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My Band The Four Fathers Release 'Equal Rights And Justice For All,' Defending Habeas Corpus, Opposing Arbitrary Detention at Guantánamo and in the UK
My band The Four Fathers have just released a brand-new online single, 'Equal Rights And Justice For All,' a passionate defence of habeas corpus, which is supposed to protect all of us from arbitrary imprisonment.
The song — an insistent and infectious roots reggae groove — was inspired by my work trying to get the prison at Guantánamo Bay closed down, my work opposing the use of secret evidence in the UK, and also by the 800th anniversary of King John signing Magna Carta in 2015. The key element of this document, which the barons obliged him to sign, was habeas corpus, the right to be bought before a judge to test the validity of one's imprisonment, which, over the centuries that followed, ended up applying to everyone, and was successfully exported around the world as a hugely significant bulwark against tyranny.
See below for the song, on Bandcamp, where you can listen to it for free — or, if you'd like to support us, buy it as a download for just £1 ($1.25) — or more if you'd like.
Equal Rights And Justice For All by The Four Fathers
After 9/11, of course, the United States introduced imprisonment without charge or trial for the men it held at Guantánamo — and elsewhere in the "war on terror" — thereby undermining habeas corpus. Prisoners ought to have had habeas rights, unless they were held according to the Geneva Conventions, but post-9/11 prisoners of the "war on terror" were, shockingly, held without any rights at all.
In 2008, the Supreme Court granted the Guantánamo prisoners habeas corpus rights, but these rights were gutted of all meaning in a number of nakedly ideological rulings made by the court of appeals in Washington, D.C. — decisions which the Supreme Court then refused to consider, effectively handing "war on terror" detainee policy to right-wing judges in a lower court. For the gutting of habeas corpus in Guantánamo, see my articles As Judges Kill Off Habeas Corpus for the Guantánamo Prisoners, Will the Supreme Court Act? and The Supreme Court Abandons the Guantánamo Prisoners.
In addition, in the UK, the Blair government, after 9/11, held foreign "terror suspects" without charge or trial, in maximum-security prisons or under a form of house arrest, on the basis of secret evidence that they were forbidden from seeing in hearings in a special secret court, and also held some UK citizens under house arrest on the same basis. I spent a considerable amount of time — particularly in 2008 and 2009 — opposing these policies (see here, for example, and also see this comprehensive report by JUSTICE).
However, although the house arrest situation (control orders) largely ended with the last Labour government, and plans to deport most of the foreign nationals held without charge or trial were dropped under the Tories (with the exception of Abu Qatada), the Tories have their own abominable track record when it comes to terrorism.
It was Theresa May, as Home Secretary, who was obsessed with sending Abu Qatada back to Jordan, and it is May who is still driving the Tories' obsession with ending Britain's association with the European Court of Human Rights (which seems to be her main fascination with Brexit). As Home Secretary, May also stripped dual nationals of their citizenship, so they could then be killed by US drones, and those interested in finding out more can check out my articles, What Does It Say About the Tories That They Want to Scrap Human Rights Legislation? and As Theresa May Becomes Prime Minister, A Look Back at Her Authoritarianism, Islamophobia and Harshness on Immigration.
With specific reference to habeas corpus, please also see my article 800 Years of Magna Carta: The Stench of Hypocrisy Regarding Habeas Corpus for Shaker Aamer and Other Guantánamo Prisoners, and also my photos of a protest against legal aid cuts, at which I spoke about habeas corpus and the rights of Shaker Aamer, the last British resident in Guantánamo, who was released in October 2015, in part as a result of a campaign I co-founded, We Stand With Shaker, which seized the public's imagination by getting celebrities and MPs to be photographed with a giant inflatable figure of Shaker.
The Four Fathers' first involvement with Guantánamo came with 'Song for Shaker Aamer,' used in the We Stand With Shaker campaign video. We then released a new version of the song reflecting Shaker's release, and in 2016 released 'Close Guantánamo' for the Close Guantánamo campaign I co-founded in 2012, which was also used in a campaign video. After Trump's election, we revised the song, and the video.
Andy Worthington is a freelance investigative journalist, activist, author, photographer, film-maker and singer-songwriter (the lead singer and main songwriter for the London-based band The Four Fathers, whose music is available via Bandcamp). He is the co-founder of the Close Guantánamo campaign (and the Countdown to Close Guantánamo initiative, launched in January 2016), the co-director of We Stand With Shaker, which called for the release from Guantánamo of Shaker Aamer, the last British resident in the prison (finally freed on October 30, 2015), and the author of The Guantánamo Files: The Stories of the 774 Detainees in America's Illegal Prison (published by Pluto Press, distributed by the University of Chicago Press in the US, and available from Amazon, including a Kindle edition — click on the following for the US and the UK) and of two other books: Stonehenge: Celebration and Subversion and The Battle of the Beanfield. He is also the co-director (with Polly Nash) of the documentary film, "Outside the Law: Stories from Guantánamo" (available on DVD here — or here for the US).
To receive new articles in your inbox, please subscribe to Andy's RSS feed — and he can also be found on Facebook (and here), Twitter, Flickr and YouTube. Also see the six-part definitive Guantánamo prisoner list, and The Complete Guantánamo Files, an ongoing, 70-part, million-word series drawing on files released by WikiLeaks in April 2011. Also see the definitive Guantánamo habeas list, the full military commissions list, and the chronological list of all Andy's articles.
Please also consider joining the Close Guantánamo campaign, and, if you appreciate Andy's work, feel free to make a donation.
Posted in Belmarsh, control orders, deportation and extradition, Guantanamo, Guantanamo and habeas corpus, Guantanamo and US District Courts/Appeals Courts, Guantanamo and US Supreme Court, Music reviews, The Four Fathers, UK politics Tagged Abu Qatada, Bandcamp, Control orders, Deportation, Four Fathers, Guantanamo, Habeas corpus, Magna Carta, Magna Carta 800th anniversary, Music, Music reviews, protest music, protest songs, Reggae, Roots reggae, The Four Fathers, Theresa May, UK protest, US courts, US protest
Andy Worthington says...
When I posted this on Facebook, I wrote:
Here's my latest article, promoting the release – today – of the latest online single by my band The Four Fathers. 'Equal Rights and Justice For All' is a rousing defence of habeas corpus, set to a roots reggae rhythm, inspired by the 800th anniversary of Magna Carta (in 2015), and the unforgivable situation faced by the men at Guantanamo – and 'terror suspects' held on the basis of secret evidence in the UK – who have been deprived of their habeas rights: the right of EVERYONE not to be subjected to arbitrary detention.
...on September 26th, 2017 at 9:46 pm
Laura Lance wrote:
I love it, Andy! Beautiful, spirited and powerful. You have a heart of gold. 💛 I have shared this on my timeline. Thank you for all that you do.
...on September 27th, 2017 at 1:29 am
Thanks, Laura. Your support is greatly appreciated!
Tashi Farmilo-Marouf wrote:
Love the chorus and the singing and the flute. Great song 🙂
Indira Krishnamurti Pradhan wrote:
Just heard the song and it's lovely and powerful! I like the tune and the lyrics. Many thanks.
You're welcome, Indira. Glad you like it! Great to hear from you!
Anna Giddings wrote:
I really love it Andy. Thanks!
...on September 27th, 2017 at 11:37 am
So glad to hear that you love it, Anna! 🙂
Angela Gipple wrote:
Loving the flute, but it's all good. Gratitude for all you give, Andy.
Thanks, Angela. Glad you like the song!
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Investigative journalist, author, campaigner, commentator and public speaker. Recognized as an authority on Guantánamo and the "war on terror." Co-founder, Close Guantánamo, co-director, We Stand With Shaker. Also, singer and songwriter (The Four Fathers) and photographer (The State of London).
Email Andy Worthington
The Four Fathers on Bandcamp
The Guantánamo Files
The Battle of the Beanfield
Stonehenge: Celebration & Subversion
Outside the Law: Stories from Guantánamo
'Love and War' by The Four Fathers
Guantánamo: The Definitive Prisoner List (Part 1)
Guantánamo Habeas Results: The Definitive List
The Full List of Prisoners Charged in the Military Commissions at Guantánamo
Bagram: The First Ever Prisoner List (The Annotated Version)
NEW FILM: Outside the Law: Stories from Guantánamo
"Outside the Law: Stories from Guantánamo" — UK Tour Dates 2011: The "Save Shaker Aamer" Tour
"Outside the Law: Stories from Guantánamo" – UK Tour Dates 2010
The Guantánamo Files: The Stories of the 774 Detainees in America's Illegal Prison
The Guantánamo Files: Website Extras (1) – The Qala-i-Janghi Massacre
The Guantánamo Files: Website Extras (2) – Tora Bora
The Guantánamo Files: Website Extras (3) – "Osama's Bodyguards"
The Guantánamo Files: Website Extras (4) – Escape to Pakistan (The Saudis)
The Guantánamo Files: Website Extras (5) – Escape to Pakistan (The Yemenis)
The Guantánamo Files: Website Extras (6) – Escape to Pakistan (Uyghurs and others)
The Guantánamo Files: Website Extras (7) – From Sheberghan to Kandahar
The Guantánamo Files: Website Extras (8) – Captured in Afghanistan
The Guantánamo Files: Website Extras (9) – Seized in Pakistan (Part One)
The Guantánamo Files: Website Extras (10) – Seized in Pakistan (Part Two)
The Guantánamo Files: Website Extras (11) – The Last of the Afghans (Part One) and Six "Ghost Prisoners"
The Guantánamo Files: Website Extras (12) – The Last of the Afghans (Part Two)
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Pasadena -- Actor Christian Borle swung from the saddest time of his life to pure joy in a matter of weeks. It was daunting, he admits, as he eases into a booth in the corner of a hotel lounge here.
Borle is a jubilant participant in NBC's hit "Smash." He plays Tom Levitt, the songwriting partner of Debra Messing, as they prepare a musical based on the life of Marilyn Monroe.
"I got the show two weeks before my father died," Borle says. "I had just finished 'Angels in America.' So as my father was slowly deteriorating, I was doing a play about grief and fear of death and deterioration. And in a way, that is the great gift of being an actor is I was able to go in and exorcise these feelings, all the fear, all the pain."
The experience changed him, he thinks. He's more appreciative of life, but also more chastened. "My father was an amazing man. He was a professor of physiology at the University of Pittsburgh. He retired, so the last decade or so he was retired in Florida. He was Swiss, a gentleman, a kind man, so he really set me on the right path."
So far most of Borle's work has centered on Broadway theater. He was nominated for a Tony for "Legally Blonde - The Musical," co-starred in the musical version of "Mary Poppins" and boasted several roles in "Spamalot."
"Smash" marks his first major television role. "Having this amazing good fortune of working toward something I love and having 'Smash' happen, whatever happens with it, however it is received, however long it lasts, it's already been unbelievable," says Borle, 38, who's dressed in a black T-shirt and jeans, worn slightly at the knees.
Like many performers, he knew what he wanted to do early on. "I did a lot of plays in elementary school like everybody did. ... I had incredible teachers - in the sixth through 12th grade, in Pennsylvania, and they really encouraged me. My parents were very liberal, lovingly open-minded people who supported the arts. So I never got any of that 'You have to be a doctor' or any of that. So as soon as I got the bug, they just encouraged me. I was really lucky."
His passion bloomed in high school. "Growing up, going through puberty, being in the theater, feeling accepted, having friends who were all in it for the same reason - meeting girls for the first time - it was great, it was the best," he says.
"That just continued. It never stopped. I went to school for it, and then I moved here and have been able to just do it."
There has never been a moment when Borle considered quitting. "There are times when you get survival jobs when you need to pay the rent," he says, "but it has never even passed through my pea brain" to quit.
His very first job when he trekked to New York at 21 was as Swifty the Elf in Macy's Santa Land. "It was really a beautiful place to work, actually," he says, laughing.
"The people who run Santa Land are dedicated, lovely people. It was really a great, crazy experience. The one dictum when you get that job is that you have to stay through New Year's, because what they get is people who come and work through Christmas Eve and quit to go home to their family. So if you quit before New Year's Day, you are pink-listed, you can never work there again. And I got pink-listed."
Swifty the Elf had landed a paying acting job and had to leave before the deadline, never to darken Macy's door again.
He also tried bartending at a local watering hole called Vintage. "That's where a lot of the young Broadway people hang out. It's actually mentioned in Episode 3 of 'Smash,' " he notes.
While he made an energetic elf, he wasn't such a keen bartender. "I was fast and polite, but I didn't know a lot of the drinks. It's hard when you are in the weeds. It's not like you can duck back behind the bar and look (up the recipe). It's embarrassing."
A major turning point arrived with his divorce from actress Sutton Foster after three years of marriage. "We separated in '07 before 'Angels in America.' I adore and respect my ex-wife. It was just a lesson in terms of what we think we are supposed to do growing up - part of the rite of passage. I think that I didn't really think for myself, think about what I was doing necessarily. It's a function of growing up. I got married because I loved her, but I didn't think about whether or not there are any other alternatives. Just in terms of - this is what adults do. That's a great lesson."


Wiltshire County Women's Artistic Squad 2018!
Huge congratulations to Catherine Hall, Tabitha Coleman and Ava Britten for being selected for the Wiltshire County Squad 2018!
The three WWGF Elite Squad gymnasts had their first County Squad training session on Saturday 3rd February, and did themselves proud. Well done girls!
← Another Good Wiltshire Grades Competition for WWG!


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AR News
Report: Metaverse Escapism 'Off Limits' For Apple Headset
Bloomberg reporter Mark Gurman shed light on Apple's approach to the so-called "metaverse", making it clear the company's upcoming headset is expected to focus on "bursts" of gaming, content consumption and communication above all else.
The information was dropped in the paid edition of Gurman's Apple and consumer tech newsletter for Bloomberg, Power On. The newsletter includes a section for Q&A with Gurman, which led to one reader sending in a question about the metaverse and how Apple will approach it.
Gurman posted his full response on his Twitter account for those who aren't paid subscribers. Gurman has a long track record reporting accurately on Apple, so there's a pretty substantial takeaway here that the company's leadership doesn't seem to be interested in a "metaverse" akin to the groundwork being laid in efforts like Meta's Horizon Worlds. Gurman goes as far as to suggest the idea of a "completely virtual world where users can escape to" is "off limits from Apple."
Gurman suggests Apple is focusing on making a headset designed for short-burst use, not all day, with a focus on "gaming, communication and content consumption." An eventual fully augmented reality headset is supposedly Apple's "real priority." Gurman's analysis is in line with public comments made by Apple CEO Tim Cook over the years. You can read a useful collection of comments Cook has made put together by The Verge, including "a significant portion of the population of developed countries, and eventually all countries, will have AR experiences every day, almost like eating three meals a day, it will become that much a part of you…VR I think is not going to be that big, compared to AR. I'm not saying it's not important, it is important."
Here's a copy of Gurman's response that he posted to Twitter:
Q: Do you think the Apple headset will be a full metaverse play? Or just focus on core AR and VR?
A: Here's one word I'd be shocked to hear on stage when Apple announces its headset: metaverse. I've been told pretty directly that the idea of a completely virtual world where users can escape to – like they can in Meta Platforms/Facebook's vision of the future – is off limits from Apple. Executives today at the highest levels of the company, and in the past like Jony Ive, have pushed for the virtual reality headset to not be an all-day device, and instead one that can be used for bursts of gaming, communication and content consumption. The augmented reality headset is Apple's real priority because it can be worn all day and, naturally, not take anyone out of their real environment.
You can read more about Apple's unannounced headset, potentially launching later this year, here.
Filed Under: Apple, AR News, Metaverse, top stories, VR news
Microsoft And Qualcomm To Collaborate On 'Purpose-Built XR Chipsets'
Microsoft and Qualcomm announced a collaboration to design custom chipsets for AR.
The announcement was made in connection with the 2022 CES show in Las Vegas this week as the technology development giants revealed collaborative efforts "across several initiatives to drive the ecosystem, including developing custom AR chips to enable a new wave of power efficient, lightweight AR glasses to deliver rich and immersive experiences."
Jamie and I took Microsoft Mesh for a test drive on the HoloLens 2 last year and it shows real promise as a multiplayer framework that extends across a wide range of devices, and Qualcomm recently announced the Snapdragon Spaces developer platform. The collaboration is expected to support integration of those platforms. Qualcomm, of course, makes the chipset used in the Quest 2 and other standalone headset efforts and from time to time the company releases reference designs to help others get started designing VR or AR headsets. We expect Microsoft to come after the consumer augmented reality market but precisely when remains an open question.
While CES is often a showcase for products that are still concepts, sometimes foundational partnerships or technologies are announced that take years to have an actual impact on consumers. Is that the case with this Qualcomm/Microsoft collaboration? The path ahead for mass market consumer AR glasses is a long one with huge advances needed to achieve all-day comfort and this collaboration could ultimately play a part in that development. Then again, sometimes collaborations like these fizzle out as market needs push companies in different directions.
We'll keep you updated as we learn more about this collaboration.
Filed Under: AR News
Report: Apple Hires Meta's XR Head of Public Relations
December 27, 2021 From roadtovr
Apple may be nearing launch of its long-awaited XR headsets, as the company has reportedly hired Meta's head of communications for its consumer XR products.
Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reports in his weekly 'Power On' newsletter that Apple has hired Andrea Schubert, Communications Director at Meta's consumer hardware division for XR, including Portal, AR and VR devices.
Schubert has yet to comment on the report or change her employment status on LinkedIn. We've reached out and will update this piece when/if we receive reply.
Schubert joined Meta (then Facebook) in March 2016 for the launch of the company's first consumer VR headset, Oculus Rift. Over the years Schubert has overseen public relations for the company spanning VR devices including Oculus Rift S, Oculus Go, Quest, and Quest 2. She's also handled comms for all of Meta's biggest XR events, including CES, Connect, F8, Sundance, and GDC.
Hiring Schubert, arguably the most connected and experienced XR comms director in the field, could signal that Apple is setting up the last bits of infrastructure ahead of an XR product launch.
At this point it's fairly clear Apple is preparing its own immersive headsets. Reports have suggested in the past that an Apple VR headset with limited AR capabilities will arrive sometime in 2022, priced at around $3,000 and sporting dual 8K displays. There's also been talk of Apple ordering high-PPI microdisplays, suggesting the headset will have a less bulky form factor than ones that use conventional VR displays, such as Quest 2.
Apple's alleged VR headset is said to come as a precursor to a full-fledged AR device. It's an open secret that the company has been working on AR optics, and releasing AR headset codenames, display dimensions, and fields of view in successive versions of iOS.
In typical Apple fashion the company still hasn't acknowledged any such claims or supposed information leaks though. We'll be keeping our eyes peeled on Apple's event website in 2022 for what may be the big 'one more thing' moment we've all been waiting for.
Filed Under: andrea schubert, apple ar, Apple AR Headset, apple vr, apple vr headset, AR News, Meta, meta ar, meta vr, News
How AR Technology Is Turning Truck Drivers Into Maintenance And Logistics Experts?
December 22, 2021 From affinityvr
The trucking industry is essential for many industries as it allows the transportation of essential goods and resources to and from suppliers. This is why many top companies have invested heavily in the newest technology to improve the trucking industry to make operations efficient and save costs in the long term. For example, a company can integrate a smart truck dash cam that uses AI algorithms into a truck to allow drivers to drive safely when on the route.
Similarly, augmented reality (AR) technology has paved the way to improve the maintenance and repair for truck drivers, which helps improve logistics for a company. This may seem like a sci-fi concept, but believe us, we have arrived at this unreal future. Don't believe us? Please keep reading. This article will discuss precisely how AR technology turns truck drivers into maintenance and logistics experts.
AR Technology Can Help Drivers Locate Faults Instantly
Truck drivers spend a lot of time on the road, and their trucks will likely break down at some point. In such a situation, drivers will have to wait for a tow truck to take the truck to a local mechanic for repairs. Some drivers may fix the problem, but only experienced ones can really do this. Even if they manage to do it, it can take quite a while to locate the issue. The problem with this situation is that the shipment they are carrying will get delayed, which can result in revenue loss and upset clients.
This is where AR technology comes to save the day. AR technology can be integrated with smartphones or smart glasses and allow drivers to aim them towards the car. The technology will then display information related to the truck's parts like engines, wheels, etc., in real-time, allowing them to detect faults and perform some basic repair that can allow them to get back on route. We have seen examples of technology like this being developed by companies like Mercedes, Volkswagen, and Caterpillar.
AR Technology Can Help Drivers Get Instant Assistance
In certain situations, drivers will have problems making repairs by themselves which is where they can get assistance from mechanics through AR technology. The mechanic can see whatever the driver sees through their device, and they can then make markings to bring drivers' attention to specific spots. Additionally, they can guide them through the basic repair process by instructing them through the various steps required. This helps the driver get back on the road and helps him understand the repair process. This will help them become a maintenance expert and a logistics expert as well.
AR Technology Can Help Guide Drivers to Expert Assistance
In a situation where a complete breakdown or a major problem occurs, the driver will likely not be able to repair it. AR technology can guide them to a nearby local mechanic, garage, or parts dealer where they can get proper assistance. This will ensure that the repair is done as soon as possible, meaning that logistics will be a lot more streamlined. The information provided by AR technology can help, too, as it can provide the truck drivers with stats about their driving. This will help drivers understand how they are driving and improve it for more safe and efficient driving. Pairing AR technology with a smart truck dash cam can further improve this benefit as these dash cams can provide a score about their driving.
AR technology has completely transformed the way maintenance and logistics works. Through AR technology, drivers can get real-time information that can help turn them into maintenance experts. This helps reduce the need to hire new mechanics. Additionally, this can help guide truck drivers to garages or repair shops which can save time and help from a logistics point of view. We have discussed these points in detail in this article and hope it has provided you with great insight into this remarkable technology. It is only a matter of time before we see this technology become common in the trucking industry.
Filed Under: Apps & Games, AR News, AR/VR startups, Devices, Events, Extended Reality (XR), Mixed Reality, top stories, VR news, VR Resources
Google Building An 'Augmented Reality OS' For A New AR Device
Google is hiring in several positions working on an 'Augmented Reality OS' for an AR device, as reported by 9 To 5 Google.
There's a variety of open positions involved in building the software for this AR device, with the listing for Senior Software Developer, Embedded, providing a description of the team working on the OS:
Our team is building the software components that control and manage the hardware on our Augmented Reality (AR) products. These are the software components that run on the AR devices and are the closest to the hardware. As Google adds products to the AR portfolio, the OS Foundations team is the very first software team to work with new hardware.
The full job listing is here. Likewise, postings for Senior Software Engineer, Camera and Senior Software Developer Tech Lead, Input describe building software for an "innovative AR device." The listings say that this OS team "is the very first software team to work with new hardware." The nature of this device is unclear, but the operating system and new hardware angle seems to imply a dedicated AR device, such as a headset. Apple is working on a still-unannounced VR/AR mixed reality headset while Meta is preparing a higher end headset code-named Cambria, and we'd expect Google to be very interested in the AR product category.
Mark Lucovsky also revealed that he started a new position at Google this week. Lucovsky previously led the VR/AR operating system effort at Facebook/Meta, where he was reportedly building a new operating system for AR. He also worked as a Microsoft engineer for many years, where he co-developed Windows NT. He will now "lead the Operating System team for Augmented Reality" at Google.
Most of Google's recent efforts in the VR/AR space focused on the AR — the company has gradually reduced its focus on VR, ending support for Daydream, shutting down Google Poly and open sourcing its art software Tilt Brush. With these new job postings, it seems Google's focus is likely to remain squarely on AR for the foreseeable future.
Filed Under: AR, ar device, ar industry, ar industry news, ar mobile, ar new, ar new headset, AR News, ar os, augmented reality, augmented reality headsets, augmented reality industry, augmented reality new, augmented reality news, augmented reality os, google, google ar, google ar os, google augmented reality, google augmented reality os, google hiring, google jobs, Mark Lucovsky, Mark Lucovsky AR, Mark Lucovsky Google, Mark Lucovsky OS, Mobile ar
Meta Aims to Further Ratchet Down on Security with Bug Bounty for Quest 2, Portal & Ray-Ban Stories
Meta today announced it's updating a bug bounty program for its hardware products, something intended to reward anyone outside of the company who reports security vulnerabilities. With some new payout guidelines in place, Meta is ostensibly aiming to highlight its commitment to security following a total rebrand that's put significant focus on its XR hardware and its vision of the metaverse.
Meta says the program, which over the past year has netted third-party security researchers over $2 million in bounties, will include its most recent XR products, such as Quest 2, Meta Portal, and Ray-Ban Stories.
With the updated bug bounty program, the company says it's being more transparent with bounty payout amounts, and what system vulnerabilities it classifies as top priorities.
Meta lists a few concrete examples of what to expect in its new hardware-focused payout guidelines. A bug that might surreptitiously allow mic access on Quest could net a someone $5,000. A persistent, full secure boot bypass of Quest software would pay out up to $30,000.
"If a researcher demonstrates in a bug report that their finding could potentially result in physical health, safety, or privacy risks, we'll also take these impacts into consideration when determining the overall bounty payout," Meta says in a blogpost. "As we've done since establishing the bug bounty program more than 10 years ago, the final payout amount will be based on the maximum possible security impact of a bug submission."
Ray-Ban Stories | Image courtesy Ray-Ban, Facebook
This follows the company's announcement in October that it was rebranding away from Facebook and Oculus, and making a commitment to build out its vision of an interoperable and immersive social platform—i.e. 'the metaverse'.
To boot, Meta has just launched an open beta for Horizon Worlds, the company's proto-metaverse platform that puts an emphasis on user-generated content—the sort of the things we've seen from long-standing social VR platforms such as Rec Room and VRChat.
The new bug hunter guidelines seemingly come amidst a greater shift within Meta Reality Labs in how it develops hardware. In a leaked company memo from earlier this year, Reality Labs head Andrew Bosworth maintained the company would change its approach to product development and put greater focus on security and data privacy at the hardware level.
"Instead of imagining a product and trimming it down to fit modern standards of data privacy and security we are going to invert our process. We will start with the assumption that we can't collect, use, or store any data," Bosworth's memo reads. "The burden is on us to demonstrate why certain data is truly required for the product to work. Even then I want us to scope it as aggressively as we can, holding a higher bar for sending data to the server than we do for processing it locally. I have no problem with us giving users options to share more if they choose (opt-in) but by default we shouldn't expect it."
All of this seems like Meta is turning over a new leaf, however trust is easier broken than it is granted. It's something the company will have to actively battle if it hopes to deflect unwanted scrutiny around its future products, which will necessarily be geared towards gathering increasingly sophisticated biometric user data.
Filed Under: AR News, Meta, meta ar, meta bug bounty, meta data, meta data breech, meta privacy, meta quest 2, meta security, meta user data, meta vr, News
Apple Hiring AR/VR Frameworks Engineer For 'Entirely New Application Paradigm'
Apple posted a job listing for an 'AR/VR Frameworks Engineer', with the role described as "developing an entirely new application paradigm".
The listing was shared by current Apple manager Hayden Lee on Twitter. A pioneer in the social VR space, Lee co-founded Convrge and worked early on at Bigscreen. He was hired by Apple in mid 2020 to work on AR/VR, and made manager in October, according to his LinkedIn page.
A software framework is a collection of components, assets, and functionalities developers can use instead of reinventing the wheel. What makes this listing interesting is how it hints at the approach Apple might take to AR/VR software.
The role is listed as involving "distributed systems" – software which runs across multiple coordinated networked computers (or in this case headsets), and asks for experience with real-time. Here's how the job itself is described:
You will be researching and developing an entirely new application paradigm – a challenge that will demand rapid experimentation and prototyping without sacrificing code quality or attention to detail. Working closely with Apple's UI frameworks, Human Interface designers and system software teams – this role will push you to think outside-the-box, and solve incredibly ambitious and interesting problems in the AR/VR space. You will have access to a wide variety of internal frameworks and services that will allow you to build software that is deeply integrated into our operating systems.
The reference to "an entirely new application paradigm" that is "deeply integrated into our operating systems" in a networked framework role suggests Apple might be exploring providing developers with high level tools to build inherently multi-user spatial apps. Such a framework could result in apps which can seamlessly be run by multiple headsets in the same space, or across the internet, with synchronized components like UI which follow best practices.
All of this is possible today manually or with a combination of 3rd party frameworks in engines like Unity and Unreal. But with ARKit's RealityKit and RealityComposer Apple has already shown a desire to provide higher level tools handling tasks like materials, shadows, physics, animations, spatial audio, and more. This lets Apple work on perfecting these core technologies while developers focus on building the actual content instead of needing to replicate each themselves. For the user, that means more consistency and quality between applications, even those made with a low budget.
We have yet to hear details about the rumored rOS operating system for Apple's rumored AR/VR headset, which could launch as early as next year. But this listing hints that despite all the hardware hype, Apple's true innovation in this space could be a fundamentally different approach to software.
Filed Under: Apple, AR News, top stories
The Coldest Stalk in the Steam VR World is Out Now! Bean Stalker adds a new map, the Arctic level
December 2, 2021 From affinityvr
Filed Under: Apps & Games, AR Entertainment, AR News, AR/VR startups, Devices, Events, Extended Reality (XR), Mixed Reality, top stories, VR Entertainment, VR news, VR Resources
Report: Meta is Considering Physical Stores to Sell Its Vision of the Metaverse
November 10, 2021 From roadtovr
Meta (formerly Facebook) is not only building its next generation of AR and VR headsets, but it's looking to jumpstart a sort of immersive internet the company believes will one day be the future of human interaction—that's the 'metaverse' everyone's talking about. And to sell that idea to the masses, the company has allegedly discussed rolling out physical stores.
A New York Times report maintains that Meta has been planning its own retail stores that aim to eventually span the world. The report cites people with knowledge of the project in addition to internal company documents shared with The New York Times.
Those documents allegedly revealed that Meta's stores aim to let people try out its upcoming XR hardware in a "more open and connected" space which will make guests feel "curiosity, closeness," and "welcomed"—all whilst on a "judgment free journey."
We know marketing fluff when we hear it, however the report maintains that "serious work" was started last year, predating the Meta rebranding late last month. Whether it actually follows through with those plans is still an uncertainty. The company hasn't substantiated any of the claims made in the report.
Project Cambria | Image courtesy Meta
The company is no stranger to the challenges of getting VR headsets on neophyte noggins. It's had pop-up events and in-store demos as far back as 2016 to prepare for the launch of the original Oculus Rift.
Opening physical stores though would be much larger step for Meta, putting it in the same retail class as Microsoft, Apple and Google; the latter just opening its first retail store this summer. It would not only need highly visible locations to broaden its push into the consumer market, it would need to be very confident in its products—emphasis on the plural.
Although the company only sells Oculus Quest 2 and has partnered to create the Ray-Ban Stories camera glasses, it has a few products in the works. Last month the company unveiled its Project Cambria mixed reality headset and teased an AR headset called Project Nazare. We aren't sure when either will be productized, but you can bet Meta will be looking to offer in-person demos when they do, since both AR and MR headsets will be entirely new territory for most people.
Filed Under: AR News, Meta, meta ar, meta store, meta vr, News
Facebook Changes Its Name To 'Meta': The First Ever Incorporated Metaverse Company
November 8, 2021 From affinityvr
On 28th October, Mark Zuckerburg doubled down on his commitment to be the face of the oncoming metaverse era by signing off on the move to rebrand the parent company, Facebook Inc., to Meta. The hour-long keynote presentation was unveiled at the Connect 2021 conference, where Mark goes over all the fundamental changes the rebranding brings along, as well as exploring his and his company's vision moving forward. The social media giant is bringing the limelight to their increasing investments and commitment into AR/VR technologies and the growing size of the Facebook Reality Labs. This move has multiple implications, from marketing and finance to technological, and has caused a stir amongst critics and journalists alike.
Facebook aka Meta Company – Highlights
The biggest and clearest sign of a shift in the company's focus was highlighted by the medium of the presentation itself. Mark Zuckerburg gave the entire presentation and walked the attendees of the conference through all the changes in a serene VR environment. After introducing the rebranding of the parent company to Meta in the first 10 minutes, the rest of the feature was about how the platforms will look, feel and behave as they incorporate VR and AR as the building blocks. The keynote went over multiple pressing concerns of how Meta's metaverse will incorporate interactions, entertainment, art, merchandising and marketing, and gave an insight into the vision of the future by Zuckerburg and team.
Image Credits: Tegan Reyes (on behalf of Meta)
From its inception, the parent company Facebook Inc. (now Meta), had represented itself as a social media and advertising platform. With the rebranding exercise, the company now identifies itself as a social technologies and metaverse company. This rebranding has no direct implications on the portfolio of applications and platforms (Facebook, Instagram, Whatsapp and other subsidiaries) the company manages, as their name remains unchanged.
In Mark's interview with the Verge, he states that Meta has become an ecosystem of applications in the last few years, and having their flagship application – Facebook, share the name has led to confusion amongst its users and investors. A similar move had been made by Google in 2015 when they rebranded the parent company as Alphabet. The re-branding is a push to separate the identities and create a clearer distinction between the platforms and the parent organisation.
While the rebranding is a subtle way to distinguish parts of the social media conglomerate, this transition is more evident in their financial reporting, as moving forward Meta Inc. will report on their two distinct wings – 'The Family of Apps' and 'Reality Labs'. As the portfolio of Meta increases the share of AR/VR tech (Oculus and Reality Labs) investments and the growing workforce in the vertical, this rebranding is a clear signal of the internal shifts in the company that have been years in the making.
After-Meta: Public Reception
The rebranding exercise has stirred a myriad spectrum of views on the matter, the majority of them are leaning on the negative side of the spectrum due to the failing reputation of Facebook, both as a platform and a parent company. With increasing scrutiny on the internal workings of the organisation's decision making since the 'Facebook Papers' leak, many speculate that the rebranding might just be a gimmick to distance the company from the tanking reputation of the platform.
While these rumours were debunked by Mark earlier and were purely speculative, others point out that this move, and the bigger focus of the company to make metaverse a reality, is motivated by wanting to reduce the company's dependency on competitors such as Google and Apple. As companies that own the app stores on which 'The Family of Apps' are downloaded through, Meta has to pay a large 30% commission on its in-app sales to the operating software owners, which in Mark's words are "stifling innovation and growth".
Beyond the reputational issues, re-branding is also being seen with the lens of an embarrassing debacle. The name 'Meta' is already an incorporated organisation dealing in AR tech, which the marketing team behind this shift got to know about after their big announcement, and are now trying to salvage the situation by offering $20 million for the naming rights.
What could've been a large and eventful day for metaverse and AR/VR enthusiasts around the world, a beacon of the inevitable virtual future, has turned into another rainy day (in the series of rainy days) for the tech giant.
Filed Under: AR News, AR/VR startups, Extended Reality (XR), Mixed Reality, top stories, VR Entertainment, VR news

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
'Economic hardship, insecurity responsible for high rate of irregular migration in Nigeria'
By Juliana Agbo, Abuja
Economic hardship, extreme poverty, lack of opportunities and insecurity have continued to push many Nigerians to gamble their lives away through irregular migration, faith-based organisation, Symbols of Hope Project Nigeria, has said.
It also noted that seven, out of every 10 young people, are either returned migrants or already contemplating travelling out of the country illegally.
The Country Coordinator of the Project, Rev. Emmanuel Gabriel, who made this known at the economic empowerment for returned and potential migrants in Asaba, Delta State, said Nigeria is ranked the highest in records of irregular migrants moving from Africa and the 8th in global slavery index.
"This is a grave concern to the future of the country", he said.
Read Also; Immigration boss raises the alarm over fake marriages
The Country Coordinator, in a statement issued by the organisation, said they were in Delta State to offer psychosocial support to survivors of human trafficking and victims of irregular migration.
"We are here to help reintegrate returned migrants back into the societies they once called home.
"Some of the factors that account for human migration are economic hardship, extreme poverty, lack of opportunities, conflicts, political persecutions, religious and cultural discriminations, climate change and natural disasters.
"The Lutheran World Federation (LWF) in collaboration with the Lutheran Church of Christ in Nigeria (LCCN), set up the Symbols of Hope Project Nigeria to create awareness on the dangers of human trafficking and irregular migration", he added.
Also, Archbishop of the Lutheran Church of Christ in Nigeria and President of the Lutheran World Federation, Most Rev. Musa Panti Filibus, called on Nigerians to turn towards each other and find ways to address the problems rather than the use of swords.
While noting that the government has the constitutional obligations to provide necessities of life for the citizens, he said providing such basic amenities will no doubt contribute immensely to reducing the incidence of irregular migration where young people take the risk to venture into the desert and Mediterranean Sea in search of greener pastures.
"It is supposed, or they are lured into believing that as soon as one leaves the Nigerian border in whatever way, they are steps ahead to greener pastures.
"Our governments must intentionally address the needs of our youth by providing jobs and business opportunities", he said.
Wike disowns NGF's agreement with JUSUN
Yoruba nation agitators are foolish — Aregbesola


text: Right from the start, this eclectic character was active in the fields of architecture, painting, graphics and set design. He graduated from Milan Polytechnic in 1920. In 1926, with editor Gianni Mazzocchi, he founded the magazine Domus, staying on as editor until his death. He was invited to take over the art direction of Luigi Fontana in 1931 and in 1932 he founded FontanaArte with Pietro Chiesa. He was one of the promoters of the Compasso d'Oro Award and a founder member of the ADI (Italian association for industrial design), as well as curating programmes for the Milan Triennale on many occasions and teaching at Milan Polytechnic. He designed numerous famous public and private buildings, including the houses in Via De Togni, the tower-house in Corso Venezia, offices for RAI and Ferrania, the Littoria tower in Parco Sempione, the Pirelli skyscraper in Milan, Taranto Cathedral, Villa Planchart in Caracas, and Denver Museum of Modern Art. In the field of design he created timeless furniture, lighting and objects for FontanaArte some of which are still in production such as the 0024, Bilia, Pirellina and Pirellone lamps, and the Tavolino 1932 table.


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Collaboration, Community, Lane Glenn, Optimism, Politics, Uncategorized
The Merrimack River Valley Voyagers
Posted by Lane Glenn on August 30, 2019 0 Comments
Jambo! Climbing Lessons for Community College Students from the Summit of Mt. Kilimanjaro
Lane Glenn
20/20 Optimism
The ebbing and flowing of the Merrimack River has been the heartbeat of New England life for centuries. From colonial fishing and farming villages, to the mills built on its banks in the earliest days of America's Industrial Revolution, to the recreational boathouses and marinas that line the shore today, the Merrimack draws us closer to the power, the beauty, and the abundance of nature.
The Merrimack also offers the nearly 700,000 people who live in the sixty-five cities and towns along its banks in Massachusetts and New Hampshire a common thread and shared purpose—a way to feel and to be part of a community. While there are many things that may separate us—politics, wealth, education, and more—the Merrimack brings us together.
It was this spirit of common purpose and togetherness that formed the Merrimack River Valley Voyagers, a group of local leaders who recently spent four days paddling and camping along the 117-mile length of the Mighty Merrimack, enjoying its beauty and bringing attention to its environmental needs, and economic, educational, and recreational opportunities.
I had the privilege of helping to organize the core group of Voyagers, who kayaked the full length of the river, including State Senator Diana DiZoglio, State Representatives Jim Kelcourse and Christina Minicucci, President of the Greater Haverhill Chamber of Commerce Dougan Sherwood, Executive Director of the Lawrence Partnership Derek Mitchell, President of the Merrimack River Watershed Council Board of Directors Dan Graovac, and Executive Director of Groundwork Lawrence Heather McMann.
In addition to this adventurous lot, a number of other community leaders in both New Hampshire and Massachusetts jumped in boats and joined us for a day or two along the river, including State Senator Edward Kennedy, State Representatives Linda Dean Campbell and Andy Vargas, Newburyport Mayor Donna Holaday, and Newburyport City Councilors Barry Connell and Charles Tontar.
We managed to draw plenty of attention to our trek, with ample social media coverage, prominent stories in newspapers in the major cities along the river, interviews and updates on NPR, spots on local cable television, and an upcoming feature in the fall issue of Merrimack Valley Magazine, thanks to editor Doug Sparks, who paddled along and camped with us for part of our journey.
They were four incredible days. Each of us has tales to tell (and some we may just keep to ourselves), and I encourage you to ask the Voyagers to share some of their favorites when you see them.
Here are just a few of mine:
We launched our kayak flotilla in Franklin, New Hampshire, where the confluence of the Pemigewasset and Winnipesaukee Rivers form the headwaters of the Merrimack, early in the morning on August 7. A few of us were experienced kayakers, and some were new to paddling, but the northernmost part of the river is mostly wide with a gentle current, giving everyone a chance to get their sea legs underneath them for the first few hours.
The first twenty or so miles are also some of the most rural and least developed portions of the river, and we enjoyed the company of geese, egrets, great blue herons, and a pair of eagles that soared overhead, fishing for their breakfast.
Photograph by Dan Graovac
The birds we all expected, but the bovines we did not. Somewhere south of the Hannah Dustin Massacre Sitein Penacook, New Hampshire, we were greeted by a herd of cows that came running (really, not making this up) through a grove of trees on the riverbank, down into the water for a midday dip.
We had planned a late afternoon press conference with Congresswoman Annie Kuster at the New Hampshire Technical Institute south of Concord, but thunderstorms drove us off the river early; and instead of camping where we had planned, at the White Sands Conservation Area in Pembroke, we found shelter from the storm (along with pizzas and a few spirited rounds of forty-fives) at the Push-Me-Pull-You Llama Farm in nearby Canterbury.
Refreshed and ready to roll down the river the next morning, we met Thomas O'Donovan, Director of the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services Water Division at our launch site to learn more about one of the big challenges facing the Merrimack River today.
Although the river is much cleaner than it was a generation or more ago, when industrial waste and household sewage had turned it into a toxic flowing cesspool, in 2015 it still made American Rivers annual list of "America's Most Endangered Waterways" mostly due to the large amounts of "combined sewage overflow" or "CSO's" that are dumped into the river after large storms—like the one we experienced on our first afternoon.
The Merrimack River Watershed Councilestimates that, last year, at least 770 million gallons of untreated sewage was discharged into the Merrimack from urban sewage treatment systems in Manchester, Nashua, Lowell, Lawrence, and Haverhill. While all of these cities are taking steps to limit and eventually end CSO discharge, costs run into the hundreds of millions of dollars, and it will take decades or longer to accomplish.
Just two days before we set out on our journey, the Massachusetts State Senate passed a billbased on legislation originally filed by one of our Voyagers, Senator Diana DiZoglio, that would create a "Merrimack River District Commission" comprised of state and local officials, and members of regional and environmental groups, to comprehensively study the river and create a regional plan for addressing environmental concerns.
Just a few miles downstream on Day 2, we pulled our boats out of the water to portage around the Hooksett Falls Dam, an operation requiring nine paddlers to haul eight boats (seven singles and a tandem) a quarter mile or so along the riverbank, over some railroad tracks, and launch them back in the stream again on the other side.
It was also the first opportunity for some of the daredevils in our paddling pack to try to run the rapids and smaller falls at the foot of the Hooksett Dam—and for others to wait downstream and catch their gear before it floated away after a tumble or two!
Packing, paddling, and portaging together really brought out the best in everyone, including this marvelous show of bipartisan crewing as Republican Representative Jim Kelcourse took a turn in the tandem with Democratic Senator Diana DiZoglio—working together to get things done for Massachusetts!
After a public event and press conference at the Amoskeag Fish Ladder Dam highlighting some of the environmental concerns for the Merrimack, the Voyagers had a chance to portage again and run the five-mile urban canyon stretch of rock-strewn rapids through Manchester, New Hampshire…
…en route to the Independence Rowing Club in Nashua, our camp site for the evening (after another thunderstorm chased us off the river a few miles short of our targeted landing spot).
Day 3 was a big one for us, as we paddled our way into Lowell for a press conference at the UMass Lowell Bellegarde Boathouse, followed by a trailer portage around Pawtucket Falls, another launching behind the Lowell Spinners Stadium, and an evening landing with a friendly hometown crowd at Greater Lawrence Community Boating.
Groundwork Lawrence'sHeather McMann and the Lawrence Partnership'sDerek Mitchell led our press conference at the Abe Bashara Boat House, where we talked about the magnificent contributions GWL has made to cleaning up the river, as well as economic and workforce development opportunities along the Merrimack.
And I shared this proud fact with the crowd: Northern Essex Community College has nearly 40,000 active alumni, and more than 25,000 of them live along the Merrimack River today—in every single city and town in the Merrimack Valley, from Franklin south through Concord, Manchester, Nashua, Lowell, Lawrence, Haverhill, and out to Newburyport, Salisbury, and Plum Island.
Literally everywhere you go in the Merrimack Valley, you can find an NECC Knight!
Just below the Stone Dam in Lawrence, the Merrimack River rises and falls as much as nine feet, with the tide pushing in through the mouth between Salisbury and Plum Island, and flowing back out again into the Atlantic Ocean.
Our destination on Day 4 was 27 miles downriver, where low tide at Plum Island was at 2:30 in the afternoon. We wanted to ride the tide out to the beach, and definitely not get caught paddling against it across Newburyport Harbor.
That meant a 6:00 a.m. launch from Pemberton Park in downtown Lawrence, as the sunlight was just beginning to spill across the mill buildings that line the riverbanks.
By 9:00 a.m. we were a couple miles outside of Haverhill, where Jessica Winiecki, a member of the city's Harbor Commission and River Access Committee, helpfully provided homemade Sunday brunch for the Voyagers dockside behind her house on the river.
After landing and docking our boats in Haverhill, we walked along Merrimack Street downtown, stopping by the construction of The Heights, future home to NECC's Hospitality and Culinary Arts Institute, and a public event led by Greater Haverhill Chamber of CommercePresident Dougan Sherwood behind Harbor Place, the five-story building at the Basiliere Bridge that is helping to transform Haverhill's riverfront.
With no time to lose if we wanted to beat the turning of the tide, we hopped back in our kayaks for our final push to the sea. Just as we paddled across Newburyport harbor, a squall kicked up, blowing heavy winds and some pelting rain as our boats began to land, one at a time, on the sand at Captain's Landing on Plum Island.
The journey of the Merrimack River Valley Voyagers was a physical accomplishment: 117 miles, 30 miles a day, with five portages, several rapids runs, two full-blown thunderstorms, and a sea squall. We paddled, carried kayaks, pitched tents, slept on the ground, baked in the sun, and soaked in the rain.
The Voyagers' journey was also a public awareness accomplishment: We brought a tremendous amount of attention to the environmental challenges the river faces, and the policies, politics, and economics of responding to those challenges.
And most of all, our journey was a community accomplishment, creating and deepening relationships among our hardy band of voyagers, and with friends and fellow travelers all along the way, where this river we now all know so much better endlessly ebbs and flows, the beating heart of the Merrimack Valley…


text:
Green v. State
Olevik v. State
We did so on the basis that "compelling a defendant to submit to [blood and] breath testing [is not]…
Toth v. State
1. Defendant first challenges the denial of his motion to suppress, arguing that the results of blood tests…
Full title:GREEN v. THE STATE
Court:Supreme Court of Georgia
Date published: Dec 3, 1990
260 Ga. 625 (Ga. 1990)
398 S.E.2d 360
Supreme Court of Georgia
In Green v. State, 260 Ga. 625, 626 (2), 627 (398 S.E.2d 360), a defendant was charged with possession of cocaine after providing a urine sample, which tested positive for cocaine metabolites, pursuant to a condition of probation which required that a urine sample be provided to law enforcement officers upon request.
Summary of this case from State v. Jewell
S90G0665.
DECIDED DECEMBER 3, 1990. RECONSIDERATION DENIED DECEMBER 19, 1990.
Certiorari to the Court of Appeals of Georgia — 194 Ga. App. 343.
Beauchamp Associates, Kermit S. Dorough, Jr., for appellant.
Britt R. Priddy, District Attorney, Henry Jones, Assistant District Attorney, for appellee.
BENHAM, Justice.
Appellant, on probation from a conviction for obstruction of an officer, was stopped by police in an area known to police as a "heavy drug activity area" after an officer witnessed appellant taking part in what the officer believed was a drug transaction. No contraband was found, but the officer, having determined that appellant was on probation and knowing that as a condition of his probation appellant was required to provide a urine sample to law enforcement officers upon request, escorted appellant to the police station where he was required to produce a urine sample. After learning that the urinalysis revealed the presence of cocaine metabolites, the officer charged appellant with possession of cocaine. Appellant was convicted of the crime, and his conviction was affirmed by the Court of Appeals. Green v. State, 194 Ga. App. 343 ( 390 S.E.2d 285) (1990). We granted certiorari to review whether the evidence presented against appellant was sufficient to authorize his conviction, and whether the use in a criminal prosecution of a urine sample procured by means of a condition of probation violated the constitutional right not to incriminate oneself.
The condition of probation provided:
Probationer shall, from time to time upon oral or written request by any Probation Supervisor, or by any city, county or state law enforcement officer, produce a breath, spittle, urine, and/or blood specimen for analysis for the possible presence of a substance prohibited or controlled by any law of the State of Georgia or of the United States.
1. The initial issue is the sufficiency of the evidence presented against appellant. See Lewis v. State, 248 Ga. 566 (1) ( 285 S.E.2d 179) (1981). The State's case consisted of the urinalysis test results showing the presence of cocaine metabolites in appellant's urine sample, and the testimony of a certified urinalysis field technician that cocaine metabolites are detectible in an individual's urine two-four days after the individual ingests cocaine.
The Court of Appeals has consistently ruled that evidence of cocaine metabolites in an individual's urine is "direct positive evidence" that the individual ingested cocaine at sometime in the immediate past before the urine sample was given, and had therefore possessed the cocaine he subsequently ingested. Sparks v. State, 195 Ga. App. 589 (1) ( 394 S.E.2d 407) (1990); Buffington v. State, 190 Ga. App. 365 ( 378 S.E.2d 884) (1989); Bentley v. State, 183 Ga. App. 112 ( 358 S.E.2d 274) (1987); Cauthen v. State, 177 Ga. App. 565 ( 340 S.E.2d 199) (1986); Stevens v. State, 165 Ga. App. 814 ( 302 S.E.2d 724) (1983). We perceive the nature of such evidence differently.
"`Direct evidence' means evidence which immediately points to the question at issue." OCGA § 24-1-1 (3). The presence of cocaine metabolites in body fluid is direct evidence only of the fact that cocaine was introduced into the body producing the fluid, and is not direct evidence that the person possessed the cocaine. Rather, the presence of cocaine metabolites in body fluid is only circumstantial or indirect evidence, i.e., "evidence which only tends to establish [that the person possessed cocaine] by proof of various facts, sustaining by their consistency the hypothesis claimed." See OCGA § 24-1-1 (4). We therefore disapprove of the holding in the above-cited cases that the presence of cocaine metabolites in body fluid constitutes direct, positive evidence that the person who produced the body fluid possessed cocaine.
Cocaine introduced into the human body for medical purposes would result in cocaine metabolites being formed in the body fluids of the patient without the patient having first possessed it. In this case, there was evidence that the inhalation of secondary smoke from cocaine smokers could produce metabolites of cocaine in the urine of one who was present but not smoking.
The amicus curiae questions whether the State presented sufficient evidence of venue. "The venue of a crime is a jurisdictional fact, and must be proved as a part of the general case." Dempsey v. State, 52 Ga. App. 35 (2) ( 182 S.E. 56) (1935).
If in any case it cannot be determined in what county a crime was committed, it shall be considered to have been committed in any county in which the evidence shows beyond a reasonable doubt that it might have been committed. [OCGA § 17-2-2 (h).]
Where venue is not contested at trial, slight proof of venue will suffice. Jackson v. State, 177 Ga. App. 718 ( 341 S.E.2d 274) (1986). In the case at bar, there was evidence that appellant was present in Dougherty County immediately before giving the urine sample that contained the cocaine metabolites, and there was evidence that cocaine metabolizes in the human body "very quickly." The State presented sufficient evidence, albeit circumstantial, in the case at bar to authorize the jury to find appellant guilty beyond a reasonable doubt of possession of cocaine. Jackson v. Virginia, 443 U.S. 307 ( 99 S.C. 2781, 61 L.Ed.2d 560) (1979).
2. Appellant asserts that the State's use of the urine sample as evidence against him violated his state constitutional right against self-incrimination. 1983 Ga. Const., Art. I, Sec. I, Par. XVI.
Georgia has long granted more protection to its citizens than has the United States and that while the States cannot grant less protection they can grant more. . . . While the language in the United States Constitution has been construed to be limited to "testimony," the Georgia Constitution has been construed to limit the State from forcing the individual to present evidence, oral or real.... You cannot force a defendant to act, but you can, under proper circumstances, produce evidence from his person.
Creamer v. State, 229 Ga. 511, 515-17 ( 192 S.E.2d 350) (1972). We adopt, with some modification, the holding of the Court of Appeals in Robinson v. State, 180 Ga. App. 43 (3) ( 348 S.E.2d 662) (1986), reversed on other grounds, 256 Ga. 564 ( 350 S.E.2d 464) (1986): the use of a substance naturally excreted by the human body does not violate a defendant's right against self-incrimination under the Georgia Constitution. Thus, the use of appellant's urine sample did not violate appellant's constitutionally-protected right against self-incrimination.
In light of the above analysis, the judgment of the Court of Appeals is affirmed.
Judgment affirmed. All the Justices concur.
DECIDED DECEMBER 3, 1990 — RECONSIDERATION DENIED DECEMBER 19, 1990.


text:
Kaiser Jagdproviant is a finger sandwich from Austrian cuisine made with ham, pickles, egg and cheese. The sandwich has its origins in the Kaiser's court. Sometimes added to the basic recipe are cottage cheese, butter, mustard, anchovy paste and chives. It was also served for Arnold Schwarzenegger's gubernatorial inauguration, which included other foods of Austrian origin too, like bockwurst, weisswurst and bratwurst.

References

Austrian cuisine
Ham dishes
Pork sandwiches

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


text:
San Bernardino Terror Attack Survivor Recounts Her Horror For The First Time
Filed Under:Inland Regional Center, Julie Paez, San Bernardino Shooting, Syed Farook, Terror Attack
SAN BERNARDINO (CBSLA.com) — Julie Swann Paez said the killers of the San Bernardino terror attack quickly turned her moment of joy into horror that forever changed her life two and a half months ago.
Paez was among the 22 people wounded Dec. 2 when Syed Farook and his wife opened fire on a group of people at a holiday party inside the Inland Regional Center. Fourteen people were killed.
Paez was shot twice in the pelvis and spent weeks in the hospital in excruciating pain. She was one of the last survivors to leave the hospital.
This is the first time Paez has appeared on camera to share her ordeal. Until now, she was too physically and emotionally injured to tell her story. "Feeling pretty good. I have good days, and I have bad days," Paez said.
The 50-year-old is now in rigorous rehab, hoping for a full recovery. But with bullet fragments still inside her, it may take a while.
Her body is now fused with an external fixator. "This is basically gives structure to the pelvic bones. The circle part of the bottom of the bone was basically shot away on my left side," she explained.
Paez said the day of terror began not long after she accepted an award for her service as a land-use inspector.
As the group was taking a break, "I heard something at one of the doors – something had bumped or loud outside the door. I looked over. And that's when I saw him come through the door and really began shooting pretty much right the away." Paez recalled the shooters were in black with masks on.
At first, she thought it was a drill. "Then it struck me this wasn't a drill when I saw things actually flying around the room. It was very quickly after that I was still down and I was shot. I only saw one person. I wasn't popping up my head and looking around," she added.
Paez said she was shot once and then again but never saw the gun pointed at her. "I was shot the first time and shot a second time later after a few minutes. Honestly, I don't know what was going on in the room at the time, and I purposely tried not to pay attention to that because I knew that I didn't need that. I wasn't trying to make memories of everything that was happening because I knew what was happening was kind of horrific."
Finally, the guns went silent and paramedics arrived. Paez was pulled to safety. She took a picture of herself and sent it to her family, saying she was shot and that she loved them. She didn't know then that she would be alive to see them again.
"I would take a bullet any day and take whatever pain it takes to get through that before I would have them deal with having their mom die," Paez said.
She plans to walk again without a walker. And wants to return to work this fall.
List Of Wines Cited In Lawsuit As Having High Arsenic Levels
5-Year-Old Girl In Serious Condition After Being Shot In South LA
2 More Bodies Found At Tijuana Home Where Garden Grove Couple Buried
Bodies Of Missing Garden Grove Couple Believed To Be Found In Tijuana, Son-In-Law Arrested
Harry And Meghan Stripped Of 'Royal Highness' Titles, Will No Longer Receive Public Funding
Garden Grove Couple Missing In Tijuana
No Running Water At Kaiser Permanente Woodland Hills Medical Center, Surgeries Canceled
Woman Stabbed To Death By Woman In Her 20's In Mid-City Nightclub
Police Searching For 12-Year-Old-Girl Missing From Long Beach


On loan from London's Natural History Museum and ranging from intimate portraits to wild landscapes, the internationally-acclaimed exhibition Wildlife Photographer of the Year returns to the Australian National Maritime Museum on 7 March 2019.
The collection comprises 100 extraordinary images that celebrate the diversity of the natural world, sure to take the viewer's breath away—animal lover or not.
Wildlife Photographer of the Year is the most prestigious photography event of its kind, running for more than 50 years. It has a pivotal role in providing a global platform to showcase the natural world's most powerful and challenging imagery, and this year there are 3 Aussie entrants to support by going to see the exhibition. We're there!


Lepanto Consolidated Mining Corporation (Lepanto) announced that it will start production under its Victoria Gold Project II starting April 2004 (Philippine Star).
We have nothing to gain from Victoria Gold II.
Victoria Gold II will affect an additional 70,000 individuals outside of Mankayan living in the following municipalities: Buguias, Bauko, Bontoc and Tadian.
This will mean that a total of 197,630 individuals (or 38,321 households) are affected by the operations of Lepanto.
The affected communities are against Victoria Gold II.
Last 19 November 2003, a public hearing on Victoria Gold II was held. The hearing was held at the CPJ Hall, within company grounds. Only one or two representatives from a few affected barangays were present. This is not a true representation of the people's voice, considering that a total of 75,914 individuals are threatened by the expansion. In fact, Barangay Colalo boycotted the hearing. There was also no representative from Barangay Balili.
Lepanto has announced that the expected output from Victoria Gold II is 162,860 ounces of gold per year. They expect to mine 970,570 tons per year. Since only around 5 gm of gold is extracted per ton of ore, this means that almost 970,570 tons of mine waste will also be produced.
Victoria Gold II will produce at least 2,600 tons of mine waste per day!
At present, Lepanto is already producing 1,500 tons of mine waste per day. With Victoria Gold II this will double.
Victoria Gold II also means the expansion of Tailings Dam 5A.
The danger of collapse of Tailings Dam 5A will increase with the production of more tailings.
The danger for Barangay Cabitin and Colalo also increases as they continue to be the quarrying sites for filling material to be used in building up Tailings Dam 5A.
While Lepanto boasts that it will invest US$ 73.4 million in Victoria Gold II, it also expects to earn US$ 47 million per year.
The Board of Investments (BOI) has declared that Victoria Gold II is a new project. It has granted Lepanto a 4-year tax holiday, extendable for another 3 years. This means that for the 7 years that Lepanto intends to mine Victoria Gold II, it will not pay a single centavo in taxes. All the government can collect is the minimal occupancy fee of P846,730.50.
This illustrates President Macapagal-Arroyo's policy of ACTIVE PROMOTION of the mining industry. Victoria Gold II is one of the 25 mining projects included under the Revitalization of the Minerals Industry Program.
In the past months, DENR has been pushing for the signing of the National Minerals Policy (NMP). It held a series of regional and national consultations where all of the speakers and majority of the participants were pro-corporate mining. Due to the strong protests against the NMP, DENR is now trying to have an Executive Order for a National Policy on Revitalizing Mining in the Philippines approved instead.
In short, the government is making it easier for mining companies to exploit our mineral reserves while trampling on the rights of indigenous peoples and peasants to their land.
Oppose Victoria Gold II! Clear the Abra River!
Oppose environmental destruction and people's displacement in the name of corporate profit!
Stop the plunder of ancestral lands and resources!
Oppose the National Mineral Policy!
Oppose the Mining Act of 1995!


text:
Fact sheets (contains submenu)
Gender Segregation in Australia's Workforce
Gender pay gap statistics 2017-18
Gender workplace statistics at a glance 2017-18
Higher education enrolments and graduate labour market statistics
Superannuation & gender pay gaps by age group
Gender workplace statistics at a glance
Women comprise 46.9% of all employed persons in Australia; 25.4% of all employed persons are women working full-time, and 21.6% are women working part-time* (ABS 2019, Labour Force).
Women constitute 37.0% of all full-time employees and 68.5% of all part-time employees (ABS 2019, Labour Force).
The workforce participation rate** is 60.6% for women and 71.0% for men (ABS 2019, Labour Force).
The workforce participation rate among those aged 15-64 years is 73.5% for women and 82.9% for men (ABS 2019, Labour Force).
* Part-time refers to all employed persons who usually worked less than 35 hours a week and either did so during the reference week or did not work that week.
** Participation rate is the sum of the employed and unemployed divided by total population from age 15 onwards.
Economic security
The full-time average weekly ordinary earnings* for women are 14.1% less than for men (ABS 2019, Average Weekly Earnings).
Among non-public sector organisations with 100 or more employees, the gender pay gap for full-time annualised base salary is 16.2%, and 21.3% for full-time annualised total remuneration (WGEA 2019, Data Explorer).
The adult full-time average hourly ordinary time cash earnings** for non-managerial women are 11.4% less than for non-managerial men (ABS 2019, Employee Earnings and Hours).
The median undergraduate starting salaries for women are 4.8% less than for men. This gap widens 14.6% for postgraduate (coursework) graduates (QILT, 2018).
Average superannuation balances for women at retirement (aged 60-64) are 42.0% lower than those for men (Clare, R, 2017).
55.0% of people aged 65 years or more and receiving the aged pension are women (DSS Demographics, 2018).
* Ordinary time earnings used comprise regular wages and salaries in cash, excluding amounts salary sacrificed. For more information refer to: <http://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/mf/6302.0>
** Cash earnings used comprise regular wages and salaries in cash, including amounts salary sacrificed. Estimates of hourly cash earnings have only been produced for employees with a link between earnings and hours. For more information, refer to: <http://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/mf/6306.0>
Of all women aged 20-24, 89.9% have attained year 12 qualifications or above, compared to 84.4% of men in the same age bracket. Of all women aged 25-29, 44.7% have achieved a bachelor degree or above, compared to 32.1% of similarly-aged men (ABS 2018, Gender Indicators).
Among people aged 15-64 years, a slightly higher proportion of women (6.5%) attained a postgraduate degree than men (6.4%) (ABS 2018, Gender Indicators).
Of all organisations in the Agency's 2017-18 dataset:
47.8% provide primary carer's leave in addition to the Federal Government's paid parental leave scheme (WGEA 2019, Data Explorer).
41.8% provide secondary carer's leave in addition to the Federal Government's paid parental leave scheme (WGEA 2019, Data Explorer).
Latest results from the Agency's 2017-18 dataset show:
Women hold 13.7% of chair positions and 25.8% of directorships, and represent 17.1% of CEOs and 30.5% of key management personnel (WGEA 2019, Data Explorer).
35.2% of boards and governing bodies have no female directors. By contrast, only 0.9% had no male directors (WGEA 2018, Australia's Gender Equality Scorecard).
Real-time statistics from the Australian Institute of Company Directors reveal:
29.7% of directors in the ASX 200 are women (December 2018) (AICD, 2019).
Women comprised 45.4% of new appointments to ASX 200 boards in 2018 (AICD, 2019).
ABS (2019), Labour Force, Australia, January 2019, cat. no. 6202.0, viewed 21 February 2019, <http://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/mf/6202.0/>
ABS (2019), Average Weekly Earnings, Nov 2018, cat. no. 6302.0, viewed 21 February 2019, <http://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/mf/6302.0>
WGEA (2019), WGEA Data Explorer, <data.wgea.gov.au>
ABS (2019), Employee Earnings and Hours, May 2018, cat. no. 6306.0, viewed 21 February 2019, <http://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/mf/6306.0>
Quality Indicators for Learning and Teaching (QILT) (2018), Graduate Outcome Survey National Report, Accessed 21 February 2019, <https://www.qilt.edu.au/docs/default-source/gos-reports/2018-gos/2018-gos-national-report-2018.pdf?sfvrsn=a729e33c_4>
Clare R. (2017), Superannuation account balances by age and gender, December 2017, ASFA Research and Resources Centre, viewed 21 February 2019, https://www.superannuation.asn.au/ArticleDocuments/359/1710_Superannuation_account_balances_by_age_and_gender.pdf.aspx
DSS Demographics September 2018 excel file viewed 09 August (file was last updated February 07 2019) <https://data.gov.au/dataset/dss-payment-demographic-data>
ABS (2018), Gender Indicators, Australia, Sep 2018, cat. No. 4125.0, viewed 21 February 2019, <http://abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/mf/4125.0>
WGEA (2018), Australia's Gender Equality Scorecard 2017-18, viewed 21 February 2019,< https://www.wgea.gov.au/sites/default/files/documents/WGEA_2017-18%20Gender%20Equality%20Scorecard.pdf>
Australian Institute of Company Directors Statistics (2019), viewed 18 February 2019, <http://aicd.companydirectors.com.au/advocacy/board-diversity/statistics>
You can download a printable version of this factsheet below:
Stats at a glance 2017-18


text:
Q: How to rotate part of an element I know how to rotate an element (in 3D) in css but I was wondering whether it's possible to rotate part of an element? I would like to "chop" to element into say 5 pieces and rotate them in 3D simultanouesly.
The effect I'm looking for can be seen here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O9PvoV2jlco
But it's wokring since the rotated chopped elements are (from both sides) are images.
For example, assuming I would like to rotate two images on hover, and both of the images are divided into 5 pieces, HTML would be:

And css would be:
.container1 {
  width: 720px;
  height: 400px;
  background-color: blue;
}

.part {
  width: 20%;
  height: 100%;
  position: absolute;
  transform: rotateY(0deg);
  transform-style:preserve-3d;
  transition: all .5s ease-in;
}

img {
  width: 100%;
  height: 100%;
  position: absolute;
  left: 0px;
  top:0px;
  backface-visibility: hidden;
}

.f1 {
  transform: rotateY(0deg);
}
.f2 {
  transform: rotateY(180deg);
}

This would be 1/5 of the effect, flipping over 1/5 of the image on top to show the image on back on hovering.
But again, it's working only because these are images.
Of course, it's possible to just lay the complete element behind the flipping image but the effect won't be as nice.
If I would like the back of the card to be an element with 100% width, what could I do?
Thanks a lot in advance

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


Rock the night away with these molded mugs featuring the iconic visages of the glam rock band Kiss!
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Click the button below to add the Molded Head Mug to your wish list.


text:
Aminopeptidase Y (, aminopeptidase Co, aminopeptidase (cobalt-activated), lysyl aminopeptidase) is an enzyme. This enzyme catalyses the following chemical reaction

 Preferentially, release of N-terminal lysine

This enzyme requires Co2+. It is inhibited by Zn2+ and Mn2+.

References

External links

EC 3.4.11


text:
Болгарская легия () — военные формирования, созданные в 1861—1862 и 1867—1868 в Белграде болгарскими эмигрантами для борьбы с османским оккупационным режимом.

Первая болгарская легия
Создана весной 1861 Г.Раковским с согласия сербского правительства, которое в это время планировало включиться в конфликт Черногории с Османской империей. Насчитывала свыше 500 человек. По замыслу Раковского, легия должна была стать ядром будущей болгарской повстанческой армии. В состав легии входили Васил Левски, П. Хитов, С. Караджа, Х.Македонский, Илю-паша, Д. Общий и другие руководители гайдутских четников. Первая Болгарская легия участвовала в столкновениях между сербами и турецким гарнизоном Белграда в июне 1862. После урегулирования сербско-турецкого конфликта в сентябре 1862 первая легия была распущена.

Вторая болгарская легия
Была организована в 1867 в составе 200 курсантов военного училища, открытого в 1867 в Белграде болгарскими эмигрантами. Предполагалось, что выпускники училища составят офицерский корпус будущей болгарской армии. В её состав вошли Панайот Хитов и Филипп Тотю, а также представители болгарской диаспоры в Румынии. После того как в Сербии пришло к власти правительство Йована Ристича, ориентированное на примирение с турками, наличие в стране Второй Болгарской легии стало фактором напряженности в отношениях с Османской империей. Вторая легия была распущена в апреле 1868, несмотря на протесты русских дипломатов.

Литература
 Натан Ж.,Болгарское возрождение, М., 1949
 Косев Д., Новая история Болгарии. Курс лекций. М., 1952.

Военная история Болгарии
История Белграда
Болгарское национальное возрождение


1.) Before stepping onto your rug, kick off the shoes.
Put a plastic cover over your throw rug to protect it from dirt. Remember, if anyone walks on your rug and tracks in mud that will not stay on the bottom of their shoes, but rather on your clean rug.
2.) Vacuum your rug at least twice a month.
Flipping your rug over and vacuuming both sides weekly would be perfect but of course life gets in the way. By vacuuming twice a month you will prevent the dirt and allergens from becoming airborne. Keep in mind that if you have a dog or cat, you should vacuum every day. Try using a using a vacuum with a beater, or rotator brush that will help push the dirt that is trapped deep down in the rug.
3.) Only use a spot cleaner or rug shampoo.
If you use a carpet cleaner or shampoo on your rug and runner, you could possibly cause further harm. Unfortunately, most carpet shampoos are usually made just for carpets.
4.) Prevent stains by cleaning spills or spots a.s.a.p.
Remember, if you provide regular maintenance you will keep your rug smelling fresh. But, if you have small children or pets, it may seem impossible to remove a spot or spill as soon as it occurs. Immediately begin to blot or scrape the spot with a clean cotton towel. Although, you should make an effort not to rub in the spill but rather continuously press firmly down on the area.
5.) Let your rug dry in the fresh air.
After removing a spill or spot, the rug needs to be dried outside. But, if you cannot hang your small rug out to dry, a fan can be used for this process.


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continued to make adults aware of High Blood Pressure and Strokes.
Baptized- Total of four persons. Three Youth and one adult.
April 15, 2009 Ladies Bible Classes. "Experiencing God was started on Wednesday at 10:00. Leawood Baptist Partnership. We received teacher and lunches.
2008 We received another trailer for Hope Career Path.
In 2007 We maintained all programs. Invited special guest to assist and encouraging our adults. More adults are attending Sunday Morning Services. We develop a relationship with Cocaine Alcohol Addition Program. Adults from this program are coming to Sunday School. An increase in children coming to the Center, we were blessed to get another apartment.
In 2006 We maintained all programs. We saw an increased in Africa moving in the apartments for help with homework and school supplies. Friendships were developed. We saw one adult Muslim come to Christ. They were always invited to all activities at the church. An increase numbers in students for the Center, we were blessed to acquire another apartment.
April 4, 2004 Sunday School begins at 9:20 a.m.
December 2004 First Christmas Store for the Children Second Apartment for Homework assistance was given due to the increase of students.
April 13, 2003 moved into doublewide trailer for worship services provided by Faith Baptist Church.
April 13, 2003 First Baptism held on site at Hope Fellowship. Two candidates were baptized on this day.
February 24, 2002 first Deacon Ordination service held at Faith Baptist Church for Robert Cain.
June -July 2002 VBS sponsored by Beech Street Baptist Church Texarkana, Ark.
Summer Reading Program. Lunch was provided.
January 2001 Increase in membership. Worship services were moved to the clubhouse.
June-August 2001 Summer Reading Program. Lunch was served daily.
July 9. 2000 Hope Center began Hope Fellowship Baptist Church. First service was held at 3464 Briar Park Drive West, Apt. #1. Service began at 10:00 a.m. Eighteen Persons attended our first service.
August 20, 2000 - First Baptism held at Faith Baptist Church. Four Candidates were baptized.
December 7, 2000 First Angel Tree Party at Faith Baptist Church.Gifts were also given to the community by Bellevue Baptist Church.


text:
Architectural giant Le Corbusier honored in show
The A.R.T. of teaching children
Corbu's Carpenter Center celebrates its fortieth
By Ken Gewertz Harvard News Office
The Carpenter Center is an important building not only because it is the only product of Le Corbusier's genius on this continent, but also because it represents the architect's late phase. Francesco Passanti, a leading Le Corbusier scholar, says, 'The architecture is emotional, and the emotions are not easy or soothing. I would call them tragic.' (Staff photos Justin Ide/Harvard News Office)
Fitting in and looking as if it belonged was never the point. Otherwise, it would have been made of red brick, not slabs of barefaced concrete. It would have shuffled its interior spaces into neat stacks so people would know where they were and where they were going instead of feeling a sense of perpetual disorientation. It would have faced Quincy Street with an honest, straightforward facade instead of peering down over its barrel shoulder and uncoiling its ramp to the sidewalk like an animal sipping water at a stream.
But then if the Harvard administration had wanted the Carpenter Center to stand plinth by pilaster with the Fogg Museum, the Faculty Club, and the Freshman Union (now the Barker Center), they wouldn't have asked Le Corbusier to be its designer.
That was in 1958, after José Luis Sert, then dean of the Graduate School of Design, wrote to McGeorge Bundy, the dean of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences (FAS), urging him to offer Le Corbusier the commission. The Swiss-born artist and architect was then 71, and, despite being miffed at the United States because he had been denied the commission to design the United Nations, he accepted Harvard's offer.
Le Corbusier visited the site in 1959 (it seemed disappointingly cramped) and returned the following year with a model of the proposed building. It was finished in 1963, which makes 2003-04 the Carpenter Center's 40th anniversary.
The occasion is being celebrated with an exhibition in the building's lobby organized by Brian Goldstein '04, a concentrator in Visual and Environmental Studies (VES), and Michelle Kuo, a graduate student in the history of art and architecture. On March 11, Francesco Passanti, a leading Le Corbusier scholar, inaugurated the exhibition with a lecture titled "The Carpenter Center and Le Corbusier's Synthesis of the Arts." The exhibition, "VAC BOS," standing for "Visual Arts Center, Boston," Le Corbusier's working title for the project, will be on display until April 15.
Graduate student Michelle Kuo and VES student Brian Goldstein '04 have curated a special exhibition to mark the occasion of the 40th anniversary of the Carpenter Center.
The Carpenter Center is an important building not only because it is the only product of Le Corbusier's genius on this continent, but also because it represents the architect's late phase, and, like the edgy mannerist buildings Michelangelo designed in old age, possesses an inherently disturbing, unsettling character.
"The architecture is emotional, and the emotions are not easy or soothing. I would call them tragic," Passanti said.
Passanti enlarged on this notion with reference to the building's S-shaped ramp, a feature he said takes its inspiration from the Babylonian ziggurat and the Roman aqueduct. The ramp is the main axis of the structure, and yet at the point where it bisects the building, it forms a tunnel open at both ends, a monumental void.
"It is as if the axis has eaten through the building."
Passanti compared the experience of walking up the ramp and passing the workshop and gallery spaces on either side to the sensation a passenger on a train feels when a train on an adjoining track races past in the night.
"It is a very powerful and emotional feeling," he said. "I have often wondered why whenever I walk up the ramp, I get the shivers. How does he achieve that?"
The answer has something to do with the building's deliberate refusal to make sense, to accommodate to our expectations.
"This is a world that is as sharp as a razor, but is not serving our needs. It is enunciated like a fact, but it does not make sense. A situation that is an objective statement of fact but makes no sense is a definition of the tragic."
But in spite of its aloof and eccentric character, the building also does a brilliant job of fulfilling its purpose – integrating the visual and plastic arts into the academic community. Its success perhaps stems from the fact that Le Corbusier's lifelong preoccupations coincided to a significant degree with the educational aims that Harvard had recently set for itself.
In 1954, President Pusey appointed a committee to investigate the place of the visual arts in Harvard's undergraduate curriculum. The committee, chaired by former overseer John Nicholas Brown, issued its report two years later. Two of its principal recommendations were that the University build a center for the study of the visual arts (the Carpenter Center) and a theater building for the study of the dramatic arts (the Loeb Drama Center).
This interest in the arts was part of a trend in higher education at the time, Passanti said, a growing awareness that greater participation in art-making was needed to counteract the cerebral, mechanistic emphasis of modern life. It was also an issue Le Corbusier had struggled with his entire career, beginning in the early 20th century with a romantic rejection of the industrial aspects of modernism, and evolving later into a strategy of using industrial methods and materials to serve emotional and aesthetic ends.
The Carpenter Center achieves its goal not only by providing students with spacious, well-lighted spaces to practice drawing, painting, and sculpture but also by opening these spaces to the street and to the campus beyond. The building brings the arts into the community by offering the public opportunities to explore its intriguing interior.
"As an art school, the Carpenter Center has been an amazing success. It provides studio space, visual stimuli, exposure of the arts on campus, but most of all, it provides a personality against which to measure oneself."
The exhibition, "VAC BOS," includes photographs of the building, paintings and prints by Le Corbusier, drawings and plans showing the evolution of the design, a video loop of historical films about the Carpenter Center and Le Corbusier's work, and the original model of the building that the architect brought to Harvard in 1960.