"Preservice Teachers' Mathematics Teaching Competence: Comparing Performance on Two Measures"
Associate Professor Rossella Santagata and Professor Judith Haymore Sandholtz have published in the Journal of Teacher Education: "Preservice Teachers' Mathematics Teaching Competence: Comparing Performance on Two Measures."
This exploratory study examines the relationship between preservice teachers' performance on a teaching performance assessment for licensure in elementary mathematics and a measure of knowledge that, in studies of practicing teachers, was found to predict effective mathematics teaching. A sample of 89 preservice teachers completed the Performance Assessment for California Teachers (PACT) and the classroom video analysis (CVA) instrument. Correlation analyses found overall weak associations between measures for the whole group. For groups of high, medium, and low performers on PACT, average scores on the CVA measure and its subscales varied in the predicted direction. However, individuals within the PACT performing groups had a relatively broad range of scores on the CVA, and several preservice teachers who performed poorly on PACT had average or better than average performance on the CVA. Similarly, several of the PACT high performers scored below the whole group CVA average. In addition to suggesting areas for future research, the findings raise questions about assessing preservice teachers' readiness to teach mathematics and the use of a single measure to make licensing decisions.


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Q: Getting data from MS Database using Objective C? So I've been doing research and I know that I will need to create a aspx script and run a query in aspx. Then convert the data into XML format for objective C to parse through it.
My question is can anyone elaborate a little bit more? I have little knowledge of xml and aspx.
For example example.com/test.aspx queries a user table, then I can get it to display on the browser. But what next? Convert it to xml format? Then how would my app retrieve the xml?
Thanks

A: Check out asp.net web api - this covers how to expose CRUD operations.  The server web-api would either use ado.net to query the database directly and populate objects that then get serialized over the wire or you could use something like the entity framework or something like NHibernate to get the objects from the DB.
In iOS/Cocoa objective-c you would use the NSURLConnection to make a request to the web api server.
If the server is configured to return XML (your request sets accept header to application/xml), then in objective-c you would use NSXMLParser.
But, the more web friendly/modern approach is the http server could return json (request sets accept header to application/json) as the data and in iOS 5 and beyond, there's a JSON parser: http://www.raywenderlich.com/5492/working-with-json-in-ios-5

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
Guardia m-docs • RG165/E77 • p. 2
la Guardia nacional in the records of the military intelligence division, 1922-1944
G U A R D I A M — D O C S
—1927 1928 1929 1930 1931 1932 1933 +
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MILITARY INTELLIGENCE DIVISION, RG165, ENTRY 77 — PAGE 1 • PAGE 2 • PAGE 3
THIS IS THE SECOND OF THREE PAGES housing documents relating to the Guardia Nacional (Record Group 165, Entry 77, Military Intelligence Division on Nicaragua, 1922-1944) in US National Archives II in College Park, MD. This page covers the period December 1930 — April 1935.
In the interwar years, the Military Intelligence Division was the principal US agency charged with gathering & reporting on military intelligence from around the world. During World War II it was folded into the newly-created OSS & soon after the CIA. This collection is especially rich on the period from 1933-1939, from the withdrawal of US military forces from Nicaragua to the outbreak of the war in Europe. It is housed together here to preserve its original character, though in these pages the documents are organized chronologically. The original files convey a sense that they have been rifled & culled of their most pointed or potentially controversial reports & memoranda, suggested in part by the seemingly random chronological sequence and haphazard arrangement of the material. Apparently all that remain are carbon copies and newspaper clippings — no signed originals were found. (Photo: main entrance to Archives II in College Park, MD)
Grateful appreciation is extended to Mr. Brandon Ray, Summa Cum Laude graduate from Ashford University in Iowa (with a B.A. in History and a minor in Political Science) for his meticulous transcriptions of the documents in this collection. Thank you, Brandon!
"Second Course at the Military Academy," US Military Attaché Lt. Col. Fred T. Cruse, San José. "NICARAGUA ¶ COMBAT ¶ No. 6700-b – Cadet Training. ¶ Second Course at the Military Academy. ¶ On November 17th the Military Academy, located in what used to be the National Museum, opened its second course. There are 17 non commissioned officers, 2 Nicaraguan Second Lieutenants, and 6 civilians to take the course. It is expected that 5 more civilians will enter for the course. ¶ The two second lieutenants are taking a course to prepare them for promotion, the remainder to secure commissions as second lieutenants. Should any large proportion of the candidates complete the course, the Guardia would begin to be largely under the control of Nicaraguan officers. ¶ Report No. 994 ¶ San José--December 3, 1930 ¶ Source – Newspapers. ¶ Fred T. Cruse, ¶ Lieut. Col., F.A. ¶ M.A."
"¡Guardias Nacionales!" propaganda flier, and newspaper clipping (publisher & date unknown), "Cómo Está Integrada la Guardia Nacional". "TO ACCOMPANY REPORT NO. 1088 OF FEBRUARY 11, 1931 ¶ ¡GUARDIAS NACIONALES! ¶ LA paz de Nicaragua depende ahora de vosotros. No por obediencia a los oficiales yanquis que os vienen llevando a la matanza de hermanos contra hermanos, sino precisamente por el acto de libertad que muy bien podeis realizar. En vuestras manos está la independencia de Nicaragua, si sabeis independizaros de la agobiadora tutela extranjera. Sois más de dos mil y los oficiales mercenarios no llegan a trescientos; teneis rifles y ametralladoras y lo demás ya os lo enseñó la vez pasada un grupo valeroso de ese cuerpo. ¶ ¿Sois acaso, guardias, el vehículo para la ruina del país por el sometimiento a una voluntad extraña? ¿Vais a seguir pensaudo vanamente en detener el avance de las fuerzas de la autonomia? Pues seguireis cayendo obscuramente en la fosa, sin gloria y sin honor, sólo porque lo ordena un comando que hace de vosotros INSTRUMENTO DE SUS SECRETOS DESIGNIOS, echándoos a la muerte y azuzándoos para que continúe la lucha intestina y que de ese modo Nicaragua llegue a quedar campo fácil para la conquista después de extinguidos los unos contra los otros. ¿No comprendeis eso, pobres guardias? ¿No sabeis que obrando así sois despreciados hasta por los mismos norteamericanos que se aprovechan de todo? Si entre vosotros se organizara un COMITE DELIBERATIVO, de ese Comité podría salir la decisión y después todo se habría realizado por y para la libertad de Nicaragua. Manos a esa obra, pues, con voluntad y organización, y que cuando menos se espere en cada guardia haya un patriota y en cada una de vuestras armas, arma de independencia. ¶ Para el mundo, guardias, hoy constituis un organismo muerto, muerto en la vida por el papel de autómatas que estais desempeñando. ¿Acaso sois parias? ¿Acaso con unos córdobas, un uniforme y malas raciones de comida, os pagan? ¿Acaso está obligado el hijo de un país a servir de peón en el tablero donde se juega una partida que no es de verdadera conveniencia nacional? ¿Acaso teneis la obligación del sacrificio para que los zánganos de la colmena estén medrando del presupuesto? ¿No os habeis hecho esta reflexión? ¶ Guardias nacionales: El destino de Nicaragua estaría en vuestras manos si lavárais vosotros mismos tanta afrenta, con solo establecer la autoridad de la guardia sin ingerencia de jefe ni oficial extranjero alguno. Comprendedio así, y que, como Saulo, en el principio de este año os convertais de soldados del error en los verdaderos soldados de Nicaragua! ¶ Cómo Está Integrada la Guardia Nacional ¶ La Guardia Nacional se compone de ¶ 966 liberales ¶ 473 conservadores ¶ 211 neutrales ¶ Total 1.650 ¶ Pero estos neutrales, poco más o menos, lodos son conservadores. El liberal dice soy liberal; el conservador yo no soy nada. El Presidente de la República, como Jefe Supremo, debe tratar de depurar ese cuerop. Hemos conocido entre sus componentes a individuos que tienen cuentas con la justicia."
"Nicaraguan Officers of Guardia Nacional," US Military Attaché Major A. R. Harris, San José, p. 1. "G-2 Report. ¶ 6,200-b ¶ NICARAGUA (Combat) ¶ Subject: Commissioned Officers. ¶ Nicaraguan Officers of Guardia Nacional. ¶ Commencing January 1, 1933, the date on which the Guardia Nacional will come under Nicaraguan control, the monthly rates of pay of officers will be reduced as follows: ¶ Former Rate ¶ New Rate ¶ Colonels ¶ $175.00 ¶ $120.00 ¶ Majors ¶ [$]150.00 ¶ [$]100.00 ¶ Captains ¶ [$]125.00 ¶ [$]90.00 ¶ Lieutenants ¶ [$]100.00 ¶ [$]80.00 ¶ Sub-Lieutenants ¶ [$]75.00 ¶ [$]70.00 ¶ In announcing these reductions, it is stated that these reductions in pay will be in effect until the economic condition of the country improves. ¶ The following appointments of higher officers of the Guardia, to replace Marine Officers, have been announced: ¶ Colonels ¶ Gustavo Abaunza (Chief of Staff) ¶ José María Zelaya C. (did not accept appointment) ¶ J. Rigoberto Reyes ¶ Arturo Cruz Hurtado ¶ Sebastián Poveda ¶ José Andrés Urtecho ¶ Andrés Largaespada (Chief of Intelligence) ¶ Majors ¶ Alberto M. Baca ¶ J. Evenor Hernández ¶ Adán Medina ¶ Luis Salladores Torres ¶ Arístides García Ofolea ¶ Dionisio Gasteazoro ¶ Humberto Solano ¶ Rodolfo Marín ¶ Captains ¶ David Argûello ¶ Alfonso Gonzáles ¶ Fernando Montealegre Sacasa ¶ Eliseo Mayorga ¶ Jorge Miranda ¶ Alejandro S. Pereira ¶ Enrique Marin h. [H.] ¶ Ambrosio Parodi ¶ Joaquin Rivas Solórzano ¶ From: M. A. Costa Rica ¶ Report No. 1853 ¶ Date: December 1, 1932. . . ."
"Nicaraguan Officers of Guardia Nacional," US Military Attaché Major A. R. Harris, San José, p. 2. " . . . G-2 Report. ¶ 6,200-b ¶ José Saravia Zelaya ¶ Carlos Tellería Q. ¶ Fugencio Sevilla ¶ Joseph Harrison ¶ Leopoldo Alvarez ¶ Fernando Valladares ¶ Manuel Callejas ¶ Carlos E. Gadea ¶ Manuel Lacayo ¶ Genero López ¶ Leopoldo Salazar ¶ José Francisco Terán ¶ Surgeon with rank of Major ¶ Dr. Hermógenos Prado. ¶ The most astonishing of these appointments is that of Andrés Largaespada as Chief of Intelligence. The following who's who information is on file in this office on Largaespada: ¶ Holder of a B. A. degree, just over 40 years of age. Has been a deputy for a number of years and is owner and editor of "Diario Moderno" of Managua. This paper is about the yellowest of yellow sheets in Nicaragua. Has no money and is very easily bought. Is entirely undependable in anything but the policies of his party (Liberal), in which he wields considerable influence. Anti American. About as crooked as newspapermen and politicians come in Central America. ¶ Source: Press and as stated. ¶ A. R. Harris, ¶ Major, G.S., M.A. ¶ From: M. A. Costa Rica ¶ Report No. 1853 ¶ Date: December 1, 1932."
July 5, 1933.
"Consolidated report showing the distribution of all forces of the Guardia Nacional de Nicaragua, to include July 1, 1933," p. 1. (Note: This 5-page report also appears as a PDF file on the webpage devoted to "Guardia Troop Distribution Reports, 1931-33," accessible via the GUARDIA HOMEPAGE or by clicking HERE.)
"Consolidated report showing the distribution of all forces of the Guardia Nacional de Nicaragua, to include July 1, 1933," p. 2.
"Distribution of the forces of the Guardia Nacional as of July 1, 1933," despatch from US Minister Matthew E. Hanna, Managua, to Sec. State, Washington, p. 1. "M. I. D. ¶ Managua, July 7, 1933. ¶ No. 1351. ¶ Subject: Distribution of the forces of the Guardia Nacional as of July 1, 1933. ¶ The Honorable ¶ The Secretary of State, ¶ Washington, D. C. ¶ sir: ¶ I have the honor to transmit herewith a copy in translation of a consolidated report prepared in the headquarters of the Guardia Nacional which shows the distribution of all the forces of the Guardia on July 1, 1933. The report was handed to me by General Anastasio Somoza, Chief of the Guardia Nacional. ¶ The report gives the total strength of the Guardia on the date mentioned as 2,891 officers and enlisted, of which 2,731 belong to the Guardia proper, 15 are Auxiliaries and 145 are municipal police. The 2,731 commissioned and enlisted of the Guardia proper embrace ¶ 215 line . . . "
"Distribution of the forces of the Guardia Nacional as of July 1, 1933," despatch from US Minister Matthew E. Hanna, Managua, to Sec. State, Washington, p. 2. " . . . 215 line officers, 7 medical officers and 2,509 enlisted. ¶ It will be noted that the total strength of the forces occupying the Northern, Central and Eastern areas is 1,099 enlisted and commissioned. The total strength of the forces in the remainder of the Republic embracing the Southern Departments, the Departments of Managua and Carazo, and the City of Managua is 1,632 enlisted and commissioned. It would appear from these figures that there has been a great change in the distribution of the Guardia forces since the departure of the United States Marines, which change, generally speaking, has been to reduce the strength of the forces in the three areas mentioned above and to increase considerably the strength of the forces in the remainder of the Republic. ¶ It would appear from this that, since the peace arrangement with Sandino, the Government here has been giving preferential attention to the maintenance of order in the portion of the Republic which was free from banditry and which was policed during the period of Marine control of the Guardia by a much smaller force than is being employed at the present time. ¶ General Somoza told me when he gave me this report that he has been endeavoring to carry out his plan to reduce the strength of the Guardia to 2,300, but that the situation generally in the Republic, particularly in the former bandit region, has prevented him from reducing the Guardia as rapidly as he had expected. He said in this connection that he was fearful that Sandino would stir up trouble between Nicaragua and Honduras. It appears that ¶ Sandino . . . "
"Distribution of the forces of the Guardia Nacional as of July 1, 1933," despatch from US Minister Matthew E. Hanna, Managua, to Sec. State, Washington, p. 3. " . . . Sandino still has some armed men at his old bandit headquarters "Luz y Sombra" which is located North of the Coco River in disputed territory. General Somoza said that Honduran forces have been operating in that general neighborhood and that apparently it is the intention of the Government of Honduras to occupy the disputed area with its military forces. He seemed to think that this would be grounds for complaint on the part of the Government of Nicaragua. He said also that Sandino has been occupying Waspuck (Huaspuo) north of the Coco River, and that it is the Nicaraguan Government's intention to replace Sandino's forces in that town with a small Guardia force. I indicated to General Somoza the inconsistency in complaints by this Government growing out of the occupation of the disputed territory by Honduran forces if this Government should establish a military post north of the Coco River. He replied that Waspuck had always been considered a Nicaraguan town, presumably he meant that it had been so considered by Nicaraguans. ¶ It will be noted that Sandino's 100 armed men are not included in the accompanying consolidated report of the strength of the Guardia, although the peace arrangement with Sandino apparently contemplated that his force formed a part of the Guardia. ¶ Respectfully yours, ¶ Matthew E. Hanna. ¶ Enclosure: ¶ Copy of report. ¶ 810.5 ¶ MEH:hwb."
Translation of article in La Noticia (Managua) of 21 July 1933, "Officers Combine to Get Cheap Insurance Rates in a Foreign Insurance Company," US Military Attaché Major A. R. Harris, San José. "G-2 Report. ¶ 6,200-b. ¶ NICARAGUA (Combat) ¶ Subject: Commissioned Officers. ¶ Officers Combine to Get Cheap Insurance Rates in a Foreign Insurance Company. ¶ The following article appears in "La Noticia" of Managua under date of July 21, 1933. ¶ Preliminary negotiations for insuring the entire officer personnel of the Guardia Nacional consisting of 223 officers, with the Pan American Life Insurance Co., of New Orleans, La., through individual policies, are quite advanced. ¶ Of these 223 officers on account of their age, some will pay as a minimum about $3.50 per month and others about $5.00 monthly. ¶ Even though the policies are to be issued to individuals, it actually is the entire officer corps of the army which insures itself with a foreign company. They can continue their insurance if they leave the armed forces at some later date. ¶ Apparently this insures the families of the officers against the contingency of their death in complying with their duties. And, on the other hand, the Pan American Life shows confidence in the Government of Dr. Sacasa being a government of peace, because otherwise it would not venture into this business. ¶ Juan Ramón Avilés, editor of La Noticia in Managua, attacks the above plan for the following reasons: ¶ 1. Because it appears based on the assumption that the officers do not trust the nation to fulfill its obligation to pension a family, - for which reason they prefer a foreign company. ¶ 2. Because the payment of premiums would be against the present policy of the Government against funds leaving the country. ¶ 3. Because he believes that the Guardia should start its own savings Department, depositing it in the Banco Nacional and include the enlisted personnel. ¶ Source: As stated. ¶ A. R. Harris, ¶ Major, G. S., M. A. ¶ From: M. A. Costa Rica ¶ Report No. 3,132 ¶ Date: July 28, 1933."
"Trial of High Ranking Guardia Officers [Colonel José A. Utrecho & Major Lacayo]," US Military Attaché Major A. R. Harris, San José. "G-2 Report. ¶ 6,300_b ¶ NICARAGUA (Combat) ¶ Subject: Discipline. ¶ Trial of High Ranking Guardia Officers. ¶ Reference is made to Report No. 2,206, Oct. 19, 1933, from this office. ¶ The original report received in this office concerning the trial of Colonel Urtecho and Major Lacayo was to the effect that these officers were being charged with being implicated in the arsenal explosion of August 1st. Further details show that this report was in error. They were actually charged with "Conduct to the prejudice of good order and military discipline" in that they extracted important documents from the confidential files of the Headquarters of the Guardia Nacional, and gave them to unauthorized persons, - in this case, Dr. Espinoza, the Vice President of Nicaragua. ¶ Major Lacayo resigned, and his resignation was accepted, before he could be brought to trial. ¶ The findings in the case of Colonel Urtecho were as follows: ¶ "Resolution of the Court Martial which tried Colonel Urtecho:- ¶ "The Prosecutor was called and he was ordered to pronounce the following verdict: ¶ "Specification of the charge proven. ¶ "The accused is guilty of the charge. ¶ "The court withdrew. ¶ "The Prosecutor was called again and he was ordered to register the sentence of the Court as follows: ¶ "The Court sentences Colonel José A. Urtecho, G.N., to be released from active duty in the Guardia Nacional with certificate of bad conduct. ¶ SIGNED: General Gustavo Abaunza, President. Colonel Samuel Santos, Colonel Sebastián Poveda, Major Aristides García Otelea, Major Donoso Gasteazoro, Major José Francisco Terán, Major Alfonso González C., Major Alejo Espinoza L., Major Fernando R. Andino, Major J. Evenor Hernández F., Prosecutor. ¶ "NATIONAL GUARD HEADQUARTERS, CAMPO DE MARTE, MANAGUA, NICARAGUA. ¶ October 20, 1933. ¶ "The procedure and verdict of the foregoing General Court Martial in the case of J. A. Urtecho, Colonel, G. N. de Nicaragua are approved, but the sentence shall be the following: 'To be released from active duty for the convenience of the Government' – this mitigation thereby being approved. ¶ (s) A. Somoza, Chief Director." ¶ Source: Press. ¶ A. R. Harris, ¶ Major, G.S., M. A. ¶ From: M. A. Costa Rica ¶ Report No. 2,210 ¶ Date: Oct. 25, 1933"
November 6, 1933.
"Editorial Attack on Non-Political Make-up of Guardia Nacional," US Military Attaché Major A. R. Harris, San José, p. 1. "G-2 Report. ¶ 6,300-a ¶ NICARAGUA (Combat) ¶ Subject: Loyalty and Discipline. ¶ Editorial Attack on Non-political Make-up of Guardia Nacional. ¶ On October 25, Juan Ramón Aviléz, editor of La Noticia, published the following editorial, attacking the bi-partisan representation in the National Guard. This report is submitted as an indication of the state of mind of a large element of the party in power. ¶ THE BI-PARTISAN NATIONAL GUARD HAS TURNED OUT TO BE A BAD AMERICAN EXPERIMENT IN NICARAGUA. ¶ I hasten to express the general satisfaction with which the public, without party distinction, has received the notice that Col. J. A. Urtecho, tried by a Court-Martial, has not been punished. Engineer Urtecho, an illustruous [illustrious] Nicaraguan, merits general appreciation. Before and during the trial, there existed in his favor a sentimental forgiveness of Nicaraguan society which triumphed over the rigorous discipline of the army, of which Col. Urtecho was a member. ¶ Nevertheless, carried into the political field, the occurrence carries special importance in that, in a given case, which was not believed possible, it has been shown that we are not as yet capable of maintaining our army on the enforced plan of bi-partisanship which the United States required as prerequisite for the withdrawal of the marines of the intervention. This bi-partisanship, which the Americans got to call "apolitico", that is to say, non political, constitutes, on the part of the United States a complete lack of knowledge of Nicaraguan psychology or a deliberate plan for leaving within our borders the seeds of military conflicts propitious to revolt which might again open the doors to intervention. I am inclined to believe the first, and in such a case the pertinent thing is not to make the army bi-partisan as required by the forced plan of Nov. 3, 1933, but rather to have its members freely chosen by the Commander in Chief, who is the President of the Republic. In this manner, even though he should retain conservative officers or enlisted men, this will be virtue of the confidence which those inspire in him and not on account of the imposition of an agreement, as dangerous for Liberals as well as for Conservatives. ¶ From: M. A. Costa Rica ¶ Report No. 2,220 ¶ Date: Nov. 6, 1933. . . . "
"Editorial Attack on Non-Political Make-up of Guardia Nacional," US Military Attaché Major A. R. Harris, San José, p. 2. " . . . G-2 Report. ¶ 6,300-a ¶ The representation of minorities in civil government in cooperation is well; but in the military the mixture produces a hybridism, causing the best to lose control through party instinct, provoking, at least, incidents which cause jealousy, putting fuel on the flame of distrust, enemy of tranquility. ¶ What should be done? Have the parties reach an understanding here? Carry it to Washington so that the Gordian knot may be cut there? For all of us patriotism and desire for peace would be the best counsellor in the matter. ¶ Source: As stated. ¶ A. R. Harris, ¶ Major, G. S., M. A. ¶ From: M. A. Costa Rica ¶ Report No. 2,220 ¶ Date: Nov. 6, 1933."
"Activities of Guardia Nacional," US Military Attaché Major A. R. Harris, San José. "G-2 Report. ¶ NICARAGUA (Combat) ¶ Subject: Activities of Guardia Nacional. ¶ ARMS AND AMMUNITIONS RECEIVED. ¶ On November 1st a shipment of "a little more than 200 cases of ammunition and machine guns" arrived in Managua. They arrived from the United States on the S.S. 'Santa Teresa' of the Grace Line. ¶ RADIO STATIONS ¶ Two new radio stations for communications with headquarters were inaugurated by the Guardia on November 2nd. One at San Francisco de Cuajiniquilapa (Dept. of Chinandega) and the other in Totecacinte [Teotecacinte], in Nueva Segovia, near the Honduran frontier. The principal object of these stations is the control of smuggling operations. ¶ NO MORE CIVILIANS TO BE APPOINTED AS OFFICERS ¶ It is reported that no more civilians will be appointed officers in the Guardia, and that hereafter vacancies will be filled by promotions and the commissioning of enlisted men. ¶ Source: "La Noticia" ¶ A. R. Harris, ¶ Major, G. S., M. A. ¶ From: M. A. Costa Rica ¶ Report No. 2,225 ¶ Date: Nov. 10, 1933."
"Drunkenness in Guardia Nacional," US Military Attaché ad interim Alex A. Cohen, San José. "G-2 Report. ¶ 6,300-b ¶ NICARAGUA (Combat) ¶ Subject: Loyalty and Discipline. ¶ Drunkenness in Guardia Nacional. ¶ Reference is made to Report No. 2,068, June 8, 1933, from this office and to evaluation thereof dated June 19. ¶ Apparently General Orders No. 17-1933, mentioned in the above report has not proven sufficient to combat intoxication among the Guardia personnel. La Noticia of Managua, under date of January 18th reports during the first fifteen days of the month of January 1 Captain, 3 Lieutenants and 28 enlisted men were discharged for drunkenness. As a result of the continued trouble with alcohol among the Guardia personnel, the following addition to General Orders 17-1933 was published: ¶ HEADQUARTERS ¶ GUARDIA NACIONAL DE NICARAGUA ¶ January 16, 1934. ¶ CHANGE No. 1-1934 to GENERAL ORDERS No. 17-1933. ¶ 1. Effective January 1st, the following addition to General Orders 17-1933 will be in force. ¶ 2. It having been proven in many cases that members of the Guardia Nacional de Nicaragua deliberately violate General Orders No. 17-1933 for the sole and exclusive purpose of thus obtaining their discharge from the service, without receiving such punishment as their offense merits, and in the desire to have each member of the Institution contribute to its prestige through observance of the best of conduct, it is ordered: That every member of the Guardia Nacional found violating the order referred to, on being recommended for discharge by his Commanding Officer, will be imprisoned with forced labor for a period of two months, to be served wherever ordered by this command, losing all pay and emoluments during this period of imprisonment until being discharged as an UNDESIRABLE member in the Guardia Nacional. ¶ 3. All service and pay records will be closed as of the date authorized by this office similarly to the procedure for men transferred to disciplinary organizations. All such records shall be forwarded to these headquarters in due time for the purpose of preparing and returning certificates of discharge and final accounts. ¶ 4. Special care will be exercised to see that all recommendations be forwarded after careful investigation by an officer, for the purpose of establishing justice and avoiding trouble in the respective offices. ¶ BY ORDER OF MAJOR GENERAL SOMOZA, COMMANDING THE GUARDIA ¶ Gustavo Abaunza, Brigadier General, Chief of Staff. ¶ Source: La Noticia. ¶ IN THE ABSENCE OF THE MILITARY ATTACHE: ¶ Alex A. Cohen, In charge of office. ¶ From: M. A. Costa Rica ¶ Report No. 2,291 ¶ Date: Jan. 26, 1934."
"Friction between Guardia and Civilians," US Military Attaché ad interim Alex A. Cohen, San José. "G-2 Report. ¶ 6,200 ¶ NICARAGUA (Combat) ¶ Subject: Personnel. ¶ Friction between Guardia and Civilians. ¶ When the U. S. Marines were about to depart from Nicaragua, leaving the Guardia Nacional sole "lords and masters" of Nicaragua, it was predicted by many persons intimately acquainted with Nicaraguan psychology that the newly acquired power of the Guardia would not fail but lead to abuse. ¶ Of late there have been an increasing number of instances causing friction between the civilian population, including numbers of the government and the Guardia. These unfortunate happenings culminated with the arrest of two Subsecretaries of State by members of the Guardia. ¶ On January 30th the Sub-Secretary of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Franklin Springer was arrested by a Lieutenant, two sergeants and two corporals, all of whom, it is stated, were intoxicated at the time. An account of this incident states that Mr. Springer was arrested by the Guardias, thrown in jail, threatened and insulted and was not released for two hours. ¶ On February 1st the Sub-Secretary of War, Dr. Irías, also had an encounter with a Guardia. Only the opportune intervention of an officer prevented the use of fire arms. ¶ "La Noticia" caustically calls these two occurrences "the Guardia week against the Subsecretaries of State." ¶ It is granted that the Guardia does not have an easy task in Nicaragua. But events like those related above and many instances of abuse of the civilian population would seem to indicate that a goodly number of the present personnel of the Guardia apparently entertains entirely erroneous notions regarding their prerogatives. Unless the Guardia High Command takes steps to correct this attitude, the friction with the civilian population is bound to increase. ¶ Source: Press & Personal Knowledge. ¶ IN THE ABSENCE OF THE MILITARY ATTACHE: ¶ Alex A. Cohen, ¶ In charge of office. ¶ From: M. A. Costa Rica ¶ Report No. 2,311 ¶ Date: February 14, 1934."
Decree No. 356 by President Juan B. Sacasa, and General Orders No. 3-1934 by Jefe Director Anastasio Somoza, p. 1. "DECREE NO. 358. ¶ THE PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC. ¶ Recognizing the necessity of reforming the regulations for the government and discipline of the Guardia Nacional and in the exercise of the prerogatives granted him as Commander in Chief of the Army under Articles 109, inserts 6, 13 and 14, and 111 of the Constitution and inserts 29 to 106 of the Regulations for the Executive. ¶ DECREES: ¶ Art. 1. The President of the Republic, as Commander in Chief of the Army, will issue his orders to the Director in Chief of the Guardia Nacional directly or through the respective office. Also, when he deems it opportune, he will send orders directly to the Commanding Officers of military jurisdictions or to any other member of the Guardia, & communicating them to the Director in Chief for his information. ¶ Art. 2. Without prejudice to the other faculties he possesses on the organization of the army, the creation and suppression of [unreadable] and other jurisdictions, or the removal or transfer of their Executive Officers, Chiefs of Police and the officers of the Corps of Aviation is an exclusive attribute of the Executive. ¶ Art. 3. Promotions, calls to and releases from native service of officers of the Guardia Nacional can only be effected as directed by the President of the Republic within the prescriptions of insert 13 of Art. 111 of the Constitution. ¶ Art. 4. Arms, munitions and military equipment are under the orders of the Commander in Chief. Transfers of arms and munitions for ordinary necessities of the service will be ordered by the Director in Chief of the Guardia Nacional, reporting it immediately to the Commander in Chief; but extraordinary transfers can only be made subject to direct previous approval or orders from the Commander in Chief. ¶ Art. 5. Without orders of authorization of the Commander in Chief, no Guardia Nacional funds may be expended except such as are for ordinary expenditure for salaries and the maintenance of the Corps. ¶ Art. 6. Police, members of the Guardia Nacional and auxiliaries detached for this purpose will comply with orders received directly from the respective Ministry and other competent authorities. ¶ Art. 7. The Director in Chief of the Guardia will daily report to the Commander in Chief, the condition of the Guardia. ¶ Art. 8. This decree revokes all dispositions opposed thereto and will be communicated to the Director in Chief of the Guardia Nacional for the purpose of immediate compliance. ¶ Given in the Presidential Offices, Managua, March 1, 1934. ¶ J. B. SACASA ¶ The Minister of Government & War ¶ GONZALO OCON. ¶ GENERAL ORDERS No. 5-1934. ¶ 1. Effective this date members of the Guardia Nacional will strictly comply with Executive Decree No. 358 of the 1st of this month, which reads: ¶ (Decree No. 358, so translated above, follows) . . . "
Decree No. 356 by President Juan B. Sacasa, and General Orders No. 3-1934 by Jefe Director Anastasio Somoza, p. 2. " . . . 2. Members of the Guardia Nacional violating the decree referred to will be punished in conformity with the provisions of the articles for the government and discipline of the Guardia Nacional. ¶ BY ORDER OF THE DIRECTOR IN CHIEF, MAJ. GEN. A. SOMOZA ¶ GUSTAVO ABAUNZA ¶ Brig. General, G.N., Chief of Staff. ¶ OFFICIAL ¶ JOAQUIN RIVAS S. ¶ Law and Liaison Officer, G.N. ¶ Captain, G. N."
"Present Situation," US Military Attaché Major A. R. Harris, San José, p. 1. "G-2 Report. ¶ 3,020-b ¶ NICARAGUA (Political) ¶ Subject: Stability of Present Administration. ¶ Present Situation. ¶ As time goes on it appears, at least on the surface, that the difficulties between the Guardia and the Government are being smoothed over. The Guardia has publicly reaffirmed its allegiance to President Sacasa several times; - and the President has not demanded more than "lip service" from the Guardia. His attitude may be as pictured in a statement recently made by the Costa Rican Minister of Foreign Relations, who remarked: "Maybe at this time, it is well for the President of Nicaragua not to be too strong." ¶ On March 3rd, the President of the Republic issued a decree which defines in detail his rights and prerogatives as Commander in Chief of the Guardia. This decree was issued after consultations with his Cabinet and the Diplomatic Corps in Managua. It is attached as an appendix. ¶ The Guardia has started an active campaign against the remaining Sandinistas at Wiwili, - the town in the agricultural district established by Sandino. On February 27th, the Guardia attacked this place killing twenty two Sandinistas. ¶ Although authorative [authoritative] details of this engagement are leaking, the pictures reported taken after the fight (copies attached) would seem to indicate that the members of the Guardia have thrown overboard all the ideas of humane, and more or less sportsmanlike, warfare taught them by the Marines. For four years their natural instincts were repressed, - but now that the Marines have departed, they have returned with enthusiasm to their quaint custom of cutting off the heads of their defeated enemies. For four years Sandino's Jefes were the only ones engaged in this practice. Now it appears that both sides will meet on even ground in this delightful pastime. ¶ As could be expected, the Americans are being blamed for this barbarous practice. Every day allusions are being made in the Press to the bloody acts committed by the American trained Guardia. ¶ An unconfirmed report from Managua states that the Guardia is to be reorganized along the lines of the Guardia in El Salvador. For this purpose it is stated a Military Mission from El Salvador will shortly proceed to Nicaragua. ¶ Source: Press. ¶ A. R. Harris, ¶ Major, G. S., M. A. ¶ From: M. A. Costa Rica ¶ Report No. 2,329 ¶ Date: March 9, 1934."
"Present Situation," US Military Attaché Major A. R. Harris, San José, p. 2. Newspaper clippings of photographs of Guardia atrocities committed against Sandinistas at Wiwilí.
"Activities in Guardia Nacional," US Military Attaché ad interim Alex A. Cohen, San José. "G-2 Report. ¶ 6,100-a ¶ NICARAGUA (Combat) ¶ Subject: Activities in Guardia Nacional. ¶ The Nicaraguan Press Reports that the more than one thousand "Auxiliares" of the Guardia Nacional, are now all in the process of being discharged. This naturally will mean great relief to the badly overstrained budget of Nicaragua. ¶ These so-called "Auxiliares" (Auxiliaries) have in Nicaragua, in the past few years, occupied a peculiar status. Serving in conjunction with Guardia troops, where and when needed, they have been taken from the civilian population, furnished with government arms (but not uniformed), and were paid from Guardia funds. As usually they were recruited in the locality where the Guardia might be operating, with their knowledge of the country in the immediate vicinity and its population, they proved a valuable asset. ¶ The so-called "Pacification of the Segovias" is still continued by the Guardia (although not in a very peaceful manner). Bandits, when encountered, are killed; while several caches of arms & munitions are reported to have been found lately. The difficulties of operations in the mountains of the Segovias may best be pictured by an encounter between two Guardia patrols some ten days ago, at night, when, thinking the other to be a bandit force, they opened fire on each other, and before the mistake was discovered, one patrol commander and several enlisted men were killed. ¶ Source: La Noticia. ¶ IN THE ABSENCE OF THE MILITARY ATTACHÉ: ¶ Alex A. Cohen, ¶ In charge of office. ¶ From: M. A. Costa Rica ¶ Report No. 2,428 ¶ Date: May 24, 1934."
"Gabriel Castillo Court Martialed," US Military Attaché Major A. R. Harris, San José, p. 1. "G-2 Report ¶ 6300-(a) ¶ NICARAGUA (Combat) ¶ LOYALTY & DISCIPLINE ¶ Subject: Gabriel Castillo Court Martialed ¶ The execution of the sentence of the Court Martial of Captain Gabriel Castillo, Guardia Nacional was begun on July 20, when General Castillo, in the presence of the entire Guardia Nacional stationed in Managua, was publicly divested of his insignia of rank, and placed in a cell to being a 20 year term of confinement. ¶ The Court Martial of Captain Castillo was held in secret. It was publicly announced that he was being tried for insubordination and conduct unbecoming an officer. However rumors have it that he was being tried for conspiracy to overthrow the government, (in this case the leaders of the Guardia.) The severity of his punishment would indicate that he was being tried for something more serious than insubordination. ¶ The idea of publicly degrading this officer seems to have for an object the warning of all would-be conspirators to watch their step. ¶ A. R. Harris, ¶ Major, G.S., M.A. ¶ From: M.A. Costa Rica. ¶ Report No. 2480 ¶ Date, Aug. 10, 1934."
"Gabriel Castillo Court Martialed," US Military Attaché Major A. R. Harris, San José, p. 2. Newspaper clipping with photos & caption: "La sensacional degradación del Capitán Gabriel Castillo, el sábado pasado, en el Campo de Marte" ¶ ARRIBA – El Mayor González, comenzando a despojar al Capitán GABRIEL CASTILLO del uniforme e insignias de Oficial de la Guardia Nacional, en cumplimiento de la sentencia del Consejo General de Guerra que lo condenó a 20 años de reclusión y degradación. ¶ ABAJO – El EX-CAPITAN CASTILLO, al terminar el despojo de su uniforme e insignias, las cuales están ya sobre el suelo. ¶ (Fotos Peñalba – Cortesía de la Guardia Nacional)."
"Court-Martial of Captain Gabriel Castillo," US Military Attaché Major A. R. Harris, San José, p. 1. "G-2 Report. ¶ 6,300-a ¶ NICARAGUA (Combat) ¶ Subject: Court-Martial of Captain Gabriel Castillo. ¶ Reference is made to Report No. 2,480, August 10, 1934, from this office. ¶ From further information received since the above report was made, it has become apparent that there is considerable feeling, - and even friction, - between the old Marine-trained Guardia officers and the new political appointees. A group of the former officers, led by Captain Castillo, were discovered planning a rebellion of some sort. ¶ After the trial of Castillo, General Somoza issued the following statement in regard to his personal actions in the case. The statement follows: ¶ GENERAL HEADQUARTERS, GUARDIA NACIONAL DE NICARAGUA, MANAGUA, NICARAGUA, July 27, 1934. ¶ MEMORANDUM FOR THE PRESS ¶ In order that the public may judge and form a correct opinion regarding the actions of the Command with regard to the trial of ex-Captain Gabriel Castillo, Guardia Nacional de Nicaragua, there are given below the outstanding passages of the record of the trial, as well as certain articles of the regulations governing this institution, in order that it may clearly be seen that the revising authority, - the undersigned in this case – can under no conditions increase a sentence imposed by a Court Martial, whether it be an ordinary one or a General, - without surpassing his authority. ¶ "General Headquarters, Guardia Nacional de Nicaragua, Managua, Nicaragua, July 16, 1934. From the Director in Chief. To Lieut. José Antonio López G.N. Subject: Charges and Specifications in the case of Captain Gabriel Castillo, G. N. de Nicaragua. ¶ 1. The above mentioned individual will be tried by the Court Martial of which you are trial judge advocate on the following charges and specifications. You should notify the President of the Court accordingly, inform the accused of the date indicated for his trial and summon all witnesses, for the prosecution as well as for the defense. CHARGE: VIOLATION OF ART. 57 OF THE ARTICLES FOR THE GOVERNMENT AND DISCIPLINE OF THE GUARDIA NACIONAL DE NICARAGUA. ¶ SPECIFICATION: In that Gabriel Castillo C., Guardia Nacional de Nicaragua, on or about the 11th day of July, 1934, in the city of Jinotega, Nicaragua, incited various officers of the Guardia Nacional to rebel jointly against His Excellency, the President of the Republic, the Director in Chief of the Guardia Nacional, the Chief of Staff of the same and against other high ranking officers of this institution, with a sinister and vicious plot of assassination […] ¶ From: M. A. Costa Rica ¶ Report No. 2,497 ¶ Date: August 22, 1934. . . . "
"Court-Martial of Captain Gabriel Castillo," US Military Attaché Major A. R. Harris, San José, p. 2. " . . . G-2 Report. ¶ 6,300-a ¶ . . . with the deliberate and premeditated intention of disturbing peace and internal administration of the Republic and of the Guardia Nacional in particular and usurp legal military authority in Nicaragua. ¶ (s) A. Somoza. ¶ The following is the outstanding part of the verdict and sentence pronounced by the members of the Court Martial: ¶ THE SPECIFICATION OF THE CHARGE – PROVEN. ¶ THE ACCUSED IS GUILTY OF THE CHARGE. ¶ The Trial Judge Advocate was again called and he was ordered to register the sentence of the Court as follows: ¶ THE COURT CONDEMNS CAPTAIN GABRIEL CASTILLO C., GUARDIA NACIONAL DE NICARAGUA, TO BE DISHONORABLY DROPPED AND TO BE IMPRISONED FOR TWENTY (20) YEARS WITH FORCED LABOR IN SUCH PLACE AS THE REVISING AUTHORITY MAY DESIGNATE. ¶ Manuel Gómez F., ¶ Captain, G. N. ¶ President ¶ Justo P. Palacios, ¶ Lieut. G. N. ¶ Member ¶ J. Francisco Jarquín ¶ Sub-Lieut. G. N. ¶ Member ¶ José María Tercero, ¶ Sub-Lieut. G. N. ¶ Member ¶ Lisandro Delgadillo, ¶ Captain, G. N. ¶ Member ¶ [unreadable] H. Pallais, ¶ Sub-Lieut. G. N. ¶ Member ¶ José Luis Aguado, ¶ Sub-Lieut. G. N. ¶ Member ¶ Francisco Boza, ¶ Sub-Lieut. G. N. ¶ Member ¶ Salvador Rizo G. ¶ Lieut. G. N. ¶ Member ¶ Orlando López, ¶ Sub-Lieut. G. N. ¶ Member ¶ J. Rigoberto Duarte, ¶ Sub-Lieut. G. N. ¶ Member ¶ José Antonio López B. ¶ Lieut. G. N. ¶ Trial Judge Advocate. ¶ The court thereupon, at 2:53 a.m. on July 18th, 1934, was suspended to await orders from the convening authority: Manuel Gómez F., Captain, G. N., President; José Antonio López B., Lieut. G. N. Trial Judge Advocate. ¶ JOINT ACTION OF THE CONVENING AND REVISING AUTHORITY. The proceedings, verdict and sentence in the foregoing case of Captain Gabriel Castillo C., G. N. de Nicaragua are approved. This office will later designate the prison it considers appropriate for serving the sentence. A. Somoza, Director in Chief. ¶ Art. 44 of the "Articles for the Government & Discipline of the Guardia Nacional de Nicaragua: ¶ "The proceedings, verdict and sentence of all Courts Martial and Military Tribunals will be subject to review by the Chief of the Guardia, who, in each instance has power to PARDON, MITIGATE, COMMUTE OR SUSPEND ANY PART OR ALL OF THE SENTENCE." ¶ From: M. A. Costa Rica ¶ Report No. 2,497 ¶ Date: August 22, 1934. . . ."
"Court-Martial of Captain Gabriel Castillo," US Military Attaché Major A. R. Harris, San José, p. 3. " . . . G-2 Report. ¶ 6,300-a. ¶ Art. 290 of the Book of Instructions on Courts Martial and Courts of Investigation: ¶ POWER OF THE REVIEWING AUTHORITY: ¶ Each officer empowered to convoke a Court Martial, is empowered to diminish or mitigate, but not to commute a sentence. When, nevertheless, the Convening Authority does not desire to approve the proceedings of a Court, nor to exercise his authority to diminish or mitigate, his authority is limited to the return of the records to the Court for revision and reconsideration of such parts as he considers merit it, and, in case of the court adhering to its original conclusions, to disapproval of the same. The convening authority has no power to compel a change of verdict or sentence, when, after having been reconvened, the court has declined to do so, neither can he either directly or indirectly suggest that the measure of punishment imposed by sentence of a Court Martial be augmented. When the proceedings, verdict or sentence of a Court are illegal, the Convening Authority should set them aside. ¶ From the foregoing, I am personally convinced, - and I say so publicly, - that, as Convening and Revising Authority I have done nothing but to confirm the sentence pronounced by the members of the General Court Martial against ex-Captain Gabriel Castillo C., and that therefore rumors in circulation are false and without foundation. If the public wishes to convince itself even more on the legality of the proceedings, it may pass, when it wishes, this office, where I will show with great pleasure the record of the Court Martial, so it may be read. ¶ (s) A. Somoza, ¶ Director in Chief, G. N. ¶ Source: La Noticia. ¶ A. R. Harris, ¶ Major, G. S., M. A. ¶ From: M. A. Costa Rica ¶ Report No. 2,497 ¶ Date: August 22, 1934."
"Citation" of Guardia officers involved in "stamping out final Sandinista activities," Jefe Director Anastasio Somoza, p. 1. "HEADQUARTERS, GUARDIA NACIONAL, ¶ Managua, Nicaragua, Aug. 30, 1934. ¶ GENERAL ORDERS No. 19-1934. ¶ CITATION. ¶ 1. Anastasio Somoza, Director in Chief of the Guardia Nacional of Nicaragua, takes pleasure in communicating the following paragraph of the operations report transmitted to headquarters by the Commanding Officer of the Central Area, Colonel J. Rigoberto Reyes, G. N., on the subject of the recent fight of the Guardia Nacional under his command in the mountains of Segovia and related with stamping out final Sandinista activities. It reads as follows: ¶ Being in command of the force of officers and enlisted men in operations along the Coco River as far as Bocay and having observed in all of them their desire of ever preserving the glorious tradition of the Guardia Nacional; and in view of their devoted labor, I take pleasure in recommending to the Director in Chief of the Guardia that the below mentioned officers and enlisted men be cited in General Orders of the Guardia Nacional, such citation to be entered on their service records: ¶ Lieut. Carlos Cuadra Cea ¶ Sub-Lieut. Rolando Bermúdez ¶ Sub-Lieut. Gilberto Peralta ¶ Sergeant Major Guillermo W. Luna ¶ 1st Sergeant César Herrera ¶ Sergeant Antonio Gutiérrez ¶ And 46 enlisted men. ¶ The following officers of the Guardia Nacional, all of whom took part in the battle of Wiwilí, should also be mentioned in General Orders: ¶ Lieut. Isidro Sandino, ¶ Sub-Lieut. Agustín Bodán h. [H.] ¶ Sub-Lieut. Francisco Buscibing P. ¶ Sub-Lieut. Gonzalo Matus ¶ Sub-Lieut. Ramón Torres ¶ Sub-Lieut. Edmundo Delgado ¶ Sub-Lieut. Gilberto Peralta ¶ Sub-Lieut. Adolfo Montenegro ¶ Sub-Lieut. Rodolfo Dorn B. ¶ Worthy of praise is the work Major Alberto M. Baca in the Murra and Rio Poteca sectors and certain other places in Nueva Segovia accompanied by officers Montenegro, Peralta and Torres. Major Baca was to me a most important collaborator. He always maintained his characteristic activity. Captain Manuel Callejas, who commanded a patrol for thirty-two days accompanied by officers Simón Cantarero and Sub-Lieut. Rodolfo Dorn, should also be mentioned. With regard to Captain Gabriel Castillo and his patrol of officers and enlisted men, I attach hereto his report. ¶ Officers who took a part in this expedition in the Central Area are: Colonel J. Rigoberto Reyes, Sub-Lieut. Francisco Buscibing P., Agustín Bodán h. [H.], Pedro E. Cabezas, Rodolfo Dorn B., and General Simón Cantarero and ninety one enlisted men and eighty three auxiliaries. . . . "
"Citation" of Guardia officers involved in "stamping out final Sandinista activities," Jefe Director Anastasio Somoza, p. 2. " . . . Officers who took a part in the expedition into the Northern Area are: Major Alberto M. Baca, Captain Gabriel Castillo, Captain Julián Torres, Captain Hermógenes Prado, Captain Manuel Callejas, Lieut. Isidro Sandino, Lieut. Carlos Cuadra Cea, Lieut. Gustavo A. Zavala, Sub-Lieuts. Carlos Silva, Julio Tapia, Adolfo Montenegro, Gilberto Peralta, Ramón Torres, Ronaldo Bermúdez and Félix P. Ruiz, with one hundred and fifty nine enlisted men and six auxiliaries. ¶ Officers who took a part in the expedition into the Eastern Area were: Major Luis Balladares Torres, Captain Francisco Gaitán, Sub-Lieuts. Eusebio Montes, Hildebrando A. Pedilla and Esteban Cáceres, with seventy-five enlisted men. ¶ The cooperation of Major Balladares Torres and his patrol was most opportune and he cooperated most efficiently in the Bocay sector. I do not make any recommendation, however, on account of not having access to the respective report. Nor do I cite the officers and enlisted men, because, even though they all properly cooperated, they neglected to furnish the reports which they are obliged to submit. ¶ 2. The Director in Chief of the Guardia Nacional de Nicaragua is greatly pleased that our institution has men who know to perform their duty in a valiant and abnegated manner, and wishes, through the Commanding Officer of the Central Area, to cordially congratulate all those under his orders who distinguished themselves. ¶ 3. This order of HONORABLE CITATION is to be filed with the service records of each one of the officers and men mentioned. ¶ By order of the Director in Chief, Major General Somoza: ¶ (s) ANTIOCO SACASA S. ¶ Colonel, G. N., Chief of Staff. ¶ OFFICIAL: ¶ (s) SAMUEL SANTOS, ¶ Colonel, G. N., Chief of Intelligence and Operations."
"General Court Martial of Lieut. J. Antonio Lopez, G.N," US Military Attaché ad interim Alex A. Cohen, San José. "G-2 Report. ¶ 6,300-a ¶ NICARAGUA (Combat) ¶ Subject: Loyalty and Discipline. ¶ General Court Martial of Lieut. J. Antonio López, G. N. ¶ Reference is made to "Current Situation" reports on Nicaragua, No. 2,627, dated Sept. 14 and No. 2,539, dated Sept. 28, from this office, in which another fire and explosion in the Campo de Marte at Managua was reported. ¶ It now appears that this fire was of incendiary origin, because on October 3rd and 4th the Costa Rican press reported that a General Court Martial had been convoked for the purpose of trying Lieut. J. Antonio López of the Guardia for arson in connection with the fire. The Court pronounced the death sentence. As to whether it will be carried out will depend on action by the reviewing authority, the Director General of the Guardia. Also, President Sacasa may exercise his prerogative of executive clemency. ¶ Source: Press. ¶ IN THE ABSENCE OF THE MILITARY ATTACHE: ¶ Alex A. Cohen, ¶ In charge of office. ¶ From: M. A. Costa Rica ¶ Report No. 2,643 ¶ Date: Oct. 4, 1934.
"Court Martial of Lieut. López, G.N.," US Military Attaché ad interim Alex A. Cohen, San José. "G-2 Report. ¶ 6,300-a ¶ NICARAGUA (Combat) ¶ Subject: Loyalty. ¶ Court Martial of Lieut. López, G. N. ¶ Reference is made to report No. 2,543, Oct. 4, from this office. ¶ It has just been reported that President Sacasa exercised his prerogative of executive clemency, and changed the death sentence against Lieut. López, to twenty years at hard labor. ¶ Lieut. López, it should be remembered, for a considerable time held one of the key positions in the Guardia, namely that of Chief of Police of Managua. For an officer of Lieut. López['s] experience to be found guilty of deliberately setting fire to the Guardia stores at the Campo de Marte, to the writer can indicate but one of two things. Either Lieut. López is insane, or else there is considerable [considerably] more friction among members of the Guardia and consequent plotting against its Chief – General Somoza – than is generally suspected. The trial of two of the older officers of the Guardia (Captain Castillo and Lieut. López) within a couple of months, surely is indicative of something being wrong within the organization. Loyalty to country, rather than to personal ambition and political party is almost impossible to the average Nicaraguan, more so even when finding himself cloaked by the mantle of authority conferred by the uniform of the Guardia Nacional. ¶ It might have been much better for the country as a whole if, on this occasion, President Sacasa had followed the example of his colleague in Guatemala, and had permitted the death sentence to stand. It would have produced a salutary effect on the remainder of the Guardia and if it would not have prevented further plotting entirely, it at least would have greatly discouraged it. ¶ Source: Press & personal knowledge. ¶ IN THE ABSENCE OF THE MILITARY ATTACHÉ: ¶ Alex A. Cohen, ¶ In charge of office. ¶ 2567 ¶ 6300(a) ¶ Court Martial of Lieut. Lopez, G.N. The cases of Castillo and Lopez indicate a disloyal attitude among Guardia officers which will be of continued interest to this office. General Somoza's measures to purge the Guardia of his enemies should be closely followed. ¶ From: M. A. Costa Rica ¶ Report No. 2,567 ¶ Date: Oct. 19, 1934."
"Monthly Rates of Pay," US Military Attaché ad interim Alex A. Cohen, San José. "G-2 Report. ¶ 6,200. ¶ NICARAGUA (Combat) ¶ Subject: Personnel. ¶ Monthly Rates of Pay. ¶ Under the budget for the Guardia Nacional, just approved by Congress, the following rates of pay are assigned per month to the Guardia personnel. ¶ 6,200-b Commissioned Officers. ¶ General, Director in Chief ¶ C$ 280.00 ¶ Colonel, Chief of Staff ¶ [C$] 220.00 ¶ Colonel, Chief of Operations & Investigation ¶ [C$] 180.00 ¶ Colonels, line ¶ [C$] 150.00 ¶ Majors ¶ [C$] 130.00 ¶ Captains ¶ [C$] 112.00 ¶ Lieutenants ¶ [C$] 77.00 ¶ Permanent Sub-lieutenants ¶ [C$] 55.00 ¶ Temporary Sub-lieutenants ¶ [C$] 50.00 ¶ 6,200-c Enlisted Personnel. ¶ Sergeant Majors ¶ [C$] 40.00 ¶ Quartermaster Sergeants ¶ [C$] 30.00 ¶ First Sergeants ¶ [C$] 35.00 ¶ Second Sergeants ¶ [C$] 25.00 ¶ Corporals ¶ [C$] 18.00 ¶ Buglers ¶ [C$] 14.00 ¶ Privates ¶ [C$] 12.00 ¶ Source: La Noticia. ¶ IN THE ABSENCE OF THE MILITARY ATTACHÉ: ¶ Alex A. Cohen, ¶ In charge of office. ¶ 2577 ¶ 6200 ¶ Personnel: Monthly Rates of Pay – Nicaragua. ¶ For the personnel indicated in your #2576, the total annual pay is approximately C$464,000 (cordobas), or nearly one-half the total budget for the Guardia Nacional. Adequate pay appears to be the most important budgetary factor. ¶ From: M. A. Costa Rica ¶ Report No. 2,577 ¶ Date: Oct. 24, 1934."
"Loyalty and Discipline - Military Prisoners," US Military Attaché Major A. R. Harris, San José, p. 1. "G-2 Report. ¶ 6,300-d ¶ NICARAGUA (Combat) ¶ Subject: Loyalty and Discipline. ¶ Military Prisoners. ¶ (a) Ex-Captain Gabriel Castillo. ¶ Reference is made to Report No. 2,497, August 22, 1934, from this office, covering the General Court Martial of Captain Gabriel Castillo, G. N., which resulted in his degradation and sentence to twenty years imprisonment at hard labor. ¶ Castillo is a native of El Salvador. From the time of his imprisonment the government of El Salvador interceded unofficially in his behalf. These pleas finally met with success, for, on the morning of December 22nd he was set free and permitted to depart by plane for San Salvador, accompanied by the Salvadorean Minister to Nicaragua, Licenciate Cesár Miranda. ¶ (b) Gustavo Alemán Bolaños. ¶ In referring to Report No. 2,594, November 1, 1934 from this office (2,820) it will be noted that Gustavo Alemán Bolaños was sentenced by a Court-Martial to one year's imprisonment for having engaged in publishing subversive articles against the Nicaraguan Government. Bolaños, a civilian, was tried by a court-martial because the country was under martial law and also because most likely a civil court would not have convicted him. ¶ On the night of December 24th, under orders from President Sacasa, Bolaños was set free, and permitted to go to his home at Masaya. ¶ 2692 ¶ 6300-d ¶ Military Prisoners – Nicaragua. This presidential policy with respect to the release of military offenders was foredoomed to cause resentment on the part of those charged with the enforcement of discipline in the Guardia. ¶ Apparently, politics in the administration of the Guardia's affairs are assuming alarming proportions. This condition is unfortunate and will no doubt foment discontent and perhaps disloyalty in the armed forces. ¶ Your visit to Managua is well timed and it will enable you to render an estimate of the present situation which can be based on your own observations. ¶ This office will await, with interest, a full report on the present status of Nicaraguan affairs. ¶ From: M. A. Costa Rica ¶ Report No. 2,692 ¶ Date: Jan. 13, 1935. . . . "
"Loyalty and Discipline - Military Prisoners," US Military Attaché Major A. R. Harris, San José, p. 2. " . . . G-2 Report. ¶ 6,300-d ¶ NICARAGUA (Combat) ¶ Subject: Loyalty and Discipline. ¶ Military Prisoners. ¶ (a) Ex-Captain Gabriel Castillo. ¶ Reference is made to Report No. 2,497, August 22, 1934, from this office, covering the General Court Martial of Captain Gabriel Castillo, G. N., which resulted in his degradation and sentence to twenty years imprisonment at hard labor. ¶ Castillo is a native of El Salvador. From the time of his imprisonment the government of El Salvador interceded unofficially in his behalf. These pleas finally met with success, for, on the morning of December 22nd he was set free and permitted to depart by plane for San Salvador, accompanied by the Salvadorean Minister to Nicaragua, Licenciate Cesár Miranda. ¶ (b) Gustavo Alemán Bolaños. ¶ In referring to Report No. 2,594, November 1, 1934 from this office (2,820) it will be noted that Gustavo Alemán Bolaños was sentenced by a Court-Martial to one year's imprisonment for having engaged in publishing subversive articles against the Nicaraguan Government. Bolaños, a civilian, was tried by a court-martial because the country was under martial law and also because most likely a civil court would not have convicted him. ¶ On the night of December 24th, under orders from President Sacasa, Bolaños was set free, and permitted to go to his home at Masaya. ¶ As far as this office has been able to learn, no pardons were granted in these two cases, - in other words, the prisoners were merely released on "good behavior" and, in the case of Alemán Bolaños, he can again be incarcerated should he renew his attacks on the Government. Castillo, it is believed, will not be permitted to re-enter the country. ¶ These two Christmas liberations, ordered by President Sacasa in his usual spirit of magnanimity are excellent for the two parties directly concerned, i.e. Castillo and Alemán Bolaños. The effect, however, these acts will have on the malcontents, both within and without the Guardia, will simply be to encourage them in their acts of aggression against the State. It is now being freely predicted that Lieut. López, whose present sentence of life imprisonment is under appeal before the Supreme Court of Justice, also eventually will be set free and his offense forgotten. ¶ From: M. A. Costa Rica ¶ Report No. 2,692 ¶ Date: Jan. 13, 1935. . . ."
"Loyalty and Discipline - Military Prisoners," US Military Attaché Major A. R. Harris, San José, p. 3. " . . . G-2 Report. ¶ 6,300-d ¶ [unreadable]: Unconfirmed rumors emanating from Nicaragua tend to show that these acts (and others) of the President have only served to widen the breach between him and General Somoza, Commander of the Guardia. According to rumor, this breach is becoming dangerously wide. ¶ Source: Press & Personal knowledge. ¶ A. R. Harris, ¶ Major, G. S., M. A. ¶ From: M. A. Costa Rica ¶ Report No. 2,692 ¶ Date: Jan. 13, 1935."
Monthly Rates of Pay in the Guardia Nacional, US Military Attaché Major A. R. Harris, San José, p. 1. "G-2 Report. ¶ 6,200 ¶ NICARAGUA (Combat) ¶ Subject: Personnel. ¶ Monthly Rates of Pay. ¶ The budget for the Guardia Nacional, as presented by General Somoza to the Minister of Government for the current fiscal year, assigns the following monthly rates of pay to the Guardia personnel.
¶ 6,200-b Commissioned Officers.
¶ General, Director in Chief ………......…………… C$ 260.00
¶ Colonels ………………………………….........… [C$] 150.00
¶ Majors …………………………………...........…. [C$] 130.00
¶ Captains …………………………………............ [C$] 112.00
¶ Lieutenants………………………………..……….. [C$] 77.00
¶ Permanent sub-lieutenants …………………....…. [C$] 70.00
¶ Temporary sub-lieutenants ……………....………. [C$] 50.00
¶ Contract Surgeon (Major) ……………....……….. [C$] 65.00
¶ Lieutenants (Staff) …………………….........……. [C$] 38.50
¶ Permanent sub-lieutenants (staff) ……....……….. [C$] 35.00
¶ Dentist (rank not given) ……………….........…… [C$] 50.00
¶ Aviator " " " …………………..........................… [C$] 60.00
¶ 6,200-c Enlisted Personnel.
¶ Sergeant Majors …………….......……………….. C$ 40.00
¶ First Sergeants ……………………….......…….. [C$] 35.00
¶ Quartermaster Sergeants …………….…………. [C$] 30.00
¶ Sergeants ……………………………........…….. [C$] 25.00
¶ Corporals ………………………….........……….. [C$] 18.00
¶ Trumpeters ……………………….………………. [C$] 14.00
¶ Privates …………………………………...……… [C$] 12.00
¶ Drum Major …………………………….…………. [C$] 30.00
¶ 1st class musicians ………………….......………. [C$] 30.00
¶ 2nd class musicians …………………….....……. [C$] 25.00
¶ 3rd class musicians ……………………......……. [C$] 20.00
¶ NOTE: On January 21, 1935, the Cordoba was selling in the open market at the rate of one U. S. dollar equivalent to C$1.30. ¶ 2711 ¶ 6200 ¶ Personnel: Monthly Rates of Pay. – Nicaragua. ¶ Compared with 1933 budget, it is noted that the monthly rates of pay are considerably increased in a number of cases. The pay of General Somoza himself is apparently reduced. ¶ NOTE: This report supercedes and substitutes Report No. 2,577, October 24, 1934, from this office. ¶ From: M. A. Costa Rica ¶ Report No. 2,711 ¶ Date: Jan. 23, 1935."
Monthly Rates of Pay in the Guardia Nacional, US Military Attaché Major A. R. Harris, San José, p. 2. [See above].
"The Guardia Nacional," US Military Attaché, San José. "6300 (a) ¶ NICARAGUA ¶ The Guardia Nacional ¶ The Guardia Nacional is not, as General Somoza would like to believe, a unified, coherent body. It is not, as a whole, loyal to its commander. It contains such antagonistic sub-divisions as: Liberals and Conservatives, - the latter naturally in positions of minor importance; - of "academicos" (graduates of the former military school) and "civiles" (civil appointees) who are extremely jealous of each other; and most important it is divided into Sacasa and Somoza groups. At the present time these latter sub-divisions held the center of the stage. The President's bodyguard of approximately 15 officers and 250 men is distinctly pro-Sacasa and anti-Somoza. So also is supposed to be the garrison stationed in Leon. Although the bulk of the Guardia is distinctly pro-Somoza, - still the deflection of two of his most trusted officers (Castillo and Lopez) has made the General feel more than a little distrustful of his position in the event of an actual showdown. He knows he cannot count on certain of his officers in case he defies the President. The discovery of some of his favorites plotting against him has weakened his own self assurance and also his prestige not only in the Guardia but among the civilians as well. ¶ In an endeavor to strengthen his position the Commander of the Guardia has been bringing to Managua, as his principal assistants, men of proven ability and loyalty. Colonel Rigoberto Reyes has been brought in from Matagalpa and made Chief of Intelligence and Operations. Colonel Santos, - his predecessor has been sent to the country. Captain Salazar and Major Telleria, both men with good reputations have been brought to Managua, - the latter being appointed Chief of Police. In this way General Somoza has been gradually strengthening his position, and building up a force, - at least in Managua, - which can be depended on in a fight. Who's who reports on the chief officers of the Guardia will be submitted at an early date. ¶ About two months ago General Somoza was undoubtedly losing prestige all around. To-day he has regained most of his lost ground, - but is probably not so cock-sure of himself and of his ability to control his followers as formerly. This condition tends to prevent an open break with the President. ¶ The Guardia itself naturally has not improved in discipline, morale, or efficiency under the prevailing conditions. The Guardia stationed in Managua is about one month behind in itspay [its pay]; the troops in the interior are from two to three months behind. The officers and men seen in Managua by the Military Attache appeared quite neat and clean and more or less "on the job," but reports from other districts indicate that they are becoming quite ragged and run-down-at-the-heel. ¶ By relegating the members of the Guardia, who are Conservatives, to positions of minor importance, the Guardia is steadily becoming more and more a Liberal tool. It is extremely doubtful that a fair and impartial election could be held under Guardia supervision at the present time. ¶ Source: M. A., Costa Rica, Report No. 2,715, January 25, 1935."
"Enlisted Personnel in Guardia Nacional," US Military Attaché, San José, p. 1. "G-2 Report. ¶ 6,200-c ¶ NICARAGUA (Combat) ¶ Subject: Enlisted Personnel in Guardia Nacional. ¶ 1. Large Turn-over During Year. ¶ 2. Distribution of Grades. ¶ 1. Turn-Over During Year. ¶ During the period 1 October, 1933, to 30 September 1934, the following changes in enlisted strength took place in the Guardia:
¶ (a) G A I N S
¶ Enlistments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .416
¶ Reeinlistments [Reenlistments] . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 576
¶ Returned Deserters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
¶ Returned to duty after serving sentence . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
¶ Revocation of desertion charges . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
¶ Transfer to disciplinary org. revoked . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
¶ Total gains 1,012
¶ (b) L O S S E S
¶ Cancellation of enlistment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
¶ Cancellation of reenlistments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4
¶ Transferred to disciplinary organization . . . . . . . . . . . 22
¶ Deserters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
¶ Deaths (various causes) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .27
¶ Discharged (various causes) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,009
¶ Total losses 1,106
¶ Net loss . . . . . . 94
¶ 2. Distribution by Grades. ¶ On September 30, 1934, the authorized an-[paper in way of text] strength of the Guardia was as follows: ¶ Enlisted Personnel in Guardia Nacional of Nicaragua. ¶ 1. The very large (50%) turnover in personnel is not indicative of a well-disciplined or contented force; the fact that there were 576 reenlistments somewhat lessens the bad effect of losing, in the period of one year, nearly half (1,009) of the defense forces of Nicaragua. ¶ 2. In connection with authorized strengths shown in par. 2, attention is called to the report (on form shown) called for by new "Abridged Requirements," 6300-a (2). [paper in way of text] 3, 1935. . . . "
"Enlisted Personnel in Guardia Nacional," US Military Attaché, San José, p. 2. [See above]
"Enlisted Personnel in Guardia Nacional," US Military Attaché, San José, p. 3. " . . . G-2 Report. ¶ 6,200-c
¶ (b) M E D I C A L
¶ First Sergeants 4
¶ Sergeants 14
¶ Corporals 28
¶ Privates 30
¶ Total 76
¶ (c) B A N D
¶ Sub-Director 1
¶ 1st Class Musicians 10
¶ 2nd Class Musicians 8
¶ 3rd Class Musicians 23
¶ R E C A P I T U L A T I O N .
¶ Line 2,119
¶ Medical 76
¶ Band 42
¶ 2,237
¶ NOTE: The above figures do not include the auxiliaries. They do, however, include 25 enlisted men paid by the United Fruit Company, who guard the properties of this company on the Atlantic Coast. ¶ Source: Annual Report of Minister of Government and War. ¶ A. R. Harris, ¶ Major, G. S., M. A. ¶ From: M. A. Costa Rica ¶ Report No. 2,822 ¶ Date: April 3, 1935."
"Distribution of Troops - Territorial Commands," US Military Attaché, San José, p. 1. [NOTE: This table is not transcribed here.]
"Distribution of Troops - Territorial Commands," US Military Attaché, San José, p. 1A.
"Distribution of Troops -Territorial Commands," US Military Attaché, San José, p. 2.
"Distribution of Troops, Territorial Commands," US Military Attaché, San José, p. 3.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
Tag: knighthoods
Latterday Knight Fever: the economics of prestige
The Abbott government has announced it bringing back Knightoods and Damehoods to Australia. Each year, four people will arise with the title of Dame or Sir.
Of course, the whole thing is a retrograde step taken by a man with, by George, a madness for kings. Knighthoods were first axed by Whitlam in 1975, reintroduced by Fraser in 1976 then axed again by Hawke in 1983.
In one way, I like it. The old honours system which topped out with ACs and AOs was both sterile and opaque. The Sir and Dame system is one that people can grasp. From Sir Lancelot to Dame Judi Dench, people see and understand. If a comprehensible public honour is not the point of an honour system, I don't know what is.
(One also can't deny it's a political football that you kick up into the sky when you want to distract attention from something else, in this case the fact the Assistant Treasurer is featuring in a very unflattering way in a corruption inquiry.)
But the real question for an economist is why would people value a knighthood. It doesn't come with a free horse and castle. It doesn't get you a discount at the shops. In some ways it's less useful than a seniors card.
While the income bump from winning an Oscar has been comprehensively studied, old-school conventional economics has little to say on the matter of awards for public service. Luckily our friends in the fields of behavioural economics have tuned their antennae more closely toward the workings of the human mind.
These Knighthoods and Damehoods are the ultimate in positional goods. A positional good is one whose value comes from the fact that others can't consume it too. Being the richest person in the world, or gold medallist in swimming, having the best address in the best neighbourhood or a degree from the most elite university. The values of these goods "depend not only on the amount the individual consumes but also the amount others consume."
At my old employer, Fairfax, the publication of the BRW rich list was an event that carried huge importance. As if the money was not reward enough, certain business people would contact BRW to make sure their assets were sufficiently valued that they would feature prominently in the list. Being on the list did not increase the value of their money in a consumption sense, but it strongly increased its positionality.
Positional goods are theorised to create negative externalities for the many while benefiting the few (See paper from Brookings Institute.) And the giving of medals, etc. is not without negative externalities. Here is Churchill acknowledging that fact:
"A medal glitters, but it also casts a shadow. The task of drawing up regulations for such awards is one which does not admit of a perfect solution. It is not possible to satisfy everybody without running the risk of satisfying nobody. All that is possible is to give the greatest satisfaction to the greatest number and to hurt the feelings of the fewest."
In the case of Australia's newest old-fashioned honour, just four will be handed out per year. Something so rare will indeed have cachet to spare.
The honours are apparently designed for public service, so the tabloids obsession with a Sir Shane Warne may never materialise: "My intention is that this new award will go to those who have accepted public office rather than sought it and who can never, by virtue of that office, ever entirely return to private life," Mr Abbott said.
Such prizes may be efficient. In a world where tax dollars are not exactly overflowing from Treasury coffers, the government can use prizes as compensation for jobs that would otherwise command a lot of pay.
As Bruno Frey notes in his paper Knight Fever (which title I happily stole for this post) "The material costs of awards may be very low, or even nil, for the donor, but the value to the recipient may be very high."
Where you can pay someone with a reward that costs you nothing, it would be economically unwise not to do so.
Phaleristics is the study of awards. There is a strong economic literature on the merits or using awards as motivation. From the merits of prizes in furthering science to prizes for poetry and independent film.
Awards litter most fields. They are especially prominent in fields where the best make a lot more money than the rest, such as acting, and in fields where the government pays the players (the military). These may be fields where contracts are especially hard to specify ex-ante.
Awards like sportsperson of the year carry less weight than Best Actor awards, because it is far easier to identify success in sport, so an award adds little marginal value. (Roger Federer does not always show up to accept the Swiss Sportsperson of the Year award.) Similarly in fields where a free market determines the pay of participants, such as the private practice of law and business, awards are less visible and carry less prestige.
But the award benefits not only the recipient. Mr Abbott emphasises the reciprocal nature of these awards. They are intended in his mind not just as reward for service, but are in fact a payment for keeping mum:
"If you've been the Governor-General or a Governor, there are certain things that you can never really do again. You can never really be as free with your opinion as might otherwise be the case. There are certain jobs that you could never really do again because of the position that you've occupied. Ditto for a Chief Justice. There is lots of legal work, for instance, that a former Chief Justice could never really do. If you're a former Chief of the Defence Force or a former Chief of Army, there are lots of issues upon which you can never really comment by virtue of the position that you've held. I think when someone does accept a position of such importance and gravity in our system, it is perfectly fitting to honour them in this way."
When it comes to creating new awards, there may be motivation on the part of the giver, too:
"The institution (or person) bestowing an award can be taken to be a principal who maximises his utility by inducing the agents, as the recipients of the awards, to behave in his interests," Professor Bruno Frey argues. He continues:
"The whole area of awards is very vague. The semantic is unclear and the various types of awards are not well defined. There is, for example, no clear distinction between orders, decorations or medals, and they can go with or without titles and money. It will be argued in this paper that these unclear distinctions are no accident, but an important feature of awards. The suppliers of awards have an incentive to differentiate awards at many different levels and to continually create new awards."
Managing to keep Australian knighthoods and damehoods to just four a year may prove very challenging. And if it can be done, might such an exemplary public adminstrator not be rewarded with the creation of a still higher honour? Time will tell.
Thoughts on the economics of honours and awards? Further reading you'd like to suggest? Put your thoughts in the comments section below!
Posted on March 26, 2014 Author thomasthethinkengineCategories UncategorizedTags Australia, Australian politics, awards, dames, Economics, knighthoods2 Comments on Latterday Knight Fever: the economics of prestige


text:
Bohemian Grove seeks forest law exemption...
Exclusive Redwood Forest Club in Sonoma Co. Wants to Log Without Public Scrutiny
excerpted from
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/07/06/MNUU18ICIV.DTL
...The crux of the issue is whether the Bohemian Club owns too many acres of timberland to qualify for the streamlined permit that is meant for small holdings. The law says an owner can't have more than 2,500 acres of timberland to get the permit.
Since last year, the club has whittled down its inventory of holdings. It offered 163 acres for a conservation easement to the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation in Missoula, Mont. Then its consulting forester, Nick Kent, eliminated 56.75 acres on the basis that they weren't available for commercial logging. The club said it qualified for the permit with 2,316 acres.
But the opponents - and their lawyers - say the law requires that all timberland should be counted and not just the commercially available land.
If all of the timberland is counted, the club has 2,535.75 acres, making it ineligible for the permit, the opponents say...
Labels: Sonoma
Plan Threatens the oaks of the Northern Sacto Valley...
Groups Sue over Plan for Huge Population Increase in Far northern Calif.
REVISION OF TEHAMA COUNTY GENERAL PLAN
June 2009--The Shasta Group, a Task Force of the Sierra Club's Mother Lode Chapter, has led a campaign to oppose plans by the Tehama County Planning Commission that would direct a huge amount of growth and development in the Interstate 5 corridor between Red Bluff and Cottonwood. These plans, as part of the revisions of the County's General Plan, call for development that would support a population size of approximately 400,000 people.
According to the Shasta Group, the Draft Environmental Impact Report (DEIR) released in September 2008 scaled back this projected population size to 25,000 and performed analysis based on this figure. The group also states that the DEIR does not address how the region would supply enough water to accommodate the population growth or make any effort to minimize significant or unavoidable negative impacts.
The Shasta Group has partnered with other organizations and citizen groups to submit comments to the DEIR and continue to mount oppostion to the General Plan revisions.
Please read an article from the Shasta Group Newsletter. http://motherlode.sierraclub.org/shasta/newsletter.pdf
Feds Unveil Desert Solar proposal maps...
Secretary Salazar, Senator Reid Announce 'Fast-Track' Initiatives for Solar Energy Development on Western Lands
(CLICK ON MAP TO ENLARGE)
excerpted from:
http://www.blm.gov/wo/st/en/info/newsroom/2009/june/NR_0629_2009.html
6/29/2009--LAS VEGAS, Nevada – Under initiatives announced today by Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar and U.S. Senator Harry Reid (D-NV), federal agencies will work with western leaders to designate tracts of U.S. public lands in the West as prime zones for utility-scale solar energy development, fund environmental studies, open new solar energy permitting offices and speed reviews of industry proposals. Link to maps of Solar Energy Study Areas. http://www.blm.gov/wo/st/en/prog/energy/solar_energy/Solar_Energy_Study_Areas.html
"President Obama's comprehensive energy strategy calls for rapid development of renewable energy, especially on America's public lands," said Secretary Salazar. "This environmentally-sensitive plan will identify appropriate Interior-managed lands that have excellent solar energy potential and limited conflicts with wildlife, other natural resources or land users. The two dozen areas we are evaluating could generate nearly 100,000 megawatts of solar electricity. With coordinated environmental studies, good land-use planning and zoning and priority processing, we can accelerate responsible solar energy production that will help build a clean-energy economy for the 21st century." ...
http://www.pe.com/localnews/sbcounty/stories/PE_News_Local_S_solar30.4241dd9.html
Solar Energy Zones Acres in six states proposed for fast-tracked projects: 676,048
Acres in California: 351,048
Acres in Riverside County: 202,295
Acres in San Bernardino County: 135,924
Acres in Imperial County: 12,830
Note: Acreages are approximate. Source: U.S. Department of the Interior
Labels: desert protection
Court Slams Bush National Forest Rules...
Forest Service must reinstate tougher guidelines for Calif. and western state forests
San Francisco Chronicle, July 1, 2009
http://www.biologicaldiversity.org/news/center/articles/2009/san-francisco-chronicle-07-01-2009.html
A federal judge in San Francisco Tuesday struck down national forest management rules devised by the Bush administration that environmentalists had denounced as a thinly veiled sop for timber companies. U.S. District Court Judge Claudia Wilkin ruled in favor of a group of 14 environmental organizations that sued the U.S. Forest Service for essentially relaxing regulations in violation of the National Environmental Policy Act and Endangered Species Act. The decision means the Forest Service will have to reinstate rules protecting fish and wildlife and limiting logging in 150 national forests and 20 national grasslands covering 192 million acres, including more than a dozen national forests in California. "It is a great victory for national forests," said Marc Fink, a lawyer for the Center for Biological Diversity, which was one of the plaintiffs. "We're hoping today's ruling is the final nail in the coffin for the Bush forest policies and that we can move forward and do what is right for the forests." The National Forest Management Act passed in 1976 requires that the Forest Service adopt rules that restrict logging, protect streams and have guidelines to protect the diversity of plants and animals in each national forest. The original Forest Service rules adopted in 1982 did just that, according to Fink. The Forest Service first tried to weaken the nationwide regulations in 2000. The Bush administration then tried to gut the wildlife protections, Fink said, disguising the changes as an attempt to reduce bureaucracy and increase flexibility. The disputed new rules, first adopted in 2005 and then again in 2008, repealed the 1982 regulation requiring that fish and wildlife habitats be managed to maintain "viable populations" of fish and wildlife species, according to the lawsuit. This was the rule that led to restrictions on logging to protect species like the northern spotted owl. The Bush administration rules also removed limitations on the clear-cutting of trees, requirements for buffer zones around streams during logging, and repealed regulations requiring formal environmental reviews and advance public notice before national forest plans are adopted. The lawsuit said the regulations discarded the environmental standards envisioned by the 1976 act in favor of vague guidelines administered by local forest managers with little public oversight. Judge Wilkin ordered the Forest Service to reinstate regulations from either 1982 or 2000 that had specific protections for fish and wildlife. U.S. Forest Service representatives familiar with the ruling could not be reached for comment Tuesday afternoon, but Fink and others said they are confident Forest Service officials under President Obama will be more sympathetic than previous administrators, at least one of whom was a former timber industry lobbyist. Fink said the court decision will affect the management plans for 14 Forest Service properties in California, including Tahoe, Modoc, Klamath, Stanislaus, Sierra, Inyo, Sequoia, Lassen and Plumas national forests.
Labels: Endangered Species, Federal Lands
L.A. Weekly gives us star billing...
Envirowimps: L.A.'s Big Green Groups Get Comfy-- Activists leave the street-fighting to the little guys
By Patrick Range McDonald, Published on July 01, 2009
http://www.laweekly.com/2009-07-02/news/envirowimps/1
we got quoted:
"Rex Frankel, a widely respected independent voice in L.A.'s environmental movement and director of the think tank ConnectingCalifornia.org..."
A message from the Editor of Rare Earth News:
Thank you, Patrick.
We non-corporate funded environmentalists are very grateful for your story.
Urban Growth is all about money: money for politicians's campaign funds, jobs for construction workers, and windfall profits for land owners. But it also means a fake boost in tax dollars that is erased by all of the services needed by the residents of that growth.
Local elected officials for years bought the builders' baloney that mega development was the solution to local government's budget woes. It's not so. This faulty and unscientific belief was repeated unquestioned for years by the mainstream press. It's been up to us, the independent activists and the independent press, to show that the growth emperor was not only naked, but he was drunk and blowing all of our money.
A landmark study debunking the claims that development equals prosperity is at this link:
http://www.farmlandinfo.org/documents/27757/FS_COCS_11-02.pdf
On average, the study found that for every $1 that residential development brings into the government, the government then has to shell out $1.16 to service that development.
Basically, if development was the salvation to California's budget woes, California's mega-growth since year 2000 would mean our budget would be fat and our taxes would be low. But California's run a massive budget deficit for this entire decade even when the economy was "good", when the stock market and "credit derivatives" were not bad words.
Growth never pays for itself. If it did, we would have the lowest taxes in the country, not the highest.
An underlying theme in Patrick Range McDonald's article was that by working-with developers and polluters, some enviro groups think they can make a difference. Usually, they get worked-over, and the public gets the bill.
We call it greenwashing because the developer still gets a massive project and we still get the traffic jams, but we also get feel-good billboards telling us that we wrecked our neighborhood in a green way. It's like telling us that cancer is good for us because it's "growth".
Growth is not always good, no matter what urban planning theorists tell us.
The biggest problem with smart growth is that in L.A., at least, the decision to curb L.A. city's sprawl can be erased because L.A. County and the city of Santa Clarita still approve big projects on our borders. We can concentrate growth in downtown L.A., and we can reject Rancho Las Lomas (sprawl in north San Fernando Valley), and then Kern County still intends to cram the Tejon Ranch project down our throats. That's why we need to fight the entire 30,000 home wildlife-killing traffic jamming Tejon Ranch deal, no matter how many corporate enviro groups they've bought off. See http://savetejonranch.org/ for more,
Smart growth works elsewhere, but only when all the local governments agree to it. Ventura County has a great voter-created system of greenbelts around their cities. These are very effective urban growth boundaries. In the San Francisco Bay area, most of the counties have these UGB's. UGB's have even spread to the developer-friendly Central Valley. This keeps the growth from escaping from one less developer friendly city to another.
(Read more here:
http://rare-earth-news.blogspot.com/2008/12/look-at-benefits-of-californias-voter.html)
Coupled with these UGB's in most places that have them are local land trusts and tax-dollar funded park purchase agencies that buy up the greenbelts that the voters put off-limits to development.
This means that growth, if it must occur at all, is forced to stay in our downtowns.
L.A. has been the worst player in urban sprawl and destroying the natural environment, but most of the rest of our state has learned from this lesson and does everything possible to avoid becoming like us.
Even some of L.A.'s politicians are trying to turn this town around. Mayor Villaraigosa has been light-years better on green issues than any mayor before him.
I consider Bill Rosendahl, our Westside councilman, a good friend. Compared to the openly hostile relationship we had with his predecessors Cindy Miscikowski, Ruth Galanter and Pat Russell, Bill is open, friendly, and not bought-off.
The rubber is about to hit the road with two mega projects in Bill's 11th district which are coming to the planning commission soon: the Howard Hughes Center on July 23rd and Playa Vista phase 2 later this summer or fall. Do we need another 3000 luxury condos? Do we need to let our yards turn brown so these towers can go up?
Are the politicians going to fall for the usual developer B.S. again or will they really make L.A. the greenest city in the nation? If they don't, we're here to drag their asses into court…again.
Rex Frankel
http://connectingcalifornia.org/ and http://rare-earth-news.blogspot.com/
Labels: Rex Frankel
Will State Supertrain encourage more sprawl?
Groups and Cities Sue Over CA Supertrain Route
from http://hsr-letsdoitright.com/lawsuit.html
http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_12753216
In November 2008, voters approved Proposition 1A, which authorized the state to issue almost $10 billion dollars in bonds to support a new High Speed Rail system for California. Whether you voted for the train or not, here are several problems with the current plans that haven't gotten too much public attention:
The route chosen by the California High Speed Rail Authority uses the Pacheco Pass (blue on the map) as the entrance to the San Francisco Bay Area. The Altamont Pass (yellow on the map) is the alternative that makes the most sense from both an environmental and transportation perspective. The Altamont Route would have the least impact on wildlife and natural resources, and would put the new rail facilities in areas where the maximum ridership could be developed – including access to Sacramento and Stockton.
Unless strong and certain measures are put in place to protect agricultural and natural resource lands, building a major new transportation corridor through the Central Valley could actually spread suburban sprawl.
--Support the Lawsuit--
The Planning and Conservation League (PCL), the California Rail Foundation (CRF), the Transportation Solutions Defense and Education Fund (TRANSDEF) and the Bay Rail Alliance have joined the Town of Atherton and the City of Menlo Park in a lawsuit challenging the California High Speed Rail Authority (CHSRA).
What is the lawsuit?
The suit charges that the CHSRA's Environmental Impact Report (EIR) for the current peninsula route violates a California law requiring that projects follow the least environmentally harmful path and that the EIR has several faulty and missing points of information. It demands that the EIR be redone to an appropriately rigorous standard.
See the Press Release http://www.transdef.org/HSR/HSR_assets/Filing%20press%20release.pdf
and the Lawsuit. http://www.transdef.org/HSR/HSR_assets/HSRA%20Petition.pdf
What will winning do?
Winning would oblige the CHSRA to reconsider the Altamont Pass route, which would connect the East Bay with Caltrain in Redwood City via a rebuilt Dumbarton rail bridge. This route was previously favored by the predecessor body to the CHSRA, and many believe it has significant environmental and ridership advantages. Whether the lawsuit wins or loses (to be determined in May), it will provide important leverage in negotiations with the rail authority as our local cities seek to mitigate the adverse impact of rail developments.
The plaintiffs:
http://www.transdef.org/
http://www.calrailfoundation.org/Home.html
http://www.bayrailalliance.org/
http://www.pcl.org/
The State's Website:
http://www.cahighspeedrail.ca.gov/
Labels: Passenger Rail Revival
Plan Threatens the oaks of the Northern Sacto Vall...


Choccy wrote: Hello, and welcome to this guide to epic battles.
Since the one that made the older Epic Battles Guide went inactive, resulting in images not showing anymore and the guide not being updated, I decided to make a new updated version of the guide.
Much of the information is the same, but the images will display in this guide and I will try to update it when new epic battles are released to the game.
There is also a downloadable version of the guide. If you want to download the guide, just click here to get more information about it and to download the guide.
Many people have been helping with this guide, and a "thank you"-list can be found here.
The guide for the new eb, Neidria of the Hoarfrost, is now updated - click HERE, or use the Table of Contents at the start of this guide.
I'm still missing the names and the health of the bars in phase 3. So if anyone have that information, please let me know!
What about the regen in p4 ?
Jamie78 wrote: What about the regen in p4 ?
I've just been made aware of that there's a regen bar, so I'll try to gather the info as soon as I can!
Choccy wrote: The guide for the new eb, Neidria of the Hoarfrost, is now updated - click HERE, or use the Table of Contents at the start of this guide.
The guide for the new EB has been fully updated!
How many orange tokens does it take to level the new banner up to 4 & 5??
xXxxWarxxXx wrote: How many orange tokens does it take to level the new banner up to 4 & 5??
It takes 20 to enchant lv3 --> lv4, and another 50 for lv5. 86 to go from lv1 through 5.


text:
Difficult Year Ahead for US Military in the Pacific
Military experts believe 2017 will be a difficult year for the American military in the Pacific area.
They note that China has become more aggressive in the area and that countries like the Philippines and North Korea are also a threat.
Michael O'Hanlon studies military issues at the Brookings Institution, a research group.
"North Korea, President Obama has just said to Mr. Trump, that this is in fact perhaps the sort of least-appreciated danger out there."
Experts say North Korea is building up to six nuclear weapons each year. A senior U.S. military official says North Korea now has the ability to launch these weapons, although the warheads may not yet be able to hit a set target.
The Philippines has been an ally of the United States for many years. But Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has sought to limit ties with the U.S. since taking office earlier this year.
U.S. Navy and Marine officials have told VOA they will not take part in joint defense training exercises with the Philippine military. They will only train for disaster relief.
U.S. Army Lieutenant General Stephen Lanza says the Army may also change its planned training with the Philippine military next year -- from combat preparation to humanitarian assistance.
"We're still working with the Philippines right now. We may have to make some adjustments based on operations in the Philippines, and we're prepared to do that."
The U.S. still has a large military presence in the Pacific. The Navy has four aircraft carriers in the area. The Army is taking part in military exercises with South Korea, the Philippines, Thailand and, for the first time, Cambodia.
Lanza says Vietnam has also asked to take part in the exercises.
"You want to be there to deter. You want to be there to avoid conflict and, really, to avoid miscalculation. And I know our partners appreciate the fact that we are engaged with them in the Pacific."
Lanza says the militaries of many countries should work together to prepare for difficult times.
I'm Christopher Jones-Cruise.
VOA Pentagon Correspondent Carla Babb reported this story. Christopher Jones-Cruise adapted her report for Learning English. Ashley Thompson was the editor.
We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section, or visit our Facebook page.
relief – n. things (such as food, money, or medicine) that are given to help people who are victims of a war, earthquake, flood, etc.
adjustment – n. a small change that improves something or makes it work better
deter – v. to cause (someone) to decide not to do something
miscalculation – n. to make an error in judging a situation
engage with – phrasal verb to give serious attention to (someone or something)
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