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<p>Clutching a notebook and three sharpened pencils, Principal Coralia Barraza smoothly zigzags around the piles of books and huddles of students in the halls of the Orozco Fine Arts &amp; Sciences Elementary. It’s not quite 9 a.m., but she has already held one meeting some 90 minutes ago and her day is in high gear.</p>
<p>Barraza stands just 4 feet 9 inches tall, but her voice carries over the banging locker doors as middle-grades students rush to their first class: “Good morning. How are you? Don’t leave anything on the floor.” She strides down the corridor, speaking to the students in a mix of English and Spanish common in the school’s Pilsen neighborhood: “Rapidito! Vamonos!” (Quickly! Let’s go!) In between, she greets teachers. She walks up to one woman, rubs her pregnant belly and shares a laugh; she tells another teacher that she is happy to meet with her later in the week; she picks up a pencil that an instructor has accidentally dropped.</p>
<p>Just as the bell rings, Barraza sweeps into a 7th-grade reading class, where she will observe the teacher. The class begins with the students sitting at their desks, reading silently, as the teacher looks over her lesson plan. Barraza, sporting boots with 3-inch heels, keeps moving—walking around the room, looking over the shoulders of students, asking questions and taking notes.</p>
<p>During this 13-hour day, she will observe three classes and confer with those teachers about their performance evaluations, talk to a staffer about ways to encourage use of the school’s new health clinic, tally the results of more than 600 student surveys on the school’s strengths and weaknesses, and meet with two parents whose kids sneaked cell phones into class.</p>
<p>As principal, Barraza has multiple roles: chief executive officer, social worker, supervisor and mentor to her staff, and leader in the community. She is Latina, a group that is still underrepresented as principals in CPS. She is praised if test scores rise and blamed if they fall. It is arguably the toughest job in the school system, with principals squeezed between pressure from the top administrators and the demands of teachers, parents and students. The typical workload is a grueling 60 hours a week.</p>
<p>Under Barraza’s leadership, test scores at Orozco have steadily improved. In 2009, 77 percent of students met or exceeded state standards on the ISAT, up from just 56 percent in 2002, when Barraza became principal. (In 2009, 68 percent of all CPS students met or exceeded state standards.)</p>
<p>“She could have rested on her laurels, but what she talks about is seeing every single kid get to grade level,” says Chris Brown, director of education programs with the Local Initiatives Support Corporation’s Chicago office, which is administering a foundation grant to provide after-school programs at Orozco. “She holds herself to a really high standard, and she creates that culture there.”</p>
<p>Barazza’s story illustrates how mentoring, stability and strong, deep ties to the surrounding community are integral to school success. In a recent book “Organizing Schools for Improvement: Lessons from Chicago,” experts from the Consortium on Chicago School Research note that ties to neighborhood institutions and to parents are one of the five “essential supports” that helped even the lowest-achieving schools improve.</p>
<p>Yet with the district’s emphasis shifting toward performance management and data analysis, principals can easily find themselves with little or no time to spend on forging ties outside schools.</p>
<p>Barraza says she and other principals could be more effective if the school system decreased their paperwork and increased support. But she knows those changes may never happen. So she shifted gears, finding resources from outside institutions and drawing inspiration from daily triumphs, such as seeing 300 parents show up on a freezing winter night to attend an honor roll assembly for their kids.</p>
<p>“I don’t think I am the type of person who sees the obstacles,” says Barraza, 57. “I think I only see the opportunities.”</p>
<p>Barraza’s own life is proof of the power of that philosophy. Like the parents of so many of her students, she is an immigrant who grew up in poverty. The fourth of eight children, she spent her time after school in Guatemala selling homemade cheese to help support her family. In her office, she displays a black-and-white photo of her humble past: She and her siblings pose next to their home, a shack of mismatched boards.</p>
<p>The family emphasized the importance of school. “My father just kept pushing and pushing academics,” says Barraza, her eyes misty at the memory. “He said we had to be something. Even if we didn’t have anything to eat, he always pushed education.”</p>
<p>After Barraza graduated with a university degree in teaching home economics, she wanted to go on to law school. But her father told her that the family couldn’t afford it. So she followed a sister to the United States, where she thought it might be easier to earn money.</p>
<p>For 14 years, she worked in various factories, making wheels for furniture and bows for Christmas trees. She got married, had a son, became a permanent resident in 1978 and a citizen six years later. In between factory shifts, she learned English at Truman College and then transferred to the National College of Education (now National-Louis University), earning a degree in bilingual education. She shrugs off the notion that what she did was so difficult, saying she had her husband’s support and “when you like what you’re doing, you do it.”</p>
<p>In 1984, she started teaching at Sabin Magnet School. During her 10 years there, she continued her education. Inspired by a nephew who is autistic, she decided to study special education and received a master’s degree from DePaul University. She also earned a master’s degree in school administration from Northeastern University.</p>
<p>Barraza started teaching at Orozco in 1993 because it offered after-school programs that gave her the chance to work more intensively with bilingual students. She never seriously considered becoming an administrator. But when the principal of Orozco, Rebecca de los Reyes, found out that Barraza had two master’s degrees, she made her the assistant principal the following year.</p>
<p>Barraza still marvels that de los Reyes saw her potential. “When in my dreams was I going to be a teacher in the United States, an assistant principal in the United States and then a principal in the United States?” she says.</p>
<p>Barraza notes that the mentoring she received from de los Reyes has been key to preparing her for the job. An older woman, de los Reyes was also an immigrant—born in Mexico, raised in Humboldt Park—who nicknamed Barraza “Shorty” and gradually gave her more responsibilities each year.</p>
<p>Most importantly, Barraza recalls, de los Reyes taught her how to lead by including other people—teachers, parents and community members. In decisions ranging from choosing curriculum materials to outlining the school’s mission, de los Reyes encouraged contributions from others.</p>
<p>“I was a very shy person. She showed me how to open up to the outside world,” Barraza says. “She was very open with people. She was very open to suggestions. She was never the type of person who would jump on things right away. She would listen.”</p>
<p>After de los Reyes was promoted to area instructional officer, she recommended to the local school council that Barraza become principal. (Area instructional officers are now known as chief area officers; de los Reyes has since retired.)</p>
<p>Initially, Barraza didn’t want the job because she was scared of the enormous responsibility, but de los Reyes urged her to think of the school and the community. And once into the job, Barraza says the transition felt seamless because of her mentor’s preparation.</p>
<p>That same stability extends to Barraza’s staff. The average tenure for the school’s 39 teachers is 20 years. According to a 2007 Consortium on Chicago School Research survey, the top struggle reported by new principals is getting rid of bad teachers. But Barraza says personnel issues have not been a big concern for her. Just one or two teachers have been low performers, she says, and they left on their own.</p>
<p>When hiring new teachers, though, Barraza weeds out candidates by being upfront about the intensity of the workload, her expectations, and the challenges of serving an immigrant student population. “I send my message right there and then,” she says.</p>
<p>She also requires that finalists be interviewed and approved by fellow teachers because, Barraza explains, “they have to deal with each other’s issues every single day.”</p>
<p>Dan Naliwajko, a physical science and language arts teacher, says he feels invested in the school because Barraza—like de los Reyes—asks teachers for their input on how to improve student performance. Surveys have shown that teachers prefer good working conditions, including the opportunity to have a voice in how their school is run, over higher pay.</p>
<p>“She doesn’t shut you down,” Naliwajko says. “In the end, it motivates you to work harder because you know your opinion and your voice matters.”</p>
<p>Barraza’s approach also helps cultivate new leaders, and Naliwajko says that he thinks he might want to run his own school one day. Barraza has made him the co-coordinator of after-school programs, giving him more responsibilities, just as de los Reyes did for her.</p>
<p>Principals are now expected to be even more involved in their teachers’ development and act as “instructional leaders.” While Barraza agrees that such leadership is important, she doesn’t know where to find the time. Her suggestion: The school system should hire curriculum specialists to carry out much of this work, then have principals oversee the efforts.</p>
<p>This year, students are taking diagnostic assessments every few months, and the results are to be used to evaluate teachers. Principals must examine the data, make suggestions for their teachers and then observe the classes to see if changes are being made.</p>
<p>“It’s way, way too much. The workload has increased a lot this year,” says Barraza, flipping through a thick packet of paper on one teacher’s evaluation.</p>
<p>“They want the principal to be the instructional leader,” she adds, “But on the other hand, they don’t go to the schools to see that we don’t have the time to do this and everything else.”</p>
<p>Often, Barraza’s time is taken up solving the social challenges that crop up in disadvantaged schools. Today, she is running behind, but ducks into Room 210 anyway. She’s been told that a kid who failed 8thgrade last year and was arrested for tagging buildings with graffiti has returned to school. She wants to check on him. But he’s not in class.</p>
<p>Instead, the 14-year-old slouches in a chair downstairs. He doesn’t want to wear the required tie, and he certainly doesn’t want to go to class. Barraza orders him into her office. “By law, you have to be here. You have no choice,” she says, her voice firm and imposing. “You go up to the classroom and you do the work. If you feel otherwise, you let me know, and I’ll get the probation officer. Nobody in this building has time to sit with you.”</p>
<p>The boy mumbles that he doesn’t want to wear the tie. She stares him down: “You respect the rules. Put the tie on.” She calls the school resource officer to take the boy to class.</p>
<p>Next, the boy’s mother is brought into the office. A single mother, she tells Barraza in Spanish that her son is old enough to do whatever he wants. The principal responds that the mother has to look after her son. “He’s not the only student here,” Barraza says.</p>
<p>Later, she tells the assistant principal to call the Department of Children and Family Services. Since the boy is classified as a special education student, social workers can get involved. After the mother leaves, Barraza fumes. “Can you believe that? She says he’s old enough to decide what he wants.”</p>
<p>Barraza and her staff spend as much time dealing with students’ social problems as they do with academics. About 97 percent of Orozco students are low-income, and 27 percent are English-language learners. To keep students from wearing gang colors, the school enforces a strict uniform policy: black shoes, blue pants, white shirts and ties.</p>
<p>&#160;The challenges are huge, Barraza says, but not insurmountable. “We are working for a system that is giving us too little but asks us for too much,” she says. “If they gave me the money to say, ‘OK, we are going to do two hours of reading or English or language support in the evening twice a week,’ at least I can say that the system has given me the support that I needed. And if I didn’t know how to use the money, then that was my responsibility or my fault.”</p>
<p>To fill the resource gap, Barraza has searched outside the system. In 2008, Orozco won a four-year, nearly $3 million grant to extend the school day into the late afternoon and Saturdays, add enrichment programs and build and staff an in-school health clinic. The school partnered with the Resurrection Project, a community development group in Pilsen, to apply for the grant. But funding ends in 2012, and Barraza is now scrambling to find support to continue the programs.</p>
<p>Raul Raymundo, the Resurrection Project’s CEO, says Barraza is a tenacious, organized leader who doesn’t waver. “Ms. Barraza understands that education goes beyond the four walls of the school and that you have to embrace the community,” he says. “Sometimes, principals make bureaucratic obstacles or use the bureaucracy of CPS to say ‘No.’”Parents say that Barraza is approachable and accessible. She makes herself available in the evenings so parents can stop by for meetings after work. On the weekends, she attends community festivals. And she pores over every student’s report card, often writing in her own comments.</p>
<p>Maria Gomez, a member of Orozco’s local school council, says that Barraza’s leadership and high standards convinced her to enroll her three children, who had previously attended Catholic schools. The principal met with the family for 45 minutes.</p>
<p>“I thought, ‘Oh my God, I love this lady.’ She took the time out for us,” Gomez says. “She treats the kids as if they were her kids.”</p>
<p>Much of Barraza’s time is not spent with students, but with paper. Her desk and shelves are filled with binders of color-coded spreadsheets. “It’s insane, the amount of paperwork we have to do,” she says. “Every time we go to a principals’ meeting, there is something new that we have to do.”</p>
<p>Barraza says the central office should make more school visits and provide on-site mentoring and observations for principals, rather than sending out directives and requiring more meetings.</p>
<p>“I wish that Mr. Huberman would come to the different schools and find out the different challenges,” she says. “The way they’re running the system is one-size-fits-all.”</p>
<p>Despite the workload, Barraza has stayed at Orozco because she loves the community and feels that she is making a difference. Now, the job has exhausted her, and she plans to retire within two years. Being a principal, she says, would have been impossible if her son had not already been grown up, or if her husband was not willing to help run the household. She hopes the next principal will be someone who is passionate about the school and bilingual kids.</p>
<p>Her advice to new principals: Be patient and calm. When a problem arises, don’t get upset. Instead, research the situation, listen, and think.</p>
<p>“To be in this office, you have to really have good mental health,” Barraza says. “Every day, when I come in, I keep saying, ‘I have to keep my balance.’”</p>
<p>And, she notes, stick around long enough—things get better. “The more I do, the more I accomplish,” she says. “It gets more inspiring.”</p>
<p>In retirement, Barraza wants to spend more time with her family, do volunteer work and pursue a law degree, something she promised her father long ago. “I have given a lot to the community, everything I had,” she says. “It’s time for me to go.”</p>
<p>Like today, she ends nearly every workday in her office, alone. As the staff leaves and turns off the lights, she hunches over the pile of work that never seems to end.</p>
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<p>Curtis Horton, who has lived in the Chateau Hotel for about a year, walks through the hallway outside of his home. Photo by Jonathan Gibby</p>
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<p>Henrietta Riley watches television after attending a housing court session attended by the lawyer of the hotel's new owner and Alderman James Cappleman (46th). Poor living conditions and numerous city violations were the topics discussed in length by the legal teams, while residents were mostly concerned with keeping their homes. Photo by Jonathan Gibby</p>
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<p>A calendar with the word "SAVAGES" is seen on a wall in the couple's home. Horton marked the calendar with this phrase when he purchased this movie several weeks ago. Photo by Jonathan Gibby</p>
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<p>Curtis Horton, who has lived in the Chateau Hotel for about a year, walks through the hallway outside of his home. Photo by Jonathan Gibby</p>
<p><a href="" type="internal">permalink</a></p>
<p>Henrietta Riley watches television after attending a housing court session attended by the lawyer of the hotel's new owner and Alderman James Cappleman (46th). Poor living conditions and numerous city violations were the topics discussed in length by the legal teams, while residents were mostly concerned with keeping their homes. Photo by Jonathan Gibby</p>
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clutching notebook three sharpened pencils principal coralia barraza smoothly zigzags around piles books huddles students halls orozco fine arts amp sciences elementary quite 9 already held one meeting 90 minutes ago day high gear barraza stands 4 feet 9 inches tall voice carries banging locker doors middlegrades students rush first class good morning dont leave anything floor strides corridor speaking students mix english spanish common schools pilsen neighborhood rapidito vamonos quickly lets go greets teachers walks one woman rubs pregnant belly shares laugh tells another teacher happy meet later week picks pencil instructor accidentally dropped bell rings barraza sweeps 7thgrade reading class observe teacher class begins students sitting desks reading silently teacher looks lesson plan barraza sporting boots 3inch heels keeps movingwalking around room looking shoulders students asking questions taking notes 13hour day observe three classes confer teachers performance evaluations talk staffer ways encourage use schools new health clinic tally results 600 student surveys schools strengths weaknesses meet two parents whose kids sneaked cell phones class principal barraza multiple roles chief executive officer social worker supervisor mentor staff leader community latina group still underrepresented principals cps praised test scores rise blamed fall arguably toughest job school system principals squeezed pressure top administrators demands teachers parents students typical workload grueling 60 hours week barrazas leadership test scores orozco steadily improved 2009 77 percent students met exceeded state standards isat 56 percent 2002 barraza became principal 2009 68 percent cps students met exceeded state standards could rested laurels talks seeing every single kid get grade level says chris brown director education programs local initiatives support corporations chicago office administering foundation grant provide afterschool programs orozco holds really high standard creates culture barazzas story illustrates mentoring stability strong deep ties surrounding community integral school success recent book organizing schools improvement lessons chicago experts consortium chicago school research note ties neighborhood institutions parents one five essential supports helped even lowestachieving schools improve yet districts emphasis shifting toward performance management data analysis principals easily find little time spend forging ties outside schools barraza says principals could effective school system decreased paperwork increased support knows changes may never happen shifted gears finding resources outside institutions drawing inspiration daily triumphs seeing 300 parents show freezing winter night attend honor roll assembly kids dont think type person sees obstacles says barraza 57 think see opportunities barrazas life proof power philosophy like parents many students immigrant grew poverty fourth eight children spent time school guatemala selling homemade cheese help support family office displays blackandwhite photo humble past siblings pose next home shack mismatched boards family emphasized importance school father kept pushing pushing academics says barraza eyes misty memory said something even didnt anything eat always pushed education barraza graduated university degree teaching home economics wanted go law school father told family couldnt afford followed sister united states thought might easier earn money 14 years worked various factories making wheels furniture bows christmas trees got married son became permanent resident 1978 citizen six years later factory shifts learned english truman college transferred national college education nationallouis university earning degree bilingual education shrugs notion difficult saying husbands support like youre 1984 started teaching sabin magnet school 10 years continued education inspired nephew autistic decided study special education received masters degree depaul university also earned masters degree school administration northeastern university barraza started teaching orozco 1993 offered afterschool programs gave chance work intensively bilingual students never seriously considered becoming administrator principal orozco rebecca de los reyes found barraza two masters degrees made assistant principal following year barraza still marvels de los reyes saw potential dreams going teacher united states assistant principal united states principal united states says barraza notes mentoring received de los reyes key preparing job older woman de los reyes also immigrantborn mexico raised humboldt parkwho nicknamed barraza shorty gradually gave responsibilities year importantly barraza recalls de los reyes taught lead including peopleteachers parents community members decisions ranging choosing curriculum materials outlining schools mission de los reyes encouraged contributions others shy person showed open outside world barraza says open people open suggestions never type person would jump things right away would listen de los reyes promoted area instructional officer recommended local school council barraza become principal area instructional officers known chief area officers de los reyes since retired initially barraza didnt want job scared enormous responsibility de los reyes urged think school community job barraza says transition felt seamless mentors preparation stability extends barrazas staff average tenure schools 39 teachers 20 years according 2007 consortium chicago school research survey top struggle reported new principals getting rid bad teachers barraza says personnel issues big concern one two teachers low performers says left hiring new teachers though barraza weeds candidates upfront intensity workload expectations challenges serving immigrant student population send message right says also requires finalists interviewed approved fellow teachers barraza explains deal others issues every single day dan naliwajko physical science language arts teacher says feels invested school barrazalike de los reyesasks teachers input improve student performance surveys shown teachers prefer good working conditions including opportunity voice school run higher pay doesnt shut naliwajko says end motivates work harder know opinion voice matters barrazas approach also helps cultivate new leaders naliwajko says thinks might want run school one day barraza made cocoordinator afterschool programs giving responsibilities de los reyes principals expected even involved teachers development act instructional leaders barraza agrees leadership important doesnt know find time suggestion school system hire curriculum specialists carry much work principals oversee efforts year students taking diagnostic assessments every months results used evaluate teachers principals must examine data make suggestions teachers observe classes see changes made way way much workload increased lot year says barraza flipping thick packet paper one teachers evaluation want principal instructional leader adds hand dont go schools see dont time everything else often barrazas time taken solving social challenges crop disadvantaged schools today running behind ducks room 210 anyway shes told kid failed 8thgrade last year arrested tagging buildings graffiti returned school wants check hes class instead 14yearold slouches chair downstairs doesnt want wear required tie certainly doesnt want go class barraza orders office law choice says voice firm imposing go classroom work feel otherwise let know ill get probation officer nobody building time sit boy mumbles doesnt want wear tie stares respect rules put tie calls school resource officer take boy class next boys mother brought office single mother tells barraza spanish son old enough whatever wants principal responds mother look son hes student barraza says later tells assistant principal call department children family services since boy classified special education student social workers get involved mother leaves barraza fumes believe says hes old enough decide wants barraza staff spend much time dealing students social problems academics 97 percent orozco students lowincome 27 percent englishlanguage learners keep students wearing gang colors school enforces strict uniform policy black shoes blue pants white shirts ties 160the challenges huge barraza says insurmountable working system giving us little asks us much says gave money say ok going two hours reading english language support evening twice week least say system given support needed didnt know use money responsibility fault fill resource gap barraza searched outside system 2008 orozco fouryear nearly 3 million grant extend school day late afternoon saturdays add enrichment programs build staff inschool health clinic school partnered resurrection project community development group pilsen apply grant funding ends 2012 barraza scrambling find support continue programs raul raymundo resurrection projects ceo says barraza tenacious organized leader doesnt waver ms barraza understands education goes beyond four walls school embrace community says sometimes principals make bureaucratic obstacles use bureaucracy cps say noparents say barraza approachable accessible makes available evenings parents stop meetings work weekends attends community festivals pores every students report card often writing comments maria gomez member orozcos local school council says barrazas leadership high standards convinced enroll three children previously attended catholic schools principal met family 45 minutes thought oh god love lady took time us gomez says treats kids kids much barrazas time spent students paper desk shelves filled binders colorcoded spreadsheets insane amount paperwork says every time go principals meeting something new barraza says central office make school visits provide onsite mentoring observations principals rather sending directives requiring meetings wish mr huberman would come different schools find different challenges says way theyre running system onesizefitsall despite workload barraza stayed orozco loves community feels making difference job exhausted plans retire within two years principal says would impossible son already grown husband willing help run household hopes next principal someone passionate school bilingual kids advice new principals patient calm problem arises dont get upset instead research situation listen think office really good mental health barraza says every day come keep saying keep balance notes stick around long enoughthings get better accomplish says gets inspiring retirement barraza wants spend time family volunteer work pursue law degree something promised father long ago given lot community everything says time go like today ends nearly every workday office alone staff leaves turns lights hunches pile work never seems end curtis horton lived chateau hotel year walks hallway outside home photo jonathan gibby permalink henrietta riley watches television attending housing court session attended lawyer hotels new owner alderman james cappleman 46th poor living conditions numerous city violations topics discussed length legal teams residents mostly concerned keeping homes photo jonathan gibby permalink calendar word savages seen wall couples home horton marked calendar phrase purchased movie several weeks ago photo jonathan gibby permalink curtis horton lived chateau hotel year walks hallway outside home photo jonathan gibby permalink henrietta riley watches television attending housing court session attended lawyer hotels new owner alderman james cappleman 46th poor living conditions numerous city violations topics discussed length legal teams residents mostly concerned keeping homes photo jonathan gibby permalink
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<p>RICHMOND — The group of beleaguered church members huddled together watching their church burn would never have believed that something good could come from so great a tragedy. But from the ashes of the old has sprung a beautiful new worship facility.</p>
<p>At about 3 a.m. on Jan. 13, 2004, an arsonist set fire to the <a href="http://www.poplarspringsbc.com/" type="external">Poplar Springs Baptist Church</a> building — the fifth in a string of suspicious church fires which included neighboring Hardy Central Baptist Church. The handsome brick structure had been built in 1952 — much of it being constructed by the members themselves.</p>
<p>By 5 a.m. the fire had been discovered and very shortly thereafter church members began to congregate on a slight knoll beside the building to watch their sanctuary go up in smoke — and to comfort one another in their grief. It seemed somehow fitting that they stood in the church cemetery to observe the devastation.</p>
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<p>Some had been present as children when the steeple was constructed. Now, black smoke billowed from the louvers and soon orange flames licked skyward from that same steeple. Church member Bill Korman remembers that the people were aggrieved and stunned. Still, even in that awful scene people found encouragement. “At one point,” Korman remembers, “all the floor around the pulpit had been burned away and it seemed as if the pulpit stood defying the fire, suspended in air.”</p>
<p>That was then. Today the congregation meets in a beautiful new worship center using state-of-the-art technology to help proclaim the timeless message of hope in Jesus Christ. Hope is something this congregation knows something about.</p>
<p>Pastor Stephen Crane reflects, “Because of the fire, we were forced to look ahead. Our first event in the church was a revival that set the tone. I have had people come to me and say that the fire was absolutely the worst thing that ever happened to our church — and the best thing that could have happened to our church.” But they didn’t come to that conclusion without long months and even years of grief over their loss.</p>
<p>How Poplar Springs moved through their grief to become excited about their future is inspiring. “We had several things going for us,” Korman remembers. Strangely, the needs of their insurance company for accurate drawings of the destroyed building forced their first step toward the future. In order to arrive at a fair settlement, they had to know what the church was worth in 2004 dollars and detailed architectural drawings of the old facility had to be made. To do this, the church contracted Jim DePasquale, AIA, of The DePasquale Gentilhomme Group, in Richmond.</p>
<p>The insurance eventually paid $2.1 million. Korman continued, “We had a lot of things going for us. The money from the insurance, good skills in our membership and a place to meet so we were not hurried.” Being pastorless when the church burned, the membership suspended its search and concentrated on immediate needs. Gwynn Davis, their&#160; interim pastor, eventually served four years in that role.</p>
<p>The Sunday after the fire, the congregation moved their worship into their Christian life center which, providentially, had been built several hundred yards from the sanctuary. “Every Sunday Gwynn would start the service by saying, ‘It’s a beautiful day at Poplar Springs.’ That first Sunday he could hardly get it out, but he said it. That kind of set the tone for the church,” Korman asserted.</p>
<p>Although many people in the church pressed for a new sanctuary to be built immediately, the emergency steering committee the church had formed held out for a slow, thoughtful and prayerful approach. After the insurance issue was settled, the church began to focus on a strategic master plan. For that, it called for help from the Virginia Baptist Mission Board. Rod Hale and Craig Wilson guided the church through a planning process in which DePasquale was again called upon to provide drawings of a master plan they developed.</p>
<p>Finally, three years after the fire, they were ready to concentrate on building a new sanctuary — and on calling a pastor. Crane was called in September of 2007. For the building design, they once more turned to DePasquale who attempted to preserve some features of the old sanctuary while designing a worship center for the 21st century. The stained glass window in the new sanctuary is from the destroyed building, having survived because it was removed and stored during a previous remodeling. Arched windows are reminiscent of those in the old sanctuary and one circular window is a replica of one destroyed in the fire.</p>
<p>“The design was intended to create flexibility in worship. Theater lighting allows many kinds of worship options and seating in the choral area is moveable and, therefore, more flexible,” offered DePasquale. Still, some concessions to flexibility had to be made. “How do you bring the old church into the new? One way they did that was the pews. They were using chairs in the Christian life center and the sanctuary was more traditional so they opted to use pews rather than chairs,” DePasquale said.</p>
<p>Korman remembers that once they began to work on the new sanctuary drawings the architects suggested that the church form three teams to deal with interior design, audio-visual and technological issues and financial concerns. But the fire and the need for God’s guidance in the aftermath had sensitized the church to prayer. The church formed an inspiration and prayer team along with the others to report to the building steering committee.</p>
<p>Immediately understanding the value of that approach, DePasquale, a member of Bon Air Baptist Church in Richmond, says, “We learned from Poplar Springs and now we first recommend a prayer team for the church before anything else.”</p>
<p>According to DePasquale, the church saved a lot of money by planning so methodically. By partnering with Century Construction, which presented competitive sub-contractors’ bids to the church, they were able to keep costs down. Also, because they had planned carefully, they kept change orders to a minimum — just 1 percent of the total compared to a standard of 3.7 percent. Fewer changes means greater savings in construction.</p>
<p>With obvious excitement, Crane and Korman talk about the future of their church. They know new challenges will arise, but they also know that, with the Lord’s gracious help, their church has risen to every challenge of the past. Even before the fire, this church, which began in 1913 as the First Slovak Baptist Church and had among its charter members Joseph Ukrop who founded the grocery chain, was forced to consider whether it existed for its own membership or for its community. Believing its mission was to reach those around it, worship services began to be conducted in English and the name was changed to Poplar Springs.</p>
<p>Since dedication day on April 26, the church has grown by 10 percent, due, in part, they believe, to the new worship center and in part to an aggressive visitation program that began in January of 2009. As the neighborhood grows, Poplar Springs will offer them a beautiful place to worship — and an even more beautiful fellowship of excited Christ-followers.</p>
<p><a href="mailto:[email protected]" type="external">Jim White</a> is editor of the Religious Herald.</p>
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richmond group beleaguered church members huddled together watching church burn would never believed something good could come great tragedy ashes old sprung beautiful new worship facility 3 jan 13 2004 arsonist set fire poplar springs baptist church building fifth string suspicious church fires included neighboring hardy central baptist church handsome brick structure built 1952 much constructed members 5 fire discovered shortly thereafter church members began congregate slight knoll beside building watch sanctuary go smoke comfort one another grief seemed somehow fitting stood church cemetery observe devastation present children steeple constructed black smoke billowed louvers soon orange flames licked skyward steeple church member bill korman remembers people aggrieved stunned still even awful scene people found encouragement one point korman remembers floor around pulpit burned away seemed pulpit stood defying fire suspended air today congregation meets beautiful new worship center using stateoftheart technology help proclaim timeless message hope jesus christ hope something congregation knows something pastor stephen crane reflects fire forced look ahead first event church revival set tone people come say fire absolutely worst thing ever happened church best thing could happened church didnt come conclusion without long months even years grief loss poplar springs moved grief become excited future inspiring several things going us korman remembers strangely needs insurance company accurate drawings destroyed building forced first step toward future order arrive fair settlement know church worth 2004 dollars detailed architectural drawings old facility made church contracted jim depasquale aia depasquale gentilhomme group richmond insurance eventually paid 21 million korman continued lot things going us money insurance good skills membership place meet hurried pastorless church burned membership suspended search concentrated immediate needs gwynn davis their160 interim pastor eventually served four years role sunday fire congregation moved worship christian life center providentially built several hundred yards sanctuary every sunday gwynn would start service saying beautiful day poplar springs first sunday could hardly get said kind set tone church korman asserted although many people church pressed new sanctuary built immediately emergency steering committee church formed held slow thoughtful prayerful approach insurance issue settled church began focus strategic master plan called help virginia baptist mission board rod hale craig wilson guided church planning process depasquale called upon provide drawings master plan developed finally three years fire ready concentrate building new sanctuary calling pastor crane called september 2007 building design turned depasquale attempted preserve features old sanctuary designing worship center 21st century stained glass window new sanctuary destroyed building survived removed stored previous remodeling arched windows reminiscent old sanctuary one circular window replica one destroyed fire design intended create flexibility worship theater lighting allows many kinds worship options seating choral area moveable therefore flexible offered depasquale still concessions flexibility made bring old church new one way pews using chairs christian life center sanctuary traditional opted use pews rather chairs depasquale said korman remembers began work new sanctuary drawings architects suggested church form three teams deal interior design audiovisual technological issues financial concerns fire need gods guidance aftermath sensitized church prayer church formed inspiration prayer team along others report building steering committee immediately understanding value approach depasquale member bon air baptist church richmond says learned poplar springs first recommend prayer team church anything else according depasquale church saved lot money planning methodically partnering century construction presented competitive subcontractors bids church able keep costs also planned carefully kept change orders minimum 1 percent total compared standard 37 percent fewer changes means greater savings construction obvious excitement crane korman talk future church know new challenges arise also know lords gracious help church risen every challenge past even fire church began 1913 first slovak baptist church among charter members joseph ukrop founded grocery chain forced consider whether existed membership community believing mission reach around worship services began conducted english name changed poplar springs since dedication day april 26 church grown 10 percent due part believe new worship center part aggressive visitation program began january 2009 neighborhood grows poplar springs offer beautiful place worship even beautiful fellowship excited christfollowers jim white editor religious herald
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<p>Mayor Bowser met with Log Cabin members on Wednesday. (Photo courtesy of Chris Allen)</p>
<p>D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser received loud applause and multiple requests to have her picture taken with members of Log Cabin Republicans of the District of Columbia during her appearance Wednesday night as an invited guest speaker at the organization’s regularly scheduled July meeting.</p>
<p>About 50 members of the group attended the meeting, held in an upstairs room at the Exiles bar and restaurant at 1610 U St., N.W.</p>
<p>“It’s really wonderful to be here with you tonight,” said Bowser, a Democrat. “I want to thank all of you for inviting me to come and chat tonight. And I come with great news,” she said. “Our city is doing well. It’s doing super well actually.”</p>
<p>In her 15-minute talk before taking questions for another 30 minutes the mayor noted that D.C. has had a surplus budget for more than 20 consecutive years and has an excellent bond rating by Wall Street – all attributes, she said,&#160;that the Republican Party has considered important.</p>
<p>Pointing out that the Republican Party has also long pushed for autonomy and more decision making by states and local governments rather than the federal government, she called on Log Cabin members to become actively involved in pushing for D.C. statehood.</p>
<p>“You like local government, right?” said Bowser. “We’re local government. We’re as local as it gets. And we love to say if we pay taxes we should have representation.”</p>
<p>She was referring to D.C.’s lack of voting representation in Congress and the quest by statehood advocates to make D.C. the nation’s 51st state with two U.S. senators and a voting member of the House of Representatives.</p>
<p>Among those who had questions for Bowser at the meeting were Gregory Angelo, the national Log Cabin Republicans’ current president, Patrick Sammon, one of the national group’s past presidents, and D.C. Log Cabin President Chris Allen. They and other members raised a wide range of issues, including the city’s booming real estate market and the shortage of low income housing, whether a height restriction on D.C. buildings put in place by Congress should be removed, and the impact on the city by the problems faced by the Metro transit system.</p>
<p>Bowser said she welcomes input from Republicans on all those issues. But on the matter of the Trump administration, the mayor appeared to refrain from the strong criticism she has expressed for the new administration in appearances before other groups, including other LGBT organizations.</p>
<p>“I get asked a lot about what it’s like to be mayor of Washington, D.C. in the Trump administration,” she said. “The truth is the president – this one or Obama – they’re not usually our issue in Washington, D.C. It’s the Congress that we have a lot more interactions with and the potential to have a lot more conflicts with,” said Bowser.</p>
<p>“So I call on all Washingtonians to help me in building those relationships and identifying where there is really a critical issue because there will be one,” she said.</p>
<p>“I’ve been very clear about what my job is as mayor,” she continued. “Number one is to protect and preserve the values that are important to us as D.C. residents – inclusivity, diversity, religious freedom, access to health care, making sure women and girls have the same opportunities as everyone else, and advancing our cause as Americans so that we as taxpayers in this city are treated in the exact same way as taxpayers in the 50 states.”</p>
<p>The Blade asked Bowser after her talk whether she was concerned that local Democratic Party activists, including some LGBT Democrats, might be upset that she spoke before a Republican group.</p>
<p>“No, that never crossed my mind actually,” Bowser said. “I think we know in our city we work hand in hand with the D.C. Republican Party. We agree on some issues. We don’t agree on others,” she said. “But we share the value that we want a real one city and I want their participation.”</p>
<p>Allen, the D.C. Log Cabin president, said the group reached out to Bowser in the spirit of bipartisanship.</p>
<p>“Our group has been very open to having bipartisan talks, especially in D.C. where we don’t have representatives on the Council anymore,” he said. “So we were thrilled that the mayor took time out of her schedule to speak to us. And I think she addressed a lot of our members’ questions very well. I think they’re satisfied with the answers that she gave.”</p>
<p>Allen said D.C. Log Cabin has not taken a position on D.C. statehood.</p>
<p>National Log Cabin President Angelo said he, too, was pleased with Bowser’s appearance at the meeting.</p>
<p>“One of the things that I think stood out to me tonight was there are places where we can find common ground,” Angelo told the Blade. “There are places where we can agree. There are different political philosophies that we bring to the table from our respective party affiliations.”</p>
<p>Added Angelo, “Especially when you get to governance on a municipal level and a hyper local level anyone who does not engage with their elected officials because of their political affiliation is doing themselves a disservice.”</p>
<p>According to the D.C. Board of Elections, as of Dec. 31, 2016, 76 percent of the city’s registered voters were Democrats compared to 6.2 percent who identified as Republicans and 16.5 percent who registered with no party affiliation. Members of the city’s Statehood Green Party comprised 0.75 percent of registered voters.</p>
<p><a href="" type="internal">Chris Allen</a> <a href="" type="internal">D.C.</a> <a href="" type="internal">D.C. Board of Elections</a> <a href="" type="internal">Democratic Party</a> <a href="" type="internal">District of Columbia</a> <a href="" type="internal">Donald Trump</a> <a href="" type="internal">Exiles</a> <a href="" type="internal">Gregory Angelo</a> <a href="" type="internal">Log Cabin Republicans</a> <a href="" type="internal">Metro</a> <a href="" type="internal">Muriel Bowser</a> <a href="" type="internal">Patrick Sammon</a> <a href="" type="internal">Republican Party</a> <a href="" type="internal">Trump administration</a> <a href="" type="internal">Wall Street</a> <a href="" type="internal">WMATA</a></p>
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mayor bowser met log cabin members wednesday photo courtesy chris allen dc mayor muriel bowser received loud applause multiple requests picture taken members log cabin republicans district columbia appearance wednesday night invited guest speaker organizations regularly scheduled july meeting 50 members group attended meeting held upstairs room exiles bar restaurant 1610 u st nw really wonderful tonight said bowser democrat want thank inviting come chat tonight come great news said city well super well actually 15minute talk taking questions another 30 minutes mayor noted dc surplus budget 20 consecutive years excellent bond rating wall street attributes said160that republican party considered important pointing republican party also long pushed autonomy decision making states local governments rather federal government called log cabin members become actively involved pushing dc statehood like local government right said bowser local government local gets love say pay taxes representation referring dcs lack voting representation congress quest statehood advocates make dc nations 51st state two us senators voting member house representatives among questions bowser meeting gregory angelo national log cabin republicans current president patrick sammon one national groups past presidents dc log cabin president chris allen members raised wide range issues including citys booming real estate market shortage low income housing whether height restriction dc buildings put place congress removed impact city problems faced metro transit system bowser said welcomes input republicans issues matter trump administration mayor appeared refrain strong criticism expressed new administration appearances groups including lgbt organizations get asked lot like mayor washington dc trump administration said truth president one obama theyre usually issue washington dc congress lot interactions potential lot conflicts said bowser call washingtonians help building relationships identifying really critical issue one said ive clear job mayor continued number one protect preserve values important us dc residents inclusivity diversity religious freedom access health care making sure women girls opportunities everyone else advancing cause americans taxpayers city treated exact way taxpayers 50 states blade asked bowser talk whether concerned local democratic party activists including lgbt democrats might upset spoke republican group never crossed mind actually bowser said think know city work hand hand dc republican party agree issues dont agree others said share value want real one city want participation allen dc log cabin president said group reached bowser spirit bipartisanship group open bipartisan talks especially dc dont representatives council anymore said thrilled mayor took time schedule speak us think addressed lot members questions well think theyre satisfied answers gave allen said dc log cabin taken position dc statehood national log cabin president angelo said pleased bowsers appearance meeting one things think stood tonight places find common ground angelo told blade places agree different political philosophies bring table respective party affiliations added angelo especially get governance municipal level hyper local level anyone engage elected officials political affiliation disservice according dc board elections dec 31 2016 76 percent citys registered voters democrats compared 62 percent identified republicans 165 percent registered party affiliation members citys statehood green party comprised 075 percent registered voters chris allen dc dc board elections democratic party district columbia donald trump exiles gregory angelo log cabin republicans metro muriel bowser patrick sammon republican party trump administration wall street wmata
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<p>Captured Ukrainian pilot <a href="http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-36382704" type="external">Nadiya Savchenko</a> came home to a hero’s welcome May 25 after a prisoner exchange with Russia. But more than two years after Russia’s annexation of the Crimean peninsula and a separatist conflict in Ukraine’s east, life has hardly returned to normal for many here, especially for Ukrainians who had to flee their homes.</p>
<p>The estimates of Ukraine’s internally displaced vary — the government has now registered 1.7 million IDPs, or internally displaced people. But <a href="http://www.internal-displacement.org/europe-the-caucasus-and-central-asia/ukraine/new-archive/displacement-figures-in-ukraine-fail-to-reflect-a-complex-reality" type="external">international organizations</a> think many others are falling through the cracks, and the true number could be higher.</p>
<p>While many of those displaced in eastern Ukraine have tried to stay nearby, others have migrated to Ukraine’s capital of Kiev, with its better economy. As images of families fleeing the conflict filled TV news here, Kievans opened their arms, piling donations of clothing and food into a <a href="http://empr.media/news/ukraine/volunteer-run-center-in-kyiv-assists-internally-displaced/" type="external">volunteer-run center</a> that sprung up in the crisis. Especially generous residents of the capital offered temporary housing and jobs.</p>
<p />
<p>Donations have piled up at a volunteer ­run center in Kiev, so they’ve been bagged up to send to other regions of Ukraine where the internally displaced have less help.</p>
<p>Alex Kleimenov</p>
<p>The warm welcome helped, says Victoria Vasilevskaya, who left the eastern city of Lugansk with her husband and three kids soon after the conflict began.</p>
<p>“I never get this here,” she says of help at the donation center as she imitates a judgmental sideways glance. “People feel at home here. You get kind words. People even drop off cakes! And you understand that you’re not alone. Even in a big city, where you don’t have family or friends, you’re not alone.”</p>
<p>Vasilevskaya found this place such a lifeline that she soon became a volunteer herself. Now she’s on her cellphone all the time, helping people to register as IDPs or to deal with any number of other problems, from enrolling children in school to finding work.</p>
<p>Moving to a new city is not easy in Ukraine. Here, extended families take care of children and personal networks help people find jobs. Moreover, Ukraine’s government still clings to the Soviet (and Tsarist) system system of “ <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Propiska_in_the_Soviet_Union" type="external">propiska</a>,” or residence permits, which make it hard and expensive to change the place where one can legally vote, buy property and more.</p>
<p>Ukraine’s bureaucracy has been slow to respond to the realities of the internal migration crisis, activists complain. Sometimes it even stands in the way, says Yevgeniya Andreyuk of the NGO <a href="http://krymsos.com/en/about/krym-sos/" type="external">Crimea SOS</a>. For instance, Ukrainian authorities refuse to recognize legal documents like birth certificates issued in Russian-controlled Crimea, saying that would lend credence to the annexation. But that’s also created a Catch-22 for Crimeans who want to migrate to mainland Ukraine, since until recently, they had to petition Ukrainian courts for new documents in a dragged-out process. Andreyuk says things are getting better now as courts create special procedures for would-be migrants, and she hopes eventually, the crisis will result in some long-needed legal reforms in Ukraine.</p>
<p>“It gives us a chance to see better all these drawbacks of [the] old, Soviet system which is still in place, which we need to change,” Andreyuk says.</p>
<p>Ukraine’s government has finally set up a ministry to handle the displacement crisis, but it’s just starting to get organized. And the task of helping some groups is huge, especially the ragtag army of volunteers who fought on the Eastern front and have come here with physical and psychological wounds.</p>
<p />
<p>Aleksei Morozov undergoes an IV treatment in a military hospital in Kiev for a head injury he sustained in battle two years ago. Morozov, who is HIV ­positive, joined a volunteer battalion and was later held prisoner in Eastern Ukraine.</p>
<p>Misha Friedman</p>
<p>I meet Aleksei Morozov at a military hospital in Kiev. He’s seeing a doctor for a head injury from a battle in&#160;2014. Morozov had been a mechanic in the Eastern city of Donetsk when the fighting began. He decided to join a pro-Ukrainian volunteer battalion — even though he’s HIV-positive. After a couple of months fighting, Morozov’s group was captured. He says they lived more than a month in a police basement. The lights were never turned off, and they were beaten, he says.</p>
<p>“There’s no law there. There’s only the law of the strongest — whoever has the machine gun rules,” he says of the separatists who captured him.</p>
<p>Worse, Morozov says he was denied his anti-retroviral medication for HIV. Finally he was put in a work camp, where his wife could smuggle him medicine. He was released in a <a href="" type="internal">prisoner-swap</a> two months later. Now Morozov tries to help other displaced veterans get assistance. But he’s indignant that they need to push the system to help.</p>
<p>“The government should provide all this. We shouldn’t have to ask them. They should be providing help,” he says.</p>
<p>One small group from Crimea shows the odd range of problems that have propelled people out of Russian-occupied Ukraine. That group is heroin addicts. Methadone substitution therapy is banned in Russia. When addict Georgiy Gaidamaka heard his clinic in Simferopol would be shut down, he worried that he’d be back on the street using heroin.</p>
<p>So with the help of the <a href="http://www.aidsalliance.org/" type="external">International HIV/Aids Alliance</a>, Gaidamaka moved to Kiev. Every month, he gets on a train to a city in Western Ukraine where there’s a doctor willing to fill his prescription for methadone. It hasn’t been the easiest transition, but the alternative of staying behind would be worse, he says. According to the UN’s AIDS envoy, as of last year, between 80-100 Crimeans on drug-substitution therapy <a href="http://www.yahoo.com/news/aids-crisis-brewing-crimea-east-ukraine-says-un-002934023.html?ref=gs" type="external">had died</a> after the Russian government cut off their treatment.</p>
<p>As for Gaidamaka, he now lives in a small flat not far from the volunteer center in Kiev, though he doesn’t avail himself of its services. He mostly stays in here, smoking cigarettes and building audio equipment from old Soviet vacuum tubes. His left arm is a patchwork of blue veins. Sometimes he writes songs, like one he wrote after moving here, the new home where he never expected to live. The chorus is simple: “Without you,” it goes. “Without you.”</p>
<p>This story was produced with support from the <a href="http://pulitzercenter.org/" type="external">Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting</a>.</p>
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captured ukrainian pilot nadiya savchenko came home heros welcome may 25 prisoner exchange russia two years russias annexation crimean peninsula separatist conflict ukraines east life hardly returned normal many especially ukrainians flee homes estimates ukraines internally displaced vary government registered 17 million idps internally displaced people international organizations think many others falling cracks true number could higher many displaced eastern ukraine tried stay nearby others migrated ukraines capital kiev better economy images families fleeing conflict filled tv news kievans opened arms piling donations clothing food volunteerrun center sprung crisis especially generous residents capital offered temporary housing jobs donations piled volunteer run center kiev theyve bagged send regions ukraine internally displaced less help alex kleimenov warm welcome helped says victoria vasilevskaya left eastern city lugansk husband three kids soon conflict began never get says help donation center imitates judgmental sideways glance people feel home get kind words people even drop cakes understand youre alone even big city dont family friends youre alone vasilevskaya found place lifeline soon became volunteer shes cellphone time helping people register idps deal number problems enrolling children school finding work moving new city easy ukraine extended families take care children personal networks help people find jobs moreover ukraines government still clings soviet tsarist system system propiska residence permits make hard expensive change place one legally vote buy property ukraines bureaucracy slow respond realities internal migration crisis activists complain sometimes even stands way says yevgeniya andreyuk ngo crimea sos instance ukrainian authorities refuse recognize legal documents like birth certificates issued russiancontrolled crimea saying would lend credence annexation thats also created catch22 crimeans want migrate mainland ukraine since recently petition ukrainian courts new documents draggedout process andreyuk says things getting better courts create special procedures wouldbe migrants hopes eventually crisis result longneeded legal reforms ukraine gives us chance see better drawbacks old soviet system still place need change andreyuk says ukraines government finally set ministry handle displacement crisis starting get organized task helping groups huge especially ragtag army volunteers fought eastern front come physical psychological wounds aleksei morozov undergoes iv treatment military hospital kiev head injury sustained battle two years ago morozov hiv positive joined volunteer battalion later held prisoner eastern ukraine misha friedman meet aleksei morozov military hospital kiev hes seeing doctor head injury battle in1602014 morozov mechanic eastern city donetsk fighting began decided join proukrainian volunteer battalion even though hes hivpositive couple months fighting morozovs group captured says lived month police basement lights never turned beaten says theres law theres law strongest whoever machine gun rules says separatists captured worse morozov says denied antiretroviral medication hiv finally put work camp wife could smuggle medicine released prisonerswap two months later morozov tries help displaced veterans get assistance hes indignant need push system help government provide shouldnt ask providing help says one small group crimea shows odd range problems propelled people russianoccupied ukraine group heroin addicts methadone substitution therapy banned russia addict georgiy gaidamaka heard clinic simferopol would shut worried hed back street using heroin help international hivaids alliance gaidamaka moved kiev every month gets train city western ukraine theres doctor willing fill prescription methadone hasnt easiest transition alternative staying behind would worse says according uns aids envoy last year 80100 crimeans drugsubstitution therapy died russian government cut treatment gaidamaka lives small flat far volunteer center kiev though doesnt avail services mostly stays smoking cigarettes building audio equipment old soviet vacuum tubes left arm patchwork blue veins sometimes writes songs like one wrote moving new home never expected live chorus simple without goes without story produced support pulitzer center crisis reporting
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<p>For the past five years, dozens of Iranian agents have infiltrated the United States with the intention to steal or sell weapons, aircraft parts, and precious information to Tehran.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.pmddtc.state.gov/compliance/documents/OngoingExportCaseFactSheet.pdf" type="external">The Department of Justice has a report</a> that compiles all of the successful or ongoing prosecutions of these illegal exports, and we went through it to find the most daring instances of people trying to get US technology into Iran for use in their military, missile or nuclear engineering programs.</p>
<p>We looked at the past five years specifically, and made this timeline of major busts and arrests.</p>
<p>Any export of F-14 parts raises federal eyebrows, as Iran is the only military that still flies the fighter.</p>
<p>After searching his California home, the feds found over 13,000 aircraft parts and several "shopping lists" that had been given to Tabib and his wife by an Iranian military officer.&#160;</p>
<p>Tabib pleaded guilty to violating the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, and his wife was sentenced to two years probation.&#160;</p>
<p>Maghloubi was caught by the Los Angeles Police Department and the FBI after trying to have the weapons shipped to Dubai, where they would eventually be smuggled into Iran.&#160;</p>
<p>He was sentenced to three years and five months in prison.</p>
<p>Humayun, a Pakistani living in Long Island, exported parts for the F-5 and F-14 and the Chinook Helicopter. He lied about what he was shipping, and his export of the F-14 parts may have enabled Iranian buyers to maintain their decade-old fighter jet fleet.&#160;</p>
<p>He then took his laptop with Iran "for use in future employment in the nuclear industry," according to the Justice Department's Report.&#160;</p>
<p>How he got caught is the fascinating part. Alavi accessed the software vendor's website from Iran when trying to obtain the code to activate the software.&#160;</p>
<p>In December 2008, Mohammad Reza Alavi was sentenced to 15 months in prison after an incredible violation of the Iranian sanctions.</p>
<p>She and her husband tried to export the goggles from Austria to Iran directly, but after that plan fell through the Iranian embassy agreed to coordinate the transportation.</p>
<p>Undercover agents received the first sample shipment of the Generation III military-grade nightvision goggles, then arrested her.&#160;</p>
<p>Her husband remains a fugitive.</p>
<p>One of the recipients of the engines was the Iran Aircraft Manufacturing Industrial Company which is controlled by the Ministry of Defense.&#160;</p>
<p>He also acquired multiple aerial cameras used for surveillance cameras used on bombers and fighters such as the F-4E Phantom, currently used by the Iranian military.</p>
<p>Khoshnevisrad was arrested in San Fransisco in 2009</p>
<p>Kakavand purchased the tech through his Malaysian company from companies in New Jersey, California, Alabama, Florida and Washington.&#160;</p>
<p>Many of these parts - for instance, 41,900 radial connectors purchased in 2008 - have industrial uses in missile tech.&#160;</p>
<p>The part would be shipped to Iran via Dubai.&#160;</p>
<p>The consortium shipped parts to multiple aircraft including:</p>
<p>The conspiracy was indicted in April 2009 and Fattahi served 35 months in prison.</p>
<p>In December 2009 <a href="http://www.pmddtc.state.gov/compliance/documents/OngoingExportCaseFactSheet.pdf#page=18" type="external">Ardebili plead guilty to multiple violations</a> of the Arms Export Control Act after making a career of flaunting the law. Here are some of his major acquisitions for Iran:</p>
<p>He was sentenced to five years in prison.</p>
<p>Yi-Lan Chen, using his Taiwanese Landstar Tech Company, <a href="http://www.pmddtc.state.gov/compliance/documents/OngoingExportCaseFactSheet.pdf#page=13" type="external">served as the middleman between Iranian orders and US businesses</a>. The US companies&#160;were wholly unaware of who the end user was. He worked for buyers for the Electro SANAM Industries, a front company for the Iranian ballistic missile program.&#160;</p>
<p>Here's one email Chen sent to a buyer:</p>
<p>"As you know, we cannot tell USA this connector is for you. So we have to tell a white lie to USA that this is for our factory in Hong Kong."</p>
<p>Chen was sentenced to four years in prison in August 2010.&#160;</p>
<p>Modanlo and five Iranian nationals <a href="http://www.pmddtc.state.gov/compliance/documents/OngoingExportCaseFactSheet.pdf#page=12" type="external">illegally provided satellite hardware</a> to the Iranian Space Agency using multiple sham companies which resulted in the craft.&#160;</p>
<p>For his services, Modanlo was wired $10 million from an overseas account.</p>
<p>Modanlo was indicted on June 2, 2010.</p>
<p>Monsieur - with his vast network - <a href="http://www.pmddtc.state.gov/compliance/documents/OngoingExportCaseFactSheet.pdf#page=9" type="external">tried to send the jet parts to Iran</a> by way of Colombia and the United Arab Emirates. He was charged with conspiring to illegally export F-5 fighter jet engines and parts, money laundering and smuggling.</p>
<p>He was supposed to get $300,000 for the engines. He already got $110,000 for the parts.&#160;</p>
<p>He also got 23 months imprisonment in 2010.&#160;</p>
<p>One of his most bold sales was an attempt to export a complete F-5 Tiger II fighter jet. He also tried to sell F-14 ejection seats, sophisticated flight suits, and manuals for US fighter jets.&#160;</p>
<p>He pleaded guilty in January of 2011.</p>
<p>Jafari's network provided direct support to Iran's missile development industry, sending over steel, aluminium alloys, hundreds of pounds of specialized wire, and fiber optic equipment.</p>
<p>He was eventually busted by the FBI and the enforcement arm of the Commerce Department.</p>
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<p>Business Insider: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/sexy-celebrity-mug-shots-2012-7?op=1" type="external">The 20 Sexiest Celebrity Mug Shots</a></p>
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past five years dozens iranian agents infiltrated united states intention steal sell weapons aircraft parts precious information tehran department justice report compiles successful ongoing prosecutions illegal exports went find daring instances people trying get us technology iran use military missile nuclear engineering programs looked past five years specifically made timeline major busts arrests export f14 parts raises federal eyebrows iran military still flies fighter searching california home feds found 13000 aircraft parts several shopping lists given tabib wife iranian military officer160 tabib pleaded guilty violating international emergency economic powers act wife sentenced two years probation160 maghloubi caught los angeles police department fbi trying weapons shipped dubai would eventually smuggled iran160 sentenced three years five months prison humayun pakistani living long island exported parts f5 f14 chinook helicopter lied shipping export f14 parts may enabled iranian buyers maintain decadeold fighter jet fleet160 took laptop iran use future employment nuclear industry according justice departments report160 got caught fascinating part alavi accessed software vendors website iran trying obtain code activate software160 december 2008 mohammad reza alavi sentenced 15 months prison incredible violation iranian sanctions husband tried export goggles austria iran directly plan fell iranian embassy agreed coordinate transportation undercover agents received first sample shipment generation iii militarygrade nightvision goggles arrested her160 husband remains fugitive one recipients engines iran aircraft manufacturing industrial company controlled ministry defense160 also acquired multiple aerial cameras used surveillance cameras used bombers fighters f4e phantom currently used iranian military khoshnevisrad arrested san fransisco 2009 kakavand purchased tech malaysian company companies new jersey california alabama florida washington160 many parts instance 41900 radial connectors purchased 2008 industrial uses missile tech160 part would shipped iran via dubai160 consortium shipped parts multiple aircraft including conspiracy indicted april 2009 fattahi served 35 months prison december 2009 ardebili plead guilty multiple violations arms export control act making career flaunting law major acquisitions iran sentenced five years prison yilan chen using taiwanese landstar tech company served middleman iranian orders us businesses us companies160were wholly unaware end user worked buyers electro sanam industries front company iranian ballistic missile program160 heres one email chen sent buyer know tell usa connector tell white lie usa factory hong kong chen sentenced four years prison august 2010160 modanlo five iranian nationals illegally provided satellite hardware iranian space agency using multiple sham companies resulted craft160 services modanlo wired 10 million overseas account modanlo indicted june 2 2010 monsieur vast network tried send jet parts iran way colombia united arab emirates charged conspiring illegally export f5 fighter jet engines parts money laundering smuggling supposed get 300000 engines already got 110000 parts160 also got 23 months imprisonment 2010160 one bold sales attempt export complete f5 tiger ii fighter jet also tried sell f14 ejection seats sophisticated flight suits manuals us fighter jets160 pleaded guilty january 2011 jafaris network provided direct support irans missile development industry sending steel aluminium alloys hundreds pounds specialized wire fiber optic equipment eventually busted fbi enforcement arm commerce department partners business insider business insider syrias arsenal unveiled business insider mormons really feel mitt romney business insider wall street analysts becoming useless business insider pirate attacks plummeted business insider 20 sexiest celebrity mug shots
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<p>Of all the questions swirling around the rise of self-driving cars, from how safe they’ll be to how we regulate them, one essential question is often overlooked.</p>
<p>What will self-driving cars mean for the environment?</p>
<p>Backers of the technology argue that autonomous vehicles will drive more efficiently than humans do — no more slamming on breaks or gunning it at yellow lights — so they’ll save gas and reduce pollution.</p>
<p>But early research reveals a wide range of emissions possibilities for driverless cars. &#160;</p>
<p>A 2016 report found that automated vehicles could reduce fuel consumption by as much as 90 percent, or increase it by 200 percent.</p>
<p>“We are on a path to refine those numbers, as are other researchers, because it was quite a startling future,” says&#160;Ann Schlenker at Argonne National Laboratory in Illinois, one of the Department of Energy-affiliated labs that authored the report.</p>
<p>In a big garage downstairs from Schlenker’s office, about half a dozen cars are hooked up to testing equipment. Argonne researchers have found that features already offered in some cars, like adaptive cruise control and automated shifting into electric mode, do save gas.</p>
<p>“All of those early automation features do indeed improve the environmental signature,” Schlenker says.</p>
<p />
<p>Researchers at the Argonne National Laboratory in Illinois are testing elements of car automation to determine what impact they will have on fuel use and emissions.&#160;</p>
<p>Mariah Woelfel&#160;</p>
<p>Argonne research has also found that truck "platooning" could improve fuel economy between 8 and 15 percent. &#160;Platooning, or driving in tight formation to reduce drag, may be possible with the improved safety features of automated vehicles.</p>
<p>Other features on fully automated cars could reduce fuel consumption even more. &#160;</p>
<p>Even if each individual trip&#160;becomes more efficient with automation, we may make a lot more trips overall.</p>
<p>With a car as a chauffeur, Schlenker points out that people who don’t currently use cars will be able to: like elderly people who can’t drive anymore, and kids.</p>
<p>Commutes might become longer as driverless cars change where we live. &#160;&#160;</p>
<p>“Rather than a 30-minute commute, now you’re willing to entertain a 60-minute commute to get cheaper housing because [you] can be productive while the car takes [you] into the office,” Schlenker says.</p>
<p>Yet another factor: without human error, the risk of car crashes is predicted to plummet. That’s a main selling point for automated vehicles, and it’s a great&#160;thing for safety, but it might also have a downside. With the risk of crashes greatly reduced, we may have our cars drive us faster and use a lot more gas. &#160;</p>
<p>“Some of these future scenarios are very scary,” says Jason Rugolo, a program director at ARPA-E, the Energy Department agency that invests in advanced energy technologies.</p>
<p>Rugolo is looking at starting an ARPA-E program funding research into fuel-efficient driverless car designs so these scary future scenarios don’t materialize.</p>
<p>“For example, we could invest in autonomous vehicles that are much lighter weight, they could have much better drag coefficients so they look much more like a fish instead of a block moving through the air,” Rugolo says.</p>
<p>Heavy safety features like safety cages and big front-ends with crumple zones could be ditched if autonomous vehicles do, in fact, live up to their reputation as super safe.&#160;</p>
<p>A key part of the futurist narrative of self-driving cars is that they could increase car-sharing and decrease car ownership.</p>
<p>After a car drops you off at work, for example, it could drive other people around all day before picking you up again. If that happens, cars could be better tailored to specific uses.</p>
<p>Sleek, one-person pods could transport commuters to work, and larger multi-seat cars would be used only for weekend trips with the whole family.</p>
<p>“All of these developments could dramatically reduce the amount of energy we use, even if we’re driving very fast and very far,” Rugolo says.</p>
<p>But these futuristic car designs are just ideas for now, and companies like Uber are currently turning regular cars into self-driving prototypes. &#160;</p>
<p>A Massachusetts-based startup called nuTonomy is testing its cars, electric Renaults fitted with sensors, cameras and computer equipment, on the streets of Boston. And it’s giving test rides overseas. &#160;</p>
<p />
<p>nuTonomy is pilot testing its cars in Singapore.&#160;</p>
<p>Courtesy of nuTonomy</p>
<p>“We partnered with a company called Grab, which is kind of the Uber of Singapore,” says CEO Karl Iagnemma. “So a customer could hail one of our cars, and if we happen to be on the road at that time, we would pick them up and they could take a ride in a self-driving car.” &#160;</p>
<p>One day Iagnemma wants to compete with current ride-sharing companies by offering cheaper fares.</p>
<p>Iagnemma is dedicated to&#160;using electric cars to decrease his fleet’s carbon footprint, but beyond that, he's not quite sure what his business model might mean for pollution.</p>
<p>“One thing that may happen is if you reduce the cost of transportation, people may take more trips because it’s cheaper, but it’s hard to predict,” Iagnemma says.&#160;</p>
<p>Singapore, where nuTonomy is testing its technology, is a tiny, crowded country that doesn’t want more cars clogging its streets — driverless or otherwise.</p>
<p>The city-state is encouraging nuTonomy’s self-driving car innovation, and is itself investing in self-driving buses, for a rather counterintuitive reason. Leaders there hope the introduction of driverless cars will actually help Singaporeans drive less.</p>
<p>The Ministry of Transport included self-driving vehicles in its transportation master plan.</p>
<p>“Our plan is that by 2030, 8 in 10 people will be able to walk to the train station,” says Lee Chuan Teck, Singapore’s deputy secretary of transportation. &#160;</p>
<p>For the two in 10 who can’t, Lee wants tiny self-driving cars to fill the gap. &#160;</p>
<p>“Self-driving pods to bring people from their doorstep to the train station, I think will help encourage more people to take public transport,” Lee says.</p>
<p>And Singapore's planners hope that by saving on salary costs with autonomous buses, they’ll be able to expand their bus networks to serve new parts of the city. &#160;</p>
<p>This future full of self-driving pods and autonomous busses is years away.</p>
<p>But experts say if we don’t start planning for it now, driverless cars could land us right where we started: stuck in traffic, surrounded by bad air.</p>
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questions swirling around rise selfdriving cars safe theyll regulate one essential question often overlooked selfdriving cars mean environment backers technology argue autonomous vehicles drive efficiently humans slamming breaks gunning yellow lights theyll save gas reduce pollution early research reveals wide range emissions possibilities driverless cars 160 2016 report found automated vehicles could reduce fuel consumption much 90 percent increase 200 percent path refine numbers researchers quite startling future says160ann schlenker argonne national laboratory illinois one department energyaffiliated labs authored report big garage downstairs schlenkers office half dozen cars hooked testing equipment argonne researchers found features already offered cars like adaptive cruise control automated shifting electric mode save gas early automation features indeed improve environmental signature schlenker says researchers argonne national laboratory illinois testing elements car automation determine impact fuel use emissions160 mariah woelfel160 argonne research also found truck platooning could improve fuel economy 8 15 percent 160platooning driving tight formation reduce drag may possible improved safety features automated vehicles features fully automated cars could reduce fuel consumption even 160 even individual trip160becomes efficient automation may make lot trips overall car chauffeur schlenker points people dont currently use cars able like elderly people cant drive anymore kids commutes might become longer driverless cars change live 160160 rather 30minute commute youre willing entertain 60minute commute get cheaper housing productive car takes office schlenker says yet another factor without human error risk car crashes predicted plummet thats main selling point automated vehicles great160thing safety might also downside risk crashes greatly reduced may cars drive us faster use lot gas 160 future scenarios scary says jason rugolo program director arpae energy department agency invests advanced energy technologies rugolo looking starting arpae program funding research fuelefficient driverless car designs scary future scenarios dont materialize example could invest autonomous vehicles much lighter weight could much better drag coefficients look much like fish instead block moving air rugolo says heavy safety features like safety cages big frontends crumple zones could ditched autonomous vehicles fact live reputation super safe160 key part futurist narrative selfdriving cars could increase carsharing decrease car ownership car drops work example could drive people around day picking happens cars could better tailored specific uses sleek oneperson pods could transport commuters work larger multiseat cars would used weekend trips whole family developments could dramatically reduce amount energy use even driving fast far rugolo says futuristic car designs ideas companies like uber currently turning regular cars selfdriving prototypes 160 massachusettsbased startup called nutonomy testing cars electric renaults fitted sensors cameras computer equipment streets boston giving test rides overseas 160 nutonomy pilot testing cars singapore160 courtesy nutonomy partnered company called grab kind uber singapore says ceo karl iagnemma customer could hail one cars happen road time would pick could take ride selfdriving car 160 one day iagnemma wants compete current ridesharing companies offering cheaper fares iagnemma dedicated to160using electric cars decrease fleets carbon footprint beyond hes quite sure business model might mean pollution one thing may happen reduce cost transportation people may take trips cheaper hard predict iagnemma says160 singapore nutonomy testing technology tiny crowded country doesnt want cars clogging streets driverless otherwise citystate encouraging nutonomys selfdriving car innovation investing selfdriving buses rather counterintuitive reason leaders hope introduction driverless cars actually help singaporeans drive less ministry transport included selfdriving vehicles transportation master plan plan 2030 8 10 people able walk train station says lee chuan teck singapores deputy secretary transportation 160 two 10 cant lee wants tiny selfdriving cars fill gap 160 selfdriving pods bring people doorstep train station think help encourage people take public transport lee says singapores planners hope saving salary costs autonomous buses theyll able expand bus networks serve new parts city 160 future full selfdriving pods autonomous busses years away experts say dont start planning driverless cars could land us right started stuck traffic surrounded bad air
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<p>LONDON, United Kingdom - Here's as clear a statement of realpolitik as you are ever likely to hear. The subject is Syria. The speaker is British Foreign Secretary William Hague: "We're not entirely powerless, but we are constrained by the need for international support for anything that we do."</p>
<p>That's an admission of impotence for which there is no Viagra.</p>
<p>Hague, speaking to Britain's Sky News over the weekend, went on to say, "We've already put EU sanctions on 23 individuals including President Assad himself [preventing them from traveling to Europe] and the main thing we're trying to do at the moment is to get a resolution from the United Nations Security Council. That is much more difficult than in the case of Libya."</p>
<p>Hague pointed the finger at Russia as being more likely to veto a U.N. resolution imposing sanctions because of its close relationship with the Syrian government. He noted that tough U.N. action on Libya was possible in part because the Russian government is not as close to the Gaddafi regime.</p>
<p>Whatever. Hague's comments make clear to Syrians trying to rid themselves of President Bashar al-Assad's regime that, so far as Europe is concerned, they are on their own.</p>
<p>There are many reasons why Britain and France are sitting out this chapter of the Arab uprisings. Foremost is "austerity." Europe's main nations with genuine military capability have reached their limits for intervention. That's the candid admission of one of Britain's top military men. Britain is out of "capacity," in the words of Adm. Sir Mark Stanhope, First Sea Lord, the country's top naval officer. His words carry extra weight because the Navy, the "Senior Service," is first among equals in the British defense establishment.</p>
<p>Speaking Monday, Stanhope said that budget cuts imposed last year by the Conservative-led coalition had made the job in Libya more difficult. To save money, the Royal Navy's flagship, the aircraft carrier Ark Royal, has been mothballed and Britain's sea-borne Harrier jump jets taken out of service. Stanhope noted that if this had not happened the Ark Royal and its squadron of Harriers would have been in action off the coast of Libya back in February. Instead Britain has been launching its air missions from an air base in Italy.</p>
<p>"The pros would have been a much more reactive force," Stanhope told reporters. "We would deploy within 20 minutes as opposed to an hour and a half, so obviously there are some advantages there. It's cheaper to fly an aircraft from an aircraft carrier than from the shore."</p>
<p>Other reasons for avoiding an intervention in Syria similar to what is happening in Libya have been well-aired: Syria's strategic position adjacent to Israel, the Assad regime's willingness to destabilize the region through its influence in Lebanon and its closeness to Iran.</p>
<p>In the vacuum left by Western Europe, a resurgent Turkey seems willing to do the heavy lifting. Europe's political leaders seem willing to let Turkish Prime Minister Reccep Tayyip Erdogan, fresh from a major electoral triumph, take the lead in dealing with the intransigent neighbor on his southern border.</p>
<p>And there is another reason why more forceful intervention is not being advocated in Europe. That is the power of the ruling Baath party in Syria. Baathism is a weird political philosophy, but in practice it is a brutally effective way of governing as its history in the two countries where it took root - Iraq and Syria - make clear. At its core is a cult-like belief in the "leader" and the development of a party apparatus that is present in every aspect of daily life. Order is maintained not just through fearsome repression but through mass party membership.</p>
<p>Mustafa Karkouti, a Gulf-based Arab journalist, explains: "You always needed to join the Baath in order to better your life." The Baath, run by the Assad family since the 1960s, <a href="http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/news/regions/middle-east/110505/syria-revolution-protests-damascus-university" type="external">gets a hold of members young</a>. "Syrian youth from school age were encouraged to join a loyal scout organization, devoted to the beloved leader, Hafez Al Assad, called Revolution Youth." This helped them get into college. "An aspiring student and a member in this organization would be automatically granted a quarter of the total qualifying marks to be accepted at a university," Karkouti said.</p>
<p>This policy tied Syria's diverse communities into the party apparatus. Dismantling the Baath, when it has tentacles in so many places, is not easy, even after the party leadership reaches a stage of terminal corruption and decline. Long after the Saddam Hussein-led Iraqi Baath party had ruined the country, America still had to invade Iraq to eliminate Baathism.</p>
<p>Karkouti's view is that the Syrian Baath Party is in a much stronger position than the Iraqi Baath Party at the time of the American invasion. "What keeps the regime comprehensively together is three things: the army, the <a href="http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/news/regions/middle-east/110407/syria-ghosts" type="external">various security apparatuses</a> and the solid alliance that Hafez Al Assad, the father, has managed to build over the last four decades with the country's centers of economic power in major cities, such as the capital and second largest city, Aleppo. This partnership with Syria's petit bourgeoisie is the corner stone of Hafez Al Assad's success building the Baath."</p>
<p>So <a href="http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/news/regions/middle-east/110608/syrian-refugees-turkey-lebanon-violence" type="external">the fighting continues</a> and Europe watches, but for how long? Diplomatic sources in London say three things are regarded as game changers that might rouse Europe to a more active response:</p>
<p>1. The opposition becomes a united as opposed to fragmented. The uprisings have been isolated from one another. European governments are looking for signs that rebels in Deraa are linking up with those in Latakia and the villages in the north, and that a joint leadership is coming together.</p>
<p>2. Serious uprisings in Aleppo and Damascus, cities that count their populations in the millions, and, as Karkouti points out, are home to the business communities that have thrived under Baath rule.</p>
<p>3. Syria's Kurds - 10 percent of the population - become more active participants in the uprising. <a href="http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/news/regions/middle-east/110608/syria-kurds-protests" type="external">As reported in GlobalPost</a> last week, this minority could play a decisivie role in tipping the balance. Iraq's Kurds were key internal allies in America's overthrow of Saddam Hussein. With Turkey's Kurds being brought into that nation's mainstream, the Kurds can bring their own transnational influence to bear on events.</p>
<p>But until these things happen, Syrians looking for help in overthrowing the regime are going to have to make do with rhetoric like this from Foreign Secretary William Hague: "I do believe it is time for the Security Council to make a clear statement of the kind that we're advocating, calling on the Syrian Government to respond to legitimate grievances, to release prisoners of conscience, to open up access to the internet and to cooperate with the U.N. High Commissioner on Human Rights."</p>
<p>I'm sure Assad and the Baath regime are considering those very points right now.</p>
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london united kingdom heres clear statement realpolitik ever likely hear subject syria speaker british foreign secretary william hague entirely powerless constrained need international support anything thats admission impotence viagra hague speaking britains sky news weekend went say weve already put eu sanctions 23 individuals including president assad preventing traveling europe main thing trying moment get resolution united nations security council much difficult case libya hague pointed finger russia likely veto un resolution imposing sanctions close relationship syrian government noted tough un action libya possible part russian government close gaddafi regime whatever hagues comments make clear syrians trying rid president bashar alassads regime far europe concerned many reasons britain france sitting chapter arab uprisings foremost austerity europes main nations genuine military capability reached limits intervention thats candid admission one britains top military men britain capacity words adm sir mark stanhope first sea lord countrys top naval officer words carry extra weight navy senior service first among equals british defense establishment speaking monday stanhope said budget cuts imposed last year conservativeled coalition made job libya difficult save money royal navys flagship aircraft carrier ark royal mothballed britains seaborne harrier jump jets taken service stanhope noted happened ark royal squadron harriers would action coast libya back february instead britain launching air missions air base italy pros would much reactive force stanhope told reporters would deploy within 20 minutes opposed hour half obviously advantages cheaper fly aircraft aircraft carrier shore reasons avoiding intervention syria similar happening libya wellaired syrias strategic position adjacent israel assad regimes willingness destabilize region influence lebanon closeness iran vacuum left western europe resurgent turkey seems willing heavy lifting europes political leaders seem willing let turkish prime minister reccep tayyip erdogan fresh major electoral triumph take lead dealing intransigent neighbor southern border another reason forceful intervention advocated europe power ruling baath party syria baathism weird political philosophy practice brutally effective way governing history two countries took root iraq syria make clear core cultlike belief leader development party apparatus present every aspect daily life order maintained fearsome repression mass party membership mustafa karkouti gulfbased arab journalist explains always needed join baath order better life baath run assad family since 1960s gets hold members young syrian youth school age encouraged join loyal scout organization devoted beloved leader hafez al assad called revolution youth helped get college aspiring student member organization would automatically granted quarter total qualifying marks accepted university karkouti said policy tied syrias diverse communities party apparatus dismantling baath tentacles many places easy even party leadership reaches stage terminal corruption decline long saddam husseinled iraqi baath party ruined country america still invade iraq eliminate baathism karkoutis view syrian baath party much stronger position iraqi baath party time american invasion keeps regime comprehensively together three things army various security apparatuses solid alliance hafez al assad father managed build last four decades countrys centers economic power major cities capital second largest city aleppo partnership syrias petit bourgeoisie corner stone hafez al assads success building baath fighting continues europe watches long diplomatic sources london say three things regarded game changers might rouse europe active response 1 opposition becomes united opposed fragmented uprisings isolated one another european governments looking signs rebels deraa linking latakia villages north joint leadership coming together 2 serious uprisings aleppo damascus cities count populations millions karkouti points home business communities thrived baath rule 3 syrias kurds 10 percent population become active participants uprising reported globalpost last week minority could play decisivie role tipping balance iraqs kurds key internal allies americas overthrow saddam hussein turkeys kurds brought nations mainstream kurds bring transnational influence bear events things happen syrians looking help overthrowing regime going make rhetoric like foreign secretary william hague believe time security council make clear statement kind advocating calling syrian government respond legitimate grievances release prisoners conscience open access internet cooperate un high commissioner human rights im sure assad baath regime considering points right
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<p>BARCELONA, Spain — It’s Barack Obama as you’ve never seen him before: crouched with his pants around his ankles, bottom unashamedly bared to the world, depicted in the act of defecation.</p>
<p>It’s not just the United States president caught in one of the most private of moments. Everyone from Michael Jackson and Madonna to Shakespeare and Queen Elizabeth has been immortalized as little pooping ceramic figurines thanks to an odd centuries-old Spanish Christmas tradition.</p>
<p>It dates back to the 1700s, when a peasant farmer version of the squatting statues began popping up in Christmas nativity scenes across the northeastern&#160;region of Catalonia, alongside the usual reverent medley of wise men, shepherds and baby Jesus.</p>
<p>He was christened “El Caganer,” which translates most politely as “the defecator.”</p>
<p>The neat pile of poop beneath him is considered a sign of fertility and good fortune.</p>
<p>Although debate continues as to exactly why, one theory dating back to the 18th century explains that peasant farmers who couldn’t afford fertilizer fashioned a do-it-yourself approach to soil improvement, dropping their own fertilizer bombs across their fields each day.</p>
<p>Plentiful poop meant plentiful crops — and pretty soon the act became a good-luck charm in statue form.</p>
<p>“There was a legend that if a countryside man did not put a caganer in the nativity scene, he would have a very bad year collecting vegetables,” Joan Lliteras, a “caganer connoisseur” and former president of Catalonia’s <a href="http://www.amicsdelcaganer.cat/angles/index.htm" type="external">Friends of the Caganer</a> association, <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-12059969" type="external">told the BBC</a>.</p>
<p>The Catholic Church mostly turns a blind eye to Spain’s strangely scatological nativity tradition, according to which the bare-bottomed farmer is usually hidden somewhere in the corner.</p>
<p>Having him front and center “would be a lack of respect,” Lliteras says.</p>
<p>Over time, the traditional peasant caganer — clad in a jaunty red Catalan cap — was joined by a host of celebrities, politicians and sports stars from Spain and abroad.</p>
<p>Their depiction doesn’t constitute a joke at their expense, Catalans say.</p>
<p>Sergi Alós Pla, whose family has hand-made caganers in the city of Girona for the past two decades, says the dubious honor is a mark of respect, although he dryly admits that “some people like it more than others.”</p>
<p>His company’s famed <a href="http://caganer.com/" type="external">Caganer.com</a> catalogue boasts more than 350 characters, with 40 new faces added amid grand fanfare each November to the amusement and delight of tourists, who snap them up as kooky souvenirs.</p>
<p>Obama joined the pool in 2008 after winning the US presidency and quickly became a best-seller. Among this year’s newbies are Che Guevara, Napoleon, Beethoven, Humphrey Bogart, Captain America and the Mario Brothers, as well as Pablo Iglesias, leader of the upstart Spanish left-wing party Podemos (We Can), who was belatedly added after popular demand.</p>
<p>Some new additions draw more heated reactions than others. Last year, the decision to depict the Black Madonna relieving herself landed the company in hot water with Spanish Roman Catholics.</p>
<p>Prior Ignassi Fossas from the Santa Maria de Montserrat Abbey near Barcelona, which boasts a centuries-old statue of the Madonna, <a href="http://www.news.com.au/world/europe/defecating-virgin-mary-sparks-anger-with-spanish-roman-catholics-who-dont-like-the-defecating-caganer/story-fnh81p7g-1226771849064" type="external">wrote in a letter</a> that “using the image of the Virgin of Montserrat for this grotesque figurine seems to us a sign of insensitivity and lack of respect to many people who could feel their beliefs are hurt.”</p>
<p>Pla family members insisted they’d chosen the Black Madonna not as a religious icon but as the patron saint of Catalonia, to commemorate the 300th anniversary of the siege of Barcelona.</p>
<p>Nevertheless, after the first 700 figurines rapidly sold out, the company quietly decided against a reissue.</p>
<p>This year, the family treaded more carefully. A gentleman depicted atop a dragon — an obvious reference to the legend of Saint George — is titled simply “Knight and Dragon.”</p>
<p>For anthropologist Louis Mallart, it’s a big fuss over nothing.</p>
<p>He believes the caganer should be lauded as one of the nativity scene’s most honorable figures, “perhaps even more than the shepherds or the Three Kings.”</p>
<p>The kings “offer the infant Jesus something material, external to themselves: honey, gold, frankincense and myrrh,” he <a href="http://manueldelgadoruiz.blogspot.com.es/2013/01/una-nada-antiga-inefable-caganer-un.html" type="external">wrote on a Catalan blog</a>, “while the caganer offers with humility something which ‘comes out’ of his own heart, something that farmers worldwide consider to be the best fertilizer for the earth.”</p>
<p>Incredibly, the Spanish Christmas poo obsession doesn’t end with squatting statues.</p>
<p>Catalans also dote upon the bounteous “Caga Tió” or Poo Log — literally a log of wood with a cheery face painted on one end and often topped with a red Catalan cap.</p>
<p>Children spend fifteen days before Christmas caring for Caga Tío, fattening it up with gifts of food and drinks and draping it with a blanket to ensure it doesn’t get cold at night.</p>
<p>More from GlobalPost: <a href="http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/news/regions/europe/141212/portugal-wine-port-douro-wine-spectator" type="external">Portugal is shaking up the wine world</a></p>
<p>Come Christmas Eve, children chanting a traditional song literally beat Caga Tío until it expels presents of nuts and candy from its blankety bowels.</p>
<p>Although no one’s really sure where Catalonia’s Yuletide poo preoccupation stems from, Pla says respecting the curious custom may well pay off.</p>
<p>“It is weird that our family can live from a crapping figurine,” he says. “But — and I don’t know if it’s because of the caganer tradition — my grandmother always said our family has a lot of luck. Things always seem to go smoothly for us.”</p>
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barcelona spain barack obama youve never seen crouched pants around ankles bottom unashamedly bared world depicted act defecation united states president caught one private moments everyone michael jackson madonna shakespeare queen elizabeth immortalized little pooping ceramic figurines thanks odd centuriesold spanish christmas tradition dates back 1700s peasant farmer version squatting statues began popping christmas nativity scenes across northeastern160region catalonia alongside usual reverent medley wise men shepherds baby jesus christened el caganer translates politely defecator neat pile poop beneath considered sign fertility good fortune although debate continues exactly one theory dating back 18th century explains peasant farmers couldnt afford fertilizer fashioned doityourself approach soil improvement dropping fertilizer bombs across fields day plentiful poop meant plentiful crops pretty soon act became goodluck charm statue form legend countryside man put caganer nativity scene would bad year collecting vegetables joan lliteras caganer connoisseur former president catalonias friends caganer association told bbc catholic church mostly turns blind eye spains strangely scatological nativity tradition according barebottomed farmer usually hidden somewhere corner front center would lack respect lliteras says time traditional peasant caganer clad jaunty red catalan cap joined host celebrities politicians sports stars spain abroad depiction doesnt constitute joke expense catalans say sergi alós pla whose family handmade caganers city girona past two decades says dubious honor mark respect although dryly admits people like others companys famed caganercom catalogue boasts 350 characters 40 new faces added amid grand fanfare november amusement delight tourists snap kooky souvenirs obama joined pool 2008 winning us presidency quickly became bestseller among years newbies che guevara napoleon beethoven humphrey bogart captain america mario brothers well pablo iglesias leader upstart spanish leftwing party podemos belatedly added popular demand new additions draw heated reactions others last year decision depict black madonna relieving landed company hot water spanish roman catholics prior ignassi fossas santa maria de montserrat abbey near barcelona boasts centuriesold statue madonna wrote letter using image virgin montserrat grotesque figurine seems us sign insensitivity lack respect many people could feel beliefs hurt pla family members insisted theyd chosen black madonna religious icon patron saint catalonia commemorate 300th anniversary siege barcelona nevertheless first 700 figurines rapidly sold company quietly decided reissue year family treaded carefully gentleman depicted atop dragon obvious reference legend saint george titled simply knight dragon anthropologist louis mallart big fuss nothing believes caganer lauded one nativity scenes honorable figures perhaps even shepherds three kings kings offer infant jesus something material external honey gold frankincense myrrh wrote catalan blog caganer offers humility something comes heart something farmers worldwide consider best fertilizer earth incredibly spanish christmas poo obsession doesnt end squatting statues catalans also dote upon bounteous caga tió poo log literally log wood cheery face painted one end often topped red catalan cap children spend fifteen days christmas caring caga tío fattening gifts food drinks draping blanket ensure doesnt get cold night globalpost portugal shaking wine world come christmas eve children chanting traditional song literally beat caga tío expels presents nuts candy blankety bowels although ones really sure catalonias yuletide poo preoccupation stems pla says respecting curious custom may well pay weird family live crapping figurine says dont know caganer tradition grandmother always said family lot luck things always seem go smoothly us
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<p>BOGOTA, Colombia — It’s one of the most famous episodes of Colombia’s 50-year-old guerrilla war. In 2002, Colombian lawyer Clara Rojas was managing the presidential campaign of Ingrid Betancourt when the two women were kidnapped by Marxist rebels and held in jungle prison camps for six years.</p>
<p>After they were freed, Betancourt, a French-Colombian citizen, moved to Europe and has stayed out of Colombian politics. But Rojas — who had a far tougher time in captivity, where she gave birth to a baby boy — is now running for the Colombian Congress in Sunday’s election.</p>
<p>Colombian politics remain a risky occupation, so why would Rojas jump back in? In an interview, the 50-year-old Rojas said running for office is another way to move forward and leave behind the painful past.</p>
<p>“When people meet me, they think they’re meeting a victim,” Rojas said while passing out campaign literature at a busy Bogota intersection. “But I’m no longer a victim. If you always consider yourself a victim, you will never take responsibility for your life.”</p>
<p>As Rojas greets pedestrians, many smile in recognition and recall her extraordinary backstory.</p>
<p>Twelve years ago, Rojas was campaigning with her close friend Betancourt, who made the foolhardy decision to stump for votes in a rebel stronghold in southern Colombia. Rojas went along with the plan, and the two were promptly kidnapped by members of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, the country’s largest guerrilla group, known as FARC. The rebels planned to use the women as bargaining chips and exchange them for imprisoned FARC fighters.</p>
<p>Rojas was then 38. She feared she would be held hostage for years and lose the chance to become a mother. So, in a jungle prison camp that held dozens of other hostages, Rojas started a consensual relationship with one of her rebel guards and became pregnant.</p>
<p>Though a jungle pregnancy was risky, the hostages lived with risks every day: tropical diseases, snake bites and the possibility of being killed in clashes between the FARC and the Colombian army.</p>
<p>Still, it was an extremely controversial decision. Some of her fellow hostages accused Rojas of sleeping with the enemy. Others saw it as a ploy to secure her freedom. Finally, Rojas asked to be separated from the other prisoners, saying they were acting like “hyenas.”</p>
<p>As her due date approached, the rebels refused to evacuate Rojas to a clinic and instead sent for a doctor. Rojas went into labor but the baby was in the wrong position. The rebel physician never showed up.</p>
<p>“Clara was going to die because the baby wouldn’t come out,” said the rebel camp leader, Martin Sombra, who is now in a Colombian prison. “I know a bit about nursing and realized we had to perform a cesarean section. We found a medical book, studied how to do it, and then I said to Guillermo, one of my troops: ‘We are going to have to cut her open.’”</p>
<p>Her baby was finally delivered by rebels who sterilized their scalpels over a candle. While extracting the baby, they broke the boy’s arm. Rojas lost so much blood she nearly died.</p>
<p>“Today, when I look back on that episode, I’m amazed that I had the strength to go through it all,” Rojas said.</p>
<p>But her ordeal wasn’t over. Her son, named Emmanuel, cried so much that the rebels feared he would give away their location to the Colombian army. So, when Emmanuel was 8 months old, the rebels took him away from Rojas and ordered a peasant farmer to raise the boy. Rojas would not see her son for another three years.</p>
<p>The farmer defied the guerrillas by turning Emmanuel over to the Colombian government’s child welfare agency. Rojas was finally freed by the FARC in 2008 and reunited with Emmanuel.</p>
<p>If it sounds like the stuff of movies, it is. “Operation E,” a Spanish- and French-made film about Rojas and her son, was released last year. (The "E" stands for Emmanuel.) Rojas attempted to bar the film’s release in Colombia, arguing that it violated her son's privacy. But a judge dismissed her claim and Rojas was criticized for promoting censorship.</p>
<p>Rojas went on to direct Free Country, a Bogota organization that counsels the relatives of hostages, and has written three books, including a memoir of her experience as a hostage called “Captive.” Now, she’s taking more risks by running for Congress.</p>
<p>Although overall security has improved in Colombia since Rojas was abducted, guerrillas and criminal gangs continue to target candidates and elected officials, says Alejandra Barrios, who directs an independent election-monitoring group here. Since 2011, 20 government officials have been assassinated and three have been kidnapped, Barrios said. Given the danger, she considers Rojas a hero for getting back in the political arena.</p>
<p>So does Iojeved Kabzir, a Colombian businesswoman whose sister was kidnapped by guerrillas in 2001. After chatting with the candidate on a street corner, Kabzir came away convinced. “It’s important to have people like Rojas in Congress because they understand the point of view of war victims,” she said.</p>
<p>Rojas is a member of the centrist Liberal Party that supports President Juan Manuel Santos and his efforts to negotiate a peace treaty with the FARC. Santos’s decision to launch peace talks in 2012 was criticized by law-and-order hardliners who claim the guerrillas are terrorists and should be eliminated on the battlefield. But Rojas says negotiations are the only way to end a war that has been raging since the 1960s.</p>
<p>More from GlobalPost: <a href="http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/news/regions/americas/colombia/131106/colombian-peace-talks-farc-politics" type="external">FARC would enter politics as part of peace deal</a></p>
<p>“The peace process is important to leave behind 50 years of war,” Rojas said. She added that Emmanuel will soon be 10 and that it’s vital for her generation to bring the conflict to an end so her son’s generation can live in peace.</p>
<p>If she wins a spot in Congress, Rojas says she will push the guerrillas to provide a full accounting of the thousands of people they are accused of kidnapping, many of whom are presumed dead.</p>
<p>But if she loses, Rojas says that’s OK, too.</p>
<p>“I feel very good, honest,” she said. “I’m happy with my little son. I’m happy with the kind of life that I have today, right? I understand that this is better than the problems in the jungle.”</p>
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bogota colombia one famous episodes colombias 50yearold guerrilla war 2002 colombian lawyer clara rojas managing presidential campaign ingrid betancourt two women kidnapped marxist rebels held jungle prison camps six years freed betancourt frenchcolombian citizen moved europe stayed colombian politics rojas far tougher time captivity gave birth baby boy running colombian congress sundays election colombian politics remain risky occupation would rojas jump back interview 50yearold rojas said running office another way move forward leave behind painful past people meet think theyre meeting victim rojas said passing campaign literature busy bogota intersection im longer victim always consider victim never take responsibility life rojas greets pedestrians many smile recognition recall extraordinary backstory twelve years ago rojas campaigning close friend betancourt made foolhardy decision stump votes rebel stronghold southern colombia rojas went along plan two promptly kidnapped members revolutionary armed forces colombia countrys largest guerrilla group known farc rebels planned use women bargaining chips exchange imprisoned farc fighters rojas 38 feared would held hostage years lose chance become mother jungle prison camp held dozens hostages rojas started consensual relationship one rebel guards became pregnant though jungle pregnancy risky hostages lived risks every day tropical diseases snake bites possibility killed clashes farc colombian army still extremely controversial decision fellow hostages accused rojas sleeping enemy others saw ploy secure freedom finally rojas asked separated prisoners saying acting like hyenas due date approached rebels refused evacuate rojas clinic instead sent doctor rojas went labor baby wrong position rebel physician never showed clara going die baby wouldnt come said rebel camp leader martin sombra colombian prison know bit nursing realized perform cesarean section found medical book studied said guillermo one troops going cut open baby finally delivered rebels sterilized scalpels candle extracting baby broke boys arm rojas lost much blood nearly died today look back episode im amazed strength go rojas said ordeal wasnt son named emmanuel cried much rebels feared would give away location colombian army emmanuel 8 months old rebels took away rojas ordered peasant farmer raise boy rojas would see son another three years farmer defied guerrillas turning emmanuel colombian governments child welfare agency rojas finally freed farc 2008 reunited emmanuel sounds like stuff movies operation e spanish frenchmade film rojas son released last year e stands emmanuel rojas attempted bar films release colombia arguing violated sons privacy judge dismissed claim rojas criticized promoting censorship rojas went direct free country bogota organization counsels relatives hostages written three books including memoir experience hostage called captive shes taking risks running congress although overall security improved colombia since rojas abducted guerrillas criminal gangs continue target candidates elected officials says alejandra barrios directs independent electionmonitoring group since 2011 20 government officials assassinated three kidnapped barrios said given danger considers rojas hero getting back political arena iojeved kabzir colombian businesswoman whose sister kidnapped guerrillas 2001 chatting candidate street corner kabzir came away convinced important people like rojas congress understand point view war victims said rojas member centrist liberal party supports president juan manuel santos efforts negotiate peace treaty farc santoss decision launch peace talks 2012 criticized lawandorder hardliners claim guerrillas terrorists eliminated battlefield rojas says negotiations way end war raging since 1960s globalpost farc would enter politics part peace deal peace process important leave behind 50 years war rojas said added emmanuel soon 10 vital generation bring conflict end sons generation live peace wins spot congress rojas says push guerrillas provide full accounting thousands people accused kidnapping many presumed dead loses rojas says thats ok feel good honest said im happy little son im happy kind life today right understand better problems jungle
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<p>EagleBank Arena (formerly the Patriot Center) will host out latin/pop superstar Ricky Martin on Oct. 9. (Photo courtesy of FlyLife Inc.)</p>
<p>The fall concert season gets rolling with a three big-time pop stars spanning three generations all performing within days of each other in September.</p>
<p>Vocal powerhouse Kelly Clarkson has back-to-back nights at Wolf Trap (1551 Trap Road, Vienna, Va.) on Sept. 12-13 at 7 p.m. ( <a href="http://www.wolftrap.org/" type="external">wolftrap.org</a>) Pop icon Madonna returns to the Verizon Center (601 F St., N.W.) on Sept. 12 at 8 p.m. in support of her “Rebel Heart” album ( <a href="http://livenation.com/" type="external">livenation.com</a> or <a href="http://ticketmaster.com/" type="external">ticketmaster.com</a>). Then if that isn’t enough diva power, the legendary Diana Ross will be at the Strathmore (10701 Rockville Pike, North Bethesda, Md.) on Sept. 15 at 8 p.m. ( <a href="http://strathmore.org/" type="external">strathmore.org</a>) after a Sept. 13 show at Pier Six Pavilion ( <a href="http://piersixpavilion.com/" type="external">piersixpavilion.com</a>) in Baltimore.</p>
<p>That’s just the start of what is shaping up to be an exciting concert season in D.C. this fall. Perhaps the biggest event is the Landmark Music Festival at West Potomac Park (West Basin Drive, S.W.), a a two-day event starting Saturday, Sept. 26 at noon and featuring an impressive lineup including Drake, alt-J, The Strokes, CHVRCHES, Chromeo, Ben Howard, Band of Horses, fun. frontman Nate Ruess and the War on Drugs. The full line-up and more information is at <a href="http://landmarkfestiva.org/" type="external">landmarkfestiva.org</a>.</p>
<p>In addition to Madonna, the Verizon Center has some real heavy hitters. British pop sensation Ed Sheeran will play two nights, Sept. 22-23 at 7:30 p.m. R&amp;B giant R. Kelly headlines on Sept. 26 at 8 p.m. Musical legend Stevie Wonder performs on Oct. 3 at 8 p.m., and will play his landmark album “Songs of the Key of Life” in its entirety. A fantastic rock double-bill goes down on Nov. 1 at 7:30 p.m., as recent Hall of Fame inductees Joan Jett and the Blackhearts open for the Who. One of the hottest artists in the country, pop/R&amp;B sensation the Weeknd, takes the stage on Nov. 15 at 7:30 p.m.</p>
<p>The 9:30 Club (815 V St. N.W.) as usual has a host of top-notch talent slated for fall. The reunited ‘90s shoegaze band Ride will play on Sept. 17 at 7 p.m. Gay-fronted band Years &amp; Years play there Sept. 19 at 8 p.m. Pop vocalist Tove Lo performs on Oct. 19 at 6 p.m., and the always-outrageous Peaches&#160;returns on Oct. 26 at 7 p.m.. The highlight of the season is the return of alternative-rock legends Garbage, who will perform on Oct. 28-29 at 7 p.m. to celebrate 20th anniversary of their debut album, which they will play in its entirety. Details at <a href="http://930.com" type="external">930.com</a>.</p>
<p>Summer may be winding down, but there are still some big shows upcoming at Merriweather Post Pavilion (10475 Little Patuxent Parkway, Columbia, Md.). Death Cab for Cutie will take the stage on Sept. 13 at 7:30 p.m.. Fresh off a no. 1 album with “Sound &amp; Color,” Alabama Shakes will perform onSept. 18 at 8 p.m., and Of Monsters and Men play Sept. 20 at 8 p.m. Details at <a href="http://merriweathermusic.com/" type="external">merriweathermusic.com</a>.</p>
<p>If country music under the stars is your idea of a perfect evening in September, there are a couple big opportunities you shouldn’t miss at Jiffy Lube Live (7800 Cellar Door Drive, Bristow, Va.). Jason Aldean will hit the stage on Sept. 12 at 7 p.m. while Brad Paisley will be there Sept. 26 at 7 p.m. Details at&#160; <a href="http://jiffylubelive.com/" type="external">jiffylubelive.com</a>.</p>
<p>If your thing is dancing, then Echostage (2135 Queens Chapel Rd, N.E.) is the place to be. Their fall line-up is highlighted by British electronic duo Disclosure supporting their new album “Caracal” with shows on Oct. 21 (doors at 8 p.m.) and Oct. 22 (opening at 9 p.m.) Dutch electro/hip-hop star Stromae&#160;will perform on Sept. 16 at 7 p.m. EDM hero Armin van Buuren will have the place jumping on Sept. 24, with doors opening at 9 p.m. World-renowned DJ Kaskade will do the same when he spins on Oct. 16. at 9 p.m. Details at <a href="http://echostage.com/" type="external">echostage.com</a>.</p>
<p>The Birchmere, (3701 Mt. Vernon Ave., Alexandria, Va.), has an impressive line-up of talent on its calendar, highlighted by Emmylou Harris and Rodney Crowell performing together on Sept. 10 at 7:30 p.m. and the talented singer-songwriter Patty Griffin on Sept. 29 at 7:30 p.m. The renowned lesbian folk/rock duo Indigo Girls perform on Nov. 2 at 7:30. Details at <a href="http://birchmere.com/" type="external">birchmere.com</a>.</p>
<p>The Howard Theatre (620 T St., N.W.) hosts a CD party for the amazing Lizz Wright on Sept. 11 at 8 p.m. Electronic pioneers the Orb appear on Sept. 13 at 8 p.m. Lalah Hathaway will be there for two nights on Sept. 26 and 28 at 8 p.m. For more information and additional listings, go to&#160; <a href="http://thehowardtheatre.com/" type="external">thehowardtheatre.com</a>.</p>
<p>At the Lisner Auditorium at George Washington University, (730 21st St., N.W), Lucinda Williams will perform on Oct. 7 at 8 p.m., while Mavis Staples and Joan Osborne bring their “Solid Soul” tour on Oct. 31. at 8 p.m. ( <a href="http://lisner.gwu.edu/" type="external">lisner.gwu.edu</a>)</p>
<p>The Fillmore in Silver Spring (8656 Colesville Rd., Silver Spring, Md.) serves up pop heartthrob Nick Jonas on Sept. 29 at 7:30 p.m. Details at <a href="http://fillmoresilverspring.com/" type="external">fillmoresilverspring.com</a>.</p>
<p>Classical outfit Seraphic Fire perform Handel’s “Coronation Anthems” at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church (2430 K St., N.W.) on Nov. 10. They’ll return in 2016 for two more concerts there. Details at <a href="http://seraphicfire.org/" type="external">seraphicfire.org</a>.</p>
<p>Loretta Lynn plays Lincoln Theatre (1215 U St., N.W.) on Sept. 27 at 6:30 p.m. Other notable shows at the Lincoln include FFS, an outstanding mashup of Sparks and Franz Ferdinand, on Oct. 5 at 6:30 p.m., Kacey Musgraves for two nights on Oct. 16-17 at 6:30 p.m., and Marina and the Diamonds&#160;on Nov. 6 at 6:30 p.m. Details at <a href="http://thelincolndc.com/" type="external">thelincolndc.com</a>.</p>
<p>In addition to Kelly Clarkson, Wolf Trap will host Broadway favorite Megan Hilty on Oct. 9 at 7 and 9:30 p.m., iconic lesbian vocalist Joan Armatrading for two nights on Oct. 31 and Nov. 1 at 7:30 p.m., Madeleine Peyroux on Nov. 17 at 8 p.m, Suzanne Vega with Duncan Sheik on Nov. 18-19 at 8 p.m., and Rickie Lee Jones on Nov. 20 at 8 p.m.. EagleBank Arena (formerly the Patriot Center) will host openly gay latin/pop superstar Ricky Martin on Oct. 9 at 8 p.m. and Marc Anthony on Oct. 11 at 7 p.m. Details at <a href="http://eaglebankarena.com/" type="external">eaglebankarena.com</a>.</p>
<p>And three gay Strathmore dates to put on your calendar for December — Dave Koz returns there on Dec. 4, the gay-helmed Philadelphia Orchestra will perform on Dec. 7 and Michael Feinstein is there Dec. 11. Details at <a href="http://strathmore.org/" type="external">strathmore.org</a>.</p>
<p><a href="" type="internal">2015 Fall Arts Guide</a> <a href="" type="internal">9:30 club</a> <a href="" type="internal">Alabama Shakes</a> <a href="" type="internal">alt-J</a> <a href="" type="internal">Armin van Buuren</a> <a href="" type="internal">Baltimore</a> <a href="" type="internal">Band of Horses</a> <a href="" type="internal">Ben Howard</a> <a href="" type="internal">Brad Paisley</a> <a href="" type="internal">Chromeo</a> <a href="" type="internal">CHVRCHES</a> <a href="" type="internal">Dave Koz</a> <a href="" type="internal">Death Cab for Cutie</a> <a href="" type="internal">Diana Ross</a> <a href="" type="internal">Disclosure</a> <a href="" type="internal">DJ Kaskade</a> <a href="" type="internal">Drake</a> <a href="" type="internal">Duncan Sheik</a> <a href="" type="internal">EagleBank Arena</a> <a href="" type="internal">Echostage</a> <a href="" type="internal">Ed Sheeran</a> <a href="" type="internal">Emmylou Harris</a> <a href="" type="internal">FFS</a> <a href="" type="internal">Franz Ferdinand</a> <a href="" type="internal">Fun</a> <a href="" type="internal">Garbage</a> <a href="" type="internal">Howard Theatre</a> <a href="" type="internal">Indigo Girls</a> <a href="" type="internal">Jason Aldean</a> <a href="" type="internal">Joan Armatrading</a> <a href="" type="internal">Joan Jett and the Blackhearts</a> <a href="" type="internal">Joan Osborne</a> <a href="" type="internal">Kacey Musgraves</a> <a href="" type="internal">Kelly Clarkson</a> <a href="" type="internal">Lincoln Theatre</a> <a href="" type="internal">Lisner Auditorum</a> <a href="" type="internal">Lizz Wright</a> <a href="" type="internal">Loretta Lynn</a> <a href="" type="internal">Lucinda Williams</a> <a href="" type="internal">Madeleine Peyroux</a> <a href="" type="internal">Madonna</a> <a href="" type="internal">Marc Anthony</a> <a href="" type="internal">Marina and the Diamonds</a> <a href="" type="internal">Mavis Staples</a> <a href="" type="internal">Megan Hilty</a> <a href="" type="internal">Merriweather Post Pavilion</a> <a href="" type="internal">Michael Feinstein</a> <a href="" type="internal">Nate Ruess</a> <a href="" type="internal">Nick Jonas</a> <a href="" type="internal">Of Monsters and Men</a> <a href="" type="internal">Patty Griffin</a> <a href="" type="internal">Peaches</a> <a href="" type="internal">Philadelphia Orchestra</a> <a href="" type="internal">Pier Six Pavilion</a> <a href="" type="internal">R. Kelly</a> <a href="" type="internal">Rickie Lee Jones</a> <a href="" type="internal">Ricky Martin</a> <a href="" type="internal">Ride</a> <a href="" type="internal">Rodney Crowell</a> <a href="" type="internal">Seraphic Fire</a> <a href="" type="internal">Sparks</a> <a href="" type="internal">Stevie Wonder</a> <a href="" type="internal">Strathmore</a> <a href="" type="internal">Stromae</a> <a href="" type="internal">Suzanne Vega</a> <a href="" type="internal">The Birchmere</a> <a href="" type="internal">The Fillmore</a> <a href="" type="internal">the Orb</a> <a href="" type="internal">The Strokes</a> <a href="" type="internal">the War on Drugs</a> <a href="" type="internal">the Weeknd</a> <a href="" type="internal">the Who</a> <a href="" type="internal">Verizon Center</a> <a href="" type="internal">Wolf Trap</a> <a href="" type="internal">Years &amp; Years</a></p>
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eaglebank arena formerly patriot center host latinpop superstar ricky martin oct 9 photo courtesy flylife inc fall concert season gets rolling three bigtime pop stars spanning three generations performing within days september vocal powerhouse kelly clarkson backtoback nights wolf trap 1551 trap road vienna va sept 1213 7 pm wolftraporg pop icon madonna returns verizon center 601 f st nw sept 12 8 pm support rebel heart album livenationcom ticketmastercom isnt enough diva power legendary diana ross strathmore 10701 rockville pike north bethesda md sept 15 8 pm strathmoreorg sept 13 show pier six pavilion piersixpavilioncom baltimore thats start shaping exciting concert season dc fall perhaps biggest event landmark music festival west potomac park west basin drive sw twoday event starting saturday sept 26 noon featuring impressive lineup including drake altj strokes chvrches chromeo ben howard band horses fun frontman nate ruess war drugs full lineup information landmarkfestivaorg addition madonna verizon center real heavy hitters british pop sensation ed sheeran play two nights sept 2223 730 pm rampb giant r kelly headlines sept 26 8 pm musical legend stevie wonder performs oct 3 8 pm play landmark album songs key life entirety fantastic rock doublebill goes nov 1 730 pm recent hall fame inductees joan jett blackhearts open one hottest artists country poprampb sensation weeknd takes stage nov 15 730 pm 930 club 815 v st nw usual host topnotch talent slated fall reunited 90s shoegaze band ride play sept 17 7 pm gayfronted band years amp years play sept 19 8 pm pop vocalist tove lo performs oct 19 6 pm alwaysoutrageous peaches160returns oct 26 7 pm highlight season return alternativerock legends garbage perform oct 2829 7 pm celebrate 20th anniversary debut album play entirety details 930com summer may winding still big shows upcoming merriweather post pavilion 10475 little patuxent parkway columbia md death cab cutie take stage sept 13 730 pm fresh 1 album sound amp color alabama shakes perform onsept 18 8 pm monsters men play sept 20 8 pm details merriweathermusiccom country music stars idea perfect evening september couple big opportunities shouldnt miss jiffy lube live 7800 cellar door drive bristow va jason aldean hit stage sept 12 7 pm brad paisley sept 26 7 pm details at160 jiffylubelivecom thing dancing echostage 2135 queens chapel rd ne place fall lineup highlighted british electronic duo disclosure supporting new album caracal shows oct 21 doors 8 pm oct 22 opening 9 pm dutch electrohiphop star stromae160will perform sept 16 7 pm edm hero armin van buuren place jumping sept 24 doors opening 9 pm worldrenowned dj kaskade spins oct 16 9 pm details echostagecom birchmere 3701 mt vernon ave alexandria va impressive lineup talent calendar highlighted emmylou harris rodney crowell performing together sept 10 730 pm talented singersongwriter patty griffin sept 29 730 pm renowned lesbian folkrock duo indigo girls perform nov 2 730 details birchmerecom howard theatre 620 st nw hosts cd party amazing lizz wright sept 11 8 pm electronic pioneers orb appear sept 13 8 pm lalah hathaway two nights sept 26 28 8 pm information additional listings go to160 thehowardtheatrecom lisner auditorium george washington university 730 21st st nw lucinda williams perform oct 7 8 pm mavis staples joan osborne bring solid soul tour oct 31 8 pm lisnergwuedu fillmore silver spring 8656 colesville rd silver spring md serves pop heartthrob nick jonas sept 29 730 pm details fillmoresilverspringcom classical outfit seraphic fire perform handels coronation anthems st pauls episcopal church 2430 k st nw nov 10 theyll return 2016 two concerts details seraphicfireorg loretta lynn plays lincoln theatre 1215 u st nw sept 27 630 pm notable shows lincoln include ffs outstanding mashup sparks franz ferdinand oct 5 630 pm kacey musgraves two nights oct 1617 630 pm marina diamonds160on nov 6 630 pm details thelincolndccom addition kelly clarkson wolf trap host broadway favorite megan hilty oct 9 7 930 pm iconic lesbian vocalist joan armatrading two nights oct 31 nov 1 730 pm madeleine peyroux nov 17 8 pm suzanne vega duncan sheik nov 1819 8 pm rickie lee jones nov 20 8 pm eaglebank arena formerly patriot center host openly gay latinpop superstar ricky martin oct 9 8 pm marc anthony oct 11 7 pm details eaglebankarenacom three gay strathmore dates put calendar december dave koz returns dec 4 gayhelmed philadelphia orchestra perform dec 7 michael feinstein dec 11 details strathmoreorg 2015 fall arts guide 930 club alabama shakes altj armin van buuren baltimore band horses ben howard brad paisley chromeo chvrches dave koz death cab cutie diana ross disclosure dj kaskade drake duncan sheik eaglebank arena echostage ed sheeran emmylou harris ffs franz ferdinand fun garbage howard theatre indigo girls jason aldean joan armatrading joan jett blackhearts joan osborne kacey musgraves kelly clarkson lincoln theatre lisner auditorum lizz wright loretta lynn lucinda williams madeleine peyroux madonna marc anthony marina diamonds mavis staples megan hilty merriweather post pavilion michael feinstein nate ruess nick jonas monsters men patty griffin peaches philadelphia orchestra pier six pavilion r kelly rickie lee jones ricky martin ride rodney crowell seraphic fire sparks stevie wonder strathmore stromae suzanne vega birchmere fillmore orb strokes war drugs weeknd verizon center wolf trap years amp years
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<p>Were Senator Ted Cruz of Texas elected President of the United States, Tim Macy, chairman of Gun Owners of America (GOA), says he would have a few urgent matters to address. Chief among these would be to work&#160;with Cruz on abolishing the federal background check system, which prevents dangerous people from purchasing firearms.&#160;</p>
<p>“I would hope we could do that together,” Macy tells The Trace. “We would like to get rid of the background check law” — known as the Brady Act — “because it clearly doesn’t work, and never has worked.”</p>
<p><a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2016/02/02/us/ted-cruz-wins-republican-caucus.html?emc=edit_th_20160202&amp;nl=todaysheadlines&amp;nlid=54624752" type="external">Now Cruz has won the Republican caucuses in Iowa</a>, making Macy’s vision more than a piece of wishful thinking.</p>
<p>GOA is a no-compromise gun lobbying group far to the right of the National Rifle Association (NRA). In early September, it endorsed Cruz for President. Shortly thereafter, the Republican frontrunner touted the backing of the obscure group during a nationally televised debate — a dog whistle to hardcore gun voters meant to signal his Second Amendment bona fides. <a href="" type="internal">The move was also unprecedented</a>, according to Alan Schroeder, a debate historian who spoke with The Trace at the time. GOA is <a href="" type="internal">as an extremist organization</a>: for decades it has been affiliated with white supremacists and the country’s anti-government militia movement. For most candidates, publicly associating oneself with such a group would be too politically risky.</p>
<p>“I honestly cannot think of a parallel example from previous presidential primary debates,” Schroeder said.</p>
<p>Yet the connection between GOA and Senator Cruz goes much deeper than a mere endorsement. It’s a collaborative effort, with both sides working together to shape pro-gun policy.&#160;“In a Republican primary, everybody is God’s gift to guns,” Macy says. “But when the rubber hits the road and they get elected, you find out what’s really going on. With Cruz, we got somebody who would work with us.”</p>
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<p>On a <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qbYVK388lpw" type="external">GOA-sponsored town hall-style conference call</a> with gun owners last year, Cruz credited GOA with playing “a critical part in helping get me elected” to the Senate. In that 2012 race, <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2012/08/03/us/ted-cruz-with-tea-party-help-defeated-david-dewhurst-in-texas-senate-primary.html?_r=0" type="external">Cruz started out as a long-shot candidate</a> running against then-Lieutenant Governor David Dewhurst, the deep-pocketed establishment favorite who had an A+ rating from the NRA. Cruz, meanwhile, was a latecomer to gun culture. Despite coming of age in Texas, he hadn’t purchased his first handgun until he was in his early thirties.</p>
<p>Gun Owners of America is most interested in eliminating “anti-gun laws that are already on the books,” says the group’s chairman. Near the top of that to-do list is the dismantling of the background check system.</p>
<p>But as he made a name for himself at Tea Party rallies, Cruz attracted the attention of Gun Owners of America, whose endorsement would lend him credibility in gun circles. Researching his legal background, they found what seemed to be a natural ally. In 2008, as Texas’s solicitor general, Cruz <a href="http://bigstory.ap.org/article/1b6a96af8ab24cfc8adef26c8433d617/cruz-joined-fight-gun-rights-political-fortunes-rose" type="external">filed an amicus brief</a> to the U.S. Supreme Court representing Texas and 30 other states in support of Dick Heller, who challenged Washington, D.C.’s gun ban. That year, the justices ruled in Heller’s favor, overturning the law in a decision that established an individual’s right to bear arms.</p>
<p>“We saw that he understood what the phrase ‘shall not be infringed’ means,” says Macy. “We actually endorsed him with very little conversation up front.”</p>
<p>Macy visited Cruz in Texas several times in 2012. As the two men became acquainted, Macy believed he had found a kind of ideological soul mate.</p>
<p>“The more I was around Cruz,” he says, “the more comfortable I was that he says what he means and does what he says.” Macy adds, “We have many thousands of members in Texas. We alerted them to go to work for Cruz, send him money, do whatever they could.” GOA, for its part, maxed out their direct contributions to the Senator’s campaign, giving just under $6,000.</p>
<p>Larry Pratt, GOA’s controversial executive director, recalls that period fondly. “We were all in,” he says. “We did mailings. We did a lot of phone banking, getting the word out that we were supporting him. We kept up the drum beat, and I think that’s part of what brought him over the finish line.”</p>
<p>Cruz ultimately won 56 percent of the vote in the general election. When he took office on January 3, 2013, the nation was still reeling from the mass shooting that had taken place a few weeks earlier at an elementary school in Newtown, Connecticut. In the shooting’s aftermath, gun reform seemed to have its best prospect in years. The most notable bill introduced at the time was <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2013/04/18/us/politics/senate-obama-gun-control.html" type="external">the Manchin-Toomey amendment</a>, which would have expanded background checks. Even the NRA tentatively supported it, but GOA considered the measure unacceptable. In an effort to combat the bill, they reached out to their newest asset, Senator Cruz.</p>
<p>“There were lots of emails and phone calls,” Macy remembers. “Some of our input was very instrumental in killing that legislation, and Senator Cruz was crucial in making sure it didn’t pass.”</p>
<p>The group contended that Manchin-Toomey would <a href="http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/news/the-zealot-larry-pratt-is-the-gun-lobbys-secret-weapon-20140714" type="external">lead to the creation of a federal gun registry</a>. It wouldn’t have, but that argument, appropriated by Cruz to whip up hysteria among his colleagues, was a decisive factor in the death of the measure <a href="http://politics.nytimes.com/congress/votes/113/senate/1/97" type="external">in April 2013</a>. A month later, <a href="http://www.capitalnewyork.com/article/politics/2013/05/8530518/cruz-obama-cant-be-trusted-background-checks-because-drones-irs-rep" type="external">a reporter from Capital New York</a> interviewed the Senator, who repeated the claim. The reporter then informed him that the bill specifically outlawed such a database.</p>
<p>“It purports to do so,” Cruz said. “But if it were passed, the next day the argument from the Justice Department, from the Obama administration would be, this legislation is utterly ineffective because we don’t have a registry, and I think a registry would be deeply inconsistent with the constitutional right to keep and bear arms.”</p>
<p>Since then, according to Macy, the two staffs have continued to share ideas. They discuss “a lot of potential legislation down the road,” he says. “One of our biggest issues is reciprocity nationwide,” a law that would allow gun owners with concealed carry permits to carry their weapons in any state. “I guarantee we’ll be working closely with his staff on legislation along those lines.”</p>
<p>But ultimately, Macy says, GOA is more interested in eliminating “anti-gun laws that are already on the books.” Near the top of that to-do list is the dismantling of the background check system. According to a 2015 poll taken by the <a href="https://www.americanprogress.org/press/release/2015/11/17/125618/release-gun-owners-overwhelmingly-support-background-checks-see-nra-as-out-of-touch-new-poll-finds/" type="external">Center for American Progress,</a> 83 percent of gun owners support background checks for all firearms sales. But GOA has been <a href="https://www.gunowners.org/nws9402.htm" type="external">vocally opposed to the Brady Act</a> since its implementation in 1993.&#160;Background checks, Macy claims, only prevent law-abiding citizens from legally purchasing guns.&#160;</p>
<p>GOA has not yet discussed ending the background check system with Cruz, but the group knows it has the Senator’s ear. “We’ve been in the same foxhole,” says Larry Pratt, the executive director. “And that’s an important bond.”</p>
<p>[Photo: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jG9V_ePjcX0" type="external">Ted Cruz YouTube</a>]</p>
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senator ted cruz texas elected president united states tim macy chairman gun owners america goa says would urgent matters address chief among would work160with cruz abolishing federal background check system prevents dangerous people purchasing firearms160 would hope could together macy tells trace would like get rid background check law known brady act clearly doesnt work never worked cruz republican caucuses iowa making macys vision piece wishful thinking goa nocompromise gun lobbying group far right national rifle association nra early september endorsed cruz president shortly thereafter republican frontrunner touted backing obscure group nationally televised debate dog whistle hardcore gun voters meant signal second amendment bona fides move also unprecedented according alan schroeder debate historian spoke trace time goa extremist organization decades affiliated white supremacists countrys antigovernment militia movement candidates publicly associating oneself group would politically risky honestly think parallel example previous presidential primary debates schroeder said yet connection goa senator cruz goes much deeper mere endorsement collaborative effort sides working together shape progun policy160in republican primary everybody gods gift guns macy says rubber hits road get elected find whats really going cruz got somebody would work us subscribe receive traces newsletters important gun news analysis goasponsored town hallstyle conference call gun owners last year cruz credited goa playing critical part helping get elected senate 2012 race cruz started longshot candidate running thenlieutenant governor david dewhurst deeppocketed establishment favorite rating nra cruz meanwhile latecomer gun culture despite coming age texas hadnt purchased first handgun early thirties gun owners america interested eliminating antigun laws already books says groups chairman near top todo list dismantling background check system made name tea party rallies cruz attracted attention gun owners america whose endorsement would lend credibility gun circles researching legal background found seemed natural ally 2008 texass solicitor general cruz filed amicus brief us supreme court representing texas 30 states support dick heller challenged washington dcs gun ban year justices ruled hellers favor overturning law decision established individuals right bear arms saw understood phrase shall infringed means says macy actually endorsed little conversation front macy visited cruz texas several times 2012 two men became acquainted macy believed found kind ideological soul mate around cruz says comfortable says means says macy adds many thousands members texas alerted go work cruz send money whatever could goa part maxed direct contributions senators campaign giving 6000 larry pratt goas controversial executive director recalls period fondly says mailings lot phone banking getting word supporting kept drum beat think thats part brought finish line cruz ultimately 56 percent vote general election took office january 3 2013 nation still reeling mass shooting taken place weeks earlier elementary school newtown connecticut shootings aftermath gun reform seemed best prospect years notable bill introduced time manchintoomey amendment would expanded background checks even nra tentatively supported goa considered measure unacceptable effort combat bill reached newest asset senator cruz lots emails phone calls macy remembers input instrumental killing legislation senator cruz crucial making sure didnt pass group contended manchintoomey would lead creation federal gun registry wouldnt argument appropriated cruz whip hysteria among colleagues decisive factor death measure april 2013 month later reporter capital new york interviewed senator repeated claim reporter informed bill specifically outlawed database purports cruz said passed next day argument justice department obama administration would legislation utterly ineffective dont registry think registry would deeply inconsistent constitutional right keep bear arms since according macy two staffs continued share ideas discuss lot potential legislation road says one biggest issues reciprocity nationwide law would allow gun owners concealed carry permits carry weapons state guarantee well working closely staff legislation along lines ultimately macy says goa interested eliminating antigun laws already books near top todo list dismantling background check system according 2015 poll taken center american progress 83 percent gun owners support background checks firearms sales goa vocally opposed brady act since implementation 1993160background checks macy claims prevent lawabiding citizens legally purchasing guns160 goa yet discussed ending background check system cruz group knows senators ear weve foxhole says larry pratt executive director thats important bond photo ted cruz youtube
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<p>Illinois state law requires public school districts to serve students under the age of 21. However, re-enrollment can be denied to dropouts who lack sufficient credits and can not graduate before their 21st birthday. Such students receive counseling on alternative education programs. CATALYST Associate Editor Maureen Kelleher talked to students at two such programs, Latino Youth Alternative and Garfield Alternative high schools. These are the stories they shared.</p>
<p>Latino Youth</p>
<p>Pedro Ramos, 20</p>
<p>From Farragut</p>
<p>Farragut High School dropped Pedro Ramos from its student rolls after he missed a month of classes to travel to Mexico. “A family member was passing away,” he says.</p>
<p>Like other no-show students, Ramos was handed a list of GED programs and alternative schools when he returned to Farragut. “They said, ‘You can go to any of these schools.'” His counselor suggested he contact Daley College and Latino Youth.</p>
<p>Ramos tried Daley first, but found he needed more support than he got. “I didn’t put a lot of effort into it,” he says. “They didn’t have anyone to guide me like here [at Latino Youth].”</p>
<p>Things were different at Latino Youth. The personal interaction students receive from teachers, for instance, is a big change from Ramos’s experience at Farragut. “They pay a lot of attention to students,” he says. “You really learn better here than in regular high school. You can always talk to someone here, not like in regular high school, where they’re like, ‘I don’t have time right now—come early or come on your lunch.'”</p>
<p>Fellow Latino Youth students agree. Students can call and talk to teachers on weekends and holidays. One former teacher—who no longer works for the program—distributed her home number to students and still keeps in touch.</p>
<p>“Where do you see that in a regular high school?” Ramos asks accusingly.</p>
<p>Juan Pablo Flores, 18</p>
<p>From Farragut</p>
<p>In March 1997, Farragut “dropped me accidentally,” says Juan Pablo Flores. But his story suggests he skipped classes at Farragut on a regular basis.</p>
<p>Farragut had put Flores “on contract,” a strategy schools use to keep tabs on class cutters and truants. Flores was required to get signatures from teachers in each of his classes and then deliver the list of signatures to the attendance office at the end of each day. “I got all of them,” Flores contends.</p>
<p>However, school officials presented Flores with a different story. “‘You missed 14 days since the contract, and you had 21 cuts,'” he recalls. “They told me I was gonna be dropped.” Still, Flores alleges the school got it all wrong. “I even had the signatures. They gave me the wrong record.”</p>
<p>Flores signed a withdrawal form, then went home and told his father. “My dad got mad,” he says. “He was just mad at me for not fighting for myself.” His father went to school to try to convince school officials to readmit his son. He failed, Flores says, “because I had signed the drop thing.”</p>
<p>After several months off, Flores followed in his sister’s footsteps and began taking classes at Latino Youth. “I like it a lot because I actually learn something,” he says.</p>
<p>Israel Huicochea, 18</p>
<p>From Farragut</p>
<p>Israel Huicochea admits he made mistakes as a student at Farragut. “I messed around like the first couple of years. I was in gang fights, I had my little record in school.”</p>
<p>During the summer of 1997, Huicochea got into trouble outside of school. As a result, he missed the first week of classes. When he finally showed up, school officials would not allow him to enroll: “‘You’re already 17. We can’t take you back with your record.’ I told them I was ready to dedicate myself to my education. The vice principal, that knew me, said, ‘You already had your chance.'”</p>
<p>After leaving Farragut, Huicochea tried to sign up for Latino Youth right away, but classes had already started. Huicochea spent two months out of school, “hanging out” and working afternoons at a mail-order company near Bellwood.</p>
<p>Now, he expects to graduate in March 1999 and has already been accepted for an auto mechanic training program at Lincoln Technical Institute. But Huicochea is undecided. “I’m still looking around.” He is also considering West Side Technical Institute and has visited DePaul University and University of Illinois at Chicago.</p>
<p>While Huicochea praises Latino Youth, he is ambivalent about how he got there. “I wouldn’t tell [other troubled students to] drop out and come to this school.” Instead, he hopes students will think ahead to college and career plans, “not just to settle for a high school diploma.”</p>
<p>Cristina Mora, 19</p>
<p>From Mexico</p>
<p>Cristina Mora attended a public elementary school in Chicago and then a high school in Mexico. When she returned to Chicago, school officials did not accept her credits and told her she was “too old” for a regular four-year program.</p>
<p>“I tried to apply for Farragut,” she recalls. “They told me, ‘If you would stay here, you would have to be here for four years, and you would be 22 when you got out.'”</p>
<p>Instead, the school gave Mora a list of alternative schools. Mora’s mother insisted Farragut accept her, but her efforts were in vain. “She didn’t want me to go to an alternative school.”</p>
<p>Mora first tried Truman Middle College. “I know a friend there from grammar school, and she said it was a good school.” Mora took the test, but never connected with Truman to get the results.</p>
<p>Latino Youth was closest to her home, but it had a bad reputation in Mora’s social circle. “People kept saying it was a bad school. All the dropouts were gangsters, gangbangers,” she says. Her experience proved otherwise. “When I came here, I found out that wasn’t true.”</p>
<p>What she did find at Latino Youth was an atmosphere that encouraged students to discover their strengths. “See that guy,” she says, pointing to a young man standing in a nearby knot of students. “Angel dropped from Farragut, but he’s number one in our math class here.” The first test they had, “he got a really high math score. He seemed surprised himself. He felt good about himself for the first time.”</p>
<p>Though she nearly completed high school in Mexico, Mora will be at Latino Youth for a couple years. Some of her records were lost at Truman College, and the hassle of getting new transcripts from her old school in Mexico was not worth it, she says. “So I just figured, OK, it’s two years [to earn a diploma]. I can get through it fast.”</p>
<p>Mora says she enjoys both the academic subjects and the personal values she is learning at Latino Youth. Beyond the usual work ethic schools typically preach to students, Latino Youth encourages self-discovery, she says. “When we came here, they asked us, ‘What would you like to study?'” A recent camping trip went even further in breaking down barriers between students and teachers. “Our problems came out around the fire. We started communicating, not the teacher teaches us but the teachers learn from us.”</p>
<p>Eva Solis, 19</p>
<p>From Mexico</p>
<p>Eva Solis never attended high school until she found Latino Youth. Like Mora, she attended grammar school in Chicago, but left for Mexico near the end of 8th grade. When she came back to the city, her only option was to attend her neighborhood school—Tilden.</p>
<p>She never went. Tilden had not only a poor academic record, but also a reputation for tough students. Solis was afraid to go. “The tough girls there, they’d beat me up,” she asserts. “My mom was afraid they’d beat me up.”</p>
<p>Instead, Solis and her mother tried applying to other area schools. Kelly, Juarez and Farragut all declined to enroll her because she lived outside their attendance boundaries. “So then after that I stayed home, and I ended up pregnant,” she says. Her son was born in September 1994. “That was two years right there. I didn’t go to high school at all.”</p>
<p>Solis first came to Latino Youth in 1996. “I was thinking that I needed to get an education, a better future.” She was thinking of her son, too. “What can I offer him when I’m at home?” she asked herself.</p>
<p>While taking her son to a clinic on the North Side, she saw a sign for the Alternative Schools Network. “They had it on a board, and I wrote down the number.” When she called, they referred her to Latino Youth, which provides on-site child care among its support services. “That was the closest one to me. What was great was the day care was next door, and it was only a dollar a day.”</p>
<p>At first, Solis attended class “on and off” and eventually was told to take a trimester off, then try again. She came back in 1997 and expects to graduate next spring. Her career goal is to become a social worker, and she plans to attend Daley or Malcolm X college.</p>
<p>Garfield Alternative</p>
<p>Nicole Brooks, 18</p>
<p>From Industrial Skills Center</p>
<p>In the spring of 1997, Nicole Brooks’s doctor put her on bed rest. She was pregnant and, as an asthma sufferer, at high risk. She applied to Chicago Vocational High School for home schooling services.</p>
<p>“Here’s my note from my doctor,” she says she told CVS. “They still did not give me my homebound.”</p>
<p>So she transferred to Phillips, but the school denied her request too. Instead, Brooks enrolled in Phillips’ Industrial Skills Center. It offered the opportunity to stay home and do school work, Brooks says. But “your attendance didn’t count” on Phillips’s rolls, she adds. So many kids missed classes, the center was shut down. Too bad for Brooks. “I liked it there. You only had to have 16 credits to graduate. That would have been fast.”</p>
<p>After the center closed, “I was calling around to schools. I didn’t want to go back to CVS or Harper or Tilden,” she says. A counselor gave Brooks a list of alternative programs; only three offered diplomas, and she was not interested in a GED program. Garfield was not mentioned.</p>
<p>“I really don’t remember how I found out about Garfield,” Brooks says. She arrived last February and immediately connected with the program. “I loved school,” she says. “They wouldn’t let me come here while I was pregnant. I waited until I had the baby.” The school wanted her to wait three months after delivery, but she persisted and started class a month early.</p>
<p>Brooks now has 15 credits and expects to graduate next August. “I got accepted to Chicago State with an $11,000 grant,” she says. She plans to major in computer science.</p>
<p>Everett Berry, 17</p>
<p>From Gage Park</p>
<p>Berry admits he goofed off a lot and earned few credits during his first year at Gage Park. “I made it through halfway of my second year, halfway.” Then he was ambushed in a school fight, he says.</p>
<p>“Before I got jumped on it was all good,” he says. “Then I went to a military school.” The school was Lincoln’s Challenge, a residential program in Rantoul, Illinois, which also receives funding from CPS. Although Berry chose to enter the program, what he saw there convinced him to head home in less than a week. “Ain’t take me long to make up my mind,” he says. “I’m straight. I’ll go to regular school.”</p>
<p>Berry’s reason for leaving? Fighting. “More stuff was happening out there than in the schools,” he says, still amazed. “They’re fighting over nothing. Put me on a team where nobody’s going to fight,” he chuckles.</p>
<p>Next, Berry tried enrolling at Tilden. “They said I had to go to a neighborhood school.” But his was Harper, and he wasn’t going there.</p>
<p>A family friend told him about Garfield. At first, Berry clowned around in class. His grades showed it. “I was failing,” he says. So he decided it was time to get serious. “I was asking the teachers ‘What can I do to help my grades?’ I stayed after school. Even though I was a problem in the beginning, I learned from my mistake.”</p>
<p>Although Berry says his grades now are good, the road to his diploma may yet hold a few bumps. Berry recently moved in with his father, who lives in a better neighborhood, and commutes several miles to school. “It was a struggle trying to come here every day. If I don’t have carfare, I can’t come,” he says.</p>
<p>Evelyn Perot, 18</p>
<p>From King</p>
<p>King High School dropped Evelyn Perot after her sophomore year for excessive absences. She didn’t like school at the time and says she had to travel too far to get there after her family moved out of the area.</p>
<p>She tried to transfer to a school closer to her new home, but failed. “I tried to go to Morgan Park, but they wouldn’t take me,” she says. Julian was overcrowded and also refused her request to enroll.</p>
<p>When she left King, a counselor gave her a list of alternative diploma and GED programs. A King counselor suggested Perot attend Kennedy-King College GED program. “They put that on my sheet,” she says. “I had a transfer.”</p>
<p>She didn’t go. Instead, , Perot did a bit of soul searching. “What I’m staying out of school for?” she asked herself. “My sister was going to Chicago State. I’m the only one doing nothing with my life. I want to go to college and have a life, a successful education and career, to take care of myself.”</p>
<p>So Perot began to hunt around: Olive-Harvey, another “school on the north side.” Neither worked out. Then her sister, a former Garfield student, intervened on Perot’s behalf. “I felt good when I got back in school,” says Perot with a smile.</p>
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illinois state law requires public school districts serve students age 21 however reenrollment denied dropouts lack sufficient credits graduate 21st birthday students receive counseling alternative education programs catalyst associate editor maureen kelleher talked students two programs latino youth alternative garfield alternative high schools stories shared latino youth pedro ramos 20 farragut farragut high school dropped pedro ramos student rolls missed month classes travel mexico family member passing away says like noshow students ramos handed list ged programs alternative schools returned farragut said go schools counselor suggested contact daley college latino youth ramos tried daley first found needed support got didnt put lot effort says didnt anyone guide like latino youth things different latino youth personal interaction students receive teachers instance big change ramoss experience farragut pay lot attention students says really learn better regular high school always talk someone like regular high school theyre like dont time right nowcome early come lunch fellow latino youth students agree students call talk teachers weekends holidays one former teacherwho longer works programdistributed home number students still keeps touch see regular high school ramos asks accusingly juan pablo flores 18 farragut march 1997 farragut dropped accidentally says juan pablo flores story suggests skipped classes farragut regular basis farragut put flores contract strategy schools use keep tabs class cutters truants flores required get signatures teachers classes deliver list signatures attendance office end day got flores contends however school officials presented flores different story missed 14 days since contract 21 cuts recalls told gon na dropped still flores alleges school got wrong even signatures gave wrong record flores signed withdrawal form went home told father dad got mad says mad fighting father went school try convince school officials readmit son failed flores says signed drop thing several months flores followed sisters footsteps began taking classes latino youth like lot actually learn something says israel huicochea 18 farragut israel huicochea admits made mistakes student farragut messed around like first couple years gang fights little record school summer 1997 huicochea got trouble outside school result missed first week classes finally showed school officials would allow enroll youre already 17 cant take back record told ready dedicate education vice principal knew said already chance leaving farragut huicochea tried sign latino youth right away classes already started huicochea spent two months school hanging working afternoons mailorder company near bellwood expects graduate march 1999 already accepted auto mechanic training program lincoln technical institute huicochea undecided im still looking around also considering west side technical institute visited depaul university university illinois chicago huicochea praises latino youth ambivalent got wouldnt tell troubled students drop come school instead hopes students think ahead college career plans settle high school diploma cristina mora 19 mexico cristina mora attended public elementary school chicago high school mexico returned chicago school officials accept credits told old regular fouryear program tried apply farragut recalls told would stay would four years would 22 got instead school gave mora list alternative schools moras mother insisted farragut accept efforts vain didnt want go alternative school mora first tried truman middle college know friend grammar school said good school mora took test never connected truman get results latino youth closest home bad reputation moras social circle people kept saying bad school dropouts gangsters gangbangers says experience proved otherwise came found wasnt true find latino youth atmosphere encouraged students discover strengths see guy says pointing young man standing nearby knot students angel dropped farragut hes number one math class first test got really high math score seemed surprised felt good first time though nearly completed high school mexico mora latino youth couple years records lost truman college hassle getting new transcripts old school mexico worth says figured ok two years earn diploma get fast mora says enjoys academic subjects personal values learning latino youth beyond usual work ethic schools typically preach students latino youth encourages selfdiscovery says came asked us would like study recent camping trip went even breaking barriers students teachers problems came around fire started communicating teacher teaches us teachers learn us eva solis 19 mexico eva solis never attended high school found latino youth like mora attended grammar school chicago left mexico near end 8th grade came back city option attend neighborhood schooltilden never went tilden poor academic record also reputation tough students solis afraid go tough girls theyd beat asserts mom afraid theyd beat instead solis mother tried applying area schools kelly juarez farragut declined enroll lived outside attendance boundaries stayed home ended pregnant says son born september 1994 two years right didnt go high school solis first came latino youth 1996 thinking needed get education better future thinking son offer im home asked taking son clinic north side saw sign alternative schools network board wrote number called referred latino youth provides onsite child care among support services closest one great day care next door dollar day first solis attended class eventually told take trimester try came back 1997 expects graduate next spring career goal become social worker plans attend daley malcolm x college garfield alternative nicole brooks 18 industrial skills center spring 1997 nicole brookss doctor put bed rest pregnant asthma sufferer high risk applied chicago vocational high school home schooling services heres note doctor says told cvs still give homebound transferred phillips school denied request instead brooks enrolled phillips industrial skills center offered opportunity stay home school work brooks says attendance didnt count phillipss rolls adds many kids missed classes center shut bad brooks liked 16 credits graduate would fast center closed calling around schools didnt want go back cvs harper tilden says counselor gave brooks list alternative programs three offered diplomas interested ged program garfield mentioned really dont remember found garfield brooks says arrived last february immediately connected program loved school says wouldnt let come pregnant waited baby school wanted wait three months delivery persisted started class month early brooks 15 credits expects graduate next august got accepted chicago state 11000 grant says plans major computer science everett berry 17 gage park berry admits goofed lot earned credits first year gage park made halfway second year halfway ambushed school fight says got jumped good says went military school school lincolns challenge residential program rantoul illinois also receives funding cps although berry chose enter program saw convinced head home less week aint take long make mind says im straight ill go regular school berrys reason leaving fighting stuff happening schools says still amazed theyre fighting nothing put team nobodys going fight chuckles next berry tried enrolling tilden said go neighborhood school harper wasnt going family friend told garfield first berry clowned around class grades showed failing says decided time get serious asking teachers help grades stayed school even though problem beginning learned mistake although berry says grades good road diploma may yet hold bumps berry recently moved father lives better neighborhood commutes several miles school struggle trying come every day dont carfare cant come says evelyn perot 18 king king high school dropped evelyn perot sophomore year excessive absences didnt like school time says travel far get family moved area tried transfer school closer new home failed tried go morgan park wouldnt take says julian overcrowded also refused request enroll left king counselor gave list alternative diploma ged programs king counselor suggested perot attend kennedyking college ged program put sheet says transfer didnt go instead perot bit soul searching im staying school asked sister going chicago state im one nothing life want go college life successful education career take care perot began hunt around oliveharvey another school north side neither worked sister former garfield student intervened perots behalf felt good got back school says perot smile
| 1,267 |
<p>&#160;</p>
<p>Education Secretary Arne Duncan came back to Chicago on Friday to pat state and local leaders on the back for two things: passing state legislation on education and paving the way to accomplish one of the things he didn’t as schools CEO: lengthening the school day.&#160;</p>
<p>&#160;But his successor won’t avoid labor strife as district officials try to accomplish a move that Duncan and his boss, former Mayor M. Richard Daley, could not.&#160;</p>
<p>On Friday, Brown Elementary on the Near West Side voted to join four other schools—STEM Magnet, Mays, Melody, and Skinner North—in approving a contract waiver to add 90 minutes to the day. Several CPS principals contacted by Catalyst Chicago said they, and their teachers, were still considering the district’s offer.&#160;</p>
<p>&#160;At the same time, the teachers union filed a legal challenge with the Illinois Educational Labor Relations Board against the district.&#160;</p>
<p>&#160;Duncan was in town on Friday to participate in a panel discussion about Senate Bill 7, the legislation passed this spring that, among other provisions, allows the mayor to unilaterally set the length of the school day. Duncan said he was so impressed with the legislation that he “felt as though he is in a dream” and that he touts the bill’s provisions as he travels the country.&#160;</p>
<p>&#160;Duncan was in town on the last part of a midwest Back-to-School bus tour that included stops in six states. Duncan also touted the jobs bill introduced by President Barack Obama on Thursday evening. The bill would provide $60 billion in education funding. Illinois would get $1.24 billion that Duncan said that could save 14,500 teaching jobs. The state would also get $1.1 billion for school infrastructure. Of that, Chicago would get $609 million.&#160;</p>
<p>&#160;Members of the panel, which included Gov. Pat Quinn and State Senator Kimberly Lightford (D-Maywood), praised the legislation as a collaborative effort that included the voices of the teacher unions, school management and advocacy groups.&#160;</p>
<p>“It is the right way to do things,” Duncan said. “No one was shut out of the process.”&#160;</p>
<p>This air of collaboration, however, stands in sharp contrast to what has happened since.&#160;</p>
<p>Though the law gave Mayor Emanuel the power to lengthen the day, he couldn’t do it immediately because the union contract setting the school day and year is still in effect until June 2012.&#160;</p>
<p>Emanuel, though, didn’t want to wait. “It is not a question of whether it is going to happen, it is a question of when,” he said Friday. “If it is good for 2012, it is good for now.”&#160;</p>
<p>Emanuel and CPS leaders tried to use a back-door approach. First, the CPS Board of Education said it had no money to pay contractually-promised teacher raises of 4 percent. Then, CEO Jean-Claude Brizard immediately made it clear that he wanted to use the raises as a bargaining chip, offering elementary teachers a raise of 2 percent in exchange for a longer school day.&#160;</p>
<p>Chicago Teachers Union President Karen Lewis balked, saying that her union was not going to vote to terminate the current contract.&#160;</p>
<p>Since then, five schools have voted for a waiver that would allow the extension of the school day. In exchange, the teachers were offered a $1,250 bonus, which amounts to a 2 percent pay raise. The schools also got an extra $150,000 if they were going to start immediately or $75,000 if they started in January. Emanuel said on Friday that more schools will vote in the coming weeks.&#160;</p>
<p>Kent Nolen at Chalmers Elementary, a predominantly black, low-income school in North Lawndale, says he would like his teachers to pass the measure, but the reception has been “lukewarm” because of Emanuel’s involvement and the political fight.</p>
<p>&#160;“Our kids are ultimately going to benefit from an extended school day,” Nolen says. “Our school community, our parents, our local school council, all agree.”&#160;</p>
<p>He notes that many teachers already work off the clock, running activities before school as early as 7 a.m. and after school as late as 6 p.m., as well as on Saturdays.&#160;Last year, the school posted strong reading and math gains, and is determined not to be a “one-hit wonder,” Nolen adds.</p>
<p>It is unclear exactly how the district plans to pay for the initiative, although Emanuel said Friday that the district would have to find ways to cut the bureaucracy to do so. To give 480 elementary schools $150,000 each would cost about $72 million. And to give the 20,000-plus elementary school teachers an additional $1,250 would cost about $25 million.&#160;</p>
<p>Added together, that’s more than it would cost the district to pay all teachers the 4 percent raises that officials rescinded.&#160;</p>
<p>As for more cuts, the board recently passed a budget that already calls for another $50 million in central office cuts and $30 million in program cuts. &#160;</p>
<p>Legal challenge to the district&#160;</p>
<p>In addition to pushing its legal challenge against the district, the union faces a steep public relations challenge in the weeks ahead. Under Lewis’ leadership, the union has sought to build strong ties with community organizations while arguing for democratic, locally controlled schools and drawing attention to the inequalities that affect urban schools.&#160;</p>
<p>&#160;But the mayor and the district are portraying the waiver votes as a sign that teachers are being given the chance to have a voice on the issue, and points out the strong support for a longer day among parents, others in the community and teachers themselves.&#160;</p>
<p>The union’s legal argument against the district, according to the complaint, is that:&#160;</p>
<p>&#160;•&#160;Schedule waivers should only be used to change the start and end times of the school day, but not its length, “which is unambiguously capped at 7 hours.”</p>
<p>&#160;•&#160;By offering teachers money in exchange for schedule waivers, and by making waivers part of a system-wide effort, CPS is working directly with teachers in an effort to avoid dealing with the union.</p>
<p>&#160;•&#160;The district conducted votes that in some cases were not secret, did not have voting procedures approved by each school’s CTU delegate, and included staff who are not members of the CTU – in violation of the waiver procedure outlined in the union’s contract.</p>
<p>&#160;But CPS attorney James Franczek sees it differently.&#160;</p>
<p>“The statute and the contract is extremely clear that the staff, the teachers and the principals have the right to make these decisions at the local school level, and that’s what happened here,” Franczek says. “There have been scores of contract waivers that have dealt with a multitude of issues, including the day. This is not all that unusual.”&#160;</p>
<p>Franczek also denies allegations in the union complaint that accuse the district of improprieties: that the principal at STEM Magnet offered teachers iPads and a paid comp day each quarter in exchange for approving the longer day; that a principal questioned teachers about union activities at STEM Magnet, which “unlawfully intimidates an employee”; that a principal at Melody noted that a vote could stave off school closure; and that at Laura Ward, where the union claims another vote was held, teachers were told the extra discretionary money could prevent layoffs.&#160;</p>
<p>“We do not believe, and certainly do not know, that any principals or anybody at CPS acted at all inappropriately,” Franczek says.&#160;</p>
<p>Ward’s Principal Relanda Hobbs says the incident – in which, the complaint states, she asked teachers to mark on sample schedules whether they agreed with the idea or not — was just an informal survey to find out if there was enough interest to justify a vote.&#160;</p>
<p>If she were going to hold an actual vote on a schedule waiver, she adds, she would do it properly, with approval from a union delegate. But for now, she’s still trying to figure out where her teachers are.&#160;</p>
<p>&#160;</p>
<p>Some merit to legal challenge?&#160;</p>
<p>&#160;Mike Zimmer, a labor and employment law professor at Loyola University, says the union’s argument may hold water.&#160;</p>
<p>“The whole principle of our collective bargaining system, both for private sector and public sector employees like these teachers, is that the union is the exclusive bargaining representative of all of them,” he says. “The employer has to bargain with the union for all of the employees. It can’t bargain with anyone else, including the individuals.”&#160;</p>
<p>He says that if the union can prove its claims about special favors like the iPads and comp days, it “has a pretty good case.”&#160;</p>
<p>But even aside from that, he says, CPS’ attempt to use the contract waivers on a citywide scale raises a red flag.&#160;</p>
<p>&#160;“They are trying to do an end run around the union, which is exactly what the law doesn’t allow,” he says. “They have got to bargain with the union, and if the union says no during the term of a contract, that’s the end of it.”&#160;</p>
<p>Matthew Finkin, a labor law professor at University of Illinois – Urbana-Champaign, said that the issues involved in the complaint are complicated.&#160;</p>
<p>But “to deal with an individual [instead of] the union is to question the integrity of the union. It’s to question its role,” he notes.&#160;</p>
<p>Unless the contract allows it, “individual dealing” would be an unfair labor practice, he says. The question of how the district has used waivers in the past, and how state law allows them to be used, may become key questions.&#160;</p>
<p>&#160;If the CTU were to succeed, the labor board could order CPS to roll back the extended day and extra pay, “and I’m sure the losing party would take it to court,” Finkin says. Since the board doesn’t have the power to enforce its rulings, it could also seek a court order against the district.&#160;</p>
<p>&#160;</p>
| false | 3 |
160 education secretary arne duncan came back chicago friday pat state local leaders back two things passing state legislation education paving way accomplish one things didnt schools ceo lengthening school day160 160but successor wont avoid labor strife district officials try accomplish move duncan boss former mayor richard daley could not160 friday brown elementary near west side voted join four schoolsstem magnet mays melody skinner northin approving contract waiver add 90 minutes day several cps principals contacted catalyst chicago said teachers still considering districts offer160 160at time teachers union filed legal challenge illinois educational labor relations board district160 160duncan town friday participate panel discussion senate bill 7 legislation passed spring among provisions allows mayor unilaterally set length school day duncan said impressed legislation felt though dream touts bills provisions travels country160 160duncan town last part midwest backtoschool bus tour included stops six states duncan also touted jobs bill introduced president barack obama thursday evening bill would provide 60 billion education funding illinois would get 124 billion duncan said could save 14500 teaching jobs state would also get 11 billion school infrastructure chicago would get 609 million160 160members panel included gov pat quinn state senator kimberly lightford dmaywood praised legislation collaborative effort included voices teacher unions school management advocacy groups160 right way things duncan said one shut process160 air collaboration however stands sharp contrast happened since160 though law gave mayor emanuel power lengthen day couldnt immediately union contract setting school day year still effect june 2012160 emanuel though didnt want wait question whether going happen question said friday good 2012 good now160 emanuel cps leaders tried use backdoor approach first cps board education said money pay contractuallypromised teacher raises 4 percent ceo jeanclaude brizard immediately made clear wanted use raises bargaining chip offering elementary teachers raise 2 percent exchange longer school day160 chicago teachers union president karen lewis balked saying union going vote terminate current contract160 since five schools voted waiver would allow extension school day exchange teachers offered 1250 bonus amounts 2 percent pay raise schools also got extra 150000 going start immediately 75000 started january emanuel said friday schools vote coming weeks160 kent nolen chalmers elementary predominantly black lowincome school north lawndale says would like teachers pass measure reception lukewarm emanuels involvement political fight 160our kids ultimately going benefit extended school day nolen says school community parents local school council agree160 notes many teachers already work clock running activities school early 7 school late 6 pm well saturdays160last year school posted strong reading math gains determined onehit wonder nolen adds unclear exactly district plans pay initiative although emanuel said friday district would find ways cut bureaucracy give 480 elementary schools 150000 would cost 72 million give 20000plus elementary school teachers additional 1250 would cost 25 million160 added together thats would cost district pay teachers 4 percent raises officials rescinded160 cuts board recently passed budget already calls another 50 million central office cuts 30 million program cuts 160 legal challenge district160 addition pushing legal challenge district union faces steep public relations challenge weeks ahead lewis leadership union sought build strong ties community organizations arguing democratic locally controlled schools drawing attention inequalities affect urban schools160 160but mayor district portraying waiver votes sign teachers given chance voice issue points strong support longer day among parents others community teachers themselves160 unions legal argument district according complaint that160 160160schedule waivers used change start end times school day length unambiguously capped 7 hours 160160by offering teachers money exchange schedule waivers making waivers part systemwide effort cps working directly teachers effort avoid dealing union 160160the district conducted votes cases secret voting procedures approved schools ctu delegate included staff members ctu violation waiver procedure outlined unions contract 160but cps attorney james franczek sees differently160 statute contract extremely clear staff teachers principals right make decisions local school level thats happened franczek says scores contract waivers dealt multitude issues including day unusual160 franczek also denies allegations union complaint accuse district improprieties principal stem magnet offered teachers ipads paid comp day quarter exchange approving longer day principal questioned teachers union activities stem magnet unlawfully intimidates employee principal melody noted vote could stave school closure laura ward union claims another vote held teachers told extra discretionary money could prevent layoffs160 believe certainly know principals anybody cps acted inappropriately franczek says160 wards principal relanda hobbs says incident complaint states asked teachers mark sample schedules whether agreed idea informal survey find enough interest justify vote160 going hold actual vote schedule waiver adds would properly approval union delegate shes still trying figure teachers are160 160 merit legal challenge160 160mike zimmer labor employment law professor loyola university says unions argument may hold water160 whole principle collective bargaining system private sector public sector employees like teachers union exclusive bargaining representative says employer bargain union employees cant bargain anyone else including individuals160 says union prove claims special favors like ipads comp days pretty good case160 even aside says cps attempt use contract waivers citywide scale raises red flag160 160they trying end run around union exactly law doesnt allow says got bargain union union says term contract thats end it160 matthew finkin labor law professor university illinois urbanachampaign said issues involved complaint complicated160 deal individual instead union question integrity union question role notes160 unless contract allows individual dealing would unfair labor practice says question district used waivers past state law allows used may become key questions160 160if ctu succeed labor board could order cps roll back extended day extra pay im sure losing party would take court finkin says since board doesnt power enforce rulings could also seek court order district160 160
| 923 |
<p>BAGHDAD, Iraq — On the 10th anniversary of the fall of Saddam Hussein, violence and political crisis plague Iraq. The government blames its problems on regional interference, the unceasing threat of terrorism and the specter of Saddam Hussein’s Baathism. Implicit in their thinking is the idea that rights violations are justified by the state’s responsibility to prevent terrorism.</p>
<p>There is another, more sinister implication that those in authority sometimes suggest: some, but not all, who suffered in the past have rights in today’s Iraq.</p>
<p>The persecution of Shia communities in Iraq has far-stretching roots. British colonial rulers repressed a Shia rebellion in the 1920s. Post-colonial governments were majority Sunni. Later, under Baath Party rule, Sunni, Shia or Kurdish Iraqis perceived as belonging to any form of political opposition suffered harshly. Cruelty against Shia reached new heights under Saddam Hussein, who banned Shia festivals, executed Shia clerics and massacred Shia citizens as part of a crackdown on Shia opposition parties in the late 1970s and 1980s.</p>
<p>After crushing a 1991 Shia uprising, Hussein ordered the execution of thousands of Dawa party members, then buried them in mass graves. He drained southern Iraq’s marshes, forcing the Marsh Arabs to flee. After 2003, Sunni insurgents were thought to be responsible for attacks on Shia holy sites, neighborhoods and citizens, culminating in the bombing of the Askari mosque, one of the holiest sites in Shia Islam. This was the event that sparked Iraq’s descent into full-blown civil war.</p>
<p>Government officials claim that sectarianism — both through violence by Sunni extremist groups and in the form of political paralysis in Iraq’s parliament — is responsible for Iraq’s instability.</p>
<p>Despite the appealing simplicity of the sectarian narrative, sectarianism is not the cause of violence and Iraq’s political crisis. In recent months, the government has announced broad reforms in response to weekly mass demonstrations in majority Sunni provinces. These demonstrations began in December, after the arrest of Sunni Finance Minister Rafi al-Essawi’s bodyguards.</p>
<p>Early on protesters demanded the release of prisoners — especially female prisoners, who have been held illegally for long periods of time — and reform of Article 4 of the Anti-Terror Law.</p>
<p>Over the last several weeks in Baghdad, I’ve spoken with more than 30 women who are in detention or were recently released, along with lawyers and families of detainees, researching allegations of torture in Iraqi detention facilities.</p>
<p>People told me over and over about random arrests, torture during interrogation and prolonged detention in unofficial facilities. They said corruption was rife among Interior Ministry officials, that there was collusion between officials and judges, and that trials lacked the most basic due process protections.</p>
<p>Detainees repeatedly told me the government uses the broad provisions of Article 4 to detain people without arrest warrants in detention centers overseen by security forces that answer to the Interior and Defense Ministries, or directly to the Prime Minister’s Office.</p>
<p>I asked officials I met about promises to release detainees and about the broader problems with the criminal justice system. By the government’s own admission, some detainees have been held illegally for months — even years.</p>
<p>There is little evidence, though, that the government is carrying out the pledged reforms, or that the reforms target illegal arrests, coerced interrogations and arbitrary detentions.</p>
<p>For my research I interviewed well-educated and illiterate Shia and Sunnis from both urban and rural areas.</p>
<p>Speaking with Hanan in Baghdad’s Central Women’s prison, known as “Site 4,” I was struck by how her story confounded the government’s claims that such draconian measures are justified to fight terrorism and sectarian violence, and that sectarian divisions are behind all of the country’s ills.</p>
<p>As one official put it: “Human rights do not only mean the rights of prisoners, of terrorists, they also mean the rights of the victims of terrorism — and our rights, the people who have suffered under Saddam.”</p>
<p>Hanan is Shia like many who suffered under Saddam Hussein and who rule the country now, but her case had nothing to do with terrorism.</p>
<p>Hanan had spent 10 months in Site 4. She told me that unidentified security forces dressed in civilian clothing kidnapped her last May at a market where she was grocery shopping. The men took her to the headquarters of a state institution, she said, where they beat her, tortured her with shocks from electric cables, and poured cold water over her trying to force her to confess to taking a bribe.</p>
<p>As a manager of a government office with responsibility for approving construction projects, she said she had refused to approve a project because materials being used were not up to standard.</p>
<p>“I made a mistake,” Hanan told me. “I didn’t know someone important in the government had a stake in the project.”</p>
<p>She said she withstood confessing until they threatened her daughter: “They pulled up her picture on my mobile, and said, ‘Is this Suhair?’ They knew her name, where she went to school, everything. They said ‘We can take her just like we took you.’ I would have said anything at that point.”</p>
<p>They took Hanan to an investigative judge, who refused to acknowledge the bruises and swelling on her face. She did not have a lawyer. Months later, a Baghdad court convicted her of forgery in a single trial session and sentenced her to three years in prison.</p>
<p>Later, I met Israa in a facility that houses female death row prisoners. She uses crutches and walks with great difficulty. Nine days of beatings and electric shocks last March left her permanently disabled. Her nose is split. Interrogators hung her upside down by a rope hanging from the ceiling, leaving scars on her back where handcuffs dug into her skin. She has a burn mark on her right breast where interrogators gave her an electric shock.</p>
<p>Israa was sentenced to death after signing a confession that she participated in a kidnapping and murder. She is illiterate and said she saw only a stack of pages with words on them. As in Hanan’s case, interrogators threatened to rape her daughter to force her to confess, she told me.</p>
<p>Israa said she didn’t know what she had confessed to until a year later, when she finally had access to a lawyer, who told her she was charged with the murder of two people who died in an explosion in a rural area north of Baghdad. Israa’s sentence is not yet confirmed because other people have been convicted of the same crime. She wasn’t sure why she had been transferred to death row that week.</p>
<p>The experiences of Hanan and Israa are extreme but not uncommon examples of the government’s treatment of its citizens in a system that is both chaotic and repressive.</p>
<p>In this moment, in which Iraq is once again commanding attention 10 years after the 2003 invasion, influential governments — the United States chief among them — need to take stock of the role they played in supporting systematic use of torture and brutality as the cornerstone of the government’s means of fighting terrorism.</p>
<p>And they need to make clear that the invocation of sectarian narratives by Iraqi politicians to guard their own privileges are a harmful distraction from the government’s responsibility to institute meaningful institutional reform and accountability for torture.</p>
<p>Erin Evers is a Middle East researcher at Human Rights Watch. She has been in Iraq, interviewing women in prison and officials, lawyers and others about the justice system.</p>
| false | 3 |
baghdad iraq 10th anniversary fall saddam hussein violence political crisis plague iraq government blames problems regional interference unceasing threat terrorism specter saddam husseins baathism implicit thinking idea rights violations justified states responsibility prevent terrorism another sinister implication authority sometimes suggest suffered past rights todays iraq persecution shia communities iraq farstretching roots british colonial rulers repressed shia rebellion 1920s postcolonial governments majority sunni later baath party rule sunni shia kurdish iraqis perceived belonging form political opposition suffered harshly cruelty shia reached new heights saddam hussein banned shia festivals executed shia clerics massacred shia citizens part crackdown shia opposition parties late 1970s 1980s crushing 1991 shia uprising hussein ordered execution thousands dawa party members buried mass graves drained southern iraqs marshes forcing marsh arabs flee 2003 sunni insurgents thought responsible attacks shia holy sites neighborhoods citizens culminating bombing askari mosque one holiest sites shia islam event sparked iraqs descent fullblown civil war government officials claim sectarianism violence sunni extremist groups form political paralysis iraqs parliament responsible iraqs instability despite appealing simplicity sectarian narrative sectarianism cause violence iraqs political crisis recent months government announced broad reforms response weekly mass demonstrations majority sunni provinces demonstrations began december arrest sunni finance minister rafi alessawis bodyguards early protesters demanded release prisoners especially female prisoners held illegally long periods time reform article 4 antiterror law last several weeks baghdad ive spoken 30 women detention recently released along lawyers families detainees researching allegations torture iraqi detention facilities people told random arrests torture interrogation prolonged detention unofficial facilities said corruption rife among interior ministry officials collusion officials judges trials lacked basic due process protections detainees repeatedly told government uses broad provisions article 4 detain people without arrest warrants detention centers overseen security forces answer interior defense ministries directly prime ministers office asked officials met promises release detainees broader problems criminal justice system governments admission detainees held illegally months even years little evidence though government carrying pledged reforms reforms target illegal arrests coerced interrogations arbitrary detentions research interviewed welleducated illiterate shia sunnis urban rural areas speaking hanan baghdads central womens prison known site 4 struck story confounded governments claims draconian measures justified fight terrorism sectarian violence sectarian divisions behind countrys ills one official put human rights mean rights prisoners terrorists also mean rights victims terrorism rights people suffered saddam hanan shia like many suffered saddam hussein rule country case nothing terrorism hanan spent 10 months site 4 told unidentified security forces dressed civilian clothing kidnapped last may market grocery shopping men took headquarters state institution said beat tortured shocks electric cables poured cold water trying force confess taking bribe manager government office responsibility approving construction projects said refused approve project materials used standard made mistake hanan told didnt know someone important government stake project said withstood confessing threatened daughter pulled picture mobile said suhair knew name went school everything said take like took would said anything point took hanan investigative judge refused acknowledge bruises swelling face lawyer months later baghdad court convicted forgery single trial session sentenced three years prison later met israa facility houses female death row prisoners uses crutches walks great difficulty nine days beatings electric shocks last march left permanently disabled nose split interrogators hung upside rope hanging ceiling leaving scars back handcuffs dug skin burn mark right breast interrogators gave electric shock israa sentenced death signing confession participated kidnapping murder illiterate said saw stack pages words hanans case interrogators threatened rape daughter force confess told israa said didnt know confessed year later finally access lawyer told charged murder two people died explosion rural area north baghdad israas sentence yet confirmed people convicted crime wasnt sure transferred death row week experiences hanan israa extreme uncommon examples governments treatment citizens system chaotic repressive moment iraq commanding attention 10 years 2003 invasion influential governments united states chief among need take stock role played supporting systematic use torture brutality cornerstone governments means fighting terrorism need make clear invocation sectarian narratives iraqi politicians guard privileges harmful distraction governments responsibility institute meaningful institutional reform accountability torture erin evers middle east researcher human rights watch iraq interviewing women prison officials lawyers others justice system
| 681 |
<p>To Florida’s robust gun lobby, State Senator Miguel Diaz de la Portilla might appear like a natural ally. He is 53 years old, a concealed carry permit holder, and a member of both the National Rifle Association and the GOP.</p>
<p>“And to Florida Republicans in the state legislature,” says Dan Gelber, former Democratic leader in the state House, “supporting the National Rifle Association is like breathing air.” &#160;</p>
<p>Yet <a href="http://www.tampabay.com/blogs/the-buzz-florida-politics/diaz-de-la-portilla-explains-why-he-killed-gun-and-immigration-bills/2265842" type="external">last Tuesday</a>, for the second time in a month, Diaz de la Portilla broke with his party’s traditional fealty to the NRA and single-handedly denied the organization a vote on a top legislative priority. The first bill he buried in late January, would have allowed concealed carry permit holders to bring their handguns onto state college campuses. The second would have granted licensed gun owners the right to openly carry their weapons in public.</p>
<p>Subscribe to receive The Trace’s newsletters on important gun news and analysis.</p>
<p>Diaz de la Portilla <a href="http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/politics/os-guns-on-campus-returns-20150506-story.html" type="external">first shelved</a> the campus carry bill last spring, during his first session as Chair of the Judiciary Committee. At the time, <a href="http://www.miamiherald.com/news/politics-government/article18577499.html" type="external">he succinctly explained</a>&#160;his decision to the Miami Herald.</p>
<p>“I really don’t think it is a good idea for a 21-year-old at a frat keg party to be packing heat,” he said.</p>
<p>In return, Marion Hammer, Florida’s strong-willed gun lobbyist, promised a long fight ahead. “The things that were worth working on this year will be worth working on next year,” <a href="http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/politics/os-guns-on-campus-returns-20150506-story.html" type="external">she told the Orlando Sentinel</a>. “All of these good pieces of legislation will be back until they pass.”</p>
<p>This year, both campus carry and open carry had to clear Diaz de la Portilla’s Judiciary Committee. In his role as Chair, he controls the committee’s schedule. If he does not like a bill, he can leave it off the calendar; if a bill is never put up for a committee vote, it can’t move forward to the full chamber, and is effectively dead. By refusing to schedule a hearing for either bill, he accepted full responsibility for thwarting the gun lobby’s agenda.</p>
<p>“There is no question that the NRA is a powerful lobby that intimidates a number of Republican lawmakers. But we should stand up for what we think is right,” Diaz de la Portilla tells The Trace. “You’d be surprised by the number of Republican lawmakers from both chambers who thanked me. They said they were glad they wouldn’t have to make that tough decision.”</p>
<p>One Florida open carry enthusiast posted on a website, “When I’m carrying concealed I feel like my ‘teeth’ are hidden, and thus of no real deterrent value.”</p>
<p>Florida&#160; <a href="http://www.newsmax.com/FastFeatures/florida-gun-laws-compare/2014/11/09/id/605565/" type="external">is nicknamed</a> the “Gunshine” State because its legislature often serves as a laboratory for the innovative expansion of gun rights. The NRA is represented there by 78-year-old Marion Hammer, who once served as the organization’s president and remains one of its most effective lobbyists. Since 1999, <a href="" type="internal">Florida has passed</a> over 30 pro-gun bills. In 2005, it became the first state with a “Stand Your Ground” law on its books. Three years later, Marco Rubio, then House speaker, <a href="" type="internal">crossed the NRA</a> after he’d slowed the passage of a gun bill that allowed licensed concealed carriers to take their guns to work. Hammer bad-mouthed him in the press, and her organization dropped his grade from an A to a B+. He has spent the last six years working hard to raise his grade in order to be a viable Republican candidate for president.</p>
<p>Now Hammer is being openly undermined by Diaz de la Portilla, a handsome Cuban-American who wears rimless glasses that give him the technocratic air of a land-use lawyer, which he is. A member of one of South Florida’s most prominent political families, his public service began in the 1990s, when he held a seat on Miami-Dade’s County Commission. His younger brothers, Alex and Renier, have each served in the legislature. In 2010, after Alex’s term limit ran out, Diaz de la Portilla took over his brother’s seat in the Senate. The family’s patriarch, Miguel Sr., <a href="http://www.miaminewtimes.com/news/the-dubious-diaz-de-la-portilla-dynasty-6396164" type="external">aided the CIA in the run-up</a> to the Bay of Pigs, and blamed John F. Kennedy for its failure, instilling an allegiance to the Republican Party in his sons.</p>
<p>Though Diaz de la Portilla’s district leans Democratic, that doesn’t mean his actions against two pro-gun bills were politically safe.</p>
<p>“We received tons of calls from people identifying themselves as NRA members,” he says. “I was personally attacked. Somehow they got ahold of a database that listed my past donors and fundraisers and sent letters to them saying I didn’t support Second Amendment rights.”</p>
<p>Campus carry was reintroduced at the start of the legislative session this fall — <a href="http://www.miamiherald.com/news/politics-government/state-politics/article40508166.html" type="external">Florida Students for Concealed Carry</a>, one of the measure’s chief proponents, tirelessly lobbied lawmakers on behalf of the bill — along with legislation allowing open carry, which lawmakers had also previously debated. Despite its history, Florida remains only one of five states where the open carry remains illegal.</p>
<p>Supporters framed the bills as public safety measures. In August, on an <a href="http://mediamatters.org/blog/2015/08/12/ex-nra-president-opponents-of-guns-on-campus-ar/204900" type="external">NRA news program</a>, Hammer said that a “gun-free zone campus” is “a sanctuary where criminals can rape and commit mass murder without out fear of resistance.” On the website <a href="http://www.open-carry.org/index.php/aboutus" type="external">Florida Open Carry</a>, which extols potential virtues of publicly displayed sidearms, a writer explains, “When I’m carrying concealed I feel like my ‘teeth’ are hidden, and thus of no real deterrent value.”</p>
<p>Diaz de la Portilla rejected those arguments with the same logic, concluding that, “In either case, the dangers outweigh any perceived benefits.”</p>
<p>When dealing with campus carry, he took meetings with university presidents, college police chiefs, faculty members, and students from around the state. All of them voiced their opposition to the bill. But the measure’s most influential opponent was perhaps John Thrasher, president of Florida State University.</p>
<p>For Thrasher, the <a href="http://floridapolitics.com/archives/4927-adam-weinstein-is-john-thrasher-brave-enough-to-thwart-campus-guns" type="external">issue was personal</a>. Before taking a position at FSU, he was a Republican state senator who had opposed a campus-carry measure in 2011. That same year, while he was serving as the Chair of the Rules Committee, an FSU student named Ashley Cowie was accidentally shot and killed in a fraternity house. Cowie was the daugher of one of Thrasher’s close friends, and he had recruited her to come to the school. &#160;</p>
<p>“That story really resonated with me,” Diaz de la Portilla says.</p>
<p>The open carry bill, meanwhile, was opposed by law enforcement officials from around the state. They told him that, with the passage of open carry, their jobs would be exponentially more difficult. Business leaders, for their part, worried about the impact it might have on tourism.</p>
<p>“Do you really think it’s a good idea to allow people to openly carry handguns in crime-ridden neighborhoods?” he asks, paraphrasing the concerns. “It makes it pretty hard for cops to pick out good guys from bad guys. And what impression are you creating for visitors? Do you want tourists thinking this is the O.K. Corral?”</p>
<p>It’s not clear whether the bills would have passed had Diaz de la Portilla allowed them to come up for vote, but there are 26 Republicans and 14 Democrats in the Senate, and approval for either measure would have required only a simple majority.</p>
<p>“Gun bills almost always pass,” says Gelber, the former Democratic Senate leader.</p>
<p>Diaz de la Portilla is up for re-election this year. If he loses to a Democratic challenger, that might clear the way for both bills to finally become law, since no one will be there to block it from heading to the floor for a vote. And if he wins, he may still lose his chair. During the 2017 session there will be a new Senate President, a Republican named Joe Negron. He can appoint someone else to lead the committee, which could remove the last line of defense between the two bills and a vote. Either possibility raises serious concerns for the opposition.</p>
<p>“There’s no way to kill these bills once and for all,” says Matthew Lata, an FSU professor who fought hard against campus carry.</p>
<p>Hammer&#160; <a href="http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/florida/fl-guns-halted-in-senate-20160219-story.html" type="external">has vowed</a> that campus and open carry will return in 2017. Diaz de la Portilla has only heard from her by way of email. She has never called him or visited his office, perhaps because she assumed she didn’t have to. Recently, she wrote him to make the case that open carry was working in Texas, where the law <a href="" type="internal">went into effect</a> this January.&#160;He was unmoved by the new rationale, just as he had been by prior pro-campus carry lobbying.&#160;</p>
<p>“I said I think it’s a little early to tell,” he recalls. “And I don’t know what the definition of ‘working’ is.”</p>
<p>[Photo:&#160;AP Photo/Steve Cannon]</p>
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floridas robust gun lobby state senator miguel diaz de la portilla might appear like natural ally 53 years old concealed carry permit holder member national rifle association gop florida republicans state legislature says dan gelber former democratic leader state house supporting national rifle association like breathing air 160 yet last tuesday second time month diaz de la portilla broke partys traditional fealty nra singlehandedly denied organization vote top legislative priority first bill buried late january would allowed concealed carry permit holders bring handguns onto state college campuses second would granted licensed gun owners right openly carry weapons public subscribe receive traces newsletters important gun news analysis diaz de la portilla first shelved campus carry bill last spring first session chair judiciary committee time succinctly explained160his decision miami herald really dont think good idea 21yearold frat keg party packing heat said return marion hammer floridas strongwilled gun lobbyist promised long fight ahead things worth working year worth working next year told orlando sentinel good pieces legislation back pass year campus carry open carry clear diaz de la portillas judiciary committee role chair controls committees schedule like bill leave calendar bill never put committee vote cant move forward full chamber effectively dead refusing schedule hearing either bill accepted full responsibility thwarting gun lobbys agenda question nra powerful lobby intimidates number republican lawmakers stand think right diaz de la portilla tells trace youd surprised number republican lawmakers chambers thanked said glad wouldnt make tough decision one florida open carry enthusiast posted website im carrying concealed feel like teeth hidden thus real deterrent value florida160 nicknamed gunshine state legislature often serves laboratory innovative expansion gun rights nra represented 78yearold marion hammer served organizations president remains one effective lobbyists since 1999 florida passed 30 progun bills 2005 became first state stand ground law books three years later marco rubio house speaker crossed nra hed slowed passage gun bill allowed licensed concealed carriers take guns work hammer badmouthed press organization dropped grade b spent last six years working hard raise grade order viable republican candidate president hammer openly undermined diaz de la portilla handsome cubanamerican wears rimless glasses give technocratic air landuse lawyer member one south floridas prominent political families public service began 1990s held seat miamidades county commission younger brothers alex renier served legislature 2010 alexs term limit ran diaz de la portilla took brothers seat senate familys patriarch miguel sr aided cia runup bay pigs blamed john f kennedy failure instilling allegiance republican party sons though diaz de la portillas district leans democratic doesnt mean actions two progun bills politically safe received tons calls people identifying nra members says personally attacked somehow got ahold database listed past donors fundraisers sent letters saying didnt support second amendment rights campus carry reintroduced start legislative session fall florida students concealed carry one measures chief proponents tirelessly lobbied lawmakers behalf bill along legislation allowing open carry lawmakers also previously debated despite history florida remains one five states open carry remains illegal supporters framed bills public safety measures august nra news program hammer said gunfree zone campus sanctuary criminals rape commit mass murder without fear resistance website florida open carry extols potential virtues publicly displayed sidearms writer explains im carrying concealed feel like teeth hidden thus real deterrent value diaz de la portilla rejected arguments logic concluding either case dangers outweigh perceived benefits dealing campus carry took meetings university presidents college police chiefs faculty members students around state voiced opposition bill measures influential opponent perhaps john thrasher president florida state university thrasher issue personal taking position fsu republican state senator opposed campuscarry measure 2011 year serving chair rules committee fsu student named ashley cowie accidentally shot killed fraternity house cowie daugher one thrashers close friends recruited come school 160 story really resonated diaz de la portilla says open carry bill meanwhile opposed law enforcement officials around state told passage open carry jobs would exponentially difficult business leaders part worried impact might tourism really think good idea allow people openly carry handguns crimeridden neighborhoods asks paraphrasing concerns makes pretty hard cops pick good guys bad guys impression creating visitors want tourists thinking ok corral clear whether bills would passed diaz de la portilla allowed come vote 26 republicans 14 democrats senate approval either measure would required simple majority gun bills almost always pass says gelber former democratic senate leader diaz de la portilla reelection year loses democratic challenger might clear way bills finally become law since one block heading floor vote wins may still lose chair 2017 session new senate president republican named joe negron appoint someone else lead committee could remove last line defense two bills vote either possibility raises serious concerns opposition theres way kill bills says matthew lata fsu professor fought hard campus carry hammer160 vowed campus open carry return 2017 diaz de la portilla heard way email never called visited office perhaps assumed didnt recently wrote make case open carry working texas law went effect january160he unmoved new rationale prior procampus carry lobbying160 said think little early tell recalls dont know definition working photo160ap photosteve cannon
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<p>American Christians may pledge loyalty to the U.S. Constitution. But behind the closed curtain of the polling booth, many violate the spirit of the constitutional prohibition on any religious test for public office. And several church-state experts insist that's not altogether bad — up to a point.</p>
<p>Article Six of the U.S. Constitution ends with the clause: “… no religious test shall ever be required as a qualification to any office or public trust under the United States.” But imposing religious tests as a matter of law differs from voters imposing them in practice, some authorities on church and state issues noted.</p>
<p>American voters “impose an unofficial religious test that vets candidates based on their religious views,” and it's entirely legal and appropriate, said Derek Davis, former director of Baylor University's J.M. Dawson Institute of Church-State Studies.</p>
<p>“This unofficial test does not serve to disqualify anyone from running for office; it only serves to allow voters the freedom to consider the religious views of candidates for whom they might vote,” Davis said.</p>
<p>A candidate's religious affiliation remains “the litmus test most people won't admit to, but that they carry around with them” into the voting booth, said Charles Haynes, senior scholar at the First Amendment Center.</p>
<p>“As responsible citizens, religious affiliation should have no bearing whatsoever on selecting someone for public office,” Haynes insisted. But he draws a sharp distinction between religious affiliation and religious commitment.</p>
<p>“Their religious commitment in terms of its influence on the lives that they live, on the values they hold and on their worldview — those all go into character,” he said. “It's fair for voters to know the source of a person's values and how that person makes decisions.”</p>
<p>As a practical matter, “voters can and do take religion into account,” said Brent Walker, executive director of the Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty.</p>
<p>Voters should bring their religious values to the public square. They have every right to consider a candidate's religious faith as one factor out of many in making an informed decision about whether that person would be a good public servant, Walker said.</p>
<p>“When candidates talk about their faith, it helps us know who they are, learn what makes them tick, and examine their moral core. The free and fluid discussion of candidates' faith carries the promise of improving the electorate's ability to make an informed decision in the voting booth,” he said.</p>
<p>In fact, public interest in the private religious faith of candidates signals a healthy level of respect for religion's role in society, said Suzii Paynter, director of the Christian Life Commission, the public policy and moral concerns arm of the Baptist General Convention of Texas. Questions about religious convictions can reveal valuable insights into a candidate's character and values, she noted.</p>
<p>“The alternative would be a prohibition against talking about religion, and that would just be terrible,” she said. “It would deny the electorate a window into who the candidates are.”</p>
<p>While voters should consider a candidate's religious commitment as one factor out of many, it never should become the single decisive test to determine an individual's suitability for public office, said James Dunn, resident professor of Christianity and public policy at the Wake Forest University School of Divinity in Wake Forest, N.C.</p>
<p>“Religion ought to be a factor, but not a prohibitive factor,” said Dunn, former executive director of the Baptist Joint Committee.</p>
<p>To the extent that a person's religious views shape his or her moral character, those views can be weighed. And a candidate's adherence to some beliefs also may reveal something about the individual's discernment and ability to make rational decisions, he added.</p>
<p>“We insist in Western democracies that our public leaders should not believe absurdities, because those who believe absurdities are capable of atrocities,” he said, paraphrasing Voltaire.</p>
<p>Looking back on their heritage as a persecuted minority religion, Baptists should resist “the de facto political anointing of particular religious perspectives,” recognizing the danger that presents both to religion and government, Dunn added.</p>
<p>In practical terms, voters historically often have excluded from office people who do not follow the religion practiced by the majority, Paynter acknowledged. But she sees positive signs of change.</p>
<p>“I'm hesitant to use the term ‘religious test' because of its specific meaning and because a test does not change. But the electorate's tolerance (of religious minorities) changes,” she said.</p>
<p>Discussion of personal religious convictions can be helpful, but it should not be seen as mandatory, Walker stressed. He suggested an important backstop to keep questions of faith from devolving into religious bigotry.</p>
<p>“Ask the follow-up question, ‘So what?' he recommended. “What difference will a candidate's religion make on his or her performance in office? What impact will it have on public policy? How does it affect his or her leadership style?”</p>
<p>Matters of personal religious conviction become fair game when related to policy decisions and a candidate's ability to lead. But adherence to the spirit of the no-religious-test principle demands that linkage be made, Walker said.</p>
<p>“It is not only not very helpful, but also terribly invasive to have a theological inquiry isolated from policy and matters of governance,” he said.</p>
<p>Nonetheless, when appropriately framed in terms of how convictions make an impact on decisions, questions of religious commitment can provide valuable insights into the character of candidates, Paynter observed.</p>
<p>When people reach a certain level — whether in politics, business or any other powerful enterprise — there's always a temptation to see themselves as above the rules that apply to others, she noted.</p>
<p>“It's important to know the grounding people have for their public ethic,” she said. “Public ethics come from private ethics. They don't go the other way.”</p>
<p>In selecting a president, Davis added, voters also rightly may consider the office's ceremonial role, which has an almost pastoral dimension in times of national catastrophe “when Americans need their national leader to share their grief and soothe their hearts and somehow offer some spiritual comfort.”</p>
<p>But, he cautioned, the president must respect the institutional separation of church and state. Davis also prescribed a good dose of humility, saying voters should take care to elect leaders who recognize the danger in equating their policies with God's will.</p>
<p>“The ability of any world leader to know precisely the will of God is foreign to the Bible. The Bible speaks of an inscrutable God who often has brought down powerful nations in their prime due to their pride,” he said.</p>
<p>“The temptation to act religiously based on our own fallible interpretations of domestic and world events is among the reasons our constitution wisely mandates a degree of separation between church and state, thus preventing too close an alliance between the interests of religion and government that might harm our great nation.”</p>
<p>Human experience and biblical revelation both point to the need for humility, Dunn added. He quoted Romans 11:34: “Who has known the mind of the Lord? Who has been his counselor?”</p>
<p>“True believers understand we do not know the mind of God,” he said. And he strongly suggested steering clear of those who claim they do.</p>
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american christians may pledge loyalty us constitution behind closed curtain polling booth many violate spirit constitutional prohibition religious test public office several churchstate experts insist thats altogether bad point article six us constitution ends clause religious test shall ever required qualification office public trust united states imposing religious tests matter law differs voters imposing practice authorities church state issues noted american voters impose unofficial religious test vets candidates based religious views entirely legal appropriate said derek davis former director baylor universitys jm dawson institute churchstate studies unofficial test serve disqualify anyone running office serves allow voters freedom consider religious views candidates might vote davis said candidates religious affiliation remains litmus test people wont admit carry around voting booth said charles haynes senior scholar first amendment center responsible citizens religious affiliation bearing whatsoever selecting someone public office haynes insisted draws sharp distinction religious affiliation religious commitment religious commitment terms influence lives live values hold worldview go character said fair voters know source persons values person makes decisions practical matter voters take religion account said brent walker executive director baptist joint committee religious liberty voters bring religious values public square every right consider candidates religious faith one factor many making informed decision whether person would good public servant walker said candidates talk faith helps us know learn makes tick examine moral core free fluid discussion candidates faith carries promise improving electorates ability make informed decision voting booth said fact public interest private religious faith candidates signals healthy level respect religions role society said suzii paynter director christian life commission public policy moral concerns arm baptist general convention texas questions religious convictions reveal valuable insights candidates character values noted alternative would prohibition talking religion would terrible said would deny electorate window candidates voters consider candidates religious commitment one factor many never become single decisive test determine individuals suitability public office said james dunn resident professor christianity public policy wake forest university school divinity wake forest nc religion ought factor prohibitive factor said dunn former executive director baptist joint committee extent persons religious views shape moral character views weighed candidates adherence beliefs also may reveal something individuals discernment ability make rational decisions added insist western democracies public leaders believe absurdities believe absurdities capable atrocities said paraphrasing voltaire looking back heritage persecuted minority religion baptists resist de facto political anointing particular religious perspectives recognizing danger presents religion government dunn added practical terms voters historically often excluded office people follow religion practiced majority paynter acknowledged sees positive signs change im hesitant use term religious test specific meaning test change electorates tolerance religious minorities changes said discussion personal religious convictions helpful seen mandatory walker stressed suggested important backstop keep questions faith devolving religious bigotry ask followup question recommended difference candidates religion make performance office impact public policy affect leadership style matters personal religious conviction become fair game related policy decisions candidates ability lead adherence spirit noreligioustest principle demands linkage made walker said helpful also terribly invasive theological inquiry isolated policy matters governance said nonetheless appropriately framed terms convictions make impact decisions questions religious commitment provide valuable insights character candidates paynter observed people reach certain level whether politics business powerful enterprise theres always temptation see rules apply others noted important know grounding people public ethic said public ethics come private ethics dont go way selecting president davis added voters also rightly may consider offices ceremonial role almost pastoral dimension times national catastrophe americans need national leader share grief soothe hearts somehow offer spiritual comfort cautioned president must respect institutional separation church state davis also prescribed good dose humility saying voters take care elect leaders recognize danger equating policies gods ability world leader know precisely god foreign bible bible speaks inscrutable god often brought powerful nations prime due pride said temptation act religiously based fallible interpretations domestic world events among reasons constitution wisely mandates degree separation church state thus preventing close alliance interests religion government might harm great nation human experience biblical revelation point need humility dunn added quoted romans 1134 known mind lord counselor true believers understand know mind god said strongly suggested steering clear claim
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<p>&#160;</p>
<p>As construction is&#160;going forward, now would be a good time to clear the air a little and summarize&#160;California’s high-speed rail project. And why not with a little humor?</p>
<p>This month the Santa Clarita Valley Signal published a <a href="http://www.signalscv.com/section/32/article/123644/" type="external">tongue-in-cheek editorial</a> on the project. It referenced the mandate in <a href="http://ballotpedia.org/California_Proposition_1A,_High-Speed_Rail_Act_(2008)" type="external">Proposition 1A</a>, the 2008 bond initiative voters approved that launched the project, for a short high-speed rail trip between Los Angeles and San Francisco.</p>
<p>“The two-hour-and-40-minute ride now can be achieved only with a straight-line tunnel from Bakersfield to Pacoima — and no potty breaks in Sand Canyon,” the Signal quipped. “Truth be told, we like the Bakersfield-to-Pacoima tunnel idea. It bypasses the Santa Clarita Valley, certainly saving many pedestrian deaths, and provides a nice conduit to move much-needed water when the whole bullet train idea swirls down the big porcelain throne.”</p>
<p>The levity was not appreciated by Michelle Boehm, the Southern California Regional Director for the California High-Speed Rail Authority, which is in charge of constructing the project. But her comments are worth analysis.</p>
<p>“I am writing today to correct the record so that readers in the Santa Clarita and Antelope valleys will get an accurate picture of the High-Speed Rail Program,” she said in <a href="http://www.signalscv.com/m/section/33/article/124226/" type="external">her rebuttal</a> in the Signal.</p>
<p>Boehm wrote:</p>
<p>“The Phase I Blended System, or travel from San Francisco to Los Angeles/Anaheim, is currently estimated to cost&#160; $67.6 billion.&#160;</p>
<p>“In fact, this number was recently updated for the California High-Speed Rail Authority’s 2014 business plan, and the cost actually went down slightly.”&#160;</p>
<p>But the newest number is not realistic at all.</p>
<p>A member of the CHSRA’s construction team, URS Corp., has steadfastly insisted&#160;project costs are $1 billion more than reported by the CHSRA.&#160;The <a href="http://www.latimes.com/local/la-me-bullet-train-costs-20140508-story.html" type="external">Los Angeles Times</a> reported:</p>
<p>“The estimate, prepared for the state by a team led by San Francisco-based engineering firm URS Corp., includes higher costs for tracks, structures, land purchases, signals and electrical systems in a segment that would run from Fresno to Bakersfield.</p>
<p>“The lowest cost estimate for the 114-mile segment in a 2011 environmental report was $6.19 billion. The comparable figure increased 15 percent to $7.13 billion in the new report.”</p>
<p>The CHSRA denies URS’ allegations. URS has not backed down.</p>
<p>Yes, the CHSRA is building “something” in the Central Valley. But it won’t be ready for high-speed rail because it won’t have electricity. In a nutshell, the CHSRA doesn’t yet have permission from the California Public Utilities Commission, which wrote in <a href="http://www.cpuc.ca.gov/NR/rdonlyres/BF95706A-50B5-46CD-877F-BFDA85F6DC89/0/BCP_6ElectricalInfrastructurePlanngforHSRInitiative.pdf" type="external">its analysis of the CHSRA proposal:</a></p>
<p>“The bottom line is that transmission and electrical infrastructure proposals require complex environmental analysis (prior to Commission approval) and construction monitoring (after Commission approval). The CPUC relies on consultants to perform environmental assessments, prepare environmental documents, and conduct construction monitoring. This BCP [Budget Change Proposal for fiscal year 2014-15] requests the CPUC staff resources to hire and manage the technical consultants from a technical point of view (our PURA [Public Utilities Regulatory Analyst] staff), to utilize the consultant resources in our formal decision making process (our ALJ [Administrative Law Judge] staff), and administer our consulting contracts (our Contracts Office staff).”</p>
<p>Boehm wrote:</p>
<p>“The system under design is fully capable of achieving the trip time required by Proposition 1A, passed by California voters in 2008. The independent Peer Review Group stated during a recent legislative hearing that the Authority’s ‘pure run time for nonstop trains from San Francisco Trans Bay Terminal to L.A. Union Station has thus been designed to be 2 hours, 32 minutes.’”</p>
<p>But time and speed go hand and hand.&#160; You need a certain speed to make the time requirements.&#160;&#160; The CHSRA had no proof at all about whether or not they could make the times when their April 2012 business plan was published. See author Kathy Hamilton’s&#160; <a href="http://transdef.org/HSR/Taxpayer_assets/Hamilton%20Supp%20Dec.pdf" type="external">declaration</a>&#160;used for the Tos/Fukuda/Kings County lawsuit, which shows the proof.</p>
<p>In a response to a public records request for proof, the CHSRA returned this response to CalWatchdog.com:</p>
<p>“Ms. Hamilton – The answer is that no document exists. These were verbal assertions based on skill, experience, and optimism and so [CHSRA Chair] Dan Richard went with the expertise of the engineers offering these assertions. I have been informed that a memo is in the process of being drafted on this very issue and I will provide that to you as soon as it’s complete. Their best guess is that by end of next week it may be ready. I apologize for the inconvenience in waiting so long only to find no documents existed.”</p>
<p>But people who voted for this bond measure thought the train would make it from Los Angeles to San Francisco in two hours and 40 minutes. Promised the <a href="http://voterguide.sos.ca.gov/past/2008/general/pdf-guide/suppl-complete-guide.pdf" type="external">Secretary of State’s Voter Guide</a>, in the “Official Title and Summary,”Prop. 1A “establishes a clean, efficient 220 MPH transportation system.” Nothing is in there about optimism.</p>
<p>The blended system now being constructed, which uses existing infrastructure, does not allow for high-speed and frequent high-speed rail service, as it would if high-speed rail operated on independent tracks.</p>
<p>According to <a href="http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/pub/07-08/bill/asm/ab_3001-3050/ab_3034_bill_20080826_chaptered.html" type="external">Assembly Bill 3034</a>, the 2008 law that put Prop. 1A on the ballot, the system was supposed to be capable of a five-minute space between trains, going up to 12 trains per hour. This is called “headway.”</p>
<p>But the blended system only allows for three or four trains per hour because other, slower rail lines, using the same tracks, have to be coordinated.&#160; It is a known fact that sharing tracks will not allow for a high-speed rail service.</p>
<p>Prop. 1A’s requirements can’t be met&#160;with a blended system, as shown in <a href="http://transdef.org/HSR/Taxpayer_assets/HSR%20Declarations%20of%20Experts.pdf" type="external">Quentin Kopp’s</a>&#160;court declaration. A former state senator, Kopp long has been&#160;a major backer of high-speed rail, and was the first chairman of the CHSRA. But he came to oppose the current project because it won’t meet the requirements Prop. 1A promised to voters.</p>
<p>The Peer Review Group that examined the project earlier this year said the CHSRA must include extra time for stops and starts and delays. The group said it was more realistic to run an express train that takes three hours and eight minutes. &#160;See the March 27 Senate Transportation Committee hearing on high-speed rail (it’s at 21:18 minutes <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hZKFTptL1Ls" type="external">here</a>).</p>
<p>The <a href="http://reason.org/files/california_high_speed_rail_report.pdf" type="external">Reason Foundation’s Updated Due Diligence Report</a> predicted the train will go way beyond the required times mandated in Prop. 1A; and would make it in a range of between three hours and 30 minutes (optimistic) and four hours and 30 minutes (pessimistic). This is found in chart ES2. Such times do not compete well with airlines flying from LAX to SFO.</p>
<p>It is true the CHSRA always planned a lesser speed through more populated areas, originally 125 mph from former business plans.</p>
<p>However, the Bay Area has 40 grade crossings that are currently not properly separated by grade. So the CHSRA would not be able to get the 125 mph city speed approved from the California Public Utilities Commission because the CHSRA doesn’t have adequate grade separations for safe running.</p>
<p>In sum, and all kidding aside, the high-speed rail project still&#160;doesn’t come near meeting the Prop. 1A mandates.</p>
<p>Kathy Hamilton is the Ralph Nader of high-speed rail, continually uncovering hidden aspects of the project and revealing them to the public. &#160;She started writing in order to tell local communities how the project affects them and her reach grew statewide.&#160;&#160;She has written more than 225 articles on high-speed rail and attended hundreds of state and local meetings. She is a board member of the Community Coalition on High-Speed Rail; has testified at government hearings; has provided public testimony and court declarations on public records act requests; has given public testimony; and has provided transcripts for the validation of court cases.&#160;</p>
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160 construction is160going forward would good time clear air little summarize160californias highspeed rail project little humor month santa clarita valley signal published tongueincheek editorial project referenced mandate proposition 1a 2008 bond initiative voters approved launched project short highspeed rail trip los angeles san francisco twohourand40minute ride achieved straightline tunnel bakersfield pacoima potty breaks sand canyon signal quipped truth told like bakersfieldtopacoima tunnel idea bypasses santa clarita valley certainly saving many pedestrian deaths provides nice conduit move muchneeded water whole bullet train idea swirls big porcelain throne levity appreciated michelle boehm southern california regional director california highspeed rail authority charge constructing project comments worth analysis writing today correct record readers santa clarita antelope valleys get accurate picture highspeed rail program said rebuttal signal boehm wrote phase blended system travel san francisco los angelesanaheim currently estimated cost160 676 billion160 fact number recently updated california highspeed rail authoritys 2014 business plan cost actually went slightly160 newest number realistic member chsras construction team urs corp steadfastly insisted160project costs 1 billion reported chsra160the los angeles times reported estimate prepared state team led san franciscobased engineering firm urs corp includes higher costs tracks structures land purchases signals electrical systems segment would run fresno bakersfield lowest cost estimate 114mile segment 2011 environmental report 619 billion comparable figure increased 15 percent 713 billion new report chsra denies urs allegations urs backed yes chsra building something central valley wont ready highspeed rail wont electricity nutshell chsra doesnt yet permission california public utilities commission wrote analysis chsra proposal bottom line transmission electrical infrastructure proposals require complex environmental analysis prior commission approval construction monitoring commission approval cpuc relies consultants perform environmental assessments prepare environmental documents conduct construction monitoring bcp budget change proposal fiscal year 201415 requests cpuc staff resources hire manage technical consultants technical point view pura public utilities regulatory analyst staff utilize consultant resources formal decision making process alj administrative law judge staff administer consulting contracts contracts office staff boehm wrote system design fully capable achieving trip time required proposition 1a passed california voters 2008 independent peer review group stated recent legislative hearing authoritys pure run time nonstop trains san francisco trans bay terminal la union station thus designed 2 hours 32 minutes time speed go hand hand160 need certain speed make time requirements160160 chsra proof whether could make times april 2012 business plan published see author kathy hamiltons160 declaration160used tosfukudakings county lawsuit shows proof response public records request proof chsra returned response calwatchdogcom ms hamilton answer document exists verbal assertions based skill experience optimism chsra chair dan richard went expertise engineers offering assertions informed memo process drafted issue provide soon complete best guess end next week may ready apologize inconvenience waiting long find documents existed people voted bond measure thought train would make los angeles san francisco two hours 40 minutes promised secretary states voter guide official title summaryprop 1a establishes clean efficient 220 mph transportation system nothing optimism blended system constructed uses existing infrastructure allow highspeed frequent highspeed rail service would highspeed rail operated independent tracks according assembly bill 3034 2008 law put prop 1a ballot system supposed capable fiveminute space trains going 12 trains per hour called headway blended system allows three four trains per hour slower rail lines using tracks coordinated160 known fact sharing tracks allow highspeed rail service prop 1as requirements cant met160with blended system shown quentin kopps160court declaration former state senator kopp long been160a major backer highspeed rail first chairman chsra came oppose current project wont meet requirements prop 1a promised voters peer review group examined project earlier year said chsra must include extra time stops starts delays group said realistic run express train takes three hours eight minutes 160see march 27 senate transportation committee hearing highspeed rail 2118 minutes reason foundations updated due diligence report predicted train go way beyond required times mandated prop 1a would make range three hours 30 minutes optimistic four hours 30 minutes pessimistic found chart es2 times compete well airlines flying lax sfo true chsra always planned lesser speed populated areas originally 125 mph former business plans however bay area 40 grade crossings currently properly separated grade chsra would able get 125 mph city speed approved california public utilities commission chsra doesnt adequate grade separations safe running sum kidding aside highspeed rail project still160doesnt come near meeting prop 1a mandates kathy hamilton ralph nader highspeed rail continually uncovering hidden aspects project revealing public 160she started writing order tell local communities project affects reach grew statewide160160she written 225 articles highspeed rail attended hundreds state local meetings board member community coalition highspeed rail testified government hearings provided public testimony court declarations public records act requests given public testimony provided transcripts validation court cases160
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<p>If you’re country, you gotta be able to talk the talk. Lasso some music and drag it in if you want, but in country music, the words are what gets the job done. Colt Ford has the talk part nailed down, and the pedigree to back it up. But he balks at the term rapper.</p>
<p>Spoken word pieces are nothing new in country music. They used to be called recitations and were around as far back as the 1950s.</p>
<p>Porter Wagoner had a hit with his 1956 sermonette “What Would you Do if Jesus Came to Your House,” wanting to know if you need to do some housecleaning before He shows up: “When you saw him comin’ would you meet him at the door / With arms outstretched and welcome to your heavenly visitor / Or would you need to change some things before you let him in / Like burn some magazines and put the Bible where they’d been?”</p>
<p>Jimmy Dean spoke about “Big Bad John” in 1961, and Red Sovine made a career telling trucker stories like “Phantom 309” and “Giddyup Go” in the 1960s. Johnny Cash talked about “A Boy Named Sue” in 1969 at San Quentin prison. The Geezinslaw Brothers offered a comedic take on country rap with 1992’s “Help I’m White and I Can’t Get Down.” In 1998, the Gourds from Austin, Texas, covered Snoop Dogg’s 1993 opus “Gin and Juice,” rapping over a rattly mandolin lope.</p>
<p>So Ford is not pleased to be tagged in the latest issue of Rolling Stone as a nurturer of country rap, which they contend got its start in 2003 with Bubba Sparxxx’s “Deliverance.”</p>
<p>“I’ve always argued with people when people say that I started it,” Ford said last week from a Florida video shoot. “I didn’t start anything. If you go back and look at the history of country music, recitations, talking records have been around before the term rap was even invented. I don’t call myself that. I consider myself just a country artist.”</p>
<p>But Ford will admit to trying to rap soon after he left his gig as a pro golfer to go full time into the music biz. On the title track from his 2008 debut, “Ride Through the Country,” Ford confesses, “Most country folks sing, but I couldn’t, so I’m rappin’ / I wanna show y’all where I come from / And invite y’all all down to any country town.”</p>
<p>Before its release, he had tried gangsta rap as Xman, wearing a mask. “I chased a lot of other stuff,” he admits. “But I never had any success at that because I truly wasn’t being myself.”</p>
<p>That all changed in 2010 when Jason Aldean picked up “Dirt Road Anthem” from Colt’s debut album and rode it to the top of the charts.</p>
<p>“I’ve always been a songwriter first,” Ford says “There’s guys that I’ve heard go, ‘I’m a better rapper than Colt.’ OK. What does that mean?” he asks, laughing. “That and $4 will get you a cup of coffee at Starbucks. That doesn’t mean anything, especially in country. It’s about writing great songs. And great songs win, no matter who it is.”</p>
<p>Ford’s been winning with his follow-up releases. 2012’s “Declaration of Independence” and 2014’s “Thanks For Listening” both topped the Billboard charts. Keith Urban and Lee Brice dropped in as guests on “Thanks.” His latest, 2017’s “Love Hope Faith,” features Brad Paisley and Toby Keith.</p>
<p>Ford has developed as a songwriter and performer. He’s proven he can sing, harmonizing with the big boys like Keith on live shows, soloing on his latest.</p>
<p>“If you listen to this new record, ‘4 Lane Gone,’ there ain’t nothing rap about that. It’s a straight down the middle country song, and I’m singing every word.”</p>
<p>It’s a long way from his former persona of Jason Farris Brown, golf pro. “I made a living playing on various tours around the world for 10 years,” the artist currently known as Ford says. “I was a college all-American.”</p>
<p>He still plays in celebrity tournaments, as he did recently with Lee Brice, but laughs when people ask if he’s going to play on the Champions tour when he hits 50 in a couple of years. “There’s times when I go out and play really good, and people go, ‘Oh my God, you should go!’”</p>
<p>Ford says that most folks don’t realize what it takes to play at that level. “If a guy goes out and throws a football in his front yard, they don’t go, ‘Man, you should go be a quarterback in the NFL.’ It’s just silly. Guys I’m still friends with, like Phil Mickelson and Jim Furyk, these guys are still playing the regular tour. They’re gonna turn 50 the same time I do. Those guys are really, really good.”</p>
<p>But in his musical career, Ford feels he measures up to his peers.</p>
<p>“I’m not playing country — I was raised that way. My daddy picked cotton and didn’t have indoor plumbing ‘til he was 18 years old. I didn’t grow up in the city.”</p>
<p>Ford says he believes that his song “Ride Through the Country,” tells you all you need to know about what he stands for: “We believe in the Bible, and the U.S.A / Work hard for what you want, it’s the American way / Nobody owe you nothin’ supposed to earn your keep / Put in a hard day’s work, get a good night’s sleep / I know some of y’all think Colt’s kinda odd / But I’m loud, proud and country by the grace of God!”</p>
<p>“That’s everything, Ford says. “God, family, friends, America, hard work — that’s what country folks are. I’m not talking about stuff I don’t know about; I’m authentic.</p>
<p>“Every time you come see me, you’ll know I gave you everything I’ve got when I stepped on that stage, because I think you’re absolutely so lucky to able to do music and have people sing along. I’m getting to play music for a living, and its pretty dadgum special.”</p>
<p />
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youre country got ta able talk talk lasso music drag want country music words gets job done colt ford talk part nailed pedigree back balks term rapper spoken word pieces nothing new country music used called recitations around far back 1950s porter wagoner hit 1956 sermonette would jesus came house wanting know need housecleaning shows saw comin would meet door arms outstretched welcome heavenly visitor would need change things let like burn magazines put bible theyd jimmy dean spoke big bad john 1961 red sovine made career telling trucker stories like phantom 309 giddyup go 1960s johnny cash talked boy named sue 1969 san quentin prison geezinslaw brothers offered comedic take country rap 1992s help im white cant get 1998 gourds austin texas covered snoop doggs 1993 opus gin juice rapping rattly mandolin lope ford pleased tagged latest issue rolling stone nurturer country rap contend got start 2003 bubba sparxxxs deliverance ive always argued people people say started ford said last week florida video shoot didnt start anything go back look history country music recitations talking records around term rap even invented dont call consider country artist ford admit trying rap soon left gig pro golfer go full time music biz title track 2008 debut ride country ford confesses country folks sing couldnt im rappin wan na show yall come invite yall country town release tried gangsta rap xman wearing mask chased lot stuff admits never success truly wasnt changed 2010 jason aldean picked dirt road anthem colts debut album rode top charts ive always songwriter first ford says theres guys ive heard go im better rapper colt ok mean asks laughing 4 get cup coffee starbucks doesnt mean anything especially country writing great songs great songs win matter fords winning followup releases 2012s declaration independence 2014s thanks listening topped billboard charts keith urban lee brice dropped guests thanks latest 2017s love hope faith features brad paisley toby keith ford developed songwriter performer hes proven sing harmonizing big boys like keith live shows soloing latest listen new record 4 lane gone aint nothing rap straight middle country song im singing every word long way former persona jason farris brown golf pro made living playing various tours around world 10 years artist currently known ford says college allamerican still plays celebrity tournaments recently lee brice laughs people ask hes going play champions tour hits 50 couple years theres times go play really good people go oh god go ford says folks dont realize takes play level guy goes throws football front yard dont go man go quarterback nfl silly guys im still friends like phil mickelson jim furyk guys still playing regular tour theyre gon na turn 50 time guys really really good musical career ford feels measures peers im playing country raised way daddy picked cotton didnt indoor plumbing til 18 years old didnt grow city ford says believes song ride country tells need know stands believe bible usa work hard want american way nobody owe nothin supposed earn keep put hard days work get good nights sleep know yall think colts kinda odd im loud proud country grace god thats everything ford says god family friends america hard work thats country folks im talking stuff dont know im authentic every time come see youll know gave everything ive got stepped stage think youre absolutely lucky able music people sing along im getting play music living pretty dadgum special
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<p>VLADIVOSTOK, Russia — Universities advertise Chinese classes in this port city, the unofficial capital of the Russian Far East. Billboards offering cheap cancer treatments in South Korea litter the streets and cars imported from Japan clog the roads. In parks, clutches of locals practice qigong — an ancient Chinese exercise and breathing routine.</p>
<p>Vladivostok is a physical embodiment of Russia's economic "pivot east" — mainly toward China — launched after Moscow’s ties with the West began to fray badly in 2014.</p>
<p>“The relations between the two countries are at an … unprecedented level,” Russian President Vladimir Putin declared in a televised address in May 2015.</p>
<p>But despite their 2,600-mile border, a gulf separates the two countries' economies.</p>
<p>Russian-Chinese trade fell by 5 percent year-on-year to $28 billion in the first six months of 2016, mainly because of plummeting prices for commodities such as oil, gas, lumber, metal and coal, Russia's main exports. At the same time, the U.S. remains China's most important economic relationship with bilateral trade between the two hitting $263 billion in the first half of this year.</p>
<p>According to Gilbert Rozman, an expert on Asia at Princeton University, Russia "exaggerated the prospects for an alliance too soon.”</p>
<p>In theory, Chinese lenders and investors were expected to help compensate for the Western sanctions over Moscow's annexation of Ukraine's Crimea peninsula and alleged meddling in <a href="" type="internal">that country's civil war</a>.</p>
<p>But those sanctions hit Russia hard.</p>
<p>In 2014, European Union-Russian trade stood at $377 billion, making the bloc Moscow’s most important economic relationship. That fell to $235 billion last year.</p>
<p>Part of the problem for Russia its Far East is an underdeveloped, depopulating region with a mere 6 million inhabitants that is connected to Europe only by one railway line — the Trans-Siberian Railroad.</p>
<p>The Russian Far East is just not developed enough, said Vasily Kashin, a China expert with the Higher School of Economics in Moscow.</p>
<p>He added: "It's a strategic problem, something you can't fix in a hurry."</p>
<p>Developing its infrastructure and boosting the population will take decades, experts and officials said.</p>
<p>Then there are the problems of actually doing business with Russia hinted at during the Eastern Economic Forum business conference held in Vladivostok earlier this month.</p>
<p>Top Chinese businessmen like Tao Ran, the chairman of construction and power company Sirius Holding, mentioned certain "inefficiencies of administration" — a thinly veiled reference to Russia's notoriously inefficient and corrupt bureaucracy.</p>
<p>Russia's First Deputy Prime Minister Igor Shuvalov conceded that economic integration was moving slowly.</p>
<p>“Our political relationship is ahead of our economic ties,” he said at a speech at conference on Sept. 2.</p>
<p>The two giants do have long had common political interests. These include curbing global democratization efforts and trying to take control over root internet infrastructure in the world, which would give them greater censorship powers, according to Alexander Gabuev of Carnegie Moscow Center.</p>
<p>In the U.N. Security Council, the two routinely clash with the other permanent members — Britain, France and the U.S. — although Moscow usually does most of the talking.</p>
<p>And military cooperation is going strong. The two powers hold regular exercises, and Russia sells China state-of-the-art weaponry such as S-400 missile defense systems and Sukhoi Su-35 warplanes.</p>
<p>Related: <a href="" type="internal">China, Russia to Hold Joint Drills in Waters</a></p>
<p>A stubborn and persistent fact underpins both political and economic ties between Moscow and China — both countries' deteriorating relations with the U.S., according to Vasily Kashin, a China expert with the Higher School of Economics in Moscow.</p>
<p>Aside from the standoff with the West in Ukraine, Moscow and Washington don't see eye-to-eye in Syria where Russia supports President Bashar al-Assad. Russia is also furious about American plans to build a missile defense system near its borders in former Communist countries Romania and Poland.</p>
<p>China, meanwhile, is locked in a standoff with U.S. allies in the region because of its territorial claims over the much of the South China Sea. Its alleged dumping of cheap products is raising tensions and has led to punitive tariffs on some of its exports.</p>
<p>So it is quite feasible that in a decade, the standoff between Washington, and Moscow and Beijing could escalate to Cold War levels, Kashin said.</p>
<p>But in this case, Russia would be relegated to a “vassal” role with China whose economy is around eight times bigger than Russia, he warned. Beijing has the potential to become a far more dangerous opponent for the U.S. than the Soviet Union ever was thanks to its more powerful economy,</p>
<p>In the long run, the countries’ political affinity and geographic proximity make them too well-matched not to integrate, experts say.</p>
<p>An alliance with China “is the direction most consistent with where Russia has been heading and capable of being sustained,” said Princeton University's Rozman.</p>
<p>After all, Russian officials are eager to point out, the United States’ own relationship with China took four decades to build, kicked off by Richard Nixon's historic trip to China in 1972 that led to a dramatic rapprochement between the countries.</p>
<p>“You can't get to this level of cooperation in a couple years,” Russia's Deputy Prime Minister Shuvalov told NBC News on the sidelines of the Eastern Economic Forum. “It takes a lot of day-to-day toil.”</p>
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vladivostok russia universities advertise chinese classes port city unofficial capital russian far east billboards offering cheap cancer treatments south korea litter streets cars imported japan clog roads parks clutches locals practice qigong ancient chinese exercise breathing routine vladivostok physical embodiment russias economic pivot east mainly toward china launched moscows ties west began fray badly 2014 relations two countries unprecedented level russian president vladimir putin declared televised address may 2015 despite 2600mile border gulf separates two countries economies russianchinese trade fell 5 percent yearonyear 28 billion first six months 2016 mainly plummeting prices commodities oil gas lumber metal coal russias main exports time us remains chinas important economic relationship bilateral trade two hitting 263 billion first half year according gilbert rozman expert asia princeton university russia exaggerated prospects alliance soon theory chinese lenders investors expected help compensate western sanctions moscows annexation ukraines crimea peninsula alleged meddling countrys civil war sanctions hit russia hard 2014 european unionrussian trade stood 377 billion making bloc moscows important economic relationship fell 235 billion last year part problem russia far east underdeveloped depopulating region mere 6 million inhabitants connected europe one railway line transsiberian railroad russian far east developed enough said vasily kashin china expert higher school economics moscow added strategic problem something cant fix hurry developing infrastructure boosting population take decades experts officials said problems actually business russia hinted eastern economic forum business conference held vladivostok earlier month top chinese businessmen like tao ran chairman construction power company sirius holding mentioned certain inefficiencies administration thinly veiled reference russias notoriously inefficient corrupt bureaucracy russias first deputy prime minister igor shuvalov conceded economic integration moving slowly political relationship ahead economic ties said speech conference sept 2 two giants long common political interests include curbing global democratization efforts trying take control root internet infrastructure world would give greater censorship powers according alexander gabuev carnegie moscow center un security council two routinely clash permanent members britain france us although moscow usually talking military cooperation going strong two powers hold regular exercises russia sells china stateoftheart weaponry s400 missile defense systems sukhoi su35 warplanes related china russia hold joint drills waters stubborn persistent fact underpins political economic ties moscow china countries deteriorating relations us according vasily kashin china expert higher school economics moscow aside standoff west ukraine moscow washington dont see eyetoeye syria russia supports president bashar alassad russia also furious american plans build missile defense system near borders former communist countries romania poland china meanwhile locked standoff us allies region territorial claims much south china sea alleged dumping cheap products raising tensions led punitive tariffs exports quite feasible decade standoff washington moscow beijing could escalate cold war levels kashin said case russia would relegated vassal role china whose economy around eight times bigger russia warned beijing potential become far dangerous opponent us soviet union ever thanks powerful economy long run countries political affinity geographic proximity make wellmatched integrate experts say alliance china direction consistent russia heading capable sustained said princeton universitys rozman russian officials eager point united states relationship china took four decades build kicked richard nixons historic trip china 1972 led dramatic rapprochement countries cant get level cooperation couple years russias deputy prime minister shuvalov told nbc news sidelines eastern economic forum takes lot daytoday toil
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<p>REYHANLI, Turkey — On a balmy spring day, Ghazwan Mahmoud sits on the balcony of a house-cum-aid center on the edge of Reyhanli, a dusty Turkish border town, looking toward the hills that hide Syria’s unfolding tragedy.</p>
<p>Beyond the peaks lie hundreds of newly erected camps housing many of the region’s 120,000 displaced Syrians. Thirty miles farther east in Aleppo, Syria’s largest city, whose eastern districts have been pummeled by air strikes and barrel bombs for two years, over half a million internally displaced persons (IDPs) are holding on. Few are as cognizant of the scale of suffering across northern Syria as Mahmoud, who himself used to live in a town in the Latakia province.</p>
<p>With cigarette in hand, Mahmoud, a coordinator with the aid group Watan Syria, is in the midst of coordinating the movement of baby kits and food into northern Syria: diapers, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sudocrem" type="external">Sudocrem</a>, powdered milk and blankets. He says today there are 40 IDP camps a few miles over the border in his particular area when a year ago, there were just five. Other aid workers operating along this border say as many as 200 camps along the Turkish-Syrian border have sprung up over the past three years. <a href="http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/news/regions/middle-east/140225/sunday-car-bomb-devastated-the-syrian-town-atmeh-what-it-lo" type="external">Some have been bombed</a>. “The siege areas are our biggest concern,” said Mahmoud.</p>
<p>The figures relaying the results of Syria’s war are shocking: Aid agencies estimate 6.5 million Syrians are internally displaced, many of whom have fled the violence in the south for the border regions with Turkey. According to the Internal Displacement Monitoring Service, a Syrian family flees home every 60 seconds.</p>
<p />
<p>Syrian refugees arrive in Turkey at the Cilvegozu crossing gate of Reyhanli. (Bulent Kilic/AFP/Getty Images)</p>
<p>Mahmoud’s group is just one of the many organizations that have set up shop on the Turkish border, transforming the local economy and serving as an aid hotspot as well as entry point for aid groups into rebel-held Syria. For access to everyday medicine in particular, the IDPs rely on these aid groups. The Syrian government carried out at least 150 attacks on 124 health care points in the three years to March, <a href="http://www.globalpost.com/dispatches/globalpost-blogs/meanwhile-syria/day-1154-map-shows-the-attacks-medical-workers-syria" type="external">according to Physicians for Human Rights</a>, a New York-headquartered non-governmental organization. The growing influence of jihadist groups across northern Syria and bombing campaigns by Syrian government forces add to the desperation. Data released in June by the European Commission found that <a href="http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_STATEMENT-14-177_en.htm" type="external">over 200,000 Syrians</a>&#160;have died due to a lack of health care.</p>
<p>Doctors Without Borders runs its Syrian operation from the Turkish border. In addition, a clinic in Reyhanli run by Syrian doctors is helping to treat up to 12,000 Syrian out-patients per month. Kotaiba Dogham, an administrative coordinator at the Orient Clinic, said patients come from across the border in Syria for medicine to treat chronic illnesses every day.</p>
<p>“All services are free for Syrians: CT scans, x-rays, medicine. Facial plastic surgery is a huge demand from patients right now,” he said — the conflict has left its mark on many of these refugees. Across the street, the Orient Clinic is soon to open a psychological ward next to a school that began classes for Syrian children 11 months ago. The recent closure of all other Syrian-run clinics in Reyhanli for not having licenses has put the Orient Clinic under serious pressure, he added.</p>
<p>Syrians push a cart with their belongings in Reyhanli, Turkey, after crossing the Reyhanli border crossing. (Ozan Kose/AFP/Getty Images)</p>
<p>The ballooning of the displaced persons population has created a pressing need for what might be thought of as meta-aid: large-scale measurement and planning beyond the aid groups’ here-and-now relief, to coordinate assistance as the scale of the problem increases. Lars Bromley of the UN mapping program UNOSAT provides satellite imagery analysis to relief organizations and is currently analyzing 65 square miles of northern Idlib province. Bromley has charted the growth of IDP camps in a roughly 30-square-mile area between February and May.</p>
<p>“The growth in IDP encampments in this area includes an increase in 23 separate camps to 34 in that time period, though that’s not quite useful as the camps can be small and scattered and the real growth is in the larger camps,” he said.</p>
<p>“Perhaps the best measure is in the number of distinct IDP structures … there was a 62 percent increase in the number of these IDP structures. Note this includes both individual ‘tent’ shelters, which are the vast majority, and what we call ‘administrative’ structures which would include larger tents such as kitchens, medical facilities.”</p>
<p>An empty Turkish border post sits by the barbed wire border fence with Syria in Reyhanli. (Ozan Kose/AFP/Getty Images)</p>
<p>Turkey’s support for the Syrian opposition and its 560-mile border with Syria has made Reyhanli and the eastern border regions ground zero for the movement of fighters into northern Syria. In recent months this has opened Turkey up to international criticism, for the possibility that it is facilitating jihadist movement on the border. The porous border has also <a href="http://www.bostonglobe.com/ideas/2014/05/31/could-aid-syrians-prolonging-war/ue0PJAyjozIT5xEyTqCwgO/story.html" type="external">raised the question</a> of whether aid groups may unintentionally be fueling the conflict, their supplies and medical care indirectly relieving pressure on rebel groups, and thus supporting the opposition.</p>
<p>Ghazwan Mahmoud of Watan Syria says aid workers have been approached by fighters inside Syria but maintains there’s a strict policy against collaborating with combatants of sort.</p>
<p>In any event, the prospect of withdrawing assistance doesn’t bear contemplating. Ferhad Jafer, a security officer for an aid organization run by a religious order supporting 17,000 families inside Syria every month, says he sees the crisis worsening over the coming months.</p>
<p>“Inside Syria there are no safe areas. Assad jets can reach anywhere they want and bomb it,” he said, adding that towns and cities in eastern Syria including Raqqa, a provincial capital of 250,000 people, are off limits to western aid groups as they are now occupied by militant jihadi groups.</p>
<p>With government forces emboldened by a series of recent victories over rebel fighters across southern and western Syria, and an encroaching menace in the shape of jihadi fighters emerging from the east, the future is glim for the country’s displaced millions.</p>
<p>“Syria has become like Somalia. We are not thinking of going on with life,” said Mahmoud. “In the end, we just all want to go back home.”</p>
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reyhanli turkey balmy spring day ghazwan mahmoud sits balcony housecumaid center edge reyhanli dusty turkish border town looking toward hills hide syrias unfolding tragedy beyond peaks lie hundreds newly erected camps housing many regions 120000 displaced syrians thirty miles farther east aleppo syrias largest city whose eastern districts pummeled air strikes barrel bombs two years half million internally displaced persons idps holding cognizant scale suffering across northern syria mahmoud used live town latakia province cigarette hand mahmoud coordinator aid group watan syria midst coordinating movement baby kits food northern syria diapers sudocrem powdered milk blankets says today 40 idp camps miles border particular area year ago five aid workers operating along border say many 200 camps along turkishsyrian border sprung past three years bombed siege areas biggest concern said mahmoud figures relaying results syrias war shocking aid agencies estimate 65 million syrians internally displaced many fled violence south border regions turkey according internal displacement monitoring service syrian family flees home every 60 seconds syrian refugees arrive turkey cilvegozu crossing gate reyhanli bulent kilicafpgetty images mahmouds group one many organizations set shop turkish border transforming local economy serving aid hotspot well entry point aid groups rebelheld syria access everyday medicine particular idps rely aid groups syrian government carried least 150 attacks 124 health care points three years march according physicians human rights new yorkheadquartered nongovernmental organization growing influence jihadist groups across northern syria bombing campaigns syrian government forces add desperation data released june european commission found 200000 syrians160have died due lack health care doctors without borders runs syrian operation turkish border addition clinic reyhanli run syrian doctors helping treat 12000 syrian outpatients per month kotaiba dogham administrative coordinator orient clinic said patients come across border syria medicine treat chronic illnesses every day services free syrians ct scans xrays medicine facial plastic surgery huge demand patients right said conflict left mark many refugees across street orient clinic soon open psychological ward next school began classes syrian children 11 months ago recent closure syrianrun clinics reyhanli licenses put orient clinic serious pressure added syrians push cart belongings reyhanli turkey crossing reyhanli border crossing ozan koseafpgetty images ballooning displaced persons population created pressing need might thought metaaid largescale measurement planning beyond aid groups hereandnow relief coordinate assistance scale problem increases lars bromley un mapping program unosat provides satellite imagery analysis relief organizations currently analyzing 65 square miles northern idlib province bromley charted growth idp camps roughly 30squaremile area february may growth idp encampments area includes increase 23 separate camps 34 time period though thats quite useful camps small scattered real growth larger camps said perhaps best measure number distinct idp structures 62 percent increase number idp structures note includes individual tent shelters vast majority call administrative structures would include larger tents kitchens medical facilities empty turkish border post sits barbed wire border fence syria reyhanli ozan koseafpgetty images turkeys support syrian opposition 560mile border syria made reyhanli eastern border regions ground zero movement fighters northern syria recent months opened turkey international criticism possibility facilitating jihadist movement border porous border also raised question whether aid groups may unintentionally fueling conflict supplies medical care indirectly relieving pressure rebel groups thus supporting opposition ghazwan mahmoud watan syria says aid workers approached fighters inside syria maintains theres strict policy collaborating combatants sort event prospect withdrawing assistance doesnt bear contemplating ferhad jafer security officer aid organization run religious order supporting 17000 families inside syria every month says sees crisis worsening coming months inside syria safe areas assad jets reach anywhere want bomb said adding towns cities eastern syria including raqqa provincial capital 250000 people limits western aid groups occupied militant jihadi groups government forces emboldened series recent victories rebel fighters across southern western syria encroaching menace shape jihadi fighters emerging east future glim countrys displaced millions syria become like somalia thinking going life said mahmoud end want go back home
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<p><a href="" type="internal" /></p>
<p>Environmentalists have used the allusion of the canary in the mineshaft when describing the importance of protecting the endangered Desert Sand Fly, Stephens Kangaroo Rat or the infamous Delta Smelt. By placing these insignificant creatures on the Endangered Species List, they were able to stop construction of hospitals, schools, roads and homes. And in the case of the Delta Smelt, they turned off water to countless farms in the fertile Central Valley of California.</p>
<p>Long ago, the death of a canary in a mineshaft signaled the presence of poisonous gases that would imperil miners. Today, environmentalists argue that the loss of the slightest of creatures is a signal of man’s impending doom. Policies like the Endangered Species Act worked — not to save species, but to slow or stop development. Countless jobs were lost by the imposition of such noble logic. Initially created to protect the American Bald Eagle, <a href="http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=endangered-species-act-success-failure" type="external">according to the Scientific America</a>n, only 1 percent of species (20 out of 2,000) under the protection of ESA have recovered to qualify for being taken off the endangered list.</p>
<p>It is time to use this same allusion to analyze the aggressive policies of the Progressive Movement in America as they seek to create their vision of a Blue Utopia in America. One must study the impact of their policies, not on canaries, but to the plight of hard-working American families. Will the canary warn us of the poisonous economic gases of Progressive policies? Or has the canary already died? Look no further than Detroit as a city and California as a state before entering the economic future mine shaft of our nation.</p>
<p>In the 1950ss and 60s, Detroit was the <a href="http://query.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F40615F9385E157A93CBA8178DD85F448285F9" type="external">fourth largest city in the United States</a>, with arguably the highest median income, the highest percentage of home ownership and the highest standard of living in the country. The industrial capacity of Japan, Germany, France and England had been decimated by war. America, the “arsenal of democracy” protected by oceans, stood alone with an untouched industrial capacity able to supply the Baby Boom population with the new suburban homes, appliances and cars they wanted.</p>
<p>Detroit’s workers had plenty of good-paying jobs thanks to the dominance of the auto industry. Detroit had modern skyscrapers, mass-transit trolley cars and great public services — water, sewer, roads, public schools and libraries. It had museums, parks, a symphony orchestra and a world-class zoo. Its sports teams included Lions, Tigers, Pistons and Red Wings. Detroit worked. Its weather was not great, but no worse than Cleveland, Philadelphia, New York or Boston. This was Detroit’s Golden Era.</p>
<p>After 1962, backed by the powerful unions of the auto industry, Detroit tilted from a two-party political system to one-party rule. Democrats, fueled by union contributions, routed Republicans from office and had their way governing Detroit for the next 50 years. They brought $400 million in federal funds to Detroit from President Lyndon Johnson’s Great Society and “Model Cities” initiatives. Their progressive policies were unchallenged.</p>
<p>With one-party rule, the Progressives were able to impose their utopian ideas on the bluest of American cities without political debate. What did their vision of Blue Utopia create? <a href="http://james-a-watkins.hubpages.com/hub/Detroit-Michigan" type="external">In 1967, Detroit burned.</a>During horrific race riots, 2.500 businesses burned to the ground and 43 people were killed. That same year saw 67,000 people move out of the city and another 80,000 followed in 1968.</p>
<p>With the election of Coleman Young in 1973 as the nation’s first black mayor, the shift to Progressive policies supported by massive federal funding was complete. Detroit’s Golden Era was gone. The canary was dead. The proof is history itself.</p>
<p>Detroit in 2012 is a shadow of its former self. Its population has shrunk from 1,849,568 in 1950 to 706,000. Of 12,103 babies born in Detroit in 2009, 75.4 percent were born to unmarried women (2010 Census Bureau survey). Unemployment officially stands at 29 percent. But Mayor Dave Bing said at a recent White House Jobs Summit that Detroit’s unemployment rate was “probably close to 50 percent.”</p>
<p>Bing, like every Detroit mayor since 1962, went to Washington to press the federal government to channel more money directly into the city. There are between 100,000 and 200,000 vacant houses in the city and the average home price has fallen below $10,000. That unimaginable number is not a typo but a symbol of reality in modern Detroit. Over 500 arson fires are set in the city of Detroit per month.</p>
<p><a href="http://radiantwriting.hubpages.com/hub/The-Bulldozing-of-Detroit" type="external">According to one report</a>, “The Detroit Fire Commissioner, Donald Austin has suggested that it be wiser for the sake of cost and safety, to allow some vacant structures to burn when set on fire by arsonists. He has suggested the fire department handle the fire as a controlled burn, rather than extinguish the fire and leave a half burnt down shell that poses the danger of an unpredicted collapse.”</p>
<p>In 2010, Detroit Mayor Dave Bing proposed a radical plan to bulldoze 40 square miles of the city (25 percent), turning it back into pre-1950’s farmland. Economics writer Benjamin Clement wrote in an article, “ <a href="http://economyincrisis.org/content/detroit-americas-war-torn-city" type="external">Detroit: America’s War Torn City</a>“:</p>
<p>“Visiting Detroit is the closest Americans can come to viewing what appears to be a war-torn city without leaving the U.S. This former powerhouse is a barren stretch of land, devastated by looters and full of run-down, vacant houses. Rows upon rows of dilapidated structures line the streets; empty apartment buildings and factories consume the landscape. Almost a third of Detroit has been abandoned.”</p>
<p>Detroit once manufactured 5 million cars per year and now produces just 2 million. Detroit has been ruled for 50 years by one party, which is funded by the once-powerful labor unions. In the 1970s, the unions arrogantly ignored low-priced Japanese imports and allowed Toyota and Nissan to take their jobs. They refused to make wage concessions when manufacturers threatened to move to Ohio, Alabama and South Carolina — and lost more jobs.</p>
<p>As even more automobile manufacturing was outsourced under the North American Free Trade Agreement, the unions had become too weak to block the legislation in 1994. Understandably when jobs left, people followed in search of work, just as in the dust bowl days. Detroit today is a city on life support; its factories silent, its jobs gone, its coffers empty, its schools bankrupt and its families ripped asunder.</p>
<p>In 1960, no one could envision the rapidity of Detroit’s decline. How could this happen in Blue Utopia?</p>
<p>Spanish-American philosopher George Santayana said, “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” Californian’s political leaders ignore the canary lying on the bottom of its cage and blindly follow Detroit’s model.</p>
<p>Last November, California voters vanquished the last of the state Republicans, leaving no Republican holding statewide public office. Democrats, capturing supermajorities in both the state Senate and the Assembly, no longer need a single Republican vote to pass legislation, including tax increases. They are fueled by powerful labor unions that collect dues from teachers and public employees to fund campaigns that guarantee the re-election of their proxies in the Legislature, who vote higher and higher benefits to union members.</p>
<p>City after city faces bankruptcy and ruin from massive unfunded pension obligations that allow lifeguards in Newport Beach to retire at 50 years old with <a href="http://money.msn.com/saving-money-tips/post.aspx?post=b8c6c560-cf5a-4d6f-8b5e-c76a826dd059" type="external">$108,000 annual pensions for lif</a>e. The <a href="http://news.stanford.edu/news/2010/november/nation-pension-report-111810.html" type="external">Stanford Institute for Economic Policy Research reported</a>in Feb. &#160;2012 that local governments have $200 billion in unfunded pension obligations that will consume 17 percent of municipal budgets. An earlier report in 2010 revealed the State of California has <a href="http://blogs.sacbee.com/the_state_worker/2011/12/new-stanford-study-pegs-pension-shortfall-at.html" type="external">$500 billion in unfunded pension obligations.</a></p>
<p>Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger issued a supposed hiring freeze during the worst of the 2008-2009 recession. Yet the state continued to hire more workers, adding over 13,000 employees in 2008-2009. &#160;Salaries that fuel high pension costs are also out of control. U.C. Berkeley’s “Institute for Research on Labor and Employment” produced a <a href="http://www.californiapublicpolicycenter.org/cppc-studies/calculating-public-employee-total-compensation/" type="external">detailed policy paper</a>entitled “The Truth about Public Employees in California” that revealed the following:</p>
<p>* The average public sector worker makes $65,000 per year, plus pension, health and vacation benefits, making their average total compensation $102,225 per year.</p>
<p>* The average private sector worker makes $46,500 per year, plus pension, health and vacation benefits, making their average total compensation $57,558 per year.</p>
<p>With policies like this, California ran $20 billion deficits year after year. Gov. Jerry Brown declared California should generate a surplus this year with the passage of Proposition 30, which raised the top state income tax on the wealthy to 13.3 percent — higher than top tax rate in Russia. And Californians also have to pay the 39.6 percent top federal income tax rate.</p>
<p>But &#160;Brown and his fellow Progressives have plans to spend this tax windfall on new state spending like a Bullet Train between Fresno and Bakersfield that will cost $68 billion.&#160;</p>
<p>California’s schools once were the envy of the world. This is no longer true. Journalist Peter Schrag describes it as the “Mississippification” of California.</p>
<p>California voters and politicians have drained education’s coffers to pay for prolific spending elsewhere in the state budget. In 2011, public colleges and universities received 13 percent less in state money than they had in 1980 (when adjusted for inflation). Its Community College system lost $809 million — or 12 percent of their state funding — since 2008. The state’s K-12 education system now ranks 49th&#160;in state spending per pupil. California could face a shortfall of a million skilled workers by 2025.</p>
<p><a href="http://townhall.com/columnists/davidspady/2013/02/15/americas-dreadful-debt-legacy-n1513025/page/full/" type="external">According to Columnist David Spady</a>, California local school districts have become some of the worst abusers of passing on debt to future generations. In Poway, voters approved borrowing $105 million for its schools. Payments of $50 million per year begin in 20 years, with total repayment of $981 million. Voters shackled future residents with a terrible burden for spending today.</p>
<p>Poway is not alone. In response to reduced funding, since 2007 school districts in California borrowed $7 billion for new construction projects using Capital Appreciation Bonds that feature no payments for 20 years.</p>
<p>The Central Valley, once the food basket of America, found its water diverted from farms to the ocean to “protect” the Delta Smelt. To protect this tiny fish, otherwise known as bait, water was diverted from farms, eliminating 37,000 jobs and leaving 300,000 acres fallow. Unemployment in the Central Valley is now 40 percent in places with farm workers relying on food stamps to feed their families.</p>
<p>With unemployment in California officially near 10 percent, but practically around 15 percent, people continue to migrate out of the Golden State in search of jobs and opportunities elsewhere. It is understandable and the consequences are obvious.</p>
<p>This migration, which began two decades ago, has now picked up speed with new taxes on the wealthy and the successful fund the Progressive vision of Blue Utopia. Golfer Phil Mickelson was ridiculed for stating the obvious — that he might have to leave California. With the new California taxes imposed by Prop. 30, Mickelson’s “fair share” is around $8 million per year — $22,000 per day or $1,000 per hour — for the privilege of living in their Blue Utopia. Can anyone blame Mickelson when he moves to Florida, where there is no state income tax?</p>
<p>We have a Progressive President who, with his re-election, made it clear he plans to pursue a Progressive agenda. He wants clean water, clean air and green energy. He proclaims Republicans want dirty air and dirty water and oppose him on green energy. He would like nothing less than one party rule so he can impose his vision of Blue Utopia on America.</p>
<p>If Americans paid attention to the past, they might not be condemned to repeat it. If they were paying attention now, they would notice the canary in their mineshaft gasping for breath. If they studied the policies that have already failed miserably, making Detroit a third world city, they could change course and save the Golden State. If our leaders in Washington did the same, they would know better than to push us down this path. The problem is we do not teach history anymore. And if Americans cannot remember their own past, they too will be condemned to repeat it.</p>
<p>Robert J Cristiano, Ph.D, is the Real Estate Professional in Residence at Chapman University in Orange, Calif.; a Senior Fellow at the Pacific Research Institute in San Francisco, Calif.; and president of the international investment firm, L88 Companies LLC in Washington, D.C., Newport Beach, Denver and Prague. He has been a successful real estate developer for more than 30 years.&#160;</p>
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environmentalists used allusion canary mineshaft describing importance protecting endangered desert sand fly stephens kangaroo rat infamous delta smelt placing insignificant creatures endangered species list able stop construction hospitals schools roads homes case delta smelt turned water countless farms fertile central valley california long ago death canary mineshaft signaled presence poisonous gases would imperil miners today environmentalists argue loss slightest creatures signal mans impending doom policies like endangered species act worked save species slow stop development countless jobs lost imposition noble logic initially created protect american bald eagle according scientific american 1 percent species 20 2000 protection esa recovered qualify taken endangered list time use allusion analyze aggressive policies progressive movement america seek create vision blue utopia america one must study impact policies canaries plight hardworking american families canary warn us poisonous economic gases progressive policies canary already died look detroit city california state entering economic future mine shaft nation 1950ss 60s detroit fourth largest city united states arguably highest median income highest percentage home ownership highest standard living country industrial capacity japan germany france england decimated war america arsenal democracy protected oceans stood alone untouched industrial capacity able supply baby boom population new suburban homes appliances cars wanted detroits workers plenty goodpaying jobs thanks dominance auto industry detroit modern skyscrapers masstransit trolley cars great public services water sewer roads public schools libraries museums parks symphony orchestra worldclass zoo sports teams included lions tigers pistons red wings detroit worked weather great worse cleveland philadelphia new york boston detroits golden era 1962 backed powerful unions auto industry detroit tilted twoparty political system oneparty rule democrats fueled union contributions routed republicans office way governing detroit next 50 years brought 400 million federal funds detroit president lyndon johnsons great society model cities initiatives progressive policies unchallenged oneparty rule progressives able impose utopian ideas bluest american cities without political debate vision blue utopia create 1967 detroit burnedduring horrific race riots 2500 businesses burned ground 43 people killed year saw 67000 people move city another 80000 followed 1968 election coleman young 1973 nations first black mayor shift progressive policies supported massive federal funding complete detroits golden era gone canary dead proof history detroit 2012 shadow former self population shrunk 1849568 1950 706000 12103 babies born detroit 2009 754 percent born unmarried women 2010 census bureau survey unemployment officially stands 29 percent mayor dave bing said recent white house jobs summit detroits unemployment rate probably close 50 percent bing like every detroit mayor since 1962 went washington press federal government channel money directly city 100000 200000 vacant houses city average home price fallen 10000 unimaginable number typo symbol reality modern detroit 500 arson fires set city detroit per month according one report detroit fire commissioner donald austin suggested wiser sake cost safety allow vacant structures burn set fire arsonists suggested fire department handle fire controlled burn rather extinguish fire leave half burnt shell poses danger unpredicted collapse 2010 detroit mayor dave bing proposed radical plan bulldoze 40 square miles city 25 percent turning back pre1950s farmland economics writer benjamin clement wrote article detroit americas war torn city visiting detroit closest americans come viewing appears wartorn city without leaving us former powerhouse barren stretch land devastated looters full rundown vacant houses rows upon rows dilapidated structures line streets empty apartment buildings factories consume landscape almost third detroit abandoned detroit manufactured 5 million cars per year produces 2 million detroit ruled 50 years one party funded oncepowerful labor unions 1970s unions arrogantly ignored lowpriced japanese imports allowed toyota nissan take jobs refused make wage concessions manufacturers threatened move ohio alabama south carolina lost jobs even automobile manufacturing outsourced north american free trade agreement unions become weak block legislation 1994 understandably jobs left people followed search work dust bowl days detroit today city life support factories silent jobs gone coffers empty schools bankrupt families ripped asunder 1960 one could envision rapidity detroits decline could happen blue utopia spanishamerican philosopher george santayana said remember past condemned repeat californians political leaders ignore canary lying bottom cage blindly follow detroits model last november california voters vanquished last state republicans leaving republican holding statewide public office democrats capturing supermajorities state senate assembly longer need single republican vote pass legislation including tax increases fueled powerful labor unions collect dues teachers public employees fund campaigns guarantee reelection proxies legislature vote higher higher benefits union members city city faces bankruptcy ruin massive unfunded pension obligations allow lifeguards newport beach retire 50 years old 108000 annual pensions life stanford institute economic policy research reportedin feb 1602012 local governments 200 billion unfunded pension obligations consume 17 percent municipal budgets earlier report 2010 revealed state california 500 billion unfunded pension obligations gov arnold schwarzenegger issued supposed hiring freeze worst 20082009 recession yet state continued hire workers adding 13000 employees 20082009 160salaries fuel high pension costs also control uc berkeleys institute research labor employment produced detailed policy paperentitled truth public employees california revealed following average public sector worker makes 65000 per year plus pension health vacation benefits making average total compensation 102225 per year average private sector worker makes 46500 per year plus pension health vacation benefits making average total compensation 57558 per year policies like california ran 20 billion deficits year year gov jerry brown declared california generate surplus year passage proposition 30 raised top state income tax wealthy 133 percent higher top tax rate russia californians also pay 396 percent top federal income tax rate 160brown fellow progressives plans spend tax windfall new state spending like bullet train fresno bakersfield cost 68 billion160 californias schools envy world longer true journalist peter schrag describes mississippification california california voters politicians drained educations coffers pay prolific spending elsewhere state budget 2011 public colleges universities received 13 percent less state money 1980 adjusted inflation community college system lost 809 million 12 percent state funding since 2008 states k12 education system ranks 49th160in state spending per pupil california could face shortfall million skilled workers 2025 according columnist david spady california local school districts become worst abusers passing debt future generations poway voters approved borrowing 105 million schools payments 50 million per year begin 20 years total repayment 981 million voters shackled future residents terrible burden spending today poway alone response reduced funding since 2007 school districts california borrowed 7 billion new construction projects using capital appreciation bonds feature payments 20 years central valley food basket america found water diverted farms ocean protect delta smelt protect tiny fish otherwise known bait water diverted farms eliminating 37000 jobs leaving 300000 acres fallow unemployment central valley 40 percent places farm workers relying food stamps feed families unemployment california officially near 10 percent practically around 15 percent people continue migrate golden state search jobs opportunities elsewhere understandable consequences obvious migration began two decades ago picked speed new taxes wealthy successful fund progressive vision blue utopia golfer phil mickelson ridiculed stating obvious might leave california new california taxes imposed prop 30 mickelsons fair share around 8 million per year 22000 per day 1000 per hour privilege living blue utopia anyone blame mickelson moves florida state income tax progressive president reelection made clear plans pursue progressive agenda wants clean water clean air green energy proclaims republicans want dirty air dirty water oppose green energy would like nothing less one party rule impose vision blue utopia america americans paid attention past might condemned repeat paying attention would notice canary mineshaft gasping breath studied policies already failed miserably making detroit third world city could change course save golden state leaders washington would know better push us path problem teach history anymore americans remember past condemned repeat robert j cristiano phd real estate professional residence chapman university orange calif senior fellow pacific research institute san francisco calif president international investment firm l88 companies llc washington dc newport beach denver prague successful real estate developer 30 years160
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<p>It may be a hopeful sign: Efforts by white supremacists to <a href="/in-dealing-with-confederate-monuments-south-africa-provides-a-model/" type="external">defend Confederate memorials</a> seem to have inspired a renewed effort to remove them.&#160; In Chicago, by extension, there’s a proposal to remove a Roman column dedicated to Italian dictator Benito Mussolini and rename the street honoring his aviation minister, Italo Balbo.</p>
<p>There’s a lot of history there, including an important history of resistance.</p>
<p>A Chicago Tribune feature story last week mentioned in passing <a href="http://www.chicagotribune.com/entertainment/ct-ent-balbo-monument-20170817-story.html" type="external">“mainstream supporters”</a> of Italian fascism in 1930s Chicago; indeed, Chicago Mayor Edward Kelly appears to have been an enthusiastic fan of Mussolini.&#160; But we should also remember the courageous anti-fascist organizing in Chicago at the time by Italian Americans and African Americans, who drew explicit connections between the fascist ideology being celebrated and the racist and repressive system existing here.</p>
<p>When he led his Atlantic Squadron in a flight to Chicago’s Century of Progress world’s fair in 1933, Balbo was a dashing celebrity aviator in the age of Lindbergh and Earhart. Fascist Italy had not yet adopted the anti-Semitic policies of Nazi Germany (policies Balbo’s biographer says he opposed), and Britain and France still hoped to prevent an alliance between Italy and Germany.</p>
<p>Balbo’s background, leading bands of Black Shirt gangs in murderous attacks on Italian trade unionists and progressives, was apparently no impediment to his warm reception here.</p>
<p>The mayor and governor greeted Balbo, and tens of thousands of Chicagoans turned out to cheer him in a parade down Michigan Avenue and a ceremony at Soldier Field.&#160; There was ethnic pride, admiration of technological prowess and derring-do – and among the city’s leaders, there was certainly sympathy with the fascist regime’s goal of keeping the working class in its place.</p>
<p>But there was also dissent: Two anti-fascist Italian-American groups distributed thousands of leaflets denouncing Balbo’s role in the murder of Italian progressives. “It is <a href="http://www.encyclopedia.chicagohistory.org/pages/11184.html" type="external">a disgrace that this murderer and terrorist</a> should be received by Democratic America as the official representative of the Italian people,” wrote the Italian Socialist Federation and the Italian League for the Rights of Man.</p>
<p>This is significant: It’s not like Chicago’s elite was innocently ignorant of the true character of fascism.</p>
<p>Anti-fascist resistance mushroomed here two years later, as Mussolini’s armies massed in preparation for the invasion of Ethiopia. Thousands of Chicagoans marched in Bronzeville to oppose the war – and to demand democratic rights in Chicago.</p>
<p>The “Hands Off Ethiopia” demonstration of Aug. 31, 1935, was initiated at a community meeting a month earlier with over 1,000 delegates from community organizations, churches, lodges, and left-wing and nationalist groups.&#160; For African Americans, Ethiopia was a symbol of independence and anti-colonialism. But Mayor Kelly refused to grant organizers a parade permit, insisting a protest targeting Italy would insult a “friendly power.”</p>
<p>As the date of the demonstration approached, it was clear police would try to prevent it from taking place.&#160; In the years of the Great Depression, <a href="/chicago-cops-conduct-unconstitutional-spying-again/" type="external">Chicago police had a reputation for brutally suppressing efforts to organize</a> for unemployment insurance, public works jobs and eviction moratoriums.&#160; They regularly raided offices, harassed organizers and beat activists, sometimes fatally.&#160; In 1931 they shot directly into a crowd of hundreds of South Siders who were blocking the eviction of a 70-year-old widow, killing at least two. (Tens of thousands turned out for the funeral procession down South State Street.)</p>
<p>On Aug. 31, the streets around 47th and South Park (now King Drive) were jammed with protestors. Police were making wholesale arrests and continually shoving and clubbing demonstrators to prevent them from converging.&#160; But as they sought to shut things down, organizers who had secreted themselves in buildings the night before appeared, one by one, on the roofs of buildings. They exhorted the crowd to decry Mussolini’s war plans and to defend their own exercise of democratic rights, denouncing the use of Mussolini’s tactics in Chicago. Each spoke until he was hauled off by cops – then another appeared atop another building.</p>
<p>The action continued from early afternoon into the night, according to the memoirs of organizer Harry Haywood.&#160; Meanwhile arrestees faced a gauntlet of dozens of police officers who systematically clubbed them as they were marched into the station. Haywood had to use crutches for a month as a result of his beating.</p>
<p>Haywood and several others who organized in 1935 went on to volunteer to defend the Spanish Republic after it was attacked the next year by fascists ­– including <a href="https://www.chicagoreader.com/chicago/local-heroes-oliver-law-a-black-who-fought-the-fascists/Content?oid=871429" type="external">Oliver Law</a>, who would become the first African American to command black and white troops in battle.</p>
<p>Meanwhile, in Italy’s invasion of Ethiopia, the air force built by Balbo (who by then was governor of Libya) would carpet-bomb cities, kill thousands of civilians and systematically drench large areas with poison gas. It was a precursor of many atrocities to come.</p>
<p>It looks like Balbo Drive’s days are numbered. The street should be renamed for someone with real roots in Chicago history, someone who fought to advance human rights.&#160; Some have <a href="https://www.change.org/p/rahm-rename-chicago-s-balbo-ave-to-ida-b-wells-way" type="external">suggested Ida B. Wells</a>.</p>
<p>As for that Roman column given by Mussolini to Mayor Kelly – the column with the <a href="http://www.chicagotribune.com/entertainment/ct-ent-balbo-monument-20170817-story.html" type="external">“sketchy history,”</a> according to the Tribune ­– some have suggested its removal to a museum, with an exhibit giving its historical context.&#160; If that’s the solution, the historical material should expose the sympathies of Chicago’s leaders for fascism and the role of Chicago police in suppressing dissent and working-class organizing. And it should give special attention to the committed opposition mounted by Black Chicago and others, who found themselves fighting fascism in the streets of the South Side.</p>
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may hopeful sign efforts white supremacists defend confederate memorials seem inspired renewed effort remove them160 chicago extension theres proposal remove roman column dedicated italian dictator benito mussolini rename street honoring aviation minister italo balbo theres lot history including important history resistance chicago tribune feature story last week mentioned passing mainstream supporters italian fascism 1930s chicago indeed chicago mayor edward kelly appears enthusiastic fan mussolini160 also remember courageous antifascist organizing chicago time italian americans african americans drew explicit connections fascist ideology celebrated racist repressive system existing led atlantic squadron flight chicagos century progress worlds fair 1933 balbo dashing celebrity aviator age lindbergh earhart fascist italy yet adopted antisemitic policies nazi germany policies balbos biographer says opposed britain france still hoped prevent alliance italy germany balbos background leading bands black shirt gangs murderous attacks italian trade unionists progressives apparently impediment warm reception mayor governor greeted balbo tens thousands chicagoans turned cheer parade michigan avenue ceremony soldier field160 ethnic pride admiration technological prowess derringdo among citys leaders certainly sympathy fascist regimes goal keeping working class place also dissent two antifascist italianamerican groups distributed thousands leaflets denouncing balbos role murder italian progressives disgrace murderer terrorist received democratic america official representative italian people wrote italian socialist federation italian league rights man significant like chicagos elite innocently ignorant true character fascism antifascist resistance mushroomed two years later mussolinis armies massed preparation invasion ethiopia thousands chicagoans marched bronzeville oppose war demand democratic rights chicago hands ethiopia demonstration aug 31 1935 initiated community meeting month earlier 1000 delegates community organizations churches lodges leftwing nationalist groups160 african americans ethiopia symbol independence anticolonialism mayor kelly refused grant organizers parade permit insisting protest targeting italy would insult friendly power date demonstration approached clear police would try prevent taking place160 years great depression chicago police reputation brutally suppressing efforts organize unemployment insurance public works jobs eviction moratoriums160 regularly raided offices harassed organizers beat activists sometimes fatally160 1931 shot directly crowd hundreds south siders blocking eviction 70yearold widow killing least two tens thousands turned funeral procession south state street aug 31 streets around 47th south park king drive jammed protestors police making wholesale arrests continually shoving clubbing demonstrators prevent converging160 sought shut things organizers secreted buildings night appeared one one roofs buildings exhorted crowd decry mussolinis war plans defend exercise democratic rights denouncing use mussolinis tactics chicago spoke hauled cops another appeared atop another building action continued early afternoon night according memoirs organizer harry haywood160 meanwhile arrestees faced gauntlet dozens police officers systematically clubbed marched station haywood use crutches month result beating haywood several others organized 1935 went volunteer defend spanish republic attacked next year fascists including oliver law would become first african american command black white troops battle meanwhile italys invasion ethiopia air force built balbo governor libya would carpetbomb cities kill thousands civilians systematically drench large areas poison gas precursor many atrocities come looks like balbo drives days numbered street renamed someone real roots chicago history someone fought advance human rights160 suggested ida b wells roman column given mussolini mayor kelly column sketchy history according tribune suggested removal museum exhibit giving historical context160 thats solution historical material expose sympathies chicagos leaders fascism role chicago police suppressing dissent workingclass organizing give special attention committed opposition mounted black chicago others found fighting fascism streets south side
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<p>March 14, 2013</p>
<p>By Katy Grimes</p>
<p><a href="" type="internal" /></p>
<p>SACRAMENTO — With Obamacare implementation looming, and California’s open-arms embrace of what’s officially called the Affordable Care Act, as many as 7 million new people will access healthcare in the state by 2014. The new patients&#160;will worsen the existing shortage of primary care physicians, and will undoubtedly drive up health care costs even more.</p>
<p>California legislators are looking at one possible solution: Expanding the “scope of practice” for California’s para-professional medical practitioners — nurses, licensed vocational nurses, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants — along with optometrists and pharmacists.</p>
<p>This solution is not new and also came up in hearings last year.</p>
<p>State Sen. Ed Hernandez, D-West Covina, an optometrist and chair of the Senate Health Committee, introduced three “scope and practice” bills Wednesday to address the doctor shortage. But it was quickly evident there will be a battle with physicians over this “scope of care,” and what the role of professionals versus para-professionals will be in the future.</p>
<p>“Here in the state of California, we have a capacity issue. We have a work-force shortage,” Hernandez said at the hearing. He warned the problem is already at a breaking point in inner-cities, as well as rural parts of the state. Up to 7 million uninsured Californians will be required to be insured as of next year.</p>
<p>“How is it that we’re going to be requiring somebody to purchase health insurance, but yet they won’t have access to a doctor?” Hernandez asked at the hearing. “This is what we need to address.”</p>
<p>“We are working hard at the state level to ensure every Californian has access to affordable, quality health coverage, but what good is a health insurance card if you can’t get into see a health care provider when you need one?” said Hernandez, “We need to make better use of the trained healthcare workforce we already have if we are ever going to meet demand.”</p>
<p>Wednesday’s joint committee hearing was held with the Senate Health Committee and Business and the Professions and Economic Development Committee. The joint committee heard from a medical doctor representing the California Medical Association, an attorney for the University of California, San Francisco’s Center for the Health Professions, a physician assistant, a pharmacist and an optometrist. Each speaker was compelling and supported expanding the scope of practice in order to accommodate the massive increase in patient access.</p>
<p>Hernandez said he invited representatives from these areas of practice to speak because “they have rigorous training standards, are evenly distributed across the state, have a proven record of providing quality care, and are regulated by independent boards that will make certain patient safety is not compromised.”</p>
<p>Catherine Dower with UCSF warned that the implementation of Obamacare in California will put additional strain on the primary care physician workforce, particularly in the poorer inner-city areas and rural locations. Dower referred to a <a href="http://library.brcn.edu/upload/docs/BRCN/Library/ANA/eBk_SL%20Nursing%20Scope%20%20Standards%202e%202010.pdf" type="external">study by the Institute of Medicine</a>which found the barriers should be removed from the nursing “scope of practice,” allowing more nurses to expand responsibilities.</p>
<p>Dower said a diverse mix of healthcare providers will be needed, and referenced former <a href="http://healthaffairs.org/blog/2013/03/07/creating-a-workforce-for-the-new-health-care-world/" type="external">U.S. Sen. Tom Daschele’s blog post</a> last week. Daschele, now a lobbyist, &#160;recommended expanding the “scope of practice” for all primary care providers, including nurses.</p>
<p>Daschele also recommended giving the government more power over decision making. “As a better understanding of the appropriate mix of additional providers is acquired, the National Health Care Workforce Commission that is called for in the Affordable Care Act should make specific recommendations to the Secretary of Health and Human Services,” he said. The Secretary should then be empowered, subject to Congressional review and legislative veto, to raise or lower the ceiling based upon an annual assessment of workforce availability and the long-term projected demand for health care services.”</p>
<p>The highlight of the hearing was Jeremy Fish, M.D. Fish, the residency director for the <a href="http://cchealth.org/residency/" type="external">Contra Costa Family Medicine Residency</a>, had some realistic recommendations for dealing with the primary care physician shortage, including expanding some nursing responsibilities. Fish explained the importance of a team approach to family practice medicine, which includes doctors, licensed vocational nurses, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, mental health providers and pharmacists. And Fish said the need for more medical residency programs in counties throughout the state was crucial.</p>
<p>Fish explained that most doctors either set up practice where they grew up or near where they went to school. “We practice close to where we trained,” Fish said. “Fragmentation is causing problems even within physician groups.”</p>
<p>He explained it would be relatively easy and less expensive in the long run to set up medical residencies in outlying areas, as well as urban areas which do not have teaching hospitals. This would not only help physicians get the medical training they need, it would serve an already underserved area.</p>
<p>Additionally, he said, using the Kaiser Permanente model, more medical practices need to be in one building, not spread out all over a city or county. “If we lock ourselves in the same space, we get along much better,” Fish said. “The Mayo Clinic found that putting mental care providers in the same office as primary care practices improved the quality of care for the patient.”</p>
<p>State Sen. Cathlene Galgiani, D-Livingston, told about a program U.C. Merced is using in conjunction with U.C. Davis Medical School to get trained doctors to do residencies in the Merced area. The <a href="http://www.ucdmc.ucdavis.edu/mdprogram/UC_Merced_San_Joaquin_Valley_PRIME/index.html" type="external">UC Merced San Joaquin Valley Program in Medical Education</a>&#160;allows students to complete their first two years of medical school at U.C. Davis, then do the last two years in the rural parts of Merced County, while attending classes at U.C. Merced. Galgiani said it is a much lower cost program, and fills the gap of medical providers in the area.</p>
<p>While there is clearly much need for more primary care physicians in California, doctors expressed concern that lawmakers’ embrace of Obamacare will create even more problems, including higher costs.&#160;The cost of medical school is extreme. Students graduating with massive debt often look to medical practices which are more lucrative in order to pay off the debt.</p>
<p>Dr. Ruth Haskins addressed the low reimbursement rate&#160;of primary care physicians’ Medicare and Medicaid costs. She said the state needs to work more to keep such physicians living and working in California. “Medi-Cal reimbursements are so low in California, and we are facing a drop,” she said.</p>
<p>“This isn’t a hearing on economics,” retorted Sen. Bill Monning, D-Carmel, “but they are linked.”</p>
<p>Hernandez has introduced <a href="http://sd24.senate.ca.gov/legislation" type="external">Senate Bills 491, 492 and 493</a>, and Sen. Fran Pavley will be introducing Senate Bill 352, which would expand the “scope of practice” for physician’s assistants.</p>
<p>Another bill&#160; <a href="http://www.kpbs.org/news/2012/may/08/san-diego-senator-kehoes-abortion-bill-fails/" type="external">that’s returning</a>&#160;is by Sen. Christine Kehoe, D-San Diego, to allow nurse practitioners, physicians assistants and certified nurse midwives to perform abortions.</p>
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march 14 2013 katy grimes sacramento obamacare implementation looming californias openarms embrace whats officially called affordable care act many 7 million new people access healthcare state 2014 new patients160will worsen existing shortage primary care physicians undoubtedly drive health care costs even california legislators looking one possible solution expanding scope practice californias paraprofessional medical practitioners nurses licensed vocational nurses nurse practitioners physician assistants along optometrists pharmacists solution new also came hearings last year state sen ed hernandez dwest covina optometrist chair senate health committee introduced three scope practice bills wednesday address doctor shortage quickly evident battle physicians scope care role professionals versus paraprofessionals future state california capacity issue workforce shortage hernandez said hearing warned problem already breaking point innercities well rural parts state 7 million uninsured californians required insured next year going requiring somebody purchase health insurance yet wont access doctor hernandez asked hearing need address working hard state level ensure every californian access affordable quality health coverage good health insurance card cant get see health care provider need one said hernandez need make better use trained healthcare workforce already ever going meet demand wednesdays joint committee hearing held senate health committee business professions economic development committee joint committee heard medical doctor representing california medical association attorney university california san franciscos center health professions physician assistant pharmacist optometrist speaker compelling supported expanding scope practice order accommodate massive increase patient access hernandez said invited representatives areas practice speak rigorous training standards evenly distributed across state proven record providing quality care regulated independent boards make certain patient safety compromised catherine dower ucsf warned implementation obamacare california put additional strain primary care physician workforce particularly poorer innercity areas rural locations dower referred study institute medicinewhich found barriers removed nursing scope practice allowing nurses expand responsibilities dower said diverse mix healthcare providers needed referenced former us sen tom dascheles blog post last week daschele lobbyist 160recommended expanding scope practice primary care providers including nurses daschele also recommended giving government power decision making better understanding appropriate mix additional providers acquired national health care workforce commission called affordable care act make specific recommendations secretary health human services said secretary empowered subject congressional review legislative veto raise lower ceiling based upon annual assessment workforce availability longterm projected demand health care services highlight hearing jeremy fish md fish residency director contra costa family medicine residency realistic recommendations dealing primary care physician shortage including expanding nursing responsibilities fish explained importance team approach family practice medicine includes doctors licensed vocational nurses nurse practitioners physician assistants mental health providers pharmacists fish said need medical residency programs counties throughout state crucial fish explained doctors either set practice grew near went school practice close trained fish said fragmentation causing problems even within physician groups explained would relatively easy less expensive long run set medical residencies outlying areas well urban areas teaching hospitals would help physicians get medical training need would serve already underserved area additionally said using kaiser permanente model medical practices need one building spread city county lock space get along much better fish said mayo clinic found putting mental care providers office primary care practices improved quality care patient state sen cathlene galgiani dlivingston told program uc merced using conjunction uc davis medical school get trained doctors residencies merced area uc merced san joaquin valley program medical education160allows students complete first two years medical school uc davis last two years rural parts merced county attending classes uc merced galgiani said much lower cost program fills gap medical providers area clearly much need primary care physicians california doctors expressed concern lawmakers embrace obamacare create even problems including higher costs160the cost medical school extreme students graduating massive debt often look medical practices lucrative order pay debt dr ruth haskins addressed low reimbursement rate160of primary care physicians medicare medicaid costs said state needs work keep physicians living working california medical reimbursements low california facing drop said isnt hearing economics retorted sen bill monning dcarmel linked hernandez introduced senate bills 491 492 493 sen fran pavley introducing senate bill 352 would expand scope practice physicians assistants another bill160 thats returning160is sen christine kehoe dsan diego allow nurse practitioners physicians assistants certified nurse midwives perform abortions
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<p>By David Gushee</p>
<p>Follow David: @dpgushee</p>
<p>Many factors lead me to reflect these days on the painful inevitability of moral conflict —&#160;and what, if anything, we can do about it, especially in Christian life.&#160;</p>
<p>By “moral conflict” I mean sharp disagreements between people on issues that the people involved consider morally significant.</p>
<p>By “inevitability” I mean that among any community of human beings one can expect moral conflict as a regular feature of life.</p>
<p>By “painful” I mean that moral conflict causes suffering. This suffering can be intrapersonal, as when a person involved in moral conflict experiences significant cognitive dissonance or emotional distress, and interpersonal, as when family members, friends or faith communities get entangled in moral conflicts that stress or break relationships.</p>
<p>So, I pose five questions about moral conflict:</p>
<p>1. Why is moral conflict inevitable?</p>
<p>2. Why is moral conflict so painful?</p>
<p>3. What do we do with our moral conflicts in Christian communities?</p>
<p>4. What do we do when we cannot reason or argue our way through a moral conflict?</p>
<p>5. What difference does all this make?</p>
<p>1. Why is moral conflict inevitable?</p>
<p>Moral conflict is inevitable because human beings are not omniscient and because human beings are sinners. We do not know everything. We see through a glass darkly. We see from a particular perspective, from one angle of vision rather than all. Everything we see is affected by what we bring to the seeing, including various distortions and deceptions and blind spots.</p>
<p>Human beings have limited access to reliable knowledge. In some arenas of knowledge, it is, in principle, possible to know what is “true” and “factual” through sufficient study of universally recognized relevant data. Thus I can tell you right now the pitching rotation of the 1971 Baltimore Orioles (Palmer, Cuellar, Dobson, McNally). I know the truth about that extraordinary quartet. I can even “prove” it in various ways.</p>
<p>In other arenas of knowledge, such as morality, it is not possible similarly to know and prove what is true or right through sufficient study of universally recognized relevant data. Conflict over the pitching rotation of the 1971 Orioles is resolvable through direct appeal to available data whose relevance is universally recognized. Conflicts over the morality of whether Christians should get rich, or go to war, or divorce, are not resolvable through direct appeal to relevant universally recognized “data,” both because of the nature of the data and because of the nature of the ones making the appeal.</p>
<p>But human life is ineradicably moral, by which I mean that issues that most people consider morally significant simply must be decided on a regular basis both in individual life and in communities. And these decisions often matter very deeply to us. Our views on such matters might even become convictions.</p>
<p>Convictions, as contrasted with mere opinions, are those persisting beliefs that in many ways make us who we are.&#160;Convictions are tied to our identity. If we are untrue to these, we feel that we have betrayed ourselves and our communities. This arouses not just our intellect but our passion.</p>
<p>Moral conflict is inevitable, then, because moral issues cannot be avoided —&#160;but disputes about convictions related to these important issues matter deeply to us. And such core disputes cannot be resolved through direct appeal to available, universally recognized data.</p>
<p>In the Christian community, we have a repertoire of knowledge sources that have functioned for centuries as resources for our moral truth claims. In some combination, we have sacred scripture, Christian tradition/s, spiritual experiences, communal wisdom, life experiences, rational reflection, religious leaders, and the entire array of knowledge claims available in the wider world.</p>
<p>It ought to be possible, we might think, for godly, mature, and well-trained Christians to resolve moral conflict about an issue by appeal to our available sources. We might believe in this possibility of certain knowledge or communal consensus because we believe certain things about the Bible and where it comes from, or about the Holy Spirit and what the Spirit says, or about the wisdom of the Tradition, or about the practices of our congregation/s, or about the insights of our leaders or ourselves —&#160;or some combination thereof. But a moment’s reflection reveals a hundred reasons why individuals, congregations or denominations are not able to resolve moral conflicts through appeal even to knowledge sources agreed to be authoritative or even divinely inspired in any particular faith community.&#160;</p>
<p>Just taking scripture as our focus for a second, we might find moral conflict about an issue unresolvable because of different understandings of the meaning/s of the specific biblical texts; or because of different interpretations of the authorial intent behind specific texts; or because of how different ones of us reconstruct the historical and social context in which a text was originally written; or because some of us might consider some texts more relevant to an issue than other texts; or because we discover different approaches to the move from what the texts meant when written to what they ought to mean to our particular faith community today. And that is not even to specify all the permutations that might affect what particular contemporary readers might bring to all of these tasks related to the Bible, such as social location differences or dramatically different life experiences or even the need to self-deceive. And however much we shame each other or raise our voices at each other when we face such impasses, the impasses remain.</p>
<p>In light of all of this, what is actually surprising should probably be how often human communities, including churches, are able to get through a day without descending into moral conflict.</p>
<p>2. Why is moral conflict so painful?</p>
<p>Moral conflict is so painful because moral issues matter greatly to people. Indeed, few people would come to blows over the Orioles pitching rotation in 1971. But many would come to blows —&#160;verbal or otherwise —&#160;over a whole host of moral issues.</p>
<p>I venture the rather disturbing hypothesis that reality (in a fallen world, or in our human experience) turns out to exist in such a way that there often is an inverse relationship between the personal significance of an issue under discussion and the capacity of finite sinners to actually “know” the “truth” in relation to that issue. And to the extent that convictional certainty is important to people, and convictional unity important to communities, to that very extent moral conflict is painful and causes suffering. Indeed, in some cases the suffering associated with moral conflict is far more acute than that associated with physical suffering.</p>
<p>This is a reminder of just how important our ways of seeing are to us existentially. To interact with others, especially close others, who knowingly flout our deeply-held convictions is taken as a personal offense in addition to an offense to God.</p>
<p>3. What do we do with our moral conflicts in Christian communities?</p>
<p>We can begin by always acknowledging that we are not omniscient or morally perfect. This means that when we make moral claims, which we still must do, we should offer them as correctable, fallible statements of perspective, belief and even conviction, not as God’s Own Truth. We can entertain other people’s conflicting moral claims on the same basis. We can seek to understand conflicting moral convictions and seek to pinpoint how those convictions were arrived at and where precisely their sources or outcomes differ from our own. We can seek to be fair in our vocabulary choices, not using loaded terms or other rhetorical tricks. We can attempt to keep our emotions under control when we feel ourselves offended or threatened by differing moral convictions, even when we do in fact find others’ convictions offensive. And we can take full responsibility for the moral convictions we arrive at and their consequences, while asking others to do the same.</p>
<p>Another part of our answer could be that we can help each other sort out those convictions that we hold at the “particular” level that are not so important as the ones that we hold at the level of “doctrinal” or “presiding” convictions (to borrow James McClendon’s terms for the three levels of convictions). We need to learn to temper our impassioned responses especially when the conviction in question is actually not part of the “hard core” of what we believe; in fact, many of our convictions are actually in the protective belt around that hard core, and many of those have been added ad hoc and might not stand up to the tests of consistency with more important convictions.&#160;</p>
<p>Within the Christian community, or any particular congregation, we can recognize that we have only a somewhat greater possibility of having a coherent conversation about moral issues than in the general public, because of that shared repertoire of knowledge sources and preexisting shared commitments. We can develop best practices related to how appeals to these authority sources should be made. Similarly, we can develop best practice discourse rules related to how moral conflicts are discussed and if possible adjudicated in our various communities. And we can avoid any quick resort to communal exclusion when “our side” has the power to eliminate moral conflict by excluding those whose views differ from our own. Obviously the New Testament offers plenty of teaching about how Christians ought to conduct themselves in relation to one another; these all apply in moral conflict situations.&#160;</p>
<p>4. What do we do when we cannot reason or argue our way through a moral conflict?</p>
<p>There are only so many options. We can stay in community as a dissenting voice, continually articulating our convictions as long as we are allowed to do so. We can stay in community as a majority voice, continually allowing dissenters to remain in community with us as long as they are willing. We can ratchet up our dissent through more aggressive community-disrupting actions, in an effort to create the conditions for broader convictional change, such as during the Civil Rights Movement. We can, if we must, leave a community of faith when our moral conflicts are too painful or the majority takes a position we find repugnant. We can create new communities where at least at the beginning we share moral consensus. Or of course we can just say that we know the Truth, that God is on our side, and anathematize everyone else. I do not suggest the latter option, though I myself have sometimes fallen prey to it.&#160;</p>
<p>In Christian community, we need to develop an understanding of the catholicity of the church that helps us see God’s overriding role in guaranteeing the belonging of those who are a part of the church community — humans are not really vested with that power, and to seize it is a great sin. To be part of “the elect” is not to be pure in belief or righteous in behavior; this refers to God’s ongoing activity, and for this reason we simply are in solidarity even with the unfaithful. We must find ways of being in community together nonetheless.</p>
<p>5. What difference does all this make?</p>
<p>In our epidemically conflicted era in society and church life, it helps to draw a distinction between God’s Own Truth and even our most heartfelt convictions. This enables us to avoid identifying our view with God’s and our enemy’s view with the Great Deceiver. It helps to consider moral conflict inevitable and to be grateful for those rare moments of equilibrium where nobody in our little world is at each other’s throats. It is spiritually instructive to learn that absolute certainty, and a world in which everyone shares our absolute certainties, is simply too much to reach for in this dispensation. We do not have certainty. We have convictions. Even where such convictions are powerful enough that we would die for them, they are still convictions. And even as we are dying for them they will still be derided, as Jesus was mocked at the Cross. There are no unchallenged convictions in this life, no belief too sacred that someone won’t mock it.</p>
<p>In the end, no Bible quote, no claim from Tradition, no creedal formulation, no pastor, no local congregation, no spiritual experience, and no combination of the above can give any person absolute, unassailable claim on the Truth in a situation of moral conflict. Ratchet up your claims about the truth of scripture, tradition, creed, or whatever as high as you want, it is still human beings who are interpreting these valued knowledge sources in the moment of decision. What we have is our convictions, for which we must take responsibility before God and neighbor – and we believe in God, who is judge of all but has not revealed said judgment in this life.</p>
<p>We have to learn to live with the painful inevitability of moral conflict, and with those who most starkly disagree with us, and with a God who does not swoop down and resolve our disputes but leaves us to them —&#160;or, perhaps, is present precisely in our convictional adversaries, and in the growth and even breakthroughs that our painful engagements with them sometimes makes possible.&#160;</p>
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david gushee follow david dpgushee many factors lead reflect days painful inevitability moral conflict 160and anything especially christian life160 moral conflict mean sharp disagreements people issues people involved consider morally significant inevitability mean among community human beings one expect moral conflict regular feature life painful mean moral conflict causes suffering suffering intrapersonal person involved moral conflict experiences significant cognitive dissonance emotional distress interpersonal family members friends faith communities get entangled moral conflicts stress break relationships pose five questions moral conflict 1 moral conflict inevitable 2 moral conflict painful 3 moral conflicts christian communities 4 reason argue way moral conflict 5 difference make 1 moral conflict inevitable moral conflict inevitable human beings omniscient human beings sinners know everything see glass darkly see particular perspective one angle vision rather everything see affected bring seeing including various distortions deceptions blind spots human beings limited access reliable knowledge arenas knowledge principle possible know true factual sufficient study universally recognized relevant data thus tell right pitching rotation 1971 baltimore orioles palmer cuellar dobson mcnally know truth extraordinary quartet even prove various ways arenas knowledge morality possible similarly know prove true right sufficient study universally recognized relevant data conflict pitching rotation 1971 orioles resolvable direct appeal available data whose relevance universally recognized conflicts morality whether christians get rich go war divorce resolvable direct appeal relevant universally recognized data nature data nature ones making appeal human life ineradicably moral mean issues people consider morally significant simply must decided regular basis individual life communities decisions often matter deeply us views matters might even become convictions convictions contrasted mere opinions persisting beliefs many ways make us are160convictions tied identity untrue feel betrayed communities arouses intellect passion moral conflict inevitable moral issues avoided 160but disputes convictions related important issues matter deeply us core disputes resolved direct appeal available universally recognized data christian community repertoire knowledge sources functioned centuries resources moral truth claims combination sacred scripture christian traditions spiritual experiences communal wisdom life experiences rational reflection religious leaders entire array knowledge claims available wider world ought possible might think godly mature welltrained christians resolve moral conflict issue appeal available sources might believe possibility certain knowledge communal consensus believe certain things bible comes holy spirit spirit says wisdom tradition practices congregations insights leaders 160or combination thereof moments reflection reveals hundred reasons individuals congregations denominations able resolve moral conflicts appeal even knowledge sources agreed authoritative even divinely inspired particular faith community160 taking scripture focus second might find moral conflict issue unresolvable different understandings meanings specific biblical texts different interpretations authorial intent behind specific texts different ones us reconstruct historical social context text originally written us might consider texts relevant issue texts discover different approaches move texts meant written ought mean particular faith community today even specify permutations might affect particular contemporary readers might bring tasks related bible social location differences dramatically different life experiences even need selfdeceive however much shame raise voices face impasses impasses remain light actually surprising probably often human communities including churches able get day without descending moral conflict 2 moral conflict painful moral conflict painful moral issues matter greatly people indeed people would come blows orioles pitching rotation 1971 many would come blows 160verbal otherwise 160over whole host moral issues venture rather disturbing hypothesis reality fallen world human experience turns exist way often inverse relationship personal significance issue discussion capacity finite sinners actually know truth relation issue extent convictional certainty important people convictional unity important communities extent moral conflict painful causes suffering indeed cases suffering associated moral conflict far acute associated physical suffering reminder important ways seeing us existentially interact others especially close others knowingly flout deeplyheld convictions taken personal offense addition offense god 3 moral conflicts christian communities begin always acknowledging omniscient morally perfect means make moral claims still must offer correctable fallible statements perspective belief even conviction gods truth entertain peoples conflicting moral claims basis seek understand conflicting moral convictions seek pinpoint convictions arrived precisely sources outcomes differ seek fair vocabulary choices using loaded terms rhetorical tricks attempt keep emotions control feel offended threatened differing moral convictions even fact find others convictions offensive take full responsibility moral convictions arrive consequences asking others another part answer could help sort convictions hold particular level important ones hold level doctrinal presiding convictions borrow james mcclendons terms three levels convictions need learn temper impassioned responses especially conviction question actually part hard core believe fact many convictions actually protective belt around hard core many added ad hoc might stand tests consistency important convictions160 within christian community particular congregation recognize somewhat greater possibility coherent conversation moral issues general public shared repertoire knowledge sources preexisting shared commitments develop best practices related appeals authority sources made similarly develop best practice discourse rules related moral conflicts discussed possible adjudicated various communities avoid quick resort communal exclusion side power eliminate moral conflict excluding whose views differ obviously new testament offers plenty teaching christians ought conduct relation one another apply moral conflict situations160 4 reason argue way moral conflict many options stay community dissenting voice continually articulating convictions long allowed stay community majority voice continually allowing dissenters remain community us long willing ratchet dissent aggressive communitydisrupting actions effort create conditions broader convictional change civil rights movement must leave community faith moral conflicts painful majority takes position find repugnant create new communities least beginning share moral consensus course say know truth god side anathematize everyone else suggest latter option though sometimes fallen prey it160 christian community need develop understanding catholicity church helps us see gods overriding role guaranteeing belonging part church community humans really vested power seize great sin part elect pure belief righteous behavior refers gods ongoing activity reason simply solidarity even unfaithful must find ways community together nonetheless 5 difference make epidemically conflicted era society church life helps draw distinction gods truth even heartfelt convictions enables us avoid identifying view gods enemys view great deceiver helps consider moral conflict inevitable grateful rare moments equilibrium nobody little world others throats spiritually instructive learn absolute certainty world everyone shares absolute certainties simply much reach dispensation certainty convictions even convictions powerful enough would die still convictions even dying still derided jesus mocked cross unchallenged convictions life belief sacred someone wont mock end bible quote claim tradition creedal formulation pastor local congregation spiritual experience combination give person absolute unassailable claim truth situation moral conflict ratchet claims truth scripture tradition creed whatever high want still human beings interpreting valued knowledge sources moment decision convictions must take responsibility god neighbor believe god judge revealed said judgment life learn live painful inevitability moral conflict starkly disagree us god swoop resolve disputes leaves us 160or perhaps present precisely convictional adversaries growth even breakthroughs painful engagements sometimes makes possible160
| 1,103 |
<p>Many towns in the former East Germany have told the federal government that they would prefer not to be asked to resettle refugees, who’ve entered Germany by the hundreds of thousands in the last couple of years.</p>
<p>But not Golzow.</p>
<p>The night I visited the village with a population of about 800, 5 or so miles from Germany’s far eastern border with Poland, the annual Christmas concert was happening. Every seat in the tiny Lutheran church in the town center was filled.&#160;</p>
<p>For two members of the audience, this was something very new. Ahmad and Rasha Haimoud are a married couple with four kids. As a Muslim couple, originally from northwestern Syria, it’s unsurprising&#160;that they’d never spent any time in a church before.</p>
<p />
<p>A member of Golzow's Protestant Church greets Rasha Haimoud following a holiday concert. Haimoud's family is one of three Syrian refugee families that moved to the village in the last year. The town invited the Muslim families to their annual Christmas concert as a sign of welcome to the rural community on the Polish border.</p>
<p>Shane McMillan&#160;</p>
<p>The Haimouds moved to Golzow back in February, so this was their first Christmas in their new hometown. When someone asked, they said they didn’t have a Christmas tree at home. But they were planning to get their children presents. And so were some of their new neighbors.</p>
<p>After the performance, Ahmad and Rasha mingled with some of their neighbors. There was an awkward moment when Rasha realized most of the snacks include pork. They told me they make the two-hour drive to Berlin twice a week to get halal meat and other foods they’re used to putting on the table.&#160;</p>
<p>But they said they are settling in well. They are both taking German language classes. Rasha said she hopes to go back to university and Ahmad plans to get work laying tile. They told me, all in all, they feel very lucky.&#160;</p>
<p />
<p>Ahmad Haimoud speaks with Golzow mayor Frank Schütz following a holiday concert and reception at the village's small Protestant Church. Schütz says he was happy to accept the families into their community as it allowed the city to fill then-empty apartments, avoid converting a nearby sports-facility into a refugee shelter, and help to&#160;keep the local school open.</p>
<p>Shane McMillan</p>
<p>“We are very thankful to Germany,” Ahmad said in Arabic, as Rasha translated into German. “We came here for the future of our kids,” she added.&#160;</p>
<p>It turns out that Golzow is thankful too.&#160;</p>
<p>The Haimouds are one of three Syrian families who relocated to this village in the past year or so. They all have lots of kids. And together, the refugees are helping to save the one place that makes this small German&#160;village somewhat famous.&#160;</p>
<p>If you mention Golzow, people all over Germany will know about the elementary school there. That’s because of a TV show.</p>
<p />
<p>From 1961 until 2007, the filmmaker Winfried Junge created a series of documentaries called “The Children of Golzow,” in which 18 residents of Golzow were filmed at regular intervals from childhood into adulthood. The school, which last year was in danger of not having enough students in some grades to hold classes, played a big role in the series.&#160;</p>
<p>Shane McMillan</p>
<p>In 1961 an East German film crew started following a class of first graders. The documentary film project aired on German television for decades, right up until 2007. It followed the same group of kids into adulthood, starting at Golzow elementary.&#160;</p>
<p>But all that notoriety could not save the school from a harsh reality. Much of the former East Germany has been in economic decline. And the population of Golzow had dwindled to the point where it looked like it wouldn’t be able to sustain its only elementary school.&#160;</p>
<p>“The problem goes back to the days after the [Berlin] wall came down,” said Gaby Thomas, the director of the elementary school, where she also teaches English.&#160;</p>
<p>“The big agricultural commune here closed. People lost their jobs. Younger folks started moving to the cities, and suddenly there were empty houses,” Thomas said.&#160;</p>
<p>Last year, there were barely enough kids for a full first-grade class.&#160;</p>
<p>Thomas said that she and the town mayor, Frank Schütz, decided it was clear what they needed to do: go find some refugee families with school-aged kids to move to Golzow.&#160;</p>
<p />
<p>Students work on an assignment at the elementary school in Golzow.&#160;</p>
<p>Shane McMillan</p>
<p>Just ahead of the holiday break, I stopped by Thomas’s fourth-grade English class. It was a lively —&#160;and full —&#160;classroom. And that’s thanks in part to two girls from Syria.&#160;</p>
<p>Thomas said her two Syrian students are doing very well in school. They’ve been here less than a year and they’re speaking German with ease.&#160;</p>
<p />
<p>Gabriela Thomas, director of the elementary school in Golzow gives a student a hug between classes in the main hallway. Thomas says that the children of the refugee families are already fitting into her school very well.</p>
<p>Shane McMillan</p>
<p>A total of eight Syrian kids helped fill enough seats to keep up enrollment and maintain class sizes. This was especially important after state authorities raised the prospect of closing the school.&#160;</p>
<p>The Syrian families are living in houses that were empty not long ago, and they don’t have to pay rent for now. Mayor Schütz said, at first, some of the locals were against the idea of letting Muslim refugees move in.&#160;</p>
<p>But he said they’ve come around.</p>
<p>“We have given the refugees a new home,” Schütz said. “But they saved our school. And they brought the laughter of children to our village. So really, they have given us more than we have given them.”&#160;</p>
<p>Frank Hessenland contributed to this report.&#160;</p>
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many towns former east germany told federal government would prefer asked resettle refugees whove entered germany hundreds thousands last couple years golzow night visited village population 800 5 miles germanys far eastern border poland annual christmas concert happening every seat tiny lutheran church town center filled160 two members audience something new ahmad rasha haimoud married couple four kids muslim couple originally northwestern syria unsurprising160that theyd never spent time church member golzows protestant church greets rasha haimoud following holiday concert haimouds family one three syrian refugee families moved village last year town invited muslim families annual christmas concert sign welcome rural community polish border shane mcmillan160 haimouds moved golzow back february first christmas new hometown someone asked said didnt christmas tree home planning get children presents new neighbors performance ahmad rasha mingled neighbors awkward moment rasha realized snacks include pork told make twohour drive berlin twice week get halal meat foods theyre used putting table160 said settling well taking german language classes rasha said hopes go back university ahmad plans get work laying tile told feel lucky160 ahmad haimoud speaks golzow mayor frank schütz following holiday concert reception villages small protestant church schütz says happy accept families community allowed city fill thenempty apartments avoid converting nearby sportsfacility refugee shelter help to160keep local school open shane mcmillan thankful germany ahmad said arabic rasha translated german came future kids added160 turns golzow thankful too160 haimouds one three syrian families relocated village past year lots kids together refugees helping save one place makes small german160village somewhat famous160 mention golzow people germany know elementary school thats tv show 1961 2007 filmmaker winfried junge created series documentaries called children golzow 18 residents golzow filmed regular intervals childhood adulthood school last year danger enough students grades hold classes played big role series160 shane mcmillan 1961 east german film crew started following class first graders documentary film project aired german television decades right 2007 followed group kids adulthood starting golzow elementary160 notoriety could save school harsh reality much former east germany economic decline population golzow dwindled point looked like wouldnt able sustain elementary school160 problem goes back days berlin wall came said gaby thomas director elementary school also teaches english160 big agricultural commune closed people lost jobs younger folks started moving cities suddenly empty houses thomas said160 last year barely enough kids full firstgrade class160 thomas said town mayor frank schütz decided clear needed go find refugee families schoolaged kids move golzow160 students work assignment elementary school golzow160 shane mcmillan ahead holiday break stopped thomass fourthgrade english class lively 160and full 160classroom thats thanks part two girls syria160 thomas said two syrian students well school theyve less year theyre speaking german ease160 gabriela thomas director elementary school golzow gives student hug classes main hallway thomas says children refugee families already fitting school well shane mcmillan total eight syrian kids helped fill enough seats keep enrollment maintain class sizes especially important state authorities raised prospect closing school160 syrian families living houses empty long ago dont pay rent mayor schütz said first locals idea letting muslim refugees move in160 said theyve come around given refugees new home schütz said saved school brought laughter children village really given us given them160 frank hessenland contributed report160
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<p>BUZZARDS BAY, Mass. — Afghan President Hamid Karzai certainly knows how to ruin a party. As newly anointed US Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel made his maiden voyage to Kabul last week, Afghanistan's president all but accused the United States of being in cahoots with the Taliban.</p>
<p>At a televised press conference in Kabul on Sunday, Karzai condemned Saturday's suicide bombings in Kabul and Khost that killed at least 19 people. The Taliban claimed “credit” for the attacks, saying it had wanted to send a message to the defense secretary.</p>
<p>But Karzai was not content with diplomatic niceties. Instead he lashed out at his US allies, saying they and the Taliban were jointly trying to paint a black picture of what would happen in Afghanistan once the US forces withdraw.</p>
<p>The US combat mission in Afghanistan is winding down, with the last troops scheduled to leave by the end of 2014.</p>
<p>“Yesterday’s bombings in Kabul and Khost didn’t aim to show Taliban’s strength — indeed, they served America,” <a href="http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/news/afp/130311/afghan-leader-alleges-us-taliban-collusion" type="external">said Karzai</a>. “By those bombings they served the 2014 negative slogan … These bombings aimed to <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2013/03/11/world/asia/karzai-accuses-us-and-taliban-of-colluding-in-afghanistan.html?pagewanted=all" type="external">prolong the presence of the American forces in Afghanistan</a>.”</p>
<p>The Afghan president also accused the US of holding secret talks with the Taliban behind his back, something both Washington and the Taliban have repeatedly denied.</p>
<p>US Marine General Joseph Dunford, who heads the coalition forces in Afghanistan, called Karzai's charges "categorically false."</p>
<p>"We have fought too hard over the past 12 years, we have shed too much blood over the last 12 years, we have done too much to help the Afghan security forces grow over the last 12 years to ever think that violence or <a href="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887323826704578351963393889782.html" type="external">instability would ever be to our advantage</a>," he said, according to The Wall Street Journal.</p>
<p>Hagel himself was a bit more muted, while giving no ground on Karzai’s somewhat bizarre accusations.</p>
<p>"I was once a politician,” said the former Nebraska senator, “so I can understand the kind of pressures that especially leaders of countries are always under, so I would hope that, again, we can move forward — and I have confidence that we will."</p>
<p>Karzai’s latest tantrum could be a reaction to the US cancellation of a promised handover of Bagram Prison that was supposed to take place on Saturday.</p>
<p>He had been demanding full control of detention centers in Afghanistan for years. During his summit in Washington with President Barack Obama in January, he touted the handover agreement as one of his proudest accomplishments:</p>
<p>“Concerning Afghan sovereignty, we agreed on the complete return of detention centers and detainees to Afghan sovereignty, and that this will be implemented soon after my return to Afghanistan,” said Karzai in <a href="http://blogs.wsj.com/washwire/2013/01/11/transcript-obama-karzai-press-conference/" type="external">a televised press conference</a>.&#160; “We also discussed all aspects of transition to Afghan governance and security.”</p>
<p>But problems have persisted ahead of the handover. The US is expected to make sure Karzai does not release detainees Washington deems to be a continuing danger; Karzai is expected to try to avoid interference from his major ally in what he describes as an important issue of Afghan sovereignty.</p>
<p>Last week, he told a joint session of the Afghan parliament that as soon as he had full control of the prison, he would <a href="http://www.caps.af/detail.asp?Lang=e&amp;Cat=2&amp;ContID=12979" type="external">begin to release detainees</a>.</p>
<p>“We know many innocent people are being held there. We would free them, despite criticism,” he said.</p>
<p>Karzai refused to agree to the Americans’ demands that they be allowed a virtual veto over the release of prisoners. The White House has been fighting with Congress over the handover, and did not want Karzai’s words to spark another round of correspondence similar to the one between Obama and Howard “Buck” McKeon, R-Calif., chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, in February.</p>
<p>“I am particularly concerned about the disposition of detainees who continue to represent an enduring and continuous threat both to our US forces on the ground in Afghanistan as well as to US national security,” <a href="http://www.documentcloud.org/documents/612406-detainee-letter-2.html" type="external">McKeon wrote</a>. He emphasized it would be “completely unacceptable” for the US to fail to maintain custody of such prisoners.</p>
<p>The US government insists these are just “minor hiccups” in the agreement over the prisoner handover, but Karzai’s intemperate outburst on Sunday might throw a spanner in the works.</p>
<p>All of this has cast a long shadow over Hagel’s visit, and is expected to further complicate discussions over the size and shape of any residual US force to be left in Afghanistan after 2014.</p>
<p>In January, White House officials indicated it was considering a “ <a href="http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/news/regions/americas/united-states/130109/afghanistan-president-hamid-karzai-visits-washington" type="external">zero option</a>” but military sources reportedly have advised keeping a significant number of troops in country.</p>
<p>GlobalPost analysis: <a href="http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/news/regions/americas/united-states/130109/afghanistan-president-hamid-karzai-visits-washington" type="external">Karzai goes to Washington</a></p>
<p>Gen. James Mattis, of the US Central Command, told the Senate Armed Services Committee last week he envisioned an overall <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2013/03/06/world/middleeast/us-general-says-20000-troops-should-stay-in-afghanistan.html" type="external">force of 20,000 in Afghanistan post-2014</a>, of which more than half — 13,600 — would come from the US.</p>
<p>This is not the first time the notoriously volatile Karzai has gone off the rails.</p>
<p>In years past, he has alternately threatened to <a href="http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/news/regions/asia-pacific/afghanistan/110531/hamid-karzai-speech-nato" type="external">declare war on NATO</a>, vowed to <a href="http://www.cbsnews.com/2100-202_162-6365107.html" type="external">join the Taliban,</a>and <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2011/12/12/world/asia/karzai-demands-us-hand-over-afghan-banker.html." type="external">blamed the US</a> for the corruption that permeates his administration.</p>
<p>Whenever challenged, the Afghan president’s first reaction seems to be to point the finger right back at his accusers.</p>
<p>In February, Karzai ordered US Special Forces <a href="http://tolonews.com/afghanistan/9718-deadline-on-us-wardak-withdrawal-looms-?lang=en&amp;device=desktop" type="external">to leave Maidan Wardak</a>, a province that serves as the gateway to Kabul, amid accusations that Afghan forces trained by the US, and perhaps American forces themselves, had been involved in torture and abuse of Afghans.</p>
<p>This came after a United Nations <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/01/20/afghanistan-prison-torture-un_n_2516531.html" type="external">report documenting widespread torture and abuse</a> within Afghan prisons by Afghan authorities.</p>
<p>Karzai may have reason to feel a bit insecure in his relationship with the US at the moment. He does not enjoy the same warm and indulgent connection with the Obama administration as he seemed to have with the team around George W. Bush, which virtually installed him as the leader of Afghanistan in 2001.</p>
<p>In a now famous dinner in Kabul in February 2008, <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/08/world/asia/08iht-karzai.2.20013296.html?pagewanted=all" type="external">three US senators tried to persuade Karzai to tackle corruption</a> within his government. The Afghan president denied corruption was a serious problem, prompting the head of the delegation to throw down his napkin, say “this dinner is over,” and stride from the room, accompanied by his colleagues.</p>
<p>The napkin thrower is now the vice president, Joe Biden; his companions on the trip were Massachsuetts Sen. John Kerry, now secretary of state, and Nebraska Sen. Chuck Hagel, now defense secretary.</p>
<p>Karzai’s push-pull tactics are likely to inflame an already divisive debate within the US about the continued American presence in Afghanistan.</p>
<p>After 12 years of blood and sacrifice, in which more than 2,000 US soldiers have died and hundreds of billions of dollars have been spent with little clear effect, the American people are tired of the war. President Barack Obama has staked much of his reputation on bringing the troops home and extricating the US from the seemingly endless conflict.</p>
<p>Karzai’s accusations that the US is intent on prolonging its presence in Afghanistan appear wildly at odds with what some see as a mad rush for the door.</p>
<p>And while the Afghan president may complain about getting the US troops out of his country, <a href="http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/news/regions/asia-pacific/afghanistan/120607/nato-withdrawal-violence-taliban" type="external">many Afghans worry about what will happen once the foreign forces leave</a>. Officials in both countries pay much lip service to the battle readiness of Afghan security forces, but <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2012/12/11/world/asia/afghan-army-weak-as-transition-nears-pentagon-says.html" type="external">even the Pentagon reportedly has doubts</a> the Afghans will be able to step into the breach when the foreign troops clear out.</p>
<p>On Monday, a fresh <a href="http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/news/afp/130311/two-us-troops-killed-afghan-insider-attack" type="external">insider attack</a> by an individual in an Afghan army uniform in the Wardak province killed two US troops and a number of Afghans.</p>
<p>Still, in addition to security concerns, there is <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/01/world/asia/afghans-fear-economic-downturn-as-foreigners-leave.html?pagewanted=all" type="external">fear of economic collapse</a>. Much of Afghanistan’s economy relies on international aid, and investors are wary of the post-withdrawal environment.</p>
<p>For now, all sides seem intent on smoothing things over and trying to move forward. But a very long and perilous road stretches between now and the end of 2014.</p>
<p>GlobalPost in-depth: <a href="http://www.globalpost.com/series/full-coverage-afghanistan-war" type="external">The Handover</a></p>
<p>Jean MacKenzie worked as a reporter in Afghanistan from October 2004 to December 2011, first as the head of the Institute for War and Peace Reporting, then as a senior corespondent for GlobalPost.</p>
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buzzards bay mass afghan president hamid karzai certainly knows ruin party newly anointed us defense secretary chuck hagel made maiden voyage kabul last week afghanistans president accused united states cahoots taliban televised press conference kabul sunday karzai condemned saturdays suicide bombings kabul khost killed least 19 people taliban claimed credit attacks saying wanted send message defense secretary karzai content diplomatic niceties instead lashed us allies saying taliban jointly trying paint black picture would happen afghanistan us forces withdraw us combat mission afghanistan winding last troops scheduled leave end 2014 yesterdays bombings kabul khost didnt aim show talibans strength indeed served america said karzai bombings served 2014 negative slogan bombings aimed prolong presence american forces afghanistan afghan president also accused us holding secret talks taliban behind back something washington taliban repeatedly denied us marine general joseph dunford heads coalition forces afghanistan called karzais charges categorically false fought hard past 12 years shed much blood last 12 years done much help afghan security forces grow last 12 years ever think violence instability would ever advantage said according wall street journal hagel bit muted giving ground karzais somewhat bizarre accusations politician said former nebraska senator understand kind pressures especially leaders countries always would hope move forward confidence karzais latest tantrum could reaction us cancellation promised handover bagram prison supposed take place saturday demanding full control detention centers afghanistan years summit washington president barack obama january touted handover agreement one proudest accomplishments concerning afghan sovereignty agreed complete return detention centers detainees afghan sovereignty implemented soon return afghanistan said karzai televised press conference160 also discussed aspects transition afghan governance security problems persisted ahead handover us expected make sure karzai release detainees washington deems continuing danger karzai expected try avoid interference major ally describes important issue afghan sovereignty last week told joint session afghan parliament soon full control prison would begin release detainees know many innocent people held would free despite criticism said karzai refused agree americans demands allowed virtual veto release prisoners white house fighting congress handover want karzais words spark another round correspondence similar one obama howard buck mckeon rcalif chairman house armed services committee february particularly concerned disposition detainees continue represent enduring continuous threat us forces ground afghanistan well us national security mckeon wrote emphasized would completely unacceptable us fail maintain custody prisoners us government insists minor hiccups agreement prisoner handover karzais intemperate outburst sunday might throw spanner works cast long shadow hagels visit expected complicate discussions size shape residual us force left afghanistan 2014 january white house officials indicated considering zero option military sources reportedly advised keeping significant number troops country globalpost analysis karzai goes washington gen james mattis us central command told senate armed services committee last week envisioned overall force 20000 afghanistan post2014 half 13600 would come us first time notoriously volatile karzai gone rails years past alternately threatened declare war nato vowed join talibanand blamed us corruption permeates administration whenever challenged afghan presidents first reaction seems point finger right back accusers february karzai ordered us special forces leave maidan wardak province serves gateway kabul amid accusations afghan forces trained us perhaps american forces involved torture abuse afghans came united nations report documenting widespread torture abuse within afghan prisons afghan authorities karzai may reason feel bit insecure relationship us moment enjoy warm indulgent connection obama administration seemed team around george w bush virtually installed leader afghanistan 2001 famous dinner kabul february 2008 three us senators tried persuade karzai tackle corruption within government afghan president denied corruption serious problem prompting head delegation throw napkin say dinner stride room accompanied colleagues napkin thrower vice president joe biden companions trip massachsuetts sen john kerry secretary state nebraska sen chuck hagel defense secretary karzais pushpull tactics likely inflame already divisive debate within us continued american presence afghanistan 12 years blood sacrifice 2000 us soldiers died hundreds billions dollars spent little clear effect american people tired war president barack obama staked much reputation bringing troops home extricating us seemingly endless conflict karzais accusations us intent prolonging presence afghanistan appear wildly odds see mad rush door afghan president may complain getting us troops country many afghans worry happen foreign forces leave officials countries pay much lip service battle readiness afghan security forces even pentagon reportedly doubts afghans able step breach foreign troops clear monday fresh insider attack individual afghan army uniform wardak province killed two us troops number afghans still addition security concerns fear economic collapse much afghanistans economy relies international aid investors wary postwithdrawal environment sides seem intent smoothing things trying move forward long perilous road stretches end 2014 globalpost indepth handover jean mackenzie worked reporter afghanistan october 2004 december 2011 first head institute war peace reporting senior corespondent globalpost
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<p>Chicago and Illinois have long track records of leadership in early childhood education. As early as the 1960s, the Chicago Public Schools was among a handful of pioneering districts that created <a href="mailto:http://www.promisingpractices.net/program.asp%3Fprogramid=98" type="external">Child-Parent Centers</a> (CPCs) to provide high-quality early childhood education — PreK to 3rd grade —&#160;while supporting low-income parents and engaging them in their children’s education. An influential <a href="mailto:http://www.cehd.umn.edu/icd/research/cls/" type="external">longitudinal study</a> of CPC alumni shows that the model produced substantial increases in both academic achievement and economic returns to society from higher earnings, reduced involvement in crime and better health.</p>
<p>In the 1980’s, Illinois got in the early learning game by creating a public pre-kindergarten program for children in poverty. By the early 2000’s, a broad coalition of early childhood leaders was pushing Springfield to develop universal, voluntary preschool. In 2007, then-Gov. Rod Blagojevich signed a bill creating <a href="mailto:http://isbe.net/earlychi/preschool/default.htm" type="external">Preschool for All</a>, which expanded state funding for early childhood&#160;education&#160;and allowed programs to be housed in both schools and community-based organizations, while setting higher standards for teachers.</p>
<p>By 2009, the state was spending about $380 million to serve 95,000 3- and 4-year-olds, about half of eligible preschoolers. In Chicago, different barriers emerged in different neighborhoods; in Englewood, parental fears for their children’s safety and distrust of government held down enrollment, while in Little Village, demand for seats far exceeded available space. In both cases, eligible children lost out. In response, early childhood leaders stepped up efforts to reach children most at-risk and identified innovative programs for expansion.</p>
<p>Then the recession hit. By 2014, Preschool for All had lost 25 percent of its state funding and enrollment had fallen to 70,000 children. Hopes that Obama’s universal preschool program would <a href="mailto:http://illinoisissues.uis.edu/archives/2013/05/preschool.html" type="external">fill the gap</a> never materialized.</p>
<p>See “ <a href="mailto:http://catalyst-chicago.org/2005/08/demand-no-money-universal-preschool/" type="external">Demand, but no money, for universal preschool</a>,” Catalyst April 2003 and “ <a href="mailto:http://catalyst-chicago.org/2009/04/knocking-down-barriers-free-preschool/" type="external">Knocking down barriers to free preschool</a>,” Catalyst April 2009</p>
<p>Though Congress did not move on Obama’s universal preschool proposal, the U.S. Department of Education has done what it can to shore up early learning funds in the states. Through Race to the Top Early Learning Challenge, Illinois, a <a href="mailto:http://www2.ed.gov/programs/racetothetop-earlylearningchallenge/awards.html" type="external">second-round winner</a> , received more than $52 million. However, those funds had to serve a dual purpose: expanding access and increasing quality.</p>
<p>Last year, the state met a key Early Learning Challenge goal by unveiling a new <a href="http://catalyst-chicago.org/2014/07/early-childhood-quality-rating-system-comes-online/" type="external">rating system</a> for early childhood programs. The ratings are designed to help parents choose programs wisely and offer providers incentives to train staff and use research-based curricula in the classroom.</p>
<p>Last December, the Department awarded Illinois a $20 million expansion grant modeled on the Obama proposal: the feds pony up relatively small funds to spark a deeper state-level commitment to preschool. Springfield has pledged $128 million over four years to support the federal investment, which is renewable at the same amount for up to three more years if the state honors that pledge. Given the state’s financial distress, that is a big if.</p>
<p>Returning to the numbers of children served at the height of Preschool for All in&#160;2009 will be a steep climb, due to both fiscal woes and a shortage of bilingual-credentialed teachers.</p>
<p>See “ <a href="http://catalyst-chicago.org/2014/12/illinois-gets-second-largest-preschool-grant/" type="external">Illinois gets second-largest preschool expansion grant</a>,” Catalyst December 2014 and “ <a href="http://catalyst-chicago.org/2015/10/state-looks-to-meet-demand-for-early-educators-with-specialized-training/" type="external">State looks to meet demand for early educators with specialized training</a>,” Catalyst October 2015.</p>
<p>While the state is relying on federal funds to shore up preschool access, Chicago has turned to private funds through a nascent financing strategy: the <a href="http://www.forbes.com/sites/jonhartley/2014/09/15/social-impact-bonds-are-going-mainstream/" type="external">social impact bond</a>. A social impact bond amasses private capital up front to pay for a public project that is expected to produce both beneficial social outcomes and governmental cost savings. If it works, some of the cost savings are used to pay back the bondholders with interest. The up side for the government is that is doesn’t have to front the expense of a new program, and pays investors only if the project produces cost savings.</p>
<p>In 2013, Goldman Sachs and the Chicago-based Pritzker Family Foundation invested $7 million to expand a Utah preschool program run by the United Way of Salt Lake. The additional funds expanded the program by 595 students, or half the waiting list.</p>
<p>This week <a href="http://www.vox.com/2015/10/19/9568639/social-impact-bonds-utah" type="external">Vox reported</a> that the effort is the first example of a successful social impact bond in the United States: only one of the new preschool students needed special education services in kindergarten. The reduction in special education costs saved Utah $281,550. Investors will be paid $267,473 of the savings. A year ago, Goldman, Northern Trust and Pritzker made a $17 million investment here to expand access to Child-Parent Centers. Though the Board of Education and the City Council both approved the deal, former Board member Henry Bienen voted against it, expressing concerns about the interest rates and how success would be measured.</p>
<p>The investment became the <a href="mailto:http://www.readynation.org/wp-content/uploads/pfs_summary_full_list.pdf" type="external">fifth</a> social impact bond in the United States and the second, after Utah, to focus on early childhood education. Six schools are receiving funds to expand preschool enrollment, an expansion that could cut the city’s waiting list by more than half.&#160;When the effort launched, there was a goal to add still more preschools. &#160;SRI International, a prominent research and development firm, was hired to evaluate the program.</p>
<p>See “ <a href="http://catalyst-chicago.org/2014/10/preschool-expansion-social-impact-bonds/" type="external">Preschool expansion via ‘social impact’ bonds</a>,” Catalyst October 2014 and “ <a href="http://catalyst-chicago.org/2014/11/record-paying-preschool-social-impact-bonds/" type="external">For the Record: Paying for preschool with social impact bonds</a>,” Catalyst November 2014</p>
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chicago illinois long track records leadership early childhood education early 1960s chicago public schools among handful pioneering districts created childparent centers cpcs provide highquality early childhood education prek 3rd grade 160while supporting lowincome parents engaging childrens education influential longitudinal study cpc alumni shows model produced substantial increases academic achievement economic returns society higher earnings reduced involvement crime better health 1980s illinois got early learning game creating public prekindergarten program children poverty early 2000s broad coalition early childhood leaders pushing springfield develop universal voluntary preschool 2007 thengov rod blagojevich signed bill creating preschool expanded state funding early childhood160education160and allowed programs housed schools communitybased organizations setting higher standards teachers 2009 state spending 380 million serve 95000 3 4yearolds half eligible preschoolers chicago different barriers emerged different neighborhoods englewood parental fears childrens safety distrust government held enrollment little village demand seats far exceeded available space cases eligible children lost response early childhood leaders stepped efforts reach children atrisk identified innovative programs expansion recession hit 2014 preschool lost 25 percent state funding enrollment fallen 70000 children hopes obamas universal preschool program would fill gap never materialized see demand money universal preschool catalyst april 2003 knocking barriers free preschool catalyst april 2009 though congress move obamas universal preschool proposal us department education done shore early learning funds states race top early learning challenge illinois secondround winner received 52 million however funds serve dual purpose expanding access increasing quality last year state met key early learning challenge goal unveiling new rating system early childhood programs ratings designed help parents choose programs wisely offer providers incentives train staff use researchbased curricula classroom last december department awarded illinois 20 million expansion grant modeled obama proposal feds pony relatively small funds spark deeper statelevel commitment preschool springfield pledged 128 million four years support federal investment renewable amount three years state honors pledge given states financial distress big returning numbers children served height preschool in1602009 steep climb due fiscal woes shortage bilingualcredentialed teachers see illinois gets secondlargest preschool expansion grant catalyst december 2014 state looks meet demand early educators specialized training catalyst october 2015 state relying federal funds shore preschool access chicago turned private funds nascent financing strategy social impact bond social impact bond amasses private capital front pay public project expected produce beneficial social outcomes governmental cost savings works cost savings used pay back bondholders interest side government doesnt front expense new program pays investors project produces cost savings 2013 goldman sachs chicagobased pritzker family foundation invested 7 million expand utah preschool program run united way salt lake additional funds expanded program 595 students half waiting list week vox reported effort first example successful social impact bond united states one new preschool students needed special education services kindergarten reduction special education costs saved utah 281550 investors paid 267473 savings year ago goldman northern trust pritzker made 17 million investment expand access childparent centers though board education city council approved deal former board member henry bienen voted expressing concerns interest rates success would measured investment became fifth social impact bond united states second utah focus early childhood education six schools receiving funds expand preschool enrollment expansion could cut citys waiting list half160when effort launched goal add still preschools 160sri international prominent research development firm hired evaluate program see preschool expansion via social impact bonds catalyst october 2014 record paying preschool social impact bonds catalyst november 2014
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<p>Today's Geo Quiz gets started in the Pacific.</p>
<p>The island nation we want you to name today is really two islands. The North Island and the South Island. That's it.</p>
<p>Okay, there are plenty of smaller islands scattered around the two main landmasses...but they're just specks on the map. This country is a long way from anywhere else.</p>
<p>Its closest neighbors to the north are New Caledonia, Fiji and Tonga. The continent of Australia is more than 12-hundred miles away...a good long swim across the Tasman Sea.</p>
<p>The British took control of the islands in 1840 and signed a treaty with the indigenous Maori people. But it was a flawed deal that's still generating controversies.</p>
<p>Recently this country's government tried to make amends .... including granting the Maori legal rights to a well-known war chant.</p>
<p>So can you name the island nation that's split in two by the Cook Strait?</p>
<p>PRI's The World</p>
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<p>Haka rights</p>
<p>* view * edit * outline</p>
<p>February 12, 2009 | permalink | Yahoo! Buzz | ShareThis</p>
<p>Time's up on our Geo Quiz today.</p>
<p>We're looking for a country in the Pacific that's made up of two main islands -- one's called North Island, the other South Island.</p>
<p>The answer is New Zealand.</p>
<p>This week, the government there announced a landmark agreement with several indigenous Maori tribes. It's aimed at settling disputes that date back to the 19th century....as The World's David Leveille reports.</p>
<p>The agreement announced in Wellington, NZ yesterday are an attempt to set history right and to make up for injustices dating back to the colonial era .</p>
<p>New Zealand's Treaty Negotiations minister announced the government will pay out more than a hundred and fifty million dollars to 8 Maori tribes. The tribes will receive half the payout in cash and the rest in rents from government owned forests and credits for greenhouse gas emissions.</p>
<p>Oh and one more thing: The government also for the first time formally acknowledged that the Maoris are the legal owners of the Haka .</p>
<p>The Haka is the traditional Maori war dance made famous by the New Zealand All Blacks Rugby team.</p>
<p>The Ka Mate Haka has become a pre-game ritual for the rugby team, a way of throwing down the challenge to opponents. The chant originated back around 1820... it tells how a Ngati Toa warrior chief named Te Rauparaha barely escaped death...he hid in a dark pit to elude his enemies...it was a very close call but as legend has it, he emerged alive, defiant and fierce.</p>
<p>Maori performs a traditional haka. Photo: PAMaori performs a traditional haka. Photo: PA</p>
<p>"Ka Mate Ka Mate it is death it is death...Kowa kowa it is life life"</p>
<p>Karl Burrows is with a London based group called Manaia...its goal is to entertain and educate people about New Zealand Maori culture.</p>
<p>Challenge: the Haka was originated by Ngati Toa's warrior chief Te Rauparaha Photo: APChallenge: the Haka was originated by Ngati Toa's warrior chief Te Rauparaha Photo: AP</p>
<p>Maori: Ka mate, ka mate! ka ora! ka ora! Ka mate! ka mate! ka ora! ka ora! Tenei te tangata puhuruhuru Nana nei i tiki mai whakawhiti te ra A, upane! ka upane! A, upane, ka upane, whiti te ra! English: 'Tis death! 'tis death! (or: I may die) 'Tis life! 'tis life! (or: I may live) 'Tis death! 'tis death! 'Tis life! 'tis life! This the hairy man that stands here... who brought the sun and caused it to shine A step upward, another step upward! A step upward, another... the Sun shines!</p>
<p>The fearsome dance has shown up in some unusual settings like a New Zealand bakery commercial where gingerbread men do the haka. But now that the the Ngati Toa tribe officially owns the rights to the Haka, this type of commercialization may be off limits. Karl Burrows says the settlement is an important step in protecting Maori cultural heritage:</p>
<p>Burrows: "Well I think its been the first time that there's been actual recognition of intellectual property rights in a settlement...usually they deal with land.....the haka is something that is precious to us, something that we hold dear to us, it 's got to be treated with respect , the fact that it's recognised in ths settlement is really exciting for us."</p>
<p>But there won't be any restriction on performing the Haka in public. That means the All Blacks rugby team can carry on with the powerful pre game ritual... it's helped them become one of the best-known sports franchises...and a team to watch in the next Rugby World cup to be hosted by New Zealand in 2011.</p>
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todays geo quiz gets started pacific island nation want name today really two islands north island south island thats okay plenty smaller islands scattered around two main landmassesbut theyre specks map country long way anywhere else closest neighbors north new caledonia fiji tonga continent australia 12hundred miles awaya good long swim across tasman sea british took control islands 1840 signed treaty indigenous maori people flawed deal thats still generating controversies recently countrys government tried make amends including granting maori legal rights wellknown war chant name island nation thats split two cook strait pris world home radio program february 13 february 12 february 11 february 10 february 9 february 6 february 5 february 4 february 3 february 2 podcasts stations global hit global hit archive global hit podcast geo quiz geo quiz archive geo quiz podcast topics best bbc books environment featured stories health music heard air technology technology archive tom fentons journal world words world books multimedia audio slideshows global political cartoons photo galleries videos world discussions world rss team contact us haka rights view edit outline february 12 2009 permalink yahoo buzz sharethis times geo quiz today looking country pacific thats made two main islands ones called north island south island answer new zealand week government announced landmark agreement several indigenous maori tribes aimed settling disputes date back 19th centuryas worlds david leveille reports agreement announced wellington nz yesterday attempt set history right make injustices dating back colonial era new zealands treaty negotiations minister announced government pay hundred fifty million dollars 8 maori tribes tribes receive half payout cash rest rents government owned forests credits greenhouse gas emissions oh one thing government also first time formally acknowledged maoris legal owners haka haka traditional maori war dance made famous new zealand blacks rugby team ka mate haka become pregame ritual rugby team way throwing challenge opponents chant originated back around 1820 tells ngati toa warrior chief named te rauparaha barely escaped deathhe hid dark pit elude enemiesit close call legend emerged alive defiant fierce maori performs traditional haka photo pamaori performs traditional haka photo pa ka mate ka mate death deathkowa kowa life life karl burrows london based group called manaiaits goal entertain educate people new zealand maori culture challenge haka originated ngati toas warrior chief te rauparaha photo apchallenge haka originated ngati toas warrior chief te rauparaha photo ap maori ka mate ka mate ka ora ka ora ka mate ka mate ka ora ka ora tenei te tangata puhuruhuru nana nei tiki mai whakawhiti te ra upane ka upane upane ka upane whiti te ra english tis death tis death may die tis life tis life may live tis death tis death tis life tis life hairy man stands brought sun caused shine step upward another step upward step upward another sun shines fearsome dance shown unusual settings like new zealand bakery commercial gingerbread men haka ngati toa tribe officially owns rights haka type commercialization may limits karl burrows says settlement important step protecting maori cultural heritage burrows well think first time theres actual recognition intellectual property rights settlementusually deal landthe haka something precious us something hold dear us got treated respect fact recognised ths settlement really exciting us wont restriction performing haka public means blacks rugby team carry powerful pre game ritual helped become one bestknown sports franchisesand team watch next rugby world cup hosted new zealand 2011
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<p>By Jeff Brumley</p>
<p>The toxic denominational atmosphere that gave birth to Associated Baptist Press a quarter century ago is fading into the mists of history. However, its modern descendent —&#160;Baptist News Global —&#160;still faces daunting modern challenges.</p>
<p>Both the bested challenges of the past and the promises of the future were recognized during the 25th&#160;anniversary celebration of ABP Monday night in Nashville, Tenn. (For more photos of the event, click <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/132689911@N04/sets/72157652102208931/" type="external">here</a>.)</p>
<p>And neither past, present nor future difficulties were sugar-coated during the event held at Immanuel Baptist Church.</p>
<p>“Today, it’s not fundamentalism that threatens us, it’s apathy,” BNG board member and Baptist Standard Editor Marv Knox said.</p>
<p>Knox was one of several current and former BNG employees or board members who spoke during the event. He and current BNG News Editor Bob Allen participated in a panel discussion moderated by Editor in Chief Robert Dilday.</p>
<p>Both men shared that rapidly evolving economic and readership trends, coupled with an increased disinterest in religious institutions may spell financial hardships for BNG. That became the organization’s name in October 2014 following <a href="" type="internal">ABP’s merger with The Religious Herald</a> in Virginia at the beginning of that year.</p>
<p>Declining loyalty to Baptist identity is another reality BNG faces, said Allen, a long-time staff member. Plus, the web-based news environment is hyper competitive and constantly shifting.</p>
<p>“We don’t have the buy-in and readership we could have,” Allen said.</p>
<p>Founding principles</p>
<p>But the courage, creativity and determination to meet those challenges are part of the organization’s DNA, Allen and other speakers said, bequeathed by Baptist journalists and others who stood up to fundamentalists during their conservative takeover of the Southern Baptist Convention.</p>
<p>A particularly poignant date is <a href="" type="internal">July 17, 1990</a>, when the SBC’s Executive Committee terminated Dan Martin and Al Shackleford from their leadership roles at Baptist Press.</p>
<p>The men had run afoul of SBC leaders for publishing stories that gave voice to critics of conservatives along with their supporters.</p>
<p>For Allen, who was 34 and the editor of the Baptist Convention of Maryland/Delaware newspaper at the time, it was a disturbing moment.</p>
<p>&#160;</p>
<p>“Two journalists put moral duty ahead of job security and lost their jobs,” he told the audience of about 80 gathered at Immanuel Baptist. “Those were hard-earned careers and it was not easy finding another job.”</p>
<p>Knox worked at BP as features editor until six weeks before the firings, when he became editor of the Western Recorder in Kentucky. He and Martin, who was news editor, had worked for Shackleford, who was director, in Nashville.</p>
<p>“They made a series of principled decisions and they suffered very painfully for it,” Knox recalled. “They were standing for Baptist ideals and they paid the price for everybody.”</p>
<p>From that pain and shock also came anger —&#160;and growth. Shortly after Martin and Shackleford were sacked, incorporating documents were filed to launch a new Baptist news service.</p>
<p>“Anger is a great thing and it galvanized” many to spring into action, Knox said. “It led to the foundation of ABP.”</p>
<p />
<p>It’s also led ABP —&#160;and now BNG —&#160;to continually strive to stay current with web site and social media technology, all the while remembering those who sacrificed to make it possible.</p>
<p>“We have stayed true to our founding principles,” Allen said.</p>
<p>Engaging the world</p>
<p>The organization has also stayed true to its original vision, which was to provide an independent, objective voice for Baptists, said Greg Warner, the former associate editor of the Florida Baptist Witness and ABP’s first full-time employee.</p>
<p />
<p>Warner, who held the new&#160;service’s top editorial position for 17 years, participated with BNG board member Dan Lattimore and Natalie Aho, BNG’s interactive communication specialist, in a discussion about the organizations’ past, present and future. It was moderated by Kyle Reese, pastor at Hendricks Avenue Baptist Church in Jacksonville, Fla., and current chairman of the BNG board.</p>
<p>Lattimore said Warner and other ABP staff members did far more than maintain the state of Baptist journalism where it had been at the time of conflict with conservatives in the SBC.</p>
<p>Instead, they were able “to push journalism to a higher level in Baptist life,” he said.</p>
<p>But there were challenges to that progress along the way, he said, including money.</p>
<p />
<p>“A struggle has been finding a financial model that will work,” Lattimore said. Moving to a donor-based model has been a solution to that challenge, he said.</p>
<p>Another hurdle was finding a replacement for Warner when he retired in 2008. That challenge was met with the hiring of David Wilkinson, the organization’s executive director and publisher.</p>
<p>But Aho said other challenges remain, most significantly journalism in a digital age.</p>
<p>“Journalism is figuring out what people are talking about and getting involved in those conversations,” she said.</p>
<p>While that may always have been journalism’s purpose, today there are so many places where those conversations are occurring, including the social media sites like Facebook and Twitter.</p>
<p>&#160;</p>
<p>“It is no longer the gathering of the SBC in St. Louis that we need to engage, it’s the world&#160; … we can engage with,” Aho said.</p>
<p>Wilkinson concluded the evening soliciting from the audience the names of founders and influencers who made ABP possible. Many were offered, from R.G. Puckett, W.C. Fields and Ed Vick to Jack Brymer, Jim Newton and Orville Scott.</p>
<p>The program tied principles of freedom, independence and autonomy through interconnectedness, Wilkinson said, and these and other pioneers had made a free Baptist press possible.</p>
<p>And living and working through that era was fun, Knox added later.</p>
<p>“It was fun because we were telling one of the greatest religion stories of the 20th&#160;century,” he said.</p>
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jeff brumley toxic denominational atmosphere gave birth associated baptist press quarter century ago fading mists history however modern descendent 160baptist news global 160still faces daunting modern challenges bested challenges past promises future recognized 25th160anniversary celebration abp monday night nashville tenn photos event click neither past present future difficulties sugarcoated event held immanuel baptist church today fundamentalism threatens us apathy bng board member baptist standard editor marv knox said knox one several current former bng employees board members spoke event current bng news editor bob allen participated panel discussion moderated editor chief robert dilday men shared rapidly evolving economic readership trends coupled increased disinterest religious institutions may spell financial hardships bng became organizations name october 2014 following abps merger religious herald virginia beginning year declining loyalty baptist identity another reality bng faces said allen longtime staff member plus webbased news environment hyper competitive constantly shifting dont buyin readership could allen said founding principles courage creativity determination meet challenges part organizations dna allen speakers said bequeathed baptist journalists others stood fundamentalists conservative takeover southern baptist convention particularly poignant date july 17 1990 sbcs executive committee terminated dan martin al shackleford leadership roles baptist press men run afoul sbc leaders publishing stories gave voice critics conservatives along supporters allen 34 editor baptist convention marylanddelaware newspaper time disturbing moment 160 two journalists put moral duty ahead job security lost jobs told audience 80 gathered immanuel baptist hardearned careers easy finding another job knox worked bp features editor six weeks firings became editor western recorder kentucky martin news editor worked shackleford director nashville made series principled decisions suffered painfully knox recalled standing baptist ideals paid price everybody pain shock also came anger 160and growth shortly martin shackleford sacked incorporating documents filed launch new baptist news service anger great thing galvanized many spring action knox said led foundation abp also led abp 160and bng 160to continually strive stay current web site social media technology remembering sacrificed make possible stayed true founding principles allen said engaging world organization also stayed true original vision provide independent objective voice baptists said greg warner former associate editor florida baptist witness abps first fulltime employee warner held new160services top editorial position 17 years participated bng board member dan lattimore natalie aho bngs interactive communication specialist discussion organizations past present future moderated kyle reese pastor hendricks avenue baptist church jacksonville fla current chairman bng board lattimore said warner abp staff members far maintain state baptist journalism time conflict conservatives sbc instead able push journalism higher level baptist life said challenges progress along way said including money struggle finding financial model work lattimore said moving donorbased model solution challenge said another hurdle finding replacement warner retired 2008 challenge met hiring david wilkinson organizations executive director publisher aho said challenges remain significantly journalism digital age journalism figuring people talking getting involved conversations said may always journalisms purpose today many places conversations occurring including social media sites like facebook twitter 160 longer gathering sbc st louis need engage world160 engage aho said wilkinson concluded evening soliciting audience names founders influencers made abp possible many offered rg puckett wc fields ed vick jack brymer jim newton orville scott program tied principles freedom independence autonomy interconnectedness wilkinson said pioneers made free baptist press possible living working era fun knox added later fun telling one greatest religion stories 20th160century said
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<p>While the GOP and the Democrats continue their on-going debate about the role of government in easing the plight of the poor, Women’s Missionary Union of Virginia has steadfastly continued ministry to some of our nation’s poorest people. Through the years we have reported these mission endeavors. (To view past articles, go to <a href="" type="external">www.religiousherald.org</a> and type “Standing Rock” in the search space).</p>
<p>When I learned that WMUV was encouraging its members (and others) to make pillowcases to distribute to Native Americans living on the Standing Rock reservation, I thought it rather odd, to be honest. My attitude was that receiving a pillowcase as a gift would generate about the same excitement as a kid getting socks for Christmas. That’s because every kid I know has never been without socks. I have learned, however, that for many Native Americans in this country a pillowcase is almost as scarce as a pillow to put it on.</p>
<p />
<p>In fact, I have learned a lot more than that. For example, in many ways American Indians and Alaska Natives (AIAN) living on reservations constitute the poorest of the poor in this country. One of my tutors was Daniel McCool, a newspaper reporter from Colorado.</p>
<p>“There are 550 federally recognized Indian tribes in control of 55 million acres of tribal trust land, and another 44 million acres of Alaskan native land. In addition, tribes control purchased lands and accustomed-use areas. According to the Native American Fish and Wildlife Society, tribal governments control a natural-resource base of over 140,625 square miles, containing more than 730,000 acres of lakes and impoundments, and over 10,000 miles of streams and rivers.</p>
<p>“Combined, this land would constitute the fifth largest state in the United States. It’s almost the size of Montana and 40,000 square miles larger than Colorado. According to the Indian Data Center, reservations contain 44 million acres of grazing land, 5.3 million acres of commercial forests, 2.5 million acres of farmland, 4 percent of U.S. oil and gas reserves, 40 percent of known uranium deposits and 30 percent of Western coal.”</p>
<p>The uninitiated might believe that with these resources the 1.6 million native Americans enrolled as tribal members would be well off. Not true.</p>
<p>Standing Rock, where the WMUV has led mission experiences for the past five years, is the fourth largest in the nation. Straddling the border of North and South Dakota, it is larger than the state of Connecticut, but, according to statistical information published by the Sioux Tribe, has only 8,570 inhabitants. That computes to 2.7 people per square mile.</p>
<p>While the wide open spaces might provide plenty of elbow room, there aren’t many jobs. The unemployment rate for Standing Rock is over 80 percent. Desolate land, extreme weather conditions and the sheer distance to places of employment make this area a difficult place to live and work.</p>
<p>As a whole for other reservation dwellers the unemployment rate is about 50 percent with 30 percent of those who have jobs living below the poverty line.</p>
<p>As one would expect, the economic conditions give rise to a plethora of other social ills.</p>
<p>According to the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights, Native Americans continue to experience higher rates of poverty, poor educational achievement, substandard housing, and disease.1</p>
<p>When compared with other racial and ethnic groups, AIAN youth have more serious problems with mental health disorders related to suicide, such as anxiety, substance abuse and depression.2</p>
<p>A 2010 report indicated the percentage of AIAN adults who needed treatment for an alcohol or illicit drug use problem the previous year was almost double the national average for adults (18.0 vs. 9.6 percent).3</p>
<p>American Indians/Alaska Natives are more than twice as likely to be diagnosed with diabetes as their non-Hispanic white counterparts and almost twice as likely to die from the disease.4</p>
<p>The causes of these conditions and their solutions are complicated by federal treaties with the AIAN peoples, by tribal pride and traditions, by substandard educational opportunities and by general hopelessness. Promises broken have given native Americans good reason to be wary of promises made.</p>
<p>But at least for some of the residents of Standing Rock, the 400 volunteers from churches in Virginia and North Carolina are creating trust by building relationships. Hand-in-hand, heart-to-heart, is more than the WMUV theme for Standing Rock missions. It is a promise made. And kept. Year after year.</p>
<p>And little by little, pillowcase by pillowcase, people are opening themselves to the strangers from the Mid-Atlantic region. But providing pillows and pillowcases was just the beginning of missions during WMUV’s annual missions trek the last week of July. A medical team provided basic attention to health needs, a construction team provided a new roof for a pastor’s trailer and&#160; a traveling team took a carnival to children.</p>
<p>Next summer you can bet that WMUV will be back in Standing Rock. I am already making plans to be among the volunteers when they go. I hope you will consider joining us. Training is needed and provided by Maria Lynn and her assistants with WMUV. If you can’t go, you can volunteer to pray. They have a plan to help you do that. Or you can help in other ways. This past summer it was pillowcases. One year is was underwear (churches promoted the gifts with “undie Sundays”). And donations are accepted.</p>
<p>While politicians talk about what to do — or not do — the body of Christ is at work bringing hope to the poorest of the poor in our country. You won’t see it on CNN or Fox, but you can read about it in the Herald! &#160; Jim White ( <a href="mailto:[email protected]" type="external">[email protected]</a>) is executive editor of the Religious Herald.</p>
<p>1 U.S. Commission on Civil Rights. (2003). A quiet crisis: Federal funding and unmet needs in Indian Country. Washington D.C.: Manuel Alba and Mireille Zieseniss. <a href="http://www.usccr.gov/pubs/na0703/na0731.pdf" type="external">http://www.usccr.gov/pubs/na0703/na0731.pdf</a>.&#160;</p>
<p>2 Olson, L. M., &amp; Wahab, S. (2006). American Indians and suicide: A neglected area of research. Trauma, Violence, and Abuse, 7(1), 19-33.&#160;</p>
<p>3 According to a National Survey on Drug Use and Health report, June 24, 2010.</p>
<p>4 According to statistics provided by the Center for Disease Control and reported earlier this year by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Service’s Office of Minority Health.</p>
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gop democrats continue ongoing debate role government easing plight poor womens missionary union virginia steadfastly continued ministry nations poorest people years reported mission endeavors view past articles go wwwreligiousheraldorg type standing rock search space learned wmuv encouraging members others make pillowcases distribute native americans living standing rock reservation thought rather odd honest attitude receiving pillowcase gift would generate excitement kid getting socks christmas thats every kid know never without socks learned however many native americans country pillowcase almost scarce pillow put fact learned lot example many ways american indians alaska natives aian living reservations constitute poorest poor country one tutors daniel mccool newspaper reporter colorado 550 federally recognized indian tribes control 55 million acres tribal trust land another 44 million acres alaskan native land addition tribes control purchased lands accustomeduse areas according native american fish wildlife society tribal governments control naturalresource base 140625 square miles containing 730000 acres lakes impoundments 10000 miles streams rivers combined land would constitute fifth largest state united states almost size montana 40000 square miles larger colorado according indian data center reservations contain 44 million acres grazing land 53 million acres commercial forests 25 million acres farmland 4 percent us oil gas reserves 40 percent known uranium deposits 30 percent western coal uninitiated might believe resources 16 million native americans enrolled tribal members would well true standing rock wmuv led mission experiences past five years fourth largest nation straddling border north south dakota larger state connecticut according statistical information published sioux tribe 8570 inhabitants computes 27 people per square mile wide open spaces might provide plenty elbow room arent many jobs unemployment rate standing rock 80 percent desolate land extreme weather conditions sheer distance places employment make area difficult place live work whole reservation dwellers unemployment rate 50 percent 30 percent jobs living poverty line one would expect economic conditions give rise plethora social ills according us commission civil rights native americans continue experience higher rates poverty poor educational achievement substandard housing disease1 compared racial ethnic groups aian youth serious problems mental health disorders related suicide anxiety substance abuse depression2 2010 report indicated percentage aian adults needed treatment alcohol illicit drug use problem previous year almost double national average adults 180 vs 96 percent3 american indiansalaska natives twice likely diagnosed diabetes nonhispanic white counterparts almost twice likely die disease4 causes conditions solutions complicated federal treaties aian peoples tribal pride traditions substandard educational opportunities general hopelessness promises broken given native americans good reason wary promises made least residents standing rock 400 volunteers churches virginia north carolina creating trust building relationships handinhand hearttoheart wmuv theme standing rock missions promise made kept year year little little pillowcase pillowcase people opening strangers midatlantic region providing pillows pillowcases beginning missions wmuvs annual missions trek last week july medical team provided basic attention health needs construction team provided new roof pastors trailer and160 traveling team took carnival children next summer bet wmuv back standing rock already making plans among volunteers go hope consider joining us training needed provided maria lynn assistants wmuv cant go volunteer pray plan help help ways past summer pillowcases one year underwear churches promoted gifts undie sundays donations accepted politicians talk body christ work bringing hope poorest poor country wont see cnn fox read herald 160 jim white jwhitereligiousheraldorg executive editor religious herald 1 us commission civil rights 2003 quiet crisis federal funding unmet needs indian country washington dc manuel alba mireille zieseniss httpwwwusccrgovpubsna0703na0731pdf160 2 olson l amp wahab 2006 american indians suicide neglected area research trauma violence abuse 71 1933160 3 according national survey drug use health report june 24 2010 4 according statistics provided center disease control reported earlier year us department health human services office minority health
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<p>ISTANBUL, Turkey - Leaning back into a maroon barber's chair, its dark leather cracked with age, Onur Karadogan flips through a dusty catalogue of moustache styles.</p>
<p>"An Islamist will ask for this one," he said, pointing to a neatly trimmed, almond-shaped example, bringing two fingers together to illustrate the two millimeters of space that the Koran deems must exist between the end of the upper lip and the beginning of the whiskers.</p>
<p>"These ones," he said, upon reaching a brittle page covered in images of dark-haired men with thick, walrus-style moustache of the Marx variety, "are more for the leftists."</p>
<p>In his 16 years of experience as a barber, Karadogan has become an expert at shaping these bushy declarations. Men don't wear their politics on their sleeve here, they write them across their upper lip.</p>
<p>With nationwide elections on June 12, political parties have cranked their campaigns into full gear. Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who is running for a third consecutive term in office, appears set to win a comfortable majority. If he does win, he will become the longest-running Turkish prime minister since legitimate elections - ones that weren't blatantly manipulated by the ruling party - began in 1950.</p>
<p>This time around though, the leading opposition candidate, Kemal Kilicdaroglu, is banking on a secret weapon - and it's plastered right in the center of his round-faced mug.</p>
<p>"Turkish politics adheres to a simple rule: wives and their moustache-wearing husbands like moustache-wearing men as their leaders," wrote Soner Cagaptay, a researcher at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, in an op-ed published in Monocle.</p>
<p>A former civil servant, Kilicdaroglu swept to the leadership of the main secular opposition party, the Republican People's Party (CHP) last spring amid a sex-tape scandal that ousted the long-standing (and clean-shaven) party chairman, Deniz Baykal.</p>
<p>Although these days the moustache is not as popular as it was in past decades, when there was nary a whiskerless face to be found on Turkey's streets, they remain popular among the working class, which accounts for the majority of the voting public.</p>
<p>The facial hair has not always been so politically expedient here. Turkey, in fact, has had a rather tumultuous history with the moustache. Mustafa Kemal Ataturk shaved his iconic moustache while fighting to establish the republic - and the military remains the one institution in Turkey were moustaches are not welcome.</p>
<p>Following a coup in 1980, Turkey's generals banned university professors from growing beards, which were then a symbol of left-wing intellectuals. By the late 1990s tensions had shifted as an emerging class of religiously conservative students clashed with security forces when beards were banned at universities altogether for being too Islamic.</p>
<p>"When you put rules on people's bodies, they try and challenge you," said Mustafa Gurbuz, a Turkish professor of sociology at the University of Connecticut. "How you dress, how you shave, they become politicized."</p>
<p>"Over time these shapes became understood by society. It was a type of political code that everyone could read."</p>
<p>Intellectuals lay claim over the goatee, while members of the religious Gulen community are generally clean-shaven. An ultranationalist? They tend towardbushy, with the ends sloping downward at the corner of the mouth - an echo of the crescent shape found on the Turkish flag.</p>
<p>Erogan (who favors an almond-shaped "stash") melds street smarts with a brash charisma that has provided some of the popularity he has used to lead a resurgence of Islamic-oriented politics in the Muslim world's most secular democracy.</p>
<p>Born to a poor family from the shores of the Black Sea, the prime minister played soccer professionally and worked for Istanbul's transportation authority - before, that is, they asked him to shave his moustache. He refused on religious grounds, and with the end of one career began another: politics.</p>
<p>Perhaps what is most important to Erdogan's appeal is the way in which he represents a shift away from the traditional vanguards of Turkey's political system. Kilicdaroglu is following suit, attempting to rebrand his struggling party to compete with the Erdogan's broad appeal.</p>
<p>An Alevi Kurd from humble origins in Turkey's east, Kilicdaroglu (with bushy, left-leaning whiskers) is going after the ruling party, known as AKP, with accusations of corruption. Accusing Erdogan's party of losing touch with the common man, Kilicdaroglu pledged to bring his party back to its center-left roots, prioritizing social policies, unemployment and poverty - and never once mentioning secularism.</p>
<p>The quite demeanor of Kilicdaroglu has earned him the nickname "the Turkish Ghandi" in the local press. But his intentions for the party are anything but meek - in less than a year as his party's leader he has attempted to shift his image from the anti-revolutionary to a modern, forward-thinking alternative to Erdogan.</p>
<p>"How can a party that has a revolutionary spirit be in favor of the status quo?" Kilicdaroglu asked at a party meeting. "We are in favor of changes, a transformation that would improve democracy and make our society much more modern."</p>
<p>And while the AKP has tried to discredit Kilicdaroglu with claims that he is a puppet for the old guard of the CHP, he remains the first credible opponent to the AKP since they came to power in 2002 - which some analysts say is in itself a boost for Turkey's democracy.</p>
<p>Whether or not Kilicdaroglu is a serious challenger to Erdogan is still open for debate. But as the campaigns heat up one thing is clear: Turkey's next leader will be sporting a moustache.</p>
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istanbul turkey leaning back maroon barbers chair dark leather cracked age onur karadogan flips dusty catalogue moustache styles islamist ask one said pointing neatly trimmed almondshaped example bringing two fingers together illustrate two millimeters space koran deems must exist end upper lip beginning whiskers ones said upon reaching brittle page covered images darkhaired men thick walrusstyle moustache marx variety leftists 16 years experience barber karadogan become expert shaping bushy declarations men dont wear politics sleeve write across upper lip nationwide elections june 12 political parties cranked campaigns full gear prime minister recep tayyip erdogan running third consecutive term office appears set win comfortable majority win become longestrunning turkish prime minister since legitimate elections ones werent blatantly manipulated ruling party began 1950 time around though leading opposition candidate kemal kilicdaroglu banking secret weapon plastered right center roundfaced mug turkish politics adheres simple rule wives moustachewearing husbands like moustachewearing men leaders wrote soner cagaptay researcher washington institute near east policy oped published monocle former civil servant kilicdaroglu swept leadership main secular opposition party republican peoples party chp last spring amid sextape scandal ousted longstanding cleanshaven party chairman deniz baykal although days moustache popular past decades nary whiskerless face found turkeys streets remain popular among working class accounts majority voting public facial hair always politically expedient turkey fact rather tumultuous history moustache mustafa kemal ataturk shaved iconic moustache fighting establish republic military remains one institution turkey moustaches welcome following coup 1980 turkeys generals banned university professors growing beards symbol leftwing intellectuals late 1990s tensions shifted emerging class religiously conservative students clashed security forces beards banned universities altogether islamic put rules peoples bodies try challenge said mustafa gurbuz turkish professor sociology university connecticut dress shave become politicized time shapes became understood society type political code everyone could read intellectuals lay claim goatee members religious gulen community generally cleanshaven ultranationalist tend towardbushy ends sloping downward corner mouth echo crescent shape found turkish flag erogan favors almondshaped stash melds street smarts brash charisma provided popularity used lead resurgence islamicoriented politics muslim worlds secular democracy born poor family shores black sea prime minister played soccer professionally worked istanbuls transportation authority asked shave moustache refused religious grounds end one career began another politics perhaps important erdogans appeal way represents shift away traditional vanguards turkeys political system kilicdaroglu following suit attempting rebrand struggling party compete erdogans broad appeal alevi kurd humble origins turkeys east kilicdaroglu bushy leftleaning whiskers going ruling party known akp accusations corruption accusing erdogans party losing touch common man kilicdaroglu pledged bring party back centerleft roots prioritizing social policies unemployment poverty never mentioning secularism quite demeanor kilicdaroglu earned nickname turkish ghandi local press intentions party anything meek less year partys leader attempted shift image antirevolutionary modern forwardthinking alternative erdogan party revolutionary spirit favor status quo kilicdaroglu asked party meeting favor changes transformation would improve democracy make society much modern akp tried discredit kilicdaroglu claims puppet old guard chp remains first credible opponent akp since came power 2002 analysts say boost turkeys democracy whether kilicdaroglu serious challenger erdogan still open debate campaigns heat one thing clear turkeys next leader sporting moustache
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<p>BERLIN, Germany — It's not just morons throwing bananas on the field.</p>
<p>Far-right political parties <a href="http://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/opinion/2014/04/golden-dawn-rise-far-right-euro-201441483840429923.html" type="external">are gaining ground</a> in France. Most of Germany's soccer hooligans <a href="http://www.spiegel.de/international/germany/violent-right-wing-extremists-team-up-with-football-hooligans-a-933896.html" type="external">are now neo-Nazis</a>. And this spring, Switzerland voted to curb immigration, defying the spirit of laws that allow citizens freedom of movement across the European Union.</p>
<p>But amid all the bad blood, has anyone thought about how sending immigrants packing would affect the teams playing the world's greatest game? Broadly defining “foreigner” as anyone with at least one foreign-born parent, Switzerland would <a href="http://www.insideworldfootball.com/lee-wellings/14242-lee-wellings-immigration-vote-a-game-changer-for-switzerland" type="external">lose two-thirds</a> of its players. France and the Netherlands might be knocked out of contention. And Algeria, Ghana, Turkey or even Suriname could win it all.</p>
<p>More from GlobalPost:&#160; <a href="http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/news/culture-lifestyle/140616/32-most-creatively-dressed-world-cup-fans-so-far" type="external">32 creatively dressed World Cup fans who will make your day</a></p>
<p>Here's how the world's best would stack up in a World Cup with no <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_generation_immigrant#First_generation" type="external">first-generation</a> immigrants. A couple of caveats: First, this list isn't comprehensive, hence the ommission of teams like England and Mexico, even though they do have immigrant players. Instead we've highlighted only the group favorites and the "big losers." Second, not all players on every squad are represented here — we've focused on those who were slated to make a difference for the team.</p>
<p>(Odds come from <a href="http://worldcupodds.net/" type="external">here</a>, and stats from <a href="http://www.goal.com/" type="external">here</a>.)</p>
<p>&#160;</p>
<p>Favorite: BRAZIL</p>
<p />
<p>(Simran Khosla/GlobalPost)</p>
<p>A heavy favorite in their <a href="http://worldcupodds.net/group-betting-odds" type="external">real-world group</a>, Brazil retains all of its star players in the no-immigrants-allowed version. Better still, Brazil picks up a few more of its nationals from other country's teams: Shakhtar Donetsk striker Eduardo Alves da Silva and Getafe midfielder Jorge Sammir Cruz Campos from Croatia, and Real Madrid defender Kepler Laveran Lima Ferreira and Fenerbahce S.K. Defender Bruno Alves from Portugal.</p>
<p>&#160;</p>
<p>Sleeper: CROATIA</p>
<p>(Simran Khosla/GlobalPost)</p>
<p>Croatia has only a slim shot at winning the real Group A, and it doesn't fare much better in the no-immigrant tourney. It keeps Bayern Munich striker Mario Mandzukic, and Hull striker Nikica Jelavic. As noted above, it loses da Silva to Brazil, along with Jorge Sammir Cruz Campos, who was born there. Queens Park Rangers midfielder Niko Kranjcar didn't make the squad because of an injury.</p>
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<p>&#160;</p>
<p>Favorite: SPAIN</p>
<p>(Simran Khosla/GlobalPost)</p>
<p>Despite its proximity to Africa and a decade-long boom that saw immigrants swell <a href="http://www.economist.com/node/15464909" type="external">from 2 percent to 12 percent</a> of the population in 2010, Spain retains more than a 50-50 chance of winning Group B in our immigrants-barred game. It keeps Barcelona striker Pedro Eliezer Rodriguez Ledesma, Barcelona defender Jordi Alba Ramos, Atletico Madrid striker David Villa, Manchester United midfielder Juan Mata, Real Madrid defender Sergio Ramos, and Manchester City striker David Silva.</p>
<p>&#160;</p>
<p>Big Loser: NETHERLANDS</p>
<p>(Simran Khosla/GlobalPost)</p>
<p>The Dutch keep Manchester United striker Robin van Persie, Hamburger SV midfielder Rafael van der Vaart, Bayern Munich winger Arjen Robben, and Schalke striker Klaas-Jan Huntelaar. But we're taking back Dynamo Kviv striker Jeremain Lens, Swansea City goalkeeper Michel Vorm, and AC Milan midfielder Nigel de Jong — all of whom have roots in Suriname (which, as one commenter pointed out below, gained full independence from Dutch colonial rule in 1975). And we'll grab Feyenoord defender Rolando Maximiliano "Bruno" Martins, born in Portugal, and Swansea City midfielder Jonathan de Guzman, whose father was born in Jamaica.</p>
<p>&#160;</p>
<p>Favorite: COLOMBIA</p>
<p>(Simran Khosla/GlobalPost)</p>
<p>Colombia remains the favorite in Group C, retaining River Plate striker Teofilo Gutierrez, AS Monaco midfielder James Rodriguez, and Atalanta defender Mario Yepes and West Ham United defender Pablo Armero, who's of African descent but not an imigrant by our definition. It lost AS Monaco striker Radamel Falcao from the squad because of an injury.</p>
<p>&#160;</p>
<p>Co-favorite: URUGUAY</p>
<p>(Simran Khosla/GlobalPost)</p>
<p>Facing even odds in the real cup, Uruguay remains even with Italy in the no-immigrants tourney. The South American side keeps Liverpool striker Luis Suarez, Paris Saint-Germain striker Edinson Cavani, and West Bromwich Albion defender Diego Lugano. We'll also let them keep Diego Forlan, whose father and grandfather both played for Uruguay, though they're technically of Basque descent. Atletico Madrid winger Cristian Rodríguez has roots in Spain, and Sao Paolo striker Alvaro Pereira and Palermo striker Abel Hernandez have roots in Africa, but none of them meet our definition of immigrants. However, they do lose Galatasaray goalkeeper Fernando Muslera, who was born in Argentina.</p>
<p>&#160;</p>
<p>Co-favorite: ITALY</p>
<p>(Simran Khosla/GlobalPost)</p>
<p>Co-favored to win the group in the no-limit cup, Italy loses less than you might expect in the no-immigrant version. It keeps Juventus defender Giorgio Chiellini, Roma midfielder Daniele De Rossi, Juventus midfielder Andrea Pirlo. However, the Italians do lose a couple guys. Fiorentina forward Giuseppe Rossi was born in New Jersey (though in the end, he didn't make the final squad, anyway). And AC Milan striker Mario Balotelli, born in Palermo, has parents who immigrated from Ghana. Meanwhile, an injury knocked Riccardo Montolivo to the sidelines in early June.</p>
<p>&#160;</p>
<p>Favorite: FRANCE</p>
<p>(Simran Khosla/GlobalPost)</p>
<p>The favorite in the real Group E, France can hardly field a team without its immigrants. It retains a shot at getting out of the group with Arsenal striker Olivier Giroud. It drops Arsenal defender Bacary Sagna and Liverpool defender Mamadou Sakho, whose parents were born in Senegal, and Manchester United defender Patrice Evra, who was born there himself. It also loses Paris St.-Germain midfielder Blaise Matuidi, whose father was born in Angola; and Porto defender Eliaquim Mangala, whose parents were born in the Democratic Republic of Congo. France also gives up Lille OSC midfielder Rio Mavuba, whose father was born in Zaire and mother in Angola; Newcastle United midfielder Moussa Sissoko, whose parents were born in Mali; and Marseille midfielder Matthieu Valbuena, whose father was born in Spain. And don't look for as much flash without Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema, whose father was born in Algeria. France also loses Juventus midfielder Paul Pogba, whose parents were born in Guinea. Topping off all that, they've lost Bayern Munich winger Franck Ribery because of an injury.</p>
<p>&#160;</p>
<p>Big Loser: SWITZERLAND</p>
<p>(Simran Khosla/GlobalPost)</p>
<p>“No more immigrants” Switzerland loses about two-thirds of its players if it goes all-Swiss, all but erasing its chances of getting out of Group E. It keeps Grasshopper Club Zurich defender Michael Lang, FC Basel defender Fabian Schär, and Juventus defender Stephan Lichtsteiner. But it loses a lot more. Eintracht Frankfurt midfielder Tranquillo Barnetta is of Italian descent and holds dual citizenship. Napoli midfielder Gokhan Inler's parents were born in Turkey. Borussia Monchengladbach midfielder Granit Xhaka, Napoli midfielder Blerim Dzemaili and Bayern Munich midfielder Xherdan Shaqiri were all born in the former Yugoslavia, while Real Sociedad striker Haris Seferovic and FC Zurich striker Mario Gavranovic are of Bosnian descent.</p>
<p>&#160;</p>
<p>Bigger Loser: ECUADOR</p>
<p>(Simran Khosla/GlobalPost)</p>
<p>Wee little Ecuador has a slim chance of getting out of Group E in the real cup. But its odds look much better against the almost-empty rosters of France and Switzerland in the no-immigrants version. Monarcas Morelia winger Jefferson Antonio Montero hails from one of Ecuador's indigenous tribes. Al-Hilal midfielder Segundo Castillo ended up being dropped from the squad because of an injury.</p>
<p>&#160;</p>
<p>Favorite: ARGENTINA</p>
<p>(Simran Khosla/GlobalPost)</p>
<p>A strong favorite in the real Group F, Argentina leads the group in the no-immigrant tourney, too. It keeps Barcelona striker Lionel Messi, Barcelona midfielder Javier Mascherano, Real Madrid winger Angel Di Maria and Manchester City striker Sergio Aguero. However, Argentina loses Napoli striker Gonzalo Higuain, of Basque descent, who was born in France. On the plus side, it picks up Juventus striker Pablo Osvaldo from Italy.</p>
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<p>Favorite: GHANA</p>
<p>(Simran Khosla/GlobalPost)</p>
<p>Ghana keeps Al Ain striker Asamoah Gyan, Rubin Kazan midfielder Wakaso Mubarak, Vitesse Arnhem striker Christian Twasam Atsu, AC Milan midfielder Sulley Muntari and Juventus midfielder Khadwo Asamoah, and Rennes defender John Boye, not to mention AC Milan midfielder Michael Essien.&#160;The team also keeps Schalke midfielder Kevin-Prince Boateng and gets back Bayern Munich defender Jerome Boateng from Germany — their father was born in Ghana, though the brothers were born in Berlin. The same goes for Marseille striker Jordan Ayew, whose parents were born in Ghana though he was born in France. As a final bonus, Ghana picks up AC Milan striker Mario Balotelli, whose biological parents were born in Ghana, from Italy. It also gets Danny Welbeck, whose parents were born in Ghana, from England.</p>
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<p>Loser: GERMANY</p>
<p>(Simran Khosla/GlobalPost)</p>
<p>The Germans get our moral support in honor of their recent decision to <a href="http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/04/08/us-germany-citizenship-idUSBREA3713Z20140408" type="external">allow dual citizenship</a> to the children of immigrants. But their football team doesn't look too good without the guys that the red-faced chap at the end of the bar still calls “foreigners.” Germany keeps Arsenal defender Per Mertesacker, Bayern Munich midfielder Thomas Mueller, Bayern Munich midfielder Toni Kroos, Bayern Munich midfielder Mario Goetze, and Chelsea winger Andre Schuerrle. They retain Schalke defender Benedikt Howedes, whose parents were born in Germany though the family has roots in Norway. But they lose superstar Arsenal midfielder Mesut Ozil, whose father was born in Turkey; Real Madrid midfielder Sami Khedira, whose father was born in Tunisia; and Lazio striker Miroslav Klose, who was born in Poland. They'll also take the field without Bayern Munich defender Jerome Boateng, who has roots in Ghana; Sampdori defender Shkodran Mustafi, whose parents are Albanians born in Macedonia; and Lukas Podolski, who was born in Poland. And they lose Marco Reus regardless, to an injury.</p>
<p>&#160;</p>
<p>Bigger Loser: PORTUGAL</p>
<p>(Simran Khosla/GlobalPost)</p>
<p>Lesser-known colonizer Portugal keeps Real Madrid defender Fabio Coentrao, Valencia defender Ricardo Costa, Besiktas J.K. forward Hugo Almeida and Lazio striker Helder Postiga. But it loses Real Madrid defender Kepler Laveran Lima Ferreira, aka Pepe, to his native Brazil. It loses Fenerbahce S.K. Defender Bruno Alves, whose father was born in Brazil. It also drops Luis Carlos Almeida da Cunha, aka Nani, who was born in Cape Verde (independent from Portugal since 1975), and FC Porto winger Silvestre Varela, whose parents were born there. Lucky for them, Real Madrid striker Cristiano Ronaldo, whose great grandmother was from Cape Verde, isn't an immigrant by our rules.</p>
<p>&#160;</p>
<p>Just Because: US</p>
<p>(Simran Khosla/GlobalPost)</p>
<p>Team USA gets to keep San Jose Earthquakes striker Chris Wondolowski — half Native American, with a grandfather from Poland — as well as Seattle Sounders midfielder Clint Dempsey and Stoke City defender Geoff Cameron. However, the melting-pot nation loses Sunderland striker Jozy Altidore, whose parents were born in Haiti; Tim Howard, whose mother is Hungarian; AZ striker Aron Johannsson, who was born to Icelandic parents in Alabama; and Rosenborg midfielder Mix Diskerud, who was born in Norway. We'll also take away LA Galaxy defender Omar Gonzalez, whose parents were born in Mexico, and Nantes midfielder Alejandro Bedoya, whose father was born in Colombia. Finally, we'll take back Hertha defender John Brooks, Nurnberg defender Timmy Chandler, Bayern Munich winger Julian Green, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Be%5Fikta%5F_J.K." type="external">Besiktas</a>midfielder Jermaine Jones, and 1899 Hoffenheim defender Fabian Johnson — all of whom were born in Germany or have a German parent.</p>
<p>&#160;</p>
<p>&#160;</p>
<p>Favorite: RUSSIA</p>
<p>(Simran Khosla/GlobalPost)</p>
<p>Bookies say Russia has an outside chance of winning the real Group H. But Vladimir Putin's men become the odds-on favorite when we take away the immigrants. Among scorers, the Russians keep Zenit St. Petersburg striker Aleksandr Kerzhakov, Dynamo Moscow striker Aleksandr Kokorin, Zenit St. Petersburg midfielder Viktor Faizulin, Zenit St. Petersburg midfielder Igor Denisov, Spartak Moscow midfielder Dmitriy Kombarov and Spartak Moscow midfielder Denis Glushakov. We'll also let them keep CSKA Moscow midfielder Alan Dzagoev (3 goals). Strictly speaking, Dzagoev is of Ossetian descent — his parents moved from Georgia in 1989. But we've seen Putin without his shirt, and we don't want another Crimea-type situation. The Russians did lose one team member, FC Krasnodar midfielder Roman Shirokov, due to injury.</p>
<p>&#160;</p>
<p>Big Loser: BELGIUM</p>
<p>(Simran Khosla/GlobalPost)</p>
<p>A strong favorite to win the real Group H, Belgium loses some stars without its immigrants. Among scorers, the Belgians keep Vfl Wolfsburg midfielder Kevin De Bruyne, Chelsea midfielder Eden Hazard, Tottenham Hotspur defender Jan Vertonghen and FC Porto midfielder Steven Defour. But they lose a lot. The fathers of both Manchester City defender Vincent Kompany and Everton striker Romelu Lukaku were born in what is today the Democratic Republic of Congo. Everton striker Kevin Mirallas' father was born in Spain. Marouane Fellaini's parents were born in Morocco. FC Zenit Saint Petersburgmidfielder Axel Witsel's father is from France. And Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Mousa Dembele's father was born in Mali.</p>
<p>Correction: This story has been edited from an earlier version that contained geographic errors and incorrect personal details of some players. Text and/or images have been revised in the entries for Brazil, Croatia, Colombia, Ecuador, France, Germany, Italy, Portugal, Spain, Russia and the Netherlands. GlobalPost regrets the errors.</p>
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berlin germany morons throwing bananas field farright political parties gaining ground france germanys soccer hooligans neonazis spring switzerland voted curb immigration defying spirit laws allow citizens freedom movement across european union amid bad blood anyone thought sending immigrants packing would affect teams playing worlds greatest game broadly defining foreigner anyone least one foreignborn parent switzerland would lose twothirds players france netherlands might knocked contention algeria ghana turkey even suriname could win globalpost160 32 creatively dressed world cup fans make day heres worlds best would stack world cup firstgeneration immigrants couple caveats first list isnt comprehensive hence ommission teams like england mexico even though immigrant players instead weve highlighted group favorites big losers second players every squad represented weve focused slated make difference team odds come stats 160 favorite brazil simran khoslaglobalpost heavy favorite realworld group brazil retains star players noimmigrantsallowed version better still brazil picks nationals countrys teams shakhtar donetsk striker eduardo alves da silva getafe midfielder jorge sammir cruz campos croatia real madrid defender kepler laveran lima ferreira fenerbahce sk defender bruno alves portugal 160 sleeper croatia simran khoslaglobalpost croatia slim shot winning real group doesnt fare much better noimmigrant tourney keeps bayern munich striker mario mandzukic hull striker nikica jelavic noted loses da silva brazil along jorge sammir cruz campos born queens park rangers midfielder niko kranjcar didnt make squad injury 160 160 favorite spain simran khoslaglobalpost despite proximity africa decadelong boom saw immigrants swell 2 percent 12 percent population 2010 spain retains 5050 chance winning group b immigrantsbarred game keeps barcelona striker pedro eliezer rodriguez ledesma barcelona defender jordi alba ramos atletico madrid striker david villa manchester united midfielder juan mata real madrid defender sergio ramos manchester city striker david silva 160 big loser netherlands simran khoslaglobalpost dutch keep manchester united striker robin van persie hamburger sv midfielder rafael van der vaart bayern munich winger arjen robben schalke striker klaasjan huntelaar taking back dynamo kviv striker jeremain lens swansea city goalkeeper michel vorm ac milan midfielder nigel de jong roots suriname one commenter pointed gained full independence dutch colonial rule 1975 well grab feyenoord defender rolando maximiliano bruno martins born portugal swansea city midfielder jonathan de guzman whose father born jamaica 160 favorite colombia simran khoslaglobalpost colombia remains favorite group c retaining river plate striker teofilo gutierrez monaco midfielder james rodriguez atalanta defender mario yepes west ham united defender pablo armero whos african descent imigrant definition lost monaco striker radamel falcao squad injury 160 cofavorite uruguay simran khoslaglobalpost facing even odds real cup uruguay remains even italy noimmigrants tourney south american side keeps liverpool striker luis suarez paris saintgermain striker edinson cavani west bromwich albion defender diego lugano well also let keep diego forlan whose father grandfather played uruguay though theyre technically basque descent atletico madrid winger cristian rodríguez roots spain sao paolo striker alvaro pereira palermo striker abel hernandez roots africa none meet definition immigrants however lose galatasaray goalkeeper fernando muslera born argentina 160 cofavorite italy simran khoslaglobalpost cofavored win group nolimit cup italy loses less might expect noimmigrant version keeps juventus defender giorgio chiellini roma midfielder daniele de rossi juventus midfielder andrea pirlo however italians lose couple guys fiorentina forward giuseppe rossi born new jersey though end didnt make final squad anyway ac milan striker mario balotelli born palermo parents immigrated ghana meanwhile injury knocked riccardo montolivo sidelines early june 160 favorite france simran khoslaglobalpost favorite real group e france hardly field team without immigrants retains shot getting group arsenal striker olivier giroud drops arsenal defender bacary sagna liverpool defender mamadou sakho whose parents born senegal manchester united defender patrice evra born also loses paris stgermain midfielder blaise matuidi whose father born angola porto defender eliaquim mangala whose parents born democratic republic congo france also gives lille osc midfielder rio mavuba whose father born zaire mother angola newcastle united midfielder moussa sissoko whose parents born mali marseille midfielder matthieu valbuena whose father born spain dont look much flash without real madrid striker karim benzema whose father born algeria france also loses juventus midfielder paul pogba whose parents born guinea topping theyve lost bayern munich winger franck ribery injury 160 big loser switzerland simran khoslaglobalpost immigrants switzerland loses twothirds players goes allswiss erasing chances getting group e keeps grasshopper club zurich defender michael lang fc basel defender fabian schär juventus defender stephan lichtsteiner loses lot eintracht frankfurt midfielder tranquillo barnetta italian descent holds dual citizenship napoli midfielder gokhan inlers parents born turkey borussia monchengladbach midfielder granit xhaka napoli midfielder blerim dzemaili bayern munich midfielder xherdan shaqiri born former yugoslavia real sociedad striker haris seferovic fc zurich striker mario gavranovic bosnian descent 160 bigger loser ecuador simran khoslaglobalpost wee little ecuador slim chance getting group e real cup odds look much better almostempty rosters france switzerland noimmigrants version monarcas morelia winger jefferson antonio montero hails one ecuadors indigenous tribes alhilal midfielder segundo castillo ended dropped squad injury 160 favorite argentina simran khoslaglobalpost strong favorite real group f argentina leads group noimmigrant tourney keeps barcelona striker lionel messi barcelona midfielder javier mascherano real madrid winger angel di maria manchester city striker sergio aguero however argentina loses napoli striker gonzalo higuain basque descent born france plus side picks juventus striker pablo osvaldo italy 160 favorite ghana simran khoslaglobalpost ghana keeps al striker asamoah gyan rubin kazan midfielder wakaso mubarak vitesse arnhem striker christian twasam atsu ac milan midfielder sulley muntari juventus midfielder khadwo asamoah rennes defender john boye mention ac milan midfielder michael essien160the team also keeps schalke midfielder kevinprince boateng gets back bayern munich defender jerome boateng germany father born ghana though brothers born berlin goes marseille striker jordan ayew whose parents born ghana though born france final bonus ghana picks ac milan striker mario balotelli whose biological parents born ghana italy also gets danny welbeck whose parents born ghana england 160 loser germany simran khoslaglobalpost germans get moral support honor recent decision allow dual citizenship children immigrants football team doesnt look good without guys redfaced chap end bar still calls foreigners germany keeps arsenal defender per mertesacker bayern munich midfielder thomas mueller bayern munich midfielder toni kroos bayern munich midfielder mario goetze chelsea winger andre schuerrle retain schalke defender benedikt howedes whose parents born germany though family roots norway lose superstar arsenal midfielder mesut ozil whose father born turkey real madrid midfielder sami khedira whose father born tunisia lazio striker miroslav klose born poland theyll also take field without bayern munich defender jerome boateng roots ghana sampdori defender shkodran mustafi whose parents albanians born macedonia lukas podolski born poland lose marco reus regardless injury 160 bigger loser portugal simran khoslaglobalpost lesserknown colonizer portugal keeps real madrid defender fabio coentrao valencia defender ricardo costa besiktas jk forward hugo almeida lazio striker helder postiga loses real madrid defender kepler laveran lima ferreira aka pepe native brazil loses fenerbahce sk defender bruno alves whose father born brazil also drops luis carlos almeida da cunha aka nani born cape verde independent portugal since 1975 fc porto winger silvestre varela whose parents born lucky real madrid striker cristiano ronaldo whose great grandmother cape verde isnt immigrant rules 160 us simran khoslaglobalpost team usa gets keep san jose earthquakes striker chris wondolowski half native american grandfather poland well seattle sounders midfielder clint dempsey stoke city defender geoff cameron however meltingpot nation loses sunderland striker jozy altidore whose parents born haiti tim howard whose mother hungarian az striker aron johannsson born icelandic parents alabama rosenborg midfielder mix diskerud born norway well also take away la galaxy defender omar gonzalez whose parents born mexico nantes midfielder alejandro bedoya whose father born colombia finally well take back hertha defender john brooks nurnberg defender timmy chandler bayern munich winger julian green besiktasmidfielder jermaine jones 1899 hoffenheim defender fabian johnson born germany german parent 160 160 favorite russia simran khoslaglobalpost bookies say russia outside chance winning real group h vladimir putins men become oddson favorite take away immigrants among scorers russians keep zenit st petersburg striker aleksandr kerzhakov dynamo moscow striker aleksandr kokorin zenit st petersburg midfielder viktor faizulin zenit st petersburg midfielder igor denisov spartak moscow midfielder dmitriy kombarov spartak moscow midfielder denis glushakov well also let keep cska moscow midfielder alan dzagoev 3 goals strictly speaking dzagoev ossetian descent parents moved georgia 1989 weve seen putin without shirt dont want another crimeatype situation russians lose one team member fc krasnodar midfielder roman shirokov due injury 160 big loser belgium simran khoslaglobalpost strong favorite win real group h belgium loses stars without immigrants among scorers belgians keep vfl wolfsburg midfielder kevin de bruyne chelsea midfielder eden hazard tottenham hotspur defender jan vertonghen fc porto midfielder steven defour lose lot fathers manchester city defender vincent kompany everton striker romelu lukaku born today democratic republic congo everton striker kevin mirallas father born spain marouane fellainis parents born morocco fc zenit saint petersburgmidfielder axel witsels father france tottenham hotspur midfielder mousa dembeles father born mali correction story edited earlier version contained geographic errors incorrect personal details players text andor images revised entries brazil croatia colombia ecuador france germany italy portugal spain russia netherlands globalpost regrets errors
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<p>Since 1994, voters in 11 urban school districts have approved more than $7 billion in bonds to pay for school construction projects. Well over half of that amount was issued by two cities, Los Angeles and Detroit. Voters in Houston and San Diego are scheduled to vote on another $2 billion this month.</p>
<p>Chicago is spending big bucks on school rehabilitation and construction. However, voters here have had no say because the School Reform Board has kept property tax increases below the level that would trigger a referendum. In addition, the City of Chicago, which is not subject to a property tax cap, sold bonds for school construction. Since 1995, the School Board and the city have approved the sale of $2 billion in capital improvement bonds.</p>
<p>In a 1995 series of reports, the U.S. General Accounting Office reported the backdrop to the flurry of school capital. The GAO found American schools needed $112 billion in repair work overall. Specifically, a third of the country’s 80,000 schools needed major repair or replacement, 60 percent needed work on major features like roofs, and nearly half lacked electrical wiring to support computers.</p>
<p>Urban districts alone account for $50 billion in need, estimates Michael D. Casserly of the Council of Great City Schools.</p>
<p>The following are snapshots of the school construction needs and rehabilitation efforts in several urban school systems.</p>
<p>SAN DIEGO</p>
<p>THE NEED: The nation’s sixth-largest city, San Diego has experienced rapid growth in recent years. If its referendum is successful, the district plans to spend $389 million to build 13 elementary schools, $137 million to replace or expand two other elementary schools and a high school, and $131 million for additional classrooms at schools now using portable units.</p>
<p>Existing school structures also are in disrepair. About 40 percent of San Diego’s school buildings are at least 60 years old, and deferred maintenance alone is estimated at $258 million. A total of $387 million is needed for major repairs in existing buildings and $209 million for technology improvements such as fiber optics.</p>
<p>Also on the district’s wish list: $133 million for new and upgraded science classrooms, $84 million for new or expanded libraries and $40 million for other projects.</p>
<p>THE STATUS: Voters will decide this month on a $1.51 billion bond issue, the first in six years and the largest in the city’s history. A series of public hearings held in San Diego neighborhoods over 18 months determined the total amount of need for the system. The district and individual schools already have signed contracts that outline how much money will be spent at each site. San Diego officials have their eyes set on matching funds from the state of California, which has a $6.7 billion pot for elementary and secondary schools.</p>
<p>HOUSTON</p>
<p>THE NEED: A year-long architectural and engineering study found Houston schools had $1.2 billion in repair needs alone—not including new school construction. The average Houston public school is 43 years old.</p>
<p>THE STATUS: Voters will decide this month on a $678 million bond issue, the amount the district needs to build 10 new schools and repair nearly 70 others. District officials and other supporters are looking to replicate the success of San Antonio, which passed a $483 million bond measure in September 1997. When Houston tried in May of 1996 to raise $390 million to build 15 schools, voters rejected the package.</p>
<p>LOS ANGELES</p>
<p>THE NEED: The majority of L.A.’s money will go toward repairs, maintenance and retrofitting of existing schools—most buildings in the district are 30 to 70 years old. Still, $900 million will be spent on new schools and extensions. Enrollment in L.A. schools rose from 539,000 in 1980-81 to 691,000 this year. Shortly before the referendum, district officials reported they expect an additional 50,000 students over the next five years.</p>
<p>THE STATUS: Voters approved the country’s largest bond sale for schools, $2.4 billion, in April 1997 after several unsuccessful attempts to reach the two-thirds threshold mandated by the state. In 18 months, the district has completed 1,750 of the 11,000 projects slated over five years, drawing complaints that it is moving too slowly. District officials counter that any large capital project takes time to get off the ground; they say they expect to meet the five-year time table.</p>
<p>Concern has grown this year, however, that the $2.4 billion might not cover all the planned work, touching off disputes about what should come first, new schools or repairs. With repair bids coming in 8 percent to 15 percent higher than estimated, the taxpayers committee that oversees bond funds has recommended shifting $500 million from new schools to repairs, the Los Angeles Times reported.</p>
<p>State Assembly Speaker Antonio Villaraigosa (D-Los Angeles) estimates the district might get as much as $1 billion in matching funds if a statewide bond issue is passed.</p>
<p>DETROIT</p>
<p>THE NEED: About 150 of the 263 school buildings in Detroit were built prior to 1930; the average age is 61 years old, and some date to the 1800s. Assistant Superintendent Kifah Jayyousi, who handles facilities management and capital improvements, estimates the city has $5 billion in unmet repair and new construction needs.</p>
<p>THE STATUS: In 1994, Detroit voters approved a $1.5 billion, 15-year school construction program despite lack of support from the Chamber of Commerce and daily newspapers. At the time, it was the largest school construction mandate in the country. But little progress has been made on school repairs because the city’s plans for the money were poorly defined at the outset, some observers say, leading the state Treasury Department to withhold approval of the issue.</p>
<p>“The state of Michigan has been very leery,” says David Littman, chief economist with Comerica Bank. “There weren’t well-enough defined plans for the funds to justify the size of the issue.” A district-business-parent panel last year reviewed the school system’s purchasing, financial and management structures; observers hope for a restructuring that will improve relationships with the state.</p>
<p>For now, says Jayyousi, the state has approved spending $89 million; construction began only a year ago. Since then, he says, more than 20 projects have been completed, including one new school, an addition to another and repairs dealing with health, safety and security. At press time, the district expected state approval shortly for another $220 million worth of projects, including several new buildings and about 20 school additions.</p>
<p>WASHINGTON, D.C.</p>
<p>THE NEED: The GAO found the condition of D.C. public schools to be the worst in the nation, with 91 percent having at least one inadequate building feature, such as crumbling ceilings or deficient heating systems. The only bright spot: With a capacity of 110,000 students and current enrollment of 79,000, the district does not face overcrowding in the near future.</p>
<p>The GAO estimated D.C. needed a minimum of $460 million to make needed repairs; district officials and parents’ groups put the figure at $487 million. The World Bank has estimated the District of Columbia has $6 billion overall in unmet capital needs, including roads, bridges, parks and libraries.</p>
<p>THE STATUS: In September 1994, federal Judge Kaye K. Christian ordered schools closed until life-threatening fire-safety repairs could be completed. The district has delayed the start of classes three years out of the last five to complete essential repairs before children arrived.</p>
<p>A year ago, Washington D.C. settled a lawsuit filed in 1992 by a parents’ organization. Under the settlement, the city will use at least 27.5 percent of its capital project loans to fix up schools. That amounts to $245 million over the next five years. The Army Corps of Engineers is now managing the district’s capital program.</p>
<p>Meantime, a nonprofit group called the 21st Century School Fund is experimenting with what could be a model for school repair in neighborhoods being gentrified, facilitating an arrangement between the district and a private developer. The developer agreed to tear down and rebuild the 26,000-square-foot Oyster School as a 50,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art facility—and pay off an $11 million bond—in exchange for a piece of the school’s property, on which the developer will build a 200-unit apartment building.</p>
<p>21st Century Director Mary Filardo says this will be the district’s first brand-new school building in 20 years; it will serve a student population that is 60 percent Hispanic. She notes the arrangement would work only in an upscale area, where developers want land. “And sites that are well-located, where the land is most valuable, may not be where [schools are] most needed,” she adds.</p>
<p>NEW YORK</p>
<p>THE NEED: New York City education officials have identified $7.5 billion in building needs, while the GAO put the city’s needs at $7.8 billion. Half of the city’s 1,100 school buildings are at least 55 years old, and 38 percent need massive rehabilitation, according to state officials. Last March, following the death of a 16-year-old girl who was struck by falling bricks, a state Supreme Court justice ordered the city to inspect all its schools. The city Board of Education now estimates that 80 percent of schools need significant upgrades.</p>
<p>Crowding also is a major problem. New York City school enrollment has grown by 100,000 students—to a total of 1,083,000—since 1990. School officials expect up to an additional 90,000 students by 2004.</p>
<p>THE STATUS: In November 1997, state voters rejected a $2.4 billion bond measure that would have provided $960 million to New York City public schools. The city’s last bond measure was a $4 billion outlay in the late 1980s.</p>
<p>Gov. George Pataki last spring vetoed $202 million in state funding that would have gone toward New York City school construction. Mayor Rudolph Giuliani praised the move as fiscally prudent. Several parents’ groups held a press conference after the veto to criticize both men for burnishing their conservative credentials at schools’ expense.</p>
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since 1994 voters 11 urban school districts approved 7 billion bonds pay school construction projects well half amount issued two cities los angeles detroit voters houston san diego scheduled vote another 2 billion month chicago spending big bucks school rehabilitation construction however voters say school reform board kept property tax increases level would trigger referendum addition city chicago subject property tax cap sold bonds school construction since 1995 school board city approved sale 2 billion capital improvement bonds 1995 series reports us general accounting office reported backdrop flurry school capital gao found american schools needed 112 billion repair work overall specifically third countrys 80000 schools needed major repair replacement 60 percent needed work major features like roofs nearly half lacked electrical wiring support computers urban districts alone account 50 billion need estimates michael casserly council great city schools following snapshots school construction needs rehabilitation efforts several urban school systems san diego need nations sixthlargest city san diego experienced rapid growth recent years referendum successful district plans spend 389 million build 13 elementary schools 137 million replace expand two elementary schools high school 131 million additional classrooms schools using portable units existing school structures also disrepair 40 percent san diegos school buildings least 60 years old deferred maintenance alone estimated 258 million total 387 million needed major repairs existing buildings 209 million technology improvements fiber optics also districts wish list 133 million new upgraded science classrooms 84 million new expanded libraries 40 million projects status voters decide month 151 billion bond issue first six years largest citys history series public hearings held san diego neighborhoods 18 months determined total amount need system district individual schools already signed contracts outline much money spent site san diego officials eyes set matching funds state california 67 billion pot elementary secondary schools houston need yearlong architectural engineering study found houston schools 12 billion repair needs alonenot including new school construction average houston public school 43 years old status voters decide month 678 million bond issue amount district needs build 10 new schools repair nearly 70 others district officials supporters looking replicate success san antonio passed 483 million bond measure september 1997 houston tried may 1996 raise 390 million build 15 schools voters rejected package los angeles need majority las money go toward repairs maintenance retrofitting existing schoolsmost buildings district 30 70 years old still 900 million spent new schools extensions enrollment la schools rose 539000 198081 691000 year shortly referendum district officials reported expect additional 50000 students next five years status voters approved countrys largest bond sale schools 24 billion april 1997 several unsuccessful attempts reach twothirds threshold mandated state 18 months district completed 1750 11000 projects slated five years drawing complaints moving slowly district officials counter large capital project takes time get ground say expect meet fiveyear time table concern grown year however 24 billion might cover planned work touching disputes come first new schools repairs repair bids coming 8 percent 15 percent higher estimated taxpayers committee oversees bond funds recommended shifting 500 million new schools repairs los angeles times reported state assembly speaker antonio villaraigosa dlos angeles estimates district might get much 1 billion matching funds statewide bond issue passed detroit need 150 263 school buildings detroit built prior 1930 average age 61 years old date 1800s assistant superintendent kifah jayyousi handles facilities management capital improvements estimates city 5 billion unmet repair new construction needs status 1994 detroit voters approved 15 billion 15year school construction program despite lack support chamber commerce daily newspapers time largest school construction mandate country little progress made school repairs citys plans money poorly defined outset observers say leading state treasury department withhold approval issue state michigan leery says david littman chief economist comerica bank werent wellenough defined plans funds justify size issue districtbusinessparent panel last year reviewed school systems purchasing financial management structures observers hope restructuring improve relationships state says jayyousi state approved spending 89 million construction began year ago since says 20 projects completed including one new school addition another repairs dealing health safety security press time district expected state approval shortly another 220 million worth projects including several new buildings 20 school additions washington dc need gao found condition dc public schools worst nation 91 percent least one inadequate building feature crumbling ceilings deficient heating systems bright spot capacity 110000 students current enrollment 79000 district face overcrowding near future gao estimated dc needed minimum 460 million make needed repairs district officials parents groups put figure 487 million world bank estimated district columbia 6 billion overall unmet capital needs including roads bridges parks libraries status september 1994 federal judge kaye k christian ordered schools closed lifethreatening firesafety repairs could completed district delayed start classes three years last five complete essential repairs children arrived year ago washington dc settled lawsuit filed 1992 parents organization settlement city use least 275 percent capital project loans fix schools amounts 245 million next five years army corps engineers managing districts capital program meantime nonprofit group called 21st century school fund experimenting could model school repair neighborhoods gentrified facilitating arrangement district private developer developer agreed tear rebuild 26000squarefoot oyster school 50000squarefoot stateoftheart facilityand pay 11 million bondin exchange piece schools property developer build 200unit apartment building 21st century director mary filardo says districts first brandnew school building 20 years serve student population 60 percent hispanic notes arrangement would work upscale area developers want land sites welllocated land valuable may schools needed adds new york need new york city education officials identified 75 billion building needs gao put citys needs 78 billion half citys 1100 school buildings least 55 years old 38 percent need massive rehabilitation according state officials last march following death 16yearold girl struck falling bricks state supreme court justice ordered city inspect schools city board education estimates 80 percent schools need significant upgrades crowding also major problem new york city school enrollment grown 100000 studentsto total 1083000since 1990 school officials expect additional 90000 students 2004 status november 1997 state voters rejected 24 billion bond measure would provided 960 million new york city public schools citys last bond measure 4 billion outlay late 1980s gov george pataki last spring vetoed 202 million state funding would gone toward new york city school construction mayor rudolph giuliani praised move fiscally prudent several parents groups held press conference veto criticize men burnishing conservative credentials schools expense
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<p>By Jeff Brumley</p>
<p>Cooperative Baptist congregations in Western North Carolina and the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship of North Carolina are expanding their influence on college campuses just as huge financial and cultural shifts make campus ministries one of the riskiest and most rewarding outreaches in the nation.</p>
<p>The most recent development is now officially underway at the University of North Carolina at Asheville, where the Baptist campus minister position, historically financed by the Baptist State Convention of North Carolina, is now funded through a partnership between the local and state Fellowship groups.</p>
<p>Plus, CBFNC and more than 20 congregations in Raleigh are exploring ways to assume the active ministry roles left open at North Carolina State University and other campuses since the state convention changed the way it handles collegiate ministries beginning this year.</p>
<p>This and other changes represent a shift in scope, but not in commitment, said Wanda Kidd, CBFNC coordinator for collegiate ministries since 2007.</p>
<p>“Now in many places we are the Baptist campus ministry, where we were an additional Baptist ministry before,” she said.</p>
<p>&#160;It all started last year when the state convention changed its funding allocations&#160;to maximize efforts to reach the unchurched, <a href="http://www.brnow.org/News/May-2013/Impacting-Lostness-plan-approved-campus-ministry-d" type="external">according to reports</a> in the Biblcal Recorder, news journal for North Carolina Baptists. That included&#160; <a href="http://www.ncannualmeeting.org/index.php?id=37&amp;tx_ttnews%5Btt_news%5D=13&amp;cHash=8892decf75335f83e06bded12631e771" type="external">shifting the focus for campus ministries to congregations</a>, and all nine of its full-time campus ministry positions were eliminated.</p>
<p>‘Running out of money’</p>
<p>The move reflects a national trend of denominations and other religious groups changing the way they do campus ministry, or even getting out of it altogether, said J. Cody Nielsen, president of the <a href="http://www.campusministry.net/" type="external">National Campus Ministry Association</a>.</p>
<p>The shift is happening across traditions and has mostly to do with money, Nielsen said.</p>
<p>“They are running out of money and pulling things that are not self-sustainable,” he said.</p>
<p>Campus groups can hold fundraisers and appeal for donors but usually cannot pay for themselves monetarily.</p>
<p>“No campus minister ever said ‘there is no value and we need to step away from this,’” Nielsen said. “It was always a funding issue, never a theological issue.”</p>
<p>Feeding the financial difficulty has been a steady decline since the early 1970s in student involvement and leadership in campus religious life, he added.</p>
<p>Campus ministry was born out of the student movements of the 19th&#160;and early 20th&#160;centuries. Religious organizations entered into the field to meet student fervor and faith.</p>
<p>‘Students more hungry’</p>
<p>“And in the early and mid-20th&#160;century there was a real growth in religious identity in America,” and that was also true on university campuses, Nielsen said.</p>
<p>Student religiosity has declined right along with the rest of the nation’s, providing fewer dedicated participants in campus ministry programs.</p>
<p>But that makes this a more important time for institutions to stay involved on campuses, he added.</p>
<p>“We find students more hungry and looking for something deeper than what has been offered over the past two decades,” he said. “And there are more college students today than ever before in college education.”</p>
<p>‘Very unique culture’</p>
<p>That’s also been David Stone’s discovery at UNC-Asheville, where he’s been the Baptist campus minister since 2001.</p>
<p>For several years now he’s noticed more students who are not religious or who had negative experiences with church growing up. On campus, it’s less important to be doctrinally correct with students than to be a welcoming spiritual presence for them.</p>
<p>It’s something that college-town churches struggle to provide on their own, Stone said.</p>
<p>Students nowadays also are much more willing to question beliefs and to ask questions on sexuality and faith that few would have dared to ask in earlier generations, Stone said.</p>
<p>“College culture is a very unique culture&#160;—&#160;it’s like a rite of passage and they are very much for themselves and of themselves and a lot of churches don’t grasp that.”</p>
<p>‘It’s for everyone’</p>
<p>It’s one of the reasons Stone said he was relieved when <a href="http://www.wncbf.org/" type="external">Western North Carolina Baptist Fellowship</a> and the state CBF stepped in to continue funding his collegiate ministry. It&#160;will function without its original facility but will maintain its openness to all manner of Baptists, other Christians and even non-believers.</p>
<p>“The way I do campus ministry, it’s for everyone,” he said. “There was never a need to have a CBF group because we were just a Baptist group —&#160;and in there were Anglicans and Methodists all intermingled.”</p>
<p>What will be new is Stone’s added responsibility of overseeing student ministry interns at other schools in the region, including Western Carolina and Appalachian State universities.</p>
<p>‘Source … for future leaders’</p>
<p>Keeping college ministries —&#160;and Stone —&#160;was an obvious need since the BSCNC withdrew funding for the position, said Paul Raybon, chairman of the WNCBF coordinating council.</p>
<p>Taking on that responsibility totals about $100,000 a year, which includes the one full-time minister and stipends for the other campus interns, Raybon said in an appeal for funding issued last fall.</p>
<p>Contributors include the WNCBF coordinating council, CBFNC and the <a href="http://www.buncombebaptist.org/" type="external">Buncombe Baptist Association</a>.</p>
<p>More fundraising is needed but the effort is worth it, Raybon said.</p>
<p>The ministry “is a prime source of future Christian leaders, and it’s where many of our ministers got their initial training,” he said.</p>
<p>‘Opens the door’</p>
<p>At the state level, CBFNC is running its collegiate ministry programs on $48,000 a year, meaning that more creativity and collaborations are going to be required, Kidd said.</p>
<p>Among congregations in Raleigh, conversations are just beginning on how to provide programs at the universities there, she said.</p>
<p>Before, the Fellowship provided resources mostly to augment existing Baptist campus ministries.</p>
<p>“We’ve been active for four or five years now, but this opens the door for us to do much more,” Kidd said.</p>
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jeff brumley cooperative baptist congregations western north carolina cooperative baptist fellowship north carolina expanding influence college campuses huge financial cultural shifts make campus ministries one riskiest rewarding outreaches nation recent development officially underway university north carolina asheville baptist campus minister position historically financed baptist state convention north carolina funded partnership local state fellowship groups plus cbfnc 20 congregations raleigh exploring ways assume active ministry roles left open north carolina state university campuses since state convention changed way handles collegiate ministries beginning year changes represent shift scope commitment said wanda kidd cbfnc coordinator collegiate ministries since 2007 many places baptist campus ministry additional baptist ministry said 160it started last year state convention changed funding allocations160to maximize efforts reach unchurched according reports biblcal recorder news journal north carolina baptists included160 shifting focus campus ministries congregations nine fulltime campus ministry positions eliminated running money move reflects national trend denominations religious groups changing way campus ministry even getting altogether said j cody nielsen president national campus ministry association shift happening across traditions mostly money nielsen said running money pulling things selfsustainable said campus groups hold fundraisers appeal donors usually pay monetarily campus minister ever said value need step away nielsen said always funding issue never theological issue feeding financial difficulty steady decline since early 1970s student involvement leadership campus religious life added campus ministry born student movements 19th160and early 20th160centuries religious organizations entered field meet student fervor faith students hungry early mid20th160century real growth religious identity america also true university campuses nielsen said student religiosity declined right along rest nations providing fewer dedicated participants campus ministry programs makes important time institutions stay involved campuses added find students hungry looking something deeper offered past two decades said college students today ever college education unique culture thats also david stones discovery uncasheville hes baptist campus minister since 2001 several years hes noticed students religious negative experiences church growing campus less important doctrinally correct students welcoming spiritual presence something collegetown churches struggle provide stone said students nowadays also much willing question beliefs ask questions sexuality faith would dared ask earlier generations stone said college culture unique culture160160its like rite passage much lot churches dont grasp everyone one reasons stone said relieved western north carolina baptist fellowship state cbf stepped continue funding collegiate ministry it160will function without original facility maintain openness manner baptists christians even nonbelievers way campus ministry everyone said never need cbf group baptist group 160and anglicans methodists intermingled new stones added responsibility overseeing student ministry interns schools region including western carolina appalachian state universities source future leaders keeping college ministries 160and stone 160was obvious need since bscnc withdrew funding position said paul raybon chairman wncbf coordinating council taking responsibility totals 100000 year includes one fulltime minister stipends campus interns raybon said appeal funding issued last fall contributors include wncbf coordinating council cbfnc buncombe baptist association fundraising needed effort worth raybon said ministry prime source future christian leaders many ministers got initial training said opens door state level cbfnc running collegiate ministry programs 48000 year meaning creativity collaborations going required kidd said among congregations raleigh conversations beginning provide programs universities said fellowship provided resources mostly augment existing baptist campus ministries weve active four five years opens door us much kidd said
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<p>MELBOURNE, Australia — In Australia, Feb. 7, 2009, is now known as Black Saturday. The bushfires that ravaged the southern state of Victoria that day claimed 173 lives and devastated thousands more. As many as 400 separate fires raged over more than 815,000 acres, destroying not only homes but entire communities.</p>
<p>An apocalyptic scene of burnt-out forests, gutted houses and charred cars still greets visitors to the affected areas, which starts just north of the state capital Melbourne.</p>
<p>The combination of a prolonged heat wave and strong desert winds caused Black Saturday. The resulting infernos were the most deadly in the history of a country long accustomed to dealing with the annual terror of bushfires. They are an intrinsic part of the Australian environment, shaping the landscape, ecosystems and collective experiences of its people. But they had never faced a tragedy on this scale.</p>
<p>"In Australia we've always had bushfires — we've lived with those all our lives" said Daryl Hull, a former Marysville resident who survived the fires by immersing himself in the town's lake. "But not things of this nature, as horrific as this."</p>
<p>Yet perhaps the most terrifying thing for Australians to acknowledge is that this scene will likely be repeated again in the near future. Climate change observers predict natural disasters like Black Saturday, and the numerous battles Americans — particularly those on the West Coast — wage with the elements each year, will become more frequent and more ferocious. The responses of authorities around the world to such events are therefore increasingly scrutinized as countries confront this new reality.</p>
<p>In August, a "Royal Commission" — an independent body appointed by the state government to hear testimony on the fires and oversee investigations — released an interim report that made a number of recommendations. The report can be read <a href="http://www.royalcommission.vic.gov.au/Interim-Report" type="external">here</a>.</p>
<p>"The greatest desire is that in the loss we learn something so we can minimize the loss in future situations," said Glenda Hare, 54, operations manager for voluntary group Global Care, which is rebuilding in the Kinglake area.</p>
<p />
<p>Stay or go?</p>
<p>The Commission is focusing on Victoria's controversial "stay-or-go" policy, which critics claim cost lives in the tragedy.</p>
<p>The state's Emergency Services czar, Bruce Esplin, testified that prior to Black Saturday, officials believed they had one of the best bushfire strategies in the world. The policy, fully entitled "Prepare, stay and defend or leave early," is the only one of its kind used in the world&#160;that emphasizes preparing and remaining in homes over evacuation, according to Gary Morgan, Chief Executive Officer of Bushfire CRC, a wildfire research body. Spanning two decades, the policy gained strength in the aftermath of the 1983 Ash Wednesday bushfires across southern Australia — previously the country's most deadly in which 75 people died including 15 firefighters.&#160;</p>
<p>After 117 of the 173 people who perished on Black Saturday died at home, its reputation, along with a large chunk of Victorian bushland, has turned to dust.</p>
<p>Fire officials in drought-hit California announced in May that they had scrapped plans for their own "stay and defend" policy in favor of forced evacuation and vegetation clearing around homes. Bushfires in Santa Barbara that month tested these plans and the contrast with Black Saturday was stark. A large-scale evacuation resulted in no loss of life while just 100 properties were destroyed.&#160;</p>
<p>Contrary to reports, the commission confirmed that it has not sent officials to California to investigate its response system. However, the panel of three commissioners heard evidence on the mandatory evacuations procedure in California from U.S. wildfire safety expert Sarah McCaffrey, by video link on June 18. She indicated that the American approach also has flaws, in areas such as warning residents, and argued the U.S. has been lucky that more people have not been killed evacuating.</p>
<p>Systemic evacuation is not allowed under Victorian state law, and even sounding fire alarms to warn people to leave breaches regulations. Despite the Black Saturday death toll — more than three times the previous record from an Australian bushfire — residents do not necessarily back change.</p>
<p>"My life is mine and the danger and risks mine to contemplate and deal with," Daryl Hull said. "As it was I had the choice to leave the scene and I didn't."</p>
<p>Residents directly affected by the fires are more concerned with being able to protect their properties better than overturning the "stay-or-go" policy. Peter Newman, 55, and Louis Ackerman, 78, both live near Marysville — where just 33 of 700 houses survived. They appeared as one of the many lay witnesses at the commission hearings.</p>
<p>The couple had long complained about laws which prevented them cutting down trees more than 10 meters from their property. "The powers to be have to realize that houses have to be defensible," said Ackerman. "Trees don't come number one — people do."</p>
<p>Poor response times?</p>
<p>The authorities' response on the day has also come under fire as testimonies emerge about the lack of coordinated warnings. On June 29, the inquiry learned that 80 percent of 12,819 calls to the bushfire information line on Black Saturday were abandoned as the system collapsed.</p>
<p>Thousands of anxious residents resorted to calling ABC radio in Melbourne asking for updates. Strathewen, near Kinglake had the highest death toll of any single location on Black Saturday. It was not included in any warnings by the County Fire Authority (CFA) — the body responsible for fire response — in the hours before the flames arrived.</p>
<p>The head of the CFA admitted that warning systems had failed in places. "We deeply regret it," he told the commission.</p>
<p>Most people acknowledge that whatever lessons are learned, things will never be the same again in the fire-affected areas.</p>
<p>"The community will be different — they have a new normal. It's a bit like 9/11 when there was a new normal," said Global Care's Glenda Hare. "There'll be a strength, something that's inside of them, that maybe wasn't there before. But there's also now a vulnerability that wasn't there before."</p>
<p>Overcoming such fear will be one of the key challenges facing residents of Victoria and the rest of Australia as they face increasingly perilous bushfire seasons.</p>
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melbourne australia australia feb 7 2009 known black saturday bushfires ravaged southern state victoria day claimed 173 lives devastated thousands many 400 separate fires raged 815000 acres destroying homes entire communities apocalyptic scene burntout forests gutted houses charred cars still greets visitors affected areas starts north state capital melbourne combination prolonged heat wave strong desert winds caused black saturday resulting infernos deadly history country long accustomed dealing annual terror bushfires intrinsic part australian environment shaping landscape ecosystems collective experiences people never faced tragedy scale australia weve always bushfires weve lived lives said daryl hull former marysville resident survived fires immersing towns lake things nature horrific yet perhaps terrifying thing australians acknowledge scene likely repeated near future climate change observers predict natural disasters like black saturday numerous battles americans particularly west coast wage elements year become frequent ferocious responses authorities around world events therefore increasingly scrutinized countries confront new reality august royal commission independent body appointed state government hear testimony fires oversee investigations released interim report made number recommendations report read greatest desire loss learn something minimize loss future situations said glenda hare 54 operations manager voluntary group global care rebuilding kinglake area stay go commission focusing victorias controversial stayorgo policy critics claim cost lives tragedy states emergency services czar bruce esplin testified prior black saturday officials believed one best bushfire strategies world policy fully entitled prepare stay defend leave early one kind used world160that emphasizes preparing remaining homes evacuation according gary morgan chief executive officer bushfire crc wildfire research body spanning two decades policy gained strength aftermath 1983 ash wednesday bushfires across southern australia previously countrys deadly 75 people died including 15 firefighters160 117 173 people perished black saturday died home reputation along large chunk victorian bushland turned dust fire officials droughthit california announced may scrapped plans stay defend policy favor forced evacuation vegetation clearing around homes bushfires santa barbara month tested plans contrast black saturday stark largescale evacuation resulted loss life 100 properties destroyed160 contrary reports commission confirmed sent officials california investigate response system however panel three commissioners heard evidence mandatory evacuations procedure california us wildfire safety expert sarah mccaffrey video link june 18 indicated american approach also flaws areas warning residents argued us lucky people killed evacuating systemic evacuation allowed victorian state law even sounding fire alarms warn people leave breaches regulations despite black saturday death toll three times previous record australian bushfire residents necessarily back change life mine danger risks mine contemplate deal daryl hull said choice leave scene didnt residents directly affected fires concerned able protect properties better overturning stayorgo policy peter newman 55 louis ackerman 78 live near marysville 33 700 houses survived appeared one many lay witnesses commission hearings couple long complained laws prevented cutting trees 10 meters property powers realize houses defensible said ackerman trees dont come number one people poor response times authorities response day also come fire testimonies emerge lack coordinated warnings june 29 inquiry learned 80 percent 12819 calls bushfire information line black saturday abandoned system collapsed thousands anxious residents resorted calling abc radio melbourne asking updates strathewen near kinglake highest death toll single location black saturday included warnings county fire authority cfa body responsible fire response hours flames arrived head cfa admitted warning systems failed places deeply regret told commission people acknowledge whatever lessons learned things never fireaffected areas community different new normal bit like 911 new normal said global cares glenda hare therell strength something thats inside maybe wasnt theres also vulnerability wasnt overcoming fear one key challenges facing residents victoria rest australia face increasingly perilous bushfire seasons
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<p>Staff Changes</p>
<p>Lewis Yancey II, to Second Liberty Church, Quinton, as pastor.</p>
<p>Michael S. Lee, to First Church, Altavista, as pastor.</p>
<p>Wayne Underwood, resigning as pastor of Brent-Lox Church, Chesapeake.</p>
<p>Ray Hall, resigning as pastor of New Life Church, Chesapeake.</p>
<p>Paul Lee, resigning as pastor of Belle View Church, Alexandria, effective Dec. 1, to pursue full-time ministry as an intentional interim pastor.</p>
<p>Randy Rains, to Pioneer Church, Richmond, as interim pastor.</p>
<p>Nathan Taylor, to Central Church, Richmond, as associate pastor for Christian formation and children.</p>
<p>Steve Comer, to Hatcher's Memorial Church, Bristow, as director of worship and music.</p>
<p>Bobby Wingard, to First Church, Alexandria, as interim minister to students.</p>
<p>Andrew Gingrich, to Providence Church, McLean, as minister to students and families.</p>
<p>Ordination</p>
<p>Jane M. Cicione was ordained to the gospel ministry on Oct. 15 by Preddys Creek Church, Barboursville.</p>
<p>Death</p>
<p>Retired Virginia Baptist pastor John W. Kincheloe Jr. died Nov. 27 in Richmond at the age of 100. He served as pastor of Main Street and Calvary churches in Emporia; First Church, Norfolk; and Branch's Church in Richmond where he was named pastor emeritus. In retirement he was interim pastor of Mount Hermon Church, Mineral, for eight years. Kincheloe held numerous denominational positions including trustee of Southeastern Seminary, Foreign Mission Board [now Intermational Mission Board] and Fork Union Military Academy; and president of the Virginia Baptist Pastors Conference. He is survived by his wife, Barbara Farmer Kincheloe; two daughters, Jane K. McDonald and Anne K. Easterling; two sons, Paul L and John W. Kincheloe III; 11 grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren. Funeral services were held Dec. 1 at Branch's Church in Richmond.</p>
<p>Retired Virginia Baptist pastor John P. Holcomb died Nov. 29 in Richmond at the age of 66. He had served as pastor of Woodland Heights, Calvary, Broadus Memorial and Elko Union churches. He also served as director of missions for Hermon Association and on various committees in both Dover and Richmond associations. He is survived by his wife, Linda; two children, Johna Lynn and Justin Allen Holcomb; a grandson, Gage Holcomb; two sisters; and a brother. Funeral services were held on Dec. 2 at Bliley Funeral Home in Richmond.</p>
<p>Churches in transition</p>
<p>Ohn-Nuri First Church, Springfield, has changed its name to All Nations Dream Church.</p>
<p>A Creative Community of Faith at Fair-Park Church is the new name of the Fair-Park Church restart in Alexandria. Todd Cullop and Lisa Hawkins will serve as co-pastors.</p>
<p>Christmas Music &amp; Drama</p>
<p>Antioch Church, Sandston; “On Christmas Day,” Dec. 10 at 11 a.m.</p>
<p>Azalea Church, Norfolk; “A Christmas Invitation,” Dec. 10 at 11 a.m.</p>
<p>Black Creek Church, Franklin; “Christmas is Forever,” Dec. 10 at 6 p.m.</p>
<p>Chester Church, Chester; “A Sunday Christmas,” Dec. 10 at 7 p.m.</p>
<p>Chestnut Hill Church, Lynchburg; “One Small Child,” Dec. 10 at 10:45 a.m.</p>
<p>Cobham Park Church, Warsaw; “Bethlehem Morning,” Dec. 10 at 7 p.m.</p>
<p>Colonial Avenue Church, Roanoke; “A Carol to the King,” Dec. 10 at 7 p.m.</p>
<p>Cool Spring Church, Mechanicsville; “Miracle on Main Street,” Dec. 10 at 6 p.m.</p>
<p>County Line Church, Ruther Glen; “The Living Christmas Tree,” Dec. 8 at 7:30 p.m., Dec. 9 at 5 and 7:30 p.m. and Dec. 10 at 5 p.m.</p>
<p>Courtland Church, Courtland; “Glorious Joy,” Dec. 9-11 at 7 p.m.</p>
<p>Cradock Church, Portsmouth; “Ceremony of Candles,” Dec. 17 at 11 a.m.</p>
<p>CrossWind Community Church, Chesapeake; “One Christmas Eve,” Dec. 16 at 10 a.m. at Western Branch Primary School.</p>
<p>Derbyshire Church, “What Sweeter Music,” Dec. 9 at 7 p.m. and Dec. 10 at 3:30 and 7 p.m. Admission by complimentary ticket only. Call 804-740-7238.</p>
<p>East End Church, Suffolk; “Once Upon a Midnight Clear,” Dec. 16 at 6:30 p.m. and Dec. 17 at 5:30 p.m.</p>
<p>Elizabeth River Church, Chesapeake; “One Small Child,” Dec. 10 at 5 p.m.</p>
<p>Fairview Church, Fredericksburg; “Jesus: There's Something About that Name,” Dec. 10 at 11 a.m.</p>
<p>Falling River Church, Brookneal; “The First Light,” Dec. 10 at 7 p.m.</p>
<p>First Church, Dillwyn; presenting “Jesus: There Is Something About That Name,” at Mulberry Grove Church, Buckingham, on Dec. 10 at 7 p.m.</p>
<p>First Church, Hopewell; “Canticle of Christmas,” Dec. 17 at 6:30 p.m.</p>
<p>First Church, Newport News; “Singing Christmas Tree,” Dec. 7, 8 and 9 at 7 p.m.</p>
<p>First Church, Springfield; “A Ceremony of Candles,” Dec. 10 at 10:30 a.m.</p>
<p>First Church, West Point; “Breath of Heaven,” Dec. 10 at 11 a.m. and 3:30 p.m.</p>
<p>Floyd Church, Floyd, “One Small Child,” Dec. 10 at 4 p.m.</p>
<p>Ingleside Church, Norfolk; “A Christmas Prayer,” Dec. 10 at 7 p.m.</p>
<p>Lake Ridge Church, Woodbridge; “Born Is the King,” Dec. 10 at 9 a.m.</p>
<p>Memorial Church, Hampton; “Come to Bethlehem,” Dec. 17 at 11 a.m.</p>
<p>Mount Hermon Church, Danville; “The Wonder of Christmas,” Dec. 9 at 7 p.m. and Dec. 10 at 6 p.m.</p>
<p>North Riverside Church, Newport News; “A Savior is Born,” Dec. 10 at 11 a.m.</p>
<p>Raleigh Heights Church, Chesapeake; “A Christmas Prayer,” Dec. 10 at 6 p.m.</p>
<p>River Road Church, Richmond; “Messiah,” Dec. 10 at 7:30 p.m.</p>
<p>Schoolfield Church, Danville; “One Small Child,” Dec. 10 at 5 p.m.</p>
<p>Shalom Church, Mechanicsville; “Cradle of Hope,” Dec. 10 at 5 p.m.</p>
<p>Talbot Park Church, Norfolk; “A Lesson in Carols,” Dec. 10 at 5 p.m.</p>
<p>West Hampton Church, Hampton; “I Have Seen the Light,” Dec. 17 at 11 a.m.</p>
<p>West Lynchburg Church, Lynchburg; “An Unexpected Christmas,” Dec. 9 and 10 at 6:30 p.m.</p>
<p>Living Nativity</p>
<p>Bedford Church, Bedford; live nativity on front lawn, Dec. 16 from 6-8:30 p.m.</p>
<p>James Square Church, Lawrenceville; fourth annual live nativity, Dec. 10 from 5 to 7 p.m. Nativity can be viewed by vehicle or on foot.</p>
<p>Penuel Church, Altavista; living nativity, Dec. 15 and 16, from 6:30-8:30 p.m.</p>
<p>Western Branch Church, Suffolk; live nativity Dec. 13-14 from 6:30-8:00 p.m. and Dec. 15 from 6:30-9:00 p.m.</p>
<p>Mission Moments</p>
<p>Hampton Baptist Church, Hampton</p>
<p>Hampton Baptist sent two teams to the Gulf Coast last summer. Forty-six of its members were involved in disaster relief trips to Gulfport and Perlington, Louisiana. The teams were involved in construction work encompassing everything from framing to insulation to roofing and drywall finishing and painting. Pictured are Hampton Church mission team members at the locations where they worked.</p>
<p>First Baptist Church, Bluefield, W. Va.</p>
<p>Last June members from First Baptist Church went to Saltville in Smyth County, Virginia, and worked with the local Habitat for Humanity. The team cleared two lots, one with a recently constructed home and another lot being prepared for a new build. Though the trip lasted only several days, both jobs were completed by the hard-working youth at First Baptist who now know how to paint and use a swing blade and sickle. The team also was blessed with its interactions with the homeowner in Saltville and the new owner of the Habitat house. The trip was one component of “Mission Emphasis Month” which included other projects with the local Salvation Army, Union Mission and Bland Ministry Center. Pictured above and at left are First Baptist team members with homeowners.</p>
| false | 3 |
staff changes lewis yancey ii second liberty church quinton pastor michael lee first church altavista pastor wayne underwood resigning pastor brentlox church chesapeake ray hall resigning pastor new life church chesapeake paul lee resigning pastor belle view church alexandria effective dec 1 pursue fulltime ministry intentional interim pastor randy rains pioneer church richmond interim pastor nathan taylor central church richmond associate pastor christian formation children steve comer hatchers memorial church bristow director worship music bobby wingard first church alexandria interim minister students andrew gingrich providence church mclean minister students families ordination jane cicione ordained gospel ministry oct 15 preddys creek church barboursville death retired virginia baptist pastor john w kincheloe jr died nov 27 richmond age 100 served pastor main street calvary churches emporia first church norfolk branchs church richmond named pastor emeritus retirement interim pastor mount hermon church mineral eight years kincheloe held numerous denominational positions including trustee southeastern seminary foreign mission board intermational mission board fork union military academy president virginia baptist pastors conference survived wife barbara farmer kincheloe two daughters jane k mcdonald anne k easterling two sons paul l john w kincheloe iii 11 grandchildren nine greatgrandchildren funeral services held dec 1 branchs church richmond retired virginia baptist pastor john p holcomb died nov 29 richmond age 66 served pastor woodland heights calvary broadus memorial elko union churches also served director missions hermon association various committees dover richmond associations survived wife linda two children johna lynn justin allen holcomb grandson gage holcomb two sisters brother funeral services held dec 2 bliley funeral home richmond churches transition ohnnuri first church springfield changed name nations dream church creative community faith fairpark church new name fairpark church restart alexandria todd cullop lisa hawkins serve copastors christmas music amp drama antioch church sandston christmas day dec 10 11 azalea church norfolk christmas invitation dec 10 11 black creek church franklin christmas forever dec 10 6 pm chester church chester sunday christmas dec 10 7 pm chestnut hill church lynchburg one small child dec 10 1045 cobham park church warsaw bethlehem morning dec 10 7 pm colonial avenue church roanoke carol king dec 10 7 pm cool spring church mechanicsville miracle main street dec 10 6 pm county line church ruther glen living christmas tree dec 8 730 pm dec 9 5 730 pm dec 10 5 pm courtland church courtland glorious joy dec 911 7 pm cradock church portsmouth ceremony candles dec 17 11 crosswind community church chesapeake one christmas eve dec 16 10 western branch primary school derbyshire church sweeter music dec 9 7 pm dec 10 330 7 pm admission complimentary ticket call 8047407238 east end church suffolk upon midnight clear dec 16 630 pm dec 17 530 pm elizabeth river church chesapeake one small child dec 10 5 pm fairview church fredericksburg jesus theres something name dec 10 11 falling river church brookneal first light dec 10 7 pm first church dillwyn presenting jesus something name mulberry grove church buckingham dec 10 7 pm first church hopewell canticle christmas dec 17 630 pm first church newport news singing christmas tree dec 7 8 9 7 pm first church springfield ceremony candles dec 10 1030 first church west point breath heaven dec 10 11 330 pm floyd church floyd one small child dec 10 4 pm ingleside church norfolk christmas prayer dec 10 7 pm lake ridge church woodbridge born king dec 10 9 memorial church hampton come bethlehem dec 17 11 mount hermon church danville wonder christmas dec 9 7 pm dec 10 6 pm north riverside church newport news savior born dec 10 11 raleigh heights church chesapeake christmas prayer dec 10 6 pm river road church richmond messiah dec 10 730 pm schoolfield church danville one small child dec 10 5 pm shalom church mechanicsville cradle hope dec 10 5 pm talbot park church norfolk lesson carols dec 10 5 pm west hampton church hampton seen light dec 17 11 west lynchburg church lynchburg unexpected christmas dec 9 10 630 pm living nativity bedford church bedford live nativity front lawn dec 16 6830 pm james square church lawrenceville fourth annual live nativity dec 10 5 7 pm nativity viewed vehicle foot penuel church altavista living nativity dec 15 16 630830 pm western branch church suffolk live nativity dec 1314 630800 pm dec 15 630900 pm mission moments hampton baptist church hampton hampton baptist sent two teams gulf coast last summer fortysix members involved disaster relief trips gulfport perlington louisiana teams involved construction work encompassing everything framing insulation roofing drywall finishing painting pictured hampton church mission team members locations worked first baptist church bluefield w va last june members first baptist church went saltville smyth county virginia worked local habitat humanity team cleared two lots one recently constructed home another lot prepared new build though trip lasted several days jobs completed hardworking youth first baptist know paint use swing blade sickle team also blessed interactions homeowner saltville new owner habitat house trip one component mission emphasis month included projects local salvation army union mission bland ministry center pictured left first baptist team members homeowners
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<p>GLOBALPOST LIVE BLOG: US TARGETS ISLAMIC STATE IN SYRIA</p>
<p>UPDATE: 9/26/14 4:00 PM ET</p>
<p>Signing off</p>
<p>This live blog is now closed. Follow <a href="https://twitter.com/globalpost" type="external">@GlobalPost</a>on Twitter for further updates.</p>
<p>UPDATE: 9/26/14 3:21 PM ET</p>
<p>Here's who's who in the fight against IS</p>
<p>This is from Agence France-Press:</p>
<p>More than 50 countries, including more than a dozen western ones, are taking part one way or another in a coalition to defeat the Islamic State (IS) organization in Iraq and Syria, according to US officials. About 30 nations agreed in mid-September to provide Iraq with all necessary backing, including military means.</p>
<p>The United States has been helped by five Arab "partner nations" — Bahrain, Jordan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates — with airstrikes in Syria. Only the United States and France have carried out strikes in neighboring Iraq so far, though British lawmakers voted on Friday to approve joining the campaign.</p>
<p>UNITED STATES: At the core of the coalition, the United States began hitting IS positions in Iraq on August 8. After initially focusing on areas in northern and western Iraq, the strikes were expanded to targets near Baghdad. Almost 200 strikes have been carried out to date. On September 23, the US expanded the scope of its operations to Syria, with backing from Gulf governments, and has since hit oil installations controlled by the IS to degrade the group's key source of revenue. Some 1,600 US soldiers have nonetheless been deployed to Iraq to reinforce Iraqi forces with equipment, training and information. The US Congress has also approved a plan to train and equip moderate Syrian rebel units.</p>
<p>FRANCE: French warplanes have conducted two rounds of air strikes in Iraq since the country joined the US air campaign on September 18. France has also delivered arms to Iraqi Kurdish fighters and provided humanitarian aid, in particular to the region around Arbil.</p>
<p>BRITAIN: Lawmakers in Britain's House of Commons voted overwhelmingly in favor of joining US-led air strikes on IS targets in Iraq. London has already provided heavy machine guns and munitions to Kurdish fighters on top of previous military deliveries.</p>
<p>SAUDI ARABIA, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES: Saudi Arabia and the UAE are leading the charge by Gulf monarchies. The two countries have played a major role in recent strikes against IS targets in Syria. According to the Pentagon, 10 of 16 planes that hit oil refineries controlled by militant group were from Saudi Arabia and the UAE and the two countries accounted for 80 percent of the ordnance used. Prior to that, Saudi Arabia had hosted moderate Syrian rebels for training and provided equipment for them.</p>
<p>BAHRAIN: Host to the US Fifth Fleet, Bahrain has confirmed having taken part along with other Gulf monarchies in air strikes against IS militants in Syria.</p>
<p>JORDAN: A neighbor of both Iraq and Syria, the kingdom has acknowledged participating actively in initial strikes on Syrian soil. King Abdullah II has said his country "is at the forefront" of efforts to form "a collective strategy to contain and defeat" groups such as the IS.</p>
<p>QATAR: Qatar has remained discreet regarding its level of participation in anti-IS strikes. It has nonetheless allowed the US to use the Al-Udeid airbase for airborne units of Centcom, the US command center for the Middle East and Central Asia. On Friday, the Emir of Qatar denied that his country was financing extremist groups and affirmed his unwavering long-term commitment to the coalition.</p>
<p>KUWAIT: Hosts US military facilities.</p>
<p>ALBANIA, CZECH REPUBLIC, DENMARK, ESTONIA, POLAND: These countries have delivered military equipment and munitions to forces fighting the IS.</p>
<p>AUSTRALIA: Has deployed 600 soldiers to the UAE and has delivered military equipment to Iraqi Kurds.</p>
<p>BELGIUM: Providing six F-16 combat jets to the coalition force following parliamentary approval, with stipulation they can only intervene in Iraq.</p>
<p>CANADA: Has sent 69 special forces soldiers, as well as military equipment, to Iraq. It has also transported military equipment from Albania and the Czech Republic.</p>
<p>DENMARK: The Danish prime minister said Denmark would send seven F-16 jets to Iraq.</p>
<p>GERMANY: Has delivered arms and is training Kurdish fighters. Berlin also plans to send around 40 soldiers to Iraq. ITALY: Has supplied light weapons.</p>
<p>TURKEY: President Recep Tayyip Erdogan signalled that Turkey would take a more active role in the international coalition following the release of Turkish hostages held by the group.</p>
<p>UPDATE: 9/26/14 3:12 PM ET</p>
<p>12,000-15,000 Syrian rebels needed to retake eastern Syria, Dempsey says</p>
<p>Reuters — A Western-backed opposition force of around 12,000 to 15,000 would be required to retake areas of eastern Syria now controlled by Islamic State, the top US military officer said on Friday.</p>
<p>"Five thousand has never been the end state ... Twelve to 15,000 is what we believe they would need to recapture lost territory in eastern Syria," General Martin Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.</p>
<p>UPDATE: 9/26/14 2:23 PM ET</p>
<p>Scene at Sanliurfa province in Syria-Turkey border</p>
<p>Turkish and Syrian Kurds shout slogans after destroying the border fence into Kobani in neighboring Syria during a demonstration near the Mursitpinar border crossing, in Sanliurfa province, on Sept. 26, 2014. BULENT KILIC/AFP/Getty Images Turkish and Syrian Kurds tear down the border fence to cross into Kobani in neighboring Syria during a demonstration near the Mursitpinar border crossing, in Sanliurfa province, on Sept. 26, 2014. BULENT KILIC/AFP/Getty Images A Kurdish Peshmerga fighter chants slogan with other Kurds after destroying the border fence into neighboring Syria during a demonstration to support the inhabitants of Kobani near the Mursitpinar border crossing at Suruc in Sanliurfa province, on Sept. 26, 2014.BULENT KILIC/AFP/Getty Images</p>
<p>UPDATE: 9/26/14 12:27 PM ET</p>
<p>Pentagon briefing at 1:15 p.m. EST</p>
<p>Watch it live on NBC News:</p>
<p />
<p>UPDATE: 9/26/14 12:27 PM ET</p>
<p>British parliament approves airstrikes against Islamic state in Iraq</p>
<p>Reuters —&#160; Britain's parliament on Friday voted to approve airstrikes against Islamic State militants in Iraq by 524 votes to 43, paving the way for the Royal Air Force to join US-led military action with immediate effect.</p>
<p>Six Cyprus-based Tornado GR4 fighter-bombers are on standby to take part in initial strikes after Prime Minister David Cameron recalled parliament from recess to back military action following an official request from the Iraqi government.</p>
<p>UPDATE: 9/26/14 12:22 PM ET</p>
<p>Red Cross urges all sides in Iraq, Syria to spare civilians, allow aid</p>
<p>Reuters — The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) appealed on Friday to all parties in the widening conflicts in Syria and Iraq to spare civilians and let in aid.</p>
<p>The proliferation of armed groups and recent international air strikes in Iraq and Syria have "compounded the humanitarian consequences of the conflicts in both countries," the aid agency said in a statement.</p>
<p>"Under international humanitarian law, every party to these conflicts must refrain from harming civilians, must protect medical personnel and facilities, and must allow humanitarian workers to bring help," said Dominik Stillhart, ICRC director of operations.</p>
<p>UPDATE: 9/26/14 12:16 PM ET</p>
<p>No, Russia will not be helping the US strike IS in Syria</p>
<p>GlobalPost senior correspondent Dan Peleschuk's dispatch from Moscow, Russia:</p>
<p>As President Barack Obama seeks further international support for US-led airstrikes in Syriaagainst Islamist militants, there’s one place he probably shouldn’t bother looking.</p>
<p>Despite Russia’s loudly public condemnation of international terrorism, the Kremlin has refused to back military intervention there, standing firm on a position it’s held since the beginning of the crisis three years ago.</p>
<p>Back then, Russian officials warned about the potential blowback of arming Syrian rebel groups. Now, it seems, they’re basking in their own foresight.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/news/regions/europe/russia/140926/russia-syria-iraq-is-us" type="external">Read on here</a>.</p>
<p>UPDATE: 9/26/14 11:30 AM ET</p>
<p>What the Peshmerga is saying</p>
<p>BBC Middle East correspondent Quentin Sommerville reports:</p>
<p>UPDATE: 9/26/14 10:48 AM ET</p>
<p>Wary of airstrikes, Islamic State militants change tactics</p>
<p>Reuters — Islamic State militants are changing tactics in the face of US airstrikes in northern Iraq, ditching conspicuous convoys in favor of motorcycles and planting their black flags on civilian homes, tribal sources and eyewitnesses say.</p>
<p>They reported fewer militant checkpoints to weed out "apostates" and less cell phone use since the air strikes intensified and more US allies pledged to join the campaign that began in August, saying the militants had also split up to limit casualties.</p>
<p>A tribal sheikh from a village south of Kirkuk said Islamic State elements "abandoned one of their biggest headquarters in the village" when they heard the air strike campaign was likely to target their area.</p>
<p>"They took all their furniture, vehicles and weapons. Then they planted roadside bombs and destroyed the headquarters," said the tribal sheikh who declined to be named. "They don't move in military convoys like before.&#160;Instead they use motorcycles, bicycles, and if necessary, they use camouflaged cars," he said.&#160;</p>
<p>The militants have also taken to erecting their notorious black flag on the rooftops of several mostly empty residential houses and buildings, to create confusion about their actual presence.</p>
<p>Civilian casualties are a major concern as US war planes venture deeper into the Tigris River valley and to Iraq's western desert in the name of breaking Islamic State's grip on mostly Sunni parts of Iraq — nearly one-third of the country.&#160;</p>
<p>UPDATE: 9/26/14 10:37 AM ET</p>
<p>Thousands of Europeans have joined IS</p>
<p>This report via <a href="http://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-29372494" type="external">BBC News</a>:</p>
<p>The number of Europeans joining Islamist fighters in Syria and Iraq has risen to more than 3,000, the EU's anti-terrorism chief has told the BBC.</p>
<p>Gilles de Kerchove also warned that Western air strikes would increase the risk of retaliatory attacks in Europe.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-29372494" type="external">Read the full story here</a>.</p>
<p>Also:</p>
<p>US-led airstrikes are drawing together terror groups who once fought against Islamic State to join them <a href="http://t.co/pPosLc6BmT" type="external">http://t.co/pPosLc6BmT</a></p>
<p>— Circa (@Circa) <a href="https://twitter.com/Circa/status/515494376496455680" type="external">September 26, 2014</a></p>
<p>UPDATE: 9/26/14 10:28 AM ET</p>
<p>Will the UK go to war against IS in Iraq?</p>
<p>British MPs are debating it now. Follow it live on <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/politics/blog/live/2014/sep/26/mps-debate-and-vote-on-air-strikes-against-islamic-state-politics-live-blog" type="external">The Guardian's live blog</a>.</p>
<p>UPDATE: 9/26/14 10:15 AM ET</p>
<p>How airstrikes against IS in Syria could be helping Assad</p>
<p>GlobalPost news editor Peter Gelling weighs in:</p>
<p>When US President Barack Obama first announced his intention to launch airstrikes against the Islamic state in Syria, he said it would be done without aiding Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, who is not a good man and whom many believe is the root of the problem. But after four days of bombing, it's becoming clear that fighting the Islamic State is inherently helpful to Assad.</p>
<p>The enemy of your enemy might also be your enemy, but if you choose to fight one of them, the other is going to benefit. Many Syrians fear that Assad's very scary security forces will fill the void left by a defeated Islamic State. It's hard for them to know which is worse.</p>
<p>Now Obama might be forced to help Iran as well. Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said Thursday he would be willing to take a much more proactive role in fighting extremism if the United States and its allies could reach a deal with Iran on its nuclear program. Any deal would require curbs to Iran's nuclear development in exchange for sanctions relief. Rouhani also said the rise of extremism is the fault of the West.</p>
<p>He might be on to something.</p>
<p>UPDATE: 9/26/14 9:52 AM ET</p>
<p>Iraqi president on IS</p>
<p>Watch here:</p>
<p>Follow the conversation on Twitter using the #CFRLive hashtag.</p>
<p>UPDATE: 9/26/14 9:27 AM ET</p>
<p>IS stops pumping oil in eastern Syria after raids</p>
<p>Agence France-Presse — Militants with the Islamic State group have stopped oil extraction from fields in Deir Ezzor province in eastern Syria after US-led strikes targeted refineries, activists told AFP on Friday.</p>
<p>"Oil extraction has been halted because of the security situation," said Leith al-Deiri, an activist in Deir Ezzor. The US-led coalition striking positions of the Islamic State group in Syria since Tuesday has not targeted any oil fields, but it has hit several makeshift refineries used by the extremists.</p>
<p>The only field in Deir Ezzor now operating is the Coneco gas field, which is used to produce electricity for six provinces, said Deiri, who used a pseudonym for fear of persecution by the militants.</p>
<p>UPDATE: 9/26/14 8:45 AM ET</p>
<p>Protesters show support for Al Qaeda-affiliated Syrian group</p>
<p>The Al Qaeda-linked resistance group Al Nusra Front in Syria is apparently gaining popularity amid US-led airstrikes. Charles Lister, a visiting fellow at the Brookings Doha Center, just shared these images:</p>
<p>UPDATE: 9/26/14 8:15 AM ET</p>
<p>Denmark to send seven F-16s to Iraq</p>
<p>Reuters — Denmark will send seven F-16 fighter jets to Iraq as part of the US coalition to dislodge Islamic State extremists, Prime Minister Helle Thorning-Schmidt said on Friday.</p>
<p>She told a news conference she received an official request for assistance from the United States on Thursday evening.</p>
<p>"The government is therefore ready to quickly send seven F-16 fighter jets to the operation," Thorning-Schmidt said. She said she expected the Danish parliament to approve the country's participation next week, and the planes would start operating right away. The planes will serve only over Iraqi airspace, and not over Syria, she said.</p>
<p>Meanwhile,&#160;British Prime Minister David Cameron urged parliament on Friday to vote to approve "years" of air strikes against Islamic State militants in Iraq, saying the group was guilty of "staggering" brutality and posed a direct threat to Britain.</p>
<p>Cameron recalled parliament from recess for a special session after securing cross-party support for strikes against IS and his government is expected to comfortably win the vote, which is expected at around 1600 GMT.</p>
<p>"Is there a threat to the British people? The answer is yes," Cameron told parliament, saying he thought action would need to last "years" to be effective.</p>
<p>UPDATE: 9/25/14 5:58 PM ET</p>
<p>Signing off</p>
<p>This live blog is now closed.</p>
<p>UPDATE: 9/25/14 4:12 PM ET</p>
<p>Iraqi leader claims there's a subway plot, US says no such info</p>
<p>Reuters — The United States has no evidence to back up an Iraqi claim that Islamic State forces were plotting to attack United States subway systems, two senior US government security officials told Reuters on Thursday.</p>
<p>Iraq is assessing the veracity of purported threats to the US and French subway systems, a senior Iraqi official said.</p>
<p>Earlier, Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi said Iraq had received "credible" intelligence on Thursday morning of such a plot by Islamic State militants.</p>
<p>"There were serious threats that were uncovered by Iraqi intelligence, and they were forwarded to the appropriate security authorities of our partners," the Iraqi official said in a statement.</p>
<p>"A full assessment of the veracity of the intelligence and how far the plans have gone into implementation is ongoing. We cannot further discuss the nature of the threat in the media, except to reaffirm that Daesh [Islamic State] will continue to endanger international peace and security unless it is eradicated," he said.</p>
<p>Here's what the BBC had to say:</p>
<p />
<p />
<p>UPDATE: 9/25/14 3:29 PM ET</p>
<p>The FBI could have ID'd the IS hostage executioner — but won't say who</p>
<p>(Screengrab)</p>
<p>Agence France-Presse — The United States has identified the masked Islamic State militant who murdered two kidnapped American journalists in separate videotaped beheadings, FBI chief James Comey said Thursday.</p>
<p>The militant organization triggered global outrage when it released videos of a man with a British accent killing first James Foley then Steven Sotloff, freelance journalists who were kidnapped in Syria.</p>
<p>"We believe we have identified the executioner," Comey told reporters at a briefing in Washington. "I won't tell you who it is."</p>
<p>The British ambassador in Washington, Sir Peter Westmacott, had previously said that the allies were close to identifying the suspect.</p>
<p>Comey did not confirm or deny reports that the suspect in the killing is British, but said the FBI was concerned that another film from the Islamic State group features someone with a North American accent.</p>
<p>"Flames of War" — a slickly produced propaganda video aimed at intimidating Western audiences and recruiting English-speaking fighters — was released earlier this month.</p>
<p>It features a masked militant in combat fatigues speaking in English.</p>
<p>"There's no doubt that there's someone speaking with a North American-accented English on that video, so that's a big focus of ours right now," Comey said.</p>
<p>UPDATE: 9/25/14 1:22 PM ET</p>
<p>US probes reports of civilian casualties</p>
<p>Agence France-Presse — The Pentagon said Thursday it will investigate reports that civilians were killed in US-led air strikes in Syria this week but insisted the raids were carried out with precision.&#160;</p>
<p>"We are aware of some reporting out there that there may have been civilian casualties, and we are taking a look at that," spokesman Rear Admiral John Kirby told reporters.</p>
<p>UPDATE: 9/25/14 1:12 PM ET</p>
<p>Great piece on the Emirates' first female fighter pilot</p>
<p>An important perspective in <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/worldviews/wp/2014/09/25/u-a-e-s-first-female-fighter-pilot-dropped-bombs-on-the-islamic-state/" type="external">this story</a> on The Washington Post by Ishaan Tharoor on the United Arab Emirates' first female fighter pilot.</p>
<p>"On the same day [Maj. Mariam] al-Mansouri won plaudits for her role in the airstrikes, debate broke out in Saudi Arabia over the propriety of a woman — clad head to toe in conservative garb — who was filmed riding a horse while waving a Saudi flag," <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/worldviews/wp/2014/09/25/u-a-e-s-first-female-fighter-pilot-dropped-bombs-on-the-islamic-state/" type="external">writes Tharoor</a>. "The U.A.E. is no paragon of women's rights either. Female migrant workers in the country face harrowing conditions and abuse, while Emirati laws still don't provide legal recourse for marital rape."</p>
<p><a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/worldviews/wp/2014/09/25/u-a-e-s-first-female-fighter-pilot-dropped-bombs-on-the-islamic-state/" type="external">Read the full piece here</a>.</p>
<p>UPDATE: 9/25/14 11:47 AM ET</p>
<p>Why the US is targeting oil refineries held by IS militants</p>
<p />
<p>The Guardian's Luke Harding <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/sep/25/analysis-syria-us-air-strikes-oil-wells?CMP=SOCxx2I2" type="external">explains</a>:</p>
<p>The US said that these "small-scale refineries" provided fuel for Isis’s military operations as well as money to finance "continued attacks throughout Iraq and Syria." ... Washington says the refineries currently produce between 300-500 barrels of refined petroleum a day, generating as much as $2m daily for Isis.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/sep/25/analysis-syria-us-air-strikes-oil-wells?CMP=SOCxx2I2" type="external">Read Harding's analysis here</a>.</p>
<p>UPDATE: 9/25/14 11:16 AM ET</p>
<p>Kurdish forces push back Islamic State in northern Syria</p>
<p>Reuters — Kurdish forces in northern Syria pushed back an advance by Islamic State fighters towards the border town of Kobani in overnight clashes, two Kurdish officials said on Thursday.&#160;</p>
<p>Officials said Islamic State had concentrated their fighters south of Kobani late on Wednesday and had pushed towards the town but Kurdish YPG forces repelled them.</p>
<p>"The YPG responded and pushed them back to about 6-9 miles away," Idris Nassan, deputy minister for foreign affairs in the Kobani canton, told Reuters by telephone.</p>
<p>UPDATE: 9/25/14 10:32 AM ET</p>
<p>Britain arrests 9 men suspected of having ties to extremist groups</p>
<p>UPDATE: 9/25/14 9:44 AM ET</p>
<p>Questions over strikes on Khorasan Group in Syria</p>
<p>On Tuesday, Washington said it targeted the Khorasan Group, a little-known Al Qaeda-linked cell in Syria. Since then, there have been numerous news reports probing into this group and the rationale for US strikes against it.</p>
<p>Buzzfeed's Mike Giglio <a href="http://www.buzzfeed.com/mikegiglio/us-goes-to-war-with-jabhat-al-nusra#ppqtel" type="external">talked to one official who is part of the Syrian&#160;Jabhat al-Nusra rebel</a> <a href="http://www.buzzfeed.com/mikegiglio/us-goes-to-war-with-jabhat-al-nusra#ppqtel" type="external">&#160;group</a>.&#160;</p>
<p>Here's <a href="http://www.buzzfeed.com/mikegiglio/us-goes-to-war-with-jabhat-al-nusra#ppqtel" type="external">what he said</a> to Giglio:</p>
<p>He suggested that Nusra and the US, which backs moderate rebel groups inside Syria, were on the same side: "We are fighting with the rebels. We are fighting with their alliance against the other alliance. So why attack us?"</p>
<p>For further reading, have a look at this <a href="http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/news/afp/140924/doubts-cast-over-us-strike-khorasan-group" type="external">Agence France-Presse story</a>:</p>
<p>"In Syria, no one had ever heard talk of Khorasan until the US media brought it up," said Rami Abdel Rahman, director of the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.</p>
<p>"Rebels, activists and the whole world knows that these positions (hit Tuesday) were Al-Nusra positions, and the fighters killed were Al-Nusra fighters," added Abdel Rahman, who has tracked the Syrian conflict since it erupted in 2011.</p>
<p>Also, this excellent explainer on Mother Jones:&#160; <a href="http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2014/09/what-is-khorasan-why-did-us-bomb" type="external">What is Khorasan and why did the US just bomb it?</a></p>
<p>UPDATE: 9/25/14 9:15 AM ET</p>
<p>Lebanon arrests hundreds of suspected militants</p>
<p>Lebanon rounding up suspected militants on Syrian border <a href="http://t.co/BiJOBuFC89" type="external">http://t.co/BiJOBuFC89</a> <a href="http://t.co/rHFRUi44PW" type="external">pic.twitter.com/rHFRUi44PW</a></p>
<p>— Circa (@Circa) <a href="https://twitter.com/Circa/status/515116091866357760" type="external">September 25, 2014</a></p>
<p>UPDATE: 9/25/14 8:40 AM ET</p>
<p>Tracing the origins of Islamic State's ideology</p>
<p>This New York Times <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2014/09/25/world/middleeast/isis-abu-bakr-baghdadi-caliph-wahhabi.html?_r=0" type="external">story</a> by David Kirkpatrick delves into how Islamic State leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi's creed "has clear roots in the 18th-century Arabian Peninsula."</p>
<p>"It was there that the Saud clan formed an alliance with the puritanical scholar Muhammed ibn Abd al-Wahhab," <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2014/09/25/world/middleeast/isis-abu-bakr-baghdadi-caliph-wahhabi.html?_r=0" type="external">Kirkpatrick writes</a>.&#160;"And as they conquered the warring tribes of the desert, his austere interpretation of Islam became the foundation of the Saudi state."</p>
<p>Saudi Arabia is part of the US-led coalition striking Islamic State militants in Syria.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2014/09/25/world/middleeast/isis-abu-bakr-baghdadi-caliph-wahhabi.html?_r=0" type="external">Read the full story here</a>.</p>
<p>UPDATE: 9/25/14 8:15 AM ET</p>
<p>France launches fresh Iraq strikes as country mourns hostage</p>
<p>Agence France-Presse has the story:</p>
<p>France carried out a fresh round of air strikes in Iraq Thursday as it renewed its determination to fight Islamic State militants after the beheading of hostage Herve Gourdel.</p>
<p>President Francois Hollande pledged "determination, composure and vigilance" in the face of threats at a cabinet meeting and announced that flags nationwide would be flown at half-mast for three days from Friday to mourn the loss of the 55-year-old mountaineer.</p>
<p>And from Reuters:</p>
<p>Meanwhile, a third night of US-led airstrikes pounded Islamic State-controlled oil refineries in eastern Syria, as the United States and its partners moved to choke off a crucial source of revenue for the militant group, US officials said on Wednesday.</p>
<p>The US Central Command said there were a total of 13 strikes against 12 modular oil refineries controlled by Islamic State fighters as well as another strike that destroyed an Islamic State vehicle.</p>
<p>UPDATE: 9/24/14 5:54 PM ET</p>
<p>Signing off</p>
<p>This live blog is now closed.</p>
<p>UPDATE: 9/24/14 5:25 PM ET</p>
<p>Brazil and Ecuador come out against airstrikes in Syria</p>
<p>GlobalPost's Americas editor Alex Leff writes:</p>
<p>The governments of Brazil and Ecuador are taking a bold stance this week: They’re rejecting United States-led airstrikes in Syria as an invasion and unnecessary escalation of violence.</p>
<p>This is the latest pushback by South American countries against foreign adventures carried out by the White House and/or its allies — but one that’s slightly harder to decode than previous disputes.</p>
<p>Syria’s government itself appears to <a href="http://www.sana.sy/en/?p=13902" type="external">welcome</a>the air war in its territory. Bombs dropped by US and Arab powers are targeting Islamist militants that the Syrian regime is fighting, too.</p>
<p>But that doesn’t make it legal, Brazil and Ecuador argue.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/news/regions/middle-east/syria/140924/brazil-ecuador-oppose-syria-airstrikes" type="external">Read the full story here.</a></p>
<p>UPDATE: 9/24/14 3:28 PM ET</p>
<p>UN backs strong laws against foreign extremist fighters</p>
<p>Reuters — The UN Security Council demanded on Wednesday that all states make it a serious criminal offense for their citizens to travel abroad to fight with militant groups, or to recruit and fund others to do so, in a move sparked by the rise of Islamic State.</p>
<p>At a meeting chaired by US President Barack Obama, the 15-member council unanimously adopted a US-drafted resolution that compels countries to "prevent and suppress" the recruitment and travel of militant fighters to foreign conflicts.</p>
<p>The UN action was prompted by the rise of Islamic State and Al Qaeda's Syrian wing, Nusra Front. Some 12,000 fighters from more than 70 nations have traveled to Syria and Iraq to fight with extremist groups, experts say.</p>
<p>The resolution is under Chapter 7 of the UN Charter, which makes it legally binding for the 193 UN member states and gives the Security Council authority to enforce decisions with economic sanctions or force.</p>
<p>It generally targets fighters traveling to conflicts anywhere in the world. It does not mandate military force to tackle the foreign fighter issue.</p>
<p>For important context, read this piece by Hayes Brown, the world editor at ThinkProgress:</p>
<p>UPDATE: 9/24/14 2:46PM ET</p>
<p>Hollande denounces 'cowardly' hostage murder</p>
<p>Agence France-Presse — French President Francois Hollande on Wednesday denounced as "cruel and cowardly" the murder of a French hostage abducted in Algeria by militants linked to the Islamic State group.</p>
<p>Hollande said he would convene a special security meeting at the Elysee palace on Thursday to discuss the latest developments and vowed France would stay the course in fighting Islamists in Iraq.</p>
<p>"This aggression only reinforces my determination" to confront the jihadist threat, Hollande said on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly.</p>
<p>UPDATE: 9/24/14 2:38 PM ET</p>
<p>Obama will be speaking at the UN Security Summit</p>
<p>Watch it live on NBC News:</p>
<p />
<p>UPDATE: 9/24/14 2:00 PM ET</p>
<p>Wary of US-led bombings, Syrians in Egypt say Assad is the real threat</p>
<p>Barakat al-Halabi’s Chicken in Egypt's 6th of October City, where many Syrian refugees live. (Laura Dean/GlobalPost)</p>
<p>GlobalPost senior correspondent Laura Dean's dispatch from&#160;6th of October City, Egypt:</p>
<p>Syrians in the neighborhood known as "Little Damascus" dream of the day when they can go home. But they're not optimistic that a US-led bombing campaign will end a civil war that has spiraled for more than three years and has killed more than 200,000.</p>
<p>They fear the latest round of airstrikes will only result in more civilian casualties.</p>
<p>While opinions varied greatly on how to stop the violence, most refugees interviewed Tuesday agreed on one thing: Bashar al-Assad has caused far more damage for Syrians than the Islamic State has.</p>
<p>"We are tired of thinking about blood," says Ahlam Haj Naasan, a 47-year-old woman from Aleppo. Her name means "dreams" in Arabic. She says wearily that she wants "only security." ...</p>
<p>A 50-year-old man who identifies himself only as Abu Mohamed, from Deraa in southwestern Syria, asks to be interviewed away from his neighbors. After walking down the block, he looks over his shoulder to make sure we’re alone.</p>
<p>“I’m with the regime,” he says, meaning he supports Assad. He also supports the US-led offensive, which he believes will end the civil war within a month or two.</p>
<p>But he stresses that he doesn’t want anyone to kill civilians, only members of armed extremist groups — he lists "Daesh" (as the Islamic State is known in Arabic), Al Qaeda and Jabhat Al Nusra.&#160;</p>
<p>Mohannad, 23, an agricultural student at Cairo University who comes from the northern Syrian city of Idlib, argues for a distinction between those groups.</p>
<p>“Jabhat el Nusra has support in Syria, unlike Daesh. The extremism of Daesh — people are not used to it,” he says.</p>
<p>Unlike IS, the extremist Jabhat Al Nusra is made up mostly of Syrians whose stated goal includes fighting Assad.</p>
<p>“People will be angry if they attack Jabhat Al Nusra,” Mohannad says. “They are more popular than Daesh.”</p>
<p>Mohannad’s hometown of Idlib was hit by airstrikes on Tuesday, too, allegedly by the US, but he hadn’t yet been in touch with his family there. He only talks to them every month or two by phone.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/news/regions/middle-east/140924/US-bombings-syrian-refugees-egypt-say-assad-real-threat" type="external">Read Dean's full piece here</a>.&#160;</p>
<p>&#160;</p>
<p>UPDATE: 9/24/14 11:41 AM ET</p>
<p>This is the aftermath of US-led airstrikes in Syria</p>
<p>Boys inspect a vehicle which was damaged in what activists say was one of Tuesday's US airstrikes in Kfredrian,Idlib province Sept. 24, 2014. Ammar Abdullah/Reuters A resident walks upon the debris of buildings which were damaged in what activists say was one of Tuesday's US airstrikes in Kfredrian, Idlib province Sept. 24, 2014. Ammar Abdullah/Reuters Residents look at buildings which were damaged in what activists say was one of Tuesday's US airstrikes in Kfredrian, Idlib province Sept. 24, 2014. Ammar Abdullah/Reuters</p>
<p>UPDATE: 9/24/14 11:23 AM ET</p>
<p>IS-linked group beheads Frenchman abducted in Algeria</p>
<p />
<p>More from Agence France-Presse:</p>
<p>Militants linked to the Islamic State group beheaded a Frenchman abducted in Algeria in a video posted online on Wednesday, after giving a 24-hour deadline to Paris.</p>
<p>Herve Gourdel, a 55-year-old hiker from the southern French city of Nice, was kidnapped on Sunday by Jund al-Khilifa, which demanded France stop its airstrikes against IS in Iraq.</p>
<p>UPDATE: 9/24/14 10:16 AM ET</p>
<p>Only one World Heritage Site remains intact in Syria</p>
<p>"A new report from the American Association for the Advancement of Science shows the extent of that destruction: Using high-resolution satellite imagery, AAAS discovered that five of Syria's six World Heritage Sites had sustained significant damage," <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/worldviews/wp/2014/09/24/war-has-damaged-all-but-one-of-syrias-world-heritage-sites-satellite-images-show/" type="external">Elahe Izadi of The Washington Post writes</a>.&#160;"Only the ancient city of Damascus appears to have been spared."&#160;</p>
<p>GlobalPost's Simran Khosla produced <a href="http://editor247.globalpost.com/dispatch/news/regions/middle-east/syria/140324/interactive-syrian-war-heritage-damage-map" type="external">an interactive map</a>&#160;in March which shows the damage to heritage and archeological sites in Syria as a result of the country's civil war. <a href="http://editor247.globalpost.com/dispatch/news/regions/middle-east/syria/140324/interactive-syrian-war-heritage-damage-map" type="external">View it here</a>.</p>
<p>ZEIN AL-RIFAI/AFP/Getty Images.</p>
<p>UPDATE: 9/24/14 9:27 AM ET</p>
<p>The human rights record of the US coalition bombing Syria</p>
<p>GlobalPost's Allison Jackson reports:</p>
<p>The United States has joined forces with five Arab nations to launch airstrikes against the Islamic State in Syria and Iraq.</p>
<p>US President Barack Obama said Monday the United States was "proud to stand shoulder-to-shoulder" with its Arab allies in the bombing campaign.</p>
<p>While no one is questioning the depravity of the Islamic State, which has slaughtered thousands of people in its crusade to control parts Syria and Iraq, America’s Arab teammates really aren't all that much better.&#160;</p>
<p><a href="http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/news/regions/middle-east/140923/arab-nations-helping-the-united-states-bomb-islamic-state-human-rights-abuses" type="external">Read on here</a>.</p>
<p>UPDATE: 9/24/14 9:05 AM ET</p>
<p>Yazidi survivors speak out about their plight</p>
<p><a href="http://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-29333327" type="external">BBC News reports</a>:</p>
<p>When tens of thousands of members of Iraq's Yazidi minority fled from Islamic State (IS) early last month, many were stranded on the barren slopes of Mount Sinjar.</p>
<p>They became the focus of international attention. But now they say the world has forgotten their plight.</p>
<p />
<p>GlobalPost's Tracey Shelton talked to Yazidis who fled from IS.&#160;</p>
<p>Watch:&#160; <a href="http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/news/regions/middle-east/140826/location-video-the-yazidis-who-survived-mount-sinjar" type="external">On Location Video: The Yazidis who survived the assault on Sinjar</a></p>
<p>Read:&#160; <a href="http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/news/regions/middle-east/iraq/140810/man-lost-63-relatives-the-islamic-state" type="external">This man has lost 63 relatives to the Islamic State</a>&#160;and&#160; <a href="http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/news/regions/middle-east/iraq/140816/yazidi-grandmother-islamic-state" type="external">This 84-year-old woman crawled on her knees to safety to escape the Islamic State</a></p>
<p>UPDATE: 9/24/14 8:35 AM ET</p>
<p>Second day of airstrikes</p>
<p>Reuters — US-led forces carried out at least 13 air strikes in Syria close to the Iraqi border on Wednesday, a second day of targeting Islamic State militants who have seized land on both sides of the frontier, a group that tracks the Syrian war said.</p>
<p>Rami Abdulrahman, who runs the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, told Reuters the raids had hit the border town of Albu Kamal and surrounding areas.&#160;</p>
<p>Albu Kamal, on the main Euphrates River valley highway, is one of the most important border crossings betweenIraq and Syria, along a frontier that Islamic State wants to erase after seizing territory both sides and declaring a caliphate.</p>
<p>UPDATE: 9/23/14 4:00 PM ET</p>
<p>Signing off</p>
<p>This live blog is now closed.</p>
<p>UPDATE: 9/23/14 3:52 PM ET</p>
<p>Grim reports of civilian deaths</p>
<p>Raya Jalabi of The Guardian has rounded up reports of civilian casulties of the airstrikes in Syria by US and its Arab allies. From Jalabi's post on <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/world/middle-east-live/live/2014/sep/23/us-air-strikes-against-isis-in-syria-live-updates?view=mobile#block-5421b9c2e4b0233fd164273b" type="external">The Guardian's live blog</a>:</p>
<p>The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights – a Britain-based watchdog that has consistently charted military activity throughout Syria’s war – claimed that at least eight civilians had been killed, of which three were children. A Facebook group for the town of Kfar Dariyan in Idlib province posted several updates on civilian casualties that supported the SOHR’s initial claims.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.theguardian.com/world/middle-east-live/live/2014/sep/23/us-air-strikes-against-isis-in-syria-live-updates?view=mobile#block-5421b9c2e4b0233fd164273b" type="external">Read the full post on The Guardian</a>.</p>
<p>And Al Aan TV's Jenan Moussa shared this photo showing the impact of the airstrikes in Idlib:</p>
<p>UPDATE: 9/23/14 3:45 PM ET</p>
<p>What the fall of Raqqa might mean for those threatened by IS rule</p>
<p>GlobalPost's Tracey Shelton sends in this report from Sulaymaniyah, Iraq:</p>
<p>The scenes feature in all the Islamic State propaganda videos. Bearded men dressed in black drive though the streets of Raqqa in tanks and combat vehicles seized from Syrian and Iraqi governments.</p>
<p>Men and young boys wave black flags and cheer. Spliced-in footage shows executions and beheadings. The northern Syrian city of Raqqa has made headlines since the Islamic State (IS), also known as ISIL or ISIS, seized control in January.</p>
<p>It is now their capital — a place simultaneously shrouded in ghoulish mystery and the most successful example of a functioning, albeit tyrannical, Islamic municipality.</p>
<p>But could the US bombing campaign that started on Monday night be the beginning of the de facto IS capital’s demise?</p>
<p><a href="http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/news/regions/middle-east/syria/140923/what-the-fall-raqqa-might-mean-syrians-and-iraqis" type="external">Read the full story here</a>.</p>
<p>UPDATE: 9/23/14 3:36 PM ET</p>
<p>What is the justification for US-led airstrikes?</p>
<p>The New York Times <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2014/09/24/us/politics/us-invokes-defense-of-iraq-in-saying-strikes-on-syria-are-legal.html?partner=rss&amp;emc=rss&amp;smid=tw-nytimes&amp;_r=0" type="external">takes a close look at this question</a>:&#160;</p>
<p>"Senior administration officials said on Tuesday that Iraq had a valid right of self-defense against the Islamic State — also known as ISIS or ISIL — because the militant group was attacking Iraq from its havens in Syria, and the Syrian government had proved unable or unwilling to suppress that threat," <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2014/09/24/us/politics/us-invokes-defense-of-iraq-in-saying-strikes-on-syria-are-legal.html?partner=rss&amp;emc=rss&amp;smid=tw-nytimes&amp;_r=0" type="external">Charlie Savage writes</a>. "Iraq asked the United States for assistance in defending itself, making the strikes legal, the officials said."</p>
<p>UPDATE: 9/23/14 3:04 PM ET</p>
<p>US military video footage of airstrikes</p>
<p>The BBC reports:</p>
<p>Activists say at least 70 IS militants and 50 other Al Qaeda-linked fighters were killed in the strikes.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-29333709" type="external">Watch the video here</a>.</p>
<p>UPDATE: 9/23/14 2:46 PM ET</p>
<p>British Muslims offer pleas for IS hostage</p>
<p>GlobalPost's Corinne Purtill reports from London, UK:</p>
<p>The Islamic State’s public executions of Western hostages have drawn condemnation from Muslims around the world since they began last month.</p>
<p>But the most recent threat — to British taxi driver Alan Henning, who was in Syria for the purpose of providing aid for Muslims — has drawn deeply personal and heartfelt pleas from Muslims in the UK.</p>
<p>"Please, please, please, please show him some mercy," said Majid Freeman, 26, a Leicester man who was part of the humanitarian aid convoy from which Henning was kidnapped, in an appearance on the BBC.</p>
<p>"Please, please don’t kill him. Please spare him. Just let him come back home."</p>
<p><a href="http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/news/regions/europe/united-kingdom/140923/uk-is-hostage-syria-alan-henning" type="external">Read the story here</a>.&#160;</p>
<p>UPDATE: 9/23/14 2:23 PM ET</p>
<p>Turkey might provide military or logistics support</p>
<p>Reuters — Turkey could give military or logistical support to US-led air strikes against Islamic State insurgents in Syria, President Tayyip Erdogan was quoted as saying on Tuesday.</p>
<p>"We will give the necessary support to the operation.&#160;The support could be military or logistics," Erdogan was quoted by Turkish broadcaster NTV as telling reporters in New York.</p>
<p>UPDATE: 9/23/14 2:17 PM ET</p>
<p>Assad's apparently cool with 'any international anti-terrorism effort'</p>
<p>This is from The Associated Press:&#160;</p>
<p>Syrian President Bashar Assad said Tuesday he supports any international effort against terrorism, apparently trying to position his government on the side of the US-led coalition conducting airstrikes against the Islamic State group. ...</p>
<p>In a meeting Tuesday with an Iraqi envoy, Assad voiced his support for "any international anti-terrorism effort," according to the state news agency SANA. He did not specifically mention the coalition airstrikes. He said Syria is "decisively continuing in the war it has waged for years against extremist terrorism in all its forms."</p>
<p><a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/middle_east/syria-says-washington-informed-it-before-strikes/2014/09/23/268022a6-42db-11e4-8042-aaff1640082e_story.html" type="external">Read the entire article on The Washington Post</a>.</p>
<p />
<p>UPDATE: 9/23/14 12:51 PM ET</p>
<p>IS scares Britain in a way none of the Assad regime’s atrocities have</p>
<p>From GlobalPost's senior correspondent in London Corinne Purtill:</p>
<p>As US-led airstrikes continued Tuesday against Islamic State targets in Syria, Prime Minister David Cameron was preparing for Britain’s reentry into combat in the Middle East.</p>
<p>He’s in New York, where he’s set to address the UN General Assembly tomorrow in a speech that could confirm what most here already suspect: the UK will join the attack against IS, albeit in limited form.</p>
<p>Cameron is expected to recall parliament as early as Friday to discuss British military involvement. The days until then will be spent building support among international partners and politicians at home.</p>
<p>The latter task is most crucial for what happens next. Cameron is keen not to repeat the frustration and embarrassment of last year, when parliament refused his request to approve airstrikes in Syria after President Bashar al-Assad apparently used chemical weapons.</p>
<p>But public support for UK military action against IS has shot up 15 percent in just the last month — since the publicized beheading of British aid worker David Haines at the hands of an IS militant with a British accent, and the parading of two other UK hostages in IS videos.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/news/regions/europe/united-kingdom/140923/britain-inches-toward-war-syria-is-iraq" type="external">Read the rest of Purtill's report here</a>.</p>
<p>UPDATE: 9/23/14 11:22 AM ET</p>
<p>What young Syrians are saying about US-led airstrikes</p>
<p>Martin Chulov of <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/world/middle-east-live/live/2014/sep/23/us-air-strikes-against-isis-in-syria-live-updates?view=mobile#block-5421894be4b0d3b78ab6681e" type="external">The Guardian</a> talked to civilians in Raqqa.</p>
<p>"In the beginning, I was excited about the air strikes but now I fear these attacks and the motivations behind them," 25-year-old Yasir says.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.theguardian.com/world/middle-east-live/live/2014/sep/23/us-air-strikes-against-isis-in-syria-live-updates?view=mobile#block-5421894be4b0d3b78ab6681e" type="external">Read it in full here</a>. &#160;</p>
<p>UPDATE: 9/23/14 10:52 AM ET</p>
<p>UN Refugee Agency says thousands of Syrian Kurds are fleeing&#160;</p>
<p>AFP/Getty photographer Bulent Kilic has taken these striking photos of Syrian Kurds as they cross the border to Turkey. The UN Refugee Agency estimates that 138,000 Syrian Kurds have fled since last week, Reuters reports.</p>
<p>"We are preparing for the potential of the whole population fleeing into Turkey. Anything could happen," UNHCR chief spokeswoman Melissa Fleming was quoted as saying by Reuters.</p>
<p>These photos are a heart-wrenching glimpse into the plight of those who bear the brunt of brutal wars being waged on their homes.</p>
<p>A Syrian Kurdish child cries as Turkish police search their bags after they crossed the border between Syria and Turkey at the southeastern town of Suruc in Sanliurfa province on Sept. 23, 2014. BULENT KILIC/AFP/Getty Images Syrian Kurds carry their belongings as they cross the border between Syria and Turkey at the southeastern town of Suruc in Sanliurfa province on Sept. 23, 2014. BULENT KILIC/AFP/Getty Images Syrian Kurds sit in a truck after crossing the Syrian-Turkish border at the southeastern town of Suruc in Sanliurfa province on Sept. 23, 2014. BULENT KILIC/AFP/Getty Images Syrian Kurds sit in a truck after crossing the Syrian-Turkish border at the southeastern town of Suruc in Sanliurfa province on Sept. 23, 2014. BULENT KILIC/AFP/Getty Images</p>
<p>UPDATE: 9/23/14 10:46 AM ET</p>
<p>US 'eliminated' Al Qaeda plotters in Syria: Pentagon</p>
<p>Agence France-Presse — US air strikes have killed a group of Al-Qaeda veterans, members of the Khorasan group in Syria, who were suspected of plotting an imminent attack on Western targets, the Pentagon said Tuesday.</p>
<p>"We believe that the individuals that were plotting and planning ... it have been eliminated," spokesman Rear Admiral John Kirby told ABC television, referring to the alleged plan to hit US interests.</p>
<p>The strikes against the Khorasan group early Tuesday were separate from a wave of bombing raids led by the United States and backed by several Arab countries that targeted the Islamic State group in eastern Syria.</p>
<p>UPDATE: 9/23/14 10:35 AM ET</p>
<p>Raw footage of US airstrikes</p>
<p>UPDATE: 9/23/14 10:20 AM ET</p>
<p>'This is not America's fight alone,' Obama says</p>
<p>US President Barack Obama just spoke about the US-led campaign against Islamic State militants in Syria. Here are key excerpts from his remarks:</p>
<p>UPDATE: 9/23/14 10:04 AM ET</p>
<p>Iranian President Hassan Rouhani doesn't approve of US airstrikes in Syria</p>
<p>NBC News reports:</p>
<p>The Iranian president's critique of the US bombardment in Syria comes less than a week after he blasted the US-led coalition against ISIS as "ridiculous."</p>
<p><a href="http://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/isis-terror/iran-leader-criticizes-u-s-strikes-isis-syria-calls-them-n209536" type="external">Read the rest here</a>.</p>
<p />
<p>Meanwhile, UK Prime Minister David Cameron will be meeting Rouhani in New York on Wednesday, BBC News reports. It's a historic meeting for "it will be the first time a UK prime minister has met an Iranian president since Iran's revolution in 1979." More details on the <a href="http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-29319873" type="external">BBC's website</a>.</p>
<p>UPDATE: 9/23/14 9:47 AM ET</p>
<p>Obama to speak on airstrikes against Islamic State at 10 a.m. EST</p>
<p>Watch it live on NBC News:</p>
<p />
<p>UPDATE: 9/23/14 9:29 AM ET</p>
<p>Training camp for Syrian rebels in... Georgia?</p>
<p>Interesting piece in <a href="http://thecable.foreignpolicy.com/posts/2014/09/23/exclusive_georgia_offers_to_host_training_camp_for_syrian_rebels" type="external">Foreign Policy magazine</a> this morning:</p>
<p>"In a potential boost for the Obama administration, the former Soviet republic of Georgia has offered to host a training facility for the Syrian rebels as a part of the US-led war against Islamic State militants in both Syria and Iraq, according to an American administration official," <a href="http://thecable.foreignpolicy.com/posts/2014/09/23/exclusive_georgia_offers_to_host_training_camp_for_syrian_rebels" type="external">John Hudson writes</a>. "If accepted, the offer could supplement the White House's existing plan to train 5,000 Syrian rebels in Saudi Arabia in the next year to fight against the extremists now controlling swaths of both Iraq and Syria."&#160; <a href="http://thecable.foreignpolicy.com/posts/2014/09/23/exclusive_georgia_offers_to_host_training_camp_for_syrian_rebels" type="external">More here</a> <a href="http://thecable.foreignpolicy.com/posts/2014/09/23/exclusive_georgia_offers_to_host_training_camp_for_syrian_rebels" type="external">.&#160;</a></p>
<p>UPDATE: 9/23/14 9:20 AM ET</p>
<p>Here's where the airstrikes are taking place</p>
<p>The Washington Post's digital foreign editor just tweeted out this map:</p>
<p>UPDATE: 9/23/14 8:45 AM ET</p>
<p>Airstrikes kill at least 70 Islamic State fighters</p>
<p>The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, which documents violence and human rights abuses in Syria, said at least 70 Islamic State fighters were killed in US-led airstrikes, Reuters reports. From the story:&#160;</p>
<p>Rami Abdulrahman, who runs the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, said the death toll was likely to be much higher. "The information is the numbers are bigger than that," he told Reuters by telephone.</p>
<p>He was citing casualties in the provinces of Raqqa, Deir al-Zor and Hasakah in northern and eastern Syria. Abdulrahman said the total number of dead and wounded was at least 300.</p>
<p>UPDATE: 9/23/14 8:30 AM ET</p>
<p>And so it begins: US and Arab allies bomb Islamic State militants in Syria</p>
<p>GlobalPost's Lizzy Tomei reports:</p>
<p>The US military and partner forces have begun a bombing campaign against the Islamic State (IS) inside Syria, the Pentagon confirmed Monday night.</p>
<p>Using one of the acronyms for the terror group also known as ISIS, press secretary Rear Adm. John Kirby wrote on Twitter that the joint forces had started "striking ISIL targets in Syria using mix of fighters, bombers and Tomahawk missiles."</p>
<p>The Associated Press reported that the strikes launched by manned aircraft and US ships in the Persian Gulf and Red Sea "were conducted by the US, Bahrain, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Jordan and the United Arab Emirates."</p>
<p>The Syrian government was informed about the strikes in advance, the AP said.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/news/regions/middle-east/140923/the-united-states-and-allies-have-begun-bombing-islamic-sta" type="external">Read the piece here.&#160;</a></p>
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globalpost live blog us targets islamic state syria update 92614 400 pm et signing live blog closed follow globalposton twitter updates update 92614 321 pm et heres whos fight agence francepress 50 countries including dozen western ones taking part one way another coalition defeat islamic state organization iraq syria according us officials 30 nations agreed midseptember provide iraq necessary backing including military means united states helped five arab partner nations bahrain jordan qatar saudi arabia united arab emirates airstrikes syria united states france carried strikes neighboring iraq far though british lawmakers voted friday approve joining campaign united states core coalition united states began hitting positions iraq august 8 initially focusing areas northern western iraq strikes expanded targets near baghdad almost 200 strikes carried date september 23 us expanded scope operations syria backing gulf governments since hit oil installations controlled degrade groups key source revenue 1600 us soldiers nonetheless deployed iraq reinforce iraqi forces equipment training information us congress also approved plan train equip moderate syrian rebel units france french warplanes conducted two rounds air strikes iraq since country joined us air campaign september 18 france also delivered arms iraqi kurdish fighters provided humanitarian aid particular region around arbil britain lawmakers britains house commons voted overwhelmingly favor joining usled air strikes targets iraq london already provided heavy machine guns munitions kurdish fighters top previous military deliveries saudi arabia united arab emirates saudi arabia uae leading charge gulf monarchies two countries played major role recent strikes targets syria according pentagon 10 16 planes hit oil refineries controlled militant group saudi arabia uae two countries accounted 80 percent ordnance used prior saudi arabia hosted moderate syrian rebels training provided equipment bahrain host us fifth fleet bahrain confirmed taken part along gulf monarchies air strikes militants syria jordan neighbor iraq syria kingdom acknowledged participating actively initial strikes syrian soil king abdullah ii said country forefront efforts form collective strategy contain defeat groups qatar qatar remained discreet regarding level participation antiis strikes nonetheless allowed us use aludeid airbase airborne units centcom us command center middle east central asia friday emir qatar denied country financing extremist groups affirmed unwavering longterm commitment coalition kuwait hosts us military facilities albania czech republic denmark estonia poland countries delivered military equipment munitions forces fighting australia deployed 600 soldiers uae delivered military equipment iraqi kurds belgium providing six f16 combat jets coalition force following parliamentary approval stipulation intervene iraq canada sent 69 special forces soldiers well military equipment iraq also transported military equipment albania czech republic denmark danish prime minister said denmark would send seven f16 jets iraq germany delivered arms training kurdish fighters berlin also plans send around 40 soldiers iraq italy supplied light weapons turkey president recep tayyip erdogan signalled turkey would take active role international coalition following release turkish hostages held group update 92614 312 pm et 1200015000 syrian rebels needed retake eastern syria dempsey says reuters westernbacked opposition force around 12000 15000 would required retake areas eastern syria controlled islamic state top us military officer said friday five thousand never end state twelve 15000 believe would need recapture lost territory eastern syria general martin dempsey chairman joint chiefs staff update 92614 223 pm et scene sanliurfa province syriaturkey border turkish syrian kurds shout slogans destroying border fence kobani neighboring syria demonstration near mursitpinar border crossing sanliurfa province sept 26 2014 bulent kilicafpgetty images turkish syrian kurds tear border fence cross kobani neighboring syria demonstration near mursitpinar border crossing sanliurfa province sept 26 2014 bulent kilicafpgetty images kurdish peshmerga fighter chants slogan kurds destroying border fence neighboring syria demonstration support inhabitants kobani near mursitpinar border crossing suruc sanliurfa province sept 26 2014bulent kilicafpgetty images update 92614 1227 pm et pentagon briefing 115 pm est watch live nbc news update 92614 1227 pm et british parliament approves airstrikes islamic state iraq reuters 160 britains parliament friday voted approve airstrikes islamic state militants iraq 524 votes 43 paving way royal air force join usled military action immediate effect six cyprusbased tornado gr4 fighterbombers standby take part initial strikes prime minister david cameron recalled parliament recess back military action following official request iraqi government update 92614 1222 pm et red cross urges sides iraq syria spare civilians allow aid reuters international committee red cross icrc appealed friday parties widening conflicts syria iraq spare civilians let aid proliferation armed groups recent international air strikes iraq syria compounded humanitarian consequences conflicts countries aid agency said statement international humanitarian law every party conflicts must refrain harming civilians must protect medical personnel facilities must allow humanitarian workers bring help said dominik stillhart icrc director operations update 92614 1216 pm et russia helping us strike syria globalpost senior correspondent dan peleschuks dispatch moscow russia president barack obama seeks international support usled airstrikes syriaagainst islamist militants theres one place probably shouldnt bother looking despite russias loudly public condemnation international terrorism kremlin refused back military intervention standing firm position held since beginning crisis three years ago back russian officials warned potential blowback arming syrian rebel groups seems theyre basking foresight read update 92614 1130 et peshmerga saying bbc middle east correspondent quentin sommerville reports update 92614 1048 et wary airstrikes islamic state militants change tactics reuters islamic state militants changing tactics face us airstrikes northern iraq ditching conspicuous convoys favor motorcycles planting black flags civilian homes tribal sources eyewitnesses say reported fewer militant checkpoints weed apostates less cell phone use since air strikes intensified us allies pledged join campaign began august saying militants also split limit casualties tribal sheikh village south kirkuk said islamic state elements abandoned one biggest headquarters village heard air strike campaign likely target area took furniture vehicles weapons planted roadside bombs destroyed headquarters said tribal sheikh declined named dont move military convoys like before160instead use motorcycles bicycles necessary use camouflaged cars said160 militants also taken erecting notorious black flag rooftops several mostly empty residential houses buildings create confusion actual presence civilian casualties major concern us war planes venture deeper tigris river valley iraqs western desert name breaking islamic states grip mostly sunni parts iraq nearly onethird country160 update 92614 1037 et thousands europeans joined report via bbc news number europeans joining islamist fighters syria iraq risen 3000 eus antiterrorism chief told bbc gilles de kerchove also warned western air strikes would increase risk retaliatory attacks europe read full story also usled airstrikes drawing together terror groups fought islamic state join httptcopposlc6bmt circa circa september 26 2014 update 92614 1028 et uk go war iraq british mps debating follow live guardians live blog update 92614 1015 et airstrikes syria could helping assad globalpost news editor peter gelling weighs us president barack obama first announced intention launch airstrikes islamic state syria said would done without aiding syrian president bashar alassad good man many believe root problem four days bombing becoming clear fighting islamic state inherently helpful assad enemy enemy might also enemy choose fight one going benefit many syrians fear assads scary security forces fill void left defeated islamic state hard know worse obama might forced help iran well iranian president hassan rouhani said thursday would willing take much proactive role fighting extremism united states allies could reach deal iran nuclear program deal would require curbs irans nuclear development exchange sanctions relief rouhani also said rise extremism fault west might something update 92614 952 et iraqi president watch follow conversation twitter using cfrlive hashtag update 92614 927 et stops pumping oil eastern syria raids agence francepresse militants islamic state group stopped oil extraction fields deir ezzor province eastern syria usled strikes targeted refineries activists told afp friday oil extraction halted security situation said leith aldeiri activist deir ezzor usled coalition striking positions islamic state group syria since tuesday targeted oil fields hit several makeshift refineries used extremists field deir ezzor operating coneco gas field used produce electricity six provinces said deiri used pseudonym fear persecution militants update 92614 845 et protesters show support al qaedaaffiliated syrian group al qaedalinked resistance group al nusra front syria apparently gaining popularity amid usled airstrikes charles lister visiting fellow brookings doha center shared images update 92614 815 et denmark send seven f16s iraq reuters denmark send seven f16 fighter jets iraq part us coalition dislodge islamic state extremists prime minister helle thorningschmidt said friday told news conference received official request assistance united states thursday evening government therefore ready quickly send seven f16 fighter jets operation thorningschmidt said said expected danish parliament approve countrys participation next week planes would start operating right away planes serve iraqi airspace syria said meanwhile160british prime minister david cameron urged parliament friday vote approve years air strikes islamic state militants iraq saying group guilty staggering brutality posed direct threat britain cameron recalled parliament recess special session securing crossparty support strikes government expected comfortably win vote expected around 1600 gmt threat british people answer yes cameron told parliament saying thought action would need last years effective update 92514 558 pm et signing live blog closed update 92514 412 pm et iraqi leader claims theres subway plot us says info reuters united states evidence back iraqi claim islamic state forces plotting attack united states subway systems two senior us government security officials told reuters thursday iraq assessing veracity purported threats us french subway systems senior iraqi official said earlier prime minister haider alabadi said iraq received credible intelligence thursday morning plot islamic state militants serious threats uncovered iraqi intelligence forwarded appropriate security authorities partners iraqi official said statement full assessment veracity intelligence far plans gone implementation ongoing discuss nature threat media except reaffirm daesh islamic state continue endanger international peace security unless eradicated said heres bbc say update 92514 329 pm et fbi could idd hostage executioner wont say screengrab agence francepresse united states identified masked islamic state militant murdered two kidnapped american journalists separate videotaped beheadings fbi chief james comey said thursday militant organization triggered global outrage released videos man british accent killing first james foley steven sotloff freelance journalists kidnapped syria believe identified executioner comey told reporters briefing washington wont tell british ambassador washington sir peter westmacott previously said allies close identifying suspect comey confirm deny reports suspect killing british said fbi concerned another film islamic state group features someone north american accent flames war slickly produced propaganda video aimed intimidating western audiences recruiting englishspeaking fighters released earlier month features masked militant combat fatigues speaking english theres doubt theres someone speaking north americanaccented english video thats big focus right comey said update 92514 122 pm et us probes reports civilian casualties agence francepresse pentagon said thursday investigate reports civilians killed usled air strikes syria week insisted raids carried precision160 aware reporting may civilian casualties taking look spokesman rear admiral john kirby told reporters update 92514 112 pm et great piece emirates first female fighter pilot important perspective story washington post ishaan tharoor united arab emirates first female fighter pilot day maj mariam almansouri plaudits role airstrikes debate broke saudi arabia propriety woman clad head toe conservative garb filmed riding horse waving saudi flag writes tharoor uae paragon womens rights either female migrant workers country face harrowing conditions abuse emirati laws still dont provide legal recourse marital rape read full piece update 92514 1147 et us targeting oil refineries held militants guardians luke harding explains us said smallscale refineries provided fuel isiss military operations well money finance continued attacks throughout iraq syria washington says refineries currently produce 300500 barrels refined petroleum day generating much 2m daily isis read hardings analysis update 92514 1116 et kurdish forces push back islamic state northern syria reuters kurdish forces northern syria pushed back advance islamic state fighters towards border town kobani overnight clashes two kurdish officials said thursday160 officials said islamic state concentrated fighters south kobani late wednesday pushed towards town kurdish ypg forces repelled ypg responded pushed back 69 miles away idris nassan deputy minister foreign affairs kobani canton told reuters telephone update 92514 1032 et britain arrests 9 men suspected ties extremist groups update 92514 944 et questions strikes khorasan group syria tuesday washington said targeted khorasan group littleknown al qaedalinked cell syria since numerous news reports probing group rationale us strikes buzzfeeds mike giglio talked one official part syrian160jabhat alnusra rebel 160group160 heres said giglio suggested nusra us backs moderate rebel groups inside syria side fighting rebels fighting alliance alliance attack us reading look agence francepresse story syria one ever heard talk khorasan us media brought said rami abdel rahman director britainbased syrian observatory human rights rebels activists whole world knows positions hit tuesday alnusra positions fighters killed alnusra fighters added abdel rahman tracked syrian conflict since erupted 2011 also excellent explainer mother jones160 khorasan us bomb update 92514 915 et lebanon arrests hundreds suspected militants lebanon rounding suspected militants syrian border httptcobijobufc89 pictwittercomrhfrui44pw circa circa september 25 2014 update 92514 840 et tracing origins islamic states ideology new york times story david kirkpatrick delves islamic state leader abu bakr albaghdadis creed clear roots 18thcentury arabian peninsula saud clan formed alliance puritanical scholar muhammed ibn abd alwahhab kirkpatrick writes160and conquered warring tribes desert austere interpretation islam became foundation saudi state saudi arabia part usled coalition striking islamic state militants syria read full story update 92514 815 et france launches fresh iraq strikes country mourns hostage agence francepresse story france carried fresh round air strikes iraq thursday renewed determination fight islamic state militants beheading hostage herve gourdel president francois hollande pledged determination composure vigilance face threats cabinet meeting announced flags nationwide would flown halfmast three days friday mourn loss 55yearold mountaineer reuters meanwhile third night usled airstrikes pounded islamic statecontrolled oil refineries eastern syria united states partners moved choke crucial source revenue militant group us officials said wednesday us central command said total 13 strikes 12 modular oil refineries controlled islamic state fighters well another strike destroyed islamic state vehicle update 92414 554 pm et signing live blog closed update 92414 525 pm et brazil ecuador come airstrikes syria globalposts americas editor alex leff writes governments brazil ecuador taking bold stance week theyre rejecting united statesled airstrikes syria invasion unnecessary escalation violence latest pushback south american countries foreign adventures carried white house andor allies one thats slightly harder decode previous disputes syrias government appears welcomethe air war territory bombs dropped us arab powers targeting islamist militants syrian regime fighting doesnt make legal brazil ecuador argue read full story update 92414 328 pm et un backs strong laws foreign extremist fighters reuters un security council demanded wednesday states make serious criminal offense citizens travel abroad fight militant groups recruit fund others move sparked rise islamic state meeting chaired us president barack obama 15member council unanimously adopted usdrafted resolution compels countries prevent suppress recruitment travel militant fighters foreign conflicts un action prompted rise islamic state al qaedas syrian wing nusra front 12000 fighters 70 nations traveled syria iraq fight extremist groups experts say resolution chapter 7 un charter makes legally binding 193 un member states gives security council authority enforce decisions economic sanctions force generally targets fighters traveling conflicts anywhere world mandate military force tackle foreign fighter issue important context read piece hayes brown world editor thinkprogress update 92414 246pm et hollande denounces cowardly hostage murder agence francepresse french president francois hollande wednesday denounced cruel cowardly murder french hostage abducted algeria militants linked islamic state group hollande said would convene special security meeting elysee palace thursday discuss latest developments vowed france would stay course fighting islamists iraq aggression reinforces determination confront jihadist threat hollande said sidelines un general assembly update 92414 238 pm et obama speaking un security summit watch live nbc news update 92414 200 pm et wary usled bombings syrians egypt say assad real threat barakat alhalabis chicken egypts 6th october city many syrian refugees live laura deanglobalpost globalpost senior correspondent laura deans dispatch from1606th october city egypt syrians neighborhood known little damascus dream day go home theyre optimistic usled bombing campaign end civil war spiraled three years killed 200000 fear latest round airstrikes result civilian casualties opinions varied greatly stop violence refugees interviewed tuesday agreed one thing bashar alassad caused far damage syrians islamic state tired thinking blood says ahlam haj naasan 47yearold woman aleppo name means dreams arabic says wearily wants security 50yearold man identifies abu mohamed deraa southwestern syria asks interviewed away neighbors walking block looks shoulder make sure alone im regime says meaning supports assad also supports usled offensive believes end civil war within month two stresses doesnt want anyone kill civilians members armed extremist groups lists daesh islamic state known arabic al qaeda jabhat al nusra160 mohannad 23 agricultural student cairo university comes northern syrian city idlib argues distinction groups jabhat el nusra support syria unlike daesh extremism daesh people used says unlike extremist jabhat al nusra made mostly syrians whose stated goal includes fighting assad people angry attack jabhat al nusra mohannad says popular daesh mohannads hometown idlib hit airstrikes tuesday allegedly us hadnt yet touch family talks every month two phone read deans full piece here160 160 update 92414 1141 et aftermath usled airstrikes syria boys inspect vehicle damaged activists say one tuesdays us airstrikes kfredrianidlib province sept 24 2014 ammar abdullahreuters resident walks upon debris buildings damaged activists say one tuesdays us airstrikes kfredrian idlib province sept 24 2014 ammar abdullahreuters residents look buildings damaged activists say one tuesdays us airstrikes kfredrian idlib province sept 24 2014 ammar abdullahreuters update 92414 1123 et islinked group beheads frenchman abducted algeria agence francepresse militants linked islamic state group beheaded frenchman abducted algeria video posted online wednesday giving 24hour deadline paris herve gourdel 55yearold hiker southern french city nice kidnapped sunday jund alkhilifa demanded france stop airstrikes iraq update 92414 1016 et one world heritage site remains intact syria new report american association advancement science shows extent destruction using highresolution satellite imagery aaas discovered five syrias six world heritage sites sustained significant damage elahe izadi washington post writes160only ancient city damascus appears spared160 globalposts simran khosla produced interactive map160in march shows damage heritage archeological sites syria result countrys civil war view zein alrifaiafpgetty images update 92414 927 et human rights record us coalition bombing syria globalposts allison jackson reports united states joined forces five arab nations launch airstrikes islamic state syria iraq us president barack obama said monday united states proud stand shouldertoshoulder arab allies bombing campaign one questioning depravity islamic state slaughtered thousands people crusade control parts syria iraq americas arab teammates really arent much better160 read update 92414 905 et yazidi survivors speak plight bbc news reports tens thousands members iraqs yazidi minority fled islamic state early last month many stranded barren slopes mount sinjar became focus international attention say world forgotten plight globalposts tracey shelton talked yazidis fled is160 watch160 location video yazidis survived assault sinjar read160 man lost 63 relatives islamic state160and160 84yearold woman crawled knees safety escape islamic state update 92414 835 et second day airstrikes reuters usled forces carried least 13 air strikes syria close iraqi border wednesday second day targeting islamic state militants seized land sides frontier group tracks syrian war said rami abdulrahman runs syrian observatory human rights told reuters raids hit border town albu kamal surrounding areas160 albu kamal main euphrates river valley highway one important border crossings betweeniraq syria along frontier islamic state wants erase seizing territory sides declaring caliphate update 92314 400 pm et signing live blog closed update 92314 352 pm et grim reports civilian deaths raya jalabi guardian rounded reports civilian casulties airstrikes syria us arab allies jalabis post guardians live blog syrian observatory human rights britainbased watchdog consistently charted military activity throughout syrias war claimed least eight civilians killed three children facebook group town kfar dariyan idlib province posted several updates civilian casualties supported sohrs initial claims read full post guardian al aan tvs jenan moussa shared photo showing impact airstrikes idlib update 92314 345 pm et fall raqqa might mean threatened rule globalposts tracey shelton sends report sulaymaniyah iraq scenes feature islamic state propaganda videos bearded men dressed black drive though streets raqqa tanks combat vehicles seized syrian iraqi governments men young boys wave black flags cheer splicedin footage shows executions beheadings northern syrian city raqqa made headlines since islamic state also known isil isis seized control january capital place simultaneously shrouded ghoulish mystery successful example functioning albeit tyrannical islamic municipality could us bombing campaign started monday night beginning de facto capitals demise read full story update 92314 336 pm et justification usled airstrikes new york times takes close look question160 senior administration officials said tuesday iraq valid right selfdefense islamic state also known isis isil militant group attacking iraq havens syria syrian government proved unable unwilling suppress threat charlie savage writes iraq asked united states assistance defending making strikes legal officials said update 92314 304 pm et us military video footage airstrikes bbc reports activists say least 70 militants 50 al qaedalinked fighters killed strikes watch video update 92314 246 pm et british muslims offer pleas hostage globalposts corinne purtill reports london uk islamic states public executions western hostages drawn condemnation muslims around world since began last month recent threat british taxi driver alan henning syria purpose providing aid muslims drawn deeply personal heartfelt pleas muslims uk please please please please show mercy said majid freeman 26 leicester man part humanitarian aid convoy henning kidnapped appearance bbc please please dont kill please spare let come back home read story here160 update 92314 223 pm et turkey might provide military logistics support reuters turkey could give military logistical support usled air strikes islamic state insurgents syria president tayyip erdogan quoted saying tuesday give necessary support operation160the support could military logistics erdogan quoted turkish broadcaster ntv telling reporters new york update 92314 217 pm et assads apparently cool international antiterrorism effort associated press160 syrian president bashar assad said tuesday supports international effort terrorism apparently trying position government side usled coalition conducting airstrikes islamic state group meeting tuesday iraqi envoy assad voiced support international antiterrorism effort according state news agency sana specifically mention coalition airstrikes said syria decisively continuing war waged years extremist terrorism forms read entire article washington post update 92314 1251 pm et scares britain way none assad regimes atrocities globalposts senior correspondent london corinne purtill usled airstrikes continued tuesday islamic state targets syria prime minister david cameron preparing britains reentry combat middle east hes new york hes set address un general assembly tomorrow speech could confirm already suspect uk join attack albeit limited form cameron expected recall parliament early friday discuss british military involvement days spent building support among international partners politicians home latter task crucial happens next cameron keen repeat frustration embarrassment last year parliament refused request approve airstrikes syria president bashar alassad apparently used chemical weapons public support uk military action shot 15 percent last month since publicized beheading british aid worker david haines hands militant british accent parading two uk hostages videos read rest purtills report update 92314 1122 et young syrians saying usled airstrikes martin chulov guardian talked civilians raqqa beginning excited air strikes fear attacks motivations behind 25yearold yasir says read full 160 update 92314 1052 et un refugee agency says thousands syrian kurds fleeing160 afpgetty photographer bulent kilic taken striking photos syrian kurds cross border turkey un refugee agency estimates 138000 syrian kurds fled since last week reuters reports preparing potential whole population fleeing turkey anything could happen unhcr chief spokeswoman melissa fleming quoted saying reuters photos heartwrenching glimpse plight bear brunt brutal wars waged homes syrian kurdish child cries turkish police search bags crossed border syria turkey southeastern town suruc sanliurfa province sept 23 2014 bulent kilicafpgetty images syrian kurds carry belongings cross border syria turkey southeastern town suruc sanliurfa province sept 23 2014 bulent kilicafpgetty images syrian kurds sit truck crossing syrianturkish border southeastern town suruc sanliurfa province sept 23 2014 bulent kilicafpgetty images syrian kurds sit truck crossing syrianturkish border southeastern town suruc sanliurfa province sept 23 2014 bulent kilicafpgetty images update 92314 1046 et us eliminated al qaeda plotters syria pentagon agence francepresse us air strikes killed group alqaeda veterans members khorasan group syria suspected plotting imminent attack western targets pentagon said tuesday believe individuals plotting planning eliminated spokesman rear admiral john kirby told abc television referring alleged plan hit us interests strikes khorasan group early tuesday separate wave bombing raids led united states backed several arab countries targeted islamic state group eastern syria update 92314 1035 et raw footage us airstrikes update 92314 1020 et americas fight alone obama says us president barack obama spoke usled campaign islamic state militants syria key excerpts remarks update 92314 1004 et iranian president hassan rouhani doesnt approve us airstrikes syria nbc news reports iranian presidents critique us bombardment syria comes less week blasted usled coalition isis ridiculous read rest meanwhile uk prime minister david cameron meeting rouhani new york wednesday bbc news reports historic meeting first time uk prime minister met iranian president since irans revolution 1979 details bbcs website update 92314 947 et obama speak airstrikes islamic state 10 est watch live nbc news update 92314 929 et training camp syrian rebels georgia interesting piece foreign policy magazine morning potential boost obama administration former soviet republic georgia offered host training facility syrian rebels part usled war islamic state militants syria iraq according american administration official john hudson writes accepted offer could supplement white houses existing plan train 5000 syrian rebels saudi arabia next year fight extremists controlling swaths iraq syria160 160 update 92314 920 et heres airstrikes taking place washington posts digital foreign editor tweeted map update 92314 845 et airstrikes kill least 70 islamic state fighters syrian observatory human rights documents violence human rights abuses syria said least 70 islamic state fighters killed usled airstrikes reuters reports story160 rami abdulrahman runs syrian observatory human rights said death toll likely much higher information numbers bigger told reuters telephone citing casualties provinces raqqa deir alzor hasakah northern eastern syria abdulrahman said total number dead wounded least 300 update 92314 830 et begins us arab allies bomb islamic state militants syria globalposts lizzy tomei reports us military partner forces begun bombing campaign islamic state inside syria pentagon confirmed monday night using one acronyms terror group also known isis press secretary rear adm john kirby wrote twitter joint forces started striking isil targets syria using mix fighters bombers tomahawk missiles associated press reported strikes launched manned aircraft us ships persian gulf red sea conducted us bahrain qatar saudi arabia jordan united arab emirates syrian government informed strikes advance ap said read piece here160 160 color bordercolorbbbbbb borderstylesolid borderwidth1px backgroundcolorf8f8f8 floatcenter marginleft 5px marginright 15px marginbottom 30px lineheight14px displayblock padding 15px
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<p>In a recent conversation with Eddie Heath, one of the Virginia Baptist Mission Board’s field strategists, he expressed concern that five churches in his region had lost their pastors, some under difficult circumstances. “I have never seen it like this before,” he said. “There is so much unrest in churches these days it’s unbelievable.” When I asked if he had some idea about what was causing it, he said, ”Well, I can’t prove it, but I believe there is so much anxiety in our country created by politics — you know, Congress and the president — that some of that just naturally filters into our churches.”</p>
<p />
<p>Through the years I’ve known Heath to be a pretty savvy guy, so I began to think seriously about his theory. Goodness knows there has been enough to depress the entire nation. A brief list of our national frustrations would include the failures Congress and the White House to reach agreements about spending (and the resulting sequestration), immigration and gun-control legislation. Plus, we still have more questions than answers about health care reform. Add to these the tragic Newtown killings, the Boston bombings, the West, Texas, fertilizer plant explosion and the three Cleveland women who were held captive for more than a decade, all of which captured national attention.</p>
<p>Pile on the continuing investigations into how transparent the administration has been about the Benghazi terrorist attacks on the U.S. embassy in which Ambassador Christopher Stevens and three others were murdered on Sept. 11, 2012. Then there are the recent revelations that IRS agents targeted the Tea Party and other conservative groups to delay and possibly refuse 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status. Finally, consider accusations by the Associated Press that the Justice Department secretly seized records of outgoing calls from more than 20 phone lines. Although the government has not said why it sought the records, it is generally agreed that it has to do with locating leaks about a foiled terrorist plot.</p>
<p>Since the Obama administration had promised greater transparency and to restore hope and confidence in government, Americans have felt their hopes have been dashed rather than restored.</p>
<p>What do we do about the general national discontent? As is appropriate and possible, we take an active part in the political scene — without letting party loyalty blind us to what is best for the country as a whole. Then, excercise the power of the polls.</p>
<p>It seems likely to me that some of our national malaise has, in fact, crept into churches and has created a climate of discontent out of which is springing much conflict. As Eddie Heath says, it is hard to prove, but seems very likely.</p>
<p>Unfortunately, it seems unlikely that the political ship of state will right itself any time soon, so the answer to our dilemma does not appear to rest in Washington. Rather, if help arrives it will come in the form of self-assessment and by God’s grace through the assistance offered by district associations, the BGAV or agencies like the Center for Congregational Health.</p>
<p>Another unfortunate reality is that associations sometimes create their own climates of distrust.</p>
<p>What can be done to help churches during this era? At the risk of sounding self-serving, in each issue of the Religious Herald appears an article called “Vital Signs,” written by Bill Wilson, president of the Center for Congregational Health. When we visit our doctor, usually the first thing the nurse does is take our vital signs. They check our temperature, pulse, blood pressure and respiration. If we are sick, one of these vital signs is usually a good indicator.</p>
<p>Likewise in churches, we can watch for vital signs which serve as indicators that not all is as it should be. What are these congregational vital signs? One of the most obvious is attendance. While it may cut back on conflict if everyone simply stayed home, it would certainly not be a sign of a healthy church.</p>
<p>A second congregational vital sign to watch for is spiritual vitality. What new missions has the congregation begun? Has it been instrumental in starting new churches? How does concern for the unsaved and the needy manifest itself in what the church is doing? Basic spiritual disciplines like Bible reading, prayer time and meditation figure prominently in creating health.</p>
<p>Third, are people giving regularly, sacrificially and cheerfully? In our times, church members have carefully kept their giving records secret as though it is not the pastor’s business. While this practice has become so entrenched that it may not change any time soon, the truth is that withholding this vital bit of information is akin to going to the doctor but refusing to allow the nurse to take our temperature.</p>
<p>During the mid-20th century, one Virginia Baptist church posted in the foyer a membership list complete with the amount each person contributed the previous year. The church leaders clearly understood that giving indicates spiritual health.</p>
<p>Unstructured fellowship is a fourth vital sign. Members’ behavior after the benediction indicates the fellowship health of the church. When people make a beeline to their cars, they are not necessarily connected to each other. On the other hand, if they linger to chat, they are catching up on church family news. Fellowship can also be planned, of course. Does your church know how to have fun together? Does it celebrate good things together? A church I visited recently displayed in the preschool hallway nests with blue eggs or pink eggs along with the names of the parents-to-be as a means of celebrating the impending birth of a child.</p>
<p>Attitude is a fifth vital sign. Some people gravitate to the negative side of life while others tend to be more positive. We sometimes identify these folks as “glass-half-empty” or “glass-half-full” people. When people who are generally positive become critical of teaching, preaching and all else, there is likely discontent within the church.</p>
<p>But these vital signs are mere indicators and not the source of congregational health.</p>
<p>Twenty-first century Virginia Baptist churches can work to become healthy faith communities. We can take advantage of good information regularly offered by Bill Wilson and others in the Religious Herald.</p>
<p>If our churches seem at risk, we can talk with our pastors, deacons, or church councils to surface the possibility that the national discontent is affecting our local church.</p>
<p>Finally, we can take heart that we do not work alone to achieve congregational health. Paul’s observation in Philippians 1:6 — “He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus” — applies to Virginia Baptist churches today.</p>
<p>It isn’t right to blame Washington for everything, but what happens in Washington certainly doesn’t stay in Washington. &#160; Jim White ( <a href="mailto:[email protected]" type="external">[email protected]</a>) is executive editor of the Religious Herald.</p>
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recent conversation eddie heath one virginia baptist mission boards field strategists expressed concern five churches region lost pastors difficult circumstances never seen like said much unrest churches days unbelievable asked idea causing said well cant prove believe much anxiety country created politics know congress president naturally filters churches years ive known heath pretty savvy guy began think seriously theory goodness knows enough depress entire nation brief list national frustrations would include failures congress white house reach agreements spending resulting sequestration immigration guncontrol legislation plus still questions answers health care reform add tragic newtown killings boston bombings west texas fertilizer plant explosion three cleveland women held captive decade captured national attention pile continuing investigations transparent administration benghazi terrorist attacks us embassy ambassador christopher stevens three others murdered sept 11 2012 recent revelations irs agents targeted tea party conservative groups delay possibly refuse 501c3 taxexempt status finally consider accusations associated press justice department secretly seized records outgoing calls 20 phone lines although government said sought records generally agreed locating leaks foiled terrorist plot since obama administration promised greater transparency restore hope confidence government americans felt hopes dashed rather restored general national discontent appropriate possible take active part political scene without letting party loyalty blind us best country whole excercise power polls seems likely national malaise fact crept churches created climate discontent springing much conflict eddie heath says hard prove seems likely unfortunately seems unlikely political ship state right time soon answer dilemma appear rest washington rather help arrives come form selfassessment gods grace assistance offered district associations bgav agencies like center congregational health another unfortunate reality associations sometimes create climates distrust done help churches era risk sounding selfserving issue religious herald appears article called vital signs written bill wilson president center congregational health visit doctor usually first thing nurse take vital signs check temperature pulse blood pressure respiration sick one vital signs usually good indicator likewise churches watch vital signs serve indicators congregational vital signs one obvious attendance may cut back conflict everyone simply stayed home would certainly sign healthy church second congregational vital sign watch spiritual vitality new missions congregation begun instrumental starting new churches concern unsaved needy manifest church basic spiritual disciplines like bible reading prayer time meditation figure prominently creating health third people giving regularly sacrificially cheerfully times church members carefully kept giving records secret though pastors business practice become entrenched may change time soon truth withholding vital bit information akin going doctor refusing allow nurse take temperature mid20th century one virginia baptist church posted foyer membership list complete amount person contributed previous year church leaders clearly understood giving indicates spiritual health unstructured fellowship fourth vital sign members behavior benediction indicates fellowship health church people make beeline cars necessarily connected hand linger chat catching church family news fellowship also planned course church know fun together celebrate good things together church visited recently displayed preschool hallway nests blue eggs pink eggs along names parentstobe means celebrating impending birth child attitude fifth vital sign people gravitate negative side life others tend positive sometimes identify folks glasshalfempty glasshalffull people people generally positive become critical teaching preaching else likely discontent within church vital signs mere indicators source congregational health twentyfirst century virginia baptist churches work become healthy faith communities take advantage good information regularly offered bill wilson others religious herald churches seem risk talk pastors deacons church councils surface possibility national discontent affecting local church finally take heart work alone achieve congregational health pauls observation philippians 16 began good work carry completion day christ jesus applies virginia baptist churches today isnt right blame washington everything happens washington certainly doesnt stay washington 160 jim white jwhitereligiousheraldorg executive editor religious herald
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<p>One of the disturbing stories out of the American slavery saga is the question of a person’s name. The idea of being labeled and identified with a personal name is a rudimentary part of the human experience. It is the first gift bestowed upon a newborn. It is basic to who we are. It is something we all take for granted.</p>
<p>When the African people arrived against their will, brought in chains in the holds of sailing vessels, one of the first things that happened was to be given a new English name. They had lost everything. Kidnapped, they were stripped of their family connections, culture, industries and social order. They arrived to hear strange people speaking in strange languages, whether English, Dutch, French, Spanish, and they did not know what their captors were saying about them. In many ways, the plight of the African slaves was similar to modern-day hostage situations where the hostages have been stripped of identity, placed in unfamiliar settings and surrounded by people who speak another language.&#160;</p>
<p />
<p>At some point in the passage — when washed for the slave market, when placed on the sale platform, when taken by a new master — they were given names. Their old identity was lost. Their new identity was whatever they made of themselves and their name would be what had been given them.&#160;</p>
<p>Hidden in the antebellum Virginia Baptist church records are the names of slaves and freedmen who were members of the churches prior to emancipation. Piney Branch, an extinct church of Spotsylvania County, had a long list of slaves with names such as Sookey, Polley, Jamima, Prince, Friday and Nicey, as well as popular names of the times — Isaac, Abraham, Rachel and Reuben. Piney Branch only listed five free persons of color. In the church records from the 1700s, the names of the masters often were not the names of church members. The master may have been a member of the Anglican Church but sent his slaves to the Baptists for their spiritual education.</p>
<p>Ira Berlin, in his landmark study of slavery entitled Many Thousands Gone, observed that many of the names given to the slaves were selected out of contempt. “As if to emphasize their inferiority, some were tagged with names such as Bossey, Jumper and Postilion — more akin to barnyard animals than men and women. Others were designated with the name of some ancient deity or great personage like Hercules or Cato as a kind of cosmic jest: the more insignificant the person in the eyes of the planters, the greater the name. Whatever they were called, they rarely bore surnames, which represented marks of lineage that their owners sought to obliterate and of adulthood that they would not permit.”&#160;</p>
<p>Virginia Baptists welcomed the Africans into their churches. They received an understanding of the Christian concept of salvation, joined the church and entered into the Kingdom of God. They were accorded basic human dignity of having their name recorded in the church records. Most of the clerks even segregated their roles: black females, black males, white females, white males. But at least, their names were in the books.</p>
<p>It has been a goal of many years to eventually lift all those names and place them into a data base. It has been accomplished.&#160;</p>
<p>Over a three-year period, Mike Whitt, special projects assistant at the Virginia Baptist Historical Society, laboriously read the old church records, deciphered the handwriting of 18th and 19th-century church clerks, and gathered the names. We made an appeal to churches whose records are not in the Historical Society to send the names of the early members of African descent as well as white surnames.&#160; We now have a name registry which contains to date about 51,000 names.&#160;</p>
<p>We have listed the given names, the master’s name, any dates associated with baptism, removal, death, etc. We have listed white surnames. Already we have had African-Americans who were searching for their family roots to find some of their ancestors. Two visitors who used the registry came with the idea that their ancestors were slaves and discovered that they were freedmen.&#160;</p>
<p>For most African-Americans the frustration in genealogical research has been that they got back to the 1870 census and hit a brick wall. Of course, the 1870 census was the first post-War census and by then all of the recently-freed people had been required to take a surname of their choice. Now, the name registry at the Virginia Baptist Historical Society as well as those at other historical organizations has aided African-Americans by crumbling that brick wall at least a bit. It remains challenging because these are lists of given names. But if the researcher knows the county or the white family with which there had been a relationship, they may be able to make a connection. The registry may offer a jumping off place for research in other collections.</p>
<p>Many of the visitors — white and black — who have come to see the Historical Society’s “free indeed!” exhibit on the trials and triumphs of Virginia’s enslaved have asked questions about names. How did the emancipated people receive their surname? They chose them and the history of their family names is much like the history of Anglo names. Some were chosen because of a place. They were from Richmond so they would be known as Richmond. Some were chosen because of occupation. They had been known for their baking so they would be called Baker. They always had been in farming so they would be Farmer. Many chose to be known as Freeman because they now were free men. Some chose names of famous or highly-respected people such as Washington, Jefferson or Lincoln, the great emancipator himself. Some chose to be known by their former master’s surname. Many dropped their hated given name and instead of “Caesar or Pompey or Friday or Sookey” they took an English name and were William or Joseph or Elizabeth.</p>
<p>There are many lessons to be learned from the time before emancipation. Plan to visit the Virginia Baptist Historical Society’s exhibit “free indeed!” or order a copy of the book by the same name. Copies are $15.75 and can be secured by writing VBHS, P.O. Box 34, University of Richmond, VA 23173. Schedule a research appointment to search the name registry by contacting Darlene Herod at 804.289.8435.</p>
<p>Fred Anderson ( <a href="mailto:[email protected]" type="external">[email protected]</a>) is executive director of the Virginia Baptist Historical Society and the Center for Baptist Heritage &amp; Studies.</p>
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one disturbing stories american slavery saga question persons name idea labeled identified personal name rudimentary part human experience first gift bestowed upon newborn basic something take granted african people arrived brought chains holds sailing vessels one first things happened given new english name lost everything kidnapped stripped family connections culture industries social order arrived hear strange people speaking strange languages whether english dutch french spanish know captors saying many ways plight african slaves similar modernday hostage situations hostages stripped identity placed unfamiliar settings surrounded people speak another language160 point passage washed slave market placed sale platform taken new master given names old identity lost new identity whatever made name would given them160 hidden antebellum virginia baptist church records names slaves freedmen members churches prior emancipation piney branch extinct church spotsylvania county long list slaves names sookey polley jamima prince friday nicey well popular names times isaac abraham rachel reuben piney branch listed five free persons color church records 1700s names masters often names church members master may member anglican church sent slaves baptists spiritual education ira berlin landmark study slavery entitled many thousands gone observed many names given slaves selected contempt emphasize inferiority tagged names bossey jumper postilion akin barnyard animals men women others designated name ancient deity great personage like hercules cato kind cosmic jest insignificant person eyes planters greater name whatever called rarely bore surnames represented marks lineage owners sought obliterate adulthood would permit160 virginia baptists welcomed africans churches received understanding christian concept salvation joined church entered kingdom god accorded basic human dignity name recorded church records clerks even segregated roles black females black males white females white males least names books goal many years eventually lift names place data base accomplished160 threeyear period mike whitt special projects assistant virginia baptist historical society laboriously read old church records deciphered handwriting 18th 19thcentury church clerks gathered names made appeal churches whose records historical society send names early members african descent well white surnames160 name registry contains date 51000 names160 listed given names masters name dates associated baptism removal death etc listed white surnames already africanamericans searching family roots find ancestors two visitors used registry came idea ancestors slaves discovered freedmen160 africanamericans frustration genealogical research got back 1870 census hit brick wall course 1870 census first postwar census recentlyfreed people required take surname choice name registry virginia baptist historical society well historical organizations aided africanamericans crumbling brick wall least bit remains challenging lists given names researcher knows county white family relationship may able make connection registry may offer jumping place research collections many visitors white black come see historical societys free indeed exhibit trials triumphs virginias enslaved asked questions names emancipated people receive surname chose history family names much like history anglo names chosen place richmond would known richmond chosen occupation known baking would called baker always farming would farmer many chose known freeman free men chose names famous highlyrespected people washington jefferson lincoln great emancipator chose known former masters surname many dropped hated given name instead caesar pompey friday sookey took english name william joseph elizabeth many lessons learned time emancipation plan visit virginia baptist historical societys exhibit free indeed order copy book name copies 1575 secured writing vbhs po box 34 university richmond va 23173 schedule research appointment search name registry contacting darlene herod 8042898435 fred anderson fredandersonvbmborg executive director virginia baptist historical society center baptist heritage amp studies
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<p>From Hong Kong to New York to London, liquor fans are hot for mezcal. It’s a Mexican agave spirit similar to tequila, yet stronger and often smokier. At&#160;trendy spots like the Devil’s Acre bar in San Francisco, patrons pay up to&#160;$29 a shot for the rarest varieties.</p>
<p>As a result, mezcal production is booming, shooting&#160;up 50 percent between just 2011 and 2014, while the number of liters bottled for export rose even more.</p>
<p>The world’s sudden thirst for mezcal is reshaping the Mexican villages where it’s made. It’s also opening the door to some unexpected Mexican entrepreneurs — women. Wives, mothers, sisters&#160;and daughters have historically played a key role in mezcal, but they’ve rarely taken the reins or received the credit. Until now.</p>
<p>And these three women entrepreneurs are among those leading the charge.</p>
<p />
<p>“Women and men have always been part of making mezcal,” says Graciela Angeles, who runs Mezcal Real Minero in Oaxaca, Mexico.&#160;</p>
<p>Grace Rubenstein</p>
<p>Graciela Angeles is the general manager of Mezcal Real Minero. She is poised and calm, the fourth generation of mezcal makers in her family. Yet in her tiny town of Santa Catarina Minas, in the southern state of Oaxaca, she is a kind of revolutionary — a woman with a master’s degree who has grown Real Minero from a small family project into a high-end brand.</p>
<p>Angeles explains that she’s hardly the first woman to make an impact on the family business. “Women and men have always been part of making mezcal,” she says.</p>
<p>Across Oaxaca, women of the household have long helped tend the ovens and stills, fill the bottles, feed the workers, and manage the finances. In Angeles’ village, during Mexico’s prohibition on alcohol, women like her great-grandmother carried clandestine jugs of mezcal dozens of kilometers to sell in neighboring towns. The townspeople still mythologize these women as strong, tall, and bold, though in reality her great-grandmother was petite and quiet.</p>
<p>“At the end of the day, it was this tiny little woman who made my great-grandfather’s business possible,” Angeles says. But it was always the men of the household who got the credit for the product.</p>
<p>Now, with&#160;mezcal&#160;more marketable, more women are moving into the spotlight.&#160;Angeles is one of the most respected among them. She paid her university tuition by selling agave plants and&#160;has grown her business while taking care of two kids on her own.</p>
<p />
<p>Reyna Sanchez learned the&#160;mezcal craft from her father and&#160;does the hard labor of cutting agave and making the spirit herself.</p>
<p>Grace Rubenstein</p>
<p>Forty minutes south, in the remote town of Miahuatlán, Reyna Sanchez is a different kind of mezcalera. She is rough and rowdy. An only child who learned the craft from her father, she does the hard labor of cutting agave and making mezcal herself, yet always keeps her fingernails painted.</p>
<p>Sanchez runs a one-woman shop, crushing the tough agave fibers by hand, beating them with a wooden mallet until her shoulders burn. On a visit to her house, she entertains guests with a favorite saying about mezcal: “Blessed liquor, sacred elixir, what are you doing outside me? Get in!”</p>
<p>Unlike Angeles, Sanchez has very little education. And unlike Real Minero, she has no brand name, no labels, not even bottles. She keeps her product inside her house in plastic barrels and a big metal cistern (the kind Mexicans keep on their roofs to store water). To buy her mezcal, you bring your own bottle to fill from the spigots.</p>
<p>Yet Sanchez is known regionally for making some of the best mezcal around. She supports her mother and herself with it. And when I ask her what’s it like to be a woman in mezcal, the question seems irrelevant. Her work might sound romantic, but it’s a matter of survival.</p>
<p>“I make mezcal out of necessity,” she says. “If you’re not going to migrate to the United States to work, then when you find work around here, you can’t afford to lose it.”</p>
<p />
<p>Bérenice Muñiz co-runs a mezcal business from&#160;Mexico City. When negotiating with mezcal makers in&#160;rural areas, she's noticed that "men prefer to negotiate with men, not women."&#160;</p>
<p>Grace Rubenstein</p>
<p>The calculation is different for Bérenice Muñiz, co-founder of the popular brands Ocho Víboras and Diestro y Siniestro. She holds a master’s degree in finance and lives in Mexico City, where she doesn’t feel like such an oddity as a female executive.&#160;Muñiz and her (male)&#160;co-founders don’t make mezcal themselves, but contract with Oaxacan&#160;producers. She says she always felt well-received promoting mezcal in Mexico’s capital city. Only when her team goes to more far-flung areas to meet mezcal producers does her gender change the landscape.</p>
<p>“Oftentimes, in the states and towns, men prefer to negotiate with men, not women,” says Muñiz. So her coworkers do the bargaining. “Despite that, the women of the family also have an influence on family decisions, and that’s where I come in. I chat and negotiate with them.”</p>
<p>Despite these three women’s success, there is still a long way to go to raise women’s profile&#160;in the mezcal business. Angeles’s own father had trouble accepting that his daughter, and not one of his sons, would run the family business. And among the hundreds of people attending a recent national meeting of mezcal producers, only five were women — Angeles and Muñiz among them.</p>
<p>Too often, women in mezcal are still seen as an exotic phenomenon, intriguing only because they’re different, says Angeles. “They’re not really recognizing your abilities, they’re just seeing you as something rare, like an exception to the rule. It’s an exception because what’s logical is for mezcal makers to be men.”</p>
<p>In all her years in the business, Angeles doesn’t recall a single male executive congratulating her on her success. “But I’m not waiting for that, either, because I know that for cultural reasons it’s practically impossible,” she says.</p>
<p>What matters to her is supporting her family, teaching her children equality through her example, and bringing along a new generation of women — convincing them and others of what they can achieve. She says, “Everything else is unimportant to me.”</p>
<p />
<p>Reyna Sanchez in a field of&#160;agave. She crushes&#160;the plant's tough fibers by hand to create her mezcal. &#160;</p>
<p>Grace Rubenstein</p>
<p>There’s one more influential role of women in mezcal that Muñiz says shouldn’t be overlooked: as consumers. In her work, she’s found women often bring a keen palette to mezcal’s rich and varied flavors. “Women are really good mezcal drinkers, I’ve seen it!” she says. “They appreciate the flavors.”</p>
<p>I can vouch for that.</p>
<p>Back at Real Minero, Angeles opened a bottle of her mezcal for a set of guests. We were a group of all women, Mexican and American, including Angeles’ sister, the mezcal blogger Susan Coss, and even my mom. And we knew our mezcal.</p>
<p>This particular variety was made with cuishe, one of the fieriest tasting agaves. As she popped out the cork and poured us little cups, Angeles said, “With this mezcal, your mom is going to sleep like an angel.” We drank to that.</p>
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hong kong new york london liquor fans hot mezcal mexican agave spirit similar tequila yet stronger often smokier at160trendy spots like devils acre bar san francisco patrons pay to16029 shot rarest varieties result mezcal production booming shooting160up 50 percent 2011 2014 number liters bottled export rose even worlds sudden thirst mezcal reshaping mexican villages made also opening door unexpected mexican entrepreneurs women wives mothers sisters160and daughters historically played key role mezcal theyve rarely taken reins received credit three women entrepreneurs among leading charge women men always part making mezcal says graciela angeles runs mezcal real minero oaxaca mexico160 grace rubenstein graciela angeles general manager mezcal real minero poised calm fourth generation mezcal makers family yet tiny town santa catarina minas southern state oaxaca kind revolutionary woman masters degree grown real minero small family project highend brand angeles explains shes hardly first woman make impact family business women men always part making mezcal says across oaxaca women household long helped tend ovens stills fill bottles feed workers manage finances angeles village mexicos prohibition alcohol women like greatgrandmother carried clandestine jugs mezcal dozens kilometers sell neighboring towns townspeople still mythologize women strong tall bold though reality greatgrandmother petite quiet end day tiny little woman made greatgrandfathers business possible angeles says always men household got credit product with160mezcal160more marketable women moving spotlight160angeles one respected among paid university tuition selling agave plants and160has grown business taking care two kids reyna sanchez learned the160mezcal craft father and160does hard labor cutting agave making spirit grace rubenstein forty minutes south remote town miahuatlán reyna sanchez different kind mezcalera rough rowdy child learned craft father hard labor cutting agave making mezcal yet always keeps fingernails painted sanchez runs onewoman shop crushing tough agave fibers hand beating wooden mallet shoulders burn visit house entertains guests favorite saying mezcal blessed liquor sacred elixir outside get unlike angeles sanchez little education unlike real minero brand name labels even bottles keeps product inside house plastic barrels big metal cistern kind mexicans keep roofs store water buy mezcal bring bottle fill spigots yet sanchez known regionally making best mezcal around supports mother ask whats like woman mezcal question seems irrelevant work might sound romantic matter survival make mezcal necessity says youre going migrate united states work find work around cant afford lose bérenice muñiz coruns mezcal business from160mexico city negotiating mezcal makers in160rural areas shes noticed men prefer negotiate men women160 grace rubenstein calculation different bérenice muñiz cofounder popular brands ocho víboras diestro siniestro holds masters degree finance lives mexico city doesnt feel like oddity female executive160muñiz male160cofounders dont make mezcal contract oaxacan160producers says always felt wellreceived promoting mezcal mexicos capital city team goes farflung areas meet mezcal producers gender change landscape oftentimes states towns men prefer negotiate men women says muñiz coworkers bargaining despite women family also influence family decisions thats come chat negotiate despite three womens success still long way go raise womens profile160in mezcal business angeless father trouble accepting daughter one sons would run family business among hundreds people attending recent national meeting mezcal producers five women angeles muñiz among often women mezcal still seen exotic phenomenon intriguing theyre different says angeles theyre really recognizing abilities theyre seeing something rare like exception rule exception whats logical mezcal makers men years business angeles doesnt recall single male executive congratulating success im waiting either know cultural reasons practically impossible says matters supporting family teaching children equality example bringing along new generation women convincing others achieve says everything else unimportant reyna sanchez field of160agave crushes160the plants tough fibers hand create mezcal 160 grace rubenstein theres one influential role women mezcal muñiz says shouldnt overlooked consumers work shes found women often bring keen palette mezcals rich varied flavors women really good mezcal drinkers ive seen says appreciate flavors vouch back real minero angeles opened bottle mezcal set guests group women mexican american including angeles sister mezcal blogger susan coss even mom knew mezcal particular variety made cuishe one fieriest tasting agaves popped cork poured us little cups angeles said mezcal mom going sleep like angel drank
| 672 |
<p>APRIL 5, 2010</p>
<p>Now that Attorney General Jerry Brown has officially announced his candidacy for <a href="http://www.ballotpedia.org/wiki/index.php/California_Governor" type="external">governor</a>, we’re getting to re-live some California political history as pundits and reporters think back to Brown’s first stint as governor along with some of the entertaining facets of his long and bizarre political career.</p>
<p>The basic Democratic and media line: Brown may be a bit of an odd duck, but he’s a lovable guy who in no way threatens the state’s business climate and who is smart enough not to raise taxes. In other words, don’t worry; he’ll be a fine governor.</p>
<p>Given the boring and craven candidates on the Republican side, Brown’s intellect and lively diatribes will no doubt liven up a drab election, but I’m worried that Californians will shrug off Brown’s crazy statements as inconsequential blasts from the past, overlook his past actions as governor and pay insufficient attention to his ongoing behavior as attorney general.</p>
<p>No doubt, the reminiscences make for great fodder.</p>
<p>The New York Times recently recounted how Chicago columnist Mike Royko bestowed upon Brown the “Governor Moonbeam” nickname to reflect his nontraditional leadership of a state Royko termed “the world’s largest outdoor mental asylum.”</p>
<p>California Watch recounted last week the infamous Dead Kennedys song from 1980, “California Uber Alles,” a silly punk rock ditty that depicted Brown as someone who supposedly wanted to use fascist techniques to implement his liberal agenda (“You will jog for the master race/And always wear the happy face/Your kids will meditate in school/Mellow out or you will pay!/Die on organic poison gas!”) For those who care, lead singer Jello Biafra now thinks he might have been wrong about Brown after all.</p>
<p>Who can argue with moonbeams, mental asylums and Dead Kennedys songs? This is fun stuff.</p>
<p>I heard Brown speak to a heavily Republican crowd in Orange County a couple years ago, and the audience was eating up his stories and unique perspectives. But as part of my effort to understand the real Jerry Brown, I went back and read the online archives of some of the “We the People” radio shows he hosted in 1996 and 1997, as well as some of the speeches he gave in the mid-1990s. He makes some reasonable and provocative points at times (especially on the futility of the drug war and on the state’s prison-industrial complex), but the transcripts are filled with diatribes against free markets and hosannas to unions and government intervention.</p>
<p>Here is Brown on welfare reform:</p>
<p>“The Republican members of the House and Senate indulged in a perverse excitement in sadistically cutting the very life support systems out of millions and millions of defenseless people.”</p>
<p>And here he is on inequality:</p>
<p>“The gap between rich and poor also keeps increasing because of computers, because of the declining power of unions and union membership, because of technology that replaces people in unskilled and semiskilled jobs, because of workers in foreign countries merged into the employment base of American companies, and because of the use of part-time workers putting people at a disadvantage and lowering their benefits. The focus ought to be on making low-income work pay more. And where there aren’t those jobs, let the government step in like they did in WPA (Works Progress Administration), community service … and all the rest of it.”</p>
<p>There are many tired clichés about the evils of “industrial capitalism,” about the need for a “living wage,” about the ravages of the marketplace. Brown argued to me in 2006 during his attorney general race against Republican Chuck Poochigian that he was simply stirring the pot as a radio host. Indeed, Brown’s defenders insist that, at his core, he is a fairly mainstream guy.</p>
<p>In a recent Sacramento Bee column, Peter Schrag points to Brown’s “uncanny ability to reinvent himself.” Schrag reminds readers that Brown campaigned against tax-limiting Prop. 13, then “after it passed called himself a born-again tax cutter, embraced it, got the endorsement of Proposition 13 author Howard Jarvis and won re-election by a landslide.” Schrag argues that Brown is running this time around as a sort of moderate Republican —- someone who won’t raise taxes, will help lure new jobs to the state and who will even “downsize government.”</p>
<p>Brown no doubt will run this way, but will he govern this way if elected?</p>
<p>My sense is that despite all the reinventions and occasional good stuff —- his embrace of school choice in Oakland, for instance —- Brown remains the same anti-free-marketer reflected in his governorship and his 1990s radio shows.</p>
<p>This is not some irrelevant, academic point. It goes to the heart of his governing strategy.</p>
<p>Indeed, Brown campaign spokesman Sterling Clifford told me that Brown “has always stood for the same things.” He still agrees with the sentiments expressed in those quotations above, Clifford added, although he probably wouldn’t use the exact same language today.</p>
<p>Take a look at how he has behaved as state attorney general, where he has used the anti-global-warming law, AB32, to wage a state-led campaign to force developers to build the high-density developments environmentalists prefer, so that more land is set aside as open space. Brown has argued that wealthy and elitist Marin County, with is draconian growth controls, is the development model for the state, and he’s doing what he can to promote the types of environmental policies that will make it increasingly tough to start a business and own a home in this state.</p>
<p>I’m not sure how this amounts to governing like a moderate Republican.</p>
<p>When he was governor, Brown governed as a slow-growther, whose anti-infrastructure campaign paved the way (or, actually, didn’t pave the way) for the state’s gridlock level of traffic congestion. And it was Brown, don’t forget, who legalized public employee unions and played a key role in creating the massive level of debt the state is bearing to pay for gold-plated retirements for public employees. It’s no surprise that the state’s powerful public-sector union, the Service Employees International Union, has vowed that electing him governor will be its “first priority.”</p>
<p>Let’s not get too caught up in this reinvention thing. Brown is now what he always has been —- an opportunistic leftist who will moderate his views to get elected, but who believes that government has the answers to the state’s problems, that unions aren’t powerful enough and that the private sector is a hotbed of fraud and abuse and must be carefully controlled.</p>
<p>Brown is brilliant and entertaining, but it’s fair to ask, especially in these tough economic times and with the state’s crushing business climate, whether these are the policies that the state’s voters should be entertaining.</p>
<p>–Steven Greenhut</p>
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april 5 2010 attorney general jerry brown officially announced candidacy governor getting relive california political history pundits reporters think back browns first stint governor along entertaining facets long bizarre political career basic democratic media line brown may bit odd duck hes lovable guy way threatens states business climate smart enough raise taxes words dont worry hell fine governor given boring craven candidates republican side browns intellect lively diatribes doubt liven drab election im worried californians shrug browns crazy statements inconsequential blasts past overlook past actions governor pay insufficient attention ongoing behavior attorney general doubt reminiscences make great fodder new york times recently recounted chicago columnist mike royko bestowed upon brown governor moonbeam nickname reflect nontraditional leadership state royko termed worlds largest outdoor mental asylum california watch recounted last week infamous dead kennedys song 1980 california uber alles silly punk rock ditty depicted brown someone supposedly wanted use fascist techniques implement liberal agenda jog master raceand always wear happy faceyour kids meditate schoolmellow paydie organic poison gas care lead singer jello biafra thinks might wrong brown argue moonbeams mental asylums dead kennedys songs fun stuff heard brown speak heavily republican crowd orange county couple years ago audience eating stories unique perspectives part effort understand real jerry brown went back read online archives people radio shows hosted 1996 1997 well speeches gave mid1990s makes reasonable provocative points times especially futility drug war states prisonindustrial complex transcripts filled diatribes free markets hosannas unions government intervention brown welfare reform republican members house senate indulged perverse excitement sadistically cutting life support systems millions millions defenseless people inequality gap rich poor also keeps increasing computers declining power unions union membership technology replaces people unskilled semiskilled jobs workers foreign countries merged employment base american companies use parttime workers putting people disadvantage lowering benefits focus ought making lowincome work pay arent jobs let government step like wpa works progress administration community service rest many tired clichés evils industrial capitalism need living wage ravages marketplace brown argued 2006 attorney general race republican chuck poochigian simply stirring pot radio host indeed browns defenders insist core fairly mainstream guy recent sacramento bee column peter schrag points browns uncanny ability reinvent schrag reminds readers brown campaigned taxlimiting prop 13 passed called bornagain tax cutter embraced got endorsement proposition 13 author howard jarvis reelection landslide schrag argues brown running time around sort moderate republican someone wont raise taxes help lure new jobs state even downsize government brown doubt run way govern way elected sense despite reinventions occasional good stuff embrace school choice oakland instance brown remains antifreemarketer reflected governorship 1990s radio shows irrelevant academic point goes heart governing strategy indeed brown campaign spokesman sterling clifford told brown always stood things still agrees sentiments expressed quotations clifford added although probably wouldnt use exact language today take look behaved state attorney general used antiglobalwarming law ab32 wage stateled campaign force developers build highdensity developments environmentalists prefer land set aside open space brown argued wealthy elitist marin county draconian growth controls development model state hes promote types environmental policies make increasingly tough start business home state im sure amounts governing like moderate republican governor brown governed slowgrowther whose antiinfrastructure campaign paved way actually didnt pave way states gridlock level traffic congestion brown dont forget legalized public employee unions played key role creating massive level debt state bearing pay goldplated retirements public employees surprise states powerful publicsector union service employees international union vowed electing governor first priority lets get caught reinvention thing brown always opportunistic leftist moderate views get elected believes government answers states problems unions arent powerful enough private sector hotbed fraud abuse must carefully controlled brown brilliant entertaining fair ask especially tough economic times states crushing business climate whether policies states voters entertaining steven greenhut
| 620 |
<p />
<p>Feb. 18, 2011</p>
<p>By JOHN SEILER</p>
<p>Today Wisconsin, tomorrow California? The battle between government-employee unions and state budgets was inevitable once the unions were given collective bargaining rights over the past 50 years.</p>
<p>The battle boiled over the past few days in Wisconsin as Republicans in the Legislature are attempting to repeal the state’s collective bargaining law for public-employee unions, along with requiring state workers to pay half their pension costs. As in California and most other states, the actions are prompted by declining budget revenues during the Great Recession and escalating public-employee pension and wage costs.</p>
<p>A vote on the matter has been boycotted by Democrats in the Wisconsin Senate. Republican Gov. Scott Walker even has ordered state troopers to <a href="http://www.todaystmj4.com/news/local/116469428.html" type="external">track down senators</a>who are avoiding the vote, prompting some senators to flee the Badger State. At least one Democrat is required to be present for a vote on the bill.</p>
<p>Union members have <a href="http://www.aolnews.com/2011/02/17/wisconsin-protests-swell-photos-and-video/" type="external">swarmed around the state capitol</a>in Madison for “week of rage” protests against the proposed actions. The protests also are <a href="http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-02-17/public-employee-union-protests-spread-from-wisconsin-to-ohio.html" type="external">spreading to Ohio</a> and other Midwestern states where last November Tea Party activists helped put in power reform-minded Republicans.</p>
<p>Collective bargaining is a key issue because it gives unions immense clout in negotiating with state and local governments. Unions and government employees insist that it is their right to organize and present a united front to the government.</p>
<p>The catch, though, is that they are the government. Collective bargaining in the private sector means that labor sits one side of the table and management, such as at GM or Ford, sits on the other side. That’s different from government, where the unions sit on the labor side of the table — but also, by electing pliant politicians to power in state houses, city councils and school boards, sits on the management side.</p>
<p>This was graphically illustrated last fall by the statement of a union leader. “This is our opportunity to elect our own bosses,” California School Employees Association Chapter 224 head Ronda Walen said about a&#160; <a href="" type="internal">said of an election</a>concerning the San Juan Capistrano Unified School District. That means the unions — not the taxpayers — get to decide union pay, perks and pensions. No wonder California has a $25 billion budget deficit and effectively is bankrupt.</p>
<p>Despite this being a state matter, not a federal one, President Obama has butted in by backing the unions. <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2011/02/17/AR2011021705494.html?hpid=topnews" type="external">Reported the Washington Post</a>:</p>
<p>Obama accused&#160; <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/video/2011/02/18/VI2011021802626.html" type="external">Scott Walker</a>, the state’s new Republican governor, of unleashing an “assault” on unions in pushing emergency legislation that would change future collective-bargaining agreements that affect most public employees, including teachers.</p>
<p>The president’s political machine worked in close coordination Thursday with state and national union officials to get&#160; <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/video/2011/02/17/VI2011021705857.html" type="external">thousands of protesters to gather in Madison</a> and to plan similar demonstrations in other state capitals.</p>
<p>The national Democratic Party <a href="http://www.politico.com/blogs/bensmith/0211/DNC_playing_role_in_Wisconsin_protests.html?showall" type="external">also is getting involved</a>:</p>
<p>The&#160; <a href="http://topics.politico.com/index.cfm/topic/dnc" type="external">Democratic National Committee’s</a> Organizing for America arm — the remnant of the 2008 Obama campaign — is playing an active role in organizing protests against Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker’s attempt to strip most public employees of collective bargaining rights.</p>
<p>The Rev. Jesse Jackson a <a href="http://www.wkbt.com/Global/story.asp?S=14058089" type="external">lso has joined the state employee protests</a>:</p>
<p>MADISON, Wis. (AP) – The Rev. Jesse Jackson has urged thousands of protesters in the Wisconsin Capitol to continue their stand against a sweeping anti-union bill that state Republicans are pushing.</p>
<p>Jackson made an unannounced appearance at the protests Friday afternoon. Protesters rushed to shake his hand or high-five him, and many shouted, “Thank you, Jesse.”</p>
<p>Jackson told the protesters they were fighting for a just cause. He told them to hold strong to their principles and continue fighting to kill the bill. Then he led the masses in a rendition of “We Shall Overcome.”</p>
<p>Yet, many ordinary citizens having difficulty paying high state taxes may find it difficult sympathizing with Wisconsin teachers whose average pay and benefits total <a href="http://www.620wtmj.com/shows/charliesykes/86273752.html" type="external">more than $100,000 a year</a>.</p>
<p>Some union backers have compared the Wisconsin protests to those in Egypt against the departed Mubarak regime. But the protests there were against the Egyptian government and its repression and robbing of ordinary citizens. In Wisconsin, the protests are by government workers who are well paid.</p>
<p>In California, collective bargaining — letting government-union members “elect their own bosses” — was allowed when the <a href="" type="internal">Dills Act</a>was passed in in 1978 and signed by Gov. Jerry Brown during his first term in the office. Brown since has defended his action. And unions played a crucial role in his election in November.</p>
<p>Brown won’t repeal the unions’ collective bargaining rights, as his Republican counterparts are trying to do back East in the states of the plains and prairies. But he faces the same problem they do: Declining revenues and rising union-worker costs.</p>
<p>Gov. Brown’s solution to the state’s $25 billion budget deficit has been $13 billion in spending cuts and $12 billion in tax increases. Republicans in the state Senate and Assembly, barely more than a third of the members in each house, have so far remained stalwart in refusing to join the majority Democrats in putting a tax-increase measure on the ballot in June.</p>
<p>Even if the measure ends up going to an election, it may not be passed by voters. Voters vetoed a tax-increase ballot measure just last November, and another one in 2009.</p>
<p>Moreover, even if a tax increases passes, it might not fill the hole in the budget. After all, a tax increase of $13 billion in 2009 didn’t prevent the current budget deficit.</p>
<p>Within weeks or months, Gov. Brown well could have to face down the unions that elected him, maybe sparking protests in Sacramento. Due to the mistakes of the Legislatures of the past decade, and former governors Gray Davis and Arnold Schwarzenegger, the state just spends too much for the taxpayers to bear.</p>
<p>During the Davis-Schwarzenegger years, the unions had a rollicking good time, especially getting their <a href="http://reason.com/blog/2010/01/26/californias-2000-pension-spke" type="external">members’ pensions spiked</a>.</p>
<p>Unions across America, roused by President Obama and rabble-rousers like Jesse Jackson, &#160;just don’t get it that there’s no more money. Protest as they might, high union pay, perks and pensions are going to have to be cut. Then cut again. Then cut yet again.</p>
<p>John Seiler is an analyst and researcher for CalWatchDog.com. His email: <a href="mailto:[email protected]" type="external">[email protected]</a>.</p>
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feb 18 2011 john seiler today wisconsin tomorrow california battle governmentemployee unions state budgets inevitable unions given collective bargaining rights past 50 years battle boiled past days wisconsin republicans legislature attempting repeal states collective bargaining law publicemployee unions along requiring state workers pay half pension costs california states actions prompted declining budget revenues great recession escalating publicemployee pension wage costs vote matter boycotted democrats wisconsin senate republican gov scott walker even ordered state troopers track senatorswho avoiding vote prompting senators flee badger state least one democrat required present vote bill union members swarmed around state capitolin madison week rage protests proposed actions protests also spreading ohio midwestern states last november tea party activists helped put power reformminded republicans collective bargaining key issue gives unions immense clout negotiating state local governments unions government employees insist right organize present united front government catch though government collective bargaining private sector means labor sits one side table management gm ford sits side thats different government unions sit labor side table also electing pliant politicians power state houses city councils school boards sits management side graphically illustrated last fall statement union leader opportunity elect bosses california school employees association chapter 224 head ronda walen said a160 said electionconcerning san juan capistrano unified school district means unions taxpayers get decide union pay perks pensions wonder california 25 billion budget deficit effectively bankrupt despite state matter federal one president obama butted backing unions reported washington post obama accused160 scott walker states new republican governor unleashing assault unions pushing emergency legislation would change future collectivebargaining agreements affect public employees including teachers presidents political machine worked close coordination thursday state national union officials get160 thousands protesters gather madison plan similar demonstrations state capitals national democratic party also getting involved the160 democratic national committees organizing america arm remnant 2008 obama campaign playing active role organizing protests wisconsin governor scott walkers attempt strip public employees collective bargaining rights rev jesse jackson lso joined state employee protests madison wis ap rev jesse jackson urged thousands protesters wisconsin capitol continue stand sweeping antiunion bill state republicans pushing jackson made unannounced appearance protests friday afternoon protesters rushed shake hand highfive many shouted thank jesse jackson told protesters fighting cause told hold strong principles continue fighting kill bill led masses rendition shall overcome yet many ordinary citizens difficulty paying high state taxes may find difficult sympathizing wisconsin teachers whose average pay benefits total 100000 year union backers compared wisconsin protests egypt departed mubarak regime protests egyptian government repression robbing ordinary citizens wisconsin protests government workers well paid california collective bargaining letting governmentunion members elect bosses allowed dills actwas passed 1978 signed gov jerry brown first term office brown since defended action unions played crucial role election november brown wont repeal unions collective bargaining rights republican counterparts trying back east states plains prairies faces problem declining revenues rising unionworker costs gov browns solution states 25 billion budget deficit 13 billion spending cuts 12 billion tax increases republicans state senate assembly barely third members house far remained stalwart refusing join majority democrats putting taxincrease measure ballot june even measure ends going election may passed voters voters vetoed taxincrease ballot measure last november another one 2009 moreover even tax increases passes might fill hole budget tax increase 13 billion 2009 didnt prevent current budget deficit within weeks months gov brown well could face unions elected maybe sparking protests sacramento due mistakes legislatures past decade former governors gray davis arnold schwarzenegger state spends much taxpayers bear davisschwarzenegger years unions rollicking good time especially getting members pensions spiked unions across america roused president obama rabblerousers like jesse jackson 160just dont get theres money protest might high union pay perks pensions going cut cut cut yet john seiler analyst researcher calwatchdogcom email writejohnseilergmailcom
| 622 |
<p>Two prominent players in the Southern Baptist Convention's debate over alcohol consumption have taken it to a new forum — a major secular newspaper.</p>
<p>On July 15, the Dallas Morning News ran an essay by Daniel Akin, president of Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary in North Carolina, supporting a June SBC resolution that urged total abstinence from alcohol. The paper also ran a rebuttal — opposing the resolution and supporting temperance — by Benjamin Cole, pastor of Parkview Baptist Church in Arlington, Texas.</p>
<p>Cole told Associated Baptist Press July 18 he was pleased with the articles, although “the medium of newspapers” is not necessarily the ideal forum for the “rigorous debate” needed when it comes to Baptists and alcohol.</p>
<p>“That many Southern Baptists fail to understand how a position of moderation and temperance falls securely under the umbrella of [a belief in biblical] inerrancy goes to show that either inerrancy was never the issue at all in the conservative resurgence, or that those who have articulated the inerrantist position never fully understood that some of us would believe it,” Cole said.</p>
<p>He was referring to the denomination's 25-year-old struggle between fundamentalists, who asserted a belief in inerrancy, and moderates who allowed for more liberty. The inerrantists won, and now control the denomination's power structure and institutions.</p>
<p>Cole told ABP he believes the debate centers not on alcohol, but “that the qualifications for denominational service are being ever tightened by the imposition of doctrines and social traditions that are irrelevant to the gospel of Jesus Christ or, in some instances, contrary to our Baptist distinctives of freedom of conscience.”</p>
<p>The non-binding SBC measure, which suggests that Southern Baptists who drink alcohol should not be chosen for leadership positions within the denomination, also prohibited the manufacture and consumption of alcohol.</p>
<p>The resolution's authors listed four reasons to abstain from alcohol: 1) Alcohol use leads to physical, mental, and emotional damage; 2) Alcohol use has led to injuries and deaths related to drunk driving; 3) The breakup of families can be directly and indirectly attributed to alcohol; and 4) The use of alcohol can lead “down a path of addiction …and toward the use of other kinds of drugs.”</p>
<p>The document also maintained that “some religious leaders … are now advocating the consumption of alcoholic beverages based on a misinterpretation of the doctrine of our freedom in Christ.” Delegates approved the measure by a lopsided vote June 14, during the denomination's annual meeting.</p>
<p>In their essays, both Akin and Cole addressed the measure's key points and even acknowledged family members who died from alcohol-related health problems. The difference in their opinions, however, involved what caused that pain. For Akin, alcohol itself was to blame for his father- and mother-in-law's alcoholism. Cole, on the other hand, blamed “abuse” for his own father's liver disease and untimely death.</p>
<p>Akin, in his essay called “Baptists and drinking: Abstinence policy offers loving safeguard,” said he would avoid alcohol entirely even if he wasn't a Christian — just because of the destruction it causes. For him, the potential for harm is not worth the risk of drinking.</p>
<p>“Some respond [to alcohol use] by saying the issue is not abstinence but moderation, arguing that the equivalent would be to abstain from eating and from marital sex to eliminate gluttony and sexual abuse,” Akin wrote. “There is a significant difference. We must eat to live. We must engage in sex to procreate. Alcohol is not a necessity.”</p>
<p>Furthermore, Akin wrote that Baptists should remember the “historical precedents for affirming abstinence.” Southern Baptists issued their first resolution on alcohol in 1886 and have added 61 statements endorsing the wisdom of abstinence. Baptist forebears, Akin said, understood the “issue of Christian liberty” and established a solid tradition for modern-day Baptists.</p>
<p>“This is not legalism but love,” he wrote. “This is not being anti-biblical but pro-brother and sister. This is not working for evil but for good. Given the world in which we live, I believe such a lifestyle honors Jesus and is the wise thing to do.”</p>
<p>Cole, on the other hand, disagreed with Akin's premise that alcohol is necessarily evil. His essay was titled “Baptists and drinking: Drunkenness, not alcohol, is the real problem.”</p>
<p>“One is hard-pressed to understand how all the biblical patriarchs, the apostles and most major figures of biblical literature drank wine as a staple of their diet without suffering the concomitant brain damage alleged in the resolution,” Cole wrote. “To blame the contents of a bottle for climbing divorce rates and highway deaths makes as much sense as blaming a bullet for a homicide.”</p>
<p>Cole also went on to question “how many of the resolution's supporters are card-carrying members of the National Rifle Association and would cry foul at the slightest threat to the ‘manufacturing, advertising, distributing, or using' of firearms, to follow the wording of the abstinence resolution.”</p>
<p>Perhaps the most significant difference between Akin and Cole's respective arguments emerged in their interpretation of Scripture, since both men argued that Bible passages support their belief. As Cole told ABP July 17, “either the Bible is inerrant, or it isn't. Either the Scriptures teach that drinking is sin, or it doesn't. I really believe that this issue rests on whether Southern Baptists believe the Bible for what it actually says, or if they believe what their denominational heroes tell them it says.”</p>
<p>Akin was not available for comment on this story, but in his essay, he used verses endorsing love and edification as proof to support his position.</p>
<p>“[Abstinence from alcohol] is consistent with the ethic of love for believers and unbelievers alike (1 Corinthians 8:13; 9:19-22; 10:32-33),” he wrote. “Because I am an example to others, I will make certain no one ever walks the road of sorrow because they saw me take a drink and assumed, ‘If it is all right for Danny Akin, it is all right for me.' ”</p>
<p>Based on 1 Corinthians 6:12, Akin said, Christians should “refuse what enslaves.”</p>
<p>“Alcohol is a drug that can impair the senses and has a potential addictive element. Like addictive pornography, it should be avoided at all cost,” he wrote, noting later that joy should come from God and not alcohol, according to Ephesians 5:18.</p>
<p>For his part, Cole said Scripture supports his position, especially regarding blessings and freedom through salvation. He listed how, in the book of Numbers, God received wine offerings as “a soothing aroma.” He also noted Deuteronomy 14 and Isaiah 55, which explicitly allowed God's people to spend money on “wine or strong drink.”</p>
<p>“Not only do resolution supporters refuse to acknowledge the entire biblical teaching on the matter, they even read selectively from texts that they do cite,” Cole wrote. “For instance, most arguments for teetotaling reference the Nazarite vow of the Old Testament or the example of John the Baptist in the New Testament as evidence that those who abstain from alcohol achieve a greater level of holiness. What is missing from their argument is that the Nazarite abstained from vinegar and raisins, too, and never cut his hair. Moreover, John the Baptist chose locusts as his dietary supplement. I have yet to find a teetotaler who wears a ponytail or prefers bugs and honey with his morning coffee.” In the end, attitude determines a lot when trying to be wise with alcohol, according to Akin.</p>
<p>“A smug, prideful abstainer without Jesus is just as lost as the poor drunkard,” he wrote. “Those who believe in abstinence should be gracious and humble, kind and caring, loving and patient.”</p>
<p>Akin's essay was intended for print in Baptist Press. The Dallas Morning News reprinted it and requested a rebuttal from Cole, who had spoken against the resolution at the SBC meeting.</p>
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two prominent players southern baptist conventions debate alcohol consumption taken new forum major secular newspaper july 15 dallas morning news ran essay daniel akin president southeastern baptist theological seminary north carolina supporting june sbc resolution urged total abstinence alcohol paper also ran rebuttal opposing resolution supporting temperance benjamin cole pastor parkview baptist church arlington texas cole told associated baptist press july 18 pleased articles although medium newspapers necessarily ideal forum rigorous debate needed comes baptists alcohol many southern baptists fail understand position moderation temperance falls securely umbrella belief biblical inerrancy goes show either inerrancy never issue conservative resurgence articulated inerrantist position never fully understood us would believe cole said referring denominations 25yearold struggle fundamentalists asserted belief inerrancy moderates allowed liberty inerrantists control denominations power structure institutions cole told abp believes debate centers alcohol qualifications denominational service ever tightened imposition doctrines social traditions irrelevant gospel jesus christ instances contrary baptist distinctives freedom conscience nonbinding sbc measure suggests southern baptists drink alcohol chosen leadership positions within denomination also prohibited manufacture consumption alcohol resolutions authors listed four reasons abstain alcohol 1 alcohol use leads physical mental emotional damage 2 alcohol use led injuries deaths related drunk driving 3 breakup families directly indirectly attributed alcohol 4 use alcohol lead path addiction toward use kinds drugs document also maintained religious leaders advocating consumption alcoholic beverages based misinterpretation doctrine freedom christ delegates approved measure lopsided vote june 14 denominations annual meeting essays akin cole addressed measures key points even acknowledged family members died alcoholrelated health problems difference opinions however involved caused pain akin alcohol blame father motherinlaws alcoholism cole hand blamed abuse fathers liver disease untimely death akin essay called baptists drinking abstinence policy offers loving safeguard said would avoid alcohol entirely even wasnt christian destruction causes potential harm worth risk drinking respond alcohol use saying issue abstinence moderation arguing equivalent would abstain eating marital sex eliminate gluttony sexual abuse akin wrote significant difference must eat live must engage sex procreate alcohol necessity furthermore akin wrote baptists remember historical precedents affirming abstinence southern baptists issued first resolution alcohol 1886 added 61 statements endorsing wisdom abstinence baptist forebears akin said understood issue christian liberty established solid tradition modernday baptists legalism love wrote antibiblical probrother sister working evil good given world live believe lifestyle honors jesus wise thing cole hand disagreed akins premise alcohol necessarily evil essay titled baptists drinking drunkenness alcohol real problem one hardpressed understand biblical patriarchs apostles major figures biblical literature drank wine staple diet without suffering concomitant brain damage alleged resolution cole wrote blame contents bottle climbing divorce rates highway deaths makes much sense blaming bullet homicide cole also went question many resolutions supporters cardcarrying members national rifle association would cry foul slightest threat manufacturing advertising distributing using firearms follow wording abstinence resolution perhaps significant difference akin coles respective arguments emerged interpretation scripture since men argued bible passages support belief cole told abp july 17 either bible inerrant isnt either scriptures teach drinking sin doesnt really believe issue rests whether southern baptists believe bible actually says believe denominational heroes tell says akin available comment story essay used verses endorsing love edification proof support position abstinence alcohol consistent ethic love believers unbelievers alike 1 corinthians 813 91922 103233 wrote example others make certain one ever walks road sorrow saw take drink assumed right danny akin right based 1 corinthians 612 akin said christians refuse enslaves alcohol drug impair senses potential addictive element like addictive pornography avoided cost wrote noting later joy come god alcohol according ephesians 518 part cole said scripture supports position especially regarding blessings freedom salvation listed book numbers god received wine offerings soothing aroma also noted deuteronomy 14 isaiah 55 explicitly allowed gods people spend money wine strong drink resolution supporters refuse acknowledge entire biblical teaching matter even read selectively texts cite cole wrote instance arguments teetotaling reference nazarite vow old testament example john baptist new testament evidence abstain alcohol achieve greater level holiness missing argument nazarite abstained vinegar raisins never cut hair moreover john baptist chose locusts dietary supplement yet find teetotaler wears ponytail prefers bugs honey morning coffee end attitude determines lot trying wise alcohol according akin smug prideful abstainer without jesus lost poor drunkard wrote believe abstinence gracious humble kind caring loving patient akins essay intended print baptist press dallas morning news reprinted requested rebuttal cole spoken resolution sbc meeting
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<p><a href="" type="internal" /></p>
<p>It has turned into the Commission that Couldn’t Redistrict Right.</p>
<p>New accusations charge that the&#160; <a href="http://wedrawthelines.ca.gov/" type="external">California Citizens Redistricting Commission</a> isn’t the non-partisan, citizen-run organization as has been promoted statewide. Earlier&#160; <a href="" type="internal">CalWatchDog.com news stories</a>&#160;revealed <a href="" type="internal">two commissioners</a> who failed to disclose campaign contributions. Now questions have been raised about the California State Auditor’s background investigation of redistricting applicants.</p>
<p>The final redistricting <a href="http://wedrawthelines.ca.gov/" type="external">report</a> is due tomorrow, July 29. But amid the latest revelations about commissioners, a <a href="https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&amp;pid=gmail&amp;attid=0.2&amp;thid=13143a247a20df67&amp;mt=application/vnd.openxmlformats-officedocument.wordprocessingml.document&amp;url=https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui%3D2%26ik%3D7464e5ea78%26view%3Datt%26th%3D13143a247a20df67%26attid%3D0.2%26disp%3Dsafe%26zw&amp;sig=AHIEtbTZjo-2pCkNaPfHXeLofQzWJKYqcQ" type="external">complaint</a> has been filed against Redistricting <a href="http://wedrawthelines.ca.gov/commission_staff.html" type="external">Commission</a> Executive <a href="http://wedrawthelines.ca.gov/commission_staff.html" type="external">Director</a> Daniel Claypool for attempting to discredit the testimony of a Coachella Valley resident. Bluring the lines even more, the redistricting commission’s Executive Director is a former employee of the state auditor.</p>
<p>At a July 13 redistricting commission <a href="http://wedrawthelines.ca.gov/downloads/transcripts/201107/transcripts_20110713_sacto.pdf" type="external">hearing</a>, Coachella Valley resident Ellen Swensen testified that public testimony commissioners had received from Democratic activists based in the Coachella area was biased and not accurate. Swensen said that recent testimony provided to the commission, in support of combining Coachella Valley with Imperial Valley, was largely politically driven by two Democratic Party activists.</p>
<p>Almost immediately at the conclusion of her testimony, Swensen said that a redistricting commission staff member attempted to discredit her testimony, causing her to file a formal complaint two days later.</p>
<p>At the hearing, Swensen said two activists have political agendas and are behind a push to combine the Coachella and Imperial Valleys to greatly boost the numbers of Democratic votes for the district. The activists are:&#160; <a href="http://gregrodriguez.com/index.php?page=display&amp;id=118" type="external">Greg Lucas Rodriguez</a>, a self-described “Democratic Party and LGBT activist and consultant,” and Executive Board Member of the California Democratic Party. And J <a href="http://www.smartvoter.org/2008/06/03/ca/state/vote/bornstein_j/bio.html" type="external">ulie Bornstein</a>, a former assemblywoman and spokeswoman for the Riverside County Democratic Central Committee, as well as a former congressional candidate who lost to Mary Bono Mack in 2008.</p>
<p>Bornstein sent a <a href="https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&amp;pid=gmail&amp;attid=0.4&amp;thid=13143a247a20df67&amp;mt=application/vnd.openxmlformats-officedocument.wordprocessingml.document&amp;url=https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui%3D2%26ik%3D7464e5ea78%26view%3Datt%26th%3D13143a247a20df67%26attid%3D0.4%26disp%3Dsafe%26zw&amp;sig=AHIEtbTpzImZn70_K-1AZQKYM6Vr9qcHqQ" type="external">letter</a> by email on June 25 to area residents and local activists asking for people to send letters and testify in support of a merge of Eastern Coachella Valley with Imperial County. “We have a chance to have new districts drawn that will give Democrats an opportunity to win more Assembly and Senate seats and replace Mary Bono Mack with a Democrat,” Bornstein wrote.</p>
<p>Rodriguez’s <a href="https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&amp;pid=gmail&amp;attid=0.3&amp;thid=13143a247a20df67&amp;mt=application/vnd.openxmlformats-officedocument.wordprocessingml.document&amp;url=https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui%3D2%26ik%3D7464e5ea78%26view%3Datt%26th%3D13143a247a20df67%26attid%3D0.3%26disp%3Dsafe%26zw&amp;sig=AHIEtbQPn1OEKMofmbF9OOUxE50If_ge3A" type="external">letter</a> was similar and said that residents “need to emphasize that as a resident of the Coachella Valley or Imperial County, you want to see a Congressional District that includes both Imperial County and Coachella Valley, two Assembly districts, one including Imperial County and Eastern Coachella Valley and the other containing western Coachella Valley through the pass to Beaumont and Banning, and the State Senate district including both Assembly districts.”</p>
<p>At the hearing, Swensen, a professional copywriter, testified that her own motive was not political but was instead economic, hoping “to keep Coachella Valley’s Tourism intact inside Riverside County.”</p>
<p>Swensen said, in a written document to the commissioners, that she was critical of the Bornstein and Rodriguez letters because “much of the testimony to combine Imperial and Coachella Valley is weak in Communities Of Interest (COI) evidence and full of repeated, politically-motivated boilerplate letters.”</p>
<p>“By contrast, our body of quality testimony (112 comments or emails before the initial maps, at least 68 emails after the maps, plus 10 more emails in hand today) shows that our wishes are economically driven. This is about our shared livelihoods. Our COI is defined by resorts, golf, casinos, tennis, hotels, concerts, conventions, and a growing retirement population all here to partake and prosper in our unique desert climate and scenic beauty.”</p>
<p>“Our Tourism COI has little in common with the agricultural and border COI of Imperial County,” Swensen said. “The original testimony from San Diegans and Imperial County folks wanting to be districted together in a ‘border district’ was sincere and not political.”</p>
<p>After her testimony, Swensen said that one commissioner questioned her about the agriculture of the region. “I responded that there is little agriculture, and used the city of Indio as an example, which is&#160;not agricultural,” she said. “We are tourism, resorts. We have 150 golf&#160;courses. We have concerts, casinos, hotels, conventions.”</p>
<p>But as soon as she was seated after testifying, Swensen said she could see that Claypool, who was seated directly in front of her, “immediately Googled about Indio agriculture and found an unofficial website discussing Indio’s ‘rich agriculture.’ He then sent the link to the commissioners, stating that the city does have rich agriculture.”</p>
<p>As the commission’s executive director, Daniel Claypool’s biography states that he worked as the Senior Auditor Evaluator with the Bureau of State Audits immediately prior to being hired by the commission. Claypool’s “primary assignment was working with the team that implemented the outreach and selection process for the current commission.”</p>
<p>Two days after the hearing, Swensen filed a complaint, in person, with the commission against Claypool.</p>
<p>Rob Wilcox, the commission’s communication director, said he did not know about a complaint filed against Claypool. When I told him that I had a copy of the complaint filed earlier, on July 15, he said he was on another phone call and would call me back. He did not call back.</p>
<p>However, Swensen’s&#160; <a href="https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&amp;pid=gmail&amp;attid=0.2&amp;thid=13143a247a20df67&amp;mt=application/vnd.openxmlformats-officedocument.wordprocessingml.document&amp;url=https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui%3D2%26ik%3D7464e5ea78%26view%3Datt%26th%3D13143a247a20df67%26attid%3D0.2%26disp%3Dsafe%26zw&amp;sig=AHIEtbTZjo-2pCkNaPfHXeLofQzWJKYqcQ" type="external">complaint</a> said, “If Mr. Claypool’s biased attempt to discredit a citizen’s testimony is not illegal, it is certainly unethical. My rights as a citizen have been violated by his actions and he has caused me financial hardship since I had to come back.&#160; I wonder how many other good citizens have been treated this way. Since he is Executive Director, I wonder if his obvious bias for certain mapping outcomes is affecting his subordinates on the CRC staff. I recommend that Mr. Claypool be reprimanded and, ideally, removed.”</p>
<p>Commission officials held another session to address Swensen’s&#160;&#160; <a href="https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&amp;pid=gmail&amp;attid=0.2&amp;thid=13143a247a20df67&amp;mt=application/vnd.openxmlformats-officedocument.wordprocessingml.document&amp;url=https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui%3D2%26ik%3D7464e5ea78%26view%3Datt%26th%3D13143a247a20df67%26attid%3D0.2%26disp%3Dsafe%26zw&amp;sig=AHIEtbTZjo-2pCkNaPfHXeLofQzWJKYqcQ" type="external">complaint</a>.&#160;Swensen said she received a copy of an audio recording of the session in which commissioners discussed performing &#160;a “quick investigation” of her allegations. &#160;Swensen said commissioners reportedly found that Claypool “did no impropriety or wrongdoing,” and referred to her complaint as “unfounded assertions” as well as an “error or misunderstanding.”</p>
<p>Swensen said that they have never emailed a written response to her, nor has she received a response through the U.S. Postal Service, as they state in the audio.</p>
<p>Her <a href="https://doc-0s-c8-docsviewer.googleusercontent.com/viewer/securedownload/pjpgkeeveo7pnce0vrpbaa8fvdk4mqj4/4n8eb8drpe9gi44s0hvr8s849iv8gnu9/1311804000000/Z21haWw=/AGZ5hq-9vWZ4VKojJtSn5nzr_-qe/MTMxNGQ0Y2EwMjJhZTkyN3wwLjE=?a=gp&amp;filename=Rebuttal+of+July+16+Citizen+v+Claypool+discussion.docx&amp;chan=EQAAABBh%2BtcM8PB2xJqHRpVmamy7CThUhkFvzhJxKF5%2BcOXC&amp;docid=bbee221c0748c588f7327317d2adc63f%7C09a78ae72ccf315db94fccbdecf93e2c&amp;sec=AHSqidYyNNqMGQH5nwY45hpMFrOMI3zEgstT3Y52EyV6o6HB9GBT249H9LHr30UfBAhDYxxvpIecy0PzstEspjYRa5JOZyKXOIWnVzox1IN4_aXDewjtdAzGSjCUMcGdzZxTqETzC9Rvn42uHuo6rBBPME24Lf7EobyEa2aETiTjINjHzgOoq81XlSlFd5p0Xg77436hPF0jgqAZHqxu-gq-i7UMGX-6Bx8ssv_SF25Y9_gbBmumC9CCyTKXgbEQs4_6B7gp4YKkhL4Psix3Nlfm9i79E2DNhU56vhyDgTPOWPGba4120oBwYfyNGJERe2HBVqmqAPhU0ock842_BYIQDiPbroQlrm2Kit6tQiUfb7ZAC6b4ts4Bx3BOt_1kHS4aQ99BHYSgfLdqdUpHBucwS0bTmhDpCcIfWmzQG94zcvMODECWTbGtnB7s66i0iwgBxI_CrS4ml1ot6hoZNVzHdj0Ocw5LNQ&amp;nonce=idtavlm7q8kbg&amp;user=AGZ5hq-9vWZ4VKojJtSn5nzr_-qe&amp;hash=fu1bqvkb3t5v3ivd5norrbi2o2tp40ad" type="external">response</a> to the commissioners’ closed-door session has not been answered either.</p>
<p>“At this point, I think we need to show how corrupt, biased and unfair this process has become in the hopes of some kind of remedy,” Swensen said. She said she doesn’t expect resolution and believes that the commission is just trying to kill time until the final report is released tomorrow.</p>
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turned commission couldnt redistrict right new accusations charge the160 california citizens redistricting commission isnt nonpartisan citizenrun organization promoted statewide earlier160 calwatchdogcom news stories160revealed two commissioners failed disclose campaign contributions questions raised california state auditors background investigation redistricting applicants final redistricting report due tomorrow july 29 amid latest revelations commissioners complaint filed redistricting commission executive director daniel claypool attempting discredit testimony coachella valley resident bluring lines even redistricting commissions executive director former employee state auditor july 13 redistricting commission hearing coachella valley resident ellen swensen testified public testimony commissioners received democratic activists based coachella area biased accurate swensen said recent testimony provided commission support combining coachella valley imperial valley largely politically driven two democratic party activists almost immediately conclusion testimony swensen said redistricting commission staff member attempted discredit testimony causing file formal complaint two days later hearing swensen said two activists political agendas behind push combine coachella imperial valleys greatly boost numbers democratic votes district activists are160 greg lucas rodriguez selfdescribed democratic party lgbt activist consultant executive board member california democratic party j ulie bornstein former assemblywoman spokeswoman riverside county democratic central committee well former congressional candidate lost mary bono mack 2008 bornstein sent letter email june 25 area residents local activists asking people send letters testify support merge eastern coachella valley imperial county chance new districts drawn give democrats opportunity win assembly senate seats replace mary bono mack democrat bornstein wrote rodriguezs letter similar said residents need emphasize resident coachella valley imperial county want see congressional district includes imperial county coachella valley two assembly districts one including imperial county eastern coachella valley containing western coachella valley pass beaumont banning state senate district including assembly districts hearing swensen professional copywriter testified motive political instead economic hoping keep coachella valleys tourism intact inside riverside county swensen said written document commissioners critical bornstein rodriguez letters much testimony combine imperial coachella valley weak communities interest coi evidence full repeated politicallymotivated boilerplate letters contrast body quality testimony 112 comments emails initial maps least 68 emails maps plus 10 emails hand today shows wishes economically driven shared livelihoods coi defined resorts golf casinos tennis hotels concerts conventions growing retirement population partake prosper unique desert climate scenic beauty tourism coi little common agricultural border coi imperial county swensen said original testimony san diegans imperial county folks wanting districted together border district sincere political testimony swensen said one commissioner questioned agriculture region responded little agriculture used city indio example is160not agricultural said tourism resorts 150 golf160courses concerts casinos hotels conventions soon seated testifying swensen said could see claypool seated directly front immediately googled indio agriculture found unofficial website discussing indios rich agriculture sent link commissioners stating city rich agriculture commissions executive director daniel claypools biography states worked senior auditor evaluator bureau state audits immediately prior hired commission claypools primary assignment working team implemented outreach selection process current commission two days hearing swensen filed complaint person commission claypool rob wilcox commissions communication director said know complaint filed claypool told copy complaint filed earlier july 15 said another phone call would call back call back however swensens160 complaint said mr claypools biased attempt discredit citizens testimony illegal certainly unethical rights citizen violated actions caused financial hardship since come back160 wonder many good citizens treated way since executive director wonder obvious bias certain mapping outcomes affecting subordinates crc staff recommend mr claypool reprimanded ideally removed commission officials held another session address swensens160160 complaint160swensen said received copy audio recording session commissioners discussed performing 160a quick investigation allegations 160swensen said commissioners reportedly found claypool impropriety wrongdoing referred complaint unfounded assertions well error misunderstanding swensen said never emailed written response received response us postal service state audio response commissioners closeddoor session answered either point think need show corrupt biased unfair process become hopes kind remedy swensen said said doesnt expect resolution believes commission trying kill time final report released tomorrow
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<p>[GlobalPost Moscow correspondent Miriam Elder recently traveled to Turkmenistan where she reported on the country's new leadership, below, as well as its <a href="http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/asia/091117/turkmenistan-economy-turkmenistan-news" type="external">stability</a> and the battle for its <a href="http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/asia/091119/turkmenistan-natural-gas-pipeline-projects" type="external">natural gas resources</a>.]</p>
<p>ASHGABAT, Turkmenistan — When one of the world’s most eccentric dictators died two years ago, many hoped the Central Asian nation of Turkmenistan would become a new country.</p>
<p>Saparmurat Niyazov — better known as Turkmenbashi, or “Father of all Turkmen,” a name he gave himself — ruled the country with an iron fist. Critics, be they close advisors or random Turkmen speaking freely, were jailed. Travel restrictions were tight, and government officials were forbidden from traveling abroad.</p>
<p>Two years into the rule of President Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov, health minister under Turkmenbashi and the longest serving minister in his cabinet, things have changed — at least on the surface.</p>
<p>The photos of Turkmenbashi that adorned offices, stadiums, theaters and the facades of buildings around the country have been taken down. They have been replaced with photos of Berdymukhamedov, standing in front of a traditional Turkmen rug and staring longingly at a white dove.</p>
<p>Berdymukhamedov lifted the ban on opera enforced by his predecessor — but the ban on ballet remains. The names of the months have been changed back to the original. Turkmenbashi had named them after himself and his mother, who died in a massive earthquake when he was just 8 years old.</p>
<p>Women stand on Ashgabat's main square practicing for the annual independence day parade.(Miriam Elder/GlobalPost)</p>
<p>In a two-for-one shot, Berdymukhamedov pleased foreign investors by redenominating the country’s currency, and pleased himself by removing Turkmenbashi’s face from all the bills, except the highest denomination, 500 manat ($175). Rumors in Ashgabat, the capital, hold that Berdymukhamedov plans to print a 1,000-manat note and put his face on that.</p>
<p>“He seems to be becoming his own person,” said one western diplomat. “Even more so recently, he’s got this confidence to exude.”</p>
<p>Berdymukhamedov spent the first year of his presidency taking some steps to opening up the country, aware that foreign investment and expertise would be needed to develop its massive gas reserves. Estimates vary on how much gas Turkmenistan actually holds, but experts agree that it ranks among the world’s top-four national gas reserves.</p>
<p>He eased travel restrictions inside the country, lifting checkpoints, and made it easier for all to travel abroad. He himself took about a dozen official trips during his first year in office.</p>
<p>In a much-touted move, Berdymukhamedov brought internet access to Turkmenistan. Yet internet cafes are sparse and — like nearly everything in the country — are state-owned. Clerks write down users’ identification details, and a video camera adorns every room. Certain websites known to turn a critical eye to the regime are inaccessible.</p>
<p>Some remain hopeful that the country, a post-Soviet backwater, will continue to open up and reform, easing access to foreign investors and expanding the freedoms of its own impoverished people.</p>
<p>“What we’ve seen over the past year gives me a great deal of optimism,” said Arsim Zekolli, the Organization for Security and Cooperation’s ambassador to Turkmenistan.</p>
<p>Most, however, are more skeptical.</p>
<p>“He’s done a lot, improved a lot, but recently there seem to be some things to set it back a bit,” the western diplomat said.</p>
<p>The first sign came this summer, when Turkmenistan banned several dozen students from leaving the country to study at the American University of Central Asia in nearby Kyrgyzstan. Many students hadn't heard of the quiet measure until reaching the airport in July and being told they were forbidden to leave. Subsequent attempts by the U.S. embassy to transfer the students to a similar program in Bulgaria were also thwarted.</p>
<p>Turkmenistan gave no explanation for the move, but diplomatic sources in Ashgabat say the government likely feared the democratic principles being taught at the school.</p>
<p>“There’s talk that they’re taught to be more democratic and they thought they were bringing this back,” the diplomat said.</p>
<p>Then in October, Turkmenistan banned the newest crop of Peace Corps volunteers from entering the country.</p>
<p>Sources in Ashgabat point to the close coterie that surrounds Berdymukhamedov, many of them dating from the days of Turkmenbashi. Some push for more openness, some to remain one of the world’s last hermit states. It is a constant struggle.</p>
<p>Berdymukhamedov himself has exhibited similar eccentricities to those favored by his predecessor. In a highly publicized move in July, the former health minister — a dentist by training — opened a new state-of-the-art hospital in Ashgabat’s poshest district. It was only fitting, then, that he should conduct the first operation, promptly removing a cancerous tumor from behind a patient’s ear.</p>
<p>“He’s making this … image that says I’m superfit, I can do anything,” the diplomat said.</p>
<p>Both Ashgabat and Turkmenbashi, a Caspian port city named after the former dictator, boast one bookshop apiece. They are government-owned and carry few books aside from the Ruhnama, a sort of Turkmen moral bible penned by Turkmenbashi, cookbooks written by the new president, and posters and calendars featuring their images.</p>
<p>Criticism of the leadership — former or current — remains a great taboo.</p>
<p>“No one speaks out against the president, ” said one man in the city of Mary, in central Turkmenistan. “Right away, you're arrested and jailed and considered an enemy of the people for life. They go after your family, your friends.”</p>
<p>Turkmen are loath, upon first meeting, to even criticize some of the leadership’s more bizarre moves. Smoking cigarettes outside has been banned since 2000 — rumor has it that Turkmenbashi ordered the move after he himself quit smoking, and diplomats in the capital say they are told to refrain from smoking before meeting the current president, who cannot stand the smell.</p>
<p>Turkmen take it, however, with ease. “I agree with it,” said one man in Ashgabat. “Now, if they had banned ice cream I would have been upset.”</p>
<p>More GlobalPost dispatches on Turkmenistan:</p>
<p><a href="http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/asia/091117/turkmenistan-economy-turkmenistan-news" type="external">Is Turkmenistan's stability a myth?&#160;</a></p>
<p><a href="http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/asia/091119/turkmenistan-natural-gas-pipeline-projects" type="external">Turkmenistan:&#160;The new Great Game</a> &#160;</p>
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globalpost moscow correspondent miriam elder recently traveled turkmenistan reported countrys new leadership well stability battle natural gas resources ashgabat turkmenistan one worlds eccentric dictators died two years ago many hoped central asian nation turkmenistan would become new country saparmurat niyazov better known turkmenbashi father turkmen name gave ruled country iron fist critics close advisors random turkmen speaking freely jailed travel restrictions tight government officials forbidden traveling abroad two years rule president gurbanguly berdymukhamedov health minister turkmenbashi longest serving minister cabinet things changed least surface photos turkmenbashi adorned offices stadiums theaters facades buildings around country taken replaced photos berdymukhamedov standing front traditional turkmen rug staring longingly white dove berdymukhamedov lifted ban opera enforced predecessor ban ballet remains names months changed back original turkmenbashi named mother died massive earthquake 8 years old women stand ashgabats main square practicing annual independence day parademiriam elderglobalpost twoforone shot berdymukhamedov pleased foreign investors redenominating countrys currency pleased removing turkmenbashis face bills except highest denomination 500 manat 175 rumors ashgabat capital hold berdymukhamedov plans print 1000manat note put face seems becoming person said one western diplomat even recently hes got confidence exude berdymukhamedov spent first year presidency taking steps opening country aware foreign investment expertise would needed develop massive gas reserves estimates vary much gas turkmenistan actually holds experts agree ranks among worlds topfour national gas reserves eased travel restrictions inside country lifting checkpoints made easier travel abroad took dozen official trips first year office muchtouted move berdymukhamedov brought internet access turkmenistan yet internet cafes sparse like nearly everything country stateowned clerks write users identification details video camera adorns every room certain websites known turn critical eye regime inaccessible remain hopeful country postsoviet backwater continue open reform easing access foreign investors expanding freedoms impoverished people weve seen past year gives great deal optimism said arsim zekolli organization security cooperations ambassador turkmenistan however skeptical hes done lot improved lot recently seem things set back bit western diplomat said first sign came summer turkmenistan banned several dozen students leaving country study american university central asia nearby kyrgyzstan many students hadnt heard quiet measure reaching airport july told forbidden leave subsequent attempts us embassy transfer students similar program bulgaria also thwarted turkmenistan gave explanation move diplomatic sources ashgabat say government likely feared democratic principles taught school theres talk theyre taught democratic thought bringing back diplomat said october turkmenistan banned newest crop peace corps volunteers entering country sources ashgabat point close coterie surrounds berdymukhamedov many dating days turkmenbashi push openness remain one worlds last hermit states constant struggle berdymukhamedov exhibited similar eccentricities favored predecessor highly publicized move july former health minister dentist training opened new stateoftheart hospital ashgabats poshest district fitting conduct first operation promptly removing cancerous tumor behind patients ear hes making image says im superfit anything diplomat said ashgabat turkmenbashi caspian port city named former dictator boast one bookshop apiece governmentowned carry books aside ruhnama sort turkmen moral bible penned turkmenbashi cookbooks written new president posters calendars featuring images criticism leadership former current remains great taboo one speaks president said one man city mary central turkmenistan right away youre arrested jailed considered enemy people life go family friends turkmen loath upon first meeting even criticize leaderships bizarre moves smoking cigarettes outside banned since 2000 rumor turkmenbashi ordered move quit smoking diplomats capital say told refrain smoking meeting current president stand smell turkmen take however ease agree said one man ashgabat banned ice cream would upset globalpost dispatches turkmenistan turkmenistans stability myth160 turkmenistan160the new great game 160
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<p>Do tax increases boost&#160;jobs? Or kill jobs? Here’s the take of <a href="http://www.sacbee.com/2014/07/20/6564879/states-job-growth-defies-predictions.html" type="external">David Cay Johnston in the Bee</a>:</p>
<p>Dire predictions about jobs being destroyed spread across California in 2012 as voters debated whether to enact the sales and, for those near the top of the income ladder, stiff&#160; <a href="http://topics.sacbee.com/income+tax/" type="external">income tax</a>&#160;increases in <a href="http://ballotpedia.org/California_Proposition_30,_Sales_and_Income_Tax_Increase_(2012)" type="external">Proposition 30</a>. Million-dollar-plus earners face a 3 percentage-point increase on each additional dollar.</p>
<p>“It hurts small business and kills jobs,” warned the Sacramento Taxpayers Association, the National Federation of Independent Business/California, and Joel Fox, president of the Small Business Action Committee.</p>
<p>So what happened after voters approved the&#160; <a href="http://topics.sacbee.com/tax+increases/" type="external">tax increases,</a>&#160;which took effect at the start of 2013?</p>
<p>Last year California added 410,418 jobs, an increase of 2.8 percent over 2012, significantly better than the 1.8 percent national increase in jobs.</p>
<p>California is home to 12 percent of Americans, but last year it accounted for 17.5 percent of new jobs, Bureau of Labor Statistics data shows.</p>
<p>According to the&#160;bio at the end of his piece:</p>
<p>David Cay Johnston, a California native who won a 2001 Pulitzer Prize for his coverage of tax policy, teaches the tax, property and regulatory law of the ancient world at Syracuse University College of Law.</p>
<p>In that case, he should look up what the ancient logicians called a “ <a href="http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/non%20sequitur" type="external">non sequitur</a>“: “a statement that is not connected in a logical or clear way to anything said before it.”</p>
<p>Tax-increase critics, including yours truly, never said the Prop. 30 tax increase would prevent growth, only that during a recovery jobs growth would be less than it otherwise might be; and during a recession, jobs losses would be greater&#160;than under lower taxes.</p>
<p>See the difference?</p>
<p>There also are three major causes&#160;for the higher jobs growth:</p>
<p>First, taxes today actually are lower than than&#160;during the Great Recession. Remember Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s record <a href="http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=newsarchive&amp;sid=aLQN_7PifIug" type="external">$13 billion tax increase</a> of 2009, which “terminated” jobs? When it was expiring, in 2011, new Gov. Jerry Brown tried to extend it. He failed. Then&#160;in 2012, as Johnston notes, Prop. 13 passed — but it was $7 billion, just over half Arnold’s tax increase.</p>
<p>California is the only state that has enjoyed a $6 billion tax cut from 2010 to 2014.</p>
<p>Second, we have Silicon Valley, a unique place on earth. But unless you’re a &gt;180 IQ computer entrepreneur billionaire, you can’t afford to live there.</p>
<p>Third, as the Chapman University Economic Forecast has pointed out, and I <a href="" type="internal">reported</a>, the jobs upsurge depends to a great extent on&#160;construction, which was devastated during the Great Recession. People have to live and work somewhere. So any recovery would mean more construction at higher rates than in other states that never suffered a construction wipeout.</p>
<p>Johnston does concede:</p>
<p>California has a more volatile economy than most of the country. Aerospace, for example, took a big hit after the Berlin Wall came down, and the state has repeatedly experienced other ups and downs larger than the changes in the national economy.</p>
<p>Amazingly, he also writes:</p>
<p>Some research into tax rates indicates that high rates have the opposite effect: People may work harder, trying to make more money to achieve a desired after-tax income and may slough off if tax rates are lowered.</p>
<p>So if you’re already working 80-hour weeks to pay your $4,000 mortgage for a shotgun shack in Orange County, and taxes go up, you’ll be eager to work 100 hours.</p>
<p>But as long as the California economy remains vibrant – as long as it does not fall into a pattern of fundamental decline the way Michigan has, for example – the temporary tax increases voters approved in 2012 are unlikely to damage economic growth even if they are made permanent.</p>
<p>Actually, Michigan has been <a href="http://www.michiganbusiness.org/press-releases/new-report-names-michigan-most-improved-state-for-pro-business-environment/" type="external">cutting taxes</a>and increasing its pro-business climate, with exemplary results. Outside the disaster of Detroit — which among other leftist follies is punished by a special 2.4 percent extra city income tax,&#160;something Johnston should applaud — the Great Lake State has been booming.</p>
<p><a href="http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702304632204579336753361171522" type="external">Stephen Moore reported</a>:</p>
<p>The Motor City’s meltdown has overshadowed the muscular economic recovery in this region, whose success reflects a manufacturing and technology renaissance. Congress’s Joint Economic Committee reports that manufacturers created 600,000 new jobs in 2013, and western Michigan is one of the places where they’re sprouting the fastest.</p>
<p>The state overall is in the midst of a broad-based economic recovery. According to a 2013 study of Bureau of Labor Statistics data by the state’s Mackinac Center for Public Policy, Michigan has created more than a quarter-million jobs since the official start of the U.S. economic recovery in June 2009—a 7% increase that ranks fifth best in the nation.</p>
<p>Outsiders might attribute the state’s turnaround to the federal auto bailouts—President Obama does—but that’s a small part of the story. This is a healthy, diversified recovery. According to Mackinac’s study, only about 4% of Michigan’s four million jobs are auto-related. Even those jobs are at least as dependent on sales to Honda, Toyota and Mercedes as they are on the sales to&#160; <a href="http://quotes.wsj.com/GM" type="external">GM</a>&#160;and Chrysler. International trade is now a big net plus for Michigan. Light manufacturing, information technology and health care have all seen strong job growth.</p>
<p>I don’t know when the next recession will hit. But as with the last one, high-tax California will be ill prepared to weather the storm, like a ship that sails well during light winds but whose sails collapse during a gale.</p>
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tax increases boost160jobs kill jobs heres take david cay johnston bee dire predictions jobs destroyed spread across california 2012 voters debated whether enact sales near top income ladder stiff160 income tax160increases proposition 30 milliondollarplus earners face 3 percentagepoint increase additional dollar hurts small business kills jobs warned sacramento taxpayers association national federation independent businesscalifornia joel fox president small business action committee happened voters approved the160 tax increases160which took effect start 2013 last year california added 410418 jobs increase 28 percent 2012 significantly better 18 percent national increase jobs california home 12 percent americans last year accounted 175 percent new jobs bureau labor statistics data shows according the160bio end piece david cay johnston california native 2001 pulitzer prize coverage tax policy teaches tax property regulatory law ancient world syracuse university college law case look ancient logicians called non sequitur statement connected logical clear way anything said taxincrease critics including truly never said prop 30 tax increase would prevent growth recovery jobs growth would less otherwise might recession jobs losses would greater160than lower taxes see difference also three major causes160for higher jobs growth first taxes today actually lower than160during great recession remember gov arnold schwarzeneggers record 13 billion tax increase 2009 terminated jobs expiring 2011 new gov jerry brown tried extend failed then160in 2012 johnston notes prop 13 passed 7 billion half arnolds tax increase california state enjoyed 6 billion tax cut 2010 2014 second silicon valley unique place earth unless youre gt180 iq computer entrepreneur billionaire cant afford live third chapman university economic forecast pointed reported jobs upsurge depends great extent on160construction devastated great recession people live work somewhere recovery would mean construction higher rates states never suffered construction wipeout johnston concede california volatile economy country aerospace example took big hit berlin wall came state repeatedly experienced ups downs larger changes national economy amazingly also writes research tax rates indicates high rates opposite effect people may work harder trying make money achieve desired aftertax income may slough tax rates lowered youre already working 80hour weeks pay 4000 mortgage shotgun shack orange county taxes go youll eager work 100 hours long california economy remains vibrant long fall pattern fundamental decline way michigan example temporary tax increases voters approved 2012 unlikely damage economic growth even made permanent actually michigan cutting taxesand increasing probusiness climate exemplary results outside disaster detroit among leftist follies punished special 24 percent extra city income tax160something johnston applaud great lake state booming stephen moore reported motor citys meltdown overshadowed muscular economic recovery region whose success reflects manufacturing technology renaissance congresss joint economic committee reports manufacturers created 600000 new jobs 2013 western michigan one places theyre sprouting fastest state overall midst broadbased economic recovery according 2013 study bureau labor statistics data states mackinac center public policy michigan created quartermillion jobs since official start us economic recovery june 2009a 7 increase ranks fifth best nation outsiders might attribute states turnaround federal auto bailoutspresident obama doesbut thats small part story healthy diversified recovery according mackinacs study 4 michigans four million jobs autorelated even jobs least dependent sales honda toyota mercedes sales to160 gm160and chrysler international trade big net plus michigan light manufacturing information technology health care seen strong job growth dont know next recession hit last one hightax california ill prepared weather storm like ship sails well light winds whose sails collapse gale
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<p>NEW&#160;YORK —&#160;Information is power and no more so than in a time of war.</p>
<p>Just before its final push into rebel-held territory in May, the Sri Lankan military announced via radio — the only medium that was still working in the region — that citizens in the affected area should move to government-controlled sectors for their own safety. It also released notices by plane in a few areas.</p>
<p>The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) countered by saying that government security forces would likely kill anyone who fled and then the rebels reportedly shot fleeing civilians for good measure. Hundreds of thousands of people were trapped between the opposing forces and many died.</p>
<p>It is a story that is repeated over and over again in conflict zones and disaster areas. The professionals — whether they are soldiers or international relief experts — have all the information and power while civilians, the people who are most affected, typically do not have many options for deciding their own fate.</p>
<p>An unlikely group of academics, entrepreneurs and activists is trying to redress that imbalance by empowering communities to gather and analyze their own information not just to react to violence but, hopefully, to prevent it from breaking out in the first place.</p>
<p>Using open-source software, they are creating online maps that are updated in real-time with messages from mobile phones and computers. These maps can quickly reveal patterns in violence or provide an early warning of looming conflicts. So far, the results have mostly been more theoretical than practical. But the potential is significant enough that it is rapidly giving rise to a new field of endeavor called crisis-mapping.</p>
<p>Probably the best-known crisis-mapping endeavor is the <a href="http://www.ushahidi.com/" type="external">Ushahidi platform</a>, which was first put together in three days by a handful of Kenyan programmers as a response to that country's post-election violence in late 2007 and early 2008. Basically the programmers took reports of violence and other incidents from among those that were texted to them or sent via e-mail and after verifying them, pinpointed them on an online map. That way, anyone with access to the Internet could see where the hot spots were and how they developed with the passage of time.</p>
<p>As it happened, most people who were caught up in Kenya's election violence relied on their own observations, family networks and radio reports to determine which areas were safe and when it was time to leave. But even after the fact, Ushahidi provided valuable information about the patterns of the violence.</p>
<p>&#160;</p>
<p>A report by the Harvard Humanitarian Initiative showed that while Kenyan blogs did well at reporting on rising tensions and the mainstream media featured clashes where people died, Ushahidi, which means “testimony” in Swahili, had the widest geographical coverage of reports that included eye-witness accounts of rock-throwing and protesters being dispersed by tear gas.</p>
<p>This same technology, now updated and expanded, has since been used to provide ground-level reports from conflict zones in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Gaza.</p>
<p>Of course, the idea of crowd-sourcing a conflict might seem obvious to bloggers and other citizen journalists but it is taking some getting used to among folks who earn their living by analyzing and predicting conflicts for governments, humanitarian organizations and others.</p>
<p>Traditionally, groups that have tried to provide early warnings about potential conflicts and danger zones have focused their attention on governments and the international community, reasoning that they alone have the power and resources to avert tragedy. That approach assumes, however, that the only barrier to government action is credible information. It is hard enough to stop a war between two countries. If the fighting is within one country’s own borders, however, there are basically no alternatives if that country’s government is not persuaded to take appropriate measures. Or if the government is actually encouraging violence.</p>
<p>Once the warnings fail and violence breaks out, it is the disaster management and humanitarian relief communities that are often left to respond to a crisis. Over the past couple of years, a few disaster relief experts have done a bit of soul-searching about whether the information they develop in a crisis mostly flows back to headquarters or can be used more broadly by the refugees and other displaced people they are trying to serve.</p>
<p>That has led to more conversations between disaster relief organizations and those who try to provide early warning of conflicts about who the appropriate audience should be — governments or the populace or both?</p>
<p>“It’s really only recently over the past year or two that discourse has started to shift,” says Patrick Meier, a doctoral research fellow at the Harvard Humanitarian Initiative, who also&#160; <a href="http://irevolution.wordpress.com/" type="external">blogs about crisis-mapping at iRevolution.</a>&#160;“It’s a more diffuse and decentralized approach that obviously brings up new challenges.”</p>
<p>Crisis-mapping may have greater potential in preventing conflicts rather than in figuring out how to navigate them safely. In some of the latest endeavors, local communities in eastern Africa are drawing up maps that show where local resources are concentrated.</p>
<p>“You can actually see fault lines on the maps they draw — where the potential for conflict is greatest,” Meier says. A common crisis fault line features a few scarce watering holes near the border of a traditional trading area. One response, based on what the map shows, might be to beef up conflict-mediation programs in that area.</p>
<p>Of course, the people of northern Sri Lanka did not need a map to figure out they were in the middle of a terrible fire-fight. They did not consult cell phones or crisis-maps when several tens of thousands decided to flee the quickly shrinking rebel areas across a lagoon to government-controlled land during the last desperate days of fighting.</p>
<p>“In most cases, people decided for themselves to come out after they realized that the LTTE could not hold the areas,” Hemantha Bandara of the Colombo-based <a href="http://www.fce.lk/" type="external">Foundation for Co-Existence&#160;</a>wrote in an e-mail. They literally took their lives into their own hands.</p>
<p>More GlobalPost dispatches about health:</p>
<p><a href="http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/health/090610/rumble-the-jungle" type="external">Fighting malaria: The bug wars</a></p>
<p><a href="http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/health/090519/turning-worthy-causes-real-jobs" type="external">Turning worthy causes into real jobs</a></p>
<p><a href="http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/health/090605/meningitis-plagues-africa-now-theres-hope" type="external">Meningitis plagues Africa, but now there's hope</a></p>
<p>&#160;</p>
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new160york 160information power time war final push rebelheld territory may sri lankan military announced via radio medium still working region citizens affected area move governmentcontrolled sectors safety also released notices plane areas liberation tigers tamil eelam ltte countered saying government security forces would likely kill anyone fled rebels reportedly shot fleeing civilians good measure hundreds thousands people trapped opposing forces many died story repeated conflict zones disaster areas professionals whether soldiers international relief experts information power civilians people affected typically many options deciding fate unlikely group academics entrepreneurs activists trying redress imbalance empowering communities gather analyze information react violence hopefully prevent breaking first place using opensource software creating online maps updated realtime messages mobile phones computers maps quickly reveal patterns violence provide early warning looming conflicts far results mostly theoretical practical potential significant enough rapidly giving rise new field endeavor called crisismapping probably bestknown crisismapping endeavor ushahidi platform first put together three days handful kenyan programmers response countrys postelection violence late 2007 early 2008 basically programmers took reports violence incidents among texted sent via email verifying pinpointed online map way anyone access internet could see hot spots developed passage time happened people caught kenyas election violence relied observations family networks radio reports determine areas safe time leave even fact ushahidi provided valuable information patterns violence 160 report harvard humanitarian initiative showed kenyan blogs well reporting rising tensions mainstream media featured clashes people died ushahidi means testimony swahili widest geographical coverage reports included eyewitness accounts rockthrowing protesters dispersed tear gas technology updated expanded since used provide groundlevel reports conflict zones democratic republic congo gaza course idea crowdsourcing conflict might seem obvious bloggers citizen journalists taking getting used among folks earn living analyzing predicting conflicts governments humanitarian organizations others traditionally groups tried provide early warnings potential conflicts danger zones focused attention governments international community reasoning alone power resources avert tragedy approach assumes however barrier government action credible information hard enough stop war two countries fighting within one countrys borders however basically alternatives countrys government persuaded take appropriate measures government actually encouraging violence warnings fail violence breaks disaster management humanitarian relief communities often left respond crisis past couple years disaster relief experts done bit soulsearching whether information develop crisis mostly flows back headquarters used broadly refugees displaced people trying serve led conversations disaster relief organizations try provide early warning conflicts appropriate audience governments populace really recently past year two discourse started shift says patrick meier doctoral research fellow harvard humanitarian initiative also160 blogs crisismapping irevolution160its diffuse decentralized approach obviously brings new challenges crisismapping may greater potential preventing conflicts rather figuring navigate safely latest endeavors local communities eastern africa drawing maps show local resources concentrated actually see fault lines maps draw potential conflict greatest meier says common crisis fault line features scarce watering holes near border traditional trading area one response based map shows might beef conflictmediation programs area course people northern sri lanka need map figure middle terrible firefight consult cell phones crisismaps several tens thousands decided flee quickly shrinking rebel areas across lagoon governmentcontrolled land last desperate days fighting cases people decided come realized ltte could hold areas hemantha bandara colombobased foundation coexistence160wrote email literally took lives hands globalpost dispatches health fighting malaria bug wars turning worthy causes real jobs meningitis plagues africa theres hope 160
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<p>KIPP charter middle schools enroll a significantly higher proportion of African-American students than the local school districts they draw from, but 40 percent of the black males they enroll leave between grades 6 and 8, says a new nationwide study by researchers at Western Michigan University.</p>
<p>“The dropout rate for African-American males is really shocking,” said Gary J. Miron, a professor of evaluation, measurement, and research at Western Michigan University, in Kalamazoo, and the lead researcher for the study. “KIPP is doing a great job of educating students who persist, but not all who come.”</p>
<p>With 99 charter schools across the country, most of which serve grades 5 to 8, the Knowledge Is Power Program network has built a national reputation for success in enabling low-income minority students to do well academically. And some studies show that KIPP charter schools have succeeded in significantly narrowing race-based and income-based achievement gaps between students over time. While not disputing that track record, the new study attempts to probe some of the more unexplored factors that might play into KIPP’s success.</p>
<p>It concludes, for instance, that KIPP schools are considerably better funded on a per-pupil basis than their surrounding school districts. The KIPP schools received, on average, $18,500 per pupil in 2007-08, about $6,500 more per student than the average for other schools in the same districts, according to the researchers’ analysis of federal 990 tax forms filed by schools reporting both public and private sources of funding. The study reports that nearly $5,800 of that per-pupil amount is private donations and grants.</p>
<p>Mr. Miron said the “$6,500 cost advantage” raises questions about the sustainability of the KIPP model.</p>
<p>The study also faults KIPP for not serving more students who are still learning English or who have disabilities.</p>
<p>“The limited range of students that KIPP serves, its inability to serve all students who enter, and its dependence on local traditional public schools to receive and serve the droves of students who leave, all speak loudly to the limitations of this model,” the report says.</p>
<p>Luis A. Huerta, an associate professor of public policy and education at Teachers College, praised the study for exploring indicators of KIPP’s operations other than student achievement, which, while important, doesn’t tell the whole story, he said.</p>
<p>“If we can start speaking about these more nuanced layers, and move beyond this discussion of student achievement, we tend to get a real picture,” he said. “Here we have schools receiving upwards to $6,000 or more than traditional schools, and that’s not even accounting for the fact they have fewer services than traditional schools, yet the gains they’ve shown in student achievement are quite modest.” Mr. Huerta is a faculty associate of the National Center for the Study of Privatization in Education at Teachers College, which had a hand in distributing the study but did not take part in the research.</p>
<p>The study came in for criticism from KIPP officials, as well as from two other researchers not involved in it. They questioned its methodology and said that while Mr. Miron is asking the right questions about KIPP schools, he hasn’t provided adequate evidence to answer them.</p>
<p>“We see this report as having significant shortcomings in the methodologies and reject the core conclusions the report is making,” said Steve Mancini, the public-affairs director for the San Francisco-based KIPP network, which was started in 1994.Methods Differ</p>
<p>The study by the Western Michigan researchers used the federal Common Core of Data as its primary source. The researchers were able to obtain data from 2005-06 to 2008-09 for 60 KIPP schools across the country. The KIPP schools were compared with averages for other, more-traditional schools in the same districts. Besides the 990 forms, the researchers drew financial data on KIPP schools from the same federal database, which had financial data for 25 of those schools.</p>
<p>Robin Lake, the associate director of the Center on Reinventing Public Education, at the University of Washington in Seattle, was one of the scholars who questioned the study led by Mr. Miron.</p>
<p>“It seems he’s trying to explain away the KIPP effect rather than explain it,” she said. “More work needs to be done to get real answers.”</p>
<p>“The main point to make is the kind of data they are looking at is quite different from the kind of data we’ve been looking at,” said Brian P. Gill, a senior fellow for the Princeton, N.J.-based Mathematica Policy Research and a co-author of a comprehensive study of 22 KIPP middle schools released last June. (“KIPP Middle Schools Boost Learning Gains, Study Says,” July 14, 2010.) That study was commissioned by KIPP.</p>
<p>Mr. Gill said that Mathematica based its conclusions, including a finding that attrition of students from KIPP schools is about the same as from neighboring regular public schools, on data from individual students, not on aggregate data sets, as Mr. Miron’s study has done.</p>
<p>The study led by Mr. Miron found that approximately 15 percent of students disappear each year from the KIPP grade cohorts, compared with 3 percent per year in each grade in the local traditional school districts. Mr. Miron said that finding doesn’t contradict the finding by Mathematica that attrition rates are comparable between KIPP schools and local district schools on average, because his research team compared only KIPP “districts”—the cluster of KIPP schools in a particular district—and their surrounding local traditional school districts as a whole, not individual schools with schools.</p>
<p>Mr. Mancini, Ms. Lake, and Mr. Gill share the view that the comparison groups used in the Western Michigan study don’t provide reliable information about student attrition. It’s not appropriate, they contend, to make conclusions about attrition by comparing the proportion of students who leave a KIPP district with the proportion of students who leave the entire surrounding school district, which might have hundreds of schools.</p>
<p>“You want apples-to-apples comparisons. This is like apples to watermelons,” said Ms. Lake.</p>
<p>Mr. Miron said that the Mathematica approach to determining student attrition is “superior” to his. But his study explores an issue that he said Mathematica hadn’t addressed: How does the fact that KIPP schools tend not to replace students that leave, particularly in the upper grades, affect attrition?</p>
<p>“The low-performing students are leaving KIPP schools, but they are still in the public school sector,” Mr. Miron said.</p>
<p>Mr. Gill said Mr. Miron’s study doesn’t account for how grade retention, a hallmark of the KIPP model, may account for some of the shrinkage in cohorts of students moving from 6th to 8th grade.</p>
<p>He said Mr. Miron is on target, though, to ask questions about how KIPP replaces students in its schools. Mathematica has gathered data on that point that it will present this month in New Orleans at the annual meeting of the American Educational Research Association, Mr. Gill said.Praise for KIPP</p>
<p>The Western Michigan study doesn’t challenge KIPP’s positive student outcomes. It says that the nonprofit network’s claims that its schools improve students’ test scores at a faster rate than regular public schools are backed by “rigorous and well-documented studies,” such as Mathematica’s.</p>
<p>Mr. Miron praises KIPP charter schools for how they have prepared and mentored principals and started new conversations in education circles about the benefits of extended instruction for students from low-income families. The KIPP school day is typically nine hours long, as much as a third longer than for the school day in surrounding school districts.</p>
<p>The new study contains at least one finding that echoes what the Mathematica study concluded: KIPP schools are less likely than local regular public schools to enroll English-language learners or students with disabilities—even though Mr. Miron’s data suggest the KIPP schools may have more financial resources to do the job.</p>
<p>But Mike Wright, who oversees KIPP’s network growth and sustainability, characterized the report’s findings on the financing of KIPP’s schools as misleading.</p>
<p>He focused on the finding that KIPP schools receive nearly $5,800 more per pupil from private donations than do their surrounding school districts. One problem, Mr. Wright said, is that the finding is based on a sample of 11 KIPP districts that isn’t representative of all KIPP schools. (Mr. Miron said he used those 11 KIPP districts because they were the only ones that reported public revenues in the federal data set researched for the study.)</p>
<p>Also, Mr. Wright said of the study’s authors, “they are including everything under the kitchen sink, whether starting a school from scratch or investing in facilities” in the figure for private per-pupil funding. He contends it’s a “misrepresentation” to imply that KIPP schools are overflowing with resources, when, unlike regular public schools, they are often left on their own to pay for buildings.</p>
<p>Lastly, Mr. Wright said, one KIPP school district skewed the finding for private revenues for the sample by mistakenly reporting that the bulk of its $8.1 million in revenue for 2007-08 was mostly from private sources, when it was actually from public sources.</p>
<p>Mr. Wright contends that the average funding advantage from private sources for KIPP schools in comparison with their local school districts is closer to $2,500 per pupil.</p>
<p>Ms. Lake said she has found in her own research on charter school financing that it’s hard to make meaningful conclusions based on the 990 tax forms because of ambiguities over what’s behind the numbers in the categories reported.</p>
<p>Mr. Huerta, however, said Mr. Miron’s methodology is strong, even though there are “complications in trying to dig out some of this information.” He added Mr. Miron is very clear in reporting his study’s limitations.</p>
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<p>Spectators take photos with mobile devices while protesters are taken into custody. Photo by Jonathan Gibby</p>
<p><a href="" type="internal">permalink</a></p>
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kipp charter middle schools enroll significantly higher proportion africanamerican students local school districts draw 40 percent black males enroll leave grades 6 8 says new nationwide study researchers western michigan university dropout rate africanamerican males really shocking said gary j miron professor evaluation measurement research western michigan university kalamazoo lead researcher study kipp great job educating students persist come 99 charter schools across country serve grades 5 8 knowledge power program network built national reputation success enabling lowincome minority students well academically studies show kipp charter schools succeeded significantly narrowing racebased incomebased achievement gaps students time disputing track record new study attempts probe unexplored factors might play kipps success concludes instance kipp schools considerably better funded perpupil basis surrounding school districts kipp schools received average 18500 per pupil 200708 6500 per student average schools districts according researchers analysis federal 990 tax forms filed schools reporting public private sources funding study reports nearly 5800 perpupil amount private donations grants mr miron said 6500 cost advantage raises questions sustainability kipp model study also faults kipp serving students still learning english disabilities limited range students kipp serves inability serve students enter dependence local traditional public schools receive serve droves students leave speak loudly limitations model report says luis huerta associate professor public policy education teachers college praised study exploring indicators kipps operations student achievement important doesnt tell whole story said start speaking nuanced layers move beyond discussion student achievement tend get real picture said schools receiving upwards 6000 traditional schools thats even accounting fact fewer services traditional schools yet gains theyve shown student achievement quite modest mr huerta faculty associate national center study privatization education teachers college hand distributing study take part research study came criticism kipp officials well two researchers involved questioned methodology said mr miron asking right questions kipp schools hasnt provided adequate evidence answer see report significant shortcomings methodologies reject core conclusions report making said steve mancini publicaffairs director san franciscobased kipp network started 1994methods differ study western michigan researchers used federal common core data primary source researchers able obtain data 200506 200809 60 kipp schools across country kipp schools compared averages moretraditional schools districts besides 990 forms researchers drew financial data kipp schools federal database financial data 25 schools robin lake associate director center reinventing public education university washington seattle one scholars questioned study led mr miron seems hes trying explain away kipp effect rather explain said work needs done get real answers main point make kind data looking quite different kind data weve looking said brian p gill senior fellow princeton njbased mathematica policy research coauthor comprehensive study 22 kipp middle schools released last june kipp middle schools boost learning gains study says july 14 2010 study commissioned kipp mr gill said mathematica based conclusions including finding attrition students kipp schools neighboring regular public schools data individual students aggregate data sets mr mirons study done study led mr miron found approximately 15 percent students disappear year kipp grade cohorts compared 3 percent per year grade local traditional school districts mr miron said finding doesnt contradict finding mathematica attrition rates comparable kipp schools local district schools average research team compared kipp districtsthe cluster kipp schools particular districtand surrounding local traditional school districts whole individual schools schools mr mancini ms lake mr gill share view comparison groups used western michigan study dont provide reliable information student attrition appropriate contend make conclusions attrition comparing proportion students leave kipp district proportion students leave entire surrounding school district might hundreds schools want applestoapples comparisons like apples watermelons said ms lake mr miron said mathematica approach determining student attrition superior study explores issue said mathematica hadnt addressed fact kipp schools tend replace students leave particularly upper grades affect attrition lowperforming students leaving kipp schools still public school sector mr miron said mr gill said mr mirons study doesnt account grade retention hallmark kipp model may account shrinkage cohorts students moving 6th 8th grade said mr miron target though ask questions kipp replaces students schools mathematica gathered data point present month new orleans annual meeting american educational research association mr gill saidpraise kipp western michigan study doesnt challenge kipps positive student outcomes says nonprofit networks claims schools improve students test scores faster rate regular public schools backed rigorous welldocumented studies mathematicas mr miron praises kipp charter schools prepared mentored principals started new conversations education circles benefits extended instruction students lowincome families kipp school day typically nine hours long much third longer school day surrounding school districts new study contains least one finding echoes mathematica study concluded kipp schools less likely local regular public schools enroll englishlanguage learners students disabilitieseven though mr mirons data suggest kipp schools may financial resources job mike wright oversees kipps network growth sustainability characterized reports findings financing kipps schools misleading focused finding kipp schools receive nearly 5800 per pupil private donations surrounding school districts one problem mr wright said finding based sample 11 kipp districts isnt representative kipp schools mr miron said used 11 kipp districts ones reported public revenues federal data set researched study also mr wright said studys authors including everything kitchen sink whether starting school scratch investing facilities figure private perpupil funding contends misrepresentation imply kipp schools overflowing resources unlike regular public schools often left pay buildings lastly mr wright said one kipp school district skewed finding private revenues sample mistakenly reporting bulk 81 million revenue 200708 mostly private sources actually public sources mr wright contends average funding advantage private sources kipp schools comparison local school districts closer 2500 per pupil ms lake said found research charter school financing hard make meaningful conclusions based 990 tax forms ambiguities whats behind numbers categories reported mr huerta however said mr mirons methodology strong even though complications trying dig information added mr miron clear reporting studys limitations spectators take photos mobile devices protesters taken custody photo jonathan gibby permalink
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<p>Last week, the Senate Intelligence Committee's chair essentially accused the Central Intelligence Agency of spying on the committee's staffers — an incident <a href="http://www.npr.org/2014/03/15/290410093/senate-cia-clash-goes-behind-closed-doors" type="external">NPR called</a> a "verbal bazooka."</p>
<p>Sen. Dianne Feinstein suggested last Tuesday that the CIA's search of computers used by the committee during its investigation into the CIA's own activities in the post-9/11 era <a href="http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/03/11/us-usa-cia-interrogations-idUSBREA2A0XY20140311" type="external">may have</a> "violated the separation of powers principles embodied in the Constitution."</p>
<p>"Besides the constitutional implications, the CIA’s search may also have violated the Fourth Amendment, the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act, as well as Executive Order 12333, which prohibits the CIA from conducting domestic searches or surveillance," she said.</p>
<p>The CIA's Director John Brennan denied the allegations. But if the facts prove otherwise, it wouldn’t be the first recorded instance of American spies spying on Americans.</p>
<p>GlobalPost took a look at some famous examples:</p>
<p>&#160;</p>
<p>(AFP)</p>
<p>Between 1967 and 1973, the CIA, <a href="https://www.cia.gov/library/center-for-the-study-of-intelligence/kent-csi/vol20no2/html/v20i2a01p_0001.htm" type="external">by its own admission</a>, amassed files on Americans suspected of being domestic dissidents. The White House under President Lyndon B. Johnson and, later under President Richard Nixon, wanted the CIA to <a href="http://www.aarclibrary.org/publib/church/reports/book3/pdf/ChurchB3_9_CHAOS.pdf" type="external">look into&#160;any foreign influence</a> on&#160;the civil rights and anti-war movements.&#160;</p>
<p>At its height, Operation Chaos had access to the CIA's&#160;mail intercept program and the National Security Agency's monitoring of international communications. It also received material collected by the FBI.</p>
<p>The agency found little evidence of foreign influence on leftist movements in the United States besides encouragement at international conferences and through political statements.</p>
<p>&#160;</p>
<p>Closely related to Chaos, Merrimac used CIA agents to <a href="http://www.aarclibrary.org/publib/church/reports/book3/pdf/ChurchB3_9_CHAOS.pdf" type="external">infiltrate peace groups</a> and black activist groups with the aim of anticipating attacks on the agency itself. However, the agents also gathered details about individuals inside the groups, their funding and activities.</p>
<p>&#160;</p>
<p>Another Chaos cousin, Resistance's aim was to compile information on radical groups that might target CIA activities or assets.&#160; <a href="http://www.aarclibrary.org/publib/church/reports/book3/pdf/ChurchB3_9_CHAOS.pdf" type="external">The program compiled information</a>&#160;from around the country, but specifically targeted college campuses in its search for radical elements. The CIA obtained additional information from local police, and campus officials.</p>
<p>&#160;</p>
<p>(AFP)</p>
<p>A <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2013/06/27/nyregion/cia-sees-concerns-on-ties-to-new-york-police.html?pagewanted=all&amp;_r=2&amp;" type="external">CIA inspector general's report published</a> in 2013 found that for a decade after the Twin Towers fell, four CIA officers were embedded in the New York Police Department. The NYPD itself was in trouble at the time, facing allegations of unconstitutional surveillance of Muslim communities in New York and New Jersey.</p>
<p>The report found that one CIA officer operated as if he were exempt from limitations — such as those prohibiting CIA officers from domestic spying — because he was on an unpaid leave of absence. Another CIA analyst had access to "unfiltered" police reports, <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2013/06/27/nyregion/cia-sees-concerns-on-ties-to-new-york-police.html?pagewanted=all&amp;_r=2&amp;" type="external">according to The New York Times</a>.&#160;</p>
<p>&#160;</p>
<p>(AFP)</p>
<p>While not an instance of domestic spying, this <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/1999/03/10/us/sidney-gottlieb-80-dies-took-lsd-to-cia.html" type="external">case of the CIA's</a> domestic meddling was much worse. The CIA dosed hundreds of unwitting Americans with psychoactive drugs in the 1950s and 1960's as part of a program run by the Office of Scientific Intelligence. The agency's experiments with LSD targeted patients in mental hospitals, prisoners, prostitutes and addicts, <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/1999/03/10/us/sidney-gottlieb-80-dies-took-lsd-to-cia.html" type="external">according to The New York Times</a>.</p>
<p>All this to study the human consciousness. The Times noted that some agency employees and military officers were also involved in experiments, though they might not have known the full details. CIA Director Richard Helms <a href="https://www.princeton.edu/~achaney/tmve/wiki100k/docs/Project_MKULTRA.html" type="external">ordered all files</a> connected to the MK-ULTRA program destroyed in 1973.</p>
<p>&#160;</p>
<p>(AFP)</p>
<p>The Patriot Act, which the NSA cited as its legal basis for collecting the phone records of millions of Americans, is also cited by the CIA to collect information on international money transfers, <a href="http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702303559504579198370113163530" type="external">according to a Wall Street Journal report</a> from January.</p>
<p>The report cited anonymous officials familiar with a CIA program that tracked the financial transfers of millions, including American citizens. The CIA cannot collect intelligence on Americans, but reportedly <a href="http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702303559504579198370113163530" type="external">gained authorization</a> from the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court to track international transactions to detect terror operations.</p>
<p>&#160;</p>
<p>(AFP)</p>
<p>In the aftermath of the Second World War, and in the first frost of the Cold War, the CIA and FBI were authorized by the National Security Council to exploit the knowledge of the flood of Eastern European immigrants coming to America, <a href="http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2013/07/21/cia-and-fbi-spied-on-americans-and-immigrant-refugees-as-early-as-the-late-50s.html" type="external">according to The Daily Beast</a>.</p>
<p>In those days, there were no cellphone meta data or internet records to access, so intelligence agents asked refugee organizations in the US and Europe for information on the Eastern Europeans coming through their offices.</p>
<p>Government documents revealing how intelligence agencies used information from refugee organizations to recruit "informants, spies, assassins, saboteurs" were only declassified in the 1990s.</p>
<p>&#160;</p>
<p>(AFP)</p>
<p>The current media battle between the NSA and news sites publishing information gleaned from leaked documents isn't the first face-off between the media and intelligence agencies — not by a long shot.</p>
<p>The CIA had a program to monitor journalists, using wiretaps and observation posts to keep tabs on writers who published material the Kennedy administration deemed sensitive.</p>
<p>Project Mockingbird, which wiretapped two reporters in 1963, was authorized by Director of Central Intelligence John McCone at the behest of President John F. Kennedy, <a href="http://washington.blogs.nytimes.com/2007/06/26/project-mockingbird/?_php=true&amp;_type=blogs&amp;_php=true&amp;_type=blogs&amp;_r=1" type="external">according to The New York Times</a>.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.cia.gov/open/Family%20Jewels.pdf" type="external">A declassified CIA document outlined the project</a>: "During the period from 12 March 1963 to 15 June 1963, this Office installed telephone taps on two Washington-based newsmen who were suspected of disclosing classified information obtained from a variety of governmental and congressional sources."</p>
<p>"The intercept activity was particularly productive in identifying contacts of the newsmen, their method of operation and many of their sources of information. For example, it was determined that during the period they received data from 13 newsmen, 12 of whom were identified; 12 senators and 6 members of Congress, all identified; 21 Congressional staff members, of whom 11 were identified; 16 government employees, including a staff member of the White House, members of the Vice President's office, an Assistant Attorney General, and other well-placed individuals."</p>
<p>“The newsmen actually received more classified and official data than they could use,” the report said.</p>
<p>The Mockingbird task force kept tabs on five reporters for three years. <a href="http://washington.blogs.nytimes.com/2007/06/26/project-mockingbird/?_php=true&amp;_type=blogs&amp;_php=true&amp;_type=blogs&amp;_r=1" type="external">The Times noted</a> that Kennedy set a precedent that would later be followed by Presidents Johnson, Nixon and George W. Bush.</p>
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last week senate intelligence committees chair essentially accused central intelligence agency spying committees staffers incident npr called verbal bazooka sen dianne feinstein suggested last tuesday cias search computers used committee investigation cias activities post911 era may violated separation powers principles embodied constitution besides constitutional implications cias search may also violated fourth amendment computer fraud abuse act well executive order 12333 prohibits cia conducting domestic searches surveillance said cias director john brennan denied allegations facts prove otherwise wouldnt first recorded instance american spies spying americans globalpost took look famous examples 160 afp 1967 1973 cia admission amassed files americans suspected domestic dissidents white house president lyndon b johnson later president richard nixon wanted cia look into160any foreign influence on160the civil rights antiwar movements160 height operation chaos access cias160mail intercept program national security agencys monitoring international communications also received material collected fbi agency found little evidence foreign influence leftist movements united states besides encouragement international conferences political statements 160 closely related chaos merrimac used cia agents infiltrate peace groups black activist groups aim anticipating attacks agency however agents also gathered details individuals inside groups funding activities 160 another chaos cousin resistances aim compile information radical groups might target cia activities assets160 program compiled information160from around country specifically targeted college campuses search radical elements cia obtained additional information local police campus officials 160 afp cia inspector generals report published 2013 found decade twin towers fell four cia officers embedded new york police department nypd trouble time facing allegations unconstitutional surveillance muslim communities new york new jersey report found one cia officer operated exempt limitations prohibiting cia officers domestic spying unpaid leave absence another cia analyst access unfiltered police reports according new york times160 160 afp instance domestic spying case cias domestic meddling much worse cia dosed hundreds unwitting americans psychoactive drugs 1950s 1960s part program run office scientific intelligence agencys experiments lsd targeted patients mental hospitals prisoners prostitutes addicts according new york times study human consciousness times noted agency employees military officers also involved experiments though might known full details cia director richard helms ordered files connected mkultra program destroyed 1973 160 afp patriot act nsa cited legal basis collecting phone records millions americans also cited cia collect information international money transfers according wall street journal report january report cited anonymous officials familiar cia program tracked financial transfers millions including american citizens cia collect intelligence americans reportedly gained authorization foreign intelligence surveillance court track international transactions detect terror operations 160 afp aftermath second world war first frost cold war cia fbi authorized national security council exploit knowledge flood eastern european immigrants coming america according daily beast days cellphone meta data internet records access intelligence agents asked refugee organizations us europe information eastern europeans coming offices government documents revealing intelligence agencies used information refugee organizations recruit informants spies assassins saboteurs declassified 1990s 160 afp current media battle nsa news sites publishing information gleaned leaked documents isnt first faceoff media intelligence agencies long shot cia program monitor journalists using wiretaps observation posts keep tabs writers published material kennedy administration deemed sensitive project mockingbird wiretapped two reporters 1963 authorized director central intelligence john mccone behest president john f kennedy according new york times declassified cia document outlined project period 12 march 1963 15 june 1963 office installed telephone taps two washingtonbased newsmen suspected disclosing classified information obtained variety governmental congressional sources intercept activity particularly productive identifying contacts newsmen method operation many sources information example determined period received data 13 newsmen 12 identified 12 senators 6 members congress identified 21 congressional staff members 11 identified 16 government employees including staff member white house members vice presidents office assistant attorney general wellplaced individuals newsmen actually received classified official data could use report said mockingbird task force kept tabs five reporters three years times noted kennedy set precedent would later followed presidents johnson nixon george w bush
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<p>For the first tine, a federal appeals court has ruled anti-gay bias is illegal under current law.</p>
<p>For the first time, a federal appeals court has determined discrimination based on sexual orientation amounts to sex discrimination and is unlawful under current civil rights law.</p>
<p>In a <a href="" type="internal">69-page decision</a>, the U.S. 7th Circuit Court of Appeals in Chicago ruled Tuesday in the case of Hively v. Ivy Tech Community College anti-gay workplace bias is unlawful under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, reversing <a href="" type="internal">an earlier decision from a three-judge panel</a> finding precedent precludes the court from making that determination.</p>
<p>Writing for the majority in the 8-3 decision, U.S. Chief Judge Diane Wood, a Clinton appointee, finds discrimination based on sexual orientation constitutes discrimination based on one’s perception of gender stereotypes, which the U.S. Supreme Court has determined is unlawful under Title VII.</p>
<p>“Any discomfort, disapproval, or job decision based on the fact that the complainant—woman or man— dresses differently, speaks differently, or dates or marries a same-sex partner, is a reaction purely and simply based on sex,” Wood writes. “That means that it falls within Title VII’s prohibition against sex discrimination, if it affects employment in one of the specified ways.”</p>
<p>Wood also relies heavily on the reasoning in the 1967 U.S. Supreme Court decision in the case of Loving v. Virginia, which struck down bans on interracial marriage and served as a basis for the court’s ruling in favor of marriage equality in 2015.</p>
<p>“Changing the race of one partner made a difference in determining the legality of the conduct, and so the law rested on distinctions drawn according to race, which were unjustifiable and racially discriminatory,” Wood writes. “So too, here. If we were to change the sex of one partner in a lesbian relationship, the outcome would be different. This reveals that the discrimination rests on distinctions drawn according to sex.”</p>
<p>Wood cautions the ruling “decided only the issue put before us” and not, for example, whether Ivy Tech is a religious institution and therefore entitled to the religious exemption under Title VII, nor the legality of anti-gay discrimination “in the context of the provision of social or public services.”</p>
<p>“We hold only that a person who alleges that she experienced employment dis- crimination on the basis of her sexual orientation has put forth a case of sex discrimination for Title VII purposes,” Wood concludes. “It was therefore wrong to dismiss Hively’s complaint for failure to state a claim.”</p>
<p>In a <a href="" type="internal">new trend</a>, a number of district courts have begun to rule anti-gay discrimination violates federal laws against sex discrimination, but federal appeals courts — including the 11th Circuit and the 2nd Circuit — had continued to reject that interpretation of Title VII until now. The 7th Circuit ruling marks the first time a federal court has reached that conclusion after decades of gay, lesbian and bisexual plaintiffs filing complaints before federal courts under that law.</p>
<p>The ruling reverses and remands the lower court ruling in the case, which was filed in 2014 by Kimberly Hively against her former employer, the Indiana-based Ivy Tech Community College, where she worked as a part-time professor. The lawsuit alleged the school violated Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 by denying Hively full-time employment and promotions because she’s a lesbian.</p>
<p>Echoing Wood in a concurring decision is U.S. Circuit Judge Richard Posner, who was responsible for the 7th Circuit’s decision in favor of marriage equality in 2015 and opined in this case changing attitudes toward sex and gender call for a new interpretation of Title VII.</p>
<p>“The position of a woman discriminated against on account of being a lesbian is thus analogous to a woman’s being discriminated against on account of being a woman,” Posner writes. “That woman didn’t choose to be a woman; the lesbian didn’t choose to be a lesbian. I don’t see why firing a lesbian because she is in the subset of women who are lesbian should be thought any less a form of sex discrimination than firing a woman because she’s a woman.”</p>
<p>But Posner cautioned against basing the decision on Supreme Court precedent prohibiting gender stereotyping in Oncale, which he wrote is “rather evasive,” or Loving, which he said was a constitutional case based on race and “had nothing to do with the recently enacted Title VII.”</p>
<p>Despite criticism of&#160;the judiciary for allegedly interpreting the law in ways inconsistent with the intentions of Congress, Posner writes that’s not a problem because he says courts do it “fairly frequently to avoid statutory obsolescence and concomitantly to avoid placing the entire burden of updating old statutes on the legislative branch.”</p>
<p>Also writing a concurring opinion was U.S. Circuit Judge Joel Flaum, a Reagan-appointed judge who writes that sexual orientation discrimination constitutes sex discrimination under Title VII without any need to reinterpret the law.</p>
<p>“So if discriminating against an employee because she is homosexual is equivalent to discriminating against her because she is (A) a woman who is (B) sexually attracted to women, then it is motivated, in part, by an enumerated trait: The employee’s sex,” Flaum writes. “That is all an employee must show to successfully allege a Title VII claim.”</p>
<p>Writing the dissent in the case was U.S. Circuit Judge Diane Sykes, a George W. Bush-appointed judge who writes the majority “deploys a judge-empowering, common-law decision method that leaves a great deal of room for judicial discretion.”</p>
<p>“Respect for the constraints imposed on the judiciary by a system of written law must begin with fidelity to the traditional first principle of statutory interpretation: When a statute supplies the rule of decision, our role is to give effect to the enacted text, interpreting the statutory language as a reasonable person would have understood it at the time of enactment,” Sykes writes. “We are not authorized to infuse the text with a new or unconventional meaning or to update it to respond to changed social, economic, or political conditions.”</p>
<p>Sykes was on the list of judges from which President Trump said during his campaign he’d make appointments to the U.S. Supreme Court and reportedly was one of the three picks on the short list for the late U.S. Associate Justice Antonin Scalia’s seat before Trump nominated U.S. Circuit Judge Neil Gorsuch.</p>
<p>The decision was a source of joy for LGBT rights supporters, who for decades have made a priority of protecting LGBT workers&#160;from discrimination.</p>
<p>Greg Nevins, employment fairness program director for Lambda Legal and attorney for the plaintiff, said in a statement the decision is a “gamechanger” for gay people facing workplace discrimination and “sends a clear message to employers: It is against the law to discriminate on the basis of sexual orientation.”</p>
<p>“In many cities and states across the country, lesbian and gay workers are being fired because of who they love,” Nevins said. “But, with this decision, federal law is catching up to public opinion: ninety-percent of Americans already believe that LGBT employees should be valued for how well they do their jobs—not who they love or who they are. Now, through this case and others, that principle is backed up by the courts.”</p>
<p>The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the U.S. agency charged with enforcing federal employment civil rights law, determined in its 2015 decision in the case of Baldwin v. Foxx that discrimination against workers for being gay, lesbian or bisexual violates Title VII.</p>
<p>Chad Feldblum, a lesbian and commissioner of the EEOC, said in reaction to the Hively ruling she hopes the decision will serve as model for outside the 7th Circuit in sexual-orientation discrimination cases.</p>
<p>“I am gratified to see that the Seventh Circuit has adopted the simple logic that sexual orientation discrimination is a form of sex discrimination and I hope its reasoning can serve as a model for other courts,” Feldblum said.</p>
<p>The 7th Circuit is composed of Wisconsin, Illinois and Indiana. Wisconsin and Illinois already had state laws against sexual-orientation discrimination in employment, but the ruling assures for the first-time gay, lesbian and bisexual workers have recourse if they face discrimination in Indiana.</p>
<p>Shannon Minter, legal director for the National Center for Lesbian Rights, said the decision “opens the door to a new era for LGBTQ plaintiffs under federal sex discrimination law.”</p>
<p>“With this historic decision, the 7th Circuit is the first federal appellate court to acknowledge that discrimination because a person is gay, lesbian or bisexual can only reasonably be understood as discrimination based on sex,” Minter said. “The court deserves credit for rejecting the tortured rationales of older decisions and undertaking a principled analysis, based on the Supreme Court’s affirmation in Price Waterhouse and other cases, that Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 must be broadly construed to prohibit the full range of sex-based discrimination.”</p>
<p>Although Ivy Tech Community College could file a petition for certiorari to urge the U.S. Supreme Court to reverse the 7th Circuit decision, the school has indicated it won’t pursue that route.</p>
<p>“Ivy Tech Community College rejects discrimination of all types, sexual-orientation discrimination is specifically barred by our policies,” said Jeff Fanter, an Ivy Tech spokesperson. “Ivy Tech respects and appreciates the opinions rendered by the judges of the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals and does not intend to seek Supreme Court review. The college denies that it discriminated against the plaintiff on the basis of her sex or sexual orientation and will defend the plaintiff’s claims on the merits in the trial court.”</p>
<p>With the 7th Circuit decision, workplace protections for gay, lesbian and bisexual people are catching up to those of transgender people. For years, federal appeals courts have determined discrimination against workers for being transgender amounts to sex discrimination under Title VII, but haven’t done so for sexual orientation discrimination. In 2012, the U.S. EEOC affirmed anti-trans discrimination is unlawful under Title VII in the case of Macy v. Holder.</p>
<p><a href="" type="internal">Diane Sykes</a> <a href="" type="internal">Diane Wood</a> <a href="" type="internal">Joel Flaum</a> <a href="" type="internal">Richard Posner</a> <a href="" type="internal">U.S. Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals</a></p>
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first tine federal appeals court ruled antigay bias illegal current law first time federal appeals court determined discrimination based sexual orientation amounts sex discrimination unlawful current civil rights law 69page decision us 7th circuit court appeals chicago ruled tuesday case hively v ivy tech community college antigay workplace bias unlawful title vii civil rights act 1964 reversing earlier decision threejudge panel finding precedent precludes court making determination writing majority 83 decision us chief judge diane wood clinton appointee finds discrimination based sexual orientation constitutes discrimination based ones perception gender stereotypes us supreme court determined unlawful title vii discomfort disapproval job decision based fact complainantwoman man dresses differently speaks differently dates marries samesex partner reaction purely simply based sex wood writes means falls within title viis prohibition sex discrimination affects employment one specified ways wood also relies heavily reasoning 1967 us supreme court decision case loving v virginia struck bans interracial marriage served basis courts ruling favor marriage equality 2015 changing race one partner made difference determining legality conduct law rested distinctions drawn according race unjustifiable racially discriminatory wood writes change sex one partner lesbian relationship outcome would different reveals discrimination rests distinctions drawn according sex wood cautions ruling decided issue put us example whether ivy tech religious institution therefore entitled religious exemption title vii legality antigay discrimination context provision social public services hold person alleges experienced employment dis crimination basis sexual orientation put forth case sex discrimination title vii purposes wood concludes therefore wrong dismiss hivelys complaint failure state claim new trend number district courts begun rule antigay discrimination violates federal laws sex discrimination federal appeals courts including 11th circuit 2nd circuit continued reject interpretation title vii 7th circuit ruling marks first time federal court reached conclusion decades gay lesbian bisexual plaintiffs filing complaints federal courts law ruling reverses remands lower court ruling case filed 2014 kimberly hively former employer indianabased ivy tech community college worked parttime professor lawsuit alleged school violated title vii civil rights act 1964 denying hively fulltime employment promotions shes lesbian echoing wood concurring decision us circuit judge richard posner responsible 7th circuits decision favor marriage equality 2015 opined case changing attitudes toward sex gender call new interpretation title vii position woman discriminated account lesbian thus analogous womans discriminated account woman posner writes woman didnt choose woman lesbian didnt choose lesbian dont see firing lesbian subset women lesbian thought less form sex discrimination firing woman shes woman posner cautioned basing decision supreme court precedent prohibiting gender stereotyping oncale wrote rather evasive loving said constitutional case based race nothing recently enacted title vii despite criticism of160the judiciary allegedly interpreting law ways inconsistent intentions congress posner writes thats problem says courts fairly frequently avoid statutory obsolescence concomitantly avoid placing entire burden updating old statutes legislative branch also writing concurring opinion us circuit judge joel flaum reaganappointed judge writes sexual orientation discrimination constitutes sex discrimination title vii without need reinterpret law discriminating employee homosexual equivalent discriminating woman b sexually attracted women motivated part enumerated trait employees sex flaum writes employee must show successfully allege title vii claim writing dissent case us circuit judge diane sykes george w bushappointed judge writes majority deploys judgeempowering commonlaw decision method leaves great deal room judicial discretion respect constraints imposed judiciary system written law must begin fidelity traditional first principle statutory interpretation statute supplies rule decision role give effect enacted text interpreting statutory language reasonable person would understood time enactment sykes writes authorized infuse text new unconventional meaning update respond changed social economic political conditions sykes list judges president trump said campaign hed make appointments us supreme court reportedly one three picks short list late us associate justice antonin scalias seat trump nominated us circuit judge neil gorsuch decision source joy lgbt rights supporters decades made priority protecting lgbt workers160from discrimination greg nevins employment fairness program director lambda legal attorney plaintiff said statement decision gamechanger gay people facing workplace discrimination sends clear message employers law discriminate basis sexual orientation many cities states across country lesbian gay workers fired love nevins said decision federal law catching public opinion ninetypercent americans already believe lgbt employees valued well jobsnot love case others principle backed courts us equal employment opportunity commission us agency charged enforcing federal employment civil rights law determined 2015 decision case baldwin v foxx discrimination workers gay lesbian bisexual violates title vii chad feldblum lesbian commissioner eeoc said reaction hively ruling hopes decision serve model outside 7th circuit sexualorientation discrimination cases gratified see seventh circuit adopted simple logic sexual orientation discrimination form sex discrimination hope reasoning serve model courts feldblum said 7th circuit composed wisconsin illinois indiana wisconsin illinois already state laws sexualorientation discrimination employment ruling assures firsttime gay lesbian bisexual workers recourse face discrimination indiana shannon minter legal director national center lesbian rights said decision opens door new era lgbtq plaintiffs federal sex discrimination law historic decision 7th circuit first federal appellate court acknowledge discrimination person gay lesbian bisexual reasonably understood discrimination based sex minter said court deserves credit rejecting tortured rationales older decisions undertaking principled analysis based supreme courts affirmation price waterhouse cases title vii civil rights act 1964 must broadly construed prohibit full range sexbased discrimination although ivy tech community college could file petition certiorari urge us supreme court reverse 7th circuit decision school indicated wont pursue route ivy tech community college rejects discrimination types sexualorientation discrimination specifically barred policies said jeff fanter ivy tech spokesperson ivy tech respects appreciates opinions rendered judges seventh circuit court appeals intend seek supreme court review college denies discriminated plaintiff basis sex sexual orientation defend plaintiffs claims merits trial court 7th circuit decision workplace protections gay lesbian bisexual people catching transgender people years federal appeals courts determined discrimination workers transgender amounts sex discrimination title vii havent done sexual orientation discrimination 2012 us eeoc affirmed antitrans discrimination unlawful title vii case macy v holder diane sykes diane wood joel flaum richard posner us seventh circuit court appeals
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<p>CARACAS, Venezuela — Graffiti and burnt trash barricades are among the battle scars after about three weeks of hard protest here. Here's a tour of the still-restive concrete jungle of the Venezuelan capital.</p>
<p />
<p>Protesters have learned a thing or two from experience after three weeks of nightly rioting in Caracas's Chacao district.</p>
<p>Those who come for “guarimba” (troublemaking) bring gas masks they craft out of empty juice bottles to cope with the police’s liberal use of tear gas. Protesters also smear toothpaste and vinegar on their faces, which is supposed to help ease the burn from the common crowd dispersal substance.</p>
<p>Many residents of Chacao, a relatively upscale district known for opposition sympathies, stand at their windows while the mayhem unfolds in the streets. They bang pots and pans, warn rioters of approaching officers and hurl glass bottles at riot police.</p>
<p>More from GlobalPost: <a href="http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/news/regions/americas/venezuela/140225/whos-who-venezuelan-protests" type="external">Who's who in Venezuela's crisis</a></p>
<p />
<p>In Plaza Altamira, protesters prepare for nightly battles with government forces by erecting barricades from which they launch their attacks or where they will seek refuge.</p>
<p>Demonstrators build these barriers with metal scraps and bags of garbage raided from public trash cans.</p>
<p>These may not look like much, but the protesters coat the mound in gasoline, and set it ablaze. (To see what this looks like, head to GlobalPost's <a href="http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/news/regions/americas/venezuela/140221/venezuela-deploys-paratroopers-after-more-protests-t" type="external">live blog</a> of the Venezuela protests.) Gasoline is incredibly cheap in this oil-rich country. Eighty gallons can be bought for a single dollar at a nearby state subsidized gas station.&#160;</p>
<p>Still, motorcycle-mounted police can still navigate the battle ground, busting through the barricades. So protesters create oil slicks on the roads. They're invisible at night, and many riders going at top speeds have fallen victim to such snares. &#160;</p>
<p />
<p>It's no surprise that protesters headed straight for government buildings when the unrest started about three weeks ago. They're furious with an administration they say is destroying Venezuela.</p>
<p>Mobs attacked five ministries in the capital, hurling rocks and settings fire outside the buildings' entrances.</p>
<p>The police eventually intervened, but the damage was done.</p>
<p>Protesters are demanding that their government, which Transparency International calls the most corrupt in the Western world, step down. That's despite the fact that many inside and outside the country still back the Maduro government, which has vowed to continue the leftist revolution started by Hugo Chavez 15 years ago.</p>
<p>Still, many Venezuelans say they have a lot to be angry about. For starters: five-hour lines to buy powdered milk, inflation at a staggering 56 percent and up to 70 murders a day. &#160;</p>
<p />
<p>Protesters bring spray cans to rallies and paint their messages of dissent all over the city. This one says "Civilians United."</p>
<p>These are quickly painted over, while pro-government messages are left alone. Chavez campaign graffiti from 2012 is still visible in central Caracas.</p>
<p>The government controls nearly all the country’s traditional media (television, radio and almost all newspapers), and refuses to allow anti-government protesters a second of airtime.</p>
<p>The protesters have taken to social media to communicate with each other, and to writing on Caracas’s walls to broadcast to the public. Demonstrators advertise their hashtags — such as #SOSVenezuela and #prayforvenezuela — on protest banners and spray their account handles onto the city’s buildings.</p>
<p>More from GlobalPost: <a href="http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/news/regions/americas/colombia/140221/venezuela-blackout-expats-social-media" type="external">Venezuelan expats are tweeting the way for embattled protesters</a></p>
<p />
<p>The blank face may look rather ordinary to most. But inside Venezuela, that mug is unmistakable. President Nicolas Maduro only won the presidency in April, but he'd been one of Chavez's highest-ranking deputies for years.</p>
<p>Now, he's become a figure of ridicule to the opposition, and even some Chavistas. He's popularly mocked as "Maburro" (Ma-donkey), due to his common speech-making gaffes.</p>
<p>He's been a nightly presence on television here during the ongoing protests.</p>
<p>He has refused to negotiate with even moderate opposition members he calls "fascists" on the one hand, and called for "peace" negotiations on the other, ridiculing opponents for failing to attend.</p>
<p>Maduro has sent mixed signals to Washington, too. He recently expelled three US diplomats from the country, accusing them of inciting university students to protest, which US officials deny.</p>
<p>The allegations plucked at Chavismo heartstrings by touching on the deep mistrust of the US presence in Venezuela, but critics saw it as a poor attempt to distract attention from the demonstrations.</p>
<p />
<p>Motorcycles are the most efficient way to move around Caracas’s constantly clogged streets. They can also be quite scary.</p>
<p>Paying little heed to the rules, weaving through traffic and jumping red lights, "los motorizados" have become a symbol of both terror and resistance within the city.</p>
<p>Then there are the feared pro-government militants who ride them. The "colectivos" hail from the city’s sprawling slums and use their motorbikes to roam the streets at night, carrying firearms and intimidating opponents of the country's socialist leaders.</p>
<p>Reports of these gangs driving up and firing gunshots randomly into crowds of protesters have surfaced over social media throughout the country, and have allegedly cost at least three lives.</p>
<p>&#160;</p>
<p />
<p>Many in Venezuela love the leftist movement that's guided the country for a decade and a half. But a growing number of Venezuelans fear that the government, with its media control, alleged <a href="http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/news/thomson-reuters/140226/venezuela-government-faces-brutality-accusations-over-unrest" type="external">police brutality</a> and what rights watchdogs say is a crackdown on dissent, is moving toward dictatorship.</p>
<p>That's not how the president sees it. Maduro claims he’s fighting for “democracy and truth” and defending the Bolivarian Revolution that Chavez launched when he took power in 1999.</p>
<p>The rioters defacing government buildings obviously disagree.</p>
<p>Even before this bout of protests, residents have voiced opposition with their feet — and luggage, increasingly fleeing to far-away destinations like <a href="http://www.thejournal.ie/venezuela-ireland-emigration-1293315-Feb2014/" type="external">Ireland</a>.</p>
<p>Maduro's aware of this. He recently announced that protesters arrested during anti-government demonstrations — there have been more than 500 arrests already — would have their passports suspended for five years.</p>
<p>Now, some Venezuelans who say they want to leave the country are opting to watch from their windows rather than take to the streets.</p>
<p>Mobile photos via Instagram and text by Alasdair Baverstock. Follow him on Twitter and Instagram @alibaverstock.</p>
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caracas venezuela graffiti burnt trash barricades among battle scars three weeks hard protest heres tour stillrestive concrete jungle venezuelan capital protesters learned thing two experience three weeks nightly rioting caracass chacao district come guarimba troublemaking bring gas masks craft empty juice bottles cope polices liberal use tear gas protesters also smear toothpaste vinegar faces supposed help ease burn common crowd dispersal substance many residents chacao relatively upscale district known opposition sympathies stand windows mayhem unfolds streets bang pots pans warn rioters approaching officers hurl glass bottles riot police globalpost whos venezuelas crisis plaza altamira protesters prepare nightly battles government forces erecting barricades launch attacks seek refuge demonstrators build barriers metal scraps bags garbage raided public trash cans may look like much protesters coat mound gasoline set ablaze see looks like head globalposts live blog venezuela protests gasoline incredibly cheap oilrich country eighty gallons bought single dollar nearby state subsidized gas station160 still motorcyclemounted police still navigate battle ground busting barricades protesters create oil slicks roads theyre invisible night many riders going top speeds fallen victim snares 160 surprise protesters headed straight government buildings unrest started three weeks ago theyre furious administration say destroying venezuela mobs attacked five ministries capital hurling rocks settings fire outside buildings entrances police eventually intervened damage done protesters demanding government transparency international calls corrupt western world step thats despite fact many inside outside country still back maduro government vowed continue leftist revolution started hugo chavez 15 years ago still many venezuelans say lot angry starters fivehour lines buy powdered milk inflation staggering 56 percent 70 murders day 160 protesters bring spray cans rallies paint messages dissent city one says civilians united quickly painted progovernment messages left alone chavez campaign graffiti 2012 still visible central caracas government controls nearly countrys traditional media television radio almost newspapers refuses allow antigovernment protesters second airtime protesters taken social media communicate writing caracass walls broadcast public demonstrators advertise hashtags sosvenezuela prayforvenezuela protest banners spray account handles onto citys buildings globalpost venezuelan expats tweeting way embattled protesters blank face may look rather ordinary inside venezuela mug unmistakable president nicolas maduro presidency april hed one chavezs highestranking deputies years hes become figure ridicule opposition even chavistas hes popularly mocked maburro madonkey due common speechmaking gaffes hes nightly presence television ongoing protests refused negotiate even moderate opposition members calls fascists one hand called peace negotiations ridiculing opponents failing attend maduro sent mixed signals washington recently expelled three us diplomats country accusing inciting university students protest us officials deny allegations plucked chavismo heartstrings touching deep mistrust us presence venezuela critics saw poor attempt distract attention demonstrations motorcycles efficient way move around caracass constantly clogged streets also quite scary paying little heed rules weaving traffic jumping red lights los motorizados become symbol terror resistance within city feared progovernment militants ride colectivos hail citys sprawling slums use motorbikes roam streets night carrying firearms intimidating opponents countrys socialist leaders reports gangs driving firing gunshots randomly crowds protesters surfaced social media throughout country allegedly cost least three lives 160 many venezuela love leftist movement thats guided country decade half growing number venezuelans fear government media control alleged police brutality rights watchdogs say crackdown dissent moving toward dictatorship thats president sees maduro claims hes fighting democracy truth defending bolivarian revolution chavez launched took power 1999 rioters defacing government buildings obviously disagree even bout protests residents voiced opposition feet luggage increasingly fleeing faraway destinations like ireland maduros aware recently announced protesters arrested antigovernment demonstrations 500 arrests already would passports suspended five years venezuelans say want leave country opting watch windows rather take streets mobile photos via instagram text alasdair baverstock follow twitter instagram alibaverstock
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<p>Want to be healthier? Consider seeing your doctor less. Health screenings? Maybe try skipping your next one.</p>
<p>This is the counterintuitive message of author Dr. H. Gilbert Welch in his book <a href="http://www.beacon.org/Less-Medicine-More-Health-P1095.aspx" type="external">Less Medicine, More Health: Seven Assumptions That Drive Too Much Medical Care</a>.</p>
<p>Let’s get one thing out of the way, though. Welch, a <a href="https://geiselmed.dartmouth.edu/faculty/facultydb/view.php?uid=74" type="external">professor</a> at Dartmouth Medical School in New Hampshire, isn’t suggesting you avoid seeing your doctor if you think something might be wrong, or have a chronic illness that needs treatment. We’re not in crazy town. What he is suggesting is that people be more deliberate and cautious when evaluating their treatment options. Heart disease is a good example.</p>
<p>It has long been common practice to insert stents to keep narrowing arteries more fully open as a way of treating coronary artery disease. Then last year, a <a href="http://archinte.jamanetwork.com/article.aspx?articleid=1108733" type="external">study</a> published in the Archives of Internal Medicine found that over the long term, stents may not actually be more effective than standard medical care, like taking aspirin and other medications.</p>
<p>“Often it's better to manage the problem of heart disease with a healthy diet and an active lifestyle and maybe a few good medications than it is to try to fix the problem of heart disease by inserting wires, blowing up balloons and placing stents,” Welch said. “And there's a number of places where sometimes exactly the right thing to do in medical care is to manage problems, not to try to correct them.”</p>
<p>In the case of heart disease, the problem gets worse as you look closer. According to an article published in February of 2012 in the <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/28/health/stents-show-no-extra-benefits-for-coronary-artery-disease.html?_r=0" type="external">New York Times</a>, more than half of patients with stable coronary artery disease are treated with stents before even trying drug treatment. And part of the reason may be financial. As the article indicates, surgery to &#160;insert stents may cost anywhere from $30,000 to $50,000, and many hospitals generate up to 40 percent of their revenues from cardiac procedures. So while less may be more for patients, the opposite can be true for hospitals. Often, the more invasive the procedure, the most it costs.</p>
<p>Dr. H. Gilbert Welch</p>
<p>Courtsey of Beacon Press.&#160;</p>
<p>So what’s a patient to do? Welch suggests that when talking to your doctor, try going with the less radical treatment options first.</p>
<p>“Start slow and see what works for you,” he said. “Don't always assume that the most aggressive option is the right way to go.”</p>
<p>Welch also has his eyes set on another sacred cow of medicine — early detection. Even with a disease like cancer, Welch believes it may be counterproductive.</p>
<p>“The assumption&#160;that sooner is always better is pretty hardwired in our culture, particularly for a feared disease like cancer,” he said. “But our understanding of cancer is changing. We're recognizing it's an extremely diverse set of diseases.”</p>
<p>Welch uses a metaphor to make his point. You can think of all the different types of cancers as a barnyard pen of animals, he says. The cancers that spread the quickest and most aggressively are like birds, then there the moderately fast ones, or “rabbits.” Then there are slowest kind of cancers,&#160;which he calls turtles. The most aggressive cancers have already spread by the time they are detectable, so screening isn’t often effective. The rabbits are a different story. “If you build enough fences you can catch them, and that's where screening will arguably have its best effect.” Screening is not so effective, on the other hand, for the turtles.</p>
<p>“They're the cancers that aren't going anywhere anyway. Those are the indolent cancers,” Welch said. “They meet the pathologic definition of cancer, but they actually are never going to bother the patient. The problem is we don't know which is which, so we treat them. None of us wanted to be treated for a cancer that isn't going there. And it turns out that screening is very good at finding turtles.”</p>
<p>The solution, Welch suggests, is to screen patients who are high-risk, or “risk-based screening,” rather than the population as a whole. &#160;</p>
<p>He’s also wary of the craze for wearable fitness tracking devices, and the growing desire for people to collect more and more data about their bodies. More information is not always a good thing if you don’t know how to hear the “signal through the noise” — or differentiate the false alarms from the real ones.</p>
<p>“I think we need to get back to some very basic questions about, you know, how are you feeling? How are you actually doing? How do you actually function? And be wary about widespread collection of data on individuals and trying to make some predictions about the future.”</p>
<p>Underlying Welch’s critique is a basic philosophical approach. He thinks health care shouldn’t be about “avoiding death” or even prolonging patients’ life, but more about helping them live the kind of life they want to live. If life was just about avoiding death, he postulates, we wouldn’t climb mountains or even swim in the ocean. As he points out, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention&#160;indicates there are about 3,000 deaths a year related to swimming, and about half of those occur in natural bodies of water.</p>
<p>“Should we close access to all our beaches? I don't think so, because a strategy all about avoiding death has a really huge downside, and I think that downside is a fixation on preventing death really diminishes our life,” Welch said. “And I think we all need to really think about what kind of life we want to live, and I think ironically, I think the healthiest lives occur in those people who aren't too focused on their health.”</p>
<p>This <a href="http://www.sciencefriday.com/segment/03/06/2015/avoid-the-doctor-for-your-health.html" type="external">story</a> first aired as an interview on <a href="http://www.sciencefriday.com/" type="external">Science Friday</a> with Ira Flatow.</p>
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want healthier consider seeing doctor less health screenings maybe try skipping next one counterintuitive message author dr h gilbert welch book less medicine health seven assumptions drive much medical care lets get one thing way though welch professor dartmouth medical school new hampshire isnt suggesting avoid seeing doctor think something might wrong chronic illness needs treatment crazy town suggesting people deliberate cautious evaluating treatment options heart disease good example long common practice insert stents keep narrowing arteries fully open way treating coronary artery disease last year study published archives internal medicine found long term stents may actually effective standard medical care like taking aspirin medications often better manage problem heart disease healthy diet active lifestyle maybe good medications try fix problem heart disease inserting wires blowing balloons placing stents welch said theres number places sometimes exactly right thing medical care manage problems try correct case heart disease problem gets worse look closer according article published february 2012 new york times half patients stable coronary artery disease treated stents even trying drug treatment part reason may financial article indicates surgery 160insert stents may cost anywhere 30000 50000 many hospitals generate 40 percent revenues cardiac procedures less may patients opposite true hospitals often invasive procedure costs dr h gilbert welch courtsey beacon press160 whats patient welch suggests talking doctor try going less radical treatment options first start slow see works said dont always assume aggressive option right way go welch also eyes set another sacred cow medicine early detection even disease like cancer welch believes may counterproductive assumption160that sooner always better pretty hardwired culture particularly feared disease like cancer said understanding cancer changing recognizing extremely diverse set diseases welch uses metaphor make point think different types cancers barnyard pen animals says cancers spread quickest aggressively like birds moderately fast ones rabbits slowest kind cancers160which calls turtles aggressive cancers already spread time detectable screening isnt often effective rabbits different story build enough fences catch thats screening arguably best effect screening effective hand turtles theyre cancers arent going anywhere anyway indolent cancers welch said meet pathologic definition cancer actually never going bother patient problem dont know treat none us wanted treated cancer isnt going turns screening good finding turtles solution welch suggests screen patients highrisk riskbased screening rather population whole 160 hes also wary craze wearable fitness tracking devices growing desire people collect data bodies information always good thing dont know hear signal noise differentiate false alarms real ones think need get back basic questions know feeling actually actually function wary widespread collection data individuals trying make predictions future underlying welchs critique basic philosophical approach thinks health care shouldnt avoiding death even prolonging patients life helping live kind life want live life avoiding death postulates wouldnt climb mountains even swim ocean points centers disease control prevention160indicates 3000 deaths year related swimming half occur natural bodies water close access beaches dont think strategy avoiding death really huge downside think downside fixation preventing death really diminishes life welch said think need really think kind life want live think ironically think healthiest lives occur people arent focused health story first aired interview science friday ira flatow
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<p>&#160;BEIRUT, Lebanon — Valentine's Day has become a ritual of remembering the dead in some parts of Beirut.</p>
<p>This year, in a small corner of Hamra, young men banged drums and chanted slogans for Lebanon's late Prime Minister Rafiq Hariri, assassinated four years ago to the day.</p>
<p>Hanging from a building above the men was a giant poster of a local martyr, teenager Ziad Ghaleeyani.&#160; He was killed during clashes last May between the mainly Sunni Muslims from Hariri's Future Party and the mainly Shiite members of Hezbollah and their allies. The fighting erupted over Hezbollah's private communication network, established outside the Lebanese government's control. In response to threats to remove the network by their political rivals in the government, Hezbollah and their allies took over west Beirut for several days.</p>
<p>Hezbollah prevailed: the communication network was left undisturbed, and the two sides reached a peace deal and power-sharing agreement, brokered by the Qatari government in Doha. But the fighting polarized an already divided population.</p>
<p>This weekend, both sides celebrated their dead, and talked about two different visions for Lebanon.</p>
<p>In one political corner, a gathering of partisans of the so-called "March 14" movement — named for the date in 2005 when more than 1 million Lebanese turned out at a massive rally that, along with pressure from the international community, forced Syria to withdraw, at least overtly, from Lebanon.&#160;</p>
<p>The group&#160;— led by Hariri's son, Saad Hariri&#160;— blames Syria, a patron of Hezbollah, not only for Hariri's death but for much of what ails Lebanon.</p>
<p>At the time Hariri was killed, Syria had occupied Lebanon for nearly 30 years, maintaining de facto control over the government, military, intelligence services and economy. An initial United Nations inquiry found evidence that Syria may have been behind the murder. Syria denies any role.</p>
<p>In the other corner, members of the&#160; "March 8" movement — for the date in 2005 when Hezbollah supporters and their allies mounted their own pro-Syria rally in Beirut — gathered in the city's southern suburbs to mark a year since the assassination in Damascus of senior Hezbollah official Imad Mugneeyah.&#160; Hezbollah accuses Israel of the killing.</p>
<p>Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah said it was only "natural" for the group to make sacrifices. "The blood of the martyrs has allowed the citizens (of Lebanon) to return to their lands and homes," he said, in reference to his group's role in ending Israel's occupation of southern Lebanon in 2000.</p>
<p>Nasrallah urged all the Arabs to back the "resistance option" against Israel&#160;— led by Hamas and Hezbollah, and supported by Syria and Iran&#160;— saying the "compromise offer has collapsed."</p>
<p>Back in 2005, anti-Syrian politicians from the U.S.-backed March 14 won a majority in parliamentary elections, but their continued popularity has not been without more bloodshed.&#160; In four years, eight more politicians and officials, most from March 14, have been assassinated. Every Feb. 14, the list of the dead, including Hariri, grows longer, and the international criminal investigation of his murder drags on.</p>
<p>At the Hariri rally on Saturday, Yassine Nassif, an 18-year-old Sunni Muslim and supporter of Hariri, said he doesn't see Israel as the main enemy. It's Hezbollah, he says.</p>
<p>"Hassan Nasrallah fights because he wants to kill all of us," Nassif said as he walked with thousands of others toward the Hariri rally.</p>
<p>Nassif lives in an area where Sunnis loyal to Hariri's Future Party clashed with March 8 supporters during May last year.</p>
<p>"Nasrallah wants to make this country only for Hezbollah and only for Shiites. But we are here today to tell him that all the Sunnis are here, and we are many more than he thinks," Nassif said.</p>
<p>The events of Saturday and Monday were the first true political rallies since a peace deal called the Doha agreement ended the May fighting. Lebanon has enjoyed relative calm since then.&#160; But the tiny country of four million people remains a&#160; front line of sorts in the "cold war" between Iran and Syria on one side, and the U.S. and Saudi Arabia (Rafiq Hariri was given Saudi citizenship, as was his son Saad) on the other.</p>
<p>The next battle for control of Lebanon will be fought in an upcoming round of parliamentary elections in June.&#160; Both sides&#160; claim they have majority support.</p>
<p>Somewhat predictably, the electoral season kickoff triggered violence.</p>
<p>A member of March 14 leader Walid Jumblatt's Progressive Socialist Party (PSP) was stabbed to death Saturday as he walked from the Hariri rally through a March 8 neighborhood. In retaliation, PSP party members blocked a major highway near the PSP's mountain stronghold and assaulted two people from March 8.</p>
<p>On Sunday, Jumblatt told mourners at the family's home, "We all condemn these acts but we shall not react. Let us offer our condolences and be united."</p>
<p>Nasrallah in his Monday night speech sent condolences to the family of the murdered man.</p>
<p>Fears of further violence before the election have led to the conciliatory tone among the opposing parties. Both Jumblatt and Nasrallah said neither March 14 nor March 8 has a domestic "enemy."</p>
<p>But Hariri supporter Yassine Nassif says his neighborhood is edgier than it's been in eight months.</p>
<p>"God willing, things won't be like they were for the last two years and there won't be any more violence," he said on his way to the Hariri rally. Nearby, his friends chanted a song taunting their political opponents, and hinting that Hezbollah had a part to play in Hariri's death.</p>
<p>"Listen, Nasrallah, we won't forget about our martyred Sunnis," they chanted. "The blood of the Sunni is not for sale."</p>
<p>&#160;</p>
<p>Other GlobalPost dispatches by Ben Gilbert:</p>
<p><a href="http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/lebanon/090213/some-lebanese-call-civil-unions" type="external">Some Lebanese call for civil unions</a></p>
<p><a href="http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/lebanon/090205/lebanon-bankers-cool-crisis" type="external">Lebanon bankers cool in a crisis</a></p>
<p><a href="http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/america-and-the-world/090107/which-it-stands-lebanon" type="external">For Which it Stands: Lebanon</a>&#160;</p>
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160beirut lebanon valentines day become ritual remembering dead parts beirut year small corner hamra young men banged drums chanted slogans lebanons late prime minister rafiq hariri assassinated four years ago day hanging building men giant poster local martyr teenager ziad ghaleeyani160 killed clashes last may mainly sunni muslims hariris future party mainly shiite members hezbollah allies fighting erupted hezbollahs private communication network established outside lebanese governments control response threats remove network political rivals government hezbollah allies took west beirut several days hezbollah prevailed communication network left undisturbed two sides reached peace deal powersharing agreement brokered qatari government doha fighting polarized already divided population weekend sides celebrated dead talked two different visions lebanon one political corner gathering partisans socalled march 14 movement named date 2005 1 million lebanese turned massive rally along pressure international community forced syria withdraw least overtly lebanon160 group160 led hariris son saad hariri160 blames syria patron hezbollah hariris death much ails lebanon time hariri killed syria occupied lebanon nearly 30 years maintaining de facto control government military intelligence services economy initial united nations inquiry found evidence syria may behind murder syria denies role corner members the160 march 8 movement date 2005 hezbollah supporters allies mounted prosyria rally beirut gathered citys southern suburbs mark year since assassination damascus senior hezbollah official imad mugneeyah160 hezbollah accuses israel killing hezbollah leader hassan nasrallah said natural group make sacrifices blood martyrs allowed citizens lebanon return lands homes said reference groups role ending israels occupation southern lebanon 2000 nasrallah urged arabs back resistance option israel160 led hamas hezbollah supported syria iran160 saying compromise offer collapsed back 2005 antisyrian politicians usbacked march 14 majority parliamentary elections continued popularity without bloodshed160 four years eight politicians officials march 14 assassinated every feb 14 list dead including hariri grows longer international criminal investigation murder drags hariri rally saturday yassine nassif 18yearold sunni muslim supporter hariri said doesnt see israel main enemy hezbollah says hassan nasrallah fights wants kill us nassif said walked thousands others toward hariri rally nassif lives area sunnis loyal hariris future party clashed march 8 supporters may last year nasrallah wants make country hezbollah shiites today tell sunnis many thinks nassif said events saturday monday first true political rallies since peace deal called doha agreement ended may fighting lebanon enjoyed relative calm since then160 tiny country four million people remains a160 front line sorts cold war iran syria one side us saudi arabia rafiq hariri given saudi citizenship son saad next battle control lebanon fought upcoming round parliamentary elections june160 sides160 claim majority support somewhat predictably electoral season kickoff triggered violence member march 14 leader walid jumblatts progressive socialist party psp stabbed death saturday walked hariri rally march 8 neighborhood retaliation psp party members blocked major highway near psps mountain stronghold assaulted two people march 8 sunday jumblatt told mourners familys home condemn acts shall react let us offer condolences united nasrallah monday night speech sent condolences family murdered man fears violence election led conciliatory tone among opposing parties jumblatt nasrallah said neither march 14 march 8 domestic enemy hariri supporter yassine nassif says neighborhood edgier eight months god willing things wont like last two years wont violence said way hariri rally nearby friends chanted song taunting political opponents hinting hezbollah part play hariris death listen nasrallah wont forget martyred sunnis chanted blood sunni sale 160 globalpost dispatches ben gilbert lebanese call civil unions lebanon bankers cool crisis stands lebanon160
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<p>Budget crisis and state funding reform aside, when it comes to fundraising, Chicago Public Schools is on a roll.</p>
<p>So far this year, the district has raked in some $29 million in private and competitive government grants, up from $7 million a year ago.</p>
<p>In the five years since Schools CEO Arne Duncan took control of the district, revenue from outside grants has skyrocketed more than tenfold.</p>
<p>And these figures don’t include millions more, most notably from the Bill &amp; Melinda Gates Foundation, donated directly to schools and not recorded in the district’s central bookkeeping system because CPS is not the fiscal agent for these grants. Nor does it include a recent windfall from government grants. A few weeks ago, Chicago won a five-year, $24.5 million grant from the U.S. Department of Education—one of only eight districts in the country to win the award—to expand a project helping struggling middle-grades readers.</p>
<p>Other urban districts, most notably Los Angeles and Portland, Ore., lack the supportive local philanthropic community that Chicago enjoys, says William Porter, executive director of Grantmakers for Education.</p>
<p>The culture of philanthropy that supports major school reform efforts is not “unique to Chicago, but it’s certainly far more advanced in Chicago,” says Greg Simoncini, senior Midwest regional vice president of the Alford Group, a consultant to nonprofits. Funders here “have a very skilled eye on what works and what doesn’t,” he explains. For example, many have invested in teacher training programs, especially those that recruit career-changers who do not have traditional teacher education backgrounds.</p>
<p>In contrast to Chicago’s soaring private support, education giving in Illinois rose only about 1 percent between 2001 and 2003, according to the most recent edition of “Giving in Illinois.”</p>
<p>Strategic move</p>
<p>Meanwhile, Illinois lawmakers have yet to supply school districts with the ideal amount of base funding, and the federal government has cut back on education funding as well. For Chicago school leaders, this has meant annual pilgrimages down to Springfield to lobby for extra funds and a strategic shift to go after more competitive grants offered by U.S. Department of Education. Over the last four years, the portion of the district’s budget covered by state aid has hovered between 36 percent and 37 percent, says CPS Budget Director Pedro Martinez. State money is “barely keeping pace with inflation,” making it necessary to cut costs, he says.</p>
<p>“Historically, Chicago didn’t apply [for federal grants] or was universally unsuccessful,” says Duncan. “There was a perception that we couldn’t compete. I really wanted to break through that.”</p>
<p>Duncan created the office of external partnerships and grants and chose Alyson Cooke, a former Capitol Hill staffer and Chicago Community Trust senior program officer, to oversee federal grants.</p>
<p>Cooke says she encouraged the district to stop chasing so many small grants, especially at the state level, and target its efforts to score bigger awards. “I said to Arne, ‘Do you want all these little grants at the schools, or do you want to impact the system?'” Cooke recalls.</p>
<p>The first breakthrough was a three-year, $8.9 million grant in 2004 to open five magnet schools.</p>
<p>Since then, other significant federal competitive grants include $3.2 million for early literacy programs in preschool and kindergarten and $1.9 million for teacher recruitment and hiring, especially to bring in career-changers.</p>
<p>Winning these grants is also “a huge sign of people’s confidence in the job we’re doing,” Duncan notes.</p>
<p>Who’s in, who’s out</p>
<p>The Gates Foundation has also signaled its confidence in CPS leadership and reform efforts by investing tens of millions in high school initiatives. The four-year, $21 million grant Gates awarded to Chicago in mid-April is the largest grant the foundation has ever made to a school district. Previously, funds would go directly to schools or outside entities.</p>
<p>“We really see Arne as one of a few leaders in the country who is really thoughtful and groundbreaking in making sure students are prepared for college, work and life,” says Margot Rogers, the Gates Foundation’s deputy director of education programs.</p>
<p>Also easing into Chicago’s education reform arena are other national funders who are seeking their own ways to make a splash. In the last three years, the Broad Foundation in Los Angeles has contributed more than $537,000 to the district’s Chief Executive Office, most recently to underwrite a residency program for business and consulting professionals.</p>
<p>Another national funder, the Michael &amp; Susan Dell Foundation, awarded the district $1.2 million last summer to expand AVID, an initiative to offer rigorous college prep curriculum to average students, to 80 schools.</p>
<p>Chicago’s largest local foundation, the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, is taking a backseat in local education funding. It remains involved in high school redesign and has supported strategic planning efforts. However, the foundation has stepped back from other CPS initiatives since a plan to close and reopen public schools in several gentrifying communities known collectively as Mid-South was scuttled under pressure from the Mayor’s Office and grassroots groups, who complained that they had been shut out of the planning process.</p>
<p>Brain trust</p>
<p>Still, the lovefest between Arne Duncan and local funders is stronger than ever.</p>
<p>Early on, funders were drawn to Duncan’s collaborative leadership style, a big switch from his predecessor, and accepted his invitation to help the district craft a long-term improvement strategy.</p>
<p>The Chicago Community Trust President and CEO Terry Mazany found himself working pro bono once a week in the district’s central office back during his days as education program officer.</p>
<p>“It proved to be very beneficial,” Mazany says. “It gave me a crash course in the realities and opportunities in central office. It developed a lot of relationships.”</p>
<p>It also laid a foundation for a $7.5 million grant for a literacy program that brings teams of university experts to mid-tier elementary schools to help teachers improve instruction. Currently the Trust is helping participating schools find ways to hang on to their university partners once the grant money runs out.</p>
<p>The Trust also has invested $1 million to expand Duncan’s vision of creating more community schools (prompting other funders to give $6 million), and $1 million toward improving math instruction in the upper elementary grades.</p>
<p>The district also has an especially close working relationship with the Chicago Public Education Fund, which was created in 1999 based on a venture philanthropy model. Most notable are its commitment to principal training and increasing the number of National Board-certified teachers.</p>
<p>“If we said ‘X’ had to happen, ‘X’ happened, and Arne made sure it happened,” President Janet Knupp observes. “The fact that we’ve had consistency in that role is key. He’s been able to own those goals and priorities with us.”</p>
<p>The Chicago Community Trust and the Chicago Public Education Fund are investing in two of Duncan’s top three priorities: literacy and human capital. The third priority is expanding school choice, which has taken shape as Renaissance 2010. Another group, the Renaissance Schools Fund, is backed by the city’s business and civic leaders and aims to raise $50 million to support school startups.</p>
<p>The Joyce Foundation is one of seven local foundations working with Gates alongside district, union and City Hall leaders on the Chicago High School Redesign Initiative. The team approach is facilitated by shared knowledge. “It’s not just the district setting its priorities,” notes Gretchen Crosby-Sims, education program manager for The Joyce Foundation. “We’re all looking at the same research. There are a few key areas to focus on.”</p>
<p>She points to Renaissance 2010 as a strategy that grew from the redesign team’s experiences trying to convert large high schools. “Maybe new schools are a more successful way to go than conversion schools,” she observes.</p>
<p>Growing competition</p>
<p>CPS is facing more and more competition for the city’s pool of private dollars. Civic groups that serve Chicago youth are tapping the same foundations and corporations that the district is courting.</p>
<p>Abbott Laboratories recently gave $500,000 to develop a science program for After School Matters, a public-private partnership for Chicago teenagers, and $500,000 for a new Renaissance school focused on math and science.</p>
<p>Simoncini calls this “a perfect example” of competition within the city for the education dollars of one company. He says though companies may fund multiple initiatives, “they’ll have to choose or split the difference” eventually.</p>
<p>Suburban school districts are just beginning to join the fundraising game. “Those are being met with some limited success, and a lot of initial resistance,” Simoncini says. “Parents in those districts think their tax dollars should be enough.”</p>
<p>As a result, suburban districts will be targeting wealthy CEO’s who live in their area, who are also the same CEO’s who run large companies that CPS will be targeting with a workforce improvement pitch. Chicago is up to the challenge, Simoncini says, then warns, “It’s just going to be competitive and difficult.”</p>
<p>To contact Maureen Kelleher, call (312) 673-3882 or send an e-mail to [email protected].</p>
| false | 3 |
budget crisis state funding reform aside comes fundraising chicago public schools roll far year district raked 29 million private competitive government grants 7 million year ago five years since schools ceo arne duncan took control district revenue outside grants skyrocketed tenfold figures dont include millions notably bill amp melinda gates foundation donated directly schools recorded districts central bookkeeping system cps fiscal agent grants include recent windfall government grants weeks ago chicago fiveyear 245 million grant us department educationone eight districts country win awardto expand project helping struggling middlegrades readers urban districts notably los angeles portland ore lack supportive local philanthropic community chicago enjoys says william porter executive director grantmakers education culture philanthropy supports major school reform efforts unique chicago certainly far advanced chicago says greg simoncini senior midwest regional vice president alford group consultant nonprofits funders skilled eye works doesnt explains example many invested teacher training programs especially recruit careerchangers traditional teacher education backgrounds contrast chicagos soaring private support education giving illinois rose 1 percent 2001 2003 according recent edition giving illinois strategic move meanwhile illinois lawmakers yet supply school districts ideal amount base funding federal government cut back education funding well chicago school leaders meant annual pilgrimages springfield lobby extra funds strategic shift go competitive grants offered us department education last four years portion districts budget covered state aid hovered 36 percent 37 percent says cps budget director pedro martinez state money barely keeping pace inflation making necessary cut costs says historically chicago didnt apply federal grants universally unsuccessful says duncan perception couldnt compete really wanted break duncan created office external partnerships grants chose alyson cooke former capitol hill staffer chicago community trust senior program officer oversee federal grants cooke says encouraged district stop chasing many small grants especially state level target efforts score bigger awards said arne want little grants schools want impact system cooke recalls first breakthrough threeyear 89 million grant 2004 open five magnet schools since significant federal competitive grants include 32 million early literacy programs preschool kindergarten 19 million teacher recruitment hiring especially bring careerchangers winning grants also huge sign peoples confidence job duncan notes whos whos gates foundation also signaled confidence cps leadership reform efforts investing tens millions high school initiatives fouryear 21 million grant gates awarded chicago midapril largest grant foundation ever made school district previously funds would go directly schools outside entities really see arne one leaders country really thoughtful groundbreaking making sure students prepared college work life says margot rogers gates foundations deputy director education programs also easing chicagos education reform arena national funders seeking ways make splash last three years broad foundation los angeles contributed 537000 districts chief executive office recently underwrite residency program business consulting professionals another national funder michael amp susan dell foundation awarded district 12 million last summer expand avid initiative offer rigorous college prep curriculum average students 80 schools chicagos largest local foundation john catherine macarthur foundation taking backseat local education funding remains involved high school redesign supported strategic planning efforts however foundation stepped back cps initiatives since plan close reopen public schools several gentrifying communities known collectively midsouth scuttled pressure mayors office grassroots groups complained shut planning process brain trust still lovefest arne duncan local funders stronger ever early funders drawn duncans collaborative leadership style big switch predecessor accepted invitation help district craft longterm improvement strategy chicago community trust president ceo terry mazany found working pro bono week districts central office back days education program officer proved beneficial mazany says gave crash course realities opportunities central office developed lot relationships also laid foundation 75 million grant literacy program brings teams university experts midtier elementary schools help teachers improve instruction currently trust helping participating schools find ways hang university partners grant money runs trust also invested 1 million expand duncans vision creating community schools prompting funders give 6 million 1 million toward improving math instruction upper elementary grades district also especially close working relationship chicago public education fund created 1999 based venture philanthropy model notable commitment principal training increasing number national boardcertified teachers said x happen x happened arne made sure happened president janet knupp observes fact weve consistency role key hes able goals priorities us chicago community trust chicago public education fund investing two duncans top three priorities literacy human capital third priority expanding school choice taken shape renaissance 2010 another group renaissance schools fund backed citys business civic leaders aims raise 50 million support school startups joyce foundation one seven local foundations working gates alongside district union city hall leaders chicago high school redesign initiative team approach facilitated shared knowledge district setting priorities notes gretchen crosbysims education program manager joyce foundation looking research key areas focus points renaissance 2010 strategy grew redesign teams experiences trying convert large high schools maybe new schools successful way go conversion schools observes growing competition cps facing competition citys pool private dollars civic groups serve chicago youth tapping foundations corporations district courting abbott laboratories recently gave 500000 develop science program school matters publicprivate partnership chicago teenagers 500000 new renaissance school focused math science simoncini calls perfect example competition within city education dollars one company says though companies may fund multiple initiatives theyll choose split difference eventually suburban school districts beginning join fundraising game met limited success lot initial resistance simoncini says parents districts think tax dollars enough result suburban districts targeting wealthy ceos live area also ceos run large companies cps targeting workforce improvement pitch chicago challenge simoncini says warns going competitive difficult contact maureen kelleher call 312 6733882 send email kellehercatalystchicagoorg
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<p>SpaceX's billionaire founder, Elon Musk, says there'll be no quick answers to the questions surrounding <a href="" type="internal">Sunday's loss of his company's Falcon 9 rocket</a> and its cargo for the International Space Station.</p>
<p>The cause of the mishap is "still unknown after several thousand engineering-hours of review," <a href="https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/615431934345216001" type="external">Musk tweeted overnight</a>. "Now parsing data with a hex editor to recover final milliseconds."</p>
<p>He said that the problem was traced to excessive pressure in the upper stage's liquid oxygen tank — but that the cause of that condition appeared to be "counterintuitive." His comments led to deep discussions on such forums as <a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/spacex" type="external">Reddit</a> and <a href="http://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=37476.msg1397358#new" type="external">NASASpaceflight.com</a>.</p>
<p>Launch failures are to be expected — and in a sense, this week's failure is less surprising than the fact that SpaceX had 18 successful Falcon 9 launches before Sunday's setback, including seven cargo deliveries to the space station.</p>
<p>"If you had told me at the outset of the Falcon 9 program that they would have 18 successful launches before their first failure, I would have told you that you were crazy," said Mike Gold, who is the director of Washington operations for Bigelow Aerospace as well as the chairman of the Commercial Space Transportation Advisory Committee, or COMSTAC.</p>
<p>At the same time, Gold acknowledged that the Falcon 9's first complete failure could hardly have come at a worse time.</p>
<p>The other U.S.-based company sending cargo into orbit for NASA — Orbital Sciences Corp. — lost an Antares rocket and a loaded Cygnus cargo capsule in a <a href="" type="internal">fiery crash last October</a>. The problem was traced to the Antares' <a href="" type="internal">Russian-built engine</a>, and retooled rockets won't be available until next spring.</p>
<p>Then, in April, Russia's robotic Progress cargo ship <a href="" type="internal">went awry after its launch to the space station</a> — apparently due to a design flaw in the Soyuz rocket's upper stage. The Russians have since gone back to a previous configuration for that upper stage, and the rocket <a href="" type="internal">performed as expected</a> during a satellite launch this month.</p>
<p>It's the very time for colleagues in the USA to think about the logic of their sanctions against Roscosmos. (cont) <a href="http://t.co/x5TQt4iDYR" type="external">http://t.co/x5TQt4iDYR</a></p>
<p>Another cargo-filled Progress is set for launch on Friday. That resupply mission now looms as a potential turning point for the space station's fortunes. Right now, the crew has enough supplies to see them through late October, NASA space station program manager Mike Suffredini said. A successful Progress mission would add another month's worth of supplies.</p>
<p>Success would also clear the way for July's launch of three fresh crew members to the station, where they would join the three spacefliers currently on duty in orbit (including NASA's Scott Kelly, who's due to spend nearly a year in space). Failure would almost certainly force further delays in the crew launch, as well as a drastic reshuffle in the payloads for future robotic flights.</p>
<p>Japan's space agency is scheduled to launch its robotic HTV cargo ship to the station in August — and if that shipment were to be lost as well, the space station program would face some hard decisions.</p>
<p>"If you have no means to get supplies up at about 45 days before you get to zero, that's when we get into the process of planning the return of the crew. ... But we're not even close to that kind of conversation today based on the logistics we have on board," Suffredini said.</p>
<p>By October, Orbital Sciences and United Launch Alliance may be in a position to <a href="" type="internal">launch a Cygnus shipment to the station atop ULA's Atlas 5 rocket</a>. And SpaceX may be back in business as well. The company's president and chief operating officer, Gwynne Shotwell, said she expected the investigation into Sunday's mishap to take "a number of months," but not as long as a year.</p>
<p>NASA and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration confirmed that the mishap will have an impact on the launch schedule for the Jason-3 satellite, which is designed to measure global sea surface height. A Falcon 9 was supposed to launch the spacecraft on Aug. 8 — but now it looks as if that won't happen.</p>
<p>"While the incident review team looks into the cause of the mishap, NOAA and NASA are working with the European partners, CNES and EUMETSAT, to determine the next steps toward a new target launch date for Jason-3," NOAA said in a <a href="http://www.nesdis.noaa.gov/jason-3/" type="external">statement posted Monday</a>.</p>
<p>SpaceX spokesman Phil Larson told NBC News in an email that it was too early to determine the specific impact that Sunday's mishap will have on future launches. "We are working with our partners to prepare for potential delays on the order of a few months. Once the root cause is identified, we will be able to better determine any changes to future launch dates, including Jason-3," Larson said.</p>
<p>Gold hopes the investigation is finished sooner rather than later. Bigelow Aerospace's inflatable space module was scheduled to go up with the next SpaceX shipment, which had been tentatively scheduled for September. The sooner SpaceX returns to flight, the sooner Bigelow's module goes into orbit.</p>
<p>Related: <a href="" type="internal">Bigelow Aerospace Shows Off Its Expandable Vision</a></p>
<p>But Gold also emphasized that the investigation should be done right, and that the Federal Aviation Administration should be provided with all the funding that's needed to foster safe commercial spaceflight.</p>
<p>"Safety is the top concern," he told NBC News, "and we'll be ready when they are."</p>
| false | 3 |
spacexs billionaire founder elon musk says therell quick answers questions surrounding sundays loss companys falcon 9 rocket cargo international space station cause mishap still unknown several thousand engineeringhours review musk tweeted overnight parsing data hex editor recover final milliseconds said problem traced excessive pressure upper stages liquid oxygen tank cause condition appeared counterintuitive comments led deep discussions forums reddit nasaspaceflightcom launch failures expected sense weeks failure less surprising fact spacex 18 successful falcon 9 launches sundays setback including seven cargo deliveries space station told outset falcon 9 program would 18 successful launches first failure would told crazy said mike gold director washington operations bigelow aerospace well chairman commercial space transportation advisory committee comstac time gold acknowledged falcon 9s first complete failure could hardly come worse time usbased company sending cargo orbit nasa orbital sciences corp lost antares rocket loaded cygnus cargo capsule fiery crash last october problem traced antares russianbuilt engine retooled rockets wont available next spring april russias robotic progress cargo ship went awry launch space station apparently due design flaw soyuz rockets upper stage russians since gone back previous configuration upper stage rocket performed expected satellite launch month time colleagues usa think logic sanctions roscosmos cont httptcox5tqt4idyr another cargofilled progress set launch friday resupply mission looms potential turning point space stations fortunes right crew enough supplies see late october nasa space station program manager mike suffredini said successful progress mission would add another months worth supplies success would also clear way julys launch three fresh crew members station would join three spacefliers currently duty orbit including nasas scott kelly whos due spend nearly year space failure would almost certainly force delays crew launch well drastic reshuffle payloads future robotic flights japans space agency scheduled launch robotic htv cargo ship station august shipment lost well space station program would face hard decisions means get supplies 45 days get zero thats get process planning return crew even close kind conversation today based logistics board suffredini said october orbital sciences united launch alliance may position launch cygnus shipment station atop ulas atlas 5 rocket spacex may back business well companys president chief operating officer gwynne shotwell said expected investigation sundays mishap take number months long year nasa national oceanic atmospheric administration confirmed mishap impact launch schedule jason3 satellite designed measure global sea surface height falcon 9 supposed launch spacecraft aug 8 looks wont happen incident review team looks cause mishap noaa nasa working european partners cnes eumetsat determine next steps toward new target launch date jason3 noaa said statement posted monday spacex spokesman phil larson told nbc news email early determine specific impact sundays mishap future launches working partners prepare potential delays order months root cause identified able better determine changes future launch dates including jason3 larson said gold hopes investigation finished sooner rather later bigelow aerospaces inflatable space module scheduled go next spacex shipment tentatively scheduled september sooner spacex returns flight sooner bigelows module goes orbit related bigelow aerospace shows expandable vision gold also emphasized investigation done right federal aviation administration provided funding thats needed foster safe commercial spaceflight safety top concern told nbc news well ready
| 517 |
<p>Democratic presidential candidates Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders (Photos by Gino Santa Maria; courtesy Bigstock)</p>
<p>With weeks remaining before a major Democratic primary contest in New York, both Hillary Clinton and Bernard Sanders are conducting outreach to the transgender community.</p>
<p>Andrea Zekis, policy director for Basic Rights Oregon, introduced Sanders on stage at an April 25 rally in Oregon. Meanwhile, on the Transgender Day of Visibility, the Clinton campaign made public a Q&amp;A with 12 transgender advocates who support the candidate.</p>
<p>Zekis, an Arkansas native, spoke at the rally about the difficulties she faced coming out as transgender, noting discrimination in her home state is legal under state law.</p>
<p>“Seven years ago, I took the bold step to live in my truth,” Zekis said. “I accepted myself as a transgender woman, and for that I received a lot of support. But I was scared. At the time, I lived in a state where I could be fired from my job, denied housing, denied health care. In essence, I lived in a state where I could be denied an opportunity.”</p>
<p>Zekis said she took comfort in knowing there are lawmakers seeking to put an end to anti-trans discrimination, which is why she’s supporting Sanders.</p>
<p>“We need a leader who is committed to economic justice for all people, regardless of their race, gender, sexual orientation or gender identity,” Zekis said.</p>
<p>Sanders is a co-sponsor of the Equality Act, a federal bill that would prohibit anti-trans discrimination in all areas of civil rights law, and <a href="" type="internal">pledged in an interview with the Washington Blade</a> to be a transgender advocate.</p>
<p>On Thursday, the Clinton campaign published a Q&amp;A titled, “Meet 12 transgender Americans who are proud to support Hillary Clinton.” Written by Sarah McBride, a transgender Clinton supporter, the introduction to the Q&amp;A says Clinton “has a record of results for the trans community and has outlined the most detailed plan for trans equality ever proposed by a presidential candidate.”</p>
<p>McBride is among the 12 transgender people in the Q&amp;A and explains that she supports Clinton for president because of her record as secretary of state and the proposals she has outlined to advance transgender rights.</p>
<p>“She’s the only candidate running to have delivered tangible progress for the transgender community when she reformed passport policies at the State Department and added gender identity to the department’s employment policies,” McBride writes. “She’s laid out a detailed and life-saving platform on LGBT equality, and has routinely and proactively spoken about our needs as a community to LGBT and non-LGBT audiences alike. More than anything else, I’m supporting Hillary because, like she says, she’s not a single issue candidate, because we do not live in a single issue country.”</p>
<p>In <a href="https://www.hillaryclinton.com/briefing/factsheets/2015/12/17/fighting-for-full-equality/" type="external">a policy paper on LGBT rights</a> made public in December, Clinton pledged to help protect transgender people from violence, streamline the process for changing identity documents for transgender people and invest in law enforcement training on interactions with transgender people.</p>
<p>Others who took part in the Q&amp;A are Blossom Brown, a Jackson, Miss.-based transgender advocate; Barbra Siperstein, a New Jersey activist and member of the Democratic National Committee; Meghan Stabler, a board member of the Human Rights Campaign; and Diego Sanchez, director of policy for PFLAG.</p>
<p>The trans outreach comes weeks before the New York primary on April 19, when a mother lode of 277 delegates will be up for grabs. According to <a href="http://www.quinnipiac.edu/images/polling/ny/ny03312016_N39pgrw.pdf" type="external">a Quinnipiac poll</a>published on Thursday, Clinton leads Sanders, 54-42, in the state where she served as U.S. senator.</p>
<p>That stands in contrast to an Emerson College poll last month that showed Clinton with a 48-point lead in the state, prompting speculation that Sanders is now surging.</p>
<p>Melissa Sklarz, a New York-based transgender advocate and Clinton supporter, said she thinks trans outreach will benefit Clinton in the Empire State’s primary in addition to rallying transgender and gender non-conforming people.</p>
<p>“It will remind New York voters that Hillary Clinton has been the face and voice for gay and lesbian and transgender civil rights around the world as secretary of state,” Sklarz said. “She has seen first hand how trans women are subjected to poverty and violence, and I believe, as president, Hillary will stand with trans and GNC people as strongly as Barack Obama.”</p>
<p>Given his deficit in delegates, Sanders would need a whopping victory in New York <a href="" type="internal">much like his wins in Washington State, Alaska and Hawaii</a> last weekend to overtake Clinton in reaching the 2,383 delegates to win the Democratic nomination.</p>
<p>Pauline Park, a New York-based transgender activist and Clinton critic, said transgender endorsements are unlikely to benefit the candidate because endorsements in general aren’t influential and too few members of the transgender community vote.</p>
<p>“The outreach to the transgender community from the Clinton and Sanders campaign is also not likely to be effective, simply because it’s extremely difficult to reach members of the community, and all too many of those who can be reached do not vote,” Park said. “At this point in time, it is extremely difficult even to measure the size of the transgender community let alone the proportion of it that is politically active, and no activist or celebrity, no matter how prominent, should be believed if s/he claims to speak for the entire community, especially when it comes to electoral politics and party primaries.”</p>
<p><a href="" type="internal">Bernard Sanders</a> <a href="" type="internal">election 2016</a> <a href="" type="internal">Hillary Clinton</a> <a href="" type="internal">Melissa Sklarz</a> <a href="" type="internal">New York</a> <a href="" type="internal">Pauline Park</a></p>
| false | 3 |
democratic presidential candidates hillary clinton bernie sanders photos gino santa maria courtesy bigstock weeks remaining major democratic primary contest new york hillary clinton bernard sanders conducting outreach transgender community andrea zekis policy director basic rights oregon introduced sanders stage april 25 rally oregon meanwhile transgender day visibility clinton campaign made public qampa 12 transgender advocates support candidate zekis arkansas native spoke rally difficulties faced coming transgender noting discrimination home state legal state law seven years ago took bold step live truth zekis said accepted transgender woman received lot support scared time lived state could fired job denied housing denied health care essence lived state could denied opportunity zekis said took comfort knowing lawmakers seeking put end antitrans discrimination shes supporting sanders need leader committed economic justice people regardless race gender sexual orientation gender identity zekis said sanders cosponsor equality act federal bill would prohibit antitrans discrimination areas civil rights law pledged interview washington blade transgender advocate thursday clinton campaign published qampa titled meet 12 transgender americans proud support hillary clinton written sarah mcbride transgender clinton supporter introduction qampa says clinton record results trans community outlined detailed plan trans equality ever proposed presidential candidate mcbride among 12 transgender people qampa explains supports clinton president record secretary state proposals outlined advance transgender rights shes candidate running delivered tangible progress transgender community reformed passport policies state department added gender identity departments employment policies mcbride writes shes laid detailed lifesaving platform lgbt equality routinely proactively spoken needs community lgbt nonlgbt audiences alike anything else im supporting hillary like says shes single issue candidate live single issue country policy paper lgbt rights made public december clinton pledged help protect transgender people violence streamline process changing identity documents transgender people invest law enforcement training interactions transgender people others took part qampa blossom brown jackson missbased transgender advocate barbra siperstein new jersey activist member democratic national committee meghan stabler board member human rights campaign diego sanchez director policy pflag trans outreach comes weeks new york primary april 19 mother lode 277 delegates grabs according quinnipiac pollpublished thursday clinton leads sanders 5442 state served us senator stands contrast emerson college poll last month showed clinton 48point lead state prompting speculation sanders surging melissa sklarz new yorkbased transgender advocate clinton supporter said thinks trans outreach benefit clinton empire states primary addition rallying transgender gender nonconforming people remind new york voters hillary clinton face voice gay lesbian transgender civil rights around world secretary state sklarz said seen first hand trans women subjected poverty violence believe president hillary stand trans gnc people strongly barack obama given deficit delegates sanders would need whopping victory new york much like wins washington state alaska hawaii last weekend overtake clinton reaching 2383 delegates win democratic nomination pauline park new yorkbased transgender activist clinton critic said transgender endorsements unlikely benefit candidate endorsements general arent influential members transgender community vote outreach transgender community clinton sanders campaign also likely effective simply extremely difficult reach members community many reached vote park said point time extremely difficult even measure size transgender community let alone proportion politically active activist celebrity matter prominent believed claims speak entire community especially comes electoral politics party primaries bernard sanders election 2016 hillary clinton melissa sklarz new york pauline park
| 534 |
<p>Here in Boston, we have a love-hate relationship with our subway, called the “T.”</p>
<p>The clickety-clack of the old rail lines can be charming, and Boston has an extensive underground network. But the subways&#160;are jam-packed during rush hour and sometimes unreliable, especially come winter.</p>
<p>And the cars? Many are old. Some have been carrying passengers for 46 years. But in about three years, Boston riders should start enjoying 284 new Chinese and American-built railcars.&#160;And they sound pretty teched out.</p>
<p>“State-of-the-art vehicles that will have CCTV-operated display screens, LCD monitors, automatic passenger counting systems, larger seats, wider doors,” said Lydia Rivera, a native Bostonian who is now a spokesperson with <a href="http://211.147.25.242/mg" type="external">CRRC MA</a> Corporation, short for China Railway Rolling Stock Corporation, Massachusetts.</p>
<p>CRRC is the largest railcar maker on the planet. But Boston marks the <a href="http://www.bloomberg.com/profiles/companies/CNLRIZ:CH-crrc-group-co-ltd" type="external">Chinese state-owned</a> company’s first foray into a US market. When Massachusetts officials selected&#160;the company, it agreed to perform at least 60 percent of the work in the US. &#160;&#160;</p>
<p>“Simply put, the shells are designed in China, and everything else that goes into the car — all the electronics, everything, all the technology — that’s all happening in Massachusetts,” said Rivera.&#160;</p>
<p />
<p>Chinese and American engineers are working side by side in Boston to design new subway cars.&#160;</p>
<p>Jason Margolis</p>
<p>The subway cars, for the Orange&#160;and Red Lines, will be built in Springfield, Massachusetts, a city of 154,000 people&#160;almost 100 miles west of Boston.&#160;The cars will also be painted for the appropriate color&#160;in Massachusetts.</p>
<p>Kevin Kennedy, Springfield’s chief development officer, has seen his city’s slow and steady decline over the past four decades, a familiar tale in manufacturing centers across the country.</p>
<p>“I was born and raised here and have been here for all 64 years,” Kennedy said. “We used to have the Indian motorcycle; that was big and prominent here. We had the Duryea automobile. We had the GB airplane. Actually the first Rolls Royce in America was made here in Springfield.”</p>
<p>Springfield hit rock bottom in 2004 when the city was taken over by a <a href="http://www.masslive.com/news/index.ssf/2009/06/5_years_after_finance_control.html" type="external">Finance Control Board</a>, with appointments from the state of Massachusetts.&#160;</p>
<p>In about a year, CRRC’s new factory will be up and running. Today, it’s a largely vacant 42-acre lot.</p>
<p>“They [CRRC MA]&#160;will be employing upwards of 150 to 200 people at an average wage of $66,000,” Kennedy said.</p>
<p>CRRC will also pay Springfield $2.7 million annually in taxes.</p>
<p>This alone won’t transform the area. “But psychologically, the fact that manufacturing is coming back to a city that formerly has a history of manufacturing, is really the big thing. Perception, the psychology that goes with that,” he added.</p>
<p />
<p>The construction site for CRRC MA's new factory in Springfield. The&#160;Westinghouse Corporation once owned this land.</p>
<p>Jason Margolis</p>
<p>At the same time, there’s been some grumbling about a Chinese manufacturer setting up shop in Massachusetts. It’s expected: politicians love to vilify China. Donald Trump speaks&#160;derisively, often, about how Chinese manufacturers have taken American manufacturing jobs from America.</p>
<p>In this case, that’s unfair. William Ibbs, a civil engineering professor at the University of California, Berkeley, said US companies haven’t built railcars for about 20 years.</p>
<p>“It was a slow business, and it was also an erratic business. There wasn’t a real steady demand,” said Ibbs.</p>
<p>Canadian, Italian, Japanese and Korean manufacturers have largely filled the void, supplying rail cars to American cities. And now the Chinese are getting in on the action.</p>
<p>Of course, there’s always a risk going with a new supplier. A few years back in Boston, riders on new T cars were literally sliding out of their seats — the chairs were made from different materials and were a few inches wider. (People got used them pretty quick though.)</p>
<p>Ibbs says he’s seen things go the other way as well, with people bunched too tightly on foreign-made cars.</p>
<p>“I’m not going to name the country, but the residents of that country are smaller in stature than Americans. So they had sized the seats according to their domestic population rather than the American butt, if you will,” said Ibbs with a laugh. “That might not be the most polite way of putting it.”</p>
<p>Posterior-sizing aside, Ibbs says going with an established Chinese firm is a small gamble and one well worth taking — Boston is getting a great deal to upgrade aging infrastructure. CRRC’s bid was $566 million, hundreds of millions lower than most of its competitors.</p>
<p>CRRC also recently won a contract to build nearly <a href="http://www.reuters.com/article/us-crrc-usa-idUSKCN0WC17I" type="external">1,000 railcars for Chicago</a> — they’ll be built on Chicago’s South Side.&#160;Ibbs says the Chinese are bidding low, now, thinking about the long game.</p>
<p>“They want to get into this market because it’s not only providing the cars at the outset of their life, it’s the servicing and the future business prospects that they’re looking for,” said Ibbs.</p>
<p>CRRC is also <a href="http://europe.chinadaily.com.cn/business/2016-04/13/content_24489749.htm" type="external">pursuing railcar contracts</a> in Los Angeles, New York, and Philadelphia. If the company wins, those cars could potentially be built at Springfield’s new facility.</p>
<p>So while some politicians continue to attack China, many local leaders, like Kevin Kennedy, are trying to make their cities more attractive to Chinese investors.</p>
<p>“No matter what country they’re from, they’re going to be paying American taxes, whether it be income taxes or whether it be property taxes that we will be collecting here in Springfield,” Kennedy said. “The source of where it’s coming from really doesn’t matter.”</p>
<p />
<p>Some of Boston's Red Line cars are 46 years old. They should be replaced beginning in 2019.</p>
<p>MBTA</p>
<p>&#160;</p>
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boston lovehate relationship subway called clicketyclack old rail lines charming boston extensive underground network subways160are jampacked rush hour sometimes unreliable especially come winter cars many old carrying passengers 46 years three years boston riders start enjoying 284 new chinese americanbuilt railcars160and sound pretty teched stateoftheart vehicles cctvoperated display screens lcd monitors automatic passenger counting systems larger seats wider doors said lydia rivera native bostonian spokesperson crrc corporation short china railway rolling stock corporation massachusetts crrc largest railcar maker planet boston marks chinese stateowned companys first foray us market massachusetts officials selected160the company agreed perform least 60 percent work us 160160 simply put shells designed china everything else goes car electronics everything technology thats happening massachusetts said rivera160 chinese american engineers working side side boston design new subway cars160 jason margolis subway cars orange160and red lines built springfield massachusetts city 154000 people160almost 100 miles west boston160the cars also painted appropriate color160in massachusetts kevin kennedy springfields chief development officer seen citys slow steady decline past four decades familiar tale manufacturing centers across country born raised 64 years kennedy said used indian motorcycle big prominent duryea automobile gb airplane actually first rolls royce america made springfield springfield hit rock bottom 2004 city taken finance control board appointments state massachusetts160 year crrcs new factory running today largely vacant 42acre lot crrc ma160will employing upwards 150 200 people average wage 66000 kennedy said crrc also pay springfield 27 million annually taxes alone wont transform area psychologically fact manufacturing coming back city formerly history manufacturing really big thing perception psychology goes added construction site crrc mas new factory springfield the160westinghouse corporation owned land jason margolis time theres grumbling chinese manufacturer setting shop massachusetts expected politicians love vilify china donald trump speaks160derisively often chinese manufacturers taken american manufacturing jobs america case thats unfair william ibbs civil engineering professor university california berkeley said us companies havent built railcars 20 years slow business also erratic business wasnt real steady demand said ibbs canadian italian japanese korean manufacturers largely filled void supplying rail cars american cities chinese getting action course theres always risk going new supplier years back boston riders new cars literally sliding seats chairs made different materials inches wider people got used pretty quick though ibbs says hes seen things go way well people bunched tightly foreignmade cars im going name country residents country smaller stature americans sized seats according domestic population rather american butt said ibbs laugh might polite way putting posteriorsizing aside ibbs says going established chinese firm small gamble one well worth taking boston getting great deal upgrade aging infrastructure crrcs bid 566 million hundreds millions lower competitors crrc also recently contract build nearly 1000 railcars chicago theyll built chicagos south side160ibbs says chinese bidding low thinking long game want get market providing cars outset life servicing future business prospects theyre looking said ibbs crrc also pursuing railcar contracts los angeles new york philadelphia company wins cars could potentially built springfields new facility politicians continue attack china many local leaders like kevin kennedy trying make cities attractive chinese investors matter country theyre theyre going paying american taxes whether income taxes whether property taxes collecting springfield kennedy said source coming really doesnt matter bostons red line cars 46 years old replaced beginning 2019 mbta 160
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<p>While some parents like the surprise element, my wife and I wanted to know.&#160; I remember the moment with each of our boys.&#160; We headed to the doctor for a regular checkup with a bonus: an ultrasound.&#160; But, at 20 weeks this wasn’t simply a hear-the-heartbeat ultrasound.&#160; This was the big one.&#160; Our favorite ultrasound tech, Angela, started looking around and three straight times announced: It’s a boy!</p>
<p>Now, I’ll be honest with you: sitting in that dark room waiting to find out what to expect with baby number three, we were&#160;at least a little hopeful that&#160;he was a she.&#160; We had two boys already and were looking forward to adding some balance to the mix.&#160; And yet, Angela said the same three words she had said two times before: It’s a boy!&#160; Admittedly there was a flash of disappointment in each of us as reality didn’t cohere neatly with our expectations, but that passed in a moment and we were celebrating when we welcomed boy number three into the world (rather unexpectedly in the middle of the night no less!).&#160; At nine months along in his development he is an absolute delight.&#160; We wouldn’t trade him for all the gold in Fort Knox.</p>
<p>Now again, no, he’s not what we were initially hoping and planning for (namely, a girl), but it’s not like we can take him back.&#160; And besides, who would we blame for the mix up?&#160; God?&#160; Theologically that’s the most correct but it probably won’t get us very far.&#160; Me?&#160; After all, technically speaking, I contributed the Y chromosome. &#160;How about my wife?&#160; After all, she was the last one with him (with a nod to Bill Cosby, I like that explanation best).&#160; Give me a break!&#160; Of course we didn’t blame anyone for the switch.&#160; It’s not like we ordered him from a catalog and the shipping company messed up the order.&#160; We accepted the gift God gave us and are adjusting to an increasingly rowdy household. &#160;It’s a blast!…mostly.</p>
<p>But, what if a couple did essentially order their baby from a catalog and they ended up with something other than they expected?&#160; Well, this seemingly dystopian fantasy notion is actually a real case going on right now in Ohio.&#160; As the <a href="http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/breaking/ct-sperm-donor-lawsuit-met-20140930-story.html" type="external">Chicago Tribune reports</a>, a white couple who could not conceive together naturally (both partners are women) contacted a sperm bank in Downers Grove,&#160;IL because they wanted a child of their own.&#160; After looking through a catalog of donor information, the couple selected an anonymous white man with a genetic profile that appealed to them and essentially sent off for their baby.</p>
<p>A few months later after their doctor received the vials of sperm and the child’s biological mother&#160;was successfully impregnated she learned that instead of getting sperm from donor 380 whom they had selected the company goofed and sent the sperm of donor 330 to the doctor. &#160;The problem was, donor 330 isn’t a white man. &#160;He’s black. &#160;And so, a few weeks later,&#160;the mother gave birth to a beautiful biracial girl.</p>
<p>But here’s where things get sad. &#160;The mix up and birth of the little girl happened two years ago. &#160;Now the couple is suing the sperm bank for it. &#160;Think about this: They wanted a child when they could not have one on their own. &#160;They used ethically questionable methods to get a child in spite of their biological limitations. &#160;They now have a beautiful little girl. &#160;But, she’s not the color they ordered, and so they are suing the company for it. &#160;They didn’t get what they ordered…and they’re suing. &#160;That’s what you do if Amazon sends you the wrong thing.&#160; That should never happen with a child…ever. &#160;Now, yes, the couple did pay probably a lot of money in order to have their little girl and, yes, she was not what they ordered. &#160;But the fact that this kind of lawsuit is even a possibility suggests that the ethics of the approach they took to having their daughter are still in need of some attention.</p>
<p>The language of the suit itself doesn’t make this sound any better. &#160;The couple lives in a small, all-white community, and they are fearful of what the child’s (and their) life might be like growing up in a community in which she doesn’t look like everyone else. &#160;I’ll just quote this from the Tribune article&#160;because you can’t make up stuff like this:</p>
<p>Raising a mixed-race daughter has been stressful in [the couple’s] small, all-white community, according to the suit. &#160;[The mother] was raised around people with stereotypical attitudes about nonwhites, the lawsuit states, and did not know African-Americans until she attended college…Because of this background and upbringing, [the mother] acknowledges her limited cultural competency relative to African-Americans and a steep learning curve, particularly in small, homogenous [sic] Uniontown, which she regards as too racially intolerant.</p>
<p>The couple has to drive to an all-black neighborhood to get their daughter’s hair cut where they are “not overtly welcome.” &#160;The birth mother fears her family, which hasn’t been accepting of her homosexual lifestyle will also not be accepting of her biracial daughter. &#160;She worries about sending her to an all-white school someday. &#160;They may have to move…for their daughter’s sake, of course. &#160;And, $50,000 will make it all easier (not better, but easier).</p>
<p>My question is this: what are they going to tell their daughter? &#160;How do you explain to your child that you sued the company that made her life possible because she wasn’t the color you ordered? &#160;How do you explain that you were willing for her to grow up without a father active in her life (a circumstance that study after study has shown to be tremendously detrimental for children and sets them behind their peers in pretty much every social category), but her being half-black was a bridge too far? &#160;How do you explain that while you love her dearly no matter what color&#160;she is, you’ve treated her like&#160;she was simply something you picked up from the&#160;store?</p>
<p>When as a culture we start treating people like commodities, we’ve got a problem. &#160;Friends, we’ve got a problem. &#160;As our culture continues to operate more and more fully&#160;on a secular worldview that has no rational basis for seeing people as inherently valuable, cases like this one will multiply. &#160;This is why the world needs the church. &#160;This is why our culture needs the church. &#160;No, Jesus followers don’t always get it right, but the Christian faith is the only hope our culture has from going off a cliff into the kind of dehumanizing darkness to which this case points. &#160;The secular worldview increasingly dominating our culture holds that all of life should be lived on our terms.</p>
<p>I have <a href="" type="internal">previously written</a>about how this could be seen in the sad case of Brittany Maynard. &#160;Here is yet another example but from the other side of life. &#160;Whatever happened to children being a gift from God? &#160;Now, at least in this case, they are a commodity to be purchased when desired. &#160;And, if they don’t cohere to our expectations, the subjects of a lawsuit. &#160;With <a href="http://www.worldmag.com/2014/10/scientists_can_now_edit_any_gene_they_want" type="external">other advances</a> in genetic technology coming at a faster pace than ethics can keep up, a brave new world is upon us and not many are stopping to ask if it’s the kind of world we want to have.</p>
<p>As Christians we need to speak up, analyze the myriad of ethical issues at play here, and offer loving and gentle guidance to a culture that is increasingly calling every desire right without thought of the consequences. &#160;Let us stand with the voice of the prophets and the love of Christ to show why life in the kingdom of God is better than life anywhere else. &#160;Let us be prepared to minister to people when their choices don’t lead to the rosy outcomes they were expecting.&#160; And, let us pray for this little family because they have some hard conversations ahead of them.</p>
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parents like surprise element wife wanted know160 remember moment boys160 headed doctor regular checkup bonus ultrasound160 20 weeks wasnt simply heartheheartbeat ultrasound160 big one160 favorite ultrasound tech angela started looking around three straight times announced boy ill honest sitting dark room waiting find expect baby number three were160at least little hopeful that160he she160 two boys already looking forward adding balance mix160 yet angela said three words said two times boy160 admittedly flash disappointment us reality didnt cohere neatly expectations passed moment celebrating welcomed boy number three world rather unexpectedly middle night less160 nine months along development absolute delight160 wouldnt trade gold fort knox hes initially hoping planning namely girl like take back160 besides would blame mix up160 god160 theologically thats correct probably wont get us far160 me160 technically speaking contributed chromosome 160how wife160 last one nod bill cosby like explanation best160 give break160 course didnt blame anyone switch160 like ordered catalog shipping company messed order160 accepted gift god gave us adjusting increasingly rowdy household 160its blastmostly couple essentially order baby catalog ended something expected160 well seemingly dystopian fantasy notion actually real case going right ohio160 chicago tribune reports white couple could conceive together naturally partners women contacted sperm bank downers grove160il wanted child own160 looking catalog donor information couple selected anonymous white man genetic profile appealed essentially sent baby months later doctor received vials sperm childs biological mother160was successfully impregnated learned instead getting sperm donor 380 selected company goofed sent sperm donor 330 doctor 160the problem donor 330 isnt white man 160hes black 160and weeks later160the mother gave birth beautiful biracial girl heres things get sad 160the mix birth little girl happened two years ago 160now couple suing sperm bank 160think wanted child could one 160they used ethically questionable methods get child spite biological limitations 160they beautiful little girl 160but shes color ordered suing company 160they didnt get orderedand theyre suing 160thats amazon sends wrong thing160 never happen childever 160now yes couple pay probably lot money order little girl yes ordered 160but fact kind lawsuit even possibility suggests ethics approach took daughter still need attention language suit doesnt make sound better 160the couple lives small allwhite community fearful childs life might like growing community doesnt look like everyone else 160ill quote tribune article160because cant make stuff like raising mixedrace daughter stressful couples small allwhite community according suit 160the mother raised around people stereotypical attitudes nonwhites lawsuit states know africanamericans attended collegebecause background upbringing mother acknowledges limited cultural competency relative africanamericans steep learning curve particularly small homogenous sic uniontown regards racially intolerant couple drive allblack neighborhood get daughters hair cut overtly welcome 160the birth mother fears family hasnt accepting homosexual lifestyle also accepting biracial daughter 160she worries sending allwhite school someday 160they may movefor daughters sake course 160and 50000 make easier better easier question going tell daughter 160how explain child sued company made life possible wasnt color ordered 160how explain willing grow without father active life circumstance study study shown tremendously detrimental children sets behind peers pretty much every social category halfblack bridge far 160how explain love dearly matter color160she youve treated like160she simply something picked the160store culture start treating people like commodities weve got problem 160friends weve got problem 160as culture continues operate fully160on secular worldview rational basis seeing people inherently valuable cases like one multiply 160this world needs church 160this culture needs church 160no jesus followers dont always get right christian faith hope culture going cliff kind dehumanizing darkness case points 160the secular worldview increasingly dominating culture holds life lived terms previously writtenabout could seen sad case brittany maynard 160here yet another example side life 160whatever happened children gift god 160now least case commodity purchased desired 160and dont cohere expectations subjects lawsuit 160with advances genetic technology coming faster pace ethics keep brave new world upon us many stopping ask kind world want christians need speak analyze myriad ethical issues play offer loving gentle guidance culture increasingly calling every desire right without thought consequences 160let us stand voice prophets love christ show life kingdom god better life anywhere else 160let us prepared minister people choices dont lead rosy outcomes expecting160 let us pray little family hard conversations ahead
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<p>Christine Rocas and Rory Hohenstein in Joffrey’s Ballet’s ‘The Nutcracker’ at the Kennedy Center this weekend. (Photo by Cheryl Mann)</p>
<p>From theatrical plays to concerts to sing-alongs and more, as always, the Washington area is rich with holiday productions of every genre. We’re calling this gift guide part one but in a few cases, you may be your own recipient!</p>
<p>Hope Garden Children’s Ballet Theatre presents “ <a href="http://hgcbtstore.org" type="external">A Christmas Carol</a>” at the F Scott Fitzgerald Theater in Rockville (603 Edmonston Drive, Rockville, Md.)&#160; at 1:30 and 7 p.m., Nov. 28. The classic ballet features rich costumes and moving music by Debussy.&#160;Tickets are $22.</p>
<p>Robert Joffrey’s awe-inspiring staging of the perennial classic “ <a href="http://www.kennedy-center.org/calendar/event/BQBSC" type="external">The Nutcracker</a>” will enjoy its final performances at the Kennedy Center’s Opera House at 7 p.m., Nov. 25, 27-29; 1 p.m. and Nov. 27-29. Tickets from $55.</p>
<p>The Washington Ballet welcomes the holiday season by presenting “ <a href="https://www.washingtonballet.org/performances/2015-2016" type="external">The Nutcracker</a>” Nov. 28-29 at the THEARC (1901 Mississippi Ave., S.E.), and Dec. 3-27 at the historic Warner Theatre (3515 Wisconsin Ave., N.W.). Septime Webre’s critically acclaimed ballet transports audiences back in time to historic Washington in a one-of-a-kind production set in 1882 Georgetown and starring George Washington as the heroic Nutcracker, King George III as the villainous Rat King, Anacostia Indians, frontiersmen and many other all-American delights. Tickets range from $34-99.</p>
<p>Calmus plays the Barnes at Wolf Trap on Sunday, Dec. 6. (Photo courtesy Wolf Trap)</p>
<p>A cappella quintet <a href="http://www.wolftrap.org/tickets/calendar/performance/1516barns/1206show15.aspx" type="external">Calmus</a> will perform Christmas carols from around the world, featuring pieces from the Netherlands, Puerto Rico, Ireland and more, at a special holiday concert at the Barns at Wolf Trap (1635 Trap Road) at 7:30 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 6. Tickets are $35.</p>
<p>“Sound of Music” fans will delight in the Kennedy Center’s <a href="http://www.kennedy-center.org/calendar/event/NQPSC" type="external">NSO Pops: the von Trapps &amp; Stephanie J. Block Family Holiday show</a> at 7 p.m. on Dec. 10; 8 p.m., Dec. 11 and Dec. 12; and 2 p.m., Dec. 12. Tickets begin at $20. Songs from the great-grandchildren of the cherished “Sound of Music” von Trapp family join musical theater star Stephanie J. Block and the NSO Pops.</p>
<p>The Washington National Opera presents “ <a href="http://www.kennedy-center.org/calendar/event/OQOSH" type="external">Hansel and Gretel</a>” at the Kennedy Center’s Terrace Theater at 2 and 7 p.m., Dec. 12-13 and Dec. 18-20. The show features current and former Domingo-Cafritz Young Artists alongside the WNO Children’s Chorus. Tickets start at $59.</p>
<p>Acclaimed a cappella group, <a href="http://cfa.gmu.edu/calendar/1454/" type="external">Chanticleer</a>, brings soaring Christmas carols to George Mason University’s Center for the Arts (4373 Mason Pond Dr., Fairfax) at 8 p.m., Nov. 28; and at the Hylton Performing Arts Center (10960 George Mason Circle, Manassas) at 8 p.m., Nov. 29. Expect ancient hymns, venerated sacred songs, contemporary classics, gospel spirituals and treasured American and European carols. Tickets range from $32-54.</p>
<p>Chanticleer performs two shows in Virginia on Nov. 28-29. (Photo by Lisa Kohler)</p>
<p>Tony winner <a href="https://www.bsomusic.org/calendar/events/2015-2016-events/tis-the-season.aspx" type="external">Brian Stokes Mitchell</a> will perform with the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra for the holiday spectacular, “‘Tis the Season” on Dec. 10 at the Music Center at Strathmore (5301 Tuckerman Lane, North Bethesda). Tickets range from $25-99. For more information, visit strathmore.org.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.strathmore.org/events-and-tickets/dave-koz-15" type="external">The Dave Koz Christmas Tour</a> with guests Jonathan Butler, Candy Dulfer and Bill Medley returns to the Strathmore (5301 Tuckerman Lane, North Bethesda) on Friday, Dec. 4 at 8 p.m. Tickets are $48-88.</p>
<p>Wolf Trap’s holiday sing-along is Saturday, Dec. 5. (Photo by Sam Kittner)</p>
<p>Wolf Trap presents its annual <a href="http://www.wolftrap.org/tickets/calendar/performance/holiday-sing.aspx" type="external">holiday sing-a-long</a>&#160;on Saturday, Dec. 5 at 4 p.m. at the Filene Center (1551 Trap Road), featuring Christmas carols and Hanukkah songs by choir and vocal groups and the United States Marine Band. Admission is free and guests are encouraged to bring an unwrapped gift to donate as part of the Toys for Tots campaign.</p>
<p>The 45th annual Kennedy Center “ <a href="http://www.kennedy-center.org/calendar/event/NQMES?gclid=Cj0KEQiA4LCyBRCY0N7Oy-mSgNIBEiQAyg39ttgRPbsSxV_RnAG-kjlaJeSRuRlGxbLqJhWOpdVY1CwaAgY58P8HAQ" type="external">Messiah</a>” Sing-Along takes place at 8 p.m., Dec. 23 at the Concert Hall. Tickets are free but reservations are required. Guest conductor Barry Hemphill leads the Kennedy Center Opera House Orchestra, guest soloists and audience in a glorious “sing-along” of Handel’s beloved masterpiece.</p>
<p>The 10th annual <a href="http://congressionalchorus.org" type="external">Congressional Chorus’ holiday concert</a> and sing along presents the American Youth Chorus leading holiday favorites at 4 and 7 p.m., Dec. 13 at the Atlas Performing Arts Center (1333 H St., NE).</p>
<p>The&#160; <a href="http://gmcw.org/season-shows/rewrapped/" type="external">Gay Men’s Chorus of Washington</a> presents “Rewrapped,” Dec. 5-6, 12-13 at the Lincoln Theatre (1215 U St., N.W.). Expect signature holiday classics and new arrangements of seasonal favorites.&#160;Don’t be surprised to see a visit from Ole’ St. Nick himself. Tickets range from $13-35.</p>
<p>The National Symphony Orchestra presents Handel’s “ <a href="http://www.kennedy-center.org/calendar/event/NQMES" type="external">Messiah</a>” at 7 p.m. Dec. 17; 8 p.m., Dec. 18-19; and 1:30 p.m. Dec. 20 at Kennedy Center’s Concert Hall. Conductor Nathalie Stutzman leads soloists Emöke Barath (soprano), Sara Mingardo (contralto), Lawrence Wiliford (tenor), Burak Bilgili (bass) and the University of Maryland Concert Choir (Edward Maclary, music director) in the holiday classic. Tickets start at $15.</p>
<p>The 25th annual NPR’s “ <a href="http://www.kennedy-center.org/calendar/event/MQJGP" type="external">A Jazz Piano Christmas</a>” takes place at 7 and 9 p.m., Dec. 4 at the Terrace Theater. NEA Jazz Master Kenny Barron will perform with Fred Hersch and Joey Alexander. Tickets are $59. For more information, visit kennedy-center.org.</p>
<p>The 17th annual <a href="https://www.kennedy-center.org/Artist/B14929" type="external">All-Star Christmas Day Jazz Jam</a>will take place on Kennedy Center’s Millennium Stage at 6 p.m., Dec. 25.</p>
<p>Legendary filmmaker <a href="https://www.birchmere.com/events/a-john-waters-christmas-holier-dirtier/" type="external">John Waters</a> will give his take on the holiday season with his show, “A John Waters Christmas” playing the Birchmere (3701 Mount Vernon Ave.) in Alexandria on Dec. 21. Delving into his passion for lunatic exploitation Christmas movies and the unhealthy urge to remake all his own films into seasonal children’s classics, “The Pope of Trash” will give you a Joyeaux Noel like no other. Tickets are $49.50.</p>
<p>The annual Ford’s Theatre (511 Tenth St. NW) production of “ <a href="http://www.fords.org/event/christmas-carol" type="external">A Christmas Carol</a>” is being staged Nov. 19-Dec. 31. Adapted by Michael Wilson and directed by Michael Baron, join the ghosts of Christmas Past, Present and Future as they lead the miserly Ebenezer Scrooge on a journey of transformation and redemption.&#160;For more information, visit fordstheatre.org.</p>
<p>The Olney Theater (2001 Olney-Sandy Spring Rd.) in Olney is bringing back storyteller Paul Morella in a one-man performance of “ <a href="http://www.olneytheatre.org/shows-a-events/a-christmas-carol-15" type="external">A Christmas Carol: A Ghost Story of Christmas</a>,” Nov. 27-Dec. 27. Tickets for all shows begin at $26 and can be purchased by calling the box office at 301-924-3400.</p>
<p>The Annapolis Shakespeare Company (111 Chinquapin Round Road, no.114, Annapolis) presents “ <a href="http://www.annapolisshakespeare.org" type="external">It’s a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play</a>” by Joe Landry, Dec. 4-Jan. 3.</p>
<p>The Chesapeake Shakespeare Company (7 S. Calvert St, Baltimore) holds its annual “ <a href="http://chesapeakeshakespeare.com" type="external">A Christmas Carol</a>” by Charles Dickens, Dec. 4-23. Tickets are $25.</p>
<p>MetroStage (1201 North Royal St., Alexandria) present “ <a href="http://www.metrostage.org/a-broadway-christmas-carol.html#.VkztktA-BhA" type="external">A Broadway Christmas Carol</a>” starring Peter Boyer, Michael Sharp, Tracey Stephens and Howard Bretibart, Nov. 24-Dec. 27. Tickets start at $20.</p>
<p>“ <a href="http://www.theateralliance.com" type="external">Black Nativity</a>” returns to the Theater Alliance Stage (2020 Shannon Place, S.E.) as Langston Hughes chronicles and celebrates the birth of Jesus, while also celebrating the birth of blackness. This classic story is told through gospel, blues, funk, jazz and dance. The show runs from Nov. 25 to Jan. 3.</p>
<p>Super Art Fight’s second annual “ <a href="http://www.blackcatdc.com/shows/super-art-fight.html" type="external">Non-Denominational Holiday Spectacular</a>” plays the Black Cat (1811 14th St., N.W.) on Dec. 4 with four “art fights” featuring mashups of pro wrestling, live art, improv comedy and more. Tickets are $15. Doors open at 9 p.m. Details at blackcatdc.com.</p>
<p>“Sorry” and “Regular Singing,” the final two plays in “The Apple Family Cycle” by Richard Nelson continue at <a href="https://www.studiotheatre.org" type="external">Studio Theatre</a> (1501 14th St., N.W.) in rotation through Dec. 13. “Bad Jews” by Joshua Harmon opens Dec. 3.</p>
<p>The <a href="https://www.kennedy-center.org/wno/MTO/AOIInfo" type="external">American Opera Initiative</a> of the Washington National Opera continues with three pairings of new opera composers and librettists each with new one-act operas based on contemporary American stories in sem-staged concert performances at 7 and 9 p.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 2 in the Kennedy Center Terrace Theater (2700 F St., N.W.).</p>
<p><a href="https://www.strathmore.org/events-and-tickets/big-band-holidays" type="external">Big Band Holidays</a> featuring the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis and Denzal Sinclaire and Audrey Shakir plays the Music Center at Strathmore (5301 Tuckerman Lane, North Bethesda, Md.) at 8 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 12. Tickets start at $58.</p>
<p>Santa visits <a href="http://www.americanplant.net" type="external">American Plant</a> every weekend in December. On Saturdays, he’s at its 5258 River Road location and Sundays at 7405 River Road each day from noon-2 p.m. (dates are Dec. 5, 6, 12, 13, 19 and 20). Get all your holiday shopping, home decorating, tree, photos with Santa and more at American Plant.</p>
<p>The Kennedy Center’s annual <a href="http://www.kennedy-center.org/calendar/event/MQHFN" type="external">New Year’s Eve concert</a> returns with a funky edge at the Kennedy Center (2700 F St. N.W.) with Chaka Khan at 8:30 p.m. The evening culminates with a party in the Grand Foyer to ring in 2016. Tickets range from $50-90.</p>
<p><a href="" type="internal">A Broadway Christmas Carol</a> <a href="" type="internal">A Christmas Carol</a> <a href="" type="internal">All Star Christmas Day Jazz Jam</a> <a href="" type="internal">American Opera Initiative</a> <a href="" type="internal">American Plant</a> <a href="" type="internal">Annapolis Shakespeare Company</a> <a href="" type="internal">Apple Family Cycle</a> <a href="" type="internal">Bad Jews</a> <a href="" type="internal">Birchmere</a> <a href="" type="internal">Black Cat</a> <a href="" type="internal">Black Nativity</a> <a href="" type="internal">Chaka Kahn</a> <a href="" type="internal">Congressional Chorus</a> <a href="" type="internal">Ford's Theatre</a> <a href="" type="internal">Gay Men's Chorus of Washington</a> <a href="" type="internal">Handel</a> <a href="" type="internal">holiday sing-along</a> <a href="" type="internal">It's a Wonderful Life</a> <a href="" type="internal">Jazz at Lincoln Center</a> <a href="" type="internal">Jazz Piano Christmas</a> <a href="" type="internal">John Waters</a> <a href="" type="internal">Kennedy Center</a> <a href="" type="internal">Langston Hughes</a> <a href="" type="internal">Messiah</a> <a href="" type="internal">MetroStage</a> <a href="" type="internal">NPR</a> <a href="" type="internal">Olney Theater</a> <a href="" type="internal">Rewrapped</a> <a href="" type="internal">Studio Theatre</a> <a href="" type="internal">Super Air Fight</a> <a href="" type="internal">Theater Alliance Stage</a> <a href="" type="internal">Washington National Opera</a> <a href="" type="internal">Wolf Trap</a> <a href="" type="internal">Wynton Marsalis</a></p>
| false | 3 |
christine rocas rory hohenstein joffreys ballets nutcracker kennedy center weekend photo cheryl mann theatrical plays concerts singalongs always washington area rich holiday productions every genre calling gift guide part one cases may recipient hope garden childrens ballet theatre presents christmas carol f scott fitzgerald theater rockville 603 edmonston drive rockville md160 130 7 pm nov 28 classic ballet features rich costumes moving music debussy160tickets 22 robert joffreys aweinspiring staging perennial classic nutcracker enjoy final performances kennedy centers opera house 7 pm nov 25 2729 1 pm nov 2729 tickets 55 washington ballet welcomes holiday season presenting nutcracker nov 2829 thearc 1901 mississippi ave se dec 327 historic warner theatre 3515 wisconsin ave nw septime webres critically acclaimed ballet transports audiences back time historic washington oneofakind production set 1882 georgetown starring george washington heroic nutcracker king george iii villainous rat king anacostia indians frontiersmen many allamerican delights tickets range 3499 calmus plays barnes wolf trap sunday dec 6 photo courtesy wolf trap cappella quintet calmus perform christmas carols around world featuring pieces netherlands puerto rico ireland special holiday concert barns wolf trap 1635 trap road 730 pm sunday dec 6 tickets 35 sound music fans delight kennedy centers nso pops von trapps amp stephanie j block family holiday show 7 pm dec 10 8 pm dec 11 dec 12 2 pm dec 12 tickets begin 20 songs greatgrandchildren cherished sound music von trapp family join musical theater star stephanie j block nso pops washington national opera presents hansel gretel kennedy centers terrace theater 2 7 pm dec 1213 dec 1820 show features current former domingocafritz young artists alongside wno childrens chorus tickets start 59 acclaimed cappella group chanticleer brings soaring christmas carols george mason universitys center arts 4373 mason pond dr fairfax 8 pm nov 28 hylton performing arts center 10960 george mason circle manassas 8 pm nov 29 expect ancient hymns venerated sacred songs contemporary classics gospel spirituals treasured american european carols tickets range 3254 chanticleer performs two shows virginia nov 2829 photo lisa kohler tony winner brian stokes mitchell perform baltimore symphony orchestra holiday spectacular tis season dec 10 music center strathmore 5301 tuckerman lane north bethesda tickets range 2599 information visit strathmoreorg dave koz christmas tour guests jonathan butler candy dulfer bill medley returns strathmore 5301 tuckerman lane north bethesda friday dec 4 8 pm tickets 4888 wolf traps holiday singalong saturday dec 5 photo sam kittner wolf trap presents annual holiday singalong160on saturday dec 5 4 pm filene center 1551 trap road featuring christmas carols hanukkah songs choir vocal groups united states marine band admission free guests encouraged bring unwrapped gift donate part toys tots campaign 45th annual kennedy center messiah singalong takes place 8 pm dec 23 concert hall tickets free reservations required guest conductor barry hemphill leads kennedy center opera house orchestra guest soloists audience glorious singalong handels beloved masterpiece 10th annual congressional chorus holiday concert sing along presents american youth chorus leading holiday favorites 4 7 pm dec 13 atlas performing arts center 1333 h st ne the160 gay mens chorus washington presents rewrapped dec 56 1213 lincoln theatre 1215 u st nw expect signature holiday classics new arrangements seasonal favorites160dont surprised see visit ole st nick tickets range 1335 national symphony orchestra presents handels messiah 7 pm dec 17 8 pm dec 1819 130 pm dec 20 kennedy centers concert hall conductor nathalie stutzman leads soloists emöke barath soprano sara mingardo contralto lawrence wiliford tenor burak bilgili bass university maryland concert choir edward maclary music director holiday classic tickets start 15 25th annual nprs jazz piano christmas takes place 7 9 pm dec 4 terrace theater nea jazz master kenny barron perform fred hersch joey alexander tickets 59 information visit kennedycenterorg 17th annual allstar christmas day jazz jamwill take place kennedy centers millennium stage 6 pm dec 25 legendary filmmaker john waters give take holiday season show john waters christmas playing birchmere 3701 mount vernon ave alexandria dec 21 delving passion lunatic exploitation christmas movies unhealthy urge remake films seasonal childrens classics pope trash give joyeaux noel like tickets 4950 annual fords theatre 511 tenth st nw production christmas carol staged nov 19dec 31 adapted michael wilson directed michael baron join ghosts christmas past present future lead miserly ebenezer scrooge journey transformation redemption160for information visit fordstheatreorg olney theater 2001 olneysandy spring rd olney bringing back storyteller paul morella oneman performance christmas carol ghost story christmas nov 27dec 27 tickets shows begin 26 purchased calling box office 3019243400 annapolis shakespeare company 111 chinquapin round road no114 annapolis presents wonderful life live radio play joe landry dec 4jan 3 chesapeake shakespeare company 7 calvert st baltimore holds annual christmas carol charles dickens dec 423 tickets 25 metrostage 1201 north royal st alexandria present broadway christmas carol starring peter boyer michael sharp tracey stephens howard bretibart nov 24dec 27 tickets start 20 black nativity returns theater alliance stage 2020 shannon place se langston hughes chronicles celebrates birth jesus also celebrating birth blackness classic story told gospel blues funk jazz dance show runs nov 25 jan 3 super art fights second annual nondenominational holiday spectacular plays black cat 1811 14th st nw dec 4 four art fights featuring mashups pro wrestling live art improv comedy tickets 15 doors open 9 pm details blackcatdccom sorry regular singing final two plays apple family cycle richard nelson continue studio theatre 1501 14th st nw rotation dec 13 bad jews joshua harmon opens dec 3 american opera initiative washington national opera continues three pairings new opera composers librettists new oneact operas based contemporary american stories semstaged concert performances 7 9 pm wednesday dec 2 kennedy center terrace theater 2700 f st nw big band holidays featuring jazz lincoln center orchestra wynton marsalis denzal sinclaire audrey shakir plays music center strathmore 5301 tuckerman lane north bethesda md 8 pm saturday dec 12 tickets start 58 santa visits american plant every weekend december saturdays hes 5258 river road location sundays 7405 river road day noon2 pm dates dec 5 6 12 13 19 20 get holiday shopping home decorating tree photos santa american plant kennedy centers annual new years eve concert returns funky edge kennedy center 2700 f st nw chaka khan 830 pm evening culminates party grand foyer ring 2016 tickets range 5090 broadway christmas carol christmas carol star christmas day jazz jam american opera initiative american plant annapolis shakespeare company apple family cycle bad jews birchmere black cat black nativity chaka kahn congressional chorus fords theatre gay mens chorus washington handel holiday singalong wonderful life jazz lincoln center jazz piano christmas john waters kennedy center langston hughes messiah metrostage npr olney theater rewrapped studio theatre super air fight theater alliance stage washington national opera wolf trap wynton marsalis
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<p>MEET THE PRESS -- SUNDAY, APRIL 5, 2015</p>
<p>CHUCK TODD (V/O):</p>
<p>This Sunday, the Iran deal. Appeasement of an enemy or a historic agreement that makes the world safer?</p>
<p>PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA:</p>
<p>It is a good deal. A deal that meets our core objectives.</p>
<p>CHUCK TODD (V/O):</p>
<p>Now can the president sell the Iran nuclear deal to a skeptical Congress and allies in the Middle East? Israel's prime minister will join me live. Plus, the fight over those so-called religious liberty laws that are splitting the Republican party.</p>
<p>TED CRUZ:</p>
<p>It's a whole lot of Republican politicians are terrified in this issue.</p>
<p>CHUCK TODD (V/O):</p>
<p>2016, GOP hopeful, Louisiana's Bobby Jindal will weigh in. And opening day is here. New baseball commissioner Rob Manfred, and how our national pastime is trying to rename part of our national future. And of course, whether Pete Rose should be allowed into the Hall of Fame.</p>
<p>I'm Chuck Todd and joining me to provide insight and analysis this morning are Matt Bai of Yahoo News, Helene Cooper of The New York Times, Amy Walter of the Cook Political Report, and Perry Bacon, from NBCNews.com. Welcome to Sunday. It's Meet the Press.</p>
<p>ANNOUNCER:</p>
<p>From NBC News in Washington, this is Meet the Press with Chuck Todd.</p>
<p>CHUCK TODD:</p>
<p>Good morning. Now comes the hard part, when the U.S. and its negotiating partners reached an agreement with Iran on a framework of a deal to contain Iran's nuclear program, not surprisingly, the reaction is decidedly mixed. Iran's foreign minister got a hero's welcome when he arrived home from Iranians, happy that that devastating economic sanctions could be lifted.</p>
<p>But more hawkish elements in each country criticized the deal. Hardliners in Iran charged that their side gave up too much to placate the United States. And here at home, President Obama faces a very tough task of convincing not just Republicans, but many Democrats that this deal is better than no agreement at all, which could allow Iran to continue its nuclear program without limitations or inspections. One key ally the president has certainly been unable to convince is Israel's prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu who joins me now live from Jerusalem. Prime Minister, Happy Passover. Welcome back to Meet the Press.</p>
<p>BENJAMIN NETANYAHU:</p>
<p>Thank you. Happy holidays to all.</p>
<p>CHUCK TODD:</p>
<p>I will have more than four questions for you. I promise you that. Let me start with this. Which is, if this deal, you were going to be perhaps any deal that didn't bring Iran down to centrifuges. Why not let this deal get implemented even for just six months, to see how the Iranians react to inspections, to see how this thing is implemented before trying to kill the deal?</p>
<p>BENJAMIN NETANYAHU:</p>
<p>I'm not trying to kill any deal. I'm trying to kill a bad deal. And you say it's a historic decision, a historic deal, it could be historically bad deal. Because it leaves the preeminent terrorist state of our time with a vast nuclear infrastructure. Remember, not one centrifuge is destroyed, thousands of centrifuges will be left spinning uranium.</p>
<p>Not a single facility, including underground facilities, nuclear facilities, is being shut down. This is a deal that leaves Iran with the capacity to produce the material for many, many nuclear bombs, and it does so by lifting the sanctions pretty much up front.</p>
<p>So Iran will have billions of dollars flown to its coffers not for schools or hospitals or roads, but to pump up its worldwide terror machine and its military machine, which is busy conquering the Middle East as we speak. The preeminent terrorist state of our time should not have access to a vast nuclear capability that will ultimately give them nuclear weapons. That's a concern for Israel, for the region, for the peace of the world.</p>
<p>CHUCK TODD:</p>
<p>Let me ask you this, though. You have a deal that was negotiated by the United States, China, Russia, Britain, France, Germany, all of them on one side of this deal. You're on the other. Are you concerned that Israel's being isolated from the world community on this issue?</p>
<p>BENJAMIN NETANYAHU:</p>
<p>No, I don't. Look, the entire world celebrated the deal with North Korea. It was deemed to be a great breakthrough, it would bring an end to North Korea's nuclear program. You would have inspectors that would do the job. And of course, everybody applauded it. But it turned out to be a very, very bad deal. And you know where we are with North Korea.</p>
<p>I think the same thing would be true in the case of Iran, except that Iran is a great deal more dangerous than North Korea. It's a militant, Islamic power, built on regional corporate domination. In fact, bent on world domination, as it openly says so. They just chanted, "Death to America," a few days ago on the streets of Tehran, the same streets where there is rejoicing right now. Don’t give the preeminent terrorist state of our time the access to a nuclear program that could help them make nuclear weapons. It's very bad for all of us.</p>
<p>CHUCK TODD:</p>
<p>Well, you, in 2012, contemplated, there were reports that you contemplated asking your cabinet for permission to potentially strike Iran's nuclear facilities. Do you still plan on keeping that option open even if a deal is implemented by the United Nations and by the United States?</p>
<p>BENJAMIN NETANYAHU:</p>
<p>Chuck, I'm the only Israeli left standing who never talks about our military options. But I will say this, I prefer a diplomatic solution. You know why? Because for any military option, the country that will pay the biggest price is always Israel. So we want a diplomatic solution, but a good one. One that rolls back Iran's nuclear infrastructure and one that ties the final lifting of restrictions on Iran's nuclear program with a change of Iran's behavior.</p>
<p>Namely that they stop their aggression in the region, that they stop their worldwide terrorism, and that they stop calling for and working for the annihilation of Israel. These are the requirements that there's still time to put in place. And I'll use what means I have, including this program, to try to persuade people to go for this deal, which is the only one that will give us peace and security.</p>
<p>CHUCK TODD:</p>
<p>Would you advise Saudi Arabia and Egypt right now to pursue their own nuclear program, given the way this deal looks in your eyes?</p>
<p>BENJAMIN NETANYAHU:</p>
<p>No, I wouldn't advise them to do that, Chuck. But I think that despite the spoken words, there's enormous concerns throughout the Sunni states in the region. And I think one of the unfortunate, even tragic results of this deal, if it goes through, is that it would spark an arms race among the Sunni race, a nuclear arms race in the Middle East. And the Middle East crisscrossed with nuclear tripwires is a nightmare for the world. I think this deal is a dream deal for Iran and it's a nightmare deal for the world.</p>
<p>CHUCK TODD:</p>
<p>There have been plenty reports about Israel's nuclear deterrent strategy. Do you believe that in an ideal situation, no Middle Eastern country would have nuclear weapons?</p>
<p>BENJAMIN NETANYAHU:</p>
<p>In an ideal situation, you wouldn't have countries seeking to annihilate the state of Israel and openly saying that. By the way, an Iranian general said that four days ago, on the eve of the announcement of this framework in Lausanne, the commander of the besieged forces in Tehran says, "The destruction of Israel is non-negotiable."</p>
<p>So I think the real problem in the Middle East is not the democracy of Israel that has shown restraint and responsibility, but it's countries like Iran that pursue nuclear weapons with the explicit goal first of annihilating us, but also ultimately of conquering the Middle East and threatening you.</p>
<p>That's why they're developing ICBMs, intercontinental ballistic missiles that are meant for one purpose only, to carry nuclear payloads to a theater near you. They're not intended for us. They already have missiles that reach us. They're developing ICBMs to reach the United States. Don't give them these weapons. Don't give them nuclear ICBMs with which they can threaten you.</p>
<p>CHUCK TODD:</p>
<p>It sounds like you want the U.S. Congress to do everything in its power to kill this deal. Is that what you'd like them to do?</p>
<p>BENJAMIN NETANYAHU:</p>
<p>I'd like the United States and the other members of the P5+1 to get a better deal. There's still time. It's time you can ratchet up the sanctions. Look, biting sanctions were imposed for the first time only in 2012. That got Iran within 18 months to the table.</p>
<p>Once you got to the table, instead of ratcheting up the sanctions and the pressures, in fact, you reduce the pressure. And Iran's told, "No need to make any concessions at all. You have time to insist on a better deal and to ratchet up the pressure." That's the preferable route for all of us.</p>
<p>CHUCK TODD:</p>
<p>I want to ask you a quick question on two-state solution issues. I want to read you some sound from Denis McDonough, the White House Chief of Staff. Here's what he said in a speech right after your re-election: "The borders of Israel and an independent Palestine should be based on the 1967 lines with mutually agreed swaps. Each state needs secure and recognized borders, and there must be robust provisions that safeguard Israel's security.</p>
<p>"An occupation that has lasted for almost fifty years must end, and the Palestinian people must have the right to live in and govern themselves in their own sovereign state." Are you comfortable with the president's chief of staff referring to Israel as an occupier?</p>
<p>BENJAMIN NETANYAHU:</p>
<p>Well, you know, successive Israeli governments, including my own, have offered to end this dispute, and I have offered to have a demilitarized Palestinian state recognize the one and only Jewish state. That was, and remains, my position. What I said was that under the present circumstances, when President Abbas not only refuses to recognize Israel as the nation state of the Jewish people, he embraces, he embraces Hamas that outright calls for our destruction.</p>
<p>And when you have every territory that is vacated in the Middle East taken over by the forces of militant Islam, either those led by Iran or those led by ISIS, well, I said, you know, that we better make sure that if you want a two-state solution, we don't get the opposite, that is a no-state solution, a no-state of Israel solution. And that, I think, requires that we work closely with our American allies because we both want the same thing.</p>
<p>Perhaps not the two exact same borders, but the same principles. I don't want a binational state. But I want to make sure that if a Palestinian state is created, it is not used merely as a platform by Iran and its allies, or by ISIS to annihilate the one and only Jewish state that is left with indefensible boundaries.</p>
<p>CHUCK TODD:</p>
<p>Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, thank you for spending part of your Passover holiday with us here on Meet the Press. We'll see you soon.</p>
<p>BENJAMIN NETANYAHU:</p>
<p>Well, thank you, and I can tell you that those who work for Israel's defense don't have a holiday.</p>
<p>CHUCK TODD:</p>
<p>Fair enough. Thank you, sir. I'm joined now by Democratic Senator Chris Murphy of Connecticut. He's a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, who's been supportive of efforts to reach a deal with Iran. Senator, welcome back to Meet the Press. And let me ask you this. You heard Prime Minister Netanyahu, obviously he wants to see a better deal. Do you believe the United States should be negotiating for a better deal?</p>
<p>SENATOR CHRIS MURPHY:</p>
<p>Well, I think we have a pretty remarkable deal on the table today. If you'll look at what our parameters were at the outset for a negotiated agreement, you can see the outlines of them right now. We've increased breakout time to a year, we've significantly rolled back their enrichment capability, we're dismantling the potential plutonium path at Arak, and we have an inspections regime that is absolutely unprecedented, that is going to allow us to find a covert program if it exists outside of the known research facilities.</p>
<p>The idea that we should just go back to the negotiating table and put back sanctions into place, I think doesn't understand the reality, which is that with this deal on the table, it would've been hard to get our partners, especially Russia and China, to go back to sanctions when most of our objectives had been met at the negotiating table.</p>
<p>It's easy to say that we should just continue to negotiate and effectively sanction Iran into submission. I don't think that that's the deal that the rest of our negotiating partners signed up for. And that's the reality that we have to deal with.</p>
<p>CHUCK TODD:</p>
<p>But Senator, what about the prime minister's point, and frankly the point of others, we're not asking Iran to stop supporting terrorism, we're not asking Iran to change its behavior, we're about to hand them more resources and they've been doing nothing arguably but expanding their sphere of influence in the Middle East. Now you're giving them more money to do that by lifting the sanctions. And we didn't ask for a behavior change on anything other than nuclear inspections. Did we just ask for too little?</p>
<p>SENATOR CHRIS MURPHY:</p>
<p>Well, it's true, this deal doesn't turn Iran from a bad guy into a good guy. But it's a little bit of rewriting of history to suggest that these negotiations were about all of the other nefarious activities of Iran in the region. These negotiations were about ending their nuclear program such that we can start to lift up the moderate elements within Iran, the internationalists who want them to be sitting as a member of the world community so that we can talk about all of these other issues.</p>
<p>And it's also important to point out that we have a host of other sanctions that are in place, trying to change their behavior on their ballistic missile program, on their human rights violations, and on their support for terrorism. Those sanctions don't go away, they stay in place. And Congress and the president reserves the right to increase those sanctions if they continue to undermine stability in the Middle East, notwithstanding the progress we're making on their nuclear program.</p>
<p>CHUCK TODD:</p>
<p>So you support, let me get this straight, you support potentially increasing sanctions if you connect it to their support, say, of the Houthis in Yemen, but pulling back some sanctions that are connected in the nuclear program?</p>
<p>SENATOR CHRIS MURPHY:</p>
<p>So we have sanctions in place that don't go away, that are connected to these other activities. And I think Congress always reserves the right other change our policy vis-à-vis Iran if they continue to act in the way that they are in the rest of the region. So absolutely, we reserve our right to continue to try to use whatever leverage that we have at our disposal to try to make them a less of an evil within that region.</p>
<p>CHUCK TODD:</p>
<p>Okay, but do you want as a compromise to get Congress to potentially accept this nuclear deal, would you be willing to increase sanctions in other spots in Iran, to pull back in other places, as part of the agreement, not to undermine the president's ability to negotiate this agreement?</p>
<p>SENATOR CHRIS MURPHY:</p>
<p>Well, I don't know that we need to talk about that right now. I think we should get through these nuclear negotiations. And I think this will give us an opportunity potentially to talk to the Iranians, either directly, or through intermediaries, about solutions to other problems in the region.</p>
<p>You take this issue off of the table, you empower people like Rouhani and Zarif, who may want a different path for Iran, less as an irritant, more as a member of the global community, and you may see a pathway to solving some of these other problems. And you can do it potentially without new rounds of additional sanctions.</p>
<p>CHUCK TODD:</p>
<p>Quickly on another topic, the ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Robert Menendez, was indicted on corruption charges. He has stepped down as ranking member. But The New York Times, somewhat of a home newspaper for yourself in Connecticut there, has called for Senator Menendez to resign from the Senate completely. Do you think Senator Menendez ought to consider a full resignation?</p>
<p>SENATOR CHRIS MURPHY:</p>
<p>I don't. I think our judicial system works in a pretty simple way. You're innocent until proven guilty. He's a respected member of our caucus. He's not going to be the leader of the foreign relations committee any longer, but I think he deserves a chance to be able to have his day in court before he's forced out of the United States Senate.</p>
<p>CHUCK TODD:</p>
<p>All right, Senator Chris Murphy, Democrat from Connecticut, thanks for spending part of your Easter Sunday this morning with us here on Meet the Press.</p>
<p>SENATOR CHRIS MURPHY:</p>
<p>Thanks a lot, Chuck.</p>
<p>CHUCK TODD:</p>
<p>You got it. When we come back, those religious liberty laws. Are they really about protecting freedom of conscience, or more about giving people a license to discriminate? President hopeful, Governor Bobby Jindal of Louisiana joins me next.</p>
<p>***Commercial Break***</p>
<p>CHUCK TODD:</p>
<p>Those were pictures from Pope Francis, Easter mass, attended by thousands of the faithful in Vatican City. And in honor of Easter and Passover, this week's nerd screen has a bit of a religious theme to it. But you'll have to go to our website to see the whole thing. We took a look at the connection between how often people attend religious services and their political leanings. It's much different than just simply doing it by religious denomination. That and more can be found at MeetThePressNBC.com. After the break, Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal and the religious freedom fight playing out in multiple states.</p>
<p>***Commercial Break***</p>
<p>CHUCK TODD:</p>
<p>And we are back. This week, the debate over so-called religious liberty, or freedom legislation in Indiana and Arkansas, marked a new round of the culture wars with liberals, LGBT activists, and the big business wing of the Republican Party pitted against evangelical conservatives. And this leaves Republican 2016 presidential hopefuls in a tricky situation. Having to work out how to satisfy the evangelical base of the party without alienating more socially liberal, general-election swing voters.</p>
<p>(BEGIN TAPE)</p>
<p>GOVERNOR ASA HUTCHINSON:</p>
<p>This bill is bipartisan, it has received overwhelming support in both houses. It protects religious freedom.</p>
<p>CHUCK TODD (V/O):</p>
<p>After a backlash from LGBT activists and business leaders and sports leaders and the public, Republican governors in Indiana and governor signed revised religious freedom legislation into law on Thursday. The new language in Indiana spells out that the law “does not authorize a provider to refuse to offer or provide services on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity.”</p>
<p>Arkansas's new legislation mirrors a 1993 federal law signed by Bill Clinton and will make it harder for private individuals or businesses to cite religious freedom as a way to avoid providing services for same-sex weddings. Social conservatives call the compromises a cave.</p>
<p>STEVE DEACE:</p>
<p>It's the worst act of political malfeasance I've seen in my lifetime.</p>
<p>TONY PERKINS:</p>
<p>The hypocrisy from the corporate America is quite amazing to me.</p>
<p>CHUCK TODD (V/O):</p>
<p>It's only the latest skirmish in a battle between big business and social conservatives that's exposing fault lines within the Republican party. It's also forcing potential 2016 presidential candidates to do a tricky two-step, avoid alienating evangelicals while also not appearing intolerant and scaring off general election voters. Former Florida Governor Jeb Bush tried that two-step this week and tripped. On Monday, he praised Indiana Governor Mike Pence on conservative radio.</p>
<p>JEB BUSH:</p>
<p>I think once the facts are established, people aren't going to see this as discriminatory at all.</p>
<p>CHUCK TODD:</p>
<p>But by Wednesday, Bush appeared to back pedal, telling donors in Silicon Valley, "Religious freedom is a core value of our country, but we shouldn't discriminate based on sexual orientation. So what the state of Indiana is going to end up doing is probably get to that place." Meanwhile, 2016 hopefuls eager to catch fire among social conservatives are seizing the opportunity to criticize their own party.</p>
<p>TED CRUZ:</p>
<p>The Fortune 500 is running shamelessly to endorse the radical gay marriage agenda over religious liberty. And sadly, a whole lot of Republican politician are terrified.</p>
<p>RICK SANTORUM:</p>
<p>As we've seen a lot of Republicans run for the hills when the left comes out and starts to hammer.</p>
<p>MIKE HUCKABEE: :</p>
<p>It won't stop until there are no more churches.</p>
<p>CHUCK TODD (V/O):</p>
<p>All this is happening as Americans grow increasingly comfortable with same-sex marriage. The next fight may be in Louisiana, the 17th state to introduce religious freedom legislation this year.</p>
<p>CHUCK TODD:</p>
<p>I'm joined now by the Republican governor of Louisiana, Bobby Jindal. Governor, welcome back to Meet the Press.</p>
<p>BOBBY JINDAL:</p>
<p>Chuck, thank you for having me back.</p>
<p>CHUCK TODD:</p>
<p>Well, let me ask you this. Do you agree with some other social conservatives that you think Governors Pence and Governor Hutchinson of Arkansas and Indiana have essentially caved to too much pressure?</p>
<p>BOBBY JINDAL:</p>
<p>Well, Chuck, I was very worried about the law in Indiana. I'm disappointed. Let's remember what this debate was originally all about. This is about business owners that don't wanna have to choose between their Christian faith, their sincerely held religious beliefs, and being able to operate their businesses.</p>
<p>Now, what they don't want is the government to force them to participate in wedding ceremonies that contradict their beliefs. They simply want the right to say, "We don't wanna be forced to participate in those ceremonies." So I was disappointed that you could see Christians and their businesses face discrimination in Indiana.</p>
<p>I hope the legislators will fix that, rectify that. Chuck, there used to be a bipartisan consensus in this country around religious liberty saying that as Americans we don't all have to agree with each other, but we should respect each other's rights and freedoms. And that's what this debate is about. Are we gonna use government to force people to contradict their own sincerely held beliefs.</p>
<p>CHUCK TODD:</p>
<p>Well, the debate, I guess, is about the line on freedom and a personal conviction versus how you conduct yourself in a business. So you think it's okay based on religious conviction for a business to deny services to a same-sex couple?</p>
<p>BOBBY JINDAL:</p>
<p>Well, Chuck, we're not talking' about restaurants denying service to people who wanna come and have dinner. We're not talking about day-to-day routine commercial transactions. We're talking about a very specific example here of business owners, of florists, of musicians, of caterers who are being forced to either pay thousands of dollars or close their businesses if they don't wanna participate in a wedding ceremony that contradicts their religious beliefs.</p>
<p>So in that instance, yeah, I think part of the First Amendment means that we allow individuals to obey their conscience, to obey their religious beliefs.</p>
<p>CHUCK TODD:</p>
<p>As you know, this could end up on your desk there. State Representative Mike Johnson in your state has filed a bill that would allow private businesses to refuse to recognize same-sex marriage, according to the Times Picayune, should it become legal in Louisiana. And of course we may find that out in June in the Supreme Court.</p>
<p>The legislation would allow a private company to not offer the same benefits to legally recognized same-sex married couples as other married couples. So this is the beyond just denying services as a business. This would be also denying benefits to an employee who happens to be in a same-sex marriage. Are you gonna be able to support a bill that does that?</p>
<p>BOBBY JINDAL:</p>
<p>Look, let me see the bill actually. Our session starts in a couple weeks. I wanna look at the bill. I'm always in favor of defending religious liberty. Look, you're now raising issues regarding federal employee laws and benefit laws. Let me look at the details of the bill.</p>
<p>I am in general though very supportive other defending religious liberty. And I think we can do that without condoning discrimination. I don't think those two values are mutually exclusive. And I think that's what this debate has been really about. I think we can have religious liberty without having discrimination.</p>
<p>I think it's possible to have both. And it's desirable to have both in our society. We need to remember this is not a new debate. The founding fathers recognized the importance of religious liberty. They put in the First Amendment in the Constitution. They anticipated some of these conflicts. They came down on the side of religious liberty. Indeed religious liberty is why we have the United States. We as a country didn't create religious liberty. Religious liberty created our country.</p>
<p>CHUCK TODD:</p>
<p>Are you against the local ordinance New Orleans that has a protection for LGBT citizens in it from discrimination from housing and employment?</p>
<p>BOBBY JINDAL:</p>
<p>Well, a couple of things, Chuck. I don't think certainly that there should be discrimination against anybody in housing and employment. That's not what my faith teaches me. I don't think that's appropriate. And I think the good news is our society is moving in a direction of more tolerance.</p>
<p>My concern about creating special legal protections is historically in our country we've only done that in extraordinary circumstances. And it doesn't appear to me where at one of those moments today. I will say this. I think there are many that turn to the heavy hand of government to solve society's problems too easily.</p>
<p>I think that instead, we need to be working with people on their hearts and minds. And I have faith and confidence in the people of America and that people of New Orleans and that people of Louisiana to not tolerate discrimination, to not support businesses that wanna support discrimination. So absolutely we need to have a society where we're not discriminating against people. I do think we need to be very careful about creating special rights.</p>
<p>CHUCK TODD:</p>
<p>All right so if the Supreme Court legalizes same-sex marriage, so it'll be legal in all 50 states come June perhaps, but you believe these exceptions, that businesses should be able to decide whether or not to serve these folks based on their religious conviction?</p>
<p>BOBBY JINDAL:</p>
<p>Well, again, it's not serving. I'm not saying a restaurant should be able to turn away a couple that wants to come in and eat there in their restaurant.</p>
<p>CHUCK TODD:</p>
<p>But that restaurant should not have to cater their wedding. They have to serve them in their restaurant, but they should not have to cater their wedding.</p>
<p>BOBBY JINDAL:</p>
<p>If it's a sincerely held religious belief, that it offends the owner's beliefs to participate in that wedding. So absolutely. I don't think the government should be able to force somebody to contradict their own sincerely held religious beliefs to participate in a wedding ceremony. And that used to be a bipartisan consensus. That didn't use to be a partisan issue in our state, in our country.</p>
<p>CHUCK TODD:</p>
<p>All right, Government Jindal, I wanna leave that subject there. Very quickly are you going to wait until after your legislative session to make a final decision on the presidential?</p>
<p>BOBBY JINDAL:</p>
<p>I am Chuck. And unlike many that are thinking about running, it's not for me just about fund raisers or consultants or pollsters. I've actually started thinking, and I've been thinking for the last several months about what the next president needs to be doing.</p>
<p>I created a policy think tank a year and a half ago called America Next where they had detailed policy papers on educational choice, on defense policy, on health care reforms, on energy policies. And anybody thinking about running for president needs to think about what they would actually do.</p>
<p>We need big changes in this country. I think I'm the only one that's thinking about running that's actually come out with a detailed plan on how do you replace and repeal Obamacare. I think voters are looking for potential candidates to answer the question not just how do you get there, what would you do if you actually got there.</p>
<p>CHUCK TODD:</p>
<p>All right. Governor Jindal, when you make that decision, we hope to see you right here on Meet The Press. Thank you, sir. Happy Easter.</p>
<p>BOBBY JINDAL:</p>
<p>Thanks, Chuck. Happy Easter, Happy Passover. Thank you.</p>
<p>CHUCK TODD:</p>
<p>Thank you, sir.</p>
<p>CHUCK TODD:</p>
<p>Let's bring in the panel, Matt Bai, Helene Cooper, Amy Walter, and Perry Bacon. All right, Perry, what did we learn about the Republican party this week on this issue?</p>
<p>PERRY BACON:</p>
<p>Lots of nervousness. Because you saw Mike Pence, Jeb Bush, Asa Hutchinson, good politicians, people who have won a lot of elections, all this week had to change and move their position on the issue because, and fast, like Jeb Bush in 48 hours, you learn also that the Republican party has always had the evangelical wing, which focuses on abortion, gay marriages, like Bush said, the "business wing," and those groups are usually not in conflict. But there was a real conflict this week. And you saw the business part of it really won. And evangelicals are very angry about that and feel like this is a weakening of their movement more broadly.</p>
<p>CHUCK TODD:</p>
<p>You know, Amy, I'll tell you, I've been hearing this from evangelicals for some time. They just feel as if a lot of Republicans pay them lip service. And this is more proof that when the going gets tough, the first part of the Republican constituency that gets abandoned, evangelicals.</p>
<p>AMY WALTER:</p>
<p>Well, and we saw Ted Cruz making that case exactly.</p>
<p>CHUCK TODD:</p>
<p>Yeah, I know. I mean, it is--</p>
<p>AMY WALTER:</p>
<p>This is his whole strategy.</p>
<p>CHUCK TODD:</p>
<p>You know, look at abortion, the same thing they feel that way.</p>
<p>AMY WALTER:</p>
<p>But here's the point. The tipping point has been reached and that tipping point is done. Which is this is not an issue on which Republicans can win. They could a few years ago, they can't now. And even when you look at evangelical younger folks, they have moved on on this issue too. So, you know, if we took everybody over the age of 50 and just moved them out of this country, this wouldn't be an issue at all, even for younger evangelicals.</p>
<p>MATT BAI:</p>
<p>Now, there's an idea.</p>
<p>AMY WALTER:</p>
<p>I know.</p>
<p>CHUCK TODD:</p>
<p>You know, Matt, I was just going to--</p>
<p>AMY WALTER:</p>
<p>We just lost everybody.</p>
<p>CHUCK TODD:</p>
<p>The Republican party though, better that they're having this debate now than in 2016, obviously?</p>
<p>MATT BAI:</p>
<p>Oh, that is the definition of the bright side, yes. I agree with Amy. I think it was a bad week for the Republican party, I really do, and on a larger scale. I mean, I can see why for Governor Jindal it makes some sense to go the route he's going. He wants to create favor with the evangelical base, and it's consistent with his political beliefs. But, you know, as Amy says, this corner's been turned.</p>
<p>The Republican Party, where it found itself this week, is behind the curve of this society, behind the curve of history. I mean, you saw that in the reaction of businesses who came out immediately because they understand where their markets have gone. And I think for any political party to find itself in that position is really problematic at this stage.</p>
<p>CHUCK TODD:</p>
<p>Pragmatism versus conviction, Helene. The problem is, in a primary, those voters want conviction. They don't want pragmatism.</p>
<p>HELENE COOPER:</p>
<p>And you've raised a perfect point with the primary. I think so much of this was about the primary versus the general election. And what you saw here are each lot of politicians who really are much more worried about the primary than I had expected. And particularly, the Jeb Bush flip flop in particular, I thought--</p>
<p>(OVERTALK)</p>
<p>CHUCK TODD:</p>
<p>Now they argue, by the way, let me put a caveat in here, because I accused him of flip-flopping, their folks pushed back and said, "Wait a minute, you know, had he been allowed to explain himself further on Hugh Hewitt, he would've provided more context." I'm just giving their point of view. They don't believe this is as much of a flip flop as we in the media portrayed it.</p>
<p>HELENE COOPER:</p>
<p>Well, you know, we in the media, how we tend to portray things.</p>
<p>CHUCK TODD:</p>
<p>Fair enough. But I think the Jeb response is telling. You have Silicon Valley, and we know where Silicon Valley is on this. We know the entire California Republican establishment--</p>
<p>AMY WALTER:</p>
<p>Even where Wal-Mart is on this.</p>
<p>HELENE COOPER:</p>
<p>The Wal-Mart thing is fantastic.</p>
<p>AMY WALTER:</p>
<p>That's right. I mean, there was a time at which, and we used to say this at the Cook Report, when you were trying to divide the country into blue and red. It was a Starbucks America versus Wal-Mart America. And now Wal-Mart America and Starbucks America have aligned. And again, you know, in the '80s, it was Democrats who were behind the curve on cultural and social issues. Now it's Republicans. And they've got to balance that. They can, but they've got to figure out the right way to do it.</p>
<p>CHUCK TODD:</p>
<p>And if you're looking at a poll, the easiest thing to do is to look at where independents are, because the two sides are so polarized now, the blue and the red, and it really is, where are these independents in on same-sex marriage, they look more like Democrats than they do, and Republicans look like they're isolated. All right. When we come back, this Easter Sunday, Cardinal Timothy Dolan of New York on balancing religious conviction and civil rights.</p>
<p>***Commercial Break***</p>
<p>CHUCK TODD:</p>
<p>Welcome back. Earlier this week, I sat down with Cardinal Timothy Dolan, the archbishop of New York, to talk about the intersection of religion and politics on this Easter/Passover weekend. And I began by pointing out a disturbing trend, that it seems more people are killing or dying in the name of God than at any time in recent memory.</p>
<p>(BEGIN TAPE)</p>
<p>CARDINAL DOLAN:</p>
<p>Well, I say you're right. And I do think it's worse than it has been in centuries. And I think to me, that only says we need Easter more than ever. Passover and Easter are all about the good’s triumph over bad, life's triumph over death. And do we ever need that. It is an amazingly tragic and poignant scandal that some would claim to use religion in the name of these atrocities.</p>
<p>My boss, Pope Francis, has been extraordinarily articulate in reminding us that anyone who claims to use religion as a cause of hatred and division and bloodshed is perverting the role of religion. Religion, by definition, is about bringing people together, affirming. It's about life. It's about friendship. It's about reconciliation. To use religion for anything different than that is, simply put, a perversion. And, so, religious people are suffering in numbers that we're not used to. And often, who are the perpetrators? People who claim to be acting on behalf of another--</p>
<p>CHUCK TODD:</p>
<p>And they have deep faith.</p>
<p>CARDINAL DOLAN:</p>
<p>They have a passion.</p>
<p>CHUCK TODD:</p>
<p>In some ways scarily so. I don't know. Is it fate? Is it passion?</p>
<p>CARDINAL DOLAN:</p>
<p>Well, they have strong conviction. Whether it's consonant with the faith they profess, that we know is not true. I mean, even especially with the Islamic fanatics, temperate voices of Islam, and thanks be to God there are many, would remind them that they are not acting loyal to the teachings of the Koran. What do we say, though, Chuck when we know from the human experience, not just religion, that most battles, most bloodshed, is caused by things that we feel passionate about?</p>
<p>CHUCK TODD:</p>
<p>What did you think of President Obama at the National Prayer Breakfast when he said this? "Unless we get on our high horse and think this is unique to some other place, remember that during the Crusades and the Inquisition, people committed terrible deeds in the name of Christ. In our home country, slavery and Jim Crow all too often was justified in the name of Christ."</p>
<p>CARDINAL DOLAN:</p>
<p>I know there were some people that might've thought that his remarks were off the mark. I would simply say as an historian and as a believer, sometimes it's not all that bad to remind ourselves that we are not free from sin, either.</p>
<p>CHUCK TODD:</p>
<p>You saw it as appropriate?</p>
<p>CARDINAL DOLAN:</p>
<p>I mean, as a leader to say that at that time, whether that was appropriate or not. But I wouldn't say he was wrong.</p>
<p>CHUCK TODD:</p>
<p>This religious freedom, the debate we're having about religious freedom laws, and you have religious liberty. What does that mean? What should that mean? And do you think people are perverting the definition?</p>
<p>CARDINAL DOLAN:</p>
<p>No. I welcome the fact that the question about religious liberty is in the forefront. We need that. We didn't put it there. We believers didn't put it there. The founders of our nation did. "We have to make sure that the rights and the ability to publicly exercise one's religion is also balanced with another good, namely, the rights of people not to be discriminated against." Boy, that's a delicate balance. I'm grateful that it's in the public eye. Whenever you talk, Chuck, about a balance, which our constitution is a matter of balance, we have to make sure that we keep that balance together.</p>
<p>CHUCK TODD:</p>
<p>It's tough to balance religious conviction, though.</p>
<p>CARDINAL DOLAN:</p>
<p>It's tough to balance religious conviction. But it's easier to ignore religious freedom than it is today the more popular issues, all right. So, in a way, I appreciate the fact that we have political leaders like Governor Pence who are saying, "Whoa. Wait a minute. Without questioning of the rights of the gay community, we also have to make sure that the rights of the religious community are protected." I just wish we could do that in a temperate, civil way instead of screaming at each other.</p>
<p>CHUCK TODD:</p>
<p>With Passover and Easter so close together, is there something extra significant about it?</p>
<p>CARDINAL DOLAN:</p>
<p>It is. It kind of gives it an added wallop. And it gives us some more credibility and more reason to celebrate. And it reminds us that it's all about the same thing. It's all about winter ending and spring beginning, the death of winter behind us and the new life of spring ahead of us, and that God is a god of spring, not winter, and that life has always conquered death. Hope is going to conquer despair.</p>
<p>Good is going to conquer bad. That's what Passover is all about. That’s what Easter is all about. That's what Jesus was all about. That's what Moses was all about. I don't know about you. You spend your life, Chuck, covering the world. I think we need that message more than ever.</p>
<p>CHUCK TODD:</p>
<p>Well, I don't know any better way to end this interview than with that, sir.</p>
<p>CARDINAL DOLAN:</p>
<p>Happy Easter. Happy Passover.</p>
<p>CHUCK TODD:</p>
<p>Cardinal Dolan, it's an honor, sir.</p>
<p>CARDINAL DOLAN:</p>
<p>Good to be with you, Chuck. The honor is mine. Thank you.</p>
<p>CHUCK TODD:</p>
<p>You got it.</p>
<p>(END TAPE)</p>
<p>CHUCK TODD:</p>
<p>Cardinal Timothy Dolan of New York, easily one of the most optimistic people I've ever met. Okay, put me in, Coach. I'm ready to play today. Opening Day is tomorrow. Of course, opening night's tonight. And the new baseball commissioner Rob Manfred, is on deck on Meet the Press.</p>
<p>***Commercial Break***</p>
<p>CHUCK TODD:</p>
<p>Welcome back. That was me with my children, Harrison and Margaret before the Washington Nationals playoff game last October, that 18-inning bummer for Nats fans. Well, baseball is back. And this week, I sat down with the new commissioner of baseball, Rob Manfred, in just about the coolest place possible, even if you're not a Yankee fan. Behind home plate at Yankee Stadium. And I started by asking him about a sport that's thriving on the local level, go Nats, but is increasingly struggling as a national sport.</p>
<p>(BEGIN TAPE)</p>
<p>CHUCK TODD:</p>
<p>Let's talk about the challenges you face. We were just looking a TV ratings for a tremendous World Series. As a baseball fan, Giants/Royals was an amazing World Series. It had a rating that was-- that no-- that the worst NFL game during the week would have had a higher rating than an average rating-- in a World Series game. What do you about this?</p>
<p>ROB MANFRED:</p>
<p>Well, it's what you're talking about is a fragmentation of audiences that is an issue for all entertainment products. The good news is that, I think in 11 of our markets last year over the course of the summer, baseball was the number one rated program. And there's tons of baseball available in those local markets. The challenge is to make sure that as we move into our postseason, we don't lose that huge, local fan base just because a particular team--</p>
<p>CHUCK TODD:</p>
<p>Because that seems what happens. There's no doubt the local fans are all into their team. And then when they're out, they tune out--</p>
<p>ROB MANFRED:</p>
<p>We lose some of that. And one of the things we're working on-- I think Kansas City last year is a great exactly of it. We're gonna try to work with our national broadcast partners this year to develop story lines over the course of the year that generate fan interest.</p>
<p>CHUCK TODD:</p>
<p>Let's talk about-- you've said yourself, youth getting-- youth more involved in baseball is a priority for you. 'Cause if they play, they're gonna follow you. My son is a great example. He plays. He's obsessed.</p>
<p>ROB MANFRED:</p>
<p>See, now you're making me happy--</p>
<p>CHUCK TODD:</p>
<p>No. It is so. I was reading this and it was so true. If they play, then suddenly, they wanna-- you know, they wanna imitate. They wanna do everything. "Oh look. I wanna..." But it does seem to be sporadic. You go to different-- you know, in the South, baseball's still a big sport.</p>
<p>ROB MANFRED:</p>
<p>Right.</p>
<p>CHUCK TODD:</p>
<p>But you go out west, you go even-- in the Midwest, and it's declining a little bit.</p>
<p>ROB MANFRED:</p>
<p>Well, it's interesting. The youth space-- and we've really studied it and looked hard at it. It's a very competitive environment. You know, I'm-- I'm 56 years old. When I was kid, you know, you played baseball in the spring. You played football in the fall. You played basketball in the winter.</p>
<p>Now, kids have all sorts of choices. It's just a plethora of choices available to them. It's competitive and our focus is try to form good partnerships in the youth space to try to get more kids playing. I mean, we have a great in Little League. And we're working with a number of other groups to try to make sure that baseball's competitive in that space. (1:06)</p>
<p>CHUCK TODD:</p>
<p>Let's talk about African-Americans. Baseball, culturally-- I think about the iconic moments I've had just covering President Obama and how many historical baseball memories that he's brought in. To talk about the first African-American president. Willie Mays flying on Air Force One. He's talking about what that meant to him. There's no doubt what baseball has meant culturally to this to America and diversification and yet, African-American participation in baseball is now below the national average. What do you do?</p>
<p>ROB MANFRED:</p>
<p>It-- we have a number of programs-- in place that we're going to be expanding on as we go forward. We have a program called, "Reviving Baseball in the Inner Cities." It's a mass-market program-- in areas where kids, otherwise, do not have an opportunity to play. We have a joint program with the MLBPA called the "Baseball Tomorrow Fund."</p>
<p>Huge problem in inner cities is facilities. Baseball Tomorrow has been $10 million worth of youth fields in the last decade. And maybe most important, our clubs and partnerships with baseball have opened a number of-- urban youth academies. I had a chance to visit the one in Washington earlier this spring. It's a fantastic program, an after-school program that includes baseball, educational support, nutrition support-- and-- through those sorts of programs, we hope to attract more people-- more African-Americans back to the game.</p>
<p>CHUCK TODD:</p>
<p>Pete Rose is gonna have-- you-- you have-- you're coming into this with a more open mind than the last commissioner. Is that fair to say?</p>
<p>ROB MANFRED:</p>
<p>Well, let me say this. I was trained as a lawyer. I pay attention to documents and rules and constitutions. I think under the Major League Constitution, Mr. Rose has a right to apply for reinstatement. He's done that. I think he deserves a fair, full hearing. And I'm not predisposed on the issue any-- in any direction.</p>
<p>CHUCK TODD:</p>
<p>It sounds like you wish there were three choices, not two.</p>
<p>ROB MANFRED:</p>
<p>Well, I think it's hard to look at the issue-- and not separate-- the question of whether someone who bet on baseball should ever be involved with the play of the game on the field again. From the question of whether somebody ought to be in the Hall of Fame.</p>
<p>CHUCK TODD:</p>
<p>You'd like to be able to split that?</p>
<p>ROB MANFRED:</p>
<p>Well-- the second issue's not mine, right? I mean, it's a Hall of Fame rule. So-- it's not a question of what I'd like. I have to focus on the institution that I'm responsible for, which is Major League Baseball and protecting the integrity of that institution.</p>
<p>CHUCK TODD:</p>
<p>You wanna deal with it in order to improve, I think, the connection with the youthful generation. You're trying to deal with pace-and-play issues. Is pitch clock coming? Is an at bat clock coming? Is that a reality?</p>
<p>ROB MANFRED:</p>
<p>Well. Look, we engaged in a very aggressive set of experiments in the Arizona Fall League including the pitch clock. The committee, that was composed of people with, literally, decades of on-field experience, were split on the issue. You know, some people said, "Put a clock in baseball? Why would you want to do that?" Interestingly, the entire committee, once they saw how the games in the Arizona Fall League went, they were favorably inclined towards the pitch clock. So what did we do? We went forward. We're now testing it at Double A and Triple A this year. I think whether it comes to the big leagues is gonna be a product of how well the changes we did this year worked.</p>
<p>(END TAPE)</p>
<p>CHUCK TODD:</p>
<p>That was the new baseball commissioner, part of a new generation of commissioners, like Adam Silver of the NBA. I think they want to be problem solvers and change agents. Anyway, don't go anywhere. We'll be back in less than a minute with the Meet the Press endgame and what's next for a now indicted New Jersey senator, Robert Menendez.</p>
<p>***Commercial Break***</p>
<p>CHUCK TODD:</p>
<p>It is End Game time. Panel is back. We had some news this regarding a U.S. senator, Robert Menendez is now the 11th U.S. Senator to be indicted for actions while a senator. Kay Bailey Hutchison was indicted as a senator, but not for actions as a senator. But to go back as actions in the Senate, you have to go back to John Smith in 1807. He was the first of these 11, three have resigned, four were convicted, though two of those convictions were eventually overturned.</p>
<p>Only one, Dave Durenberger, actually pled guilty to these charges. Amy Walter, you watch the U.S. Senate very closely, Bob Menendez, you've watched Bob Menendez very closely. Any chance he takes the advice of The New York Times and resigns?</p>
<p>AMY WALTER:</p>
<p>None.</p>
<p>CHUCK TODD:</p>
<p>Zero? I'm with you.</p>
<p>AMY WALTER:</p>
<p>He's just not a man who looks like he is ready to go.</p>
<p>CHUCK TODD:</p>
<p>No.</p>
<p>AMY WALTER:</p>
<p>But he got his start being basically a fighter in New Jersey, inside of corruption in New Jersey. There is anybody no way I see that he steps down.</p>
<p>CHUCK TODD:</p>
<p>Matt Bai, I was surprised at how New Jersey Democrats have rallied around him. Not many others, although Chris Murphy gave him a pretty robust defense earlier. How long do you think Democrats are going to be comfortable standing behind Menendez in this?</p>
<p>MATT BAI:</p>
<p>Well, in New Jersey, maybe for a while. I wonder, do you get, like, a jersey when you're number 11 indicted? Is it something that you frame?</p>
<p>CHUCK TODD:</p>
<p>You put it up? It's not a banner, I don't think so.</p>
<p>MATT BAI:</p>
<p>But I don't think this says a lot, despite what the public says. And I don't think this says a lot of culture in the U.S. Senate. And I think it's a lot about the culture in New Jersey historically. I've spent a lot of time in that state over the years, I know you have. It is the way that money and friendships and politics have intermingled historically.</p>
<p>It's so many fiefdoms, there are more school districts than there are municipalities. I think in New Jersey, he probably retains his support for longer because I think this is the way politics has historically been played, it's standard.</p>
<p>CHUCK TODD:</p>
<p>It's sort of built in. There's an expectation. Helene, one of the conspiracy theories out there by some critics of the president is that Menendez, who was probably the loudest critic of the president's two big foreign policy mandates over the last six months, Cuba, opening up relations with Cuba, and the Iran deal, that somehow this was all connected. You buy this theory? You buy the conspiracy?</p>
<p>HELENE COOPER:</p>
<p>I don't. But I think it's really interesting. He's certainly the biggest Democratic critic, particularly--</p>
<p>(OVERTALK)</p>
<p>CHUCK TODD:</p>
<p>It certainly mutes a big critic.</p>
<p>HELENE COOPER:</p>
<p>But it hasn't exactly muted him. Because on Thursday--</p>
<p>(OVERTALK)</p>
<p>CHUCK TODD:</p>
<p>Nothing mutes Senator Menendez.</p>
<p>HELENE COOPER:</p>
<p>One of the first emails that I got, you know, as the Iran deal was announced, was from Senator Menendez, you know, and he wasn't coming out completely against it at the time, but he was saying, "Let's wait and see. You know, now Congress needs to really look at it." So I don't know that he's necessarily going to be muted on this.</p>
<p>CHUCK TODD:</p>
<p>You know, it's interesting. He actually had a longer response, Perry Bacon, to stick with Iran here. Chuck Schumer put out a statement and unlike what we were used to from Senator Schumer, it was not a verbose statement. It was two sentences, praising Kerry for working hard, and saying, "I'll take a looking."</p>
<p>PERRY BACON:</p>
<p>That was sort of what Hillary Clinton's thing was too, if you saw it. You saw a lot this week, Republicans adamantly against the--</p>
<p>(OVERTALK)</p>
<p>CHUCK TODD:</p>
<p>All unified.</p>
<p>PERRY BACON:</p>
<p>Democratic, you know, Murphy was pretty enthusiastic just now. But Hillary Clinton, Schumer, a lot of Democrats are sort of, "I'll look at the details." You saw that. One thing about Menendez we should note is that he's not going to be a ranking member anymore of that committee. And that actually does matter.</p>
<p>When the hearings start, and you have Ben Cardin being much less hawkish and been much less anti-Obama than Menendez does. So if Cardin and Corker are working together, that is different than Menendez and Corker, who are basically at the same place of being very opposed to the president's views.</p>
<p>CHUCK TODD:</p>
<p>Yeah, if I'm Bob Corker now, I'm probably desperately trying to recruit a Tim Kaine to become the new cosponsor so that it's not the Corker-Menendez bill, it become Corker-Kaine, or something like that.</p>
<p>AMY WALTER:</p>
<p>Of course, going to the conspiracy theory for a minute, remember there's a Republican governor of New Jersey. So if he were to leave, wouldn't a Republican be fixed to replace him?</p>
<p>CHUCK TODD:</p>
<p>But it's temporary.</p>
<p>AMY WALTERS:</p>
<p>Temporary, but still, important.</p>
<p>CHUCK TODD:</p>
<p>Are we going to have a New Jersey senator be able to serve a full, successive term--</p>
<p>(OVERTALK)</p>
<p>AMY WALTER:</p>
<p>It doesn't seem that way.</p>
<p>CHUCK TODD:</p>
<p>Very often, it just seems like everything sort of gets in the way.</p>
<p>MATT BAI:</p>
<p>They just believe in giving everyone a chance.</p>
<p>CHUCK TODD:</p>
<p>Fair enough. All right, before we go, I tell you, your colleague over at The New York Times, Adam Nagourney, there is something about him, when he gets an interview with somebody, particularly Harry Reid, Harry Reid has some fascinating quotes in his sort of goodbye interview with Adam Nagourney in a diner in Nevada.</p>
<p>He said this about women in power, Helene, "Women are much more patient. They can be, if they are pushed the wrong way, combative. But they are not combative. A lot of we men are combative just by nature." Does Harry Reid have it right? Does Harry Reid have pop psychology right there?</p>
<p>HELENE COOPER:</p>
<p>First of all, let me just say, this is the first time I actually sort of think I might miss Harry Reid. He's really coming out, like, quite feisty all of a sudden.</p>
<p>CHUCK TODD:</p>
<p>He really is. He made no apologies, by the way, in this things. No apologies about the false story about Romney, basically making something up, you know? He said, "Well, we won." I mean, that is sort of the LBJ school of, "Well, make them deny it."</p>
<p>AMY WALTER:</p>
<p>Right. And he still has the support of all of his colleagues in doing that, I mean, Democratic colleagues, of course, in doing that. So no, but of course, he's going out as we should expect, from a guy with a box.</p>
<p>CHUCK TODD:</p>
<p>Which, by the way, Matt Bai, he also said this about why Jeb Bush is the easiest to beat. And he goes, starts going through it, and it's all about George W. Bush to him, and he said, "How could his brother Jeb get away from that? I'll take Clinton baggage over that any day." Only Harry Reid, like, could've said, "Well, I'll take that negative." He refers to it as "Clinton baggage." Gee, I'm sure Hillary's going, "Great, thanks Harry."</p>
<p>MATT BAI:</p>
<p>Yeah, a big help. Harry Reid is a rare thing now, he's a real Western Democrat. Not a coastal Democrat, a Western Democrat.</p>
<p>CHUCK TODD:</p>
<p>And that means what? He'll shoot from the hip?</p>
<p>MATT BAI:</p>
<p>Yeah, there's a little bit more of, you know, plain-spokenness and a little bit more bluntness. I think they're going to miss it. I do. I think, you know, he hasn't always been a great messenger for the party, but he's often said things nobody else wanted to say.</p>
<p>CHUCK TODD:</p>
<p>No, he does.</p>
<p>PERRY BACON:</p>
<p>It's good for us, if not for the Democratic party. He always says, you know, the Bush--he's always very honest and very candid in a way that reporters can enjoy--</p>
<p>(OVERTALK)</p>
<p>CHUCK TODD:</p>
<p>Honest though, I mean, again, I go back to that Romney thing.</p>
<p>PERRY BACON:</p>
<p>Right, he was very, yes--</p>
<p>(OVERTALK)</p>
<p>CHUCK TODD:</p>
<p>I mean, that was a bad, I'm sorry, that was, he made up, passed on a rumor.</p>
<p>PERRY BACON:</p>
<p>The comment he made about Clinton though, the comment he made about Obama's Negro dialect, also not, he says what you shouldn't say often.</p>
<p>CHUCK TODD:</p>
<p>Often.</p>
<p>PERRY BACON:</p>
<p>In an entertaining way.</p>
<p>CHUCK TODD:</p>
<p>He is Harry Reid. Anyway guys, happy Easter, happy Passover, thanks for being here. That's all for today. We'll be back next week, because if it's Sunday, it's Meet the Press.</p>
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meet press sunday april 5 2015 chuck todd vo sunday iran deal appeasement enemy historic agreement makes world safer president barack obama good deal deal meets core objectives chuck todd vo president sell iran nuclear deal skeptical congress allies middle east israels prime minister join live plus fight socalled religious liberty laws splitting republican party ted cruz whole lot republican politicians terrified issue chuck todd vo 2016 gop hopeful louisianas bobby jindal weigh opening day new baseball commissioner rob manfred national pastime trying rename part national future course whether pete rose allowed hall fame im chuck todd joining provide insight analysis morning matt bai yahoo news helene cooper new york times amy walter cook political report perry bacon nbcnewscom welcome sunday meet press announcer nbc news washington meet press chuck todd chuck todd good morning comes hard part us negotiating partners reached agreement iran framework deal contain irans nuclear program surprisingly reaction decidedly mixed irans foreign minister got heros welcome arrived home iranians happy devastating economic sanctions could lifted hawkish elements country criticized deal hardliners iran charged side gave much placate united states home president obama faces tough task convincing republicans many democrats deal better agreement could allow iran continue nuclear program without limitations inspections one key ally president certainly unable convince israels prime minister benjamin netanyahu joins live jerusalem prime minister happy passover welcome back meet press benjamin netanyahu thank happy holidays chuck todd four questions promise let start deal going perhaps deal didnt bring iran centrifuges let deal get implemented even six months see iranians react inspections see thing implemented trying kill deal benjamin netanyahu im trying kill deal im trying kill bad deal say historic decision historic deal could historically bad deal leaves preeminent terrorist state time vast nuclear infrastructure remember one centrifuge destroyed thousands centrifuges left spinning uranium single facility including underground facilities nuclear facilities shut deal leaves iran capacity produce material many many nuclear bombs lifting sanctions pretty much front iran billions dollars flown coffers schools hospitals roads pump worldwide terror machine military machine busy conquering middle east speak preeminent terrorist state time access vast nuclear capability ultimately give nuclear weapons thats concern israel region peace world chuck todd let ask though deal negotiated united states china russia britain france germany one side deal youre concerned israels isolated world community issue benjamin netanyahu dont look entire world celebrated deal north korea deemed great breakthrough would bring end north koreas nuclear program would inspectors would job course everybody applauded turned bad deal know north korea think thing would true case iran except iran great deal dangerous north korea militant islamic power built regional corporate domination fact bent world domination openly says chanted death america days ago streets tehran streets rejoicing right dont give preeminent terrorist state time access nuclear program could help make nuclear weapons bad us chuck todd well 2012 contemplated reports contemplated asking cabinet permission potentially strike irans nuclear facilities still plan keeping option open even deal implemented united nations united states benjamin netanyahu chuck im israeli left standing never talks military options say prefer diplomatic solution know military option country pay biggest price always israel want diplomatic solution good one one rolls back irans nuclear infrastructure one ties final lifting restrictions irans nuclear program change irans behavior namely stop aggression region stop worldwide terrorism stop calling working annihilation israel requirements theres still time put place ill use means including program try persuade people go deal one give us peace security chuck todd would advise saudi arabia egypt right pursue nuclear program given way deal looks eyes benjamin netanyahu wouldnt advise chuck think despite spoken words theres enormous concerns throughout sunni states region think one unfortunate even tragic results deal goes would spark arms race among sunni race nuclear arms race middle east middle east crisscrossed nuclear tripwires nightmare world think deal dream deal iran nightmare deal world chuck todd plenty reports israels nuclear deterrent strategy believe ideal situation middle eastern country would nuclear weapons benjamin netanyahu ideal situation wouldnt countries seeking annihilate state israel openly saying way iranian general said four days ago eve announcement framework lausanne commander besieged forces tehran says destruction israel nonnegotiable think real problem middle east democracy israel shown restraint responsibility countries like iran pursue nuclear weapons explicit goal first annihilating us also ultimately conquering middle east threatening thats theyre developing icbms intercontinental ballistic missiles meant one purpose carry nuclear payloads theater near theyre intended us already missiles reach us theyre developing icbms reach united states dont give weapons dont give nuclear icbms threaten chuck todd sounds like want us congress everything power kill deal youd like benjamin netanyahu id like united states members p51 get better deal theres still time time ratchet sanctions look biting sanctions imposed first time 2012 got iran within 18 months table got table instead ratcheting sanctions pressures fact reduce pressure irans told need make concessions time insist better deal ratchet pressure thats preferable route us chuck todd want ask quick question twostate solution issues want read sound denis mcdonough white house chief staff heres said speech right reelection borders israel independent palestine based 1967 lines mutually agreed swaps state needs secure recognized borders must robust provisions safeguard israels security occupation lasted almost fifty years must end palestinian people must right live govern sovereign state comfortable presidents chief staff referring israel occupier benjamin netanyahu well know successive israeli governments including offered end dispute offered demilitarized palestinian state recognize one jewish state remains position said present circumstances president abbas refuses recognize israel nation state jewish people embraces embraces hamas outright calls destruction every territory vacated middle east taken forces militant islam either led iran led isis well said know better make sure want twostate solution dont get opposite nostate solution nostate israel solution think requires work closely american allies want thing perhaps two exact borders principles dont want binational state want make sure palestinian state created used merely platform iran allies isis annihilate one jewish state left indefensible boundaries chuck todd prime minister benjamin netanyahu thank spending part passover holiday us meet press well see soon benjamin netanyahu well thank tell work israels defense dont holiday chuck todd fair enough thank sir im joined democratic senator chris murphy connecticut hes member senate foreign relations committee whos supportive efforts reach deal iran senator welcome back meet press let ask heard prime minister netanyahu obviously wants see better deal believe united states negotiating better deal senator chris murphy well think pretty remarkable deal table today youll look parameters outset negotiated agreement see outlines right weve increased breakout time year weve significantly rolled back enrichment capability dismantling potential plutonium path arak inspections regime absolutely unprecedented going allow us find covert program exists outside known research facilities idea go back negotiating table put back sanctions place think doesnt understand reality deal table wouldve hard get partners especially russia china go back sanctions objectives met negotiating table easy say continue negotiate effectively sanction iran submission dont think thats deal rest negotiating partners signed thats reality deal chuck todd senator prime ministers point frankly point others asking iran stop supporting terrorism asking iran change behavior hand resources theyve nothing arguably expanding sphere influence middle east youre giving money lifting sanctions didnt ask behavior change anything nuclear inspections ask little senator chris murphy well true deal doesnt turn iran bad guy good guy little bit rewriting history suggest negotiations nefarious activities iran region negotiations ending nuclear program start lift moderate elements within iran internationalists want sitting member world community talk issues also important point host sanctions place trying change behavior ballistic missile program human rights violations support terrorism sanctions dont go away stay place congress president reserves right increase sanctions continue undermine stability middle east notwithstanding progress making nuclear program chuck todd support let get straight support potentially increasing sanctions connect support say houthis yemen pulling back sanctions connected nuclear program senator chris murphy sanctions place dont go away connected activities think congress always reserves right change policy visàvis iran continue act way rest region absolutely reserve right continue try use whatever leverage disposal try make less evil within region chuck todd okay want compromise get congress potentially accept nuclear deal would willing increase sanctions spots iran pull back places part agreement undermine presidents ability negotiate agreement senator chris murphy well dont know need talk right think get nuclear negotiations think give us opportunity potentially talk iranians either directly intermediaries solutions problems region take issue table empower people like rouhani zarif may want different path iran less irritant member global community may see pathway solving problems potentially without new rounds additional sanctions chuck todd quickly another topic ranking member senate foreign relations committee robert menendez indicted corruption charges stepped ranking member new york times somewhat home newspaper connecticut called senator menendez resign senate completely think senator menendez ought consider full resignation senator chris murphy dont think judicial system works pretty simple way youre innocent proven guilty hes respected member caucus hes going leader foreign relations committee longer think deserves chance able day court hes forced united states senate chuck todd right senator chris murphy democrat connecticut thanks spending part easter sunday morning us meet press senator chris murphy thanks lot chuck chuck todd got come back religious liberty laws really protecting freedom conscience giving people license discriminate president hopeful governor bobby jindal louisiana joins next commercial break chuck todd pictures pope francis easter mass attended thousands faithful vatican city honor easter passover weeks nerd screen bit religious theme youll go website see whole thing took look connection often people attend religious services political leanings much different simply religious denomination found meetthepressnbccom break louisiana governor bobby jindal religious freedom fight playing multiple states commercial break chuck todd back week debate socalled religious liberty freedom legislation indiana arkansas marked new round culture wars liberals lgbt activists big business wing republican party pitted evangelical conservatives leaves republican 2016 presidential hopefuls tricky situation work satisfy evangelical base party without alienating socially liberal generalelection swing voters begin tape governor asa hutchinson bill bipartisan received overwhelming support houses protects religious freedom chuck todd vo backlash lgbt activists business leaders sports leaders public republican governors indiana governor signed revised religious freedom legislation law thursday new language indiana spells law authorize provider refuse offer provide services basis sexual orientation gender identity arkansass new legislation mirrors 1993 federal law signed bill clinton make harder private individuals businesses cite religious freedom way avoid providing services samesex weddings social conservatives call compromises cave steve deace worst act political malfeasance ive seen lifetime tony perkins hypocrisy corporate america quite amazing chuck todd vo latest skirmish battle big business social conservatives thats exposing fault lines within republican party also forcing potential 2016 presidential candidates tricky twostep avoid alienating evangelicals also appearing intolerant scaring general election voters former florida governor jeb bush tried twostep week tripped monday praised indiana governor mike pence conservative radio jeb bush think facts established people arent going see discriminatory chuck todd wednesday bush appeared back pedal telling donors silicon valley religious freedom core value country shouldnt discriminate based sexual orientation state indiana going end probably get place meanwhile 2016 hopefuls eager catch fire among social conservatives seizing opportunity criticize party ted cruz fortune 500 running shamelessly endorse radical gay marriage agenda religious liberty sadly whole lot republican politician terrified rick santorum weve seen lot republicans run hills left comes starts hammer mike huckabee wont stop churches chuck todd vo happening americans grow increasingly comfortable samesex marriage next fight may louisiana 17th state introduce religious freedom legislation year chuck todd im joined republican governor louisiana bobby jindal governor welcome back meet press bobby jindal chuck thank back chuck todd well let ask agree social conservatives think governors pence governor hutchinson arkansas indiana essentially caved much pressure bobby jindal well chuck worried law indiana im disappointed lets remember debate originally business owners dont wan na choose christian faith sincerely held religious beliefs able operate businesses dont want government force participate wedding ceremonies contradict beliefs simply want right say dont wan na forced participate ceremonies disappointed could see christians businesses face discrimination indiana hope legislators fix rectify chuck used bipartisan consensus country around religious liberty saying americans dont agree respect others rights freedoms thats debate gon na use government force people contradict sincerely held beliefs chuck todd well debate guess line freedom personal conviction versus conduct business think okay based religious conviction business deny services samesex couple bobby jindal well chuck talking restaurants denying service people wan na come dinner talking daytoday routine commercial transactions talking specific example business owners florists musicians caterers forced either pay thousands dollars close businesses dont wan na participate wedding ceremony contradicts religious beliefs instance yeah think part first amendment means allow individuals obey conscience obey religious beliefs chuck todd know could end desk state representative mike johnson state filed bill would allow private businesses refuse recognize samesex marriage according times picayune become legal louisiana course may find june supreme court legislation would allow private company offer benefits legally recognized samesex married couples married couples beyond denying services business would also denying benefits employee happens samesex marriage gon na able support bill bobby jindal look let see bill actually session starts couple weeks wan na look bill im always favor defending religious liberty look youre raising issues regarding federal employee laws benefit laws let look details bill general though supportive defending religious liberty think without condoning discrimination dont think two values mutually exclusive think thats debate really think religious liberty without discrimination think possible desirable society need remember new debate founding fathers recognized importance religious liberty put first amendment constitution anticipated conflicts came side religious liberty indeed religious liberty united states country didnt create religious liberty religious liberty created country chuck todd local ordinance new orleans protection lgbt citizens discrimination housing employment bobby jindal well couple things chuck dont think certainly discrimination anybody housing employment thats faith teaches dont think thats appropriate think good news society moving direction tolerance concern creating special legal protections historically country weve done extraordinary circumstances doesnt appear one moments today say think many turn heavy hand government solve societys problems easily think instead need working people hearts minds faith confidence people america people new orleans people louisiana tolerate discrimination support businesses wan na support discrimination absolutely need society discriminating people think need careful creating special rights chuck todd right supreme court legalizes samesex marriage itll legal 50 states come june perhaps believe exceptions businesses able decide whether serve folks based religious conviction bobby jindal well serving im saying restaurant able turn away couple wants come eat restaurant chuck todd restaurant cater wedding serve restaurant cater wedding bobby jindal sincerely held religious belief offends owners beliefs participate wedding absolutely dont think government able force somebody contradict sincerely held religious beliefs participate wedding ceremony used bipartisan consensus didnt use partisan issue state country chuck todd right government jindal wan na leave subject quickly going wait legislative session make final decision presidential bobby jindal chuck unlike many thinking running fund raisers consultants pollsters ive actually started thinking ive thinking last several months next president needs created policy think tank year half ago called america next detailed policy papers educational choice defense policy health care reforms energy policies anybody thinking running president needs think would actually need big changes country think im one thats thinking running thats actually come detailed plan replace repeal obamacare think voters looking potential candidates answer question get would actually got chuck todd right governor jindal make decision hope see right meet press thank sir happy easter bobby jindal thanks chuck happy easter happy passover thank chuck todd thank sir chuck todd lets bring panel matt bai helene cooper amy walter perry bacon right perry learn republican party week issue perry bacon lots nervousness saw mike pence jeb bush asa hutchinson good politicians people lot elections week change move position issue fast like jeb bush 48 hours learn also republican party always evangelical wing focuses abortion gay marriages like bush said business wing groups usually conflict real conflict week saw business part really evangelicals angry feel like weakening movement broadly chuck todd know amy ill tell ive hearing evangelicals time feel lot republicans pay lip service proof going gets tough first part republican constituency gets abandoned evangelicals amy walter well saw ted cruz making case exactly chuck todd yeah know mean amy walter whole strategy chuck todd know look abortion thing feel way amy walter heres point tipping point reached tipping point done issue republicans win could years ago cant even look evangelical younger folks moved issue know took everybody age 50 moved country wouldnt issue even younger evangelicals matt bai theres idea amy walter know chuck todd know matt going amy walter lost everybody chuck todd republican party though better theyre debate 2016 obviously matt bai oh definition bright side yes agree amy think bad week republican party really larger scale mean see governor jindal makes sense go route hes going wants create favor evangelical base consistent political beliefs know amy says corners turned republican party found week behind curve society behind curve history mean saw reaction businesses came immediately understand markets gone think political party find position really problematic stage chuck todd pragmatism versus conviction helene problem primary voters want conviction dont want pragmatism helene cooper youve raised perfect point primary think much primary versus general election saw lot politicians really much worried primary expected particularly jeb bush flip flop particular thought overtalk chuck todd argue way let put caveat accused flipflopping folks pushed back said wait minute know allowed explain hugh hewitt wouldve provided context im giving point view dont believe much flip flop media portrayed helene cooper well know media tend portray things chuck todd fair enough think jeb response telling silicon valley know silicon valley know entire california republican establishment amy walter even walmart helene cooper walmart thing fantastic amy walter thats right mean time used say cook report trying divide country blue red starbucks america versus walmart america walmart america starbucks america aligned know 80s democrats behind curve cultural social issues republicans theyve got balance theyve got figure right way chuck todd youre looking poll easiest thing look independents two sides polarized blue red really independents samesex marriage look like democrats republicans look like theyre isolated right come back easter sunday cardinal timothy dolan new york balancing religious conviction civil rights commercial break chuck todd welcome back earlier week sat cardinal timothy dolan archbishop new york talk intersection religion politics easterpassover weekend began pointing disturbing trend seems people killing dying name god time recent memory begin tape cardinal dolan well say youre right think worse centuries think says need easter ever passover easter goods triumph bad lifes triumph death ever need amazingly tragic poignant scandal would claim use religion name atrocities boss pope francis extraordinarily articulate reminding us anyone claims use religion cause hatred division bloodshed perverting role religion religion definition bringing people together affirming life friendship reconciliation use religion anything different simply put perversion religious people suffering numbers used often perpetrators people claim acting behalf another chuck todd deep faith cardinal dolan passion chuck todd ways scarily dont know fate passion cardinal dolan well strong conviction whether consonant faith profess know true mean even especially islamic fanatics temperate voices islam thanks god many would remind acting loyal teachings koran say though chuck know human experience religion battles bloodshed caused things feel passionate chuck todd think president obama national prayer breakfast said unless get high horse think unique place remember crusades inquisition people committed terrible deeds name christ home country slavery jim crow often justified name christ cardinal dolan know people mightve thought remarks mark would simply say historian believer sometimes bad remind free sin either chuck todd saw appropriate cardinal dolan mean leader say time whether appropriate wouldnt say wrong chuck todd religious freedom debate religious freedom laws religious liberty mean mean think people perverting definition cardinal dolan welcome fact question religious liberty forefront need didnt put believers didnt put founders nation make sure rights ability publicly exercise ones religion also balanced another good namely rights people discriminated boy thats delicate balance im grateful public eye whenever talk chuck balance constitution matter balance make sure keep balance together chuck todd tough balance religious conviction though cardinal dolan tough balance religious conviction easier ignore religious freedom today popular issues right way appreciate fact political leaders like governor pence saying whoa wait minute without questioning rights gay community also make sure rights religious community protected wish could temperate civil way instead screaming chuck todd passover easter close together something extra significant cardinal dolan kind gives added wallop gives us credibility reason celebrate reminds us thing winter ending spring beginning death winter behind us new life spring ahead us god god spring winter life always conquered death hope going conquer despair good going conquer bad thats passover thats easter thats jesus thats moses dont know spend life chuck covering world think need message ever chuck todd well dont know better way end interview sir cardinal dolan happy easter happy passover chuck todd cardinal dolan honor sir cardinal dolan good chuck honor mine thank chuck todd got end tape chuck todd cardinal timothy dolan new york easily one optimistic people ive ever met okay put coach im ready play today opening day tomorrow course opening nights tonight new baseball commissioner rob manfred deck meet press commercial break chuck todd welcome back children harrison margaret washington nationals playoff game last october 18inning bummer nats fans well baseball back week sat new commissioner baseball rob manfred coolest place possible even youre yankee fan behind home plate yankee stadium started asking sport thats thriving local level go nats increasingly struggling national sport begin tape chuck todd lets talk challenges face looking tv ratings tremendous world series baseball fan giantsroyals amazing world series rating worst nfl game week would higher rating average rating world series game rob manfred well youre talking fragmentation audiences issue entertainment products good news think 11 markets last year course summer baseball number one rated program theres tons baseball available local markets challenge make sure move postseason dont lose huge local fan base particular team chuck todd seems happens theres doubt local fans team theyre tune rob manfred lose one things working think kansas city last year great exactly gon na try work national broadcast partners year develop story lines course year generate fan interest chuck todd lets talk youve said youth getting youth involved baseball priority cause play theyre gon na follow son great example plays hes obsessed rob manfred see youre making happy chuck todd reading true play suddenly wan na know wan na imitate wan na everything oh look wan na seem sporadic go different know south baseballs still big sport rob manfred right chuck todd go west go even midwest declining little bit rob manfred well interesting youth space weve really studied looked hard competitive environment know im im 56 years old kid know played baseball spring played football fall played basketball winter kids sorts choices plethora choices available competitive focus try form good partnerships youth space try get kids playing mean great little league working number groups try make sure baseballs competitive space 106 chuck todd lets talk africanamericans baseball culturally think iconic moments ive covering president obama many historical baseball memories hes brought talk first africanamerican president willie mays flying air force one hes talking meant theres doubt baseball meant culturally america diversification yet africanamerican participation baseball national average rob manfred number programs place going expanding go forward program called reviving baseball inner cities massmarket program areas kids otherwise opportunity play joint program mlbpa called baseball tomorrow fund huge problem inner cities facilities baseball tomorrow 10 million worth youth fields last decade maybe important clubs partnerships baseball opened number urban youth academies chance visit one washington earlier spring fantastic program afterschool program includes baseball educational support nutrition support sorts programs hope attract people africanamericans back game chuck todd pete rose gon na youre coming open mind last commissioner fair say rob manfred well let say trained lawyer pay attention documents rules constitutions think major league constitution mr rose right apply reinstatement hes done think deserves fair full hearing im predisposed issue direction chuck todd sounds like wish three choices two rob manfred well think hard look issue separate question whether someone bet baseball ever involved play game field question whether somebody ought hall fame chuck todd youd like able split rob manfred well second issues mine right mean hall fame rule question id like focus institution im responsible major league baseball protecting integrity institution chuck todd wan na deal order improve think connection youthful generation youre trying deal paceandplay issues pitch clock coming bat clock coming reality rob manfred well look engaged aggressive set experiments arizona fall league including pitch clock committee composed people literally decades onfield experience split issue know people said put clock baseball would want interestingly entire committee saw games arizona fall league went favorably inclined towards pitch clock went forward testing double triple year think whether comes big leagues gon na product well changes year worked end tape chuck todd new baseball commissioner part new generation commissioners like adam silver nba think want problem solvers change agents anyway dont go anywhere well back less minute meet press endgame whats next indicted new jersey senator robert menendez commercial break chuck todd end game time panel back news regarding us senator robert menendez 11th us senator indicted actions senator kay bailey hutchison indicted senator actions senator go back actions senate go back john smith 1807 first 11 three resigned four convicted though two convictions eventually overturned one dave durenberger actually pled guilty charges amy walter watch us senate closely bob menendez youve watched bob menendez closely chance takes advice new york times resigns amy walter none chuck todd zero im amy walter hes man looks like ready go chuck todd amy walter got start basically fighter new jersey inside corruption new jersey anybody way see steps chuck todd matt bai surprised new jersey democrats rallied around many others although chris murphy gave pretty robust defense earlier long think democrats going comfortable standing behind menendez matt bai well new jersey maybe wonder get like jersey youre number 11 indicted something frame chuck todd put banner dont think matt bai dont think says lot despite public says dont think says lot culture us senate think lot culture new jersey historically ive spent lot time state years know way money friendships politics intermingled historically many fiefdoms school districts municipalities think new jersey probably retains support longer think way politics historically played standard chuck todd sort built theres expectation helene one conspiracy theories critics president menendez probably loudest critic presidents two big foreign policy mandates last six months cuba opening relations cuba iran deal somehow connected buy theory buy conspiracy helene cooper dont think really interesting hes certainly biggest democratic critic particularly overtalk chuck todd certainly mutes big critic helene cooper hasnt exactly muted thursday overtalk chuck todd nothing mutes senator menendez helene cooper one first emails got know iran deal announced senator menendez know wasnt coming completely time saying lets wait see know congress needs really look dont know hes necessarily going muted chuck todd know interesting actually longer response perry bacon stick iran chuck schumer put statement unlike used senator schumer verbose statement two sentences praising kerry working hard saying ill take looking perry bacon sort hillary clintons thing saw saw lot week republicans adamantly overtalk chuck todd unified perry bacon democratic know murphy pretty enthusiastic hillary clinton schumer lot democrats sort ill look details saw one thing menendez note hes going ranking member anymore committee actually matter hearings start ben cardin much less hawkish much less antiobama menendez cardin corker working together different menendez corker basically place opposed presidents views chuck todd yeah im bob corker im probably desperately trying recruit tim kaine become new cosponsor corkermenendez bill become corkerkaine something like amy walter course going conspiracy theory minute remember theres republican governor new jersey leave wouldnt republican fixed replace chuck todd temporary amy walters temporary still important chuck todd going new jersey senator able serve full successive term overtalk amy walter doesnt seem way chuck todd often seems like everything sort gets way matt bai believe giving everyone chance chuck todd fair enough right go tell colleague new york times adam nagourney something gets interview somebody particularly harry reid harry reid fascinating quotes sort goodbye interview adam nagourney diner nevada said women power helene women much patient pushed wrong way combative combative lot men combative nature harry reid right harry reid pop psychology right helene cooper first let say first time actually sort think might miss harry reid hes really coming like quite feisty sudden chuck todd really made apologies way things apologies false story romney basically making something know said well mean sort lbj school well make deny amy walter right still support colleagues mean democratic colleagues course course hes going expect guy box chuck todd way matt bai also said jeb bush easiest beat goes starts going george w bush said could brother jeb get away ill take clinton baggage day harry reid like couldve said well ill take negative refers clinton baggage gee im sure hillarys going great thanks harry matt bai yeah big help harry reid rare thing hes real western democrat coastal democrat western democrat chuck todd means hell shoot hip matt bai yeah theres little bit know plainspokenness little bit bluntness think theyre going miss think know hasnt always great messenger party hes often said things nobody else wanted say chuck todd perry bacon good us democratic party always says know bushhes always honest candid way reporters enjoy overtalk chuck todd honest though mean go back romney thing perry bacon right yes overtalk chuck todd mean bad im sorry made passed rumor perry bacon comment made clinton though comment made obamas negro dialect also says shouldnt say often chuck todd often perry bacon entertaining way chuck todd harry reid anyway guys happy easter happy passover thanks thats today well back next week sunday meet press
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<p>In the <a href="http://www.dollarsandsense.org/archives/2012/0512bondgraham.html" type="external">San Francisco Bay</a> area, public transit riders are paying $104 million in higher rider fees to cover the cost of exotic financial insurance known as an interest rate swap. In <a href="http://www.metrotimes.com/detroit/water-woes-and-the-swaps-swamp/Content?oid=2214702" type="external">Detroit,</a> the inability of the city to make interest rate swap payments signaled eventual bankruptcy. So the recent news that the <a href="http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-08-13/l-a-city-council-seeks-exit-from-dexia-bny-mellon-swaps.html" type="external">city of Los Angeles</a> wants out of its 2008 interest rate swap insurance contract on a sewer revenue bond is causing concern on Wall Street and beyond.</p>
<p>On Aug. 12, the <a href="http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-08-13/l-a-city-council-seeks-exit-from-dexia-bny-mellon-swaps.html" type="external">Los Angeles City Council</a> threatened to stop all business with the Bank of New York Mellon (BNY) and Dexia Bank unless they paid back payments on insurance the city bought. What the city bought was insurance against risk of loss on <a href="http://clkrep.lacity.org/onlinedocs/2014/14-0566_rpt_cao_06-27-2014.pdf" type="external">$281 million</a> municipal wastewater system revenue bonds.</p>
<p>But the city didn’t buy conventional insurance coverage. Instead, officials bought an interest rate swap that provides insurance against loss — as well as the prospect of reaping a big financial gain if interest rates rose significantly. Since the city might have defaulted on the sewer revenue bond if it filed for bankruptcy in the future, the financial insurance would guarantee payment to bondholders and possibly could reap the city a big windfall if interest rates rose.</p>
<p>This swap was more of a calculated gamble by L.A. officials than a predatory banking practice. It is similar to a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whole_life_insurance" type="external">participating whole life insurance policy</a> where the policyholder shares in any excess profits called dividends. When the sewer bond was issued in 2008, the mortgage meltdown <a href="http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-08-13/l-a-city-council-seeks-exit-from-dexia-bny-mellon-swaps.html" type="external">drove up interest rates on municipal bonds</a>. By using a swap, L.A. significantly lowered borrowing costs — by <a href="http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-08-13/l-a-city-council-seeks-exit-from-dexia-bny-mellon-swaps.html" type="external">$21.7 million</a> according to the city administrator.</p>
<p>Unsurprisingly, the banks rebuffed the L.A. City Council’s demand. Neither bank was willing to refund past insurance payments because it would mean the other party involved in the swap would have to take a loss. They understood that the city’s request was akin to an individual asking his insurance company to refund his medical, auto or homeowner’s liability insurance payments because he had filed no claims since 2008.</p>
<p>Yet this perspective didn’t occur to any of the 14 L.A. council members who voted unanimously to request that BNY Mellon and Dexia return $65 million in so-called “unfair profits and fees” paid since 2008 on a <a href="http://clkrep.lacity.org/onlinedocs/2014/14-0566_rpt_cao_06-27-2014.pdf" type="external">$151 million</a> interest rate swap on a sewer revenue bond.</p>
<p>Nor did they anticipate the reaction in financial circles. Some analysts believed that by asking for a refund, the city&#160; is signaling it can no longer afford to make the interest payments on the swap that included the sewer bond. The <a href="http://online.wsj.com/articles/los-argentina-1409096018" type="external">Wall Street Journal</a> and many others saw this as a forewarning of municipal bankruptcy.</p>
<p>But the maneuver played well with those eager for a chance to beat up on big banks. Los Angeles public <a href="http://online.wsj.com/articles/los-argentina-1409096018" type="external">labor unions</a> accused BNY Mellon and Dexia of “gouging L.A. taxpayers” with “predatory” high-risk deals and supported withholding future business if the banks didn’t refund the sewer bond interest rate swap payments.</p>
<p>To understand this controversy, it’s important to understand what an <a href="http://thinxlabs.com/blog/finance/interest-rate-swaps-excel/" type="external">interest rate swap</a> is. Let’s assume two people want to swap apples for oranges. If apples cost $1 each and oranges 50 cents each, then a fair trade is to trade one apple for two oranges and vice versa. This is the simple basis of a swap.</p>
<p>But if tomorrow the price of oranges goes up to 60 cents, the person receiving the oranges would get $1.20 in value and can reap a 20 cent windfall. In financial terminology, this is called arbitrage, where one can make more from a trade or from house flipping (“buy low, sell high”).</p>
<p>But instead of a deal where one person wins 20 cents and the other loses out, if both persons agree to negotiate for a share of the 20 cents in higher value, then it becomes a win-win deal, because they also can both lower any costs of borrowing for the transaction.</p>
<p>Such hedging against loss by both parties in a trade when prices go up or down is what drives interest rate swaps. So&#160; it is strange that Los Angeles officials would accuse Wall Street banks of greed when greed is part of the city’s motive for doing an interest rate swap.</p>
<p>Like an underwater mortgage</p>
<p>The sewer bond swap had a negative fair value of $24.7 million as of June 2013, according to <a href="http://controller.lacity.org/stellent/groups/ElectedOfficials/@CTR_Contributor/documents/Contributor_Web_Content/LACITYP_024494.pdf" type="external">city documents</a>. A negative value interest rate swap contract is like an <a href="http://www.investopedia.com/terms/u/underwater-mortgage.asp" type="external">“underwater mortgage”</a> where there is more mortgage owed on a property than what it could be sold for. This is a result of the Federal Reserve’s&#160; <a href="http://www.rooseveltinstitute.org/new-roosevelt/zirp" type="external">Zero Interest Rate Policy</a>, which has made borrowing money more attractive at almost no interest than in 2008 during the financial crisis.</p>
<p>The deal isn’t a complete disaster for the city. As noted above, it lowered borrowing costs by $21.7 million. And the sewer bond insurance swap contract has until <a href="http://ivn.us/2012/08/14/los-angeles-bankruptcy-may-be-coming/" type="external">2028</a> before it expires. If the Federal Reserve significantly raises interest rates during that period, the city’s gamble could yet pay off.</p>
<p>Yet instead of explaining that the city’s sewer bond insurance swap amounted to speculating with public funds, Los Angeles officials are counting on financial illiteracy among the public and the media to sell a dishonest narrative about predatory banks.</p>
<p>If interest rates go up sharply — as some fear because of huge pending government deficits — it’s doubtful that the city of Los Angeles would refund any of its windfall to banks because it doesn’t want to look “greedy.”</p>
| false | 3 |
160 san francisco bay area public transit riders paying 104 million higher rider fees cover cost exotic financial insurance known interest rate swap detroit inability city make interest rate swap payments signaled eventual bankruptcy recent news city los angeles wants 2008 interest rate swap insurance contract sewer revenue bond causing concern wall street beyond aug 12 los angeles city council threatened stop business bank new york mellon bny dexia bank unless paid back payments insurance city bought city bought insurance risk loss 281 million municipal wastewater system revenue bonds city didnt buy conventional insurance coverage instead officials bought interest rate swap provides insurance loss well prospect reaping big financial gain interest rates rose significantly since city might defaulted sewer revenue bond filed bankruptcy future financial insurance would guarantee payment bondholders possibly could reap city big windfall interest rates rose swap calculated gamble la officials predatory banking practice similar participating whole life insurance policy policyholder shares excess profits called dividends sewer bond issued 2008 mortgage meltdown drove interest rates municipal bonds using swap la significantly lowered borrowing costs 217 million according city administrator unsurprisingly banks rebuffed la city councils demand neither bank willing refund past insurance payments would mean party involved swap would take loss understood citys request akin individual asking insurance company refund medical auto homeowners liability insurance payments filed claims since 2008 yet perspective didnt occur 14 la council members voted unanimously request bny mellon dexia return 65 million socalled unfair profits fees paid since 2008 151 million interest rate swap sewer revenue bond anticipate reaction financial circles analysts believed asking refund city160 signaling longer afford make interest payments swap included sewer bond wall street journal many others saw forewarning municipal bankruptcy maneuver played well eager chance beat big banks los angeles public labor unions accused bny mellon dexia gouging la taxpayers predatory highrisk deals supported withholding future business banks didnt refund sewer bond interest rate swap payments understand controversy important understand interest rate swap lets assume two people want swap apples oranges apples cost 1 oranges 50 cents fair trade trade one apple two oranges vice versa simple basis swap tomorrow price oranges goes 60 cents person receiving oranges would get 120 value reap 20 cent windfall financial terminology called arbitrage one make trade house flipping buy low sell high instead deal one person wins 20 cents loses persons agree negotiate share 20 cents higher value becomes winwin deal also lower costs borrowing transaction hedging loss parties trade prices go drives interest rate swaps so160 strange los angeles officials would accuse wall street banks greed greed part citys motive interest rate swap like underwater mortgage sewer bond swap negative fair value 247 million june 2013 according city documents negative value interest rate swap contract like underwater mortgage mortgage owed property could sold result federal reserves160 zero interest rate policy made borrowing money attractive almost interest 2008 financial crisis deal isnt complete disaster city noted lowered borrowing costs 217 million sewer bond insurance swap contract 2028 expires federal reserve significantly raises interest rates period citys gamble could yet pay yet instead explaining citys sewer bond insurance swap amounted speculating public funds los angeles officials counting financial illiteracy among public media sell dishonest narrative predatory banks interest rates go sharply fear huge pending government deficits doubtful city los angeles would refund windfall banks doesnt want look greedy
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<p>BRASILIA, Brazil — Everyone here is shocked after a plane crashed Wednesday off the coast of Sao Paulo, killing presidential candidate Eduardo Campos and six others.</p>
<p>At 49 years old, Campos leaves an impressive legacy as governor of the northeastern state of Pernambuco and a former science and technology minister of Latin America’s largest nation.</p>
<p>He also leaves behind a wife and five children, including a baby born earlier this year.</p>
<p>Charismatic, with socially liberal yet business-friendly policies, Campos was polling in third place in the lead-up to the October elections. He may not have defeated Rousseff, who is forecast to win re-election. But many predicted he had a bright political future.</p>
<p>The others killed in the crash included the pilot, co-pilot, campaign aides and photographer Alexandre Severo, seen below in a photo on his Facebook page ( <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/severo/" type="external">and here’s a collection of his work</a>).</p>
<p>&#160;</p>
<p>GlobalPost asked Brazilians in the capital city Brasilia what they thought about the loss of Campos. They’re upset. They’re shocked. And although his plane apparently hit bad weather, some have bad suspicions of malevolence at play. But all are waiting to find out what happens next.</p>
<p>What a sad thing. He gave a lot of hope to the Brazilian people. He emitted trustworthiness and honesty. This is rare in Brazilian politics.</p>
<p>As governor he seemed to really care about his state. And he was on his way up in politics. He seemed like he could have won [the presidency] in 2018, if not this year. I’m a Mineiro [from Minas Gerais state], so I feel an obligation to vote for Aecio Neves [the Brazilian Social Democracy Party’s presidential candidate], but Campos would have been my second choice.</p>
<p>More from GlobalPost: <a href="http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/news/regions/americas/brazil/140813/campos-plane-crash-elections" type="external">4 numbers that explain why Brazil’s jet crash is a big deal for its political future</a></p>
<p>It was such a shock to hear about his death. Firstly, because he is so young, and because all accidents like this are a shock.</p>
<p>I think we will see Dilma benefit from this. So, maybe Neves should be careful, and stay in his house! No, I’m only joking. There is a lot of dirtiness in politics, but I don’t think it extends to murder. There were seven people who died, pilots, others, plus the risk of hurting people on the ground. I don’t think the PT [ruling Workers Party] would go this far. Still, anything’s possible!</p>
<p>&#160;</p>
<p>As a candidate he was the least worst we had. I liked him. There’s no such thing as an ideal candidate, but he was our best option. Yesterday [Tuesday] he gave a good interview on TV. Today he probably woke up feeling pretty good, got dressed, put on a tie... and now he’s dead. It’s so strange. But this is a question of being human, not of being a politician or a leader. We should be thinking about his family, his history, not his politics. And, of course, about the others who died too — there were seven people on the flight. No one’s talking about them, and it gives the impression that he is more important, which of course he isn’t.</p>
<p>I’ve followed politics in Brazil closely for many years. When a tragedy or some key fact in the country’s history happens, the reactions always surprise me. The jokes and the analysis prevail. But in this case no one remembers that together with Eduardo Campos, six other people died. Workers and ordinary Brazilians like any others. Why not remember them? The analyses of the impact on elections can come later. Now is the time to mourn.</p>
<p>&#160;</p>
<p>A somber Marina Silva leaves after a press conference in Santos, southeastern Brazil, after the crash killed her running mate.</p>
<p>This is a very sad moment. I'm in shock! Eduardo looked to the future and to the youth. He had a great government in Pernambuco, a poor state with many limitations. He really listened to the young people in his party. He was a man of dialogue, focus — a good leader. Like all people, he had his flaws. But he was the only candidate who represented me in these elections.</p>
<p>Campos represented the youth of Brazil. A new breath in politics. Young people interested in politics could look to him. Now it’s really hard because we have no options. Marina Silva [his vice presidential running mate photographed above] is good, but you can’t just replace Campos. He represented something else. The combination of the two worked well, but without him, we have a gap. Maybe he would have lost this campaign but it was his first. I saw a really good future for him.</p>
<p>I wasn’t close to him but I had some opportunities to talk to him briefly and hear him speak, he was really open, always smiling and really listened to people. It’s rare to see that in a leader.</p>
<p>It’s just so sad. He leaves five children, including a new baby, with Down syndrome. He seemed like a good father.</p>
<p>His death leaves a space that no one can occupy, in fact, not even Marina. Let's see what happens now. But what’s sure to lose is Brazil. It’s a shame.</p>
<p>When I heard that his death was confirmed, my immediate feeling was that this is a big loss for Brazil. Brazil has lost a lot. He had great potential. Campos seemed ethical. Frankly, simply to be a politician is to seem dishonest, untrustworthy... Unfortunately, politics in Brazil is like this. But he actually did seem ethical and trustworthy.</p>
<p>I would have voted for him. Mainly because I didn’t want to vote for Dilma, as she’s had a chance, and I didn’t enjoy her presidency. I didn’t know much about his policies, but he seemed different, like a good person, a good father and a family man. It was just a tragic accident.</p>
<p>&#160;</p>
<p>I’ve heard people say they think it was some kind of sabotage, and I think they could be right. Dilma is looking weak, no one likes her, Campos was popular... I don’t know. It seems suspicious.</p>
<p>I’m just totally shocked. You never expect a death like this, never get used to hearing about them. I liked him a lot as a candidate. We’ve had the PT (Workers Party) in power for so long, and he offered something different. I would have voted for him, I think. I was waiting to have more time to find out more about him, now that’s not possible. He seemed like a different kind of politician.</p>
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brasilia brazil everyone shocked plane crashed wednesday coast sao paulo killing presidential candidate eduardo campos six others 49 years old campos leaves impressive legacy governor northeastern state pernambuco former science technology minister latin americas largest nation also leaves behind wife five children including baby born earlier year charismatic socially liberal yet businessfriendly policies campos polling third place leadup october elections may defeated rousseff forecast win reelection many predicted bright political future others killed crash included pilot copilot campaign aides photographer alexandre severo seen photo facebook page heres collection work 160 globalpost asked brazilians capital city brasilia thought loss campos theyre upset theyre shocked although plane apparently hit bad weather bad suspicions malevolence play waiting find happens next sad thing gave lot hope brazilian people emitted trustworthiness honesty rare brazilian politics governor seemed really care state way politics seemed like could presidency 2018 year im mineiro minas gerais state feel obligation vote aecio neves brazilian social democracy partys presidential candidate campos would second choice globalpost 4 numbers explain brazils jet crash big deal political future shock hear death firstly young accidents like shock think see dilma benefit maybe neves careful stay house im joking lot dirtiness politics dont think extends murder seven people died pilots others plus risk hurting people ground dont think pt ruling workers party would go far still anythings possible 160 candidate least worst liked theres thing ideal candidate best option yesterday tuesday gave good interview tv today probably woke feeling pretty good got dressed put tie hes dead strange question human politician leader thinking family history politics course others died seven people flight ones talking gives impression important course isnt ive followed politics brazil closely many years tragedy key fact countrys history happens reactions always surprise jokes analysis prevail case one remembers together eduardo campos six people died workers ordinary brazilians like others remember analyses impact elections come later time mourn 160 somber marina silva leaves press conference santos southeastern brazil crash killed running mate sad moment im shock eduardo looked future youth great government pernambuco poor state many limitations really listened young people party man dialogue focus good leader like people flaws candidate represented elections campos represented youth brazil new breath politics young people interested politics could look really hard options marina silva vice presidential running mate photographed good cant replace campos represented something else combination two worked well without gap maybe would lost campaign first saw really good future wasnt close opportunities talk briefly hear speak really open always smiling really listened people rare see leader sad leaves five children including new baby syndrome seemed like good father death leaves space one occupy fact even marina lets see happens whats sure lose brazil shame heard death confirmed immediate feeling big loss brazil brazil lost lot great potential campos seemed ethical frankly simply politician seem dishonest untrustworthy unfortunately politics brazil like actually seem ethical trustworthy would voted mainly didnt want vote dilma shes chance didnt enjoy presidency didnt know much policies seemed different like good person good father family man tragic accident 160 ive heard people say think kind sabotage think could right dilma looking weak one likes campos popular dont know seems suspicious im totally shocked never expect death like never get used hearing liked lot candidate weve pt workers party power long offered something different would voted think waiting time find thats possible seemed like different kind politician
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<p>When first-time Principal Vincent Iturralde created a budget for Tarkington Elementary, he planned to staff and equip a school that would enroll 800 kindergarten through 8th-grade students.</p>
<p>On paper, Tarkington, located in Chicago Lawn, would get just under $4 million in base funding, plus additional money for every student who qualified for a free lunch or bilingual education. Iturralde used those funds to cover the salaries of three administrators—himself and two assistant principals—and hire 29 teachers.</p>
<p>He also was able to set aside money for textbooks without jumping through as many hoops as most other principals.</p>
<p>A month after it opened this fall, Tarkington actually had 890 students on its rolls, making it eligible for even more basic and supplemental funding under the more flexible, student-based budgeting approach that the school was using, a first for a non-charter school.</p>
<p>“Per-pupil [budgeting] works well for schools of my size,” says Iturralde. “We were able to buy almost everything we wanted.”</p>
<p>This fall, Tarkington and two other new schools—Pershing West in Douglas and Uplift Community School in Uptown—are the first non-charter public schools in Chicago to try out the new budgeting system, which aims to distribute money more equitably and give principals more financial freedom. These schools’ experiences will likely influence the rollout of per-pupil budgeting, a move that CPS officials plan to take districtwide over the next five years.</p>
<p>So far, principals at all three schools report a positive experience with the new system.</p>
<p>“Everything has gone pretty well,” says Stephanie Moore, principal of Uplift Community School.</p>
<p>“I have no complaints. We were able to purchase all of our positions,” says Pershing West Principal Cheryl Watkins.</p>
<p>Yet, difficult decisions lie ahead as officials weigh the politics of rolling out a system of student-based budgeting that will invariably shift money away from some schools and into the budgets of others. A Catalyst analysis of the district’s 2005 budget found close to half of the schools studied were getting more or less than a fair share of funding. ( <a href="" type="internal">See Catalyst February 2005</a>)</p>
<p>Some veteran principals who may convert to per-pupil budgeting next year are already wary of it, expressing concerns about the lack of information about the new system and how it will impact their schools financially.</p>
<p>And charter school leaders, who have been using the student-based approach from the start, note their biggest complaint is too little funding, particularly for special education services.</p>
<p>One charter school opted out of providing special education services. “We didn’t want the responsibility without the funding,” says Sheila Venson, director of the Youth Connections Charter.</p>
<p>Principals spend as they see fit</p>
<p>Currently, the amount of money that a school receives is based primarily on staffing formulas—elementary schools get one teacher for every 28 students in grades 1 to 3, for instance—and those funds must be spent as prescribed. Only state and federal poverty funds are doled out on a per-pupil basis, giving principals flexibility over how to spend it.</p>
<p>But under per-pupil budgeting, every dollar that is allocated into a school’s budget would be based on the size and needs of the student population it serves. This year, all charter schools and three non-charters are receiving nearly all of their funding on a per-pupil basis. Elementary schools get a base of $5,075 per student; high schools get $6,075.</p>
<p>Schools, then, can decide how to allocate the funds. Pershing West hired 16 teachers, seven of whom have more than five years experience. Watkins splits the salary of a librarian with sister school, Pershing East. Uplift hired 24 teachers, most of them new to the profession.</p>
<p>Iturralde recruited most of his teachers for Tarkington from this year’s graduating class at the Academy of Urban School Leadership, a teacher training program for career changers. The strategy saved the school some money; the average amount of work experience among faculty is less than four years. “They all have their master’s degrees, so they’re not that cheap,” he says.</p>
<p>Tarkington’s budget got a boost because every classroom was filled to capacity, Iturralde says. Under per-pupil budgeting, schools will be motivated to “get bigger,” he adds.</p>
<p>However, enrolling more students is not always an option. Youth Connections Charter has a limited number of seats for the population it serves—students who are disruptive or dropouts. The combined effect of restricted enrollment and low base funding means Youth Connections has to raise an additional $2,000 to $3,000 per student each year, says Venson.</p>
<p>Low enrollment is also an issue for schools like South Shore’s School of Entrepreneurship which, by design, will enroll no more than 600 students. The district took this into consideration this year, offering an additional $300 per pupil to small schools.</p>
<p>Those supplemental funds made it possible for Pershing West, which anticipated enrolling only 280 this year, to hire full-time art and P.E. teachers.</p>
<p>Still, small schools’ budgets are hit harder when adjustments are made in the fall based on actual enrollment counts. This year, schools new to per-pupil budgeting will be held harmless. However, charters that have experience with enrollment fluctuations, particularly high schools, have learned to game the system.</p>
<p>Finding the right formula</p>
<p>Meanwhile, two foundations have hired a Boston-based consulting firm, Education Resource Strategies, to help CPS determine how to structure its per-pupil budgeting system. Karen Hawley Miles, the firm’s president, previously advised the district when it conducted an audit of its professional development spending.</p>
<p>This time, Miles—who has done extensive research on school spending—and her team will assess how funds are currently distributed to schools, and then will make recommendations for a student-based budgeting formula.</p>
<p>“Chicago is pushing very hard towards per-pupil funding, but they all know that it is not that simple,” says Miles, whose report is due in January.</p>
<p>Another issue being considered is how to ensure that small schools are funded fairly under a per-pupil system.</p>
<p>Grappling with tough decisions to hammer out a new funding formula is only one of the challenges the district will have to overcome as it seeks to achieve more equity, Miles says. Equally important is making sure that the district’s new student-based budgeting system has safeguards to avoid hurting struggling schools that may have trouble attracting students and may lack good leadership, she explains.</p>
<p>When districts convert to student-based budgeting, many initially soften the blow of redistribution by providing supplemental funds to schools that stand to lose money. That strategy keeps political fallout to a minimum, says researcher Marguerite Roza of the Center on Reinventing Public Education at University of Washington.</p>
<p>In Chicago, for instance, magnet and selective enrollment schools tend to get more staff and money than regular public schools. While there are no current plans to supplement those schools, says Chief of Staff Hosanna Mahaley, the district may at some point consider giving them additional funds.</p>
<p>The new funding formula may include a supplement for alternative schools, she reveals, because those schools work with students who are likely dropouts and need special programs or services to help them.</p>
<p>While district officials remain optimistic about the prospects for more equitable funding, many principals are skeptical of per-pupil funding. This year, principals of three new high schools in Little Village declined to use the system. And just last month, at a meeting of elite principals who have been freed from some central oversight, a few worried that they would no longer be able to afford to employ veteran teachers in a per-pupil system.</p>
<p>As district officials continue planning to convert the budgeting system, Miles sounds a cautionary note. “Experience with other districts, like Houston, [shows] that it always takes longer than they think,” she says. “And for lots of good reasons, you can’t go to a school and say, ‘We’re funding you too much, and we’re going to take it away.'”</p>
<p>To contact Mallika Ahluwalia, call (312) 673-3874 or e-mail [email protected].</p>
| false | 3 |
firsttime principal vincent iturralde created budget tarkington elementary planned staff equip school would enroll 800 kindergarten 8thgrade students paper tarkington located chicago lawn would get 4 million base funding plus additional money every student qualified free lunch bilingual education iturralde used funds cover salaries three administratorshimself two assistant principalsand hire 29 teachers also able set aside money textbooks without jumping many hoops principals month opened fall tarkington actually 890 students rolls making eligible even basic supplemental funding flexible studentbased budgeting approach school using first noncharter school perpupil budgeting works well schools size says iturralde able buy almost everything wanted fall tarkington two new schoolspershing west douglas uplift community school uptownare first noncharter public schools chicago try new budgeting system aims distribute money equitably give principals financial freedom schools experiences likely influence rollout perpupil budgeting move cps officials plan take districtwide next five years far principals three schools report positive experience new system everything gone pretty well says stephanie moore principal uplift community school complaints able purchase positions says pershing west principal cheryl watkins yet difficult decisions lie ahead officials weigh politics rolling system studentbased budgeting invariably shift money away schools budgets others catalyst analysis districts 2005 budget found close half schools studied getting less fair share funding see catalyst february 2005 veteran principals may convert perpupil budgeting next year already wary expressing concerns lack information new system impact schools financially charter school leaders using studentbased approach start note biggest complaint little funding particularly special education services one charter school opted providing special education services didnt want responsibility without funding says sheila venson director youth connections charter principals spend see fit currently amount money school receives based primarily staffing formulaselementary schools get one teacher every 28 students grades 1 3 instanceand funds must spent prescribed state federal poverty funds doled perpupil basis giving principals flexibility spend perpupil budgeting every dollar allocated schools budget would based size needs student population serves year charter schools three noncharters receiving nearly funding perpupil basis elementary schools get base 5075 per student high schools get 6075 schools decide allocate funds pershing west hired 16 teachers seven five years experience watkins splits salary librarian sister school pershing east uplift hired 24 teachers new profession iturralde recruited teachers tarkington years graduating class academy urban school leadership teacher training program career changers strategy saved school money average amount work experience among faculty less four years masters degrees theyre cheap says tarkingtons budget got boost every classroom filled capacity iturralde says perpupil budgeting schools motivated get bigger adds however enrolling students always option youth connections charter limited number seats population servesstudents disruptive dropouts combined effect restricted enrollment low base funding means youth connections raise additional 2000 3000 per student year says venson low enrollment also issue schools like south shores school entrepreneurship design enroll 600 students district took consideration year offering additional 300 per pupil small schools supplemental funds made possible pershing west anticipated enrolling 280 year hire fulltime art pe teachers still small schools budgets hit harder adjustments made fall based actual enrollment counts year schools new perpupil budgeting held harmless however charters experience enrollment fluctuations particularly high schools learned game system finding right formula meanwhile two foundations hired bostonbased consulting firm education resource strategies help cps determine structure perpupil budgeting system karen hawley miles firms president previously advised district conducted audit professional development spending time mileswho done extensive research school spendingand team assess funds currently distributed schools make recommendations studentbased budgeting formula chicago pushing hard towards perpupil funding know simple says miles whose report due january another issue considered ensure small schools funded fairly perpupil system grappling tough decisions hammer new funding formula one challenges district overcome seeks achieve equity miles says equally important making sure districts new studentbased budgeting system safeguards avoid hurting struggling schools may trouble attracting students may lack good leadership explains districts convert studentbased budgeting many initially soften blow redistribution providing supplemental funds schools stand lose money strategy keeps political fallout minimum says researcher marguerite roza center reinventing public education university washington chicago instance magnet selective enrollment schools tend get staff money regular public schools current plans supplement schools says chief staff hosanna mahaley district may point consider giving additional funds new funding formula may include supplement alternative schools reveals schools work students likely dropouts need special programs services help district officials remain optimistic prospects equitable funding many principals skeptical perpupil funding year principals three new high schools little village declined use system last month meeting elite principals freed central oversight worried would longer able afford employ veteran teachers perpupil system district officials continue planning convert budgeting system miles sounds cautionary note experience districts like houston shows always takes longer think says lots good reasons cant go school say funding much going take away contact mallika ahluwalia call 312 6733874 email mallikacatalystchicagoorg
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<p>Years &amp; Years (Photo courtesy 9:30 Club)</p>
<p>Olly Alexander, lead singer of British electronica-pop band Years &amp; Years, sounds like the guy you meet at the coffee shop who talks to you in a soft-spoken tone about the book he’s currently reading. He gives no indication that Years &amp; Years has won an mtvU award for “Artist to Watch” this year, has millions of views for their music videos on YouTube, and that this is their second-sold out show in D.C.</p>
<p>Years &amp; Years, consisting of Alexander, bassist Mikey Goldsworthy and synth player Emre Türkmen, has been making waves on the music charts with their single “King” reaching number one on the U.K. Singles Chart and their new single “Shine” has already shot to number two. Alexander, 25, met Goldsworthy and Türkmen after they had decided to form a band and became the group’s lead singer and keyboardist. Now, the group will be playing a sold-out show at 9:30 Club on Sept. 19.</p>
<p>Calling from New York City, where Years &amp; Years is preparing for a show before their 9:30 Club appearance, Alexander talked to the Blade about his sexuality, boyfriend and his re-found love for New Age gem shops.</p>
<p>Washington Blade: Lately you’ve been speaking up a lot about how you feel that gay singers should use more same-sex pronouns in their songs. Why do you think that’s so important?</p>
<p>Olly Alexander: Well I think popular culture influences culture. It influences everybody and we should be showcasing different kinds of relationships in our mainstream culture. Not just male and female but male and male and female and female. I think we live in a world where we all know that there are different dynamics. And I think pop music should reflect that and I think why not? Also, I just think it felt empowering personally so I think it could be empowering for other people to do it too.</p>
<p>Blade: Do you make a real effort to try and include same-sex pronouns in your own music?</p>
<p>Alexander: Yeah! I don’t want to dictate how anyone writes a song, that’s not my job at all. But I think I wanted to include it in my own lyrics so I did it in a few songs and it felt good to do that.</p>
<p>Blade: You’re also very open about your relationship with Neil Amin-Smith from the band Clean Bandit. Do you ever worry about people’s reactions to you as an out gay couple?</p>
<p>Alexander: I don’t worry in terms of like a homophobic level. That was never a consideration. I feel like that would be living in fear. I’m a big believer you should never live in fear or shame. Largely the response has been really wonderful and lovely. I think it’s been really kind of humbling for me to meet people who are so welcoming. They’re really grateful that we’ve been open about our relationship. The difficult thing is, you can imagine having a relationship that’s somewhat in the media can have its own pressure regardless if you’re a gay couple or not.</p>
<p>Blade: Were you ever concerned about being out and the lead singer of a band? Did you ever consider not publicly addressing it?</p>
<p>Alexander:&#160; I didn’t really consider that. I mean to be honest with all the music and when we made the music video for one of our earlier songs “Real,” &#160;you know the song was quite obviously about a boy and we made the video that I thought reflected kind of non-heteronormative sexuality. That was really obvious to other gay people that I was gay that I was singing about a man. So it was so much apart of the music that I would never, ever hide that. It would seem ridiculous to even try and do that.</p>
<p>Blade: This is the second sold-out show that Years &amp; Years has had in D.C. But you haven’t received too much radio play in this area. Do you think that your popularity came from the Internet? What do you think about the Internet’s impact on music artists these days?</p>
<p>Alexander: I think definitely it came from building a following online. The Internet I think has changed the way we listen to music. It’s changed the way we all live and consume music. I think maybe radio and commercial radio used to really determine the acts that kids gravitated towards. Now I think if you can build a fan base online you can go to these places and still have people show up to your shows. It’s kind of amazing.</p>
<p>Blade: When Years &amp; Years first started your sound wasn’t quite as electronic/pop as it is now. What brought about that change?</p>
<p>Alexander: It was just a natural evolution really. When we started we were just using instruments that we had. That was mainly guitars. We gradually began using more synthesizers and making more beats and producing on a laptop. Our tastes were changing and over a few years we discovered what music we enjoyed making and it was kind of electronic sounds. It kind of just came together gradually.</p>
<p>Blade: You’ve also done some acting in television and movies. You even co-wrote the screenplay for the film “The Dish and the Spoon.” Any plans for more acting or screenwriting?</p>
<p>Alexander: I haven’t gotten any plans at the moment. But you never know I might do it again some day in the future.</p>
<p>Blade: A lot of the roles you have done have been straight roles. What made you choose those particular roles?</p>
<p>Alexander: I just really took what I was offered. I just wanted to make some money.</p>
<p>Blade: You’ve mentioned before that your first job was at a New Age gem shop. Are you into New Age things like astrology or tarot cards?</p>
<p>Alexander: Wow, I love that you know that! I’m not so much at the moment. I used to be really into all of that kind of shit. But I went into a New Age-y kind of shop recently and bought a couple crystals. And I felt good about that.</p>
<p>Blade: Have you ever heard a lyric and wished that you had written it?</p>
<p>Alexander: Oh yeah all the time. There’s a really good Jeff Buckley lyric from a song called “Gunshot Glitter.” And the lyric is “I wanna be your lover/Lipstick my name across your mirror.” I really love a Joni Mitchell lyric in “Case of You” I remember that time you told me you said ‘love is touching souls’/surely you touched mine/Cause part of you pours out of me/in these lines from time to time” I really like that one too.</p>
<p>Blade: What do you want people to take away from your music? What do you think makes audiences connect to your music the way that they do?</p>
<p>Alexander: If they take away anything that’s kind of a win for me or make people feel a certain way. But I suppose to move someone and make them feel good or sad or make them think about something. That’s a bonus for me. We have always believe the song has to be like a good song. That’s a certain kind of science we’ve been obsessed with creating, making good hooks and structures. But apart from that we’ve really tried to do everything as authentically as possible. We write all of our own music and write every lyric and every melody. We’ve always been open and honest about that and I hope that connects with people too.</p>
<p />
<p><a href="" type="internal">Clean Bandit</a> <a href="" type="internal">Jeff Buckley</a> <a href="" type="internal">Joni Mitchell</a> <a href="" type="internal">Neil Amin-Smith</a> <a href="" type="internal">Olly Alexander</a> <a href="" type="internal">Years &amp; Years</a></p>
| false | 3 |
years amp years photo courtesy 930 club olly alexander lead singer british electronicapop band years amp years sounds like guy meet coffee shop talks softspoken tone book hes currently reading gives indication years amp years mtvu award artist watch year millions views music videos youtube secondsold show dc years amp years consisting alexander bassist mikey goldsworthy synth player emre türkmen making waves music charts single king reaching number one uk singles chart new single shine already shot number two alexander 25 met goldsworthy türkmen decided form band became groups lead singer keyboardist group playing soldout show 930 club sept 19 calling new york city years amp years preparing show 930 club appearance alexander talked blade sexuality boyfriend refound love new age gem shops washington blade lately youve speaking lot feel gay singers use samesex pronouns songs think thats important olly alexander well think popular culture influences culture influences everybody showcasing different kinds relationships mainstream culture male female male male female female think live world know different dynamics think pop music reflect think also think felt empowering personally think could empowering people blade make real effort try include samesex pronouns music alexander yeah dont want dictate anyone writes song thats job think wanted include lyrics songs felt good blade youre also open relationship neil aminsmith band clean bandit ever worry peoples reactions gay couple alexander dont worry terms like homophobic level never consideration feel like would living fear im big believer never live fear shame largely response really wonderful lovely think really kind humbling meet people welcoming theyre really grateful weve open relationship difficult thing imagine relationship thats somewhat media pressure regardless youre gay couple blade ever concerned lead singer band ever consider publicly addressing alexander160 didnt really consider mean honest music made music video one earlier songs real 160you know song quite obviously boy made video thought reflected kind nonheteronormative sexuality really obvious gay people gay singing man much apart music would never ever hide would seem ridiculous even try blade second soldout show years amp years dc havent received much radio play area think popularity came internet think internets impact music artists days alexander think definitely came building following online internet think changed way listen music changed way live consume music think maybe radio commercial radio used really determine acts kids gravitated towards think build fan base online go places still people show shows kind amazing blade years amp years first started sound wasnt quite electronicpop brought change alexander natural evolution really started using instruments mainly guitars gradually began using synthesizers making beats producing laptop tastes changing years discovered music enjoyed making kind electronic sounds kind came together gradually blade youve also done acting television movies even cowrote screenplay film dish spoon plans acting screenwriting alexander havent gotten plans moment never know might day future blade lot roles done straight roles made choose particular roles alexander really took offered wanted make money blade youve mentioned first job new age gem shop new age things like astrology tarot cards alexander wow love know im much moment used really kind shit went new agey kind shop recently bought couple crystals felt good blade ever heard lyric wished written alexander oh yeah time theres really good jeff buckley lyric song called gunshot glitter lyric wan na loverlipstick name across mirror really love joni mitchell lyric case remember time told said love touching soulssurely touched minecause part pours mein lines time time really like one blade want people take away music think makes audiences connect music way alexander take away anything thats kind win make people feel certain way suppose move someone make feel good sad make think something thats bonus always believe song like good song thats certain kind science weve obsessed creating making good hooks structures apart weve really tried everything authentically possible write music write every lyric every melody weve always open honest hope connects people clean bandit jeff buckley joni mitchell neil aminsmith olly alexander years amp years
| 659 |
<p>BRUSSELS, Belgium — The countries of Central and Eastern Europe have been getting a lot of bad press lately.</p>
<p>The Czech Republic is embroiled in a sex-and-bribery scandal after anti-corruption police swooped in on the prime minister's office and arrested his glamorous head of staff.</p>
<p>Bulgaria's government has been in power only three weeks, but already faces mass demonstrations demanding its resignation over graft allegations.</p>
<p>The European Parliament has accused Hungary of lurching toward authoritarianism.</p>
<p>And Slovenia is struggling to avoid becoming the next euro zone bailout case.</p>
<p>The turmoil comes almost a decade after most countries of the former Soviet Bloc joined the European Union, decisions that were hailed at the time for promising to cement their transformation into stable western democracies.</p>
<p>As the EU prepares to add Croatia as its 28th member July 1, however, some are now raising questions about the real impact of the union’s eastward expansion.</p>
<p>"There is a terrible fragility and weakness in parts of this enlargement, we are seeing this in Hungary now," says Judy Dempsey, senior associate at Carnegie Europe.</p>
<p>She calls Romania and Bulgaria’s 2007 entry into the EU "a disaster."</p>
<p>"The institutions of democracy, the practice of democracy, the implementation of democracy are not taking root,” she adds. “We need much, much stronger pressure on these countries to pursue reforms."</p>
<p>That concern runs to the top of the EU. European Energy Commission Gunther Oettinger, the most senior German official at the EU's head office, described Romania and Bulgaria last month as "ungovernable."</p>
<p>European lawmakers are urging the bloc to consider the unprecedented step of suspending Hungary's voting rights in the EU unless Prime Minister Viktor Orban backs down over plans to revise the country's constitution and legal code they say would undermine judicial independence, media freedom and human rights.</p>
<p>However, the recent slew of bad headlines belies what others see as far more positive underlying developments across much of Central Europe since eight former communist countries joined in 2004, followed by Romania and Bulgaria three years later.</p>
<p>Despite their current problems, most of those countries are firmly rooted in mainstream European democracy after having made remarkable progress.</p>
<p>Poland has emerged as a major player in European affairs. With its average GDP growth of more than 4 percent a year since joining the EU, it’s the only member country to have avoided slipping into recession at any time since the global financial crisis of 2008.</p>
<p>The fact that the Brussels rumor mill has several of Poland's leading politicians in pole position for top jobs at the EU and NATO that will be up for grabs next year illustrates the respect they’ve earned across the continent.</p>
<p>In Eastern Europe, the former Soviet Baltic republics have emerged from deep recession in 2008 to occupy the top three positions in the EU's economic growth rankings.</p>
<p>Estonia in particular has emerged as a model for small, open economies by successfully developing its high-tech sector. Latvia's sound economic management has won it the green light to join the euro zone in January, the fourth former communist state to join following Slovakia, Slovenia and Estonia.</p>
<p>"The European integration process has acted as a catalyst for sweeping reforms in democratic, economic and social terms in these countries where otherwise it would not have happened or would have happened a lot slower," says Corina Stratulat, policy analyst at the European Policy Center, a Brussels think tank.</p>
<p>"They haven't just become members of a union of countries, but part of a community of values, democratic political values and principles."</p>
<p>Even those eastern countries with serious political and economic problems have performed well since joining the EU.</p>
<p>In 2001, the average Romanian's purchasing power was only 28 percent of the EU average. By 2011, it had risen to 49 percent. In Bulgaria, the same indicator of personal wealth rose from 30 percent to 46 percent of the EU average, in Hungary from 58 percent to 66 percent, and in Slovenia from 80 percent to 84 percent.</p>
<p>Despite criticism from some quarters that Orban's power grab and the rampant corruption in Romania and Bulgaria have undermined the EU's values from within, officials at the bloc's headquarters are adamant the decision to open the door was the right one.</p>
<p>"It has been proved that enlargement is one of the most successful EU polices," says Peter Stano, the European Commission's spokesman on enlargement issues.</p>
<p>"We are extending the zone of stability and of prosperity, even if that sounds a little ironic in the current circumstances," Stano said in an interview. "If you look at the benefit and results of enlargement you see it’s not a cause of the current problems, it is part of the solution."</p>
<p>The EU's eastward expansion has also brought benefits for the West.</p>
<p>Spanish exports to Poland, which doubled in the past decade, have surpassed those to China. The opening of eastern European markets is estimated to have added 0.4 percent to Austria's yearly economic growth as trade with its neighbors tripled.</p>
<p>Germany sold goods worth $96 billion to Poland and the Czech Republic last year, a combined total that's higher than its exports to China or the United States.</p>
<p>One problem European officials recognize is that while the EU has powerful leverage over aspirant counties — by insisting they embrace democratic standards, tackle corruption and push through economic reforms in order to meet the EU's membership conditions — Brussels has less power to insist nations stick to those commitments once they become members.</p>
<p>That weakness has been thrown into sharp relief by the dilemma over how to respond to developments in Orban’s Hungary.</p>
<p>"Once you're in and things go wrong like in Hungary — and things are going terribly, terribly wrong in Hungary now — the EU actually has very few powers to influence or reverse the bad," Dempsey says from her base in Berlin.</p>
<p>"The real weakness of enlargement is how to follow up on the political reforms, consolidate democracy and strengthen accountability."</p>
<p>Orban's conservative Fidesz party was swept to power with a two-thirds majority in 2010 elections. That gave him power to rewrite the constitution to consolidate the government's power, which prompted widespread international condemnation.</p>
<p>The European Parliament's Civil Liberties Committee on Wednesday warned that Orban's actions risked violating the EU treaty, which enshrines "respect for human dignity, freedom, democracy, equality, the rule of law and respect for human rights, including the rights of persons belonging to minorities."</p>
<p>The treaty enables EU countries to vote to suspend a member’s right to vote in the bloc's policy setting meetings. However, they’ve been reluctant to use that "nuclear option."</p>
<p>When it was threatened in the past, after Austria's far-right Freedom Party was voted into power in 2000, the policy was judged to be a failure that strengthened support for the right-wingers.</p>
<p>EU officials are painfully aware that a heavy handed response to Hungary could bolster the ultranationalist Jobbik Party, whose views on Jews, Gypsies and other minorities — combined with expansionist designs on neighboring nations — make it even more distasteful than Orban.</p>
<p>The EU says it’s learned its lesson from such problems. Application tests of democratic and rule-of-law principles were tightened for Croatia and other potential members.ju</p>
<p>More from GlobalPost: <a href="http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/news/business/global-economy/130618/european-union-us-transatlantic-biggest-bilateral-trade-deal" type="external">EU, US speeding ahead on massive transatlantic trade deal</a></p>
<p>They include Iceland, which was expected to be next in line after the Croats until its citizens developed cold feet and put membership negotiations on hold.</p>
<p>Albania, Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia, Kosovo and Bosnia are all keen to sign up, but are a long way from meeting membership conditions. Turkey is also a candidate, but its negotiations have stalled with little enthusiasm from either side to revive them.</p>
<p>That means the party planned in Zagreb July 1 may be the last to celebrate the EU's expansion for some time.</p>
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brussels belgium countries central eastern europe getting lot bad press lately czech republic embroiled sexandbribery scandal anticorruption police swooped prime ministers office arrested glamorous head staff bulgarias government power three weeks already faces mass demonstrations demanding resignation graft allegations european parliament accused hungary lurching toward authoritarianism slovenia struggling avoid becoming next euro zone bailout case turmoil comes almost decade countries former soviet bloc joined european union decisions hailed time promising cement transformation stable western democracies eu prepares add croatia 28th member july 1 however raising questions real impact unions eastward expansion terrible fragility weakness parts enlargement seeing hungary says judy dempsey senior associate carnegie europe calls romania bulgarias 2007 entry eu disaster institutions democracy practice democracy implementation democracy taking root adds need much much stronger pressure countries pursue reforms concern runs top eu european energy commission gunther oettinger senior german official eus head office described romania bulgaria last month ungovernable european lawmakers urging bloc consider unprecedented step suspending hungarys voting rights eu unless prime minister viktor orban backs plans revise countrys constitution legal code say would undermine judicial independence media freedom human rights however recent slew bad headlines belies others see far positive underlying developments across much central europe since eight former communist countries joined 2004 followed romania bulgaria three years later despite current problems countries firmly rooted mainstream european democracy made remarkable progress poland emerged major player european affairs average gdp growth 4 percent year since joining eu member country avoided slipping recession time since global financial crisis 2008 fact brussels rumor mill several polands leading politicians pole position top jobs eu nato grabs next year illustrates respect theyve earned across continent eastern europe former soviet baltic republics emerged deep recession 2008 occupy top three positions eus economic growth rankings estonia particular emerged model small open economies successfully developing hightech sector latvias sound economic management green light join euro zone january fourth former communist state join following slovakia slovenia estonia european integration process acted catalyst sweeping reforms democratic economic social terms countries otherwise would happened would happened lot slower says corina stratulat policy analyst european policy center brussels think tank havent become members union countries part community values democratic political values principles even eastern countries serious political economic problems performed well since joining eu 2001 average romanians purchasing power 28 percent eu average 2011 risen 49 percent bulgaria indicator personal wealth rose 30 percent 46 percent eu average hungary 58 percent 66 percent slovenia 80 percent 84 percent despite criticism quarters orbans power grab rampant corruption romania bulgaria undermined eus values within officials blocs headquarters adamant decision open door right one proved enlargement one successful eu polices says peter stano european commissions spokesman enlargement issues extending zone stability prosperity even sounds little ironic current circumstances stano said interview look benefit results enlargement see cause current problems part solution eus eastward expansion also brought benefits west spanish exports poland doubled past decade surpassed china opening eastern european markets estimated added 04 percent austrias yearly economic growth trade neighbors tripled germany sold goods worth 96 billion poland czech republic last year combined total thats higher exports china united states one problem european officials recognize eu powerful leverage aspirant counties insisting embrace democratic standards tackle corruption push economic reforms order meet eus membership conditions brussels less power insist nations stick commitments become members weakness thrown sharp relief dilemma respond developments orbans hungary youre things go wrong like hungary things going terribly terribly wrong hungary eu actually powers influence reverse bad dempsey says base berlin real weakness enlargement follow political reforms consolidate democracy strengthen accountability orbans conservative fidesz party swept power twothirds majority 2010 elections gave power rewrite constitution consolidate governments power prompted widespread international condemnation european parliaments civil liberties committee wednesday warned orbans actions risked violating eu treaty enshrines respect human dignity freedom democracy equality rule law respect human rights including rights persons belonging minorities treaty enables eu countries vote suspend members right vote blocs policy setting meetings however theyve reluctant use nuclear option threatened past austrias farright freedom party voted power 2000 policy judged failure strengthened support rightwingers eu officials painfully aware heavy handed response hungary could bolster ultranationalist jobbik party whose views jews gypsies minorities combined expansionist designs neighboring nations make even distasteful orban eu says learned lesson problems application tests democratic ruleoflaw principles tightened croatia potential membersju globalpost eu us speeding ahead massive transatlantic trade deal include iceland expected next line croats citizens developed cold feet put membership negotiations hold albania macedonia montenegro serbia kosovo bosnia keen sign long way meeting membership conditions turkey also candidate negotiations stalled little enthusiasm either side revive means party planned zagreb july 1 may last celebrate eus expansion time
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<p>(ABP) — The wrath of God has become a point of contention since news broke that a new Presbyterian hymnal passed on the popular title In Christ Alone for theological reasons.</p>
<p>“Why do many Christians shrink from any thought of the wrath of God?” Keith Getty, who co-wrote the hymn — one of the most popular songs used today in churches across the United States and elsewhere — with British songwriter Stuart Townend in 2001, posted on the Getty Music website July 30.</p>
<p />
<p>The Irish-born Getty, who now lives in Nashville, Tenn., with his wife, Kristyn, endorsed a “spot on” First Things article by Baptist theologian Timothy George contending that God’s love is inseparable from God’s wrath.</p>
<p>“God's love is not sentimental; it is holy,” said George, dean of Samford University’s Beeson Divinity School. “It is tender, but not squishy. It involves not only compassion, kindness, and mercy beyond measure (what the New Testament calls grace) but also indignation against injustice and unremitting opposition to all that is evil.”</p>
<p>Controversial issues</p>
<p>George’s article came in response to an April Christian Century article describing “controversial issues” that confronted the Presbyterian Committee on Congregational Song as it worked on a new hymnal titled Glory to God due out this fall.</p>
<p>Committee chair Mary Louise Bringle, a hymn writer and professor at Brevard College in North Carolina, said the committee had concluded three-and-a-half years of quarterly meetings when an in-group disagreement arose in January 2012.</p>
<p>The group had voted for In Christ Alone, a song from the contemporary Christian canon, but altered a lyric from “as Jesus died/the wrath of God was satisfied” to “Till on that cross as Jesus died/the love of God was magnified.”</p>
<p>When the authors refused to authorize the change, which they considered too great a departure from their original words, the committee debated by e-mail whether to include the song with the original lyrics or remove it from the list.</p>
<p>The decision to drop the hymn wasn’t made lightly, said Bringle. It was complicated by a foul-up with the rights for the song.</p>
<p>The Baptists, too</p>
<p>Committee members had found a version of the hymn with the alternate text in the Celebrating Grace Hymnal, a Baptist hymnal published in 2010. They assumed the songwriters already had agreed to the change.</p>
<p>“We had every reason to think that this was an authorized text because it appeared in a recent hymnal,” Bringle said.</p>
<p>When it asked for permission to use the song, the committee learned that the song’s authors hadn’t approved the change.</p>
<p>Capitol CMG Publishing, which manages rights for In Christ Alone, said it is working with the hymnal’s publisher to fix the problem. Neither Getty nor the Celebrating Grace publisher was available for comment.</p>
<p>“We respect our songwriters and the integrity of their lyrics, and the intent of our request was to ensure the song retains the original lyrics as written by Keith Getty and Stuart Townend,” Capitol said in a prepared statement.</p>
<p>“Celebrating Grace Inc. is cooperating fully and is taking steps to make the correction in all distributed copies of the song, including the Celebrating Grace Hymnal.”</p>
<p>“People making a case to retain the text with the authors’ original lines spoke of the fact that the words expressed one view of God’s saving work in Christ that has been prevalent in Christian history: the view of Anselm and Calvin, among others, that God’s honor was violated by human sin and that God’s justice could only be satisfied by the atoning death of a sinless victim,” Bringle said.</p>
<p>“While this might not be our personal view, it was argued, it is nonetheless a view held by some members of our family of faith; the hymnal is not a vehicle for one group’s perspective but rather a collection for use by a diverse body.”</p>
<p>“Arguments on the other side pointed out that a hymnal does not simply collect diverse views, but also selects to emphasize some over others as part of its mission to form the faith of coming generations,” she said. “It would do a disservice to this educational mission, the argument ran, to perpetuate by way of a new [second] text the view that the cross is primarily about God’s need to assuage God’s anger.”</p>
<p>The final vote was six in favor of inclusion and nine against, giving the requisite two-thirds majority to the no votes. “The song has been removed from our contents list, with deep regret over losing its otherwise poignant and powerful witness,” Bringle said.</p>
<p>Calvinism advocate</p>
<p>George, who as a church history professor at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in the 1980s was an early advocate of a resurgence of Calvinism in the Southern Baptist Convention, said the debate is part of a recent trend of treating God’s wrath as something that is shameful and best left in the closet.</p>
<p>“The result is a less than fully biblical construal of who God is and what he has done, especially in the redemptive mission of Jesus Christ,” George said.</p>
<p>“The full New Testament teaching about the cross involves both expiation, which means providing a covering for sin, and propitiation, which means averting divine judgment,” he wrote. “The semantic range of the Greek words hilasmos/hilasterion includes both meanings. That is why the wrath of God cannot be brushed out of the story without remainder.”</p>
<p>Getty has been featured at national conferences of the Gospel Coalition, a group of churches concerned about movements among evangelicals they believe depart from historic beliefs and practices. The group’s confessional statement includes a belief that “by his incarnation, life, death, resurrection, and ascension, Jesus Christ acted as our representative and substitute.”</p>
<p>“He did this so that in him we might become the righteousness of God: on the cross he canceled sin, propitiated God, and, by bearing the full penalty of our sins, reconciled to God all those who believe,” the statement says.</p>
<p>“We believe that Christ, by his obedience and death, fully discharged the debt of all those who are justified,” it continues. “By his sacrifice, he bore in our stead the punishment due us for our sins, making a proper, real, and full satisfaction to God’s justice on our behalf.”</p>
<p>The hymnal panel said the next Presbyterian collection of hymns and songs will be published amid different conditions than those that molded previous ones.</p>
<p>“It will be used by a church many of whose members have not had lifelong formation by Scripture and basic Christian doctrine, much less Reformed theology,” said a statement on the Presbyterian Hymnal Project website. “It is meant for a church marked by growing diversity in liturgical practice. Moreover, it addresses a church divided by conflicts but nonetheless, we believe, longing for healing and the peace that is beyond understanding.”</p>
<p>Bob Allen ( <a href="" type="internal">[email protected]</a>) is managing editor of Associated Baptist Press. With additional information from Religion News Service.</p>
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abp wrath god become point contention since news broke new presbyterian hymnal passed popular title christ alone theological reasons many christians shrink thought wrath god keith getty cowrote hymn one popular songs used today churches across united states elsewhere british songwriter stuart townend 2001 posted getty music website july 30 irishborn getty lives nashville tenn wife kristyn endorsed spot first things article baptist theologian timothy george contending gods love inseparable gods wrath gods love sentimental holy said george dean samford universitys beeson divinity school tender squishy involves compassion kindness mercy beyond measure new testament calls grace also indignation injustice unremitting opposition evil controversial issues georges article came response april christian century article describing controversial issues confronted presbyterian committee congregational song worked new hymnal titled glory god due fall committee chair mary louise bringle hymn writer professor brevard college north carolina said committee concluded threeandahalf years quarterly meetings ingroup disagreement arose january 2012 group voted christ alone song contemporary christian canon altered lyric jesus diedthe wrath god satisfied till cross jesus diedthe love god magnified authors refused authorize change considered great departure original words committee debated email whether include song original lyrics remove list decision drop hymn wasnt made lightly said bringle complicated foulup rights song baptists committee members found version hymn alternate text celebrating grace hymnal baptist hymnal published 2010 assumed songwriters already agreed change every reason think authorized text appeared recent hymnal bringle said asked permission use song committee learned songs authors hadnt approved change capitol cmg publishing manages rights christ alone said working hymnals publisher fix problem neither getty celebrating grace publisher available comment respect songwriters integrity lyrics intent request ensure song retains original lyrics written keith getty stuart townend capitol said prepared statement celebrating grace inc cooperating fully taking steps make correction distributed copies song including celebrating grace hymnal people making case retain text authors original lines spoke fact words expressed one view gods saving work christ prevalent christian history view anselm calvin among others gods honor violated human sin gods justice could satisfied atoning death sinless victim bringle said might personal view argued nonetheless view held members family faith hymnal vehicle one groups perspective rather collection use diverse body arguments side pointed hymnal simply collect diverse views also selects emphasize others part mission form faith coming generations said would disservice educational mission argument ran perpetuate way new second text view cross primarily gods need assuage gods anger final vote six favor inclusion nine giving requisite twothirds majority votes song removed contents list deep regret losing otherwise poignant powerful witness bringle said calvinism advocate george church history professor southern baptist theological seminary 1980s early advocate resurgence calvinism southern baptist convention said debate part recent trend treating gods wrath something shameful best left closet result less fully biblical construal god done especially redemptive mission jesus christ george said full new testament teaching cross involves expiation means providing covering sin propitiation means averting divine judgment wrote semantic range greek words hilasmoshilasterion includes meanings wrath god brushed story without remainder getty featured national conferences gospel coalition group churches concerned movements among evangelicals believe depart historic beliefs practices groups confessional statement includes belief incarnation life death resurrection ascension jesus christ acted representative substitute might become righteousness god cross canceled sin propitiated god bearing full penalty sins reconciled god believe statement says believe christ obedience death fully discharged debt justified continues sacrifice bore stead punishment due us sins making proper real full satisfaction gods justice behalf hymnal panel said next presbyterian collection hymns songs published amid different conditions molded previous ones used church many whose members lifelong formation scripture basic christian doctrine much less reformed theology said statement presbyterian hymnal project website meant church marked growing diversity liturgical practice moreover addresses church divided conflicts nonetheless believe longing healing peace beyond understanding bob allen bobbaptistnewscom managing editor associated baptist press additional information religion news service
| 642 |
<p>Lexington, Ky. Mayor Jim Gray is running for the U.S. Senate. (Photo courtesy Gray for Kentucky)</p>
<p>Recognizing that Jim Gray would be a different kind of Washington politician if elected to the U.S. Senate takes only a brief encounter. In a legislative chamber filled with soapbox orators — arguably including his opponent Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) — the&#160;candidate stands out with a modest demeanor&#160;and&#160;a soft-spoken Kentucky drawl.</p>
<p>But Gray — who’s 63 and was twice elected mayor of Lexington — is also distinct because he’s an openly gay candidate running for a U.S. Senate seat in&#160;Kentucky, a “red” state in a region where the advances and opportunities enjoyed by LGBT people elsewhere aren’t present.</p>
<p>In an interview with the Washington Blade during one of his visits to Capitol Hill, the seventh-generation Kentuckian&#160;said his election to the Senate on Nov. 8 would dispel the notion openly LGBT candidates&#160;can’t achieve success in certain places of the country.</p>
<p>“I think there’s a widespread view that in the South, in the Midwest even, that LGBT candidates don’t really have a chance,” Gray said. “And I think what I know is that by focusing on results and performance that I proved that anyone can achieve what they hope to and that we should pursue those dreams.”</p>
<p>In addition to doubling the number of openly gay people&#160;in the Senate (Tammy Baldwin is currently the only openly gay&#160;person in the chamber), Gray’s election would make him the first openly gay statewide candidate elected in the region that has lagged behind in LGBT rights.</p>
<p>Following <a href="http://www.rollcall.com/news/politics/kentucky-gay-senate-candidate-anybody-care" type="external">a profile of his candidacy in the D.C.-based newspaper Roll Call</a>, Gray received an email from an&#160;openly gay aspiring politician in Georgia who was inspired by Gray’s openness. (The Washington Blade redacted the name of the individual who wrote the email upon request from the Gray campaign.)</p>
<p>“I want to thank you for running for Senate,” the email says. “I have been interested in a career in politics for quite some time now, but I never thought it possible to represent a historically red state, Georgia for me, until now. I am gay also, and I just wanted to let you know that thanks to you I am going to pursue my career in politics.”</p>
<p>Amid&#160;a contentious election season with name-calling&#160;on both sides, Gray said receiving that email makes him want to persevere in the face of challenges posed to his campaign.</p>
<p>“An email like that, or a message like that, provides a lot of inspiration for my candidacy because people are still saying this is a long shot running against Rand Paul, who a year ago was in a presidential campaign, and he has high name ID,” Gray said.</p>
<p>Recalling his decision to come out as gay 11 years ago during his tenure as Lexington mayor, Gray said changes for LGBT people since that time have been seismic.</p>
<p>“Coming out 11 years ago was almost a century ago in some respects,” Gray said. “A lot of change has occurred in 11 years. There was nothing casual about it…especially in the South, especially in a red state like Kentucky. I think that’s where still some of the toughest and most challenging battles are before us.”</p>
<p>But Gray is basing&#160;his&#160;campaign on his&#160;ability to “get results.” His long career in local politics includes election to the Lexington City Council&#160;in 2006 and election as mayor in 2010, followed by reelection in 2014. From 2004 to 2009, Gray was president of Gray Construction, a family business previously run by his father, overseeing a 38 percent increase in revenue.</p>
<p>The experience at Gray Construction, Gray said, helped him overcome financial challenges as mayor, including&#160;the elimination of a budget deficit of 10 percent, fixing a fire and police pension underfunded by $350 million and reforming health insurance for city employees.</p>
<p>“I proved that you can take good management practices and principles and you can translate those from private sector into government, and you can get results,” Gray said.</p>
<p>In contrast&#160;to his&#160;candidacy, Gray said Paul — who opposes&#160;marriage&#160;equality and voted against the Employment Non-Discrimination Act — has&#160;exhibited&#160;“a pattern of abdication” when it comes to&#160;LGBT people — and everyone else.</p>
<p>“I think he claims to be a libertarian, and then he doesn’t support marriage equality,” Gray said. “He claims to be a constitutionalist, and then he doesn’t support the Senate taking up the nomination of the Supreme Court candidate Merrick Garland. So, Paul’s all over the board. He’s certainly not demonstrated support for the LGBT community.”</p>
<p>Aisha Moodie-Mills, CEO of the Victory Fund, said the appeal&#160;of Gray, whom her organization has endorsed, is “pitch perfect for Kentucky voters.”</p>
<p>“His campaign is about growing the state’s economy and improving the lives of the middle class because he understands this election is about the concerns of Kentuckians – not about him,” Moodie-Mills said. “His election would be a dramatic victory for equality. For us, his candidacy is so exciting because he would add a unique and much needed perspective to the U.S. Senate.”</p>
<p>But despite the potential significance of Gray’s election to the U.S. Senate,&#160;he faces hurdles to winning in a “red” state where Donald Trump is popular and Hillary Clinton is not.&#160;According to an August poll from the Kentucky-based RunSwitch PR and Harper Polling, Paul leads with 50 percent of support compared to&#160;38 percent for Gray&#160;— a margin of 12 points.</p>
<p>Gray pointed to fundraising numbers — he’s raised $2.9 million and has more than&#160;$1 million in cash on hand — and a demonstrated ability to “get things done” as reasons why in a “red” state he could ultimately achieve victory on Election Day.</p>
<p>“And at the end of the day, I have confidence that that’s what the voters want to see,” Gray said. “Somebody who actually wants to get things done. I’ve made a business career where I created thousands of jobs, where I was a problem solver, did the same thing in government. As far as I know, Rand Paul has never created a job in his life and he doesn’t know how to run anything.”</p>
<p>Perhaps to avoid diminishing his electoral prospects, Gray wouldn’t&#160;completely denounce Trump&#160;when asked if the GOP nominee would roll back LGBT rights as president.</p>
<p>“He said he wouldn’t,” Gray&#160;said. “You either take him at his word or you don’t. I think you look at the alliances Trump has and it makes us wonder. It’s not unexpected it would make us wonder. He’s clearly tried to reach out to the community, but he’s doing that with lots of minorities.”</p>
<p>As for Clinton, Gray was also measured, saying advancing LGBT rights has “been her history,” but tempered that by adding “at least recently.”</p>
<p>“If you dial back 20 years, ‘Don’t Ask Don’t Tell,’ a lot of these are Clinton initiatives, defense of marriage,” Gray said. “So they had a change of heart, or change of mind themselves, but that’s not unlike America. I think that’s what we’ve seen in the march toward human rights within the LGBT community. We’ve seen a dramatic change quickly. And I think my candidacy is frankly an illustration of that.”</p>
<p>If elected to the Senate, Gray said the Equality Act — comprehensive LGBT non-discrimination legislation — would be an LGBT rights issue he’d champion.</p>
<p>“I think it’s important to focus on discrimination at every level,” Gray said. “Discrimination at any level is a threat to freedom and justice and equality at every level, and including our transgender community is also important. And that’s a piece of this legislation that’s relevant and certainly legislation that I would support and champion.”</p>
<p>Gray said he discussed&#160;the Equality Act — which would add sexual orientation and gender identity to the Civil Rights Act of 1964 — with Baldwin, who’s an original co-sponsor of the bill.</p>
<p>As Lexington mayor, Gray has experience in advancing&#160;a pro-LGBT rights initiative: The extension of domestic spousal&#160;benefits to city employees with same-sex partners. Although the measure may seem&#160;quaint in 2016, Lexington made the decision to extend them before the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in favor of same-sex marriage made such benefits mandatory.</p>
<p>Gray recalled working with the city council — which had already enacted&#160;a prohibition on LGBT discrimination in the city — to take the next step and advance partner benefits because “it was the right thing to do.”</p>
<p>“We had instituted domestic partner benefits in our family’s business before that, and that was with my encouragement at the business,” Gray said. “And we thought it was the right time for the city to also initiate partner benefits.”</p>
<p>Chris Hartman, director of the Kentucky-based Fairness Campaign, said Gray’s election to the U.S. Senate after having worked to&#160;advance LGBT issues in Lexington&#160;would send a nationwide signal.</p>
<p>“Jim Gray’s election to the United States Senate would be historic for LGBT people nationwide, but especially for LGBT Kentuckians,” Hartman said. “It would signal to so many LGBT youth in rural states that they have the same potential as everyone else.”</p>
<p>Gray said “any place can be a good place” to be LGBT, but living in a state home to Rowan County Clerk Kim Davis — who gained national attention&#160;for refusing to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples — is not without challenges.</p>
<p>“It’s what you make of it,” Gray said. “I’ve always engaged challenges. I think challenges are healthy, so, for me, coming out 11 years ago running for city council was an expression of a dream that I’d always had for public service.”</p>
<p>Over the course of his Senate campaign, Gray said his sexual orientation has “not openly” been a negative issue, but he&#160;“had a couple of encounters where it was awkward.” Being gay, Gray said, has received more attention now&#160;as opposed to his earlier local campaigns because his bid for a Senate seat is “more of a national race.”</p>
<p>“There’s no escaping that I experienced some concerns about it, some apprehension about it, the extent to which sexual orientation would be an issue,” Gray said. “But I’m very proud of who I am, so any anxiety that I’ve had about it was dispelled quickly.”</p>
<p>That self-assurance&#160;as well as recognition of national progress on LGBT acceptance, Gray said, encourages him to seek to break another barrier with&#160;his election to the U.S. Senate.</p>
<p>“Ten years ago, I would never have imagined myself sitting here with you doing this interview with you,” Gray said. “I was thinking running for city council and winning would be a big deal, so that shows that things have come a long way.”</p>
<p><a href="" type="internal">election 2016</a> <a href="" type="internal">Jim Gray</a> <a href="" type="internal">Rand Paul</a></p>
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lexington ky mayor jim gray running us senate photo courtesy gray kentucky recognizing jim gray would different kind washington politician elected us senate takes brief encounter legislative chamber filled soapbox orators arguably including opponent sen rand paul rky the160candidate stands modest demeanor160and160a softspoken kentucky drawl gray whos 63 twice elected mayor lexington also distinct hes openly gay candidate running us senate seat in160kentucky red state region advances opportunities enjoyed lgbt people elsewhere arent present interview washington blade one visits capitol hill seventhgeneration kentuckian160said election senate nov 8 would dispel notion openly lgbt candidates160cant achieve success certain places country think theres widespread view south midwest even lgbt candidates dont really chance gray said think know focusing results performance proved anyone achieve hope pursue dreams addition doubling number openly gay people160in senate tammy baldwin currently openly gay160person chamber grays election would make first openly gay statewide candidate elected region lagged behind lgbt rights following profile candidacy dcbased newspaper roll call gray received email an160openly gay aspiring politician georgia inspired grays openness washington blade redacted name individual wrote email upon request gray campaign want thank running senate email says interested career politics quite time never thought possible represent historically red state georgia gay also wanted let know thanks going pursue career politics amid160a contentious election season namecalling160on sides gray said receiving email makes want persevere face challenges posed campaign email like message like provides lot inspiration candidacy people still saying long shot running rand paul year ago presidential campaign high name id gray said recalling decision come gay 11 years ago tenure lexington mayor gray said changes lgbt people since time seismic coming 11 years ago almost century ago respects gray said lot change occurred 11 years nothing casual itespecially south especially red state like kentucky think thats still toughest challenging battles us gray basing160his160campaign his160ability get results long career local politics includes election lexington city council160in 2006 election mayor 2010 followed reelection 2014 2004 2009 gray president gray construction family business previously run father overseeing 38 percent increase revenue experience gray construction gray said helped overcome financial challenges mayor including160the elimination budget deficit 10 percent fixing fire police pension underfunded 350 million reforming health insurance city employees proved take good management practices principles translate private sector government get results gray said contrast160to his160candidacy gray said paul opposes160marriage160equality voted employment nondiscrimination act has160exhibited160a pattern abdication comes to160lgbt people everyone else think claims libertarian doesnt support marriage equality gray said claims constitutionalist doesnt support senate taking nomination supreme court candidate merrick garland pauls board hes certainly demonstrated support lgbt community aisha moodiemills ceo victory fund said appeal160of gray organization endorsed pitch perfect kentucky voters campaign growing states economy improving lives middle class understands election concerns kentuckians moodiemills said election would dramatic victory equality us candidacy exciting would add unique much needed perspective us senate despite potential significance grays election us senate160he faces hurdles winning red state donald trump popular hillary clinton not160according august poll kentuckybased runswitch pr harper polling paul leads 50 percent support compared to16038 percent gray160 margin 12 points gray pointed fundraising numbers hes raised 29 million than1601 million cash hand demonstrated ability get things done reasons red state could ultimately achieve victory election day end day confidence thats voters want see gray said somebody actually wants get things done ive made business career created thousands jobs problem solver thing government far know rand paul never created job life doesnt know run anything perhaps avoid diminishing electoral prospects gray wouldnt160completely denounce trump160when asked gop nominee would roll back lgbt rights president said wouldnt gray160said either take word dont think look alliances trump makes us wonder unexpected would make us wonder hes clearly tried reach community hes lots minorities clinton gray also measured saying advancing lgbt rights history tempered adding least recently dial back 20 years dont ask dont tell lot clinton initiatives defense marriage gray said change heart change mind thats unlike america think thats weve seen march toward human rights within lgbt community weve seen dramatic change quickly think candidacy frankly illustration elected senate gray said equality act comprehensive lgbt nondiscrimination legislation would lgbt rights issue hed champion think important focus discrimination every level gray said discrimination level threat freedom justice equality every level including transgender community also important thats piece legislation thats relevant certainly legislation would support champion gray said discussed160the equality act would add sexual orientation gender identity civil rights act 1964 baldwin whos original cosponsor bill lexington mayor gray experience advancing160a prolgbt rights initiative extension domestic spousal160benefits city employees samesex partners although measure may seem160quaint 2016 lexington made decision extend us supreme courts decision favor samesex marriage made benefits mandatory gray recalled working city council already enacted160a prohibition lgbt discrimination city take next step advance partner benefits right thing instituted domestic partner benefits familys business encouragement business gray said thought right time city also initiate partner benefits chris hartman director kentuckybased fairness campaign said grays election us senate worked to160advance lgbt issues lexington160would send nationwide signal jim grays election united states senate would historic lgbt people nationwide especially lgbt kentuckians hartman said would signal many lgbt youth rural states potential everyone else gray said place good place lgbt living state home rowan county clerk kim davis gained national attention160for refusing issue marriage licenses samesex couples without challenges make gray said ive always engaged challenges think challenges healthy coming 11 years ago running city council expression dream id always public service course senate campaign gray said sexual orientation openly negative issue he160had couple encounters awkward gay gray said received attention now160as opposed earlier local campaigns bid senate seat national race theres escaping experienced concerns apprehension extent sexual orientation would issue gray said im proud anxiety ive dispelled quickly selfassurance160as well recognition national progress lgbt acceptance gray said encourages seek break another barrier with160his election us senate ten years ago would never imagined sitting interview gray said thinking running city council winning would big deal shows things come long way election 2016 jim gray rand paul
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<p>OXFORD, UK — The Duke Humfrey reading room at Oxford University’s Bodleian Library doesn’t look much different than it did at its founding in 1612.</p>
<p>Weak light trickles in through windows adorned with 17th-century Dutch stained glass. Shelves of leather-bound and gilt-edged manuscripts rise to a wood-paneled ceiling inscribed with the benefactor’s crest and university motto “Dominus Illuminatio Mea”: The Lord is my light.</p>
<p>Scholars still use this room and its 500-year-old volumes. Elsewhere in the library’s stone complex, however, work is underway that could change institutions such as the Bodleian more than anything since the invention of the printing press.</p>
<p>In April, parliament granted the Bodleian and five other libraries in Britain and Ireland the authority to archive not only all print publications in those countries, but digital ones as well.</p>
<p>That means that every piece of digital content produced and publicly available in the UK — every tweet, every Tumblr, every e-book and online magazine — will be swept from the web and archived for future generations.</p>
<p>The legislation, for which the libraries lobbied more than a decade, allows them to update their collections to include the digital ephemera that nowadays document great turns in history as well as the minutiae of everyday life.</p>
<p>It also presents a new challenge for archivists who must corral a torrent of data that’s growing by the second, and organize it in a way that will be useful to future researchers. It will transform institutions whose architecture was designed to preserve ink and paper, not servers and terabytes.</p>
<p>“It’s an awful lot of data and we don’t know how people will use it yet, and that’s an exciting thing,” said Susan Thomas, digital archivist at the Bodleian Library.</p>
<p>The new digital collection has roots in a 400-year-old agreement. In 1610, a wealthy diplomat named Thomas Bodley looking to boost Oxford’s collections struck a deal with the Stationer’s Guild: give us a copy of everything you publish, and we’ll promise to preserve it for the public.</p>
<p>Bodley’s handshake has grown into a system known as legal deposit. Six libraries in the UK and Ireland — the British Library, National Library of Scotland, National Library of Wales, the Bodleian Libraries at Oxford, Cambridge University Library and Trinity College Library Dublin — have the right to a copy of every book, magazine and newspaper produced in those countries.</p>
<p>The British Library takes a copy of pretty much everything. The other five choose what they want. In Oxford, a single week’s intake of books covers a long table in a human-high stack.</p>
<p>They will now be adding to that haul a digital copy of every website ending in .uk and other digital material produced here in Britain. That’s an estimated 4.8 million websites with more than a billion pages at the moment.</p>
<p>Before the April legislation, libraries had no rights to archive digital material — even publicly available stuff — without obtaining a license or express permission of the copyright holder.</p>
<p>“Clearly, when you’re talking about 4.8 million websites, that’s not feasible on a large scale,” says Richard Gibby, legal deposit project officer at the British Library.</p>
<p>The new legislation closes a gap through which much documentation of modern life was falling — the posts and photos that evaporate from the public web almost as quickly as they’re created.</p>
<p>“It lets us capture the kind of material we haven’t had before,” Gibby said. “Evidence of the way life was like in 2013 — what people cared about, what made us laugh.”</p>
<p>The British Library will gather the data in an annual “crawl” of the web and store it in four server farms around the country. The first batch of material is set to go live in early 2014.</p>
<p>Just because it’s digital doesn’t mean it will be available anywhere and to anyone, however. Most of the new electronic material will be accessible only to users inside the library buildings.</p>
<p>As some libraries have already discovered, turning the vast haul of data into something useful will be no small task.</p>
<p>The US Library of Congress signed an agreement with Twitter in April 2010 that bequeathed every public tweet since the company’s inception.</p>
<p>The library has since acknowledged struggles to find a searchable, comprehensive way to organize a collection that’s now 170 billion tweets strong.</p>
<p>“It is clear that technology to allow for scholarship access to large data sets is lagging behind technology for creating and distributing such data,” the library wrote in a <a href="http://www.loc.gov/today/pr/2013/files/twitter_report_2013jan.pdf" type="external">January report</a>.</p>
<p>Beyond the technological challenges, librarians must also predict how future researchers will want to engage with the information.</p>
<p>Thirty years ago, a historian interested in public reactions to an election or a linguist researching a word’s evolution couldn’t have imagined a resource like Twitter. Factor in such things as metadata, and the possibilities for how future scholars might use the collections begin to seem endless.</p>
<p>For people in the information-preservation business, these are heady times. When prime ministers or other notables used to donate their “papers” to the British Library or the Bodleian, the library received boxes of, well, paper: letters, books and other print materials.</p>
<p>Today, digital archivist Thomas says, such bequests include five-inch floppy disks, three-inch floppy disks, USB sticks and hard drives along with handwritten and print materials — the records of life during a media revolution.</p>
<p>More from GlobalPost: <a href="http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/news/regions/europe/united-kingdom/130624/uk-charge-foreign-visitors-4500-visa-bond" type="external">Britain plans to charge foreign visitors $4,500</a></p>
<p>Whether in a letter or a tweet, a Polaroid tucked between pages or an Instagram photo, there’s also always the possibility people may be leaving permanent records of indiscrete or embarrassing moments they may not have intended to preserve for posterity.</p>
<p>That’s where archivists’ jobs haven’t changed, Thomas says.</p>
<p>“This is one of the moral roles of the archivist,” she says. “It’s not so different than with paper — things slip in.”</p>
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oxford uk duke humfrey reading room oxford universitys bodleian library doesnt look much different founding 1612 weak light trickles windows adorned 17thcentury dutch stained glass shelves leatherbound giltedged manuscripts rise woodpaneled ceiling inscribed benefactors crest university motto dominus illuminatio mea lord light scholars still use room 500yearold volumes elsewhere librarys stone complex however work underway could change institutions bodleian anything since invention printing press april parliament granted bodleian five libraries britain ireland authority archive print publications countries digital ones well means every piece digital content produced publicly available uk every tweet every tumblr every ebook online magazine swept web archived future generations legislation libraries lobbied decade allows update collections include digital ephemera nowadays document great turns history well minutiae everyday life also presents new challenge archivists must corral torrent data thats growing second organize way useful future researchers transform institutions whose architecture designed preserve ink paper servers terabytes awful lot data dont know people use yet thats exciting thing said susan thomas digital archivist bodleian library new digital collection roots 400yearold agreement 1610 wealthy diplomat named thomas bodley looking boost oxfords collections struck deal stationers guild give us copy everything publish well promise preserve public bodleys handshake grown system known legal deposit six libraries uk ireland british library national library scotland national library wales bodleian libraries oxford cambridge university library trinity college library dublin right copy every book magazine newspaper produced countries british library takes copy pretty much everything five choose want oxford single weeks intake books covers long table humanhigh stack adding haul digital copy every website ending uk digital material produced britain thats estimated 48 million websites billion pages moment april legislation libraries rights archive digital material even publicly available stuff without obtaining license express permission copyright holder clearly youre talking 48 million websites thats feasible large scale says richard gibby legal deposit project officer british library new legislation closes gap much documentation modern life falling posts photos evaporate public web almost quickly theyre created lets us capture kind material havent gibby said evidence way life like 2013 people cared made us laugh british library gather data annual crawl web store four server farms around country first batch material set go live early 2014 digital doesnt mean available anywhere anyone however new electronic material accessible users inside library buildings libraries already discovered turning vast haul data something useful small task us library congress signed agreement twitter april 2010 bequeathed every public tweet since companys inception library since acknowledged struggles find searchable comprehensive way organize collection thats 170 billion tweets strong clear technology allow scholarship access large data sets lagging behind technology creating distributing data library wrote january report beyond technological challenges librarians must also predict future researchers want engage information thirty years ago historian interested public reactions election linguist researching words evolution couldnt imagined resource like twitter factor things metadata possibilities future scholars might use collections begin seem endless people informationpreservation business heady times prime ministers notables used donate papers british library bodleian library received boxes well paper letters books print materials today digital archivist thomas says bequests include fiveinch floppy disks threeinch floppy disks usb sticks hard drives along handwritten print materials records life media revolution globalpost britain plans charge foreign visitors 4500 whether letter tweet polaroid tucked pages instagram photo theres also always possibility people may leaving permanent records indiscrete embarrassing moments may intended preserve posterity thats archivists jobs havent changed thomas says one moral roles archivist says different paper things slip
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<p>People today like to blog. They spill forth their innermost thoughts and share them on all forms of social media. In earlier times people did the same thing, only they wrote formal letters. In the 1860s one Richmond pastor wrote letters to the editor of the local newspaper and used that forum as a way to call attention to grievous social issues.</p>
<p>The pastor wrote under a pseudonym. He disguised his identity by writing as if he were a young girl working in one of the factories in his town. He gave himself the nom de plume of Struggle. It was an apt name because the working class people of the time found life to be a continuous struggle.</p>
<p />
<p>No one knew the identity of the writer and most assumed that the writer actually was a young female. People became alarmed by the content of the letters and they approached the pastor of the town’s Baptist church, asking him what he thought about the issues. He would act concerned but never revealed the secret behind Struggle.</p>
<p>The letters in the Richmond Dispatch told about terrible working conditions in the factories, about the low wages and even complained about the muddy and unsanitary conditions of the streets. It is little wonder that the town of Manchester, Va., had the common nickname of “Dog Town.” It was located just across the bridge to the south of the crown jewel of Southern cities, Richmond. In those times, it was a separate town from the capital city. It was blue-collar working-class before there were blue collars.&#160;</p>
<p>William E. Hatcher was a student at the Baptist school, Richmond College, when he was invited to walk from the campus across the bridge into Manchester and preach at Manchester Baptist Church. As a student, he went Sunday after Sunday and preached largely to what he called “rows of well-behaved empty benches.” As he walked back to the campus he would pray that when he was called to his first pastorate, it would be any place on earth other than Manchester.&#160;</p>
<p>But when the call came, it was Manchester. He kept serving and preaching and one day a little girl came down the aisle, giving herself to the Lord, and it was like opening a floodgate. People responded and Manchester Baptist Church began to flourish. In 1864 he married Jennie Snead and began to establish his family in Manchester.&#160;</p>
<p />
<p>In 1867 he was so moved by everything he saw around him that he began the Struggle letters.&#160;</p>
<p>“I am nothing but an humble factory girl but a mighty ambition struggles in my soul,” Hatcher wrote in his first letter. “Don’t despise me (as some do) because I am compelled to earn my bread by working in a cotton factory. Some girls in the factory are mad with me for my speeches. I care not. What suits me, I praise; what annoys, I condemn.”</p>
<p>Over the course of the next few months, “little Miss” Struggle condemned much of the social ills of Manchester. She told of working hours that lasted from 7 in the morning till 8 at night.</p>
<p>“Isn’t this work outrageous. If the oppressed do not cry for mercy how shall they find relief.”</p>
<p>She scoffed at the streets which were no more than “elongated mud pits” and the rickety houses and the leaky roofs of the churches. Little escaped her attention.</p>
<p>Everybody was talking about the Struggle letters and wondering who was the writer. Once when asked what he thought about the mysterious letter writer, Hatcher said: “There are some things about the letters which sound very much like the talk of a factory girl; but then there are other features of the letters that wear the mark of a man correspondent. The fact is I often think they are written by some man.”</p>
<p>Struggle really went to meddling when the letter was published about the habits of some of Manchester’s menfolks. She decried the men who loitered on the streets, “getting home late at night and getting up late in the morning and speaking insultingly to the girls on the street.” She described these loafers as men with “red noses and red eyes.”&#160;</p>
<p>People were getting a little nervous about Struggle. Who would be the next person or place under attack? But they couldn’t wait till the next issue of the Dispatch appeared to see the topic of the day.</p>
<p>Little by little, Struggle got results. The town fathers began to order that the streets be paved. The factory owners adjusted the working hours. Some painted their houses. Churches patched their roofs. William E. Hatcher’s writings worked wonders.&#160;</p>
<p>At one point Struggle wrote some comparisons between the two neighboring communities on the James River.</p>
<p>“Richmond reminds me of a girl who, poorly raised, by a stroke of good fortune becomes the petted wife of some rich and stupid old bachelor. She decks herself in all the extremes of fashionable folly, assumes lofty flaunting airs and hastens to forget the humility of her origin.”</p>
<p>In comparison to the vain and pompous Richmond, Manchester was pictured as a person with “a broken back and a grey head.”</p>
<p>Struggle tried to shame the Manchester residents into improving themselves. She noted that the town fell below the mark, that their children were not being educated, that their young men aspired to no worthy professions.</p>
<p>Eldridge Hatcher, the minister’s son, noted in his biography of his father that “the letters worked a revolution.”</p>
<p>“The town became dissatisfied with itself and began to brush its straggling locks and to deck itself in clean and attractive attire. It caught a fresh ambition and entered upon a new career.”</p>
<p>In 1910 Manchester was absorbed into Richmond. It has had its ups and downs and ups again. There long has been “the Manchester gang” who keep Dog Town from being totally forgotten. There are areas that are worse than they were in Struggle’s day, but much of it has been leveled and rebuilt as industries and warehouses. And there also are upwardly mobile young professionals who have come to live in some of the condos which have been constructed.</p>
<p>Manchester Baptist Church, later known as Bainbridge Street, held on to the end. When it closed, the members gave its records and even some of its assets to the Virginia Baptist Historical Society. Struggle would have been pleased.&#160;</p>
<p>Fred Anderson ( <a href="mailto:[email protected]" type="external">[email protected]</a>) is executive director of the Virginia Baptist Historical Society and the Center for Baptist Heritage and Studies.</p>
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people today like blog spill forth innermost thoughts share forms social media earlier times people thing wrote formal letters 1860s one richmond pastor wrote letters editor local newspaper used forum way call attention grievous social issues pastor wrote pseudonym disguised identity writing young girl working one factories town gave nom de plume struggle apt name working class people time found life continuous struggle one knew identity writer assumed writer actually young female people became alarmed content letters approached pastor towns baptist church asking thought issues would act concerned never revealed secret behind struggle letters richmond dispatch told terrible working conditions factories low wages even complained muddy unsanitary conditions streets little wonder town manchester va common nickname dog town located across bridge south crown jewel southern cities richmond times separate town capital city bluecollar workingclass blue collars160 william e hatcher student baptist school richmond college invited walk campus across bridge manchester preach manchester baptist church student went sunday sunday preached largely called rows wellbehaved empty benches walked back campus would pray called first pastorate would place earth manchester160 call came manchester kept serving preaching one day little girl came aisle giving lord like opening floodgate people responded manchester baptist church began flourish 1864 married jennie snead began establish family manchester160 1867 moved everything saw around began struggle letters160 nothing humble factory girl mighty ambition struggles soul hatcher wrote first letter dont despise compelled earn bread working cotton factory girls factory mad speeches care suits praise annoys condemn course next months little miss struggle condemned much social ills manchester told working hours lasted 7 morning till 8 night isnt work outrageous oppressed cry mercy shall find relief scoffed streets elongated mud pits rickety houses leaky roofs churches little escaped attention everybody talking struggle letters wondering writer asked thought mysterious letter writer hatcher said things letters sound much like talk factory girl features letters wear mark man correspondent fact often think written man struggle really went meddling letter published habits manchesters menfolks decried men loitered streets getting home late night getting late morning speaking insultingly girls street described loafers men red noses red eyes160 people getting little nervous struggle would next person place attack couldnt wait till next issue dispatch appeared see topic day little little struggle got results town fathers began order streets paved factory owners adjusted working hours painted houses churches patched roofs william e hatchers writings worked wonders160 one point struggle wrote comparisons two neighboring communities james river richmond reminds girl poorly raised stroke good fortune becomes petted wife rich stupid old bachelor decks extremes fashionable folly assumes lofty flaunting airs hastens forget humility origin comparison vain pompous richmond manchester pictured person broken back grey head struggle tried shame manchester residents improving noted town fell mark children educated young men aspired worthy professions eldridge hatcher ministers son noted biography father letters worked revolution town became dissatisfied began brush straggling locks deck clean attractive attire caught fresh ambition entered upon new career 1910 manchester absorbed richmond ups downs ups long manchester gang keep dog town totally forgotten areas worse struggles day much leveled rebuilt industries warehouses also upwardly mobile young professionals come live condos constructed manchester baptist church later known bainbridge street held end closed members gave records even assets virginia baptist historical society struggle would pleased160 fred anderson fredandersonvbmborg executive director virginia baptist historical society center baptist heritage studies
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<p>When people talk about Janette Roberson, two things come to mind.</p>
<p>There is her beauty, easily seen on the outside and easily apparent on the inside once you met the 27-year-old.</p>
<p>Then, there is the talk about her horrific murder.</p>
<p>It’s a crime that now, more than 33 years later, remains unsolved.</p>
<p>A brutal killing</p>
<p>Janette’s sister, Lana Lockhart, seven months pregnant at the time, was in the shower when she heard a knock on her door.</p>
<p>“There were these two officers standing there,” Lana told Dateline. “They wouldn’t tell me why they were there, but kept saying I needed to call my mother. So I called and my brother answered. He said, “Janette is dead.” I thought it was a joke, and I told him it wasn’t funny. But he wasn’t joking.”</p>
<p>Lana and Janette weren’t close. There were some painful events in their childhood. Lana describes their family dynamic as complicated and strained, but being told her sister had been killed was numbing.</p>
<p>“I didn’t understand,” she said. “Why Janette?”</p>
<p>Janette, her husband and their two children had moved to the small town of Reed City, Michigan about eight months prior her death. She had a job working in the pet department in the basement of a local store called Gambles, right off the main road in town.</p>
<p>It was in that basement where another employee found Janette’s bruised and battered body on the afternoon of January 19, 1983. Police believe she had to have been killed sometime between 1 and 4 p.m. that afternoon.</p>
<p>Although there had been other employees and customers walking around upstairs, no one reportedly heard anything.</p>
<p>Janette, severely beaten with several different blunt objects, had also been sexually assaulted. “This was a brutal -- very brutal --killing,” Janette’s sister Lana said. “I don’t know how someone can do that to another person.”</p>
<p>At the time, Reed City was home to offices for three law enforcement agencies: the Reed City Police Department, the Michigan State Police, and the Osceola County Sheriff’s Department. Each department participated in the investigation, according to local newspaper reports at the time.</p>
<p>Police questioned a man who left town on a bus that afternoon, but later released him. Several weeks after the murder, police released three sketches of men they wanted to talk to in relation to the case. Nearly $7,000 was raised to offer as a reward for information that could solve the case. None of the tips reported led to anything substantial.</p>
<p>A crime like that just didn’t happen there</p>
<p>The murder had sent a shiver through the tiny Michigan town. Things like that didn’t happen there, especially not to a woman as kind and friendly as Janette.</p>
<p>“I remember just thinking, “Why?” Even at, like, 11, 12, it made a big impact,” remembers Carrie Hudson. “This teeny-tiny, kind, religious, sweet woman had been beaten to death. It was unheard of.”</p>
<p>Carrie was friends with Janette’s daughter Jennifer. Her family lived in the same apartment complex as the Roberson family.</p>
<p>She can recall countless memories of afternoons spent with Janette and her children. But one memory in particular stands out, one she said that exemplifies the type of person she remembers Janette being.</p>
<p>“She had actually taken in this baby bird who, I think, had fallen out of its nest. She raised that bird. She just loved animals and took a lot of care with it. I remember getting in with her, her daughter Jennifer and her son, to drive to a fish hatchery so she could set the bird free,” Carrie told Dateline.</p>
<p>“And we just sat there, for what seemed like an eternity, waiting for this bird to fly away. But it had been raised by Janette, so it just stayed with us for so long. She so wanted that bird to be OK.”</p>
<p>Eyes quickly looked to Janette’s husband Alvin shortly after his wife was found dead. He’d reportedly been having an affair at the time, and it’s been rumored he and Janette may have been talking about divorce.</p>
<p>Children would taunt the couple’s kids at school, Carrie remembers.</p>
<p>Shortly after Janette’s murder, Alvin packed up his family and moved them back to Georgia. He would later marry the woman with whom he had been rumored to be having the affair. “I don’t really blame them for leaving, really. I try to put myself in their shoes and that town is so small. People were talking,” Carrie told Dateline.</p>
<p>The idea Alvin had something to do with Janette’s murder? The theory holds “no water,” says Janette’s sister, Lana. While her husband did not, Janette had adopted the Jehovah Witness faith. Her religious beliefs encouraged her to be devoted entirely to him.</p>
<p>An affair wouldn’t have affected Janette, Lana said, although she never discussed the matter specifically with her sister.</p>
<p>But from her limited view into the couple’s relationship, Lana doubts Alvin would be able to do anything that brutal to his wife. “When I saw him after, he just stared ahead. I tried to talk with him, but he just stared forward,” Lana told Dateline. “He was devastated. He couldn’t have had anything to do with it.”</p>
<p>Alvin and the woman he was having the affair with, were later ruled out as suspects, according to authorities.</p>
<p>A crime of opportunity?</p>
<p>Days turned to months and months to years in the investigation, and still no official suspect has ever been named in Janette’s murder.</p>
<p>One theory of the crime has stuck, mostly with those who knew Janette. They believe whoever killed her, did so in a moment of rage. From what they know about the crime scene and from Janette’s autopsy, they believe the killer used objects available to him in that basement. It wasn’t a carefully thought out crime, they say.</p>
<p>“I believe someone was infatuated with her -- had a crush on her. My sister was very friendly and naïve, really,” said Lana. “Whoever did this could have gone there to make a move and she rejected this person, and boom. That was all it took.”</p>
<p>Janette’s daughter’s friend, Carrie, echoed the same idea. “It’s not like this person brought a weapon with them. I don’t think it was a fully planned thing,” she said.</p>
<p>A fresh hope for answers</p>
<p>For most of Elena Cavender’s life, she didn’t hear much about the death of her aunt Janette.</p>
<p>“My grandmother told me when I was younger, my aunt had been killed and had been hit in the head with a brick,” remembers Elena. “She wasn’t mentioned much. I guess now it was because of how horrible her death was.”</p>
<p>But eight or so years ago, Elena decided to do some digging. She read about the terrifying crime, and eventually decided to talk to her mom about it. “I was like, ‘Mom, we need to talk to someone about this. It’s still not solved.’ I was determined to get some answers,” Elena told Dateline.</p>
<p>The crime was especially terrifying as Elena, now with children of her own, lives in Reed City. “To think that this person could still be here and be someone’s neighbor, I don’t understand how people aren’t more scared by it,” she said.</p>
<p>People in the area do still remember the crime, but Elena doesn’t believe people understand the brutality of it. Her hope is that with more exposure, people will take it more seriously.</p>
<p>Elena’s conversation with her mother sparked action. The two, along with Carrie, have since launched a website, a Facebook page under Janette’s name. And each year, near the anniversary of Janette’s death, they’ve organized walks to the building where Janette was killed, all in an effort to push for tips in the case.</p>
<p>Their efforts, they said, have been somewhat successful. “We talk with police and they told us to not stop the walks,” Elena told Dateline. “They get so many tips when we do them, we’re going to keep doing them as long as it remains an unsolved case.”</p>
<p>The group, though, is frustrated with how the case has been handled by authorities, going back to that very first day.</p>
<p>“The crime scene was a chaotic disaster,” Carrie told Dateline. “Things weren’t done in an organized way. Her case files are in three different boxes. Sometimes we feel like we’re banging our heads against the wall here looking for answers, but we have to keep going.”</p>
<p>A few years ago, an author began making calls about Janette’s case. She was interested in writing a book, later released under the title ‘Redacted: A Search for Truth About the Murder of Janette Roberson.’ The hope was that it would prompt answers in the case, but they still have not come.</p>
<p>It’s been frustrating for Janette’s sister, Lana.</p>
<p>“Someone out there knows something. They need to finally come forward,” she told Dateline. “The scary thing is the person who did this is out there somewhere. That’s terrifying, because Janette was killed in a horrible way. What’s stopping this person from doing it again? We need to get them off the streets.”</p>
<p>With the emergence of new crime-scene technologies in the decades since the 80s, the idea is perhaps DNA left at the scene could be linked to someone who committed another crime. It’s an idea Carrie believes is a possibility.</p>
<p>“If they did this once, they probably did it again. Or did something else,” Carrie said. “I don’t know how much it costs to run those tests or check the data bases, but it could solve this.”</p>
<p>The opportunity for a new investigation could be close. A cold case unit, looking into cases in the county, has Janette’s case on their list, according to Carrie.</p>
<p>Detectives in the unit did not respond to Dateline’s request for comment, but Carrie said they are looking into one case at a time. Janette’s, she hopes, will be looked at soon.</p>
<p>Pushing forward</p>
<p>October 25, 2016 would have been Janette’s 61st birthday.</p>
<p>“The really sad thing is that she’s been dead now longer than she was alive,” her sister Lana told Dateline. “What would her life have been like? We won’t ever know.”</p>
<p>Lana has not spoken with Janette’s children in years. She thinks her probe into their mother’s murder has been painful for them.</p>
<p>Carrie, who was close friends with Janette’s daughter, Jennifer, continued to speak frequently to her childhood friend as they grew up. Until Carrie became heavily involved in the search for answers in Janette’s murder. As with Lana, Carrie believes it isn’t something Janette’s children want brought up in their lives.</p>
<p>“I don’t know what they’ve been through. Having your mother taken away from you at that young an age cannot be an easy thing,” said Carrie. “It’s not my place to question them about it.”</p>
<p>Despite whatever challenges have come their way, the group pushes forward. They are planning the walk for the 34th anniversary of Janette’s death in January. They’re going to keep pushing forward in whatever way they can to find justice for Janette.</p>
<p>“She’s my sister. She’s a human being. You shouldn’t be able to do that to someone and not face justice,” Lana told Dateline. “Justice is long awaited for Janette.”</p>
<p>If you have any information regarding Janette’s case, you are urged to call the Michigan State Police at (989) 773-5951.</p>
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people talk janette roberson two things come mind beauty easily seen outside easily apparent inside met 27yearold talk horrific murder crime 33 years later remains unsolved brutal killing janettes sister lana lockhart seven months pregnant time shower heard knock door two officers standing lana told dateline wouldnt tell kept saying needed call mother called brother answered said janette dead thought joke told wasnt funny wasnt joking lana janette werent close painful events childhood lana describes family dynamic complicated strained told sister killed numbing didnt understand said janette janette husband two children moved small town reed city michigan eight months prior death job working pet department basement local store called gambles right main road town basement another employee found janettes bruised battered body afternoon january 19 1983 police believe killed sometime 1 4 pm afternoon although employees customers walking around upstairs one reportedly heard anything janette severely beaten several different blunt objects also sexually assaulted brutal brutal killing janettes sister lana said dont know someone another person time reed city home offices three law enforcement agencies reed city police department michigan state police osceola county sheriffs department department participated investigation according local newspaper reports time police questioned man left town bus afternoon later released several weeks murder police released three sketches men wanted talk relation case nearly 7000 raised offer reward information could solve case none tips reported led anything substantial crime like didnt happen murder sent shiver tiny michigan town things like didnt happen especially woman kind friendly janette remember thinking even like 11 12 made big impact remembers carrie hudson teenytiny kind religious sweet woman beaten death unheard carrie friends janettes daughter jennifer family lived apartment complex roberson family recall countless memories afternoons spent janette children one memory particular stands one said exemplifies type person remembers janette actually taken baby bird think fallen nest raised bird loved animals took lot care remember getting daughter jennifer son drive fish hatchery could set bird free carrie told dateline sat seemed like eternity waiting bird fly away raised janette stayed us long wanted bird ok eyes quickly looked janettes husband alvin shortly wife found dead hed reportedly affair time rumored janette may talking divorce children would taunt couples kids school carrie remembers shortly janettes murder alvin packed family moved back georgia would later marry woman rumored affair dont really blame leaving really try put shoes town small people talking carrie told dateline idea alvin something janettes murder theory holds water says janettes sister lana husband janette adopted jehovah witness faith religious beliefs encouraged devoted entirely affair wouldnt affected janette lana said although never discussed matter specifically sister limited view couples relationship lana doubts alvin would able anything brutal wife saw stared ahead tried talk stared forward lana told dateline devastated couldnt anything alvin woman affair later ruled suspects according authorities crime opportunity days turned months months years investigation still official suspect ever named janettes murder one theory crime stuck mostly knew janette believe whoever killed moment rage know crime scene janettes autopsy believe killer used objects available basement wasnt carefully thought crime say believe someone infatuated crush sister friendly naïve really said lana whoever could gone make move rejected person boom took janettes daughters friend carrie echoed idea like person brought weapon dont think fully planned thing said fresh hope answers elena cavenders life didnt hear much death aunt janette grandmother told younger aunt killed hit head brick remembers elena wasnt mentioned much guess horrible death eight years ago elena decided digging read terrifying crime eventually decided talk mom like mom need talk someone still solved determined get answers elena told dateline crime especially terrifying elena children lives reed city think person could still someones neighbor dont understand people arent scared said people area still remember crime elena doesnt believe people understand brutality hope exposure people take seriously elenas conversation mother sparked action two along carrie since launched website facebook page janettes name year near anniversary janettes death theyve organized walks building janette killed effort push tips case efforts said somewhat successful talk police told us stop walks elena told dateline get many tips going keep long remains unsolved case group though frustrated case handled authorities going back first day crime scene chaotic disaster carrie told dateline things werent done organized way case files three different boxes sometimes feel like banging heads wall looking answers keep going years ago author began making calls janettes case interested writing book later released title redacted search truth murder janette roberson hope would prompt answers case still come frustrating janettes sister lana someone knows something need finally come forward told dateline scary thing person somewhere thats terrifying janette killed horrible way whats stopping person need get streets emergence new crimescene technologies decades since 80s idea perhaps dna left scene could linked someone committed another crime idea carrie believes possibility probably something else carrie said dont know much costs run tests check data bases could solve opportunity new investigation could close cold case unit looking cases county janettes case list according carrie detectives unit respond datelines request comment carrie said looking one case time janettes hopes looked soon pushing forward october 25 2016 would janettes 61st birthday really sad thing shes dead longer alive sister lana told dateline would life like wont ever know lana spoken janettes children years thinks probe mothers murder painful carrie close friends janettes daughter jennifer continued speak frequently childhood friend grew carrie became heavily involved search answers janettes murder lana carrie believes isnt something janettes children want brought lives dont know theyve mother taken away young age easy thing said carrie place question despite whatever challenges come way group pushes forward planning walk 34th anniversary janettes death january theyre going keep pushing forward whatever way find justice janette shes sister shes human shouldnt able someone face justice lana told dateline justice long awaited janette information regarding janettes case urged call michigan state police 989 7735951
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<p>Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and Gov. Mike Huckabee (R-Ark.) agreed to push for religious freedom legislation in their first 100 days in office. (Washington Blade photos by Michael Key)</p>
<p>In the 1930s, President Roosevelt promised the American people in his first 100 days in office he would push for passage of “New Deal” legislation aimed to lift the country out of the Great Depression. Eighty years later, Republican presidential candidates Ted Cruz and Mike Huckabee are promising to use the same span of time to enact a religious freedom bill seen to enable anti-LGBT discrimination.</p>
<p>The candidates made the comments in separate interviews on EWTN News with Robert George, a prominent conservative law professor at Princeton University who said during his discussion with Cruz the U.S. Supreme Court decision in favor of same-sex marriage was a “tragic mistake.”</p>
<p>The interview with Cruz was apparently conducted on Nov. 25 and published on Nov. 30, but brought to light by <a href="http://www.christianpost.com/news/ted-cruz-2016-presidential-election-religious-liberty-151760/" type="external">a report in the Christian Post on Sunday</a>. A video of the Huckabee interview was <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3vz1ImBPkxQ" type="external">published online</a>over the weekend.</p>
<p>After decrying the legal reasoning behind the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in favor of same-sex marriage, George asked Cruz whether in his first 100 days in office he would push for passage of the First Amendment Defense Act.</p>
<p>“Absolutely, yes,” Cruz said. “As you know, I’m an original sponsor of that legislation. And when it comes to religious liberty, religious liberty has been a passion for me for decades, and it has been something that I have been fighting to defend for many, many years.”</p>
<p>Cruz said he’s “convinced” the 2016 election “is going to be a religious liberty election,” reiterating his pledge to direct the Justice Department and the Internal Revenue Service to end religious persecution of Americans.</p>
<p>Huckabee offered the same commitment to make the First Amendment Defense Act a priority in response to the same question in his interview.</p>
<p>Asked whether it would be a priority in his first 100 days, Huckabee replied, “Yes, because I think it is something that ought to be low-hanging fruit — not that it would be, I think it would be a battle — but it ought to be fairly easy to convince the American public that you’re not creating something new, not a new right. You’re simply wanting to codify the existing right that we have in the Constitution.”</p>
<p>The First Amendment Defense Act — introduced by Rep. Raul Labrador (R-Idaho) in the U.S. House and Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah) in the U.S. Senate — on its face prohibits the federal government from taking action against individuals who oppose same-sex marriage, although “individuals” is defined broadly in the bill to include for-profit businesses.</p>
<p>Critics say the legislation would go further and enable anti-LGBT discrimination — as well as potential bias against single mothers and unmarried couples. Among other things, it would allow government workers to refuse to issue marriage licenses to&#160;same-sex couples and compromise President Obama’s executive order barring federal contractors from engaging in anti-LGBT bias.</p>
<p>Both candidates also took the opportunity to rail against transgender people in response to a question about an Illinois school district reaching an agreement with the Department of Education to enable a transgender student to use a locker room consistent with her gender identity.</p>
<p>Cruz said as a father, he wouldn’t want his children being required to use the same facilities as transgender children in schools and current policy “shows just how radical and extreme the current administration is.”</p>
<p>“I don’t want my daughters taking showers with little boys,” Cruz said. “I don’t want them when they’re in junior high, or high school, and it’s absurd. No parents do.”</p>
<p>Cruz called transgender advocates “zealots,” saying during a Senate hearing a Department of Education official refused to deny the administration would begin “persecuting” school districts that refuse to accommodate transgender students consistent with their gender identity.</p>
<p>Huckabee accused the Obama administration of creating a “ludicrous notion” that an individual “can just wake up one day and say, you know, I know I have the biological makeup of a male and a have the gene, I’m genetically male, but I kind of feel feminine today, or I’m going to feel feminine for the next year or the rest of my life.”</p>
<p>When George interjected by saying transgender individuals often feel this way their entire lives, Huckabee replied, “Whatever they feel.”</p>
<p>“I don’t care,” Huckabee continued. “You’re biologically a male and you don’t have the right to go in and expose yourself to females. And I’m, of all the things that we’ve been dealing with over the past few years in our culture, whether it’s the sanctity of life and the definition of marriage, frankly, this is the most baffling to me that people, education, thoughtful people would with a straight face defend the notion that it is normal, that it is perfectly legitimate, for a person just to declare oneself to be a different gender.</p>
<p>Huckabee added. “It borders on laughable, and I know to say it’s laughable would bring great contempt because people would say you’re being insensitive. I’m not being insensitive. I’m exercising just a little bit of common sense.”</p>
<p>Other Republican presidential candidates made headlines with anti-LGBT remarks this weekend.</p>
<p>An interview was made public with U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) in which he said <a href="" type="internal">he would reverse</a> Obama’s executive order prohibiting anti-LGBT workplace discrimination among federal contractors. Former neurosurgeon Ben Carson told a town hall in Iowa <a href="" type="internal">he preferred the U.S. military under “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell”</a> and criticized the Pentagon plan to implement openly transgender service in the armed forces.</p>
<p>TJ Helmstetter, a spokesperson for the Democratic National Committee, took both Rubio and Cruz to task for making commitments to roll back LGBT rights.</p>
<p>“Marco Rubio and Ted Cruz, just like the rest of the major Republican candidates for president, would be a disaster for LGBT Americans and their families,” Helmstetter said. “Not only would the momentum for equality be stopped in its tracks under a Rubio or Cruz presidency, but we would also see serious setbacks – like allowing federal contractors once again to discriminate against LGBT workers and ending protections for transgender members of the government workforce.”</p>
<p><a href="" type="internal">election 2016</a> <a href="" type="internal">First Amendment Defense Act</a> <a href="" type="internal">Mike Huckabee</a> <a href="" type="internal">Ted Cruz</a></p>
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sen ted cruz rtexas gov mike huckabee rark agreed push religious freedom legislation first 100 days office washington blade photos michael key 1930s president roosevelt promised american people first 100 days office would push passage new deal legislation aimed lift country great depression eighty years later republican presidential candidates ted cruz mike huckabee promising use span time enact religious freedom bill seen enable antilgbt discrimination candidates made comments separate interviews ewtn news robert george prominent conservative law professor princeton university said discussion cruz us supreme court decision favor samesex marriage tragic mistake interview cruz apparently conducted nov 25 published nov 30 brought light report christian post sunday video huckabee interview published onlineover weekend decrying legal reasoning behind us supreme courts decision favor samesex marriage george asked cruz whether first 100 days office would push passage first amendment defense act absolutely yes cruz said know im original sponsor legislation comes religious liberty religious liberty passion decades something fighting defend many many years cruz said hes convinced 2016 election going religious liberty election reiterating pledge direct justice department internal revenue service end religious persecution americans huckabee offered commitment make first amendment defense act priority response question interview asked whether would priority first 100 days huckabee replied yes think something ought lowhanging fruit would think would battle ought fairly easy convince american public youre creating something new new right youre simply wanting codify existing right constitution first amendment defense act introduced rep raul labrador ridaho us house sen mike lee rutah us senate face prohibits federal government taking action individuals oppose samesex marriage although individuals defined broadly bill include forprofit businesses critics say legislation would go enable antilgbt discrimination well potential bias single mothers unmarried couples among things would allow government workers refuse issue marriage licenses to160samesex couples compromise president obamas executive order barring federal contractors engaging antilgbt bias candidates also took opportunity rail transgender people response question illinois school district reaching agreement department education enable transgender student use locker room consistent gender identity cruz said father wouldnt want children required use facilities transgender children schools current policy shows radical extreme current administration dont want daughters taking showers little boys cruz said dont want theyre junior high high school absurd parents cruz called transgender advocates zealots saying senate hearing department education official refused deny administration would begin persecuting school districts refuse accommodate transgender students consistent gender identity huckabee accused obama administration creating ludicrous notion individual wake one day say know know biological makeup male gene im genetically male kind feel feminine today im going feel feminine next year rest life george interjected saying transgender individuals often feel way entire lives huckabee replied whatever feel dont care huckabee continued youre biologically male dont right go expose females im things weve dealing past years culture whether sanctity life definition marriage frankly baffling people education thoughtful people would straight face defend notion normal perfectly legitimate person declare oneself different gender huckabee added borders laughable know say laughable would bring great contempt people would say youre insensitive im insensitive im exercising little bit common sense republican presidential candidates made headlines antilgbt remarks weekend interview made public us sen marco rubio rfla said would reverse obamas executive order prohibiting antilgbt workplace discrimination among federal contractors former neurosurgeon ben carson told town hall iowa preferred us military dont ask dont tell criticized pentagon plan implement openly transgender service armed forces tj helmstetter spokesperson democratic national committee took rubio cruz task making commitments roll back lgbt rights marco rubio ted cruz like rest major republican candidates president would disaster lgbt americans families helmstetter said would momentum equality stopped tracks rubio cruz presidency would also see serious setbacks like allowing federal contractors discriminate lgbt workers ending protections transgender members government workforce election 2016 first amendment defense act mike huckabee ted cruz
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<p>It all begins with a storm — a typhoon sweeping past the Philippines, a tropical cyclone growing near Australia, or a hurricane building along the Mexican coast. These are sources of swell, an undulation that can trundle mile upon mile across the open ocean.</p>
<p>As it approaches shore, wind, bathymetry (the topography of the sea floor)&#160;and obstacles such as islands or jutting peninsulas all shape the way the swell transforms into a wave that crashes on the beach.</p>
<p>For surfers, catching a suitable wave was long an exercise in intuition and luck. These days, however, they can tap a suite of tools&#160;that help&#160;take the guesswork out of the game. In addition to HD cameras now set up at surf spots around the world, there are also websites and apps that cull atmospheric and oceanic data from a variety of sources — including NASA satellites, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) buoys, and wind anemometers — in order to provide timely surf forecasts.</p>
<p>Jake Kean Mayman, who lives in Venice Beach, California, is one surfer who’s found this influx of tools useful. He admits that he’s “kind of gotten addicted” to websites that help decipher all the available data on surf and wind conditions, and to the webcams that reveal the status of his preferred breaks.</p>
<p>For the edge that this technology has given them, surfers like Kean Mayman largely have a surfer named Sean Collins to thank. With only a couple meteorology courses at Long Beach Community College under his belt, but extensive time spent studying the subject on his own, in 1985 Collins was recruited to join&#160; <a href="http://www.surfline.com/home/index.cfm" type="external">Surfline</a>, the nation’s first commercial surf prediction center geared toward surfers.</p>
<p>He grew the company&#160;into a global enterprise that provides weather and forecasting services not just to surfers, but to all lifeguard agencies in California, as well as the Coast Guard, US&#160;Navy SEALs, the National Weather Service&#160;and television and movie production companies, among other entities, according to a&#160; <a href="http://www.surfline.com/surf-news/sean-collins-1952-2011_64380/" type="external">profile</a>&#160;on Surfline.com about Collins, who passed away in 2011 at the age of 59.</p>
<p>“[Collins] completely changed what it means to be a surfer,” says Chris Dixon, the founding online editor for&#160;Surfer&#160;magazine who first met Collins in 1996. “Surfers used to be perceived as beach bums because they had to drop everything when waves came. If you were going to be an addicted, devoted surfer, you couldn’t have a boyfriend or girlfriend or a steady job. He made it possible to know when waves were coming and altered the definition of who surfers are.”</p>
<p>Collins grew up in Southern California&#160;and started surfing at Seal Beach in Orange County when he was just 8. In those days, the only way for surfers to figure out if a wave was worth the ride was to either test the waters for themselves, or wait for a phone call from&#160;friends already scoping the scene, says Dixon, who’s also the author of&#160;Ghost Wave: The Discovery of Cortes Bank and the Biggest Wave on Earth.</p>
<p>As a teenager, Collins spent time sailing with his father, which buoyed his interest in meteorology, according to his son, AJ Collins. In the 1970s, Collins became engrossed with&#160;surf prediction, poring over charts for clues into the nature of swells. “Part of [my father’s] aim was to refine his understanding of his environment,” says 25-year-old AJ.</p>
<p>To hone&#160;his formulas, Collins also studied the research of famed physical oceanographer Walter Munk, who pioneered wave prediction techniques to help Allied forces better execute amphibious missions during World War II. And Collins made his own surf observations.</p>
<p>He would sit atop his house in Seal Beach, peering out at the Pacific, according to&#160;Dixon. From that vantage point, he’d keep track of how large the waves were, how many arrived in sets, the number of seconds between the waves (called wave period), and the directions from which they were coming, for example. But to really understand&#160;why and how the waves arrived when they did, Collins would then compare what he saw on his hometown beach with week-old weather reports from other locales in the Pacific Ocean.</p>
<p>Understanding weather events in far-flung regions was a key step in developing prescient wave models, according to Dixon. “Sean had this amazing ability to take disparate sources of information and turn them into a forecast,” he says.</p>
<p>After informally fielding calls for several years from friends seeking surf tips, Collins realized there was a need and market for forecasting services. That’s when he helped found the first iteration of Surfline, a call-in surf forecasting phone service.</p>
<p>Two years later, Collins left the business and started a rival company, Wavetrack. But he later bought out Surfline and merged the two companies. Surfline’s current home base is fitting: Huntington Beach, California, also known as Surf City, USA.</p>
<p>In 1992, Surfline expanded from providing forecasts by&#160;phone to disseminating them via fax to a few spots around Southern California. During that time, Collins and his team relied on weather charts, observational data, wave physics equations, and Collins’ own algorithms to make their predictions. Because of inherent uncertainty in their forecasts, however, “there was a lot of anticipation and a lot of nerves” the night before monster waves had been predicted to arrive, recalls Surfline’s chief meteorologist Mark Willis, who joined the company in 2000.</p>
<p>Still, WaveFax, as the product was known, was a game changer for surfers, according to Dixon. “The copy machine at&#160;Surfer&#160;would just get burned up with this,” he says. “It’s tough to express how important it was when that WaveFax came in, because that’s how we planned our lives.”</p>
<p>These days, those intermittent faxes&#160;are a quaint memory. Now surfers can go to Surfline’s&#160; <a href="http://www.surfline.com/home/index.cfm" type="external">website</a>, which Collins launched in 1995, or open its app and hone in on local conditions — including wave height, wind direction, tide, swell — for 3,690 beaches around the world, from Santa Monica, California, to Skagen, Denmark. With a paid subscription, users can access even more detailed data and get predictions for swells more than two weeks away.</p>
<p>The accuracy of Surfline’s forecasts have improved, too, as a result of advancements in wave modeling techniques, a proliferation of observational ocean data, and importantly, the development of&#160; <a href="http://www.surfline.com/surf-science/what-is-lola---forecaster-blog_61031/" type="external">LOLA</a>. That’s the company’s predictive swell-modeling tool, which crunches real-time data on ocean conditions to provide forecasts on weather, surf heights, and wave period, among other things. Collins began developing this proprietary computer program in 1999 with William O’Reilly, an oceanographer with the Scripps Institution of Oceanography who continues to work with Surfline as a lead wave modeler.</p>
<p>The data feeding into LOLA comes from myriad sources, including NOAA, offshore buoys, NASA satellites — and Surfline’s nine full-time forecasters. “We basically apply our own secret sauce to make an accurate surf prediction,” says Willis. “There’s still a lot of uncertainty in the models.” In other words, Willis’ team tweaks the data&#160;LOLA’s churning out in order to incorporate local knowledge about the peculiarities of individual surf spots, including expanses of reef, ocean floor depth&#160;and features such as islands or offshore canyons.&#160;(Not all of the forecasts on Surfline’s website incorporate human wisdom, however. Some are entirely automated.)</p>
<p>Surfline’s forecasters also vet their predictions by cross-checking with other ocean weather tracking systems. For example, Willis recalls a scenario where LOLA was showing 30-foot waves for a swell generated by a storm near Japan and moving toward Hawaii and Micronesia. The team then consulted a NASA satellite — which just so happened to pass over the exact point that LOLA had measured — and observed that waves in the same spot were 35 feet high. Not too shabby, but they corrected their forecast accordingly. “We can adjust a forecast on the fly,” says Willis.</p>
<p>The team can spot-check predictions, too, by inspecting surf conditions on the beach, using their extensive system of HD cameras, the first of which Collins installed about two decades ago. Dixon remembers when Collins sent him a link to view a camera at Huntington Beach. “My jaw hit the floor,” he says. “To be able to look in real-time at the waves at Huntington Beach in the mid- to late-1990s was a complete game changer.”</p>
<p>Surfline operates 210 (and growing)&#160;HD cameras&#160;spread along coasts across the globe — the largest number of any surf forecasting company. “As the sun starts to come up, we start to look at the cameras and we see how the surf is all up and down the coast,” says Jonathan Warren, another Surfline forecaster. He gets up around dawn so his first surf report of the day for his beaches around Southern California are posted within 20 minutes after sunrise. He checks what the models are saying, then double checks using the HD cameras in order to produce the most accurate rundown of surf conditions.</p>
<p>As a surfer, Warren has a personal stake in ensuring that their models match what’s happening at the beach. “If the surf looks like crap we go back to sleep, but if it looks good, we’ll grab our boards and validate it.”</p>
<p>While Surfline was a pioneer in surf forecasting,&#160;it’s not the only game in town. Other surfing organizations and companies also operate HD cameras and offer predictions, many free of charge. Surfer Kean Mayman, for instance, often relies on the cameras operated by&#160; <a href="http://swellmagnet.com/" type="external">SwellMagnet.com</a>, a Southern California-based company. And&#160; <a href="http://magicseaweed.com/" type="external">MagicSeaweed.com</a>,&#160; <a href="http://www.swellinfo.com/" type="external">Swellinfo.com</a>, and&#160; <a href="http://www.surfingmagazine.com/" type="external">SURFING&#160;magazine</a>&#160;offer surf predictions, as does&#160; <a href="http://www.stormsurf.com/" type="external">Stormsurf.com</a>, which surfer Mark Sponsler founded in the mid-’90s.</p>
<p>“Surfline surely has more competition than they did,” says Dixon, “but I think the reason people still subscribe to them is because their forecasts are generally considered to be the most reliable and definitive.”</p>
<p>A surfer named Adam&#160;in northern Los Angeles and Santa Barbara&#160;checks Stormsurf and&#160;SURFING&#160;magazine’s&#160; <a href="http://forecasts.surfingmagazine.com/" type="external">SwellWatch</a>, but he also pays for a subscription to Surfline and has been using the site for the last five years. “I need to know if I need to clear my schedule on Sunday and blow everything off,” he says.</p>
<p>Despite the appeal&#160;of available data and HD cameras, however, some surfers scoff at the idea of relying on a website or an app. Surfing “takes it roots really seriously, [and] it is always striving for this romantic notion of the past,” says surfer Kean Mayman. “And that’s why you hear people criticize the fact that we do have too many technology options.”</p>
<p>Meanwhile, AJ Collins, who is a competitive surfer himself, sees all surfers as data collectors in their own way. “Some people collect data just by looking at the ocean. Some people collect data by looking at the data itself,” he says. Ultimately, “each surfer has their unique connection with the ocean.”</p>
<p>This <a href="http://www.sciencefriday.com/articles/catching-a-break/" type="external">story</a> first aired as an interview on <a href="http://www.sciencefriday.com/" type="external">Science Friday</a> with Ira Flatow.</p>
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begins storm typhoon sweeping past philippines tropical cyclone growing near australia hurricane building along mexican coast sources swell undulation trundle mile upon mile across open ocean approaches shore wind bathymetry topography sea floor160and obstacles islands jutting peninsulas shape way swell transforms wave crashes beach surfers catching suitable wave long exercise intuition luck days however tap suite tools160that help160take guesswork game addition hd cameras set surf spots around world also websites apps cull atmospheric oceanic data variety sources including nasa satellites national oceanic atmospheric administration noaa buoys wind anemometers order provide timely surf forecasts jake kean mayman lives venice beach california one surfer whos found influx tools useful admits hes kind gotten addicted websites help decipher available data surf wind conditions webcams reveal status preferred breaks edge technology given surfers like kean mayman largely surfer named sean collins thank couple meteorology courses long beach community college belt extensive time spent studying subject 1985 collins recruited join160 surfline nations first commercial surf prediction center geared toward surfers grew company160into global enterprise provides weather forecasting services surfers lifeguard agencies california well coast guard us160navy seals national weather service160and television movie production companies among entities according a160 profile160on surflinecom collins passed away 2011 age 59 collins completely changed means surfer says chris dixon founding online editor for160surfer160magazine first met collins 1996 surfers used perceived beach bums drop everything waves came going addicted devoted surfer couldnt boyfriend girlfriend steady job made possible know waves coming altered definition surfers collins grew southern california160and started surfing seal beach orange county 8 days way surfers figure wave worth ride either test waters wait phone call from160friends already scoping scene says dixon whos also author of160ghost wave discovery cortes bank biggest wave earth teenager collins spent time sailing father buoyed interest meteorology according son aj collins 1970s collins became engrossed with160surf prediction poring charts clues nature swells part fathers aim refine understanding environment says 25yearold aj hone160his formulas collins also studied research famed physical oceanographer walter munk pioneered wave prediction techniques help allied forces better execute amphibious missions world war ii collins made surf observations would sit atop house seal beach peering pacific according to160dixon vantage point hed keep track large waves many arrived sets number seconds waves called wave period directions coming example really understand160why waves arrived collins would compare saw hometown beach weekold weather reports locales pacific ocean understanding weather events farflung regions key step developing prescient wave models according dixon sean amazing ability take disparate sources information turn forecast says informally fielding calls several years friends seeking surf tips collins realized need market forecasting services thats helped found first iteration surfline callin surf forecasting phone service two years later collins left business started rival company wavetrack later bought surfline merged two companies surflines current home base fitting huntington beach california also known surf city usa 1992 surfline expanded providing forecasts by160phone disseminating via fax spots around southern california time collins team relied weather charts observational data wave physics equations collins algorithms make predictions inherent uncertainty forecasts however lot anticipation lot nerves night monster waves predicted arrive recalls surflines chief meteorologist mark willis joined company 2000 still wavefax product known game changer surfers according dixon copy machine at160surfer160would get burned says tough express important wavefax came thats planned lives days intermittent faxes160are quaint memory surfers go surflines160 website collins launched 1995 open app hone local conditions including wave height wind direction tide swell 3690 beaches around world santa monica california skagen denmark paid subscription users access even detailed data get predictions swells two weeks away accuracy surflines forecasts improved result advancements wave modeling techniques proliferation observational ocean data importantly development of160 lola thats companys predictive swellmodeling tool crunches realtime data ocean conditions provide forecasts weather surf heights wave period among things collins began developing proprietary computer program 1999 william oreilly oceanographer scripps institution oceanography continues work surfline lead wave modeler data feeding lola comes myriad sources including noaa offshore buoys nasa satellites surflines nine fulltime forecasters basically apply secret sauce make accurate surf prediction says willis theres still lot uncertainty models words willis team tweaks data160lolas churning order incorporate local knowledge peculiarities individual surf spots including expanses reef ocean floor depth160and features islands offshore canyons160not forecasts surflines website incorporate human wisdom however entirely automated surflines forecasters also vet predictions crosschecking ocean weather tracking systems example willis recalls scenario lola showing 30foot waves swell generated storm near japan moving toward hawaii micronesia team consulted nasa satellite happened pass exact point lola measured observed waves spot 35 feet high shabby corrected forecast accordingly adjust forecast fly says willis team spotcheck predictions inspecting surf conditions beach using extensive system hd cameras first collins installed two decades ago dixon remembers collins sent link view camera huntington beach jaw hit floor says able look realtime waves huntington beach mid late1990s complete game changer surfline operates 210 growing160hd cameras160spread along coasts across globe largest number surf forecasting company sun starts come start look cameras see surf coast says jonathan warren another surfline forecaster gets around dawn first surf report day beaches around southern california posted within 20 minutes sunrise checks models saying double checks using hd cameras order produce accurate rundown surf conditions surfer warren personal stake ensuring models match whats happening beach surf looks like crap go back sleep looks good well grab boards validate surfline pioneer surf forecasting160its game town surfing organizations companies also operate hd cameras offer predictions many free charge surfer kean mayman instance often relies cameras operated by160 swellmagnetcom southern californiabased company and160 magicseaweedcom160 swellinfocom and160 surfing160magazine160offer surf predictions does160 stormsurfcom surfer mark sponsler founded mid90s surfline surely competition says dixon think reason people still subscribe forecasts generally considered reliable definitive surfer named adam160in northern los angeles santa barbara160checks stormsurf and160surfing160magazines160 swellwatch also pays subscription surfline using site last five years need know need clear schedule sunday blow everything says despite appeal160of available data hd cameras however surfers scoff idea relying website app surfing takes roots really seriously always striving romantic notion past says surfer kean mayman thats hear people criticize fact many technology options meanwhile aj collins competitive surfer sees surfers data collectors way people collect data looking ocean people collect data looking data says ultimately surfer unique connection ocean story first aired interview science friday ira flatow
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<p>PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti — In the four years since <a href="http://www.globalpost.com/special-reports/fault-line-aid-politics-and-blame-post-quake-haiti" type="external">Haiti’s disastrous earthquake</a>, the United States has promised $3.6 billion in aid, at least $2.8 billion of which has already been spent.</p>
<p>Has it helped? GlobalPost examined more than one dozen studies and audits to estimate how much of that money made it through US government and NGO bureaucracies to the ground in Haiti — and what good it did there.</p>
<p>Among the findings:</p>
<p>* Only 5.4 percent of US government spending in Haiti through fiscal year 2012 went to Haitian organizations or companies. The US Agency for International Development (USAID) is trying to spend more money locally but faces hurdles in Congress, which has resisted efforts to <a href="http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/news/regions/americas/haiti/140110/haiti-food-aid-program" type="external">reform food aid policy</a>.</p>
<p>*&#160; <a href="http://measuredhs.com/pubs/pdf/SR199/SR199.eng.pdf" type="external">A comprehensive health survey released last year</a> shows Haitians live longer and have better access to health services than they did a decade ago. In the town of Mirebalais, a new, state-of-the-art hospital launched by a private American NGO is <a href="http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/news/regions/americas/haiti/140110/haiti-hospital-teaches-doctors-mirebalais-university" type="external">training the next generation of top-notch Haitian medical professionals</a>.</p>
<p>* The US is spending $170 million — its single largest Haiti investment — to attract manufacturing to the new Caracol Industrial Park in Haiti’s North. But the massive investment has created fewer than 3,000 jobs, and the project may not have the funds to construct the port needed to export the industrial goods.</p>
<p>* The US promised to build 15,000 permanent homes but completed only 2,649 of them before ending its housing construction program, deciding instead <a href="http://bigstory.ap.org/article/usaid-now-focusing-housing-finance-haiti" type="external">to extend financing to Haitians directly for them to build their own homes</a>.</p>
<p>* USAID extended $37 million in credit to Haitian banks so they could issue loans to Haitian business to spur economic activity. But the agency didn’t adequately monitor the banks, two of which didn’t loan enough of the money, which was disbursed mostly around Port-au-Prince — and rarely to women or first-time borrowers. “The fact that borrowers were not getting these loans indicates that they were not able to get the funds they needed to improve their lives and to stimulate the economy,” <a href="http://oig.usaid.gov/sites/default/files/audit-reports/1-521-13-001-p.pdf" type="external">according to a 2013 audit</a>.</p>
<p>A struggle to help Haiti help itself</p>
<p>The United States led the world in its commitment to help Haiti recover from the 2010 earthquake, <a href="http://www.lessonsfromhaiti.org/download/International_Assistance/6-ny-pledge-status.pdf)" type="external">pledging $3.6 billion of the total $10 billion in aid promised by nations around the world</a>.</p>
<p>But the extent to which that money is creating sustainable progress remains unclear even four years after it began.</p>
<p>“There have been aid programs for such a long time here,” said Harmel Cazeau, information manager for Haiti’s National Coordination for Food Security. “But when you evaluate it, they don’t have durable impacts.”</p>
<p>In the year after the earthquake, less than 1 percent of all foreign aid went to or through Haiti’s government, according to an analysis by the Washington-based Center for Economic Policy Research (CEPR). <a href="http://www.usaid.gov/usaidforward" type="external">USAID data</a> released last month showed that the rate of US aid disbursed through fiscal year 2012 to Haitian organizations, 5.4 percent, was far below USAID's global average of 14 percent, <a href="http://www.cepr.net/index.php/blogs/relief-and-reconstruction-watch" type="external">according to CEPR</a>.&#160;</p>
<p>So little of America’s aid to Haiti actually goes through Haitian hands that if US taxpayer dollars went to "waste," the reasons must lay inward, with the US government agencies, NGOs and American contractors who controlled the cash.</p>
<p>If the dismal record of USAID’s most trusted contractor is any indication, these entities are unreliable to say the least. <a href="http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/news/regions/americas/haiti/121004/USAID-contractor-chemonics-audit" type="external">A government audit of Haiti projects performed by USAID’s largest contractor, Chemonics,</a> shows the company routinely failed to implement its aid projects correctly. In 2012, GlobalPost discovered that a $2-million, US-taxpayer funded USAID/Chemonics project <a href="http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/news/regions/americas/haiti/120318/haiti-parliament-USAID-unfinished-unused" type="external">constructed a building for Haiti’s parliament that was unfinished and unusable</a>.</p>
<p>“The problem is the aid isn’t really helping the people with these problems be released from their problems,” said Cazeau. “It only keeps them stuck in poverty.”</p>
<p>In an attempt to change that, USAID recently launched its Forward Progress program, which aims to increase the amount of money it sends directly to local companies and NGOs.</p>
<p>“If the old model was hiring a contractor to build a road, the new model is partnering with engines of American innovation — corporations, foundations, NGOs, and faith-based communities — to help nations build innovation economies and democratic societies connected to our own,” <a href="http://www.usaid.gov/news-information/speeches/remarks-administrator-rajiv-shah-usaid-forward-progress-event" type="external">said Rajiv Shah, head of USAID</a>. He went on to emphasize that “aid should be conditional on real commitments to reform — including fighting corruption, making market-oriented policies, and collecting more domestic revenue.”</p>
<p>To that end, <a href="http://www.state.gov/s/hsc/factsheets/2013/212523.htm" type="external">USAID is working to build Haiti’s’ capacity to oversee its own affairs</a>— that is, to govern effectively and wean itself from foreign aid.</p>
<p>But to accurately judge America’s record in fulfilling its promise to Haiti, one must look to where the bulk of US money is being spent: the massive new industrial park that has become the single largest American investment in post-earthquake Haiti.</p>
<p>Caracol</p>
<p>A partnership between Haiti’s government, the Inter-American Development Bank and the United States, the 600-acre Caracol Industrial Park in northern Haiti hopes to create tens of thousands of manufacturing jobs and to generate revenue in a part of Haiti far removed from the nation’s capital.</p>
<p>The United States is investing $170 million in the controversial project, the majority of which will be used to build power plants to generate electricity for the clothing and other factories it hopes to bring here.</p>
<p>But some critics say the money would be better spent on agriculture, health or education. Haitian opponents of the project say the 15-year tax break given to the primary company opening shop there, combined with the low wages of factory jobs, means Haiti and its people will benefit only marginally. Others say the payoff simply isn’t worth the investment: The park’s financiers say it has the potential to generate 65,000 jobs, but thus far it has created fewer than 3,000.</p>
<p>Defenders of the industrial park urge patience, arguing that it will take time to build Haiti’s reputation as a manufacturing hub. They say Haiti’s location gives it enormous potential to produce clothes, shoes and other manufactured products and ship them to American consumers quickly and cheaply.</p>
<p>“We’re two days’ shipping for the United States,” said President of Haiti’s Chamber of Commerce and Industry Didier Fils-Aime.</p>
<p>At least, in theory. In reality, there is no port in the surrounding area that has the capacity to ship the products that are to be manufactured there.</p>
<p>That’s why the architects behind the project deemed the construction of a new port critical to the success of the entire industrial park: According to an audit by the US Government Accountability Office, the park itself, the power plants and the port “each must be completed and remain viable for the others to succeed.”</p>
<p>But the audit found that the funds raised thus far “will be insufficient to cover a majority of projected costs” of building the port, predicting a startling deficit of between $117 million and $189 million.</p>
<p>“Port construction will begin more than 2 years later than originally planned, in part because of a lack of USAID expertise in port planning,” the audit reads. Unless the US or other Caracol partners commit even more capital to the already expensive project, the port might never be completed at all.</p>
<p>“You’ve created a huge project like this — but how do you bring containers in and out of it?” said Fils-Aime. He said the fact that the US-led investment has yet to attract a single American company to the park says a lot about the project's viability.</p>
<p>“The people who paid their taxes for this money — they want returns, and returns for the Haitian people on whom that money was spent,” he said.</p>
<p>So far, as Fils-Aime sees it, America’s largest investment in post-earthquake Haiti “hasn’t lived up to the expectations.”</p>
<p>This story is presented by <a href="http://thegroundtruthproject.org/" type="external">The GroundTruth Project.</a></p>
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portauprince haiti four years since haitis disastrous earthquake united states promised 36 billion aid least 28 billion already spent helped globalpost examined one dozen studies audits estimate much money made us government ngo bureaucracies ground haiti good among findings 54 percent us government spending haiti fiscal year 2012 went haitian organizations companies us agency international development usaid trying spend money locally faces hurdles congress resisted efforts reform food aid policy 160 comprehensive health survey released last year shows haitians live longer better access health services decade ago town mirebalais new stateoftheart hospital launched private american ngo training next generation topnotch haitian medical professionals us spending 170 million single largest haiti investment attract manufacturing new caracol industrial park haitis north massive investment created fewer 3000 jobs project may funds construct port needed export industrial goods us promised build 15000 permanent homes completed 2649 ending housing construction program deciding instead extend financing haitians directly build homes usaid extended 37 million credit haitian banks could issue loans haitian business spur economic activity agency didnt adequately monitor banks two didnt loan enough money disbursed mostly around portauprince rarely women firsttime borrowers fact borrowers getting loans indicates able get funds needed improve lives stimulate economy according 2013 audit struggle help haiti help united states led world commitment help haiti recover 2010 earthquake pledging 36 billion total 10 billion aid promised nations around world extent money creating sustainable progress remains unclear even four years began aid programs long time said harmel cazeau information manager haitis national coordination food security evaluate dont durable impacts year earthquake less 1 percent foreign aid went haitis government according analysis washingtonbased center economic policy research cepr usaid data released last month showed rate us aid disbursed fiscal year 2012 haitian organizations 54 percent far usaids global average 14 percent according cepr160 little americas aid haiti actually goes haitian hands us taxpayer dollars went waste reasons must lay inward us government agencies ngos american contractors controlled cash dismal record usaids trusted contractor indication entities unreliable say least government audit haiti projects performed usaids largest contractor chemonics shows company routinely failed implement aid projects correctly 2012 globalpost discovered 2million ustaxpayer funded usaidchemonics project constructed building haitis parliament unfinished unusable problem aid isnt really helping people problems released problems said cazeau keeps stuck poverty attempt change usaid recently launched forward progress program aims increase amount money sends directly local companies ngos old model hiring contractor build road new model partnering engines american innovation corporations foundations ngos faithbased communities help nations build innovation economies democratic societies connected said rajiv shah head usaid went emphasize aid conditional real commitments reform including fighting corruption making marketoriented policies collecting domestic revenue end usaid working build haitis capacity oversee affairs govern effectively wean foreign aid accurately judge americas record fulfilling promise haiti one must look bulk us money spent massive new industrial park become single largest american investment postearthquake haiti caracol partnership haitis government interamerican development bank united states 600acre caracol industrial park northern haiti hopes create tens thousands manufacturing jobs generate revenue part haiti far removed nations capital united states investing 170 million controversial project majority used build power plants generate electricity clothing factories hopes bring critics say money would better spent agriculture health education haitian opponents project say 15year tax break given primary company opening shop combined low wages factory jobs means haiti people benefit marginally others say payoff simply isnt worth investment parks financiers say potential generate 65000 jobs thus far created fewer 3000 defenders industrial park urge patience arguing take time build haitis reputation manufacturing hub say haitis location gives enormous potential produce clothes shoes manufactured products ship american consumers quickly cheaply two days shipping united states said president haitis chamber commerce industry didier filsaime least theory reality port surrounding area capacity ship products manufactured thats architects behind project deemed construction new port critical success entire industrial park according audit us government accountability office park power plants port must completed remain viable others succeed audit found funds raised thus far insufficient cover majority projected costs building port predicting startling deficit 117 million 189 million port construction begin 2 years later originally planned part lack usaid expertise port planning audit reads unless us caracol partners commit even capital already expensive project port might never completed youve created huge project like bring containers said filsaime said fact usled investment yet attract single american company park says lot projects viability people paid taxes money want returns returns haitian people money spent said far filsaime sees americas largest investment postearthquake haiti hasnt lived expectations story presented groundtruth project
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<p>Did somebody say encore? A decade after their unforgettable eight-season run, comedy’s most fabulous foursome is back. Eric McCormack, Debra Messing, Sean Hayes and Megan Mullally reprise their infamous roles as Will, Grace, Jack and Karen in a 16-episode season. (Photo courtesy NBC)</p>
<p>You can’t go home again, cautioned writer <a href="https://www.biography.com/people/thomas-wolfe-38959" type="external">Thomas Wolfe</a>. But the melancholy Southerner, who died in 1938, didn’t live to witness the birth of television, much less TV reboots.</p>
<p>And so, 11 years after <a href="https://www.nbc.com/will-and-grace" type="external">“Will and Grace”</a> ended its eight-season, 16-Emmy run, America is back home again — specifically, at 155 Riverside Drive, New York&#160; City, the stylish, rent-controlled apartment of lawyer Will Truman and interior designer Grace Adler.</p>
<p>If you hadn’t been turned off by the massive pre-show publicity — and admittedly, it was relentless and cheesy — then you tuned in last night for the ninth season premiere. Was Thomas Wolfe right after all? Maybe, but who cares? Like a steaming tureen of comfort food, more tasty than nutritious, “Will and Grace” is back. And it mostly satisfies.</p>
<p>The sitcom about a homo and his hag premiered in 1998 during the Clinton administration, reached a creative crescendo by its fourth season and arguably lost steam during the Bush 43 administration. (The less said about the Leo Markus doctor-husband story arc, the better.) While accusations of <a href="https://charles-jensen.com/2005/05/14/why-i-hate-will-grace-one-gay-mans-confession/" type="external">queer minstrelsy</a> continue to dog “Will and Grace,” detractors should remember that the series opened a mainstream discussion about gay male life; well, at least Caucasian, upper-middle-class, urban gay male life. Between the brazen quips about “lube and Liza,” startling truths were told. Even former vice-president Joe Biden gave <a href="http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/joe-biden-cites-will-grace-320724-0" type="external">props to the show</a> for advancing the cause of marriage equality.</p>
<p>Admittedly, there was a <a href="https://www.cliffsnotes.com/" type="external">Cliffs Notes</a> feel to the opening of last night’s premiere; the script clumsily recounts plot points of the eight-year run, while presenting the main characters as caricatures. Will, charming but uptight. Check. Grace, neurotic and selfish. Check. Jack, an immature, promiscuous id. Check. And Karen, a boozy, pill-popping conservative. Check, check, check.</p>
<p>But the show was equally intent on establishing its place in the culture wars of Trump’s America. Within the first two minutes, the cast deftly filets conservatives Steven Tyler, Jon Voight, Newt Gingrich and Caitlyn Jenner. Kudos to Megan Mullally’s Karen Walker, called upon to do most of the heavy lifting where it comes to GOP-bashing. Like Alec Baldwin’s brilliant right-winger Jack Donaghy on NBC’s “30 Rock,” real-life liberal Mullally must humanize a woman who pals around with Melania. Sure, it’s called acting, folks, but good acting still deserves bouquets.</p>
<p>The first season of “Will and Grace” in 1998 offered far more nuance than the following seven; characters were played less glibly and the lingering (and unrequited) love for Will exhibited by Grace and Jack would bubble up occasionally, to poignant effect. That formula, which resulted in affecting moments, was quickly scuttled, resulting in the manic, crowd-pleasing formula that dominates the ninth season premiere. (Do we really need reaction shots of characters laughing at each other’s lines, a directorial tic that still annoys.) While name-checking the Ryans (Gosling and Reynolds), Shonda Rimes, QUEERTY, fidget spinners, Grindr and Anderson Cooper, the group lands, improbably, in 45’s White House. As the old TV Guide summary goes, hilarious hijinks ensue. (A visual joke featuring a certain cheese-flavored snack was undeniably cheap, but still satisfying.)</p>
<p>Filmmaker John Waters shocked the world with taboo-busting depictions of sexy trailer-park trash, pansexuality and bizarre fetishes. He soon found it difficult to top himself; later films like “A Dirty Shame” struggle to offend. In a way, “Will and Grace” show creators Max Mutchnick and David Kohan are in a similar bind, pushing against the high bar they erected in sharing the cultural secrets of the LGBT community to unsuspecting but intrigued Americans.</p>
<p>One could argue that the premiere was more slapstick-y than plausible — but worth seeing when cuddly hunk <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXIz09fQjbg" type="external">Kyle Bornheimer</a>, playing a Secret Service agent, plants a smooch on Sean Hayes. And detractors shouldn’t underestimate the importance of a prime-time half-hour comic satire railing against our current Commander-in-Chief that may be seen by scores of his followers. If <a href="https://onemillionmoms.com/" type="external">One Million Moms</a> don’t immediately call for a “Will and Grace” boycott in light of this treasonous episode — watch your backs, premiere advertisers Google, Marvel, Chipotle, Toyota and iPhone — then we should lose our faith in the muscle of the alt-right.</p>
<p>Sure, the ninth season premiere was more flatfooted than adroit, more well-intentioned than well-executed, and overly eager to be liked. But it was just as eager to offend conservatives, enlighten fence-sitters and boost morale among those enraged by the current administration. For that reason alone, it’s worth sticking with “Will and Grace,” even as a patriotic duty. <a href="https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/e/emmagoldma137001.html" type="external">If I can’t laugh, I don’t want to be part of your revolution.</a></p>
<p>And if you need more time to warm up to the show, you have it; “Will and Grace” producers have committed to 16 episodes this year and 13 episodes for its 10th season. There’s ample opportunity for the writers to strengthen story arcs and topple even more sacred cows.</p>
<p><a href="" type="internal">David Kohan</a> <a href="" type="internal">Debra Messing</a> <a href="" type="internal">Max Mutchnick</a> <a href="" type="internal">Megan Mullally</a> <a href="" type="internal">Sean Hayes</a> <a href="" type="internal">Will &amp; Grace</a></p>
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somebody say encore decade unforgettable eightseason run comedys fabulous foursome back eric mccormack debra messing sean hayes megan mullally reprise infamous roles grace jack karen 16episode season photo courtesy nbc cant go home cautioned writer thomas wolfe melancholy southerner died 1938 didnt live witness birth television much less tv reboots 11 years grace ended eightseason 16emmy run america back home specifically 155 riverside drive new york160 city stylish rentcontrolled apartment lawyer truman interior designer grace adler hadnt turned massive preshow publicity admittedly relentless cheesy tuned last night ninth season premiere thomas wolfe right maybe cares like steaming tureen comfort food tasty nutritious grace back mostly satisfies sitcom homo hag premiered 1998 clinton administration reached creative crescendo fourth season arguably lost steam bush 43 administration less said leo markus doctorhusband story arc better accusations queer minstrelsy continue dog grace detractors remember series opened mainstream discussion gay male life well least caucasian uppermiddleclass urban gay male life brazen quips lube liza startling truths told even former vicepresident joe biden gave props show advancing cause marriage equality admittedly cliffs notes feel opening last nights premiere script clumsily recounts plot points eightyear run presenting main characters caricatures charming uptight check grace neurotic selfish check jack immature promiscuous id check karen boozy pillpopping conservative check check check show equally intent establishing place culture wars trumps america within first two minutes cast deftly filets conservatives steven tyler jon voight newt gingrich caitlyn jenner kudos megan mullallys karen walker called upon heavy lifting comes gopbashing like alec baldwins brilliant rightwinger jack donaghy nbcs 30 rock reallife liberal mullally must humanize woman pals around melania sure called acting folks good acting still deserves bouquets first season grace 1998 offered far nuance following seven characters played less glibly lingering unrequited love exhibited grace jack would bubble occasionally poignant effect formula resulted affecting moments quickly scuttled resulting manic crowdpleasing formula dominates ninth season premiere really need reaction shots characters laughing others lines directorial tic still annoys namechecking ryans gosling reynolds shonda rimes queerty fidget spinners grindr anderson cooper group lands improbably 45s white house old tv guide summary goes hilarious hijinks ensue visual joke featuring certain cheeseflavored snack undeniably cheap still satisfying filmmaker john waters shocked world taboobusting depictions sexy trailerpark trash pansexuality bizarre fetishes soon found difficult top later films like dirty shame struggle offend way grace show creators max mutchnick david kohan similar bind pushing high bar erected sharing cultural secrets lgbt community unsuspecting intrigued americans one could argue premiere slapsticky plausible worth seeing cuddly hunk kyle bornheimer playing secret service agent plants smooch sean hayes detractors shouldnt underestimate importance primetime halfhour comic satire railing current commanderinchief may seen scores followers one million moms dont immediately call grace boycott light treasonous episode watch backs premiere advertisers google marvel chipotle toyota iphone lose faith muscle altright sure ninth season premiere flatfooted adroit wellintentioned wellexecuted overly eager liked eager offend conservatives enlighten fencesitters boost morale among enraged current administration reason alone worth sticking grace even patriotic duty cant laugh dont want part revolution need time warm show grace producers committed 16 episodes year 13 episodes 10th season theres ample opportunity writers strengthen story arcs topple even sacred cows david kohan debra messing max mutchnick megan mullally sean hayes amp grace
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<p>"Your iPhone is more powerful than the evidence-collecting computers in the cockpit."</p>
<p>That's what the Guardian <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/mar/09/malaysia-airlines-flight-mh370-black-box" type="external">had to say</a> about the technologies available for tracking airplanes. Whoa.</p>
<p>We carry around cell-phone GPS in our pockets and use Google Earth to peruse the planet. Air travel, you'll be terrified to learn, is way behind the times.</p>
<p>Here are the technologies that airlines, air traffic controllers, and militaries use to monitor the skies. Maybe we shouldn't be surprised that we've lost MH 370. Maybe we should be surprised we don't lose airplanes every day.</p>
<p>&#160;</p>
<p>(Wikimedia Commons)</p>
<p>The Aircraft Communications Addressing and Reporting System (ACARS) <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2014/03/15/world/asia/malaysia-airlines-flight-370-chronology/" type="external">communicates</a> a variety of information from an aircraft to computers on the ground via radio or satellite. (More on satellites later.) It’s kind of like the computer in your car. It collects lots of data that’s useful for maintenance and performance, and the airline collects that data to track the plane in-flight and to plan for future flights.</p>
<p>Turning off ACARS is difficult. You’d need to climb down into the plane’s hull to remove circuit breakers.</p>
<p>The ACARS on MH370 was disabled shortly after take-off fom Kuala Lumpur on March 8 at 12:41 a.m. It went silent after 1:07 a.m.</p>
<p>&#160;</p>
<p>(YouTube)</p>
<p>Air traffic control tracks planes using what are called <a href="http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-pacific-26544554" type="external">"primary" and "secondary"</a> radar.</p>
<p>Primary radar detects the approximate position of a plane by sending radio signals toward the aircraft and collects the reflected signal. Primary radar is imprecise, but it's hard to avoid detection.</p>
<p>Secondary radar offers more precision and information by communicating with the aircraft’s transponder. All commercial aircrafts have transponders — short for “transmitter responder” — which receive radar signals and respond with a unique four-digit code. Successive signals and responses generate flight information, like speed and direction, over time, and air traffic controllers use that information to track the plane.</p>
<p>The transponder on MH370 was disabled at approximately 1:21 a.m.</p>
<p>&#160;</p>
<p>(HOANG DINH NAM/AFP/Getty Images)</p>
<p>Radar only works so long as an aircraft is within 150 miles of land. After that, pilots use high-frequency radio to maintain contact with air traffic control and with other planes.</p>
<p>The last radio contact with MH370 happened at <a href="http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/03/17/malaysia-airlines-idUSL3N0ME0RL20140317" type="external">1:19 a.m</a>., when someone in the cockpit told air traffic control, "All right, good night."</p>
<p>&#160;</p>
<p>(CHAIDEER MAHYUDDIN/AFP/Getty Images)</p>
<p>Military radar systems track everything that flies. But they’re <a href="http://www.smh.com.au/national/mh370-missing-plane-flew-unnoticed-past-malaysian-radar-installations-20140316-34vmn.html" type="external">not always in use</a> and militaries don’t pay much attention to commercial flights unless there’s a security reason.</p>
<p>MH370 managed to fly across three Malaysian air force radar installations without anyone noticing. A week later, a review of the radar data revealed that MH370 was still flying at 2:15 a.m. south of Phuket island in the Strait of Malacca.</p>
<p>Militaries from neighboring nations are now <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2014/03/15/world/asia/malaysia-military-radar.html" type="external">looking back</a> at their own radar data.</p>
<p>&#160;</p>
<p>(Wikimedia Commons)</p>
<p>It’s been reported that a satellite communications company called Inmarsat picked up a signal from MH370 at 8:11 a.m., seven hours after the plane took off. What does that mean?</p>
<p>Here is where ACARS comes back in. A <a href="http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/sideviews/article/understanding-satellite-pings-tim-farrar" type="external">satellite expert</a> has come up with a neat analogy to explain it:</p>
<p>Think of ACARS as a cell-phone app like Twitter. When you are home, you pull up Twitter on your phone and send tweets that are transmitted via your home broadband WIFI. When airplanes are over land, their ACARS messages transmit to the ground via VHF radio.</p>
<p>Now you leave your house and you use Twitter via your mobile provider’s network. Let’s say AT&amp;T. If you disable Twitter, that doesn’t mean AT&amp;T stops communicating with your phone. And even if you’re not transmitting data (say you’re standing in one place doing nothing for a while), AT&amp;T will ping your phone to see whether it needs to allocate data resources to your phone.</p>
<p>ACARS works similarly. If you have a contract with Inmarsat (like a cell plan) that allows you to transmit ACARS messages via satellite, Inmarsat will periodically ping the satellite terminal on-board to determine whether it’s active. Even if you turn off the ACARS app, Inmarsat pings your terminal.</p>
<p>That’s what happened at 8:15 a.m. Even though ACARS had been disabled, MH370 was telling the Inmarsat satellite that it was active. Fixing a position based on this data, which Inmarsat <a href="http://www.inmarsat.com/news/inmarsat-statement-malaysia-airlines-flight-mh370/" type="external">called</a> "routine, automatic signals" in a press release, is very difficult.</p>
<p>&#160;</p>
<p>(Screengrab)</p>
<p>The use of radar to track planes will very soon be replaced by a technology called Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B). It's already in-use on 60 percent of the world's passenger planes and it's the reason you can play around with live flight trackers like <a href="" type="external">FlightRadar24</a>.</p>
<p>Here's how it works: A GPS system on the plane gets positional information from a satellite and then transmits a signal containing that information (and other information) to ground receivers located around the world, which then transmit that information elsewhere, to live flight trackers, for example.</p>
<p>MH370 might be just the motivation that airlines need in order to invest in GPS and satellite tracking.</p>
<p>(Wikimedia Commons)</p>
<p>Meanwhile, while we wait for airlines to adopt technology that's been adopted by everyone else in the world for just about any purpose imaginable, we might not know what happened on MH370 until we recover its flight recorder, or "black box," which carries information about the flight and can tell investigators a lot about what went wrong. The Guardian <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/mar/09/malaysia-airlines-flight-mh370-black-box" type="external">recently called</a> the black box "one of the most galling anachronisms of modern aviation technology." You'd think that such an important piece of equipment would be equipped with a GPS transponder. No.</p>
<p>But it does emit an ultrasonic signal. #thefuture</p>
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iphone powerful evidencecollecting computers cockpit thats guardian say technologies available tracking airplanes whoa carry around cellphone gps pockets use google earth peruse planet air travel youll terrified learn way behind times technologies airlines air traffic controllers militaries use monitor skies maybe shouldnt surprised weve lost mh 370 maybe surprised dont lose airplanes every day 160 wikimedia commons aircraft communications addressing reporting system acars communicates variety information aircraft computers ground via radio satellite satellites later kind like computer car collects lots data thats useful maintenance performance airline collects data track plane inflight plan future flights turning acars difficult youd need climb planes hull remove circuit breakers acars mh370 disabled shortly takeoff fom kuala lumpur march 8 1241 went silent 107 160 youtube air traffic control tracks planes using called primary secondary radar primary radar detects approximate position plane sending radio signals toward aircraft collects reflected signal primary radar imprecise hard avoid detection secondary radar offers precision information communicating aircrafts transponder commercial aircrafts transponders short transmitter responder receive radar signals respond unique fourdigit code successive signals responses generate flight information like speed direction time air traffic controllers use information track plane transponder mh370 disabled approximately 121 160 hoang dinh namafpgetty images radar works long aircraft within 150 miles land pilots use highfrequency radio maintain contact air traffic control planes last radio contact mh370 happened 119 someone cockpit told air traffic control right good night 160 chaideer mahyuddinafpgetty images military radar systems track everything flies theyre always use militaries dont pay much attention commercial flights unless theres security reason mh370 managed fly across three malaysian air force radar installations without anyone noticing week later review radar data revealed mh370 still flying 215 south phuket island strait malacca militaries neighboring nations looking back radar data 160 wikimedia commons reported satellite communications company called inmarsat picked signal mh370 811 seven hours plane took mean acars comes back satellite expert come neat analogy explain think acars cellphone app like twitter home pull twitter phone send tweets transmitted via home broadband wifi airplanes land acars messages transmit ground via vhf radio leave house use twitter via mobile providers network lets say atampt disable twitter doesnt mean atampt stops communicating phone even youre transmitting data say youre standing one place nothing atampt ping phone see whether needs allocate data resources phone acars works similarly contract inmarsat like cell plan allows transmit acars messages via satellite inmarsat periodically ping satellite terminal onboard determine whether active even turn acars app inmarsat pings terminal thats happened 815 even though acars disabled mh370 telling inmarsat satellite active fixing position based data inmarsat called routine automatic signals press release difficult 160 screengrab use radar track planes soon replaced technology called automatic dependent surveillancebroadcast adsb already inuse 60 percent worlds passenger planes reason play around live flight trackers like flightradar24 heres works gps system plane gets positional information satellite transmits signal containing information information ground receivers located around world transmit information elsewhere live flight trackers example mh370 might motivation airlines need order invest gps satellite tracking wikimedia commons meanwhile wait airlines adopt technology thats adopted everyone else world purpose imaginable might know happened mh370 recover flight recorder black box carries information flight tell investigators lot went wrong guardian recently called black box one galling anachronisms modern aviation technology youd think important piece equipment would equipped gps transponder emit ultrasonic signal thefuture
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<p>GlobalPost looks at the changing nature of sex work in Britain in the fourth of a four-part series.</p>
<p>LONDON, UK — For all the sex industry’s diversity, at least one fact unites sex workers who are male or female, gay or straight, and those who work on the street or inside apartments.</p>
<p>They’re far more liable than most to become victims of violent crimes.</p>
<p>Prostitutes are 18 times more likely to be murdered than women of the same race and age outside the industry, according to a 2012 report that echoes various other surveys.</p>
<p>A 2002 study of street sex workers in the northwest county of Merseyside found that 80 percent of prostitutes surveyed said they had been violently assaulted at some point in their careers. Forty percent said they’d experienced an attack in the last month alone.</p>
<p>“People think because you do what you do they can do what they want to you, because you’re lower than the low in some people’s eyes,” one sex worker told researchers at the time.</p>
<p>Perpetrators target sex workers for various reasons. Prostitutes are likely to be carrying cash. Criminals may look down on sex workers as undeserving of basic rights.</p>
<p>Others believe prostitutes are safe to attack because they’re unlikely to go to police. They’re often right.</p>
<p>Asked on the website Ask.fm if she would report an abusive client, one sex worker replied, “For the majority of areas I would say no. Never. I've done it before and it was pointless and I got in more trouble than the person who hurt me.”</p>
<p>Prostitutes cite a number of reasons for their reluctance to go to the police, including the belief that their testimony isn’t taken seriously and concern that the authorities would target them instead.</p>
<p>That’s not unfounded. When an east London brothel was held up in a violent robbery by an armed gang in 2011, police appeared more interested in shutting the establishment down than pursuing the robbers.</p>
<p>After two other brothels were subsequently attacked by the same gang, they decided not report the incident to police, <a href="http://glaconservatives.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/downloads/2012/03/Report-on-the-Safety-of-Sex-Workers-Silence-on-Violence.pdf" type="external">according to a 2012 report</a>.</p>
<p>Crimes against sex workers often aren’t fully investigated unless perpetrators begin to target people outside of the sex trade.</p>
<p>In 2010, a 22-year-old man named Sunny Islam forced a 15-year-old girl into his car at knifepoint from an east London street, drove her to a secluded spot and raped her.</p>
<p>When police investigated her report, they discovered <a href="http://content.met.police.uk/News/A-serial-rapist-has-been-jailed-for-an-indeterminate-period/1400006184333/1257246741786" type="external">three previous cases</a> with similar details. All of the victims were sex workers, none of whose cases had been fully investigated. Islam was convicted in August 2011 on seven counts of rape.</p>
<p>Part of the explanation may lie in the longstanding perception that officials look down on sex workers.</p>
<p>Industry advocates still point to public comments made during the 1981 trial of Peter Sutcliffe, the “Yorkshire Ripper” serial killer whose 13 female victims included women both in and outside of the sex industry.</p>
<p>“Some were prostitutes, but perhaps the saddest part of this case is that some were not,” Attorney General Sir Michael Havers said at the time. “The last six attacks were on totally respectable women.”</p>
<p>In the same trial, the judge instructed the jury that the lesser charge of manslaughter would be a more appropriate verdict than murder if Sutcliffe believed that all his victims were prostitutes.</p>
<p>That’s because people expect sex workers to be targeted by criminals. “As long as sex work has existed, they’ve been targeted by dangerous individuals,” said Alex Bryce, director of the National Ugly Mugs scheme.</p>
<p>His group is working to change that. The Manchester-based network acts as a kind of national alert system about dangerous clients and as a go-between for sex workers and police.</p>
<p>When Ugly Mugs receives a report of violence or crime against a sex worker, all members are sent an alert with the perpetrator’s description. The information is also passed on to the police with the victim’s consent, without personal details.</p>
<p>More than 1,200 people have signed up since the pilot program launched in July.</p>
<p>Operating on an annual budget of $150,000 — roughly the cost of a single rape case investigation — the network has provided police with information that led to eight convictions, Bryce said, including four violent robbers, one rapist and a serial scammer.</p>
<p>“That’s the only way most escorts would ever go to the police,” says Josh Brandon, a London sex worker who is an ambassador for the organization. “I think that’s one thing a lot of escorts don’t know — the law is almost always on the escort’s side.”</p>
<p>The recent tactic of classifying attacks against sex workers as hate crimes has helped.</p>
<p>First tried in 2006 in the country of Merseyside, which includes Liverpool, it forced police to investigate reports fully and build trust between sex workers.</p>
<p>More from GlobalPost:&#160; <a href="http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/news/regions/europe/130822/moldova-young-generation-emigration" type="external">Moldova’s ‘generation gone’</a></p>
<p>The conviction rate in Merseyside for rapes against sex workers was 67 percent in 2010, when the national rape conviction rate was just 6.5 percent, <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/society/2010/dec/22/merseyside-police-sex-workers-protect" type="external">according to the Guardian</a>.</p>
<p>Better relationships between police and sex workers can have a major impact on public safety.</p>
<p>The sex worker who wrote on Ask.fm that she would never go to the police added a caveat: “If I lived in an area where the police were receptive and not looking to arrest me I would definitely report, because these are almost 100 percent of the time people who will repeat abuse.”&#160;</p>
| false | 3 |
globalpost looks changing nature sex work britain fourth fourpart series london uk sex industrys diversity least one fact unites sex workers male female gay straight work street inside apartments theyre far liable become victims violent crimes prostitutes 18 times likely murdered women race age outside industry according 2012 report echoes various surveys 2002 study street sex workers northwest county merseyside found 80 percent prostitutes surveyed said violently assaulted point careers forty percent said theyd experienced attack last month alone people think want youre lower low peoples eyes one sex worker told researchers time perpetrators target sex workers various reasons prostitutes likely carrying cash criminals may look sex workers undeserving basic rights others believe prostitutes safe attack theyre unlikely go police theyre often right asked website askfm would report abusive client one sex worker replied majority areas would say never ive done pointless got trouble person hurt prostitutes cite number reasons reluctance go police including belief testimony isnt taken seriously concern authorities would target instead thats unfounded east london brothel held violent robbery armed gang 2011 police appeared interested shutting establishment pursuing robbers two brothels subsequently attacked gang decided report incident police according 2012 report crimes sex workers often arent fully investigated unless perpetrators begin target people outside sex trade 2010 22yearold man named sunny islam forced 15yearold girl car knifepoint east london street drove secluded spot raped police investigated report discovered three previous cases similar details victims sex workers none whose cases fully investigated islam convicted august 2011 seven counts rape part explanation may lie longstanding perception officials look sex workers industry advocates still point public comments made 1981 trial peter sutcliffe yorkshire ripper serial killer whose 13 female victims included women outside sex industry prostitutes perhaps saddest part case attorney general sir michael havers said time last six attacks totally respectable women trial judge instructed jury lesser charge manslaughter would appropriate verdict murder sutcliffe believed victims prostitutes thats people expect sex workers targeted criminals long sex work existed theyve targeted dangerous individuals said alex bryce director national ugly mugs scheme group working change manchesterbased network acts kind national alert system dangerous clients gobetween sex workers police ugly mugs receives report violence crime sex worker members sent alert perpetrators description information also passed police victims consent without personal details 1200 people signed since pilot program launched july operating annual budget 150000 roughly cost single rape case investigation network provided police information led eight convictions bryce said including four violent robbers one rapist serial scammer thats way escorts would ever go police says josh brandon london sex worker ambassador organization think thats one thing lot escorts dont know law almost always escorts side recent tactic classifying attacks sex workers hate crimes helped first tried 2006 country merseyside includes liverpool forced police investigate reports fully build trust sex workers globalpost160 moldovas generation gone conviction rate merseyside rapes sex workers 67 percent 2010 national rape conviction rate 65 percent according guardian better relationships police sex workers major impact public safety sex worker wrote askfm would never go police added caveat lived area police receptive looking arrest would definitely report almost 100 percent time people repeat abuse160
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<p />
<p>Then-U.S. Ambassador to the Dominican Republic James “Wally” Brewster speaks before a Pride march in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, on July 3, 2016. (Photo courtesy of James “Wally” Brewster)</p>
<p />
<p>Rosalba Karina Crisóstomo, a lesbian activist who is the executive director of Comunidad de Lesbianas Inclusivas Dominicanas, is among the more than 300 people from across the region who attended <a href="" type="internal">the conference</a> that the Gay and Lesbian Victory Institute co-sponsored with Diversidad Dominicana, a Dominican advocacy group, and Caribe Afirmativo, an LGBT organization that works throughout northern Colombia.</p>
<p>Crisóstomo told the Washington Blade on Saturday that Brewster “has had a big impact in the country.”</p>
<p>“The Dominican Republic is a country controlled by religious Catholics,” said Crisóstomo. “Wally came here to the Dominican Republic and helped us with development and in doing that he highlighted all of the discrimination that exists towards the LGBT community in the country.”</p>
<p>Then-President Obama nominated Brewster, who is a former member of the Human Rights Campaign’s board of directors, to represent the U.S. in the Dominican Republic in 2013.</p>
<p>Brewster and his husband, Bob Satawake, frequently appeared together at public events and in the Dominican media. They also met regularly with LGBT rights advocates.</p>
<p>Brewster and Satawake attended a candlelight vigil in Santo Domingo’s Parque Duarte — which is a popular gathering place for LGBT Dominicans — last June after the massacre at the Pulse nightclub in Orlando, Fla. Brewster and Satawake also participated in Santo Domingo’s Pride parade that took place a few weeks later.</p>
<p>The two men attended the June 2015 launch of <a href="" type="internal">an LGBT tourism campaign</a> that took place in Santo Domingo’s Old City.</p>
<p>Brewster and Satawake helped secure a grant from the U.S. Agency for International Development that supported efforts to promote LGBT participation in the Dominican Republic’s political process. They also helped pave the way for the Santo Domingo conference, which is the largest LGBT-specific gathering that has ever taken place in the country.</p>
<p>“Surely we miss Ambassador Brewster here,” Gay and Lesbian Victory Institute CEO <a href="" type="internal">Aisha Moodie-Mills</a> told the Blade on Friday after she spoke at the conference’s opening plenary. “His absence is certainly felt in the Dominican Republic.”</p>
<p>Brewster officially stepped down on January 20 when President Trump took office. The new administration has yet to nominate anyone to succeed him.</p>
<p>Yimbert Féliz, president of Voluntariado LGBT Dominicano, an advocacy group that works throughout the Dominican Republic, told the Blade on Friday that his organization has not had “any type of” support from the U.S. Embassy since Brewster’s departure.</p>
<p>French Ambassador to the Dominican Republic José Gómez on March 30 hosted a reception for conference participants at his home. Officials from the U.S. Embassy and USAID were among those who attended.</p>
<p>“The ambassador and his husband’s departure from the country has affected us,” Féliz told the Blade, referring to Brewster and Satawake.</p>
<p>Religious leaders and politicians regularly attacked Brewster and Satawake during his ambassadorship.</p>
<p>Nicolás de Jesús López Rodríguez, the former cardinal of the Archdiocese of Santo Domingo, repeatedly used anti-gay slurs to describe Brewster. A group of Dominican intellectuals and religious leaders last year urged President Danilo Medina to declare Brewster “persona non grata” because of a U.S.-backed education initiative they claimed would “turn our adolescents gay.”</p>
<p>A member of the Dominican congress in 2016 described those who support Brewster and defend him as “faggots.”</p>
<p>Lupita Raposo, a transgender woman and activist from La Romana, a city in the eastern part of the country that is near the resort of Casa de Campo, told the Blade during the reception at Gómez’s home that Brewster and Satawake helped challenge stereotypes about LGBT people in the Dominican Republic in spite of the backlash they received.</p>
<p>“[He is] a person who is openly part of the LGBT community but conservative,” said Raposo.</p>
<p>“The image that we still have of the community in the country is not one of a conservative community,” she added. “But we have many people in the LGBT community who are conservative.”</p>
<p>Then-U.S. Ambassador to the Dominican Republic James “Wally” Brewster, left, and his husband, Bob Satawake, at in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, in June 2015. (Washington Blade photo by Michael K. Lavers)</p>
<p>Raposo told the Blade the Catholic Church in the Dominican Republic and the cardinals within it can have more power in the country because Brewster and Satawake are no longer challenging them. She also said Dominican LGBT rights advocates are afraid they will lose U.S. support.</p>
<p>“There is fear that all of the progress we have seen will be erased with a simple decision that Trump can take,” said Raposo.</p>
<p>Brewster on Saturday told the Blade he is “proud” of the Dominican LGBT activists and their continued efforts “to advance their fight for equality.”</p>
<p>“We are honored to have worked with such amazing human beings and we are proud to always be part of their journey,” said Brewster. “They impacted our lives and we hope we made a difference in theirs.”</p>
<p>Deivis Ventura, left, a prominent Dominican LGBT rights advocate, raises the rainbow flag over the U.S. Embassy in the Dominican Republic on June 4, 2016, with then-U.S. Ambassador to the Dominican Republic James “Wally” Brewster and his husband, Bob Satawake. (Photo courtesy of Bob Satawake)</p>
<p><a href="" type="internal">Aisha Moodie-Mills</a> <a href="" type="internal">Barack Obama</a> <a href="" type="internal">bisexual</a> <a href="" type="internal">Bob Satawake</a> <a href="" type="internal">Caribe Afirmativo</a> <a href="" type="internal">Comunidad de Lesbianas Inclusivas Dominicanas</a> <a href="" type="internal">Diversidad Dominicana</a> <a href="" type="internal">Dominican Republic</a> <a href="" type="internal">Donald Trump</a> <a href="" type="internal">France</a> <a href="" type="internal">gay</a> <a href="" type="internal">Gay and Lesbian Victory Institute</a> <a href="" type="internal">James "Wally" Brewster</a> <a href="" type="internal">José Gómez</a> <a href="" type="internal">lesbian</a> <a href="" type="internal">Lupita Raposo</a> <a href="" type="internal">Nicolás de Jesús López Rodríguez</a> <a href="" type="internal">Rosalba Karina Crisóstomo</a> <a href="" type="internal">transgender</a> <a href="" type="internal">U.S. Agency for International Development</a> <a href="" type="internal">Voluntariado LGBT Dominicano</a> <a href="" type="internal">Yimbert Feliz</a></p>
| false | 3 |
thenus ambassador dominican republic james wally brewster speaks pride march santo domingo dominican republic july 3 2016 photo courtesy james wally brewster rosalba karina crisóstomo lesbian activist executive director comunidad de lesbianas inclusivas dominicanas among 300 people across region attended conference gay lesbian victory institute cosponsored diversidad dominicana dominican advocacy group caribe afirmativo lgbt organization works throughout northern colombia crisóstomo told washington blade saturday brewster big impact country dominican republic country controlled religious catholics said crisóstomo wally came dominican republic helped us development highlighted discrimination exists towards lgbt community country thenpresident obama nominated brewster former member human rights campaigns board directors represent us dominican republic 2013 brewster husband bob satawake frequently appeared together public events dominican media also met regularly lgbt rights advocates brewster satawake attended candlelight vigil santo domingos parque duarte popular gathering place lgbt dominicans last june massacre pulse nightclub orlando fla brewster satawake also participated santo domingos pride parade took place weeks later two men attended june 2015 launch lgbt tourism campaign took place santo domingos old city brewster satawake helped secure grant us agency international development supported efforts promote lgbt participation dominican republics political process also helped pave way santo domingo conference largest lgbtspecific gathering ever taken place country surely miss ambassador brewster gay lesbian victory institute ceo aisha moodiemills told blade friday spoke conferences opening plenary absence certainly felt dominican republic brewster officially stepped january 20 president trump took office new administration yet nominate anyone succeed yimbert féliz president voluntariado lgbt dominicano advocacy group works throughout dominican republic told blade friday organization type support us embassy since brewsters departure french ambassador dominican republic josé gómez march 30 hosted reception conference participants home officials us embassy usaid among attended ambassador husbands departure country affected us féliz told blade referring brewster satawake religious leaders politicians regularly attacked brewster satawake ambassadorship nicolás de jesús lópez rodríguez former cardinal archdiocese santo domingo repeatedly used antigay slurs describe brewster group dominican intellectuals religious leaders last year urged president danilo medina declare brewster persona non grata usbacked education initiative claimed would turn adolescents gay member dominican congress 2016 described support brewster defend faggots lupita raposo transgender woman activist la romana city eastern part country near resort casa de campo told blade reception gómezs home brewster satawake helped challenge stereotypes lgbt people dominican republic spite backlash received person openly part lgbt community conservative said raposo image still community country one conservative community added many people lgbt community conservative thenus ambassador dominican republic james wally brewster left husband bob satawake santo domingo dominican republic june 2015 washington blade photo michael k lavers raposo told blade catholic church dominican republic cardinals within power country brewster satawake longer challenging also said dominican lgbt rights advocates afraid lose us support fear progress seen erased simple decision trump take said raposo brewster saturday told blade proud dominican lgbt activists continued efforts advance fight equality honored worked amazing human beings proud always part journey said brewster impacted lives hope made difference deivis ventura left prominent dominican lgbt rights advocate raises rainbow flag us embassy dominican republic june 4 2016 thenus ambassador dominican republic james wally brewster husband bob satawake photo courtesy bob satawake aisha moodiemills barack obama bisexual bob satawake caribe afirmativo comunidad de lesbianas inclusivas dominicanas diversidad dominicana dominican republic donald trump france gay gay lesbian victory institute james wally brewster josé gómez lesbian lupita raposo nicolás de jesús lópez rodríguez rosalba karina crisóstomo transgender us agency international development voluntariado lgbt dominicano yimbert feliz
| 577 |
<p>CAIRO, Egypt — Field Marshal Abdul Fatah al-Sisi, who resigned his position as armed forces chief and announced his candidacy for the Egyptian presidency Wednesday, is the most popular figure in modern Egyptian politics. <a href="http://www.baseera.com.eg/pdf_poll_file_en/Presidential%20Elections%20-%20en.pdf" type="external">Polls</a> suggest he is likely to win the upcoming election by a landslide.</p>
<p>But what would a Sisi presidency look like?</p>
<p>His vague public pronouncements, filled with calls for national unity and praise for the common man, have won him millions of Egyptian admirers, for whom he represents a much-needed aspiration of stability after the turbulent past three years.</p>
<p>But away from the speeches, there is another Sisi.</p>
<p>Between October and December 2013, a series of private recordings appeared on YouTube and were publicized by Rassd, an online news outlet associated with the Muslim Brotherhood, and Al Jazeera. The recordings, which included off-the-record interviews between Sisi and unidentified journalists as well as internal military video, are thought to have taken place between late 2012 and shortly before they became public, though it’s difficult to tell, as the Egyptian Armed Forces refuse to comment. &#160;</p>
<p>&#160;</p>
<p>"The people think that I'm a soft guy."</p>
<p>&#160;</p>
<p>The recordings aren't news to the Egyptian public, nor to Western audiences — who are much more likely to view Sisi as a typical military strongman, anyway. But while some Egyptians have heard of the leaks — at least one was widely broadcast on <a href="http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/news/regions/middle-east/egypt/131102/bassem-youssef-fame-censure-allegory-egypt-press%20freedom" type="external">Bassem Youssef</a>’s popular “El Bernameg” satirical news program — many outlets in Egypt, including state media, have declined to report on them. Two Rassd journalists charged with distributing the recordings were <a href="http://allafrica.com/stories/201402242335.html" type="external">referred</a> to a military court in February, while <a href="http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/news/regions/middle-east/140202/al-jazeera-journalists-targeted-egypt" type="external">Al Jazeera’s troubles</a> with the Egyptian government, beginning even before the leaks, now regularly make headlines the world around.</p>
<p>What the recordings reveal might surprise Egyptians who think Sisi is their ticket out of hard times.</p>
<p>"The people think that I'm a soft guy,” the military commander’s voice is heard saying in one. “It's not like that ... Sisi is torture and suffering." It isn't clear whether or not he's being ironic.</p>
<p>One of the things the leaked recordings reveal is Sisi’s appreciation of the risks involved in seeking the presidency. In fact, the recordings offer a compelling explanation for Sisi’s delay in announcing his candidacy in the past six months.</p>
<p>In order to run, Sisi knew he had to resign from his post of head of the armed forces.</p>
<p>In a&#160; <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wLfeBjYTPkQ" type="external">recording</a>&#160;released on Oct. 10, while a new constitution was being written and ever louder voices were clamoring for him to stand, Sisi told&#160;journalist and supporter Yasser Rizq, "You have to make a campaign with cultured people to add an article to the constitution in order to immunize Sisi in his office as Minister of Defense and let him return to his office even if he did not reach the presidency." Aware that he sought a position from which two recent occupants had been routed in defeat, Sisi appeared eager to secure a path for retreat.</p>
<p>No such clause was introduced in the months following that recording. It soon became clear that his support among the electorate was overwhelming, but still, Sisi hesitated. Rather than declare his candidacy, for months he admonished supporters and journalists to wait, even as his poster plastered Cairo's streets, and his picture adorned chocolates and T-shirts. He was promoted to field marshal and received the&#160; <a href="http://www.ft.com/intl/cms/s/0/f09b0488-8770-11e3-9c5c-00144feab7de.html#axzz2wcgF4p3L" type="external">formal blessing</a>&#160;of the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces to enter the presidential race on Jan. 27.</p>
<p>In the next months more news pieces&#160; <a href="http://www.madamasr.com/content/sisis-concerns-about-economy-and-military-delay-presidential-bid" type="external">reported</a>&#160;his reticence, citing various concerns: the shifting sands of support within the military, the difficulty of being president as Egypt’s financial support from Saudi Arabia and the Emirates seemed likely to dry up.</p>
<p>A delegation of agricultural workers&#160; <a href="http://www.shorouknews.com/news/view.aspx?cdate=16032014&amp;id=bed4f103-e924-4b22-9c4a-2a183ed54b8c" type="external">visited</a>&#160;the field marshal on March 9, imploring him to stand, and addressing him by the title of president. "Field Marshal Sisi expressed his fear of the impatience of Egyptians because of the economic difficulties facing the country," a source told al-Sharq al-Awsat newspaper.</p>
<p>One reason Sisi appeared in the recordings to be understandably nervous about running is that Egypt's faltering economy and rising prices have been the judge, jury, and executioner of his predecessors, Morsi and Mubarak. While Sisi’s appreciation for Egypt’s economic troubles is public knowledge, his particular and probably unpopular prescription for them, revealed by the recordings, is less well-known.</p>
<p>Egypt needs to turn its huge budget deficit into a surplus to allow the state to pay off debts, defend the currency, and invest in job-creating industry to help incomes catch up with inflation,&#160; <a href="http://www.dailynewsegypt.com/2014/03/10/inflation-rate-eases-to-10-2-in-february-capmas/" type="external">now over 10 percent</a>. Sisi’s approach to the deficit may involve asking Egyptians to work harder, pay more, and endure greater hardships than they have before. Only hints of this position have been given publicly: "How many of you have considered walking to university so that you can save for Egypt?” he&#160; <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6BKRGKA3YNE" type="external">asked</a>&#160;an audience of junior doctors in early March.</p>
<p>&#160;</p>
<p>Egypt's faltering economy and rising prices have been the judge, jury, and executioner of Sisi's predecessors, Morsi and Mubarak.</p>
<p>&#160;</p>
<p>Even comments like this provoked an&#160; <a href="http://www.dailynewsegypt.com/2014/03/17/al-sisis-austerity-request/" type="external">online backlash</a>. Behind closed doors, Sisi has been far more blunt.</p>
<p>In&#160; <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0uVKra-pzxU&amp;desktop_uri=%2Fwatch%3Fv%3D0uVKra-pzxU&amp;app" type="external">one recording</a>&#160;he spoke, as if to the Egyptian people, about the hardships they may expect to endure should they elect him.</p>
<p>"If I make you walk on foot, can you stand it?" he asks. "If I make you wake at 5 o'clock in the morning every day, can you stand it? If we become short of food, can you stand it? If we lack air conditioning, can you stand it? Can you stand it if I take away subsidies in one go? Can you stand that from me?"</p>
<p>Subsidies currently make bread, gasoline, electricity and a few other necessities vastly cheaper for Egyptians. Efforts are&#160; <a href="http://uk.reuters.com/article/2013/04/24/egypt-subsidies-idUKL6N0DB2MH20130424" type="external">underway</a>&#160;to target bread subsidies better toward the poor and reduce waste, but energy subsidies alone account for more than 20 percent of government spending.</p>
<p>While energy subsidies mainly benefit those rich enough to own cars, air conditioning units, and so on, withdrawing them in the manner these recordings Sisi describes would devastate Egypt’s poor. Even a targeted restructuring, which is beyond the government's technical capacities, would risk provoking a backlash from the middle class, and may nonetheless be insufficient to balance the budget. Famously, an attempt by former President Anwar Sadat to cut subsidies in 1977 provoked mass riots.</p>
<p>In another leaked recording, Sisi&#160; <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tr0IXpm-E8k" type="external">exhorted</a>&#160;Egyptians to make huge sacrifices, drawing attention to other countries in which he believes austerity has been endured for the national good.</p>
<p>"I would like to tell you that Germany reduced 50 percent of the salaries for its austerity plan, and people accepted that. When South Sudan seceded from the north in order to become independent, it cut salaries by 50 percent. People said nothing. ... Today, it is impossible to pay 107 billion Egyptian pounds to subsidize energy and 17 billion for bread," he said.</p>
<p>The caveat to these striking quotes (aside from the fact that the Germany and South Sudan figures are somewhat exaggerated) is that the leaked comments are segments cut from much longer original recordings. The journalists who obtained the original recordings chose which segments to publish, but have not allowed the remainder to become public. It may be that the portions made public reflect the biases of outlets, like Rassd, which opposes Sisi. Segments from the recordings that qualify his views or present him in a more sympathetic light may well have been omitted, given that&#160; <a href="http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/news/regions/middle-east/egypt/131229/muslim-brotherhood-terrorist" type="external">the opposition</a> — like many impartial analysts — believes that popular discontent about the economy is Sisi’s greatest vulnerability.</p>
<p>Sisi’s record suggests he may be prepared to supplement austerity with massive "national projects" funded from the military's secret coffers and with aid from the Gulf, though critics say cronyism and&#160; <a href="http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/3/12/88169/Business/Economy/Corruption-in-Egypt-remains-high-Transparency-Inte.aspx" type="external">corruption</a>&#160;may limit the impact of such projects.</p>
<p>Why, if economic troubles and the work needed to fix them is likely to sink him, is Sisi seeking the presidency to begin with? One possibility is that, after the last three years, the Egyptian Armed Forces simply do not believe they can trust anyone else to achieve stability and protect their interests.</p>
<p>But another more troubling possibility is that Sisi believes the presidency to be his divinely ordained destiny. In another leak, he tells journalist Yasser Rizq that for 35 years he has had "visions," dreams that proved to reveal the future.</p>
<p>In one, he said, "I was with Sadat, and I was talking to him, and he told me, “I knew that I would be the president of the republic,” and I said to him, “I also know that I’m going to be the president of the republic.”</p>
<p>Rizq asked Sisi if he felt that he could one day lead the nation. "There’s a prayer I always say, that I could be that," Sisi replied.</p>
<p>&#160;</p>
<p>Sisi believes the presidency to be his divinely ordained destiny.</p>
<p>&#160;</p>
<p>In another dream, Sisi pictured himself wearing a watch with an omega on it, perhaps a reference to the watch brand of the same name. “This watch is named for me,” he said. “It’s an Omega, and I’m Abdel&#160;Fattah, so I put the Omega, with … the global nature, with Abdel Fattah. Not me, the dream …”</p>
<p>The general appeared to be referring to the phrase “I am the alpha and the omega,” a line attributed to Jesus Christ in the Book of Revelations — an odd line for a devout Muslim. In another dream, he saw a burning sword bearing the words “there is no god but God,” the Islamic declaration of faith.</p>
<p>Western observers reacted to the recording when it was leaked In December with a mixture of concern and ridicule.</p>
<p>In a video filmed by a military officer during late 2012, a fellow officer named Omar encouraged Sisi to restore respect for the military in the media — officially, reporting anything about the armed forces is illegal without their permission — with a mixture of threats and encouragement.</p>
<p>Sisi replies: "The revolution has dismantled all pre-existing shackles, not only for us … but for the entire state. The shackles have been dismantled, and are being rearranged. … But take things back to the way they were, where nobody mentions your name or talks about you? Not yet."</p>
<p>“Not yet” isn't reassuring language for those who supported the 2011 revolution.</p>
<p>Counterintuitively, however, the most concerning aspects of Sisi's record might not be revealed in his leaked statements, but in his public appearances.</p>
<p>In April 2012, while still head of military intelligence, he defended the virginity tests forcibly carried out on several female protesters arrested by soldiers in March 2011. The tests were carried out "to protect the girls from rape, and the soldiers and officers from accusations of rape," he said. Courts subsequently banned the procedure.</p>
<p>More from GlobalPost: <a href="http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/news/regions/middle-east/egypt/131102/bassem-youssef-fame-censure-allegory-egypt-press%20freedom" type="external">Satirist’s rise to fame and censure an allegory for Egypt’s press freedom</a></p>
<p>More recently, he allowed himself to be associated with the farcical announcement of a military officer (and sometime advocate of herbal remedies) who claimed at an armed forces press conference to have discovered cures for AIDS and hepatitis C, which allegedly involved feeding AIDS-infused kebabs to patients.&#160;</p>
<p>At the conference, the officer publicly&#160; <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O1fdHT5PfcA" type="external">thanked</a>&#160;Sisi, who was sitting in the front row, for his encouragement. A scientific adviser to the president subsequently&#160; <a href="http://www.almasryalyoum.com/news/details/414695" type="external">described</a>&#160;the claims as a "scandal," but neither Sisi nor the military have distanced themselves from the officer.</p>
<p>In his youth, growing up in the Gammaleya district of Cairo, Sisi distinguished himself by his hard work and seriousness. "Abdel Fattah always seemed to have a goal. He had willpower," a local man who remembered the young Sisi&#160; <a href="http://www.ndtv.com/article/world/egyptian-army-field-marshal-abdel-fattah-al-sisi-poised-to-announce-presidency-bid-476079" type="external">told</a>&#160;Reuters. Others remember him lifting makeshift barbells made of metal pipe and rocks.</p>
<p>That iron resolve will be severely tested by the impoverishment and volatility of the Egyptian streets.</p>
<p>The most insightful comment on the challenges ahead might be from former president Mohammed Morsi, now a prisoner, speaking to his lawyer about Sisi in yet another leaked recording:</p>
<p>"He&#160;actually&#160;wants to be president?"</p>
| false | 3 |
cairo egypt field marshal abdul fatah alsisi resigned position armed forces chief announced candidacy egyptian presidency wednesday popular figure modern egyptian politics polls suggest likely win upcoming election landslide would sisi presidency look like vague public pronouncements filled calls national unity praise common man millions egyptian admirers represents muchneeded aspiration stability turbulent past three years away speeches another sisi october december 2013 series private recordings appeared youtube publicized rassd online news outlet associated muslim brotherhood al jazeera recordings included offtherecord interviews sisi unidentified journalists well internal military video thought taken place late 2012 shortly became public though difficult tell egyptian armed forces refuse comment 160 160 people think im soft guy 160 recordings arent news egyptian public western audiences much likely view sisi typical military strongman anyway egyptians heard leaks least one widely broadcast bassem youssefs popular el bernameg satirical news program many outlets egypt including state media declined report two rassd journalists charged distributing recordings referred military court february al jazeeras troubles egyptian government beginning even leaks regularly make headlines world around recordings reveal might surprise egyptians think sisi ticket hard times people think im soft guy military commanders voice heard saying one like sisi torture suffering isnt clear whether hes ironic one things leaked recordings reveal sisis appreciation risks involved seeking presidency fact recordings offer compelling explanation sisis delay announcing candidacy past six months order run sisi knew resign post head armed forces a160 recording160released oct 10 new constitution written ever louder voices clamoring stand sisi told160journalist supporter yasser rizq make campaign cultured people add article constitution order immunize sisi office minister defense let return office even reach presidency aware sought position two recent occupants routed defeat sisi appeared eager secure path retreat clause introduced months following recording soon became clear support among electorate overwhelming still sisi hesitated rather declare candidacy months admonished supporters journalists wait even poster plastered cairos streets picture adorned chocolates tshirts promoted field marshal received the160 formal blessing160of supreme council armed forces enter presidential race jan 27 next months news pieces160 reported160his reticence citing various concerns shifting sands support within military difficulty president egypts financial support saudi arabia emirates seemed likely dry delegation agricultural workers160 visited160the field marshal march 9 imploring stand addressing title president field marshal sisi expressed fear impatience egyptians economic difficulties facing country source told alsharq alawsat newspaper one reason sisi appeared recordings understandably nervous running egypts faltering economy rising prices judge jury executioner predecessors morsi mubarak sisis appreciation egypts economic troubles public knowledge particular probably unpopular prescription revealed recordings less wellknown egypt needs turn huge budget deficit surplus allow state pay debts defend currency invest jobcreating industry help incomes catch inflation160 10 percent sisis approach deficit may involve asking egyptians work harder pay endure greater hardships hints position given publicly many considered walking university save egypt he160 asked160an audience junior doctors early march 160 egypts faltering economy rising prices judge jury executioner sisis predecessors morsi mubarak 160 even comments like provoked an160 online backlash behind closed doors sisi far blunt in160 one recording160he spoke egyptian people hardships may expect endure elect make walk foot stand asks make wake 5 oclock morning every day stand become short food stand lack air conditioning stand stand take away subsidies one go stand subsidies currently make bread gasoline electricity necessities vastly cheaper egyptians efforts are160 underway160to target bread subsidies better toward poor reduce waste energy subsidies alone account 20 percent government spending energy subsidies mainly benefit rich enough cars air conditioning units withdrawing manner recordings sisi describes would devastate egypts poor even targeted restructuring beyond governments technical capacities would risk provoking backlash middle class may nonetheless insufficient balance budget famously attempt former president anwar sadat cut subsidies 1977 provoked mass riots another leaked recording sisi160 exhorted160egyptians make huge sacrifices drawing attention countries believes austerity endured national good would like tell germany reduced 50 percent salaries austerity plan people accepted south sudan seceded north order become independent cut salaries 50 percent people said nothing today impossible pay 107 billion egyptian pounds subsidize energy 17 billion bread said caveat striking quotes aside fact germany south sudan figures somewhat exaggerated leaked comments segments cut much longer original recordings journalists obtained original recordings chose segments publish allowed remainder become public may portions made public reflect biases outlets like rassd opposes sisi segments recordings qualify views present sympathetic light may well omitted given that160 opposition like many impartial analysts believes popular discontent economy sisis greatest vulnerability sisis record suggests may prepared supplement austerity massive national projects funded militarys secret coffers aid gulf though critics say cronyism and160 corruption160may limit impact projects economic troubles work needed fix likely sink sisi seeking presidency begin one possibility last three years egyptian armed forces simply believe trust anyone else achieve stability protect interests another troubling possibility sisi believes presidency divinely ordained destiny another leak tells journalist yasser rizq 35 years visions dreams proved reveal future one said sadat talking told knew would president republic said also know im going president republic rizq asked sisi felt could one day lead nation theres prayer always say could sisi replied 160 sisi believes presidency divinely ordained destiny 160 another dream sisi pictured wearing watch omega perhaps reference watch brand name watch named said omega im abdel160fattah put omega global nature abdel fattah dream general appeared referring phrase alpha omega line attributed jesus christ book revelations odd line devout muslim another dream saw burning sword bearing words god god islamic declaration faith western observers reacted recording leaked december mixture concern ridicule video filmed military officer late 2012 fellow officer named omar encouraged sisi restore respect military media officially reporting anything armed forces illegal without permission mixture threats encouragement sisi replies revolution dismantled preexisting shackles us entire state shackles dismantled rearranged take things back way nobody mentions name talks yet yet isnt reassuring language supported 2011 revolution counterintuitively however concerning aspects sisis record might revealed leaked statements public appearances april 2012 still head military intelligence defended virginity tests forcibly carried several female protesters arrested soldiers march 2011 tests carried protect girls rape soldiers officers accusations rape said courts subsequently banned procedure globalpost satirists rise fame censure allegory egypts press freedom recently allowed associated farcical announcement military officer sometime advocate herbal remedies claimed armed forces press conference discovered cures aids hepatitis c allegedly involved feeding aidsinfused kebabs patients160 conference officer publicly160 thanked160sisi sitting front row encouragement scientific adviser president subsequently160 described160the claims scandal neither sisi military distanced officer youth growing gammaleya district cairo sisi distinguished hard work seriousness abdel fattah always seemed goal willpower local man remembered young sisi160 told160reuters others remember lifting makeshift barbells made metal pipe rocks iron resolve severely tested impoverishment volatility egyptian streets insightful comment challenges ahead might former president mohammed morsi prisoner speaking lawyer sisi yet another leaked recording he160actually160wants president
| 1,127 |
<p>Suicide&#160;accounts for <a href="http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/suicide.htm" type="external">more than two-thirds</a> of the 32,000 firearms deaths the United States averages every year. Or, to come at the issue a different way: Suicide is the <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2015/10/09/upshot/gun-deaths-are-mostly-suicides.html?_r=0" type="external">second-leading cause of death</a> for Americans aged 15 to 34, and more than 50 percent of cases involve guns. A big reason for the prevalence of firearms in suicides is the deadliness of guns themselves:&#160;When a firearm is used in a suicide attempt, there’s an 85 percent chance of it being successful. Whatever numbers you look at, they point to a significant public health problem. But because of&#160;a host of misconceptions and a lingering social stigma, suicides by firearm receive little popular attention.</p>
<p>1 (800) 273-8255</p>
<p>Text 741741</p>
<p>1 (800) 273-8255, press 1, or text 838255</p>
<p>Understand <a href="https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/help-someone-else/" type="external">warning signs.</a></p>
<p>According to Liza Gold, a clinical professor of psychiatry at the Georgetown University School of Medicine and editor of the forthcoming <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Violence-Mental-Illness-Liza-Gold/dp/1585624985" type="external">Gun Violence and Mental Illness</a>, a lack of information&#160;about gun suicides&#160;makes preventing them&#160;increasingly difficult for mental health professionals. In a conversation with The Trace, Gold spoke about the&#160;biggest myths about firearm suicides, and why there’s no such thing as safe gun storage when a family member is in crisis.</p>
<p>Liza Gold:&#160;Culturally and historically, suicide has always come with a high level of shame and embarrassment. People don’t talk about it because they don’t know how to talk about it and they’re not given permission to talk about it. It’s also true that in most suicides, there is some connection to mental illness, which is highly stigmatized.&#160;People don’t want that associated with their families, so when suicides do occur, they don’t list the cause of death or they don’t count suicide as the cause of death.</p>
<p>The negative stereotyping also makes it difficult for people to ask for help, because they aren’t educated about the warning signs and they don’t necessarily know how to intervene.</p>
<p>Subscribe to receive The Trace’s newsletters on important gun news and analysis.</p>
<p>As a society, though, I think we have to move towards a new social norm where we assume that people who are in a crisis of any kind&#160;—&#160;social, mental, addiction-related, or whatever —&#160;that those people might have access to a firearm. And we have to ask them, “Do you have access to a gun? Do you mind if I hold it for you until we find you some help?” That can be a friendly conversation that comes from a place of caring and concern. It’s sort of like when people are drunk and their friends take their car keys. Their friends aren’t stealing from them. They can have their car back the next day. But their friends are preventing them from becoming a fatality and maybe killing themselves or others, which they probably don’t want to do.</p>
<p>No, because suicides are often impulsive, meaning that there’s a very short time between the decision and the action. Seventy-five percent of suicides occur in the home, and many are also fueled by alcohol, which decreases inhibitions and increases impulsivity. With or without mental illness, someone could be sitting at home, going through a crisis. For kids, that tends to be an emotional or a relationship crisis, for adults it’s often a financial or marital crisis, and for older adults, it happens to be medical problems, especially dementia.</p>
<p>So, you have a person sitting at home, who may have some alcohol in their system, and they may impulsively decide that they’re going to kill themselves. Well, to do that, they’re going to use what’s at hand. And there are guns in over a third of the households in the United States, making them both lethal and easily accessible. If you know you have people going through those kinds of problems in your home, there is no such thing as safe gun storage. And there might not be any indication that someone is even considering suicide.</p>
<p>That’s called means substitution, and studies show that there’s not a lot of evidence for it. First of all, research demonstrates that for every step you put between somebody and a firearm, you also decrease suicide and injury and homicide rates. For example, the suicide rate decreases about 10 percent if you keep a gun in your house unloaded. And then it decreases another 10 percent if you keep it locked and unloaded, and then another 10 percent if you keep it locked, unloaded, and keep the ammunition locked somewhere else. If you prolong the time that it takes someone to kill themselves, there’s more time for them to change their minds.</p>
<p>But let’s say that there was 100 percent means substitution, and someone found another way to attempt suicide. There’s not a lot of evidence that people will do that, but there’s also just no other method of committing suicide that’s as lethal as using a firearm. Even if someone then tried to overdose on pills or hang themselves, which is the second most common way to attempt suicide, it’s more likely that their method would fail or someone would intervene in time. And a lot of times, those people go into treatment and they don’t go on to kill themselves. In fact, of those people who attempt suicide and survive, only about 10 percent end up dying from suicide. So if you save someone’s life from a suicide attempt, there’s a very good chance that you really are permanently saving their life.</p>
<p>No, no, no. Firearm violence is firearm violence. Let’s say you work in a hospital and you have 100 people with lung cancer, and 50 percent of them have it because they were smokers. Are you going to say to the smokers, “Your cancer is not as important because you were smoking and you should have known better?” I don’t think so. You treat them exactly the same. So, firearm violence is firearm violence, whether it’s committed against oneself or committed against others. It’s all bad. And everyone who dies from a firearm injury has died prematurely from a preventable cause. They’ve died too young. Whether it’s a two-year-old shot by their 10-year-old brother, or a mass shooting, or someone who committed suicide.</p>
<p>There are also a lot of arguments about intervention methods and whether they should even be implemented. About 20,000 people die every year by committing suicide with a firearm. Let’s say we only save five percent of people by having everybody be required to use a gun safe to store a gun. Well, that’s still 1,000 people a year. Suicides are devastating to families and communities&#160;—&#160;they rip people’s lives apart. So, even if we “only” saved 1,000 people a year, that’s more than the number of kids who are unintentionally shot and killed every year, and we’re also protecting the many people who are impacted other than the victim.</p>
<p>There seems to be this standard that a gun measure has to be 100 percent effective for us to consider using it. I mean, we use speed limits and we don’t expect those to be 100 percent effective in preventing car accidents. We use traffic lights, we don’t expect those to be 100 percent. We still use seat belts. We don’t expect any other kind of public safety intervention to be 100 percent effective, so why is that the standard to which gun violence interventions are held?</p>
<p>I can’t really tell you because the data only goes back so many&#160;years. What is interesting is that firearm suicide used to be primarily a phenomenon limited to men, but the incidences of women shooting themselves have been increasing.</p>
<p>There used to be the very sexist explanation that women didn’t commit suicide with guns because they didn’t want to disfigure themselves. They took overdoses so they didn’t look bad when they died. There’s no scientific evidence that supports that. The reason is that people kill themselves with what they have handy, and more men had guns than women, by far. Well, that’s starting to change.</p>
<p>[Photo: Flickr user&#160; <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/ashleyrosex/4317601895/in/photolist-7zwQBZ-7rtFYJ-Cv3qa-7rtLWw-4vwsMB-7rtTh1-7rpVbz-7rtNqw-9jCt6j-7rpXWa-7rtQuS-m17rAa-6tkHKG-bCBm5M-5UFMuh-9RPs7Z-9RSn7w-9RSmBW-9RSmS9-FtD9B-eYau9-8Gn9Zm-dGdhE-7rpLyi-7rtVsL-7rpZkP-7rtP6L-7rtLaq-7rtPPS-7rpNxc-7rtJ5q-7rpMNv-7rpUyB-7rtGKQ-7rtMFW-2siNvL-31UeqG-32Mrvw-9RSnfw-6Evxf9-6Erom6-6Erqst-6Erpqg-6Evypq-6ErnTn-6EvyJN-4pi8nH-KfgXC-Etvbr-bmmRnT" type="external">Ashley Rose</a>]</p>
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suicide160accounts twothirds 32000 firearms deaths united states averages every year come issue different way suicide secondleading cause death americans aged 15 34 50 percent cases involve guns big reason prevalence firearms suicides deadliness guns themselves160when firearm used suicide attempt theres 85 percent chance successful whatever numbers look point significant public health problem of160a host misconceptions lingering social stigma suicides firearm receive little popular attention 1 800 2738255 text 741741 1 800 2738255 press 1 text 838255 understand warning signs according liza gold clinical professor psychiatry georgetown university school medicine editor forthcoming gun violence mental illness lack information160about gun suicides160makes preventing them160increasingly difficult mental health professionals conversation trace gold spoke the160biggest myths firearm suicides theres thing safe gun storage family member crisis liza gold160culturally historically suicide always come high level shame embarrassment people dont talk dont know talk theyre given permission talk also true suicides connection mental illness highly stigmatized160people dont want associated families suicides occur dont list cause death dont count suicide cause death negative stereotyping also makes difficult people ask help arent educated warning signs dont necessarily know intervene subscribe receive traces newsletters important gun news analysis society though think move towards new social norm assume people crisis kind160160social mental addictionrelated whatever 160that people might access firearm ask access gun mind hold find help friendly conversation comes place caring concern sort like people drunk friends take car keys friends arent stealing car back next day friends preventing becoming fatality maybe killing others probably dont want suicides often impulsive meaning theres short time decision action seventyfive percent suicides occur home many also fueled alcohol decreases inhibitions increases impulsivity without mental illness someone could sitting home going crisis kids tends emotional relationship crisis adults often financial marital crisis older adults happens medical problems especially dementia person sitting home may alcohol system may impulsively decide theyre going kill well theyre going use whats hand guns third households united states making lethal easily accessible know people going kinds problems home thing safe gun storage might indication someone even considering suicide thats called means substitution studies show theres lot evidence first research demonstrates every step put somebody firearm also decrease suicide injury homicide rates example suicide rate decreases 10 percent keep gun house unloaded decreases another 10 percent keep locked unloaded another 10 percent keep locked unloaded keep ammunition locked somewhere else prolong time takes someone kill theres time change minds lets say 100 percent means substitution someone found another way attempt suicide theres lot evidence people theres also method committing suicide thats lethal using firearm even someone tried overdose pills hang second common way attempt suicide likely method would fail someone would intervene time lot times people go treatment dont go kill fact people attempt suicide survive 10 percent end dying suicide save someones life suicide attempt theres good chance really permanently saving life firearm violence firearm violence lets say work hospital 100 people lung cancer 50 percent smokers going say smokers cancer important smoking known better dont think treat exactly firearm violence firearm violence whether committed oneself committed others bad everyone dies firearm injury died prematurely preventable cause theyve died young whether twoyearold shot 10yearold brother mass shooting someone committed suicide also lot arguments intervention methods whether even implemented 20000 people die every year committing suicide firearm lets say save five percent people everybody required use gun safe store gun well thats still 1000 people year suicides devastating families communities160160they rip peoples lives apart even saved 1000 people year thats number kids unintentionally shot killed every year also protecting many people impacted victim seems standard gun measure 100 percent effective us consider using mean use speed limits dont expect 100 percent effective preventing car accidents use traffic lights dont expect 100 percent still use seat belts dont expect kind public safety intervention 100 percent effective standard gun violence interventions held cant really tell data goes back many160years interesting firearm suicide used primarily phenomenon limited men incidences women shooting increasing used sexist explanation women didnt commit suicide guns didnt want disfigure took overdoses didnt look bad died theres scientific evidence supports reason people kill handy men guns women far well thats starting change photo flickr user160 ashley rose
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<p>TORONTO, Canada – For a brief, surreal moment, it looked like Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi would be pitching his Bedouin tent in the Atlantic province of Newfoundland, of all places.</p>
<p>The news broke late last week that Gadhafi, after his unforgettably erratic debut at the United Nations, would arrive Tuesday on the “the rock,” as Canadians call Newfoundland, for a refueling stop back to northern Africa.</p>
<p>The thought of the self-styled “king of kings” and his entourage of female bodyguards spending 24 hours in sleepy Newfoundland seemed incongruous at best.</p>
<p>Not that the island isn’t worth a visit: It’s arguably Canada’s most beautiful province, with countless coves and isolated, clapboard villages that tranquillize you in a heartbeat. Its people experienced desperately bad times when one of the world’s most abundant populations of cod suddenly collapsed in 1992. Still, they’re the most welcoming folks you can meet.</p>
<p>Rumors swirled about what the real reason for Gadhafi’s visit might be. Few believed Foreign Minister Lawrence Cannon when he announced that he would meet the Libyan president solely to register Canada’s disgust at the hero’s welcome Gadhafi gave the recently released Libyan convicted of bombing a passenger airplane over Lockerbie, Scotland, in 1988. Maybe the Libyan dictator just wanted some rest and relaxation after letting his spleen fly in all directions during a 95-minute address to the U.N. General Assembly in New York. Spinning conspiracy theories suggesting Israelis were involved in the assassination of John F. Kennedy is no doubt exhausting, not to mention the voyage from longtime international pariah to accepted member of the global community.</p>
<p>Whatever the reason, Gadhafi’s advance team spent Thursday, Friday and Saturday scrambling to find hotel rooms for his 130-member entourage in Newfoundland’s capital of St. John’s, and searching for a spot to pitch his tent. Better anchor it down good, many wind-hardened locals recommended, or it’ll end up in the Atlantic Ocean.</p>
<p>The Libyan leader days earlier <a href="http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5gPZWZUtujpRIcXyyyZ9YC3nsETAAD9AV91A00" type="external">struck trouble finding a place to pitch his tent</a> in the New York area during the U.N. session. Requests for space in Manhattan's Central Park and Upper East Side were rejected, as was one for Englewood, New Jersey. When his tent was spotted Tuesday on property owned by the real estate tycoon Donald Trump in suburban Bedford, N.Y., it didn't go over well: Trump hinted he had been tricked into renting his land, and the town ruled that the tent violated various zoning and housing codes.</p>
<p>Back in&#160;St. John’s, there was also talk of Gadhafi being welcomed with a “screech-in” ceremony, where visitors are made honorary Newfies by throwing back a shot of rum and kissing a cod on the lips. Who would not have paid to see Gadhafi do that?</p>
<p>Alas, it was not to be. On Saturday came news that the man former U.S. President Ronald Reagan once dubbed the madman of the desert had cancelled his unofficial visit.</p>
<p>Gadhafi is an unsavory character, and many Newfoundlanders are pleased he’s decided to give their home a miss. But his presence in Canada would have done whacky poetic justice to whacky political times.</p>
<p>Consider, for instance, the latest round of frenzied pre-election posturing: The main opposition leader, Michael Ignatieff, announced a couple of weeks ago that his Liberal party would no longer support Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s shaky minority government. That set the stage for the fourth federal election in five and a half years. But the more Ignatieff calls for an election, the more his party’s support slides in public opinion polls. Harper, on the other hand, insists an election would crush the green shoots heralding the end of the recession. Yet he’s in full pre-election campaign mode, and his support is on the rise. TV attack ads by Harper’s Conservative party charge that Ignatieff has “no long-term commitment” to Canada, noting he spent 30 years working as a professor and journalist in Britain and the United States.</p>
<p>Last week, when world leaders were at the U.N. discussing nuclear proliferation and climate change, Harper was instead at a Tim Hortons plant in a Toronto suburb.</p>
<p>He was highlighting the return of the company’s corporate headquarters to Canada from the U.S. He mused about the joys of enjoying a “hot double double” — the concoction of coffee with two sugars and two creams — and was photographed sipping from a Tim Horton’s cup.</p>
<p>Ignatieff ridiculed Harper for choosing doughnuts over diplomacy, accusing him of weakening Canada’s presence on the world stage. But Harper knows it’s votes from the “hockey moms and dads” who hang out at Tim Hortons coffee shops that might land him the majority government that has eluded him so far.</p>
<p>Harper is also fond of reminding Canadians that a year ago, the Liberals tried to overthrow his minority government by striking a coalition with “the socialists and the separatists” — a reference to the New Democratic Party (NDP) and the Quebec-based Bloc Quebecois party, respectively.</p>
<p>And yet, Harper’s government survived a parliamentary vote a week ago that would have triggered an election with the support of — you guessed it — “the socialists and the separatists.”</p>
<p>Backing Harper was especially galling for New Democratic leader Jack Layton, whose party holds 36 of the 308 seats in the House of Commons. He has tried to make a political career out of lambasting the Liberal party for having propped up the Harper government in the past and has noted, ad nauseam, the number of times the NDP has voted to defeat it — 97 at last count. But the polls indicate the NDP would win fewer seats this time around, so that mantra is out the window.</p>
<p>In short, Canada’s political landscape is as follows: Ignatieff’s Liberals huff and puff about an election that they really don’t want; Harper’s Conservatives warn against an election but are praying to the heavens to have one; and Layton’s NDP has sucked up years of righteous indignation in one gulp. For consistency and lack of hypocrisy, Canadians would have to turn to the Bloc Quebecois — the party that wants to break up the country.</p>
<p>In this political circus, Moammar Ghadafi and his tent would have fit right in.</p>
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toronto canada brief surreal moment looked like libyan leader moammar gadhafi would pitching bedouin tent atlantic province newfoundland places news broke late last week gadhafi unforgettably erratic debut united nations would arrive tuesday rock canadians call newfoundland refueling stop back northern africa thought selfstyled king kings entourage female bodyguards spending 24 hours sleepy newfoundland seemed incongruous best island isnt worth visit arguably canadas beautiful province countless coves isolated clapboard villages tranquillize heartbeat people experienced desperately bad times one worlds abundant populations cod suddenly collapsed 1992 still theyre welcoming folks meet rumors swirled real reason gadhafis visit might believed foreign minister lawrence cannon announced would meet libyan president solely register canadas disgust heros welcome gadhafi gave recently released libyan convicted bombing passenger airplane lockerbie scotland 1988 maybe libyan dictator wanted rest relaxation letting spleen fly directions 95minute address un general assembly new york spinning conspiracy theories suggesting israelis involved assassination john f kennedy doubt exhausting mention voyage longtime international pariah accepted member global community whatever reason gadhafis advance team spent thursday friday saturday scrambling find hotel rooms 130member entourage newfoundlands capital st johns searching spot pitch tent better anchor good many windhardened locals recommended itll end atlantic ocean libyan leader days earlier struck trouble finding place pitch tent new york area un session requests space manhattans central park upper east side rejected one englewood new jersey tent spotted tuesday property owned real estate tycoon donald trump suburban bedford ny didnt go well trump hinted tricked renting land town ruled tent violated various zoning housing codes back in160st johns also talk gadhafi welcomed screechin ceremony visitors made honorary newfies throwing back shot rum kissing cod lips would paid see gadhafi alas saturday came news man former us president ronald reagan dubbed madman desert cancelled unofficial visit gadhafi unsavory character many newfoundlanders pleased hes decided give home miss presence canada would done whacky poetic justice whacky political times consider instance latest round frenzied preelection posturing main opposition leader michael ignatieff announced couple weeks ago liberal party would longer support prime minister stephen harpers shaky minority government set stage fourth federal election five half years ignatieff calls election partys support slides public opinion polls harper hand insists election would crush green shoots heralding end recession yet hes full preelection campaign mode support rise tv attack ads harpers conservative party charge ignatieff longterm commitment canada noting spent 30 years working professor journalist britain united states last week world leaders un discussing nuclear proliferation climate change harper instead tim hortons plant toronto suburb highlighting return companys corporate headquarters canada us mused joys enjoying hot double double concoction coffee two sugars two creams photographed sipping tim hortons cup ignatieff ridiculed harper choosing doughnuts diplomacy accusing weakening canadas presence world stage harper knows votes hockey moms dads hang tim hortons coffee shops might land majority government eluded far harper also fond reminding canadians year ago liberals tried overthrow minority government striking coalition socialists separatists reference new democratic party ndp quebecbased bloc quebecois party respectively yet harpers government survived parliamentary vote week ago would triggered election support guessed socialists separatists backing harper especially galling new democratic leader jack layton whose party holds 36 308 seats house commons tried make political career lambasting liberal party propped harper government past noted ad nauseam number times ndp voted defeat 97 last count polls indicate ndp would win fewer seats time around mantra window short canadas political landscape follows ignatieffs liberals huff puff election really dont want harpers conservatives warn election praying heavens one laytons ndp sucked years righteous indignation one gulp consistency lack hypocrisy canadians would turn bloc quebecois party wants break country political circus moammar ghadafi tent would fit right
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<p>Fifty years ago, the world teetered on the brink of nuclear Armageddon.</p>
<p>On October 16, l962, President John F. Kennedy learned from US aerial surveillance that the Soviet Union was installing offensive nuclear missile sites in Cuba, 90 miles from the coast of Florida.</p>
<p>He was stunned.</p>
<p>The president broke the news to the public on October 22.</p>
<p>"This sudden, clandestine decision to station strategic weapons for the first time outside of soviet soil is a deliberately provocative and unjustified change in the status quo, which cannot be accepted by this country," he said.</p>
<p>President Kennedy announced the imposition a naval blockade around Cuba. He also gave Soviet premier Nikita Khrushchev an ultimatum.</p>
<p>"I call upon Chairman Khrushchev to halt and eliminate this clandestine reckless and provocative threat to world peace."</p>
<p>In other words, remove those missiles in Cuba. Or else.</p>
<p>So why did Nikita Khrushchev risk World War III by putting nuclear missiles in Cuba? After all, a year before, he'd promised President Kennedy he would do no such thing.</p>
<p>"That's the question that everybody is trying to solve," said Svetlana Savranskaya, director of Russia programs at the National Security Archive, and the editor of a new book, The Soviet Cuban Missile Crisis.</p>
<p>"There's stunningly little thinking on the Soviet side about what happens if the United States responds in an aggressive way."</p>
<p>Perhaps because the United States had deployed nuclear missiles in Turkey.</p>
<p>"Right along the Soviet borders," Savranskaya said, "and that was a constant source of humiliation."</p>
<p>So Khrushchev figured he had every right to do the same thing.</p>
<p>"Khrushchev felt that this is giving the Americans a dose of their own medicine," according to James Hershberg, a professor of History and International Affairs at George Washington University.</p>
<p>"At one point Kennedy reacted to what Khrushchev did, saying 'it's as if we started to deploy missiles in Turkey, that would be goddamned dangerous!' And his adviser McGeorge Bundy said, 'well we did, Mr. President'."</p>
<p>Nikita Khrushchev's son, Sergei Khrushchev, is a historian at the Watson Institute for International Studies at Brown University.</p>
<p>"[Khrushchev] did not understand at the time that the American mentality is different. Europeans, Soviets, all their history, had enemies at the gate," Sergei said. Russians were used to being threatened.</p>
<p>Sergei Khrushchev says that as leader of the world's other Superpower, his father also felt an obligation to protect his allies.</p>
<p>"When Castro, after the Bay of Pigs, declared officially that he joined the Soviet bloc, he put this obligation on my father's shoulders. So Khrushchev decided to send missiles there as a diplomatic signal: Don't invade Cuba. We are serious."</p>
<p>Svetlana Savranskaya says in the spring and summer of l962, the Soviets were receiving lots of intelligence that the United States was preparing another invasion.</p>
<p>"Khrushchev doesn't want to lose Cuba. It's his most important ally, the ally that's genuine. Plus, it's Latin America. The Soviets don't have real allies in Latin America," she said. "Cuba is so important for the Soviets."</p>
<p>The Cubans weren't just a valuable Cold War ally. They were genuine folk heroes in the Soviet Union.</p>
<p>"The Soviets were in love with the Cuban Revolution," Savranskaya said. "It was really a love affair. They looked at Cuba and saw their own revolutionary youth. "</p>
<p>"All the Soviets, from the top to the bottom, wanted to help the Cubans fight against possible American invasion, American aggression," said Sergei Khrushchev.</p>
<p>Unfortunately, Khrushchev nearly did provoke a full-scale US invasion, by sending missiles to Cuba.</p>
<p>And here's where the story gets really scary. Cuba was far more armed and dangerous than the US realized.</p>
<p>Svetlana Savranskaya says there were 42,000 Soviet combat troops in Cuba. The US didn't know about them.</p>
<p>The Soviets also had about 180 nuclear warheads in Cuba, Savranskaya says, and the United States thought they had zero.</p>
<p>"What we know now is that without doubt, if there was an invasion of Cuba by US land forces, there would be a nuclear response, and then the US would have to respond with nuclear weapons."</p>
<p>The crisis reached a boiling point on October 27th, says James Hershberg.</p>
<p>"Clearly, October 27, l962 goes down as the most dangerous day in human history."</p>
<p>Savranskaya added that "it's dangerous, amazingly not because of decisions the leaders are taking, but because the situation is spiraling out of control."</p>
<p>A Soviet commander in Cuba, acting without authorization from Moscow, shot down a U-2 spy plane over Cuba, killing the American pilot. Another American U-2 accidentally strayed into Soviet territory in Far East for a couple of hours.</p>
<p>"Also, by October 27, we've learned, you had Soviet submarines around the blockade equipped with nuclear torpedoes," Hershberg said. "In at least one case, and the evidence is still coming in on this, arguments breaking out as to whether World War III has broken out and they should use their nuclear torpedo or get sunk."</p>
<p>The next day, Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev went on Radio Moscow, with an announcement.</p>
<p>"Premier Khrushchev has sent a message to President Kennedy today.</p>
<p>The Soviet government has ordered the dismantling of weapons in Cuba, as well as their crating and return to the Soviet Union."</p>
<p>In return, President Kennedy promised not to invade Cuba, although he refused to put it into writing. He also agreed to withdraw the US nuclear missiles in Turkey.</p>
<p>"It was a compromise on both sides; admittedly the Soviets had to undo their major deployment. But to see it as one side giving up isn't correct."</p>
<p>Both sides blinked.</p>
<p>Americans thought the crisis was over. President Kennedy made it official by lifting the blockade on Cuba on November 20th, after receiving assurances from Khrushchev that he'd withdrawn all of his offensive weapons.</p>
<p>In fact, he hadn't.</p>
<p>"What we've only learned in the last 10 years or so was that the tactical nuclear weapons were still there," said historian James Hershberg.</p>
<p>Svetlana Savranskaya says Khrushchev decided to leave these weapons in Cuba.</p>
<p>"For some time in November, which we call the November Crisis, the Soviet position was that they would train the Cubans to use the remaining nuclear weapons, and transfer tactical nuclear weapons to the Cubans, which would have been the most dangerous situation."</p>
<p>In other words, Cuba almost became a nuclear power.</p>
<p>"Had Kennedy discovered that, after this incredible crisis, this incredible rupture in trust, that Khrushchev was lying again, the pressure to invade, to get rid of the threat permanently, would have been overwhelming," according to Hershberg.</p>
<p>Khrushchev changed his mind, and secretly withdrew the remaining weapons in December, over the vigorous objections of Fidel Castro.</p>
<p>There are lots of lessons from the Cuban Missile Crisis. But here's what President Kennedy's Defense Secretary, Robert McNamara, told filmmaker Errol Morris in his award winning documentary, The Fog of War.</p>
<p>"At the end we lucked out. It was luck that prevented nuclear war."</p>
<p>McNamara said. "We came that close to nuclear war at the end.</p>
<p>Rational individuals. Kennedy was rational. Khrushchev was rational. Castro was rational. Rational individuals came that close to total destruction of their societies. And that danger exists today."</p>
<p>McNamara added that the major lesson of the Cuban missile crisis was "the indefinite combination of human fallibility and nuclear weapons will destroy nations."</p>
<p>But, at least 50 years ago, it didn't.</p>
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fifty years ago world teetered brink nuclear armageddon october 16 l962 president john f kennedy learned us aerial surveillance soviet union installing offensive nuclear missile sites cuba 90 miles coast florida stunned president broke news public october 22 sudden clandestine decision station strategic weapons first time outside soviet soil deliberately provocative unjustified change status quo accepted country said president kennedy announced imposition naval blockade around cuba also gave soviet premier nikita khrushchev ultimatum call upon chairman khrushchev halt eliminate clandestine reckless provocative threat world peace words remove missiles cuba else nikita khrushchev risk world war iii putting nuclear missiles cuba year hed promised president kennedy would thing thats question everybody trying solve said svetlana savranskaya director russia programs national security archive editor new book soviet cuban missile crisis theres stunningly little thinking soviet side happens united states responds aggressive way perhaps united states deployed nuclear missiles turkey right along soviet borders savranskaya said constant source humiliation khrushchev figured every right thing khrushchev felt giving americans dose medicine according james hershberg professor history international affairs george washington university one point kennedy reacted khrushchev saying started deploy missiles turkey would goddamned dangerous adviser mcgeorge bundy said well mr president nikita khrushchevs son sergei khrushchev historian watson institute international studies brown university khrushchev understand time american mentality different europeans soviets history enemies gate sergei said russians used threatened sergei khrushchev says leader worlds superpower father also felt obligation protect allies castro bay pigs declared officially joined soviet bloc put obligation fathers shoulders khrushchev decided send missiles diplomatic signal dont invade cuba serious svetlana savranskaya says spring summer l962 soviets receiving lots intelligence united states preparing another invasion khrushchev doesnt want lose cuba important ally ally thats genuine plus latin america soviets dont real allies latin america said cuba important soviets cubans werent valuable cold war ally genuine folk heroes soviet union soviets love cuban revolution savranskaya said really love affair looked cuba saw revolutionary youth soviets top bottom wanted help cubans fight possible american invasion american aggression said sergei khrushchev unfortunately khrushchev nearly provoke fullscale us invasion sending missiles cuba heres story gets really scary cuba far armed dangerous us realized svetlana savranskaya says 42000 soviet combat troops cuba us didnt know soviets also 180 nuclear warheads cuba savranskaya says united states thought zero know without doubt invasion cuba us land forces would nuclear response us would respond nuclear weapons crisis reached boiling point october 27th says james hershberg clearly october 27 l962 goes dangerous day human history savranskaya added dangerous amazingly decisions leaders taking situation spiraling control soviet commander cuba acting without authorization moscow shot u2 spy plane cuba killing american pilot another american u2 accidentally strayed soviet territory far east couple hours also october 27 weve learned soviet submarines around blockade equipped nuclear torpedoes hershberg said least one case evidence still coming arguments breaking whether world war iii broken use nuclear torpedo get sunk next day soviet leader nikita khrushchev went radio moscow announcement premier khrushchev sent message president kennedy today soviet government ordered dismantling weapons cuba well crating return soviet union return president kennedy promised invade cuba although refused put writing also agreed withdraw us nuclear missiles turkey compromise sides admittedly soviets undo major deployment see one side giving isnt correct sides blinked americans thought crisis president kennedy made official lifting blockade cuba november 20th receiving assurances khrushchev hed withdrawn offensive weapons fact hadnt weve learned last 10 years tactical nuclear weapons still said historian james hershberg svetlana savranskaya says khrushchev decided leave weapons cuba time november call november crisis soviet position would train cubans use remaining nuclear weapons transfer tactical nuclear weapons cubans would dangerous situation words cuba almost became nuclear power kennedy discovered incredible crisis incredible rupture trust khrushchev lying pressure invade get rid threat permanently would overwhelming according hershberg khrushchev changed mind secretly withdrew remaining weapons december vigorous objections fidel castro lots lessons cuban missile crisis heres president kennedys defense secretary robert mcnamara told filmmaker errol morris award winning documentary fog war end lucked luck prevented nuclear war mcnamara said came close nuclear war end rational individuals kennedy rational khrushchev rational castro rational rational individuals came close total destruction societies danger exists today mcnamara added major lesson cuban missile crisis indefinite combination human fallibility nuclear weapons destroy nations least 50 years ago didnt
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<p>The messy collapse of ITT Educational Services Inc.’s nationwide network of technical schools — triggered earlier this month when the U.S. Department of Education (DOE) cut off ITT’s access to <a href="http://www.ed.gov/news/press-releases/department-education-bans-itt-enrolling-new-title-iv-students-adds-tough-new-financial-oversight" type="external">hundreds of millions</a> in annual federal subsidies — has left many American taxpayers wondering how the government and one of the nation’s largest for-profit education systems reached this juncture.</p>
<p>An ongoing dispute over the criminal justice program at ITT's Tallahassee, Florida campus offers a glimpse into a system where taxpayer dollars have supported a network of trade schools widely criticized for deceptive recruitment practices and an often low-quality education. It also provides some indication of how ITT survived years of scrutiny, withering criticism and a growing raft of lawsuits before shutting down.</p>
<p>Critics say that Tallahassee campus administrators and recruiters sought to diligently protect their school from legal liability, while simultaneously seducing prospective students with outsized verbal recruitment promises.</p>
<p>Yet in response to multiple requests, ITT provided NBC News with mandatory disclosure forms and other documentation that seem to explicitly inform prospective students of the potential limits of an ITT degree.The DOE’s action against ITT Tech earlier this month is independent of multiple lawsuits and state investigations into ITT’s recruitment practices, including a lawsuit filed in April by Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey.</p>
<p>“These students were exploited and pressured to enroll with the promise of great careers and high salaries, but were instead left unable to repay their loans and support their families,” Healey said in an April statement.</p>
<p>The total cost of tuition and other fees to complete the Associate degree in Criminology and Forensic Technology at ITT for the 2014/2015 school year ranged between $45,000 and $49,000, <a href="http://programinfo.itt-tech.edu/cost.pdf" type="external">according</a> to ITT, though many ITT students’ tuitions were largely subsidized with federal loans and grants.</p>
<p>According to a half dozen former administrators and students from the Tallahassee campus, recruiters there lured scores of prospective students into the school’s criminal justice program with promises that they could land jobs as crime scene investigators like those on “CSI Miami” and other popular police procedurals.</p>
<p>“They would tell the kids, ‘Have you ever seen CSI Miami? ... Well, if you want to be a CSI you should take our program,’” said Rodney Lipscomb, dean of academic affairs at the Tallahassee campus from 2011 to 2015.</p>
<p>“They made promises of being able to get these kids crime scene investigator jobs. Students were signing up left and right because they could take the program for two years and be crime scene investigators.”</p>
<p>Lipscomb, who <a href="http://www.republicreport.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/Lipscomb-v-ITT.pdf" type="external">filed</a> a federal whistleblower lawsuit against ITT Tech after being dismissed from his position in 2015, said he was furious when he learned about the practices.</p>
<p>“There’s no way that any student with an associate’s degree was going to get a job like that. That requires chemistry, that requires biology,” he said.</p>
<p>Kysha Fedd, the ITT criminal justice department chair until she quit in 2012 over what she said were deceptive recruiting practices, recalled being incensed when she learned about the “CSI” pitch.</p>
<p>“I had students tell me that, and that that was how they were advertising and pitching it to the students,” said Fedd, who was also working as a Gadsden County Sheriff’s deputy.</p>
<p>“Of course, I went to one of the recruiters and asked him, ‘What is it that you’re telling students?’ He said, ‘We don’t tell them anything. We let them make their minds up,’” Fedd recalled.</p>
<p>“And I said, ‘But what exactly are they telling them, so I am aware? I have students coming in with criminal records, with felonies on their records, and so I need to know what you’re telling them.”</p>
<p>Fedd said many of her students were not aware, for instance, that a criminal record could seriously curtail their law enforcement job prospects.</p>
<p>“As soon as I started talking to students, I recognized that some of them had felony records — which was a red flag to me — and I didn’t want to be taking these students’ money.”</p>
<p>When she returned from the recruitment office to face her students, she said she had to recalibrate their expectations.</p>
<p>“I told them, ‘“I’m not saying you won’t [get a CSI job], but that won’t be the job you’ll get when you get out of here. You’re not going to go straight into that field. Students were shocked. They were saying ‘that’s why I was in the program!'”</p>
<p>Fedd said at least some of her graduates ended up with jobs, but not the kind they expected.</p>
<p>“A security guard — that was the biggest prospective job they would have. And some not even security guards. One was working at a photo lab, and another was at a cleaning service. It was a lot of deceptive methods they were using that I did not like at all.”</p>
<p>Shannon Gibson, an adjunct professor in the program from 2010 to 2013 said she was also shocked by the “CSI” pitch, and later quit her job.</p>
<p>“I think what they did was wrong — promising people that are not going to get these jobs — especially the people who have to pay out of pocket,” Gibson said. “For a lot of these students there, this was their last chance to get a quality education ... I had one student that I knew was sleeping behind a dumpster and then coming to school ... But they make [the program] look so easy in the ads.”</p>
<p>An ITT spokeswoman said in a series of email responses to NBC News queries that the school system’s current focus is the “complicated and heart-wrenching process of closing our academic institutions after approximately 50 years.” She characterized charges of deceptive “CSI” pitches — first <a href="http://www.marketwatch.com/story/at-itt-tech-a-greatest-hits-of-abuses-attorney-2016-01-21" type="external">reported</a> by Dow Jones MarketWatch in January — as unproven.</p>
<p>The lawsuit was unsealed in January after the U.S. Department of Justice declined to join Lipscomb in the complaint. ITT has previously denied the allegations in the lawsuit, and in a motion filed late last month lawyers for the company asked a federal judge to dismiss the case entirely.</p>
<p>“Regurgitating unproven allegations as a means to justify this horrific end is disgraceful,” spokeswoman Nicole Elam wrote in the email.</p>
<p>Elam provided NBC News with what she describes as release forms that every incoming student to an ITT criminal justice program must sign before enrolling.</p>
<p><a href="http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/i/MSNBC/Sections/NEWS/ITTCrimJusticeDisclosureForm.pdf" type="external">Click Here to See the Release Form</a></p>
<p>The release requires students to “acknowledge that I have been informed by ITT Technical Institute that graduates of a Criminal Justice program offered by ITT ... may not qualify for a career in law enforcement involving employment as a police officer, or agent by federal, state, county, local or municipal authorities.”</p>
<p>The form instructs students interested in a law enforcement career to “contact the applicable government authority” prior to enrollment to determine what additional qualifications a graduate must meet “to be eligible for employment” in law enforcement.</p>
<p>The document goes on to say that such qualifications may include the lack of a criminal record, a valid driver’s license and U.S. citizenship.</p>
<p>Yet the half dozen former students and administrators each said in separate interviews that the recruiters’ “CSI” pitches misled dozens and dozens of Tallahassee students.</p>
<p>One administrator provided NBC News with what she said was a screen grab from ITT’s online description of its criminal justice program, which was taken down last week when the company announced it would be closing its campuses.</p>
<p><a href="http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/i/MSNBC/Sections/NEWS/associatedegree.pdf" type="external">Click Here to See the Screen Grab</a></p>
<p>The language included the assertion that “TV shows like CSI, Criminal Minds, NCIS and Bones has brought the field of criminology and forensic technology to new levels of awareness and curiosity,” and said the program is “designed to help students prepare for entry-level positions in the field of criminal justice.”</p>
<p>Elam declined to address a copy of the screen grab sent to her by NBC News.</p>
<p>Another key point of contention among critics of the Tallahassee campus is the allegation that ITT engaged in deceptive or misleading recruitment practices about its accreditation.</p>
<p>Students and administrators said that many undergraduates felt misled by recruiters who they say verbally indicated that they could transfer ITT credits to other schools.</p>
<p>Independent experts in for-profit education quality say degrees from some for-profit schools are often useless in seeking employment, because — like ITT — the schools are only accredited nationally, not regionally.</p>
<p>The standards and quality requirements for regional accreditation are far more rigorous, appeal to employers and allow for the transfer of credits between different regionally accredited institutions.</p>
<p>“Degrees from for-profit colleges are viewed by many employers as substandard,” said Robert Shireman, a senior fellow at The Century Foundation and a specialist in for-profit education policy.</p>
<p>The difference between national and regional accreditation can be confusing to many students, according to Alexis Goldstein, a senior policy analyst at the non-profit Americans for Financial Reform who studies for-profit education.</p>
<p>“Employers are not interested in schools that are not regionally-accredited, and students feel that they were betrayed when they were told that their for-profit school was accredited,” Goldstein said. “As a student, you hear that a school is nationally accredited and you don’t know [what that means] and so you say, ‘that sounds great.’”</p>
<p>The experts pointed to recent studies published in the National Bureau of Economic Research which <a href="http://www.nber.org/papers/w22287" type="external">found</a> that students who graduate from for-profit schools with associate’s and bachelor’s degrees actually make less money than they did prior to attending college.</p>
<p>Yet in a <a href="http://itt-tech.info/about/faq/" type="external">statement</a> on its website ITT provides students with a <a href="http://itt-tech.info/education-options/" type="external">list</a> of trade schools that it says may accept ITT transfer credit. And even before it closed its campuses, ITT’s website noted explicitly that “it is unlikely that any credits earned at the school will be transferable to or accepted by any institution.”</p>
<p>Elam also noted in one response to NBC News that “[a]ll students, at enrollment, must sign multiple disclosures about their programs of study — including disclosures on accreditation and graduate salaries.”</p>
<p>For Shagidrika Mathis, a U.S. Army vet who signed up for ITT’s Tallahassee criminal justice program in 2012, the entire process was a frustrating exercise in futility that cost her precious time and money.</p>
<p>“Using an ITT degree to actually get a job in the field of criminal justice? It was just a huge flop,” she said.</p>
<p>Mathis said she was almost finished with her ITT degree when she went to talk to an adviser there about transferring her credits to Florida State University, a regionally accredited, non-profit state school.</p>
<p>She said that she was told when she signed up that she would be able to transfer her credits to a four-year school, but that wasn’t the case.</p>
<p>Mathis said she ended up at Colorado Technical University, a for-profit which is regionally accredited.</p>
<p>“I had to do the [criminal justice] program all over again” at the Colorado school, she said.</p>
<p>Shireman said that he’s familiar with administrative balancing acts between verbal assurances and explicit but contradictory documentation.</p>
<p>“It certainly is common among predatory schools,” he said. “They attempt to protect themselves by getting you to sign a document that says, “Oh, I understand that no promises have been made to me, and at the same time hiring recruiters who connect to [the student] emotionally, and use that connection to make you believe that this school is the key to your future and it will get you a job and that the degree will be meaningful.</p>
<p>“Whether all of that would technically be found in court to be fraud? There’s a good chance it will, despite [a student] signing these documents, but even if it doesn’t, it’s sleazy. Taxpayers shouldn’t be supporting sleazy colleges whether they’re outright lying, or just manipulative.”</p>
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messy collapse itt educational services incs nationwide network technical schools triggered earlier month us department education doe cut itts access hundreds millions annual federal subsidies left many american taxpayers wondering government one nations largest forprofit education systems reached juncture ongoing dispute criminal justice program itts tallahassee florida campus offers glimpse system taxpayer dollars supported network trade schools widely criticized deceptive recruitment practices often lowquality education also provides indication itt survived years scrutiny withering criticism growing raft lawsuits shutting critics say tallahassee campus administrators recruiters sought diligently protect school legal liability simultaneously seducing prospective students outsized verbal recruitment promises yet response multiple requests itt provided nbc news mandatory disclosure forms documentation seem explicitly inform prospective students potential limits itt degreethe action itt tech earlier month independent multiple lawsuits state investigations itts recruitment practices including lawsuit filed april massachusetts attorney general maura healey students exploited pressured enroll promise great careers high salaries instead left unable repay loans support families healey said april statement total cost tuition fees complete associate degree criminology forensic technology itt 20142015 school year ranged 45000 49000 according itt though many itt students tuitions largely subsidized federal loans grants according half dozen former administrators students tallahassee campus recruiters lured scores prospective students schools criminal justice program promises could land jobs crime scene investigators like csi miami popular police procedurals would tell kids ever seen csi miami well want csi take program said rodney lipscomb dean academic affairs tallahassee campus 2011 2015 made promises able get kids crime scene investigator jobs students signing left right could take program two years crime scene investigators lipscomb filed federal whistleblower lawsuit itt tech dismissed position 2015 said furious learned practices theres way student associates degree going get job like requires chemistry requires biology said kysha fedd itt criminal justice department chair quit 2012 said deceptive recruiting practices recalled incensed learned csi pitch students tell advertising pitching students said fedd also working gadsden county sheriffs deputy course went one recruiters asked youre telling students said dont tell anything let make minds fedd recalled said exactly telling aware students coming criminal records felonies records need know youre telling fedd said many students aware instance criminal record could seriously curtail law enforcement job prospects soon started talking students recognized felony records red flag didnt want taking students money returned recruitment office face students said recalibrate expectations told im saying wont get csi job wont job youll get get youre going go straight field students shocked saying thats program fedd said least graduates ended jobs kind expected security guard biggest prospective job would even security guards one working photo lab another cleaning service lot deceptive methods using like shannon gibson adjunct professor program 2010 2013 said also shocked csi pitch later quit job think wrong promising people going get jobs especially people pay pocket gibson said lot students last chance get quality education one student knew sleeping behind dumpster coming school make program look easy ads itt spokeswoman said series email responses nbc news queries school systems current focus complicated heartwrenching process closing academic institutions approximately 50 years characterized charges deceptive csi pitches first reported dow jones marketwatch january unproven lawsuit unsealed january us department justice declined join lipscomb complaint itt previously denied allegations lawsuit motion filed late last month lawyers company asked federal judge dismiss case entirely regurgitating unproven allegations means justify horrific end disgraceful spokeswoman nicole elam wrote email elam provided nbc news describes release forms every incoming student itt criminal justice program must sign enrolling click see release form release requires students acknowledge informed itt technical institute graduates criminal justice program offered itt may qualify career law enforcement involving employment police officer agent federal state county local municipal authorities form instructs students interested law enforcement career contact applicable government authority prior enrollment determine additional qualifications graduate must meet eligible employment law enforcement document goes say qualifications may include lack criminal record valid drivers license us citizenship yet half dozen former students administrators said separate interviews recruiters csi pitches misled dozens dozens tallahassee students one administrator provided nbc news said screen grab itts online description criminal justice program taken last week company announced would closing campuses click see screen grab language included assertion tv shows like csi criminal minds ncis bones brought field criminology forensic technology new levels awareness curiosity said program designed help students prepare entrylevel positions field criminal justice elam declined address copy screen grab sent nbc news another key point contention among critics tallahassee campus allegation itt engaged deceptive misleading recruitment practices accreditation students administrators said many undergraduates felt misled recruiters say verbally indicated could transfer itt credits schools independent experts forprofit education quality say degrees forprofit schools often useless seeking employment like itt schools accredited nationally regionally standards quality requirements regional accreditation far rigorous appeal employers allow transfer credits different regionally accredited institutions degrees forprofit colleges viewed many employers substandard said robert shireman senior fellow century foundation specialist forprofit education policy difference national regional accreditation confusing many students according alexis goldstein senior policy analyst nonprofit americans financial reform studies forprofit education employers interested schools regionallyaccredited students feel betrayed told forprofit school accredited goldstein said student hear school nationally accredited dont know means say sounds great experts pointed recent studies published national bureau economic research found students graduate forprofit schools associates bachelors degrees actually make less money prior attending college yet statement website itt provides students list trade schools says may accept itt transfer credit even closed campuses itts website noted explicitly unlikely credits earned school transferable accepted institution elam also noted one response nbc news students enrollment must sign multiple disclosures programs study including disclosures accreditation graduate salaries shagidrika mathis us army vet signed itts tallahassee criminal justice program 2012 entire process frustrating exercise futility cost precious time money using itt degree actually get job field criminal justice huge flop said mathis said almost finished itt degree went talk adviser transferring credits florida state university regionally accredited nonprofit state school said told signed would able transfer credits fouryear school wasnt case mathis said ended colorado technical university forprofit regionally accredited criminal justice program colorado school said shireman said hes familiar administrative balancing acts verbal assurances explicit contradictory documentation certainly common among predatory schools said attempt protect getting sign document says oh understand promises made time hiring recruiters connect student emotionally use connection make believe school key future get job degree meaningful whether would technically found court fraud theres good chance despite student signing documents even doesnt sleazy taxpayers shouldnt supporting sleazy colleges whether theyre outright lying manipulative
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<p>MEXICO CITY — It is not easy for any reporter to cover drug trafficking in Mexico, a country where more than 80 journalists have been shot, stabbed, bludgeoned to death or decapitated since 2006.</p>
<p>But despite the risks, journalist and author Anabel Hernandez not only covers the issue, but also levels accusations of narco corruption in the country’s most powerful institution: the presidency.</p>
<p>In articles and books, she has alleged links between kingpins such as Joaquin “Chapo” Guzman and a series of Mexican presidents, including Vicente Fox, who ruled from 2000 to 2006, and Felipe Calderon, in power from 2006 to 2012.</p>
<p>According to Hernandez, these leaders’ war on drugs was a farce in which they used soldiers and police to help out Guzman’s Sinaloa cartel.</p>
<p>And despite <a href="http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/news/regions/americas/mexico/140222/drug-kingpin-joaquin-el-chapo-guzman-caught" type="external">Guzman’s dramatic arrest</a> in February by Mexican marines, Hernandez suspects the Sinaloa Cartel is only growing in power under current President Enrique Peña Nieto.</p>
<p>These accusations have major implications for Mexico, where more than 70,000 have died in cartel-related violence since 2006. But they also impact the United States, which has supported Mexico’s fight against drug gangs with billions of dollars, while the US Drug Enforcement Administration and others have worked closely with the Mexican security forces under the command of these presidents.</p>
<p>Such controversial investigations have come at a high personal cost. Hernandez, a mother of two, has faced relentless threats and intimidation, including Kalashnikov-wielding <a href="https://knightcenter.utexas.edu/blog/00-14931-armed-group-breaks-home-mexican-journalist-anabel-hernandez" type="external">thugs breaking into her home</a>.</p>
<p>Hernandez has been particularly concerned about her country’s federal police, drawing alleged links between them and the drug cartels.</p>
<p>In contrast, Mexico City’s police have provided her with protection against gunmen who might want her dead.</p>
<p>But while sacrificing so much of her personal freedom, Hernandez has made a huge impact on coverage of drug trafficking. Her book “Los Señores del Narco,” translated into English as “ <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1781680736/ref=s9_psimh_gw_p14_d0_i5?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&amp;pf_rd_s=center-2&amp;pf_rd_r=0KVA32412QYNYHWXNH2K&amp;pf_rd_t=101&amp;pf_rd_p=1688200382&amp;pf_rd_i=507846" type="external">Narcoland</a>,” has sold more than 200,000 copies, making it one of Mexico’s best-selling nonfiction works in recent years.</p>
<p>While the former presidents and other officials have denied Hernandez’s accusations, they have not sued her over them. Hernandez says this is because they cannot disprove her assertions, or in many cases show where their mysterious wealth came from.</p>
<p>As she launched a new edition of her book this summer, GlobalPost spoke with Hernandez about her investigations and what drives her on.</p>
<p>GlobalPost: How did you make the journey to find yourself investigating drug cartels?</p>
<p>Hernandez: I really started investigative journalism after the death of my father. My father was kidnapped and murdered in December 2000. … It is difficult for me to say this, but my father was abducted, beaten, put in a car trunk, and tied up in such a way that he suffocated. The case was never solved. The authorities asked for money to continue the investigation, which we refused to pay. It is very frustrating. What are you as an individual going to do against a corrupt system? This issue of my father made me change my outlook on life. For me, investigative journalism was a refuge.</p>
<p>Are you sure corruption in Mexico reaches the highest levels and it's not just lower-ranking officials who work for drug cartels?</p>
<p>Since President Luis Echeverria (1970-1976) the links with drug trafficking have been at a presidential level. Corruption in Mexico is pyramidal and from the presidency it permeates other institutions. … The principal public officials and politicians that have been part of this system are still in power. They are deputies, senators, governors and others.</p>
<p>Chapo Guzman escaped from a Mexican prison in 2001. How can you be sure that then-President Fox was complicit in this?</p>
<p>The escape happened under his government, and it involved public officials that worked under his orders. There is no doubt … Fox started his administration with just $1,000 in the bank. His companies were all bankrupt. … Chapo Guzman escaped on Jan. 19, 2001. In February, Fox started to spend money, to buy property and remodel his ranch. Where did he get this money? It is completely inexplicable. … He has never been able to sue me because he cannot justify this wealth.</p>
<p>Do you believe that President Felipe Calderon would personally meet with drug traffickers?</p>
<p>“La Barbie” [arrested trafficker Edgar Villarreal] wrote me a letter in 2012 revealing that Calderon headed meetings [with drug traffickers] … I have firmly documented that people of Ismael Mayo Zambada [a wanted drug trafficker] went into Los Pinos [Mexico’s presidential palace].</p>
<p>I am convinced that this war on drug trafficking was never real. Its only intention was to protect the Sinaloa cartel and attack others.</p>
<p>What is current President Peña Nieto’s policy toward drug trafficking?</p>
<p>I believe that Enrique Peña Nieto is trying to make an old-style pact with drug traffickers. The issue is that he won’t be able to because organized crime is so pulverized and there are so many loose criminal cells that don’t take orders from anybody. What I can say is that the Sinaloa cartel is achieving under this administration what it didn’t achieve in its best years under Fox and Calderon.</p>
<p>What do you think about legalizing drugs to stop billions of dollars that fund corruption?</p>
<p>I don’t believe in legalization. I don’t believe that everybody should have access to drugs and this is the solution the problem. … I believe that there has to be for the first time in the world a true war on drugs. To have a true war on drugs we need to investigate the big world banks, put all the money launderers in prison. The war on drugs is not with a pistol or an AK-47. The war on drugs has to be financial.</p>
<p>What do you hope to achieve with your investigations? What should Mexico do, put former presidents in prison?</p>
<p>What I have learned in nine years of investigation into drug trafficking is that a general, a public security secretary or a governor is more dangerous than Chapo Guzman himself. They are the ones that betray the country, that sell the state to organized crime and they should face exemplary punishments. … If there are no exemplary punishments against the Mexican political and business class who permit people like Chapo Guzman to exist, then nothing is going to change and we are just going to be repeating this story of death, sometimes with more violence, sometimes with less, but always with the Mexican state under control of drug traffickers. We have to break this cycle.</p>
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mexico city easy reporter cover drug trafficking mexico country 80 journalists shot stabbed bludgeoned death decapitated since 2006 despite risks journalist author anabel hernandez covers issue also levels accusations narco corruption countrys powerful institution presidency articles books alleged links kingpins joaquin chapo guzman series mexican presidents including vicente fox ruled 2000 2006 felipe calderon power 2006 2012 according hernandez leaders war drugs farce used soldiers police help guzmans sinaloa cartel despite guzmans dramatic arrest february mexican marines hernandez suspects sinaloa cartel growing power current president enrique peña nieto accusations major implications mexico 70000 died cartelrelated violence since 2006 also impact united states supported mexicos fight drug gangs billions dollars us drug enforcement administration others worked closely mexican security forces command presidents controversial investigations come high personal cost hernandez mother two faced relentless threats intimidation including kalashnikovwielding thugs breaking home hernandez particularly concerned countrys federal police drawing alleged links drug cartels contrast mexico citys police provided protection gunmen might want dead sacrificing much personal freedom hernandez made huge impact coverage drug trafficking book los señores del narco translated english narcoland sold 200000 copies making one mexicos bestselling nonfiction works recent years former presidents officials denied hernandezs accusations sued hernandez says disprove assertions many cases show mysterious wealth came launched new edition book summer globalpost spoke hernandez investigations drives globalpost make journey find investigating drug cartels hernandez really started investigative journalism death father father kidnapped murdered december 2000 difficult say father abducted beaten put car trunk tied way suffocated case never solved authorities asked money continue investigation refused pay frustrating individual going corrupt system issue father made change outlook life investigative journalism refuge sure corruption mexico reaches highest levels lowerranking officials work drug cartels since president luis echeverria 19701976 links drug trafficking presidential level corruption mexico pyramidal presidency permeates institutions principal public officials politicians part system still power deputies senators governors others chapo guzman escaped mexican prison 2001 sure thenpresident fox complicit escape happened government involved public officials worked orders doubt fox started administration 1000 bank companies bankrupt chapo guzman escaped jan 19 2001 february fox started spend money buy property remodel ranch get money completely inexplicable never able sue justify wealth believe president felipe calderon would personally meet drug traffickers la barbie arrested trafficker edgar villarreal wrote letter 2012 revealing calderon headed meetings drug traffickers firmly documented people ismael mayo zambada wanted drug trafficker went los pinos mexicos presidential palace convinced war drug trafficking never real intention protect sinaloa cartel attack others current president peña nietos policy toward drug trafficking believe enrique peña nieto trying make oldstyle pact drug traffickers issue wont able organized crime pulverized many loose criminal cells dont take orders anybody say sinaloa cartel achieving administration didnt achieve best years fox calderon think legalizing drugs stop billions dollars fund corruption dont believe legalization dont believe everybody access drugs solution problem believe first time world true war drugs true war drugs need investigate big world banks put money launderers prison war drugs pistol ak47 war drugs financial hope achieve investigations mexico put former presidents prison learned nine years investigation drug trafficking general public security secretary governor dangerous chapo guzman ones betray country sell state organized crime face exemplary punishments exemplary punishments mexican political business class permit people like chapo guzman exist nothing going change going repeating story death sometimes violence sometimes less always mexican state control drug traffickers break cycle
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<p>Roy Moore scored a major win in Alabama. (Photo public domain)</p>
<p>Roy Moore, a former Alabama Supreme Court chief justice who was removed from the bench for calling on the state to ignore the U.S. Supreme Court ruling for same-sex marriage, won the Republican primary against U.S. Sen. Luther Strange (R-Ala.), the interim senator appointed to replace Jeff Sessions upon his confirmation as attorney general, by a margin of 54.6-45.4.</p>
<p>Moore won by a substantial margin even though President Trump, who remains popular in Alabama, backed Strange and traveled to the state for a rally on behalf of the interim senator. Upon Moore’s win, Trump tweeted he spoke to the victor on election night for the first time and he “sounds like a really great guy who ran a fantastic race.”</p>
<p>Backing Moore in the race was the Family Research Council and the National Organization for Marriage — both major anti-LGBT groups.</p>
<p>Tony Perkins, president of the Family Research Council, said in a statement Moore’s win demonstrates voters “want an end to business as usual” and action on broken promises after the election.</p>
<p>Referencing failures in the Senate to repeal Obamacare, restrict abortion and undo Dodd-Frank, Perkins said Moore “was elected because he is a promise keeper who will stand up for our Constitution.”</p>
<p>Moore’s views in opposition to LGBT rights are extreme even among conservative Republicans. At a time when social conservatives are seeking religious exemption to LGBT non-discrimination laws, Moore has made the case God’s law — or at least the way he sees it — should take precedent over all U.S. laws.</p>
<p>Upon the Supreme Court’s ruling in favor of marriage equality, Moore called the decision&#160;“an immoral, unconstitutional and tyrannical opinion” and instructed Alabama state judges to ignore federal rulings in favor of marriage equality.</p>
<p>Last year, Moore issued a directive saying despite the U.S Supreme Court’s decision for same-sex marriage, probate judges should still deny marriage licenses to gay couples because the Alabama Supreme Court never withheld its 2015 ruling upholding the state law against gay nuptials.</p>
<p>For encouraging state officials to defy federal courts, the Alabama judicial court suspended Moore for the remainder of his term from the Alabama Supreme Court, determining Moore “failed to uphold the integrity and independence of the judiciary.” (It wasn’t the first time Moore was suspended from the bench. It happened in 2003 when he refused to remove a monument of the Ten Commandants from the Alabama Judicial Building.)</p>
<p>Moore hasn’t shied away from expressing anti-LGBT views during his Senate race, which he pursued after dropping his appeal of the Alabama judicial court ruling ousting him from the bench.</p>
<p>Bolstering anti-LGBT bonafides just last week was an unearthed recording from 2005 in which Moore said same-sex relationships, which were illegal in many states just two years earlier before the U.S. Supreme Court ruling in Lawrence v. Texas, should be criminalized.</p>
<p>“What I think is that it was illegal under the law, that the Supreme Court usurped the role of the legislature and ruled something about our moral law that is improper, and that’s what we’re finding the Supreme Court and the federal district courts are doing today,” Moore said at the time.</p>
<p>Kasey Suffredini, acting CEO of Freedom for All Americans, said in a statement Moore has demonstrated “not just a contempt for LGBTQ people, but a total contempt for the rule of law.”</p>
<p>“Moore&#160;is a mouthpiece for some of the ugliest and most dangerous forces working to undermine equality for LGBTQ Americans,” Suffredini said. “Regardless of what happens in November, his continued rise is a reminder that our public education work is more important now than ever before.”</p>
<p>Moore’s far-right views aren’t contained to LGBT people. Despite his views of the superiority of God’s law, Moore said stoked fears about Sharia law in the United States. Upon the election of Rep. Keith Ellison (D-Minn.), the first Muslim elected to Congress, Moore opined the lawmaker shouldn’t be allowed to take his seat because the Constitution is based on Christian principles.</p>
<p>Alabama sent two messages on LGBT rights on Tuesday. Although the Republicans nominated Moore for U.S. Senate, the City of Birmingham passed an LGBT non-discrimination ordinance by a unanimous 7-0 vote on its city council.</p>
<p>Alex Smith, executive director of Equality Alabama, said in a statement passage of the ordinance was a “monumental victory” for LGBT rights in the state.</p>
<p>“Before this ordinance was passed, you could get married&#160;on Saturday&#160;then&#160;on Monday&#160;be fired from your job, evicted from your home, or denied service because you’re LGBTQ,” Smith said. “No one should be discriminated against because of who they are or whom they love, and&#160;Birmingham&#160;took action today to ensure that.”</p>
<p>It’s technically not over for Moore, who now moves on to another special election on Dec. 12 against Democrat Doug Jones, a former U.S. prosecutor who gained notoriety by leading the government’s case against two perpetrators of the 16th Street Baptist Church bombing. Former Vice President Joseph Biden is set to campaign for Jones in Alabama.</p>
<p>But it’s hard to see how Jones can pull off a victory in a deeply “red” state like Alabama in a special election.</p>
<p>Eva Kendrick, the Human Rights Campaign’s Alabama state director, nonetheless urged Alabama voters to reject Moore in the next special election.</p>
<p>“Given Roy Moore’s track record of flouting laws and attacking the civil rights of LGBTQ people across our state, we already know he won’t stand up for all Alabamians when it matters most,” Kendrick said. “In the run up to December 12, we urge every fair-minded person across Alabama to say #NoMoore and reject the politics of bigotry and hate.”</p>
<p><a href="" type="internal">Alabama</a> <a href="" type="internal">Roy Moore</a> <a href="" type="internal">Tony Perkins</a></p>
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roy moore scored major win alabama photo public domain roy moore former alabama supreme court chief justice removed bench calling state ignore us supreme court ruling samesex marriage republican primary us sen luther strange rala interim senator appointed replace jeff sessions upon confirmation attorney general margin 546454 moore substantial margin even though president trump remains popular alabama backed strange traveled state rally behalf interim senator upon moores win trump tweeted spoke victor election night first time sounds like really great guy ran fantastic race backing moore race family research council national organization marriage major antilgbt groups tony perkins president family research council said statement moores win demonstrates voters want end business usual action broken promises election referencing failures senate repeal obamacare restrict abortion undo doddfrank perkins said moore elected promise keeper stand constitution moores views opposition lgbt rights extreme even among conservative republicans time social conservatives seeking religious exemption lgbt nondiscrimination laws moore made case gods law least way sees take precedent us laws upon supreme courts ruling favor marriage equality moore called decision160an immoral unconstitutional tyrannical opinion instructed alabama state judges ignore federal rulings favor marriage equality last year moore issued directive saying despite us supreme courts decision samesex marriage probate judges still deny marriage licenses gay couples alabama supreme court never withheld 2015 ruling upholding state law gay nuptials encouraging state officials defy federal courts alabama judicial court suspended moore remainder term alabama supreme court determining moore failed uphold integrity independence judiciary wasnt first time moore suspended bench happened 2003 refused remove monument ten commandants alabama judicial building moore hasnt shied away expressing antilgbt views senate race pursued dropping appeal alabama judicial court ruling ousting bench bolstering antilgbt bonafides last week unearthed recording 2005 moore said samesex relationships illegal many states two years earlier us supreme court ruling lawrence v texas criminalized think illegal law supreme court usurped role legislature ruled something moral law improper thats finding supreme court federal district courts today moore said time kasey suffredini acting ceo freedom americans said statement moore demonstrated contempt lgbtq people total contempt rule law moore160is mouthpiece ugliest dangerous forces working undermine equality lgbtq americans suffredini said regardless happens november continued rise reminder public education work important ever moores farright views arent contained lgbt people despite views superiority gods law moore said stoked fears sharia law united states upon election rep keith ellison dminn first muslim elected congress moore opined lawmaker shouldnt allowed take seat constitution based christian principles alabama sent two messages lgbt rights tuesday although republicans nominated moore us senate city birmingham passed lgbt nondiscrimination ordinance unanimous 70 vote city council alex smith executive director equality alabama said statement passage ordinance monumental victory lgbt rights state ordinance passed could get married160on saturday160then160on monday160be fired job evicted home denied service youre lgbtq smith said one discriminated love and160birmingham160took action today ensure technically moore moves another special election dec 12 democrat doug jones former us prosecutor gained notoriety leading governments case two perpetrators 16th street baptist church bombing former vice president joseph biden set campaign jones alabama hard see jones pull victory deeply red state like alabama special election eva kendrick human rights campaigns alabama state director nonetheless urged alabama voters reject moore next special election given roy moores track record flouting laws attacking civil rights lgbtq people across state already know wont stand alabamians matters kendrick said run december 12 urge every fairminded person across alabama say nomoore reject politics bigotry hate alabama roy moore tony perkins
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<p><a href="" type="internal" /></p>
<p>JAN. 31, 2O11</p>
<p>By JOHN SEILER</p>
<p>In <a href="http://gov.ca.gov/news.php?id=16897" type="external">his State-of-the-State address</a>today, Gov. Jerry Brown compared Republican legislators’ refusal (so far) to put taxes &#160;on a special election ballot in June to the longstanding thwarting of democracy in Egypt. Apparently he didn’t read <a href="" type="internal">my Sunday blog</a> that made a more apt comparison to Egypt:</p>
<p>the Brown Family Dynasty has been running California for decades. Current Gov. Jerry Brown’s father, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pat_Brown" type="external">Pat, was governor five decades ago</a>. And Brown pere became California’s attorney general way back in 1950, when King Farouk still was monarch of Egypt. Farouk’s dynasty dissolved long ago, but the Brown Dynasty lives on.</p>
<p>Egypt’s problem, as California’s, is that each is run by remote elites that have bankrupted their people through excessive spending and high taxation.</p>
<p>Brown said:</p>
<p>When democratic ideals and calls for the right to vote are stirring the imagination of young people in Egypt and Tunisia and other parts of the world, we in California can’t say now is the time to block a vote of the people.</p>
<p>But we just had a “vote of the people” against taxes last November, less than three months ago. And the year before, voters turned down tax increases similar to those Brown now is proposing.</p>
<p>The message of the people, through democratic elections, is crystal clear in California: No new taxes.</p>
<p>Moreover, a <a href="" type="internal">s I blogged yesterday</a>, there is a way Brown and his Democratic Party could put a measure on the ballot in a couple of months.</p>
<p>On the positive side, Brown continued pushing for the elimination of funding for redevelopment agencies. As he said:</p>
<p>In recent days, a lot has been made of the proposed elimination of redevelopment agencies. Mayors from cities both large and small have come to the capitol and pressed their case that redevelopment is different from child care, university funding or grants to the aged, disabled and blind.</p>
<p>They base their case on the claim that redevelopment funds leverage other funds and create jobs. I certainly understand this because I saw redevelopment first hand as mayor of Oakland. But I also understand that redevelopment funds come directly from local property taxes that would otherwise pay for schools and core city and county services such as police and fire protection and care for the most vulnerable people in our society.</p>
<p>So it is a matter of hard choices and I come down on the side of those who believe that core functions of government must be funded first.</p>
<p>That’s true. But there’s a bigger reason why redevelopment funds should be eliminated: Redevelopment is a gross violation of property rights. Redevelopment means wealthy developers manipulate the government — commonly through contributions to politicians’ campaigns — to seize the property of the poor and middle-class to advance private ends.</p>
<p>Redevelopment is different from using eminent domain to condemn a property to build a school or police station, something that at least has some relation to the public good (although that often is abused, too). A still relevant book on this is “ <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Abuse-Power-Government-Misuses-Eminent/dp/1931643377/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1296530180&amp;sr=1-2" type="external">Abuse of Power: How Government Misuses Eminent Domain</a>,” by Steven Greenhut.</p>
<p>The higher point here that Brown did not emphasize, which itself is revealing, that prosperity depends on rock-solid property rights. Tearing down Jose’s Muffler Shop — and offering him a fraction of what his business is worth in compensation — to put up a big-box store might seem to be a way to increase sales tax revenues. In fact, by violating <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fifth_Amendment_to_the_United_States_Constitution" type="external">Jose’s Fifth Amendment right</a> to not to “be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law,” the property rights of all Californians are diminished.</p>
<p>Such a severe reduction in our property rights leads to a reduction in economic production, as owners cannot be sure that their property always will be theirs until they decide to sell it. This makes it more difficult for property owners to make reasonable plans for the future of their businesses.</p>
<p>With California’s <a href="http://articles.latimes.com/2011/jan/26/business/la-fi-0126-california-unemployment-20110126" type="external">unemployment at 12.5 percent</a>, now second highest in the nation, the last thing the state should do is to continue redevelopment’s assault on property rights and jobs creation. The claim of redevelopment’s beneficiaries that such property seizures create jobs is just special pleading.</p>
<p>Brown spoke glowingly of the state’s world-class innovators in Silicon Valley:</p>
<p>We have the inventors, the dreamers, the entrepreneurs, the venture capitalists and a vast array of physical, intellectual and political assets. We have been called the great exception because for generations Californians have defied the odds and the conventional wisdom and prospered in totally unexpected ways. People keep coming here because of the dream that is still California, and once here, their determination and boundless energy feeds that dream and makes it grow.</p>
<p>But what the state lacks is policy innovators. Brown himself once was known for policy innovations, such as <a href="http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/blogs/nov05election/detail?entry_id=57019" type="external">the flat tax he advanced in his 1992 presidential run</a>. Now, his policy suggestions, especially his call for a tax increase, are as tired and out-of-date as the policies of Egyptian strongman Hosni Mubarak.</p>
<p>Here are some policies Brown could have advanced today:</p>
<p>1. Suspend AB 32. <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Global_Warming_Solutions_Act_of_2006" type="external">The Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006</a> allows the governor to suspend for a year the bill’s draconian imposition of a 25 percent reduction in greenhouse gases by 2020. It’s not clear yet whether AB 32, as some critics suggested, <a href="" type="internal">will kill a million jobs</a>. But with one in eight Californians out of work, AB 32 sure isn’t helping.</p>
<p>2. If Brown insists on a democratic election to decide things, how about putting on the ballot a repeal of the recent spate of initiatives that increased spending? Voters were misled into thinking that these initiatives wouldn’t break the bank — but that’s what happened anyway.</p>
<p>When I researched the issue last April, here’s what I discovered:</p>
<p>1. Proposition 99 (1988), $300 million for anti-tobacco education.</p>
<p>2. Proposition 172 (1993), $3 billion for local police and fire spending.</p>
<p>3. Proposition 10 (1998), $600 million for programs for children (this is Rob Reiner’s initiative).</p>
<p>4. Proposition 63 (2004), $1 billion for mental health programs.</p>
<p>5. Proposition 49 (2002), $550 million for after-school programs. This initiative was sponsored by Arnold Schwarzenegger and catapulted him into statewide politics.</p>
<p>Total: $5.45 billion.</p>
<p>Ending such spending would not be the complete solution to the deficit, but it would cut in half the $12 billion in new taxes Gov. Brown is promoting.</p>
<p>Schwarzenegger’s Prop. 49 was the one that prefigured what a spendthrift governor he would become, as some of us warned at the time. It was a warning, heeded by not enough voters, that he would leave the state a $25 billion budget deficit that his successor now is trying to reduce.</p>
<p>This is what’s called “ballot-box” budgeting, and is the major problem with California’s initiative system. It allows multi-millionaires like Reiner and Schwarzenegger to put on the ballots seemingly well-meaning initiatives “for the children” that really advance their political careers.</p>
<p>Well, in a time of budget crises, such luxuries should be the first to be done away with.</p>
<p>3. Third, and finally, why hasn’t Gov. Brown used this as a chance to advance a flat-tax system? Dr. Arthur Laffer, who designed Brown’s 1992 proposal, has come up with something similar for California, <a href="" type="internal">as I reported here a year ago</a>.</p>
<p>Brown concluded his address:</p>
<p>But let’s not forget that Job Number 1 – make no mistake about it – is fixing our state budget and getting our spending in line with our revenue.</p>
<p>Right. Then why is a governor once known for innovation now about as imaginative as a teachers’ union representative demanding a pension spike? California deserves better. Jerry Brown can do better.</p>
<p>John Seiler is a reporter and analyst for CalWatchDog.com. His email: <a href="mailto:[email protected]" type="external">[email protected]</a>.</p>
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jan 31 2o11 john seiler stateofthestate addresstoday gov jerry brown compared republican legislators refusal far put taxes 160on special election ballot june longstanding thwarting democracy egypt apparently didnt read sunday blog made apt comparison egypt brown family dynasty running california decades current gov jerry browns father pat governor five decades ago brown pere became californias attorney general way back 1950 king farouk still monarch egypt farouks dynasty dissolved long ago brown dynasty lives egypts problem californias run remote elites bankrupted people excessive spending high taxation brown said democratic ideals calls right vote stirring imagination young people egypt tunisia parts world california cant say time block vote people vote people taxes last november less three months ago year voters turned tax increases similar brown proposing message people democratic elections crystal clear california new taxes moreover blogged yesterday way brown democratic party could put measure ballot couple months positive side brown continued pushing elimination funding redevelopment agencies said recent days lot made proposed elimination redevelopment agencies mayors cities large small come capitol pressed case redevelopment different child care university funding grants aged disabled blind base case claim redevelopment funds leverage funds create jobs certainly understand saw redevelopment first hand mayor oakland also understand redevelopment funds come directly local property taxes would otherwise pay schools core city county services police fire protection care vulnerable people society matter hard choices come side believe core functions government must funded first thats true theres bigger reason redevelopment funds eliminated redevelopment gross violation property rights redevelopment means wealthy developers manipulate government commonly contributions politicians campaigns seize property poor middleclass advance private ends redevelopment different using eminent domain condemn property build school police station something least relation public good although often abused still relevant book abuse power government misuses eminent domain steven greenhut higher point brown emphasize revealing prosperity depends rocksolid property rights tearing joses muffler shop offering fraction business worth compensation put bigbox store might seem way increase sales tax revenues fact violating joses fifth amendment right deprived life liberty property without due process law property rights californians diminished severe reduction property rights leads reduction economic production owners sure property always decide sell makes difficult property owners make reasonable plans future businesses californias unemployment 125 percent second highest nation last thing state continue redevelopments assault property rights jobs creation claim redevelopments beneficiaries property seizures create jobs special pleading brown spoke glowingly states worldclass innovators silicon valley inventors dreamers entrepreneurs venture capitalists vast array physical intellectual political assets called great exception generations californians defied odds conventional wisdom prospered totally unexpected ways people keep coming dream still california determination boundless energy feeds dream makes grow state lacks policy innovators brown known policy innovations flat tax advanced 1992 presidential run policy suggestions especially call tax increase tired outofdate policies egyptian strongman hosni mubarak policies brown could advanced today 1 suspend ab 32 global warming solutions act 2006 allows governor suspend year bills draconian imposition 25 percent reduction greenhouse gases 2020 clear yet whether ab 32 critics suggested kill million jobs one eight californians work ab 32 sure isnt helping 2 brown insists democratic election decide things putting ballot repeal recent spate initiatives increased spending voters misled thinking initiatives wouldnt break bank thats happened anyway researched issue last april heres discovered 1 proposition 99 1988 300 million antitobacco education 2 proposition 172 1993 3 billion local police fire spending 3 proposition 10 1998 600 million programs children rob reiners initiative 4 proposition 63 2004 1 billion mental health programs 5 proposition 49 2002 550 million afterschool programs initiative sponsored arnold schwarzenegger catapulted statewide politics total 545 billion ending spending would complete solution deficit would cut half 12 billion new taxes gov brown promoting schwarzeneggers prop 49 one prefigured spendthrift governor would become us warned time warning heeded enough voters would leave state 25 billion budget deficit successor trying reduce whats called ballotbox budgeting major problem californias initiative system allows multimillionaires like reiner schwarzenegger put ballots seemingly wellmeaning initiatives children really advance political careers well time budget crises luxuries first done away 3 third finally hasnt gov brown used chance advance flattax system dr arthur laffer designed browns 1992 proposal come something similar california reported year ago brown concluded address lets forget job number 1 make mistake fixing state budget getting spending line revenue right governor known innovation imaginative teachers union representative demanding pension spike california deserves better jerry brown better john seiler reporter analyst calwatchdogcom email writejohnseilergmailcom
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<p>&#160;(ABP) — The Southern Baptist Convention Ethics &amp; Religious Liberty Commission filed an amicus brief with the U.S. Supreme Court Aug. 2 defending prayers offered in Jesus’ name at government meetings.</p>
<p>The first legal brief filed since Russell Moore took over as the new chief of Southern Baptists’ moral- and religious-liberty concerns agency weighs in on The Town of Greece v. Galloway, the Supreme Court’s first major case testing the constitutionality of legislative prayers in 30 years.&#160; It could have an impact on government bodies in the Mid-Atlantic which have permitted sectarian prayer despite protests and lawsuits.</p>
<p>Until 1999, city council meetings in the upstate New York community near Rochester began with a moment of silence. Since then board meetings have started with spoken prayer led by an invited member of the local clergy.</p>
<p>Two citizens — one Jewish and the other an atheist — objected that the overwhelmingly Christian content of the prayers violated the First Amendment’s Establishment Clause by favoring a particular faith over all others.</p>
<p>The 2nd Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals ruled in 2012 that the town’s process for selecting prayer-givers virtually ensured a Christian viewpoint and “had the effect, even if not the purpose, of establishing religion.”</p>
<p>Policing speech</p>
<p>The ERLC brief argues that government officials cannot be asked to police religious speech in a public forum.</p>
<p>“We shouldn’t have a state-sponsored Baptist church, I agree,” Moore said in a statement, “but we shouldn’t have a state-sponsored Unitarian church either, and that’s what some are attempting.”</p>
<p>The brief, drafted in part by Michael Whitehead, a Kansas City attorney who represents the Missouri Baptist Convention as general counsel, says the appellate ruling makes judges “the arbiters of this new orthodoxy of ‘neutrality,’ setting standards by which deities may be addressed in public prayers.”</p>
<p>“Of course, such impulses have existed for almost as long as prayers have been given,” it argues. “King Darius, the Mede, was also concerned about civic religion in an ancient incident involving the prayers of government employees and a den of lions.”</p>
<p>“There, too, public prayers were allowed, if directed to the government’s watered-down deity,” the brief continues. “It is a questionable improvement that the 2nd Circuit would punish prayers to the wrong gods by casting officials into a mere den of lawyers.”</p>
<p>Appeal to Leland</p>
<p>The brief also invokes John Leland, a Virginia Baptist minister and important figure in America’s struggle for religious liberty that led to drafting of the First Amendment.</p>
<p>“Parsing the words of a prayer is no business for federal judges,” commented Whitehead, co-counsel in a 1981 victory before the U.S. Supreme Court on behalf of equal access for university students at the University of Missouri-Kansas City to use the student union for prayer and Bible study.</p>
<p>“Judges should leave the parsing to the parson,” Whitehead said. “There should be a wall of separation protecting praying citizens from a government-mandated civil religion.”</p>
<p>The 2nd Circuit noted that “a substantial majority of the prayers” in the lawsuit record contained uniquely Christian language. Roughly two-thirds included references to "Jesus Christ," "Jesus," "Your Son" or the "Holy Spirit." Almost all such prayers concluded with a statement that the prayer had been given in Jesus Christ's name.</p>
<p>“It is no small thing for a non-Christian (or for a Christian, for that matter) to pray ‘in the name of Jesus Christ,’” the court said. “Prayers delivered in this fashion invoke a deity in whose divinity only those of the Christian faith believe, and do so to the clear exclusion of other faiths.”</p>
<p>Americans United for Separation of Church and State, which filed the lawsuit against the town of Greece on behalf of two women plaintiffs in 2008, says by sponsoring persistently sectarian prayers, the town board publicly aligned itself with a single faith.</p>
<p>“In so doing, the board sends the message to non-Christians that they are unwelcome at board meetings and that the board does not represent non-Christian concerns,” the complaint alleged. “Making non-Christians second-class citizens in the body politic runs afoul of the United States Constitution.”</p>
<p>The Supreme Court upheld the Nebraska legislature’s practice of opening with a prayer offered by a state-employed chaplain with its Marsh v. Chambers decision in 1983, finding that legislative prayer was “deeply embedded in the history and tradition of this country.”</p>
<p>“In light of the unambiguous and unbroken history of more than 200 years, there can be no doubt that the practice of opening legislative sessions with prayer has become part of the fabric of our society,” the high court said in Marsh. “To invoke Divine guidance on a public body entrusted with making the laws is not, in these circumstances, an ‘establishment’ of religion or a step toward establishment; it is simply a tolerable acknowledgment of beliefs widely held among the people of this country.”</p>
<p>Hollyn Hollman, general counsel for the Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty, said just because something is constitutional doesn’t make it right.</p>
<p>“A moment of silence before a board meeting is preferable,” Hollman said in the June 2013 edition of Report from the Capital. “While the legislative prayer practice was upheld in Marsh, there has been a tendency to stretch that ruling’s boundaries in ways that undermine the expectation of government neutrality toward religion.”</p>
<p>Holman said the Supreme Court’s decision to hear the Greece case “provides an opportunity to clarify an aspect of religious liberty law that has become the subject of a great deal of litigation in recent years.”</p>
<p>Bob Allen ( <a href="" type="internal">[email protected]</a>) is managing editor of Associated Baptist Press.</p>
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160abp southern baptist convention ethics amp religious liberty commission filed amicus brief us supreme court aug 2 defending prayers offered jesus name government meetings first legal brief filed since russell moore took new chief southern baptists moral religiousliberty concerns agency weighs town greece v galloway supreme courts first major case testing constitutionality legislative prayers 30 years160 could impact government bodies midatlantic permitted sectarian prayer despite protests lawsuits 1999 city council meetings upstate new york community near rochester began moment silence since board meetings started spoken prayer led invited member local clergy two citizens one jewish atheist objected overwhelmingly christian content prayers violated first amendments establishment clause favoring particular faith others 2nd circuit us court appeals ruled 2012 towns process selecting prayergivers virtually ensured christian viewpoint effect even purpose establishing religion policing speech erlc brief argues government officials asked police religious speech public forum shouldnt statesponsored baptist church agree moore said statement shouldnt statesponsored unitarian church either thats attempting brief drafted part michael whitehead kansas city attorney represents missouri baptist convention general counsel says appellate ruling makes judges arbiters new orthodoxy neutrality setting standards deities may addressed public prayers course impulses existed almost long prayers given argues king darius mede also concerned civic religion ancient incident involving prayers government employees den lions public prayers allowed directed governments watereddown deity brief continues questionable improvement 2nd circuit would punish prayers wrong gods casting officials mere den lawyers appeal leland brief also invokes john leland virginia baptist minister important figure americas struggle religious liberty led drafting first amendment parsing words prayer business federal judges commented whitehead cocounsel 1981 victory us supreme court behalf equal access university students university missourikansas city use student union prayer bible study judges leave parsing parson whitehead said wall separation protecting praying citizens governmentmandated civil religion 2nd circuit noted substantial majority prayers lawsuit record contained uniquely christian language roughly twothirds included references jesus christ jesus son holy spirit almost prayers concluded statement prayer given jesus christs name small thing nonchristian christian matter pray name jesus christ court said prayers delivered fashion invoke deity whose divinity christian faith believe clear exclusion faiths americans united separation church state filed lawsuit town greece behalf two women plaintiffs 2008 says sponsoring persistently sectarian prayers town board publicly aligned single faith board sends message nonchristians unwelcome board meetings board represent nonchristian concerns complaint alleged making nonchristians secondclass citizens body politic runs afoul united states constitution supreme court upheld nebraska legislatures practice opening prayer offered stateemployed chaplain marsh v chambers decision 1983 finding legislative prayer deeply embedded history tradition country light unambiguous unbroken history 200 years doubt practice opening legislative sessions prayer become part fabric society high court said marsh invoke divine guidance public body entrusted making laws circumstances establishment religion step toward establishment simply tolerable acknowledgment beliefs widely held among people country hollyn hollman general counsel baptist joint committee religious liberty said something constitutional doesnt make right moment silence board meeting preferable hollman said june 2013 edition report capital legislative prayer practice upheld marsh tendency stretch rulings boundaries ways undermine expectation government neutrality toward religion holman said supreme courts decision hear greece case provides opportunity clarify aspect religious liberty law become subject great deal litigation recent years bob allen bobbaptistnewscom managing editor associated baptist press
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<p>&#160;</p>
<p>Despite some&#160; <a href="http://www.economist.com/blogs/graphicdetail/2015/08/graphics-americas-guns" type="external">300 million guns in circulation in America,</a> research on guns and gun violence remains <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/basic-gun-violence-research-is-seriously-underfunded_561aa218e4b0dbb8000ef5f0" type="external">seriously underfunded</a>. Among the handful of public health experts helping to expand the available pool of data is Dr. Deborah Azrael of Harvard’s Injury Control Research Center. Azrael <a href="http://www.injepijournal.com/content/1/1/6" type="external">co-authored a seminal study</a> in 2015 that found firearm suicide rates are higher in states with higher rates of gun ownership, underscoring the relationship between the availability of guns and firearm suicides. She also updated —&#160;and confirmed —&#160;a contentious statistic regarding firearms transfers, finding that <a href="" type="internal">40 percent</a> of gun owners acquired their last firearm without a background check, a number consistent with an earlier, and much smaller, survey. Thanks to Azrael, we also know now that where there are more guns, more women <a href="http://www.salon.com/2015/02/24/%E2%80%9Cwhere_there_are_more_guns_more_women_die%E2%80%9D_a_harvard_public_health_expert_breaks_down_the_data_on_firearms_and_womens_safety/" type="external">die</a>, and that public mass shootings are occurring <a href="http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2014/10/mass-shootings-rising-harvard" type="external">more often</a>.</p>
<p>In 2016, we’ll undoubtedly learn even more: Azrael and her colleagues are currently busy writing up the results from a massive survey on the U.S.’s private gun stockpile, the first comprehensive look at the number of firearms owned by Americans in over a decade. —Kate Masters</p>
<p>No 2016 presidential campaign has put more emphasis on reducing gun violence than Hillary Clinton’s. But despite <a href="http://www.politico.com/story/2015/04/clinton-names-top-three-wonks-for-campaign-116975" type="external">insider-y rundowns in Politico</a> about the brains behind Clinton’s campaign, little has been said about her point person on gun policy, an unheralded DC journeyman named Corey Ciorciari.</p>
<p>Ciorciari has a similar pedigree to the three wonks running Clinton’s policy shop: Maya Harris, Jake Sullivan, and Ann O’Leary. Like them, he has done stints on big campaigns (Obama’s first election), in the White House (during Obama’s first term), in a Senator’s office (as a legal fellow in Illinois Democrat Dick Durbin’s office) and at a big nonprofit (he worked at Everytown for Gun Safety, a seed donor to The Trace).</p>
<p>Sources who have worked directly with the campaign on gun issues tell The Trace Ciorciari is the advisor most responsible for developing Clinton’s <a href="https://www.hillaryclinton.com/issues/gun-violence-prevention/" type="external">first major policy statement</a>, a plan to reduce gun violence. It was released in late August, two months into a six-month stretch of high-profile shootings from which the country could not turn away. The platform outlined bold positions on guns: expanding background checks, eliminating the “ <a href="https://www.hillaryclinton.com/feed/how-loophole-youve-never-heard-allowed-charleston-shooter-buy-his-gun/" type="external">default proceed</a>” sales for incomplete background checks, and executive action to allow more prosecutions of unlicensed gun businesses. Clinton <a href="" type="internal">dove into these gun policies</a> during an extended ten-minute discussion of the subject at the first Democratic candidates’ debate.</p>
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<p>Beltway consensus has held that taking a strong stance on gun reform could drive away mainstream voters and produce a conservative backlash. Now, with policies developed by Ciorciari and his campaign colleagues, Clinton is leading a group of Democrats who are taking a stronger position on guns. This newfound willingness to bang the drum for gun reform has trickled down to state primaries, most notably in <a href="" type="internal">four recent Virginia state senate races</a> in which Democrats deployed gun policy as a prominent campaign issue. Emily Tisch Sussman, who ran Young Democrats of America during the last presidential campaign season and is now a campaign director for the Center for American Progress (CAP), believes gun policy could motivate Democratic voters in 2016 much as the issue of gay marriage did in 2012. “Democrats are going to have to reconvene the Obama coalition for 2016, and this has very high interest,” Sussman <a href="" type="internal">told The Trace</a>&#160;this fall. —Alex Yablon</p>
<p>Patrick Dunphy <a href="http://www.marquette.edu/alumni/awards-2014/recipient_dunphy.php" type="external">requires</a> the other attorneys at his law firm in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, to read Malcolm Gladwell’s Outliers, a book about how the right arrangement of small circumstances can lead to extraordinary success. The text is a fitting choice, given that Dunphy secured a&#160; <a href="http://www.jsonline.com/watchdog/watchdogreports/jury-finds-for-wounded-officers-in-badger-guns-lawsuit-b99596217z1-332567372.html" type="external">historic win</a> in October against Badger Guns,&#160;one of the country’s most <a href="http://www.jsonline.com/watchdog/milwaukee-gun-dealer-long-had-problems-with-violations-b99589774z1-330583371.html" type="external">notorious</a> gun dealers. The victory came despite the staggering odds against him and his clients, two Milwaukee police officers who were seriously injured with a handgun that Badger sold to a straw buyer in 2009.</p>
<p>Suing a gun store for negligence has been nearly impossible since Congress passed the&#160; <a href="" type="internal">Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act in 2005</a>. The act prevents people who are injured by guns from suing gun stores or gun manufacturers, but there are a few exceptions. Dunphy was able to argue that because Badger Guns violated a law that prohibits straw purchasing — the practice of buying a gun for someone else — the store could not be protected by the shield law. The jury agreed, and the officers were ultimately <a href="http://www.jsonline.com/watchdog/watchdogreports/wounded-officers-lawsuit-against-badger-guns-settles-for-1-million-b99632780z1-361609031.html" type="external">awarded</a> $1 million.</p>
<p>Straw buyers lie on background check forms, claiming they’re buying the gun for themselves. That leaves it to gun dealers to look for <a href="" type="internal">clues</a> — are two people at the counter looking to buy one gun? Are they looking for the cheapest gun? &#160;— which can be just as vital as the background check itself. &#160;“I think the case shows that gun sellers have to do more than just follow the letter of the federal and state laws,”says Dunphy. While the shield law will inhibit a flurry of new legal challenges to gun businesses, his successful case bolstered a notion within the court of public opinion: That the industry bears responsibility for preventing violent acts committed with its products. —Olivia Li</p>
<p>On April 13, 2015, an FBI examiner at the West Virginia headquarters of the FBI’s National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) received a request to look into Dylann Roof. NICS had flagged the 21-year-old when he tried to purchase a .45-caliber Glock pistol at a gun store in West Columbia, South Carolina. The reason: Roof had been arrested for drug possession on February 28. But the records indicating Roof’s guilt (which might disqualify him from gun ownership) or innocence were missing. It fell to the examiner — a woman, <a href="https://www.fbi.gov/news/pressrel/press-releases/statement-by-fbi-director-james-comey-regarding-dylann-roof-gun-purchase" type="external">according</a> to FBI Director James Comey, though nothing else is known about her — to figure out the outcome of that case. If she <a href="" type="internal">couldn’t make a determination within three days,</a> the store could go ahead and sell Roof the Glock in what’s known as a “default proceed” sale, regardless of whether or not he was actually eligible to possess a firearm.</p>
<p>The examiner reviewed Lexington County court records and contacted the local sheriff and prosecutor for more information on the case. But she didn’t know about a wrinkle in local geography: the mall where Roof was arrested extends into neighboring Richland County, so she wasn’t looking in the right place. Because of clerical errors, none of the agencies she reached knew where she could find Roof’s police file, which contained a confession for drug possession — disqualifying him under federal law from purchasing the Glock. Since the examiner wasn’t able to complete the background check within three days, Roof got his gun. &#160;</p>
<p>Two months later, on the evening of June 17, Roof used the weapon to murder nine members of a prayer group at Charleston’s Emanuel AME church, inaugurating a bloody season of high-profile shootings. The FBI later admitted that he should have been blocked from buying the weapon. The dead-end journey of Roof’s background check shined a light on the rarely acknowledged “default proceed” loophole, which allows <a href="http://everytownresearch.org/nics-charleston/#foot_note_5" type="external">approximately 3,000</a> sales to go through every year.</p>
<p>The loophole points to two larger problems with the NICS system: how it was built for speed rather than thoroughness — thanks in part to a <a href="" type="internal">1993 amendment back by the National Rifle Association</a> — and how it favors individual rights over collective safety. Sales approved by federally licensed gun sellers after the three-business-day determination period — as Roof’s was — are eight times more likely to involve a prohibited purchaser than sales with background checks that are resolved within 72 hours, according to a <a href="http://everytown.org/documents/2014/10/blueprint-federal-action.pdf" type="external">2009 study</a> by Mayors Against Illegal Guns. (Mayors Against Illegal Guns is an earlier iteration of Everytown for Gun Safety, a seed donor of The Trace.) —Alex Yablon</p>
<p>In late June, the Washington Post published a provocative first-person column under the title, “ <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/posteverything/wp/2015/06/29/i-love-my-guns-but-i-hate-the-nra/" type="external">I love guns. But I hate the NRA</a>.” Written by North Carolina-based hunter David Fellerath, the essay found common ground between gun safety advocates and gun owners. Most gun owners, Fellerath noted, support some form of gun regulation — and only a fraction of American gun owners belong to the NRA. “The NRA does not represent all gun owners, and it certainly doesn’t represent me,” he wrote. The piece received thousands of comments on the Post’s website, some of which were from hunters and everyday gun owners thanking Fellerath for giving voice to a community too rarely heard from in the gun debate.</p>
<p>In the wake of Fellerath’s column, other moderate gun owners spoke out. In August, a self-described former <a href="http://www.houstonpress.com/news/3-reasons-i-went-from-being-a-gun-nut-to-supporting-gun-control-7709731" type="external">“gun nut”</a> outlined in the&#160;Houston Press why he shifted his views and embraced tougher gun laws.&#160;“I used to have a huge collection of firearms,” he wrote, “and I came to feel that there was no reason for me to have them, and that it merely reflected a toxic personal attitude about guns.” About a month later, following a mass shooting at a community college in Oregon, gun owner and former police officer Mark Carman posted a <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YN6rjamk0Q0" type="external">video</a> in which he called for comprehensive background checks and the creation of a gun registry. “It is not an infringement of one’s constitutional right under the Second Amendment if we just have some rules in place,” Carman said. Writer Steve Elliott <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/posteverything/wp/2015/10/15/im-a-responsible-gun-owner-so-i-destroyed-my-gun/" type="external">destroyed his Ruger handgun</a> a few weeks later in an act of protest against gun violence — and as a symbol of his refusal to the let the NRA speak on his behalf.</p>
<p>The backlash from Second Amendment purists has been swift. Viewers of Carman’s video called him “a child molester and a drug dealer,” and Fellerath says “several people contacted me and wished I would have a deadly accident with a gun.” But he remains convinced that gun owners like himself need to speak out. “I think it’s really important for the public to have a complex understanding of guns, how they work, and the different kinds of people who use them,” Fellerath tells The Trace. —Elizabeth Van Brocklin</p>
<p>In September, Nardyne Jefferies showed up at a gun violence prevention rally in Washington D.C. holding up an 8½-by-11-inch color photo of her dead 16-year-old daughter. It was an autopsy picture, showing her daughter’s flesh split below the collarbone, peeled back to reveal bone and muscle. Almost as unnerving was the steely-eyed woman holding the image, her expression daring you to look away.</p>
<p>“The real horror of gun violence should be shown. It’s what is burned into my brain,” Jefferies <a href="" type="internal">told The Trace</a>. “I’m sure if I lost all of my memory about everything else I would never forget the way my baby looked after being gunned down.”</p>
<p>Jefferies has become the unwitting pioneer of an ad hoc movement that seeks to compel lawmakers to acknowledge the grisly consequences of gun violence. Alex Pareene <a href="http://gawker.com/the-gun-control-movement-needs-its-own-pro-life-fanatic-1734711064" type="external">suggested</a>&#160;on Gawker that gun control advocates should be as theatrically jarring as the anti-abortion movement, which achieved impressive victories by demonstrating with gruesome, poster-sized images of dead fetuses. While writers float that theory of change, Jeffries is actually carrying it out. She has hoisted the grim image of her daugher at city council meetings and sit-downs with lawmakers and watched as they turned their heads. She’s shown it to reporters who decline to use it in their stories. Jeffries says she’ll put the photo on a T-shirt if it means jolting the American public into action.</p>
<p>“I just can’t see myself talking about gun violence without showing what gun violence is,” she says.&#160;—Jennifer Mascia</p>
<p>Until this year in South Carolina, a man could get five years in prison for beating his dog but only 30 days for beating his girlfriend. Few might have predicted that a Republican State Senator with an A+ from the National Rifle Association would be the one to help change that.</p>
<p>Martin, who chairs the state’s Senate judiciary committee, was the chief sponsor of <a href="http://www.postandcourier.com/article/20150604/PC1603/150609697/1180/haley-signs-bill-toughening-penalties-for-criminal-domestic-violence" type="external">a long-awaited bill</a> extending gun bans for domestic abuse offenders that was signed into law by Governor Nikki Haley in June. Martin modeled his bill — which bars anyone convicted of criminal domestic violence from possessing firearms for three years to life, depending on the offense — after one adopted last year by Louisiana. “I figured if the Louisiana legislature can pass this with Bobby Jindal signing it into law, there’s absolutely no reason why we shouldn’t be able to pass it,” <a href="" type="internal">he told The Trace</a> this spring.</p>
<p>Early in the process, Martin brought his bill to the NRA. The group said it wouldn’t openly fight it — the same uncharacteristically restrained stance it took amid previous reform pushes in Louisiana, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Vermont, Oregon, and Washington state, all of which successfully curtailed gun rights for domestic offenders.</p>
<p>Martin’s break from hardline NRA orthodoxy was indicative of a trend among Republican lawmakers in statehouses across the country, who’ve come out in favor of gun bans for domestic abusers. “Obviously some of us feel very strongly, regardless of political persuasion,” he said in June.</p>
<p>In a chilling postscript, 13 days after the bill passed, Martin found himself mourning <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2015/06/26/us/clementa-pinckney-felt-called-to-spiritual-and-political-service.html" type="external">the death</a> of a Senate colleague killed by gun violence. When an NRA board member claimed that State Senator Clementa Pinckney, a pastor who died along with eight others in the shooting at Emanuel Church in Charleston, was partially to blame for his own death because he voted against concealed carry legislation, Martin <a href="http://www.nola.com/crime/index.ssf/2015/06/charleston_shooting_the_fault.html" type="external">called the comments</a> “outrageous.”&#160;—Jennifer Mascia</p>
<p>In June, Texas Governor Greg Abbott signed into law a <a href="" type="internal">“campus carry” bill</a> that will allow the concealed carry of handguns at state universities and community colleges. Concerned that allowing guns onto campus would make their school less safe, a group of University of Texas faculty, students, and parents formed Gun Free UT to protest the bill. A change.org <a href="https://www.change.org/p/no-guns-in-our-classrooms-gun-free-ut?recruiter=7572902&amp;utm_source=share_petition&amp;utm_medium=copylink" type="external">petition</a> they founded has so far garnered more than 8,500 signatures.</p>
<p>Among Gun Free UT’s leading voices is Lisa Moore, a UT professor who teaches gay and lesbian studies. Where other opponents of campus carry have emphasized the risk of accidental shootings and the extreme rarity of mass shootings stopped by concealed carriers, Moore is among those pushing a new and powerful idea into the debate: The worry that allowing guns on campus could disrupt the core spirit of college as a safe place for dissent and free speech. “I’m going to be much less willing to go into deep and controversial issues [in my classes], which is a huge loss, since, later on in life, they’ll have to grapple with deep and controversial issues,” <a href="" type="internal">she told</a> The Trace this fall. “In order to learn those skills, you have to feel safe.” Her argument has been echoed by the top leader of the UT system. William McRaven, a retired admiral and current University of Texas chancellor, has voiced concern that the bill could <a href="http://www.npr.org/2015/06/05/412177034/guns-on-texas-campuses-wont-make-them-safer-university-chancellor-says" type="external">impinge on academic freedom</a>. “You will stymie discussion — heated discussion in areas — in the classroom,” he <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2015/10/09/us/texas-campus-carry-law/" type="external">told CNN</a>.</p>
<p>The campus carry law gives public universities some discretion to carve out gun free zones. But earlier this month, the Campus Carry Working Group at UT’s main Austin campus determined that — despite its own members’ preference for barring guns from classrooms — the university’s hands are tied by the law. The group released a <a href="https://campuscarry.utexas.edu/CCWorkingGroup-FinalReport.pdf" type="external">report</a> with recommendations on how to promote safety in spite of the statute.&#160;When the measure takes effect on August 1, 2016, Moore suspects some teachers will start avoiding class discussions altogether. “I’ve heard faculty say, ‘I’ll just give everyone As from now on,” she said. “I’m not going to risk pissing someone off if they’re going to be armed.” —Elizabeth Van Brocklin</p>
<p>On October 1, as a student opened fire on a classroom at Umpqua Community College, in Roseburg, Oregon, another student named John Parker, Jr., decided not to intervene. At the time of the shooting, the Air Force veteran was elsewhere on campus and carrying a concealed firearm, making him the proverbial “good guy with a gun,” whom Second Amendment advocates often imagine saving the day in the event of an active shooting. “Luckily we made the choice not to get involved,” <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bK-Ht57AdBA" type="external">Parker told MSNBC</a>. “We were quite a distance away from the actual building where it was happening, which would have opened us up to being potential targets ourselves.”</p>
<p>Groups like the National Rifle Association have long argued that a heavily-armed society is a safer one, allowing civilians to protect themselves from <a href="http://www.armedwithreason.com/debunking-the-good-guy-with-a-gun-myth-guns-do-not-make-you-safer/" type="external">a host of ever-present dangers</a>, including, but not limited to, “home invaders and drug cartels and car-jackers and … campus killers.” Yet a <a href="http://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S0091743515001188?via=sd&amp;cc=y" type="external">recent study</a> by Harvard University’s David Hemmenway suggests that owning a gun does not make you any safer. The study shows not only that so-called “Defensive Gun Use” rarely protects a person from harm, but also that <a href="" type="internal">such incidents are much more rare than gun advocates claim</a>.</p>
<p>Parker’s statement, coming from someone devoid of a political agenda, demonstrated one of the reasons why a civilian concealed carrier has stopped only one active shooting from 2000 to 2013, <a href="https://www.fbi.gov/news/stories/2014/september/fbi-releases-study-on-active-shooter-incidents/pdfs/a-study-of-active-shooter-incidents-in-the-u.s.-between-2000-and-2013" type="external">according to an FBI report</a>. As Parker explained to the MSNBC reporter, “Not knowing where SWAT was on their response time, they wouldn’t know who we were, and if we had our guns ready to shoot they could think we were the bad guys.” Without intending to, Parker was embodying a new definition of a good guy with a gun: someone who exercises common sense in the face of danger. —Mike Spies</p>
<p>The federal government does not provide an official criteria for a mass shooting, but some journalists and researchers have adopted a definition that builds off the FBI’s standard for mass murder, which sets a threshold of four fatalities in a single incident.</p>
<p>Leading the push for a more expansive criteria is the <a href="http://www.shootingtracker.com/wiki/Main_Page" type="external">Mass Shooting Tracker</a>, a crowdsourced website that grew out of the cheeky gun news subreddit <a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/GunsAreCool/new/" type="external">/r/GunsAreCool</a>. It defines a mass shooting as one with four or more people hit by bullets in one event, arguing that a shooting “means ‘people shot.’”</p>
<p>“Arguing that 18 people shot during one event is not a mass shooting is absurd,” the Tracker’s founders write. Medical advancements have helped save lives that would have otherwise been lost, a fact that Brock Weller, 29, one of two Redditors who produce the Tracker, believes the gun lobby benefits from. “Those gunshot victims are just as shot and will never be the same,” <a href="" type="internal">he told The Trace</a> this fall.</p>
<p>Mass shootings attract the most attention to the problem of gun violence. It’s paradoxical that one of the year’s most high-profile attacks — the shooting at a movie theatre in Lafayette, Louisiana, in which two people were fatally shot and nine others wounded — did not technically fit the criteria of a mass shooting. As the Tracker’s definition gains a foothold in the media — including on the front page of <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2015/12/03/us/how-often-do-mass-shootings-occur-on-average-every-day-records-show.html" type="external">The New York Times</a> — a new precedent is being set for how we think about the pervasiveness of gun violence, not just this year, as multiple shootings generated national headlines, but in future years as well. —Jennifer Mascia</p>
<p>All illustrations by <a href="http://alexfine.com/home.html" type="external">Alex Fine</a>&#160;for The Trace</p>
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160 despite some160 300 million guns circulation america research guns gun violence remains seriously underfunded among handful public health experts helping expand available pool data dr deborah azrael harvards injury control research center azrael coauthored seminal study 2015 found firearm suicide rates higher states higher rates gun ownership underscoring relationship availability guns firearm suicides also updated 160and confirmed 160a contentious statistic regarding firearms transfers finding 40 percent gun owners acquired last firearm without background check number consistent earlier much smaller survey thanks azrael also know guns women die public mass shootings occurring often 2016 well undoubtedly learn even azrael colleagues currently busy writing results massive survey uss private gun stockpile first comprehensive look number firearms owned americans decade kate masters 2016 presidential campaign put emphasis reducing gun violence hillary clintons despite insidery rundowns politico brains behind clintons campaign little said point person gun policy unheralded dc journeyman named corey ciorciari ciorciari similar pedigree three wonks running clintons policy shop maya harris jake sullivan ann oleary like done stints big campaigns obamas first election white house obamas first term senators office legal fellow illinois democrat dick durbins office big nonprofit worked everytown gun safety seed donor trace sources worked directly campaign gun issues tell trace ciorciari advisor responsible developing clintons first major policy statement plan reduce gun violence released late august two months sixmonth stretch highprofile shootings country could turn away platform outlined bold positions guns expanding background checks eliminating default proceed sales incomplete background checks executive action allow prosecutions unlicensed gun businesses clinton dove gun policies extended tenminute discussion subject first democratic candidates debate subscribe receive traces newsletters important gun news analysis beltway consensus held taking strong stance gun reform could drive away mainstream voters produce conservative backlash policies developed ciorciari campaign colleagues clinton leading group democrats taking stronger position guns newfound willingness bang drum gun reform trickled state primaries notably four recent virginia state senate races democrats deployed gun policy prominent campaign issue emily tisch sussman ran young democrats america last presidential campaign season campaign director center american progress cap believes gun policy could motivate democratic voters 2016 much issue gay marriage 2012 democrats going reconvene obama coalition 2016 high interest sussman told trace160this fall alex yablon patrick dunphy requires attorneys law firm milwaukee wisconsin read malcolm gladwells outliers book right arrangement small circumstances lead extraordinary success text fitting choice given dunphy secured a160 historic win october badger guns160one countrys notorious gun dealers victory came despite staggering odds clients two milwaukee police officers seriously injured handgun badger sold straw buyer 2009 suing gun store negligence nearly impossible since congress passed the160 protection lawful commerce arms act 2005 act prevents people injured guns suing gun stores gun manufacturers exceptions dunphy able argue badger guns violated law prohibits straw purchasing practice buying gun someone else store could protected shield law jury agreed officers ultimately awarded 1 million straw buyers lie background check forms claiming theyre buying gun leaves gun dealers look clues two people counter looking buy one gun looking cheapest gun 160 vital background check 160i think case shows gun sellers follow letter federal state lawssays dunphy shield law inhibit flurry new legal challenges gun businesses successful case bolstered notion within court public opinion industry bears responsibility preventing violent acts committed products olivia li april 13 2015 fbi examiner west virginia headquarters fbis national instant criminal background check system nics received request look dylann roof nics flagged 21yearold tried purchase 45caliber glock pistol gun store west columbia south carolina reason roof arrested drug possession february 28 records indicating roofs guilt might disqualify gun ownership innocence missing fell examiner woman according fbi director james comey though nothing else known figure outcome case couldnt make determination within three days store could go ahead sell roof glock whats known default proceed sale regardless whether actually eligible possess firearm examiner reviewed lexington county court records contacted local sheriff prosecutor information case didnt know wrinkle local geography mall roof arrested extends neighboring richland county wasnt looking right place clerical errors none agencies reached knew could find roofs police file contained confession drug possession disqualifying federal law purchasing glock since examiner wasnt able complete background check within three days roof got gun 160 two months later evening june 17 roof used weapon murder nine members prayer group charlestons emanuel ame church inaugurating bloody season highprofile shootings fbi later admitted blocked buying weapon deadend journey roofs background check shined light rarely acknowledged default proceed loophole allows approximately 3000 sales go every year loophole points two larger problems nics system built speed rather thoroughness thanks part 1993 amendment back national rifle association favors individual rights collective safety sales approved federally licensed gun sellers threebusinessday determination period roofs eight times likely involve prohibited purchaser sales background checks resolved within 72 hours according 2009 study mayors illegal guns mayors illegal guns earlier iteration everytown gun safety seed donor trace alex yablon late june washington post published provocative firstperson column title love guns hate nra written north carolinabased hunter david fellerath essay found common ground gun safety advocates gun owners gun owners fellerath noted support form gun regulation fraction american gun owners belong nra nra represent gun owners certainly doesnt represent wrote piece received thousands comments posts website hunters everyday gun owners thanking fellerath giving voice community rarely heard gun debate wake felleraths column moderate gun owners spoke august selfdescribed former gun nut outlined the160houston press shifted views embraced tougher gun laws160i used huge collection firearms wrote came feel reason merely reflected toxic personal attitude guns month later following mass shooting community college oregon gun owner former police officer mark carman posted video called comprehensive background checks creation gun registry infringement ones constitutional right second amendment rules place carman said writer steve elliott destroyed ruger handgun weeks later act protest gun violence symbol refusal let nra speak behalf backlash second amendment purists swift viewers carmans video called child molester drug dealer fellerath says several people contacted wished would deadly accident gun remains convinced gun owners like need speak think really important public complex understanding guns work different kinds people use fellerath tells trace elizabeth van brocklin september nardyne jefferies showed gun violence prevention rally washington dc holding 8½by11inch color photo dead 16yearold daughter autopsy picture showing daughters flesh split collarbone peeled back reveal bone muscle almost unnerving steelyeyed woman holding image expression daring look away real horror gun violence shown burned brain jefferies told trace im sure lost memory everything else would never forget way baby looked gunned jefferies become unwitting pioneer ad hoc movement seeks compel lawmakers acknowledge grisly consequences gun violence alex pareene suggested160on gawker gun control advocates theatrically jarring antiabortion movement achieved impressive victories demonstrating gruesome postersized images dead fetuses writers float theory change jeffries actually carrying hoisted grim image daugher city council meetings sitdowns lawmakers watched turned heads shes shown reporters decline use stories jeffries says shell put photo tshirt means jolting american public action cant see talking gun violence without showing gun violence says160jennifer mascia year south carolina man could get five years prison beating dog 30 days beating girlfriend might predicted republican state senator national rifle association would one help change martin chairs states senate judiciary committee chief sponsor longawaited bill extending gun bans domestic abuse offenders signed law governor nikki haley june martin modeled bill bars anyone convicted criminal domestic violence possessing firearms three years life depending offense one adopted last year louisiana figured louisiana legislature pass bobby jindal signing law theres absolutely reason shouldnt able pass told trace spring early process martin brought bill nra group said wouldnt openly fight uncharacteristically restrained stance took amid previous reform pushes louisiana wisconsin minnesota vermont oregon washington state successfully curtailed gun rights domestic offenders martins break hardline nra orthodoxy indicative trend among republican lawmakers statehouses across country whove come favor gun bans domestic abusers obviously us feel strongly regardless political persuasion said june chilling postscript 13 days bill passed martin found mourning death senate colleague killed gun violence nra board member claimed state senator clementa pinckney pastor died along eight others shooting emanuel church charleston partially blame death voted concealed carry legislation martin called comments outrageous160jennifer mascia june texas governor greg abbott signed law campus carry bill allow concealed carry handguns state universities community colleges concerned allowing guns onto campus would make school less safe group university texas faculty students parents formed gun free ut protest bill changeorg petition founded far garnered 8500 signatures among gun free uts leading voices lisa moore ut professor teaches gay lesbian studies opponents campus carry emphasized risk accidental shootings extreme rarity mass shootings stopped concealed carriers moore among pushing new powerful idea debate worry allowing guns campus could disrupt core spirit college safe place dissent free speech im going much less willing go deep controversial issues classes huge loss since later life theyll grapple deep controversial issues told trace fall order learn skills feel safe argument echoed top leader ut system william mcraven retired admiral current university texas chancellor voiced concern bill could impinge academic freedom stymie discussion heated discussion areas classroom told cnn campus carry law gives public universities discretion carve gun free zones earlier month campus carry working group uts main austin campus determined despite members preference barring guns classrooms universitys hands tied law group released report recommendations promote safety spite statute160when measure takes effect august 1 2016 moore suspects teachers start avoiding class discussions altogether ive heard faculty say ill give everyone said im going risk pissing someone theyre going armed elizabeth van brocklin october 1 student opened fire classroom umpqua community college roseburg oregon another student named john parker jr decided intervene time shooting air force veteran elsewhere campus carrying concealed firearm making proverbial good guy gun second amendment advocates often imagine saving day event active shooting luckily made choice get involved parker told msnbc quite distance away actual building happening would opened us potential targets groups like national rifle association long argued heavilyarmed society safer one allowing civilians protect host everpresent dangers including limited home invaders drug cartels carjackers campus killers yet recent study harvard universitys david hemmenway suggests owning gun make safer study shows socalled defensive gun use rarely protects person harm also incidents much rare gun advocates claim parkers statement coming someone devoid political agenda demonstrated one reasons civilian concealed carrier stopped one active shooting 2000 2013 according fbi report parker explained msnbc reporter knowing swat response time wouldnt know guns ready shoot could think bad guys without intending parker embodying new definition good guy gun someone exercises common sense face danger mike spies federal government provide official criteria mass shooting journalists researchers adopted definition builds fbis standard mass murder sets threshold four fatalities single incident leading push expansive criteria mass shooting tracker crowdsourced website grew cheeky gun news subreddit rgunsarecool defines mass shooting one four people hit bullets one event arguing shooting means people shot arguing 18 people shot one event mass shooting absurd trackers founders write medical advancements helped save lives would otherwise lost fact brock weller 29 one two redditors produce tracker believes gun lobby benefits gunshot victims shot never told trace fall mass shootings attract attention problem gun violence paradoxical one years highprofile attacks shooting movie theatre lafayette louisiana two people fatally shot nine others wounded technically fit criteria mass shooting trackers definition gains foothold media including front page new york times new precedent set think pervasiveness gun violence year multiple shootings generated national headlines future years well jennifer mascia illustrations alex fine160for trace
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<p>Dangerously cold air descended on the Midwest and Plains on Sunday, as new snow brought whiteout conditions to some areas and freezing rain threatened to cancel more flights in the Northeast.</p>
<p>The arctic blast — expected to be the coldest in decades — is bringing below-zero temperatures to more than half of the continental U.S. through Monday and Tuesday.</p>
<p>The coldest air was hitting the Dakotas and Minnesota, which clocked temperatures of 20 degrees below zero on Sunday. At its lowest, the wind chill in Minnesota was a numbing minus 50 in Flag Island.</p>
<p>“It’s just a dangerous cold,” National Weather Service meteorologist Butch Dye in Missouri said Sunday morning.</p>
<p>And as they brace for the bitter cold, Midwesterners also must dig out of another nasty snowstorm.</p>
<p>"If you don’t have to go outside, don’t do it"</p>
<p>Five to 9 inches fell Sunday in the Chicago area, while a foot was dumped in the St. Louis area. Eight to 10 inches was expected to pile up in central Illinois, Indiana and Michigan throughout the day.</p>
<p>Forecasts also called for several inches in western Tennessee and 1 to 3 inches in Kentucky.</p>
<p>Across the country, at least 2,400 flights had been cancelled Sunday, according to tracking website&#160; <a href="http://flightaware.com/live/cancelled/today#stats" type="external">FlightAware</a>.</p>
<p>Flights were temporarily grounded for two hours at New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport after a&#160; <a href="" type="internal">plane skidded off the runway</a>&#160;and into a snow bank at 8 a.m. No one was injured.</p>
<p>Chicago’s O’Hare and Midway international airports cancelled about 1,200 flights as well.</p>
<p>Major airports in Detroit, Philadelphia, Newark, N.J., and Boston were also reporting significant weather-related delays.</p>
<p>JetBlue announced it is waiving its change and cancellation fees for customers travelling to or from 17 Northeast airports affected by the weather beginning last Thursday through Monday.</p>
<p>Grocery stores were also feeling the squeeze from the storm. In St. Louis, shops sold out of the essentials before the weather onslaught.</p>
<p>“The problem is the bread is sold out. We’re out of milk. We sold out of chips, chicken wings, some meats,” Issa Arar of Salama Supermarket said.</p>
<p>The frigid air blasting into the Plains was part of what the&#160; <a href="http://www.weather.gov/" type="external">National Weather Service</a>&#160;called “incredibly cold and possibly record-breaking temperatures” expected throughout the week, with the brutally cold air expected to spread to the Northeast and Gulf Coast Monday and Tuesday.</p>
<p>Forecasters are expecting bitterly cold temperatures in many places: 25 below zero in Fargo, N.D., minus 31 in International Falls, Minn., and 15 below in Indianapolis and Chicago. Wind chills may reach 50, 60 or even 70 below zero — temperatures much of the country has not seen in decades.</p>
<p>At temperatures of 15 to 30 below, exposed skin can get frostbitten in minutes and hypothermia can quickly set in.</p>
<p>“If you don’t have to go outside, don’t do it,” said Michael Palmer, lead meteorologist at&#160; <a href="http://www.weather.com/" type="external">The Weather Channel</a>.</p>
<p>Dr. Brian Mahoney, medical director of emergency services at Hennepin County Medical Center in Minneapolis, advised people to protect themselves against the intense cold by wearing hand and face protection.&#160; Mittens were preferable to gloves and layers of dry clothing are best, he said.</p>
<p>"A person not properly dressed could die easily in those conditions," National Weather Service meteorologist Scott Truett in St. Louis told The Associated Press, describing the expected wind chill in Missouri at daybreak Monday.</p>
<p>Despite the bone-chilling weather, Sunday’s NFC wild-card game between the Green Bay Packers and the San Francisco 49ers kicked off with temperatures at 5 degrees in Wisconsin — slightly warmer than anticipated.</p>
<p>“We suited up, we brought all the snowboarding gear we use ... and added to it,” said 49ers fan Jeff Giardinelli of Fresno Calif., as he walked across a parking lot with a friend. “Without the wind, which isn't here yet, we're good. When it gets windy, we'll be ready for it.”</p>
<p>Regardless of the forecast, fans scooped up the remaining 40,000 tickets needed to sell out the game this week.</p>
<p>Minnesota said schools in the entire state would be closed Monday — the first such closing in 17 years.&#160; Milwaukee and Madison, Wis., had also cancelled school for Monday.</p>
<p>Already, parts of New England dropped into the negatives Saturday, with East Brighton, Vt., seeing 30 below zero just after midnight and Allagash, Maine, hitting minus 36. The cold will sweep through other parts of New England where residents are still digging out from a snowstorm Friday.</p>
<p>That one led to at least 13 deaths, mostly from traffic accidents, in several states.</p>
<p>A temperature of minus-9 degrees in Hartford, Conn., early Saturday broke the record for the date and was the lowest recorded in the county since February 2009, according to&#160; <a href="http://www.nbcconnecticut.com/" type="external">NBC Connecticut</a>.</p>
<p>“It’s the mother-lode of cold air,” Weather Channel coordinating meteorologist Tom Moore said. “On the heels of what will be the coldest air of the season, will be dangerous, life-threatening winds.”</p>
<p>The South also will dip into temperatures rarely seen. By Monday morning, western and central Kentucky could be below zero — "definitely record-breaking," said weather service meteorologist Christine Wielgos in Paducah, Ky.</p>
<p>And in Atlanta, Tuesday's high is expected to hover in the mid-20s.</p>
<p>NBC News' Erik Ortiz and Elisha Fieldstadt, and The Associated Press contributed to this report.</p>
| false | 3 |
dangerously cold air descended midwest plains sunday new snow brought whiteout conditions areas freezing rain threatened cancel flights northeast arctic blast expected coldest decades bringing belowzero temperatures half continental us monday tuesday coldest air hitting dakotas minnesota clocked temperatures 20 degrees zero sunday lowest wind chill minnesota numbing minus 50 flag island dangerous cold national weather service meteorologist butch dye missouri said sunday morning brace bitter cold midwesterners also must dig another nasty snowstorm dont go outside dont five 9 inches fell sunday chicago area foot dumped st louis area eight 10 inches expected pile central illinois indiana michigan throughout day forecasts also called several inches western tennessee 1 3 inches kentucky across country least 2400 flights cancelled sunday according tracking website160 flightaware flights temporarily grounded two hours new yorks john f kennedy international airport a160 plane skidded runway160and snow bank 8 one injured chicagos ohare midway international airports cancelled 1200 flights well major airports detroit philadelphia newark nj boston also reporting significant weatherrelated delays jetblue announced waiving change cancellation fees customers travelling 17 northeast airports affected weather beginning last thursday monday grocery stores also feeling squeeze storm st louis shops sold essentials weather onslaught problem bread sold milk sold chips chicken wings meats issa arar salama supermarket said frigid air blasting plains part the160 national weather service160called incredibly cold possibly recordbreaking temperatures expected throughout week brutally cold air expected spread northeast gulf coast monday tuesday forecasters expecting bitterly cold temperatures many places 25 zero fargo nd minus 31 international falls minn 15 indianapolis chicago wind chills may reach 50 60 even 70 zero temperatures much country seen decades temperatures 15 30 exposed skin get frostbitten minutes hypothermia quickly set dont go outside dont said michael palmer lead meteorologist at160 weather channel dr brian mahoney medical director emergency services hennepin county medical center minneapolis advised people protect intense cold wearing hand face protection160 mittens preferable gloves layers dry clothing best said person properly dressed could die easily conditions national weather service meteorologist scott truett st louis told associated press describing expected wind chill missouri daybreak monday despite bonechilling weather sundays nfc wildcard game green bay packers san francisco 49ers kicked temperatures 5 degrees wisconsin slightly warmer anticipated suited brought snowboarding gear use added said 49ers fan jeff giardinelli fresno calif walked across parking lot friend without wind isnt yet good gets windy well ready regardless forecast fans scooped remaining 40000 tickets needed sell game week minnesota said schools entire state would closed monday first closing 17 years160 milwaukee madison wis also cancelled school monday already parts new england dropped negatives saturday east brighton vt seeing 30 zero midnight allagash maine hitting minus 36 cold sweep parts new england residents still digging snowstorm friday one led least 13 deaths mostly traffic accidents several states temperature minus9 degrees hartford conn early saturday broke record date lowest recorded county since february 2009 according to160 nbc connecticut motherlode cold air weather channel coordinating meteorologist tom moore said heels coldest air season dangerous lifethreatening winds south also dip temperatures rarely seen monday morning western central kentucky could zero definitely recordbreaking said weather service meteorologist christine wielgos paducah ky atlanta tuesdays high expected hover mid20s nbc news erik ortiz elisha fieldstadt associated press contributed report
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<p>Organizers of a major preaching conference this week in Louisville, Ky., ignored calls to disinvite a founder of the conference accused of participating in a cover-up of child sexual abuse.</p>
<p>C.J. Mahaney takes the stage at the Together for the Gospel conference in Louisville.</p>
<p>C.J. Mahaney, pastor of Sovereign Grace Church in Louisville, took the stage April 12 at the Together for the Gospel conference at the KFC Yum! Center in downtown Louisville, while leaders with the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests staged a protest outside.</p>
<p>SNAP, an advocacy and support group formed in response to&#160;the pedophile priest scandal in the Roman Catholic Church, previously called on the other three conference founders to disinvite Mahaney. Allegations were&#160;made against Mahaney, former pastor of Covenant Life Church in Gaithersburg, Md., and other leaders of Sovereign Grace Ministries in a 2012 lawsuit dismissed on a legal technicality.</p>
<p>One of the protestors, Pam Palmer of Hagerstown, Md., <a href="http://www.wdrb.com/story/31705423/sexual-abuse-survivors-families-protest-protestant-pastors-conference-in-downtown-louisville" type="external">told</a> local media that after her 3-year-old daughter was abused by a teenage boy who was eventually convicted, a pastor serving under Mahaney told her family not to call the police.</p>
<p>In introducing Mahaney at the conference, Albert Mohler, president of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, praised his friend as a model of Christian endurance.</p>
<p>“It would be very easy to get up here and just say C.J. Mahaney is going to speak for us, but I think faithfulness in my responsibility this afternoon in introducing him is to say we know he has demonstrated endurance in the face of an incredible trial, and he has been a model of endurance for us,” Mohler said.</p>
<p>Mahaney didn’t address the lawsuit or controversy in an hour-long message on suffering from the Book of Job.</p>
<p>Mahaney, who cofounded the biennial preaching conference with Mohler and two other preacher friends 10 years ago, <a href="" type="internal">sat out</a> the 2014 gathering because of publicity about what was being described as the largest evangelical abuse scandal to date.</p>
<p>With renewed attention to the civil case in recent articles by <a href="http://www.washingtonian.com/2016/02/14/the-sex-abuse-scandal-that-devastated-a-suburban-megachurch-sovereign-grace-ministries/" type="external">The Washingtonian</a> and <a href="http://time.com/4226444/child-sex-abuse-evangelical-church/" type="external">Time Magazine</a> and a second <a href="" type="internal">arrest</a> of a Covenant Life Church member for sexual abuse, some even within the Calvinist camp <a href="http://thewartburgwatch.com/2016/04/11/protesting-together-for-the-gospel-2016/" type="external">said</a> it would be the prudent thing for him to again avoid attending.</p>
<p>Todd Pruitt of the Alliance of Confessing Evangelicals said in a <a href="http://www.alliancenet.org/mos/1517/an-appeal-to-the-organizers-of-together-for-the-gospel#.Vw5GKjH2bIW" type="external">blog</a> April 9 that Mahaney should be removed not only from the roster of speakers but from the Together for the Gospel organization itself.</p>
<p>“I understand and value loyalty to friends,” Pruitt said. “I understand that false accusations are made. But I also understand that loyalty has its limits. The details that have been revealed about the various SGM scandals show that there is indeed at least some fire behind the smoke.”</p>
<p>Mark Ammerman, pastor at Grace Evangelical Congregational Church in Lancaster, Pa., appealed to planners in a <a href="http://thewartburgwatch.com/2016/04/11/protesting-together-for-the-gospel-2016/" type="external">message</a> made public by The Wartburg Watch that “no matter how you may feel about him personally” Mahaney is “in the middle of one of the largest ongoing sex abuse scandals in evangelical history.”</p>
<p>Renee Gamby, one of the alleged victims in the dismissed lawsuit, <a href="https://www.change.org/p/together-for-the-gospel-remove-c-j-mahaney-from-speaking-at-together-for-the-gospel-conference" type="external">launched</a> an online petition calling for Mahaney’s removal from the Together for the Gospel conference.</p>
<p>Mohler referred obliquely to the pushback in his introduction of Mahaney, getting laughs with the line: “I told C.J. that in getting ready to introduce him I decided I would Google to see if there was anything on the Internet about him.”</p>
<p>Feigning surprise, Mohler said he learned that his longtime friend and colleague cheers for the Washington Redskins and the Washington Nationals and against the Dallas Cowboys, the New York Yankees and Duke basketball.</p>
<p>“That is a section that is entirely missing from any biographical material on me, but I now know it to be true because I read it about C.J.” Mohler said.</p>
<p>After 11 alleged victims filed an amended <a href="http://thewartburgwatch.com/tww2/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/20130514115743611.pdf" type="external">complaint</a> in 2013 to the class-action <a href="http://thewartburgwatch.com/tww2/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/20130514115743611.pdf" type="external">lawsuit</a> claiming that Sovereign Grace ministry leaders conspired to keep abuse crimes out of the legal system and handle them internally as matters of spiritual discipline, Mohler and the other two T4G cofounders —&#160;Ligon Duncan and Mark Dever —&#160;posted a statement of support for Mahaney online that subsequently disappeared without comment.</p>
<p>“We have stood beside our friend, C. J. Mahaney, and we can speak to his personal integrity,” the statement on the T4G website read.</p>
<p>“A Christian leader, charged with any credible, serious and direct wrongdoing, would usually be well advised to step down from public ministry,” Dever, Duncan and Mohler said in their statement.</p>
<p>“No such accusation of direct wrongdoing was ever made against C. J. Mahaney,” they said. “Instead, he was charged with founding a ministry and for teaching doctrines and principles that are held to be true by vast millions of American evangelicals.”</p>
<p>That statement drew criticism, including a <a href="http://www.sbc.net/resolutions/1230/on-sexual-abuse-of-children" type="external">resolution</a> by the Southern Baptist Convention admonishing SBC leaders and employees “to utilize the highest sense of discernment in affiliating with groups and or individuals that possess questionable policies and practices in protecting our children from criminal abuse.”</p>
<p>Brent Detwiler, a one-time Mahaney associate but now his leading detractor, said on Facebook that the decision by T4G leaders to honor Mahaney and rebuff critics “is unsurprising and underscores the magnitude of the problem.”</p>
<p>“The enabling and extolling of C.J. continues by some of the most powerful evangelical leaders in the nation,” Detwiler said. “The Lord Jesus Christ is not pleased and he won’t be mocked. He reigns on high and on the earth. He will have the final word.”</p>
<p>Susan Burke, the lawyer who represented the alleged victims in the lawsuit dismissed by a court in Maryland, reportedly plans to file another lawsuit in Virginia that won’t be complicated by statute of limitations.</p>
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organizers major preaching conference week louisville ky ignored calls disinvite founder conference accused participating coverup child sexual abuse cj mahaney takes stage together gospel conference louisville cj mahaney pastor sovereign grace church louisville took stage april 12 together gospel conference kfc yum center downtown louisville leaders survivors network abused priests staged protest outside snap advocacy support group formed response to160the pedophile priest scandal roman catholic church previously called three conference founders disinvite mahaney allegations were160made mahaney former pastor covenant life church gaithersburg md leaders sovereign grace ministries 2012 lawsuit dismissed legal technicality one protestors pam palmer hagerstown md told local media 3yearold daughter abused teenage boy eventually convicted pastor serving mahaney told family call police introducing mahaney conference albert mohler president southern baptist theological seminary praised friend model christian endurance would easy get say cj mahaney going speak us think faithfulness responsibility afternoon introducing say know demonstrated endurance face incredible trial model endurance us mohler said mahaney didnt address lawsuit controversy hourlong message suffering book job mahaney cofounded biennial preaching conference mohler two preacher friends 10 years ago sat 2014 gathering publicity described largest evangelical abuse scandal date renewed attention civil case recent articles washingtonian time magazine second arrest covenant life church member sexual abuse even within calvinist camp said would prudent thing avoid attending todd pruitt alliance confessing evangelicals said blog april 9 mahaney removed roster speakers together gospel organization understand value loyalty friends pruitt said understand false accusations made also understand loyalty limits details revealed various sgm scandals show indeed least fire behind smoke mark ammerman pastor grace evangelical congregational church lancaster pa appealed planners message made public wartburg watch matter may feel personally mahaney middle one largest ongoing sex abuse scandals evangelical history renee gamby one alleged victims dismissed lawsuit launched online petition calling mahaneys removal together gospel conference mohler referred obliquely pushback introduction mahaney getting laughs line told cj getting ready introduce decided would google see anything internet feigning surprise mohler said learned longtime friend colleague cheers washington redskins washington nationals dallas cowboys new york yankees duke basketball section entirely missing biographical material know true read cj mohler said 11 alleged victims filed amended complaint 2013 classaction lawsuit claiming sovereign grace ministry leaders conspired keep abuse crimes legal system handle internally matters spiritual discipline mohler two t4g cofounders 160ligon duncan mark dever 160posted statement support mahaney online subsequently disappeared without comment stood beside friend c j mahaney speak personal integrity statement t4g website read christian leader charged credible serious direct wrongdoing would usually well advised step public ministry dever duncan mohler said statement accusation direct wrongdoing ever made c j mahaney said instead charged founding ministry teaching doctrines principles held true vast millions american evangelicals statement drew criticism including resolution southern baptist convention admonishing sbc leaders employees utilize highest sense discernment affiliating groups individuals possess questionable policies practices protecting children criminal abuse brent detwiler onetime mahaney associate leading detractor said facebook decision t4g leaders honor mahaney rebuff critics unsurprising underscores magnitude problem enabling extolling cj continues powerful evangelical leaders nation detwiler said lord jesus christ pleased wont mocked reigns high earth final word susan burke lawyer represented alleged victims lawsuit dismissed court maryland reportedly plans file another lawsuit virginia wont complicated statute limitations
| 537 |
<p>By Robert Marus</p>
<p>The dynamic bishop from Krakow who became one of the 20th century's most towering figures departed earthly life April 2, but his legacy-including the special esteem in which many American evangelicals held him and many of his teachings-lives on.</p>
<p>Perhaps the most prominent evidence of Pope John Paul II's special place in the hearts of evangelicals came in comments by the nation's most prominent evangelical, President Bush. “The Catholic Church has lost its shepherd, the world has lost a champion of human freedom, and a good and faithful servant of God has been called home,” Bush said, in a statement he issued shortly after Vatican officials announced the pontiff's death.</p>
<p>Bush later attended a special memorial Mass at Washington's St. Matthew's Cathedral, located just a few blocks from the White House.</p>
<p>Bush has frequently made reference to the “culture of life,” a phrase coined by John Paul II in his many writings on life-ethics issues. Bush has used them mainly in the context of discussing abortion, stem-cell research and euthanasia. He cited the term repeatedly in discussing the recent dispute over the fate of Terri Schiavo.</p>
<p>Indeed, many prominent evangelicals cited the pope's commitment to a pro-life ethic in reflections on his legacy.</p>
<p>“His passion brought leadership on many cultural issues, including traditional marriage and the protection of unborn children. He also took a strong stance against embryonic stem cell research and human cloning,” said Tony Perkins, president of the conservative Family Research Council, in a statement on John Paul II's death. “The pope must be recognized for his prolific writings, his gift for language, and his outspoken affirmation life that we enjoy from our Creator, from conception to natural death.”</p>
<p>Such effusive praise for a pope from conservative Protestants stands in stark contrast to the views of Catholicism in general-and the papacy in particula-many evangelical leaders expressed prior to John Paul II's election in 1978.</p>
<p>According to an expert on Catholicism, John Paul II's views on life-ethics issues as well as his attempts to reach across religious barriers contributed to the new attitudes toward him.</p>
<p>“I think this pope particularly had a clear concern to join in dialogue with people of other faiths, and we see that” in his actions, such as visiting synagogues and mosques and meeting with religious leaders wherever he went, said Joe Favazza, an ex-Catholic priest and professor of religious studies at Rhodes College in Memphis, Tenn.</p>
<p>Favazza also cited the pontiff's legendary charisma in explaining his good relations with many evangelical leaders.</p>
<p>“He could look you right in the eye, and he could be very personal with you, and you had to deal with this presence. And I think that's exactly what happened with a lot of the evangelical leaders,” he said.</p>
<p>But, Favazza noted, for all their embracing of John Paul II's rhetoric on life ethics regarding abortion and euthanasia, the pope had a more strenuous standard in mind when he first penned the phrase.</p>
<p>“I think Bush and others in some ways tried to position themselves as friends of the pope or sympathetic to the pope by pushing these buttons, but John Paul's vision of the ‘culture of life' extended beyond abortion to capital punishment, and from individual morality to corporate morality,” he said. He noted that John Paul II, in his most recent visit with Bush, strongly criticized the war in Iraq. Bush and others have differed with the pope's teachings on capital punishment, contraception and economic issues.</p>
<p>Many evangelical and other conservative commentators have also praised John Paul II for his role in helping bring an end to communist rule in Eastern Europe. In particular, they credit the pontiff for providing momentum to the Solidarity movement that ultimately brought an end to Soviet domination over his native Poland in the early 1980s.</p>
<p>However, as Favazza and other observers of his papacy have pointed out, John Paul II in later years also strongly criticized the excesses of unrestrained capitalism.</p>
<p>More moderate religious leaders have praised John Paul II for his commitment to the poor. “His words and his actions-indeed, his very lif-exemplified the authority of religion to resist captivity to politics and to transcend the interests of narrow nationalism in order to build a global community in which people live with mutuality, peace and freedom from intolerance, prejudice and poverty,” said Welton Gaddy, a Baptist minister who is president of the Interfaith Alliance.</p>
<p>One value that the pope and evangelicals shared strongly is his advocacy for religious freedom, which included personal confrontations with some of the world's most oppressive dictators.</p>
<p>Favazza noted that John Paul II was one of the leading advocates for the strong statement on religious liberty adopted by the Second Vatican Council in 1962-63. Then, during his papacy, he “took the next step with that and said, first of all, we're going to challenge those leaders who need to be challenged [for violations of their people's religious freedom] and also admit there are times that the Catholic Church itself has transgressed this.”</p>
<p>For example, John Paul II famously apologized for the Crusades and issued a statement stating that the Catholic Church did not place any blame on the Jewish people for Christ's death.</p>
<p>Some conservative evangelicals did note that fundamental differences between Protestants and Catholics remain, particularly over the role of the papacy itself.</p>
<p>But Favazza said that in itself was significant-that John Paul II could maintain strict devotion to distinctive Catholic positions while still reaching out to many who had previously been very alienated from the papacy.</p>
<p>“As much as he was concerned with dialogue and relations with other denominations, he was still very clear about the boundaries of the Catholic faith,” Favazza said. “So, he will be remembered for many things, but compromise will not be one of them.”</p>
<p>Associated Baptist Press</p>
<p>Robert Marus is chief of ABP's Washington bureau.</p>
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robert marus dynamic bishop krakow became one 20th centurys towering figures departed earthly life april 2 legacyincluding special esteem many american evangelicals held many teachingslives perhaps prominent evidence pope john paul iis special place hearts evangelicals came comments nations prominent evangelical president bush catholic church lost shepherd world lost champion human freedom good faithful servant god called home bush said statement issued shortly vatican officials announced pontiffs death bush later attended special memorial mass washingtons st matthews cathedral located blocks white house bush frequently made reference culture life phrase coined john paul ii many writings lifeethics issues bush used mainly context discussing abortion stemcell research euthanasia cited term repeatedly discussing recent dispute fate terri schiavo indeed many prominent evangelicals cited popes commitment prolife ethic reflections legacy passion brought leadership many cultural issues including traditional marriage protection unborn children also took strong stance embryonic stem cell research human cloning said tony perkins president conservative family research council statement john paul iis death pope must recognized prolific writings gift language outspoken affirmation life enjoy creator conception natural death effusive praise pope conservative protestants stands stark contrast views catholicism generaland papacy particulamany evangelical leaders expressed prior john paul iis election 1978 according expert catholicism john paul iis views lifeethics issues well attempts reach across religious barriers contributed new attitudes toward think pope particularly clear concern join dialogue people faiths see actions visiting synagogues mosques meeting religious leaders wherever went said joe favazza excatholic priest professor religious studies rhodes college memphis tenn favazza also cited pontiffs legendary charisma explaining good relations many evangelical leaders could look right eye could personal deal presence think thats exactly happened lot evangelical leaders said favazza noted embracing john paul iis rhetoric life ethics regarding abortion euthanasia pope strenuous standard mind first penned phrase think bush others ways tried position friends pope sympathetic pope pushing buttons john pauls vision culture life extended beyond abortion capital punishment individual morality corporate morality said noted john paul ii recent visit bush strongly criticized war iraq bush others differed popes teachings capital punishment contraception economic issues many evangelical conservative commentators also praised john paul ii role helping bring end communist rule eastern europe particular credit pontiff providing momentum solidarity movement ultimately brought end soviet domination native poland early 1980s however favazza observers papacy pointed john paul ii later years also strongly criticized excesses unrestrained capitalism moderate religious leaders praised john paul ii commitment poor words actionsindeed lifexemplified authority religion resist captivity politics transcend interests narrow nationalism order build global community people live mutuality peace freedom intolerance prejudice poverty said welton gaddy baptist minister president interfaith alliance one value pope evangelicals shared strongly advocacy religious freedom included personal confrontations worlds oppressive dictators favazza noted john paul ii one leading advocates strong statement religious liberty adopted second vatican council 196263 papacy took next step said first going challenge leaders need challenged violations peoples religious freedom also admit times catholic church transgressed example john paul ii famously apologized crusades issued statement stating catholic church place blame jewish people christs death conservative evangelicals note fundamental differences protestants catholics remain particularly role papacy favazza said significantthat john paul ii could maintain strict devotion distinctive catholic positions still reaching many previously alienated papacy much concerned dialogue relations denominations still clear boundaries catholic faith favazza said remembered many things compromise one associated baptist press robert marus chief abps washington bureau
| 560 |
<p>July 20, 2012</p>
<p>Katy Grimes: The <a href="http://www.parks.ca.gov/" type="external">California State Parks</a> agency has been sullied by a growing scandal.</p>
<p><a href="" type="internal" /></p>
<p>Three days ago I <a href="" type="internal">wrote</a> about the illegal vacation buyout scandal in the State Parks and Recreation agency in “ <a href="" type="internal">Scandalous state parks department needs privatization</a>.” I questioned who it was that authorized the checks that were paid to the parks employees, and said that everyone involved should be brought up on charges.</p>
<p>Today, Parks Director Ruth Coleman <a href="http://www.mercurynews.com/california/ci_21121187/california-parks-director-resigns-amid-scandal?source=rss" type="external">resigned</a>, and her second in command was fired.</p>
<p>That’s a good start. But according to my sources at the state, Coleman is getting off easy. My sources said that this was a highly orchestrated resignation, and appointment of an interim parks director. It’s carefully orchestrated damage control, along with very little hard-hitting journalism over a scandal.</p>
<p>Janelle Beland, former senior advisor&#160;and caucus director for Sen. Pres Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg, has been named Interim Director.</p>
<p>My sources work for the state. Apparently because the parks department was conducting its own bogus internal audit of the vacation buyout scandal, no one at the Parks Department would officially confirm the allegations when I inquired.</p>
<p>Now that the story has broken wide open, more information is coming out from sources all over the state. But my sources,&#160;who wish to remain anonymous to avoid retaliation, have clammed-up since the story broke fearing whistleblower retribution.</p>
<p>But they still want to make sure that the goings-on within the Parks Department is not sugar-coated, or covered-up.</p>
<p>My sources say that most of the parks employees in the headquarter administrative office in Sacramento knew what was going on. They say that director Coleman not only knew about the vacation buyout scandal, but that she sat in on the meetings as the scheme was hatched by senior parks employee,&#160;Manuel Thomas Lopez, who was demoted in October, and resigned in the Spring.</p>
<p>But my sources say Lopez was not alone. He couldn’t have been operating solo in a vacation buyout scandal. As I wrote <a href="" type="internal">earlier this week</a>, someone had to authorize and approve the buyout requests in order for employees to receive the money from the state.</p>
<p>According to my sources, an Assistant Personnel Officer for the State Parks Department was responsible for keying in the post-it notes amounts, which were used for the buyout requests to avoid a paper trail.</p>
<p>My sources say that the Personnel officer is now in training to be a peace officer for the department, as a sort of payoff for helping with the scandal. And, that the usual peace officer criteria was waived for this Personnel Officer to change jobs. Adding to this job change, sources say that her husband is allegedly a convicted felon.</p>
<p>Other highly questionable activities allegedly took place within the Parks department as well, according to my sources. In addition to the information that the Parks agency&#160;has been sitting on nearly $54 million in surplus money for as long as 12 years, it is widely rumored that Coleman knew about the surplus and approved it, despite the reports where blamed she mid-level managers for the cover-up.</p>
<p>Additionally, they say that the state Parks department intentionally understates and under-projects its annual budget to be able to hide money, despite what the agency receives from the state. And remember that the Parks Department handles a great deal of cash. Sources say that the cash income is also under reported.</p>
<p>During a recent taping of <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hWa0S4FFR6I" type="external">Politics on Tap</a>&#160;in which I was a guest panelist,&#160;with host Greg Lucas, Coleman talked about the success she was having raising money from private sector donors to keep the state parks open. “We’ve spent the last year-and-a-half working on partnerships,” &#160;Coleman said.</p>
<p>But, Coleman stressed on the show that although almost all of the parks on the original closure list would stay open as of July 1, the donations and financial partnerships, and help in the recently approved state budget doesn’t mean that the crisis is over. “I wouldn’t say they’re safe, I think ‘reprieve’ is a better word,” Coleman said, knowing that there was a $54 million surplus in two accounts, as reported in news stories today.</p>
<p>Gov. Jerry Brown has been threatening to close 70 state parks, claiming that looming budget cuts and the inherent budget deficit were to blame. This is the same tactic the government has been using under Democratic control, to try and squeeze tax increases out of taxpayers. They threaten to cut police, fire fighters, let parks disintegrate, cut back garbage services, and cut teachers, in order for voters to finally become convinced that there is a budget crisis, and vote to pass a tax increase.</p>
<p>It’s a tired, old, worn out lie. Fortunately, California voters have not bought into the lie, and have killed the last eight attempts to raise taxes in ballot initiatives.</p>
<p>During the taping of Politics on Tap, Coleman even expressed dismay that voters killed the $18 DMV tax ballot initiative, which would have gone to helping fund state parks.</p>
<p>These issues taken individually is cause enough for an in-depth investigation, preferably by an outside agency. Taken together, one can assume that as the layers are peeled back, there will be more issues, allegations, illegal and scandalous behavior uncovered.</p>
<p>The buck always stops with the agency head, but it appears that it didn’t with Coleman in charge. Coleman’s resignation is a face-saving gesture, and will ensure that she receives her state benefits and pension, and possibly, find a soft landing in another agency. However, given the criminal financial allegations involved with her agency, under her leadership of one decade, it is debatable whether or not she is entitled to state benefits or state employment any longer.</p>
<p>She either knew about the schemes and scandalous behavior, or she was oblivious to it, making her negligent, and incompetent, or complicit.</p>
<p>Earlier this week, Assemblywoman Beth Gaines, R-Rocklin, called for an Parks Department investigation, and has now sent a letter to the Joint Legislative Audit Committee calling for a further review of the State Parks Department.</p>
<p>“It is clear that our office has only touched the tip of the iceberg on the culture of corruption within state government,” Gaines said.&#160; “Where was the Department of Finance and the Controller’s Office in reviewing these obvious accounting gimmicks?”</p>
<p>&#160;</p>
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july 20 2012 katy grimes california state parks agency sullied growing scandal three days ago wrote illegal vacation buyout scandal state parks recreation agency scandalous state parks department needs privatization questioned authorized checks paid parks employees said everyone involved brought charges today parks director ruth coleman resigned second command fired thats good start according sources state coleman getting easy sources said highly orchestrated resignation appointment interim parks director carefully orchestrated damage control along little hardhitting journalism scandal janelle beland former senior advisor160and caucus director sen pres pro tem darrell steinberg named interim director sources work state apparently parks department conducting bogus internal audit vacation buyout scandal one parks department would officially confirm allegations inquired story broken wide open information coming sources state sources160who wish remain anonymous avoid retaliation clammedup since story broke fearing whistleblower retribution still want make sure goingson within parks department sugarcoated coveredup sources say parks employees headquarter administrative office sacramento knew going say director coleman knew vacation buyout scandal sat meetings scheme hatched senior parks employee160manuel thomas lopez demoted october resigned spring sources say lopez alone couldnt operating solo vacation buyout scandal wrote earlier week someone authorize approve buyout requests order employees receive money state according sources assistant personnel officer state parks department responsible keying postit notes amounts used buyout requests avoid paper trail sources say personnel officer training peace officer department sort payoff helping scandal usual peace officer criteria waived personnel officer change jobs adding job change sources say husband allegedly convicted felon highly questionable activities allegedly took place within parks department well according sources addition information parks agency160has sitting nearly 54 million surplus money long 12 years widely rumored coleman knew surplus approved despite reports blamed midlevel managers coverup additionally say state parks department intentionally understates underprojects annual budget able hide money despite agency receives state remember parks department handles great deal cash sources say cash income also reported recent taping politics tap160in guest panelist160with host greg lucas coleman talked success raising money private sector donors keep state parks open weve spent last yearandahalf working partnerships 160coleman said coleman stressed show although almost parks original closure list would stay open july 1 donations financial partnerships help recently approved state budget doesnt mean crisis wouldnt say theyre safe think reprieve better word coleman said knowing 54 million surplus two accounts reported news stories today gov jerry brown threatening close 70 state parks claiming looming budget cuts inherent budget deficit blame tactic government using democratic control try squeeze tax increases taxpayers threaten cut police fire fighters let parks disintegrate cut back garbage services cut teachers order voters finally become convinced budget crisis vote pass tax increase tired old worn lie fortunately california voters bought lie killed last eight attempts raise taxes ballot initiatives taping politics tap coleman even expressed dismay voters killed 18 dmv tax ballot initiative would gone helping fund state parks issues taken individually cause enough indepth investigation preferably outside agency taken together one assume layers peeled back issues allegations illegal scandalous behavior uncovered buck always stops agency head appears didnt coleman charge colemans resignation facesaving gesture ensure receives state benefits pension possibly find soft landing another agency however given criminal financial allegations involved agency leadership one decade debatable whether entitled state benefits state employment longer either knew schemes scandalous behavior oblivious making negligent incompetent complicit earlier week assemblywoman beth gaines rrocklin called parks department investigation sent letter joint legislative audit committee calling review state parks department clear office touched tip iceberg culture corruption within state government gaines said160 department finance controllers office reviewing obvious accounting gimmicks 160
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<p><a href="" type="internal" />JUNE 17, 2011</p>
<p>The California Legislature just passed a budget. Less than 24 hours later, the governor vetoed it, leaving many political wonks scratching their heads in wonderment at why Gov. Jerry Brown vetoed a budget from his own party.</p>
<p>Could this have been the plan all along, so that legislators wouldn’t miss a paycheck?</p>
<p>It could be that it’s just another one of Brown’s seemingly random and unpredictable decisions.</p>
<p>Or, as some are speculating, Brown could be trying to take back control of the political direction in the state after failing to gain the votes necessary to pass his budget proposal.</p>
<p>Or more likely, this was the diabolical plan all along.</p>
<p>At a news conference Thursday after his budget veto, Brown said, “For the first time in history, the state budget has been vetoed. That’s big, and it sends a powerful message that all of us have to do more, we have to rise to a difficult but higher level.”</p>
<p>He added, “And I am confident we’re going to get a better budget. Whether I can get the Republicans to vote, that remains to be seen. But I’m certainly going to give them a chance.”</p>
<p>With passage of the budget on June 15, legislators did not get their salaries or expenses docked. Even though the budget was full of accounting games, smarmy tricks, column shifts and lies, the sham budget was passed by Democrats with a majority vote.</p>
<p>“Democrats did not act in bad faith. They had little choice but to approve the budget, given that voters passed <a href="http://ballotpedia.org/wiki/index.php/California_Proposition_25,_Majority_Vote_for_Legislature_to_Pass_the_Budget_(2010)" type="external">Proposition 25</a> in November allowing the Legislature to approve budgets by a simple majority, rather than the old two-thirds vote,” said the Sacramento Bee editorial board.</p>
<p>But this budget had no reforms, no spending cap, was loaded up with illegal tax increases and was not balanced. And taxpayer advocates say that much of it was unconstitutional, including the tax hikes called “fees.”</p>
<p>But the Bee said, “Democrats were left with no good choices.”</p>
<p>Boo hoo. Democrats are hardly victims in this state. Democrats wanted <a href="http://ballotpedia.org/wiki/index.php/California_Proposition_25,_Majority_Vote_for_Legislature_to_Pass_the_Budget_(2010)" type="external">Prop 25</a>. They wrote it, funded it, and pushed it hard. And it passed by a vote of the people. Now they have to live with it.</p>
<p>Only their budget was an end-run around Prop 25. It wasn’t even that clever. It may cost Democrats in the near future.</p>
<p>Republicans can no longer be called “the party of ‘No’.” Last March, five Republican Senators demonstrated that they were willing to play ball, met with Brown and tried to come to a bipartisan agreement on the budget. The GOP Five, as they were dubbed, were Tom Berryhill, Bill Emmerson, Anthony Cannella, Tom Harman and Sam Blakeslee. They even were willing to vote to put Brown’s tax extensions on the ballot for a vote of the people, as long as several reform measures were on the same ballot.</p>
<p>But Brown cut off the talks abruptly with the GOP Five in March.</p>
<p>This week, the Legislature passed the budget and spending trailer bills, with Brown immediately vetoing the budget the next day.</p>
<p>Critics are saying that Democrats knowingly passed an unconstitutional budget for self enrichment — to keep their paychecks. One Bee reader asked why this is not considered fraud?</p>
<p>Former Republican Sen. George Runner, now a Board of Equalization member, said that the arguments between Democrats and Republicans will continue because Democrats and liberals are unfamiliar with how businesses operate, how jobs are created and how an economy is stimulated through private sector job creation.</p>
<p>“The role of government is not to create jobs — the government is supposed to get out of the way and let business create jobs,” said Runner.</p>
<p>Runner said that this latest budget scam is meaningless and thoughtless, and an indicator of a paycheck motive instead of what’s good for the people of the state.</p>
<p>It is apparent that the message among Democrats was, “Go ahead and sign this budget. The governor won’t sign it, so it doesn’t matter.”</p>
<p>Runner said that he met with eBay and Amazon this week and both companies told him that the online sales tax will cost them jobs — or they can pull out of California.</p>
<p>Runner said that Microsoft wants to expand on the West Coast, but California is too risky because legislators continue to push anti-business and tax proposals. Higher taxes cost employers jobs because taxes come right out of the employer’s pocket. Just because a new tax is imposed doesn’t mean that the business owner can pass the cost along to the customer. That’s what Democrats do not understand. Businesses eat higher costs, and end up doing it by cutting jobs, pay and benefits just to keep a business open.</p>
<p>“It’s going to get ugly,” said Republican Assemblyman Tim Donnelly. “Democrats will end up blowing a big hole in the California economy if they continue on this road.”</p>
<p>Donnelly said that he recently told his Assembly colleagues, “Your policies wiped out 650,000 jobs in the manufacturing sector.”&#160; Despite that, he added, “They continue to push bills requiring fitted or folded sheets. It’s a disaster.”</p>
<p>But not all is lost. Donnelly said, “If Democrats and Republicans come together” — and he thinks there are enough reasonable legislators to do this — “and agree on no taxes anywhere in the budget, we can get people back to work, which needs to be the core focus and centerpiece of the budget.”</p>
<p>Donnelly said that it costs $800,000 to create one green job in California because politicians have decided to prop up green jobs artificially. “It’s costing the state huge amounts of money that we don’t have,” he said.</p>
<p>The only Democrat to vote “no” on the budget was Sen. Leland Yee of San Francisco. And he abstained from voting on most of the budget trailer bills last week because of the cuts made to schools and critical social services, his office reported.</p>
<p>“I voted against the main budget bill because my constituents didn’t send me to Sacramento to increase class sizes, layoff teachers, and hurt public education,” Yee said in a statement.</p>
<p>His vote against the elimination of redevelopment agencies was solely about cuts to schools, his office said. In San Francisco, schools receive $35 million a year from fees on redevelopment projects, which would be lost if redevelopment is eliminated.</p>
<p>Senators Berryhill, Cannella, Emmerson and Harman’s statement in response to the budget vote was interesting: “Today’s actions prove that the bridge tax isn’t a stumbling block — it’s political theater.&#160; The real stumbling block for the Majority Party are the unions and trial lawyers demanding they block the reform proposals we have been pushing for months.”</p>
<p>Where this budget goes is anyone’s best guess at this point. Brown has much to prove to California voters, but at least has started by getting out his blue veto pen.</p>
<p>Democratic legislators, however, have demonstrated that they do not have the foresight, maturity or vision to do the job, or even the selfless ability to represent the constituents in their districts.</p>
<p>Democrats have become the tools of the public employee unions and trial lawyers, and California voters witnessed it this week with the passage of the sham budget — even if some of our newspapers didn’t see it.</p>
<p>All of us don’t “have to do more.” Taxpayers and the private sector are already bearing the brunt of California’s recession with job and benefit losses, high unemployment, home foreclosures, higher taxes, inflation and the loss of government services.</p>
<p>This Legislature and governor need to take a quick lesson in economics and get out the red pens. If they can’t or won’t cut wasteful spending where it needs to be cut, they need to step aside and let adults do the job.</p>
<p>— Katy Grimes</p>
<p>&#160;</p>
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june 17 2011 california legislature passed budget less 24 hours later governor vetoed leaving many political wonks scratching heads wonderment gov jerry brown vetoed budget party could plan along legislators wouldnt miss paycheck could another one browns seemingly random unpredictable decisions speculating brown could trying take back control political direction state failing gain votes necessary pass budget proposal likely diabolical plan along news conference thursday budget veto brown said first time history state budget vetoed thats big sends powerful message us rise difficult higher level added confident going get better budget whether get republicans vote remains seen im certainly going give chance passage budget june 15 legislators get salaries expenses docked even though budget full accounting games smarmy tricks column shifts lies sham budget passed democrats majority vote democrats act bad faith little choice approve budget given voters passed proposition 25 november allowing legislature approve budgets simple majority rather old twothirds vote said sacramento bee editorial board budget reforms spending cap loaded illegal tax increases balanced taxpayer advocates say much unconstitutional including tax hikes called fees bee said democrats left good choices boo hoo democrats hardly victims state democrats wanted prop 25 wrote funded pushed hard passed vote people live budget endrun around prop 25 wasnt even clever may cost democrats near future republicans longer called party last march five republican senators demonstrated willing play ball met brown tried come bipartisan agreement budget gop five dubbed tom berryhill bill emmerson anthony cannella tom harman sam blakeslee even willing vote put browns tax extensions ballot vote people long several reform measures ballot brown cut talks abruptly gop five march week legislature passed budget spending trailer bills brown immediately vetoing budget next day critics saying democrats knowingly passed unconstitutional budget self enrichment keep paychecks one bee reader asked considered fraud former republican sen george runner board equalization member said arguments democrats republicans continue democrats liberals unfamiliar businesses operate jobs created economy stimulated private sector job creation role government create jobs government supposed get way let business create jobs said runner runner said latest budget scam meaningless thoughtless indicator paycheck motive instead whats good people state apparent message among democrats go ahead sign budget governor wont sign doesnt matter runner said met ebay amazon week companies told online sales tax cost jobs pull california runner said microsoft wants expand west coast california risky legislators continue push antibusiness tax proposals higher taxes cost employers jobs taxes come right employers pocket new tax imposed doesnt mean business owner pass cost along customer thats democrats understand businesses eat higher costs end cutting jobs pay benefits keep business open going get ugly said republican assemblyman tim donnelly democrats end blowing big hole california economy continue road donnelly said recently told assembly colleagues policies wiped 650000 jobs manufacturing sector160 despite added continue push bills requiring fitted folded sheets disaster lost donnelly said democrats republicans come together thinks enough reasonable legislators agree taxes anywhere budget get people back work needs core focus centerpiece budget donnelly said costs 800000 create one green job california politicians decided prop green jobs artificially costing state huge amounts money dont said democrat vote budget sen leland yee san francisco abstained voting budget trailer bills last week cuts made schools critical social services office reported voted main budget bill constituents didnt send sacramento increase class sizes layoff teachers hurt public education yee said statement vote elimination redevelopment agencies solely cuts schools office said san francisco schools receive 35 million year fees redevelopment projects would lost redevelopment eliminated senators berryhill cannella emmerson harmans statement response budget vote interesting todays actions prove bridge tax isnt stumbling block political theater160 real stumbling block majority party unions trial lawyers demanding block reform proposals pushing months budget goes anyones best guess point brown much prove california voters least started getting blue veto pen democratic legislators however demonstrated foresight maturity vision job even selfless ability represent constituents districts democrats become tools public employee unions trial lawyers california voters witnessed week passage sham budget even newspapers didnt see us dont taxpayers private sector already bearing brunt californias recession job benefit losses high unemployment home foreclosures higher taxes inflation loss government services legislature governor need take quick lesson economics get red pens cant wont cut wasteful spending needs cut need step aside let adults job katy grimes 160
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<p>HARARE — Thousands of festive, cheering Zimbabweans converged on the center of Harare to celebrate the swearing in Wednesday of opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai as prime minister in a power-sharing government with President Robert Mugabe.</p>
<p>Tsvangirai, 56, was sworn into office by a stern-faced Mugabe, 84 in a ceremony that was broadcast on state television. Also attending were former South African president Thabo Mbeki, who brokered the agreement to form the transitional government of national unity and Swaziland's King Mswati III.</p>
<p>There were no smiles between the two leaders but the sight of Tsvangirai, a trade unionist who was once a mine foreman, taking office was enough to provoke celebrations on the streets of the capital. More than 15,000 swept through downtown Harare and filled Glamis Stadium to hear <a href="http://www.globalpost.com/notebook/zimbabwe/090211/morgan-tsvangirais-speech-upon-his-inauguration-zimbabwes-new-prime" type="external">Tsvangirai speak</a> a few hours later.</p>
<p>The Zimbabwean crowds gleefully seized on the new government as a sign of hope that the country’s deep economic and humanitarian crisis will be solved, although there is considerable enmity between Mugabe and Tsvangirai and doubts over how their two parties will work together.</p>
<p>Tsvangirai’s short speech at the swearing in ceremony was not broadcast by the state television, prompting many to say that Mugabe’s bureaucracy has already begun sabotaging the opposition leader’s efforts to bring change.</p>
<p>But the thousands who witnessed his first public speech at the stadium heard Tsvangirai vow to end state violence and human rights abuses. He also promised that civil servants would be paid in foreign currency, instead of Zimbabwe's now-worthless dollar.</p>
<p>Tsvangirai also has vowed to deal with Zimbabwe’s growing humanitarian crisis in which more than 3,500 people have died of cholera, thousands more suffer malnutrition and the collapsing economy has rendered millions destitute. He called on the international community to help Zimbabwe recover.</p>
<p>Tsvangirai pledged to end state violence and torture, starting by addressing the plight of several jailed members of his party who have been severely tortured, according to doctors’ affidavits. Last year, GlobalPost correspondent Jeffrey Barbee documented the injuries of Zimbabweans who claim they were tortured by police:</p>
<p />
<p>Tsvangirai, whose skull was fractured when he was beaten by police two years ago, has already called for police to release all MDC and other civic leaders. He said torture by police, army and other state agents must cease.</p>
<p>“As I stand before you, more than 30 innocent people continue to languish in jail months after being abducted and illegally detained,” said Tsvangirai, who said he would “make it a priority to ensure that the law is upheld and that the justice system deals with their cases in a fair, equitable and transparent manner in the shortest possible time frame.”</p>
<p>Tsvangirai said the new transitional government will “restore the people’s freedoms,” create a new constitution, reestablish the rule of law and promote the independent news media.</p>
<p>The swearing ceremony caps nearly a year of turmoil in Zimbabwe that began last March when Tsvangirai won a first-round presidential vote. Mugabe responded with a wave of state violence that killed 180 opposition supporters. Tsvangirai pulled out of the run-off election, which left Mugabe to claim a one-sided victory that was dismissed as a sham, both in Zimbabwe and abroad.</p>
<p>South Africa then brokered a deal to bring Mugabe into a power-sharing government with Tsvangirai. The agreement was signed on Sept. 15 last year but was stalled by Mugabe's refusal to share cabinet posts and Tsvangirai's rejection of a settlement that would leave him without adequate power.</p>
<p>“It is clearly Tsvangirai’s day,” said Iddah Mandaza, a Harare resident who watched the swearing in on state television. “Tsvangirai appeared lively and energetic. Everybody lined up to shake hands and hug him. Mugabe, on the other hand, was off to the side. He was not the center of attention. The body language said it all. Mugabe was slumped in a big chair, appearing grumpy, only occasionally forcing himself to look up and smile.”</p>
<p>Tsvangirai has already brought new energy and direction to the government by appointing several young, well-qualified members of his party, the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), to cabinet posts.</p>
<p>Firebrand lawyer Tendai Biti will be Minister of Finance. Thirty-one-year-old Nelson Chamisa will be Minister for Information Technology. Both Biti and Chamisa are on Facebook, a significant sign that Tsvangirai’s new team is looking forward.</p>
<p>Former army officer Giles Mutsekwa will share the post of Minister of Home Affairs, in charge of police. Mutsekwa himself was jailed by the police last year.</p>
<p>The government is divided into two camps with Mugabe appointing half the cabinet posts and Tsvangirai and Arthur Mutambara, the leader of a smaller splinter of his MDC, appointing the other half. Mugabe will preside over cabinet meetings. Tsvangirai will run the newly-created Council of Ministers. The two parties will share control of the strategically crucial Home Affairs ministry, which runs the police.</p>
<p>The new government has been criticized by many as an unwieldy and unworkable construction, but it has been welcomed by masses of Zimbabweans because it offers some hope of change. Mugabe and his cronies may well work to block every action by Tsvangirai, according to academics. But there is growing pressure on Mugabe from the leaders of neighboring countries, as well as Tsvangirai, to stabilize Zimbabwe’s economy and to end the hunger and disease.</p>
<p>&#160;</p>
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harare thousands festive cheering zimbabweans converged center harare celebrate swearing wednesday opposition leader morgan tsvangirai prime minister powersharing government president robert mugabe tsvangirai 56 sworn office sternfaced mugabe 84 ceremony broadcast state television also attending former south african president thabo mbeki brokered agreement form transitional government national unity swazilands king mswati iii smiles two leaders sight tsvangirai trade unionist mine foreman taking office enough provoke celebrations streets capital 15000 swept downtown harare filled glamis stadium hear tsvangirai speak hours later zimbabwean crowds gleefully seized new government sign hope countrys deep economic humanitarian crisis solved although considerable enmity mugabe tsvangirai doubts two parties work together tsvangirais short speech swearing ceremony broadcast state television prompting many say mugabes bureaucracy already begun sabotaging opposition leaders efforts bring change thousands witnessed first public speech stadium heard tsvangirai vow end state violence human rights abuses also promised civil servants would paid foreign currency instead zimbabwes nowworthless dollar tsvangirai also vowed deal zimbabwes growing humanitarian crisis 3500 people died cholera thousands suffer malnutrition collapsing economy rendered millions destitute called international community help zimbabwe recover tsvangirai pledged end state violence torture starting addressing plight several jailed members party severely tortured according doctors affidavits last year globalpost correspondent jeffrey barbee documented injuries zimbabweans claim tortured police tsvangirai whose skull fractured beaten police two years ago already called police release mdc civic leaders said torture police army state agents must cease stand 30 innocent people continue languish jail months abducted illegally detained said tsvangirai said would make priority ensure law upheld justice system deals cases fair equitable transparent manner shortest possible time frame tsvangirai said new transitional government restore peoples freedoms create new constitution reestablish rule law promote independent news media swearing ceremony caps nearly year turmoil zimbabwe began last march tsvangirai firstround presidential vote mugabe responded wave state violence killed 180 opposition supporters tsvangirai pulled runoff election left mugabe claim onesided victory dismissed sham zimbabwe abroad south africa brokered deal bring mugabe powersharing government tsvangirai agreement signed sept 15 last year stalled mugabes refusal share cabinet posts tsvangirais rejection settlement would leave without adequate power clearly tsvangirais day said iddah mandaza harare resident watched swearing state television tsvangirai appeared lively energetic everybody lined shake hands hug mugabe hand side center attention body language said mugabe slumped big chair appearing grumpy occasionally forcing look smile tsvangirai already brought new energy direction government appointing several young wellqualified members party movement democratic change mdc cabinet posts firebrand lawyer tendai biti minister finance thirtyoneyearold nelson chamisa minister information technology biti chamisa facebook significant sign tsvangirais new team looking forward former army officer giles mutsekwa share post minister home affairs charge police mutsekwa jailed police last year government divided two camps mugabe appointing half cabinet posts tsvangirai arthur mutambara leader smaller splinter mdc appointing half mugabe preside cabinet meetings tsvangirai run newlycreated council ministers two parties share control strategically crucial home affairs ministry runs police new government criticized many unwieldy unworkable construction welcomed masses zimbabweans offers hope change mugabe cronies may well work block every action tsvangirai according academics growing pressure mugabe leaders neighboring countries well tsvangirai stabilize zimbabwes economy end hunger disease 160
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<p>Baptists have no founder. They have no certain month, day and year of beginning. It is risky at best to find the earliest tender roots of a people who have become one of the world's major religious denominations.</p>
<p>Across the years there have been Baptists who believed fervently that their spiritual ancestors could be traced in unbroken line to John the Baptist. Scholarship, often rejected, maintained that the peculiar people who came to be known as Baptists could, at best, be proven only to the early 1600s. Much of the debate centers upon the mode of baptism with the eventual chief identification of Baptists reduced to immersion. The opponents of the early Baptists chided them as a “new-washed company” or simply as “dippers” and, eventually, “baptist.” Like most nicknames, it stuck. It was meant at first as a derogatory term, but those who practiced it proved themselves not only peculiar but honorable.</p>
<p>There also has been a running argument that Baptists are not Protestants. It is part and parcel of the “trail of blood” theory which dates Baptist beginnings to Calvary and, therefore, centuries before those who protested the Catholic Church. Robert Torbet, a leading Baptist historian of a generation ago, maintained, “Baptists can be understood best by seeing them as a part of the expression of the Free Church movement in Christianity.”</p>
<p>He continued: “The Free Churches made their most direct contribution to the individual citizen by upholding liberty of conscience. Their position held that a church is truly free when it can assemble individuals who have the right to exercise their personal beliefs … [and] a church must be free, as a community of biblical faith, to be governed by the Spirit of God not by political or cultural influences.</p>
<p>“Early Baptists, as they emerged as a group in history, were characterized by emphases which distinguished them from other Protestants. In particular, they pointed to the idea of the gathered church, with its attempt to maintain a regenerate membership by practicing believer's baptism and discipline. In this, they were in sympathy with the Anabaptists' thinking about the church.</p>
<p>“They also held to a view of congregational church order which involved all members in the total life of the believing community …. It was their conviction that God had entrusted the authority to proclaim the gospel not to a clerical class but to the whole community of faith.</p>
<p>“These early Baptists emphasized the need for a wider fellowship of the congregations through membership in what were called associations. Their protection of the autonomy of each congregation with respect to its inner life was intended not to stress independency from other congregations nor to disavow the reality of the larger church, but to recognize the Lordship of Christ over each congregation ….”</p>
<p>Torbet noted that these views of the church were developed “by 17th-century Baptists like John Smyth, Thomas Helwys and John Bunyan, and influenced by the Congregationalist, John Owen, whose writings on the church were read widely by Baptists of that period.”</p>
<p>For a people with no founder, in time, the Baptist historians centered upon Smyth, the pastor, and Helwys, the lay leader, who were part of the small group of English dissenters that had fled to Holland for safety. It was their distinguishing practice of believer's baptism which dates the 400th anniversary. Yet it also is their inclusion of the freedoms enumerated by Tolbert which gives reason for a world-wide celebration.</p>
<p>In 1889 Alfred E. Dickinson, editor of the Religious Herald, delivered a landmark address on Baptist principles which eventually was printed in several countries and in different languages. Over a million copies of his message were once in circulation. He called it “What Baptist Principles Are Worth to the World.”</p>
<p>Dickinson elaborated upon each of the time-honored principles. He especially centered upon the Baptist concept of freedom in its fullest dimensions and observed that in developing countries there was a cry to adopt the same kind of freedom in a political sense as the Baptists exhibited in their religious life. He concluded, “Baptist principles have not only been valuable to the world but invaluable.”</p>
<p>Today those principles are still invaluable but they are definitely endangered. A worthy way of celebrating would be to educate today's generation about Baptist distinctives and principles.</p>
<p>A practical idea for celebrating the anniversary would be to order copies of the 12th edition of Heritage Seekers to use with children, ages 8-12, and adults. The forthcoming issue celebrates the 400th anniversary and emphasizes the stories of Smyth and Helwys as well as later English Baptists. There are activities especially for children to take part in the large Baptist family's celebration. Order copies from the Center for Baptist Heritage &amp; Studies, P.O. Box 34, University of Richmond, VA 23173 or call (804) 289-8434. The issues sell for $5 each, plus $2 shipping and handling, or bulk orders are $3 each for 2-24 copies and $2 each for 25+ copies. The Center will bill shipping and handling for multiple orders. Children's workers and families may want to order previous issues of Heritage Seekers as well as God's Stories for Children. Check the Center's website at www.baptistheritage.org for further information and for future projects related to the anniversary.</p>
<p>Order complimentary bulletin inserts throughout the year and use these in Baptist worship services. The PDF inserts are available by emailing [email protected].</p>
<p>The 400th anniversary inserts are a joint project of the Baptist History &amp; Heritage Society and the Center for Baptist Studies at Mercer University.</p>
<p>Churches are finding creative ways to customize their celebration. Some ideas include designating a Baptist Heritage Sunday with a special emphasis, creating a bulletin board display illustrating the church's role in the larger Baptist story, and staging dramatic vignettes based upon the lives of Baptists from the four centuries. Several churches have scheduled group tours of the Heritage Gallery of the Virginia Baptist Historical Society.</p>
<p>An anniversary always prompts memory keeping. It is a good time for updating a church or association history. It also is a good time to gather valuable historical records and bring them to the Virginia Baptist Historical Society for preservation. Contact the VBHS at (804) 289-8434.</p>
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baptists founder certain month day year beginning risky best find earliest tender roots people become one worlds major religious denominations across years baptists believed fervently spiritual ancestors could traced unbroken line john baptist scholarship often rejected maintained peculiar people came known baptists could best proven early 1600s much debate centers upon mode baptism eventual chief identification baptists reduced immersion opponents early baptists chided newwashed company simply dippers eventually baptist like nicknames stuck meant first derogatory term practiced proved peculiar honorable also running argument baptists protestants part parcel trail blood theory dates baptist beginnings calvary therefore centuries protested catholic church robert torbet leading baptist historian generation ago maintained baptists understood best seeing part expression free church movement christianity continued free churches made direct contribution individual citizen upholding liberty conscience position held church truly free assemble individuals right exercise personal beliefs church must free community biblical faith governed spirit god political cultural influences early baptists emerged group history characterized emphases distinguished protestants particular pointed idea gathered church attempt maintain regenerate membership practicing believers baptism discipline sympathy anabaptists thinking church also held view congregational church order involved members total life believing community conviction god entrusted authority proclaim gospel clerical class whole community faith early baptists emphasized need wider fellowship congregations membership called associations protection autonomy congregation respect inner life intended stress independency congregations disavow reality larger church recognize lordship christ congregation torbet noted views church developed 17thcentury baptists like john smyth thomas helwys john bunyan influenced congregationalist john owen whose writings church read widely baptists period people founder time baptist historians centered upon smyth pastor helwys lay leader part small group english dissenters fled holland safety distinguishing practice believers baptism dates 400th anniversary yet also inclusion freedoms enumerated tolbert gives reason worldwide celebration 1889 alfred e dickinson editor religious herald delivered landmark address baptist principles eventually printed several countries different languages million copies message circulation called baptist principles worth world dickinson elaborated upon timehonored principles especially centered upon baptist concept freedom fullest dimensions observed developing countries cry adopt kind freedom political sense baptists exhibited religious life concluded baptist principles valuable world invaluable today principles still invaluable definitely endangered worthy way celebrating would educate todays generation baptist distinctives principles practical idea celebrating anniversary would order copies 12th edition heritage seekers use children ages 812 adults forthcoming issue celebrates 400th anniversary emphasizes stories smyth helwys well later english baptists activities especially children take part large baptist familys celebration order copies center baptist heritage amp studies po box 34 university richmond va 23173 call 804 2898434 issues sell 5 plus 2 shipping handling bulk orders 3 224 copies 2 25 copies center bill shipping handling multiple orders childrens workers families may want order previous issues heritage seekers well gods stories children check centers website wwwbaptistheritageorg information future projects related anniversary order complimentary bulletin inserts throughout year use baptist worship services pdf inserts available emailing pamdursobaptisthistoryorg 400th anniversary inserts joint project baptist history amp heritage society center baptist studies mercer university churches finding creative ways customize celebration ideas include designating baptist heritage sunday special emphasis creating bulletin board display illustrating churchs role larger baptist story staging dramatic vignettes based upon lives baptists four centuries several churches scheduled group tours heritage gallery virginia baptist historical society anniversary always prompts memory keeping good time updating church association history also good time gather valuable historical records bring virginia baptist historical society preservation contact vbhs 804 2898434
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<p>Tribune Content Agency — August 18, 2016</p>
<p>It looks increasingly likely that Hillary Clinton, a self-described “progressive who likes to get things done,” will have her chance starting next January. But how much that’s progressive will she actually be able to get done?</p>
<p>The Senate may flip to the Democrats, but there’s almost no way Democrats will have the 60 votes they need to stop Republicans from filibustering everything she says she wants to do.</p>
<p>She is unlikely to have a typical presidential honeymoon because she won’t be riding the wave of hope and enthusiasm that typically accompanies a new president into office. She’s already more distrusted by the public than any major candidate in recent history. On Election Day, many Americans will be choosing which candidate they loathe the least.</p>
<p>She hasn’t established a powerful mandate for what she wants to get done. Her policy proposals are admirably detailed but cover so much ground that even her most ardent supporters don’t have a clear picture of what she stands for. And she’s had to spend more time on the campaign trail attacking Trump’s outrage du jour than building a case for a few big ideas.</p>
<p>To say nothing of the moneyed interests — wealthy individuals, big corporations and Wall Street — that are more powerful today than at any time since the Gilded Age and don’t want progressive change.</p>
<p>Even if Hillary sincerely intends to raise taxes on rich Americans in order to pay for universal child care, affordable higher education and infrastructure spending, the moneyed interests have the clout to stop her.</p>
<p>They’ll also resist any effort to raise the federal minimum wage to $12 an hour, require employers to offer paid family leave, or push employers to share their profits with employees.</p>
<p>The heart of American politics is now a vicious cycle in which big money has enough political influence to get laws and regulations that make big money even bigger, and prevent laws and rules that threaten its wealth and power.</p>
<p>Before Hillary can accomplish anything important, that vicious cycle has to be reversed. But how?</p>
<p>Bear with me a moment for some pertinent history.</p>
<p>As economist John Kenneth Galbraith noted in the 1950s, a key legacy of the New Deal was creating centers of economic power that offset the power of giant corporations and Wall Street: labor unions, small retail businesses, local banks, and political parties active at the state and local levels.</p>
<p>These alternative power centers supported policies that helped America’s vast middle and working classes during the first three decades after World War II — the largest infrastructure project in American history (the Interstate Highway program), a vast expansion of nearly free public higher education, Medicare and Medicaid, and, to pay for all this, high taxes on the wealthy. (Between 1946 and 1980, the top marginal tax rate never dipped below 70 percent.)</p>
<p>But over the last three decades, countervailing power has almost vanished from American politics. Labor unions have been decimated. In the 2012 presidential election, the richest 0.01 percent of households gave Democratic candidates more than four times what unions contributed to their campaigns.</p>
<p>Small retailers have been displaced by Wal-Mart and Amazon. Local banks have been absorbed by Wall Street behemoths.</p>
<p>And both political parties have morphed into giant national fundraising machines. The Democratic National Committee, like its Republican counterpart, is designed mainly to suck up big money.</p>
<p>So where can Hillary look for the countervailing power she’ll need to get the progressive changes she says she wants?</p>
<p>The most promising source of a new countervailing power in America was revealed in Bernie Sanders’ primary campaign: millions of citizens determined to reclaim American democracy and the economy from big money. (Donald Trump’s faux populism tapped into similar sentiments but, tragically, has channeled them into bigotry and scapegoating.)</p>
<p>That movement lives on. Organizers from the Sanders campaign have already launched Brand New Congress, an ambitious effort to run at least 400 progressive candidates for Congress in 2018, financed by small, crowd-sourced donations and led by a nationwide network of volunteers. Sanders himself recently announced the formation of “Our Revolution” to support progressive candidates up and down the ticket.</p>
<p>Hillary Clinton has been relying on big money to finance her presidential campaign, but she’s always been a pragmatist about governing. “A president has to deal in reality,” she said last January in response to Sanders. “I am not interested in ideas that sound good on paper but will never make it in real life.”</p>
<p>The pragmatist in her must know that the only way her ideas will make it in real life is if the public is organized and mobilized behind them.</p>
<p>Which means that once she enters the Oval Office, she’ll need the countervailing power of a progressive movement — ironically, much like the one her primary opponent championed.</p>
<p>(c) 2016 By Robert Reich; Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC</p>
<p>Former U.S. Secretary of Labor Robert Reich is Chancellor's Professor of Public Policy at the University of California at Berkeley and Senior Fellow at the Blum Center for Developing Economies. His new book, "Saving Capitalism: For the Many, Not the Few," is now in bookstores. His film "Inequality for All" is now available on iTunes and Amazon streaming.</p>
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tribune content agency august 18 2016 looks increasingly likely hillary clinton selfdescribed progressive likes get things done chance starting next january much thats progressive actually able get done senate may flip democrats theres almost way democrats 60 votes need stop republicans filibustering everything says wants unlikely typical presidential honeymoon wont riding wave hope enthusiasm typically accompanies new president office shes already distrusted public major candidate recent history election day many americans choosing candidate loathe least hasnt established powerful mandate wants get done policy proposals admirably detailed cover much ground even ardent supporters dont clear picture stands shes spend time campaign trail attacking trumps outrage du jour building case big ideas say nothing moneyed interests wealthy individuals big corporations wall street powerful today time since gilded age dont want progressive change even hillary sincerely intends raise taxes rich americans order pay universal child care affordable higher education infrastructure spending moneyed interests clout stop theyll also resist effort raise federal minimum wage 12 hour require employers offer paid family leave push employers share profits employees heart american politics vicious cycle big money enough political influence get laws regulations make big money even bigger prevent laws rules threaten wealth power hillary accomplish anything important vicious cycle reversed bear moment pertinent history economist john kenneth galbraith noted 1950s key legacy new deal creating centers economic power offset power giant corporations wall street labor unions small retail businesses local banks political parties active state local levels alternative power centers supported policies helped americas vast middle working classes first three decades world war ii largest infrastructure project american history interstate highway program vast expansion nearly free public higher education medicare medicaid pay high taxes wealthy 1946 1980 top marginal tax rate never dipped 70 percent last three decades countervailing power almost vanished american politics labor unions decimated 2012 presidential election richest 001 percent households gave democratic candidates four times unions contributed campaigns small retailers displaced walmart amazon local banks absorbed wall street behemoths political parties morphed giant national fundraising machines democratic national committee like republican counterpart designed mainly suck big money hillary look countervailing power shell need get progressive changes says wants promising source new countervailing power america revealed bernie sanders primary campaign millions citizens determined reclaim american democracy economy big money donald trumps faux populism tapped similar sentiments tragically channeled bigotry scapegoating movement lives organizers sanders campaign already launched brand new congress ambitious effort run least 400 progressive candidates congress 2018 financed small crowdsourced donations led nationwide network volunteers sanders recently announced formation revolution support progressive candidates ticket hillary clinton relying big money finance presidential campaign shes always pragmatist governing president deal reality said last january response sanders interested ideas sound good paper never make real life pragmatist must know way ideas make real life public organized mobilized behind means enters oval office shell need countervailing power progressive movement ironically much like one primary opponent championed c 2016 robert reich distributed tribune content agency llc former us secretary labor robert reich chancellors professor public policy university california berkeley senior fellow blum center developing economies new book saving capitalism many bookstores film inequality available itunes amazon streaming
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<p>H.G. Wells called it “The War That Will End War,” which it certainly wasn’t. Woodrow Wilson said it would “make the world safe for democracy,” which it didn’t. And what Wells called the “Petty Peace that followed” failed to bring a new world order that could preserve peace.&#160;</p>
<p>The Great War, which began 100 years ago, ended on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month in 1918 and was the most geopolitically destructive event of the 20th century.</p>
<p>This generation has its own sea of troubles, conflicts, and crises with multiple attempts at resolution around the world. The second round of talks on ending the war in Syria ended in deadlock last week in Geneva, and the talks on Iran’s nuclear program are resuming this week in Vienna. It is a time of active diplomacy, but not necessarily effective diplomacy.</p>
<p>And there are many lessons to be learned from studying the history of World War I. Indeed, many of the conflicts and crises we face today follow from what was done — and not done — after ‘the eleventh hour’ ended the great cataclysm of World War I from 1914-1918.</p>
<p>What if the Paris Peace Conference that followed the war had dealt with the remains of the Ottoman Empire differently, not giving Syria to the French and Palestine and Iraq to the British? What if Zionism and Arab nationalism had been handled differently before they came to such loggerheads?</p>
<p>What if Britain and Russia had not divided up Iran into their own spheres of influence? And what if colonized peoples in Africa and Asia had begun preparing for independence in 1919, rather than letting colonialism rattle on through numerous wars to its death throes through the 20th century?</p>
<p>As historian Margaret MacMillian put it: World War I “toppled governments, humbled the mighty and upturned whole societies. In Russia the revolutions of 1917 replaced Tsarism with what no one yet knew. At the end of the war Austria-Hungary vanished, leaving a hole at the center of Europe. The Ottoman Empire, with its vast holdings in the Middle East and its bit of Europe, was almost done. Imperial Germany was now a republic. Old nations, Poland, Lithuania, Estonia, Latvia- came out of history to live again, and new nations, Yugoslavia, and Czechoslovakia — struggled to be born.”</p>
<p>Economic power inexorably fled the continent forever and shifted across the Atlantic to the United States.</p>
<p>World War II may have confronted greater evils, killed more people, and brought far greater destruction over vaster territories. But with few exceptions national boundaries stayed the same when it was over. The Allies made sure that the losers regained their economic health, rather than imposing crippling reparations as was done after the Great War. Japan even got to keep its emperor.</p>
<p>By contrast World War I swept away kings and ancient empires and challenged the very foundations of Western civilization.</p>
<p>The years leading up to World War I had seen great rivalry over who would feast most on the dying Ottoman Empire and the weaker states of North Africa. The crises over Bosnia and Morocco brought rising tensions between Russian, British, French, German, and Austro-Hungarian interests. Italy went to war to wrest Libya from the Ottomans in 1911. The newly hatched chicks of the dying Ottoman hen, Serbia, Bulgaria, Romania, and Albania, fought two Balkan wars over their shares in 1911 and 1913.</p>
<p>Otto von Bismarck had predicted that the next war would start over “some damned foolish thing in the Balkans,” and when the heir to the Austrian throne was assassinated in Sarajevo, and Austria set about to crush Serbia, the great German chancellor was proven right.</p>
<p>A system of military alliances bound the great powers together, and like so many climbers tied together, they all fell into the crevasse.</p>
<p>Domestically the pre-World War I years were not the bright, sun-lit uplands as portrayed in films. Industrialization was causing ever-increasing labor strife that led many countries to fear revolution.</p>
<p>Another factor was the nationalism that had risen in the 19th century coupled with the new power of public opinion. Nationalism made ruling the polyglot empires of Austria-Hungary and Russia difficult to rule. Different language groups and ethnicities all wanted their independence and freedoms. Even Great Britain, in the months leading up to World War I, spent more energy on Irish nationalism and incipient civil war than on the coming world war. The considerable peace movements in every country withered before the flame of nationalism as war approached.</p>
<p>At war’s end Winston Churchill wrote that no one nation or individual could be blamed for the catastrophe, no “devil heart conceived and willed this awful thing.” Rather it was the spirit of “patriotism and nationality” that grew steadily. It was their virtues, rather than their vices, “ill-directed or mis-directed by their leaders,” that led nations to their undoing.</p>
<p>Forty years later historian Barbara Tuchman would write, “the nations were caught in a trap,” a trap with no exit.</p>
<p>A handmaiden of nationalism was an exaggerated concern for national prestige. Austria’s Franz Ferdinand, whose murder would trigger the war, wrote in 1908 that annexing Bosnia “showed Europe once more that we are still a great power.”</p>
<p>Too often war and conquest were the measures of national respect. We see echoes of that today when conservatives in America conflate military intervention with national prestige.</p>
<p>“Friends and foes alike look at the United States today and see a powerful nation comfortable with its impotence,” writes a pundit in 2014. And what defines American impotence? It’s the Obama administration’s “conviction that Washington must intervene less, ” opines our conservative commentator.</p>
<p>The word “impotence” echoes the voices of one hundred years ago that equated military intervention with manliness and virility. In 1914 Germany there were constant references to German exceptionalism. Public opinion, as well, was a new force pressuring the old elites. The Prussian Field Marshal Helmuth von Moltke, hero of the German wars of unification, warned of the day when elites no longer decided the fate of nations unencumbered by public opinion.</p>
<p>Wars would last longer, making a settlement harder to achieve, he said. If it had been the 18th century Germany and France might have sued for peace in September 1914, when their war was stalemated.</p>
<p>Also contributing to the catastrophe was a now-vanished sense that war was good for nations and peoples. Authors such as Heinrich von Treitschke who preached social Darwinism and the law of struggle were popular at the time.</p>
<p>Friedrich von Bernhardi, whose book “Germany and the Next War” came out in 1911, held that “this desire for peace has rendered most civilized nations anemic and marks a decay of spirit and political courage.”</p>
<p>He called war a “biological necessity.” War was “manly,” capable of both cleansing society and uniting it in a common sense of purpose. This line of thinking was to be found in all the soon-to-be belligerent countries, including the United States, where Theodore Roosevelt and others held similar views.</p>
<p>What makes some end-of-conflict negotiations successful and others not?</p>
<p>The Treaty of Versailles, some say, was doomed to failure because the Allies asked too much of a prostrate Germany in reparations, thereby abetting the rise of Hitler. Others say German militarism had not yet run its course. Hitler did not invade Poland because of the failures of Versailles, although it was a godsend to his propaganda.</p>
<p>Others say that the Allied victory had not been decisive enough, that Germany remained too strong. And certainly the armistice of November 11, 1918 was an armistice, not to be repeated in World War II when unconditional surrender was demanded of both Germany and Japan. In more recent times, the Good Friday Agreement that brought peace to Northern Ireland has been successful because both sides, Catholics and Protestants, agreed to put their quarrel in abeyance.</p>
<p>Catholics have not abandoned their wish to be united with the Irish republic to the south, and Protestants have not abandoned their wish to remain British. But both the British government and the Irish nationalists saw that years of fighting and terror were not producing victory, so both agreed to let the struggle go on through political channels rather than armed conflict.</p>
<p>The can containing a final solution has been kicked down the road to be settled in the future.</p>
<p>South Africans came to an agreement on who rules whom only when one side, the white minority, agreed to hand over power to a black majority — a very rare phenomenon short of war. It took Nelson Mandela to heal the wounds of apartheid, but credit also goes to F.W. de Klerk and his government, which realized that apartheid was unsustainable and relinquished power.</p>
<p>The quarrel for land and sovereignty between Palestinians and Israelis has now become a question of re-partition, of ending the occupation of lands which Arabs ruled before the 1967 War, with, perhaps mutual land swaps to make up the difference. But the Palestinians have not yet produced a Nelson Mandela, and Israel today has no de Klerk.</p>
<p>It takes nothing away from Richard Holbrooke, who banged enough heads together at Dayton, Ohio, bringing an end to the Bosnian wars of the 1990s, to suggest that peace came about only because Bosnians, Croats and above all Serbs had already decided that their wars were getting nowhere and that a peace agreement should be sought.</p>
<p>Today the world strives to reach an end to the Syrian civil war, a conflict as intense as the Great War in microcosm, and already becoming a regional conflict.</p>
<p>But the second round of negotiations taking place in Geneva, Switzerland, have ended without success because neither the government side nor the rebels have a clear understanding of what the negotiations are about.</p>
<p>For the rebels, it is a matter of negotiating a smooth transfer of power in which Bashar al-Assad exits and the rebels enter. But for the government it is no such thing.</p>
<p>The government is not willing to concede Assad’s demise – at least not at this stage. Therefore talks have been at the margins, dealing with such matters as local cease-fires, getting refugees out and aid in to embattled areas.</p>
<p>Another failing of the Geneva talks is that not all the rebels are represented. The jihadists are not at Geneva, which is a little like talking about the future of Russia to Aleksandr Kerensky in 1917 with Lenin outside in the snow.</p>
<p>Unlike the Paris Peace Conference of 1919 not all the major players are involved. There is no Iran at the table, and there is little chance for an agreement without Iran’s say so.</p>
<p>But most important, there can be no agreement until either one side defeats the other, or until all sides decide they cannot achieve their goals by war, as happened in the Balkans in the 1990s.</p>
<p>Today neither side has given up hope of a military victory, and until that happens the killing will continue. That is why the Great War ground on for so long.</p>
<p>Could the calamity of 1914 be repeated today? Some see a resemblance in China’s rise and wanting to expand as Germany did, challenging the US as Germany once challenged England, with Japan as France and the Pacific Rim countries playing supporting roles.</p>
<p>Margaret MacMillan blamed the First World War on a “lack of courage to stand up to those who said there was no choice left but to go to war. There are always choices,” she wrote, and those are the choices left to be made in this century.</p>
<p>This story is presented by <a href="http://thegroundtruthproject.org/" type="external">The GroundTruth Project.</a>&#160; &#160; &#160; &#160; &#160; &#160;&#160;</p>
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hg wells called war end war certainly wasnt woodrow wilson said would make world safe democracy didnt wells called petty peace followed failed bring new world order could preserve peace160 great war began 100 years ago ended 11th hour 11th day 11th month 1918 geopolitically destructive event 20th century generation sea troubles conflicts crises multiple attempts resolution around world second round talks ending war syria ended deadlock last week geneva talks irans nuclear program resuming week vienna time active diplomacy necessarily effective diplomacy many lessons learned studying history world war indeed many conflicts crises face today follow done done eleventh hour ended great cataclysm world war 19141918 paris peace conference followed war dealt remains ottoman empire differently giving syria french palestine iraq british zionism arab nationalism handled differently came loggerheads britain russia divided iran spheres influence colonized peoples africa asia begun preparing independence 1919 rather letting colonialism rattle numerous wars death throes 20th century historian margaret macmillian put world war toppled governments humbled mighty upturned whole societies russia revolutions 1917 replaced tsarism one yet knew end war austriahungary vanished leaving hole center europe ottoman empire vast holdings middle east bit europe almost done imperial germany republic old nations poland lithuania estonia latvia came history live new nations yugoslavia czechoslovakia struggled born economic power inexorably fled continent forever shifted across atlantic united states world war ii may confronted greater evils killed people brought far greater destruction vaster territories exceptions national boundaries stayed allies made sure losers regained economic health rather imposing crippling reparations done great war japan even got keep emperor contrast world war swept away kings ancient empires challenged foundations western civilization years leading world war seen great rivalry would feast dying ottoman empire weaker states north africa crises bosnia morocco brought rising tensions russian british french german austrohungarian interests italy went war wrest libya ottomans 1911 newly hatched chicks dying ottoman hen serbia bulgaria romania albania fought two balkan wars shares 1911 1913 otto von bismarck predicted next war would start damned foolish thing balkans heir austrian throne assassinated sarajevo austria set crush serbia great german chancellor proven right system military alliances bound great powers together like many climbers tied together fell crevasse domestically preworld war years bright sunlit uplands portrayed films industrialization causing everincreasing labor strife led many countries fear revolution another factor nationalism risen 19th century coupled new power public opinion nationalism made ruling polyglot empires austriahungary russia difficult rule different language groups ethnicities wanted independence freedoms even great britain months leading world war spent energy irish nationalism incipient civil war coming world war considerable peace movements every country withered flame nationalism war approached wars end winston churchill wrote one nation individual could blamed catastrophe devil heart conceived willed awful thing rather spirit patriotism nationality grew steadily virtues rather vices illdirected misdirected leaders led nations undoing forty years later historian barbara tuchman would write nations caught trap trap exit handmaiden nationalism exaggerated concern national prestige austrias franz ferdinand whose murder would trigger war wrote 1908 annexing bosnia showed europe still great power often war conquest measures national respect see echoes today conservatives america conflate military intervention national prestige friends foes alike look united states today see powerful nation comfortable impotence writes pundit 2014 defines american impotence obama administrations conviction washington must intervene less opines conservative commentator word impotence echoes voices one hundred years ago equated military intervention manliness virility 1914 germany constant references german exceptionalism public opinion well new force pressuring old elites prussian field marshal helmuth von moltke hero german wars unification warned day elites longer decided fate nations unencumbered public opinion wars would last longer making settlement harder achieve said 18th century germany france might sued peace september 1914 war stalemated also contributing catastrophe nowvanished sense war good nations peoples authors heinrich von treitschke preached social darwinism law struggle popular time friedrich von bernhardi whose book germany next war came 1911 held desire peace rendered civilized nations anemic marks decay spirit political courage called war biological necessity war manly capable cleansing society uniting common sense purpose line thinking found soontobe belligerent countries including united states theodore roosevelt others held similar views makes endofconflict negotiations successful others treaty versailles say doomed failure allies asked much prostrate germany reparations thereby abetting rise hitler others say german militarism yet run course hitler invade poland failures versailles although godsend propaganda others say allied victory decisive enough germany remained strong certainly armistice november 11 1918 armistice repeated world war ii unconditional surrender demanded germany japan recent times good friday agreement brought peace northern ireland successful sides catholics protestants agreed put quarrel abeyance catholics abandoned wish united irish republic south protestants abandoned wish remain british british government irish nationalists saw years fighting terror producing victory agreed let struggle go political channels rather armed conflict containing final solution kicked road settled future south africans came agreement rules one side white minority agreed hand power black majority rare phenomenon short war took nelson mandela heal wounds apartheid credit also goes fw de klerk government realized apartheid unsustainable relinquished power quarrel land sovereignty palestinians israelis become question repartition ending occupation lands arabs ruled 1967 war perhaps mutual land swaps make difference palestinians yet produced nelson mandela israel today de klerk takes nothing away richard holbrooke banged enough heads together dayton ohio bringing end bosnian wars 1990s suggest peace came bosnians croats serbs already decided wars getting nowhere peace agreement sought today world strives reach end syrian civil war conflict intense great war microcosm already becoming regional conflict second round negotiations taking place geneva switzerland ended without success neither government side rebels clear understanding negotiations rebels matter negotiating smooth transfer power bashar alassad exits rebels enter government thing government willing concede assads demise least stage therefore talks margins dealing matters local ceasefires getting refugees aid embattled areas another failing geneva talks rebels represented jihadists geneva little like talking future russia aleksandr kerensky 1917 lenin outside snow unlike paris peace conference 1919 major players involved iran table little chance agreement without irans say important agreement either one side defeats sides decide achieve goals war happened balkans 1990s today neither side given hope military victory happens killing continue great war ground long could calamity 1914 repeated today see resemblance chinas rise wanting expand germany challenging us germany challenged england japan france pacific rim countries playing supporting roles margaret macmillan blamed first world war lack courage stand said choice left go war always choices wrote choices left made century story presented groundtruth project160 160 160 160 160 160160
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<p>SACRAMENTO – The 2016 legislative season is officially over, <a href="http://www.latimes.com/politics/la-pol-sac-roadmap-jerry-brown-signs-bills-20161002-snap-story.html" type="external">with Gov. Jerry Brown having signed</a> 900 bills while&#160;vetoing 159 by Friday’s&#160;deadline. Some of the recently signed bills are far-reaching and will have a noticeable effect on Californians’ lives. Here’s a small sampling of some of the measures that will soon be law.</p>
<p>A new government-run retirement program: On Thursday, Gov. Brown signed <a href="http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/pub/15-16/bill/sen/sb_1201-1250/sb_1234_cfa_20160825_180049_sen_floor.html" type="external">Senate Bill 1234</a>, which gives legislative approval to the state’s continuing efforts to create a new government-run retirement program for private-sector employees. Once it is up and running, private employers (with five or more employees) will be required to offer this program, whereby 3 percent of each employees’ earnings will be deducted and invested by a state-selected investment group – possibly, the California Public Employees’ Retirement System (CalPERS).</p>
<p>Employees can opt out. <a href="http://www.treasurer.ca.gov/scib/" type="external">The details are not yet certain</a>, but the goal is to invest the money in a low-risk investment tied to the Treasury bond. Supporters say the law protects taxpayers from incurring more than minimal costs, but critics insist the program could grow and change in ensuing years – and that there’s no way of creating a massive new government program without imposing risks on the state budget.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.ocregister.com/articles/one-730739-deny-ploys.html" type="external">The idea</a>, which is being pitched in other states too, grew out of union activism. Several years ago, when publicity over unfunded public-pension liabilities began creating pressure for pension reform, union allies wanted to come up with a “positive” rebuttal to all those news stories about six-figure pensions and pension-spiking gimmicks. This idea is designed help private workers.</p>
<p>Putting limits on ‘policing for profit’: One of the most <a href="http://ij.org/report/policing-for-profit/" type="external">controversial policing strategies</a> in recent years has been “civil asset forfeiture.” Born out of the nation’s drug war in the 1980s, forfeiture was designed to help police agencies crack down on drug kingpins by allowing departments to grab the cash, cars and properties gained through their illegal activities. But like many government programs, asset forfeiture morphed into something its creators never envisioned.</p>
<p>Two of the men who helped create the program in the U.S. Department of Justice, John Yoder and Brad Cates, wrote <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/abolish-the-civil-asset-forfeiture-program-we-helped-create/2014/09/18/72f089ac-3d02-11e4-b0ea-8141703bbf6f_story.html?utm_term=.e5e996f50255" type="external">an op-ed in The Washington Post</a> in 2014 pointing to the corruption engendered by this process: “Law enforcement agents and prosecutors began using seized cash and property to fund their operations, supplanting general tax revenue, and this led to the most extreme abuses: law enforcement efforts based upon what cash and property they could seize to fund themselves, rather than on an even-handed effort to enforce the law.”</p>
<p>Basically, police agencies came to depend on the revenue and they distorted their law-enforcement priorities based on the chance to grab more cash. There’s no due process here, given that police agencies file suit against the property itself, alleging it was involved in a drug crime. No conviction is necessary. California had previously passed reforms that mostly required a conviction, but police agencies got around that by partnering with the feds (and operating under looser federal standards) and then splitting the seized property.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/pub/15-16/bill/sen/sb_0401-0450/sb_443_cfa_20160819_195428_sen_floor.html" type="external">Senate Bill 443</a> was killed last year after lobbying efforts&#160;by police chiefs and other law-enforcement agencies. <a href="" type="internal">But a fairly recent amendment</a> – allowing cops to still take large amounts of cash without a conviction, but limiting smaller amounts of cash and property takings – eliminated most opposition from law enforcement. The new law is meaningful, and one of the more substantive compromises to take place in Sacramento this year.</p>
<p>Giving the terminally ill the right to try: One of the more significant “freedom” battles this year was over the so-called <a href="http://righttotry.org/faq/" type="external">“right to try”</a> – i.e., the ability of terminally ill patients to try experimental drug treatments that have yet to gain final approval from the Food and Drug Administration. Similar measures have been approved by 31 other states.</p>
<p>The Goldwater Institute, a Phoenix-based free-market think tank, has been championing these measures across the country. <a href="http://goldwaterinstitute.org/en/work/topics/healthcare/right-to-try/everyone-deserves-right-try-empowering-terminally-/" type="external">As Goldwater explains</a>: “The FDA … often stands between the patients and the treatments that may alleviate their symptoms or provide a cure. To access these treatments, patients must either go through a lengthy FDA exemption process or wait for the treatments to receive FDA approval, which can take a decade or more and cost hundreds of millions of dollars.”</p>
<p>The California law, <a href="http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/pub/15-16/bill/asm/ab_1651-1700/ab_1668_cfa_20160819_201734_asm_floor.html" type="external">Assembly Bill 1668</a>, passed overwhelmingly. According to the official bill analysis, it authorizes drug manufacturers to make investigational treatment available “to a patient with a serious or immediately life-threatening disease, when that patient has considered all other treatment options currently approved by the FDA, has been unable to participate in a relevant clinical trial, and for whom the investigational drug has been recommended by the patient’s primary physician and a consulting physician.”</p>
<p>Allowing felons to vote: One of the more controversial new laws, <a href="http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/pub/15-16/bill/asm/ab_2451-2500/ab_2466_bill_20160928_chaptered.html" type="external">Assembly Bill 2466</a> by Assemblywoman Shirley Weber, D-San Diego, allows felons who are serving their sentence in county jails to vote. The measure was opposed by law-enforcement groups, but Weber argued it would stop discrimination in voting and make it less likely that prisoners would commit new offenses.</p>
<p>“Civic participation can be a critical component of re-entry and has been linked to reduced recidivism,” Weber said, <a href="http://www.latimes.com/politics/essential/la-pol-sac-essential-politics-updates-felons-in-jails-to-be-allowed-to-vote-1475094969-htmlstory.html" type="external">according to a Los Angeles&#160;Times report</a>. “For me, this bill is not about second chances, but about maintaining the integrity of elections,” said Sen. Pat Bates, R-Laguna Niguel, in a statement. “Close elections, especially at the local level, could now turn on a handful of ballots cast by people in jail. This new law is bad for democracy and will further erode trust in government.”</p>
<p>Putting self-driving cars on the road: Autonomous vehicle technology has been advancing rapidly, and California is, not surprisingly, ground zero for the development of this important new technology. Gov. Brown signed a bill Thursday “that for the first time allows testing on public roads of self-driving vehicles&#160;with no steering wheels, brake pedals or accelerators,” <a href="http://www.mercurynews.com/2016/09/29/fully-autonomous-self-driving-cars-get-lift-from-governor/" type="external">according to a San Jose Mercury News article</a>.&#160;“A human driver as backup is not required, but the vehicles will be limited to speeds of less than 35 mph.”</p>
<p>Assembly Bill 1592 itself is rather modest. <a href="http://www.rstreet.org/2016/10/01/californias-draft-self-driving-car-regulations-second-times-a-charm/" type="external">It provides two spots for such testing</a> – in a San Ramon business park and at the former Concord Naval Weapons Station. And Friday, the California Department of Motor Vehicles released new regulations that are far friendlier toward self-driving cars than the DMV’s previous regulations. So while the new law itself isn’t particularly significant, <a href="http://www.rstreet.org/2016/10/01/californias-draft-self-driving-car-regulations-second-times-a-charm/" type="external">the state’s new legislative and regulatory approach certainly is</a>. If that approach continues, we’ll be seeing rapid expansion of autonomous vehicles here.</p>
<p>Greenlighting granny flats:&#160;The governor’s signing of <a href="http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/pub/15-16/bill/sen/sb_1051-1100/sb_1069_bill_20160927_chaptered.html" type="external">Senate Bill 1069</a> shows increasing bipartisan understanding of the state’s skyrocketing home prices. The bill would relax standards for creating ADUs (accessory dwelling units), better known as granny flats.</p>
<p>“Eliminating barriers to ADU construction is a common-sense, cost-effective approach that will permit homeowners to share empty rooms in their homes and property, add incomes to meet family budgets, and make good use of the property in the Bay Area and across California while easing the housing crisis,” according to the bill analysis’ summary of the author’s arguments. <a href="http://www.mercurynews.com/2016/09/27/california-eases-restrictions-on-granny-units/" type="external">The bill embraces a regulatory approach</a> that could be tried with other types of housing.</p>
<p>Steven Greenhut is Western region director for the R Street Institute. He is based in Sacramento. Write to him at <a href="mailto:[email protected]" type="external">[email protected]</a>.</p>
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sacramento 2016 legislative season officially gov jerry brown signed 900 bills while160vetoing 159 fridays160deadline recently signed bills farreaching noticeable effect californians lives heres small sampling measures soon law new governmentrun retirement program thursday gov brown signed senate bill 1234 gives legislative approval states continuing efforts create new governmentrun retirement program privatesector employees running private employers five employees required offer program whereby 3 percent employees earnings deducted invested stateselected investment group possibly california public employees retirement system calpers employees opt details yet certain goal invest money lowrisk investment tied treasury bond supporters say law protects taxpayers incurring minimal costs critics insist program could grow change ensuing years theres way creating massive new government program without imposing risks state budget idea pitched states grew union activism several years ago publicity unfunded publicpension liabilities began creating pressure pension reform union allies wanted come positive rebuttal news stories sixfigure pensions pensionspiking gimmicks idea designed help private workers putting limits policing profit one controversial policing strategies recent years civil asset forfeiture born nations drug war 1980s forfeiture designed help police agencies crack drug kingpins allowing departments grab cash cars properties gained illegal activities like many government programs asset forfeiture morphed something creators never envisioned two men helped create program us department justice john yoder brad cates wrote oped washington post 2014 pointing corruption engendered process law enforcement agents prosecutors began using seized cash property fund operations supplanting general tax revenue led extreme abuses law enforcement efforts based upon cash property could seize fund rather evenhanded effort enforce law basically police agencies came depend revenue distorted lawenforcement priorities based chance grab cash theres due process given police agencies file suit property alleging involved drug crime conviction necessary california previously passed reforms mostly required conviction police agencies got around partnering feds operating looser federal standards splitting seized property senate bill 443 killed last year lobbying efforts160by police chiefs lawenforcement agencies fairly recent amendment allowing cops still take large amounts cash without conviction limiting smaller amounts cash property takings eliminated opposition law enforcement new law meaningful one substantive compromises take place sacramento year giving terminally ill right try one significant freedom battles year socalled right try ie ability terminally ill patients try experimental drug treatments yet gain final approval food drug administration similar measures approved 31 states goldwater institute phoenixbased freemarket think tank championing measures across country goldwater explains fda often stands patients treatments may alleviate symptoms provide cure access treatments patients must either go lengthy fda exemption process wait treatments receive fda approval take decade cost hundreds millions dollars california law assembly bill 1668 passed overwhelmingly according official bill analysis authorizes drug manufacturers make investigational treatment available patient serious immediately lifethreatening disease patient considered treatment options currently approved fda unable participate relevant clinical trial investigational drug recommended patients primary physician consulting physician allowing felons vote one controversial new laws assembly bill 2466 assemblywoman shirley weber dsan diego allows felons serving sentence county jails vote measure opposed lawenforcement groups weber argued would stop discrimination voting make less likely prisoners would commit new offenses civic participation critical component reentry linked reduced recidivism weber said according los angeles160times report bill second chances maintaining integrity elections said sen pat bates rlaguna niguel statement close elections especially local level could turn handful ballots cast people jail new law bad democracy erode trust government putting selfdriving cars road autonomous vehicle technology advancing rapidly california surprisingly ground zero development important new technology gov brown signed bill thursday first time allows testing public roads selfdriving vehicles160with steering wheels brake pedals accelerators according san jose mercury news article160a human driver backup required vehicles limited speeds less 35 mph assembly bill 1592 rather modest provides two spots testing san ramon business park former concord naval weapons station friday california department motor vehicles released new regulations far friendlier toward selfdriving cars dmvs previous regulations new law isnt particularly significant states new legislative regulatory approach certainly approach continues well seeing rapid expansion autonomous vehicles greenlighting granny flats160the governors signing senate bill 1069 shows increasing bipartisan understanding states skyrocketing home prices bill would relax standards creating adus accessory dwelling units better known granny flats eliminating barriers adu construction commonsense costeffective approach permit homeowners share empty rooms homes property add incomes meet family budgets make good use property bay area across california easing housing crisis according bill analysis summary authors arguments bill embraces regulatory approach could tried types housing steven greenhut western region director r street institute based sacramento write sgreenhutrstreetorg
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<p>Even in an era of citizen leaks, the Panama Papers stand out.</p>
<p>“I mean, this was the biggest leak in history. It was terabytes of data, says Smari McCarthy, chief technology officer for the <a href="http://www.occrp.org/en" type="external">Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project.</a></p>
<p />
<p>Süddeutsche Zeitung</p>
<p>That group, along with the <a href="http://www.icij.org" type="external">International Consortium of Investigative Journalists</a> and a German newspaper called <a href="http://www.sueddeutsche.de" type="external">Suddeutsche Zeitung,</a> processed the <a href="panamapapers.icij.org" type="external">Panama Papers</a> — 11.5 million documents handed over to the German newspaper by an anonymous whistle-blower, showing how the wealthy stash their cash offshore. The impact has been seismic — investigations, resignations&#160;and reverberations around the world — likely to continue for a long time to come.&#160;</p>
<p>When Julian Assange and Wikileaks kicked off the age of the digital leak — in the form of a massive dump&#160;of State Department cables —&#160;it seemed audacious. Then came Chelsea Manning&#160;and Edward Snowden, criminals to some, heroes to others.&#160;Each has reminded us, in different ways, that we live in a century of technological promise and peril.&#160;Many of us live on our phones; that makes our lives easier. It also makes it easier for our lives to be hacked, by criminals and by the government.</p>
<p>But it also makes it harder for those who are trying to hide something to hide it. And many of the world’s wealthiest — not all, but a good number — aren’t above shoveling their money into off-shore accounts so they won’t have to pay tax — or account for how they got all that money.</p>
<p>“Probably around $32 trillion is being hidden in offshore tax havens at the moment,” McCarthy says. “We are now watching probably the largest transfer of wealth from developing countries to developed countries since the Spanish armadas were moving around.“</p>
<p />
<p>Süddeutsche Zeitung</p>
<p>This episode comes at the question “Whose Century Is It?” by looking at power — traditional power, like wealth and political clout — and the asymmetrical, realigning power that has come from citizen leaks and large data dumps, and is likely to play a bigger role in this century.</p>
<p>McCarthy: So we’re talking about the Panama papers, and that was a big collaborative effort between about 400 different journalists working at 107 different news agencies.</p>
<p>Magistad: How do 400 journalists in 107 news organizations in something like 80 different countries, work together for a year, in secret, without anyone leaking?</p>
<p>McCarthy: Yeah. It was probably one of the largest and most successful conspiracies in recent history, a conspiracy to inform the public, right? And it was really funny. I went to the global investigative journalism conference in Lillehammer, Norway, last autumn. There were 900 people there, of which I’m going to guess probably about a full third were involved in this project. So all of the conversations there had this interesting vibe of people going, ‘hmmm, yeah, I’m working on something big, but I can’t tell you about it.’</p>
<p>Magistad: And did people know who else was involved?</p>
<p>McCarthy: In many cases, but not all. So I couldn’t tell you the names of more than 10 or 15 people who were directly involved, not because it was secret. ICIJ (International Consortium of Investigative Journalists) has a kind of communications system internally, and they did a really good job of curating, and getting all these people who have a professional interest to not tell anybody what they’re working on, to work together and pull in the same direction. So many people knew, but I just do the technology stuff.</p>
<p>Magistad: That’s a pretty important component.</p>
<p>McCarthy: So I just work with journalists and try to make sure that their needs are met.</p>
<p>Magistad: What sorts of things were they coming to you with?</p>
<p>McCarthy: Near the end of the investigation, my primary role was making sure everything was ready for publication. And it’s the fate of every technologist to design websites, now. That’s just what life is. But there was also the component of our researchers having a bunch of documents, and wanting to know if there are any connections between people in them, or wanting to find efficient ways of pulling out certain names.&#160; It turns out there are things that computers are really good at, that humans are really bad at, and types of problems that humans are really good at, that computers are really bad at.</p>
<p>Magistad: For instance?</p>
<p>McCarthy: Well, pulling a lot of similar data out of similarly structured documents, and putting them into a list, is something that humans would take a long time to do, and computers can do in a matter of seconds. Unfortunately, a lot of humans still try to do it the traditional way, and also end up injecting a lot of errors, just by being hasty. If you’ve got 20,000 documents, and they’ve all got exactly the same formatting, and you just want to copy a number out of each one, having an intern do it is a terrible waste of the intern’s time. But having a techie sit down and write a little script, might take an hour or two, or maybe less, depending on the techie. But you’re going to get the results within seconds, once it’s done. On the other hand, there are still things computers are really bad at, like pulling the same numbers out of 20,000 documents that are all different, and where the number or the name is in some kind of context, grammatically, where a computer’s ability to understand human grammar is somewhat limited, still.</p>
<p />
<p>Mary Kay Magistad</p>
<p>Magistad: So from your perspective, what did you see as the most challenging aspects of this project?</p>
<p>McCarthy: It is a relatively small number of people who are controlling the vast majority of wealth in the world. So looking at something like the Panama Papers, you come at it thinking, ‘ok, here’s a really large set of documents, 11 million documents. And in there are many of the paths that explain where this money went. Now, Mossack Fonseca (from which the Panama Papers were leaked) is only one of hundreds or thousands of law firms that do this kind of service. And you’re not going to find all the mega-rich people working through the same companies. In fact, they’re probably diversifying, doing things through multiple companies, because that’s what you do if you’re being sensible about this kind of thing. But on the other hand, that leak probably has information about tens or hundreds of billions of dollars that are being hidden. So far, in Iceland alone, there are over 180 different cases that have been opened by the tax authorities after the Panama Papers leaks, to investigate people in Iceland who have been doing things in a slightly different way than the tax authorities would have liked. On the other hand, you’re looking at these 11 million documents, and you say, ‘ok, how can we go from this set of emails and all these PDF documents to results? And it’s just not intuitive. The journalists say they have the tradition of just sitting down and reading everything and trying to memorize it all, until they see a pattern in their mind, and then they say, ‘aha! We just nailed this guy.’ As a technologist, my approach is, ‘can we write a short little program that will read through all the documents and figure it out?’ For certain kinds of things, yes. But for other kinds of things, no.</p>
<p>Magistad: Were you expecting the kind of impact that the papers have had? Were you expecting more?</p>
<p>McCarthy: I don’t know. I think the length of the project led to everyone being somewhat relaxed about it. And it was funny, when we released it, we expected a lot more traffic on our website than we normally got, so we kind of beefed up our servers a little bit. We said, ‘ok, we’re going to get probably eight times more, maybe 10 times more traffic than usual.’ So we prepared for that, and we did some simulations. And then we got something like 50 times more traffic. So there was a moment there where we were saying, ‘oh no! Everything is going to collapse!’ And it didn’t. It worked out fine. But, you know, the immediate impact was gargantuan.</p>
<p>Magistad: In your own biography online, you say you live at the intersection of politics and technology. You’ve been very busy this past decade. You’ve cofounded <a href="http://www.mailpile.is" type="external">Mailpile</a>. You’ve been involved in the <a href="http://www.piratar.is" type="external">Icelandic Pirate Party</a> – you founded it, right? Cofounded it?</p>
<p>McCarthy: I was one of the founders, yeah.</p>
<p>Magistad: And now the European Pirate Party?</p>
<p>McCarthy: I kind of ended up chairman of that, mostly by accident. I was asked whether I was willing to be on the board, and I said yes, and then I couldn’t make it to the meeting. (Laughs) So I kind of got Shanghai’d into that situation.&#160; Very pirate-like, I guess.</p>
<p>Magistad: So the ‘Pirate Party’ concept has been around for about a decade, started in Sweden. But I think a lot of people don’t really know what it is, and kind of chuckle when they even hear the term ‘pirate party.’</p>
<p>McCarthy: Yeah. The name is a bit silly, and very intentionally so. There were some Hollywood lobbyists who decided that copyright infringement in Sweden was a big problem. So they set up a thing in Sweden called the Anti-Piracy Bureau. And some people there thought, that’s really interesting. They’re having this one-sided conversation with stakeholders and government about downloading things on the internet, and we have this other approach. So they went and started this thing called the Pirate Bureau, just kind of as a counterpoint to the Hollywood lobbyists. And that kind of mushroomed, first into the Pirate Bay, and then later people started to think about a political party around it, to try to approach the political side of the debate a bit more directly, and possibly with a bit more seriousness.</p>
<p>Magistad: There’s a very piratey vibe to this whole (Panama Papers) project. You’re going after the rich and the powerful, not taking their money, but taking their privacy, taking what they’re trying to hide, and trying to change the power equation.</p>
<p>McCarthy: I don’t think we’re taking their privacy, because piracy is a very specific thing. Privacy is the way I choose to expose myself to society. But my financial dealings are actually part of a conversation that each person has with society. The existence of a company or a corporation is a contract with the rest of society, that they’re going to allow you to do certain things, as long as you comply with certain rules. So what we’re doing in this case is not taking away people’s individual privacy. I don’t know what Vladimir Putin gets up to in his free time. I don’t know what Ilham Aliyev gets up to in his free time, nor do I want to. It’s just none of my business. But when they are doing things through proxies, through their family members, that are in violation of the social contract, and they do so in ways that lead to massive theft from the public, that lead to dodging taxes and doing all sorts of things that are just bad for society —&#160;that’s not their private business. And everybody should know about it. And I’m fine with exposing that.</p>
<p>Magistad: It’s a very refreshing point of view, particularly after the last election, where there was pushback against President Obama having said, ‘if you have a company, and you have a right to run it however you want to, and profit from&#160; it, you didn’t build that on your own, you built that within a society.’ And then the Republicans said, ‘no, I built that! It’s mine! And I have the right to do with it whatever I want.’ And now you have Trump, saying ‘I don’t have to release my tax returns. You don’t have the right to see that information.’</p>
<p>McCarthy: Yeah, and I think in tax returns, you have some information like your address, and the names of your family members, which totally are private. But your financial transactions as a person, and in particular your communication with the tax authorities…How is a government supposed to be open and transparent, and accountable to the electorate and to the public, if the most important part of how that government collects money to fund its operations is completely untransparent, and there’s no way to see what’s going on? It’s ridiculous, in the same way that if the budget were secret, we’d say ‘no, no, that’s not ok.’ So there have been these waves of discussion in transparency circles, starting with the Freedom of Information Act in the US in 1970, and in different countries. Sweden actually was first, back in the 1700s, they started to move in that direction. And nowadays, most Western countries, and most countries in the world, have Freedom of Information Acts of one sort or another. But that’s kind of moved along, in that, initially, the first generation of such laws said, ‘you are allowed to request any kind of document you want, but you need to know what kind of document it is, and&#160; you need to ask specifically for that document, and not too many. The second generation said, ‘ok, you can ask for any document, and here’s a list of the documents that we hold, and that changes the game quite a bit.</p>
<p>Magistad: Because you can look at the list and say, ‘hey, what’s that? That’s interesting. Let me take a look at that.’</p>
<p>McCarthy: And then, you’ve got the third generation, which is saying, ‘ok, we’re not only going to provide you with a list, we’re going to put the list on the internet, and you can click the names and just download the documents. And if the document is secret for national security reasons or privacy reasons, or whatever reasons there are, then it’s not available and you can ask for it. And then, a future improvement on that would be, if a document is held back, it says why it’s held back, and who authorized it, and when that authorization is rescinded. A similar thing is happening with budgets. In some countries, parts of the budget are secret. In Morocco, for instance, I had this really fun time in Morocco once, when me and some Moroccan activists were going around, trying to see if we could find the parts of the country’s budget that are secret, that pertain to the king, and his many, many, many palaces. We didn’t succeed, but it was an interesting experiment. There was a place where taxes are coming in, taxes are going out, in the form of budgetary allocations, but then there’s this big black box of stuff that’s happening, and no one’s allowed to know exactly what. And black budgets are bad, pretty much because you can’t run a democracy if people don’t know what’s going on.</p>
<p>Magistad: So you’ve had a commitment since your college days to transparency, accountability, and distributed democracy. Where did that come from? Did you just grow up thinking, ‘these are important values for me’?</p>
<p />
<p>Somewhere on the Eyjafjörður Fjord in Northern Iceland</p>
<p>Tamar Charney</p>
<p>McCarthy: Yeah. I’d say I’m very much a child of the internet. Growing up on a very small island off the south coast of Iceland, with 400 people and 10 million birds, I found it very difficult in my teens to relate to people there. There were only a few people who I could kind of fit in with. But I found these online communities when I got this little modem, when I was about 13. I connected to the internet, and there were all these communities, and everybody was talking about all sorts of things, and I thought, ‘this is the best thing ever.’ But as I got more into it, I started hearing about all these problems that existed around the internet, with people wanting to do censorship, people wanting to limit which groups were allowed to participate. There were people being arrested for all sorts of things, everything from reading manuals they weren’t supposed to read, to sharing documents they weren’t supposed to share. And I kind of fell into this political world entirely by accident. I never really intended to get political. But when things started to move in that direction, in Iceland in particular at one point, there was a levy placed on empty CDs. And that was one of the first times I attended a protest. They wanted to put a surcharge on all empty CDs that were writable, that would go to the music industry. But I was thinking at the time, ‘well, I don’t use CDs to write music. I use CDs to back up my documents, to share copies of Linux, a free, open-source operating system, with people. And I thought, ‘why should we be paying the music industry for that?’ From there, it just steamrolled. Transparency is an obvious extension of the mindset of the internet.</p>
<p>Magistad: So by the time Wikileaks came around, what kind of impact did that have on you? Were you already thoroughly engaged in this set of issues?</p>
<p>McCarthy: Pretty much. Me and a few friends had started this thing that we called the Icelandic Digital Freedom Society, a few years earlier. And we’d mostly been using it to occasionally talk to the government about different topics, like Creative Commons, and free software in schools, and things like that. And we also organized an annual conference. And in 2009, when Wikileaks released…a set of slides from the Icelandic banks that had collapsed (in the global financial crisis that began in 2008), that showed this set of uncollateralized loans that the banks had been giving out to essentially friends of the owners, really large denomination loans, and this sent shockwaves throughout Icelandic society. So we thought, ‘ok, we’re doing this conference, again. We need some keynote speakers. Why don’t we invite Wikileaks over to do the keynote?’ And while they were in Iceland, we ended up, me and some of my friends, both helping Wikileaks with a couple of releases, but also opening up this broader conversation about, ‘how do we start changing laws in useful ways to protect free speech and freedom of information, and increase transparency and protect whistleblowers, essentially what one could call information politics? Like, how does one progress that to a higher point than it was at the time? After that came the IMMI project, which is now the <a href="immi.is" type="external">International Modern Media Institute</a>. And also, I ended up working with Wikileaks on the…video of an Apache helicopter attack in New Baghdad, and also the Afghan War Logs and onwards.</p>
<p>Magistad: And how receptive was the population in Iceland to some of these ideas, to the work you were doing?</p>
<p>McCarthy: It never really got a whole lot of media attention in Iceland, which was really weird, because all of the other world media kind of latched onto this, very, very quickly. And I guess it was a good lesson in the cynicism of Icelandic journalists, that if they hear something’s happening in Iceland, they kind of go, ‘oh, ok, that’s probably a waste of time, somebody being loud about something. Whereas all of the other world media kind of jumped onto it, both out of interest,&#160; ‘ok, there’s something quirky happening in that little country up there, it might be fun to cover,’ but also, ‘hmmm. We really wish we could get that kind of thing in our country.’ So over many weeks, I was doing seven or eight interviews a day. It was pretty mad. At the same time, nobody in Iceland really cared at all.”</p>
<p>Magistad: So you continued working on issues of transparency, and accountability, and distributed democracy, and you see, as time goes on, Edward Snowden, coming out with all the information that he released, in coordination and cooperation with specific news media. Did it surprise you, the kind of reaction that came from the Obama Administration, in particular?</p>
<p>McCarthy: Yeah. I, like many others, was excited when President Obama was first elected. We thought, ‘yay! Finally, the United States is going to catch up with the rest of the world in terms of the basic liberal agenda. And then — both the drone striking, and there’s also how more people have prosecuted under the Obama Administration who, early on, had been very open to there being whistleblowers and informing about wrongdoing in the government. Once people started to inform about wrongdoing in the government, then people started being prosecuted. And it was pretty ridiculous. You had Chelsea Manning, who is the only person who’s been convicted of anything so far, after she exposed literally thousands of war crimes that had gone undocumented. And then Edward Snowden comes along and shows the world that not only the United States, but also its allied partners, were engaged in a global, essentially, conspiracy, to monitor the communications of everybody. And they’re doing so at a rough budget of $120 billion a year. And they’re monitoring everybody who has any kind of electronic communications capacity, so they’re monitoring roughly 3.5 billion people, which means they’re spending roughly 7 cents per person per day to monitor everybody. First of all, it’s kind of remarkable how cheap they managed to get it, but also that they managed to violate all of the human rights that people fought for through World War I and II. The amount of suffering that humanity had to go through to arrive at the Universal Declaration of Human Rights is huge. And that that entire thing should be essentially trashed, on a whim, by governments who claim national security interests, that have so far been entirely unproven. There are so far very few, if any court cases over terrorists. There’s this entire thing.</p>
<p>Magistad: Where do you think it went wrong, in terms of this diversion between what stated principles are, in terms of respect for human rights and human dignity, and how the US actually acts in the world?</p>
<p>McCarthy: That’s a hard question, because there are simplistic answers you can give. But if you look at the history of any country, there are going to be ups and downs. And it’s easy to go back to issues of slavery and ethnic cleansing in the early days of the US, and say it’s always been kind of bad, but that’s kind of unfair as well. I think, more recently, the thing that’s been particularly problematic in this country has been the way in which politics, and the military-industrial complex, and large corporations in general, are interacting through things like campaign financing, and the revolving door. Really, everything that Eisenhower predicted has come true. But there’s an entire technological aspect to it that he didn’t really predict, where you have mass surveillance and, essentially, unlimited processing capacity. So if the US really wants to get back on the track to being a global center for respect of human rights and human dignity, shutting that down to some extent, or at least reducing it, would be one of the obvious steps.</p>
<p>Magistad: So as there are interventions like the Panama Papers, and like Edward Snowden’s efforts, and Wikileaks, are you seeing the kind of changes that redistribute power, that allow citizens to have more of a say, to try to pull institutions back to their original purpose, if they have gone off the rails? Or are you feeling like it’s not really having the kind of impact you’d like to see?</p>
<p>McCarthy: It’s been frustrating over the past five years or so, to see how much growth there’s been in far-right extremism, in particular in Europe, where you have Victor Orban’s government putting out a new media law that allows a ‘media committee’ to levy fines against media that are being ‘unfair,’ by some arbitrary definition, which has a massive chilling effect on media in Hungary. And under the cloth of that, they’ve changed their constitution, and redefined the Hungarian state, in ways that are very useful for far-right extremist tendencies. You can see the same thing happening in Poland, now, under Beata Szydlo’s government, where did essentially the same thing. And you’ve got people being sued in Luxembourg for having leaked documents, and so on. So, in many ways, I think the public have been very usefully enlightened by all of these leaks. And we’re in a much better position, in terms of public knowledge, than often before. But I also think that people are becoming afraid of their neighbors, becoming afraid of just everything.</p>
<p>Magistad: Is it afraid of their neighbors, or afraid of immigrants, afraid of the ‘other,’ afraid of people they don’t know well?</p>
<p>McCarthy: Well, both. Afraid of kind of the philosophical ‘other,’ most definitely. And this is fear that a lot of politicians on the far right, in particular, are benefitting massively from. There’s a feeling that a lot of people have, amplified by all of these disclosures, and this understanding that everything is a little bit off, plus the financial crisis. Everybody sees that there’s a problem in the world. And they’re not entirely sure what the cause of the problem is. So they think, ‘there’s a problem.’ And here are all these traditional politicians who are saying, ‘oh, no, no. There’s no problem. We’ll deal with this. It’s all fine. Everything’s fine. And then, some crazy nut-job shows up. Let’s just call him Donald Trump. And he says, ‘no, no. Everything is a mess. Everything is a mess. But don’t worry, I’ll take care of it. And I’ll tell you what’s wrong. It’s the immigrants. And it’s the such-and-such small minority, which can’t defend itself from the things I’m going to be saying. And you’ve got, even in Germany now, an essentially Nazi party, which has been doing really well in state elections. I think they got 20 percent in state elections in some of the German states. So this is really worrying to me.</p>
<p>Magistad: Although, ironically, if you look at the broad sweep of history, where we’re at today, globally — there are probably fewer wars. There are probably fewer people dying of hunger and other avoidable causes than at any point in human history, living longer. We have a clear and present danger in the form of climate change, and that is accelerating (the flow of) immigration to places where people can actually make a living. And at the same time, there’s a concentration of wealth in fewer and fewer hands, which is what the Panama Papers got at…</p>
<p>McCarthy: And it all interacts. And one of the ways that we’ve seen this play out, and you’re right, there’s been an incredible decline in deaths due to war and disease, over just the past 100 to 200 years. There’s never been fewer people dying from war. But in history, we’ve seen on multiple occasions, this kind of pattern where, first you have a financial collapse, then you have a massive rise in nationalism, and then you have a war. And we are at Step 2 of that now, and I don’t want to see what Step 3 looks like. So, we need somehow to back down from this nationalistic rhetoric, and start to actually address the problems properly, which are, yes, climate change issues, and wealth inequality. Those are the big issues that need to be dealt with right now. With those $32 that are sitting in offshore accounts, we could completely fix every healthcare system on the planet. We could probably eradicate two or three different diseases within this decade. It would be possible to eliminate so many of the social problems we have. And a lot of the financial crisis comes from that much money being piled up into one place. So, letting it out into the system in a calm and manageable way, would probably help a lot of societies.</p>
<p>Magistad: That’s probably a good place to end. Smari McCarthy, thanks for joining me on Whose Century Is It.</p>
<p>Magistad postscript:</p>
<p>I appreciate Smari’s idealism, and focus on a possible future that is fairer and more equitable. I agree that the current degree of wealth disparity is dangerous and unsustainable. But how do you get from having $32 trillion, give or take, in offshore accounts, to distributing that money in social programs? In an ideal world, it would be repatriated, taxed, and a responsible government would use it with the best interests of all citizens in mind. And if you live in northern Europe, you could actually see that kind of thing happening. In the United States, where Congress, of late, has been more interested in cutting spending on social programs? Harder. In kleptocracies like Azerbaijan? Harder still.</p>
<p>But — it’s an intriguing idea, this more equitable redistribution of hidden wealth, and one step toward getting there is to make it harder for people to hide money. That’s what the release of the Panama Papers did.</p>
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even era citizen leaks panama papers stand mean biggest leak history terabytes data says smari mccarthy chief technology officer organized crime corruption reporting project süddeutsche zeitung group along international consortium investigative journalists german newspaper called suddeutsche zeitung processed panama papers 115 million documents handed german newspaper anonymous whistleblower showing wealthy stash cash offshore impact seismic investigations resignations160and reverberations around world likely continue long time come160 julian assange wikileaks kicked age digital leak form massive dump160of state department cables 160it seemed audacious came chelsea manning160and edward snowden criminals heroes others160each reminded us different ways live century technological promise peril160many us live phones makes lives easier also makes easier lives hacked criminals government also makes harder trying hide something hide many worlds wealthiest good number arent shoveling money offshore accounts wont pay tax account got money probably around 32 trillion hidden offshore tax havens moment mccarthy says watching probably largest transfer wealth developing countries developed countries since spanish armadas moving around süddeutsche zeitung episode comes question whose century looking power traditional power like wealth political clout asymmetrical realigning power come citizen leaks large data dumps likely play bigger role century mccarthy talking panama papers big collaborative effort 400 different journalists working 107 different news agencies magistad 400 journalists 107 news organizations something like 80 different countries work together year secret without anyone leaking mccarthy yeah probably one largest successful conspiracies recent history conspiracy inform public right really funny went global investigative journalism conference lillehammer norway last autumn 900 people im going guess probably full third involved project conversations interesting vibe people going hmmm yeah im working something big cant tell magistad people know else involved mccarthy many cases couldnt tell names 10 15 people directly involved secret icij international consortium investigative journalists kind communications system internally really good job curating getting people professional interest tell anybody theyre working work together pull direction many people knew technology stuff magistad thats pretty important component mccarthy work journalists try make sure needs met magistad sorts things coming mccarthy near end investigation primary role making sure everything ready publication fate every technologist design websites thats life also component researchers bunch documents wanting know connections people wanting find efficient ways pulling certain names160 turns things computers really good humans really bad types problems humans really good computers really bad magistad instance mccarthy well pulling lot similar data similarly structured documents putting list something humans would take long time computers matter seconds unfortunately lot humans still try traditional way also end injecting lot errors hasty youve got 20000 documents theyve got exactly formatting want copy number one intern terrible waste interns time techie sit write little script might take hour two maybe less depending techie youre going get results within seconds done hand still things computers really bad like pulling numbers 20000 documents different number name kind context grammatically computers ability understand human grammar somewhat limited still mary kay magistad magistad perspective see challenging aspects project mccarthy relatively small number people controlling vast majority wealth world looking something like panama papers come thinking ok heres really large set documents 11 million documents many paths explain money went mossack fonseca panama papers leaked one hundreds thousands law firms kind service youre going find megarich people working companies fact theyre probably diversifying things multiple companies thats youre sensible kind thing hand leak probably information tens hundreds billions dollars hidden far iceland alone 180 different cases opened tax authorities panama papers leaks investigate people iceland things slightly different way tax authorities would liked hand youre looking 11 million documents say ok go set emails pdf documents results intuitive journalists say tradition sitting reading everything trying memorize see pattern mind say aha nailed guy technologist approach write short little program read documents figure certain kinds things yes kinds things magistad expecting kind impact papers expecting mccarthy dont know think length project led everyone somewhat relaxed funny released expected lot traffic website normally got kind beefed servers little bit said ok going get probably eight times maybe 10 times traffic usual prepared simulations got something like 50 times traffic moment saying oh everything going collapse didnt worked fine know immediate impact gargantuan magistad biography online say live intersection politics technology youve busy past decade youve cofounded mailpile youve involved icelandic pirate party founded right cofounded mccarthy one founders yeah magistad european pirate party mccarthy kind ended chairman mostly accident asked whether willing board said yes couldnt make meeting laughs kind got shanghaid situation160 piratelike guess magistad pirate party concept around decade started sweden think lot people dont really know kind chuckle even hear term pirate party mccarthy yeah name bit silly intentionally hollywood lobbyists decided copyright infringement sweden big problem set thing sweden called antipiracy bureau people thought thats really interesting theyre onesided conversation stakeholders government downloading things internet approach went started thing called pirate bureau kind counterpoint hollywood lobbyists kind mushroomed first pirate bay later people started think political party around try approach political side debate bit directly possibly bit seriousness magistad theres piratey vibe whole panama papers project youre going rich powerful taking money taking privacy taking theyre trying hide trying change power equation mccarthy dont think taking privacy piracy specific thing privacy way choose expose society financial dealings actually part conversation person society existence company corporation contract rest society theyre going allow certain things long comply certain rules case taking away peoples individual privacy dont know vladimir putin gets free time dont know ilham aliyev gets free time want none business things proxies family members violation social contract ways lead massive theft public lead dodging taxes sorts things bad society 160thats private business everybody know im fine exposing magistad refreshing point view particularly last election pushback president obama said company right run however want profit from160 didnt build built within society republicans said built mine right whatever want trump saying dont release tax returns dont right see information mccarthy yeah think tax returns information like address names family members totally private financial transactions person particular communication tax authoritieshow government supposed open transparent accountable electorate public important part government collects money fund operations completely untransparent theres way see whats going ridiculous way budget secret wed say thats ok waves discussion transparency circles starting freedom information act us 1970 different countries sweden actually first back 1700s started move direction nowadays western countries countries world freedom information acts one sort another thats kind moved along initially first generation laws said allowed request kind document want need know kind document and160 need ask specifically document many second generation said ok ask document heres list documents hold changes game quite bit magistad look list say hey whats thats interesting let take look mccarthy youve got third generation saying ok going provide list going put list internet click names download documents document secret national security reasons privacy reasons whatever reasons available ask future improvement would document held back says held back authorized authorization rescinded similar thing happening budgets countries parts budget secret morocco instance really fun time morocco moroccan activists going around trying see could find parts countrys budget secret pertain king many many many palaces didnt succeed interesting experiment place taxes coming taxes going form budgetary allocations theres big black box stuff thats happening ones allowed know exactly black budgets bad pretty much cant run democracy people dont know whats going magistad youve commitment since college days transparency accountability distributed democracy come grow thinking important values somewhere eyjafjörður fjord northern iceland tamar charney mccarthy yeah id say im much child internet growing small island south coast iceland 400 people 10 million birds found difficult teens relate people people could kind fit found online communities got little modem 13 connected internet communities everybody talking sorts things thought best thing ever got started hearing problems existed around internet people wanting censorship people wanting limit groups allowed participate people arrested sorts things everything reading manuals werent supposed read sharing documents werent supposed share kind fell political world entirely accident never really intended get political things started move direction iceland particular one point levy placed empty cds one first times attended protest wanted put surcharge empty cds writable would go music industry thinking time well dont use cds write music use cds back documents share copies linux free opensource operating system people thought paying music industry steamrolled transparency obvious extension mindset internet magistad time wikileaks came around kind impact already thoroughly engaged set issues mccarthy pretty much friends started thing called icelandic digital freedom society years earlier wed mostly using occasionally talk government different topics like creative commons free software schools things like also organized annual conference 2009 wikileaks releaseda set slides icelandic banks collapsed global financial crisis began 2008 showed set uncollateralized loans banks giving essentially friends owners really large denomination loans sent shockwaves throughout icelandic society thought ok conference need keynote speakers dont invite wikileaks keynote iceland ended friends helping wikileaks couple releases also opening broader conversation start changing laws useful ways protect free speech freedom information increase transparency protect whistleblowers essentially one could call information politics like one progress higher point time came immi project international modern media institute also ended working wikileaks thevideo apache helicopter attack new baghdad also afghan war logs onwards magistad receptive population iceland ideas work mccarthy never really got whole lot media attention iceland really weird world media kind latched onto quickly guess good lesson cynicism icelandic journalists hear somethings happening iceland kind go oh ok thats probably waste time somebody loud something whereas world media kind jumped onto interest160 ok theres something quirky happening little country might fun cover also hmmm really wish could get kind thing country many weeks seven eight interviews day pretty mad time nobody iceland really cared magistad continued working issues transparency accountability distributed democracy see time goes edward snowden coming information released coordination cooperation specific news media surprise kind reaction came obama administration particular mccarthy yeah like many others excited president obama first elected thought yay finally united states going catch rest world terms basic liberal agenda drone striking theres also people prosecuted obama administration early open whistleblowers informing wrongdoing government people started inform wrongdoing government people started prosecuted pretty ridiculous chelsea manning person whos convicted anything far exposed literally thousands war crimes gone undocumented edward snowden comes along shows world united states also allied partners engaged global essentially conspiracy monitor communications everybody theyre rough budget 120 billion year theyre monitoring everybody kind electronic communications capacity theyre monitoring roughly 35 billion people means theyre spending roughly 7 cents per person per day monitor everybody first kind remarkable cheap managed get also managed violate human rights people fought world war ii amount suffering humanity go arrive universal declaration human rights huge entire thing essentially trashed whim governments claim national security interests far entirely unproven far court cases terrorists theres entire thing magistad think went wrong terms diversion stated principles terms respect human rights human dignity us actually acts world mccarthy thats hard question simplistic answers give look history country going ups downs easy go back issues slavery ethnic cleansing early days us say always kind bad thats kind unfair well think recently thing thats particularly problematic country way politics militaryindustrial complex large corporations general interacting things like campaign financing revolving door really everything eisenhower predicted come true theres entire technological aspect didnt really predict mass surveillance essentially unlimited processing capacity us really wants get back track global center respect human rights human dignity shutting extent least reducing would one obvious steps magistad interventions like panama papers like edward snowdens efforts wikileaks seeing kind changes redistribute power allow citizens say try pull institutions back original purpose gone rails feeling like really kind impact youd like see mccarthy frustrating past five years see much growth theres farright extremism particular europe victor orbans government putting new media law allows media committee levy fines media unfair arbitrary definition massive chilling effect media hungary cloth theyve changed constitution redefined hungarian state ways useful farright extremist tendencies see thing happening poland beata szydlos government essentially thing youve got people sued luxembourg leaked documents many ways think public usefully enlightened leaks much better position terms public knowledge often also think people becoming afraid neighbors becoming afraid everything magistad afraid neighbors afraid immigrants afraid afraid people dont know well mccarthy well afraid kind philosophical definitely fear lot politicians far right particular benefitting massively theres feeling lot people amplified disclosures understanding everything little bit plus financial crisis everybody sees theres problem world theyre entirely sure cause problem think theres problem traditional politicians saying oh theres problem well deal fine everythings fine crazy nutjob shows lets call donald trump says everything mess everything mess dont worry ill take care ill tell whats wrong immigrants suchandsuch small minority cant defend things im going saying youve got even germany essentially nazi party really well state elections think got 20 percent state elections german states really worrying magistad although ironically look broad sweep history today globally probably fewer wars probably fewer people dying hunger avoidable causes point human history living longer clear present danger form climate change accelerating flow immigration places people actually make living time theres concentration wealth fewer fewer hands panama papers got mccarthy interacts one ways weve seen play youre right theres incredible decline deaths due war disease past 100 200 years theres never fewer people dying war history weve seen multiple occasions kind pattern first financial collapse massive rise nationalism war step 2 dont want see step 3 looks like need somehow back nationalistic rhetoric start actually address problems properly yes climate change issues wealth inequality big issues need dealt right 32 sitting offshore accounts could completely fix every healthcare system planet could probably eradicate two three different diseases within decade would possible eliminate many social problems lot financial crisis comes much money piled one place letting system calm manageable way would probably help lot societies magistad thats probably good place end smari mccarthy thanks joining whose century magistad postscript appreciate smaris idealism focus possible future fairer equitable agree current degree wealth disparity dangerous unsustainable get 32 trillion give take offshore accounts distributing money social programs ideal world would repatriated taxed responsible government would use best interests citizens mind live northern europe could actually see kind thing happening united states congress late interested cutting spending social programs harder kleptocracies like azerbaijan harder still intriguing idea equitable redistribution hidden wealth one step toward getting make harder people hide money thats release panama papers
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<p>I first heard the word when I was a boy. My grandmother told me about the days when she was a young woman and “the Chautauqua” came and briefly flooded our hometown in South Georgia with culture. There were plays, noted lecturers and classical music. To a boy the very name carried a certain mystique and excitement, enough to warrant an exclamation mark.</p>
<p>Much later I learned that there was a mother Chautauqua along the lake by the same name in western New York and the annual event in our small town was only one of some 255 little Chautauquas. There was a Chautauqua circuit with traveling lecturers and performers who went from town to town, quickening minds and entertaining hearts across the United States. It was all a part of a movement to bring culture and arts to the people.</p>
<p />
<p>In recent years my friend, Paul Watlington, a Virginia Baptist minister in Norfolk, would go in the summers to serve as a host in the Baptist House at the mother Chautauqua; and he kept encouraging me to experience the unique place. In our church, Judy and Dick Morris are repeat Chautauquans and they shared information about it. Other friends, Katie and Isam Ballenger of Frederick, Md., prompted my wife and me to join them for a week at Chautauqua.</p>
<p>It is no small matter to go to Chautauqua. First, you must decide which week to attend and begin to find accommodations which range from denominational houses to rental cottages to a grand hotel. And then you have to get to the isolated community in the rural countryside of western New York.&#160;</p>
<p>Chautauqua is a community just as Williamsburg is a town. There are some 200 or more permanent residents, but each week during the summer the population soars to around 7,500. And like Colonial Williamsburg, the Chautauqua Institute requires a paid admission pass in order to enter the various facilities. Instead of the Colonial architecture of Virginia’s Williamsburg, Chautauqua is filled with Victorian gingerbread cottages and houses in a woodland setting beside a deep blue lake.</p>
<p />
<p>Early in the new year the institute publishes the themes for the summer season and places the schedule on a website. Each week carries a different theme yet all include morning worship led by a different preacher each week and evening symphony concerts. There are some 50 choices of activities on a given day. These include lectures in the Hall of Philosophy, a columned open-air structure, or concerts in the mammoth 5,000-seat wooden amphitheatre known simply as “the Amp.” Some of the activities are for smaller audiences with specific interests. I enjoyed a walking tour led by the institute’s resident horticulturist.&#160;</p>
<p>The crown jewel is the Amp’s mighty pipe organ and it usually is played during the worship services. Another attraction is the bell tower down by the lake. The chimes sound the time and also play tunes which can be heard across the community.</p>
<p>Each morning newspaper boys (and girls) hawk The Chautauquan Daily, an engaging paper which carries complete coverage of the major lectures and the daily sermon. With a little encouragement the sellers will rhyme a song about the virtues of buying a paper.</p>
<p>With newspaper in hand, Chautauquans sit on the hard benches at “the Amp” and read reviews of last night’s play and circle the events of the day.&#160;</p>
<p>The week which we shared with the Ballengers carried the theme of “A Case for the Arts” and especially emphasized the role of religion and the arts. The week’s chaplain was a Baptist minister, the well-known C. Welton Gaddy, pastor of Northminster Baptist Church in Monroe, La. He crafted sermons which spoke to the various arts, including painting, storytelling, dancing and singing.&#160;</p>
<p>The people on the benches bear familiar resemblances to folks you know back home; after all, they are the same sort of people who occupy the pews in your church. They likely are deacons and vestrymen and choir members and faithful pew occupants in their own church.</p>
<p>The lecturers on the arts included Rocco Landesman, chairman of the National Endowment for the Arts, who stressed his own pet project entitled Art Works, emphasizing that performing and producing artists are part of the world of work. In the midst of his lecture, Landesman suddenly was interrupted by “a flash mob” of opera singers who throughout the Amp began to sing operatic choruses in various parts of the Amp. It was a delightful surprise.</p>
<p>All was not high brow during our week. One evening a circus troupe of acrobats and jugglers entertained in the Amp and the last evening even featured a rock group.</p>
<p>Chautauqua began in 1874 as a Methodist Sunday school retreat. In the summer of 1881 the Baptists were operating a rival retreat called Point Chautauqua just across the lake from the Methodists. One of the lecturers that summer was Alfred E. Dickinson, “junior editor” of the Religious Herald. He spoke on “The Truth about the South.”&#160;</p>
<p>One of Dickinson’s hearers was his friend, Thomas Pritchard, then president of Wake Forest College. Pritchard thought that the Methodist Chautauqua was better attended simply because Methodists “are more clannish” and felt that the Baptists’ Point Chautauqua “would draw from all parts of the country.” He was wrong. The Methodists won, but ultimately the mother Chautauqua became very ecumenical. One of the newest and most attractive facilities is the Jewish Center.&#160;</p>
<p>It is difficult to describe Chautauqua. It must be experienced. And there is always next summer.&#160;&#160;</p>
<p>Fred Anderson is executive director of the Virginia Baptist Historical Society and the Center for Baptist Heritage and Studies, located on the campus of the University of Richmond. He may be contacted at <a href="mailto:[email protected]" type="external">[email protected]</a> or at P.O. Box 34, University of Richmond, VA 23173.</p>
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first heard word boy grandmother told days young woman chautauqua came briefly flooded hometown south georgia culture plays noted lecturers classical music boy name carried certain mystique excitement enough warrant exclamation mark much later learned mother chautauqua along lake name western new york annual event small town one 255 little chautauquas chautauqua circuit traveling lecturers performers went town town quickening minds entertaining hearts across united states part movement bring culture arts people recent years friend paul watlington virginia baptist minister norfolk would go summers serve host baptist house mother chautauqua kept encouraging experience unique place church judy dick morris repeat chautauquans shared information friends katie isam ballenger frederick md prompted wife join week chautauqua small matter go chautauqua first must decide week attend begin find accommodations range denominational houses rental cottages grand hotel get isolated community rural countryside western new york160 chautauqua community williamsburg town 200 permanent residents week summer population soars around 7500 like colonial williamsburg chautauqua institute requires paid admission pass order enter various facilities instead colonial architecture virginias williamsburg chautauqua filled victorian gingerbread cottages houses woodland setting beside deep blue lake early new year institute publishes themes summer season places schedule website week carries different theme yet include morning worship led different preacher week evening symphony concerts 50 choices activities given day include lectures hall philosophy columned openair structure concerts mammoth 5000seat wooden amphitheatre known simply amp activities smaller audiences specific interests enjoyed walking tour led institutes resident horticulturist160 crown jewel amps mighty pipe organ usually played worship services another attraction bell tower lake chimes sound time also play tunes heard across community morning newspaper boys girls hawk chautauquan daily engaging paper carries complete coverage major lectures daily sermon little encouragement sellers rhyme song virtues buying paper newspaper hand chautauquans sit hard benches amp read reviews last nights play circle events day160 week shared ballengers carried theme case arts especially emphasized role religion arts weeks chaplain baptist minister wellknown c welton gaddy pastor northminster baptist church monroe la crafted sermons spoke various arts including painting storytelling dancing singing160 people benches bear familiar resemblances folks know back home sort people occupy pews church likely deacons vestrymen choir members faithful pew occupants church lecturers arts included rocco landesman chairman national endowment arts stressed pet project entitled art works emphasizing performing producing artists part world work midst lecture landesman suddenly interrupted flash mob opera singers throughout amp began sing operatic choruses various parts amp delightful surprise high brow week one evening circus troupe acrobats jugglers entertained amp last evening even featured rock group chautauqua began 1874 methodist sunday school retreat summer 1881 baptists operating rival retreat called point chautauqua across lake methodists one lecturers summer alfred e dickinson junior editor religious herald spoke truth south160 one dickinsons hearers friend thomas pritchard president wake forest college pritchard thought methodist chautauqua better attended simply methodists clannish felt baptists point chautauqua would draw parts country wrong methodists ultimately mother chautauqua became ecumenical one newest attractive facilities jewish center160 difficult describe chautauqua must experienced always next summer160160 fred anderson executive director virginia baptist historical society center baptist heritage studies located campus university richmond may contacted fredandersonvbmborg po box 34 university richmond va 23173
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<p>KAMPALA, Uganda - Bananas are a big deal in Uganda. The average person in this East African nation of 33 million consumes 660 pounds of the fruit annually, the highest rate in the world.</p>
<p>The many varieties grown here include tiny sweet dessert bananas, cooking plantains, and Cavendish bananas, the type usually eaten in Europe and North America. Ugandans even brew bananas into beer and gin.</p>
<p>But out of the 153 cultivars of bananas in the country, most Ugandans' favorite is the matooke, a large green cooking banana steamed and made into a bright yellow puree resembling mashed potatoes.</p>
<p>Now a government-funded project is aiming to spread Uganda's national crop around the world. The Presidential Initiative for Banana Industrial Development (PIBID) has developed matooke into a gluten-free flour and is preparing to export it globally.</p>
<p>With a largely agriculture-based economy and a gross domestic product of $17 billion, Uganda's chief export is coffee.</p>
<p>Although Uganda produces 8.45 million tons of bananas annually and is second only to India in terms of production of the fruit worldwide, it is 40th in terms of the amount of bananas exported each year. That's because of the short shelf life of the fruit, and Uganda's distance from markets in the developed world, according to local experts.</p>
<p>"Tooke flour," as it has been branded, offers a way to extend the shelf life of bananas and if it takes off, Uganda could soon be exporting much more of the fruit. Made with matooke usually wasted because of lack of storage facilities, tooke flour can be used in recipes in place of wheat or whole wheat flour.</p>
<p>The flour is the brainchild of Florence Isabirye Muranga, director of the president's banana initiative and a part-time church minister, who has been researching matooke for 19 years.</p>
<p>More from GlobalPost: <a href="http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/news/regions/africa/120229/nodding-disease-uganda-battles-mysterious-ailment" type="external">Nodding disease: Uganda battles mysterious ailment</a></p>
<p>Living abroad in Germany, Muranga first started wondering about new ways to use the banana after she noticed the number of derivative products produced from European staple crops like potatoes.</p>
<p>"I saw that we were sleeping with (the potential of) our food," Muranga said. "Potato is not only potato it is instant potato; it is soups; it is sauces."</p>
<p>Muranga and researchers spent several years refining the process for making the flour, in which the matooke is first dried in a special steam dryer and then ground into flour using a mill.</p>
<p>Using matooke grown by small-scale farmers, the flour could increase the amount growers earn from the crop by up to eight times, according to the initiative's projections.</p>
<p>The banana development group is currently producing the flour on a small scale, and has taken it to food expos around the world. A factory for large-scale processing of matooke into flour is currently under construction and is set to be completed in October.</p>
<p>Already, the group has orders from the United States and Japan.</p>
<p>"They are mainly interested in the gluten-free aspect because they are having a lot of problems with people who don't (digest gluten). So we are looking at positioning this as a product in soups and sauces and as a bakery option for gluten-free confectionaries," said Muranga.</p>
<p>In Uganda, where 2 million children under the age of five are chronically malnourished according to the ministry of agriculture, the flour, high in fiber and starch, could also help to fight nutritional deficits. Children fed porridge made with the flour in schools gained more weight than those given maize porridge, according to studies conducted by the development group.</p>
<p>In Uganda, it's hard to overestimate the importance of matooke to the average person's diet - matooke even means "food" in the local Luganda language - but Jolly Gonahasa, head of the initiative's product development, admits it might be an acquired taste outside of the country.</p>
<p>Many foreigners find the traditional preparation of the crop bland. That's why the banana development enterprise is trying to show people around the world that matooke flour can be incorporated into their favorite foods.</p>
<p>"If you get something familiar and replace it with a new food then it will be accepted,? said Gonahasa.</p>
<p>On her desk were brightly colored boxes of tooke flour and a cook book with recipes for matooke ratatouille, muffins and croissants. There was also a package of star-shaped cookies made with matooke flour. The crunchy cookies had a slight banana flavor to them. Later Gonahasa served matooke croquettes stuffed with onions, green peppers and carrots, a take on potato croquettes.</p>
<p>More from GlobalPost: <a href="http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/news/regions/africa/120313/kony-2012-flops-uganda" type="external">Kony 2012 flops in Uganda</a></p>
<p>Twice, the government enterprise has sponsored contests for chefs in Kampala to create new dishes with the flour.</p>
<p>Henry Omusugu was the winner of the 2011 competition. As he sat in his white chef's uniform and hat on a plush couch at the Serena, one of Kampala's most exclusive hotels, Omusugu explained that he won the Asian-themed competition with a menu that included prawn matooke sushi, cream of matooke soup, chicken teriyaki with matooke croquettes, and for dessert, matooke kuzumochi with cranberry sauce.</p>
<p>Omusugu includes matooke flour on menus for banquets at the hotel and the response has been overwhelmingly positive, he said.</p>
<p>"It has been cutting across both local and foreign (guests). People have asked a lot of questions about the product. They keep asking about the kind of technology, how it's prepared to make flour," said the chef.</p>
<p>And, boding well for the success of the product, he said: "They ask about the availability of the product, where can get they get it?"&#160;</p>
<p>More from GlobalPost: <a href="http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/news/regions/africa/120328/rwanda-economic-growth-pulling-rwandans-out-poverty" type="external">Economic growth pulls Rwandans out of poverty</a></p>
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kampala uganda bananas big deal uganda average person east african nation 33 million consumes 660 pounds fruit annually highest rate world many varieties grown include tiny sweet dessert bananas cooking plantains cavendish bananas type usually eaten europe north america ugandans even brew bananas beer gin 153 cultivars bananas country ugandans favorite matooke large green cooking banana steamed made bright yellow puree resembling mashed potatoes governmentfunded project aiming spread ugandas national crop around world presidential initiative banana industrial development pibid developed matooke glutenfree flour preparing export globally largely agriculturebased economy gross domestic product 17 billion ugandas chief export coffee although uganda produces 845 million tons bananas annually second india terms production fruit worldwide 40th terms amount bananas exported year thats short shelf life fruit ugandas distance markets developed world according local experts tooke flour branded offers way extend shelf life bananas takes uganda could soon exporting much fruit made matooke usually wasted lack storage facilities tooke flour used recipes place wheat whole wheat flour flour brainchild florence isabirye muranga director presidents banana initiative parttime church minister researching matooke 19 years globalpost nodding disease uganda battles mysterious ailment living abroad germany muranga first started wondering new ways use banana noticed number derivative products produced european staple crops like potatoes saw sleeping potential food muranga said potato potato instant potato soups sauces muranga researchers spent several years refining process making flour matooke first dried special steam dryer ground flour using mill using matooke grown smallscale farmers flour could increase amount growers earn crop eight times according initiatives projections banana development group currently producing flour small scale taken food expos around world factory largescale processing matooke flour currently construction set completed october already group orders united states japan mainly interested glutenfree aspect lot problems people dont digest gluten looking positioning product soups sauces bakery option glutenfree confectionaries said muranga uganda 2 million children age five chronically malnourished according ministry agriculture flour high fiber starch could also help fight nutritional deficits children fed porridge made flour schools gained weight given maize porridge according studies conducted development group uganda hard overestimate importance matooke average persons diet matooke even means food local luganda language jolly gonahasa head initiatives product development admits might acquired taste outside country many foreigners find traditional preparation crop bland thats banana development enterprise trying show people around world matooke flour incorporated favorite foods get something familiar replace new food accepted said gonahasa desk brightly colored boxes tooke flour cook book recipes matooke ratatouille muffins croissants also package starshaped cookies made matooke flour crunchy cookies slight banana flavor later gonahasa served matooke croquettes stuffed onions green peppers carrots take potato croquettes globalpost kony 2012 flops uganda twice government enterprise sponsored contests chefs kampala create new dishes flour henry omusugu winner 2011 competition sat white chefs uniform hat plush couch serena one kampalas exclusive hotels omusugu explained asianthemed competition menu included prawn matooke sushi cream matooke soup chicken teriyaki matooke croquettes dessert matooke kuzumochi cranberry sauce omusugu includes matooke flour menus banquets hotel response overwhelmingly positive said cutting across local foreign guests people asked lot questions product keep asking kind technology prepared make flour said chef boding well success product said ask availability product get get it160 globalpost economic growth pulls rwandans poverty
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