get your completed visa. You’ll notice there’s a lot of queueing involved. The First Queue: Getting a Queue Number This is the one outside of India House. I arrived at 8:35am and spent a little under an hour in this queue. It moves along quite regularly. The point of this queue is to show a guy in a window that you have a passport and then to collect a piece of paper with a queue number (or numbers, depending on how many passports and visa applications you’re making). The queue number you collect here (e.g. B69) is for the second queue, inside. The Second Queue: Handing in your visa appplication After you collect your queue number, you’ll be allowed inside and walk upstairs to a room with a bunch of commission staff behind windows. There are a lot of seats here and in a side room that also has vending machines. Once you get upstairs, do not loiter around in front of window 1, which will be directly in front of you when you go through the door at the top of the stairs. Window 1 is for people collecting their completed visas and right now, that’s not you. Instead, go and wait in the main room and get a seat if you can. There’s a display in the corner of the room with the current queue number. Notice that a letter from A to E is also highlighted below the number. The queue number cycles through the letters and goes from A1 to E99, so do not make the all-too-typical mistake of going to a window when it’s your number but not your letter; the staff won’t be impressed. Since many people there are submitting multiple visa applications (e.g. for friends or family) the queue number tends to go in bursts. I got inside at around 9:30am and the queue number was A77. My number, B69, took about 40 minutes to come up. When it’s your number, go straight to the next free window; don’t worry if they seem to have skipped past your number. Once you’re at the window, hand over your application, passport, passport photos and money. Do not waste everyone’s time by searching through bags and wallets for the necessary stuff; you just spent at least an hour queueing before this so you don’t have an excuse. This bit only took me a couple of minutes because I’d filled in my form properly and hadn’t been denied a visa in the past. After she’s taken all your stuff, she’ll give you a receipt with your queue number (the same one as before) written on it. She will keep your passport – they need it to process your visa. Waiting to get your completed visa They hand out visas at window 1. For some inexplicable reason, there are always loads of people rammed up against this window despite the fact that there can be an hour long wait and also they always call out your number multiple times when they have your visa ready. Who knows why people do this – it certainly doesn’t speed things up. The staff member who gave you your receipt will tell you how long you can expect to wait if you ask her. I was told it’d be 45 minutes; instead it was only 20 minutes. I put this down to my charming personality, or more likely, the fact that there weren’t any issues with my passport or application. You might as well sit down again at this point and wait for your number to be called out. Don’t fall asleep or listen to music, even if it seems it’ll take ages based on what numbers they’re calling out at the moment; they tend to skip around numbers a lot so they might be calling out B1 in one minute and B60 in the next. When they call out your number, fight your way through the silly huddle of people around the window and get your passport with your visa inside. They’ll tell you to check it – do it! You are checking to make sure that they’ve gotten your passport number correct, and that the valid dates are correct for when you want to visit (they’ll actually be valid for ages longer than you’ll typically need it). And then you can leave, all done! Like I said, it took me two hours altogether and I suspect it would be even quicker if I hadn’t gone through after two days of holiday. Is there a toilet? While I have not seen it myself I’m told there is one downstairs. You’re wrong about x Perhaps I am, I only went there once and things may have changed. Please do not rely on this guide for anything really urgent. I can’t be bothered queueing up, is there some way I can mail my application in? You can mail it directly to the commission, or you can use a visa service. The visa services are often much quicker and more expensive. Whether or not you want to use them depends on how much you value your time. I don’t know anything more about them so don’t ask me to recommend one. Why did you bother writing this? I estimate that at least 400 people go to the commission every day. That’s up to 100,000 per year. I was not been able to find anything decent online about the actual process of getting a visa before I visited, and for many of the people there, it’s quite a stressful and anxious procedure. I decided that a guide explaining all of the steps involved would make it a little clearer and more understandable for all concerned. Perhaps it might even speed things up! Will you update this guide? I sorely doubt it, unless there happens to be a good reason. I would like to reprint this guide Email me. There’s a link at the top of this page.

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Things to Do in Raleigh, N.C.: April 2019 Wednesday, March 27, 2019, 11am by visitRaleigh Hello, spring! We're nearly a quarter of the way through 2019, and winter weather has been kicked to the curb for good. Sunshine, longer days, major concerts, food truck rodeos, outdoor exploration and more are here to stay—cheers to that. Here's what we're doing in April in the Raleigh area! Carolina Hurricanes vs. New Jersey Devils This marks the final home game of the regular season for the Carolina Hurricanes, the NHL's hottest team in the league aiming to stake their claim to a playoff spot. Expect a big crowd for this one (and don't forget to wear red and be loud!). North Carolina Opera presents Puccini's Tosca April 5 and 7 Immerse yourself in Italian culture by watching Tosca, the quintessential Puccini thriller set in 1800s Rome. Not seen in the area since North Carolina Opera’s premiere season, Tosca returns with a cast of rising stars and the North Carolina Opera Orchestra and Chorus, all conducted by Joseph Rescigno. This fully-staged production is sung in Italian with projected English translations. This toy and action figured-focused convention brings the best toy dealers and top experts in the hobby to Marbles Kids Museum for a day of informative panels, toy collecting and a special movie premiere of DC's latest superhero movie Shazam. Curated by platinum-selling rapper and N.C. native J. Cole, Dreamville will be a one-day, multi-stage festival at downtown Raleigh's Dorothea Dix Park with a one-of-a-kind celebration of local culture, food and art that also features a curated selection of music performers blending together some of today’s biggest national acts with exciting up-and-comers. In addition to J. Cole, the lineup includes SZA, Big Sean, 21 Savage, 6LACK, Nelly, Mez, Teyana Taylor, Davido, Bas, Rapsody and more! KISS: End of the Road Tour Don’t miss the iconic band’s last tour ever as they perform legendary rock anthems like “Rock & Roll All Nite” and “Detroit Rock City.” Crazy costumes and makeup are in store for a show that's always part concert, part party! Eurobike Raleigh 2019 A motorcycle show dedicated to the long and fruitful history of European motorcycling, Eurobike Raleigh puts creativity and innovation, mirror-like decoration and elegant simplicity on display for all to see at North Hills' Coastal Credit Union Midtown Park. Beer & Bacon Fest Bacon, more bacon and then some bacon! The Beer & Bacon Fest at Cary's Koka Booth Amphitheatre offers plenty of local restaurants and food trucks with awesome bacon dishes. Each guest receives a souvenir glass with 75+ of their favorite craft beers, wine, spirits and ciders to taste! Live music and a whole hog butchering demo round out a full day of fun. April 6 vs. Memphis; April 27 vs. Hartford North Carolina FC, a men's professional soccer team in the United Soccer League headed by new coach Dave Sarachan (former coach of the U.S. men's soccer team), takes to the pitch at Sahlen's Stadium at WakeMed Soccer Park twice in April. Carolina Ballet presents Monet Impressions A beautiful homage to the great French painter, Monet Impressions has everything a dance lover could wish for: a story ballet based on the great French painter's life in the first act, and a sweeping impressionistic second act based on his famous garden paintings. April 11-14 vs. Wilmington; April 15-17 vs. Fayetteville; April 26-28 vs. Potomac Swinging into a brand new season, the Milwaukee Brewer's single-A affiliate Carolina Mudcats are back in action at Five County Stadium in Zebulon with three home series this month. Be on the lookout for Thirsty Thursday (half off beverages and $1 hot dogs), Family Friday Fireworks (post-game fireworks each Fri. night) and All-You-Can-Eat Tuesday (hot dogs and hush puppies!) promos all season long. Theatre In The Park presents Godspell A timeless tale of friendship, loyalty and love! Godspell—filled with high spirited musical styles—uses song, dance and storytelling to retell the passion story and parables of the gospels. Raleigh Little Theatre presents Ken Ludwig's Baskerville: A Sherlock Holmes Mystery Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Waston are on the case! Watch as the intrepid investigators try to escape a dizzying web of clues, silly accents and elaborate disguises in attempt to find an ingenious killer. Full of humor, horror and plenty of stage magic, this kooky and spooky caper will have you howling with laughter. April 13 vs. Chicago; April 17 vs. Orlando The North Carolina Courage—defending champions of the National Women's Soccer League and widely considered one of the best club soccer teams in the world—kick off another season in Cary with two home games in April. SpringFest at The Mason Jar Lager Company It's SpringFest time at Mason Jar Lager Company, which means German-style lagers, food, music and dancing! Special beer releases, games, contests, food trucks and dance performances make a for a full day of fun in Fuquay-Varina. Zac Brown Band Set to play an early-season show at Coastal Credit Union Music Park at Walnut Creek (the area's largest outdoor music venue!), the Zac Brown Band returns to Raleigh with their signature country sound. Great Grapes! Wine and Food Festival Hundreds of wines from more than 22 N.C. wineries will be on hand at one of the region's biggest wine festivals, where you can taste and sample to your heart's content (plus enjoy live music, food, arts and more!). Pro tip: Bring your lawn chairs and blankets to relax on the grounds at beautiful Koka Booth Amphitheatre. 4th Annual Mid-Town Square Spring Festival Held at Bond Brothers Beer Company (which was voted 2017's "Best New Brewery" in the country in USA TODAY's 10Best) in Cary, this free-admission festival features food trucks, local artists, live music and, of course, Bond Brothers' award-winning brews (new releases and special casks included!). Kids and leashed dogs are welcome at the brewery but heads up—this event will draw a big crowd! Live & Local: Spring Fest on Hillsborough St. An annual, family-friendly street festival featuring a full day of music, artists, inflatables for kids, beer from Raleigh Brewing Company and more. The 21st annual Lebanese Festival in downtown Raleigh promises non-stop dancing and musical performances to go along with Lebanese desserts, beer, wine and more (including all the belly dancing you can handle!). Lonerider 10th Anniversary Celebration Celebrating 10 years of "Ales for Outlaws," Lonerider Brewing Company's 10th anniversary celebration at The Hideout will feature special beers poured all day long, limited edition bottle releases, food trucks, vendors and more. VIP ticket holders will also get a behind-the-scenes tour of the brewery and an extra special swag bag! Cary's Downtown Chowdown Enjoy a food-filled afternoon in downtown Cary. Taste some of the area's best food (barbecue, burgers, beignets and more!), enjoy cool beverages from craft beer and wine vendors and relax to the music of great local performers. More than 30 total vendors will be on hand—see you there! Jay Pharoah, the actor, stand-up comedian and impressionist that spent six years on the cast of Saturday Night Live, comes to Raleigh's legendary Goodnights Comedy Club for two nights of special performances. Those who love to cook will love Herbfest! Stroll through Wake Forest's charming White St. and shop organic, non-GMO herbs and vegetables, plus heirloom tomatoes and peppers and beautiful perennials specific to the area. North Carolina 'Cuegrass Festival North Carolina Theatre presents Murder for Two April 26-May 5 Catch this musical comedy at the Duke Energy Center for the Performing Arts, telling the story of a small town policeman with dreams of making it to detective. In this hilarious rendition, just two performers play 13 roles! You’ll die laughing. Art in the Garden Raleigh Little Theatre's arts festival is back, featuring a jury-selected lineup of visual artists, food trucks and live entertainment. This unique, outdoor event takes place in the historic Raleigh Municipal Rose Garden—have your cameras ready for photos with the beautiful backdrop! Spring Daze Arts & Crafts Festival Featuring more than 170 local artists, Cary's Spring Daze Arts & Crafts Festival (celebrating their 26th year in 2019) fills the streets with art—paintings, jewelry, sculptures and more—plus food vendors, children's activities and all-day live music. N.C.'s largest craft beer festival—featuring 100 breweries, 50 food trucks and drawing 30,000 people—Brewgaloo takes over downtown Raleigh for two days each April. The festival, which has free admission on Sat. (so bring plenty of friends!), allows you to purchase either beer samples or full pints from breweries located across the state. The event is part of Beer Month in Raleigh, N.C., a month-long celebration of the nearly 30 craft breweries that call the area home. North Carolina Symphony presents Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban™ in Concert A magical, musical evening at the Duke Energy Center as the North Carolina Symphony performs live and "Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban" shows on the big screen. Goodguys 5th N.C. Nationals Goodguys returns to the Carolinas for another exciting weekend of nostalgic hot-roddin' fun! Grab your family and all your friends and head on out to the Goodguys 5th N.C. Nationals automotive festival at the North Carolina State Fairgrounds to explore more than 1,500 candy-colored and chrome-plated 1972 and older rods hot rods, customs, muscle cars, tricked-out trucks and classics on display! Cary Music & Arts Festival Showcasing the extraordinary talents of exceptional music, theater and visual arts programs from nine Cary area high schools, the Cary Music & Arts Festival is a free-admission day of dance, theater, jazz, choral, orchestral and classical music. This event is BYOP (bring your own picnic!).

For the last 10 years ago there has been a great deal of intrigue in the Christian subculture regarding the afterlife. The publishing companies have been pumping out books dealing with the topic. One such example is the book “90 Minutes in Heaven.” It is a supposedly a gripping story of one’s personal experience of heaven after having been hit by a semi-truck. The success of these books, of course, spawned sequels. More money was to be had. But what kind of follow up can you get to one’s eye witness account of heaven? Well, what better thing than 23 Minutes in Hell: One Man’s story of what he saw, heard and felt in the place of torment!? What is interesting is this book seems to provide something of a 21st century parallel to the classic work of Dante’s Inferno. Both of them recount a man’s voyage through the deep recesses of the underworld. Both of them encounter ghoulish demons who torture the damned souls. Both of them highlight the horrid smells of burning sulfur and the extreme temperatures. Perhaps the only difference is that Dante was cognizant enough to actually know he was writing fiction. I would suggest to you that these books will probably serve as some kindling for the eternal punishments of the charlatan authors. What’s more, they provide a poor replica of what we find in our passage this morning. In this passage Jesus gives us a parable; he tells a story about a man who winds up in hell. You may remember that chapter 16 has been dealing with the topic of riches and wealth. Jesus has been speaking out against the materialism of his age. And in order to call these people back to the true God, he tells them this story about a rich man who ends up in hell. It is almost as if Jesus opens a portal to allow us to peer into the grave. He wants us to see something of what misery the damned really do experience. Certainly what is here is nothing exhaustive. It does not tell us everything about hell. But it does at least give us 4 lamentations—4 laments, that summarize a lost soul’s greif. The first thing I want you to notice is how a damned soul will lament what he did in life. I. They lament what they did in life [19-21] Our passage starts off by giving us some background to each of the two main characters. It tells us of a rich man who lived a sumptuous life: he was clothed in purple and fine linen, he feasted on good food every day, and so forth. Now, is there anything wrong with having a wardrobe filled with Armani suits? No. Not necessarily. Is there anything wrong with eating gourmet food? Not at all. Why then did he end up going to hell? Well, we find out why in verse 20. There was a poor man named Lazarus who laid at his gate. And it is important to note that he is named Lazarus. The name Lazarus means “God has helped.” Lazarus might have been poor, but he had faith in God. He looked to God as his helper and God had been with him. That’s what the rich man didn’t have. There is no mention here of a relationship with the Lord. So the implication is that these worldly goods and pleasures was his god. His riches were his religion, and that’s where he went wrong. That shows itself in that he completely ignored this poor man who sat at his gate. There is no doubt that he would have passed by this beggar every day. All that time he did nothing to help this man. So, in the end, this rich man receives no compassion from God because he himself had no compassion. This man was a hardened sinner lost in his materialism. Now, in hell, he there’s no doubt that this life that he lived haunts him. I think you get a glimpse of that in verse 25. After these guys died, the rich man calls out to Abraham and tells him to send Lazarus down and give him a drop of water. How does Abraham respond? He says, “You had your good things during your life. Now you are in anguish.” That’s like an arrow piercing right through him. You can hear him lamenting those days of ease and pleasure. Every moment he suffers he is filled with regret that he did not fear God like he should have. He probably thinks back to the times that he sat in the synagogue and heard God’s call to faith and obedience. He probably remembers the lessons that his parents taught him. He thinks about all the time he spent living an atheistic and agnostic life, and he thinks “What a fool I was! Why didn’t I look to the Lord when I had the chance?” I think every one of you knows that dismal feeling. You did something and you got caught. Afterwards you think, “How dumb was I? Why did I do that?” You feel the shame. You are angered how stupid you were! Well, if you are in hell, that feeling will only be multiplied a thousand fold. You will grieve the fact that you chose not to be a Christian. And you will have all eternity to lament it. But that is only part of the pain an unbeliever will experience. If you do not turn to Christ you will not only lament what you did in your past life, you will also lament what you miss in heaven. II. They lament what they miss in heaven [22, 25] Now this passage doesn’t say much about heaven. Its focus is mainly on the hell side. But there are two things that are mentioned here that indicate something of how grand heaven is. They are very small, and perhaps easily missed. But if you think about them, you realize that they indicate something of how wonderful heaven is. Perhaps the most obvious of the two is the comfort that one experiences in heaven. A. They miss the comforts of heaven In verse 25 Abraham says that Lazarus is “comforted.” In his earthly life he was miserable. But now, in heaven, he is comforted. He has been made perfectly happy. No more does he experience pain. Sadness is a complete stranger to him now. Gone are the days of hunger, guilt, poverty and tears. He has nothing but a cornucopia of delight, and that for all eternity. We will talk more about the pains this rich man experienced in a moment. But you can imagine him thinking, “All that could have been mine! It was all within my grasp! But no! I’m missing the comforts of eternal bliss because I was a fool!” A number of you know Lyle Becker. He used to attend church here. He now lives in Alaska. A number of years ago his church in Alaska was without a pastor. He called me and asked if I could come up and do pulpit supply. It sounded like a sweet deal. They would fly me up. I would preach on Sunday. Then I could stay the week with Lyle and have the opportunity to tour the land (and you know that with Lyle the outdoorsman, that would have been a blast.). Then I would preach the next Sunday and they would fly me home. What it amounted to was an all-expense paid trip to Alaska. Unfortunately, I didn’t get to do it. I missed out because I had just used up my vacation days at the place I was working at the time. You know, that was about 5 years ago, but I still dream of that opportunity. I will probably never get to go to Alaska. I won’t ever have that chance gain, and I am sad that I missed out on it. In a small way, that is what those in hell will be like. Those who do not fear God now will miss out on the comforts of heaven, and they will lament it for all eternity. But not only will they miss the comforts of heaven, they will miss its communion. B. They miss the communion Look at verse 22. It says that when Lazarus died he was carried by angels to Abraham’s side. A better way to say it might be Abraham’s bosom. Now, this is a picture of the comforts of heaven too. To be in the bosom of Abraham shows security and safety, like a child being carried by its mother. But there is also a sense in which this speaks of the joy one has in his relationships. Lazarus never knew Abraham, but they are perfect friends in heaven. They are all part of the same loving family and they get to enjoy the company of each other. That’s not the way it is in hell. In hell, there are no enjoyable relationships. There is no communion or companionship. If there is any relationship, it is a relationship that makes you more sore and pained. Certainly, there is no relationship with God, who is the binding force for true companionship. Now, we don’t want to press this parable’s every detail. That would be doing a injustice to the type of literature we have here. So, I’m not sure that there is going to be a window where the damned can look into heaven and see the communion and love that is experienced there. But there is one thing that is for certain, they will be lamenting the fact that they have no solace in friends. They will weep and wail because he innately knows that there is such a wonderful thing in heaven. You know, one of the punishments mankind frequently makes use of is “solitary confinement.” Prisoners of War are sometimes cut off from the other prisoners in order to torment them. Over at the prison, if you cause a ruckus you are put in solitary confinement. You lose the joy of communing with others. I don’t doubt that you will be around other people in hell. But they won’t be a friend to you. They certainly won’t provide you with any joy of real communion. If anything, they will be an annoyance to further multiply your pain. And in hell, you groan because you miss out on the friendship that exists in heaven. If you do not turn to Christ, you will find yourself in hell lamenting what you did in life and what you miss in heaven. But you will also lament what you must endure in hell. III. They lament what they endure in hell In verse 24 you we get a brief word that helps us understand how miserable the pains of hell are. The rich man’s agony is so great that he asks for a mere drop of water to be placed on his tongue. The rich man expresses that this one droplet, as small as it is, would be for him an enormous relief. Of course, even that is denied! But you should not miss this. To be sure the wrath of God will lay hard upon you. And this denial of the slightest drop of water should make you recognize that there will be no pity given. The Lord will not relent; not even in the least. The sin against and infinite God is and infinite evil and therefore deserves the full brunt of an infinite curse. So no compassion can be spared. It is not like an earthly executioner who, when carrying out his duties, becomes emotional and holds back. The pain that God will inflict will find its full expression and will by no means subside. Moment by moment, without any ebb and flow, you will experience the just sentence. Justice will be met as the full fury of God is poured out upon you for all eternity. You will not be able to control the shrieks will slip from your mouth. You will writhe uncontrollably as your senses are overwhelmed by the piercing stings of God’s wrath. And in the midst of them you will realize that all this is your own fault. You will lament that you must endure these painful extremes. Your sin has brought this on. And because you resisted the call of Christ during your life you long for even the slightest reprieve. Fourthly, a damned soul will lament what he cannot do for his friends and family. IV. They lament what they cannot undo for their relations In verses 27 and 28 this miserable fellow cries out on behalf of his family. He says, “Send Lazarus to my father’s house, because I have 5 brothers. Let him warn them so that they do not come to this place of torment.” I was reading John Bunyan’s famous commentary on this passage. If you do want a book about hell, I’d encourage you to pick up his brief pamphlet. It is entitled, Groans from a Damned Soul. In that booklet Bunyan says this: No one in hell desires the good of another person. That is only a Christian trait. In hell, men are no more converted than they were in life. Their disposition is still set against the Lord. So Bunyan says this guy is not really seeking his family’s welfare. He’s seeking his own welfare. And Bunyan reminds us of what the prophet Ezekiel said. Ezekiel was a watchman who was responsible the welfare of the masses. And the Lord told Ezekiel that their blood would be required of him. In other words, his punishment would be greater if he didn’t send the appropriate warnings. And Bunyan makes the point that the rich man is not empathetic towards his family. He simply wants to alleviate his own pain. He knows that if they wind up in hell, he will be partially to blame for it. The example he set and the influence he had on his brothers would increase his guilt. If you want further proof of this principle, all you have to do is look at what Jesus says in the beginning of the next chapter. In verse 1 Jesus says, “Temptations are bound to come, but woe to him through whom they come. It would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck and he were cast into the sea than that he should cause one of these little ones to sin.” You see. Your life, your words, your actions—all of these—are influences upon other people. Your sins can lead others astray and your actions can cause others to slide into hell. But notice the response Abraham gives to his request! In verse 29 Abraham says, “They have Moses and the Prophets (i.e. they have the revealed word of God!), let them listen to them.” Then in verse 31 Abraham reminds him of how hardened unbelieving hearts. If they won’t listen to what God has said in his word, then they are not even going to believe if they see someone rise from the dead.” You can imagine how torturous this would be to the poor wretch. There is nothing he can do! His last attempt to alleviate his pains are gone! More coals are going to be laid upon his head and there is nothing now that he can do to stop it. One of my students was laid up for a week or so. It wasn’t sickness, but grief that had him bed ridden. His parents had made the trip a couple of weeks ago to come and see him. But on their way they were hit by a snow plow. They were taken to the hospital and were in serious condition. My student though was stricken with the thought, “It was I who brought them there. It was because of me they were on that road and it was my fault that they were hit.” We know of course, that it wasn’t his fault necessarily. But it is that sort of grief that the soul in hell will face. He will understand that his associates may come to hell, and he will be stricken by the fact that there will be nothing he can do to stop it. This is a small description of how miserable one will be in hell. Yet Christ allows us to peek into that infernal abyss so that we might be saved from it. This ghastly description is a mercy sent from heaven to turn our hearts to Christ. Jesus said, “They have Moses and the Prophets, let them listen to them.” We have here the word of the greatest prophet, Jesus Christ. May we hear him! Mormon, Presbyterian, Roman Catholic, Lutheran, Jehovah’s Witness, Baptist, Unitarian Universalist. When you look at the church section of the phone book you will find a long list of churches. If you look into it deeper you will find that there are a lot of different kinds of churches too. Some of them are completely opposites. You may see one church claim one thing, and another church will claim something completely different. It is true, we are living in a day where almost anything passes as “Christian.” And the branches of Christianity are so extensive that even those of us who claim to be Christians need a great deal of clarification regarding the true essence of Christianity. When I played sports, our coaches often say that we needed to get back to the basics. From time to time we would get out there on the court and start playing, but our performance wasn’t good. It would almost seem that each of us was playing our own game. Someone watching might actually think that each of us was playing his own version of basketball. So the next practice, the coach would pull us aside and tell us that we needed to get back to the basics. They would tell us, “This is what basketball is all about…” and proceed to instruct us in the elementary truths of the game. Sometimes we need to do that with our religion too. We have to get back to basic Christianity. If we are really going to understand what true faith is, we have to return to the elementary truths of Christianity. And really, that is what we have in these verses that are before us this morning. In these verses the Apostle talks about himself. He gives a brief testimony regarding his faith. As a result, we have a solid witness to the exact nature of true faith. As an apostle, Paul is an expert in what it means to be a Christian. The Apostle Paul might not be perfect, but certainly he has excelled in what it means to be a Christian. He wouldn’t hold that office if that wasn’t true. And because he has such a mastery of Christianity we may look at his faith to find out what true faith really is. Paul’s testimony in these verses shows us that true faith is marked by four distinct characteristics. Paul begins by showing us that true faith is verbally affirmed. I. True faith is verbally affirmed Paul commences his testimony of faith with these words, “I thank God.” He makes sure that Timothy knows where he stands. He verbally affirms where his faith lies. That’s a pretty impressive thing because when the Apostle Paul wrote this, he was in jail. He had been imprisoned because of his faith. The chains he was wearing were on him because he had openly professed his faith in Jesus Christ everywhere he went. And any person who is really a Christian will do the same. If someone really is a Christian, it is going to come out in their speech. We Presbyterians emphasize the importance of professing your faith publicly. That’s the way you become a member of Christ’s church. You stand up here and openly affirm your faith in Christ. But true faith is not limited to that one time profession. If you have true faith Christ will permeate your speech on a regular basis. As one person has said, a true Christian will never be like the rivers that flow into the Artic Ocean: They will never be frozen at the mouth. When you are talking with a person you can tell he/she is a Christian because Christians have a distinct vocabulary. Christians talk about God and the things of Christ. They can’t help but talk about Him. A person who is filled with the Holy Spirit is a person who will be heard voicing praises and thanksgiving to God from time to time, like the Apostle Paul does here, because he is so overwhelmed by God’s goodness. If you are around someone who doesn’t talk that way—if they don’t say much about God or they say nothing at all about Him—then you can very well assume that they probably are not a Christian. If spiritual things are not of any concern to them, then those subjects won’t be topics of conversation. And all of their speech will be atheistic—God will be noticeably absent from their conversation. I’m sure you’ve been around people whose speech is filled with profanities. Some people swear so much that sometimes they don’t even know they are cussing. It is so natural to them that it just comes out. A Christian is like that in that they naturally talk about spiritual things. Jesus Christ is so much a part of their lives that He will be on their lips a good deal of the time. So the first question that you must ask yourself is “What is my vocabulary like? Do my words affirm my faith?” If you want to judge whether or not your faith is true, you need to look at your speech. Do people hear you talking about the Lord? Certainly there is a time to be silent, don’t get me wrong. But there is also a time to speak. And one who has true faith will frequently be heard talking about spiritual things. But as you look at our passage, you not only see that true faith is verbally affirmed. It is also visibly demonstrated. II. True faith is visibly demonstrated Paul says, “I thank God, whom I serve.” The word serve here is an interesting word. It’s literal meaning is “to pay homage to” or “to worship.” You could say it means “to render the service of worship.” Paul’s saying, “I not only thank this God (I not only talk about this God), but my whole life is dedicated to the service and worship of this God.” Certainly Paul joined with the people of God on Sunday to worship God. But his worship went far beyond that. His whole life was an act of worship. His whole life was a service of worship because he sought to obey God’s law in everything he did. A Christian isn’t a Christian in word only. His faith has feet. He demonstrates his faith in the way he lives his life Sunday through Saturday. No one will ever believe you if you say you are a Christian, but you don’t live like it. and they have every right to believe that. Jesus himself said that you will know a tree by its fruit. And a Christian will be known by the kind of life he lives. That’s why when you join this church you can’t just say you believe in Jesus Christ. You cannot make a simply profession of faith. You have to make what we call “a credible profession of faith.” In other words your life has to back up what you say with your mouth. If your life does not give credit to your profession—if your life does not visibly demonstrate your faith in Christ, the elders will not let you become a member here. That’s because a true Christian will seek to live in obedience to Christ. This doesn’t mean that you have to be perfect or near perfect. A credible profession of faith doesn’t mean that you are sinless. The Apostle Paul by his own admission wasn’t sinless. But true faith does mean that you are obeying in some degree. You certainly manifest obedience to Christ’s chief command, “repent.” A credible profession of faith does not mean that you perfect, but it does mean that you are visibly repentant. It means that you are at least trying to overcome the sin in your life and live in uprightness. One time I took some of our young people back in IN to a youth camp. As you may well guess, there were some kids there who were not Christians and were not even from Christian families. At the end of the week these kids were in tears because they were so impressed with the Christians in the group. In their own words they said, “You guys are so weird, you say you are sorry when you do something wrong.” Those kids visibly demonstrated their faith because they repented. And does that sound like your faith? Can your faith stand the friend test? If I were to ask one of your friends or your family members whether or not they see you living like a Christian, would they answer yes? Would they tell me that they have heard you apologize? Could they say they have seen you overcoming sin in your life and demonstrating love and compassion? Or would they say, “Don’t listen to him. He’s a hypocrite.” You know faith is true when it is verbally affirmed and visibly demonstrated. But forget that true faith is also historically rooted. III. True faith is historically rooted Look at what Paul says next. He says, “I thank God, whom I serve as did my ancestors.” Paul’s saying here that his faith has roots. If you could somehow go back in time, you would see that everything in Paul’s life would be replicated in the lives of his forefathers. They held the same beliefs. They obeyed the same law. Nothing changed from one generation to the next. It was all the same faith. So you have to understand, Christianity does not change. It never goes out of style. It never has to be adjusted. True faith is historically rooted. Just before the Civil War, Charles Hodge gave a speech at Princeton Seminary. In that speech he said that the seminary had not produced one single new thought since its inception. He wasn’t saying that they were stupid. He was simply testifying to the fact that the faith of that seminary at that time had not changed one single bit since the time it was founded. Sadly, that cannot be said anymore of Princeton Seminary. Princeton has moved far away from the historic, orthodox faith. Now it almost seems that Princeton’s Christianity now changes with every passing decade. But back in the 1930’s some men left Princeton to form Westminster Seminary. They did that in order to continue holding to and training men in the truths Christians have held throughout history. Here in our church we regularly use the Apostle’s creed. From time to time you will here things from the Westminster Confession and the Larger and Shorter Catechisms. We don’t think that these documents have the same authority as the Bible, but they do contain the faith of our fathers. And we use them so that you might possess the true faith. It is not necessary to go out and re-discover or re-invent Christianity. This faith has been around for quite some time. Sadly, that is what many people in the church do. We are living in a time where there is a complete disregard of history. Church history is rarely studied and the creeds and confessions are hardly ever given the time of day. And worship services like ours (often called “traditional”) are considered out-dated. But we need to be aware that this “out with the old and in with the new” mentality is dangerous. True faith is finds its roots in the past. And your faith (if it is going to be true faith) must be built on the faith of our forefathers too. God didn’t start Christianity yesterday. And if your faith does not resemble the faith of those who lived in the 3rd century or during the time of the Reformation, then you need to be skeptical of your faith. True faith will look the same as the faith of Christians in ages past. Notice also that true faith is inwardly undefiled. Along with being historically rooted, visibly demonstrated, verbally affirmed true faith is inwardly undefiled. IV. True faith is inwardly undefiled. In talking about his faith Paul says that he serves God with “a clear (or clean) conscience.” Young people, do you know what your conscience is? It is that thing inside of you that either confirms you when you do something right or it agitates you when you do something wrong. Paul calls it his conscience, but you might call it your heart. If Christianity is anything, it is a religion of the heart. You can talk a good talk and you can walk a good walk, but if your heart is corrupt, your faith is dead. You can have a person who goes to church every week, who lives an outwardly moral life, and who loves to talk about theology; everything about you from the outside can seem great. To everyone else you really seem to be a true Christian. But in reality, deep down inside, your heart is not right with God. True faith is not outward only. It penetrates to you inmost being. Really, that’s where it begins. Commenting on this verse John Gill said, “Every man has a conscience, but the conscience of every natural man is defiled with sin; and that is only a pure one, which is sprinkled and purged with the blood of Christ; and whereby a person is only fitted to serve the living God, without the incumbrance of dead works, and slavish fear.” The Apostle Paul did not always serve God with a pure conscience. As a Pharisee he sought to serve God zealously, but his heart was not right with God. He had not yet submitted to Jesus Christ. His sins had not yet been washed away by Christ’s blood. Being so defiled, his faith was not true. All his works were dead. Many people today are the same way. They do not have a clear conscience. Maybe they are like the Apostle Paul: They try to serve God, but they have not submitted to Christ as their Lord and received his righteousness. Maybe they serve, not with an aim of pleasing God at all. Perhaps they serve God because their conscience is plagued with guilt. They serve God not out of cheerfulness and faith, but it is out of a sense of fear. They think that they can turn away God’s anger or earn his favor by just “doing enough.” But true faith is had when one can honestly stand before God without any sort of intimidation. True faith is had when you hold, not to you own ability or worth, but when you hold to Jesus Christ’s blood and cross alone. So I need to ask, does this sound like your faith? The faith that has been described here, can that be said of your faith? Is your faith expressed in your speech, seen in your life, linked to our history or pure in your heart? If it does not meet all of these criteria, then you need to beware. If your faith fails in one of these areas, it is not like a test in school where you might get a “B-.” If you fail in one area, your faith fails to pass the test of faith. A faith that fails even in one area is not true Christianity. And a faith that is not Christianity is not of God. But if your faith does meet all of these qualifications, then you may rest assured that your faith is true. You may have confidence that you stand with the Apostle Paul in our blessed religion. And one day you will stand with Paul and all the other saints throughout history by Christ’s side in heaven. This passage of scripture is like a Mac truck in how jarring it is to the senses. One reason is because Jesus’ line of argumentation. Throughout chapter 16 Jesus deals with the idolatry of riches, and this word on divorce seems to jump from out of nowhere at you. But, of course, it is the solemnity of the words that rattles us the most. Jesus tells us that the sin of divorce (which is a great evil in and of itself) can be compounded by the egregious act of adultery. Lord willing we can. And perhaps we can begin by simply starting with a summary statement of what Jesus says in this verse. I will suggest to you this theme: Unlawful divorces cause adulterous relationships. I. The Contention of the verse: Unlawful divorce. Now, the key word there is “unlawful divorces.” That is Jesus’ contention. He is not speaking out against all divorces or giving a broad blanket statement on all divorce. He is dealing with those divorces that are unbiblical in nature. Of course, no divorce is good. We know that God hates divorce and we should recognize that no divorce is desirable. But there are some divorces that are biblically justifiable. And as we take a look at the broader scope of Scripture, we find that there are two grounds for divorce. The one is adultery and the other is desertion. Matthew 5:32 is something of a parallel passage to what we have here. In that passage Jesus says, “But I say to you that everyone who divorces his wife, except on the ground of sexual immorality, makes her commit adultery, and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery.” So he makes that exception. We also find in 1 Corinthians 7 Paul telling us that if you are married to an unbeliever and the unbeliever wants to separate, then you are to let them do so. Now, again, there is some difference of opinion on these texts, especially the 1 Corinthians passage. But this has historically been the belief of the Reformed churches (See WCF 24.6). And in these cases, remarriage will not result in adultery. You are free to remarry. What you should understand though is that is not what Jesus is talking about in this verse. Jesus is here addressing an unlawful divorce. He is speaking out against divorces that are not warranted by Scripture. And this becomes apparent when you understand the context. II. The context of the verse: First, you have to understand the historical context. In Jesus’ day getting a divorce was almost as easy as getting a hamburger at the McDonald’s drive through window. The standards for divorce had been softened to the point where marriage had become almost trivialized. For instance, one Rabbi said that you could get a divorce if your wife burned your dinner. Another Rabbi, writing much later, said that you could get a divorce if someone prettier came along. Now, these might have been extreme examples. But you can see that it didn’t take much to bail out on a marriage. I would suggest to you that getting a divorce in Jesus’ day was akin to our own. We find ourselves in a similar situation today because the only reason you need for a divorce today is that you are incompatible. In most states all you have to do is say that you have “irreconcilable differences” and you can be divorced. We even have gone so far as to permit this odd phenomena of “no fault divorce.” That is to say, you can go to the judge and say, “Neither of us are at fault, we just don’t want to be married anymore.” But that was the kind of thing that was going on in Jesus’ day. Divorce had become justifiable for virtually any reason and no one seemed to have a problem with it. The religious leaders were even countenancing it. And when you look at the literary context you can find this to be true too. Throughout the book of Luke Jesus condemns the religious leaders because they were doing all kinds of gymnastics with God’s law. You may remember that we looked at the passage in Luke 11 where Jesus pronounced the woes upon the Pharisees and lawyers. They were guilty of twisting God’s word and bending it and outright contradicting it just to suit their own delights. And you will remember that we read in our immediate context that the Pharisees were lovers of money. And they were justifying themselves in the sight of man. In other words, they were boasting about being men who upheld the law. But in actuality they were breaking it and trying to cover it up in order to make themselves look good. Then Jesus says in verse 17, “It is easier for heaven and earth to pass away than for one dot of the law to become void.” I think JC Ryle sums it up well when he says, of the Pharisees, “They had lowered the standard of the law of divorce. You have allowed divorce for trivial and insufficient causes. And hence, while you make your boast of the law, you are by your unfair dealing with it, encouraging adultery.” So when we understand the context, we will understand that Jesus is speaking of these unlawful divorces. He’s talking about a divorce that occurs that does not have biblical grounds. And he says that this kind of divorce is what gives rise to adultery. And that really brings us to the content of our passage this morning. III. The content of the verse Jesus is saying that if you walk out on a relationship without lawful grounds and then you remarry, then you are committing adultery. Or, if you marry someone who has divorced his or her spouse without just cause, then you are guilty of committing adultery. Why is this? It is because, in the eyes of God, you are breaking the covenant that exists between you and your spouse. Even though you have reneged on your vows, those vows have not been annulled. You have to understand the gravity of that covenant. When you stand at the alter take those vows that is not something that you can terminate at your whim. Even though you do not want to acknowledge the marriage, that does not mean that the marriage no longer exists. We can think of it in terms of a basketball game. If you are playing basketball, you have to keep the ball on the court. Once it crosses the out of bounds line, the game stops. Now, if you are one of the players out on the court. You might decide that you want to step out for a second. So you decide to go over and stand by the bench. But the game is still being played. And even though you are off the court, you are still considered a part of the game. Now someone on your team can pass you the ball. But as soon as they do that, the referee will blow the whistle. That’s a turnover. That’s the rules of the game. You cannot stand there and yell at the referee, saying, “Hey, I’m off the court. I’m not playing. That doesn’t count.” The truth is, you might have left the game, but that didn’t end the game. The rules of the game are still on. It doesn’t matter how you feel or what decision you make along the way. You don’t have the authority to change the laws of the game. That’s the way it is with marriage. A marriage isn’t over until the Lord says it is over. He has laid down the law when it comes to ending a marriage. You can’t just say you want it to end. You might walk out on that marriage, but the game is still on and the rules of the game are still in effect. So if you leave a marriage for an unbiblical reason, and then you get married to someone else, you are committing adultery. IV. Concluding remarks regarding the verse I want to make a couple clarifications before we wrap up. I want to be clear on a few things. 1. First, I want to speak to those to whom this passage addresses. That is to say, if you are one who has divorced someone unlawfully, what should you do? If you have been convicted by this message, you might wonder how you ought to proceed. The question obviously arises, “Does God want me to end the relationship that I am currently in?” Let me say that is not the response that the church has historically given. There have been some who have said that this second marriage is an illegitimate marriage and therefore breaking it off would be the right thing to do and returning to your first husband/ wife is agreeable to the will of God. However, we do not believe that you should divorce again. The vows that you took in this second marriage are real vows. Though you should not have done it in the first place, it does not invalidate the reality of those vows and binding nature of them. It is our belief that this second marriage is still a legitimate marriage and ending it would only compound the sin of divorce. But that does not mean that nothing should be done. You do need to do something. You need to still repent in so far as you can. It certainly means confessing it to the Lord and acknowledging before him that you have committed a serious error. It may also mean that you need to confess to your present spouse and/ or your ex. You can be assured that the gospel promise is true in these cases. God can forgive. And he can even bless your current relationship. So no matter how things currently stand or how much sin has been compounded, you can be sure that the Lord will pardon you if you seek his mercy. 2. Secondly, I would like to address those who have been the victims of an unlawful divorce. We acknowledge that in many cases there is the divorcer and the divorcee. There is the one who divorces, and there is the one who is divorced. In other words, you might have been one who did not want to see the relationship end. You may have sought to do everything in your power to prevent that from happening. However, you could not stop your spouse from walking away. The divorce was, in some respects, inevitable in that regard. The question arises, what ought you to do? Should you remain single, or are you permitted to remarry? We should begin by saying no one should be hasty to remarry. Even if your spouse divorces you, you will want to hold out the hope of reconciliation. However, the answer to your question is that there is a great chance that you can remarry. Of course, you will want to talk to the elders and have them evaluate your situation. But you may be within your rights as a child of God. Your spouse has either proved to be an unbeliever who has deserted you, or he has committed adultery. These, as we discussed above, are the two legitimate grounds for divorce. Thus, in the Lord’s eyes, you would be free to remarry. 3. Now, I would like to speak to anyone who is single. This passage has a word to those of you who are not married or divorced. If you are looking to begin a relationship and would like to be married, there is something here you need to heed. Before you enter into a relationship or begin to get serious with a person, you need to make sure that this person is biblically eligible. A verse like this reminds us that we are to make it our business to marry only one who is a Christian. But beyond that, we want to make sure that the person you are becoming involved with is not unlawfully divorced. Again, a person may not be married in the eyes of the state; He or she may be legally divorced. But in the eyes of God, they may still be bound by the covenant of marriage. You must understand that this person is off limits. You are not permitted to marry him or become anywise intimate with him/her. That would be a breach of God’s commandment and you would be committing adultery. 4. I would like to conclude by reminding each of you of the power of the gospel. Each and every one of you should recognize that the gospel is the power of God for salvation. And it teaches us that there is no such thing as “irreconcilable differences.” That is a blatant denial of the power of the gospel. The gospel is in the business of reconciliation. It reconciles us to God, and it reconciles us to each other. The Lord Jesus came into this world to restore that which is broken. He came to bring life to that which is dead. And if you would ever find yourself in a situation where you are contemplating divorce (and have no grounds to do so), then you need to look to Christ and trust in the healing power of the gospel. Of course, none of us should let our marriages deteriorate and come to the point where you are contemplating divorce. You should do everything in your power to preserve and protect your marriage, including seeking the church’s counsel and discipline. But Jesus’ words here may be summarized well by Winston Churchhill’s rousing call to England in WWII. “Never, never, never, never, never, never, never give up!” The sum of Christ’s teaching is that we may not give up without biblical grounds. We must never take the easy way out of a marriage and simply get a lawyer. We are obligated by our vows to have and to hold this person for better and for worse; for richer and for poorer, in sickness and in health. No matter how hopeless things may appear to you, you must renounce your desire to give up and you must trust Christ. It might seem hopeless to you, but that is why the gospel is good news. It flies in the face of hopelessness. It gives hope where none exists. And when we avail ourselves to Christ’s appointed (proper counsel and church discipline) we allow the gospel its opportunity to rekindle the flames of love and renew a broken marriage. In a magazine called Christian Reader Erma Landis writes: “For decades, anyone living within five or six miles of the hat factory in Denver, PA set their watches and clocks by the sirens the factory set off five days a week. At 5:30 a.m. the wake-up siren would begin the day. The lunch and quitting time sirens would follow at their designated times. “The siren system was eventually disbanded. But one day a friend of Landis was reminiscing with the time keeper about his job. He asked the man who would sound the siren, ‘What did you use to determine the exact time?’ With a twinkle in his eye, the man reached into his pocket and pulled out a child’s Mickey Mouse watch.” That day everyone learned an important lesson: Some experts are not as authoritative as they seem. Setting one’s clock is certainly not a major issue in one’s life. But the authority you choose to be the standard for how you live your life is of the greatest importance. That’s why we must demonstrate care in choosing who or what is to be the guide for our lives. As we begin to study this second letter of Paul to Timothy, a good question to ask is “Why should I listen to you?” The Apostle Paul will be giving us specific directions on how we are to live our lives. As a result we may begin to wonder “Why should I listen to this guy? What kind of authority is he?” If you are asking that question, then today you will have your answer. In these opening verses the Apostle Paul shows us that he is an authority we can trust. We can set our lives according to what he says because he is a man who has been gripped by Christ’s authority, who has been invested with Christ’s authority, and who dispenses well Christ’s authority. Christ is the creator of the universe and head of the church. As a result He is our ultimate authority for all matters of life. So we must listen not to men, but to Christ, and him alone. And in order to convince us that we should listen to him the Apostle Paul shows how Christ’s authority under girds his authority. When we look at our passage we find that we can trust Paul because he is a man who has been gripped by Christ’s authority. I. He has been gripped by Christ’s Authority The very first word we read is the word “Paul.” The word Paul means “little.” So our letter starts out “The Little One.” But Paul didn’t always think of himself as “The Little One.” We know from the Bible that Paul used to go by the name Saul. Saul was most likely his Hebrew name and Paul was most likely his Roman name. It wasn’t uncommon in those days for Jews to have a Jewish name and a roman name. And earlier in his life Paul preferred the name Saul. There is something big about the name Saul. Saul was the name of the first king of Israel. To have the name Saul was to glory in the excellence of Israel. It was perhaps a mark of the greatness of Judaism. It was Hebrew pride. But in the book of Acts we read about how Saul/Paul encountered Christ on the Road to Damascus. It was a clash of the titans. Here comes big Saul mounted on his horse and suddenly Christ appeared to him in all His splendor. Saul was thrown down from his horse—in the posture of prostration and humility. His eyes were blinded because he was not in the slightest bit worthy to look upon the exalted Christ. A few pages later you see Saul (the great one) now being called Paul (the little one). This man had been gripped by the Authority of Christ. No longer did he flaunt himself as Saul, the Great Hebrew. He no longer glories in his excellence. The only thing he flaunts now is how little he is in comparison to Christ. Humility is one of the hardest virtues to develop. That’s because we are always comparing ourselves with other people. When you compare yourself with other people you will always come out on top. For some reason we always see the flaws in other people. And somehow we are blind to our own limitations and defects. But when you truly encounter Christ you cannot make such a blunder. When you come face to face with God, your imperfections and limitations become immediately clear. The richness of His glory drives you to your knees. The inexpressible greatness of his divine majesty cuts off any self exaltation. His supreme being weighs upon you. The pressure is so extreme that you cannot even lift your face to behold him. When you are truly gripped by His transcendent authority you come to grips with your “littleness.” Paul was just such a person. He recognized that he was “the little one” in comparison to Christ. And because he understood his littleness, he may speak as Christ’s agent. Because he understood the authority and supremacy of Christ in such a personal and experiential way, he has the authority to speak on Christ’s behalf. Proverbs 11:2 says “With the humble there is wisdom.” Isn’t that true? Who would you rather take advice from: Someone who flaunts their resume? Someone who always introduces himself with his title and position of rank? Or would you rather listen to someone who says, “I don’t know much, but I do know this much: I’m not much, but Christ is.” Most likely you are going to listen to the humble guy—the guy who knows where he stands and won’t stand anywhere else. Since Paul has been gripped by Christ’s authority, we know that he knows where he stands. And since we know that he knows were he stands, we may trust what he is going to say in this letter. But his words are trustworthy not only because he has been gripped by Christ’s authority. They are also trustworthy because Paul is invested with Christ’s authority. II. He has been invested with Christ’s Authority After he introduces himself as “The Little One” Paul says something about his office. He says that he is “an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God according to the promise of the life that is in Christ Jesus.” This is to make sure that we know that Paul does have some clout. Once we see “The Little One” we might be tempted to brush him off. But he points out that he has authority to speak because Christ has invested him with authority in the church. I just said that titles and positions are not everything. But make no mistake: they certainly are something. A General in the Armed Forces ought to be saluted. A father and husband ought to be respected. That’s because they are positions of rank and influence. Here Paul is pointing out that he holds a position in the church that entitles him to our attention. He announces that he is an apostle. An apostle is a person who represents someone else. Literally translated, the word apostle means “sent one.” Apostles are ones sent by Christ to represent Christ (or to speak on behalf of Christ). In those days they didn’t have Network Television to get a sovereign’s messages out. They had to send messengers out to make the king’s proclamations in different lands and regions. And that is what an apostle of Christ does. He goes forth on behalf of King Jesus to make His proclamations known. And don’t think that he came by this position on his own. Paul makes it quite clear that he did not earn the position with his own cunning or through self promotion. He got it “by the will of God.” God appointed him to this work. God invested him with the authority he needed to serve in this capacity. In a lot of places you can get your place of rank by simply having enough money. All you have to do is slip a few hundred dollars to the right person and—wala: you’re the head of such and such a department or lord over thus & such a region. Paul didn’t get his authority that way. It came straight from God, by an act of God’s own will. He has authority because he is an apostle (one sent by Christ). He has authority because this office came to him by the will of Christ (i.e. it was God’s desire that he serve in this way). And he has authority because this office is “according to the promise of life that is in Christ.” What exactly does that mean? “The promise of life” is the salvation that comes through Christ. Christ, through his life, death, and resurrection, secured eternal life for his people. But those people need to be organized and led. They can’t be just running around here on earth like a mob. They need leadership. They need people to guide them. That’s what Paul means when he says that his office is “according to the promise of life that is in Christ.” The logical conclusion of the salvation of God’s people is the leadership of God’s people. Don’t forget that! We live in a day where people buck against authority like crazy. And the problem exists in the church too. Church officers are dismissed without a second thought. People will say, “Hey, I’m a Christian. I love Jesus. All I need to do is follow Jesus. I don’t need these elders or deacons telling me what to do.” Well that’s not true. Christ has appointed church leaders that you are to follow. Moreover they are there because salvation demands it! Leaders are there because it is “in accord with the promise of life.” And this letter must receive your full consideration because it comes from one who is a divinely appointed leader/messenger. You better listen to Paul because when you listen to him, you are listening to Christ. You must listen to the Apostle because he is gripped by Christ’s authority. You must listen to him because he is invested with Christ’s authority. And you must listen to them because he dispenses well Christ’s authority. III. He dispenses well Christ’s Authority No one would listen to a person who doesn’t use his position right, would they? You wouldn’t willingly listen to someone who was a tyrant. No. You want someone who not only holds a place of authority; you want someone who rightly uses his authority. Well the Apostle Paul is that kind of person. He not only holds a place of authority, he dispenses well his God given authority. Look at the second verse. Look at how loving Paul is when he greets Timothy. He says, “To Timothy, my beloved Son. Grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.” You notice the affection. These are not words of a tyrant. These are the words of a loving father and mentor. Timothy had been under Paul’s tutelage for some time and a strong bond had developed between them. And so he greets him with the utmost affection. Then Paul bestows a blessing—a blessing of grace, mercy and peace. He exercises his God given authority in the most meaningful way possible: He prays for the prosperity of his young disciple. A position of authority is obviously a great privilege, but it is also a great responsibility. To whom much is given, much is required. Those of us who God has appointed to be superiors must never seek our own welfare first. Instead we must seek first the welfare of those who are put under their care. It does not matter if we are an elder, a mother, an employer, a husband or a big brother or sister, we are given that lot in life because God wants us to look after those under us. He has given us that place of prominence so that we might demonstrate Christ’s superlative love. And what is the chief way that Christ exercises his authority? Certainly it was in laying down his life for his sheep. But it is also expressed in his continual intersession for us. Throughout his life on earth, Jesus prayed. Set times were appointed in the day for prayer. Sporadic nights were given to prayer. And even now, as he sits at God’s right hand in heaven, His chief work is prayer. Until He comes again He will never cease coming to His Father on the behalf of his people. Paul then, uses his authority well when he prays for Timothy. What better things could Paul seek on Timothy’s behalf? He asks that Timothy may receive Grace. Grace is that unmerited favor of God. He asks that God would rain down all from heaven all that Timothy needed in life, but had forfeited because of his sin. Mercy is that sweet blessing that keeps God’s wrath from being poured out. Peace is the wholeness / or complete wellness of person. It is the financial, emotional, physical health that enables a person to carry out one’s duties in life. This prayer is not just a formalized greeting. It is a superb illustration of how one is to use his God given authority. Paul not only occupies a place of authority, he exercises his authority with the utmost proficiency. And as we see Paul’s competence in handling his authority, we must consider well what he says in the rest of his writing. We may listen to him because his authority is not being used for his own welfare. It is being used for our welfare and for our greater prosperity in life. In his book In the Eye of the Storm, Max Lucado tells the story of a captain who had to submit to a greater authority. Two battleships assigned to the training squadron had been at sea on maneuvers in heavy weather for several days. The visibility was poor with patchy fog, so the captain remained on the bridge in order to keep eye on all activities. Shortly after dark, the lookout on the wing reported, “Light, bearing on the starboard bow.” “Is it steady or moving astern?” the captain called out. The lookout replied, “Steady, Captain,” which meant they were on a dangerous collision course with that ship. The captain then called to the signalman, “Signal that ship: ‘We are on a collision course, advise you change course twenty degrees.’“ Back came the signal, “Advisable for you to change course twenty degrees.” The captain said, “Send: “I’m a captain, change course twenty degrees.’“ “I’m a seaman second-class,” came the reply. “You had better change course twenty degrees.” By that time the captain was furious. He spat out, “Send: ‘I’m a battleship. Change course twenty degrees.’” Back came the flashing light, “I’m a lighthouse.” The captain changed his course immediately. If you are asking the question, “Why should I listen to you?” You have your answer. Paul is the lighthouse grounded upon Christ. Our God has invested him with authority so that he may serve as a beacon who will direct us how we must navigate our lives here on earth. He knows where he stands: He has been gripped with Christ’s authority. Therefore he will not venture to lead us astray. Let us then act like that sea captain and humbly submit to his every word. Some of you might be hip to the PBS TV program called Antique Roadshow. The show records ordinary people who bring in their relics in order to have them appraised by a professional to see if they are of any worth. It's kind of funny that the show has been on for almost 20 years. The only drama is the suspense that is created as you await the final judgment as to the value of the item under scrutiny. Yet the person who owned the painting had for many years stowed it away in their basement. It was a treasure that—at least to them, had no real value. At least not until they came to the Antique Roadshow. All that time they treated it every so flippantly. It was just a common piece of household junk. But once they came to grips with its real value, they reacted differently. Their response was immense as they immediately began to treat it differently. They began to be very careful in the way they touched it. They wanted to know how they should care for it. How could they best protect it and preserve its value? In a word, they were ready to do anything within their power to retain the painting’s newfound glory. It is often the case that the men treat the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ in the same way. Many people do not have a high esteem of Christ and care nothing for his gospel because they have no real appreciation of its value. As a matter of fact, that is the case with the Pharisees in our passage here. The first verse that we read tells us that they ridiculed Jesus. They sneered at him because they had no regard for who he was or what he had to offer them. But if we listen to what Jesus says in this passage, we will see that he plays the part of a spiritual appraiser. In the words that he speaks he highlights for us just how valuable the gospel really is. And once he does that, he shows us how we then ought to respond to it. In order to heighten our appreciation for the gospel, Jesus first highlights our need for it. I. How much we need the gospel [14-15, 17] As you look at this passage, there is something that Jesus says that has the potential to make you sick to your stomach. In verse 15 Jesus says, “God knows you hearts.” As a matter of fact, the passage is something of a spiritual x-ray. You get to see right into the very chests of the Pharisees. In verse 14 it tells us that they were “lovers of money.” That’s interesting, especially given the very next verse. In the very next verse Jesus says, “You are those who justify yourselves before men.” How is it that they know that they were lovers of money? How is it possible if they were busy covering it all up? That’s what justifying your sin really is, after all. It is spiritual slight of hand. It is a magic trick that makes bad things disappear. It is making that which is evil sound perfectly fine. It is tricking the people around you (and perhaps even yourself) into thinking that there is absolutely nothing wrong. How is it then that Jesus and the gospel writer can know that these guys were greedy pigs? It is because God knows it. It is because there are no secrets with God. Everything sin, every evil thought, every covetous desire that you have tucked away inside of you is as plain to him as if it were written in the sky. The old saying goes, “You can fool some of the people all of the time, and all of the people some of the time, but you cannot fool all of the people all of the time.” Actually, that’s not true. You can fool all of the people. And some people are so good at it that they can do it all of the time. But what really matters is that you cannot trick God. You can’t fool Him because his all seeing eye takes note of everything. And in particular, he sees those things that he really can’t stand. Look at the end of verse 15. It says, “What is exalted among men is an abomination in the sight of God.” Now, we understand here that Jesus is talking specifically about man’s pomp and adoration of wealth. But we have to keep in mind that God sees the heart and his eye takes particular notice of that which displeases him. Think about it this way: I have a friend who is into the auto body business. He fixes dings in cars for a living. So, he spends a lot of time looking at fenders. And, from what I understand, he is really good at what he does, and something of an expert in his trade. One day we had gone out for breakfast together to catch up. As we were walking out of the restaurant, he pointed to a car right in front of us and said, “Awe, man! That’s terrible. I can’t believe they paid for that.” He looked at me and could tell that I was puzzled. I hadn’t a clue what he was talking about. He said, “Look at this fender here. Its obvious that they recently had that fixed. And the guy who did it did a terrible job.” Then he started talking shop and using terminology that is completely foreign to me. Something about needing buffing and the paint mix not being matched well. Then he said, “Sorry. That’s just the thing I do. I notice these things. It probably looks perfectly fine to you.” And you know what? It did look perfectly fine to me. I couldn’t see any kind of defect in the thing. But to him, it was all kinds of messed up. You see, his eye was trained in that kind of thing. He could see it because he had a much higher standard by which to measure it. As a result, anything that was askew in a fender could immediately be spotted. That’s the way it is with God. We have to understand that God sees into our inmost being. And not one of our flaws can be hidden from him. No matter how it may be camouflaged or otherwise hidden from the eye of man—no matter how we try and dress up our sin and color coat it so that it is completely justified in the eyes of man, it cannot be hidden from God. Every defect of sin is an abomination in the eyes of God, and there is no possibility that it will escape his sight. But our need for the gospel is not only due to the all seeing eye of God, it is also the result of the ever enduring law of God. In verse 17 Jesus says, “It is easier for heaven and earth to pass away than for one dot of the law to become void.” Now this comes as a result of what we find in verse 16. Jesus says, “The law and the Prophets were until John.” Someone could take that to mean that the law and the prophets have passed away and are of no more value now that Christ has come. But that’s not what Christ means. He’s simply saying that they were the pre-cursers to Christ and the new age that he inaugurates. The law and prophets pointed forward to his arrival and to the dawning of the kingdom of God. But just in case someone would think, “Oh. Well, I guess we don’t need the law anymore. That’s Old Testament stuff,” Jesus clarifies. In verse 17 he essentially says, “Make no mistake: The law of God will not be abolished. Just like the heavens and earth are permanent structures, so is the word of God.” So there is no escaping the high holy standard to which God holds us. The law of God is here to show us what God hates. It shows us that we are condemned before God because it points out how we have failed. If you’ve ever told a lie, then you’ve broken God’s law. If you’ve ever stolen anything or coveted something, then you stand as one who is guilty before God. If you’ve loved money and put fame and fortune above the Lord, then you have transgressed the law of God. All of these show us just how desperate our condition really is. I often joke with my prison students that I have them write their papers just so I have material that I can steal from them. Well, I am unabashedly using one of their illustrations right now. One of my students used to be a professional dry waller. He installed dry wall for a living. So he would go in and he would hang the dry wall and then apply the dry wall compound. After that he would sand it all down. Once he got it looking nice and smooth he took a bright lamp and shined it on the wall. He says that when you shine that light on it, it is amazing how many little defects become apparent. It looked perfectly smooth to the ordinary eye, but the light exposed every single tiny flaw. That’s exactly what God’s law does. Without the law, everything is just perfectly fine to us. As long as we do not have the light of its revelation, all is just hunky dory. But once you hear, “You shall not bear false witness. You shall honor your father and mother.” That changes things. Your sin has been exposed. You now realize that you are guilty before God and liable to His wrath and curse. And once you do that, you should realize how valuable Jesus Christ really is. The gospel is the power of God for salvation. It is the only thing that can get you out from under the scrutiny of God’s eye. You need the perfection of Christ’s life. You need the death of Christ to be the payment for your sins. Your only hope is to turn to Christ and hold fast to his mercy. So hopefully you see how valuable Christ really is. He should be much more desirable to you now. And how should you respond to that? Well, you should respond should be to embrace him, and embrace him with great vigor. II. How we must respond to the gospel I believe that Jesus highlights something of the intensity of this in verse 16. He says, “Since then the good news of the kingdom of God is preached and everyone forces his way into it.” The image here is of people barging though the gates of heaven. The word “force” here is rather strong. That’s why some versions translate it “violently enter.” There is a sense in which this movement into God’s kingdom is something of a stampede. The idea that is being communicated is that these people will use excessive measures in order to gain access to it. This includes overcoming any obstacle that may be laid in their way. No matter what difficulties may be posed, not matter what discouragements may be laid in his way, a person will press his way through them all so that he might be a part of God’s company. I believe that John Bunyan illustrated it well in his book Pilgrim’s Progress. Bunyan’s main character saw a vision wherein there was a stately palace which was greatly crowded. There were guards all around the palace. Some stationed on the walls, and a good sum stood in front of the gate to the palace. Just before them stood ordinary men who wanted to go in, but dared not for fear of the guards. Yet, out of the midst of them stepped one stout looking fellow. As he advanced towards the doorway he drew his sword from its scabbard and put a helmet on his head. He then rushed forward towards the guards. They soldiers met his charge and laid upon him with deadly force. Yet the man was not at all discouraged. In Bunyan’s words, he “fell to cutting and hacking most fiercely.” Bunyan goes on to say that this man received many wounds. Yet nevertheless he pressed forward and cut his way through everyone of them. He would not be stopped until at last he had entered the palace door. All of this describes what your response to Christ must be if you are going to enjoy eternal life. It is expressive of the tenacity of your faith. It describes the determination and the devotion you must have for Christ if he is going to enter into a state of salvation. In a word, the metaphor describes how you must have a singular, unrelenting faith in him. You must understand that becoming a part of the kingdom of Christ only requires you to trust in Christ. It is as simple as that. But you must also understand that there can be so many things that impede that faith. A mountain of blockades can be laid in your way keep you from following Christ. Satan will do everything possible to keep from losing you. He will no doubt cast before you every obstacle that he can. He will taunt you with the treasures that you might lose. The world will no doubt oppose you too. The mass of humanity that is still in darkness will be like a tide pushing you back. People will ridicule you and think that you are strange. They will tell you that religion is for fanatics and that you should just temper yourself. The mass of unbelief will virtually gang up on you in order to keep you from remaining faithful to Christ. But just when you think you have reached the tip of the peak, you will find that your own flesh will be a barrier that wants to shut you out of Christ’s kingdom. This might be the greatest opponent you face. For you will have to submit yourself to Christ and renounce the desires of your own heart. And he who truly wishes to be saved will cut through them all for the sake of the gospel. Because he knows that it is only through Christ that he might enter into the kingdom of God. This is radically different than the easy believe-ism that is so common today. The evangelical world is filled with a yippy skippy kind of Christianity. It is a soft belief that has no demands upon you. But those who hear Christ understand that the response that he requires is a violent one. Napoleon is not by any means an example of Christian virtue. His conquests were much due to his coveting land and power. But his military tactics and his mental determination were no doubt admirable. There once was a time when one of his field marshals rode up and exclaimed, “General, I fear the enemy is too great and the battle is lost.” Napoleon is said to have cooly looked at his watch and replied, “It is then time for another battle. Summon the army to a fresh charge.” The lands that he desired were so prized that he would not give up. He would do everything in his power to force his way in. The kingdom of God demands a similar response by each and every one of us. Despite our having lost every right to that domain, the Lord has provided a means by which we may obtain it. There is good news of eternal life in Christ Jesus. If we would like to clear our guilt and enjoy being a part of this glorious kingdom, then it is incumbent upon us to turn from everything that we now hold dear and hold fast to him. And should there be any blockade—even if the host of hell itself would seek to stop us, we must be willing to raise a fresh charge and cut our way though. In this passage Paul likens preaching to a gift. When he was ordained with the laying on of hands, he was set apart for the purpose of proclaiming the gospel. And Paul writes this to encourage Timothy to use that gift. And he does so by saying that we must “fan it into flame.” Some of the versions will say, that it must be “stirred up.” The idea is that the gift is analogous to a small spark or a little ember that is in danger of burning out. But what I want you to see is that in this passage Paul provides some kindling for preaching God's word. That is to say, there are two things that are said here that should encourage us to be vigorous in our preaching. You'll note that one of the things that Paul says is that the gift of preaching is divinely given. I. The Gift of Preaching is Divine in its origin Paul highlights this when he says that this gift is “of God.” Now, you should understand that he didn’t have to add this. He could have simply said, “fan into flame the gift that is in you.” But he didn’t do that. He found it necessary to underscore the fact that there is something inherently supernatural about preaching. It is "of God." That it is something that is imparted to us by the Holy Spirit should help offset the burden of responsibility that is placed on us. We are to fan it into flame. That’s our responsibility, and a great one at that! But here is a reminder that this gift is not something that is natural to us or based on our ability. It isn’t derived from our personal expertise or some inherent eloquence with which we were born. Being that its origin is found in the kind hand of the Holy Spirit, we can rest in knowing that ultimately it is not our skill that will make it effective. A lot of people struggle with the whole divine sovereignty-human responsibility matrix. The Bible posits both truths and really doesn’t try to explain them. You know, “Work out your salvation, for it is God who works in you to will and to do his good pleasure.” The Bible states this interchange very matter of factly. And a lot of people struggle with how that can comport intellectually. I admit, there are a lot of things in Scripture I don’t really understand. That whole trinity thing, how Christ can be fully God and fully man. I just haven’t been able to grasp those yet. Well, this is another one. But instead of being something we get in a mental tussle over, it is laid forth as a means of comfort to us. I think that is what Paul is doing here. Hey timothy, you need to fan into flame this gift. It is your responsibility to preach and not let this thing be snuffed out. But here’s the good news: This is God’s gift that you are stirring up. This thing that you are doing is something that is heavenly, and you can be sure that the Spirit who put it there will be right there to help you all along the way. So, in order to help us stir up our gift, Paul reminds us that it is divinely given. But you’ll notice that he doesn’t just hint at how divine it is. He gives us a small indication of how powerful it is. II. The Gift of Preaching is Overwhelming in its Potency Paul tells us that we need to “fan in to flame the gift of God.” And it is by no means a stretch of the metaphor to say that preaching is a fire. When it is kindled it carries with it an inherent power to destroy and effect God’s purposes. You might hear the echo here of what God says through the Prophet Jeremiah, “Is not my word like a fire, says the Lord. Like a hammer that breaks the rock.” This is just another confirmation that the primary way we effect reform is through the simple preaching of the gospel. The Bible talks about how foolish preaching seems. And it does seem so foolish. It is so simple. It is so plain. But it is powerful. And Satan would love nothing more than to squelch every trace of preaching. It is a complete menace to him and it vexes him because it is like a cannonball crashing down upon his kingdom. And you can think of preaching as the incinerator of sin. I am a die hard Calvinist. As such, I have a very bleak view of human nature. This is how much I believe in man’s depravity: For a while, whenever I got a new Bible the first thing I would do is take a highlighter and turn to Romans 3 and highlight the passage that says, “No one does good, not even one.” And in the face of such calloused depravity, how in the world are we going to accomplish anything? How is it that the kingdom of God can be advanced at all? The answer is right here. It is through the firestorm of preaching. And so, brothers, I would encourage you to kindle again the gift of God that is in you. If you are a man ordained to the office, let your lips burn hot with the truth of Christ’s word and may you make it your goal to melt the pews every time you enter that pulpit. Kindled Fire is dedicated to the preaching and teaching ministry of Matt is blessed to be a husband, father, and pastor in Ashland, Ohio.

By VIDA KUPRYS. Pursuant to the infamous Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact of 1939, 75 years ago, the Soviet Union unilaterally occupied and annexed the Baltic countries of Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia. The brutality of the occupation became manifest, when in June of 1941, thousands of Lithuanians, as well as their fellow Balts, were packed into cattle cars and deported to the far reaches of Siberia, many to face certain death. This was but the first wave of numerous later deportations, which continued during and after the end of World War II. Only with the death of Stalin in 1952 did the deportations recede. It is justifiably considered one of the most tragic periods in Lithuania’s history. Fast forward to 2015, young Lithuanian men and women are competing for the opportunity to go to siberia. Why? their motive: to experience siberia themselves. their hope: to encounter descendants of deportees, or locals who could shed light on the fate of their erstwhile Lithuanian neighbors. their goal: to memorialize those who perished in the wastelands of siberia thousands of miles from their homeland. these intrepid young Lithuanians will do this by braving the wilds seeking to locate densely overgrown cemeteries. they will clear the brush, mark the graves, and erect new crosses in remembrance for their countrymen who suffered and died there. this is “Mission: siberia.” “Mission: siberia” was founded in 2005 by the Youth organizations assembly of Lithuania. it is funded by the Charitable Foundation “Jauniems” (For the Youth). to date the sponsors of “Mission: siberia” have organized 12 such expeditions, which have cleared over 100 Lithuanian cemeteries in various parts of siberia. if you view the videos on the “Mission: siberia” website, (http://2014.misijasibiras.lt/video) you will see scenes reminiscent of “survivor” tV shows. Young people trudging through mud, fighting clouds of mosquitos, losing their patience with one another. they trudge through thick brush and bogs in search of long forgotten cemeteries. they are the selected ones. according to ignas Rusilas, director of the charity “Jauniems,” out of 800 college students and young professionals who applied this year, only 16 were selected. the selection criteria was, first, a motivational essay, which whittled the group down to 75. this smaller group then had a trial “in the wilds” to test the their physical and emotional endurance. according to Mr. Rusilas, this second phase consisted of a two day march in the dzūkija forests of Lithuania. “We carefully select the mission’s participants. We assemble a strong team, which ought be able to cope with any unanticipated challenges which they might encounter on the expedition.” that is quite the opposite of 75 years ago when the soviets took anybody: newborns, pregnant women, paralyzed grandparents. and no essays were required. “Mission:siberia ’15” returned to Lithuania earlier this month, on august 2, after a two-week trip to siberia. this year’s group consisted of a mixed group of men and women including a Latvian and an estonian. they traveled to the tomsk region, specifically to Kolominskie Grivy (Čainskij rajon), narym (Parabelskij rajon), Belyj Jar (Verchneketskij rajon), Kuruzurovo, Kurolino, ust Jamy (Parabelskij rajon), Parabel (Parabelskij rajon). ignas Rusilas commented, “We try to visit places where we can have the greatest impact. this year, tomsk and its remote fringes were selected.” he added that he has more ambitious plans, “We want to arrange for a the monument in tomsk city center, adjacent to the former nKVd facility, and a museum dedicated to Lithuanian exiles and political prisoners who were deported there commemorating Draugas News contacted Donatas Barsys a “Mission: Siberia ’15” participant. A native of Telšiai, Lithuania, he recently received a Bachelor’s Degree in History from the Lithuanian University of Educational Sciences. He is fascinated by 20th century history. This fall he will return to Telšiai to teach history at the local high school. Donatas is also an active scout leader. “I often joke, that in school I learned to read and write, but everything else worthwhile I learned from my father and the scouts,” says Donatas. – In your opinion what is the mission of “Mission: Siberia”? – It is multifaceted: the preservation of our historic memory, a sense of responsibility to one’s country, promoting citizenship among young people, remembrance of the suffering experienced by the deportees and their heroism. While in Siberia, I experienced a type of cultural exchange. It seems to me that we brought a piece of “Lithuania” there and we brought a fragment of “Lithuania” back from Siberia as well. – Why do you think you were selected from among the some 800 applicants? – Since I was eight years old I was an active scout. This provided me an opportunity to be involved in various activities such as hiking and backpacking, woodworking, survival training, and the like. I suspected such experience greatly influenced the decision to select me for the program. Our group consisted mostly of young people of various backgrounds. There were students and young professionals. It should be noted that there were some who were not experienced in outdoor activities, however, they persevered. – How did you prepare for this mission? – We had several meetings during which we were instructed on various aspects of the project. We later met with the President of Lithuania, Dalia Grybauskaitė, and representatives of the Foreign Ministry. We did considerable background research on deportees to the Tomsk region at the Genocide and Resistance Research Centre of Lithuania in Vilnius. We met a number of former deportees in Vilnius. They shared their recollections and experiences; they spoke about their emotions, living conditions and the labor they were forced to do. We also did some woodworking of traditional Lithuanian wayside crosses. Craftsmen instructed us on the traditional characteristics of Lithuanian shrines and their symbolism. We were taught how to use various carving tools and had a hands-on project: we crafted two wayside crosses ourselves. These classes helped us to identify Lithuanian crosses that we would later find in Siberia. – You traveled to Tomsk. How long did the trip take? What was your mode of transportation? – The trip to Tomsk took some three days. We traveled by train from Vilnius to Moscow, with only a short few-minute stop in Minsk to stretch our legs. The trip was tiring, however, we were in good company and our spirits were high. From Moscow we flew by plane to Tomsk. Because we flew out late, and adding in the time-zone changes, we were left without sleep that night. In Tomsk we used the available waterways to access remote locations. We also traveled on an all terrain vehicle which we brought over on a barge. The initial departure by train was symbolic – Lithuanians were deported to Siberia in cattle cars. The trip itself was the cause of a great deal of hardship. – Was this the first time that “Mission: Siberia” visited this area? – “Mission: Siberia” visited Tomsk in 2011, however, this time we visited sites that were not visited previously. The Lithuanians were deported here from the very beginning in 1941. In fact, there was evidence that Lithuanians were deported here as far back as 1863 in the aftermath of the failed insurrection against the czarist regime. Mostly, Lithuanian deportees worked in the forests felling trees. We also visited several sites that were established by the efforts of the deportees themselves. Their situation was difficult, even though the climactic conditions were somewhat less extreme than in other parts of Siberia. We visited six sites where Lithuanians had cemeteries and erected memorial crosses in each of them. I’m especially proud the cross I built with my colleague Justas. It was a Lithuanianstyle cross in the Narym cemetery. Did you meet any remaining family members of the deportees? – Only a few. In the village of Parabel, the local museum organized a reception for us with remaining deportees. Among them was one woman, Stanislava, who was deported as a child from Zarasai. Unfortunately, she only knew a few phrases in Lithuanian, but she told us that she keeps in touch with her sister residing in Ukmergė, Lithuania. On the whole the residents of different ethnic backgrounds received us warmly, inquired about our mission and helped us in various ways. Some of the areas we needed to reach were particularly remote and difficult to access. In this case local hunters were our guides. An especially impressive guide was Anatolijus who led us on a 50 km trek by foot to an abandoned village of deportees. – Did the local residents recall Lithuanian deportees? – Frequently an elder member of the community would remember Lithuanian, Latvian and Estonian names. It was strange to hear Lithuanian names being pronounced with a strong Russian accent. The recollections of the locals about the deportees were positive: they recalled that Lithuanians were pleasant and industrious people. A number of local residents even regretted that so many Lithuanians had returned to Lithuania. We also learned that in Natym, the local tradition of planting flowers around the homestead was introduced by the Lithuanian deportees. – You are a scout leader who has been in the outdoors before. How extreme were the conditions in Siberia? – The living conditions did not surprise me. However, there were some difficult moments during the trip, and they were especially challenging for the team members not used to the outdoors. Physically, the most difficult aspect was the lack of quality sleep. Also, our backpacks were exceptionally heavy – we had to carry our tents, clothes, sleeping bags, and also two days of food and water. That was 20- 25 kg. Under such conditions patience begins to run thin. Luckily we were able to avoid any serious conflicts in the course of this trip. – Where did you sleep and what did you eat? – We mostly slept in our own tents and prepared food on a campfire. There were individuals in the group who were responsible for obtaining food and preparing the meals. – What was your reaction upon first encountering Lithuanian cemeteries in Siberia? – What struck me was that although the grave sites were surrounded by fences, the fences had no gates. It left me with the impression that nobody expected to visit the graves. What a sad thought: these innocent people deported against their will were left buried in what amounted to a prison cell, forever. – “Mission: Siberia” isn’t just a twoweek adventure trip, but it continues upon your return. What is the next phase of your “mission”? – A video is being produced about this year’s “Mission: Siberia” project. In the ensuing year, team members are required to organize presentations and exhibits for the general public regarding our experiences in Siberia. We will be speaking to student groups about the deportations, the importance of historical memory, and a sense of duty and citizenship. We will encourage them to apply for next year’s “Mission: Siberia” challenge. – You will be teaching history in high school back in your hometown of Telšiai. How much do young people know about the deportations? – Usually they know as much as they learn in history class. However, it should be noted that “Mission: Siberia” has already made an impact on the younger generation. I’ve noticed that the subject matter of the occupation and repressions is one of the more popular subjects in the presentday school curriculum. Students get involved in various aspects of the history of the deportations: they write essays, make films on the subject, they look at it from a historical perspective. However, not enough attention is focused on why the deportations took place. Students dwell on the tragic aspects, while we should be focusing on the heroism. It took great strength of will to endure as an exile in a hostile land. To me this is one of the most ennobling moments of Lithuania’s history.

So . . . I have some news! As you may have guessed from the title of this post, I’m thrilled to share that I’ve just embarked upon writing my first Sweetapolita baking book! I know this will be the most creatively rewarding journey of my life so far and, although writing a book is all new to me, I feel strangely comfortable — as though this is exactly where I was meant to be. It also makes a world of difference having such incredible support. Over the past many months, I’ve worked closely with my fabulous literary agent, Judy Linden of Stonesong Press, while creating my book proposal, and without her this would never have come to be. And I couldn’t be more honoured to be teaming with such an amazing editor, Ashley Phillips, from Clarkson Potter and yet another amazing editor here in Canada, Robert McCullough, from Appetite by Random House of Canada — have you seen the incredible cookbooks they publish? Of course you have! Martha Stewart’s books, the Barefoot Contessa books and Rachael Ray’s books are just some examples of the incredibly inspiring books published by Clarkson Potter/Random House. Needless to say I’m in amazing hands. As I worked on the outline for this book over the past year or more, I felt as though I going to bust from the urge to share the ideas with you on the blog. Somewhat torturous and exhilarating all at the same time! I tapped into the very essence of my heart and soul, and now it’s time to bring those ideas to life in the kitchen, through the lens and finally, in print. I simply can’t wait to share more details with you along the way. What a journey ahead! Finally, I want to thank you all from the bottom of my sweets-loving heart for helping me make this happen. Your enthusiasm and support for this blog has inspired me to strive for creative heights I never imagined possible. And the truth is, I kind of love you guys. Like crazy. And as any self-respecting baking junkie would do in a time of celebration and dreams-come-true, I made a super-sprinkly cake! What is this sprinkle-crusted cakey-ness? It’s a 6-layer moist chocolate cake, filled with vanilla birthday cake whipped cream filling (we’ll get to that yumminess), covered in malted Belgian chocolate frosting, then covered with a medley of sprinkles and such. Inspired by one of my favourite cake recipes, the Campfire Delight Cake, I’ve been thinking a lot about 6-layer chocolate cakes covered in malted Belgian chocolate frosting — it’s just too awesome to not. But with all of that chocolate going on, 5 layers of vanilla birthday cake whipped cream filling push the party in this cake over the edge. So decadent! You probably remember from this cake and this cake that I love whipped cream filling. I think it’s such a great starting point for a filling, and you can flavour it pretty much any way you like. It’s so light and airy, and because it’s not sweet or buttery, it’s the perfect filling for a rich cake frosted with a rich icing. So I just took that whipped cream filling and turned it into a vanilla birthday cake of sorts! With some white cake batter, pure vanilla and rainbow sprinkles that classic whipped cream filling just had 8 excitable little girls show up to the door with their party hats on. I thought it would be fun to make a huge sprinkle medley to decorate this cake, so I just grabbed a big bowl along with a bunch of jars of my favourite sprinkles and sugar pearls, and kept adding and shaking them up until I liked the way it looked. I decided to pipe a fancy border around the top, mostly because I love the consistency of that chocolate frosting, and I knew most of the cake surface would be covered with sprinkles. Crunchy, creamy, cakey, fluffy, chocolaty. The border is just a twist on this piping technique, but with the 1M star tip, and rather than just piping one “shell” after the other in a straight single line around the top of the cake, I angled the first one toward the centre slightly, and then piped another right beside it, angling it toward the first — like a heart shape. Once you do this around the whole cake, it takes on a woven look of sorts. Really quite simple, but neat looking! And then I started daydreaming frolicking in a huge adult-size play area filled with 5 feet of this sprinkle medley. And then I had cake. And then I did a few jumps for joy! And then I got a cramp. But then I jumped for joy again! I simply cannot wait to share more book details with you all. Stay tuned! In the meantime, please say you’ll make this cake to help me celebrate? - 2-1/2 cups + 1 tablespoon 330 g all-purpose flour - 3 cups 600 g granulated sugar - 1 cup + 1 tablespoon 135 g Cacao Barry Extra Brute Cocoa Powder (or similar premium brand) - 1 tablespoon 15 g baking soda - 1-1/2 teaspoons 7.5 g baking powder - 1-1/2 teaspoons 12 g salt - 3 eggs at room temperature - 1-1/2 cups 360 mL buttermilk, room temperature - 1-1/2 cups 360 mL strong black coffee, hot - 1/2 cup 120 mL vegetable oil - 1-1/2 tablespoons 22.5 mL pure vanilla extract - 3 tablespoons 45 ml cold water - 1 tablespoons 15 ml unflavoured gelatin (such as Knox brand) - 2 cups 500 ml whipping cream (35-37% fat), cold, divided - 1/2 cup 63 g icing sugar - 1 heaping tablespoon 15 g white cake mix - 1 teaspoon 5 ml pure vanilla extract - Pinch of salt - 1 lb butter 2 cups(454 g), at room temperature - 4 cups 500 g icing sugar (confectioners' or powdered), sifted - 3/4 cup 75 g Ovaltine Classic (brown in colour) - 1 tablespoon 15 mL pure vanilla extract - Pinch of salt - 8 oz 250 g quality Belgian chocolate, chopped, melted and cooled - 1/2 cup 120 mL whipping (35% fat) cream - Sprinkles! Lots of them about 2 cups, preferably a mix. Preheat oven to 350° F. Prepare three 8-inch round cake pans (butter, line bottom with parchment paper, butter paper, dust with flour). In bowl of electric mixer, sift all dry ingredients, including sugar. Combine eggs, buttermilk, coffee, oil and vanilla in a measuring cup and beat lightly with a fork. Add milk mixture to the dry ingredients mix for 2 minutes on medium speed (you may need the plastic splash-guard that comes with mixer). Divide batter evenly among prepared pans. (Batter will be thin.) Bake for 20 minutes and rotate pans in oven. Continue to bake until toothpick or skewer comes almost clean (a few crumbs), about 12 more minutes. Cool on wire racks for 20 minutes then gently invert onto racks until completely cool. In a small bowl, place the cold water and sprinkle with the gelatin. Let sit for at least 10 minutes. In a small saucepan, bring 1/3 cup of the cream just to a simmer, then stir into the gelatin mixture. Refrigerate, stirring frequently, until cool but not set, about 8 minutes. In a small bowl, sift together the icing sugar and cake mix. In a chilled stainless steel bowl with a chilled whisk attachment (for stand mixer), beat the remaining whipping cream, icing sugar/cake mix, vanilla and salt until it thickens just slightly and soft peaks begin to form, about 1 minute. Very gradually add the gelatin mixture and continue beating until medium-firm peaks form (should be thick enough to spread). Keep covered and chilled until ready to use. In a bowl of stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, combine the icing sugar and butter and beat on low speed for about 1 minute. Add malt powder, vanilla and salt, and beat on low until well combined. Add the melted chocolate and beat on medium speed until smooth (about 2 minutes). Add whipping cream and beat on med-high speed for another minute. Mix and "work in" with rubber spatula right before applying to cake (to rid of air bubbles). In a medium bowl or container, create a mixture of your favourite sprinkles: non-pareils, rainbow jimmies, chocolate sprinkles, pearls, etc. Set aside. On an 8-inch round cake board (or cake plate), put a small dollop of frosting. Cut your 3 cake layers each once horizontally with a long, serrated knife, so you have a total of 6 layers. Place your first layer face-up on the board (or plate) and cover with 1/5 of the Whipped Birthday Cake leaving about 1/2" around the edge and cover with a thin layer of your favourite sprinkle mix. Repeat until you come to your final layer, which you will place face-down. If you find the cake too soft and unstable, put in refrigerator for a few moments to firm it up, then resume. Using a turntable, if possible, frost entire outside of cake with a thin layer of Malted Belgian Chocolate Frosting to seal in crumbs. Chill until firm. Repeat with another layer of frosting, this time working to get the frosting as smooth as possible. Place cake on a cookie sheet and carefully press your sprinkle mix onto sides, letting the excess fall down onto the cookie sheet. You can cover sides completely or leave 1/3 exposed (as in photo). Once you are pleased with your sprinkled sides, fill a medium or large pastry bag fitted with pastry tip 1M with the remaining frosting (about 2/3 full) and pipe border around the top of cake. Chill until firm. Take cake from fridge and cover the top with a layer of your sprinkle mixture, using a toothpick to push sprinkles in between piping. Once frosting softens again, the sprinkles will adhere to top. Serve cake at room temperature, but keep refrigerated if not serving the day it's made. - For the chocolate cake, I used Cacao Barry Cocoa Powder – Extra Dark. - For the malted Belgian chocolate frosting I used Callebaut Dark Callets 70.4 % . - For my sprinkle medley, I used rainbow jimmies, sugar pearls, chocolate jimmies, and tiny round rainbow sprinkles. - To decorate the piped border, I used a medium pastry bag and pastry tip 1M. - You can make the chocolate cake layers up 2 days ahead, wrapped tight in plastic wrap and stored at room temperature, or up to two weeks ahead wrapped tight and frozen. Thaw in refrigerator and then bring to room temperature. - Keep decorated cake in refrigerator for up to 2 days, but serve at room temperature. Good luck & enjoy!

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The first round of evaluation BabyCare, Shunshun, Bi C, Little Raccoon, and Cotton Age, ranked among the top five. 3. The second round of evaluation Three wet towels detect common preservatives, but the content is much lower than national standards. Comprehensive factors such as sales of e -commerce platforms, brand awareness and price, this stupid father chose the following 17 baby wet towels as the evaluation object. Some brands have launched a number of infant wet towels of different series, so everyone should correspond to the name and packaging of the samples! ) ▲ Sample map 1. The price of a single piece of a wet towel for 17 babies is between 0.05 yuan and 0.64 yuan. Among them, Yienbe is the cheapest and the most expensive. 2. Of the 17 baby wet towels, only Shunshun is 70 pieces/bag, and the specifications of the 16 models are 80 pieces/package. The first round of evaluation: use performance ① Packaging design ② area thickness ③ liquid content. The second round of evaluation: security Through the first round of evaluation, the stupid father will comprehensively evaluate 5 baby wet towels with better performance, and then conduct laboratory testing of the safety of its materials. The indicators include: Fluorescent whitening agent, pH value, colorectal flora, pathogenic gyro bacteria, formaldehyde, 12 common preservatives (MIT/CIT/benzhenoxyl alcohol, etc.). Finally, based on the results of the two rounds of evaluation, comprehensive recommendations are made. Below, officially enters the evaluation session. The first round of evaluation : Simulation Mom’s daily drawing situation of wet towels, check whether the sealing/sealing stickers are easy to open and closed, and whether the wet towel is easy to extract. ① Pigeon, NUK, curious, the sealing of 3 wet towels is simple design. The sealing stickers need to be slightly hard, and it is easier to bond. The disadvantage of only sealing stickers is that once the sealing stickers are not obtained, the wet towel is easier to dry. ② The sealing of the other 14 wet towels is Sealing lid+sealing sticker Design, sealing water effect is better than the design with only sealing stickers. However, one more sealing design may also increase the difficulty of opening the packaging, especially when holding the baby and one -handed operation. Among them, the sealing buckle of Vida, Wuyang, and Bi C is a bit tight, and it may occur or not flexibly open or closed. The second -layer sealing sticker in the era of Yienbe and the whole cotton era is sometimes not easy to tear. When the sealing lid is turned on with the thumb, the other fingers are pressed on the sealed cover and the distance from the thumb is closer. The lid will be easier to open ~) ③ Pigeon, good boy, NUK, curiosity, Shunshun, 5 wet towels are extracted Essence The extraction is convenient and fast, but the wet towels that are brought out should be pushed back to the packaging. Among them, the sealing diameter of Pigeon and good children is small, and it is not easy to stop back. In addition, plug back may cause pollution to the wet towels in the packaging. (Example: Good boy) ④ The other 12 wet towels are Design reduces the possibility of pollution. When drawing, find the “edge” exposed by the top wet towel, and pull out the wet towel quickly as soon as you drag it. But the actual situation is sometimes not so ideal, and the “side” of the wet towel at the top may not be exposed. Zichu, Yienbe, Wuyang, Veda, frog prince, Kangbei, and cotton era, all appeared in the test Pull out multiple photos at a time The situation of wet towels increases the difficulty of extraction. : Use tape measures and measure thickness to measure the length/width and thickness of the wet towel, measure each wet towel three times, and finally take the average value. ① The area of Shun Shuner is the largest, and Yienbe is the smallest. BabyCare is the thickest and the thinnest. ② The thickness of the area of Shunshun Er is the best performance, and large and thick wet towels are more convenient and practical. At the bottom of the scoring of Yienbe. : Refer to the method in the national standard “GB/T 27728-2011 Wet Scarf”, operate and calculate the liquid content of various wet towels. The liquid content of the national standard requires the liquid content of wet towels ≥1.7 times. ① The liquid content of 17 infant wet towels conforms to China’s national standard. ② Wet towels with high liquid content are more comfortable and practical. Among them, Yienbe has the highest liquid content and the lowest Pigeon. : Experience the feel, softness of the wet towel, the feeling of rubbing on the skin, etc. ① Yienbe, Wuyang, frog prince, October crystals, little raccoon, Bi C, slightly feel the touch ② Good children, babycare, Kangbei, Shunshuner, Bi C, can find out the surface of the wet towel ; Curious, the cotton era feels a bit Essence It may be related to the pattern design or process of the wet towel. : Holders stretch the wet towel, check whether the wet towel is easily pulled, and compare the deformation of the front and rear wet towels. ① BabyCare, Vida, Quanmai era, Deyou, Little Raccoon, Bi C, in the tensile stretch test Not to be broken , Can withstand the normal tension of ordinary adults. Among them, babyCare performed better, and the degree of deformation after stretching was the least. ② The other 11 wet towels were pulled in half in the tensile stretch test. in, The performance was poor, and it was easy to be torn without hard work. Whether to get rid of : Wipe the wet towel 100 times on a pillar body 100 times to observe whether the fiber surface of the wet towel surfaces, whether there are fiber residues on the surface of the pillar body. ① Pigeon, BabyCare, Yienbe, Curiosity, Vida, Wuyang, Deyou, Kangbei, after 100 frictions, the surface of the wet towels appears to varying degrees of fiber. ② After rubbing the other nine wet towels, there is no obvious change on the surface of the wet towel, which is better. : Pull out the wet towel from the packaging to smell it. ① Prince of Bi C, Frog Prince, October Crystal, and Yenbe, basically can’t smell it. The other 13 wet towels can smell the smell of faint plant fragrance, fruity, milk fragrance. ② From the composition table of 17 infant wet towels, there are 14 plants such as lignol, aloe alcohol, purslane, chamomile, licorice and other plants. A little natural fragrance. ③ Pay special attention to, Deyou, NUK, Pigeon Three wet towels added bacteriostatic essence, chlorolytic glycogenic acid salt, phenoxyr ethanol and other sterilized bacteriostatic ingredients (standard red), and did not marked specific content. This type of ingredients may stimulate the delicate skin of the baby. It is not recommended to use it frequently for infants and young children. The stupid father will also give it The first round of evaluation summary After the evaluation of the above 7 projects, the stupid father divided the weights to different evaluation indicators (see the chart below) according to the important degree of evaluation indicators, and a weighted average calculation was performed. The total score and ranking of the first round of the first round of infants wet towels are as follows: BabyCare, Shunshun, Bi C, Little Raccoon, and Cotton Age, ranked among the top five in the first round of evaluation. So, what is the safety of the top five materials? Stupid father conducted a second round of safety evaluation for these five wet towels. The second round of evaluation The second round of material safety assessment includes 6 items: Fluorescent whitening agent, pH value, colorectal flora, pathogenic gyro bacteria, formaldehyde, and 12 common preservatives. Fluorescent whitening agent : Ultraviolet analyzers with two wavelengths of 254nm and 365nm are exposed to 5 wet towels to check whether there is a fluorescent response. (P.S. fluorescence reactions do not mean that there must be migrant fluorescent whitening agents, and fluorescent whitening agents need to be determined. Without fluorescence reactions, it means that there is no fluorescent white agent.) The picture below is a comparative diagram of fluorescent reactions with fluorescence and 5 infant wet towels with fluorescent white agents Essence There are no fluorescent reactions in the five infant wet towels, and there are no fluorescent whitening agents. : Use a high -precision pH tester to determine the pH value of 5 wet towel liquids. The national standard “GB/T 27728-2011 Wet Scarf” stipulates that the pH value of the human body should be within 3.5 ~ 8.5 range. The pH values of the five infant wet towels are in line with China’s national standard. In addition to fluorescent whitening agents and pH, third -party professional testing agencies have also tested the following projects: E. coli, pathogenesis, formaldehyde, and 12 common preservatives. ① The test results of E. coli and pathogenesis of 5 infant wet towels are: ② The formaldehyde test results of 5 infant wet towel are: ③ Shunshun Er and Bi C did not detect 12 common preservatives. BabyCare and the little raccoon detected a common preservative, namely: 4-hydroxybenzoate ethyl, 4-hydroxybenzoate In the cotton era, the above two preservatives were detected. These two preservatives belong to Nepalese albums and preservatives, and excessive use may cause contact dermatitis. but, The detection volume of BabyCare, Little Raccoon, and Cotton Age is much lower than the national standard limit, and security is no problem. See the table below for specific situations. Comprehensive recommendation: babyCare, Shunshun Er, Bi C Comprehensive two -wheeled evaluation results, the final score and ranking of the five infant wet towels are as follows: First place: babyCare Reference price: 0.36 yuan/piece : Sealing cover+sealing sticker design, non -continuous pumping, easy to extract, large and thick, 2.9 times the amount of liquid content, and the stretching performance is better. Although a common allergenic risk preservative is detected, the detection value is far lower than the national standard limit, and there is no problem with security. Second place: Shunshun Er Reference price: 0.64 yuan/piece : Sealing cover+sealing sticker design, continuous pumping, easy to extract, the area and thickness of the thickness are excellent, 2.3 times the amount of liquid content, although the stretching performance is general, but there is no problem with daily wipes, the safety of the material is no problem. Common allergic preservatives. Third place: Bi C Reference price: 0.07 yuan/piece : Sealing cover+sealing sticker design, non -continuous pumping, the area thickness ranks in the top five, 2.7 times the amount of liquid content, good tensile extension, no problem in material safety, affordable price, and high cost. The detection samples are purchased randomly and independently, and the detection data of different batches of products may fluctuate. The test results are only responsible for the delivery of batch products, but the stupid father believes that the quality of responsible enterprise products should be as stable as possible. Well, the evaluation of the baby wet towel in this issue is over. If you think the article is useful, and you are willing to support the stupid father for more product evaluation, please also forward more support! If you want to inquire more related articles, or if you have any questions, you want to consult. Welcome to pay attention to the “Baby Evaluation” WeChat public account (ID: baObaoPingce) and leave a message in the background. The stupid father will answer it alone. 1, 32 national bank version milk powder comprehensive evaluation 2, 38 domestic milk powder comprehensive evaluation 3. Five version of the Milk Powder of the Beauty Milk Powder Complete Evaluation 4. Mesujiaer 23 milk powder comprehensive evaluation 5. Mead Johnson 33 milk powder comprehensive evaluation 6. A2 milk powder comprehensive evaluation 7, 66 bottle & pacifiers evaluation 8. Baby sunscreen evaluation 9. Baby mosquito repellent product big evaluation 10, 22 baby rice noodles evaluation 11, 13 babies vitamin D evaluation 12, 20 primary pants evaluation Please check in the historical article of the “Baby Evaluation” headline; or pay attention to the “Baby Evaluation” WeChat public account (ID: baObaopingce), and enter the corresponding keyword query in the background. For “Baby Evaluation”, please click “Learn more” below. Welcome to reward the stupid father ~ Welcome to pay attention to “Baby Evaluation”. 7 years of commodity comparison testing experience, do not speculate, and use scientific and rational stupid methods to provide reliable consumer suggestions.

Ocadia sinensis / Golden threat pondturtle - Care |Scientific name:||Ocadia sinensis (Chinemys sinensis)| |English name:||Golden threat pond turtle| |Average age:||30+ years| |Cites:||B / II| Along with the Mauremys reevesii (Chinese three-keeled turtle), the Ocadia sinensis is one of the most common kept Asian turtles in the hobby. This species is bred in great numbers in so-called "Farms", especially in China and also Taiwan. The main objective is to meet the high demand of the Chinese market for turtle parts for traditional "medicines" and food, which has so plundered the natural population that it is now greatly reduced. Another part of the farmed turtles ends up in Europe to be sold for low prices in pet stores and at the famous reptilefairs. Especially now the sale of Trachemys scripta (ornamental turtle) is banned in Europe, we expect demand to rise even further. It can be very tempting, such a small beautiful coloured turtle at an attractive price and the species adapts well to various circumstances and is therefore certainly suitable for a starting hobbyist. Nevertheless, you want to meet a few requirements. Clean water, UVB, heat and an appropriate diet are essential to raise these animals in a healthy way. External characteristics: This turtle grows to an average of 20/22 cm. Females are slightly larger than the males and can grow to be 25 cm. The most striking feature of this turtle is the pattern of yellow narrow lines that run from the nose, over the face into the neck. This pattern also remains visible in adult animals. But the striking pattern of extended (often red) spots on the shell is only visible in young animals. The shell of adults is often an inconspicuous dark brown or grey with possibly a greenish hue. The head is somewhat pointed in shape and the neck is moderately secreted. The legs are very powerful and there is a swimming membrane between the toes too improve movement in the water. The lined pattern that one sees on the neck and head can also be found on the body, tail and on the legs, but the degree and visibility can differ per individual, age and origin. Young animals have a slight edge along the marginals, this disappears as the turtle gets older. The plastron is light / yellow-cream in colour with a dark spot in the core of each shield. The spots on the marginals often have a lighter core. As with many aquatic turtles, the males can be recognized by the placement of the cloaca, which is placed further outside the shell than that of the females. The wider base of the tail and the indentation of the plastron. Hybrids: Ocadia sinensis is known for the many species with which these can produce hybrids, both in the wild and in captivity (accidentally and intentionally) there are many variations known. Also hybrids with Mauremys reevesii are known, how you can distinguish them in our article about the M. reevesii. Origin and habitat: Unfortunately, this species is also the victim of the over-consumption of the wild population for the food market and animal trade. In addition, the natural habitat is shrinking rapidly due to buildings by humans. Ocadia sinensis is found in China, Taiwan and Vietnam. Here they inhabit mainly moderately flowing rivers, streams, canals and swamps. They are day-active and spend much of their time sunbathing on sandbanks and trunks. In the event of a disturbance, the turtles quickly jump into the water and they are very strong swimmers. Husbandry: The Chinese golden neck turtle is a fairly active swimming turtle of average size and should therefore be given a spacious setup. A minimum of 100 liters of water is required for a single animal. This means that a pair or trio can be kept in an aqua-terrarium of 150x50x40. With a hanging land area of 50x40x20cm for sunbathing and if needed to lay eggs. The water part may be larger/deeper since these are good swimmers. Young and newborn Ocadia are also good swimmers. We have good experience with raising youngsters in a 60x30x30 aquarium with 15-20 cm water depth. As long as there is enough climbing material so the turtles can easily reach the surface. A UVB/heat spot aimed at a floating plateau or cork trunk is sufficient for young animals. Filter via a small internal aquarium filter or with a sponge filter connected to an air pump. A moderate flow is desirable and promotes water quality. The plant-based diet of this species is quite polluting, so it is wise to switch from internal filtration to external filtration for larger aquariums with adults. This is possible with the known canister filter. A combination of mechanical filtration and biological filtration is recommended. By first filtering through filter cotton you catch fine waste particles from the water. This cotton wool is replaced once a week on average. With this manner the remaining (biological) filter material remains clean which can process the chemical contamination. Despite proper filtration, replace 20% to 50% of the water once a week up to 14 days. You adjust this degree to the population pressure and diet of the turtles. Some arrangement of the water part with, for example, yatihout or azalea is desirable, but keep sufficient space for the turtles can swim freely. By means of half terracotta pots or large PVC / plastic pipes you also offer hiding places at the bottom of the aquarium so that residents can avoid each other when necessary. The soil can be kept bare since these turtles hardly dig, but if you want to cover it, it is best to choose a fine-soft sand. Whenever possible, people want to add living (floating) plants to the water part so that they offer more hiding places and shadow and also filter nitrates and other waste products from the water. But given that this turtle has a mainly herbivore diet and a large appetite, this is not feasible. So if you want to place some greenery in the water part, artificial plants are the best and most sustainable option. These turtles naturally spend a lot of time on sandbanks and trunks to dry and sunbathe. You therefore want to offer sufficient space for this. Adult animals need a spacious sandarea with a minimum of 20 cm deep layer of river sand, coco peat and/or peat and possibly mixed with leaves and moss. Here eggs can possibly be laid by the females. Even if an adult female is not housed with a male, there is the possibility that they will lay unfertilized eggs. If these is no suitable place to lay these, they may become eggbound. Hence the need for this laying area. To provide extra sun places, pieces of crutch bark can also be floating in the water part. Offer a sun place where the temperatures average 32C. Depending on the size of the accommodation and the age of the animals, you want to offer extra UVB by means of a compact energy-saving lamp or UVB fluorescent lamp (which must be replaced every 4-6 months) or when possible HID spotlights which show UVA, B visible light and infrared. radiate at the same time and offer an optimal sun place. Whenever possible, you want to offer an extra sun place above, for example, a trunk in the water so that residents can avoid each other when desired. Lit 10-13 hours depending on the season. The daytime temperature must be on average 25 / 26C with a comparable water temperature. But these turtles can tolerate lower temperatures as well as long as there is enough opportunity to warm up under a baskingspot. Nocturnal cooling to 20C is no problem. In winter the animals can be kept a little cooler as long as there is a good sun place during the day. But a real hibernation is not needed. Only in the extreme North of the region of origin does the species undergo a hibernation/rest. Due to the easy hybridization of this species, we advise against combining it with other species of turtles from the same area and with the same requirements, despite the tolerant nature of the species. Diet: The Ocadia sinensis is primarily a herbivore. This means that the vast majority of their diet are vegetables. Young animals are fed on average only 30/40 animal-matter (high protein, fats) and 70/60% vegetable (vitamins, minerals, fiber) and adult animals can be fed almost exclusively with a vegetable diet. The basis can consist of: aquatic plants, endive, bok choy, romain, ornamental lettuce, chicory, purslane, zucchini, yellow pumpkin, dandelion leaf, Repashy Veggie burger, banana, apple. In addition, feed with the well-known manufactured turtle granules for supplementing calcium and protein. Other animal material such as red mosquito larvae, earthworm, shrimp and mussel are certainly accepted. Please note that you do not offer too much animal matter because these turtles will get to fat fast. Egg-laying females in particular benefit from feeding snails with house due to the high calcium value. Feed young animals almost every day until every other day, adults on average three or four times a week.

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Gale Review Team Latest posts by Gale Review Team (see all) - Creating an Export Workflow with Gale Digital Scholar Lab - April 26, 2022 - New Name, Same Unique Package: Gale Research Complete - April 5, 2022 - Practical Pedagogy with Gale Digital Scholar Lab, Part II: Approaches to Project-Based Teaching and Learning - March 29, 2022 - Declassified Documents Online: Twentieth Century British Intelligence, Monitoring the World - March 15, 2022 - Tracing the Young Women’s Christian Association through ‘Women’s Studies Archive: Female Forerunners Worldwide’ - March 8, 2022 |By Liping Yang, Publishing Manager, Digital Archive and eReference, Gale Asia| Gale has recently released China and the Modern World: Imperial China and the West Part II, 1865–1905. Consisting of volumes 873–1768 in the highly acclaimed FO 17 series of British foreign office files plus seven volumes of Law Officers’ reports relating to China from FO 83, Part II covers the latter half of the nineteenth century (see my first blog post about this module – Rediscovering China and the World in the Nineteenth Century for the main topics covered in Part I). The complete Imperial China and the West provides a vast and significant primary source archive for researching every aspect of Chinese-Western relations from 1815 to 1905. Here, with the help of Handwritten Text Recognition (HTR) technology, researchers will be able to conduct full-text searches across more than one million pages of manuscripts relating to the internal politics of China and Britain, their relationship, and the relationships among Britain and other Western powers—keen to benefit from the growing trading ports of the Far East—and China’s neighbours in East Asia, South Asia, and Southeast Asia. Imperial China covers a wide range of topics including diplomacy and war, trade, piracy, riots and rebellions, treaty ports, Chinese emigration, and railway building. In this blog post I’ll walk you through some of the fascinating topics and themes covered in the approximately 600,000 pages of manuscripts included in Part II. The First Sino-Japanese War (1894–1895) This war was triggered by the competition between the two East Asian empires for the control of Korea. It started in the Korea Peninsular and then spread to northern and eastern China, resulting in the defeat of the Chinese Qing Dynasty. Despatches from the British legation in Peking and consulates based in other areas affected by the war provide a good coverage of the event in terms of the evolving situation on the battleground as well as the Western powers’ responses. In a despatch of October 4, 1894 (paraphrase of telegram), British Minister to China Sir Nicholas Roderick O’Conor reported that the Chinese army had withdrawn behind the Yalu River – which separates China and Korea – in the hope of suspending the hostilities with Japan. The despatch also touched on the planning of the powers (especially Russia and France) to intervene if Japan would invade China. The war culminated in the signing of the Treaty of Shimonoseki (馬關條約) on April 17, 1895. In a despatch of May 20, 1895, to the foreign secretary, O’Conor enclosed the full text of the treaty in English published in the Peking and Tientsin Times, and commented that, to his disappointment, Japan had secured commercial advantages which the British had wanted but failed to obtain from China in 1869. The Boxer Rebellion Anti-foreign riots in China reached a peak in 1900 with the outbreak of the Boxer Rebellion that swept across many parts of northern China, including Shandong, Hebei, Tianjin, and Beijing. The movement led to the siege of the international legations in Peking, the Boxer War launched by an alliance of eight powers to relieve the siege and suppress the rebellion, and the signing of the Protocol of Peking. In a despatch of June 10, 1900 to Foreign Secretary Lord Salisbury, British Minister to China, Sir C. MacDonald described the deteriorating situation in Peking and surrounding areas created by the approaching Boxer movement, and the importance of bringing legation guards to protect the legation quarter in Peking. Soon afterward, the siege of the international legations started. After the siege was relieved in August, the allies continued their suppression campaigns to areas surrounding Peking. At the same time, peace negotiations started with the Chinese imperial government, and these lasted till the signing of the Protocol of Peking and annexes on September 7, 1901. Below is a page extract from the full text of the Protocol as part of the enclosure to a despatch of September 12, 1901, from Sir Ernest Satow who replaced Sir C. MacDonald in October 1900 as the British Minister to China. Relations with China’s Southern and Western Neighbours China’s southern and western neighbours include Southeast Asian countries such as French Indochina (Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos), Siam (Thailand), and Burma, as well as India. Some of these (e.g., Thailand and Vietnam) had been China’s tributary nations for centuries before the arrival of Western powers. China’s relations with these neighbours as well as theirs with the West are covered in both parts 1 and 2 of Imperial China. Regarding Southeast Asia alone, there are about 50 volumes of files dedicated to the affairs of Burma and Siam (Vol. 1059–1065, 1094–1095, 1150–1153, 1175–1188, 1219–1226, 1265–1272, 1293–1296, and 1742–1743). Negotiating the boundary between Burma and China Following the British conquest of the whole territory of Burma and its incorporation into British India as a province in 1886, defining the boundary with China became an important subject in their bilateral relations. The two sides established a Burma-China Boundary Commission to investigate and negotiate their boundary. Below is a page from the commission’s report for its work during 1899–1900 and an enclosed map indicating the frontier between Burma and China’s Yunnan Province with English and Chinese captions. Competition for control of Siam Thailand or Siam was sandwiched between French Indochina to the east and British Burma and Malaya to the West. Both Britain and France wanted to bring Siam under their own control, leading to a rivalry between the two European powers. The following despatch from the British Foreign Secretary, the Earl of Rosebery, to the British Ambassador to France, the Marquis of Dufferin, describes British reactions to – and worries about – the French ultimatum given to the Siamese government, requesting the latter to withdraw their troops from Laos, and the terms of a treaty France proposed for signing with Siam. The British did not want to see their rights in Thailand infringed on and would have “strong objections to any proposals which would give to France a permanent hold over” ports and provinces of Thailand. Railway building was one of the concessions Western powers had secured from the Qing Dynasty through various treaties and conventions from the 1890s onward. The benefits of promoting trade and commerce aside, railway construction itself was a very lucrative venture as it would require huge investments in the form of bank loans. Therefore, it was no surprise that from the 1890s to 1905, nearly all railways in China were planned, financed, built, and operated by foreign powers including Britain, France, Russia, Japan, and Germany. The rights to build railways were sometimes very contentious as both Chinese and foreign companies wanted to have a stake. The concession for building the Canton-Hankow Railway was first granted to the United States but was recovered in 1904 due to a diplomatic crisis involving Belgium and the heavy pressure from Chinese merchants in the provinces of Hubei, Hunan, and Guangdong. To redeem the concession, the Chinese government needed foreign loans. After rounds of negotiations, China and Britain reached an agreement for the British Hong Kong government to lend £1.1 million to the three provinces through the Hong Kong and Shanghai Bank. Below are two pages of the loan agreement signed by the Viceroy of Hukuang Chang Chi-tung (張之洞) and the British consul-general at Hankow E. H. Frazer on September 5, 1905. The Chinese campaigns to recover the railway building rights started in Sichuan Province in 1905 and escalated into the Railway Protection Movement in 1911. Triggered by popular discontent with the Qing regime, the movement galvanized anti-Qing groups and contributed to the outbreak of the Xinhai Revolution inspired by Dr Sun Yat-sen. The Revolution overthrew China’s last imperial dynasty and ushered in a new chapter in the history of modern China. Hear from the experts! To learn more about the value of Imperial China and the West for research and teaching, you’re welcome to join a Gale webinar taking place at 10am GMT on November 5, 2021. Registrants will also receive a recording of the webinar, should you be interested but unable to attend the session live. - Introduction and Welcome – Liping Yang, Publishing Manager, Gale - Research and Teaching on China’s treaty ports with the FO 17 Collection – Dr Isabella Jackson, Trinity College Dublin - Using FO 17: A Case Study of Hu Xueyan and China’s First Foreign Loans – Zhiqing Hu, PhD candidate, Birkbeck, University of London If you enjoyed reading about the second module in Gale’s Imperial China and the West archive, you may like to read Liping’s blog post about the first module: You may also like: - An American Missionary with Two Motherlands: Joseph Beech and West China Union University - The George Macartney Mission to China, 1792–1794 - Who is the Founder of Modern Singapore? To read more about the fascinating material included in this archive, check out these Content Highlights in the Archives Explored hub of the Gale website, which cover: - Lord Amherst’s Mission and Revisionist Scholarship - Western Chinese-language experts: Karl Gutzlaff and Thomas Wade as Translators - The anti-Christian Tientsin Massacre in the Press - Guo Songtao and Zeng Jize Defending Chinese Interests - Historical Maps of China Blog post cover image citation: montage of images from the blog post, combined with photos of individuals featured in this blog post – Sir Nicholas Roderick O’Conor, British Minister to China (available on Wikimedia), Sir Claude MacDonald, British Minister (available on Wikimedia) and Archibald Primrose, 5th Earl of Rosebery – 1890s (available on Wikimedia).

Excerpts from, Overcoming Challenging Obstacles by Twinkle VanFleet below. The past few years have been a test of strength, endurance, and possibilities amidst constant setbacks to overcome. 5 years after the injury that led to my CRPS, I did go back to school for a degree in Corporate Publishing. At the end of 2006 I took leave to have my permanent Spinal Cord Stimulator implanted and I returned approximately 10 weeks later. Due to not being able to drive any longer, my husband took me and picked me up in between his own full-time work schedule. By 2007, I wasn’t able to keep up any longer. My grandson was born in 2006, too. My husbands first heart attack when he was 37, 2 stent placements, his Diabetes diagnosis, he only used accumulated vacation time for it and returned to work in a weeks time. In 2007, we bought or first home, but he also lost his 13 year career and stability when his company C.S.A.A. (AAA) relocated out of California. I continued to raise awareness for chronic pain, met Trudy Thomas, became a leader at MD Junction’s RSD Support and remained for 3 years. My own support group which I began on My Space in 2003 was moved to Facebook, yet I didn’t move the members with it. I like for people to find us rather than to send out invites or notify. I met Barby through Trudy. My son had a traumatic brain injury in August of 2011 and my husband had a second heart attack within a year. I stayed in the PICU with Ozra for 10 days. In December of 2012 I stayed at the hospital with my husband for the entire 9 days during his quadruple bypass surgery, the first few days I slept in the van. In 2012, I had Gall bladder surgery and in 2013 I had another Gall bladder surgery which included the removal of part of my liver and multiple hemangioma’s. https://rsdadvisory.com/2013/07/17/gall-bladder-fiasco-continued-and-hopefully-the-final-chapter/ 2014 my daughters liver disease, our sons birth defect diagnosis from Shriners Children’s Hospital unrelated to his TBI and my surgery to have my SCS battery replaced. Piece of cake, mostly. 2015 started with a bang and 3 weeks of hard Cymbalta, Zonegran, and Clonazapam withdrawal due to WC delaying Rx refills. The other 2 weren’t filled either, but really no effects from them as much as the other 3. I no longer take Clonazapam or get the Lidoderm. It hasn’t been easy, especially when Clonazapam did help and pain management medication was and is already at the lowest minimum. I already do all that I can to minimize my own agony and I practice these coping strategies each and every day. My husband just had surgery to repair a torn shoulder a few months ago and we just learned by MRI he has another tear in his knee. We’re still learning all we can at Stanford for our daughter. Rikki is managing well. My purpose is in helping others, it’s all I’ve ever done one way or another, but it isn’t my passion. I’ve come to realize it can’t be. It’s not the fire flickering about the dancing flames that motivates my spirit to fly. My bucket-list goal survives all this. It’s not writing, I have that. It’s not policy, POP gave me that opportunity again. It’s much deeper than that, at least for me. Our son and oldest daughter are moving in together on the 1st. My man and I will have our home to ourselves. January 26th begins my 16th year. I’m not sure where 2016 will take us, I just know I take a lickin’ and keep on tickin’ … for mine. Overcoming Challenging Obstacles “Pain isn’t in our head, but it is in our brain, and our minds. Pain is sent from the spinal cord, sending messages to our brain, back to our spinal cord and up and down those nerve pathways. Pain signals reach our endorphins, limbic system, https://www.dartmouth.edu/~rswenson/NeuroSci/chapter_9.html hypothalamus, where they then affect our emotions and other bodily functions. http://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=10812 Functional restoration afforded me lessons and insight to be able to push on. Sometimes we already realize these lessons for someone else, but when it’s us, we don’t recognize it the same, we change, unless we change us back. It’s a daily process to overcome additional challenges brought on by chronic or intractable pain. It’s moment by moment at times. Having to stop something suddenly to practice breathing exercises to decrease a stress situation brought on by either emotion or a spike in pain, bring a rise in blood pressure down, use focal points, imagery or going to my “happy place” in my mind to ease myself. “I will walk, when I cannot walk I will carry myself, when I cannot carry myself, I will fly” ©2009-2015 Twinkle VanFleet/@rsdcrpsfire Written while attending Compass Center for Functional Restoration I began recording both my P & E. I tracked my “pain” level and my “emotional” level using the same Numeric Rating Scale. The 11 point 0 – 10 scale where 0 represents “no pain” and 10 represents “worse pain imaginable”, “as bad as I can imagine” or unimaginable. I don’t do this anymore because I’ve learned to have the awareness without tracking, but for example at the moment I logged, my E/emotions/stress was an 8 and my P/pain/physical was a 5, I would eventually learn that my pain level would most likely rise anytime. I had to use my cognitive tools right away to reduce my stressors in order to manage the physical pain. I discussed this concept at MDJunction.com when I was a group leader in the RSD Support Forum in 2009. Life itself can be hard, add pain to it, and it’s even harder. It can be managed with the right tools. It’s never going to be perfect, but we can make it as comfortable or as tolerable as possible for ourselves. Removing or decreasing triggers that instigate pain have eased me. I can’t watch the internet all day. It’s not because I don’t love or care for everyone. It’s because there are pain triggers everywhere. When we see images, graphics, memes of illness or disease scrolling by, especially our own, a trigger can occur. I’ve learned over the years to recognize this. I have the awareness to understand that I can be a contributing factor in my own discomfort. I never went to preschool and Kindergarten was only for a week or two. I started school in the first grade. I was taught at home and I was reading at advanced levels by the age of 5. My comprehension and spelling ability was always above average. While I either suppressed it or just didn’t care to acknowledge it, I did go to special classes in the first and second grade because I couldn’t pronounce the letter’s S and T in words and sentences properly. I was a critical thinker immediately in life. http://www.criticalthinking.org/pages/defining-critical-thinking/766 By the time I got to my 4th elementary school in the middle of the school year in the second grade, I didn’t have to tell anyone I went to the classes with the special ones. Those new kids and that neighborhood became the ones I grew up with until I left Sacramento in October of the 9th grade to move to L.A. County for my dad’s job. The rest of that year carried with it a bit of insecurity. I started Drama at my new high school and as a Junior I was in second year advanced drama, speech, debate and thespian clubs, involved in school plays, in chamber singers for a while, I swirled the baton too, but chose my priorities and kept to the one’s I still use today. By the middle of the 11th grade I was off to the high desert where my parents bought a home. I’ve been in 4 high schools, 2 Junior high’s due to the district split and several elementary. I learned to adapt young. I may not like it, but I do it fairly well. I’m a survivor of repeated childhood molestation and indirect physical and emotional abuse. I’ve been an Empath http://themindunleashed.org/2013/10/30-traits-of-empath.html for as long as I can remember. I can vividly still remember leaving my teething ring on the back metal bumper edge of my dad’s best friend’s pickup truck and them driving away with it. I’m hypersensitive to people, places and things sometimes to my own detriment, yet I’m also a no-nonsense girl. I’m inclined to the natural order of things, including man and woman, but I’m not a doormat. I love my crazy and he does, too! Why? Because it’s really not all that crazy, I just like to have it appear so in the midst all the uncertainty in life. Laughing is the best medicine of all. If I can make you laugh, give you something to laugh at even if it’s at my own expense, I’m thrilled to have been of service.” Empathy Vs Sympathy Sure there are times I think “Dang, no one gets it!” I don’t mean in everyday situations, I mean in my critical thinking. Those who are on the same page fear agreeing openly until my thought, reasoning, even an educated statement that I make is validated by someone with high education, authority or status. By that time I really don’t need the care, concern or acknowledgment. I might have needed it when I was no one to be acknowledged for. No one will ever know in these situations because I’ll not ever treat them any different and there isn’t any animosity, but there is recall. Why? Because everything we do or don’t do to another person makes an impact on them. Those impacts influence the rest of their lives by accumulation in decisions and choices. This includes my interaction with other people. By the time I was in the 4th grade I was in the MGM program. At that time called Mentally Gifted Minds. My 9-year-old grandson is currently in the Gifted and Talented Education Program (G.A.T.E.). During the 4th to 6th grade 2 of my class periods were reserved for tutoring the NES (Non English Speaking) students who just joined our Country from Vietnam, and other Southeast Asian communities. I was 8 years old when I began the 4th grade. These years were 1975-1977/78. Due to being bright enough to be a student teacher at such a young age, I missed normal class subject time; I began to fall behind in math studies. My mathematical education is only that of general knowledge. I held enough that I was promoted to General Manager for a Restaurant by the time I was 24. I started college when I was 15 in the high desert of California. Law and Acting. I studied both Fundamentals of Crime and Delinquency and Theory and Practice of Acting. I loved being a minor, non-adult, in an adult law class. I loved that my mind was evolving, but it was at a pace others couldn’t keep up with. I loved learning by law enforcement mentors and the few things I participated in to grow and develop lifetime strategies for. I’ve been fond of the Law, Sociology, Philosophy, Theology, Theosophy, The Human Mind, Psychology, Enlightenment, Consciousness. Alternative Lifestyles, Natural Order and the last decade or so Pain Psychology. I like various other topics relating to each of these, too. When I indulge in a book these are the things I enlighten myself in.” Excerpts from, Overcoming Challenging Obstacles by Twinkle VanFleet (Currently unpublished in its entirety) ©2015 Twinkle VanFleet, Overcoming Challenging Obstacles. All rights reserved. (Several paragraphs have been removed from the original for this share) It really is a multi-disciplinary approach to pain care and taking an active role in our own overall well-being that makes the difference between making it or breaking it. Even if we have to fake it to make it to get there.

Cosmetic and beauty brands have been releasing makeup on the daily. Okay, weekly (hello, Colourpop!). The point is, new makeup is always making it to the shelves and counters of our favourite beauty stores as well online. And we’re always here for it! It’s my job to rummage through every new release and give you my thoughts on them. And that’s exactly what I’ve done! Christmas and holiday makeup is known to be all about that glam. This year’s Christmas and holiday makeup sets are no different. Shimmery and glittery shades and formulas will be ever-present. And for good reason. They don’t disappoint. In fact, they can finish a look, or be the look. But, Christmas is also a colourful celebration. And makeup brands translate that into their respective collections. No one’s more excited over new makeup than I am. So keep reading to see our guide to the ultimate Christmas makeup sets for this holiday season of 2019! Disclaimer: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases on Amazon and other affiliate programs. This means on some purchases, I make a commission. It doesn’t mean you spend more, it simply allows me to keep this blog going! This limited-edition holiday collection is sparkling with all the products being minis. This is great because they make amazing Christmas gifts. They’re also excellent for travelling with! The items are mini versions of their best sellers: Stunna Lip Paint Gloss Posse Mini Gloss Bomb Set I believe there isn’t anyone who doesn’t like Gloss Bombs. In this collection, Sweet Mouth is a new shade, a shimmering pink. It’s the same amazing and luscious formula that’s like dewdrops on your lips but with a hint of soft pink shimmers. Sweet Mouth Gloss Bomb comes in a gift set with a mini kilowatt highlighter in the shade Sand Castle which is loved by a lot of fans. The new Stunna Lip Paint in the shade Underdawg may be a rookie colour, but it can turn into a new favourite with its rich burgundy shade which I think will suit every skin tone. Because it is a soft matte, it is very comfortable on the lips and is very long-lasting. It won’t budge should you kiss someone under the mistletoe (wink). It comes in cute giftable packaging too! Starring You is MAC’s Holiday Collection for 2019. The name comes from the inspiration that you are a star so you should shimmer and shine like a star! You definitely will with its glittery and shimmery products. Even the packaging is sprinkled with glitter. There’s no chance that you won’t feel like a star after using these products. The collection features four single shimmer shadows, eye pencil, lovely lash set, six new glitter lipsticks, five metallic lip glosses, and two pearlescent face powders. What caught my attention though were the lipsticks. The cap itself is sprinkled with glitter! Take it off and you’ll find more in the star-studded bullet. It’s like it’s sequined with tiny crystals all over. Wearing these lipsticks will make every head turn! This collection screams sparkles. Imagine putting on everything in this collection. Gleaming? No. Dazzling. This year’s holiday collection is delicious! Have you seen the collection? Nobody does Christmas packaging quite like Too Faced. Their Christmas Collection is all about pink, girly and gingerbread! Christmas vibes? Check. Cute? Check. Theme-centered? Check. And boy do they have a lot in this line! Here are some of the items included in the Christmas collection: Christmas Star Face Palette Gingerbread Extra Spicy Limited Edition Eyeshadow Palette Let it Snow Girl Kit Better Not Pout, But If You Do Keep it Glossy Melted Matte Gingerbread Lipstick Check their website here for the complete items! In this collection, I’d say the Gingerbread Extra Spicy Eyeshadow Palette is just incredible. The shades are gorgeous! They released it in late September and I almost didn’t put it down. Too Faced is known for going after the smell of their theme. And they don’t disappoint with this palette! It is perfect for fall but I’d say it’s perfect for the holidays too. The colours are just beautiful. The mattes are super blendable. The shimmer shades stay on flawlessly. Too Face Christmas Collection will not disappoint you! It’s all neons and shimmers for Morphe this year. That’s right, it’s all about the partying. And the Electric Nights Holiday collection is exactly that! It is fun and makes you want to run and celebrate. Getting into the Christmas vibe will be easy with this collection. The collection features several brush sets and lip products but what caught my eye was the eyeshadow palette. Morphe has never let us down with their eyeshadow palettes, especially the bigger ones. For this holiday palette, artists got together to curate it. Which is why it’s so striking! It’s like taking the most fabulous shades from all the different palettes and putting them together with the addition of several shimmers. It’s the same blendable and opaque formula we have come to love and more! The collection also comes with a complete 25 piece brush and sponge set. Pretty impressive! BH Cosmetics is one of those affordable newcomers that really made it. It was only a few years ago that BH Cosmetics gained recognition among consumers in the beauty industry. Now, they’re one of those brands that put out great quality products at affordable prices. You can’t beat that. Featuring only three products in this collection, it isn’t the biggest. However, don’t be put off by the size. It’s the quality that matters! Fairy Lights Holiday Collection comes with an eyeshadow palette, a 15 piece brush set with a holder and body powder, brush and bag. Like other brands on this list, surprise, they are also going for something shimmering. It is the party season after all! The eyeshadow palette is unique in colouring. It features browns, pinks, and navy blues. They’ve combined warm and cool colours which definitely gives the palette an interesting edge. It’s perfect for a New Years Party when you want to dress bold and out there. The formula is great. You can achieve both sheer and opaque makeup looks. And the colours are really easy to blend with very little fallout. The brushes are some of the most Instagrammable brushes around. With their pearly pink colour and the prettiest glittery holder, it will make anyone happy! It’s practical and pretty, can it get any better?! On that tone, their body powder and makeup bag fit the same description. The body powder comes in a bronze luminous colour which can be applied to your face and your body. Get creative with it:) The bag is the same glittery colour as the brush holder. Totally adorable! If you’re into glam, beautiful, luxurious, and overall gorgeous looks, Charlotte Tilbury is for you! The Charlotte Tilbury Holiday Collection really needs a post of its own because this year’s lineup is pretty wide-range. However, I couldn’t do a post on the best Christmas makeup sets without including Charlotte Tilbury. Here are a few of my favourite items in this collection: Starry Eyes to Hypnotise Eyeshadow Palette Luxury Palette of Pops in Celestial Eyes Instant Look in a Palette in Gorgeous, Glowing Beauty Filmstar Bronze and Glow Set The Gift of Pillow Talk Lips Mini Hot Lips Charms Everything in this collection is just wonderful. For myself, I personally love the Superstar Lips in Sexy Lips. It’s your everyday nude that goes well with everything and anything. If I can’t decide what to wear during the holidays, I know I won’t go wrong with this lipstick. It’s amazing because it’s lipstick and lipgloss in one. Best of both worlds! Their eyeshadow palettes are equally beautiful. They have three palettes that you can use to transform your look from day to night! There are actually two collections that Kylie Cosmetics is releasing for the holidays. The first one that was released is a pink-themed line. It’s a complete set, which is great so you can create a complete look. The packaging is the same as a standard Kylie packaging only this time it’s sprinkled with glitters. Very appropriate for the holidays! It is a limited-edition collection that’s exclusive to Ulta. The collection includes: Kylie Holiday Face Palette Kylie Holiday Try It Kit Kylie Holiday Lip Set Kylie Holiday Eyeshadow Palette Kylie Holiday 5 Piece Lip Set Kylie Holiday Mini Ornament Duo The vibe is kind of like romantic glam because the palette, lipstick, and even the blush are on the rosy side. A pinkish flush I would say. But what caught my eye was the eyeshadow palette. Most of the colours are different shades and tones of pinks. Really beautiful! It has a few other colours too which help to create different looks. You can easily create a holiday glam look with the browns, romantic looks with the pinks, and a dramatic look with the black and dark brown. Apparently, one is not enough for Kylie. So she made another holiday collection for this year! And my, Santa Claus has come to town! This makeup set features bold reds and whites. It is a Santa themed collection with a snowy Christmasy vibe. It’s definitely cute and fun but it’s not as classy as the Ulta Kylie Cosmetics Holiday Collection. This set includes: Dear Santa Palette⠀ Naughty List Lip Kit Mini Lip Set (6 pieces) High Gloss Trio⠀ Shimmer Eye Glaze Highlighter & Blush Duo Illuminating Face Primer Illuminating Setting Spray This collection is one clad in red. Everything looks like a red candy cane overload! It is obviously jam-packed but what I found amazing within this collection are the lip products. The mini lip set has 2 different finishes. There are 5 mattes and 1 metallic red with rose gold sparkles. If you’re attending different holiday parties, all you’ll need for the lips is this set because it has peachy, rosy, and reddish tones in one. One thing Kylie Cosmetics is really good at is curating colours. Oh, and they have a red ink liner. This holiday would be the perfect excuse to wear a beautiful red wing! There is a small collection. In fact, there are only highlighters, a few brushes and a makeup bag. But be warned though. The highlighters will glaze you like a doughnut. There are 6 shades (Privilege, Amnesia, Ozone, Lucent Jungle, Adults Only, and Truth) that will make the high points of your face light up like no other. Glaze of glory. Nabla Cosmetics have also just released their sequel to their best selling Dreamy Palette. It’s called Dreamy 2 Palette. Their Dreamy 2 Eyeshadow Palette definitely feels dreamy and out of this world. They call it the mystical palette and it definitely gives off that vibe. Although it is a powder palette, the formula is unbelievably creamy and buttery. The shadows are very blendable as well which is why it won the hearts of many, both makeup lovers and beginners. Colourpop hasn’t revealed an official holiday collection but I think it’s safe to assume (or pick) the Frozen 2 Collection as the holiday collection. Anyway, hi Colourpop! Does anybody love them for releasing new makeup on a regular basis? I know I do. The first Colourpop x Disney Frozen collab was a smashing success. And so far this second collection is proving to be the same. There’s always an Anna and Elsa inside of us. And fortunately, there’s always a Colourpop product to help us exude them. Included in the Colourpop Disney Frozen 2 Collection are: Frozen II Collection Creme Lux Lipsticks Ultra Glossy Lips So what did I try from the collection? The eyeshadow palettes of course! They’re the same amazing formula as all the Colourpop eyeshadow palettes. The difference between the 2 eyeshadow palettes is that the Elsa palette is a cool tone palette while the Anna palette is neutral. If you’re wondering how the palettes are, well, Elsa and Anna will have a run for their money! Do you want to be golden for this year’s holidays? If so, Milani Holiday Collection 2019 is the collection to go for! The brand took a golden turn for this year’s holiday collection. Here’s what you’re getting from the complete set: 24 Karat Gold Collection Ultimate Baked Blush Vault Gilded Gold Eyeshadow Palette Ludicrous Lip Gloss Metallic Shimmer Lipstick So what’s golden? Well, there’s gold in every one of the products. The lip gloss is a gorgeous gold gloss that will make your lips look expensive. Not to mention, their metallic shimmer lipstick which is like a bar of gold. The eyeshadow palette has the most luxurious colours with golds, bronzes and green. The formula is super buttery and pigmented. There is also a mini eyeshadow palette called the eyeshadow duo which has a metallic shimmer on one side and gold pressed glitter on the other. Can you imagine anything more dazzling and sparkly? This collection will get anyone in holiday mode! Can I just say whoah? Like, whoah! These guys are serious about pigmentation! I think they got all colour schemes in this set: neutrals, warms, cools, and neons. Before we get to what I mean, here is what’s included in the collection: Vida Pressed Pigment Palette Muerte Eyeshadow Palette I mean you don’t really have to guess which is which because ALL their products are richly pigmented! The colours are insanely saturated and pigmented. Do you want a colourful holiday look? Well, look no further! They have it all from eyeshadows to lipsticks! I would have said this is perfect for Halloween but since they’re only releasing them now I suggest keeping some for next year. You can create some impressive looks with the Amor Eterno Holiday Collection. Butter London is a brand that first started with nail polish. It offers the masses a toxic-free nail lacquer. But they have expanded into makeup which means that the formula will also be free from toxins. The Butter London Holiday Collection set has: Little Londoner Eyeshadow Palette Power Play Mascara and Liner Set Satin Dreams Lipstick Set 4 Nail Lacquer Sets Nail Vault-12 Piece Nail Lacquer Set These are some fun products! The Little Londoner Eyeshadow Palette eyeshadow is really neat, which makes it great for travelling! The choice of colours is festive and sparkly. I love it! The eyeliner will last you longer than most other eyeliners because of its unique tip. It’s not made of felt so the formula won’t dry up as easily. Not many brands have managed to achieve that. That’s some eyeliner goals! My favourite piece in the Butter London Holiday Collection has got to be the Nail Vault. With its elegant case, it adds lux and class. As for the colours themselves, there is a combination of party ones and more neutral ones. Perfect for every occasion. Jouer’s Holiday Collection is really something. Just check out those jewels! The collection is themed around jewels and pink. A combination many of us can’t resist! There’s no easier way to feel like a princess this Christmas than with this incredible collection. For this 2019 holiday collection, they’ve included: Rose Cut Gems Blush & Cheek Topper Palette Jouer Essential Lip Care Duo Exquisite Jewels Best of Lips Collection I love the packaging, in particular, that of the lip collection. It comes in a bejewelled box that takes gifting to the next level. The blush and cheek topper palette comes in a matching box to the lip collection. The products inside match the fabulousness of the packaging. The lipsticks are a combination of matte and metallic pinks. They are long-wearing and full of healthy ingredients to help keep your lips soft and subtle throughout the day. The blush and cheek topper palette features 6 beautiful blushes and one shimmery highlighter. To be honest, I only heard about Lorac recently so here’s a little intro on them. Lorac’s mission is to give you cosmetics that will not only make you feel beautiful, but that will be good for your skin. Carol Shaw, a Hollywood makeup artist started the company when she saw how so many of her clients had reactions to products. The formulas she created are all made of gentle and soothing ingredients. Even if you don’t have reactions to the products you’re using, I think everyone can benefit from using products like LORAC. The Rachel Zoe Holiday 2019 Collection with Lorac is a small collection. But it is a beautiful collection! It includes: Hollywood Glamour Mini Palette Diamond Disco Gloss Trios Alter Ego Golden Era Lip Set I love the vibe of the collection, it has a black and gold animal print theme. It’s festive, yet at the same time classy and fun. I’ve used the Beauty and the Beast collection before and it was amazing. The eyeshadows are the bomb, and judging by the look of the Rachel Zoe Holiday Collection it looks like they’re no less fabulous! All the colours are so Christmasy and sparkly. If you’re familiar with Ofra, then you’ll know they are queens when it comes to highlighters. For this collection, they’ve got more than just highlighters. But they can steal the spotlight too. Or better yet, be the spotlight. The Snowed In Holiday 2019 Collection includes: Ofra Signature Palette New Cheer Mini Set S’more Glow Mini Set Rodeo Drive Highlighter Ornament Pillow Talk Highlighter Ornament Ofra Snuggle Up Blush/Highlighter Duo Ofra Hot Cocoa Bronzer/Highlighter Duo By The Fire Mini Lip Set Fireside Hotties Mini Lip Set There are plenty of highlighters in this collection for everyone and no better time than now to put them to use! They also have mini lipstick sets, which will make a great stocking filler. The packaging is clean with a geometric Christmasy pattern. There’s something so inviting to clean and white packaging. And during the holiday season, it definitely makes a change from all the glitter and sparkles! Lime Crime! They are known for some epic eyeshadow palettes and it looks like they’ve got plenty of that epicness in their latest holiday collection! Their Christmas collection 2019 includes: Winter Lights Eyeshadow Palette Best Sellers Mini Velvetines Lip Set (10x) Jolly Holiday Mini Velvetines Lip Set (5x) Season’s Best Mini Velvetines Lip Set (3x which includes a gloss) Mini Velvetines Lip Sets (3x velvets only) Holiday Venus XS Mini Quad Palettes So their collection is mostly lips. I love the ones that can hang from the Christmas tree. Instead of hanging baubles why not hang makeup instead? I’m all for it! Lime Crime know how to do lipsticks. Their lipsticks are budge-proof and super comfortable to wear. So is the gloss, and the best part is, you can layer it up because it’s not sticky. If there’s one thing I hate its sticky lip gloss that sticks to my hair. Well, you won’t have that problem with Lime Crimes lip glosses. I also love the small eyeshadow palettes, they are sparkly, shimmery and everything you would expect from Christmas eyeshadow palettes. The products in their holiday collection that really stood out to me are the liquid highlighters. They’re bright pink and blue! With Frozen being all the rage at the moment, I guess blue has become a trend! I’m definitely interested to see how it looks. Send in your pics! Tarte is known to have big collections. And this year’s holiday collection is no different. Check out what’s included: Gift & Glam Collector’s Set Chrome For The Holidays Chrome Paint Shadow Pot Quad 9 Ways To Shine Cheek Wardrobe Lip Ornaments Lip Gloss Set Party of 3 Eyeliner Trio Cozy Kitten Color Collection Winter Wish List Color Collection The Lip Glossary Lip Gloss Set Hey Curl, Hey Lash Curler Tarte Cosmetics are most well known for their Shape Tape Concealer because it is just freakin’ amazing! Btw, if you haven’t tried it, you must! The product that caught my attention in the Holiday Collection has to be the Gift & Glam Collector’s Set. I am blown away by the creativity of the idea. It features 4 interchangeable palettes within the set. It comes with a separate magnetic palette that you can pop your chosen palette into. It’s magnetic which makes it much more durable. It also comes with a drawer where you get a travel size mascara and a lip gloss. The magnetic palette is stored there too. The Gift & Glam Collector’s Set is spot on for the holidays. It’s fun, creative compact and perfect for travelling too! It’s definitely one of the best Christmas makeup sets of 2019! Hourglass is a brand loved by all, professional makeup artists, beginners, and makeup enthusiasts. That’s not without reason. The formula for all their products is in-cre-di-ble. Their Holiday Collection is not going to let you. The Holiday 2019 Ghost Collection includes: Ambient Lighting Edit Face Palette Ambient Lighting Blush Quad Palette Confession Refillable Lipstick Duo Scattered Light Glitter Eyeshadow Collection I love how the Hourglass Ghost Collection has the festive feel to it, yet it still has that trademark Hourglass theme to it. If you look at their palettes both blush and face palette, you’ll notice that they’re extra shimmery and glittery. But they’re actually not that over-the-top shiny when worn. They just give you that perfect glow that you can build up more if you want to. They’re extremely wearable too! This is one of those Christmas makeup sets is perfect for you if you prefer more subtle makeup but you still want a little holiday spirit too. The Hourglass Ghost Collection has that perfect balance. This smokey collection by Haus Laboratories by Lady Gaga is a bestseller on Amazon. And not without reason. Just check it out! From the packaging to the products themselves, it’s easy to understand why everyone wants a piece of it! This is a limited edition set that includes: Burlesque Holiday Set Glam Attack Holiday Set RIP Lip Liner Holiday Set Le Riot Lip Gloss Holiday Set Glam Attack Metallic Creme With this holiday makeup set, you will get both glam and smoky. Their best item has got to be the Glam Attack Holiday Set. From the packaging to the actual product, they are winners. The Glam Attack Holiday Set comes with 6 long-wearing, budge-proof liquid eyeshadows. Loved by Oprah and Lady Gaga, you know these liquid eyeshadows will not let you down! Go get em’ babe! Tom Ford is a brand you just can’t go wrong with. Not only do their products look beautiful on the skin, but they are also rich with great ingredients that can help nourish the skin and lips. The collection includes: Soleil Neige Shimmering Body Oil Soleil Neige Eye Color Quad Soleil Neige Cream and Powder Eye Color Soleil Neige Shade and Illuminate Glow Stick Soleil Neige Glow Drops Liquid Highlighter Soleil Neige Clutch Sized Soleil Lip Balm Soleil Neige Eau De Parfum I’ve always loved their lipsticks. They are ultra-nourishing and caring to the lips. But what I gravitated more in this collection is their Shade and Illuminate Glow Stick. It gives you that beautiful holiday flush and glowing skin in an instant! It comes in three shades but my favourite is Megeve- a rosy coloured blush and highlighter. Don’t have a clean brush on hand? Don’t worry. All you need is this beauty! The packaging of Tom Ford’s Christmas makeup set is classy and elegant. I wouldn’t expect any different from Tom Ford! Elegant all the way. WOW, WOW, WOW! That was my initial reaction to seeing this makeup holiday set. This collection from Nyx is a 70’s inspired collection. It’s all you need to achieve that rockin’ disco look. And boy is there a lot to it. To mention a few of the amazing products included in this holiday makeup set: NYX Love Lust Disco Highlight Palette NYX Love Lust Disco Shadow Palette NYX Love Lust Disco Sweet Cheeks Blush Palette NYX Love Lust Disco Epic Ink Liner NYX Love Lust Disco Suede Matte Lip Kit NYX Love Lust Disco Greatest Hits Lip Advent Calendar NYX Love Lust Disco Metallic Liquid Liner NYX Love Lust Disco Glitter Vault Everything you can need and want from makeup is included in this Holiday Collection. There is something for everyone here. From the glittery eyeshadow palette to the sparkly lipstick. There’s so much to choose from in this collection but if I had to choose one product it would have to be the Love Lust Disco Foil Play Pigment Palette. It comes in 3 colours, all sparkly and highly pigmented. This is a dream collection and perfect for the holiday season. Make sure to your hands on some of the awesomeness because sadly, it’s a limited edition. Wanna twinkle for the holidays? YSL has got you covered! Like the MAC holiday collection, this one from YSL will make you starry in the eyes of everyone. The collection features lipsticks, face palette, cushion foundation, and concealer/highlighter, all limited edition, all encased in beautiful star-studded packaging. Perfect for gifts or a little self-indulgence! We all deserve it;) The YSL High On Stars products are: YSL Rouge Pur Couture High On Stars YSL Makeup Palette High On Stars YSL Cushion All Hours High On Stars YSL Touche Éclat Radiant Touch High On Stars I particularly love their lipsticks, their formula has never let me down. Their face palette though speaks for the collection itself. It has four shimmery eyeshadows, two highlighters, and one creamy blush in one compact palette. Throw it in your purse when you have a holiday get-together with friends and family! It’s the perfect face palette. No one does luxury red lipstick quite like Chanel. And their other lipstick shades are just as good. I can honestly imagine myself just doing a light brow, putting on a face base (any base), and puckering up with a Chanel lipstick and calling it a day. Or night. Whichever works for all! Their holiday 2019 collection is Baroque Style. The collection features an eyeshadow quad and singles, highlighter, eyeliner, nail polish, gloss, and of course, the satin lipstick we’ve all come to love without fading. The red lipstick shades are limited edition and exclusive to this collection so you might want to keep that in mind. I love what they’ve done with the powders. They’ve embossed them with an ornamental motif inspired by a vintage CHANEL button. It adds so much elegance to the products. They look high end and deluxe. It’s a James Charles palette. Need I say more? Oh yeah. It’s the mini version of the original Artistry Palette. Now you can take it easily with you in your bag wherever you go! This palette has everything that you want a palette to have (granted you like the colours of the Crayola crayons) and more! You have transition shades, shimmers, metallics, mattes, and neons in the same amazing formula as the original palette. So if you’re not ready to commit to the original size, get this mini version and create just as many looks as you would the original. This collection also includes James’ favourite full-size eye brushes which he uses to create those absolutely incredible eye makeup looks you see on his channel. I hope you’ve found the perfect present for yourself, friends or family in this ultimate guide to Christmas makeup sets this holiday 2019. There’s something here for everyone. In fact, there’s probably too much! Most of these Christmas makeup sets are limited editions so hurry up with your shopping, you don’t want to be too late! Let me know in the comments below what your favourite Christmas makeup set is and why! Looking forward to hearing:) - Makeup Revolution NEW Shadow Bomb Cream Shimmer Eyeshadow - Charlotte Tilbury On The Go Makeup Kits For Quick & Easy Makeup - The Best Contour Products For Pale & Fair Skin in 2022 - Yellow Eyeshadow Looks To Try Out This Summer - ColourPop Hold The Stone Collection Is Here - 10 Spring Eyeshadow Looks And Trends To Try Out In 2022 - Rare Beauty NEW Positive Light Tinted Moisturizer SPF 20 - The Best Waterproof and Smudge-Proof Eyeliner in 2022 - Nabla Read My Mind Eyeshadow Palette Has Dropped Anastasia Beverly Hills Bare Minerals Barry M Benefit Cosmetics Bobbi Brown Chantecaille Charlotte Tilbury Clarins ColourPop Dior Dyson ELEMIS Elf Cosmetics Estée Lauder Fenty Beauty First Aid Beauty Fresh Hourglass Huda Beauty Jane Iredale L'Oreal lancome La Roche-Posay Laura Mercier LORAC MAC Makeup Revolution Maybelline Molton Brown Morphe Murad Nars Natasha Denona Neutrogena NYX Origins Peter Thomas Roth Revlon Sigma Beauty Smashbox Stila Tarte Cosmetics Too Faced Urban Decay YSL

Vitamin D: A Fresh Perspective Over the past decades, our collective awareness of the importance of vitamin D has undergone a much-needed revival. While vitamin D was always known to be an essential nutrient, it was mostly ignored outside of the concern for bone health. If you heard growing up to drink your milk to keep bones strong, then you received the full education on vitamin D (for which milk is fortified with) that modern medicine had to offer at the time. We now know so much more about what the body really needs, and it isn’t milk! Thanks to a surge of research, the testing, and treatment of vitamin D deficiency have skyrocketed. However, with an estimated 40% of people deficient, many likely remain undiagnosed and untreated. In addition, low vitamin D is more likely in certain groups of people, including the elderly and those with chronic illnesses. In my own practice, I regularly screen for vitamin D deficiency. My experience is that individuals struggling with multiple debilitating health conditions are at higher risk for a deficiency which, in turn, can exacerbate their health which is already unstable. Testing and addressing vitamin D is one piece in the complex puzzle that the functional medicine approach is uniquely poised to treat. Much has been said about the role of vitamin D in bone health and immunity. While those functions are critical, vitamin D impacts many other bodily systems. In this article, I’d like to take a fresh look at some of the lesser-known functions of vitamin D and its place in treatment for complex illnesses. While vitamin D isn’t a miracle cure, it is often an integral part of the big picture of long-term health and healing. But first, a brief look at the basics. The Wonders of Vitamin D Most known as the sunshine vitamin, vitamin D is an essential fat-soluble vitamin found in small amounts in fatty fish, liver, and egg yolks. Because it is not widely available in food, the body has the incredible ability to synthesize this vitamin for itself. When uncovered skin is exposed to UVB rays from sunlight, it triggers the conversion of a specific type of cholesterol to vitamin D. Humans are designed to thrive on sunlight, which is a special link we share with the natural world. Unfortunately, this impressive natural ability is hampered by a number of factors, including: Skin melanin content Age - we tend to become less able to create vitamin D from sunshine as we get older Concerns over the damage caused by excess sun exposure Adequate vitamin D is essential for the absorption of calcium, healthy nerve and muscle signaling, as well as immune function (plus so much more!). When vitamin D levels are chronically low, deficiency symptoms develop, including: If deficiency becomes severe, bone disorders such as rickets or osteoporosis may develop. Thankfully, bone deformities from rickets are uncommon in our country. However, that does not mean we’ve solved the problem of vitamin D sufficiency. People spend less and less time outdoors, and due to our awareness of skin cancer risks, many people load up on sunscreen, effectively halting vitamin D production. I certainly don’t advocate for indiscriminate sun exposure. But, I do work with my patients to normalize their vitamin D levels because its impact on conditions such as MCAS and infections is significant. Vitamin D And Mast Cell Activation Syndrome The main pathway by which vitamin D functions is through interaction with vitamin D receptors (VDRs). VDRs are located in almost every tissue of the body. When vitamin D binds with a VDR, it sends a signal to the cell, turning on or off genes within the DNA. By regulating gene expression, the interaction of vitamin D and VDRs influence hundreds if not thousands of body functions. From encouraging the absorption of calcium to promoting the development of immune cells, vitamin D has wide-ranging effects depending on the type of cell it binds with. Mast cells contain VDRs and are therefore responsive to vitamin D. When vitamin D binds with VDRs on mast cells, it signals the cells to decrease the production of pro-inflammatory mediators, among other actions. The result is more stable mast cells, making them less reactive to common triggers. For people with mast cell activation syndrome (MCAS), the stabilizing influence of vitamin D is essential. While it is difficult in many cases to determine the exact cause of MCAS, vitamin D deficiency may play a role. Without the soothing signals from vitamin D to calm mediator production, mast cells are vulnerable to inappropriate activation and chronic release of inflammatory and allergic mediators. The action of vitamin D on mast cells provides another avenue for the effective treatment of MCAS, which I find hopeful for my patients dealing with this syndrome. When we dive deep into what is really happening in the body, there is much we can do to rebalance and restore the mast cells to their stable state. Vitamin D is one key player. Vitamin D and Chronic or Acute Infections The role of vitamin D in immune function is a relatively new area of study. Historically, the most obvious sign of vitamin D deficiency was rickets or the deformation of bones. Significant emphasis was placed on the importance of vitamin D for bone health and the prevention of rickets back when science first discovered essential nutrients. While prevention is undoubtedly important, the truth is rickets develops at the extreme end of the deficiency spectrum. Long before you notice changes in bone formation, many of the subtle actions of vitamin D could be compromised. The public health focus on bone health created a lack of awareness of vitamin D’s critical functions in other essential body systems. And, because the level of deficiency that leads to extreme complications such as bone deformations is so low, less attention was given to the impact of mild deficiency. Thankfully, recent research is now filling the gap. The body produces a wide variety of immune cells, each with its own unique function. Most types of immune cells contain vitamin D receptors (VDRs) and respond to signals from the binding of vitamin D. In addition, vitamin D is essential to balance the immune system, causing the release of more anti-inflammatory mediators and fewer pro-inflammatory mediators. When you have enough vitamin D, the immune system is primed to provide superior protection against infections and inflammatory responses. Conversely, low levels of vitamin D sets up the immune system in a way that may contribute to chronic or acute infections. New research raises the question of how vitamin D influences inflammatory and immune responses and how altered inflammatory or immune responses may interfere with vitamin D. One theory proposes that chronic infections, such as those found in tick-borne and Lyme infections, may disrupt normal vitamin D metabolism. Even with enough vitamin D, the body may not metabolize it to its useful form. What can happen is a patient gets trapped in a cycle of too little vitamin D to support healthy immune function along with poor immune function preventing vitamin D from working. This is a prime example of the complexity of the patients that come to me seeking help. One condition can build off the next, creating a self-perpetuating cycle of illness. What is needed is a comprehensive and collaborative treatment approach to bring these patients back to health. The Vitamin D And Covid-19 Link A new area of vitamin D research has shed light on the interplay between vitamin D and chronic or acute infections. With the emergence of Covid-19 has come a whole new population of people impacted by infectious disease, whether mild or severe. One study of patients admitted for COVID-19 found those who had low levels of vitamin D before becoming infected were more likely to have severe or critical disease. Almost 50% of enrolled patients with low vitamin D experienced severe COVID-19, compared to only 10% of patients with adequate vitamin D. These numbers, while not unexpected, are profoundly revealing. Even more specifically, a recent review that examined the evidence surrounding vitamin D’s impact and mechanism of action on infectious diseases, including COVID-19, came to this conclusion: “…the comprehensive finding of the current review shows a possible significant impact of vitamin D supplement as a hope in preventing, treating, and/or improving the progression of certain infections…” Taha R, Abureesh S, Alghamdi S, Hassan RY, Cheikh MM, Bagabir RA, Almoallim H, Abdulkhaliq A. The Relationship Between Vitamin D and Infections Including COVID-19: Any Hopes?. Int J Gen Med. 2021;14:3849-3870 The new data linking vitamin D with resistance to and resilience from infectious disease provides great hope for anyone battling chronic infections. The Genetic Link A subset of people with vitamin D deficiency have trouble maintaining adequate levels due to genetic mutations. There are a number of different mutations that affect VDR genes. VDR genes encode vitamin D receptors to bind and respond to vitamin D and are, therefore, an essential part of vitamin D status. Mutations in these genes may negatively impact the ability to benefit from vitamin D. For example, individuals with specific VDR mutations have been shown to be at a higher risk for certain immune or allergic disorders. If cells do not receive proper signals from VDRs, their ability to carry out critical immune functions may be inhibited. These genetic variations are something I watch carefully in my patients. The treatment for those with VDR gene mutations may be different compared to those with vitamin D deficiency related to lifestyle factors. Often higher doses of vitamin D may be required to achieve the same effect that others might achieve at lower doses. Comprehensive monitoring is also of benefit for these complex patients. Vitamin D In Practice It has become clear that vitamin D is more complex than a first glance suggests. In many ways, this is good news for those dealing with chronic health conditions. Vitamin D may have a role to play in the recovery process and could be a missing piece in unraveling the full picture of their disease. In my practice, I work with patients to leave no stone unturned as we seek out the source of their illness. To return to good health, we must address the causes at the root of multisystem disease and chronic infection. Rarely is there just one instigator. More often, I see people dealing with several infections, co-infections, MCAS, and autoimmune conditions that have been years in the making and even more years in diagnosing. Vitamin D is not a magical cure, but it is a critical nutrient that can exacerbate the cycle of complex disease. Functional medicine provides a framework that looks at both the big picture and the smallest nutrients. If you’ve been struggling to find the help you need, you are not alone. We treat the whole person in my practice, and I am deeply committed to partnering with you to find answers. Make an appointment to meet with me to start on the path to healing.

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A person needs to maintain a better erection and libido so that the other partner feels satisfied. It produces a long-lasting, harder and bigger erection. Within few days of using this supplement, you can find changes in the body. Millions of people who are aged 40 and above are not so good with the erotic life. Therefore, it improves the nitric oxide in the blood. It helps to get better blood flow towards the genital areas. It enhances the level of brain cells for relaxing mental health problems. It reduces stress, anxiety, and depression problems. It relaxes the mind and improves mental health performance. There are many benefits that you get through the product. Thus, it is the best supplement for male enhancement. It produces no side effects to the body. It is a trustworthy company as it gives natural and healthy effects to the health. How does VigRX Plus be a better supplement than others? VigRX Plus Male enhancement supplements are in bulk present in the market. Supplements that are made for health do not have good effects on the body. They are made up of complex structures of chemicals which are harmful to health. Therefore, it either causes health problems or gives no benefits to the person using it. VigRX Plus is a new supplement made for the improvement of sensual health. This supplement is made out of all-natural and effective elements. It makes sure to give natural effects to the body. It boosts the testosterone level which enhances the intimation. It helps to give satisfying results for the partner. No such chemicals are introduced which are harmful to the health. Thus, it gives many benefits to the body. It is the best supplement for enhancing hormone levels for erection. This is the main reason why it is better than other supplements. What are the declarations made by the company of VigRX Plus? Some declarations made by the company which enables us to get deeper knowledge about the product. All the declarations made by the company is given below: - Better erection is provided with this supplement. - Increases libido secretion in the body. - Harder and longer size of the penis. - Made up of all-natural and healthy ingredients. - It promotes a high number of orgasms. - Improves blood circulation to different parts. - Flushes out toxins and chemicals from the body. - It is a trustworthy product. Declarations made by the company helps to gain better information. It helps us to select the best supplement for the improvement of sensual life. This product is helpful in many ways. So let us gather more information about the product. What is the working method of VigRX Plus? Since the supplement is made out of natural and herbal elements it has the highest tendency to improve sexual health. Most people are struggling hard to get better erection and hormone levels. All the problems which interrupt the process of intimation can be improved using VigRX Plus Male enhancement. It promotes the working of the stomach which reduces excess fat and toxins from the body. It helps to get a better hormonal balance. This supplement helps to reduce anxiety and stress which are the main causes of unhealthy erotic life. Here are some steps which help to know the working of the supplement: - Firstly, it improves the flow of blood to the penis and other genital areas. - Nitric oxide level also gets enhanced in the blood. - It relaxes the penis tissues which helps in a better erection. - Enhances the sensual drive for better coition. - Now, it works to improve cognition and gets a better nervous system. - Now, it works to improve the energy level of the whole body. - Lastly, it helps to get better stamina and strength of the coition. These were some steps that ensure to get required results from the product. It has effective working for the erotic life. What compounds are added to the product which helps in the intimation process? Few compounds are added to the formula for healthy erection and working of the testosterone. Compounds are the main and important part of the supplement. So let us know about the ingredients involved in the formula: - Asian Red Ginseng: It enhances the sensual health of a person by balancing the metabolic rate and immunity of the body. - Epimedium Leaf extracts: It is present in the formula which helps to improve the sensual health of a person. It helps to reduce erectile dysfunction problems in males. It is an aphrodisiac herb. - Damiana: This is a shrub that is grown mainly in Mexico. It helps to deal with sensual health. It improves the sensual health of men. It is usually in yellow. It has many medicinal properties. Enhances the blood flow and erection during intimation. - Muira Puama Bark: This element works to reduce sensual disorders. It improves the immunity level and sexual health of a person. - Hawthorn Berry: It helps improve cardiovascular health. Also, it is an antioxidant that helps to flush out all the toxins from the body. It improves the erection level too. - Catuaba Bark Extract: This is an extract that comes from Peru and Brazil. It is responsible for healthy working of sensual health. It enhances the sleeping habits to get proper sleep. It works to improve the overall health of a person. - Saw palmetto: It uses the natural method to enhance the testosterone level of the body. Various vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients are provided to the body with this element. - Ginkgo biloba: This is the most effective and healthy element which acts as an anti-inflammatory and antioxidant. It increases the erection level. It helps to get a better flow of blood to the nervous system. It enhances the libido secretion in the body. - Bioperine: It is responsible for improving the metabolic rate. It helps to absorb nutrients that are infused into the body with the help of the product. It boosts the immunity of the body. This helps to improve the functioning of the whole body. What benefits do we get through VigRX Plus? Benefits that we get through VigRX Plus Pills are given below: - Better libido level: It helps to enhance the libido level for better intercourse. It helps to get a better flow of blood to the penis. It gives amazing results for intercourse. - Increase in energy level: Better strength and stamina are provided to the body with this supplement. It helps to get a high energy level for the intimation. - Better erection but in a controlled manner: Erection level gets increased with the help of this product as it is healthy and effective. Also, contains such elements which result in a safer erection. - Better orgasms: It helps to get orgasms more time. This helps to build a healthy and better relationship with the partner. Are there any side effects with this supplement? VigRX Plus is a natural and herbal supplement that causes no side effects to the body. Unless and until you are not taking other medications, there are no side effects with this supplement. It is made for the growth and development of the body and sensual health. So it rarely gives any kind of side effects to the body. It is not something about which you need to worry about. It may cause some problems in the initial stages but later there are no side effects with this product. What about the dosage of this supplement? Dosage of the supplement is an important part as we get to know how it can be used and how it helps to get multiple benefits for the body. You can start with 2 capsules per day. The consumption of healthy food and drinking more water in a day helps to get the required results. It is advised not to take an overdose as it can be harmful to the body’s functioning. Do we need a doctor’s consultation? VigRX Plus Male enhancement is a natural supplement that contains all herbal ingredients. Each ingredient added to the formula is helpful in many ways. So there is no need for a doctor’s consult until you are suffering from health problems. If the elements added to the formula are allergic or causes problems to the body then go for other alternatives. How to buy the supplement at an affordable price? This supplement is easily available on the official website. Yes, this company has its official website from where you can purchase the products in bulk and get amazing discounts. It is available at a reasonable price on the site. Thus, it is better to get the product from the official site. Is it a safe remedy? Yes, this is a safe and sound remedy for many of us. It causes no side effects to the body. if you have a sensitive body functioning then, it might cause some mild side effects but generally, it is the safest supplement for sensual health. For what all problems is helpful? This supplement helps people in many ways. It is helpful for erectile dysfunction, premature ejaculation, and less erection. It helps in many ways to the people for better intercourse. It promotes healthy intercourse and a sensual life. What do customers say about this product? Yes, the customers are enjoying the results of this particular supplement. They have got amazing working for sensual health. VigRX Plus helped them for better erection and longer and harder size. So it is the best supplement for male enhancement.

Einhell cordless hedge trimmers in practical tests Top tips all about your cordless hedge trimmer in practical tests from Einhell: What makes for a good hedge trimmer? What makes our cordless hedge trimmers special? Which hedge trimmers do you need for different tasks? And how do you achieve the perfect cut of your hedge in the garden with our cordless hedge trimmers? We'll explain all of that in this blog! We hope you enjoy reading and getting out to work in your garden! Hedge trimmers for different applications At Einhell you will find hedge trimmers for the most diverse requirements, from amateur gardeners to the garden professionals. In addition to our cordless Power X-Change cordless hedge trimmers, our range also features petrol hedge trimmers, electric hedge trimmers and telescopic hedge trimmers with an outstanding price-performance ratio. Here we will show you which hedge trimmer is best suited for each application: The best hedge trimmers for amateur gardeners For amateur gardeners, cordless hedge trimmers are the perfect model for quickly and simply cutting hedges in your garden with flexibility. Those with large gardens in particular will appreciate the cordless freedom of the battery drive with Li-ion technology. All cordless hedge trimmers are fitted with the patented Power X‐Change battery system. This allows you to use the batteries and chargers for other Power X-Change products around your garden, such as lawn mowers or chainsaws. Perfect for amateur gardeners who want to enjoy cordless freedom in their garden. Thanks to the powerful lithium-ion battery, cordless hedge trimmers are also suitable for demanding cutting work and hedges with thicker branches. However, very thick branches or resistant hedges are best cut with petrol hedge trimmers or electric hedge trimmers, even if you're not a professional. Both models provide plenty of power, even for challenging gardening work. Comparison of our hedge trimmers for small gardens If you have a small to medium-sized garden, you can also enjoy the cordless freedom of the cordless battery-powered hedge trimmers from the Power X-Change system. Electric hedge trimmers with traditional mains connections offer slightly less freedom of movement. However, electric hedge trimmers quickly make up for their reduced reach, especially in small gardens as they're ready to use in just seconds and are particularly light and comfortable. If you also have hedges with thicker branches in your small garden, we recommend using a heavy petrol hedge trimmer, which offers a little more power than cordless hedge trimmers or electric hedge trimmers. Comparison: Hedge trimmers for professionals and professional gardeners Real gardening professions need a hedge trimmer with impressive cutting power, reliability and freedom of movement. This is why a petrol hedge trimmer is the hedge trimmer of choice for most professionals. These hedge trimmers cut even thicker branches effortlessly and can be used flexibly anywhere in the garden or in public spaces. However, we are increasingly also seeing professional gardeners using cordless hedge trimmers. These models offer the same freedom of movement as petrol hedge trimmers but are lighter and more flexible to use. The powerful lithium-ion batteries and chargers from the Power X-Change family impress even the professionals with their reliability and endurance. For the best cordless hedge trimmers: the Einhell battery in test conditions Why do our hedge trimmers always perform so well in cordless hedge trimmer tests? This is of course due to the high quality of the individual components. From the motor to the drive and the sword: every one of our top cordless hedge trimmers offer high performance at an affordable price! But the real highlight of the electric hedge trimmers from the Power X-Change system is the battery. It has been specially developed for the high requirements of DIYers, amateur gardeners and professionals. The battery itself, which is fitted with a modern lithium-ion battery, comes in different power levels – and still fits flexibly into every wireless tool from the Power X-Change family. This is what makes the batteries so popular and versatile. You can select the right battery depending on the power requirements of your tool. For particularly powerful devices, such as lawn mowers, you can even use two batteries at the same time, depending on the model. You only get this level of flexibility with the Power X-Change system from Einhell. By the way: It's not only the batteries that are equipped with the latest technology, but also the matching chargers. They charge the battery particularly quickly and gently and ensure a long service life of the individual lithium-ion cells with intelligent battery monitoring. Cordless or electric: Cordless and electric hedge trimmers compared: Hedge trimmers with purely electric drives are particularly popular with amateur gardeners. Whether you're using a battery or mains connection, the hedge trimmers are ready to go with no hassle, easy to use, and deliver enough power to cut most hedges in the garden effortlessly and thoroughly. Nevertheless, there are a few essential differences between cordless hedge trimmers and electric hedge trimmers, which we will take a quick look at in this comparison. The hedge trimmer test: Flexibility The real difference when it comes to using battery-powered and mains connection hedge trimmers is the freedom of movement. With a cordless, battery-powered hedge trimmer, you can move freely throughout the garden without having to worry about cable drums, extension leads or plugs. This is ideal for extensive gardens or many spread out cutting areas. The battery supplies your hedge trimmer with power anywhere, making trimming hedges a quick task that doesn't take up all your time. With electric hedge trimmers, on the other hand, you always need to have a power source nearby – or have the right extension leads. With smaller gardens this is usually not a problem, as there will usually be a socket within easy reach in the garden shed or on the house wall. For large gardens, however, the use of an electric hedge trimmer – rather than a cordless hedge trimmer – requires a little more planning. The hedge trimmer test: Endurance Although the endurance of our Power X-Change batteries is extremely high, it does not come close to the unlimited power provided by a mains connection. So for all amateur gardeners it is important to weigh up whether you prefer the cordless freedom of a cordless, battery-powered hedge trimmer, or whether you need the endurance of an electric hedge trimmer. The bigger your hedge is, the more likely you are to benefit from a direct power supply. On the other hand, smaller hedges can be cut easily and particularly conveniently with a cordless hedge trimmer. The hedge trimmer test: Power The thicker and more robust your hedge grows, the more power your hedge trimmer needs to cut thoroughly and without too much effort. Just as in terms of endurance, an electric hedge trimmer also has the advantage when it comes to performance from a direct power connection. This means that the electric hedge trimmer has a little more power and can also cut through thicker branches cleanly. But that doesn't mean that cordless hedge trimmers are low powered, quite the opposite: with their powerful 18-volt battery from the Power X-Change system and the brushless motor, Einhell's cordless hedge trimmers deliver enough power to cut most common hedges effortlessly. The hedge trimmer test: Summary Cordless hedge trimmers are perfect for amateur gardeners who want to achieve results particularly easily, conveniently and quickly. On the other hand, electric hedge trimmers are better suited for gardeners who place more importance on power and endurance. Before we get started, here's a short glossary for cordless hedge trimmers So that we're all talking about the same thing: all hedge trimmers have a number of different components with important functions. Here are the essential components of a hedge trimmer: Cordless hedge trimmers: No annoying cable, but still full power. With the cordless hedge trimmers and chargers from our Power X-Change range, you combine high performance with maximum freedom of movement. Electric hedge trimmers: Quick and ready to go. With an electric hedge trimmer with a cord power connection, you get a light, handy garden tool that's always ready to use. Electric hedge trimmers offer plenty of comfort, low weight and enough power for easy hedge growth. Petrol hedge trimmer: Maximum power for the toughest requirements. Petrol hedge trimmers from Einhell are for real professionals, and they can cut even very woody, large hedges and thicker branches effortlessly and precisely. Full power with Power X-Change. The powerful Li-ion battery in the Einhell cordless hedge trimmers delivers enough power for demanding cutting work and enough battery life even for large hedges. A small component with a big impact The shock protection protects the tip of the sword from damage that can be caused by hitting a wall or stones when working. It also increases the safety of the hedge trimmer. For good grip. An ergonomically shaped and rotatable handle not only ensures good operation, but also the right drive. The handle itself contains the main switch for the hedge trimmer. Strong plastic for a long life cycle. The casing for Einhell hedge trimmers is made from particularly strong, high-quality plastic. This keeps the weight of the hedge trimmer light and perfectly protects the motor and the drive from damage. Maximum safety with two-hand operation. The flexible handpiece on the front upper side of the casing is essential for safe operation of the hedge trimmer. Since the second safety switch is located here, a hedge trimmer can only be operated with two hands. Electric hedge trimmers are connected directly to the mains power supply. For this purpose, these models use a robust mains plug, which can be easily extended using standard extension leads. As they don't have a battery, electric hedge trimmers are much lighter. Safety first! You simply pull the safety guard over the sword of your trimmers when you're done. This prevents injuries and protects the blade from damage. A sharp blade for precise cuts. The sword is the actual cutting tool in your hedge trimmer. It consists of two blades arranged on top of one another with teeth that move in opposite directions. This provides an extremely efficient cutting edge that effortlessly cuts through even small branches. Hedge trimmers for particularly high hedges or shrubs are called telescopic hedge trimmers. They have an extra-long handle, which is attached to an adjustable telescopic arm. Telescopic hedge trimmers can be used to get to hard-to-reach areas throughout the garden. At Einhell, both cordless and electric telescopic hedge trimmers are available. Cutting hedges: 5 tips from the cordless hedge trimmer test So, you've chosen the right cordless hedge trimmer for you and are ready to start trimming your hedge? Here are 5 tips on how to successfully get your hedge back into shape. Tip 1: Shaping vs. pruning You can cut your hedge in two ways – with shaping (topiary) cuts or by cutting it back (pruning). With shaping cuts, you only trim branches that grow out, and the hedge itself keeps its usual shape. Pruning and cutting back is much more complex. Here the hedge is radically trimmed or even cut right back to the ground. Tip 2: The right time If your hedge grown back a lot over winter, then in February you have the best chance to prune your hedge and get it cut back into shape. The earlier you cut your hedge the better, as once March arrives you will no longer be allowed to cut back your hedges as birds like to choose hedges to breed in. But that's not the case for shaping, which is permitted throughout the entire year. However, it is best to carry it out by the end of September at the latest, as otherwise frost damage to the sensitive branches can occur. Tip 3: More than just protective clothing When trimming hedges you should always wear protective clothing. Most importantly, this includes gloves, protective goggles and hearing protection. To protect your skin from thorns or poisonous plant parts, we also recommend that you always wear long clothes and sturdy shoes. Tip 4: Using string The top tip for a straight cut: Simply stretch a string along your desired cutting edges. To help you do this, you could stick two sticks into the ground and attach the string to them. Now simply cut along the line created by the string with the cordless hedge trimmer for a perfectly straight cut. Tip 5: The perfect hedge cutting shape Most hedges in Germany are cut into a rectangular shape. However, it is better to cut in a trapezoid shape. This means that the top part of the hedge is cut narrower than the base on the ground. This will keep your hedge completely opaque and at the same time the lower shoots will get enough light for healthy growth. Summary: Success with the right hedge trimmer and the perfect technology! Whether you opt for a cordless battery-powered hedge trimmer, a corded electric hedge trimmer or a petrol hedge trimmer, with Einhell's powerful models, you're sure to have the right tool to cut your hedge back into perfect shape. Just make sure you have the right time, good protective equipment and a straight cut – your hedge will look neat and healthy again in no time. Finally, we will show you which cordless hedge trimmers from Einhell are best suited for you in our product overview:

The Ghosts of Caucuses Past WHY YOU SHOULD CARE Because it’s caucus time. By Sean Braswell It was the summer of 1975. The Vietnam War had just ended. The Bee Gees comeback hit “Jive Talkin’ ” was climbing the charts. And Steffen Schmidt was kicking back with friends, barbecuing and drinking beer at a neighbor’s farm in Iowa, when the group noticed a small band of cyclists turning off the country road to head up the farm’s long, tree-lined drive. “When they finally reached us,” remembers Schmidt, a political science professor at Iowa State University, “a toothy man in sports gear got off, walked over to us and said (in his now-famous Georgian accent), ‘Hi! My name’s Jimmy Cahter, and I’m runnin’ fo’ president.’ ” That summer day Schmidt and friends could only ask “Jimmy who?”; 18 months later, the friendly cyclist would be the most powerful man in the world. Such are the vagaries of the American political process and the joys of living in Iowa, home of “the first in the nation” presidential caucus, where residents not only get to shake hands with the next president of the United States, but they also have an outsize hand in choosing who that individual is. For the candidates, embarking on the political rite of passage in Iowa entails flipping pancakes, posing with pigs, eating all manner of fried food and expounding on their vision of America before a 30-foot stainless steel Jesus. But it also means stepping onto the great testing ground of presidential politics, one frozen in the amber of tradition, where the ghosts of campaigns past hover over one’s every handshake and hello. Welcome to the Hawkeye State: Come Early and Often Presidential politics in Iowa is personal. Very personal. Which means the first thing any serious contender, or caucus-goer, must do is show up. There is no absentee voting, and with almost 2,000 simultaneous meetings held at 7 p.m. on Caucus Night in church basements, school gyms and other venues across the state, those who can’t get out of work or have other commitments lose their say. And yet, Iowa is hardly representative of the American electorate. Several U.S. cities have more than Iowa’s roughly 3 million residents, of whom 94 percent are white and 15 percent are senior citizens, which puts the state in the top-five whitest and oldest in the nation. Which is also why courting voters in the state can feel like a never-ending public relations tour targeting tiny groups of retired farmers and their spouses. “It takes two things to win Iowa, and even they don’t guarantee success,” says David A. Yepsen, director of the Paul Simon Public Policy Institute at Southern Illinois University. The first is a message that appeals and, perhaps most important, as Simon notes, “time on task: a lot of time in smaller, retail political meetings.” And retail politics can be a lonely business. Just one person reportedly turned up for a Rick Santorum event in 2012, and Yepsen, who spent 34 years reporting for the Des Moines Register, once found himself eating grapes alone with then–president-wannabe Carter after a mere handful of people turned up for a downtown reception that had food for hundreds. But the unknown peanut farmer persevered, winning hearts and votes in Iowa on his way to finishing first (after “uncommitted”) in the caucuses and becoming the 39th president — setting a rigorous campaigning precedent that is still emulated today. Most candidates, as John C. Skipper chronicles in The Iowa Caucuses: First Tests of Presidential Aspiration, 1972–2008, come early and often to the state. Missouri congressman Dick Gephardt made his first appearance for the 1988 Iowa caucuses in early 1985, and his mother rented an apartment there to make frequent visits more feasible. Appealing to Iowans has made many candidates go to surprising lengths: Former Connecticut Sen. Chris Dodd moved his entire family to the state, even enrolling his child in school, in the run-up to his seventh-place finish in 2008. And former Arizona Gov. Bruce Babbitt one-upped Carter when he participated in a weeklong 500-mile bike ride across the state before his 1988 campaign. Then there are the little gestures that can count for a lot, from Tennessee Sen. Lamar Alexander’s flannel, man-of-the-people shirt to Rev. Jesse Jackson, decked out in his signature suit, handling a piglet. “Can I shovel your walk for you?” Howard Dean asked Iowans in the winter of 2004, one of many small deeds the former Vermont governor gladly performed, including opening new supermarkets, prompting one pundit to quip that Dean would willingly show up for the opening of an envelope in Iowa. Knowing the importance of these seemingly mundane gestures, some campaigns go even further: Alexander’s staffers once deputized a teacher in a Mason City crowd to be a designated clapper at one of his speeches, and aides to GOP candidate Pat Buchanan removed chairs from a room where he was scheduled to speak so the event would be standing-room only. Not surprisingly, these efforts have been known to backfire, as when Hillary Clinton’s campaign came under fire for planting questions at town hall events in Iowa in 2007. Iowa: Kingmaker or Grim Reaper? So does it work? Can running the gauntlet of town halls and stump speeches lead to victory in Iowa? In 1980, a former CIA director named George H.W. Bush sank all his efforts into Iowa, upsetting GOP favorite Ronald Reagan, who opted instead to rely on endorsements and his front-runner status. Bush would claim the “old Mo” (momentum) from the victory, while a good friend would tell it straight to the humbled Reagan: “You were sitting on your ass in Iowa.” Then there’s Dean, who sank more time into the state than his rivals, only to finish a disappointing third in Iowa. Despite their reputation as political kingmakers, however, Iowans do not have a stellar record when it comes to picking future presidents. Putting aside incumbents and Carter, only two caucus winners since 1972 have gone on to win the presidency (though they also happen to be our most recent presidents: George W. Bush in 2000 and Barack Obama in 2008). Still, in that same period, no candidate who has finished worse than fourth place has gone on to win the Republican or Democratic nomination. In reality, says Yepsen, Iowa serves two functions: It can “elevate a candidate out of obscurity with a win or good showing,” as with Carter in 1976, Bush in 1980 and Colorado Sen. Gary Hart in 1984, or it “cuts down the field of candidates.” Schmidt tabs Iowa the “Political Weather Service” because the caucuses identify, like a good forecast, “the top three contenders in each party — candidates likely to connect with voters in subsequent primaries and caucuses.” Indeed, Iowa’s forecast has missed only two fourth-place finishers (and future nominees) — John McCain in 2008 and Bill Clinton in 1992. It may be true that Iowa’s caucus-going minority has a disproportionate impact on American democracy, but it is doing precisely what a first-in-the-nation forum should do: force candidates to personally interact with voters while showcasing their strengths and weaknesses on a national stage, which is why so much depends on those shining the light on that stage. Without the media glare, a triumph in Iowa, as journalist Howard Kurtz once put it, “amounts to scoring a run in the top of the first inning.” Playing the Expectations Game: Win, Lose or Spin In many ways, the impact of Iowa is a figment of the collective imagination, stoked by a media narrative. A “win” in Iowa, says Yepsen, is really just doing “better than the political community expects.” For long-shot victors like Mike Huckabee in 2008, a better-than-expected showing means getting noticed and getting to campaign a bit longer. For front-runners like Bush Sr., whose third-place finish behind Bob Dole in 1988 was called “feeble” and “humiliating” by the press, failing to meet expectations can be more devastating than the actual result. And even winners can fall victim to the expectations game. Just ask Walter Mondale. The sitting vice president at the time, Mondale thumped runner-up Hart by more than 30 points in Iowa in 1984, but Hart was the one deemed to have exceeded expectations by finishing second, and his “upset” in the headlines helped fuel Hart victories in the next three primaries. “Without a fight, there’s no story,” Mondale said later. “The press establishes the expectations game and thrives on it.” Recent studies (by Todd Donovan, a political scientist at Western Washington University; David Redlawsk of Rutgers; and Caroline Tolbert of the University of Iowa) analyzing data from the caucuses confirm such wisdom. Iowa’s most significant role, the researchers conclude, is to refocus media attention when a candidate exceeds or fails to meet expectations. Which might explain why, even before tomorrow’s caucuses, both Ted Cruz and Bernie Sanders have been scrambling to downplay expectations that they will win, or need to win, lest they finish what some might label a very disappointing second. Carter was one of the first to realize the importance of going door to to door and cycling up Iowans’ driveways, but he was also among the first to see Iowa for what it really is: a media event. Carter’s campaign hinged on Iowa not merely because it could boost name recognition or win delegates, but also because he knew it was where his political narrative would be forged in the media. “It’s not about how many votes or about winning,” Donovan observes of Iowa. “It’s about how the story is interpreted.” Let the caucuses, and the storytelling, begin.

Interchange Cryptographic Keys Interchange keys are used to protect financial transactions initiated at Acquirer eftpos / ATM Terminals while in transit to the Issuer institution. Interchange keys may be either: (a) PIN encrypting keys – used to protect the customer PIN from the point of origin to the point of authorisation. PIN encrypting keys are a specific instance of session keys; (b) Session keys – used to secure, validate and protect the financial message. Session keys can be further qualified into those used in the terminal to Acquirer environment (terminal session keys) or on node to node links (interchange session keys); (c) Key Encrypting Keys (KEK) – used to protect other keys (e.g. session keys) during exchange; or (d) Transport Keys – used to protect keys (e.g. KEKs) during transport to the partner institution. DEA3 and DEA2 are the only approved algorithms for the protection of interchange information (full details of these algorithms may be found in the Australian standard AS 2805 part 5). DEA3 keys are 128 bits in length (effectively 112 bits) and are generally referred to as triple DES or 3DES keys (the corresponding encryption algorithm is specified in AS 2805 part 5.4). Triple DES may also be acceptably implemented using a key length of 192 bits (effectively 168 bits). DEA3 with a key length of 128 bits and DEA2 with key lengths equal to, or greater than 2048 bits are the minimum acceptable requirements for the effective protection of interchange information at the time of the issuance of this document. In accordance with AS 2805 part 3, DEA3 must be used for PIN encipherment. For all Interchange Links, Issuers and Acquirers must ensure that: (a) Security for Transactions processed over that Interchange Link complies with AS2805 Part 6; (b) Message formats comply with AS2805 Part 2; (c) Security of transactions from terminal to Acquirer and from Acquirer to Issuer complies with AS2805 Part 6; (d) PIN security and encryption complies with AS2805 Parts 3 and 5.4; (e) Key management practices comply with AS2805 Part 6.1; In each case and as more particularly set out in Part 8: (a) Message Authentication must apply to all Interchange Links; (b) The Message Authentication Code (MAC) must be calculated using, as a minimum, a DEA 3 (128-bit) key, Triple DES and an algorithm conforming to AS2805 Part 4; and (c) all interchange PIN and MAC cryptographic functions must be performed within a Tamper-responsive SCM The Actual process using an Thales 9000 HSM (CECS Approved) Now what we are clear on the actual requirements of CECS and APCA, lets attempt to do this using a Thales 9000. Generate a Sponsor RSA key pair This command is the first step as would be required to do this for all terminal commands. - This is done my using the HSM EI host Command, from the HSM base manual. - The input is the length of the RSA key set required, and the length go the public key modulus. - The Public Key Verification Code should now be generated. This is done using the HSM H2 Command from the Australian Standards Support Manual. The Public Key and the PVC are sent to your Interchange Partner via different paths, as per their direction. (lets call this OUR-Key and OUR-PVC) Your Interchange partner will now do the same process and provide you with a Public Key and a PVC. (lets call this THEIR-Key and THEIR-PVC) When we receive this Public Key from our Interchange Partner, the following should happen: - The PVC for the Key should be generated using the HSM H2 Command from the Australian Standards Support Manual. - The MAC for the Key should be generated using the HSM EO command from the HSM Base Manual. We now have public keys exchanged and have them ready for use!! Our Database should be looking like this: Now we have the Public keys exchanged and ready for use, we can generate our KEKs & send to Interchange Partner, and receive our KEKr from Interchange Partner; - To send our KEKs we will use the H4 command from the Australian Standards support manual. - To receive our KEKr we will use the H6 command from the Australian Standards support manual. Once these are decrypted and stored in our key database we can generate and exchange our session MAC and PIN keys. - To generate and store our send keys we use the OI command from the Australian Standards support manual. - To receive and store our receive keys we use the OK command from the Australian Standards support manual. Now we have all the keys in place we can start to process transactions. - To generate the MAC on a message there are a number of commands available, however as we are using the AS2805 standards we always recommend our customers use the C2 command from the Australian Standards support manual. This provides all the options required for the Australian environment. Similarly to verify the MAC on a message there are a number of commands available, however as we are using the AS2805 standards we always recommend our customers use the C4 command from the Australian Standards support manual. This provides all the options required for the Australian environment. Terminal Manufacturer will be injecting into the PINpads their Manufacturer Public Key. The MPK will be transmitted to SPONSOR securely. The MPK validity should be checked by verifying the PVC, this is achieved by generating a Public Key Verification Code This is done using the H2 command from the Australian Standards support manual. And the two values compared. - We also need to generate a PPASN, this is achieved using the AS2805 PK command. - The host will now send the SPK to the PINpad, the PINpad will now generate the KI (also known as KTI), and send to the host. This is recovered using the AS2805 host H8 command, which also returns the KCA, the KCA is encrypted under the LMK and the KTI. - Now we have the MPK and have verified it is genuine, we now need to generate a MAC for the Public Key, this is achieved using the Host EO command, this is used in subsequent processing. Note: this command is only available when the HSM is in Authorised State. We can now recover the PINpad Public from the MSK. This is achieved using the AS2805 H0 host command. - KCA is now used to create the TMK1 and TMK2 (also known as KEK1 & KEK2). These are generated using the C0 command. - Now we have the TMK’s in place we can use the TMK update commands. Updating the Keys - When updating only TMK1 the AS2805 OU command is used. - When updating both TMK1 and TMK2 then the OW command is used. Now we have the TMK’s in place and able to be updated, we can generate the Session Keys to be used for the PIN, MAC & optional encryption keys if required. This is achieved using the AS2805 PI command. The PI command will generate the PIN, MAC, and optional Encryption keys. - Now we can have the session keys in place we can Decrypt the data, verify the MAC & verify the pin. The decrypt data & verify MAC steps depend on how it has been handled by the terminal. Has the terminal done the MAC first then encrypted the required data or has the terminal encrypted the data & then done the MAC. We have assumed that the Encrypt was done first. - Verify the MAC’s on the transactions from the terminal using the AS2805 C4. - Once the MAC has been verified we can then decrypt the required data with the AS2805 host command PW. - Now we have the required decrypted data you will need to either verify the PIN or Translate the PIN, to translate the PIN assuming the transaction is a debit card transaction. This is achieved using the AS2805 PO host command. To verify the PIN will use one of the following F0 or F2. If you have translated the PIN we can form the message and generate a MAC for the message to be sent to Interchange Partner, this is achieved using the C2 command as detailed above in the Interchange messages. The biggest problem we see with this are around the KEKs & KEKr is people get them around the wrong way. Your KEKs becomes the remote KEKr & vice versa. The AS2805 commands are designed to swap them over automatically. The other gotcha is we split the terminal side & the interchange side of the HSM, TMK (terminal master key) is like a KEK (ZMK (Zone master key)) but used on the terminal side of the network where a ZMK (KEKs & KEKr) is used for interchange side of the network. easy as Pie!

« PreviousContinue » promise of ch. xxiii. 11 was now fulfilled, “so must thou bear witness also at Rome." For on this view, the being brought before Cæsar ought to have been expressly narrated : another promise having been given to Paul, ch. xxvii. 24, “Fear not, Paul ; thou must be brought before Cæsar.”—Indeed this very argument tells forcibly in favour of the date commonly assigned. Without attributing it as an object in the mind of the writer, to relate the fulfilment of every divine promise recorded by him, we may at least regard it as probable, that had he been able to chronicle the fulfilment of this promise, he would have done so, seeing that the apology before Cæsar was so weighty an event, and that three former apologies, those before the Jews, before Felix, and before Festus and Agrippa, had been inserted. 7. If we look at the probabilities of the matter, we shall find that the time commonly assigned was by very far the most likely for the publication of the book. The arrival at Rome was an important period in the Apostle's life : the quiet which succeeded it seemed to promise no immediate determination of his cause : a large amount of historic material was collected or perhaps, taking another view, Nero was beginning ‘to be changed for the worse :' none could tell how soon the whole outward repose of Roman society might be shaken, and the tacit toleration which now the Christians enjoyed be exchanged for bitter persecution. If such terrors loomed in the prospect of even those who judged from worldly probabilities, there would surely be in the church at Rome prophets and teachers, who might tell them by the Holy Ghost of the storm which was gathering, and might warn them that the words lying ready for publication must be given to the faithful before its outbreak, or never. It is true that such antecedent considerations would weigh little against presumptive evidence furnished by the book itself: but when arrayed in aid of such evidence, they carry with them no small weight: when we find that the time naturally and fairly indicated in the book itself for its publication, is that one of all others when we should conceive that publication most likely. 8. We thus get A.D. 63 (see the following table) for the date of the publication. 9. The same arguments which establish the date, also fix the place. At Rome, among the Christians there, was this history first made public, which has since then in all parts and ages of the church formed a recognized and important part of the canon of Scripture. 10. As regards the title of the book, we may observe, that it appears to represent the estimate, not of one culling these out of more copious materials, but of an age when these were all the Acts of the Apostles extant: and probably therefore proceeded not from the author, but from the transcribers. GENUINENESS, AND STATE OF THE TEXT. 1. Eusebius, recounting the writings which were on all hands confessed to be divine, says, “We must place first the holy quaternion of the Gospels, which are followed by the account of the Acts of the Apostles.” And again, “ Luke, a native of Antioch, and by profession a physician, having been the almost constant companion of Paul, and having not seldom consorted with the other Apostles, has left records of the soulhealing doctrine which he derived from them in two divinely-inspired books: the Gospel ... and the Acts of the Apostles, which he drew up no longer from report, but by the testimony of his own sight.” And many earlier fathers, either by citation or by allusion, have sufficiently shown that the book was esteemed by them part of the canon of Scripture. (a) Papias, as quoted by Eusebius, does not mention nor refer to the Acts. He speaks indeed of Philip, and his daughters, but mistakes him (?) for Philip the Apostle : and of Justus surnamed Barsabas. Nor are there any references in Justin Martyr which, fairly considered, belong to this book. Such as are sometimes quoted may be seen in Lardner, Vol. i. p. 122. The same may be said of Clement of Rome. Ignatius is supposed to allude to it, “ After His resurrection He ate and drank with them.” Compare Acts x. 41 : so also Polycarp, “Whom God raised up, having loosed the pains of death.” Compare Acts ii. 24. (6) The first direct quotation occurs in the Epistle of the Churches of Lyons and Vienne to those of Asia and Phrygia (A.D. 177) given in Eusebius. Speaking of the martyrs, they say, “ They prayed for those who had inflicted these cruelties on them, as did Stephen the perfect martyr, saying, 'Lord, lay not this sin to their charge.'” (c) Irenæus frequently and expressly quotes this book : and he gives a summary of the latter part of the Acts, attributing it to Luke as its writer. (d) Clement of Alexandria quotes it often, and as the work of Luke: e. g. “As Luke also in the Acts of the Apostles relates that Paul said, Ye men of Athens, &c.” (see Acts xvii, 22, 23.) (e) Tertullian often quotes it expressly : e.g. “Thus we find afterwards in the Acts of the Apostles, that some who had had the baptism of John had not received the Holy Spirit, whom they had not even heard of.” Compare Acts xix. 1-3. And again : “In the same treatise of Luke we hear of the third hour of prayer, at which those who first received the Holy Spirit were taken for drunken men ; and the sixth, at which Peter went up on the housetop, &c.” 2. (a) The Marcionites (cent. iii.) and the Manichæans (cent. iv.) rejected the Acts as contradicting some of their notions. (6) Some modern critics in Germany, especially Baur, have made use of the hypothesis, that the Acts is an apology for Paul (see above, § iii. 4), to throw discredit on the book, and to bring down its publication to the second century. But with the hypothesis will also fall that which is built on it; and from the reasoning of the preceding sections it may be seen how utterly impracticable it would have been for an imitator to draw up narratives and speeches which should present the phænomena, in relation to the facts underlying them, which these do. 3. The text of the Acts, in some of the leading MSS., and of the later mss. and versions, is varied by many interpolations of considerable length, which may be seen in the digest of various readings in my Greek Test. Of these, some are remarkable as bearing considerable appearance of genuineness, e.g. that in ch. xii. 10, given there in the margin. Considerable uncertainty hangs over the whole question respecting these insertions. A critic of eminence, Bornemann, believes that the text of the Acts originally contained them all, and has been abbreviated by the hand of correctors; and he has published an edition on this principle. 4. The great abundance of various readings in the Acts has been observed by every critical reader. In no book of the N. T., with the exception of the Apocalypse, is the text so full of variations as in this. To this result several reasons may have contributed. In the many backward references to the Gospel history, and anticipations of statements and expressions occurring in the Epistles, temptations were found inducing the corrector to try his hand at assimilating, and as he thought reconciling, the various accounts. In places where ecclesiastical order or usage was in question, insertions or omissions were made to suit the habits and views of the church in after times. Where the narrative simply related facts,-any act or word apparently unworthy of the apostolic agent was modified for the sake of decorum. Where St. Paul relates over again to different audiences the details of his miraculous conversion, the one passage was pieced from the other, so as to produce verbal accordance. These circumstances render the critical arrangement of the text in this book a task more than usually difficult. 1. The chronology of the Acts has been the subject of many learned disquisitions both in ancient and modern times. It must suffice here to furnish a table arranged according to years, in which the contemporary sacred and profane history may be placed side by side, according to the conclusions which I myself have been led to form. A work often referred to in this Introduction, Dr. Davidson's Introduction to the New Testament, will be found by the English reader to contain a very useful résumé of the views and arguments of other writers as well as his own conclusions; and it is accompanied with the table usual in the German writers, giving at one glance the various dates assigned by different chronologists for the events in the apostolic history. 2. I proceed to give the chronological table above promised. It will be observed that the chronology of the Acts takes us only to the end of the second year of St. Paul's (first] imprisonment at Rome. With the important and difficult question respecting a second imprisonment, we are here in no way concerned. It will come before us for full discussion in the Introduction to the Pastoral Epistles, Vol. II.

June 3, 2013 to June 6, 2013 Location : CECAM-HQ-EPFL, Lausanne, Switzerland - Michele Amato (Ecole Polytechnique – Université Paris Sud, France) - Riccardo Rurali (Institute of Materials Science of Barcelona, Spain) - Stefano Ossicini (University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy) - Maurizia Palummo (University of Rome II 'Tor Vergata', Italy) The idea of combining the chemical and physical properties of Silicon (Si) and Germanium (Ge) represents a well-established strategy to engineer innovative materials and devices. SiGe systems have been experiencing tremendous development from the mid-1980’s, as high quality SiGe thin layers and superlattices became the subjects of an intense research and development. On the other hand, in the last decade Nanostructures (NSs) started to be considered the key development for the next generation technology, due their ease of processing, unique properties and compatibility with the existent Si microelectronics. In this context nanowires (NWs) and nanocrystals (NCs) are the strongest candidate to provide the change of paradigm needed by the new generation of electron devices, either by replacing or, more realistically, integrating the existing CMOS technology. While Si, Ge and III-V NWs have been widely studied, only recently SiGe nanosystems are attracting an increasing interest for their multiple potentiality in many different fields, in particular in the field of energy, materials and information and communication technologies (ICT). One-dimensional and zero-dimensional SiGe nanostructures (SiGe NSs) have acquired today a prominent role in several cutting-edge research topics in nanoscience, thanks to the latest relevant advances in synthesis, processing and characterization. The key objective of this workshop is to promote the progress in the fundamental understanding (in the broad sense of theory combined with experiments) of the structural, electronic, optical and transport properties of Silicon-Germanium nanosystems. The aim is to offer the possibility to discuss hard questions and challenges, that could lead to future advanced technological applications. This will be done by facing the main role of theory and modeling in the characterization of these nano-materials, always with a look into experiments. Since in these materials the size is, very often, at or below the characteristic length scale of some fundamental solid-state phenomena, their investigation requires clear and deep quantitative understanding of condensed matter at nanoscale. Indeed a significant uncertainty prevails in discerning the fundamental effect of size-dependent factors, such as quantum confinement, from other factors (shape, composition, local strain, interface states…) that affect the main physical properties. In this context the role of theory, modeling and simulations in the description of SiGe NSs properties is clearly indispensable to not miss important challenges. This justifies the present workshop proposal. Indeed our purpose is to organize a workshop with primarily theoretical speakers and audience, while participation of some experimentalists will be strongly encouraged to guide the development of theory and simulations along the lines actually amenable to measurements. What is particularly fascinating in these nanosystems is that by bringing together two similar elements –Si and Ge, neighbors in the periodic table–, a rich variety of new chemical and physical properties emerge, stimulating both fundamental and application-driven research in nanoscience. These materials present unique structural, electronic, optical and transport properties, which are intrinsically associated with their low dimensionality and with the quantum confinement effect. Their physical properties are strictly related not only to the size of the system (like the corresponding pure Si and Ge NSs), but also to the relative composition of Si and Ge atoms, and to the geometry of Si/Ge interface. Substituting some of the atoms of a pure Si NS with Ge in random as well as ordered configurations of different compositions, strongly affects some fundamental properties such as band gap, effective mass, phonon and electron scattering processes and excitonic properties. As a consequence, SiGe nanosystems are the target of the most intriguing and exciting technological applications in the field of high performance nanoelectronics (such as FETs and interconnections), thermoelectrics, photovoltaics, biomedicine, superconductivity and spintronics. This points out the main motivation and novelty of this proposal: because of the rapid advance of experimental and device investigation in this area, the need of a precise atomic understanding of these materials is becoming more urgent, and its absence is increasingly a barrier to progress in the field quite generally. Indeed the major goal, today, is to produce SiGe NSs with tunable shape, composition, strain and doping. The investigation of such systems with experimental techniques is very often complicated by several factors not always well controlled (such as impurities, surface reconstructions, dislocations, etc.), which can hide the right comprehension of these physical quantities without the support of atomistic theoretical modeling. Beyond to bring together world leading scientists and to assess which is the present state-of-the art in this specific research field, the vision of this workshop is to give a strong contribution into the development of robust computational tools for the quantitative understanding of growth, structure, electronic and dynamical processes in SiGe nanosystems in view of their applications in new generation technology. We do believe that an international workshop on this topic is timely and would attract a considerable interest. We aim at identifying and covering both the achieved milestones and outlining research efforts in theory, modeling and simulation of these nanostructures. To reach this ambitious objective, depicting the state-of-the-art of all the new experimental techniques in SiGe NSs growth and characterization is a paramount and cannot be neglected. Furthermore in view of their enormous technological potential in several strategic fields – e.g. energy storage conversion, nanoelectronics, spintronics – the deep understanding of the basic physics governing these systems cannot be achieved without knowledge of their most advanced device applications. A large number of fundamental issues in the description of these systems are far to be clarified and need a deep investigation. In particular in view of the need to fill different lacks of fundamental knowledge, three main hot fundamental topics will be considered: i) Growth and characterization, to devise simulations and modeling of critical processes during the synthesis of SiGe NSs in order to reach a precisely controlled and tunable composition, structure, geometry. ii) Electronic structure and Optical excitations, to simulate and describe with many-body accuracy fundamental topics, such as band offset, impurity activation energy and optical response. iii) Transport Processes, to determine the basic physics governing the transport processes in these materials, including electronic, spin and thermal transport. For each entry in the list it will be important to highlight which is the state-of-the-art and to clarify which are the research efforts done up to now and in which direction they should go in the future. As already mentioned before, the discussion will be mainly dedicated to theory and simulations, but at the same time we really feel that the participation of experimentalists is indispensable in this workshop to address the fundamental intellectual challenges in this field of research. Indeed the study on SiGe NSs is one of the most rapidly developing area in materials science and in nanotechnology, but his future will heavily depend on how deeply the above mentioned issues will be investigated and exploited within fruitful exchanges of ideas and problematics among theoreticians and experimentalists. An international workshop on this research field would be extremely useful for the future development of nanoscience and nanotechnology. One of the main objectives of this workshop is to create a high-level interdisciplinary space for the critical consideration of these issues. A broad selection of world leading theoretical and experimental scientists will contribute to the workshop. 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The Holy Sabbath by Arthur W. Pink This is the day which the LORD hath made, and therefore it is peculiarly and pre-eminently the Lords Day, and so it is expressly denominated in Revelation 1:10. It is the day which the Lord made specially for this Christian dispensation, namely, the first of the week. It is the day which has been made forever memorable by loosing the Redeemer from the pains of death. It is now the day in which His people are to celebrate the Saviours victory over the sepulchre. And therefore Christians must exclaim, we will rejoice and be glad in it: not only because of its appointment, but because of its occasion, for Christs resurrection was both for His own honour and for our salvation. Holy mirth, then, should fill our hearts at this season: Sabbath Days ought to be unto us as foretastes of Heaven itself. Then let us welcome each weekly return of it, and duly tune our hearts to show forth His praises therein.A.W.P. Two things are absolutely essential for the maintenance of vital godliness: the profession of its truth and the practice or exercise of its power, for they mutually assist each other. Where there is no profession of faith in its truth, none will express its power in obedience; and without obedience, profession is worthless. Clearly is this exemplified in connection with the Holy Sabbath. In proportion as the pulpit has failed to insist on and press the claims of the Sacred Day, vital godliness has been weakened and all but destroyed, and commensurate with the growth of an empty profession has been the decay of genuine piety. Things have now come to such a deplorable state that we may well exclaim, Truth is fallen in the street (Isa. 59:14), yea, is being ruthlessly trampled under foot not only by the masses in general but also by the great majority of those in high places. It is therefore incumbent upon all who fear and love God to do whatever lies within their power to rescue the Sabbath from its present profanation. Whatever furnishes help, according to the revealed will of God, in the promotion of good works, is greatly to be valued, especially so in a time when the profession of the Truth is being so widely called into question, and its practice not only neglected but despised. Now nothing is so well calculated to accomplish this end than the solemn observance of a weekly day of rest, hallowed unto God, for that lies at the very foundation of all true piety. Rightly did John Owen affirm, Amongst all the outward means of conveying to the present generation that rule which was at first taught and delivered by Jesus Christ and His Apostles, there hath been none more effectual than the universal uninterrupted observance of such a day for the celebration of the religious worship appointed in the Gospel. The profession of our Christian religion in the world at this day doth depend upon it. How much it tends to the exercise and expression of the power of religion cannot but be evident to all, unless they be such as hate it. The Lords Day has ever been a precious boon to all genuine Christians. Occupied as most of them are with worldly concerns during the remainder of the week, they feel that but for this merciful restraint of one day in seven devoted to the worship and service of God, they would soon become wholly absorbed in the things of time and sense. But the Sabbath and its holy exercises restores the claims of God to an ascendance over their minds. On this day they are led to examine their spiritual progress, reflect upon their duties, meditate on the grand truths of Divine revelation, and prepare for eternity. By faithfully discharging the obligations of this Sacred Day their souls are cleansed from the defilement contracted during the week, their affections raised unto things above, and new strength is obtained for the engagements which lie before them. Christians generally know full well that they owe much of their growth in grace to the blessings of the Sabbath. Againattention should be called to the vast amount of benevolent Christian effort which has resulted from the instrumentality of the Sabbath. It has been pertinently pointed out, If all those who have to secure their livelihood by bodily or mental exertion were obliged to labour through seven days of the week as they now labour through six of them, how few would have time or strength to visit the poor, to teach the young, or to speak of Christ to the ungodly! But through this ordinance of the Sabbath hundreds of thousands of persons in this country, who devote six days to hard labour, bodily or mentally, give a part of their Sabbath to the religious instruction of the young and ignorant. Without the Sabbath, nearly all the inappreciable good which is now done by Sabbath Schools, and much of that which attends the visiting of the sick and distressed in cities, would vanish from the land (W. B. Noel). The Sabbath was made for man: God has graciously sanctified it for the good of the whole world. It is highly probable that more persons are converted to the Lord on that day than all the other six together. When anyone is awakened to a concern about his soul, he naturally looks forward to the return of that time when he can most successfully seek his spiritual good. Moreover, how many there are who, though not earnestly inquiring after God, yet attend public worship, and there learn much of the letter of Scripture and acquire some respect for its authority, who otherwise would grow up as heathens. Furthermore, since the Sabbath alone releases hundreds of the disciples of Christ from secular labours to employ a part of their energies in the instructing of the ignorant, who can say how much of the religious knowledge and moral principle which still exists in our nation, is instrumentally due to the institution of this Sacred Rest? Godliness has never flourished in the world from its foundation till now, nor will it ever do so, without a due attendance upon this Divine ordinance, and it requires very little perspicuity to foresee what increasing disorder and disaster will yet ensue if it be totally disregarded. It is an incontestable fact that the times when the Sabbaths sanctity was most faithfully proclaimed and maintained in the British Islesand we may add, in the U.S.A.were those in which true spirituality was healthiest and vital godliness was in its most flourishing state. The men to whom, under God, we owe this, are the ones whose writings are still among the most precious treasures of English religious literature. A right observance of the Lords Day lies at the foundation of national happiness and prosperity. So prolific of good is this blessed day that its powerful influences on the well-being of our country vitally affects its spiritual intelligence, the morality of its social order, and the liberties of its people. So far, then, from the Sabbath law being a heavy burden which God has laid on His creatures, it is a noble boon and an inestimable blessing. So far from it being an unkind deprivation of our liberty, its right observance makes for an entrance into real spiritual freedom. God blessed the seventh day (Gen. 2:3). The Sabbath was Divinely designed, from its original institution, to be a day of blessing to all who duly observed it. Therefore has the Lord declared, Blessed is the man that keepeth the Sabbath from polluting it (Isa. 56:2): it is not a day of irksome restraint, but one of peace and good. It is a gracious gift whereby, in the midst of our toils, we are granted a deliverance even from that curse, in the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground (Gen. 3:19). Mans Maker has mercifully secured to him one seventh portion of his whole life wherein he may rest his wearied body and refresh his needy soul, by separating himself from the toil of this life and fixing his contemplation on the life to come. The great excellence of this Divine grant lies not, as many seem to suppose, in a mere bodily blessing, appointed for the recuperation of our physical framethat is but a secondary object; no, the abstention from mental and manual labours is not its primary use and purpose but is only preparatory to its great and chief design. The high and prime value of it lies in the salvation and sanctification of Gods people, who experience growth in grace and in the knowledge of the Lord by obeying His Law and keeping faithfully His Sabbaths. As a means of grace towards our sanctification, none, under the blessing of God, is more effectual than the Sabbath. Our right observance thereof has the fullest assurance of that promise, them that honour Me, I will honour. Our happiness lies in the favour and service of God; that favour is life and that service is perfect freedom. Then let us do all that lies within our powerby precept, example, and encouragementto maintain the claims of Gods own day. It lies not within the capacity of any mortal to adequately set forth the tremendous value and supreme moment of a Scriptural observance of the Holy Sabbath. Let us briefly call attention to a few features wherein and whereby the Holy Spirit has emphasized the fundamental importance of this Divine institution. It is placed on virtually the frontispiece of Divine revelation, for immediately after the account of creation we are informed that God Himself rested on that day and hallowed it. It was the very first lesson taught the children of Israel in the wilderness, impressed upon them by the Lords withholding a supply of manna on that day (Exo. 16). It was made the outstanding sign between Jehovah and His people (Exo. 31:13). The most fearful judgments were sent upon them for their violation of the Fourth Commandment. The Lord Jesus set His imprimatur upon it in an unmistakable manner (Luke 4:16). Finally, the Spirit Himself placed special stress upon this holy ordinance by communicating the last book of Scripture to John on that day (Rev. 1:10). To be guilty of desecrating the Holy Sabbath is therefore no light matter, my reader. The violation of the Fourth Commandment is a sin of the gravest and blackest kind; yet, sad to say, the profanation of the Lords Day has become one of the most common crimes of our perverse generation. So general is its pollution that few have any conscience on the matter, but placidly take it as a matter of course. The world has turned the Holy Day into a holiday, and even the majority of professing Christians join hands with them therein. No wonder God is displeased with us as a people, and is more and more evidencing His displeasure against us. Britain has disturbed Gods rest, and He is now disturbing Britains rest; and unless we repent of and forsake this sin as a Nation, then we are most certainly treasuring up to ourselves wrath against the day of wrath. Fully assured that the sanctification of the Sabbath is indispensable for the promotion of the manifestative glory of God, the health and prosperity of His people, the salvation of sinners, and the national well-beingfirmly convinced that the desecration of this Blessed Day is our greatest and most grievous national sin, on account of which the Lord is visiting us with judgment, which ominously threatens to become far more severe unless we mend our waysthis writer dares not remain silent thereon, but determines to use whatever influence he possesses in pressing the claims of this sacred and grand institution. Then let all who fear the Lord, who dread His displeasure, who desire to see a revival of vital godliness in the churches, and who love their country and wish to save it from being completely paganized, resolve and determine, as for me and my house, we will remember the Sabbath Day to keep it holy. If the Sabbath were of little or no value, there would be some excuse for standing by and leaving it to its assailants. But since it is of Divine appointment, since its weighty and venerable claims are as binding on us today as they were upon Gods people in Old Testament times, since the Lord is very jealous of its sanctity (honouring the nation which respects it and visiting His indignation upon those who pollute it), since its proper observance is fraught with such spiritual blessing to the churches and moral and temporal good to the country, then we should do no less than evidence an uncompromising firmness, yet reasonable and enlightened zeal, in doing all we can to preserve this imperiled treasure, and thus secure for future generations a boon won for ourselves by the efforts, sacrifices, and prayers of godly progenitors. Thus did our forefathers, and woe be unto as if we now squander our birthright. In view of all that has been pointed out above, is it not tragic beyond words to witness not only the general indifference of the vast majority of professing Christians unto the claims of the Holy Sabbath and to the worlds awful profanation of it, but also to find that many influential men among the reputedly orthodox sections of Christendom the leaders of Christian thoughtshould oppose those who are striving for the preservation of this spiritual heritage? These men are seeking to destroy its very foundations by teaching that the Sabbath is only a Jewish institution, and therefore is not binding upon us today. Unspeakably sad is it to find some whom we must regard as brethren in Christ, and who are standing firmly for the Divine inspiration and authority of the Scriptures, yet in this vital matter making common cause with the Lords enemies. John Owen commenced his exercitations on the Day of Sacred Rest by citing, God hath made man upright, but they have sought out many inventions (Eccl. 7:29), adding, The truth hereof we also find by woeful experience, not only in sundry particular instances, but in the whole course of men in this world, and in all their concerns with respect to God. There is not anything wherein and whereabouts they have not found out many inventions, to the disturbance and perverting of that state of peace and quietness wherein all things were made of God . . . An evident instance we have hereof in the business of a day of sacred rest and the worship of God therein required. If this justly renowned Puritan had cause to complain in his time at the many controversies which had been raised about this Divine institution, agitating among men of all sorts, and who grieved over their inventions, to our own disturbance and to the perverting of the right ways of God, we wonder how he would feel could he take a survey of the present situation. O what inventions have professing Christians resorted to in their efforts to set aside the Holy Sabbath, inventions which have greatly influenced the minds of multitudes and enervated them in the practice of that piety which the Lords Day inculcates and stimulates. How happy Satan must be when he succeeds in moving Bible teachers to affirm that the Sabbath is not for us. It is Christ being again wounded in the house of His friends. Such opposition to the Sabbath is a challenge to all who prize and revere it. The more it be opposed by assailants, the more firmly and unitedly must its lovers rise up in its defense. When some would set aside the Sabbath as a day of rest and worship on the ground of our being under a more spiritual dispensation, we must show the utter fallacy of such an absurd conclusion. Is the secularization of the Sabbath more befitting a spiritual dispensation then the religious observance of it!more calculated to promote vital godliness than the dedication of it to holy exercises and attendance on the means of grace? The question answers itself. Then if you, my reader, love the Sabbath because you have found that its devout and dutiful employment has brought you many blessings, it is your bounden duty to spread the knowledge of its claims throughout the land. Pray that it may please the Lord to bless this humble effort to such an end. And on the seventh day God ended His work which He had made; and He rested on the seventh day from His work which He had made. And God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it: because that in it He had rested from all His work which God created and made (Gen. 2:2, 3). Before commenting upon these verses perhaps it is well to make a few preliminary remarks thereon. First, let us point out how emphatically they repudiate the error of those who declare that the Sabbath was an institution peculiar to the Jews. More than 2,000 years before the Lord entered into covenant with them at Sinai, the weekly day of sacred rest was appointed and consecrated by the Creator. Instead of its origin dating only from the time when the Ten Commandments were written on the tables of stone, its inception carries us right back to the very beginning of history. As we shall see (D.V.) when we come to examine Exodus 20, the Lord Himself there declared the Sabbath was as old as the world itself. Not only is it a glaring mistake to suppose the Sabbath was first instituted at Sinai, but it is equally wrong to insist that it is binding on Jews only. The reasons which Jehovah gave in Exodus 20:8-11 why the Sacred Day must be observed are just as pertinent to and incontestable for the Gentiles as they are for the Jews: the original occasion of its appointment and the design thereof hold good with equal respect for the entire human race. Nor is this any arbitrary assertion of ours. Nothing could be plainer than the words of our Redeemer: the Sabbath was made for man (Mark 2:27) and not merely for one small fraction of mankind. The weekly day of rest is one of two things that were ordained in and have come from a sinless Eden. The Sabbath was before Moses, before Abrahamthe only other relic of the primitive Paradise is marriageideal marriage. As well make marriage a matter of Mosaic legislation as the Sabbath law, since both of them were instituted and ordained for man in Eden (A. T. Pierson). But plain though the above considerations are to any unprejudiced and simple reader of the Scriptures, there are those who raise cavils against them. Unwilling, at any price, to admit the Sabbath is binding on us today, various subterfuges have been resorted to in an endeavour to set aside the obvious meaning of Genesis 2:2, 3. Some have argued, it only seems to import that the Sabbath was then instituted, making out that this passage is to be understood only as giving the reason of that particular day being chosen, not that it was then actually appointed and set apart. To say that these verses contain merely an anticipation of the Fourth Commandment is handling the Word of God deceitfully. Those verses are the continuation of a plain historical narrative. Having finished the account of the creation of the world in the first chapter of Genesis, and given a recapitulation of it in 2:1, Moses declared what immediately followed thereon, namely, the rest of God on the seventh day and His blessing and sanctifying of that day. For the special benefit of those who have sadly misrepresented the teaching of Calvin on this subject, we give a brief quotation from the remarks of that renowned Reformer and expositor on this passage: That blessing of the seventh day is nothing else than the solemn consecration of it; by virtue of which God claims for Himself on that day the labours and occupations of men. It is, indeed, the proper study of their whole life to be exercised in considering the infinite goodness, justice, power, and wisdom of God, as displayed on the vast theater of Heaven and earth; but, lest men should apply less diligently to this than they ought, every seventh day was peculiarly set apart. God, therefore, first rested; then He blessed that rest, that it might be sacred among men through all coming ages; He consecrated each seventh day to rest, that His own example might furnish the perpetual rule. Not that God simply enjoined men to take their leisure every seventh day, as if He delighted in idleness; but that, being released from all business, they might with more freedom employ their minds on the Creator of the worldHis own example stimulating them to the duty, and engaging them to its performance. Others have sought to base an argument on the fact that the actual word Sabbath is not found in Genesis 2:2, 3but how futile is such a cavil may at once be seen by a reference to Exodus 20. When it pleased the Lord God to assume the immediate government over the people of Israel at Sinai, He not only restored the Sabbath to its original place of honour, but did so by recognizing it as an existing ordinance, re-enforcing a creation-institution. In referring back to Genesis 2, Jehovah expressly termed that first seventh day the Sabbath: For in six days the Lord made Heaven and earth, the sea and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day, wherefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath Day and hallowed it. We will not waste any further time and space by considering other objections which the perversity and unbelief of man have brought against this simple passage. The 2nd chapter of Genesis opens with the words, Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them. And then the very next thing we read of is the institution of the Sabbath rest. Thus, to appoint and sanctify the Sabbath was Gods first act after the earth had been made fit for human habitation. Nothing could more emphatically press upon us the fundamental importance of this Divine ordinance, and the priority of its claims upon usclaims to which every consideration of selfish interests must be strictly subordinated. The weekly Sabbath, therefore, is the first institution of God, and bears on its very origin the stamp of a universal and perpetual appointment: good for man even when surrounded by the glories of Paradise that is lostand much more so now, when called to struggle and prepare for the higher glories of the Paradise that is to be won (P. Fairbairn). Four things call for special consideration in the passage now before us. 1. The primal Sabbath was a rest day. Emphasis is laid upon this feature by the repetition in thought which is found in the two parts of Genesis 2:2. First, on the seventh day, God ended His work which He had made. Second, and He rested on the seventh day from all His work He had made. Therefore the prime element and basic truth connected with the Sabbath is rest. Before raising the question as to why God rested, let us offer a few remarks on the nature of His rest. It has been said repeatedly by a certain class of expositors that this rest of God consisted of His satisfaction in the work of His hands, that it was God looking out in complacency over His fair creation. But, we are told, that this rest of God did not last for long: it was rudely broken by the entrance of sin, and ever since man fell God has been workingJohn 5:17 being appealed to in proof. That such a definition of the rest of God in Genesis 2:2 should have been received by a large number of the Lords people, only goes to show how few of them ever do much thinking or studying for themselves. It also proves how the most puerile interpretations of Scripture are likely to be accepted, if they are made by reputable teachers, who on other matters are worthy of respect. Finally, it demonstrates what a real need there is for each of us to humbly, prayerfully, and diligently bring everything we read and hear to a rigid examination in the light of Holy Scripture. That Gods rest in Genesis 2:2 was not the complacence of the Creator prior to the entrance of sin, is unequivocally evidenced by the fact that Satan had fallen before the time contemplated in that verse. How could God look abroad upon creation with Divine contentment when the highest creature of all had become the blackest and basest of sinners? How could God find satisfaction in all the works of His hands when the anointed cherub had apostatised, and in his rebellion had dragged down with him the third part of the angels (Rev. 12:4)? No, this is manifestly untenable. Some other definition of Gods rest must therefore be sought. Now we need to pay very close attention to the exact wording here, as everywhere. Genesis 2:2 does not say (nor does Exo. 20:10) that God rested from all work, for that was not true. Genesis 2:2 is careful to say, on the seventh day God ended His work which He had made, and, He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had made. And this brings out and calls attention to the basic feature and primal element in the Sabbath: it is a resting from the activities commonly pursued during the six working days. But the Sabbath Day is not appointed as a day for the cessation of all activities to remain in bed and sleep through that day would not be spending the Sabbath as God requires it to be spent. What particular works are required and are permissible, we shall (D.V.) show later; but what we would now press upon the reader is the fact that, according to Genesis 2:2 the Sabbath rest consists of ceasing from the labours of the working week. Genesis 2:2 does not state that on the seventh day God did no work, for, as we have seen, that would not have been true. God did work on the seventh day, though His activities on that day were of a different nature from the ones in which He had been engaged during the preceding days. And herein we see not only the marvellous accuracy of Scripture, but the perfect example God set before His people, for as we shall yet show, there are works suited to the Sabbath. For God to have ceased from all works on that first seventh day in human history, would have meant the total destruction of all creation. Gods providential workings could not cease, or no provision would be made for the supply of His creatures wants. All things needed to be upheld or they would have passed into non-entity. Let us fix it firmly in our minds that rest is not inertia. The Lord Jesus has entered into rest (Heb. 4:10), yet is He not inactive, for He ever lives to make intercession. And when the saints shall enter their eternal rest, they shall not be inactive, for it is written, And His servants shall serve Him (Rev. 22:3). So here with God. His rest on that first Sabbath Day was not a rest of total inactivity. He rested from the work of creation and restoration, but He then began (and has never ceased) the work of Providencethe providing of supplies for His myriad creatures. But now the question arises, why did God rest on the seventh day? Why did He so order it that all the works recorded in Genesis 1 were completed in six days, and that then He rested? Certainly it was not because the Creator needed rest, for, the Creator of the ends of the earth fainteth not, neither is weary (Isa. 40:28). Why, then, did He rest, and why is it so recorded on the top of the second page of Holy Writ? Surely there can be only one answer: as an example for man! Nor is this answer merely a logical or plausible inference of ours. It rests on Divine authority. It is based directly upon the words of none other than the Son of God, for He expressly declared, The Sabbath was made for man (Mark 2:27): made not for God, but for man. Nothing could be plainer, nothing simpler, nothing more unequivocal. 2. The next thing that we would carefully note in this initial reference to the Sabbath is that Genesis 2:3 tells us this day was blessed by God: and God blessed the seventh day. The reason why God blessed the seventh day was not because it was the seventh, but because, in it He had rested. Hence, when the Sabbath law was written upon the tables of stone, God did not say, Remember the seventh to keep it holy, but Remember the Sabbath Day to keep it holy. And again, He did not say, He blessed the seventh day and hallowed it, but, He blessed the Sabbath Day and hallowed it. But why should He do so? Why single out the seventh day thus? Youngs Concordance defines the Hebrew word for blessed here as to declare blessed. But why should God have declared the seventh day blessed? for there is no hint that He pronounced any of the other days blessed. Surely it was not for the mere days sake. Only one other alternative remains: God declared the seventh day blessed because it was the Sabbath Day, and because He would have every reader of His Word know, right at the beginning, that special Divine blessing marks its observance. This at once refutes a modern heresy and removes an aspersion which many cast upon God. The Sabbath was not appointed to bring man into bondage. It was not designed to be a burden, but a blessing! And if history demonstrates anything, it demonstrates beyond all room for doubt that the family or nation which has kept the Sabbath Day holy, has been markedly blessed of God; and contrariwise, that the family or nation which has desecrated the Sabbath, has been cursed of God. Explain it as we may, the fact remains. 3. Genesis 2:3 teaches us that the Sabbath was a day set apart for sacred use. This comes out plainly in the words, And God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it, or as the R.V. has it, God blessed the seventh day and hallowed it. The prime meaning (according to its Scriptural usage) of the Hebrew word rendered sanctified or hallowed is to set apart for sacred use. This shows plainly that here in Genesis 2:3 we have something more than an historical reference to the rest of God on the seventh day, and even something more than God setting an example before His creatures. The fact that we are told God sanctified it, proves conclusively that here we have the original institution of the Sabbath, the Divine appointment of it for mans use and observance. As exemplified by the Creator Himself, the Sabbath Day is separated from the six preceding days of manual labour. 4. Let us call attention to a notable omission in Genesis 2:3. If the reader will turn to Genesis 1 he will find that at the close of each of the six working days the Holy Spirit says, and the evening and the morning were, etc.: see Genesis 1:5, 8, 13, 19, 23, 31. But here in Genesis 2:2, 3 we do not read, and the evening and the morning were the seventh day; nor are we told what took place on the eighth day. In other words, the Holy Spirit has not mentioned the ending of the seventh day. Why is this? There is a reason for every omission in Scripture, a Divine reason; and there is a reason why the Holy Spirit omitted the usual formula at the close of the seventh day. We suggest that this omission is a silent but most significant intimation that the observance of the Sabbath never would endit was to be perpetuated as long as time should last! In conclusion it should be pointed out that Genesis 2 contains nothing whatever which enables us to determine which day of our week this primal seventh day was. We have absolutely no means of knowing whether that original seventh day fell on a Saturday, a Sunday, or any other day of the weekfor the simple reason that we are quite unable to ascertain on which day that first week began. All we do know, and all which it is necessary for us to know is, that the seventh day was the day which followed six days of manual work. As to which day of the week is the Christian Sabbath we shall (D.V.) consider later. In our examination of the original institution of the Holy Sabbath we pondered the three acts of the Creator as recorded in Genesis 2:3, each of which had distinct and special reference to man. First, God rested on the seventh day, thereby giving an example for us to follow. But this was not left to be vaguely inferred, for second, God blessed the seventh day, setting on it a special dowry for all who should give due heed to its proper end and object. What men may lose for the moment in productive employment, shall be amply compensated by the refreshment it will bring to his frameby the enlargement and elevation of his soulabove all, by the spiritual fellowship and interest in God which becomes the abiding portion of those who follow Him in their ways, and perpetually return to Him as the supreme rest of their souls (P. Fairbairn). Third, God sanctified it, setting it sacredly apart from the other six days, thus conferring on it a distinctive character. But in their efforts to evade the obvious force of Genesis 2:3 some have raised the objection that Genesis 2 records no express command for man to keep the Sabbath. Really, such a cavil is undeserving of notice, yet as a few readers are disturbed by it, we will briefly answer the objection. First, it is plainly required of us in and by the law of nature that some part of our time (Divinely given to us) should be set apart and devoted to God, for the solemn observance of His worship in the world. And where but in Genesis 2:3 could primitive man learn which part of that time was to be thus employed? That natural dictate is met by the Sabbath law requiring us to sanctify one day in seven. Second, this pretense of any obscurity that is in the command of Genesis 2:3 is easily removed by another instance of like antiquity. It has been universally acknowledged that a promise of Christ was given in Genesis 3:15 for the faith of the ancients, yet that very verse was addressed to the Serpent in the form of a curse! With equal propriety, then, could we deny any promise in Genesis 3:15 and declare there is no command in Genesis 2:3each is self-evidently implied. Third, a yet more decisive consideration is found in our Lords words, the Sabbath was made for man (Mark 2:27). This cannot mean less than that the Sabbath was made for mans observance and for his benefit. Gods glory and our good are always inseparably connected: whatever He has appointed us to heed and do in order for His honour, it is equally our wisdom and gain to comply with. If, then, the Sabbath was made for mans observance, it is self-evident that he is under Divine authority to submit thereto. Ere passing from this verse, let it also be pointed out that since the Sabbath was necessary and profitable for man in his first estate, when free from sinremember that man was not exempt from labour in Eden, as the words to dress it and to keep it (Gen. 2:15) prove!then how much more so now in order to recover him from his corrupt condition! In the remainder of this chapter we shall devote our attention to the primitive observance of the Holy Sabbath, confining ourselves to its history in the earliest ages, namely, to the recognition thereof before its formal renewal in Exodus 20. It is frequently asserted that the Sabbath law originated at the time when Jehovah wrote the Ten Commandments on the tables of stone. But as we have shown, that is an error. The Sabbath was instituted before man fell. We would now inquire what evidence is there of mens keeping the Sabbath prior to Israels reaching Sinai. Before answering this question, let it be pointed out that if there were none at all this would by no means convince us that the Sabbath was unknown before Exodus 20. An argument drawn from silence is always inconclusive. No mention is made of circumcision from the time of Joshua until the Babylonian captivity, yet how fallacious would be the inference that the rite had ceased to be practiced! Even though the Sabbath occupies so prominent a place in the institutions of Moses, yet it is never mentioned again till the days of Elijah (nearly 700 years later), and then only an incidental allusion is made to it (2 Kings 4:23). There would be no need to wonder, then, in such particularly brief compendiums of history as are giver of antediluvian and Patriarchal times, if there should be a similar silence to those mentioned above. But is there a complete silence? Is there nothing in Scripture to indicate whether or not men kept the Sabbath before Israel reached Sinai? In seeking an answer we have to turn back to the book of Genesis and the first 18 chapters of Exodus, and ere we consult them it is well to remember their general character. No less than 25 centuries of human history are covered by those first 68 chapters of the Bible! Thus it is evident at once that the Holy Spirit has seen fit to give us little more than a bare outline of what transpired during the infancy of our race. Hence, we must not expect to find here anything more than a few references to the Sabbath, and these of the briefest nature. The same pertains to almost any other theme. There are unmistakable references to the Sabbath, but they are only incidental in character. And in the process of time (at the end of days) it came to pass, that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the LORD; and Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock (Gen. 4:3, 4). The very fact of Cain and Abel coming together, and this for the purpose of presenting an offering to the Lord, intimates that the time when they were thus engaged was a stated one, known to and recognized by them bothotherwise, what had induced the jealous Cain to unite with the pious Abel in this action? The bringing of offerings by Cain and Abel was the formal recognition of God: it was an act of devotion. Moreover, it is expressly stated that they worshipped God at the end of days, the Divinely appointed season. And when was that? Exactly what is signified by the end of days? Surely the unprejudiced reader who comes to the Scriptures in childlike simplicity, desiring to learn the mind of God, will form only one concept here. He will naturally say, Why, the end of days must be the end of the week, and that, of course, is the Sabbath. But can we prove what has just been advanced? Yes, by an appeal to the context. If the first three chapters of Genesis be read through, it will be found they mention one end and one only, and that is in Genesis 2:3: On the seventh day God ended His work which He had made. Now as Scripture ever interprets Scripture, as its terms are defined by the way in which they are used in other passages, and as the law of the context is whatever fixes the meaning of any given clause, so here in Genesis 4:3, the end of days can only mean the end of the working weekthe Sabbath. Thus this passage teaches us four things. First, that previous to the days of Cain and Abel a Sabbath had been instituted. Second, that this Sabbath came at the end of a week of work. Third, that it was recognized and owned by the sons of Adam and Eve. Fourth, that it was set apart for sacred use, namely, the worship of God. We next turn to, and he called his son Noah, saying, This same shall comfort us concerning our work and toil of our hands, because of the ground which the LORD hath cursed (Gen. 5:29). Here we are told why Lamech named his son Noah. The very fact that the Holy Spirit has recorded this detail must be because some important truth is illustrated thereby. Names were not given in those early days at the idle caprice of the parents. They were pregnant with meaning, frequently given under Divine guidance, often memorializing some event of importance. Plainly was this the case in our present instance. Lamech belonged to the godly line, being the son of Methuselah (whose name was certainly given under Divine impulse), the grandson of Enoch. Lamech called his son Noah, which means rest, giving as his reason, this same shall comfort us concerning our work and toil of our hands. In the light of Genesis 2:3, 4, is not this profoundly suggestive? Did not Lamech, in the name given his son, express his gratitude to the great Creator for providing a weekly Sabbath as a rest from work and toil? It was a pious heart looking forward to the Rest of which the weekly Sabbath was both the type and pledge. And it came to pass on the seventh day that the waters of the flood were upon the earth (Gen. 7:10, margin). This verse records the beginning of the great Deluge and its terms are the more noteworthy because in the next verse we read, In the six hundredth year of Noahs life, in the second month, in the seventeenth day of the month, the same day were all the fountains of the great deep broken up and the windows of Heaven were opened. Surely the Spirit had some good reason for giving us both of these time-marks. The second of them is obviously the historical reference: why, then, are we first told that the Flood began on the seventh day? Clearly because the reference here is a moral one, a word of explanation. It makes known to us one of the reasons, perhaps the chief one, why God visited the earth with such sore judgment. It conveys a solemn message to us: the flood began on the Sabbath Day! Is not the inference inescapable? Was it not an act of, what men term, poetic justice? Doubtless the antediluvians had flouted the Sabbath institution as they had every other Law of God. They had desecrated His Holy Day: therefore, when the Lord visited His wrath upon them it was on the Sabbath that the Flood commenced! And he stayed yet other seven days . . . and he stayed yet other seven days (Gen. 8:10, 12). These references make it clear that way back in Noahs day the division of time into weeks was a recognized custom, for the repetition here makes it evident this was no casual or arbitrary act on his part. This fact has not received the attention it deserves. How was it, why was it, and when originated this division of time? We submit that this hebdomadal revolution of time furnishes another striking testimony to the primitive Sabbath. We quote now from the late B. H. Carroll, President of the S. W. Baptist Seminary: I ask you to notice this strange historical fact, that for all other divisions of time we have a reason in the motions of the heavenly bodies. The revolution of the earth around the sun marks the division of time into years. The moons revolution around the earth gives us the month. The day comes from the revolution of the earth upon its axis. But from what suggestion of nature do you get the division of time into weeks? It is a positive and arbitrary division. It is based on authority. The chronicles of the ages record its recognition. But how did it originate? Here in the oldest book, in the first account of man, you will find its origin and purpose. Noah twice recognized it in the ark, when he waited seven days each time to send out his dove. Jacob in the days of his courtship found it prevalent when he looked for satisfaction in the laughing eyes of Rachel, and the stern father said, fulfil her week (Gen. 29:27). Why a week? How did he get it? It was Gods division of time. Yes, it was Gods division of time. Why should our week have seven rather than six or 10 days? and why have men everywhere adopted this measure? A primeval Sabbath explains it: it is the key to an otherwise insoluble enigma. Since there is no prominent natural phenomenon visible to every eye which can account for it, we are obliged to deduce some ancient institution coeval with our race, from which it spontaneously originated. That institution was the Sabbath, in which the Creator set apart one seventh of mans days for the worship of Himself. Thus did the Architect of the universe write His signature across time itself, and never shall it be erased. In his masterly dissertations on the Sabbath, John Owen showed that no impartial and pious mind can entertain any doubt that there was a free observance of the Sacred Day by the Patriarchs: we give a very brief digest of his argument. The creation of the world was one of their principal articles of faith, as the Apostle asserts in Hebrews 11:3then how vain to imagine they had utterly lost the tradition of the rest of God upon the finishing of His works. That the Patriarchs did observe the solemn worship of God in and with their families is clear from Genesis 18:19 and other passages, and for that some stated time was indispensably necessary; and what ground have we to suppose they were left without Divine direction in this important matter? The testimony which is given to them, that they walked with God and obtained a good report, the fact that they are said to have kept the way of the Lord and His charge (Gen. 26:5), all point to the same conclusion. And Abraham set seven ewe lambs of the flock by themselves (Gen. 21:28). In this connection it is striking to note how that the ancients, universally, regarded the number seven as having a mystical significance. Seven times did Jacob bow before Esau in proof of his submission to him; seven years did he serve Laban for Rachel, and seven more for Leah. The number seven had, for some reason or other, obtained special favour in the families of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. The same obtained also among other branches of the race of Shem. The history of Job, for example, who lived in the early times of the postdiluvian age, relates that when his friends came to comfort him they, sat down with him upon the ground seven days and seven nights (2:13)and when (later) the Lord bade him offer sacrifice on their behalf, He said, take unto you now seven bullocks and seven rams, and go to My servant Job, etc., (42:8). Balaam evidenced the same mystical reverence for this number (Num. 23:1). This writer is firmly convinced that the sacredness which from earliest times attached to the mystical seven has its roots in the primeval Sabbath. There is yet another trace of the Sabbath in the early ages of the world to be found in Exodus: a most striking one it is, though it seems to have quite escaped the notice of those who have written on this subject. One reason for the deliverance of Israel from Egypt was that they might be free to keep the Sabbath and to offer those sacrifices and observe those ordinances which were connected with it. Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, Let My people go, that they may hold a feast unto Me in the wilderness (5:1), Let My people go, that they may serve Me (9:1). Do not these words clearly imply that while sojourning in Egypt the Israelites had been prevented from observing their religious ordinances? Their merciless taskmasters had blotted out their Sabbath and made their life one ceaseless round of toil and misery. This is clearly confirmed by the words of Pharaoh to Moses and Aaron: And the king of Egypt said unto them, Wherefore do ye, Moses and Aaron, let (hinder) the people from their works? get you unto your burdens. And Pharaoh said, Behold, the people of the land now are many, and ye make them (not cease but) REST from their burdens (Exo. 5:4, 5). Evidently one of the first things the intrepid Moses did when he returned to Egypt was to insist that his brethren keep the Sabbath, and hence Pharaohs objection. In order to bridge the small gap between this and the last chapter, we must ponder a very striking passage in Exodus 16, from which we may learn some facts of deep importance concerning the existence and observance of the Holy Sabbath prior to Israels reaching Sinai. That chapter records Gods giving of the manna as Israels daily food while they were in the wilderness. First, Behold, I will rain bread from Heaven for you; and the people shall go out and gather a certain rate every day, that I may prove them, whether they will walk in My Law or no. And it shall come to pass, that on the sixth day they shall prepare that which they bring in; and it shall be twice as much as they gather daily (vv. 4, 5). From these verses it is unmistakably clear that a Divine Law was in existence before the Ten Commandments were inscribed on the tables of stone, and from what follows it is equally evident that the observance of the Sabbath was part of this self-same Law: in no other way can these words of God to Moses be explained. The Lord was about to give His people a daily supply of manna, and made it known to Moses that a double supply should be furnished them on the sixth dayto make up for none being given them on the seventh. In this respect Exodus 16 is parallel with Genesis 2:2, 3, inasmuch as once more we see the Creator condescending to be the Exemplar of His creatures: Jehovah manifested His regard for the Sabbath by withholding manna on that day. We may here observe three miracles in honour of the Sabbath, and to secure it against desecration were wrought every week before the promulgation of the Law at Sinai. Double the quantity of manna fell on the sixth day. None fell on the Sabbath. The manna preserved for that day did not corrupt (Robert Haldane). Next we are told, And it came to pass on the sixth day they gathered twice as much bread, two omers for one man: and all the rulers of the congregation came and told Moses (v. 22). Now note very particularly the definite language of Moses in reply, This is that which the LORD hath said, Tomorrow is the Rest of the Holy Sabbath unto the Lord (v. 23). This is the first express mention of the Sabbath in the history of Israel, and the terms in which it is here introduced utterly precludes the absurd idea that the Sabbath was then, for the first time formally and legally instituted. No candid mind reading this chapter for the first time would ever conclude that here was a most important religious ordinance, quite unknown before, now given to the people. Rather is it not obvious to any careful reader that throughout the whole of this narrative two facts (unnamed) were in the mind of the writer, without regard to which the account is unintelligible: that a Divine Law was binding on the people (by which they were to be proved afresh), and that they had a sufficient knowledge thereof as to be expected to keep the Sabbath. The words of Moses in verse 23 are brought in only incidentally, in answer to a question put to him by the elders: the substance of which is, the people have done quite right in gathering a double supply of manna on the sixth day. Moses was far from speaking in the style of one promulgating a new law, nor do we find him giving any detailed instructions as to the manner in which the seventh day was to be kept. The Wilderness of Sin was far from being the birthplace of this blessed ordinance: these scenes described in Exodus 16 obviously point us back to an earlier and primeval appointment. But ere passing on let us duly note that the words of Moses in verse 23 affirmed the three principal features of the Sabbath: first, it is designed for rest; second, it is holyset apart from the six working days; third, it is to be kept to the Lord: that is, it is a day for Divine worship and service. And it came to pass, that there went out some of the people on the seventh day for to gather, and they found none. And the Lord said unto Moses, How long refuse ye to keep My commandments and My laws? (vv. 27, 28). Here we have illustrated the universal rebellion of the human heart. Here we have exemplified the common tendency to desecrate Gods holy day. Even after the most explicit instructions to rest on the seventh day (v. 23), some of the people went out for to gather. And mark Gods response: How long refuse ye to keep My commandments and My laws. This was not the first time that Israel had profaned the Sabbath: the words how long prove this. They also confirm what we said above on verse 4: long before Sinai was reached, Israel had Gods commandments and laws. Jehovah Himself says so, and the man who denies it, no matter what his standing or reputation, is guilty of the awful sin of making God a liar. How long refuse ye looks back to the wicked conduct of Israel while in Egypt. Finally, observe how verse 29 supplies one more proof that Sabbath observance was no new thing at this time: See, for that the LORD hath given you the Sabbath, therefore He giveth you on the sixth day the bread of two days; abide ye every man in his place, let no man go out of his place on the seventh day. Mark the careful distinction in the verbs used here: the LORD hath given you the Sabbath, therefore He giveth you on the sixth day the bread of two days. What excuseless ignorance, then, is betrayed by those who affirm that the Sabbath was first instituted at Sinai. It is either ignorance or willful perversion of the Scriptures, and charity requires us to conclude that it must surely be the former. We are now to consider the renewing or reinforcing of the Holy Sabbath at Sinai. Remember the Sabbath Day to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work. But the seventh day is the Sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates. For in six days the LORD made Heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day, wherefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath Day and hallowed it (Exo. 20:8-11). The Ten Commandments were uttered immediately by the voice of God Himself in the hearing of all the people (Exo. 19), whereas all the other laws (whether ceremonial or judicial) were given through Moses. Those Ten Commandments, and they alone, were twice written by the finger of God on tables of stone, to denote their durability and permanence. The Ten Commandments were put inside the sacred ark itself, whereas the other laws (written in a book by Moses) were only placed in its side. But if God in those ways emphasized the supreme momentousness of the Ten Words, giving them a place superior to all other laws, He also signalized in a peculiar way the outstanding importance and value of the Fourth Commandment. First, it is marked with a particular memento above the other commands: rememberpartly because of our proneness to neglect, and partly because of its vast importance. Second, it is noticeable that the other nine are expressed simply, either negatively or positively, but this one both ways: keep it holy . . . in it thou shalt not do any work as if God put particular care to fence it on all sides. Third, its striking position in the Decalogue: it is put at the close of the first table and before the beginning of the second, to signify the observance of both tables depends radically upon our obedience to this particular precept. It is indeed instructive to observeO that we may have ears to hearhow the Lord God has fenced this particular commandment with more hedges than any of the other nine, to prevent our violation thereof and to render excuseless any trifling therewith. In addition to what has been pointed out above, we note, fourth, this commandment has more reasons to enforce it than has any of the others. God has therein condescended to give three cogent arguments to press the observance of this law upon us. The first is taken from His own example, which certainly it is both our glory and our duty to imitate in all things in which He has proposed Himself to be our pattern: God rested on the seventh day, and so must we. The second reason is taken from the bountiful portion of time which God has allowed us for the affairs of this life, namely, six-sevenths of our days, and therefore it is but fitting and equitable that the seventh should be devoted to God. Third, from the dedication of the seventh day to Gods immediate worship and service: the Lord blessed the seventh day and hallowed it. Let us observe that the character of those reasons wherewith God enforces the Fourth Commandment contain in them a most forcible argument to show that the Sabbath is perpetually binding. Negatively, we note there is nothing whatever in those reasons which suggest that the Sabbath ordinance was a ceremonial institution, or that it was to be regarded as being among those things which were typical of Christ to come in the flesh, which things were therefore to be abolished at His coming. Positively, there lies upon us today an obligation just as strong and binding as rested upon the Jews of old, for we equally with them are duty-bound to heed the example which the Creator set His creatures at the beginning. We are clearly required to own God as the Lord of our time by devoting one seventh thereof to His worship, and we certainly need the blessings attendant on a due observance of the Sabbath as much as ever did the Israelites in Old Testament times. It is often asserted that Sabbath observance was made binding on the Hebrews only. But this is a most serious error. Not only is the Fourth Commandment of perpetual force, but it is universally binding: the arguments made above for the former, apply with equal force to the latter. The tribute which the Fourth Commandment demands for God is unquestionably due Him from all His creatures alike. This Commandment is holy and just (Rom. 7:12), and as the Apostle shows in that chapter, is also good, for Gentiles as much so as for Jews. We could imagine some reason for saying that the Fifth Commandment has an exclusive Jewish cast, because the promise subjoined to it refers to long life in the land. This it might be supposed was something spoken to the Jews alone. But such a supposition is immediately ruled out of court by Ephesians 6:1, 2note this IS (not was) the first commandment with promise. The ground on which the obligation to keep the Sabbath is based in the Commandment is the most universal in its bearing that could possibly be conceived: Remember the Sabbath Day to keep it holy . . . for in six days the Lord made Heaven and earth. There is manifestly nothing Jewish here, nothing connected with individual interests or even national history. The grand fact out of which the precept is made to grow is of equal signification to the whole world, and why should not the precept be the same? It seems, indeed, as if God, in the appointment of this law, had taken especial precautions against the attempts which He foresaw would be made to get rid of the institution, and that on this account He based its foundations first in the original framework and constitution of nature (P. Fairbairn). What spiritual mind can doubt that this was what regulated Him who knew the end from the beginning. How utterly futile are all these quibblings of men. How baseless their contentions. How strikingly were they anticipated and refuted by the Lord from the start. Why the very terms of the Fourth Commandment itself bring its obligation to bear upon the Gentiles! So far from obedience to this precept being limited to the Jews, it legislated also for the stranger that is within thy gates! Observe how godly Nehemiah enforced the observance of it upon the Gentiles as well as the Jew: There dwelt men of Tyre also therein, which brought fish, and all manner of ware, and sold on the Sabbath unto the children of Judah and in Jerusalem. Then I contended with the nobles of Judah . . . I commanded that the gate should be shut and charged that they should not be opened till after the Sabbath (Neh. 13:16-19). It was the observance of it and not the obligation of it which was peculiar to the Jews. It was placed in their custody for the good of all mankind. The Fourth Commandment in the Decalogue was not the original institution of the Sabbath, but rather its formal renewal and reenforcement. As we have shown, the actual sanctification and appointment of the Sacred Day of rest in worship takes us back to Eden itself, synchronizing with the very creation of man. It has also been shown that there are quite a number of unmistakable traces of the Sabbath being actually observed by Gods people in the very earliest days of human history. But after the family of Jacob settled down in Egypt, they soon learned the ways of the heathen and, to a considerable extent at least, abandoned the instituted worship (Gen. 26:5) of Jehovah. Ezekiel 20:4-8 leaves us in no doubt that it was because of their idolatry the Lord employed the Egyptians in so severely chastising them. And they shall no more offer their sacrifices unto demons, after whom they have gone a-whoring (Lev. 17:7). The reference here is to Israels wickedness while sojourning in the land of Pharaoh: as Joshua 24:14 tells us, Put away the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the flood (see vv. 2, 3) and in Egypt, and as Ezekiel 23:3 declares, They committed whoredom in Egypt. It was pure grace which moved the Lord to deliver His wayward people from the house of bondage, and enter into a covenant with them. But grace ever reigns through righteousness, and never at the expense of the requirements of holiness. Accordingly Jehovah, in a most awe-inspiring manner, renewed His Law at Sinai, and intimated its lasting character by inscribing it on stones by His own finger; in the very center of which He placed the Sabbath statute. God has given us liberty to follow our lawful callings throughout the six working days, and therefore it is but little for us to devote the seventh to Him. Remember the Sabbath Day to keep it holy. Remember: call to mind its original institution; cherish it in your affections; duly meet its just requirement, The Sabbath: the sacred rest: its merciful freedom from temporal toil, its opportunities for obtaining deliverance from bondage of sin, its foreshadowment of the Eternal Rest awaiting those who now walk obediently to the Divine statutes. To keep it holy: sever it from common use and consecrate the same to the service of God. It is no less a sin than a sacrilegious stealing of that which is holy to purloin any part of that time which God has consecrated to Himself and to employ in it either sinful or secular activities. How the Sabbath is to be observed, what works are permissible and what are not, will be considered by us (D.V.) later. The importance and value of the Sabbath is evidenced by the many, varied, and precious objects which, from the dawn of its institution, it was designed to accomplish. Under the Patriarchal dispensation it was a real and powerful witness for the existence of God, His creative power, His sovereignty over His creatures, and their responsibility to Himtruths which lie at the very foundation of all true religion. Under the Mosaic economy the Sabbath not only bore continued testimony to those truths, but also to the providential and moral government of God in the preservation and renewal of the Holy Day and His indisputable title to the worship of His people. It bore testimony to His gracious concern for their temporal and spiritual welfareit taught them to look, through its hallowed use, for blessings on themselves and their nationit pointed to a future period of richer blessing and purer worship. Under the Christian era, while all these fundamental truths are still inculcated by the Sabbath, it has become also a memorial of redeeming love, a witness for the establishment of the better covenant, a remembrance of Him who was delivered for our offenses and raised again for our justification. It has often been pointed out that the Sabbath is not secured from mans pollution by any natural fences. The winter prevents much labour; obliging employers in many cases to reduce the tasks of their employees. Night is still more obstructive of toil, and consequently, still more conducive to needful repose. In the absence of light, the fields cannot be plowed, the crops harvested, nor homes built; and thus darkness serves to protect the couch of the heavy laden. But the Sabbath has no such bulwarks. It comes without any cosmic herald of its advent, and all nature fulfils its functions on that day as on any other day. The weather may be so inclement as to present no temptation to engage in outdoor sports; on the other hand, the day may be one of cloudless sunshine, alluring into the wide open spaces. Thus the Sabbath is like a vine when bereft of its hedges, which any boar out of the wood may waste, and any beast of the field devour. While the institution of the Sabbath is itself a fence to the general interests of religion and a Divine bulwark thrown up to repress the floods of ungodliness, yet the Sacred Day is not secured from profanation by any defenses furnished by the natural world. Thus we may perceive how admirably the Fourth Commandment serves as a trial of the attitude of the creature toward his Creator. There are few, if any, of the Divine ordinances that more definitely operate as a moral and religious test of the children of men than the one we are here considering. The conduct of men with reference to the Lords Day most clearly discovers either their love or their hatred, their loyalty or their rooted enmity to Jehovah, their sovereign Lord. In proportion as nations, churches, or individuals increase in spirituality and morality, they venerate and improve this holy day; and to the degree in which they decline from the love of God and belief of His Truth, they despise and pollute it. The whole of human history forcibly illustrates that fact. Allusion has been made by us to the natural obstacles which the seasons present to labour, and the protection they are designed to afford the labourer, yet these have been forced to yield to the pressure of greed and the merciless grind of commerce. During winter, at any rate in civilized (?) countries like our own, labour is never given a prolonged holiday, but instead its tasks are varied. And now the night (still more indispensable to our feeble frames) is disturbed and abridged, till it inadequately suffices for its gracious purpose. As the day comes to a close, artificial light is requisitioned, and in numberless instances the artisan is compelled to work overtimeand what compensation for the undermining of his health, and what is far worse, the degrading of his soul, is the extra wages he draws? How far the transportation of the workers and the noise of the night shifts interfere with the slumbers of other toilers, it is impossible to estimateno wonder that institutions for nervous wrecks and mental cases are multiplying. If, then, the protected seasons of nature have been ruthlessly invaded and trampled upon by graspers after gold, then much more is the unprotected Sabbath exposed to very special and imminent jeopardy. But the very fact that it is so exposed only serves to make more real the test it furnishes for the state of our hearts. Private gardens are railed off, and thus are secured from the carelessness and vandalism of the rank and file of the people; but those parks and downs which are open to the general public furnish a criterion to the manners and conscientiousness of those who use them, or abuse themas the litter they leave behind bears witness. Thus it is with the Holy Sabbath. The righteous call it a delight, the holy of the Lord, honourable, and they honour Him by not doing their own ways, nor finding their own pleasure, nor speaking their own words (Isa. 58:13). But the ungodly say, When will the new moon be gone, that we may sell corn? and the Sabbath, that we may set forth wheat? (Amos 8:5). At no one point has the depravity of fallen men been more conspicuously, more blatantly, and more constantly displayed, than by their profanation of the Sabbath. From earliest times they have discovered their awful rebellion against their Creator and Governor by trampling upon His holy institution. As we have pointed out earlier, there is good reason to believe that one of the principal grievances which the Lord had against the antediluvians was their disregard for and desecration of this primitive ordinance. So, too, with the descendants of Jacob after they settled in Egyptas the language used by Jehovah in Exodus 16:28 so plainly implies. For centuries past the Hebrews had despised His Law and dishonoured His Sabbaths; and for that very reason His anger waxed hot against them and they were made to suffer His sore judgments (Ezek. 20:8, etc.). And as we shall now see, there was little or no improvement in the later conduct of the Nation as a whole. After the Lord had acted with such wondrous grace toward His refractory people, and by His mighty power delivered them from the house of bondage, one would have thought their hearts would have been so affected that their subsequent ways were amended. Moreover, the awe-inspiring display which Jehovah gave of His majesty on Sinai and the covenant which He there entered into with the Nation, ought surely to have resulted in a radical change of their behaviour. But alas, neither the goodness nor the severity of God makes any real and lasting impression upon men until they are born again. No matter what mercies they may be the recipients of, no matter how wondrously God deals in providence with them, and no matter how solemnly He makes known to them His sovereignty and holiness, they continue unchanged, unmoved, till they be renewed in their souls. Clear and awful proof of this was furnished by them in the Wilderness. In order to obtain a complete picture of Israels conduct in the Wilderness, not only must we attend diligently to the historical accounts furnished by the Pentateuch, but we must also search for the additional information supplied by the Prophets, for in many instances their retrospective statements supplement the former. Here, as everywhere, Scripture must be compared with Scripture. It is to Ezekiel that we are again indebted for fuller light on the point now before us. Reviewing the past, the Lord said through him, I wrought for My names sake, that it should not be polluted before the heathen, among whom they were, in whose sight I made Myself known unto them, in bringing them forth out of the land of Egypt. Wherefore I caused them to go forth out of the land of Egypt, and brought them into the wilderness. And I gave them My statutes, and showed them My judgments, which if a man do, he shall even live in them. Moreover, also I gave them my Sabbaths, to be a sign between Me and them, that they might know that I am the LORD that sanctify them (20:9-12). And what was their response to such grace on His part? Here is the sad answer to our question, But the house of Israel rebelled against Me in the wilderness: they walked not in My statutes, and they despised My judgments, which if a man do, he shall even live in them; and My Sabbaths they greatly polluted: then I said, I would pour out My fury upon them in the wilderness, to consume them. But I wrought for My names sake, that it should not be polluted before the heathen, in whose sight I brought them out. Yet also I lifted up My hand unto them in the wilderness, that I would not bring them into the land which I had given them, flowing with milk and honey, which is the glory of all lands. Because they despised My judgments, and walked not in My statutes, but polluted My Sabbaths (Ezek. 20:13-16). What a tragic picture does that present to us of the generation of Israel which came out of Egypt! How it discovers to us the inveterate wickedness of the human heart. Unaffected by the Divine goodness, they now despised Gods statutes and polluted His Sabbaths. And how heavily punished were they for their disobedience? They were excluded from the land of promise and condemned to die in the wilderness. Ah, my reader, God is not to be mocked with impugnity; and remember, this Divine judgment of Israel is recorded as a warning for us today. And what effect did that fearful deprivation have upon their children? Did they profit from the warning? Did they turn from the evil ways of their fathers, which had so sorely displeased Jehovah? Surely, surely, with such a solemn judgment before their eyes, they would turn it to good account. Every opportunity to do so was then given to them: Nevertheless Mine eye spared them from destroying them, neither did I make an end of them in the wilderness. But I said unto their children, in the wilderness, Walk ye not in the statutes of your fathers, neither observe their judgments, nor defile yourselves with their idols: I am the LORD your God: walk in My statutes, and keep My judgments, and do them; and hallow My Sabbaths; and they shall be a sign between Me and you, that ye may know that I am the LORD your God (Ezek. 20:17-20). Alas, the younger generation were no better than the old: no more amenable to Jehovahs exhortations, no more restrained by fear of His judgments. Notwithstanding, the children rebelled against Me: they walked not in My statutes, neither kept My judgments, to do them, which if a man do, he shall even live in them; they polluted My Sabbaths: then I said, I would pour out My fury upon them, to accomplish My anger against them in the wilderness. Nevertheless, I withdrew Mine hand, and wrought for My names sake, that it should not be polluted in the sight of the heathen, in whose sight I brought them forth. I lifted up Mine hand unto them also in the wilderness, that I would scatter them among the heathen, and disperse them through the countries; because they had not executed My judgments, but had despised My statutes, and had polluted My Sabbaths, and their eyes were after their fathers idols (vv. 21-24). It is to be duly noted that in each of these passages the Lord, while making the general complaint that Israel rebelled and walked not in His statutes, specifically singles out for mention the heinous crime that they had polluted His Sabbaths, for that is something which He will by no means tolerate, and fearful indeed are His judgments upon those who are guilty of such an high offense. Nor was there any improvement after Israel entered and was established in Canaan. To the people of Ezekiels own day, the Lord complained, Thou hast despised Mine holy things and, hast profaned My Sabbaths (22:8). The order of those two things is solemn: it is because we despise the things of God that we pollute them. But still worse is what we read of in verse 26 of this chapter: Her priests have violated My Law, and have profaned Mine holy things . . . And have hid their eyes from My Sabbaths. Not only was the general public guilty of this sin, but the ministers of God were offenders too. They turned a blind eye to the requirements of the Sacred Day, conniving at the joining in of its profanation. Those religious leaders esteemed not those who kept the Sabbath, and winked at those who did servile work therein. So, too, we find the Lord saying through Jeremiah, Hear ye the word of the LORD, ye kings of Judah, and all Judah, and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, that enter in by these gates: thus saith the LORD; Take heed to yourselves, and bear no burden on the Sabbath Day, nor bring it in by the gates of Jerusalem; neither carry forth a burden out of your houses on the Sabbath Day, neither do ye any work, but hallow ye the Sabbath Day, as I commanded your fathers (17:20-22). Note this message was addressed first to the kings of Judah, the heads of the Nation, for the heaviest weight of responsibility ever rests on those in the chief places of governmental power; and second, to the people at large. And what was Israels response to this Divine call? This: But they obeyed not, neither inclined their ear, but made their neck stiff, that they might not hear, nor receive instruction (v. 23). Alas, what is man? The same in every age, under all circumstances: self-willed, defiant, refusing to be in subjection to his Maker; blind to his own interests, forsaking his own mercies, deaf to all reproof and admonition. Patiently and faithfully did the Lord expostulate with His wayward people, setting before them the certain alternatives of their conduct: And it shall come to pass, if ye diligently hearken unto Me saith the LORD, to bring in no burden through the gates of this city on the Sabbath Day, but hallow the Sabbath Day, to do no work therein; then shall there enter into the gates of this city kings and princes sitting upon the throne of David, riding in chariots and on horses, they, and their princes, the men of Judah, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem: and this city shall remain forever. And they shall come from the cities of Judah, and from the places about Jerusalem, and from the land of Benjamin, and from the plain, and from the mountains, and from the south, bringing burnt offerings and sacrifices, and meat offerings and incense, and bringing sacrifices of praise unto the house of the LORD (vv. 24-26). What inducements were these to render loyal and loving allegiance to their King! The Lord is no Egyptian taskmaster. Not only is His yoke easy and His burden light, but He gives most liberal wages to those who serve Him. True is this for individuals and communities alike. Here is another Scripture which makes it abundantly clear that the chief thing on which national prosperity turns is its careful observance of the Sabbath. If on the one hand Israel would not be moved to obedience by promises of rich reward, perhaps they might be deterred from disobedience by threats of terrible judgment. Accordingly, Jehovah concluded by saying, But if ye will not hearken unto Me to hallow the Sabbath Day, and not to bear a burden, even entering in at the gates of Jerusalem on the Sabbath Day; then will I kindle a fire in the gates thereof, and it shall devour the palaces of Jerusalem, and it shall not be quenched (v. 27). Alas, Israel was as indifferent to the latter as they had been to the former. How strictly God made good His threat appears from, came Nebuzaradan, captain of the guard, a servant of the king of Babylon, unto Jerusalem: and he burnt the house of the LORD, and the kings house, and all the houses of Jerusalem, and every great mans house burnt he with fire (2 Kings 25:8, 9). This was a national calamity in consequence of national pollution of the Sabbath. Following upon the destruction of the Temple and the raising of Jerusalem, the people were carried into Babylon. Seventy years later, God, in His mercy, opened a way of escape for the people from their captivity, and thousands of their descendants returned to Jerusalem. Had they at last learned their lesson? Did they now hearken to the voice of Gods rod and mend their ways? No, they were incorrigible. Hardly had they arrived back in the holy land than Nehemiah had to complain, In those days saw I in Judah some treading winepresses on the Sabbath, and bringing in sheaves, and laden asses; as also wine, grapes, and figs, and all manner of burdens, which they brought into Jerusalem on the Sabbath Day: and I testified against them in the day wherein they sold victuals (13:15). And then he added, Did not your fathers thus, and did not our God bring all this evil upon us, and upon this city? Yet ye bring more wrath upon Israel by profaning the Sabbath (v. 18). Thus it was all through the long centuries of Israels history. Nor has the conduct and career of Christendom been any better. While today it is far worse than for generations past. Here, in Great Britain, Sabbath desecration is now almost as rife as it is on the Continent, and only here and there is a feeble voice raised in protest. Sad to say the heads of the Nation often set a bad example by travelling on the Sabbath Day. The flood of Sunday newspapers which deluges the land, the irreligious rubbish which is being broadcast over the air, the increasing number of public places open for sport and entertainment, and the millions of people who turn the Holy Day into one of pleasure and joyriding is surely heaping up for us wrath against the Day of wrath unless we, as a people repent and reform. We now approach what is to us, upon whom the ends of the ages are come (1 Cor. 10:11), the most pertinent and important aspect of our subject. It is therefore necessary to proceed slowly and enter more into detail, especially as there is so much confusion and error at this point. In seeking to open up this branch of our theme, we feel that we cannot do better than follow more or less closely the lucid and helpful writings of P. Fairbairn thereon. We would like to quote him at length, but this would occupy too much space, so we content ourself by summarizing his able exposition thereof, intermingling and adding some remarks and conclusions of our own. First, a Christian Sabbath was clearly anticipated by Old Testament prophecy: or to put it another way, the Prophets plainly intimated that the Holy Sabbath would be perpetuated throughout the Christian dispensation. Thus we have a natural bridge which connects the Old and New Testaments together. A wide field is here opened for investigation, but for the sake of brevity and clarity, we shall confine our attention to two predictions: the first one enunciating the basic general principle, the second furnishing more explicit details. We have discussed the former passage under the Covenant articles in our Studies in the Scriptures, but for the sake of our new readers, and particularly as it bears upon our present theme, we must again look at it. Before turning to those ancient evangelic testimonies, it should be pointed out that a considerable portion of the prophetical writings pertains rather to the New, than to the Old Testament dispensation. They were designed to deliver the Jews from dwelling too exclusively in their thoughts on their present regime; on which they were ever prone to settle with a carnal and exclusive regard; and to direct the eye of faith forward to those better things which were to come, and which were to be disclosed in the dispensation of the fullness of times (Eph. 1:10). It was of those very things, the prophecies we are to consider, spoke. They were the testimony of Jesus, witnessing beforehand of the work He was to do, the nature of that kingdom which He would establish, and the character of those blessings He should confer. In proof of our contention that the Sabbath obtains for the Christian dispensation, we appeal first to, Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will make a new covenant with the (spiritual) house of Israel, and with the (spiritual) house of Judah: Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers, in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which My covenant they break, although I was a husband unto them, saith the LORD. But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel: After those days, saith the LORD, I will put My Law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be My people. And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for they shall all know Me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the Lord: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sins no more (Jer. 31:31-34). That the new covenant here mentioned is that brought in by Christ is expressly affirmed in the eighth chapter of Hebrews, so that there can be no doubt of this being one of those prophecies which had immediate reference to the Gospel economy. Now the leading characteristic of this New Covenant, as contradistinguished from that which was made with carnal Israel at Sinai, is that Gods Law is now written on the hearts of His people, whereas it was formerly written on tables of stone: in this the Law is transmitted internally, in that, the Nation had it externally. Yet, let it be said emphatically, it is identically the same Law: the Moral Law, not the ceremonial, for so far from that being exalted into a higher place by Christ, it was in Him abolished, passing away like the shadow when the substance comes. Nor is the ceremonial law ever designated absolutely the Law of God, and least of all could that be meant when the Law and the Covenant are viewed (as they are here) as in great measure identical. That which is pre-eminently called the Law in the Pentateuch and which formed exclusively the old covenant, was simply the Ten Commandmentsthose wholly and those alone. It was the Ten Commandments, then, which the Spirit of Prophecy (through Jeremiah) foretold should one day, namely, in the Gospel dispensationbe inscribed by the finger of God upon the hearts of His people. By a miracle of grace being wrought in them, they would, after the inward man, delight in and serve Gods Law (Rom. 7:22, 25). It could not be otherwise, for God has predestinated them to be conformed to the image of His Son (Rom. 8:29)initially so now, fully so in Glory. If then the Head could say, I delight to do Thy will, O My God: yea, Thy Law is within My heart (Psa. 40:8), so in their measure can the members of His mystical Body say the same. Yet there is this great differencefor in all things He has the pre-eminence: Christ was born (that Holy thing: Luke 1:35) with Gods Law in His heart, whereas it is only written in ours at the new birth. Now if the Ten Commandments as a whole are written upon the hearts of Christians it must be true of each individual partthe Fourth as well as any of the rest. That Commandment was most certainly included as an essential part of the Law or Covenant which was formerly written without and set before the Nation of Israel, but is now written within and infused with living power in the affections of the souls of Gods people. And is not that very fact attested by Christian experience? How uniformly do they who are admitted into the privileges of the New Covenant love and delight in the Day of God! Nay, the more deeply anyone drinks into the spirit of the Gospel and experiences the grace of God writing the Law of holiness on the tablet of his heart, the more invariably does he count the Sabbath the holy of the Lord and honourable. So far from a renewed soul chafing at the restraints which the Day of Rest throws upon his conduct, and hankering after a larger freedom amid the pleasures and business of the world, he gladly hails its hallowed employments, and finds its weekly returns as so many spring days in his spiritual nature. He thinks and feels with the poet: Sweet day of rest! for thee Id wait, Emblem and earnest of a state Where saints are fully blest! For thee Id look, for thee Id sigh. Id count the days till thou art nigh Sweet day of sacred rest! The second passage to which we appeal for proof of the Sabbath in this dispensation is, Neither let the son of the stranger that hath joined himself to the LORD, speak, saying, The LORD hath utterly separated me from His people; neither let the eunuch say, Behold, I am a dry tree. For thus saith the LORD unto the eunuchs that keep My Sabbaths, and choose the things that please Me, and take hold of My covenant: Even unto them will I give in Mine house and within My walls a place and a name better than of sons and of daughters: I will give them an everlasting name, that shall not be cut off. Also the sons of the stranger, that join themselves to the LORD, to serve Him, and to love the name of the LORD, to be His servants, everyone that keepeth the Sabbath from polluting it, and taketh hold of My covenant; even them will I bring to My holy mountain, and make them joyful in My house of prayer; their burnt offerings and their sacrifices shall be accepted upon Mine altar: for Mine house shall be called a house of prayer for all people (Isa. 56:3-7). Now it should be unmistakably evident to all that the above prediction does and could not refer to Jewish but must relate to Gospel times. First, this is clear from the place it occupies in the chain of prophecy, and of which it is a parti.e., beginning at 54:1 immediately after the atoning death of Christ in chapter 53. Second, it is directly connected with the revelation of Gods righteousness and the coming near of His salvation (56:1), which can only be understood of Gospel times (see Rom. 1:16, 17), and is so regarded by all sound interpreters. Third, express mention is here made of the keeping of the Sabbath as a characteristic mark of godliness on the part of the strangers (Isa. 56:6) that is, the Gentiles who should join themselves to the LordTo the Lord, and not to the Nation of Israel! It is also to be noted that the duty and blessedness of observing the Sabbath are spoken of in Isaiah 56:4 as belonging to the eunuchs, who under the Mosaic dispensation were excluded from the congregation of the Lord, as also were the strangers as a body. Now the calling of the Gentiles and the removal of all outward, personal disabilities in Gods sight, are emphatically marks of the New Testament Church; yet of such a Church it was definitely predicted that the observance of the Sabbath would form a distinctive characteristic. Finally, not only is the observance of the Sabbath three times repeated with singular emphasis, but it is coupled with laying hold of the Covenant, doing justice, and loving the name of the Lordclearly importing that the Sabbath has its place with the most important and permanent appointments of Gods kingdom. Ere passing on, perhaps it will be well for us to anticipate an objection which some may be inclined to make against what has just been advanced. The dispensationalists, who are so fond of allocating to a Jewish millennium those prophecies which receive their fulfillment under this Christian economy, are likely to say Isaiah 56:3-7 cannot be understood as receiving its accomplishment in Gospel times, but must be regarded as describing conditions under a future and restored Judaism, because verse 7 says, their burnt offerings and their sacrifices shall be accepted upon Mine altar. From this and other passages the grotesque conclusion is drawn that an era yet to come is to witness a revival of the ancient Levitical rituala thing which is not only without a vestige of New Testament support, but which is expressly refuted by the entire contents of the Hebrews Epistle, the special design of which is to show that the Aaronic priesthood has been forever set aside, superseded by the more excellent priesthood of Christ after the order of Melchizedek. Surely only those who are blinded by prejudice could fail to see that so far from Isaiah 56:7 containing anything in favour of a future restored Judaism, the whole passage in which that verse occurs makes dead against such a preposterous view. Why, if there be any one thing more than another which outstandingly characterized the exclusiveness of Judaism, it was that the priestly functions were rigidly confined to the family of Aaron. Therefore thou (Aaron) and thy sons with thee shall keep your priests office for everything of the altar, and within the veil; and ye shall serve: I have given your priests office unto you as a service of gift: and the stranger that cometh nigh shall be put to death (Num. 18:7 and cf. 3:10, 38). In passage after passage death is threatened the stranger (Gentile) who dared to approach that altar. So strict was Jehovah in the enforcement of this restrictive statute, that even when one of Israels own kings dared to usurp sacerdotal functions by burning incense upon the altar, He smote him with leprosy (2 Chron. 26:16-20)! What shall be thought, then, of those renowned Bible teachers, who are supposed to have so much more light than the rank and file of ministers, when they display such ignorance of one of the most elementary principles of Judaism, and give forth such a carnal and absurd interpretation of the prophetic Scriptures? Why, to put it as charitably and mildly as possible, that they are unsafe guides in spiritual things, and that though they may be able to amuse the curious, they cannot edify those seeking a closer walk with God. This childish and slavish literalism is so far from honouring God, that it brings His Holy Word into disrepute among sober-minded people. Anyone who possesses spiritual discernment and who is at all acquainted with the New Testament, should at once perceive that the burnt offerings of Isaiah 56:7 are the same, as the spiritual sacrifices of 1 Peter 2:5, expressed in the terminology of the Old Covenant. What a blessed picture does Isaiah 56 furnish of the distinctive and special blessings of Gospel times! New Covenant privileges are portrayed under the figures of Old Covenant institutions, yet such remarkable contrasts are drawn that there is no excuse for mistaking their purport. Both eunuchs and strangers were expressly excluded from the sacred precincts of Israels tabernacle and temple, and to here affirm that the Lord would give them a place in His house, is only the Old Testament way of saying that the middle wall of partition would be broken down. When in verse 6 it says, the sons of the stranger that join themselves to the LORD, to serve Him, the same Hebrew word is used as signifies the service of the altar: in other words, it was a prophetic announcement that the redeemed from the Gentiles were made a royal priesthood (1 Peter 2:9) to offer no material and outward sacrifices, but spiritual and inward ones, the holy exercises of renewed hearts. The wild idea that it is millennial blessings which are here portrayed, is conclusively discountenanced by, I will give them an everlasting name (Isa. 56:5). But to proceed: that the Sabbath should be continued throughout our own dispensation is just what might be expected, for the merciful nature and tendencies of the weekly Day of Rest is in perfect accord with the character and genius of Christianity. If a day of stated rest, on which all labour was forbidden as unlawful, and nothing permitted save what ministered to the life and well-being of the soul (with the exception only of works of necessity and mercy), was appointed by God for the good of His creatures under the Old Covenant, then certainly such a gracious provision is equally suited to the character and design of the New Covenant. If there be any feature of Christianity in its connection with human society, more prominent than another, it is the tenderness it breathes toward the poor and needy, and the beneficial influence it is fitted to exert on the conditions of those who require most of sympathy and kindness. Christ Himself gave it as the leading characteristic of His work on earth that thereby the objects of deepest compassion were relieved, and that the poor had the Gospel preached unto them (Matt. 11:4, 5). There was in His heart an infinite tenderness and fellow-feeling for such, even in regard to temporal evils, which often excited the wonder of His immediate followers and rebuked their comparative indifference. And is not a weekly Sabbath, bringing a periodical release from the toils and burdens of life, permitting the most weary and oppressed a season of repose in the bosom of their families, and to attend to what they must otherwise neglect, namely, the higher interests of their beingis not such a Day an unspeakable boon to the great bulk of mankind? Has not the Sabbath been one of the most wise and benevolent gifts the Creator has bestowed upon His creatures, testifying His care both for their bodies and their spirits, by providing relaxation for the one and refreshment for the other? Undoubtedly that is the real character of the Sabbath. And if Christianity has done anything to destroy the foundations on which such a blessed institution rests, it must surely in this particular, be strangely inconsistent with its general tendency and design. In its care for the poor and oppressedit must then actually rank lower than Judaism, and be chargeable with removing one of the noblest bulwarks of the weak against the strongof the labouring classes of society against the greed and grind of the monopolists. That the Gospel of the grace of God was intended to produce such an unfavourable effect, or can be made to do so otherwise than by some gross perversion of its meaning, will not readily be believed by any who know what the spirit of the Gospel is. The benevolent character of the Gospel, viewed in connection with the equally benevolent character of the Sabbath, amounts to a strong presumption that so far from subverting, the one must rather establish and support the other. To continue, let the reader ponder carefully the following questions. Does a weekly return of a day, separated from ordinary employment and consecrated to the immediate service and worship of God, seem to run contrary to the evident scope and tendency of the Gospel, or rather to harmonize with it? Does it tend to promote or hinder the end which Christianity has avowedly in view? Is it relished or disrelished by those who have drunk most deeply into the spirit of the Gospel? And when it is allowed, more or less, from whatever cause, to fall into neglect, does the cause of Christ appear to gain or to lose in consequence? These are very important and most pertinent inquiries, and are not to be summarily dismissed by a prejudiced shrug or sneer. It is neither fair nor fitting that such questions as the above should be disposed of by a general and unsupported objection that such an ordinance as the Sabbath is not in keeping with the spirit of the Gospel. We ask, in what respect is it not in accord? Does it beget a temper which the lessons of the Gospel are meant to subdue, or to check the growth of feelings which it calls us to cherish and manifest? If this were the case, it would go far to prove the unsoundness of any defense which might rather be raised for the Sabbath in this dispensation. But is it so? Wherein lies the supposed contrariety between the design and spirit of Christianity and the strict observance of a weekly Sabbath? To reply that the one promotes freedom while the other makes for bondage, is to confound liberty and license and is to mistake necessary restraint for serfdom. It is almost universally acknowledged in Christendom that the Gospel, considered in its lowest aspect, is pre-eminently a scheme of benevolence, and that it looks with a kindly and friendly countenance on the condition of those who most stand in need of sympathy and care. But we ask, is not a weekly Sabbath, withdrawn from worldly employments, bringing to the very busiest the liberty, at least, of relaxing their bodies and refreshing their spirits, one of the highest boons that can possibly be conferred on the poor? Certainly God Himself claimed it as one of His special acts of kindness toward Israel that He gave to them the privilege of knowing and keeping such a day. Are, then, the artisans of this materialistic, strenuous, and avaricious age, in less need of such a merciful furlough from their weekly toil? Then has the Gospel less concern for mans temporal well-being than had the Law? But the Gospel has another, a higher, a far more prominent and peculiar characteristic than this, namely, its spiritual and holy tendency being pre-eminently designed to beget those who embrace it to a pure and heavenly life. In this respect it not only equals, but far surpasses Judaism. True it is, blessedly true, that the Gospel is not so much a revelation of law as of grace, nevertheless grace abounds only that believers may proceed to higher exercises of faith and godliness. Every doctrine it reveals, every privilege it confers, is avowedly designed to have its present fruit unto holiness, as well as its final end unto everlasting life. To be conformed unto the pure image of the Son of God, to have our affections set upon things above and not on things of the earth, to glorify God and not gratify self is the character at which the Gospel aimswhich all its truths and ordinances are calculated to produce, and without which its great end is practically annulled. Hence the covetous, the lovers of pleasure, the earthly-minded, no less than the grossly impure, are expressly declared to be unfit for a place in the kingdom of God as now constituted. Now as real Christianity is thus identified with a spiritual and heavenly character on the part of its professors, it is pertinent to ask, What relation has the institution of a weekly Sabbath, dedicated throughout to the worship and service of God, to such an object? Does it tend to promote, or rather to hinder and retard, this high design? The question is not whether men may not strictly adhere to the observance of a proper Sabbath, and yet resort to unhallowed practices on other days of the week, for hypocrisy can counterfeit a regard to this as to any other ordinance of God. No, it is, Is the Sabbath calculated to be a handmaid to the Gospel in producing the purifying effects at which it aims? Does a weekly day, divorced from all ordinary labour and devoted to religious exercises, tend to help forward true piety, or to mar and kill so desirable a fruit? The question when thus directed to its proper object, admits of a speedy answer: not only is a day of holy rest greatly conducive to the end in view, but it is scarcely possible to conceive how, without such a day, the end could, among the bulk of mankind, be accomplished at all. Even under the Mosaic economy, when the standard of spirituality was confessedly lower than it ought to be now, the Sabbath was found necessary for the same purpose, and on this account especially did God set it to be a sign between Him and His people throughout their generations, that they might know that He was the Lord that sanctified them. How much more, then, is it required now, when His people are called to live so much by the faith of what is spiritual and Divine, and to cultivate that elevated frame of mind and course of life which is indispensable to a close communion with God. While it is true that the Gospel requires this heavenly mindedness and holy living to be common to every day of the week, and does not allow it to be confined only to one, yet take away the wholesome and hallowing influences of that one, constantly coming round with its sacred exercises, and what is likely to become of the rest? How soon will the bulwarks of piety give way, and the whole spirit and character of Christianity become secularized, if the Sabbath were practically abolished and every day of the week were alike devoted to worldly pastime or business. If the cause of Christ on earth is to prosper, and the great end of the Gospel to be promoted in the souls of men, then assuredly this day of holy rest to the Lord cannot be dispensed with, nor can it be too jealously guarded against the encroachments of worldly occupation, for it is through the sacred leisure and holy exercises of that day men are especially to familiarize themselves with the things of God. Another way of ascertaining the relation which the Sabbath holds to practical Christianity is to inquire how they who have drunk most deeply into the spirit of the Gospel usually feel toward such a day. If we might entertain any doubt as to the proper connection between a Sabbath and the great ends of the dispensation of grace, we ought surely to have that doubt removed if we find the general pulse of the saints beating, as it were, in unison on the subject. We would seldom fail to gather aright the bearing of any particular measure on the constitution of a country, if we heard one and the same sentiment expressed regarding it by those who were most conversant about and imbued with the spirit of that constitution. So with the Sabbath. Can any such testimony be produced in its favour? Yesin every generation of this era, the most pious have espoused and promoted its observance, and that not only in one country, but in every land where the Gospel obtains a footing. Pages might be filled with testimonies from one and another, but we will content ourselves with one only, who lived in the palmy days of Puritanism. For my part, I must not only say, but plead whilst I live in this world, and leave this testimony to the present and future ages, that if ever I have seen anything in the ways and worship of God, wherein the power of godliness hath been expressed: anything that hath represented the holiness of the Gospel, and the Author of it; anything that hath looked like it prelude to the everlasting Sabbath and rest with God, which we all through grace to come unto, it hath been there and with them where and amongst whom the Lords Day hath been had in highest esteem, and a strict observation of it attended unto, as an ordinance of our Lord Jesus Christ. The remembrance of their ministry, their walking and conversation, their faith and love, who in this nation have most zealously pleaded for, and have been in their persons, families, and churches, the most rigid observers of this day, will be precious with them that fear the Lord, whilst the sun and moon endure (John Owen). We bring these arguments to a close by pointing out that it adds much to the force and conclusiveness of all that has been advanced above for the necessity of a Sabbath to the life and prosperity of Christianity. Whenever the observance of such a day falls into practical neglect, the consequence to the cause of Christ are most disastrous. Ministers of the Gospel and teachers and guardians of youth have often proclaimed the melancholy result of what they have witnessed in many lands that neglected or ill-spent Sabbaths infallibly result in their declining spirituality and decreasing morality. Chaplains of prisons have in like manner borne witness that the vast majority of offenders brought under their notice have been notorious Sabbath-breakers, and that many of them acknowledge their downward course began with neglecting its holy duties and privileges. Thus far have we sought to show that the presumption in favour of the Sabbath being perpetuated during this Christian era amounts virtually to a demonstration. We now proceed to prove this presumption grows into certainty when we contemplate the personal conduct of the Lord Jesus Christ in connection with it, and ponder some of His declarations. Take first the former: And He came to Nazareth, where He had been brought up; and, as His custom was, He went into the synagogue on the Sabbath Day (Luke 4:16). Thus it is clear that the Saviour honoured this Divine institution. During the quiet years which preceded His public ministry, He had regularly attended the synagogues services on that day specially set apart for sacred solemnities. It is striking to note that this statement occurs not in Matthew (the most Jewish of the Synoptists), but in Luke, where He is portrayed as the Son of man. At the beginning of His public ministry, one of Christs first announcements was, Think not that I am come to destroy the Law, or the Prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil (Matt. 5:17). Here the Lord asserted in most unequivocal language, that His mis- sion in this world was not designed in any respect to abolish or relax, but to verify and confirm what had previously been declared by God. The Redeemer accomplished what was required by the Law and the Prophets, first, by personally fulfilling in Himself that righteousness which they demanded; and second, by imposing the same upon His people as the measure of that obedience to which through His grace they were to be ever growing. To have ignored the demands of the Law or the Prophets in either of those respects, would manifestly have been to destroy and not to fulfil them. Now the force of Christs solemn assertion in Matthew 5:17 and its pertinence to our present inquiry is at once apparent if we pause to ask this specific question: Was the ordinance of the Sabbath equally recognized and enforced in the Law and the Prophets? Surely the question answers itself. In that solemn and comprehensive revelation of Law which was promulgated from Mount Sinai and which in Scripture is usually denominated the Law, it had a definite, an honourable place, occupying the very center of the Ten Commandments. So, too, in the Prophets: not only when they spoke of Jewish, but also when they referred to Gentile times, there is (as we have shown) a testimony both explicit and authoritative in favour of the Sabbath. Thus, when Christ declared He came to fulfil the Law and the Prophets, He can only be fairly understood to mean that He definitely adopted the testimony they delivered concerning the day of Sacred Rest. And He said unto them, The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath: Therefore the Son of man is Lord also of the Sabbath (Mark 2:27, 28). The Sabbath was designed for mans blessing. It was given because he needed it, both in his body and in his soul. It was appointed that he might be man in the highest sense of the wordsomething better than a beast of burden, something nobler than a cash register. Observe the force of, Therefore the Son of man is Lord also of the Sabbath: because the Sabbath is made not merely for Israel, but for man, and because in becoming incarnate the Son of God touched all humanity, as Son of man He is Lord also of the Sabbath. And mark well His relation thereto: He is not the Destroyer of the Sabbath, but its Lord; not the Repealer of it, but its Sovereign. There are a number of passages in the Gospels (like Matt. 12:1, 2, 10) which record the criticisms that the Saviour met with from His enemies regarding His conduct on the Sabbath, and it is most instructive and important to note the different answers He gave in self-vindication. That which is of chief moment for us to observe is that His utterances on these occasions made it unmistakably clear that both works of real necessity and works of mercy on the Sacred Day are permissible and lawful. Thus we discover that the words, in it thou shalt not do any work (Exo. 20:10) are not to be understood absolutely, but are to be interpreted in the light of these modifications of Christ. All Sabbath labour which is not imperative for the well-being of man and beast is Divinely forbidden, but whatever be essential for their true good is sanctioned by the Lords own example. Though Christ ignored all the rabbinical regulations which had been superimposed upon the Divine Law, He never did one thing or uttered one word which to the slightest degree undermined or relaxed the requirements of the Fourth Commandment. There is evidence that the Sabbath law had been encumbered and perverted by Jewish interpretations and traditions. They permitted a man to fill a trough with water for beasts to come and drink, but forbade him carrying water to them. According to one school it was not allowable to minister unto the sick on the Sabbath. Consequently we find our Lord going to considerable pains to expound the Fourth Commandment, and rescue it from these accretions. It was not that Christ modified the exactions of the Divine Law or granted man an indulgence for secularizing the Sacred Day, but that He freed it from the arbitrary injunctions of the Jewish teachers. In what has just been pointed out, we discover another proof for the continuance of the Sabbath in this dispensation. If the Sabbath had been on the brink of being repealed, why should Christ have been so careful to explain its requirements, and make clear that works of mercy and of necessity were allowable on that day? Read carefully the various vindications which He gave them when attacked on that point, and where is there the slightest hint that He was about to abrogate the Sabbath? So far from it, His defenses, one and all, were simply to the effect that He was delivering it from the errors of the Pharisees, and thereby He settled a point which would afterwards be of great service to His Church. Suppose you saw a man taking pains to restore a defaced inscription on a pillar, to remove from it the rubbish which had been heaped around its base, and to tear away the ivy that surrounded its summit, would you not infer it was his intention that its inscription should remain for the information of future ages? Such was the conduct of our Lord in reference to the Sabbath Law (The Sabbath Not a Mere Judaical appointment by Andrew Thomsom). But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the Sabbath Day (Matt. 24:20). These words were uttered by Christ at the close of His public ministry. The earliest possible period to which this direction can refer, is the siege of Jerusalema period at least 40 years after the ascension of Christ, that is, after the full establishment of the Gospel dispensation, and after the Gospel of the kingdom had been preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations (v. 14 and cf. Col. 1:6). At such an advanced period in the Gospel age, and in a season, too, of unparalleled distress, the disciples were, by the direction of their Lord, to make it a matter of special prayer that they might not need to take their flight on the Sabbath Day . . . . It is impossible to entertain due respect to Christ as an infallible teacher, without admitting it to be His clear intention in this passage that the weekly Sabbath should continue after the Gospel dispensation was fully set up (F. Fairbairn, from which much in this article is taken almost verbatim). That the Judaical Sabbath, as such, has been abolished, we unhesitatingly affirm; but to conclude from this that there is now no Sabbath in the strict and proper sense of that term, we emphatically deny. Serious errors have been committed at either extreme. On the one hand there has been an insignificant company who have vigorously contended that God has given no command for any change to be made in the weekly Day of Rest, and therefore that we, in this dispensation, are required to observe the seventh day. On the other hand, another class has insisted that the Sabbath has been completely abolished, though they allow that it is the privilege of Christians (any law requiring the same, they deny) to honour Christ in a special manner on the first day of the week. The Truth lies between these two extremes: the Sabbath remains, though it has undergone some noticeable changes in its Christianization. A thorough inquiry into the precise differences between the Judaical Sabbath and the Christian Sabbath (deeply important as such an inquiry is)differences as to its significance, its penal sanction, its day of observance, etc.would require a full exposition of the Siniatic covenant; but as we recently went into that subject at length in our Studies, it is not necessary for us to traverse the same ground again. But a brief summary of its salient and distinctive features seems unavoidable. Originally, the Sabbath was made for man (Mark 2:27); it being required of him naturally, the light and law of nature suggesting that some time be set apart and dedicated to God for the observance of his solemn worship in the world. Man in his creation, with respect to the ends of God therein, was constituted under a covenant: the law of his obedience being attended by promise and threat, reward and punishment. During the interval which elapsed between the Fall of Adam and the Lords deliverance of Israel from Egypt, the nations had completely apostatised from God, and had been given up by Him to a spirit of blindness (Rom. 1:21-28). The dealings of God with the Hebrews marked a fresh and distinctive departure in the Divine ways with mankind. At Sinai the descendants of Jacob were taken into special covenant relationship with Jehovah. As the Sabbath had been originally annexed to the covenant between God and man (Adam, and the race in him), the renovation of the covenant (at Sinai) necessarily required an especial renewal of the Sabbath, and the change of the covenant as to the nature of it, necessarily introduced a change of the Sabbath. In what respects, we shall endeavour to point out. When God erected His Church in the wilderness (Acts 7:38), renewing the knowledge of Himself and of mans duty toward Him, in the posterity of Abraham, He gave unto them afresh the precepts of the Law and the Covenant of Works, for the rule of their obedience, reducing the same to Ten Commandments written on tables of stone. As thus delivered by Him, it was the same for the substance of it with the law of our creation or the original rule of our covenant obedience unto God. Yet as thus inscribed, there was an innovation in it, both as to its form and the principle of obligation. In form it was now made objective and external; and the immediate obligation unto its observance was prefaced by motives peculiar to their state and condition (Exo. 20:2). Later, its observance was continually pressed upon them by reasons taken from their peculiar relation to God, with His love and benefits unto them. It was now no more a moral command only, equally regarding all mankind, but had a temporary regard given to it, which was afterwards to be abolished. The Law was renewed as an ingredient in that economy under which God placed His Church at Sinai, though He did not bring His people under the Covenant of Works in all the rigour of itrelief being found, for those betaking themselves to it, in the promise of grace in Christ. Nevertheless, there was begotten in the minds of the people such a sense of the demands of the Law and their obedience thereto, that it gendereth to bondage (Gal. 4:24). Annexed to the Law was the promise of, Do this, and live; and the threat, cursed is everyone that continueth not in all things which are written in the Law to do them. Consequently, the Covenant form given to the Law at Sinai rendered the obedience of the people to it in a great measure servile. The death sentence was pronounced upon those who desecrated the Sabbath (Exo. 35:2, 3). The Moral Law, to which was attached many statutes of both a civic and ceremonial nature, was made the rule of the government of Israel, as a holy nation under the dominion of God Himself as their King. Thus the whole Decalogue as given at Sinai had a political use, that is, it was made the principal instrument of the polity or government of the Nation as peculiarly under the rule of God. Their polity, as to the kind of it, was a theocracy, over which God in a special manner presided as their Governor, and this was peculiar to that people. Hence the Sabbath amongst them came to have an absolute necessity accompanying it, of an outward carnal ordinance, under pain of death if they neglected the same. Againthe Sabbath was made a part of their law for religious worship in their temporal Church state, in which and whereby the whole dispensation of the covenant which Israel was under, was directed to other ends. Thus it had the nature of a shadow, representing good things to come, whereby the people were to be relieved from the rigour and curse of the whole law as a Covenant. Hence, new commands were given for the observance of the Sabbath, new motives advanced, new ends and uses formulated, so as to accommodate it to the dispensation of the Covenant then in force, but which was afterwards to be removed and taken away, and with it the Sabbath itself so far as it had relation thereto. Therefore we have no hesitation in subscribing to the following words of Owen: All these things in the law of the Sabbath are Mosaic: namely, the obligation that arose to its observance, from the promulgation of the Law unto that people at Sinai; the limitation of the day to the seventh or last of the week, which was necessary to that administration of the Covenant which God then made use of, and had a respect to a previous institution; the manner of its observance, suited to that servile and bondage frame of mind, which the giving of the law on Mount Sinai did generate in them, as being designed of God so to do; the engrafting of it into the system and series of religious worship then in force, by the double sacrifice annexed to it; with the various uses in, and accommodation it had to the rule of government in the commonwealth of Israel; in all which respects it is abolished, taken away. If, then, noticeable changes were made in connection with the Sabbath when God took the people of Israel into covenant relationship with Himself, need we wonder that other changes were made when the Siniatic covenant and constitution were abolished? In order to distinguish the Christian Sabbath from what had obtained for 15 centuries, was it not expedient, might we say, essential, that under the era of the new Covenant, it should be observed on a new and different day? But alas, the perversity of men has led not a few of them to argue from that very change of the day from the last to the first of the week, that the Sabbath itself is completely done away with under the Christian dispensation. They insist that an entirely new institution has displaced it, an institution which consists in a certain pre-eminence of the first day. Once again we avail ourselves freely of the writings of P. Fairbairn, and point out, first, even if we could assign no adequate reason for the seventh day being dropped and the first substituted in its place, a mere change of that kind would certainly not outweigh, with any serious-minded believer, the arguments we have produced in support of a Sabbath reaching from the creation of the world to the destruction of Jerusalem. This is a chain which links together Moses and Christ, the Patriarchal, Levitical, and Christian times. We should certainly be the less disposed to set aside the large amount of evidence, and to view the change in question as in itself conclusive against the existence of a proper Sabbath, when we know that the first day, on being appropriated to acts of worship, received the name of the Lords Day (Rev. 1:10). Why called emphatically His, but to intimate that He now claimed the same propriety in it that he had hitherto done in the seventh? If the first day, as a daythat is, as a whole, and not some particular portion of itis the Lords, in a sense in which other days of the week are not, how can it possibly be so, except in being set apart for employments and services peculiar to itself, and more immediately connected with His own glory? Was not this very feature the distinctive characteristic of the seventh day: that it was Gods day, because specially separated by Him for sacred purposes? And does not this very character appear plainly in the appellation, the Lords Day, as transferring to the first day of the week that which had, essentially, marked the seventh day from Adam until Christ? The principal feature which had distinguished the Sabbath from the very first, as designed for all classes and generations of men, is that a seventh portion of our time should be specially devoted to the worship of God, rather than the precise day of the week being the thing on which attention was to be fixed. It is the remembrance of a seventh day, as distinguished from the other six constantly going before and coming after it, which formed the substance of the Fourth Commandment, and that the seventh day was to be regarded as the last, rather than the first day of the week, appears only in what is assigned to the original ground of the appointment. We have no reason, but rather the contrary, to think that the Lord intended it to be always and solely connected with His own procedure in the work of creation. At the giving of manna in the wilderness, when the Sabbath was restored after a period of oblivion, caused by the hard bondage of Egypt, the seventh day was counted from the time of Gods beginning to bestow the manna. And instead of bidding them to keep it as a mere memorial of creation, He more frequently enforced it on their regard as a sign of the Covenant which He had with them, and a memorial of His goodness in delivering them from the land of bondage. After all this, is it not preposterous to suppose that the mere change of the day from the last to the first of the week, so as more distinctly to connect it with another and better Covenant and render it the fit- ting memorial of a higher and more glorious work, should utterly destroy its obligation or alter its character? Againlet it be duly considered that the change was not made capriciously but for weighty and important reasons connected with the new work and covenant of God as distinguished both from that to which it stood immediately opposed in Judaism, and from that to which more remotely, but still more essentially, it stood opposed in creation. The observance of the last day of the week, as peculiarly set apart for Gods service, though belonging like circumcision to an earlier state of things, had yet come, in great measure, to be connected with the Covenant made at Sinai. It was appointed to be a sign of that Covenant, and the reason for the day as a memorial of creation ceasing in course of time to be maintained among the Gentiles, the observance of it came ultimately to be regarded as a public testimony on the part of the Israelites of their adherence to the Covenant made with their fathers. The need for a change of day in connection with the Sabbath under Christianity should now be the more apparent. The worship of God on the seventh day had been so blended with and merged into Judaism, that it could not serve as a proper sign and testimony to the world of the faith of the Gospel, and therefore without such a change as was actually made, one important end of this Divine institution and ordinance must otherwise have been lost. For the same reason that God abolished circumcision as the outward mark of His covenant people, He set aside the Judaical Sabbath as such; and for the same reason that He appointed baptism as the distinctive uniform of the Christian (Gal. 3:27) has He signalized the first day of the week as the Christian Sabbath. But if we go beyond Sinai right back to the Divine work of creation, a yet stronger reason will be found for this change in the Day of Rest. As a memorial of that work, the Sabbath cannot be now what it originally was, for sin has entered with its destroying power, and laid creation, as it were, in ruins. The once beautiful and glorious inheritance is now given up a prey to the spoiler; and a memorial of it, while it tells us indeed of Gods first designs of goodness toward His creatures, tells us at the same time how those designs have been opposed, and natures life and glory have been brought down within the gulf of death. We need then, for our peace and welfare, another work and covenant of God to repair the ruin of the first, and lay the foundation of a highereven an imperishable glory. A grander and more blessed production than the making of this material world has been achieved, even the bringing forth of a new creation, which cannot be marred by sin or Satan. The work of redemption immeasurably transcends in importance and value the work of the first creation, and hence it is most fitting that it should be signalized by a change in the Day of Rest to commemorate the rest of the Saviour from all His arduous and costly labours in the putting away of the sins of His people and His bringing in an everlasting righteousness for them. The transcendent work of Christ is therefore memorialized in the Sabbath by transferring it from the last to the first day of the week, for it was on that day the Redeemer rose triumphant from the grave as the Head of the new creation, the firstfruits of them that sleep, the prototype and pledge of a glorified humanity. By the very act of His glorious exodus from the tomb, the Lord Jesus begets all who believe on His name unto an inheritance incorruptible, undefiled, and that fadeth not away (1 Peter 1:3, 4). How appropriate, how delightful, then, the change made in connection with the Holy Day! Instead of seeking to take occasion from that change to impair or destroy the Sabbath, it should endear to us that blessed institution all the more. For it tells now, not so much of a paradise that has been lost, as of a better paradise that has been won; not so much of a covenant broken and a heritage spoiled, as of a covenant forever ratified by the blood of Christ and a kingdom that cannot be moved. If the corruptible work and covenant of nature had by Divine appointment its Sabbatical sign and memorial, must not this higher work and covenant much rather have it? If we refuse now to enter into the fellowship of Christs rest by hallowing the day which He has set apart in His Church for spiritual rest and blessing, what is it in effect but to cut ourselves off from the hope of His redemption and declare our light esteem of His finished work? We conclude, therefore, that it is now, as it ever has been, the will of God that one whole day in seven should be kept holy to Himself; that since the resurrection of Christ, this has been Divinely appointed to be the first day of the week; and that this change, while it could do nothing to weaken the obligation of a proper Sabbath, was both necessary to make the observance of a Sabbath conducive to some of the ends for which it was appointed, and also gives to it the character which cannot fail greatly to enhance and endear its sacredness to every child of God (P. Fairbairn, from whom much in the second part of this article is taken verbatim). We have thus far, in our remarks upon the Christianization of the Sabbath, confined our attention mainly to two things. First, in pointing out that the many arguments advanced for the perpetuation of the Sabbath in this dispensation cannot possibly be rendered invalid by the mere fact of a change in the Day of Restthat it most certainly does not follow from the first day of the week now being the one specially hallowed for Divine worship, a proper Sabbath as such no longer obtains. Second, we sought to show that a change of economy required a change in the day of Sabbath observance: if the New Covenant was to stand out with clear distinctness from the Old, then a new Day of Rest best accorded with and testified to the establishment of the same. We are now to dwell more particularly on the fact that the first day of the week is the one ordained of God for the Christian Sabbath. We know that these pages are read by people of varied shades of thought, some of them having been brought up under quite different teaching from what others have received, and as we desire (under God) to help one and all, we often feel obliged to take up an aspect of a subject which will not appeal to the majority, yea which may seem to them quite needless. Some of our readers have been influenced by Seventh Day Adventism, and we must confess that in our wide reading we have come across very little indeed which was calculated to solve their difficulties; and therefore we deem it well to enter carefully and with some detail into this point. The old creation comprised in it the law of obedience of man unto God, this being implanted in his moral nature, which gave inclination unto the observance of it. The law of creation had a covenant inseparably annexed to it, as had also the Siniatic constitution. The immediate end of those covenants was to bring men by due obedience unto the rest of God, and as a pledge thereof and also a means of attaining it, the Day of Rest was instituted. All these things therefore must have a place also in the New Covenant belonging unto the new creation, the immediate end of which is our entrance into the rest of God, as the Apostle proves at length in Hebrews 4. But therein we are not absolutely to enter into Gods rest as a Creator and Rewarder, but to God in Christ as Redeemer, the foundation of which is the work of God in the new creation, and the complete satisfaction or complacency which He finds in Christs atonement. Thus it should be apparent that the particular day of the week on which the Sabbath is to be observed, resolves itself into what Covenant we walk under before God. If the Siniatic covenant has been annulled, then of necessity the Day of Rest has been changed. On the other hand, to insist that the Sabbath as given to the Jews is not abolished requires us to perpetuate the whole system of Mosaic ordinances which stood on the same bottom with it. That this is not simply an inference or dogmatic assertion of ours, that it is actually a Scriptural proposition is clear from the whole argument of Hebrews 7-10. For the priesthood being changed, there is made of necessity a change also of the law (Heb. 7:12). The covenant being changed, the rest which was the end of it being changed, and the way of entering into Gods rest being changed, a change of the day of rest must of necessity thereon ensue (John Owen). With these introductory remarks we now proceed to offer further proofs for the first day of the week being the Christian Sabbath. First, it was plainly adumbrated in Old Testament times. This change in the weekly Day of Rest from the last to the first day of the week, that is, from the seventh to the eighth, as everything pertaining to the Christian era, was intimated under various types and shadows. The work of creation was finished in six days, and on the seventh God rested from His work, which completed a week, or the first series of time. The eighth day, then, was the first of a new series, and on that day Christ rose as the Head of the new creation. The eighth day is accordingly signalized in the Old Testament, pointing in a manner the most express to the day when Christ entered into His rest, and when in commemoration thereof His people are to rest. Circumcision was to be administered unto children on the eighth day (Gen. 17:12). On the eighth day, but not before, animals were accepted in sacrifice (Lev. 22:27). On the eighth day the consecration of Aaron as high priest, and his sons, after various ceremonies, was completed (Lev. 9:1). On the eighth day was the cleansing from issues, emblematic also of sin (Lev. 15:29). On the eighth day atonement was made for the Nazarite who was defiled (Num. 6:10). When the sheaf of the firstfruits was brought to the priest, it was to be accepted on the eighth day (Lev. 23:11)a distinctive type of the resurrection of Christ. The eighth day was sanctified at the dedication of the Temple (2 Chron. 7:9), and in its sanctification at the time of Hezekiah (2 Chron. 29:17). Now, can any spiritual mind suppose for a moment that this repeated use of the eighth day, in connection with the most solemn services of Gods ancient people and in a manner so conspicuous, was without a special purpose? Did not the wisdom of God single out that day for some very important end? intimating thereby an antitypical new beginning? The eighth day corresponds with the first day of the week, on which according to all those appointments, Christ was received as the Firstborn from the dead, His sacrifice accepted, and on which, as the great High Priest He was consecrated for evermore, having made atonement for His people, by which they are cleansed from all sin. That purpose of God is fully developed in the New Testament, where He who is Lord of the Sabbath, without in the slightest degree changing the obligation to observe a seventh day, appropriated to Himself the first instead of the last day of the week. Second, this change is clearly intimated by what is recorded of the first day in the New Testament. The alteration in the day of Sabbath rest and worship was emphasized by Christs personal visitations to His assembled disciples on the first of the week. After His appearing to the travelers to Emmaus, the Saviour was seen no more until His mysterious and blessed manifestation in the upper room. Then the same day at evening, being the first of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you (John 20:19). What is the Holy Spirits object here in mentioning the particular day of the week? Was it not to inform us that this was now a particular day? Jews would understand at once what was signified by the notice that a religious assembly occurred on the seventh day, and Christians are to equally understand what is denoted by such an allusion to the first day. The next detail to be noticed in the above passage is, the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews. What is indicated by those words? Let it be remembered that the Lord had already opened their understandings that they might understand the Scriptures (Luke 24:45), which must mean that, in a measure at least, they now knew the types had given place to the reality. We also know that, He through the Holy Spirit had given commandments unto the Apostles whom He had chosen, to whom also He showed Himself alive after His passion by many infallible proofs (Acts 1:2, 3). What other conclusion, then, can be drawn, but that the disciples now observed the Sabbath on the first day of the week, and that they therefore took the precaution of fastening the doors because they knew how incensed the Jews would be for their departure from the ancient observance of the Sabbath on the seventh day? Thomas was absent on the above occasion, and when he learned of its marvels, expressed strong unbelief. Throughout that week the Lord Jesus did not reappear. But when the disciples assembled again on the first day of the next week, Thomas being present with them, He once more stood in their midst and said, Peace be unto you (John 20:26). Is there nothing marked by that interval of time? His other interviews with them are not thus dated! Surely the fact that Christ was not seen by His disciples for a whole week, and that He then appeared to them again on the first day when they met for special worship, clearly signifies His definite sanction of this as the appointed day of meeting with His disciples? And is not this most expressly confirmed by the Holy Spirits advent at Pentecost? Most assuredly the Spirits descent on the first day of the week crowned this ordinance and ratified the newly instituted Christian Sabbath. Third, the first day of the week was celebrated by the early Church. That this was how the Apostles understood the matter appears from their custom, for they assembled together for the breaking of bread and the preaching of the Word on the first day of the week (Acts 20:7). Are we not compelled to conclude that what the Apostles did, and what the churches did under their supervision, must have been done in accord with the revealed will of their Divine Master? But, it will be objected, If God requires the Sabbath to be duly observed on the first day of the week during this Christian dispensation, why has He not given a definite command through His Apostles to that effect in the Epistles? To this question we make three replies. In the first place, it savors strongly of impiety: a taking it upon ourselves to say how God is to make known His pleasure to usHe has other ways of declaring His will besides through express precepts. In the second place, such a question loses sight altogether of the situation in which many of the early Christians found themselvesa situation very different from that which generally obtains today. In the first generation of the Christian era it was quite impossible for the Sabbath to be kept with the same sacred strictness with which the Jewish Sabbath had been observed. So long as the Christian Church was confined to the boundaries of Palestine, and its members were made up of Jewish believers and proselytes, as it was for some time, it was required of all the converts to continue in an exact observance of the Jewish Sabbath in compliance with the law of the land. They did, in addition, observe the Lords Day, so far as that was possible privately; but they had it not in their power to render the first day one of holy rest for all their fellows. When the Christian Church enlarged her borders and converts from the Gentiles added thereto, the Christian Sabbath had to encounter most formidable obstacles and was met by almost constant opposition. Let it also be carefully borne in mind that many of the early Gentile converts were the slaves of heathen masters, and it will at once appear how impossible it was for the Church to secure anything approaching Sabbath observance, so far as that implies the setting apart of the first day from all secular interests and the devoting of it solely unto Divine worship. It was therefore most merciful on Gods part to lay not upon them a burden which they could not have borne. Nevertheless there is clear evidence that those early Christians devoted at least a part of the first day to special worship so far as their distressed and persecuted state rendered possible. But in the third place, we ask, Is it true that no Divine command for the sanctification of the first day is to be found in the Epistles? And we reply, No, it is not. Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I have given order to the churches of Galatia, even so do ye. Upon the first day of the week let everyone of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him, that there be no gatherings when I come (1 Cor. 16:1, 2). I have given order, is certainly the language of authority, and cannot be regarded as anything less than an apostolic command. It is to be duly noted that Paul gave order concerning not only the principle of systematic Christian giving (for the relief of indigent saints), but also stipulated the time when such collections were to be made, that being appointed for the first day of the week. Nor was such a regulation peculiar to the church at Corinth, as is intimated by his, so I teach everywhere in every church (4:17), so ordain I in all churches (7:17). Moreover, he expressly tells us, the things that I write unto you are the commandments of the Lord (1 Cor. 14:37). In view of this important verse, we may remark: there is here clear proof that the first day of the week was observed by the church at Corinth as holy time. If it were not, there can have been no propriety in selecting that day in preference to any other in which to make the collection. It was the day which was set apart to the duties of religion, and therefore an appropriate day for the exercise of charity and the bestowment of alms. There can have been no reason why this day should have been designated except that it was a day set apart to religion, and therefore deemed a proper day for the exercise of benevolence towards others. This order extended also to the churches in Galatia, proving also that the first day of the week was observed by them, and was regarded as a day proper for the exercise of charity towards the poor and afflicted. And if the first day of the week was observed, by apostolic authority in those churches, it is morally certain that it was observed by others. This consideration, therefore, demonstrates that it was the custom to observe this day, and that it was observed by the authority of the early founders of Christianity (A. Barnes). It is abundantly clear, then, from this passage that the first day of the week was by Divine authority appointed for Divine worshipfor this collection was an act of Christian fellowship. Ere passing on, it should be pointed out that the Greek which is here rendered the first (day) of the week is the very same expression that is employed by the four Evangelists in connection with the resurrection of Christ (Matt. 28:1; Mark 16:1; Luke 24:1; John 10:1), also in John 20:19 when He appeared to the disciples in the upper room. The word used is Sabbaton, which means both week and Sabbaths. Literally, then, it reads, the first of the Sabbaths, the Holy Spirit using this particular term to denote the beginning of a new series. Thus we need not have the slightest hesitation in speaking of The Christian Sabbath. The Christian Sabbath was most strikingly honoured by Christ Himself in His glorious appearing on the isle of Patmos and the prophetic revelation which He there made to His servant John. In narrating the wondrous visions which he there received, the Apostle describes the time when they were given to him as, on the Lords Day (Rev. 1:10). Now all the days of the week are the Lords, but that one of them should be singled out and thus designated to distinguish it from the others, shows that this day is His in a peculiar sense, as specially devoted to His honour. It is called the Lords Day for precisely the same reason that the holy feast is called the Lords Supper (1 Cor. 11:20)the one as a memorial of His death, the other of His resurrection. This particular designation supplies further proof that He is Lord of the Sabbath (Mark 2:28). A number of testimonies are still extant that the Christians in the first three centuries observed the Sabbath on the first day of the week. On the day which is called Sunday, all, whether dwelling in the towns or in the villages, hold meetings, and the memoirs of the Apostles and the writings of the Prophets are read, as much as the time will permit; then the reader closing, the president in a speech exhorts and incites to an imitation of those excellent examples; then we all rise and pour forth united prayers (Justin Martyr, in his Apology: A.D. 150). Another witness of the same era is Eusebius, All things whatever that it was duty to do on the Sabbath, these we have transferred to the Lords Day, as more appropriately belonging to it, because it has a precedence, and is first in rank, and more honourable than the Jewish Sabbath. It is delivered to us that we should meet together on this day (Comments on Psalm 92). From the beginning God determined that the ruination of the old creation should be followed by the producing of a new creation, with a new law of that creation, a new covenant, and a new Sabbath rest, unto His own glory by Jesus Christ. The renovation of all things by the Mediator was Divinely foretold (Acts 3:21): it was to be a time of reformation (Heb. 9:10). From the Epistles we learn that this renovation of all things has been accomplished by Christ: old things are passed away, etc. (2 Cor. 5:17)the old covenant, the old order of worship, the Judaical Sabbath. That in the dispensation of the fullness of times He might gather together in one all things in Christ, which are in Heaven and which are on earth; in Him (Eph. 1:10): only those things pertaining to the Mosaic economy remain which are useful to our living unto God, and they abide not on their old foundation, but on a new disposition of them in Christ: cf., 1 Corinthians 9:21. Thus it is with the Holy Sabbath: it remains, yet it has undergone a decided renovation. As the incarnation of Gods Son affected the chronology of the world (for all civilized time is, by common consent, dated from the year of His birth!), so His death and resurrection terminated the old covenant and ratified the new, and this necessarily resulted in a change of the weekly day of rest. We have already pointed out that the first day of the week as now being the one Divinely appointed for Sabbath observance was, first, adumbrated in the Old Testament types, where the eighth day is so conspicuous. Second, that it was clearly intimated by what is recorded in the New Testament: the first day being that of our Lords resurrection and the day of meeting with His disciples. Third, that it was so celebrated by the early Church: Acts 20:7; 1 Corinthians 16:2. We are now to consider, fourth, that this change was conclusively demonstrated in Hebrews 4. We will first call attention to the fact itself as there stated, and then endeavour to indicate and elucidate the course of the Apostles argument in that chapter. In Hebrews 4:8 it is expressly affirmed, for if Jesus had given them rest, then would he not afterward have spoken of another day. What this other day is, may be unequivocally ascertained from the context: it is the Holy SabbathGod did rest the seventh day from all His work (v. 4). So, too, immediately after mentioning another day (i.e. another or different one from the seventh) the Apostle went on to say, There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God (v. 9). In proof of this and also to identify this another day he declared, For He (not they, but He, which is Christ) that is entered into His rest, He also hath ceased from His own works, as God did from His (v. 10). What has just been pointed out is quite simple and easy to understand, but in order to grasp the force of the Apostles argument we need to gird up the loins of our minds and attend very closely to his chain of reasoning. First, we must observe that here in chapter 4 he is continuing what he had said in chapter 3. There he gave an exhortation unto faith, obedience, and perseverance (3:1-6), and this he enforced by a quotation from Psalm 95, which contained a pointed exhortation and a solemn warning taken from the case of those who fell under Divine wrath because they were guilty of the sin contrary to the duties of faith, obedience, and perseverance (3:7-11). This he at once follows by making application of the warning unto the Hebrews, and by expounding certain expressions in this quotation which he had made from the Psalmist (3:12-18). Because the words of Psalm 95 contain not only a warning applicable to New Testament saints, and more especially because those words also had interwoven in them a prophecy (note promise in Heb. 4:1) concerning the rest of God in Christ by the Gospel and our duty thereon, Paul proceeded to enlarge upon and confirm his exhortation in 3:12, 13, still using the language of Psalm 95 for that end. First, he propounds the duty which he aimed to press on the Hebrews (4:1, 2). Second, he established the foundation of his exhortation, by showing that the rest mentioned by David was still future when he wrote Psalm 95 (Heb. 4:3). Third, he enters into a careful discussion of and differentiates between the various rests of God (vv. 4-10). Fourth, he concludes by returning to and repeating his original exhortation (v. 11). Let it be clearly grasped at this stage that the Apostles design in Hebrews 4:4-11 was to confirm what he had laid down in verses 1-3, which we paraphrase thus: There is under the Gospel a promise of entering into the rest of God left or remaining unto believers, and they do enter into that rest by mixing the promise of it with faith. It was the more necessary to press this upon the Hebrews: that notwithstanding their ancient and present enjoyment of the land of Canaan, yet their fathers fell short of entering into Gods rest because of their unbelief, and that now they (their children) were under a new trial or test, a new rest being proposed unto them in the promise. This he proves by a testimony out of Psalm 95, whereof he had previously treated in Hebrews 3. Now the application of Psalm 95 to the case of the Hebrews was liable to a serious objection: the rest mentioned there by David seemed to be one long since past. If that were the case, then these Hebrews could have no new or fresh concern in it, and therefore could be in no danger of coming short of it. It was to remove such an objection, and to confirm what he had previously advanced, that the Apostle occupied himself in what follows, and this he does by a direct appeal to Psalm 95, showing from the proper signification of its words, from the time when it was written, and from the persons there addressed, that no other rest was there intended than what was here being proposed by him unto them, namely, the rest of God and His people in the Gospel. The general argument insisted upon by the Apostle to support his design and establish his purpose, consists in an enumeration of all the various rests of God and His people mentioned in the Old Testament. From the consideration of them all, he proves that no other rest could be intended by the language of David in Psalm 95 than the rest of the Gospel, whereinto all who believe do now enter. This he arrives at, most logically, by a process of elimination. First, the rest promised (Heb. 4:1) in Psalm 95 was neither the rest of God from the works of creation, nor the Sabbath rest which ensued thereon (Heb. 4:4-6). Second, nor was it the rest of Canaan, which Joshua brought the people into (Heb. 4:7, 8). No, it was a spiritual rest which remained or subsisted for believers to enjoy now (vv. 8-10). We are now prepared to enter into detail. In verse 3, three things are laid down. First, an assertion, which comprises the whole intendment of the Apostle in this passage: For we which have believed do enter into rest. Second, a proof of that assertion from the words of the Psalmist: As He said, As I have sworn in My wrath, if they shall enter into My rest, or as the Psalm reads, They should not enter into My rest (95:11). Third, an ellyptical entrance into a full confirmation of his assertion and the due application of his proof produced unto what he had designed: although the works were finished from the foundation of the world. Now that rest which believers enter through faith in Christ (cf. John 16:33) is first and primarily the spiritual rest of God, and is not to be restricted unto the eternal rest in Heaven, though that will be the fruition of it. God rests in Christ (Isa. 42:1) and in His people (Zeph. 3:17). As I have sworn in My wrath, If they shall enter into My rest (Heb. 4:3), or that they should not enter into My rest. How did those words contain a confirmation of what has been affirmed in the preceding clause? Two ways. First, by an axiom of logic. It is a well-known rule that unto immediate contraries contrary attributes may be certainly assigned, so that he who affirms the one at the same time denies the other, and he who denies that one affirms the other. For instance, if I say it is day, I also affirm it is not night. If, then, those who believed not entered not into Gods rest, then it logically follows that those who believe do enter into it. Second, theologically: according to the analogy of faithevery threat also includes a promise, and every promise has also the nature of a threat in it. Although the works were finished from the foundation of the world (v. 3). In those words the Apostle began his answer to an anticipated objection against what he had asserted of the Gospel rest. Now all rest presupposes labour, consequently each several rest of God must have some work preceding it. So it was, first, with His rest in Genesis 2:2 that was preceded by the six days of creation. This the Apostle at once refers to in verse 4, For He spake in a certain place of the seventh day on this wise, And God did rest the seventh day from all His works. Now as Owen so convincingly pointed out, Gods rest here is not spoken of absolutely, with respect to Himself only, but rather with reference to an appointed rest that ensued thereon for His creatures to rest in with Him, for this is the Apostles scope all through this passage. Hence he refers us back to the whole passage from which he quotes (Gen. 2:2, 3): and there we learn that God not only rested on the seventh day, but blessed it for the rest of man. Thus he first treats of the Sabbath in relation to the state of man under the law of nature. And in this place again, If they shall enter into My rest (Heb. 4:5). The in this has reference to Psalm 95, which he is here expounding and applying to the case of the Hebrews. The word again emphasizes the fact that the Apostle is now alluding to the second rest of God and the proposal He made unto His People of their entering into it. At the finish of His work, God rested the seventh day and blessed it for a day of rest unto His creatures. And again, on another occasion, He spoke of My rest. What that other occasion was, Psalm 95 tells us: it was when Israel was in the Wilderness (Psa. 95:8). God had finished another series of miraculous works when He brought His people out of Egypt and conducted them through the Red Sea. Then He took them into covenant relationship with Himself (at Sinai), renewed the Law, and set before them the rest of Canaan. That a spiritual rest was then proposed unto Israel is clear from the Apostles changing the Psalmists, they should not enter into My rest (95:11) to, If they shall enterthe exclusion of some definitely implied the entrance of others into Gods rest if they complied with His terms. At the risk of being wearisome, but for the benefit of those desiring to really understand this passage, we will here summarize the force of the Apostles reasoning so far as we have yet gone. Gods rest was tendered unto and entered into by some (viz., believers) from the foundation of the world. It must therefore be another rest which the Psalmist (so long after) spoke of, and which the descendants of Abraham were afresh invited to enter into, as later in his discussion the Apostle more clearly proves. And they who deny any Sabbath rest from the beginning remove all foundation for Pauls discourse: had there been no rest from the foundation of the world what need for him to prove that the rest mentioned in Psalm 95 was not the original one, if there had been none such? The very object of the Apostle in again referring to Psalm 95 was to show that the rest mentioned by David was not that which was appointed from the beginning of the world, but a much later one. What that second and later rest was, we have defined in the last paragraph but one, as the rest of Canaannot merely external relief from their wilderness wandering, but an entrance into the spiritual rest of God. Ere proceeding further we give proof of this, for we will take nothing for granted. There was a rest of God under the Mosaic economy. The prayer about it was, Arise, O LORD, into Thy rest, Thou and the ark of Thy strength (Psa. 132:8)the ark being the symbol and pledge of Gods presence and rest. This rest of God followed upon the completion of His mighty works in bringing Israel into Canaan. After the establishment of His worship therein, He said of it, This is My rest forever: here will I dwell (Psa. 132:14)! God having entered into His rest in like manner as formerly (upon the finishing of His glorious work), two things ensued thereon. First, the people were invited and encouraged to enter into the rest of God. This the Apostle treats of in Hebrews 3 and 4: their entrance into that rest being conditioned upon their faith and obedience. Although some of them came short of it, because of their unbelief, yet others entered into it under the leadership of Joshua. Second, this rest, both of God and of His people, was expressed by appointing a day of rest which was a token and pledge of Gods present rest in His instituted worship, and was designed as a means in the solemn observance of that worship to further their entrance into His rest eternally. Hence the seventh day was to Israel a special sign that He was their God and they His people. While it is true that the Day appointed in connection with this second rest of God was the same as the first one, viz., the seventh, yet it was now established upon new considerations and unto new ends. The time for the change of the day of rest was not yet come, for the work of God in bringing Israel into covenant-relationship with Himself, conducting them into Canaan, and instituting His worship among them, was but preparatory to yet another work and rest. The Covenant of Works, to which the original Sabbath was annexed, being not yet abolished (but only modified), therefore the Day of rest was not then changed. Now to proceed. The Apostle goes on to show that Psalm 95 prophetically intimated that there was yet to be a third rest of God which His people were to enter intoan especial rest under the Messiah, which he here proposed unto the Hebrews and exhorted them to enter into (Heb. 4:11). In this third state there was to be a particular condition of rest, distinct from and superior to each of those which had gone before. To the constitution thereof, three things were required: some signal work of God completed, whereon He entered into His rest. Second, a spiritual rest ensuing therefrom, for them that believe to enter into. Third, a new day of rest to express this rest of God, and to be a pledge of our entering therein. These things we now further inquire into. Seeing therefore it remaineth that some must enter therein, and they to whom it was first preached entered not in because of unbelief (v. 6). Here the Apostle draws a conclusion which is incisive, but observe carefully it is based on the principle that a promise is included in every conditional threat, for unless the word of the Psalmist, they should not enter into My rest may also be (deductively) understood as, if they shall enter, that is, they shall providing they meet the conditions, there would be no force whatever in saying, that some must enter. They who entered not in because of unbelief or disobedience were the adult Israelites who came out of Egypt. The rest of Canaan which they missed was typical of the present rest of believers in Christ. Again, He limiteth a certain day, saying in David, Today, after so long a time; as it is said, Today if ye will hear His voice, harden not your hearts (v. 7). In this verse the Apostle confirms what he had just affirmed about a new rest and a new Day of Rest remaining for the people of God to enter into, and which rest he proposes unto them. After the institution of the Sabbath rest at the beginning, and after the proposal of the rest of Canaan to Israel in the Wilderness, God, in addition (Again), limited or designed and determined another particular rest and day, which was neither of the former, namely, that of the Gospel. It is to be carefully noted that in this verse the Apostle expressly changes his terms: God had limited or defined not only a certain or particular rest, but a DAY, because, it was Pauls design to show that God had determined not only another (a third) rest, but also another day as a pledge of this new rest. The force of his argument in verse 7 is taken from the time when this day was limited or determined. Had those words of David (in Psa. 95) been uttered by Moses just before Israel entered the typical rest of Canaan, they might have been thought to pertain thereunto and to have contained in them an exhortation unto Israel as that season. But instead, it was after so long a time, namely, 500 years after Moses, that God gave this message through the Psalmist. Consequently it must have related and referred to some other rest than Canaan, and some other day than the Jewish Sabbath. Therefore, there is still a promise remaining of entering into this (third) rest of God, unto which we must take heed that we come not short of it by unbelief and disobedience. For if Jesus [Joshua] had given them rest, then would He not afterward have spoken of another day (v. 8). In this verse the Apostle removes a possible objection and gives further confirmation of his argument, by a particular application of it unto the point before him. That which he still insists upon is, his principal assertion from the words of David, namely, the rest prepared and proposed in the Gospel unto believers. To this the Hebrews might object: Although the people who came out of Egypt entered not into the promised rest of God, yet the next generation did so under Joshuawhy then propose this rest unto us, and warn against our danger of missing it? This objection is conclusively set aside by showing that God in David proposed another day of rest unto Israel centuries after Joshua, and as no new Sabbath was appointed in Davids time, his words must be understood prophetically. Hence there was a rest proposed unto the Hebrews (and so us) and another day to memorialize it. There remaineth therefore a rest [keeping of a Sabbath] unto the people of God (v. 9). The Apostle here shows, in a brief summary, what had been conclusively established in his whole disquisition: three things indubitably followed. First, that a Divine and spiritual rest remains for the people of God to enter into and enjoy with Him. Second, that a Sabbath Day to memorialize it, and be a means of entering into that rest, abides under the Gospel. Third, that it must of necessity be another day, a different one from that which obtained under the old covenant. It is to be duly noted that the Apostle did not say there awaiteth or there is yet to be a Sabbath keeping, but there remaineth. The reference is not to something future, but what is present. This word is used in the same sense when applied negatively to the system of sacrifices: There remaineth no more sacrifice for sins (Heb. 10:26). How striking that this occurs in Hebrews! The Levitical priesthood has been set aside, the temple is no more, Judaism is abolished: but a Sabbath remains! We wish to call special attention to the fact that in verse 9 Paul again deliberately changed his terms. The word for rest here in verse 9 is an entirely different one from that used in verses 1, 3, 5, 8, 10. It is Sabbatismos which speaks for itself: the R.V. has, There remaineth therefore a Sabbath rest for the people of God. It was a word coined by the Apostle to express the whole sense of that with which he was treating: that is, to denote both the rest itself and the appointment of another day as a token of itit signifies our rest in God and the Day which is the pledge of it. And this Sabbatismos remaineththe word remaineth signifies to be left after others have been withdrawn (as the primitive and Judaical Sabbaths have), to continue unchanged, as the Christian Sabbath will unto the end of the world. Here, then, is a plain, positive, unequivocal declaration by the Spirit of God: there remaineth therefore a Sabbath keeping. Nothing could be simpler, nothing less ambiguous, for this is addressed to the holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling (3:1). Hence, we solemnly and emphatically declare that the man who says there is no Christian Sabbath takes direct issue with the New Testament Scriptures. In our discussion upon the Christianization of the Sabbath we are seeking to establish (from Scripture) two things. First, that there is a Sabbath appointed by God for this dispensationa Christian Sabbath for His people to keep holy and enjoy. Second, that this Christian Sabbath is to be observed upon another day of the week than the one celebrated throughout the Old Testament era. The one passage in the New Testament which above all others most conclusively proves both of these points is Hebrews 4:8-10, and therefore are we seeking to give a careful exposition of these verses and their setting. Hebrews 4:9 expressly declares, There remaineth therefore a rest [keeping of a Sabbath] to the people of God. Nothing could be simpler, nothing less ambiguous than that verse. The striking thing is that it occurs in the very Epistle whose theme is the superiority of Christianity over Judaisma theme developed by showing the superiority of Christ (the Center and Life of Christianity) over angels, Adam, Moses, Joshua, Aaron, and the whole Levitical economy. It is an Epistle addressed to holy brethren partakers of the heavenly calling (3:1). Therefore it cannot be denied that Hebrews 4:9 is referring directly to the Christian Sabbath. Hence, we solemnly and emphatically declare again that the man who says that there is no Christian Sabbath takes direct issue with the New Testament Scriptures. There remaineth therefore a rest [keeping of a Sabbath] to the people of God (Heb. 4:9). In this, and the following verse, the Apostle evidences the perfect analogy between the several rests of God and His people discoursed of in this chapter. First, at the beginning there was the creative work of God and His resting therefrom, which made way for a rest for His creatures in Himself and His worship by the contemplation of the works He had made. A day was specially assigned for that purposethat was the primitive Sabbatismos. Second, there was a great work of God in bringing Israel out of Egypt and the establishing of His people in Canaan, which made way for their entering into His rest and worship, a Sabbath Day being appointed to express both the one and the otherthis was the Mosaic Sabbatismos. So now, under the Gospel, there is a Sabbath comprised of all these. As we shall see there was another and greater work of God, and a rest of His own ensued thereon. On that work is founded the promise of rest spiritual and eternal to those who do believe, and the determination of a new day expressive of the one and the other. This is the Christian Sabbatismos. That the redemptive work of Christ has not only secured this spiritual rest to His people, but has also necessitated and resulted in a new Sabbath to celebrate it appears from two things in the Apostles discourse. First, by his referring to our Gospel rest by the name of DAY (v. 8). Second, from his coining of this term Sabbatismos to express both our spiritual rest and the Sabbath-keeping which memorializes the same. For He that is entered into His rest, He also hath ceased from His own works as God did from His (v. 10). Plain and simple as these words are, yet they have been grievously wrested by most of the commentators. They are generally regarded as referring to believers entering into the rest of God, through their believing of the Gospel. But there are two considerations which expose the error of this view. First, the verse does not read, they who enter into His rest, but He that is entered into. Second, if the reference was to believers, what are the works from which they cease? Their sins, say some; their legalistic efforts to win Gods approval, say others; their sorrows and sufferings, from which they shall rest in Heaven, say yet others. But how could they be said to rest from any such works, AS God from His own? It is utterly impossible to satisfactorily answer such a question. No, the verse speaks not of believers, but of Christ. For He that is entered into His rest, He also hath ceased from His own works, as God did from His. Here the Apostle concludes his argument by declaring that the rest which remains for believers to enter into (4:3), and the new day appointed by God for this dispensation (4:9), have a new and special foundation, which the previous rests and days had no interest or concern in, namely, that the Author of it ceased from His own works and entered into His rest. Proofs that this verse refers to Christ are many. First, its opening For, which denotes that the Apostle now indicates whence it is there is a new Sabbatismos remaining for the people of God. He had before shown there could be no such rest but what was founded upon the works of God. Such a foundation this new rest must have, and does have. It is the work of Him by whom the Church is builded: Hebrews 3:3, 4. Second, the change of number in the pronoun from the plural to the singular intimates the same thing. In Hebrews 4:1-3 the Apostle had used us and we, but here, verse 10, he says, He that is entered. This is the more noticeable because in the verse immediately preceding he had mentioned the people of God. That it is not they who are here in view further appears from the fact that they never cease from their works while left in this world. No other reason can possibly be given for this change of number except that a single person is here expressed. Third, note it is not simply said of this person that, He that is entered into rest (as in vv. 3 and 8), but into His rest absolutely. God spoke of My rest; here He mentions His restChrists rest! Fourth, there is a direct parallel supplied by this verse between the works of the old creation and those of the new, which the Apostle is openly comparing together. 1. In the Authors of them: of the former it is said of God the Creator, He did rest from all His works (4:4). So He (Christ) also hath ceased from His own. 2. The products of the One and of the Other are mentioned: Their respective works, and there is a due proportion between them, each being creative and very good. 3. There is the rest of the One and of the Other, and these also have a proportion to one another. It should now be unmistakably plain to every impartial reader that it is the Person of Jesus Christ who is the subject spoken of in verse 10. The blessed Person referred to, then, in verse 10 is the Lord Jesus, and none otherthe Author of the new creation. This alone gives meaning to the causal conjunction: there is a Sabbatismos now for the people of God, FOR Christ is entered into His rest. What is denoted by His rest we must now inquire. This was certainly not His being in the grave. His body indeed rested there for a brief season, but that was no part of His Mediatory rest, as He is the Builder of His Church; and that for two reasons. First, His entombment was part of His humiliation (Isa. 53:9). Second, the separation of His soul and body was penal, a part of the sentence of the Law which He underwent, and hence Peter declares, The pains of death were not loosed until His resurrection (Acts 2:24). Nor did Christ first enter into His rest at His ascension, rather was that an entrance into His glory, as in the full public manifestation of it. No, Christs entrance into rest was in, by, and at His resurrection from the dead. For it was then and thereon He was freed from the power and service of the Law, being discharged from the debts of our sins. It was then and thereon that all prefigurations and predictions concerning the work of redemption were fulfilled. It was then and thereon that He received the promise of the Spirit (Acts 2:33), and the whole foundation of the Church of God was laid upon His Person. It was then and thereon that He was declared to be the Son of God with power (Rom. 1:4). God manifesting unto all that this was He of whom He said, Thou art My Son, this day have I begotten Thee (Acts 13:33). Thus did the Author of the new creation, the Son of God, having finished His works, enter into His rest. And this was, as we all know, on the morning of the first day of the week. And hereby did He limit and determine the day for a sacred Sabbatical rest under the New Testament. For now was the old covenant (the Siniatic) utterly abolished, and therefore the day which was the pledge of the rest of God and man therein, was to be taken away. As the rest from the beginning of the world had its foundation from the works of God, and His rest which ensued thereon, which was determined unto the seventh day, because that was the day wherein God ceased from those workswhich day continued under the legal administration of the covenant by Mosesso the rest of the Lord Christ is the foundation of our rest, which, changing the old covenant, and the day annexed unto it, He hath limited unto the first day of the week, whereon He ceased from His works and entered into His rest. Wherefore when the Lord Christ intended conspicuously to build His Church upon the foundation of His works and rest, by sending the Holy Spirit with His miraculous gifts upon the Apostles, He did it on this day: which was then among the Jews the feast of Pentecost. Then were the disciples gathered together with one accord, in the observance of the day signalized to them by His resurrection (Acts 2:1). And by this did their obedience receive a blessed confirmation, as well as their persons a glorious endowment with abilities for the work which they were immediately to apply themselves unto (John Owen, to whom we are indebted for much in this chapter). It remains for us to point out that the rest into which Christ entered is proposed unto His people in the Gospel. This is asserted in the precious verse and is here made manifest. There remaineth therefore a rest [keeping of a Sabbath] to the people of God, (Heb. 4:9) because Christ has entered into His rest. As the other reststhe one at the beginning of human history and the other at the beginning of the commonwealth of Israelhad their foundation in the works and rests of God, whereon a Day of Rest was appointed for them to keep, so has this new rest a foundation in the works and rest of Christwho has built all things and is God (Heb. 3:3, 4), determining a day for our use in and by that whereon He entered into His rest, which is the first day of the week. Before giving a brief word on verse 11, let us refer to what may present a difficulty unto a few. It should be quite clear there is a Christian Sabbath, a Sabbath appointed for this dispensation. Some may be ready to say, Yes, for the people of God (v. 9), but how about unbelievers? First, we answer, we know of nothing in Scripture which intimates that God requires unbelievers to celebrate the first day of the week as a memorial of our Lords resurrection, for Christ means nothing to them. But second, they are commanded to keep the Sabbath holy unto God their Creator and Ruler. The original Covenant of Works has never been repealed, and all out of Christ are under it. Though the day of Sabbath observance is changed, God requires all alike, believers and unbelievers, to abstain from all secular employment on the Sabbath and keep the day holy unto Himself. Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief (Heb. 4:11). First, it is to be noted that the Apostle does not here use the term Sabbatismos (as in v. 9), but, katapausis as in verses 1, 3, 5, etc. This shows that he now returns to his principal exhortationthe reader will be helped on the passage as a whole if he places verses 4-10 in a parenthesis, thus connecting verse 11 with verse 3. In the opening verse of the chapter Paul has said, Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into His rest, any of you should seem to come short of it, and here he now makes known how that fear is to exert itself. It is not a fear of dread or doubt, but is such a reverential respect unto the Divine threats and promises as would stir up its possessors unto all diligence to avoid the one and inherit the other. The utmost of our endeavours and efforts are required in order to our obtaining an entrance into the rest of Christ. We are to labour or give the greatest possible diligence thereto. Men are in real earnest and spend their strength in striving after the bread which perishes; the same intentness and zeal are required in our seeking the Bread of Life. He who teaches men that an entrance into spiritual and eternal rest is a thing plain, easy, and suited to nature, does but delude and deceive them. To mortify sin, deny self, cut off right hands, endure all sorts of afflictions and persecutionsare painful, difficult, and attended with many hardships. The future state of the Christian is one wholly of rest, but his present state is a mixed one, partly of rest and partly of labourlabour against sin, rest in the love and grace of God. Having now gone carefully through our passage let us see what we have learned from it. First, Hebrews 4 opens with a pointed warning taken from the case of the unbelieving Israelites of old (Heb. 3:16-18). Second, but though those Israelites failed to enter into it, yet there is a rest of God proposed unto us in the Gospel, and which believers enter into (v. 3). Third, this led the Apostle to take up the different rests of God and His people: the Edenic, Mosaic, and Messianic (vv. 4-10). Fourth, in leading up to his climax the Apostle throws the emphasis not so much on the rest as on the DAY appointed to celebrate it. In verse 7 he declares that God (prophetically) limited or determined a certain day. In verse 8 he expressly refers to another day which supplies proof that a different one from the old seventh day is now instituted. In verse 9 this other day and the rest it memorializes is definitely designated a Sabbatismos or keeping of a Sabbath. In verse 10 he shows why the Sabbath Day had been changed: because it was on that day Christ entered into His rest. Well, then, may we with the utmost confidence exclaim with the Psalmist, This is the day which the LORD hath made: we will rejoice and be glad in it (118:24). We observe the day as henceforth our true Sabbath, a day made and ordained of God, for the perpetual remembrance of the achievements of our Redeemer (C. H. Spurgeon). It should be pointed out that the passage we have last quoted is part of a remarkable prophecy, which set forth both the humiliation and exaltation of the Lord Jesusthe sufferings of Christ and the glory that should follow. The passage is quoted in the New Testament no less than six times, being expressly applied to the Saviour. First, He is seen as the Stone which the builders refused, and then as became the Head of the corner (Psa. 118:2). And how could that Stone, contemptuously trodden underfoot by men, become the Head of the corner? How indeed except by being raised!? It was by His triumph over death that Christ became the Head of the cornera corner is when two walls meet together, and in resurrection Christ became Head of both believing Jews and believing Gentiles! The Psalmist added, This is the LORDS doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes (Psa. 118:23). And then follows, This is the day which the LORD hath made. What could be clearer? How perfectly it accords with Hebrews 4:9, 10! That day was Divinely made to memorialize Christs victory over the grave: God has made it remarkable, made it holy, has distinguished it from all other days: it is therefore called the Lords Day, because it bears His image and superscription (Matthew Henry). And so it is: the Christian Sabbath is specifically designated the Lords Day in Revelation 1:10. It is called such because it owes its pre-eminence to the Lords institution and authority. By taking to Himself the title of the Lord of the Sabbath (Mark 2:28), Christ clearly intimated His authority to determine which day of the week a Sabbath rest was to be observed by His people, and by ceasing from His works and entering into His rest on the first day of the week, He has limited this one for us. Those who are determined to close their eyes to all this evidence and get rid of the first-day Sabbath at any price, wrest these words in Revelation 1:10 by saying they signify the Day of the Lord when He comes in judgment. But the immediate context is dead against them: all that follows from 1:10 to the end of chapter 3 shows that this opening vision respected present and not future things. Moreover, the Greek is different from 2 Peter 3:10! The Lords Supper (1 Cor. 11:20) memorializes His death; the Lords Day celebrates His resurrection. Here is a summary of the reasons why Christians should observe the Sabbath on the first day of the week. First, because that day was clearly anticipated by Old Testament typologythe striking things connected with the eighth day. Second, because the New Covenant necessitated a new Day of rest to signify the old covenant was abrogated. Third, because the honour and glory of Christ required it: on the day specially appointed for Divine worship, God would now have us occupied with His risen and exalted Son. Fourth, His own example bears witness thereto: His repeated meetings with His disciples (John 19) and His sending the Spirit on that day (Acts 2:1) set His imprimatur upon it. Fifth, because the early Church so celebrated it (Acts 20:7; 1 Cor. 16:1, 2). There is not a single recorded instance in the New Testament of the saints meeting together for worship, after Christs resurrection, on any other day but on the first of the week! Sixth, because we are expressly told that God has limited or determined another day (Heb. 4:9) than the old one, and that, because Christ then rose from the dead (v. 10). Seventh, because we are Divinely assured that, in view of the raising up of the rejected Stone to be the Head of the corner, This is the day which the Lord hath made (Psa. 118:24), and therefore is it called the Lords Day in the New Testament (Rev. 1:10). ITS OBSERVANCE We have shown that the Sabbath was instituted in Eden, observed by the Patriarchs and renewed at Sinaiand that Israels prosperity and enjoyment of Gods blessings was to a large extent determined by their observance or non-observance of this Divine ordinance. Turning to the New Testament we have seen that Christ expressly affirmed the Sabbath was made for man and not for the Jews only, that He is Lord of the Sabbath and therefore invested with authority to determine which day of the week shall be sanctified as a holy rest. And we saw in Hebrews 4 the Apostle proves that another day than that which obtained under the old covenant has been appointed for its celebration during the Christian erathe first day suitably celebrating the Saviours entrance into His mediatorial rest. This is demonstrated by the practice of the early Church (Acts 20:7; 1 Cor. 16:1, 2). We are now to consider the all-important matter of how the Sabbath is to be kept. The chief end of Gods Word and of all instruction therein is that the doctrinal principles which it enunciates may direct us unto a performance suited thereto. The light which we receive from the Living Oracle lays upon us a binding obligation to walk accordingly. Doctrine must regulate deportment. This was the Grand Rule laid down by the Supreme Teacher: If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them (John 13:17). The design of our learning Scripture Truth is for us to obtain such an understanding thereof that conduct accordant therewith may be produced. Where there is knowledge without the corresponding discharge of duty, the truth is held in unrighteousness (Rom. 1:18), and then double is our guilt. Practice must conform to the precept. It is, then, to the practical side of our subject we now turn: may Divine wisdom be so granted us that we are preserved from going to an undue extreme either on the right hand or on the left. No one who is acquainted with human nature or who is conversant with the history and literature on this branch of our subject, can honestly doubt there is a real danger of failing to preserve the balance hereas everywhere. On the one hand care must be taken lest in our zeal for the sanctity and spirituality of the Sabbath we go to an excess in multiplying rules for its observance, and thereby fall into the Pharisaic error of rigour and excess. On the other hand, there is a far greater danger today of erring on the side of laxity and of accommodating the laws regulating this institution to the lusts of the flesh and yielding to the corrupt practices of an evil and adulterous generation. The strict requirements of Gods holiness must be insisted upon, no matter how the world scoffs at or opposes them. As these very lines are being written God is manifesting His displeasure at the increasing desecration of His holy rest-day by disturbing the rest of Christendomthose nations which have enjoyed most of the privileges of the Gospelbeing seriously threatened with war. And the blame for this widespread desecration rests first and chiefly upon the churches: by the banishing of the Law from its pulpits, by the feeble or total lack of protest to legislative bodies for letting down the bars and legalizing the profanation of the Lords Day, and by the general worldliness of its members. It is therefore high time that Christian leaders should faithfully expound the Fourth Commandment and cease accommodating it to the perverse wills and ways of the ungodly. Sad, indeed, is the declension in genuine piety. The foundations have been forsaken, standards have been lowered, the spirit of compromise has prevailed until, now, Truth is fallen in the streets. Nor can the apostasy be checked by temporizing the commands of God to the corrupt course of the world. Yet we must beware of adding to those commands. Said the Puritan Owen, I will not deny but that there have been and are mistakes in this matter. Directions have been given, and that not by a few, for the observance of a day of holy rest, which either for the matter of them or the manner prescribed, have had no sufficient warrant or foundation in the Scriptures. For whereas some have made no distinction between the Sabbath as moral and as Mosaic, unless it be merely in the change of the day, they have endeavoured to introduce the whole practice required on the latter into the Lords Day. How is a happy medium in Sabbath observance to be obtained? What will preserve us from undue laxity on the one side, and unwarrantable severity on the other? Where shall we turn for that much-needed guidance which will deliver us from the grievous yoke of Pharisaical excess, and which will also prevent us from degenerating into the lawlessness of our Moderns? We have searched long and diligently for a satisfactory answer to this question, but (amid much that was helpful on other branches of our subject) have failed to meet with anything clear and definite. Personally our firm conviction is that we shall be kept from going wrong in this matter, if we, first, adhere strictly to the letter of the Fourth Commandment; and second, apply that commandment to the details of our lives in the spirit of the New Covenant. It should be apparent that we have now arrived at the most important branch of our subject. Unless both writer and reader are genuinely and earnestly desirous of keeping the Sabbath in a manner which will be pleasing to the Lord and beneficial to the soul, then all our previous efforts to prove that this Divine ordinance is binding upon us today, will avail little or nothing. But the task before us now is no easy one: our chief difficulty being the avoidance of too great editing on the one hand, and too much brevity on the other. We do not wish to extend this book to the point of wearying our friends, yet we must not abbreviate so much that we withhold the help which is desired upon various problems that exercise not a few. Some have had no instruction upon Sabbath observance: others have been given so many rules to follow that a spirit of bondage has been engendered. We shall therefore endeavour to steer a middle course. Taking Exodus 20:8-11 as our starting point, we note first that that which outstandingly characterizes this season is its sacredness: Remember the Sabbath Day to keep it holy. This is basic and foremost. It is the Lords Day, being instituted for His honour and glory. God, by the appointing and blessing of it, has made this day: we, by the worship of Him and performance of spiritual exercises therein, are to keep it holy. And let it be carefully borne in mind that holiness pertains not only to external actions, but also and mainly to the spring from which they proceed, namely, the heart: unless we sanctify the Sabbath in our hearts, the performing of outward devotions will avail us nothing As the other six days are concerned mainly with secular things, the seventh is to be consecrated unto spiritual ends. Holiness stands opposed not only to all that is sinful, but also to the use of such things (our time and energy) as are commonly employed. Remember the Sabbath Day to keep it holy: not a part thereof, but the whole of it. In all countries where Romanism dominates, its deluded votaries spend a part of the morning in religious exercises, and for the balance of the day give themselves up to feasting and pleasuring. Sad to say this evil is becoming more and more rife in Protestant circles: though we may not yet have gone to the same lengths of profanity as is general on the Continent, yet thousands in this land who attend some morning service, spend the afternoon and evening in making social calls on their friends, car riding, and other fleshly and worldly activities. It is this unholy mixture, this lukewarmnessbeing neither hot nor coldwhich is so nauseating to the Lord. Because it is the Lords Day, we rob Him of His due if we regard any part of it as ours. The second thing we note in Exodus 20:8-11 is that the Sabbath is expressly affirmed to be a day of rest: the seventh day is the Sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work. That prohibition is qualified (as the example and teaching of Christ made clear) at two points only: the doing of that which is really essential to life and health, and engaging in acts of love and mercy. Apart from those exceptions, all work and labourbe it manual or clerical, physical or mentalis Divinely forbidden. And this, as was pointed out earlier, is a merciful provision of the Creator for His creatures. Continuous toil is injurious to our constitution. The Sabbath was made for man, for his well-being, because he needed one day of rest in each week. This law is as binding upon and holds good for the wife equally as for the husband, for the servant as much as his master, yea, for his beasts of burden too. This law is as binding upon our private lives as upon our public, upon the way in which we conduct ourselves within the home as on the outside. It is just as real a profanation of the Holy Sabbath for a merchant to cast up his ledger or write business letters on that day, as for a farmer to go out and plow his fields or sow corn. So, too, is it equally sinful for his wife to prepare and cook elaborate meals on the Lords Day as it would be for her to do her weekly washing and ironing then. Nor can this be evadedas many seem to supposeby the mistress accompanying her husband to the morning service and leaving her daughter or maid to cook the biggest dinner of the week. Alas, in many homes, not only does the cook have no rest on the Lords Day, but it is the heaviest one of the week for her. Let us next point out that there is a positive side to the Fourth Commandment as well as a negative. Not only are we to abstain from all worldly business, but we are to be active in spiritual exercises. A day spent in idleness is not one which is kept holy. The Day of Rest is not to be one of indolence, but one of blessed and sacred diligence. Physical rest is necessary, but spiritual rest is yet more essential. In its higher aspect, true Sabbatical rest is the soul resting in the Lord. This is evident from the fact that the Sabbath is both an emblem and a pledge of the eternal rest of the saints, concerning which it is said His servants shall serve Him (Rev. 22:3), which means that they will be actively engaged in His worship. Inasmuch then as the duties of this day are eminently spiritual, they are such as lie beyond our own powers to perform, and therefore we must seek the aid of the Holy Spirit. A third thing we should observe is that the Sabbath is to be a season of rejoicing: This is the day which the LORD hath made: we will rejoice and be glad in it (Psa. 118:24). The immediate context contains a grand Messianic prophecy, wherein the triumph of Christ was set forth. Under the figure of the Stone, He is viewed first, in His humiliation, as despised and rejected by men, as being refused by the builders. Next He is portrayed in His glorification, as owned and honoured of God, as being made The Headstone of the corner. The exaltation of Christ was in three stages: when He was raised from the tomb, when He ascended to Heaven, and when He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high. This is the LORDS doing: it is marvellous in our eyes (v. 23). The exaltation of Christ was wholly of the Lord: the product of His eternal counsel, the product of His mighty power; and it is the subject of never-ceasing wonderment to His redeemed. This is the day which the LORD hath made, and therefore it is peculiarly and pre-eminently the Lords Day, and so it is expressly denominated in Revelation 1:10. It is the day which the Lord made specially for this Christian dispensation, namely, the first of the week. It is the day which has been made forever memorable by loosing the Redeemer from the pains of death. It is now the day in which His people are to celebrate the Saviours victory over the sepulchre. And therefore Christians must exclaim, we will rejoice and be glad in it: not only because of its appointment, but because of its occasion, for Christs resurrection was both for His own honour and for our salvation. Holy mirth, then, should fill our hearts at this season: Sabbath Days ought to be unto us as foretastes of Heaven itself. Then let us welcome each weekly return of it, and duly tune our hearts to show forth His praises therein. The order of Truth in the passage last quoted, is the order we must observe if we are to enter experimentally therein. We shall be glad and rejoice in proportion as our hearts are truly occupied with the risen Redeemer and of our being risen in Him. As Spurgeon well put it, What else can we do? Having obtained so great a deliverance through our illustrious Leader, and having seen the eternal mercy of God so brilliantly displayed, it would ill become us to mourn and murmur. Rather will we exhibit a double joy, rejoice in heart and be glad in face, rejoice in secret and be glad in public, for we have more than a double reason for being glad in the Lord. We ought to especially rejoice on the Sabbath: it is the queen of days, and its hours should be clad in royal apparel of delight. What abundant cause have we for rejoicing therein! The resurrection of Christ marked the end of His inexpressible humiliation, and signaled the beginning of His unending glorification. It demonstrated that He had made an end of sins, effected reconciliation for iniquity, and brought in everlasting righteousness (Dan. 9:24). It affords proof of Gods approval of the Mediators work and the acceptance of His sacrifice. It meant that the whole Election of Grace were delivered from death and Hell when their federal Head became alive for evermore. The resurrection of Christ is both the pledge and the prototype of the resurrection of His sleeping people. If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above (Col. 3:1). And what are those things which are above? Spiritual rest, spiritual joycomplete deliverance from our warfare with sin, unalloyed rejoicing in the Lord. Then seek them: by the actings of faith, by the exercise of hope, by the outgoings of love. We should have a double enjoyment of the things above: by anticipation now, by realization then. The same keynote is struck in the first stanza of Psalm 92. It is to be noted that the inspired heading to this Psalm is, A Song for the Sabbath. And what is its opening theme? This, It is a good thing to give thanks unto the LORD, and to sing praises unto Thy name, O Most High: To show forth Thy lovingkindness in the morning, and Thy faithfulness every night. Upon an instrument of ten strings, and upon the psaltery; upon the harp with a solemn sound. For Thou, LORD, hast made me glad through Thy work: I will triumph in the works of Thy hands. O LORD, how great are Thy works; and Thy thoughts are very deep (vv. 1-5). Praise is Sabbatical work: the joyfulness of hearts resting in the Lord. Since a true Sabbath can only be found in God, it is essential that we be supremely occupied with His perfections on that day. We have pointed out that the essential principles which should regulate us in the keeping of the Sabbath Day holy are a strict compliance with the letter of the Fourth Commandment and the discharge of the same in the spirit of the New Covenant. It seems to us that such a combination will best enable to preserve the balance, delivering us on the one hand from unwarrantable laxity, and on the other from undue rigour and Pharisaic excess. While it is to be emphatically insisted upon that the Moral Law is as much binding on us today as ever it was upon the Jews, yet it must also be as unmistakably affirmed that the Christian receives the Law not from Moses but from the hands of Christ. It is not the irksome tasks of slaves, but the ready and joyous service of sons and daughters which God asks from believers. It should be the diligent concern of the Christian to observe the Sabbath Day and to perform the duties required therein with a frame of mind becoming Gods dear children, and in a spirit answering to the freedom and liberty of the Gospel. We are to serve God in all things in newness of spirit and not in the oldness of the letter (Rom. 7:6). That is to say, our obedience and worship is to be rendered unto God with a spirit of grace, joy, liberty, and a sound mindand not in that darkness, dread, and servility which characterized the old covenant. In contrast from the blessed liberty wherewith Christ makes believers free, that which marked Judaism was a bondage frame of mind, so that their observance of the duties of the Law, and consequently of the Sabbath, were rendered in a servile spirit. The Puritan John Owen pointed out three things tending thereto. First, the dreadful giving of the Law on Sinai. The fearful phenomena which accompanied the promulgation of the Law at that time was designed to strike terror not only into the generation who immediately witnessed it, but also throughout all generations of the Mosaic economy to awe the hearts of Israel with a dread and terror of it. In proof of this we find the Apostle declaring plainly that Mount Sinai gendereth to bondage (Gal. 4:24). It was the very nature of Judaism to bring its subjects into a spiritually servile state, and consequently although secretly on account of the ends of the covenant they were children and heirs, yet they differed nothing from servants (Gal. 4:1-3). It is the grand dispensational change brought in by Christ that is treated of in Galatians 4. Againthe re-enforcement of the Adamic Covenant, with the promise and threat of it, necessarily produced the same effect upon the nation of Israel, for that covenant was binding upon them throughout the whole continuance of Judaism. True, the Moral Law had a new use and end given unto it at Sinai, yet those who received it were so much in the dark and the proposal of that new end and use was attended with so great an obscurity, that they could not look unto the comfort and liberty which was to be the grand outcome. The Law made nothing perfect, and what was of grace in the administration of it was so veiled under typical ceremonies and shadows that they could not behold the end or design of that which was to be abolished (2 Cor. 3:13)where the same grand dispensational change is also discussed. Finally, the affixing of the death penalty to the Law increased this bondage. The grim prospect of death overshadowing disobedience would obviously inspire their service with terror, and this is exactly what it was designed to express and produce, so as to represent the original curse of the whole Law (Gal. 3:13). Thereby the majority of them were greatly awed and terrified, though a few of them, by special grace, were enabled to delight themselves in God and His holy ordinances. By these things, then, was administered a spirit of bondage to fear, which by the Apostle is opposed to the spirit of adoption, whereby we cry Abba Father (Rom. 8:15). From those things arose the many anxious scruples which were upon them in the observance of the Sabbath. Though they boasted they were the children of Abraham and never in bondage, yet the Saviour insisted that, whatever they pretended, they were not free until the Son should make them free (John 8:36). If it were needful for the Apostle to remind the believing Hebrews that they did not go to Sinai, but to Mount Sion, to receive the Law, it is requisite that believers be taught the same today. For ye are not come unto the mount that might be touched, and that burned with fire, nor unto blackness and darkness and tempest, and the sound of a trumpet, and the voice of words; which voice they that heard entreated that the words should not be spoken to them any more: (for they could not endure that which was commanded, and if so much as a beast touched the mountain, it shall be stoned, or thrust through with a dart: and so terrible was the sight, that Moses said, I exceedingly fear and quake.) But ye are come unto Mount Sion and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem . . . and to Jesus the Mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling that speaketh better things than that of Abel (Heb. 12:18-24). Under the Gospel, Christians are delivered from all the terror-provoking considerations which brought the Jews into such spiritual bondage. They are connected with a radically different order of things, for Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all (Gal. 4:26), which is but another way of saying that we receive the Law of our obedience from Jesus Christ, who speaks from Mount Sion, and who is to be heeded with a filial spirit of liberty (cf. Gal. 5:1). So far as Christians are concerned the Adamic covenant is absolutely abolished, nor is the remembrance of it anyway revived (Heb. 8:13), so that it should have any influence upon their minds. They have been taken into a Covenant full of peace and joy, for The law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ (John 1:17). In the Covenant of Grace we receive the spirit of Christ or adoption to serve God without legal fear (Luke 1:74; Rom. 8:15; Gal. 4:6), and there is not anything more insisted on in the Gospel as the principal privilege thereof. Nor would it be of any account to have liberty in the word and rule, if we had it not in the spirit and principle. It is by this Gospel liberty we are delivered from that anxious solicitude about particular instances in outward duties, which was a great part of the yoke imposed by the system of Judaism. It is most important and needful that this principle of evangelical freedom be insisted upon (for though the Fall has made us prone unto lawlessness, yet by nature we are also essentially legalistic), otherwise one of the most vital and fundamental elements of the Gospel will be submerged. In all his duties, the Christian should look upon God as his Father, for through Christ both believing Jews and believing Gentiles have access in one spirit unto the Father (Eph. 2:18). Our Father is not One who will always chide, nor does He watch our steps for our hurt. He is not One who binds upon us a grievous burden, but knoweth our frame and remembereth that we are dust (Psa. 103:14). He does not tie us down to rigid exactness in outward things, while we act in a holy spirit of filial obedience as His children. There is a vast difference between the duties of servants and sons, as there is between obeying a master and a parent. The consideration and application of this principle if it be regulated by the general rules laid down in the Word will resolve a thousand such scruples as perplexed the Jews of old. Let it also be observed that our Father requires to be worshipped in spirit and in truth (John 4:24). He has far more respect to the inward frame of our hearts wherewith we serve Him, than He does to the mere outward performance of duties. The latter can only be accepted by Him as they are the expressions and demonstrations thereof. If, then, in our observance of the Holy Sabbath our hearts are single and sincere in our desires for His glory with delight, it is of more price with Him than the most rigid and punctilious observance of external duties by number and measure. It hath been no small mistake that men have laboured more to multiply directions about external duties, giving them out as it were by number or tale, than to direct the inward man unto a due performance of the whole duty of the sanctification of the day according to the spirit and genius of Gospel obedience (John Owen, to whom we are indebted for much of the above). Here, then, is the essential difference between the Judaical and the Christian Sabbath: the minds of believers are no longer influenced to the duties of its observance by the curse of the Law and the terror thereof as represented in the threatened penalty of death. Instead it is love for the Person of Jesus Christ and respect for His authority which are the springs of their obedience. This cannot be insisted upon too strongly, for it marks the difference between a slavish and filial compliance. Consequently our main duty lies in an endeavour to obtain spiritual joy and delight in the services of this Day, as these are the special effects of spiritual liberty. Nor will this be difficult to attain if we are actively engaged in the privileges and blessings of the Gospel: the actings of faith upon the benefits secured for us by Christ cannot fail to produce deeper devotion, for faith ever works by love. In what has been pointed out above we are far from joining hands with those who belittle the sanctity of the Lords Day and who contend that they are so delivered from the Law that they are free to please themselves (within the limitations of decency) as to how they show their respect for this ordinance. There is a world of difference between spiritual liberty and fleshly license. Those whom Christ makes free are freed Godwards and not sinwards. The Rule of obedience is the same for those who are now under the New Covenant as it was for those under the Old: it is the spring from which obedience proceeds which is altered. Then, it was the obedience of servants in terror of death for disobedience; now, it is the worship of sons out of gratitude to a loving Father. Our first and chief concern must be to diligently see to it that the Lord is not robbed by us of any part of His due on the Sabbath Day; yet care needs also to be taken that we are not brought under bondage to the commandments and doctrines of men. It has to be admitted that some, with a zeal which was not according to knowledge, felt that the sanctification of the Lords Day could best be secured by multiplying the duties of piety. Accordingly, they drew up excessive directions regarding the same, both proscribing and prescribing that which lacked Scriptural authority for the same under the Gospel. When such a strictness is required that the saints cannot come up to it with a delight therein, then we may rightly suspect that the requirements laid down by God have been exceeded, and the inevitable result will be a swinging to the opposite extreme of laxity. We cannot improve upon the ways of the Lord, and any attempt to do so must inevitably meet with failure. It is just as foolish to go beyond the Rule which He has given us, as it is wrong for us to come short thereof. Where He has particularized we must not generalize, and where He has only generalized we should not dogmatically particularize. Is it not at this very point that one of the most outstanding differences between the two economies is to be found? Under the Mosaic God furnished detailed laws for the Jews to heedlaws which pertained to every phase of their livesbut under the Christian He has, in many instances, supplied us only with general principles for the regulation of our conduct. Considerable latitude is allowed us in the application of those principles to particular instances as is clear from such passages as Romans 14:1-9; 1 Corinthians 8:8-9, etc. Those, then, who are not content with urging unto a compliance with such general principles, and instead, draw up a full code of specific regulations are contravening the genius of Christianity and inculcating the spirit of Judaism. In order to prevent misunderstanding at this point, we call attention to one or two of the general principles enunciated in the Epistles, to which we must ever turn for full-orbed Christianity. Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God (1 Cor. 10:31). Here is expressed the fundamental principle for the regulating of practical godliness: this is the grand rule which is ever to guide us where express precepts are not suppliedself is to be denied and the eye fixed on God alone, so that we aim at honouring Him in everything. Let all things be done decently and in order (1 Cor. 14:40). This is the general rule to regulate us in all the details of public worship as the former concerned more directly our domestic or private lives. It is a simple principle which, if heeded, will furnish guidance on many matters of church life concerning which the New Testament does not specifically legislate. Let all your things be done with charity (1 Cor. 16:14). If this were duly attended to, how many disputes would be avoided, ill-feelings spared, and difficulties solved? All our affairs, domestically and ecclesiastically, should be regulated by love. Earnestness must not degenerate into bitterness, nor firmness into tyranny. If zeal be governed by love then excesses and cruelty will be obviated. Whatsoever ye do, do it heartily as to the Lord, and not unto men (Col. 3:23). Here is yet another general principle, which is to govern us in all our undertakings: our service is not to be forced but spontaneous, rendered not grudgingly but gladly. It will be noted that the chief emphasis in these general principles is thrown upon the inward springs of action rather than upon the outward performances themselves, and that they afford room for the exercise of sanctified common sense, moral instincts, and Spiritual intuitions. If thou turn away thy foot from the Sabbath, from doing thy pleasure on My holy day; and call the Sabbath a delight, the holy of the LORD, honourable; and shalt honour Him, not doing thine own ways, nor finding thine own pleasure, nor speaking thine own words: Then shalt thou delight thyself in the LORD; and I will cause thee to ride upon the high places of the earth, and feed thee with the heritage of Jacob thy father (Isa. 58:13, 14). This is one of the many Old Testament predictions which relates chiefly to Gospel timesthe section in which it occurs clearly denoting this, coming as it does after the death of Christ in Chapter 53. In it we may clearly discern the two leading principles which we have contended for throughout this article: the maintenance of the letter of the Fourth Commandment, and a compliance therewith in the spirit of the New Covenant. While there is much greater liberty under the Christian economy than there was under the Mosaic, yet the standard of holiness is not lowered nor are the requirements of God waived. If thou turn away thy foot from the Sabbath. This, it seems to us, has a twofold force: a general and a specificif you refrain from trampling upon it, and if you abstain from journeying and gadding about on that Day. The opening clause is explained by, from doing thy pleasure on My holy day: fleshly indulgence is no more permissible now than it was under the old covenant. This prohibition is specified in three details: not doing thine own ways nor finding thine own pleasure, nor speaking thine own words. The Lords Day is not to be spent in seeking our secular interests, nor by engaging in worldly recreations, nor by vain and trifling conversation. Positively, we are to call the Sabbath a delight, the holy of the Lord, honourable, which agree with Psalm 118:24. The reward for such obedience (v. 14) must be understood of New Testament blessings expressed in Old Testament terminology. If thou turn away thy foot from the Sabbath, from doing thy pleasure on My holy day; and call the Sabbath a delight, the holy of the LORD, honourable; and shalt honour Him, not doing thine own ways, nor finding thine own pleasure, nor speaking thine own words (Isa. 58:13). We quote this passage again because it sums up what we have sought to bring before the reader. First, it expresses the grand truth that the Sabbath is not to be looked upon as an irksome duty, but as a sacred privilege. Instead of being a burden grievous to be borne, it affords us a special opportunity for profitable and joyous exercises. The spirit in which we are to enter upon its hallowed employments is neither one of bondage nor dread, but of freedom and gladness. We are to find in it our greatest joy of the week, delighting ourselves in the Lord, all that is within us praising His holy name. The accompanying promises afford great encouragement for those whose sincere desire it is to honour the Lord in this ordinance: Then shalt thou delight thyself in the LORD; and I will cause thee to ride upon the high places of the earth, and feed thee with the heritage of Jacob thy father: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it (v. 14). Expressed in New Covenant terms, that means, first, such an observance of the Sabbath will afford us much more comfort in the Lord. The more pleasure we take in serving God, the more pleasure we shall find in it. If we go about duty cheerfully, we shall go from it with satisfaction (Matthew Henry). Second, we shall be given victory over our spiritual enemies: observe how the Lords causing Israel to triumph over the Egyptians is spoken of as, He made him ride on the high places of the earth (Deut. 32:13). Third, our souls shall be richly fed with the blessings of the covenant. The precious products of the antitypical Canaanfed with foretastes of it now. Having fully established the two basic principles which are to regulate us in Sabbath observance, we must now point out something of the practical application of the same to the details of this duty. First, we will consider the preparation which should be made, for we cannot enter properly or profitably into the keeping of this holy rest without a fit approach thereto. It is noteworthy that this expression, the preparation, that is, the day before the Sabbath (Mark 15:42) occurs not in the Old Testament but in the New, being found in substance in each of the four Gospels. This sacred institution is not to be approached lightly and carelessly, but with definite forethought and conscientious preparation of our secular affairs, our domestic arrangements, and especially of our hearts. We greatly fear that it is failure at this very point which is the reason why so many miss the richest benefits of this ordinance. Before proceeding further we must carefully consider the question as to when this preparation is to begin, and this requires us to fix the time at which the Sabbath itself commences. In certain quarters this has been made a point of controversy, some contending that it begins at sunset of the preceding day and ends with sunset of its own, appealing to, from even unto even shall ye celebrate your Sabbath (Lev. 23:32). That this was one noteworthy feature of and obtained throughout the Mosaic economy is readily granted, but that the same is binding on us today we emphatically deny. In the first place, a day of rest, according to the rules of natural equity, ought to be proportioned unto a day of work, and that is reckoned both in the Old Testament and in the New Testament as from morning to evening: Psalm 104:20-23; Matthew 20:1-8. In the second place, our Lord Jesus Christ, who in His resurrection gave beginning and being to the special Day of holy rest under the Gospel, came forth from the grave not until the morning of the first day of the week, when the light of the sun began to dispel the darkness of the night, or when it dawned towards the day, as it is variously expressed by the Evangelists. This should settle the matter for His people. Thus, the Christian Sabbath is again sharply distinguished from the Judaical Sabbath. Finally, it should be pointed out that in the description furnished of the first seven days of Genesis 1, that while it is said of each of the first six that it was constituted of an evening and a morning, yet of the seventh this is significantly omitted: it is simply called the seventh day, without any mention of the preceding evening. Thus the Mosaic was distinguished from the primitive Sabbath as well as from the Christian. Our Sabbath. then, is to be regarded as extending from midnight of the seventh day (Saturday) till midnight of the first day. Thus the preparation for it would fall upon the Saturday, particularly the evening of that day. Remember the Sabbath Day to keep it holy, includes the taking of all necessary forethought which is required for the sanctifying thereof. It is a profanation of the Lords Day to make it one of feasting, and therefore its meals should be as plain and simple as possible, and all cooking done on Saturday (Exo. 16:23). The women who cared for our Lords body mixed the spices and ointments on the day preceding, considering it a servile work not suitable for the Sabbath (Luke 23:54, 56). Has not this been recorded for our learning? The due preparation of our hearts and minds is especially needful. As we are to keep our foot when going to the house of God (Eccl. 5:1), that is, consider what we are about to do, to where we are going, and that which is due God in our solemn approaches unto Him; so we must not enter into the sacred exercises of His holy day without thought and prayer. I will be sanctified in them that draw nigh Me (Lev. 10:3) is the Lords unwavering requirement. He is greatly dishonoured when we carelessly rush into any of the appointed means of grace, and therefore does the Apostle exhort us, Let us have grace whereby we may serve God acceptably, with reverence and godly fear (Heb. 12:28). This means far more than grave countenances and bodily postures of veneration: let us have hearts and minds that are spiritualized. Our first concern should be to see to it that our minds are freed from the worries of business and the cares of this life, so that they may without distraction be staved upon the Lord. Much converse with the world is very apt to beget a worldly frame of mind in us, and being so much absorbed with earthly things during the six working days taints the heart with worldliness. Though it be our duty in all our secular concerns to live unto God therein and do everything unto His glory, yet they exert such an influence upon us as to unfit us for spiritual exercises and heavenly contemplation. And therefore it devolves upon us to purge our minds of secular affairs, business concerns, and worldly cares, as far as in us lies, so that we may the better and more wholly rest in and delight ourselves with the Lord. In endeavouring to bring our souls into a fit frame for the duties of the Lords Day, the evening before we should engage our thoughts with meditations suitable thereto. This is a fitting time to consider the lost Sabbaths of our unregenerate days, and which we have to account for or repent of. This is the time to review the week now nearly ended, and put right with God our sad failures therein. Then is the time to meditate upon the wondrous patience of God, which has so long borne with our waywardness and slackness, and who notwithstanding has spared us to approach another Sabbath. This is the time to ponder the vanity of worldly things and how utterly contemptible they are when compared with communion with God. This is the time to give ourselves up to confession, to prayer, to praise. As our eyes open upon the light of the Sabbath we should most earnestly pray that we may be preserved from trifling away its holy hours, and seriously should we ask ourselves how we may most profitably improve them. We ought to be very importunate with God that He will graciously banish from our minds everything which would distract and turn us away from Him, that He would so sanctify our hearts that from the beginning to the end of His day we may be entirely given up to those ends and exercises for which He has consecrated the Sabbath. We ought also to be equally importunate in praying that He will grant His ministers the assistance of the Holy Spirit in preparing a message which will glorify Him and edify His people. So, too, we should ask the Lord for the same spiritual mercies to be bestowed upon our fellow-saints as we have craved for ourselves. This will serve to prepare us to engage in family devotions, before we wait upon the public worship of the day. Throughout the Sabbath we are to abstain from everything that would impede its spiritual observance. Under no circumstances must there be any buying or selling on that Day, or the encouraging of those who do so. Sunday newspapers and all secular literature is to be then strictly banned by us. The paying of social calls and the making of unnecessary visits whereby the worship of God in families is interrupted and worldly conversation is introduced are desecrations of the Sabbath. All unnecessary work in providing for our dining tables on that day is to be avoided: a cold meal with Gods blessing is infinitely better than a hot one with His frown. Great watchfulness must be exercised against idle conversation. Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers (Eph. 4:29)that holds good at all times, but doubly so on the Sabbath. All needless taking of journeys on the Lords Day are sinful. In this connection we would earnestly remind the reader of that exhortation of Christs, But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the Sabbath Day (Matt. 24:20). This was plainly a prophetic warning against that species of Sabbath desecration which has, alas, become so rife. It is rendered the more striking inasmuch as it is the only warning He gave to His disciples against any particular kind of encroachment on the Day of Rest. And for what does He here teach them to pray? Not that they may be kept from travelling for pleasure or for purposes of commerce, but that in a time of calamity and danger events might be so ordered by God that they should not be obliged to preserve their lives and flee for safety by travelling on that day. How He wished to impress upon us the unique sanctity of the Sabbath! Turning now to the positive side: the reading and pondering of the Scripture should have a prominent place in the occupations of this Day. In our strenuous age there are comparatively few who have many leisure hours through the week, and often they are too weary to use those they do have for serious study. But it is far otherwise on the Day of Rest: special opportunity is then afforded for seeking spiritual nourishment. At least one hour in the early morning, another in the afternoon, and one more before retiring, ought to be spent in the Word of God and devotional literature. As six days have been directed mainly to providing for the needs of the body, the seventh is to be improved by seeking food for the soul: thereby is our strength renewed and we are fitted for the duties of the ensuing week. In addition to seasons of private prayer and feeding on the Word, all our spare moments on the Lords Day should be employed in spiritual meditations. Then is our golden opportunity for serious reflections and delightful contemplation: to turn our thoughts from things temporal to things spiritual, and to project our minds into that eternal state to which we are constantly approaching. We should meditate on God as Creator and delight ourselves afresh in all His wondrous works. We should consider how we lost our original rest in God by sin, and how He might justly have abandoned us to eternal restlessness. We should meditate upon the recovery of our rest in God by the great atonement of Christ and His triumphant emerging from the grave. This is indeed the principal duty of this day: to dwell upon and rejoice in this recovery of a rest in God and of a rest for God in us. This is the fruit of infinite wisdom, amazing grace, and incomprehensible love: then let us give glory to God and His Christ for the same. We are also to remember that the Sabbath is a pledge of our everlasting rest with God. Let it also be observed that this Day affords the most favourable opportunity for training children in the fear and nurture of the Lord. Family instruction is one of the most important duties thereof. How many thousands owe their conversion, under God, to Sabbath catechising, Scripture reading, and religious instruction, and the simple but fervent prayers of a pious parent or relative! The heads of families should do all they can to promote the spiritual and eternal good of those under their care. No Christian parent should entrust the instructing of his children in the things of God to only Sunday School teachers, but ought to personally discharge much of this responsibility. Let portions of the Word be read together, simple explanations and practical applications be made: verses should be allotted for memorizing during the week, with a hearing of the same on the Sabbath. Such books as Bunyans Pilgrims Progress, the life of some Missionary, etc., may also be profitably read to the children. This is also a season eminently suitable for works of charity. All possible doubt on this score has been removed by the specific teaching and personal example of Christ. He affirmed that it is lawful to do well on the Sabbath Day. It is both our privilege and duty, especially of those without family responsibilities, to seek after and minister unto those who are cut off from the public means of grace: to visit the sick and the aged, to read the Word to those who cannot read it for themselves, to engage in acts of mercy and compassion unto those needing our help. The more we endeavour to brighten the lot of others, the more will we enter into the joy of Him who ever went about doing good. It is always the self-centered who are the most discontented and miserable. We heartily endorse the following observations from the Puritan, Owen. There is no such certain standard or measure for the observance of the duties of this day, as that every one who exceeds it should by it be cut short, or that those who on important reasons come short of it should be stretched out thereunto. As God provided in His services of old that he who was not able to offer a bullock might offer a dove, with respect unto their outward condition in the world, so here there is an allowance also for the natural temperaments and abilities of men. Only whereas if persons of old had pretended poverty to save their charge in the procuring of an offering, it would not have been acceptable, yea, they would themselves have fallen under the curse of the deceiver; so no more now will a pretence of weakness or natural inability be an excuse for any neglect or profaneness. Otherwise, God requires of us and accepts from us according to what we have, and not according to what we have not. We see it by experience that some mens natural spirits will carry them to a continuance in the outward observance of duties much beyond, nay, doubly perhaps to what others are able, who yet may observe the holy Sabbath to the Lord with acceptation. And herein lies the spring of the accommodation of these duties to the sick, the aged, the young, the weak, or persons any way distempered. God knoweth our frame and remembereth we are dust, so also that the dust is more discomposed and weakly compacted in some than others. As thus the people gathered manna of old, some more, some less, every man according to his appetite, yet he that gathered much had nothing over, and he that gathered little had no lack (Exo. 16:17-18). So is everyone in sincerity, according to his own ability, to endeavour the sanctifying of the name of God in the duties of this day, not being obliged by the examples or prescriptions of others, according to their own measures. Commenting on the cautions of Isaiah 58:13 Owen said, I no way think that here is a restraint laid on us from such words, ways and works, as neither hinder the performance of any religious duties belonging to the due celebration of the worship of God on His day, nor are apt in themselves to unframe our spirits or divert our affections from them. And those whose minds are fixed in a spirit of liberty to glorify God in and by this day of rest, seeking after communion with Him in the ways of His worship, will be to themselves a better rule for their words and actions, than those who may aim to reckon over all they do or say, which may be done in such a manner as to become the Judaical Sabbath much more than the Lords Day. Although the day be wholly to be dedicated to the ends of a sacred rest before insisted on, yet duties in their performance drawn out to such a length as to beget wearisomeness tend not to edification, nor promote the sanctification of the name of God in the worship itself. Regard, therefore, in all such performances is to be had unto the weakness of the natural constitution of some, the infirmities and indisposition of others, who are not able to abide in the outward part of duties as others can. And there is no wise shepherd who will rather suffer the stronger sheep of his flock to lose somewhat of what they might reach to in his guidance of them, than to compel the weaker to keep pace with them to their hurt, and it may be to their ruin. Better a great number should complain of the shortness of some duties, who have strength and desires for a longer continuance in them, than that a few who are sincere should be really discouraged by being overburdened, and have the service thereby made useless to them. We cannot do better to close this chapter than by giving the prayer of the godly Baxter:O most glorious and gracious Creator and Redeemer, I humbly return my unfeigned thanks for the unspeakable mercies which I have received on Thy Day; and much more, for so great a mercy to all Thy churches and the world: and craving the pardon of the sins which I have committed on Thy Day, I beseech Thee to continue this exceeding mercy to Thy churches and to me, that its blessed privileges and comforts may not be forfeited and lost; and let me serve Thee in the life and light and love of Thy Spirit in these Thy holy days on earth, till I be prepared for and received into the everlasting rest in heavenly glory. Amen. ITS OPPOSITION We now turn to the least pleasant part of our subject and contemplate the attacks which have been made upon this Divine ordinance. It has been fiercely assailed both in doctrine and in practice, and this by the professed friends of the Lord as well as by His open enemies. Yet this should not surprise us, for since the carnal mind is enmity against God, that enmity ever manifests itself against whatever is of His special orderingand the more so in proportion as His honour and glory are bound up with any particular appointment. It is at just such a point that the hostility of Satan rages most furiously, seeking with all his might and arts to stir up his subjects to overthrow the same, knowing full well that if that can be accomplished his own evil cause will be greatly furthered and the kingdom of darkness more firmly established in the world. Just as in carnal warfare there are certain strategic centerskey positionson which the security of the whole line depends, and just as such a strategic center is made the military objective by the opposing army, who are determined to capture it at all costs, so it is in connection with the great forces of good and evil. There are certain bulwarks (Isa. 48:12, 13) which are of vital importance, the maintaining of which is essential for the furtherance of true piety, for once they be captured the way is wide open for the hordes of wickedness to wreak their evil will. Such a bulwark is the Sabbath: on the strict observance of it depends the well-being of Church and State alike. To keep the Sabbath Day holy secures the blessing of the Most High, but the desecration thereof most assuredly calls down His curse upon a land and people. After what has been pointed out, there is little need now for us to enter upon a lengthy proof that the Holy Sabbath is one of the principal bulwarks of Zion. Or that it constitutes one of the most vital of all strategic centers in the defenses of Truth and godliness, spirituality and morality. It is like a mighty fortress which guards the entrance to a pass that gives access to a vast industrial center: once that fortress be captured the millions of people living behind it in the cities are then at the mercy of the advancing foe. And just as in a military campaign the attacking general makes the demolition of that fortress his main aim, concentrating the strength of his forces against it, so it is in connection with Satans fight against the kingdom of God upon earth: he knows full well that the overthrow of the Sabbath would mean for him a major victory. To employ a rather different figure. The blessings which God has promised unto menblessings both temporal and spiritualflow most freely along the particular channels which He has Himself appointed. Contrariwise, if those channels be forsaken, then the blessings will also be forfeited. Now since the Sabbath is the day which the Lord has set apart for the communication of special blessing, then it is obvious that those blessings will be enjoyed in greatest measure by those who are the sincerest and strictest in its sacred observance. This is a fact which is capable of the clearest verification. Organized Christianity has been here for 1,900 years and during that lengthy span it has experienced many vicissitudes, passing through periods of prosperity on the one hand and of adversity on the other, of light and purity and darkness and impurity, of spiritual energy and of spiritual torpor. Now it can be plainly shown from the chronicles of history that there has been to a very striking degree an unmistakable correspondence in those periods between the observance of Sabbath sanctity and the spiritual prosperity of the churches on the one hand and the neglect of the Sabbaths sanctity and spiritual declension of the churches on the other. In this we may also see parallels with the varied experiences of the nation of Israel in Old Testament times. While it is true that only fragments have survived the flight of time of what was recorded in the first two or three centuries A.D., yet sufficient is extant to show that in those centuries the Lords Day was faithfully kept by His people in caves and catacombs, surrounded by every form of perilas witness the testimonies of Eusebius, Justin Martyr, Tertullian, etc. How far, then, was the state of the Church a flourishing one in those early days? In seeking the answer to our last question it must be distinctly borne in mind that the prosperity of Christianity is not to be gauged by the esteem in which it is held by the world in general. Very much to the contrary. If ye were of the world, the world would love his own; but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you (John 15:19). Unless that Divine pronouncement be held steadily before us we are certain to arrive at an entirely wrong answer to our inquiry. The worlds hatred and opposition and not the worlds love and co-operation is the surest index to the spiritual prosperity of Christianity. What the early Christians suffered at the hands of Nero and others of the Roman emperors which followed him, is too well known to need any description of ours. Thousands of Christs followers sealed their testimony with their blood, yet despite the fierce persecution encountered, the Gospel continued to be diffused far and wide. During the course of time Satan has resorted to a great variety of tactics in his efforts to stamp out the observance of the Sabbath, employing widely different measures and methods in his determination to choke this channel of Divine blessing. He employed a strange but effective instrument in his first onslaught. The fidelity and courage of the first martyrs evoked the deep esteem of the suffering but prospering Church. But alassuch is manthe praising of the martyrs soon took the place of the praising of Him who had sustained them, and ere long the places where they had suffered and the graves in which their mangled remains had been interred began to be regarded with superstitious veneration. It was not long until the days on which they had been martyred were regarded as comparatively sacred for their memories and were set apart as holy festivals hallowed by their death. Not only were the virtues of the martyrs eulogized, but gradually it became popular to offer up prayersat first for the souls of these Christians heroes, and later to the martyrs themselves as to a species of subordinate mediators. The efforts of the Enemy proved only too successful: the calendar of the Church soon became so filled with these saints days that the solitary dignity of the Lords Day was crowded out and thus the channel of Divine blessing was choked. That holy veneration which had been accorded unto the Sabbath alone was now divided and extended to a multitude of human appointments, and even before the power of pagan Rome to suppress the public observance of the Christian Sabbath had passed away, its sole sanctity had disappeared before a legion of these spurious holy days. Constantine framed statutes requiring the inhabitants of cities to suspend their ordinary business and mechanics to abstain from their common labour on the Sabbath, and closed the courts of justice and all other public offices on that dayclear proof of how the early Church had been desirous to observe it. But the laws drawn up by this strange character who espoused Christianity introduced a most pernicious element: the Sabbath and the holy festivals of human invention were placed on the same level. The sequel may easily be imagined: those other days not being of Divine authority quickly degraded the sanctity of the Lords Day from its sole supremacy over the consciences of the worshippers. An attempt to raise any human innovation in matters of religion to an equality with what is of Divine institution inevitably results in the lowering of the Divine and in the elevation of the human above the Divine. What the Scriptures designate as will worship (Col. 2:23) is false worship, devised by the depraved heart of man to minister to his corrupt inclinationsunder the pretence of exalted piety. Not only is this will worship a false one, but in proportion as it flourishes, true worship is defiled. From the days of Constantine onwards the progress of error and departure from the Truth went on with ever accelerating pace and power, until in a short time the whole year was overrun with saints days and festivals and the Lords Day was entirely set aside, or where it was still professedly regarded was degraded into one of recreation, amusement and festivities, of such kinds and degrees of debasement to be too sinful and shameful to describe. It is needless to inquire whether or not the churches flourished spiritually during that time, for God cannot be mocked with impugnity. The fourth and fifth centuries A.D. witnessed a sad lowering of Christian standards: the Law was no longer faithfully enforced, the Gospel was grievously corrupted, and Worship became more and more paganized. It was not long ere a faithless Christendom was made to reap what it had sown, for the judgments of God ever fall upon the ecclesiastical sphere before they reach the civil (see 1 Peter 4:17). Where the Truth is rejected professors are given up by God to believe a lie. The setting up of saints days and the degradation of the Lords Day paved the way for the rise of the great anti-Christian power. The Roman Catholic apostasy was both the fully developed offshoot of the evils to which we have alluded, as she was also suffered by God to assume dominion as a mark of His displeasure upon an adulterous generation. The growth and domination of the Papacy supplied a vivid demonstration of the spiritual adversity and desolation which had overtaken Christendom, and rightly have the centuries which followed been designated the Dark Ages. No longer was the Word of God preached to the people, no longer was the Sabbath Day kept holy, no longer was the simplicity of Christian worship observed. Priestcraft poisoned every spring and the Water of Life was no longer obtainable. And where was the true Church of Christ to be found during this dark season: for even then God left not Himself without true witnesses on earth. The answer is, among the Vaudois valleys of the Alpsamong that poor and despised people known as the Waldensians. No sooner did the degenerate system of Popery rise to power than the humble dwellers of the Piedmont become distinguished for their firm adherence to the standards of primitive Christianity, refusing to adopt any other rule of faith than the written Word of God, and exemplifying its precepts in their daily walk to an extent that few have done since. Those possessing any acquaintance of Church history are familiar with the tragic but glorious sequel. The rage of Rome knew no bounds against this people who witnessed so faithfully and valorously for Christ, many of whom were given the great honour of suffering severely even unto death rather than yield to the demands of the Mother of Harlots. Even though most of their writings perished in the devastating persecution which they experienced, by which Rome strove might and main to exterminate them root and branch, yet sufficient have survived to furnish proof that the Waldensian Christians were characterized by Sabbath observance. In The Noble Lesson, of date about 1,100, there is not only a clear avowal of the binding nature of the Moral Lawand consequently of the Fourth Commandmentbut an enunciation of an important principle which shows their conception of the relation of the Law to the Gospel: Christ did not change it that it should be abrogated, but renewed it that it might be better kept. In the Confession of Faith of the same Church, the feasts and vigils of saints are denounced as an unspeakable abomination. In an Exposition of the Commandments the following occurs, They that will keep and observe the Sabbath of Christians, that is to say, will sanctify the Day of the Lord, must be careful of four things. The first is to cease from all earthly and worldly labours: the second, not to sin; the third, not to be idle in regard to good works; and fourth, to do those things which are for the good of the soul. And in another Confession, drawn up at a later period, the following article appears: That on Sundays we ought to cease from our worldly labours, through zeal for God, and love towards our servants, and that we may apply ourselves to hearing the Word of God. These notices are enough to prove that the Waldensian Church was definitely distinguished by its sacred observance of the Lords Day. And what was the religious prosperity of Christianity in the Alps in those perilous times? Most pertinent is such an inquiry after what we have affirmed above. But again we must be careful not to employ a wrong standard of measurement, as we are so liable to do in a day when it is very common to estimate values wrongly. That prosperity is not to be looked for in numbers, in social prestige, or in anything which is highly esteemed among men; but rather in those spiritual fruits which are to the praise of God, because produced by the gracious operations of His Spirit. If to endure persecution as good soldiers of Jesus Christ without murmuring; if to suffer the acutest afflictions without wavering; if to experience continual persecution with an invincible patience and victorious faith be the marks of spiritual well-being, then the Waldensian Church certainly flourished spiritually. If to continue steadfast through a long agony of centuries, glorifying God in the midst of the furnace of persecution, even when it was heated seven times, maintaining still imperishable life and heavenly hope triumphant over all, be religious prosperity, that Church in the wilderness was marvelously prosperous. And if, in the midst of all its fiery trials, to strive to its power, and beyond its power, to act as a missionary Church, not only upholding its own testimony to the Truth, but striving to diffuse around it that priceless blessing, thus both continuing and extending true Christianity in spite of all the deadly efforts of anti-Christian Rome be religious prosperity, the faithful and zealous Waldensian Church was gloriously prosperous. The teaching of that Church pervaded the south of France and became instrumental there in winning many souls to Christ. Its living truths ran along the Rhine, communicating spiritual life to numbers, and preparing a way for future Gospel progress. Bohemia caught some rays of the sacred light, which in later age became the day-spring of heavenly brightness to suffering martyrs. The distant British Isles obtained some powerful life-germs, destined in due time to put forth a mighty and growing energy, not only for the protection of the suffering of the Waldenses themselves, but for the diffusion of Gospel Truth throughout the world. Such was the religious prosperity of the Bible-loving and Lords-Day keeping Waldensian Church; and no true Christian will deny that it was a kind and measure of prosperity which God alone could have given, and the world could not take awaythe full amount and value of which only the Day to come will reveal (W. M. Hetherington, to whom we are indebted for the above quotations). Popery succeeded at length in well nigh wearing out the saints and exterminating all who had borne testimony against her pernicious errors. The Waldensian Church was almost wholly destroyed or silenced. A reformation was attempted in Bohemia, but it was ruthlessly suppressed. Long had the Scriptures been a sealed book, not only to the masses, but because of their gross ignorance, to many of the priests as well. There had ceased to be any Christian Sabbath in the sense of a holy rest in the lands where Romanism dominated. The Lords Day had been degraded into a day of special recreation, amusement, public shows and exhibitionsin short, of anything and everything to the utmost possible degree distinct and remote from the very appearance of sacredness. Thus the Devil seemed to have triumphed completely. But a mighty change was impending, one which made manifest the Lords supremacy. As it is in the material world, so it is in the moral and spiritual realms. As the Creator has given to the sea His decree, saying, Hitherto shalt thou come, but no further: and here shall thy proud waves be stayed (Job 38:11), so as Governor of this world He has limited the triumphs of the wicked. In the early part of the 16th century Satan received a check from which his kingdom has never fully recovered to this day. Under the Reformation the distinctive truths and principles of Christianity were once more publicly proclaimed and anti-Christian errors and practices boldly denounced. In our day there are few who perceive the immensity of the task which confronted the Reformers, the difficulties they had to overcome, or the perils to which they were exposed. Papal despotism had to be encountered in the very heyday of its pride and power. Her monstrous fictions, superstitions, and idolatrous rites had to be swept away before a true and pure Christianity could appear. The vital truths of Divine revelation had to be virtually re-discovered. First to be rescued and preached was the cardinal doctrine of justification by faith. Then the Bible had to be translated from the dead languages into the living tongues of many lands, and given to the people as the alone Standard of faith and sole Rule of character and conduct. Then came the tremendous task of rescuing the Lords Day from the obscurity to which it had been consigned, when buried beneath the multitude of festival days of human invention. The work of the Reformers was so vast, so difficult, and so arduous, and was executed under such unfavourable conditions that we need not be surprised if parts of it were not so well done as were others, or that they never themselves erred. Rather must we marvel and be thankful that so much good was accomplished under their instrumentality. In regard to the Lords Day they failed to give a sufficiently clear and decisive exposition. While they rightly adopted the principle that the whole of the Old Testament economy was typical and had its fulfillment in the New Testament dispensationthus disposing of the Romish figment of an official priesthood with sacrifices in the Christian Churchyet they misapplied the same principle in connection with the Sabbath. Or perhaps it would be more correct to say, they applied it in such a way as to fail in establishing the right foundations on which the sacred obligations of that day now rests. While it is quite clear that the Reformers themselves contended for the necessity and obligation of the Christian Sabbath, maintaining the same in their own personal examples, yet it must also be admitted that they employed language and uttered sentiments which were only too susceptible of being perverted and misapplied. This in fact quickly took place, especially in the Lutheran churches. Never so sound doctrinally as the Calvinists, they soon became lax in their Sabbath observance. So much so was this the case that one reliable writer tells us, To such a degree was this the case, that many pious men among the ministers of the Lutheran churches seem to have been in doubt whether the fierce wars which so long desolated Germany were to be regarded as the cause of the extreme Sabbath profanation which prevailed, or as judgments inflicted on the community on account of that profanation. The most striking and extensive demonstration of the connection between Sabbath observance and religious prosperity was seen in the British Isles in the 17th century. All who are acquainted with the history of that period know that the Puritans were particularly distinguished by their strict adherence to the sacred rest of the Lords Day. Nor was this characteristic confined either to the Scotts or to those who separated themselves from the Established Church, but pertained also to those who remained within her pale. It is not generally known that the Westminster Confession of Faith, which contains the strongest assertion of the Divine authority and inviolable sanctity of the Christian Sabbath ever produced, was framed by a body of about 120 divines of whom only four were Scottish and five were Independentsall the rest having received Episcopal ordination. Now the very times when the sanctity of the Sabbath was most diligently maintained in England were those in which pure and spiritual religion was in its highest state of freedom and prosperity; and the men under whose instrumentality this obtained are the ones whose writings are still the most precious treasure of English religious literature. Never was the smile of Heaven more apparent, never did true piety flourish so extensively, never has the power of the Holy Spirit been so manifest since the days of the Apostles, yet never was a season of Divine blessing so abruptly terminated. As the restoration of Charles the Second marked the overthrow of English Puritanism, so it brought in a flood of licentiousness which soon swept over the country, for unregenerate courtiers and commoners united together in throwing odium on Sabbath observance as a product of Puritanical fanaticism. The awful effects of widespread Sabbath desecration were soon evident, for the judgments of God fell heavily upon both the religious and social life of the nation. The first half of the 18th century was marked by the most awful errors in the pulpit, spiritual death in the pew, and infidelity and profligacy amongst the masses, who were only too glad to be freed from the righteous restraints which pious legislators had placed upon them. Once again Satan had won a notable victory. But not for long was he suffered to enjoy the spoils of the same. Under the fearless preaching of George Whitefield and his fellows, revival was granted and true godliness given fresh life, and the Lords Day was once more restored unto its rightful place. During the 19th century the great Enemy of God and man entered upon a new campaign, seeking to undermine the foundations of this Divine institution, attacking it from the doctrinal side. He blinded the minds of those who professed to be the ministers of Christ, and alleged champions of the Truth, causing many of them to believe that the Sabbath was obsolete, pertaining not to this dispensationand leading others to suppose that the observance of the Sabbath in this Christian era is mainly a matter of individual option, and that a much wider latitude in what they term Christian liberty is now permissible. In consequence thereof, Satan succeeded in banishing all witness to the Sabbath from thousands of pulpits, and caused the standard to be grievously lowered in most of the remaining ones. This acted like a poisonous leaven, the effects from which spread widely, until the rank and file of church-goers had no conscience on the subject: so long as they attended service once or twice, they felt they had fully discharged the obligations of the Lords Day. Little sagacity is required to foretell the effect upon the masses of such a poisoning of the ministry. To use a military figure: the muzzling of the pulpit on this vital truth was like the silencing of the guns on a fortress. Once its cannons are put out of action, the capture of the citadel quickly follows. When those who were looked up to as the expounders of the Divine Law discredited the Sabbath, then who was left to offer real resistance to godless politicians playing fast and loose with those statutes of the realm which had once been framed for the purpose of preventing Sabbath profanation? If the rank and file of professing Christians considered they had discharged the obligations of the Sabbath merely by attending one or two religious services on that day, then need we be surprised if the irreligious masses clamoured louder and louder for a brighter Sunday and that those in governmental authority more and more yielded to their demands! We shall now consider some of the arguments made use of by those who have insisted that the Sabbath pertains not to this dispensation. First, it has been asserted that the Ten Commandments were never given to anyone but the Jews. Such a postulate is most absurd. If the Moral Law be not binding upon Gentiles, then by what standard will God judge them? Where no law is, there is no transgression (Rom. 4:15). The erroneousness of such a postulate is made clearly manifest by, Now we know that what things soever the Law saith, it saith to them who are under the Law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God (Rom. 3:19). Nothing could be plainer than that: the whole human race is under the Law and every member of it is brought in guilty by the same. Second, it has been asserted that, whatever be the status and state of the unregenerate, yet Christians are not under the Law, but under grace (Rom. 6:14). We must not here be misled by the mere sound of words. We must realize their sensethat the believer is no longer under the Law as a Covenant of Works, nor is he any more under its awful curse and condemnationbut as 1 Corinthians 9:21 definitely declares, he is under the Law to Christunder it as a Rule of conduct. The Christian is required to so walk even as He (the Lord Jesus) walked (1 John 2:6), and Christ ever walked in perfect accord with the Moral Law (Psa. 40:8). The Holy Spirit has been given to the Christian for the express purpose of enabling him therein, the love of God being shed abroad in his heart for its fulfillment (Rom. 5:8 and 13:8-10). It has been objected by others that the Sabbath precept in the Old Testament was entirely of a typical and ceremonial nature, looking forward to that spiritual rest which Christ should provide, and that when the substance was brought in, the shadow was done away. But were that the case, then the Moral Law consists of only nine and not Ten Commandments as Deuteronomy 4:13 specifically declares. The very fact that the Sabbath statute was incorporated into the Decalogue unequivocally denotes its essential moral character, and therefore, its lasting naturethe Fourth Commandment was, like the other nine, written by the finger of Jehovah upon the tables of stone, but no part of the ceremonial law was. Moreover, the Sabbath was instituted long before any part of the ceremonial law was given to Israel, before there were any types or shadows, before any promise of Christ was made. The Sabbath was appointed in Eden before the Fall, before there was any need for sacrifices! Appeal has been made unto Galatians 4:10, 11 by those who are determined to banish the Sabbath from this dispensation: Ye observe days and months and times and years. I am afraid of you, lest I have bestowed upon you labour in vain. The reference there is to the Judaising of the Galatian saintsto their being brought under bondage to the ceremonial law of Israel. False teachers had gone so far as to insist they must be circumcised in order to salvation: see Galatians 5:2, 6; 6:15. The days and months were those connected with the Jewish festivals, which were now obsolete: the very fact that the Holy Spirit here designated them, the weak and beggarly elements (Gal. 4:9) is clear proof that the Christian Sabbath was not there included, for it could never be described in such a way. Appeal has also been made to, Let no man therefore judge you in meat or in drink, or in respect of a holy day or of the new moon, or of the Sabbath days (Col. 2:16). This is the favourite verse of those who insist that the Sabbath is not binding on Christians. That they refer to such a passage shows how untenable is their position. The Greek word here for Sabbath is in the plural number (as the translators denoted by adding days in italics), which intimates it is not the weekly Sabbath or the Moral Law that is in view. Moreover, there is no definite article before Sabbaths, which is proof positive that the weekly Sabbath was not before the Apostles mind. It was to things connected with the ceremonial law against which the Colossians were being warned, as the meat, drink, and new moon show. Some have raised a silly objection drawn from the difference made by the meridian, from which it is argued it is impossible that all men could observe precisely the same day, and therefore God never intended they should. Now if men sailing either eastward or westward did not continually have seven days succeeding one another there would be some force in this trifle, but since the Sabbath statute simply requires from men one seventh of their time, or a seventh day, separated unto God and sanctified to His service, the objection is quite pointless. That the observance of this rest day should in all parts of the earth begin and end at the same minute, the Scriptures nowhere enjoin nor does the creation of God permit. It is sufficient that whether living in the northern or the southern hemisphere that all men observe the same proportion of time. After all our articles on the Christianization of the Sabbath, especially the exposition of Hebrews 4:8-10, there is little need for us to refute seriatim the errors of those who insist that the Sabbath should, even now, be kept on Saturday rather than Sunday. The essential feature to be noted is that God requires us to set apart one seventh of our time and consecrate the same unto His worship. Nowhere in the Scriptures is it specified that the Lord ever commanded any people to observe the seventh day of the weekrather six days of work (without defining which days) followed by one of rest. Nor does the transference of the Sabbath from Saturday to Sunday involve any alteration in the Law, but merely a change in its administration. It is true that the Apostles for a season, while their ministry had a special regard for the Jews (Rom. 1:16), for the conversion of that remnant among them according to the election of grace, went frequently into their synagogues on the seventh day to preach the Gospel (Acts 13:14; 16:13, etc). Yet it is evident they did so only to take opportunity of their assemblies, that they might preach to greater numbers of them, and that at a time when they were prepared to attend unto sacred things. Upon the same ground and for the same reason we find Paul endeavouring to be at Jerusalem at the feast of Pentecost (Acts 20:16). But we nowhere read that Christians at any time assembled together on the seventh day for the worship of God. And now our task is completed, very imperfectly so, we are fully conscious. But if the Lord is pleased to own these feeble efforts unto a stirring up of His people for a stricter observing of this Divine ordinance and in using their influence to protest against its awful profanation, we shall not have laboured in vain. A Sabbath well spent brings a week of content, And strength for the toils of the morrow: But a Sabbath profaned, whateer may be gained, Is a certain forerunner of sorrow. Originally edited by Emmett O'Donnell for Mt. Zion Publications, a ministry of Mt. Zion Bible Church, 2603 West Wright St., Pensacola, FL 32505. www.mountzion.org Home | Books & Articles | Spurgeon Gems | Devotional Helps Puritan Prayers | Inspirational Quotes | Inspirational Poems Audio Messages | Assurance | Prayer | Praise | About Our Ministry

Unless otherwise specified, the following Image Use Policy holds for all images on this website: We provide all images on a Creative Commons Attribution license (CC-BY). Any SDSS image on the SDSS Web site may be downloaded, linked to, or otherwise used for any purpose, provided that you maintain the image credits. Unless otherwise stated, images should be credited to the Sloan Digital Sky Survey. We note that - Your use of the image does not imply our endorsement of any product or service - If the image is to be used on a Web page, we also ask as a courtesy that you provide a link back to our site at www.sdss.org. All SDSS data released in our public data releases is considered in the public domain. Any questions about image use should be directed to the ARC Corporate Office via ARC’s Business Manager as follows: ARC Business Manager c/o Department of Astronomy, Box 351580 University of Washington Seattle, WA 98195 Please provide the exact URL of the image you are inquiring about. If you have further questions about the appropriate usage or credits for SDSS images, please contact the helpdesk. Rapid Rotating stars identified in APOGEE APOGEE Magentic Stars The APOGEE survey has revealed a number of new highly magnetic stars that feature interesting spectral features. Distribution of the Alpha-elements in different regions of the Galaxy. APOGEE2 Globular Cluster Anti-Correlations APOGEE 2 Globular Cluster Anti-Correlations for 31 globular clusters. Adapted from S. Meszaros et al. 2020 Star Formation Histories of Massive Dwarfs in APOGEE2 Star Formation Histories of Massive Dwarfs in APOGEE2 (Figure 9 of Hasselquist et al. 2021) Hertzsprung-Russell diagram for all MaStar targets with good quality spectra based on Gaia EDR3 photometry, Bailer-Jones et al (2021) distance, and Green et al. (2019) 3D dust map. APOGEE DR16 Selection Function The Raw Selection Function for APOGEE DR16, showing the fraction of stars observed in the short cohort as a function of sky position. Figure by Jo Bovy. Periodigram of Eclipsing Binary, KIC 2161623 A Lomb-Scargle periodogram derived from the APOGEE radial velocity data of Eclipsing Binary, KIC 2161623. The maximum power occurs at 2.28 days, which is taken as the period of the system. Figure courtesy of H. Lewis. Snapshot of an Operations Review Snapshot during a session in La Serena in the preparations for APOGEE-2S operations. APOGEE-2S Wrap Party The APOGEE-2S "Wrap Party" at the conclusion of the APOGEE-2S Observations in January 2021. Parts of the Milky Way Visible to Different Observatories Observatories in the Northern or Southern hemispheres provide only a partial view of the Milky Way. For APOGEE to observe the full Milky Way, it requires telescopes in both hemispheres. Background image from 2MASS. Schematic of the Components of the Milky Way Schematic identifying the major components of the Milky Way in the infrared sky. Figure by R. Beaton, Background Image from 2MASS. SDSS-IV Collaboration Meeting in Santiago SDSS-IV team meeting from the 2017 Collaboration Meeting in Santiago, Chile. SDSS-IV included Chilean institutions for the first time in SDSS history. APOGEE-1 observations overlaid on an artist's impression of the Milky Way galaxy. The points are color-coded by their total metallicity, with blue stars the most metal poor and red stars the most metal rich. Figure from Majewski et al. 2017, their figure 25. APOGEE-1 Observation Map The final field plan from APOGEE-1 as released in DR12. Background image from 2MASS. Demonstration of APOGEE Spectra ASPCAP spectral windows for the 15 APOGEE chemical elements along with examples of APOGEE sky (black), telluric (blue, red, and green), and stellar spectra (orange). To aid visibility, the spectral windows are broadened by ±30 km s−1, and all weights are set to the same value. From Garcia-Perez et al. 2015, their figure 4. Demonstration of APOGEE Targeting Cohorts Organization of observed targets in plate designs and on physical plates, using the field 180+04 as an example. This field has 12 anticipated visits, which are covered by four designs (indicated by blue, yellow, green, and orange). Each design has stars from one of four short cohorts (S1, S2, S3, S4), one of two medium cohorts (M1, M2), and the long cohort (L); that is, stars in the long cohort appear in all four designs, and stars from the medium cohorts appear in two designs. At least one plate is drilled for each design, and some designs (here, the first two) are drilled on multiple plates. Most frequently, this occurs when a field is to be observed at different hour angles (HAs), as in this example. Figure from Zasowski et al. 2013, their figure 1. APOGEE-S First Light The “first light” observations for the APOGEE South spectrograph. The dots show stars whose spectra were observed by APOGEE. Some example spectra are shown (colors are representative only, as APOGEE spectra are in the infrared). The first light observations included spectra of supermassive stars in the Tarantula Nebula. This nebula in the Large Magellanic Cloud is forming stars more rapidly than any other region in our Local Group of galaxies. It can only be seen from the Southern Hemisphere, underscoring the importance of APOGEE South’s location. The spectrograph will allow us to study the chemistry and evolution of the stars in the nebula in greater detail than ever before. Tarantula Nebula image from Herschel/Spitzer MaNGA science team at the 2019 team meeting (April 2019, Oxford, England) SDSS Exoplanet DNA An artist’s rendering of how the iron content of a star can impact its planets. A normal star (green label) is more likely to host a longer-period planet (green orbit), while an iron-rich star (yellow label) is more likely to host a shorter-period planet (yellow orbit). Click on the image for a larger version. Sunset at the SDSS 2.5m telescope at Apache Point Observatory (March 2014). Part of the SDSS-IV/MaNGA commissioning team at Apache Point Observatory (March 2014). APOGEE-1 Meeting at TCU Team photo of APOGEE-1 during a Team Meeting at Texas Christian University. APOGEE-2 Team Meeting at OCIS APOGEE-2 Team Meeting at the Observatories of the Carnegie Institution for Science. DR17 APOGEE Coverage by Sub Survey DR17 APOGEE field map where the fields are color-coded by the APOGEE sub-survey. APOGEE-1 in cyan, APOGEE-2N in blue, and APOGEE-2S in red. Figure by C. Hayes. Background image from 2MASS. APOGEE-N 2D Image (Raw data frame) From Majewski et al. 2017, Figure 14: Portion of a raw 2D APOGEE image from observations of a bulge field. The horizontal stripes correspond to individual stellar spectra. Vertical bright bands correspond to airglow features at the same rest wavelength in each spectrum, whereas absorption features at the same horizontal position from spectrum to spectrum correspond to telluric absorption features. Also obvious are variations in the expression of stellar atmospheric absorption features from star to star, evidenced by their varying strengths due to temperature and chemical composition differences, as well as changing relative positions due to Doppler shifts. Fiber assignments were managed by color-coding fiber holes in the plugplates (see Figure 13) and the fiber optic jackets at the telescope end to correspond to stars in each field sorted into three brightness groups (bright, medium, faint). These fibers were sorted at the spectrograph slit head into a repeating pattern of faint−medium−bright−bright−medium−faint to minimize the contamination of any given spectrum by the PSF wings of a much brighter spectrum in an adjacent fiber. This management scheme gives rise to the brightness modulation pattern apparent in this image. Comparison of plates used for the APOGEE-N instrument (left) and the APOGEE-S instrument (right). Both plates are the same physical size, but, due to the differing telescope f/ ratios have different plate scales. APOGEE-S plates are machine-marked when APOGEE-N plates are marked by hand. APOGEE-S plates have two obscured regions that are used to place cameras, whereas the obscured regions in the APOGEE-N plate do not require physical hole (a central post is mounted in the center of the plate). APOGEE-2S Plate Plugging APOGEE-2S observers both plug plates and take observations, typically alternating between roles during the observing runs. Here an observer prepares a cartridge by connecting the fibers to the proper plate holes. (Photo courtesy of A. Almeida) MaNGA Fiber bundles Images of the fibers in each of the MaNGA IFUs ranging from 7 to 127 fibers. Figure is from Drory et al. (2015) Members of the APOGEE Team work on preparing infrastructure for the APOGEE-S instrument at Las Campanas Observatory. This image is taken inside of the du Pont 2.5 meter dome. Photo by Sanjay Suchak. APOGEE-N Plate Plugging Plugging an APOGEE plate at Apache Point Observatory. APOGEE-S Cartridge Loading. An APOGEE-S cartridge is loaded onto the telescope for observations. Plate Storage Racks at LCO APOGEE-S Fiber Train The APOGEE Instrument Team works on running the APOGEE-S fiber train through the du Pont dome. Photo by J. Wilson The APOGEE-2 instrument at LCO The logo of the SPIDERS sub-survey (part of eBOSS in SDSS-IV) MaNGA Footprint for DR16 MaNGA tiling, status and prediction for future observation published in DR16 (Aug 2019) Kepler 102 (left): Earth-like, dominated by olivine minerals; Kepler 407 (right): dominated by garnet, less likely to have plate tectonics SDSS-V will be carried out in both hemispheres, at Apache Point Observatory (APO) in the USA and Las Campanas Observatory (LCO) in Chile. Multi-object fiber spectroscopy will be obtained with two 2.5m telescopes, each feeding a near-infrared APOGEE spectrograph and an optical BOSS spectrograph, for the Milky Way Mapper and Black Hole Mapper programs. The Local Volume Mapper will make use of smaller telescopes at APO and LCO to perform its optical integral-field spectroscopy. MaStar HR Diagram Extinction-corrected color-luminosity diagram for the DR15 version of the MaStar Library, color-coded by metallicity (click to enlarge). The photometry in this figure are in SDSS bands. The derivation of the absolute magnitudes are based on distances computed by Bailer-Jones et al. (2018) using parallax from Gaia DR2. sSFR versus Stellar Mass for DR15 Pipe3d A plot of specific starformation rate (SFR/M*) against stellar mass (M*) for galaxies analysed in the DR15 version of Pipe3d. Each galaxy is shown as a map of the kinematics traced by Halpha line. A comparison of Planets. Kepler 102 (left): Earth-like, dominated by olivine minerals; Kepler 407 (right): dominated by garnet, less likely to have plate tectonics. MaNGA DR15 Footprint Screenshot of summary data SN2011V Map of DIB absorption strength from SDSS infrared and optical spectroscopy (Lan et al. 2015; Zasowski et al. 2015). ARCSAT and Sloan 2.5m ARCSAT telescope structure, with the Sloan Telescope housing in the background. Example MaNGA galaxy. A galaxy inside a pink hexagon, which shows the coverage area of a MaNGA IFU Example MaNGA target MaNGA written in galaxies. Write your own message in the sky: http://writing.galaxyzoo.org/ APOGEE-1 Spatial Coverage. Artist conception of the Milky Way Galaxy, with location of APOGEE-1 stars. Distributing an SDSS plate to a teacher in Hawaii Miliani Middle School Teacher, Kari Caldeira-Silva (center), collecting her SDSS plate (number 6274) at the IAU meeting in Honolulu, Hawaii from Kate Meredith (left) and Karen Masters (right) APOGEE DR12 Coverage – Survey and Commissioning Data An all sky plot showing the APOGEE DR12 Coverage for both Survey and Commissioning Data. APOGEE DR12 Coverage – Observed Survey Plan An all-sky plot showing the planned for APOGEE DR13 survey. BOSS instrument: two dispersive elements and the dichroic The assembled central optics (two dispersive elements and the dichroic). The 2-ton APOGEE-N instrument is lowered to the concrete pad in front of its room in the warm building next to the Sloan Foundation 2.5-meter telescope. Diagram of the APOGEE-N gang-connector system (fiber routing and the 300-fiber gang connector) which allows for a facile change of the fiber connections between the instrument and the various cartridges. Slide from J. Wilson. An SDSS Plate A SDSS fiber optic plug plate showing the markings used to plug fibers. Wide Area View of Hanny’s Voorwerp A wide angle view of the patch of SDSS imaging containing "Hanny's Voorwerp", the blueish nebula next to galaxy IC 2497 at lower left of the image. APOGEE Spectral Sequence Exemplar APOGEE spectra for stars of O, B, A, F, G, K, and M spectral types. Figure by S. Chojnowski. APOGEE-2 will extend the reach of the SDSS by using both the Sloan Foundation Telescope at Apache Point Observatory and the Irénée du Pont Telescope at Las Campanas Observatory in Chile. A telescope in each hemisphere means that APOGEE-2 will be able to see the entire Milky Way. The new Chilean telescope will offer an excellent view of the galactic central regions. Image credit: Dana Berry / SkyWorks Digital Inc. and the SDSS collaboration eBOSS maps the distribution of galaxies and quasars from when the Universe was 3 to 8 billion years old, a critical time when dark energy started to affect the expansion of the Universe. At higher redshifts, during a time when the Universe was matter-dominated, eBOSS uses the Lyman-alpha forest to map out the matter distribution. Image Credit: Dana Berry / SkyWorks Digital Inc. and the SDSS collaboration. The new SDSS will measure spectra at multiple points in the same galaxy, using a newly created fiber bundle. The Sloan Foundation Telescope (top left) leads to a close-up of the fiber bundle tip so that each fiber can see a different part of the same galaxy (bottom right). The image from the Hubble Space Telescope (bottom right) shows one of the first galaxies the new SDSS has measured. Spectra from different parts of ths galaxy (top right) show how how the center of the galaxy differs from its outer regions. SDSS Orange Spider The SDSS “Orange Spider”. This illustrates the wealth of information on scales both small and large available in the SDSS I/II and III imaging. The picture in the top left shows the SDSS view of a small part of the… Stacked quasar spectra Stacked spectra of more than 46,000 quasars from the SDSS; each spectrum has been converted to a single horizontal line, and they are stacked one above the other with the closest quasars at the bottom and the most distant quasars at the top. Credit: X. Fan and the Sloan Digital Sky Survey. Star cluster M13 The star cluster M13 as seen by the SDSS The SDSS Field of Streams The SDSS's "Field of Streams" map shows structures of stars in the outer Milky Way Dwarf Galaxy Leo I The ultra-faint Milky Way Companion galaxy Leo I The Whirlpool Galaxy (M51) The bright spiral galaxy M51 and its fainter companion SDSS Galaxy Map The SDSS's map of the Universe. Each dot is a galaxy; the color is the g-r color of that galaxy . du Pont Telescope The Irenee du Pont Telescope at Las Campanas Observatory in Chile Messier 81 (or Bode’s Galaxy) SDSS legacy imaging of the bright spiral galaxy, Messier 81 (Bode’s Galaxy). This galaxy lies about 12 million light years away in the constellation Ursa Major. Spectrum of a Quasar Spectrum of a Quasar Sloan 2.5m Telescope The Sloan 2.5m Telescope SDSS Imaging Camera SDSS Imaging Camera. The SEGUE-1 fields are displayed in blue and the SEGUE-2 are in red. The map is in Galactic coordinates (credit: M. Strauss). Field of Streams (low res) SDSS stellar map of the Northern sky, showing trails and streams of stars torn from disrupted Milky Way satellites. Insets show new dwarf companions discovered by the SDSS Milky Way Science with SEGUE Milky Way science: using SEGUE data with SSPP parameter estimates to determine the radial metallicity gradient of the Galactic disk (Cheng et al. 2012) A BOSS DR10 Spectrum A randomly selected spectrum from the DR10 BOSS data, showing absorption (red) and emission (blue) lines. Detection of the Baryon Acoustic Oscillation Signal in SDSS-II and BOSS Comparison of the power spectrum of SDSS-II LRGs and BOSS DR9 CMASS galaxies. Solid lines show the best-fit models. From Anderson et al. 2012. Baryon Acoustic Oscillations Cartoon An illustration of the concept of baryon acoustic oscillations, which are imprinted in the early universe and can still be seen today in galaxy surveys like BOSS Field of Streams Wide angle of M51 APOGEE-2 Plan (high resolution) The APOGEE-2 survey footprint, overlaid on an infrared image of the Milky Way. Each dot shows a position where APOGEE obtains at least 250 stellar spectra. eBOSS Survey Plan Planned eBOSS coverage of the Universe The planned APOGEE-2 survey area overlain on an image of the Milky Way. Each dot shows a position where APOGEE-2 will obtain stellar spectra. Figure by P. Frinchaboy. MaNGA Fiber Pattern An illustration of the footprint of a 127 fiber MaNGA bundle overlaid on an image of a galaxy. A 127 Fiber MaNGA Bundle An image of the face of a 127 fiber MaNGA IFU. MaNGA Target Galaxy Example SDSS-IV Logo Black Text SDSS-IV Logo White Text Sloan 2.5m Telescope A smaller version of this image also exists.

Heritage Appian Way Burwood |Appian Way, Burwood NSW 2134| - See also Appian Way Houses for a comprehensive image gallery - “A rare Edwardian ‘garden city’ bungalow precinct with excellent Federation Queen Anne and at least one Federation Arts and Crafts architectural and landscape detail, largely intact streetscape, around an unusual and beautifully landscaped oval, containing a resident-owned recreational and sporting facility.” - “The design and construction of the estate was based on a vision of suburban utopia of its owner George Hoskins who was instrumental in developing the steel industry in NSW.” - “The original Hoskins’ Estate dating from the early 1900’s consisted of 39 allotments, with 36 houses fronting Burwood Road, Appian Way and Liverpool Road plus a recreation reserve. The properties are large, ranging from a quarter acre to three-quarters of an acre, (0.1ha to 0.3ha) and irregularly shaped. ” “The Conservation Area currently comprises 41 houses, 31 of which are reasonably intact, a recreation area consisting of three lawn tennis courts with a weatherboard pavilion, and landscape elements such as street trees and picket fences. Five (5) houses (Numbers 70-78 Liverpool Road, southern side) within the Conservation Area are not in the Hoskins Estate but in the Austinlee Estate and three (3) houses of the original estate fronting Liverpool Road are not in the Conservation Area.” – NSW Heritage Register – Appian Way Precinct Appian Way Conservation Area BURWOOD 1-25 & 2A-18 Appian Way; 302-318 Burwood Road; and 70-78 Liverpool Road. “The picturesque houses create an asymmetrical, multi-gabled roofscape with a variety of materials used such as slate and terracotta tiles and feature varied designs. - “The houses are complemented with landscaped gardens, lawns and a nature strip with Brush Boxtrees. The serpentine street runs between Burwood Road and Liverpool Road with a communal reserve that has been converted into a lawn tennis club. - “Homes in the street are designed in various Federation styles. Many are in the Federation Queen Anne style, but other styles are also represented. Erica and St Ellero are designed in the Federation Arts and Crafts style, while Casa Tasso and Ostia are just two out of several examples of the Federation Bungalow style”. More at Wikipedia: Also known as the Hoskins Estate, Appian Way was a model housing estate conceived by a wealthy industrialist, George J. Hoskins on 8 hectares of land that he purchased at the start of the 20th century. More at Wikipedia. William Richards, Master Builder 1854-1944 A builder of federation arts and crafts style houses in Sydney and the southern highlands of NSW from 1880 to about 1940. He designed and built the houses of the heritage listed Appian Way in Burwood as well as mansions for the Hordern family. - To see a range of pictures about these houses, click on this link to visit Appian Way Houses - Clicking on these thumbnails will open a high-resolution image |‘Brianza’ 3 Appian Way||‘St Ellero’ 5 Appian Way||‘Mevania’ 7 Appian Way||‘Del Osa’ 9 Appian Way| |‘Toscanna’ 11 Appian Way||‘Ravenna’ 13 Appian Way||‘Brescia’ 15 Appian Way||‘Casa Nuova’ 17 Appian Way||‘Vallambrosa’ 19 Appian Way| |‘Erica’ 21 Appian Way||‘Capri’ 23 Appian Way||‘Atella’ 25 Appian Way||‘Colonna’ 304 Burwood Road||‘Colonna’ 304 Burwood Road| |‘Verona’, 2A Appian Way||‘Amalfi’ 2 Appian Way||‘Alba Longa’ 4 Appian Way||‘Olevanus’ 6 Appian Way||‘Capua’ 8 Appian Way’| |18 Appian Way |Ariccia’ 10 Appian Way||‘Aventine’ 12 Appian Way||‘Casa Tasso’ 14 Appian Way||‘Ostia’ 16 Appian Way| |‘Talopa’ 306 Burwood Rd||‘Olmora’ 308 Burwood Rd||‘Torcello’ 310 Burwood Rd||‘Ravenscroft’ 312 Burwood Rd||‘Cordova’ 314 Burwood Rd| |‘Langlo’ 316 Burwood Road||‘Mounterry’ 318 Burwood Road| ‘Casa Tasso’ is situated in the famous Hoskins Estate, and described by author Hugh Fraser as Australia’s finest Federation Estate.” - “This timeless masterpiece has been recreated into a sophisticated residence of grand scale sensitively fusing many heritage qualities and modern features set on a magnificent 1740m of sweeping lawns and manicured gardens.” - “Five spacious bedrooms, plus separate self contained garden studio, elegant formal lounge dining rooms, sunroom, 4 bathrooms, sun drenched billiard room with glass conservatory.” - “Impressive designer French provincial kitchen opening to the expansive family room with its towering vaulted ceilings and saturnia limestone flooring, connected by rows of French doors to the secluded northerly York stone paved courtyard and sparkling gas heated mosaic tiled pool.” “Elegant leadlight bay windows, soaring ornate ceilings, original marble fireplaces, ducted air-conditioning and under floor heating, huge wrap-around verandah overlooking the residents private tennis courts pavilion and undercover parking for 4 cars.” ‘Colonna’ 304 Burwood Road Later Queen Anne style, quite restrained and a very large residence. ‘Brianza’ 3 Appian Way – Typical Federation style, however chimneys are quite special, because they are not square with the frontage on the right. ‘Vallambrosa’ 19 Appian Way – Queen Anne style roof treatment, with Arts and Crafts features (eg wonderful chimney treatment) ‘Capri’ 23 Appian WayBeautiful, elegant Queen Anne Federation style, with bull-nose windows, and brick features ‘Atella’ 25 Appian Way – A Federation Bungalow, featuring a large bay window and matching verandah “Caso Tasso”, Federation Bungalow style, characterised by the prominent verandah Beautifully detailed timber verandah posts with portico at the front door, and very interesting window treatment on the North West wall. – “St Ellero”, (in the Federation Arts and Crafts style) An Arts and Craft style bungalow with pebble-dash walls and chimneys ‘Mevania’ 7 Appian WayAsymmetrically placed portico and asymmetric roof hipping, a bungalow with smaller verandah. Erica, also in the Arts and Crafts style Ostia, another Federation Bungalow, with extensive verandah and hipped roof-line. St Ellero, a home in the Federation Arts and Crafts style |‘Verona’ 2A Appian Way Burwood, from ‘Australian House’ compiled by Robert Irving| RAVENNA – MAGNIFICENT FEDERATION GEM IN APPIAN WAY – Sold for $3,265,000 in 2011 - Set in the leafy grove of the Appian Way, the district’s finest Federation heritage precinct, Ravenna is a magnificent Federation residence which radiates a timeless sense of elegance & grandeur & all the splendour of a more gracious bygone era in a dress circle location. - A wealth of original features – ornate hall arches, ceiling roses, leadlights, tessellated verandah tiles, fireplaces with surrounds, to name but a few have been meticulously restored to heritage approved standards. - Peacefully & privately positioned on a 1,680 square metre site, with grounds, gardens, full-width deck & pool bathed in coveted northern sun, this exceptional property is crafted for the entertaining lifestyle. - The regally proportioned interiors comprise formal lounge with bay window, four bedrooms, master with dressing room & ensuite, dining room, kitchen & family living area, main bathroom & laundry with extra toilet/shower, and air conditioning throughout. - There is a tandem lock-up garage & security. - See a relevant article on this low lying area and a council easement: “A storm is brewing over Burwood’s prestigious and heritage listed eight-hectare Appian Way, which has the potential to pit neighbour against neighbour as council and residents wrangle over how to solve dangerous flooding on the northern low-lying area of the historically significant precinct. Following heavy rains late last year, major flooding has occurred in a number of homes, in some cases up to knee height, cut residents off from their driveways and necessitated lines of sand bags in front of Federation fences.” Read more: William won the contract to design and build the 36 houses in George Hoskins’ model housing estate in Appian Way and Burwood Road, Burwood. (He was not responsible for the five houses on the north side of Liverpool Road, which, although part of the original estate, are slightly different in character.) To win this contract he must have established himself as a reputable builder. The estate is now heritage listed and is described by the National Trust of Australia (NSW) as: “…probably the finest Edwardian bungalow precinct in Sydney. By virtue of its architectural cohesiveness, idyllic landscaped environment of street and allotment alike with community related sports reserve, this development sets a high standard by today’s criteria.” (Phillip Clements “Development of the Hoskins Estate) The houses are, without doubt, some of Sydney’s finest examples of Federation housing. He formed his own company, W Richards & Sons, and the twenty years after his move to Burwood would have been very busy – with the Appian Way houses (completed in 1911), shops in Burwood Road, the tower on St.Paul’s church, the observatory in the grounds of “St Clouds” and unknown houses. William also built the following: - Retford Park, East Bowral, built for Samuel Hordern 1887. - Anthony Horderns new buildings in Sussex Street, Sydney, and additions to the New Palace Emporium. Architect Morrow & de Putron. - Babworth House, Darling Point, built for Sir Samuel Hordern. Architects Morrow & du Putron. Built 1912 – 1915. See the state heritage inventory web site where it is described thus: “an excellent and rare example of the Federation Arts and Crafts style in grand domestic architecture in Australia.” - Extensions to Retford Hall, Darling Point – ballroom. Architect Morrow & de Putron. House now demolished. Sold $1,370,000 on 26 Sep 2009 (Auction) “‘Benwynch’ is a blue ribbon residence occupying part of the Appian Way estate, and is unmatched in grace and elegance retaining 100% of its original features such as fireplaces, soaring ornate ceilings, rich coloured lead lights, intricate detailed joinery and 4 sets of casement bay windows. . 5 generous bedrooms . Gracious and elegant formal lounge plus separate interconnecting dining and grand entry vestibule . Return verandah, family room with lead light sky dome, country style updated eat in kitchen . Family and sun room areas open to private pool, upstairs rumpus/billiards room enjoying district views . Abundance of storage, paved driveway (off Claremont Road) to double garage (potential cabana), paved terraces and approx 1550 sqm of landscaped gardens”. “HUGE 6 BEDROOM HOME ON OVER 950sqm “Enter via a grand entrance foyer to this immaculately presented grand Federation home featuring 6 large bedrooms, 3 full bathrooms, and a huge timber kitchen with granite benchtops and breakfast bar opening out to a casual dining area. The living room is huge with high ceilings, as are all the bedrooms throughout the home.” “Original features such as leadlight windows, pressed metal ceilings, polished timber floors, and picture rails are featured throughout the home, and all the windows have been upgraded with double glazing without changing the original glass.” “Step outside to the rear and relax on the outdoor entertainment patio which overlooks the large rear garden, plus a side driveway for several cars leads to a brick double garage.”

Tiger Party: Griffin, Coleman to host 80th birthday bash for Julian Robertson (Absolutereturn-Alpha) A streak of grown-up Tiger cubs are reuniting to honor their elder statesman. Julian Robertson turned 80 in June, but a major birthday party is being thrown in his honor this Saturday night at Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in Manhattan. According to an invitation sent to guests, the soiree is being hosted by Tiger Management alumni John Griffin of Blue Ridge Capital (with wife Amy); Chase Coleman of Tiger Global Management (with wife Stephanie); and Robertson’s sons Alex of Tiger Management, Jay and Spencer (with wives Alexandra, Claire and Sarah, respectively). Ex-Intel man gets probation in Raj Rajaratnam case (TechEYE) An ex-Intel executive who was involved in a major securities fraud and conspiracy investigation has been sentenced in New York. Rajiv Goel was given probation, fined $10,000 and told to forfeit $266,000 for his part in assisting Raj Rajaratnam, the founder of hedge fund management group Galleon, to commit a series of frauds. He was accused of giving the Galleon founder confidential information about Intel, including the company's investments, in a bid to help him gain money from mergers and share prices. Upon sentencing Goel apologised to Judge Barbara Jones and said he was "deeply ashamed". He was given brief respite with the courts crediting him for his cooperation in the case, which spanned for months. US economy out of ‘intensive care’: Bridgewater’s Ray Dalio (IndiaTribune) Hedge fund titan Ray Dalio said the US economy had come out of the “intensive care unit,” but he warned against any quick move to “austerity” budget measures. “We were in the intensive care unit,” Dalio, who runs the $120 billion hedge fund Bridgewater Associates, told more than 200 guests at the Council of Foreign Relations in New York on September 12. “We are largely healed and largely operating in a manner that is sustainable if we don’t hit an air pocket.” Nordic hedge fund managers see risk reward opportunities in Eastern Europe and Iceland (Opalesque) Nordic-focused hedge fund managers believe that the markets of Eastern Europe and Iceland offer a wide range of risk reward opportunities and that the region is on its way to complete recovery after the 2008 global financial crisis. Speaking as one of the participants in the latest Nordic Opalesque Roundtable, Carl Meurling CEO and one of the Founders of EME Partners, investing in long/short equity strategies in Eastern Europe including Russia and Turkey, described the Eastern European markets as suffering an extreme downturn in the first three weeks of October 2008. Credit is an exciting space for hedge fund managers, says Manny Roman (HedgeWeek) Speaking at the Fourth Annual European Alternative Investments Conference hosted by Duff & Phelps in London on Thursday 20 September, Emmanuel Roman (pictured), President and COO of Man Group and CEO of GLG Partners, said that capital constraints being put on investment banks presented a great opportunity for hedge funds today. “I always said, 10 years ago our biggest competitors (in the hedge fund industry) were investment banks,” said Roman, adding that because of Basel III and the increased capital requirements being put on these institutions, there are attractive opportunities for managers to engage in direct lending and buy high yield bonds. Seattle Council OKs Hedge Fund Manager's Arena Plan (Finalternatives) Seattle's City Council yesterday signed off on a hedge fund manager's plan to build a new basketball arena in the city, his hometown. The 6-2 vote moves the plan, championed by Valiant Capital Management's Christopher Hansen, one step closer to final approval; it now only needs the assent of the Metropolitan King County Council, which is expected to consider the matter next month. The County Council is likely to sign off, as it did on the original agreement in July. Petters-Linked Hedge Funder Says Not Guilty Of New Charges (Finalternatives) For the second time, a hedge fund manager charged with aiding the Thomas Petters Ponzi scheme has pleaded not guilty. Arrowhead Capital Management founder James Fry entered his plea to new charged brought in July. Fry and Frank Vennes, Petters' chief fundraiser who also pleaded not guilty to the new charges earlier this month, face 31 counts of wire fraud, bank fraud, securities fraud, money laundering and making false statements. Altana Wealth launches hard currency fund distribution share class (HedgeWeek) Altana Wealth, the investment management group launched by hedge fund manager Lee Robinson, has launched a distribution share class for the Altana Hard Currency Fund (AHCF). The distribution share class will pay four per cent annually by means of capital redemptions. It has been created in response to demand from investors who are looking for alternative methods to offset their recurring liabilities, whilst simultaneously seeking capital growth. Traditional instruments which have served this purpose in the past, such as government bonds, now have very low (and in some cases negative) yields. Asia Hedge Funds Find Fastest GDP Growth Doesn’t Help Returns (SFGate) The world’s fastest economic growth isn’t helping Asia’s hedge funds. The Eurekahedge Asian index tracking 395 hedge funds returned 1.6 percent this year through August, the worst performer among regions and about half the 3.2 percent gain by the global benchmark. Funds have been hampered by a concentration on Asian equities, which have been driven more by Europe’s debt crisis and China’s slowdown than by company fundamentals such as earnings. The MSCI Asia Pacific Index has climbed 8 percent in 2012, compared with the 13 percent gain by the MSCI World Index. Mason files dissident proxy circular in Telus fight (Reuters) Top Telus Corp shareholder Mason Capital Management LLC said on Monday it has filed a dissident proxy circular to block the Canadian telecom company's plan to consolidate its voting and non-voting shares on a one-for-one basis. The U.S. hedge fund is locked in a bitter dispute with Telus, arguing that voting shareholders paid more, on average, for their stock and should be compensated as the two classes merge. Investors will vote on the matter at an Oct. 17 meeting. More changes at Dallas-based Tuesday Morning Corp. (DallasNews) A new chairman was named late Monday. Chairman Bruce A. Quinnell is retiring at the next annual meeting on Nov. 7. The board has elected Steven R. Becker to succeed him. In July, Dallas-based hedge fund Becker Drapkin Management LP gained control of four board seats after buying up more than 5 percent of the company’s stock. Co-founder and partner Becker, 45, joined and led the search for a CEO after Kathleen Mason was ousted. Earlier this month, Brady Churches, a former Big Lots, Inc. (NYSE:BIG) executive became CEO. Palm Beach Moneybags David Koch Exposed? (GossipExtra) Julie Hayek, Miss USA 1983 and a former girlfriend of the Palm Beach part-timer, is writing a book about the ups and downs of her very active dating life. And for some reason, it always seemed to involve billionaires like Koch, Oracle’s Larry Ellison, Prince Albert of Monaco, hedge fund manager Jim Chanos and real estate maven Richard Cohen. Hayek dated the 20-year-older Koch for several years before he married current wife and society function companion Julia Flesher in 1996. Highfields Capital Acquires a 5.8% Stake in Liberty Ventures (ValueWalk) Highfields Capital, a hedge fund with well over $7 billion under management, has just reported a 5.8% stake in Liberty Ventures (LVNTA), according to a 13G filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The position is a new one for Highlands Capital. The hedge fund purchased 1,482,738 shares of Liberty Interactive Corporation – Series A Liberty Ventures (NASDAQ:LVNTA) The hedge fund is managed by Jonathon Jacobson’s. Liberty Interactive Corporation - Series A Liberty Ventures (NASDAQ:LVNTA) has a market cap of approximately $1.8B, which would value Highfields’s stake at slightly over $100 million. Fink Says U.K. Should Go Offshore (Finalternatives) Former Man Group CEO and International Standard Asset Management chief Stanley Fink thinks the U.K. should be easier on fortunes such as his own. The hedge fund honcho and treasurer of Britain's governing Conservative Party has said in an interview that he lobbied the country's chancellor of the Exchequer to do away with "archaic" taxation rules that drive people like himself to tax havens like the Cayman Islands, Channel Islands and Luxembourg. Comac's O'Shea Earns €42 Million (Finalternatives) Comac Capital paid its founder more than €40 million last year, the overwhelming majority of its total payout to partners. The London-based hedge fund paid its 10 partners €54 million last year. Its highest-paid partner, likely founder Colm O'Shea, took home €42.4 million, the firm said. That's a tidy sum, but a big comedown from 2009, when O'Shea earned €85 million of the €111 million paid out by Comac to its partners. New Rules, Advertising, Fundraising Among Major Concerns At FINForums Summit (Finalternatives) With a host of major rule changes and continued fundraising difficulties, it's no surprise that the regulatory and capital-raising environments took center stage at the FINforums Annual Hedge Fund Summit in New York on Thursday. Rothstein Kass partner Gary Kaminsky warned that the Securities and Exchange Commission is about to become much more aggressive in its enforcement and hedge funds need to be prepared. Sadis & Goldberg partner Ron Geffner, a former SEC attorney, advised funds to hire competent compliance officers—and if they can't afford a competent compliance officer, to outsource one. Hedge Funds Remain Best Long-Term Investment (Finalternatives) Smart investors will not only be in hedge funds over the next 10 years, they'll be in small, emerging hedge funds, Mark Yusko told the FINforums Annual Hedge Fund Summit in New York on Thursday. The chief investment officer of fund of hedge funds firm Morgan Creek Capital Management and the “father of endowment-style investing” kicked off the day-long event with a high-energy talk that began with the blunt admission that hedge funds have underperformed the market by a whopping 89% over the past three years. But from 1999 to 2009, he said, hedge funds returned 8% while the stock market returned zero -- "a big, fat goose egg." And that's why, he says, hedge funds will be the place to be over the next 10 years; particularly small, nimble funds investing in the BRICS and riding "the greatest consumptive boom in history" which he expects over the next 20 years in Asia. Fund Manager’s Son Pleads Not Guilty in Montana Club Death (SFGate) James Sinclair Welch, the son of a New York hedge-fund manager, pleaded not guilty to charges that he killed a passenger in an all-terrain vehicle while driving intoxicated at Montana’s exclusive Yellowstone Club. Welch, 19, was arrested after the Aug. 2 incident on a charge of negligent vehicular homicide under the influence of alcohol and was arraigned today before Madison County District Court Judge Loren Tucker in state court in Virginia City. “There are two sides to every story,” Welch’s attorney, John E. Smith, said before the hearing. Hedge Fund MST Capital Turns to TradingScreen's EMS, TCA (AdvancedTrading) MST Capital, a global macro trading manager based in Sydney, Australia, announced it's now using TradingScreen Inc.'s execution management system and transaction cost analysis platforms to trade FX, equities and derivatives. The firm said the move will help it embrace multi-asset class electronic trading, which is rapidly becoming the norm for hedge funds around the world in the wake of a rapidly evolving regulatory and business environment that's placing a premium on best-execution, transparency and efficiency. Forbes: America’s 10 Richest Hedge Fund Managers (InvestorPlace) During the past few years, hedge funds have shown varying results, as mixed markets and retirements have made for some interesting times in the industry. In fact, most hedge fund managers have a hard time just beating the market. Still, some fund managers have managed to do very well for themselves, as Forbes points out in its list of America’s richest hedge fund managers. Here’s a look at the top 10:... Adelson sets new record in political donations (MacauBusiness) Sands China Ltd chairman Sheldon Adelson has set a new record in political donations in the United States. According to news outlet Politico, Mr Adelson has given US$70 million (MOP560 million) to the Republicans in the 2012 elections. That is almost triple the previous record, set in 2004 by billionaire financier George Soros, while trying to defeat Republican President George W. Bush, Politico reported. Marina says no OSI funds during her MAC presidency (TheMalaysianInsider) The Malaysian AIDS Council did not receive funds from George Soros-linked Open Society Institute (OSI) during Datuk Paduka Marina Mahathir's presidency, she told The Malaysian Insider today. "Pls clarify that I was President of MAC fm 1994-2005. During my time we nvr rcvd OSI nor Global Fund money," Marina (picture) said in a Twitter posting to The Malaysian Insider. Billionaire Soros meets Cristina Fernandez and exchange ideas of world affairs (MercoPress) Cristina Fernandez highlighted that the investor anticipated Argentina has a “promising future due to its agrarian capacities.” She also stated, after the encounter, that they spoke about “the agriculture in the contemporary world and stressed Argentina's role as a main actor”. “I was very much interested in hearing his opinion on what is going on in the world”, said the Argentine leader. Asked specifically about the possibility of Soros or his companies investing in Argentina, Cristina Fernandez said it “was not the main issue of the exchange”, but did not confirm or deny the matter. SEC Charges Tyco for Illicit Payments to Foreign Officials (SEC) The Securities and Exchange Commission today charged Tyco International Ltd. (NYSE:TYC) with violating the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) when subsidiaries arranged illicit payments to foreign officials in more than a dozen countries. The SEC alleges that subsidiaries of the Swiss-based global manufacturer perpetuated schemes that typically involved payments of fake “commissions” or the use of third-party agents to funnel money improperly to obtain lucrative contracts. Overall, Tyco reaped illicit benefits amounting to more than $10.5 million as a result of the paid to win business. German High-Frequency Bill to Affect Hedge Funds, Official Says (Bloomberg) Chancellor Angela Merkel’s Cabinet will vote on a bill tomorrow that limits high-frequency trading even for market participants outside Germany and requires automated orders to be marked as such, a government official said. High-frequency traders will have to seek authorization and will be supervised under the legislation proposal, the official told reporters in Berlin today on condition of anonymity because the bill has not yet been published. High-frequency trade will be curbed and market abuse will be punished, he said in Berlin.

190 F.2d 741: Anderson Hotels of Oklahoma, Inc. et al. v. Baker United States Court of Appeals Tenth Circuit. - 190 F.2d 741 July 14, 1951.Rehearing Denied Aug. 18, 1951 B. W. Tabor, Tulsa, Okl., and Tom Wallace, Sapulpa, Okl. (Clayton B. Pierce, Truman B. Rucker, Oklahoma City, Okl., and Everett S. Collins, Sapulpa, Okl., were with them on the brief), for appellants. Keith Martin, Kansas City, Mo., and Glenn A. Young, Sapulpa, Okl. (Louis W. Krings, Kansas City, Mo., and John W. Young, Sapulpa, Okl., were with them on the brief), for appellee. Before PHILLIPS, Chief Jduge, and MURRAH and PICKETT, Circuit Judges. PICKETT, Circuit Judge. Plaintiff brought this action to recover for personal injuries and damage to property which plaintiff incurred while occupying a room as a guest, on the third floor of a hotel owned by the defendants, Nick Douvas and Lorraine Douvas, and operated by the defendant, Anderson Hotels of Oklahoma, Inc. All of the allegations of negligence charged by the plaintiff were disposed of adversely to him except the allegation that the defendants failed to have installed in the room occupied by the plaintiff a rope fire escape as required by the Oklahoma statutes. Verdict and judgment were for the plaintiff in the sum of $11,000 for personal injuries, and $250 for loss of personal belongings. This appeal was taken by the defendants. The principal question presented here is whether 63 Okl. St. Ann. 172,1 insofar as it relates to hotels, was repealed by subsequent legislation. On April 28, 1908, Chap. 38 of the 1907 and 1908 Oklahoma Session Laws was approved, Sec. 2 thereof now being Sec. 172. This Chapter was entitled 'An Act to provide certain buildings, public and private institutions, and places of public assemblage, and places of public resort, hotels, lodging apartment and other public houses, with fire escapes, and providing penalties for violation thereof.' At the same session Chap. 43 was approved May 27, 1908. This was 'An Act to provide for the inspection and management of hotels and public lodging houses, defining hotels, providing for fire escapes, and prescribing penalties.' Sec. 4 required rope fire escapes in hotels not over two stories in height and not equipped with metallic fire escapes.2 Sec. 20 repealed all acts or parts of acts inconsistent with that Chapter. So far as the requirement for rope fire escapes in hotels is concerned, Sec. 4 of the May 27th Act is in direct conflict with such requirements in Sec. 2 of the April 28th Act. The earlier enactment, without any exceptions, required a rope to be affixed in each room of every hotel two stories or more in height. Sec. 4 of the May 27th Act required that rope escapes be placed only in rooms of hotels which are not over two stories in height, and then only when the building is not provided with the type of a metallic fire escape which the Act required. The Oklahoma law is settled that where two statutes are inconsistent and repugnant, the latest expression of the legislature will be held to prevail and to repeal the repugnant provisions of the earlier statutes. In re Initiative Petition, 203 Okl. 438, 222 P.2d 1032, 1034; Harrigill v. State, Okl. Cr. App., 214 P.2d 263, 269; Hines v. Harmon,178 Okl. 1, 61 P.2d 641; James v. Board of Commissioners of McCurtain County, 103 Okl. 141, 229 P. 554; City of Pawhuska v. Pawhuska Oil & Gas Co., 64 Okl. 214, 166 P. 1058; Ex parte James, 4 Okl.Cr. 94, 111 P. 947. In the James case it was said that where two acts passed by the same legislature contain repugnant provisions, the one which last received executive approval or which was passed over the executive veto will be held to repeal the repugnant provisions of a former act. It is also well settled in Oklahoma that a statute which contains a repealing clause such as that embodied in the May 27th Act operates to repeal all earlier statutes or parts thereof which are in conflict. Greer v. Bird, 93 Okl. 246, 220 P. 579; Nettles v. Carson, 77 Okl. 219, 187 P. 799. It seems to us also that the May 27th Act was comprehensive and designed to deal specifically with the operation of hotels and public lodging houses in the State of Oklahoma, while the April 28th Act was a general statute having to do with fire escapes in public buildings. The subsequent Act fully covered and embraced all provisions of the former relating to fire escapes in hotels. In such cases the later statute is considered a substitute for and will be construed as a repeal of the prior statute by implication, even though the later statute makes no reference to the earlier one. Skelton v. United States, 10 Cir., 88 F.2d 599, 604; Ex parte Olden, 88 Okl.Cr. 56, 199 P.2d 228, 234; Application of Jackson, 179 Okl. 577, 66 P.2d 1101, 1103; Board of Education v. McCracken, 62 Okl. 173, 162 P. 782; Hine v. Gokey, 23 Okl. 870, 102 P. 77; City of Ardmore v. Chicago, R.I. & P.R. Co., 172 Okl. 373, 45 P.2d 540. It is suggested that the inclusion of Sec. 2 of the April 28th Act in the 1941 revision of the Oklahoma Statutes amounted to a reenactment of that section. The Oklahoma Courts have had occasion to pass upon this subject at different times and have held that such inclusion does not operate to validity to the repealed statute. School Board of Consol. School Dist. No. 47 v. Monsey, 198 Okl. 41, 175 P.2d 76; Thomas v. State, 83 Okl.Cr. 25, 172 P.2d 651; In re Initiative Petition, supra; Harrigill v. State, supra; Ex parte Olden, supra. It follows that the rope fire escape provisions of the earlier act were effectively repealed by the later legislation. The second cause of action in the complaint sought judgment for the loss of wearing apparel, personal effects, bags and baggage of the plaintiff which were destroyed by the fire. The verdict of the jury was against the defendant, Anderson Hotels of Oklahoma, Inc., for the sum of $250. Judgment was entered for that amount against both defendants. The hotel company urges that this judgment cannot stand for the reason that it is based solely on the negligence of the defendant in failing to comply with the rope statute. Apparently in Oklahoma, the only defense which a hotelkeeper has for loss of personal effects of a guest in the hotel is that the loss was caused by one of the exceptions named in the statute,3 the amount of recovery being limited to $250. 15 Okl.St.Ann. 501, 503b; Park-O-Tell Co. v. Roskamp, 203 Okl. 493, 223 P.2d 375; Busby Hotel & Theatre Co. v. Thom, 125 Okl. 239, 257 P. 314; Abercrombie v. Edwards, 62 Okl. 54, 161 P. 1084; Huckins Hotel Co. v. Hooper, 44 Okl. 307, 144 P. 177. No claim is made that the loss was the result of one of the exceptions. Judgment is reversed except as to that part which awarded the plaintiff $250 against Anderson Hotels of Oklahoma, Inc., and that part of the judgment is affirmed. 'Independent of and in addition to the external iron fire escapes, that may be required by any law of this State, upon any hotel or large boarding house, tenement house, or in any building in which rooms or floors are let for numerous families, whenever any said building can accommodate twenty or more individuals, and is two or more stories in height, it shall be the duty of the owners of all said buildings to provide, and cause to be securely affixed inside to a bolt three-fourths of an inch in diameter through the wall near the window head of at least one window in each room on the second floor and in each room on each higher floor, a rope made of good material not less than one-half inch in thickness and of sufficient length to extend to the ground, or other place of landing; such rope escape in each room to be carefully coiled and kept near the sill of the window to which the escape is attached, and with directions of manner of use attached thereto.' 'Every hotel which is not over two stories in height and which is not provided with such fire escape as is described in section two hereof, shall be provided in every bedroom or sleeping apartment on the second floor, a manila, cotton or sisal rope at least five-eighths of an inch in diameter, and of sufficient length to reach the ground, with knots or loops not more than fifteen inches apart and of sufficient strength to sustain a weight and strain of at least five hundred pounds. Such rope shall be securely fastened to the joists or studding of the building as near the window as practicable, and shall be kept coiled in plain sight. Every such hotel shall provide and maintain, in a conspicuous place in every bedroom or sleeping apartment above the ground floor, a printed notice calling attention to such rope, and giving directions for its use.' The exceptions in 15 Okl.St.Ann. 501 are losses 'occasioned by an irresistible superhuman cause, by a public enemy, by the negligence of the owner, or by the act of someone whom he brought into the inn * * * .'

SAR, Vol 14 No 4, August 1999 THE TRUTH ABOUT THE REGION BY JOHN DANIEL John Daniel, who until recently, was a Senior Researcher with the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, is currently in the Department of Political Science at the University of Durban-Westville. Rene Dumont, the noted French anthropologist, recently described the twentieth century as `one of massacres and wars.' Nobel Laureate William Golding called it `the most violent century in human history.' No doubt, they had the nuclear and other horrors of World Wars I and II in mind, and the genocidal slaughters of the Armenians of Turkey, Jews of Europe, the Indians of Central and Latin America and the Tutsis of Rwanda. Almost certainly they will not have included apartheid South Africa's 30-year war on its neighbours amongst the century's great crimes. The primary reason is because that onslaught was largely hidden and portrayed in mainstream Western political opinion as a legitimate counter to an imagined Soviet offensive. Worst violations outside SA South Africa's Truth and Reconciliation Commission took a different view. Its volume on the state as perpetrator (vol. 2) gave primacy to those gross human rights violations committed outside South Africa. The most significant finding was that from 1960 to 1994, the majority of gross human rights violations "occurred not internally but beyond the borders of South Africa" (vol. 5, p. 257). Consequently, "the majority of the victims of the South African government's attempts to maintain itself in power were outside of South Africa. Tens of thousands of people in the region died as a direct or indirect result of the South African government's aggressive intent towards its neighbours. The lives and livelihoods of hundreds of thousands of others were disrupted by the systematic targeting of infrastructure in some of the poorest nations in Africa" (vol. 2, p. 43). To illustrate this, the Commission cited an UNICEF report that found that between 1980 and 1985 more than 100,000 Angolan civilians died as a result of war-related famine. The rate of death escalated after 1985 to the point where UNICEF concluded that an estimated 330,000 children died of unnatural causes in the 1980s. In Mozambique, the SADF and its surrogate army, Renamo, blazed a similar trail of death and destruction. By 1990, they had reduced Mozambique to the poorest country on earth. In its report, the Commission argued that the damage inflicted on these countries was wholly disproportionate to the threat posed by the socialist-orientation of their post-independence governments and their hosting of the armed wings of SWAPO and the ANC. At the time of their independence in 1975, the Commission noted that both countries were severely underdeveloped as a result of "centuries of colonial exploitation [which] had left them with a legacy of poverty and without the skills to manage a modern economy" (vol. 2, p. 43). It concluded that neither country "posed a credible military threat" to South Africa. The Commission sought to understand why South Africa wrought terror and destruction on these, and (albeit to a lesser degree) five other states in the region. It acknowledged that many in the security and political hierarchy articulated a cold-war discourse and genuinely regarded their campaigns across southern Africa as "good and just wars, part of the West's resistance to a perceived Soviet global offensive." The Commission rejected this as a sufficient explanation, however. Instead, it concluded that the primary motive was racism and that the regional onslaught was essentially an attempt to maintain white minority privilege. The Commission also found that the conduct of the South African security forces in the region was largely driven by racist factors. It argued, for example, that "it is difficult to believe that Koevoet (the police counter-insurgency unit which operated in northern Namibia) would have been allowed to operate on a bounty basis, or that the SADF would have killed over 600 people, many of them children and women, at the Kassinga camp in Angola, had their targets been white" (vol. 2, pp. 43 - 44). This racism, the Commission felt, was encapsulated in the words with which the SADF camp commander in northern Namibia greeted a new batch of conscripts in 1974: "Boys, hier gaan julle duisende kaffirs doodskiet" ("Boys, here you will shoot thousands of kaffers"). TRC finding ignored The Commission concluded that bad though apartheid had been as a form of systemic oppression inside South Africa, what was done outside to the people and economies of the region was worse. Dramatic as this finding was, domestically it was ignored both by the media and the government. In the seven months since the report's release there has not been a single media piece discussing, for example, the Commission's report on the Kassinga and Chetequera massacres on May 4 1978, the worst atrocities of the entire apartheid era. The Commission held former premier John Vorster, then-Minister of Defence P.W. Botha, SADF Chief Magnus Malan and army and air force chiefs Constant Viljoen and RH Rogers accountable for a breach of international humanitarian law (vol. 2, pp. 46 - 55). The fact that the Commission's version of events at these two camps is different in important respects from the SWAPO and official UN accounts also received no comment - probably not even noticed due to South Africans' ignorance of anything that happened before the 1980s. ** Even more extraordinary was that ANC speakers did not mention the findings in the parliamentary debate on the final report. Many owe their lives to the sanctuary afforded them by the peoples and governments of the region. Yet some of the ANC leadership still harbour animosity towards the Commission due to its negative findings regarding abuses in the Angolan camps. Their mistaken perception is that the Commission drew no distinction between gross human rights violations committed in the struggle against apartheid and those in defense of it. The findings chapter (vol. 5) reveals instead that the Commission found that although gross human rights violations were committed by all parties to the conflicts during the 34 years under review, they could not be held equally culpable. Responsibility rested overwhelmingly with the former state and its security and law-enforcement agencies. The Commission also accepted the international position that apartheid constituted a crime against humanity and that the ANC had engaged in a just war. It argued, however, that a just cause does not vindicate all and every action committed in pursuit of that cause: "A just cause does not exempt an organization from pursuing its goals through just means" (vol. 5, p. 211). Violations committed in the course of a just end had to be subjected to the same rigorous scrutiny as violations committed in defense of an unjust order. Some in the ANC have been unable to accept this argument. Dirty tricks in region Apartheid South Africa's involvement in the region expanded during three decades from occasional cross-border abductions of refugees in the early 1960s to SADF involvement in various levels of warfare with six southern African states in the 1980s, with covert units conducting frequent raids into Botswana, Lesotho and Swaziland. In the early 1980s, security and intelligence forces also attempted to overthrow the government of the Seychelles and co-funded a mercenary force of so-called Presidential Guards in the Comoros, becoming the de facto ruling authority. Covert operations were mounted in Western Europe and Scandinavia as well. The SADF only waged a conventional war in Angola. An SADF-backed surrogate - UNITA - supplemented even this effort. Elsewhere, the SADF applied a post-Vietnam model of counter-insurgency or indirect warfare (variously called counter-revolutionary or contra-mobilization warfare) borrowed from the United States, Israel and military dictatorships in Latin America (Chile, Argentina and Paraguay). This strategy placed a premium on terror and brutality ("do to them what they do to us - but better") rather than the old-fashioned "winning hearts and minds" approach. The SADF employed a variety of overt, covert and clandestine methods. In the Namibian theatre a largely orthodox counter-insurgency war was waged, but elsewhere in the region surrogacy was central to the contra-mobilization strategy. Modeled along the lines of Israel's South Lebanon Army, the SADF sought out opposition groups in the four countries most closely aligned to the ANC (Mozambique, Angola, Lesotho and Zimbabwe) and took them over, lock, stock and barrel. Surrogacy was a common SADF strategy in the 1980s, but the Commission found earlier evidence of surrogacy in the apartheid arsenal. In 1971, Commandant Jannie Breytenbach, head of the SADF's first special forces unit, trained Zambians for operations against the Kaunda government. Over an 18-month period, some 200 Zambians were trained in the Caprivi as part of Operation Plathond (flatdog) and deployed in south-western Zambia to "harass SWAPO bases and Zambian army garrisons which gave them support." Plathond was abandoned in 1973 but immediately after the Portuguese coup of April 1974, South African intelligence took over a group of Portuguese-trained Zambians led by Adamson Mushala and moved them to a security base at Oshakati in northern Namibia. The SADF-backed `Mushala Gang' engaged in political destabilization and criminal banditry in western Zambia until Mushala was killed in 1982. UNITA and Renamo In 1976, following the failed South African invasion of Angola, the SADF launched Operation Silwer to rebuild UNITA's shattered army and turn it into an effective surrogate force. In late 1979, with the independence election looming in Rhodesia, the SADF agreed to take over Renamo, then an instrument of the Smith regime. In the months after March 1980 the Renamo army was redeployed to bases inside South Africa and its leadership was moved to a farm near Pretoria. Several hundred black members of Bishop Muzorewa's auxiliary force were also moved south. By this time a separate division within Military Intelligence, the Directorate of Special Tasks (DST), managed South Africa's surrogate armies. One section of DST handled UNITA and had a field office in Rundu in northern Rhodesia. The other section managed the other three forces from bases disguised as farms in the northern and eastern Transvaal, eastern Free State and northern Natal. In the mid1980s, they launched Operations Marion and Katzen supporting Inkatha and anti-UDF/ANC groups in the eastern Cape respectively. Brigadiers C.J. `Neels' Van Tonder and Cornelius van Niekerk, both later defendants in the abortive `Malan' trial, headed DST. The addition of a domestic arm testified to the effectiveness of the surrogacy strategy. Renamo and UNITA were the means by which the apartheid government destroyed the socialist projects in Mozambique and Angola. By the same means, the Lesotho Liberation Army so weakened the authority of the pro-ANC Jonathon government that it was toppled in a coup in 1986. Groups of SADF-backed Zimbabwean dissidents operating in Matabeleland in the early 1980s sowed the seeds for the chaos and violence that engulfed southern Zimbabwe when President Mugabe sent the Fifth Brigade into ZAPU's strong-hold. These largely former members of the Rhodesian military were trained on farms in the northern Transvaal and infiltrated into Zimbabwe through Botswana. They concentrated on sabotaging military and economic targets. Four one-time Rhodesian soldiers (three white and one black) were killed in one of these raids on August 18 1981 when their 18-strong party was ambushed in Matabeleland. Their target was a military base close to the Mozambican border and their main task to destroy its helicopter fleet. At the time, the SADF put out the lie that the group was on a private trespassing mission to free former colleagues held in a prison camp in Matabeleland. This was in fact a second authorized objective of their mission. Military files destroyed Mary Beech, the mother of one of those who was killed, refused to accept the SADF version and campaigned for years to have the SADF acknowledge that her son had died in the line of duty. Eventually she appealed to the Truth Commission for her son's reputation to be cleared. By accessing the personnel files of the three white officers killed (Beech, Berry and Wessels - the SADF never acknowledged the death of the black operative), the Commission found that the group was involved in Operation Drama, a clandestine program of destabilization against the Mugabe government. They and several hundred former black former Rhodesian servicemen were housed at a secret base in Venda from which they launched regular sorties into Zimbabwe. The Commission found that their superior officer (another former Rhodesian) had authorized this particular raid and that the SADF's original account had been misleading. It recommended that the Ministry of Defence issue a correct public statement of the events and clear the reputations of those involved. At the time of writing, the Ministry of Defence had not implemented the recommendation. This investigation pertaining to the SADF was one of the Commission's rare successes. One the whole, it singularly failed to access the military's records. The SADF generally adopted an obstructionist attitude to the Commission. It blocked access to its archives for more than half of the Commission's life and even when granted, access was circumscribed. As well, a huge part of that record was systematically and criminally destroyed prior to the 1994 election. By way of example, the Commission submitted a list of more than 150 DST files with names and numbers, which it had received from Roland Hunter, to the SADF archives. During his military service in 1983, Hunter had been an aide to Cor van Niekerk. Working within DST, Hunter supplied the ANC with information on the unit. Arrested on spying charges, Hunter's defense was refused access to these same files. As a result, he was able to plea-bargain to reduce the charges and served only a five-year sentence. When the Commission requested these same files, it was told that all had been destroyed along with all DST documentation. These formed a small part of the more than 40 tons of security documentation destroyed in 1993 alone. President de Klerk ordered the destruction, in probable violation of the Archives Act. Of course, it was an attempt to cover up the full extent of apartheid crime in the region. The Commission's governing Act restricts the payment of reparations to South African nationals. While obviously unjust, such a provision probably makes fiscal sense. Imagine the burden on the treasury of compensating every UNITA and Renamo victim, not to mention the region's landmine casualties! The post-apartheid government has returned Walvis Bay to Namibia, repudiated the apartheid debts of Namibia and Mozambique and negotiated a special fee for SADC nationals to undertake tertiary-level education. Laudable though these measures are, they have done nothing to compensate for the sufferings of those in the region that bore the fullest brunt of the apartheid onslaught - its rural poor. It is they who constitute the bulk of illegal migrants now streaming into South Africa. Here, they encounter a rising tide of xenophobia instead of gratitude. Foreign Africans have been tossed to their deaths from commuter trains. Migrant hawkers eking out a pitiful living endure periodic purges from pavements. Many have suffered policy brutality. The prospect looms, therefore, that the primary victims of apartheid's war on the region will become the victims of the frustrated rage of South Africa's post-apartheid poor as well. ** SWAPO and the UN claimed that Kassinga was a refugee transit facility while the SADF argued that it was a major military base. Both versions had an element of truth but each was incomplete. Kassinga was a large, multi-purpose facility. Part was a civilian facility but another part housed the SWAPO military planning headquarters where senior officers, including military chief Dimo Amaambo, were based.

Roland Gladu was a major sports figure in Quebec for decades. His career as a professional baseball player lasted over 20 years, mainly in the outfield and at first and third base. He played as a pro in five different countries – Canada, the United States, Mexico, Cuba, and even Great Britain – and hit home runs in every one of them. Gladu’s big-league action was limited to just 21 games with the Boston Braves in 1944, but he went on to become a scout, signing a number of French-Canadian major leaguers from his home province. Roland Édouard Gladu was born in Montreal on May 10, 1911. As late as 1993 – the year before Gladu died – the Macmillan Baseball Encyclopedia was showing his year of birth as 1913. At various points during his career, press articles also portrayed him as two years younger than he really was. He was neither the first nor the last player to shave a couple of years off his age for professional purposes. However, the Canadian census of 1911, which began in June of that year, shows the infant Roland, aged just one month. His baptismal certificate gave his Christian name in full as Joseph Albert Rolland Édouard; the census also had Rolland rather than Roland. Late in his life Gladu said that he loved every minute of his baseball career – his only regret was that he didn`t stay in school longer. “I had no choice,” he confessed, “I came from a family of nine children and I had to help my father.”i Clovis Gladu was a leather cutter. He and his wife, Albertine (née Crevier), had three children before Roland. The family lived in the Maisonneuve district of Montreal. Gladu was a left-handed batter who threw right-handed. As an adult, he was 5-feet-8½ inches tall and weighed 185 pounds. It’s little surprise that, growing up in Quebec, he played hockey as a boy; he continued to play as an adult, occasionally as a professional. He began playing baseball in the sandlots of Montreal, then started to play semipro ball as a 17-year-old for a club in Granby, in Quebec’s Eastern Townships. The organizer was a man named Homer Cabana, who later became Granby’s mayor. “The statistics of this time have disappeared, but Gladu played well enough to earn a strong local reputation.”ii Previously published accounts of Gladu’s career are hazy regarding the timeline of his early pro days. Revisiting contemporary newspapers, however, shows that the Montreal Royals of the International League signed Roland (then aged 19) in late September 1930. The Montreal Gazette wrote that he would “be farmed out to a minor league club in 1931, likely Canton, in the Central League, where he will be under the tutelage of [former big-leaguer] Heinie Groh.”iii According to another Gazette article, in August 1932, Gladu played one full game for the Royals in 1930, subbing for regular right fielder Tom Gulley.iv It has not yet been possible to pin down a box score for this game. As it developed, for the 1931 season Heinie Groh moved from Canton (where he had been player-manager-owner) to Binghamton in the New York-Penn League (where he became player-manager-team president). The Binghamton Press reported that March that Gladu was a new recruit on the roster.v However, the Triplets released Gladu after three weeks. He then had a one-week stint with Johnstown of the Middle Atlantic League; the August 1932 Gazette report also said that he had been sent to Jackson, Mississippi, of the Cotton States League (although substantiation for this is lacking). There was a common theme in these years: The language barrier cut the Francophone’s experience short. The Gazette wrote, “Though he hit well he failed to make good, mainly through inability to speak English.”vi Gladu later confirmed, “I couldn’t speak English when I started playing baseball in the States. They couldn’t understand me and I couldn’t understand them. I never had anybody to coach me.”vii Gladu sometimes had trouble fielding the ball – but his hitting was always a strength. Gladu continued to gain experience in Quebec’s Provincial League, which was then a semipro circuit. His team was sponsored by a Montreal tobacco company, Forest Frères. His second chance with the Royals came in 1932; he had four hits in 17 times at bat, including one home run. Some stories later claimed that the homer came in his first time at bat, but that was embroidering the truth, as previous box scores show. Nonetheless, the hit had its excitement – it was a three-run shot as a pinch-hitter that put the Royals ahead, 6-5. Montreal eventually won that game, the first of a doubleheader on the season’s last day.viii After the International League season was over, Gladu rejoined Forest Frères for the Provincial League playoffs.ix Several days later, Jean Barrette, sports editor of Le Miroir, a French-language newspaper of Montreal, named Gladu the first baseman on his league All-Star team, calling him the most dangerous slugger in the province.x Ahead of the 1933 season, Gladu traveled with the Royals to spring training in Orlando, Florida. There the club re-engaged a major-league team, the Philadelphia Athletics, in an ongoing annual exhibition game. The Floridians were mystified to hear Roland and his French-Canadian roommate speaking their native tongue. xi Gladu did not play for Montreal early in the 1933 season, though general manager Frank Shaughnessy considered giving him a shot in June. Shaughnessy – later president of the International League – thought that “the local product, despite his inexperience, [could] hit as well or better than … the regular outfielders.”xii Later that month, Shaughnessy farmed Gladu out to York, a Brooklyn Dodgers affiliate in the New York-Penn League, for seasoning.xiii He got into ten games there and eventually took part in 20 for the Royals. Gladu joined Richmond of the Piedmont League (Class B) in 1934, hitting .258 in 72 games. That season featured an experiment to convert him into a catcher. He then came home, joining Lachine-Consols of the Provincial League in 1935. Passport trouble was a big factor – he couldn’t get back into the US because he hadn’t kept his documents in order after crossing the border the previous season.xiv That July, reportedly the Boston Red Sox organization was interested in obtaining the Lachine first baseman.xv Lachine wanted to make Gladu manager for the 1936 season.xvi Instead, a new and unusual opportunity beckoned. During the economic depression of the 1930s, Gladu was recruited to play baseball in London’s West Ham Stadium. (Pro baseball flowered briefly in England during the mid-1930s.) He remained in London through the 1936 and 1937 seasons and had tremendous success as a batter (he also managed the West Ham team). Indeed, a picture of “The Babe Ruth of Canada” at bat is the most prominent feature on the cover of the 2007 book British Baseball and the West Ham Club. Authors Josh Chetwynd and Brian A. Belton devoted extensive coverage, including a separate chapter, to Gladu’s life and career.xvii Another book, The Blokes of Baseball by Harvey Sahker (2011), also provides much detail about this period, during which Roland was joined by his younger brother Eddie. As a 1938 feature in The Sporting News by Montreal sportswriter Lloyd McGowan noted, Gladu enjoyed his time in England, except for the chilly, damp weather that caused him to wear two sweaters under his baseball shirt most of the time. He traveled around England teaching baseball to British children, and his popularity meant that he played at least one game for the Sheffield Dons in the Yorkshire League in 1937 (that team featured brother Eddie at shortstop). Roland also played hockey in Belgium during the offseasons.xviii In 1938 Gladu returned to Canada once more. He got another tryout with the Montreal Royals, but manager Rabbit Maranville cut him in April.xix In 1945 another longtime Montreal sportswriter, Dink Carroll, quoted a fellow writer named Harold McNamara, who covered the Royals’ camp in Florida in ’38. “The Rabbit announced that Gladu would never be a ball player, that he couldn’t field and couldn’t even hit. … [He] proceeded to ignore him as studiously as anybody can be ignored. … I always thought he didn’t get a square shake.”xx Roland then played for Quebec City, becoming a popular and storied hitter in the Provincial League. He switched to third base in 1940 to accommodate first baseman, player-manager, and former Brooklyn Dodgers star Del Bissonette. He followed the team as it moved from the Provincial League to the Canadian-American League in 1941 – note also that he took over as manager for Bissonette partway through that season. Starting in 1940, Gladu also faced fellow Montreal native Jean-Pierre Roy, a pitcher whose own long and winding pro career began that year. Roy also appeared briefly in the majors, in 1946. Aged 92 in early 2013, he retained strong memories of Gladu “from the time that I played with him in Montreal, Mexico, and Cuba too.” Gladu remained with Quebec City in 1942, but he enlisted in the Canadian Army that year. In 1943, with the rank of sergeant, he was player-manager of the baseball team for Military District No. 5, also in Quebec City. The squad included Jean Pusie, a comical hockey defenseman/pro wrestler, and Larry Moquin, also better known as a pro wrestler.xxi Also known as the Garrison Club, they became champion of Quebec’s Provincial Baseball Association that year.xxii Gladu was discharged from the Army in the winter of 1943. Gladu’s opportunity in the majors came courtesy of Del Bissonette, who had become manager of Hartford in the Eastern League, a farm club of the Boston Braves. Roland had an impressive spring training and made the big club. Boston sportswriter Bill Grimes told Dink Carroll that Gladu hit “with tremendous power to all fields,” adding, “He has as fine a pair of wrists as I’ve seen in a long time. … He’s a very quiet and nice-mannered kid, one you would pull for to make the grade.”xxiii Gladu made his major-league debut on Opening Day, April 18, 1944. He played third base and batted cleanup for the Boston Braves against the New York Giants at the Polo Grounds. According to the New York Times, “Roland Gladu, young Boston third-sacker, wearing a neat shiner from a throw that had struck him in the eye during the preliminary exercises, suddenly burst forth with two plays that for a time promised to leave him the hero of the day. “First, Roland closed the Giant third with a spectacular stab of Johnny Rucker’s low liner just inside the foul line and then, as the first batter in the Boston fourth, Gladu rammed a triple to right center field.”xxiv The Times may have thought Roland was young because he was a rookie. In fact, Gladu was almost 33 years old when he made his debut. Bill Voiselle, a right-hander who would win 21 games that year, was the Giants’ pitcher. Gladu struck out his first time at bat. After his fourth-inning triple, he scored on an infield out. The Giants won 2-1. Two weeks later, on May 3, 1944, Gladu hit his only major-league home run. It came at Ebbets Field in Brooklyn against Fritz Ostermueller of the Dodgers. In 21 games with Boston, Gladu batted .242. He appeared in 18 games in the field, 15 of those at third, and made five errors in 47 chances. Roland said that a sore arm contributed to his problems in Boston. “I tried to help by pitching batting practice,” he said, “but I wound up with a sore shoulder and could hardly throw the ball.”xxv However, a misadventure in left field on May 24 may well have ended his stay in the majors. In the top of the first at Braves Field, he misplayed opposing pitcher Rip Sewell’s drive into a two-run double, and Pittsburgh scored five runs in the inning. Gladu was lifted after his first turn at bat in the bottom of the first. The Braves soon optioned Gladu to Hartford, where he was reunited with Del Bissonette. “I wish I had met him when I was younger,” Gladu said. “Del Bissonette was the only one who taught me anything. I had trouble with left-handed curve ball pitchers but Del gave me a few tips and after that I was O.K.”xxvi Roland had no trouble at Hartford. He batted .372, with 155 hits in 119 games, and was runner-up for the batting championship. After the 1944 season Gladu’s contract was sold by Boston for $10,000 to Montreal, which had become a farm club of the Brooklyn Dodgers. The team also included two other city natives, Jean-Pierre Roy and shortstop Stan Bréard. As the Associated Press wrote in June 1945, “The Montreal Royals now have two good reasons for popularity with their Canadian fans. In addition to being probably the first Montreal club that has boasted three French-Canadian players … the Royals are now leading the International League.”xxvii They went on to win the regular-season pennant but lost the Governor’s Cup championship trophy to Newark in the seventh game of the playoff finals. The Royals led the IL in attendance in 1945, but several years later the gate had diminished greatly. In 1954 Dink Carroll quoted a fan: “Guys like Roy, Gladu, and Bréard … built up interest in the club. The Royals never drew more than 250,000 a season until they came along. Even after they left, the club continued to draw on the momentum they gave it.”xxviii In 2008 longtime Montreal Expos broadcaster Jacques Doucet added, “They put the seed in the ground for the next generation of major-leaguers from the province, guys like Claude Raymond and Ron Piché. There had been French-American ballplayers in the majors before, but not many French-Canadians.”xxix Gladu played in 153 games for the Royals in 1945 and set a club record with 204 hits. He was again runner-up for the batting championship with an average of .338 and led the league with 45 doubles. In a feature that August in The Sporting News, Lloyd McGowan described Gladu, then still a bachelor: “Gladu now is almost perfectly bilingual, but he says little. He is a serious player, always in peak condition. He doesn’t know the meaning of ‘brew,’ and smokes very sparingly. [He has a] wide lefthanded batting stance, good right arm, average speed.”xxx Nearly 70 years later, Jean-Pierre Roy echoed this description almost exactly, but added with a chuckle, “Roland loved gambling – at the racetrack, where it was permissible. He was a very good handicapper for someone who didn’t make a living at it.” In July Dodgers general manager Branch Rickey took a look at Gladu but decided to leave him in Montreal until the end of the season.xxxi The Dodgers actually purchased the contracts of both Roy and Gladu late that September, but the Canadians didn’t go to Brooklyn because the IL playoffs were still going. When the season ended, Roland went to Havana, batting .288-4-31 in 233 at-bats for Cienfuegos in the Cuban winter league. One of his teammates was Jean-Pierre Roy, who said, “I recommended him to the people in Cuba.” Roy remembered, “He used to get up in the morning, get a bunch of Cuban kids, and hit balls to them for an hour, an hour and a half.” Despite his strong hitting, age was against Gladu. On February 24, 1946, the New York Times quoted Branch Rickey: “Gladu’s case is different from [Luis] Olmo and Roy. Gladu is not, nor will he be, a major league player. He is 32 years old [he was actually nearly 35 by then] and the offer he received was very tempting. I don't blame him for accepting it.”xxxii Montreal’s general manager, Mel Jones, also believed that diluted wartime competition was part of Gladu’s success in 1945. On his side, “Gladu was displeased with his [Brooklyn] contract, which just equalled what he made with Montreal last year , including bonuses.”xxxiii The money was more attractive in Mexico, where Jorge Pasquel was trying to bring the Mexican League up to the level of the majors. While major-league players were then earning between $5,000 and $10,000 per year on average, the Mexican League owners offered up to $20,000 to stars. Gladu signed a contract paying him $25,000 over three years.xxxiv St. Louis Browns shortstop Vern Stephens hit a home run his first time at bat in Mexico but returned to the US when Baseball Commissioner A.B. Chandler threatened to suspend anyone who played in Mexico. Gladu and 12 other players, including catcher Mickey Owen and pitchers Sal Maglie and Max Lanier, were suspended for five years when they remained south of the border. “Compared to what they were paying in the National League, salaries in Mexico were good,” said Gladu. “But the playing fields in some cities were bad; especially at night. The lights were weak and it was hard to see the ball. Batting against Maglie and Lanier was no picnic,” he said.xxxv Gladu hit .322 for Nuevo Laredo in 1946, good for fifth in the league, with 4 homers and 62 RBIs. He returned to Cienfuegos in the winter of 1946-47, hitting .245-1-28 in 229 at-bats. Going back to Mexico in 1947, he played for San Luis Potosí. Again he hit .322, with 6 homers and 79 RBIs in 115 games. He tied for the league lead in triples with 13. “He was also very well liked in Mexico,” said Jean-Pierre Roy. Finally, Roland played his third and last season in Cuba in 1947-48. He was with the team called “Cuba” in the Liga Nacional, or Players Federation, an “alternative” league featuring ineligible players. (By contrast, the longstanding Cuban Winter League had allowed suspended US players to participate the previous winter.) It was a good season; Gladu won the batting title with a .330 mark (97-for-294), to go with 3 homers and 21 RBIs. However, that league lasted just the one year. After his Latin American experiences ended – the pay had sharply decreased in Mexico after the Pasquel bubble burst – Gladu returned to Quebec. He was a player-manager for Sherbrooke in the Provincial League from 1948 through 1951. In those days the league was a haven for black and Latin players, as well as ineligibles. “In 1951, we had about eight Cubans and we won the championship,” Gladu said.xxxvi On September 19, 1951 – just one day after the Athletics had won the Provincial League title – a “spectacular blaze” (as the Associated Press described it) destroyed the Sherbrooke baseball stadium. The loss of the ballpark forced the franchise to become inactive for the 1952 season. Gladu’s playing career ended after a final year as player-manager with Thetford Mines of the Laurentian League in 1952. His star player, Hall of Famer Ray Brown, came along with him from Sherbrooke.xxxvii Gladu then became a scout for the Cleveland Indians. In September 1953, his family suffered a sad loss when their 4-year-old son, Roger (who had been sickly since birth), died.xxxviii This echoed a previous family tragedy. Roland’s brother Roger, for whom the little boy had been named, died in a fire during the International League playoffs of 1945. He was trying to save some girls trapped in a burning building.xxxix Starting in 1954, Gladu then moved on to scout for the Milwaukee Braves.xl In 1951, though – even before he’d become an official scout – he’d signed pitcher Georges Maranda for the Braves, then still in Boston. Maranda eventually made it to the majors in 1960. In 1954 Gladu signed pitcher Claude Raymond, who had a successful career with Atlanta, Houston, and the Montreal Expos. Another big-league pitcher from Quebec whom Gladu signed was Ron Piché (1955). In addition, he helped focus the Braves’ attention on other players they had in the Provincial League, such as Humberto Robinson, Carlton Willey, and Ed Charles.xli Plus, as one might expect, he turned up a number of other prospects who did not advance beyond the minors. Gladu worked for the Cubs for a while in 1957, but The Sporting News showed him as a Milwaukee scout until at least 1963. That July Dink Carroll wrote about how the amateur baseball scene in Quebec was flourishing and attracting scouts from quite a few big-league teams. He quoted two for the New York Yankees, Arthur Dede and Al Todd. Todd – the catcher on Gladu’s 1945 Montreal Royals team – said, “I think Rollie Gladu had something to do with the development around here.”xlii Gladu remained an active athlete. As a defenseman, he played in five games for the Trois Rivières Lions of the Quebec Hockey League in the 1955-56 season. Though knowledge of other occupations during his last three decades has not surfaced, he apparently remained active in youth sports programs in Montreal into the 1990s.xliii In late August 1968, a couple of weeks after it was confirmed that the Montreal Expos would be a major-league franchise, there was a story that Gladu would be part of a baseball clinic for children with Jim Fanning and Jean-Pierre Roy.xliv From that point on, though, Gladu’s name was not associated with the team in any visible capacity. There is a photo in which former big leaguers from Quebec posed for the inauguration of Montreal’s Olympic Stadium, and Gladu is the only one not in it. It is not known what may have caused this possible falling-out, or if this was the quiet man’s own choice. Even Roy, who was with the Expos as a broadcaster for many years, could only speculate. Gladu’s wife was named Mignonne Chamberland; they were married on May 12, 1948. She was born in Laval, near Montreal. Jean-Pierre Roy remembered, “She was very quiet and clean-living, as Roland was. They were a good team.” The Gladus had two surviving sons named Yvan and Denis; one became a chartered accountant; the other, a doctor. They also had a daughter, Christiane. Gladu was retired and living in Laval, Quebec, when he died of cancer on July 26, 1994, at the age of 83. Alas, his death was not big news in Montreal because he had been out of baseball circles for a long time. In fact, it was barely news at all. None of the city’s papers carried a proper obituary; there was only a tidbit in Le Soleil and Le Journal. Patrick Carpentier, a member of SABR’s Quebec chapter, said, “I think the funeral was also a private affair with only family attending. Furthermore, he is buried in the family plot at Notre-Dame-des-Neiges cemetery in Montreal but his name was not engraved on the marker. His sister died after him and her name was. It’s as if Roland Gladu, Quebec’s mightiest ball player, had ceased to exist after the 1960s.” As of 2012, the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame had not inducted Roland Gladu, though one could make a strong case for him both as player and contributor to the game. However, the British Baseball Hall of Fame (established in 2009) inducted Gladu as part of its third class in 2011. And as Jean-Pierre Roy said, “He was a good man and a very good hitter wherever he played. We had a great deal of respect for each other on and off the field.” This biography was adapted from the chapter “Montreal’s Roland Gladu, A Hitter Ahead of His Time” in SABR member Jim Shearon’s 1994 book "Canada’s Baseball Legends" (Kanata, Ontario: Malin Head Press). Continued grateful acknowledgment to Jean-Pierre Roy for his memories (telephone interview, January 27, 2013). Thanks also to SABR members Patrick Carpentier and Alexandre Pratt. Courtesy of the Boston Braves Historical Association (the BBHA makes no claims as to ownership or public domain status) Josh Chetwynd and Brian A. Belton, British Baseball and the West Ham Club (Jefferson, North Carolina: McFarland & Co., 2007) Harvey Sahker, The Blokes of Baseball (Dundalk, Ontario: Free Lance Writing Associates Inc., 2011) The Baseball Encyclopedia (10th edition) (New York: Macmillan, 1993) Merritt Clifton, Disorganized Baseball, Vol. 1, The Quebec Provincial League (Richford, Vermont: Samisdat Press, 1982) Jorge S. Figueredo, Who’s Who in Cuban Baseball 1878-1961 (Jefferson, North Carolina: McFarland & Company, 2007) Pedro Treto Cisneros, ed., Enciclopedia del Béisbol Mexicano (Mexico City: Revistas Deportivas, S.A. de C.V., 11th edition, 2011) Sporting News Official Baseball Guide, 1945-46-47 SABR Québec website, quebec.sabr.org Jim Shearon, interview with Roland Gladu in Laval, Quebec, June 1993 i Jim Shearon, Canada’s Baseball Legends (Kanata, Ontario: Malin Head Press. 1994). ii Shearon, Canada’s Baseball Legends. iii “Leafs Win Twice and Take Series,” Montreal Gazette, September 29, 1930, 17. iv D.A.L. MacDonald, “Roland Gladu, of Forest Frères, to Sign With Royals,” Montreal Gazette, August 24, 1932, 12. v “Groh Will Come to City April 7 to Boss Triplets,” Binghamton Press, March 26, 1932, 24. vi “Roland Gladu, of Forest Frères, to Sign With Royals.” vii Shearon, Canada’s Baseball Legends. viii D.A.L. MacDonald, “Royals Finish in Fourth Position; Beat Leafs Twice,” Montreal Gazette, September 19, 1932, 14. ix “Forest Frères in Double Victory,” Montreal Gazette, October 3, 1932, 17. x Jean Barrette, “Le Miroir des Sports,” Le Miroir (Montreal, Quebec), October 9, 1932, Section 2-1. xi D.A.L. MacDonald, “Orlando Has Gala Day Planned as A’s and Royals Clash,” Montreal Gazette, March 17, 1933, 13. xii “Royals Acquire Pitcher Krausse,” Montreal Gazette, June 12, 1933, 12. xiii “Hub Walker Goes to Jersey city; Gladu to York,” Montreal Gazette, June 22, 1933, 12. xiv “Eight Teams for Baseball Circuit,” Montreal Gazette, April 26, 1935, 16. xv “Malone Dickering for Roland Gladu,” Montreal Gazette, July 6, 1935, 12. xvi “Lachine Club Seeks Gladu,” Montreal Gazette, January 25, 1936, 14. xvii Josh Chetwynd and Brian A. Belton, British Baseball and the West Ham Club (Jefferson, North Carolina: McFarland & Co., 2007, 145). xviii J.L. McGowan, “Canadian, Who Batted .565 in England, May Earn Outfield Job with Montreal,” The Sporting News, April 7, 1938, 2. Chetwynd and Belton drew upon this article, among others. xix “Three Rookies Cut from Royal Team,” Montreal Gazette, April 11, 1938, 17. xx Dink Carroll, “Rotting for Roland,” Montreal Gazette, June 30, 1945, 14. xxi Owen Griffith, “Excel Paddlers Start Sunday; Lachine Loses 10 of War Canoe,” Montreal Gazette, May 26, 1943, 15. xxii “Garrison Wins Title,” Montreal Gazette, October 25, 1943, 55. xxiii Dink Carroll, “Gladu Impressive in Braves’ Camp,” Montreal Gazette, April 6, 1944, 16. xxiv John Drebinger, “Voiselle Fans Nine to Down Boston, 2-1,” New York Times, April 19, 1944. xxv Shearon, Canada’s Baseball Legends. xxvi Shearon, Canada’s Baseball Legends. xxvii Associated Press, June 21, 1945. xxviii Dink Carroll, “Native Players Help,” Montreal Gazette, August 11, 1954, 18. xxx Lloyd McGowan, “Cut Off Twice by Home-Town Royals, Gladu Comes Back to Bid for Bat Title,” The Sporting News, August 2, 1945, 6. xxxi Hugh S. Fullerton, Jr., “Sports Roundup,” Associated Press, July 14, 1945. xxxii Roscoe McGowen, “Pitcher Roy Signs Dodger Contract,” New York Times, February 24, 1946, 77. xxxiii Lloyd McGowan, “From Canada to Mexico, Without Stop in Brooklyn,” The Sporting News, February 14, 1946, 8. xxxiv Lloyd McGowan, “Dodgers’ Offer Less than ’45 Royal Pay, Says Gladu,” The Sporting News, March 7, 1946, 17. xxxv Shearon, Canada’s Baseball Legends. xxxvi Shearon, Canada’s Baseball Legends. xxxviii The Sporting News, September 16, 1953, 34. xxxix Jesse A. Linthicum, “Gladu Plays Under Strain,” Baltimore Sun, September 16, 1945, 17. xl The Sporting News, September 8, 1954, 38. xli “The Quebec Connection,” Boston Braves Historical Association Newsletter, Fall 2007, 7. xlii Dink Carroll, “Yanks Scout This Area,” Montreal Gazette, July 9, 1963, 18. xliii “The Quebec Connection.” xliv “Baseball Clinic at Jarry Park,” Montreal Gazette, August 29, 1968, 37.

Questions & Answers: History of Christianity History of Christianity What were the main issues discussed in each of the Ecumenical Synods? The ecumenical (from the Gr. οἰκουμένη, civilised world) synods (from the Gr. σύνοδος, travelling together, common way) are symptomatic for the ecclesial mindset and experience, manifesting the communal dimension of our faith. The seven ecumenical synods share in common the fact that – while addressing the various heresies which challenged the Church of the first millennium – they have formulated doctrines representing crucial guidelines for our faith and life till the end of times. It is important to note that ‘formulating’ cannot be mistaken for ‘innovating’; the canonisation of a doctrine means to bring it to a clear and purely apostolic expression, in order to constitute a faithful guide into the Christian mystery. Punctually, the seven ecumenical synods debated: The first (Nicaea, 325AD) – the heresy of Arius, who denied the divinity of Christ, considering him a mere creature. Against Arianism, the Church stated that Christ is the Lord, truly God and Only-begotten Son of God, of one essence with the Father, from whom he is eternally born and not created in time. The second (Constantinople, 381AD) – the heresy of Macedonius, who denied the divinity of the Holy Spirit, considering him as inferior to the Father and the Son. Against Macedonianism, the Church stated that the Holy Spirit is Lord and Giver of life, originating eternally from the Father and being worshipped and glorified together with the Father and the Son as their equal. The most famous outcome of the first two synods is the (Nicene-Constantinopolitan) Creed. The third (Ephesus, 431AD) – the heresy of Nestorius, who was unable to acknowledge the inner ‘hypostatic’ relation between the two natures, divine and human, of Christ, speaking of two persons (acting subjects). Against Nestorianism, the Church stated that there is one Christ, the incarnate Son and Logos of God, who united hypostatically (in his own eternal person) the human nature he assumed from the Theotokos. As a direct consequence of the hypostatic union, the Church emphasised the existential outcomes of the incarnation, namely the humanisation of God (who was truly crucified in the flesh) and respectively the deification of man (who was truly introduced in the divine life). The fourth (Chalcedon, 451AD) – the heresy of Eutychius, who affirmed that the human nature of Christ was so much deified that it was eventually absorbed by his divinity; therefore in Christ would have been just one nature, the divine. Against Eutychianism (or Monophysitism), the Church stated that although the hypostatic union is perfect from the very moment of Christ’s conception, none of the two natures – divine and human – is changed or abolished. Contemplated from the point of view of his two unconfused natures, Christ is truly God and truly man; contemplated from the point of view of the undivided hypostasis/person, there is one Christ who lived the features of his both natures in a complex way (a mode labelled by later theologians as theandricity, Godmanhood). The fifth (Constantinople, 553AD) – various heresies, such as the late Palestinian Origenism (speaking of the pre-existence of the souls, interpreting God’s creation in pessimistic terms, denying the permanence of the Logos’ incarnation and announcing the final restoration of all beings, including the demons) and a series of Antiochian authors who either supported Nestorius or have been his inspiration (Diodore of Tarsus, Theodore of Mopsuestia, Theodoret of Cyrus, Ibas of Edessa). The council represents an essential phase within the ecclesial process of articulating dogmatically the reality of incarnation and its salvific consequences, on the one hand, also of interpreting Chalcedon in light of Ephesus and the traditional Christology as formulated by St Cyril of Alexandria. The most famous outcome of this council is the hymn Ὁ Μονογενής, Only-begotten. The sixth (Constantinople, 680AD) – two related Christological heresies, intended as compromises between the Orthodox and the Monophysites: Monoenergism (teaching that in Christ was active or energetic only the divine nature) and Monotheletism (teaching that in Christ was manifested only the divine will). Against the two heresies, the Church stated that since the hypostatic union did not annihilate the characteristics of the two natures, we must acknowledge that both are active in Christ. More specifically, according to the natures, in Christ there are two energies and two wills, and according to the hypostasis one complex (theandric) energy and will. The seventh (Nicaea, 787AD) – the iconoclasm, or the heresy of those denying the possibility of visually representing God and the saints, also the legitimacy of the icon veneration. The Church stated against the iconoclasts that since God the Logos assumed hypostatically our flesh, becoming visible, we can represent him in the icons, together with his saints who are his living icons. The council specified also that (1) the icons express visually what the Scripture proclaims by words, (2) iconography represents the Bible of the analphabets, and (3) the veneration addressed to the icons goes to the originals (the persons represented by them). It is obvious that all the above mentioned heresies still exist, even if under various forms, determining us to remain faithful to the ecumenical synods as the accurate expression of the apostolic faith. Also important to note is the fact that by all their decisions, the ecumenical synods defended ultimately the possibility of our participation in the divine life and deification through Christ and the Holy Spirit. If we put aside for a while faith, can one believe in the resurrection of Jesus based solely on historical evidence? 1. Could the Bible have been made up, and have nothing to do with real events? The first thing I would like to say is that if one reads the Bible carefully, and particularly if one tries to live as the Bible says, one can come to feel that this Book is truly genuine and holy. Secondly, the Bible has been studied in a very scholarly and scientific way. Such an inquiry can lead to a conclusion that the Bible does not have the features of legend, but of genuine history, of genuine eyewitness accounts. For example, if you study the different accounts of the Resurrection, you will soon discover contradictions. If you were making up these accounts, you would not have made it so difficult for those analysing what you wrote. Such contradictions are exactly what you would expect if different people had to recall what they witnessed. These contradictions can be harmonized, solutions that are at least feasible have been worked out, this has been difficult, but it can be done. Another piece of evidence comes from the historical fact that if someone had made up the Resurrection story, they would not have had women being the first to witness the Resurrection: the testimony of women in first century Palestine was universally regarded as useless. The Gospel writers however recorded what actually happened. 2. Could those that said they saw Jesus after his death have lied? We know that these people changed the whole world, and many of them died for what they believed. If they knew they were lying, they would not have had the strength to achieve such amazing things. 3. Can we be sure that Jesus’ tomb truly was found empty? It would have been so easy for the enemies of the Christians to disprove what the Christians were saying: they could have simply presented the body in the tomb. It is precisely because they could not find such a body that they resorted to saying that someone must have stolen the body. 4. Could those that saw the Resurrected Christ actually have seen a vision or a hallucination? We must not lose sight of the fact that on multiple occasions and under various circumstances different individuals and groups of people (including over 500 at once) experienced appearances of Jesus alive. If you study Jewish religion of the time, no-one ever talked about Resurrection of an individual. Those that saw the Risen Christ were not expecting this, they were in no way primed. There are other objections, but these are easy to dismiss and not highly regarded amongst scholars. In summary, if one looks rationally at the evidence we have for the Resurrection of Jesus, one can decide that this probably was a historical event that really occurred. Of course, a Christian, even one who has leanings toward rational thought, has other reasons to believe in God. He just has to look around him, and within himself, and can come to the conclusion that it is a lot more likely there is a God than that there is only a purposeless physical universe. Ultimately, however, true and deep faith is a gift of God, a gift to the sincere and humble- “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.”BACK TO TOP

Nutshell: Eager to discover the mysteries of the afterlife, Nelson (Kiefer Sutherland) has roped in his medical school classmates, hardheaded David (Kevin Bacon), perve Joe (William Baldwin), demure Rachel (Julia Roberts), and arrogant Randy (Oliver Platt), to help him die, but only for a few minutes. Testing the limits of lifelessness, the gang takes turns teasing death, only to find they’ve awoken dormant figures of profound guilt, who’ve come back to torment the gang at their moment of triumph. 1990: There once was a time when it was easy to be energized by a Joel Schumacher film. In the late 1980s and early 1990s, Schumacher carved out a glossy spot in Hollywood detailing the lives of the young and hair-conditioned, making a name for himself directing such hits as “St. Elmo’s Fire” and “The Lost Boys.” Schumacher was gold with green talent, placing these beautiful things in ornately designed visual environments, puffing up cinematographic overkill to present a slightly askew vision of cutting edge entertainment. For a moment, Schumacher was pretty darn sweet. “Flatliners” stormed theaters in the summer of 1990 boasting a troubling marketing swirl that suggested afterlife horror, sold by a cast of up and coming talent, with Miss Julia Roberts, newly crowned princess of Hollywood after the spring release of “Pretty Woman,” helping to nudge the buzz along. It was a mini-event movie, if only for the sheer amount of blue steel actors in the thing, making it irresistible to kids looking for a blow-dried matinee thrill. Accepted for its crude elements of suspense and hysterical ding-dong-dead antics, “Flatliners” provided the necessary chills, with Schumacher conducting an ethereal descent into the spinning bravado of medical students searching for glory by cheating death. The script ultimately takes an unexpected left turn into spiritual consciousness, trading vicious slasher strikes for hugs and forgiveness, which threw a young me for a loop (I initially condemned the ending as “too soft”), but the overall competitive mentality of the movie was utterly captivating, allowing the film to fill a “cool” requirement and fry nerves a touch as a superb thriller. For Schumacher, “Flatliners” supplied another hit for his filmography, but it was the last of his liberated imagination, soon fitted for a snug blockbuster belt as the years led the director to the “Batman” franchise, injecting frustrating irregularity into his cinematic output. Yet, “Flatliners” remained an intoxicating, smoky triumph, highlighting the helmer as a visual maniac who once made gloriously strange genre movies for a strange audience. 2010: I’ve never been too far away from “Flatliners” growing up, but revisiting the film for the diary brought me back to the green-tinted dead zone after a long break, to a point where it was almost like watching the feature for the first time -- a cheap but welcome kick that rocketed me back 20 years, to a time when Julia Roberts was just a mediocre young actress with an addiction to pouting. Seriously, have you seen “Flatliners” recently? All Roberts does is mope around and push her lips out cartoonishly, as though a monofilament line has been tied to her kisser, with Schumacher controlling the “pout degrees” from behind the camera. Count me in as a firm fan of this movie. Granted, Schumacher’s visual design of the film is complete malarkey, staging delicate medical school business inside of dingy libraries and crumbling churches, giving the picture a gothic thunderclap to accompany the deathbed daredevil antics. With weeping statues, a radiation-exposed color scheme, whiplash camera moves, and an autumnal nip in the air, the filmmaker doesn’t ask much for logic, only undivided attention. And Schumacher earns that concentration with a cracking creeper boasting firmly impassion performances (sans Roberts) and a stable pace that flows around the individual nightmares of the four spooked students (mercifully, perennial ham Platt isn’t allowed an E-ticket to Hell). “Flatliners” remains a corker, and I’ve come to accept the film’s move from horror to healing over the years, finding the switch a smart play on flabby genre habits. Expecting the characters to be forever tormented by their afterlife demons, “Flatliners” instead looks to confront misdeeds -- treating sin not as a killing blow, but as a reversible sentence. Perhaps it’s my old age coming up for air here, but I enjoy how the picture goes warm blooded in the final act, supplying a fresh angle to a script that seems more than willing to engage the routine as soon as Nelson taps on death’s door. I don’t know why David feels the need to rappel down from his apartment window after being kicked out of school, why a medical university would allow cadavers to be examined inside of what appears to be a sewer lit by a single firefly, or why Joe’s video camera delivers the image quality of an 8mm Bolex. These are questions asked of a movie that plays by its own rules, looking to entertain through a comfortable, compelling design of earnestness and gonzo screen energy. It’s meant to be a rush, silly. Just kick back and enjoy the time spent inside Schumacher’s mind, which I assume resembles a disco on fire. In a fun twist of fate, I viewed “Flatliners” on the same day I strolled over to the local theater and paid to see Schumacher’s latest, “Twelve.” It made his accomplishment from two decades prior appear even more vital and entertaining. My, how the mighty have fallen. Nutshell: Sent to Laos in 1969 to reclaim his life as a pilot, Billy (Robert Downey Jr.) joins “Air America,” a covert C.I.A. airline that deliver supplies, drugs, and weapons to the area during the Vietnam War, despite a skittish government back home denying any involvement. Bonding with ace pilot Gene (Mel Gibson), Billy takes to the bumpy skies, doing his best to stay in the air as he soars over hostile land. Soon comprehending the criminal gravity of his voyages, Billy looks to disrupt the airline, while Gene, looking forward to retirement, tries to talk the young pilot out of any rash revenge scenarios. 1990: Sadly, I don’t have much of a dynamic story to share for “Air America.” It was an unremarkable VHS discovery after its feeble run in theaters did nothing to entice me to see it, quickly becoming one of those titles that elicit a, “Oh, Mel Gibson was in that?” response when brought up in conversation. Sold as a freewheeling Vietnam comedy, it’s not hard to spot why the film failed to catch much fire at the box office, despite a lead turn from Gibson. 1990 was a kooky year for Mad Mel, with “Air America” joining the likes of “Bird on a Wire” and Franco Zeffirelli’s “Hamlet” to mark a distinct turning point for the actor, who took his “Lethal Weapon 2” payday and decided to shake up his career with a variety of scripts requiring specific acting adventures. While not outright bombs, the three films didn’t provide the moviegoer reassurance I’m sure Gibson was anticipating. Still, “Air America” was handed a fair theatrical shot, attempting to shadow the marketing run of “Good Morning, Vietnam,” counting on military irreverence and Gibson’s marquee value to pack theaters. Audiences just didn’t feel the need to return to the lighter side of war, despite a rare invitation to join Martin Riggs and the future Iron Man in a cockpit of wackiness. 2010: There’s really no way to address “Air America” today without chatting up Mel Gibson. And there’s no way to chat up Mel Gibson without carefully tiptoeing around recent events in his personal life that have revealed a man who’s misplaced his good sense, or never had any to begin with. Gibson is still an actor after all, and in 1990, he was a walking wet dream to some, which is why I’ll play it cool and remind everyone there’s a more pressing issue at hand here than any tabloid headline or hyperventilating phone call. Nothing about Mel Gibson today changes the fact that “Air America” is a bland and bloated bore. A completely uninteresting movie. Being a Carolco production, plenty of money was thrown around bringing “Air America” to life, and the film looks marvelous bombing around moist Thai locations, corralling a wide range of aircraft to fill out these unfriendly skies. Director Roger Spottiswoode certainly makes a pretty picture, but he can’t quite ignite the pilot light, submitting a film of grandiose visual effort, but almost zero personality. Despite its enticing A-list star, “Air America” is a completely forgettable motion picture, struggling to drum up excitement with meager action beats, stillborn comedy, and a plot of shifting morality that’s robotically executed from a cast able to provide panic with some panache, but never sincerity. Going for a cheeky “MASH” twist of ridicule, “Air America” fumbles its satiric swipes and historical horror, instead more interested in atta-boy camaraderie between Gibson and Downey Jr. (who fail to spark up any chemistry) and the occasional explosion over mounting any full-throated political voice. It’s a buddy comedy in the wrong arena, using the shock of war as a backdrop to American tomfoolery, reflecting a frustration with a government poker face and the general shifty shading of the Vietnam conflict. The story’s clear enough, but there’s no life between plot points. Spottiswoode relies on the bigness of it all to push on though, but “Air America” never finds a righteous pace -- it’s an expensive ghost town mood with two handsome leads spending their screentime mentally cashing their paychecks. When I saw this film for the very first time, it was mostly forgotten by the end credits. Nothing much has changed. “Hamlet” had Shakespeare, “Bird on a Wire” had Goldie Hawn upskirt shots, but “Air America” was a vibrantly photographed void, only requiring Gibson for the poster. It was a lull in his mighty career, but I suppose the argument could be made that he has it much worse these days.Coming next week… I try to keep it short with an unlikely thirdsies. And Steve Martin and Rick Moranis do an amazing impression of desperate clowns.

The following is a compilation of the WAB commentary and analysis on the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001 (through 2005) World Affairs Brief, September 14, 2001 Copyright Joel Skousen. Partial quotations with attribution permitted. Cite source as Joel Skousen’s World Affairs Brief (http://www.worldaffairsbrief.com) BUSH WAR THREATS BASED ON ANOTHER MORE DANGEROUS AGENDA There is something very dangerous and wrong about this new war fever being pushed upon the American people. Taking advantage of a nation shocked and shaken after being "under attack," the Bush administration is showing every sign of marshaling a much larger military force than necessary to tackle the stated enemy--international terrorism. Terrorism is a distributed and dispersed threat. It is not concentrated in any single country. There are perhaps two dozen significant terrorist training camps in the world, and any one of them can be neutralized by the judicious use of point air strikes and special forces. There are hundreds of smaller terrorist cells in all western countries. Some are too well hidden to be found, but many can be tackled by existing intelligence and police agencies. The point I am making, as forcefully as possible, is that this problem does not have to be attacked with a Gulf War style mobilization--which is precisely what President Bush and Defense Secretary Rumsfeld are building. Something is very wrong with the growing beat of Republican war drums. The 50,000 reservists being mobilized alone exceed by almost 10 times the number of known terrorists in the world. There appears to be a hidden agenda behind these major war preparations--and fighting terrorism may well be only the excuse. First, I want to establish that the official US response to this terrorist attack showing surprise, shock and indignation is, in part, a sham. For years the US government has known and tracked every significant terrorist organization to raise its head, and yet has done little to impede their growth or target their weapons procurement lines (with the exception of one attack on a Libyan terrorist training camp in the 80's, and those camps were back in operation within months). There is even evidence of US intelligence agencies turning a blind eye on terrorist preparations for just such an attack as happened this week. As Reed Irvine, writing for NewsMax.com, reported, "In 1995, when one of his (Osama bin Laden’s) followers, Abdul Hakim Murad, was arrested in Manila, the Philippine authorities discovered a plot on his laptop computer that called for hijacking US airliners and bombing them or crashing them into targets, including the CIA. It was called Project Bojinka, and US officials were made aware of it at that time. Murad admitted that he was being trained for a suicide mission. He was extradited to the US and convicted, together with Ramzi Yousef, of participating in the World Trade Center bombing in 1993. That should have focused the attention of the CIA, FBI and NSA on any indications that bin Laden had not abandoned Project Bojinka. Reports that bin Laden was training pilots should have set alarm bells ringing. Only a few months ago an American Airlines crew had their uniforms and ID badges stolen from their hotel room in Rome. At the end of August, the airline alerted its employees to be on the lookout for impostors, but apparently no one saw this as a possible link to Project Bojinka. Airport security remained as lax as ever. Next came bin Laden's warning in mid-August that there would be 'an unprecedented attack on US interests.' With Bojinka in mind, the government should have taken the strongest possible measures to prevent hijackings." So, why should this nation be surprised when it finally falls victim to an enemy the US has allowed to prosper? It's partially because Americans always believe the half-truths about our government’s efforts to stamp out terrorism, or even drugs, for that matter. Simply put, the people don't realize that the government both harbors terrorism and fights terrorism with two different sides of its police power. It both facilitates drug importation (to fund black budget activities) and fights against drugs using competing portions of separate federal agencies. Naturally, the public only sees the "good guy" operations. But the dark side exists, and now predominates--under the surface. Terrorists have had the motive, the hatred, the weapons and the will to attack the US for many years. Indeed, we in this nation are very vulnerable. So, why has America been spared for so many years? As I have pointed out before in these briefs, the only reason that Islamic terrorism has not struck before (with the exception of the failed bombing of the WTC in 1993) is that someone within the US who controls these terror networks has had a "hold" on any attacks on the US, accomplished by buying off terrorist groups with money, drugs and weapons. Part of the reason for that hold was to reserve the US for "domestic terrorism" that could be fomented by the dark side of government to blacken the reputation of the American right wing. That hold is now obviously gone as the government's ploy to make an enemy out of the right wing has run its course. Accordingly, we can expect Tuesday's attack to be just the beginning. Next, I expect to see terrorists use biological and chemical weapons, or even Stinger missiles left over from the Afghanistan war, to shoot down more airliners. Again, we'll hear the same "wake-up call" that is being trumpeted by government this week. Naturally, we will be unprepared for each new form of attack and as each new threat looms greater, some new and powerful legislative or military solutions will be promulgated--complete with more and more restrictions of liberty. Sadly, the most ominous effect of this latest attack has been the negation of all the distrust of government that had been properly building during 8 years of the Clinton corruption. I am saddened by the abject submission of the American people to any edict the government attempted to justify in the wake of these attacks. It amounted to a partial use of martial law and the government didn't even have to use the term to enforce its edicts. Now President Bush has declared a National Emergency--without telling the people that former executive orders give the President unlimited powers in such situations. He won't use them just yet--but people will get used to living under an "emergency" form of law, without realizing the full implications. In future attacks people will already have become accustomed to seeing the government shut down any sector of the nation that is affected, just as we saw the virtual shutdown of the air traffic system--including private aircraft flying to private fields. However, the price in billions of dollars lost to the economy will not go unnoticed as the recession deepens. In the final analysis, I hold the US government in large part responsible for the events of September 11, because they have paid off, trained, swapped favors with, and even saved from destruction terrorist leaders like Osama bin Laden and Yassir Arafat for decades. If they didn't have intelligence specifically pointing to the use of hijacked airliners as weapons of destruction, they are at least guilty of having abetted this form of terror. Conjecture abounds as to how, when and where the US intends to retaliate, but it's clear now that the US intends to make a BIG military statement to the world, and Osama bin Laden is to be the whipping boy. Frankly, I'm not sure what the Bush CFR team is up to, but whatever it is, it is looking ominous. My best guess is that they are going to take on Afghanistan with both air and ground troops. This is a foolish quagmire that the Russians stepped into and you'd think the US would be smart enough not to go down that road. But I suspect Bush may be promoting another agenda, which dovetails with the US/NATO intervention in the Balkans during the last decade--fomenting hatred of the US among the Eastern Bloc of Slavic peoples. If NWO powers intend to use a world War to accelerate the transition to world government, they need to help the attackers (Russia and China) to justify the attack on the West. US meddling and bullying around the world creates that hatred. Obviously, the Islamic world is aligned with the Russians, and thus I suspect that in this upcoming "war" the Powers That Be may have decided to spread even more hatred of America among the Muslims by taking on Afghanistan, in what will appear to the Arab world as a giant unjustly terrorizing a helpless and poor land. If the insiders at the National Security Council (who really call the shots for Bush) want an even larger war than Afghanistan would provide, they could go after the dozen or so terrorist camps in Syria, Iraq, Iran, Yemen, the Sudan, and Libya. But this would surely usher in a major Middle East war, involving Israel. It would also pit the US directly against Yassir Arafat and his Palestinians--which the US is continually trying to protect from ultimate annihilation. I don't think the insiders want a full scale war in that region just yet. Lastly, Bush could go after Iraq, like his father. However, there doesn't seem to be any new evidence of direct Iraqi involvement in this terror attack. Besides, attacking Iraq is old news and will hardly give a sense of "justice done" that Americans are so wistfully yearning for. I originally suspected that all this "war preparation" was mere propaganda to justify the $40 billion Congress has agreed to fund this bottomless cause. I have since concluded that these leaders are investing much more money and effort into this military buildup for simple sabre-rattling. They really do intend to go to war with someone larger than Osama bin Laden. A declaration of war, frankly, is meaningless unless you have an identifiable enemy to name as the object of the war. A one-sided declaration of war in this case would probably serve to justify more US interventionist warmongering at home and abroad, rather than fight terrorism. The secondary agenda is surely the consolidation of executive authority in the US. The predictable reactionary legislation to beef up US war-making powers in the name of fighting terrorism is already at Congress' door. The "Elimination of Terrorism Act" is being readied for a fast track treatment in both houses. Lost in the rhetoric, of course, is the fact that no additional powers are necessary to fight terrorism. Nevertheless, this bill gives the Executive Branch permanent powers to engage in warfare at any time without Congressional approval--an approach to which the founders of this nation would have vigorously rejected. I am saddened to see how unscrutinizing people have become about the motives of government in a crisis. The reason so many people in the US are vulnerable to manipulation by the media in this regard is that they don't compare what the government does in any battle with what they could be doing--what the alternatives are. They only look at the government's story in isolation, as if its reasons stand alone and should be taken at face value. To a certain extent the public can't judge what's real because most people don't have much experience working inside government. Those of us who have been inside know how things work. When things don't follow according to how they are supposed to, experienced people see red flags indicating something unusual is occurring. There are red flags cropping up all over this excessive reaction to the events of September 11th. Let's look at the inconsistencies in the government investigation and its various pronouncements. MY ANALYSIS OF THE “ATTACK ON AMERICA” --SEPT 11, 2001 America is full of a strange mixture of shock, sadness, indignation and bravado in the wake of the aerial suicide attacks on the World Trade Center (WTC) twin towers and the Pentagon. We have heard countless leaders vowing that “terrorism will not stand,” and that Americans will bounce back and rebuild these symbols of American economic and military power--if nothing else, to deny the terrorists the joy of seeing America down and discouraged. All this is typically American in its arrogance and is very naive. Terrorism has only begun to strike America and we are terribly exposed--not only because of the free and open access which we rightfully cherish, but also because the political establishment has for years refused to interdict the training and arming of the known terrorist groups they now claim have committed an “act of war on America.” Government commentators echo the hollow words that “a sleeping giant has been awakened” and is filled with resolve. Hogwash! They said those same words in 1993 after the WTC bombing, and America quickly went back to sleep and all our anti-terrorist vows led to no significant diminution of the tens of terrorist networks and training camps around the world. Indeed, terrorist groups multiplied and became far better armed during the Clinton era. Worse, I don’t believe for a minute that the current administration’s retaliatory attacks being planned are truly meant to eradicate terrorism, let alone be effective at such an objective. They are targeting Osama bin Laden, a convenient scapegoat, while leaving the Palestinians untouched, who are the main source of support for Islamic terrorist activity. I will explain the motives behind government subterfuge, and help sort out the fact from the fiction in our government’s response to this incident. But first, let’s review how this act was accomplished, technically. ANATOMY OF MASS MURDER USING CIVILIAN AIRLINERS This terrorist act was a master stroke of planning and execution. It was a complex attack which could not have been done without the participation of larger groups already tracked by US intelligence. Yet there were at least three advantages to this strategy the perpetrators could count on. For one thing, the tactic itself came as a complete surprise. Attacking buildings via commandeered airliners is a tactic that had never been used before, and was nearly impossible to foresee. Counter-terrorist experts were all caught flat-footed. The perpetrators correctly realized that this kind of aerial attack is possible because of vulnerabilities in the airline security system. Once would-be perpetrators get past the airport security checkpoints the crews have no means of defense against them. Such an attack is also difficult to stop due to the presence of large numbers of hostages on board a hijacked airliner, coupled with the uncertainty about whether the hijackers intend on crashing it into a target or simply flying to an asylum destination (as in prior hijackings). How and when do you decide to shoot down a loaded airliner before the hijackers’ intentions are known? And how do you confirm their intentions to crash into a target as it is descending incommunicado? Tough call! Commandeering a huge aircraft full of fuel creates damage effects far exceeding the powers of a lone suicide bomber with explosives strapped to his body--or even a vehicular bomb as used in the failed attempt to bring down the WTC in the parking garage in February 1993. In this case, at least four commercial airline flights were targeted for hijacking--all within a 20 minute time frame for departure, in order to ensure the maximum impact of a coordinated attack. This all-at-one-time attack would preclude US forces from reacting and mounting an armed airborne patrol around targeted cities as a deterrent. I suspect there was a 5th or 6th flight destined to attack the White House and the US Capitol as well, but these were fortuitously delayed at the gate for some reason and missed their time slot. They were later canceled in the FAA grounding of all aircraft so that some of the potential hijacking never reached its grisly fulfillment. One such flight that was canceled had several Arab passengers aboard who vigorously protested the cancellation. An airline official said, according to the NY Times, “These guys got belligerent, and said something like, ‘We've got to be on this plane’...They expressed a desire to remain on the plane and resisted getting off.” The men left the area quickly after leaving the plane before police or the FBI could interrogate them. All flights had things in common. First, they were all transcontinental flights. The two aircraft that hit the WTC were the larger Boeing 767 and the other two were Boeing 757 aircraft. Second, they were all taking off with a full load of fuel necessary to get to the West Coast. A full fuel load on the 767s ensured the maximum fireball in the subsequent explosions within the WTC. Let me explain why this was important. The perimeter steel pillars and cross bracing in the twin towers provided almost all the structural strength. The initial crashes partially severed one side of the perimeter support structure in each case, but the crashes alone would have been insufficient to destroy the towers. The subsequent fuel-fed fires heated the remaining pillars to the point of structural failure so that the entire buildings eventually came down. Steel beams and columns sag when exposed to fire--especially when an explosive impact strips away the protective fireproof coverings surrounding the steel. When the pillars on the damaged floors buckled from the heat, the falling weight of the imploding top portions of each building was enough to overstress all the steel in each succeeding floor beneath--that’s why we observed the vertical domino effect. There was even sufficient collateral force from the falling debris as it spread outward at ground zero to heavily damage all surrounding buildings. The dramatic collapsing forces of the two towers caused the additional collapse of a neighboring 26-story building in the World Trade Center complex. The time delay between the initial collisions and the final collapse allowed hundreds to escape the two buildings. Sadly, many were slowed or trapped on the upper floors and the roof of the WTC by either the existing damage or, as in one case, the well-meaning intentions of people enforcing an orderly exit. A few waited too long for an orderly exit didn’t make it, including some valiant fire and rescue people who failed to anticipate the imminent collapse of the building. In terms of getting weapons past security, the hijackers primarily brought makeshift and non-metallic knives in order to successfully evade discovery by airport metal detectors. Another potential tactic is to pose as a pilot or air crewman with false ID, but it does not appear at this time that any of the successful hijackings were done with weapons smuggled aboard by this method.. The Arab man arrested in NY two days later, as the airports reopened, was wearing a pilot’s uniform and in possession of some identification not his own. He was also one of those who had a reservation on a transcontinental flight that didn’t make it into the air on Tuesday. The FBI claimed on Friday that this man had no links to the terrorist act. To achieve control over the aircraft, the hijackers, in at least one case, began stabbing stewardesses in order to lure one of the pilots out of the cockpit. Others may have made a direct attack on the cockpit door (which is fairly lightweight in composition). Pilots could then be overwhelmed, killed by stabbing, and the plane piloted by the hijackers to the targeted building. The hijack planners most likely specified that the attack would take place on a cloudless day so as to make sure they could visually navigate to their destinations. While it is now known that the suicide-hijackers received some training in US simulators, run by private contractors, the variety of possible aircraft to train for and the complexity of the systems meant that such training would only lead to partial qualification at best. But full qualification or certification was not necessary. The hijackers did not have to deal with take-offs and landings, the most critical tasks. Taking over a flying aircraft and handling only the yoke and throttles to control altitude and airspeed is a relatively simple process. WHO AND WHY? While government and media sources continue to point the finger at US-trained terrorist Osama bin Laden, when pressed, all have to admit that there is only circumstantial evidence linking him to this act. That isn’t stopping the Bush administration from acting as if bin Laden is guilty and leaning heavily on Pakistan to induce the Taliban rulers of Afghanistan to extradite him to the US. In response to US demands, Pakistan and the Taliban have told the US they will be only too happy to comply with US demands for bin Laden’s extradition if the US presents credible evidence of his involvement--which may be tough to come by. One former US CIA official was even more candid. He said, “no specific evidence is necessary since we’ve proven the case against bin Laden’s cohorts in court recently and no one will question us if we go after him again.” Sad, but true--Americans are all too willing to give unquestioned support to government in these times. I was also distressed to see a CNN internet poll showing that almost 80% of Americans condoned the bombing of the Afghanistan capitol of Kabul should the Taliban refuse to hand over Osama bin Laden. Where is America’s compassion for innocent citizens? Would they become terrorists themselves in bombing innocent civilians simply to assuage their ruffled national sensibilities? Focusing on Osama bin Laden may be a red herring meant to divert attention from the Palestinians, support for whom provides the fire and drive behind almost all other Islamic terrorist groups. I have no doubt that these terrorist acts were committed by Arab Islamic extremists with a mix of Palestinians who may or may not feel the need to hide behind religious motives. This radical branch of Arabs is the only culture on the planet intentionally producing committed suicide bombers and kamikaze pilots to slaughter innocent civilians. We also have specific evidence on the ethnicity of the attackers from cell phone callers on the doomed airlines who uniformly described the hijackers as Middle Eastern males, some wearing the tell-tale red bandannas identifying a unique terrorist group. The FBI also claims to now know the identifies of 19 hijackers--all with Middle Eastern origins. Strangely they refuse to release the entire list publicly. Some of the 19 are Palestinians with links to Hamas and Islamic Jihad and US officials appear to be steering the blame away from them. I believe there exists a hidden protective inclination towards the Palestinians in our government operations--despite public support for the state of Israel. At least one Palestinian journalist filmed jubilant Palestinians rejoicing at the news of the attacks on the WTC and the Pentagon (this is not the same film from 1993 erroneously broadcast as if it were taking place now). Israeli correspondent Oded Granot reported that Yasser Arafat's Tanzim have kidnapped the Palestinian cameraman who filmed a report for a major news agency showing Palestinians in Ramallah celebrating the attacks against the United States as hundreds cheered. He said that the news agency was warned that the cameraman would be killed if they dared to air the item. Other films have been released and photos from these films can be viewed at http://www.gamla.org.il/english/feature/cel.htm These threats are very real and are carried out ruthlessly from time to time. To demonstrate how far the Palestinians will go to perpetuate the appearance of innocence in this affair, PLO leader Yasser Arafat arranged to have film crews roll the cameras while he gave blood for the victims of NY. Even if his blood was destined for NY (which I doubt), I certainly wouldn’t want to be the recipient of this hypocrisy. So, who is responsible? It’s going to be very difficult to find that out in a timely manner. Even a US defense source admitted to the International Herald Tribune, “We're talking about an operation that was extremely well-planned and compartmentalized...Such a case could take years to complete and we simply don't have that amount of time.” That is why the US has decided to go after Osama bin Laden. Israeli intelligence, on the other hand, says (correctly) that all terrorist cells are supported and sponsored by one or more governments. Terrorist organizations need a steady flow of money, arms and explosives to do their work. Terrorist groups also need a broad base of intelligence operatives throughout the world to keep tabs on their targets. Governments provide this kind of support, but never allow those links to surface so as to avoid blame. Since the Bush administration keeps trying to build an Arab coalition against Iraq, it can’t afford to go after any of the legitimate governments harboring terrorists--Egypt, Libya, Sudan, Yemen, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Iraq, Jordan and Iran. So that leaves Afghanistan to attack. But, just remember, unless the US goes after all the terrorist camps (including most refugee camps) in Arab countries, it isn’t really serious about carrying on a war against terrorism. It really isn’t all that important to know who, at the lower and middle levels, planned and carried out this attack. Fact is, the US is hated by all the major Arab nations (except Kuwait) for its superficial support of Israel. Even Saudi Arabia is only feigning friendship with the US. The motive for Arab antagonism against the US does not really rest of the issue of Iraq, for Saddam Hussein has made his share of enemies in the Middle East. The real unifying motive of all the Arab terrorist organs is the Arab hatred toward the state of Israel, camped right in their midst. There are many factions of terrorists, and some are bitter enemies, but they can all unite on the desire to see the Israel and the US brought down. That is why the pictures of US destruction were so heartily applauded by young and old alike in the Middle East. In the final analysis, any war on terrorism is ultimately futile unless it punishes all terrorists uniformly, and the Palestinians specifically. GOVERNMENT WITHHOLDING OF CRITICAL INFORMATION As the story of the tragedy unfolded, media talking heads were seemingly in the dark about what was happening and who was responsible for these crashes. The first collision with the WTC was viewed as a possible accident. By the time the second happened, some 16 minutes later, everyone began to suspect terrorism. Yet from the very beginning, many moments before any building was hit, there was one very public government body that had crucial information that a hijacking had taken place, or at the very least that an aircraft was veering away from its destination and heading for NY--the FAA. Airline crashes and hijackings ring big alarm bells at the FAA which monitors and controls all commercial traffic. By law, all commercial aircraft flying in controlled airspace are in constant communication with Air Traffic Control (ATC). Thus, the FAA is going to know when something goes wrong. A hijacking takes time to complete. Pilots are behind a locked cockpit door, so hijackers cannot burst in without flight attendants having a least a few seconds to alert the flight deck. There are intercom stations at both ends of each aircraft accessible to the flight attendants. Even if the hijackers aimed their first actions at the flight deck, it takes time to break down the door. In any case, with the onset of any hijacking emergency it is standard operating procedure for one of the flight crew to key the mike and make a call to ATC. Pilots are also trained to switch the aircraft radar transponder to code 7500 or 7700 indicating (silently) a hijacking or an emergency in progress. In addition, any time the aircraft deviates from its designated route of flight it must contact ATC or ATC will give them a call--all of which is tape recorded. I find it impossible to believe that ATC did not have tape recordings of these emergency calls alerting them to a hijacking. Even during something catastrophic such as an explosion in the air, most pilots still have time to make an emergency call. A hijacking allows more time to react, especially when the only weapons in use are knives. The FAA would have turned these recordings over to the NTSB or FBI, but no federal agency has made mention of their contents even days after the events, and the FBI spokesman in NY specifically told at least one reporter that he had no knowledge of FAA reports. But even that same FBI official made statements at another session about pilot communication and routes changes that could only have been known through FAA provided tape recordings--so we can assume they exist. Strangely, none of the news media asked the FAA if such recordings exist, even though it is common knowledge that ATC communicates with aircraft. Why? The media continues to talk about waiting till the onboard voice and data recorders are found to find out what happened--as if that is the only available source of information. Even after the first voice recorder was located (at the Pentagon crash site), it was announced by one television station that it was blank. This is also strange since these recorders have a 30 minute continuous loop tape that should have some older recorded information on it, even if it failed to record the current flight. Even if the hijackers learned which circuit breakers to pull to disconnect power to the recorder, it would still contain old recorded data. The FBI has already demonstrated a propensity to alter and hide evidence in politically charged cases. They did so in the OKC investigation, working overtime to make it appear as McVeigh and Nichols acted alone, even though there were numerous Middle Eastern accomplices seen by numerous witnesses. In the TWA 800 crash, the cockpit data recorder was found the first day by special Navy divers, altered, and then put back into the sea for later retrieval. Sounds bizarre, but the FBI and CIA took control of the investigation from the NTSB, corrupted the evidence pointing to a missile attack and concocted a fuel tank explosion scenario so bizarre that it took a $2 million computer generated phony reenactment to make this story half-way believable to a gullible public. While I don’t believe the federal government was involved directly in any form of instigation of this particular attack, there are some indications they might want to skew the direction of blame away from the Palestinians. The FBI claimed on the day of the terrorist attacks that they found a car at Boston’s Logan Airport containing written materials in Arabic as well as flight training manuals, which led them to a small pilot training facility in Florida. Jared Israel tracked down the owner of manuals, Huffman Aviation, and quickly determined that his company provided only small aircraft flight training. Rudi Dekker, the owner, did have information, however, about a company in Popana Beach, Florida that could have provided follow-on commercial pilot training with flight simulators. The FBI also claimed that surveillance cameras of the parking structure in the previous weeks showed the same car making multiple trips to the airport, perhaps to scope out the terrain. According to Stratfor.com, they also found a van with pictures of Osama bin Laden and copies of the Koran--an all too convenient link to a sought-after conclusion. Within 2 days of the tragic events of Tuesday (that supposedly caught every intelligence agency completely by surprise), the FBI claimed they had identified 50 participants, including all 18 hijackers, and have accounted for the whereabouts of 40 out of the 50--leaving only ten unaccounted for. In the 1993 WTC bombing investigation, it took years to find less than half a dozen leads. Something doesn’t compute. In order to judge how much of this recent magic is probable or possible one has to know something about the Bureau’s investigative capacity. No agency starting from nothing finds this much evidence so fast. It’s simply too good to be true. Here is what was legitimate. They did do a cross check of the passenger manifest lists with CIA, FBI, and INS “watch lists” of terrorists. Bingo, lots of matches. They also checked on how payment was made for the tickets of these passengers. Apparently, they were able to trace the purchase of all 5 hijackers on the Boston plane to a single credit card--which yields an obvious accomplice. But, here’s the rub. If federal agencies had most of the hijackers and accomplices already in their database of dangerous suspects, why is it that they were not under surveillance and wiretapping? The FBI tapes thousands of innocent American phone conversations without a warrant according to telephone sources, searches through millions of emails via its Carnivore software, and echelon taps virtually everything going overseas. Furthermore, if this large, complex and sophisticated operation was so sophisticated as to evade total scrutiny by the CIA, FBI, INS and NSA, why would the perpetrators be stupid enough to leave a car at Logan airport with telltale flight manuals inside? Why not take a taxi? This operation apparently took place over a 5 year period. Considering the expense of training pilots they could certainly have afforded a taxi ride to the airport. Tickets could have been purchased with cash at separate travel agencies. Either someone is planting evidence to send the FBI off after low-level accomplices (to shield others), or the feds are bringing up predictable suspects that will point to Osama bin Laden--the scapegoat. I have no doubt that Osama bin Laden, after dealing with the double-crossing CIA in his early years, is very anti-American, but I’m suspicious about the US rush to judgment on this issue. US CAUGHT UNPREPARED One of the main reasons why I do not believe the US government was in any way involved in this terrorist act directly--despite strong past evidence of agent provocateur activities in Waco and Oklahoma City--is that the government at all levels was obviously totally unprepared for what happened. Every agency seemed to over-react and go into panic mode. The Secret Service went berserk in their reaction to the possibility of Pres. and Mrs. Bush being specifically targeted. One agent guarding Mrs. Bush recounted to a relative that while moving Mrs. Bush from the halls of Congress to a secret underground bunker in the sub-basement of a Washington building, loaded guns were pointed a Congressional staff members, warning them to clear the way for the First Lady’s entourage--hardly a civil way to treat people on our own side who were trying to leave the Capitol quickly, as they had been instructed. Amid heavy traffic, the caravan reached speeds of nearly 60 mph, and at a grid locked intersection, police cars leading the First Lady’s limo bashed other cars out of the way in order make way--all this without any specific evidence of an enemy lurking nearby to justify such rash actions on innocent citizens. The President was flown from Miami to Barksdale AFB in Louisiana and then to the deep nuclear bunkers in Omaha, Nebraska before coming back to Washington. Vice President Cheney was shipped off to bunkers in Camp David to keep him separate from the President (admittedly, a good precaution). MARTIAL LAW WITHOUT SAYING SO The most draconian measure taken was when the FAA grounded all aircraft in the country and forced the closure of all airports, public and private. I think there was good cause to halt all air commercial air traffic since it was obvious that the entire air security system had broken down, but they went way too far in keeping that lock-down on too long and applying it to small private aircraft operating under Visual Flight Rules (VFR) which don’t even require a flight plan. It is patently unfair to penalize private commerce for the failure of the government to provide proper security in the commercial sector. Look at the reality of US security. The White House and Congress sit under restricted airspace that no one is supposed to fly over, but there exists virtually no military or police means to stop anyone who does. There are usually only a few token National Guard aircraft on alert to patrol our borders--and only to play cat and mouse with Russian bombers who used to routinely violate US airspace. The nation’s capitol used to be guarded by Nike missiles long ago, but they were removed in the 50’s, leaving the center of government virtually unprotected. Until this week, there were no regular air patrols of armed aircraft ready to be called into action to protect critical infrastructure from attack. Why all the talk about Americans having to give up their liberty to have security when our own military policies, which require no sacrifice of personal liberty, are not allowed to do their job? A CRITIQUE OF THE PROPOSED SOLUTIONS Suddenly America has a crisis. It gets caught flat-footed and it over-reacts. Jets are now roaming the skies on 24 hour patrols at great expense and with inadequate numbers of pilots and planes to continue this practice indefinitely. The FAA continues to ban VFR flying by civilian aircraft. Currently, everything that flies has to be under a flight plan, and the ATC system isn’t equipped to handle the added load of all the nation’s small planes. I fear that this ban on free private flying may become permanent. Here’s the official list of new security restrictions mandated by the FAA: • Discontinued curbside check-in and off-airport checked baggage acceptance (a real inconvenience). • Access beyond security checkpoints limited to passengers with electronic or paper tickets, or with ticket confirmations (no more meeting passengers at the gate). • Increased aircraft and airport security inspections (personal inspection of all bags). • Vehicles near airport terminals monitored closely. • No knives of any size on flights, or anything remotely resembling a sharp pointed object. Security at the airports is being beefed up to the point that passengers must arrive 2 hours in advance of each flight just to make it through the detailed bag searches being mandated by the FAA. One cannot carry scissors, small pocket knives, needle nose pliers, multi-tools, or perhaps even large fingernail clippers. Billions of man hours are being lost simply because the federal government refuses to consider a simple, rational solution--that is politically incorrect. THE SOLUTION: ARM THE FLIGHT CREWS In the 50’s and 60’s airline pilots would sometimes carry a revolver in their flight bag, albeit unknown to the company--kind of a don’t ask, don’t tell policy. When the first hijackings occurred, all on flights going to Havana, pilots became more open about carrying weapons for protection. The airlines, with government prodding, disarmed the pilots as a matter of formal policy. Airlines wouldn’t even allow pilots to carry a non-lethal stun gun to subdue a hijacker. The results were predictable when the word got out that airlines are a guaranteed “gun-free” zone. Hijackings skyrocketed. The FAA responded with metal detectors, which are OK, but they’re not foolproof, as we now know. They never have been foolproof. People can still hijack planes with even the threat of a bomb in their carry-on bag, because of airline policies directing flight crews to simply submit to hijackers. Now, its a different ball game. To submit to a hijacker is to die. The only solution is to give crews the means to fight back. I’m a pilot and I know the risks of firing a weapon in a pressurized airplane. While not as catastrophic as depicted in the movies, it does put a small hole in a pressurized skin. Too many holes and the aircraft would have to descend. There are special weapons and rounds that have been developed, however, that won’t penetrate an aircraft, but that will disable a human with blunt force. Yes, there is some risk to passengers in any fight, but now the stakes are high. With hijackers resorting to weak weapons like non-metallic knives, even a canister of pepper spray would be effective. Most pilots would be very competent with pepper spray or a gun, especially with some additional training. Many have former military experience. I’m not suggesting arming flight attendants, however, since they mingle closely with passengers; there is too much danger of having their concealed weapon taken from them forcefully. But with armed pilots and flight engineers behind a solid flight deck door, no plane could be commandeered as happened this week. Hiring armed Air Marshals is also a possibility but not as good an alternative as an armed flight crew. There are thousands of flights per day that have to be protected and the cost to the airlines would be high. Most likely the airlines would economize by using Air Marshalls only on occasional flights as a partial deterrence. On the other hand, pilots could fill the role with no additional expense and are, I believe, capable of receiving training and acting as the ultimate guardians of the aircraft. Indeed, after this week’s experience, they are probably anxious to do so for their own safety. Above all, the deterrent affect of knowing that every aircraft has an armed crew would be dramatic. Best of all, most of these new and costly air travel restrictions could be removed once again. If you agree, let the FAA hear from you. World Affairs Brief, September 21, 2001 THE BUSH SPEECH TO AMERICA: A CRITICAL ANALYSIS Tom Brokow, Peter Jennings and Dan Rather lavished rare praise President Bush following his Churchill-imitating address to the nation. Everyone, it seems, is caught up in the lemming-like fervor to go to war against terrorism. Even Bush critic Pat Buchanan said after the speech that Bush has finally risen to the full stature of a President. I respectfully disagree. Everything about this speech was a fraud. Even at the expense of appearing unpatriotic, someone has to declare the truth: that the “emperor has no clothes.” Bush is no Churchill. Churchill was a master of oratory. He wrote his own speeches. Churchill’s resolve was real. The Bush “resolute look” was tutored and practiced for hours in front of speech specialists, helping him overcome many of the normal facial quirks that betray this President’s amateurish personality and phraseology. Bush’s speech was written for him by the slickest team of wordsmiths money can buy--none of whom have any principles. They write speeches based only on what will sell. Even if the words are true, the motives are not. They use a stock format developed to a fine art by the Clinton team during prior State of the Union speeches, including: • Carefully crafted generalities that promise something for everyone, and offend no one--all the while consciously omitting the specifics that would allow the listener to discern the contradictions with reality or principles that underlie each statement. My intent will be to clarify those contradictions. • Liberal use of emotional and patriotic catchwords and phrases, like God, prayer, liberty, and freedom, without any real correlation to a true devotion to these concepts that would make such references honest and without hypocrisy. • Praise for two or three token heroes brought into the galleries for special recognition. These people are being used for propaganda purposes and to provide images of support that leave no room for dissent or criticism. The Bush team predictably brought in the wife of a courageous passenger, the PM of Britain, a fireman, plus the Mayor and Governor of NY. • Special emotional phrases meant to engender the spectacle of robot-like standing ovations at two minute intervals. So overdone is this mechanistic ploy that faces were dour at having to play along, and most hands were clapping in only token enthusiasm. And yet not a soul could afford, politically, to be seen NOT standing and not clapping. Even Hillary would reluctantly clap, while carrying on a diversionary conversation with Chuck Shumer (D-NY). THE SUBTLE ERRORS, CONTRADICTIONS AND HYPOCRISY 1) In response to his query, “Who attacked our country?” Bush said, “The evidence we have gathered all points to a collection of loosely affiliated terrorist organizations known as Al Qaeda. They are the same murderers indicted for bombing American embassies in Tanzania and Kenya, and responsible for the bombing of the USS Cole.” This is possibly true, but the US really doesn’t know this for sure. What this response does is purposely lead the listener to a specific blamable subject and allow the US to avoid hitting other terrorists that they have ongoing “arrangements” with. Indeed, it is impossible at this point to pin the blame on any single organization because of the cross-connections between all Middle Eastern terrorist organizations. Most of the known hijackers can be linked with any one of half a dozen different organizations--so take your pick. Bush is selectively picking only one because it matches the need to go after Afghanistan and the Taliban, which have the fewest friends, internationally, and which provide the best opportunity for a big first military thrust that will make all this war hysteria justifiable. 2) To pacify the public about the long-term dangers of radical Islam, Bush said, “The terrorists practice a fringe form of Islamic extremism that has been rejected by Muslim scholars and the vast majority of Muslim clerics, a fringe movement that perverts the peaceful teachings of Islam. The terrorists' directive commands them to kill Christians and Jews, to kill all Americans, and make no distinctions among military and civilians, including women and children.” It is correct not to paint all Muslims as evil, but radical Islamic fundamentalism is far from a fringe movement. Indeed, it is very inaccurate to depict this radical movement as small and without support. It has broad based historical and doctrinal support going back centuries to when Arabs set out to conquer and forcefully convert whole continents. It has a huge following in all Islamic nations and threatens the balance of power within every country in the Middle East. I believe that the fervor and ideological hatred being generated by fundamentalist Islam is capable of crushing the moderates among them. One of the things that makes this possible is the irrational mob mentality that so easily captivates young Muslims. Whether this dangerous personality weakness is cultural or innate, it is real and millions of young Muslims are being radicalized in their hatred against the US as you read this. In downplaying this danger of Islamic Jihad (holy war), Pres. Bush is denying Americans a realistic understanding of the threat to world stability that Islamic Jihad represents. 3) “The United States respects the people of Afghanistan — after all, we are currently its largest source of humanitarian aid — but we condemn the Taliban regime. It is not only repressing its own people, it is threatening people everywhere by sponsoring and sheltering and supplying terrorists. By aiding and abetting murder, the Taliban regime is committing murder.” Clearly the Bush administration is going after the Taliban--not just Osama bin Laden. The capture of bin Laden would be too easy and let the air out of this campaign before it has achieved its hidden agenda. Going after the Taliban allows the US in intervene in affairs of an entire nation and replace this hostile regime with one more compliant to the NWO. Bush claims to support the people of Afghanistan, but he leaves out many details that belie that support. Bush had to admit that the US is currently the “largest source of humanitarian aid” to Afghanistan since this fact has been widely reported on the internet in the past week. But it wasn’t humanitarian aid. What Bush neglected to tell his audience is that the $43 million Bush authorized for Afghanistan in May of this year went directly to the Taliban supposedly for cocaine trade counter-measures--even though the Bush administration knows that the Taliban manages all cocaine trade in the country. So, how can Bush claim to “condemn the Taliban regime” when it just gave the regime $43 million? Fact is, the money never went to the Afghan people and Bush knows it. Bush said that “by aiding and abetting murder, the Taliban is committing murder,” but in reality the Bush administration is aiding and abetting the very enemy they claim to condemn. The only true statement Bush makes here is that the Taliban is repressing its own people. But they knew that before. Why give them aid then and pretend it went to the people? 4) “The United States of America makes the following demands on the Taliban: • Deliver to United States authorities all the leaders of Al Qaeda who hide in your land. • Release all foreign nationals, including American citizens, you have unjustly imprisoned, and protect foreign journalists, diplomats, and aid workers in your country. • Close immediately and permanently every terrorist training camp in Afghanistan and hand over every terrorist, and every person in their support structure, to appropriate authorities. • Give the United States full access to terrorist training camps, so we can make sure they are no longer operating. These demands are not open to negotiation or discussion. The Taliban must act and act immediately. They will hand over the terrorists, or they will share in their fate.” There are two levels of hypocrisy in this set of demands. First, the US never allows any of its allies (e.g., Israel, Ireland) to engage in these kinds of “take it or leave it” demands without condemning them for refusing to “engage” the terrorists in the “peace process.” Second, Bush isn’t telling his audience that these demands are specifically designed to be impossible to comply with--thus guaranteeing that the US will be justified in attacking Afghanistan. No country can know when they have delivered “all the leaders of Al Qaeda” because no such list exists. First, there’s the question of what constitutes a “leader,” and second, most leaders of Al Qaeda are from other Arab nations and are not physically present in Afghanistan. The same goes for the demand to “hand over every terrorist, and every person in their support structure, to appropriate authorities.” How does anyone define support people? How do you know if you’ve complied without a US presented list? Of course, we know what the US means by “appropriate authorities” --a rigged UN tribunal lacking many essential rights to due process. For its part, the US has virtually no intelligence assets on the ground in Afghanistan. US military forces don’t even have translators who speak the southern Afghan dialect. How would they know any of the specifics necessary to judge compliance with their demands? To say that these demands are “not open to negotiation or discussion” means that no clarification can be had on these ambiguous issues--a catch-22 situation that clearly indicates the Bush administration doesn’t want a peaceful resolution. Shame on the Congress for applauding this radical agenda. China just signed a pact of mutual support with the Taliban a few days before this speech. Perhaps that is one reason the Taliban’s reaction today to Bush was defiant. Overall, I am skeptical of the Bush assertion that the US “respects the people of Afghanistan.” I worry about the innocent people who are shortly to become collateral damage in the wake of the US juggernaut. 5) “Our war on terror begins with Al Qaeda, but it does not end there. It will not end until every terrorist group of global reach has been found, stopped, and defeated.” This is pure bravado. It can’t be done. The Palestinians rabble-rouse and radicalize more terrorists in a month than the US will eliminate in a year--and the US protects them from Israeli retaliation through various forms of pressure. Remember, this proclamation of intent to prosecute terrorism comes from a nation that has funded and made secret deals with terrorist organizations for at least 30 years. Why should we believe Bush now when the US has never even owned up to its illegal and secret support of terrorists in past years? Some US double dealing has even been done in the light of day. Remember when the US rescued Yassir Arafat from defeat in Lebanon and used taxpayer moneys to send in the Marines and fly hundreds of PLO terrorists to safety? Did that reform Arafat? Hardly. He’s still at it, with the help of millions in US aid each year. 6) “Why do they hate us?” Bush asks rhetorically. “They hate what we see right here in this chamber, a democratically elected government. Their leaders are self-appointed. They hate our freedoms — our freedom of religion, our freedom of speech, our freedom to vote.” This is NOT why the radical Muslims hate us. If this were the real reason, terrorists would be attacking other democratic nations like Switzerland or Japan. The real reason they hate the US because it has become the bully of the world, intervening under globalist pretenses into every nation on earth. The proclaimed motive is always to “protect human rights,” but the real purpose is to establish global hegemony over every nation on earth and reduce national sovereignty to a euphemistic label. Muslims and Arabs hate the West because the West has betrayed them for centuries and betrayed every agreements they have made. Finally, they hate the West because they are allied with Russia, who has faithfully supplied them with weapons and explosives (for its own hegemonic ambitions), and who is inexorably leading Islam into a future war with the West of horrific proportions. The globalist insiders who call the shots for Bush also want war to bring about their vaunted NWO purposes, and I believe that the true hidden agenda behind this proclaimed war on terrorism is to further antagonize and polarize the world prior to the coming war on the West. However it is probable that the young Bush doesn’t know the ulterior motives behind his bold war of agitation. His father probably knows, but I think Dubya is just reading a script. 7) “They want to overthrow existing governments in many Muslim countries, such as Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Jordan. They want to drive Israel out of the Middle East. They want to drive Christians and Jews out of vast regions of Asia and Africa.” What Bush says here is true, and with this statement the speech writers have given us a hint of what this new war is all about. I believe that in the name of SAVING other countries from terrorism, the US will now have a new and unique excuse to intervene with and bully the world. This is borne out by the Bush statements of how broad ranging and varied the attacks will be, as well as the indefinite timeline he lays out: “Our response involves far more than instant retaliation and isolated strikes. Americans should not expect one battle, but a lengthy campaign, unlike any other we have seen. It may include dramatic strikes, visible on television, and covert operations, secret even in success. We will starve terrorists of funding, turn them one against another, drive them from place to place, until there is no refuge or rest. And we will pursue nations that provide aid or safe haven to terrorism. Every nation in every region now has a decision to make. Either you are with us, or you are with the terrorists. From this day forward, any nation that continues to harbor or support terrorism will be regarded by the United States as a hostile regime.” These are very threatening statements and are hypocritical as well. The US through FINCEN has long tracked the trail of money feeding terrorism. The US has even provided much of this money through the cover of aid to the very countries which harbor terrorism--who are all known to US intelligence. The primary nations supporting terrorism are RUSSIA, followed by CHINA. Any bets about whether Bush is going to attack these two monsters? The new Bush war will be highly selective. That is why this statement is both true and a lie. 8) “Today, dozens of federal departments and agencies, as well as state and local governments, have responsibilities affecting homeland security. These efforts must be coordinated at the highest level. So tonight I announce the creation of a Cabinet-level position reporting directly to me — the Office of Homeland Security. These measures are essential. But the only way to defeat terrorism as a threat to our way of life is to stop it, eliminate it and destroy it where it grows.... We will come together to give law enforcement the additional tools it needs to track down terror here at home. We will come together to strengthen our intelligence capabilities to know the plans of terrorists before they act, and find them before they strike.” These words reflect hints that the government spokesmen have been dropping for the past week--the need for more power and further reduction of private liberties. I’ve seen an advance copy of Attorney General Ashcroft’s new legislative proposal for increased law enforcement powers. They are ominous, but really only seek to legitimatize what government already does illegally. Even though this legislation is being justified as a means to fighting terrorism, it’s amazing how much of Ashcroft’s proposals have nothing to do with terrorism. How does expanding the types of private property that can be confiscated by the feds for drug busts affect the war on terrorism? But sadly, Congressional opposition has dried up. Out of fear of appearing an obstructionist to this holy war, there is a de facto silencing of voices of reason. Whether America will seriously beef up its homeland defense remains to be seen. We have far more facilities to protect than we have police and military combined, so I think we will still remain relatively vulnerable to most small scale terrorist strikes. 9) There is a globalist sweep to this agenda. Bush calls for world unity behind the war: “We ask every nation to join us. We will ask, and we will need, the help of police forces, intelligence services, and banking systems around the world. The United States is grateful that many nations and many international organizations have already responded with sympathy and with support. Nations from Latin America, to Asia, to Africa, to Europe, to the Islamic world. Perhaps the NATO Charter reflects best the attitude of the world: an attack on one is an attack on all.” Nice words, but the truth is the US has had deep connections with all the world’s police and intel forces for years--and such connections have never helped eradicate terrorism before. Most of these forces are too busy reaping the profits from government sponsored drug pipelines. Most terrorist groups form portions of these drug networks, sharing in the profits to finance their works of death. If things change now, it is only because the Powers That Be are switching agendas from supporting or tolerating terrorism to selective eradication. 10) Lastly, there is the promise of a bailout for everyone: “We will come together to improve air safety, to dramatically expand the number of air marshals on domestic flights, and take new measures to prevent hijacking. We will come together to promote stability and keep our airlines flying with direct assistance during this emergency...We will come together to take active steps that strengthen America's economy and put our people back to work.” Bush and the FAA are refusing to allow the most simple and cost effective of the air safety alternatives (arming the aircrews). Instead he asks for us to be patient with the millions of dollars and man hours lost due to the new spat of restrictions. Instead of allowing the airlines to get back to normal fast, we will keep them hog-tied with inefficiency, spend billions in direct assistance, and force up ticket prices as well. And what about all the other people harmed by this event? What will the socialist Republicans say to the victims’ families, the insurance companies, the travel agents, and every other sector of society who wants a bailout too? Going down this path is a recipe for financial disaster and a guaranteed tax bite that no one will relish. The most dangerous words I’m hearing lately from Capitol Hill are “money is no object.” When money is no object, then someone is about to play loose with financial responsibility, and our liberties. Here’s the bottom line--two tests for determining Bush’s true resolve on this matter: 1) If this is a real war on terrorism, Bush will actually do what he claims: He will hit all terrorists everywhere, including host nations like Russia, Iran, Syria, Libya, North Korea, Cuba, and China. This will never happen. 2) If this war is real, terrorism will fight back with increased fanaticism and will strike the US constantly and steadily, with everything from petty bombings to biological and chemical attacks. If we DON’T SEE a massive increase in terrorism, I will be very suspicious that someone is still controlling terrorism and making it appear as if this phony war is successful. If you want to see what a legitimate fight against terrorism looks like, watch Israel. Its government plays the game with one hand tied behind its back, and the results are daily attacks against Israeli civilians. If we don’t see the same thing here, with our much weaker military and police presence on the streets, something will be very wrong with this picture. World Affairs Brief, September 28, 2001 MORE BACKGROUND ON CIA CREATION OF ISLAMIC TERRORISM AND RECENT CONTACTS The following comes from an article in The Hindu by Shamsul Islam, of the Department of Political Science, Satyawati College, University of Delhi, published on September 26, 2001. [courtesy of a posting by www.emperors-clothes.com.] “The unprecedented deaths and destruction in two cities of the US on September 11 has stirred the conscience of the world. It was the most lethal, ruthless and daring terrorist strike on the nerve center of the world's most powerful nation today. The US, which promises to guarantee security to the world, was found wanting in checking the terrorist strikes at home for more than 40 minutes when the terrorists had the free run of its major airports, highjacking not one or two but four domestic planes to be used as flying bombs. It did not take long for the US establishment to identify the culprits who masterminded these terrorist acts. These were the `evil' forces of `Islamic terrorism' led by Osama bin Laden. The mainstream US media went on to explain these terrorist attacks in the context of the `clash of civilizations' thesis of Samuel Huntington. There were urgent calls for "forming a global alliance that will use all tools - diplomatic, political, economic, educational, investigative, and where appropriate, force - to pursue and root out the terrorist criminals and their supporters...'' “But it is really surprising that the US, mecca of information technology with its super computers and all kinds of data bases, should be so greatly short of memory about Osama bin Laden. The media in the US these days is full of biographical sketches of Osama bin Laden in which he appears on the world scene in 1990 opposing the Gulf War and then is shown growing into an anti-West monster, finally, targeting the US on `Black Tuesday'. However, it may be news to many ears that Osama's journey as a terrorist did not start in 1990-1991. Any honest biographical description of Osama should not overlook his activities in the 1980s when he was deputed by the CIA to Afghanistan to finance and oversee the resistance to the Soviets. He was groomed as a theocratic-terrorist by the US openly. “In fact, there is lot of weight in the thesis that the modern Jehadi-Islam is a byproduct of intrigues by the West to keep the Islamic world under its suzerainty, devoid of any kind of democratic processes. And also to use it as a whipping boy occasionally whenever attention needs to be diverted from issues raised by anti-globalization campaigners. The Revolutionary Association of the Women of Afghanistan (RAWA), which has a long tradition of opposing the Taliban regime and paying for it with blood, raised this issue in its September 14 press statement. While condemning the terrorist attack, the statement went on to underline the fact that "the people of Afghanistan have nothing to do with Osama and his accomplices. “But unfortunately we must say that it was the Government of the United States who supported Pakistani dictator Gen. Zia-ul-Haq in creating thousands of religious schools from which the germs of Taliban emerged. In the similar way, as is clear to all, Osama has been the blue-eyed boy of the CIA''. How the US and the CIA created Osama and his network has been well-documented in the book "Taliban: Militant Islam, Oil and Fundamentalism in Central Asia'' by Ahmed Rashid who is the Pakistan, Afghanistan and Central Asia correspondent for the Far Eastern Economic Review and The Daily Telegraph of London. This book which has been published by the Yale University Press clearly shows who in reality created Osama. Ahmed Rashid in his superb expose is able to present the factual linkages between the US and the `monster' which it created. Some of the excerpts are too revealing too be missed. In 1986, CIA chief William Casey had stepped up the war against the Soviet Union by taking three significant, but at that time highly secret, measures. He had persuaded the US Congress to provide the Mujaheddin with American-made Stinger anti-aircraft missiles to shoot down Soviet planes and provide US advisers to train the guerrillas. The CIA, Britain's MI6 and the ISI (Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence) also agreed on a provocative plan to launch guerrilla attacks into the Soviet Socialist Republics of Tajikistan and Uzbekistan, the soft Muslim underbelly of the Soviet state from where Soviet troops in Afghanistan received their supplies. Casey was delighted with the news, and on his next secret trip to Pakistan he crossed the border into Afghanistan with President Zia to review the Mujaheddin groups. "Thirdly, Casey committed CIA support to a long-standing ISI initiative to recruit radical Muslims from around the world to come to Pakistan and fight with the Afghan Mujaheddin. Washington wanted to demonstrate that the entire Muslim world was fighting the Soviet Union alongside the Afghans and their American benefactors.'' “The book also goes on to show in graphic detail how harmless madrassas [Islamic religious schools associated with a Mosque. For a more in-depth reading on the radicalization of these schools, see: http://www.ipcs.org/issues/articles/314-pak-suba.html] were turned into factories for breeding religious guerrillas. "... between 1982 and 1992, some 35,000 Muslim radicals from 43 Islamic countries in the Middle East, North and East Africa, Central Asia and the Far East would pass their baptism under fire with the Afghan Mujaheddin. Tens of thousands more foreign Muslim radicals came to study in the hundreds of new madrassas that Zia's military government began to fund in Pakistan and along the Afghan border. Eventually more than 100,000 Muslim radicals were to have direct contact with Pakistan and Afghanistan and be influenced by the jihad... "In camps near Peshawar and in Afghanistan, these radicals met each other for the first time and studied, trained and fought together. It was the first opportunity for most of them to learn about Islamic movements in other countries, and they forged tactical and ideological links that would serve them well in the future. “The camps became virtual universities for future Islamic radicalism''. Interesting details of Osama's recruitment by the CIA for jehad [jihad] in Afghanistan are also available in this book. "Among these thousands of foreign recruits was a young Saudi student, Osama Bin Laden, the son of a Yemeni construction magnate, Mohammed Bin Laden, who was a close friend of the late King Faisal and whose company had become fabulously wealthy on the contracts to renovate and expand the Holy Mosques of Mecca and Medina. The ISI had long wanted Prince Turki Bin Faisal, the head of Istakhbarat, the Saudi Intelligence Service, to provide a Royal Prince to lead the Saudi contingent in order to show Muslims the commitment of the Royal Family to the jehad. Only poorer Saudis, students, taxi drivers and Bedouin tribesmen had so far arrived to fight. But no pampered Saudi prince was ready to rough it out in the Afghan mountains. Bin Laden, although not a royal, was close enough to the royals and certainly wealthy enough to lead the Saudi contingent so when Bin Laden decided to join up, his family responded enthusiastically. “He first traveled to Peshawar in 1980 and met the Mujaheddin leaders, returning frequently with Saudi donations for the cause until 1982, when he decided to settle in Peshawar. In 1986, he helped build the Khost tunnel complex, which the CIA was funding as a major arms storage depot, training facility and medical center for the Mujaheddin, deep under the mountains close to the Pakistan border.'' The book also demolishes the CIA claim that after 1990 there were no contacts with Osama. Surprisingly, just a few weeks before the US Embassy bombings in Africa, the book tells us, "the Saudi conundrum was even worse. In July 1998 Prince Turki had visited Kandahar and a few weeks later 400 new pick-up trucks arrived in Kandahar for the Taliban, still bearing their Dubai license plates''. This all shows that any meaningful fight back against world terrorism today will have to begin from the backyard of the US” [end of Islam quote] World Affairs Brief, October 12, 2001 EVIDENCES OF PRIOR KNOWLEDGE (I am indebted to the research of Dr. Stan Montieth for many of these findings. Hear his radio broadcasts at www.radioliberty.com or order his September Radio Liberty Report and other fine materials at 1-800-544-8927.) 1. Israeli Mossad warned the US a week in advance Numerous sources in Jerusalem and the UK published reports from Israel that the Mossad had sent a major warning to the CIA a week prior to the 9/11 terror attack that “large-scale terrorist attacks on highly visible targets on the American mainland were imminent.” The CIA claims they get these all the time and didn’t take it seriously. Now the CIA is issuing daily warnings and they expect us to take them seriously! 2. The FBI was tracking at least two of the terrorists According to the LA Times, the FBI was tracking at least two of the hijackers prior to the event and failed to notify airlines. If the names of Khalid Al-Midhar and Nawaq Alhamzi had been passed to the airlines, they would not have been able to buy tickets on that fateful day. 3. Financial speculators shorted airline stocks before the crash The New York Times reported the findings of Ernest Welteke (German Bundesbank) that “There have been fundamental movements in these markets (airline stocks) and the oil price rise just ahead of the attacks is otherwise inexplicable.” The US government claims to be investigating who placed these massive short positions, but have not reported any findings. Experts say it would take less than 1 hour to track these transactions down. Why the silence? 4. Certain VIPs were warned against travel The San Francisco Chronicle reported that Mayor Brown was called eight hours before the attack and warned that “Americans should be cautious in their travel.” (I consider this a general warning only since none of the planes involved were on the West Coast). Author Salman Rushdie (who has written anti-Islamic works) was warned by the FAA on Sept. 3 not to fly to Canada and the US, according to the London Times. 5. Certain military bases and overseas embassies were put on high alert The Defense Language Institute in Monterey was put on alert prior to the attacks, as well as some overseas embassies and military bases. This is not definitive evidence, as there are other reasons for going on alert, but one has to question why the public was not warned. 6. CIA had advance warning of a plot to destroy buildings with hijacked airliners I reported previously on Project Bojinka--the code name of a terrorist plot uncovered in the Philippines (where there are numerous Islamic terrorist activities). The CIA failed to surveil any fight schools in anticipation of this threat. 7. Suppression of Flight School warnings by higher authority in the FBI According to wire services, FBI agents in Minneapolis, MN arrested Zacarias Moussaoui, an Algerian with French citizenship, on immigration charges. He was arrested after a tip from a local flight school that reported that the suspect wanted to be trained in flying a large jet aircraft, but said that he did not want to take the time to learn how to take off or land. The FBI knew he was a terrorist on French watch lists, but refused to pursue the case or issue search warrants on orders from higher authority, according to Phil Brennan of NewsMax.com (Oct 8, 2001) and David Schippers (see below). World Affairs Brief, October 19, 2001 CONTRADICTIONS IN THE WAR ON TERRORISM For weeks, I have been making a case for the fact that the Bush administration is only prosecuting the war on terrorism in a very selective manner. However, this past week, the Bush team has begun to show signs of not being so selective. They have alerted the Israelis that they are going to go after Hamas and the Lebanese-based Hezbollah, two of the most virulent groups of terrorists in the Middle East. It still remains to be seen how or if these terrorists threats will be prosecuted. While this policy seems to add credence to their offensive against terrorism, note that Arafat himself is still favored by the US, and has even been welcomed into the anti-terror coalition by both Bush and Tony Blair. In fact, Blair held a major press conference side by side with Arafat, praising his commitment to peace, just hours before Palestinian assassins gunned down Israeli Minister Rehavam Ze’evi, Israel’s highest ranking outspoken critic of the Oslo accords. The only beneficial result of Ze’evi’s martyrdom was that it temporarily stymied US intents to elevate Arafat to sainthood and force Israel to deliver to Arafat his desired Palestinian state. Bush himself is careful not to cozy up to Arafat publicly. This tells me that Bush still wants to publicly distance himself from this wily snake--not because Bush doesn’t intend to keep forcing Israel toward a disastrous negotiated settlement with the PLO, but because Bush doesn’t want to be held liable for Arafat’s unpredictable antics, should he suddenly bite the hands that feeds. This contradiction in US policy, claiming to lead a worldwide war on terrorism while openly supporting a long-time international terrorist leader, is only one example of the hypocrisy of our leaders in dealing with terrorism. Indeed, the globalist leaders in the US, Britain, and other nations are adept at playing both sides of the fence in these conflicts: pretending to champion the cause of liberty, while lending aid and support to terrorist organizations behind the scenes. Here are just a few examples: • Tony Blair, Britain’s Leftist PM and supposed biggest supporter of the war on terrorism, has a long history of appeasement of terrorism. In 1998 he released the Balcombe Street IRA gang from prison, in return for promises of IRA weapons decommissioning which were never fulfilled. This year he released hundreds of IRA prisoners on the basis of the same worn-out promise. London is also the fundraising headquarters for Europe of almost every international terrorist organization. They operate openly there. • The Dublin government of Northern Ireland has joined in the anti-terror coalition (as has almost every other nation harboring terrorism), notwithstanding a long history of shielding IRA weapons, including helicopters which are almost impossible to hide for long without government complicity. • Speaking of complicity, in 1988, during the Republican Bush Sr. administration, the US shipped arms, ammunition and Stinger missiles to the IRA in a CIA C-130 aircraft, via Dublin. Whistleblowers to this operation included Stephen Crittenden, owner of a CIA airline operation, and former IRA member Michael Martin, who helped unload the aircraft. The subsequent US administration under Bill Clinton openly gave honor and recognition to Sinn Fein’s Gerry Adams, political leader of the terrorist IRA, and also facilitated other arms shipments. The IRA operates a huge fundraising organization in the US, and this pipeline of cash has still not been shut down or frozen despite assurances by the current Bush administration that they would shut down the money supply to all terrorist groups everywhere. Thus, all three recent US administrations are guilty of continuing covert support of the terrorist IRA. As we watch this selective war on terrorism unfold, keep in mind what the globalist leaders did during WWII. It is true that globalist insiders funded and facilitated the rise of Hitler. They appeased him and gave him the silent wink, unleashing Hitler on Poland and Czechoslovakia. When war fully emerged, the West, by all appearances, began to prosecute the war vigorously. But it was not to last. As the tide began to turn to victory, the seeds of betrayal of Western interests began to emerge, affecting how the war would end. Secret concessions at Yalta and Tehran were made to the next future enemy (Russia) in order to facilitate its growth and power in the aftermath of war. Similarly, in the Gulf War, we saw the ending turn sour as Saddam Hussein was allowed to remain in power. I suspect no matter how far it appears that Bush will push this war on terrorism, he will never completely eliminate the core threats in the Middle East, in Ireland, in South Asia, or even in Latin America--areas where terrorism is allowed and fomented as an agent for change. In general, if there does emerge a pattern indicating which groups Bush protects and which he takes down, it will develop along the lines of who has been controllable in the past versus which groups have now grown beyond control, and therefore must be pared down to size. World Affairs Brief November 9, 2001 MORE EVIDENCE OF US FOREKNOWLEDGE: Tom Kenny of the National Urban Search and Rescue (Part of FEMA) told Dan Rather in an interview this week: “we were currently one of the first teams that was deployed to the city of NY for this disaster. We arrived late Monday Night and went into action on Tuesday morning.” Who gave them the orders to deploy to New York the night before? Dan Rather never asked. You can hear the interview for yourself at : http://www.halturnershow.com/fema.ram NEW ANALYSIS ON THE HIJACKERS There is growing evidence that all or some of the 19 hijackers listed by the FBI were not actually on board the doomed aircraft. This much we know: All hijackers came through airline security with a government issued photo-ID which matched their facial identity. But we have no assurance that the name listed on the ID matched the face. It is highly improbable, in fact, that hijackers with access to this level of sophistication and planning would use their own identities. Why not use the identities of known hijackers that your organization wants to make disappear? What better way to disappear than to have the FBI assume you died on Flight 77 or Flight 11? The FBI knows this is a common ruse, so it is strange that they would publish the names of all the hijackers so quickly and confidently without ensuring that these men are in fact dead--which is no easy task without identifiable body parts. The FBI claims that they took the names right off of the passenger manifests and matched them with their computer “watch lists.” Strangely, as pointed out by Gary North, the passenger manifest lists published by CNN are missing all the names of the Arab hijackers. After over a week of my appeals to CNN to remedy this oversight, they are stonewalling, telling me they are “looking into it.” What’s to look into? Just give us the list. With this kind of obfuscation going on, I’m not sure we could trust the list even if they provided it. I’m also not buying the all-too-suspicious story about the abysmal flying records of the supposed hijacker-pilots as they attempted to learn to fly at various private flight schools in Florida, Minnesota and elsewhere. First, even though it doesn’t take a lot of talent to fly an airliner once in cruise mode, it does take talent and training (hands on in a real aircraft) to navigate over a long distance and then execute a fairly rapid descent and do a tightly controlled descending turn as was required in the attack on the Pentagon. It is highly unlikely that those Arab students who were washed out of flight school did these maneuvers. Secondly, there actually is an Arab run flight school in the US, with lessons taught in Arabic. Delta-Qualiflight Aeronautics, run by Khaled Miloud, operates at the Fort Worth Meacham field. Just this week, despite assurances by the newly implemented Office of Homeland Security that “the American people can have confidence that their government is working around the clock to protect them,” 14 Syrian students were allowed to enter the US in order to enroll at this flight school. Given the availability of such a program for the hijackers in training, why would the terrorists go searching for English speaking flight schools in other states? Doesn’t make sense. Let’s look at another possibility. Realistically, if a large Arab terrorist organization were going to implement training for this type of attack, they would have relied upon one of the nations that sponsor terrorism (Iraq, Syria, Libya, Iran or Egypt)--all of which have fleets of airliners and trained pilots--to host the training. Then, to divert attention away from these nations, the cell’s leaders would send low level future suicide participants (expendable if they get caught) to enroll in relatively cheap US small aircraft schools. That’s what I think happened. This does not release the FBI from their responsibility to track these flight school students, nor does it excuse their ineptitude in the task. In fact, there is evidence, as I presented last week, that the FBI purposely shut down any investigations that tried to highlight Arab attempts to get partial flight training, thwarting even speculation to the end that such an attack as happened last month was being planned. World Affairs Brief, December 28, 2001 FBI CONTINUES TO COVER UP PILOT COMMUNICATIONS RELATED TO SEPT 11 In all major conspiratorial events, evidence related to the event continues to surface over time, and if the government is involved, it demonstrates its collusion by the degree to which it attempts to suppress and cover up the emerging evidence. As in the JFK assassination and the downing of TWA 800 by a missile, we are beginning to see the same pattern of obfuscation, denial, and cover-up by federal agencies in the September 11th tragedy--especially by the FBI, the military, and the FAA. Some of the biggest questions about the events of 9/11 center around the hijacking of the various airliners: how the pilots reacted, and what actions the government took via the military to impede the results. Pilots have instant access to Air Traffic Control (ATC) with a push of a button on the control yoke. In contrast, it takes time for a hijacker to take over the cabin and then deal with the pilots who are in a separate compartment behind a locked aluminum sliding door. We know, by FAA admission, that in each and every case the pilots had time to communicate their emergency to ATC. In at least two cases the pilots were able to change the transponder code to 7700 for “emergency in progress” before the hijackers took control and switched off the transponder. The FAA and US military have standing orders and written procedures on how to intercept and deal with aircraft hijackings. The FAA has said that it alerted military authorities in Colorado at the first signs of a hijacking. Yet we know that a few aircraft were scrambled and that all others were grounded and prohibited from reacting according to standing procedures. One of my subscribers is friends with an air traffic controller at McGuire AFB in New Jersey. His friend confided to him that “he was on duty at the time of the crashes into the towers. They got a phone call in between the first and second 'hit'. His superior told him that ‘NO take-off's were permitted ... NONE at all.’” This was too early to be a direct result of shutting down all flights nationwide--which only affected private and commercial flights--not military. Here we have evidence of the US military acting in direct opposition to national defense--acting on orders from above. These orders couldn’t have come from Bush, who was engaged at an elementary school, so higher military officials were either taking orders from someone else at the White House or acting on predetermined orders. I find it also very strange that flight data and voice recorders from all the 9/11 crashes except Flight 93 (which crashed or was shot down over Pennsylvania) have been declared not found, destroyed, or unreadable. These declarations are without precedent in aviation accident history, and especially preposterous when we consider that the FBI claims to have found letters, passports and other fragile documents belonging to the supposed Arab hijackers amidst the tons of rubble of the WTC--and yet they couldn’t find crash hardened data recorders. The data and voice recorders are designed to survive both the crash and resulting fire and almost always do. Why not this time? Now the FBI tells us they will not be releasing the lone cockpit voice recorder that survived Flight 93 because “it would be too traumatic for the surviving families.” What could be more traumatic that what they already know? This is just another blatant excuse to withhold even more information about the tragedies. There has to be a good reason why the FBI refuses to release this voice recorder, and I think it has to do with the fact that it may not have been a hijacking at all that took down this aircraft. It is becoming evident that Flight 93 was shot down by an unmarked white jet that was seen intercepting Flight 93 and following it down as it crashed. The jet was witnessed in detail by several people on the ground. One military witness claims he heard a missile being fired. In addition, the main body of the engine of Flight 93 was found miles from the main wreckage site, with damage comparable to that which a heat seeking missile would do to an airliner. There were also personal papers, and articles of clothing from the plane found miles from the crash. The government is now saying these were carried up into the air by the crash fireball--but no such occurrence has happened in other crashes. The existing body of evidence is found at on a website at www.flight93crash.com. The author of the website doesn’t draw any conclusions except that Flight 93 didn’t go down as the public has been told and that the government knows why and isn’t telling. World Affairs Brief, February 1, 2002. MORE ATTEMPTS TO HIDE TRUTH BY BUSH ADMINISTRATION Two stories have emerged this week further indicating that the Bush administration is aware of wrongdoing within the government and attempting to cover up. First, in a private meeting with Sen. Majority Leader Tom Daschle and other leaders of Congress, President Bush pushed to limit the scope of any Congressional investigation of the 9/11 attack on the World Trade Center. The meeting was called by Bush, indicating that he was sufficiently worried about the results of such an investigation, and was attempting to forestall it through a little arm twisting. I think he and others up the chain are worried that Congress may discover or reveal to the public one or more of the numerous pieces of evidence that point to government prior knowledge of the events, and its recent relations with Osama bin Laden. Bush knows that there are various witnesses who can give damaging testimony about government involvement--such as FEMA’s Tom Kenny, who has been kept completely out of sight and beyond the reach of any media interviews since he told Dan Rather that he and his team were sent to NYC on Monday prior to the 9/11 disaster; or the CIA station chief in Dubai, Saudi Arabia, who knows of US officials’ contacts with Osama bin Laden in the American hospital where bin Laden was being treated for kidney disease. Even if the Bush administration is able to skirt the prior knowledge charges, they would certainly have trouble avoiding blame for egregious intelligence failures relative to the attacks--attacks committed by persons well known to the CIA and FBI and who were already in their computer files. Second, Bush made an impassioned attack against Congressional efforts to force the administration to reveal what was discussed with Enron during the secret meetings on energy policy with VP Cheney. The President said he must have the right to preserve a visitor’s private conversations if he is to be successful in getting people to talk with government. Hogwash! Bush might have had a point if the subject of the meeting were a matter of true national security or a criminal investigation, but this was supposedly a matter of government energy policy--something easily within the scope of government open meeting guidelines. The only possible reason for wanting to maintain secrecy was to conceal government collusion with certain favored companies--designing policies and energy rates that would give those companies a favorable advantage in the market place. We have the testimony of former Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Chairman Curtis Herbert, Jr., who claimed that he was forced to submit to an interview with Enron Chairman Kenneth Lay prior to being considered for the post, and that Lay made improper demands to him about energy policy after he was installed. Herbert also claims to have been removed by President Bush after he refused to comply with Lay’s demands. If this is true, Bush has some explaining to do about why Enron seems to have veto authority over who serves in government energy oversight committees. World Affairs Brief, March 8, 2002 INTERNET RUMBLINGS: NO AIRLINER CRASH AT PENTAGON? A huge potential conspiracy scandal is emerging on the internet as photographs of the Pentagon crash site are being aired showing no evidence of any aircraft parts or wreckage. Rumors are flying that the government falsified this attack with a planted explosive charge at the Pentagon or that a truck bomb did the actual damage. I have viewed the sketchy evidence so far, and concur that no visible aircraft wreckage is shown. But, that doesn’t mean it isn’t there. The total package of evidence is far from conclusive at this point. In fact, there does exist other evidence, including witnesses who saw a plane, that directly contradicts the assertion of no aircraft. If you want to examine the photo evidence yourself go to http://www.asile.org/citoyens/numero13/pentagone/erreurs_en.htm. Here are some points to consider: 1. The photographs were taken from too far away to make a definitive determination. 2. The explosion occurred at the base of the building and the roof structure caved in afterward on top of whatever wreckage may have survived the fire--making it difficult to see the wreckage. 3. The damaged portion of the building is more narrow than the wingspan of the airliner, lending credence to the charge that the aircraft could not have created this hole. However, the building exterior does show damage where the outer wings would have impacted. When an airliner crashes into a building with a hard exterior and a soft interior, the entire aircraft tends to break up in small pieces and be absorbed inside the building. That’s what happened in both WTC towers. The façade of the Pentagon may not have given way. The outer portions of a wing are far less dense than the rest of the structure and could have disintegrated upon impact. All flammable materials would have been consumed in the ensuing fire. 4. At a press conference held at the Pentagon by Assistant Defense Secretary Victoria Clarke, on 12 September 2001, Arlington County Fire Chief Ed Plaugher had this to say: “First of all, the question about the aircraft, there are some small pieces of aircraft visible from the interior during this fire-fighting operation I'm talking about, but not large sections. In other words, there's no fuselage sections and that sort of thing.” This quote does admit to the lack of large pieces of airplane wreckage, but he does say there were small pieces. Any pieces of aircraft wreckage would tend to discredit the no-airplane theory. 5. There is the issue of the security camera from a gas station across the street which reportedly captured the crash. As with all other such evidence, the FBI confiscated the video and has refused to reveal its contents. This happened in the OKC bombing as well. These actions are naturally suspicious, but typical of a government that regularly engages in cover-ups. All the government has to do to defuse these charges is to release the tape. As of this writing, the FBI has not done so. However, the government did release on March 7 a clip from a surveillance camera outside the Pentagon--advertised as showing the plane hitting the Pentagon. See it at http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,47420,00.html Finally, I thought we were going to settle this issue. No such luck. The first picture frame claiming to show an aircraft as a minor “white blur” is simply not there at the computer resolution Fox News was sending out. A Boeing 757 would certainly have had a much larger visual signature, even if blurred. Is this the best the government can come up with? 6. The biggest unexplained aspect of these charges is, what happened to the actual Flight 77 and all its passengers--none of whom have ever appeared alive. The plane can’t simply have disappeared into nowhere, and no other airliner crash site exists that has not been accounted for. There is ample evidence that some of the supposed Saudi hijacker pilots (of other flights) have turned up alive, but this could easily be explained by the ad hoc way in which the FBI came up with the list of hijackers in the first place, without a shred of forensic evidence. The FBI also suppressed all aircraft passenger manifest lists that had Arab names, thus leaving the public with no means of confirming the government’s assertions. 7. There are eye-witnesses, however. On Sept 11, the Washington Post compiled the testimony of several who saw the aircraft or debris on the ground. I will quote from the article by Barbara Vobejda, found at http://a188.g.akamaitech.net/f/188/920/5m/www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/metro/daily/sep01/attack.html “I was right underneath the plane," said Kirk Milburn, a construction supervisor for Atlantis Co., who was on the Arlington National Cemetery exit of Interstate 395 when he said he saw the plane heading for the Pentagon. "I heard a plane. I saw it. I saw debris flying. I guess it was hitting light poles,...It was like a WHOOOSH whoosh, then there was fire and smoke, then I heard a second explosion.” “Asework Hagos, 26, of Arlington, was driving on Columbia Pike on his way to work as a consultant for Nextel. He saw a plane flying very low and close to nearby buildings. ‘I thought something was coming down on me. I know this plane is going to crash. I've never seen a plane like this so low.’ He said he looked at it and saw American Airline insignia and when it made impact with the Pentagon initially he saw smoke, then flames. At the Pentagon, employees had heard about or seen footage of the World Trade Centre attack when they felt their own building shake.” “Ervin Brown, who works at the Pentagon, said he saw pieces of what appeared to be small aircraft on the ground, and the part of the building by the heliport had collapsed.” “Damoose said the worst part was leaving the Pentagon and walking along Fort Meyer Drive, a bike trail, ‘you could see pieces of the plane.’” “Steve Patterson, 43, said he was watching television reports of the World Trade Center being hit when he saw a silver commuter jet fly past the window of his 14th-floor apartment in Pentagon City. The plane was about 150 yards away, approaching from the west about 20 feet off the ground, Patterson said. He said the plane, which sounded like the high-pitched squeal of a fighter jet, flew over Arlington cemetary so low that he thought it was going to land on I-395. He said it was flying so fast that he couldn't read any writing on the side. The plane, which appeared to hold about eight to 12 people, headed straight for the Pentagon but was flying as if coming in for a landing on a nonexistent runway, Patterson said... He said the plane, which approached the Pentagon below treetop level, seemed to be flying normally for a plane coming in for a landing other than going very fast for being so low. Then, he said, he saw the Pentagon ‘envelope’ the plane and bright orange flames shoot out the back of the building.” This last quote, as well as the others, clearly confirms that a plane did hit the Pentagon. But it is disturbing for another reason. Patterson is a graphic artist who works at home, so his ability to perceive detail and make accurate descriptions is founded in a lot of eye training. There is little chance a trained graphic artist is going to mistake a huge Boeing 757 flying only 150 yards from his window for a small commuter airplane holding only 8-12 passengers. The 757 would have been gigantic and its huge fuselage and long rows of windows could never be mistaken for a plane holding less than 12 people. This, combined with the nearly non-existent “white blur” proported to be the aircraft on the Pentagon security camera clip, may indicate that the plane which hit the Pentagon may not have been an airliner. This still leaves wide open the question of what happened to Flight 77. I have, so far, been unable to locate a Steven Patterson in the Pentagon City area of Arlington, Va. None of the graphic design firms in the area that I called have heard of him. Barbara Vobejda told me she didn’t have a contact number for him either since his testimony was picked up by one of the dozens of “stringers” they had out in the field that day interviewing people on the ground. So, for now we must conclude that some type of aircraft flew into the Pentagon, but the jury is still out on other murky details. It looks doubtful to me that the government would be so stupid as to try to falsify the entire aircraft event. On the other hand, they spent millions trying to explain away the missile shootdown (by the US Navy) of TWA 800, including the creation of a completely bogus video presentation falsifying what really happened. So they certainly are capable of grand conspiracy and deception. MORE SUPPRESSION OF EVIDENCE--A LITERAL SMOKING GUN ON FLIGHT 11 We now have additional proof that the FAA suppressed news of occurrences surrounding the 9/11 crash of American Airlines Flight 11. A memo has surfaced from within the FAA indicating that hijacker Satam al-Suqami (hard to imagine how they could know his name) had a gun on the aircraft and shot and killed passenger Daniel Lewin in the process of hijacking the aircraft. The FAA initially denied the memo’s existence, and then admitted its existence, but altered its contents, denying the presence of a gun on board. Anonymous investigators within the FAA have admitted that the original memo detailing the shooting is factual. This information could only have come from detailed pilot to ATC controller radio transmissions as the hijacking was in process. This partially explains why the FAA and FBI refuse to relinquish these tape recordings. The government continues to claim that no usable black boxes have been recoverable from any of the crash sites, though they have the audacity to claim they have recovered letters and passports (highly flammable items) from the wreckage of the WTC. All of these things indicate the government has much to hide. NEW EVIDENCE LINKING VENICE, FLORIDA FLIGHT SCHOOL TO CIA According to Daniel Hopsicker (www.madcowprod.com), a former investigative reporter for NBC, the Venice, Florida-based flight school at Huffman Aviation which trained two of the suspected 9/11 hijacker pilots, has links to a company called Britannia Aviation, suspected of being a CIA operation. The CIA operates many shell corporations fronting for various aviation purposes that assist in its dark side operations. Britannia Aviation surfaced recently in a dispute in Lynchburg, VA when a multi-million dollar contract for aircraft maintenance at Lynchburg Virginia Regional Airport was awarded to Britannia instead of a much larger local aircraft maintenance company, fully certified with many employees and already located at Lynchburg. Hopsicker discovered that Britannia has only one listed employee and assets totaling less than $1000. Britannia’s only address points to a small office sub-leased from Rudi Dekker’s Huffman Aviation in Venice, Florida. Another pertinent question might be, who made the call to the Lynchburg authorities (home of Jerry Falwell’s Liberty University) to influence them to award this suscipicious bid to Britannia? They aren’t talking. This connection may help answer the question why Arab hijackers, who could barely speak English, went to various English-speaking flight schools for marginal training when a fully operating Arab-speaking flight school was in operation at Dallas Fort Worth airport. I believe the hijacker pilots were trained by large Middle Eastern airlines and attended the US schools only to establish a cover. They didn’t want to implicate the Arab operation at Dallas Forth Worth. This story adds to the growing body of evidence that the CIA had foreknowledge and allowed the attack to go forward in order to justify the ongoing war on terrorism. World Affairs Brief May 17, 2002 BUSH ADMINISTRATION ADMITS TO PRIOR WARNING ABOUT 9/11 HIJACKINGS White House press secretary Ari Fleischer made a dramatic admission this past Wednesday--that US intelligence agencies had delivered to President Bush in early August definitive warnings that Osama bin Laden would be attempting to hijack commercial airliners. Fleischer was quick to provide a ready excuse for government inaction on the warnings by stating that the warnings did not indicate the possibility that the hijackers would use the aircrafts as guided missiles targeting high profile buildings. This announcement is suspicious on its face. First, it has all the markings of a total fabrication designed to head off or soften the mounting real evidence of government foreknowledge and complicity with the 9/11 terrorist attack. The CIA was collaborating with Osama bin Laden in Saudi Arabia as late as July of 2001, so it is highly suspicious that the supposed intelligence warnings would have mentioned bin Laden by name as an enemy--unless bin Laden’s primary purpose is to serve as a fall guy. Second, if, as Fleischer says, the warnings gave no indications that the hijackings would be “for the use of suicide bombing, nor for the use of an airplane as a missile,” what did they think they were for, and why should this warning have been given such special priority? Generic potential hijackings are not considered worthy news items to put before the President in his daily briefings. last, why no prior admission of this prior warning (if it existed at all)? Why wait for six months to reveal it? I strongly suspect that this is a ploy to defuse the growing evidence of government prior knowledge. By airing a harmless version of prior warning, the public will be induced to view all other subsequent and more damaging evidence as ‘old stuff.’ Even Congress may be diverted from highlighting evidence of other more telling collusion between government and the hijackers as they go through the pretenses of an investigation. Here are some major questions that will probably go unanswered by Congress as a result: • What is the relationship between the CIA and Rudy Dekker’s Huffman Aviation which trained two of the alleged hijackers? Dekker leases space in his hanger to Britannia Aviation, a CIA front company. • Why did the INS give numerous visas to these hijackers (in previous years, before 9/11) when they were conspicuously prominent on the CIA and FBI computer terrorist “watch lists?” I think the INS “mistake” of issuing renewed student visas to them after the attacks was only to provide a phony image of government incompetence--which doesn’t match the exacting ruthlessness of the INS in holding Caucasian immigrants to the letter of the law. • In light of the recent admissions about prior warning, why didn’t the same agencies who briefed the President put two and two together and link flight school training taken by Arabs (with supposed ties to Al Qaeda) to the known threat of hijacking (even assuming the CIA didn’t know the ultimate purpose of the hijacking)? • Why did Arabs who could barely speak English go to America flight schools (which offered no instruction in large airliners) when there was an Arab-speaking airline flight school in operation at Fort Worth International? • Why is the FAA refusing to make public any of the tape recorded conversations with pilots of the hijacked airliners as the hijacking was taking place? • Why the suppression of ATC controller testimony that two F-16 fighters were vectored to and intercepted Flight 93 over Pennsylvania, or about witness statements of explosions aboard the aircraft and the unmarked white jet aircraft that followed Flight 93 down to the ground as it crashed and then flew off at tree top altitude? • Why did the government shut down all military flight lines in the East half way through the 9/11 attacks so they could not respond to other hijackings still in progress? • Why is the FBI refusing to release the service station surveillance camera video they confiscated minutes after an aircraft flew into the Pentagon? How did they know to show up at the service station within such a short time period? Why did the government leak (unofficially) to NBC strange excerpts from a Pentagon parking video that, in fact, does not show a large airliner crashing into the Pentagon? The anomalies in the official story about the alleged crash of Flight 77 have given rise to a whole rash of internet suspicions pointing to another type of aircraft, possibly combined with a missile, that more fully explains the damage to the Pentagon. All this could easily be clarified by evidence the government has in its possession. Why the gag order? People are so easily duped into accepting facile explanations for government incompetency and inaction. I participated on a panel discussion on terrorism at the FEE National Convention, and presented some of the anomalies in the official version of events surround 9/11, including the highly suspicious refusal of FBI headquarters to allow a local FBI office in Minnesota to search the apartment of an Arab flight school student who was reported to be only interested in learning to maneuver a large aircraft--not takeoff and land. Michael Ladeen, a fellow panelist who works for the establishment American Enterprise Institute, was quick to react to my charges by saying the FBI was under pressure by the federal courts to be cautious about violating anyone’s rights. Hogwash. My learned colleague was apparently oblivious to the voluminous testimony of FBI whistleblowers stating that the FBI violates the law anytime it wants. The surveillance of conservative Congressmen (Filegate) is only one example of such egregious violations of the law on a routine basis at the Bureau. If the FBI chose to be cautious in this case, it was only because the FBI was looking for an excuse to avoid exposing evidence pointing to an incident that powerful dark side forces in government wanted to happen--perhaps to justify further restrictions of constitutional liberties in America (see below) and to further globalist intervention. World Affairs Brief, June 7, 2002 21st CENTURY WARREN COMMISSION This is the title (by analyst John Horne) given to the bipartisan Congressional committee to investigate the government’s role in the 9/11 attack on America. The committee is composed of members of the House and Senate Intelligence committees--all but a few of which are eminently controllable by establishment powers to ensure an outcome favorable to the government’s official version of events (which denies all direct or indirect involvement and which claims it was too incompetent and underfunded to properly deal with the vague warnings it has admitted to having been aware of). Despite all the ‘mea culpas’ uttered by agency heads at the CIA, FBI and INS, no one has been asked to resign and no one has been fired or disciplined--except the few brave whistleblowers who say the agencies knew more than they are admitting. The title is an appropriate one for the joint Congressional committee, given that the former Warren Commission’s sole purpose was to cover up for the government’s role in the JFK assassination and pin the blame on a CIA stooge. The thirty representatives comprising the current commission meet in soundproof security rooms, to make sure there are no leaks to the public. The majority of these men and women are recipients of large campaign contributions from government connected corporations, Wall Street firms, and labor unions. A large percentage are members of or have ties to the CFR, Trilateral Commission, and the Bilderbergers. Some have prior involvement with the CIA. The few who are conservative and independent will be overruled by virtue of their small numbers and muted by the rules of secrecy. You can read John Horne’s analysis of each member and their financial background, sources of contribution, and involvement with ideological organizations at the following URL: http://burningbush.netfirms.com/9-11committee.htm . World Affairs Brief, November 29, 2002 BUSH PICKS KISSINGER TO HEAD UP 9/11 INVESTIGATION In a move that has shocked both the American left and savvy people on the right, President Bush named Henry Kissinger, the consummate insider and dark-side high-level manager, as head of the upcoming 9/11 investigation. Survivor groups have been demanding to know how much the government knew beforehand which might have allowed them to prevent the attacks. Most survivor groups demanded the creation of an independent commission to investigate the attacks, to be provided for as part of the domestic security bill. But the independent commission clause was removed from the bill after the White House balked at the commission’s broad subpoena powers (which were aimed at White House insiders who have thus far refused to cooperate with Congress). Provisions for the 9/11 commission were reinstated at the last minute in a separate intelligence-spending bill after heavy lobbying by family leaders of the victims of 9/11. The Bush administration has been maintaining for several months that it does not desire an independent inquiry. Now that Congress has mandated it, in spite of White House lobbying, the Bush administration has decided to sabotage the process by putting Kissinger in charge. Both Bush and Kissinger were guilty of egregious misstatements of fact and intent in their recent joint appearance at a press conference. In a classic example of doublespeak, President Bush remarked, “This investigation should carefully examine all the evidence and follow all the facts wherever they lead. We must uncover every detail and learn every lesson of September the 11th.” If Bush is sincere, then why has he been so adamant about killing this investigation or limiting its scope, as I have reported in earlier briefs? At the signing ceremony, Bush enthused, “Dr. Kissinger will bring broad experience, clear thinking and careful judgment to this important task.” Indeed, Kissinger will use all his power and experience in secret dealing to make sure this investigation points no fingers at the Bush administration for this tragedy. For his part, Kissinger claimed he would “go where the facts lead us....We are under no restrictions, and we will accept no restrictions.” More lies. The first thing the White House announced at Ari Fleischer’s daily press conference was that the President would not be testifying at any point in the investigation. No restrictions? SOME BACKGROUND ON KISSINGER Publicly, Kissinger is most well known for serving as National Security Advisor and later as Secretary of State under Presidents Nixon and Ford. During his tenure in these positions, Kissinger sold out Vietnam to the Communists, despite the US’s demonstrated military advantages and bombing victories at the end. During secret negotiations with China for pulling out of the costly war, Kissinger made one-sided promises to Red China on behalf of the US to: 1) refuse to support Taiwanese independence; 2) allow Red China to replace Taiwan in the UN; and 3) remain silent about US prisoners of war not released by Vietnam and Russia at the official end of hostilities. Kissinger was also responsible for convincing Nixon to order the ban on the exportation of miniature ball bearing technology to the Soviet Union lifted -- a ban which had up to that time kept the Russians from developing accurate independently targeted warheads (MIRVs) on their nuclear missiles. This piece of treason increased the US’s risk of nuclear annihilation tenfold. Kissinger also insisted on the ratification of the disastrous 1972 Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty, which effectively kept the US from developing any counter deterrent to the growing Russian missile threat. There have been instances in which Kissinger has appeared to have anti-Communist sympathies. In 1973, Kissinger was involved directly in giving the green light and CIA covert support to Gen. Augusto Pinoche in his efforts to overthrow the Communist government of Salvador Allende in Chile -- just in time to thwart a systematic assassination of hundreds of anti-Communist officers and even American missionaries by Allende’s most radical political wing. In 1975, Kissinger secretly gave a green light to Indonesian dictator Suharto to invade East Timor to suppress a Communist insurgency there. In 1976, Kissinger backed the coup leaders in Argentina who overthrew the leftist government that was allowing the Communist Tupamaro guerrillas to terrorize urban areas of Argentina and Uruguay. The left views each of these examples as evil. The conservative right views them as legitimate interventions to fight against the Communist domino effect. My view is more complex. Kissinger, like almost all State Department officials, is involved in efforts both to facilitate Communist revolutions and to curtail them. Under most circumstances, Communism is to be assisted so that it can serve as a vehicle for future conflict -- conflict which will help globalists usher in the era of world government. However, when a Communist revolution gets out of hand in the minds of these globalist leaders, it becomes necessary to curtail its progress until conditions can be established which are more easily controlled. Thus even in these examples, Kissinger was championing not the cause of liberty, but the complex agenda of globalism. If we go even further back in Kissinger’s career, we find he got his start with the OSS during World War II. The John Birch Society did a good deal of investigative research about this shadowy period and came to the conclusion that Kissinger became a Communist agent during this period. Frank Capel’s book, Henry Kissinger, Soviet Agent elucidates Kissinger’s hidden background. Capel writes, “An anti-Communist who infiltrated Polish Communist Intelligence and rose to the equivalent rank of general has now named Henry Kissinger as a Soviet agent, recruited into a special group known as ODRA while he was a sergeant in the U.S. Armed Forces in Germany during World War II.” More modern revelations indicate that Kissinger was actually assigned by the OSS to infiltrate Communist ranks and serve the US as a double agent. He served in this role during the FDR administration under the auspices of double agents such as Alger Hiss. In my view, the purpose of Kissinger’s assignment was not, as most anti-Communist conservatives like to believe, merely to find out what the Reds were up to. More likely, his purpose was to actually facilitate Russian and East German espionage into US circles. In other words, I believe that globalists were running the US government even then, and that agents such as Kissinger and Hiss were really sophisticated global agents, allowing the Russians to think they were better at penetrating US intelligence than they really were. Again, the globalists are always playing a two-sided game, building future enemies up and then eventually going to war to eliminate them -- all with the purpose of advancing their goal of globalist control over sovereign nations. World Affairs Brief, December 20, 2002 THE KISSINGER AND MITCHELL RESIGNATIONS In response to a requirement that both Henry Kissinger and George Mitchell make public a complete list of their clients and lobbying activities or resign as heads of a Congressional panel investigating September 11, both chose resignation rather than comply with disclosure. Kissinger’s maneuvers were particularly telling. At first he tried to negotiate a deal whereby he could make the appearance of disclosure while still keeping it all secret from the public. He asked the 9/11 survivors group to designate a single person to receive knowledge of his client list, and stipulated that that person be sworn to absolute secrecy, prohibited from telling anyone what the list contained, even if he or she viewed a potential conflict of interest. When this was turned down for obvious reasons, not the least of which being that it wouldn’t pass legal muster, Kissinger backed out rather than reveal who he does business with. What’s Kissinger got to hide? Kissinger and Associates includes other ex-government insiders such as National Security Advisor Brent Scowcroft, Under Sec. of State Lawrence Eagleburger, international economist Alan Stoga, and investment banker Jefferson Cunningham III. Kissinger and Associates has lobbied for various Middle Eastern countries, most nations in the Far East (especially those with whom Kissinger has had major business relationships with, such as Indonesia with its gold mines), and Russia and China. Kissinger also serves the globalist leaders by meeting with new leaders of other countries and explaining to them what is expected of them vis a vis the global agenda, and what they must comply with if they expect to be favorably treated. For example, Kissinger was the newly elected Spanish president’s first visitor. President Jose Maria Aznar explained that Kissinger was merely explaining to him “how the world worked.” I’ll bet he was! Israeli government officials have often been observed meeting with Kissinger before engaging in official talks at the White House. Kissinger also jets around the world and meets with up-and-coming government leaders in secret confabs like the Bilderburger Conference, the Club of Rome and the Committee of 300. Thus, Kissinger certainly has much to hide in his client list – facts and relationships that would clearly indicate too much about Kissinger’s real power in the world. Here are a few interesting facts that shed light on Kissinger’s commercial lobbying on behalf of corporations desiring an insider relationship with government. There are undoubtedly hundreds more that are not in the public arena. Henry Kissinger was an international director of the Banca Nazionale del Lavoro (BNL), the Italian bank whose branch in Atlanta, Georgia made a $4 billion unauthorized loan to Iraq during the Gulf War, according to the chairman of the US House banking committee. Kissinger also had links to BCCI, a front for CIA money laundering. In 1991, the Banking Subcommittee received documents from BCCI's liquidators that linked Kissinger to BCCI's use of a retired Brazilian Ambassador, Sergio da Costa, who was trying to front the purchase of a bank in Brazil. This was during the time the CIA relationship with BCCI was being leaked by various whistleblowers and they were getting ready to pull out, leaving the private shareholders and US taxpayers holding the bag. Da Costa was a partner in Kissinger Associates. Brent Scowcroft and Lawrence Eagleburger played a major role in formulating the Bush administration’s proposal to use $1 billion in Export-Import Bank credits to sell defense technology and equipment to foreign companies that had lobbying contracts with Kissinger and Associates. Brent Scowcroft was particularly attempting to promote military sales to companies that he owned stock in – a clear conflict of interest. Another of Kissinger’s clients was Unical, which was a partnered with Enron during the energy trading scandal. These connections and meetings are part of the records VP Cheney is attempting to keep out of public hands. Bush has nominated Thomas Kean as Kissinger’s replacement. Here’s some background on Kean. He was the liberal governor of New Jersey from 1982 to 1990, and is currently president of Drew University. He also serves as a corporate director for the Pepsi Group and petroleum giant Amerada Hess, which has extensive relations with Saudi Arabia. Kean has a long history in managing left/liberal endowments: the National Environmental Education and Training Foundation; the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, the World Wildlife Fund, the National Center for Learning Disabilities, and the National Endowment for Democracy. He served on the advisory board to the President's Initiative on Race during the Clinton administration, and has been involved in various UN gatherings, including the World Conference on Education for All and the Fourth U.N. World Conference on Women in 1995. Kean is obviously a reliable team player who will ensure that the 9/11 investigation never touches establishment powers. Bush has also named Richard Ben Veniste to the panel, the same insider attorney that sabotaged Barry Seal’s counter-suit against the US government. Seal correctly alleged that the CIA had hired him to fly in drugs to Mena, Arkansas, and he had the witnesses and evidence to prove it. Seal was assassinated after he talked too much about Clinton’s connection with these secret shipments. World Affairs Brief, May 9, 2003 ANALYSIS OF WHITE HOUSE OBSTRUCTION OF 9/11 INVESTIGATIONS The Bush administration, the CIA, and the FBI are all refusing to cooperate with Congress as the latter tries to release for publication its 900-page report on the 9/11 terror attack on the WTC. The report contains numerous critical comments about administration and intelligence agency mishandling of forewarnings received by agents in the field—including a warning from an FBI agent that al-Qaeda supporters might be training in US flight schools. This story, and many others that are even more damaging, has already been leaked to the public either by establishment sources or by internet news sources—and yet the administration is adamant that these same stories must remain classified and not be released as part of the report. Obviously, the administration doesn’t want these reports to benefit from the increased credibility that a mention in a Congressional report would endow. This particular Congressional report is unrelated to the independent 9/11 Commission [http://www.9-11commission.gov/] that was so slow in getting underway, and will be even slower at answering the questions presented by representatives of the victims’ families [http://www.911commission.org/]. Given the less than comprehensive scope of the questions posed to the commission, as well as the establishment make-up of the commission’s panel members, I don’t expect anything revealing regarding government foreknowledge, failure to respond, and cover-up of suspicious activities to come out of its investigation. Even this commission is being stonewalled by the Bush administration. Newsweek magazine has reported that, “President Bush’s chief lawyer has privately signaled that the White House may seek to invoke executive privilege over key documents relating to the attacks in order to keep them out of the hands of investigators for the National Commission on Terror Attacks Upon the United States—the independent panel created by Congress to probe all aspects of 9-11.” The members of the commission have all had to get security clearances to be on the panel. After the government delayed issuing the clearances for months, members are still not being given full access. As Newsweek reported, “Just two weeks ago, one commission member, Tim Roemer, a former Democratic congressman from Indiana, had sought to read transcripts of three days of closed hearings that had been held last fall by the House and Senate Intelligence Committees—hearings that Roemer, as a member of the House panel, had actually participated in. But when Roemer went down to a carefully guarded room on Capitol Hill to read the classified transcripts—he says to refresh his memory—he was stunned to learn that he couldn’t have access to them. The reason, relayed by a congressional staffer, was that…administration lawyers [must] first review them to determine if the transcripts contained testimony about ‘privileged’ material.” Obviously, the White House is trying to suppress something. A couple of the victims’ representatives did ask some crucial questions, such as why official Defense protocols were not followed, and why the NY Port Authority delayed evacuation of the second tower, but they failed to ask any of the really tough questions that point to government collusion and provocation: • Why has the government refused to make public the recorded pilots’ conversations with Air Traffic Control, notifying them of a hijacking in progress? We know these conversations took place because the FAA has confirmed having reported the hijackings to NORAD within minutes of their commencement. • Why has the government denied having intercepted Flight 93 over Pennsylvania with 2 F-16s, despite the voluminous evidence that the airliner was shot down and shadowed to its crash by an unmarked jet leased to the government? • Why were most military tower operators in the area told to ground all flights from taking off, including fighter interceptors? • How and why were the reported cell phone calls from passengers on the hijacked airliners faked? Recent tests have shown that cell phones at high altitudes do not communicate with antenna towers on the ground. Almost all cellular and PCS systems utilize antennas which are only oriented for horizontal reception—not vertical. • How did the US so quickly develop complete profiles and dossiers on all the supposed hijackers, including their night club activities, if these individuals were not previously being tracked by government agents? There is also the question of the long trail of incriminating letters, passports and flight manuals supposedly left behind by the hijackers at the airport or, in the case of the intact passport, miraculously recovered in the WTC debris. • Why has the government never amended the list of alleged hijackers given that eight of these names belong to people still living? The government has never given a rational explanation for why hijackers would use their real names in any case. • Why were the alleged hijackers whose names were on terror watch lists given visas, without the proper documentation normally required? • What is the relationship between Huffman Aviation (the Venice, FL company that trained two of the hijackers) and the CIA, which leases space in Huffman’s hangar through a front company? • Why did the hijackers who could barely speak English attempt (unsuccessfully) to take flying lessons for small planes when there was an Arab-speaking flight school for major aircraft in Fort Worth, Texas? [They were covering for training on major aircraft received elsewhere.] • Why did certain investors know to short the stocks of American airline companies prior to 9/11? Along the same lines, why has the government never attempted to subpoena Wall Street computer records to find out who these “lucky” investors were? • Why have the testimonies of New York firefighters who heard bomb-like explosions in the towers during the evacuation process been suppressed? The evidence of internal explosives being associated with the bringing down of the two buildings has been compelling, yet frustrating given its often amateurish assumptions. (One of these is that burning jet fuel would have had to melt the steel structures in order to precipitate the collapse—which is false. The heat need only have been sufficient to soften the metal beams and trusses, causing them to sag and fail). Claims concerning evidence of planted charges on all floors, leading to a controlled collapse of the WTC buildings, have never been credible to me (such a scheme is too complex, involving hundreds of small charges). However, there is new evidence that charges at the bases of the towers’ 47 central steel columns could have precipitated the controlled vertical collapse of the buildings, and still have been consistent with the legitimate failure of the upper floor trusses reacting to the sudden collapse of central support. One crew of first responders into the first tower were shocked to see that the lobby on the main floor appeared to have been the object of an explosive blast—yet no signs of fire. On 9/11, two ABC reporters were filmed running away from the towers after seeing and hearing a ground floor explosion just prior to the collapse of the towers. There have also been reports of pools of molten metal at the base of these columns observed during debris removal. It is suspicious that the government threatened fire fighters who had heard other explosions to keep silent, and also that they ordered the tower debris removed so quickly, precluding complete forensic testing of the failed structure. The same thing happened after the Oklahoma bombing, where there was also irrefutable evidence of multiple charges and explosions. World Affairs Brief, August 1, 2003 CONGRESSIONAL INQUIRY ON 9/11 RELEASED—DISMAL FINDINGS The best summary of the administration’s attempt to cover-up federal involvment in the events of 9/11 is by former Watergate whistleblower John W. Dean, entitled, The 9/11 Report Raises More Serious Questions About The White House Statements On Intelligence “The recently released Report of the Joint Congressional Inquiry Into The Terrorist Attacks of September 11, and its dismal findings, have been well reported by the news media. What has not been widely reported, however, are the inescapable conclusions that must be drawn from a close reading of this bipartisan study. “Obviously, Republicans were not going to let Democrats say what needed to be said, or maybe Democrats did not want to politicize the matter. But since the facts could not be ignored or suppressed, they reported them without drawing certain obvious, not to mention devastating, conclusions. “Bluntly stated, either the Bush White House knew about the potential of terrorists flying airplanes into skyscrapers (notwithstanding their claims to the contrary), or the CIA failed to give the White House this essential information, which it possessed and provided to others. “Bush is withholding the document that answers this question. Accordingly, it seems more likely that the former possibility is the truth. That is, it seems very probable that those in the White House knew much more than they have admitted, and they are covering up their failure to take action. “The facts, however, speak for themselves. Bush's Claim Of Executive Privilege For His Daily Intelligence Briefing One of the most important sets of documents that the Congressional Inquiry sought was a set of copies of the President's Daily Brief (PDB), which is prepared each night by the CIA. In the Appendix of the 9/11 Report we learn that on August 12, 2002, after getting nowhere with informal discussions, Congress formally requested that the Bush White House provide this information. “More specifically, the Joint Inquiry asked about the process by which the Daily Brief is prepared, and sought several specific Daily Brief items. In particular, it asked for information about the August 6, 2001 Daily Brief relating to Osama Bin Laden's terrorist threats against the United States, and other Daily Brief items regarding Bin Laden, Al Qaeda, and pre-September 11 terrorism threats. “The Joint Inquiry explained the basis for its request: ‘the public has a compelling interest ... in understanding how well the Intelligence Community was performing its principal function of advising the President and NSC of threats to U.S. national security.’ In short, the Joint Inquiry wanted to see the records. Bush's public assertion that his intelligence was "darn good" was not sufficient. “The Inquiry had substantial background material, for the Clinton Administration's national security team had been very forthcoming. As a result, it warned President Bush of the inevitable consequences of refusal to provide access to the requested Daily Briefs. The Inquiry told Bush: ‘In the absence of such access, we will have no choice but to extrapolate the number and content of [Daily Brief] items on these subjects from the items that appeared on these subjects in the Senior Executive Intelligence Brief and other lower level intelligence products during the same period.’ “Bush nevertheless denied access, claiming Executive Privilege. While the Inquiry did not chose to draw obvious conclusions, they are right there in the report for everyone else to draw. So I have drawn them, to see what they look like. Revealing Information In the 9/11 Report “After pulling together the information in the 9/11 Report, it is understandable why Bush is stonewalling. It is not very difficult to deduce what the president knew, and when he knew it. And the portrait that results is devastating. The president's briefing of August 6, 2001 was the subject of public discussion even before the Inquiry started its work. As the 9/11 Report notes in a footnote (at page 206), ‘National Security Advisor Condoleezza Rice stated in a May 16, 2002 press briefing that, on August 6, 2001, the President Daily Brief (PDB) included information about Bin Laden's methods of operation from a historical perspective dating back to 1997.’ “At that May 16, 2002 briefing, Rice went on to say that the Brief made clear that one method Bin Laden might choose was to hijack an airline, taking hostages to gain release of one of their operatives. She said it was ‘a eneralized warring’ with nothing about time, place or method. And she added, ‘I don't think anybody could have predicted that these people would take an airplane and slam it into the World Trade Center, take another one and slam it into the Pentagon.’ “Unfortunately, Rice's statements don't fit comfortably with the Inquiry's information. It appears from the 9/11 Report that either Rice was dissembling, or the CIA was withholding information from the President (and hence also from Rice). But as we have been learning with the missing Weapon of Mass Destruction, the CIA has consistently been forthcoming. So it seems that it is Rice who should explain herself. “A Closer Look At Rice's Statement Note again that Rice stated, in explaining the August 6, 2001 Daily Brief, that it addressed Bin Laden's ‘methods of operation from a historical perspective dating back to 1997.’ What exactly did it say? We cannot know. But the Inquiry's 9/11 Report lays out all such threats, over that time period, in thirty-six bullet point summaries. It is only necessary to cite a few of these to see the problem: ‘In September 1998, the [Intelligence Community] obtained information that Bin Laden's next operation might involve flying an explosive-laden aircraft into a U.S. airport and detonating it.’ ‘In the fall of 1998, the [Intelligence Community] obtained information concerning a Bin Laden plot involving aircraft in the New York and Washington, D.C. areas. ‘In March 2000, the [Intelligence Community] obtained information regarding the types of targets that operatives of Bin Laden's network might strike. The Statute of Liberty was specifically mentioned , as were skyscrapers, ports, airports, and nuclear power plans. In sum, the 9/11 Report of the Congressional Inquiry indicates that the intelligence community was very aware that Bin Laden might fly an airplane into an American skyscraper. Given the fact that there had already been an attempt to bring down the twin towers of the World Trade Center with a bomb, how could Rice say what she did? Certainly, someone could have predicted, contrary to Rice's claim that, among other possibilities, ‘these people would take an airplane and slam it into the World Trade Center, take another one and slam it into the Pentagon.’ “The Unanswered Questions Is Rice claiming this information in the 9/11 Report was not given to the White House? Or could it be that the White House was given this information, and failed to recognize the problem and take action? Is the White House covering up what the President knew, and when he knew it? “The Joint Inquiry could not answer these questions because they were denied access to Bush's Daily Brief for August 6, 2001, and all other dates. Yet these are not questions that should be stonewalled. Troublingly, it seems that President Bush trusts foreign heads of state with the information in this daily CIA briefing, but not the United States Congress. It has become part of his routine, when hosting foreign dignitaries at his Crawford, Texas ranch, to invite them to attend his CIA briefing. “Yet he refuses to give Congress any information whatsoever about these briefings, and he has apparently invoked Executive Privilege to suppress the August 6, 2001 Daily Brief. It can only be hoped that the 9/11 Commission, which has picked up where the Congressional Inquiry ended, will get the answers to these questions. Rest assured that they will be aware of the questions, for I will pass them along. “ [End of Dean quote] World Affairs Brief, August 8, 2003 WHY BUSH IS COVERING FOR THE SAUDIS—OR IS HE? The Bush administration is building an ominous and blatant reputation for hiding its true dealings and motives behind a wall of “national security.” Here are some examples: • VP Cheney defied the courts and refused to turn over to Congress records of White House meetings with Enron and other insider connected energy companies colluding to raise prices. • The White House claimed “executive privilege” in response to numerous requests from Congress for information, including FBI dealings with the Mafia. • The Bush administration continues to hold secret numerous pieces of information relative to the terrorist attacks on 9/11, including FAA tape recordings of conversations with pilots and NORAD; crucial video tapes of the Pentagon attack; and testimonies of firefighters at the WTC suggesting the occurrence of multiple explosions before the collapse. • Attorney General John Ashcroft has refused repeatedly to reveal the names and conditions of hundreds of prisoners being held without charge relative to the war on terror, citing “ongoing investigations.” • President Bush declared material presented in open public hearings at the 9/11 Commission as classified, and even prohibited the members of the Commission from reviewing the material afterwards. • President Bush is claiming executive privilege in refusing to turn over copies of the CIA Daily Briefing reports he received prior to the 9/11 attacks. Sources claim these reports would demonstrate that the White House was warned specifically about the likelihood of attacks on government buildings using hijacked airliners. Of course, the latest flap about excessive use of secrecy concerns the currently classified 900-page United States congressional report regarding the 9/11 terrorist attacks. As Sen. Richard Shelby (R-Al) told the audience of NBC’s Meet The Press, “I went back and read every one of those pages, thoroughly. ... My judgment is 95 percent of that information could be declassified, become uncensored, so the American people would know.” Shelby ought to know—he worked for the CIA before coming to public office. At the moment, the White House is refusing to declassify 28 pages of the report which, according to Congressmen familiar with the report, contain information giving evidence of Saudi financing of the terrorists. Bush is refusing on a well-worn excuse: “It makes no sense to declassify when we've got an ongoing investigation,” he said. Bush also implied that he could refuse declassification indefinitely as long as the open-ended war on terror continued, claiming that “it would help the enemy if they knew our sources and methods.” Let’s examine these facile claims. Intelligence revelations included in the report would jeopardize an ongoing investigation only if the report mentions specific intelligence methods and sources, which it does not. The report makes only general statements about telephone intercepts and unnamed witnesses—which tells the Saudis nothing. The whole world knows about the US’s eavesdropping capabilities. That a Congressional report would reveal that US intelligence is capable of gathering evidence on Saudi funding of terrorists is hardly an excuse for classifying the entire portion on the Saudi connection. Perhaps there is justification for redacting a sentence or two, but not 28 pages. Much has been made in the news about the implications of the information contained in the 28 pages. In a purposefully ambiguous statement during a recent interview, Sen. Bob Graham (D-Fl.) remarked, “High officials in this [the Saudi] government, who I assume were not just rogue officials acting on their own, made substantial contributions to the support and well-being of two of these terrorists and facilitated their ability to plan, practice and then execute the tragedy of Sept. 11.” The claim repeated by Graham is suspect for a couple of reasons. First, the US knew about the Saudi connection before 9/11. Why reveal it now and not before? Second, the US really doesn’t have any reliable evidence that the much-publicized passenger manifest names [never seen by the public] really belonged to the hijackers. Six of the persons listed on the government list of dead hijackers are still alive. How can you make a case for Saudi funding of the hijackers when you can’t even prove that the two the Saudis were funding were the real terrorist hijackers? Let’s revisit the issue of the hijacker names before we proceed. BOGUS NAMES OF SAUDI HIJACKERS CONTINUE TO CIRCULATE Much has been made of the fact that the majority of the presumed 19 hijackers were of Saudi origin. I don’t know how the media and Congress can continue to play on these numbers. In reality, we know nothing about the real hijackers. The US claims the names are on the passenger manifests, but is keeping the passenger lists secret—at least in terms of the names of the Arabs on board. The fact that six of the named hijackers are still alive has not dissuaded the FBI from its certainty about the lists. Insight Magazine did an extensive article on the identities of these six. Here’s an excerpt: “The six claimed they were victims of identify theft. They were ‘outraged’ to be identified as terrorists, they told the Telegraph of London. In fact, one of the men claimed he never had been to the United States, while another is a Saudi Airlines pilot who said he was in a flight-training course in Tunisia at the time of the attacks. “The stunning news prompted FBI Director Robert Mueller to admit that some of the hijackers may have stolen identities of innocent citizens. In September 2002, Mueller told CNN twice that there is ‘no legal proof to prove the identities of the suicidal hijackers.’ After that admission a strange thing happened – nothing. No follow-up stories. No follow-up questions. There was dead silence and the story disappeared. It was almost as if no one wanted to know what had happened. In fact, the FBI didn't bother to change the names, backgrounds or photographs of the alleged 19 hijackers. It didn't even deny the news reports suggesting that the names and identities of at least six of the hijackers may be unknown. Mueller just left the door open. “Until now. Now the FBI is sticking with its original story – regardless of whether photographs displayed of the suspected Sept. 11 terrorists were of people who never boarded those planes and are very much alive. FBI spokesman Bill Carter simply brushes off as false the charges from news reports that the FBI misidentified some of the Sept. 11 terrorists. Carter says they got the names right and it doesn't matter whether the identities were stolen. This comes as a complete about-face from Mueller's comment that there might be some question about the names of the Sept. 11 terrorists because they might have been operating under stolen identities. “How can the FBI be sure that the 19 men it ‘identified’ are indeed the hijackers? ‘Through extensive investigation,’ Carter insists. ‘We checked the flight manifests, their whereabouts in this country, and we interviewed witnesses who identified the hijackers.’” But this is obviously untrue, at least in the case of the six living “hijackers.” Insight continues with one of the more egregious examples of misidentification on the list—the case of Wail al-Shehri. “Wail al-Shehri was identified as one of the suspected hijackers on American Flight 11. He reportedly was in control of the plane when it crashed. Another Saudi man who is a pilot has the same name, and his father is a Saudi diplomat in Bombay. His picture was displayed by the FBI as the ‘terrorist’ al-Shehri who crashed the plane. The al-Shehri who is alive had resided in Daytona Beach, Fla., where he enrolled in flight training at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. He currently works for a Moroccan airline. Last year the Associated Press reported that al-Shehri had spoken to the U.S. Embassy in Morocco. His photograph having been released and repeatedly shown around the world is evidence the man in the FBI photograph still is alive, the Saudi Embassy explains.” [End of Insight quote.] Since the US has published this person’s photograph, and refuses to retract it, clearly this isn’t a case of merely relying on a stolen name. The fact that the person in the photograph is still alive proves his name shouldn’t be on the list, but the FBI continues to assert total infallibility. This indicates that the US is intent upon maintaining a “we make no errors” front. Back to the Congressional report, it has been damaging enough to US-Saudi relations that the Saudis were mentioned at all, let alone by innuendo and without specific charges. The Saudis have sent a special ambassador to Washington to demand the 28 pages be released so they can respond to the charges. Still Bush refuses. What is there to hide? Bush appears to be protecting the Saudis from scrutiny. I think it’s a ploy. The crucial dichotomy here is that the Saudis are not pleading for the US to cover for them. In fact, it’s just the opposite. They are demanding openness in order to defend themselves. Yes, I think the Saudis are funding fundamentalist movements throughout the Middle East, but they did not fund the US-controlled terrorists who were responsible for 9/11. The US’s insistence on painting the hijackers as Saudis is telling and may explain why the US insists on maintaining the existing list of hijackers despite evidence it is a fraud. If the US were really interested in covering for the Saudis, they wouldn’t have provided Congress with the intelligence on the Saudi connection in the first place. By making a big flap about the classification of the 28 pages, the administration actually accentuates the Saudis’ guilt by innuendo—all the while claiming to be protecting an “ally.” With friends like this, who needs enemies? It appears to me that the Bush administration is using the bogus list of Saudi hijackers to blacken the Saudi image—another form of the ongoing blackmail the US uses to keep the Saudis in line for some other purpose, perhaps oil. It is no secret that Crown Prince Abdullah, the de facto ruler of Saudi Arabia, is hostile to the US, and yet the Saudis continue to keep OPEC in line and oil flowing to the US. THE US-TERROR CONNECTION Accusing the Saudis of complicity in the 9/11 attacks is like the pot calling the kettle black. Collusion by our government with terror is a matter that needs open and careful scrutiny, despite Americans’ almost outright refusal to consider the possibility. Given the Bush administration’s blatant attempt to permanently weaken the Constitutional protections against warrantless searches and due process, coupled with its ongoing mania for armed intervention around the world in conducting the presumed “war on terror,” I think there is more than sufficient reason to suspect that this government may have resorted to agent provocateur tactics to set the stage for such changes. A high profile terrorist attack such as what happened on 9/11 is a perfect opportunity for a hegemonic government to assert greater control over its citizens. The advent of the suspicious anthrax attacks (using spores traceable to US stocks) just prior to the passage of the USA PATRIOT Act gives additional credence to the charge of government provocation. In order for provocations-through-terror such as the 9/11 attacks to work, the US has to make use of numerous third parties to give support to terror so that none of the terrorists’ actions can be traced directly back to the US government. We already know that the CIA used Pakistani ISI intelligence operatives to funnel arms and other explosives technology to Al Qaeda. Pakistan continues to provide safe havens for the Taliban despite being partners in the war on terror. In fact, I do not believe there is any significant evidence, outside the government’s own word for it, that either Osama bin Laden or the hierarchy of al Qaeda has broken away from CIA direction and support. This is not to say that the majority of mid- or low-level operatives in al Qaeda have any knowledge of continued CIA control. The connection needs only to be maintained at the highest levels. This would account for the French intelligence leak about Osama bin Laden’s meeting with the CIA station chief in Dubai, Saudi Arabia 7 weeks prior to the 9/11 attacks. It would also account for the fact that Osama bin Laden and his hundreds of Arab guards were allowed to escape the fighting in Afghanistan. The US had knowledge through satellite surveillance of their embarkation aboard ships, but failed to intercept them. The US is also covering for the aircraft flight training the would-be hijackers received prior to 9/11. For instance, FBI headquarters suppressed local agent requests for search authority of one potential hijacker (Zacarias Moussaoui) who was taking flight simulator lessons in Minnesota, but was not interested in learning how to take off or land an airplane. There is also ongoing evidence of CIA involvement with Huffman Aviation in Florida, which provided superficial light aircraft flight training to two Arabs as cover for their having received training on major airliners elsewhere—perhaps in Libya or even Iraq. Flying Cessnas does not train anyone for handling the complex systems on Boeing aircraft—but it does provide a nice cover for training that may have taken place in other nations. Why cover for these other nation’s training of the hijackers? Because it was done with US foreknowledge and there are those involved that could blow the whistle on US involvement. The US obviously has some nations to cover for, and others to expose. In all these reports and investigations, the real culprits funding terrorism (Russian and China) are not exposed while peripheral players like Saudi Arabia are. This is not mere stupidity, but purposeful confusion of events and target players in order to divert the American public from the truth. Now, despite the utter lack of any significant low profile terrorism since 9/11, the Bush administration continues to push for more power to restrict civil liberties. Just this week, Attorney General Ashcroft announced another round of Patriot Act provisions, euphemistically entitled the VICTORY Act [Vital Interdiction of Criminal Terrorist Organizations Act], which would further expand government powers. All last month the Department of Justice was assuring the public that it had no plans for a Patriot II version of legislation. Now, Ashcroft has announced he will make a 10-day, 20-state “Victory tour” that includes a stop in New York to push the new Act. There must be a nasty agenda behind all of this for the administration to keep pushing the limits of truth and honesty to this extent. World Affairs Brief, September 12, 2003 SEPTEMBER 11 ANNIVERSARY – YET ANOTHER UNANSWERED QUESTION A heretofore unreleased amateur video of the Boeing 767 crashing into WTC #2 shows a disturbing modification on the bottom side of the United Airlines Flight 175 aircraft. The aircraft almost missed its target and the person directing the aircraft made a dramatic last minute steep turn to intercept the corner of the building. In the process of the turn the bottom of the aircraft suddenly becomes visible in the low morning sun and reveals a very large and bulging modification on the right side of the fuselage behind the landing gear doors. The bulge is as wide as the wing root, so it is easy to detect. You can view key images of this anomaly from the new Pavel Hlava video on the NY Times website: http://www.nytimes.com/2003/09/07/nyregion/07TAPE.html. The last image in the sequence on the slide show clearly shows the bulge. A computer enhanced version of the image shows more detail on the size and shape of the bulge; see URL: http://www.thoughtcrimenews.com/wtc.htm. This site contains some very speculative conspiracy theories that should be viewed with extreme caution for now. Also, the computer enhanced photos do not come from the new Hlava video but from the original CNN video of the crash. You can see a video clip of the orginal CNN footage by using opening a video player like windows Media Player and on “open URL” under File and putting in the URL: http://www.serendipity.li/wot/wmv/ghostplane2.wmv. The bulge is visible on this earlier video as well, proving that the bulge is not simply a doctored image by one source. Compare these photos with pictures of a normal Boeing 767 here: http://www.globalaircraft.org/planes/b767.pl (go to bottom of the web page to view how smooth and uniform the underside is). There is no bulge. I called the Boeing Company for their reaction and had an interesting chat with Liz Verdier, the media contact person, informally tasked to answer 9/11 issues. I asked her for Boeing’s reaction to the potential modification of one of its aircraft involved in the crash into WTC 2 and described the large bulge showing up on the two videos. She quickly skirted the issue by saying that Boeing was not a part of the 9/11 investigation and insisted that all queries by directed to the FBI or Dept. of Homeland Security. I replied that this wasn’t about the investigation, but rather a technical question for Boeing on what this large bulge could possibly represent. She said that Boeing would not admit there was a modification nor comment on it, and that Boeing does not make these kinds of modifications (if there were any) but that it would have been something United Airlines might have done. I told her that based upon my experience as a military pilot and maintenance officer in a squadron, no major modification like this that would affect high speed air worthiness could or would be approved by the FAA without intensive consultations with the engineering staff at Boeing. She continued to deny that Boeing would have been involved, which I found completely incredible. I then told her that I thought it was strange that she expressed no interest in seeing evidence of this bulge that we had been discussing in some detail. She admitted then that Boeing knew all about the internet charges surrounding the modified aircraft, had seen the pictorial evidence and that Boeing was determined not to comment about it. I picked up on the feeling that this was a very touchy subject at Boeing and tried to get her to at least admit to that much. She cordially declined to confirm even that. Obviously, she had her marching orders, which tells me Boeing knows more than they are saying. Why is this such an important issue? First, this is a modification that has never been seen on any other commercial 767 aircraft in the United fleet, according to various United pilots I have talked to. It is totally unique. For it to show up on one of the aircraft used to take down one of the WTC towers indicates it may be specifically related to the purpose of carrying out the attacks: enabling the aircraft to be remote controlled, or enhancing its explosive effect, or any number of other possibilities. Leonard Spencer at http://www.serendipity.li/wot/aa11.htm charges that it has something to do with firing forward missiles prior to crashing into the WTC, which I find absolutely no evidence for. The CNN video clip detail, previously mentioned, shows a burst of flame from the nose of the aircraft only after it actually penetrates the facade of WTC 2, belying his own conclusion about a missile being fired. I observed no evidence of a missile here. Second, such a modification would have to have involved United Airlines, the Boeing Company, and the FAA—each with close government connections. No foreign terrorist group could have pulled this off, no matter how much time or money they had, unless they were simply fronting for US black operations. Furthermore, the United Airlines pilots and ground crew would never have signed off on such an aircraft unless assured by airline management that it had some legitimate purpose, albeit of some secret “national security” issue. Third, if the modification had a benign explanation, Boeing, the FAA and United Airlines would all be quick to answer. So far they have not. If the modification was related to the 9/11 tragedy, and this airplane was specifically inserted in the fleet for this task, it would be hard evidence of US involvement in provoking this tragedy. It would also provide evidence that there was some larger directing force behind the Arab terrorists charged with the event. No airline or other large US corporation would have been involved in facilitating such an act without acting on behalf of dark side operations within the mantle of government secrecy. There is no proof of any of these charges at this point, but these are the plausible conclusions that can be derived from what appears to be a cover-up over this strange modification. I find it difficult to believe that no one in the establishment media has noticed this glaring protrusion, especially since the NY Times published blowups of the 767 in its moment of maximum turn. The establishment media won’t touch this story. Like Boeing, someone higher up must not want this issue to surface on a larger scale. World Affairs Brief, September 19, 2003 “WINNING THE WAR ON TERROR”? The Bush administration wants it both ways. First, it is bragging about winning the war on terror and is taking credit for dozens of unsubstantiated “successes” in foiling terrorist attempts. At the same time, Bush and Ashcroft are continually demanding additional surveillance powers, claiming they cannot effectively fight terrorism without them. Which is it? They can’t have it both ways. Or can they? Obviously, if the public and the media can’t or won’t think through the contradictions, the federal government can keep claiming whatever they want. Here are the contradictions: A. There have been no normal, small scale acts of terrorism in the US, even after 9/11; even after attacking the presumed host countries of Al Qaeda; even after attacking Iraq, a nation supposedly harboring terrorists. It is easy for the administration to claim they are winning the war on terror – terrorism might not even exist in the US in the way the public thinks. If there are “hundreds of Al Qaeda cells” in the US, why have they never carried out an attack? If you think they are cowed by the “effectiveness” of our Homeland Security system (Cheney’s claim), look at Israel. With a tiny country to surveil and a 10-fold higher density of police and military checkpoints, including security guards at every business, Israeli forces still can’t stop all car bombings, suicide bombings and infrastructure attacks – though they do stop many. Our country, in comparison, is wide open. Yet we have experienced none of these typical terrorist attacks. Why? As I have said before, either there are no significant terrorist cells here (hard to believe), or terrorism in the US is a controlled entity that our government can restrain or allow to operate according to its own political purposes. B. There is no rational linkage between suspending civil liberties and the current “state of emergency.” The only justification for denying habeas corpus, due process, right to a speedy trial, access to counsel, and proving probable cause in the issuance of search warrants is when the courts are flooded with defendants and the system is overwhelmed. At no time during or since 9/11 has that ever been the case. There is no reason why citizens or others cannot have access to normal judicial procedures and safeguards. Designating persons as “enemy combatants” with no civil rights is simply a cover for not having a good case against them. When judges buy into this scheme, they are acting in collusion with government rather than as a proper check and balance. C. The DOJ claims it cannot allow terrorist suspects to take testimony from other terror suspects or prisoners for fear they might coordinate or pass along terrorist information. Baloney. None of these depositions take place in secret. The government is present and an official recording is always taken. What good would it do to pass information when the government is listening? Ashcroft continues to defy a court order to allow these depositions to precede. D. In his latest tack, President Bush claims the DOJ needs broad new authority for all federal agents enabling them to demand access to private records and to compel testimony without the approval of a judge. This is in addition to continued requests for more warrantless surveillance power. While no one can deny it would ease any government’s surveillance job to be able to surveil anyone and anything at all times, there are reasons why we do not allow this in a society that safeguards (or pretends to safeguard) fundamental rights, like privacy on private property. The key safeguard to this effect written into the Constitution is that no warrant shall be authorized against private property except when the government presents credible evidence of probable cause to a judge. Is that so much to ask, that there be some evidence or demonstrable reason why someone should be surveilled or his papers scrutinized? Of course, if the government could demonstrate that there was a backlog of 100,000 suspected terrorists warranting secret surveillance, they might convince the court of the need to wave or expedite the process of issuing warrants. And in fact, that is the government’s current claim: their “new” consolidated Terror Watch List contains approximately 100,000 names. But given the grave implications of such a breech of Constitutional rights, the substance behind the government’s numbers must be carefully scrutinized. What I find absurd about their claim is that it accentuates the dichotomy I mentioned above: the utter lack of normal terrorism in this country. You can’t have it both ways. There cannot be 100,000 terrorists and their supporters needing surveillance and have no acts of terrorism. The list is simply too big and too inaccurate. There’s another problem with secret government watch lists. There is no way available for anyone to purge his name from the list once on it. All those on the list are barred from travel on any airline forever—with no means of correcting potential injustice. That is not how the “rule of law” should work. Where is equal protection and due process here? World Affairs Brief, September 26, 2003 9/11 MASTERMIND’S CONFESSIONS FULL OF DISINFORMATION Associated Press writer John Solomon published excerpts from government “reports” which he was invited to review by “sources” that he declined to identify - even as to the federal agency involved. These reports purportedly contain confessions of the supposed mastermind of the Sept. 11 attacks, Khalid Shaikh Mohammed, who was captured by CIA and Pakistani operators in the city of Rawalpindi, Pakistan on March 1 of this year. Naturally, he is being held “by the CIA at an undisclosed location.” Also, naturally, we can assume that Solomon’s reluctant source is from the Thus, none of what Solomon reveals can be checked or verified independently. I will quote the relevant excerpts and tell you why I think there are multiple contradictions and huge gaps in the story as Solomon portrays it. [My comments in brackets.] “Khalid Shaikh Mohammed, mastermind of the Sept. 11 attacks [a total presumption by Solomon based only upon these reports and what the CIA has told him, improperly stated as a fact], has told American interrogators that he first discussed the plot with Osama bin Laden in 1996 and that the original plan called for hijacking five commercial jets on each U.S. coast before it was modified several times, according to interrogation reports reviewed by The Associated Press. [Notice Solomon doesn’t say why he was invited to review these secret reports. If I were to request to see these same documents, either directly or via a legal FOIA request, I would be told they are “classified” and unavailable for “national security” reasons. And yet, here we see them freely offered to a select member of the press. This is typical of how the CIA disseminates disinformation: “leaks” are often purposefully channeled through favored reporters who will not ask any tough questions or reveal contradictions.] “Mohammed told his interrogators he had worked in 1994 and 1995 in the Philippines with Ramzi Yousef, Abdul Hakim Murad and Wali Khan Amin Shah on the foiled Bojinka plot to blow up 12 Western airliners simultaneously in Asia. After Yousef and Murad were captured, foiling the plot in its final stages, Mohammed began to devise a new plot that focused on hijackings on U.S. soil. [The US had captured laptop computers with all the details about the Bojinka hijackings – and yet claim not to have any idea the US was at risk of such hijackings.] “…in its final stages, the hijacking plan called for as many as 22 terrorists and four planes in a first wave, followed by a second wave of suicide hijackings that were to be aided possibly by al-Qaida allies in southeast Asia [very ambitious plans]… Mohammed's interrogations have revealed the planning and training of operatives was extraordinarily meticulous, including how to blend into American society, read telephone yellow pages, and research airline schedules. [Yet the admissions that follow reveal huge contradictions to these claims – that there were no support cells inside the US for such an ambitious plan, and that communications between operatives were amateurish, lacking attention to planning.] “In fact, Mohammed claims he did not arrange for anyone on U.S. soil to assist hijackers Khalid al-Mihdhar and Nawaf al-Hazmi when they arrived in California. Mohammed said there ‘were no al-Qaida operatives or facilitators in the United States to help al-Mihdhar or al-Hazmi settle in the United States.’ Mohammed portrays those two hijackers as central to the plot, and even more important than Mohammed Atta, initially identified by Americans as the likely hijacking ringleader. [Central to the plot and yet given no means of support? Unthinkable, especially considering the level of sophistication necessary to pull off the 9/11 hijackings. According to other claims, al-Qaida had huge amounts of money supposedly made available to them by the Saudis, leaving them well positioned to finance such support.] Mohammed said he communicated with al-Hazmi and al-Mihdhar while they were in the United States via Internet chat software. [No trained terrorist is this dumb. Even random use of pay phones is more secure than the Internet, and the CIA has long claimed that al-Qaida has sophisticated scrambling-enabled satellite cell phones. The vaunted NSA, which eavesdrops on all the world, claims al-Qaida is not leaving them any trace to follow. Such sophistication in eavesdropping avoidance could not have been achieved by a group as incompetent as Mohammed’s testimony describes.] Mohammed said al-Hazmi and al-Mihdhar were among the four original operatives bin Laden assigned to him for the plot, a significant revelation because those were the only two hijackers whom U.S. authorities were frantically seeking for terrorist ties in the final days before Sept. 11. [Frantically seeking? Says who? This is more disinformation. The majority of US agencies didn’t have a clue about the imminent terrorist threat, let alone were they frantically seeking anyone!] By 1999, the four original operatives picked for the plot traveled to Afghanistan to train at one of bin Laden's camps. [Another all-too-convenient statement lending justification to the US decision to invade Afghanistan, even though the camps, by the time of the invasion, were guaranteed to be empty of terrorists.] The focus, Mohammed said, was on specialized commando training, not piloting jets. [This brings up another huge gap in the story. Why are there no details anywhere in this interrogation about where the presumed hijackers got real training in flying big jets? The story about learning to fly Boeing 767s in Cessna trainers is too bogus to even contemplate. It is merely a cover the US government has conspicuously failed to debunk, because to bring up the real source of large jet training would necessarily focus attention toward possible US collusion with a major Middle Eastern country, other than Iraq.] “Mohammed told his interrogators the hijacking teams were originally made up of members from different countries where al-Qaida had recruited, but that in the final stages bin Laden chose instead to use a large group of young Saudi men to populate the hijacking teams. [Contradiction: No plot this sophisticated can substitute a large percentage of its attack team at the last minute.] “U.S. intelligence has suggested that Saudis were chosen, instead, because there were large numbers willing to follow bin Laden and they could more easily get into the United States because of the countries' friendly relations. Mohammed's interrogation report states he told Americans some of the original operatives assigned to the plot did not make it because they had trouble getting into the United States. Mohammed said the first major change to the plans occurred in 1999 when the two Yemeni operatives could not get U.S. visas. [Very true. In fact, none of the Saudis qualified to get into the US under existing visa guidelines. Visa holders have to show a visible means of support (regular job), have lots of money in a bank account, and meet a profile that indicates they have many obligations to family members left behind which would induce them to not stay in the US. The indigent hijackers had none of these, and yet they all got visas without question. The INS has no explanation for its supposed incompetence. The INS even sent Mohammed Atta and a fellow terrorist their visas at Venice Aviation in Florida (a CIA front) after the 9/11 hijacking, just as a demonstration of how “incompetent” they were.] “Addressing one of the questions raised by congressional investigators in their Sept. 11 review, Mohammed said he never heard of a Saudi man named Omar al-Bayoumi who provided some rent money and assistance to two hijackers when they arrived in California. [Contradiction: How can Mohammed claim to have developed a huge master plan and yet not know about a key support person? Are we to believe two of his key terrorists are the lucky recipients of anonymous largess?] Congressional investigators have suggested Bayoumi could have aided the hijackers [easy call - providing rent money is significant support] or been a Saudi intelligence agent, charges the Saudi government vehemently deny. The FBI has also cast doubt on the congressional theory [a convenient peace of coordination between two agencies tasked with covering up the real events of 9/11] after extensive investigation and several interviews with al-Bayoumi. “But they have been able to corroborate with other captives and evidence much of his account of the Sept. 11 planning. [Easy to say when the CIA provides no details, holds all the captives themselves, and controls all dissemination of their supposed admissions]. “The interrogation reports make dramatically clear that Mohammed and al-Qaida were still actively looking to strike U.S., Western and Israeli targets across the world as of this year. [Why would he admit any of this? No terrorist of the dedicated Middle Eastern variety is going to spill anything that would jeopardize future operations – especially when not under any kind of torture. The US certainly isn’t going to allow him to go free for cooperating. Muslims aren’t afraid to die for the cause, so where’s the inducement to tell all?] “Mohammed said through the various iterations of the plot, he considered using a scaled-down version of the Bojinka plan that would have bombed commercial airliners, and that he even ‘contemplated attempting to down the planes using shoes bombs,’ one report said. [Another all-too-convenient statement giving credence to theory of the shoe bomber having a “link to al-Qaida.” In fact, the shoe bomber caught by the US government had no effective means of setting off the explosive (he was using a match), indicating he wasn’t a trained terrorist.]” [End of Solomon quote.] All the details provided in this story give the appearance that this captive is “telling all,” but when the story is scrutinized more carefully, the gaps I mentioned become even more conspicuous by their absence. Either the CIA is too dumb to ask obvious questions in this investigation, or they are purposely withholding critical information, or they are making it all up. The question of where they learned to fly jumbo jets is a huge issue in the investigation, and yet these suspicious and juicy leaks from the CIA give no indication they even asked Mohammed about this issue. THE MEACHER REVELATIONS Michael Meacher, a former British Minister of the Environment, made dramatic claims two weeks ago that, “Wars against both Iraq and Afghanistan were planned in advance of Sept. 11.” This is a fairly brave statement for a former member of the British governing establishment, one which may cost him his political career in the UK. In an article published in the Guardian, Meacher claimed that the US had foreknowledge of the plot but deliberately allowed it to go forward to advance a strategic agenda related to the Project for the New American Century (PNAC), involving promoting future US dominance in world affairs. [As my readers know, it is my opinion that PNAC was a carefully crafted front for the larger, more secret global agenda to take down US sovereignty and replace it with world government.] Meacher said that incompetence is only a cover, that it is “clear the US authorities did little or nothing to pre-empt the events of 9/11…[A]t least 11 countries provided advance warning to US intelligence agencies.” World Affairs Brief, October 24, 2003 9/11 PANEL FINALLY HOMING IN ON FAA TAPE RECORDINGS According to the Wall Street Journal, after years of stonewalling Congress over the issue of when did NORAD know about the highjackings, “[t]he independent commission investigating the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks said it will issue its first subpoena, demanding documents it says the Federal Aviation Administration has withheld for months… FAA representatives testified they notified Norad almost immediately, but Norad officials testified that there had been a delay of about 30 minutes.” Fortunately, the targets of the subpoenas are the FAA tape recordings of voice communications with the pilots on the highjacked aircraft and the recordings of the call to NORAD. “In an unusually sharply worded statement, the panel said ‘the FAA's delay has significantly impeded the progress of our investigation’ and said the subpoena also is meant to warn other agencies that the commission now is ready to use its subpoena power to obtain the information it needs…The decision to issue the subpoena came late Tuesday, after staff members informed the commissioners that they had discovered records had been withheld…The commission said it was told by the FAA in early September that all records had been turned over, but investigators recently discovered that ‘highly material’ documents hadn't been included. The FAA has since turned over dozens of additional boxes, but the subpoena would still be issued to ensure no omissions, the commission said.” There is no reason why the FAA should be stonewalling on these requests unless there is something significant to hide. Shoving “filler material” at the commission is a common tactic: flood them with minuscia and hope they don’t realize there is more. I doubt the material they are covering up will be delivered. The government will destroy the tapes before acquiescing to a subpoena. World Affairs Brief November 14 2003 WHITE HOUSE REACHES SECRECY AGREEMENT WITH 9/11 COMMISSION The independent commission on 9/11 announced this week that the White House would allow a small number of commissioners to review the classified intelligence briefings previously withheld. These could then share their findings with the other 9/ll panel members, but only after the White censors their notes. Finally, all such information will be kept secret from the public, thus denying the public the key purposes of the 9/11 commission - to inform the public as to how much responsibility the government shares in the intelligence and military failures to protect American lives in the WTC. This agreement is a sellout. Victims groups feel betrayed. They are, as with every other Congressional investigations (whitewashed) in recent history. World Affairs Brief, February 6, 2004 WMD: ANOTHER SHAM INVESTIGATION A day after trying to defend his justification for going to war in Iraq (saying, “Saddam was still a danger, even if no WMDs are found”), and denying the need for an investigation, President Bush reversed himself this week and called for an official inquiry. His advisors must have assured him that there is no way he can win the public relations battle on this issue without being exonerated officially by a commission. The recent official inquiry into the role of the Blair government in Britain on the David Kelly death, must have been encouraging to the Bush staff. PM Tony Blair, following the lead of Bush and other American presidents, called for his own inquiry into claims of WMDs in Iraq – and so far seems to have succeeded in whitewashing the issue for the general public. No savvy persons in Britain expect this issue to get a fair hearing after the precedent-setting Hutton report. In commenting on the upcoming investigation in the US, the White House made self-important comparisons between this new investigation and the Warren Commission, which investigated the JFK assassination. They intended the comparison to refer to the size and importance of the investigation. In reality, it is an apt comparison in a totally different sense. The Warren Commission was a whitewash and a cover-up from start to finish, including the choices of which predictable persons to serve on the Commission, which colluding Chief Justice to lead it, and which key lawyer (Arlen Specter, now a powerful US Senator) to run the day to day staff work. Watch carefully who they choose to serve on this new commission. Just as with the 9/11 Commission, the members will all be establishment politicians who have been controlled in the past. Notice also that the breadth of the investigation is being widened to include dozens of superfluous issues—to make sure that commission members have no time to tackle the real issues, and also that the results won’t be ready until 2005, conveniently after the November elections. And they called Nixon “Tricky Dick”! In point of fact, the entire premise of the investigation – that this was a case of intelligence “failure” – is a red herring: a false lead to divert the public’s attention from the truth. There was no intelligence failure. It was all a fabrication! There is a big difference. Everyone in the Bush administration, including CIA director Tenet, keeps trying to downplay what they said, claiming they really didn’t say the threat was imminent or that there were definitive quantities of WMD. Really? On March 11, 2003, Sec. of Defense Rumsfeld said, “[W]e know he continues to hide biological and chemical weapons, moving them to different locations every 12 to 24 hours and placing them in residential neighborhoods.” Think about this for a minute. This has to be a fabrication. If the US had this kind of detailed intelligence (which Rumsfeld claims they did), the US military would have been able to go right to those locations at the beginning of the invasion and capture these weapons. The fact that none were found anywhere, even after house to house searches means what Rumsfeld claimed was a lie. Again, these are not intelligence failures, but fabrications. These fabrications would never have been made at the analyst level of the CIA, but rather at the political level in the White House and Pentagon. That is why Director Tenet can say with a straight face, “We never said the threat was imminent.” Of course not. But Bush did! Not only should people be fired over this, but they should do jail time for abuse of the public trust. World Affairs Brief, April 2, 2004 WHAT THE 9/11 COMMISSION SHOULD BE INVESTIGATING, BUT ISNT The controversial testimony of former counter-terrorism expert Richard Clarke in juxtaposition with the constant drama surrounding whether or not President Bush and National Security Advisor Condoleezza Rice will testify before the commission (under oath and in public) is all just a scripted diversion to use up the Commission’s limited time and ensure that the real issues are never investigated or aired publicly. First, Clarke’s testimony is only partially genuine. He is playing a partisan role to help the Democrats undermine Bush by confirming that Bush and other Cabinet members had intentions to attack Afghanistan and Iraq prior to 9/11 (which is true), but he continues to foster the false idea that he and others during the Clinton administration were highly focused on al Qaeda—a threat the Bush administration, he says, failed to take seriously. In reality, the Clinton administration during Clarke’s tenure never tried to capture Osama bin Laden any more than the Bush administration, even when the Sudanese government had him in their custody and offered to turn him over to the US. Clarke had to have known this. CBS News and a Frontline Special reported that within hours of the 9/11 attack, Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld was instructing his aides to come up with plans for striking Iraq. The invasion of Afghanistan was planned before 9/11, as evidenced by US diplomatic pronouncements to a closed meeting in Berlin in July 2001 where it was leaked that Bush would attack Afghanistan no later than October 2001. The Indymedia documentation of that meeting has since been purged from all government internet sites. The India Times also reported a secret military agreement between the US and Russia in the spring of 2001 to jointly invade Afghanistan. Many suspect that the main reason VP Cheney is so adamant about refusing to disclose minutes of what went on during the secret meetings on energy is because oil giants openly discussed with Cheney the need to overthrow the Taliban in order to be able to build a major pipeline through Afghanistan. Currently, the Bush administration has said they will allow Condoleezza Rice to testify in public and under oath. Despite the months of wrangling over executive privilege and separation of powers, it’s a safe bet that Rice won’t be embarrassed by the pseudo-inquisitor, Chief Counsel Richard Ben Veniste. I listened to Ben Veniste’s examination of numerous government officials on NPR radio. By all the initial joking and comradery that was exchanged between him and CIA Director Tenet, and later with Asst. Sec. of State Richard Armitage (former chief drug importer for the CIA), it was clear no tough questions were going to be forthcoming. He played softball with them both. Instead of setting up legal traps in advance by asking questions Ben Veniste could later trip them up on, he wasted hours asking them questions these officials could easily evade by claiming ignorance or “national security,” and then failed to present any contradictory testimony. It will be the same with Rice. There are dozens of general explanations she can come up with to explain the contradictions between her former statements to the press and the testimony of Richard Clarke. But even if Ben Veniste were able to make something of the differences, what would they show? That the CIA was negligent, incompetent, and worked at cross purposes with other agencies? Or, heaven forbid, that they failed to share information with other agencies? If they are guilty, so what? These are not faults meriting more than a slap on the hands. No wonder no government official responsible for security and intelligence has been fired. By focusing on such innocuous drama, the public is denied the key issues that cry out for an explanation. HERE ARE THE KEY ISSUES THAT ARE BEING EVADED: Planted, too-good-to-be-true evidence: Hijackers are apparently too stupid to follow one of the cardinal rules of covering your trail: Don’t drive to the airport – have an accomplice or Arab taxi driver drop you off. Instead, they drove themselves to Boston Logan Airport, and proceeded to leave flight manuals and Arabic messages in their van. Mohammed Atta’s magic indestructible passport survived the inferno of Twin Towers and was found two or three blocks away. (Two passports were found in all, plus a pristine suicide letter in Arabic.) Within two hours, FBI agents were at restaurants where the hijackers had been eating, and at nightclubs where they went carousing — so much for their religiosity. How did they find this information so fast if they were too incompetent to track them beforehand? Refusal of the government to produce tape and video evidence that would corroborate the official version of events and the list of hijackers: The surveillance video recorded at the gas station across from the Pentagon crash site was confiscated by the FBI and never released. The parking lot video excerpt that was leaked doesn’t show any jet the size of a Boeing 757. Crash proof black boxes from all aircraft except one were claimed to be destroyed or unreadable. The one played for surviving family members from Flight 93 was edited. The Commission claimed it would subpoena FAA recordings of conversations with pilots prior to the hijacking, but never has followed through or released them. One tape recording from Cleveland Air Traffic Control that monitored the fate of Flight 93 over Pennsylvania was leaked, so we know these tapes exists. Interestingly, this tape shows that three or four other commercial aircraft talking on the same ATC frequency heard the pilot of Flight 93 tell the passengers that the hijackers told them there was a bomb on board, and yet the government has never mentioned this. Here’s an abbreviated excerpt from the leaked private ATC transcript: Executive 956 [private jet]: Just answering your call. We could year that, er, yelling too. Cleveland Center: OK, thank you, were just trying to figure out what’s going on. United 93: [unintelligible] this is captain, please sit down, remain sitting, we have a bomb on board. [Sometimes pilots key the wrong button. In this case the Captain thinks he is broadcasting to the passengers on intercom but he is pressing the radio transmit button—shows he is under severe stress.] Cleveland Center: Uh, calling Cleveland Center, you’re unreadable, say again slowly. Executive 956: [unintelligible] was reasonable, sounded like someone said they had a bomb on board. Cleveland: That’s what we thought, we just, er, we didn’t get it clear. …United ninety-three calling. United ninety-three, understand you have a bomb on board, go ahead. Executive nine fifty-six, did you understand that transmission? Executive 956: Affirmative. He said there was a bomb on board. [Later]Cleveland Center (2): [Voice changed to female, apparently second Cleveland controller.] Do you see any, ah, activity on your right side, smoke or anything like that? American 1060: Negative. We’re searching. Yeah, we do have a smoke puff now at about, er, oh probably two o’clock. There appears to be just a spire up like a puff of black smoke. [Indicates evidence of explosion in the air.] [End of ATC excerpt.] Lack of verifiable evidence of hijackers’ identities: Security cameras at airport boarding gates would have clearly shown the Arab hijackers. The government won’t release them or the actual passenger manifests, including Arabic named passengers. The claimed DNA samples are a fraud unless the government can prove it has custody of original DNA from the hijackers, seven of whom (according to other evidence) are still alive and nine of whom were dead or missing before 9/11. Lack of evidence that al Qaeda is a world wide terrorist organization: Al Qaeda had roots with the CIA, so it may still be controlled at the higher levels, for purposes of creating conflict and engendering in Americans a blind patriotism to support a phony war on terror. The CIA and its cohorts in the Pakistani ISI and the Israeli Mossad are the only sources of information on al Qaeda, which is suspicious. The organization was rarely considered a credible threat before 9/11. Even now, the CIA consistently refuses to display captured al Qaeda leaders in public or put them on trial. All leaks about supposed confessions mirror the government’s story and have no other corroborating evidence. Of greatest significance is the fact that there have been virtually no normal terrorist attacks in the US since 9/11, even though the US has almost open borders and no protection against car bombings, electrical tower sabotage, or suicide bombings: weekly occurrences wherever terrorism is a legitimate threat. Evidence of CIA involvement with the terrorists: Ruddy Dekker, the owner of Huffman Aviation, and a fellow Dutchman who bought another aviation school next door, both had prior CIA dealings. Dekker had no previous aviation experience prior to acquiring Huffman Aviation in Venice, Florida, and showed a broad ignorance of technical aviation regulations and affairs when dealing with other professionals in the field. He sublet space in his hangar to Britannia Aviation, another government front company. Prior knowledge warnings: High schools in some NY city districts told students not to go down to the WTC on 9/11. SF Mayor Brown was told not to fly that day, as was Salmon Rusdy in the UK. Putin warned Bush about 25 suicide pilots. Germany and the Israeli Mossad said the US was warned not to fly that day. Evidence of explosives in the World Trade Centers: Investigative journalist Christopher Bollyn has written one of the best expositions on the ample evidence that there were explosives wired into the building prior to the attack. He writes, “In the basements of the collapsed towers, where the 47 central support columns connected with the bedrock, hot spots of ‘literally molten steel’ were discovered more than a month after the collapse. Such persistent and intense residual heat, 70 feet below the surface, in an oxygen starved environment, could explain how these crucial structural supports failed. Peter Tully, president of Tully Construction of Flushing, N.Y., told AFP that he saw pools of ‘literally molten steel’ at the World Trade Center. “Tully was contracted after the Sept. 11 tragedy to remove the debris from the site. Tully called Mark Loizeaux, president of Controlled Demolition, Inc. (CDI) of Phoenix, Md., for consultation about removing the debris. CDI calls itself ‘the innovator and global leader in the controlled demolition and implosion of structures.’ Loizeaux, who cleaned up the bombed Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City, arrived at the WTC site two days later and wrote the clean up plan for the entire operation. AFP asked Loizeaux about the report of molten steel on the site. ‘Yes,’ he said, ‘hot spots of molten steel in the basements.’ These incredibly hot areas were found ‘at the bottoms of the elevator shafts of the main towers, down seven [basement] levels,’ Loizeaux said. The molten steel was found ‘three, four, and five weeks later, when the rubble was being removed,’ Loizeaux said. He said molten steel was also found at 7 WTC, which collapsed mysteriously in the late afternoon. “Construction steel has an extremely high melting point of about 2,800 degrees Fahrenheit. Asked what could have caused such extreme heat, Tully said, ‘Think of the jet fuel.’ Loizeaux told AFP that the steel-melting fires were fueled by ‘paper, carpet and other combustibles packed down the elevator shafts by the tower floors as they pancaked into the basement.’ However, some independent investigators dispute this claim, saying kerosene-based jet fuel, paper, or the other combustibles normally found in the towers, cannot generate the heat required to melt steel, especially in an oxygen-poor environment like a deep basement. “Eric Hufschmid, author of a book about the WTC collapse, Painful Questions, told AFP that due to the lack of oxygen, paper and other combustibles packed down at the bottom of elevator shafts would probably be ‘a smoky smoldering pile.’ Experts disagree that jet-fuel or paper could generate such heat. This is impossible, they say, because the maximum temperature that can be reached by hydrocarbons like jet fuel burning in air is 1,520 degrees F. Because the WTC fires were fuel rich, as evidenced by the thick black smoke, it is argued that they did not reach this upper limit. The hottest spots at the surface of the rubble, where abundant oxygen was available, were much cooler than the molten steel found in the basements.” [End of Bollyn quote.] Canadian Investigator Will Thomas has written an excellent work entitled, All Fall Down. In it he documents, “An eyewitness 6 blocks from the WTC heard explosions prior to each collapse. A fireman’s transcription of the New York Times 9/11 firefighters’ audio tape reveals an explosion prior to the collapse of WTC 2 was reported. A video shows an object falling from WTC 1 followed by a camera shake. 14 seconds later WTC 1 collapses.” Thomas, Bollyn and others believe that the only explanation that explains the collapse of the Twin Towers without the use of complicated timed explosives placed throughout the building (requiring extensive pre-wiring) is the use of thermite charges in the basement, filling the cavity of the core section of 4 inch thick pillars holding up the towers. Here’s Bollyn again: “Thermite is very exothermic. Temperatures above 4,500°F (2,500°C) are often reached. A byproduct of a thermite detonation in the WTC basements would be molten steel. The service core [of central pillars] of WTC 2 initially survived the collapse, but after a few seconds it also came to ground. This is consistent with molten iron from a thermite reaction pooling around the core columns, thus causing the collapse. ‘If I were to bring the towers down, I would put explosives in the basement to get the weight of the building to help collapse the structure,’ [says] Mark Loizeaux, president of Controlled Demolition, Inc.” Terrorists of the incompetent Arab variety that showed up at US flight schools could not have pulled off high tech insider explosives job, nor the collapse of WTC Building 7, which video evidence does show had been pre-wired with normal demolition explosives — lots of small charges on critical steel columns and corners which were timed to collapse the building vertically. Building 7 was almost exclusively occupied by government, and could have been pre-wired by government agents without alerting any civilians. Christopher Bollyn commented on the insider connections to the WTC complex: “For example, Peter G. Peterson, chairman of the CFR and the Federal Reserve Bank of New York announced that his Blackstone Group had purchased, in October 2000, the mortgage on 7 World Trade Center, the 47-story building built by Larry Silverstein in 1987. Silverstein is the person who obtained 99-year leases on the twin towers shortly before 9-11 and who insured the property and its future income against terrorism. He is seeking some $7.2 billion claiming the attacks were two separate events.” Silverstein also made the indiscreet comment to reporters that he had given orders to “pull the building” just prior to its collapse. This is demolition lingo for bringing down a building by controlled demolition. According to Bollyn, others suspected controlled demolition too: “WTC 7 mysteriously collapsed at 5:25 p.m. on 9-11, in what appears to have been a controlled demolition. John Wholihan, a firefighter with Rescue 5 from Staten Island was near WTC 7 when it collapsed. Wholihan told American Free Press that he heard ‘many explosions’ just before the building collapsed neatly within the perimeter of its foundation. Silverstein received some $441 million in insurance money for WTC 7 although the cause of the collapse remains officially unexplained.” What is clear, in my analysis, is that the official explanation of it coming down vertically and instantly cannot meet the test of reality. If it suffered damage from the collapse of the nearby WTC tower, it would have only been damaged on one side. A collapse from damage to one side would only have occurred with a massive falling over movement. There was no central system of support to fail in this building that could explain a vertical collapse even with fire (which was not uniform throughout the building). Selective stand-down of military interceptors: One of the most powerful evidences of government participation in the outcome of this attack by what I think were government controlled operatives, is the shooting down of Flight 93 over Pennsylvania by an F-16 aircraft, and the simultaneous but inexplicable holding of other fighters on the ground (orders to “stand down”). One of my subscribers is friends with a tower operator at McGuire AFB in NJ. He reports that his friend told him to not permit any fighters to take off. They could have easily stopped Flight 175 heading for the second WTC strike. (Flight 175 was the Boeing 757 airliner that several video tapes showed had a large bulging modification on its belly, as documented in a prior World Affairs Brief.) Other fighters which were launched did so painfully late and were not told to “go buster” (supersonic speeds), to make sure they wouldn’t catch the Pentagon targeting aircraft on time. All of this analysis is contained in Will Thomas’ publication, entitled Stand Down. The strange case of the Pentagon attack: The attack on the Pentagon was much more complex than the government’s version of events, and also filled with contradictory evidence: lack of external debris coupled with a damage area too small to match a 757 airliner. The Pentagon parking lot video shows a huge, white explosion on the Pentagon wall, followed by a fuel-fed fire. Ordinary people wouldn’t know that only high explosives can generate this white image—and that it never occurs with the crash of a fuel-laden aircraft. The strangely edited video clip evens fails to show a large airliner crashing into the Pentagon, but rather the hazy image of a much smaller fighter-sized jet with a mysterious smoke or missile trail. Witnesses did see a large airliner, but others also saw a smaller jet. It is possible both were present, and that the smaller jet fired a missile into the Pentagon wall prior to the crash, which would explain how one object punched a 12-foot-diameter hole through three rings of the Pentagon. This could not have been done by any part of the relatively soft airliner nor its turbo fan engines. The video clip showing the smoke trail looks strangely unlike a real smoke trail from a missile (too white and too much soft curling smoke). It is almost as if whoever leaked the edited clip doctored it to give a hint that there was another aircraft and a missile involved. Conclusions: As you can see from my abbreviated listing, there is no shortage of legitimate and substantive matters to investigate. No government commission with the kind of money and staff this commission has could possibly be unaware of these issues I have mentioned. They are documented and discussed by tens of credible internet sites, complete with photos, videos, theories, and laborious investigations. WhatReallyHappened.com is one of the most comprehensive, though I don’t buy into the total package of conclusions proffered by any one site. One must look at a variety of theories and issues to come to a final conclusion. All these private investigations need some form of legal power of discovery in order to penetrate various veils of government secrecy surrounding key issues. The 9/11 Commission has failed the public by refusing to provide that penetration into government secrets. All of the roadblocks met by investigators have been put up by our own government—almost as if they really don’t want the public to find out exactly how these sophisticated attacks took place. I, for one, am convinced that Muslim terrorists were involved, but that they were directed and assisted by a huge network of secret operatives that only the US government could have produced. No portion of the 9/11 Commission investigation was allowed to follow through with any evidence pointing to government collusion in this great tragedy. That is why this investigation is an exercise in futility, if not a direct cover-up World Affairs Brief, April 23, 2004 WITNESS TO THE SHOOTDOWN OF FLIGHT 93 This is my edited transcript from the comments of a caller named “Al” to the Howard Stern Radio Show on April 21, 2004. Howard asks him to tell the audience what really happened to Flight 93 in Pennsylvania. “I live in Sommerset, Pa, just out of Shanksville. We were coming down the road from a friend’s house. We heard a plane, a low level plane. We stopped the car to look, because that was unusual for this area. We heard an explosion …saw smoke coming from the plane in the air, and there were two other airplanes that passed right over in the air…” Hear it via the Internet on the Alex Jones website: http://www.prisonplanet.com/articles/april2004/042104flight93.htm. World Affairs Brief, July 30, 2004 BLACK BOX SURVIVABILITY One of the biggest contradictions in the accounts of the 9/11 series of crashes is the claim by government that nearly all of the 8 black boxes involved in the crashes were destroyed. Statistically, the survival rate of black boxes is above 95%. Why should this rate fall so dramatically during this one devastating terrorist event? Perhaps it didn’t. Up until now, the public has been kept in the dark about the construction of these destruction proof recorders. We keep thinking there is a tape recorder inside that could easily be destroyed. Apparently it’s an entirely different technology. Here’s a report by David Luke following his dissection of one of these boxes at an alloy recycling center. “Black boxes are made of extremely strong and resilient materials and designed to withstand every conceivable possibility for destruction. More importantly, the material that holds the information is not what the FBI would like you to know about. This material will survive even if the black box is TOTALLY DESTROYED (which in itself is highly unlikely by design). These materials, high temperature nickel alloys, are some of the most indestructible materials known to man…they are marked with a stylus not so much different than that of our old 33 1/3 vinyl albums, but in reverse. The information is scribed onto this alloy along with timing "nicks" for time/date reference…the marked strip is ‘rolled’ up into a continuous roll of high temperature alloy. The tight circular roll now resembles a solid. [It becomes] a solid piece of material that by design protects itself by only allowing the EDGES of the roll to be exposed to damage -- THE DATA ITSELF IS SAFE IN THE CENTER OF THE STRIP. So designed, the mass of the continuous rolled strip shields the ‘whole’ from damage.” In the face of this analysis, Luke derives a disturbing conclusion: “So, when the FBI tells us that the boxes were nearly destroyed -- you can think, ‘This is possible’... BUT, during the highly unlikely event of the box's near destruction, it is doing what it is designed to do -- the casing absorbs energy to protect the metal roll that by design is nearly indestructible by itself. So when flight recorders come up blank, I ask the question, ‘NO DATA... For Whom?’” [End of Luke quote.] World Affairs Brief, September 17, 2004 STANLEY HILTON LAWSUIT TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE? For the second time in as many years, Alex Jones has interviewed Stanley Hilton, who has filed a $7 billion dollar lawsuit against key members of the Bush administration, charging them with executing the 9/11 terrorist attack. Hilton, a lawyer and former Chief of Staff for Senator Bob Dole, has assembled a prodigious list of smoking gun witnesses that, if real, could expose the government’s direct involvement in 9/11. Here are excerpts from both the 2003 and 2004 interviews with Alex Jones [www.prisonplanet.com]: “AJ: What is your case alleging? “SH: We are suing Bush, Condoleezza Rice, Cheney, Rumsfeld, Mueller, etc. for complicity in personally not only allowing 9/11 to happen but in ordering it. The hijackers we retained and we had a witness who is married to one of them. The hijackers were U.S. undercover agents. They were double agents, paid by the FBI and the CIA to spy on Arab groups in this country. They were controlled. Their landlord was an FBI informant in San Diego and other places. And this was a direct, covert operation ordered, personally ordered by George W. Bush. Personally ordered. We have incriminating evidence, documents as well as witnesses, to this effect. It’s not just incompetence – in spite of the fact that he is incompetent. The fact is he personally ordered this, knew about it. He, at one point, there were rehearsals of this. The reason why he appeared to be uninterested and nonchalant on September 11th – when those videos showed that Andrew Card whispered in his ear the [garbled] words about this he listened to kids reading the pet goat story, is that he thought this was another rehearsal. These people had dress rehearsed this many times. He had seen simulated videos of this. In fact, he even made a Freudian slip a few months later at a California press conference when he said he had, quote, “seen on television the first plane attack the first tower.” And that could not be possible because there was no video. What it was the simulated video that he had gone over. So this was a personally government ordered thing. “AJ: Absolutely and now it has come out – five separate drills of flying hijacked jets into buildings that morning – which you told us about before it even broke in the Associated Press. They were trying to get out ahead of you. You talked about how you interviewed military people who were told it was a drill that morning. Then to get out ahead of that, the news finally reported on it. Now, we’ve learned that all these operations – I want to get into that, I want to talk about the new incriminating evidence of ordering it and how they had drilled on this, how Cheney was in the bunker controlling this. That has even come out in the mainstream news but they won’t release the details of that, Stanley “SH: And I’ve been harassed personally by the chief judge of the federal court who is instructing me personally to drop this suit, threatened to kick me off the court, after 30-years on the court… I did an interview with you, Alex, back in March of 2003, about a year and a half ago, and literally two weeks after that, I was contacted by the emissary of the chief judge of the federal court where I have the lawsuit. And I was warned not to publicize it but to keep it quiet and threatened with discipline. And it remained quiet until a couple of months ago and then I got on the air on some programs and some publicity and… July 1st, I was threatened directly by the chief judge here, threatened with court discipline. This particular judge has been circulating communiqués to the other federal judges seeking anything negative she can get against me to try and discipline me after I’ve been on the court here for 30-years with no disciplinary problems at all. This is suddenly happening. And her assistants who are on the committee of the court met with me on July 1st in Palo Alto, California, and threatened me directly. They handed me a copy of the lawsuit and said that the judge wants me to dismiss this. What’s this? She doesn’t like the content of it. This is politically incorrect. This is outside the norm. I said I represented more than 400 plaintiffs, how am I going to dismiss this case? And they threatened me directly and they said, “the next time you’ll be disciplined.” And also they’ve threatened me not to go public, etc. And this is just outrageous….They sent a letter out, and of course they deny it’s because of the political content of the suit but they told me directly on the phone that it is because of this suit and this judge is very, very angry, apparently has been in contact with Ashcroft’s Justice Department. I got a call from Ashcroft’s Justice Department a few months ago about this, demanding that I drop the suit, threatening sanctions and all kinds of things. I refused to drop it. “I've been harassed by the FBI. My staff has been harassed and threatened. My office has been broken into and this is the kind of government we are dealing with…First of all, my office was burglarized in San Francisco several months ago. Files were gone through and some files were seized – particularly the ones dealing with the lady that was married to one of the hijackers…at least some of them were on the payroll of the U.S. government as undercover FBI, CIA, double agents. They are spying on Arab groups in the U.S. And, in effect, all this lead up to the effect that al Qaeda is a creation of the George Bush administration, basically. That’s the entity that he called al Qaeda.is directly linked to George Bush. And all this stuff was stolen Fortunately, I had spare copies in a hidden place so nothing disappeared permanently. But more significantly, FBI agents have been harassing one of my staff members and threatening them with vague but frightening threats of indicting them. And it’s just total harassment. They have planted a spy, an undercover agent, in my organization, as we just recently discovered. In other words, these are Nazi Germany tactics. This is the kind of government you have in this country. This is what Bush is all about. “AJ (2003): And this you told me last week before this was on ABC News that you have gotten some of this information through depositions and some other little tidbits that haven’t been disclosed. But also, you talked about how you deposed, you got the marriage certificates, the evidence, the photographs - a woman who was married to one of the hijackers. You talked to what you said were six or eight people who were connected to them. And then we have the news articles where the FBI gave them homes, paid their rent, followed them around. We know Israel was involved in similar things. Can you speak to that please? “SH (2003): Yes, I do have a witness who was married, she’s an American woman, but she was married to one of the hijackers and she knew about seven of them. She met seven of them. Essentially these Arab hijackers were double agents. That is, they were operating inside the U.S. for ten to fifteen years in “cells”. Some of them used the term al Qaeda, they’ve used other terms. Al Qaeda is just a word. That means nothing. You could call them the Muslim Brotherhood, the Army of God, they go by all sorts of names. But what they are is a series of cells that have been aided and abetted by the U.S. Government. This woman was involved also, married to him at the time of the 1993 World Trade Center first bombing and the Oklahoma City bombing when her “ex-husband” actually traveled to Oklahoma City several weeks before the bombings. And they were involved, apparently, in that. “But what we have here is double agents. In that they nominally appear to be Arab fanatics. But one of the points that she stressed is they are really not Muslims. They are more interested in Playboy than in the Koran. I mean these people drink. They are very secular. They are not the fanatical Muslim zealots that the Bush criminals would lead us to believe is what’s operating here. What they are is they receive regular payments from the U.S. Government. They have been recruited by the CIA, FBI, counter-intelligence, and so-forth and paid money and allowed to exchange information with U.S. government agents about various activities going on.... “AJ: Now, let’s talk about what they want you to drop. Let’s talk about, without giving names, the people you deposed, what really happened, the picture you’ve got. You said earlier that Bush ordered this, they were simulating this which they now admit there were simulations on that morning. Let’s go over what they don’t want you to talk about, Stanley. “SH: We have evidence both documentary as well as witness sworn statements from undercover former FBI agents, FBI informants, etc., that other officials in the Pentagon and the military and the Air Force that deal with the fact that there were many drills, many rehearsals for 9/11 before it happened. Bush had seen this simulated on TV many times. He blurted this out at a press conference in California a few months after 9/11 where he said he had, quote, seen the first plane hit the first building on the video. And that’s not possible because there was no official video of that. There was one of the second plane not the first one. He had seen the first one. We do have some incriminating documents that Bush personally ordered 9/11 events. It was well planned. A FEMA official has admitted on tape that he was there the night before – September 10th, that is …[The official later recanted, and stated he arrived the next day. However, his denial doesn’t match his other statement that he and his crew “were the first ones on the scene.” The two claims are completely contradictory.] “AJ: And now Mayor Giuliani, a few months ago in the 911 Commission, admitted that – Tripod II. They had their whole command post already moved out of Building 7 [destroyed later in the day of the attack]. Now, this is very, very important. This is a key area of this whole event. “SH: I have interviewed individuals in NORAD and the Air Force. Individuals that work in NORAD as well as the Air Force have stated this, off the record, but the point is, yes, this was not just five drills but at least 35 drills over at least two months before September 11th. Everything was planned, the exact location…… “AJ: But five drills that day. “SH: That day, that day, and Bush thought it was a drill. That’s the only explanation for why he appeared nonchalant……… “AJ: We also had NORAD officers and civilian air traffic controllers going, “Is this part of the exercise? Is this a drill?” SH: Well, I’m trying to take their depositions – I’ve been trying to take their depositions for months. They’ve been trying to object to it. They will have to admit they were either lying then or now. It’s clearly perjury either way. They are liars and perjurers; that’s what they are. These are the people that we have running this government and, of course, they knew about it. How are they going to claim now that they didn’t know about these drills? Their idea is that nobody knew anything. It’s the old know nothing mentality. And how anybody considers this believable is beyond me. “National Security Council classified documents which [garbled] and it was part of a series of documents that were involved with the drill documents. This was all planned – they had it on videotape. These planes were controlled by remote control, as I stated previously a year and a half ago, there’s a system called Cyclops. “AJ (2003): Let me stop you right there Mr. Hilton. Everything you said was already backed up by mainstream reports. You’ve gotten it now, in sworn testimony in depositions under oath. But something that everybody wants to ignore is that three of the hijackers, at least, were trained at Pensacola Naval Air Station not at a local airfield - on the base, by the government, at least. Now we find out that eight of the hijackers under names we heard are still alive in the Middle East, on television doing interviews. You know, their faces, their names, same people. We have then Mohamed Atta being sent over to the Defense Language School at Monterrey. You talked to Steven Butler (the Dean). “SH: Yeah. The witness I was talking about, personally met Atta - two Attas - Mohamed and the younger brother. And they are alleged to be two of the ones on the airliners. You know, the thing is, these individuals are, in my view, “patsies”. That is, they were paid by the government. I don’t believe that they themselves flew the planes into, as I said previously, allegations are that the government has this device that we codename Cyclops that allows, from an airbase nearby, to disable the pilot’s control of an airliner and to fly them by remote control. “AJ: Let me stop you. Let me stop you. This is really key, Sir. We are so honored to have you. I’ve really studied this and I want to give you.. You probably already have and I want to reiterate it for the listeners. Bush, two days after the attack at a speech in New York said that in the future we can remote control these planes and land them so this doesn’t happen. And someone reached up and physically grabbed him by the arm and made him shut-up. And, if you’ve seen “The Masters of Terror,” we have the two Associated Press articles, after you were on our show and brought this up that you have this from inside military officers..... “SH: See the thing is that you look back in ’93 and ’95, Oklahoma City, World Trade Center, and you say well Clinton was in power; whereas now it’s Bush. So you say well how could it be the same players here? The answer is that the shadow government transcends individual political puppets that occupy 1600 Pennsylvania. I mean it doesn’t really make much difference whether it’s Clinton or Bush. The shadow government, as I call it, essentially is continuous. These bureaucrats that you’ve got there at the Pentagon, State Dept., White House, etc., they stay on. They stay on from administration to administration pursuing a certain agenda. And I think this is all part of a pattern. And the latest example, manifestation was 9/11. You’ve got that and the anthrax attack which happened immediately right after 9/11. “AJ: Mr. Hilton, from your experience, what types of groups of people, the shadow government, which they just announced, remember last year, that we’ve known about for years. And what does the shadow government want this world to be like? “SH: Basically a one-world globalist tyranny controlled by them, of course, the neocons, neo-conservatives. But they are not really conservatives; they are radicals because they are seeking a radical destruction of our way of life for the last two-hundred years. They’re are basically introducing an alien anti-American form of tyranny which has more to do with old Europe and Asia than it has to do with this country. “SH: Well, the term that has been used is Zionazis, I think it’s an apt term - Zionazis. And I think it’s ironic because the Nazis based their theory on the “Protocols of the Elders of Zion,” which are alleged to have been shaped by Czar claiming the Jews wanted world conflict. Now we’ve got the complete reverse, where the current Zionazis of Israel and their friends here in the Bush administration and elsewhere are emulating Hitler. It’s come full circle. Essentially it is the same thing, whether you call them Jews or non-Jews. The point is it’s the same ideology - tyranny.... “I also wanted to point out that, just quickly, I went to school with some of these neocons. At the University of Chicago, in the late 60s with Wolfowitz and Feith and several of the others and so I know these people personally. And we used to talk about this stuff all of the time. And I did my senior thesis on this very subject – how to turn the U.S. into a presidential dictatorship by manufacturing a bogus Pearl Harbor event. So, technically this has been in the planning at least 35 years.” [End of interview excerpts.] Analysis: Hilton has many things right, though he provides no backup evidence at this point. There is much circumstantial evidence to support the notion that the hijackers were linked to the government. If Hilton does have a credible ex-wife of one of the hijackers, who can give details supporting the suggestion that these Arabs worked for the federal government, this is indeed a smoking gun. But those suppositions won’t do anyone any good if Hilton never divulges his facts. His claim that he is under a “gag order” by the judge does not surprise me, but I am skeptical about his double standard. He seems free enough to talk about the case, but refuses to give us the hard facts, names and details that would prove his charges. The courts won’t ever let this information be made public, so if he is already breaking half his gag order, why not divulge the rest – the important part? I’m also skeptical of his claim that George W. Bush personally gave the orders to put this heinous plan into action. He most probably was aware of it, and may have signed some orders initiating the trial runs, but this man is not capable of conceiving, let alone putting such a plan into action—except as he may have been following the directions of his handlers. Hilton does seem to have a pretty good handle on the globalist controllers and their motives in using terror to take away our liberties. However, his admission that he was once one of them (in training), went to school with various globalist/neo-con conspirators, and even wrote a major paper promoting the concept of the US provoking another “Pearl Harbor” to achieve global hegemony is troubling. We are given no logical explanation of where or why Hilton supposedly made the change from globalist provocateur and theoretician to patriot. His background is pure establishment, he has written nothing during the intervening years that would indicate a gradual change, and suddenly he emerges pushing a lawsuit that presses all the right buttons for 9/11 conspiracists. This has all the markings of an insider planted within the movement to discredit it. Hilton’s foray into this field is reminiscent of Daniel Sheehan’s botched lawsuits aimed at the Iran-Contra scandal. Sheehan, a leftist lawyer from Harvard, and head of the left-liberal Christic Institute, filed suit against the Nicaraguan Contras and various government officials alleging many true things (gun running, drug smuggling, etc). However, he presented a poor case and allowed the largely true body of evidence to be discredited. Sheehan was also general counsel for the Jesuit National Headquarters, a radical Catholic order which has promoted Marxist “liberation theology” throughout Latin America. Hilton’s reference to Zionazis is also not very instructive. The relationship between Jews and the conspiracy is very complex, as is the dual nature of Zionism (some evil, some legitimate), and does not lend itself to these kinds of broad sweeping pejoratives. I have read Hilton’s legal brief. It is very sloppy, poorly written with rambling generalizations that can easily be disregarded as frivolous by the courts. This is a case that is going nowhere, and may thus allow Hilton to continue giving interviews without ever having to produce real evidence. I’m still waiting. World Affairs Brief, October 29, 2004 9/11 COVER-UP CONTINUES Few of the family members of 9/11 victims are satisfied with the whitewash done by the official 9/11 Commission. A large group has banded together to demand another investigation. When will they ever learn that if the government can rig one investigating commission, they can rig each succeeding one? The 9/11 Commission made mountains out of molehills on insignificant issues, while assiduously avoiding any in-depth analysis of critical evidence, such as the bulging modification on the bottom side of the second Boeing aircraft to hit the Towers, and the telltale molten pools of metal around the bases of the main supporting pillars of both buildings. The latter item especially is proof that the WTC was not brought down by burning fuel and debris in a low oxygen environment (which would never get hot enough to melt metal), but by special thermite explosives. Both of these pieces of evidence indicate aspects of the attack which could not have been accomplished by the bumbling terrorists seen taking flying lessons. Another crucial piece of evidence of the government’s collusion in the cover-up is the testimony of several rescue workers who assert, contrary to official reports, that US authorities found the black boxes that belonged to the hijacked planes. The following excerpt is from a story appearing in the October 28 Philadelphia Daily News. “Two men who worked extensively in the wreckage of the World Trade Center claim they helped federal agents find three of the four “black boxes” from the jetliners that struck the towers on 9/11 - contradicting the official account. Both the independent 9/11 Commission and federal authorities continue to insist that none of the four devices - a cockpit voice recorder (CVR) and flight data recorder (FDR) from the two planes - were ever found in the wreckage. But New York City firefighter Nicholas DeMasi has written in a recent book -- self-published by several Ground Zero workers -- that he escorted federal agents on an all-terrain vehicle in October of 2001 and helped them locate three of the four. His account is supported by a volunteer, Mike Bellone, whose efforts at Ground Zero have been chronicled in the New York Times, [who said] he saw a device that resembling a “black box” in the back of the firefighter’s ATV.” As time goes on, more and more people who have evidence countering the official version are having the courage to come forth and state their case. Yet they are finding it increasingly difficult to do so. The reason this latest expose had to be self-published is that the established media and publishing sources won’t touch any evidence that counters the official story. This conspiracy is broader than many Americans are willing to admit. World Affairs Brief November 26, 2004 KEY 9/11 ISSUE OF PROOF Many controversies continue to rage around the official version of the 9/11 attacks on New York and Washington DC. One of the most glaring anomalies in the 9/11 Commission’s report was the virtual absence of proof on key issues such as whether or not there were more than one aircraft, or even a possible missile that collided with the Pentagon. There is ample evidence and witness testimony that Flight 77 did crash into the Pentagon, including airplane parts (engines and landing gear) whose serial numbers match maintenance records. But there are also witnesses to a smaller aircraft, and video evidence of high explosives and a missile. The government could easily put these arguments to rest by releasing all of the various video tapes they rounded up after the incident. So far, none have been released. Only a partial, and potentially doctored video from the Pentagon parking lot camera has been released—and that was a leak, totally unauthorized. As NewsWithViews.com columnist Devvy Kidd pointed out, “The Department of Justice must release all the video from the Pentagon - the video tape immediately taken from the gas station camera pointed right at the point of impact, the videos from the nearby Sheraton, grabbed immediately and in a strong armed fashion by the FBI according to employees. That film will show what plane went by. The Virginia Department of Transportation cameras mounted on the freeway overpass would have recorded whatever plane went right by into the Pentagon. The FBI immediately grabbed all those videos and won't release them. The same should be done regarding all video taken from surveillance cameras mounted on all buildings surrounding the WTC towers and WTC 7. The FBI has them and won't release them to anyone. The Department of Justice could give the families and survivors private screenings of all this film and then release them to the public. If there is nothing to cover up, then stop hiding the eye witnesses (all those surveillance cameras) that captured these events as they happened. What is there to hide?” [Source: http://www.newswithviews.com/Devvy/kidd79.htm] That is no idle question. The government should be eager to put these conspiracy theories to rest. Their refusal to release any of them can only be because the video evidence does not match the official version. World Affairs Brief February 18, 2005 BIG QUESTION ABOUT MADRID SKYSCRAPER FIRE Some of you may have read about the huge fire that engulfed the thirty-two story Windsor building in Madrid, Spain. It caught fire and burned all night, and into the next day. It was left a mere lattice work of steel beams and girders. The big question is why did the structure not fail? If temperatures exceeded those of the World Trade Center, why did this older steel structure, with almost no fire protection, survive and yet the Twin Towers collapsed in ominous heap? Lest you think that differences in construction accounted for this, World Trade Center building #7 was of similar beam and girder construction, yet it came down as if done by controlled demolition—with only moderate damage to one side. Something doesn’t compute here. John Kaminski has just published a piece on this key issue, asserting that the best evidence of black operations assisting the 9/11 terror attacks is found in the way in which the towers came down. Read it on the Jeff Rense site: http://www.rense.com/general63/9911skep.htm. The evidence is powerful. World Affairs Brief May 19, 2005 IMPORTANT UPDATES ON OKC BOMBING AND PENTAGON CRASH Private internet_based investigators continue to use the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) to probe into government black operations that plan and assist supposed terrorist operations. Government illegal attempts to thwart these probes (including outright defiance of court orders, or blotting out 90% of the text of documents released) tend to provide further evidence of that government has something very big to hide. When powerful information pointing to government wrongdoing emerges, conspirators within all branches of government use a variety of blocking and stalling tactics to make sure researchers are stymied in their naive attempts to get “honest” government officials to act on the information. One of the most insidiousways is to route these damaging revelations to Senators and Representatives that have a “conservative” reputation and yet are either compromised or knowingly involved in the cover_up. They promise to champion the cause and then bury it in a pile of delays and bureaucratic wrangling. One such story is now emerging. Patrick Briley, one of most tenacious researchers into government involvement in the OKC bombing, has detailed the extensive evidence that Timothy McVeigh was being guided and directed by several FBI or CIA undercover operatives. What’s more, he also shows how attempts to bring these revelations to the public have been thwarted by nearly the entire Oklahoma Congressional delegation–all conservative Republicans. When the information was brought to conservative California Congressman Dana Rohrabacker’s attention, he promised a vigorous challenge to the official story, but he too has failed to deliver. I don’t have the space to cover the whole story but you can read an excellent summary at the following link: http://www.newswithviews.com/Briley/Patrick11.htm Briley’s extensive writings have the specific back_up details. On the 9/11 Pentagon crash front, one researcher sent me a summary of eye_witnesses that is very comprehensive. Although witnesses can be unreliable about fast moving events, when we read multiple accounts, certain patterns emerge. One thing is very clear: An 757 aircraft painted in AA colors did hit the building, despite the lack of much visible debris. There are simply too many witnesses who saw it. But that isn’t the whole story. Several others saw another smaller aircraft, and several testified that the 757 aircraft, in fact, did not penetrate the Pentagon wall. This is because This particular section of the Pentagon had just been renovated with special steel, kevlar reinforced masonry walls and blast proof windows. What happened a second later tells what really happened. Here’s the testimony of an airline pilot, Tim Timmerman: I saw it hit right in front of __ it didn't appear to crash [directly] into the building; most of the energy was dissipated in hitting the ground, but I saw the nose break up, I saw the wings fly forward, and then the conflagration engulfed everything in flames. ... and I saw the airplane just disintegrate and blow up into a huge ball of flames. And the building shook, and it was quite a tremendous explosion. I saw the area; the building didn't look very damaged initially,” Eyewitness Vin Narayanan said: “The hijacked jet slammed into the Pentagon at a ferocious speed. But the Pentagon's wall held up like a champ. It barely budged as the nose of the plane curled upwards and crumpled before exploding into a massive fireball.” Other evidence that the plane didn’t penetrate is from Master Sgt. Noel Sepulveda: "The right engine hit high, the left engine hit low, ... "For a brief moment, you could see the body of the plane sticking out from the side of the building. Then a ball of fire came from behind it." Sepulveda also described a huge explosion that sent him flying against a light pole. The key item in this witness testimonies is that the airplane just disintegrated about a second after impact. That simply doesn’t happen in fuel explosions. They all could see the nose breaking up and the wings flying forward–indicating the airplane was not penetrating the building. Then there was a massive explosion. If you have ever seen films of airplane crashes, and as a pilot I have seen many. They don’t just disintegrate into tiny pieces, even when crashing into the ground at a steep angle, or even when erupting into a huge ball of burning fuel, as in the Pentagon crash. But this plane disintegrated into thousands of tiny pieces. One witness talks about seeing the ground littered with thousands of small bits and pieces of aluminum. This doesn’t happen in a crash when the only explosive element is fuel. When you couple this information with the Pentagon parking lot video which shows a huge white flash just prior to the ignition of the fuel, we have our answer. This plane was loaded along its entire length with high explosives–which always give off a white signature, unlike fuel which is only red and black. No single suitcase bomb in the baggage compartment could have caused this kind of disintegration of the 757 into tiny pieces. A suitcase bomb would have blown the plane into several big sections only. The presence of high explosives on the plane might also explain the narrow channel of damage that penetrated 3 rings of the Pentagon. As we know now, It wasn’t the airplane__ which stopped at the outer wall__ but perhaps the force of high explosives might well have sent the heavy nose gear parts forward at tremendous velocity. What does all this mean? It amounts to additional evidence that this crash, like the WTC Twin Towers ,which had explosives planted in the basements, could not have been done except without sophisticated insider help. Sadly, It’s too bad that these revelations won’t be read by more than a few thousand Americans. The public’s tolerance for new evidence diminishes over time as the official line becomes more and more part of official history. The conspirators know this, and count on it. Of course, it helps to control all the establishment news outlets just to make sure the damaging analysis is very limited in distribution. World Affairs Brief August 1, 2005 SIBEL EDMUNDS CASE REVEALS LARGER COVER-UP Vanity Fair magazine just came out with a blockbuster revelation demonstrating that translator Sibel Edmund’s story of corruption in the FBI is not going to die quietly as the Bush administration had hoped. Not only has it been revealed that some of the turkish intercepts Edmunds was translating contains information pointing to cash payoffs to Republican Speaker of the House, Dennis Hastert, but that Air Force Office of Special Investigations (SOI) helped in the cover-up of an Air Force officer’s participation in the Turkish bribery scheme. For a summary of the Hastert bribery story, here’s the Corporate Crime Reporter: “Turkish officials boasted of giving ‘tens of thousands of dollars in surreptious payments’ to House Speaker Dennis Hastert (R-Illinois) in exchange for political favors [votes in favor of Turkish interests]. That allegation is contained a profile of Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) whistleblower Sibel Edmonds in the current issue of Vanity Fair magazine. The article, ‘An Inconvenient Patriot,’ by British writer David Rose, reports that Edmonds was asked to listen to wiretaps as part of what appeared to be an FBI public corruption probe into bribes paid to members of Congress –– both Democrat and Republican. Rose, citing ‘some of the wiretaps,’ reports that ‘the FBI’s targets had arranged for tens of thousands of dollars to be paid to Hastert’s campaign funds in small checks.” BalkanAnalysis.com provided information from Edmund’s lawyers that they were challenging the Air Force’s attempt to whitewash the participation of an Air Force couple in the FBI corruption affair. On 7 August 2002, Sibel Edmonds launched a complaint with the US Air Force over the suspected illegal activities of USAF Major Douglas Dickerson and his wife, Turkish-born FBI translator Melek Can Dickerson. The Dickersons had tried to lure Edmunds into a scheme to join the shadowy Turkish- American Council (Chaired by Brent Scowcroft of Kissinger and Assoc–and other establishment business luminaries) which promised her a “lucrative arrangement” if she would help them keep secret certain transcripts that indicated Turkish bribes were going to key US government players like Hastert. Instead of cooperating Edmunds blew the whistle at FBI headquarters. Instead of being rewarded, she was silenced by threats and then fired. Edmunds even gave closed door testimony at the 9/11 Commission, and it too was buried, demonstrating how far the effort to cover for government collusion with terror goes. As to charges of Air Force whitewashing the Dickerson matter BalkanAnalysis.com reports, “On 10 September, Colonel James N. Worth, the director of the Inquiries Directorate in the USAF Office of the Inspector General, sent an official reply [to Edmund’s charges of wrongful conduct of Major Dickerson–ed]. This letter assured Edmonds that the Air Force’’s Office of Special Investigations (AFSOI) had……conducted a complete and thorough review of her concerns [without answering any of them], and therefore the case was closed. Of course, this did not deter the indefatigable Edmonds, whose lawyers whipped off a letter challenging the validity and depth of the Air Force’’s investigation –– had one even taken place –– on 19 September.” Rawstory.com correctly notes that, “On top of the usual prohibition against disclosing classified the Bush administration has smothered her case beneath the all-encompassing blanket of the ‘state- secrets privilege’—a Draconian and rarely used [actually not rare anymore-ed] legal weapon that allows the government, merely by asserting a risk to national security, to prevent the lawsuits Edmonds has field contesting her treatment from being heard in court at all.” Conspiracy note: Evidence of conspiracy is powerful when persons higher up in the FBI chain of command (the Edmunds stonewalling went all the way to Director Mueller’s office) and other government officials in totally different and independent government investigative agencies (US Air Force) engage in coordinated cover-ups or whitewashes. Such coordination to obstruct justice is illegal among persons with investigative and judicial powers. Illegal use of the State secrets Acts is also takes a conspiracy among those with fiduciary responsibilities to implement. World Affairs Brief August 19, 2005 TURKISH INTEL: NO SUCH THING AS AL QAEDA I have long maintained that there is something very suspicious about the way in which al Qaeda is brought up as the blame of choice for all sophisticated and high-profile terrorist events, and yet there is a disturbing lack of normal small terrorist activity that would normally present easy opportunities of choice to do damage to the US–with little or no border protection. Now comes a blockbuster revelation out of Turkey which gives specific connections between a variety of supposedly al Qaeda operatives and the CIA. Turkey, like Pakistan, has long played along with the CIA and knows a lot about US double agents and black operations. Kurt Nimmo, reports from Turkey: “Consider the following, published in Zaman, the fifth largest newspaper in Turkey: ““Amid the smoke from the fortuitous fire [i.e., the capture of Louai Sakra, said to be the al Qaeda regional boss in Turkey] emerged the possibility that al-Qaeda may not be, strictly speaking, an organization but an element of an intelligence agency operation. Turkish intelligence specialists agree that there is no such organization as al-Qaeda. Rather, Al-Qaeda is the name of a secret service operation. The concept ‘‘fighting terror’’ is the background of the ‘‘low-intensity-warfare’’ conducted in the mono-polar [US] world order... It is interesting that Turkish intelligence would admit that the neocon ““war against terrorism”” is an entirely artificial construct. Moreover, according to Turkish intelligence, ““Sakra has been sought by the secret services since 2000. The US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) interrogated him twice before. Following the interrogation CIA offered him employment. He also received a large sum of money by CIA. However the CIA eventually lost contact with him.”” It is curious how alleged key people in the al Qaeda network end up working for the CIA and other intelligence agencies [like ISI in Pakistan–ed]. “For instance, Abdurahman Khadr, who (according to ABC News Online) ‘lived side-by-side with Osama bin Laden,’ was a ‘double agent, sent to spy on Al Qaeda fighters at Guantanamo Bay and in Bosnia.’ Ali Mohamed, a former U.S. Army sergeant who trained Osama bin Laden’’s bodyguards and helped plan the 1998 bombing of the U.S. Embassy in Kenya, worked for the FBI (Mohamed, obviously with the grace of the feds, brought Ayman al-Zawahiri to San Francisco on a covert fund-raising mission), according to the San Francisco Chronicle. Hamid Reza Zakeri claimed (during the trial of Abdelghani Mzoudi, a Moroccan accused of helping the nine eleven hijackers) that ‘Iran’s secret service had contacts with Osama bin Laden’s al Qaeda network ahead of the September 11 attacks,” according to Reuters. It just so happens Zakeri claims the CIA owes him $1.2 for services rendered as a double agent. [This will be used in the future to help set up Iran for aiding al Qaeda–ed] “Mullah Krekar, the leader of Ansar al-Islam, told al-Hayat newspaper in 2003 he had ‘a meeting with a CIA representative and someone from the American army in the town of Sulaymaniya (Iraqi Kurdistan) at the end of 2000. They asked us to collaborate with them,’ an offer Krekar said he refused. Osama Moustafa Hassan Nasr, aka Abu Omar, ‘a dangerous terrorist who once plotted to kill the Egyptian foreign minister,’ according to the Chicago Tribune, was such a valued CIA asset it was deemed necessary to kidnap him off the streets of Milan after he had second thoughts about his work. And then there was Muhammad Naeem Noor Khanm, the al-Qaeda ‘computer engineer’ who ‘became part of a sting operation organized by the CIA,’ according to the Washington Post.” All of this puts the following story into sharp perspective as to why the US had significant knowledge of Mohammad Atta prior to 9/11 and never sought to arrest or extradite him. The US claims “they couldn’t touch him” because he had a green card. Really? Since when has that been a guarantee against arrest US COVERS UP RELATIONSHIP WITH ATTA PRIOR TO 9/11 More and more whistleblowers are coming out complaining that the US agencies knew of a terrorist cell in Brooklyn containing 9/11 terrorist leader Mohammed Atta and that the US government repeatedly refused to intervene. The AP ran this story this week, and it implicates the 9/11 Commission for playing a role in the cover-up of damaging information: “An Army intelligence officer yesterday said he told staff members from the September 11 commission that a secret military unit had identified two of the three cells involved in the 2001 terrorist strikes more than a year before the attacks. Lt. Col. Anthony Shaffer, who said he was associated with the Able Danger unit, recalled that during a 2003 meeting with commission staffers in Afghanistan, he mentioned that the unit had identified September 11 ringleader Mohamed Atta along with three other hijackers as terrorist suspects. Three months later, in January 2004, Col. Shaffer said he was back in the United States and offered to follow up with the commission, but his offer was declined. A number of people are asking why this information is only now coming to light in the press and why the 9/11 commission hadn't investigated it last year. Rep. Curt Weldon reported on the Able Danger operation clear back in 2002 when he talked about it at the Heritage Foundation. Weldon's source for this revelation is a "former defense intelligence officer" (Col. Shaffer) who told the GSN news service where he thought the fault lied: ‘I personally talked with [Philip] Zelikow [executive director of the 9/11 Commission] about this,’ recalled the intelligence officer. ‘For whatever bizarre reasons, he didn’t pass on the information.’” Zelikow says he wasn’t told there was any specific cell in Brooklyn, implying that the information was general. Shaffer disputes Zelikow’s claim of ignorance. World Affairs Brief Sept 4, 2005 ABLE DANGER COVER-UP Thanks to the tenacious efforts of Rep Curt Weldon (R-PA), The Senate Judiciary Committee chairman said Wednesday he would look into whether the Pentagon obstructed his committee by refusing to allow testimony from five people who had knowledge of a secret military unit named "Able Danger.” This is a big issue the government wants cover-up badly. If the allegations are true, the government had foreknowledge of Mohamed Atta’s terrorist cell long before 9/11 and destroyed the information when one of the intelligence analysts attempted to get the FBI to investigate. Rep. Weldon even took the information to the 9/11 commission and it was buried. Now, the Pentagon is refusing to allow some of the key whistleblowers to testify. Neo-conservatives at National Review magazine were parroting the government position, which drew a stinging response from reader Andy McCarthy: “I watched the hearing this morning, and that (NR’s excuse for government dismissal of the charges) is not gonna wash. Both DOD and the 9/11 Commission put out numerous statements casting aspersions on the Able Danger people who came forward on the ground that no documentary information corroborated the claim –– a claim no one seems too willing to go out on a limb to dispute any longer –– that the program identified Mohamed Atta as a potential terrorist (and perhaps other hijackers, too) well in advance of 9/11. Now it turns out that volumes upon volumes of documentation from the program were ordered destroyed in 2000. That also appears to have been a rather widely known fact (the guy who did the deleting voluntarily testified at the hearing). If that was the case, why were these witnesses assailed the way they were? And why did we continue hearing about how the Pentagon was looking under every rock but not finding anything when, in fact, it had to have known that the entire quarry had intentionally been destroyed five years ago? The Project On Government Oversight (Pogo.org) revealed that this treatment of whistleblowers is becoming systematic, and is being ignored by the Congressional committee responsible to shield whistleblowers: “Sibel Edmonds, president of the newly formed National Security Whistleblowers Coalition made this statement: ‘Chairman Davis and his staff have continued to disregard our requests for a Government Reform Committee hearing to discuss badly needed provisions that would apply to whistleblowers from the intelligence and law enforcement communities. Considering the unprecedented number of national security whistleblower cases since the 9/11 terrorist attacks, it is appalling to see that the Chairman of the House Government Reform Committee refuses to extend protections to those courageous individuals coming forward.’" Keep in mind, that coordinated collusion and cover-ups within different branches of government that are specifically required to act independently in enforcing the law is a Proof of conspiracy–not theory.

CD REVIEWS INDEX “Criticism is always the easiest art.” – Cornelius Cardew - ANOTHER TIMBRE: SILENCE AND AFTER 1 - Arena Ladridos (AT35) - Davies / Patterson / Toop (AT36) - Looper (AT38) - ANOTHER TIMBRE: SILENCE AND AFTER 2 – CUTTING EDGES - Tierce (AT43) - James Saunders (AT44) - Droplets (AT45) - No Islands (AT/46) - A Pauper’s Guide to John Cage (ATB-08) - AEROPLANE TRIO – Naranja Ha - BERROCAL / FENNECH / TAZARTÈS – Superdisque - BEVAN / OBERMAYER / MARKS / LASH – A Big Hand - CHATHAM, RHYS – Outdoor Spell - CHICAGO UNDERGROUND DUO – Age of Energy - CORNFORD, STEPHEN / RODGERS, SAMUEL – Zinc [extracts] - CLEAVER, GERALD (UNCLE JUNE) – Be It as I See It - CUNDY / LASH – Two Plump Daughters - DUNN, LAWRENCE – If I in my north room - DUPLANT, BRUNO – Deux Trois Choses Ou Presque - FUTTERMAN, JOEL – Remembering Dolphy - FUTTERMAN / JORDAN / PARKER / FIELDER – Live at the Guelph Jazz Festival 2011 - GAYLE, CHARLES (TRIO) – Streets - GRDINA, GORD (TRIO) (feat. MATS GUSTAFFSON) – Barrel Fire - G9 GIPFEL – Berlin - KOCHER, JONAS – Solo - NAKAMURA, TOSHIMARU – Maruto - SKARABEE – Eardrum / tusK – Happy Shopper [split] - SUBTLE LIP CAN – Subtle Lip Can - UNDIVIDED – Moves Between Clouds: Live in Warsaw - VARIOUS – 60 Interpretations of 60 Seconds by 60 Solo Improvisers - MALFATTI, RADU – Wechseljahre Einer Hyäne - MITCHELL, ROSCOE – Before There Was Sound Reviewers: David Grundy, Ted Harms, Sandy Kindness ANOTHER TIMBRE: SILENCE AND AFTER 1 CHRIS COGBURN / BONNIE JONES / BHOB RAINEY – ARENA LADRIDOS Label: Another Timbre Release Date: November 2010 Tracklist: Govalle; Marfa Personnel: Chris Cogburn: percussion; Bonnie Jones: electronics; Bhob Rainey: soprano saxophone Additional Information: Recorded in Austin and Marfa, Texas, April 2010 “At the same time, there is silence, a silence which is not an absence of sound but which is the object of a positive sensation, more positive than that of sound. Noises, if there are any, only reach me after crossing this silence.” There is, often, a gorgeous sense of calm about this record, not a loss of focus or laziness but a willingness to let little happen, for however long it takes, for however long it needs; not imposing, not leading, following the sounds as and when they ask to be heard or made. Though it’s by no means a particularly silent listen, one feels that the lines quoted above, from Simone Weil, do somehow fit: each sound is filtered through a corresponding quietness, each sound is coaxed out of silence and falls back into it, like a wavering fleck of light suddenly emerging, then disappearing back into shadow again. This shouldn’t imply the monastic discipline or asceticism that Weil might have at the back of her mind; rather, the sense is of something relaxed, not casual exactly, but un-worried about grabbing attention or creating something that screams ‘I am important! Listen to me now!’ As time passes, not much might have happened, and so what? Spaces are filled enough, more than enough, so much of the time, and a genuine contemplative quietness can do no harm. To some, this may come across as aimlessness; and, true, compared to the composed or partially-composed work in this area, there is less obvious ‘focus’, less of a clear structural framework. But for me, that’s quite an attractive respite; listening to ‘Arena Ladridos’ allows one, free of overt structural considerations, to quite clearly imagine oneself into a physical space, to imagine the musicians sitting there, in front, perhaps, of a small audience, inhabiting the small room for forty-five minutes, sometimes filling it with sound, sometimes easing back and letting the room itself have a say in matters. There’s something about the logic with which things unfold that means this could be nothing other than a concert recording: the presence of hesitancies, even meandering moments – the imperfections which prevent things from having a surface’s that’s too shiny, that’s ‘just-so’. The first piece begins with tinkling bells, maybe just jiggled or shaken or knocked slightly with the tips of fingers, electronic crackle, and wisps of breath amplified/modified through saxophone bell and keys. My somewhat whimsical way of listening to this opening minute or so is to imagine that the three musicians are ‘introducing’ themselves, in overlapping fashion. Here is percussion; here is electronics; here is a saxophone. But the separation is really less clear-cut: though it’s normally fairly obvious which sounds are percussion, the concentration on vague or merging tones from electronics and saxophone tend to create a grey area in which anyone could be creating any particular sound. At one point, the sound of a passing car seems to sub for Jones’ electronics, replacing her drone tone with something remarkably similar. It’s not all subtlety and hush, though: Jones’ playing is, at times, quite deliberately harsh, generating sudden beeps that sound like a warning signal, an electrical malfunction, an alarm, and Cogburn’s playing can be quite assertive, though he generally treats his drums as a surface to rub and scrape rather than one to strike and beat. Indeed, there’s quite a variety of incident on display: there are a large number of events, however unhurried the pace, and one never feels that the players are holding anything back, practicing an overly studied reticence or aloofness; instead, they are using patience as a general method of working, and the results are to make gestures which elsewhere might seem small or un-dramatic (a surging consonance of crescendo – a half-choked wail rising and falling on intake and outtake of breath – the sound of almost conventional rhythms from drums) possess intense power and concentration. Equally, though, things could go the other way, all three musicians temporarily silent, while a dog barks, or a car distantly passes – where a sine tone sounds like a sucking in of breath or a tiny, suppressed whisper – sounds, sometimes, that seem to come from outside human agency, like those eerie screeches and rumbles one hears from on high in railways stations and near building sites. This or a swelling drama, a concord/concourse, not rising to shared climax, surging only to swell down again. Matthew Horne, in his review of the album for ‘Tiny Mix Tapes’, describes the process as a group aesthetic in which all three players hover around a particular area for several minutes, attempting, and failing to break out, before eventually moving away in quite dramatic form: “The trio quickly settles into what would be called a restrained ‘attractor,’ i.e., a stable point or cycle at which the variables hover around (up to minor perturbation). Just over four minutes in, the group attempt to dislodge the muted aesthetic, with each crescendoing simultaneously. But this perturbation is weak, resulting in a regression back to the original, minimal attractor. It isn’t until around 12 minutes that the group breaks free of their initial state: Rainey’s sax oscillates wildly while Jones introduces an intrusive feedback more akin to [Toshimaru] Nakamura’s troublesome no-input mixer, thus disturbing their environment enough to evolve the system.” It’s a nice formal encapsulation of a music that seems to avoid formal systems in the moment of listening, of unfolding: but perhaps it belies the actual lack of overt tension (so often a driver of improvised music) that I feel when playing the CD back; despite abruptions from Jones or from Cogburn, despite intricacies of flow and of incident, the overall impression is unforced, unhurried, unharried. Here, as Weil puts it, noises have to cross the silence before they can be heard. (DG) RHODRI DAVIES / LEE PATTERSON / DAVID TOOP – WUNDERKAMMERN Label: another timbre Release Date: November 2010 Tracklist: A Salamander lives in the fire, which imparts to it a most glorious hue; From the ashes springs a seven-pointed flower; The Toad with Colours rare through every side was pierc’d; In the dead body of a calf are generated bees; Whose falling drops from high did stain the soyl with ruddy hue; In Ashes lies the Salt of Glory Personnel: Rhodri Davies: harp, ebows, electronics, preparations; Lee Patterson: amplified devices, field recordings, etc; David Toop: laptop, steel guitar, flutes, percussive devices Patterson’s use of field recordings and amplified devices (presumably, those burning and bubbling liquids which he manipulates rather as a professor handles chemicals in a science lab) gives the music a tactile quality amidst the more dominant e-bows and laptop drones that overlap, build up, fade down, move in thickening and thinning cloud masses. Toop’s more generally acoustic set-up – he’s credited with flutes, steel guitar and percussive devices, as well as the laptop – isn’t as fidgety as in the genre-hopping days of Alterations, the group he shared with Steve Beresford, Peter Cusack and Terry Day, but the occasional blown flute tone adds an element to the sound mix that’s more directly traceable to human origin – the sound of breath. In his review of the album for Point of Departure, Stuart Broomer puts it this way: “There are instants when Toop plays flute in a way that’s so direct and traditional that it’s possible to associate the sound with an ancient pastoral diversion, even the invention of melody.” It’s an attractive proposition, and the combination of Patterson’s labyrinthine rumblings (like being encased in thick masses of earth, crawling with roots and insects and shifting geological movement) with the ‘ancient’ sound of the flute – the origin of music as imitation of nature (wind, water, air, earth) – and Davies’ less ‘naturally’-based electronics, might be viewed as a union of the most ‘cutting-edge’ musical technology with the most atavistic of suggestions, the most primal and minute of natural processes and settings. Indeed, the track titles (taken from a poem by fifteenth-century alchemist George Ripley,1 amongst other sources) suggest mythology, occult investigations, gnosis: an intersection between magic and science, the new and the old; a cabinet of curiosities (‘wunderkammer’) – a memory theatre in which knowledge is not so much systematised (as it was in the cabinets’ successor, the modern museum) as dramatized, in a bric-a-brac juxtaposition of art, intellectual disciplines and religion. While this alchemical strain is not exactly a ‘sub-text’, a direct thematic parallel with the music herein, some comparisons do suggest themselves– objects changing from one thing into another, as when, say, one sound sets up a drone, others joining, merging with, and eventually subsuming it; and the transformation of base matter (field recordings changing into music, solids dissolving into liquids in Patterson’s glasses). Rather than be too programmatic or extravagantly metaphorical about this, though, it would perhaps be best to take the disc for what it is – a high-quality document of improvised sound. If I had one criticism to make, it would be that the fade-outs on a number of tracks create a sense of disjunction that doesn’t really sit well with the overall workings of the music: compare, for example, the way the first piece disappears just as some particularly interesting interacting sonorities are starting to emerge, with the longest, twenty-minute track, in which the development of various threads stretches out at what feels a much more natural, breathable length and pace. That’s a fairly minor quibble, however, about what is in general a very strong release. (DG) LOOPER – DYING SUN Label: Another Timbre / Cathnor (joint release) Release Date: November 2010 Tracklist: Grand Redshift; Hazy Dawn; Near Eternity Personnel: Nikos Veliotis: cello, electronics; Martin Küchen: saxophone, pocket radio; Ingar Zach: percussion Additional Information: Recorded in Albi, France, January 2010 I suppose one could describe the music as drone, but this certainly isn’t the nunc-stans of rhapsodic / ecstatic drone in the Eliane Radigue / La Monte Young tradition, for no one note is sustained throughout; instead, a shifting succession of low-end growls and wavering beating tones move from background to foreground, underneath little repetitive units, or, one might term them, ‘loops’: Zach’s elephantine rhythmics, swishes and washes and slow treads; Küchen’s saxophonic breaths, pocket-radio whispers, and shaver buzzes (in combination with the electronics, giving a foley effect); Veliotis’ back-of-throat-electronic rumble, and, sometimes, extreme bass-register cello playing, merged in with this. The tick-tocking aspect – shuddering, juddering, mechanical motion set unstoppably going – feels relentless and sometimes disturbing (depending at what volume you listen); most notably, a clicking sound, the ghost of a metronome or someone making a popping, clip-clopping sound with finger and cheek, and, towards the end of the first track, a really ferocious amplified thudding (shaver still swirling away somewhere underneath), Küchen’s sax doing little wails of protest or grief over the top. This sun is not dying in a glorious, orange sunset-blaze, but imploding, exploding, shattering into an on-setting darkness full of murmurs and buzzes and sinister whines, finally just coming to a sudden stop, the light going out like nothing other than a miniscule match. But then it begins again (track two), more buzzing machine-loop rhythms, distant gong beat, pitched saxophone breath in between the two sets of sounds. The elements remain largely the same, volume rising, Küchen switching saxophone for the interference buzz of the pocket radio, gong swelling gradually upwards, wave upon wave, that initial machine-loop on and on like a buzzing insect, trapped in a light, slowly frying for the purposes of art in the manner of Damian Hirst’s ‘A Thousand Years’. Any temptation to rise to noise-levels, to thrust one really deep inside the insect-o-cutor, is avoided, and when the track finishes after only nine minutes it feels to have fairly flown by. And so back to droning, ritualistic tread for the final piece: bass drum trotting out a regular thud, radio on held whine, electronics pushed to the back, shuddering with the drum’s acoustic vibrations, Küchen’s breathing this time more subdued, human edge furring implacability of the others’ repetitive slow march. Now drum stops, drone bathing stereo picture, Zach chiming gongs, radio whine still holding, then suddenly stopping too; quieter, higher-pitched drones, pulse-like thud (electronics? drum?) fading out, as if the natural rhythm of one’s own ear, one’s own pulse were taking over from the music. The album as a whole feels fairly short, the last two tracks miniatures after the serious rumblings of the first – and that’s surely testament to the way the group can sustain one’s interest with a fairly bare palette of sounds. A sober little listen, then, worth amping up the volume to feel the full effect; something of a downer perhaps, not nearly as serene as track titles like ‘Hazy Dawn’ or ‘Near Eternity’ might suggest, and, arguably, all the better for it. (DG) ANOTHER TIMBRE: SILENCE AND AFTER 2 – CUTTING EDGES TIERCE – CAISSON Label: Another Timbre Release Date: 2011 Personnel: Jez riley French: field recordings, zither, salt, paper, camera, contact microphones, internal electronics; Ivan Palacky: amplified dopleta 180 knitting machine; Daniel Jones: turntable, electronics Additional Information: Recorded live in concert at seeds & bridges, gallery eleven, Hull, 13th November 2010 Tierce’s disc is nicely abrasive, yet relaxed – is that a contradiction in terms? More evidence of my increasingly de-sensitized, skew-whiff listening practices? Let me explain: what I mean is that the sharpness of metallic scrapes and whirrs from knitting machines, turntables, and the like, is somehow neutralized, or softened, by the overall fullness and slowly – gloopily? – evolving textures of the music as a whole, each musicians’ field of activity itself comprised of further fields, several layers opened up at once, discs left spinning, drones left droning, scrapey things continuing to be scraped. In this context, French’s field recordings tend to act, not so much as interludes, nor as palette cleansers, but as moments of clarity – though the recordings themselves probably contain just as many layers as the louder electronic tactilities of the music itself. Interesting to consider, in fact, the variety of ways in which the field recs are incorporated, not so much as decoration, but as something like external prompts to enter into different sound fields, or as some kind of glue or paste to mark a particular transition – Annet Németh’s ‘Paupers Guide to John Cage’ uses them in a similar, though perhaps more integrated way. This certainly has more of traditionally improvised feel than Németh’s piece (even if Németh’s is more of an ‘intuitive composition’ (a term, in fact, that French explicitly prefers to ‘free improvisation’)): some of my favourite parts of the disc are those moments when one layer suddenly cuts out and the whole texture radically changes, a change that the musicians either work with / against to suddenly fill, in a change of direction, or leave hanging, as a silence, or near-silence, in which sounds will only gradually be built up again – as at the section which occurs shortly before the twenty-five minute mark here, French’s recording of corridor-echoing footsteps and floorsqueaks, itself full only of intermittent activity, peppered with two sets of white noise – one fizzing and popping in something approaching an extremely spread-out rhythm (though its temporal experience can’t really be said to be rhythmic), the other continuous, a bit like a boiling kettle or a distant train-track squeal / rumble crossed with muffled aeroplane take-off, though with wind-chime decoration at the edges (a rich sound, certainly, one which moves into electronic feedback to suggest that it was generated through physical means, though there may field recordings aspects melding into it as well, for all I know). This is, in fact, what feels like the most extended ‘section’ of the record as a whole, non-imposing, and perhaps not confrontational enough, after the sharp-edged sounds of the opening, the field recordings rendered somehow bland, ticking along with generally urban-based noises, the final section charting some gentle stroll round a block of flats, ending with the sound of a buzzer. Said buzzer, though, thankfully ushers in some zitherized scraping and electronic swells that proceed out of silence rather than from that ambient / ambulant fuzz, and are actually quite exquisite, hints of an almost impossibly slow-moving melody. Maybe that focussed and fragile intensity could not have been achieved without the long field-recording section before it – that said, I’d have preferred, heretical as this might make me sound, that a little editing had gone into the previous section. As it is, the rest of the disc ticks, or looms along nicely, the pitched feedback drone building up, some utterly eerie looping sound made from I don’t know what source – it sounds like a muffled wind-up toy, maybe Palacky speeding up and slowing down his knitting machine? –winding and wrapping itself along the rumbles and buzzes and static electricities that have now entered the sound picture: and a few of the elements we hear here – that near-melody, the wind-up toy-or-not – are true little burrowing ear-worms, exquisite indeed. (DG) JAME SAUNDERS – DIVISIONS THAT COULD BE AUTONOMOUS BUT THAT COMPRISE THE WHOLE Label: Another Timbre Release Date: 2011 Tracklist: imperfections on the surface are occasionally apparent; PART OF IT MAY ALSO BE SOMETHING ELSE; components derive their value solely through their assigned context; materials vary greatly and are simply materials; although it may appear to vary by the way in which units are joined; any one part can replace any other part Personnel: The Edges Ensemble: coffee cups; Philip Thomas: piano, melodica, harmonica, radio; Tim Parkinson, James Saunders: radios, bowed wood, bowed metal, coffee cup on brick; Rhodri Davies: harp and objects; Stephen Chase: guitar, radio and melodica; Angharad Davies: violin Saunders’ titles, all sourced from various artist’s statements, imply a connection with the kind of experimentation in both social and musical group dynamics that, for me, represents one of the most valuable legacies of John Cage’s work (the Number Pieces in particular) – and, of course, the way in which that work has been extended or taken in new directions by the Wandelweiser composers. Or maybe I’m just thinking of the overall title for this series of pieces: the balance between autonomous division, individual part, and the whole that those contributions make up. I suspect, though, that Saunders is thinking more in formal terms (not that the two can be disconnected – it is precisely through formal innovation and exploration that the socialities of music production (or, more accurately, reception) are being addressed). By this I mean, I guess, that hearing the music outside its concert environment becomes a rather ascetic practice, rather than an exercise in collective listening and the experiencing of a particular space: this is certainly one of the starkest and sparsest of the Another Timbre discs, not because of lengthy silence but because of the ‘other timbres’ of the sound-producing objects and surfaces themselves. Instruments as such are not frequently deployed, and when they are, they’re restricted to a similarly limited register (‘PART OF IT MAY ALSO BE SOMETHING ELSE’, in which Philip Thomas’ melodica mimics, or attempts to fill, the decaying spaces of his previously-sounded piano tones). I mean, I like dragged coffee cups as much as the next human – and radio hum, and all these gentle rubbings and scrapings – but for them to fill up so much space over this 58 minutes asks a lot. I suspect, maybe, that this would be a perfect disc for that drifting space between waking and sleep when you might reach for the headphones instead of counting sheep – though it would be a little unnerving perhaps, as if some rats were slo-o-owly crawling along the skirting board with bits of sandpaper stuck to their feet. This is perhaps a little flippant, but it is my honest reaction; certainly, Saunders’ music here makes Annet Németh’s AT disc, for instance, sound as lush as any pumped-up Romantic orchestral smorgasbord. Well, maybe my favourite track is the first, and maybe that’s because I haven’t cultivated sufficient monastic patience to sustain that peak of interest through the whole disc: but, in any case, let’s see, what do I like about it, or, more broadly, what happens in it? Here’s Saunders’ programme note: “It is for ten players, each with a cardboard takeaway-coffee cup and five different surfaces. The cups act as resonators when dragged across the surfaces. The performers must each source different surfaces (e.g. glass, brick, felt, sandpaper) such that there are 50 different surfaces in total.” Though the piece is written, then, so that 50 different surfaces are in operation, it’s hard for me to distinguish between, say, card and tin foil and bricks and floors – that’s not even five, so where the other forty-five come from is beyond me. It’s serene, certainly, like taking a tiny element out of, say, a Lucio Capece performance, and turning it into a fully-fledged composition: almost an obvious move, if you have a certain frame of mind, and as the trends towards near-total minimalism may be leading us. Of course, the picture I have in my head of ten musicians sitting in some white-walled concert hall, small and chilly, watched by a rapt audience of the usual suspects, is maybe what makes the piece for me: its sheer incongruity, coupled with its obvious, and serious technical and formal thinking (for which, check out the liner notes), make a combination that reminds me of Saunders’ and Tim Parkinson’s collaborations, as, oddly enough, Parkinson-Saunders (in which configuration they also appear here). In particular, I think of their performance, at the recent Audiograft Festival in Oxford, of a series of ‘pop songs’, featuring both musicians making chunky boom-boom rhythms out of tables and chairs and hand claps and a whole miscellany of household materials, while chanting words sourced from self-help pamphlets and surveys. It seems so perverse as to be idiotic: middle-aged men playing around, because they can – but of course it isn’t, it’s the flipside to the more sober coin with which we’re presented here, with that same emphasis on a limited palette. But the palette itself is just more interesting there – and there are funny bits too! Yes, as Dominic Lash points out in a blog-post which rather splendidly connects Saunders and Simon H. Fell, the intention is to make that limited palette seem to generate enormous elements of microscopic and fragile detail, once you achieve the necessary focus to zoom in that far: yet if, say, the layered simplicities of a Rothko, achieved through hours of working and re-working of layers, of a tactile engagement with surface, achieve transparency through density, the opposite move, here, of trying to achieve a kind of density through transparency, or limitation, just doesn’t, for me, pay off. Lash suggests that the tactility of the dragged coffee cups on the first track approaches the erotic, to which I might reply, ‘whatever turns you on’ – and of course, I hope that the coffee cups were made of sustainable, recyclable materials, and that they weren’t from Starbucks. In any case, I know that Saunders finds such fragile and non-standard sounds beautiful, and I have at times found them beautiful as well, and in that case we are both in the same near-psychotic boat, but I guess that over the course of this disc I have fallen out of it, and I’m drowning in inappropriate metaphors here, so for now I’ll just go under those Lethian waters and stop. (DG) PATRICK FARMER / SARAH HUGHES / DOMINIC LASH – DROPLETS Label: Another Timbre Release Date: 2011 Tracklist: For Maaike Schoorel (1); Elusion (improvisation); For Maaike Schoorel (2); Nachtstück Personnel: Patrick Farmer: percussion; Sarah Hughes: zither, piano (1-2); Dominic Lash: double-bass (all tracks) Additional Information: Tracks 1-3 recorded at The Drama Studio, Oxford Brookes University 30/01/2010; Track 4 recorded in a small wood above the village of Hathersage, Derbyshire, 11/09/201. I’m going to begin this review at the end of the disc in question – with the final, solo recording by Dominic Lash. I first heard Eva-Maria Houben’s ‘Nachtstück’, the piece in question, performed by Lash at the house concert which launched The Set Ensemble (the Oxford-based group he mentions in his liner notes, dedicated to performing the music of the Wandelweiser group). This performance was, in fact, my first encounter with Wandelweiser, which had somehow, up to that point, slipped under my radar; in the year since, its profile seems to have risen more and more, with concerts, recordings, articles and debates, proliferating in both real and virtual space, as an increasing number of listeners become aware of this body of work by a group of composers with often very different practices, but a core of shared concerns. As I heard it in Oxford last summer, ‘Nachtstück’ came from the deep and ancient world of the drone, the basic element of much ‘folk-music’, that held sound which can seem to go on forever, and which creates an exquisite interplay and dialogue with silence once it stops – and then, sometimes, re-starts. ‘Nachtstück’ also became about the environment in which it was played – not only the relaxed, yet private and intensely focused atmosphere generated by one person performing in front of a tiny audience in a domestic setting (a return to ‘chamber music’ in the original sense of that term), but also the sounds of a fly buzzing around the room and landing on people’s arms, on furniture, on the roof and walls; those classic, lazy, mid-summer sounds of distant lawn-mowers and car engines and voices; and, most significantly, a summer rain show, which, as I noted in a review written at the time, seemed an especially fortuitous unconscious echo of, or homage to, Taku Sugimoto’s ‘Live in Australia’. Perhaps it was the newness of this experience, of the shift between foreground and background, music and environment, and the eventual mesh between them – music as part of environment, environment as part of music, neither as necessarily more important than the other – but I still hold Lash’s performance of ‘Nachtstück’ that day as a special hour, un-fraught by the difficulties of more busy urban environments (those by-now clichéd ambiences of Tokyo and London and Berlin – sirens, the whooshes of passing cars, creaking chairs, throat-clearing, stomach-rumbling – or, most memorably, another performance in Oxford in which a piece by Stefan Thut disappeared into the sound of a drunken sing-along next-door). Lash, as he explains in a useful online interview with Simon Reynell concerning this release (to be found at the Another Timbre website), doesn’t see a conflict between such environmental uncontrollables and between the frequent near-invisible delicacy of the sounds produced in the music; nor does he see these uncontrollables as mere ambient ‘cushioning’ for the music. Rather, adopting a metaphor turned metaphor from Antoine Beuger, both (largely pre-determined) music and (indeterminate) environmental sound are part of the same cloth, a cloth of all possible sounds, out of which one ‘cuts’, or has cut for one, the sounds that one finally hears. In the case of the environment into which ‘Nachtstück’ is placed on this recording, such concerns are perhaps less paramount than they might be in such a dramatic instance as the Stefan Thut performance: as Reynell notes in his own comments on this release, it was the house concert with which I began this review that inspired the version that has eventually been released (Reynell was a fellow attendee), as a kind of amplification of the small environmental details which had so struck him in Oxford. In other words, the location was chosen for particular sonic reasons, rather than simply being imposed as the city-centre location of a particular concert hall where a performance happened to take place. That there was again a rain shower is perhaps not surprising, given that this is England – perhaps it was even half-hoped for, as a means of adding another layer of richness and event to the piece, though the difficulties Lash faced in keeping his bass dry and un-damaged perhaps dispel that notion – and this is only the most easily-noted aspect of performing the piece outdoors. Whereas an increasing number of composers and improvisers have incorporated pre-prepared field recordings into musical settings (one of the most notable recent examples being the exceptional Michael Pisaro release on Another Timbre which was included in the first batch of the ‘Silence and After’ series, last year), or have presented untreated field recordings as something between music and document (work of this kind can be found, for example, on Jez Riley French’s ‘Engraved Glass’ label), playing a piece outdoors breaks down the distinction between recording and environment, so that the music can fully exist as part of an outdoor setting. The logistical difficulties of such an operation are perhaps why it is not more often attempted – that, and the tendency for a kind of diffuseness to spread over the music, a kind of relaxation and lessening of intensity, sparked by the lazing-back sounds of birdsong and sheep and drifting flies that we are all familiar with from television and radio and BBC sound-effects cassettes. This has been my experience, at any rate, but I’m happy to say that Lash, as anyone who has heard is recording, or better yet, seen him live, is a musician of exceptional focus, and well able to deal with the distractions of a rustic setting. So this music, which I’ve been skirting around for many sentences now, how does it unfold (and for that matter, gabby as I am, what of the tracks with Patrick Farmer and Sarah Hughes that make up the rest of the disc)? One problem I’ve addressed, or at least hinted at, in reviews of Wandelweiser music and concerts published in the previous issue of ‘eartrip’, is that of a too un-critical attitude towards the external sounds which can often end up providing much of the ‘content’ of an otherwise very quiet composition. At its crudest, this would mean (to re-iterate what I realize I’ve just said at the end of the previous paragraph) experiencing a piece of music in much the same way one would experience a tape of bird-song recordings, or of lazily-buzzing flies and distant baaing sheep in a summer meadow – a pastoral idyll that falls back too easily on generic tropes of ‘relaxation’, ‘harmony with nature’, etc. The answer to this problem is that the fascination of the work lies precisely in the interplay and relation between the ‘natural’ and ‘human’ elements; not so much that the wind, or the rain, or the buzzing flies, are ‘instruments’, external objects moulded and shaped for aesthetic purposes by a controlling human agent in much the same way as a double-bass, but that they are ‘framed’ by the human sounds to become something other than they would if simply heard unadorned. Listening to the recording, of course, reveals other layers, theory melting into and becoming enriched by physical practice. The first appearance of Lash’s bass, against a steady white-noise background of wind blowing in trees, sounds like a muffled, deliberate call, the after-echo of a horn signalling across the hills – there is that ancientness about it, connected no doubt to the deepness and the droning nature of the sounds the bass is made to play. Perhaps that’s a little too fanciful (I’ve just been reading Robbe-Grillet’s ‘Nature, Humanism and Tragedy’, and no doubt he’d chide me for my too-easy humanising of nature, my projection of fey subjective whimsicalities onto the world of objects). Disregarding metaphor or analogical methods of description, then, we can simply say (hopefully without opening another can of worms), that there is something very beautiful about the way that a particularly delicate high harmonic is at once almost drowned out by a sudden swell of rain, the distinction between musical ‘foreground’ and ambient / natural ‘background’ existing as something malleable, rather than a line set in stone. Something beautiful too about the way the bass notes seem to be acting as some kind of commentary, or complement to the rain shower, while at the same time carrying on as before, not so much ignoring the context as becoming wholly subsumed within it, content to take place, to be placed, within it. And something (thankfully) rather funny (this isn’t all po-faced wonder in the face of nature) when a low bass tone ceases, immediately followed by the protesting ‘baa’ of a put-out sheep. So now, as promised, back to the start of the disc, to the three pieces in which Lash is joined by Patrick Farmer and Sarah Hughes (these three roughly corresponding, in total length, to the solo ‘Nachtstück’). Two realisations of the same piece by Taylan Susam bookend a 20-minute improvisation: the presence of the improvisation significant because Lash has grown increasingly wary of approaching so-called ‘reductionist’ music through improvising parameters (though improvisation remains central to his work elsewhere), preferring the discipline, the task-based play between rigidity and looseness, freedom and constraint, that the very particular scores of Wandelweiser composers offer. Can one, though, tell the difference? Could one, in a blind-fold test, distinguish between the ‘composed’ and the ‘improvised’? Perhaps there’s a certain following of linear logic that’s more present in the improvisations than the compositions (somewhat counter-intuitively, one might think): a thought can be finished, a line of questioning followed, taken for a walk, without coming up against a notational instruction that says ‘now move onto something else’. This doesn’t mean ‘gabbiness’ – the music is far quieter than that I’ve heard Hughes and Farmer make on more recent occasions, where Farmer, in particular, has acted as a kind of sonic agitator, suddenly letting out bursts of un-expected noise, often accompanied with very definite physical actions and movements (abruptly emptying a tub of compost onto a turntable to produce screes of feedback, for example). But the popping, tapping, rasping manipulation of (I’m guessing here) a plastic cup, does set things at an edge un-imaginable during the previous few minutes, when extremely high, delicate sounds came out like a little chorus of minimalist mice. The chorus from the film ‘Babe’ gone Wandelweiser, perhaps – or, mice as painted by Maaike Schoorel, reduced to little blobs and blurts of colour and shade on a white ground. Maaike Schoorel, ‘Twilight’ (2004) © The Saatchi Gallery Schoorel is the dedicatee of Susam’s piece, and a painting of hers, entitled ‘Twilight’, forms the (fairly direct) inspiration for the score itself, alongside a quotation from composer Joseph Kurdika: “little fields of sounds…. or not fields – plops…. puddles.” Just as the painting, though derived from a photograph, is not a realist representation of twilight, so the piece suggests itself as a kind of ‘translation’ of the painting into something else, recognisable, perhaps, as having derived from its particular source, but quite different in effect, contour, timbre. Such re-contextualising (in which a photograph becomes some seemingly abstract dabs of paint becomes some restrained whisps of sound) perhaps explains the inclusion of two ‘takes’ at the piece (another re-contextualisation); those two takes also allow us to consider the degree to which a score such as this is fixed, and how far the musicians’ interpretation is the main shaping force of the piece as it unfolds. Whatever one decides, the notion of ‘playing’ a painting as a graphic score (set out in more overtly ‘musical’ form by Keith Rowe’s ‘Pollock 82’ (laid out as it is above and below lines which approximate a musical staff)) seems to me an exciting one, a technique that could be opened up so that one could go, say, to The Tate Modern, and play ‘scores’ by Barnett Newman or Mark Rothko or Cy Twombly – or, for that matter, by Claude Monet and Louise Bourgeois. Above: a version of ‘Pollock 82’, by Keith Rowe. Photo © Yuko Zama We have a number of layers, or levels of relation, here – Schoorel’s paintings are abstracted versions of photographs, detail taken from itself so that it appears as another kind of detail, not specific, yet forced towards particularly resonances or suggestions by the painting’s titling (presumably, the original photograph was of a twilight). Susam takes the painting and, without providing an exact ‘translation’ into music, an aural equivalent, or something that exists entirely on the coat-tails, as it were, of another artist’s art, does create a piece which exists in relation to it and in dialogue with it. As he notes in a short essay on his blog, “In my music, titles function either along the lines of the above, or are dedications. In fact, ‘nocturnes’, is my only title so far that is not a dedication. In my text about the audience I distance myself from the idea of a consistent ‘humanity’ as addressee of my pieces. In that light, it is easy to understand that my pieces bear titles such as for joseph kudirka or for blinky palermo. I wrote those pieces for a person – when that’s established, who cares about the title, about the name?”2 In that sense, though the piece should not be considered subservient to its apparent ‘subject’ or dedicatee, it does set up a net-work of relations (and this is the sense in which it is ‘political’3) : firstly, between the composer and the dedicatee (whom he/she may know or not know – the dedication could, as in the case of ‘for louis couperin’, be to someone long dead); secondly, between the performer, the composer, and the dedicatee; thirdly (and fourthly, fifthly, etc), between the listener(s), critic(s), performer, composer, dedicatee. I’m reminded somewhat of Frank O’ Hara’s ‘personism’ – except, of course, that music cannot have the direct address that words can – there is nothing inherent in a non-vocal sound that says ‘I am addressing this directly to you’. This doesn’t mean we have to fall into the trap of a too-lazy ‘universalism’ (along which lines The Beatles are ‘great’ because their music contains some mathematical formula or universal human subject that makes it relevant to everyone and anyone (such views tend to be exclusively western-centric and inherently culturally imperialist)). But it’s nothing quite as direct as O’ Hara’s sexual metaphors (which in any case don’t quite fit the very public world necessitated by book publication, fame, exposure, etc): the piece of music is not really a “lucky pierre”, sandwiched between reader and writer.4 One online critic describes Schoorel’s paintings as “almost silent”.5 Of course, one immediately clamours, all painting is silent, whatever Kandinsky’s Blavataskian synaesthesia might otherwise suggest. Similarly, all music is ephemeral, non-visual (particularly if one closes one’s eyes when listening, so that the sounds I’m hearing are not, say, associated with the computer screen in front of me or the rather drab curtains in my room). But it is a communication – sound does always tell us something, even if not always as a direct propositional statement, an easily-got-at-gobbet of information. And perhaps that communication could take place between two art-works – between a painting and a composition, between that composition and its realisation – a kind of personism of art-objects, as well as of persons; a work that, because it concerns itself exclusively with its own “immanent logic,” allows itself a much more intimate mode of address than the loftily human(istic) ‘great work’ template allows – which actually allows in a more human space than the ostensibly ‘humanist’. As Susam puts it, “After the task [of composition] is completed, I consider the result not a message with a specific address, but rather the possibility of an occurrence that will always be embedded in a certain situation. The meaning of this occurrence can only come about within an essentially social situation. And, as Christian Wolff has it: one person making music and one person listening already makes for a social situation. At the heart of the matter, I compose for a scene of two.”6 I think, in the context of a CD review, we’ve drifted off-piste, off-point. And I’ve probably barely talked about the actual sounds of those two Taylan Susam pieces. But you can find that out for your self. So let’s end there. (DG) FARMER / KILYMIS / HUGHES / CORNFORD – NO ISLANDS Label: Another Timbre Release Date: 2011 Tracklist: Improvisation; Improvisation; four6 [Cage] Personnel: Patrick Farmer: turntable, electronics; Kostis Kilymis: electronics; Sarah Hughes: chorded zither; Stephen Cornford: amplified piano Additional Information: Recorded at Oxford Brookes University Drama Studio, March 2011 This disc captures well, I think, something I really enjoy in the playing of Farmer, Hughes and Cornford, certainly – I’m not really familiar with Kilymis’ playing, though Organized Music from Thessaloniki is indeed a fine enterprise – which is the balance between an almost tentative stillness and quietness (the potential, at least, for that to be there) and an almost visceral wildness – as when, on the first improvisation, a sudden blart of feedback rudely blares out like a mistake, is ignored, and doesn’t recur; or the fact that, at the end of that improvisation, everyone else’s gentle electronic ebbings away are overlaid with Farmer’s loud and physical and tactile turntable-surface frictions. It’s an aesthetic a million miles away from capital n Noise Music – though bits are noisy, and many of the sounds produced would be considered ‘noises’ by most ‘straight’ listeners – but it’s not in the least prissy or monastic in its restraint, delighting in the rasps and whirrs and burrs of its ugly beauties before settling into a kind of contemplative ambience in which the distant, twittering frequencies of birds or passing planes act as spectral, barely-registered presences, sitting there waiting for the musicians to stop dropping things on zithers or making whooshing noises with electronics or manipulating the insides of pianos. Maybe that’s partly a quality of the room itself – I’ve seen Farmer and Hughes, this time as part of the Set Ensemble, with Bruno Guastalla and David Stent, perform a different version of the Cage piece which makes up half of ‘No Islands’, once in rehearsal, with the door open on a balmy spring afternoon, and once again in the evening, where a different focus or tension (and the presence of audience) was brought to bear on proceedings. In both cases, though, the room – a square black box, quite tall in relation to its width – seems to inspire a kind of openness, a relaxed focus, perfect to the simultaneous focussed activity of both Four6 and improvised music: set away from the main body of the Oxford Brookes campus, on the side of a hill, above allotments and trees, inside it feels as if one could create a safe and sequestred world of focussed experiment, and yet at the same time feel open to what occurred outside, in entirely un-cloistered freshness. I guess this information is anecdotal, but, after all, Keith Rowe is always stressing the importance of the room, or space, in which one performs, and it’s that combination, of person and environment, that allows music like this to breathe. As too you should listen to it in a space where you can breathe, to let the many wonderful things here soak in – for there’s a delicious and perverse richness at times, as when (this on the second improvisation) a generally sober drone is packed over with all sorts of strange and wonderful little interventions: a rumbling stomach imitation; someone (Farmer no doubt) emptying something out of a bag; a whoop-wailing theremin-like sound which actually made me laugh out loud on first hearing, at its voice-likeness, its incongruity, its near-parodic yet curiously touching emotional tint. ‘Four6′ is the quietest thing on here, though the door to the studio is now open and the birds outside are in full and frequent voice; and maybe I prefer the (relatively) wilder territory of the improvisations, but, as the disc rides out on those continuing birds, a piano-bell-toll, a siren (outside intervention), a bowed zither zing, a turntable scrunch, another piano strum, and a fade-out, all this making its way into the otherwise silent living room here at 1AM, I’ll take the Cage piece too. This is, as they (who?) might say, a sweet record. And now I’m going to listen to some Delicate Steve. (DG) ANETT NÉMETH – A PAUPER’S GUIDE TO JOHN CAGE Label: Another Timbre Release Date: 2011 Tracklist: A Pauper’s Guide to John Cage; Early Morning Melancholia Personnel: Annet Németh: piano, clarinet, household objects, field recordings, domestic electronics Additional Information: Released on CD-R I know nothing about Németh, and thus have lazily reached for comparative judgement markers almost soon as the music hits my ears. But not too much, I hope, because this sounds very much like its own thing. Michael Pisaro is, yes, the obvious comparison to make here (at least, on the first track, which gives the disc a whole its title as well): the combination of instrumental/electronic timbres, for one thing – piano (with occasional clarinet) set off against sine tones and field recordings – though those recordings are less prevalent, and the music as a whole more ‘busy’ than, say, ‘Fields Have Ears 4′. ‘Busy’ is, of course, a relative term (and must come across as absurdly relative to those not immersed in this particular field of music-making); certainly, while there’s very little actual silence, there are pauses which feel like interludes between episodes, or breathing points. One in particular, six minutes into the first track, very beautifully isolates a temporary snippet of what sounds like a wailing baby bird – at first I thought a seagull, but it’s less harsh than that, plaintive and almost heart-rending here. The piano improvisation itself, which, as Németh notes, forms the ‘spine’ of the piece, is as spare and controlled as one might hope for and expect, alternating between grey-grave middle-register soundings and the occasional inner-string pluck. At times it takes on tolling-bell weight, sombre in a way that, say, Pisaro’s ‘Asleep, Street, Pipe, Tones’, or (more apposite for this piece’s soundworld), the aforementioned ‘Fields Have Ears 4′, are not: this, in part, accounting for the piece’s distinctive character; that and the fact that the field recordings are so spectrally murky, as if emerging from that speckled grey cloud which adorns the front cover (the composer-photo/phono-grapher peeking out of her window at the foreboding blankness of suburbia). OK, I’m imposing a programme here, perhaps drawn in by Németh’s comments on the Another Timbre website, imagining her popping out of her door, furtively, surreptitiously, to gather sounds, the whoosh of the road and the occasional call of a circling bird and the frenzied Neighbourhood Watch glare, the curtain-tugging neighbourhood stare, looking out for suspicious artistic activity. Yet there are bits which open up to some other suggestions– little folds in the space-time continuum through which appear, now that I’ve got that image in my mind, reminiscences of some grey summer sea-side (these images are all very British, I realize – and, of course, I don’t know where Németh lives), like the prompting of Proust’s madeleine cakes, or the smell of salt brought in by a sea-gull. But this is sound, of course, so the squeaking and scraping turns from gull to skateboard to rusty wheel or gate, the piano is plunked with unexpected and reverberating force (still a single tone), sounds swirl in and out behind it, the music continues, non-development but full of ambiguous incident. I guess, then, that it’s quite a busy piece, in fact, in terms and in the turns of all the various sound-producing methods and little episodes which have gone into making it: actual and processed clarinet, objects inside and outside the household, electronic manipulations. And I do really like that domestic element stressed in Németh’s brief notes and in the Another Timbre interview: John Cage on the cheap, as it were, though, perhaps, with less of the almost religious solemnity that might go into Official Concert Performances of his work in certain circumstances. ‘Early Morning Melancholia’ is quite a different animal to the Pauper’s Guide, is wails tamed and neutralized, as Németh notes: the simultaneous feeling of absolute despair and total numbness that particular kinds of depression can induce. I mean, it’s beautiful, again, too, much more sparse than its longer cousin, less explicitly referential in its samplings, which are disguised by simple twists of electronic manipulation – slowed down, pasted over with white noise, woozily slurring and sliming in and out of an overall trajectory that’s meandering and unclear, repetitive and agonizingly slow, without the anchoring Pauper’s piano to tie it down. Maybe I’ve emotionally over-invested there – and maybe I should have read Németh’s interview after listening to her pieces (after all, Reynell notes in one of his questions that, for him, the piece’s “dream-like” quality is “beautiful and actually quite up-lifting”) –but, as with Ap’strophe’s ‘Corgroc’ (reviwed in the previous issue of eartrip), there seems to me here a definite emotional element -as there is, indeed, in much of the best ‘eai’ – that’s not easy or comforting but difficult and sometimes overwhelming. Yet so easy for those very same elements which make up such work – sine tones and held drones, electronic noises and slow-motion movement, an overarching structure which makes use of overlapping, repetitive, non-developmental near-stasis in a quasi-intuitive manner – to generate music that can seem life-affirming and to sparkle with positive and wholly calming serenity balm (shit, that makes it sound like aural bubble-bath. Badedas for the Ears! But you get the picture, hear, it, watchfully, whatever). And yeah, in sum, this is really very impressive work, and do I hope that we hear more from Németh, and, well, Another Timbre Strikes Again. (DG) AEROPLANE TRIO – NARANJA HA Label: Drip Audio Release Date: 2011 Tracklist: Pre Rumble; Lucky Loonie; Rock Paper; Whitehorse; Plastic Farm Animals; Callejuela; They Came And Took Away Our Kittens; Subtle Shock; Whatever Happened To The Sand People; Crow’s Nest; Lagoon; Live At Ironworks; Getting To Naranja Ha. Personnel: JP Carter: trumpet, cornet; Russell Sholberg: bass, saw; Skye Brooks: drums, percussion The Aeroplane Trio are a group of multi-taskers – JP Carter on trumpet & coronet, Russell Sholberg on bass & saw, and Skye Brooks on drums & percussion. And to further the tasking, each member belongs to handful of other Vancouver-based ensembles and noise-makers such as Fond of Tigers, the Inhabitants, NOW Orchestra, Tony Wilson 6tet, etc… Not to be outdone, the packing also does double-duty as it not only holds the CD but a DVD containing a live performance and a 15+min. documentary. While this counts as their debut, the group has been together for almost a decade and each contributor has enough background and experience with other groups to ensure that this recording is very confident and relaxed. “Pre Rumble” begins it all and makes a solid opening statement, despite being more on the ‘sound’ end of the musical spectrum, as opposed to the ‘music’ end, which is pretty much where the next track “Lucky Loonie” [*] starts, with a pseudo-jazz intro complete with walking bass line and ringing crash cymbal. “Rock Paper” is rollicking & short’n’sharp like its predecessor and “Whitehorse” [**] is a great bass & trumpet feature. “Plastic Farm Animals” takes us back to the vibe of the opener with sporadic but confident outbursts from the trio. “Callejuela” [***] has simple and elegant statements from Carter with some equally tasteful contributions from Sholberg; clocking in at under 7min., it’s the longest and slowest tempo of the written tunes but never drags. “They Came and Took Away Our Kittens” features Sholberg’s saw skill, and is a fine demonstration of how spooky such an instrument can be, giving the waterphone a run for its money. “Subtle Shock” is a short improv while another improv, “Whatever Happened to the Sand People,” ups the noise by a few notches, which is the most rambunctious these guys get here. “Crow’s Nest”, driven by some solid bass playing, makes a cool and casual statement, while the closing track “Lagoon” winds things up on an ambient note, with almost didgeridoo-esque low horn, thumb piano (courtesy of Sholberg), and cymbal-washes. The DVD has a documentary and a live show. The documentary is no-nonsense: just the trio sitting around, talking about they each got started in music, early experiences in creative music and how they came together as a group. A little bit of talk on how they do what they do but, thankfully, it’s pretty short, has a few humourous moments, and doesn’t delve into the mumbo-jumbo that often comes out when people try to discuss or explain this kind of music. The live show is well-done and well-recorded – this isn’t just somebody’s mom with a jiggly handycam but a nice multi-camera work with good sound (though the audience clapping is louder than the band). The improv sections get a bit more wooly than those recorded on the cd. There ares two improv tunes on the DVD and, of the three titled/written tracks, only one appears on the cd. As with the CD, the written tunes are more tuneful and jazzy than the improv – not that that’s a bad thing, as this trio can clearly handle both approaches. (TH) [*] For all the non-Canucks out there, a loonie is the name given to the Canadian one-dollar coin, as it has a picture of a loon on it; to extend the portmanteau, the two-dollar coin is called a toonie (pronounced: two-nie), with a polar bear on the reverse. [**] The capital city of the Yukon Territory in Canada’s north. [***] Spanish for alleyway or sidestreet. JAC BERROCAL / DAVID FENECH / GHÉDALIA TAZARTÈS – SUPERDISQUE Label: Sub Rosa Release Date: 2011 Tracklist: Joy Divisé; Human Bones;Cochise;Quando;David’s Theme; Ife L’Ayo; Porte De Bagnolet;J’attendrai;Jac’s Theme; Powow;Sainte;Final;Zilveli Personnel: Jac Berrocal: trumpet; David Fenech: electric and acoustic guitar; Ghédalia Tazartès: vocals, accordion Good to see Ghédalia Tazartès’ profile rising slightly in recent years: it must have been about four years ago that I blogged about his work, having heard ‘Tazartès’ Transports’ on a sharity blog, the situation being at that time being so bad that said blog entry featuring as the top hit whenever I googled him in the next year or so. Since then, coverage has improved – a nice article by Howard Slater for Mute magazine, a Wire profile (and, yeah, that blog entry got turned into something for a previous issue of eartrip, but let’s not count that) – but, more importantly, Tazartès has started doing gigs both in France and abroad (all of which I’ve sadly missed). New people (wire readers, I guess) are starting to hear of him (tho’ he’s not yet a really trendy cult hit – guess we’ll have to wait till Thurston Moore discovers him…); new work is coming out. It’s all good. Tracks from this particular project have been floating around the internet for a couple of years now – the little gem here titled ‘David’s Theme’ is a really gorgeous example I remember listening to over and over upon that initial download – but hearing the whole disc is really where it’s at. As on Tazartès’ own solo recordings, short pieces splice into & crash up against each other, like fragments of larger wholes, or abortive pop singles which just couldn’t be fitted into the requisite verse-chorus-verse-chorus structure. It’s just right, like a killer mixtape, a playlist any eclectic college radio DJ would be proud of – but just right in a sometimes deliriously wonky or obviously stitched way. Sure, it’s not as lo-fi as the solo home recordings (viz., the clean sheen on Berrocal’s trumpet, the bursts of rockish guitar or gently throbbing bassy loops from Fennech), but it’s still full of unexpected and delightful transitions, bizarre and wonderful conceits: an ethnic fair-show swathed in vaguely jazzy, vaguely ambient electronica’d swirls and blurs. Murmuring, or shall we say grumbling, Tazartès initiates proceedings as an old priest or an old drunk – or a drunken old priest, a tipsy holy man; Berrocal tooting air, Fennech doing rubber-band echoes on his electric guitar, Tazartès’ voice now rising alongside Berrocal’s blues-hued trumpet. Some sort of bizarre vocoded effect, sudden blarts of electric distortion, all getting nearly swamped in wispy white noise, trumpet farts leading us into ‘Human Bones.’ Quasi throat-singing rumbles, alternating with thinner old man’s laments: funeral rites, death songs, underworld passages – these slipping into the echoes of Native American chant that flutter around the edge of ‘Cochise’. (Tazartès’ work is like, or is, a hallucination of what ‘world music’ might mean to an eccentric old western nomad, pan-culturalism without the ideological programmes or the naive hippie gloss). Berrocal’s trumpet multiplies into a spectral line of buglers blowing a spectral fanfare; now ‘Quando’, and the first appearance of Tazartès’ accordion, alongside Fennech’s tickle-plucked acoustic guitar; ‘David’s Theme’, aforementioned, gently blown along on Fennech’s simple pattern of alternating guitar notes, Berrocal letting out moaning, swaying tones before taking up a melancholy little theme which could have come out of a forgotten Ennio Morricone spaghetti western score (Tazartès’ distant whistling only adding to the effect). ‘Ife l’ayo’ is ‘fake jazz’ with a melody not too far off from that disarmingly nursery-rhyme like staple of Miles Davis’ 1980s concert repertoire, ‘Jean Pierre’ – played strictly for laughs here. (Well, maybe not quite strictly – but you can’t help but smile a little, no?) ‘Porte de Bagnolet’: all sorts of weird goings-on around the steady drum patter, Tazartès singing out in questing tremble, his accordion dancing and shaking or holding weird clusters and quasi-electronic low tones. The drunken sailor goes crazy, strings together a bracing atonal run on his accordion as he thuds against the walls; eventually falls asleep, hears that cautiously beautiful dream music. Some guy’s playing exquisite, sad echoed trumpet; some guy’s tinkling a guitar; some guy’s singing in that hangover haze…Why is that voice suddenly coming up so close to my ear, so close I can hear its mucus rasp? This guy’s telling me – well, he’s singing it to me – telling me, ‘j’attendrai toujours’…why, I don’t know… Bells, music boxes, middle-eastern(ish) melodics – and that growling again, deep and dark from the throat. The Native Americans are back – or the Hollywood extras playing them are back, back for their ‘Powow’. There seems to be something wrong: the frame drum’s beating but there are some reverse-effects wisping and rasping past my ear as this old man mutters and whispers and groans and talks and sings to himself. And now, the switch between the gorgeously echoed gliss or gloss of Berrocal’s trumpet and the defiantly acoustic, ‘old-timey’ sounds of Tazartès’ battered old accordion on ‘Sainte’, as he launches into a quavery tavern sing-along, Fennech, or Berrocal, or both, dropping little clangs and bangs around him like the tavern clientele drumming on the table, a kid with a big drum, some siren fading it out like it was all another dream. And it all is: Tazartès’ art thrives on fanciful imaginings, on improvised fantasies and fantasias in invented languages, quasi-folk-forms, primitive tinny keyboards and rhythms and electronic manipulations. If Fennech and Berrocal add a post-Milesian sheen not all too dissimilar from the work of, say, Nils Petter Molvaer or Jon Hassell, Tazartès imparts that necessary roughness, that semi-parodic, semi-sincere sense of pathos and occasionally boozy fun that lends his band-mates’ echoed ruminations a kind of grandeur they might not otherwise possess. It’s music that constantly suggests little narratives, little stories that are dropped almost as soon as they’re taken up; that suggests places, exotic locales, filmic locations or treated archive recordings of now-forgotten ceremonies; a jump-cutting, surreal movie for the ears. What genre it’s all in I really couldn’t say. Do check it out. (DG) BEVAN / OBERMAYER / MARKS / LASH – A BIG HAND Label: Foghorn Records Release Date: 2010 Tracklist: Rock Me Baby; Heart of Stone; They Smell Like Giants; Lonely Girl; Box of Frogs; One Punch and Out; He’s Spartacus; Giants (Of Jazz-Funk); I am Not a Lizard; Got You Sucker! Personnel: Tony Bevan: soprano, tenor and bass saxophones, flute; Dominic Lash: double bass; Phil Marks: drums; Paul Obermayer: electronics Straight out the blocks, Bevan’s free jazz take on R&B(ish), Lash and Marsh digging in and not letting up, Obermayer flickering and flashing on the edges of things, sometimes as if a phantom guitar’s wormed its way into the bands, at others more obviously electronic in its texture. ‘Heart of Stone’ has Obermayer’s sampled descending bass line picked up by Lash in glorious wooze, Bevan’s soprano in-step with that rhythmic articulation, blowing hard, as is his wont, phrases in bursts, in blocks, the final note of one triggering the first of the next, up and down, snakes and ladders. Bevan does that stop-start thing a fair bit, in fact: those staggered pauses, like an over-extended breath, heightening the expectation of the phrase to come but still catching one off guard when it does – like someone walking in spasms, a regulated stutter. Or perhaps someone with the shakes after drinking too much coffee. Nervous energy, most certainly. This imparts the disc as a whole with a sense of ‘punchiness’, but one that somehow feels fragile, Bevan’s tongued out-cries or repeated wails often underscoring that slight feeling of desperation, constriction, having to get something out there and said before the moment passes. The jittery nitty-gritty of Obermayer’s electronics of course contributing to that a good deal, of course: check his interventions under the wailing soprano of ‘Lonely Girl’. A good deal of humour here as well, I think, despite the keening emotional register in which Bevan often operates: check the bloopy-farty start of ‘Got You Sucker!’, Obermayer making sounds like one of those farmyard-animal-noise-toys you used to be able to find in kids’ shops – somewhere between a cow, a sheep, and a creaking gate – almost satirizing Bevan’s bass sax gasps and growls, but of course in a spirit of dialogue and lumbering fun, banter rather than man-spiritedness. Also of note, the fact that none of the tracks out-stay their welcome – they generally last only five minutes or less – and each feel like well-developed pieces, rather than merely sketches or cast-offs, each tracing a specific trajectory, each exploring a particular area with concision and verve. The band are focussed and on, the joint is jumping. OK! (DG) RHYS CHATHAM – OUTDOOR SPELL Label: Northern Spy Release Date: 2011 Tracklsit: Outdoor Spell; Crossing the Sword Bridge of the Abyss; Corn Maiden’s Rite; The Magician Personnel: Rhys Chatham: trumpet (voice on 1); Beatriz Rojas: cajon (3); Jean-Marc Montera: electric guitar (4); Kevin Shea: drums (4) If the titular first track is fairly reverent dronology, Chatham’s electronically-aided vocals somewhat reminiscent of throat singing, occasional trumpet lines swelling out the texture as the piece progrssess, ‘Crossing the Sword Bridge of the Abyss’ imparts a visceral physicality to the enterprise: popping trumpet farts (I mean, of course, pedal tones) underlie the piece as a rhythmic bed, like a perverted march, numerous echo-enhanced trumpet lines swirling round over the top, overlapping so that the origin or end of any one line seems to disappear into the miasma (much as in Chatham’s guitar orchestra pieces, I suppose, though with more a shimmering, light-dancing vibe, the timbres occasionally reminiscent of acknowledged influence Jon Hassell, but without a hint of world-music-lite, and some glorious higher register flares and lower register burrs that suggest latter-day Bill Dixon as much as anything.) Perhaps the track goes on too long for its own good, unable to coast along on the endless chunky/diaphanous overtone ooze and rock-like rhythmic thud of the guitar pieces, each individual phrase instead swelled and swirled and looped away so that each ends up resembling the other, insubstantially the music’s substance. Of course, the aim is for a trance subsumption into un-thinking pleasure and bliss (“I find that by deadening, possibly destroying the intellect, you can actually make people feel” Chatham opines in a 1996 interview for Dead Angel magazine): it’s just that I don’t feel that the trumpet, even electronically-aided, has the sheer overwhelming power necessary for that experience. Given this, ‘The Magician’, which doesn’t attempt that out-of-mind experience, is probably my favourite track: Jean-Marc Montera’s guitar has a woozy bite to it, and Kevin Shea (of Talibam! – a group with whom Chatham has collaborated – and Mostly Other People Do The Killing) blasts around the gloopy flickerings of Chatham’s trumpet in decidely non-repetitive fashion. It feels like the music is constantly bubbling over, loosing any linear grip it might have in frantic loops and obscured corners, twists, turns. Well, maybe it’s not quite my thing – it has a bit of the ‘rock musicians do free improvisation’ vibe going on – but it is pretty exhilarating at times nonetheless. (DG) CHICAGO UNDERGROUND DUO – AGE OF ENERGY Label: Northern Spy Release Date: 2012 Tracklist: Winds and Sweeping Pines; It’s Alright; Castle In Your Heart; Age of Energy Personnel: Chad Taylor: drums, mbira, electronics, drum machine; Rob Mazurek: cornet, electronics, voice So the disc opens with a swooping electronic thing that sounds like it might be about to go into Debussy’s ‘Girl with the Flaxen Hair’, but it gets a load of low-end fuzz and fizz instead and a processed voice comes over the top and it all goes meandering-spacey: then after five minutes or so Mazurek (I guess) settles on a loop and Taylor’s drums come thumping in with electronics going their own sweet way over the top. It’s loud, brash, a little vague in its grooviness for my tastes: does ‘good jogging music’ sound dismissive? I’m trying to think of comparisons here, and I’m going back, perhaps lazily, to 1970s jazz fusion – say, pre-Jaco Weather Report, or Miles Davis’ bands: for me, Chicago Underground, at least on this opening number, lack the single-mindedness and nastiness of the grooves those groups came up with. I prefer what comes next on the track: the backbeat and the bassline loop drop out for transitional electronic ambiences, brush shuffles ushering in some freer drumming, Taylor keeping the track boiling over under electronic meander. Then suddenly a bompy dance music-type loop, drums dropping out, Mazurek’s cornet heard for the first time, again a little Miles-ish – maybe more like Leo Smith in Yo! Miles – a touch plaintive, now digging in more fiercely as Taylor bops along with the loop. It’s fun, certainly, though fifteen minutes of this rather than the rather bitty preceding jam might not have gone amiss. That rides the track out; ‘It’s Alright’, by contrast, is a fuzzed-out ‘ballad’, Mazurek crooning, or, more accurately, whispering that titular phrase into a bed of muffled echo and drone, his subsequent cornet solo buried and distorted under various bits and blobs of electronic jiggery-pokery. I can’t help wishing here that the electronics here had taken more of a back seat – the intense distorted haze that increasingly predominates seems more like a bunch of effects slapped on top of the music than a vital part of the aesthetic itself. What, for example, does pushing Mazurek’s cornet through filters so that its tone becomes all broken and jagged and wobbly really add (beyond some specious ‘novelty’) to his playing in itself (which sounds, from what I can hear of it, rather pleasant)? Further, I’m not sure the Duo say more in ten-minutes plus than they could have in half that time: concision is not a strong point of ‘Age of Energy’ – though of course, it’s not meant to be. Taylor’s mbira is (again) distorted as ‘Castle in Your Heart’ gets under way (rather Konono No. 1), Mazurek’s trumpet sounding like it’s being played in a distant toilet; the playing itself is all very nice, with shades of Don Cherry’s work on ‘Bitter Funeral Beer’, for instance – though, again, it’s hampered by the unnecessary lo-fi’ness slapped on in post-production. Final track, ‘Age of Energy’: meh electronics over boom-boom drums, gets its act together a bit more when Mazurek digs his cornet out, again slightly processed , just cornet and drums, ending on a nasty held note before the electronics finish things off. So, the disc as a whole is loud, and sometimes punchy, sometimes rather vaguely spacey: it has its moments, but I’m rather put off by the post-production slapped over the whole thing, and the reliance on rather broad-brush electronics. There is, above all, no real room for improvised interaction or sudden changes of pace here – no real sense of risk – once a particular set of parameters are put into play, they stay there, as generalized mood, thumping but a little directionless, never quite engagingly energetic nor, indeed, blissed out enough to make a real, lasting impact. (DG) STEPHEN CORNFORD / SAMUEL RODGERS – ZINC [extracts] Label: Consumer Waste Release Date: 2010 Tracklist: [untitled]; [untitled]; [untitled] Personnel: Stephen Cornford: piano feedback; Samuel Rodgers: piano and objects Interesting to come at this one after hearing Lawrence Dunn’s ‘If I in my north room’, a download-release on compost and height of roughly the same length. Both releases (this is, in fact, an earlier recording, coming as it does from the 2009 sessions that produced another timbre’s ‘turned moment, weighting’), concentrate on the sounds that may be extracted from the interior of a grand piano, Dunn in exclusively acoustic fashion, Cornford and Rodgers with the help of electronic treatments and with the use of more conventionally ‘pianistic’ (or ‘prepared-pianistic’) sounds. A brief ‘prelude’, with buzzing low strikes and the sound of objects rattling against the piano strings, merges seamlessly into the longer second track: patches of feedback ring out, Rodgers’ gleaming, repeated strikes of the keys, like a tolling bell, causing the feedback to swell slightly with each strike – a wavering line, seemingly stable and similar, but subtly morphing from instant to instant. There’s maybe a danger of things becoming overly pretty, even tonal, in a kind of vaguely post-Tilbury territory, but the concision of the tracks, and a certain sense that things might suddenly slip away into noise, given the unpredictability of the feedback with which Cornford works, prevents that from happening. And the duo do have a real sense of structure, fading and swelling with purpose, rather than simply meandering along – particularly so on the final track, where the longer running time allows a number of distinct sections to develop. The piece begins with Cornford holding a high-ish tone while Rodgers drops some notes from the lower end of the keyboard; as the first tone fades, Cornford introduces another, both moving into near-inaudibility while Rodgers begins to gently scrabble. A sense of uncertainty, of possibility here: without the held tones, what might happen next? Metallic crinklings of sound from Rodgers provide the base for another drone to gradually emerge, inexorable momentum, a louder swell of feedback seemingly overwhelming this before settling back down to join it, along with what sounds like a tamboura (the effect presumably produced from holding an object on one of the piano strings). And then somehow it all fades back down again to silence: an oddly affecting combination of delicacy and swelling electronic noise, poised between extreme restraint and a lack of deference towards the piano, as concert staple, as the solid heart of the western classical tradition. In a talk on Cornelius Cardew at the 2011 Bath Festival, John Tilbury argued that the piano was an experimental instrument, if you chose to treat it that way: for one thing, a pianist can’t take a particular piano home with them, as can those who play more portable devices – they may have only a few hours to get used to the particular niceties of touch and timbre offered by the specific instrument with which they have been presented. One might see Cornford and Rodgers, in their shift of focus from the keyboard to the stringed interior of the piano, and the use of electronics to morph what was already a musical machine, a mechanical device, as exemplars of this experimental approach, along with the likes of Andrea Neumann, Sebastian Lexer, Chris Burn, Cor Fuhler and Tilbury himself. Along the way, they create some fascinating music. (DG) GERALD CLEAVER / UNCLE JUNE – BE IT AS I SEE IT Label: Fresh Sound New Talent Release Date: January 2011 Tracklist: To Love; Charles Street Sunrise; Fence & Post – [Alluvia // The Lights // Lee/Mae // Statues/ UmbRa // Ruby Ritchie / Well]; He Said; Charles Street Quotidian; 22 Minutes (The Wedding Song); From A Life of The Same Name Personnel: Gerald Cleaver: drums, voice; Andrew Bishop: flute, soprano & bass clarinet, soprano & tenor sax; Tony Malaby: soprano & tenor sax; Mat Maneri: viola; Craig Taborn: piano & keyboards; Drew Gress: bass; Ryan Mackstaller: guitar on ‘To Love’ & ‘He Said’; Andy Taub: banjo on ’22 Minutes’; Jean Carla Rodea: voice on ‘He Said’ & ’22 Minutes’; John Cleaver: voice on ‘He Said’ There’s a particular sound I hear on those jazz records touted as where it’s now at – beyond the more messianic purity of a Charles Gayle or a Brötzmann, that older generation’s honings or repeatings of forms essentially discovered in the 1960s (not that there is not fertile ground to tread there, tho’) – those records where compositional acumen and complexity, generic ground-shift, roughness delivered with polish and skill and tightness, create a total package whose breadth might at some times intimidate us, at others strike as just too smooth, too catch-all – the risk of relativism, in that. But, ok, there’s a real excitement here, and who hears what is new inside the borders of what they know, in any case? Always there is, or should be, that necessary discomfort on the first or third or fourth hearing, even on the tenth – that refusal to be captured into the comfortable categories of how you know to listen. But, hell, isn’t this ‘catch-all’ breadth also the way we listen now, in any case? – abstruse limits of contemporary composition to screams of free jazz “collective inarticulate harmony” to hip-hop, say, in one day, a rap song’s sample leading on to the classic soul or jazz record from which it was sampled, and that onto to other backwards or forwards reaches and traces of influences and homage – the changing same, the continuum, feeding onwards into the future and back into the heritage of tradition. It’s what (to take an odd example, but bear with me), Amiri Baraka put into practice on ‘Nation Time’ from ’72 – R&B group, backing vocals, free jazz band, ‘African’ drummers and chanters, alternating and joining behind his spoken word to exemplify that ‘changing same’ dictum, to cover the spectrum of those ‘survival codes’ he found valuable and alive in that totality of black culture, from the blues to the abstract truth, from James Brown’s scream to Ayler’s. And if the Laswell school attempted something similar through bands like Material (I can still dig ‘Memory Serves’, if only for what such fine soloists as Billy Bang impart to the whole enterprise), that for me remains too much mucked in ’80s mechanized gloss – drum machines and slap bass, don’t say you don’t wince a little now when you hear those so up-front, so coldly present. But that was then, now, now…What’s exciting about this record (and, too, about Matana Robert’s ‘Coin Coin’) is the way it coalesces those influences, fragments into something with an identity and a legitimate onward creative flux-motion of its own: history and the now as dialogue and broken, stuttering single sentence, rather than as parcelled out into obvious influence boxes, rote-parades of the easily-acknowledged, historicised forebears. Like, listen to the opening freak-out – all sorts of rich and wood-gooey timbres, bass clarinet and keyboards and keening multiplying woodwinds soar-dipping with righteous shouted poetry, flashes of church organ – “TO LOVE” shouted, like a sports chant or a war chant or a love cry, I guess, sanctified with the possibility of over-boil, screeched viola now, freakout, “knowledge of the heart’s desire” – “TO LOVE” the rallying cry bringing things back again, Cleaver rolling those drums with relish, cymbal bash, can I get an amen. YES you can. (See that anecdote Henry Threadgill tells about playing free improvisation at an evangelical meeting, in the pages of George Lewis’ ‘A Power Stronger Than Itself.’) Then, ‘Charles Street Sunrise’, flute balladry over held bowed bass, some of those timbres like that mellow low-ish flute you hear over dark rumblings on ‘Faded Beauty’ from Andrew Hill’s ‘A Beautiful Day’, that richness or weirdness of texture that I so love in jazz from Gil Evans on (not that this is really Evans-ish), some deep sadness or contemplation, the way the soprano dips in sweet at the end, fade-out solo on bass-piano unison. That attention to timbre is really where it’s at – if, say, you’d tired of sax-bass-drums line-ups, fifty years down the line, here you could wallow in clarinets and flutes and violas and the rumbling electronic nasty buzzes of ‘The Lights’, almost something out of a grungy electronic free improv group in a London basement – or the rich wooziness on ‘Lee/Mae,’ where viola and organ and saxophone do the kind of chamber choir all those many (so many) ECM albums try for, but without the usual resultant pastel or monochrome sludge, a keening to it that sludge just lacks, keep this from your coffee table. But where my heart really is with this record is the track ‘Statues / UmbRa’, the penultimate piece from that ‘Fence and Post’ suite, where Craig Taborn’s piano figure sounds like the looped jazz harmonies which give those classic tracks by, say, Nas, with production by Pete Rock or Dilla, samples by Ahmad Jamal or Bobby Hutcherson, their emotional flavour, their piquancy, their serene, semi-melancholic sense of flow; then the way the echoed multiplying voices come in uttering un-catcheable poetry, ears bombarded in stereo with un-coalescent messages, refusing closure, refusing linearity – words or brief phrases catching like wool on wire, only to be blown away again on the wind – “to be free- form…nations… organise…make ourselves….the one class against the other….essentials of life…” – the effect’s something like David Henderson’s treated poetry on Ornette’s ‘Science Fiction’, here triggering furious distorted organ freakout under repeating desolate steadfastness of the horn’s repeated figure. And the title, ‘UmbRa’, its Ra-like pun linking Sun Ra with the Umbra poetry movement, shadow, darkness, blackness, futurity (the thought crosses my mind, is this actually Henderson’s reading on ‘Science Fiction,’ sampled?). Taborn’s solo on ‘Gremmy’, diamond-hard, running and looping like mad. And Cleaver, a drummer who knows how to write a tune. Cleaver knows how to write a tune. (DG) CHRIS CUNDY / DOMINIC LASH – TWO PLUMP DAUGHTERS: MUSIC FOR DOUBLE BASS & BASS CLARINET Label: Creative Sources Release Date: February 2012 Tracklist: Plaits; Gingko’s Corner; Gravity Leaves; Enough of the Duster; Fork Lift; The Singing Room; April Cottage; Three Out of Ten; Two Beautiful Sisters; Creeping Past; Angles; Tentative Tenacity; Something and Nothing Lignin; Without Doubt; Archibald Tait; Strung Along; Deuce Personnel: Chris Cundy: bass clarinet; Dominic Lash: double bass Yes, as Steve Dalachinsky tells us in his liner note ekphrases, this disc is about wood, about those exquisite woodnesses of the bass clarinet and the double bass, resonance and polish – almost velvetine- but also gutted string and scrapy belch-bellow. On the first track Lash actually plays exquisitely high up his instrument’s register, sounding like a small, pinched chorus of strings rather than just one bass, and then, his held harmonic, as a droning saxophone, Cundy with just little hints of those show-stopping, popping finger snaps that David Murray deploys to such great effect on ‘Ballads for Bass Clarinet’. The tracks are short and sweet, but not just a collection of effects or moods; rather, they flow into each other, or when they do break with and against each other, that break becomes part of the overall architecture, silences and pauses included, as part of one essentially continuous, multifaceted, episodic dialogue (whether or not they’re sequenced in the order they were recorded is neither here nor there). Elegant but, yes, as ‘plump’ implies, with a certain earthiness concealed behind any dainty manoeuvres: liable, that is, to fart into those engraved armchairs which decorate the front cover. There was one bit somewhere where I thought Cundy was going to go all Marcus Miller (I actually quite like Miller’s bass clarinet playing, it redeems the 80s-ness of his Miles arrangements), and then he let slip an improper plosive. And Lash’s bass growled. Oh my. But seriously, this music’s got beauty in its guts and garters. The recorded ambience is nice too – a church, I suspected; a chapel in Cheltenham, the liner notes tell me – not too ECM-y, but makes the whole thing nicely glow, not blankly falling into the dull blockage of a dead acoustic, dead ears. Just what, this gorgeously warm March afternoon, window open to a sedate breeze, I need. Garrulous chatter, mutter in force or haste, tock clock effect, pull back, a quizzical brow furrowing, ploughing on, cut short. Relaxed intensity. (DG) LAWRENCE DUNN – IF I IN MY NORTH ROOM Label: Compost and Height Release Date: April 2011 Tracklist: If I in my north room Personnel: Lawrence Dunn: piano, objects Additional Information: Download release, available from http://compostandheight.blogspot.com/ “If I in my north room dance naked, grotesquely before my mirror waving my shirt round my head and singing softly to myself: “I am lonely, lonely, I was born to be lonely I am best so!” If I admire my arms, my face, my shoulders, flanks, buttocks against the yellow drawn shades,- Who shall say I am not the happy genius of my household?” William Carlos Williams, Danse Russe Nothing as nakedly grotesque, or as sarcastically lonely as the Williams poem here: but that slightly self-conscious suggestion of the artist as ridiculous solo poseur, indulging in capricious and self-obsessed activity while the rest of the household sensibly sleeps, is presumably intended. There’s really no need to worry on that count, however: in the close-recorded hush of this north room, an improvisation unfolds that seems akin to a jotting in a journal, a diary entry, the record of an experiment in progress, rather than a polished jewel of gleaming and closed-off formal perfection, and is all the better for it. Dunn treats the inside of the piano as a kind of resonant, pointillist percussion: many of the sounds have a creaky, thudding edge to them, that combination of echoing wood and metal that gives the piano’s innards their particular quality. It’s a somewhat claustrophobic listen; maybe because I’m visualising someone sticking their head and arms under the piano lid to get at the instrument’s guts – though the sounds also suggest the rather evocative and not particularly musical image of someone stuck inside a room with wooden walls that is constantly under pressure of collapse from mounds of earth outside: a lonely Womble trapped underground after an earthquake. The music is fairly quiet, but it’s also very prickly, and it bustles with a kind of barely-suppressed nervous energy; tapping, scratching, clattering sounds abound. One always senses, too, the potential for extreme volume – all that is required is for the sustain pedal to be depressed and for a handful of notes to be banged out on the keyboard, combined with a few swooping strokes across the strings themselves – and it’s to Dunn’s credit that he foregoes this temptation, instead getting quieter and quieter by the end of the piece, so that distant echoing voices make their way through a door or an open window into that north room where a piano sings softly to itself. Then it’s over. Fittingly for Compost and Height’s download series, this feels like a glimpse at work-in-progress, rather than a fully-fledged ‘release’ (for one thing, it’s under twenty minutes long); as I suggested earlier, this may actually be what accounts for much of its charm. In any case, worth checking out (it’s a free and everything). (DG) BRUNO DUPLANT – DEUX TROIS CHOSES OU PRESQUE: SCORES BY MANFRED WERDER Label: Engraved Glass Release Date: March 2012 Tracklist: 2009/4; 2009/5; 2010/2 Personnel: Bruno Duplant: phonographies, sine tones, double bass & horn Additional Information: Recordings made in Waziers & Douai, France, 2011. Available as a digital download only, from http://engravedglass.bandcamp.com/ Utterly gorgeous. As a fusion of environment and playing, that true immersion that Werder seeks when, say, he realizes 2010/1 by sitting on a park bench for six hours, this is fine indeed, the gorgeous low rumblings of a bass with unobtrusive sine meshings (the influence of Pisaro here, no doubt) never quite imposing themselves at the front of the stereo picture, but nonetheless slightly more prominent than their surroundings (because, after all, it is music we are listening to here, even if the music (sound) of environment is a legitimate part of that music, as Wandelweiser has taught us). I mean, this sounds far more interesting to me than the non-interventionist realisations of Werder’s score on ‘Im Senfinental’ – perhaps, somehow, the sounds of human interaction, semi-rural or small-town rather than city, but nonetheless the suggestion of human communication, transport, and so on, ultimately do have more resonance for me than the sound of a waterfall or wind, which my mind still filters off into sound effect otherness or just refuses to find communicative. What am I saying: maybe, that there’s an actual meshing of performance and of environment that is more than just letting the environment speak while you make no sound (the latter occurring on ‘Im Senfinental’ – wonderful in situ, perhaps, but not ideal for aural record – and the importance of the person-to-person presentation of this music is one I think Werder would be keenly aware of – what we are sharing in this space, now, together; or, what space we are sharing in, now, together.) Whereas, here, I get the sense of eavesdropping into a quietly private, yet open and available realization, socialized both by its nearness to the sounds of human (and animal activity) to which it is open, and by its (re)presentation on CD, in my ears, now; being written, now, for your eyes, and, hopefully, for your ears, in due course (i.e. go and download this). It sounds as if Duplant has left the window open, or cocked his ear to the door while playing inside (my fantasy here: that uniquely pleasurable sensation of being half in and half out the house, the possibility of going out but staying in nonetheless, the outside’s warmth and light and sound entering into the newly freshened shadows of the interior); maybe he’s playing out in the garden, as children, occasionally, joyfully, are heard to play; as traffic whooshes in up-close engine register, then back off into just vague breath-whoosh (louder on the second track, the first more rural, but domestic, the birdsong muffled and fairly sparse). That easy openness nudges me back to the first time I ever heard Wandelweiser music live, at a house concert with a similar sonic environment (distant traffic, muffled birds, neither fully urban nor fully rural, a quiet summer’s day, concentration drifting and then focussing in sharp intensity); you don’t just let the environment speak, but, rather, you speak with it, underneath it, sitting just on top of it, sometimes totally silent, resonance rumble as idle rumination or firm concentration, easing into and out of the field. Moments of meshing or confusion that are precious and beautiful: is that a horn on the final track, or a bass? or an electronic tone? does it matter? timbre released from the yoke of instrumentality, acousmatic without any sense of anything other than the pleasure and the rightness, the fitness of the sounds, their unobtrusive delicate necessity. When you don’t know if the slowly crescendoing, rumbling drone is a distance-drifting aeroplane or Duplant’s bass. Or, whether, even, the whole has been elaborately constructed in post-production, field recordings as the illusion of playing in a place in which you are not physically playing. That not mattering in the slightest. (DG) JOEL FUTTERMAN – REMEMBERING DOLPHY Label: JDF Music Release Date: 2010 Tracklist: Posta Lotsa; Les; Out to Dinner part one; In the Blues; Serene; Miss Ann; Fire Waltz; 17 West; Out to Dinner part two Personnel: Joel Futterman: piano Additional Information: Recorded October 2010. Available from http://www.joelfutterman.com Though Eric Dolphy often performed with pianists – Misha Mengelberg on ‘Last Date’, Herbie Hancock on ‘The Ilinois Concert’, not to mention Jaki Byard, Mal Waldron and Andrew Hill – one might argue that he tended to work best in a piano-less setting, eschewing the instrument’s tendency to form a firm harmonic base by comping underneath the soloist, and instead choosing to float and dart over the alternately looser and sharper clouds and jabs of Bobby Hutcherson’s vibraphone, or, in the case of earlier sideman days with the Chico Hamilton Quintet, over the lazy warmth of guitar and cello. Joel Futterman’s decision to record an album of Dolphy’s compositions on solo piano, then, is an intriguing one, immediately raising the question: how to translate the angularity of line, and, above all, the timbral qualities that made Dolphy’s playing so unique – the bird-like and ‘speaking’ tone, alternately whooping and mellifluous (based as this was on the combination of embrochure and fingering) to the hammer and strings of the piano? Futterman’s answer is very much to translate Dolphy’s work into his own solo style, a style evidenced to fine effect on a series of recent releases on his own label. Whereas most of these have been lengthy improvisations, the decision here to play five – ten minute versions of compositions obviously has an impact on the music’s flow; but the logic remains the same – in part, perhaps, because each of the recordings is an unedited first take. This seems entirely consistent with George E. Lewis’ comment on his own ‘Homage to Charles Parker’: “As I recall, the ethos of “Homage” was influenced by an LP liner note I read in which Miles Davis answered criticism about not playing Duke Ellington’s music on an Ellington tribute concert by saying that performing at the highest level was the best homage one could give.” Futterman’s homage is more direct – he is actually playing a selection of Dolphy’s tunes – but that ethos of paying tribute by sticking to your own path (while, of course, admitting the enormous influence of predecessors) is very much present here, and seems to me a much more honest way of seeing the music – as a living continuum – than the repertory route popularized, for example, at Lincoln Centre. The music’s history is inescapable – David S. Ware says of his recent quartet ‘Planetary Unknown’ that, “The last 100 years of jazz, there was our rehearsal” – but perhaps the best way to acknowledge it is to keep ‘Looking Ahead’ (in the words of one of Dolphy’s albums). That said, Futterman’s style owes much to the strong left-hand of stride players – free jazz, of course, was always a negotiation between innovation and tradition, and some of its apparently most shocking developments came right out of the earliest stages of the music. Indeed, mining the possibilities of pre-swing styles, when the music was still blessed with a dose of roughness and grit, can come across as quite a shock to those for whom ‘jazz’ means a particular set of 1950s developments – ‘cool’, third stream, etc – the piano instead as percussive and driving, capable of being simultaneous ‘rhythm section’ and ‘soloist’. This rhythmic momentum characterises much of the record (with a pause for one of Dolphy’s most melting beautiful compositions, ‘Serene’); often, it seems that Futterman is setting up several layers of simultaneous dialogue, sometimes even managing three at once, despite the fact that he has only two hands… And though, as noted above, it’s impossible to reproduce Dolphy’s timbral qualities on the piano, the angularity and the register leaps are very much there. There’s a lot crammed into this music: within the first two minutes of the first track, ‘Potsa Lotsa’, we’ve moved through the theme and into an improvisation on its upward-rising tension – an ascending figure that resolves itself, not by transposition to a higher chord, but by the hammering out of a repeated, clustered version of the previous chord – via some vaguely Monk-ish twists and a brief left-hand vamp that suggests Horace Silver’s ‘Song For My Father’. And that’s before the scampering full-keyboard dissonances that move things from strongly-stated rhythm to free pulse, and the ecstatic pedal’d shimmer that unexpectedly closes out the track. The concept of transition is an important one for Futterman, and the move from this brief closing passage to the delicious horn-like phrasing of ‘Les’ – the pianist here very deliberately playing single-note lines rather than cluttering the piece with chords – is like a refreshing splash of water to the face. Indeed, it’s not just transitions between tracks that count – in one piece there may be clearly demarcated shifts, laid out for dramatic and musical effect. During ‘Les’, as he traces out an involved set of variations down the low-end of the keyboard, Futterman depresses the sustain pedal so that each note’s resonance merges into the next to create an increasingly dissonant sound-cluster – territory which could easily have been explored for minutes at a time – then suddenly releases it and returns to the jazzier angularity of the solo line. An exhilarating move, this suggests a musician always desirous of keeping himself on his toes, a quality that translates to the listening experience. And, at a time when it’s all too easy to hear jazz through nostalgic ear-muffs, dulling the still-revolutionary qualities of its greatest practitioners, this is a healthy reminder of the ample territory still to be explored in the genre. Space, sadly, doesn’t permit a full examination of every track, but I will note the cool breeze of Futterman’s own ‘Out to Dinner’, in which sparsely-placed chords sound out over a cat-like left-hand line – and the transformation of ‘Serene’ from Dolphy’s version, which was just that, into something more ambiguously – and brilliantly – tenter-hooked. It also seems very appropriate that ‘Fire Waltz’ is played here, given that it’s a piece by Mal Waldron (as played in a breathtaking version by Dolphy’s group); Waldron’s left hand was always his strength, becoming more granite-strong as the years went by (check out ‘Free at Last’, the first ever ECM album). In fact, Futterman’s left-hand is less pronounced here than on some of the other tracks, as he chooses instead to emphasize the languorous quality of the melody – perhaps that’s in preparation for the following thirteen-minute version of ‘17 West’, a tour-de-force in which one of Dolphy’s lesser-known flute pieces is turned into a pell-mell suite of motion and invention, darkly alternating chords repeatedly pounding their way into solo flights as reiteration of the tune’s base, as spur to yet more variation, creation, discovery. Never carried away with itself, it stops, suddenly, in the middle of things, to allow another slice of ‘Out to Dinner’ the more pensive closing word. I’ve been enormously impressed by Futterman’s increasingly-documented recent work, and ‘Remembering Dolphy’ is surely the sound of a musician at his peak: it comes very highly recommended. (DG) JOEL FUTTERMAN / KIDD JORDAN / WILLIAM PARKER / ALVIN FIELDER – LIVE AT THE GUELPH JAZZ FESTIVAL 2011 Label: Creative Collective Release Date: 2011 Tracklist: 8 Untitled Tracks Personnel: Kidd Jordan: tenor saxophone; Joel Futterman: piano and Indian flute; William Parker: bass; Alvin Fielder: drums and percussion Additional Information: Recorded at the Cooperator’s Hall, River Run Centre, September 11th, 2011, at the Guelph Jazz Festival, Guelph, Ontario, Canada. CD-R available from http://www.joelfutterman.com/purchase.htm This is really fine, turbulent free jazz, self-released by the musicians involved (though it easily deserves to sit on a major label). Jordan plays with a fierce attack and bite, alternating tart continuous lines with sudden shrills and squeals, Futterman following him all the way: there are moments where one will play a phrase that the other echoes in joyous recognition and imitation, the band as a whole a thoroughly supportive unit, as befits their billing as ‘The Creative Collective’. Check, for instance, track two, Futterman digging in with repeated clusters, Parker’s walking bass accelerandos and decelerandos, Fielder’s really pretty subtle drumming – there are moments where he almost seems to be playing nothing at all, but his continuous cymbal whispers and tappings and ridings keep things fluid and open in a way that a more bombastic approach would not – fundamentally unshowy, but extremely effective. I said ‘free jazz’: but this is far from simply a ‘blow-out’ – it’s music of flowing episode and transition, moving from shrill peaks to declarative gospellizing and sudden reminiscenses of Coltrane (beautiful because unexpected, not mere acts of de rigeur homage) within the space of a few minutes, no need for any supporting themes or heads to get things going. When Futterman launches into a series of jazz chords, you can bet they’ll be exquisite; and you can bet that they’ll spur Jordan onto tongued R&B and/or church extrapolations. Then Futterman’ll be inside the piano, Parker harmonic plucking, Fielder’s fluttering percussion, Jordan’s quiet wail. Parker’s bowed bass solo, just right, melodic and solemn. And when the piano comes back in and Parker switches to a repeated accompanying figure, Fielder relaxed and unhurried behind them, wow. There’s real patience and purpose here. And things turning on a dime, one figure that suggests boogie-woogie leading instead to a roiling pedall’d build-up or a dissonant sheaf of near-simultaneous notes or something else entirely: music that moves, in both senses. (DG) CHARLES GAYLE TRIO – STREETS Label: Northern Spy Release Date: 2012 Tracklist: Compassion I; Compassion II; Glory & Jesus; Streets; March of April; Doxology; Tribulations Personnel: Charles Gayle: tenor saxophone; Larry Roland: bass; Michael TA Thompson: drums Back in the ’60s, ESP-Disk decided, for whatever reason, not to go ahead with their planned Charles Gayle recording session (he’d have to wait another twenty-odd years to make his debut on wax); Northern Spy, the new label set up by various members recently departed from the revamped ESP team, now make up for that omission with a fine new set from the saxophonist’s trio. Gayle’s occasional in-concert adoption of the character ‘Streets the Clown’ (a bit of face paint, a red nose, a hat, and a Victorian-style suit) puzzles audiences perhaps as much as his occasional anti-abortion and -homosexuality rants (rants, indeed, which are sometimes wordlessly translated into ‘Street’s’ performances); perhaps realizing this, the packaging is minimal here – a little clown cartoon on the back, all black and white save the red nose, Streets holding a saxophone in one hand and a flower in the other; some photos of a clown’d-up Gayle striking poses with his saxophone on the front and inner covers; a brief statement thanking the label for putting out the record. The focus, then, can be on the music, the religiously-framed titles par for the course, vague enough to be Gayle’s personal matter, what’s sounded, what’s heard the important thing. ‘Compassion I’s theme is joyous, Gayle repeating it with zest, testing and teasing out rhythmic variants on its simple six-note contour, bursting it out into note streams, the final or even mid-tones of his runs tongued-turned, burred, rasped and gasped, slurred with delirious pleasure, jouissant exegesis. Roland’s bass won’t sit still, hasn’t from the off, Thompson’s drums bash and lollop, in on the fun. Whoever it is punctuating the cracks of Gayle’s declamation on ‘Compasion II’ with little grunts (perhaps it’s the saxophonist himself) adds, not just the rather clichéd notion of sweat and grit and bodily labour that Anthony Braxton decried as the ‘sweating brow syndrome’ (we want to see our heroes WORK for their money!), but something humorous, a kind of involuntary gasp that doesn’t pretend to a Keith Jarrettian crooning ecstasy; it’s at once more self-aware and more un-guarded, caught up in the joyous energies of the whole affair. Perhaps it’s ridiculous to expound so much attention onto such a little thing; but you almost know, don’t you, what I’m going to say about how the rest of the music goes – not that the music itself isn’t actually fresh and enjoyable in a way that so much free jazz per se is not, can increasingly come to pall or stagnate. Gayle’s almost every bent and slurred note is part of a delighted and delightful toying with rhythmic articulation and timbral intonation, not just stentorian fury or pained prophecy (free jazz’s apocalyptic rhetoric, as much a product, perhaps, of critics’ quasi-libertarian valorization as of the musicians themselves (Gayle the homeless, touched genius, the lone hero on society’s margins, the crankier the better)) – not just that, then, but a sense of sanctified joy. Damn good. (DG) GORD GRDINA TRIO WITH MATS GUSTAFSSON – BARREL FIRE Label: Drip Audio Release Date: 2011 Tracklist: F. W. R; Burning bright; 229; Enshakoota: Barrel Fire. Personnel: Gord Grdina: guitar, oud; Tommy Babbin: bass; Kenton Loewen: drums; Mats Gustafsson: saxophone. The danger of the high profile guest star is that they’ll overshadow the existing group, reducing a lot of hard work and effort to being merely the supporting role. The Gord Grdina Trio’s augmentation by Mats on sax, though, comes together very nicely and the trio does not retreat quietly, instead creating a fearsome foursome. This recording is from their performance at the 2009 Vancouver International Jazz Festival and either there’s enormous sympatico & quick sight-reading or the four of them rehearsed as it’s not just a rambling free-form blow-out. The trio’s strength comes from an arm’s length of credits and groups shared amongst Gord Grdina (guitar, oud), Tommy Babin (bass), and Kenton Loewen (drums) – both as leaders but also as support for others in and outside of the trio. It should be noted that Gord’s not just dabbling on the oud but is a serious student and player, as can be seen from his involvement in the Persian/Arabic/Indian quartet Sangha and the East Van Strings. At times, the group out-Aylers the Marc Ribot-led Spiritual Unity project – the guitar-driven sound with Gustafsson’s honk and skronk, especially on the second tune “Burning Bright” – and is enough to drive one straight to Slug’s Saloon. The music rolls and sways and churns, but isn’t just an unyielding torrent as tasteful solos from Tommy and Kenton (which bookend “229”), as well as Gord breaking out the oud for “Enshakoota”, which ends with a nice blow-out from Mats. The tempo and ferocity definitely comes close to red-lining but there are enough down-tempo sections to keep your interest up and attention focused. (TH) G9 GIPFEL – BERLIN Release Date: 2010 Tracklist: Trotz, geil; Rumba brutal; Ganztonleiter; Aufsicht; Dem Dt.Jazz; Absicht; Television world; Das Thema; Drei; Hartz Personnel: Gerhard Gschlößl: trombone; Axel Dörner: trumpet; Tobias Delius: tenor saxophone; Wanja Slavin: alto saxophone; Rudi Mahall: bass clarinet; Alexander von Schlippenbach: piano; John Schröder: guitar; Johannes Fink: bass; Christian Lillinger: drums Additional Information: Recorded August 2009 Gipfel means “summit” or “peak”, and of course economists are not on the agenda here; it’s a matter of nine musicians at the top of their game. The fact that few of them would be household names in Britain is neither here nor there. Gerhard Gschlößl is the leader by virtue of having come up with the idea, put the ensemble together and composed half of the themes. But probably the best known names here, apart from Tobias Delius, who seems to be the only non-German present, are Axel Dörner, Rudi Mahall and Alexander von Schlippenbach. If people are still under the misconception that all Dörner can do is his “new Berlin silence” ultra-reductionist thing, either this album or Monk’s casino should be enough proof of his wide-ranging jazz capabilities. In addition to this his extended techniques are heard on Ganztonleiter (which, as the name implies, is a theme based on whole-tone scales) in a passage of counterpoint with Gschlößl’s post-Ellingtonian expressionist trombone. I assume passages like this are improvised, but it’s hard to be certain. Eric Dolphy is one of the influences Gschlößl cites, and the implications of Out to lunch can be heard in the elastic treatment of time, especially in the passages between theme statements. When theme statements are introduced with such precision in the middle of tempo-free “improvised” passages, as in Drei, listeners might be led to wonder how much is really improvised, how much is pre-planned. (Could Jelly-Roll Morton’s practices be an unacknowledged influence here?) I’m inclined to think the titles of the first two tracks have been printed back to front, unless this is a kind of surreal joke on the musicians’ part, as track 1 is more like a manically methodical deconstruction of Latin American rhythms. Mingus is another predecessor Gschlößl namechecks in the liner notes, and a few bars occur in Dem Dt. Jazz which are quite reminiscent of the passage with Latin rhythm in Open letter to the Duke. This strikes me as something of an hommage, and on the whole this music does more to continue the spirit of Mingus’s often emotionally turbulent music than any number of worthy dynastic pastiches. Das Thema is extreme in the sense that very low-register instruments are foregrounded, tom-toms, trombone and what sounds like either a contrabass clarinet or a bass sax (uncredited). As Mahall has been known to play contrabass this seems to be the most plausible explanation. With its very slow (largo?) time in addition to the low pitches it reminds me of a 45 rpm vinyl record being played at 33. It lives up to its title, since there seems to be little or no improvisation in its two minutes, fifty four seconds. Dörner’s two contributions as composer, Aufsicht and Absicht are original and unusual in concept; the former’s thematic material consists of dissonant chords, but the closing theme statement differs from the opening one in being briefer and faster; Absicht‘s theme consists largely of fragments and this approach continues in the improvised parts. It ends abruptly (in mid-phrase as it were) with nothing resembling a harmonic resolution. It would be hard to single out every improvised episode for celebration, as there is literally not a dull moment on this album. Schlippenbach’s dramatic voicings, Mahall’s dynamic and sometimes brutal attack deserve attention, as does John Schröder’s guitar playing (I had heard him before only as one-time drummer with Der rote Bereich). Wanja Slavin is also an alto player to watch, or listen out for in the future. Gschlößl himself also contributes to Potsa lotsa: the complete works of Eric Dolphy. (See Eartrip no.6) I actually find it a source of optimism that these musicians have the curiosity and the energy to engage with these complex compositions and improvise on them in an intelligent and imaginative way that takes into account the implications of jazz in the past, and yet avoids simply rehashing it (with or without elements like rock beats or pseudo-exotica being grafted on, which happens in some of the more threadbare efforts.) There is so much detail here that something new can be heard on each listening. G9 Gipfel Berlin merits more attention than it has yet been given in British circles. (SK) JONAS KOCHER – SOLO Release Date: 2011 Personnel: Jonas Kocher: accordion, objects Additional Information: Available as either a free download or a CD from http://www.insubordinations.net/. Recorded October 23rd 2010 at ‘zoom in’ Festival, Bern. Handsomely packaged in an 18×14, screen-printed thin card sleeve, this absorbing and focussed thirty-five minutes of solo accordion begins from a quiet place, distant church bells (possibly a field recording?) gradually disappearing under the wheeze and whoosh of Kocher’s ‘breathing’ effects. Not until four minutes in does a recognizable note emerge from the instrument – low, growling, rumbling, somewhat reminiscent of the contrabass clarinet that Anthony Braxton whips out on occasion – and it’s around these frequencies that things hover for a while. Throughout, one really gets the sense of the accordion as a physically responsive thing, full of fluttering air, clicking and clacking keys, sometimes surprisingly similar to a voice (due precisely to the reliance on air to create sound). From the picture below it appears that Kocher treats the instrument to various preparations and ‘non-standard’ attacks, but, much of the time, it would seem that he’s managed to get ‘inside’ the accordion to the extent that he can bend it to his will, away from its traditional harmonic ties and generic markers, simply by playing it in conventional fashion. In the resonant concert space, Kocher doesn’t go for easy drones, but lets the extended dying echoes of each note ring out dramatically into pregnant pauses, cut-off clicks and hoarse interjections. His sparing use of register and space – we don’t, for example, really hear any high notes until eighteen minutes in, when the striking of a piece of chiming metal percussion ‘sparks off’ ringing, twinkling, near-whistle frequencies not too far away from Sachiko M territory – gives the piece immense contemplative force, unpredictable yet content to take its time. One senses that Kocher is deliberately surprising himself as much as the audience – twenty-six minutes in, having settled into an off-kilter rhythm like the click-clack of train on tracks (territory which could easily have been explored for a further length of time), he suddenly stops, lets hang a short silence, briefly launches into a new wheeze (somehow managing to approximate the sound of a saw cutting through wood), then stops again and plays some conventional notes. In description, that sounds a bit programmatic, even schematic – in the moment that one hears it, though, it comes across as a fine example of improvisational quick-thinking. Perhaps Kocher knew exactly what he was going to do when he launched into his emergency stop – perhaps it was a calculated move, made for dramatic effect (and there would be nothing wrong with that) – but, for me, it seems to carry with it an element of risk (what if the next note or tone after the silence came across as corny, jarring, ugly?): an edge that gives the whole performance a pleasing sense of vitality and importance. Aptly, it all ends without warning, glacially eerie tones giving way to grinding growls whose seemingly inexorable, lumbering progress is cut off as if a switch had been flicked: almost brutal, certainly honest, well in keeping with the music’s spirit of invention and discovery. There is no coasting here. (DG) TOSHIMARU NAKAMURA – MARUTO Release Date: 2011 Personnel: Toshimaru Nakamura: no-input mixing board Nakamura to begin with is working with the smooth fizz of that tuned white noise, I guess you could it, which he deployed to more ambient effect on ‘Egrets’: here, for the first five minutes, it sounds as if something’s constantly going to get started, that he’ll stop fiddling around with the switch that keeps bringing the fizz out of and back into focus and settle into a nice comfortable drone or at least a sustained sound that we can bathe in – it’s like someone constantly attempting to zoom in and focus on an object but constantly failing, the result a blur that keeps re-adjusting every few seconds, stuck on the same increasingly absurd task. It feels fragile, certainly, musician working with the physical sensitivities involved in negotiation with machine, keeping three sound areas going at once, though after a few minutes they perceptually mesh into one, the outlines becoming blurry and rather queasily hazy. Suddenly on six minutes, he cuts out nearly all the sounds so that we’re left with a low hum that at first I thought came from my laptop – removing headphones proved otherwise – before another burst of shriller and more fractured, jagged (though less wavily mirage-like) sounds emerge, only to die once more into the deep throb of bass blare. Things come and go: that bass doesn’t feel like the comforting glow or wash of drone music, but inexorable – make it stop! – the events passing over the top of it, the slow but subtle shifts in the tone itself, the warps and blurred blurts of white noise, all as intense claustrophobic hallucination, hemmed-in. If this is meditative (as I even find Sachiko M’s music can be – see the ludicrous extensions of the article on Sachiko elsewhere in this issue), these are – to borrow a title from Charles Mingus – ‘meditations on a nightmare’, dark-toned crackle, attention flitter against unstoppable ugly presence. Or, you know, Nakamura is someone who knows his instrument, who can produce things as diverse as this – harsh, uncompromising stuff – and the almost ambient, relatively rather pleasant sounds on the afore-mentioned ‘Egrets’. It certainly feels like someone who’s challenging themselves, though: OK, what criteria are there to go on, in such alien territory, you might ask, but, really, a good decade into Erstwhile’s existence (first record in 2004? ok, not quite, but you get the picture), you needn’t. I hiccupped. That bass tone jumped, but as my throat subsided, it came back as strong – stronger – than before. To hear this live would be some kind of physical endurance test, I can’t help but feeling – though Nakamura himself always seems so sedate, so calm in his manipulations (there’s that great picture of him somewhere online, grinning at a PA he’s somehow managed to set a-smoking through the force of his electronics). Now it’s flies being electrocuted in the underground buzzing lights. Light traps. That still-going ‘drone’, tone (I think modified a little, wobbling now, less bass-y, perhaps, or maybe the aural hallucinations are setting in already), keeping the frequent switches in higher-register and white-noise-flecked activity up above it from feeling anything other than temporary distraction: no escape. I try to hallucinate rhythms inside that tone, but it’s too monolithically dis-embodied, too one-track monochrome. It’s as if Nakamura’s staging a contradiction as the basis for an entire piece of music (or at least, a large chunk of it): the inexorability of that sustained tone undercutting (or setting up?) the jittery shifts and episodics above it. That tone admittedly now subsiding somewhat, though still there, merging into others around it, a drop in intensity, waiting for the next outburst – not cruising, but waiting to see what will organically evolve out of this thing – a patient approach to structure and development, certainly, neither going for the big noise climax nor for total stillness, but existing in-between those two poles – a subdued agitation, unsettling, on the edge. Some variation on those opening blur sounds we heard at the begin, refusing to let the music settle into the drones it wants to inhabit, that we want it to: impatience with this refusal to settle either side of the verge, scrabbling instead for the last details to be tidied up before we can begin, smoothly. As if the whole piece was an attempt to get going, the constant interruptions of electronic throat-clearing, those flies hitting the buzzer, fried. A hushed, uncertain menace – the threat around the corner: I’ve no idea if Nakamura found this piece uncomfortable or emotionally difficult to make – after all, the most affecting pieces, in whatever ways, can arrive just as much out of a focus on technique and on particular qualities of, say, structure or timbre, as out of soul-bearing. Whatever the case, it’s not an easy listen: a valuable one, though, in terms of Nakamura’s discography and development, in terms of contemporary electronic improvisation, all these things. Perhaps above all, certain qualities of structural tension and frustration are being actively toyed with, or deployed (‘toyed’ sounds too playful; ‘deployed’ the more appropriately confrontational descriptor) in a way that even several listens probably won’t effectively wring out. Probably, Nakamura himself doesn’t even know. I’m sure he’d like it that there was a bit, about half-way through, when something that sounded like the parody of a doorbell made me jump, and the immediately faded out. Maybe there’s a sly humour at work here, even. And I’ll leave you with that thought as the discs ends, with the attendant tinnitus ringing in my ears and that bass tone still going on, quiet as it’s now become, before its final, eventual cessation. (DG) SKARABEE – EARDRUM / tusK – HAPPY SHOPPER (Split) Release Date: June 2011 Tracklist: Happy Shopper; Eardrum Personnel: Stuart Chalmers: tapes Additional Information: Limited edition cassette, available via the artist. Ah, that familiar sound – the broken, fuzzy hiss of a cassette tape before the music begins. As with his previous projects, Stuart Chalmers is aware of, and here engaging with, the notion of music as product / physical object, embracing the DIY aspects of a self-produced, limited edition release which will be heard by only a handful of people (maybe just some reviewers and some people he gives them out to at gigs). His albums might just be cassettes in boxes (actually harder, and probably more expensive to produce than CDs, nowadays), maybe with a hole burned into the plastic container, maybe a plain silver disc or one he’s written on in felt-tip-type scrawl – and maybe next he’ll just leave them out on park benches or slip them into the CD racks in charity shops or send them to the hip DJs on Radio One in tribute to the late Amy Wimehouse… One of the two side-long tracks here is entitled ‘Happy Shopper’, which, for all it’s meant to be an ironic comment on commercialisation and banalisation and false consumerist satisfaction, makes me think as much as anything else of Chalmers’ own pick-and-choose approach to instruments: a constant chop and change, as if trying to keep up with the relentless technological novelty, the gadget-fever of the twenty-first-century world. He switches instruments every time I see or hear him play, it seems, from his original guitar to a circuit-bent kids’ keyboard to a bugbrand he’s now dispensed with, and finally onto tapes connected up to loop- and delay- and god-knows-what-manner-of-other pedals. (By the time I write this, he’s probably changed his set-up once again.) I’m sure I said this in my review of his last release, in the pages of this magazine; I’ve written up a few of his recent things (all limited editions like this one), which include disks under both the original ‘Skarabee’ and the more recent ‘tusK’ personas. Here, those two manifestations of his musical personality are thrust together on opposing sides of a cassette, names stencilled scruffily onto said sides like graffiti on a wall. If one was expecting ‘Skarabee’ to continue in the quiet, scratchy, ghostly ambiences of ‘Tlön’, one would be sorely disappointed, for ‘Eardrum’, as its title suggests, verges into noise territory, building up loops on top of and round and about each other, wild bleeps and blops, clacking percussive rhythms fractured and splintered into poly-rhythmic speed shuffles, dances with two left-feet to the accompaniment of exploding psychotic voices, or maybe just a splitting headache. It’s exhilarating, bright, seemingly chaotic, but with a definite forward pulse and a traceable pulse created by the repetitive nature of the loops (though it’s certainly not ‘minimalist’ – this is a far more creative use of loops than the usual comfy bed-rock they provide). So, multiple personas, a schiz-flow flowing off the alias-driven world of hip-hop (perhaps), (MF) DOOM gone electronic, gone voiceless, gone wordless, steering away from soul-samples and superheroes and instead entering the world of ’80s video games (the avant-garde version). There are tricks from ’90s club music, too – the incremental speeding-up of a rhythm so that it becomes a juddering, jarring blart, accelerating headlong into temporary white-noise out-of-body ecstasy before the rhythm comes back in – except here Chalmers stays with that white-noise moment, dispenses with familiar bass-lines or drum-loops, shudders back down into tape-fuzz silence. ‘Happy Shopper’, though less ‘noisy’ in terms of overall volume, is actually the more difficult listen, its entire sound-palette laid out in the first few seconds, with the looped sample of what sounds like a little girl’s laughter, gradually morphed and manipulated out of itself, somehow always jarring and mocking, rather like a car-alarm with a mind of its own, lower rumbles and whines all but drowned out by its insane insistence. It ain’t pretty, and you’ll probably have a hard job getting hold of a copy, but it’s very much a worthwhile listen. (DG) SUBTLE LIP CAN – SUBTLE LIP CAN Label: Drip Audio Release Date: 2011 Tracklist: Chickle That Bottom; Crumple, Power Down; Inside Look; Tid Lac Boam; Suddle Lip Can; Runst From Thag; Crumpled Up Seed; Polloer. Personnel:Isaiah Ceccarelli: percussion, piano; Bernard Falaise: guitar; Josh Zubot: violin, low octave violin. Realistically, dividing the world in half is never a good idea – it’s over simplistic, the unhelpful “if you’re not my friend, you’re my enemy” thinking that has gotten us into so much trouble over the last…oh, I don’t know… 2.5 millenia. Not that we at Eartrip HQ need to know exactly who our friends are, but the sound vs. music line in the improvisation world can be used to separate and sort; we’re not using it as a cleaver but a handy equator-esque latitude traced along the outside of the sphere. Some people can easily move between the hemispheres while others find a one place, like it, and stay there. Subtle Lip Can consists of Isaiah Ceccarilli on percussion, Bernard Falaise on electric guitar (no effects mentioned in the credits but a few pictures have a handful of gizmos on the floor) and Josh Zubot on violin. I harp on the Drip Audio inter-connectedness in other reviews but this group is relatively free of those associations. But as there aren’t that many Zubot’s out there (an internet address site lists a grand total of 52 Zubots across all of Canada), it shouldn’t be much of a surprise that Josh is brother to Jesse Zubot, Drip Audio co-founder, member of Fond of Tigers and 72 b’zillion other bands. But no worries about familial nepotism here, as Josh is quite able to hold his own and doesn’t need a brother’s coat-tail to ride on. As a trio, Subtle Lip Can is probably very happy being on the sound side of this planet. This group’s music isn’t busy but still maintains a consistent level of engagement. And it all seems to fit. This is not a recording of a group of people making neat sounds at the same time – their foreground is as engaging as the background, everybody seems to stay out of each others frequencies, and the music consistently sounds fresh and unrehearsed. Subtle Lip Can is a trio but by being on the edge of recognizable tones, at times they sound much larger than that – hard to say who’s playing what and when, but when sounds are traceable, it’s does seem to be democratic as far as who’s “taking the lead”. Not wanting to not undermine my earlier assertion, but compared to some of their Drip Audio brethren, this Montreal-based group does give off a different vibe from their like-minded Vancouver-based labelmates – while they let musical ideas and statements rise and fall, there seems to be a greater continental vibe and feel to their tunes. (TH) UNDIVIDED – MOVES BETWEEN CLOUDS: LIVE IN WARSAW Release Date: 2011 Tracklist: Hoping the morning say; Moves between clouds; What a big quiet noise Personnel: Bobby Few: piano; Mark Tokar: double bass; Perry Robinson: clarinet; Klaus Kugel: drums; Waclaw Zimpel: bass clarinet, clarinet, tarogato Additional Information: Recorded live at Teatr Akademia, Warsaw, 20-09-2009 Wonderful to hear such marvellous but underrated musicians as Perry Robinson and Bobby Few together on this live date, as the guests of a very fine trio of Polish musicians. All those clarinets give it a kind of European folky vibe, I suppose, which makes a nice change from the usual free jazz sax-bass-drums thang (this does, after all, come out on the Multikulti label); and while Waclaw Zimpel’s melodies may at times be a little too elegant and stately (their exposition takes it time – which is by no means, formally, a bad thing, keeping us out of by-rote string-of-solos territory), Few’s churning piano and the usefully busy drums of Klaus Kugel (cymbal bursts and kit socks constantly spilling out of left and right stereo channels, busily and invigoratingly excited) ensure that the surface is never flat, always pulsing, waving, rolling on. ‘Hoping the morning say’ is in the tradition of rubato balladry – swelling on drones and extended melodies, not seeking ‘development’ as such but moving inexorably from solemn calm to churning near-turbulence; ‘Moves between clouds’ is more spaced, Few’s chiming piano and Kugel’s bell-tree percussion atmospheres gradually ushering in a rather mournful two-clarinet melody, Tokar’s bass providing urgent tremolo commentary and support. It’s six minutes before the first solo comes in (Few takes it, perhaps in recognition of his seniority), clarinets then entwining round each other, impassioned then subdued, boiling up before dying back down again. The three tracks are progressively longer, moving from ten to fifteen to twenty minutes, and album closer ‘What a big quiet noise’ again evolves slowly and with care. It begins ominously, Few hammering out a woozily-and-continuously repeating piano figure, the clarinets’ dark intonations become steadily more high-pitched until it all explodes into a trademark Few solo, pedalled, chordal, swelling, heavy and thick rather than linear or quicksilver – now thinning out to join the clarinets in twittering overlap, caught at a point of stuckness or tension, sudden silent drops, then back in again, heavier, Kugel’s drums kicking up a storm, menaced exihiliration – and then we’re in a bass solo, that arco space, creak and groan, quietened to almost nothing, the most delicate of piano tinkles, not as ‘comping’ but as amplifying, complementing the solo’s pose, its poise; and wonderfully back to sonorous drone, piano repetition, clarinets slow in their entanglements, their sounding together: music taking its time, showboating set aside for focussed digging in, sustaining, organic evolution. Applause would kill the mood lingering after the final notes subside, and, somewhat unusually for a live recording, all that’s removed; the audience similarly attentive, narry a cough or a whoop to be heard. (DG) VARIOUS – 60 INTERPRETATIONS OF 60 SECONDS BY 60 SOLO IMPROVISERS Label: Apprise Records Release Date: 2010 Tracklist: 160; 260; 360; 460; 560; 660; 760; 860; 960; 1060 Personnel: Track One – Linsey Pollak: rubber glove bagpipes; Chas Smith: copper box; Rachel Arnold: cello; Fatima Miranda: voice / field recordings; Yuichi Onoue: kaisatsu; Todd Taylor: banjo // Track Two – Yurko Rafaliuk: tsymbaly; Jeff Albert: trombone; Laure Chailloux: accordion diatonique; Leon Gruenbaum: samchillian; Leanid Narushevich: electric guitar; Araz Salek: tar // Track Three – John Oswald: alto sax; Christine Sehnaoui: alto sax; Susan Alcorn: pedal steel; David Sait: guzheng; Pekko Käppi: jouhikko; Andrea Centazzo: gong // Track Four – Misha Mrks: prepared guitar; Joana Sa: piano; Martin Grutter: piano; Paul Dunmall: soprano sax; Joe Sorbara: drums / percussion; Kyle Bruckmann: oboe // Track Five – Damon Smith: field recordings / 7 string double bass / laptop; John Butcher: saxophone controlled feedback & piano resonator; Tom Boram: analog modular synth; Ignatz: guitar / voice / drum; Helena Espvall: cello / effects // Track Six – Tim Hodgkinson: clarinet; Beatrix Ward-Fernandez: theramin; Christian Munthe: guitar; Mia Zabelka: violin / effects; Rayna Gellert: fiddle; Tobia Tinker: harpsichord // Track Seven – Perklis Tsoukalas: oud; Michael Keith: ukulele; Szilard Mezei: viola; Gino Robair; metal / glass / plastic / stone / motors; Joe McPhee: alto sax / voice; Michael Snow: piano // Track Eight – Rob Coppard: bones; Johannes Bergmark: platform; Philip Gibbs: slide guitar; Aaron Ximm: field recording / broken radio; Philo Lenglet: prepared acoustic guitar; Carmel Raz: violin // Track Nine – Ben Roberts Eclectiktronik: turntables/ cassette decks; Helean Gough: field recordings; Leonel Kaplan: trumpet; Gerry McGoldrick: shamisen; Ronny Krippner: church organ; Alessandro Alessandroni: keyboard / whistling // Track Ten – Olivia de Prato: violin; Heribert Friedl: chair; Robin Hayward: microtonal tuba; Bruno Duplant: contre bass; Mike Smith: hurdy gurdy; Paulo Chagas: oboe Additional Information: ‘A perpetually evolving snapshot of the artists and their contributions to this project can be found online (presently at http://www.guzheng.ca/) The notion here, an admirable one, that free improvisation is an international form of making music, that it transcends the genre specifications into which we critics can’t help but box it (eai, efi, post-minimal-masturbation, whatever): that improvisation, in fact, is a method fundamental to the making of most music in the world, and has been arguably since music’s invention (however it’s been described or theorized at various stages of its development). Canadian musician David Sait’s curtaorship of this project is laudable indeed, and must involved a good deal of work: the disc comprises ten sections, each of which forms six different improvisations into a suite (generally hovering around the five-minute mark – some of the pieces are obviously slightly longer or slightly shorter than a minute). There’s both contrast and cohesion then, connections made between contributions disparate in both geographical location and musical approach, not forced into some false unity, but allowed to sit alongside one another, some kind of true global democracy, a universal history of where we are now, or where we could be. (Fatima Miranda’s piece, for instance, draws on a field recording of African immigrants watching a football match in a Spanish city traditionally inhabited by gypsies: out of this new social situation, the possibility for a racial communal togetherness: “a new sound reality in the cities” as the expression of a true multi-culturalism. I mean, that sounds so twee, right, and it’s easy enough to say all this about a one-minute track, or to come off as some kind of hippie fantasist, but these are measurable, concrete realities, social and sonic situations, right – Miranda’s piece, her passionate singing, its layering over that resonant field recording, is beautiful and it is about and is something, yes?) So much to hear here: if any disc was made for repeated listenings, this is it. After a while, one learns simply to sit back and listen, to let the myriad bursts and stretches of sound and silence flow into one another; if the familiar tones of John Butcher, Paul Dunmall or Joe McPhee crop up across the disc, one might also encounter such unexpected joys as the fleet fingers of Todd Taylor (officially the world’s fastest banjo player!), or Chas Smith’s copper box (presumably played as a bowed percussion instrument), in one of the sparest and most haunting interpretations of sixty seconds that the disc has to offer. Or, take the third track: the transitions from John Oswald’s already deconstructed saxophone (his piece sounded as a single breath), into Christine Senhaoui’s startling negotiations between breath and finger pads, into Susan Alcorn’s delicately-judged pedal steel guitar and Sait’s own expansive guzheng improv (harking back, in my mind at least, to McCoy Tyner’s gorgeous koto solo on ‘Sahara’), into Pekko Käppi’s jouhkko (an instrument kin to the Kazakh kobyz and a whole range of bowed lyres stretching from Russia to the North American Inuits), into Andrea Centazzo’s gong. There are such varieties of timbres here: smatterings of folk tradition, the focus on basics of breath and touch, the amplification of the tiniest creaks and crevices of the instrument through extended techniques that you hear in Senhaoui or in Kyle Bruckmann’s unearthly oboe solo, through to those pieces more obviously in the lineage of what we have to come know as ‘free improvisation’ – Martin Grutter’s scampering piano, Paul Dunmall’s reedily-bent soprano sax. Some favourite pairings: Tom Boram’s deliciously squiggly analog synth buzzing round the stereo picture before suddenly giving way to the hazy clarity of Ignatz’ melancholy imagined folk music; the weird confluence between Tim Hodgkinson’s slurring clarinet and Beatrix Ward-Fernandenz’ looming, whooping theremin; the contrast between Mia Zabelka’s almost-unrecognisably distorted violin and Rayna Gellert’s richly recognisable fiddle. Other highlights: the presence of Alessandro Alessandroni, of Ennio Morricone soundtrack fame!; Ronny Krippner playing George Friedrich Handel’s house organ (the fact that this is Handel’s organ at all is enough for me already, even if it is only a replica); Robin Hayward’s microtonal tuba; Mike Smith’s hurdy-gurdy; Rob Coppard’s musical bones; Heribert Friedl’s chair. Delirious. All of it. A real pleasure. (DG) RADU MALFATTI – WECHSELJAHRE EINER HYÄNE Label: Et Le Feu Comme Matière Formatable Technologiquement Release Date: 2009 Tracklist: Wechseljahre Einer Hyäne Personnel: Intersax (Ulrick Krieger: soprano sax; Martin Losert: alto sax; Tobias Rrüger, Reimar Volker: baritone sax) Additional Information: Download release, available in FLAC or MP3 format from http://www.etlefeucomme.be/radumalfatti.htm. Recorded 19 September 2003 at Podewill, Berlin; originally released as B-Boim 007 in 2007. Omitting any notion of ‘development’ or climax, Malfatti’s composed music moves beyond even the ‘lowercase’ improvisation (of which he remains a distinguished practicioner) in which those elements may still sometimes surface. The details here are essentially unchanging: the music recorded in front of what was either a very attentive, or a very small audience, in a room less subject than normal to the sounds of hissing traffic, revving engines and the like that so often form a backdrop to such pieces. There are, nonetheless, significant ‘ambient’ contributions, in particular, the faint, high hum of a fridge (I’m guessing here) which first becomes noticeable (or first imposed itself on my threshold of perception, anyway) around 20 minutes in, and adds a rather lovely electronic element to an otherwise entirely acoustic work. Oh yes, the composition itself consists of held chords, all four instruments sounding together in a burnished cloud of sound, one usually left at the end to hold the tone for a few seconds more before also dropping away. (In most cases, it seems to be the baritone that’s left hanging.) There are perhaps two chords used here – I’ll have to admit, that kind of detail isn’t what I pick up on in this kind of music; there may be a lot more going on that, harmonically. But the tones generally stay around the same area, last around the same amount of time, open with the anticipatory hiss of the musicians’ breathed-in air, end with that continued solo note. Though one looks forward to the recurrence of the musical tones, there’s no sense of tension as to when and where they will re-appear; instead, acceptance, calm, the contemplation of an essentially unchanging object that, nonetheless, moves in time, moves and changes as the listener’s perception moves and changes. Attention may wander and then come back, modes of listening may subtly shift. “In the music of Malfatti, there is not even a beginning or an end any more,” writes Tobias Fischer in his review of the album for Tokafi. “As each breath of sound manifests itself as a self-sustained event, there is no longer a need for a next move at all.” This captures for me the essence of the work – that it suffices in itself, but that there is always the possibility of its expanding out (or of the opposite, ‘contracting’ into silence); it need not to be circumscribed. The music might as well have gone on for an hour as for half of that. One might even wish that it had, and reach once more for the play button. While the debate about Malfatti and Sugimoto’s embrace of composition and increased silence rages on, it seems to me that what we are hearing here is a music in which there’s no need to make grand statements; Malfatti is supremely comfortable within this area, and is thus able to craft, with the help of the performers, a finely-honed piece that pretends to be nothing more than it is, that doesn’t feel ‘extreme’ or stretched in any way, but as natural as breathing and being. (DG) ROSCOE MITCHELL – BEFORE THERE WAS SOUND Release Date: 2011 Tracklist: Mr Freddy; Green; Outer space; Carefree; Akhenaten; And there was peace; Jo Jar; Carefree (take 2) Personnel: Roscoe Mitchell: alto sax; Fred Berry: trumpet, flugelhorn; Malachi Favors: bass; Alvin Fielder: drums. Additional Information: Recorded 1965 at Station WUBC, Chicago; previously unreleased. The Sound of the title refers to Mitchell’s innovative, some would say trail-blazing, album of the following year, and this album with hindsight provides glimpses of some of the elements taking shape for that and future Art ensemble of Chicago music. To put the situation in perspective. At the time of this recording Dolphy had been dead a year, Ornette Coleman was dividing opinion with his trio featuring David Izenzon and Charles Moffett, and his performances on trumpet and violin, Coltrane was moving farther and farther out, and while Mitchell and his proto-AACM colleagues were making this music Ascension was awaiting release. Cecil Taylor and Albert Ayler had both made their musical presence felt, but their period of greatest influence still lay ahead. So out of this ferment did anything rub off on these young proto-AACM players, looking for new ways to make music ? Not, it seems, the maelstrom of Coltrane or Taylor; implications may have been drawn from the liberating effect both had on music, but the influence, if it could really be called that, which springs to mind most readily is the early Ornette Coleman quartet, given an almost identical instrumentation, a willingness to distort the values of the tempered scale for the sake of sometimes highly vocalized expression, in conjunction with an emotional (or vibrational, in Braxtonese) approach that is less than full-on or in your face. The opening track with its head-solos-head routine does bear some resemblance to the early Coleman quartets; yet neither horn soloist is given to the down-home folksiness which informed both Coleman and Cherry’s playing in those days. While on the following track, Fred Berry’s only composition of the album, there is a semi-modal harmonic feel that manages never to sound like Miles Davis and the slow melody line (if not through-composed, then Berry’s improvisation is based very closely on the thematic material) in conjunction with tom-toms playing at a faster tempo, a feature they might have picked up from Elvin Jones’ drumming on Crescent. By the 1970s this kind of rhythmic duality had almost become commonplace. By the time we reach Outer space, the longest track, a multiple or compound theme can be found, complete with changes of tempo. Mitchell and Berry both have a few solo bars in the middle of this theme, which are probably improvised. (But in view of the substantial parts of Sound which appear to be improvised but are revealed by alternate takes to be pre-composed, who can really tell?) After the trumpet solo, the drumming grows fragmented in keeping with the alto’s asymmetrical phrasing, till there is a brief section of contrapuntal improvisation. As what is arguably the most forward-looking track on the album, it still lacks what Mitchell was to cultivate with such mastery later on- the use of silence and space as an integral part of the music, especially in his trio work with Tom Buckner and Gerald Oshita. Of course artists cannot be blamed for not accomplishing what they did not set out to do at any given time. Of the two takes of Carefree the second is shorter and taken at a slightly slower pace, and does not have the collective improvisation which surfaces briefly on the first take. Another two versions of this piece can be heard with a different line-up on Congliptious (1968). And there was peace reveals some dynamic contrast in the writing, but does not approach the extremes of pianissimo found in Mitchell’s later composition. Berry here delivers a highly effective solo which, in its almost tempoless lack of tonal centre, presages some of Wadada Leo Smith’s later solutions to this kind of playing. Favors’ well-judged use of bowed bass should also be noted. He contributes the only non-Mitchell composition of the set, apart from Green. His Akhenaten is a challengingly jagged and asymmetrical theme, which develops in triple time for the improvisation, with something of a march feel in the drumming, which eventually becomes subdivided and fragmented. Favors’ essential part as core member of the Art ensemble needs no further documentation, but for an account of what happened later on to Fielder (notable for his contribution to Sound) and Berry, who seems to have made even fewer recordings, I would refer listeners to George E.Lewis’s book A power stronger than itself: the AACM and American experimental music, still the single most comprehensive source of information about this movement. It should be clear by now that this release is a document of invaluable historical interest, being the earliest known recording to date by AACM members. While it is not as epoch-making as Sound, only the most narrow-minded listeners could deny that it’s jazz, and in refutation of the frequent claim that “new thing” musicians were incompetent or mere opportunists, these four are obviously highly competent, as the negotiation of some very tricky thematic material exemplifies. But apart from such considerations, it works as music, and any listeners with an interest in the work of Roscoe Mitchell, the Art ensemble, the AACM or other forward-looking music of the period will not be disappointed by these performances. (SK) (L-R) Roscoe Mitchell, Spencer Barefield, Tani Tabbal, Jaribu Shahid 2 Taylan Susam, ‘the title’ (http://nothingbutaplace.blogspot.com/2010/01/title.html) 3 See Taylan Susam, ‘music and politics’ (http://nothingbutaplace.blogspot.com/2010/01/mao-tse-tung-once-said-that-there-is-no.html) 4 References are to O’ Hara’s ‘Personism: A Manifesto’ (originally published in Yugen # 7 (1961); reproduced online at http://www.poets.org/viewmedia.php/prmMID/20421) 6 Taylan Susam, ‘Music, the Question of the Audience, and Two Lazy Answers’ (http://nothingbutaplace.blogspot.com/2010/01/music-question-of-audience-and-two-lazy.html)

Affiliation: New Jersey - Serious mental illness and tobacco addiction: a model program to address this common but neglected issueDouglas Ziedonis Department of Psychiatry, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, Piscataway, New Jersey 08854, USA Am J Med Sci 326:223-30. 2003..The unique barriers and clinical issues for this population are described... - Adolescent tobacco use and dependence: assessment and treatment strategiesDouglas Ziedonis Division of Addiction Psychiatry, University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, 671 Hoes Lane, UBHC Room D 351A, Piscataway, 08854, USA Adolesc Med Clin 17:381-410. 2006..Several school-based interventions appear promising, and many resources are available to provide education for parents, youth, and health care providers... - Integrated treatment of co-occurring mental illness and addiction: clinical intervention, program, and system perspectivesDouglas M Ziedonis Department of Psychiatry, The Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, The University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA CNS Spectr 9:892-904, 925. 2004..This article reviews the clinical intervention, program, and system components of integrated treatment and specific clinical interventions for this population... - Tobacco dependence treatment for Korean Americans: preliminary findingsSun S Kim Department of Psychiatry, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA, USA J Immigr Minor Health 14:395-404. 2012..The promising result suggests a need to further test the intervention in larger samples and longer follow-up assessments before it can be adapted in clinical settings... - Addressing tobacco among individuals with a mental illness or an addictionJill M Williams UMDNJ Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Division of Addiction Psychiatry, UMDNJ SPH, Tobacco Dependence Program, 317 George Street, Suite 210, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, USA Addict Behav 29:1067-83. 2004..More research is needed as well as a national organized effort to address tobacco in this large segment of smokers... - Addressing tobacco use disorder in smokers in early remission from alcohol dependence: the case for integrating smoking cessation services in substance use disorder treatment programsDavid Kalman Department of Psychiatry, University of Massachusetts School of Medicine, Worcester, MA 01655, USA Clin Psychol Rev 30:12-24. 2010..Finally, we offer recommendations for research with an emphasis on clinical research for enhancing smoking cessation outcomes in this population... - Tobacco use and dependence in Asian Americans: a review of the literatureSun S Kim School of Nursing, University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey UMDNJ Newark, NJ 07107 1709, USA Nicotine Tob Res 9:169-84. 2007.... - Relationship between self-reported task persistence and history of quitting smoking, plans for quitting smoking, and current smoking status in adolescentsMarc L Steinberg Department of Psychiatry, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School UMDNJ UBHC D303, 671 Hoes Lane Piscataway, New Jersey 08854, United States Addict Behav 32:1451-60. 2007..Our results suggest that a brief, self-report measure of task persistence may be a methodologically sound, practical clinical tool for this population... - Developments in pharmacotherapy for tobacco dependence: past, present and futureJonathan Foulds University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, School of Public Health, Tobacco Dependence Program, New Brunswick 08852, USA Drug Alcohol Rev 25:59-71. 2006..In addition, there is a need for studies designed to evaluate the efficacy of pharmacotherapies in populations such as youth, pregnant smokers and smokers with co-occurring mental health problems... - The patient-oriented clinician-researcher: advantages and challenges of being a double agentPhilip T Yanos Department of Psychiatry, University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey New Jersey Medical School, BHSB, Newark 07101, USA Psychiatr Serv 57:249-53. 2006.... - Higher nicotine and carbon monoxide levels in menthol cigarette smokers with and without schizophreniaJill M Williams UMDNJ Robert Wood Johnson Medical School and UMDNJ School of Public Health Tobacco Dependence Program, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, USA Nicotine Tob Res 9:873-81. 2007..Menthol is an important cigarette additive that may help explain why some groups have lower quit rates and more smoking-caused disease... - Increased nicotine and cotinine levels in smokers with schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorder is not a metabolic effectJill M Williams UMDNJ Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, USA Schizophr Res 79:323-35. 2005..Our data support the hypothesis that the increased serum nicotine and cotinine levels observed are attributable to an increased nicotine intake per cigarette in smokers with schizophrenia as compared to those without mental illness... - The integration of tobacco dependence treatment and tobacco-free standards into residential addictions treatment in New JerseyJill M Williams Tobacco Dependence Program, School of Public Health, University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, USA J Subst Abuse Treat 28:331-40. 2005..Licensure standards regulation can be an effective mechanism for increasing the quantity and quality of tobacco dependence treatment in residential addictions programs... - Applicability of the Fagerström Test for Nicotine Dependence in smokers with schizophreniaMarc L Steinberg Division of Addiction Psychiatry, UMDNJ Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, UBHC D303, 671 Hoes Lane, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA Addict Behav 30:49-59. 2005..Specific examples of problematic items and how these may contribute to an underestimate of tobacco dependence severity are discussed, as well as ways to modify the FTND to be more appropriate for this population... - A case series of nicotine nasal spray in the treatment of tobacco dependence among patients with schizophreniaJill M Williams Department of Psychiatry, University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Piscataway, New Jersey 08855, USA Psychiatr Serv 55:1064-6. 2004..Ten patients (83 percent) used the spray in combination with other medications, and all received psychosocial support. Nicotine nasal spray was found to be well tolerated... - Motivational interviewing with personalized feedback: a brief intervention for motivating smokers with schizophrenia to seek treatment for tobacco dependenceMarc L Steinberg Division of Addiction Psychiatry, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA J Consult Clin Psychol 72:723-8. 2004..and 0%) by the 1-month follow-up as compared with those receiving comparison interventions... - Comparison of two intensities of tobacco dependence counseling in schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorderJill M Williams UMDNJ Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, New Brunswick, NJ 08901 2008, USA J Subst Abuse Treat 38:384-93. 2010..Findings support that mental health clinicians can be trained to effectively help smokers with SCZ maintain tobacco abstinence... - A systematic review of smoking cessation intervention studies in ChinaSun S Kim Department of Psychiatry, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA, USA Nicotine Tob Res 14:891-9. 2012..This paper summarizes findings of studies in order to compare the effect of pharmacotherapy, counseling, and Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) approaches on the abstinence rate... - Genetic association of GABA-A receptor alpha-2 and mu opioid receptor with cocaine cue-reactivity: evidence for inhibitory synaptic neurotransmission involvement in cocaine dependenceDavid Smelson Center for Health, Quality, Outcomes and Economic Research, Edith Norse Rogers VA Medical Center, Bedford, Massachusetts, USA Am J Addict 21:411-5. 2012..This pilot feasibility study examined the role of genetics in laboratory-induced cocaine craving... - Tobacco use and dependence in Asian American and Pacific Islander adolescents: a review of the literatureSun S Kim Department of Psychiatry, University of Mass Medical School, 55 Lake North Avenue, Rm S7 412, Worcester, MA 01655, USA J Ethn Subst Abuse 6:113-42. 2007..This article identifies gaps in extant tobacco literature and areas for further research on Asian American adolescents... - Using information technology to evaluate the detection of co-occurring substance use disorders amongst patients in a state mental health system: implications for co-occurring disorder state initiativesFrederick Y Huang Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94110, USA Community Ment Health J 44:11-27. 2008..0%) and among female (43.7%), older (36.2%), and psychotic patients (43.6%). The methodology described here could help evaluate critical aspects of ongoing state co-occurring disorder quality improvement initiatives... - Improving the care of individuals with schizophrenia and substance use disorders: consensus recommendationsDouglas M Ziedonis University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, 675 Hoes Lane, Rm D 349, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA J Psychiatr Pract 11:315-39. 2005..An algorithm summarizing the consensus recommendations is provided in an appendix... - Smoking status and substance abuse severity in a residential treatment sampleJonathan Krejci Division of Addiction Psychiatry, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, Piscataway 08854, NJ, USA Drug Alcohol Depend 72:249-54. 2003..Areas of future research are suggested including examining the potential mediating role of third variables such as personality and temperament... - Comorbid pain and opioid addiction: psychosocial and pharmacological treatmentsAmy Wachholtz Department of Psychiatry, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts 01655, USA Subst Use Misuse 46:1536-52. 2011.... - Barriers and solutions to addressing tobacco dependence in addiction treatment programsDouglas M Ziedonis Department of Psychiatry, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, USA Alcohol Res Health 29:228-35. 2006..Specific clinical-, program-, and system-level changes are recommended to fully address the problem of tobacco use among alcohol and other drug abuse patients... - Addressing tobacco use through organizational change: a case study of an addiction treatment organizationDouglas M Ziedonis Department of Psychiatry, University of Massachusetts Medical School, UMass Memorial Medical Center, 55 Lake Avenue North, Worcester, MA 01655, USA J Psychoactive Drugs 39:451-9. 2007..Other treatment programs may use the experience and lessons learned from using the ATTOC organizational change model to better address tobacco use in the context of drug abuse treatment... - Advances in pharmacotherapy for tobacco dependenceJonathan Foulds UMDNJ School of Public Health Expert Opin Emerg Drugs 9:39-53. 2004..g., frequency of injections required) before they can become widely used and successful therapies. The best hope of improved treatment comes from combining existing and new pharmacotherapies with effective behavioural therapy... - Smoking stage of change and interest in an emergency department-based interventionEdwin D Boudreaux Department of Emergency Medicine, Cooper Hospital, One Cooper Plaza, Camden, NJ 08103, USA Acad Emerg Med 12:211-8. 2005..To examine factors associated with motivation to quit smoking and interest in an emergency department (ED)-based intervention... - Detection of co-occurring mental illness among adult patients in the New Jersey substance abuse treatment systemHsou Mei Hu Institute for Health, Health Care Policy, and Aging Research at Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, USA Am J Public Health 96:1785-93. 2006..We assessed the detection of mental illness in an adult population of substance abuse patients and the rate of referral for mental health treatment... - Treatment of patients with substance use disorders, second edition. American Psychiatric AssociationHerbert D Kleber Am J Psychiatry 164:5-123. 2007 - Changes in smoking associated with an acute health event: theoretical and practical implicationsEdwin D Boudreaux Department of Emergency Medicine, UMDNJ Robert Wood Johnson Medical School and Cancer Institute of New Jersey at Cooper University Hospital, Camden, New Jersey 08103, USA Ann Behav Med 33:189-99. 2007..Experiencing a serious adverse behavior-related consequence may motivate behavior change... - Integrating tobacco dependence treatment and tobacco-free standards into addiction treatment: New Jersey's experienceJonathan Foulds Tobacco Dependence Program, School of Public Health, University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey UMDNJ, New Brunswick, New Jersey, USA Alcohol Res Health 29:236-40. 2006 - Effectiveness of workshop training for psychosocial addiction treatments: a systematic reviewScott T Walters University of Texas School of Public Health, Dallas, TX 75390 9128, USA J Subst Abuse Treat 29:283-93. 2005..Given the popularity of this training format, the role of workshop training needs to be a focus of future evaluative research... - Attitudes toward the integration of smoking cessation treatment into drug abuse clinicsBret E Fuller Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, OR 97239, USA J Subst Abuse Treat 32:53-60. 2007.... - Treatment of patients with substance use disorders, second edition. American Psychiatic AssociationHerbert D Kleber Am J Psychiatry 163:5-82. 2006 - Bringing buprenorphine-naloxone detoxification to community treatment providers: the NIDA Clinical Trials Network field experienceLeslie Amass Friends Research Institute, Inc, 11075 Santa Monica Boulevard, Suite 200, Los Angeles, CA 90025, USA Am J Addict 13:S42-66. 2004.... - Snuffing out tobacco dependence. Ten reasons behavioral health providers need to be involvedJill M Williams Behav Healthc 26:27-31. 2006

WIPO Arbitration and Mediation Center ADMINISTRATIVE PANEL DECISION BinckBank N.V. v. Silue Tiessolikaabdoul Case No. D2011-1980 1. The Parties The Complainant is BinckBank N.V. of Amsterdam, Netherlands, represented by Mr. Ivor Maat, Netherlands. The Respondent is Silue Tiessolikaabdoul of Abidjan, Ivory Coast. 2. The Domain Name and Registrar The disputed domain name <binckbank.org> is registered with eNom, Inc.. 3. Procedural History The Complaint was filed with the WIPO Arbitration and Mediation Center (the “Center”) on November 11, 2011. On November 11, 2011, the Center transmitted by email to eNom a request for registrar verification in connection with the disputed domain name. On November 11, 2011, eNom transmitted by email to the Center its verification response confirming that the Respondent is listed as the registrant and providing the contact details. The Center verified that the Complaint satisfied the formal requirements of the Uniform Domain Name Dispute Resolution Policy (the “Policy” or “UDRP”), the Rules for Uniform Domain Name Dispute Resolution Policy (the “Rules”), and the WIPO Supplemental Rules for Uniform Domain Name Dispute Resolution Policy (the “Supplemental Rules”). In accordance with the Rules, paragraphs 2(a) and 4(a), the Center formally notified the Respondent of the Complaint, and the proceedings commenced on November 21, 2011. In accordance with the Rules, paragraph 5(a), the due date for Response was December 11, 2011. The Respondent did not submit any response. The Center only received on November 30, 2011 an email communication from the company Société Ligne Web Services, listed as the Respondent’s technical contact for the disputed domain name, which stated that the domain name had been suspended. Absent any response from the Respondent, the Center notified its default on December 12, 2011. The Center appointed Philippe Gilliéron as the sole panelist in this matter on December 15, 2011. The Panel finds that it was properly constituted. The Panel has submitted the Statement of Acceptance and Declaration of Impartiality and Independence, as required by the Center to ensure compliance with the Rules, paragraph 7. On December 22, 2011, the Panel notified through the Center to the Parties an administrative procedural order, inviting the Complainant by December 27, 2011 (1) to provide the Panel with the potentially written document of October 28, 2011 referred to in its Complaint, informing Complainant of the phishing activities allegedly carried out on the website attached to the disputed domain name; and (2) to provide the Panel with any document that would demonstrate that phishing activities had been carried out from the website attached to the disputed domain name (such as, but not exclusively: emails with clients; capture screens, etc). The Complainant did neither respond nor submit any additional evidence. 4. Factual Background The Complainant is a Dutch limited liability company, exploiting an independent online bank for investors. The Complainant has been issued a European bank permit by the AFM in 2006 and is listed on the NYSE Euronext stock exchange in Amsterdam. The Complainant holds the Benelux word trademarks BINCK and BINCKBANK No. 777442 and 777443 both filed on November 16, 2005 under classes 16, 35 and 36 of the Nice Classification. The Complainant also holds the community word trademarks BINCK No. 008654683 and BINCKBANK No. 008654824, both registered on July 5, 2010 in classes 16, 35 and 36 of the Nice Classification with a priority date as of November 2, 2009. The disputed domain name was registered on July 28, 2011. After discovering the existence of the disputed domain name, the Complainant addressed to the designated contact of the registrant a trademark infringement and cease and desist email on November 4, 2011, informing the Respondent that he was violating its trademark rights and requesting the disabling of the disputed domain name and its transfer in favor of the Complainant. The Complainant did not receive any answer from the Respondent to its cease and desist email and filed the present Complaint on November 11, 2011. 5. Parties’ Contentions The Complainant first argues that the disputed domain name <binckbank.org> is identical or confusingly similar to its registered trademarks BINCK and BINCKBANK, as it fully incorporates both trademarks. The Complainant insists on the fact that large amounts of money are being invested for the branding of its trademarks and that said trademarks are often used in commercial advertising, either on TV or in the press, therefore increasing the risk of confusion for its clients or potential clients. The Complainant then asserts that the Respondent has no right or legitimate interest in respect of the disputed domain name. Indeed, the Complainant first emphasizes the fact that the website operated under the disputed domain name is not associated with the Respondent’s activities. Furthermore, the Complainant underlines the absence of right of the Respondent in the disputed domain name by mentioning the prohibition to pose as a bank when you are not and when you are not authorized to act as such. The Respondent has no banking activity and the Complainant therefore argues that it has no right to use the disputed domain name which contains the term “Bank”. Finally, the Complainant alleges that the disputed domain name has been registered and is being used in bad faith by the Respondent. In that regard, the Complainant invokes that before sending its cease and desist email, it has been informed that the Respondent was performing unlawful phishing activities from an email address originating from the disputed domain name. The Complainant therefore argues that the disputed domain name is being used in bad faith considering the Respondent’s illegal activities as well as the Respondent’s refusal to transfer the disputed domain name preventing its registration by the Complainant. The Respondent did not reply to the Complainant’s contentions. 6. Discussion and Findings Paragraph 15(a) of the Rules instructs this Panel to “[…] decide a complaint on the basis of the statements and documents submitted and in accordance with the Policy, these Rules and any rules and principles of law that it deems applicable”. In view of the Respondent’s failure to submit a Response, the Panel shall decide this administrative proceeding on the basis of the Complainant’s undisputed representations pursuant to the Rules, paragraphs 5(e), 14(a) and 15(a) and will draw such inferences as it considers appropriate pursuant to the Rules, paragraph 14(b). Paragraph 4(a) of the Policy requires that the Complainant must prove each of the following three elements to obtain an order that a domain name should be cancelled or transferred: (i) the domain name registered by the Respondent is identical or confusingly similar to a trademark or service mark in which the Complainant has rights; and (ii) the Respondent has no rights or legitimate interests in respect of the domain name; and (iii) the domain name has been registered and is being used in bad faith. A. Identical or Confusingly Similar According to the Policy Paragraph 4(a)(i), the Complainant has to prove that the disputed domain name is identical or confusingly similar to a trademark or service mark in which the Complainant has rights. In the case at stake, the Complainant proves to be the holder of the two registered Benelux and community trademarks BINCK and BINCKBANK, both of which have been registered before the disputed domain name. The disputed domain name <binckbank.org> is composed of the entire trademark BINCKBANK owned by the Complainant. The only element added to the complainant’s registered trademark appearing in the disputed domain name is the generic Top Level Domain “.org”. As several panels have previously stated, a domain name which incorporates a complainant’s trademark is likely to be confused with the said trademark, and the addition of a gtld at the end of the domain name is not deemed sufficient to exclude confusing similarity as it is a technical requirement for the registration (see paragraph 1.2 of the WIPO overview of WIPO Panel Views on Selected UDRP Questions, Second Edition). In light of the above, the Panel finds that the disputed domain name is identical or confusingly similar to the Complainant’s registered trademarks and that the Policy, paragraph 4(a)(i) has been satisfied with regards to the disputed domain name. B. Rights or Legitimate Interests According to the Policy, paragraph 4(a)(ii), the Complainant has to demonstrate that the Respondent has no rights or legitimate interests in the disputed domain name. This condition of paragraph 4(a)(ii) requires the complainant to prove a negative fact, which often proves to be an impossible task for the complainant since it often requires information that is primarily within the knowledge of the respondent. In Do the Hustle, LLC v. Tropic Web, WIPO Case No. D2000-0624, the panel stated in that regard that “[w]here a complainant has asserted that the respondent has no rights or legitimate interests in respect of the domain name, it is incumbent upon the respondent to come forward with concrete evidence rebutting this assertion”. A consensus view has since been developed by subsequent panels, according to which a complainant is required to make a prima facie case that the respondent lacks rights or legitimate interests; once such prima facie case has been made, the respondent then carries the burden of demonstrating rights or legitimate interests in the disputed domain name (see e.g. Belupo d.d. v. Wachem d.d.o., WIPO Case No. D2004-0110). In the present case, the Panel finds that the Complainant has made a prima facie case showing that the Respondent has no rights or legitimate interests in the disputed domain name. It is therefore the Respondent’s burden to demonstrate rights or legitimate interests by showing, among other circumstances, any of the following elements (paragraph 4(c) of the Policy): (i) Before any notice to it of the dispute, he used or made preparations to use the disputed domain name or a name corresponding to the disputed domain name in connection with a bona fide offering of goods or services; or (ii) The Respondent is commonly known by the disputed domain name, even if it has acquired no trademark or service mark rights; or (iii) The Respondent is making a legitimate noncommercial or fair use of the disputed domain name, without intent for commercial gain to misleadingly divert consumers or to tarnish the trademark or service mark at issue. In the case at hand, the Respondent did not respond to the Complainant’s allegations and therefore did not rebut the Complainant’s prima facie case, failing to invoke any circumstances that could demonstrate any rights or legitimate interests in the disputed domain name. C. Registered and Used in Bad Faith For a complaint to succeed, a panel must be satisfied that a domain name has been registered and is being used in bad faith (Policy, paragraph 4 (a) (iii)). In the present case, the Complainant argues that the website attached to the disputed domain name was used by the Respondent to carry out phishing activities. The Complainant alleges that these phishing activities would result from an email of October 28, 2011 informing Complainant of such activities. The file does however not contain such email. The Complainant further alleges that it has reported these activities to the Belgium police, but provides the Panel with a document in Flemish that Complainant did not deem necessary to translate in English. Considering the absence of any evidence to support Complainant’s allegations, the Panel issued a procedural order and invited the Complainant to submit any document that would demonstrate the Respondent’s use in bad faith, more particularly with regards to the alleged phishing activities carried out from the website attached to the disputed domain name. The Complainant did not however respond, let alone within the given deadline. As a result, the Panel finds it cannot consider that the Complainant has satisfied its burden of proof under this element of the Policy. It is to be remembered that mere allegations do not suffice to demonstrate that the disputed domain name has been registered and is being used in bad faith, and that it is up to the Complainant to bring appropriate evidence with regards to each of the three requirements to be satisfied under the UDRP; the mere holding of a trademark and allegations without any supporting evidence of bad faith registration and usage cannot result in the cancellation or transfer of the disputed domain name. The Panel is mindful of the serious nature of the allegations made in these proceedings (phishing and such other fraudulent on-line activities would be typically clear indicia of bad faith under the Policy when supported by appropriate evidence), that the disputed domain name corresponds to the Complainant’s trademark and that the Respondent has submitted no Response to Complainant’s allegations. But it is still incumbent on a complainant to make its case, especially where it (along with the Respondent) has been presented by the Panel with a further opportunity to supplement the record. The Policy, paragraph 4(a)(iii) makes it clear that it is up to the Complainant to establish that the Domain Name “has been registered and is being used in bad faith”. The consensus view since the Policy was implemented in 1999 has been that the conjunctive “and” indicates that there must be bad faith both at the time of registration and subsequently (see e.g. Mile, Inc. v. Michael Burg, WIPO Case No. D2010-2011). In the present case, absent evidence, the Panel considers that the Complainant has failed on the record in these Policy proceedings to demonstrate that Policy, paragraph 4(a)(iii) has been fulfilled. While it is possible that the disputed domain name could be being used for phishing as alleged, it is not clear from the record and there is nothing presently appearing on the disputed domain name from which the Panel could conclude this is an obvious case of bad faith use. There is simply insufficient evidence of record. The Complainant was given ample opportunity to provide such evidence, but did not use it; as a result, it has to bear the consequences of its own action (or inaction) in that regard. For the foregoing reasons, the Complaint is denied. Dated: December 29, 2011

For more photos, click gallery, above. "Acting is all I've ever really wanted to do," says Tracy Michelle Arnold of American Players Theatre. Thank goodness, then, that Arnold is so exceptionally talented. Now heading into her 12th season with the Spring Green-based professional company, Arnold is a magnetic stage presence who can master a wide range of roles. For me, the 2009 season in particular really highlighted Arnold's skills. As Judith Bliss, the matriarch of a batty, self-absorbed family in Noël Coward's Hay Fever, Arnold showed her comedic side. With her big gestures and histrionics, retired stage actress Judith needs to be the center of attention at all times. Arnold's performance was one of the funniest things I've ever seen on stage. During the same season, Arnold played Kate in Harold Pinter's Old Times, a spiky, enigmatic play from 1971. Pinter's drama, with pointed silences and only three characters, required Arnold to convey meaning through the smallest of gestures and facial expressions. As APT artistic director David Frank puts it, "She's so innately economical in what she does; stillness is an enormous power that she has." More recently, Arnold wowed audiences as flinty prostitute Jenny Diver in Madison Opera's The Threepenny Opera, which played this past winter at Overture Center. More than anyone else in the cast, Arnold - who doesn't get to do as much musical theater as she'd like - nailed Bertolt Brecht and Kurt Weill's seedy Victorian-London-via-Weimar-Germany vibe. Sexy, edgy and glowering, Arnold's rendition of "Pirate Jenny" was a showstopper. Of course, in a repertory company like APT, each actor needs to be able to tackle many different roles, from Shakespeare to more modern writers like George Bernard Shaw or Eugene O'Neill. At the same time, each actor brings certain ineffable qualities that are his or her own. Arnold's low voice and lanky, athletic build make her a natural for playing, as she puts it, "tough, no-nonsense, wily" women, even though she claims she's nothing like that. Says Frank, "Great actors use themselves as much as they use their powers of observation to create a life outside themselves. Tracy is an actress capable of a laser-like focus. She's so grounded and so convincing and so in the moment, having the facility to duplicate a moment, to make it really happen as if for the first time. That quality's a rare quality, though any good actor has to have it. Tracy has it to the nth power." This season, Arnold will dive in to two Shakespeare plays (The Taming of the Shrew and The Tempest), as well as an 18th-century British satire, Richard Brinsley Sheridan's The Critic, that will be unfamiliar to most audiences. It's a busy, full life for the actor, who will be 42 in June. Though very serious health problems sidelined her several years ago (she copes with a rare kidney disease called hemolytic uremic syndrome), she's faring well these days. She and her husband, fellow APT actor Marcus Truschinski, have a 2½-year-old son, Gus. Though her days are logistically complex - "The hardest part of my job, my life, is scheduling babysitters," she admits - she wouldn't have it any other way. Even as a young child, Arnold, whose family settled in Belleville, Ill., when she was 10, was drawn to entertainment. "When I was a little girl, I thought I was going to be a singer. I had a set bedtime as a kid. My mom would be ironing, and I'd sneak down the hallway and watch Sonny and Cher on TV and think, 'I've got to do that! Look at her!'" Arnold earned a master's degree in acting from Northern Illinois University in DeKalb. After grad school, she landed her position at APT, and one of her early experiences was playing Regan in Shakespeare's tragedy King Lear. Says the actor of APT's famously passionate and somewhat idiosyncratic audiences, "I had no idea what the audience was [like]. I'll never forget it. This rolling laughter came from the audience" at another actor's tragic line while she was still backstage. "It blew me away. I'd never experienced an audience like that; they're one of a kind. They make such a huge difference." Arnold credits APT's audiences with helping her, her cast mates, and directors with honing shows. "They are such a listening audience. They lean in, they teach us when a line needs to be adjusted a little bit. We will think some word is the word that makes them understand the line, but they react to a different word. Those details pay off in our ability to tell the story clearly, and that's what it's all about. The point is to make [audiences] think and to feel something, to go home and have a conversation about something. Even when a show's open, we don't stop working on it, trying to make it better." Though her commitment at APT is ongoing, the five-month season contract leaves her and her husband time to pursue work at other theaters. Arnold's other credits include numerous Chicago-area theaters (Steppenwolf, Chicago Shakespeare, Northlight, Remy Bumppo, Writers') and Milwaukee companies (Milwaukee Chamber, Milwaukee Repertory, Renaissance Theaterworks). At APT, Arnold has carved out a place among other first-rate female actors like Colleen Madden and Sarah Day. Her fluid ease with cast mates like James DeVita - with whom she starred in Madison Opera's Threepenny Opera - is visible. Indeed, DeVita and his wife, Brenda, APT's associate artistic director, are offstage friends with Arnold and Truschinski and godparents to their son. DeVita compares acting with Arnold to "playing ball with a really good athlete. You step up." APT's 2007 production of Tennessee Williams' The Night of the Iguana gave them many scenes together, he as a disgraced ex-minister and she as a bawdy widow running a decrepit resort. Together, they convincingly portrayed the earthy, affectionate yet combative dynamic between the two characters. Gushes DeVita, "Tracy brings so many things [to acting]. I kind of adore her as a person and as an actor. She makes you better. Tracy always brings a kind of ruthless authenticity; she's so honest onstage." During their recent run in Threepenny, DeVita admits, "I was out of my element and trying to do my best. She was my rock. I was like, 'I'm with Tracy, I'm okay.' I learned a great deal from her." Though theater life is often nomadic - and, with two professional actors, the Arnold/Truschinski family's days are even more complex - Arnold is grateful to have a steady home base at APT. "I feel so grateful to call it my artistic home. I've learned so much as an artist. The attention paid to language at this theater - the dividends are great." American Players Theatre's 2011 season APT artistic director David Frank offers a rundown of the upcoming season, which features five shows in the outdoor amphitheater up the hill and three more in the intimate, indoor Touchstone Theatre. Up the Hill The Taming of the Shrew, by William Shakespeare Opens June 11 Tracy Michelle Arnold stars as Kate, the titular shrew in Shakespeare's controversial play, directed here by Tim Ocel. Says Frank of the Bard's female lead, "He doesn't see her as a hellcat, he sees her as an ahead-of-her-time woman, more than the people around her know how to take." Blithe Spirit, by Noël Coward Opens June 18 Frank, who'll direct Blithe Spirit, dubs it "a classic Coward," with the sparkling, urbane wit that audiences love. "He writes really good relationships. [His plays] are funny and mean and true. He loves words as subtle instruments of torture." If this production - about a cocktail party séance that brings a woman back from the dead - is even half as entertaining as 2009's Hay Fever (APT's first Coward production), theatergoers are in for a treat. The Critic, by Richard Brinsley Sheridan Opens June 25 APT harks back to 18th-century England for what promises to be a riotous comedy directed by William Brown. Frank describes it as a "flat-out satire on the worst aspects of the theater in the late 18th century. Sheridan was a remorseless satirist, and anything in the profession is fair game to him." Look for an onstage sea battle, itinerant Italian singers, terrible critics and more. Tracy Michelle Arnold will play several of the female roles. Of Mice and Men, by John Steinbeck Opens Aug. 6 Kate Buckley, who directed last season's moving production of Exits and Entrances, tackles a classic of American literature about migrant workers during the Great Depression. Says Frank of Steinbeck: "Talk about an American poet; that play just sings and sings. I expect it to be beautiful, haunting and sad." The Tempest, by William Shakespeare Opens Aug. 13 James Bohnen directs Shakespeare's tragicomic tale. Says Frank, "It's probably Shakespeare's last complete play. It's such a wonderful, sad, funny, fantastic play; it's one of the great ones. At the end, it steps out into the unknown. I love it." In the Touchstone Theatre The Glass Menagerie, by Tennessee Williams Opens June 21 While APT's other shows this season feature returning directors, newcomer Aaron Posner will helm this classic. Frank says it's ideally suited to the roughly 200-seat Touchstone: "It's a piece we could never do up the hill, ever. It has to be gossamer. I think it will be gently and richly original in its staging." Posner has directed frequently at the Folger Theatre in Washington, D.C., and other venues nationally. Crime and Punishment, by Marilyn Campbell and Curt Columbus Opens June 26 "This is Dostoyevsky's Crime and Punishment in two hours, with three characters," says Frank. "You'd think it was a ridiculous undertaking, but it's not. It exists mostly in the mind of Raskolnikov being interrogated. It will be a tense, powerful and very rich theatrical experience." Kenneth Albers, who helmed last year's well-received Waiting for Godot, directs. The Cure at Troy: A Version of Sophocles' Philoctetes, by Seamus Heaney Opens Aug. 14 Frank himself will direct this modern adaptation of an ancient drama, by a man he calls "a candidate for the greatest living English-language poet. He's so direct, powerful and quietly original. It's dense, high-level, ambitious, but accessible and - much of the time - bone simple." It's also a play well suited for our times, he argues: "In an age of polarization that makes me despair, and sloganeering that has been substituted for conscientious analysis, it's an extraordinarily opportune wail for our attention."

1. With the help of family and friends, Albina du Boisrouvray founded the FXB Foundation and the Association François-Xavier Bagnoud (FXB International) in honour of her son François-Xavier, in order to pursue, in the field of development, the rescue missions that he led and to perpetuate the values of generosity and compassion that guided his life. 2. In partnership with “Médecins du Monde”, the Association François-Xavier Bagnoud organised the “Road of the Rights of the Child” a symbolic sailing voyage, retracing the former slave route with children of different ethnicities. Finishing at the United Nations headquarters in New York, the action was consecrated by a resolution concerning the convention on the rights of the child, which was adopted by the UN General Assembly. 3.FXB finances a new building for the Department of Aerospace Engineering at Ann Arbor, Michigan. The FXB Building houses research laboratories, classrooms, offices, a conference hall and the FXB Library with a lounge to serve as a meeting place for students and professors. 1. Launch of the FXB Chair in Pediatric Allergy, Immunology and Infectious Diseases established at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, USA (now Rutgers). Launch of the FXB International Training Program on pediatric AIDS (FXB-ITP) at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey for worldwide doctors, nurses and social workers. 2. Launch of FXB Thailand: four FXB Shelters open in Bangkok, Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai to reintegrate young girls and children who escaped sexual exploitation. (Since 1995, this program has been passed on to the Thai NGO Foundation For Children). 3. Launch of FXB USA: inauguration of the FXB House in Washington DC dedicated to HIV positive or AIDS infected orphaned children. (This program is now passed on to the American organisation TERRIFIC, Inc.) 4. Launch of FXB Uganda: support programs for families taking care of AIDS or war orphaned children. This was the first step towards a formalised community-based sustainable development program by FXB. The principles behind this program provided the foundations for the FXBVillage methodology. 5. The FXB Foundation funds five fellowships in Aerospace Studies at the College of Engineering at the University of Michigan. 1. Foundation of the Global AIDS Policy Coalition (GAPC) by FXB – a multi-disciplinary independent voice dedicated to research and advocacy about the global HIV/AIDS epidemic. The research – notably led by Jonathan Mann –published AIDS in the World I and II, the first strategic proposals on how to tackle the AIDS epidemic. 2. FXB Switzerland: launch of The Little Prince of the Mountains – Children’s Dreams program to realise the dreams of children who are sick or severely handicapped. 3. The first FXBVillage program launched in Uganda. 4. Launch of FXB India (which became FXB India Suraksha in 2007): FXB Asha Sadan House in Goa provides medical and educational support to the children of sex workers. A support program for an orphanage for young boys in Margoa and an orphanage for young girls in Rivona were also opened. 5. The FXB Foundation donated two planes to the African Medical Research Foundation to be used during emergency evacuations, vaccinations campaign and by various humanitarian organisations active in Kenya and Somalia. 6. The FXB Foundation donated a fire engine to a group of young firefighters, childhood friends of François-Xavier, from Levis-Saint-Nom, near Paris (France). 1. Publication by the Global AIDS Policy Coalition (GAPC) of “AIDS in the World I” by the FXB Foundation. 2. Creation of the FXB Chair in Health and Human Rights at Harvard University, USA which was awareded to Jonathan Mann. 3. FXB Thailand: liberation of Thai and Burmese Sex Workers at the Thai-Burmese border. (After this intervention initiated by Albina du Boisrouvray via FXB, the first program in Myanmar launched in 1993 to reintegrate the Burmese sex workers in their homeland.) 4. FXB Thailand: inauguration of four FXB Houses for HIV positive or AIDS infected orphaned children in Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai. (Since 2002 this program was passed on to the Thai NGO, Support Children Foundation.) 5. Launch of FXB Uruguay: FXB House of Montevideo for street children (Hope for Children Project) promoting AIDS prevention, education and Rights of the Child (this program is now passed on to a community organisation). 6. Launch of FXB Colombia: FXB House of Barranquilla for HIV positive or AIDS infected orphaned children.It was the first initiative in Colombia’s Caribbean region that worked with HIV families. During its existence it helped more than 400 children receive an integral attention. 7. FXB Switzerland: inauguration of the FXB Palliative Home Care team in Sion. 8. FXB Kenya: the FXB House in the suburbs of Nairob provides a shelter for HIV-infected children (this program is now passed on to a local community organisation). 9. Launch of The first FXB Aerospace Prize, recognising the contributions of those in the aerospace field to the advancement and benefit of humanity. The prize was administered by the Aerospace Engineering Department, University of Michigan, where François-Xavier graduated and received his BSE degree. 1. Creation of the FXB Center for Health and Human Rights at the Harvard School of Public Health which was led forseveral years by Prof. Jonathan Mann. 2. Launch of FXB Myanmar: program of social and professional reintegration, AIDS prevention, treatments for young girls escaping forced prostitution and vulnerable young people. 3. FXB Thailand: expansion of FXB activities with the FXB Hospice at Wat (Temple) Prabat Nampu in Lopburi province to support the monks of the monastery who provide medical support tothose dying of AID. (Since 1995, this program has passed on to the Dhammaraksanives Foundation and funded by the royal family of Thailand.) 1. First International Conference on Health and Human Rights at Harvard University, USA. A three-day conference with 350 participants, representing 42 countries, sharing their vision on a new global AIDS strategy. 2. Launch of FXB Brazil: FXB House in Sao Paulo for HIV positive families and children (this program is now passed on to a local community organisation). 1. Launch of FXB Rwanda: program of reintegration of war and AIDS orphaned children, and the rebuilding of 528 homes six months after the genocide. 2. The François-Xavier Bagnoud Observatory at Saint-Luc (Valais, Switzerland) is built to open up access to astronomy for everyone, in addition to amateur astronomers wishing to use semi-professional equipment. It is managed by a local organisation and is available to tourists, walkers, and school groups. 1. Inauguration of the Havard School of Public Health FXB Building which houses the FXB Center. 2. Second International Conference on Health and Human Rights at Harvard University. 3. Publication of “AIDS in the World II” by the Global AIDS Policy Coalition and the FXB Center for Health and Human Rights. 4. FXB obtained consultative status at ECOSOC (UN Economic and Social Council). 5. FXB Uganda: Diversified it’s income generating activities from cattle giving into other areas. 6. FXB Switzerland: launch of FXB Holiday Camps for vulnerable children from Minsk Hospital Russia. 1. Inauguration of the FXB Palliative Home Care team in Paris, France. In 2003, FXB trained The Croix Saint-Simon Foundation in palliative care at home before being passed on to the organisation which is part of the state system. 2. Launch of the Child Labour Project, which provides training, monitoring and develops programs to deal with the problems of exploitative child labor for corporations engaged in international trade. 1. Launch of FXB Bolivia: Women’s Project, development of agricultural income-generating activities. (This program was passed on to an inhabitants’ organisation.) 1. Launch of FXB South Africa: After-School programs in the townships of Alexandra, Soweto and the rural area of Witbank providing information on AIDS prevention, education and income-generating activities for female groups. 2. FXB India: expansion of the programs in Rajasthan providing information on AIDS prevention, education, information and income-generating activities. 1. FXB Rwanda: launch of the three first FXBVillages in Kigali and expansion of the program in Gitarama. 2. FXB India: launch of the Migrant Worker program in Rajasthan focusing on HIV/AIDS prevention and STI prevention. This is where FXB first started the campaign to disseminate information through the network of the barber shop. 3. FXB India: launch of the Slum Intervention program in Sanjay Camp slum, New Delhi focusing on HIV/AIDS prevention, education and information. 4. FXB India: expansion and diversification of the programs into the states of Andhra Pradesh, Delhi, Kerala, Lakshadweep, Mizoram, Maharashtra, Pondicherry, Rajasthan and West Bengal. 5. Publication of ‘FXB Orphan Alert: International Perspectives on Children Left Behind by HIV/AIDS’. FXB developed this volume as a resource for a broad range of readers interested in orphan issues. 1. FXB India: Children’s Home in Aizwal opened to provide orphan intervention programs in Mizoram. 2. FXB India: launch of the Barber Intervention Program in New Delhi. FXB created a network of 10,000 barbers who acted as advocates, disseminating information from FXB on AIDS prevention, education, information and more to their customers. 3. Launch of FXB Niger: providing access to drinking water and the construction of traditional wells. 4. Launch of The AIDS Orphan Assistance Database (AOAD), a joint initiative by FXB and the Early Childhood Development (ECD) team within the Education Sector of the World Bank. Based on its own dedicated website (www.orphans.fxb.org) the AOAD allows organisations and individuals assisting children made vulnerable by HIV/AIDS and their caregivers to find, learn about and contact each other. The database also aims to help donors identify potential project partners directly, eliminating costly intermediaries. 5. Launch of the FXB Rescue House at the Sion Airport – a new rescue organisation that brings together in a single location, 24-hours a day, 365 days a year, all the human and material resources required for emergency rescue operations: physicians and medical personnel, mountain guides, rescue dogs, helicopters, ambulances and emergency vehicles and internet technology which helps tracks rescue operations. 1. Launch of FXB Mongolia: punctual HIV/AIDS prevention program with the government. 2. Launch of FXB Togo: development program in Siou to provide access to drinking water, medical and educational support(this program is now passed on to a local community organisation). 3. First World AIDS Orphans Day (WAOD): FXB initiaties the Symbolic Global Safety Net campaign which was signed by two million people (quite an achievement without any social media or internet), including United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan. The campaign urged the UN, governments, donors and policy makers to give priority to the millions of AIDS orphans. WAOD takes place annually, every 7 May. 4. FXB Myanmar: launch of AIDS Prevention and Anti-Human Trafficking Project for bus and truck drivers. 5.Publication of ‘Aids in the Twenty-First Century’ by Tony Barnett and Alan Whiteside, published by Palgrave and funded by the FXB Foundation. This ground-breaking study claimed that it is vital to consider the disease in its totality. 1. Launch of the Global Action for Children (GAC) in Washington DC, an independent advocacy campaign involving a broad range of organisations, dedicated to supporting orphans and other vulnerable children, and the communities and families that care for them. FXB is the co-chair of the leadership council and lobbied congress in the Senate. 2. FXB Rwanda: one FXBVillage in Kigali, two FXBVillages in Gitarama. 3. Second World AIDS Orphans Day: mayors of 20 cities began the Mayors and Elected Officials Coalition and launched the ‘Youth movement’. 4. FXB Colombia is part of a leading three-year initiative to provide workshops about HIV prevention to vulnerable groups such as street children and sexual workers. More than 165,000 people are reached. Also, part of UN program to create awareness about mother-child transmission. FXB Colombia is the leading institution providing workshops in the entire Caribbean region including the coal mine workers in the Guajira. 1. FXB joins the Clinton Global Initiative (CGI) and makes seven commitments, which were also renewed in 2006. 2. FXB India: development of an emergency program for Post-Tsunami victims in Pondicherry region. 3. FXB Thailand: development of an emergency program for Post-Tsunami victims in Phuket. 4. FXB Brazil and local partners’ successfully lobbied, the Chamber of Deputy to legalise generic HIV drugs. 5. With the United Nations Foundation as partner, and as part of its Clinton Global Initiative Commitments, FXB commits to convene a meeting of key economic leaders from the public and private sectors, bilateral aid agencies, NGOs, developing country ministries and Internet companies to discuss utilising Internet technologies more efficiently in delivering development aid to the world’s poorest people. 6. FXB creates 20 new low-cost, sustainable community-based programs, FXBVillages in Uganda and Rwanda to help orphans, families, and communities combat the effects of AIDS and poverty. 1. Launch of the Joint Learning Initiative on Children and HIV/AIDS (JLICA) with Havard, which FXB is one of the founding members. JLICA engages practitioners, policymakers and scholars in collaborative problem-solving, research and analysis to address the need of children living in the context of HIV and AIDS. 2. Launch of FXB Burundi: first FXBVillage in Bujumbura. 3. Launch of FXB China: two pilot programs for children affected by HIV in the Sichuan and Yunnan Province with the aim of raising children out of extreme poverty. These became the seeds for the future FXBVillages in China. 5. As part of the Clinton Global Initiative Commitments, the Hindustan Construction Company (HCC) in India, in partnership with FXB International, commits to launching a ‘Workplace Intervention Program’ to increase the level of employee awareness of HIV/AIDS. 6. FXB commits to providing psychological and physical care and treatment to Israeli and Palestinian children whose lives have been adversely affected by the conflict in the Middle East, as part of the Clinton Global Initiative Commitments. 1. Sixth World AIDS Orphans Day: the number of mayors and elected officials grew exponentially as 795 mayors and elected officials of 41 countries joined the worldwide coalition. 1. FXB China: launch of the first FXBVillage in Sichuan to extract people and children out of extreme poverty within the Yi community. 2. FXB Colombia: launch of an HIV/AIDS prevention program for the Wayuu community in the remote area of the Guajira province, a ground breaking initiative as it is done with simultaneous translation in their native tongue. 3. FXB India Suraksha: launch of the first five FXBVillages to support poor and marginalized communities. 4. FXB Myanmar was at the forefront of the relief and rebuilding efforts in areas affected by Cyclone Nargie, helping 55,000 individuals access food, healthcare, clean water, and shelter. The same year, FXB launched five “Child-friendly spaces” for street children in Yangon with UNICEF. Following Cyclone Nargis in May, 20 additional child-friendly spaces are created in the Irrawaddy Delta. 5. Seventh World AIDS Orphans Day: FXB calls for donor governments to direct at least 10% of all HIV and AIDS funding to support AIDS orphans and children made vulnerable by the virus. President George W. Bush signed the new President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) initiative, which allocate $30 billion to the fight against AIDS, of which $3 billion was allocated to create programs for children. 6. The FXBVillage program was cited as a best practice for supporting AIDS-affected children and families in UNICEF’s and UNAIDS’ 2008 “Children and AIDS : Second Stocktaking Report”. 1. Publication of Home Truths: Facing the Facts on Children, AIDS, and Poverty (Feb 2009), the final report of the Joint Learning Initiative on HIV/AIDS (JLICA) after three years of research. 2. Launch of 20 FXBVillages in Rwanda and in Uganda thanks to the funding from PEPFAR. 3. Launch of FXB DRC (Democratic Republic of Congo): one FXBVillage in Goma. 4. The release of FXB India Suraksha’s ‘Hopes Alive:Surviving AIDS and Despair’ was attended by Nobel Prize Laureate, Dr. Amartya Sen, the Honorable Vice President Shri M. Hamid Ansari, and the director general of India’sNational AIDS Control Organization Sujata Rao. 1. In an interview, Amartya Sen, noted that he believes one of the organizations that is doing a fantastic job and is extraordinarily effective and deserves more recognition was FXB for its approach based on capacity building to escape poverty. 2. FXB Colombia: Launch of the first FXBVillage programme in Barranquilla, Colombia. 1. In his book ‘The Voice’, Edgar Morrin, a famous French sociologist and philosopher, highlighted the Association François-Xavier Bagnoud saying, “…an organization like the Association François-Xavier Bagnoud, which fights poverty and AIDS in Africa, comes in perfect harmony with the communities it assists.” 2. A report jointly published in 2011 by the FXB Center for Health and Human Rights at Harvard University and FXB, titled “Removing Unfreedom, Decreasing Vulnerability in Economic and Food Security” shows the holistic approach, in terms of guidance and support in access to basic needs and basic training in financial management, increases, among other things, food security, economic assets and education of the FXBVillages’ participants, after the first year of the program. In the spring of 2012, the Cost of Inaction research team at the FXB Center for Health and Human Rights at Havard University completed a book, The Cost of Inaction, which was published by the FXB Center with a foreword by Amartya Sen. In October 2012, the FXB Center organized a series of panels to celebrate the release of The Cost of Inaction. Amartya Sen, recipient of the 1998 Nobel Prize in Economics and Thomas W. Lamont University Professor at Harvard, chaired a panel of distinguished economists who assessed the theoretical and policy implications of the work. Eric Maskin, recipient of the 2007 Nobel Prize in Economics and Adams University Professor at Harvard, chaired another panel of senior policy officers and practitioners from UNICEF and partner institutions who explored the possible applications of the COI framework to economic and social development, and human rights. As noted by Sen in his preface to the book, one of the most important uses of COI is in the world of policymakers, who must set priorities on the basis of an analytic and empirical framework which the COI provides. One of the most important uses of Cost Of Inaction is in the world of policymakers, who must set priorities on the basis of an analytic and empirical framework which the Cost Of Inaction provides - Amartya Sen 1. Launch of a Biochar agricultural pilot project in Rwanda to help tackle the malnutrition. The project reduces water consumption by more than 80%, increases soil productivity by at least 50-100%, and avoids the environmental problems associated with the use of charcoal in farming. 2. FXB Uganda receives a Certification of Apreciation from the local government for its action in the fight against HIV/AIDS and its support for vulnerable children and providing access to water. 3. FXB South Africa: launch of a new three-year vocational training program. The program will act as a follow-up program for 90 teens who have completed the FXB After-School – Life Skills Programs. 4. FXB India conducts a raid in March after the Justice Venture International informs the team of illegally detained minors in a house in the neighbourhood of Jaipur. The raid resulted in the release of 51 children after 10 years of detention. 5. In China, the FXBVillage methodology is recognised as one of the best community programs for the development of the Yi Community. It receives the ‘Special Award for Contribution to the Community Yi’. 6. In Uganda, FXB is issued a Certificate of Appreciation by the local government for its actions for the fight against HIV – AIDS, and its support for vulnerable children and access to water. 7. FXB Colombia graduates 80 families from the first FXBVillage from extreme poverty helping 263 children. FXB Colombia signs ground-breaking initiative with Cajacopi, a local organization, to start a fully-finance the second FXBVillage. 1. This year marks the 25th Anniversary of FXB International. During the last 25 years, 17 million adults and children have benefited from the presence of FXB International in their communities, through the FXBVillage poverty eradication program , as well as sustainable community development, infrastructure rehabilitation, education, prevention, awareness and access to water and sanitation programs. 2. On February 26 – The prestigious KISS Humanitarian Award 2013 is presented to Albina du Boisrouvray at Kalinga Institute of Social Sciences, Bhubaneswar, Orissa, India.

July 4th heresy: When Harley-Davidson didn’t mean “American.” And why Harley’s LiveWire wouldn’t shock the Harley fans of 50 or 100 years ago You know what else would make an eye catching around-town bike with racy handling and a low c.g.? A 1966 Harley Sprint. Harley-Davidson is the only motorcycle maker that regularly shows up on lists of the world’s 100 most valuable brands. Today, the Harley brand is the company’s most valuable asset; worth more than any patent or factory. Many other really valuable brands—Google, for example—have relatively vague emotional associations, and appeal to a broad spectrum of the population. Not Harley; it’s not only an incredibly sharply defined brand, it also appeals to a very specific kind of person. Those people—Harley types—are, collectively, the last people you’d expect to get behind (or on) an EV. That’s why Harley’s LiveWire announcement took so many of us by surprise, and why the bike triggered a vitriolic response amongst the faithful. It’s also why Harley won’t be bringing the LiveWire tour to Sturgis or Bike Week. At the LiveWire ‘reveal’ in New York last month, a group of motorcycle journalists sat around a table with a few Harley execs, discussing the LiveWire’s giant leap away from convention. By way of explaining that Harley’s not just an air-cooled, pushrod, V-Twin company any more, one Harley exec skipped over the new ‘Street’ and ‘Twin-Cooled’ bikes to cite the V-Rod as an example successfully introducing updated technology to Harley riders. “Are you saying the V-Rod was successful?” asked one journalist, who seemed surprised they’d brought up the V-Rod at all. There was a pregnant pause as the company’s execs looked at each other, after which one of them said, “I think it’s selling well in Brazil.” Maybe he had the World Cup on his mind. You know another bike destined to introduce thousands of new riders to the sport of motorcycling? The Harley-Davidson Model 125. After I got home from the LiveWire reveal, all my motorcycle friends wanted to know what it was like. It was only in telling and retelling the story of my brief sample ride that the I fully realized one of the most striking parts of the experience: The LiveWire didn’t feel like an electric V-Rod and it certainly didn’t feel like an electric Fat Boy. The EV’s firm suspension; the narrow-hipped ergonomics and seat; the signal-to-noise ratio... It felt like an electric CBR, or Gixxer. Honestly, if the boys in Milwaukee made a bike like the LiveWire with an internal-combustion engine, the grizzled Harley faithful would hate on it, too. My point in telling you this is, in the last three decades at least, Harley-Davidson fans have been slow to warm up to anything but air-cooled, pushrod, V-Twins. When Harley-Davidson personnel talked to journalists at the Rushmore introduction, the words ‘liquid-cooled’ came up about as often as Barack Obama’s middle name at a Democratic Party rally. It was not always thus. In fact, the idea that Harley “means” air-cooled, pushrod, V-Twin, or even “American” is pretty new, and has its origins in the marketing department—and at Harley’s old ad agency—not in The Motor Company’s actual history. A walk through the Harley-Davidson Museum will make it clear that the very first Harleys were Singles, though within a few years Harley established its 45-degree V-Twin layout. Harley made a lightweight Single again in the 1920s, when the AMA put a 350cc displacement limit on the premier racing class. Harley responded with the famous ‘Peashooter’ Single. But even the museum tends to gloss over most of the company’s post-World War II single-cylinder offerings I’m about the median age of Harley purchasers, and when I was a kid, Harley-Davidson competed across the board; it’s lineup ran the gamut from mopeds to trail bikes, scooters to police specials. The company made Singles and Twins; two-strokes and four-strokes. Ironically, just about the time Harley was getting out of the small two-stroke business, Walter Villa won a string of 250 & 350cc World Championships on ‘Harley-Davidson’ motorcycles built in the Aermacchi race shop. $#!+ bro’, Walter Villa won four road racing World Championships on beautiful water-cooled Harley-Davidson two-stroke Twins. If the company still had such a diverse line-up, the LiveWire announcement would not have been nearly so shocking. The first important post-war Harley Single was the bike that came to be known as the ‘Hummer.’ Germany had to pay ‘war reparations’ to the Allies. Part of that payment took the form of intellectual property; the design of the beautiful little DKW RT125 two-stroke was adopted by BSA, which produced the Bantam, and Harley-Davidson, which made the Model 125. Although the Model 125’s DKW-designed piston-port motor initially produced only about three horsepower, it was a state-of-the-art small motor in those postwar years. The bike had a girder fork with rubber “springs,” so it was perhaps a little dated in the chassis department, but Harley dealers sold over 10,000 of them in 1948. It was a perfect bike to sell to new riders. This unrestored Hummer still resembles its DKW RT125 antecedent. The simple piston-port two-stroke was cheap to produce, and it introduced tens of thousands of Americans to motorcycling. The Model 125 got a telescopic front fork a few years later, and then in 1953, it got a displacement bump to 165cc. In 1955, Harley sold a stripped-down version with an updated ‘B’ version of the motor, albeit again reduced to 125cc. That was the first one sold as a Hummer. As the story goes, the name wasn’t a reference to the buzzy little two-stroke motor; rather, it was named after Dean Hummer, a Midwest Harley dealer who sold more two-strokes than anyone else. Through most of the 1960s, Harley sold bikes with (usually) 165cc versions of the updated motor. Models included the Super 10 street version, off-road Ranger, and dual-sport Scat (I did not make up that name.) The Super 10 was upgraded and renamed the Pacer which was, I believe, the first Harley-Davidson motorcycle with a rear spring mounted under the engine. (And I thought Erik Buell had invented that!) By 1960, Harley claimed nine horsepower from the 165cc motors. That was a problem for the Topper scooter, which enclosed the motor without incorporating the cooling fans found on Vespas and Lambrettas. In spite of its tendency to overheat, the Topper was advanced in other ways; it was twist-and-go at a time when Italian scoots still demanded clutch work of riders. Harley’s PR department arranged for a well publicized Topper journey to Death Valley, but the model was never very popular. About 3000 were sold until the model was finally culled in 1965. ) In the early ‘60s, the Topper was a strange mix of advanced ideas like a CVT transmission, with a primitive lawnmower-style cord start. Harley only sold a few thousand of them. (Below ) The 250 & 350cc Sprint models are the most-loved of the Harley ‘imports’. By the time they were introducing the Topper, Harley-Davidson execs knew that the DKW design was getting old. That year, the company bought a 50% interest in Aermacchi’s motorcycle division. Aermacchi was an Italian company that made airplanes before the war, but emphasized small motorcycles in the postwar years. In the 1960s, Europe was a patchwork of protective tariffs; it’s likely that the acquisition was, in part, motivated by a desire to gain freer access to the Italian market. Aermacchi motors were designed by Lino Tonti, a legendary figure, and then by Alfredo Bianchi who had drawn up state-of-the-art motors for Alfa Romeo cars and Parilla motorcycles. At a time when Italian motorcyclists craved overhead cams, Bianchi believed it was possible to build a short-pushrod motor that was cheaper to produce, easier to maintain, and still made decent power. Bianchi’s sweet 250cc four-stroke Single was sold here as the Harley Sprint model from 1961 through the mid-‘70s. The horizontal cylinder layout kept the weight low, and the Sprint became the basis of quite a few race bikes. Harley also sold Aermacchi-made M-50 & M-65 two-stroke step-throughs in the late ‘60s, and 100cc-250cc street and trail models until well into the 1970s. In 1969, American Machine Foundry (AMF) acquired Harley-Davidson. In 1974, Harley acquired the rest of Aermacchi’s motorcycle operations, although by that time, the Japanese manufacturers were coming on strong and the writing was on the wall for Aermacchi’s existing lineup. In 1981, Vaughn Beals and a group of Harley-Davidson executives bought the Harley-Davidson brand from AMF. The company was back under the control of “motorcycle people”—who understood the impact of the ‘Japanese Invasion,’ especially in the smaller displacement classes. Harley made a strategic decision to get out of the small-bike categories, and gamble the business on cruisers and the Evolution motor. The Evo motor was a company saver. Meanwhile, Harley’s ad agency set about revising the company’s brand as one so quintessentially American as to nearly promote xenophobia. It wasn’t just a case of Harley importing ideas to the U.S. market. Beginning in the 1930s, Harley licensed production of its bikes to Japanese manufacturers, including Rikuo. Rikuo imported an entire Harley-Davidson assembly line to Japan, so Harley effectively introduced Japan to mass production (and thus helped to improve Japan’s war effort a few years later.) The European designed (Hummer) or built (Aermacchi) Harleys were largely disowned. It didn’t matter whether they were cheap and cheerful like the Model 125, great bikes like the early Sprints, or second-rate junk like the Baja trail bike that did indeed make people wonder, “What was Harley thinking?” Perhaps surprisingly, Harley-Davidson’s core customers—most of whom, like me, are old enough to know better—now believe the brand story over The Motor Company’s actual history. In a slightly different world, Beals and his gang would have decided to compete in the small-bike market, and produced lightweight sportbikes derived from Aermacchi’s 1974-5-6 World Championship-winning 250s and 350s. If they’d been doing stuff like that all along, we wouldn’t have been so utterly shocked by Project LiveWire. And, by the way, Harley’s core customers would not be going, “What is Harley thinking?” right now.

US 4291797 A A pallet changer having additional distribution and storage functions for a manufacturing plant having a central control station, transfer stations at the conveying and storage part of the installation and address readers. The pallet changer comprises a rotatable part capable of rotating about a vertical axis and having pallet guides and pallet feed devices for pallets equipped with switching markers. The rotatable part can be rotated into four fixed change positions offset by about 90° with respect to one another for changing the pallets at one, two or three transfer stations and at one or two machine tools. Rotation of the rotatable part is accomplished as a function of programmes infed to the central control station and by means of four non-rotatably arranged address readers dispositioned at a spacing of about 90° from one another and with the same spacing from the axis of rotation. The address readers are activated by the address switching markers of the pallets inserted onto the pallet guides. 1. A transfer apparatus, comprising: support hub means having at least four non-rotating members; rotating part means being rotatably mounted and extending radially outward from said support hub means; said rotating part means comprising means for supporting pallets and having pallet guide means; means for feeding pallets along said pallet supporting means; address reading means mounted on each of said at least four members, said address reading means being mounted adjacent to the ends of said pallet supporting means nearest the support hub means; and marking means attached to said pallets for activating said address reading means once said pallets are on said pallet supporting means such that pallets are fed to predetermined locations. 2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein: said address reading means are concentrically arranged with respect to the axis of rotation of said rotating part means and offset through an angle of 90° with respect to one another. 3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein: said rotary part means comprises: a quadratic central portion having four essentially vertical outer surfaces; said pallet supporting means and said pallet guide means being connected at said four vertical outer surfaces; and drive means mounted at said central portion for rotating said rotary part means. 4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein: said support hub means further includes an axial sleeve mounted therein and about which said rotary part means can rotate. 5. The apparatus of claim 4, further including: means for infeeding pressurized oil to said drive means; and an infeed bushing rotatable with said rotary part means upon said axial sleeve, wherein said infeed oil means includes eight oil bores at a wall of said axial sleeve opening into said infeed bushing. 6. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein: said axial sleeve has a concentric base. 7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein: said address readers have signal lines extending through said concentric base of said axial sleeve. 8. A fabrication installation for storing pallets comprising: support hub means; rotary part means, being rotatably mounted about an axis and extending radially outward from said support hub means including a plurality of pallet support means each having an outer end; each two pallet support means having two respective oppositely situated vertical surfaces; axial sleeve means cooperating with said rotary part means and being mounted at said support hub means; pallet guide means mounted on said pallet support means; insert-pallet support means connected at each of said two oppositely situated surfaces; said insert-pallet support means having two connecting surfaces machined symmetrically and at right angles to one another with respect to said pallet guide means; there being provided eight said pallet guide means in a substantially horizontal plane disposed at an angle of about 45° with respect to one another; a star member arranged upon said axial sleeve means; eight address reading means mounted at said star member; said rotary part means has an underside; a plurality of substantially vertical rotation switching markers disposed in a substantially horizontal plane and located at said underside of said rotary part means; and said plurality of rotation switching markers being concentrically arranged about said axis of rotation and offset from one another through an angle of 45°. 9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein: said pallets to be stored include marking means arranged thereon for activating said address reading means. 10. The apparatus of claim 8, further including: a plurality of thrust piston means each arranged at an outer end of said pallet support means for locking an associated pallet on said pallet support means. 11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein: each of said plurality of thrust piston means includes oil bores and an infeed housing such that each thrust piston means may be independently activated. 12. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein: each of said pallet support means has an underside having two recesses; substantially conical-shaped support rolls are mounted in said recesses; a substantially ring-shaped support track formed of plates concentrically arranged with respect to said axial sleeve means; and said support rolls roll upon said substantially ring-shaped support track when said rotary part means rotates. 13. The apparatus of claim 8, further including: a base for supporting said rotary part means; said rotary part means has an underside; a plurality of indexing rolls arranged at the underside of said rotary part means; said indexing rolls having vertical axes arranged at a circle at a predetermined angle from one another; said circle being substantially concentrically disposed with respect to said axial sleeve means; cam roll means which cooperate with said indexing rolls; said cam roll means having a substantially horizontal pivot axis and being stationarily mounted in the base; and a pivot cylinder unit for pivoting said cam roll means. 14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein: there are provided four of said indexing rolls which are spaced from one another through an angle of 90°. 15. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein: there are provided eight of said indexing rolls which are spaced at an angle of 45° from one another. 16. The transfer apparatus of claim 1, further including: each pallet supporting means having a pallet guide and a pallet feeding device for shifting said pallets; said marking means are address switching markers; said four address readers for reading addresses on said pallets are non-rotatably fixed at substantially the same spacing from said axis of rotation and are offset from one another through an angle of about 90°; and means for rotating said rotating part by imparting rotational movement thereto through four fixed pallet change positions which are offset from one another through about 90° for permitting a pallet to be transferred by the pallet feeding device to and from the machine tools. This is a continuation application of my commonly assigned copending United States application Ser. No. 867,968, filed Jan. 9, 1978. The assignee of this application also is the record owner of a further application in the field of pallet changers, namely United States application Ser. No. 940,775, filed Sept. 8, 1978. The present invention relates to a new and improved pallet changer having additional distribution and storage functions for fabrication installations or manufacturing plants equipped with a central control station, transfer stations at the conveyor or storage part of the system and address readers, and of the type possessing a rotatable part which can be rotated about a vertical axis and equipped with pallet guides and pallet feed or displacement devices for pallets having switching markers. In heretofore known manufacturing installations equipped with conveyor lines the workpieces are clamped in a clamping zone upon pallets and successively transported at the conveyor line to one, several or all machines. Operatively associated with each machine is a pallet changer having two change positions and a transfer station at the conveyor line. The pallet changers usually possess a rotatable part which can be rotated through an angle of 180° and having two pallet support guides and associated pallet feed or displacement devices. After a pallet has moved through the part of the conveyor line or path at the side of the machine, then it is either transported to the clamping zone or returned back to the start of the conveyor line. This pallet circulation is accomplished for such length of time until the pallet changer is free at the machine indicated by the central control station. The workpiece which has been finished at a machine is then reintroduced back into the conveyor line by means of the transfer station which is usually rotatable through an angle of 90°. The effectiveness of the conveyor line or path as a storage is limited, since the total number of the pallets which can be received by the conveyor line is limited. Additionally, the pallets dam-up in front of the transfer stations and hinder one another, partially because of the return movement. The desired flexible charging of the machines with different types of workpieces and with priority workpieces is likewise unsatisfactory. A somewhat improved effectiveness of the conveyor line is obtained by the provision of additional transverse conveyors, a primary conveyor loop being guided about the machines, which are arranged at the transverse conveyors. The pallet outfed by each machine through the action of a second transfer station associated therewith generally brings about a somewhat lesser damming-up of the pallets throughout the entire operation of the installation. The drawbacks attendant with such arrangement reside in increased equipment expenditure and cost owing to the need to provide additional transverse conveyors and transfer stations, and further, the impaired accessibility to the machines and pallet changers. Furthermore, it is already known in this field of technology to design the conveyor path or line to possess a circular configuration. By means of a pallet changer located at the clamping and unclamping zone or station, it is possible to charge and unload a circular conveyor. Each machine has operatively associated therewith a further pallet changer which coacts with the circular conveyor. The expenditure constituted by three pallet changers and a circular conveyor is extremely high in order to, for instance, interlink two machines. Now in German patent publication No. 24 35 622 there is described a fabrication installation having, apart from infeeding and return feeding primary conveyor paths or lines, an additional buffer conveyor line or path arranged along all of the erected machines parallel to the main or primary conveyor line. This prior art publication further discloses a technique of controlling priority pallets and routine pallets in conjunction with the buffer conveyor line, as well as the checking of the destination with the selection of the machines. This proposal for a flexible fabrication installation for small, suspended transportable pallets, however cannot be employed at conveyor or conveying lines for supported transportable heavy pallets. In the case of fabrication installations having a pallet conveyor or feed device which travels upon rails, and which by elevationally adjusting its pallet support can service a shelf storage having large storage capacity, likewise requires for each machine a pallet changer having two change positions and a transfer station at the shelf storage (see the publication Werkstatt und Betrieb 107 (1974/8)). The pallet feed or conveyor device coacts with the clamping and unclamping zone, the shelf storage and the transfer stations in the shelf storage. Due to this arrangement there is afforded a flexible pallet flow, since priority workpieces can be directly inserted for machining. The pallet changers which are employed with such installation for larger sized pallets do not possess any storage capacity, so that particularly when used with manufacturing or fabrication installations having a multiplicity of installed machines, it is possible for the pallet feed device to become easily overloaded if at one or a number of machines there is only carried out an extremely brief amount of work at a workpiece, for instance post-finishing work and, consequently, there can occur standstill times. Other fabrication installations having a pallet feed or conveyor device for small pallets and workpieces transported in containers, do not have this drawback, because between the transfer station of the shelf storage and the machine there is provided a combined buffer, charging and cleaning station, where the pallets are moved in a number of horizontal planes. The construction of such station is, however, not suitable for large pallets and cannot solve the objectives to which the present invention addresses itself. Therefore, with the foregoing in mind, it is a primary object of the present invention to provide a new and improved pallet changer which, especially for larger sized pallets in fabrication plants or installations, renders possible improved and more flexible, i.e. accommodatable, transport paths, and storage capacities. Yet another important object of the present invention concerns a new and improved pallet changer for a manufacturing plant, which is relatively simple in construction and design, extremely reliable in operation, economical to manufacture and operate, and not associated with the aforementioned drawbacks and limitations of the prior art proposals. Now in order to implement these and still further objects of the invention, which will become more readily apparent as the description proceeds, the arrangement of the present invention contemplates that the rotatable part is rotatable into four fixed change positions spaced through about 90° from one another for changing the pallets at one, two or three transfer stations and at one or two machine tools. Rotation of the rotatable part is accomplished as a funtion of a program infed to the central control station and by the action of four address readers which are arranged to be non-rotatable, positioned at a spacing of 90° with respect to one another and having the same distance from the axis of rotation, the address readers being activated by address switching markers of the pallets which are pushed onto the pallet guides. At the underside of the rotatable part there are arranged at four locations disposed in a horizontal plane, offset relative to one another through 90° and concentric to the axis of rotation, at least one respective rotation switching marker which cooperates with a signal transmitter fixed at the socket or base of the pallet changer, this signal transmitter being operatively connected with the central control station. The rotatable part is preferably formed of a square intermediate or central part, at the four vertical outer surfaces of which there is threadably connected or otherwise suitably affixed a pallet support having a pallet guide and a pallet feed or displacement device. In a variant embodiment an insert-pallet support having threaded connecting surfaces machined thereat is threadably connected at each two oppositely situated, vertical outer surfaces of two pallet supports in such a manner that the total of eight pallet guides are disposed in a horizontal plane at an angle of 45° with respect to one another, and eight storage readers are arranged at a star device upon an axial sleeve. The storage readers cooperate with storage switching markers located at the end face or side of each pallet located opposite the address switching markers. The pallet changer of the present invention has the following advantages: (a) Possible pallet change operations can be accomplished, on the one hand, at one, two or three transfer stations of the conveyor and storage part, respectively, of the fabrication installation, and, on the other hand, at one or two machine tools. Due to such there are achieved the following results: (i) increased flexibility during pallet transport, so that priority workpieces can be directly inserted for machining, with possible additional coaction with a rotatable storage; (ii) reduced mutual hindering of the pallets during transport at the conveyor paths or lines; (iii) possibility of erecting different fabrication installations by means of a universally employable compact structural unit having advantages during the planning and operation. (b) Storage capacity when cooperating with a machine in the preferred embodiment having four pallet supports. (c) Charging of two machines by means of only one pallet changer and one transfer station. (d) Modular construction for erecting rotatable storages having relatively large storage capacity with cost-favorable production. (e) Continuous site monitoring of the pallets at the central control station by means of the switching markers, signal transmitter, storage and address readers provided for the cyclic functions. (f) Good accessibility to the machines, pallet changers and pallet rotary storages. (g) Lower spatial requirements in relation to the number of pallets which can be received by the fabrication installation. The invention will be better understood and objects other than those set forth above, will become apparent when consideration is given to the following detailed description thereof. Such description makes reference to the annexed drawings wherein: FIG. 1 is a vertical sectional view through a pallet changer, taken substantially along the line I--I of FIG. 2; FIG. 2 is a top view of the pallet changer illustrated in FIG. 1; FIG. 3 is a perspective view of part of the pallet changer shown in FIGS. 1 and 2; FIG. 4 is a top plan view of a rotary storage; FIG. 5 is a vertical partial sectional view, taken substantially along the line V--V of FIG. 4; FIG. 6 illustrates the use of a pallet changer having two machine tools and a conveyor line or path; FIG. 7 illustrates the use of a pallet changer and a rotary storage with two machine tools and a conveyor path or line; FIG. 8 illustrates the use of a pallet changer having two machine tools and two conveyor paths or lines; FIG. 9 illustrates the use of four pallet changers, a rotary storage, four machine tools, and two conveyor paths or lines; FIG. 10 illustrates the use of two pallet changers, four machine tools, and a pallet conveyor device; and FIG. 11 illustrates the use of four pallet changers, four machine tools, and a pallet feed or conveyor device. Describing now the drawings, according to the showing of FIGS. 1 and 3 the exemplary embodiment of pallet changer 46 shown therein will be seen to comprise a socket or base 10 having an upper and a lower twelve-cornered ring 11 and 12 respectively. Both of these rings 11 and 12 are connected with one another by twelve supports 13. Arranged upon the upper ring 11 is a substantially ring-shaped support track formed of hardened plates 14, upon which there can rotate a rotary or rotatable part 26. At the center of the socket or base 10 there is arranged a hub 15 which is secured by horizontal struts 16 or the like at the socket or base 10. At this hub 15 there is attached an axial sleeve 17 which defines the axis of rotation, and about which the rotary part 26 can rotate. According to the showing of FIGS. 1 and 2, the rotary part 26 embodies a square or quadratic central or intermediate portion or part 18, which with the aid of ball bearings 19 or equivalent structure, is rotatably centered by means of the axial sleeve or bushing 17. At the four walls 18a of the square intermediate part 18 there are attached four pallet supports or carriers 20. Each pallet support 20 comprises two recesses 20a in which there are secured the bearing blocks 21. In the bearing blocks 21 there are supported cone-shaped support rolls 22 which brace the rotary part 26 upon the hardened plates 14 of the ring-shaped roller track. In the change positions of the rotary part 26, the eight support rolls 22 are located exactly over the eight vertical supports 13, as such has been best illustrated in FIG. 3, whereby there is ensured for great rigidity, with relatively modest expenditure of material. In order to drive the rotary part 26 there is attached at the base 10 a hydromotor 23 or other suitable drive, the pinion 24 of which meshes with a crown gear or toothed wheel rim 25 secured at the intermediate or central part 18. To control the rotation of the rotary part 26 a signal transmitter 27 is attached at the base 10, signal transmitter 27 being operatively connected with the here not further shown central control station, generally indicated by reference character 100. Further, attached at the underside of the pallet supports 20 are four holders 28, each having a respective rotation switching marker 68 or the like and offset through an angle of 90° with respect to one another. In conjunction with the program infed to the central control station 100 and the signals of the hereinafter to be described address readers, such markers 68 enable accomplishment of the required rotation of the rotary part 26 into four change positions fixed relative to one another through an angle of 90°, by means of a counter 110 effective at the central control station. To provide exact indexing to the change positions a curved roll or cam 29 having a horizontal axis is pivotably mounted at the base 10. This curved roll or cam 29 cooperates with four indexing rolls 30 arranged offset through 90° with respect to one another at the underside of the rotary part 26. The pivotable movement of the curved roll or cam 29 is accomplished by a pivoting cylinder unit 31. Now as best seen by referring to FIG. 2, there is arranged upon each pallet support or carrier 20 a pallet guide or guide means 69 formed by two rows of traveling rolls 70. For displacing the chain-dot illustrated pallet 71 (FIG. 5) upon the pallet guide 69 there is provided a respective pallet feed or displacement device 72. It consists of an endless chain 32 (FIG. 1), which is driven and guided by two sprocket wheels 33 and 34. Attached to the chain 32 is a pallet thrust or feed rod 35 cooperating with the pallet pawls 73 (FIG. 5), and apart from the pallet feed operation also serves for arresting the pallets. The inner sprocket wheel 34 shown in FIG. 1 is driven by a hydromotor 36 or other suitable drive which has been shown in FIG. 2. The outer sprocket wheel 33 is mounted in a roller bracket or block 37, which for achieving the requisite pre-tensioning of the chain 32 is supported by means of its guide shaft 74 and the package of plate springs 38 at the pallet support 20 and at the roller block 37. Now in order to supply pressurized fluid medium to the hydromotors 36 from a not particularly illustrated but conventional hydraulic system which is arranged within the socket or base 10, there is provided the infeed bushing or sleeve 39 which is rotatably mounted upon the axial sleeve 17. The pressurized medium is delivered in conventional manner from eight bores 17a located in the wall of the axial sleeve 17 through ring-shaped or angular grooves 83 of the infeed bushing 39 and from that location to the four hydromotors 36, which for the purpose of driving them in both rotational directions require a total of eight conduits or lines. As best seen by referring to FIG. 2, at the upper end of the axial sleeve 17 there is attached a cross-like member 40, at the four ends 40a of which there are arranged four address readers 41 having the same spacing from the axis of the axial sleeve 17, the arrangement being accomplished in such a manner that these address readers 41 are acted upon by the address switching markers 75 located at the pallets 71 (FIG. 5) whenever a pallet has been shifted by the pallet feed or displacement device 72 into its corresponding terminal position at the pallet guides 69. Additionally, there are provided at the cross-like or cross member 40, not particularly illustrated switching elements for controlling the pallet feed device 72. The address readers 41 and the switching elements are connected by the lines 76, which are fixed in position by the concentric bore 17b of the axial sleeve 17, with the central control station and the hydraulic installation located in the base 10. Now in FIG. 4 there is illustrated a rotary storage 55. For constructing such into a modular system there are dispensed with, in comparison to the pallet changer, the four pallet feed devices 72 and the cross-like or cross member 40, whereas all of the remaining components of the prior discussed embodiment are here also present. From the showing of FIG. 4 it will be seen that the rotary part 26 with the four pallet supports 20 of the pallet changer is augmented by four insert-pallet supports 42. These insert-pallet supports 42 are threadably connected by means of their two thread connecting surfaces 77 arranged symmetrically with respect to the pallet guide 69 and at right angles to one another at two respective oppositely situated, vertical outer surfaces of two pallet supports 20. Also at the underside of each insert-pallet support 42 there are mounted two respective conical support rolls 22 (FIG. 1) and a respective indexing roll 30, and there is also arranged a holder 28 having a rotation switching marker 68 or equivalent structure, which together with the signal transmitter 27 serves for indexing each pallet guide 69 into four transfer stations 78 (FIG. 7), fixed at an angle of 90° with respect to one another. For this purpose there are additionally arranged at the pallets 71 (FIG. 5) to be stored upon the rotary storage 55, the storage switching marker 79 at the second end face or side opposite the address switching marker 75. These storage switching markers 79 cooperate with eight storage readers 43 which are arranged similar to the case of the pallet changer at a star arrangement 44 at the same spacing from the axial sleeve 17. As best seen by referring to FIG. 5, for mounting the pallets there is arranged at the outer ends of each pallet support, instead of the roller bracket or block 37, a thrust piston 80 by means of a block 81, the free end of which in the ejected position when such thrust piston 80 is impinged with pressurized oil or other suitable pressurized fluid medium, engages into a bore 82 of the pallet 72 and arrests such at the pallet guide 69 with the support rolls 45. All eight provided thrust pistons 80 can be impinged with the pressurized fluid medium by the infeed bushing 39 independently of one another, and upon switching the system to the return flow of the oil they release under spring pressure the pallets 71 prior to the pallet change. The use of the pallet changer and the rotary storage in the manufacturing or fabrication installations for different production requirements will be apparent from the showing of FIGS. 6-11. Now according to the showing of FIG. 6, a pallet changer 46 is arranged between two conveyor path or track sections 47, 48 and the pallets 71 are transported out of the clamping zone or station 49 in conventional manner in the direction of the indicated arrow. At the end of the conveyor track or line section 47 there is located a transfer station 50, from which the pallet changer 46 either delivers the pallets 71 to the vertical machine 52 or the horizontal machine 53 and assumes the transfer from one to the other machine. After completion of the working operations the pallet changer 46 shifts the pallets 71 to the transfer station 50 located at the start of the conveyor track section 48, from which location they are transported in conventional manner to the unclamping zone or station 51. In this case change operations are thus carried out, on the one hand, at two transfer stations 50 of the conveyor part of the fabrication installation and, on the other hand, at two machine tools 52 and 53, the transfer stations 50 simply constituting end parts of the conveyor tracks or lines 47 and 48. According to the showing of FIG. 7 the pallet changer 46 is arranged between a vertical machine 52, a horizontal machine 53 and a rotary storage 55, adjacent the conveyor line or lines 47, 48. Between both of the conveyor track or line sections 47 and 48 there is provided as usual a transfer station 54 rotatable through 90°, and the transfer station 54 is located opposite a transfer station 78 of the rotary storage 55. This rotary or rotational storage 55 in this case thus renders possible an increased flexibility of the fabrication installation in that upon arrival of priority workpieces or the need to carry out certain necessary post-machining work of an earlier factory order, the conveyor track section 47 and the pallet changer 46 can be freed of the normal or routine pallets in that the pallet changer transfers such to the rotary storage 55, whereby the fabrication installation is immediately ready for receiving the workpieces to be machined with priority. The rotary storage also can be advantageously employed for the storage of routine or ordinary workpieces, in order to compensate different machining times at the machines, or in order to render superfluous a continual mode of operation in the clamping zone which, as is known, is accomplished manually. With this fabrication installation there are thus carried out by a pallet changer change operations at a transfer station 78 of the rotary storage, a transfer station 54 rotatable through 90°, a conveyor track or path and at two machines 52 and 53. According to the showing of FIG. 8, the pallet changer 46 interlinks two machine tools 52 and 53 with a conveyor track or line 47, 48 and a second conveyor line or track 56, wherein for each conveyor line or track 47, 48 and 56, there is provided a clamping station or zone 49, 57 and a common unclamping zone or station 51. Reference character 54 designates the conventional rotatable transfer station at the first conveyor track or line 47, 48 and reference character 50 designates the simple transfer station of the second conveyor line or track 56 and which station is constructed as a terminal or end part. This arrangement is then advantageous if there are to be machined different types of workpieces at different priorities. In this case, there are carried out by a pallet changer 46 change operations at a transfer station 50 constructed as a simple terminal part of a conveyor line or track, a transfer station 54 rotatable through 90°, and at two machine tools. With the manufacturing or fabrication installation shown in FIG. 9, each of the four machines 52, 53, 52' and 53', has operatively associated therewith a pallet changer 461, 462, 463, and 464, respectively. These pallet changers, collectively designated by reference character 46, are located at a primary or main conveyor line 59, 59', 59", 59'", 60, constructed in the form of a loop where there are arranged four transfer stations 54 rotatable through 90°. Since both of the first machines 52, 53--a horizontal machine and a vertical machine--are provided for carrying out supplementary operational work, there is arranged between their pallet changers 461, 462 a rotary storage 55 cooperating with these pallet changers 461, 462 and directly transports workpieces from the horizontal machine 53 to the vertical machine 52. In this way, the primary conveyor line 60 is relieved and the installation is rendered more operationally flexible. This flexibility is even further augmented by the additional clamping station or zone for priority workpieces 57 and the priority conveyor line 56 with its transfer station 50. What is also favorable for the course of operation of such fabrication installation is the fact that there is provided a certain buffer capacity for both of the last machines 52', 53' due to the pallet changer 46 having four respective pallet supports 20. With this installation there are carried out by the first pallet changer 461 change operations at three transfer stations 50, 54, 78 and at a machine tool 52. The second pallet changer 462 carries out change operations at two transfer stations 54, 78 and a machine tool 53, whereas both of the last pallet changers 463, 464, with the available buffer capacity, carry out change operations at a respective transfer station 54 and at a respective machine tool 52', 53'. Now in the showing of FIG. 10 there is arranged a first pallet changer 46 between a first vertical machine 52 and a first horizontal machine 53 and apart from the foregoing a second pallet changer 58 is arranged between a second vertical machine 61 and a second horizontal machine 62. Adjacent both of the pallet changers 46 and 58 there is located a stationary shelf storage 63 as well as a pallet feed device 64. The pallet feed device 64 can be shifted upon the rail 65 between the clamping and unclamping station 67 and the shelf storage 63. This shelf storage 63 possesses two transfer stations 66, from which there are distributed to two respective machines the pallets by the pallet changer. In this fabrication installation there are carried out by a pallet changer change operations at a transfer station 66 and two machine tools. According to the showing of FIG. 11 there are provided four pallet changers 46 adjacent the stationary shelf storage 63 and a pallet feed or displacement device 64 which can be displaced upon rail 65 analogous to the arrangement discussed above in conjunction with FIG. 10. Each pallet changer 46 has operatively associated therewith either a vertical machine 52 and 61 or a horizontal machine 53 and 62. In this case, the pallet changer 46, due to its four pallet supports 20, additionally acts as a buffer so that there is eliminated any overloading of the pallet feed device 64. Here, pallet change operations are accomplished respectively at a machine and a transfer station. While there are shown and described present preferred embodiments of the invention, it is to be distinctly understood that the invention is not limited thereto, but may be otherwise variously embodied and practiced within the scope of the following claims. ACCORDINGLY, Citas de patentes

Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters Cast By: Lynn Barker After Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief, based on the popular novel by Rick Riordan was a hit, filmmakers went to work on the next in the action/adventure/fantasy franchise, Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters. “Sea of Monsters” continues the story of young demigod (part Greek God, part human) Percy’s journey to fulfill his destiny. Now Percy and his buddies have to find the magical Golden Fleece of legend in order to save themselves and their world. The quest will take them through the dreaded Sea of Monsters (our Bermuda Triangle). Power-mad fellow demigod Luke (son of God Hermes) is back and determined to rule and Percy (son of sea god Poseidon) will have to ask “dad” for some help battling zombies and way more. What is different this time around? Young director Thor Freudenthal says he wanted to show more of life in the demi-God camp in this film. But a lot of the movie takes place at sea and has a wider scope. There is also more humor. Percy learns of the existence of a half-brother and that relationship carries through the film. What audiences can expect is to have tons of fun, to laugh and feel with the characters, to be emotionally involved and to have a rip-roaring adventure! Kidzworld talked with Logan Lerman (Percy), Alexandra Daddario (Annabeth), Leven Rambin (Clarisse) and Brandon T. Jackson (Grover). The cast covered everything from wearing green tights to working on water in New Orleans heat and loving their kid and teen fans. Kidzworld: Did any of the actors read the books? - Leven: I picked up the second book in which Clarisse is described as “Pig-faced”, and a size XXL and disgusting (laughter) and I tried to incorporate that (laughter). I mean I wasn’t as concerned with vanity and not super body conscious. I let myself fall into that because I didn’t want to feel like a pretty girl or someone who cares about that kind of thing. It did help me to understand what the fans are looking for and what I should bring for the die-hard fans of the books. - Alexandra: I read the first book in lieu of the script because I didn’t have a script when I screen-tested. It helped a lot. And I read the 2nd book after I read the script this time. They are two different mediums and structurally, they’re different. I think focusing on the script is most important when you are making the film but the books definitely help with character development. You see a different side and some different stories. It’s an interesting read. Kidzworld: Why do you think the Percy Jackson world in books and films so resonates with teens and kids? - Alexandra: I think that it’s really hard to be a kid and hard to grow up. From personal experience we all know that is true. I think that this series shows that, no matter what you’re going through, no matter what you’re struggling with, you can still succeed. It doesn’t mean you can’t be who you want to be. It doesn’t mean that you don’t have amazing powers and abilities despite all your weaknesses. I think that’s really relatable and inspiring and it’s really cool to be part of that. I think that’s one of the reasons people love it. - Brandon: I think young kids these days, it’s a cynical generation so it is something good to believe in. Everyone is so into the reality type stuff. And I feel like you don’t see too many books and films that have underlying, positive messages for kids. A lot of kids are doing their own thing on the internet so to have the positive force that readers can take from this is great for this generation because they definitely need it. - Logan: There’s something really appealing, and especially to me growing up and even now; (the books and films are about) young people in extraordinary situations dealing with human issues, human problems, flawed characters as well. None of our characters is perfect. (In these books and films) kids get to save the world, you know? That’s crazy. That’s fun. Kidzworld: Did anyone have any trouble getting back into character or was it easy for you? - Alexandra: I think there was a little bit of that because a few years (went by) but it was like going back to summer camp because you’re with old friends and there’s a familiarity so you’re very comfortable around them and you have people to rely on and lean on if you’re having a bad day or someone to share a good day with. That helped us fall back into character. Now we all know how to do green screen and are different places in our lives and careers than we were for the first movie. It was a nice adventure. - Brandon: That sums it up for me. - Logan: Yeah, just jumping back into the old shoes. It was a lot of fun. Kidzworld: Brandon, what about putting on those green special effects tights again? - Brandon: (laughs). You know what? Honestly it’s a break from real life. Like when you are young. It’s like summer camp so I don’t mind it. It takes me back to being a kid again. But, wearing goat pants everyone made fun of me. - Logan: But you got the walk down! - Brandon: At first it was “I ain’t wearin’ no tights” but I was having a good time. Kidzworld: Did you have to go through boot camp again to learn weapons, stunts etc. for this movie like on the first one? And if so, what were some of the new challenges involved in making this movie? - Logan: There wasn’t a boot camp. I speak for myself on this one, maybe Alex too. I’m sure Brandon might have done it because he did Tropic Thunder beforehand and all that too. On the first movie, we were really preparing for such a big action film with all the wire work and fighting and all that, I’d never done that. So we did a lot of training on the first movie. But then getting into the second one, we felt pretty comfortable. So we didn’t really need too much preliminary training, but throughout the whole movie, we’re constantly just preparing for a new fight scene, or wire scene, or some flying, or on water. It was crazy. - Alexandra: We spent our downtime learning the fight choreography and our training from before really helped us come back and do that. Kidzworld: A new element is added to it this time and that’s water (the Sea of Monsters). Did that involve some additional swimming, diving or other water work? - Logan: We didn’t have to get wet, which was nice but we were on a pretty small boat a lot and it was really hot. We can’t go back and forth to land because that’s adding another hour in between shots or something like that. So we were out in the boat for a long time. We were in New Orleans and it was the summertime. So it was just the heat. It was kind of difficult to work with. But other than that, it was really beautiful. It was fun. Kidzworld: Were there any Greek mythological characters that you were excited to see on screen? - Brandon: Chronos. Chronos is dope! - Logan: Polyphemus, that’s one of my favorite characters in Greek mythology just going back to “The Odyssey” and all that. It’s pretty cool the way that Thor (director Thor Freudenthal) and all the visual effects team created Polyphemus and all the original ideas they had and what it turned out to be. - Brandon: I like the way he comes together and shreds and comes back. With 3D that will be really a cool visual effect. Kidzworld: Is Percy still worrying about proving himself in this film? - Logan: Yeah. At the end of the first one, we ended it with him being the hero and now he’s not the hero anymore. And he has that similar thought in his mind like, “Maybe it was just luck, that one time. That’s my thing. That’s what I’ll be known for. Let me just accept being an average demi-god.” It’s human. You know what I mean? It’s extraordinary but it’s human. So that’s kind of where we find him at the beginning of this film. He’s kind of doubting himself and he’s been one-upped by Clarisse. Kidzworld: Speaking of Clarisse, Leven, did you enjoy being a brunette in the film and kicking butt? Have you enjoyed going for more action this time? - Leven: Yeah. I was really lucky that Thor was able to picture me as a brunette with this blonde hair. That might not be the first thing that comes to mind when you look at me but I yeah, when I put on that wig…I didn’t dye my hair…it changed my physicality a lot and I felt less inhibited and felt down to be a little more brash and powerful and strong. I hid behind all the brown hair and it gave me the power and confidence to kick someone in the rear (laughter). Kidzworld: What has not been written for your character yet that you’d like to do in the next sequel? Or, are you just happy with all you got to do this time around? - Logan: I know what I’d like to bring back. I don’t know what I’d like to do with Percy, but I think the flying shoes were fun in the first one. (I hope that) somehow (they could) incorporate them again if we do a third one. - Alexandra: I liked that Annabeth has a more sensitive side in this movie whereas in the first movie, she’s very tough. I really enjoyed doing that bad-a** stuff in the first movie; something I don’t really do in my regular life but I think that people are a combination of strength and weakness. She is still very strong (in the new film) and I love the warrior side of her but it doesn’t make that much sense for the character to be that tough throughout. - Brandon: Well, this one was kind of fun for me because Grover is so scared in the beginning. Only a satyr can lead you to the police.. so him getting captured, the comedy is there. Then, at the end, it’s action so being able to have fun with both comedy and action, I was happy with it. I had a great time. Maybe one day, he could use a sword. That probably won’t go down but I’m happy. - Leven: She has soft spots for certain characters toward the end of the movie. She finally found the good in them and saw their value as half-bloods. I really enjoy playing scenes where she’s a know-it-all and thinks she’s the best but playing scenes where she needs their help and reluctantly takes it, is fun. She’s the reluctant team player here and there is comedy in that she’s trying so hard to convince herself and everyone else that she knew what she was doing when she doesn’t. - (In the future), I would like to see Clarisse have a friend or love interest who thinks she is sweet and attractive and girlie (laughter). Maybe show a girlier side. It’s in there somewhere. Kidzworld: Can you talk about fan reaction to you in the films? - Alexandra: The biggest thing for me is that it’s amazing that you are jumping into something so many young people are inspired by. When I was a kid I would go to Broadway shows and wait out back for the actors. They were like Gods to me, the most amazing people and my dream was to be on stage or be in a movie. So to be in the opposite position now, it’s amazing to inspire someone and meet them and uplift them just because you get to play a relatable character. It’s kind of cool. - Logan: It almost goes without saying that the majority of people that would recognize me in my normal, everyday life from this film are kids. My family works a lot with children and it’s really nice to see that a movie can make them so happy. And a photo might make them happy just because that’s the character from the movie that they like, or whatever. I say that’s the most value I get out of being a part of this film. See Percy Jackson: The Sea of Monsters in theaters starting August 7th!

WRITE A REVIEW 75% would repurchase Package Quality: 4.3 Filter by skin/hair/eye Filter by age on 6/14/2010 8:11:00 PM More reviews by heathersmakeupaddiction Age: 18 & Under Skin: Oily, Fair, Cool Hair: Blond, Wavy, Medium If you are looking for a good base- this is it. I love it much more than my UDPP, and it does a better job of not creasing (like UDPP does for me). The color is simply beautiful and looks great on us very fair-skinned girls ;) For $16.50 the price is pretty decent too. I will repurchase again and again! on 6/12/2010 5:14:00 PM More reviews by Hermione691 Skin: Acne-prone, Fair-Medium, Not Sure Hair: Blond, Other, Other I have oily skin, including my eyelids. No matter how much I prep them with foundation, powder, or primer, my eyeshadow always seems to crease within minutes of application. My small, hooded eyes don't help at all, either. I bought Bare Study after I went to a makeup consultation at my local MAC store, and they recommended it to me. I absolutely LOVE this product!!! It STAYS on my lids ALL day, no sliding off or creasing! It's pale enough that it can be worn by itself for a natural day look, or spiced up with darker colors in the crease for the evening. There's just enough sparkle and shimmer to lighten up my eyes and make them look a lot larger. Although this product is quite pricey, I would DEFINITELY buy it again. This is a must have in my makeup kit, and it lasts long enough that it won't break your wallet. on 6/8/2010 10:26:00 AM More reviews by Jordette Skin: Combination, Dark, Not Sure Hair: Black, Other, Other I hate it alone just doesnt work for my dark skin. But it does turn all your mattes into metallics so you have a whole other set of shadows for that I love it! on 6/7/2010 4:06:00 PM More reviews by LUVrascal Skin: Normal, Fair, Cool Hair: Blond, Wavy, Fine I wanted to try other Paint Pots after recently falling in love with Rubeneque. I'm so impressed with the lasting power but given how warm toned Rubenesque is I'm limited as to what colors I can pair with it. The SA recommended this color to me after I told her I wanted a good neutral that wasn't too stark or flat. It's a great shimmery base for other colors. But alone on bare lids it's that perfect pearl shade that just makes my eyelids look even toned and gleaming. I was worried that it'd be tricky to build the color up but so far I haven't had problems layering it evenly. I like it as a highlighter under my brow bone as well... just a quick swipe with my fingers and it applies sheerly enough.Amazing staying power with no creasing by the end of a long day. I'd definitely recommend this to anyone looking for a beautiful base for their shadows. on 6/6/2010 11:08:00 PM More reviews by newyorkaudrey Skin: Acne-prone, Fair, Not Sure just started collecting makeup and everyone I ever talked to recommended this product. So I went to MAC right after work and spent $17 on it, I got home very excited like a kid on Christmas, and BLAH! I applied it with my finger and a brush but I still got a cakey look on my lid and it crease within 5 hours. My UDPP does better then that, so sad this product didn't work. Not believing the MAC hype, I'm returning it this Saturday. on 6/6/2010 3:40:00 PM More reviews by MUAddictMel Skin: Other, Fair-Medium, Not Sure Hair: Brunette, Other, Other The jury is still out for me on this one. I want to give it a really good review like that other people have, but for some reason, I can't get this to work well for me. I love MAC paint pots normally, but this one just looks kinda weird on my lid! It looks very shimmery on my lid and almost bitty. I think it looks cakey. Maybe I just don't suit shimmery cream eyeshadows... I dunno. I prefer the Beij-ing shade stick. on 6/5/2010 8:06:00 PM More reviews by Hothead Skin: Normal, Fair, Warm Hair: Brown, Straight, Medium this is a lesser loved paint pot.(just look at its rating).. sometimes maligned and sometimes loved, it all depends who uses it and when and those are very subjetive issues.for me, Bare Study is very useful for mu apps... I have used it myself for evenings and layered a soft golden ES or pale pastels, and it is gorgeous. It can be used alone for day as it is not too shimmery with simple nude colors and great red lips.it is multifunctional as it can be used as a highliter also -- I have used this very lightly for beach shoots and the results have been superb. on 6/5/2010 7:25:00 PM More reviews by Funtabulosity329 Skin: Combination, Fair, Not Sure Hair: Brown, Other, Other I HONESTLY CANNOT EVEN FATHOM HOW MUCH I LOVE BARE STUDY PAINT POT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!OMG I WILL NEVER WEAR ANOTHER LID COLOR AGAIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Honestly, I have found my perfect lid color. Lemme share my story: For the longest time, I was looking for the perfect lid color- light so it could enhance my eyes and open them up and make me appear bright-eyed and wide-awake, but not too dark that it created a shadow that made me appear the exact opposite of what I wanted. For reference, All That Glitters was too dark. Yeah. I'm serious. Also, I need my lid color to not be warm-toned, like have any pink, red, orange, peach, or coral tones or undertones. Those tones/undertones make me look like I a) have been crying all day and/or b) am having an allergic reaction. Not pretty. But, my lid color can't be too cool toned either, like have any taupe or gray undertones. THOSE colors just show up gray on my eyes, making me look sallow and not bright-eyed and wide awake like I want. Legit yellow colors just look downright strange. So, I need neutrals with gold shimmer, metallic-ness, undertones, tones, and/or iridescence. So here comes along the marvelous miracle that is Bare Study Paint Pot. And Bare Study delivers! It's EXACTLY what I want (I'm not listing ALL that I want again- I listed it all above LOL)!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! So if you're like me and your wants are just like mine, spend your money on Bare Study and I PROMISE you won't regret it!!!!! Absolutely gorgeous. And if you're on the fence about Bare Study, with the mindset "Oh, it's a cream shadow, it'll crease on me," IT WON'T!!!!!! And trust me on this, I would know! I seriously have the oiliest lids EVER- even POWDER eyeshadows crease on me unless I have a good primer on like L'Oreal Decrease. So I thought this would crease on me without a primer. But no! No creases ALL day-even in 90 DEGREE weather- without a primer! Gosh! Bare Study just couldn't get any better! And you might also be on the fence because "I could so easily find a drugstore dupe," but honestly, you can't!!! I COMBED the drugstore beauty aisle, and nothing!!!!!! I bought Covergirl Eye Enhancers in Champagne thinking it would be a dupe for Bare Study, but it is in NO WAY a dupe-Covergirl is white with shimmer, totally despite what it looks like in the pan. *rolls eyes in sheer disgust* Bare Study is an absolutely GORGEOUS light champagne color with gold shimmer and undertones. Sounds dupable, but it's totally unique in its own Bare Study way :) Since my color description doesn't do it justice (heck, what am I talking about- NO color description does it justice!), I would definitely suggest checking out Bare Study at MAC. And then buying it :) Looks great on its own, or with Tempting in the crease to define the crease. Might possibly be the best makeup purchase I've ever made. I will repurchase this until I die, and I have seriously taken an oath to never wear another neutral lid color again. If they ever discontinue Bare Study I will personally strangle MAC and then shoot them all with an AK-47 :) :) :) on 6/1/2010 11:59:00 AM More reviews by kumintang Skin: Acne-prone, Dark, Warm Hair: Black, Wavy, Coarse I give this product such high rating because it transform all of my shadows collection into this beautiful hazey colors with different dimension to them. It's like having another full sets of eyeshadow collection ! So yes, to me this pot worth the high rating and definitely will rebuy 4 out of 4 people found this review helpful. on 5/24/2010 9:30:00 PM More reviews by Embeth3 Skin: Dry, Fair-Medium, Warm Hair: Brown, Wavy, Medium Bare Study is my first Paint Pot - hard to get in NZ, only 2 or 3 stores in the country stock MAC (which is very annoying, grump!) and it's $42 NZD. Ouch.Works well though, the colour is nothing too out there, a nice neutral beige champagne pearl, though I find it difficult to apply evenly with a brush so have resorted to using a clean index finger to get smooth coverage. You do have to be careful not to overload product in the inner corners and blend out any smudges quickly but once it is set, it *stays*. I don't get any creasing at all.I apply Bare Study from lid to brow and then just generally apply deep or colourful shadows to lid and crease. No need to an additional highlighter (unless you want to) as there is enough, though very subtle shimmer, even if applied very lightly. I was told by the MAC SA to ensure the lid was replaced promptly and screwed on tightly to stop it from drying out. It's only been a month if use so far, I've made barely a dent in it so I expect as long as it remains creamy and soft, I'll get at least a years use out of it.Would buy again! But will look at Rubenesque as well... ;-) 2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Popular Eyes Products Are you sure this product is discontinued? daasfdsad, asdadasd, addasdasdas, asdasdasdasfsdfgdfs, fgdssdgfdgfg, gfgdgdfgdhfgj Reviewer did not try the product Profanity/Vulgar language Advertising (Vendor promotion, iHerb Coupons etc.) Marketing campaign (BzzAgent, Influenster etc.)

Newspaper Page Text Hjc CIPoniruiuff j5nu. C. M. Funston, Kditou. THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 26. 1896. One Year ,...12 00 Six Mouths t ..125 Three Months 76 Address all communications and make all remittances to C. M, Funston, Flagstaff, Advertising rates given upon application. Entered at tho Flagstaff post ofilco as second-class TnE bars aro down fir li; imports, and until n duty shall be placed on wool, the fnp I is likely to hold a rise id tho price of wool. TriE number of mi;;iiml MeKinley men has rnpidlv increased in Arizma since liis nomination, mid since hi election they have multiplied still The President has appointed Wil liam S. Fornuin Commissioner of In ternal Revenue. Mr. Forman was Hie sound money candidate, for governor of Illinois and lias served tliree terms TllEltK seems to lm soinn demand for silver. Two hundred and fifty thousand ounces were shipped from New Yoik to London last week. If this sort of IhitiiT keeps up the. whiln metal will renmnetir.e itself. Tin: advocates of free silver are not cast down over the business prospects. They know that they will profit by the revival of business as well as the rest of the count ry, and secretly mo glad that tilings are to be better. The fi iends of Hon. Ec. Willi mis of Nogales, nio earnestly soliciting him to aspire to the appointment of associate, justice of the first judicial distiict. Mr. Williams is an able lawyer, a concientions man and would' make an excellent judge. A NEW republican party will be organized in Pima county. It is said that onlv tho wisest ami best dressed men can become membe;s of the or ganization. So far, tlm membership embrace a bakor's doyen, and the ro organizers may, by judicious manage ment, increase their membership to The Knights of Labor, at on time tho strongest labor organization in tho world, is vapidly going to pieces. At the recent meeting of tho order the membership was stated to ho less than thirty thousand, anil tho indebtedness about ten thousand dollars. In fact this, greatest of labor organizations, is rapidly declining and will soon bo a thing of tho pist. The report of secretary Morton sas that seventy-two per cent, of tho fatms in the United States occupied by their owners, am fieo from mortgages or other incumbtaiices. Tho secret at y refutes tho idea pievailing that tho farms of Iho west and south are more heavily Incumbered than those of the cast. Tho claim that farmers aro al most universally in debt, despondent and suffering, is without any founda A'MASS meeting was held in Pres cott on Thurcd'iy of last week, and it was tho henso of tho majority of tlioto present, that the. thing to do with tho bonds issued to tho now defunct P. & A. U. railroad, was to repudiate tliem. The tax pajers of Yavapai county arc about equally divided as for and against Humiliation of tlioso bonds. The original issue of the P. & A. C. bonds was $292,000. Sixty-ono havo been redeemed, leaving tho sum out The fact, sas tho Ohio ''Stato Jotir--nal." that Arizona and New Mexico went stiongly for free silver means that neither territory will havo a chanco for admission to tho Union very soon. They will havo to wait until tlioy aro in favor of a dollar worth 100 cents before their claims can bo con sidered by any congress which has a majority of tho supporters of sound money. Congress made a mistake, in admitting Idaho, Montana and other small states now in tho hands of tho silvcritcs. It will not bo repeated. This country needs a higher tariff and must have it buforu it wilt be able to mako boili ends meet. The Topt-ka, Kansas, Journal says; 'If the leport that the Rock Island will purchase tho Colorado Mid land and tho Rio Grande Western be tine, it will place that road much nearer to being tho Chicago. Rock Is land & Pacilie in fact as well as in name, that it now is. The toad will ultimately leacli tho ocean, however, in all probability by tho southern i mile. Tho development of New Mex ico and Arizona will bring this about. Liberal will not always bu the south The lecoids of llieTieaiury Dep.u t meiit !how tli. t from February 1, 1896, to November 1, Iheio were coined at the mints of the United Slates 16,262, 922 stauilaid silver dollars, fiom tho balance of silver bullion on band pur chased under the act of July 14, 1890. The seigniorage upon this amount was $5,051,430, which has been turned in to the Treasury. The balance of the silver bullion purchased under the act of 1890 on hand November 1. 1896, was 125.061,263 tine ounces, which cost the (lovernment $112,865,625 The coinage value of this amount is The appi oa'cliiug Ii ligation Congress to be held at Phoenix can be made one of tint most important events in the history of the west. In the past these confesses havo done nothing but discuss the minor details of iriig.i tion, and totally failed to give the sub ject tin) prominence to which its im- poil.iuce eulilles it bj failure to adopt a dfliiiitn policy providing for the le clamatiou of the lauds of the west by and through govei umeiit aid. The. time lias come to do' this, and in no better way can it he accomplished than by the adoption and endorsement, by the congress, of t ho O'Neill plan providing for go eminent loans to states and ten Unties where irrigation is necessary for the construction of such woiks. The O'Neill plan has re ceived tho indorsement, of such men as Colonel iitinton, chief of the U. S. Irii gallon Commission, Governor Sheldon, Judge A. M. Urtimhaek of Kansas, E. R. Moses, chairman of the National In igation Congiess, Hon. J. S. Emory, national lectin er of the Irrigation As sociation of Kansas, Hon. George I. Lainey. of Nevada, Judge C. L. Richards, of Denver, and oilier lead ing irrigalionists of the west, as the most compiehensive and thorough plan ever proposed, and the citizens and press of Aiizoua should join as a uuitju urging its adoption teg.udlcss Those. 1. & A. (J. Hoods. The following lesolulions were adopted jesteiilay by the boald of su- Resolved, That tho older of the board of Mipervisois of Yavapai count, adopted on the fiist day of August, 1896, icquesting delay on the pal I of the Tciritmial Loan commis sion, in the matter of the funding of the P, & A. C. Riilio.id bonds, be. and the same is hereby rescinded, and Resolved, That in compliance witli tho lequostof Messrs. T. W. Johnson and F. A. Tiitlo, attorneys for Kitchen & Co., owners of two bundled and thiiteeu of the Prescott & Aiizoua Central Railway bonds, of tho face value of 1,000 each, the boird of su pervisor, in acooidauco with tho pro vision of "An act approving with amendments tho funding act of Ari zona." approved, June 25, 1890, here by leports said bauds, us the bonds and outstanding indebtedness of Yava pai county, valid and made legal by the act of congress approved Juno 6, 1896, and solely because of such action upon tho part of congiess and for no other reason, the board of supervising of Yavapai coutity in further com pliant with said fund act of Juno 25, 1890, hereby demands of said loan commission of the territory of Arizona that they shall issue territorial bonds for tho above named bond indebted ness. Journal Miner. Tho Southern Pacific Railroad is constructing a steel bridge over the Sati Pedro river in Aiizona. It will have a 160 foot span and masonry abutments. Tho steel will como from the cast and the stono from Texas. The composition of the next legisla ture will be as follows: Apache sol Bnrth. I) Coconino A. A.Dutton, It Cochise i B. A. Packard, 1) Graham Dan M. Ming, D (ilia Geo. l. Hunt. I) Maricopa U. It. Hakes. D Mohave W. II. Lake'. D Navajo F. T. Asplnwall, II I'lnal , P.R. Brady.D Pima F.O. Hughes, 1) Yavapai J. W.Norton, D Yuma J. II. Carpenter, It Democrats, 9; Republicans, 3. Apacho .' J. B. Patterson, D Coconino , II. T. Ashurst. I) Cochlso J. J. Rlggs, I) Cochlso , WllllamSpeed.lt Cochlso J.N. Jones, I) Gila Leroy Ikunberry. I) Graham Goo. W. Skinner, I) Graham II. L. Holers, 1) Moharo L. O. Cowan, D Maricopa P. I. Parker. 1) Maricopa '. . .Aaron Goldberg. 1) Maricopa J. W, Woolf, I) Maricopa J. C. Goodwin. I) Navajo J.N. Smith, It Pinal O. D. Reppy. D Pinal O. I). Mason. D Pl-na A. O. Bornard. D Pima D. L. Chalmers, I) I'iiiia J. 11. Finloy, D Plmu A. F. Preston, I) Yavap.il U.J. Warren, I) Yavapai G. W. Hull, I) Yavapai W.J. Mulvenon, I) Yuma , Murat Mastorson, I) Democrats. 23; Republicans, 3. Tho following prisoners were par doned on Thursday of last week from the Territorial prison: Jack Eucinas and Isaac Ramirez, sentenced to six months each fiom Mi.i icop.i county for burglary in the second degiee; on account of expira tion of their sentence. lienjaniiu Eail from Maricopa coun ty, burglary, 7 jeais; pardoned uncon ditionally. Wm. Harper from Yavapai, murder, seuleuee would li-ivit .shortly cxpiicd; pardoned to restore cili.euship. L irk Pierce, Yavapai, murder, sen tence expires Nov. 25, 1896; pardoned to restoie to citizenship. John Clay, grand I.ticeuy, Maricopa county, b yeais; panic ucd uncondition ally. Daniel 11. Shakiand, manslaughter, Cochise county. p.u dotted uncondition ally, sentence 10 years. Fiauk Leslie, murder, Cochise coun ty, life; pardoned unconditionally. Notice to Teachers. Notice is hereby given that tho -regular- quaiterly meeting of the Hoard of School Examiners, for the purpose of examining applicants for teachers1 certificates, will bo held in the coillt house on Monday and Tuesday, Dec. 7 and 8, 1896. N. G. Layton. Probate Judge and cx-officio Superin tendent of Publiu Insiitictiou of Co conino County, Arizona. Hon. J. A. Fleming returned Satur day evening from a visit to Denver where he ptu chased two car loads of mining machinery for the Black War i ior group of copper mines at Globe ami which have been shipped to that place. This group of mines piomiscs to deielop into one of the biggest pro perties in the Ten itoiy and the own ers intend fully developing and work ing it. Theru is at the present lime nearly $2,000,000 worth of copper ore ill sight which canies a consideialile qumitily of gold, while iron and lime for fluxing purposes is abundant. As soon us the machinery just pin chased reaches Globe, Mr. Fleming will join Mr. Hill at that place and l he machin ery will be put up and active wink stalted. It. is the intention of the owners to at once put up a smelting plant wiih a capacity of fiom two to three huudied tons per day as the oie in sight is in such a large body that a plant of that size could he kept l nu lling continually. Phoenix Herald. There are no new developments says the Jeiome "News" in the death of Frank Flannigan who was found dead on the mountain above the smelter on the morning of Nov. 4. Frank had been down town on election day and had slatted over the moun tain to the lime stone quarry of the U. V. C. Co., where he was foreman. This was the last seen of him until ho was found dead the next day. Frank was well known in Jerome and bad many friends here. "Hop" joints aro run more openly in Jeiome than any place on the coast, and wo are Informed that there are more recruits made to the "pipe" in Jerome than in any town of its size in America. Should this be allowed to go on? Jerome News. "Ones talk "Jn favor of Hood's Sarsapaiilla, as for no other medi cine. Its great cures recorded in truthful, convincing language ot grateful men and women, constitute its most effective ad vertising. Many of these cures are mar velous. They have won the confidence of the people; have given Hood's Sarsapa riUs the largest sales in the world, and have made necessary for its manufacture the greatest laboratory on earth. Hood's Sarsaparillais known by the cures it has made cures of scrofula, salt rheum and eczema, cures of rheumatism, neuralgia and weak nerves, cores ot dyspepsia, liver troubles, catarrh cores which prove Is the best-In fact the Ons True Blood Purifier. u it riMi cure "ver fllj; easy to flOOdS FllIS take, easy to operaW2Sc. Try It and Sec. Whatever may be said about the publications of Rev. Ill R. Hicks by thoso who don't fully understand the fads, there is nn denying the trulb' that his paper and almanac have come to stay. His splendid journal, "Word and Works," is now entering its tentli .ear, largely increased in circulation and in eery way improved, until it deserves I In national reputation it ha attained. His 1897 Almanac is now rcail and is by far the finest and uiovi beauliful lie has yet issued. It coiilaius 108 pages, including cover uriNlic.ilU piinted in colois, and is lilted from back to back with just uliul is wanted in, every shop, office and home in Amciiea. One feature of the Almanac for 1897 is a- series of 12 oiiiu'il, beautifully engraved star maps, with explanatory ch.ipteis, which could not he bought for less lli-ni lie dollars in any work on as tronomy. As Mr. Hicks has so cor rectly and faithfully warned the public f coming ill mights, Hoods, cold waves, hliZ'iids. tornadoes and cy clones, in the yeais passed, aside from tin other vailed and splendid fi-aturcs of his paper uud Alumnae, Ihese con siderations alone should prompt every fauiil) to subscribe at ouch for 1897. The Almanac is only 2Sctsv a copy. "Woid and Woiks" is one dollar n e.ir. and n copy of the fine Aim mac goes as a pi eiiiium with every yearly subsciiplioii. Wiito to "Wmil and Woiks" Publishing Co , St. Louis, Mo. ltiicUlcn rulcii Milve. Tin best salve in the world for cuts, bitiises, sore-, ulcers, sail iheiiin, fever soies, tetter, chapped hands, chilblains, coi us mid all rklii eruptions, and posi li.eh cllles piles, oi no pay Seipiired. Il is glial antei d to give ieifect satis f.icti'in or unmet lefunded. Price, 25 cents per box. For sale by I). ,1. Uran neii. Flagstaff. Aiir.ona Yuma needs a bank. C OOOIV Notice. OrriCB or the Hoard or Suitiivisohs or) COCOMMl OUNTV, AIIIZON.A TElllllTOItY. ri.AiisrAti, November at IK'HJ 1 Notice Is hcrnlly Riven tint the Hoard of Sup',rlsors of Coconino county. Arizona. ulll receive ocil'sl tikis until 1(1 o'clock, a. in , on oJauuary 4t.li. 1897, for turnlshln; the County for tho year 1801 wllh tho following 1. Priming; and Publishing. It. Hoard of County IrIontrs at County Jail In riaestaff. , 4. Care of Indigent sick at Flasstaff. ' 5. Medi Ines and Medical atteiidauco for indigent sick at I'lasstalf. 6. Midlclms mill Medical nttendanco for Indigent sick at Williams. Bids for prim hut, puhllshins and station ery will l.o received In lump bins, or fo,' each ISIdsaio totie matkedon cnvclnpoand nd dressid to ho Clerk of tho Bo trd. Bonds In tho sum of Ono Tlioumnd Hol lars will ho exact od for the faithful perform ance of any contract that may be et. Thu Hoard reserves tho rlstht to reject any and all bids. By order of tho Board of Su pervisors. C. A. Bush, Clerk. We want your tea-trade for the rest of your life. Do you see now how we can afford to say: "Get every sort of Schilling's Best of your grocer, and get your money back on what you don't like"? A Schilling & Company 5?i FntirUr-n jjtg Atlantic & Pacific R. R C. W. 8MIIH, Receiver. Condnnaed Time Table No. 43. Effective November 4. 1898.1 No. 3. No. 1, No. 2 No. 4 Lv. Chicago... Ar 11 65 p ....Kansas City ... .. . Denver .. Albuquerque Ar . ...Williams. .. 8 nr p. 11 10 a 1230 PiI2 20a 13 40 a 1 40 a Ar..Asb I'ortt Lv 7 15 a Ar., I'rcscott. I,v Ar... Phoenix ..Lv 0 IS a Lv..ARh V'ork. Ar .. Peach Snrlara .. 4 40 a 7 40 a 8 10 a iu iu p Ar. . Itarstow .... 1 20 p Ar San I)ieiro..Lv iv 15 a 10 15 a! 7 45 a Arnan Iran co L,v West or Williams. 7 10 p 8 45 p 2 u- a 4 10 a 8 00 a 10 0 a 12 45 p 3 60 p 4 30 p .At.li Pork. . I. I'eicli Springs. ... .. .Kingman ... Ilazdad. .. . ,.. Barstoiv .. 10 20 p 1 40 p 1 00 p 12 40 p 9 45 a Trains Nos. 3 and 4 aro llmlti ft train, run. nlni heml-weekly. No. 3' leaves Chicago Wednesdays and Saturdays passes Albu nuerquoou I'rldaVR ami Mondays, arriving at Los Anirel'S Saturdays and Tuesdays. Train No. 4 will leavo Los Anirules Mondays and Thursdays, pas-ln:? Albuquerque on Wednesdays and Saturd iys, arriving at Chl cazo Fridays and Mondiys. t-uuman raiace Mccping uars oally hroucb between Chlcazu and San Fran cisco and Chlcaio and Los Angeles. Pullman TourUt Sleeping Cars dally through between Chicago and Jnn Francisco ana t;nictgo ana ixis Angeles Tourist cars leave San I'ranclsco oery Wednesday and l.os Angeles every Thursday, running through to Kansas City, Chicago and Boston. The Grand Canyon of the Colorado can be reached only Ia this line. Ask for a beautifully Illustrated book which will be mailed free. DON A. SWEET. General Passenger Agent. Albuquerque. N.M. Santa Fe, Prescott I Phoenix Time Table No. 13. effective June 9. 1896. Mountain lime U standard used. No. 2 I No. 4 Iv Ash fork ar ar Prescott lv Iv Prescott ari Date Cret k 9 15 h ar Phoenix lv s. f., p. & p. Bam IL, T. & S. F. WNA, Is tho Shortest and Quickest Route to Den ver, Kansas City. St. Louis, Chicago and all The Scenic Line of Arizona, The Best Route to California, -Cnly North and South Line in Arizona. f Grand Canyon of the Colorado. Great Pine I'orosts I Great Salt River Valley, And numerous others points of Interest. Through tickets to all points In the United States, Canada and .Mexico. AH the comforts and conveniences cf a first-class road, with superb equipment. Close connections made at Ash Fork with Santa Fe route fast trains to ull points east and west. Trains for California leave Ash l'orkat 7:15 and 8:45 p. m., arriving In Los Angeles next afternoon at 1:25 and San Fran cisco second morning at 10:16. Parties desiring to remain over at Ash Forte will find excellent accommodations ut Fred Nos. 1 and 2 connect at Jerome Junction with trains of the United Vcrdo & Pacific Railway for Jerome. Connecting at Prescott with stago lines for all principal mining camps; at Congress with stage lines for Ilar qua Hala, Stanton and Yarncll; at Phoenix with tho M. & P. & 8. R. V. Railway for all points on Southern Paclflc Railway. Oeo. M. Bakoent, General Freight and Pas senger Avcnt, Prescott F. M. Mnapny. President and General Man ager, Prescott, Ariz. R. E. Wells, Assistant' General Manager, Wanted-An Idea gaggs Protect roar Mean; tbey may bring jou wealth. Write JOHN WEOOBBBDRM i CO , Piunt AUoS MTSt.vf Mblnttoa. D. O., for their ti.M prua otter so-Oltt of two bsalrsi trcstioc.' wdu1. No. 3 No. 1 8 60p 6 45 a 9 35 7 31 10 31 8 26 10 U 8 40 1135 9 30 1160 9 45 12 25 a 10 21 1 33 11 47 2 40 12 45 ) 3 20 1 Si 4 30 2U5 0 00 3 30 0 l- 3 43 (1 28 3 6" 0 45 a 4 15 p -, t,vr i i& - St y,'-HWs' a? '

Building strong brands isn’t getting any easier. An explosion in the number of brands—as well as a proliferation of ways to communicate them, from hundreds of cable channels to the Internet, product placement in movies, and even mobile-phone display screens—has made it tougher to get messages through. In addition, converging product-performance and service levels in many industries have made it more difficult to sustain existing brands. Meanwhile, the economic downturn has hamstrung marketers by cutting their budgets (Exhibit 1). Rising above the clutter without breaking the bank will require companies to get smarter about branding. During the 1990s, marketers spent unprecedented sums, but many discovered later that more wasn’t better. The promotional efforts of some companies were indiscriminate, focusing on aspects of the brand that didn’t drive customer buying patterns. Others failed to note shifting customer preferences and evolving market segments; Volvo, for example, lost out on years of potential sales by waiting until 2003 to introduce a sport utility vehicle. In short, marketers relied too heavily on intuition and not enough on a fact-based understanding of the marketplace. A few companies are starting to build their brands more scientifically—and in doing so have pushed marketing to new frontiers. The key is combining a forward-looking market segmentation with a more precise understanding of the needs of customers and a brand’s identity. The wealth of information about customers and buying patterns (obtained by studying everything from loyalty programs to cheap Internet-based surveys) and the availability of more sophisticated and accessible statistical tools make it possible to undertake these tasks with more precision and accuracy than ever. In short, reaching the next level requires a more rigorous, data-based edge to branding. Certainly, even the most advanced quantitative techniques can’t save brands whose value propositions lag behind those of competitors. And adopting new methodologies has its challenges. The solid analytics at the heart of the new approach may not only require new skills in the marketing department but also highlight steps that other parts of the organization—from product development to operations to customer service—must take to help deliver the brand. Moreover, some marketers may worry that adopting more quantitative techniques will compromise their creativity. In our experience, though, getting analytical about customer needs and the brand identity helps channel the imagination into areas in which it makes a difference. And the ability to avoid costly trial and error and to build a better brand more efficiently is too compelling to pass up, particularly in challenging economic times. Tomorrow’s segments today The first order of business is to take a hard look at the long-term profit potential of each customer segment; otherwise, marketers can waste a huge amount of effort defining and delivering brands for segments that don’t warrant the investment. While no good brand manager ignores shifts that are clearly under way, marketers have traditionally based their segmentation schemes on current conditions, such as the size, income, age, and ethnicity of various target populations; estimates of their consumption and loyalty; and information about their locations, lifestyles, needs, and attitudes. Helpful as traditional segmentation efforts are, they run the risk of leading companies to chase customer groups with weak long-term potential. Many apparel companies, for example, target the fad-conscious teenage segment. But now, with teenagers representing a declining demographic in many Western economies, the fruits of figuring out how to cater to these fickle customers seem likely to shrink. Fortunately, deciding when it’s time to rethink a segment doesn’t require marketers to gaze into a crystal ball; rather, they must only spot developing trends, work out how the changes will affect a segment, and assess the impact on future profitability. Winning the race in any given segment is much easier with the wind of a strong trend at your back. Major transformations—from behavioral changes, such as dietary shifts, to demographic evolution, such as the aging of the baby boomers and the swelling of the US Hispanic population—can be a marketer’s friends, but only if they are identified and embraced. Consider the impact that an increase in the frequency of on-the-move eating and the growing popularity of the high-protein, low-carbohydrate Atkins diet could have on breakfast cereal producers such as Kellogg’s and Quaker Oats. Cereal customers have long been divided into an adult segment (for which brands emphasize health issues, including fiber content and ingredients that lower cholesterol) and a kid segment (appealed to by stressing fun and taste while reassuring mom and dad about the nutritional content). Cereal-focused market research would be unlikely to suggest modifying this approach. Yet on-the-move eating has already helped products such as NutriGrain bars, which appeal to both segments, succeed at the expense of some breakfast cereals. And more than 15 million people in the United States have tried the Atkins diet, so assessing the future economic potential of a "protein-seeking" segment that eschews the carbohydrates in breakfast cereals is important. The segment’s size today would be only a starting point. Marketers would also need to project their estimates on the basis of obesity rates, the number of Atkins books sold, growth rates in the markets that embraced Atkins first, and the adoption trajectories of past diet crazes. While such estimates are bound to be uncertain, projections with an error range as large as 20 percent can still help marketers bound the potential impact of trends, decide which are worth reacting to, and identify those (for instance, the grapefruit diet) that are flashes in the pan. Follow the money Once marketers have spotted meaningful trends, the next challenge is to determine their probable impact on the customer landscape and the likely profitability of the resulting segments. Rapidly growing ones may not be the most profitable down the road, so it’s vital to translate growth projections into dollars and cents. Consider what has been happening in the hospitality sector. For decades, the industry recognized two customer segments: service-oriented business travelers and price-driven leisure travelers. In recent years, however, the highly profitable business segment has begun splintering, with threatening implications for hotels (including stalwarts such as Hilton Hotels, Marriott International, and Sheraton) whose brands are associated with traditional business travelers and their needs. At one end of the spectrum, rising pressure on corporate expenses has produced a new kind of value-driven business traveler. At the other, a new breed of mobile, aspiring professional will go to great lengths to avoid standard business hotels, for these luxury-driven business travelers increasingly wish to merge work and play. Some are "fashion-seekers," who view the hotels they patronize as a form of personal expression. Others are "escape-seekers," who are looking for a break from the humdrum of business on the road and want to feel pampered. Responding effectively to these pressures requires an understanding of each segment’s future economic potential. Volume is part of the story, but variables such as capital requirements, changing room rates, and earnings from sideline services are important as well. Playing in the fast-growing value-business segment requires a delicate balancing act: keeping costs low enough to meet the customers’ low-price expectations profitably while spending enough to build a differentiated brand. The luxury fashion segment also presents perils: it depends heavily on spending for style and status—extras that customers might choose to do without during economic downturns. Fashionable hotels may also have to spend more to keep their bars, restaurants, and lobbies in vogue. Such insights help marketers decide which segments to target and how to go after them. Where growth is likely but profitability less certain, the prudent course is often to limit the downside risk, perhaps by stretching existing brands to meet new needs. Some hotel chains took this approach by offering what they call "value rates" within existing properties or by creating value sub-brands such as Holiday Inn Express and Courtyard by Marriott. These brands had reasonably healthy returns both before and during the recent economic downturn. By contrast, during the late 1990s the superluxury business segment attracted a flood of new entrants ranging from independent boutique hotels to companies such as Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide and Marriott, which expanded their St. Regis and Ritz-Carlton brands, respectively. While many of the hotels briefly filled their rooms at stratospheric rates, revenue per available room in this segment has fallen more than twice as fast as the industry average during the economic downturn. Distinguishing between cyclical effects and long-term trends might have limited the carnage. Building the brand Once marketers have their eye on the most promising future segments, they must rethink the brand—an increasingly complex process. Brand proliferation and rapid imitation have diminished the return on clever advertising and "breakthrough ideas," such as adding a "miracle ingredient" to a detergent or associating a sports star with a particular brand of athletic shoes. Today, cost-effective brand building depends on knowing precisely what consumers care about and tailoring the brand accordingly. Sophisticated new analytic approaches provide the precision but only when coupled with conceptual clarity in first defining a brand and then actually delivering it through a variety of what marketers call "touchpoints," the sites where consumers interact with it. What’s my brand, anyway? Defining a brand involves emphasizing its key benefits and attributes for consumers. To do so, marketers must recognize that a brand consists of more than a bundle of tangible, functional attributes; its intangible, emotional benefits, along with its "identity," frequently serve as the basis for long-term competitive differentiation and sustained loyalty. Coca-Cola, for example, is a powerful global brand not just because the beverage comes in a familiar red can and customers like the taste but also because it conveys an image as an optimistic, American product. Marketers could promote many tangible and intangible brand attributes, but the goal is to uncover the relevance of each to consumers and the degree to which it helps distinguish the brand from those of competitors. The number of brand elements at play and the interdependencies that often exist between tangible and intangible attributes can make these assessments complex. Fortunately, statistical techniques can now increase their reliability. As such an analysis often shows, certain features may differentiate a brand from its competitors but don’t matter to customers. These attributes are the fool’s gold of branding. Some attributes, however, are important even though customers expect them from any competitor. We call them "antes," after the small payments poker players make to receive cards from the dealer. In the hotel industry, for example, Holiday Inn Express seeks to provide clean, fresh, comfortable facilities, and Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts tries to offer all the business services its customers might need. These antes aren’t the centerpiece of either brand, because they don’t distinguish the players from other competitors. Nonetheless, such basic brand benefits can’t be ignored: a value establishment won’t last long if it offers dirty rooms or uncomfortable beds, nor would a luxury business hotel’s brand remain credible without fax and Internet facilities. The most successful brands emphasize features that are both important to consumers and quite differentiated from those of competitors (Exhibit 2). We refer to these features as "brand drivers." Holiday Inn Express hopes to distinguish itself by providing customers with the emotional benefit of feeling like "a smarter business traveler" and attempts to convey a brand personality that is "fun," even a bit "wacky." For the road warrior whose expense limit has been cut, an opportunity to be "smarter" and "fun," not just cheaper, is attractive. Further up the price scale, Westin Hotels & Resorts is trying to differentiate itself from Hilton, Marriott, and Sheraton by claiming to offer "serenity and efficiency." Among higher-end customers, the Four Seasons seeks to distinguish itself by providing what it calls an "escape from the ordinary" and a personality of "calm sophistication." Which touchpoints matter? With the brand antes and drivers defined, a critical issue remains: how to deliver them cost-effectively. Brands are delivered at touchpoints, which for a hotel include reservations, check-in and checkout, frequent-stay programs, room service, business services, exercise facilities, laundry service, restaurants, and bars. Holiday Inn Express delivers its "smarter" and "fun" brand through touchpoints such as quality breakfasts, assurances that its on-line rates are the lowest publicly available, and zany advertising. Westin provides "serenity" for business travelers with its Heavenly Bed. And the Four Seasons relies on personal touches, such as a staff that always addresses guests by name, higher-powered employees who understand the needs of sophisticated business travelers, and at least one best-in-region facility, such as a premier restaurant or spa. Trade-offs are possible. Airlines, for example, are unlikely to differentiate themselves for business travelers through easily imitated benefits such as better food and wine or portable DVD players. More durable brand delivery mechanisms are costlier. British Airways, for instance, redesigned its cabins to offer the first flat beds in business class when other airlines merely increased the pitch or width of their seats. Virgin Atlantic Airways reinforced its famous "doing things differently" brand personality with a restyled "Upper Class" service that features "designer-styled" cabins, a sit-down bar, an in-flight massage service, and flat-bed seats. Deciding whether such expensive initiatives are worthwhile requires an understanding of their potential returns, and the quantitative tools now available to marketers can help with this too. Delivering on touchpoints involves a concerted, creative effort throughout the organization. Companies may even have to develop operational targets to help build their brands. If an airline, for instance, decided that the most cost-effective way to deliver a "considerate" brand was to speed up its check-in and security-clearance procedures, it might strive for performance levels dramatically exceeding those of competitors—for example, a two-minute check-in and a five-minute security clearance. Persuading other parts of the organization to play along is often more difficult for marketers than exercising their creativity and planning a brand’s advertising, sponsorship, and promotion. Fortunately, analytic approaches can help marketers make their case by dramatically increasing the likelihood that they will put forward the right proposals. Getting rid of guesswork Recognizing antes, drivers, and touchpoints is difficult enough in retrospect. How should companies choose the right ones prospectively? Traditionally, the elements that deliver a brand’s value to the consumer have been identified through costly trial and error. The process involves posing direct questions about a brand’s functional benefits, analyzing the results through techniques such as conjoint analysis, and then taking a series of creative leaps that qualitative research may not validate. Although this approach has been useful over the years, its functional focus runs the risk of overlooking a brand’s subtler, intangible dimensions. Traditional techniques are also ill equipped to identify with precision the relationship between a brand’s attributes and the most cost-effective touchpoints for delivering them. Finally, the experimentation that is part and parcel of traditional techniques can have the unintended consequence of confusing consumers by emphasizing first one set of brand attributes, then another. Today, marketers can eliminate much of the guesswork by applying social-science techniques to identify the underlying brand attributes driving loyalty among specific customers. Known as pathway (or structural-equation) modeling, these techniques aren’t new; they rely heavily on fundamental regression techniques. But they are only now beginning to be applied to branding as marketers become more and more aware that targeting precisely what customers care about is the core of efficient brand building. Developing this understanding is possible today because of the information boom generated by diverse factors (such as loyalty programs, cheaper Internet-based consumer surveys, and electronic point-of-sale data) and by attitude-based research from third-party research firms as well as the availability of increasingly sophisticated and accessible data-analysis packages. Investing in analysis The first step is to conduct consumer research: developing questionnaires that probe as many as 250 tangible and intangible brand attributes, asking consumers to rate the brand and its competitors on each dimension, and then quantitatively linking these dimensions to the consumers’ overall loyalty. Three features distinguish this approach from traditional methodologies such as focus group-based qualitative research and conjoint analysis. First, the specificity and breadth of the questions help marketers understand the brand’s tangible and intangible benefits in great detail. Second, the analysis shows marketers the relationships among each of the brand’s elements—nuances that conjoint techniques can’t provide. Finally, rather than trying to determine the importance of individual elements, the new approach pins down their contribution to brand loyalty—which is significant, because what people say and what they do can be at odds. Whereas traditional methods might reveal that hotel customers have a broad interest in reliable business services or comfortable in-room amenities, the new techniques make it possible to uncover the core need (such as "a hotel that makes me feel like I am at home while I am away") underlying these desires. Meeting such needs is the essence of building an effective brand. Completing the core consumer research and analysis helps pinpoint the most effective combination of touchpoints that will deliver the brand’s value proposition. The key is determining which touchpoints correlate best with the brand’s essence (that is, which "make me feel special") and then assessing the statistical relationship between the touchpoints themselves to arrive at the groupings that correlate best with the desired brand positioning (see sidebar, "Behind the math"). This analysis often highlights instances in which the whole is greater than the sum of the parts. Combining a strong frequent-guest program with fast check-in and checkout procedures, for example, might have the strongest collective correlation with a given hotel’s brand proposition, even if rapid room service and high-speed Internet connections had stronger individual associations with the brand. As complex as pathway modeling may sound, it should make the eyes of marketers light up because it allows them to quantify the potential impact of brand initiatives on customer loyalty, which can be translated into dollars and cents. When compared with likely costs, these forecasts let marketers make rough estimates of the return on their branding investments. Such estimates simplify the process of making touchpoint trade-offs. Consider the plight of an airline that targets frequent business travelers and wants to be seen as "more considerate." At least 20 customer-care touchpoints can be identified, including faster check-in, higher checked-baggage allowances, more upgrades, more extras onboard, and more frequent-flyer miles. Without careful targeting, the airline could squander resources on the wrong one. Techniques such as pathway modeling can also identify touchpoint conflicts. A Canadian food service company turned to cash-only transactions at its drive-throughs when it found that speed was of the highest importance to customers—debit cards (previously thought to be a high-priority touchpoint) were slowing things down. The businesses pioneering these techniques are achieving impressive results. For example, a pharmaceutical company that understood which physicians were prescribing what products, but not exactly why, discovered the brand attributes that would be most likely to influence prescription-writing patterns. It did so by surveying more than 2,000 physicians around the world about more than 150 tangible and intangible brand dimensions—a huge leap forward from the simple, functionally oriented surveys it had previously used. In the brand’s first year of repositioning, sales increased by more than 10 percent. An industrial company that used the techniques to overhaul its go-to-market strategy generated $200 million in new sales. And a specialty retailer boosted same-store sales by 2 percent within three months of refining the way it appealed to loyal customers. Pinpointing the attributes that distinguish a brand and the touchpoints through which they should be delivered isn’t just a quantitative exercise. After all, if a questionnaire doesn’t ask about a potential brand attribute, it won’t show up in customer responses. Relevant input from everyone—senior executives to brand managers and sales representatives to advertising people—is therefore vital. Broad involvement can create issues of its own: in designing research the dice can certainly be loaded for or against an executive’s pet theory. Senior leaders can play an important role by calling for a level playing field that allows the research to settle disputes in a fact-based way rather than perpetuating them. Marketers can increase their chances of success by investing heavily to communicate their analyses internally and to show their colleagues why these analyses support proposed initiatives. Pathway modeling can easily sound quite academic; the challenge is to present its conclusions in a way that senior leaders who aren’t marketers can understand and believe. Armed with conviction, the CEO and the business-unit heads can become the chief brand advocates in their organizations—crucial in a world where brand building depends not just on a catchy jingle but on the whole company. Companies can build better brands for less money with a forward-looking segmentation and sophisticated analytic tools that increase the precision of defining and delivering a brand. This approach requires an open mind and persistence, but it beats placing bets that may not deliver.

Super Bowl XLVI Live Blog What is this? Welcome to my sixth-annual Super Bowl Live Blog. I'll be posting comments like this throughout the evening about every three minutes. Keep refreshing this page if you want to check out what I think about the game, announcers, commercials, etc. I'll post my first comment around 5:30ish. I might have some guest stars, including Matt Millen and others. I'll also be getting live feedback from people watching the game with me. You can also discuss Super Bowl XLVI in the Live In-Game Thread. Follow @walterfootball for updates. 5:47: The Live Super Bowl Blog has commenced! I'm expecting about 15 people here. A couple of people have already arrived. My sister asked me, "Walt, do you know how to boil water?" I answered, "Uhh... microwave?" Football is on. I can't answer complicated questions. 5:50: My sister's hot friend Abby won't be here, unfortunately, because a family member of hers is having a Super Bowl party. The nerve. Abby's always great for predictions because three years ago (Cardinals-Steelers Super Bowl), she thought that the Carolina Panthers were playing the Pittsburgh Penguins. A year ago, the following text exchange took place... Me: Who are you rooting for in the Super Bowl? Abby: pitts cuz they r part of pa lol Me: OK so you want the Steelers to win, but who do you think will actually win? Abby: idk i dont watch football, i think if anything the steelers will win because they were just in the super bowl like a couple yrs back 5:53: I just texted Abby to get her pick: "Ummm the giants cuz they r closer then new england..." And there you have it. Bet heavily on New York. 5:59: I hate these Play 60 commercials. Ugh. What are those people yelling in the background? It sounds like alien gibberish. I think these Play 60 ads are a ploy by aliens to take over the world. You may laugh, but when Martians are enslaving us, you'll know where you heard it first. 6:01: Ugh. I just went on GameCenter, and all of the comments are spam. How am I supposed to make fun of stupid people with spam clogging the discussion board? 6:07: Luckily, Migelini just made some posts. Here they are: 6:11: I just impressed everyone by naming almost every player's college in the announcements. I am so cool. 6:14: Pizza Hut has the worst commercials. No one wants to hear loser musicians rap or play the guitar. And is it just me, or has Pizza Hut declined in quality? It used to be so good, but it's tasted like vomit the last three times I've had it. 6:16: Oh, I saved some of the funnier GameCenter comments from over the years: COLTS PLEASE USED CRUSH BUG PLAY ON SAINTS COME ON COLTON AND THE SAINTS! JERAMY SHOCKEY LOOKS LIKE A FEMAIL IF U LIK DA SAINTS SAY YEA COLTS REALLY SUCK A** HAHA MY GRANDMOTHER PLAYS BETTER THEN THAT AND SHE AINT GOT NO ARMS OR LEGS LOL F*** THEM COLTS Stief I hate you you wont be running your inbred louisiana mouths at the end WALTER UR SO SEXY PLEASE MARRY ME GARLIC I WILL LOVE U ALWAYS PLEASE FORGIVE ME WORSET HALF TIME SHOW I HAVE EVRE SEEN! BLACK EYUE PEAS ARE NOTHING WITH OUT FERGIE YEeh YEeh Yeeh oh ohogho oh yeh yeah yeah oh oh oh check it out check it out yeha yeah yeah oh oh oh oh oh oh check it ou tout check it out The Rapistburger likes Fergie PROSTER MUSIC IS LIKE LIFES BLOOD TO ME! IF THEY CONTINUE I MAY BLEED OUT! 6:18: Ugh, who is this fat guy singing the national anthem? 6:20: When I was a kid, I thought the lyrics were, "the Bob-ombs bursting in air." True story. 6:21: Can't wait for The Dictator. I nearly just peed my pants watching that commercial. 6:23: Some hot chicks walk in. Trying my hardest not to be distracted. If I stop blogging, you know what I'm doing. 6:24: One of the girls here just asked, "So this is the Stanley Cup, right?" True story. 6:25: If Tom Brady looks like a serial killer on the opening drive, we know that the Patriots will win this game. 6:26: Body Burners just sat down next to me and said, "I want to nuzzle Walt's neck." Sexy time! 6:27: My Asian friend Not Asian Guy just won $100 on the coin toss. He's Asian, so this should not be a surprise. 6:29: Clovdyx commented below, "You've already used that joke about Kelly, Walt. Last time it led to a five page discussion on her former hotness in the gamethread." Joke? What joke? I just wanted to know who the fat guy was. 6:32: Kickoff! No touchback. Lots of people just lost money because of that. My condolences. 6:33: Cruuuuuuuuuuuuuuuz. Giants convert their first third down. Not a good sign. My $100 is in dire jeopardy. 6:35: No surprise that Eli is torching this secondary, though he was almost picked. The key will be how the Patriots do in the red zone. 6:36: Eli sacked! Third-and-long coming up. 6:38: Eli sacked again! He's losing his grip on his seat at the adults' table in the Manning household. 6:39: Bud Light Platinum commercial boring. Must be disgusting. 6:40: Wait, why did the car light kill the vampires? Are vampires afraid of light or something? 6:41: The camera just captured one of the hot supermodels Tom Brady will bang after the game. 6:42: SAFETY!!! Holy crap. Giants 2, Patriots 0 6:43: What the hell was that Pepsi commercial? Who was the heterosexually challenged king? Who was the songstress? Who was the black guy, and why was he in a dungeon? What a racist commercial. 6:44: My friend/Giants fan/hot girl Emilysh just texted me: "I'm at your party :) AHH SAFETY YES :) I'm already yelling and people think I'm crazy." There's nothing crazy about a hot girl football fan. Just awesomeness. 6:45: Cousin Sal just hit his Henry Hynoski prop! 6:50: Big third down... and the Patriots have 12 men on the field. And here I thought they'd have the coaching edge. 6:52: Cruuuuuuuuuuuuuuz. Touchdown. Game over. Giants win. Giants 9, Patriots 0 6:53: Not Asian Guy just suggested that Vegas was responsible for there being 12 men on the field. I'm glad that there are degenerate gamblers other than myself here. 6:55: The downside to having mostly girls here - it's loud during the game and quiet during the commercials. 6:57: Emilysh with another text: "GREAT START! Now it's time to kill Tom Brady." Like I said, pure awesomeness. 6:58: And that's why you use the running backs you drafted early 10 months ago. 6:59: Eating buffalo wings and Bagel Bites NOM NOM NOM NOM. 7:03: Wow, so when I was playing Battleship all of those years, that's what was really happening? Holy crap. 7:05: Batted ball by Jason Pierre-Paul. Patriots have to try a field goal. Giants 9, Patriots 3 7:10: I must be high. Did I just see Tim Riggins take down a giant polar bear with some sort of morning star? Was he drunk while doing so? Either way, I am definitely going to see that movie. 7:12: Wow, Brandon Jacobs just bulldozed his way for 11 yards on 2nd-and-10. New England's defense did not come to play. 7:13: Travis Beckum is injured. Not Asian Guy, who is betting the Patriots, just went, "YEEEAAAHHH... AWWW THAT GUY SUCKS!" 7:15: The homeless woman from two weeks ago somehow snuck into Robert Kraft's booth. That sly whore! 7:17: Eight more Giant penalties until Tom Coughlin's head bursts into flames. 7:18: Giants should go for it here. Nope, punting. 7:21: Another bad reason for having mostly girls here - they all went "woooo" during that David Beckam commercial. Yet, if I stripped down to my boxer-briefs, they would all shriek in disgust or run away. I hate double standards. 7:22: Another great call by Not Asian Guy: "Those polar bears are going to be dead soon because of global warming anyway." 7:24: Go for it! 7:25: Torn right ACL, Travis Beckum. That's pretty rough. 7:29: It's so weird that this score is only 9-3. The Giants seem to be completely dominating. 7:31: The two girls sitting next to me are amazed by how I update my Web site. The first girl then said, "The Patriots need to stop dillydallying." The second then asked, "Who's the cutest Manning of all time?" This is a great party. 7:33: Ugh, Star Wars Episode I in 3D? Can I kill myself now? Body Burners just commented, "They should make an Episode I.5, all from Jar Jar's perspective." I think Star Wars fans would commit suicide if this happened. 7:35: The Gronk with a 20-yard gain! I was just about to give up on my Over 76.5 Yards bet. 7:37: Wow, who was that Valentine's Day chick? I think I'm in love. 7:38: I think I'm going to have nightmares after watching that Cars.com commercial. 7:41: Big third-down conversion there. I can't believe the Patriots can take the lead on this drive. 7:43: I hate all baby commercials. And not because I hate all kids and want them to die, or anything. I just think it's such a cheap gimmick. 7:45: My friend Andrew just had a disgusted look on his face. I asked what's wrong. He said, "They just talked about jamming the tight end." Not that there's anything wrong with that. 7:46: Patriots down to the 2! 7:48: Touchdown Danny Woodhead! Tom Brady looks like he wants to eat his young. No way the Patriots lose this game. Patriots 10, Giants 9 7:49: We've had "jamming the tight end" and Woodhead in the span of a few minutes. Matt Millen is shoving kielbasa into his backside as you're reading this. 7:51: The senior editor of this Web site just told me that the hot chick from the Valentine's Day commercial was Adriana Lima. My future wife. 7:52: Body Burner's girlfriend Jamie just said to Body Burners, "You keep molesting Walt." Body Burners: "He's hot." 7:59: I just learned that Madonna is from Jersey. No wonder she has such a long mustache. 8:01: I guess those who bet on Wes Welker over Madonna for Longest Mustache just pocketed some money. 8:03: The black guy with the harp... Yeah, not that there's anything wrong with that. 8:04: I think this Madonna performance might set the record for "not that there's anything wrong with that" comments from me. 8:06: Not that there's anything wrong with that. Not that there's anything wrong with that. Not that there's anything wrong with that. Not that there's anything wrong with that. Not that there's anything wrong with that. Not that there's anything wrong with that. Not that there's anything wrong with that. Not that there's anything wrong with that. Not that there's anything wrong with that. Not that there's anything wrong with that. Not that there's anything wrong with that. Not that there's anything wrong with that. Not that there's anything wrong with that. Not that there's anything wrong with that. Not that there's anything wrong with that. Not that there's anything wrong with that. Not that there's anything wrong with that. 8:10: Why is Jamie Dukes singing on stage? 8:12: Not only can Jamie Dukes sing; he can make Madonna change clothes in mere seconds. This man is a wizard. A meatball-eating wizard. 8:14: Ron Artest was part of the halftime show. Cool. 8:16: Who was that Gale player? He looked like a possible upgrade for New England's defense. 8:17: Great. First, Madonna. Then, Jamie Dukes. And now douchey Bob Costas. FML. 8:19: Some GameCenter comments about the halftime show: Madonna doing cartwheels. disgusting. no one wants to see her old, loose crotch She can surround herself with as many blacks as she wants... Madonna is NASTY. Please lord get that skankkk of the field She is old and beat down. Maybe she should take some more pictures with the dog again what a pig yeah brady a mirror image of hannah montana, q...u...e...e...r. Never compare that tool Brady to Montana again, thats an insult to Joe Cool!! 8:22: Remember the two girls who were sitting next to me? One just told me, "We're going to have sex on top of you, and Not Asian Guy is going to watch." Just a typical party here at the WalterFootball.com house. 8:23: I had to ask: Me: Why does Not Asian Guy get to watch? Can I watch you two have sex? Jess: Well, we'll be on top of you, so it'll be hard for you not to watch. 8:24: Chad Ochostinko sighting! 8:28: Touchdown Aaron Hernandez! And that's why Bill Belichick always kicks off at the beginning of the game. Genius. Patriots 17, Giants 9 8:30: OMG OMG OM G GOMG OMG OMG I CANTWAIT FOR SMASH TOERMOEEOROOWW OMG OMG OMG OMG OGM OMG!!! 8:33: That's a cool shot of Tom Brady pointing to MHK and then looking up. That's one of the reasons I'm betting my life savings on the Patriots. 8:37: A big hit on New York Nicks (I'm copyrighting that nickname) and now a big third down coming up... 8:38: Giants are stopped five yards short of the first down. Field goal coming up. 8:39: Field goal good by New York Tynes. I'm awesome at these nicknames. Patriots 17, Giants 12 8:42: Looks like Eli Manning will be banging hot supermodels after this game too. These quarterbacks are so lucky. 8:43: Uncle Jesse just got his a** kicked. Best commercial ever. 8:48: I feel like Tom Brady could have run for the first down there. Now the Giants are at midfield and they're going to score, meaning I will lose all my life savings. FML. 8:51: People are going to play beer pong downstairs. Damn it, can we pause the Super Bowl so I can play? 8:52: Not only did Henry Hynoski beat Cousin Sal's prop; he also recovered a fumble. He should be the MVP if the Giants win. 8:56: Eli sacked. Please miss this Tynes! I won't call you New York Tynes anymore if you do! 8:57: New York a**hole Tynes makes the field goal. Patriots 17, Giants 15 8:58: NOOOOOO I JUST REALIZED THAT I LOST MY FG PROP BETTTT AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 9:00: It's OK, people. I was confused. I thought it was under 33 yards instead of over. Everyone can calm down now! No worries! 9:03: The Soup Nazi the first time was epic. The second time? Not so much. 9:04: Tom Brady is intercepted! It looked like he'd pull an Eli Manning to David Tyree, but his hot supermodel isn't as hot as Eli's. 9:05: Ugh!!! I just realized that would have won my Gronkowski yardage bet. FML indeed. 9:06: The Giants are so lucky. They're recovering all of the fumbles. 9:09: Ugh. Offsides. The officials are clearly fixing this game. 9:12: Not Asian Guy is laughing at the Jake Ballard injury because he was complaining about the wrong Giant tight end being injured earlier. 9:13: Wow, what a throw by Eli Manning. 9:16: For future reference, the Giants should refrain from hiring Andy Reid as a timeout consultant. 9:17: Not Asian Guy upon seeing Ballard fall: "HAAHAAHAAHAAHAAHAA!!!" 9:18: How do you have a false start off a timeout? 9:19: Close non-call. Should have been pass interference. Tom Coughlin's face is about to spontaneously combust. 9:22: What happened to Tom Brady's pass protection after that second touchdown? It's almost like the offensive line doesn't want to cover the spread. 9:24: How stupid do the Jets feel about cutting Danny Woodcock? They'd be in the Super Bowl right now if they had him. 9:28: The Patriots really need to score on this drive. All my money is on the line. 9:30: Big conversion. The cover is on the line. No one cares who's going to win this game, but the Patriots need to win by more than three. 9:31: Wes Welker and Deion Branch just blew the cover. Ugh. Vegas' fault for setting such a stupid, one-sided line. 9:32: Actually, I'd like to blame Brady for those. He's the one banging hot supermodels. His throws should be better. 9:34: Stupid challenge by Bill Belichick. The Patriots may need this timeout. 9:36: DUM DUM DUM DUM (I said "dumb dumb dumb dumb" but one of the girls thought I said "NOM NOM NOM NOM.") 9:38: Two-minute warning. Lawrence New York a**hole Tynes has such an easy kick coming up FML UGH!!! 9:40: I'm with GoDaddy, and this type of stuff doesn't happen to me. Where's my naked Danica Patrick? 9:42: I think you almost want to let the Giants score here if you're the Patriots. Of course, that wouldn't be a decision if Belichick didn't use that stupid challenge. 9:44: Good call by the Patriots. Letting him score was the right move. Giants 21, Patriots 17 9:46: I agree with going for two. If they got it, New England would have to kick the extra point. That's usually a given, but you never know - there could be a botched snap or something. 9:47: If Tom Brady gets this, you have to make the case that... 9:48: Wow. Brady had Deion Branch for 25 yards or more. 9:50: Sacked! I thought Brady was supposed to be clutch. He can't even get a stinking yard. 9:51: I don't want to say this... OK, maybe I do, but Brady has been a big choke artist since he started banging supermodels. He used to drive an old truck, and he used to be clutch. Just saying. 9:52: Brady clutch to Branch! 9:52: How do you have 12 men on the field? 9:54: Hail Mary NO GOOD!!! 9:55: The truck-driving Brady would have completed the Hail Mary. This supermodel-banging Brady is terrible. 9:57: Well, that's $100 down the drain. I'll be updating my site from a cardboard box in the next few weeks, in case you're wondering. 9:59: Thanks for reading my incoherent thoughts. I'm depressed. On the bright side, I can now play beer pong and drink myself into oblivion. 2016 NFL Mock Draft - March 26 2015 NFL Mock Draft - March 25 2015 NBA Mock Draft - March 25 Fantasy Football Rankings - Feb. 18 NFL Picks - Feb. 1 NFL Free Agents © 1999-2014 Walter Cherepinsky : all rights reserved 2 5 9 df

James MURRY and June Murry, Appellants v. Sharon MURRY (Now Pudlo) and Dante Murry, Appellees. James and June Murry (the Murrys), grandparents of three minor children,1 appeal the December 18, 2012, order of the Jefferson Family Court that: denied their motion for contempt against the children's mother; denied the mother's motion to set aside the agreed order concerning the Murrys' visitation with the children; and denied each party's motion for fees and costs. After our review, we affirm in part and remand in part. This action was initiated on August 11, 2011, when the Murrys filed a petition for grandparents' visitation rights against their son, Dante Murry (the children's father), and the children's mother, Sharon Pudlo (Dante's former wife), pursuant to the provisions of Kentucky Revised Statute[s] (KRS) 405.021. Dante answered the petition, requesting the court to grant the Murrys visitation rights separate and apart from his parenting time. In her answer, Sharon did not oppose the Murrys' request for visitation with the children. On August 25, 2011, the court ordered the parties to participate in mediation. On September 16, 2011, an agreed order was entered in court. The order provided that the children would be permitted overnight visitation with the Murrys 45 times per year. These visits were to be scheduled by Sharon and by the Murrys. As tension concerning the children's well-being developed over time, animosity between Sharon and the Murrys escalated. On one occasion, police intervention became necessary. On September 24, 2012, Sharon filed a motion to set aside the agreed order that permitted visitation with the Murrys. She also requested that the Murrys not be permitted to supervise the children's visitation with their father, Dante, who exercised visitation with the children on alternating weekends during the school year and on alternating weeks during summer break.2 The Murrys filed a motion for contempt against Sharon the following day. They alleged that Sharon had failed to abide by the court's order awarding them visitation. A period of discovery began, and each party moved for attorney's fees and costs. The court conducted an evidentiary hearing on November 14, 2012. It heard evidence pertaining to the difficulties between Sharon and the Murrys. It also received the report of Sally Brenzel, a licensed clinical psychologist; the report was dated October 4, 2012. Brenzel had prepared the report as well as a recommendation for a time-sharing schedule for the children pursuant to the court's request. Although the court was not inclined to set aside the award of grandparent visitation, it did observe that the visits between the Murrys and the children were a source of continuing discord. After considering the testimony, the court concluded that the provisions for visitation originally established by the agreed order were not working. The court concluded that the interests of the children would be better served through implementation of a fixed visitation schedule. The court ordered that the Murrys could exercise visitation with the children on alternating weekends throughout the year. These visits were to overlap Dante's time-sharing arrangement. By order entered on December 12, 2012, the court denied the motion to set aside the award of grandparent visitation; denied the motion for contempt; and denied the cross-motions for fees and costs. It additionally denied the Murrys' request for more specific findings of fact. Their motion to alter, amend, or vacate was also denied. This appeal followed. On appeal, the Murrys contend that the court erred by modifying the terms of the original visitation order and that it abused its discretion both by refusing to cite Sharon for contempt and by refusing to award their attorney's fees. We address each of these contentions in the order in which it was presented. In their first argument, the Murrys contend that the court's amended order scheduling grandparent visitation concurrently with Dante's parenting time deprives them of the independent visitation available to them under the agreed order entered in September 2011. They argue that this modification was not requested by any party and could not have been granted under the provisions of Kentucky Rule[s] of Civil Procedure (CR) 60.02(f). They contend further that they were deprived of a meaningful opportunity to be heard and that no evidence relative to the children's best interests was properly presented to the court. As part of this argument, the Murrys contend that the family court erred by failing to make specific findings with respect to the need for a modification in visitation. Sharon and Dante have a statutorily granted right to the care and custody of their children that is superior to any similar interest of the Murrys. Moore v. Asente, 110 S.W.3d 336 (Ky.2003). More importantly, they have a fundamental and constitutionally protected right to raise the children as they see fit. Id. Furthermore, despite entry of the agreed order, the Murrys were not entitled to exercise visitation with the minor children in the same manner or upon the same schedule forever without any possibility of modification. Disputes arising in family law are subject to the court's continuing jurisdiction over children until they reach majority or emancipation; modifications in visitation and time-sharing arrangements often become necessary over time as children grow and circumstances change. The court's authority in this proceeding was not narrowly circumscribed. On the contrary, its right to adjudicate the parties' rights with respect to the children was sweeping, and it certainly had the authority necessary to order that a fixed visitation schedule be implemented by the parties. Thus, we cannot accept the Murrys' contention that the family court acted ultra vires. Furthermore, having reviewed the proceedings, it appears that the Murrys were provided adequate notice concerning the nature of the hearing and a meaningful opportunity to be heard on the merits. The Murrys were fully aware that Sharon intended to challenge their continuing presence in the children's lives. In response, they presented evidence indicating that they had been involved with their grandchildren throughout their lives; that they had formed lasting bonds with them; and that the grandchildren would benefit from a continuing relationship with their grandparents. The Murrys were not denied their right to due process of law. Next, the Murrys contend that the family court erred by permitting the introduction of psychologist Brenzel's report. However, there is no indication that the family court relied upon the report in reaching its decision. This report was properly prepared to assist the court in creating a viable parenting schedule for the children. The Murrys participated in the preparation of the report, and their place in the parents' timesharing schedule was specifically addressed within it. Nevertheless, the court did not refer to its contents when it determined that the Murrys' visitation should be merged with Dante's parenting time, and there was substantial evidence to support the court's decision. There is no reversible error on this point. However, we do agree with the Murrys with respect to the adequacy of the court's findings of fact. The provisions of CR 52.01 require the family court to engage in a good faith effort at fact-finding and to include those facts in a written order. See Anderson v. Johnson, 350 S.W.3d 453 (Ky.2011). Sharon contends that specific findings of fact and separate conclusions of law are not necessary where the court merely modifies an existing visitation order. We disagree. The Supreme Court of Kentucky has emphasized that matters affecting the welfare of children are among the most important undertaken by our courts. Consequently, it has written that “it is imperative that the trial courts make the requisite findings of fact and conclusions of law to support their orders.” Keifer v. Keifer, 354 S.W.3d 123, 125–26 (Ky.2011). Our ability to conduct a proper and effective review of a family court's conclusions is dependent upon our understanding of the facts upon which it relied. We must be fully aware of the facts upon which the court's conclusions of law rely. In this case, the family court found that the visitation provision of the agreed order had not been working and that it “presents more problems than it resolves.” This finding falls short of the requirement that the necessary facts be found specifically. Under the circumstances, we are compelled to remand this case for entry of additional findings in support of the court's order. Next, the Murrys contend that the family court abused its discretion both by refusing to cite Sharon for contempt and by refusing to award their attorney's fees. We disagree. The Murrys assert that Sharon was acting in contempt of the court's order when she failed to permit them to visit the children on pre-arranged dates between mid-September and the end of the year 2012. They argue that Sharon's decision to deny the visitation was made in bad faith and is punishable as contempt. Our courts have inherent power to punish individuals for their willful disobedience of the court's orders. Newsome v. Commonwealth, 35 S.W.3d 836 (Ky.App.2001). When a court exercises its contempt powers, it does so with nearly unfettered discretion. Following its hearing in the matter, the court was not persuaded that Sharon had willfully withheld visitation in violation of the agreed order; thus, it declined to hold her in contempt. The court acted wholly within its discretion in making this determination. Consequently, there are no grounds for reversal on this basis. Finally, the Murrys contend that the family court abused its discretion by failing to properly address their request for attorney's fees. They allege that the court erred in concluding that it could not award fees since the parties failed to present evidence of their financial resources—and that fees could not otherwise be awarded as a sanction. Since the family court declined to find Sharon in contempt, it did not err by refusing to sanction her on that basis. And the record reveals that the parties do appear to have presented evidenced of their financial resources. However, the record does not indicate upon what other basis the Murrys sought an award of costs or fees. The provisions of KRS 403.220 permit an award of costs and attorney's fees incurred in maintaining or defending a proceeding conducted pursuant to the provisions of KRS Chapter 403. But this proceeding was not conducted under that chapter. Instead, this proceeding was conducted under the provisions of KRS Chapter 405. There is no similar cost and fee shifting provision contained in Chapter 405. Consequently, the family court did not err by refusing to award to the Murrys the costs and fees they sought. The order of the Jefferson Family Court is affirmed in part and remanded for entry of additional findings in support of its order concerning visitation. 1. The eldest child has likely reached the age of majority by now. We have not been provided with each child's date of birth. 2. Dante is disabled by mental illness; the Murrys manage his affairs.

Nieuw Amsterdam Cruise Review by richard1s: The Beautiful Nieuw Amsterdam Overall Member Rating The Beautiful Nieuw Amsterdam Destination: Western Caribbean Embarkation: Fort Lauderdale (Port Everglades) If you are new to cruising and have selected the Nieuw Amsterdam (NA) for your first cruise experience, you are about to set a vacation standard that will be hard to top. And if you are a seasoned cruiser, perhaps disenchanted with the cost-cutting incentives some of the lines have implemented, be prepared to have your expectations of a high end cruise experience restored. We sailed on the 1/26 NA western Caribbean itinerary; Half Moon Cay, Cayman Islands, Cozumel and Key West. We have been on this itinerary several times before but decided to do it one more time to shake the winter blahs. We also selected some different tours for this sailing; but more on that later. We flew into Fort Lauderdale the day before our departure and stayed one night at the Pelican Bay Resort. This hotel was one of the top choices (#11) on Trip Advisor. It was a nice enough property but seemed over-priced and undeserving of such a high rating. The room was small, cramped and nothing More special. However the lobby bar is very nice and the outdoor restaurant offered a great Sunday brunch. NA embarkation/room: we arrived at the port about noon and were onboard in about 15 minutes. We booked a SB Neptune Suite (#6060). Expedited embarkation is a nice suite perk and all rooms were cleaned and ready for occupancy about 12:30 PM. Our suite was absolutely lovely – spotlessly clean and very nicely furnished. The balcony was spacious, immaculate and proved to be a great retreat for reading, watching the ocean and munching on snacks or in-room dining. During the whole week, we enjoyed beautiful weather and a very tranquil existence in our stateroom and on our balcony. It was incredibly quiet and the balcony was smoke free (thank you neighbors!) with nothing but the fresh, never-breathed air of the ocean and the gentle motion of the sea for us to enjoy. Ship: where to start? This vessel is absolutely beautiful. It is so clean, so fresh and so full of character that it will boggle your mind and dazzle your senses. There are countless venues for reading, relaxing, enjoying a drink, eating or, just feeling like you are truly experiencing something unique. The 2 and 3 dimensional art, the nostalgic photographs in the halls, even the elevator doors, along with so many other objects too numerous to mention on the ship will catch your eye and make you pause to simply admire them.– the ship is just gorgeous. Finally, something very noticeable on NA is the abundance of elevators. Unlike most ships we have been on, the elevators were never really crowded and there is hardly ever a wait, even during peak times. I thought that this is a great design feature. Food: OMG, there is so much to experience. The food on NA is by far the best of all the cruises we have been on since we started cruising back in 2001. The MDR dining is excellent; wonderful, delicious choices every night and superb service that reminded us of what a bye-gone era of dining aboard a luxury liner would have been like. Beautiful china, fine silverware and an elegant charm underscored every single meal in the MDR. Dining was truly memorable. We are not buffet people; since unfortunately some passengers can spoil the experience with poor, inconsiderate manners. I won’t get into details but after some of the things we saw on this, as well as other cruises, eating from a buffet is not for us. However in the first 48 hours of the cruise, the staff will serve food and not allow passengers to handle utensils or serve themselves. It would be great if Holland America would permanently implement this process. But there are a lot of excellent choices in the Lido. On the first day in particular, they served fried chicken that was fantastic; we are glad it wasn’t available every day because we could not have resisted it, regardless of how it was served. As a snack, the pizza at Slice was just OK but we thought that the hot dogs in the Terrace Grill by the pool were excellent. The Lido taco station was also very good but again, once passengers were allowed to serve themselves, that’s when it became unappetizing for us. We dined one night at Tamarind and just loved it! The food is wonderful, delicious and so nicely presented. The only problem for us is that there was just too much food and we felt almost obligated to eat all we could. Along with the food, the service in Tamarind is also wonderful. Unfortunately one noticeable distraction at the Tamarind is the constant vibration motion of the ship. I read about this prior to sailing but couldn’t believe how very noticeable and annoying it really is. We switched our table to one towards the interior of the restaurant; this helped a little. I noticed that other diners did the same thing. The vibration seems to be the worst along the windows. Finally – second formal night means lobster – and they were just so good. As I write this, I only wish I had one – so delicious! Entertainment: we loved the group “Cantare” – a 4 man singing group performing on one night of the cruise. They also participate in (at least) one of the shows. They are wonderful performers who do great renditions of some classic songs. We also enjoyed “Sarah and the Halcats”. She is a beautiful Brit with a lovely voice who performs in the lounges, as well as on Half Moon Cay. The band that accompanies her is also excellent. Another performer I loved was Krista; anyone from my generation may be reminded as I was of the wonderful singer from the 60’s/early 70’s – Melanie. Krista has a great voice and gives a terrific show. Finally, we really (really) enjoyed the show “Garage Band.” It is an exciting, incredibly well choreographed show with energetic songs, dance and costumes. Casino: we enjoy gambling and spending some time in the casino. The staff is well trained, courteous and very professional. Smoking is allowed in the casino and of course, we knew that when we booked our cruise; but it is still annoying if you dislike smoking as much as we do. The casino is small and not very well ventilated so we probably spent less time there than we normally would. The slots weren’t especially generous but we broke even after considerable play – which isn’t bad. Staff: they are wonderful – friendly, engaged, cheerful. I cannot say enough good things about them. The bar staff was always attentive and there is never a wait for a drink – I especially liked the service in the Silk Den, Crow’s Nest and the Lido Bar. The latter venue has a great selection of beers. Although I never met the stateroom attendants, our room was always perfectly cleaned. Really, I can honestly say I never even saw them in the halls – I am not sure how they even did their job so fast and unobtrusively. The Office staff on the first floor was always cheerful and there was never a wait for an associate. Finally, the staff in the Neptune Lounge were always very gracious, helpful and professional. Fellow Passengers: While the average age seemed to be 60+, all age groups were represented and there was a great mix of friendly, outgoing people on this sailing. Itinerary: Just a few brief comments on the ports. We visited Half Moon Cay once before and enjoyed it this time even more. Like before, the bar and the food service were both very good. And either we missed it or it was added since our first visit in 2009, but there is now a large replica of an old ship on the beach. There is a bar inside and Sarah and the Hal Cats perform; there are also a couple decks on top to sit and enjoy the day. Cayman Islands – we went on the Atlantis submarine. This is an interesting experience but if you tend to be claustrophobic, this attraction isn’t for you. Cozumel – this was our third visit and we did a ship sponsored tour of the Mayan ruins. It was interesting if you enjoy this type of thing; after the ruins, the tour stops at a small beach with a restaurant. A cold beer and some authentic guacamole and chips will really hit the spot when you’re taking in the gorgeous ocean. The tour is well organized. The ship docked at a new pier, which is literally right downtown. Key West – the ship docked at the Navy pier but provided transportation to/from Mallory Square. We used the City View hop on/hop off open air trolley to navigate around town throughout the day. We had lunch at the Hot Tin Roof restaurant, which offered good (but pricey) lunch selections, along with a gorgeous water view. Disembarkation: Suite passengers have priority disembarkation and for us this turned out to be fortuitous. We were allowed to leave the ship about 7:50 AM and we were at the airport in less than 30 minutes. This enabled us to get the last 2 seats on an earlier flight home (10:45 AM); our original flight was actually delayed until 6:30 AM the following morning due to weather issues. A lucky break for sure. Finally, I was a little concerned that the Holland American quality may have slipped a little since our first cruise with them in 2009. All you read about lately is cost-cutting incentives that many cruise lines are implementing; Carnival Corporation seems to be leading the charge but they are all doing it at some level. But I give enormous credit to the Carnival Corporation for allowing this brand to continue to provide such an exceptional quality product. We have tried all the mainstream lines – Royal Caribbean, Princess, Carnival, NCL and Celebrity - but Holland America, or at least the Nieuw Amsterdam, was the best experience we have had to date. This cruise for us was just about perfect. If you are considering this ship, hopefully you will have the same wonderful experience that we did. Less Read more Nieuw Amsterdam cruise reviews >> Read Cruise Critic's Nieuw Amsterdam Review >> Cabin review: 6060 A beautiful, quiet stateroom with a large, well appointed balcony. 1st cruise but not the last! What a waste Amazing getaway for 2! Don't let the negative reviews... Probably my first and last tim... An Excellent Experience First Time Cruise FANTASTIC CHOICE for a SUPER N...

"Sam is doing great," his teacher told us. We beamed. Our first-ever parent-teacher conference. Our first time perching on tiny chairs for what we thought would be a rave review of our fabulous firstborn. "He's a wonderful boy. But you..." she paused. Us? She was grading us? "You people have got to get him here on time." We shuffled our feet and promised to improve, and a year later found ourselves looking at a kindergarten "report card" that told us that our amazing oldest child was "acceptable" in all areas. I noticed a number at the top of the page: 50. Fifty what? I followed the line over to the left and read it fully. Absences: 2. Tardies: 50. "They can't know that," my husband, Rob, scoffed. "It's not true. They don't keep track. They're just guessing." I called Sam over. "Do you have to do anything special," I asked, "when you're late for school?" "Oh, yeah!" he said, with enthusiasm. "You go to the office, and they give you a pass. They know me. They say, 'Hi, Sam!'" I would like to say that that was a reforming moment, and it was -- for at least a week. Or maybe a day. Well, I'm pretty sure that the next morning we were probably on time. But we fell, as we always did, back into our old patterns. Two years later, Sam's younger brother, Wyatt, who's 3, believes that music class begins when he arrives. His sister Lily, at 4, is happy to arrive for her soccer game 15 minutes late, wearing her shirt backward and clutching a volleyball. But Sam is 7 now and far less sanguine. "Are we going to be late?" he asks almost every time we leave the house. "We have plenty of time," I tell him, but he goes through the calculations just the same. "What time are we supposed to be there? What time is it? How far is it?" I'm always reassuring. And then, for a variety of reasons -- the dog didn't pee, and I can't put him in his crate until he does, Wyatt did pee, and now he needs new pants -- we are, in fact, late. No matter what he does. It's not that we want to be late, or that we don't feel bad about sending him running across the field to join baseball in progress. It just somehow happens. Because we are late for... everything. This is the way we are; this is the way we have always been -- or, at least, the way I've always been. Friends order without me. I bring dessert to book group, not appetizers (and never, ever the wine). My husband puts it all down to me, but it's worth noting that he was the person who drove Sam to kindergarten at least half the time. He can take a slow cruise down that river in Egypt if he wants, but when it comes to punctuality, we both have a problem -- and, more important, we're creating a problem: for Sam, who really, really doesn't like being late anymore. Apparently, I shouldn't be surprised. "By seven, most kids have begun to see themselves in relation to their peers. They don't want to stick out," says Jenn Berman, Psy.D., author of The A to Z Guide to Raising Happy, Confident Kids and punctual mother of twins. "When they walk in late, literally all eyes are on them. They feel responsible, but, ultimately, you control everything. He wants to do what's right, and you're letting him down." I don't want to let Sam down. And if that wasn't enough, I'm tired of this myself. I am tired of being stopped for speeding, of having to keep track of which excuses I've made to which friends, of shouting "Run, Sam, run!" when I drop him off instead of kissing him and telling him to have a good day. And this year Sam's new school comes with a new rule: tardy more than twice in a quarter and the parents have to come in for a conference. That may not sound like much of a threat, but I fear there will be shunning. Or that they will make us run the citrus sale. So no kidding around this time. New school year, new start. It's time to change. My goal? Four weeks to a better, more punctual life. Here we go... When "just leave earlier" isn't enough I start by asking everyone we know how they get out in the morning. I am swamped with advice. Feed the kids breakfast in the car. Make them choose their clothes the night before. Have them sleep in their clothes. It occurs to me that having them sleep in their clothes, in the car, would simplify a lot, but I cannot find anyone who will admit to doing this. I tell my dad that we need professional help. He scoffs. "Just leave earlier," he says. "You don't need an expert to tell you that. Jeez." My mom sends me an e-mail that starts, "Daddy says I should be your time-management expert," and goes on to describe the things she used to do to get out the door on time: making a week's worth of lunches at once, getting herself ready before she woke me up, putting out our clothes and packing up the night before. It all sounds good, and it helps -- up to a point. We start strong, as we always do. But by Friday, we are the last car tearing into the school parking lot, barely slowing down to toss Sam out onto the gravel before we race off, tires squealing, to drop off Lily. We are, technically, on time. But it isn't pretty. The thing is, I have been down this road before, and so has my enabling husband. We have tried all the little tricks and tips, and ended up exactly... here. All of our clocks are set five minutes ahead, and we know it. If we get up early, we happily use the "extra" time to read the paper until it's time to start screaming at the kids to put on their shoes. It isn't just what we do. There is something wrong with the way we think. Embracing the schedule By now, I think I've spotted some of what's getting in our way. For starters, I apparently have no concept of time. Either I sincerely think I can get somewhere (it should absolutely take no more than eight minutes to travel eight miles) or I just want to think I can get there (planning to get in and out of the grocery store in under five minutes) or it is too late to get there before I've even started (if I don't get up until 7:15, no power on earth will get Sam to school by 8:00). This combination of magical thinking -- everything will go exactly as planned and take less time than ever before -- and lack of discipline is deadly. Rob's problem is the triumph of optimism over experience. He seems to believe that if he tells the kids to put their shoes and coats on and then goes back into the bedroom to tie his tie, he will emerge and they will be standing there in their shoes and coats. This would be nice, but I'm not willing to bet the farm on it. Yet recognizing our mistakes has somehow never kept us from repeating them. My dad was wrong. We did need an expert, and Mary Caroline Walker, mom of four, creator of Todaysbalancedmom.com, and author of Managing Life With Kids, a manifesto for punctual and organized living, was happy to provide some help. "It's always something" is her mantra, and she takes her cue from the Boy Scouts -- whatever it is, she's ready. She can teach me, but only if I'm ready to be taught. If I will accept that a smooth and pleasant morning is more important than an extra five minutes of sleep -- and remember that before I roll over -- Mary Caroline can help me. She can create a schedule that stops the "magical thinking" by freeing me from the need to think about timing at all and provides ample time for shoe and coat issues. I immediately balk. I have never thought of a schedule as "freeing." I like to relax and wing it. Won't writing down when we're supposed to do everything just mean I have to freak out about sticking to it? Mary Caroline gently points out that we already need to be places at certain times. I'm not supposed to worry about the schedule, I'm just supposed to follow it. Then, realizing that she's got a real novice on her hands (she may mentally be using another word), she starts to create the schedule. To do that, you write down what time you have to be somewhere, and then reason backward from there, taking into account things like the end-of-playdate meltdown and the inevitable missing sneaker and, most critical, allowing plenty of time to load people and gear into the car. "Never think about what time you have to leave, or what time you need to be there," she declares. "Think about what time you have to load." I admit that I have never differentiated between the "leave" time and the "load" time (and sometimes not even between leave time and arrival time -- I tend to expect Scotty to beam us wherever we need to go). "That's why you're always late. Everybody thinks about what time they need to leave the house, but what really matters is when you tell everybody to get in the car." She tells me to allow 15 minutes for this step every time, no matter where we are. "I know," she forestalls my objections, "but it's a cushion. That way, when you realize you have to take the trash to the end of the driveway" (which happened to me last week) "or you lift up your toddler to put him in and suddenly you smell something" (I am beginning to think this woman lives in my garage), "then you have time to deal with it without it being a disaster." Just leave the house earlier? It's so crazy, it just might work. Mary Caroline seconds all of my mother's advice about packing up the night before and laying out clothes -- the same prep work, now endorsed by a professional: "Those things help stack the deck in your favor." I should put things like errands and laundry on my schedule so I won't be tempted to try to squeeze them into the gaps -- and if I account for load times, I'll see that those gaps aren't so big after all. It only works if you do it Mary Caroline's advice was brilliant. Load time for an 8 a.m. school arrival is 7:35. We set an alarm to announce the end of breakfast and the beginning of getting ready to go, which works for Sam because he knows it will get him to school on time and for Lily because she can't argue with an official bugle. Lunches, piano books, gym shoes, laptop -- if it has to go in the car in the morning, it goes in the hall the night before. I put my feet on the floor half an hour earlier every morning because it's that or fail, and I don't like to fail. We weren't just on time, we were early, and it was great. Until the weekend. I spent Friday night watching Entourage and eating my share of the popcorn I'd made for Sam and his sleepover guest, Dory. As a result, Saturday morning featured a race around the house in search of soccer gear and a loading and shouting fiasco that resulted in Dory's declaring that she was "glad you're not my mom" (which made two of us). It was Saturday, and I still had to be futzing around with load times and prepacking? I should have felt guilty over my failure to schedule and prep. Instead, what I mostly felt was resentment that I still had to. All I had to do Sunday was cohost a party at a friend's house for my friend Tanya and her new baby, Ella, at noon. Noon! I could wrap the present and buy a card on my way into town in no time. Anyone could do noon. Anyone, that is, who doesn't stay in bed with a pillow over her head all morning. Rob got up early. I didn't. By the time I finally put on my Mary Caroline game face and identified my load time, I was already sunk. It wasn't the first time that being late had made me inconsiderate to a friend -- or, to be honest, even to these friends -- but it was the first time since I'd learned to blame my own lack of discipline and "magical," lazy thinking instead of the traffic and the kids. I managed to pull up to the house, tires shrieking, just 15 minutes late. I rushed madly up the walk and suddenly noticed... nothing. When I opened the door, I found my cohost, Jen, stirring the soup, pleased and slightly surprised to have my help with the final prep for the party, which started at 12:30, not noon. (I'd actually done the invitations, so you'd think I'd have known that.) Instead of making my usual apologies, I could slice bread and put out the gift card for everyone to sign. With Jen, I welcomed Tanya and Ella when they arrived, a few minutes early. Or -- as apparently everyone in the world sees it except for me -- right on time. Acceptance at last After Tanya's shower, I vowed that I was done. That drive brought back every frantic dash of the past few years, and I didn't like it. I liked being early. I loved being early. Better late than never, but never late is better. And so we lived happily ever after, right? We've definitely improved. We're nearly almost always on time, and life is calmer without all the running and shouting and blaming. Sam has reduced the number of times he asks what time it is as we drive to school to one, or maybe two, and he's had to go to the office for only one late pass so far. Rob sometimes claims he's been trying to get us to set a load time all along, but mostly he just tells the kids to put their shoes on 15 minutes earlier than he used to. For me, stopping the problem before it starts -- as in, at the moment I decide to roll over and go back to sleep, or make a pit stop at the bank -- has worked out a lot better than just trying to drive fast enough to get somewhere before we actually left. And my shoulders have come down out of my ears. If you'd asked me a month ago, I would have told you that I was late because I didn't really worry about time, and I would have been wrong. I worried about it constantly, like a person who doesn't wear a watch on vacation and then spends every minute asking strangers what time it is. When I do this -- when we do this, since we've started to involve our older kids in the nighttime prep as well -- we're on time. When we don't -- and sometimes, especially on weekends, I just can't face another scheduled day -- we're not, and that's pretty much all there is to it. Most times, it's worth it. Sometimes, it's not. But people are a lot nicer when you're late only some of the time, and I guess we can live with that.

Meet the Parents Christopher Buckley pens a bittersweet memoir of his celebrated but formidable mom and dad. When Mom is social queen of New York and Dad is the Right’s leading intellectual, your childhood—and adulthood—are bound to be perfect memoir fodder. Christopher Buckley, though, long ago resolved not to write a book about his famous parents, Patricia and William F. Buckley Jr. But after his father died of a heart attack in February 2008, just 10 months after his mother’s death, Buckley, a novelist and political satirist, changed his mind. Apart from the “amazing material” he knew he had, he found that he also had some issues to work through regarding his conflicted relationship with his parents and theirs with him—and with each other. “It poured out of me,” says Buckley, recalling that when he finished the memoir, he realized he’d been in a virtual writing trance for 40 days. “Nothing biblical is intended by that,” he says with a laugh over a plate of risotto at Cafe Milano, a bistro in Washington, D.C.’s Georgetown neighborhood. Clad in a blue blazer, blue shirt and gray pants, the 56-year-old resembles a well-preserved preppy, with courtly manners and a wry sense of humor. Although rumored to be a hatchet job, his memoir, Losing Mum and Pup (Twelve), he insists, is nothing of the sort. “This is not Daddy Dearest or Mommie Dearest,” Buckley says. “This is a love story. It just happens to be, like many love stories, a complex one.” Readers can discern as much when, early in the book, Buckley, an only child, describes his 80-year-old mother being unplugged from her respirator at Stamford Hospital, where she had lapsed into a coma in 2007 after septic poisoning following a vascular operation. Buckley had learned that Pat was in her final hours earlier that day, after lecturing in Lexington, Virginia, and he found a livery driver willing to make the eight-hour trip to Connecticut. “It was quiet and peaceful in the room,” he writes of the scene, after he gave the doctor the okay to remove his mother from life support, his father having been too frail and distraught to make the decision. “I stroked her hair and said, the words surprising me…‘I forgive you.’… I didn’t want any anger left between us.” “That line just happened—there is no planning for those things,” he says, quickly flagging down the waiter to order a “glass of that lovely Sauvignon Blanc,” as if to change the subject. While Buckley refers repeatedly in the book to periods of strife and estrangement among all parties—his mother wasn’t speaking to his father “about a third of the time,” and he often cut off contact with both parents for months on end—he generally avoids addressing the causes of these rifts. “I left out a lot of stuff—you have no idea,” he says emphatically. “I didn’t want to write that kind of book,” presumably meaning a tell-all. Naturally, these withholdings can tantalize, if not frustrate, the reader. During this interview, he is almost as circumspect. “You’ll have to draw your own conclusions,” he says several times. He does, however, elaborate on some aspects of his parents’ relationship: There were, he notes, three people in the marriage. “I was the person in the middle,” says Buckley. “We clashed often. I was sort of tapped as a go-between marriage counselor. [Pup would say,] ‘You won’t believe what your mother’s done now.’ That’s not really fair, but I’m not complaining, exactly,” he adds. As she emerges in his book, Pat, with her over-the-top wit, could be hilarious as well as exasperating—thanks to her often imperious manner. Her “serial misbehavior,” as Buckley calls it, also included a tenuous relationship with the truth, something he first noticed at about age six, when she announced in front of guests that “the king and queen always stayed with us,” referring to King George VI and Queen Elizabeth. Colorful as these whoppers could be, Buckley is loath to call them lies. “Prevarications,” he says wryly. But as Pat grew older, a meanness crept into some of her tall tales. In his memoir, Buckley recalls the night a few years ago when his daughter went to visit her grandmother at her Stamford estate, bringing along her best friend, Kate Kennedy. At the dinner table, Pat claimed (untruthfully) to have been an alternate juror at the murder trial of Kate’s father’s first cousin Michael Skakel, and launched into a lecture on his villainy. Buckley wasn’t speaking to his mother at the time, and when told about it, he was too upset even to write her one of his frequent “scolding—occasionally scalding—letters,” as he describes them. “I think it was [her] insecurity factor—a way of overcompensating,” he says of her behavior. Although her father, who had timber and oil interests, was one of the richest men in Canada, “she was a woman with some fundamental insecurities,” Buckley says. Brought up in “the backwoods of British Columbia,” as Pat used to say (though her family’s house occupied a city block in Vancouver), she attended Vassar but dropped out at the end of her sophomore year—for reasons never fully explained, according to Buckley. The following summer, she married Bill, who had just graduated from Yale. Her habitual fibbing, surmises her son, may have come from her feelings of inferiority, which were no doubt exacerbated by living in the shadow of a man of formidable intelligence. Yet Pat possessed “a very fine mind,” states Buckley. “She [could do] the entire Sunday Times crossword puzzle, which I can’t do.” In later years, Pat’s drinking became increasingly problematic. The subject comes up in his memoir and in our interview, but Buckley stops short of calling her an alcoholic. “I’m not going to use that word into your tape recorder, having carefully avoided it over the course of 250 pages,” he says. When asked for comment, several close friends of Mrs. Buckley were also reluctant to call her an alcoholic. “But when she drank, she did become more aggressive, more belligerent,” says one. Kenneth Jay Lane, a frequent Stamford houseguest, disputes that. “Pat liked her wine, but she could hold her liquor,” he says. Buckley brightens considerably when he brings up Pat’s better qualities. “I don’t think there was a wittier woman on this earth, or wittier person,” he says. “She had a delicious grasp of the ridiculous.” Though his mother was a veritable pillar of the International Best-Dressed List, Buckley admits he didn’t always appreciate her celebrated style. One of his first inklings that Mum was not like the others came at about age 14, when he was attending a Benedictine monastery boarding school in Rhode Island. News from the outside world seeped in courtesy of the switchboard operator, a fat, gossipy woman whose reading material included the “Suzy Says” society column, as he recalls in his book: “‘Your mutha went to a big party last night for Walter Cronkite!’ she would yell out at me into the crowded room where we checked our mailboxes. ‘She wore an Eves Saint Lawrent dress! Musta cost a fortune!’” Retelling the story over lunch, a wistful smile comes to Buckley’s face. “I can still hear it—I wanted to die,” he says. Buckley pens a similarly mixed portrait of his father. WFB, as he was widely referred to, comes through as a great man who didn’t always have time for his son. Ten minutes into Christopher’s Yale graduation ceremony, Buckley Senior grew bored and took the other family members to lunch, leaving Christopher to wander the campus in search of them. As Buckley’s own career and stature as a writer grew, his father was sometimes stinting in his approval. “This one didn’t work for me. Sorry,” he wrote in the postscript of an e-mail to his son, referring to Buckley’s new novel, which was receiving rave reviews. Recently, however, going through the numerous e-mails he’d received from his father, Buckley found compliments on his pieces in The New Yorker and other publications. “I may have been a little hard on [my father]—but not by much,” he says. Yet Buckley speaks lovingly of many aspects of his relationship with his father. They bonded on long sailing trips, including voyages across two oceans. He cast his first vote at age eight—in 1960, for Richard Nixon—on WFB’s lap. Since his parents’ deaths, Buckley’s life has hardly been drama-free. After he endorsed Barack Obama last October in a post for the Daily Beast, the right wing launched a veritable fatwa against Buckley, a heretofore loyal Republican who once worked as a speechwriter for then Vice President George Bush, while the National Review, the conservative magazine his father founded in 1955, hastily accepted his gentlemanly resignation—to his surprise. “I am very mindful of the NR being Pup’s proudest creation,” he says. “I feel really bad this happened.” More-salacious items have appeared in gossip columns, on the matter of a lawsuit brought by a former Random House publicist, Irina Woelfle, with whom he fathered a son, Jonathan, now eight years old. Woelfle is seeking an increase in the $3,000-a-month child support currently being paid by Buckley, who remains married to his wife, Lucy, with whom he has two children, Caitlin, 21, and Conor, 17. After his father died, it was revealed in the Hartford Courant that WFB had left the child out of his will: “I intentionally make no provision herein for said Jonathan, who for all purposes…shall be deemed to have predeceased me.” Buckley declines to discuss the will, stating that “[Jonathan] is provided for,” and says that he is constrained from speaking about Woelfle’s suit. “It’s a legal matter,” he says. “But I am working very hard to resolve it. I look forward to the time when I can talk about it.” His ambivalent feelings toward his parents seem to be more resolved as a result of writing his book: “I hesitate to use the word ‘cathartic,’ because it is so overworked. But these are times you’re grateful to be a writer, because you can work it out with words.” He adds, “I suspect it was a way of spending a little more time with them. During those 40 days I was writing, it was a reimmersion, an intense communion, with their ghosts.” Just what his parents might think of such a public tête-à-tête, Buckley isn’t saying, though one assumes they wouldn’t approve. But maybe that’s beside the point. “Even as I was typing the hard parts, somehow the bad stuff got drained out,” Buckley says. “I feel very much at peace with their memories.”

Note: Lately I feel that Rise's character has been resonating with me, and I couldn't help but write for her. It's funny, though, because I kept thinking I'd write for Yukiko first. Go figure. Anyway, this is largely introspective, and the only spoilers are for Rise's dungeon. Disclaimer: Not mine. Fluorescent lights. The pounding of drums. A thousand screams. My heart is dancing within my chest as the curtains part in two purple satin drapes to let the spotlight fall upon me. Why, the opening almost looks like a smile, even. An invitation. "Heeeeeeey! Risette's so happy to see so many of you today!" I smile, cheek to cheek, and wave my hands as I saunter forward in my strappy heels. I've done this before: I blow a few kisses, wink a few times, and let the public's roar hold me up when I can't bear this anymore. My body rocks to the music, and I let the act fall into place—another show, another rehearsal. Backstage, my voice is hoarse, and my eyes are drooping. "Great show, great work!" my manager cheers. "Risette will be sweeping all of Japan with that new movie of yours, and then, it'll be more than shows and commercials from then on out!" Urgh, everything is fuzzy from the lights…I feel so dizzy, I can hardly stand. "Can I go home now?" I murmur, and all the childish zest from my voice is gone, deflated. And as he chatters on about tomorrow's plans, I realize something important: I mean those words. Home. I want to go home. I want to go somewhere, anywhere, but here. I stare at the calorie-free, tasteless drink in front of me and it makes me sick. I think of the bikinis I have to fit, of the public I always have to woo, of the days of my life that are no longer mine to call my own. "Home," I repeat to myself with an almost wistful air. "Oh, God, I want to be home." Faces scream at her, people rush microphones at her face, and it's all "Risette, Risette, Risette" she hears. She smiles back, and damn the fools, but Risette doesn't exist. You silly, silly boys, you can keep your love to yourself; don't you see? She's a joke. She's nothing. "You're like tofu, Rise-chan." Grandma smiles up at me from the counter and adds, "You're resilient. Tough. You're a strong person, oh, so strong. And you make others strong, too. You just don't know it yet." And people stream in from all sides of the shop, all poking their heads over the counter to see if Risette is here, if she'll flash them a smile, give them an autograph, or realize she's their soulmate. But Risette's not here. It's just me. My kerchief hides me from their prying eyes, and I can already hear the murmurs: "Just the old woman and her stupid tofu. This is a joke." Then they take their cameras and their angry words out the door, and I'm alone, blissfully, for a moment of my life. No one cares about Rise. Which is almost the best thing about her. "Are you Rise-chan?" Then my eyes flit open, and for the first time I see this group of teenagers not here for the fame, for the gossip, or even for the tofu. "We're here to warn you." Maybe I ought to listen, but nothing could possibly wear me out more. Rumors are such delightful things. Soulmates in TVs? Murders and kidnappings? Ohh, the thrill of it courses through one's veins; when the bag lifts over her head, there is terror, yes, but don't pretend you're not enjoying this, girl. Think of the people screaming "Risette" in your ears. Think of all the attention your little joke has caused. Get up. See my world. This world is strange, frightening, surreal. I don't know how I got here; I don't even know what "here" is. "Get up, you slut." The voice is familiar, yet disturbing, and it lingers far too long in my ears. I ease myself up, and the mist clouds my eyes—what is this place, pink and shrouded and strange? I've never been here. This is a club, but I've never been here in my life, not once. "C'mon, you can't give your audience a bad show! Stand up, Risette. Stand up, you slut." Oh my God. My head lifts, and I can see a face I know better than anyone's: framed by soft brown curls, fresh and white from countless facial products, and smiling a forced lip-sticked-on grin. This is my face. This is my voice. "Ohhh, you look so confused! Teehee, it's to be expected, though, isn't it?" She circles me, and the fog fades in and out long enough for me to see her walk about in my body—practically bare, all except for a gold bikini pressed against her skin. She leans in to see me closer, and giggles. "Now I've got your attention, haven't I? Everyone loves to see Risette's face. It always brings attention. And can you imagine," she breathed, "the attention seeing more than just Risette's face would be?" I don't know how I got here. I don't know why my head is spinning, why I'm feeling so violently sick I might throw up, why I'm suddenly realizing there's a vague resemblance between her eyes and the fog. "I'd never let Risette do that," I hear myself say aloud. "I—I'm not a skank! I'm only sixteen." "Age doesn't matter, does it? All an audience sees is a fresh, beautiful, stunning body. So what if a few old men or perverts tune in—attention is attention, and you want it badly enough, don't you?" She turns her hip and lifts a leg to stretch against a pole—since when was there one here, what is this place again? "Isn't it freeing to be something other than you?" this doppelganger sighs. "Isn't it nice to be something, anything at all?" "No body of mine is going to do that." Tears squeeze out of the corners of my eyes—my eyes, not hers, whatever this vile thing is. "Risette isn't a whore! She's a popstar." "Silly girl. I think we can both agree on one thing: Risette doesn't exist. And," she added, swaying her hips rhythmically against the pole, "no one cared enough about Rise to let her exist, either." This is too much. I want to scream so, so badly—but I'm tired in this fog, and hurt, and I want to cry, but I can't in front of this thing. "I want to go home," I choke out. "I—I want to go home!" "C'mon, Rise. Let's just admit it. You don't have a home, do you? People who don't exist can't have homes." Everything swims before me in a hypnotic display of fog and infectious music—it's a strip club, a strip club, and I'm the star attraction. This is my hell, my ninth circle, someone please save me, save me, save me… Someone. Anyone. Tell me I exist. If Risette existed, she wouldn't sit upon this floor. She wouldn't mope, shiver, scream. She'd stand up and dance, let her body please the public. The public, the public, the public—there's nothing private worth having, you slut. You've lost what privacy you have, and you know it. Don't pretend you've still got dignity, too. Wake up. Embrace my fog. Days. Weeks. Months. Maybe years. I don't know how long I've been sitting here, watching my shadow—this twin of mine—twirl about her pole in a sequence of well-rehearsed movements. I sleep seeing my shape writhe and twist like an animal and I hear her laugh—is it my laugh, mine?—adding to the music. Sometimes she leaves me, saying she must tend to her show, and other times she gets a disgusted look and comments on "illegal customers." I think she can hurt people. I think I'm scared of her. "Don't you want to join me, Rise?" she calls sometimes, and I remain rooted to the floor. "C'mon, my little slut, join me!" "I'm not a slut." "But you're me, and I am you." Those mysterious eyes await my response, but I've been too tired to say anything more…until now. I struggle upwards, and my legs feel like jelly beneath me. She covers her mouth and giggles again. "Don't you finally see, Rise? I'm you." Then the doors open—is it a trick of my imagination, is someone here besides me? I think I hear voices, but they're running thick with my own, and I'm finally going to stand up to this bitch in my body. I'm not a slut. I can't be. I'm not an attention-whore, I'm not…I'm not intoxicated by fame, I'm not some toy for men to dream over, I'm not… "I'm not you!" Then that laugh comes on, louder than before, and those voices echo, echo, echo… He is different than you, but then again, different is something you've never been. He strikes out at me without hesitation; doesn't he see that the girl he's defending is an empty husk? There is no Risette. There is even no Rise. She doesn't exist. Yet this silly boy pretends to know you; no, he's no different than the rest, is he? Some starstruck fool. He's risking his life for Risette: for an illusion. So why is it, then, that I'm the mirage being dispelled? They call it a Persona. I don't know, I guess it makes sense, doesn't it? A brave side of yourself. A show of good-face before the world. Personas can't be selfish, can't be lonely; they just can't because they're the good we force to the surface. There are so many personas swarming within me that I can't bear to look any deeper into the depths of my heart. But I'm safe, now. I'm alive. I'm free. "Rise-chan, are you sure you're feeling fine?" He brushes his hand against my forehead, and it's nice, I think, to be told you exist. It's nice to meet someone who calls you by name. "I've never been better, Senpai!" I chirp, and I can still remember his stance against that sick side of me—it's me, authentically me, all the worst of me—and the funny thing is, the world loves to see my fake side. They love Risette and her silly grins and her seductive poses and her teasing lyrics. But Rise, and her selfish heart? Only he, and my new friends, have faced that. Only they have accepted Rise-chan and told her she's real. "Hey, Senpai?" I bite my lip before letting out a cheerful laugh. "You're free today, right? I haven't been here in ages, and I'd love to be shown around town. Especially by someone like you." I don't need the limelight, not all the time. Fame can't replace love; music can't drown out loneliness; fans can't offer true friendship. So Risette is stepping off the stage now. She's tired. She's sick of living off hype instead of something real. Curtain call; it's time for the next act, and Rise Fujikawa is having her first debut in years. Please, my lovely audience, hold your applause. End Note: I liked this, actually. A lot. The italics were my idea of sneaking in Shadow Rise's thoughts, but I'm not sure I did them justice. Anyway, I hope my first foray into the persona series didn't flop, and thank you for bothering to read! I really appreciate it.

Official Report (Hansard) Date: 31 May 2012 PDF version of this report (146.12 kb) Committee for Culture, Arts and Leisure Forecast Out-turn for 2011-12: DCAL Briefing The Chairperson: Deborah has kindly agreed to stay on, and she is joined by Michael O'Dowd, who is head of finance branch in the Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure (DCAL). Again, Deborah, would you like to make your comments? Ms Deborah Brown (Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure): Apologies for the lateness in getting the briefing to the Committee, but hopefully you will agree with me that it is a very good news story on the performance of the Department. It will stand us in good stead over the next few years as we move forward and protect the budget that we already have. I will stop talking for a while and let Michael give the presentation. Mr Michael O'Dowd (Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure): Thanks, Deborah, and thanks, Chair, for this opportunity to discuss the provisional out-turn for 2011-12 and the Department's performance. By now, I think you have the background briefing paper for this presentation on out-turn. I would like to separate my paper into three parts. First, I will look at actual out-turn for the year; secondly, I will consider how that reflects on the Department's financial management performance in-year; and, finally, I will look at the possible implications of that for future budget exercises. Please feel free to ask questions during the presentation or at the end. If I am unable to provide answers at this point, I will get back to the Committee as soon as possible. Before I go into the detail on the actual out-turn for the year 2011-12, I would like to provide members with some background on the nature and timing of those exercises. Provisional out-turn refers to spend for a financial year compared with the final budget for the year, as determined in the final monitoring exercise for the year. It is reported to the Department of Finance and Personnel (DFP) around six weeks after year end. It is referred to as provisional because it presents an interim position. There is a final out-turn exercise every year subsequent to that, which takes place in September and which allows for adjustments to spend to be incorporated following audits. The spend and budget reported in out-turn includes that of the entire DCAL family, not just of the Department itself, so it will include the spend of libraries, national museums, the Sports Council, the Arts Council and the smaller non-departmental public bodies (NDPBs). It will also include grants provided to the North/South bodies. That is by way of background. I now turn to the results of the provisional out-turn exercise for this year. I refer you to the table that was supplied in your briefing. It is presented in the same format, and uses the same terminology, as the briefings on out-turn that the Committee receives each month. If anyone is not clear on the terminology or the way in which the table is formatted, please ask. The main point to make is that, across all areas of the departmental expenditure limit (DEL) budget, which represents the routine items of the budget, the Department has achieved a spend of 99% or more of its final budget. In the annually managed expenditure (AME) category of the budget, which covers volatile spending areas such as asset impairments and provisions, spend is 95% of budget. Given the nature of the AME budget, this element of out-turn is also very satisfactory. It is also very significant — possibly even more significant — that none of the budget was surrendered to DFP in-year. Indeed, a modest additional amount of budget was sought and subsequently spent. Also, compared with previous years, the Department's performance has improved, both in spend against final budget and levels of surrenders of budget in-year. For instance, there were surrenders in resource budget of £2 million in 2009-2010, £1·5 million in 2010-11 and nil in 2011-12. I move on to consider what this says about departmental performance in-year. The twin trends of very small underspends and no surrenders of budget in-year are evidence of good financial management performance on the part of the Department. It is able to spend the budget allocated to it effectively and efficiently in-year. I should point out that, when we are asked to spend up to our final budget, we cannot overspend. It is important to realise that. If we try to programme spending to spend 99·9% of our budget, there is always the risk that we will spend more than the budget. That is a major consideration of ours when we reach these levels of spend in-year. We lack the authority to overspend because the Assembly has not voted us that expenditure. The Department is trying very hard to maximise spend in-year. It is doing this in a number of ways. It closely engages with its NDPBs through the year, and, as you will be aware, the NDPBs effectively dispose of 80% of our budget. We regularly internally report on spend against budget, and we have placed an increasing emphasis on the accuracy of forecasting by NDPBs, both of their spend in-year and of the pressures facing them or reduced requirements. The result of that is that budgets can be transferred from areas of surplus in-year to areas of need at the earliest opportunity. We are also involved a great deal now in contingency planning. Deborah referred to that in the previous session. We develop a range of spending options that have not yet received budget clearance, and those exist in case money becomes available at short notice or towards the end of a year. For instance, in January monitoring of last year, DCAL was able to redeploy £0·6 million from the budget of the Ulster-Scots Academy to invest further in the libraries book stock. That was able to take place because business cases and plans were in place to spend at short notice. That is an important facet of our financial management at the moment. I am not dwelling on our performance this year just so that we can congratulate ourselves on a good performance. Our financial performance in 2011-12 has an implication for future budget allocations, and that is the third area that I will touch on now. In his paper on January monitoring earlier this year, Minister Wilson noted the size of reduced requirements declared by Departments over the year. In total, £65·7 million of resource budget and £48·2 million of capital budget was surrendered. That is close to the total of DCAL's entire budget for the year. The amount was surrendered around the block, and that raised questions in the Minister's mind that original budget allocations might need to be reviewed. Therefore, he has proposed to take a fresh look at allocations in 2013-14 and 2014-15, which, in part, will be based on departmental performance in 2011-12. I have to emphasise that the precise details of this exercise are not yet clear, but Minister Wilson has suggested that Assembly Committees could undertake a review of their Department's performance, with the Committee for Finance and Personnel co-ordinating a consolidated response to the Minister. If the proposal to make future budget adjustments on the basis of actual performance in 2011-12 is taken forward, DCAL will be in a strong position. We must, however, bear in mind that resource budgets are already planned to fall over the remaining years of the CSR period. In DCAL's case, by 2014-15, the annual resource allocation will have fallen by £9·18 million compared with the closing budget of 2011-12. Excluding the regional stadiums programme, the capital budget is at a very modest level throughout the remainder of the CSR period. In these circumstances, and with the possibility of further budget reductions, it will be very important for the Department to demonstrate its ability to manage its allocations efficiently and effectively and to enlist the help of this Committee in bringing evidence of its good performance to as wide an audience as possible. That is the main message that I want to deliver today. That completes the presentation. Thank you for your attention, and I now invite questions. The Chairperson: Thank you very much. You spoke of contingency planning, but have you allowed yourself flexibility in some of your planning and forecasting to give yourself, essentially, a contingency fund? Ms D Brown: DCAL does not have contingency funds. Mr M O'Dowd: We do not have funds that are not allocated. Ms D Brown: They are all allocated. Mr M O'Dowd: We are simply saying to people, "This is your budget for the year in various areas, but on top of those plans, please develop plans to spend additional money if it becomes available at short notice". We find that what happens is that money becomes available in the last monitoring round of the year, either from the block grant or internally, so we need to have plans in place. However, we have not got extra money or "free" money available. We anticipate reduced requirements in some areas and have plans to spend that money in other areas if it becomes available. That is the structure of the way that we work. The Chairperson: So do you work at it as it comes along? Mr M O'Dowd: Yes. The Chairperson: Are you in a position to flag up potential issues for future budget allocations in 2011-12? Is there anything that could be an issue for you? Ms D Brown: We know what the pressures caused by slippage will be in future years, so we hold that, and it is reviewed by our senior management team and board. We then prioritise those so that, if easements become available, those are the areas to which they must go first. So, a process is in place whereby our board and senior management team are kept informed of that, as is the Minister, to ensure that she is content that that is where that money will be redirected to. However, there is a requirement to give DFP back reduced requirements as and when you know about them, given the de minimis level. The Chairperson: The Department is obviously to be congratulated on its 95% budget spend. How does that compare with other Departments, or do you not know at this stage? Mr M O'Dowd: We do not know at this point. It is good compared with our historical performance. As regards other Departments' budgets, we do not know yet. Of course, as I mentioned in the presentation, this is subject to change. This is a provisional, interim stage. We have a final exercise in September, when numbers come back from audited accounts, and we will have the exact position then. At the moment, we do not know our relative position. That having been said, it is hard to imagine reaching a better position than 99% without breaching the budget. Mr McGimpsey: I am looking at your annual allocation, which will fall by £9·18 million a year over the next three years. Is that right? Allowing for inflation, what is the real decrease there? That is the money that you take to the shops. Mr M O'Dowd: It will be in excess of that because inflation is not factored into that. Mr McGimpsey: So where are you actually at? Mr M O'Dowd: It depends on your inflation assumptions, and I do not have that figure with me. Mr McGimpsey: The figure was originally 2·5%, although I think that it has gone up since then to around 3%. However, say that you are working at 2·5% and you are at £140 million a year over three years; you need a 2·5% year-on-year increase on that £140 million just to stand still. You are actually losing more than £9 million and you are not getting the inflationary rises, so I want to get some idea of what the gap is. What is your gap in real terms? Mr M O'Dowd: I do not have that figure for future years with me. Mr McGimpsey: It would be useful to know what that is, because it will impact on everybody, not least folks who are not spending their money. We have heard about some of them starting to hand money back, and that, as you know, is when things start to get nasty all round. You have real challenges here. You — Mr M O'Dowd: We do indeed. As I say, if we — Mr McGimpsey: Not only are you not getting a rise in line with inflation, but you are getting a reduction. So what is the real-terms gap that we are looking at? Mr M O'Dowd: We will come back to the Committee with projections based on a variety of assumptions around inflation. Mr McGimpsey: We are on our second round now of folks coming in to talk to us — all the next-step bodies, one of which will come in later. We need to know what they will be saying to us this year and the year after. The next thing is that they will all do the rounds again and come to us about their budget allocations, so I would be interested to know that figure. Thank you. The Chairperson: There are no other questions from members. Thank you both for attending, for your presentation and for taking questions.

The Irish Novel 1960 - 2010 Publication Year: 2012 Published by: Cork University Press Title Page, Copyright I have the great good fortune to have friends like John Evans, Eamon Grennan, Vincent Hurley, Máire Kennedy, Tim Meagher, Denis Sampson and Terry Winch. Many grateful thanks to them for all their hospitality, encouragement, help and support over the years. Terry’s input early on was just what I needed. ... If there is one literary landmark more prominent than another in Irish culture over the past fifty years, it is the growth and development of the novel. Half a century ago, Seán O’Faoláin could note, with some justification, ‘the comparative failure of the Irish novel’.1 No such statement could be made today. ... 1960: Edna O’Brien, The Country Girls This novel’s principal events consist of breakdown, rejection, leavetaking and abandonment. Punctuating Caithleen (Cait) Brady’s childhood and adolescence, these discontinuities map onto the known world a private landscape of loss. Her feckless father – who, in his fondness for gambling and drink, ... 1961: Sam Hanna Bell, The Hollow Ball Belfast is depressed, and life there tends to run in narrow channels. Work is scarce and opportunity rare. Economic insecurity is endemic and breeds various repressive forms of social diffidence and passivity. In most minds, the need to hold a job is paramount. So, when sixteen-year-old David Minnis ... 1962: John Broderick, The Fugitives The London assassination by the IRA of the Northern Ireland Under Secretary makes fugitives of Lily Fallon, her brother Paddy, who was one of the assassins, and Hugh Ward, Paddy’s IRA handler. Immediately following the murder, Paddy seeks out Lily, instead of following instructions, an early indication ... 1963: Michael Farrell, Thy Tears Might Cease The opening part of Thy Tears Might Cease is entitled ‘The White Blackbird’, and that is a fitting description of the protagonist, Martin Matthew Reilly. But the phrase might also be applied to the town of Glenkilly, whose variegated social and political populace is depicted with painstaking relish. ... 1964: Samuel Beckett, How It Is While retaining identifiable links with his other post-war fiction, How It Is, true to Beckett’s restlessly innovative imagination, also breaks new ground in form and language. Such is this work’s novelty, indeed, that an approach to it which relies on plot summary and character analysis will fall well short of being an adequate accounting. ... 1965: Brian Moore, The Emperor of Ice-Cream Seventeen-year-old Gavin Burke is a failure. This is not only how he sees himself. So does his family. He has failed his exams and will not be following in the footsteps of his father and his brother Owen in reading law at Queen’s University, and he is only notionally studying for an alternative exam which may secure him university entrance. ... 1966: Aidan Higgins, Langrishe, Go Down The novel opens in 1937, and ‘The world was in a bad way’ (10). In Spain, the Civil War is going poorly for the Republican side. That much is public knowledge. Helen Langrishe learns it in the evening paper as, feeling almost suffocated and beset by the grinding noise of the bus’s wheels, she travels home to Springfield House from Dublin. ... 1967: Flann O’Brien, The Third Policeman In Ernest Hemingway’s 1936 short story ‘The Snows of Kilimanjaro’, the dying protagonist, Harry, observes that the banal image of ‘two bicycle policemen’ can connote death as readily as the traditional scythe and skull. Imagine, then, the effect a third policeman might have. ... 1968: Anthony C. West, As Towns with Fire During the Second World War, West was a member of the Royal Air Force and saw intense action in the bombing of German cities as a navigator in the Pathfinder squadron led by Guy Gibson of ‘Dambusters’ fame. This experience provides As Towns with Fire with a number of impressive action sequences, ... 1969: James Plunkett, Strumpet City This is how Strumpet City begins. Seven years later, the novel ends in the place where the king arrived, but now there is little to celebrate. Fitz – the central character, Bob Fitzpatrick – is shipping out for England, where he plans to join the army. This outcome is a far cry from the opening picture of unity and amity. ... 1970: J.G. Farrell, Troubles The year is 1919. Major Brendan Archer has survived the First World War – in a manner of speaking. Released from hospital, though still psychologically frail, he makes his way to the Majestic Hotel, an enormous pile of over three hundred rooms, on the shores of the Irish Sea at Kilnalough, County Wexford. ... 1971: Francis Stuart, Black List, Section H But although the terminal, the violent, the deliquescent and the delinquent are all very much part of the story Troubles tells, the novel is not merely a monitory treatment of either the birth of an independent Ireland or of the old order passing. The work’s significance lies not only in its presentation of the narrative materials, ... 1972: Jennifer Johnston, The Captains and the Kings Charles Prendergast is an old soldier who is fading away in Kill House, the County Wicklow property he has inherited from his family, though he has never felt at home there. Not that he has felt at home anywhere else, his career following service in the First World War having been essentially one of travel, ... 1973: Vincent Banville, An End to Flight The town of Ogundizzy in Biafra (the former province of eastern Nigeria) may have a school, a hospital and the Welfare Hotel, but as a domicile – a place to settle in, a community with a future – it represents one of the senses of a dead end that the novel’s title connotes. ... 1974: Ian Cochrane, Gone in the Head The Boodie family has just moved from rural Heathermoy to a new house in a housing estate on the fringe of an unnamed Northern Ireland village. The estate’s location is so marginal that the road leading to it is unpaved, and like a lot of these public housing developments, North and South, the place is neither in the town nor in the country. ... 1975: Maurice Leitch, Stamping Ground The Valley is the setting of Stamping Ground, a location evidently close to the County Antrim towns of Ballycastle and Ballyclare. It is been better if we never had gone out in the first place’ (136). It is difficult to disagree with him. ... 1976: Caroline Blackwood, The Stepdaughter J, the narrator of this offbeat epistolary novella, has immured herself in a Manhattan high-rise apartment with her four-year-old daughter Sally Anne, her stepdaughter Renata, and a French au pair, Monique. A kind of valedictory offering, Monique has been sent from Paris by J’s former husband, Arnold, a lawyer. ... 1977: Benedict Kiely, Proxopera This novella opens with an act of trespass. The Binchey family – ex-schoolmaster protagonist, his son Robert and Robert’s wife and children – return home from a holiday in Donegal to find the protagonist’s house taken over by three masked terrorists. Their plan is to hold the younger members of the family hostage ... 1978: Patrick McGinley, Bogmail The subtitle of Bogmail is ‘A Novel with Murder’, and it begins and ends with unexpected, though not unplanned, deaths. From the outset, it is clear that the protagonist, Tim Roarty – an impotent, alcoholic publican, who is also a spoiled priest and a lover of Schumann ... 1979: John McGahern, The Pornographer There are two sides to The Pornographer. One deals with an affair the thirty-year-old eponymous but otherwise unnamed narrator has with Josephine, who is some years his senior and whom he eventually impregnates. The other has to do with his Aunt Mary, hospitalised in Dublin with terminal cancer, ... 1980: Julia O’Faoláin, No Country for Young Men The possibility of such spiritual reintegration is also borne out by Aunt Mary’s funeral, whose ritualistic and communal elements override in significance its religious dimension. In examining how ‘The superstitious, the poetic, the religious are all made safe within the social, given a tangible form’ (238), ... 1981: John Banville, Kepler The Holy Roman Empire is entering its last days. The build-up to the Thirty Years War is well advanced. Religious sectarianism is rapidly becoming more pronounced and more vindictive. Employment prospects for Johannes Kepler, mathematician and astronomer, are not promising, unless he is willing to confine his work ... 1982: Dorothy Nelson, In Night’s City There is a point in the childhood of Sara Kavanagh, the protagonist of In Night’s City, where she says, ‘What I really wanted was to pretend I wasn’t real’ (30). But, though we are taken into the deep recesses of Sara’s consciousness, and even though the novel’s last words are delivered by her alter ego, Maggie, there is no use pretending. ... 1983: Bernard MacLaverty, Cal Nineteen-year-old Cal McCrystal is on the dole. To the annoyance of his father, Shamie, he lacks the stomach to take the only job available, which is in the abattoir of their provincial Northern Ireland town. Shamie and a Provisional IRA operative, Crilly, are the only Catholics working in the abattoir, ... 1984: Desmond Hogan, A Curious Street From a brief newspaper report, Jeremy Hitchins, a British soldier serving in Northern Ireland, learns that Alan Mulvanney has killed himself. Jeremy never actually knew Alan, and the suicide did not take place in Northern Ireland but in the victim’s native Athlone, ‘the meanest town in Ireland’ (182). ... 1985: Mary Leland, The Killeen A note at the beginning of this novel explains the title. It is a transliteration of a word in Irish for ‘a church yard set apart for infants’, and an additional note mentions a burial place reserved for unbaptised children. In The Killeen, the site in question is in the townland of Adrigole, in west Cork, ... 1986: J.M. O’Neill, Open Cut From his very comfortable Highgate ‘little fortress’ (8), Nally is master of all he surveys. He has his greedy fingers in many lucrative pies – trucking, gambling, property – none entirely legal. And he has a network of fixers and enforcers to make sure things go his way without his having to get his hands dirty. ... 1987: Carlo Gébler, Work and Play A former law student, now expelled from university for spending his summer term on a London drug binge, Fergus Maguire has returned to Ireland and is recuperating in rural County Wicklow. He is still trying to mend fences with the rest of his family – mother, sister Pippa and highly irate father – who live in Dalkey. ... 1988: William Trevor, The Silence in the Garden 'The past is never dead. It’s not even past.’ William Faulkner’s dictum seems particularly applicable to William Trevor’s Irish novels. In them, the past – and in particular the War of Independence – exerts a complicated influence over the present. The history of that war proves to be a burdensome legacy, ... 1989: Timothy O’Grady, Motherland The action of this elaborate historical fantasia begins in Dublin with the obese forty-three-year-old virginal narrator recalling his return to his mother’s apartment to make up with her after a temporary fallingout. He finds the apartment to be a ‘macabre, devastated jungle’ (6), complete with pet monkey and the family turtle, ... 1990: Dermot Bolger, The Journey Home Two youngsters are on the run from the authorities, a state which draws attention to the complicated implications of the novel’s title phrase. Francis Hanrahan (Hano) and his girlfriend Cait are the youngsters in question, and how they came to be in flight is interwoven with their present situation, ... 1991: Hugo Hamilton, The Last Shot ‘A war is only over when the last shot has been fired, and who knows where the last shot of the Second World War was fired?’ (3) This question, posed early on in this soft-spoken, searching treatment of war’s complicated afterlife, reverberates throughout its two interleaved narratives, related but distinct, both set in Germany. ... 1992: Patrick McCabe, The Butcher Boy ‘The Butcher Boy’ is a folk song replete with that genre’s familiar themes of love, loss and violence, and one of the most ingenious aspects of this novel is the manner in which it adapts not only these themes to meet its own narrative interests but how the notion of the folk is treated in the process. ... 1993: Roddy Doyle, Paddy Clarke Ha Ha Ha Barrytown: the early days. The year is 1968 and Dublin’s outer fringes are beginning to be developed. Where the Clarke family lives is neither urban nor rural but something of a borderland where the old Donnelly farm meets the new Corporation houses before succumbing to them. ... 1994: Dermot Healy, A Goat’s Song Mainly set in the Erris peninsula on the remote north-western corner of County Mayo, which is where J.M. Synge’s The Playboy of the Western World takes place, A Goat’s Song has for its protagonist a character whom his mother describes as ‘a bit of a playboy’ (267). But that is a very casual description of Jack Ferris. ... 1995: Emma Donoghue, Hood Pen O’Grady is grieving. Her lover of thirteen years, Cara Wall, has been killed in a car crash. Pen’s name – the same as that of the female swan – seems to have already inscribed her fate, in the sense that swans are customarily thought of as monogamous. But the novel is not only a swan song; ... 1996: Seamus Deane, Reading in the Dark ‘I’d switch off the light, get back in bed, and lie there, the book still open, re-imagining all I had read, the various ways the plot might unravel, the novel opening into endless possibilities in the dark’ (20). Such occasions are obviously pleasurable to the nameless young narrator of Reading in the Dark. ... 1997: Anne Haverty, One Day as a Tiger Marty Hawkins has a little lamb. He acquires her after abandoning a promising academic career as a historian at Trinity College, Dublin, breaking up with his girlfriend and returning to Foilmore, the family farm, run by his brother, Pierce. Sheep are Pierce’s main farming interest, ... 1998: Joseph O’Connor, The Salesman It is the scorching summer of 1994. Young Maeve Sweeney is in a coma, and her father, Billy – the salesman of the title – has decided to kill the person who put her there. This individual is Donal Quinn, a drug-dealer, who with three henchmen attempted to rob the petrol station where Maeve worked. ... 1999: Glenn Patterson, The International I wish I could describe for you Belfast as it was then, before it was brought shaking, quaking and laying about it with batons and stones on to the world’s small screens’ (61), says Danny Hamilton, this novel’s gay, eighteen-year-old narrator, a barman at the International Hotel in the heart of the city. ... 2000: Mary Morrissy, The Pretender The story told in The Pretender at first glance appears to be quite well known, as three films and many books have already dealt with Anastasia, daughter of the last czar of Russia, or rather with the imposture based on that historical figure. Supposedly the only one of the Romanov children to escape ... 2001: Eoin McNamee, The Blue Tango In the early hours of 13 November 1952, the naked body of nineteen-year-old Patricia Curran was found by her brother in the driveway of The Glen, the family home in Whiteabbey, County Antrim, five miles north of Belfast. She had been stabbed thirty-seven times. ... 2002: Deirdre Madden, Authenticity To write a novel that upholds a belief in art as a repository of faith, hope and charity is an ambitious and courageous undertaking, but that is what Authenticity ultimately amounts to. Deirdre Madden’s portrait of the artist Roderic Kennedy is not just a depiction of that painter’s processes and accomplishments. ... 2003: Keith Ridgway, The Parts ‘Here we are’ (3, 457). This is the opening and closing sentence of The Parts, and it is not as simple a statement as it looks. Its declarative simplicity inevitably speaks for, though also conceals, the multiform nature of the ‘here’ and ‘we’ that the sentence frames. ... 2004: Colm Tóibín, The Master ‘The intellect of man is forced to choose/Perfection of the life, or of the work’. Yeats’s lines seem particularly applicable to the life and work of Henry James, who in The Master resolves their stark polarity by electing to perfect the life in the work. The mastery he attains in the crucial years the novel covers ... 2005: Sebastian Barry, A Long, Long Way Although he seems a long, long way from fully appreciating the fact, Willie Dunne has been marked by history from birth – ‘He was called William after the long-dead Orange King, because his father took an interest in such distant matters’ (3). And it is not only far-off history that has left an imprint on him. ... 2006: Gerard Donovan, Julius Winsome Except for his dog Hobbes, a bull terrier, fifty-one-year-old Julius Winsome is alone. He lives in the secluded fastness of the border land between Maine and New Brunswick, and when the weather is good earns a living of sorts as a landscaper and mechanic, seemingly antithetical occupations ... 2007: Anne Enright, The Gathering 'A hosting of the Hegartys. God help us all’ (187). That is the gathering that the narrative heads towards. With their faded mother, nine Hegarty siblings, including the narrator, Veronica, come together back home in Dublin – though with no marked expression of togetherness or unity ... 2008: Joseph O’Neill, Netherland The attack on the World Trade Center has obliged Hans van den Broek, his wife Rachel and their small son Jake to move from their loft in fashionable TriBeCa to the Chelsea Hotel, one of New York’s most fabled hostelries. Obviously, things could be a lot worse. Husband and wife both retain their very lucrative jobs, ... 2009: Colum McCann, Let the Great World Spin A spinning world – great or not as it may be; and as this novel indicates, it is great in many ways and also small in many other ways – is an image of poise and persistence. These qualities are also exemplified by Philippe Petit, who on the morning of 7 August 1974 carried out his famous high-wire walk between the two towers of the World Trade Center. ... 2010: Paul Murray, Skippy Dies Daniel ‘Skippy’ Juster is a second-year boarder at Seabrook College, a highly reputed secondary south County Dublin school run by the Paraclete Fathers (modelled, it appears, on Blackrock College, run by the Holy Ghost Fathers). During a doughnut-eating competition with his room-mate, Ruprecht van Doren, Skippy collapses and dies. ... Publication Year: 2012 OCLC Number: 821736163 MUSE Marc Record: Download for The Irish Novel 1960 - 2010

Common Room (university) ||This article includes a list of references, but its sources remain unclear because it has insufficient inline citations. (June 2011) (Learn how and when to remove this template message)| In some universities in the United Kingdom and Ireland — particularly collegiate universities such as Oxford, Cambridge, Dublin, Durham, York, Kent and Lancaster— students and the academic body are organised into a common room, or at Cambridge a combination room. These groups exist to provide representation in the organisation of college or residential hall life, to operate certain services within these institutions such as laundry or recreation, and to provide opportunities for socialising. Typically, though there are variations based on institutional tradition and needs, the following common rooms will exist in a college or hall: - A Junior Common Room (JCR) - for the undergraduate population - A Middle Common Room (MCR) - for the postgraduate population - A Senior Common Room (SCR) - for academics and other members of staff. In addition to this, each of the above phrases may also refer to an actual room designated for the use of these groups. At the University of Cambridge, the term combination room (e.g., "Junior Combination Room") is also used, with the same abbreviations. As a generalisation, JCRs are associations of undergraduates and SCRs an association of tutors and academics associated with a college. Postgraduates are sometimes given their own MCR, or placed in with either of the other groups. This terminology has, in addition, been taken up in some universities in other English speaking nations. - 1 Examples - 2 United Kingdom - 3 United States - 4 Canada - 5 Australia - 6 See also - 7 References The terms JCR, MCR and SCR originated from the University of Oxford and the University of Cambridge. The terms are now used at ten British universities as well as Trinity College, Dublin in Ireland, Harvard College in the United States of America and at the University of Trinity College in the University of Toronto, Canada. Due to the way that the terms have evolved over time and the idiosyncratic nature of university structure, the use of the three terms varies considerably from institution to institution. The main variations involve terminology, mature students and postgraduate students. In addition to this, the terms may be used to refer to the elected groups that run the common rooms. Other names such as "Exec" may exist for these. Halls of the University of Bristol cater mostly for first year undergraduate students, though there is a sizable undergraduate and postgraduate community who choose to stay on, either in the capacity as Tutors or as full paying boarders. The term JCR refers to the entire undergraduate population, but more specifically and commonly to the elected body of students who run the JCR for one academic year. Though most Bristol Hall JCRs are made up of first years, it is custom in Clifton Hill House, Goldney Hall, Wills Hall and Manor Hall to elect returning students to the majority of positions, including JCR President. There is no MCR, but the SCR includes the Warden, the Vice/Deputy Warden, the Tutors and honourable guests at Formal Hall. Hall Bars physically house the JCR, with a separate and publicly inaccessible SCR room reserved elsewhere in Hall. At the University of Cambridge, many colleges do not have common rooms, but combination rooms. The same abbreviations are used. The JCR represents undergraduates, with postgraduate students being members of the Middle Combination Room. In some colleges, postgraduates are members of both the MCR and JCR: for example, at St John's, where the MCR is known as the Samuel Butler Room or at Peterhouse. Most colleges also have an SCR. At Pembroke College the common rooms are called "parlours", such as the Junior Parlour and Graduate Parlour. At Jesus College, Cambridge, the JCR is known as "The Jesus College Students' Union", with its physical space being the Marshall Room. JCRs and MCRs have elected committees to represent their interests within their colleges and in the central students' union. Cambridge University Students' Union. The committees are almost universally led by a President and a range of other elected positions to cover specific areas or interest or functions (e.g. Secretary, Treasurer, Entertainment). There is a great deal of variety between the colleges in terms of the roles that the JCRs and MCRs undertake, how much influence they have in college affairs and how many functions they provide. Nearly all are responsible for organising Freshers Week and frequent entertainments. JCR Presidents and External Officers in Cambridge are ex officio council members of the Cambridge University Students' Union (CUSU). Before CUSU was established, individual JCRs were direct members of the NUS. This meant that Churchill JCR was able to lead the NUS in its campaign for student representation. Unlike most universities, CUSU serves the common rooms and common rooms may choose to disaffiliate. CUSU is funded by the common rooms rather than funding them. - A JCR for undergraduate students - An MCR for postgraduate students - An SCR for academics who are members of the college In addition, there may be one or more rooms set aside for the use of these bodies referred to as 'the JCR' or 'the MCR' etc. The committee that runs the JCR is called the Executive Committee or "Exec". Membership of the JCR is not obligatory to students. There are some exceptions to this. The College of St Hild and St Bede has a "Students Representative Council", which includes both undergraduates and postgraduates at the college, with a special postgraduate committee. St.Aidan's College combines the MCR and SCR into one SCR whereby the postgraduates and senior members belong to one Common Room as a whole, while St Cuthbert's Society combines the JCR and MCR into one JCR. Following a referendum in 2011, students of St. John's College are represented by the "John's Common Room" (JCR) a composite body representing Undergraduates, the MCR (Postgraduates) and the Cranmer Common Room (representing the students of Cranmer Hall) (pre-2011 the body was the Joint Junior Common Rom JJCR). Although the Durham Students' Union is independent from the college JCRs, each JCR has a representative to the union. At the University of Exeter, a number of residential halls for first year undergraduates retain traditional common room structures. Lopes, Hope and Mardon hall are all home to extensive Common Room set ups, which form a central part of student life there. In such Halls, committees are elected to represent the student body via the Common Room, and it is their job to liaise with the Resident Tutors who reside within the Hall. Although somewhat under threat by mergers of Halls and changes to internal administration, the Common Rooms still play an active and important role within the University, by both providing welfare and recourse to higher authorities for the students, and by organising social events such as balls, formals and more casual activities. At Kent each of the colleges was initially built with one or more "senior Common Room" social spaces. However, over the passage of time a number of the common rooms have been transformed into eateries and more formalised social areas. Each college has a "management Committee" (formerly "Junior College Committee" and before that, "Junior Common Room Committee") which acts to represent the students of each college at the students' union and organise cultural events. The Rooms and Committees have traditionally been open to both undergraduates and postgraduates, with the Senior Common Rooms provided for staff. At Lancaster, undergraduates are members of one of eight colleges (with a further college for postgraduate students). Each undergraduate college is a quasi-autonomous body within the university, and each divides its members into Junior and Senior Common Rooms. These terms are more indicative of the collective student/staff bodies than actual space, although each college has actual common rooms set aside for Junior members. Senior members are less fortunate due to a current policy by the university's estates department of removing Senior Common Room space from college control – refurbishing these as teaching rooms or putting them on the central booking system, so SCR members cannot just "drop in". The term "JCR", although intended to refer to all junior members of a college, is often used to refer to elected members of each college's JCR Executive. Each JCR Executive organises a range of social and sporting activities for its college while also offering welfare support for its junior members. The President and Vice President represent their college at the Student Union Council and on a range of University Committees, and many JCR Executive members sit with SCR members on the College Syndicate – the governing body of each college. Within the Graduate College, the Graduate Students Association (GSA) takes on the role of an "MCR". Lancaster has a Students' Union which co-ordinates activities between the different colleges, and the JCR and GSA executives are considered to be standing committees of the Union Council. At Leicester the Junior Common Room (JCR) is open to all members of the University, although its main focus is around the Halls of Residence of the University. The committee was responsible for running the various activities within the Halls of Residence and the represents students based at the Halls. The Term JCR also refers informally to the undergraduate population of the University as a whole . The committee of the JCR is main elected from its members within the Halls of Residence. The Senior Common Room (SCR) for the University remains on its main Campus. Membership of the Common Room is open to all full-time members of staff but not postgraduate students, although they may be entertained as guests of members in the bar. The Common Room itself and its activates are governed by a committee of elected academics and fellows. At Nottingham, the majority of the Halls of Residence predominantly house undergraduates, with a small number of postgraduates living in hall as part of the pastoral and disciplinary system; in this instance, the JCR refers to the undergraduate members of the hall. Postgraduates, along with a Warden, comprise the SCR (Senior Common Room). The Hall Warden is a member of university staff, often an academic, that might reside either in a special residence within the hall, or in a nearby house. JCR activities include representation by elected students of their hallmates on accommodation issues, organised social events, and sports teams that compete in the Athletic Union's Inter-mural sports competitions. Since most students move out of halls after their first year, it is common for students to retain a sense of affiliation to their hall while living 'off-campus'. Many JCRs include former residents of the hall in their sports teams. All of the JCRs are now part of the Students' Union. Melton Hall houses only postgraduates, and the student organisation there forms the university's only MCR. At the University of Oxford, a typical college has a Junior Common Room (JCR) for undergraduates, a Middle Common Room (MCR) for graduates and a Senior Common Room (SCR) for its fellows. JCRs and MCRs have a committee, with a president and so on, that represent their students to college authorities, Oxford University Student Union (OUSU), etc., in addition to being an actual room for the use of members. SCRs typically have a President, an academic member of the body who deals with higher-level administrative matters pertaining to the SCR, such as inviting proposed visiting fellows to the body and identifying invited lecturers to any particular college event. SCRs are typically characterised by a copious provision of coffee, newspapers, and moderately informal space for academics to think and discuss ideas. Wadham College is a notable exception: although it maintains an MCR, its entire student population is represented by a combined Students' Union (SU). The JCR and MCR presidents of all affiliated Oxford Common Rooms, in addition to their OUSU Reps, are automatically voting members of OUSU's governing Council, which meets fortnightly during term to decide on virtually all aspects of OUSU's policy. OUSU Council meetings take place in odd-numbered weeks of the University term. JCR Presidents also get together in even-numbered weeks for meetings of Presidents' Committee (popularly known as Prescom). MCR Presidents also get together up to three times a term for meetings of the MCR Presidents' Committee (popularly known as MCR-PresCom). Alternative names are sometimes used for college MCRs. Brasenose College has the "Hulme Common Room" (HCR), and University College has the "Weir Common Room", named in honour of college alumni. At Christ Church, St Antony's and Templeton the representative bodies for postgraduate students are called "Graduate Common Rooms" or "GCRs". At some graduate colleges such as Wolfson, St. Cross and Linacre College, students and fellows share a single, egalitarian Common Room. In addition, colleges sometimes have additional common rooms, such as the "Summer Common Room" at Magdalen College. These are sometimes, but not always, associated with a particular section of the student or academic body. University of Reading JCRs are set up in a very similar way to their Oxford counterparts, as the University was founded as University College, Reading, as part of Christ Church, Oxford. The JCRs at Reading are some of the oldest outside Oxbridge with some such as Wantage JCR founded in 1908, St Patrick's Hall JCR in 1913 and Wessex JCR later in 1915. Today there are thirteen JCRs operating independently of each other, although they do work with the Students' Union. JCRs represent all Students in a particular Hall as well as having a large number of attached members living in houses. Each year a new committee is elected in each halls. At the University of St Andrews, each hall of residence has a common room for use by all the resident students. Each year, the residents of the hall elect a committee that is responsible for social events. A portion of the yearly residence fees are earmarked for use by the committee for such events. Each hall also has a warden, assisted by one or more subwardens, who is responsible for discipline in the hall (such as dealing with complaints of excessive noise), and who also acts as an advisor to the committee. The hall common rooms may contain a television or hall library (some halls have dedicated rooms for these). The committee may also subscribe to newspapers and magazines, or buy books and DVDs, which are made available in the common room. In addition St Mary's College has a JCR for the use of undergraduates and an SCR for the use of staff. The previous principal of St Andrews, Brian Lang, was criticized and finally rebuked by the university court for requisitioning common rooms in certain halls for private parties, despite complaints by residents about noise and disruption to hall activities. His successor, Louise Richardson, has indicated that she will not continue this or any similar practice. JCRs at the University of Southampton exist in each of the different halls of residences; Archers Road, Mayflower, Bencraft, Chamberlain, Connaught Hall, Erasmus Park (At Winchester School Of Art), Glen Eyre, Highfield halls and Montefiore. The JCRs provide a welfare and support role to new students, and coordinate social and sports activities around the halls. Yearly elections are held in December, with members serving one or two yearly terms. In 2009 JCR's became part of Southampton University Students' Union representative structure and operate under the JCR Executive officer, with a budget of nearly £92,000. The day-to-day running of the colleges is managed by an elected committee of staff and student members chaired by the college's Provost. Colleges have a Junior Common Room (JCR) for undergraduate students, which is managed by the elected Junior Common Room Committee (JCRC), and a Graduate Common Room (GCR) for post-graduate students, as well as a Senior Common Room (SCR), which is managed by elected representatives of the college's academic and administrative members. The only exceptions to this are Wentworth which as a post-graduate only college does not have a Junior Common Room, and Halifax and Constantine which are run by a student association that represents both undergraduates and postgraduates together. Langwith's Junior Common Room is branded as a Student Association, however Langwith retains a Graduate Common Room and a Senior Common Room and therefore it's SA plays the same role as the JCRC in the other colleges. The Junior Common Rooms are run by a Junior Common Room Committee (JCRC) headed by an 'Executive Committee' made up of a Chair/President, Vice Chair/Presidents, Secretary, and Treasurer who have signatory powers. Below the Executive Committee are the rest of the members of the committees who have responsibilities for welfare, activities, events and the general running of the committee. Annual elections are held in November with people coming forward to stand for the various positions. Each individual college's JCRC is slightly different in composition, however all are elected by the undergraduate population following a hustings. The successful candidates are then elected for a whole year, bar any extenuating circumstances e.g. a Vote of No Confidence. The JCRC's primary functions are to be representative of the specific needs of their undergraduate populations, and to provide welfare help to students in the form of welfare reps who can offer advice or give contact details of other groups to students through informal drop-in sessions. With York's collegiate system though, JCRCs are increasingly involved in fostering college spirit through organising the many major social events a college has, such as Christmas and Summer formal Balls. At Harvard College, the term "Junior Common Room" officially refers to the collection of undergraduates affiliated with one of Harvard's 12 houses. Every undergraduate is assigned to a house in the spring of his or her freshman year and thereafter is a member of that house's Junior Common Room, including students who have chosen to reside off campus. In everyday usage, however, "Junior Common Room" almost always refers to a large common room in an undergraduate house by the same name, or simply "JCR" for short. JCRs are generally available for undergraduates to study or watch television, and student groups often reserve the space for meetings. This is in contrast to a "Senior Common Room," or SCR, which is for exclusive use of the houses' Senior Common Room members, which includes the House Masters, tutors, and other accomplished academics in the community. The Faculty of Religious Studies houses a JCR and SCR. The JCR is a center for social activity among students, and the SCR is often used as a setting in films due to its luxurious setting. The university residences also have areas which are designated as "common rooms". Memorial University of Newfoundland Paton College of Memorial University of Newfoundland has a Junior Common Room for undergraduates and all members of the university, and a Senior Common Room for use by academics. Lady Eaton College, Trent University Lady Eaton College continues several Oxbridge traditions present at the founding of Trent University in 1964. This includes a Junior Common Room for the use of students and a Senior Common Room for college fellows and staff. It is the only college on the main campus that presently maintains both a JCR and SCR. University of Toronto Most colleges at University of Toronto have a common room system. The University of Trinity College, as with the entire University of Toronto has adopted many of the traditions of Oxbridge, including the wearing of academic gowns and several common rooms, including a Junior Common Room, Divinity Common Room, and Senior Common Room, which are all communities within the college as well as physical rooms. All undergraduate students registered in the college are members of the Junior Common Room, which hosts a variety of lively social activities, as well as serving as a comfortable student lounge with newspapers from around the world. The Divinity Common Room is available to students in Trinity's Faculty of Divinity, the oldest Anglican theological faculty in Canada. The Senior Common Room consists of college fellows with teaching appointments in the University of Toronto, teaching staff in the Faculty of Divinity, senior college administrators, postgraduate students who serve as academic dons, and divinity graduate students with fellowships. Other select members of the wider academic, social, and ecclesiastical community are also included. The SCR hosts a number of social and educational events and weekly high table dinners in Strachan Hall. The room, which overlooks the college quadrangle, is a faculty lounge hosting daily tea and weekly wine receptions. In University College, Toronto, the JCR is a popular hangout for students. Newman College, The University of Melbourne Newman College has two common rooms: - The Junior Common Room (JCR) for undergraduate students - The Senior Common Room (SCR) for graduates, postgraduates, tutors and staff Ormond College, University of Melbourne The student population at Ormond College is split into four common rooms: - The Junior Common Room (JCR) for undergraduate students - The Upper Common Room (UCR) for later year undergraduate students - The Middle Common Room (MCR) for graduate students - The Senior Common Room (SCR) for postgraduate students, tutors and staff Trinity College, The University of Melbourne Trinity has three common rooms: - The Junior Common Room (JCR) for undergraduate students - The Cripps Middle Common Room (MCR) for graduate and postgraduate students - The Senior Common Room (SCR) for tutors and staff St. Andrew's College, University of Sydney The student population at St. Andrew's College, Sydney is split into two common rooms: - The Junior Common Room (JCR) - for the junior undergraduate population - The Senior Common Room (SCR) - for academics, postgraduates and invited senior JCR members St. Paul's College, University of Sydney The student population at St. Paul's College, Sydney is split into two common rooms: - A Junior Common Room (JCR) - for the junior undergraduate population - A Senior Common Room (SCR) - for academics and postgraduates - R.D.H. Walker (1991–1997). "Glossary of Cambridge jargon: C". Queens' College, University of Cambridge, UK. Retrieved 21 August 2012. - "Churchill College MCR: FAQ". Churchill College, University of Cambridge, UK. Retrieved 21 August 2012. - "Senior Common Room". Christ Church, University of Oxford, UK. Retrieved June 2, 2011. - "Halifax College Students Association". Halifax College Students Association. Retrieved 26 January 2015. - "Constantine College Referendum Results". Constantine College. Retrieved 26 January 2015. - "Who's Who in Langwith". Langwith College. Retrieved 26 January 2015. - "College Elections". YUSU. Retrieved 26 January 2015.

Results tagged ‘ Jim Kaat ’ Congratulations to Barry Larkin on being voted in to the Hall of Fame. I first saw him as a shortstop for the University of Michigan at the College World Series in Omaha back in the 1980s. Jim Abbott was on that team. Also, a first baseman named Casey Close. Who is Casey Close you say? He has become well known as a player agent for Derek Jeter. I am very disappointed that Jack Morris did not get enough votes to gain election and I think Larkin getting in should cause voters to look at why they have never given Davey Concepcion more attention. This brings me to ask the question we hear often. Why does it take some players, who eventually gain election, so long to get there? What is the thinking process by the writers eligible to vote? Why are we as fans and former players asked to drink this bitter-tasting Kool-Aid year after year? I read Richard Justice’s column on MLB.com over the weekend explaining and rationalizing why writers need time to gather more data and change their minds over a period of five to 10 — to sometimes 15 — years. Now I know writers, fans and former players like myself see things differently. As Roy (played by Robert Redford) said to Max (played by Robert Duvall) in The Natural, “Writers write, Roy, and players play.” I respect what the print media does and how they have helped publicize the game of baseball. I enjoy blogging on occasion, and don’t have the writing skills they possess. I was a player and I understand who was good, great, overrated and underappreciated. Writers can only go by numbers, but players know far beyond the numbers who is deserving to be callled a Hall of Famer. If you ask Johnny Bench, Joe Morgan, Tony Perez (all in the Hall) and Pete Rose (who had a Fall of Fame career) about Concepcion’s value to the Reds, I think they would say he is as much a Hall of Fame shortstop as Larkin. This is not meant to diminish Barry’s credentials , it’s meant to accentuate and raise awareness to Davey’s. Food for thought to you who are voters. Why do names like Vinny Castilla and Brad Radke and some others get votes? To give them a chance to tell their grandkids that they once received votes for election into the Hall of Fame? If that is true, then the writers that do that are devaluing the importance of gaining entrance to Cooperstown. Do they really do enough research and homework? Couldn’t they find comparable Hall of Famers and have my friends at the Elias Sports Bureau compare some numbers and get good idea if a player was Hall-worthy and if so elect him on the first ballot? Enough already with jamming this “first-ballot guy” or “may get in some day” down our throats. If one does the proper homework, research and talking to the player’s contemporaries, you shouldn’t have to wait 10 to 15 years to decide. My friend and teammate Bert Blyleven gets 13 percent of the vote his first year of eligibility, and then 79 percent 14 years later? I can’t make sense of it. I know, it’s the writers’ Hall of Fame and writers write and players play, and we have different opinions. But let’s discuss Morris and compare him to Jim Bunning. Both former Tigers. Jim is in the Hall. Frank Dolson, a longtime writer covering the Phillies when I played there in the 1970s, campaigned intensely for Bunning. Frank would say ” He won over 100 games in each league”. He threw a perfect game in the NL and a no-hitter in the AL. He won 224 games in his career over 17 seasons. Morris won 254 and helped three different teams win World Series titles. His 1-0 complete game extra-inning performance in the 1991 Series was more impressive to me than Don Larsen’s perfect game in 1956. With due respect to the Senator from Kentucky — the pitcher we affectionately called “The Lizard” because of his slinky frame and motion — Morris is more worthy of induction than Jim, and Jim obviously is worthy or he wouldn’t be there. It took the veterans committee to finally get him in. I just read where seven teams did not have a starter who pitched 200 innings this year. Morris did that 11 times, several times going over 250 innings and once exceeding 300. Forget his high ERA. He didn’t care if he won 6-5 or 6-0. He just wanted to finish the game and win. And he had 173 complete games in his career. Bunning had 151. Still, I’m open to your opinions if I’m wrong on my thinking on this issue. On to Hanley Ramirez and Rose. So it’s a big deal to be asked to play third base instead of shortstop. For 10 or 15 or however many millions they pay Hanley, I would be honored to play right field, second base, third base, left field or first base if it helped my team win a championship. That’s what Pete did. Only player to play at least 500 games at five different positions. Never complained about it. Sparky Anderson asked him to do it and he did it. Ah, the days of no entitlement. Lastly , to put baseball and life in perspective. I recently played in a charity golf event to benefit the Miracle League. It was hosted by Angel Hernandez, a Major League umpire. Several former and current umpires and players participated. The Miracle League’s motto is: “Every child deserves a chance to play baseball.” Harmon Killebrew was passionate about it. Johnny Bench hosted an event to help raise money for it. It takes a special rubberized field. Kids play in wheelchairs and they have all kinds of afflictions. They all congratulate the player who does something special like hitting a home run, regardless of what team they are on. The game has the happiness and innocence it had when I was a kid. I love it. Check it out sometime. Only a month away from… “Pitchers and Catchers report tomorrow!” First, thank you to those of you who read my blog and to the nice comments I have received. It’s fulfilling for me to be a part of MLB Network both on television and on the internet. Keeps me in touch with the game and those of you who love it like I do. Some former players can walk away from it and not miss it. Some leave it and later wish they could get back in in some capacity. I have been fortunate to stay involved in some form as a player, coach, TV analyst and blogger, as well as making appearances for establishments like the Bob Feller Museum and other firms that ask me to appear at baseball functions for the past 55 years. I am looking forward to my fourth season — hard to believe it’s MLB Network’s fourth year already — working with my partner and friend, Bob Costas, on several games, as well as appearing in the studio from time to time. 2011 was an exciting year for baseball, climaxed by that memorable final day of the season and then the surprises and drama of Postseason heroics by the Cardinals and David Freese. It was interesting to anticipate and guess who some of the award winners would be. All very deserving and not totally unexpected. I wish with all my heart that Ryan Braun will be cleared of any wrongdoing. He is some player and had been a model of good behavior. I wish Prince Fielder could stay in Milwaukee. Those fans deserve another shot at having a championship team. Probably fantasy on my part. The season, as all seasons do, had its sad moments. My friend and former teammate , Harmon Killebrew, passed away in May. It was an honor to speak at his memorial service in Minneapolis. Harm is probably the most admired and respected athlete in Midwest sports history, and the comments I got from friends and colleagues about him being the most humble and polite Hall of Famer are true. A gentle giant as a slugger, yet relatively small in physical stature. Just 5’10”, but powerful. Thanks to MLB.com for remembering all of those in the baseball family who passed away in 2011. I wish all of you a safe New Year’s weekend and a healthy, happy 2012. I hope your team has a good year and keeps and holds your interest right to the end. With the wild card (and eventually wild cards, plural) it giving more teams hope, my wish is that the decision-makers reward the division winners with home games, more rest for the pitchers, or whatever it takes to give them a decided advantage in Postseason play. It’s nice for fans to see what teams like the Cardinals did last year, but the most difficult thing to do in sports is to excel over an entire season. You have to overcome injuries, slumps by hitters and pitchers and grueling travel at times to win when you’re not at full strength. A lot of teams could win a World Series these days if they qualified by just having a streak like the Cardinals but you have to perform over six months — not just two weeks — to win a division. It won’t be long until we hear or read those magic words: “Pitchers and catchers report tomorrow!” I hope I can hear it for many more years. Happy New Year! About 10 years ago, the Shalin brothers, Mike and Neil, wrote a book about 100 players that just missed getting elected for the Baseball Hall of Fame because their career accomplishments fell just short. Several of those have since been inducted. Gary Carter, Bruce Sutter, Jim Rice, Andre Dawson and now, Ron Santo. Both Mike and Neil are writers. Mike has covered baseball for the Boston Herald and Neil is a freelance writer in Chicago. I am one of those 100 players they list and profile. If you are a year around baseball fan you probably know that the Veterans Commmittee announced yesterday that Ron Santo has been selected for induction in 2012. I fell 2 votes short. The committee is comprised of 16 guys, former players, executives and writers that were involved in the game during what has been designated ‘The Golden Era”. Pretty cool to have been part of that era. The committee members were Hank Aaron, Al Kaline, Ralph Kiner, fellow MLBlogger Tommy LaSorda, Juan Marichal, Brooks Robinson, Don Sutton and Billy Williams from the players arena. Paul Beeston, Roland Hemond, Bill DeWitt, Gene Michael and Al Rosen from the executive branch. Dick Kaegel, Jack O’Connell and Dave Van Dyck from the media. You need 75% or 12 votes to earn election. You had to have played at least 10 seasons in Major League Baseball and been retired for at least 21 years. Enough about specifics. I am honored to have been considered for election several times by the Veterans Committee after falling well short of election by the Baseball Writers Association of America voters during that eligibility period. I was more curious and somewhat optimistic this year than ever before. Why? Because I was being judged by my peers. I got a fair hearing. I fell 2 votes short. I am not disappointed. I would not have celebrated with a ‘whoopee’ or thrust a fist in the air if I were to have been chosen. Out of respect for so many whose careers are close to HOF caliber but ‘Out by a step” I would have felt humbled and grateful. Players like Dick Allen, Tony Oliva, Ken Boyer, Luis Tiant and many more too numerous to mention. It’s a very select fraternity to gain admission unlike being elected President of the United States where a little over 50% will be enough. I am grateful for those 10 who supported me and I have a pretty good idea who they are. Many have told me personally that I belong and that is an honor in itself. When former players like Brooks, Sutton and Marichal tell you to your face that you belong that is very gratifying. Shed no tears for me or feel no animosity toward the 6 who didn’t feel I belonged. When I think of the 460-plus teammates I played alongside of and the thousands of players who made it to the big leagues and thousands more who aspire to get there, missing election to the Hall of Fame by 2 votes doesn’t diminish my career or life one iota. For fun, strictly tongue-in-cheek, I have told some people who ask me why I think I haven’t been elected yet that there are 2 possible reasons. 1. I played too long. If my career ended after 1975, my pitching numbers from 1961-1975 were exceeded only by Bob Gibson when you consider wins, era, innings, complete games, etc. My last 8 seasons were a combination of being less effective than the first 15 and I was a lefty relief specialist the last 5. 2. I was blessed with more athletic ability than most pitchers. I was used as a pinch runner on several occasions. In 1972, the last year before the DH, I was having a good season at the plate as well as on the mound. 10-2 nearing the All-Star break. Batting close to .300. Slid into 2nd base and broke my wrist. Cost me a half-season. Another baserunning injury occurred in 1976. I could never defy a manager’s authority, especially in the dugout in front of my teammates. But…when Danny Ozark called on me to pinch run for Greg Luzinski in St. Louis one day, I cringed. I was 37 years old. Late in the game, legs not loose or any forewarning that I might be used. Jay Johnstone hit one in the gap and I scampered, as fast as a 37-year-old without warming up can scamper, into third. Slid in hard and cracked my right kneecap. My pitching record at the time was 10-6 and I was on a pretty good roll. I finished the season 12-14 and was never considered a regular starting pitcher after that incident. To this day I wish I had politely said to Danny, “I’m not ready to pinch run.” So,2 injuries that probably prevented me from reaching 300 wins which usually qualifies as automatic election to the Hall were not pitching-related but baserunning issues. I tell you these stories not with an attitude of ‘Woe is me” or ‘sour grapes,’ just as unusual reasons for being compromised as a pitcher. I think if Warren Spahn and Robin Roberts were alive and were on the Veterans Committee, I would be going to Cooperstown in July. There have only been a few starting pitchers inducted in the past 20 years — Steve Carlton, Nolan Ryan and my friend and teammate Bert Blyleven. Life is good, baseball was good to me and for me and I feel relieved that this year’s process is over. It is by far the fairest way to decide who belongs and who doesn’t. I am happy for Ron Santo’s family. I know Billy Williams was pushing hard for Ronnie to be selected and I’m happy for him and Fergie Jenkins and Ernie Banks who, I’m sure, feel great about it as well. I’m also sad that this process wasn’t in place years ago so Ron would be alive to enjoy it. I was a teammate of Ronnie’s in 1975 when he finished his career with the White Sox. A frustrating time for him being on the South side of Chicago instead of in the Friendly Confines of Wrigley Field. I wish I could personally thank all of those who reached out to me to express their disappointment that I missed earning admission to the Hall of Fame. I have no regrets about being “Out by a step.” I enjoyed the game, I played the game and I continue to be involved in the game. I am a blessed man. Been a while since I’ve blogged. Not a lot going on yet as the Hot Stove season is still pretty tepid. Guess the next “big story” will be… who is going to manage the Red Sox and restore some stability to that team? But for right now the stories in the news are the awards. Not any real surprises. All deserving. You can always make a case for your favorite player based on what team you root for and that’s a good thing. Some Dodger fans are probably upset that Matt Kemp didn’t win the NL MVP. If he had won, some Brewer fans would have been miffed. I think we have to put all this into proper perspective and realize our game and awards that go along with it are not solving any major problems in the world like unemployment, hunger, security, and many more. It’s just a game, and anytime you’re a candidate to receive an award, it’s an honor to just be considered. The buzz phrase these days is “an honor to be in the discussion.” That’s true. I’m happy for all the winners and the ones who didn’t win should feel good about being in the discussion, because they had to have very good seasons to be in consideration. Justin Verlander winning the AL MVP may have been somewhat of a surprise to some because you have certain voters — and there was at least one again this year — who don’t even give a pitcher any consideration for MVP. I understand their thinking, because — and please, this is not to be meant as a condescending comment — they have never played Major League Baseball and don’t realize the impact a starting pitcher has on the outcome of a game. I’ll digress from the theme of awards for a moment and give you my opinion on why. Why do you think in a seven-game series you see such a variety of scores and winners and losers? It’s mostly determined by who the two starting pitchers are, and who the home plate umpire is that game. The electronic policeman (one of the worst things to have looking over the shoulder of a home plate umpire) has made calling balls and strikes more inconsistent than ever before. Before electronic policemen, you knew before the game started if it would be a “pitcher’s zone” today (i.e. the late Ed Runge) or a “hitter’s zone” (i.e. the late Ed Hurley). You pitched accordingly. Those three individuals dictated the outcome of the game more often than today. With pitch counts, innings restrictions, and relief specialists, that has changed. I think that those things I referred to make Justin Verlander a better choice than ever because he did what pitchers did decades ago in an era where it is more unusual. When you saw his name listed as the starting pitcher, you knew the Tigers were going to be difficult to defeat. I’d give plenty of credit to the closers as well, like Valverde… and how many titles would the Yankees have won in the past 15 years without Mariano Rivera? Okay, I’m a former pitcher so I see things differently than a position player but that’s my story and I’m not changing it. Sooo… Congratulations to all the award winners and congratulations to all who were in the discussion. A little over a week ago I blogged about a great night I experienced at the MLB Players Alumni Association dinner in New York. Last Friday, courtesy of Rawlings Sporting Goods, I think I had an even better one. I’ll give you the overview first. The theme was Gold Glove Awards. The emcees were Joe Piscopo with help from Dennis Haysbert. If Dennis’s name is not familiar to you he is the new “Voice of God” since Bob Sheppard is no longer with us. He was Chico in the movie Major League, and currently does the TV commercials for Allstate. A warm, gentle guy. Here’s something I found out about Dennis while chatting with him at the VIP reception. He was a linebacker in high school. Grew up in Northern California. Intercepted a pass one night thrown by…..Keith Hernandez! Dennis and Keith got a chance to reminisce about their high school football days. I’ll fast-forward to the final events of the program. Jerry Seinfeld performed 30 minutes of the funniest stuff I’ve ever heard. What a talent. Good, clean, clever humor. And then, to close it out… the original cast from Jersey Boys sang a few songs finishing with… “Oh What a Night”! We have Mike Thompson, Senior VP of Marketing for Rawlings and Robert Parish, CEO of Rawlings to thank for by far the most enjoyable awards dinner I have ever attended. They had a lot of help from a lot of people too numerous to mention. The Alumni Association helped get us former players involved. This year’s awards were presented to the recipients by former Gold Glove winners, including my former teammates Bob Boone, Keith Hernandez, and Ozzie Smith. Ozzie also was inducted into the Rawlings Gold Glove Hall of Fame. He is the fifth inductee. The others: Brooks Robinson, Willie Mays, Roberto Clemente and — here’s the shocker — me! I was so humbled to hear my name mentioned with those four Hall of Famers. Very cool — or maybe in today’s culture I should say, “Wicked cool!” I had one other personal best moment. Yogi Berra was presented with the Rawlings Lifetime Achievement Award by my friend and broadcast partner, Bob Costas. When I presented the pitchers awards to Mark Buerhle and Clayton Kershaw, I told the audience how cool it was to tell people I had the privilege of facing Yogi in 1960! He is an American treasure. Tommy Lasorda was awarded the Heart of Gold Award. Here’s the full list of this year’s winners. The other presenters were Frank White of the Royals, new White Sox mananger Robin Ventura, Dave Winfield, Tony Gwynn, and Andre Dawson. Here is an example of how baseball has grown in public appeal as far as the number of fans and media exposure: When I was awarded my first gold glove after the 1962 season, I didn’t even know they had such an award. I was raised by a dad who was an avid baseball fan. Read The Sporting News cover to cover back when it was “The Baseball Bible.” (It never mentioned other sports. When they started covering other sports, he cancelled his subscription.) So, I’m reading The Sporting News after the 1962 season, and I see my picture along with Al Kaline and Brooks Robinson and others who were voted by the players, coaches, and managers as Gold Glove winners. I called my dad and told him, “I just won an award I never heard of. Something about being a good fielder.” The following season, a Rawlings rep presented it to me before a game. My teammates Earl Battey and Tony Oliva also won those awards during their careers. Now, we have a special night attended by several hundred people with all this top entertainment in a prestigous New York hotel, The Pierre , to honor the winners. The gloves and baseballs on the trophies are laced with 24-karat gold! I was going to ask Rawlings if they could retrofit the 16 I have plus the special Gold Glove Hall of Fame edition with 24-karat gold! It was truly a night to remember and I hope Rawlings continues to stage it. In the early 90s, Brooks Robinson and I were the first two inductees in the Gold Glove Hall of Fame. We had a dinner event at the World Trade Center to commemorate it. Cal Ripken received one of his Gold Gloves at it. Then… poof! The awards dinner disappeared. Don’t know why, but I’m glad they’ve brought it back. Last Friday night was another example of how priviliged I feel to continue to be involved in the great game of baseball for over 50 years. And to add to the night, there was a singing of the national anthem with the National Guard Color Guard standing on stage and a salute to veterans and wounded warriors in attendance. Proceeds from the dinner were given to the Wounded Warrior Project. Rawlings, thank you for a 24-karat gold night of enjoyment! Not late December back in ’63 like The Four Seasons sang, but last night in New York City at the Milennium Broadway where the Legends for Youth Dinner was held. It is a project of the Major League Baseball Players Alumni Association. It was extra special for me for a few reasons. I was the second president of the MLBPAA. They’ve had just three. The first was Jim Hannan, a former Major League pitcher and one of the 17 founders of the Alumni Association. The current one is Hall of Famer Brooks Robinson. Because of my efforts back in the formative years of the Association, the MLBPAA presented me with a Lifetime Achievement Award. I was probably more qualified for the “Start Me Up” award. I got involved in the late 1980s between jobs as a TV announcer. The main thing I did was recognize that of the handful of employees we had at that time, Dan Foster seemed to me to be the one who really had the welfare of the Association in his heart. He had a passion for it and I trusted him. I recommended to the board that we retain Dan and eliminate the rest. We were a bare-bones operation at that point. I was paid expenses only and Dan would become the only paid employee. We had a couple hundred dues-paying members at that time. Fast-forward to today… Dan has done a fantastic job leading the organization. There are now over 6,000 members. Former players and baseball employees from many different departments have joined, as well as current players — and there is also a membership category for fans. That’s what made last night rewarding for me. The award was nice, but the real joy was to see the cross-section of those who attended. Former players highlighted by all-time Yankee favorite Don Mattingly and a pair of Hall of Famers (Brooks Robinson and Orlando Cepeda). Brooks presented the community service award named for him to Jim Thome. Executive Sandy Alderson attended. Current players who were nominated for the Alumni Heart and Hustle Award: Michael Cuddyer of the Twins, Neal Walker of the Pirates, Ian Desmond of the Nationals, and the winner: Torii Hunter of the Angels. I mixed and mingled with former teammates Jim Lonborg, Larry Christenson, and Bob Boone. The Players Association was represented by former player Steve Rogers, and people from MLB.TV, MLB.com, and the league office were there. B.A.T., or Baseball Assistance Team — the organization that helps former players who have special needs — was represented. This is why that was so rewarding to me. In our early days, we were not totally accepted by some of the other baseball organizations. Now, we are all on the same page, tugging the rope in the same direction. As it should be. Our mission is to involve former players in various activities to promote the game of baseball and support charitable causes. It is being done worldwide with clinics, golf events, and autograph sessions. One example was when colorful auctioneer Jon Warden, a member of the 1968 World Champion Detroit Tigers, asked us to raise our bidding paddles if we would be willing to give $50 to provide a baseball clinic for a day for kids who could not afford to do that . One bidder pledged to sponsor 50 kids! That’s $2,500. Several sponsored 10, and many sponsored smaller numbers. As Jon said, “Once a Major Leaguer, always a Major Leaguer” — whether you were there for a day, a year or a decade. Another reason the night was special. No member carries more importance than another, whether he is a Hall of Famer or a player who played for just a short time. Special for me was the person who presented my award. My friend and broadcast partner on MLB Network, Bob Costas, did that as well as help emcee the event along with another friend/announcer, Gary Thorne. Well, I think you get the picture. It was a great night for baseball. I’m very fortunate to have been a part of it. First and most importantly, congratulations to the St. Louis Cardinals for winning the 2011 World Series in the most dramatic, exciting, and improbable manner. Who knew after being 10 1/2 out they could do this? Obviously they did, and that’s all that matters. Let’s allow them to enjoy what they accomplished. I know from being a member of the 1982 World Series-winning team how Cardinal fans love and support their team. As great a baseball town as there is in America. Baseball rules there. I wanted to give myself a day after Game 6 and not make a knee jerk reaction to the way that ended and what was in store for the Rangers after losing that one. Unless they could have pitched Sandy Koufax in his prime in Game 7, I thought their chances were very slim that they would win it. In 1982, I remember after John Stuper pitched a remarkable complete game win Game 6, outpitching Hall of Famer Don Sutton, that our chances of winning Game 7 were excellent. As a player, you can feel it. You know the team that had it in their grasp and couldn’t hold onto it had lost something. In my opinion, what players lose is “fluidity of motion.” It really shows up in the pitching motion. This offseason, I hope to get a chance to do a segment on this subject on MLB Hot Stove. I have some guests that have studied it and written about it. One of them is a former player, Buddy Biancalana. Here is my perspective on what we saw in the past 10 days. I am currently in Cincinnati with Johnny Bench and several Hall of Famers that all won Gold Gloves for fielding excellence: Ozzie Smith, Ryne Sandberg, Eddie Murray, Al Kaline, and Andre Dawson. We had an interesting Q and A at Green Diamond Gallery, one of the most impressive collections of baseball memorabilia you will ever see outside of Cooperstown. Owned by a wonderful man, Bob Crotty, a local businessman. Everyone agreed that Game 6 may have been the most exciting game in World Series history. Ranks with Game 6 of 1975. But… I think we need to define your definition of “great.” I thought Game 7 of the 1991 series was a great game because of the pitching and the strategy by the managers. Tom Kelly of the Twins and Bobby Cox of the Braves. It was won by the Twins, 1-0. A memorable pitching performance by Jack Morris. Our own MLB Network analyst John Smoltz also pitched well. This game had very few mistakes. Drama and tension from the 1st inning as to who was going to score first. What we have seen in the past 10 days has not been great baseball by Major League standards. Start where you wish: Poor execution of attempted sacrifices, baserunning mistakes resulting in pickoffs at crucial times, inconsistent control by pitchers, poor situational hitting like advancing runners with productive outs, failing to score runners from third with less than two outs. Certainly not Gold Glove standard fielding. And probably a lot more. So before we put the stamp of greatness on Game 6, let’s decide for ourselves what our definition of greatness is. For me, Game 6 was as exciting from the 8th inning on as any game ever. Without as much media coverage, you might make a case for Game 7 of the 1960 series where Bill Mazeroski hit the walk-off homerun to win it for the Pirates. Check out that box score on Retrosheet.org, one of my favorite baseball websites. Chock full of interesting stuff. My dad told me about a certain lefty who pitched in the majors back in the 20s or 30s. His first name was Bill. His control was erratic. On days he couldn’t find the strike zone, like C.J. Wilson during this series, they called him “Wild Bill.” On days he threw strikes, he was “Sweet William.” Too many Wild Bill days for the Rangers in this series. One of the things I learned early in my career — the hard way, like Texas learned — was “It’s not the long ball that will beat you, it’s the bases on balls.” Was it an example of the detailed printouts teams have today showing how to pitch every hitter down to the centimeter? Has the art of pitching been replaced by scientific and statistical information? I know some of that is helpful, but here’s an example of the art of pitching. 1st inning last night. Texas leads 2-0. Albert is up. Two out,nobody on base. We’ve heard all series long: pitch around him, don’t let him beat you. I respect him as a great hitter, but my thinking there might have been “I’m going to throw Albert a little 3/4 batting practice fastball and say, ‘Here it is Albert, see how far you can hit it.'” He may have hit it 500 feet! But he may have popped it up, because he wasn’t expecting a nice little cookie right down Broadway. If he hits it out, I still lead 2-1. What are the percentages,since the game seems to be driven by those these days, of giving up back to back homeruns? I’d rather think like that then think defensively and walk two guys. I was having a discussion with one of the pitchers I coached when I was Pete Rose’s pitching coach in the mid-80s: Tom Browning. He won 20 games as a rookie that year. Doubt if he hit 90 very often on the radar gun. Pitched a perfect game in 1988. He was never afraid to challenge a hitter. Threw strikes. Threw his pitches with conviction. Like, “I dare you to hit this.” Not “I don’t want you to hit it” or “I’m afraid you might hit it.” I get the impression from watching games and talking pitching with various baseball people that that kind of thinking doesn’t exist much anymore. David Cone was that kind of pitcher. Art over stats. I have loved this time of year since 1945, when I followed the World Series between the Cubs and Tigers. Can name every pair of teams that participated right up to the present. Why? I got to listen (and eventually watch) every game as a kid because they were in the daytime. Are we so interested in every rating point and dollar that we have become allergic to sunshine and fresh air? My grandsons, age 14 and 10, love Derek Jeter. Who doesn’t? But, they can’t become a fan of the entire game like I did — including the great history of the game — because with the games on late they, won’t get hooked on it like I did. They couldn’t stay up to watch the last innings of Game 6. What a shame. I know I’m going down a dead end street with that thinking, but I just have to vent a little because I remember how special it was for me as kid to look forward to hanging on every pitch. Well, it’s been a great month to be a fan and it may have created a few new ones….Now it’s time to study the horses for the Breeders Cup championships coming up next weekend. Then the President’s Cup golf event. And soon — sooner than it used to be — we’ll hear “Pitchers and catchers report next week.” I always look forward to that… Just to stay in baseball mode before this 2011 season comes to an end tonight or tomorrow night, I went to see Moneyball last night. It’s a must see for a few reasons. It’s very entertaining. It holds your attention. Art Howe will not be pleased with the way he looked. Artie always appeared to me to look like an ex-Marine. Shiny, bald head, good physique, excellent posture. He wasn’t portrayed like that in the movie. And “Wash” is leaner than he looked in the movie. Bille Beane should be pleased. Brad Pitt! Wow, Beaner. Good on ya. I have a lot of respect for Billy and the way he has worked to make the A’s competitive with limited funds, but each time I talked to him on the phone (which was usually on speakerphone from Brian Cashman’s office), I would tell him, “Moneyball for me is having Barry Zito, Mark Mulder, and Tim Hudson healthy and starting 34 to 35 games a season. That’s a winning formula.” (Brian occasionally would have me sit in his office with him before Yankee games and talk about the game during the 12 years that I worked for MSG and YES.) It is also important for the baseball fan to see to really understand the thinking that went into putting the 2002 A’s together. I was not pleased with the way they portrayed the scouts. These guys put a lot of time in to evaluate talent and try to project who will be a Major Leaguer. We all know that is hard to do. If you want to entertain yourself on a rainy day, get the Elias Sports Bureau book on the first 25 years of the MLB Draft. From Rick Monday, who was the first player ever drafted, to Ben McDonald who was the number one pick 25 years later. Very interesting to see who made it and who didn’t and how high or low they were drafted. Remember Mike Piazza’s draft round? Look it up sometime. What the modern sabermetric guys use to select players who might help their team — like Peter Brand does in the movie and now many of today’s GMs do — are the batting statistics of players already in the big leagues like Scott Hatteberg. That’s not fair to the scouts who are hired to pick amateur players and project if they’ll ever be big leaguers. Tim McCarver and I had a discussion recently about “money ballplayers” and “Moneyball” players. There’s a difference. Yogi Berra and Kirby Puckett were money-ball players not necessarily moneyball players. As a former pitcher, I would love to have had them look at two or three pitches before they swung, and not attack the first one that looked hittable. Facing them with a count of 0-2 or 1-2 would have been more comfortable than having them swing early in the count. Check out their walk/strikeoout ratios sometime on Baseball-Reference.com. A Moneyball player may get on base more than some free swingers and score a fairly high number of runs, but will they get the key hits to win close games? In the movie, Peter Brand points out how they can replace the runs they lost when Jason Giambi left by cobbling together what Hatteberg and a couple others could do in aggregate. They looked at total runs scored. Can’t agree with that theory. You can score 10 runs a game for 3 straight games and then only 1 a game for the next 3. total 33. over 5 a game. you’ve still probably won three and lost three. So what I want is a team like the Yankee teams of the late 90s before Jason Giambi and Alex Rodriguez got there. O’Neill, Martinez, Brosius, Girardi, Jeter, Bernie Williams, Knoblauch, and others scored four or more runs a high percentage of the time and with good pitching, and with Mo and Wetteland pitching at the end of the game, they had quite a run. Not many MVP or Cy Young awards. Bernie won a batting title, but the trademark of that team was consistently scoring four or more every game. Their winning percentage when they did was by far the best in the AL. Atlanta was the gold standard for that in the NL. Why? Maddux, Smoltz, Glavine, Avery, Millwood. My point about the Yankee lineup is none of them were the prototypical Moneyball batters. They were all good situational hitters, good two-strike hitters, made productive outs to move the runners up a base. Those are money-ball players. With no disrespect to Jason Giambi or Alex Rodriguez, it may surprise you that during my 12 seasons covering the Yankees (1995-2006), my all-time Yankee team would have Tino Martinez at first base and Scott Brosius at third. Neither one a Hall of Famer or MVP, but they knew how to play the game on both sides of the ball. Outstanding fielders, baserunners, and situational hitters. I think most teams could afford them both. They’re not superstars that will command a five-year, double-digit million-dollar contract. Regardless of my opinions on the theory behind it and whether you or other baseball people agree, see the movie. I had a flashback when Billy Beane had to tell Mike Magnante he was cut from the roster. At least Mike was told in person. After 25 seasons in the majors, I got a phone call during the All-Star break in 1983 from Cardinal GM, Joe McDonald, telling me they were releasing me and had purchased the contract of Dave Rucker, a promising lefty they acquired from Detroit. I thought it was tasteless and classless. Still do. At the time, 25 years was the longest anyone had ever played in the majors. Tommy John and Nolan Ryan passed me after that. TJ pitched for 26 seasons, Nolan 27. But as time went on, I realized that you either leave the game on your terms or the game’s terms. As they say in the movie, the game will tell you when you’re no longer wanted or needed. It might be when you’re in your 20s or when you’re 40. I was 44. Very fortunate. The film has a few tender moments like that. The times Billy Beane and his daughter shared were poignant. That’s my Jeffrey Lyons critique of Moneyball. Just a thought looking ahead to Game 7, if there is one. Always fun to try to think what the managers might be thinking. For the Cardinals, Carp starts, Westbrook is ready to go early, then it’s matchup time. For the Rangers, “Harry” starts –“Wash” is a loyal guy — Feldman next since the Cards may have a lot of righthanded batters in the lineup, then Holland ready for the right situation and Ogando, Adams and Feliz to follow. Nothing really surprising about that. Just trying to have fun thinking along with the managers. A final thought. A lot of time was devoted to hearing Tony’s reasoning for not being able to bring Motte into Game 5 in the 8th. Not enough time to get ready. One of many things I learned from Eddie Lopat and Johnny Sain — my two favorite pitching coaches — was to have the relief pitchers throw from the bullpen mound before or during batting practice. Nothing stressful, just loosen up like you would before you get called on during the game. Almost game-ready. Then stop. Now, when the phone rings and it’s your call, you can get ready in a hurry. Ted Power and John Franco took to that nicely when I coached them in Cincinnati in the mid 80’s. I did it myself when I was with the Cardinals in the early 80s. I found out that with six to eight pitches in the ‘pen and another eight that I’m allowed from the mound when I got called in, I was ready. Speaking of calls to the bullpen. I always enjoyed guessing whose name was called when Dave Ricketts, our bullpen coach in St. Louis , answered the phone. The choices the year we won the World Series in 1982 were Mark Littell, John Martin, Jeff Lahti, Doug Bair, myself, and Bruce Sutter. I can honestly say that Whitey Herzog was so consistent in who he wanted for different situations that I was right on close to 100 percent of his calls. He was a master at matching up the right pitcher for the right batter. Hope the weather has improved in St. Louis… Wow! Can’t remember seeing so many bizarre things happen in one game! And… it’s the World Series! Mix-ups, miscommunications, unusual moves, unusual results. First, I always believe that managers know their players and what they can and can’t do better than any of us. I can only comment on what I would do if I were pitching or what I learned from watching players that I played with and against and managers that I played for and apply that knowledge to try to figure out what is going on between the lines and in the minds of those involved down on the field. Last night’s game was a second-guesser’s delight. Lots of things to question players and managers about. Here are some of the things that puzzled me and what I would have wanted to ask some of the participants about: Let’s start with the result. Texas won 4-2, but it didn’t seem as “clean” or well played game that a 4-2 score would indicate. C.J. Wilson walked through a minefield of base runners through five innings to survive by surrendering just two runs. Not all his fault. The Rangers were a little sloppy with their fielding. I cringed when he came out for the 6th. Chris Carpenter deserved to be the winning pitcher. The curve to Adrian Beltre just a smidge too high and a smidge too much inside. Other than that pitch and the one Mitch Moreland smoked, he was terrific. Give up two solo home runs in that park to that lineup, and you’ll win probably eight out of 10 times. So why would Albert or Tony put a hit-and-run sign on with Albert hitting? I ask because when I played with Hall of Fame slugger Harmon Killebrew, he never wanted the runners to be in motion when he was at bat. First, they were already in scoring position, because Harm was one of the most dangerous home run threats of his era. He hit 573 of them. Secondly, when the runners were in motion, it distracted him… and tempted him to swing at close pitches he would normally not swing at. Like most power hitters, he hit into a lot of double plays. So what. Maybe the purpose of the hit-and-run has changed, but during my era of playing, the hit-and-run’s purpose was to make the middle infielders move and open up a hole to get runners on first and third. Staying out of the DP was secondary. I’m puzzled in learning that Albert puts on a hit-and-run sign a lot. Didn’t think it would be necessary. Also, the hit-and-run usually is easier to execute when you have a pitcher that is a) almost always around the plate with his pitches; and b) quite easy easy to make contact with his pitches. Feliz is neither. He misses the strike zone by a lot, and he’s difficult for a hitter to make contact. I would never suspect a hitter of Albert’s caliber would use the hit-and-run a lot. I know he doesn’t strike out as much as he walks or as much as most home run hitters do, but from a pitcher’s point of view i think I’d rather have him hit-and-run and try to make contact than to sit on a pitch, take a balanced swing and cost me two runs with a homer. I have seen that the purpose of the hit and run has changed from what its intention was when guys like Luis Aparicio and Nellie Fox used it in the 50s for the White Sox or Dick Groat when he hit second for the Cardinals and Pirates. Fox struck out 13 times in 1959 in over 600 ABs, Groat 35 times in 1960 in over 600 ABs. Both guys won MVP awards. That was the typical hit-and-run type batter. Soooooo, that’s why it’s puzzling to see a hitter like Albert use it. He’s certainly capable of making contact, except against Feliz it’s a low percentage. Now, about the bullpen mixup… It’s a stadium design flaw if the bullpens are not in view of the team dugout. Manager and pitching coach should be able to see who is or isn’t warming up. When the phones broke down years ago, we’d have individual signals from the bench for each reliever. Make a big circle with your hands if he was a little heavy; stroke your chin if he had a beard; arm up high for the taller of the two lefties. Plenty of ways to do it. When the bullpen and dugout phones were connected to the stadium switchboard, they had three-digit extensions. The directory was on a card on the wall in the dugouts and the bullpens. In Detroit, the home bullpen was down the left field line, and the guys in the home dugout couldn’t see it. The Tigers’ late inning pitcher was lefty Hank Aguirre. As a starting pitcher, I would get bored and restless on the days I wasn’t pitching, so I’d sneak down to the pen. Drove the bullpen coach crazy. Clyde McCullough or Bob Oldis or whoever it was at the time. One day we got a couple of runners on base and, for fun, I decided to call the Tiger pen and in a muffled, disguised voice I quickly said, “Get Aguirre up,” and hung up. He got up and started to warm up. It was the 4th inning. They recognized it after a short time and sat him down. Lots of bullpen pranks went on in those days. The late Moe Drabowsky tried to order Chinese takeout to be deilvered to the bullpen one day. I never imagined things like what happened in last night’s bullpen mix-up could happen with today’s technology. I admire Tony La Russa for being very cool about it after the game. I can only imagine how he felt not having Motte ready to pitch to Napoli instead of “Scrabble.” Now, “Wash”… Was it really just a gut feeling and you hoped he’d get lucky, or you liked the way the stars were aligned when you allowed Murphy to bat against the lefty? If it was fielded cleanly, it would’ve, should’ve, could’ve been a double play. That would have been an interesting answer to get from him if that happened. But it didn’t. The Rangers got a break and eventually won the game even after a hit batsman and a walk. And the game ended on a strikeout that could have resulted in all kinds of trouble for Texas, as Mike Napoli had to chase the ball down the first base line and flip it to first for the final out. That ball could have gone in a different direction easily. All in all…Carpenter pitched well enough to win. Wilson worked his way out a lot of situations where the Cardinals could have broken the game open and led by a lot. Credit him for that. It’s always an interesting topic: Was it poor hitting or good pitching? The guy is their ace and won 16 games. That didn’t happen by accident… I think both managers may have interesting decisions to make tonight or tomorrow regarding their starting pitchers, because the early report is that Game 6 may be postponed and played on Thursday. That would be a nice break for the Cardinals. If it goes seven, Carpenter might be available to start that game. Derek Holland could come back for Texas fresh off his gem on Sunday night. This baseball is a great game, isn’t it? Can’t wait to see Game 6, whenever that is played. A lot of fans on the East Coast are obviously disappointed that the Yankees, Red Sox or Phillies are not in the World Series. I don’t think it’s a shock that Texas is in again, but the Cardinals’ stretch run to get in was like the great Zenyatta — a super horse that thrilled us with her late running style last year. There’s always the articles on the TV ratings that indicate not as many fans are interested in the World Series without the big names in it. Well, get over it. The teams that deserve to be there are there and there are a lot of good things happening for baseball. Those of us that love and appreciate the game to see enjoyable baseball — no matter who the participants are — can’t help it that the bigger market teams with larger fan bases aren’t in it. Neither can the Cardinals or Rangers. In no particular order here are some of the things that have been nice to see in the first four games. Elvis Andrus and Ian Kinsler are getting some national exposure for the second-straight year. Thet are putting on a great show. David Freese is healthy and showing why he may be a breakout slugger next year. Very cool to see a different side of Nolan Ryan. A side that I never saw from the dugout competing against him for over 10 years. Mike Maddux is the next Dave Duncan. Not that he needed it, but Albert (Like Reggie,he doesn’t need a last name.) is showing fans what a complete player he is. This isn’t his first rodeo on the national stage, but more and more fans are getting to see what St. Louis and a lot of the NL has seen for a decade. Forget the little blip about not being around to answer for deflecting the relay throw in Game 2. If the East Coast media think he’s too sensitive to handle occasional criticism in those markets, so be it. He belongs in St. Louis anyway. The Rangers were not a fluke last year. They are very World Series worthy. Ron Washington is an uninhibited breath of fresh air. Michael Young is moving up the ladder several more rungs as a Texas sports hero. Plays the game the way we were all taught to play it. In the first four games, baseball has shown the biggest reason it is different from other games and more unpredictable… Football has the same QB game after game. Hockey the same goalie most of the time. Basketball, the same starting five night after night. But the big reason a team can score 16 runs one night and zero the next is because… drum roll… the starting pitcher. There’s a different one starting every game. I love that about the game. Being a former pitcher I always enjoyed the challenge of knowing that along with the opposing starter and the home plate umpire you had a chance to influence the outcome of the game more than any other position. You need guys making plays behind you, but we have seen that if you pitch with some energy and are in control of what you’re doing like Chris Carpenter does and Derek Holland did last night and trust your stuff, you can shut down any lineup. Tony La Russa is showing why he will go into the Hall of Fame as the most visible example of a “scientific baseball manager” opposed to the ones who are there and went more by instinct like Sparky and Casey and Whitey and Lasorda and Earl. They were prepared and applied some statistical history into their decision-making, but not to the extent that Tony does. You may not agree with his moves and how he makes more pitching changes than most and I feel is more responsible for controlling the running game from the bench than any other manager — or his serious, studious manner — but the man has his team prepared to exhaust every effort to win until the last out is made. He leaves nothing to chance. He competes from inside. You seldom see it expressed visibly. Umpires are human. What a shame that one or maybe a few members of the media cast a bad light on that industry by questioning Ron Kulpa’s integrity by referencing that he’s from St. Louis after he missed a call that favored the Cardinals. Will someone please take their credentials away? If baseball can find a way to quickly — and I hope very quickly — to review some calls, we could use replays to get the calls right. It will be better for the game and the umpires. Technology has allowed us to see things we never could see in the past. This is a wish, not something I’ve enjoyed. Is the FOXTrack or strikezone box we see on our screen 100% accurate? If so, you understand why the home plate umpire’s interpretation of the strike zone is like tonite’s starting pitchers. They’re all different. I’d like to see an endorsement from MLB or the TV networks that use it to verify that is 100% accurate. My understanding is that if one piece of the baseball touches the borders of the strike zone it’s a strike. Then we’ll be comfortable sitting at home knowing how well the umpire is judging balls and strikes and MLB will be able to help train umpires to improve as home plate umpires and we’ll know if it really is a ball or strike. I see the pitch go over the plate near the letters or knees and the electronic box doesn’t seem to show it the same. The third part of knowing if the box is accurate is it will help me determine if I need another eye test soon! The pitchers that can get the last six outs are really special in today’s game, even if they do keep managers on the edge of their seat at times (i.e. Feliz in last night’s game). When I played for the Cardinals in 1982 and Whitey Herzog was the manager, he was the first manager I heard say, “I’m going to build my pitching staff from the 9th inning back.” With Bruce Sutter pitching the 9th and occasionally the 8th and 9th, we won the World Series. Tim McCarver is showing us why he is who he is as a baseball analyst. With insight like telling us: Gene Mauch, longtime big league manager and excellent teacher said ,when an infielder goes to his right, he should try to field the ball with the webbing in his glove, it’s softer… David Freese is playing shallow at third and Kinsler is a pull hitter? Bingo. Kinsler pulls it down the line past him. And many more ‘pearls’ that I’ve been hearing from Tim, He’s the best. He’s analyzed more World Series games on TV than anyone since games have been televised. Pleased to say I learned a lot from Timmy when I got started analyzing games. I was his teammate for over three years in Philadelphia and we spent a lot of time on the bench talking “IB” , player speak for inside baseball. That was stuff that became very helpful when I started my announcing career. I hope the people who vote for the announcers that get inducted into the announcer’s wing of the Hall of Fame in Cooperstown vote Tim in this year. He deserves to be there. As fearless and candid and brutally honest and objective in the booth as he was in the dugout and on the field.

Baba Deep Singh was the saint soldier who weilded the holy sword and who called out the real man among the herds of humanity Deepa of Phuvin, a village in the district Amritsar, born as Bhai Bhagatu Ji's son in January 1682 A.D. (14 Marh, Samvant 1739) was the blessed son of Punjab, who became the defender of the national honour. In a way his entire life had been a preparation for his ultimate martyrdom in 1765. Let us go back to 1699, the Baisakhi, when Shri Guru Gobind Singh Ji gave us a new lease of life. The Khalsa Panth was founded with the holy Guru's invocation to the Singhs among men to step forward and sacrifice their lives, give Seesh in the service of God. The consecrated Amrit infused in the youth the lenging to dedicate themselves to the teaching of Dashmesh Pita, the preceptor and our father divine. The ensuing Baisakhi witnessed throngs of Sikhs at Anandpur Sahib. Among them was the eighteen year old Deepa, accompanied by his parents. Once again the consecrated water was stirred accompanied by recitation of Gurbani by the Panj Pyaras and Dashmesh Pita, leading the five beloveds as their Jathedar, their leader. Deepa was blessed with this nector divine, the Amrit and intiated into the Khalsa Panth, known as Deep Singh. The impact of community worship and community meal, partaken with the recitation of the holy hymns, the shabads, was so great that Deep Singh found himself drawn to the holy precints of Anandpur Sahib. With the permission of his parents, he implored Guru Maharaj to give him the privilege of staying there for some time and imbibe the tenets of Sikhism. Baba Deep Singh was quick in learning Gurmukhi. He tood to the Gurmukhi alphabet instinctively, and before long, he had developed a beautiful hand writing. Bhai Mani Singh initated him into learning to holy scrputure, the Bani and the keen learner, Deep Singh lost no time in learning the hymns, the Bani, by heart. Equally adept at horse riding and weilding the weapons, Baba Deep Singh distinguished himself in hunting with Satguru Sahib, he shot a lion and credited himself as a brave hunter. Barely 20 or 22 of age, Baba Deep Singh was a scholar and a valient soldier. Baba Deep Singh was summoned by his parents to his native village for his marriage, with the permission of the Tenth Master, Guru Gobind Singh Ji. Before the marriage could be performed, news was received at their village that Guru Ji had left Anandpur Sahib and his four sons and many Sikhs had fallen as martyrs while fighting against the armires of treacherous Hindu Hill Kings and Mughal rulers. On hearing about these events, Baba Deep Singh left his home and riding his horse, proceeded in search of his beloved Guru. His earnest search proved fruitful when he found Guru Gobind Singh Ji at village Sabo ki Talwandi (Now Damdama Sahib in the District of Bhatinda). Tears rolling down his eyes, Baba Deep Singh lay at the feet of Guru Ji asking for-giveness for not being present at Anandpur Sahib during the siege. Guru Ji blessed Baba Deep Singh and told him that he was being assigned special duty of preparing copies of Adi Granth Sahib. He was asked to assist Bhai Mani Singh Ji in this literary task of utmost improtance. They would act as preachers of Sikhism while at the sametime, participate in battles to be fought in the defence of the faith. The reafter Baba Deep Singh remained at village Sabo ki Talwandi (then renamed as Guru Ki Kanshi), for the rest of his life, preparing copies of Adi Granth Sahib and preaching the teaching of Sikh Gurus. These copies of Adi Granth Sahib were prepared and sent to Sikh centres far and wide. After Guru Gobind Singh Ji had left for his heavenly abode, Bhai Mani Singh was assigned duties at Amritsar Sahib by Mata Sunder Kaur, wife of the Tenth Guru. Baba Deep Singh had to manage the aggairs of Sikh community at Sabo ki Talwandi, which had become a centre of Sikh studies and preaching. He caused number of Sikhs becoming scholars of Sikh Phillosphy. He arranged preaching of Sikh way of life in the entire Malwa area, in very systematic manner. On various occasions, he led the brave Sikhs for punishing the cruel officers of Mughal rule of the area whenever complaints were received about their cruel acts. His frequent expedition to punish the excesses committed by culprits infused fighting spirits in the oppressed. In the year 1709 A.D., when Baba Banda Singh Bahadur arrived in Punjab to fulfil the mission of punishing the cruel rulers assigned to him by Guru Gobinb Singh, Baba Deep Singh led a large group of brave Sikhs and helped in the conquest of Sadhaura and other towns, by Baba Banda Singh Bahadur. In 1746 A.D. Yahia Khan Governor of Lahore sent his Hindu chief Lakhpat Rai to lay a siege of Kahnoowan jungle, where the Sikhs had taken refure. Baba Deep Singh was also present in that jungle among his Sikh brother. Fed up with surprise attacks of sikhs from within the thick jungle on his army, Lakhpat Rai, throwing all civilized norms to the winds, got the jungle set on fire. Thousands of sikhs parished in the jungle fire and in the adjoining river. This battle of Kahnoowon jungle is known in Sikh history as Chotta Ghaloghara the small holocast. Baba Deep Singh, alongwith his brave companions came out of the jungle and attacked the enemy soldiers, like hungry tigers and fought their way out towards Malwa. Later when Sikhs were organised into twelve misals, Baba Deep Singh was appointed Jathedar of Misal Shahedaan (Martyrs Misal). Many among his group were scholars writers and ragis. At the invitation of Mughlani Begum, Ahmedshah Abdali invaded India for the fourth time in the year 1756 A.D. On his return journey Abdali was accompanied by his soldiers who carried enormous stocks of gold, silver and other valuables looted from Mathura, Bindraban, Agra and Delhi towns. These valuables were loaded on the back of horses and other animals. In addition thousands of beautiful unmarried girls and married women, both of Hindu and Muslim communities, were being forcibly taken against their wishes, to serve as maidens and slaves of Abdalis, and to be auctioned in open market. They were herded together in bullock carts and tied to prevent their escape enroute. When the leaders of Khalsa Panth (Misaldars) came to know of this carvan passing through Punjab, they decided to intervene with force, to free these girls and women, to save their honour and that of the country. The cries for help of these unfortunate women fell on deaf ears and nobody dared to rescue them till the caravan arrived near Kurukshetra. Baba Deep Singh's Jatha (army) was assigned duty near river Markanda. When he and his brave companions heardd the wailings of those slave girls, boys and women, they came out of the surrounding jungles and pounced upon Abdali's caravan, like a lightening from the sky. While som of them engaged themselves in fighting the Abdali's soldiers, other drove away many bullock carts laden with women and valuables to the nearby jungles hideouts. They were successful in rescuring about 300 women/girls and 100 boys from the clutches of Abdali. None among other brave communities such as Rajputs and Marhattas could dare attack Abdali's carvan to rescue these crying and helpless slaves, but saints soldiers of Guru Gobing Singh dared to attack Abdali's carvan and frees the unfortunate sons and daughter of the country, risking their own lives. These freed boys, girls and married women whether Muslims of Hindus, were escorted safely to their homes by the Sikh soldiers whose moral/charcter was of the highest order ven at those difficult days. Other Sikh leaders who were assigned duties close to river beds of Satluj, Beas, Ravi, Chenab, Jhelum too rescued thousands of more slaves and deprived Abdali's caravan of many valuables as well. Because of these dare devil and noble acts of Sikhs, slaves used to sing Moreen Baba Kachh Walea Chhai Naheen Taan Ran gai Basre noon gai i.e. 'O' brave Sikh wearing underwears, liberate the enslaved Women, otherwise they would be taken to Basra. On his way back home, Ahmedshah Abdali appointed his son, Tamur Shah, as Governor of Lahore and Jahan Khan as army chief with the orders to destroy Sikhs and their holy shrines. Jahan Khan, commanding a large army raided Amritsar. Baba Gurax Singh and his 30 Sikh companions laid down their lives to protect the sanctity of Sri Hari Mandir Sahib. Jahan Khan after overcoming the resistance of these brave Sikhs not only got the building of Harmandir Sahib pulled down but also got the sacred water tank around Harmandir Sahib filled with garbage. The news of this descration of Harmandir Sahib and sacred sarover was flashed to Baba Deep Singh at Damdama Sahib by some residents of Amritsar. The news sent shock waves through the hearts of brave Sikhs. Baba Deep Singh declared his intention to take revenge for this brutal and unholy act of enemies of Sikh community. This decision of Baba Deep Singh was flashed from village to valiant in the Malwa belt. Sikhs in large numbers answered this valinat call of Baba Ji by placing their services at his disposal. Mothers blessed their young sons, wives their husbands and sisters their brother and sent them happily to punish the brute rulers for their unholy act. Many brave Sikhs with whatever weapon they had with them collected at Damdama Sahib. Baba Deep Singh drew a line on the ground with his double edged Khanda, weighing 18 and addressed the gathered Sikhs, Only those should cross this line who are prepared to die but not turn back to the enemy in the battlefield. Five hundred Sikhs crossed the line drawn by Baba Deep Singh and started towards Amritsar under his leadership. Enroute many maore joined them. By the time they reached Taran Taran Sahib, their number had swelled to 5,000. The news of march of these brave Sikhs determined to take revenge for descration of their holiest shrine and to restore its sanctity, reached the rulers in Lahore. Jahan Khan commanding an army of 20,000 soldiers proceeded towards Amritsar. Five miles from Amritsar, the two opposing forces confronted each other. The Sikhs fought with sch bravery that soldiers of Jahan Khan's army ran for their lives. Hundred of soldiers of either side fell dead in the battle field. Bhai Dayal Singh, companion of Baba Deep Singh leading a posse of 500 Sikhs, attacked Amir Jahan Khan's force and succeded in cutting Amir Jahan Khan's head. After this victory, the sikh forces arrived at Ramsar. By that time General Attai Khan, commanding a huge army of soldiers arrived at the battle scene, to augment the government forces. Baba Deep Singh attacked the enemy soldiers with his 18 Kg. double edged sword and surged forward, putting scores of enemy soldiers to death. However, he too received a number of injuries from enemy attacks. Amman Khan a Mughal General surged forward to stop the advancing Baba Deep Singh, but Baba Deep Singh felled him to ground with a severe blow of his 'Khanda'. However Amman Khan's sword also simulfaneously cause a severe blow to Baba Deep Singh and his neck was partially cut. As such, Baba Ji's head tilted towards one side. One of the sikhs, close to Baba Deep Singh, reminded Baba Ji of his resolve to lay down his life only in the precints of Harimandir Sahib. Baba Deep Singh held his head partially cut with one hand and started wielding the double edged sword more severely than before. When he finally reached Ramsar, Baba Deep Singh fell martyr on the edge of the sacred tank. This way Baba Deep Singh and Sikhs under his leadership put to death thousands of cruel ruler's soldiers and commanders and took revenge for the descretion of Harimandir Sahib. They showed to the world that Sikhs do not tolerate descretion of their holy shrines lying down and offer numerous sacrifices to maintain their sanctity even against superior numbers. The perpetrators of descretion would also not get away, unpunished for their misdeeds.

Issues of Race: Texaco-Race Relations [Sorry, the video for this story has expired, but you can still read the transcript below. ] CHARLAYNE HUNTER-GAULT: Two years ago, six African-American employees filed a federal anti-discrimination lawsuit against Texaco on behalf of 1400 others. The plaintiffs seek tens of millions of dollars in damages against the oil company, one of the nation’s oldest and largest. In a separate action, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission found earlier this year that Texaco failed to promote black employees because of their race. BARI ELLEN ROBERTS, Plaintiff: I was called uppity. I was called a smart-mouthed little colored girl. VERONICA SHINAULT, Former Texaco Employee: When you’re walking down the hall and you see that there’s nothing but white males that occupy these offices, and rarely do you see any women or minorities, you know that there’s a problem somewhere along the line. CHARLAYNE HUNTER-GAULT: Of its 873 executives who earn more than $106,000 a year, only 6 are black. The discrimination case exploded in a national controversy on November 4th, when court documents from a lawsuit revealed that a laid-off finance manager turned over a secret tape he recorded at corporate headquarters in August 1994. On the tape, executives seem to belittle minority employees. Three of the participants: then Treasurer Robert Ulrich, David Keough, a senior assistant treasurer, and Richard Lundwall, a senior personnel coordinator, who recorded the meeting. The taped conversations, as shown on ABC’S “Good Morning America,” were released by plaintiffs’ lawyers after being enhanced for sound quality. African-American employees were referred to as “black jellybeans.” ROBERT ULRICH: (tape comments as shown on screen) I’ve heard this diversity thing. You know, how black jellybeans agree. RICHARD LUNDWALL: (tape comments as shown on screen) That’s funny. All the black jellybeans seem to be glued to the bottom of the bag. ROBERT ULRICH: (tape comments as shown on screen) You can’t just have we and them. You can’t just have black jellybeans and other jellybeans. It doesn’t work. RICHARD LUNDWALL: (tape comments as shown on screen) Yeah. But they’re perpetuating the black jellybeans. CHARLAYNE HUNTER-GAULT: There were also what appeared to be racist remarks about Texaco employees who celebrate Kwanza, an African-American holiday. ROBERT ULRICH: (tape comments as shown on screen) I’m still having trouble with Hanukkah. Now we have Kwanza–F–ing niggers, they have s—–d all over us with this. CHARLAYNE HUNTER-GAULT: There were more comments which have reportedly led to a criminal investigation by the FBI of obstruction of justice. The executives are heard making what seem to be plans to destroy evidence in the lawsuit. ROBERT ULRICH: (tape comments as shown on screen) We’re gonna purge the s–t out of these books, though. CHARLAYNE HUNTER-GAULT: Texaco responded by cutting off two of the executives who are now retired. Two other executives, still with the company, have been suspended with pay. Texaco’s CEO Peter Bijur. PETER BIJUR, CEO, Texaco: (Nightline) It is incredible to me that any managers or executives within our company had the gall, the intolerance, the insensitivity, to say the things that they said. CHARLAYNE HUNTER-GAULT: Yesterday, there was a new twist. Outside investigators, hired by Texaco and using an enhanced digital copy of the recording, concluded that Ulrich never used a racial slur. Their version of one key paragraph reads: “I’m still struggling with Hanukkah, and now we have Kwanza–I mean, I lost Christmas, poor St. Nicholas–they”–expletive deleted–“all over his beard.” Texaco’s CEO Bijur said the latest interpretation merely set the record straight, but he said that they do not change the categorically unacceptable context and tone of these conversations. CHARLAYNE HUNTER-GAULT: Now, a discussion of the Texaco case and its wider implications. For that, we have Michael Armstrong, a Manhattan lawyer who was hired by Texaco to conduct an extensive investigation into the matter; Theodore Shaw is associate director counsel of the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund; Michael Losey is president and CEO of the Society for Human Resource Management, an organization representing human resource executives worldwide; and Cyrus Mehri is a lawyer for the plaintiffs. And starting with you, Mr. Mehri, do the tapes set the record straight about the remarks, the racist remarks that were made? CYRUS MEHRI, Texaco Plaintiffs’ Attorney: We don’t agree with Mr. Armstrong’s version of the tapes. What we do agree with– CHARLAYNE HUNTER-GAULT: I guess I should say the alleged racist remarks. I’m sorry. MR. MEHRI: What we do agree with is Mr. Bijur’s statement that this–that the tone and context and language of the tapes, even under Mr. Armstrong’s digitized version, is completely unacceptable and intolerable. What these tapes have shown and they’ve confirmed what we’ve heard from people around the country, such as Jimmy Porter in California, who’s was called orangutang, Cheryl Joseph, who received from her boss a cake on her birthday when she was pregnant which had the picture of a pregnant woman and then said, “It must have been the watermelon seeds.” It confirms what Mike Masio, a Caucasian manager in Denver, who was told that he should fire a black woman for bringing an EEO claim. And when he resisted, his boss told him, well, we treat niggers differently down here in Texas. These tapes have confirmed the widespread feeling of class members and witnesses around the country that Texaco is a hostile place for African-Americans, Mr. Armstrong, the tapes confirm that? MICHAEL ARMSTRONG, Texaco Attorney: (New York) Well, I made no judgment, and I was not retained to make any judgment with respect to the merits of the lawsuit. The plaintiffs claim one thing; the company claims another, and apparently they’re moving to a settlement. I don’t know anything about that. I was told to look into specific allegations with respect to specific tapes and specific transcripts of those tapes. When we got the tapes, we professionally enhanced them, using the modern techniques, and made them clearer. When we made them clearer, it became apparent that certain things that were apparently on the tapes weren’t there, and we gave our opinion with respect to those issues. CHARLAYNE HUNTER-GAULT: Can you just briefly– MR. ARMSTRONG: We haven’t completed our investigation of the question of document destruction or anything like that. CHARLAYNE HUNTER-GAULT: All right. What did you find, though, that was purported to be there that wasn’t? MR. ARMSTRONG: Well, the “n” word–nigger–was, uh, supposedly stated by Mr. Ulrich, and that is simply not there. Uh, we, uh–our experts say that. We had–we made the tapes available to any reporters who wanted to come in and listen to them and none of them disputed the–our conclusion. I don’t think there’s any question of the fact that word wasn’t there for whatever that use–that is– CHARLAYNE HUNTER-GAULT: And what about the black jellybeans? What explanation is there for that? MR. ARMSTRONG: The question of the black jellybeans is whether the statement was a–was meant as a racial slur or not. The lawyer for Mr. Ulrich says it was not and points to diversity training where jellybeans of different colors are used as an example and said that that’s what he was referring to. When we look at the tape, the enhanced version seems to, uh, corroborate that by saying that when it was introduced, when the black jellybean reference was introduced, it was introduced by Mr. Ulrich as saying, uh, we don’t have black jellybeans or green, differentiating in the colors, as opposed to saying all black jellybeans agree, as was on the original tape, and then the conversation that goes on–in context–fully two or three phrases–the whole black jellybean reference is only two or three phrases–indicates that Ulrich seems not to be meaning any racial slur by the reference. There is a remark in there by Lundwall, where he says–interrupts Ulrich to say, “Well, all black jellybeans stick to the bottom of the bag,” and that could be Lundwall is the fellah who’s taping the conversation. CHARLAYNE HUNTER-GAULT: But you don’t know what that means? You haven’t determined– MR. ARMSTRONG: You can interpret it yourself. I mean, it could mean–it could mean that– that unfortunately blacks are stuck to the bottom of the bag by the way our society forces them to be there. It could mean other things–I don’t know–but in any event, Lundwall was the fellow who was surreptitiously taping these conversations. This wasn’t done as part of–to make minutes at a meeting. This was a surreptitious tape in what may have been a conversation just between these two people. We don’t know. Now, we make no judgment as to–as to what remains. We just felt that this time it was necessary to lower the rhetoric by removing the terribly, terribly offensive references that seemed to have been made, and then what was really said can be judged on the merits. CHARLAYNE HUNTER-GAULT: Mr. Mehri, how does the–you mentioned the remark by–or the, more or less, apology by the CEO, Mr. Bijur. How significant is that in terms of the whole issue that you now feel is the most important in this matter, the issue of hiring and promotion or promotion? MR. MEHRI: If and when this case goes to trial, we’re going to be bringing forward statistical data that is going to show that there is a wide disparity between Caucasians and African- Americans, where African-Americans have been underpaid by tens of millions of dollars over the last several years. We’re going to be bringing forward anecdotal evidence, such as the type I mentioned earlier from around the country, and the fundamental problems at Texaco are that there’s a company-wide systemic problem of discrimination against African-Americans. For example, their performance evaluation system, which is the cornerstone of all promotions and pay decisions, has been held not only by allegations by us, but by the EEOC, as being invalid, and, therefore, every evaluation that has been made over the last several years has been considered invalid. And finally, what we have is a secret promotion system and a secret bonus system at Texaco that is used widespread as a way of keeping the African-Americans behind the Caucasians. CHARLAYNE HUNTER-GAULT: Mr. Armstrong, that was not in your specific mandate, but do you have a general reaction to what you just heard. MR. ARMSTRONG: I really don’t think it’s appropriate for me to react to the allegations in a lawsuit made by the plaintiffs. Texaco has its side. I have nothing to do with that lawsuit, so I’m sorry I can’t be much help. CHARLAYNE HUNTER-GAULT: Right. Ted Shaw in New York, the NAACP’s Kweisi Mfume said today that the language allegedly used was symptomatic of a larger mood of intolerance that is too often given comfort in corporate America. Is he right? THEODORE M. SHAW, NACCP Legal Defense Fund: (New York) Well, I think that it would be a total mistake if we were to fall into the trap of evaluating the merits of this case by determining whether or not the term “nigger” was actually used. He’s right that the underlying actions, the practices, and the policies of Texaco are really what–that’s what should be at issue here. These statements that were alleged to be made are consistent with the allegations in the complaint about the actual discrimination. So, uh–I think that’s what we need to focus on. CHARLAYNE HUNTER-GAULT: But my question is: Is this situation unique, or is this– MR. SHAW: No, it’s not unique. CHARLAYNE HUNTER-GAULT: –as Kweisi Mfume was suggesting–rampant throughout corporate America? MR. SHAW: Well, I can answer the question this way. The Legal Defense Fund receives thousands upon thousands of phone calls and requests for assistance in writing on an annual basis, uh, alleging that discrimination has been taking place within the corporate environment. We can only do a small portion of the number of cases that we’re asked to take on, so that leads me to conclude that this is a problem that is more systemic than what people care to admit. CHARLAYNE HUNTER-GAULT: Mm-hmm. MR. SHAW: And this is a problem that should receive nationwide attention because it’s a nationwide problem. CHARLAYNE HUNTER-GAULT: Nationwide problem, Mr. Losey? MICHAEL LOSEY, Society for Human Resource Management: I would have to disagree. It’s not a nationwide problem. If so, why the outrage? Why do so many people recognize this as inconsistent with what they see in their community, what they see as their company policy where they work, what they see as a practice? It jumps off the table if these accusations are anywhere close to correct that they’re inappropriate. MR. SHAW: Yeah. It’s terribly naive to think that, uh, the one case in which somebody spills the beans–if I can use that term–uh–and talks about what happened within this all white-male conversation is the only example of this happening. Now, when I say this is a nationwide problem, that doesn’t mean that every corporation, every company is engaging in racial discrimination. What it does mean is that there is a much broader problem than what we tend to admit these days at a time in which the general public discourse on issues of race suggests that the only people who are being victimized by racial discrimination are the white males. Our complaints and our cases, the cases we litigate simply belie that contention, and it would be a terrible mistake to isolate this and say that this is–uh–one instance which is unrelated to anything that happens elsewhere. That’s terribly naive. CHARLAYNE HUNTER-GAULT: Mr. Mehri, what’s your– MR. SHAW: But people are going to jump to do that. CHARLAYNE HUNTER-GAULT: What’s your take on that? MR. MEHRI: Texaco is a laggard among laggards. Texaco is a place that has a good old boy network that’s even been recognized by their EEO officer who came on a couple of years ago. Early on in this case, we developed a chart that just showed how Texaco compared with other peer companies in terms of diversity commitments. Texaco didn’t– CHARLAYNE HUNTER-GAULT: I’m not sure that can be seen, or we– MR. MEHRI: But Texaco doesn’t even have the basic building-block programs, such as mentoring, diversity training, evaluating managers based on their diversity, compliance, and commitment. Texaco is far behind its peers. CHARLAYNE HUNTER-GAULT: But you heard what Mr. Losey said, that Texaco was an aberration. MR. MEHRI: Texaco is indicative of what’s happening across the country, but just like what’s happened in different other periods of time before, uh, this is going to be a landmark case, and a new paradigm is going to have to be set, where Texaco is going to have to set the standard. They’re not going to be the worst. They’re going to have to be not only the best in the oil industry, they’re going to have to be the best in corporate America and set a new standard if they want this case resolved. CHARLAYNE HUNTER-GAULT: Mr. Armstrong, I know, again, that you have a specific mandate here, but what is your sense about–having heard and being familiar with the complaints against Texaco- -do you think that this is aberrational, this is unique to Texaco? MR. ARMSTRONG: (clearing throat) Well, I hate to duck again. I–I can only say that my experience with the company is that, for one thing, they hired me. And they asked me to look at these–at these allegations, and they didn’t tell me to come out any particular way. I have a background that indicates that, I think, that I would–I would come out the right way. I’m counsel to the New York Urban League. I was a member of the NAACP in 1950. CHARLAYNE HUNTER-GAULT: So what are you saying, that Texaco is trying to do the right thing? MR. ARMSTRONG: All I know is that people I’ve seen who have dealt with me have–have told me that they want to–they want to know it as it is. They want to know what really is true, because they say to me–and appear to be very sincere–that they want to do something about it, and if there is a problem, they want to know about it. And–and there hasn’t been any interference with what I have been trying to do, I can’t judge the statistics that–that are involved in the lawsuit or the merits of the complaint. I–you asked me, and I will tell you that I observe that the people who have set me to my task seem to me to be very sincere, and they want me to do my job. And I’m going to do it. CHARLAYNE HUNTER-GAULT: Mr. Mehri, is this case going to be settled, do you think? MR. MEHRI: Mr. Bijur has made a lot of statements in the press. We have a policy–we don’t talk about settlement–but if Mr. Bijur is serious, he should be calling us up and telling us directly what he’s telling–talking about with the press. We are right now preparing for a hearing in ten days or so about the destruction of documents that have taken place to obstruct justice here. After that, we’re going to be moving to get the class certified, shortly thereafter, and then we will be preparing for trial. CHARLAYNE HUNTER-GAULT: Mr. Shaw, what do you think the solution is, not only to Texaco but to these other things that you’ve described? Is it more lawsuits? MR. SHAW: Well, I think that lawsuits are always a last resort, but they are a necessary weapon in the arsenal against racial discrimination. Obviously, there are companies that have implemented affirmative action policies, have sought diversity, have been fair in the treatment of employees, and I think that those companies ought to be sought out and emulated. This company has been caught with its pants down. I hope it doesn’t engage in a now–an effort to try to tell us that we didn’t hear what we heard and disaggregate the evidence. I think that this company needs to get its act together and set an example. CHARLAYNE HUNTER-GAULT: Briefly, Mr. Losey, what do you think the answer is, not just to Texaco but generally? MR. LOSEY: Generally, this is a wake-up call. The question is the equality of our nation, the diversity, are these soft issues? When CEO’s are worried about global competition and national competition, and shareholder equity, sometimes these things don’t get the priority. I agree with other spokesmen. This, I can guarantee you–the Texaco chairman is doing little more this week than concentrating on this. It can bring the focus of the corporation to an abrupt halt and interrupt important activity. Clearly, this is a wake-up call. CHARLAYNE HUNTER-GAULT: All right, gentlemen. Thank you.