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Police Arrests Cartel Kingpin Over Massacre Of Nine; Mothers and Children in Mexico
By Ikenna Ngere
The three mums and six kids were in a convoy that was ambushed by gunmen as they drove to a wedding in the border state of Sonora.
A MAN alleged to be a drug cartel boss has been arrested in connection with the massacre of a Mormon family in Mexico.
14 NINTCHDBPICT000621855534 Credit: Elpasotimes
14 Members of the Lebaron family watch the burned car where part of the nine murdered members of the family were killed and burned Credit: AFP or licensors
14 Relatives carry a coffin during the funeral service of Dawna Ray Langford Credit: AFP or licensors
Roberto Gonzalez Montes is allegedly the leader of a cell of La Linea- or Juarez – cartel in the northern province of Chihuahua, has now been arrested, El Diario reports.
Rhonita Miller LeBaron, 30, was killed with her son, 13, daughter, 11, and 7-month-old baby twins.
Christina and Dawna Langford, 43, and two of Dawna's children, Trevor, 11, and Rogan, three, were also killed.
Montes' arrest was carried out by personnel from the Office of the Special Prosecutor for Organized Crime Investigation the Secretary of National Defense the Navy and the National Intelligence Center.
According to local media reports Montes – who is known by the aliases El Mudo or El 32 – has been taken to the capital Mexico City, where he will be formally charged.
His arrest comes after that of José Lara was captured by security forces in Ciudad Juárez, a Mexican city on the Rio Grande, earlier this month – on the first anniversary of the massacre.
The Attorney General's Office announced the arrest of the suspect, who is accused of being "a member of a criminal organisation with a presence in the north of the country".
Lara, believed to be a member of a gang working with the Juárez Cartel, was busted on Wednesday in connection to the massacre of the families on a remote road in Bavispe, Sonora, on November 4 last year.
Community members said Christina was killed after she jumped out of her vehicle and waved her hands to show she was no threat to the gunmen, but was shot twice in the heart.
Her daughter Faith Marie Johnson, who was six months old at the time of the attack, was found unharmed in her car seat.
Some of the victims – including babies – were then reportedly burned alive and its feared female victims were raped.
Alex LeBaron, who said he lost family members in the attack, told CNN at the time: "Women and children were massacred, burnt alive. Mothers were screaming for the fire to stop ."
Lara is reportedly the 13th person to have been arrested by Mexican authorities following last year's attack.
14 Rhonita Miller was killed during the ambush
14 Krystal, 10, was one of the victims Credit: Refer to Caption
14 Rhonita's twins Tiana and Titus, six months, died in an SUV with their mother when Mexican cartel gunman opened fire Credit: Refer to Caption
14 Howard Jacob Miller Jr was with his mum and siblings when they were killed
14 Christina Langford Johnson was confirmed dead by a family member Credit: Refer to Caption
Before Lara's arrest, Jesús Parra was apprehended in June and indicted on a homicide charge in September.
Police have reportedly issued arrest warrants for 10 more people for charges of homicide but none of the suspects have been convicted yet.
One of the victim's father said he had mixed emotions because the convictions have not happened yet and he did not want to place all of his hopes on Mexico's court system.
Lara is charged with homicide, attempted homicide, and involvement "with organised crime for the purpose of committing crimes against health."
14 Dawna Ray Langford was killed alongside two of her children
14 Little Rogan Langford was killed in the attack
14 Trevor Langford was also a victim of the cartel members
14 José Lara was arrested by Mexican security forces on Wednesday
The victims were all US citizens who lived in La Mora, a decades-old settlement in Sonora near the US border, about 70 miles south of Douglas, Arizona.
They are understood to have family ties to the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints – a Mormon religious group that believes in polygamy.
Family members describe themselves as part of a Mormon community of about 3,000 members, living in their own agricultural community in Mexico.
After the killings last year, community members branded the alleged cartel members as " worse than ISIS ".
Rosa LeBaron, 65, whose cousins, nieces and nephews died in the attacks, said: "I really believe that the cartels in Mexico have moved to another level of barbarity, they are as bad or worse than ISIS.
"These sicarios (hitmen), why are they doing it? Out of greed and pure evil."
She said Mexico needed to overcome pride, and accept outside help from a neighbouring country or international coalition, like the United Nations, to stamp out the evil cartels once and for all.
14 Family members dig graves for the victims of the ambush Credit: Getty Images – Getty
14 Christina Marie Langford's coffin during her funeral Credit: Getty Images – Getty
Murdered mormon mother Christina Langford Johnson buried alongside her infant twins in Mexico
Cartel kingpin Massacre Mexico Mother
Ikenna Ngere
Ngere Ikenna is a passionate learner and freelancer writer, blogger and a lover of good reads.
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Sam Mendes' Skyfall continues its unstoppable box office run, as the 23rd James Bond has officially become Sony's biggest film at the worldwide box office, beating Spider-Man 3. The film has also passed The Dark Knight Rises internationally.
Sony, MGM and Eon's James Bond hit added $20.3m internationally to reach $656.6m, and a number one North American haul of $11m for $261.6m to overtake Sony's previous best of $890m set by Spider-Man 3.
Skyfall is breaking records as each week passes, harking back to the dizzy heights of Bondmania in the 1960′s when Connery played 007.
Skyfall still needs to open in China, one of the biggest international markets today. If the film breaks out there, $1 billion should happen, which would make Skyfall the first James Bond film grossing $1 billion at the box office.


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If your animal is showing symptoms related to non-complicated heat stress, the actions above should result in the symptoms improving within about 5 minutes. If the signs worsen over time or your animal appears distressed, they should be taken to their vet immediately.
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The lighted peated spirit of 128 has been matured in slightly unusual 100 litre (close to the size of a Quarter Cask) first-fill ex-bourbon casks. Smaller casks usually mature at a faster rate given the higher level of contact between liquid and wood.
NOSE: Initial big hit of tobacco smoke – this subsides very quickly and is no longer discernible after a short period of resting. Lemon peels are sweetened by toffee, honey and vanilla notes. Warming peat is ever-present, but never overwhelming and is part heathery, part smoky. There's an underlying earthiness and mild salinity, both of which I'd associate with Wolfburn's spirit.
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Note: This story originally appeared in the Alaska Dispatch News.
I was on the phone last week with a writer from back East who wanted all my best tips for exploring the Last Frontier with young people.
Imagine her surprise when I responded with, "Go to the local playground.
Kids can learn about wildlife when a moose wanders across the parking lot or soccer field. Sometimes, they'll even get to stare at a swooping bald eagle — something playgrounds in Akron or Albany don't offer.
I even outlined my favorite grilled salmon recipe to a visiting dad who whipped out a tablet and typed all the steps so he'd have it ready for the fish he hoped to catch on the Kenai Peninsula.
Playgrounds are gathering spaces where kids connect without the confines of an organized tour or crowded family schedule and parents can breathe a sigh of relief that their youngsters are amused on their own terms for a while. Alaska summers are so packed with good fun that it can be hard for all of us to remember that children need time to be themselves, in a space designed specifically for them — without grownups directing their every move.
A 2014 study by the University of Colorado found that free play opportunities —unscheduled, spontaneous, free-thinking times — provide a wealth of benefits to a child's social skills, and emotional maturity. The inherent value of play, with its daydreaming, risk-taking, and discovery, is no more important than on a trip to someplace new.
During most of our wanderings in and out of Alaska, we gravitate to playgrounds. It's a chance for our son to hang with other kids and for my husband and I to take stock of our adventures. Often we'll stop by a local store and picnic while we play, giving us the mental and physical energy to carry on the rest of the day. I'll chat up the other parents, too, asking about their favorite places for family-friendly activities, and I've never been disappointed with the results.
Today's playgrounds are far more intricate than the metal-and-wood structures that made our parents gasp in terror as we hung upside down from the monkey bars. Often the result of community efforts, many are constructed with design involvement of kids and sweat equity of an entire town, showcasing history, industry, or natural features that speak to the uniqueness of each place. Considered the crowning jewel of a community, these playgrounds are destinations unto themselves — must-see attractions right up there with the whales and glaciers.
Kyle Cundy, project manager for Leathers and Associates, a company with offices in New York and Florida that oversaw the planning and construction of 10 such Alaska playgrounds, says her favorite part of 25 years on the job has been witnessing the spirit of collective cooperation by young and young-at-heart.
We have climbed a wall with a painted backdrop of Denali in Talkeetna; clamored over boulders and up a net in Homer; dug in the dirt in Girdwood, and driven a wooden car in Haines. At each different playground, our family has learned a little more about who lives, works, and plays there.
And that is as worthwhile a goal for family travel as I've ever found.
Each of the 133 Anchorage playgrounds listed has a simple and easy-to-follow matrix of information.
Girdwood: Girdwood Park at the intersection of Alyeska Highway and Egloff Drive.
Seward: Seward Community Playground located along Ballaine Avenue and the waterfront trail.
Nikiski: Kenai Peninsula Borough Nikiski Community Playground near the Nikiski Community Center, Mile 23.4 of the Kenai Spur Highway.
Soldotna: Soltotna Community Playground located in Soldotna Creek Park, 251 States Avenue.
Homer: Karen Hornaday Park, located on West Fairview Avenue above downtown. Also offers a campground.
Valdez: Hermon Hutchens Elementary School, 951 West Klutina.
Fairbanks: Pioneer Park, 2300 Airport Way. Multiple play spaces, a small train and various vendors, including the Pioneer Air Museum.
Haines: Tlingit Park, Haines Highway Cutoff (near downtown).
Sitka: An effort is underway by the Sitka Community Playground Volunteer Group to raise funds to complete a new, accessible playground in Crescent Harbor Park near downtown's Sea Walk.
Posted in Cultural opportunities, Life in Alaska and tagged Alaska, Alaska with Kids, Fairbanks, Family Travel, Girdwood, Haines, Homer, Juneau, playgrounds, Seward, Sitka, Soldotna, Sutton, Talkeetna, Valdez.


HomeGOVERNMENTFrance's Meltdown, Macron's Disdain – and Fall?
France's Meltdown, Macron's Disdain – and Fall?
The "yellow jackets" [protestors] now have the support of 77% of the French population. They are demanding Macron's resignation and an immediate change of government.
European elections are to be held this Spring, 2019. Polls show that the National Gathering will be in the lead, far ahead of La République En Marche! [The Republic on the Move!], the party created by Macron.
him. In a pompous speech, Macron — knowing that a few days earlier, Donald Trump had defined himself as a nationalist committed to defending America — invoked "patriotism"; then defined it, strangely, as "the exact opposite of nationalism"; then called it "treason".
In addition, shortly before the meeting, Macron had not only spoken of the "urgency" of building a European army; he also placed the United States among the "enemies" of Europe. This was not the first time Macron placed Europe above the interests of his own country. It was, however, the first time he had placed the United States on the list of enemies of Europe.
President Trump apparently understood immediately that Macron's attitude was a way to maintain his delusions of grandeur, as well as to try to derive a domestic political advantage. Trump also apparently understood that he could not just sit there and accept insults. In a series of tweets, Trump reminded the world that France had needed the help of the USA to regain freedom during World Wars, that NATO was still protecting a virtually defenseless Europe and that many European countries were still not paying the amount promised for their own defense. Trump added that Macron had an extremely low approval rating (26%), was facing an extremely high level of unemployment, and was probably trying to divert attention from that.
Trump was right. For months, the popularity of Macron has been in free fall: he is now the most unpopular French President in modern history at this stage of his mandate. The French population has turned away from him in droves.
Unemployment in France is not only at an alarmingly high level (9.1%); it has been been alarmingly high for years. The number of people in poverty is also high (8.8 million people, 14.2% of the population). Economic growth is effectively non-existent (0.4% in the third quarter of 2018, up from 0.2% the previous three months). The median income (20,520 euros, or $23,000, a year,) is unsustainably low. It indicates that half the French live on less than 1,710 euros ($1,946) a month. Five million people are surviving on less than 855 euros ($973) a month.
When Macron was elected in May 2017, he promised to liberate the economy; however, no significant measures were taken. In spite of some cosmetic reforms– such as limits on allowances for unfair dismissal or the slightly increased possibility that small businesses could negotiate short work contracts — the French labor code, still one of the most rigid in the developed world, expertly blocks job creation. The tax burden (more than 45% of GDP) is the highest in the developed world. Even if some taxes were abolished since Macron became President, many new taxes were created. Public expenditure still accounts for about 57% of GDP (16% above the OECD countries average) and shows no signs of waning.
Macron also promised, when he was elected, to restore security. Lack of security, however, has been exploding; the number of violent assaults and rapes has been steadily on the rise. No-go zones are as widespread as a year ago and fiercely out of control. The influx of unvetted illegal immigrants into the country has sadly turned entire neighborhoods into slums.
In May, Macron warned that in many suburbs, France has "lost the fight against drug trafficking".
When Minister of the Interior Gérard Collomb (pictured) resigned on October 3, he spoke of a "very degraded situation" and added that in many areas "the law of the strongest — drug-traffickers and radical Islamists — has taken the place of the Republic." He was simply confirming the chilling assessments of "out of favor" commentators such as Éric Zemmour, author of Le Suicide Français, and Georges Bensoussan, author of Une France Soumise (A Submissive France).
Riots are frequent; they indicate the growing inability of the government to maintain order. Public transport strikes, which took place during the entire spring of 2018, were accompanied by demonstrations and an enthusiastic looting of banks and shops. France's victory at the soccer World Cup in July was followed by jubilation, which quickly gave way to violence by groups who broke store windows and attacked the police.
Since entering political life, Macron's remarks have not only revealed a contempt for the French population, but also have multiplied. That has not helped. As early as 2014, when Macron was Minister of the Economy, he said that the women employees of a bankrupt company were "illiterates"; in June 2017, just after becoming president, he distinguished between "those who succeed and those who are nothing". More recently, he told a young man who spoke of his distress at trying to find a job, that he only had to move and "cross the street". During a visit to Denmark, he announced that the French were "Gauls resistant to change".
One of the few issues Macron did seem eager to work on was Islam. He stressed several times his determination to establish an "Islam of France". What he failed to take into account were the concerns of the rest of the population about the rapid Islamization the country. In June 20, 2017, he said (not quite accurately, for example here, here, here, here, here and here), "No one can make believe that (Muslim) faith is not compatible with the Republic". He also seems to have failed to take into account the risks of Islamic terrorism, which he hardly ever calls by its name. He seems to prefer using the word "terrorism", without an adjective, and simply acknowledges that "there is a radical reading of Islam, whose principles do not respect religious slogans").
The current Minister of the Interior, Christophe Castaner (pictured), whom Macron appointed to replace Collomb, dismissed the concerns raised by his predecessor, and described Islam as "a religion of happiness and love, like the Catholic religion".
Another area in which Macron has acted relentlessly is the "fight about climate change", in which his targeted enemy is cars. On vehicles over four years old, mandatory technical controls were made more costly and failure to comply with them more punitive, evidently in the hope that an increasing number of older cars could be eliminated. Speed limits on most roads were lowered to 80 km/h (50 mph), speed control radars multipled, and tens of thousands of drivers' licenses were suspended. Gas taxes rose sharply (30 cents a gallon in one year). A gallon of unleaded gas in France now costs more than $7.
The small minority of French people who still support Macron are not affected by these measures. Surveys show that they belong to the wealthy layers of society, that they live in affluent neighborhoods, and almost never use personal vehicles. The situation is painfully different for most other individuals, especially the forgotten middle class.
two days. On social networks, people discussed organizing demonstrations throughout the country and suggested that the demonstrators wear the yellow safety jackets that drivers are obliged to store in their cars in case of roadside breakdowns. So, on November 17, hundreds of thousands of protesters blocked large parts of the country.
The government ignored the protesters' demands. Instead, officials repeated the many unproven imperatives of "climate change" and the need to eliminate the use of "fossil fuels" – but refused to change course.
After that, another national protest day was selected. On November 24 (pictured below), the demonstrators organized a march on Paris. Many, it seems, decided, despite a government ban, to head for the Champs Elysées and continue toward the presidential Elysée Palace.
had never done in the past. Although many of the protestors were holding red flags, indicating they were from the political left, the newly appointed Minister of the Interior Castaner said that the violence had come from a fractious and seditious "far right". One member of the government fueled the fire by equating the French "yellow vests" with the German "brown shirts" of the 1930s. Macron declared that those who try to "intimidate officials" should be "ashamed".
Finally, on November 25, Macron ended up recognizing, with visible reluctance, the suffering of the "working classes". Two days later, Macron delivered a solemn speech, announcing that he would create a "high council for the climate", composed of ecologists and professional politicians, and that his aim was to save the planet and avoid "the end of the world". He still did not utter a single word about the economic grievances that had poured forth during the previous ten days.
The spokesman for the center-right party, The Republicans, Laurence Saillet, remarked, "The French say, 'Mr. President, we cannot make ends meet,' and the President replies, 'we shall create a High Council [for the climate]' Can you imagine the disconnect?".
Marine Le Pen, president of the right-of-center National Rally (the former National Front party, and today the main opposition party in France), said, "There is a tiny caste that works for itself and there is the vast majority of French people who are abandoned by the government, and feel downgraded, dispossessed ".
At the moment, the "yellow jackets" have decided to organize a third national protest – today, Saturday, December 1st — with another march to Paris and the Elysée Palace (see image). The revolt in the country is intensifying and shows no sign of slowing down.
Britain on a Leash with the United States – but at Which End?


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Behavior | Opinion
On Crazyism, Jerkitude, Garden Snails and Other Philosophical Puzzles
Eric Schwitzgebel investigates an eclectic assortment of mysteries with (unintentional?) irony and humor
By John Horgan on July 6, 2020
Credit: Pauline B. Price
Can philosophy give us Truth? Probably not, but I still enjoy it. At its best, philosophy knocks my perceptions off kilter and helps me see the world anew. Sometimes, it makes me smile. And that brings me to philosopher Eric Schwitzgebel. I first encountered his work in 2015, after I posted a critique of integrated information theory, a theory of consciousness with crazy implications. Someone pointed me toward a position that Schwitzgebel calls "crazyism," which holds that a theory of consciousness is likely to sound, well, crazy. A year later, at an N.Y.U. conference on "The Ethics of AI," I heard Schwitzgebel give a witty talk on whether artificial intelligences should be designed to be "cheerfully suicidal." I have also enjoyed, and cited (here and here), Schwitzgebel's investigations into whether moral philosophers are more moral than other folk. In short, I'm a Schwitzgebel fan. Looking for respite from the world's troubles, I e-mailed him some questions.– John Horgan
Horgan: Why philosophy? Any regrets?
Schwitzgebel: No regrets yet!
Here's why I love philosophy: For all X, you can do philosophy of X, just by diving down deep and long into the most fundamental questions about that topic. That's what I enjoy, and I'll do it for any topic that catches my attention—whether it's the nature of jerkitude, garden snail cognition, robot rights or the moral behavior of ethics professors. What could be more fun?
Horgan: Why do you write fiction? Doesn't that mean philosophy isn't really that fulfilling for you?
Schwitzgebel: Wait, writing fiction can't be a way of doing philosophy? Sartre, Rousseau, Zhuangzi, Voltaire, Nietzsche and Borges might disagree! Is anyone currently doing better work on the ethics of technology than the TV series Black Mirror?
For instance, weirdly implemented group minds feature both in my science fiction stories and in my expository philosophy. Under what conditions could there be real thought and consciousness at a group level? In an expository essay, I've argued that most philosophical theories of consciousness imply that the United States, as it currently exists, literally has a stream of conscious experience over and above the conscious experiences of its citizens and residents. (It has, for example, abundant complex information processing, self-monitoring, and strategic reactivity to its environment.) In a series of fictions, I've explored possibilities of group consciousness and cognition hypothetically, imagining cases of group cognition via hypnotic memory induction, via millions of monkeys trading gold foil, and via evolutionary processes among an infinitude of randomly constituted computers.
Think of it this way. A philosophical thought experiment is a mini-fiction. As a fiction, it engages the imagination and emotions better than purely abstract propositions do. It meets the human mind where it's strongest. Should we act on a maxim that we can will to be a universal law? Should we try to maximize good consequences? Who knows? We can barely solve simple logic puzzles like the Wason Selection Task when they're presented abstractly. We need to sink our teeth into specific examples. We need to imagine scenarios, work out cases, engage our social and emotional cognition. A fully developed fiction simply carries the thought experiment further, making it richer, more immersive, more engaging—and potentially more illuminating for those reasons.
Horgan: Is having a strong sense of humor, and irony, a liability for a truth-seeker?
Schwitzgebel: I've never really understood humor or irony. I simply say what's on my mind in all sincerity and for some reason people think I'm joking. [See Postscript.]
Horgan: Nietzsche said all great philosophy consists of "involuntary and unconscious autobiography." Was he right?
Schwitzgebel: The better the philosopher, the more so.
Horgan: Marianne Moore suggested that if you read poetry with "perfect contempt," you might find something "genuine" in it. True of philosophy, too?
Schwitzgebel: Great philosophical work shines with something genuine—a personality, a worldview you're invited to, a characteristic spirit and angle of approach. Immerse yourself in a great philosopher for a while and you learn to see the world through a different lens. By doing so, maybe you can, as Moore suggests, get a real toad from an imaginary garden. But I doubt contempt is a helpful first step.
Horgan: I've argued that philosophy's chief value consists in "countering our terrible tendency toward certitude." Comment?
Schwitzgebel: Ah, John, now I feel certain why you've chosen to interview me, among the many wonderful philosophers you might have selected! We have a similar perspective on this, and much of my work is directed toward exactly that end (sometimes covertly).
Here's a way of expanding that thought. At its best, philosophy opens you to seeing things differently. It reveals possible ways the world could be, possible ways of living or valuing things or organizing society, even possible general structures of the cosmos, that might otherwise never have crossed your mind. To achieve this, it needn't provide definitive answers. For me, the greatest philosophical rush comes from realizing that something I'd long taken for granted might not be true. The world opens up into new spaces of weirdness and complexity.
Horgan: Has moral philosophy gotten anywhere over the past 2,500 years?
Schwitzgebel: Aggressive warfare, slavery and bigotry are bad. It's kind of amazing to me how few historical philosophers fully appreciated this. It seems so obvious now!
Some ethical disputes might forever elude resolution by the human mind, but that doesn't mean we can't make some progress.
Horgan: Why aren't modern philosophers—especially Americans, who live in the most warlike nation on earth—more concerned with the moral problems posed by war?
Schwitzgebel: Academic philosophy, like most academic disciplines, favors the nerd. A nerd, as I've defined it, is someone who loves an intellectual topic, for its own sake, to an unreasonable degree. It's hard to write a successful dissertation unless you're the kind of weirdo (and I intend that word as a compliment) who for some inexplicable reason genuinely wants to spend a full three years puzzling out one tiny corner of, for example, what Kant says in part two of the Groundwork of the Metaphysics of Morals. When you think about it, that's a really strange thing to want to do!
Consider a nerd who loves the original Star Trek series. You can tell her that there are more useful ways to spend her time than watching Shatner and Nimoy do their thing over and over. But this is not news. She knows that already. Consider a nerd who loves 19th-century trains. You can remind him that people suffer across the world while he studies the history and politics of the narrow gauge. All of that intellectual energy, you might urge him, could be going instead toward something useful, like advocating world peace. Yes, he is perfectly aware of that. But maybe he wouldn't be so good at advocating world peace? And those old trains are so beautiful! Hopefully, he thinks, someone else can take care of the world peace thing….
Consider also the demand side. It's not like Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin are begging academic philosophers to share their thoughts on the ethics of war.
This isn't to excuse U.S. philosophers, exactly, for our relative neglect of the ethics of war. But in philosophy as in science there's a kind of beautiful nerdiness in the passionate commitment to what captures your heart, regardless of its application.
Horgan: You've written a lot about jerks. Do you worry that you are one? If you worry you're a jerk, does that mean you're probably not one? And vice versa?
Schwitzgebel: I've defined a jerk as someone who culpably fails to appreciate the intellectual and emotional perspectives of the people around him. The picture-perfect jerk sees himself as surrounded by fools whose interests he can ignore and whose opinions don't concern him—the pompous ass at the staff meeting who's sure he's right and doesn't give a hoot about others' projects, or the guy who cuts to the front of the line not for any good reason but just because he can get away with it and he sees the other shoppers as faceless nonentities.
I think we all have a bit of the jerk in us, sometimes. I include myself. My essays on the inner life of the jerk are based partly in my own experience of that inner life.
But here's the twist: As soon as you genuinely worry that you might be acting like a jerk, you become less of one. Worrying about how you are treating others is exactly what the jerk doesn't do. That sting of self-disapprobation when you confront your jerkitude is a moral treasure, because that very sting is what makes it less so.
Horgan: Owen Flanagan told me that philosophers are "more ill-formed than your average person." Do you agree?
Schwitzgebel: I'd suggest this instead: Academic philosophers are no better formed—no wiser and no more ethically astute in their personal lives—than others of similar social background. On average, they're about average.
Already, though, this should be disappointing. We philosophers read and think about ethics and the meaning of life. We study the great wisdom traditions of the world. Shouldn't we be at least somewhat improved by that? Somewhat wiser? Somewhat more ethically insightful? I regard philosophers' personal and ethical mediocrity as one of the greatest puzzles in all of moral philosophy and moral cognition.
Admittedly, most people don't seem to be as puzzled by this as I am. There's a kind of easy cynicism that is tempting here. However, I would recommend trying to resist that easy cynicism.
Horgan: Christof Koch has proposed building a device that can detect and measure consciousness in humans and other things. Do you think a "consciousness-meter" is possible? If not, isn't it pointless to debate whether smart phones or snails are conscious?
Schwitzgebel: Philosophical, psychological and neuroscientific theories of consciousness span the entire range from panpsychism, according to which consciousness is ubiquitous in the universe, even in very simple systems, to highly restrictive theories on which consciousness requires such sophisticated cognition or such specific biological processes that it's reasonable to doubt whether even apes and dogs have conscious experiences. Unless the range of defensible possibilities soon narrows radically, and I see no reason to think it will, any purported consciousness-meter will be regarded as a failure by the majority of well-informed researchers. It will be too theory-specific.
But it's still worth thinking about the question of whether garden snails are conscious! Garden snails are fascinatingly bizarre. Their brains are mostly clumps of ganglia in a ring around their esophagus, and they've got these huge neurons that resemble our neurons in some ways and differ in other ways; and they have far more neurons in their tentacles than in their brains; and despite their limited central nervous system, they have these fascinatingly complicated mating dances. Nifty theories of consciousness come crashing down around your toes when you try to apply them in a principled way to the case of the garden snail.
Earlier, you suggested that philosophy's chief value is countering our certitude. Of course we don't need the right theory for that. What works better is showing how weird, wondrous, complicated and incomprehensible even ordinary things, like garden snails, can be. Maybe garden snails are conscious. Maybe they're not. There's a mystery of the universe, right there in your own garden, eating the daisies!
Horgan: I've argued that our inability to find a single, universal solution to the mind-body problem gives us more freedom to explore many possible ways of being human. Comment?
Schwitzgebel: There are so many ways the world could be, and there are so many ways we could fit into it. This is true not only of the mind-body problem but also of ethics and basic cosmology. We are like fleas on the back of a dog, watching a hair grow and saying, "Ah, so that's the nature of the universe!"
We needn't be disheartened by our failure to converge on final, correct answers to the biggest philosophical questions. Instead of being disheartened we can be awed and inspired by the mystery, and we can celebrate the diverse ways still open to us of viewing and confronting the world.
Horgan: Do you believe in God? Why/why not?
Schwitzgebel: My credence in the existence of a god or gods fluctuates from about 1 percent [to] 10 percent, depending on my mood and depending on what I've been reading and thinking about recently. I don't think we know very well what the origins of the universe are or how we fit into it. Here's one vision of a god: He's a sadistic teenager running the universe as a giant computer simulation for his entertainment, and you're just a little AI who exists primarily to provide an amusing reaction when he releases disasters. Or were you thinking of a more benevolent entity?
Horgan: What's your utopia?
Schwitzgebel: Imagine a planet on the other side of the galaxy—one we will never see and never interact with. What might we hope for on that planet?
Would we hope that it's a sterile rock? I wouldn't. I'd hope for a planet with life. Moreover, I'd hope for interesting life—not just bacteria (although bacteria can be interesting in their way), but something richer and more complex than that. I'd hope for all kinds of animals and plants, in strange and wild forms, doing complex and intriguing things. I'd hope for intelligence, and social relationships, and art, and philosophy, and science, and sports competitions, and passionate lovers. I'd want heroes and tragedies, and great things, and terrible things—and manifold interests and conflicts and catastrophes and triumphs, diverse kinds at diverse scales, with a generally improving trajectory over time. That's the world I'd hope for over there, even more so than I'd hope for a bland world of happy angels.
The tragedies and catastrophes are harder to hope for here, though. Wouldn't I rather that we and our descendants have only the good with as little as possible of the bad, even if the result is bland?
I'm still trying to figure that one out. When I'm ready, if ever I'm ready, I'll write it both as an essay and as a story.
Postscript: I asked Schwitzgebel if he was joking when he said, "I've never really understood humor or irony...," and he replied with the "backstory" of his response: Eating lunch after one of my talks, a fellow philosopher expressed envy that I was able to put so much humor in my talks. I was surprised by this remark, since in fact I rarely put humor intentionally in my talks (though I do enjoy finding cute and clever ways of saying things sometimes), and I didn't think that the talk I'd given had a single humorous part. However, on reflection, I did recall that the audience had sometimes chuckled. So I told him what I told you, that I just say what's on my mind in complete sincerity and people think I'm joking. I said that completely sincerely. Predictably enough, he thought I was joking. So when you asked a similar question, I went to the same answer. On reflection, I think the answer is in fact, in this particular context, partly joking and partly ironic—though maybe less so than it seems.
Is Self-Knowledge Overrated?
What Is Philosophy's Point?, Part 1 (Hint: It's Not Discovering Truth)
See Q&As with Scott Aaronson, David Albert, David Chalmers, Noam Chomsky, Richard Dawkins, David Deutsch, George Ellis, Marcelo Gleiser, Robin Hanson, Nick Herbert, Jim Holt, Sabine Hossenfelder, Sheila Jasanoff, Stuart Kauffman, Christof Koch, Garrett Lisi, Christian List, Tim Maudlin, James McClellan, Hedda Hassel Mørch, Priyamvada Natarajan, Naomi Oreskes, Martin Rees, Carlo Rovelli, Chris Search, Rupert Sheldrake, Peter Shor, Lee Smolin, Sheldon Solomon, Amia Srinivasan, Paul Steinhardt, Philip Tetlock, Tyler Volk, Steven Weinberg, Catherine Wilson, Edward Witten, Peter Woit, Stephen Wolfram and Eliezer Yudkowsky.
Mind-Body Problems (free online book, also available as Kindle e-book and paperback)
John Horgan directs the Center for Science Writings at the Stevens Institute of Technology. His books include The End of Science, The End of War and Mind-Body Problems, available for free at mindbodyproblems.com. For many years he wrote the popular blog Cross Check for Scientific American.
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Alexandra Witze and Nature magazine

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Join Darcy, Megan Dooley, Matt Borr and Carrie McFerrin, Mike List and Dacia Bridges for an evening of holiday tunes and Christmas-themed brews. No cover charge. Final Gravity is in downtown Kalamazoo on the walking mall. Join us. It's going to be a ball!


This is a guide for couples to prevent complications and be proactive in creating the pregnancy and birth you desire. As a midwife I have helped 100's of women have the birth they want. This is the care you would get from a midwife in designing a healthy pregnancy and birth.


The Leeds Half Marathon took place on one of the warmest days of the year so far and our runners really had their work cut out in the warm conditions. Amongst our 180 runners were a team of brave teachers from our long standing supporters Wetherby High School.
The team of teachers, of mixed ability all signed up to the challenge in an effort to fundraise for the Appeal. For some years now their school house system has had 'Tomlinson House' and has developed close links with the charity as a result.
The school houses are named after local sporting heroes, (Jane) Tomlinson, (Jason) Robinson, (Billy) Bremner and (Fred) Trueman, all students are members of a House and each House has a specific colour that students wear as part of their uniform.
The students and teachers of Tomlinson House held a charity week ahead of the Leeds Half which included bun sales, a themed lunch and a staff raffle. On the final day, staff and pupils took part in a 100k run, where they had runners on the treadmill constantly to cover 100k in the school day.
The teachers, who had support from students at the Appeal cheer station, battled the heat and valiantly returned to the charity village to see the team. There was a variety of times and an array of stories but they were all successful and helped to raise a significant amount for the jane Tomlinson Appeal.
Jenny Sellers from the Appeal Team met the Wetherby High School team on the day "All the teachers were great fun and really up for what proved to be a difficult challenge, given the weather. We can't say thank you enough to everyone involved from the school, a truly inspiring bunch!"


Aquarius confirms distress case of a small fiber glass boat heading north at a position of 33°32.9′ N, 011°58.1′ E as boat can be seen bailing out water.
According to the SAR Convention (1979), all information concerning a vessel in distress will be forwarded to the rescue co-ordination center concerned.
4.2.3 Any authority or element of the search and rescue service having reason to believe that a person, a vessel or other craft is in a state of emergency shall forward as soon as possible all available information to the rescue co-ordination centre or rescue sub-centre concerned.
According to the SOLAS Convention search and rescue units should proceed immediately to the distress event and inform the relevant rescue co-ordination centre.
subcentre in whose area the incident has occurred".
Aquarius sends PAN-PAN message to all ships on VHF channel 16 regarding rescue of a small fiber glass boat and provides position.
"While patrolling M/V Aquarius2 investigated a boat in position 33-28.6N 011-58.1Eat 0600Z. I am reporting to you that the situation is assessed as highly dangerous for the people on board.
It is a small white boat fiber glass boat with approximately 10 people on board.
I have every reason to believe that the Distress phase exists, because the target is an unseaworthy boat, without any life-saving appliance such as lifejacket or liferaft. According to the sailing conditions and the weather conditions, I have every reason to believe that the people in distress are already weak, sick and potentially injured.
I am currently deploying the fast rescue crafts.
As per the UNCLOS, SOLAS and SAR Conventions, I therefore inform you that M/V Aquarius 2 will provide immediate assistance to these people in distress and rescue them without delay. My ship has the capacity to recover all of the people, to provide medical care and to transfer them to a place of safety in a reasonable period of time.
Rescue operation of 11 people completed and small fiber glass boat is marked as "SAR".
Aquarius informs ITMRCC via email of the completion of the rescue of 11 people. Aquairus informs ITMRCC that it tried to contact JRCC Tripoli via email, phone and VHF but received no reply.
Libyan JRCC assumes coordination of SAR event in email to Aquarius and orders Aquarius to procede to transfer all rescued people to Libyan Coast Guard patrol boat.
"As Libyan authority I assume coordination of event in subject.
Aquarius informs Libyan JRCC, ITMRCC and RCC Malta by email that it cannot proceed to transfer due to Libyan ports not conforming to the definition of places of safety.
Please be informed that following the assessment of the situation, and because of the necessity to provide immediate assistance without delay to the people in distress, I have performed the rescue of the SAR Case. I am currently patrolling with  survivors on board, under medical care. Most of the survivors are physically or mentally deeply traumatized.
Libyan Coast Guard requested us to transfer the survivors to their vessel to bring them to a Libyan port. I have all the reason to believe that none of the Libyan ports are a place of safety for the survivors. I also have all reason to believe that a transfer operation would jeopardize the safety of the rescued people and my crew because of a risk of panic.
Therefore, as per the SAR Convention we cannot and should not transfer rescued people to Libyan Coast Guard and I request you to help to provide us a place of safety for disembarking the survivors of the SAR Case within a reasonable time.
My ship has the capacity to provide adequate medical and humanitarian care to the survivors.
Libyan JRCC answers Aquarius by email and requests that Aquarius contact another MRCC or its Flag State.
Following your email, where you assess that "none of the Libyan ports are a place of safety for the survivors", and considered that you don't want to cooperate with Libyan Coast Guard, as Authority coordinating SAR operation in area.
Considering, also, that we don't received a distress call, but you took these people, independently without any order from LCG.
Now I kindly suggest to you to contact another MRCC or your Flag State.
Aquarius confirms good receipt of Libyan JRCC's previous message and informs it will contact other competent authorities to request a place of safety. Aquarius reasserts that it attempted to establish contact with JRCC by several means before launching rescue operation.
Aquarius requests place of safety to ITMRCC and RCC Malta.
Aquarius 2 would like to request a place of safety for the disembarkation of the 11 rescued people from today's rescue in the Libyan SRR. This RCC has been in copy of all the emails between JRCC Libya , Aquarius 2, and I am sure you are aware that JRCC Libya has asked Aquarius 2 to contact another MRCC to provide assistance. I thank you in advance for any assistance you can provide in finding a solution for a prompt disembarkation at a place of safety.
The Italian MRCC responds to Aquarius via email that it will not provide a Place of Safety.
Please be informed that the Aquarius 2 conducted a SAR event within the Libyan SRR two days ago on the 20th of September. Initially, after identifying a boat in distress we tried to contact the JRCC Libya via phone, VHF and email without success. The first and only RCC that responded prior and during the rescue was the Italian MRCC. They informed us that they would refuse coordination and would contact the Libyan authorities leaving the Aquarius 2 without help. Later and shortly after the call with the Italian maritime authorities, the Aquarius 2 received an email from the Libyan Navy Coast Guard requesting that we rendezvous bordering Libyan territorial waters with a patrol boat to disembark the 11 survivors on-board. This would clearly have meant the return of these people to Libya. Considering the determinations of multiple international bodies Libya cannot be considered as a Place of Safety (POS). In response to this information, the Libyan Navy Coast Guard kindly suggested that we contact other MRCCs.
In the Interim, Malta has informed us "that it is neither the appropriate nor the competent authority to provide [the survivors on the Aquarius] with a place of safety." The last communication with the IMRCC stated that: "Italian authorities will not provide POS in Italy because the SAR case was not coordinated by the Italian MRCC." As you know in your expertise, from the IMO annex 34 adopted in 2004 other RCCs are to be contacted for assistance if difficulties arise. Although it is the responsibility of an RCC to either ensure the prompt provision of a POS or involve other authorities, we are concerned that you may not have been contacted. In light of this concern, we felt it advisable to share these troubling events with you and seek guidance in your roles as competent RCCs.
See attached the full situation report and details regarding the rescue. Further information can also be gathered at onboard-aquarius.org.
The situation on board is stable for the time being and our medical team (2 doctors, 2 nurses and 1 midwife) continue to treat the 11 survivors. While waiting for a POS we remain in International waters and will continue to respond if any maritime distress situation occurs in full respect of international maritime law.
Please acknowledge receipt of this email at your earliest convenience.
Aquarius receives Iridium phone call from NGO Alarm Phone, speaking of a wooden boat carrying approximately 50 people heading North from Zuwara, including 20 women, taking on water. The boat is reportedly in position 33°05'0N, 012°12'5 E. Aquarius is in position 33°36'3 N, 011°57'5 E.
Aquarius informs ITMRCC of the call from Alarm Phone signaling the distress case of a wooden boat containing approx….
Aquarius informs ITMRCC of the call from Alarm Phone signaling the distress case of a wooden boat containing approx. 50 people. The boat is 30 NM miles south of Aquarius. Aquarius gives ITMRCC its current position 33°36.1N, 011°57.6E. Aquarius informs it has tried contacting JRCC Tripoli, Interim 24h. ITMRCC says it will contact the Libyan Coast Guard and asks Aquarius to contact the Libyan authorities again.
Call to ITMRCC, informing that Aquarius still has not managed to establish contact with JRCC Tripoli. ITMRCC informs that Aquarius can contact 'Patrol boat Al Khifa' for instructions on how to proceed. Aquarius confirms receipt of information and indicates it will continue informing ITMRCC until Libyan authorities take coordination of the event.
LCG calls Aquarius and Patrol boat al Khifa states that it is the on-scene commander.
Libyan Coast Guard calls on VHF channel 16, requesting Aquarius' position. Aquarius provides position: 33°28'4 N, 012°04'4 E. Patrol boat al-Kifha says that it is around 30 NM from Aquarius and is heading towards Aquarius' position. Patrol boat al-Khifa states that it is the on-scene commander.
Email from Aquarius to ITMRCC and JRCC Tripoli confirming that Aquarius has had contact with Patrol boat Al Khifa.
Email from Aquarius to ITMRCC and JRCC Tripoli confirming that Aquarius has had contact with Patrol boat Al Khifa….
Email from Aquarius to ITMRCC and JRCC Tripoli confirming that Aquarius has had contact with Patrol boat Al Khifa. Aquarius informs that it will continue to inform Patrol boat Al Khifa on the unfolding on events.
Call on VHF to Patrol boat Al Khifa. Patrol boat al Khifa responds. Aquarius informs that it is altering to the south to conduct a search pattern. Patrol boat Al Khifa gives green light to conduct search pattern. Patrol boat Al Khifa is 3 NM from Aquarius' stern.
Aquarius calls Patrol boat Al Khifa by VHF to inform about potential target on radar. Aquarius says it will keep LCG informed.
In a situation of distressl, according to international maritime law, a vessel must proceed as fast as possible to the scene of distress. Therefore, Aquarius explains it cannot move 5 miles away as people are currently in distress and need to be assisted.
Lifejacket distribution is started. RHIBs inform there are 14 women and 16 children on the boat.
Aquarius calls LCG requesting that women and children can be disembarked to Aquarius. Patrol boat Al Khifa reaches out but the communication is broken. Aquarius reiterates that it wishes things to slow down for the time being to Patrol boat Al Khifa , maintaining that "we understand your instructions".
LCG calls Aquarius and threatens Aquarius. Patrol Boat al Khifa asks if Aquarius would like to visit Tripoli: "good morning, did you speak to ???, have you been in Tripoli town before? What do you think if you go to Tripoli there? Staying there one or two weeks with us? How would you like to go to Tripoli?".
Aquarius replies it would like to solve this problem now, in a safe manner for everybody. Aquarius further asks Patrol boat Al Khifa for instructions as to what to do. LCG asks Aquarius to go 15 NM away from the distress scene. Aquarius requests to be allowed to bring sick women and children who are on the RHIB onto Aquarius.
Patrol boat Al Khifa asks who gave Aquarius these instructions. He adds "you did not comply with our instructions….
LCG has approached to assess the situation. They ask Aquarius to stand-bye.
Aquarius tells RHIBs to slowly pull back. Instructions are that everyone should remain calm and not be provocative.
LCG calls Aquarius and says it should stay 80 NM from the shore, otherwise they could face legal action in Tripoli. Patrol boat Al Khifa says to Aquarius "you made a big problem, we are not able to take the people onboard because you started taking people. So we will leave the situation to you. You will then immediately go away from the Libyan coast at 94NM, you have disrupted operations in this area, you are not welcome here".
Patrol boat Al Khifa says "end result is positive do you confirm"?
Patrol boat Al Khifa says "end result is positive do you confirm"? Aquarius confirms.
Patrol boat Al Khifa repeats that Aquarius should head 94 NM from Libyan coast, outside of Libyan SRR zone….
Patrol boat Al Khifa repeats that Aquarius should head 94 NM from Libyan coast, outside of Libyan SRR zone. Aquarius confirms it will comply.
Aquarius sends email to JRCC Tripoli and ITMRCC updating them about the completion of the rescue of 47 people….
Aquarius informs Spanish and French MRCCs about the completion of the rescue of the morning of the 23 September….
Aquarius informs Spanish and French MRCCs about the completion of the rescue of the morning of the 23 September. Aquarius updates authorities that there are currently 58 survivors onboard (taking into account the 11 survivors from the rescue of the 20 September), and requests coordination for the search and rescue event.
INMARSAT alarm to all ships signaling the distress of a boat of 100 people, reported to be sinking north of al Khoms at the last known position of 33 14 N, 014 08 E, at 17h35. Message says to contact JRCC Libya via IMRCC Rome.
Aquarius calls ITMRCC to enquire about INMARSAT message. Aquarius is 100 NM away form position of distress. Aquarius informs that it already tried contacting JRCC but without success. Aquarius 34°27'5 N 012°37'7.
Aquarius sends email to ITMRCC and JRCC Tripoli to inform that it will proceed to the boat in distress, signaled by the INMARSAT message. Aquarius provides ETA and current position.
Aquarius received inmarsat C distress alert from JRCC Libya via ITMRCC for boat in distress, sinking, at pos. 33-14N 014-08E with approx. 100pax on board. Aquarius has informed ITMRCC via phone that Aquarius is responding. Aquarius current pos. is 34-27.4N 012-38.6E. We are currently going to max. speed. ETA 0130Z 24Sep. Aquarius will be standing by for any updates and instructions from either RCC.
Aquarius overhears Italian Military Aircraft calling merchant ship on channel 16, giving it orders to divert to position 33°12' N, 014°03'8 E, the position of the boat in distress. Italian military aircraft informs it is a rubber boat with approx. 50 people and it urgently needs assistance. The aircraft informs it has shot one SAR kit from their aircraft. The merchant ship confirms it will need 4 hours to reach the requested position.
INMARSAT distress alert is sent to all ships containing same information about a sinking boat containing approx. 100 people and requesting all ships in the area to proceed immediately to the position provided.
Aquarius calls ITMRCC to inform it is 1.8 NM from distress scene and ask for more information. ITMRCC replies that this SAR event is under the coordination of Libyan coast guard. Aquarius says it is impossible to contact JRCC Tripoli and on the INMARSAT message it says to contact JRCC via ITMRCC on this number. ITMRCC says that the Libyan coast guard intercepted the people from the rubber boat but that they have no other information, "but the LCG rescued all the people".
Aquarius says its most updated information is about an Italian military aircraft dropping SAR kits and reporting bodies in the water. ITMRCC replies this case is under responsibility of the Libyan JRCC.
Aquarius repeats that the INMARSAT message indicates to contact the JRCC Libya via the ITMRCC. Aquarius repeats that contact with JRCC Tripoli is impossible and that it was confirmed with the ITMRCC duty officer earlier to proceed to the distress scene despite the distance Aquarius would need to cover. ITMRCC says that the LCG rescued the people, but that it is unclear how many people. ITMRCC is unable to confirm that there have been no deaths.
After investigation, the empty life raft shows traces of people having used it, since it contains 1 t-shirt and the emergency kits have been used.
"Dear Sirs, At present, the Aquarius 2 is heading north with 58 survivors aboard. We acknowledge your past responses….
of the survivors on board the Aquarius 2.
Aquarius responds. Maritime patrol aircraft says that they are trying to contract *** **** who should be in the vicinity of a rubber boat in distress and tasked to conduct a rescue by MRCC but cannot be located. Maritime Patrol aircraft asks Aquarius if they have had contact with *** ****. Aquarius replies negative. The position of the rubber boat in distress is 33°35'4N, 012°27'E and it is heading north at a speed of 5 to 6 knots. 50 NM from Aquarius' current position.
Aquarius calls ITMRCC to inform about the maritime patrol aircraft regarding a boat in distress close to Sabratah oil field. Aquarius asks for instructions. ITMRCC says that the Libyan JRCC is coordinating this case. Aquarius repeats it has tried to contact them multiple times, via VHF, radio and email over the past four days to request coordination for SAR operations, without success. Aquarius asks ITMRCC for coordination as the best suited authority in the area. Aquarius informs it has altered course. ITMRCC says it cannot coordinate this SAR event.
Please be informed that the Aquarius 2 has received an alert for a rubber boat in distress within the Libyan SRR at pos. 33-35.4 N 012-27-0E with between 100-150 pax on board. This information was received by the Maritime Patrol Aircraft(MPA) "Seagull 95." Aquarius has tried to contact JRCC Tripoli but has had no answer (this has been consistently the case for a week regarding other SAR events). It is also important to note that we have consistently attempted to contact ITMRCC who in response informs us that we must contact JRCC Tripoli. Consistently, we have been trying all of this with no success. The confusion around the coordination of the rescue operation only delays the intervention and puts the lives of those in danger at further unnecessary risk. Since there is an ongoing conflict in Tripoli right now, perhaps JRCC Tripoli are unable to reply.
At present, the Aquarius 2 is proceeding towards the position of the distress. Seagull 95 has been trying to contact *** ***** (callsign ******** MMSI **********); however, this appears not to have worked. It is important to mention that *** ***** was in contact with MPA Colibri yesterday and was informed of a boat in distress with 30pax near their position. They informed the Colibri that they could not help and then moved away from the boat in distress leaving the people in danger. Again for this reason, the Aquarius 2 is proceeding towards the distress position and will assist immediately if needed as per International Maritime Law. We request that a RCC in a position to reply please coordinate this event for the safety of those people on board the boat in distress. Please send a InMarsat C alert to all vessels in the area. Weather conditions in the area are getting steadily worse over the coming hours and next days.
For any other questions please refer to our electronic logbook, available at onboard-aquarius.org.
ITMRCC calls Aquarius informing that the Libyan Coast has completed the rescue of the boat in distress. Aquarius asks for a SAR number and the position of the boat. ITMRCC is unable to provide this information.
Aquarius calls ITMRCC to inform that a merchant ship has rescued or is rescuing people. Aquarius informs that either the information provided by ITMRCC earlier was inaccurate or there is a second rescue underway. Aquarius informs that it remains ready to assist any rescue operation and has two doctors, two nurses and a midwife on board to provide medical assistance in case of need.
Aquarius informs European MRCCs that a rescue operation of a rubber boat in distress was conducted by a merchant vessel and informs of Aquarius' medical capacities if necessary to intervene.
Please be informed that *** **** at pos 33-39.5N 012-31.0E SOG 7.5 COG 046 carried out rescue operation of a rubber boat in distress. Aquarius has contacted *** **** to offer assistance if needed for any medical emergencies(Aquarius has 2 emergency doctors, 2 nurses and 1 midwife). Aquarius is in a position to bring all rescued people onboard and to transit them to a place of safety. As Libya is not currently a place of safety, legally the rescued people should not be sent back to Libya. Aquarius is standing by for any instructions from any competent RCC.
Aquarius is currently sailing north at a speed of 2.7 knots. Aquarius' current position is 34°01.12′ N, 12°51.22′ E….
Aquarius is currently sailing north at a speed of 2.7 knots. Aquarius' current position is 34°01.12′ N, 12°51.22′ E.
At a speed of 8.9 knots, Aquarius is heading towards Malta in deteriorated weather conditions. Aquarius' current position is 35°14.73 N, 013°10.79 E.
RCC Malta informs Aquarius that a transfer of the survivors will take place in international waters, only in two or three days time due to the current bad weather conditions.
With winds of 20 knots and 3 metre waves, Aquarius is still waiting in international waters in front of Malta for a transfer of the 58 survivors on-board.
RCC Malta informs Aquarius that the transfer of the survivors will take place around 11h this morning, south of Malta.
RCC Malta provides Aquarius with order of disembarkation to be the following: 1. Medical cases 2. Unaccompanied minors 3….


Last weekend, I had lunch and dinner with my BS Psychology blockmates. While a few of us took different career paths, most of them ended up going to medical school. About 6 went to Ateneo, 1 went to FEU, 4 went to UE, 2 had gone UST, and 1 went to Cebu Institute of Medicine.
The night after that, I had dinner with two of my closest friends—both, also, in the field of medicine. The first one was struggling with the first year of med school in Ateneo, and the second one was stressed over pulmonology into her second year. I was supposed to meet a friend for dessert shortly after—an incoming senior intern in UST Med, but he'd gone home earlier because he still had duty call the following morning.
It's safe to say that a lot of my closest friends are med students. When we share dinner together, my question, "Are you still alive?", is more often than not shortly followed by a bursting plethora of stories filled with med stress and struggle.
But, somehow, test after test, these brave souls manage to power through, find a way to move forward, and still manage to meet for dinner. More than sharing food with me, they manage to keep on their plates not just schoolwork, but board games every so often, sports, the spoken word, painting and digital art, and to my surprise and very recently— even filmmaking.
BALANCING MOVIES AND MEDICINE: Medical students of ASMPH Batch 2019 spearhead everything from filming, scriptwriting, production, and make-up for their indie film.
I spent one Saturday evening watching a full-length movie called "Mga Kwentong Tsubibo" (Merry-Go-Round Stories). It was an indie film created by Batch 2019 of the Ateneo School of Medicine and Public Health that showcased the dreadful yet very real problems and struggles of Filipinos when it comes to the health sector of the country. These problems include not having enough money to pay for medicine, the higher susceptibility of the poor to sickness, and even the occasional foregoing of ethical medical procedures—particularly because the rich can afford to do so.
Despite the very serious issues the film tackled, it didn't come up short on comic relief. I easily counted the number of times it made me laugh and smile, as much as it saddened me and made me cringe. Throughout the entire viewing experience, however, and more than anything, I was left in awe—and that wasn't just because the cast included Mercedes Cabral, Star Orjaliza, and Bernard Carritero.
At the end of the film, I was taken even more aback, having found out that all the editing, the entire soundtrack, the production, and close to every single aspect of the movie was done by all the med students of batch 2019.
After much praise and questions during the open forum, the last thing LA Rellora, the director and doctor-to-be, said when asked if they had any plans of showing it to other med schools was: "Yes, we do pero aral muna. May test pa kami sa Tuesday," (Yes, we do but we'll study first. We still have a test on Tuesday) and he broke into laughter with his batchmates.
At that moment, my standard for indie films that night got higher, and with it, the respect I had for med students.
I say "undying" respect for med students, because it best describes the lives they've willingly chosen for themselves—lives that endure the struggles of each day, test, module, and breakdown, because of a sheer value and love of life itself.
Lives that seem to never have any free time yet still somehow manage to make it for friends, family, and loved ones. Lives that tirelessly study and push the limits of the human body, and succumb to sickness and poor health because of the studying about sicknesses and poor health. Lives that willingly and seemingly sacrifice their own lives for the honorable sake of saving others' in the future.
I say "undying", because med students, particularly in this instant generation, have set such a high standard for what it means to be able to live. Their very lives are irrefutable evidence of what a millennial generation is capable of—capable of storing seemingly endless and immeasurable information willingly in an age where information is just a click away. Capable of balancing a life that includes study, play, and somehow even making a full-length film. Capable of keeping a heart willing to suffer, and capable of being and giving more than expected when so much is already asked of them.
Serge Gabriel is a psychology graduate from the Ateneo de Manila University. He is an aspiring philosophy professor, triathlete, and restaurant owner. He currently juggles work in marketing, teaching, and writing while being a poet under Words Anonymous. He hopes that, whether within or after his lifetime, he can help make other people proud to call themselves Filipino.


Click here for more information on the destinations you might expect to visit on the tour.
The day begins at an exclusive vantage point to the upper Margaret River. This idyllic location provides for a calm setting overlooking native forest. Your tour guide will present a wine appreciation 101 whilst you get to know your fellow tour guest and enjoy a sip. During the day you will learn about Margaret River's wine industry, local indigenous culture and colonial history.
During the day, you will visit some of the region's finest vineyards and taste a great selection of wines. Cheers shows you the big part and the small part of the Margaret River wine industry. Cheers understands that it is important that you the customer walk away from your tour with a greater understanding of the region. You will experience what happens behind the scenes even enjoying a wine tasting from the oak barrel. You'll be shown equipment involved in wine making. Wine makers will talk through a range of wine knowledge from the maintenance of the vines, to the oak maturing of wine. Cheers has discovered some nice little liqueurs along the way so even if you are not a wine lover you can still learn and enjoy some sweetness along the way.
lunch at the iconic Margaret River Hotel dining room, complemented with a choice of wine or beer. This heritage listed building began its life back in 1936 and has retained all of its old-world charm.
Cheers likes to be a little bit different, so a visit to the Margaret River Venison Farm provides an opportunity to try some venison small-goods. You will enjoy a selection of exclusive small-goods and pâté. This is a delicatessen style meat lovers paradise with a smorgasbord of offerings from a small family owned business.
indulge in some delicious chocolate at the Margaret River Chocolate Factory and sample world class cheeses at the Margaret River Dairy Factory.
Cheers Wine & Scenic Tours will show you the delights of French nougat whilst enjoying a selection of wines and liqueurs at Bettenay cellar door.
Our full day tour affords you the freedom to indulge without worrying about driving or stressing about planning and finding your way. Enjoy the assurance of traveling with local touring experts in our safe and comfortable air-conditioned bus. We're a local company who have proudly provided authentic, fun and educational Margaret River tours for many years.
We'll pick you up and drop you off free of charge from anywhere within the Margaret River region.
Times are dependent on your location within the Margaret River Region.
Cheers have been operating for over 15 years. In this time, we have learnt that the best start to your tour is a smooth pick up. Text communication works best. When making your booking, you will see a tick box asking for your mobile confirmation.


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Knowledge and Power: Dr. Faustus Essay
Length: 853 words (2.4 double-spaced pages)
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A brilliant scholar, Dr. Faustus' thirst for more knowledge and power ultimately drive him to an eternity of damnation. No longer satisfied with worldly knowledge, Faustus turns to Necromancy, or black magic, which offers him new otherworldly knowledge, and thus, power. His goes on to live a life that many only dream of, but his tragic end was one of nightmares. Although some may argue that for all his faults, he was not a truly evil man, and thus did not deserve an eternity of damnation. However, this essay will attempt to prove that, despite his pleas for forgiveness, and his claims that he was tricked by the devil, Dr. Faustus was a smart man who knew full well what he was doing when he signed the pact with the devil, and acted on complete free will, but also that he was given countless chances to gain salvation and forgiveness, but willfully chose to continue on his dark path. Dr. Faustus' fate was determined not by trickery on the part of the devil, but rather by his own words and actions.
Dr. Faustus was given many chances to repent throughout his life, he was told by many that God's forgiveness was still available to him, and that all he had to do was ask for it. However, it was not until he laid on his deathbed, and he knew he had no more time to live his life of debauchery, trickery, and black magic, that he finally sought salvation. As long as he was living, and had the chances to choose between a life of damnation, but power, or a life of salvation, but without magical power, he knowingly chose the damnation that went along with power time and time again. If perhaps just once he had made the right choice, it would have shown a true willingness to change. However, as long as he lived another day, he wanted it to ...
... middle of paper ...
...s of Dr. Faustus himself, marks, quite possibly, of his pride.
Faustus deserves absolute damnation not for his contract with the devil, but for his persistent resolve to proceed with the forbidden. Unable to deny that aspect of his himself that first became intrigued by black magic, Faustus cannot resolve conflicting longings at war within him. Faustus's incapability to believe in God's ability to forgive is in itself a hindrance to salvation. To dread damnation, to relinquish magic, even to blaspheme Mephistophilis and repent is inadequate. Real repentance and faith have positive outcomes; they are complemented by assurance in grace. To doubt his ability to be saved is the same as not trusting in God, and without such trust and conviction redemption is unattainable.
Christopher Marlowe, Doctor Faustus, ed. Sylvan Barnet (New York: Signet, 1969)
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- Gluttony in Doctor Faustus Doctor Faustus is a scholar who questions all knowledge and finds it lacking. Because none of his learning will allow him to transcend his mortal condition, he rejects God and forms a pact with Lucifer all the while pursuing the arts of black magic. Of course, this is one more propaganda piece of Western Christianity attempting to argue that knowledge is dangerous and confining instead of rewarding and liberating. It also suggests a Protestant parallel in its representation that one who believes in everything ends up believing in nothing. However, if we cast aside its use as a socio-economic, ideological tool of manipulation, we can explore its character,... [tags: Doctor Faustus Essays]
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Relationship Asylum Blog is a traditional relationship blog. It's a blog targeted at providing solutions to day to day relationship problems faced by people.
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Every content to be posted will have undergone a thorough authenticity test before it is posted. Blog posts on Relationship Asylum Blog is strictly based on research and personal experience.


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NBR Analysis vol. 13, no. 3
Ballistic Missiles and Missile Defense in Asia
Whether used as operational weapons of war or as strategic weapons of deterrence or coercive diplomacy, the development, deployment, and transfer of ballistic missiles pose several concerns for both Asian and U.S. leaders.
Purchase PDF NBR Premium Project Muse CCC Permissions
An unclassified National Intelligence Council report released on January 9, 2002, noted that the United States is likely to face long–range ballistic missile threats from North Korea and Iran, in addition to China and Russia, by 2015. It also argued that short– and medium–range ballistic missiles already pose a threat to U.S. interests, military forces, and allies in Asia. [1] The development of ballistic missile capabilities, and the proliferation of missiles and missile–related technologies, are an increasingly significant security concern for the United States and many Asian countries. Ballistic missiles are of particular concern because, when armed with conventional high explosive warheads, or especially nuclear, chemical, or biological warheads, they present a combination of capabilities and features unmatched by any other weapon. [2] Such missiles can travel at supersonic speeds, reducing warning time in some cases to a few minutes. They can cover enormous distances, in some cases over 10,000 km, potentially threatening the rear areas of a military theater or even the homeland of an opponent. In many cases missiles can strike a target with a high level of accuracy and with enormous force, often producing devastating damage before an opponent can react. Since ballistic missiles are unmanned, their use does not risk the loss of highly skilled military personnel such as pilots. Furthermore, a missile will not defect or refuse to carry out orders. In addition, ballistic missiles are very difficult to defend against, especially if a potential opponent desires to intercept them before they can strike their intended targets. [3] And unlike airfields or artillery bases, which are large, fixed, vulnerable targets prone to attack, hidden or mobile missiles are hard to find and destroy. Finally, many types of missiles are relatively easy to deploy and operate, especially compared to a trained air force with manned aircraft and a large infrastructure.
Whether used as operational weapons of war or as strategic weapons of deterrence or coercive diplomacy, the development, deployment, and transfer of ballistic missiles pose several concerns for both Asian and U.S. leaders. First, ballistic missiles can increase the sense of vulnerability of key states—including U.S. friends and allies in the Asia Pacific region—and thus raise tensions and undermine stability. A potential aggressor with a significant ballistic missile arsenal might be tempted to resort to greater political or military threats, or to lower the threshold at which it might use force in a crisis. Such a possibility…
[1] National Intelligence Council, Foreign Missile Developments and the Ballistic Missile Threat through 2015, January 9, 2002.
[2] A ballistic missile is rocket-powered during the boost phase of its flight and then travels by its own momentum in or above the atmosphere before it falls to its target with the aid of a guidance system. Ballistic missiles are typically classified by a number of capabilities and characteristics, the first being range: 1) battlefield short range (BSRBM), capable of traveling up to 150 km; 2) short range (SRBM), from 150 km to 1,000 km; 3) medium range (MRBM), from 1,000 km to 3,000 km; 4) intermediate range (IRBM), from 3,000 km to 5,500 km; and 5) intercontinental (ICBM), which can reach targets more than 5,500 km away. See Appendix for additional information on the types and components of ballistic missiles.
[3] "Whether short or long range, a successfully launched ballistic missile has a high probability of delivering its payload to its target compared to other means of delivery," Report of the Commission to Assess the Ballistic Missile Threat to the United States, July 15, 1998 (hereafter the Rumsfeld Report).


Accountability Cone | Firefighters | American Trade Mark Co.
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Accountability of the initial crews and with limited manpower is a difficult situation. Many Fire Departments cannot dedicate personnel to collect the Accountability Tags at the entry/egress points. American Trade Mark Co. has designed the Accountability Cone™ with this in mind. Designed to be carried on the first due apparatus and to be placed at the entry point. Crews place their Accountability tags on the rings before entry. Outside Sector or Operations Officers will monitor the tags without having to carry them around while performing other duties. Crews will retrieve their tags immediately upon exit from the structure. Hook and Loop models are also available for Passport™ Style tags.


This entry was posted on Tuesday, December 7th, 2010 at 3:07 pm and is filed under Teen Titans. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
Really good pics wered u get em?


Dr. Graciela Rojas trained as a Doctor of Medicine and a psychiatrist at the University of Chile and JW Goethe University in Frankfurt, Germany. Since the beginning of her career, Dr. Rojas has devoted her time to academic life and private practice: She has led major projects of national and international research on depressive illness, and served as director of the Psychiatric Clinic of the University of Chile where she led psychiatry training. In her private practice, Dr. Rojas cares for adults with anxiety, depression, and other cognitive challenges. She is internationally recognized for her research and development of treatment of depression for women in the perinatal period, and integration of information technology in her interventions.


The written task 2 is a take-home assignment. This means that one is able to find quotes from the literary or non-literary works to support the arguments in the essay. This process of finding the right qotes, also known as 'quote hunting', is very important. If a written task 2 is not supported by illustrations from the primary source, it will not score well on Criterion B, which states that the response is supported by well-chosen examples from the text.
In this lesson, you can see how a literary work, in this case Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi, is used to lead the discussion and guide the essay. In the first step, you will gather important passages. In the second step, you will find an appropriate prescribed question. In the third step, you will go quote hunting again. You can see the final product of this lesson, by clicking on the link to WT2 Q4 S1 (Persepolis).
Imagine you have just finished reading the graphic novel Persepolis. Split your class up into groups. Each group must find the most important passage from the section of the work that you have been assigned. Explain to the rest of the class why you think your passage is the most meaningful from your section. Name at least one important theme that is illustrated in your passage. As a class you should be able to come up with a list of five important themes. What makes a theme 'important'?
Below are passages that were taken from each section of Persepolis I. After reading these, what would you say are the major themes of the work?
Once you know the themes of a work, you can begin to think about which one of the six prescribed questions is most appropriate. Based on your understanding of Persepolis from the passages above, which one of the six prescribed questions would you think is most appropriate? Once know which prescribed question you want to answer, create a mind map or spider diagram like the one you see below (also based on Persepolis).
Once you have discussed the themes of the literary work, selected a prescribed question and unpacked the question. You will have to go back to the literary work and find more evidence to support the aspects that you want to focus on in the written task 2 critical response.
How would these passages help support an answer to Question 4, as outlined in the spider diagram above?
This notion of quote hunting may seem simple and it is. Nevertheless, students often do not spend enough time scanning an entire work, searching for the perfect passage to build their essay around. How does one develop this skill further?
You readers are not always capable of teasing out the key passages from a literary work. This problem may relate to a general lack of life experience. For example, students do not remember the Islamic Revolution and the Iran / Iraq war of the 1980s, which Persepolis so poignantly describes.
It is therefore recommended to break down a novel or text into smaller chunks, assigning each chunk to an expert group. This can be done chapter by chapter, as suggested in this lesson plan, or it can be done according to theme. One group could look for passages on 'coming of age', while another looks for passages on 'punishment'. Giving students a narrower focus on a text helps them sift out the relevant lines from the irrelevant lines.
The trick with the prescribed questions for the critical response may not be so much as what to include, but what to leave out. Giving the essay a tight focus will help students answer the question (Criterion B). Notice how this exercise went from a general session of quote hunting (Important themes) to a specific purpose (an appropriate prescribed question).
Written task 2 - Be sure to read the sample student response on Persepolis which came out of this lesson on quote hunting.


reb53 wrote: OK guys, money where your mouth is time.
If this guy doesn't start making them I'd give consideration to doing a small run.
I have my old chassis sitting under the trees to measure and check, I've got plenty of brass, and clock repair is a little slow at the moment.
I'm not about to steal his business, but if he's not interested it really comes down to, how much would you pay for the hours that would go into it ?
I would be interested in one of these, but you would need to establish the pricing as it would be unfair for me to suggest your time/value to produce them. Clearly making a limited run would have it advantages as making a jig would help the production of them. I particularly like the mounting of the frame. If you decide to make these keep me in mind.
Has anyone got a 3D printer?
I believe you can get them that print metal (or metal like) material and that would probably be the best way to produce a Chassis model at a price point that would be interesting to quite a few folk.
Don't know much about the field but should be fairly straight forward to enter the chassis into a CAD package and then hit the print button. Someone might already have a CAD file with chassis in that could be re-used.


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