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Science Sushi
Mythbusting 101: Organic Farming > Conventional Agriculture
By Christie Wilcox on July 18, 2011
Credit: Thomas Barwick Getty Images
People believe a lot of things that we have little to no evidence for, like that vikings wore horned helmets or that you can see the Great Wall of China from space. One of the things I like to do on my blogs is bust commonly held myths that I think matter. For example, I get really annoyed when I hear someone say sharks don't get cancer (I'll save that rant for another day). From now onward, posts that attack conventionally believed untruths will fall under a series I'm going to call "Mythbusting 101."
Ten years ago, Certified Organic didn't exist in the United States. Yet in 2010, a mere eight years after USDA's regulations officially went into effect, organic foods and beverages made $26.7 billion. In the past year or two, certified organic sales have jumped to about $52 billion worldwide despite the fact that organic foods cost up to three times as much as those produced by conventional methods. More and more, people are shelling out their hard-earned cash for what they believe are the best foods available. Imagine, people say: you can improve your nutrition while helping save the planet from the evils of conventional agriculture - a complete win-win. And who wouldn't buy organic, when it just sounds so good?
Here's the thing: there are a lot of myths out there about organic foods, and a lot of propaganda supporting methods that are rarely understood. It's like your mother used to say: just because everyone is jumping off a bridge doesn't mean you should do it, too. Now, before I get yelled at too much, let me state unequivocally that I'm not saying organic farming is bad - far from it. There are some definite upsides and benefits that come from many organic farming methods. For example, the efforts of organic farmers to move away from monocultures, where crops are farmed in single-species plots, are fantastic; crop rotations and mixed planting are much better for the soil and environment. My goal in this post isn't to bash organic farms, instead, it's to bust the worst of the myths that surround them so that everyone can judge organic farming based on facts. In particular, there are four myths thrown around like they're real that just drive me crazy.
Myth #1: Organic Farms Don't Use Pesticides
When the Soil Association, a major organic accreditation body in the UK, asked consumers why they buy organic food, 95% of them said their top reason was to avoid pesticides. They, like many people, believe that organic farming involves little to no pesticide use. I hate to burst the bubble, but that's simply not true. Organic farming, just like other forms of agriculture, still uses pesticides and fungicides to prevent critters from destroying their crops. Confused?
So was I, when I first learned this from a guy I was dating. His family owns a farm in rural Ohio. He was grumbling about how everyone praised the local organic farms for being so environmentally-conscientious, even though they sprayed their crops with pesticides all the time while his family farm got no credit for being pesticide-free (they're not organic because they use a non-organic herbicide once a year). I didn't believe him at first, so I looked into it: turns out that there are over 20 chemicals commonly used in the growing and processing of organic crops that are approved by the US Organic Standards. And, shockingly, the actual volume usage of pesticides on organic farms is not recorded by the government. Why the government isn't keeping watch on organic pesticide and fungicide use is a damn good question, especially considering that many organic pesticides that are also used by conventional farmers are used more intensively than synthetic ones due to their lower levels of effectiveness. According to the National Center for Food and Agricultural Policy, the top two organic fungicides, copper and sulfur, were used at a rate of 4 and 34 pounds per acre in 1971 1. In contrast, the synthetic fungicides only required a rate of 1.6 lbs per acre, less than half the amount of the organic alternatives.
The sad truth is, factory farming is factory farming, whether its organic or conventional. Many large organic farms use pesticides liberally. They're organic by certification, but you'd never know it if you saw their farming practices. As Michael Pollan, best-selling book author and organic supporter, said in an interview with Organic Gardening,
"They're organic by the letter, not organic in spirit... if most organic consumers went to those places, they would feel they were getting ripped off."
What makes organic farming different, then? It's not the use of pesticides, it's the origin of the pesticides used. Organic pesticides are those that are derived from natural sources and processed lightly if at all before use. This is different than the current pesticides used by conventional agriculture, which are generally synthetic. It has been assumed for years that pesticides that occur naturally (in certain plants, for example) are somehow better for us and the environment than those that have been created by man. As more research is done into their toxicity, however, this simply isn't true, either. Many natural pesticides have been found to be potential - or serious - health risks.2
Take the example of Rotenone. Rotenone was widely used in the US as an organic pesticide for decades 3. Because it is natural in origin, occurring in the roots and stems of a small number of subtropical plants, it was considered "safe" as well as "organic". However, research has shown that rotenone is highly dangerous because it kills by attacking mitochondria, the energy powerhouses of all living cells. Research found that exposure to rotenone caused Parkinson's Disease-like symptoms in rats 4, and had the potential to kill many species, including humans. Rotenone's use as a pesticide has already been discontinued in the US as of 2005 due to health concerns***, but shockingly, it's still poured into our waters every year by fisheries management officials as a piscicide to remove unwanted fish species.
The point I'm driving home here is that just because something is natural doesn't make it non-toxic or safe. Many bacteria, fungi and plants produce poisons, toxins and chemicals that you definitely wouldn't want sprayed on your food.
Just last year, nearly half of the pesticides that are currently approved for use by organic farmers in Europe failed to pass the European Union's safety evaluation that is required by law 5. Among the chemicals failing the test was rotenone, as it had yet to be banned in Europe. Furthermore, just over 1% of organic foodstuffs produced in 2007 and tested by the European Food Safety Authority were found to contain pesticide levels above the legal maximum levels - and these are of pesticides that are not organic 6. Similarly, when Consumer Reports purchased a thousand pounds of tomatoes, peaches, green bell peppers, and apples in five cities and tested them for more than 300 synthetic pesticides, they found traces of them in 25% of the organically-labeled foods, but between all of the organic and non-organic foods tested, only one sample of each exceeded the federal limits8.
Not only are organic pesticides not safe, they might actually be worse than the ones used by the conventional agriculture industry. Canadian scientists pitted 'reduced-risk' organic and synthetic pesticides against each other in controlling a problematic pest, the soybean aphid. They found that not only were the synthetic pesticides more effective means of control, the organic pesticides were more ecologically damaging, including causing higher mortality in other, non-target species like the aphid's predators9. Of course, some organic pesticides may fare better than these ones did in similar head-to-head tests, but studies like this one reveal that the assumption that natural is better for the environment could be very dangerous.
Even if the organic food you're eating is from a farm which uses little to no pesticides at all, there is another problem: getting rid of pesticides doesn't mean your food is free from harmful things. Between 1990 and 2001, over 10,000 people fell ill due to foods contaminated with pathogens like E. coli, and many have organic foods to blame. That's because organic foods tend to have higher levels of potential pathogens. One study, for example, found E. coli in produce from almost 10% of organic farms samples, but only 2% of conventional ones10. The same study also found Salmonella only in samples from organic farms, though at a low prevalence rate. The reason for the higher pathogen prevalence is likely due to the use of manure instead of artificial fertilizers, as many pathogens are spread through fecal contamination. Conventional farms often use manure, too, but they use irradiation and a full array of non-organic anti-microbial agents as well, and without those, organic foods run a higher risk of containing something that will make a person sick.
In the end, it really depends on exactly what methods are used by crop producers. Both organic and conventional farms vary widely in this respect. Some conventional farms use no pesticides. Some organic farms spray their crops twice a month. Of course, some conventional farms spray just as frequently, if not more so, and some organic farms use no pesticides whatsoever. To really know what you're in for, it's best if you know your source, and a great way to do that is to buy locally. Talk to the person behind the crop stand, and actually ask them what their methods are if you want to be sure of what you're eating.
Myth #2: Organic Foods are Healthier
Some people believe that by not using manufactured chemicals or genetically modified organisms, organic farming produces more nutritious food. However, science simply cannot find any evidence that organic foods are in any way healthier than non-organic ones - and scientists have been comparing the two for over 50 years.
Just recently, an independent research project in the UK systematically reviewed the 162 articles on organic versus non-organic crops published in peer-reviewed journals between 1958 and 2008 11. These contained a total of 3558 comparisons of content of nutrients and other substances in organically and conventionally produced foods. They found absolutely no evidence for any differences in content of over 15 different nutrients including vitamin C, ?-carotene, and calcium. There were some differences, though; conventional crops had higher nitrogen levels, while organic ones had higher phosphorus and acidity - none of which factor in much to nutritional quality. Further analysis of similar studies on livestock products like meat, dairy, and eggs also found few differences in nutritional content. Organic foods did, however, have higher levels of overall fats, particularly trans fats. So if anything, the organic livestock products were found to be worse for us (though, to be fair, barely).
"This is great news for consumers. It proves that the 98% of food we consume, which is produced by technologically advanced agriculture, is equally nutritious to the less than 2% derived from what is commonly referred to as the 'organic' market," said Fredhelm Schmider, the Director General of the European Crop Protection Association said in a press release about the findings.12
Joseph D. Rosen, emeritus professor of food toxicology at Rutgers, puts it even more strongly. "Any consumers who buy organic food because they believe that it contains more healthful nutrients than conventional food are wasting their money," he writes in a comprehensive review of organic nutritional claims13.
Strong organic proponents also argue that organic food tastes better. In the same poll where 95% of UK organic consumers said they buy organic to avoid pesticides, over two-thirds of respondents said organic produce and meats taste better than non-organic ones. But when researchers had people put their mouths to the test, they found that people couldn't tell the difference between the two in blind taste tests14, 18.
So, in short, organics are not better for us and we can't tell the difference between them and non-organic foods. There may be many things that are good about organic farming, from increased biodiversity on farms to movement away from monocultures, but producing foods that are healthier and tastier simply isn't one of them.
Myth #3: Organic Farming Is Better For The Environment
As an ecologist by training, this myth bothers me the most of all three. People seem to believe they're doing the world a favor by eating organic. The simple fact is that they're not - at least the issue is not that cut and dry.
Yes, organic farming practices use less synthetic pesticides which have been found to be ecologically damaging. But factory organic farms use their own barrage of chemicals that are still ecologically damaging, and refuse to endorse technologies that might reduce or eliminate the use of these all together. Take, for example, organic farming's adamant stance against genetically modified organisms (GMOs).
GMOs have the potential to up crop yields, increase nutritious value, and generally improve farming practices while reducing synthetic chemical use - which is exactly what organic farming seeks to do. As we speak, there are sweet potatoes are being engineered to be resistant to a virus that currently decimates the African harvest every year, which could feed millions in some of the poorest nations in the world15. Scientists have created carrots high in calcium to fight osteoperosis, and tomatoes high in antioxidants. Almost as important as what we can put into a plant is what we can take out; potatoes are being modified so that they do not produce high concentrations of toxic glycoalkaloids, and nuts are being engineered to lack the proteins which cause allergic reactions in most people. Perhaps even more amazingly, bananas are being engineered to produce vaccines against hepatitis B, allowing vaccination to occur where its otherwise too expensive or difficult to be administered. The benefits these plants could provide to human beings all over the planet are astronomical.
Yet organic proponents refuse to even give GMOs a chance, even to the point of hypocrisy. For example, organic farmers apply Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) toxin (a small insecticidal protein from soil bacteria) unabashedly across their crops every year, as they have for decades. It's one of the most widely used organic pesticides by organic farmers. Yet when genetic engineering is used to place the gene encoding the Bt toxin into a plant's genome, the resulting GM plants are vilified by the very people willing to liberally spray the exact same toxin that the gene encodes for over the exact same species of plant. Ecologically, the GMO is a far better solution, as it reduces the amount of toxin being used and thus leeching into the surrounding landscape and waterways. Other GMOs have similar goals, like making food plants flood-tolerant so occasional flooding can replace herbicide use as a means of killing weeds. If the goal is protect the environment, why not incorporate the newest technologies which help us do so?
But the real reason organic farming isn't more green than conventional is that while it might be better for local environments on the small scale, organic farms produce far less food per unit land than conventional ones. Organic farms produce around 80% that what the same size conventional farm produces16 (some studies place organic yields below 50% those of conventional farms!).
Right now, roughly 800 million people suffer from hunger and malnutrition, and about 16 million of those will die from it17. If we were to switch to entirely organic farming, the number of people suffering would jump by 1.3 billion, assuming we use the same amount of land that we're using now. Unfortunately, what's far more likely is that switches to organic farming will result in the creation of new farms via the destruction of currently untouched habitats, thus plowing over the little wild habitat left for many threatened and endangered species.
Already, we have cleared more than 35% of the Earth's ice-free land surface for agriculture, an area 60 times larger than the combined area of all the world's cities and suburbs. Since the last ice age, nothing has been more disruptive to the planet's ecosystem and its inhabitants than agriculture. What will happen to what's left of our planet's wildlife habitats if we need to mow down another 20% or more of the world's ice-free land to accommodate for organic methods?
The unfortunate truth is that until organic farming can rival the production output of conventional farming, its ecological cost due to the need for space is devastating. As bad as any of the pesticides and fertilizers polluting the world's waterways from conventional agriculture are, it's a far better ecological situation than destroying those key habitats altogether. That's not to say that there's no hope for organic farming; better technology could overcome the production gap, allowing organic methods to produce on par with conventional agriculture. If that does occur, then organic agriculture becomes a lot more ecologically sustainable. On the small scale, particularly in areas where food surpluses already occur, organic farming could be beneficial, but presuming it's the end all be all of sustainable agriculture is a mistake.
Myth #4: It's all or none
The point of this piece isn't to vilify organic farming; it's merely to point out that it's not as black and white as it looks. Organic farming does have many potential upsides, and may indeed be the better way to go in the long run, but it really depends on technology and what we discover and learn in the future. Until organic farming can produce crops on par in terms of volume with conventional methods, it cannot be considered a viable option for the majority of the world. Nutritionally speaking, organic food is more like a brand name or luxury item. It's great if you can afford the higher price and want to have it, but it's not a panacea. You would improve your nutritional intake far more by eating a larger volume of fruits and vegetables than by eating organic ones instead of conventionally produced ones.
What bothers me most, however, is that both sides of the organic debate spend millions in press and advertising to attack each other instead of looking for a resolution. Organic supporters tend to vilify new technologies, while conventional supporters insist that chemicals and massive production monocultures are the only way to go. This simply strikes me as absurd. Synthetic doesn't necessarily mean bad for the environment. Just look at technological advances in creating biodegradable products; sometimes, we can use our knowledge and intelligence to create things that are both useful, cheap (enough) and ecologically responsible, as crazy as that idea may sound.
I also firmly believe that increasing the chemicals used in agriculture to support insanely over-harvested monocultures will never lead to ecological improvement. In my mind, the ideal future will merge conventional and organic methods, using GMOs and/or other new technologies to reduce pesticide use while increasing the bioavailability of soils, crop yield, nutritional quality and biodiversity in agricultural lands. New technology isn't the enemy of organic farming; it should be its strongest ally.
As far as I'm concerned, the biggest myth when it comes to organic farming is that you have to choose sides. Guess what? You don't. You can appreciate the upsides of rotating crops and how GMOs might improve output and nutrition. You, the wise and intelligent consumer, don't have to buy into either side's propaganda and polarize to one end or another. You can, instead, be somewhere along the spectrum, and encourage both ends to listen up and work together to improve our global food resources and act sustainably.
See more on this, in response to critiques: In the immortal words of Tom Petty: "I won't back down"
More Mythbusting 101:
Sharks will cure cancer
*** Oh, it turns out Rotenone got re-approved for organic use in 2010. See for yourself.
Regarding the use of GMOs: perhaps Andy Revkin from The New York Times says it better.
Based on the responses, I just want to make this clear: this is NOT a comprehensive comparison of organic and conventional agriculture, nor is it intended to be. That post would be miles long and far more complex. My overall belief is that there shouldn't be a dichotomy in the first place - there are a variety of methods and practices that a farmer can use, each with its pros and cons. The main point here is that something "organic" isn't intrinsically better than something that isn't, and that you have to approach all kinds of agriculture critically to achieve optimum sustainability.
Ok, and while I'm adding in notes: stop citing Bedgley et al. 2007 as evidence that organic farming produces equal yields: this study has been shown to be flawed (see my comments in the follow up post to this article), and was strongly critiqued (e.g. this response article).
National Center for Food and Agricultural Policy, National Pesticide Use Database. Available from http://www.ncfap.org (Viewed 19 Nov, 2009).
Gold, L., Slone, T., Stern, B., Manley, N., & Ames, B. (1992). Rodent carcinogens: setting priorities Science, 258 (5080), 261-265 DOI: 10.1126/science.1411524
Rotenone: Resource Guide for Organic and Disease Management. Cornell University. Available at www.nysaes.cornell.edu/pp/resourceguide/mfs/11rotenone.php (Viewed 19 Nov, 2009).
Caboni, P., Sherer, T., Zhang, N., Taylor, G., Na, H., Greenamyre, J., & Casida, J. (2004). Rotenone, Deguelin, Their Metabolites, and the Rat Model of Parkinson's Disease Chemical Research in Toxicology, 17 (11), 1540-1548 DOI: 10.1021/tx049867r
EFSA 2009. Pesticides used in organic farming: some pass and some fail safety authorization. European Food Safety Authority (EFSA). Available from: www.ecpa.eu (Viewed 19 Nov, 2009).
Reasoned opinion of EFSA prepared by the Pesticides Unit (PRAPeR) on the 2007 Annual Report on Pesticide Residues. EFSA Scientific Report (2009) 305, 1-106
Consumer Reports 1998. Organic produce. Consumer Reports 63(1), 12-18.
FDA Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition (2000). Pesticide Program: Residue Monitoring 1999. Available at http://vm.cfsan.fda.gov (Viewed 19 Nov, 2009)
Bahlai, C., Xue, Y., McCreary, C., Schaafsma, A., & Hallett, R. (2010). Choosing Organic Pesticides over Synthetic Pesticides May Not Effectively Mitigate Environmental Risk in Soybeans PLoS ONE, 5 (6) DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0011250
Mukherjee A, Speh D, Dyck E, & Diez-Gonzalez F (2004). Preharvest evaluation of coliforms, Escherichia coli, Salmonella, and Escherichia coli O157:H7 in organic and conventional produce grown by Minnesota farmers. Journal of food protection, 67 (5), 894-900 PMID: 15151224
Dangour, A., Lock, K., Hayter, A., Aikenhead, A., Allen, E., & Uauy, R. (2010). Nutrition-related health effects of organic foods: a systematic review American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 92 (1), 203-210 DOI: 10.3945/ajcn.2010.29269
EFSA 2009. Study finds no additional nutritional benefit in "organic" food. European Food Safety Authority (EFSA). Available from: www.ecpa.eu (Viewed Jul 2011)
Rosen, J. (2010). A Review of the Nutrition Claims Made by Proponents of Organic Food Comprehensive Reviews in Food Science and Food Safety, 9 (3), 270-277 DOI: 10.1111/j.1541-4337.2010.00108.x
Fillion, L., & Arazi, S. (2002). Does organic food taste better? A claim substantiation approach Nutrition & Food Science, 32 (4), 153-157 DOI: 10.1108/00346650210436262
Qaim, M. The Economic Effects of Genetically Modified Orphan
Commodities: Projections for Sweetpotato in Kenya. Agricultural Economist Center for Development Research (ZEF), No. 13-1999. PDF
Mader, P. (2002). Soil Fertility and Biodiversity in Organic Farming Science, 296 (5573), 1694-1697 DOI: 10.1126/science.1071148
Fedoroff, N. (1999). Plants and population: Is there time? Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 96 (11), 5903-5907 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.96.11.5903
Basker, D. (2009). Comparison of taste quality between organically and conventionally grown fruits and vegetables American Journal of Alternative Agriculture, 7 (03) DOI: 10.1017/S0889189300004641
Christie Wilcox is a postdoctoral researcher in cellular and molecular biology at the University of Hawaii, where she studies venom. She is also a science blogger and communicator. Follow Christie Wilcox on Twitter Credit: Nick Higgins
Recent Articles by Christie Wilcox
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Home/Advertising/Just How Can CPC Advertising Strengthen Your Business?
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While you set your personal maximum CPC bid, your own personal advertising cost will often be one cent over the minimum charge needed to maintain your advertisement placement in the current Web site location.
Google uses your quality score and rank number to find out your CPC charge and advertisement placement. Your quality score is dependent upon how carefully related your best keywords will be to the particular advertisement wording.
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Just How Can CPM Advertising Strengthen Your Business?
Should you Use Roto-molded Plastic Gas Storage Tanks?


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Officially In: Christopher J. McMullen to Luanda
August 7, 2010 By domani spero in Ambassadors, FSOs, Nominations, Officially In
On July 20, President Obama announced his intent to nominate Christopher J. McMullen to be Ambassador to the Republic of Angola. The WH released the following brief bio:
Christopher J. McMullen is a career member of the Senior Foreign Service with the rank of Minister-Counselor. He currently serves as Deputy Assistant Secretary in the Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs. Previously, Mr. McMullen served as Consul General in Sao Paulo, Brazil and as Deputy Chief of Mission at the U.S. Embassy in Panama. In addition to several Washington assignments, he has served in Nicaragua, Malaysia, El Salvador, Tanzania, and Colombia.
Mr. McMullen earned a Ph.D. in history from Georgetown University, and is a Distinguished Graduate of the National War College.
President Obama Announces More Key Administration Posts
http://angola.usembassy.gov/
UPDATE 2-IMF says Angola's economic outlook favorable (reuters.com)
Luanda, Angola: The world's most expensive city for expats (gadling.com)
"Angola's Luanda beats Tokyo as priciest expat city" and related posts (newsonjapan.com)
Angola capital called world's most expensive city (cnn.com)
« Officially In: Mark M. Boulware to N'Djamena
Officially In: Joseph A. Mussomeli to Ljubljana »

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Need a super fast free auto insurance quote delivered to you online from a legitimate car insurance broker? We show you how to do that plus we go through everything involved that you would need to learn about before you approach an online auto insurance company about their services.
In the last few months you have been cold called by so many different insurance companies telling you that you need to renew your auto insurance with them. They promised to give you a free auto insurance quote with no pressure or heavy sales pitch but the problem is you have heard it all before and you kindly asked them not to call again and then shut the phone in their face when they keep talking. Now maybe they are doing their job but nobody likes to be pressured into anything. I think the best thing to do is to study the different auto insurance policies out there before you approach a car insurance broker. There are many factors involved in getting an affordable auto insurance quote that's tailor-made for you.
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One of the biggest factors yet involved in your quest for a good free car insurance quote is the type of car that you drive. For example if you drive a Honda Civic or a station wagon than your car insurance premium will be at a much lower price than if you are driving some hot sports car or car with a lot of horsepower like a Honda Accord V-6 or Ford Mustang which you can drive like a rocket because these car insurance brokers know that whenever you are driving on the highway your car will be one of the first spotted and ticketed by the police. This isn't a prejudice, and it's been proven time and time again by numerous stats.
Another new point that is being factored into this equation are your school grades if you were in high school or in college. A student with A' and B's on his or hers report card will be getting a much lower price on their free auto insurance quote in the student that is getting C's on their report card. The person with the lower grades will definitely not be smiling after they talked to their car insurance broker.
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SUPPORTING BAND FOR OUR UK TOUR – THE COMPETITION IS ON!
By managerOn 24.01.2020 25.02.2020 1 Comment
We have received a lot of requests from a lot of bands all over the world to join us at our UK concerts in April 2020.
We have given it a thorough thought and this is what we have come up with:
"These days its very hard for new bands to get themselves heard. Labels don't sign new bands, they want them to build up a fanbase first – and even then its extremely hard. Promoters aren't really interested in them either. Usually bands have to pay an arm and a leg for everything, and the conditions aren't good.
We have experienced this ourselves and only huge support from you – our fans, allowed us to start doing music full-time without the help of a record label.
However, Destiny has been very good to us, and a few years ago we were very kindly helped by Christofer Johnsson when he allowed us to join the Therion European tour at a time when we were totally unknown in Europe.
So we would like to give back as much as we can.
We want to give new bands an opportunity – so we will be setting up a competition among young UK bands."
– Aor & Jane
TERMS & CONDITIONS OF THE COMPETITION
The competition starts on the 24th Jan 2020 and ends on the 14th Feb 2020.
To take part in the competition, your band should be:
(a) Based in the UK (i.e. founding member(s)/leader(s) permanently live in the UK)
(b) Playing Metal (sub-genre does not matter!)
Step 1 (24 Jan – 04 Feb)
If you want to take part, please:
(a) Share this post (https://facebook.com/imperialageofficial/photos/a.300353540064492/2283850741714752/) on your band page and on all your band members' individual pages in Facebook and Instagram. Use the #imperialageuk hashtag.
(b) Make a post on your Facebook & Instagram band page(s), using the #imperialageuk_support hashtag and containing:
– Short band bio (100-200 words)
– Link to your best song / video (we can't listen to entire albums)
– Your best band photo
– Links to your website, YouTube & social media profiles (whatever exists)
Step 2 (04 Feb – 14 Feb)
After Step 1 is completed:
(a) We will look at all the submissions made in Step 1, and choose 10 bands that we like the most.
(b) We will post a poll on our Facebook Page with those 10 bands in it, and the fans will establish the winner through a vote.
What the winner gets
The winner becomes support band for our 2020 UK tour. This includes free of charge:
(a) a 60-minute set before us
(b) a 60-minute sound check after us with proper sound & light setup
(c) dressing room
(d) catering
(e) selling merch (you can use our merch stand or your own as you please)
(f) promotion (you will be in all news & other types of coverage regarding the tour)
(g) discounted tickets for your fans
(h) guest list of +1 for every band & crew member
What is not included
(a) Sound / light engineer (you can bring your own or you can work with the in-house engineers, or you can talk to ours – we pay them and you will have to pay them as well, but we are sure you can strike a good deal. Our sound engineer is Sergei Lazar – also the guitarist of ARKONA).
(b) Transport & lodging (you have to settle this yourselves)
16th April 2020 – London | The Dome
17th April 2020 – Birmingham | Asylum
18th April 2020 – Manchester | Rebellion
19th April 2020 – Glasgow | Ivory Blacks
No commissions or any other hidden fees!
http://www.imperial-age.com/tour/
London: https://www.facebook.com/events/999077160465566/
Birmingham: https://www.facebook.com/events/576041766490677/
Manchester: https://www.facebook.com/events/608764766355463/
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I presume the novel coronavirus pandemic has scuttled these plans. Bummer. Your music is excellent.


Top Fuel Motorcycle icon Larry "Spiderman" McBride reported earlier this year that he hoped to debut his new motorcycle at the end of the 2011 season. McBride now plans to unveil his fresh, state-of-the-art ride sometime in 2012.
The new motorcycle will feature an adjustable 104 to 108-inch wheelbase. The total length of the new motorcycle, from the tip of the front tire to the end of the wheelie bars, will be over a foot longer than McBride's existing ride, at 18.8 feet.
Next up for McBride will be the Manufacturers Cup from Valdosta, Ga, Nov, 11-13, where he will compete on his record-holding 1,511 c.c., supercharged Puma that McBride has been racing since 1994.
McBride has stated he would love to retire his current motorcycle with a run in the 5.60s. His best is a 5.74.
I've been a rider or crew chief for 34 year.I ran with IDBA, Dragbike, Pro Star, AMA DRAGBIKE, SEMDRA, NHRA,and Manufacturers cup. I don't think anybody has done for the sport what Larry Spiderman McBride has done. I think NHRA should pick up the Top Fuel Motorcycle class and run it at the races that they don't run the Pro Stock Motorcycles at. I think the croud would go wild.


text:
For immediate release: May 4, 2020
Contact: Dan Morris 917.952.8920 press@changethenypd.org
East Village Incident is Part of a Disturbing Trend: Police Accountability Advocates Call for Immediate Firing of Officer Francisco Garcia, and Removal of NYPD from Social Distancing Enforcement
New York – Leaders and members of Communities United for Police Reform (CPR) are horrified and angered by the abusive policing incident in the East Village that occurred over the weekend.
They connect it to a disturbing trend of police officers abusing their authority during the current COVID-19 pandemic, and brutalizing New Yorkers in black and brown communities.
In a statement today, CPR called for the immediate firing of NYPD officer Francisco Garcia, the release of the names of all officers involved in the East Village incident, and the removal of the NYPD from social distancing enforcement.
CPR's full statement is below.
"Mayor de Blasio and the NYPD should immediately release the names of all officers involved in the abusive policing incident in the East Village that was caught on video. NYPD officer Francisco Garcia should be placed on unpaid suspension immediately and disciplinary charges against him should be expedited so that he can be fired. Additionally, all officers on the scene yesterday who engaged in misconduct should be suspended, not simply put on temporary modified duty. There needs to be an independent investigation that closely scrutinizes the first two arrests in the incident. Those arrests also appear to be improper, based on cops claiming social distancing violations and alleging there was marijuana present," said Joo-Hyun Kang, Director of Communities United for Police Reform (CPR).
"The East Village incident is part of a disturbing trend. On the ground, we are hearing and seeing too many stories from Black and Brown communities about police abusing their authority and brutalizing New Yorkers during this COVID-19 pandemic. That's wrong and unacceptable. Some police officers are clearly using enforcement of social distancing to initiate and engage in threats and violent attacks against New Yorkers. That needs to stop. The NYPD should follow the example of other municipalities that have halted enforcement of low-level and broken windows offenses. Our city cannot police its way out of the COVID-19 pandemic. Public health professionals and community organizations, not the NYPD, should be responsible for educating New Yorkers about the importance of social distancing and creating new norms," said Kang of CPR.
About Communities United for Police Reform
Communities United for Police Reform (CPR) is an unprecedented campaign to end discriminatory policing practices in New York, and to build a lasting movement that promotes public safety and reduces reliance on policing. CPR runs coalitions of over 200 local, statewide and national organizations, bringing together a movement of community members, lawyers, researchers and activists to work for change. The partners in this campaign come from all 5 boroughs, from all walks of life and represent many of those most unfairly targeted by the NYPD.
Topics: Broken Windows CopWatch
Campaign Members
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© 2020 Communities United for Police Reform


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October 22 2011 - July 19 2019
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Showing content with the highest reputation on 07/11/2019 in all areas
If some of you screwballs can't get this....
Loud all game but that Ben Moffit td return was insane. Greatest game experience by far.
Way Too Early Season Prediction Contest
If you judge it, I'll provide a prize. How about a set of shot glasses, assuming they are still in stock (otherwise, similar prize). Shipped direct off Amazon. See on Amazon - https://amzn.to/2XEyeuI
ESPN says Wisconsin a .500 team
Well aren't you a ray of sunshine
GO UNIVERSITY OF "SOUTHERN" FLORIDA
It is depressing to think USF has never won a regular season conference championship in basketball or football. I have been following these teams from the late 80's (obviously FB 97) and have never had the joy of seeing them win one stinking regular season championship, one sunbelt tourney in 90 is all we got, god bless Hakim Shahid but this is effin ridiculous. I am tired of never ending up on the top of the sun belt, metro, conf USA, big east and AAC, I know Puc says it don't matter but F that, i want to say we won something at least once, is that too much to Fuc?$ing ask?
Which again we have won nothing. No body remembers WVU except us old farts on this board. It's yesterday's news. If we do win the AAC I guarantee that 99.9% (minus you) you will orgasmic with finally winning something that can be seen later in HD...
2019 College Football Hot Seat Rankings
Like puc so unexpectedly astutely pointed out, it pretty much boils down to the hometown hero taking over his downtrodden program explaining the 0 ...
Remember, FSU fans expected a big first year from Taggart. Nebraska fans knew Frost was coming in for a rebuild. And it doesn't hurt that Frost was a winning QB who played at Nebraska. Truth be told, I would have put Frost at 1 and Taggart at 5. Taggart needs to win this year. Frost just needs to take a step in the right direction.
Fire Strong? Hogwash...it's about the $. The real question you should be asking is can the athletic department "afford" to fire him. Maybe...maybe not....
It's time to go on the record about the state of the program and transfers...
I'm picturing Cali yelling this like he was the kid in that old defiant child syndrome parental help VHS set commercial from the 90's For reference
A bit hard, Ya think? Though Triple B did get the ultimate compliment, to have somebody wish death on you is a badge of honor, he easily wins the day and possibly the week, we really need the season to start.
Shouldnt be surprised. One of our notorious board "Negative Nancys".
Our offense/speed will give them problems the Wisconsin running game will give us problems. More likely a high scoring game maybe not much defense sort of like the G Tech game last year comes down to the last person with the ball.
I guess the significance of such game would really depend on the circumstances of the season, wouldn't it? If it came at the end of an undefeated season that included non-conference wins against Florida, Texas and Louisville, I'd bet the stadium might be pretty jacked up. We don't have to just be the underdog to get excited, do we? To your point, would we remember that game more than the non league wins in time? Maybe not, but it would still be fun to be in the stands when the team was playing for something that mattered. I'd bet there would be a whole lot of others there with me given that scenario.
Who says winning the AAC would be a pivotal, defining moment for our program? I don't hear anyone saying that. I'll tell you, there will be very little lasting glory to winning the CBI, but I sure enjoyed the run. It was a long way from the Final Four, but that doesn't mean it wasn't enjoyable or significant in its own way for our program. The same would go for winning the AAC in football. Pivotal or defining? No. Enjoyable and meaningful in a way for our program. Yep. Don't discount the value of it so easily. You talk like we're some decades-old program. We're still a young and developing program in a lot of ways. We got spoiled by our early success. We weren't the norm. We were the exception. Of course, you'll now explain how wrong I am and how we're destined to minor-league purgatory forever. Maybe, but I'd bet not. Just enjoy today a little and don't worry so much about yesterday or tomorrow.
News Flash......Today's Headline: USF IS IN THE AAC NEW ENGLAND BULL WANTS A MOTHER ******* CONFERENCE TITLE BEFORE HE DIES OF OLD AGE. Yes it would be the greatest accomplishment and I am not sure if we are even close to getting there....I AM STILL WAITING!!!!
Not pivotal at all, I would like it, screw everyone else. The rationale is if I can't bang Cindy Crawford, Jenny McCarthy or Heidi Klum than I will pass on banging anyone is not realistic. Tap what you can, all you can, while you still can until or if something better comes along. I agree this will not change anything at all but I will like it and that is all that matters.
I'm with you here. Whatever conference we're in, I'd like to see us win it for once. The WVU game that people are bringing up was a completely different situation with us being in an AQ conference. We'd all love to be P5, but we're not, and might not be for a LOOOONG time, if ever. Winning this conference at least gets us a likely shot at an NY6 game and some great exposure. That's the best we can do for now, along with scheduling an occasional Wisconsin, or Alabama, or GT, etc, which our AD has been doing. Crying about our situation doesn't make it go away. Everybody's entitled to their opinion of course, but I'd definitely like to see us win the AAC. Beats being a middle of the pack AAC team in my opinion.
I tried counting them however I started to see double and probably counted a few people twice. It rained like crazy up until an hour or so before kick off, felt like a high school game atmosphere. A lot of fun and very lucky, however the luck was bound to and did run out after HC.
Maybe if we beat Houston or Memphis we'll have a sold out stadium erupting, but I doubt it.
They probably have us projected about the same TBH. While yes, Wisconsin isn't Clemson but the culture and bedrock that their program is built on (lining up in big personnel groups and punching you in the face with power run) is the absolute kryptonite that has always killed us. Even if they are a .500 team this is a tough out for us.
I smell an upset...of course that could just be gas...
Who didn't let him? The last year Battle even shows up in anything related to baseball is 2012. So, yeah, he was apparently an above average 12 year old baseball player. Looks like he was throwing 72 back then... not sure that gets you a roster spot on USF's team. Edit: I take it back. He hit .200 his freshman year 2015 and didn't play the next 3 years.
What topped it off was Auburn beating a top 5 Florida the following day.
The epic comeback against Tulsa? he ran one in and also hit McCants over the middle for 30 yes on a strike with 20 seconds left to get within Field goal range (or Tyree stepped in front of the defender and bailed him out) either way the comeback was for the ages and the 267 people in attendance will never forget it. The team singing "lean on me" in the locker room, who knew that the wheels were getting ready to completely come off the bus, actually we all did we were just hoping they were not as bad as they looked.
Turnover purse would not have gotten past the focus groups and USF administration that approved the Merril Lynch Bull logo.
I agree. Our AD has made it abundantly clear an IPF is our biggest need and we don't have the money to fully fund that. So even thinking about spending more money right now, for something we already have, is a non starter. Besides Kelly has defended Charlie a bunch, even after the collapse last year. Charlie's got a while and he probably knows it too (hence a big new house)
I saw it on Twitter. I have to think they aren't that stupid and are purposefully casting shade for whatever reason.
It's new article Tampa Bay Times sports I was surprised folks weren't all over this one
Whats the league minimum for that?
The point is he made an NFL roster. Blake Barnett will have to make significant strides to hang on anywhere after training camp
Message board sarcasm is my game!
But, unlike us, they ARE playing for the same stakes they used to ..... they're just not doing it very well.
It's hard to believe we are just 50 days out
Nah man, jump on in to the world of unbridled enthusiasm...it only hurts in late November...
I think West Virginia fans are feeling about the same as we are these days. They were contenders to win it all for a few years there with Pat White, Steve Slaton, et al. They're now consistently middle of the pack in the Big 12. My father-in-law lives and breathes WVU football/basketball and they've fallen pretty hard. He still brags to me about how much $$ they make compared to us, but they're not playing for the same stakes they used to and I don't believe the fans get any cut of the check WVU receives. I ask him to show me the check with his cut from the Big 12, but he hasn't produced it yet.
That game still puts a smile on my face and a lump in my throat..
It's almost as if one of them is a hometown hero, has a team that hasn't been super competitive in a while and stayed at par while the other one has no obvious connection, coaches a team expected to be in national title contention in most season and lost two more games than the previous season.
Barnett > White.,.,
So is the thread title in reference to not needing an ocs to have a great game experience?
You better hope, we have a bet that he'll have the best year ever by a USF QB.
Loudest game I've ever been to.
I'm probably in the minority here, but was not totally convinced by Barnett last year. Tried to take off running after his first read waaaay to often for me. Now that could be down to poor line play but he seemed to be pretty nervous/stiff back there. If he struggles with that again this year, how long before the coaches look to McCloud could bve critical to this season's success. Also, back to the subject, always hilarious how prediction threads consistently devolve into the 'we're going undefeated' types vs the 'can't possibly make a prediction without seeing how they are in live action' crowd. For me, I lean more to the latter but for chits and giggs I predict a 9-3 with upsets over Wiscy and UCF. Schedule falls nicely for us especially late in the season this year but I still see a Cinci or Memphis loss along with GT and somehow a BYU/Navy in typical USF style.
Maybe he would have hired Strong, maybe he would not have, we will never know. What we do know, and what is undisputed fact is that Strong is NOT Kelly's hire. Like it or not, most AD's are judged on the success of the head football coach, it's just how it is. The rumblings will grow louder if this team underperforms again and is worse than last year, and there will be no more Gilbert or a toxic environment to blame this time around. The buck stops with Charlie in 2019.
I see a lot of silence in your future
CrowdFund:$23 for 23 years of Bulls Football - Build the IPF
Thank you! The campaign is beginning to revive, thanks to @smward and @George_Bullnard_Shaw and @Bcard Thanks for the donation, how about we tell some more friends about the effort and see if we can't get to $5k before end of this month - at a minimum. August will be a good month to cap things off. Thank you to all donors and especially those in last two days. Raise it for the Bulls!
Hell no he never developed Q... Flowers was the same QB he was in high school. He never had a guy coach him up... it's why he missed so many short passes. Flowers was just an amazing football players who could make plays with his legs. He wasn't reading coverages and changing plays. He improvised. Willie didn't do crap to develop Flowers. Flowers developed Willie... I actually think Willie should give him money. He saved his job and career. He keeps his path and Tice and Johnson don't intervene, he'd be an assistant at Michigan
This thread is going to be ALOT of fun to re-visit later this season.
5-7, a second half collapse (again) and no bowl game: L - Wisconsin L - @ Georgia Tech W - South Carolina State W - SMU W - @ UConn W - BYU L - @ Navy W - @ East Carolina L - Temple L - Cincinnati L - Memphis L - @ UCF
11-1???? Ahhhhh those July dreams.
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← Glad I gotcha' Day
Another funeral in the family →
Home From St. Joe's
This day was the culmination of a couple of intense weeks as we made an old, familiar trek to Baltimore to see My Sweet Mama's Cancer Doctor.
Ziv Gamliel, of St. Joe's Medical Center performed an eleven hour surgery on Mama eight years ago yesterday. And through that day and the unbelievably difficult days that followed, he developed a deep respect and resounding affection for this diminutive little woman, pulling out all the stops when it came to his expertise as a doctor, doing anything within his power and within his intuitive acumen to help her through a disease that was, at least eight years ago, fatal in nearly 85% of the cases. In fact, on one of the first visits to Dr. Gamliel, he told Mama and Daddy that if this had been only a few years earlier, his advice would be that she should get her affairs in order, that there was nothing he could do.
As it was, there were some things he could do, but they would come at high cost to her and there were no guarantees.
Mama wanted to live. She was willing to do almost anything that Dr. Gamliel suggested. I remember her sitting in the cubicle that was his office, and the look on her face was hope and longing and even supplication. She wanted that cancer out and she wanted to be well again.
On the other side of the room, my Daddy sat. His face was an entirely different study. Profound sadness and resignation were there as well as a strange set to the jaw. I was surprised by the sudden realization that Daddy did not want Mama to have the surgery.
I've thought about that day often since then, wondering just why Daddy felt the way he did. I think that at the very bottom of it all was the fact that he really didn't think it was going to help. He was sure that we would lose her. And another factor that I am sure went into it was that he was always so proud of how pretty his wife was, and I really believe that he could hardly bear to think of her bald from radiation, sick from chemo and sliced up from front to back and up and down with an esophagectomy.
But Mama wanted to live and she wanted the surgery and she wanted to do it right — first a staging proceedure, then five weeks of radiation, two rounds of chemo and then a "cooling off" period for a few weeks, and then radical, 11 hour series of surgeries. And when Daddy saw that she intended to go through with it, he jumped on the band wagon, and drove her to Baltimore five days a week for five weeks for her radiation therapy. He was as pleased as she was when her hair didn't fall out (Someone PLEASE tell me why! This never has made sense!). But when the day came for her surgery, April 4, 2005, he balked. He didn't want to take her. So my sister, Sarah and I were the ones who took her. We came into our Daddy and Mama's house in the wee hours of the morning. Mama was ready to go. Daddy was in his long sleeved pajamas. We stood there in the living room in a circle, and Daddy prayed for us, for Mama, for the day ahead. I wonder now what it felt like to him. He told us later that he really didn't expect her to live through surgery.
But she did.
And Daddy, fighting his own battle with lymphoma and fatigue began to believe that she just might come home again. That was a big battle, too, as things suddenly went downhill and Mama ended up in ICU on a ventilator for a few weeks and then ended up with a tracheotomy before being allowed to come home, feeding tube in place, restrictions and round the clock nursing care needed. I suspect that Daddy lost hope many, many times over the next few weeks, but he would get up in the morning, fix her coffee the way she liked it, and tried to keep things as normal as possible.
She got better and better, and he was quietly going backwards. I remember him coming into the kitchen one summer afternoon and sitting at the table and barely eating a thing. Then he put his head down on the table and sat there for a long time.
"Daddy," I said, anxiously. "Daddy, are you okay?"
"I'm just so tired, Sweetie," he said wearily. "I'm just so tired." And then he went to bed and slept. My Daddy! In the middle of the day. In the Summer!
Somewhere in my gut a big old ball of ice began to form that day. I knew something was terribly wrong. We did everything we knew to do — changed his meds, saw some specialists in Baltimore, tried to get him to rest more. But it was if he waited until he knew Mama was going to be okay, and then he went on HOME.
Days like today, I give grateful praise for the miracle of Mama — for Dr. Gamliel and his tender, watchful care over her, for his respect and love for her and affirmation and kindness. He readily says that it was not his doings that brought Mama through — that he was only the tools that God chose to use to help her. And I look at his smiley face, and the beard that is turning grayer every year and see his obvious delight in the fact that she is showing no signs of cancer. I am so grateful.
But on days like today, I miss my daddy acutely. It probably has something to do with the fact that the first of my sweet Mama's siblings (her oldest brother, Harold Wert) will be buried on Monday. I feel the pensive weight of parting especially much right now. It also is that trip to Baltimore, the memories that I cannot elude, the very voice of Ziv Gamliel and his gentle way of relating to Mama like she is his own sweet Mama. He always catches her up on his five lively children, and who is doing what and he speaks of his wife and their Jewish home with a soft and appreciative tenor, making much of their traditions and family times. (I think, "Daddy would enjoy this so much, but he isn't here!") But Mama enjoys the telling of it, her eyes sparkling, her smile genuine, and she goes away wavering in her resolve to not go back next year.
And that is a thing to rejoice about as well. She really doesn't NEED to go back. She is clear of everything. She has no alarming issues, and today when she suggested that maybe she wouldn't need to go through this anymore, we had reason to praise again when Dr. Gamliel said, "I cannot say if it would be okay or not. We don't have enough Esophageal Cancer Survivors that survive long enough for us to compile accurate statistics. If you want to know what I think, I think that you will never have cancer again, and that it will be fine for you not to come back. I will say that it is very gratifying to me to see that I was able to contribute in a small way to another year of miracle for you. It gives me great joy to see you. It is truly a great blessing for me. But I also realize that it is monumental effort for you to get these tests every year and to make the trek over. So, I want you to know that I will not be hurt or take it personally if you decide that it is something you just aren't going to do. We will make the appointment just like usual, and then see how you feel next year. If you don't want to come, that will be alright."
Mama hugged his neck, told him again how much she appreciated him and all he has done for her. And then he went into his office and shut the door firmly behind him. And we got our papers and appointments and came home.
Whew! Another year gone. The last eight years seem like such a short time. And when we are all finished for the year, it really does seem like it would be a shame to not go back. We shall see what another year brings.
In the meantime, this is one tired gal. But not even half as tired as my brave sweet Mama who got a clean bill of health for the seventh year in a row. And not so tired as Certain Man who drove the car faithfully and well, and even now is out working on fence. But still tired.
Methinks a nap just might be in order.
One response to "Home From St. Joe's"
Emotions run high when it involves parents. 🙂 I'm so glad that your sweet Mama is well. Love and sympathy as you say goodbye to your uncle.


text:
https://piction.clevelandart.org/cma/ump.di?e=0F18F69A2D4C948C4DA97D41569285FA1975E3B0DDF2DDDE707728458A541DEF&s=24247294&se=897422329&v=0&f=1991.29_o2.jpg
https://piction.clevelandart.org/cma/ump.di?e=5BEB1A6271475707EE7C8864FDFEAF7A29B00F611B899E30B1540561DF492E92&s=24247294&se=897422329&v=0&f=1991.29_o2.jpg
Giufa e la Statua de Gesso
(American, b. 1936)
Oil, urethane enamel, fluorescent alkyd, acrylic and printing ink on canvas, etched magnesium, aluminum, and fiberglass
Overall: 311.2 x 404.8 x 67 cm (122 1/2 x 159 3/8 x 26 3/8 in.)
Gift of Agnes Gund in appreciation of Marjorie and Anselm Talalay 1991.29
© Frank Stella / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York
Frank Stella was born in Malden, Massachusetts in 1936 and studied at Princeton University. Stella's auspicious start in New York, only a year after his graduation from Princeton, was an exhibit of the Black Paintings of 1959-60. Viewed as a precursor to Minimalism, these pivotal works led to his inclusion in Sixteen Americans at the Museum of Modern Art and the notice of its director, Alfred Barr, who purchased a painting, The Marriage of Squalor and Reason. With their emphasis on control and rationalism, the Black Paintings opened genuinely new paths for abstraction and exerted a profound influence on the art of the 1960s. A major shift from this work began to develop in 1966 with his Irregular Polygons, canvases in the shapes of irregular geometric forms and characterized by large unbroken areas of color. As this new vocabulary developed into a more open and color-oriented pictorial language, the works underwent a metamorphosis in size, expressing an affinity with architecture in their monumentality. Stella also introduced curves into his works, marking the beginning of the Protractor series. Harran II evinces the great vaulting compositions and lyrically decorative patterns that are the leitmotif of the series, which is based on the semicircular drafting instrument used for measuring and constructing angles. In the 1970s, Stella's work moved toward three-dimensional paintings on shaped canvases and later toward wall constructions with multiple components, ever projecting further from their supports. Stella's second retrospective at MOMA in 1987 concluded with a series of daring reliefs based on Melville's Moby Dick. These works further blurred any boundary between paintings and sculpture. In 1983-84 Stella gave the Charles Eliot Norton lectures at Harvard University. These lectures, later published under the title Working Space, marked a critical juncture for the artist. A spirited defense of abstraction, they could well sum up Stella's approach to painting and have acted as a manifesto for his work since. Since the 1980s, the artist has completed a number of large-scale works for public spaces, confirming Stella's abiding interest in architecture. A vast commission during the early 90s, involving the Princess of Wales Theater in Toronto, has led to a series of architectural proposals and commissions over the past eight years, including his Bandshell for the City of Miami.
(M. Knoedler & Co., New York); Mr. and Mrs. Graham Gund, Cambridge, MA; Agnes Gund, New York
Hinson, Tom E. "Notable Acquisitions." The Bulletin of the Cleveland Museum of Art 78, no. 3 (1991): 63-147. Reproduced and Mentioned: p. 108 www.jstor.org
Sims, Lowery Stokes. The Persistence of Geometry: Form, Content, and Culture in the Collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art. Cleveland: Cleveland Museum of Art, 2006. Mentioned and reproduced: P. 77, fig. 14
Notable Acquisitions. The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (organizer) (June 7-September 15, 1991).
{{cite web|title=Giufa e la Statua de Gesso|url=https://clevelandart.org/art/1991.29|author=Frank Stella|year=1985|access-date=01 February 2023|publisher=Cleveland Museum of Art}}
Gift of Agnes Gund in appreciation of Marjorie and Anselm Talalay


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KRISZTINA EGERSZEGI (HUN)
Honor Swimmer
FOR THE RECORD: 1988 OLYMPIC GAMES: gold (200m backstroke), silver (100m backstroke); 1992 OLYMPIC GAMES: gold (100m backstroke, 200m backstroke, 400m IM); 1996 OLYMPIC GAMES: gold (200m backstroke), bronze (400m IM); TWO WORLD RECORDS: 100m backstroke, 200m backstroke; 1991 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS: gold (100m backstroke, 200m backstroke); 1994 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS: silver (200m backstroke); 1989 EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIPS: silver (400m IM);1991 EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIPS: gold (100m backstroke, 200m backstroke, 400m IM); 1993 EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIPS: gold (100m backstroke, 200m backstroke, 200m butterfly, 400m IM); 1995 EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIPS: gold (200m backstroke, 400m IM).
Only one other athlete had ever won an Olympic gold medal in each of three successive Olympic Games (Dawn Fraser of Australia in 1956, 1960, 1964, 100m freestyle) when Krisztina Egerszegi did it in the 200m backstroke in 1988, 1992 and 1996. Not only did she win the Olympic 200m backstroke an unprecedented three times, she also won gold medals in the 100m backstroke and 400m I.M. In addition, she started her string of victories as the youngest swimming Olympic gold medal winner of all time at the age of fourteen.
Krisztina's international competition began at the top at the 1988 Seoul Olympics where she won the 200m backstroke gold in Olympic Record time of 2:09.29 over Katherin Zimmerman and Cornelia Sirch of the German Democratic Republic. She placed second in the 100m backstroke to Kristin Otto (GDR). For the next six years, she would lose the 200m backstroke race only once. This occurred at the 1989 European Championships in Bonn, when Dagmar Hase (GDR) and Otto out touched her in the 200m and 100m backstrokes respectively. It was the last year that the East German athletes were to swim under the banner of their country.
For the next three European Championships in Athens (1991), Sheffield (1993) and Vienna (1995), Krisztina won every race she entered which included the 100m and 200m backstroke, 200m butterfly and 400m individual medley. She became the master of the new, no-hand touch, the 1991 backstroke turn-rule change which eliminated the requirement of swimmers touching the wall with their hand on every turn. In 1991 at the European Championships, she broke Ina Kleber's (GDR) 100m backstroke World Record which had been set 7 years earlier in 1984 and Betsy Mitchell's (USA) 200m backstroke World Record set in 1986. Her 200m backstroke World Record of 2:06.62 set in Athens in 1991 still stands today, 10 years later.
Krisztina became the "Queen" of the 1992 Barcelona Olympics when she was the only female athlete to win three individual events - 100m and 200m backstroke and 400m I.M.. She was only the third swimmer in history behind Debbie Meyer (USA)(1968) and Janet Evans (USA)(1988) to win three individual events at one Olympic Games. Her 200m backstroke time remains an Olympic Record today. Four years later in 1996, at 22 years of age, she returned for another Olympics in Atlanta winning the gold for the third time in the 200m backstroke and a bronze in the 400m individual medley.
Her national team coach, Tamas Szechy, says she was a hard worker. She was Swimming World's World Female Swimmer of the Year (1991) and European Female Swimmer of the Year (1990, 1991, 1992).
Krisztina never liked to predict her future, but through her competitiveness, tenacity, love for her sport and five Olympic gold medals later, she made her own place in it.


This soft bag – based on the HPRC3500 series – is specifically designed to easily transport the DJI Mavic 2 Pro and Zoom.
Thanks to the lightweight and ergonomic shape, the bag is very comfortable and easy to carry and store. It is also flight-approved hand baggage.


Top has sheer mesh asymmetrical yoke, embellished with sequins and beads. Pant has 31" inseam. Pant and body of top are lined. Polyester; dry clean top, machine wash pant. Imported. Taupe.
Jasika Sequined Pant Set is rated 3.1 out of 5 by 19.
Rated 5 out of 5 by Gloria Cooks from A Great Find Fabulous.
Rated 1 out of 5 by T from disappointed color is not like the picture, beading is not attractive and looks cheap. Very disappointed. Daughters wedding is this week and this was not anything like I hoped for the mother of the bride pant suit.
Rated 4 out of 5 by Kathy Costa from Pretty pantsuit The size I usually order was out of stock and ordering a size down was just not the right thing. Return was easy. Very customer friendly!
Rated 3 out of 5 by Stylish Nana from Not Right Fit The pant set was beautiful. I loved the tunic. My issue was size. I first ordered in a 2X and the pants fit as if they were size 26 -- I could put on without unzipping and they still fell off me. I returned and ordered a 1X; the tunic fit better but the pants were still too big. I liked the set but atlas, had to return due to fit.


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Court Rules in Favor of Publishers in Maryland E-Book Lawsuit, Preliminary Injunction Granted
We will update this post with reactions, media coverage, and other documents as they become available.
The lawsuit was filed on December 9, 2021, (Association of American Publishers (AAP) vs. Brian E. Frosh, in His Official Capacity Attorney General of the State of Maryland)
Judge Deborah Boardman's complete memorandum opinion (38 pages; PDF) is available here.
The court order granting the preliminary injunction is also available.
From the Opinion
Libraries serve many critical functions in our democracy. They serve as a repository of knowledge-both old and new and ensure access to that knowledge does not depend on wealth or ability. They also play a special role in documenting society's evolution. Congress has underscored the significance of libraries and has accorded them a privileged status on at least one occasion, legislating an exception to the Copyright Act's regime of exclusive rights that permits libraries to reproduce copyrighted material so it may be preserved in the public record across generations. See 17 U.S.C. § 108. Libraries face unique challenges as they sit at the intersection of public service and the private marketplace in an evolving society that is increasingly reliant on digital media. Striking the balance between the critical functions of libraries and the importance of preserving the exclusive rights of copyright holders, however, is squarely in the province of Congress and not this Court or a state legislature.
Direct to Complete Memorandum Opinion (38 pages; PDF)
A statement from the AAP is available here.
From the Statement
"We also thank the court for moving decisively to protect the integrity of the exclusive rights that vest with authors, for preserving a uniform and effective federal Copyright Act, and for recognizing the long-term criticality of a vibrant and independent publishing industry in society.
Direct to Completer Statement
This infoDOCKET post includes links to media coverage, the complete court docket, and statements.
—-UPDATES—
UPDATE: Statement From Office of the Attorney General, State of Maryland
Our office is currently reviewing the decision to determine next steps. We think publishers should not be able to unfairly take advantage of Maryland public libraries. We will continue to pursue fair treatment for Maryland public libraries.
UPDATE 2: Statement From ALA
ALA unequivocally supports the Maryland law and stands by the Attorney General's defense of Maryland libraries' right to buy licenses for digital content on reasonable terms. We look forward to the next steps in this court proceeding toward the goal of equitable library access to digital books and fairness for all stakeholders in the publishing ecosystem.
As always, libraries and library associations are willing and ready for discussions with rights holders—the publishers—and hope discussions may advance, irrespective of the legal directions or policy context.
Read the Complete Statement
UPDATE 3: Copyright Alliance Statement on Maryland Court Granting Preliminary Injunction to Publishers in eBook Licensing Case (via CA)
UPDATE 4: Statement From Readers First
UPDATE 5 (March 2, 2022): Maryland Library Association Response to Decision by U.S. District Court of Maryland's Ruling on eBook Legislation (via Readers First)
Direct to Maryland Library Association Response
Media Coverage: Court Blocks Maryland's Library E-book Law (by Andrew Albanese, Publishers Weekly)
Media Coverage: Publishers Win Preliminary Injunction in Library E-Book Fight (via Bloomberg Law)
Filed under: Associations and Organizations, Companies (Publishers/Vendors), Conference Presentations, Libraries, News, Open Access, Public Libraries, Publishing
Report: "cOAlition S Confirms the End of Its Financial Support for Open Access Publishing Under Transformative Arrangements After...
From a cOAlition S Announcement: Transformative arrangements – including Transformative Agreements and Transformative Journals – were developed to encourage subscription journals to transition to full and immediate open access within a defined timeframe (31st December 2024, ...
Library of Congress: Hannah Sommers Appointed New Associate Librarian for Researcher and Collections Services
From the Library of Congress: The Library of Congress announced today the appointment of Hannah Sommers as the new Associate Librarian for Researcher and Collections Services in the Library Collections and Services Group. In this role, Sommers will lead the future of the Library's collections and the services it delivers to researchers and users. She will be central ...
Virginia Tech: University Libraries Dean Tyler Walters Appointed Board Chair of Academic Preservation Trust; IEEE Computer Society 2023...
As Book Bans Increase Across the Country, a Boston University Scholar is Fighting Back Core's Library Resources & Technical Services Journal Goes Fully Open Access Digital Image Processing: It's All ...


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Jennifer Lopez and Alex Rodriguez are engaged
LOS ANGELES (AP) - J-Rod is taking it to the next level - superstar Jennifer Lopez and retired baseball star Alex Rodriguez are engaged.
The couple posted an Instagram photo of their hands with a massive engagement ring on Lopez's ring finger. The former Yankees shortstop captioned his photo with "she said yes" and a heart emoji.
The couple has been dating since early 2017 and later that year landed on the cover of Vanity Fair magazine with their celebrity couple nickname, J-Rod.
In January, Rodriguez told The Associated Press that he and Lopez had similar backgrounds and now "are in our 40s and trying to live the best lives possible." He said Lopez throughout her career had "destroyed the word 'no' " and how much he related to her recent film "Second Act."
It will be Lopez's fourth marriage and Rodriguez's second. Each has two children from previous marriages.
At least 60 people treated after plane dumps jet fuel near several schools in LA area
Santa Clarita temporarily bans new drive-thru restaurants


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The University, which was granted institutional accreditation in June 2004 by the Commission on Higher Education of the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools in the United States and reaffirmed in 2016, includes seven faculties: Agricultural and Food Sciences, Arts and Sciences, Engineering and Architecture .
Private Institution Type
Ph.D. Electrical and Computer Engineering
Ph.D. Environmental and Water Resources Engineering
Computer Science & IT (1)
Environmental Studies & Earth Sciences (1)
Founded in 1866, the American University of Beirut is a teaching-centered research university based on the American liberal arts model of higher education. AUB has over 9,000 students and over 1,200 instructional faculty members. The University encourages freedom of thought and expression and seeks to graduate men and women committed to creative and critical thinking.
AUB currently offers more than 130 programs leading to the bachelor's, master's, MD, and PhD degrees. The University became coeducational in 1922; its student body is 50 percent male and 50 percent female. The language of instruction is English (except for courses in the Arabic Department and other language courses).
Research Committees:
Research at the Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences
Research at the Faculty of Medicine
Research at the Rafic Hariri School of Nursing
Research Committee - Faculty of Arts and Sciences
Research Committee - Faculty of Engineering and Architecture
Research Committee - Faculty of Health Sciences
The Career and Placement Services, which is part of the Student Affairs Office, provides guidance and resources to students and AUB graduates for their life-long career development by facilitating their exploration of career options and development of effective career life planning skills. It is further committed to assist organizations in meeting their hiring needs for the mutual benefit of students and AUB graduates as well as employers.
QS World University Rankings by TopUniversities
QS World University Rankings is one of the top international rankings measuring the popularity and performance of universities all over the world.
They measure university reputation based on the impressions of higher education experts, companies who hire graduates, and teaching quality. QS also considers the ratio of international teachers and students present at universities, as well as the times research papers were mentioned by researchers. After calculating and comparing these criteria, QS ranks the universities accordingly.
64 buildings, including Medical Center (365 beds), the Charles Hostler Student Center (athletics), 4 Libraries, 3 Museums, 2 Art Galleries, 7 Dormitories, Athletic Fields
AUB offers its students the opportunity to live in its residence halls and share a rich community life on its beautiful campus. AUB provides quality housing facilities and services to ensure a wholesome living environment that enables students to thrive personally and academically.
The University Libraries include the central Jafet Memorial Library and two branch libraries: the Engineering and Architecture Library and the Science and Agriculture Library with its annex the Advancing Research Enabling Communities Center (AREC) Library. The Saab Memorial Medical Library (SML) is one of the best medical libraries in the Middle East.
Our mission is to provide and sustain excellent Information Technology services that are:
Efficient, reliable, secure, innovative and cost effective
Strategically aligned with the academic, healthcare and administrative goals
Targeted towards improving the quality of patient experience and student campus life
AUBMC is an academic medical center dedicated to the passionate pursuit of improving the health of the community in Lebanon and the region through the delivery of exceptional and comprehensive quality care to our patients, excellence in education and training, and leadership in innovative research.
Located in Ras Beirut, AUB's main campus has a total of 64 buildings. The 60.9 acre (246,459 square meter) campus overlooking the Mediterranean Sea includes athletic fields, private beach, bird sanctuary, and a repository of native and non-native trees and shrubs.
The American University of Beirut (AUB) operates under a charter granted by the Education Department of the State of New York in 1863, which registers the Universitys degree programs. AUB degrees are also recognized by the Lebanese government through the equivalence committees of the Ministry of Education and Higher Education.
Get More Information About Lebanon
10 (Pre-)Bachelors


The Pan Pacific Microelectronics Symposium promotes international technical interchange and provides a premier forum for networking among microelectronics professionals and business leaders throughout the world.
Save the Date for Pan Pac 2020!
Start planning now to present your research next year. Abstracts of 500 words should be submitted with title and author contact information.
The 24th Annual Pan Pacific Microelectronics Symposium that took place February 11-14, 2019, at the Kauai Marriott Resort & Beach Club on Kauai, Hawaii was well received by attendees from North America, Asia, and Europe. Over thirty papers were presented to attendees from eleven countries. Speakers at the Pan Pacific Symposium promoted international technical exchange and joined in a diverse forum for extensive networking among microelectronics professionals from around the world.
"Pan Pac is unique because of the high-quality attendees and exceptional presentations it draws, as well as the casual and social atmosphere that permeates the conference."
David Raby, STI Electronics, Inc.


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Protesters March Through New York City, 6 Arrested in Scuffle With NYPD
By The Daily Caller News Foundation
September 14, 2020New York
NYPD officers stand guard during a protest in New York City, N.Y., on Sept. 3, 2020. (Kena Betancur/AFP via Getty Images)
Around 100 protesters reportedly marched through two boroughs of New York City before they were confronted by the NYPD Saturday night, the New York Post reported.
The protesters, reportedly affiliated with Black Lives Matter, marched from the Bronx into Manhattan and ended up blocking traffic on the George Washington Bridge until officers broke up the group, according to the Post. The protesters then reportedly marched back into Manhattan.
Six protesters were arrested in Washington Heights near the 34th Precinct, the Post reported. Officers in riot gear clashed with protesters, video shows.
Clashes and Arrests happened outside 34th precinct today in Manhattan, following protesters shutting down George Washington Bridge for #breathebill
???? By Oliya Scootercaster and @yyeeaahhhboiii2 Desk@scootercaster.com to license pic.twitter.com/by4TWqyj5G
— @SCOOTERCASTER (FNTV) (@ScooterCasterNY) September 13, 2020
"Look how much power we had. We sat on the bridge for 20 minutes. We shut the whole city down," a protester said, the Post reported. "Then we came down here and police started beating the s–t out of us," the protester reportedly added. "It's going to take 100,000 years to clean all this up."
A protester was reportedly forced to the ground by an officer when he attempted to approach a woman who seemed to be arrested, according to the Post.
"As people were speaking, riot cops attacked us, shoving and arresting multiple people for no reason," Joshua Potash said on Twitter.
Police said the protesters dispersed by 10 p.m. and no injuries were reported, according to the Post.
By Kaylee Greenlee
From The Daily Caller News Foundation


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Fullscreen News
Schools prepare for return of students with new COVID-safe measures
Adrian Williams
adrianw@baylismedia.co.uk
04:54PM, Tuesday 01 September 2020
Schools across the Royal Borough and Slough have set up measures to increase safety for children and staff as pupils prepare to return next week.
On Tuesday, the Government changed its advice on face coverings in corridors and communal areas of secondary schools – this will now be up to individual headteachers in most parts of the country.
Another of the more noticeable changes around school grounds will be the social distancing of different year groups, as per the Government-advised system of peer group 'bubbles'.
This change will also affect before and after school clubs, including homework clubs and breakfast clubs.
Cafeterias will change how they are spaced, stretching out into assembly halls, staggering arrivals, zoning children by age, and changing queuing systems at the serving counters.
At The Windsor Boys' School, a 'no touching' rule has been instigated and it will hold no assemblies or large gatherings, while other schools have chosen virtual assemblies.
Windsor Boys' pupils will only be able to circulate in the school to go to and from lessons and all queuing will be outside on marked dots.
"It has been the most unbelievably difficult of times, but we have got to this point relatively successfully because of the unity and understanding between teachers, students and parents," said headteacher Gavin Henderson. "I am really looking forward to September and a tentative return to normality."
Other schools have introduced rules that guard against the sorts of everyday activities taken for granted.
For example, Herschel Grammar School in Slough has stated that the sharing of school equipment will not be allowed.
Parents will also be asked to change their behaviour to maintain social distancing in the school grounds.
In some schools, parents will be asked to wait in particular zones for their children, so as to better maintain the 'bubble'.
Secondary schools are strongly encouraging parents to let their children walk to school or take public transport, to avoid congestion on the roads from dropping pupils off outside the school campus.
As for communication between parents and teachers, schools are attempting to cut down on face-to-face, unscheduled conversations and replace them with direct, digital contact.
Some reception offices will remain closed, or operate under a different system, allowing only pick-ups and drop-offs of items, rather than general enquiries.
CCTV footage released as woman is robbed on her own doorstep in Cippenham
Volunteers needed to help Slough's COVID test and vaccine effort
Figures reveal hospital trust caring for more than 600 coronavirus patients
Thousands of homes could arrive in Slough with council set to splash out on land
Plans approved for 212 homes at Montem Leisure Centre site
Wexham Park Hospital administers 10,000th COVID vaccine to health worker
Frimley Heath Charity no longer accepting in-person gifts during 'challenging' period
Discussions ongoing over future of coronavirus testing facility at former Montem Leisure Centre
Live-streamed funerals offer chance to pay respects in safety
'Wilful and blatant' COVID rule-breakers will be punished, warns Thames Valley Police
Care home vaccinations in Slough expected to be completed this week


Timing and speed are both important for making accurate estimates of how an object will travel.
New technique is nontoxic to cells, should allow scientists to study neuron function for months or years instead of weeks.
Neuroscientists discover a cellular pathway that encodes memories by strengthening specific synapses.
High-frequency gamma oscillations sort similar-looking objects; lower-frequency beta oscillations kick in when connections are more abstract.


Standardized extract of the fruit of the Garcinia cambogia tree.
Garcinia Plus contains a standardized extract of the fruit of the Garcinia cambogia tree.
For many centuries this fruit, also called Malabar tamarind, has been used in southern India for culinary purposes.
Not to be used by phenylketonurics, women who are pregnant, may become pregnant, or breastfeeding, or with antidepressant drugs such as MAOIs or SSRIs.
If you are hypoglycemic, or have chronic high blood pressure or diabetes, take after meals and or consult your health care professional before using this product.


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Struggles and Support
Therapy and Self-Help Resources
Meditation Resources
Thread: Meditation Resources
8 Apr 2021, 5:17am #1
What resources help your meditation practice? Guided, music, app, etc.
I wish I had heard this episode of the One Mind podcast before I took up meditation.
OM 008: How To Turn Meditation Into A Keystone Habit
10 Apr 2021, 9:07am #2
A new book on Anxiety, rooted in mindfulness. Dr. Judson Brewer - Unwinding Anxiety: New Science Shows How to Break the Cycles of Worry and Fear to Heal Your Mind.
A step-by-step plan clinically proven to break the cycle of worry and fear that drives anxiety and addictive habits.
We are living through one of the most anxious periods any of us can remember. Whether facing issues as public as a pandemic or as personal as having kids at home and fighting the urge to reach for the wine bottle every night, we are feeling overwhelmed and out of control. But in this timely book, Judson Brewer explains how to uproot anxiety at its source using brain-based techniques and small hacks accessible to anyone.
We think of anxiety as everything from mild unease to full-blown panic. But it's also what drives the addictive behaviors and bad habits we use to cope (e.g. stress eating, procrastination, doom scrolling and social media). Plus, anxiety lives in a part of the brain that resists rational thought. So we get stuck in anxiety habit loops that we can't think our way out of or use willpower to overcome. Dr. Brewer teaches us map our brains to discover our triggers, defuse them with the simple but powerful practice of curiosity, and to train our brains using mindfulness and other practices that his lab has proven can work.
Distilling more than 20 years of research and hands-on work with thousands of patients, including Olympic athletes and coaches, and leaders in government and business, Dr. Brewer has created a clear, solution-oriented program that anyone can use to feel better - no matter how anxious they feel.
Source: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/...inding-anxiety
Dan Harris interviews Judson Brewer on his excellent podcast 10% happier, which is all about meditation and mental health.
#329 How to Break Your Anxiety Habit.
17 Aug, 3:59am #3
Got ROM - How To Sit For Meditation with Perfect Posture
The best book I read about trauma since '97 is Pete Walker's Complex PTSD: From Surviving To Thriving


Celebrity chef Chris Santos is no stranger to creating food that people crave. The super successful restauranteur (The Stanton Social, Beauty & Essex) and star judge on the Food Network's Chopped recently joined me for my podcast Whine At 9 to discuss some of his favorite Super Bowl recipes including his popular Grilled BBQ Shrimp with Tomatillo, Roasted Corn and Feta Salsa.
Kick up your game and test this recipe on your Super Bowl guests.
Char all of the peppers. Remove the skins and seeds. Puree all of the peppers with oil and salt. Season to taste.
Combine all of the ingredients. The longer you allow the ingredients to marry, the better.
Marinate shrimp in The Rattler sauce for at least 1 day in the refrigerator.
Remove shrimp from marinade and grill until shrimp are pink and tender.
Garnish plate with a drizzle of Three Pepper puree.
Place the four shrimp down the middle of the plate and top with tomatillo salsa.
Serves 4 servings of 4 shrimp each.
Find out more about Rattler BBQ sauce here.
Listen to Nancy's interview with Chris Santos here, on iTunes, or Stitcher Radio.


We are made in the likeness and image of God, all of us. Each of us, made in that image, the image of the Trinity, a perfect communion, are by our very nature social and connected to one another by our very nature. Our intrinsic dignity as human persons and our intrinsic social nature must be taken into consideration when we talk about laws, criminal justice and punishment.
As the "Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church" states, the government: "has the twofold responsibility to discourage behaviour that is harmful to human rights and the fundamental norms of civil life, and to repair, through the penal system, the disorder created by criminal activity" (402).
Too often that is all the further we consider when discussing laws and punishments for crimes. Such an approach neglects the full teaching of the church. The compendium states: "Punishment does not serve merely the purpose of defending the public order and guaranteeing the safety of persons; it becomes as well an instrument for the correction of the offender … On the one hand, encouraging the re-insertion of the condemned person into society; on the other, fostering a justice that reconciles, a justice capable of restoring harmony in social relationships disrupted by the criminal act committed" (403).
Accordingly, "Punishment, in addition to preserving public order and the safety of persons, has a medicinal scope: as far as possible it should contribute to the correction of the offender" (Catechism 2266). When we inflict punishment on others because we think it will make us feel better, or, satisfies a desire to harm them as they have harmed us, or even for enjoyment, we are not upholding the teachings of our faith. The goal of any punishment must be to repair the harm done to others, to the guilty, as well as promote restoration of the guilty party to the rest of the community all the while respecting the dignity of all, including the offender.
It must also be remembered that even guilty persons of the most heinous crimes are human persons made in the image of God. No act can negate that dignity. This is why the church teaches that torture is intrinsically evil and can never be used, though too often it is (Compendium 404, "Gaudium et Spes" 27). One such practice is solitary confinement which has been proven to gravely harm the mental health of prisoners subjected to the practice. "Today torture is not inflicted only as a means of obtaining a specific objective, such as a confession or information … but is a genuine surplus of pain added to the actual suffering of imprisonment. In this way, torture occurs not only in clandestine detention centres or in modern day concentration camps, but also in prisons, institutes for juveniles, psychiatric hospitals, police stations and other centres and institutions of detention and punishment" (Address of Pope Francis to the Delegates of the International Association of Penal Law, Oct. 23, 2014).
The church's approach to justice is called restorative justice, which recognizes that the primary issue is the harm done to persons and communities. We have a responsibility to heal those harmed; supporting survivors of crime and helping them to bring about healing for them. It recognizes that reform is possible and makes reform the primary focus with regards to those found guilty of crimes by having them take responsibility for their actions, make amends and, if possible, be reintegrated into society. This approach not only gives survivors of crime a voice in the process of justice but has also shown to leave survivors more satisfied in the process and more able to find closure. It has the added benefit of reducing recidivism of those who break the law. It is estimated that nearly two-thirds of all offenders will reoffend within a few years under retributive/criminal justice systems. But that number is drastically reduced under restorative justice practice, making our communities safer. This is why Pope Francis, several previous popes, as well as the USCCB have called for an end to the death penalty. While not intrinsically disordered, the church recognizes that, "Modern society in fact has the means of effectively suppressing crime by rendering criminals harmless without definitively denying them the chance to reform" (Compendium 405). And goes so far as stating that cases in which the death penalty is ever justified "are very rare, if not practically non-existent" (Catechism 2267, "Evangelium Vitae," 56).
Our Formation for All session for September is focused on opposition to the death penalty and promoting restorative justice in society. Check it out at: dbqarch.org/rlsj/formation. And, if you are interested in learning more about restorative justice and getting involved, contact the Archdiocese of Dubuque Catholic Charities Jail and Prison Ministry Office, Deacon Bill Hickson, dbqcccjpm@dbqarch.org or call 800-772-2758.