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Timor-Leste Institutes Proceedings Against Australia at the ICJ
On December 17, Timor-Leste brought suit against Australia at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) alleging that Australia has unlawfully seized and detained documents, data and other property that is subject to the protection of Timor-Leste under international law. More specifically, Timor-Leste alleges that Australian agents seized documentation and other property from the residence of legal advisor to Timor-Leste in Canberra, Australia that related to a pending arbitration under the 2002 Timor Sea Treaty between Timor-Leste and Australia. Timor-Leste requests that the documents and other property be returned and any copies destroyed and that Australia be ordered not to use any information obtained against Timor-Leste in the pending arbitration. In an increasingly common move, Timor-Leste requested the indication of provisional measures. Australia addressed an urgent communication to the Court on Dec. 20, requesting that the ICJ handle the matter with urgency. In response, the ICJ has announced it will hold hearings on the request for provisional measures on Jan. 20-22, 2014.
The application by Timor-Leste is not yet available on the ICJ website. As a result, the legal basis for Timor-Leste's claims are not entirely clear. Judging from the ICJ Press Release, it does not appear that Timor-Leste has referred to a particular treaty for the basis of its claim. There is no mention, for example, of the Vienna Conventions on Diplomatic and Consular Relations, suggesting that Timor-Leste does not claim the documents are protected by those treaties. It may be claiming instead that there is a general principle of international law that protects privileged communications between attorneys and and their clients as was found by the European Court of Justice in the AM&S case. More information regarding that case may be found here.
(cgb)
December 26, 2013 | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)
From the blog of the Law Library of Congress, we're happy to share this post about "Christmas Movies and the Law." Happy holidays everyone!
The national legislature of Nigeria has passed new lew legislation that purports to ban same-sex marriage. But reports about the legislation state that it would do much more than that: it would, if signed into law by Nigeria's President, be one of the harshest anti-gay laws in the world. Even holding hands in public may be punishable by five years in prison, and failing to report someone who is gay would also be illegal. Human rights activists and international law advocates around the world express shock as they are learning about the legislation. Click here to read more.
Nigeria Passes Bill Imprisoning Gays 10 Years For "Public Shows" Of Affection
Somalia Appoints a Prime Minister
Abdiweli Sheikh Ahmed has been appointed as Prime Minister of Somalia, following a vote in the Federal Parliament.
Nicholas Kay, Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General, said that Abdiweli Sheikh Ahmed takes office as Somalia approaches 2014, which will be a pivotal year in Somalia's progress towards peace and prosperity. Mr. Kay said that the UN Assistance Mission in Somalia(UNSOM), which he heads, will continue to support the Federal Government in its peace- and State-building efforts. He also noted outgoing Prime Minister Abdi Farah Shirdon Saaid's commitment to the Provisional Federal Constitution and the constructive manner in which he has handed over his responsibilities to his successor. Kay urged Parliament, the Government and the Presidency to continue working together constructively in full respect of the Provisional Federal Constitution.
(mew)(adapted from a UN press release)
AALS Annual Meeting: International Law-Making and the United Nations
For those of you attending the annual meeting of the American Association of Law Schools (AALS) in New York City next month, please considering attending the program sponsored by the AALS Section on International Law:
INTERNATIONAL LAW-MAKING AND THE UNITED NATIONS
Friday, January 3, 2014, 8:30-10:15 am
This panel will explore contemporary developments, processes and controversies in international law-making by the United Nations. Speakers with experience in a range of U.N. bodies will share their observations, insights and analysis.
MAHNOUSH ARSANJANI, who served in the UN Office of Legal Affairs (OLA) for over three decades, most recently as Director of the Codification Division. She also served as Secretary of the International Law Commission (ILC) and Secretary of the Committee of the Whole, Rome Conference on the Establishment of the International Criminal Court.
KRISTEN BOON, Professor of Law Seton Hall Law School. Her scholarship has focused on the legal framework applicable to the law-making activities of IOs including the United Nations, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank in transitional situations such as Kosovo and Iraq. Past UN experience includes International Law Commission sessions (for Codification Division of OLA), Rome Conference on the International Criminal Court, UN Mission in Kosovo, UNHCR Secretariat in Geneva, UNHCR liaison office in New York.
PABLO CASTILLO DÍAZ, specialist at UN Women on sexual violence in conflict and gender-based violence in emergencies; work focuses on women's rights protection in conflict and post-conflict situations, with special attention to training for UN peacekeepers and support to documentation and investigations of crimes of sexual violence. Sample publication in collaboration with the Department of Peacekeeping Operations (DPKO), developed pursuant to UN Security Council request, here.
KIMBERLY PROST, U.N. Security Council Ombudsperson for the Al Qaida Sanctions Committee, and Head of Legal Advisory Section, Division for Treaty Affairs, UN Office on Drugs and Crime. Previously a judge of the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY).
STEPHANIE FARRIOR, Vermont Law School; Chair, AALS Section on International Law
Business Meeting at Program Conclusion
India Supreme Court Decision Violates Human Rights
The United Nations human rights chief today voiced her disappointment at the re-criminalization of consensual same-sex relationships in India, calling it "a significant step backwards" for the country. In a decision announced yesterday, the Supreme Court upheld a colonial-era law, Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code, which provides for the punishment of those found guilty of "unnatural offences."
"Criminalising private, consensual same-sex sexual conduct violates the rights to privacy and to non-discrimination enshrined in the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which India has ratified," said UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay. The Supreme Court's decision, she added in a news release, represents "a significant step backwards for India and a blow for human rights."
In 2009, the Delhi High Court struck down Section 377 in so far as it applied to sexual conduct between consenting adults in private, on the basis that criminalising such conduct is incompatible with the fundamental principles of equality, dignity and non-discrimination enshrined in the Indian Constitution. The matter was referred to the Supreme Court on appeal.
India's top court yesterday declared Section 377 to be constitutionally valid, thereby overturning the 2009 High Court decision and re-instating the law.
"The Supreme Court of India has a long and proud history of defending and expanding protection of human rights. This decision is a regrettable departure from that tradition," Ms. Pillay said. She hoped that the Supreme Court might exercise its review procedure, in effect agreeing to rehear the case before a larger panel of judges, stating that such a review would provide an opportunity for judges to reconsider whether the decision took sufficient account of all relevant arguments.
More broadly, Ms. Pillay encouraged the Indian Parliament to take definitive action to decriminalise same-sex sexual conduct. She stressed the need to ensure effective protection for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex individuals from violence and discrimination.
(UN Press Release)
Click here for links to the 98-page decision and for other commentary and reactions to the ruling.
India Supreme Court reinstates gay sex ban
Indian ban on gay sex violates international law: U.N
SC rules gay sex illegal, upholds Section 377
INDIA: Supreme Court Recriminalizes Homosexuality In Shocking Decision, Reverses 2009 Landmark Ruling
Indian ban on gay sex violates international law: UN
Google Hangout: Going for Gold: Advancing International Disabilities Rights
U.S. State Department Special Advisor for International Rights of Persons with Disabilities Judith Heumann and Senior Advisor and former Olympic athlete Michelle Kwan will participate in a Google+ Hangout on "Going For Gold: Advancing International Disability Rights" at the Department of State at 1:00 p.m. (EST) today, Thursday, December 5.
The Hangout will feature several U.S. Paralympic athletes, who will speak about the opportunities offered by international training and competition for Paralympians, as well as some of the challenges they face. The Hangout can be viewed live on the U.S. Department of State's Google+ page and You Tube Channel. During the Hangout, live-captioning will be available here.
Turkey Urged Not to Criminalize Emergency Medical Care
A United Nations human rights expert and the World Medical Association (WMA) has urged the Turkish parliament to reconsider a draft law that would criminalize the provision of medical care by qualified independent practitioners during emergencies after the arrival of a state ambulance. "If adopted, Article 33 will have a chilling effect on the availability and accessibility of emergency medical care in a country prone to natural disasters and a democracy that is not immune from demonstrations," UN Special Rapporteur on the right to health, Anand Grover, said in a news release. "Enacting laws and policies criminalizing provision of medical care to people challenging State authorities, such as political protestors, will certainly deter healthcare workers from providing services due to fear of prosecution," he warned. Both Mr. Grover and the WMA have written individually to the Turkish Government expressing their grave concern about the requirements of Article 33 of the draft health bill, and called on parliamentarians to "scrap it."
WMA Secretary General Otmar Kloiber pointed out that "in times of urgency, from earthquakes to floods to protests and demonstrations, the international standards for emergency medical care are based on the medical need of the wounded and sick rather than the presence of official medical transport."
The two experts noted that international medical and human rights standards make it clear that it is a humanitarian duty of doctors, nurses, paramedics, and other health workers to give emergency care to those in need. "They must be able to carry out their professional responsibilities without interference or fear of reprisal," they said.
(adapted from a UN press release)
Supreme Disappointment: The Supreme Court of India Affirms its British-Colonial-Era Sodomy Law
A copy of the decision can be found here.
Analysis of the decision can be found here on our sister blog, the Constitutional Law Prof Blog.
Opinions from India on the ruling can be found here.
Photos and stories of protests across India can be found here.
Supreme Court of India Upholds Constitutionality of Criminalization of Sodomy
PHOTOS: India's Supreme Court Reinstates Sodomy Ban
India's Supreme Court upholds colonial-era anti-gay sex law
India's Supreme Court: It's Still Illegal To Be Gay
24 Heartbreaking Responses To India's Ban On Same-Sex Intercourse
India Supreme Court Upholds Sodomy Law
Today, Tuesday, December 10, is Human Rights Day. It is the anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and an annual commemoration of those who strive for human rights - for themselves and for others. Given the recent passing of Nelson Mandela, it seems especially appropriate to take time this year to acknowledge those persons who have fought and continue to fight for human rights.
This year is the 20th anniversary of the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action, which created a common plan for strengthening human rights work around the world. It also called for the establishment of the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, which the UN General Assembly immediately acted upon. The first High Commissioner was installed in 1994. This year's Human Rights Day theme is "20 Years Working for Your Rights."
There are many actions you can take to support human rights. My local United Nations Association Chapter presents an annual Human Rights Day Award to a person or organization that has done significant work to advance human rights. This year, the award is being presented to the Marion Medical Mission and its founders for their work constructing tens of thousands of shallow wells to provide access to clean drinking water to persons in Malawi, Tanzania and Zambia. You could also advocate for the adoption of human rights treaties, such as the Disabilities Treaty or the Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination Against Women, and the strengthening of bodies to implement human rights. Or you could simply say thank you to someone in your community who works to advance human rights.
U.S. Supreme Court Hears Child Abduction Case Tomorrow
The U.S. Supreme Court will hear oral arguments on December 11, 2013 in a case concerning international child abduction. The issue is whether the one-year filing deadline for a petition under the Hague Convention to return an abducted child is tolled when the abducting parent conceals the whereabouts of the child from the other parent.
Click here to read more about the legal issue that will be decided in Lozano v. Alvarez.
December 9, 2013 | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)
International Anti-Corruption Day
Corruption is a barrier to achieving universally accepted development goals, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today said, calling on Governments, the private sector and civil society to take a collective stand against this social, political and economic disease affecting all countries. "To achieve an equitable, inclusive and more prosperous future for all, we must foster a culture of integrity, transparency, accountability and good governance," Mr. Ban said in his message for International Anti-Corruption Day.
He stressed that corruption prevents achievement of the global anti-poverty targets known as the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and needs to be taken into account in defining and implementing a robust post-2015 development agenda. "Good governance is critical for sustainable development," Mr. Ban noted, adding that corruption suppresses economic growth by driving up costs, breaches human rights, increases inequality, and undermines the sustainable management of natural resources.
Corruption has a devastating impact across the world. The World Bank estimates that every year between $20 billion and $40 billion are lost from developing countries due to corruption and bribery, but the scourge also impacts developed economies.
The UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and the UN Development Programme (UNDP) today launched the 'Zero Corruption – 100% Development' campaign, designed by young people for young people to raise awareness about corruption.
The campaign focuses on the corrosive effects of corruption on development, highlighting that this crime undermines democracy and the rule of law, leads to human rights violations, distorts markets, erodes quality of life and allows organized crime and other threats to security to flourish, according to the joint campaign website.
To highlight the impact of corruption in the world of sport and business, the UN Global Compact, in collaboration with UNDP, today launched a Call to Action to mobilize private and public partners to engage in transparent procurement.
The UN has also developed guidelines to help businesses fight corruption in sport sponsorship and hospitality, Mr. Ban noted in his message.
The first global legally binding international anti-corruption instrument was the UN Convention against Corruption, which today marks its tenth anniversary. It was adopted by the General Assembly in 2003, the same year that the body designated 9 December as International Anti-Corruption Day to raise awareness of both corruption and the role of the Convention in combating and preventing it.
"The Convention is countering corruption in the areas of development, the environment, in the private sector, during major public events, match-fixing, asset recovery, and in many other areas of our lives," said Yury Fedotov, the Executive Director of UNODC, which houses the Convention's Secretariat.
At least 171 of the UN's 193 Member States have so far ratified the Convention. It includes a review mechanism enabling countries to review their peers in a partnership process. In its fourth year, the review mechanism has helped 35 States to improve their anti-corruption laws, and led to the training of 1,400 experts, noted Mr. Fedotov.
(Excerpt from a U.N. press release)
Bangladesh Urged to Halt Impending Execution
Two independent United Nations human rights experts today urged the Bangladeshi Government to halt the execution of Abdul Quader Mollah, whose death sentence could be carried out as early as tomorrow, amid concerns that he did not receive a fair trial. Mr. Mollah was condemned to life imprisonment by the Bangladesh International Crimes Tribunal, a special domestic court with the jurisdiction and competence to try and punish any person accused of committing atrocities, including genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity, in Bangladesh, including during the country's 1971 independence war. After the Prosecution appealed the Tribunal's decision to sentence him to life imprisonment, the country's Supreme Court sentenced Mr. Mollah to death on 17 September – a ruling that cannot be appealed. "The right of appeal is of particular importance in death penalty cases," said the Special Rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers, Gabriela Knaul.
"Anyone convicted of a crime has the right to have his or her conviction and sentence reviewed by a higher tribunal, as laid down in the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights to which Bangladesh is a party," she said in a news release. "This provision is violated where a court of final instance imposes a harsher sentence that cannot be reviewed." Both Ms. Knaul and the Special Rapporteur on summary executions, Christof Heyns, reiterated their concerns that the defendant was not granted a fair trial. "In countries that have not abolished the death penalty, capital punishment may be imposed only following a trial that complied with fair trial and due process safeguards," said Mr. Heyns.
"Any death sentence undertaken in contravention of a Government's international obligations is tantamount to an arbitrary execution," he stressed. "Only full respect for stringent due process guarantees distinguishes capital punishment as possibly permitted under international law from a summary execution, which by definition violates human rights standards." He also cautioned that "under such circumstances, the execution of Mr. Mollah could trigger further violence and unrest that has been agitating the country in the recent months." The experts called for all the defendants whose cases are underway before the Tribunal and the Supreme Court to receive fair trials.
Independent experts, or special rapporteurs, are appointed by the Geneva-based UN Human Rights Council to examine and report back on a country situation or a specific human rights theme. The positions are honorary and the experts are not UN staff, nor are they paid for their work.
Call For Bangladesh To Halt Execution Of War Crimes Accused
Bangladesh: Halt Execution of War Crimes Accused
Halt Quader Mollah's execution: HRW
Jordan Elected to U.N. Security Council
The United Nations General Assembly has elected Jordan as a non-permanent member of the Security Council to fill a seat that Saudi Arabia had, in an earlier election, won but declined to accept. Jordan, endorsed by the African and Asian regional group, was elected to serve on the Council for two-years beginning on 1 January 2014. The country will be seated alongside Chad, Chile, Lithuania and Nigeria, which the Assembly elected on 17 October.
Saudi Arabia was also elected in the October vote, but shortly thereafter began to signal it would not accept the position. In a 12 November statement annexed to a letter from the Ambassador of Saudi Arabia to UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, the Saudi Foreign Ministry formally confirmed that stance. In that statement, the Ministry apologized for its non-acceptance, explaining that the country could not serve on the Council until the body is "reformed and enabled, effectively and practically, to carry out its duties and responsibilities in maintaining international peace and security." The Kingdom nevertheless reaffirmed its commitment to the UN and the goals of the Organization.
"The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia believes that the manner, mechanisms of action and double standards existing in the [Council] prevent it from performing its duties and assuming its responsibilities towards preserving international peace and security as required, leading to the continued disruption of peace and security, the expansion of the injustices against peoples, the violation of rights and the spread of conflicts and wars around the world," the statement continues.
The Foreign Ministry cited the situation of the Palestinian cause, lacking a just and lasting solution for 65 years, as "irrefutable evidence and proof of the Security Council's inability to carry out its duties and assume its responsibilities. It also laments the Council's "failure …to make the Middle East a zone free of all weapons of mass destruction."
Finally, the ministry said that "allowing the ruling regime in Syria to kill and burn its people with chemical weapons while the world stands idly by, without applying deterrent sanctions against the Damascus regime, is also irrefutable evidence and proof of the inability of the Security Council to carry out its duties and responsibilities."
In light of those concerns, Saudi Arabia, "on the basis of its historical responsibilities towards its people, Arab and Islamic nations as well as towards the peoples aspiring to peace and stability all over the world, announces its apology for not accepting membership in the Security Council," the statement concludes.
The five permanent Council members, which each wield the power of veto, are China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom and the United States. Non-permanent members Argentina, Australia, Luxembourg, the Republic of Korea and Rwanda will remain on the Council until the end of 2014. Under the UN Charter, the 15-member Council has primary responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security, and all Member States are obligated to comply with its decisions. The Council also takes the lead in determining the existence of a threat to the peace or act of aggression. It calls on the parties to a dispute to settle it by peaceful means and recommends methods of adjustment or terms of settlement. In some cases, it can resort to imposing sanctions or even authorize the use of force to maintain or restore international peace and security.
U.N. Tribunals Have Lessons to Offer on Helping States Deliver Justice
As the United Nations tribunals set up in the wake of the Balkan conflicts of the 1990s and the 1994 Rwandan genocide prepare to conclude their work, there are lessons to be learned in terms of building the national capacity of States to deliver justice, officials from the courts told the Security Council last week.
This year marks the 20th anniversary of the creation by the Council of the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY), which was tasked with trying those responsible for the worst war crimes and other breaches of international humanitarian law committed during the various conflicts in the former Yugoslavia in the 1990s.
"What the Tribunal has achieved in the course of two decades has been extraordinary," Judge Theodor Meron, President of the ICTY, said in his briefing to the Council. He noted that the Tribunal has accounted for all 162 indicted individuals; given rise to an authoritative and extensive body of procedural and substantive law relating to serious international crimes; assisted national judicial systems in conducting their own trials of such crimes; and helped to end impunity, even for national or military leaders. These accomplishments, he added, are a reflection not just of the hard work and dedication of the Tribunal's staff and judges, but also of the key assistance provided to the court by the UN and its Member States. "Without this support, the success of the bold experiment in international justice initiated by this Council in 1993 would never have been possible."
The Prosecutor for the ICTY, Serge Brammertz, told the Council that it is clear that the future of international justice is, increasingly, national justice. "While international courts will always be needed to provide an accountability safety net, building the capacity of national systems to effectively handle crimes under international law is the linchpin of the justice system." In this respect, the former Yugoslavia provides an important precedent, he stated. "There are lessons to learn from the different models and structures adopted by countries of the former Yugoslavia who have assumed responsibility for war crimes cases. And there are also lessons to learn from the process by which the Tribunal has transferred expertise and helped to build capacity nationally. This is an ongoing process." Mr. Brammertz added that 20 years after the Tribunal opened its doors, "we are yet to fully deliver on our promise of justice for victims and survivors of atrocities in the former Yugoslavia."
In December 2010, the Security Council set up the Residual Mechanism to take over and finish the remaining tasks of both the ICTY and the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) once their mandates expire. Both branches of the Mechanism, located in The Hague, are now operational. "As expected, the imminent closure of the ad hoc tribunals has generated broad interest within the international community on the potential for their practices and other aspects of their legacy to contribute to capacity-building of national and other international tribunals in the prosecution of international crimes," Justice Hassan B. Jallow, ICTR's Prosecutor, noted in his briefing. This "impetus" has encouraged his office to share experience with national and international stakeholders on best practices in the fight against impunity, he added.
The President of the ICTR, Judge Vagn Joensen, outlined various training programmes, workshops and partnerships instituted by the Tribunal over the years on a range of issue to help build capacities and share lessons learned. "These capacity-building initiatives represent some of the concrete measures that the Tribunal has taken to help to restore peace and reconciliation in the region, and ensure that present and future generations are provided with the necessary tools to continue the fight against impunity long after the Tribunal closes its doors."
65th Anniversary of the Genocide Convention
Top United Nations officials joined international experts today in New York to mark the 65th anniversary of the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide – referred to as a living symbol of the enduring commitment to 'never again.' "The Genocide Convention has at its heart the commitment to protect vulnerable populations from mass violence. We have made significant advances since it was adopted but we have also seen some significant failures," Deputy Secretary-General Jan Eliasson said, as he addressed the UN Headquarters event on behalf of Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon. "We must be vigilant, courageous and persistent," he stated. "We live in a troubled world, but it is within the power of all of us to make a difference. We must not be passive bystanders. We must always stand up for human rights, the rule of law and a life of dignity for all."
Adopted on 9 December 1948 during the first session of the UN General Assembly, the Convention is largely an outcome of the world's response to the crimes committed by the Nazis against Jews and other minority groups during the Second World War. Drafted by three giants of the human rights field – Raphael Lemkin, Vespasian Pella, and Henry Donnedieu de Vabres – it defines genocide as any act committed with the intent to destroy in whole or in part a national, ethnic, racial or religious group. Today, more than 140 countries have become parties to the Convention, which declares genocide a crime under international law. Those who commit, conspire to commit, or incite others to commit genocide would be found guilty of the crime.
"Genocide does not happen overnight," Mr. Eliasson added. "There are almost always many warning signs, usually over a period of years. Very often these are violations of human rights against one particular group or entity within a population. "That means genocide is enabled when we remain silent or are unwilling to act. But – and this is crucial – it also means we can prevent it."
Adama Dieng, Special Adviser to the Secretary-General on the Prevention of Genocide, noted that while the Convention makes it clear that the prime duty of the international community is to prevent, too often it has failed in this duty, with devastating consequences for innocent civilians. "Today we have to move beyond early warning to early action. We have to strengthen the capacity of our institutions to respond in a timely and effective way to potential conflicts and to the threat of grave and massive human rights violations. Even the best system of early warning will be less helpful unless States are able and willing to take action when the warning is received." He said the ongoing carnage in Syria and unfolding tragedy in the Central African Republic are "stark reminders of our limitations and our inability to undertake robust, timely action to protect populations from atrocity crimes. "Yet, any inaction is unacceptable, especially for those who endure the suffering resulting from these conflicts. We need to do more and we can do more."
Mr. Dieng added that whenever civilians are deliberately targeted because they belong to a particular community or ethnic group, it is evident that the international community is confronting potential or indeed actual genocide. "We can no longer afford to be blind to this grim dynamic, nor should we imagine that appeals to morality, without credible threat of action, will have much effect on people who have adopted a deliberate strategy of killing and forcible expulsion. Anyone who embarks on genocide commits a crime against humanity. It is therefore important that humanity must respond by taking action in its own defence. It is our collective obligation to stand firm and provide a shield to the defenseless."
The panel discussion was organized by the Holocaust and the UN Outreach Programme in partnership with the UN Office on Genocide Prevention and the Responsibility to Protect.
Violence Against Women in Afghanistan
Afghan authorities registered an increased number of reported acts of violence against women and girls in the past year, but prosecutions and convictions under a landmark law remained low with most cases settled by mediation, according to an annual United Nations report released yesterday. While registration of reported incidents such as forced marriage, domestic violence, and rape increased by 28 per cent in 16 provinces since the previous year, the use of the law on the Elimination of Violence against Women (EVAW) as a basis for indictment increased by only two per cent, according to 'A Way to Go' co-authored by the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) and the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR). "Police, prosecutors and courts, in our view, need increased resources and technical and political support and direction from the highest levels of Government to deal adequately with the increase in reporting and registration of cases of violence against women documented in this report," Georgette Gagnon, director of the human rights unit at UNAMA and OHCHR representative, told journalists in the Afghan capital of Kabul at the report launch.
Women are "coming forward in demanding justice", Ms. Gagnon said flanked by the heads of two key civil society group - Hasina Safi from the Afghan Women's Network, and the Afghan Women's Skills Development Centre's Mary Akrami. "The Government needs to step up and provide that justice." Presenting the report findings, Ms. Gagnon said that of an estimated total of 1,669 reported incidents registered throughout the country only 109 cases or seven per cent went through a judicial process using the EVAW law. "What we found is that, instead, the police and prosecutors were mediating more cases of violence against women," said the UN official, speaking on behalf of Ján Kubiš, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General (SRSG) for Afghanistan.
Mediation whether through formal or informal dispute resolution bodies often fails to protect women from further violence by not applying criminal sanctions and legal protections for women, according to the report. It compares and updates findings from UNAMA's December 2012 report on EVAW law implementation and is based on consultations with 203 judicial, police and Government officials, and monitoring of almost 500 cases of violence against women throughout Afghanistan. The report analyses statistical data on the law's application obtained from police, prosecutors and other judicial officials in 18 of Afghanistan's 34 provinces over the one-year period October 2012 to September 2013.
Enacted in 2009, the EVAW law criminalizes acts of violence against women and harmful practices including child marriage, forced marriage, forced self-immolation, 'baad' (giving away a woman or girl to settle a dispute) and 18 other acts of violence against women including rape and beating. It also specifies punishment for perpetrators."The landmark law on the Elimination of Violence against Women was a huge achievement for all Afghans," the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Navi Pillay, said in a news release from UNAMA. "But implementation has been slow and uneven, with police still reluctant to enforce the legal prohibition against violence and harmful practices, and prosecutors and courts slow to enforce the legal protections in the law."
"Afghan authorities need to do much more to build on the gains made so far in protecting women and girls from violence," Ms. Pillay urged.Among its recommendations, the report calls on the Government to put in place a concrete plan, within six months, for the next two-year period for improving implementation of the EVAW law, including measures recommended to Afghanistan by the UN Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) in August 2013.
Another recommendation is that major donors establish a joint monitoring framework with specific indicators to measure progress in EVAW law implementation. The release of the report coincides with the global campaign of 16 Days of Activism against Gender Violence. The campaign begins annually on the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, marked on 25 November, and ends on 10 December Human Rights Day.
Stanford Journal of International Law Call for Papers
As the 10th anniversary of the 9/11 Commission Report approaches, the recurring dispute over the boundaries of the post-9/11 national security state is once again in full swing. Governing Intelligence will move beyond the surveillance debate to start an interdisciplinary dialogue about the power and limits of intelligence agencies from a comparative and international perspective. The Stanford Journal of International Law (SJIL) seeks contributions by academics, practitioners, and policymakers in the form of approx. 10-15,000-word scholarly essays or 5,000-word white papers on either of the following topics: (a) National Intelligence & Transnational Threats; or, (b) Individual Rights & Intelligence Gathering.
The abstract submission deadline is February 1, 2014. Decisions will be released on a rolling basis. The full announcement, along with sub-topics, contact information, and submissions guidelines, can be found here.
Mourning the Passing of Nelson Mandela
It would be amiss not to add our condolences to all those mourning the passing of Nelson Mandela. He was truly a modern day hero who did more for peace and reconcilation not only in South Africa, but also in the broader international community, than virtually any other person alive today. May we continue to learn from and be inspired by his example.
United Nations Office in Burundi Calls for Restraint During Constitutional Review Process
The United Nations Office in Burundi (BNUB) yesterday called on all political parties and actors in Burundi to show restraint as the country carries out its constitutional review process. BNUB also welcomed the Government's commitment to promote dialogue before the adoption of important instruments, particularly the constitution and the electoral code. BNUB called on all Burundian political parties and actors "to be measured and show restraint when addressing these issues" and urged them "to participate effectively in the planned inclusive consultations in order to express their concerns."
The small, war-scarred nation in Africa's Great Lakes region has been undertaking efforts towards peace and stability after decades of factional and ethnic fighting between Hutus and Tutsis killed hundreds of thousands of people. BNUB, which is currently headed by Secretary-General's Special Representative, Parfait Onanga-Anyanga, has been tasked with assisting the country with its peacebuilding efforts, including providing support for elections scheduled for 2015.
Burundi law change 'risks opening ethnic wounds'
Burundi constitution change risks opening ethnic wounds


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Maria Seweryn (ur. 23 marca 1975 w Warszawie) – polska aktorka filmowa i teatralna, dyrektorka Och-Teatru w Warszawie.

Życiorys
W 1998 ukończyła warszawską Akademię Teatralną. W filmie zadebiutowała w 1993 r. W latach 1998–1999 występowała na deskach Teatru Powszechnego w Warszawie. Członek Zarządu Fundacji Krystyny Jandy Na Rzecz Kultury.

Występowała także w Teatrze Rozmaitości (1999), Teatrze Rampa (2000), Teatrze Komedia (2001), Teatrze Współczesnym (2002−2003), Teatrze Polskim (2002), Teatrze im. Wandy Siemaszkowej (2003), Teatrze Polonia (od 2005) i Och-Teatrze (od 2010).

Życie prywatne
Córka aktorów Krystyny Jandy i Andrzeja Seweryna. Była żona Roberta Jaworskiego, matka dwóch córek: Leny (ur. 1997) i Jadwigi (ur. 2004) oraz syna Aarona (ur. 2016).

Filmografia
 Dyrygent (1979) jako Marysia, córka Marty i Adama
 Kolejność uczuć (1993) jako Julia Kasprusiak
 Wielki Tydzień (1995) jako panna Marta
 Matka swojej matki (1996) jako Alicja
 Pół serio (2000) jako 3 role: Aga, studentka medycyny w "noweli z ostrym seksem"; Lea, siostra Skywalkera w "Ósmej pieczęci"; Leni, gosposia mecenasa w "Procesie"
 Gubertig (2002)
 Julia wraca do domu (2002) jako Dorota
 Kasia i Tomek (seria II) (2003) jako lesbijka Karolina, koleżanka Kasi
 Męskie-żeńskie (2003–2004) jako weterynarz Wanda, córka Lilki
 Glina (2004) jako Elżbieta Zarębska
 Wiedźmy (2005) jako Agata
 0 1 0 (2007)
 Boisko bezdomnych (2007) jako była żona Jacka
 Idealny facet dla mojej dziewczyny (2008) jako Inga Warwas, reżyserka filmu, w którym mają zagrać główni bohaterowie
 Zwerbowana miłość (2009)
 Koniec świata (etiuda szkolna, 2010) jako Gosia
 Dzień kobiet (2012) jako nauczycielka Misi

Spektakle teatralne
 2005 – Miss HIV (reż. Maciej Kowalewski, Teatr Polonia; od 2010 Och-Teatr)
 2006 – Trzy siostry (reż. Natasha Parry-Brook, Krystyna Janda, Krystyna Zachwatowicz, Teatr Polonia)
 2007 – Darkroom (reż. Przemysław Wojcieszek, Teatr Polonia, Och-Teatr)
 2007 – Kobiety w sytuacji krytycznej (reż. Krystyna Janda, Teatr Polonia, Och-Teatr)
 2007 – Lament na Placu Konstytucji jako Justyna (reż. Krystyna Janda, Teatr Polonia)
 2008 – Przyjacielowi, który nie uratował mi życia (reż. Michał Sieczkowski, Przestrzeń Wymiany Działań Arteria)
 2008 – Bóg (reż. Krystyna Janda, Teatr Polonia)
 2008 – Dowód (reż. Andrzej Seweryn, Teatr Polonia)
 2010 – Koza, albo kim jest Sylwia? (reż. Kasia Adamik i Olga Chajdas, Och-Teatr)
 2012 – Mayday jako Mary Smith (reż. Krystyna Janda, Och-Teatr)
 2013 – Mayday 2 jako Mary Smith (reż. Krystyna Janda, Och-Teatr)

Spektakle w Teatrze TV
 Dziady (1997)
 Wniebowstąpienie (1997)
 Gorący oddech pustyni (1999) jako Aptekarzówna
 Klub kawalerów (2000) jako bufetowa Mina
 Zazdrość (2001) jako Inka Maria Rudnik
 Gra miłości i przypadku (2002) jako Lizetta
 Tartuffe, czyli obłudnik (2002) jako Marianna
 Martwa królewna (2003) jako Nina
 Przypadek Klary (2003) jako Klara
 Fotoplastikon (2005)

Przypisy

Linki zewnętrzne

Urodzeni w 1975
Ludzie urodzeni w Warszawie
Polskie aktorki filmowe
Polskie aktorki teatralne
Absolwenci Akademii Teatralnej im. Aleksandra Zelwerowicza
Laureaci nagrody imienia Zbyszka Cybulskiego

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


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Gay Tory Nick Herbert speaks to PinkNews.co.uk
PinkNews Staff Writer July 3, 2010
Gay Conservative MP and policing minister Nick Herbert spoke to PinkNews.co.uk today at London Pride.
After marching at the front of the parade with London mayor Boris Johnson, gay activist Peter Tatchell and members of the Gay Liberation Front, Mr Herbert addressed thousands of revellers on stage at Trafalgar Square.
He told PinkNews.co.uk: "It's brilliant to see so many people here having such a good time, at this fantastic celebration of gay pride. I am really pleased to be here, as a Conservative MP and a minister for the government, along with the Lib Dems too.
When asked whether he was surprised at Mr Johnson's support for gay marriage, he said: "As far as I'm concerned, if it's a civil partnership, I regard it as marriage. It has all the same legal status of a marriage. David Cameron has said that he thinks gay marriage is something we should look at in time… it's a question of the words – should we call a civil partnership a marriage?
"But we're already saying we'll look at allowing civil partnerships to have some religious element to them and we're also allowing churches that allow civil partnerships to do so as part of the law change. So you're seeing that the debate is moving, but I think for a lot of us, we regard civil partnerships as marriages."
Mr Herbert added that he was taking a "close interest" as policing minister in the issue of homophobic hate crime and said the coalition had an "ambitious" plan to promote LGBT equality.
He added: "There's still a huge agenda to move forward. David Cameron held a reception for Pride at Number 10 and he was there, standing shoulder to shoulder with Nick Clegg, and we've got this joint coalition programme for this big agenda to promote equality.
"I just think it's such an encouraging thing and it just shows how fast and far this debate has moved across all three political parties."
PinkNews.co.uk also asked him how he felt the greater presence of gay faith groups at Pride this year linked in to news that religious civil partnerships could soon be legal.
He said: "I appreciate that some people of faith take a different view, but I'm a great believer in respecting conscience and where church groups, for instance, want to allow civil partnerships on their premises, well I think that should be their decision to do so.
"I think we need to be respectful of religious freedom of conscience, just as I think we must ensure we protect equality."
More: London

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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Q: Is it really necessary to call /bin/sync twice before an unmanaged power-off? My company sells an "embedded device" which is implemented as a headless Linux box with ext4 on an internal SSD.  Some of our users have a habit of doing a "save current settings" on this box, and then cutting power to the unit as soon as the unit reports that the save completed (ie two seconds later).  This was causing occasional corruption of the saved files, as the data wouldn't always get flushed to the SSD before the power went out.  So I tweaked my software to run /bin/sync immediately after writing the file (after closing the file handle but before notifying the user that the save completed).  This appears to fix the issue, but my coworker says that one call to /bin/sync isn't sufficient, and that to be really safe I ought to run /bin/sync twice in a row.
That sounds like paranoia to me... Perhaps a habit from earlier versions of Linux or unix whose sync utility didn't work reliably.  Does his advice have merit, or should one call to /bin/sync suffice?

A: This link sums it up pretty well -- One call to sync should suffice. Doing it more than once is definitely a holdover (and one I stick to myself), but if you're doing it programmatically you aren't gaining anything - it's the delay it takes you to type out those 5 keystrokes that you were really going for.
Of course the real answer is to officially discourage yanking the power, and instead provide a shutdown feature that users are told to use, but you'll always have to deal with plug-yankers...

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


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EP 51: The Indo-Pak Conflict
12 November 2019 | 46:49
Kashmir is a region right in between India, Pakistan, and China. For the last 70 years Pakistan and India have fought over this region of the world, both wanting to take control of it. Tensions sometimes heat up which can result in people being killed. When tensions get high in the real world, some people take to the internet and hack their rivals as a form of protest. In this episode we'll explore some of the hacking that goes on between India and Pakistan.
Support for this episode comes from Check Point. Check Point makes firewalls and security appliances you can use to combat the latest generation of cyber attacks. Upgrade your cybersecurity at CheckPoint.com
Support for this episode comes from Blinkist. They offer thousands of condensed non-fiction books, so you can get through books in about 15 minutes. Check out Blinkist.com/DARKNET to start your 7 day free trial and get 25% off when you sign up.
Video: 1947 war over Kashmir
Video: Indian hackers hacked Pakistani websites
Video: Indian hackers in the news
Video: India bombs Pakistan
Video: Imran Khan addresses UN about Kashmir
PDF: The history of hacking between Pakistan and India
https://www.hrw.org/news/2019/07/10/kashmir-un-reports-serious-abuses
https://www.ohchr.org/Documents/Countries/PK/KashmirUpdateReport_8July2019.pdf
https://www.ohchr.org/Documents/Countries/IN/DevelopmentsInKashmirJune2016ToApril2018.pdf
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2011/aug/21/kashmir-unmarked-graves-thousands-bodies
https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/Mass-graves-found-in-North-Kashmir-containing-2900-unmarked-bodies/article16851202.ece
https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/pulwama-bomber-adil-ahmad-dar-became-terrorist-after-he-was-beaten-by-troops-say-parents-1457317-2019-02-15
https://www.freepressjournal.in/india/delhi-bjp-website-hacked-by-pakistani-hackers-anti-modi-messages-posted
https://www.brandsynario.com/turkish-hackers-show-solidarity-with-pakistan-by-targeting-indian-websites/
https://trak.in/tags/business/2015/03/20/155-government-websites-hacked-2014/
https://www.cnbc.com/2019/02/27/india-pakistan-online-war-includes-hacks-social-media.html
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/10/02/opinion/editorials/kashmir-india-pakistan-un.html?searchResultPosition=5
https://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/inpictures/pictures-100-days-crippling-lockdown-kashmir-191110141155667.html
Darknet Diaries is created by Jack Rhysider.
Artwork this episode by habblesthecat.
[FULL TRANSCRIPT] JACK: Want to hear something crazy? For a while, this show, Darknet Diaries, was banned in India. Yeah, I was really mad when it happened. A viewer in India opened Apple Podcasts and tried to find my show; it just didn't exist. [MUSIC] This is annoying because I have a lot of listeners in India. It's like, one of the top twenty countries that listen. My Indian listeners often chat with me on Instagram. It's kinda weird how they use that app more than any other social app I'm on but okay, whatever. That's why I hang out on different spots; to soak up the culture of the internet. Anyway, why was my show banned in India? Actually, it's quite simple. In fact, it's not just mine; hundreds of thousands of podcasts are banned in India. It comes down to this one simple thing; if any of my episodes were marked as explicit, it was not listed in Apple Podcasts in India. They have a very strict rule that does not allow explicit material to come into the country. But recently, Apple Podcasts changed that so now when you search for my show, you get this warning box and it says This Show Contains Explicit Content Which is Restricted on This Computer. It says you have to go into your settings and allow explicit content in order to play this show which is not much of a barrier at all anymore, which is good because this episode is all about India.


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Home > Vol 1, No 2 (July 2012) > Preface
 Preface
Video Michael A. Borger
It is a great honour for me to serve as the Guest Editor of this edition of the Annals of Cardiothoracic Surgery (ACS). ACS is a new multimedia publication with bimonthly installments that focus on a particular topic in cardiothoracic surgery, with a format that puts reader education as its primary goal. The first ACS edition was a tremendous success and future issues promise to be just as informative. A review of the ACS website (www.annalscts.com) also reveals a very professional and wellstructured layout that allows the reader to view detailed surgical illustrations and videos, review recent literature on the topic, learn the opinions of world experts, and ascertain the level of evidence supporting the procedure in question. My sincere congratulations go out to Tristan Yan and the rest of the editorial team in producing an outstanding educational tool.
The focus of the current issue is transcutaneous aortic valve implantation (TAVI), in particular transapical TAVI. After Cribier pioneered the transfemoral approach to TAVI in 2002, our center was the first to perform a transapical TAVI in man in December 2004. The first implantation was the result of groundbreaking work performed by Thomas Walther, Todd Dewey, Michael Mack, and Fred Mohr. Since then we have witnessed an explosion in research, financial investment, and clinical experience with this exciting new technology. The two TAVI devices that were first to receive CE Mark approval in Europe, the Edwards Sapien and Medtronic CoreValve systems, have both been implanted in more than 25,000 patients to date. Two other devices have been recently approved for transapical delivery in Europe, and a host of other transfemoral and transapical valves are in the clinical and preclinical stage of development. The number of TAVI procedures performed has exploded around the world and in Germany in particular, where they now represent one-third of all isolated aortic valve operations. One could argue that we are witnessing the golden age of TAVI and that the sky is the limit for this revolutionary technology.
Before we become too giddy with excitement, however, much needs to be learned about TAVI in the coming years. With clinical experience of over 5 years with the original devices to date, the next decade will represent a critical juncture for TAVI. Valve durability will receive increasing scrutiny and the long-term effects of leaflet crimping, if any, will become evident. In addition, longer term information on the negative effects of residual aortic regurgitation, as recently demonstrated in the twoyear PARTNER study results, will become available from other investigators. Methods of minimizing periprocedural stroke and pacemaker implantation will also be a major focus in the years to come. These issues will carry particular importance if we are to ever consider performing TAVI in younger or lower risk patients.
Improved patient selection and better definition of suitable subgroups will also be a critical issue for TAVI research in the next decade. The weaknesses of current preoperative risk scoring systems are well known and other risk assessment tools will need to be devised. At least two clinical trials have been recently initiated in order to assess the performance of TAVI in moderate risk patients. Although preliminary data from the German national registry argues against the use of TAVI in lower risk patients, randomized trial data will be the only method of definitively determining suitability in these patient populations. Finally, the issue of costs will become increasingly important, particularly given the challenging economic environment that is being predicted in many areas around the globe. Reimbursement will need to be particularly scrutinized, as there is already evidence that a liberal reimbursement policy leads to questionable clinical decision-making. We will also need to develop TAVI recommendations based on quality of life outcomes, particularly for elderly patients. It is obvious that the use of expensive technology in patients who are unable to achieve a clinical benefit is not only morally unacceptable, but also fiscally irresponsible. All of the above issues will be critical in determining whether the current TAVI explosion continues into the next decade.
With the help of input from many international renowned experts, the current edition of ACS will provide the reader with a comprehensive overview of the current state of TAVI clinical practice and will help place some of the abovementioned issues into context. The next five years promises to be a very exciting phase for TAVI as it becomes adopted in a larger number of centers around the world. The recent FDA approval in the U.S. represents a particularly important development, as our American colleagues apply their world-renowned analytical skills to this new therapy.
As a final word I would like to say that I remain convinced that conventional aortic valve replacement will continue to play a predominant role in the future, particularly in patients who are not at high surgical risk. As a cardiac surgeon I firmly believe that the results of conventional surgery are too good in non-high risk patients, and that the bar has been set too high for TAVI to achieve. However, only time and properly conducted clinical investigation will tell if my conviction is true.
Michael A. Borger, MD, PhD
Department of Cardiac Surgery, Leipzig Heart Center, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
(Email: michael.borger@med.uni-leipzig.de.)
Full Text (Video)


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Current CHIS Projects
Maggie Shapland
For the Society's many activities from 1968 to 2002 please see the Achievements page.
The Society's on-going activities continue. These include the study of planning, licensing and tree applications (and objecting where considered necessary), planting trees and bulbs, erecting plaques on the houses of famous residents, installing benches and litter bins, organising talks and visits and publishing the regular newsletter, as well as considering traffic, parking, refuse and fly-posting issues.
The most recent activities of the Society have been:
Chairman's Annual Report August 2006 to August 2007
Planning Annual Report August 2006 to August 2007
St Andrew's Annual Report August 2006 to August 2007
Licensing Annual Report August 2006 to August 2007
Web Annual Report August 2006 to August 2007
Helping restore the top station of Clifton Rocks Railway (look at the diary and photos of progress) in preparation for a lottery bid. Maggie Shapland is the chairman of the restoration subgroup and organises the volunteers so please contact Maggie.Shapland@gmail.com if you want to help
Former Rifle Range and Squash Court, Canynge Road. Nov 07: Appeal dismissed by Planning Inspectorate. "In the absence of an appropriate scheme for redevelopment, I consider that demolition of the existing buildings on the site would fail to preserve the character and appearance of the Clifton Conservation Area". March 07: Canynge Road refused for 3rd time 9-0 with one abstention at the Development Control Central Committee.
Erecting a handrail on the corner of Harley Place and Canygne Road- the Barbara Thorne bequest.
Painting the badly eroded Victorian railings outside the Clifton library.
Installing a seat outside the Clifton library.
Participating in the Suspension Bridge Road Closure Government Enquiry due to safety concerns
Supporting Hotwells' residents in their battle to save Granby Green.
Being consulted by the Avon Gorge Hotel and Rocks Railway concerning their development plans.
Successful lobbying for two hour parking in central Clifton.
Planting 1,000 bluebells on the Downs, near the Children's Playground and in Victoria Square.
Enlarging the Society's website to make it more informative.
Making donations to Rodney Place and Clifton Hill House.
Supporting the Whiteladies Cinema and Clifton Pool preservation groups.
Discussing with the City Council the poor state of pavement maintenance and repair.
Obtaining improvements to the bus services.
Commenting on the City Council's street lighting consultation.
Supporting Bristol in Bloom.
Attempting to influence the City Council's Legible City street sign initiative.
Repairing and re-erecting a cast-iron Georgian street nameplate.
Princess Victoria Street garden (between 70 and 88 ). We have cleared the land, provided two seats, put some soil down and planted bulbs and some pansies. Lots of passers by thanked us and have offered to provide plants. We are trying to create a communal garden for everyone to enjoy- so why not put some plants in yourself or do some weeding next time you are passing!
The Society's Millennium Project, the five-year long restoration of St Andrew's churchyard, is drawing to a successful close. It is hoped to establish a Friends of St Andrew's Group to maintain the churchyard.
St Andrews Report 2007
As well as the monthly sessions in the churchyard on the last Sunday in the month, more of the railings were painted in June 05. We now need to renovate the gates, railings by the fountain, and paint the railings round the medieval churchyard later in the year.
June photos: Lime Tree Walk now,
Dorothy Brown, the instigator perched on a ladder,
Maggie Shapland, paint on face as usual
October 2004 Pictures:
Entrance to the churchyard
General state of the railing
A view of lime walk with one of the lights, and lots of volunteers busy preparing the railings
Red oxide stage
University students helping
Francis Greenacre and RoseMary Musgrave
Campaigning for a suitable building to be put on 29 Sion Hill
Helping in the campaign to preserve MacArthur's warehouse behind the 'SS Great Britain'


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NZOC Board
The NZOC Board comprises a President and five members elected by the General Assembly, together with the two New Zealand IOC Members and a representative of the Athletes Commission.
The current NZOC Board members are:
Mike Stanley (President)
Graham Child
Sarah Cowley-Ross (Athletes' Commission Rep)
Liz Dawson
Diana Puketapu
Annette Purvis
Sarah Walker (IOC Member)
Mike Stanley, President
Mike Stanley was first appointed to the Board in 2003 and is completing his second term as President of the New Zealand Olympic Committee.
Acknowledged for his strong leadership of a unified New Zealand Olympic Committee since 5 May 2009, Mike was re-elected unopposed at the New Zealand Olympic Committee General Assembly on 8 May 2013.
Mike has had a long association with the Olympic Movement in New Zealand as first a competitor in rowing and then as the Chief Executive of Rowing New Zealand.
Mike was a member of the eight that finished 4th at the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles. He is also the proud winner of two world championship gold medals in 1982 and 1983. He was inducted into the Sports Hall of Fame in 1995. Mike is now Chief Executive of the Millennium Institute in Auckland.
Graham Child joins the New Zealand Olympic Committee Board as an experienced business leader, board member and qualified accountant.
Child is a founding Trustee of Aktive – Auckland Sport and Recreation having been on the board since its inception in 2013. He has also served as the Chair of Hockey NZ and was a Board Member for the World Masters Games in 2017. He has extensive senior management and governance experience and holds several commercial directorships.
Child comes from a strong sporting background, having been a former hockey New Zealand representative while actively coaching several teams.
Sarah Cowley-Ross, Athletes' Commission Representative
Cowley-Ross has represented New Zealand at two Commonwealth Games: Glasgow 2014 and Melbourne 2006, where she finished 10th in the heptathlon event.
She also competed at the London 2012 Olympic Games finishing 26th in the heptathlon event. Cowley-Ross is one of New Zealand's top heptathletes with a PB of 6135 points; while regarded as one of New Zealand's most successful high jumpers of all time, with a personal best of 1.91m.
Cowley-Ross is Chair of the New Zealand Olympic Committee's Athlete's Commission and also represents the organisations Athlete Ambassador program, a role which sees her visit schools and speak to children about Olympic values and her journey.
Liz Dawson was elected as a member of the NZOC Board in 2012. Liz is based in the Wairarapa and Wellington and is currently a director of New Zealand Cricket, the Chair of the ICC Women's Cricket World Cup 2021 Local Organising Committee, Oceania Continental member of the ANOC Gender Equity Commission, Deputy Chair of the ONOC Equity Commission, a director and shareholder of the Hurricanes, and a director of the Racing Industry Transition Agency.
Dawson also sits as an Independent Appointee to the St Kilda Football Club's Integrity Committee (Melbourne) and has served on and continues to do so, a number of independent review panels, particularly in relation to sport.
Dawson has been a director and Chair of a number of boards over the past 20 years in both the sporting and commercial sectors, following an executive career in FMCG, Financial Services, and sport.
Dawson was awarded the Member of New Zealand Order of Merit in 2018 for services to sport.
As Deputy Chair of the NZOC, Dawson chairs the Performance and Remuneration Committee, the Integrity Committee, and has also served as the Board's appointee to the NZOC Women in Sport Leadership Academy. She continues to advocate strongly for the roles of women and girls in sport, leading NZ Cricket's Women in Governance project as well as mentoring athletes transitioning from sport.
Tony Hall was appointed to the New Zealand Olympic Committee Board in 2012. He is based in Canterbury and has an extensive background in business, economic development, education and sport.
Hall is also a Board member of High Performance Sport New Zealand, a trustee and previous chair of the North Canterbury Sport & Recreation Trust and hold a number of other trustee, chair and directorial positions. Additionally, Hall offers ongoing support and sponsorship to the Winter Paralympic team.
Hall was awarded Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit in June 2017 for services to sport and education.
Diana Puketapu was elected as a member of the New Zealand Olympic Committee Board in 2015. Diana is the current Director of New Zealand Cricket, Napier Port, Tamaki Redevelopment Company, Ngati Porou Holdings, Ngati Porou Seafoods and Manawanui Support. Diana is also a chartered member of the NZ Institute of Directors.
Diana has previously worked as a Chief Financial Officer, both in the commercial sector and sporting environment. She spent six years working as the Chief Financial Officer for the America's Cup Sailing teams.
As a Fellow Chartered Accountant, Diana is the Audit and Risk Committee Chair for the New Zealand Olympic Committee. She is also on the Maori Advisory Committee.
Annette has been involved in Sports Governance for over 15 years. As Athletics New Zealand Chairperson from 2007 to 2018 she led a transformation programme across governance, member engagement and High Performance. Annette has also held governance roles with IPC World Athletic Championships 2011, Christchurch School of Gymnastics and is currently a New Zealand Olympic Committee Board member and High Performance Sport New Zealand Board Member. She also holds Trustee roles with Nga Puna Wai Sports Hub, Christchurch's newest sporting hub and the Canterbury Development Sports Academy.
Currently Annette is a member of World Athletics Development Commission and Gender Leadership Taskforce. Formerly a member of World Athletics Womens Committee for 8 years, Annette has been a champion for gender equity within World Athletics.
Annette is an experienced senior manager within the Insurance sector having lead large operational teams and projects. Her most recent work has seen her lead earthquake response and recovery strategies for IAG Insurance. Annette is a member of an Insurance sector group working with the Earthquake Commission to create an improved disaster response model for New Zealand.
Annette is passionate about the NZOCs unique role to truly inspire New Zealanders through the actions of our athletes and teams; but also through educating young kiwis in the Olympic values through sport. She is athlete focused and champions equity and inclusion in sport, leadership and governance.
Sarah Walker, IOC Member
Sarah Walker became New Zealand's first Olympic BMX medallist, winning silver at London 2012, following on from a fourth place at Beijing 2008. She is a three time gold medal winning World Champion, with an additional three silver and three bronze medals won from 2007 - 2015. During this time she also took home a total of eight medals including four golds from World Cup events.
While she missed qualifying for the Rio Olympic Games due to a last-minute injury, Walker was made a member of the IOC Olympic Athletes' Commission and is today an IOC Member.
Walker has served on the Women in Sport IOC Commission and is a current member of the IOC Sustainability and Legacy Commission, Digital and Technology Commission, Future Hosts Commission and the Paris 2024 Coordination Commission. Walker has also been named the Chair of the IOC Athletes' Rights and Responsibilities Declaration Steering Committee.
Walker has completed a number of governance and leadership courses and remains a competitive athlete.
NZOC Staff
NZOC Commissions
NZOC Olympic Order Holders
NZOC Awards
NZOC Members
NZ Team History
Governance / Documents
Programmes and Funding
New Zealand Olympic Travel


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If you have any questions about the Trust, or would like to talk to us about fundraising, please get in touch via the form below. Stay up-to-date with our progress and find out all the latest news and events. Fill in the form below and we'll add you to our mailing list.
37 Conalan Avenue, Bradway,
Sheffield S17 4PG
info@bcandht.org
Find answers to some of our frequently asked questions about our work, how we're run and managing your support for the Bethlehem Care and Hospice Trust.
Are you a registered charity?
Yes, the Bethlehem Care & Hospice Trust is a registered charity in England and Wales (1158406), Scotland (SC048752)
and the Republic of Ireland (20206049).
Are you a religious charity?
Bethlehem Care and Hospice Trust was established within the Catholic Diocese of Hallam, Sheffield. The ethos of the Trust is Catholic. The services it will provide in Bethlehem will be open to all.
How much of your expenditure goes on fundraising?
We have no professional fundraisers and no agents. We may occasionally run an advertising campaign in the media. We have no significant overheads. Practically all money donated is available to support the objects of the Charity.
How can I be sure my donation is going where it's needed?
The need for these facilities is well documented, well known and the Care situation for the Bethlehem elderly has been described as a CRISIS.
Donations are received into British Bank accounts in the name of the Trust and expenditure will only be made in support of the objects as overseen by the Charity Commission in England and Wales and the Scottish Charity Regulator. The Charity provides an annual return to Charity Commissioners detailing moneys received and expended.
Are my donations secure?
Yes, we don't take donation directly through our website. Our donations are taken through trusted donation websites like JustGiving, Paypal and you can also donate securely via your mobile phone through Donr.
What happens when you've raised enough money?
We will be fortunate indeed to raise enough money. When we raise sufficient money to begin providing services to the elderly and to the terminally ill we will do so. We will continue to raise funds to support the running costs of these Care facilities.
Can I Gift Aid my donations?
A GiftAid declaration is also incorporated in the Donation Form which can be downloaded from our website.
How do I send a cheque?
Simply make your cheque payable to 'Bethlehem Care and Hospice Trust' and post it to our Treasurer, Graham Smith, at 37 Conalan Avenue, Bradway, Sheffield, S17 4PG. If you wish to GiftAid your donation please complete the Donation Form which can be downloaded from our website and send it with your cheque.


• The Chamber of Commerce offers to its members different promotional services with the aim of making easier and contributing to the development and expansion of their businesses. The following are some of them:• Organization and implementation of bilateral commercial missions, be it sole sector or multisectorial (for one industry or several). This service includes planning an itinerary, search for contacts, detailed information on the sector,government contacts, document release ,advertising and press plans, logistics program, hotel reservations, etc.• Promotion and advertising plans, celebration of gastronomic shows , sole sector shows, formal activities, etc.• Writing and sending promotional mail between our members in the US and / or Argentina to make known their new products, offers / supply / deals,and advertising.
Presentation of seminars and conferences on business opportunities in both the US and Argentina.


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Electric LiveWire aids pandemic recovery
May 13, 2020 mcnews Leave a comment
Harley-Davidson has donated a customised electric LiveWire motorcycle autographed by the Davidson family to be auctioned to raise funds for the United Way Worldwide COVID-19 Community Response and Recovery Fund.
The special edition LiveWire also has custom paint and carbonfibre accessories including screen, tail and tank trim.
It is being auctioned online at bonhams.com with auction fees waived. The auction ends on Tuesday 26 May 2020 at 4pm (EST).
The custom LiveWire is #500 of 500 "First Strike" edition LiveWires.
These are specially numbered versions created to celebrate the first 500 units produced of Harley-Davidson's first production electric motorcycle.
"The Harley-Davidson design team created the custom paint and graphics on this motorcycle to accentuate the natural forms of the LiveWire," Bekefy says.
"It's a stunning motorcycle that is truly one of a kind."
While the auction is available for participants from around the world, the motorcycle can only be registered and retained in the US.
The winning bidder and their guest will take part in an exclusive delivery experience and "behind-the-scenes" Harley-Davidson tour.
This private, hosted experience will include a tour of the Willie G. Davidson Product Development Centre and an archival tour of the Harley-Davidson Museum.
Harley-Davidson museum in Milwaukee
United Way to recovery
United Way's mission is to aid those on the frontlines and those who are affected by this crisis around the world.
Harley spokesman Jon Bekefy says the company is a "longtime partner of the United Way".
"(We are) inspired by their continued resilience in this crisis," he says.
"Harley-Davidson is honoured to play a small part in the relief effort to inspire our community around the world about the open road ahead."
AuctionBonhamscharityCoronavirusCovid-19electric motorcycleHarley-DavidsonmotorcyclespandemicUnited WayWhat's onWhat's on/clubs
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Rath Yatra
By Vanessa Betts
Bengali Crafts
Traditionally the only occasion on which non-Hindus and Hindus of low caste can set eyes on one of India's most beloved deities, Lord Jagannath's 'car festival' brings Puri's streets to life in an extraordinary frenzy of colour and noise.
The procession is led by Balabhadra's car (chariot), followed by Subhadra's with Lord Jagannath's bringing up the rear, about 4000 people are needed to draw each chariot.
Shaped like a temple sanctuary and brightly decorated, Lord Jagannath's car is the largest at 13 m tall, with 16 wheels each 2 m in diameter. Loud gongs announce the boarding of the deities onto the chariots with the arrival of the Raja of Puri accompanied by bedecked elephants. With a golden broom and sprinkling holy water, the raja fulfils his role as the 'sweeper of the gods', symbolizing that all castes are equal before God. The 3-km journey to Gundicha Ghar, Lord Jagannath's birthplace, may take as much as 24 hours.
During the week away, the deities are daily dressed in new garments and treated to special podapitha (rice cakes) before they return with a similar procession nine days later. The ceremonies and the fairs attract more than 500,000 devotees to Puri each year. In the past some were said to have thrown themselves under the massive wheels to die a blessed death. Certainly accidental deaths often happened – Westerners who first saw the spectacle in the 18th century mistook such instances for human sacrifices. Fortunately, stricter security these days means that fewer devotees are crushed to death beneath the heavy wheels. After the festival, the raths are broken up and bits are sold to pilgrims as relics.


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The Driving Tests In The Is About To Change
Published by SWVaux on 31/10/2017
Driving tests are set to undergo the biggest change in generations in a bid to help new drivers to be safer and more independent on the roads. The DVSA has announced that prospective drivers need to demonstrate "real life" driving skills if they want to pass their test, with changes coming into force from 4 December 2017.
"Great Britain's roads are among the safest in the world. But there is scope to do more to keep road users safe – particularly newly-qualified drivers," said Gareth Llewellyn, Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) chief executive. "Making sure the test better assesses a driver's ability to drive safely and independently is part of our strategy to help every driver through a lifetime of safe driving."
1. The independent driving part of the test will increase to 20 minutes
The independent driving section of your test is set to double from ten minutes to 20 minutes – meaning it will now take up roughly half of the 40 minute exam. The DVSA explains that during this part of the test, you have to drive "without turn-by-turn directions from the driving examiner".
2. You may have to follow directions from a sat nav
Most candidates will now be asked to follow directions from a sat nav during the independent driving part of the test. It won't matter if you go the wrong way unless you make a fault while doing it. One in five driving tests won't use a sat nav and you'll need to follow traffic signs instead.
3. Reversing manoeuvres are changing
The dreaded 'reverse around a corner' and 'turn-in-the-road' manoeuvres will no longer be tested, although you will still be taught them by your instructor. Instead, you'll be asked to do one of three possible reversing manoeuvres. This could be to parallel park at the side of the road, park in a bay (either driving in and reversing out or reversing in and driving out), or to pull up on the right-hand side of the road, reverse for two car lengths and rejoin the traffic.
4. You'll have to answer two safety questions while you're driving
Get ready to multi-task! You'll be asked two vehicle safety questions while you're driving, which the DVSA says are known as the 'show me, tell me' questions. You'll be asked the 'tell me' question at the start of your test, before you start driving, and the 'show me' question while you're driving – for example, showing how to wash the windscreen using the car controls and wipers.
Not everything is changing though; the test will still last around 40 minutes and the pass mark will remain the same, with no more than 15 minor driving faults and no major faults will secure you with a pass.


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APLS 2000, Darwinian Medicine, Complexity, Sociobiology in D.C.
I had never attended APLS (Association for Politics and the Life Sciences) but wanted an audience to force me to arrange my thoughts. I sent an abstract that supported my talking about complexity theory as a foundation for evolution and let me make prophesy very much along the lines suggested by Bob Wright in "Nonzero" or Howard Bloom in "Global Brain." Surprise! I found later that I could have talked about clinical sociobiology in a friendly zone for once and perhaps the last time in my life!
High praise for the APLS meetings:
APLS has a web site for this and their two earlier meetings. The URL is "http://www.aplsnet.org" and gives you the abstracts and speakers. You can visit the APLS site and read abstracts of the approximately 130 papers that were given. Speaker's affiliations and their zip codes or email addresses are given on the web site but not in their program.
The program was a surprising weave on weapons control, environmental management, bioethics, and (of all things!) sociobiology! Indeed, a contingent from Europe gave 3 panels on the "Comparative Reception of Sociobiology," Ullica Segerstrale was much in evidence at the meetings and as a plenary speaker, Ed Wilson was equally visible on Thursday and Friday, and the European Sociobiological Society had their final business meeting Thursday evening, voting themselves out of existence as they also voted to merge with ISHE (International Society of Human Ethology). The collage of topics was refreshing and violated the assumption that all papers at a conference must be on the same theme. APLS had a living internet with modules of people tracking across one another. (Perhaps there is a market for organizations to organize meetings and peddle blocks of time and rooms concurrently to any number of different groups?)
I stayed a day and a half, leaving Friday at 1pm. Because of my son's birthday and his recent engagement, I rolled 450 miles to Boston on Saturday afternoon in 9 hrs. while absolutely regretting then and now the conflict in my schedule.
Personal bits and pieces about the meetings:
Confronting Past and Future: The Challenges of Adaptation
Dr. Sam Hines, Dean Humanities and Social Sciences, College of Charleston, was a permissive yet effective chair, much in the style demonstrated by Bill Irons at HBES in June. Hines opened with a short plea that we save 10 minutes of our 30 for questions but laughed gracefully when I suggested that he worked for the government, confiscating 33% of my assets and redistributing them!
I opened the panel and did the selfish thing with "Future Sense: Complexity Theory and Mobilizing Our Adaptations," showing 100 slides in exactly 30 minutes. I'm not sure anyone of the dozen present understood my rushed talk but they liked the pictures!
Jaco Verveling, Ministry of Transport Department, the Nederlands, discussed internet techniques for reducing human travel. Cross cultural research reports that, regardless of culture, the time that people spend traveling is relatively constant regardless of the technical development of their culture. High technology means that people travel further but for no greater amount of time. Can the 'net produce an illusion of movement? I'm not so sure. Research shows that exercise has antidepressant effects so I often advise my clients to get away from monitors and televisions and get outdoors. Jaco and his team may have to duplicate not only the visual cues of exploration but the physical ones as well, perhaps like the ski videotape that Norditrak sells with some of their machines.
Louise Comfort from Pitt speculated about the possibilities in complexity models for planning mass transportation; Alessandra (Sandy) Lippucci talked nearly as fast as I had but about "Autopoiesis and the Social Sciences: Strategies for Self-Steering" She has a 35 pp. manuscript that she will share if you ask nicely (lippucci@mail.utexas.edu)! "Autopoiesis" is said to mean "self writing poetry" and is used in the past 5 years to describe biological evolution and ontogeny. Good talk; I want to read her paper.
Ullica Segerstrale ("Defenders of the Truth: The Battle for Science in the Sociobiology Debate and Beyond") highlighted the moral and technical displays shown by Gould, Lewontin, and Ed Wilson in the mid '70s and the ensuing 25 years. Ed sat next to me in the front row (what a treat!), jotted some notes, and then commended her highly even though he disagreed with some of her findings. Her book puts flesh, muscle, and costumes on some of the opposing characters during those turbulent decades. I recommend it strongly to biologists, psychologists, and historians.
Segerstrale tends to view the past 25 years as a "tempering" that produced a better science, John Alcock (not at the meeting) is said to have a book describing sociobiology as an irresistible "juggernaut," but Ed feels the public debates "held up research terribly." Still, things appear to be settling down. As Ed points out, he has a thousand students while Gould & Lewontin have recruited none to their ways of thinking and their circle is getting older.
Ed, however, counts students of Evolutionary Psychology as his allies; I'm not so sure. EP gets lots of coverage in texts since '96 while sociobiology still does not. Even the Human Behavior and Evolution society avoids the term after formerly displaying it in their name and on their journal. Sociobiology is about the biological foundations of social behavior. It is also about trait variation, produced by epigenesis (variation in genes interacts with variation in opportunities), EP assumes genes to be constant in an imagined "universal human nature." Thus, Gould and others may in fact have succeeded in pulling down Ed's banner. And people are still ambivalent to hostile about genes and culture; check with your nearest anthropologist or ask some of the Europeans who lived through their own war in regard to these matters!
"The Comparative Reception of Sociobiology, 1975-2000: I"
Vincent Falger (Nederlands), Peter Meyer (Germany), E. O. Wilson, Pierre Jaisson (France), & Harald Euler (Germany) summarized the political storms in their respective nations. Sociobiology had a low key introduction into France until it was noticed and loved by 2 right wing writers. The political left then united against it and kept funding out of sociobiology until '93 when L'Express picked up on the matter. There was an immediate denial from the CNRS (equal in power to the USSR Academy of Science; both agencies not only provide funding but also determine the national priority for that funding). In '93 Jaisson still had the only book in French on sociobiology! (Incidentally, Jaisson wryly noted that Lamarckism was still alive in Paris in 1959! The audience laughed. However, Lamarck made some fundamental contributions to our understanding of biology and is credited for inventing the word and concept but today is a foil and a device that triggers laughter. Too bad.)
Euler described the German experience that had been conditioned by some ideas from Haeckel who was not only a great biologist but also a racist and imperialist who translated Darwin into Haeckel's concepts. The book, "World Riddles" was published for 1 DM and was a best seller in 25 languages in 1900, second only to the Bible. 500,000 copies were sold in Germany! Hitler later copied much of it into "Mein Kampf."
Euler explained that in Germany, "ethology" applies to animal behavior and "psychologie" is restricted to humans and is heavily introspective, mentalistic, and spiritual. In the '70s students became less Marxist and psychology is now "OK" with some of the ideas of sociobiology while anthropology is still "resistant."
Business Meeting: European Sociobiological Society. Peter Meyer chaired, Hans M.G. von der Dennen, and Vincent Falger were also at the front table.
- Ed Wilson was given a classic antiquarian text on biology and a lifetime honorary membership in ESS.
- ESS has produced 10 special interest volumes on topics in sociobiology.
- 20 new members were added to ESS by vote.
- The bank accounts were reviewed; Falger noted that his books were open to inspection to anyone.
- Their next item of business involved their merger with ISHE; ESS has 210 members, ISHE has 400. Their by laws are similar. The merger was approved earlier by ISHE officers; those present tonight also approved the merger.
- "Sociobiology" will not be incorporated into ISHE's title although Johan van der Dennen of ESS is the new vice president of ISHE. ESS also received overtures from HBES but rejected them.
This was probably one of the strangest meetings I have ever attended. That is, they induct 20 new members and close up shop? I'm not sure any of these fine people were happy about their outcome but they managed it with grace and logic. Remarkable!
Friday morning plenary: LeRoy Walters, Kennedy Institute of Ethics, Georgetown Univ., spoke on "A Perspective on Recent developments in Gene Therapy." He described the lack of public or federal scrutiny of gene transplantation research. He highlighted Jessie Gelsinger's recent death at Penn from his receiving an "adenoviral vector," intended to influence liver disease. At the time, Jessie was responding well to medication and did NOT require an adjustment in his treatment. He was not told, nor were his parents, of the high likelihood of negative reactions, including death. Instead, he was told his participation might benefit sick children in the future. Further, his ammonia levels were elevated just prior to transplantation, a clear contraindication for continued treatment. Gelsinger was in a coma before his father could arrive.
My understanding from Walters is:
- Of 900 "adverse events" in this research, only 5.6% were reported to NIH. It is called "therapy" but only one study, by the French in 2000, reports a beneficial outcome from gene transplantation.
- The FDA monitors private transplantation research and protects company confidentiality, has little ability for active monitoring of research, and is much better organized for analysis of data that has already been collected. Information is hidden to protect stock values and to confuse competing companies that might benefit.
- NIH supervises research done by public institutions with federal money. However, NIH then becomes responsible for monitoring the research that it sponsors.
Walters recommended that (1) NIH and FDA use the same rules for research on humans, (2) make research completely open to public access, and (3) improved monitoring. (He was less interested in the effect of consequences to investigators who conceal information or who harm their subjects and saw no application of the concept of "manslaughter" to the incident at Penn. A "balance of consequences" analysis suggests the rewards to investigators to be substantial and more certain than sanctions are for being wrong or causing harm. Unless this aspect is corrected, investigators will still have incentive to hide things; adding committees will lead to more clever investigators, not more ethical ones.)
Friday Morning Panel: "Darwinian Medicine: Applying Evolutionary Thinking to Medical Research and Decision-Making," organized and chaired by David Paxson.
Randy Nesse reminded us that the strategy of using cross species comparisons to understand human disease was originally defined by Erasmus Darwin in 1794 in "Zoonomia." Nesse discussed some of the ways that evolution confuses physicians.
- Evolution builds reproductive success, not comfort
- There are trade offs for any change
- Evolution is slower than cultural change
- Evolution is sequential. This week's change depends on the platform that was build last week
- Evolution is stochastic. There is a random quality to decisions that occur.
He surveyed 120 deans of medical schools, 44 responded. Generally, they had no expertise on their faculty, no money to buy expertise, and saw no need to ask for it. Nesse put up a web site to collect research suggestions.
Ed Wilson noted that neuroscience is finally within the "citadel of the human mind" and now asks, "I'm inside, what do I look for?"
E. O. Smith reviewed substance abuse and evolution in terms of "mismatch"
Paul Ewald commented that hygiene, vaccines, and antibiotics were generally ignored until they solved a major public health problem. He argued that any pathology that exerts high fitness costs, shows temporal changes, and has low twin concordance might be the result of an infection. His ideas are a refreshing (and important!) alternative to the reflexive knee jerk we emit when we blurt "mismatch" in regard to varied human diseases. Buy his books!
Boyd Eaton observed that diabetes, heart disease, melanoma, asthma, depression, hip fractures, and breast cancer are more frequent now than 20 years ago. He also lamented contradictory research on diet, exercise, vitamins, and varied treatments and he complained about the lack of a paradigm in health research. (While enthused about Ewald's view, Eaton again reached for "mismatch" in some of his discussion! As someone observed about evolution, whatever comes first is the environment for whatever comes second. "Mismatch" is so plausible and established that it can blind us to other possibilities.)
This section started with 40 in the audience, peaked at 62 (Dave Paxson's exact count!) when Randy and Ed spoke, dropped to 45 after Wilson left and dwindled to 20 (Paxson swears 30. Dunno why we differ. Heck! Let's go with his number) stout hearted bottoms at the end of the 3rd hour. The audience --- e. g., Frank Miele from Skeptic Magazine, Amy Parish from University College, London --- was as interesting as the speakers. Dave Paxson did a remarkable job assembling this panel on "Darwinian Medicine." Segerstrale may someday write about it!
On the other hand, I feel some ambivalence about "Darwinian Medicine" as well as "clinical sociobiology." Both labels may be ignored in the long run because genomic research will produce tools and may solve public health problems without any need to talk about gradual changes and adaptations or to admit our kinship with flies. At least, that seems to be the way the money is going in regard to genomics research and the continued economic suicide committed by any investigator who puts "evolution" in the title of a grant proposal! As Frank Miele pointed out, some 90% of Americans still accept supernatural explanations for creation. Research will let them get tools for use in healing but without changing their stories.
Further, no dean will reorganize the medical curriculum into Darwinian categories. Again, whatever is first becomes environment for whatever is second and there may be a "Darwinian neurology" or a "Darwinian GYN" but not a Darwinian anything that erodes historical disciplines, whether in psychology or in medicine. Too bad, the boundaries need redefinition and perhaps we need a meteor! However, a nondestructive option is that of the "Georgetown Family Systems Therapy." The leadership developed their own network of affiliated clinics and their own training programs that grew from research and texts by Murray Bowen and Michael Kerr. Darwinian medicine might trace a similar path.
Finally, I'm curious about next year. There are rumors that Gary Johnson, the APLS Exec., is moving on. I also know that Dave Paxson is a gifted organizer and has been doing it all of his life. He will also retire from state service in 3 years. Might he be recruited into a stronger role for APLS, HBES, or comparable organization?
Abstract for Future Sense:Complexity & Mobilizing Our Adaptations, by James Brody, 09/06/00