People v. T.R. (In re T.R.)
NO. 4-19-0051 (Ill. App. Ct. 2019)
Peoplev.T.R. (In re T.R.)
APPELLATE COURT OF ILLINOIS FOURTH DISTRICTMay 28, 2019
NO. 4-19-0051•2019 Ill. App. 4th 190051•
Docket No. 4-19-0051
In re T.R., a Minor (The People of the State of Illinois, Petitioner-Appellee, v. T.R., Respondent-Appellant).
Counsel on Appeal James E. Chadd, John M. McCarthy, and Salome Kiwara-Wilson, of State Appellate Defender's Office, of Springfield, for appellant. Don Knapp, State's Attorney, of Bloomington (Patrick Delfino, David J. Robinson, and Thomas R. Dodegge, of State's Attorneys Appellate Prosecutor's Office, of counsel), for the People.
JUSTICE STEIGMANN delivered the judgment of the court, with opinion.
Illinois Official Reports
Decision Under Review
Appeal from the Circuit Court of McLean County, No. 17-JD-78; the Hon. J. Brian Goldrick, Judge, presiding.
Remanded with directions.
Counsel on Appeal
James E. Chadd, John M. McCarthy, and Salome Kiwara-Wilson, of State Appellate Defender's Office, of Springfield, for appellant.
Don Knapp, State's Attorney, of Bloomington (Patrick Delfino, David J. Robinson, and Thomas R. Dodegge, of State's Attorneys Appellate Prosecutor's Office, of counsel), for the People.
Justices Knecht and Turner concurred in the judgment and opinion.
¶ 1 In April 2017, the State filed a petition for adjudication of wardship, alleging respondent, T.R. (born April 3, 2001), committed criminal sexual assault (penis to vagina) (720 ILCS 5/11-1.20(a)(1) (West 2016)), criminal sexual abuse (in that he used force to touch the vagina of I.P.-V. (born March 31, 2002)) (id. § 11-1.50(a)(1)), and criminal sexual abuse (in that he committed an act of sexual penetration with I.P.-V. when she was between the ages of 13 and 17 years old and respondent was less than 5 years older than I.P.-V.) (id. § 11-1.50(b)). In July 2018, after a bench trial, the trial court adjudicated T.R. to be a delinquent minor. In December 2018, the court made T.R. a ward of the court, sentenced him to 36 months' probation, and imposed 30 days of detention to be stayed pending completion of probation.
¶ 2 Respondent appeals, arguing (1) the trial court erred by considering evidence not presented at trial, (2) respondent's counsel gave ineffective assistance by stipulating to the introduction of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) evidence that supported the State's case, (3) the trial court should have conducted a hearing pursuant to People v. Krankel, 102 Ill. 2d 181, 464 N.E.2d 1045 (1984), (4) the trial court erred by admitting testimony regarding statements respondent made during a polygraph examination for the purpose of impeachment, and (5) respondent's convictions for criminal sexual abuse should merge with his criminal sexual assault conviction pursuant to the one-act, one-crime doctrine. We agree with respondent's third argument and remand for a Krankel hearing.
¶ 3 I. BACKGROUND
¶ 4 A. The Petition for Adjudication of Wardship
¶ 5 In April 2017, the State filed a petition for adjudication of wardship, alleging respondent was a delinquent minor and should be made a ward of the court. The State alleged that in March 2017, T.R. committed three sex crimes against I.P.-V. Specifically, the State contended T.R. (1) committed criminal sexual assault by placing his penis in I.P.-V.'s vagina by the use of force, (2) committed criminal sexual abuse by knowingly and through the use of force touching I.P.-V.'s vagina for the purpose of sexual gratification, and (3) committed criminal sexual abuse by placing his penis in I.P.-V.'s vagina when she was between the ages of 13 and 17 years old and respondent was less than 5 years older than I.P.-V.
¶ 6 B. The Bench Trial
¶ 7 In June 2018, the trial court conducted a bench trial. The State presented testimony from I.P.-V. and her cousin, X.P., that in March 2017, the two went to meet X.P.'s boyfriend, Devan, and ended up going to respondent's apartment. I.P.-V. testified that while X.P. and Devan were in a separate room, respondent, with whom she had been "laughing" and "playing around," picked her up and took her to another bedroom, where he held her down and put his penis in her vagina for "maybe a minute." I.P.-V. left shortly thereafter and went to the hospital, where a rape kit was administered. The State then stipulated that the court could consider a report that indicated "[t]he DNA profile obtained from the sperm fraction (SF) of [the vaginal swab sample] is consistent with a mixture of two individuals including the victim and one male contributor." The report concluded that the "deduced male component DNA profile matches the DNA profile obtained from [respondent's] sample."
¶ 8 Respondent testified that when X.P. and Devan left the room, he and I.P.-V. continued to flirt. Respondent stated that, eventually, I.P.-V. put her hand down his pants and touched his penis. Respondent said he placed his hand down her pants and touched her vagina but did not touch "inside the hole."
¶ 9 On cross-examination, the trial court permitted the State to use statements respondent gave during a polygraph examination to impeach his testimony. Respondent objected to the use of these statements as impeachment evidence, but the trial court overruled the objection and permitted respondent to file a memorandum in support of his objection after the conclusion of the hearing. Respondent denied making a particular statement to the polygraph examiner, and the State called the polygraph examiner in rebuttal to complete its impeachment of respondent regarding that statement.
¶ 10 In closing argument, respondent's counsel's contended that (1) the DNA testing did not demonstrate that respondent's sperm was present and (2) the match could have been from skin cells left by respondent's hand. The State argued that the "DNA profile is sperm fraction," which could only be determined from testing "because you cannot tell it is sperm without doing a test." The trial court took the matter under advisement and set the case over for a hearing on respondent's objection to the polygraph impeachment and for the court to issue a ruling.
¶ 11 C. The Trial Court's Ruling
¶ 12 In July 2018, the trial court resumed the proceedings. Before addressing the testimony and the evidence, the court stated that it received an envelope from respondent's mother but had not opened it. The following discussion then took place:
"THE COURT: Before the Court gives its ruling, Court would note first that on late Thursday afternoon, I received an envelope from [respondent's mother] addressed to me that I did not open.
Mr. Feldman [(respondent's counsel)], I'm going to provide that to you.
Ms. [respondent's mother], I cannot receive correspondence from parents with respect to a case. I had received correspondence in times past from parents, for example, who are incarcerated and want to be brought to court. But I did not want to open that and review any of that information, so I'm giving that to Mr. Feldman who is [T.R.'s] attorney and let him review it and for you to discuss that with him.
Mr. Feldman, do you need some time to review it and talk with [respondent's mother]?
MR. FELDMAN: I'm reading it right now, Your Honor. Your Honor, if we could have a sidebar a moment.
(The following conversation was held at the bench.)
MR. FELDMAN: This is sort of a mixed bag. Some of it I don't think the Court would probably consider at this point. I think it is argument by the mother on the minor's behalf. Some of it is an issue [in] that she has complaints about my performance. I think the Court ought to be aware of it. Obviously, I would have to let you know and provide copies to the State as well. I think the Court can review it. Probably parts the Court may consider, may not consider. I think it should be at least made to supplement the record. But I don't think we need anything additional as far
as argument at this point in time. Because of the issue she's raised, I think the Court has to take a look at it.
MS. LAWSON [(ASSISTANT STATE'S ATTORNEY)]: I haven't seen it yet, Your Honor. I think that what Mr. Feldman is representing is for appeal, not what's important to the Court to review before giving a ruling for today's purposes. So, I think that if the Court wanted to review it, it probably should not be done until after a ruling has been made. And if ineffective assistance of counsel is a reason for appeal, it's not a reason not to give a ruling on a case.
THE COURT: Any response, Mr. Feldman?
MR. FELDMAN: I don't have much of a response at this point, Your Honor. Again, I think the Court needs to be made aware of that. She also inquired if the Court received correspondence from another individual, Mr. Dunson, D-U-N-S-O-N. I don't believe the Court has or the Court would have made us aware of that.
THE COURT: I have not.
MR. FELDMAN: All right. Then what I'm going to do is hang on to this. Have a ruling pending, and I can supplement the record if necessary.
THE COURT: All right.
(Sidebar concluded.)
THE COURT: Before the Court begins, Court would note that it was also provided with a memorandum regarding the State's use of the polygraph information as impeachment that was filed by Mr. Feldman."
¶ 13 The trial court did not again refer to the envelope or its contents. Instead, the trial court addressed respondent's argument regarding the polygraph evidence. The trial court concluded the testimony was admissible for the purpose of impeachment as a prior inconsistent statement.
¶ 14 The trial court then recounted the testimony of the witnesses at trial in some detail. The court believed that, based on the conflicting testimony of respondent and I.P.-V., the question was "was it consensual or nonconsensual?" The court believed the answer was in the DNA evidence stipulation. The court explained the meaning of the term "sperm fraction" and that male DNA can only be profiled if sperm is present. However, neither the stipulation nor the report contained this information. The court concluded that respondent committed an act of sexual penetration because his DNA profile was found in the sperm fraction from the vaginal swab. Accordingly, the trial court (1) found respondent guilty of all three offenses alleged in the petition, (2) adjudicated respondent to be a delinquent minor, and (3) continued the matter for sentencing.
¶ 15 D. The Sentencing Hearing
¶ 16 In December 2018, the trial court conducted a sentencing hearing. Before sentencing respondent, the court noted that it based its finding of guilt on "the scientific evidence, which in my mind leaves no dispute as to what occurred based upon the rest of the evidence that was presented." The court found it was in respondent's best interest and the best interest of the public that he be made a ward of the court. The court imposed the statutory minimum sentence of 36 months' probation and imposed 30 days of detention, which the court stayed pending completion of probation.
¶ 17 This appeal followed.
¶ 18 II. ANALYSIS
¶ 19 Respondent appeals, arguing (1) the trial court erred by considering evidence not presented at trial, (2) respondent's counsel gave ineffective assistance by stipulating to the introduction of DNA evidence that supported the State's case, (3) the trial court should have conducted a hearing pursuant to People v. Krankel, 102 Ill. 2d 181, 464 N.E.2d 1045 (1984), (4) the trial court erred by admitting testimony regarding statements respondent made during a polygraph examination for the purpose of impeachment, and (5) respondent's convictions for criminal sexual abuse should merge with his criminal sexual assault conviction pursuant to the one-act, one-crime doctrine. We agree with respondent's third argument and remand for a Krankel hearing.
¶ 20 A. The Applicable Krankel Law and Standard of Review
¶ 21 "When a pro se defendant makes a posttrial claim of ineffective assistance of counsel, the trial court's responsibility to follow the common law procedure in Krankel is triggered." People v. Rhodes, 2019 IL App (4th) 160917, ¶ 12. The only question to be resolved by a Krankel hearing is whether the trial court should appoint new counsel to represent the defendant on his claims of ineffective assistance of counsel. People v. Roddis, 2018 IL App (4th) 170605, ¶ 47, 119 N.E.3d 52. The court need not appoint new counsel if the defendant's claims are without merit or pertain solely to matters of trial strategy. Id. ¶ 63. To determine whether new counsel should be appointed, a trial court should ordinarily inquire into the factual basis of the defendant's claims by (1) asking the defendant about the claims, (2) asking defense counsel about the claims, and (3) relying upon its knowledge of counsel's performance. Id. ¶¶ 58-59.
¶ 22 "[A] pro se defendant is not required to do any more than bring his or her claim to the trial court's attention ***." (Internal quotation marks omitted.) People v. Ayres, 2017 IL 120071, ¶ 11, 88 N.E.3d 732. "Accordingly, a defendant may raise the claim orally or in writing, either by filing a formal posttrial motion with the court or by informally providing a letter." Rhodes, 2019 IL App (4th) 160917, ¶ 13. Even if the defendant makes the bare allegation of "ineffective assistance of counsel," a trial court is required to conduct a Krankel inquiry. Id.
¶ 23 The purpose of a Krankel inquiry is to allow defendants to flesh out their claims and limit the issues on appeal. Ayres, 2017 IL 120071, ¶ 13. A trial court's failure to conduct an adequate Krankel inquiry requires that the case be remanded. See id. ¶¶ 24-26. The appellate court reviews de novo whether a trial court should have conducted a Krankel inquiry and whether that inquiry was sufficient. People v. Jolly, 2014 IL 117142, ¶ 28, 25 N.E.3d 1127; People v. Taylor, 237 Ill. 2d 68, 75, 927 N.E.2d 1172, 1176 (2010).
¶ 24 B. A Krankel Hearing Was Required in This Case
¶ 25 Respondent argues that the trial court should have conducted a Krankel hearing when his counsel brought his mother's letter complaining of counsel's performance to the court's attention at the July 2018 hearing. Respondent recognizes that the allegation was raised prior to the trial court's ruling but asserts that the evidence and argument had been completed and all that remained was for the court to issue its decision on the record. Respondent claims that
the trial court was required to conduct the Krankel hearing after finding respondent guilty. Respondent also acknowledges that his mother, not he, raised the ineffective assistance claim. Respondent contends that, because (1) his mother was a necessary party and (2) parents have a special role under the Juvenile Court Act of 1987 (705 ILCS 405/1-1 et seq. (West 2016)) in delinquency proceedings, his mother had standing to raise the ineffective assistance claim.
¶ 26 In response, the State argues that (1) Krankel does not apply to juvenile delinquency proceedings, (2) Krankel applies only to posttrial motions, and (3) a Krankel inquiry is required only when the claim is raised pro se by respondent. We disagree with the State and agree with all of respondent's contentions.
¶ 27 1. Krankel Applies to Juvenile Delinquency Proceedings
¶ 28 The State first argues that Krankel does not apply to juvenile delinquency proceedings. The State notes that (1) juvenile delinquency proceedings are civil in nature and (2) courts have declined to apply Krankel in cases under the Sexually Violent Persons Commitment Act (725 ILCS 207/1 et seq. (West 2016)). The State also suggests that (1) applying Krankel is not required merely because juveniles have a right to counsel and (2) trial courts can intervene in the event of a substantial injustice. We conclude that the common-law requirements set forth in Krankel and subsequent cases apply to juvenile delinquency proceedings.
¶ 29 As an initial matter, we note that we are aware of only one published case, In re Eric B., 351 Ill. App. 3d 1000, 1007, 815 N.E.2d 917, 923 (2004), in which a court has applied Krankel in the context of a juvenile delinquency proceeding. That case simply addressed the merits of whether the trial court conducted an adequate Krankel inquiry and concluded that the trial court did. In that case, the First District did not address the issue the State raises here—namely, whether Krankel applies at all in juvenile proceedings. Id. We conclude that (1) the purpose of Krankel applies equally to juvenile delinquency cases and (2) Krankel hearings should be conducted because juveniles who have been adjudicated delinquent have a very limited opportunity to raise ineffective assistance claims.
¶ 30 "Minors in delinquency proceedings *** have a constitutional right to counsel." People v. Austin M., 2012 IL 111194, ¶ 74, 975 N.E.2d 22. In particular, minors are entitled to "effective assistance of counsel." (Emphasis in original.) Id. "[W]ith the exception of the right to a jury trial, the fourteenth amendment to the United States Constitution extends to delinquent minors all of the basic rights enjoyed by criminal defendants." Id. ¶ 76. Because the legislature has amended the Juvenile Court Act to make "delinquency proceedings more akin to criminal prosecutions," "the need for zealous advocacy to vindicate the constitutional rights of minors in delinquency proceedings has become even greater." Id.
¶ 31 Although juvenile delinquency proceedings are not the equivalent to criminal proceedings (see In re Jonathon C.B., 2011 IL 107750, ¶ 96, 958 N.E.2d 227), it would be anomalous if Krankel did not apply in delinquency proceedings.
¶ 32 The State correctly notes that juvenile delinquency proceedings are in fact civil in nature even though juveniles are entitled to rights similar to that of criminal defendants. The State argues that the appellate court has declined to extend Krankel to other quasi-criminal proceedings, such as those under the Sexually Violent Persons Commitment Act (see In re Commitment of Walker, 2014 IL App (2d) 130372, ¶ 56, 19 N.E.3d 205), and suggests we do
the same here. However, we conclude Walker is inapposite because of the unique circumstances of delinquency proceedings.
¶ 33 In Walker, the Second District noted that (1) Krankel was not required by due process and (2) most jurisdictions did not employ similar procedures. Id. The court concluded that "[a]ny remedy for counsel's alleged incompetence would lie in a collateral attack." Id. But juvenile delinquents cannot collaterally attack their judgments because the Post-Conviction Hearing Act (725 ILCS 5/122-1 et seq. (West 2016)) applies only to convictions and persons imprisoned in the penitentiary. Id. § 122-1(a). Juveniles are neither convicted nor imprisoned when they are adjudicated delinquent. People v. Taylor, 221 Ill. 2d 157, 168-69, 850 N.E.2d 134, 140 (2006); In re Vincent K., 2013 IL App (1st) 112915, ¶ 50, 2 N.E.3d 506.
¶ 34 Moreover, the Illinois Supreme Court has held that petitions pursuant to section 2-1401 of the Code of Civil Procedure (735 ILCS 5/2-1401 (West 2016))—the remedy suggested by the court in Walker instead of Krankel—do not provide an adequate remedy to preserve juveniles' claims of ineffective assistance of counsel. See In re William M., 206 Ill. 2d 595, 604-05, 795 N.E.2d 269, 274 (2003) (holding section 2-1401 petitions only apply to newly discovered facts or changes in the law and therefore cannot be used to assert claims of general trial errors or a claim that counsel was ineffective for failing to file a motion to withdraw guilty plea). We note that, in this case, a section 2-1401 petition would have been inappropriate because the record demonstrates that the claim of ineffective assistance was discussed by the trial court and counsel in July 2018 and therefore could not be considered newly discovered.
¶ 35 This court has recognized that in some circumstances juveniles are unable to adequately present claims of ineffective assistance of counsel on direct appeal because they have not developed a factual record in the trial court and cannot do so in a collateral attack. See In re Ch. W., 399 Ill. App. 3d 825, 830, 927 N.E.2d 872, 876 (2010). In those instances, we have remanded the case to the trial court for an evidentiary hearing while retaining jurisdiction. Id.; see also In re Alonzo O., 2015 IL App (4th) 150308, ¶ 30, 40 N.E.3d 1228.
¶ 36 The Illinois Supreme Court has repeatedly explained that "the goal of any Krankel proceeding is to facilitate the trial court's full consideration of a defendant's pro se claim and thereby potentially limit issues on appeal." Ayres, 2017 IL 120071, ¶ 13. "[T]he primary purpose of the preliminary inquiry is to give the defendant an opportunity to flesh out his claim of ineffective assistance so the court can determine whether appointment of new counsel is necessary." Id. ¶ 20. "By initially evaluating the defendant's claims in a preliminary Krankel inquiry, the circuit court will create the necessary record for any claims raised on appeal." Jolly, 2014 IL 117142, ¶ 38. "Absent such a record, *** appellate review is precluded. Moreover, the inquiry is not burdensome upon the circuit court, and the facts and circumstances surrounding the claim will be much clearer in the minds of all involved when the inquiry is made just subsequent to trial or plea, as opposed to years later on appeal." Ayres, 2017 IL 120071, ¶ 21.
¶ 37 Here, we do not know the basis of the mother's ineffective assistance claim because the trial court did not want to hear it and would not look at the letter despite trial counsel's invitation to do so. Most important, respondent does not have a remedy to develop his claims in collateral proceedings. Had the court conducted a brief inquiry when the court was informed of the mother's letter, the court could have determined (1) what respondent thought about the allegations in his mother's letter, (2) what the factual basis of the claim was,
(3) whether respondent's counsel alleged ineffective assistance was actually a trial strategy, and (4) whether respondent needed new counsel to assert any potentially meritorious claims. Krankel inquiries like these would have gone a long way to developing a record on ineffective assistance claims generally, potentially avoiding the need to remand for a Krankel hearing after an appeal has been filed. See Alonzo O., 2015 IL App (4th) 150308, ¶¶ 23-30 (explaining remand was necessary to develop a record of whether respondent's counsel investigated a key witness and why counsel chose not to impeach that witness with a prior conviction).
¶ 38 Finally, the State suggests that juveniles have a remedy because the trial court is in a "parens patriae" relationship with juveniles and "when it perceives a substantial injustice, [it] will intervene on the juvenile's behalf, even where the juvenile is represented by counsel [citation]." In re Vincent K., 2013 IL App (1st) 112915, ¶ 61. However, as respondent points out, the trial court in this case was presented with a claim that his counsel was ineffective but chose not to even read the letter detailing concerns about respondent's counsel despite counsel's requesting the court do so. Moreover, a trial court cannot intervene to ensure a juvenile receives effective assistance if the factual basis giving rise to the claim occurs outside of the courtroom.
¶ 39 2. The Ineffective Assistance Claim Was Raised Posttrial
¶ 40 Respondent argues that a Krankel inquiry was required after defense counsel told the trial court that his mother's letter alleged ineffective assistance. Although this claim could be viewed as not being raised posttrial, respondent argues that the adjudication hearing had concluded and all that remained was for the trial court to issue its ruling. Accordingly, respondent contends that the court should have conducted a Krankel hearing after announcing its findings and ultimate decision. We agree.
¶ 41 We acknowledge that the supreme court in Ayres wrote that "Krankel is limited to posttrial motions" (Ayres, 2017 IL 120071, ¶ 22), but that holding does not mean that Krankel does not apply in this case. That is because, as respondent notes, the trial had concluded weeks before and all that remained was for the trial court to issue its ruling. When respondent's counsel called the mother's letter to the court's attention, the court knew it was about to rule against respondent, and it did just minutes later.
¶ 42 Moreover, defense counsel told the trial court he believed it needed to consider the allegations and added that counsel would hold on to the letter pending the court's ruling. But after the court ruled, neither counsel nor the court raised the issue of the letter again.
¶ 43 3. Respondent's Mother Could Raise Ineffective Assistance
¶ 44 Respondent recognizes that Krankel is limited to pro se claims of ineffective assistance and that he did not make any such claim in this case. Instead, his mother made it on his behalf. Respondent contends that his mother's claim in this case is more akin to a pro se claim because parents are necessary parties with special interests in juvenile delinquency proceedings. The State disagrees and notes that this court has held that Krankel applies only to pro se claims.
¶ 45 "Krankel is not triggered when counsel raises his own ineffectiveness." Rhodes, 2019 IL App (4th) 160917, ¶ 17 (citing People v. Bates, 2018 IL App (4th) 160255, ¶ 102, 112 N.E.3d
657, appeal allowed, No. 124143 (Ill. Jan. 31, 2019), and People v. McGath, 2017 IL App (4th) 150608, ¶¶ 49-52, 83 N.E.3d 671). Nonetheless, if defense counsel conveys a defendant's pro se claim of ineffectiveness to the court, a Krankel inquiry may be required. See id. We believe that the circumstances in this case are more similar to those in Rhodes because counsel was not arguing his own ineffectiveness. Instead, he was merely bringing respondent's mother's claim to the trial court's attention. Accordingly, the question before us is whether a parent may raise an ineffective assistance claim on behalf of her child, who is a respondent minor in a juvenile delinquency proceeding. Given the unique circumstances present in such a proceeding, we conclude that a parent may do so.
¶ 46 In cases under the Juvenile Court Act, custodial parents and legal guardians "have the right to be present, to be heard, to present evidence material to the proceedings, to cross-examine witnesses, to examine pertinent court files and records and also *** the right to be represented by counsel." 705 ILCS 405/1-5(1) (West 2016). In delinquency proceedings, parents generally have the right to adequate notice (In re Gault, 387 U.S. 1, 33 (1967)) and are considered parties to the proceedings. In re Marcus W., 389 Ill. App. 3d 1113, 1122, 907 N.E.2d 949, 955 (2009). In juvenile delinquency proceedings, "[t]he purpose of a parent's presence is to ensure the juvenile his right to counsel and his right to have his parents present at any hearing." In re J.E., 285 Ill. App. 3d 965, 980-81, 675 N.E.2d 156, 167 (1996). Illinois courts have long recognized the importance of a parent's presence to provide aid and counsel to their child. See Marcus W., 389 Ill. App. 3d at 1127 (noting "the importance our supreme court has placed on a minor having at least one person, besides an attorney or court-appointed guardian, present during juvenile proceedings whose loyalty and concern would be toward the minor."); see also In re M.W., 232 Ill. 2d 408, 439, 905 N.E.2d 757, 777 (2009) (noting lack of notice to noncustodial father did not affect fundamental fairness of proceedings because minor's counsel and mother were present to advise minor on significant decisions); In re J.W., 87 Ill. 2d 56, 61, 429 N.E.2d 501, 504 (1981) (concluding lack of notice to noncustodial father was not an error because the minor had "the assistance of his custodian, the person on whom he relies for other important decisions in his life"). This court has stated that "the primary purpose of affording the parents an opportunity to be present at significant juvenile delinquency proceedings is the aid the parent can give to the minor." In re S.L.S., 181 Ill. App. 3d 453, 456-57, 536 N.E.2d 1355, 1358 (1989).
¶ 47 Although this court has consistently held that trial counsel cannot assert his own ineffectiveness (Rhodes, 2019 IL App (4th) 160917, ¶ 17), we believe that a parent's raising counsel's alleged ineffectiveness in a juvenile delinquency proceeding in which that parent's child is a respondent is a far different matter. Given a parent's unique role in juvenile delinquency proceedings, we conclude that (1) a parent may raise ineffective assistance of counsel claims to the trial court in the same manner as a pro se respondent and (2) when a parent has done so, the trial court is required to conduct a Krankel hearing.
¶ 48 Because we conclude the trial court erred when it did not conduct a Krankel inquiry, we remand this case so that it may do so. (We encourage the trial court to review this court's recent decision in Roddis, 2018 IL App (4th) 170605, for a detailed discussion of how to proceed on remand.)
¶ 49 C. Remand
¶ 50 "Because we conclude a Krankel inquiry is necessary, we need not consider [respondent's] other arguments." Rhodes, 2019 IL App (4th) 160917, ¶ 21; see also People v. Bell, 2018 IL App (4th) 151016, ¶ 37, 100 N.E.3d 177 ("Depending on the result of the *** Krankel inquiry, defendant's other claims may become moot."). We express no view on the merits of respondent's ineffective assistance claim or on any of the other arguments he has made on appeal.
¶ 51 To avoid confusion in the event of a subsequent appeal, we retain jurisdiction over this matter pursuant to Illinois Supreme Court Rule 366(a)(5) (eff. Feb. 1, 1994). Alonzo O., 2015 IL App (4th) 150308, ¶ 31. In the event that the trial court appoints new counsel after the Krankel inquiry and ultimately determines that a new trial is warranted, the court should proceed accordingly. Only if (1) the trial court determines that appointment of new counsel is not warranted or (2) after a subsequent hearing on the ineffective assistance claim, the trial court rejects that claim, then respondent may again appeal, at which point we will address respondent's remaining arguments from this appeal and any argument on appeal respondent may raise about the trial court's determination that his trial counsel was not ineffective.
¶ 52 III. CONCLUSION
¶ 53 For the reasons stated, we remand for the trial court to conduct an inquiry into respondent's claim of ineffective assistance of counsel.
¶ 54 Remanded with directions.


ALEC Disbands Task Force On ‘Stand Your Ground’ After Liberal, Rights Groups Protest
By David Zielenziger @DavidZie
Quimani Cobb, 11, holds a sign while taking part in the Seattle Unite 1000 Hoodies rally for Trayvon Martin at Westlake Park in Seattle, Washington, March 28, 2012. Photo: Reuters
The conservative American Legislative Exchange Council has disbanded a task force that had advocated for state Stand Your Ground laws as well as voter identification laws.
The move to axe the Public Safety and Elections task force came as ALEC was besieged by liberal and civil rights groups angered by the case of Trayvon Martin, the Sanford, Fla., teenager shot to death on Feb. 26 by a local security watchdog.
Last week, a Florida special prosecutor charged George Zimmerman, 28, with second-degree murder in the Martin case. Zimmerman has claimed self-defense under the Florida Stand Your Ground Law.
Groups including Credo, Color of Change, the NAACP, the Urban League, Common Cause and the Progressive Change Campaign Committee claim to have obtained more than 400,000 signatures protesting Washington, D.C.-based ALEC.
They also urged corporate sponsors including AT&T (NYSE: T) to quit the conservative group that lobbies state legislatures. Others getting complaints include Johnson & Johnson (NYSE: JNJ) and State Farm.
Coca-Cola (NYSE: KO), PepsiCo (NYSE: PEP). McDonald's (NYSE: MCD), Wendy's Co. (Nasdaq: WEN), Kraft Foods (NYSE: KFT) Mars, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Arizona Public Service Co. and Intuit (Nasdaq: INTU), have already quit. In response, ALEC last week denounced coordinated intimidation against its members.
The pro-business trade group, which says it aims to connect state legislators with other state legislators, said companies join because they're more interested in solutions than in rhetoric.
Nevertheless, ALEC Chairman Dave Frizzell, a Republican Indiana legislator, announced Tuesday the group is refocusing our commitment to free-market, limited government and pro-growth principles and would abandon advocacy of the other controversial issues.
Meanwhile, Credo and Color of Change, said AT&T had given ALEC more than $150,000 to sponsor state voter identification laws, which they charge are racist.
ALEC's board is top-heavy with conservative Republicans, including former chairmen Owen Johnston, a New York state senator with Republican and Conservative Party backing, and Tom Craddick, a former Republican speaker of the Texas House of Representatives.
Its board of scholars includes Arthur Laffer, the inventor of the Laffer curve in economics, as well as Stephen Moore, a former president of the Club for Growth, which backs Republican candidates, who now writes for Rupert Murdoch's News Corp. (NYSE: NWS).
AT&T, McDonald's and Johnson & Johnson and State Farm have not commented on the controversy. Shares of AT&T fell 11 cents to $30.78, while Johnson & Johnson fell $1.10 to $63.13 in midday Wednesday trading.
Wall St snaps 4-day streak on GE, inflation worry
ALEC Ends Legal Work On Guns, Voter ID


The Washington National Cathedral lit up for an event. Courtesy: Washington National Cathedral
Excerpts from the newly released documentary Villa Visconti Borromeo Litta: four centuries of history will be screened with a presentation by Film Director Francesco Vitali and Dr. Allison Luchs, Curator of Early European Sculpture at the National Gallery of Art, who will illustrate the tradition of sculpture gardens in Renaissance Italy and two masterpieces from Villa Litta now part of the NGA’s collection. To enhance the audience’s appreciation of the documentary, the screening will be accompanied by a concert featuring some music by the composers who enjoyed the patronage of the Villa’s residents during the 16th-18th centuries. Directed by Tina Chancey of Hesperus, the musical performances will feature Mezzo-soprano Kristen Dubanion-Smith and tenor Rob Petillo joined by William Simms, theorbo and renaissance lute, Elizabeth Field, baroque violin, Paula Maust, harpsichord, and Dr. Chancey, renaissance violin and viola da gamba. 6:00 – 9:00 p.m. at the Embassy of Italy 3000 Whitehaven Street NW. Tickets at https://iicwashington.esteri.it/iic_washington/en/gli_eventi/calendario/2019/02/villa-visconti-borromeo-litta-documentary.html
Musical reception
Join the Citizens Association of Georgetown for the February CAG Public Meeting. A moderated conversation on the DC Jazz scene including well known musicians will accompany a reception including refreshments from Stachowski’s and Potomac Wine & Spirits. 6:30 at Mt. Zion church on 29th St. Free.
Thursday, February 21st
In his latest book, Enemy of the People: Trump’s War on the Press, the New McCarthyism, and the Threat to American Democracy, distinguished journalist Marvin Kalb pulls from recent history to prove that the great American experiment would suffer certain failure if not for a free and vigorous press. Mr. Kalb is currently a nonresident senior fellow at the Brookings Institution and a senior advisor at the Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting. His work includes award-winning reporting for both CBS and NBC News as chief diplomatic correspondent, Moscow bureau chief, and anchor of NBC’s “Meet the Press.” The book will be available for purchase and signing. 11:30 p.m. at the Woman’s National Democratic Club, 1526 New Hampshire Avenue, NW. Tickets $30 https://events.r20.constantcontact.com/register/eventReg?oeidk=a07efyd4cpjf369464b&oseq=&c=&ch=
Caral: The earliest civilization in the Americas. Caral is not only a city but also the name of an entire civilization of at least 25 sites centered on the Supe Valley in Peru.The Caral Civilization is considered one of the six “cradles of civilization”, joining Mesopotamia, Egypt, China, India and Mesoamerica. Having begun about 5000 years ago, it is now recognized as the wellspring of South American societies. A photo exhibit features more about this fascinating civilization. 6:00 – 8:00 p.m. at the Embassy of Peru,1700 Massachusetts Avenue NW. Free. https://www.eventbrite.com/e/caral-the-earliest-civilization-in-the-americas-tickets-55595179679?aff=ebdssbdestsearch
Friday, February 22nd
The Korean Cultural Center Washington, D.C. proudly presents the opening of The Culture of Time and Space, a new exhibition of digital media art that explores the convergence of Korean traditional beauty and contemporary technology, featuring works by Korean media artist HyeGyung Kim. Kim focuses on the convergence of digital media and Taoism through the medium of East Asian antiques. She experiments with connections between digital media and traditional Oriental art that represents Korean beauty through projection mapping and interactive media. She presents not only projection mapping onto Korean traditional crafts such as porcelain and antique wooden furniture, but also interactive media art that integrates light, sound, and movement. Ultimately, Kim hopes to provide an experience beyond space and time through this artistic dialogue. This exhibition aims to introduce the vibrancy of Korean contemporary media art and the deep connections possible between traditional aesthetic values and Korea’s prominent digital technology of today. 6:00 p.m. at Korean Cultural Center, 2370 Massachusetts Ave. NW. Free, though registration is required at www.KoreaCultureDC.org.
Sparkplug: Light Liminal illustrates how ten participating artists literally and symbolically employ light and darkness in painting, drawing, sculpture, and photography. The exhibition explores themes of communication and empathy. Opening Reception 7:00 – 9:00 p.m. at DC Arts Center, 2438 18th NW Street, Washington DC, 20009. Free.
Studio Gallery, DC’s oldest arts collaborative, partners with StageFree for an evening of local art and electro-acoustic music. With five musical works written in the last four years, the program offers, a local take on new music. Featured composers include Armando Bayolo, Duncan Boatright, Ashi Day, Bradley Green, Christopher Newman, and Charles Perryman. 7:30 p.m. at Studio Gallery, 2108 R Street NW. Tickets $20. https://www.stagefree.org/concert-24
Saturday, February 23rd
Tensions rise when Gyembo a teen who dreams of becoming a soccer player is chosen as the next guardian of the family monastery in Bhutan. Join in for a free film screening of “The Next Guardian” followed by a a tashi labay performance and Q&A discussion with the filmmakers Dorottya Zurb and Arun Bhattarai, and Communication and Program Manager for the Bhutan Foundation in Washington, DC, Tshering Yangzom. 6:45 p.m. at the National Museum of Natural History, 10th St NW & Constitution Ave NW. Free. http://go.si.edu/site/Calendar?id=102681&view=Detail&s_src=scene_web_scene_text_er&s_subsrc=NxtGrd_190223
For more than twenty-five years, a cappella singers have joined together to help DC’s homeless. The Sing Out for Shelter (“SOS”) concert, organized by DC’s own Augmented 8, has brought together the best of contemporary a cappella singing and raised more than $250,000 to help the homeless in the Metropolitan DC area.
8:00 p.m. at the National United Methodist Church, 3401 Nebraska Avenue NW. Tickets $20 -140. https://www.eventbrite.com/e/a-cappella-groups-sing-out-for-shelter-sat-february-23rd-to-help-dcs-homeless-tickets-51944287763
Stories and Songs of Hope in concert supports refugees seeking asylum in the U.S. A choir and guest musicians will perform musical selections on the theme of “sanctuary,” with several asylum seekers sharing their stories. Reception to follow. 4:30 p.m. Cleveland Park Congregational UCC, 3400 Lowell St. NW. Free www.asylumprojectdc.org.
Celebrate Mardi Gras and the Carnival of Nice on French soil at a special evening at the Embassy of France! From the elegance of classical French culture to the most celebrated Rivera nightlife of the 21st Century, experience a special evening of fantastic French food (buffet-style) and wines, late night DJ and a nightclub experience that will turn the venue into “The Embassy of Lights,” with a spectacular Riviera-style ambiance, as well as attractions and shows. Enjoy the flavors of Nice, Monaco and St. Tropez in the beautiful and festive Maison Francaise. Mardi Gras Style beads will be offered to all guests upon arrival. And be on the lookout for some special Cirque Style Carnival Characters! 6:30 p.m. Embassy of France, 4101 Reservoir Road NW. Tickets $89- 800. https://www.eventbrite.com/e/french-embassy-carnival-celebration-a-night-on-the-riviera-tickets-54587746419?aff=ebdssbdestsearch
The combined forces of the AU Symphony Orchestra, Chorus, and Chamber Singers are joined by the Strathmore Children’s Chorus and guest soloists Janice Meyerson and Rob McGinness to perform the North American premiere of Arnold Saltzman’s A Choral Symphony: Halevi. Completed in 2017, this large-scale composition is a lush and evocative symphonic setting of English translations of texts by the twelfth-century Hebrew poet Judah Halevi. 4:30 p.m. at the National Presbyterian Church, 401 Nebraska Ave. NW. Tickets $5-15. https://www.eventbrite.com/e/north-american-premiere-saltzman-a-choral-symphony-halevi-tickets-53926882758
DC Fashion Week hosts the 30th International Couture Collections Show. Designers from around the world present their Autumn/Winter 2019 couture collections at the Embassy of France. 5:00 – 8:00 p.m. at Embassy of France, La Maison Française, 4101 Reservoir Road, NW. Tickets $70 -150. https://www.eventbrite.com/e/30th-international-couture-collections-presented-by-dc-fashion-week-tickets-53019616099?aff=ebdssbdestsearch
Monday, February 25th
Does putting together a cheeseboard for your next party seem daunting? Do you stand in front of the cheese counter perplexed as to how to proceed? Fear not, cheese lovers! Whether it’s learning how to pick out cheeses and accompaniments that will wow your guests, or put them together in a thoughtful and crowd-stunning way, this How To Build a Cheeseboard class will give you cheese confidence and hone your plating skills. Led by cheesemonger and owner of Cheesemonster, Alice Bergen Phillips, this class is all about making the art of the cheeseboard a bit less intimidating. Talk, taste, and play around with various plating components, and at the end of the night, you”ll go home with your very own personal cheeseboard! 7:00 – 9:00 at The Lemon Collective, 808 Upshur Street. Tickets $45. https://www.eventbrite.com/e/how-to-build-a-cheeseboard-tickets-54597853650?aff=ebdssbdestsearch
Chef Sammy has had the #1 Cooking class sold on the internet for 5 years straight, and now he is offering the class direct to consumers. The class will be held at Chef’s newest restaurant CATCH 22 in the District of Columbia. Unlimited drinks will be served throughout the evening! 7:00 – 10:00 p.m. at Catch 22, 5832 Georgia Ave. NW. Tickets $40. https://www.eventbrite.com/e/chef-sammy-davis-spring-cooking-class-tickets-56045426379?aff=ebdssbdestsearch
Tuesday, February 26th
Trivia event
Take a break from being The World’s Best Boss, your classes at art school, or beet farming to prove you know the most about the Dunder Mifflin family. Prizes will be awarded in lieu of Dundees, and you don’t want to be left empty handed… that’s what she said! 7:00 – 9:00 p.m. at Pinstripes Georgetown,1064 Wisconsin Avenue Northwest. Free. https://officepgrgtwn.eventbrite.com
Cultural discussion
In honor of Black History Month, join in for a panel discussion featuring members of the African diaspora who are using creative ways of bridging the continental gap and contributing to Africa’s development. Food and Drinks will be served. 6:30 – 8:30 p.m. at 1957 E Street Northwest. Free. https://www.eventbrite.com/e/diaspora-dialogue-how-we-can-be-more-involved-in-empowering-africa-tickets-56215484026?aff=ebdssbdestsearch
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Women's Outdoor Track and Field
Records (through 17-18)
Nationals Qualifiers and All-Americans
Recruiting Standards
Krahe Sets School Record in 800 at Hopkins/Loyola Invite
BALTIMORE, Md. - Freshman Allison Krahe took fifth among Divison III athletes and set a new school record in the 800 with a time of 2:21.35 at the Hopkins/Loyola Invitational. Krahe's time also gave her a spot into this season's ECAC Outdoor Championships.
Freshman Rachel Panek missed out on a school record in the 400m hurdles by just .02 seconds with a time of 1:05.25, but did finish first overall in the event. Panek's time is currently second best in the region and the MAC. Sophomore Dyonne Hicks, who owns the current school record in the event, placed sixth with a time of 1:07.64.
Junior Kelly Winklbauer clocked a 4:55.68 in the 1500m run, giving her fifth among DIII athletes in the event. Winklbauer's time just made the qualifying cut of 4:55.70 for the ECAC Championships.
Sophomore Achol Odolla qualified for ECAC's in the 3000m Steeplechase with a time of 12:39.29.
In the long jump, sophomore Kimberly Hammond placed first among DIII athletes with a leap of 5.29m. Hammond also placed third among DIII athletes in the 100 and 200 with times of 13.30 and 27.68.
In the shot put, junior Jess Rega's toss of 11.94 meters gave her third among DIII athletes, while sophomore Kiarra Nowell placed fifth with a 10.93. Nowell also had a toss of 37.19 meters, giving her second in the DIII field, while junior Lauren Dioses threw a 35.38.
Junior Allison Bishop set a personal best in the hammer throw with a 42.25m toss (2nd in DIII), while freshman Jordan Mitchell had a leap of 10.21m in the triple jump (3rd in non-DI).
The Mustangs finished seventh out 15 schools with 43 points. Hopkins won the team title with 197.
Stevenson is scheduled to compete in the Oscar Moore Invitational, hosted by Rowan University, on Saturday, April 7.
Thu, 05/16 | Women's Outdoor Track and Field AARTFC Championship 13th/32, 18 points RC
Wed, 05/15 | Women's Outdoor Track and Field AARTFC Championship t-23rd/28, 3 points RC
Mon, 05/13 | Women's Outdoor Track and Field Swarthmore Last Chance Meet N/A RC
Sat, 05/04 | Women's Outdoor Track and Field MAC Championship 5th/10 (80) RC | R
Fri, 05/03 | Women's Outdoor Track and Field MAC Championship 4th/10 (42) RC | PH
Thu, 05/02 | Women's Outdoor Track and Field MAC Championship t-2nd/8, 18 points RC | V
Sat, 04/27 | Women's Outdoor Track and Field Paul Kaiser Classic NTS RC | R
Sat, 04/20 | Women's Outdoor Track and Field Morgan State Legacy 17th, 1 point RC
Wed, 04/17 | Women's Outdoor Track and Field York (Pa.) College Twilight 1st/8, 186 RC
Fri, 04/12 | Women's Outdoor Track and Field Mondschein Multi NTS RC | R


Rahul likely to become LS Congress leader
Pankaj Vohra
June 30, 2018,
Mallikarjun Kharge’s appointment last week as the general secretary in charge of the Maharashtra Congress, could possibly pave way for Rahul Gandhi to be elected as the leader of the party in the Lok Sabha ahead of next year’s Parliamentary elections. Kharge, who has held the position since 2014, could therefore, be relieved of the dual charge in line with the original Congress policy of “one-man one-post” that was followed by both Rajiv Gandhi and P.V. Narasimha Rao as party presidents; this however, was reversed during Sonia Gandhi’s nearly 20-year-long tenure. As per the original practice, no party leader, other than the president, could hold two portfolios, though this principle was relegated to the background with several functionaries occupying multiple offices.
Sources in the party have confirmed that Rahul was expected to expand his own role, so as to also include the responsibilities of leading the party in the Lok Sabha for enhancing his political profile. Last year, the Congress president underwent an image makeover after he visited the Berkeley University campus in California prior to the Gujarat state elections and projected himself as a serious politician who was not hesitant to gamble with fresh ideas and new faces.
Despite being a very seasoned player, Kharge’s appointment as the leader of the Congress group in the Lok Sabha had raised many eyebrows, given that ideally speaking the position at that point should have gone to Kamal Nath, a nine-time Member of Parliament from Chhindwara, and a Doon School-mate of both Rajiv and Sanjay Gandhi. It is evident that some members of Sonia Gandhi’s team were uncomfortable with the idea of handing over the prestigious office to Nath, who is also viewed by many in the party as a person with extraordinary organisational skills, immense experience and the capacity to deliver. However, after Nath was sent to Madhya Pradesh as the state unit president, he for the time being is not in the reckoning for a party slot in Parliament.
Kharge’s induction was part of the party’s plan to project a Dalit on the national stage in the Lok Sabha while endorsing Ghulam Nabi Azad’s nomination in the Upper House. He now has been sent to Maharashtra to reassure the old guard in general and Dalits in particular, that the leadership was well aware of their overall concerns. Ironically, the party’s best known Dalit face, Sushil Kumar Shinde, a former Chief Minister, continues to be amongst the tallest leaders from that state and thus it is difficult to comprehend how Kharge’s appointment would assist the party in Maharashtra so far as the Scheduled Caste votes were concerned.
Therefore the political inference of his being named as an AICC general secretary is that his utility in his home state of Karnataka is not of as much relevance as it was prior to the Assembly elections. In other words, by assigning him an important state, the pivotal Lok Sabha berth could be vacated for Rahul Gandhi. As of now, Sonia Gandhi and Rahul have been monitoring the parliamentary proceedings in a low-key manner. However, Rahul’s probable elevation would definitely help in increasing his visibility and performance on the floor of the House prior to the 2019 clash.
A couple of months ago, Rahul had challenged the Prime Minister to debate with him on vital issues confronting the country and the Congress president apparently is toying with the intention to take on Narendra Modi head-on during the monsoon session. Although his critics may argue that nothing was preventing him from confronting the Prime Minister, yet this move is aimed at sending a signal to the Opposition, which currently is in the process of formulating a joint strategy to curb the influence of the Bharatiya Janata Party.
The Congress, despite being the largest party, does not figure prominently in the Opposition’s scheme of things as several top leaders are in favour of giving more importance to the regional parties and players. On its part, the Congress appears inclined to play second fiddle to smaller organisations, as was obvious when the party backed Janata Dal (Secular) nominee H.D. Kumaraswamy for the Chief Ministership of Karnataka. There are indications that even for the Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairperson’s election the Congress was willing to support a candidate of either the Trinamool Congress or the Biju Janata Dal; this despite being the largest Opposition group in the august House. It is apparently clear that the Congress’ topmost priority is to somehow divest the BJP of power at the Centre, and once it was done, it could do a rethink on its overall blueprint.
The Congress is confident of doing well in the forthcoming Assembly polls in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chattisgarh, and some of its leaders believe that when the election outcome in these states goes against the ruling dispensation, the party can proportionally increase its country-wide profile to play a stellar role in national politics.
Rahul’s core team is impelling him, to replicate in the Lok Sabha, his assertive performance in public meetings, so as to counter the BJP’s perennial criticism labelling him a reluctant or part-time politician. However, with the football season on, he has to understand that unless the whole team performs in entirety, even iconic players like Lionel Messi, fail to hold any water. His notability alone is not enough, the Congress as a single outfit, needs to rise to the occasion. Between us.
Replies to “Rahul likely to become LS Congress leader”
N S Rajan says:
He is certain to make Mallikarjun Kharge look better.
Sunil Dang says:
Good analysed
Dr. Pardeep Kumar says:
Great, correct assessment and well understand the politics of INC
Leave a Reply to N S Rajan Cancel reply
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Category Archives: University of Strathclyde
Academic IELTS, CAE Exam Preparation, English Courses, English Exams, English Language School, English Testing, eurospeak, Eurospeak Reading, Eurospeak Southampton, FCE Exam Preparation, GCSE English, General IELTS, Glyndwr University, IELTS Exam Preparation, IELTS Preparation, international student card, Language Learning, Language School, Learn English, Life in Reading, Reading, Reading University, Southampton, Southampton University, Study Abroad, Universities in UK, University of Strathclyde
How many words do I need to know to be fluent in a foreign language?
Let’s say that our vocabulary counts are using headwords and word families that are included in our active vocabulary (the vocabulary that you can quickly remember and actively use when writing, speaking and thinking).
So, we are not counting all the different forms of a given word, and we are not counting anything that’s only in our passive vocabulary (the vocabulary that you are passively able to understand when you see it or hear it, but that you cannot use—or that you are unsure of how to use—when writing, speaking and thinking.
When we reduce our perspective like this, we can start making approximations.
Functional beginner: 250-500 words: basic, everyday conversations. In most of the world’s languages, 500 words will be more than enough to get you through any tourist situations and everyday introductions.
Conversational: 1,000-3,000 words: With around 1,000 words in most languages, you will be able to ask people how they are doing, tell them about your day and talk about everyday life situations like shopping and public transport.
Advanced: 4,000-10,000 words: Past the 3,000 word mark in most languages: C2 level. Moving beyond the words that make up everyday conversation and into specialized vocabulary for talking about your professional field, news and current events, opinions and more complex, abstract verbal feats.
Fluent: 10,000+ words: Near-native level of vocabulary, words for talking about nearly any topic in detail and understanding the unfamiliar ones from context.
Well-educated Native: 10,000-30,000+ words: Total word counts vary widely between world languages, making it difficult to say how many words native speakers know in general. As we discussed above, estimates of how many words are known by the average native English speaker vary from 10,000 to 65,000+.
Academic IELTS, CAE Exam Preparation, Culture, English Courses, English Exams, English Language School, English Testing, eurospeak, Eurospeak Reading, Eurospeak Southampton, FCE Exam Preparation, GCSE English, General IELTS, IELTS Exam Preparation, IELTS Preparation, international student card, Language Learning, Language School, Learn English, Life in Reading, Reading, Southampton, University of Strathclyde
Symbols of the UK (Part 2)
Land of kilt and Highlanders, Scotland is a land of contrasts, which uses symbols that we all know.
The Scottish Thistle is the oldest recorded ‘National Flower’ and is probably one of the most well-known, and easily recognized symbols of Scotland. This flower perfectly represents the history of Scotland. Indeed, it has beautiful flower heads, viciously sharp thorns, a stubborn and tenacious grip on the land and the defiant ability to flourish despite efforts to remove it.
With Scotland being famed for its love of myths and legends, it is no surprise that a fabled creature such as the unicorn is Scotland’s national animal. Symbol of purity and innocence, the unicorn was first used on the Scottish royal coat of arms by William I in the 12th century. This proud beast represents the ideal of the Scots which is to be untameable.
Lion Rampant of Scotland
Symbol of the kings of Scotland, it occupied the shield of the royal coat of arms of the ancient Kingdom of Scotland. Together with a royal banner displaying the same, it was used by the King of Scots from the 12thcentury until the Union of the Kingdoms of England and Scotland.
It’s a long piece of fabric (tartan) tied around the waist then fastened in place with a thick, leather belt. Originally, the rest of the cloth was thrown over the shoulder and tucked into the belt at the back, but not anymore. Each tartan is closely identified with a particular Scottish Clan. During the Jacobite wars in the 18th century, the kilt became a symbol of opposition to English domination and was therefore prohibited. It reappeared in the 19th century in Wales and Cornwall where it began to be worn during celebrations.
Universities in UK, University of Strathclyde
The University of Strathclyde in UK
The University of Strathclyde is a leading international technological university based in Glasgow, Scotland. The University’s history dates back to 1796 and today we are the third largest University in Scotland and one of the largest providers of postgraduate education in Europe. Strathclyde’s achievements in teaching and research have led to major successes at the prestigious Times Higher Education Awards three years running – including winning the UK University of the Year award in 2012, and UK Entrepreneurial University of the Year at the most recent ceremony in November 2013.
Strathclyde has been ranked top in Scotland for Engineering and Law, and in the UK top ten universities for Business and Physics. We offer a broad range of undergraduate, postgraduate and research courses across four Faculties – Engineering, Humanities and Social Sciences, Science and the Strathclyde Business School, all of which are united by our commitment to tackling modern global challenges and our founding principle of ”useful learning”. We take pride in our close links with business and industry, and the scholarships, internships and placements we offer to students. What is more, many of our programmes are fully accredited by professional bodies.
The University is currently undergoing a £370m campus redevelopment, including the construction of the new Technology and Innovation Centre (TIC), which will offer unprecedented opportunities for students, academics and industry professionals to work together and share knowledge and expertise. We also have an award-winning careers service with life-long membership for graduates, excellent sports facilities and a thriving Students’ Association, with clubs and societies to cater for every interest.
The University welcomes around 2,000 international students each year from over 90 different countries worldwide, and our campus is located in the city centre of Glasgow. Glasgow is the host city for the 2014 Commonwealth Games and one of Europe’s most stylish cities, boasting world-class arts, shopping and sport, and within easy reach of both London and the beautiful Scottish countryside.


NINTENDO 3DS Europe USA
Nintendo 3DS eShop Sale Discounts SteamWorld: Dig, Zen Pinball Games
By Ishaan . March 13, 2014 . 9:00am
Galaga is available for the Nintendo 3DS Virtual Console this week in North America. The game costs $4.99. Additionally, a few games of note are going on discount sale on the 3DS eShop in both North America and Europe.
In North America, SteamWorld: Dig is available for 50% off from today until March 16th, while Zen Pinball 3D, Marvel Pinball 3D and Star Wars Pinball 3D are 50% off from March 17th through March 31st.
Meanwhile, in Europe, Zen Pinball 3D, Marvel Pinball 3D and Star Wars Pinball 3D are on discount from today until March 20th. Zen Pinball 3D costs €2.49/£2.24 (down from €4.99/£4.49), while Marvel and Star Wars cost €3.49/£3.14 (down from €6.99/£6.29).
Read more stories about Marvel Pinball 3D & Nintendo 3DS & Nintendo eShop & Star Wars Pinball & SteamWorld Dig & Zen Pinball 3D on Siliconera.
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Conduit Labs unveils Loudcrowd social music game site
Dean Takahashi	 March 16, 2009 9:00 PM
Microsoft is closing down asset platform Remix 3D
How to get Minecraft: Windows 10 Edition for free if you own the PC version
Conduit Labs is launching a public beta for its Loudcrowd social music game site today in an attempt to create a community that combines social networking with casual game play.
The site is a platform for multiple web-based games, and the Boston company is kicking it off with a party at the South by Southwest conference this week in Austin, Texas.
Conduit is billing Loudcrowd as a place where you can listen to original music from new artists and play a game that lets can express yourself through dance and your taste in music. When you log onto the site, music starts playing. Everyone hears the same song, like with a radio station. You can rate the song and chat about it.
There are two games available on the site right now, with a third launching next month, and more in the works.
In the games, you create an avatar, picking options such as skin color, hair, and gender. The avatar is cartoonish, with enough details to uniquely identify you. You also upload a photo of yourself and link to your Facebook account. You use your real name and real friends in this game, in contrast to many online games. The games are free, but Conduit hopes to make money through the sale of virtual goods.
One game is Dance. If you score high with your dance moves, you earn points that you can use to buy music tracks, other games, or clothes for your avatar. While you’re dancing, others can join you on the dance floor. If they score high enough, then they can meet you via chat. You can choose to make your avatar dance in a way that is flirty, flashy or funny.
It’s a little like Guitar Hero comes to the web. Nabeel Hyatt, chief executive and co-founder, says that games such as Guitar Hero prove consumers don’t mind paying for music when it is part of a cool experience.
The other game is Spin, where you take on the role of DJ and create your own version of a song. You can capture gems from two spinning vinyl records on a DJ turntable. You can challenge your friends for the best score in the gem-capture game and win the ability to host parties and share music with others. It’s similar to the early version of the site that our writer Dan Kaplan managed to see in a sneak peak last year.
The site currently features more than 50 new artists and has 250 songs — more songs than popular console music games currently ship with. Initial artists include Santigold, Cut Copy, Justice, Spank Rock, and The Twelves who have provided Loudcrowd with exclusively mixed tracks. As those names suggest, this isn’t a top 40 music site.
Conduit Labs was founded in July, 2007, by Hyatt, a serial entrepreneur on his fifth startup, and Dan Ogles. They have 18 employees. The site has been in a closed beta for about four months, and so far 60 percent of the visitors are women, which is typical of casual games.
The company has partnerships with indie music labels including DFA, Downtown Records, Domino, the Beggars Group and Modular. The company has raised $5.5 million from Charles River Ventures and Prism VentureWorks. Hyatt was an entrepreneur in residence at Prism, which helped him recruit his management team.
It will be interesting to see if this site catches on with the college crowd and up. Doppelganger failed to draw many fans to its Vside music-oriented virtual world. Competitors are less the music console games and more like Pandora or Lastfm, which focus on building communities around music. Another challenger is Acclaim’s recently unveiled Rockfree game. Hyatt said he expects to raise a new round of money later this year.


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It Isn’T Always That Easy
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Be With Records
BEWITH004SEVEN
First time on vinyl
CHOOSE FORMAT
Estimated Ship Date 08/23/19
We adore Big Star and Alex Chilton more than words can express. Being able to present two of Alex’s staggeringly beautiful demos on vinyl for the first time (on a cute picture sleeve 7", no less) is an absolute honour for us at Be With.
“It Isn’t Always That Easy” and “If You Would Marry Me” both sound like templates for some of Alex’s best-known Big Star numbers. These demos come from the transitional recording sessions he made with Terry Manning at the Ardent studio in 1969, but were missing from the vinyl version of the wonderful Free Again compilation that was released in 2012.
Caught between the end of the Box Tops and the birth of Big Star Alex’s song-craft was already remarkable – as these demos prove – and this release represents a fascinating, exploratory period in the career of one of pop’s most enigmatic talents.
“It Isn’t Always That Easy” is the real knockout. A tender, acoustic ballad that, stylistically, could have appeared Big Star’s “#1 Record”. Yes, it really is that good. A deeply affecting, ruminative lament that explores the ravages of Alex’s short career to date, it is also one of the sweetest and most delicate melodies he ever wrote. A song this stunning shouldn’t just be kept for the Big Star completists.
Over on the flip, “If You Would Marry Me” finds Alex in earnestly romantic mode. It’s just him and a piano, albeit one that is played in a poppy, uplifting fashion to complement the optimistic mood: “I could make you feel so glad inside and so alive” he confidently declares. It’s quite the gem. It really should be mandatory for this to be played at every wedding.
Unfortunately there seem to be no photographs of Alex from around the time he was making these recordings. But luckily we were put in touch with Pat Rainer who was photographing the Memphis music scene that Alex was still part of a few years later.
Happy to be described as “a friend with a camera who was hanging around”, Pat’s candid pictures of Alex included one of him asleep on the floor of the Ardent studio. Even though the photograph was taken 9 years after the demos were recorded, we think this intimate portrait makes a fitting cover for these equally intimate songs.
If You Would Marry Me Baby
Alan Vega, Alex Chilton, Ben Vaughn
Cubist Blues
The Evil One
CD $14
Out of Stock |
Don't Slander Me
Smooth Noodle Maps


Gaming engines and VR are coming into the building industry
Ludvig Lovén has always loved computer games. He is now using the underlying techniques to draw building projects in Virtual Reality (VR).
Imagine taking a walk through a 3D model of a future building project, exactly as you can in a computer game? By combining building drawings with gaming techniques this is now fully possible.
Ludvig Lovén is a System developer in BIM and VR at ÅF, and works at generating visualisation models of the company’s building projects.
“Drawings and CAD-models can be difficult to interpret, but visualisation makes it easy for customers and the general public to understand what it will look like when finished,” he says.
Building a model of the East Link
Currently he is working on the first part of the Swedish rail network for high speed trains - project East Link - a stretch of 160 kilometres between Södertälje and Linköping.
The aim is to generate a lifelike model of the complete stretch and the surrounding environment, including everything such as existing buildings, vegetation, lights and materials, and animations of trains hurtling past.
“The purpose is to show the inhabitants and the company owners what is going to be built and how this will influence their immediate area,” explains Ludvig Lovén.
Since such visualisations are so lifelike they are termed Virtual Reality, for which many people think about VR glasses.
However, the model of the East Link will be displayed and navigated using a screen, exactly like a normal computer game. It is even possible to generate films and pictures from the games engine.
“In my view VR glasses are the up and coming thing, because then you can walk around in the model as if you were actually there and you get a feeling of scale and distance that is unobtainable in any other way,” says Ludvig Lovén.
Based on gaming techniques
We have had visualisation at ÅF for approximately three years, and it is part of a method of working called BIM, Building Information Modelling.
In technical terms the process involves Ludvig Lovén and his colleagues developing a script which exports the CAD models from the project to a game engine. In the game engine they later develop an application around the model, with an interface and functionality.
In this case the game engine is called Unreal Engine 4 and has existed for nearly 20 years.
“The technique is not new, but it is only now that it has become both powerful and advanced that we have been able to use it for a construction project,” says Ludvig Lovén.
Visualisation becoming ever more popular
He says the demand for visualisations is increasing, not just within construction, but also in related industries, like architecture and interior design. This is therefore an opportunity to make the process simpler, and the large CAD developers have developed applications that make it possible to generate visualisations without being a games developer.
“But there are limitations to the finished solutions, so we tailor make the models for the customers. But, for the future I believe that visualisation will be more easily available, and will also be used for smaller projects,” says Ludvig Lovén.
Ludvig Lovén trained as a civil engineer in municipal planning, but he has always loved computer games and was educated in IT at upper secondary school. He has been working at ÅF for five years, firstly as model coordinator, then as designer, project manager, BIM Strategist, and his current position is System developer in BIM and VR.
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Ludvig Lovén
BIM VDC & Data Solutions
ludvig.loven@afconsult.com
Environmental & Social Impact Assessment


More businesses blocking access to social media
News by Dan Raywood
The number of businesses that have chosen to block access to social networking sites has risen over the past year.
According to research by Clearswift, there has been a 20 per cent increase in the number of companies blocking access to social media sites, with 91 per cent of those doing so mainly concerned about security and data loss.
The figure was obtained from an online survey of 1,529 employees and 906 managers in the UK, US, Australia, Germany, the Netherlands and Japan.
Andrew Wyatt, chief operating officer of Clearswift, told SC magazine that the increase was due to a "knee-jerk reaction" to media reports about data loss.
He said: “Blocking the internet does not stop [employees] using it at home. [There has not been enough] education to get a hold on what is sensible and what is not with social media, and we are learning by mistakes.”
Despite the statistic, managers continue to view social media as critical to business success, with 58 per cent citing web collaboration as a pivotal tool, and 31 per cent of companies planning to increase their investment in social media this year. The survey also revealed that 48 per cent of companies are convinced that the benefits of social media outweigh the drawbacks, although only 12 per cent are using it as a driver of growth.
Wyatt said lack of control of social media has made businesses wary of it. There is widespread concern among managers about social media usage, with 58 per cent expressing security fears, 46 per cent worried about the loss of confidential data via employees and 41 per cent concerned about data loss via external hacking.
The research also found that 57 per cent of managers believe employees are ignorant of security concerns. Wyatt said: “Companies do not do education. People are oblivious – a lot of the time the IT policy is seen only when you join [a company]. Employees do not know about the technology or the associated risks and they just take their own route.”
Looking at the future of social media in business, Wyatt said companies' understanding of it will improve as they will have no choice but to educate staff and put better mechanisms in place.
Podcast: SC Intel in Five [10 July]
Podcast: SC Intel in Five [7 June]
Breach of bill collection agency may affect 11.9 million Quest Diagnostics patients
GandCrab ransomware operators put in retirement papers
BlackSquid malware wants to wrap its tentacles around web servers and drives
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Mark Twain gives us advice about our wars
Larry Kummer, Editor	History	 22 September 2014 21 September 2014
Summary: Most of America’s wars have been counterinsurgencies, fought before Mao brought 4GW to maturity after WW2. As we start a new war, let’s take advice from wise men of our past about such conflicts. Such as Mark Twain (1835-1910), who lived during America’s golden age of counterinsurgency. Today we have two of his articles. One gives advice. The other is something to shock us into sense.
Mark Twain’s advice about Counterinsurgency
The War Prayer
Other notes from the past
(1) Advice
“Mark Twain on Counterinsurgency“
by Mike Few at the Small Wars Journal
Reposted with his generous permission
In a month when we’re asking the experts hard questions on the need to reform FM 3-24 Counterinsurgency and rethinking the colonial methods, Mark Twain, the quintessential American writer, decided to chime in. Nearly 100 years after his death, Mark Twain is finally publishing his autobiography. In his political views, Twain was decidedly anti-imperialist. Twain wrote in “Returning Home” (interview in the New York World, 4 October 1900):
You ask me about what is called imperialism. Well, I have formed views about that question. I am at the disadvantage of not knowing whether our people are for or against spreading themselves over the face of the globe. I should be sorry if they are, for I don’t think that it is wise or a necessary development.
As to China, I quite approve of our Government’s action in getting free of that complication. They are withdrawing, I understand, having done what they wanted. That is quite right. We have no more business in China than in any other country that is not ours.
There is the case of the Philippines. I have tried hard, and yet I cannot for the life of me comprehend how we got into that mess. Perhaps we could not have avoided it — perhaps it was inevitable that we should come to be fighting the natives of those islands — but I cannot understand it, and have never been able to get at the bottom of the origin of our antagonism to the natives. I thought we should act as their protector — not try to get them under our heel.
We were to relieve them from Spanish tyranny to enable them to set up a government of their own, and we were to stand by and see that it got a fair trial. It was not to be a government according to our ideas, but a government that represented the feeling of the majority of the Filipinos, a government according to Filipino ideas. That would have been a worthy mission for the United States. But now — why, we have got into a mess, a quagmire from which each fresh step renders the difficulty of extrication immensely greater. I’m sure I wish I could see what we were getting out of it, and all it means to us as a nation.
More of Twain’s biography and his thoughts on counterinsurgency at NPR.
(2) An attempt to shock us into sense
“The War Prayer” by Mark Twain One of his most powerful works. Unpublished at his death in 1910 (as sacrilegious), it was published in 1923. Opening:
It was a time of great and exalting excitement.
The country was up in arms, the war was on, in every breast burned the holy fire of patriotism; the drums were beating, the bands playing, the toy pistols popping, the bunched firecrackers hissing and spluttering; on every hand and far down the receding and fading spread of roofs and balconies a fluttering wilderness of flags flashed in the sun; daily the young volunteers marched down the wide avenue gay and fine in their new uniforms, the proud fathers and mothers and sisters and sweethearts cheering them with voices choked with happy emotion as they swung by; nightly the packed mass meetings listened, panting, to patriot oratory with stirred the deepest deeps of their hearts, and which they interrupted at briefest intervals with cyclones of applause, the tears running down their cheeks the while; in the churches the pastors preached devotion to flag and country, and invoked the God of Battles beseeching His aid in our good cause in outpourings of fervid eloquence which moved every listener.
It was indeed a glad and gracious time, and the half dozen rash spirits that ventured to disapprove of the war and cast a doubt upon its righteousness straightway got such a stern and angry warning that for their personal safety’s sake they quickly shrank out of sight and offended no more in that way.
It should be required reading for all citizens in every nation before it goes to war.
From the 3rd century BC, Polybius warns us about demographic collapse, 11 June 2008
President Grant warns us about the dangers of national hubris, 1 July 2008
A warning from Alexis De Tocqueville about our military, 7 August 2009
Another note from our past, helping us see our future, 16 September 2009 — by Daniel Ellsberg
France gives us tips for the Afghanistan War, from their successful role in the American Revolution, 11 March 2010
Advice from one of the British Empire’s greatest Foreign Ministers, 18 November 2011 — by Lord Palmerston
George Orwell sends us a note, giving some perspective on our situation, 22 January 2012
Thomas Jefferson saw our present peril. We should heed his warning., 21 April 2012
Voices from the past describe the coming New America, 1 February 2013
Martin Luther King Jr’s advice to us about using violence to reform America, 20 January 2014
mike few
war prayer
Published 22 September 2014 21 September 2014
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22 thoughts on “Mark Twain gives us advice about our wars”
Curious says:
The article states, ” we’re asking the experts hard questions on the need to reform FM 3-24 Counterinsurgency and rethinking the colonial methods.” Hasn’t FM 3-24 been rethought? The New FM is pretty blunt about other states being the driving factor and not us. http://armypubs.army.mil/doctrine/DR_pubs/dr_a/pdf/fm3_24.pdf
Editor of the Fabius Maximus website says:
Just as the 2006 version placed great emphasis on building the legitimacy of the “host” state. Pointless verbage, completely ignored in practice. Eight years of experience has shown that the recommended tactics are all that matters from FM 3-24; the rest is pleasant foliage to cover the neo-colonial tactics.
To what extent have the tactics changed? Is there any recognition of the near-total record of failure by foreign armies — everybody’s armies — fighting local insurgencies since Mao brought 4GW to maturity after WW2?
I think it does separate what we did in Iraq/Afghanistan from other ways the United States may enable a host nation in defeating an insurgency. Chapter 1 does tell the reader over and over again that other societies have to solve their own problems. Counterinsurgency is only seen as a “range of various methods”. The “method” we did in Iraq and Afghanistan is boxed off into one chapter (Direct Approach). In sum, I think it makes the case for using security cooperation and various capabilities (i.e. intelligence assets) to enable a society to control an insurgency movement when it is in US interests. That is with the understanding the United States is not the primary driver in the development of other societies.
Moreover, what we are doing in Syria and Iraq currently is different from the past. We are working through others and not trying to directly drive the conflict or its solutions. I have seen very little thought in the US clear-hold-building in Iraq or Syria. I would just suggest that you are trying to have a debate with a position that the other side no longer takes. Even if it doesn’t say, “we really suck and we have failed at this over and over in the past”, directly in the text.
MikeF says:
This post is about what Samuel Clemens thought about the secondary and tertiary effects of our involvements overseas. At the time, pre-WWI, we were expanding our sphere in the Pacific and Americas. Teddy Roosevelt and others felt that we had a moral obligation to rule the uncivilized world.
It didn’t work.
FM 3-24 (new or old) is irrelevant in this discussion. A rose is a rose by any other name. While we might not occupy Iraq or Syria, conducting unconventional warfare to force regime change while simultaneously conducting shaping operations in Africa to disrupt “rat-lines” is going to lead to horrible effects.
In the beginning, our goal may or may not have been noble. However, Clemens conclusions are probably how we’ll all think about this mess in 10 years,
“But now — why, we have got into a mess, a quagmire from which each fresh step renders the difficulty of extrication immensely greater. I’m sure I wish I could see what we were getting out of it, and all it means to us as a nation.”
“I would just suggest that you are trying to have a debate with a position that the other side no longer takes.”
You are misreading what the critics are saying. FM 3-24 is not all about invasion and occupation, US involvement in CI seldom been invasion and occupation, and it fails for deeper reasons than the occasional use of ground forces.
We first became involved in Vietnam in the early 1950s, in Afghanistan in the late 1980s, and in Iraq in the early 1990s. Invasion and occupation were late stages of these conflicts. Yemen and Pakistan are early stage involvements, as was Libya. Not all early stages run to the late stage; few are successful at any stage.
If we continue our tactics, curiously changed little over 60 years (despite many different labels and formal doctrines), history suggests we will be drawn into other adventures with “boots on the ground”. General Martin Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, has told us so about our next chapter in Iraq.
“That is with the understanding the United States is not the primary driver in the development of other societies.”
That has always been what we’re told. That’s what we were told when we had 500 thousand troops in Vietnam.
“I think it makes the case for using security cooperation and various capabilities (i.e. intelligence assets) to enable a society to control an insurgency movement when it is in US interests.”
I think you mean bombing, providing weapons, sending trainers and advisers, and inserting special operations forces. Those are the major common elements from the 1950s through today. The program seldom works. Local governments often win, but the post-WW2 record shows that those that win seldom get more than arms and money.
That we can provide more useful intel on insurgencies in foreign lands than the local government is absurd, unless we have a large local establishment (in which case we assume many of its functions, and vaporize its legitimacy).
Skidding fast down the slippery slope, eyes closed:
“Gates: ‘Small number’ of US ground troops needed in ISIS fight”.
http://thehill.com/policy/defense/218439-gates-small-number-of-us-ground-troops-needed-in-isis-fight
“Military missions don’t creep anymore, they accelerate towards disaster”: horrifying quotes from our blind leaders.
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2014/09/21/1330822/-Military-missions-don-t-creep-anymore-they-accelerate-toward-disaster
“what we are doing in Syria and Iraq currently is different from the past. We are working through others and not trying to directly drive the conflict or its solutions.”
Like, say, what took place in the 1980s with the contras in Nicaragua, or has been with the Ethiopians, Kenyans and others since the 2000s in Somalia? Success with those methods has proven elusive too.
“Success with those methods has proven elusive too.”
On the other hand, we eagerly try again. We’re not too bright when it comes to foreign 4GWs, but we make for it by our unwillingness to learn.
Editor and others,
Define success. If “success” is achievement of the policy goals of the United States at the time of the conflict, the record is mixed. But it isn’t all negative. If success is a nebulous thought that the world would be a better place if the US wasn’t so involved, then it is an impossible case to prove either way. One would simply state, “look, everything is terrible.” But how does one prove the counterfactual. What does the world look like without the US ensuring access to the global commons, for example. And if the world looks terrible, doesn’t it look a lot better then it used to? Conflict is not more likely, it is less likely. For example, see Steven Pinker’s The Better Angels Of Our Nature.
” If “success” is achievement of the policy goals of the United States at the time of the conflict, the record is mixed.”
I believe everybody older than 12 knows that few things are black and white. That’s a pure form of the false dilemma fallacy. But the net balance of results on foreign counterinsurgencies since WW2 is overwhelming negative, despite vast expenditures in blood and money. By now only the blind do not see that.
The History of COIN, one of almost uniform failure by foreigners fighting local insurgents:
More paths to failure in Iraq, 16 December 2006 — Myths about COIN in Iraq
How often do insurgents win? How much time does successful COIN require?, 29 May 2008
Max Boot: history suggests we will win in Afghanistan, with better than 50-50 odds. Here’s the real story., 21 June 2010 — Boot discusses 7 alleged victories by foreign armies fighting insurgencies.
A major discovery! It could change the course of US geopolitical strategy, if we’d only see it, 28 June 2010 — Andrew Exum (aka Abu Muqawama) points us to the doctoral dissertation of Erin Marie Simpson in Political Science from Harvard. She examines the present and past analysis of counter-insurgency. This could change the course of American foreign policy, if we pay attention.
A look at the history of victories over insurgents, 30 June 2010
COINistas point to Kenya as a COIN success. In fact it was an expensive bloody failure., 7 August 2012
About our wars:
A look back at the madness that led us into our wars. How does this advice read 6 years later?, 26 June 2010
Time to ask about lessons learned from our wars, a last opportunity to gain something from them, 30 October 2013
About Afghanistan:
About Iraq:
If we won in Iraq, what did we win? Was it worth the cost?, 15 July 2009
We collect our winnings in Iraq, 27 December 2009
One criterion of victory in Iraq: when will the oil flow?, 3 February 2010
About our successful nation-building in Iraq, 31 August 2010
The end of our Expedition to Iraq: war-boosters cheer despite its long-predicted failure., 24 October 2011
Peter Van Buren explains “What We Lost in Iraq and Washington in 2009-2012″, 10 April 2012
Iraq gives us another opportunity to confront our mistakes, and learn from them, 27 June 2014
One point on this. It isn’t better or worse. It is different. I would assume a person conducting a local insurgency would like access to the various types of intel assets we have. Moreover, I would assume they would like capabilities that could do things like disrupt the funding of the insurgency.
“what we are doing in Syria and Iraq currently is different from the past.”
No, it’s not. If you don’t see that, there is no point in continuing. Nothing can help the blind.
Dessenter says:
“It’s a racket.”
Dissenter,
That is nice to know, but operationally useless as an insight. Either to understand (causes, dynamics), to predict, or to persuade.
As phrased, it is what my grandmother called “giving them a piece of your mind”. You feel better afterwards, but that’s all.
Pingback: Mark Twain's Advice On War Is Surprisingly Relevant Today
I should have included the following from Wikipedia …
“War Is a Racket is the title of two works, a speech and a booklet, by retired United States Marine Corps Major General and two time Medal of Honor recipient Smedley D. Butler. In them, Butler frankly discusses from his experience as a career military officer how business interests commercially benefit (including war profiteering) from warfare.”
Present company excluded, but if it shocks some into thinking about the subject at hand further, then yes, I feel better.
Dessenter,
That’s my point exactly. Shouting “war is a racket” accomplishes nothing.
I have written about Butler’s analysis, and I agree that it is a provocative –although limited in scope — analysis. Works like it and “War is the health of the State” help us understand the deep role of warn our social, economic ic, and political systems.
BREAKING: According to the Congressional Budget Office (CBO), the rich are getting richer while the poor in America continue to get poorer. And the government is contributing to all this.The mathematical measure of wealth-inequality is called “Gini,” and the higher it is, the more extreme a nation’s wealth-inequality.
The Gini for the U.S. is 85; Canada, 72; and Bangladesh, 64. Nations more unequal than the U.S. include Kazakhstan at 86 and the Ukraine at 90. The African continent tips in at just under 85.
Odd company for the “exceptional nation.”
http://wemeantwell.com/blog/2014/09/19/hah-hah-you-are-so-poor/
Hah Hah: You are So Poor
I do not know if you are familiar with PVB’;s wbsite:
http://wemeantwell.com/blog/2014/08/30/dinner-with-morris-berman/
Dinner with Morris Berman
Google Morris Berman
“Berman’s book is no feel-good experience with a happy ending. In that sense, and it matters, Spinning Straw picks up the themes from his previous books and slaps them down inside you. In an interview, Berman spelled it out:
I was living in Washington, D.C. for eight years before I moved to Mexico, and I told myself I would be like the proverbial lotus in a cesspool. All that happened was that I became a dirty lotus. I discovered that the best way of escaping American values—values that were killing me—was to escape America. It was the smartest decision I ever made. Most of us don’t realize how the corporate-commercial-consumer-militarized-hi-tech-surveillance life has wrapped its tentacles around our throats, and is squeezing the life out of us. We merge with “our” narrative so as to have some measure of safety in our lives; but what if it’s a death-oriented narrative? (Usually it’s some version of the American Dream, which is the life of a hamster on a treadmill)… Life has a tragic dimension, and no amount of Oprah or Tony Robbins can change that. To hide from sadness—and one way or another, that’s what Americans struggle mightily to do—is to remain a child all your life. Most Americans have never grown up. Americans are probably the most superficial people on the planet. To dull your sadness with Prozac or cell phones or food or alcohol or TV or laptops is to suppress symptoms, and not live in reality. Reality is not always pleasant, but it does have one overriding advantage: It’s real.”
http://wemeantwell.com/blog/2014/09/05/morris-bermans-new-book-spinning-straw-into-gold-chicken-soup-for-reality/
Morris Berman’s New Book, Spinning Straw into Gold: Chicken Soup for Reality
Interview by Naomi Prins:
http://www.alternet.org/world/154453/why_the_american_empire_was_destined_to_collapse
Why the American Empire Was Destined to Collapse
Author and social critic Morris Berman says the fact that we’re a nation of hustlers lies at the root of our decline.
Conversations with Great Minds with Morris Berman, Part 1. Why America Failed
Conversations with Great Minds with Morris Berman, Part …
View on http://www.youtube.com
Preview by Yahoo
Conversations with Great Minds with Morris Berman, Part 1.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k6MBzA9lGSQ&feature=related
Why America Failed – The Roots of Imperial Decline
http://www.c-spanvideo.org/program/WhyAmer
CSPAN Book Video of Morris Berman’s latest book
http://www.greanvillepost.com/2011/05/19/rainbow-pie-morris-berman-remembers-joe-bageant/
Rainbow Pie: Morris Berman remembers Joe Bageant
http://www.truthdig.com/avbooth/item/morris_berman_tolls_the_bell_for_american_society_20120210/
Morris Berman and the Decline of America
http://www.spiegel.de/international/world/0,1518,778396,00.html
Berman also discussed here:
http://theautomaticearth.org/Finance/to-where-our-oppositonal-culture-takes-us.html
http://www.nakedcapitalism.com/2014/03/anglo-american-capitalism-run-strategies.html
Has Anglo-American Capitalism Run Out of Strategies?
Posted on March 25, 2014 by Yves Smith
Yves here. The Real News Network commemorates the 30th anniversary of the coal miners’ strike in the UK, which was in many ways labor’s last stand, with a broad-ranging interview with George Irvin, research professor at the University of London. He takes a broad historical perspective to show how the rise of a low-wage, debt driven economy and the pressure to reduce the role of government have painted Anglo-Saxon capitalism in a corner.
I did write one sentence poorly. Of course many of the activities we are doing in Syria and Iraq aren’t new. Some that make use of cyber capabilities are new, but most aren’t. However, it isn’t the activities being new or old that make something new. It is the mixture of those activities to meet a certain context. And that mixture changes, rather the conflict is World War II and Korea or Vietnam and Syria. It is how to effectively meet ones policy goals with the correct mixture of ways to achieve them that is the question.
That said, editor provided me with a long list of COIN “failures”. If we are arguing about the fact that we don’t meet our policy goals, shouldn’t the debate be about what to do, not if we should do anything? Most of the posters here seem focused on the policy. That is fine. But it provides a position that is impossible to move. If you don’t think we should do anything, what is the point of bring what we can do? What is the point of bring up FM 3-24, if any answer it provides is wrong?
Why bring it up?
Because after four decades of interfering in the Middle East (Doing something), we’ve yet to learn anything.
MikeF,
Which would be my point. Is this really about the methods in FM 3-24 or that we are doing something. If it is about doing something, what have this in the article: “In a month when we’re asking the experts hard questions on the need to reform FM 3-24 Counterinsurgency and rethinking the colonial methods.” If we should not be involved, there is no need to discuss reform of doctrine to do something.
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