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The Islamic history and influence in Europe
Posted on April 5, 2011 by Tony McMahon
Medieval Europe was a swirling mix of three religions in particular – Christianity, Judaism and Islam. And the Islamic influence can be found in places you might not expect.
Ten years ago, I visited the cities of Cordoba and Seville in Spain. In Cordoba, you can still visit the great mosque built in the 10th century. It's a forest of pillars in the Islamic style – yet in the middle of western Europe today.
Islamic legacy in Europe very visible in Spain
The mosque was put up at a time when most of modern Spain and Portugal was under the rule of Muslim emirs – ruling from cities like Seville and Cordoba. These were huge centres of urban civilisation producing top mathematicians and philosophers. But also stunning architecture.
There was a very subtle and nuanced relationships between Christianity and Islam – it wasn't all conducted on the point of a sword – though that had its place. The mosque in Cordoba borrowed Roman pillars from local ruined sites and the shape of the arches was heavily influenced by the earlier Christian Visigothic civilisation.
When Cordoba was retaken by Christian crusaders after over four hundreds of Muslim rule – they kept the mosque because of its beauty. But later, the kings of Catholic Spain slapped a cathedral right in the middle of it. Today, you have the almost surreal experience of walking into a 10th century mosque and then suddenly finding yourself in a gothic/baroque cathedral at the centre of the building.
Islamic rulers in Europe told to preserve their buildings – by Christians
In Seville, the crusaders were on the verge of taking the city in the 13th century and told its Muslim rulers not to destroy the huge, thick minaret on the great mosque. If they did, the city would be slaughtered. When it was seized by the Christian armies, they kept the minaret and demolished the mosque. The minaret became the new bell tower. But such was the admiration for the Islamic craftsmanship involved in building the minaret – that it was inconceivable to knock it down.
DISCOVER: The bigotry towards Jews in medieval Europe during Easter
Here are a couple of photos I took back in 2010 of the mosque in Cordoba – pardon the quality of digital images back in those days!
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7 Comments on "The Islamic history and influence in Europe"
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servery do cs
Your mode of explaining all in this piece of writing is genuinely good, all can
easily be aware of it, Thanks a lot.
Templar Knight
Thanks for your kind comments – I'm always happy to comment on other people's blogs on this subject. I have a book with a strong Islamic theme coming out later this year – will tell you more when I can.
EuroAnthro
The Arabs were killed and expelled out of Portugal and Spain, by the Templar Knights.
During the Reconquest "Reconquista"
Templar Forum
Researching the conquest of Lisbon – or Al Usbunna as it was called under the Moors – it's certainly said in the chronicle that the Islamic population had three days to leave the city. However, it's clear many stayed as there was a 'mouraria' there for centuries – and of course a Jewish quarter. In fact, it's clear that all over Spain and Portugal, Jewish and Muslim communities continued for longer than you might expect. The final expulsions took place under Ferdinand and Isabella and then again in the opening years of the seventeenth century. The Templars in the twelfth century were certainly the shock troops who often were the only Christian force in 'nullius diocesis'- the lands between Islam and Christianity where no bishop or prince ruled. Preceptories like Calatrava were right on the front line between the two religions. The Templars are particularly important in the history of Portugal were they continued to exist as the renamed Order of Christ – after the Templars had been suppressed throughout the rest of Europe. The Order of Christ continued to use all the emblems and rituals of the Order and one of its most famous members was Henry the Navigator. All fascinating stuff! I can recommend some really good books on the subject.
masrwatouness
Thank you for this post, enjoyed reading it and thank you for the pictures.
To be noted that Arabs in Europe let their imprint also in the European languages, through spanish and portuguese. Perticulartly, almost all words starting with "al" are of arabic origin (al- = "the" )
Alchemy / chemistry
to be noted also that on the other side of the Mediterranean Sea the presence of European populations (not even talking about colonization) is assessed by many ways: italian speaking communities in Tunisia, Spanish speaking communities in North Morocco, high ethnical mixing between berbers and europeans (especially in the North Morroco and North Algeria), without even mentioning the Egyptian multicultural crossroad (Greek, Turkish, Arab, British, French cultures). Enrichment is mutual and if Europe havent christianized Arabs and Arabs havent islamized Europeans during the last 15 decades, there is absolutely no reason to fear an islamized Europe or US today.
Thank you for those comments. Another good Arabic word that you find in Portuguese is "Almohada" for pillow. I find that word interesting because of course the Almohads were radical Berbers who swept aside the more moderate Almoravid caliphate in Al-Andalus in the twelfth and early thirteenth century. Lavender in Portuguese is 'Alfazema' – a very nice word.
My mother comes from Portugal and when she was young the people in the north of that country would call the southerners 'Arabs' while the people in the south would call the northerners 'Vikings'.
I agree with what you say about the mixing of peoples around the Mediterranean. DNA testing in Spain has shown north African descendancy among much of the population which is inevitable as human being crossed from Africa in to Europe over millenia. But the Carthaginians, Greeks and Romans were Mediterranean empires – a Roman could travel from Rome to Alexandria and Antioch and still be within the same cultural world. The emergence of Islam was in a way another in a long line of Mediterranean empires and to conquer lands on the northern side of the sea was probably an obvious thing to do.
The Templars of course fought the Saracens – not just in the Middle East but also in Spain and Portugal. But in the process, they undoubtedly came in to extensive contact with eastern culture. This is something that was used against them by their enemies. The Templar Grand Master in Jerusalem, for example, made a point of having a Saracen secretary. And we know there were Templars who spoke Arabic. Not to assimilate I realise, but to conquer more effectively.

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News -> 2011 -> 1 -> GCTU STATEMENT ON TERRORIST ATTACK IN DOMODEDOVO
GCTU STATEMENT ON TERRORIST ATTACK IN DOMODEDOVO
Speaking for millions of its members, the General Confederation of Trade Unions (GCTU) extends its deep sympathy and condolences to all victims of the terrorist attack in Moscow's airport Domodedovo 24 January 2011, and takes compassion on their families, relatives and friends.
We strongly and explicitly condemn such crimes, especially as they hit peaceful and innocent people. Inhuman acts like that cannot be justified, whatever their motives or goals.
Trade unions in CIS countries are convinced that the authorities of the Russian Federation will do their best to ensure that the real perpetrators, orchestrators and masterminds of this monstrous atrocity are found and brought to justice. We insist that exhaustive measures be taken to prevent new such crimes endangering the sacred right of every human being to a safe life and a secure future.
The GCTU calls on all trade unions in the world to join efforts in the fight against any manifestations of intolerance, xenophobia and extremism. It is only through joint action that the world community will be able to successfully defend human rights and freedoms, and gain the upper hand over terrorism, this new plague of our times.
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Last March, police flagged an email with the subject line, "48 hours till I die," thinking they might have a possible suicide attempt on their hands. But, Kirk De Fazio, president and CEO of Special Olympics Alberta and author of the email, was just trying to grab people's attention, making reference to his participation in the first Polar Plunge in Edmonton. Luckily, Const. Amanda Trenchard, who regularly volunteers for Special Olympics Alberta events, recognized his name and knew there was nothing to worry about.
The email, which De Fazio sent to friends and family, earned him another $1,200 to put towards his participation in the now-annual fundraising event thrown by Alberta Law Enforcement Torch Run, an organization which includes RCMP, sheriffs and the Edmonton Police Service (EPS).The plunge raises awareness and funds for Special Olympics Alberta. A two-foot section of ice was cut out of Lake Summerside on March 24, 2012, allowing brave Special Olympics staff, EPS members, and the general public to jump into the 1C water.
The 2012 event raised more than $10,000 for Edmonton and Alberta Special Olympics athletes to participate in training, purchase equipment, and travel internationally. That includes 11 athletes who flew to South Korea to compete in the Special Olympics World Games, which began January 29. Trenchard also flew to South Korea as one of the 100 police members from around the world honoured with the task of carrying the torch to the games.
Shortly after, Trenchard flies back for this year's Polar Plunge, taking place at Lake Summerside February 9. "This year, my goal is to have 100 people jump," says Trenchard, who shrugged off her own dip last year as nothing worse than what she went through in police training.
De Fazio, who likened the experience to having his chest encased in a frozen vault, still asks that people take the challenge for the athletes. "In professional sports, like the NHL, it's all about the contract and what they get. [Special Olympics'] athletes ask you for nothing. They're so grateful."
Considering many professional athletes fight tooth-and-nail for unbelievable salaries, freezing for athletes ecstatic over $10,000 is an easy idea to warm up to.


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CommentaryMATTERS OF LIFE AND DEATH
Ilhan Omar's hijab needs loosening
Exclusive: Mychal Massie figures 'oxygen is being shut off to her brain'
By Mychal Massie
The towel Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn, wears on her head is apparently tied so tight that it's causing a variant form of torsion, in which the oxygen is being shut off to her brain – thus restricting her already severely limited capacity to function on even a marginal level.
For those inclined to disagree with me, let me point out that it doesn't take above average mental ability to hate Jews, marry a family member (in her case repeated reports indicate she married her brother) and sleeping around with married men, destroying their families. Someone with the mental capacity of a pork chop understands that publicly displaying the morals of an alley cat brings shame on their children especially when questions are raised about their real father.
Add to the aforementioned that Omar's hatred for Israel is rivaled only by her hatred for America. Her sympathy for terrorists was graphically displayed as she mourned the justified killing of Qassem Soleimani, the Muslim terrorist responsible for killing, maiming and injuring thousands of people, including hundreds of Americans. She has been a stain on the U.S. Capitol, which is the property of the American people, since she took office.
Omar is very quick to foment animosity based on skin-color, accusing whites and Jews of being anti-black. But she conveniently omits the fact that she has called for the systematic extermination of blacks; and she has told the world from Capitol building of the United States that she demands taxpayer's pay for blacks to be exterminated.
In May of 2019 she claimed: "Religious fundamentalists are currently trying to manipulate the State laws in order to impose their beliefs on an entire society, all with complete disregard for voices and the rights of American women." She also "slammed pro-life Christians as trying to impose their beliefs on society." (LifeNews.com, Jan. 10, 2020)
That's quite the claim coming from a woman who belongs to a cult that practices Shariah. That's also quite the claim from a woman who belongs to a cult that practices female genital mutilation. A cult that calls for death to any who will not submit and convert to dictates of Mohammedan laws, which were dreamt up by a satanic pedophile who now resides in the fires of their Jahannam.
Contrary to the beliefs of those who worship Moloch, there is a definitional difference between infanticide and women's health. Killing unborn children is satanic; it is not health care. It is despiteous to claim otherwise, especially when Omar uses blacks as props whenever convenient.
It is not ipse dixit to point out that no population group in history has suffered from an autoecious parasite like Planned Parenthood more than blacks. As I have written and spoken countless times before: The one thing that is never discussed when Erebusic figures like Omar preach baby-killing is the cost baby-killing places upon future generations.
The numbers are inescapable and undeniable. The future of black people as a demographic is threatened by imprisonment, black on black crime, drugs, disease, poor educational standards and dysfunctional family practices; but nothing threatens the future of blacks as a demographic to the extent that baby-killing does.
And that is not just the aggregate percentage decrease of the demographic, which now exceeds 40 percent. It includes the economic cost to blacks. These are costs that are almost never discussed by those who use baby-killing as a means of birth control and population control for blacks. But I have.
Mark Crutcher, president of Life Dynamics Inc., told me several years ago that, "The cost of abortion to society, if calculable, would be astronomical to the point of the average person being incapable of comprehending it." A baby necessitates diapers, toys, household items, food, books, clothing and much more. Meeting those needs creates jobs in the manufacturing and service sectors. Children also create jobs in the medical and educational sectors.
Crutcher also told me that for blacks in particular: "Abortion has cost blacks tremendous political power. You cannot reduce the black population by – in some estimates – as much as 40 percent in the last years and not have a debilitating political impact that equates further to verifiable economic loss, even if the loss is astronomical to the point of being incalculable."
The abortion rate for black women remains almost five times that for white women. In Democrat-controlled cities like New York, more black babies are murdered than are born. In Philadelphia the numbers are nearly as bleak.
How bad for Omar that unlike Muslims, true Christians in America view life as sacred regardless of the color of skin. She only values life if it is Muslim, and it is even more to be valued if it's an Islamic terrorist who dies like the pig he was when he was alive.
Mychal Massie
Mychal Massie is founder and chairman of the Racial Policy Center (http://racialpolicycenter.org), a conservative think tank that advocates for a colorblind society. He was recognized as the 2008 Conservative Man of the Year by the Conservative Party of Suffolk County, New York. He is a nationally recognized political activist, pundit and columnist. Massie has appeared on cable news and talk-radio programming worldwide. He is also the founder and publisher of The Daily Rant: mychal-massie.com. His latest book is "I Feel the Presence of the Lord."
@mychalmassie
America's deadly sleeping disease
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Another year of fighting the racism of low expectations
2 reasons elite reprobates weaponized the COVID hoax


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By: Madeline Reynolds, SHINE Associate
As the COVID-19 pandemic swept through the U.S. in early March, the sudden closure of offices and other business caused many, including Max Lanyi, to completely restructure their daily routines. "When the gyms went away, I didn't know what to do." said Lanyi.
As a fitness enthusiast, Lanyi took his daily workouts outside, replacing his gym time with long walks, runs, and bikes. As the weeks went by, Lanyi thought about his colleagues in the SHINE program, a rotational program within Deloitte's marketing practice, who were experiencing similar disrupted routines.
"I wanted a way for us to stay connected as a community, especially with my colleagues in other offices," said Lanyi.
As a result, Lanyi set up a two-week long step-tracking challenge for both current SHINE associates and alumnus of the program. A total of 36 people signed up. The participants split into six teams, with the collective goal of accumulating as many steps as possible.
"My goal was to help people stay active and have something to turn to during these difficult times," said Lanyi. "The pandemic affected people's routines and this was something that people could have in their control."
During the challenge, Lanyi received countless messages of positivity and gratitude from his colleagues. One associate shared that as a former runner who dropped the sport after graduating college, the challenge inspired her to pick up running again.
Other participants in the competition described the experience as a positive motivator to keep active despite the difficult circumstances. "It really incentivized me to take meetings walking and to just get up more during the day," said a participant.
Collectively, the participants accumulated over 5,267,242 combined steps, or 2,634 miles. The team walked the equivalent of over 100 marathons and were just shy of walking the length of the U.S., which is 2,680 miles wide.
"I had no idea how much we could actually accomplish," said Lanyi. "A lot of this came from the kindness and positivity of the SHINE community."
In addition to the step challenge, the SHINE team has also organized several other community events to stay connected, including a weekly meditation session, a social justice book club, and various virtual game nights.


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Home Online Magazine Launch of the digital magazine The Story
Launch of the digital magazine The Story
The digital magazine The Story was launched, edited by former Smith Journal editor Chris Harrigan.
Some of Australia's best writers and journalists appear in the first edition of The Story, a new digital magazine on the arts, crafts and science of storytelling, which has just been released.
Edited by former Smith Journal editor Chris Harrigan, The Story is aimed at a target audience of professional storytellers in the media, communications and marketing industries. But it's also designed to appeal to a wider audience: anyone interested in stories and wanting to find out how well-told stories can help them in their work and life.
Starring original writing by Clementine Ford (Fight Like a Girl), James Hennessy (Business Insider Australia, Pedestrian) and Rachel Withers (The Monthly), The Story bills itself as the house of storytelling over storytelling.
"The Story is for journalists hoping to grapple with the big issues in their profession, communications and marketing professionals who want to delve into the latest thoughts on storytelling, media junkies looking to see how it's made." the new sausage and anyone who wants to know how to tell stories better can make them better at what they do, "says Harrigan.
He says the magazine takes a "slow journalism" approach to publishing, emphasizing thoughtful, in-depth and useful coverage to serve a diverse audience.
"It's a place to dissect great stories to see how they work, interview professional storytellers to learn more about their craft and tackle the issues facing the media and communications worlds today," says Harrigan. .
The Story is funded by (but editorially independent) Fireside, a storytelling-led communications agency founded by former journalist Ben Hart (Herald Sun, ABC RN). With The Story, Hart hopes to create space for "stories about stories" and a more in-depth discussion of the role stories play in our lives and our world.
"The idea came to me when I was looking for an attractive place to read about storytelling and I was amazed that it doesn't already exist," he says.
Designed by Michael Precel, Melbourne's leading independent designer, The Story is also home to StoryCraft, a Hart-hosted podcast exploring similar themes, which debuted in late November.
Harrigan cites James Hennessy's article on QAnon as an example of the extent of the story.
"James' play examines QAnon through the prism of storytelling, asking how much conspiracy theory has in common with fanfiction. It's a creative angle on a familiar subject and indicative of the breadth of The Story's tenure.
Harrigan brings a decade of editorial experience to his role as editor of The Story. At the Smith Journal (Frankie Press), he executed an editorial vision that Pedestrian TV said "challenged ideas about what a men's magazine could be." He is also a published writer, having appeared in Junkee, Frankie, The Age, New York Magazine, The Guardian and Buzzfeed.
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International Symposium on Food Security and Nutrition in the Age of Climate Change
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Québec Premier appoints her Cabinet
The Cabinet surrounding the Premier of Québec, Pauline Marois (Photo: Le Protocole, gouvernement du Québec)
Québec Premier Pauline Marois formed her first Cabinet on Wednesday, September 19, 2012, in the Salon Rouge of the National Assembly.
In her opening statement, Ms. Marois emphasized that her government's actions will be based on four pillars: integrity, prosperity, identity and solidarity. She then appointed the twenty-three ministers who will make up the new government, including:
François Gendron, Deputy Premier and Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food
Stéphane Bédard, Chair of the Conseil du trésor
Nicolas Marceau, Finance and the Economy
Agnès Maltais, Labour, Employment and Social Solidarity as well as Status of Women
Bernard Drainville, Democratic Institutions and Citizen Participation
Bertrand St-Arnaud, Justice
Marie Malavoy, Education, Recreation and Sports
Jean-François Lisée, International Relations, La Francophonie and External Trade
Martine Ouellet, Natural Resources
Réjean Hébert, Health and Social Services
Diane De Courcy, Immigration and Cultural Communities
Putting public finances in order, laying the foundations for sustainable economic development, proposing a new mining royalty regime, better supporting farmers and fishermen, promoting Québec's interests on the international scene, revamping Bill 101, fostering the dissemination of our culture, proposing a secular charter and drafting a bill on identity are only a few of the mandates given to the ministers by Ms. Marois.
The Premier reserved responsibility for youth issues for herself. She will be assisted by the youngest-ever member of the National Assembly, Léo Bureau-Blouin, who was elected in Laval-des-Rapides, in suburban Montréal. Eleven parliamentary secretaries have also been appointed to assist the ministers.
"Nothing is preventing Quebecers from being among the most prosperous people on the planet. We have the talent, the creativity, the land, the resources, the energy and the entrepreneurial spirit that enabled our ancestors to build this country from almost nothing," concluded Pauline Marois, who was speaking for the first time as Premier.
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Posted on July 31, 2019 August 6, 2019 by Roger Copeland
A few days after the Gibson family filed their lawsuit against the College , The Oberlin Review responded with an editorial that read –in part –as follows :
"News of the lawsuit — which is meant to bully and intimidate College students, faculty, and staff — was relayed to the College community almost exactly one year after students initiated a protest against Gibson's Bakery following a violent altercation at the store involving College students….In reading the legal documents filed by the Gibson family, it is clear that their intention is to provoke an explosive, emotional response from students. Many of the claims they make are …meant to be generally incendiary rather than substantive. The documents also have racist undertones that further expose the core reasons for the lawsuit. The Gibsons have no interest in finding any resolution to this conflict — instead, they seek to assert their prideful moral superiority over the College…"
To which I could respond "How can the editors claim to know 'the intentions' of the Gibson family ?" "And how can they state with such confidence that the bakery made no effort to reach an out-of-court settlement —given that such negotiations would have been conducted entirely in private? But, for the purposes of today's blog post, I want to focus on the vituperative "tone" of the essay rather than merely enumerating its many factual errors and lapses of logic. The editorial team's attack on the bakery was so venomous that it began to sound suspiciously personal, as if one or more of the writers had some skin in the game, perhaps a grudge to settle.
In any event, the moment I finished reading the Review's harangue, my eyes drifted up the page to the newspaper's masthead which lists the names of the individual members of the Editorial Board. I recognized two of them — the co-editors of the Opinion section–because they had jointly edited an essay of mine about the Gibson controversy which The Review had published earlier in the semester.
By contrast, the names of the Managing Editor and the two Editors-in-Chief were new to me. But… one of those names Melissa Harris, kept nagging at me like a an earworm, a catchy tune that –try as one might—refused to get out of my head. "Melissa Harris. …Melissa Harris. Melissa Harris…. ""Where, oh where, have I heard that name before?"
And then it dawned on me. "Oh no. Oh no, no, no, no, no! Please Dear God, don't let this turn out to be true!" Feeling sick to my stomach, I scrambled for a file of news clippings that I had consulted two months earlier while fact-checking my "Opinion" essay about the Gibson affair.
And there it was: an article about the incident from Elyria's Chronicle-Telegram published on Nov. 12, 2016. Titled Oberlin Protesters Return For Second Day, it contained the following tell-tale sentence " The incident was the third instance reported to police this week in which someone allegedly attempted to shoplift from Gibson's. Melissa Harris, 20, was arrested and charged Sunday, and Davis Sawyer, 22, was arrested and charged Monday. "
My heart sank; I didn't want to deal with the painful possibility that one of the Review's two editors-in-chief– the writers who were ultimately responsible for the poisonous attack on the Gibsons' cited above– had herself been arrested for shoplifting three days before the incident that triggered the protests. And no less reprehensible , if true: She had failed to disclose this fact to her readers.
I cast about for alternative explanations…. plausible rationalizations… "Maybe it's a different Melissa Harris," I thought to myself. "It's not that unusual a name, after all." And I tried my best to forget about it. But I couldn't. Months later, ever so gingerly… I sought out Professor Jan Cooper, whom I had reason to believe was the faculty advisor to The Oberlin Review.
Here, in full, is my initial e-mail to her :
Are you still the faculty advisor to The Review? If so, I could really use some advice. In fact, I'd value your advice on this delicate matter even if you're no longer serving in that capacity.
Maybe I'm making too much of the fact that The. Review calls itself a "newspaper." It is , after all, a student newspaper ; and no reasonable person would hold it to the same standards of "accountability" that apply to The New York Times, The Cleveland Plain Dealer, or even, for that matter, The Elyria Chronicle.
Then again — even if its ethical bar isn't nearly as high– there must surely be some bar or threshold below which even student journalists cannot be allowed to lower themselves.
Deep breath. Here goes : I can't confirm this; but I have good reason to believe that one of the current editors of The Review has engaged in misconduct so egregious that it may well generate serious repercussions not only for The Review itself; but also for the legal standing and financial well- being of the College- at -large.
I know. I know. This sounds preposterously melodramatic. But I've weighed my words carefully and after much soul -searching , I've concluded that it would be unconscionable of me not to report these suspicions to someone. Is there a national organization that sets enforceable standards and norms for undergraduate journalism (the way the NCAA Division III does for Oberlin varsity sports?) If so, perhaps my concerns should be communicated to them.
I apologize for not being more forthcoming about the specific misconduct that worries me. But I want to make certain there's a mechanism and a protocol in place for dealing with these allegations before I share them with anyone else. Any advice you can offer will be greatly appreciated.
She responded a day later as follows :
Roger, I am the advisor for the Review, and there is not a national organization that governs student newspapers like NCAA does collegiate sports.
If the misconduct you're concerned about violates Oberlin College's Rules & Regulations, then I would advise you to report it to Meredith Raimondo, Dean of Students (who I am copying on this email), who can direct you to the proper campus office for investigation. If it is an issue of journalism ethics, I would like to talk to you about it, in my capacity as publication faculty advisor.
I should be free to talk to you by phone from 8-10pm tonight or 2-3pm or 8:30-10pm tomorrow, and other times later in the week. In any case thank you for contacting me. —Jan
Jan Cooper (pronouns: she, her, hers)
John C. Reid Associate Professor of Rhetoric and Composition
Department of Rhetoric and Composition
And indeed, the next day, over the phone, I confessed my worst fears to Professor Cooper — who seemed …..utterly unfazed. She assured me that Ms. Harris had probably recused herself from the editorial board conversations that ultimately took the form of the anti-Gibson screed I cited at the beginning of this post. "But," I demurred, "given that Ms. Harris is not, to the best of my knowledge, African-American, wouldn't that suggest to her co-editors that the Gibsons were not singling out African Americans? And regardless of whether this revelation had any effect on the Review's official "position" with regard to the controversy, weren't they still ethically obligated to reveal that one of their two editors- in -chief was deeply implicated in the very story her staff was covering?"
So,….best case scenario: even if Ms. Harris had no hand in crafting the venomous editorial, wouldn't she still be guilty of a classic conflict of interest? Sounding entirely untroubled, Professor Cooper promised to discuss this matter with Ms. Harris and "get back to me." Several weeks later, I was still awaiting her response. So I sent her an e-mail that spelled out my deepest, darkest fears. It concluded with the following warning:
"…given that (Ms. Harris') conflict of interest pertains to a very big story with very big legal consequences for the College, it would behoove Ms. Harris to —as they say—"get ahead" of the story rather than waiting for this sordid matter to become public in some other way. I find it hard to believe that I'm the only person who read about Ms. Harris' arrest. Also, I have no idea what her career plans are, but if they include journalism, all the more reason to get this matter behind her.
Eventually, Professor Cooper phoned to tell me that she had indeed met with Ms. Harris; and all was well. The student editor assured her that she had no conflict of interest. And that was the last I heard about this matter from Professor Cooper.
But, as I suspected (and Jan, I more or less warned you that this might happen) , The Gibson's legal team did a thorough search of the Oberlin Police Department's arrest records around the time of "the incident." And sure enough, they were quick to find that Ms. Harris had not only been arrested for shoplifting from Gibson's, but had pleaded guilty to the charge. And—just as foreseeably–the College's lawyers fought tooth and nail to prevent this information from being shared with the jury.
And who can blame them? Here was proof positive that Oberlin's official student newspaper had become a wholly owned subsidiary of the College administration. So much for journalistic integrity and independence. Incidentally, I might add that today's Oberlin Review is almost entirely dependent on funding from the College administration (whereas, thirty years ago, it ran advertisements from local merchants that provided a revenue stream independent of administrative "largesse.")
The vitriol directed toward Gibson's by the editorial staff of student publications is rivalled only by the unctuousness they lavish on Dean Raimondo. Consider the way the Review concluded the editorial I cited earlier. After encouraging members of the College community "to support each other during this difficult time…." the editors added
"We should also lend our support to Dean Raimondo, who works tirelessly to support students. Even when students do not agree with her, her compassion and commitment to us never wavers. It can sometimes be difficult to remember that administrators are human too, but now is as good a time as any to return that compassion to her."
Nearly two years have passed since the Review reminded its readers of how tirelessly Dean Raimondo works on their behalf. But this was written before a jury had rendered its verdict on the behavior of Raimondo and the College. Following that judgement, one might have expected a less obsequious attitude toward the current administration from those who truly care about the future of this institution. One might have expected a call for "accountability," perhaps even a mandate to clean the Augean Stables.
But if anything, the bond between The Review and Dean Raimondo has tightened over the past twenty-one months. Case in point: In mid-June, the review did something unprecedented: it ran an on-line editorial well after the academic semester had ended. That diatribe, which you can find here, https://oberlinreview.org/18975/opinions/media-coverage-of-gibsons-verdict-misses-the-mark/ is the Review's most sycophantic effort to date. It is—and I'm not exaggerating—virtually indistinguishable from the post-verdict babble that has been freely flowing from Oberlin's Office of "Communications."
What follows is a letter I sent to the current editors of the Review when it became apparent that they had become nothing more than a ventriloquist's dummy for the Oberlin administration.
To the editors :
I was surprised to see that the Review is continuing to publish (at least editorials) into the summer months, well beyond the conclusion of the 2018-2019 academic year. * It would therefore stand to reason that you'll be publishing readers' comments as well, right? Over the entire two and a half year course of the dispute between Gibsons Bakery and Oberlin College, the Review has made no attempt to conceal its sympathies. It has consistently editorialized on behalf of the College and against the Gibsons. And it has every right to do so. But what if it could be proved that one of the Reviews' "editors in chief" had herself been arrested for shoplifting from Gibsons just a few days before the more widely publicized arrests of three Oberlin students on November 9th, 2016? Wouldn't her failure to disclose this fact amount to a monumental conflict of interest and a violation of one of the most basic standards of journalistic fairness? If what I'm alleging is true, then The Review can no longer in good conscience continue to call itself a newspaper. It will have to admit that it has degenerated into a propaganda-spouting puppet for the College's so-called Office of Communications. So… which is it? Inquiring minds want to know.
Roger Copeland, Emeritus Professor of Theater and Dance
P.S. I've been submitting letters and/or opinion pieces to The Review for more than forty years; and The Review has, without fail, published everything I've submitted , no matter how controversial the topic. It would be more than a little ironic if this short letter proved to be the sole exception to that (otherwise Golden) rule…
Three days later, I received the following response:
Prof. Copeland
We have received your submission. Due to staff constraints over the summer, we do not plan to publish letters until the fall semester begins, barring extraordinary circumstances. However, after careful discussion with the Editorial Board and our faculty advisor, Prof. Jan Cooper (copied on this email), we also do not plan to publish this letter at that time. (emphasis added)
Prof. Cooper previously communicated with you about this issue in May 2018. At that time, she expressed via email her informed opinion that Review editors had exercised proper ethical judgement in their coverage of the Nov. 2016 altercation at Gibson's and ensuing lawsuit.
Further, the student in question graduated in May 2018 and has not been involved with the Review since that time. As Prof. Cooper will attest, the Review has consistently maintained the same high standard of ethical judgement in its coverage of Gibson's. For these reasons, we feel it would be inappropriate to publish your submission.
Nathan and Katherine
Nathan Carpenter (he/him)
Katherine MacPhail (she/her)
Editors-in-Chief, The Oberlin Review
Well, guys. I have to concede your point. Throughout the entirely of this sorry saga, the Oberlin Review has —without question– " consistently maintained the same high standards of ethical judgement in its coverage of Gibson's."
The same day the Review editors responded to my e-mail, they added the following addendum to their on-line editorial, conveniently backdating it to June 18th:
Editor's note: Due to the scope of national media attention, the Review took the extraordinary step of covering the Gibson's verdict outside of normal publication dates. Because of limited staff capacity, the Review does not moderate comments during the summer, and letters to the editors in response to any article will be reviewed for publication in the fall. Please direct any questions to edsinchief@oberlinreview.org.
Published by Roger Copeland
Roger Copeland is a theater, dance and film critic whose essays have been published in The New York Times, The New Republic, The Village Voice, and many other journals. His books include What Is Dance? and Merce Cunningham: The Modernizing of Modern Dance. He has also written and directed several films including "The Unrecovered" and "Light As Light." He taught at Oberlin College for 41 years. But then he published several opinion pieces that were supportive of Gibson's Bakery and critical of Oberlin College. In response to one of those essays , the Dean of Students declared "Fuck him…Unleash the students." She did and he took early retirement .	View all posts by Roger Copeland
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Eindhoven, 11/29/2021,
Flying start for ambitious Dutch mobility program thanks to government subsidy of millions
Two large consortia of Dutch companies in the mobility sector will jointly receive 47 million euros in government funding to realize breakthroughs in electrification and hydrogen applications in mobility. The Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate (EZK) announced this today. By working together in these innovation programmes, the parties involved want to make the Netherlands a frontrunner in green mobility. The collaborating parties themselves contribute more than 26 million euros in their own resources, bringing the total technological impulse for the sector to 73 million euros.
What is special about the two programs is that they work on a cross-sectoral basis in a national innovative ecosystem. In the consortia, dozens of public and private parties, under the name Green Transport Delta, are working closely together in two innovation programs for the automotive, maritime and aviation sectors. Large companies such as VDL Groep, DAF Trucks, NXP Semiconductors and Bosal, SMEs and start-ups such as ELEO work together with knowledge partners such as TNO, Eindhoven University of Technology and Maastricht University. RAI Automotive Industry NL and Brainport Development sign for the multi-year program management of the consortia.
Working directly towards concrete results
The programs will deliver concrete results. For example, the focus is on hydrogen combustion engines, fuel cells and next-generation technology for hydrogen refueling infrastructure. In the field of electrification, this concerns the development of a local development and production environment for innovative battery modules and packages. Developing the battery management system of the future. Setting up a smart charging infrastructure and processes to safely store and recycle batteries to recover raw materials. This contributes to the development of circular vehicles.
Long-term collaboration for cleaner transport
The collaboration fits in with the long-term Automotive Roadmap of the HTSM top sector. In addition to concrete results, the programs pursue a joint long-term objective. Cooperation between industrial partners, but also between the business community, government and knowledge institutions is crucial for the Netherlands to occupy a competitive position on a global scale. Electrification and hydrogen are essential technology areas for this. With these projects, the necessary transition in making the sector more sustainable is given a significant financial boost. This concept of open innovation is the typical strength of the Dutch way of working together.
Important support in the transition to sustainable mobility
Albie van Buel, managing director of RAI Automotive Industry NL, is proud that the efforts have been rewarded. "As an organization, we have focused on a substantial R&D support package for the Automotive sector from the start of the Corona pandemic. It is great to now receive the important support for these projects for further technological developments of the necessary transition to sustainable mobility."
Full of energy onward
Director of Brainport Development Paul van Nunen is pleased with the granting of the subsidies by EZK. "The ambition level of the collaborating parties is strong. The Netherlands wants to continue to play a leading role in the global transition to a sustainable mobility system. By joining forces, we can make the Netherlands a frontrunner in green, smart mobility. The allocation of funding to these sub-tasks in the program is a great boost. We will continue with the consortia full of energy."
Heliox To Cater to Growing Demand for "On the Go" Chargers at Forecourts


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Groups: Pinal jail among 10 worst immigration detention centers
Noticias auténticamente locales para las tierras fronterizas
Fara Illich
Fara Illich/Cronkite News ServiceCells at the Pinal County Adult Detention Center. Because the facility was built to house accused and convicted criminals, immigration detainees face stricter conditions there than at a federal facility just up the road.
Fara Illich/Cronkite News ServiceAdvocacy groups object to housing immigration detainees at the Pinal County Adult Detention Center criticize the lack of face-to-face visits there.
Fara Illich/Cronkite News ServiceA log used to record detainees send to the Pinal County Adult Detention Center by Immigration and Custom Enforcement.
Fara Illich/Cronkite News ServiceJames Kimble, deputy chief of adult detention, says Pinal County has nothing to hide about how it operates a jail that's also used to house immigration detainees.
FLORENCE – The first stop for all Immigration and Customs Enforcement detainees is just down the road from here at the Florence Detention Center, which has a new soccer field, offers buffet-style dining and allows face-to-face visits with family, friends and lawyers.
But some of the overflow detainees and those posing higher security risks wind up at the Pinal County Adult Detention Center. Here, recreation is limited to four hours per day, face-to-face visits aren't permitted and 10 detainees can share a toilet.
James Kimble, deputy chief of adult detention, said this facility is designed to house convicts and those charged with crimes, and he makes no apologies for the conditions.
"We have nothing to hide," he said. "I would put this facility up against any other in terms of cleanliness, efficiency and overall operations."
However, a coalition 300 regional and national advocacy groups begs to differ.
Alleging poor sanitation, abuse and lack of due process, the Detention Watch Network recently called on ICE to terminate its contract with Pinal County Adult Detention Center, saying it ranks among the 10 worst immigration detention facilities in the country.
"Immigrants who are detained there don't have access to outdoor recreation, don't have access to contact visits with their family, and many of the people we spoke to talked about a culture of abusiveness," said Victoria Lopez, program director for the American Civil Liberties Union of Arizona.
Lopez authored a report in 2011 based on 100 interviews with immigration detainees in Arizona, many of them from the Pinal County facility.
Beyond the living conditions, Lopez said she objects to what she calls the punitive nature of immigrant detention at the facility.
"The majority of people have not ever committed a crime or have committed very minor offenses," she said.
About one-third of the detainees at Pinal County Adult Detention Center represent a serious threat, according to ICE statistics released in August.
Terry Johnson, commander of security operations, said the facility hasn't gotten a fair shake from the ACLU of Arizona. He said detainees are treated in a humane and dignified manner.
"We're transparent here," he said. "If there's a complaint, if staff is doing something wrong, we're not going to hide that."
Last year the Office of Detention Oversight under the U.S. Department of Homeland Security reviewed the facility and found 22 deficiencies including access to legal material, environmental health and safety, recreation, staff-detainee communication, use of force and visitation.
However, the facility was deemed acceptable overall.
In a compliance inspection conducted in March of this year, there were still 14 outstanding deficiencies.
Amber Cargile, a spokeswoman for ICE, said the agency is reviewing the allegations made by Detention Watch Network and ACLU of Arizona, but she said many are second-hand anecdotes.
"It is disappointing that the reports appear to be built primarily on anonymous allegations that cannot be investigated or substantiated," she said is a written statement.
Gargile said ICE has made a significant number of improvements to the Pinal County facility.
According to the contract negotiated with Pinal County in 2007, ICE pays a per diem rate of $60 per inmate. The agreement allows for a maximum of 625 detainees out of the jail's 1,504 person capacity.
The Pinal County budget reported $10.9 million in actual revenue from housing detainees during during the 2011-2012 fiscal year.
Caroline Isaacs, American Friends Service Committee program director in Tucson, said the cost of using county jails to house immigrant detainees is another reason why ICE should consider alternatives such as releasing detainees on bond and using electronic-monitoring devices.
"I don't think the average taxpayer has any idea we are paying so much money to lock up folks that have never harmed a hair on anyone's head," she said.
Pinal County Adult Detention Center
Total capacity: 1,505
ICE detainee capacity: 625
Average daily population: 420
Average stay: 31 days
Report details Border Patrol corruption
Dem lawmaker: Allow licenses for deferred action participants
Catholic nuns offer migrants rare sanctuary
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Shooting: Border Patrol agent wounds man south of Gila Bend
The new border: Illegal immigration's shifting frontier
Bush: 'Benevolent spirit' should guide immigration debate 1
Few details on Sunday's fatal shooting by Border Patrol
U.S. weapons help fuel Mexican gang violence
Latinos: GOP immigration efforts not enough to court voting bloc
Mexico: Drug war leaves 25,000 missing 1
Kyl: Let some illegal immigrants earn right to stay in U.S.
news, politics & government, border, crime & safety, local, arizona, nation/world, mexico/latin america, breaking, Cronkite News,
aclu, amber cargile, american friends service committee, border patrol, caroline isaacs, detention watch network, florence, ice, immigration, pinal county, victoria lopez
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"Dedicados a excavar la tierra del desierto"


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VIDEO: Councilman Derek Dieter Announces Run for South Bend City Clerk
Categories: Politics, South Bend, Video
South Bend Common Councilman Derek Dieter — who has served more than ten years on the council — is not running for re-election in the 2015 municipal elections.
Dieter, who is an at-large member of the council and a retired officer with the South Bend Police Department, will instead run for city clerk.
Current city clerk John Voorde — who himself was also a three-term member of the South Bend Common Council — is eying another run for Common Council.
In an interview with the South Bend Voice, Dieter called Voorde "a very good friend and mentor."
Dieter — who is seeking the Democratic nomination for city clerk — says that he is not running for re-election to the city council since he has already achieved the goals that he set for himself. He says that he sees new opportunities with the city clerk position.
The city clerk is responsible for recordkeeping and maintaining the municipal code book. The city clerk and his or her staff attend all common council meetings and keep a journal of the events for the public.
"The clerk's office is basically the keeper of the records," Dieter explains.
Minutes of the meetings can be found on the city's website. A broadcast of each council meeting is available live each month and an archive is also available.
Dieter has two main goals for the clerk's office. He would first like to modernize the office with a better web presence. Dieter told us about a city clerk Facebook page that he would like to set up. He sees it as a good way for citizens to reach out to city government, particularly younger residents.
"The other thing that I will be doing is putting out our agendas and our information in Spanish," Dieter says. "The Hispanic population has never been inclusive in everything that goes on around here. I want to make sure that that segment of the population is part of the process."
As for whether he will be challenged in the race, Dieter says that he does not know. The newly announced clerk candidate says that he hopes to knock on 5,000 houses between his official announcement and the primary day in May 2015.
Follow South Bend Voice on Facebook and Twitter.
Tags: city clerk, Democrat, Derek Dieter, election, primary, South Bend Common Council
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South Bend Voice | February 22, 2021
South Bend and St. Joseph County offices re-open at County-City Building
Staff | January 24, 2021
City, county offices continue to offer limited in-person access due to pandemic


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Previous / French Federation Committed to Supporting Young Drivers Next / Trulli to test Toyota
Silv 2: Kimi smashes record
Jacques Villeneuve said his return to F1 was 'easier than expected' after his first day of testing for the Renault F1 team at Silverstone today. The Canadian completed 70 laps in a Renault R24 as he re-acclimatised to F1 and settled into a new team
Although Villeneuve recorded the slowest time of the day, his best time of 1m18.776s was less than a second off Renault regular Fernando Alonso's pace, despite not doing much set-up work.
Now that Jarno Trulli has been released from his Renault contract - the Italian is to be announced as a Toyota driver tomorrow before testing for the Japanese car maker at Silverstone - Villeneuve is poised to replace him for the final three grands prix of the season, should both parties be satisfied with the outcome of the test.
"It's great," said Villeneuve after his first day back in an F1 car in nearly a year. "Silverstone's a great track, it's a fast track and a good track to drive on. We did a lot of laps, 70. So it's just a question of getting used to the team and working on the seat. We did not really do much set-up work today.
Villeneuve has been at the centre of much press speculation in the last week, kicked off when autosport.com exclusively predicted that he was on the verge of signing a two-year deal with Sauber, which was duly announced today.
"When things start going well, then everything that can be good just happens," he said. "It's always that way. That's why in March and April I started training hard just in case, just to be ready, and it's paying off."
Asked whether he would like to see his former team BAR beaten by Renault in the constructors championship Villeneuve responded: "The aim is to help Renault to be second in the constructors championship. Yeah if we can be them [BAR] it would be great. There are a lot of people I have known and worked with at Renault in the past, both with BAR and Williams so it is nice to work with people I know."
McLaren's Kimi Raikkonen set a new unofficial lap record at Silverstone, more than two seconds faster than his own pole position time for the British Grand Prix back in July, to top the times. The remarkable thing about the lap was that it was part of four-lap run as opposed to an out-and-out flier. When asked about the lap later on and team insider said: "Kimi was just in the mood!"
Raikkonen's team-mate Pedro de la Rosa was second fastest in the old MP4-19A, while Takuma Sato was third quickest for BAR-Honda. Jenson Button, working on set-up and an aero-package for China, was fifth, while F1's other returnee Ralf Schumacher was ninth quickest for Williams after his lunch break was extended by a technical problem.
Kimi Raikkonen McLaren-Mercedes M 1m16.151s 59
Pedro de la Rosa McLaren-Mercedes M 1m17.102s 94
Takuma Sato BAR-Honda M 1m17.144s 84
Olivier Panis Toyota M 1m17.283s 101
Jenson Button BAR-Honda M 1m17.457s 103
Ricardo Zonta Toyota M 1m17.653s 129
Marc Gene Williams-BMW M 1m17.706s 80
Fernando Alonso Renault M 1m17.783s 117
Ralf Schumacher Williams-BMW M 1m18.389s 37
Jacques Villeneuve Renault M 1m18.766s 70
French Federation Committed to Supporting Young Drivers
Trulli to test Toyota


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HDFC Bank's ISO 27004-compliant security metrics a boost toward GRC
An ISO/IEC 27004-compliant metrics program is a rarity in the Indian infosec circuit. Indian BFSI major HDFC Bank's ISMS has been there, done that
Varun Haran, Reporter
When HDFC Bank's infosec initiative reached critical mass in early 2010, CISO Vishal Salvi felt the time had come for finding a way to measure the effectiveness of the program for security to function effectively and optimally. To this end, the bank started looking around in the market for a security metrics standard.
The ISO/IEC 27004 standard for security metrics, which had just been released in December 2009, was zeroed in on. It was a logical extension of ISO 27001, and met all of HDFC Bank's tactical requirements. A solution was developed based on the standards guidelines to serve HDFC Bank's security metrics needs.
Why ISO 27004
While HDFC Bank already had metrics measuring outcomes of security initiatives and incidents to facilitate management reporting, this was being done manually. Under the bank's existing model prior to the ISO 27004 compliance, data had to be collected and organized into charts and PPTs each time there was a management briefing session or an infosec review.
Manually managing metrics was turning out to be unproductive and prone to errors, in addition to not adhering to any standard structure. The implementation of an ISO 27004 based solution would make it possible for Salvi and his team to spend more time managing security rather than generating graphs and charts.
Further, maintaining this data over a period of time in a consistent form and format was turning out to be a hassle. While HDFC Bank had an ambitious automated GRC initiative in the pipeline, there was still some way to go before that materialized. A decision was taken to go for a tactical solution to deal with these issues in the interim. Complying with ISO 27004 was seen as a structured way to approach infosec metrics.
Instances of metrics measured at HDFC Bank
Users who have completed security course over total.
Number of encrypted laptops over total.
Open / closed vulnerabilities based on criticality.
Orphan IDs in the system.
Severe security incidents and their analysis.
Phase one: The initial assessment
The initial phase of the exercise was divided into two components. HDFC Bank engaged a consultancy firm for this purpose, which began by gathering data to determine the measurable metrics requirements for each of the 21 components of HDFC Bank's infosec program, including governance, application security, network security, IDAM and so forth. Attention was paid to what was being measured currently and what was expected to be measured under ISO 27004.
The consulting team and Salvi's team worked in tandem to this end. Part of the challenge here was ascribing measurable numbers or percentages to security, an area where ISO 27004 helped. The second component of this exercise involved determining data points and thresholds. The team determined how data would be sourced and received. Once this was formalized, the last piece of the puzzle was how the data would be represented.
Building and managing the "Matrix" dashboard
The second phase of this project involved building a system compliant with ISO 27004, wherein security metrics would be immediately available over an online dashboard. Post phase one, the consulting team was contracted to develop and implement a system for which Python, mod_WSGI and Django was used, with JavaScript/HTML5-based FusionCharts as the front end. Taking a server/app-based approach, the 'Matrix' dashboard system uses Apache at the backend and a graphical interface to represent the metric data, making it easy to identify and zero-in on problems quickly.
Depending on the defined thresholds, the Matrix dashboard represents the data graphically. Data is fed into the system manually on a monthly basis by the infosec team, for every single measurable component. In addition to representing this data as per requirements, the system also acts as a repository, enabling retrospective analysis. This ISO 27004 compliant system, which took six to seven months to implement after several rounds of testing, has been in place for the last 18 months.
Team members responsible for each security component have data entry rights to the system. In monthly cycles, once data entry is complete, the Matrix dashboard is reviewed by the infosec team. Salvi is the owner of the ISO 27004 complaint dashboard and the product and its results are consumed only by Salvi's team and several stakeholders in the security committee.
According to Salvi, one of the Matrix system's limitations is that it is hard coded. He explains further that because the dashboard was meant to be tactical, flexibility was an inevitable tradeoff. Given that the system is not modular, any required change has to be made at the code level.
Security metrics and ROI
Salvi feels that the ISO 27004 compliant dashboard has become invaluable during management review meetings every month. There can now be a constant review of trends and visibility of risk, greatly aiding decision making. This has brought in discipline and rigor to the infosec process. Being tactical, the solution did not require a significant amount of funding and did not require making a business case outside the infosec team. In fact, Salvi feels that ROI has been substantial since implementation 18 months ago, with break-even being achieved a long time back.
Read more about HDFC Bank
Multi-layered user authentication at HDFC Bank for NetBanking safety.
HDFC Bank's BS 25999 certification journey: An exploration.
HDFC Bank's enterprise security framework up close.
The comprehensive repository that now exists for security metrics data would not have been possible without automation. The security reporting process has become extremely streamlined with ISO 27004 compliance, minimizing reliance on individual team members.
Salvi believes that dashboards are more useful to CISOs than higher management, helping them understand the key issues and challenges on the ground better. "It's been a great enabler for me," he says, emphasizing that the ISO 27004 initiative has improved HDFC Bank's security posture.
According to Salvi, the ISO 27004 compliant system is a tactical initiation to automation — a first step towards HDFC Bank's GRC initiative, which in turn is strategic in nature and is expected to be end-to-end, taking security metrics to the next level. The present system is expected to be decommissioned when IT GRC is fully implemented, incorporating ISO 27004 compliance within. Meanwhile, according to Salvi, the current ISO 27004 compliance measures serve as a proactive way of approaching information security metrics.
Read more on IT risk management
If you can't beat them...
By: David Lacey
CISSP online training: Information security governance, risk management
By: Shon Harris
CISSP training video: Control objectives, risk management and analysis
Leading Indian banking portals contain glaring security lapses
Vishal Salvi – ComputerWeekly.com
HDFC Bank's enterprise security framework up close – ComputerWeekly.com
HDFC Bank's BS 25999 certification journey: An ... – ComputerWeekly.com


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Floxin Peripheral Neuropathy Lawsuit
Oral and intravenous (IV) forms of the antibiotic Floxin (ofloxacin) have been linked to peripheral neuropathy. This rare side effect can cause severe nerve pain, muscle weakness, and decreased sensation. In 2013, the FDA revised the Medication Guide with stronger warnings about Floxin and peripheral neuropathy. The new warnings emphasize that nerve damage can occur rapidly and it may be permanent.
UPDATE: Nerve Damage Risk Doubles for Users of Some Antibiotics
August 25, 2014 — A study published in Neurology has found a doubled increased risk of peripheral neuropathy (nerve damage) from the use of antibiotics in the fluoroquinolone (FQ) class. Click here to read more.
What is Floxin (ofloxacin)?
Floxin (ofloxacin) is an antibiotic that belongs to the fluoroquinolone class. It works by preventing bacteria from reproducing and repairing their DNA. It was created by Ortho-McNeil Pharmaceuticals and approved in 1990. It was discontinued in the U.S. in June 2009, although generic Floxin remains available.
Types of ofloxacin and uses include:
Oral Floxin (ofloaxacin): Treats bacterial infections of the skin, bladder, urinary tract, respiratory tract (pneumonia, bronchitis), sexually transmitted diseases (gonorrhea, chlamydia), and more.
Ofloxacin otic: Ear drops that are used to treat outer-ear and chronic middle-ear infections (also known as "swimmer's ear") in adults and children with a perforated eardrum.
Ophthalmic ofloxacin: Eye drops that treat conjunctivitis (pink eye).
Study of Floxin and Peripheral Neuropathy
In 2001, in the Annals of Pharmacotherapy published a study linking Floxin to peripheral neuropathy and severe, long-term side effects that involve nerves and other organ systems.
Researchers found that the onset of adverse events was usually rapid — 33% of events began within 24 hours, 68% of cases began within 72 hours, and 84% of cases occurred within one week. Symptoms lasted for at least three months in 71% of patients, and more than one year in 58% of patients.
FDA Warning for Floxin and Peripheral Neuropathy
The FDA added warnings about the risk of peripheral neuropathy to the label on Floxin in October 2004. In August 2013, they updated these warnings to emphasize the rapid onset and potentially permanent complications. According to the Safety Warning for Floxin and Peripheral Neuropathy:
"The onset of peripheral neuropathy after starting fluoroquinolone therapy was rapid, often within a few days. In some patients the symptoms had been ongoing for more than a year despite discontinuation of the fluoroquinolone. Several patients were continued on the fluoroquinolone drug despite the occurrence of neuropathic symptoms."
What is Peripheral Neuropathy (Nerve Damage)?
Peripheral neuropathy is an injury to peripheral nerves, which carry signals from the brain to the spinal cord and body, all the way to the toes and fingertips. Floxin is associated with neuropathy of sensory and motor nerves, which can cause paresthesia (burning, tickling, or prickling sensations) and problems with motor coordination.
Symptoms of Peripheral Neuropathy
Abnormal sense of touch, texture, temperature, or pain
Chronic nerve pain that is shooting or stabbing
Numbness (may feel as if the patient is wearing a thin stocking)
Decreased sense of balance or body position
Problems walking
Loss of fine motor skills
Noroxin Peripheral Neuropathy Lawsuit
Factive Peripheral Neuropathy Lawsuit
Cipro Peripheral Neuropathy Lawsuit
Avelox Peripheral Neuropathy Lawsuit
Floxin Lawsuit


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The Wolf Among Us: In Sheep's Clothing
(click linked text below to jump to related section of the review)
The Game Itself
The Video: Sizing Up the Picture
The Audio: Rating the Sound
Replay Factor
Brian Hoss
Review Date:1
PC version reviewed with some notes regarding the hardware. The episodic series is story-intensive, and thereby, the review is as spoiler-free as it can be.
Make no mistake, after the first three episodes of Telltale Games' 'The Wolf Among Us,' there is something in the air. After shaking off a decent introduction, each episode has dripped with fantastic destitution. Playing as Fabletown's Sheriff has meant balancing force, deduction, and the delicate-to-harsh sensibilities of the other characters. In 'Sheep's Clothing,' the fourth and penultimate episode of the season (which will hopefully be followed by another), begins with Bigby in a tough position physically, but in a worse one emotionally. Can the Sheriff find and punish the brutally guilty while still protecting the common folk who resent his lone and authoritative status?
The Game Itself: Our Reviewer's Take
In this fourth review of 'The Wolf Among Us' I am forced to explain that this review is a bit different than prior installments. Normally, when approaching a review for any game, I'm able carve out solid chunks of time on my best equipment, and for Telltale Games episodes, this means an unbroken playthrough at 2560 x1440 in the wee hours prior to the episode's public release (or after, depending on Telltale's review cooperation). This time around, I had to find a small town bar just to be able to download the new episode. My playthrough was done with Sony Vita earbuds and a HD 4000 "graphics solution," and it was anything but unbroken. Most of it was done in Steam's offline mode.
Thus, I can easily state that for such a story dependent game, one whose twists are much more illusionary than substantive, it's compelling nature is undeniable even under less than ideal circumstances.
Once again, Bigby is chasing clues, villains and their associates, and in some instances his tail. And yet, from the very beginning of the episode, the tone shifts, the prior episode's extreme balancing act gives way to something much more personal. Bigby is truly hunting now, looking to make right what he was "crookedly" forced to do in the prior act. Fabletown's inhabitants are coming full circle now as the organized, exploitive force that is mixing desperation and illegal magic is becoming more and more visible.
In some ways, this could be viewed as a filler episode, but that personal nature of the events, the fury which drives Bigby in a controlled state of rampage sets up a series of confrontations with all sorts of nefarious characters, from the lightly compromised, the hopelessly illicit, and the downright devilish.
Thinking on the progression of locales and characters, and again, the stock 'Fables' side characters rear their ugly heads. Throughout the episodes there are certain characters which feature prominently in the comics who appear and spew one-note characterizations and usually come off as intentional or incidental time-wasters. This time around, their collective roles are fortunately restrained and thereby don't detract as much as they have in some prior episodes.
One of the more obvious plot points, the ribbons, is finally directly addressed, and all-in-all, the episode does a great balancing out older settings with new ones. Three later segments, the pawn shop, the butcher shop, and the final setting come together to reflect, if not the best segments of the series, proof positive that this story, even while swelling to a climax, is firing on all cylinders.
There's a certain judiciousness in how each scene's setting is parceled out as either pedestrian or extraordinary, and there's more to it than just whether it's being reused. When a well-lit ho-hum pawn shop takes on a grind-house quality, or a dank meat locker can achieve a dense forest effect more unsettling than even the horror beyond it, it's easy to see that this team is working wonders with the engine. There were times, like seeing the dry splatter on Bigby's shirt, where the individual character texture resolution appeared to need a boost. Other factors, like octagonal earrings, errant shadow blending, and jittery character animation just seem like spots where Telltale has settled for now. Even so, it's nice to see the game look so good on such unspectacular hardware.
Once again, I love the soundtrack. It cooks the mood perfectly, but I despair to hear no new music ever even hinted at. The voice acting is very good, with the biggest exception being a certain blowhard. Even with just stereo, the steady improvement in sound design continues, and I'm very expectant for this area to really pop in the next episode.
I may feel differently once the final episode it out, but for now, this is likely the most repayable episode of the series, even edging out the thrilling 'Smoke and Mirrors.' Playing as a hurt and angry Bigby on the warpath is a blast, with several chapters worthy of replay on their own or as part of the whole episode.
Most of my player choices landed shy of 50%, which is pretty surprising. I took it as the result of nuanced choices, as Bigby faces multiple instances where grades of empathy and viciousness are less obvious than black and white.
When announced, the idea of playing as the Sheriff in the prequel Fabletown wasn't exactly a homerun. Boiling the tapestry of characters and locales down to a single character's point of view was no sure success, but when playing 'In Sheep's Clothing' the payoff is apparent. Bigby, gruff and reformed, isn't the most righteous of characters, but stepping into his place and trying to redress all of the sick and twisted acts that have accumulated over four episodes, has meant becoming an integral part an engaging narrative, and brings to my mind the exploits of William Munny in 'Unforgiven.' As for the conclusion of 'In Sheep's Clothing,' it somehow makes the wait for the finale interminable and yet the cliffhanger seems like one worthy of great anticipation.
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Home > Featuring Now > Inspirational Woman: Sukhjit Kaur Khalsa | Artist, Educator, Performer & Human Rights Reformer
Inspirational Woman: Sukhjit Kaur Khalsa | Artist, Educator, Performer & Human Rights Reformer
Ashish Bhardwaj
Wow, 8,212 of you have read this.
Sukhjit Kaur Khalsa is a first generation Australian Sikh spoken word artist, educator, performer & human rights reformer.
Sukhjit is passionate about diversity and the importance of visibility in the performing arts and inherently merges her advocacy background with the arts. Her work predominantly provokes conversations around Australian identity, feminism, cultural confusions, and the power of uncomfortable conversations.
Within a short period, Sukhjit has gone from performing at the Opera House for the Australian Poetry Slam Competition in 2014 to performing on national television for Australia's Got Talent, and most recently she was a speaker at TedxUWA. She has shared the stage with renowned artists such as Missy Higgins and L-FRESH the Lion and her performances and workshops have led her to tour USA, Canada, UK and South East Asia, as well as across our very own nation.
Sukhjit is currently co-commissioned to write and perform 'Fully Sikh' with Barking Gecko Theatre Company and Black Swan State Theatre Company in Western Australia for their 2019 season.
Tell us about yourself, your background and what you do currently
I'm a watermelon lover, over sharer, loud laugher, spoken word poet, playwright, and performer.
Tell us about any current projects or initiatives you wish to promote
After living in Melbourne for over three years, I've come back to my hometown Perth and really sinking my teeth into some skills development opportunities that have come up.
I'm currently finishing up my spoken word narrative script for Fully Sikh, my first theatre debut based on my adolescence.
I'm super nervous to share this vulnerable work with Perth in October and then hopefully it'll be touring around the nation (and the world – wink wink).
I'm also dipping my toes into screenwriting and hopefully publishing a book in the next couple of years. I've never really thought of my words as readable but rather to be heard and experienced. I use a lot of character work and tableaux so I always find it hard to write for the page. However, keeping that in mind I'm working on a picture book that will hopefully be readable as well as heard and experienced.
For the last four years I've been on a whirlwind of adventures, performing in every state in Australia, touring America, Canada, Malaysia, Singapore, the UK with my soap box. Most of these spoken word gigs have been with a mix of workshops for youth (and sometimes Sikh parents lol) which is where the real magic happens. My fav workshop was with a group of over 90 teenage Sikh boys. The energy, the transformation, vulnerability on both ends was pretty epic!
The more I face my fears, the more resilient I'm getting and becoming an effective communicator even in my personal life.
My favourite performances have been:
my first poetry performance was at The Bird in Perth where I accidentally entered the Australian Poetry Slam which led me to perform with some epic peeps at the Sydney Opera House
standing tall and performing poetry at Speakers Corner, Hyde Park, London (probably the hardest gig I've ever done as I was trying to yell over the religious hate speech of older men)
being the opening act for Missy Higgins at Hamer Hall, Arts Centre, Melbourne (she's a beloved Australian singer)
What does the future hold for you?
I hope I continue to grow and evolve into the artist I'm meant to become by being challenged every day.
I hope I stay humble, speak my mind, become more and more free to express what feels natural to me.
I hope my audiences stay connected.
Whether it's four-year-old "performance art", spoken word, screen writing, or publishing my thoughts, I hope I stay true to Sukhjit.
www.facebook.com/sookjeet
www.instagram.com/thesukimonster
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Inspirational Woman: Dr Deepa Katyal Engineer | Veterinarian, Animal Wellness and Rehabilitation Center & Trustee of Kalote Animal Trust
Ashish Bhardwaj is based in New Delhi. Ashish is a Management Graduate and has worked with a number of leading Indian companies. Ashish works tirelessly to connect with and interview Indian women across India and abroad and is proud to be actively involved in empowering Indian women. His interests are reading, networking and football and his favourite team is Argentina where he hopes to visit one day!


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The BBL Week In Words – Featuring Drew Lasker, Jamal Williams and more!
In the seventh addition of our new feature, we look back at the last week in the BBL and bring you the best quotes. This week includes two BBL coaches unhappy with the current play-off format!
This is now a regular feature on BBLFans, so let us know if you have heard some interesting thoughts from someone so they can feature here next time.
This week, there is praise for the Newcastle Eagles, Leicester Riders make history and Plymouth coach Gavin Love on how no-one likes the aggregate format of the play-offs!
"This season we have been up and down and very inconsistent. We just want to make sure we are playing the best ball we can play going into the play-offs. At this point it really doesn't matter where we finish." – Drew Lasker reflects on Guildford Heat's season
"They have got this never say side attitude. They never think they are beaten and they play until the very end. It's great to play games against them. They play the game in the right way and they deserve to be where they are." – Worcester Wolves coach Paul James Newcastle Eagles for their BBL Championship win
"It comes back again to why the league doesn't play the best of three. I think the league has to work harder to get there. I don't think anyone likes the aggregate format. We've finished in the top four and we have no advantage whatsoever in the first round." – Plymouth coach Gavin Love isn't happy with the current BBL format
"They can put their names in the history books of Britain's oldest club. For all of them, to be a part of that, to see that on their career resume would be nice. To be able to say that they were a member of a team that set that kind of record, it would be great." – Leicester Riders coach Rob Paternostro discusses the team's best BBL season in their history
"I wouldn't want to say we're hot and cold at the moment. We've been struggling with injuries. I think the balance we have in the team and the consistency we've had has been thrown off." Plymouth's Jamal Williams explains the team's dip in form
"With the format the way it is you don't get much of an advantage as a high seed and it comes down to one big eighty minute game. For the lower seeds if you manage to knock out a top seed you still have toplay the next highest seed in the next round so it doesn't make too much of a difference if you're seeded five, six, seven or eight." – Guildford Heat coach Creon Raftopoulos echoes the views of Gavin Love
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