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Book Reviews Related to Aboriginal Issues
Posted On 25 Jun 2017 23 Jan 2023 By Contributing Writer
Reviews by students of John Myers at OISE.
See below for reviews of:
The Inconvenient Indian
Secret Path
Fatty Legs
A Stranger at Home
Peace Pipe Dreams
A National Crime
Clearing the Plains
Ravensong
Ancient People of the Arctic
Review by Oliver Drigo
Thomas King's The Inconvenient Indian (Doubleday Canada, 2013) offers witty, insightful and biting insight into the Indigenous experience in North America. Presented in the form of, as he calls it, an 'account,' King questions history, namely the reliability and sources involved in creating it, stabbing at the heart of a question that has, is, and will forever be foundational to historical study: what is history? Describing history as a collection of stories, stories told about "famous men and celebrated events," he skilfully employs personal anecdotes and scholarly criticism to expose mainstream ignorance of not only the Indigenous experience but also history in general; in particular, there arises the divide between what is taught, and what is actually endured by the people discussed.
One such question early on is, did Columbus discover America or did First Nations discover Columbus? King expands from this point that has for too long been considered the first chapter in a history of the Americas and has the reader questioning the truth of shaky historical 'facts' that quickly crumble with a bit of scholarly investigation. Touching on popular figures and events, such as John Smith and Pocahontas, Louis Riel and the Metis Rebellions, and Colonel Custer at the Battle of the Little Bighorn, King describes the romanticization or exaggeration of all things Indigenous over the centuries, anything more grounded in reality being something simply too 'inconvenient' to learn.
This book would be a solid addition to the Grade 10 Canadian History classroom through its discussion of fundamental historical questions as well as First Nations experiences. The book is fairly small and manageable, though it would lend itself well to the use of excerpts, too.
Going back to that first question— what is history? — I think that this would be a great framing question for the entire course that can feed directly into historical thinking concepts, encouraging less of an acceptance of established, shaky historical claims and more of a critical, evidence-driven 'eye.' This could also tie into discussions of alternative knowledge systems, such as First Nations oral histories, and how our ideas of 'proof' are not always found in the form of texts written by university-educated scholars. Issues of misperception of First Nations people and of the intimate connection with 'land' that is the history of North America since contact with Europeans are important topics to broach with students in our modern Ontario curriculum. The Inconvenient Indian is written to help us better understand the present and explain why these 'historic' issues are still so enduring, although King insists that the book is not a structured, balanced history, hence why it is called an 'account'. Regardless, isn't that — that discussion of historical significance and change and continuity — almost the entire point of history class? You better believe it!
Review by Cassandra Reda Gavin
Thomas King's The Inconvenient Indian, provides an account on the interwoven relationship between Indigenous and non-Indigenous people of North America, beginning from first contact and spanning across centuries and borders. Throughout, King offers insights on what it means to be "Indian" in North America by reflecting on his own complex experiences and activism.
King begins with an explanation as to how he is not writing a history. He has chosen not to follow the scholarly rules such as footnotes. He provides personal anecdotes, and describes that he has "salted his(my) narrative with those things we call facts, even though we should know by now the facts will not save us" (p. xi). King's choice of writing style makes the book more like conversation or a piece of storytelling, rather than a list of facts.
Throughout The Inconvenient Indian, King focuses on a number of over-arching themes such as factual and fictional massacres, portrayal of "Indians" in film and pop culture, views of Indigenous society, and assimilation and treaties. King examines historical events and figures, ever-changing laws and treaties, portrayal of "Indians" that we often see in the media by reflecting on his own experience and activism, in hope of conveying the message that: "Indians" have been lied to for centuries; have been cheated and killed because of a fundamental lack of understanding or caring about the people or culture; and that they have the rights to self-determination, land use and treaties not honoured over the years. The Inconvenient Indian asks readers to begin to think critically about the future of North America and relations amongst Indigenous and non-Indigenous people.
I see this book being used in two ways in the classroom. The first is as a teacher resource. The Inconvenient Indian is a great book for teachers to use to familiarize or re-familiarize themselves with the content of Canada's past. As well, it offers teachers a different perspective and one that may not be offered in a history textbook on these topics. The second is to be read with grades 7 and 8 students. I believe that this book is applicable to a number of curriculum expectations in these grades, as well it spans the whole course of time that is covered in History in these grades. I suggest not attaching The Inconvenient Indian to any one particular stream or unit because it I think that it is a good complimentary tool to what the students will be learning in class; as well it is a way to address some stereotypes or misconceptions they may have about Indigenous people.
Review by Samantha Charron
The ten-song album and graphic novel Secret Path by Gord Downie and Jeff Lemire tells the tragic and true story of Chanie Wenjack, a young boy who died trying to escape from Cecilia Jeffrey Indian Residential School in 1966. The novel contains a series of flashbacks that describe Chanie's life before being taken to the Residential School, and the horrors that resulted in him trying to run away back home; home that was over 400 kilometers away.
This novel could be utilized in the grade 10 Canadian History course, particularly under sections: D: Canada, 1945 to 1982 (D3.3 explain some significant events, developments, and/or issues that affected First Nations, Inuit, and/or Métis people in Canada during this period), and E: Canada, 1982 to the Present (E2.3 identify some key developments and issues that have affected the relationship between the federal/provincial governments and First Nations, Métis, and Inuit peoples since 1982). This novel can also be applied to the Grade 8 Social Studies curriculum, but with discretion due to strong language and mature content material.
Secret Path can be used to discuss the conditions of Residential Schools and their legacy, in addition to their impact to this day. On the surface, students can learn about the conditions students experienced in the schools. Secret Path can also be used as a source for student inquiry – how has the legacy of Residential Schools played a role in the relationship between Indigenous communities and the Canadian government? The theme of reconciliation is touched upon in the story, where the Raven tempts Chanie to "Haunt them." Should we allow the ghosts of Residential Schools to stay hidden and "haunt" us? Or should we carry their stories with us to do better in the future? Are the goals of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission enough? Are they being met? All of these questions can be explored through a unit structured around this novel.
Review by Magdalena Poweska
In the book Fatty Legs: A True Story (Annick Press, 2010), authors Christy Jordan-Fenton and Margaret Pokiak-Fenton recount Margaret Olemaun's experiences of attending a residential school in Aklavik, Northwest Territories, as a child. Filled with beautiful illustrations by Liz Amini-Holmes and real photographs documenting Pokiak-Fenton's childhood, the authors take the reader on the journey of a young Inuit girl who spends her days living with her family in the Arctic. Motivated by the desire to learn how to read, Olemaun convinces her parents to allow her
to go to the Residential School. While boarding there for two years, Olemaun is stripped of her language and culture, experiences loneliness, ridicule, and poor conditions, as well as harsh, unjust treatment by a teacher. In addition to this, she feels social isolation from her peers and fellow students. Fortunately, however, Olemaun remains resilient in the face of her oppressors and her spirit is unbreakable. Because this book was written from a juvenile perspective, its historical insights about the legacy of Residential School and treatment of Inuvialuit peoples would best apply to the grade 8 history curriculum.
The integration of the themes and content of this book would serve well as an introduction to the study of Residential Schools. Because it is written from the perspective of an Indigenous author, the addition of this narrative would serve to Indigenize the history curriculum and guide student inquiry about the historical perspectives of Indigenous persons themselves. This unique historical perspective would further allow students to analyse some of the challenges faced by Indigenous groups in Canada and formulate questions about the lasting historical significance of the Residential School system in Canada. Overall, reading this book to/with Grade 8 students would build empathy and allow them to see Canadian history from a FNMI perspective.
Review by Alyssa Samaniego
The novel A Stranger at Home (Annick Press, 2011) is based on the true story of the life of Olemaun Pokiak after her experience of coming home from Residential School. Throughout the book, the author proves that although Olemaun's time at the school is over, the experience affected the person she is; she learns that one should stay true to their culture.
The novel can easily be incorporated in the grade 8 history curriculum: "B. Canada, 1890-1914: A Changing Society," in particularly in the section B3: Understanding Historical Context: Events and Their Consequences. This novel is good for grade 8 students because it is an easy read with pictures; it is appropriate for the students' age level as well as eye opening to new Indigenous perspectives of an individual who is around the same age as the students. I can see myself creating a unit around this novel for students to reflect on an experience of their own that has affected who they are today and making their own picture book to retell it. Another idea is for students to look at multiple perspectives of Canadian immigrants today; for example, those who have come to seek refuge from their home countries and thinking about how their experience has or has not changed their outlook on Canada and its people.
It is helpful for students to be able to connect a past event and consequence to recent events and consequences shown in society today; or even looking at a recent event, for example, Donald Trump's presidency and think about future consequences that his decisions today can lead to. This allows for students to think ahead while looking through another individual's perspective; why would the consequence for this individual and/or social group look this way in the future based on the president's decisions today? Does this look similar to how the Indigenous people were treated in the past? The novel can lead to students looking at key social and economic changes that have happened, looking at how they have changed lives in the past and how the key changes still affect people today.
Review by Kimberly Au
Darrell Dennis' book Peace Pipe Dreams (Douglas and McIntyre, 2013) explores common preconceptions and misconceptions about Indigenous peoples in our society. Dennis uses comedy and pop-culture references throughout his writing, as much of the content is history based and can bring up some tough subjects. Throughout the book he weaves the history with current events to provide an easily readable overview of issues within the Indigenous community and an argument for why they are still important matters today. Dennis looks at different aspects of Indigenous life, beginning with naming and appropriate names, delving into different points of view on Indigenous people, describing more historical backgrounds like treaties and government, and what the future holds. The book's insights apply best to the Grade 10 Canadian History course.
Although bringing up preconceptions and misconceptions about Indigenous peoples may be difficult in the classroom, Dennis tackles tough subjects with ease and humour. Concepts throughout the book can be connected back to historical significance and perspective, as well as cause and consequence. Since our students may be coming into our classrooms with the same preconceptions/misconceptions about these topics, I believe this is a great book to introduce students to the truth about Indigenous peoples and their history. Each lesson we would summarize the chapter together and then have discussions about the content in that chapter and try to answer any remaining questions. Through completing the book I would hope that students become more open to the conversation about Indigenous issues.
Review by Maija Moraitis
In A National Crime, John S. Milloy unveils one of Canada's darkest but not-so-secret secrets: Residential Schools. Chapter by chapter, Milloy describes in great detail the process from beginning to end of how the Canadian government took Indigenous children from their families and put them through the "westernized" school system. The book is divided into three parts. In Part One, he discusses the "vision," which consists of the ideas that Canada's colonial fathers had in mind when drawing up the plan to assimilate Indigenous youth. In Part Two, Milloy presents the "reality," taking a close look at the treatment of these Indigenous children in the schools. This chapter addresses the health violations, mistreatment of students by school authorities, and the poor living conditions that they were subjected to throughout their education. In the final chapter, Milloy discusses integration and guardianship, which focuses on the challenges of forcing assimilation upon a population, and the events that led up to the closure of the Residential Schools in 1996.
Not only does this book connect to the content found in the Grade 8 Ontario Curriculum, but it also provides new insights for teachers who want to further investigate the consequences of historical events in Canada during the 19th and 20th centuries.
Indigenous history is not simply a "part" of our history, it is our history. I would like for there to be an entire unit on the subject of Residential Schools. Using A National Crime as a point of reference, I would have students focus on why the government established this system in the first place. What beliefs and ideas did government officials have that led to the opening of these schools?
I would also like for students to focus on not only the physical treatment of the Indigenous children, but the consequences that this abuse had on their culture and the generations that followed. To wrap up the unit, I would like for students to focus on Canada's response to the cultural genocide that was committed. How did we respond? What still needs to be done to help our people?
By approaching this unit with an ethical lens, students will be able to think critically about how this major historical event has impacted generation after generation, and how this system has led to many of the hardships that Indigenous people face today in their communities.
Review by Jenna Maphail
Clearing The Plains (2013) by James Daschuk is a sobering look at the political, social, economic, and ecological factors that shaped the lives of the Indigenous inhabitants of the Canadian plains, from 1700 to the end of the 19th century. The book is divided into two main sections. The first looks at the time period between 1700 and 1870, when Canada acquired Rupert's Land, and looks at the loss of life and devastation that was caused by the spread of small pox during the time of the construction of the fur trade networks.
The second section of the book looks at the presence of Canada as a nation on the plains, and how Indigenous peoples were affected by the arrival and settlement of Canadians. Daschuk looks at the effects of famine as it swept across the plains, leading to intense starvation and widespread death throughout. It is at this point in the book that the author focuses on political factors, such as the Indigenous peoples that offered themselves to the Department of Indian Affairs to work in exchange for food, but were turned away and told there was not enough work to go around. Daschuk also discusses the election of the Conservative party that took place in 1878, which changed the direction of the Department of Indian Affairs, tightening the budget and causing more Indigenous peoples to suffer from starvation. There were also cuts to vital vaccines, particularly for small pox, and, as a result, thousands of Indigenous people died. The book has mountains of evidence that shows how poorly Indigenous peoples were treated by the Canadian government during this time. The book is upsetting to read, but necessary, to truly understand the struggles and experiences of the Indigenous peoples.
The reason I like this book is because the content speaks for itself. The author does not use this opportunity to become angry about the treatment of Indigenous peoples by the Canadian government. Instead, the author has very carefully compiled an incredible amount of very specific examples of ways in which Indigenous peoples were poorly treated during this time period. Therefore, by giving students an opportunity to look at a resource such as this, it allows the students to make decisions for themselves about their thoughts and feelings about Canada's history. This book could be used as a template for a unit on Canada before 1800/1850. Instead of focusing on Canada from the colonial perspective, students could approach this unit from an Indigenous perspective, using texts such as Dashuk's to look at history through a new lens. The Ted Talk by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie called "The Dangers of the Single Story" talks about what is left out when a person only hears one side of a story. I think that an excellent way to show students another side to the story of the history of Indigenous peoples in Canada is by giving them access to a resource such as this. An idea for a way in which to begin the unit could be through showing the Ted Talk, followed by a look at this book. Although the material is heavy, particularly for students in Grade 7, I think that even by offering students an opportunity to read selected passages from this book would expose them to more ideas surrounding the history of Canada. I think that this book would also help students to ask questions about the current treatment of Indigenous peoples, which is equally as valuable for our students to be thinking about.
Review by Corey Boechler
Lee Maracle, in her novel Ravensong (Press Gang Publishers, 1993), presents a feminist text in which she beautifully and expertly lays out the challenges facing Indigenous peoples in Canada, particularly Indigenous women. Through the experiences of Stacey, an Indigenous student attending high school in "white town" in 1954, Maracle navigates the divide between Indigenous and settler societies. She upsets the standard deficit narrative surrounding the 'plight' of Indigenous peoples on reserves as people in need of benevolent White aid. Rather, Maracle suggests it is settler society who needs the assistance of the people across the river to save them from the crushing patriarchy and environmental disregard rampant in their settler society.
Womanhood, sexuality, and the gifts of mother earth are prevalent themes throughout the novel. Though Stacey's family and community are weathering both a physical epidemic in the form of the Hong Kong flu and a cultural epidemic from the loss of traditional practices, they fight to maintain agency in their affairs, primarily through the active roles of women. Maracle's examination of the roles of Indigenous women and the effects of both Residential and Day school in "white town" make Ravensong an excellent pairing for a grade 10 Canadian history class. She gives powerful voice to minority figures in the predominantly white, male, Euro-Canadian curriculum.
On a grand scale, the addition of a novel to a grade 10 Canadian history class opens up discussion of history as a series of narratives, not hard, cold facts. The relationship between fact and fiction and who decides which is which is something I wish to explore in greater detail in my classes. However, on a smaller, more specific scale, Ravensong works to counteract the myth that Indigenous peoples exist solely in the past, or exist only in the sidebar of a history textbook. In Ravensong, Maracle begins with first contact between West Coast First Nations and Europeans; the effects of this first contact then echo throughout Stacey's present in the form of the Hong Kong flu and stretch into Stacey's future through the loss of culture her family is fighting. Through the microcosm of Stacey's family and village, Maracle shows both the continuity and change of culture occurring within First Nations communities. Moreover, the novel does not neatly resolve the conflict between the reserve and "white town," but I think this lack of resolution points to the need for continued efforts at reconciliation between Indigenous peoples and settler society. Teachers can bring in the Calls To Action from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission's final report to continue this reconciliation in the classroom and connect history to the present.
Review by Caleb Martin
Archeologist Robert McGhee provides a history of the Palaeo-Eskimos, who entered North America four thousand years ago, and survived in the region for three thousand years in Ancient People of the Arctic (UBC Press, 1996). Using the fragmented archeological remains of tools, art, and shelters preserved only by the frigid tundra, McGhee reconstructs a picture of their lifestyle and culture through narrative vignettes. The lifestyles of the Palaeo-Eskimos were very different from the Inuit who would occupy the area later, and so ethnography from early European-Inuit encounters cannot be used. The archeological field is relatively young, beginning only in the 1920s, but continues to bring more information to light. McGhee relies heavily on imagination to put faces to the Palaeo-Eskimo world, but he never strays from the archeological data. McGhee's scholarly archeological research is written in an engaging way that is accessible to the public without a background in history or archeology.
The Grade 11 Ancient Civilizations course (World History to the End of the Fifteenth Century, CHW3M) has an unfathomably large scope. The curriculum itself does not mandate which geographical regions or people must be covered, but is organized in strands that lend themselves to breadth and comparison (inquiry and skill development; rise, success, decline, and legacy of civilizations). Most instructors struggle to cover material beyond the Near East, Greco-Roman, and medieval history, and others can only give an insufficient nod to ancient far east and Americas. Despite this struggle, it is imperative that this course does not become an extension of Judeo-Christian Eurocentrism. While studying classical history is important for other endeavours, I believe that it is more important for Canadian students to understand the ancient history of the land they currently inhabit and the land of their ancestors. Ancient Indigenous Canadian history must not simply be a tack on week at the end of a semester filled with Egyptian and Roman war stories and technological achievements, but a foundational part of the course. I would use Ancient People of the Arctic as a source text to discuss Palaeo-Eskimos in Strand B (Early Societies and Rising Civilizations). Strand A (Historical Inquiry and Skill Development) elements would be included in discussion of the problematic and racialized definitions of 'civilization,' the challenges and benefits of Arctic archeology, reconstructing history from material culture and not written culture, causes for human migration, and the role of naturally occurring climate change in long-lived societies. The disappearance of the Palaeo-Eskimos and arrival of the Inuit would incorporate Strand D (Civilizations in Decline) with a focus on cause and consequence. Elements from Strand E (The Legacy of Civilizations) would conclude the discussion of the Palaeo-Eskimos and their historical significance, and segue nicely into a unit on the Inuit and Dene, or other early Indigenous peoples in North America.
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The Pine Tree Chapter serves members in three distinct ways: •	By providing timely information on national and state legislative issues relating specifically to military retirees. •	By hosting several social events each year where members, their spouses, family members, and guests can socialize with fellow officers who have similar careers and experiences. •	By awarding scholarships to ROTC students attending the University of Maine and Maine Maritime Academy and recognizing outstanding high school JROTC students, made possible through chapter donations, auctions, and other fund-raising events.
Our chapter events include a monthly breakfast meeting held on the first Thursday of every month at the Howard Johnson's restaurant in Bangor as well as luncheon meetings held throughout northern and central Maine, usually in February, May, August, and November.
The Pine Tree Chapter supports the MOAA national legislative agenda. In addition, we are blessed to have as our Congressman, Representative Mike Michaud, Ranking Member of the House Veterans' Affairs Committee. Congressman Michaud has attended our luncheon events on several occasions. In addition, a number of our members either serve or have served as elected officials in Maine state government.
Because we have relatively few members who reside over such a large geographical area, we have chosen to hold luncheon meetings in order that our members do not have to drive after dark, if at all possible.
The MOAA Pine Tree Chapter of Maine was founded in 1979 and serves the northern half of the state of Maine. We currently have approximately 100 members representing all branches of the uniformed services dispersed over a geographical area approximately 25,000 square miles in size, as we have members who reside as far south as Augusta to as far north as Caribou to as far east as Eastport. Many of our members are only in the area during the summer and fall months due to the weather.


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12 January 2015 in AWARDS by Tim Binnington
Algomi Wins "Trading Technology Product of the Year" in Risk Magazine Awards
London, 12 January, 2015 – Algomi, the network company providing information-matching solutions for the optimisation of fixed income liquidity, has won the "Product of the Year" for vendors award in the 2014 Risk Magazine Awards in Trading Technology.
Launched in 2012, Algomi has focused on looking to solve the liquidity crisis seen in bond markets with its innovative approach to big data. Its Honeycomb network enables all market participants to harness data to make valuable financial trading connections, increasing the velocity in large and illiquid voice trades between banks and institutional investors. Algomi is live or being installed in 9 banks, and currently has more than 30 buy-side investor firms on-board, with more in negotiations. This award comes following a period of rapid growth for Algomi, most recently with the appointment of industry expert, Jesper Bruun-Olsen, and expansion in Asia.
The Risk Awards are independent and fee-free. Designed to recognise best practice in the risk management and derivatives markets, each company pitched its story for consideration. Looking for innovation and creativity, one-to-one interviews were conducted by Risk Magazine editors with the shortlisted companies, before a panel of editors and writers voted on the winners.
"This award and the industry recognition that accompanies it is testament to Algomi's valuable market proposition. It is validation for the employees who have worked vigorously to get the company to the position that we are in today, and to our clients who have worked with us as true business partners in solving the needs of the market," said Stu Taylor, CEO. "The goal behind Algomi was to help fixed income desks optimise their businesses after the financial crisis. Our solutions are live and already helping the market overcome the severe constraints they are under. Winning this award demonstrates the need and future potential that Algomi has in the global fixed income trading landscape."
The Risk Awards ceremony was held on 29 January, 2015 at the Sheraton Park Lane in London.
For the full article, click here (subscription site).

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This entry was posted in History, Medieval Europe, Popular Delusions and tagged Ancient Rome, barbarian invasion, Byzantine Empire, Byzantium, Carolingians, Catholic Church, Christianity, Dark Ages, dark ages graph, Decline of the Roman Empire, Germanic peoples, Greek, History, Julius Caesar, medieval Europe, Medieval History, Merovingians, Middle Ages, middle ages graph, Ostrogoth, Ostrogoths, Roman, Roman Empire, Rome, scientific advancement graph, the Papacy, Vandals, Visigoths, Western Roman Empire. Bookmark the permalink.
Thank you for the comment, and I do agree, but shhhh! That's all coming in part 2! Spoilers!!
Looking forward to it! I have to deal with graphs that either have no units of measurement or misinterpret numbers for "PR" purposes and it frustrates me to no end.
Thanks for the comment!I have a series in mind, giving out about deceptive and annoying things like this… This essay was much longer, but has undergone a certain amount of butchery, which may make its way into Part 2, and I am already plotting Part 3… Medievalthought has raised a few interesting points, a few of which, as I responded, I hope to discuss. I find graphs, in any other field than the sciences, are often misused, or misinterpreted, and I would be very cautious of anyone who plots a graph concerning history, and especially so of per-Industrial Revolution history; there's just not enough reliable data.
I also appreciate that you used Canadians to fill the role of "Germanic peoples, pagans mostly, who tramped around the Western Empire, generally making a mess of things" in your United States – Rome analogy.
And congrats for the post, it's good to see that there's still intelligent life among the atheists!
I absolutely agree that the measuring of 'scientific advance' is borderline impossible before the modern era, but I do not believe that I treated science and technology as one thing; I did note that "just because things were thought of, or invented, doesn't mean that they were used. A Greek also invented the steam-engine about 2,000 years ago, but nobody cared because slave-labour was cheap. Greek philosophers, while being very clever and all that, had no evidence of their theories… and so didn't really offer a tangible and useful alternative to traditional thought. What I am trying to get at is that the importance of an invention or theory is dependent on its usefulness" in an attempt to divide theory from practical, i.e. technological, results. One could also add to your suggest of Dalton, the Ptolemaic model of the universe, which blatantly did not agree with observational data but remained in use for centuries due to the (unwarranted?) esteem in which ancient scholars were held, and the teachings of various religions.
The graph is, as you say, nonsense, in every meaning of the word.
I understand you don't like arrogant Christian factions bragging about how they invented the foundation for modern science. because most of those claims aren't really factual they tend to be really distorted to service some theological agenda.
But you can't blame Catholicism and organized-religion for man-kinds scientific stagnation during the middle-ages. Catholicism did not cause the economic and political conditions that existed already after the fall of Rome.
build on the scientific achievements of previous generations, which had nothing to do with Catholicism. Those problems existed way before Clovis, Æthelberht, Mojmír I, Vladimir the Great, Khan Asparukh, Mieszko I, Stephen I of Hungary, and Charlemagne even made the choice to convert their nations to adopt Catholicism in the first place.
that have happened before in human civilization completely isolated from Catholicism. During the Greek Dark Ages the Bronze Age civilization Mycenaean collapsed after they were invaded by the Dorian.
When the Mycenaean civilization fell it caused the collapse of the palaces centres, no more monumental stone buildings were built and the practice of wall painting ceased; writing in the Linear B script ceased, vital trade links were lost, and towns and villages were abandoned. The population of Greece was reduced, and the world of organized state armies, kings, officials, and redistributive systems disappeared.
Your forgetting during the middle-ages Christianity serviced to provide a limited but temporary solution to the deterioration that occurred in Western Europe. Church scholars were the only ones preserving knowledge of classical learning. Aside from that Western civilization was politically fragmented and all literacy had declined completely.
Without Christianity in the early medieval period, the primitive animist barbarian warlords who took over Western Europe probably would still be killing one another in savage tribal warfare. Until a more advanced civilization like the Islamic Caliphates conquered all of Western Europe in a religious Jihad.
Obliviously by the later periods of the middle ages Christianity out grew its usefulness to Western Europe. But Christianity was still instrumental in uniting Western Europe so that the great monarchies of France, England, Spain, and the Holy Roman Empire, and the development of more progressive scientific thinking could occur.
I don't think its fair to blame all the turmoil of middle ages on the Christians. A lot of pagan rulers converted to Christianity to better the circumstances they were already in after the collapse of the Rome empire. it's not right to single out a whole of people because of their religious affiliation and blame them for their lack of human ingenuity to develop more progressive science. Please consider changing your graph which labels the dark ages as belonging to the "Christians".
Did you read my actual post? I'm arguing against the graph for pretty much the same reasons you mention.
Holy dog your headings are unhelpful. Skim-resistant and opaque. Maybe less of the 'how classically learned am I?' and more of the 'hey maybe someone will read this one day' would be good.
A very interesting read indeed; this is the first time I read an article of yours, and I must say I like your style (scarred philosopher, nice one) This article is of particular interest to me, and I will recommend it to others. Keep up the good work.


text:
European Parliament elections were held in Gibraltar (which formed part of the European Parliament constituency of South West England). 23 May 2019 as part of the EU-wide elections after the date of EU withdrawal was delayed by the UK Government.

Background

Gibraltar's European Union Withdrawal Act was passed in March 2019 with the support of the governing GSLP–Liberal coalition and an independent MP. The opposition Gibraltar Social Democrats originally did not intend to support the bill but later voted for it, but against parts of the legislation.

The withdrawal agreement is supported by the governing GSLP-Liberal coalition, but opposed by the opposition Gibraltar Social Democrats.

According to the Gibraltar newspaper Panorama, there had been a rise in Euroscepticism in Gibraltar since Spain was given a veto by the EU over Gibraltar's participation in the withdrawal agreement.

Campaign
Candidates from the Brexit Party, Liberal Democrats, English Democrats and UKIP visited Gibraltar to campaign in the elections.  The Liberal Democrat lead candidate for the constituency accepted that there was "anger and frustration" with regards to the EU's actions towards Gibraltar after the referendum result, but stated that she felt the party's anti-Brexit message was being received well.

Brexit Party candidate, James Glancy expressed concerns over the ramifications for Gibraltar of European federalisation, the Common Security and Defence Policy and influence of Spanish politicians in the EU in the event that Brexit would not happen.

Result
The result was a win for the Liberal Democrats, reflecting "clearly pro-EU and pro Remain" sentiment and with the Brexit Party taking second place, which "reflects not just frustration with the stagnated Brexit process, but also anger at the way the EU has backed Spain during the withdrawal negotiations", according to the Gibraltar Chronicle.

See also
2019 European Parliament election in the United Kingdom

References

Gibraltar
European Parliament elections in Gibraltar
European

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


Has anyone figured out how to get any of 3DConnexion's products to work in LW - especially modeler - I have the Space Traveler.
I answered you in the Support Thread.
http://www.newtek.com/forums/search.php?do=finduser&u=20191 he's been given the same answer since 2007.
And not showing signs of loosing hope for a modeler solution.
CORE is confirmed to have 3DConnexion support. I wouldn't hold your breath for LW9.x to ever have support for these devices.


text:
ABPN Announces 2022 Board of Directors
ABCC Pathway Enrollment Announcement
ABPN November 2021 Quarterly Update for Diplomates
Larry R. Faulkner, MD, to step down as ABPN President and CEO
ABPN August 2021 Quarterly Update for Diplomates
ABPN Extends Continuing Certification Requirements to 2022
ABPN Issues 2020 Annual Report
The 2020 Annual Report is now available from the ABPN. The report addresses the ABPN's response to COVID-19, important announcements and initiatives, exam results and statistics, committee and presentation lists, and other Board activities.
2020 ABPN Annual Report
ABPN June 2021 Quarterly Update for Diplomates
ABMS Draft Standards for Continuing Certification Call for Comments Launches April 20
ABPN March 2021 Quarterly Update for Diplomates
Applications Now Available for the ABPN 2022-23 Awards
ABPN Announces 2021-22 Award Recipients
Exam Scores from September 2020 ABPN Certification Exams now Available
ABPN November 2020 Quarterly Update Details Important News and Reminders
ABMS Postpones Draft Standards Call for Comment until April
As announced in the ABPN November 2020 Quarterly Update for diplomates, the ABMS had previously scheduled a "Call for Comment" for the draft Standards for Board Continuing Certification to begin in December. The recent surge in new Coronavirus (COVID-19) cases has prompted ABMS to postpone the opening of the public comment period until April 2021. See the press release for more information.
ABPN Pilot Project Approved as Permanent Alternative to Continuing Certification Examination
In Memoriam: Stephen C. Scheiber, MD
Educational Grants Allow Diplomates Access to CME Resources from Select Professional Societies
ABPN August 2020 Quarterly Update Outlines Flexible Options for Diplomates
Applications Now Available for both Faculty Innovation in Education Awards and Research Awards
ABPN Statement on Racism and Health Disparities
ABMS Statement and Letter to President Trump on Reinstating WHO Membership
ABMS Board Community Statement on Racism as a Public Health Issue
Coronavirus (COVID-19) and ABPN Activities
Visit this page for the latest ABPN updates and changes due to the Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak.
The 2019 Annual Report is now available from the ABPN. The report details ABPN committees and initiatives, exam results and statistics, messages from an outgoing director and 2019 administrative fellows, and other Board activities.
ABPN Now Accepts Virtual Clinical Skills Evaluations
ABPN Announces its 2020 Board of Directors
The American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology, Inc. (ABPN) announces its 2020 Board of Directors. Paramjit T. Joshi, MD, Professor of Psychiatry & Human Behavior at the University of California, Irvine (UCI) and Director of the Child & Adolescent Fellowship Program, has been elected Chair. J. Clay Goodman, MD, Professor of Pathology & Immunology and Neurology at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, TX, has been elected Vice Chair. See our press release for more information.
2020 ABPN Board of Directors release
November Quarterly Update Includes Important Reminder About Certification Status
ABPN August 2019 Quarterly Update Includes Pilot Project Reminders
June 2019 Quarterly Update Offers Latest News for Diplomates
The 2018 Annual Report is now available from the ABPN. The report details ABPN programs, committees and initiatives, exam results and statistics, messages from outgoing directors and 2018 administrative fellows and other Board activities.
The American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology, Inc. (ABPN) announces its 2019 Board of Directors. J. Clay Goodman, MD, Professor of Pathology & Immunology and Neurology at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, TX, has been elected Chair. Robert N. Golden, MD, Dean of the School of Medicine and Public Health, Vice Chancellor for Medical Affairs, Robert Turrell Professor in Medical Leadership, and Professor of Psychiatry at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, has been elected Vice Chair. See our press release for more information.
ACGME Approves Subspecialty Training in Neurocritical Care
The Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) approved the ABPN's proposal to accredit fellowships programs in the new subspecialty of Neurocritical Care at a February 2019 meeting.
See our press release for more information.
ACGME Approves Subspecialty Training in Neurocritical Care release
The American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology (ABPN) is pleased to announce the recipients of the 2019-20 ABPN Faculty Innovation in Education Award and the 2019-20 ABPN Research Award.
ABPN Announces 2019-20 Award Recipients release
ABPN 2020-21 Awards Applications Now Available
Applications are now available for the ABPN 2020-21 Faculty Innovation in Education Award and the 2020-21 Research Award. See our webpage for more information.
ABPN 2020-21 Awards Applications Release
March 2019 Quarterly Update Provides Latest News for Diplomates
ABPN November 2018 Quarterly Update for Diplomates Includes Pilot Project News
ABPN Announces New Neurocritical Care Certificate
The ABPN has received approval from the American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS) to offer a certificate in the subspecialty of Neurocritical Care.
ABPN Announces New Neurocritical Care Certificate release
Applications are now available for the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology, Inc. (ABPN) 2019-20 Faculty Innovation in Education Award and the 2019-20 Research Award. See our webpage for more information.
ABPN 2017 Annual Report
ABPN April 2018 Quarterly Update for Diplomates Includes Upcoming Professional Meeting List
ABPN Research Award Application Now Available and 2018-19 Recipient Announced
Applications are now available for the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology, Inc. (ABPN) 2019-20 Research Awards on this website. The recipient of the 2018-19 awards has also been announced. See the ABPN Research Award release for more information.
The ABPN Research Award is intended to support research projects related to the mission of the ABPN, which is to develop and provide valid and reliable procedures for initial and continuing certification in psychiatry and neurology.
For more information on our awards, see the ABPN Awards Program page.
2019-20 Applications Now Available and 2018-19 Recipients Announced for ABPN Faculty Innovation in Education Awards
Applications are now available for the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology, Inc. (ABPN) 2019-20 Faculty Innovation in Education Awards on this website. The recipients for the 2018-19 awards have also been announced. See the press release for more information.
The ABPN Faculty Innovation in Education Award is intended to support the development of innovative education and/or evaluation projects that promote effective residency/fellowship training or lifelong learning of practicing psychiatrists and neurologists.
The American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology, Inc. (ABPN) announces its 2018 Board of Directors. George A. Keepers, MD, Carruthers Professor and Chair of the Department of Psychiatry at Oregon Health and Science University in Portland, Oregon, has been named Board Chair. Laurie Gutmann, MD, Clinical Professor and Vice Chair of Clinical Research in the Department of Neurology at the Carver College of Medicine at the University of Iowa, has been named Board Vice Chair. See our press release for more information.
ABPN December 2017 Quarterly Update for Diplomates Includes MOC Part III Pilot Project
Name of Psychosomatic Medicine subspecialty to change to Consultation-Liaison Psychiatry, effective January 1, 2018
ABPN announced that, effective January 1, 2018, the name of the Psychosomatic Medicine subspecialty certification will change to Consultation-Liaison Psychiatry. See the announcement for more information.
Psychosomatic Medicine Name Change Announcement
ABPN September 2017 Quarterly Update for Diplomates Includes Upcoming Professional Meetings
ABPN Issues 2017 Crucial Issues Forum report on Physician Wellness and Burnout
The ABPN has issued a 16-page report, documenting speaker presentations and discussion summaries, for the 2017 ABPN Crucial Issues Forum, held April 9-10, 2017 in Chicago. This year's forum explored factors contributing to physician wellness and burnout and what might be done to promote physician wellness and decrease burnout by medical schools, residencies, specialty boards and professional societies.
A PDF version of the 2017 ABPN Crucial Issues Forum report is available on this website. Printed copies are also available upon request.
ABPN 2017 Crucial Issues Forum report release
ABPN Announces New MOC Pilot Alternative and Other MOC Options
The American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology (ABPN) is pleased to announce plans for significant changes in its program for lifelong learning and continuing certification, also known as maintenance of certification (MOC). These changes are the result of ongoing discussion by the ABPN as well as feedback from its diplomates and related professional societies. Diplomates will be provided with greater flexibility and more relevant and meaningful options for meeting ABPN requirements. See the press release for more information.
ABPN Changes in MOC Program Release
ABPN June 2017 Quarterly Update for Diplomates Now Available
ABPN Now Accepts ACGME-Accredited American Osteopathic Association Residency Training
The ABPN now accepts American Osteopathic Association (AOA) residency training for admission to certain certification examinations if the medical residency training program achieves full ACGME-accreditation prior to resident completion. See the press release for more information.
ABPN AOA Training Release
ABPN March 2017 Quarterly Update for Diplomates Now Available
2016 ABPN Annual Report Now Available
The 2016 Annual Report from ABPN is now available. The report details ABPN programs, committees and initiatives, exam results and statistics, messages from outgoing directors and 2016 administrative fellows and other Board activities.
Practice Pathway Period Extended for ABPN Epilepsy Certification
The practice pathway period or temporary criteria for practice time required to qualify for the ABPN certification in epilepsy has been extended from the year 2017 to 2018. See the press release for more information.
ABPN Epilepsy Training Extension release
Applications Now Available for ABPN 2018-19 Research Awards
The application and detailed information about the ABPN 2018-19 Research Awards are now available on this website.
The ABPN Research Award supports research projects related to the mission of the ABPN, which is to develop and provide valid and reliable procedures for certification and maintenance of certification in psychiatry and neurology. Projects focus on innovative approaches to assessing physicians as they prepare to, or continue to, practice psychiatry or neurology. Expected outcomes include advances in the theory or practice of assessment along the continuum of residency training and clinical practice.
For more information, see our ABPN Awards Programs page.
ABPN 2018-19 Research Award Release
Applications Now Available for ABPN 2018-19 Faculty Innovation in Education Awards
The application and detailed information about the ABPN 2018-19 Faculty Innovation in Education Awards are now available on this website.
The ABPN Faculty Innovation in Education Award supports the development of innovative education and/or evaluation projects that promote effective residency/fellowship training or lifelong learning of practicing psychiatrists and neurologists.
ABPN 2018-19 Faculty Innovation in Education Award Release
PQRS Update: Deadline extended to March 17, 2017 at 5 pm ET
PQRS (formerly PQRI) was developed by CMS in 2007 as a voluntary pay-for-reporting program offering a financial incentive to physicians and other eligible professionals who report data on quality measures for covered services furnished to Medicare beneficiaries. For the current reporting period (CY 2016) there is no positive reporting incentive, but eligible diplomates who do not satisfactorily report data in 2016 will incur a 2% payment penalty in 2018. The PQRS payment adjustment applies to all of the eligible diplomates' Part B covered professional services under the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (PFS). ABMS diplomates who have not yet started their 2016 PQRS Reporting and need access to a reporting registry for their PQRS data may report through the MedConcert® site at an ABMS discounted rate of $199.
For more information, visit the ABMS website.
The American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology, Inc. (ABPN) announces its 2017 Board of Directors. Kerry H. Levin, MD, Chairman of the Department of Neurology at Cleveland Clinic in Cleveland, Ohio, was named Board Chair. Robert J. Ronis, MD, MPH, Douglas Bond Professor and Chair of Psychiatry at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine and University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center in Cleveland, was elected Board Vice Chair.
ABPN Announces 2017-18 Faculty Innovation in Education Award Recipients
The American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology, Inc. (ABPN) is pleased to announce the recipients of the 2017-18 ABPN Faculty Innovation in Education Award. The award is intended to support the development of innovative education and/or evaluation projects that promote effective residency/fellowship training or lifelong learning of practicing psychiatrists and neurologists. For more information, read the 2017-18 ABPN Faculty Innovation in Education Awards release.
ABPN Announces 2017-18 Research Award Recipients
The American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology, Inc. (ABPN) is pleased to announce the recipients of the 2017-18 ABPN Research Award. This is a new award program and is intended to support research projects related to the mission of the ABPN, which is to develop and provide valid and reliable procedures for certification and maintenance of certification in psychiatry and neurology. For more information, read the 2017-18 ABPN Research Awards release.
ABPN December 2016 Quarterly Update Features Patient Safety and Updated Exam Dates
2016 Physician Quality Reporting System (PQRS)
For more information contact [email protected] or call 1-877-509-7774.
Practice Pathway Period Extended for ABPN Brain Injury Medicine Certification
The practice pathway period or temporary criteria for practice time required to qualify for ABPN certification in brain injury medicine has been extended from the year 2018 to 2022. See the press release for more information.
Brain Injury Medicine Training Extension release
ABPN September 2016 Quarterly Update for Diplomates Lists Upcoming Professional Meeting Attendance
ABPN Issues Report on 2016 Crucial Issues Forum
The ABPN has issued an 8-page report, documenting speaker presentations and discussion summaries for the 2016 ABPN Crucial Issues Forum, held April 10-11, 2016 in Chicago. This year's forum explored innovations and improvements to the requirements for physician maintenance of certification.
Applications Now Available for ABPN 2017-2018 Faculty Innovation in Education Awards
The application and detailed information about the 2017-2018 ABPN Faculty Innovation in Education Awards are now available on this website.
For more information, see our ABPN Awards Programs page
ABPN 2017-2018 Faculty Innovation Award Application Release
ABPN Announces New Research Award for Board Certified Psychiatrists and Neurologists
The American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology, Inc. (ABPN) is pleased to announce the creation of the ABPN Research Award. This award supports research projects related to the mission of the ABPN, which is to develop and provide valid and reliable procedures for certification and maintenance of certification in psychiatry and neurology.
ABPN 2017-2018 Research Award release
2015 Annual Report Now Available
The ABPN 2015 Annual Report is now available. The report details ABPN programs, committees and initiatives, exam results and statistics, messages from outgoing directors and 2015 administrative fellows and other Board activities.
ABPN Expands Improvement in Medical Practice (PIP) Options for Diplomates
ABPN Diplomates can now choose any Clinical Module OR Feedback Module activity listed on the website to satisfy the requirement for one Improvement in Medical Practice (PIP) activity every three years. Effective immediately, this development now gives diplomates more flexibility with the Part IV requirement for their maintenance of certification.
ABPN Expanded Part IV Options Release
The American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology, Inc. (ABPN) announces its 2016 Board of Directors. Kailie R. Shaw, MD, Professor Emeritus of Psychiatry at the University of South Florida, was named Chair. Noor A. Pirzada, MD, Professor of Neurology at the University of Toledo in Toledo, OH was elected Vice Chair.
ABPN December 2015 Quarterly Update for Diplomates Now Available
ABPN Appoints Physicians to New MOC Clinical Advisory Committee
The ABPN has appointed four practicing board certified psychiatrists and four practicing board certified neurologists to its new MOC Clinical Advisory Committee. The new committee will work with ABPN to provide suggestions and feedback on how MOC impacts their practice and potentially improves patient care.
Chosen from nominations by the American Psychiatric Association and the American Academy of Neurology, the appointees will be invited to participate in the ABPN Crucial Issues Forum on Maintenance of Certification in April 2016. Those appointed include:
Valerie Arnold, MD, psychiatrist
Bob Batterson, MD, psychiatrist
Lama Bazzi, MD, psychiatrist
Charlene Gamaldo, MD, neurologist
Elaine Jones, MD, neurologist
Eddie Patton, MD, neurologist
L. Russell Pet, MD, psychiatrist
Michael Rosenbloom, MD, neurologist
For more information, read the MOC Clinical Advisory Committee release. Congratulations to all.
New Reports Focus on Psychiatry and Neurology Topics and Discussions from the 2014 and 2015 ABPN Crucial Issues Forums
The ABPN has issued two new reports documenting speaker perspectives and discussion summaries during both the 2014 and 2015 ABPN Crucial Issue Forums. PDF versions of the 2014 ABPN Crucial Issues Forum report and the 2015 ABPN Crucial Issues Forum report are available on the website. Printed copies are also available upon request. For more information, read the ABPN Crucial Issues Forum reports release.
ABPN is pleased to announce the recipients of the 2016-17 ABPN Faculty Innovation in Education Award (previously known as the Faculty Fellowship Award). The award is intended to support the development of innovative education and/or evaluation projects that promote effective residency/fellowship training or lifelong learning of practicing psychiatrists and neurologists. Each year, the selection committee chooses up to two psychiatry and two neurology fellows for the two-year fellowship. For more information, read 2016-17 ABPN Faculty Innovation in Education Awards release.
ABPN October 2015 Quarterly Update for Diplomates Now Available
ABPN Adds Second Administration of Primary Specialty and Child and Adolescent Psychiatry MOC Exams
The ABPN has added a second administration of several Maintenance of Certification exams to satisfy requests from diplomates who would like to sit for the exam within a given year. Diplomates who are due to sit for the Psychiatry, Neurology or Child Neurology exam in 2016 can now apply for the February 2016 exam or the October/November 2016 exam. Diplomates who are due to sit for the Child and Adolescent Psychiatry exam in 2016 can choose from the April 2016 or October/November 2016 exam.
For more information and application deadlines, please see the ABPN website or contact [email protected].
ABPN July 2015 Quarterly Update for Diplomates Now Available
ABPN April 2015 Quarterly Update for Diplomates Now Available
ABPN Launches Redesigned Website
The American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology, Inc. has unveiled a redesigned website at www.abpn.com.
ABPN Redesigned Website release
ABPN Responds to ABIM's Changes to its MOC Program
ABPN President and CEO Larry R. Faulkner, M.D. responds to the American Board of Internal Medicine's announcement about changes to its Maintenance of Certification (MOC) Program. Click here to read the full letter to diplomates.
For additional information, read the American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS) Statement: ABMS' Commitment to Board Certification and Maintenance of Certification (MOC) on www.abms.org
New Presentations Highlight Maintenance of Certification
Two new MOC presentations from ABPN and the American Psychiatric Association (APA) explain ABPN MOC program requirements and describe related products developed by the APA. Additional presentations will be available in the future.
The American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology (ABPN) announces its 2015 Board of Directors. Ann Tilton, MD, Professor of Clinical Neurology, Section Chief of Child Neurology, and Director of the Child Neurology Fellowship Program at Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center in New Orleans, was named Chair. Robert W. Guynn, MD, Professor Emeritus of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at the University of Texas Health Science Center in Houston, was elected Vice-Chair.
2015 Board of Directors release
Faculty Innovation in Education Award Information
The ABPN has established a faculty fellowship program to support the development of innovative education and/or evaluation projects that promote effective training or lifelong learning of psychiatrists and neurologists. Information about the 2016-17 fellowships is now available on our ABPN Awards Program page. Please direct any questions to Dorthea Juul, PhD.
2015-16 Faculty Innovation in Education Award Recipients Release
Maintenance of Certification Update
Beginning in 2014, diplomates are required to use only ABPN-approved products for Self-Assessment and Improvement in Medical Practice activities. Read more about the latest updates to our MOC Program.
Policy Change for Graduating Residents
Physicians are now required to become Board certified within seven years following successful completion of ACGME-accredited or ABPN approved residency training in their primary specialty.
Definition of a Board Certified Psychiatrist and Neurologist


Real Stories! Amazing Adventures!: How To Upload Your Podcast?
This is more of question rather than an answer; although, I do deliver an answer, as well.
I was very disappointed to see that Google, while providing blogging, website and online profile services (for free), they do not provide podcasting services - or rather MP3 (audio) file hosting services.
Music full of vitamins and minerals!
I searched around and found a website that, while it does not seem entirely reliable in the long run, does work and work well. Kiwi6 lets us upload and share audio with others, with direct links. It seems to be mostly used by independent artists that record music and songs. They have some nice playlists to play while surfing or gaming.
If you know of other reliable hosts for audio files, or even specifically for podcasts, which let us direct link to the files, then please comment!


Creativity is what Iceland may be best known for. From 13th century poet Snorri Sturluson, to 20th Century Nobel Laureate Halldór Laxness, Icelandic intellectual property has been recognised globally.
With latter-day music mavericks such as Mezzoforte, Sugarcubes, Björk, Sigur Rós, Of Monsters & Men, Gus Gus, Múm and Emiliana Torrini—not to mention film composers Jóhann Jóhannsson, Atli Örvarsson, Ólafur Arnalds and Máni Svavarsson— Icelandic music is now "googled" 20 times more frequently than Iceland itself.
Music, fashion and design have always interacted with a certain type of ping-pong effect. From the white stockings of the Mozart era to the mop tops of The Beatles, let alone the platform footwear of Abba times, these related forces have proved to be vital in distinguishing the ever-evolving zeitgeists of our continents, and continue to do so. The same goes for evolutions in architecture and other forms of design.
The timing of a new Icelandic fashion and design publication, dedicated to fashion and design, could not be better, in view of the fast-growing creative branches of Iceland. Presented in English, written and designed by our foremost experts, Reykjavík Fashion & Design is a most welcome addition to our somewhat limited variety of such endeavours.
The newly revamped Old Harbour of Reykjavík is amongst what is being profiled in this first issue. Rightfully so. This cool new quarter truly reflects a new territory where the creative industries are successfully merged and represented in their most diverse forms: 90% of Iceland's prolific recording studios located next to art galleries, exhibits and museums, the headquarters of authentic designers Farmers Market, top fashion designer Steinunn Sig's workshop and boutique, CCP computer game head office and Sjávarklasinn, a dead-cool new hub for diverse creative business developments, to name a few.
Bergsson, Bryggjan, Sjóminjasafnið, Valdís, Matur & Drykkur, Cocoo's Nest, Marina, Sjávarbarinn and Retro Café are amongst the creative gourmet eateries on offer in this new hot spot of 101 Reykjavík.
We look forward to inventive profiling of our artists, designers, musicians, inventors, traders and other representatives of a vibrating field which perfectly enhances the fastest-growing sector of our times: the experience industry, which of course includes tourism and sports, but is now, more than ever, celebrating a wide variety of cultural ambassadors and trend icons of the creative sector in 21st century Iceland.


Simplewall: Software Firewall & UTM Representatives: We attract thousands of visitors to our website daily. Our visitors would benefit substantially from an accurate description of Simplewall: Software Firewall & UTM. To learn more about us and manage and complete your brand description, please click here.


text:
Lyn Prashant, PhD, F.T., is a certified grief counselor (John F. Kennedy University's Graduate School of Professional Psychology) and an ADEC Fellow in Thanatology (death educator) with over 24 years experience.
Lyn's life was transformed by the untimely deaths of her husband and sister, the two people dearest to her. While Lyn's young husband was dying, they lived at the Living/Dying Project, working with Stephen and Ondrea Levine and Elisabeth Kubler-Ross, all of whom endorse her Degriefing® work. Now years later, sharing their memories and honoring their lives is a force fueling her work with grieving individuals.
Dr. Prashant's training in bereavement counseling and her knowledge of somatic health care practices led her to develop a unique and successful approach to grief counseling called "Degriefing" or "Integrative Grief Therapy."
The main Degriefing premise is that, "grief is the most available, untapped, emotional resource for personal transformation". Lyn's work with the body and her focus on the Somatic Aspects of Grief has brought her recognition as a Somatic Thanatologist. Another key Degriefing premise is that "the mind has a body and the body has a mind." Lyn developed and teaches Degriefing Massage for licensed practitioners, patients and families experiencing the physical effects of loss.
Lyn co-wrote, directed and teaches in the UC Berkeley, CA program "Changing Paradigms in Loss and Grief". Recognizing the significance and centrality of working with the physical aspects of grief is a key piece of the intricate personal transformation possible during the life altering experience called bereavement. When in service to the grieving population, she promotes 'healing' as 'mind-body-spirit' integration. Teaching self-compassion as a way to honor our lost loved ones and make meaning of our experience of loss.
Lyn authored the training manual Degriefing: Transforming Grief (Applying Integrative Therapies). Techniques of Grief Therapy: Creative Practices for Counseling the Bereaved, edited by Robert A. Neimeyer, April 2012, features Lyn's chapter, 'Degriefing Caregiver Burden'.
She is a Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction teacher and a Sivananda trained Yoga teacher. She presents on public and Internet radio, and keynoted at the Mayo Clinic's 12th Annual Alzheimer's Conference in Rochester, Minnesota. She's presented different aspects of Degriefing work at ADEC Conferences in Montreal, Kansas City, Miami and Atlanta, writes for the Open to Hope Foundation website and Compassionate Friends.
As founder and training director, Lyn leads 40 hour Certification Trainings in Degriefing, Levels I, II, III, is endorsed and accredited by ADEC (Association for Death Education and Counseling.) Lyn provides California CE'S to Nurses, Social Workers, MFT's, Psychologists and adjunct professions.
Fluent in Spanish, she led staff trainings at the Hospice of San Miguel de Allende, Mexico and worked on-site doing crisis counseling and grief work in California universities, hospitals, clinics and hospices and schools. She designed a bi-lingual Degriefing program at a construction site following the death of a worker. Lyn works as adjunct faculty at California Pacific Medical Center's Institute for Health and Healing (IHH), Integrative Medical Education Department (IME). Additionally, Lyn taught 'Degriefing Caregiver Burden' to the Nursing staff at the California Pacific Medical Center (CPMC). She was invited to teach in the Nursing Program in the University of San Francisco. Lyn led 'Healing Our Hearts', a Five Day Community Degriefing, for the entire town of Raton, New Mexico.
Dr. Prashant maintains private offices in San Francisco, CA and San Miguel de Allende, Mexico. She is available via telephone, teleconference or Skype internationally.
Lyn has been interviewed on ABC radio, on CBS TV, featured in magazines and can be seen on YouTube.
Find Lyn at Facebook, Linked-In and her website http://www.degriefing.com which provides links to informative, helpful and pragmatic audio, video and articles.


I've been sworn to secrecy for over a month. Keep your eyes peeled. It's going to rule.
They are definitely not doing a great job of dropping this news.
It's a new model called the Doheny. Offset body, jazzmaster based MFD pickups. I'll have a couple in my hands later today or tomorrow.
Mine will of course be uh less traditional than these examples. (Well, in one case more so, if you're using 60s custom colors as an example).
Ooooooohhhh shiiiit it rules. It rules so hard.
G&L has some really nice paint jobs, especially on the US models. Guitarist in my band has a black ASAT and even now with the guitar probably 8-10 years old it's got this liquid look to the finish.
This is the G&L I'd like to get.
G&L Rampage are cool too.
Would you guys recommend the mid-level S-500 G&L? I need an all around solid guitar, will be running through many effects but don't want to spend over 600.
I have not played an S-500 myself, but feel comfortable characterizing my Tribute-series ASAT as solid.
Make sure to try both the Legacy and the S-500, both "strats" but very different animals tonally.


text:
General election shows crying need for independent socialist alternative
April 30, 2019 CWI-India
The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) may suffer from memory loss, but we the people – the ruled – unfortunately have very strong memories. The last five years of Modi's abhorrently casteist, brutally capitalist and cut-throat communal regime have rammed home clearly: how not to govern a country of 1.34 billion people. It is nevertheless hard to believe the cacophony with which the rich and powerful, and even the middle classes, are rooting for Modi's return to power.
The huge exercise of India's 2019 General Election is under way, across its 29 states and seven Union territories. The Parliamentary General Election in India is a gargantuan one with over 900 million voters – by far the largest electorate in the world. In excess of one million personnel will be on duty in around 1,035 million polling booths. Voting started on April 11 and takes place in seven stages. Four are over and the last polling date is May 19. All the votes to elect 543 members of the Lok Sabha, the lower house of the parliament, will be counted on May 23.
More than 50 parties are contesting these elections. Most of them are small with regional/state appeal. The main parties are the Bharatiya Janata party (BJP) and the Indian National Congress (INC). In the 2019 general election, there have been four main national pre-poll alliances. They are the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) headed by the BJP, the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) headed by the INC, the Grand Alliance of regional parties, and the Left Front of Communist-leaning parties called 'Mahagatbandhan'.
Though the BJP is currently considerably more than a shade less popular than in 2014, given the fractious nature of the opposition parties, there is the possibility of Modi and his party, the BJP, still coming back for another stint in power. But under his rule, the lives of the people across the length and breadth of the vast country have been pawned to communalism, sectarianism and the poison of religious majoritarianism, which goes in the name of "nationalism".
The choice of contestants from the various political parties, but particularly the two principal ones – the BJP and Congress – shows that the reference to 'secularism' in the preamble of India's republican constitution is merely a word, with no importance attached to it. All the establishment political parties violate the constitution in the letter and the spirit with equal impunity.
Among the two major parties, 16 out of 83 candidates from the BJP (19%) and 22 out of 83 candidates from the INC (27%), have serious criminal cases declared against them. There are 401 (32%) of candidates who have assets worth Rs.1 crore (10 million) and more – 69 out of 83 candidates from INC (83%) and 65 out of 83 candidates from BJP (78%) .
The two main parties
A distinction, however, must be drawn between the brazenly right-wing BJP and the Congress Party. Congress is traditionally known as the party of liberal social democracy, the legacy inherited from its long history in the pre-independence era, fighting British colonialism.
The BJP started off as a party of the trading classes. Even its precursor, Jan Sangh, was predominantly a businessmen's party. It has never carried any Social Democratic baggage, and has had the double advantage of representing the "Hindu Majority" and crowing about safeguarding the interests of Hindus against the appeasement of Muslims and other religious minorities by Congress, under the banner of the secular constitution.
On the other hand, Congress has been in terminal decline since the early 1980s due to a combination of factors, both economic and political. It has been unsuccessful in doing the balancing act of appeasing its social democratic base while keeping intact its ties with traditional big business. This dilemma of Congress has cost it dearly over the decades. India's big business 'leaders' have found a fast-track friend in the BJP and other regional capitalist parties.
Stark contrasts
The oppressed poor and the landless masses – predominantly Dalits and Tribals – who were once considered a formidable support base for the Congress, have waited for nearly six decades for a better future. Now increasingly they are losing their faith in this party. The hollow sloganeering of Congress, which once carried the tag of the party of the independence struggle, stands exposed.
As New Socialist Alternative wrote in 2014, "The BJP, unlike Congress, has no social democratic pretensions nor any poorer constituents to appease. It has unapologetically built itself as a Baniya (Businessmen) Party, right from its inception and combines this with the opium effect of a virulent Hindu Nationalism with which it feathers its cap."
But Congress chose Kamal Nath as its Chief Minister in Madhya Pradesh after it defeated the BJP in the regional assembly elections in December 2018. This was the man who was exonerated for "lack of evidence" for his role in the spine-chilling riots that killed more than 3,000 innocent Sikhs in 1984.
Now, showing they too have scant respect for the written constitution, the BJP has chosen Pragya Singh Thakur to stand for parliament in Madhya Pradesh's capital Bhopal – a woman who was jailed for her alleged role in the Malegaon Bomb Blast in 2006. This saffron-clad woman, now out on bail, is known as 'Saadhvi' meaning female saint!
All these wrongs fester and ferment in a country where the ruling classes brag and boast about the success of the seven decades of India's exemplary democracy.
Squaring the circle
Recently in a liberal bourgeois journal, 'The Hindu', a left-wing commentator wrote on the current situation: "One out of every two Indians goes to bed hungry at night. That's almost 700 million Indians. The number comes from McKinsey. But you don't need a consultant to tell you about the distress in India. It is evident on our streets and in our fields. Agrarian distress (amplified by the suicide of farmers) and urban distress (illustrated by the growth of slums) have become normal. Policy from the central government does not effectively address any of the challenges faced by over half of the Indian population. Deprivation and desolation set the mood. The emotional dial switches to anger ever so often.
The voices of peasants and workers, of Dalits and Adivasis, are muffled. Most political parties ignore them, making their appeal to the middle-class as if this class should set the terms for political decision-making. It is evident that the real beneficiaries of government policy since 1991 have not even been this middle class, but it has been what should be called an oligarchy (10% of Indians own 75% of India's social wealth). Centre-stage have been the interests of prominent business houses. Not the voice of Chinna Balayya (a farmer from Parigi mandal, Andhra Pradesh, who killed himself) nor the voice of a 16-year-old girl from Gaya, Bihar (who was killed in an honour killing), nor hundreds of lakhs of people like them."
We wrote during the 1999 general elections, that the whole parliamentary exercise was looking like a farce, where none of the fundamental problems faced by the people were addressed. Previously, before the so-called 'liberalisation' era, elections saw the political parties speak, at least rhetorically, about the problems of poverty, unemployment, the status of women, the lack of fundamental necessities such as water and sewage systems and the burgeoning diseases that were killing hundreds if not thousands of Indians. Twenty years down the line, the scenario is exactly the same, if not worse. The only difference is that all the socio-economic and political problems are much more acute.
Myopic "Secularism v/s Fascism" debate
This year's election is being held and fought not on real issues faced by the people, but with a very subjective polarised agenda. The opposition to Modi's regime is left with no choice but to deal with the issues that the Sangh Parivar dictates.
Modi and the BJP have kept the opposition busy from the word go in 2014 over issues that spread communal poison, including mob lynching, using a very well orchestrated net-work of organisations linked to the Hindu extremist Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). It was the riots of Muzaffarnagar in 2013 in Uttar Pradesh, deliberately fomented, which resulted in the BJP winning a land-slide in the 2014 parliamentary elections there (with 73 out of the 80 seats). This was a clear warning of what the future trajectory would be.
While attention was diverted to the controversial and divisive social issues, Modi succeeded in fine tuning the Indian economy in the interests of the capitalist class with unprecedented blatant cronyism creeping in. In the first few months of his ascent to power, Modi dismantled the decades-long policy of 5-year Plans. They had not been perfect, but had leaned in the direction of public ownership and developing the state sector. The BJP regime replaced them with technocrat-driven policy-making which favoured the big corporations.
The sheen that Modi commanded in 2014 has faded; all the promises made during 2014 are an embarrassment to him now. Not once in the current campaign has he or his sycophantic coterie mentioned the much tom-tom-ed 'demonetisation' or the Goods and Services Tax as achiever policies. Unemployment is at a record high for the last four and half decades. The promise of 2 crore (20 Million) jobs per year has become a subject of ridicule among the urban youth. India's working age population is currently growing by 1.3 million each month, exacerbating a stagnant jobs market.
The assessment by the National Sample Survey Office conducted between July 2017-June 2018, showed the unemployment rate stood at 6.1% – the highest since 1972-73. Joblessness stood at 7.8 percent in urban areas compared with 5.3 in the countryside.
India's economy has been expanding by more than 7 percent annually – the fastest pace among major economies. But uneven growth has meant there are not enough jobs created for those millions of young Indians entering the workforce each year. In January this year, the Centre for Monitoring the Indian Economy, an independent think-tank, said the country lost as many as 11 million jobs last year. This was the year following the infamous economic bungling of Modi – 'Demonetisation'. India's debt is up by 50% to ₹ 82 lakh crore (82 Billions) in the Modi era.
Kaushik Basu, a former World Bank chief economist and top economic advisor to the Indian government, writing in the New York Times in February this year, said, "India can hide unemployment data, but not the truth. The Modi government's economic policy has been disproportionately focused on a few big corporations, neglecting small firms and traders, the agricultural sector and most workers. The results are now showing."
Agrarian distress is at its peak. Coupled with farmers' and peasants' suicides this too can cost Modi dearly in the ongoing elections. Not surprisingly, his government has attempted very late in the day to win over 12 crore (120 million) marginal farmers who hold less than 2 hectares of land by giving them ₹6,000 per annum as income support for their families. And that, too, in three instalments. This is a drop in the ocean of distress in which the impoverished peasants are sinking.
Neither this so-called "reform" measure of Modi's nor the drawing room proposal of Rahul Gandhi and his proposed Universal Basic Income of ₹ 72,000 per annum (roughly $ 1,000) will help farmers deal with the massive indebtedness that often compels them to take their lives. Since the 1991 economic "reforms", more than 300,000 farmers have committed suicide. This is directly due to the economic policy-making by the ruling class which is blatantly neo-liberal and against all oppressed sections of the population.
Modi's one-sided illusionary "growth"
According to an Association for Democratic Rights report, the BJP accounted for 80% of the income of national parties for 2017-18. The BJP received 93% of all donations above ₹20,000 (the legal limit for political donations) totalling ₹4,370 millions, while the Congress received ₹266 millions in such donations. This gulf in funding is one of the many indicators of the capitalists' consolidation behind the BJP. What explains such a one-sided choice?
Super-Rich
Meanwhile the number of dollar millionaires in India in 2014 rose to 2.5 lakh (250,000) from 1.96 lakh (196,000) in 2013 – an increase of 27 per cent, according to a recent report. The report also predicted that India will have 4.37 lakh (437,000) millionaires by 2018, and potentially double that number by 2023. This growth is primarily driven by the increase in wealth of a few individuals rather than an overall increase in income levels of all Indian people.
While the number of millionaires increased steadily, rural India, which constitutes 66% of the total population, still languished in poverty. The highest paid member of three quarters of rural households in India earned less than ₹5,000 (around $70) per month.
One of Modi's favourite white lies was that his 'Make in India' initiative would attract investments from all over the world, as the multinational corporations would be eager to take advantage of the demographic dividend of India's youthful population. But in reality, Foreign Direct Investment as a percentage of GDP has remained limited to around 2 per cent, and only a tiny proportion of this has gone to the manufacturing sector. For want of investment and because of the invasion of manufactured goods from China, India's manufacturing sector has had negative growth.
Wealth has continued to be concentrated at the top of Indian society. The 2018 Global Wealth Report published by the investment bank, Credit Suisse, says India now has 343,000 people owning over one million US dollars, or about 7 crores (70 million) of Indian rupees. According to the World Inequality Database, the income of the top 1% of the Indian population was ₹33 lakh per adult or ₹275,000 per month, while the income of the bottom 50% of the population was ₹45,000 per year per adult, that is ₹3,750 per month.
The Reserve Bank of India has confirmed that 99.3% of demonetised bank notes were returned to the banks. The suddenness of the demonetisation had a massive negative impact on the Indian economy, including a slowdown in employment of labour and a dip in overall farm incomes. Growth slowed down to a four-year low of 6.7%.
It is no exaggeration to say that Modi's government of the last five years is the most regressive that India has experienced since independence from the British Raj. It is true that Modi, through his divisive agenda camouflaged as "development", has held even sections of workers and other oppressed people under an illusionary spell. In effect there has been an unprecedented transfer of wealth from poor to the rich under Modi's development agenda.
Politics is concentrated economics, but the right-wing demagogue Modi practices 'Politics by other means'. He uses the language of communalism and even engages in warmongering. This 2019 election has become a stage for him to make pseudo claims of the threat of war with Pakistan (even going close to instigating one). He uses majoritarian religious nationalism with the aim of creating a "them and us" atmosphere. This election has seen the lowest of lows, with Modi repeatedly asking youth voters to dedicate their first ever votes to honouring the 40 soldiers who died in the Pulwama terror attack, allegedly perpetrated by a Pakistani suicide bomber of Jaish-e Mohammed.
His cohorts like Amit Shah, the BJP's Party President, and Yogi Adityanath (Chief minister of UP) had to be restrained by the Election Commission from using the Balakot air strike, (which was purportedly a retaliatory strike against Pakistan as a response to the Pulwama terror attack) as an electioneering point. Many senior Defence personnel, both retired and in service, resented the fact that the BJP was using their sacrifices for their own narrow political gains.
BJP leader, Ranjeet Bahadur Srivastava from UP, made a directly controversial remark by asking voters to cast their ballot in favour of Prime Minister Narendra Modi if they want to destroy Muslims. He asked people to vote for the BJP in the ongoing Lok Sabha elections or else, "get ready to face the consequences if you do not vote for the BJP."
Maneka Gandhi, currently Cabinet Minister for Women and Child Development in the Government of PM Narendra Modi, threatened voters, saying she will categorise villages under an 'A-B-C-D system' to prioritise development, according to the voting preferences of the people! Never in the history of India has a political party tried to threaten people to vote for them or lose services or jobs.
What is likely to happen?
It has become a much-chewed cliché to say, "India's democracy is at a cross-roads". As we wrote soon after Modi came to power five years ago, "The victory of Modi in May 2014 can in no way be termed as yet another political accident of parliamentary democracy. As reiterated in the previous issues of 'Dudiyora Horaata / Socialism.in', right from its inception in 1980 to this day, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its mentor, the RSS conglomerate, which is euphemistically called "Sangh Parivar", is gaining strength by each hour, week, and month by exploiting every available loophole in this bourgeois democracy."
There is now a definite erosion of the popularity of Modi and the BJP because of their dismal failure on all fronts, particularly the economic one. It is very evident from the BJP election rallies that the previous confident fanfare is missing spectacularly. Modi's famous slogan of "Sab Ka Saath-Sab Ka Vikas (With everyone, for everyone's growth)" in the 2014 election, promoting his vision of all-round development, is conspicuously missing this time. Instead, together with his coterie, he is resorting to desperate communal and war hysteria. Modi went to the extent of declaring and threatening Pakistan by saying, "They should not think India's nuclear weapons are meant for Diwali fire-works displays".
It is one thing to see the traits of a desperado. But there is a fractious atmosphere of communalised politics and in-built insecurity of the culturally deprived masses, who have been fed with decades-long exaggerated stories of injustice being meted out to the Hindu majority and how their grand vision of an undivided Indian empire has been subjected to foreign powers dominating their nation over the centuries, resulting in all the socio-economic-political evils. This narrative of the 'Sangh Parivar' (RSS) is what the BJP is banking on and is using to an unprecedented level in the current elections.
It is clear from the long list of failures and a seemingly desperate BJP, that there is enough dynamite of opportunities to defeat Modi and his ilk lock, stock and barrel. But what are the possibilities of such an outcome in the given scenario of a divided opposition to Modi's regime?
More importantly, under what programme and platform can such a welcome thing happen? The platform of "lesser evil-ism" on which the so-called alternative to Modi and the BJP has been cobbled together, is built on the quicksand of caste, regional and numerous parochial identities. Ironically in contrast to it, Modi's virulent Hindu majoritarian nationalism can appear immensely attractive.
It is easy to paint Congress and the other capitalist opposition forces, who are rabidly casteist, misogynist, sexist and – very importantly – anti-working class and against other oppressed people, simply as anti-religious or secular in comparison to the RSS-BJP which is openly communal and has never hesitated to use fascistic methods to terrorise the people.
What is worse is the fact that the traditional left, comprised of the Communist Parties, who rhetorically claim to be guardians of the working class and the poor peasants, are failing in their duty to provide an independent class alternative instead of cosying up to Congress and other discredited bourgeois parties, giving certificates of Secularism to them.
The very crude narrative of BJP v/s Congress or Fascism v/s Secularism is a kind of scarecrow used to dampen the combative spirit of India's working class and peasantry who have taken on Modi's communal regime through massive general strikes and through walking protests of marginal peasants and the landless. The most recent general strike was just months ago with a record participation of 220 million workers. Both workers and peasants have also been involved in 'Long Marches' to parliament on specific issues.
It is this approach – based on the arithmetic of caste, religion, region, language and gender – that the BJP wants. This is because behind its "One Hindu Nation" slogan it can hoodwink all these identities.
Anger can erupt
But what BJP-RSS fears most is the eruption of anger at the deep class divisions in society. Behind its facade of Hindutva lies its desire to have a Hindu Block without class divisions where it can hide its real nature – its own class interest, that of capitalism.
Though it would be the worst outcome from a socialist and class point of view, it is most likely that Modi's BJP will return to government, albeit with a reduced majority, for want of a credible alternative.
Socialists under the banner of New Socialist Alternative (CWI-India) will continue to campaign on the basis of a programme of slogans and demands for the current situation in which the traditional parties continue to abdicate their historical responsibility to lead the working class to fight for an independent socialist alternative to capitalism and against the communal politics of India's ruling classes.
Say 'No' to the BJP!
Reject the Indian National Congress too – which is no apostle of secularism!
Fight communalism, casteism and the right-wing RSS and BJP!
Build the struggle with united class action for jobs, wages and homes for all.
Build the left and an independent socialist alternative.
For a mass party of the working class and all other oppressed.
Jagadish G Chandra
New Socialist Alternative
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