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Editors' Choice: Most Intriguing Gear of 2013
By Text by Miriam Leutcher, Photos by Travis Rathbone
Unique among cameras, the Sony Cyber-shot RX1 merges two key trends: the rise of the big-sensor compact and the downscaling of full-frame (35mm) digital bodies. No compact captures higher-quality images. The RX1R, shown here with an optional electronic viewfinder, has its anti-aliasing filter removed to capture even finer detail (though at the risk of moiré). Its 24.3MP full-frame CMOS sensor takes advantage of the fixed 35mm f/2 Carl Zeiss lens, affording beautifully defocused backgrounds and clean pictures in low light. Manual controls, including aperture and focusing rings on the lens, make this truly special compact a delight to use. $2,800; sonydigitalimaging.com.
Quality is the watchword for camera makers battling the smartphone horde. This year brought a slew of new fixed-lens compacts boasting APS-C-format sensors, the same size as in most DSLRs. The best of these in imaging, build, and sheer usability: Nikon's Coolpix A, whose tough body, sharp 28mm (equivalent) f/2.8 lens, and 16.2-megapixel CMOS sensor add up to a powerful camera small enough to fit in a jacket pocket. $1,100; nikonusa.com.
When interchangeable-lens compacts first appeared seven years ago, they were aimed chiefly at consumers. But sophisticated photographers also flocked to ILCs, and many camera and lens makers now cater to their more exacting standards. Still, Carl Zeiss surprised the photography world with its launch of the Touit line of prime lenses—its first with autofocus and its first made for the APS-C sensor format—and for ILCs to boot. Designed for the Fujifilm X and Sony Alpha NEX systems, the 12mm f/2.8 Distagon T* (shown here in the Sony E-mount) and 32mm f/1.8 Planar T* (shown in the Fujifilm X-mount) scale up to the equivalent of 18mm and 48mm, respectively. These small, elegant, well-built lenses capture images with optimum sharpness, contrast, and clarity; the X-mount versions have aperture rings in addition to their smooth but grippy focus rings. $1,250 (12mm) and $900 (32mm); lenses.zeiss.com.
The lens: The first wide-to-standard zoom lens to achieve a fast maximum aperture of f/1.8, this recent entry in Sigma's Art line breaks ground in optical quality too. Its sharpness and clarity, as measured in extensive lab testing by our sister publication, Popular Photography, proved extraordinary; distortion control also turned in superb test results. But the biggest benefit of this handsomely designed lens is its big aperture, which allows photographers to capture sharp images in dimmer light and to limit depth of field more dramatically than they could with any other zoom in this focal range. Made for DSLRs with APS-C-sized sensors, it covers a very useful equivalent of 27–52.5mm on Nikon, Pentax, Sigma, and Sony bodies; 28.8–56mm on Canons. $800; sigmaphoto.com. The Dock: A lens isn't just about the optics anymore—its performance also depends on the software that controls it. This little accessory allows certain Sigma lenses to connect directly to a computer for firmware updates and for customizing and fine-tuning focus and controls. The cord plugs into any USB 3.0 port, and on the other side of the pucklike device is a standard lens mount. For now the docking station's capabilities are rather limited—it works only with the very latest Sigma lenses—but it augurs a future of increasingly customizable optics, especially for critical applications. $60; sigmaphoto.com.
Studio photographers have made full use of the massive resolution afforded by 80MP medium-format digital backs before. But Phase One's IQ version brings some new capabilities to the field. Chief among them: built-in wireless connectivity that lets the photographer control the camera—and allows clients and other collaborators to preview high-res files—in real time on an Apple iPhone or iPad. True 16-bit image capture means smoother, more accurate color. The back comes in versions to fit most medium-format systems and, with an adaptor, most 4x5 cameras, too. $44,000 (Classic version); phaseone.com.
Imagine a photography set, whether in the studio or on location, with plenty of strobes but without the bulky power packs, snaking cables, or even wall outlets. The internal, removable battery drawers built into Priolite's MBX500 and MBX1000 monolights make these the first fully wireless studio strobes. They're powerful too: 500 and 1000 watt-seconds, respectively, at full output and five flashes per second at top speed. $1,500 (MBX500) and $1,700 (MBX1000); priolite.com.
Most lights operate at a certain color temperture, measured in degrees on the Kelvin scale and described with such terms as "warm" and "cool," "tungsten" or "daylight." To change the temperature, photographers either add gels to the light source or use a different film stock or digital white-balance setting in capture or postprocessing. What makes Rotolight's Anova LED floodlight (shown here with an accessory ring of barn doors) unique? It lets the photographer choose the color temp right at the source. Plus, this flicker-free light can be controlled through Wi-Fi from an Apple iOS device. And the lights can be joined into one big, soft ring to give studio subjects the full beauty treatment. $2,400; rotolight.com.
It may just be the ultimate mobile camera. With the Android 4.2 Jelly Bean operating system, Wi-Fi, and complete 3G/4G cellular connectivity built in (a first for this type of camera), Samsung's NX Galaxy is the best-connected ILC there is. Its 20.3-megapixel APS-C-format CMOS sensor is the same chip as that in Samsung's flagship ILC, the excellent NX 300. The built-in electronic finder provides a more stable way to frame your shots than using the 4.8-inch touch-screen LCD. Sure, that screen doesn't leave any room for old-school hard buttons, but the wealth of apps available to use on it will let you edit your images immediately after you capture them. $1,700 (with 18–55mm f/3.5–5.6 OIS kit lens, shown); samsung.com.
This serious, robust interchangeable-lens compact looks and feels like a mini DSLR, and its 16MP Four Thirds–format Live MOS sensor captures stills and video beautifully. Indeed, Panasonic's Lumix GH3 shows that the Micro Four Thirds system can appeal to pros, especially those who want strong imaging and video capabilities in a weather-sealed little tank. Shown here with Panasonic's 25mm f/1.4 Leica DG Summilux lens (a 50mm equivalent), the GH3 benefits from a large catalog of lenses made for Micro Four Thirds. $1,300 (body only); panasonic.com.
Its size, form, and Micro Four Thirds lens mount puts this little tool firmly in interchangeable-lens compact camera territory. But Blackmagic's soon-to-be-released Pocket Cinema Camera, as its name implies, shoots video only. And what video! Blackmagic uses a Super 16 1080HD sensor, the size of the film beloved of low-budget auteurs, to capture 12-bit lossless compressed CinemaDNG RAW or 10-bit ProRes 422 (HQ) files. This means footage with a higher dynamic range and easier editing. And it puts true guerilla filmmaking into anyone's hands; used without a video rig or tripod, it looks like an ordinary consumer camera. But it can be fully tricked out with electronic viewfinders, remote monitors and controllers, disk recorders, follow focus, and the like. $995; blackmagicdesign.com.
It may be small beer to traditional SLR photographers who use the optical viewfinder to frame still images. But anyone shooting stills or video with Canon's new EOS 70D in live view will almost certainly reap the benefits of this camera's innovative approach to sensor design. Instead of placing one photodiode in each pixel on this 20.2MP CMOS sensor, Canon doubled down, pairing two photodiodes in each. This permits phase-detection autofocus directly on the imager rather than only on the dedicated AF sensor, as most DSLRs are limited to. The result? Smoother, more accurate focusing action in video. $1,200; usa.canon.com.
The company that sparked the whole action-camera category continues to lead the pack. In the GoPro Hero3, sports and adventure shooters find a point-of-view camera that can capture the gamut of video footage, from slow-motion (240 frames per second at WVGA resolution) to every flavor of HD to ultra-high-def 4K (at 15fps). It shoots time-lapse sequences and even 12MP still images at a rate of 30fps. The rugged housing shown here (included) protects the camera in water as deep as 60 meters; a Wi-Fi remote control (also included) syncs up with smartphones and tablets—and works underwater, too. $330; gopro.com.
These look like lenses, but behind the zooms you'll find compact cameras, complete with imaging sensors (a 20MP 1-incher on the QX100, at left, and an 18MP 1/2.3 on the QX10, at right), MicroSD memory cards, and even removable, rechargeable batteries. They clip to a smartphone with spring-loaded clamps (shown extended) but can also be fired remotely; an Android or iOS phone or tablet serves as the viewfinder and control interface. Astonishing! $500 and $250; sony.com.
This wearable computer may be the most talked-about prototype ever. And prototype it is. Limited numbers were given to Google employees and outside app developers, as well as sold to so-called Explorers, who were chosen based on their descriptions of what they'd do with one. These early adopters test the product and offer ideas that Google will consider as it develops the actual consumer version, due out this spring. The Explorer edition, shown here, sports a 5MP camera with an ultrawide-angle lens and 12GB of usable memory. Is nonstop image capture the future of photography? We'll see. $1,500 (not currently available); google.com/glass.


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All Topics/ Forced Labor/ Sex Trafficking/ Slave Free Lifestyle/ Business/ Women & Girls
< All Posts
History of Child Soldier Policies
February 02, 2016 Laura Benrey Opinion
Child Labor, Policy Making
When we think of child soldiers, the first image that comes to mind is that of an African boy with a camo uniform and a large gun (usually portrayed as looking bigger than him). Perhaps we also picture a group of Afghan boys receiving military training in a school classroom. We are shocked by children's use of modern automatic weapons fighting in some of the most brutal wars in our world today. But we would be more shocked if we knew that child soldiers have been the norm throughout history, with the earliest references of minors being involved in conflict in ancient philosophy and literature dating back to at least the Middle Ages.
The proliferation of small arms, the effectiveness of children to follow orders and obey, poverty, ideology and propaganda seem to have contributed to the issue of using children as soldiers. However, it was not until recently that the "child soldier problem" was addressed on an international scale.
"The Hitler Youth is Born" ©Holocaust Research Program
So what changed, and when did people start changing the way child combatants are seen?
Before addressing those questions, we must first look at how the definition of a child has changed over time and across cultures. The first international standards set 15 as the minimum age for direct participation in armed conflict and is accredited to the 1949 Geneva Conventions and the 1977 Additional Protocols. What the Additional Protocols did was to take out the "direct" characterization and include the prohibition of recruitment for minors under the age of 15. For UNICEF and the UN, the earliest instance that "started" the campaign to stop the use of child soldiers is Graça Machel's 1996 report on "The Impact of Armed Conflict on Children." In her report, Graça highlighted the disproportionate impact of war on children and identified them as the primary victims of armed conflict. However, the norm started changing decades earlier.
In 1967, Lorraine Schneider, mother of four and printmaker, created one of the most emotionally charged posters of the Vietnam War era out of concern that her eldest son would be drafted into the army. The picture she came up with was a flower with a message that stated "War is not healthy for children and other living things." This picture was used as an anti-war campaign and gained wide support from the national community. A little over two decades later, in 1989, the Convention on the Rights of the Child of 1989 attempted to raise the bar to 18 but encountered opposition from the major world powers (including the United States and Britain).
©Lorraine Schneider
Graça's report created the momentum needed to include children in armed conflict concerns into mainstream policies, priorities and programs of the UN and beyond. The International Committee of the Red Cross joined with Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, International Save the Children Alliance, Jesuit Refugee Service, Quaker UN Office and Terre des Hommes to create a coalition to set 18 as the minimum age of military recruitment and involvement. In addition, the coalition set guidelines for direct or indirect activities, national and international wars and accepted recruitment practices.
The Straight-Eighteen Standard
The Coalition to Stop the Use of Child Soldiers worked really hard since its inception to bring the issue to the international agenda. It created a briefing booklet geared toward diplomats, NGO activists and the public, stressing the scale of the child soldier problem, the short- and long-term negative impacts on the lives of children and the inadequacy of existing international standards. Additionally, it organized several regional conferences to establish a strong base upon which regional organizations could communicate and form regional networks. In 2000, the Coalition finally pushed for the passing of the Optional Protocol on the Involvement of Children in Armed Conflict which raised the minimum age for voluntary recruitment to 18 years and recognized the special protections people under the age of 18 were entitled to.
Why children?
Well, as I mentioned before, children are trusting, vulnerable and often intimidated. In combat, children are easier to train; they can be daring and tenacious, particularly when under the influence of drugs – a common practice. Children are used as combatants, scouts, messengers, minesweepers, bomb-makers and suicide bombers. Girls, furthermore, might be forced to be the armed groups' sex slaves, or 'wives' as they call them. They often serve as cooks and porters. Girls are said to make up an estimated 40% of all child soldiers (War Child). In countries such as Colombia, illegal armed groups insert IUDs and offer mandatory injections to prevent girls from getting pregnant. In some other countries, if a girl gets pregnant, they may take the baby away from her and get rid of it.
Where are child soldiers used?
The United Nations Office for Children and Armed Conflict's last annual report presented information about grave violations committed against children in 23 conflict situations, where at least 49 armed groups are said to have been responsible for these violations. These violations include recruitment and use of children, sexual violence against children, killing and maiming of children, attacks on schools and/or hospitals and attacks. This image shows just that but separates those situations on the agenda of the Security Council and those that are not.
Countries where children are affected by armed conflict. ©United Nations
There have been estimates that a few hundred thousand children, from 200,000-500,000, are involved with fighting forces as child soldiers. However, this figure is outdated, if not inaccurate. Being invisible in nature, child soldiers are hard to find estimates for since estimates are not available for all situations of conflict, states Nick Scarborough from Child Soldiers International.
What happens when:
In the next few weeks, you will be learning more about what is being done for former child combatants, particularly on the situation of the armed conflict in Colombia. After war, children have to come back to a new reality, a new world and a new war.
What happens when that child no longer needs to fight for his or her own resources and security? What happens when that child is provided with all his or her basic needs? What happens when that child meets with someone from the opposition in the reintegration center? What happens when that child loses his or her family and does not have a home to go back to? What happens when that child is adopted by a new family? What happens when that child cannot get used to this new reality/world? What happens after he or she turns 18? What happens when the society meets that child?
These are all critical questions that one needs to consider before digging into the work of rehabilitating and reintegrating these children, or even understanding how important this issue is. It is especially important in Colombia since the president is planning on concluding peace talks with the FARC – the oldest and largest group among Colombia's left-wing rebels – in March of this year. Soon, there will be a massive wave of demobilized soldiers, and it is questionable that the government has the resources and infrastructure to support these individuals and address the conditions that initiated the conflict in the first place.
Topics: Child Labor, Policy Making
Laura Benrey
Laura is an undergraduate senior at the University of Cincinnati. She plans to graduate with a Bachelor of Arts in International Relations and a minor in Human Rights. She was an intern for the Strategic Director at the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center in the summer of 2014, and is currently working on her senior thesis which will focus on the success of the programs designed by non-governmental organizations for the reintegration of former child combatants in Colombia.
June 07, 2016 John Pepper Opinion
Capsizing Boats and Trafficking
We don't know the particular circumstances which were leading these women, men and children to embark on this perilous journey; but, we can be sure that they face huge risks once – or even if – they've made it to land.
December 04, 2014 Christine Lee Buchholz Story
Songs for Freedom: Ending Child Slavery in Haiti
April 30, 2015 Caleb Benadum Opinion
The Democratic Republic of the Congo - Child Soldiers
"…shooting somebody became just like drinking a glass of water."
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Michael Gerard Fitzpatrick (June 28, 1963 – January 6, 2020) was an American attorney and politician who served as a Republican  member of the United States House of Representatives, representing  from 2005 to 2007 and 2011 to 2017. He was first elected to Congress in 2004 and represented the district from 2005 to 2007, but he was defeated by Democrat Patrick Murphy in 2006.

He declined to run for his old seat in 2008 but ran again in 2010, and won a rematch with Murphy. He was re-elected in 2012 and 2014. A supporter of term limits, he did not seek re-election in 2016 and was replaced by his brother Brian. He was considered a moderate Republican, and consistently ranked among the most bipartisan members of Congress.

Early life, education and law career
Fitzpatrick was born in Philadelphia and raised in Bucks County. He graduated from Bishop Egan High School, now Conwell-Egan Catholic High School, in Fairless Hills. He moved to Florida to attend St. Thomas University with an academic scholarship where he earned his bachelor's degree in 1985 from the school's honors program.

He earned his J.D. degree from the Dickinson School of Law at Penn State University. He was named business manager of the Dickinson Journal of International Law. After graduating law school in 1988, Fitzpatrick was admitted to the practice of law in Pennsylvania and New Jersey.

Bucks County Commission (1995–2005)
In January 1995, Fitzpatrick was appointed to the Bucks County Board of Commissioners by an 11-member panel of county judges. The appointment was made to fill the unexpired term of Mark Schweiker, who had been elected lieutenant governor.

Fitzpatrick, who was an attorney at a firm active in county affairs, was the candidate preferred by county Republican Party leaders.

The appointment was not without controversy, however, as some claimed the judges had acted solely on the recommendation of the county Republican Party.

As Commissioner, Fitzpatrick oversaw social agencies, coordinated the response of local governments to emergencies, preserved open space, and responded to regional issues. Fitzpatrick supported a $7 million information-technology project to upgrade the county's communication and outreach abilities in light of the Information Age.

U.S. House of Representatives (2005–2007)

Elections
2004
In July 2004, popular moderate Republican James C. Greenwood of Pennsylvania's 8th congressional district unexpectedly withdrew from his re-election campaign. In the party convention held to select Greenwood's replacement on the ballot, the more conservative Fitzpatrick won the nomination over Greenwood's choice, state Senator Joe Conti, thanks to the backing of Bucks County Republican Party boss Harry Fawkes. Fitzpatrick went on to face liberal activist Virginia Schrader in the general election. Fitzpatrick won the general election against Schrader 55%–44%, with the remaining vote split between two minor candidates. The district included all of Bucks County, a sliver of Montgomery County, and parts of two wards in Northeast Philadelphia.

2006

Fitzpatrick faced Democrat Patrick Murphy in the November general election of 2006. In January 2006, Fitzpatrick said he had donated to charity the $21,500 he received from political action committees headed by U.S. Representatives Bob Ney (R-OH), Tom DeLay, (R-TX), and Randy "Duke" Cunningham (R-CA).

Fitzpatrick was endorsed by several environmental groups including the Sierra Club. He was the only incumbent Republican congressman in Pennsylvania who had the support of the environmentalist lobby during this election. The Cook Political Report rated the race as "Leans Republican". However, Congressional Quarterly pegged the contest as a "Toss-up". A poll released at the end of October showed Fitzpatrick trailing Murphy by three percentage points.

In the end, the election was decided by less than one percentage point, with Fitzpatrick initially trailing by just over 1,500 votes out of nearly 250,000 cast. On November 8, with all precincts reporting, Murphy led by 1,521 votes. Philadelphia television station NBC 10 later reported that Fitzpatrick had conceded the election to Murphy. He along with Mike Sodrel (R-IN) and Joe Schwarz (R-MI) were the only freshman Republicans to be defeated in 2006 (Schwarz in the primary).

Tenure
In May 2006, Fitzpatrick introduced the Deleting Online Predators Act of 2006, which requires most schools and libraries to actively restrict minors from access to "Commercial Social Networking Websites" and "Chat Rooms". In late July, the "DOPA Act" overwhelmingly passed the House. Speaking before the vote was taken, Fitzpatrick said, "The social networking sites have become, in a sense, a happy hunting ground for child predators".

Committee assignments
Fitzpatrick served on the United States House Committee on Financial Services and the United States House Committee on Small Business.

Inter-congressional career (2007–2011)
After the loss to Murphy, Fitzpatrick re-entered the practice of law, taking a position with Middletown Township law firm—and major Republican Party contributor—Begley, Carlin, and Mandio.

In the fall of 2007, the Bucks County Commissioners asked Fitzpatrick, along with former Commissioner Andy Warren and former Common Pleas Judge William Hart Rufe to co-chair an effort to pass a ballot initiative authorizing the county to borrow $87 million for open space preservation.  The initiative, which was also endorsed by Congressman Murphy, passed by a large margin.

2008

Throughout 2007, there was much speculation that Fitzpatrick would seek to reclaim the seat in Congress that he lost to Murphy. Fitzpatrick laid the rumors to rest in January 2008 by announcing that he would not be running for Congress, but instead would challenge freshman State Representative Chris King in the 142nd District.

Despite charges by some Democrats that he was "afraid to run against Murphy because he knows he would lose", Fitzpatrick claimed that he was interested in the job because of his "passion ... in solving local problems and serving the local community", as well as a desire to "change the way business is done in Harrisburg."

However, a cancer diagnosis forced Fitzpatrick to end his bid for the State House in early February. Fitzpatrick yielded his spot on the ballot to Republican activist Frank Farry (who went on to win the seat), and supported Doylestown pharmaceutical company executive Thomas Manion for the congressional seat he once held.

U.S. House of Representatives (2011–2017)

Elections
2010

On January 23, 2010, Fitzpatrick announced he would once again run for his old seat in the House of Representatives. He pledged that if elected, he would only serve for a maximum of three more terms, for a total of four terms. He described Washington, D.C. as "a town of embedded politicians" with a seniority system that "rewards congressmen for political careers lasting decades and encourages members to serve in perpetuity." He called for "real reform of house rules and procedures" and "congressional term limits."

He won the Republican nomination with 77% of the vote in the May primary. A Franklin and Marshall poll taken in mid-September 2010 suggested the race was leaning towards Fitzpatrick at that time.

On November 2, Fitzpatrick defeated Murphy and was elected the Congressman for the 8th district. On November 2, 2010, Fitzpatrick defeated Murphy by 53.5% to 46.5% to reclaim his old seat. He was sworn in on January 5, 2011, and has joined the Republican Main Street Partnership.

2012

Fitzpatrick defeated Kathryn Boockvar 57%–43%.

2014

Before the election, Fitzpatrick reiterated a pledge he made in 2010 that this will be his last re-election bid, due to self-imposed term limits. In the Democratic primary, former Army Ranger Kevin Strouse defeated businesswoman Shaughnessy Naughton. Fitzpatrick defeated Strouse in the general election. After he won, he again confirmed that he would not run for re-election in 2016.

Fitzpatrick's younger brother, Brian, a lawyer and former FBI supervisory special agent in California, moved back to Pennsylvania to run for his brother's seat. Brian Fitzpatrick won the election on November 8, 2016.

Tenure
On January 5, 2011, Fitzpatrick failed to attend the swearing-in ceremony for members  and attempted to take the oath-of-office remotely at a reception. However, House rules require that the oath be taken within proximity of the Speaker. The oath was administered the following day, but two votes that he cast prior to taking the oath were nullified according to the Constitution.

Some activists contended the reception was a fundraiser and called for an investigation by the House Ethics Committee.

A spokesperson for Fitzpatrick denied the event was a fundraiser and asserted that donations made went to cover the cost of campaign-provided buses to Washington.

Fitzpatrick supported reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act.

On January 5, 2016, the House Committee on Financial Services reauthorized the Task Force to Investigate Terrorism Financing with Fitzpatrick as Chairman and Stephen F. Lynch (D-MA) as Ranking Member.

Over the course of a two-year period, the Task Force investigated the financial mechanisms used to fund terrorist activities, specifically the vulnerabilities of the global financial system, trade-based money laundering, assistance for developing world, and the sale and trafficking of illicit goods.

Since December 2014, Fitzpatrick has been a leading voice in Congress on medical device safety. He has pressed the FDA after dangerous medical devices remained in use after causing serious injury and death.

On June 8, 2016, Fitzpatrick and Representative Louise Slaughter (D-NY) introduced two bills to reform the medical device review and approval process. The first bill, Ariel Grace's Law, would allow victims of dangerous medical devices to seek legal recourse. The second bill, the Medical Device Guardians Act, would require physicians to identify and report unsafe medical devices and would protect them from having their reports used against them in a civil court.

Fitzpatrick was ranked as the 10th most bipartisan member of the U.S. House of Representatives during the 114th United States Congress (and the most bipartisan member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Pennsylvania) in the Bipartisan Index created by The Lugar Center and the McCourt School of Public Policy that ranks members of the United States Congress by their degree of bipartisanship (by measuring the frequency each member's bills attract co-sponsors from the opposite party and each member's co-sponsorship of bills by members of the opposite party).

Committee assignments
 Committee on Financial Services
 Subcommittee on Capital Markets and Government-Sponsored Enterprises
 Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations (Vice Chair)
 Task Force to Investigate Terrorism Financing (Chair)

Personal life and death
Fitzpatrick and his wife Kathleen, a high school science teacher, lived in Levittown, Pennsylvania, with their six children.

He was affiliated with the Washington Crossing Council of the Boy Scouts of America and was a member of the Temple Lower Bucks Hospital Board of Directors, the Conwell-Egan Catholic Board of Advisors, the Knights of Columbus, the Levittown Bristol Kiwanis Club, the Ancient Order of Hibernians and the Brehon Law Society. He was an Eagle Scout from the Bucks County Council and former president of that council, and was honored with the Silver Beaver Award for his services to Scouting.

Fitzpatrick was diagnosed with colon cancer in June 2008. He reported five months later that the cancer went into remission after chemotherapy.

Fitzpatrick died from melanoma at his home in Levittown on January 6, 2020, at age 56.

References

Sources

External links

1963 births
2020 deaths
20th-century American politicians
21st-century American politicians
Catholics from Pennsylvania
Deaths from cancer in Pennsylvania
Deaths from melanoma
Dickinson School of Law alumni
Lawyers from Philadelphia
New Jersey lawyers
Pennsylvania lawyers
People from Levittown, Pennsylvania
Politicians from Philadelphia
Republican Party members of the United States House of Representatives from Pennsylvania
St. Thomas University (Florida) alumni
Bucks County Commissioners (Pennsylvania)

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


A flooded basement in your Kansas City home can be overwhelming and exhausting to deal with and unfortunately it can happen in any setting or type of home. That beautiful, finished basement that you love, that you spent thousands of dollars on renovating and customizing to your specific needs, has suddenly been deluged with water, ruining the carpet, soaking up all the stuff on the floor, saturating the baseboards and drywall and furniture and drowning your electronics – so now what to you do?
Whether it was rainfall or problems inside the home that caused your flooded basement – the issues remain the same, and the most important thing you want to avoid right off the bat is mold growth. That means you have to get the water out of the flooded basement as quickly as possible. If you're lucky you'll already have a sump pump installed, and at least one floor drain; but the drain can fill up and get clogged and the sump pump might not be big enough to handle the job. Hopefully, you have already taken some flood prevention steps to protect your basement when flooding occurs and have an emergency plan to provide for your family's welfare until you can return to your home in place. But if not, don't worry – you still have options.
First, shut off power to the basement – electricity and gas. If you don't know how to do this, call a qualified electrician before entering the room and beginning to work.
Wear rubber boots and gloves and a protective mask. If you're a sportsman, you may have on hand a pair of hip waders – they will work great. Walk carefully – you want to prevent a slip-and-fall from happening.
If the water is caused by a leakage in the home, shut off the source.
Next is to get the water out of the flooded basement – a sump pump, a pool pump, a wet/dry vacuum or a mop and bucket will work, or you can rent a machine from a supply store.
Move water damaged furniture and other items, except for electronics, out to dry, either outdoors or in a well-ventilated area. Don't touch electronics (televisions, stereos or lamps), even with the electricity turned off. It's better to let those things dry in place.
Tear out the carpeting and remove it from the flooded basement as soon as possible because it keeps the floor underneath from drying. It can be hard to dry out wet carpet but sometimes it can be saved. A restoration specialist such as AAS Restoration, or a carpet cleaning contractor, can provide information and make recommendations. Keep in mind that if carpet isn't dried properly, it can harbor mold and mildew.
Allow several days for your flooded basement to dry out. Leave windows and doors open to allow for ventilation, and use fans to improve air circulation. You can rent industrial fans as well.• Now comes the clean-up by washing down the floors and walls to remove dirt and sediment that has been left behind by the water. Tear out all the wet, damaged drywall and insulation as soon as possible in order to prevent mold from spreading. Once the floor and walls are dry, use an anti-mildew spray to discourage mold and mildew from developing.
Be sure to call your homeowner's insurance company to report the flooded basement. You might choose to consult a basement waterproofing company, a disaster restoration specialist or a combination of specialists to help with your flooded basement.


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Q: Oracle WebCenter Sites JSK deployment on Amazon EC2 We are thinking about deploying an instance of Oracle Webcenter Sites, at first in JumpStartKit version, using Amazon EC2 services.
I have a couple of questions:

*

*Are there any incompatibility problems?

*What linux AMI is recommended? library compatibility, etc.

I hope any of you have tried this before...
Thanks!

A: Webcenter Sites is an CMS application that runs on top of App Servers such as Tomcat, JBoss, Weblogic, Websphere etc., and connects to databases such as HSQLDB, Oracle, DB2, SQL Server, MySQL etc.,
You should check the cloud offering for related app server and database of your choice.
The JSK runs on Tomcat and connects to HSQLDB but you can always run the installer yourself and configure it to other servers and database.

A: WebCenter Sites is not currently supported on Amazon EC2, although I have heard that technically it is possible, it is not a certified configuration and may not be a trivial task. You can find a spreadsheet of the certified configurations and documentation here
http://www.oracle.com/technetwork/middleware/webcenter/sites/downloads/index.html
Phil

A: I worked with a vendor who installed WebCenter Sites on AWS for my previous employer with no issues. It is currently powering  the corporate website. We used the Amazon RHEL AMI. I recently spoke with the tech who performed the install and he said there weren't any real 'gotchas'.
I am currently in the process of installing WebCenter sites on an Ubuntu build. I'm not a linux guy so installation is slow going, but so far so good.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


One hundred years ago, in 1918, American doctors attended substandard medical schools and earned less than $2,500 on average per year. Morphine and heroin were all available over the counter at local corner drugstores. The best "medical" help you could find came from skilled mid-wives, herbalists, and American Indians. Most doctors made house calls regularly. Natural remedies were abundant, inexpensive, effective, and caused nearly zero side effects. What happened?
The main focus of U.S. medicine would now become addressing only symptoms and pain relief, but never trying to cure or prevent anything. Come to find out, chemical medicine exacerbates sicknesses, so the AMA "Ponzi scheme" was a well-planned secretive cash machine for elite physicians who were tired of earning only a few thousand dollars a year.
Mother Nature offers a natural remedy for nearly every sickness and disease on the planet, but the chronic ingestion of synthetics and chemical-laced food and medicines are so overwhelming and taxing to the human cleansing organs, that U.S. doctors knew, even back then, Americans were heading down a steep health decline that would drive them all to seek immediate relief and "hope" for a quick fix. Then came ultra-expensive surgeries, chemotherapy, vaccines, radiation, diagnostic testing, and experimental pharmaceuticals.
Why would any medical doctor even want to educate their patients about the power of clean food, herbs and tinctures as the cure for their ills, when the "new age" doctors could make small fortunes off consumer ignorance of those very facts? The AMA knew this, and whether every practicing physician or oncologist knew it was irrelevant, because nutrition education barely existed in medical school, so there would be no questions answered.
At the time, only a measly 21 hours of nutrition education (that's 4 classes) was required in American medical colleges in order to get a degree to be a physician, yet somehow most colleges fell short of even offering that much. Most patients seek their physician's guidance about diet, but doctors only listen for 10 seconds, and then start figuring out what chemical medications to prescribe for the related symptoms of pain, agony, suffering.
U.S. medical doctors are trained to convince their patients that all health problems are genetic and thus inherited: "Does (insert any disease or disorder here) run in the family?" The doctor goes on to tell them that the disease or disorder is incurable and can only be "managed" by medication and/or surgery.
The goal is for every patient to "own" their health problems and to never search for natural remedies, for there is no money in that for physicians or oncologists, plus, since the doctors know next to nothing about that field, why go there? Get it?
The "virus of the mind" is contagious, and symptoms include repeating the doctor's language codes to friends and relatives. Any sales person will tell you that the number one way get more clients is through the power of referral. Keep people talking about their medications, their surgery, and their chemotherapy and they won't go researching clean food, filtered water, medicinal mushrooms, indigenous cures, or superfoods. Yes, it's that simple and that insidious.
The state of nutrition education in America is grim for medical doctors, just as it was a century ago. Most medical schools don't even come close to the recommendation for nutrition education that comes from the National Research Council. This is not because clean eating can't fix the majority of health ills, but because the big money rolls in from diagnostic testing, chemical medicine and surgery. Period. The fact is that poor nutrition contributes to the development of nearly all chronic diseases, including several acute conditions.
Still, The AMA and the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) refuse to incorporate nutrition into the "blueprint" for medical competency. Most graduating medical students today rate their nutrition preparation and knowledge as inadequate. Some medical schools don't even have an established contact person for nutrition education or disciplines. It's unbelievable. The few nutrition classes that are given are hardly ever clinical, so there's no practical "field" type application available.
Most M.D.s today are just puppets of the pharmaceutical industry. Most prescription drugs are a giant sham that only address symptoms and mask the underlying causes of disease and disorder, and it's all based on teamwork! It's a deep-seeded collusion by the FDA, the CDC, the AMA, and Big Pharma. Welcome to America, where there's a pill for every kind of pain and social security money you'll probably never see.
It's time to say NO to the century-long scam of pills for processed food disease. Check out NaturalPedia.com for natural remedies that are affordable and actually work.
Shortly after that the references to vitamin & mineral supplements & deficiencies there of were edited out.
The place was packed when I got there & people kept arriving – I was second last to leave.
The Eye & Ear Hospital must be run by private interests whom have money invested & profit to derive – efficiency is of the essence & a bright & helpful demena permeates every staff member in sight.
Good nutrition is paramount to the survival of a species.
You do not require a Uni degree, in any speciality, to understand this simple survival law.
Why do MD's need to be instructed in nutrition?
Actually, any study of the the statistics on Iatrogenic deaths and casualties would cause concern as to what the AMA medical school is teaching.
Don't they just give out notes & manuels & a license to practice ??


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GAO Report Highly Critical Of Trump Administration's Response To COVID-19 Pandemic
In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Congress appropriated $2.6 trillion in emergency assistance for people, businesses, the health care system, and state and local governments. The U. S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) is examining many aspects of the federal response and is the source for fact-based, nonpartisan information. The CARES Act requires GAO to issue bi-monthly reports on the impact of COVID-19.
In its most recent report entitled "COVID-19: Urgent Actions Needed to Better Ensure an Effective Federal Response" dated November 30, 2020, the GAO "uncovered the need for more transparency around vaccines and therapeutics, unemployment numbers, and more. Medical supply shortages continue to be an urgent concern."
The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in catastrophic loss of life and substantial damage to the global economy, stability, and security. According to federal data, the U.S. had an average of 116,000 new COVID-19 cases per day from November 1 through November 12, 2020. Between January 2020 and October 2020, at least 237,000 more deaths occurred from all causes, including COVID-19, than would normally be expected, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
While the economy has improved since July 2020, many people remain unemployed, including both those temporarily laid off and those who have permanently lost their job. Also, more households have become seriously delinquent on mortgage payments during the pandemic. In addition, GAO's review of academic studies suggests the pandemic will likely remain a significant obstacle to more robust economic activity.
Some of the findings from the most recent report are:
Medical supplies: In the GAO's national survey, one-third to one-half of states and territories reported ongoing shortages of some testing-related and other medical supplies. Most states reported certain PPE supplies (e.g., nitrile gloves) remain scarce, and about one-third of respondents were "greatly" or "completely" concerned about having enough supplies to administer vaccines in the future. Given the surge of COVID-19 cases and these reported medical supply shortages, the GAO believes it is critically important that its previous recommendations on better managing the supply chain be implemented.
Vaccines and therapeutics: As the federal government has made a concerted effort to speed development of vaccines and therapeutics, a recent report recommended that the FDA improve transparency of scientific reviews to boost public confidence in its decision making.
Testing guidelines: Guidance is expected to evolve as new information about the coronavirus emerges, but HHS and CDC haven't always communicated the scientific explanation for frequent changes during the pandemic and the GAO recommends doing so.
Unemployment insurance: The Department of Labor's weekly news releases don't provide an accurate estimate of the total number of individuals actually claiming unemployment insurance. The GAO recommends DOL improve its data to better understand the economic role of this benefit during the pandemic.
"In this report, we also identify new concerns about the timely reporting of improper payments for COVID-19 programs. The COVID-19 relief laws appropriated over a trillion dollars that may be spent through newly established programs to fund response and recovery efforts, such as PPP and UI. While the extent and significance of improper payments associated with these funds has not yet been determined, the impact of improper payments, including those that are the result of fraud, could be substantial. We also have concerns about the possibility that improper payments could be widespread based on indications of fraud across these programs."
The GAO report concluded: "As we approach the end of 2020, the federal government must be agile to address the ongoing and evolving challenges and risks associated with the COVID-19 pandemic. Our recommendations identify new opportunities for the federal government to make midcourse corrections to its efforts by improving the communication of pandemic-related guidance and information, the collection and reporting of key public health and economic data, and the oversight and accountability of CARES Act programs. We will continue to monitor the federal government's response to the COVID-19 pandemic and identify any needed improvements."
If you or a loved one may have a COVID-19 medical malpractice claim in the United States, you should promptly contact a COVID-19 medical malpractice lawyer in your state who may investigate your COVID-19 medical malpractice claim for you and represent you and/or your loved one in a COVID-19 medical malpractice case, if appropriate.
Click here to visit our website or call us toll-free in the United States at 800-295-3959 to find COVID-19 medical malpractice attorneys in your U.S. state who may assist you.
Categories: Health Care Facts and Statistics and Medical Malpractice Statistics | Tags: COVID-19 medical malpractice claims, COVID-19 medical malpractice lawyers, COVID-19 medical malpractice statistics, and government's response to COVID-19
This entry was posted on Thursday, December 3rd, 2020 at 8:02 am. Both comments and pings are currently closed.


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Posted inCountywide, Top Stories
Col. Eugene R. Brady, Navy Cross: Marine Commander Saved Lives
by STAFF Nov 6, 2016 Updated Dec 8, 2020 Why you can trust Voice of OC
Editor's note: This Veterans Day Voice of OC is publishing a series of plaques honoring some of Orange County's most decorated veterans. Eugene Brady was in York, Pennsylvania on March 27, 1928 and died on June 9, 2011. He was the recipient of the Silver Star, Legion of Merit and Purple Heart.
Col. Eugene R. Brady, U.S.M.C.
Citation: Navy Cross
War: Vietnam War
Colonel Eugene R. Brady, received the Navy Cross for his extraordinary heroism and intrepidity in action while commanding Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron 364, in combat operations against the enemy in Vietnam. On 15 May 1969, the then Lieutenant Colonel Brady launched as commander of the transport helicopter assigned the mission of medically evacuating several seriously wounded Marines from an area Northwest of an HOA in Quang Nam Province. Arriving over the designed location, he was advised by the Ground Commander that the vastly outnumbered unit was surrounded by the enemy, some as close as thirty meters to the Marines' positions. Fully aware of the dangers involved, and despite the rapidly approaching darkness and deteriorating weather conditions, Colonel Brady elected to complete his mission. As he commenced a high-speed, low altitude approach to the landing zone, he came under heavy volume of hostile automatic weapons fire which damaged his aircraft but did not deter him from landing. During the considerable period of time required to embark the casualties, the landing zone was subjected to intense enemy mortar fire, several rounds of which landed perilously close to the transport, rendering additional damage to the helicopter. However, Colonel Brady displayed exceptional composure as he calmly relayed hostile firing positions to fixed-wing aircraft overhead and steadfastly remained in his dangerously exposed position until all the wounded man were safely aboard. Demonstrating superb airmanship, he then executed a series of very evasive maneuvers as he lifted from the fire swept zone, and subsequently delivered the casualties to the nearest medical facility. His heroic and determined actions inspired all who observed him and were instrumental in saving the lives of eight fellow Marines. By his courage, superior aeronautical ability, and unfaltering devotion to duty in the face of grace personal danger, Colonel Brady upheld the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service. Col. Brady joined the Legion of Valor in 1971.
Orange County Walk of Honor by AMVETS
More about Col. Eugene R. Brady:
Hall of Valor (Military Times)
Summary of Significant Career Events
Voice of OC to Publish Series on Veterans Memorial Plaques
Local Lens: Honoring Veterans in Orange County
In "Countywide"
Veterans Cemetery in Orange County Gets Approval From Governor Gavin Newsom
McDonald: OC Veterans and OC Black Chamber of Commerce Bring Black Buffalo Soldiers Corps to the Rose Parade
Tagged: Heroes Hall Veterans Museum, Orange County Fairgrounds, Veterans, Veterans Day 2016


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Six Dealers Offer Fuel-Saving Modules
Six U.S. dealers have been selected to offer their customers exclusive Hymotion L5 Plug-In Prius Conversion Modules from A123Systems. These modules allow the dealership to convert Prius hybrid vehicles into plug-in hybrids capable of reported fuel economy that can surpass 150 mpg. We are excited to offer our customers more options to help moderate the effects of high fuel costs, says Jack Fitzgerald,
Six U.S. dealers have been selected to offer their customers exclusive Hymotion L5 Plug-In Prius Conversion Modules from A123Systems.
These modules allow the dealership to convert Prius hybrid vehicles into plug-in hybrids capable of reported fuel economy that can surpass 150 mpg.
"We are excited to offer our customers more options to help moderate the effects of high fuel costs," says Jack Fitzgerald, founder and chairman of the Washington D.C.-based Fitzgerald Auto Malls, one of the selected dealership groups.
"The Hymotion Plug-in conversion option is one of the latest and best options I've seen come along," he says. "Alternative-fuel vehicles and increasing the fuel efficiency of automobiles are the future of the industry."
Fitzgerald's Lakeforest Toyota store was chosen as one of A123Systems' Green CHIP dealerships based on the owner's support of environmental initiatives, strong customer service and commitment to introducing advanced vehicle technologies.
The other Green CHIP dealers are: Westboro Toyota in Boston, Denny Hecker Automotive Group in Minneapolis, Burt's Hybrid Conversion in Denver, Green Gears/Pat's Garage in San Francisco and Green Car Co. in Seattle. n
Jack Fitzgerald: "Offer our customers more options."


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Thomas Fire: 150 structures destroyed, 45,000 acres burned as flames raced from Santa Paula to Ventura
Cheri Carlson Megan Diskin Tom Kisken Arlene Martinez
Strong Santa Ana winds drove a fast-moving fire Monday night as flames tore through 45,000 acres and destroyed 150 structures in a matter of hours.
As the blaze spread from the hillsides above Santa Paula, down toward the small city and west to Ventura, thousands were forced to flee their homes, multiples structures were destroyed and reports continued to come in about others on fire.
"I personally have never seen structures destroyed in Ventura County like this. We're doing everything we can to keep in front of this thing," said Rich Macklin, a spokesman for the Ventura County Fire Department.
The wind, gusting 60 mph and higher earlier in the night, had started to pick up again, he said.
Earlier, authorities said one person was killed while attempting to flee when a car overturned on Foothill Road. A firefighter also was injured, Macklin said. He was taken to a hospital and was reported in stable condition.
"The fire spread quickly, pushed by heavy east winds toward the west," said Chief Mark Lorenzen of Ventura County Fire Department. "We're basically leapfrogging our engines doing structure defense as the fire proceeds."
First reported about 6:20 p.m. near Steckel Park, the fire grew from 50 to 100 acres in minutes. Flames quickly jumped Highway 150, which cuts a path from Ojai to Santa Paula, a city of about 35,000 on the eastern end of the Ventura County.
By 2:30 a.m., the fire had spread to 26,000 acres.
"The prospects for containment are not good, really Mother Nature is going to decide when we have the ability to put it out because it is pushing hard," Lorenzen said at an 11 p.m. news briefing.
'fast, very dangerous moving fire'
The power went out in Santa Paula, Ventura and other cities throughout the county just before 10 p.m., as more neighborhoods were ordered to evacuate.
Scores of police officers, Sheriff's deputies and search and rescue personnel knocked on doors and woke people up to tell them to get to safety.
"It's difficult to follow. It's a fast-moving fire," Ventura County Sheriff Geoff Dean said late Monday.
"You must abide by these evacuation notices. You saw the disaster and the losses up north in Sonoma and this is a fast, very dangerous moving fire."
Flames reached Ventura before midnight Monday.
The city issued mandatory evacuations as the fire spread to areas including the Ondolundo and Clearpoint communities, along Ventura Avenue and above Poli Street.
Neighborhoods continued to be added to the list, city officials said at just past midnight.
"The fire has spread incredibly fast. This is a very bad scenario," said Ventura Fire Marshal Joe Morelli, speaking from the city's Emergency Operations Center at Ventura Police headquarters. "The winds are still picking up."
Tens of thousands of city residents are without power, Morelli said. Police headquarters were running on a generator.
Morelli said he nor Fire Chief David Endaya, who has been with the department for more than 20 years, had ever experienced anything comparable to this fire.
"This is probably one of the most significant events in our city ever," Morelli said.
Southern California Edison spokeswoman Susan Cox said it was unclear just how many homes were without power and officials had no estimate for when power would be restored.
"It's really difficult because there's a main power line source that runs along this ridge and that's what the fire's burning down," Dean said Monday.
'The smoke was orange'
At the Ventura County Fairgrounds, one of two shelters set up by the Red Cross, two families and about seven people sat in the dark near the cots by 10 p.m.
Roman Barita, a farmworker who lives in a trailer park on Wheeler Canyon Road, knew it was time to evacuate when he climbed the hill near his home and saw brilliant red flames.
"I've never seen that before," said Barita in Spanish, as his 17-year-old son translated.
Barita came to the shelter with his wife and son then contacted the others in his family.
He hoped his neighbors evacuated, too. "Because there's little kids and families," he said.
A power outage meant the shelter was illuminated with flashlights. Red Cross volunteers set up cots and blankets offering their visitors water and snacks.
"If we had power we'd offer coffee," said Nancy Jenkins, shelter manager, noting the hall could accommodate about 100 people.
More people filtered in. Steve McKinney rents a home in Wheeler Canyon. He came out of his house at 8:15 p.m. and knew he needed to make a decision.
"The sky was just orange. The smoke was orange," he said, adding he could see a ridge engulfed in flames 20 feet tall.
He evacuated part of a throng of people who were leaving, driving by the fire trucks coming to battle the flames.
McKinney went to Ventura Missionary Church to pray and then came to the shelter though he planned to stay the night with family and friends.
"I thought I better come down here to see if they needed help," he said.
By 11 p.m., dozens of more people were heading into the shelter to wait out the blaze that had nearly reached Ventura.
Because of the strong winds and low visibility, few aircraft were flying Monday night, but that was expected to change at dawn.
Officials said they had asked for eight air tankers and a dozen helicopters to help fight the blaze.
The plan tomorrow is to "work edges of the fire to keep it out of the neighborhoods," Lorenzen said.
With winds like this, it makes it harder for firefighters, he said. But a lot of what they can do is what they're doing: Getting ahead of it and doing evacuations.
Ventura, Oxnard elementary, Hueneme and Santa Paula school districts said campuses would be closed Tuesday.
Along with the shelter at the fairgrounds in Ventura, the Red Cross opened up Nordhoff High School in Ojai for residents affected by the fire.
The Humane Society of Ventura County, also in Ojai, was accepting large and small animals. Earlier Monday, some people took horses to the livestock area at the fairgrounds trying to escape the smoke and fire in Santa Paula.
Ash Spann stood outside one of the livestock barns cooing to her horse Kody. Spann lives in Ventura and boards three horses at Willow Creek Ranch outside of Santa Paula.
As she drove back toward Ventura with her horses, she said she was happy to see clear air again.
"We were two canyons from the fire and the smoke from the cinders was blowing down," she said. "We're going back to see if we can get more."
Residents share destruction of Ventura County Fire
Staff writer Christian Martinez contributed to this report.
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Людовик Анжуйский, Луи ди Дураццо (Louis d'Anjou, Louis di Durazzo) (1324 — умер от отравления в Неаполе 22 июля 1364) — политический деятель, граф де Гравина.

Младший сын Жана Анжуйского, герцога Дураццо, и его второй жены Агнессы Перигорской. Вместе с братьями служил при дворе неаполитанской королевы Джованны I.

В 1347 году в Южную Италию вторгся венгерский король Лайош (Людовик), чтобы отомстить за смерть брата — Андрея, первого мужа Джованны. Королева и её второй муж Людовик Тарентский бежали в Прованс, а Людовик Анжуйский с братьями остался в Неаполе — они рассчитывали извлечь выгоду из сложившейся ситуации.
Однако Карл Анжуйский был обвинён в соучастии в убийстве и обезглавлен, а двух других братьев, Людовика и Роберта, взяли под стражу и отправили в Венгрию.

В 1352 году Людовик Анжуйский освободился из заключения и вернулся в Неаполь. В 1357 году начал войну с Джованной и Людовиком Тарантским, но потерпел несколько поражений и в 1362 году попал в плен. Содержался в Кастель дель Ово, где и умер 22 июля 1364 года, вероятно — от действия яда.

Людовик Анжуйский с 1343 года был женат на Маргарете ди Сансеверино, дочери Роберта де Сансеверино, графа Корильяно. Их старший сын и дочь умерли в детском возрасте. Второй сын:
 Карл III (1345—1385) — король Неаполя и Венгрии.

Примечания

Источники
 Elizabeth Casteen. From She-Wolf to Martyr: The Reign and Disputed Reputation of Johanna I of Naples. — Ithaca: Cornell University Press, 2015. ISBN 978-0801453861
 Conti di Gravina, Dukes of Durazzo, Kings of Sicily 1382—1435 // Foundation for Medieval Genealogy

Графы Гравины
Умершие в плену


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movies: THE PRINCESS AND THE FROG
THE PRINCESS AND THE FROG is a hell of an interesting movie. It's definitely a major evolution for Disney animation, and not just because the main character, Tiana, is Disney's first black princess. There are several points where you will find yourself thinking, "Huh, that's really not what I expected out of a Disney movie." There are some bits and characters that don't quite work, and others that are really glorious; it looks absolutely beautiful, and it has a feeling of experimentation that is nice to see, if it's not always successful. Disney is playing with its format and trying to do some new stuff, and that's always interesting to watch.
Some things that I found especially striking:
It has the strongest sense of place of any Disney animated film. Disney's princesses, through Ariel, hail from generic fantasy kingdoms. The recent diversions from this rule are Mulan (who's technically not a princess, though she is a Disney Princess^TM), Belle (as Jerry Orbach's Lumiere sings, "after all, Miss, this is France"), Pocahontas (colonial America) and maybe Jasmine. I say "maybe Jasmine" because while she's from a generic THIEF OF BAGHDAD fantasy kingdom, it's the rare Disney kingdom that's actually named: "Agrabah." THE PRINCESS AND THE FROG, by contrast, could not be any more set in Jazz Age New Orleans. Moreover, when we meet our romantic hero Prince Naveen, we actually learn the name of the place he's a prince of: Malbonia. (This immediately tells me that THE PRINCESS AND THE FROG shares continuity with Gordon Korman's THIS CAN'T BE HAPPENING AT MACDONALD HALL! Always a good thing.)
The princess and prince have a really atypical dynamic for a Disney movie. Prince Naveen is not a perfect prince. He is an ass. He is also broke, and looking to marry for money. (!!) This is *way* unusual for a Disney movie. It's not that his family is impoverished nobility, with their only assets a worthless title -- that would have been an amazing departure -- but what we get is still pretty good: Naveen is such an irresponsible, philandering, free-spending jackass that his royal parents have cut him off. By contrast, Tiana, our new princess, starts out as a waitress with ambitions of being a restauranteur. She works multiple jobs and saves all her money. She believes in the virtue of hard work, by God, and she is dedicated and focused. In short, she knows what the hell she's doing. Naveen gets better over the course of the movie, naturally, but I confess I have a hard time seeing them as a successful couple; the dude has the attention span of a mayfly. They play better as really close friends.
Tiana is a *great* princess. Seriously, she's a terrific character, and a great addition to the Disney Princess line. I have not cared much about most Disney Princesses as characters, but right now Tiana is up there with Belle for me. In fact, if they make a superteam, Tiana should head it, because she knows how to get shit *done.* I honestly hope the direct-to-DVD sequel to this has Tiana going on her first visit to Malbonia and turning the place upside down ruthlessly because if she's going to be a princess it's going to be of a functioning kingdom, goddammit. I suspect that Prince Naveen is not all that popular with his subjects, but when the people meet their new princess, they're going to go nuts for her.
For the record, this is my modern Disney Princess superteam:
The Leader: Tiana
The Bad-Ass: Mulan
The Smartypants: Belle
The Hottie: Jasmine
The Comic Relief: Ariel
(I suspect that Belle and Tiana will get along like a house on fire, and if there is ever a seige or something Tiana will run the logistics so smoothly that General Mulan will have absolutely everything she needs, and Belle and Ariel will be making horrifying weapons that Belle read about in a book once and Ariel collected bits of from a shipwreck because they looked neat.)
(The Comic Relief *would* have been Giselle from ENCHANTED, but Disney decided that she wouldn't be included as part of the Disney Princess line so they wouldn't have to pay Amy Adams for use of her likeness. Alas!)