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Dr. Rachelle Viader Knowles
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« Previous: Dr. Moisés Mañas Carbonell
Rachelle Viader Knowles is Head of the Department of Visual Arts and Associate Professor of Visual Arts Intermedia at the University of Regina in central Canada. She is a visual artist and educator working in a broad range of contemporary media. Her work encompasses four interconnected zones: lens and time-based installation, site-specific practices and alternate spaces of exhibition and viewership, text and language-based works, and innovative art pedagogies. Her projects have been performed, screened, exhibited and installed in galleries and festivals across Canada and internationally in the USA, South Korea, the UK, Germany and Argentina. Solo exhibition include: Home and Other Fictions at Chapter Gallery in Cardiff, UK (2003); Poem and Bedspin at Residencia Corazon Gallery in La Plata, Argentina (2008); In The Neighbourhood at the Mendel Art Gallery in Saskatoon, Canada (2008); and Life Elsewhere at the Art Gallery of Regina in Canada. Hybrid art/pedagogy projects include Near and Far, a collaboration with the Independent Art School and Hull Time-Based Arts in the UK, and Blur Street and Crossing Over in collaboration with Dr. Kathleen Irwin. Knowles has received numerous awards including residencies at the Banff Centre for the Arts, Trinity Square Video in Toronto, the Braziers Workshop in the UK, the Atlantic Centre for the Arts in Florida, the Hungarian Multicultural Centre in Budapest, Residencia Corazon in Argentina, the Canada Council Studio in Paris and the Elsewhere Museum in Greensboro, USA. In 2007 she was a finalist for the Sobey Award, Canada's contemporary art prize. Originally from the UK, she studied Interactive Arts at the University of Wales and received an MFA in Visual Arts from the University of Windsor in Canada. uregina.ca/rvk
Last Known Location:
Title: Border Crossings: blurring places and spaces of art, pedagogy and global citizenry.
Title: Crossing Over: International Practice-based Research and Tele/Digital Performance
Kathleen Irwin
Artist-Exhibiting

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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Not a wonderful world: Louis Armstrong tapes reveal how racism scarred his life and career
Audio diaries including previously unheard material tell of the jazz giant's anger over the prejudice he faced
Louis Armstrong performs on the Kraft Music Hall TV show at NBC Studios in New York in June 1967. Photograph: David Redfern/Redferns
He was a founding father of jazz, a trumpet virtuoso and a gravel-voiced singer revered across the world, with Mack the Knife and Hello, Dolly! among his enduring hits. Yet Louis Armstrong was so focused on how history would judge him that he sought to preserve his own story for posterity by taping his recollections, including about the prejudice he suffered over the colour of his skin.
Now the makers of a major documentary on the celebrated musician, nicknamed Satchmo or Pops, have been given unprecedented access to that archive, which includes thousands of hours of previously unheard audio recordings.
Read more on the original article : https://www.theguardian.com/music/2022/sep/03/louis-armstrong-tapes-reveal-how-racism-scarred-his-life-and-career
Louis Amstrong


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Beyond the NICU Episode 5: Returning to Work After a NICU Stay
Mia discusses her own NICU experience
The emotions surrounding going back to work
How to be transparent at work and in the NICU
Importance of practicing self-care
How the NICU trains you to be an advocate and leader
After we recorded this interview, we received news that Mia's daughter lost her battle with congestive heart failure and passed away at just two years, seven months. Mia's family has set up an endowment fund in their daughter's name to support research at Rady Children's Hospital in San Diego, California. Click here to visit the endowment fund.
Guest: Mia Durairaj, MSc, NICU mom and
founder of Mindful Return
Mindful Return
Balancing Career with a Special Needs Baby
Little Octopus
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This page was last modified on Nov 7, 2019 @ 11:37 am. If you see any information that needs to be updated or corrected, please contact info@handtohold.org.


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Rock Star Redemption Series
Opening Act - Paperback
Opening Act: Rock Star Redemption Series is also available on Kindle through Amazon.com.
What happens when the hottest rock band on the planet, Infusion Deep, asks you to open for them on their UK tour?
Ian Taylor thinks Buxton Peak is up for the challenge. He's got a lot to learn about how to play in a real rock band. The high school gym is no place to get an education in the music business, and nothing in his amateur recording studio prepared him for center stage.
See what happens when Ian Taylor, Kai Burton, Andy Smith, and Gary Owens of Buxton Peak spend the summer opening for Finn Holloway, Wes Bowman, Drew Moore, and Adam Thompson of Infusion Deep.


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The 3 Most popular Gaming Websites where people tend to visit more often than not
It's straightforward to find good websites that review games and report on what's going on with them. We've made a list of the best. You can find out if a game is worth your money before you buy it or if you want to stay up to date on the most recent news about games.
Many people play games on these websites
People who write about video games have dealt with many things in the last few years. Many well-known video game websites have been very unethical, but we don't want to go into too much detail. Just a few of the things that have gone wrong: collusion, hidden financial links, and other favoritism are a few of them.
A lot of research shows that playing certain games with the help of parents and teachers can help kids learn to read at a younger age. Game apps like "Endless Alphabet" and "Times Table Rock Stars" can help young people learn in a more fun way at school. In addition, as the number of connected toys grows, kids will be able to play physical games with their toys and play digital games with them. With the help of a camera, educational gadgets like Osmo can bring a child's play to the fore in a new way.
Many of the more difficult multi-player games help players improve their strategic and analytical skills and their ability to react quickly to changes in the game. All of the skills they use can be used in real-world jobs that require creative problem-solving, analytical skills, and strategic thinking, among other things.
You can think about culture and perspectives in a new way.
It is a good way for kids to learn about other people's cultures and worldviews. They can play video games, which let them become fully immersed in virtual worlds and communicate with people from all over the world.
The focus of many gaming websites has also changed regarding rating games. They focused only on gameplay and quality, but now they pay more attention to how well the games work. Other websites focus more on social and political issues or feature writers who write their articles as if they were writing them for their blogs. It's a shame that some gaming websites have started to write about more things that aren't about games now (such as movies, TV, and music).
The GameStopRadar
One of the other gaming news sites is GamesRadar+. It has a good mix of stories. You can read about new games, see how they work, and get a hands-on look at them.
Besides being one of the most popular video game magazines, Game Informer also has a website that you can visit. This website is different from the rest because it only talks about video games. News and previews of upcoming games, as well as other exciting things, can be found right here.
Many games websites are complicated now, but it's nice to see one that isn't so hard to use. Many people have been gamers for a long time, so the site looks good. The most important things people talk about when they review games are graphics, playability, and how many times you can play the same game again.
In general, Game Informer is a site made by and for other gamers. Gamers made it for other gamers. Besides the fact that the site doesn't review every game, there isn't anything else to worry about.
Metacritic is the best place to go if you don't have a lot of time or want to read a lot of reviews. A game review site isn't itself, though. You can see how other review sites have rated things on this site (like Rotten Tomatoes and similar websites do for movies).
People can get a score of 1 to 100 in the game search. People who have used this app before can look at how the reviewers' opinions match up with those of other people who have used the app.
Tablet Gaming Vs Mobile Gaming : what to say?
The Top PUBG e-sports Teams Across the Globe


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Scientists Crack Genome of Superfood Seaweed, Ito-Mozuku
Along the tropical coastline of Okinawa, Japan, farmers raise rows of delectable seaweed and harvest tens of thousands of tons of the crop each year. Unfortunately, scientists predict that pollution and rising ocean temperatures will blunt this impressive yield, forcing farmers to adopt new cultivation techniques. Recently, scientists at the Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University (OIST) decoded the genome of the popular brown seaweed ito-mozuku (Nemacystus decipiens), providing data that could someday be critical to local farmers.
The study, published March 14, 2019 in Scientific Reports, presents the world's first draft genome of ito-mozuku. Just three years ago, the unit released the first draft genome of another local species of edible seaweed, Cladosiphon okamuranus, called Okinawa mozuku. Both seaweed species contain exceptionally high concentrations of fucoidan, a slimy substance thought to stymie the formation of blood clots and cancerous tumors, among other health benefits. The researchers have spotted which genes drive up this fucoidan concentration, a discovery that could have applications in the health food industry.
Besides revealing genes that imbue mozuku with health benefits, the research could be useful for farming.
"My future plan is to establish new methods for cultivation of this species," said Dr. Koki Nishitsuji, first author of the study and a staff scientist in the OIST Marine Genomics Unit, led by Prof. Noriyuki Satoh. Nishitsuji is now working to develop genetic markers to distinguish ito-mozuku from its close cousin.
"Using those markers, we can do cross-breeding," he said. "This is a popular method for making new varieties of land plants, especially wheat and potatoes, but in the case of seaweed, no one has succeeded in cross-breeding."
The Marine Genomics Unit conducted their study with the help of the Onna Fisheries Cooperative, an organization based just around the corner from OIST campus. The group established the "Onna-1" strain of ito-mozuku in 2006 and provided samples for the genome study. The Unit plans to continue sequencing samples from the Cooperative, but someday, they hope to extend their research even further.
"So far, we plan to continue our 'seaweed project' in Okinawa," said Nishitsuji. "If possible, we would like to expand it to cover all of Japan."
Mozuku, a type of brown seaweed, contains exceptionally high levels of fucoidan compared to other seaweeds. This is especially true of the sporophyte of the "Onna-1" strain of ito-mozuku, a very big, chewy and slimy seaweed specimen cultivated in Onna, Okinawa. Fucoidan is thought to have many health benefits, such as preventing the formation of tumors and blood clots.
Fucoidan Factories
Compared to other brown seaweeds, such as kombu (Saccharina japonica) or wakame (Undaria pinnatifida), both ito-mozuku and Okinawa mozuku are incredibly rich sources of fucoidan. The reason why might be coded in their genes.
The researchers found that both mozuku species contain a fused gene that drives their fucoidan production. On their own, the two genes code for two separate enzymes—proteins that facilitate chemical reactions and ultimately help produce fucoidan. Once fused, the genes can be expressed simultaneously and produce a single enzyme equipped with two functions. Armed with a double-edged enzyme, mozuku likely pumps out fucoidan in a fraction of the time it takes other seaweeds, Nishitsuji said.
The researchers uncovered an additional pair of fused genes in ito-mozuku that they didn't find in Okinawa mozuku. They predict that, when expressed, these genes may boost the number of sulfate groups transferred to fucoidan, a chemical reaction that may be key to the substance's health benefits. The unit plans to put this theory to the test in future studies, as they continue to collect genomic data from brown seaweeds across Okinawa and greater Japan.
"Land crops have a long history of genetic study," said Nishitsuji. "But no one has pursued this kind of research in seaweed." Knowing the cultural and economic importance of the crop in Japan, the Marine Genomics Unit aims to bring our understanding of seaweed up to speed.
Researchers from the Marine Genomics Unit stand with co-authors from the Onna Fisheries Cooperative on Nabee Beach in Okinawa. Together, the team collected and decoded the genome of ito-mozuku (Nemacystus decipiens), the popular Japanese brown seaweed.
By Nicoletta Lanese
For press inquiries, please contact media@oist.jp.
Related Images (2)
Field of Research:
Marine Genomics
Unit or Division:
Marine Genomics Unit (Noriyuki Satoh)


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The Guide to the Gay Northeast
Revision as of 16:48, 12 May 2013 by Edboyce (Talk | contribs)
Here is made available archival scans of The Guide to the Gay Northeast, one of the most intrepid gay journalistic publications of all time. The issues are available by PDF which contain selected content (omitting much of the advertising and other ephemera), which are linked below, along with links to pages that describe the major articles and editorials to be found within, to aide research use.
January, 1989; volume 9, number 1 Contents ° PDF scan
Retrieved from "http://www.williamapercy.com/wiki/index.php?title=The_Guide_to_the_Gay_Northeast&oldid=12655"


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Deaf/Hard of Hearing
Treshelle Marie Edmond with interpreter
"Some people don't even want to try to communicate with a deaf person and seem afraid to talk to us or ask questions. We are just regular people too. Don't be afraid. Talk to me! I love talking to people."
–Treshelle Marie Edmond, Glee, House, Master of None
Lawyers Haben Girma and Claudia Gordon, actor Nyle DiMarco, Academy Award winning actress Marlee Matlin, The Silent Child's Maisie Sly and filmmakers Delbert Whetter and Jevon Whetter also are deaf.
Deafness is defined as a hearing loss that prevents a person from understanding speech through the ear. People who are hard of hearing have a more mild or moderate hearing loss that may or may not be corrected with amplification. A person who is deaf may also have speech difficulties. A 2011 study led by Johns Hopkins researchers which used the World Health Organization's definition for hearing loss (i.e. the inability to hear sounds of 25 decibels or less in the speech frequencies) found that nearly a fifth of all Americans, or about 30 million people, have hearing loss in both ears, and that 48 million Americans have hearing loss in at least one ear.
To get the person's attention, touch the person lightly, wave your hand or use some other physical sign. If an interpreter is being used, speak directly to the person who is deaf rather than to the interpreter. If the person is lip-reading, look directly at the person, speak slowly and clearly, but do not exaggerate your lip movements and especially do not shout. Speak expressively because the person will use your facial expressions, gestures and body movements to help understand what you are saying. Keep your hands and any other objects away from your mouth when speaking. If you are still having trouble communicating, feel free to use written notes.
Deaf and Hard of Hearing persons often have different preferences as to mode of communications. Some may wish to communicate via e-mail and/or text/SMS. Social media also has become a popular means of informal communication. Others may wish to communicate through a "relay interpreter," often referred to as a "relay operator" or "communications assistant." It is important to ask the individual what the preferred mode of communication is.
In early years, people who are deaf and hard of hearing would communicate through telecommunications devices known as TTYs or TDDs, either between two users of such devices or between a user and a relay operator. Although there remain numerous references to such devices in many contemporary resource guides, it is important to note that they are generally no longer in widespread use.
Today, many telephone communications take place through a video-based relay service ("Video Relay Services") or a text-based relay services. These services differ only with respect to the user experience of the deaf or hard of hearing caller. The user experience of the hearing caller will remain in the same manner as with any other telephone call. The relay call will be conducted by the communications assistant ("CA") voicing everything to you that the Relay User types or signs, and by the CA signing or typing to the Relay User everything that you voice.
There is no cost to use these services, nor is there a special telephone number. If given a telephone number by a deaf or hard of hearing individual that utilizes a relay service, you need only to call that number. The relay interpreter/operator will automatically facilitate the telephone call for you.
If you are unfamiliar with Relay, ask the operator to explain how Relay works. When the CA says, "Go Ahead," that means it is your turn to respond. Speak slowly and directly to the deaf/hard of hearing caller, not to the CA. When you are finished speaking, say, "Go Ahead" to signal that it is the other persons turn to talk.
Some people who are deaf would not like to be called hearing impaired due to the negativity of the word impaired. Say "person who is deaf" or "person who is hard of hearing." If someone is both deaf and blind, the term is deafblind. Never say deaf and dumb. Many people in the Deaf community prefer use of a lowercase "d" to refer to audiological status and the use of a capital "D" when referring to the culture and community of Deaf people.
When hiring a sign language interpreter through a service, do so as early as possible. Two weeks is recommended. Be sure to confirm that the sign language interpreter is certified and experienced, and let the interpreter know it is for an entertainment industry event. Interpreting in the theatre, television or film industry requires more than just knowledge of sign language. It takes knowledge of the industry as well as the performing arts. A certified interpreter is someone who has met a minimum of hours of training on a regular basis, and abides by a code of professional conduct. This is important to ensure that your communications, and the conduct of the interpreter(s), meet the appropriate quality, ethical and professional standards. The Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf (RID) maintains a searchable directory of interpreters and their certification status.
Hiring an interpreter for a person who is Deafblind may require a specially trained, qualified interpreter, who is available through interpreting agencies. When hiring an interpreter for a person who is Deafblind, disclose the appropriate circumstances and requirements and confirm that the interpreter will be certified.
Certified Deaf Interpreters (CDI) are deaf professionals that have specialized training and/or experience in bridging the language and cultural gaps that sometimes exist between Deaf/Hard of Hearing and hearing parties. They possess native or near-native fluency in American Sign Language and may be recommended for circumstances where language difficulties or cultural differences occur, for instance, in highly traumatic emergency or medical situations, legal proceedings and technically complex assignments. CDI's work alongside ASL interpreters as a team and can play an instrumental role in ensuring that communications on set are efficient and effective.
A list of interpreters is available in Appendix A.
National organizations for people who are deaf or hard of hearing:
The American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) is the national professional, scientific and credentialing association for 198,000 members and affiliates who are audiologists; speech-language pathologists; speech, language and hearing scientists; audiology and speech-language pathology support personnel; and students.
asha.org
The American Society for Deaf Childrenis a nonprofit parent-helping-parent organization promoting a positive attitude toward signing and Deaf culture. It also provides support, encouragement and current information about deafness to families with deaf and hard of hearing children.
deafchildren.org
Greater Los Angeles Agency on Deafness(GLAD) provides support and advances the life of deaf and hard of hearing individuals by empowering them with information, training and opportunities. GLAD also provides training and technical assistance to hearing service providers, employers and community organizations and agencies. GLAD runs the LifeSigns interpreting agency and is a good resource for Deaf culture.
gladinc.org/human-services
Hearing Loss Association of America (HLAA) provides assistance and resources for people with hearing loss and their families to learn how to adjust to living with hearing loss. HLAA works to eradicate the stigma associated with hearing loss and raise public awareness about the need for prevention, treatment, and regular hearing screenings.
hearingloss.org
National Association of the Deafis the nation's premier civil rights organization of, by, and for deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals in the United States of America. Established in 1880, the NAD was shaped by deaf leaders who believed in the right of the American deaf community to use sign language, to congregate on issues important to them, and to have its interests represented at the national level.
nad.org
National Black Deaf Advocatesis an organization that promotes leadership, deaf awareness and active participation in the political, educational, and economic processes that affect the lives of black deaf citizens.
nbda.org
National Center on Deafness at California State University at Northridge'sadvocacy, programs and services support the acquisition of marketable skills and lifetime opportunities for deaf, hard of hearing and deafblind students. The center is a good local resource with a deaf studies department, professors and students.
csun.edu/ncod
The National Council of Hispano Deaf and Hard of Hearing's mission is to ensure equal access of the Hispano deaf and hard of hearing community in the areas of social, recreational, cultural, educational and vocational welfare.
ldhhamdc.org
TDI (formerly known as Telecommunications for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, Inc.)was established in 1968 originally to promote further distribution of TTYs in the deaf community and to publish an annual national directory of TTY numbers. Today, it is an active national advocacy organization focusing its energies and resources to address equal access issues in telecommunications and media for people who are deaf, hard-of-hearing, late-deafened and deafblind.
tdiforaccess.org
Connect with us on Twitter:
Connect with us on Facebook and join the community:
RespectAbility


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Category Archives: Geopolitics
Posted on June 30, 2019 by Greg Isaacson
Always impossible to know what's going on behind the scenes, and results matter more than gestures, but this seems like a good thing. As the saying goes, jaw, jaw is better than war, war. And it's not all theatrics; grand symbolic gestures can create political space for outcomes that would otherwise be hard to imagine.
I also view it as a positive sign that Mr. "Troika of Tyranny" was off in Mongolia during this event.
Posted in Geopolitics, Korea, US	| Tagged Kim Jong-un, North Korea	| Leave a reply
Japan's Belt and Road
Posted on May 27, 2019 by Greg Isaacson
Abe and Modi in 2016
In light of a certain state visit ongoing in Tokyo, I nominate this as the fact of the day (emphasis mine):
While Japan's "lost decades" and China's rise have led most observers to overlook Japan's role in Southeast and South Asia, the country has remained an important source of development assistance, public lending, and private investment across the region, particularly as Japanese companies have extended their supply chains deeper into Asia. At the end of 2016, Japan's stock of foreign direct investment in major Asian economies (excluding China and Hong Kong) was nearly $260 billion, exceeding China's $58.3 billion. It is undeniable that Japan has increasingly had to jockey with China for high-profile projects as China's footprint across Southeast and South Asia has grown. But Japan's longstanding relationships and its long record of private and public investment across the region make it a worthy competitor with China.
Japan's Belt and Road, particularly with US backing, could give China's massive trade and infrastructure strategy a serious run for its money. And Japan is still the world's third-largest economy…
Posted in China, Geopolitics, Japan, US	| Tagged Belt and Road, Infrastructure	| Leave a reply
Good news: Rare earths ain't so rare
Well, this is an actual relief. Rare earths may not, in fact, be America's Achilles heel (as China appears to think and as I previously thought):
Experts in the field, though, are much less concerned about such a chilling scenario. They say that while a restriction on rare earth exports would have some immediate adverse effects, the US and the rest of the world would adapt in the long run. "If China really cuts off supply entirely then there are short term problems," Tim Worstall, a former rare earth trader and commodities blogger tells The Verge. "But they're solvable."
Far from being an ace in the hole, it turns out rare earths are more of a busted flush.
The reasons for this are numerous, and span geography, chemistry, and history. But the most important factor is also the simplest to explain: rare earths just aren't that rare.
They can be mined in other places, like Australia, India, Brazil, Canada, and the U.S. China only mines about 80% of the global supply (not the 95% we often hear about). The Mountain Pass mine in California is apparently up and running again. And all is right in the world.
Posted in Business & economics, China, Geopolitics	| Tagged Rare earths	| Leave a reply
CIA raid on North Korean embassy in Spain?
Story from El Pais, the second most-read daily newspaper in Spain, presented without comment (well, okay, just one comment – WTF?):
Investigators from the Spanish police and National Intelligence Center (CNI) have linked an attack on the North Korean embassy in Madrid on February 22 to the US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA).
Sources believe the goal of the attack embassy was to get information on the former North Korean ambassador to Spain
At least two of the 10 assailants who broke into the embassy and interrogated diplomatic staff have been identified and have connections to the US intelligence agency. The CIA has denied any involvement but government sources say their response was "unconvincing."
If it is proven that the CIA was behind the attack, it could lead to a diplomatic spat between Madrid and Washington. Government sources say that it would be "unacceptable" for an ally to take such action. Not only would it mean that the US agency had operated on Spanish soil without asking for authorization or informing the authorities, it would also be a violation of the international conventions that protect diplomatic delegations.
What's more, unlike other intelligence activities – such as cyberattacks, which are characterized by their discretion, the attack on the North Korean embassy was especially violent. On February 22 at 3pm, 10 masked men carrying alleged imitation weapons broke into the embassy, located north of the capital in the residential area of Aravaca. They tied up the eight people inside and put bags on their heads. The victims were beaten and interrogated. A woman managed to escape from a window on the second floor and her screams for help were heard by a neighbor, who contacted the police.
Posted in Geopolitics	| Tagged CIA, North Korea, Spain, US	| Leave a reply
A new bloc on the block
Sergey Karaganov
The day (in 2000) when Putin suggested that Russia would be willing to join NATO if it was treated as an equal partner seems like a very long time ago. Of course, the offer was never made, and NATO proceeded to expand eastward to within 100 miles of St Petersburg.
In retrospect, shutting Russia out of the Western alliance was a colossal mistake, possibly one of the great strategic blunders in all of history. Because now Russia is hellbent on forging an alliance with China:
Russia's view of China has shifted significantly over the past five years. Moscow has abandoned any hope that the Chinese economy is an example it might emulate. Instead, foreign policy experts now talk of how Russia can use China to further its geopolitical goals.
There was no doubt at Valdai that China knows how to do economic growth, and that Russia does not. Russia's elite — always so ready to resist any sign of Western hegemony — have no problem admitting China's economic superiority. Their acceptance reminded me of the way Britain gave way to the United States as the world's dominant economic power.
Seen from Moscow, there is no resistance left to a new alliance led by China. And now that Washington has imposed tariffs on Chinese exports, Russia hopes China will finally understand that its problem is Washington, not Moscow.
In the past, the possibility of an alliance between the two countries had been hampered by China's reluctance to jeopardize its relations with the U.S. But now that it has already become a target, perhaps it will grow bolder. Every speaker at Valdai tried to push China in that direction.
Both Russia and China have obvious shortcomings, but the fact is that the US, Russia and China are the world's foremost military powers; and an alliance of two of those powers against the third could prove to be a geopolitical game-changer.
This alliance, if it becomes concrete, would overturn how we do global politics. Imagine an international crisis in which Russia and China suddenly emerge as a single bloc. The impact would be considerable, and to some extent unpredictable: Psychologically, in the mind of the West, it would combine the fear associated with Russia with the apparent invulnerability of China. Washington would feel under attack; Europe, intimidated and unsettled.
The old Continent would also face the threat of a split between Western Europe and the nations of Central and Eastern Europe, which could turn their focus east under the influence of a cash-happy China ready to invest in the region.
The author, a former Europe minister for Portugal, describes a scary meeting between former Putin adviser Sergey Karaganov and some Chinese officials and think tank people:
There, a number of Chinese participants said they doubted Russia's assertions that the world is in the midst of a new Cold War.
Karaganov dedicated himself to convincing them otherwise, arguing with increasing passion that China is deluding itself if it thinks issues between Beijing and Washington can be conveniently resolved to the benefit of both sides.
If Beijing places its bets on peace and cooperation, the great Chinese adventure will come to an end, and China will have to live in the shadow of the U.S. for another generation — perhaps forever, Karaganov said. Chinese authorities, he argued, have no more than five years to make a decision.
The clock is ticking.
Posted in China, Europe, Geopolitics, Russia	| Tagged NATO	| Leave a reply
Failed coup
Posted on March 6, 2019 by Greg Isaacson
Juan Guaido may remain interim president of Venezuela for a while
Looks like plans for a Venezuelan Spring are falling apart. According to Bloomberg, opposition leader Juan Guaido amassed a mini-army of 200 exiled soldiers to storm the Venezuelan border from Colombia… and was stopped by the Colombian government:
Late last month, as U.S. officials joined Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido near a bridge in Colombia to send desperately needed aid to the masses and challenge the rule of Nicolas Maduro, some 200 exiled soldiers were checking their weapons and planning to clear the way for the convoy.
Led by retired General Cliver Alcala, who has been living in Colombia, they were going to drive back the Venezuelan national guardsmen blocking the aid on the other side. The plan was stopped by the Colombian government, which learned of it late and feared violent clashes at a highly public event it promised would be peaceful.
Almost no provisions got in that day and hopes that military commanders would abandon Maduro have so far been dashed. Even though Guaido is back in Caracas, recognized by 50 nations as the legitimate leader of Venezuela, the impromptu taking up of arms shows that the push to remove Maduro — hailed by the U.S. as inevitable — is growing increasingly chaotic and risky.
Bloomberg appears to suggest that Guaido is taking order from the US:
There have been other concerns. Guaido was planning to make a tour of European capitals this week to build international support, but the Americans told him he needed to return to Venezuela or he'd lose whatever momentum remained.
He'll also need to be in Venezuela to serve as Maduro bait:
The Latin American diplomat, who has been in contact with Washington, said the U.S. strategy seems to be to continue to provoke instability in Venezuela in hopes that Maduro will make a move that could warrant more aggressive U.S. action. Bolton and Abrams have said that arresting Guaido would prompt a severe response.
Dunno, given its track record on regime change, maybe the US should sit this one out. Just a suggestion.
Posted in Geopolitics, South America	| Tagged Clusterf*ck, Conspiracy, Guaido, Maduro, Venezuela	| Leave a reply
One nation under Kim
The US and South Korea have confirmed reports that they plan to end large-scale war games to ease tensions with North Korea, which views these exercises as preparations for an invasion. I commented yesterday:
This could also be seen as a step in the direction of reducing the US troop commitment in South Korea, which currently numbers 28,500 soldiers, and perhaps eventually a total withdrawal.
My comment may not have been far off the mark. From a blog post by Dongseo University's Professor BR Myers, dated March 2018:
Hence also the confident hope of many that under the right sort of pressure, Washington will reduce USFK [Ed: United States Forces Korea] from bodyguard to chaperone: a force just high-tech and well-armed enough to reassure foreign investors, reward the US military-industrial complex, and discourage the North from doing anything crazy, but too small and averse to military exercises to frighten the neighbors. (Which may well be what is foreseen for the very first stage of a confederation, as a transition to US troop pullout.)
The rest of the post is interesting for its analysis of the astonishingly anti-American, pro-North-Korean orientation of South Korea's current government, led by president Moon Jae-in:
It is therefore misleading of the New York Times to say that the Moon Jae-in administration is "hungry for a diplomatic rapprochement" with Pyongyang. There is no bad blood or grudge between the two parties that must now be laboriously reconciled. Besides, they have the exact same short term goal of bringing off a North-South summit that is PR-effective enough to get a) the international community to relax sanctions, and b) the South Korean public to sign off on confederation. Their longer term goals are different. The North wants unification under its own flag, while South Korean progressives want the two states to coalesce over decades of mutually beneficial economic cooperation.
Here's more on that topic by North Korea expert Joshua Stanton (dated April 2018):
LAST DECEMBER, I PUBLISHED A SURPRISINGLY CONTROVERSIAL HYPOTHESIS that Korean War II would not be a conventional war, but is a hybrid war to alternately cajole and coerce South Korea into gradual submission to the North's hegemony, aggressive implementation of a series of joint statements, and eventual digestion into a one-country, two-systems confederation. I argued that this plan would only work if a sufficiently submissive government in Seoul yielded to Pyongyang while going only so far and so fast as possible to avoid a domestic backlash among a population that was, at least until recently, deeply distrustful of Pyongyang. Rather than involving anything as implausible and dramatic as a North Korean occupation, this hegemony would be enforced by South Korean institutions, such as state media, the National Intelligence Service, and the riot police—with occasional assistance from the muscle of hard-left street thugs, like those who are blocking the THAAD sites now and preventing them from becoming fully operational. I argued that the historical conduct of both Pyongyang and Korea's left also suggested that this plan was not only plausible, but no great secret. This is why I find the controversy to be surprising. […]
Again, I'm not oblivious to how conspiratorial it all must seem. But then, on what evidence do skeptics of this view believe that those who staff the top ranks of the Moon administration — men who are veterans of groups like Minbyun, People's Solidarity for Participatory Democracy, and Chondaehyop, with deep ideological and financial links to Pyongyang and a lengthy pedigree of violent anti-Americanism — have moderated their views? At some point, status quo bias must yield to what's right before our eyes.
To reiterate what I said before, the US needs to reassess its relationship with South Korea in the cold light of these facts. If the Moon administration wants to pursue a phased unification with North Korea, then, well, that is the sovereign decision of South Korea. But in that case, the US should not have any part in defending South Korea from its friendly nuclear-armed neighbor to the north.
Posted in Geopolitics, Korea, Military	| Tagged Kim Jong-un, North Korea	| Leave a reply
Korean unification
NBC is reporting that the US is preparing to end the annual large-scale joint military exercises held with South Korea, as part of a bid to placate North Korea. This could also be seen as a step in the direction of reducing the US troop commitment in South Korea, which currently numbers 28,500 soldiers, and perhaps eventually a total withdrawal.
North Korea, of course, would love to see the US depart the peninsula, and according to BR Myers, a professor of international studies at Dongseo University in Busan, that is in fact the goal of its nuclear program:
More concretely, North Korea wants to force Washington into a grand bargain linking denuclearization to the withdrawal of US troops. South Korea would then be pressured into a North-South confederation, which is a concept the South Korean left has flirted with for years, and which the North has always seen as a transition to unification under its own control.
The concept of unification under North Korea's control is not as crazy as it sounds. In a fascinating speech from December 2017, Professor Myers explains South Korea's vulnerability to a Northern-led unification drive:
The Moon administration cannot be called pro-North yet. […]
His government nonetheless appears more hostile to anti-North, pro-American elements than any other administration has been. The intelligence service is already a shadow of its former self, and the ostensible anti-corruption campaign turns out in practice to be a seemingly endless purge of veterans of conservative administrations. The word chŏkpye or "accumulated evil" is being used freely to mean any conservative, i.e. anti-North, pro-American, security-minded element. [Note: There is broader agreement between left and right on economic issues in South Korea than in the US, for which reason conservatism is considered largely a matter of animosity to the North Korean regime and strong support for the alliance with America.]
Most interestingly, Moon Jae-in's right hand man, the number two in the Blue House, is none other than Im Jong-seok, a former protest leader who was in contact with the Kim Il Sung regime in 1989, and who spent much of his time in the National Assembly pushing causes of which the North approves. It's due to Im, for example, that royalties must now be paid to North Korea for South Korean media use of its propaganda films and images.
Moon is pushing the idea of a "low-level confederation" between the South and the North, which Kim understands to be a path toward unification of the peninsula – under Pyongyang's auspices:
Kim Il Sung told his Bulgarian counterpart Zhivkov that if the South agreed to confederation, "it's done for." That was 1973. He went on to try killing two presidents in succession, so obviously the South's economic boom did not lessen his determination to unify the peninsula. You may say, "Yes, but in those days the South Koreans didn't have a liberal democracy worth defending." But from Kim Young-hwan, who traveled to Pyongyang in 1991, we know that the Great Leader was upbeat about the prospect of a takeover by the end of the century.
His grandson can hardly be less ambitious now that he has nuclear weapons, his ally has become a superpower, Washington is in chaos, and South Korea has its most pacifist administration ever. The young man also knows that people here do not identify strongly with their state. No public holiday celebrates it, neither the flag nor the coat of arms nor the anthem conveys republican or non-ethnic values, no statues of presidents stand in major cities. Few people can even tell you the year in which the state was founded. When the average man sees the flag, he feels fraternity with Koreans around the world.
North Koreans have been positive characters in South Korean films for about 20 years now. Popular this year have been buddy thrillers [Ed: like Steel Rain] that show North and South Koreans teaming up against a common enemy. Although all actors are of course South Koreans, the A-list heart-throbs play the North Koreans, which tells you a lot about how this republic sees itself in relation to the other one.
Even more extraordinary: North Korean defectors are increasingly common as villains. A new film has North and South Koreans cooperating to catch a serial killer who has fled to the South.
While nationalism is not strong enough to make people welcome a North Korean takeover, all Kim needs is for it to weaken their resistance to one. He can't have failed to notice the general indifference to the Cheonan sinking and the attack on Yeonpyeong, both of which acts of [Ed: North Korean] aggression the local left blamed on Lee Myung Bak [Ed: the South Korean president at the time]. The only people who got really angry at the North then were already too old to fight.
Apparently, I spoke too soon when I speculated that Kim Jong-un may try to reinvent himself as an economic reformer in the mold of Deng Xiaoping:
Pyongyang watching has become quite an industry, and American presidents have kicked the can down the road for a quarter century in no small part because of expert assessments that proved to be very wrong. The North just wants an aid package, the Sunshine Policy will calm it down; black markets will weaken it; Kim Jong Un will be a reformer; ideology no longer matters there; and on and on. This may be the most protracted and catastrophic failure of intelligence in American history.
How hard would it be for the North to pacify the South in a unification scenario? Perhaps not very, according to Myers:
I read, for example, that Kim Jong Un must know he couldn't hold on to power here, because South Koreans are such fearless protesters. Despite the ease with which the hated Japanese took the entire peninsula, and the unique longevity and stability of the North itself, some Americans seem to think Koreans are freedom fighters by nature. I shouldn't have to point out that since 1945 the protests here have all been either anti-conservative, anti-Japanese, anti-American, pacifist or explicitly pro-North. In 1961, students marched through Hyehwadong in Seoul shouting "Long live Kim Il Sung." All demonstrations here were cheered on by the Rodong Sinmun. Granted, there have been anti-Pyongyang rallies, but until 1988 they were organized by the government, and since then they have been the province of the geriatric right. Why should the North feel intimidated by this history?
Much is also made of how wired South Koreans are. Well, so what? The part of East Germany that caused Honecker the most problems was the one where TV bunny ears could not pick up West German broadcasts, where people read books and had a sense of community. Adorno said modern man is drugged with light and sound, and that's much truer today; just look at the gormless faces on the subway. The narcotic and socially atomizing power of the internet is far greater than television's ever was. As if that weren't enough, it has the benefit of helping to spy on people — indeed, it gets them to spy on themselves. […]
Entire generations of South Koreans have grown up hearing good things about Kim Il Sung. To hear him glorified would not be as big or sudden a change as it would be to hear Syngman Rhee glorified. If you think I'm exaggerating, read some South Korean school textbooks.
Pyongyang's unification drive is not a will to wage war with the US. The nuclear program was conceived to compel the peaceful withdrawal of American troops. Encouraged by the long decline of conservatism and of hostility to the North, by public indifference to the twin attacks of 2010, and by Moon Jae-in's pledges to realize a confederation, Pyongyang believes that a break-up of the alliance would resign the South to its ethnic destiny. It follows that America's most urgent task is to call publicly on Seoul to disabuse the North of its hopes. This would have to entail formal renunciation of the concept of confederation, the South's support for which now conveys to Pyongyang a prioritization of nationalism over constitutional, liberal democratic principles. As a sovereign state, the South has every right not to accede to any such requests from its ally. But in such an event, the US government owes it to the American people to take the next logical step — and I don't mean a strike on North Korea.
Myers doesn't spell it out, but the next logical step would, of course, be for the US to cut South Korea loose and let it face the North on its own. The piece should be read in full by anyone remotely interested in Korean politics, but Myers provides the TLDR version in an interview with Slate.
And here's a great article, dated last October, in the South China Morning Post detailing the growing willingness of many in South Korea to countenance the idea of some sort of unification with the North:
Since April [2018], when Moon and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un held their first inter Korean summit, the Herculean challenge of North Korean denuclearisation has dominated the world's attention. But on the Korean peninsula, the spotlight has shone with equal intensity on the steps being taken to complete a potentially even more monumental task: reunifying North and South.
In a Gallup Korea opinion poll last month, 84 per cent of South Koreans said they supported unification, the highest proportion since 2004, with most favouring a gradual process over the next 10 years.
"We expect debate about plans for unification to kick off in earnest in the second half of next year," said Han Sung, a spokesman for the left-leaning civic group People's Congress for Peace Federation. […]
With inter-Korean relations at their warmest in years, a growing chorus within South Korean politics, academia and civil society has steered discussion towards various models of political integration with the North – ranging from a federation to a union of states – that would mark the first practical steps toward unification.
A North Korean defector warns that a federation would be a Trojan horse for a Northern takeover of the South:
It is no secret that North Korea, which claims sovereignty over the whole peninsula, originally conceived of a federation as a way to subjugate the South without the bloodshed of war. Hwang Jang-yop, the highest-ranking North Korean official to ever defect to the South, detailed in his 2001 book Sunshine Siding with Darkness Cannot Beat Darkness how Kim Il-sung believed federation would allow the North, united under "one ideology", to dominate and propagandise the politically divided South.
The US, as well as South Korea, will certainly have some hard choices to make about their alliance in the years ahead. A US withdrawal would be extremely dangerous, as it would invite North Korean aggression. On the other hand, for the US to maintain a massive military commitment to a country that is increasingly aligned with our nuclear-armed adversary, is pretty insane. Something has to give, sooner rather than later.
Posted in Geopolitics, Korea, Military	| Tagged Kim Jong-un, Moon Jae-in, North Korea	| Leave a reply
De-escalation
Nuclear apocalypse averted on the Indian subcontinent:
Pakistan finally handed over a recently captured Indian fighter pilot after an inordinate seven-hour delay, allowing him to walk across the Wagah border on Friday night. Prime Minister Imran Khan had announced on the floor of the National Assembly on Thursday that Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman would be released as a "gesture of peace."
The release of the pilot proved to be a significant de-escalation measure, coming days after Indian Air Force (IAF) fighter jets crossed into Pakistan and bombed an alleged "terror camp" of the militant group Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM). Pakistan retaliated with air strikes on Wednesday morning, bombing some open areas next to Indian military installations along the Line of Control (LoC) on the Indian side. Varthaman's aircraft was scrambled from Srinagar air force base and engaged the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) jets before being shot down. The air attacks came in the wake of a terror attack that led to the death of 40 Indian policemen in Pulwama, Indian-administered Kashmir.
The outcome was definitely a happy one for the pilot:
He was captured by the Pakistani military soon after being assaulted by some local residents. "I am happy to be back to my country," he said to Indian officials waiting anxiously before he was whisked away to board a flight to Delhi. He will have to undergo a detailed debrief, IAF officials told Asia Times.
According to Pakistani media reports, Varthaman was confused about his location before being found by the local residents. They chased him for half a kilometer, and he fired a few shots with his service pistol to dissuade them, before jumping into a pond. "He was trying to swallow some documents and drown the rest when the locals caught up with him," eyewitnesses said. The locals had started beating him up when Pakistan Army soldiers arrived and took him away.
Posted in Geopolitics, Military, War	| Tagged India, Pakistan	| Leave a reply
Posted on February 28, 2019 by Greg Isaacson
Looks like India and Pakistan could be on the brink of all-out war:
Prime Minister Narendra Modi gave the Indian military a "free hand" to act regarding the time, place and how they want to move forward after Pakistan violated the Indian airspace earlier on Wednesday, according to sources. The decision was taken at a high-level security meeting with all three Service Chiefs.
With a sharp spike in tensions between India and Pakistan following an airspace violation across LoC, Modi on Wednesday met service chiefs and National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval at his residence at 7 Lok Kalyan Marg, New Delhi, to discuss the prevailing situation at the border areas in Jammu and Kashmir. The meeting came hours after Pakistan on Wednesday intruded into Indian airspace in Jammu and Kashmir's Nowshera and Poonch sectors of Rajouri district and captured one of its pilots.
Yeah, that's alarming.


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Arsenal, Cloid, Football
11th October 2015: Side-lined strikers refuse to sulk
Posted on October 11, 2015 by TremendArse
Sunday salutations. Man, do I hate club-football-free weekends. The internationals just don't cut it. Bad teams, bad pitches and disjointed football for the most part. Anyway, the worst of it's over now and by the middle of the week we'll be able to turn our attentions back to the return of the real stuff.
In the meantime though, Olivier Giroud has been reflecting on losing his status as Arsenal's first-choice front-man and showing just what a team player he really is, by admitting Theo Walcott deserves to start ahead of him given the England man's fine recent form. Speaking to L'Equip, the Frenchman said:
It is something new for me. Whether it was at Tours, Montpellier or Arsenal, I have never experienced a situation like this, I have often played from the start. I need to take positives and to harden myself mentally. I cannot simply take refuge in work. At Arsenal, I am in competition with Theo [Walcott] for the striker position. But he is doing well at the moment, so there is no reason to change. I was in his place in previous seasons at Arsenal. I imagine what he must have been thinking. But I feel that the coach believes in me. It has been for several matches now that I have played less, that is for sure, but I do not need to be worried. I need a bit more game time but also to believe more in my abilities.
It's been noted by many already but between them, Giroud and Walcott tick almost every box of attributes you'd want from a striker. The only 'ability' neither of them possess is perhaps being able to fashion a goal by themselves out of nowhere. Although if Theo gains more and more confidence from maintaining his current form, I actually think that's something he's capable of.
Beating a few men before slotting one away, or lashing one in from distance – I don't think that's beyond him. I'm sure Arsene Wenger, as he does all his players, will be urging Theo to 'try things' in the final third and I wouldn't bet against him surprising people with what he's capable of just as he has done by making a success of the striker's role.
Funnily enough, one of the criticisms leveled at Walcott – not being aggressive enough – by many observers including myself, also applies to Giroud, despite him being built to bully defenders. He's shown he can link the play and possesses fine close control at times, as well as decent finishing, but he needs to use his physicality far more. Hopefully a new found focus from losing his starting spot will bring that out but he needs to make sure it's channeled correctly and not like it was in Croatia against Dinamo Zagreb.
Meanwhile, another Arsenal forward, Joel Campbell, has been speaking about his best traits as a player and insists despite not enjoying the best of times in terms of minutes played and getting on the score-sheet, he's 'always thinking about scoring'. The Costa Rican said:
I think I'm both (a creator and a goalscorer). I know it's been many games with scoring, but this doesn't put pressure on me, although obviously I'm always thinking about scoring. Although I'm not in my best form, I always give 100% on the pitch. I always try to give assists, to help my teammates and to fight for every ball.
I have to say I've far from made up my mind on Joel. I've really liked what I've seen from him in terms of effort, ability on the ball, pace etc and can't really remember him doing a lot wrong. That said, he's clearly not quite ready to make an impact on the team and such is our position in terms of striving to challenge for the top honours, we can't really afford to allow a player to develop in the team at the moment.
It's certainly a far different situation to just a few years ago when we had several young, unpolished players populating our first team, but times have changed, and I think if Jack Wilshere and Danny Welbeck return to full fitness by January, the best option for the player may be a loan spell away. He's definitely one I'd like us to keep hold of however, because I think he has it in him to improve an awful lot given regular games in the right team.
Campbell Giroud Walcott
10th October 2015: In-form forwards and flowers
12th October 2015: Wenger gets scientific and William Carvalho loves Arsenal


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Amnesty International – Failure to Deal with Consequences of Natural Disaster
10th January 2014 admin
Four Years On: Post-Earthquake Facts and Figures
New Investigation: Post-Disaster Housing Projects
Amnesty International – Haiti: Failure to Deal with the Consequences of the 2010 Devastating Earthquake
AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL PUBLIC STATEMENT, 9 January 2014
Four years after the devastating earthquake which killed around 200,000 people and left some 2.3 million homeless, very little has been done to ensure the respect, protection and fulfilment of the right to adequate housing in Haiti, Amnesty International said today.
More than 170,000 people are estimated to still be living in more than 300 displacement camps, in the majority of cases in appalling conditions with no access to essential basic services such as clean water, toilets and waste disposal. While the dire sanitation conditions leave them exposed to the risk of cholera and other diseases, the lack of solid shelters makes them vulnerable to flooding and other adverse weather conditions especially during the hurricane season.
Although official numbers of internally-displaced persons (IDPs) have significantly gone down from the initial estimated 1.5 million in July 2010, most people who have been relocated from camps have not benefitted from durable housing solutions which ensures their right to adequate housing.
According to the International Organization for Migration (IOM), more than 113,000 internally displaced households have been resettled in transitional shelters while more than 55,000 have been relocated through rental subsidies programmes. Families who are beneficiaries of those programmes receive about US$500 to rent accommodation of their choice for a year and an additional grant of about US$125.
"While these strategies have achieved a drastic reduction in the number of displacement camps, they have not contributed at all to solving the housing crisis that the earthquake exacerbated. It is like sweeping the problem under the carpet", said Javier Zúñiga, Amnesty International's special advisor.
An evaluation commissioned by donors in January 2013 on the rental subsidies programmes found that 60% of beneficiaries believed they would not have enough funds to maintain the same quality of accommodation once the rental subsidy period had ended. Of the 75% whose contracts had ended and who had moved, they were generally living in declining standards of accommodation.
Forced evictions is another factor contributing to the reduction in the number of IDPs living in camps. According to IOM statistics from September 2013, forced evictions accounted for 11% of those leaving IDP camps whilst another 45% of the remaining camp population is under threat of eviction.
In April 2013, Amnesty International published the report "Nowhere to go. Forced evictions in Haiti's displacement camps" which documented a pattern of forced evictions of internally displaced families from camps built both on public and private land.
Although the Haitian Government responded to Amnesty's report with two public statements distancing it from those practises and promising thorough investigations into allegations of forced evictions, nobody has yet to be brought to justice, victims have not received any remedy
for the violations of their rights and there is no evidence that such investigations are being carried out. Moreover, further forced evictions have taken place since those statements were made.
Amnesty International is particularly concerned for the security of people living in Canaan, a large tract of land several kilometres away on the northern outskirts of Port-au-Prince which was declared for "public use" (utilité publique) by the then government in March 2010.
Tens of thousands of people who lost their homes in the earthquake, including many who had been forcibly evicted from camps in Port-au-Prince, resettled in Canaan hoping to be safe from evictions. Many have started building concrete houses. However, the status of the land remains unclear and none of the families have security of tenure protecting them against forced eviction. Confusion remains about which exact portion of land has been declared of "public use" and about the completion of the expropriation procedure. As a consequence, thousands of people living there are under threat of forced eviction, exposed to intimidation and harassment from those who lay claim to the land.
"Canaan is a powder keg. Failure from authorities to address the situation of security of tenure could lead to countless conflicts and leave those living there exposed to serious violations of human rights", warned Zúñiga.
The most recent forced eviction in Canaan took place between 7 and 10 December in the sector known as Titanyen when more than 200 families were made homeless. Many of them were internally displaced by the earthquake and had relocated in Titanyen after having been forcibly evicted in May 2012 from Camp Mozayik in the Delmas municipality of Port-au-Prince. According to the residents they had no prior notice of the eviction and therefore had no opportunity to appeal against it. They were not allowed time to collect their belongings and over a dozen people were assaulted, including a woman who was four months pregnant. More than 3,000 families living in other sectors in Canaan known as Village des Pêcheurs and Grâce de Dieu are believed to be at imminent risk of eviction.
On 23 October 2013, the Prime Minister announced the adoption of the country's first National Housing and Habitat Policy. Even though the Prime Minister defined the policy as "the reference framework for public institutions, regional authorities, civil society organisations and technical and financial partners", the full document of the policy has yet to be distributed and civil society organisations have told Amnesty International that they are not aware of its contents. Previous drafts seen by Amnesty International failed to set out concrete plans for those living in poverty to access adequate and affordable housing and did not include measures to prevent forced evictions.
"The Haitian government cannot afford to lose this opportunity. The adoption of a human rights based national housing policy and its effective implementation are the only way the Government can show real commitment to respecting people's dignity and to give them what the Haitian constitution entitles them to: decent housing", said Zúñiga.
Four years on, Amnesty International is urging the Haitian authorities to prioritise action to make the right to adequate housing a reality in the country, in particular by ensuring that:
– Plans are set in place to relocate IDPs from camps based on durable solutions which ensures that all alternative accommodation meets the requirement for adequacy of housing under international law;
– The National Housing and Habitat Policy is designed to be consistent with relevant international human rights standards and to ensure access to adequate housing for all those who need it, particularly the most vulnerable and marginalised such as those living in poverty;
– Measures are put in place to clarify the status of the land in Canaan and to provide residents with security of tenure;
– Adopt a moratorium on all mass evictions until adequate safeguards have been put in place to ensure that all evictions comply with international human rights standards;
– Adopt and enforce legislation prohibiting forced evictions and which sets down safeguards which must be complied with prior to any eviction being undertaken, in conformity with international human rights standards including the UN Basic Principles and Guidelines on Development-Based Evictions and Displacement
– Effective mechanisms to prevent forced evictions by both state and non-state actors are put in place, including by reviewing existing procedures and improving coordination among relevant actors;
– Formal instructions are passed to mayor's offices, police stations and municipal courts, for them not to participate in or facilitate forced evictions and clear mechanisms to monitor the implementation of these instructions are put in place.
– Cases of forced evictions and of threats of forced evictions (including threats against IDPs and human rights defenders trying to prevent forced evictions) are effectively investigated and perpetrators brought to justice;
– Victims of forced evictions are provided with effective remedies.
Categories:Campaigns, HSG News Archives, Natural Disasters in Haiti
In Displacement & Land Reform, HSG News Archives on 10th January 2014
In Development Policy & NGOs, HSG News Archives, Natural Disasters in Haiti on 10th January 2014
Kafou: Haiti, Art and Vodou
Caribbean Regional Seminar in London
Sowing the seeds for a grassroots revival
Electoral Farce. But who is laughing?


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Canopy Awnings
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Melbourne Shade Systems is committed to providing quality services to you and this policy outlines our ongoing obligations to you in respect of how we manage your Personal Information.
We have adopted the Australian Privacy Principles (APPs) contained in the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) (the Privacy Act). The NPPs govern the way in which we collect, use, disclose, store, secure and dispose of your Personal Information.
A copy of the Australian Privacy Principles may be obtained from the website of The Office of the Australian Information Commissioner at www.aoic.gov.au
Personal Information is information or an opinion that identifies an individual. Examples of Personal Information we collect include: names, addresses, email addresses, phone and facsimile numbers.
This Personal Information is obtained in many ways including [interviews, correspondence, by telephone and facsimile, by email, via our website www.shadesystems.com.au, from your website, from media, social-media and publications, from other publicly available sources, from cookies- delete all that aren't applicable] and from third parties. We don't guarantee website links or policy of authorised third parties.
We collect your Personal Information for the primary purpose of providing our services to you, providing information to our clients and marketing. We may also use your Personal Information for secondary purposes closely related to the primary purpose, in circumstances where you would reasonably expect such use or disclosure. You may unsubscribe from our mailing/marketing lists at any time by contacting us in writing.
Sensitive information is defined in the Privacy Act to include information or opinion about such things as an individual's racial or ethnic origin, political opinions, membership of a political association, religious or philosophical beliefs, membership of a trade union or other professional body, criminal record or health information.
Sensitive information will be used by us only:
For the primary purpose for which it was obtained
For a secondary purpose that is directly related to the primary purpose
With your consent; or where required or authorised by law.
Your Personal Information may be disclosed in a number of circumstances including the following:
Third parties where you consent to the use or disclosure; and
Where required or authorised by law.
When your Personal Information is no longer needed for the purpose for which it was obtained, we will take reasonable steps to destroy or permanently de-identify your Personal Information. However, most of the Personal Information is or will be stored in client files which will be kept by us for a minimum of 7 years.
Access to your Personal Information
You may access the Personal Information we hold about you and to update and/or correct it, subject to certain exceptions. If you wish to access your Personal Information, please contact us in writing.
Melbourne Shade Systems will not charge any fee for your access request, but may charge an administrative fee for providing a copy of your Personal Information.
In order to protect your Personal Information we may require identification from you before releasing the requested information.
If you have any queries or complaints about our Privacy Policy please contact us at:
Melbourne Shade Systems
215a Nepean Hwy, Brighton VIC 3185
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The 10-Step SCRA Compliance Checklist for New Lenders
March 30th, 2022 · By Travis Taborek
The finance industry is one of the most heavily regulated industries in the world. Lenders and banking institutions have to navigate a labyrinth of laws and regulations that can be both ambiguous and ever-evolving.
Such is the case with the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act of 2003 (SCRA), which was signed into law to protect the financial security of members of the armed forces. The SCRA contains many minute details and has been amended multiple times.
Lenders who are sloppy, careless, or perceived to be willfully cheating their servicemember customers can face massive fines, interminable legal trouble, and potentially irreparable bad press.
This checklist serves as a place to begin understanding why the SCRA exists, the potential consequences for noncompliance for lenders, and what you need to look out for so you stay SCRA compliant.
What is SCRA compliance, and why do lenders need to know about it?
The SCRA was passed in 2003 to reform the Soldiers' and Sailors' Civil Relief Act of 1940. It's designed to lighten the financial burden on Americans serving in the armed forces. It can be hard to stay vigilant on dangerous patrols if you're worried about making your next mortgage payment.
Broadly speaking, the SCRA covers all members of the armed forces on full-time active duty, including the five branches of the military, the National Reserve Corps, the National Guard, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). SCRA benefits are extended for the duration of an individual's term of service. The benefits also apply to spouses and dependents who rely on the support of a service member for at least 50% of their financial needs for at least 180 days leading up to her/her/their active duty (and the start of SCRA).
The most well-known protection the SCRA offers is the interest rate cap. Under the SCRA, lenders may not charge more than 6% interest to service members on active duty for the duration of their service. Benefits also include:
Protections against default judgments in civil court cases
Protections against lease termination
Protections against evictions, mortgage foreclosures, and obligations paid in installments like car loans
Protections against vehicle repossession
Consequences of SCRA noncompliance
Lenders and creditors deemed to have been unfair to service members or to have failed to provide SCRA benefits can be subject to steep penalties.
The US Department of Justice (DOJ) enforces the SCRA and can pursue action against a lender who even attempts a violation, such as charging above 6% interest or initiating a vehicle repossession.
The first SCRA violation incurs a fine of $55,000. For repeat violations, the penalty rises to $110,000. Lenders who fail to do due diligence in confirming their customers' active military status can incur millions of dollars in penalties. Further, violators of the SCRA can be subject to million-dollar class-action lawsuits.
The most important thing you can do as a lender is to proactively keep track of which of your customers are on active duty and inform them of their benefits without being asked.
The 10-step SCRA compliance checklist for lenders
Staying compliant with SCRA requirements demands vigilance. Here are some things to look out for to make sure you are following the SCRA to the letter.
Determine eligibility
Generally speaking, all members of the armed forces on active duty are covered under the SCRA.
Coverage begins from the time service members enter active duty and continues until 30 to 90 days after they're discharged.
Service members eligible for SCRA benefits include:
The Army
The Navy
The Air Force
The Marine Corps
The Coast Guard
The National Guard
Members of the Public Health Service
Members of the NOAA
The DOJ keeps a database of active service members on the SCRA website, which you can use to determine eligibility. You can then flag your service member customers and their outstanding debts and loans.
2. Notify active-duty clients of their SCRA benefits
Technically, active-duty service members are required to reach out to their lenders and creditors and notify them of their military orders and active-duty status in writing. But to ensure compliance, lenders should act proactively.
The SCRA Act was amended in 2014 during the Obama administration to include enhanced SCRA benefits. As part of that initiative, the administration also announced a voluntary partnership with lenders to inform service members of their SCRA entitlements and put those benefits into effect upon the member's written request.
3. Routinely check active-duty status
Most first-term enlistments in the US military require service members to be on duty for four years. Meanwhile, car loans usually last for six years, and mortgages have an average length of 30 years.
That means that a service member's active-duty status — and his/her/their SCRA benefit status — is likely to change over time. As a lender, it's not enough to verify active-duty status once and then forget about it. You must routinely check your customers' eligibility for SCRA benefits. If your customer joins the military or goes on active duty, and you charge them above 6% interest or proceed with a civil court order, you can find yourself on the wrong side of the DOJ.
The best practice would be to make multiple checks of active-duty status throughout an enlistment at different intervals. You should also cross-check a customer's other accounts to see if they're eligible for other SCRA benefits, such as auto-loan protection.
4. Reduce interest rate
Once you've identified a customer as an active-duty service member and confirmed their ongoing status as a member of the armed forces, you must reduce their annual interest rate to no more than 6% per year. After receiving notice of military status, lenders and creditors must retroactively reduce any outstanding debts and loans beginning from a customer's date of military service. For the SCRA benefits to go into effect, the client must provide proof of active-duty status within 180 days of the end of their military service.
5. Forgive interest in excess
The SCRA doesn't just cover service members from the time they request benefits — coverage extends to the very beginning of their term of service. And creditors and lenders must forgive, not defer any interest above that 6% cap, and recalculate any remaining monthly payments to reflect that forgiveness. The SCRA rate applies unless a court finds that the client's military service doesn't affect their ability to pay their loans or monthly installments.
6. Defer foreclosure proceedings
The SCRA doesn't just prevent service members from falling into deeper debt — it also protects what is often their most important asset — their home.
Any property owned by a service member before they enter active duty cannot be seized or foreclosed upon for the duration of their military service or up to nine months after their service ends without either a court order or the express written agreement of the service member.
If a creditor or lender pursues legal action against the service member to enforce a foreclosure, the court can postpone proceedings until the service member can attend.
7. Provide affidavits for default judgements
The SCRA only extends so far, and there may be occasions when a lender can pursue legal action against a service member customer in the event that they make no effort to keep up on their loan payments. However, the SCRA places limitations on what legal recourse is possible.
If you sue an active-duty service member in court, the service member is protected against default judgments in civil cases. Lenders must submit an affidavit stating whether or not the defendant is an active-duty service member. If they are, the court can't apply default judgments until the court can provide the service member with an attorney. The service member can also ask the court to grant a delay of proceedings for 90 days.
8. Delay vehicle repossessions
As a lender, you cannot repossess a vehicle owned by a service member during their period of military service without a court order. This applies to service members who have made at least one deposit payment on their vehicle before entering active duty.
9. Lease termination
Active-duty service members must be ready to be sent wherever they're needed, whenever they're asked. It's crucial for the efficient defense of the nation that service members be deployed at a moment's notice to effectively respond to crises and threats without having to navigate bureaucratic hurdles.
It's with this in mind that the SCRA contains sections allowing service members to prematurely break their apartment lease agreements whenever they're deployed elsewhere.
10. Stay current
Congress has made amendments to the SCRA in recent years, and actions taken by service members against lenders related to SCRA violations have become more frequent. It behooves lenders to stay up-to-date on current SCRA requirements and ensure their institutions are in compliance.
Financial institutions should have a system to monitor legislative changes to the SCRA and their implications for lenders. The DOJ maintains a website that focuses on issues pertaining to service members, including the SCRA.
Consider setting up an internal department within your organization that oversees SCRA compliance. That way you can stay up-to-date on SCRA measures and be notified of any changes when they happen — before you get stuck in a quagmire of legal trouble, court-ordered reparations, and damaging headlines.
While the SCRA creates challenges for lenders and financial institutions, these can be successfully navigated by staying aware of your obligations as a lender and being current on any updates to the law.
To sum up, here are the steps lenders can take to keep their institutions SCRA compliant:
Notify active-duty clients of their SCRA benefits
Routinely check active-duty status
Reduce interest rate
Forgive interest in excess
Defer foreclosure proceedings
Provide affidavits for default judgments
Delay vehicle repossessions
For new lenders, in particular, SCRA compliance can be intimidating. But SCRA needn't become a roadblock to profitability or organizational excellence. Indeed, establishing a SCRA compliance process — and following it — can increase internal discipline and contribute to the development of a robust compliance function in your organization. And, to be realistic, it is the only genuinely viable option. By following the 10-Step SCRA Compliance Checklist, companies can reduce their risk and preserve resources that may have been squandered in penalties or legal proceedings. By following the 10-Step SCRA Compliance Checklist, companies can also do their duty and do right by their borrowers.
Travis Taborek is a freelance content marketer specializing in tech and SaaS


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Navigant Earns Perfect Score on Human Rights Campaign Foundation's 16th Annual Scorecard on LGBTQ Workplace Equality
CHICAGO–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Navigant (NYSE: NCI) proudly announced today that for the ninth
consecutive year, it has received a perfect score on the 2018 Corporate
Equality Index (CEI). Administered by the Human Rights Campaign
Foundation (HRC), the CEI is a U.S. benchmarking survey and report on
corporate policies and practices related to Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual,
Transgender, and Queer (LGBTQ) workplace equality.
"Navigant's commitment to the promotion of a workplace that values
mutual respect and equality is unwavering," said Julie Howard, Navigant
chairman and CEO. "Championing diversity and inclusion is engrained in
our core values, and our company's success is due to our colleagues'
commitment to supporting these values in everything we do."
In 2017, Navigant continued to create awareness, understanding, and an
appreciation for its progressive work environment through programs
championed by the company's Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and
Allies Employee Resource Group. The efforts included webinars,
sponsorships, active participation in LGBTQ-focused job fairs, and
community outreach around the country.
"Receiving a perfect score on HRC's Corporate Equality Index nine-years
running is a direct testament to Navigant's commitment to the LGBT
community," said Sarah Golden, manager in Navigant's human capital
department and co-chair of the company's LGBTA Employee Resource Group.
"Navigant continues to stand on the right side of history by actively
supporting a diverse and inclusive workforce. For that, I am truly
The 2018 CEI rated 947 businesses in the report, through a survey
evaluating policies and practices including nondiscrimination workplace
protections, domestic partner benefits, transgender-inclusive healthcare
benefits, competency programs, and public engagement with the LGBTQ
community. Navigant's efforts in satisfying all the CEI criteria
resulted in a 100 percent ranking and the designation as a Best Places
to Work for LGBTQ Equality.
For more information on the 2018 Corporate Equality Index, or to
download a free copy of the report, visit www.hrc.org/cei.
The Human Rights Campaign Foundation is the educational arm of America's
largest civil rights organization working to achieve equality for
lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer people. HRC envisions a
world where LGBTQ people are embraced as full members of society at
home, at work, and in every community.
About Navigant
Navigant Consulting, Inc. (NYSE: NCI) is a specialized, global
professional services firm that helps clients take control of their
future. Navigant's professionals apply deep industry knowledge,
substantive technical expertise, and an enterprising approach to help
clients build, manage, and/or protect their business interests. With a
focus on markets and clients facing transformational change and
significant regulatory or legal pressures, the firm primarily serves
clients in the healthcare, energy, and financial services industries.
Across a range of advisory, consulting, outsourcing, and
technology/analytics services, Navigant's practitioners bring sharp
insight that pinpoints opportunities and delivers powerful results. More
information about Navigant can be found at navigant.com.
Kyle Bland
Navigant Investor Relations
kyle.bland@navigant.com
Navigant Corporate Communications
belia.ortega@navigant.com